A study on inorganic elements in psammomas from ovarian & thyroid cancer.

Background & objectives: Concentric lamellar calcifications known as psammoma bodies (PB) are found in benign and malignant tumours. Whether or not the inorganic element concentrations in psammomas are similar to serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary and thyroid papillary cancer tissues has not yet been ascertained. We undertook this retrospective study to establish if there is any difference in the concentrations of inorganic ions found in psammomas in serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary, and those found in thyroid papillary cancer tissue. Methods: PB samples from patients with adenocarcinoma of the ovary (n = 10) and with thyroid papillary cancer (n = 10) were analyzed through inductively-coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP). Results: There were no significant differences in the concentrations of inorganic elements in PB from thyroid papillary cancer than in those PB from ovarian cancer. Interpretation & conclusions: Differences in the concentrations of inorganic elements may be due to the variation in environmental pollution. Our study had limitation of small sample size. Our results suggest that some inorganic elements can participate in the origin of psammoma bodies.

Nutrient fluxes in litterfall of a secondary successional alluvial rain forest in Southern Brazil

During forest succession, litterfall nutrient fluxes increase significantly. The higher inputs of organic matter and nutrients through litterfall affects positively soil fertility and the species composition, which are essential components in forest restoration and management programs. In the present study, the input of nutrients to the forest soil via litterfall components was estimated for two sites of different development stages, in an early successional alluvial rain forest in Brazil. Litterfall returned to the soil, in kg/ha, ca. 93 N, 79 Ca, 24 K, 15 Mg, 6 P, 1.7 Mn, 0.94 Fe, 0.18 Zn, 0.09 Cu and 11.2 Al, in the site where trees were more abundant and had higher values of basal area. In the other area, where trees where less abundant and values of basal area were comparatively low, litterfall returned <50% of those amounts to the forest soil, except for Al. The amount of Al that returned to the soil was similar in both areas due to the high contribution of Tibouchina pulchra (82% of Al returned). Comparatively, high proportion of three dominant native tree species (Myrsine coriacea, T. pulchra and Cecropia pachystachya) explained better litter nutrient use efficiency (mainly N and P) in the site with the least advanced successional stage. Although litterfall of these species show lower nutrient concentrations than the other tree species, their nutrient fluxes were high in both sites, indicating a certain independence from soil essential nutrients. Such feature of the native species is very advantageous and should be considered in forest restoration programs. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (4): 1869-1882. Epub 2011 December 01.

Durante la sucesión secundaria forestal, el flujo de nutrientes en la hojarasca se incrementa significativamente. Los altos ingresos de materia orgánica y nutrientes a través de la hojarasca afecta positivamente la fertilidad del suelo y la composición de especies, las cuales son componentes esenciales para programas de restauración forestal y de manejo. En el presente estudio, el ingreso de nutrientes a través de la hojarasca y sus componentes fueron estimados para dos sitios de una selva lluviosa atlántica aluvial en sucesión temprana. La cantidad anual de elementos que ingresan al suelo desde la vegetación más desarrollada (sitios con alta área basal y abundancia de árboles) fueron (en kg/ha): 93 N, 79 Ca, 24 K, 15 Mg, 6 P, 1.7 Mn, 0.94 Fe, 0.18 Zn, 0.09 Cu y 11.2 Al. Menos de la mitad de esas cantidades fueron aportadas por la vegetación menos desarrollada, excepto para el Al. La cantidad de Al aportada a este sitio fue similar a la contribución de la vegetación más desarrollada, debido a la contribución de: Tibouchina pulchra (82% de todo el Al aportado). La eficiencia en el uso de nutrientes de la hojarasca (principalmente de N y P) de la vegetación menos desarrollada fue superior a la eficiencia de una más desarrollada, debido a la alta proporción de tres especies nativas dominantes (Myrsine coriacea, Tibouchina pulchra y Cecropia pachystachya) en la primera. Si bien la hojarasca de esas especies presenta menor concentración de nutrientes que las otras especies arbóreas, el flujo de nutrientes fue mayor (para ambos sitios), marcando una cierta independencia de los nutrientes esenciales del suelo. Las cantidades de esas especies deberían ser consideradas con mayor atención para su uso en programas de restauración forestal.

