scholarly journals Technologies for remote lidar sensing of the surface to detect low concentrations of hydrocarbons in Siberia and the far north

Author(s):  
S L Leshchenko
1986 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
BJ Blaney ◽  
MD Ramsey ◽  
AL Tyler

A survey for mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi in maize (Zea mays) grown during 1983 in Far North Queensland is reported. Zearalenone was detected in 148 of the 174 samples examined. Low concentrations of aflatoxins were detected in three of the samples. Ochratoxin A, sterigmatocystin, T-2 toxin and deoxynivalenol were not detected. The 1983 season was unusual in that plants were stressed from low rainfall in the early stage of growth. Insect damage, mainly by ear worms (Heliothis sp.), was severe. Despite this, there was no significant increase in zearalenone concentrations compared to a previous survey in 1982, when insect damage was minimal. Ten samples were used for fungal isolations. Fusarium moniliforme was the most frequently isolated fungus, and its isolation frequency increased in visibly damaged kernels. F. graminearum was most frequently isolated from kernels with a purple discoloration. The correlation between the isolation frequency of F. graminearum and zearalenone concentrations indicated that F. graminearum produced most of the zearalenone in the samples. Other fungi isolated included F. subglutinans, F. oxysporum, Aspergillus jlavus, A. niger, Penicillium sp., Trichoderma sp., Nigrospora sp., Curvularia sp., Drechslera sp., Acremonium zeae and Rhizoctonia sp.


Author(s):  
Eva-Maria Mandelkow ◽  
Eckhard Mandelkow ◽  
Joan Bordas

When a solution of microtubule protein is changed from non-polymerising to polymerising conditions (e.g. by temperature jump or mixing with GTP) there is a series of structural transitions preceding microtubule growth. These have been detected by time-resolved X-ray scattering using synchrotron radiation, and they may be classified into pre-nucleation and nucleation events. X-ray patterns are good indicators for the average behavior of the particles in solution, but they are difficult to interpret unless additional information on their structure is available. We therefore studied the assembly process by electron microscopy under conditions approaching those of the X-ray experiment. There are two difficulties in the EM approach: One is that the particles important for assembly are usually small and not very regular and therefore tend to be overlooked. Secondly EM specimens require low concentrations which favor disassembly of the particles one wants to observe since there is a dynamic equilibrium between polymers and subunits.


Author(s):  
Uwe Lücken ◽  
Michael Felsmann ◽  
Wim M. Busing ◽  
Frank de Jong

A new microscope for the study of life science specimen has been developed. Special attention has been given to the problems of unstained samples, cryo-specimens and x-ray analysis at low concentrations.A new objective lens with a Cs of 6.2 mm and a focal length of 5.9 mm for high-contrast imaging has been developed. The contrast of a TWIN lens (f = 2.8 mm, Cs = 2 mm) and the BioTWTN are compared at the level of mean and SD of slow scan CCD images. Figure 1a shows 500 +/- 150 and Fig. 1b only 500 +/- 40 counts/pixel. The contrast-forming mechanism for amplitude contrast is dependent on the wavelength, the objective aperture and the focal length. For similar image conditions (same voltage, same objective aperture) the BioTWIN shows more than double the contrast of the TWIN lens. For phasecontrast specimens (like thin frozen-hydrated films) the contrast at Scherzer focus is approximately proportional to the √ Cs.


Author(s):  
O. E. Bradfute

Maize rayado fino virus (MRFV) causes a severe disease of corn (Zea mays) in many locations throughout the neotropics and as far north as southern U.S. MRFV particles detected by direct electron microscopy of negatively stained sap from infected leaves are not necessarily distinguishable from many other small isometric viruses infecting plants (Fig. 1).Immunosorbent trapping of virus particles on antibody-coated grids and the antibody coating or decoration of trapped virus particles, was used to confirm the identification of MRFV. Antiserum to MRFV was supplied by R. Gamez (Centro de Investigacion en Biologia Celular y Molecular, Universidad de Costa Rica, Ciudad Universitaria, Costa Rica).Virus particles, appearing as a continuous lawn, were trapped on grids coated with MRFV antiserum (Fig. 2-4). In contrast, virus particles were infrequently found on grids not exposed to antiserum or grids coated with normal rabbit serum (similar to Fig. 1). In Fig. 3, the appearance of the virus particles (isometric morphology, 30 nm diameter, stain penetration of some particles, and morphological subunits in other particles) is characteristic of negatively stained MRFV particles. Decoration or coating of these particles with MRFV antiserum confirms their identification as MRFV (Fig. 4).


Author(s):  
F. A. Durum ◽  
R. G. Goldman ◽  
T. J. Bolling ◽  
M. F. Miller

CMP-KDO synthetase (CKS) is an enzyme which plays a key role in the synthesis of LPS, an outer membrane component unique to gram negative bacteria. CKS activates KDO to CMP-KDO for incorporation into LPS. The enzyme is normally present in low concentrations (0.02% of total cell protein) which makes it difficult to perform large scale isolation and purification. Recently, the gene for CKS from E. coli was cloned and various recombinant DNA constructs overproducing CKS several thousandfold (unpublished data) were derived. Interestingly, no cytoplasmic inclusions of overproduced CKS were observed by EM (Fig. 1) which is in contrast to other reports of large proteinaceous inclusion bodies in various overproducing recombinant strains. The present immunocytochemical study was undertaken to localize CKS in these cells.Immune labeling conditions were first optimized using a previously described cell-free test system. Briefly, this involves soaking small blocks of polymerized bovine serum albumin in purified CKS antigen and subjecting them to various fixation, embedding and immunochemical conditions.


