Acute aquatic toxicity of arsenic-based chemical warfare agents to Daphnia magna

Sea dumping of chemical warfare (CW) took place worldwide during the 20th century. Submerged CW included metal bombs and casings that have been exposed for 50-100 years of corrosion and are now known to be leaking. Therefore, the arsenic-based chemical warfare agents (CWAs), pose a potential threat to the marine ecosystems. The aim of this research was to support a need for real-data measurements for accurate risk assessments and categorization of threats originating from submerged CWAs. This has been achieved by providing a broad insight into arsenic-based CWAs acute toxicity in aquatic ecosystems. Standard tests were performed to provide a solid foundation for acute aquatic toxicity threshold estimations of CWA: Lewisite, Adamsite, Clark I, phenyldichloroarsine (PDCA), CWA-related compounds: TPA, arsenic trichloride and four arsenic-based CWA degradation products. Despite their low solubility, during the 48 h exposure, all CWA caused highly negative effects on Daphnia magna. PDCA was very toxic with 48 h D. magna LC50 at 0.36 mu g x L-1- and Lewisite with EC50 at 3.2 mu g x L-1 . Concentrations at which no immobilization effects were observed were slightly above the analytical Limits of Detection (LOD) and Quantification (LOQ). More water-soluble CWA degradation products showed no effects at concentrations up to 100 mg x L-1.Peer reviewe

Salvinorin A analogues PR-37 and PR-38 attenuate compound 48/80-induced itch responses in mice: Salvinorin A analogues PR-37 and PR-38 in pruritus

The opioid system plays a crucial role in several physiological processes in the CNS and in the periphery. It has also been shown that selective opioid receptor agonists exert potent inhibitory action on pruritus and pain. In this study we examined whether two analogues of Salvinorin A, PR-37 and PR-38, exhibit antipruritic properties in mice

Oxr1 Is Essential for Protection against Oxidative Stress-Induced Neurodegeneration

Oxidative stress is a common etiological feature of neurological disorders, although the pathways that govern defence against reactive oxygen species (ROS) in neurodegeneration remain unclear. We have identified the role of oxidation resistance 1 (Oxr1) as a vital protein that controls the sensitivity of neuronal cells to oxidative stress; mice lacking Oxr1 display cerebellar neurodegeneration, and neurons are less susceptible to exogenous stress when the gene is over-expressed. A conserved short isoform of Oxr1 is also sufficient to confer this neuroprotective property both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, biochemical assays indicate that Oxr1 itself is susceptible to cysteine-mediated oxidation. Finally we show up-regulation of Oxr1 in both human and pre-symptomatic mouse models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, indicating that Oxr1 is potentially a novel neuroprotective factor in neurodegenerative disease

Persistent Exposure to Mycoplasma Induces Malignant Transformation of Human Prostate Cells

Recent epidemiologic, genetic, and molecular studies suggest infection and inflammation initiate certain cancers, including those of the prostate. The American Cancer Society, estimates that approximately 20% of all worldwide cancers are caused by infection. Mycoplasma, a genus of bacteria that lack a cell wall, are among the few prokaryotes that can grow in close relationship with mammalian cells, often without any apparent pathology, for extended periods of time. In this study, the capacity of Mycoplasma genitalium, a prevalent sexually transmitted infection, and Mycoplasma hyorhinis, a mycoplasma found at unusually high frequency among patients with AIDS, to induce a malignant phenotype in benign human prostate cells (BPH-1) was evaluated using a series of in vitro and in vivo assays. After 19 weeks of culture, infected BPH-1 cells achieved anchorage-independent growth and increased migration and invasion. Malignant transformation of infected BPH-1 cells was confirmed by the formation of xenograft tumors in athymic mice. Associated with these changes was an increase in karyotypic entropy, evident by the accumulation of chromosomal aberrations and polysomy. This is the first report describing the capacity of M. genitalium or M. hyorhinis infection to lead to the malignant transformation of benign human epithelial cells and may serve as a model to further study the relationship between prostatitis and prostatic carcinogenesis