Inorganic particle analysis of dental impression elastomers

The aim of this study was to determine quantitatively and qualitatively the inorganic particle fraction of commercially available dental elastomers. The inorganic volumetric fraction of two addition silicones (Reprosil Putty/Fluid and Flexitime Easy Putty/Fluid), three condensation silicones (Clonage Putty/Fluid, Optosil Confort/Xantopren VL and Silon APS Putty/Fluid), one polyether (Impregum Soft Light Body) and one polysulfide (Permlastic Light Body) was accessed by weighing a previously determined mass of each material in water before and after burning samples at 600ºC, during 3 h. Unsettled material samples were soaked in acetone and chloroform for removal of tthe organic portion. The remaining filler particles were sputter-coated with gold evaluation of their morphology and size, under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Flexitime Easy Putty was the material with the highest results for volumetric particle fraction, while Impregum Soft had the lowest values. Silon 2 APS Fluid presented the lowest mean filler size values, while Clonage Putty had the highest values. SEM micrographs of the inorganic particles showed several morphologies - lathe-cut, spherical, spherical-like, sticks, and sticks mixed to lathe-cut powder. The results of this study revealed differences in particle characteristics among the elastometic materials that could lead to different results when testing mechanical properties.

O objetivo desse estudo foi determinar quantitativamente e qualitativamente a fração de partículas inorgânicas de elastômeros dentais disponíveis comercialmente. A fração volumétrica de dois silicones por adição (Reprosil Denso/Fluído e Flexitime Denso/Fluído), três silicones por condensação (Clonage Denso/Fluído, Optosil/Xantopren, e Silon 2 APS Denso/Fluído), um poliéter (Impregum Soft Light) e um polissulfeto (Permlastic Light Body) foi determinada pela pesagem prévia de uma determinada massa de cada material em água antes e após a queima das amostras a 600ºC, por 3 h. Amostras de material não polimerizado foram imersas em acetona e clorofórmio para a remoção da parte orgânica. As partículas de carga remanescentes foram cobertas com uma camada de ouro para avaliação da sua morfologia e tamanho, em microscopia eletrônica de varredura. O material Flexitime Denso foi o material com maior fração volumétrica de partículas de carga, enquanto que o Impregum teve menor fração volumétrica. Silon 2 APS Fluído apresentou partículas de carga de menor tamanho, enquanto que o Clonage Denso apresentou as maiores partículas. A observação em MEV. mostrou partículas de carga com vários tipos de morfologia (esféricas, irregulares, semi-esféricas, retangulares e mistura de retangulares/irregulares). Os resultados desse estudo mostraram diferenças nas partículas de carga dos materiais, as quais podem levar a diferentes resultados em suas propriedades mecânicas.

The distribution of nutrients, dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll a in the upper Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica, a tropical estuary

in the Gulf of Nicoya on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, nutrient rich equatorial subsurface water (ESW) is upwelled in much of the lower gulf. These offshore waters are often regarded as the major source of nutrients to the gulf. However, for most of the year, the ESW has little influence on the nutrient content of the upper gulf, which has a distinct character from the lower gulf. The upper gulf, extending 40 km north of the restriction between Puntarenas Peninsula and San Lucas island, is bordered primarily by mangrove swamps, is less than 20 m deep, and is less saline than the lower gulf. We surveyed the upper gulf for dissolved inorganic nitrogen, phosphate, silicate, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll in November 2000, January and July 2001. All nutrients are more concentrated in the upper gulf during the rainy and transitional seasons than the dry season, significantly so for phosphate and silicate. Throughout the year, nutrients tend to be much more concentrated in the less saline water of the upper gulf. This trend indicates that discharge from the Tempisque River predominantly controls spatial and temporal nutrient variability in the upper gulf. However, nutrient rich ESW, upwelled offshore and mixed to form a mid-temperature intermediate water, may enter the inner gulf to provide an important secondary source of nutrients during the dry season. Rev. Biol. Trop. 55 (2): 427-436. Epub 2007 June, 29.

