Ligandless cloud point extraction of trace amounts of palladium and rhodium in road dust samples using Span 80 prior to their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

In this study, a procedure is developed for cloud point extraction of Pd(II) and Rh(III) ions in aqueous solution using Span 80 (non-ionic surfactant) prior to their determination by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. This method is based on the extraction of Pd(II) and Rh(III) ions at a pH of 10 using Span 80 with no chelating agent. We investigated the effect of various parameters on the recovery of the analyte ions, including pH, equilibration temperature and time, concentration of Span 80, and ionic strength. Under the best experimental conditions, the limits of detection based on 3Sb for Pd(II) and Rh(III) ions were 1.3 and 1.2 ng mL-1, respectively. Seven replicate determinations of a mixture of 0.5 µg mL-1 palladium and rhodium ions gave a mean absorbance of 0.058 and 0.053 with relative standard deviations of 1.8 and 1.6%, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the extraction and determination of the palladium and rhodium ions in road dust and standard samples and satisfactory results were obtained.

Stellar population synthesis: the effect of improved Asymptotic Giant Branch models and of interstellar dust on mass-to-light–color relations

Teoreettisen populaatiosynteesin avulla voidaan mallintaa tähtijoukkojen ja galaksien fotometrisiä ominaisuuksia yhdistämällä yksittäisten tähtien tuottama säteily, joka saadaan teoreettisista tähtien kehitysmalleista. Valitsemalla sopiva massajakauma syntyville tähdille voidaan muodostaa yksinkertainen tähtipopulaatio, joka koostuu saman ikäisistä ja kemialliselta koostumukseltaan yhtenäisistä tähdistä. Monimutkaisempia tähtipopulaatioita voidaan muodostaa konvoloimalla yksinkertaisten tähtipopulaatioiden luminositeetti jonkin valitun tähtienmuodostushistorian kanssa sekä yhdistämällä näin muodostettuja populaatioita. Tässä työssä tarkastellaan asymptoottisen jättiläishaaran (AGB) tähtien uusien, tarkentuneiden evoluutiomallien vaikutusta populaatiosynteesin tuloksiin niin yksinkertaisten tähtipopulaatioiden kuin galaksien mallinnukseen soveltuvien monimutkaisempien tähtipopulaatioiden kohdalla. Työn päätarkoitus on tuottaa uudistuneisiin malleihin perustuvat populaation massa-luminositeetti -suhteen ja värin väliset relaatiot (MLC-relaatiot). MLC-relaatioita voidaan käyttää populaation massan määrittämiseen sen fotometristen ominaisuuksien (väri, luminositeetti) perusteella. Lisäksi tutkitaan tähtienvälisen pölyn vaikutusta yksinkertaisen spiraaligalaksimallin MLC-relaatioihin. Työssä käytetyt tähtien kehitysmallit perustuvat julkaisuun Marigo et al. (Astronomy & Astrophysics 482, 2008). Havaitaan, että AGB-tähtien vaikutus populaation integroituun luminositeettiin on pieni näkyvillä aallonpituuksilla, mutta merkittävä lähi-infrapuna-alueella. Vaikutus MLC-relaatioihin on vastaavasti merkittävä tarkkailtaessa luminositeettia lähi-infrapunassa sekä käytettäessä värejä, joissa yhdistetään optisia ja lähi-infrapunan kaistoja. Todetaan, että MLC-relaatioiden käyttö lähi-infrapunassa edellyttää tarkentuneen AGB-vaiheen sisällyttämistä populaatiosynteesin malleihin. Tähtienvälisen pölyn vaikutus MLC-relaatioihin todetaan riippuvan käytetystä kaistasta ja väristä, mutta vaikutuksen havaitaan olevan suurin optisen ja lähi-infrapunan väriyhdistelmillä.