CVD Diamond Films Quality Characterization by ESR, SEM and Raman Spectroscopy

Polycrystalline diamond films were deposited by electron assisted hot filament chemical vapor deposition method on (001) Si substrate using a mixture of propane-butane and hydrogen as working gas. In morphology investigation of diamond films using scanning electron microscope, it was found that diamond film morphology is changing from (111), for hydrocarbon concentration below 0.5 vol.%, via (100) to the so-called "ball-like" structure. The diamond film quality and defect structures in it were investigated by Raman and electron spin resonance spectroscopy for the purpose of obtaining basic knowledge which will aid the growth of defect free epitaxial diamond film for electronic and optical applications

Badanie jakościowe materiałów węglowych za pomocą spektroskopii Ramana

Praca ta prezentuje możliwość zastosowania spektroskopii Ramana do badań jakościowych materiałów węglowych typu DLC (diamond-like carbon). Badania zmiany parametrów spektralnych pasm charakterystycznych D i G w zakresie od temperatury pokojowej do 300°C umożliwiły obserwację wpływu procesu wygrzewania na przechodzenie materiału z formy węgla amorficznego do formy zbliżonej do nanokrystalicznego grafitu

Zmienność przestrzenna zawartości azotu ogółem w poziomie powierzchniowym w skali pola produkcyjnego

Soil total nitrogen does not come under so great temporal changes as its mineral forms, but it could be spatially differentiated. Spatial variability of total nitrogen could occur in the region scale as well as in the microscale that is to say within production field scale. For agricultural practice very important is to know spatial variability of its nitrogen form in the field scale since it could be very important to optimization of fertilization. That is why the objective of this study was to estimate total nitrogen spatial variability in the field scale. To this end 16.5 hectare field after winter wheat cultivation was chosen and soil samples from 47 individual points were collected in spring every 50 m. Total nitrogen was determined by Kjeldahl method. On the basis of total N content results empirical variograms were drawn with SURFER 8.0 software. On the ground of variograms, mathematical models and raster maps illustrating the distribution of investigated total nitrogen content in the field scale were drown. Basic statistic calculations were done with the use of STATISTICA 8.0 software. Results showed differentiated concentration of total nitrogen content in the humic horizon of investigated soil (0.78–1.11 g kg–1). Small differentiation of determined nitrogen could be confirmed by low standard deviation (0.078) and low correlation coefficients (8.44 %). Geostatistical analysis proved that surface layer nitrogen did not occur full dispersion what was confirmed by nugget effect amounting 0.001 (g/kg)2 with the sill variance accounted for 0.006 (g/kg)2. The large range of 212 m evidenced that the correlation between total nitrogen content is bigger than distances between samples points. Proper adjustment of models (spherical and nugget effect) was confirmed also by the variance calculated (0.006 [g/kg]2), similar to sill variance defined on the ground of those models.Azot ogółem w glebach nie podlega tak dużym zmianom w czasie jak jego formy mineralne, ale jego zawartość może być zróżnicowana przestrzennie. To zróżnicowanie może występować w makroskali np. regionu, jak i w mikroskali, czyli w obrębie pola produkcyjnego. Dla praktyki rolniczej szczególnie ważne jest poznanie zmienności tej formy azotu na obszarze pola, gdyż może to być pomocne przy optymalizacji nawożenia. Dlatego też celem niniejszej pracy było oszacowanie zmienności przestrzennej azotu ogółem w obrębie pola uprawnego. Do tego celu wytypowano pole po pszenicy ozimej o powierzchni 16,5 ha, z którego wiosną pobrano próbki z 47 punktów rozmieszczonych co 50 m. Azot ogółem oznaczono metodą Kjeldahla. Na podstawie otrzymanych wyników przy zastosowaniu programu SURFER 8.0 wykreślono wariogram empiryczny, który posłużył do stworzenia modelu i wykreślenia mapy rastrowej obrazującej rozkład badanej formy azotu w obrębie pola. Wykonano również obliczenia statystyczne przy użyciu programu STATISTIKA 8.0. Przeprowadzone badanie wykazały zróżnicowaną zawartość azotu ogółem w poziomie próchnicznym (0,78–1,11 g kg–1). O niewielkim zróżnicowaniu analizowanego parametru może świadczyć mała wartość odchylenia standardowego (0,078) oraz mały współczynnik zmienności (8,44 %). Przeprowadza analiza wykazała, że azot w poziomie powierzchniowym nie występuje w pełnym rozproszeniu, o czym świadczy występowanie efektu samorodka, który dla badanej cechy wynosił 0,001 (g/kg)2 przy wariancji progowej wynoszącej 0,006 (g/kg)2. Duży zasięg wynoszący 212 m świadczy o skorelowaniu zawartości azotu ogółem na odległości większe niż odległości między punktami pobierania próbek. Dobre dopasowanie modeli (sferycznego i efektu samorodka) potwierdza również wariancja obliczona 0,006 (g/kg)2, która jest zbliżona do wariancji progowej odczytanej na podstawie tych modeli

