Iodine-induced hyperthyroidism: occurrence and epidemiology

We have critically reviewed the available information on iodine-induced hyperthyroidism (IIH) from published sources and other reports as well as the experience of the authors in Tasmania, Zaire, Zimbabwe, and Brazil. Administration of iodine in almost any chemical form may induce an episode of thyrotoxicosis (IIH). This has been observed in epidemic incidence in several countries when iodine has been given as prophylaxis in a variety of vehicles, but the attack rate as recorded has been low. IIH is most commonly encountered in older persons with long standing nodular goiter and in regions of chronic iodine deficiency, but instances in the young have been recorded. It customarily occurs after an incremental rise in mean iodine intake in the course of programs for the prevention of iodine deficiency, or when iodine-containing drugs such as radiocontrast media or amiodarone are administered. The biological basis for IIH appears most often to be mutational events in thyroid cells that lead to autonomy of function. When the mass of cells with such an event becomes sufficient and iodine supply is increased, the subject may become thyrotoxic. These changes may occur in localized foci within the gland or in the process of nodule formation. IIH may also occur with an increase in iodine intake in those whose hyperthyroidism (Graves' disease) is not expressed because of iodine deficiency. The risks of IIH are principally to the elderly who may have heart disease, and to those who live in regions where there is limited access to medical care. More information is needed on the long-term health impact of IIH or "subclinical" IIH, especially in the course of prophylaxis programs with iodized salt or iodinated oil in regions where access to health care is limited.     

Intron function in the nonsense-mediated decay of beta-globin mRNA: indications that pre-mRNA splicing in the nucleus can influence mRNA translation in the cytoplasm

Generally, mRNAs that prematurely terminate translation are abnormally low in abundance. In the case of mammalian cells, nonsense codons most often mediate a reduction in the abundance of newly synthesized, nucleus-associated mRNA by a mechanism that is not well understood. With the aim of defining cis-acting sequences that are important to the reduction process, the effects of particular beta-globin gene rearrangements on the metabolism of beta-globin mRNAs harboring one of a series of nonsense codons have been assessed. Results indicate that nonsense codons located 54 bp or more upstream of the 3'-most intron, intron 2, reduce the abundance of nucleus-associated mRNA to 10-15% of normal without altering the level of either of the two introns within pre-mRNA. The level of cytoplasmic mRNA is also reduced to 10-15% of normal, indicating that decay does not take place once the mRNA is released from an association with nuclei into the cytoplasm. A nonsense codon within exon 2 that does not reduce mRNA abundance can be converted to the type that does by (1) inserting a sufficiently large in-frame sequence immediately upstream of intron 2 or (2) deleting and reinserting intron 2 a sufficient distance downstream of its usual position. These findings indicate that only those nonsense codons located more than 54 bp upstream of the 3'-most intron reduce beta-globin mRNA abundance, which is remarkably consistent with which nonsense codons within the triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) gene reduce TPI mRNA abundance. We propose that the 3'-most exon-exon junction of beta-globin mRNA and, possibly, most mRNAs is marked by the removal of the 3'-most intron during pre-mRNA splicing and that the "mark" accompanies mRNA during transport to the cytoplasm. When cytoplasmic ribosomes terminate translation more than 54 nt upstream of the mark during or immediately after transport, the mRNA is subjected to nonsense-mediated decay. The finding that deletion of beta-globin intron 2 does not appreciably alter the effect of any nonsense codon on beta-globin mRNA abundance suggests that another cis-acting sequence functions in nonsense-mediated decay comparably to intron 2, at least in the absence of intron 2, possibly as a fail-safe mechanism. The analysis of deletions and insertions indicates that this sequence resides within the coding region and can be functionally substituted by intron 2.     

Influence of prenatal mercury exposure upon scholastic and psychological test performance: benchmark analysis of a New Zealand cohort

A general biological concept of the unity of structure and function in biological systems at all levels of their organization-cell, tissue, organ and organism-is well known. However, the constructive contents of such unity remain unclear. It appears that until we learn to separate and allocate structural and functional problems of biological systems construction, we cannot understand how this unity is reached. Or else, there is a methodological problem: how to separate and to allocate the basic categories of biological self-organization? Here, we consider different biological tissues in order to separate, in the first place, the basic concepts-structure, function, control-as independent systems which have their own referents. Then to solve the problem of association, a concept of "equipment" is introduced: the structure is equipped with function, the function is equipped with control. As a result, any elementary cycle of bioorganization is represented as a sequence of phases: (1) formation of structural basis, (2) functional equipment of structure, (3) libernetical equipment of function-differentiation of variability freedoms, (4) establishment of control to overcome the superfluous freedom of structural and functional organization.     