Biogeochemistry in acid sulphate soil landscapes and small urban centres in Western Finland

The overall purpose of this thesis was to increase the knowledge on the biogeochemistry of rural acid sulphate (AS) soil environments and urban forest ecosystems near small towns in Western Finland. In addition, the potential causal relationship between the distribution of AS soils and geographical occurence of multiple sclerosis (MS) disease was assessed based on a review of existing literature and data. Acid sulphate soils, which occupy an area of approximately 17–24 million hectare worldwide, are regarded as the nastiest soils in the world. Independent of the geographical locality of these soils, they pose a great threat to their surrounding environment if disturbed. The abundant metal-rich acid drainage from Finnish AS soils, which is a result of sulphide oxidation due to artificial farmland drainage, has significant but spatially and temporally variable ecotoxicological impacts on biodiversity and community structure of fish, benthic invertebrates and macrophytes. This has resulted in mass fish kills and even eradication of sensitive fish species in affected waters. Moreover, previous investigations demonstrated significantly enriched concentrations of Co, Ni, Mn and Al, metals which are abundantly mobilised in AS soils, in agricultural crops (timothy grass and oats) and approximately 50 times higher concentrations of Al in cow milk originating from AS soils in Western Finland. Nevertheless, the results presented here demonstrate, in general, relatively moderate metal concentrations in oats and cabbage grown on AS soils in Western Finland, although some of the studied fields showed anomalous values of metals (e.g. Co and Ni) in both the soil and target plants (especially oats), similar to that of the previous investigations. The results indicated that the concentrations of Co, Ni, Mn and Zn in oats and Co and Zn in cabbage were governed by soil geochemistry as these metals were correlated with corresponding concentrations extracted from the soil by NH4Ac-EDTA and NH4Ac, respectively. The concentrations of Cu and Fe in oats and cabbage were uncorrelated to that of the easily soluble concentrations in the soils, suggesting that biological processes (e.g. plant-root processes) overshadow geochemical variation. The concentrations of K and Mg in cabbage, which showed a low spread and were strongly correlated to the NH4Ac extractable contents in the soil, were governed by both the bioavailable fractions in the topsoil and plant-uptake mechanisms. The plant´s ability to regulate its uptake of Ca and P (e.g. through root exudates) seemed to be more important than the influence of soil geochemistry. The distribution of P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn and S within humus, moss and needles in and around small towns was to a high degree controlled by biological cycling, which was indicated by the low correlation coefficients for P, K, Ca, Mg and S between humus and moss, and the low spread of these nutrients in moss and needles. The concentration variations of elements in till are mainly due to natural processes (e.g. intrusions, weathering, mineralogical variations in the bedrock). There was a strong spatial pattern for B in humus, moss and needles, which was suggested to be associated with anthropogenic emissions from nearby town centres. Geogenic dust affected the spatial distribution of Fe and Cr in moss, while natural processes governed the Fe anomaly found in the needles. The spatial accumulation patterns of Zn, Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb in humus and moss were strong and diverse, and related to current industry, the former steel industry, coal combustion, and natural geochemical processes. An intriguing Cu anomaly was found in moss. Since it was located close to a main railway line and because the railway line´s electric cables are made of Cu, it was suggested that the reason for the Cu anomaly is corrosion of these cables. In Western Finland, where AS soils are particularly abundant and enrich the metal concentrations of stream waters, cow milk and to some extent crops, an environmental risk assessment would be motivated to elucidate if the metal dispersion affect human health. Within this context, a topic of concern is the distribution of multiple sclerosis as high MS prevalence rates are found in the main area of AS soils. Regionally, the AS soil type in the Seinäjoki area has been demonstrated to be very severe in terms of metal leaching, this area also shows one of the highest MS rates reported worldwide. On a local scale, these severe AS soil types coincide well with the corresponding MS clustering along the Kyrönjoki River in Seinäjoki. There are reasons to suspect that these spatial correlations are causal, as multiple sclerosis has been suggested to result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Simulation and optimization of IGCC technique for power generation and hydrogen production by using lignite Thar coal and cotton stalk