Author(s):  
E. Naranjo

Equilibrium vesicles, those which are the stable form of aggregation and form spontaneously on mixing surfactant with water, have never been demonstrated in single component bilayers and only rarely in lipid or surfactant mixtures. Designing a simple and general method for producing spontaneous and stable vesicles depends on a better understanding of the thermodynamics of aggregation, the interplay of intermolecular forces in surfactants, and an efficient way of doing structural characterization in dynamic systems.


Crisis ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 422-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Rouen ◽  
Alan R. Clough ◽  
Caryn West

Abstract. Background: Indigenous Australians experience a suicide rate over twice that of the general population. With nonfatal deliberate self-harm (DSH) being the single most important risk factor for suicide, characterizing the incidence and repetition of DSH in this population is essential. Aims: To investigate the incidence and repetition of DSH in three remote Indigenous communities in Far North Queensland, Australia. Method: DSH presentation data at a primary health-care center in each community were analyzed over a 6-year period from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2011. Results: A DSH presentation rate of 1,638 per 100,000 population was found within the communities. Rates were higher in age groups 15–24 and 25–34, varied between communities, and were not significantly different between genders; 60% of DSH repetitions occurred within 6 months of an earlier episode. Of the 227 DSH presentations, 32% involved hanging. Limitations: This study was based on a subset of a larger dataset not specifically designed for DSH data collection and assesses the subset of the communities that presented to the primary health-care centers. Conclusion: A dedicated DSH monitoring study is required to provide a better understanding of DSH in these communities and to inform early intervention strategies.


1977 ◽  
Vol 16 (04) ◽  
pp. 157-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Schümichen ◽  
B. Mackenbrock ◽  
G. Hoffmann

SummaryThe bone-seeking 99mTc-Sn-pyrophosphate compound (compound A) was diluted both in vitro and in vivo and proved to be unstable both in vitro and in vivo. However, stability was much better in vivo than in vitro and thus the in vitro stability of compound A after dilution in various mediums could be followed up by a consecutive evaluation of the in vivo distribution in the rat. After dilution in neutral normal saline compound A is metastable and after a short half-life it is transformed into the other 99mTc-Sn-pyrophosphate compound A is metastable and after a short half-life in bone but in the kidneys. After dilution in normal saline of low pH and in buffering solutions the stability of compound A is increased. In human plasma compound A is relatively stable but not in plasma water. When compound B is formed in a buffering solution, uptake in the kidneys and excretion in urine is lowered and blood concentration increased.It is assumed that the association of protons to compound A will increase its stability at low concentrations while that to compound B will lead to a strong protein bond in plasma. It is concluded that compound A will not be stable in vivo because of a lack of stability in the extravascular space, and that the protein bond in plasma will be a measure of its in vivo stability.


1974 ◽  
Vol 13 (03) ◽  
pp. 252-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Rörvik - Schümichen ◽  
G. Hoffmann ◽  
C. Schümichen

SummaryAt least two different 99mTc-Sn-pyrophosphate complexes are formed, as it is shown by comparative in vivo distribution studies: A 2 : 2 Sn : pyrophosphate complex is predominant at higher concentrations. Only this complex shows bone seeking properties. A 2 : 1 Sn : pyrophosphate complex exists only at low concentrations. This complex shows no deposition in bone but in the kidneys. Which complex is predominant depends on the pyrophosphate concentration in the equilibrium. Both complexes are rapidly excreted by the kidneys.


1994 ◽  
Vol 71 (03) ◽  
pp. 347-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Pierre Loza ◽  
Victor Gurewich ◽  
Michael Johnstone ◽  
Ralph Pannell

SummaryClots formed from platelet rich plasma were found to be lysed more readily by low concentrations of pro-urokinase (pro-UK) than clots formed from platelet poor plasma. This was not a non-specific effect since the reverse occurred with tissue plasminogen activator. A mechanical explanation due to platelet-mediated clot retraction was excluded by experiments in which retraction was inhibited with cyto-chalasin B. Therefore, a platelet-mediated enzymatic mechanism was postulated to explain the promotion of fibrinolysis. Casein autography of isolated platelets revealed a ≈ 90 kDa band of activity which comigrated with plasma prekallikrein (PK)/kallikrein, a known activator of pro-UK. Furthermore, treatment of platelets with plasma PK activator (PPA), consisting essentially of factor XIIa, induced activation of pro-UK and of chromomgenic substrate for kallikrein (S-2302). This activity corresponded to approximately 40-200 pM kallikrein per 10 8 washed and gel filtered platelets per ml. The activation of pro-UK by PPA-pretreated platelets was dose-dependent and inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor but not by bdellin, a specific inhibitor of plasmin, nor by the corn inhibitor of factor XIIa. Kinetic analysis of pro-UK activation by kallikrein showed promotion of the reaction by platelets. The KM of the reaction was reduced by platelets by ≈ 7-fold, while the kcat was essentially unchanged. In conclusion, PK was shown to be tightly associated with platelets where it can be activated by factor XIIa during clotting. The activation of pro-UK by platelet-bound kallikrein provides an explanation for the observed platelet mediated promotion of pro-UK-induced clot lysis. Since pro-UK and plasminogen have also been shown to be associated with platelets, the present findings suggest a mechanism by which the factor Xlla-dependent intrinsic pathway of fibrinolysis can be localized and targeted to a thrombus.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document