Fast analysis of relevant contaminants mixture in commercial shellfish

One of the major challenges currently faced is to develop systematic ways of addressing chemical mixtures in environmental assessment. With this purpose, a simple, rapid, and sensitive method for the detection and quantification of a mixture of relevant contaminants in molluscs has been developed. The method is based on QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) and Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). It includes a mixture of 23 compounds formed by pesticides, endocrine disruptors and pharmaceuticals (metolachlor, simazine, desethylatrazine, atrazine, thiabendazole, diazinon, malathion, bentazone, MCPA, propanil, acetamiprid, imidacloprid, caffeine, bisphenol A, triclosan, triclocarban, methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, 1H-benzotriazole, sulfamethoxazole, venlafaxine and carbamazepine). The method was developed and validated in 4 different types of shellfish of high commercial interest such as mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis), oyster (Crassostrea gigas), cockle (Cerastoderma edule) and razor shell (Solen marginatus). The mean percentage of recoveries obtained for all the compounds in each mollusc type (intra-specie) ranged from 96% to 107% showing the good performance of the method developed. The relative standard deviation was under 10% for the intra-day and 17% inter-day analyses. Method detection limits and method quantification limits were below 10 ng/g dry weight for all the species and compounds targeted. Finally, the method was applied to aquaculture samples, oysters and cockles, from Ebro Delta (Spain), after some episodes of mortality occurred in 2017. A high level of bisphenol A was detected in C. edule which may explain the mortality suffered by this organism. C. gigas presented low levels of metolachlor, bentazone, acetamiprid, and methylparaben.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Phase profile analysis of transparent objects through the use of a two windows interferometer based on a one beam splitter configuration

AbstractIn this research we implemented a two windows interferometer based on polarization phase shifting and grating interferometry techniques in order to retrieve the phase data profile of the object in a single capture. The optical configuration has two optical beams with circular polarization in opposite directions, and it is coupled with a 4-f system. An amplitude grid is used as a filter which is placed at the Fourier plane to obtain replicas of each beam which can properly interfere, depending on the separation between beams. The interferometer presents the capability of changing the beam separation in order to make different orders interfere properly. The interference patterns produced can be separately modulated through the operation of linear polarizer's placed on each interference replica. In order to present the capabilities of the system we will select four interferograms result of contiguous orders interference

Transcriptional dissection of pancreatic tumors engrafted in mice.

BACKGROUND: Engraftment of primary pancreas ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) in mice to generate patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models is a promising platform for biological and therapeutic studies in this disease. However, these models are still incompletely characterized. Here, we measured the impact of the murine tumor environment on the gene expression of the engrafted human tumoral cells. METHODS: We have analyzed gene expression profiles from 35 new PDX models and compared them with previously published microarray data of 18 PDX models, 53 primary tumors and 41 cell lines from PDAC. The results obtained in the PDAC system were further compared with public available microarray data from 42 PDX models, 108 primary tumors and 32 cell lines from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We developed a robust analysis protocol to explore the gene expression space. In addition, we completed the analysis with a functional characterization of PDX models, including if changes were caused by murine environment or by serial passing. RESULTS: Our results showed that PDX models derived from PDAC, or HCC, were clearly different to the cell lines derived from the same cancer tissues. Indeed, PDAC- and HCC-derived cell lines are indistinguishable from each other based on their gene expression profiles. In contrast, the transcriptomes of PDAC and HCC PDX models can be separated into two different groups that share some partial similarity with their corresponding original primary tumors. Our results point to the lack of human stromal involvement in PDXs as a major factor contributing to their differences from the original primary tumors. The main functional differences between pancreatic PDX models and human PDAC are the lower expression of genes involved in pathways related to extracellular matrix and hemostasis and the up- regulation of cell cycle genes. Importantly, most of these differences are detected in the first passages after the tumor engraftment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that PDX models of PDAC and HCC retain, to some extent, a gene expression memory of the original primary tumors, while this pattern is not detected in conventional cancer cell lines. Expression changes in PDXs are mainly related to pathways reflecting the lack of human infiltrating cells and the adaptation to a new environment. We also provide evidence of the stability of gene expression patterns over subsequent passages, indicating early phases of the adaptation process

Structural, electronic, and hyperfine properties of pure and Ta-doped m-ZrO₂

A combination of experiments and ab initio quantum-mechanical calculations has been applied to examine electronic, structural, and hyperfine interactions in pure and Ta-doped zirconium dioxide in its monoclinic phase (m-ZrO₂). From the theoretical point of view, the full-potential linear augmented plane wave plus local orbital (APW + lo) method was applied to treat the electronic structure of the doped system including the atomic relaxations introduced by the impurities in the host in a fully self-consistent way using a supercell approach. Different charge states of the Ta impurity were considered in the study and its effects on the electronic, structural, and hyperfine properties are discussed. Our results suggest that two different charge states coexist in Ta-doped m-ZrO₂. Further, ab initio calculations predict that depending on the impurity charge state, a sizeable magnetic moment can be induced at the Ta-probe site. This prediction is confirmed by a new analysis of experimental data

Better data for better outcomes: the importance of process mapping and management in CRVS systems

