Search

It might be difficult to diagnose either bladder's flat lesions, such as CIS, or small papillary lesions using white-light endoscopy. Neoplastic cells can be differentiate from the normal bladder mucous membrane by using Hexyl-ALA. Hexyl aminolevulinate produces protoporphyrin's overstock inside cancer cells causing a clearly visible red fluorescence when these are hit by a predetermined wavelenght light. The purpose of this study is to evaluate effectiveness of PDD (photodynamic diagnosis) by using Hexyl-ALA to identify and treat bladder's surface cancer. This study considers 39 patients (33 men and 6 women) from November 2008 to January 2009. On these patients were taken, previous filling of their bladders with hexyl aminolevulinate solution, 106 hystological samples (among these: 38 were first step diagnosis, 15 were a second look and 53 were taken for a relapse suspect). The 72.6% of these samples (77) were positive for cancer, while the 27,4% (29) was normal. Of those 77 samples, 30 were discovered to be positive exclusively by using PDD and include C/S (66.6%), Ta G1-2 (20%), reactive hyperplasia (3.3%) and incipient papillary neoplasia (10%). (Anatomopathologist described the last two lesions as partial nuclear alterations not fullfilling the criteria of pathology). This research proves that, among other diagnostic methods, photodynamic diagnosis has a higher sensibility, although the specificity is lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to determine the VOCs concentrations in a service station located in a residential and commercial area in the city of Rio de Janeiro. This is, to our knowledge, the first published determination in Brazil, where both ethanol and ethanol-blended gasoline are used. Electro polished, stainless steel, evacuated canisters were used for sampling. The analysis was performed by gaschromatography with flame ionization detection (CG-FID) and by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (CG–MS). A total of 80 and 56 compounds were determined in samples collected at the service station and control location, respectively. The most abundant compounds at the service station were in order of decreasing concentration (units: μg m−3): 2-methylbutane (1,715.7), 2-methylbut-1-ene (1,043.2), isobutene (758.8), 2-methylprop-1-ene (703.7), 2-methylpentane (492.1), pentadi-1,3-ene (189.7), toluene (157.0), benzene (144.5), but-2-ene (126.3) and m, p-xylene (123.2). A mean concentration of 144.5 μg m−3 was determined for benzene, this value is about ten times the concentration determined in the control location in this work and about 70 times the value determined in other locations of Rio de Janeiro using charcoal cartridges for the sampling. The mean benzene/toluene ratios are 0.92 and 0.31 in the service station and control location, respectively. Since in Brazil service station workers are employed to fill customer’s cars (self-service is not commonly used) the possible risk of cancer of these workers should be evaluated in a future study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectral aerosol light absorption is an important parameter for the assessment of the radiation budget of the atmosphere. Although on-line measurement techniques for aerosol light absorption, such as the Aethalometer and the Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), have been available for two decades, they are limited in accuracy and spectral resolution because of the need to deposit the aerosol on a filter substrate before measurement. Recently, a 7-wavelength (λ) Aethalometer became commercially available, which covers the visible (VIS) to near-infrared (NIR) spectral range (λ=450-950 nm), and laboratory calibration studies improved the degree of confidence in these measurement techniques. However, the applicability of the laboratory calibration factors to ambient conditions has not been investigated thoroughly yet. As part of the LBA-SMOCC (Large scale Biosphere atmosphere experiment in Amazonia -- SMOke aerosols, Clouds, rainfall and Climate) campaign from September to November 2002 in the Amazon basin we performed an extensive field calibration of a 1-λ PSAP and a 7-λ Aethalometer utilizing a photoacoustic spectrometer (PAS, 532 nm) as reference device. Especially during the dry period of the campaign, the aerosol population was dominated by pyrogenic emissions. The most pronounced artifact of integrating-plate type attenuation techniques is due to multiple scattering effects within the filter matrix. For the PSAP, we essentially confirmed the laboratory calibration factor by Bond (1999). On the other hand, for the Aethalometer we found a multiple 20 scattering enhancement of 5.23 (or 4.55, if corrected for aerosol scattering), which is significantly larger than the factors previously reported (∼2). While the exact reason for this discrepancy is unknown, the available data from the present and previous studies suggest aerosol mixing (internal versus external) as a likely cause. While it is well-known that RH may (moderately) affect aerosol absorption, we found no dependence of either PSAP or Aethalometer on relative humidity (RH) for 30%

