Speciation and localization of arsenic in white and brown rice grains

Synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence (S-XRF) was utilized to locate arsenic (As) in polished (white) and unpolished (brown) rice grains from the United States, China, and Bangladesh. In white rice As was generally dispersed throughout the grain, the bulk of which constitutes the endosperm. In brown rice As was found to be preferentially localized at the surface, in the region corresponding to the pericarp and aleurone layer. Copper, iron, manganese, and zinc localization followed that of arsenic in brown rice, while the location for cadmium and nickel was distinctly different, showing relatively even distribution throughout the endosperm. The localization of As in the outer grain of brown rice was confirmed by laser ablation ICP-MS. Arsenic speciation of all grains using spatially resolved X-ray absorption near edge structure (micro-XANES) and bulk extraction followed by anion exchange HPLC-ICP-MS revealed the presence of mainly inorganic As and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). However, the two techniques indicated different proportions of inorganic:organic As species. A wider survey of whole grain speciation of white (n=39) and brown (n=45) rice samples from numerous sources (field collected, supermarket survey, and pot trials) showed that brown rice had a higher proportion of inorganic arsenic present than white rice. Furthermore, the percentage of DMA present in the grain increased along with total grain arsenic.

Lead isotopes and lead shot ingestion in the globally threatened marbled teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris) and white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala)

Lead isotope ratios ((206)Pb/(207)Pb and (208)Pb/(207)Pb) and concentrations in the livers and bones of marbled teal and white-headed duck found dead or moribund were determined in order to establish the main lead source in these waterfowl species. Lead concentrations in bone (dry weight) and liver (wet weight) were found to be very high in many of the white-headed ducks (bone: geometric mean=88.9 ppm, maximum=419 ppm; liver: geometric mean=16.8 ppm, maximum=57.0 ppm). Some of the marbled teal had high lead levels in the bones but liver lead levels were all low (bone: geometric mean=6.13 ppm, maximum=112 ppm; liver: geometric mean=0.581 ppm, maximum=4.77 ppm). Ingested lead shot were found in 71% of the white-headed duck and 20% of the marbled teal. The (206)Pb/(207)Pb ratio in livers and bones of white-headed ducks and marbled teals showed no significant differences compared to the ratios obtained from lead shot. The (206)Pb/(207)Pb ratio in bones of marbled teal ducklings with the highest lead concentrations tended to resemble the ratios of lead shot, which supports our hypothesis that the lead was derived from the hens. We also found that the lead ratios of lead shot and lead ratios described for soils in the area overlapped, but also that the isotopic ratio (206)Pb/(207)Pb in lead shot used in Spain has a narrow range compared with those used in North America. The principal source of lead in many of these birds was, however, most likely lead shot, as supported by the similar isotopic ratios, high lead concentrations in tissues and evidence of ingested shot.

Isotopic identification of the sources of lead contamination for white storks (Ciconia ciconia) in a marshland ecosystem (Doñana, S.W. Spain)

White storks (Ciconia ciconia) fed in contaminated waters resulting from the Aznacollar acid mining-sludge spillage into the R. Guadiamar, which feeds the eastern flank of the Guadalquivir marshes (Doñana), S.W. Spain. The sludge was rich in a range of toxic elements, and in organic pollutants such as the aromatic amines. Storks did not exhibit elevated metals in their blood immediately following the accident, but chick blood collected the year following the accident showed genotoxic damage compared to the controls. In this study lead isotope analysis was used to assess if the storks had ingested sludge-derived contaminants. The sludge lead isotope ratio was distinct from that of the Doñana sediments. The stork blood lead isotope ratios exactly matched that of the sludge. It was concluded that the storks had ingested sludge-derived contaminants. A detailed study of the lead contamination along the R. Guadiamar and the R. Guadalquivir (of which the Guadiamar is a tributary) was also conducted to place the white stork colony lead exposure in the context of the spatial contamination of the storks' habitat.

Resolving candidate genes of mouse skeletal muscle QTL via RNA-Seq and expression network analyses

BACKGROUND:

We have recently identified a number of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) contributing to the 2-fold muscle weight difference between the LG/J and SM/J mouse strains and refined their confidence intervals. To facilitate nomination of the candidate genes responsible for these differences we examined the transcriptome of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle of each strain by RNA-Seq.