Background Despite attempts to apply standard methods proven to work in high-income nations, nearly all civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems in low- and middle-income countries are failing to achieve adequate levels of registration completeness or produce the high-quality vital statistics needed to support better health outcomes and monitor progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. This suggests that, rather than simple technical issues, these countries are facing additional or different systemic challenges, including duplication of roles and responsibilities, inefficient methods of data collection, and a reluctance to change. Applying process management Process management is a valuable tool that strengthens the production of vital statistics by providing a visualisation of data flow from start to finish. It helps identify gaps and bottlenecks in the process, allowing stakeholders to work collaboratively to find solutions and target interventions. As part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative at the University of Melbourne, 16 countries were supported in mapping the varied processes required in registering a birth or death. Comparative analysis exposed several limitations in the design of CRVS systems that hinder their performance — from ‘passive’ systems, to overly complex and fragmented system design, through to poor collaboration and duplication of efforts. Conclusions The experiences from Myanmar, Papua New Guinea and Rwanda reported in this paper illustrate the benefits of process management to improve CRVS. While these three countries are at different stages of system development, each uniquely benefited. Process management is a useful tool for all CRVS systems, from the most rudimentary to the most developed. It can strengthen CRVS systems and improve the quality and completeness of vital statistics, resulting in more robust, reliable and timely vital statistics for health planning and better monitoring of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal agenda

Green light photoelectrocatalysis with sulfur-doped carbon nitride : using triazole-purpald for enhanced benzylamine oxidation and oxygen evolution reactions

Novel high performing materials will dictate the pace of reinventing industrial chemical processes to attain desired carbon neutrality targets. Regarding the urgency of exploiting solar irradiation long range visible-light photoelectrocatalysts from abundant resources will play a key role in the aforementioned effort. Anionic doping via co-polymerization and pre-organization of precursors results in tuneable and extrinsic semiconductors, making this a highly attractive methodology. Triazole derivative-purpald, an unexplored precursor but sulfur (S) container, combined with melamine during one solid-state polycondensation reaction with two thermal steps leads to S-doped carbon nitrides (C34). The series of S-doped/CN4-based materials demonstrated enhanced optical, electronic, structural, geometric, textural, and morphological properties and exhibited higher performance in organic benzylamine photooxidation, oxygen evolution, and similar storing energy (capacitor brief investigation) than references. Among the five composites, 50M-50P exhibited the highest photooxidation conversion yield (84±3%) of benzylamine to imine at 535 nm – green light for 48h, due to an extra discrete shoulder reaching ~700 nm, an unusual high sulfur content, preservation of crystal size, new intraband energy states, rare deep structural defects by layer distortion, hydrophobic surface, low porosity, and 10-16 nm pores. An in-depth analysis of S doping was investigated coupling x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, and elemental analysis, providing insights on bonds, distribution, and surface/bulk content. This work contributes to the development of amorphous photocatalysts with long-visible-light range for solar energy conversion and storage

Anomalous Behavior of the Contact Process with Aging

The effect of power-law aging on a contact process is studied by simulation and using a mean-field approach. We find that the system may approach its stationary state in a nontrivial, nonmonotonous way. For the particular value of the aging exponent, $\alpha=1$, we observe a rich set of behaviors: depending on the process parameters, the relaxation to the stationary state proceeds as $1/\ln t$ or via a power law with a nonuniversal exponent. Simulation results suggest that for $0<\alpha<1$, the absorbing-state phase transition is in the universality class of directed percolation.Comment: 4 pages revtex (twocolumn, psfig), 3 figure

Combining anterior and posterior component separation for extreme cases of abdominal wall reconstruction.

Purpose: The closure of midline in abdominal wall incisional hernias is an essential principle. In some exceptional circumstances, despite adequate component separation techniques, this midline closure cannot be achieved. This study aims to review the results of using both anterior and component separation in these exceptional cases. Methods: We reviewed our experience using the combination of both anterior and posterior component separation in the attempt to close the midline. Our first step was to perform a TAR and a complete extensive dissection of the retromuscular preperitoneal plane developed laterally as far as the posterior axillary line. When the closure of midline was not possible, an external oblique release was made. A retromuscular preperitoneal reinforcement was made with the combination of an absorbable mesh and a 50 × 50 polypropylene mesh. Results: Twelve patients underwent anterior and posterior component separation. The mean hernia width was 23.5 ± 5. The majority were classified as severe complex incisional hernia and had previous attempts of repair. After a mean follow-up of 27 months (range 8-45), no case of recurrence was registered. Only one patient (8.33%) presented with an asymptomatic bulging in the follow-up. European Hernia Society's quality of life scores showed a significant improvement at 2 years postoperatively in the three domains: pain (p = 0.01), restrictions (p = 0.04) and cosmetic (p = 0.01). Conclusions: The combination of posterior and anterior component separation can effectively treat massive and challenging cases of abdominal wall reconstruction in which the primary midline closure is impossible to achieve despite appropriate optimization of surgery.post-print1,08 M

Closing the Light Gluino Window in Supersymmetric Grand Unified Models

We study the light gluino scenario giving special attention to constraints from the masses of the light CP-even neutral Higgs $m_h$, the lightest chargino $m_{\chi^{\pm}_1}$, and the second lightest neutralino $m_{\chi^0_2}$, and from the $b\rightarrow s\gamma$ decay. We find that minimal $N=1$ supergravity, with a radiatively broken electroweak symmetry group and universality of scalar and gaugino masses at the unification scale, is incompatible with the existence of a light gluino.Comment: 12 pages (plain tex), 1 figure not included, VAND-TH-94-7-R. An error is corrected. Modifications to the text and the figure are mad