As part of the Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia -- Smoke, Aerosols, Clouds, Rainfall and Climate (LBA-SMOCC) campaign, detailed surface and airborne aerosol measurements were performed over the Amazon Basin during the dry to wet season from 16 September to 14 November 2002. Optical and physical properties of aerosols at the surface, boundary layer (BL) and free troposphere (FT) during the dry season are discussed in this article. Carbon monoxide (CO) is used as a tracer for biomass burning emissions. At the surface, good correlation among the light scattering coefficient (σs at 550 nm), PM2.5, and CO indicates that biomass burning is the main source of aerosols. Accumulation of haze during some of the large-scale biomass burning events led to high mass loadings (PM2.5=200 µgm-3), σs (1400Mm-1), aerosol optical depth at 500nm (3.0), and CO (3000 ppb). A few rainy episodes reduced the aerosol mass loading, number concentration (CN) and CO concentration by two orders of magnitude. The correlation analysis between σs and aerosol optical thickness shows that most of the optically active aerosols are confined to a layer with a scale height of 1660m during the burning season. The average mass scattering and absorption efficiencies (532 nm) for small particles (diameter Dp< 1.5 µm) at surface level are found to be 5.3 and 0.42m² g-1, respectively, when relating the aerosol optical properties to PM2.5 aerosols. The observed mean single scattering albedo (ω0 at ∼540 nm) for submicron aerosols at the surface (0.92±0.02) is significantly higher than reported previously. The scattering efficiency (dσs/dCN) of particles increases 2-10 times from the surface to the FT, most probably due to the combined affects of coagulation and condensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The input of nitrogen (N) to ecosystems has increased dramatically over the past decades. While total N deposition (wet + dry) has been extensively determined in temperate regions, only very few data sets exist about wet N deposition in tropical ecosystems, and moreover, experimental information about dry N deposition in tropical environments is lacking. In this study we estimate dry and wet deposition of inorganic N for a remote pasture site in the Amazon Basin based on in-situ measurements. The measurements covered the late dry (biomass burning) season, a transition period and the onset of the wet season (clean conditions) (12 September to 14 November 2002, LBA-SMOCC). Ammonia (NH3), nitric acid (HNO3), nitrous acid (HONO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitric oxide (NO), ozone (O3), aerosol ammonium (NH+4 ) and aerosol nitrate (NO-3 ) were measured in real-time, accompanied by simultaneous (micro-)meteorological measurements. Dry deposition fluxes of NO2 and HNO3 are inferred using the "big leaf multiple resistance approach" and particle deposition fluxes are derived using an established empirical parameterization. Bi-directional surface-atmosphere exchange fluxes of NH3 and HONO are estimated by applying a "canopy compensation point model". Dry and wet N deposition is dominated by NH3 and NH+4 , which is largely the consequence of biomass burning during the dry season. The grass surface appeared to have a strong potential for daytime NH3 (re-)emission, owing to high canopy compensation points, which are related to high surface temperatures and to direct NH3 emissions from cattle excreta. NO2 also significantly accounted for dry N deposition, whereas HNO3, HONO and N-containing aerosol species were only minor contributors. We estimated a total (dry + wet) N deposition of 7.3-9.8 kgN ha-1 yr-1 to the tropical pasture site, whereof 2-4.5 kgN ha-1 yr-1 are attributed to dry N deposition and ∼5.3 kgN ha-1 yr-1 to wet N deposition. Our estimate exceeds total (wet + dry) N deposition to tropical ecosystems predicted by global chemistry and transport models by at least factor of two. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric carcinogenesis is a complex, multistep process, which may be influenced by many factors and is the second most common type of malignancy and the second most-common cause of mortality in the word. Interleukin-1 is up-regulated in the presence ofHelicobacter pyloriand is important for initiating and amplifying the inflamatory response to this infection. Recently interleukin-1 polymorphisms have been associated with the development of gastric adenocarcinoma. In this study we investigated the presence ofH. pyloriand host genotypes that are highly associated with gastric alterations. DNA samples were extracted and PCR-RFLP was utilized for genotypingIL-1B(-511) polymorphisms, PCR-VNTR was utilized for genotypingIL-1RN, and PCR-CTPP was utilized for genotypingIL-1B(-31), the presence ofH. pyloriwas detected by the urease test. Our results indicate a correlation betweenH. pyloriinfection and the development of gastric cancer. We did not find an association between the presence of genotype T (thymine) in bases -511 and -31 and gastric adenocarcinoma. We also did not find any association between this polymorphism and specific type of tumor (diffuse type and intestinal type). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori has been shown to be strongly associated with chronic gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulceration, and is a risk factor for gastric carcinoma. Histology, urease, culture, and polymerase chain reaction have been employed as for H. pylori diagnostic methods, pre and post treatment or during follow-up of dyspeptic adult individuals referred for endoscopy. In order to obtain a more-sensitive and specific method for H. pylori detection, we evaluated gastric body and antrum biopsies of 134 consecutive Brazilian consecutive dyspeptic children aged 1–16 years by rapid urease test, histology and polymerase chain reaction using two pairs of oligonucleotides. Our results indicated that polymerase chain reaction with Southern blotting and hybridization with specific chemiluminescent probes increased the number of positive H. pylori patients by 35%. The genotyping of H. pylori strains directly from gastric biopsy using the same nucleic acid methodology revealed that there is no association of chronic gastritis in our infant patients with vacA s1 and the presence of the cagA gene. These data suggest an initial infection of children with normal mucosa and probably others factors than vacA s1 genotype or the presence of the cagA gene are associated with the onset of gastric disease. Altogether, our results reinforce the need for using more sensitive diagnostic methods in order to understand the role of H. pylori in the genesis of gastric disease in children and its progression in adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scanning electron microscopy of the saprophytic fungus Cladosporium macrocarpum on barley leaves revealed characteristic bar-shaped appressoria. They were almost always located either above a stomatal opening or above the anticlinal cell walls. It was shown with light microscopy that the fungus was able to penetrate via stomatal openings. No successful direct penetrations were observed. The barley tissue responded to direct penetration attempts by formation of papillae and accumulation of fluorescent compounds. Fluorescence microscopy revealed fluorescent compounds in papillae, haloes, hypersensitively reacting epidermal cells, mesophyll cells, and in stomatal areas. The induced resistance reactions are similar to those described earlier for pathogenic fungi, indicating that they are part of general resistance phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Phytopathology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We analyze satellite retrievals of carbon monoxide from the MOPITT (Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere) instrument over the Amazon Basin, focusing on the MOPITT Version 6 "multispectral" retrieval product (exploiting both thermal-infrared and near-infrared channels). Validation results based on in situ vertical profiles measured between 2010 and 2013 are presented for four sites in the Amazon Basin. Results indicate a significant negative bias in retrieved lower-tropospheric CO concentrations. The possible influence of smoke aerosol as a source of retrieval bias is investigated using collocated Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements at two sites but does not appear to be significant. Finally, we exploit the MOPITT record to analyze both the mean annual cycle and the interannual variability of CO over the Amazon Basin since 2002. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rice yield estimation system was developed based on the crop growth model ORYZA and SAR-derived key information such as start of season (SOS) and leaf area growth rate. Results from study sites in South and South-east Asian countries suggest that incorporating remote sensing data, specifically Synthetic aperture radar (SAR), into a process-based crop model improves the spatial distribution of yield estimates. This article highlights the detailed methodology of SAR data incorporation into crop yield simulation and comprehensive validation of yield forecast and estimates in the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Tamil Nadu, India. Remote sensing data assimilation into a crop model effectively captures the responses of rice crops to environmental conditions over large spatial coverage, which otherwise is practically impossible to achieve. A process-based crop simulation model is used in the system to ensure that climate information is captured, and this provides the capacity to deliver a mid-season yield forecast for national planning and policy for rice. Good agreement between SAR-based yield and crop-cut-based yield and official yield statistics and ensuring efficiency of the processing suggest that the system is a promising solution for the needed timely information on rice yield for application in food security and policies, climate disaster management, and crop insurance programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of the 131Sn nucleus was studied at the Institut Laue-Langevin by prompt-delayed -ray spectroscopy across the 0.3 μs, 23/2-isomeric state at 4670 keV, following cold-neutron-induced fission of 235U and 241Pu targets. New -ray transitions are observed and the results are compared with theoretical calculations performed with the Hybrid Configuration Mixing Model. The latter suggests that the majority of the states can be well-described in terms of couplings between single-hole degrees of freedom and 132Sn core excitations, pointing to a robust neutron shell closure at N = 82. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]