Measurement of water in rhyolitic glasses; calibration of an infrared spectroscopic technique

A series of natural rhyolitic obsidians were analyzed for their total water contents by a vacuum extraction technique. The grain size of the crushed samples can significantly affect these analyses. Coarse powders must be used in order to avoid surface-correlated water. These analyses were used to calibrate infrared spectroscopic measurements of water in glass using several infrared and near-infrared absorption bands. We demonstrate that infrared spectroscopy can yield precise determinations of not only total dissolved water contents, but also the concentrations of individual H-bearing species in natural and synthetic rhyolitic glasses on spots as small as a few tens of micrometers in diameter

Life cycle assessment of drinking water: comparing conventional water treatment, reverse osmosis and mineral water in glass and plastic bottles

This study evaluated the environmental impacts caused by drinking water consumption in Barcelona (Spain) using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. Five different scenarios were compared: 1) tap water from conventional drinking water treatment; 2) tap water from conventional drinking water treatment with reverse osmosis at the water treatment plant; 3) tap water from conventional drinking water treatment with domestic reverse osmosis; 4) mineral water in plastic bottles, and 5) mineral water in glass bottles. The functional unit was 1 m3 of water. The water treatment plant considered in scenarios 1, 2 and 3, treats around 5 m3 s-1 of surface water. The water bottling plants considered in scenarios 4 and 5 have a production capacity of 200 m3 of bottled water per day. The LCA was performed with the software SimaPro®, using the CML 2 baseline method. The results showed how tap water consumption was the most favourable alternative, while bottled water presented the worst results due to the higher raw materials and energy inputs required for bottles manufacturing, especially in the case of glass bottles. The impacts generated by domestic reverse osmosis were between 10 and 24% higher than tap water alternative depending on the impact category. It was due to the higher electricity consumption. Reverse osmosis at the water treatment plant showed impacts nearly twice as high as domestic reverse osmosis systems scenario, mainly because of the higher energy inputs. Water treated by domestic reverse osmosis equipment was the most environmentally friendly solution for the improvement of tap water organoleptic characteristics. An economic analysis showed that this solution was between 8 and 19 times cheaper than bottled water.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER AMONG PREMUTATION CARRIERS OF FRAGILE X SYNDROME AT SEMIN, GUNUNG KIDUL REGENCY

Background: Neurological disorder among male premutation carriers of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) frequently occurs. In other hand, lacking of information results misdiagnosis of this disorder. Therefore this study is addressed to provide the data about neurological involvement of late-adult premutation carriers of FXS. Objectives: This research is to know neurological involvement of late-adult premutation carriers of FXS. Subjects and Methods: This was a descriptive study following cytogenetic, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and neurological examinations on premutation carriers of FXS. Cytogenetic and PCR results were secondary data from Central for biomedical research (CEBIOR) laboratory of Faculty of Medicine Diponegoro University during September 2009 – March 2010. Simple neurological examination techniques were done to observe neurological involment among male premutation carriers. Results: There were four males carrying premutation allele over the age of 50. Cytogenetic analysis revealed two subjects expressed fragile site. The other two subjects expressed no fragile site. PCR analysis revealed expanded allele from all subjects. Subject III.6 showed intention tremor and gait ataxia, which are two mayor clinical criterions of FXTAS. Subject III.8 showed gait ataxia which is a mayor criterion of FXTAS. Subject III.9 showed intention tremor and gait ataxia, which are two mayor criterions of FXTAS. And Subject III.10 showed gait ataxia which is a mayor criterion of FXTAS. Conclusion: Some cerebellar manifestations such as intention tremor, limb ataxia, gait ataxia, dysdiadochokinesia, and titubation have been identified in premutation carriers of FXS. Southern Blot is needed to reveal subjects’s molecular status more accurate. Simple techniques to observe mayor and minor clinical criteria in this study had been proved can be used in the future. Radiological imaging is needed to address major and minor radiological criteria of FXTAS is still needed as one of an objectives measurement. Keywords : Fragile X-associated Tremor Ataxia Syndrome, intention tremor, gait ataxia, cerebellar manifestation

