Assessment of potential source regions of PM2.5 components at a southwestern Mediterranean site

A set of PM 2.5 samples ( n = 121) collected at an urban background location in Elche (in southeastern Spain) from December 2004 to November 2005 was analysed by particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and ion chromatography in order to provide source identification and potential source locations. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was used to estimate source profiles and their mass contributions. The PMF modelling identified six sources: aged sea salt (9.2%), ammonium sulphate (40.4%), soil dust related to Saharan outbreaks (13.0%), traffic 1 (18.9%), nitrate aerosol and traffic 2 (5.5%) and local soil dust (6.0%). Potential source contribution function (PSCF) was then used to identify potential source locations. Scarce influence from Mediterranean and European regions was found with the exception of the nitrate source, whose potential source areas were northern Italy and eastern France. Primary source regions for the remaining components (ammonium sulphate, soil dust-related to Saharan outbreaks and aged sea salt) with known mass contributions due to long-range transport have a marked Atlantic and North African location, primarily between Morocco and northwestern Algeria. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.2010.00510.

Effect of surface roughness and sterilization on bacterial adherence to ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

AbstractSterilization with ethylene oxide (EO) and gas plasma (GP) are well-known methods applied to ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) surfaces in the belief that they prevent major material changes caused by gamma irradiation. However, the influence of these surface sterilization methods on bacterial adherence to UHMWPE is unknown. UHMWPE samples with various degrees of roughness (0.3, 0.8 and 2.0 µm) were sterilized with either GP or EO. The variations in hydrophobicity, surface free energy and surface functional groups were investigated before and after sterilization. Sterilized samples were incubated with either Staphylococcus aureus or Staphylococcus epidermidis in order to study bacterial adherence to these materials. Fewer bacteria adhered to UHMWPE after sterilization with EO than after sterilization with GP, especially to the smoothest surfaces. No changes in chemical composition of the UHMWPE surface due to sterilization were observed using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy analysis. The decreased bacterial adherence to UHMWPE found at the smoothest surfaces after sterilization with EO was not directly related to changes in chemical composition. Increased bacterial adherence to rougher surfaces was associated with increased polar surface energy of EO-sterilized surfaces

Antígenos leucocitarios como genes candidatos para mejorar la respuesta inmune en cerdos

Leukocyte antigens (CD) have functions related to immune response and are of interest as classical candidate genes for health. Polymorphisms (e.g. SNPs) in these genes may be associated with variation in the immune response and consequently in disease response. This approach is being taken in search of susceptibility genes for swine disease. In addition, these genes may vary between populations, especially where specific adaptation to pathogens has occurred, and are of potential interest in characterising pig biodiversity.Los antígenos leucocitarios (CD) tienen funciones relacionadas con la respuesta inmune y son de interés con genes candidatos clásicos para la salud. Los Polimorfismos (ej. SNPs) en estos genes pueden estar asociados con variaciones en la respuesta inmune y consecuentemente con la respuesta a la enfermedad. Este ensayo se está desarrollando en la búsqueda de susceptibilidades genéticas a enfermedades porcinas. Adicionalmente, estos genes pueden variar entre poblaciones, especialmente en la que han ocurrido adaptaciones a patógenos, y suponen un interés potencial para la caracterización de la biodiversidad porcina

Chronic kidney disease and coenzyme Q10 supplementation

Among the potential causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD), mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) dysfunction, oxidative stress and inflammation have been implicated as contributor factors to the pathogenesis of this disorder. It is thought that CoQ10 supplementation may offer some therapeutic potential in the treatment of patients with CKD, since CoQ10 has a key role in normal MRC function, as well as having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action. This article will outline the current knowledge on the use of CoQ10 in the treatment of CK

The Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response in Neuroprogressive Diseases: Emerging Pathophysiological Role and Translational Implications

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the main cellular organelle involved in protein synthesis, assembly and secretion. Accumulating evidence shows that across several neurodegenerative and neuroprogressive diseases, ER stress ensues, which is accompanied by over-activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). Although the UPR could initially serve adaptive purposes in conditions associated with higher cellular demands and after exposure to a range of pathophysiological insults, over time the UPR may become detrimental, thus contributing to neuroprogression. Herein, we propose that immune-inflammatory, neuro-oxidative, neuro-nitrosative, as well as mitochondrial pathways may reciprocally interact with aberrations in UPR pathways. Furthermore, ER stress may contribute to a deregulation in calcium homoeostasis. The common denominator of these pathways is a decrease in neuronal resilience, synaptic dysfunction and even cell death. This review also discusses how mechanisms related to ER stress could be explored as a source for novel therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative and neuroprogressive diseases. The design of randomised controlled trials testing compounds that target aberrant UPR-related pathways within the emerging framework of precision psychiatry is warranted

Geographic Visualization in Archaeology

Archaeologists are often considered frontrunners in employing spatial approaches within the social sciences and humanities, including geospatial technologies such as geographic information systems (GIS) that are now routinely used in archaeology. Since the late 1980s, GIS has mainly been used to support data collection and management as well as spatial analysis and modeling. While fruitful, these efforts have arguably neglected the potential contribution of advanced visualization methods to the generation of broader archaeological knowledge. This paper reviews the use of GIS in archaeology from a geographic visualization (geovisual) perspective and examines how these methods can broaden the scope of archaeological research in an era of more user-friendly cyber-infrastructures. Like most computational databases, GIS do not easily support temporal data. This limitation is particularly problematic in archaeology because processes and events are best understood in space and time. To deal with such shortcomings in existing tools, archaeologists often end up having to reduce the diversity and complexity of archaeological phenomena. Recent developments in geographic visualization begin to address some of these issues, and are pertinent in the globalized world as archaeologists amass vast new bodies of geo-referenced information and work towards integrating them with traditional archaeological data. Greater effort in developing geovisualization and geovisual analytics appropriate for archaeological data can create opportunities to visualize, navigate and assess different sources of information within the larger archaeological community, thus enhancing possibilities for collaborative research and new forms of critical inquiry