ACTA PHYSICA POLONICA A CVD DIAMOND FILMS QUALITY CHARACTERIZATION BY ESR, SEM AND RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY

Polycrystalline diamond films were deposited by ełectron assisted hot filament chemical vapor deposition method on (001) Si substrate using a mixture of propane-butane and hydrogen as working gas. In morphology investigation of diamond films using scanning electron microscope, it was found that diamond film morphology is changing from (111), for hydrocarbon concentration below 0.5 vol.%, via (100) to the so-called "ball-like" structure. The diamond film quality and defect structures in it were investigated by Raman and electron spin resonance spectroscopy for the purpose of obtaining basic knowledge which will aid the growth of defect free epitaxial diamond film for electronic and optical applications

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Studies of HF CVD Diamond Films

Diamond films were synthesized by a hot filament vapor deposition method using H₂/CH₄ gas mixtures. A Hioki impedance analyzer was used to study the dielectric properties of the deposited diamond films. The dielectric dispersion measurement yielded the real and imaginary parts of impedance of diamond films in the form of a Nyquist plot in a complex plane. The obtained results were fitted by using equivalent circuit which consists of three impedance (Z) components containing resistor R and capacitor C or constant phase element connected in parallel. The structure and quality of diamond films were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and the Raman spectroscopy. The impedance measurements showed that concentration of non-diamond admixture has essential influence on electrochemical properties of diamond layers

Application of method for multi-criteria diagnostic analysis of patient with osteoarthritis of the hip

Artykuł przedstawia wielokryterialną procedurę postępowania przy kwalifikacji pacjentów do zabiegu wymiany stawu biodrowego w procesie leczenia. Zastosowano metodę Electre Tri w hybrydowym systemie DSS 3.0. Artykuł składa się z opisu kompetencji ekspertów, drzewa decyzyjnego oraz modelowania rankingów i klasyfikacji podjętego problemu. Przykładem badawczym są pacjenci z różnym zaawansowaniem choroby zwyrodnieniowej, których stan określono w trakcie leczenia szpitalnego.Advanced degenerative changes causing disturbances in biomechanics, disability and social isolation. A multitude of conditions of varying severity of the patient causes problem with determining the optimal timing of treatment. The classification of patients for surgery is complex. Published studies show a variety of parameters, variants and classification of evaluable patients with osteoarthritis of the hip. It notes the lack of proposals for assessing the performance in the field of biomechanics in one system, and with the classification of a sick patient. The paper presents the problem of the methodology for specific decision problems. The aim of the article was to develop (and verify) test procedure for the evaluation of osteoarthritis of the hip. Verified appropriate method of multi-criteria Electre Tri, which allowed to established patient qualifications for surgery or hip replacement program of physiotherapy or pharmacotherapy