13,726 genes were expressed in mouse skeletal muscle. Intersection of a set of 1061 differentially expressed transcripts with a mouse muscle Bayesian Network identified a coherent set of differentially expressed genes that we term the LG/J and SM/J Regulatory Network (LSRN). The integration of the QTL, transcriptome and the network analyses identified eight key drivers of the LSRN (Kdr, Plbd1, Mgp, Fah, Prss23, 2310014F06Rik, Grtp1, Stk10) residing within five QTL regions, which were either polymorphic or differentially expressed between the two strains and are strong candidates for quantitative trait genes (QTGs) underlying muscle mass. The insight gained from network analysis including the ability to make testable predictions is illustrated by annotating the LSRN with knowledge-based signatures and showing that the SM/J state of the network corresponds to a more oxidative state. We validated this prediction by NADH tetrazolium reductase staining in the TA muscle revealing higher oxidative potential of the SM/J compared to the LG/J strain (p<0.03).

Thus, integration of fine resolution QTL mapping, RNA-Seq transcriptome information and mouse muscle Bayesian Network analysis provides a novel and unbiased strategy for nomination of muscle QTGs.

Detonations in sub-chandrasekhar-mass C+O white dwarfs

Explosions of sub-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarfs (WDs) are one alternative to the standard Chandrasekhar-mass model of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). They are interesting since binary systems with sub-Chandrasekhar-mass primary WDs should be common and this scenario would suggest a simple physical parameter which determines the explosion brightness, namely the mass of the exploding WD. Here we perform one-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations, associated post-processing nucleosynthesis, and multi-wavelength radiation transport calculations for pure detonations of carbon-oxygen WDs. The light curves and spectra we obtain from these simulations are in good agreement with observed properties of SNe Ia. In particular, for WD masses from 0.97 to 1.15 Msun we obtain 56Ni masses between 0.3 and 0.8 Msun, sufficient to capture almost the complete range of SN Ia brightnesses. Our optical light curve rise times, peak colors, and decline timescales display trends which are generally consistent with observed characteristics although the range of B-band decline timescales displayed by our current set of models is somewhat too narrow. In agreement with observations, the maximum light spectra of the models show clear features associated with intermediate-mass elements and reproduce the sense of the observed correlation between explosion luminosity and the ratio of the Si II lines at ?6355 and ?5972. We therefore suggest that sub-Chandrasekhar-mass explosions are a viable model for SNe Ia for any binary evolution scenario leading to explosions in which the optical display is dominated by the material produced in a detonation of the primary WD. © 2010. The American Astronomical Society.

2D simulations of the double-detonation model for thermonuclear transients from low-mass carbon-oxygen white dwarfs

Thermonuclear explosions may arise in binary star systems in which a carbon-oxygen (CO) white dwarf (WD) accretes helium-rich material from a companion star. If the accretion rate allows a sufficiently large mass of helium to accumulate prior to ignition of nuclear burning, the helium surface layer may detonate, giving rise to an astrophysical transient. Detonation of the accreted helium layer generates shock waves that propagate into the underlying CO WD. This might directly ignite a detonation of the CO WD at its surface (an edge-lit secondary detonation) or compress the core of the WD sufficiently to trigger a CO detonation near the centre. If either of these ignition mechanisms works, the two detonations (helium and CO) can then release sufficient energy to completely unbind the WD. These 'double-detonation' scenarios for thermonuclear explosion of WDs have previously been investigated as a potential channel for the production of Type Ia supernovae from WDs of ~ 1 M . Here we extend our 2D studies of the double-detonation model to significantly less massive CO WDs, the explosion of which could produce fainter, more rapidly evolving transients. We investigate the feasibility of triggering a secondary core detonation by shock convergence in low-mass CO WDs and the observable consequences of such a detonation. Our results suggest that core detonation is probable, even for the lowest CO core masses that are likely to be realized in nature. To quantify the observable signatures of core detonation, we compute spectra and light curves for models in which either an edge-lit or compression-triggered CO detonation is assumed to occur. We compare these to synthetic observables for models in which no CO detonation was allowed to occur. If significant shock compression of the CO WD occurs prior to detonation, explosion of the CO WD can produce a sufficiently large mass of radioactive iron-group nuclei to significantly affect the light curves. In particular, this can lead to relatively slow post-maximum decline. If the secondary detonation is edge-lit, however, the CO WD explosion primarily yields intermediate-mass elements that affect the observables more subtly. In this case, near-infrared observations and detailed spectroscopic analysis would be needed to determine whether a core detonation occurred. We comment on the implications of our results for understanding peculiar astrophysical transients including SN 2002bj, SN 2010X and SN 2005E. © 2012 The Authors Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society © 2012 RAS.