The purpose of this study was to simulate and to optimize integrated gasification for combine cycle (IGCC) for power generation and hydrogen (H2) production by using low grade Thar lignite coal and cotton stalk. Lignite coal is abundant of moisture and ash content, the idea of addition of cotton stalk is to increase the mass of combustible material per mass of feed use for the process, to reduce the consumption of coal and to increase the cotton stalk efficiently for IGCC process. Aspen plus software is used to simulate the process with different mass ratios of coal to cotton stalk and for optimization: process efficiencies, net power generation and H2 production etc. are considered while environmental hazard emissions are optimized to acceptance level. With the addition of cotton stalk in feed, process efficiencies started to decline along with the net power production. But for H2 production, it gave positive result at start but after 40% cotton stalk addition, H2 production also started to decline. It also affects negatively on environmental hazard emissions and mass of emissions/ net power production increases linearly with the addition of cotton stalk in feed mixture. In summation with the addition of cotton stalk, overall affects seemed to negative. But the effect is more negative after 40% cotton stalk addition so it is concluded that to get maximum process efficiencies and high production less amount of cotton stalk addition in feed is preferable and the maximum level of addition is estimated to 40%. Gasification temperature should keep lower around 1140 °C and prefer technique for studied feed in IGCC is fluidized bed (ash in dry form) rather than ash slagging gasifier

Evaluation of skin sensitivity in dogs bearing allergic dermatitis to standardized allergenic extract of house dust and storage mites

The objective of the study was to evaluate whether allergenic extracts of five house dust and storage mite species standardized for humans might be used for the diagnosis of canine atopic dermatitis (CAD). Extracts of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Pyroglyphidae), D. farinae (Pyroglyphidae), Blomia tropicalis (Glycyphagidae), Lepidoglyphus destructor (Glycyphagidae) and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acaridae) were evaluated by intradermal testing in 20 healthy dogs (control) and 25 dogs with allergic dermatitis. A significant difference in the response was observed between the two groups (p<0.05). Only one dog (5%) in the control group reacted to the intradermal test, whereas 14 dogs (56%) in the allergic group were positive for at least one extract (odds ratio = 24.2). Most of the positive reactions observed in the allergic group occurred against the extracts of T. putrescentiae or L. destructor, each inducing reactions in 10 dogs (40%). D. farinae, D. pteronyssinus e B. tropicalis extracts induced reactions in 7 (28%), 3 (12%) and 3 (12%) dogs, respectively. The allergenic extracts standardized for humans evaluated in the present study may be used as a tool to complement the diagnosis of the disease, as well as to select potential allergen candidates for allergen-specific immunotherapy.

Serological identification of house dust mite allergens in dogs with atopic dermatitis

House dust mite antigens have been used for decades to diagnose allergic diseases in humans and animals. The objective of this study was to identify allergens in commercial Dermatophagoides farinae and Blomia tropicalis extracts by immunoblotting using sera from allergic dogs and anti-dog IgE conjugate. The analysis of antigens present in the D. farinae extract (FDA Allergenic) using sera from 10 dogs allergic to D. farinae showed that eight sera recognized a band of approximately 102 kDa, eight recognized two bands of 52 to 76 kDa, five recognized one band of approximately 76 kDa, four recognized one band of 31 to 38 kDa, and two recognized one band of 12 to 17 kDa. Immunoblot assays of the B. tropicalis extract (FDA Allergenic) using sera from 10 animals allergic to B. tropicalis showed that five sera recognized two bands of 52 to 76 kDa. These results demonstrate the importance of the two house dust mite species for the pathogenesis of canine atopic dermatitis in Brazil. In addition, the results indicate which allergens should be present in allergenic extracts used for diagnosis and allergen-specific immunotherapy.