Bridging organizations and strategic bridging functions in environmental governance and management

Strategic bridging functions performed by three voluntary, multi-stakeholder bridging organizations engaged in environmental governance and management in the Calgary Region of Alberta, Canada, are examined. Structured interviews revealed how the bridging organizations influenced an increase in municipal participation in regional-scale environmental governance and management activities. Bridging organizations connect stakeholders who would otherwise not be connected. They identify shared values and issues of concern, build trusting relationships, co-create knowledge, resolve conflict, and contribute to social learning processes. Social network structure is made visible through social network graphs. The legitimacy of natural resource management plans co-created through strategic bridging processes is also addressed.     

从信息学的角度分析复杂网络链路预测

链路预测作为复杂网络分析的一项重要任务,其目的是寻找节点间缺失(新)的链路,识别虚假交互,对于挖掘和分析网络的演化,重塑网络模型具有重要意义.传统的链路预测方法多数采用拓扑结构信息、节点的属性信息和图的结构特征.应用这些特征等外部信息可以得到很好的预测效果.本文从信息学的角度全面分析、回顾和讨论了复杂网络链路预测的发展现状,提出了链路预测技术和问题的系统分类.首次将分层的思想引入链路预测分类体系中,把当前的链路预测方法分为基于监督学习的技术、基于半监督学习的技术、基于无监督学习的技术和基于强化学习的技术.对每种技术的优缺点、复杂性、所使用的具体特征,开源实现及应用建议进行了详细的分析.最后,讨论了当前复杂网络链路预测技术未来的发展方向.     

The interaction of alumina with HCl: An infrared spectroscopy, temperature-programmed desorption and inelastic neutron scattering study

The interaction of HCl with an η-alumina catalyst has been investigated by a combination of diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy, temperature-programmed desorption and inelastic neutron scattering (INS) spectroscopy. Infrared spectra provide evidence for dissociative adsorption of HCl and for a process in which hydroxyl groups terminally bound to Al are replaced by chlorine. Temperature-programmed desorption experiments show HCl to desorb over the temperature range 350–>970 K, indicating dissociative HCl adsorption to occur on a wide range of active sites. INS experiments show the residual alumina hydroxyl groups to exhibit an out-of-plane deformation feature, γ(OH), at ca. 200 cm⁻¹, while the in-plane deformation mode, δ(OH), is seen at ca. 1000 cm⁻¹. The formation of new surface hydroxyl groups via the adsorption of hydrogen chloride yields a δ(OH) feature that can be resolved into two bands at 990 and 1050 cm⁻¹. Hydrogen bonding within the alumina/HCl system is responsible for the observation of an Evans transmission window in the infrared spectrum, that occurs via a Fermi resonance interaction between (i) the ν(OH) mode of hydrogen bonded hydroxyl groups and chemisorbed water with (ii) the overtone of the δ(OH) mode of surface hydroxyl groups. The INS technique is able to discriminate among different hydroxyl group bonding geometries on the basis of the local symmetry of the active sites.     

Thermoplastic polyurethane hydrolysis stability

This paper reviews several types of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers, and the unique properties these polymers have. In discussing the hydrolysis stability of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers the suitability of these polymers for such study was pointed out. A relationship between poly(ester-urethane) composition in terms of methylene group concentration, hardness and chain stiffness, and hydrolysis stability was shown. The dominant role of polyurethane acid number in thermoplastic poly(ester-urethane) hydrolysis stability was demonstrated and the origin of this unexpected acid number was discussed. The pronounced stabilizing action of added poly(carbodiimide) in thermoplastic poly(ester-urethane) hydrolysis was shown, as well as the severe destabilizing action of a carboxylic acid, stearic acid. The hydrolysis stabilities of thermoplastic poly(ester-urethane) elastomers based on poly(?-caprolactone) glycol and on poly(hexamethylene carbonate) glycol were also described.     

Continuous grinding in a small wet ball mill. Part IV. A study of the influence of grinding media load and density

TXX influence of changes in grinding media load and density on the grinding behaviour of trace quantities of quartz within an environment of calcite in a small continuous wet ball mill have been studied using (a) ball loads ranging from 45% to 100% of the standard load of 1-in. balls, (b) a standard load of 1-in. pebbles and (c) standard loads of equicylinders with specific gravities ranging from 2.82 to 9.49. A mill overload condition (125% ball load) has also been studied using a feed comprising 5% by weight of full-size-range quartz and 95% standard calcite.The results show that variations in breakage behaviour were best followed by a comparison of the adjusted breakage rate constants (k′) for individual sizes corresponding to a standard hold-up-weight. The changes in k′ with ball load could be explained in terms of changes in number of impacts per unit time and in the environmental size distribution. A reduction in the density of the grinding media caused a disproportionate decrease in k′ for the coarse sizes compared with the fine sizes, and breakage rates tended to zero for all sizes as the density of the medium approached that of the pulp.Whilst under some of the test conditions the flow of tracer solids behaved anomalously, under most conditions there was an approximately linear relationship between average residence time and total weight of media charged to the mill.Media density per se had no effect on breakage function, but there was a distinct change due to change in media shape.