Normal type Ia supernovae from violent mergers of white dwarf binaries

One of the most important questions regarding the progenitor systems of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) is whether mergers of two white dwarfs can lead to explosions that reproduce observations of normal events. Here we present a fully three-dimensional simulation of a violent merger of two carbon-oxygen white dwarfs with masses of 0.9 M and 1.1 M combining very high resolution and exact initial conditions. A well-tested combination of codes is used to study the system. We start with the dynamical inspiral phase and follow the subsequent thermonuclear explosion under the plausible assumption that a detonation forms in the process of merging. We then perform detailed nucleosynthesis calculations and radiative transfer simulations to predict synthetic observables from the homologously expanding supernova ejecta. We find that synthetic color light curves of our merger, which produces about 0.62 M of Ni, show good agreement with those observed for normal SNe Ia in all wave bands from U to K. Line velocities in synthetic spectra around maximum light also agree well with observations. We conclude that violent mergers of massive white dwarfs can closely resemble normal SNe Ia. Therefore, depending on the number of such massive systems available these mergers may contribute at least a small fraction to the observed population of normal SNe Ia. © 2012 The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

Off-center explosions of Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarfs:An explanation of super-bright type la supernovae?

Context. The recent discovery of a very bright type la supernova, SNLS-03D3bb (=SN 2003fg), in the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS) has raised the question of whether super-Chandrasekhar-mass white-dwarf stars are needed to explain such bright explosions. Progenitors of this sort could form by mergers of pairs of rather massive white dwarfs. Binary systems of two white dwarfs in close orbit, where their total mass significantly exceeds the Chandrasekhar mass, have not yet been found. Therefore SNLS-03D3bb could establish the first clear case of a double-degenerate progenitor of a (peculiar) type la supernovae. Moreover, if this interpretation is correct, it casts some doubt on the universality of the calibration relations used to make SNe la distance indicators for cosmology. Aims. We aim to evaluate the case for a super-Chandrasekhar-mass progenitor for SNLS-03D3bb in light of previous theoretical work on super-Chandrasekhar-mass explosions. Furthermore, we propose an alternative scenario involving only a Chandrasekhar-mass progenitor. Methods. We present a theoretically motivated critical discussion of the expected observational fingerprints of super-Chandrasekharmass explosions. As an alternative, we describe a simple class of aspherical Chandrasekhar-mass models in which the products of nuclear burning are displaced from the center. We then perform simple radiative transfer calculations to predict synthetic lightcurves for one such off-center explosion model. Results. In important respects, the expected observational consequences of super-Chandrasekhar-mass explosions are not consistent with the observations of SNLS-03D3bb. We demonstrate that the lopsided explosion of a Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf could provide a better explanation. © ESO 2007.

On the brightness distribution of type ia supernovae from violent white dwarf mergers

We investigate the brightness distribution expected for thermonuclear explosions that might result from the ignition of a detonation during the violent merger of white dwarf (WD) binaries. Violent WD mergers are a subclass of the canonical double degenerate scenario where two carbon-oxygen (CO) WDs merge when the larger WD fills its Roche lobe. Determining their brightness distribution is critical for evaluating whether such an explosion model could be responsible for a significant fraction of the observed population of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). We argue that the brightness of an explosion realized via the violent merger model is mainly determined by the mass of Ni produced in the detonation of the primary COWD. To quantify this link, we use a set of sub-Chandrasekhar mass WD detonation models to derive a relationship between primary WD mass (m) and expected peak bolometric brightness (M). We use this m-M relationship to convert the masses of merging primary WDs from binary population models to a predicted distribution of explosion brightness. We also investigate the sensitivity of our results to assumptions about the conditions required to realize a detonation during violent mergers ofWDs. We find a striking similarity between the shape of our theoretical peak-magnitude distribution and that observed for SNe Ia: our model produces a M distribution that roughly covers the range and matches the shape of the one observed for SNe Ia. However, this agreement hinges on a particular phase of mass accretion during binary evolution: the primary WD gains ~0.15-0.35M? from a slightly evolved helium star companion. In our standard binary evolution model, such an accretion phase is predicted to occur for about 43 per cent of all binary systems that ultimately give rise to binary CO WD mergers. We also find that with high probability, violent WD mergers involving the most massive primaries (?1.3M?, which should produce bright SNe) have delay times ?500 Myr. © 2012 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Sub-luminous type Ia supernovae from the mergers of equal-mass white dwarfs with mass 0.9M