Las aguas subsuperficiales ecuatoriales (ESW) que entran por la parte externa del Golfo de Nicoya de Costa Rica, se consideran una fuente importante de nutrientes para el estuario. Sin embargo, durante la mayoría del año las ESW tiene una influencia pequeña en la parte interna del golfo, que es oceanográfica y biológicamente diferente de la parte externa. La parte interna está ubicada desde la península de Puntarenas hasta la boca del Río Tempisque, 40 km al norte; es un área que se caracteriza por un importante aporte de agua dulce, está rodeada de manglares y tiene menos de 20 m de profundidad. En este estudio se midieron concentraciones de nitrato, nitrito, fosfato, silica-to, oxígeno disuelto y clorofila a en la parte interna del golfo en noviembre 2000, enero y julio 2001. Todos los nutrientes están concentrados en la parte interna del golfo durante la época lluviosa y de transición, y las concentraciones de fosfatos y silicatos son significantivamente diferentes respecto a las concentraciones en época seca. Durante todo el año los nutrientes muestran concentraciones mayores en las aguas más dulces cerca el Río Tempisque. Esto indica que las descargas del Río Tempisque dominan la variabilidad espacial y temporal en la parte interna. Además, los vientos alisios inducen la surgencia de ESW durante la estación seca, constituyendo una posible fuente secundaria de nutrientes durante esta época.

Role of water hyacinth in the health of a tropical urban lake.

The paper assesses health of the tropical urban Robertson Lake, Jabalpur which receives domestic sewage from neighboring human inhabitation and is infested with water hyacinth. Peak density of this macrophyte was 12.5 t dw ha(-1). The water-column was anaerobic (0.6 to 1.9 mg O2 L(-1)), neutral in pH, and enriched with inorganic carbon (23.5 to 37.1 mg L(-1)), NH4-N (0.48 to 2.96 mg L(-1)), and organic nitrogen and phosphorus. Density of heterotrophic bacteria was high (6.8 to 15x10(5) cfu ml(-1)) along with that of total coliforms and fecal bacteria. Species diversity of phytoplankton and submerged macrophytes was very low. Growing stands of water hyacinth could store up to 613 g C m(-2), 23.5 g N m(-2) and 5.5 g P m(-2) and released them during decomposition. The release of nutrients was 3-4 times faster than the uptake. Water hyacinth stabilized water quality and provided substantial support to bacterial density, which in turn contributed significantly to its growth and nutrient dynamics. Turnover of water hyacinth was only 70-80%, adding approximately 175 t humus in the lake. The results denote poor health of the lake, characterized by low species diversity, fast shallowing, dominance of detritus food--webs, and the water unsuitable for human consumption.

Water quality assessment of Fort lake of Belgaum (Karnataka) with special reference to zooplankton.

Study on limnobiotic status of the Fort lake water was made to assess the potability of water from Feb 1998 to Jan 1999. Fort lake exhibits high alkalinity with pH ranging from 8.36 (June) to 10.6 (Feb and March), total alkalinity (TA) from 88 to 188 mg/l, total hardness (TH) from 59.8-217 mg/l, PO4 (7.2 to 13.6 mg/l and BOD (42.6-60.6 mg/l). From the observations it can be known that the Fort lake water is inferior and not suitable for drinking purposes. The possible factors for its poor quality have been discussed.

Soil microbial population and enzyme activity related to grazing pressure in alpine meadows of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.

The present study aims to analyze the interaction of prevailing biotic pressure on soil environment with emphasis on its physicochemical and microbiological characteristics determining soil fertility status and thus supporting plant and animal biodiversity in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (NDBR) which is located in northern part of Uttaranchal hills between 79 degrees 40'E to 80 degrees 05'E longitude and 30 degrees 17'N to 30 degrees 41'E latitude. The experimental results revealed that the physico-chemical characteristics (viz., moisture, pH, EC, C, N, P, K, CEC) of soil were maximum in moderately grazed meadow and minimum in intensively grazed meadow. Soil microbial analysis measured in terms of total viable count (TVC) exhibited grazing sensitivity trend being maximum population of bacteria > fungi > actinomycetes. The soil microbial population was positively correlated with soil respiration, dehydrogenase activity, acid phosphatase and microbial biomass, which exhibited uneven trend with grazing pressure. Soil from moderately grazed meadow showed highest microbial count and enzyme activities, whilst intensively grazed meadow showed lowest microbial count and enzyme activities. This depicts the beneficial role of prescribed grazing up to limited extent in management of soil fertility, which might have supported luxuriant growth of a variety of grasses.