Bye, ContentDM: Another one bites the dust

Poster at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

Chromosome damage in underground coal miners: detection by conventional cytogenetic techniques and by submitting lymphocytes of unexposed individuals to plasma from at-risk groups

Chromosome abnormalities and the mitotic index in lymphocyte cultures and micronuclei in buccal mucosa cells were investigated in a sample of underground mineral coal miners from Southern Brazil. A decreased mitotic index, an excess of micronuclei and a higher frequency of chromosome abnormalities (fragments, polyploidy and overall chromosome alterations) were observed in the miners when compared to age-paired normal controls from the same area. An alternative assay for clastogenesis in occupational exposition was tested by submitting lymphocytes from non-exposed individuals to a pool of plasmas from the exposed population. This assay proved to be very convenient, as the lymphocytes obtained from the same individuals can be used as target as well as control cells. Also, it yielded a larger number of metaphases and of successful cultures than with common lymphocyte cultures from miners. A significantly higher frequency of chromatid gaps, fragments and overall alterations were observed when lymphocytes from control subjects were exposed to miner plasma pools. Control plasma pools did not significantly induce any type of chromosome alterations in the cultures of normal subjects, thus indicating that the results are not due to the effect of the addition of plasma pools per se.

Map of a part of eastern Asia to show the commercial position of the productive coal fields of Yesso, Japan

Kartta kuuluu A. E. Nordenskiöldin kokoelmaan

A geological and topographical sketch map of the New York and Westmoreland Gas Coal Company's lands, at Manor Sta., Westm'd Co., Pa.

Kartta kuuluu A. E. Nordenskiöldin kokoelmaan

IgA response in serum and gut secretion in sensitized mice fed with the dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extract

Induced oral tolerance to mucosal-exposed antigens in immunized animals is of particular interest for the development of immunotherapeutic approaches to human allergic diseases. This is a unique feature of mucosal surfaces which represent the main contact interface with the external environment. However, the influence of oral tolerance on specific and natural polyreactive IgA antibodies, the major defense mechanism of the mucosa, is unknown. We have shown that oral administration of an extract of the dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp) to primed mice caused down-regulation of IgE responses and an increase in tumor growth factor-ß secretion. In the present study, we observed that primed inbred female A/Sn mice (8 to 10 weeks old) fed by gavage a total weight of 1.0-mg Dp extract on the 6th, 7th and 8th days post-immunization presented normal secretion of IL-4 and IL-10 in gut-associated lymphoid tissue and a decreased production of interferon gamma induced by Dp in the draining lymph nodes (13,340 ± 3,519 vs 29,280 ± 2,971 pg/ml). Mice fed the Dp extract also showed higher levels of serum anti-Dp IgA antibodies and an increase of IgA-secreting cells in mesenteric lymph nodes (N = 10), reflecting an increase in total fecal IgA antibodies (N = 10). The levels of secretory anti-Dp IgA antibodies increased after re-immunization regardless of Dp extract feeding. Oral tolerance did not interfere with serum or secretory IgA antibody reactivity related to self and non-self antigens. These results suggest that induction of oral tolerance to a Dp extract in sensitized mice triggered different regulatory mechanisms which inhibited the IgE response and stimulated systemic and secretory IgA responses, preserving the natural polyreactive IgA antibody production.

Promoting Growth in the Use of Bioenergy in Europe by Converting Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants to Biomass