Type Ia supernovae are thought to result from thermonuclear explosions of carbong'oxygen white dwarf stars. Existing models generally explain the observed properties, with the exception of the sub-luminous 1991bg-like supernovae. It has long been suspected that the merger of two white dwarfs could give rise to a type Ia event, but hitherto simulations have failed to produce an explosion. Here we report a simulation of the merger of two equal-mass white dwarfs that leads to a sub-luminous explosion, although at the expense of requiring a single common-envelope phase, and component masses of 0.9M. The light curve is too broad, but the synthesized spectra, red colour and low expansion velocities are all close to what is observed for sub-luminous 1991bg-like events. Although the mass ratios can be slightly less than one and still produce a sub-luminous event, the masses have to be in the range 0.83M to 0.9M. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Protein kinase C{delta} deficiency accelerates neointimal lesions of mouse injured artery involving delayed reendothelialization and vasohibin-1 accumulation

To use protein kinase C (PKC) d-knockout mice to investigate the role of PKCd in lesion development and to understand the underlying mechanism of the vascular disease.

RNAi screen identifies Jarid1b as a major regulator of mouse HSC activity

Histone methylation is a dynamic and reversible process proposed to directly impact on stem cell fate. The Jumonji (JmjC) domain-containing family of demethylases comprises 27 members which can demethylate mono-, di- and tri-methylated lysine residues of histone (or non-histone) targets. To evaluate their role in regulation of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) behaviour we performed a RNAi-based screen and found that demethylases JARID1B (H3K4) and JHDM1F (H3K9) play opposing roles in regulation of HSC activity. Decrease in Jarid1b levels correlated with an in vitro expansion of HSC with preserved long term in vivo lympho-myeloid differentiation potential. Jarid1b knockdown was associated with an increase in expression levels of 5’ Hoxa cluster genes and CxCl5 , and reduced levels of Pu.1, Egr1 and Cav1. shRNA against Jhdmlf, in contrast, impaired hematopoietic reconstitution of bone marrow cells. Together, our studies identified Jarid1b as a negative, and Jhdmlf as a positive regulator of HSC activity.

Growth, dye degradation and ligninolytic activity studies on Zimbabwean white rot fungi

White rot fungi were collected from Chirinda and Chimanimani hardwood forests in Zimbabwe and studied with respect to growth temperature optima and dye decolorization. Temperature optima were found to vary (between 25-37 degreesC) amongst the isolates. The isolates were screened for their ability to degrade the polymeric dyes; blue dextran and Poly R478 and the triphenylmethane dyes; cresol red, crystal violet and bromophenol blue. Semi-quantitative determination of the hydrolytic enzyme activities possessed by the white rot fungi was determined using the API ZYM system. Lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP) and laccase activities in the fungi were also determined. No LiP was detected in any of the isolates but all isolates showed manganese peroxidase and laccase activities. Time related decolorization studies and optimum pH determinations for Poly R478 degradation by the isolates were carried out in liquid cultures. The most significant rates of Poly R478 decolorization in liquid cultures were found with the following isolates: Trametes cingulata, Trametes versicolor, Trametes pocas, DSPM95 (a species to be identified), Datronia concentrica and Pyenoporus sanguineus. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

One-step synthesis of ZnO nanosheets: a blue-white fluorophore

Zinc oxide is synthesised at low temperature (80A degrees C) in nanosheet geometry using a substrate-free, single-step, wet-chemical method and is found to act as a blue-white fluorophore. Investigation by atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction confirms zinc oxide material of nanosheet morphology where the individual nanosheets are polycrystalline in nature with the crystalline structure being of wurtzite character. Raman spectroscopy indicates the presence of various defects, while photoluminescence measurements show intense green (centre wavelength approximately 515 nm) blue (approximately 450 nm), and less dominant red (approximately 640 nm) emissions due to a variety of vacancy and interstitial defects, mostly associated with surfaces or grain boundaries. The resulting colour coordinate on the CIE-1931 standard is (0.23, 0.33), demonstrating potential for use as a blue-white fluorescent coating in conjunction with ultraviolet emitting LEDs. Although the defects are often treated as draw-backs of ZnO, here we demonstrate useful broadband visible fluorescence properties in as-prepared ZnO.