The climate glasshouse at Naaldwijk.

The layout of an experimental glasshouse with 24 separate compartments is described. A process computer with peripheral units is used to control the glasshouse climate and to record the climatic data inside and outside the glasshouse. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

Bound States in Mildly Curved Layers

It has been shown recently that a nonrelativistic quantum particle constrained to a hard-wall layer of constant width built over a geodesically complete simply connected noncompact curved surface can have bound states provided the surface is not a plane. In this paper we study the weak-coupling asymptotics of these bound states, i.e. the situation when the surface is a mildly curved plane. Under suitable assumptions about regularity and decay of surface curvatures we derive the leading order in the ground-state eigenvalue expansion. The argument is based on Birman-Schwinger analysis of Schroedinger operators in a planar hard-wall layer.Comment: LaTeX 2e, 23 page

Vortex phases in mesoscopic cylinders with suppressed surface superconductivity

Vortex structures in mesoscopic cylinder placed in external magnetic field are studied under the general de Gennes boundary condition for the order parameter corresponding to the suppression of surface superconductivity. The Ginzburg-Landau equations are solved based on trial functions for the order parameter for vortex-free, single-vortex, multivortex, and giant vortex phases. The equilibrium vortex diagrams in the plane of external field and cylinder radius and magnetization curves are calculated at different values of de Gennes "extrapolation length" characterizing the boundary condition for the order parameter. The comparison of the obtained variational results with some available exact solutions shows good accuracy of our approach.Comment: RevTex, 11 pages, 10 figure

Analysis of genetic susceptibility to mercury contamination evaluated through molecular biomarkers in at-risk amazon amerindian populations

We investigated Individual differences in susceptibility to methylmercury (MeHg) contamination and its relationship with polymorphisms of the detoxifying enzyme glutathione S-transferase (GST). In Brazil, some Amerindian tribes from the Amazon region have an increased level of mercury in their hair. Samples of hair and blood were taken from inhabitants of two villages in the Kayabi and Munduruku Amerindian communities to investigate mercury levels in association with genetic polymorphism of GSTs. Other molecular biological markers were also studied, such as hemoglobin, haptoglobin and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH). Higher levels of mercury contamination were found in the Kayabi villagers, who had a null genotype (GSTM1 0/0, also denominated GSTM1 null) frequency of 26%, than in the Munduruku villagers, for which the null genotype frequency was 0%. Individuals with the GSTM1 null phenotype had higher concentrations of mercury in their hair than individuals with GSTM1+/+ phenotypes (F = 21.51, p < 0.0001). No association with other markers studied was observed. This study suggests that GSTM1 may be involved in the biotransformation of mercury in humans

Influence of short-term dietary measures on dioxin concentrations in human milk.

Breast-feeding may expose infants to high levels of toxic chlorinated dioxins. To diminish intake of these lipophilic compounds by the baby, two diets were tested for their ability to reduce concentrations of dioxins in human milk. The diets were a low-fat/high- carbohydrate/low-dioxin diet. (about 20% of energy intake derived from fat) and a high fat /low-carbohydrate/low-dioxin diet. These diets were tested in 16 and 18 breast-feeding women, respectively. The test diets were followed for 5 consecutive days in the fourth week after delivery. Milk was sampled before and at the end of the dietary regimen, and dioxin concentrations and fatty acid concentrations were determined. Despite significant influences of these diets on the fatty acid profiles, no significant influence on the dioxin concentrations in breast milk could be found. We conclude that short-term dietary measures will not reduce dioxin concentration in human milk

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among veterinary staff in Ontario, Canada (2002): Implications for teratogenic risk

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii infection is embryotoxic in humans. It is mainly transmitted through raw/undercooked meat and ingestion of oocysts in cat feces. There remains controversy about the actual risk of cats transmitting the disease to humans. Our primary objective was to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii antibody among veterinary staff, to ascertain whether they have an increased risk through occupational exposure. Our secondary objective was to examine their practices regarding cats, toxoplasma infection, and pregnancy. METHODS: Veterinary staff attending the 2002 Annual Ontario Veterinary Medical Association Conference were invited to discuss their toxoplasma seroprevalence. Interested attendees completed a questionnaire and a physician drew blood samples to determine T. gondii titres using the ELISA IgG test. RESULTS: We collected 161 completed questionnaires, and 141 blood samples. There were 20 (14.2%, CI95%:8.4–19.9%) reactive titres among the veterinarian staff (80% females aged 30–45). All were regularly exposed to cats, washed their hands when in contact and few wore gloves routinely. CONCLUSIONS: These findings of low positive rates may be used to reassure veterinary staff that their exposure to cats does not appear to increase their risk of contracting toxoplasma infection and that pregnant women are not at an increased risk by owning a cat