Multiphase imaging of freezing particle suspensions by confocal microscopy

Ice-templating is a well-established processing route for porous ceramics. Because of the structure/properties relationships, it is essential to better understand and control the solidification microstructures. Ice-templating is based on the segregation and concentration of particles by growing ice crystals. What we understand so far of the process is based on either observations by optical or X-ray imaging techniques, or on the characterization of ice-templated materials. However, in situ observations at particle-scale are still missing. Here we show that confocal microscopy can provide multiphase imaging of ice growth and the segregation and organization of particles. We illustrate the benefits of our approach with the observation of particles and pore ice in the frozen structure, the dynamic evolution of the freeze front morphology, and the impact of PVA addition on the solidification microstructures. These results prove in particular the importance of controlling both the temperature gradient and the growth rate during ice-templating.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figure

Late histopathological findings in the thoracic irradiation: A preliminary study in the animal model

Purpose: To investigate late histopathological alterations in rat lung cells following single-dose of irradiation. Methods and materials: The thoracic cage of entire lung of Wistar rats was exposed to 17 Gy 60Co gamma rays. The animals were sacrificed at 32 weeks after irradiation. The lungs were dissected and blinded histopathological evaluation was performed. Results: When the lungs were removed at 32 weeks after whole thoracic irradiation, histopathologically inflammation and mononuclear infiltrate in the interstitium, Intraalveolar hemorrhages, dilatation in the alveolar space with alterations of the alveolar wall, congestion of the dilated vessels, foam and dust cells and superimposed collagen were noted in all animals. Conclusion: At the end of the histological examination, it was seen that all of the animals had severe superimposed collagen and a large fibrous area. We conclude that, in the rat lung model with single dose of 17 Gy, the most interesting finding in this study was in the expression of late fibrosis

Estimación de edades arqueológicas usando la hidratación de obsidianas: dos fuentes de los andes meridionales

Obsidian is abundant in archaeological sites throughout Mendoza Province, Argentina but no obsidian hydration rates exist to date these assemblages. Direct dating of obsidian artifacts is particularly important in west-central Argentina because the surface record is extensive but well-defined time marker artifacts are lacking. The costs of non-optical hydration dating techniques currently preclude their regular use in the region, however. We present and evaluate 12 models for age estimation based on optical hydration rim measurements for the two most commonly used obsidian types in the region (Las Cargas and Laguna del Maule). Age estimation equations are derived for each source using observed hydration rim-radiocarbon date pairs, and parameterized by variables known to influence obsidian hydration in experimental settings. The equations advanced here are currently best at predicting the known ages of artifacts independently dated by radiocarbon, and can be cautiously used to estimate the ages of obsidian artifacts.Las obsidianas son abundantes en los sitios arqueológicos de la provincia de Mendoza (Argentina). Sin embargo, hasta el momento no existen estimaciones para las tasas de hidratación de estas rocas que puedan utilizarse para fechar esos conjuntos líticos. La realización de fechados directos sobre artefactos de obsidiana resulta particularmente importante para esta región, dado que existe un vasto registro arqueológico de superficie –compuesto principalmente por artefactos líticos– y solo se cuenta con tipos morfológicos cronológicamente sensibles para el Holoceno Tardío. Aquí se presentan y evalúan 12 modelos para estimar las edades de los artefactos de obsidiana basados en la medición óptica de los anillos de hidratación. Específicamente estos modelos fueron desarrollados para las dos obsidianas más comunes en los contextos arqueológicos de la región, procedentes de las fuentes de Las Cargas y Laguna del Maule. Las edades estimadas son derivadas para cada fuente a partir de pares de medición del espesor de la corteza de hidratación-fechado radiocarbono, y calibradas con variables cuya influencia sobre la hidratación ha sido establecida experimentalmente. Las ecuaciones que presentamos son actualmente las que mejor predicen las edades conocidas de artefactos que han sido fechados independientemente por radiocarbono y, por lo tanto, pueden utilizarse con cautela para estimar la antigüedad de los artefactos de obsidiana procedentes de la región.Fil: Garvey, Raven. University of Michigan; Estados UnidosFil: Carpenter, Tim. Archaeometrics; Estados UnidosFil: Gil, Adolfo Fabian. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla | Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla | Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla; ArgentinaFil: Neme, Gustavo Adolfo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla | Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla | Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla; ArgentinaFil: Bettinger, Robert. University of California at Davis; Estados Unido