Repowering existing power plants by replacing coal with biomass might offer an interesting option to ease the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources and promote a fur-ther expansion of bioenergy in Europe, on account of the potential to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, as well as other pollutants (SOx, NOx, etcetera). In addition, a great part of the appeal of repowering projects comes from the opportunity to reuse the vast existing invest-ment and infrastructure associated with coal-based power generation. Even so, only a limited number of experiences with repowering are found. Therefore, efforts are required to produce technical and scientific evidence to determine whether said technology might be considered feasible for its adoption within European conditions. A detailed evaluation of the technical and economic aspects of this technology constitutes a powerful tool for decision makers to define the energy future for Europe. To better illustrate this concept, a case study is analyzed. A Slovakian pulverized coal plant was used as the basis for determining the effects on perfor-mance, operation, maintenance and cost when fuel is shifted to biomass. It was found that biomass fuel properties play a crucial role in plant repowering. Furthermore, results demon-strate that this technology offers renewable energy with low pollutant emissions at the cost of reduced capacity, relatively high levelized cost of electricity and sometimes, a maintenance-intensive operation. Lastly, regardless of the fact that existing equipment can be reutilized for the most part, extensive additions/modifications may be required to ensure a safe operation and an acceptable performance.

Cloning, sequence analysis, and expression of cDNA coding for the major house dust mite allergen, Der f 1, in Escherichia coli

Our objective was to clone, express and characterize adult Dermatophagoides farinae group 1 (Der f 1) allergens to further produce recombinant allergens for future clinical applications in order to eliminate side reactions from crude extracts of mites. Based on GenBank data, we designed primers and amplified the cDNA fragment coding for Der f 1 by nested-PCR. After purification and recovery, the cDNA fragment was cloned into the pMD19-T vector. The fragment was then sequenced, subcloned into the plasmid pET28a(+), expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 and identified by Western blotting. The cDNA coding for Der f 1 was cloned, sequenced and expressed successfully. Sequence analysis showed the presence of an open reading frame containing 966 bp that encodes a protein of 321 amino acids. Interestingly, homology analysis showed that the Der p 1 shared more than 87% identity in amino acid sequence with Eur m 1 but only 80% with Der f 1. Furthermore, phylogenetic analyses suggested that D. pteronyssinus was evolutionarily closer to Euroglyphus maynei than to D. farinae, even though D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae belong to the same Dermatophagoides genus. A total of three cysteine peptidase active sites were found in the predicted amino acid sequence, including 127-138 (QGGCGSCWAFSG), 267-277 (NYHAVNIVGYG) and 284-303 (YWIVRNSWDTTWGDSGYGYF). Moreover, secondary structure analysis revealed that Der f 1 contained an a helix (33.96%), an extended strand (17.13%), a ß turn (5.61%), and a random coil (43.30%). A simple three-dimensional model of this protein was constructed using a Swiss-model server. The cDNA coding for Der f 1 was cloned, sequenced and expressed successfully. Alignment and phylogenetic analysis suggests that D. pteronyssinus is evolutionarily more similar to E. maynei than to D. farinae.

Cloning, bioinformatics analysis, and expression of the dust mite allergen Der f 5 of Dermatophagoides farinae

Crude extracts of house dust mites are used clinically for diagnosis and immunotherapy of allergic diseases, including bronchial asthma, perennial rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. However, crude extracts are complexes with non-allergenic antigens and lack effective concentrations of important allergens, resulting in several side effects. Dermatophagoides farinae (Hughes; Acari: Pyroglyphidae) is one of the predominant sources of dust mite allergens, which has more than 30 groups of allergen. The cDNA coding for the group 5 allergen of D. farinae from China was cloned, sequenced and expressed. According to alignment using the VECTOR NTI 9.0 software, there were eight mismatched nucleotides in five cDNA clones resulting in seven incompatible amino acid residues, suggesting that the Der f 5 allergen might have sequence polymorphism. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the matured Der f 5 allergen has a molecular mass of 13604.03 Da, a theoretical pI of 5.43 and is probably hydrophobic and cytoplasmic. Similarities in amino acid sequences between Der f 5 and allergens of other domestic mite species, viz. Der p 5, Blo t 5, Sui m 5, and Lep d 5, were 79, 48, 53, and 37%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Der f 5 and Der p 5 clustered together. Blo t 5 and Ale o 5 also clustered together, although Blomia tropicalis and Aleuroglyphus ovatus belong to different mite families, viz. Echimyopodidae and Acaridae, respectively.