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The exposome reflects multiple exposures across the life-course that can affect health. Metabolomics can reveal the underlying molecular basis linking exposures to health conditions. Here, we explore the concept and general data analysis framework of "molecular gatekeepers"─key metabolites that link single or multiple exposure biomarkers with correlated clusters of endogenous metabolites─to inform health-relevant biological targets. We performed untargeted metabolomics on plasma from 152 adolescent girls participating in the Growing Up Healthy Study in New York City. We then performed network analysis to link metabolites to exposure biomarkers including five trace elements (Cd, Mn, Pb, Se, and Hg) and five perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs; n-PFOS, Sm-PFOS, n-PFOA, PFHxS, and PFNA). We found 144 molecular gatekeepers and annotated 22 of them. Lysophosphatidylcholine (16:0) and taurodeoxycholate were correlated with both n-PFOA and n-PFOS, suggesting a shared dysregulation from multiple xenobiotic exposures. Sphingomyelin (d18:2/14:0) was significantly associated with age at menarche; yet, no direct association was detected between any exposure biomarkers and age at menarche. Thus, molecular gatekeepers can also discover molecular linkages between exposure biomarkers and health outcomes that may otherwise be obscured by complex interactions in direct measurements.

Leukemia is the most common cancer in children in industrialized countries, and its initiation often occurs prenatally. Folic acid is a key vitamin in the production and modification of DNA, and prenatal folic acid intake is known to reduce the risk of childhood leukemia. We characterized the one-carbon (folate) metabolism nutrients that may influence risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) among 122 cases diagnosed at age 0–14 years during 1988–2011 and 122 controls matched on sex, age, and race/ethnicity. Using hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) applied to neonatal dried blood spots, we evaluated 11 folate pathway metabolites, overall and by sex, race/ethnicity, and age at diagnosis. To conduct the prediction analyses, the 244 samples were separated into learning (75%) and test (25%) sets, maintaining the matched pairings. The learning set was used to train classification methods which were evaluated on the test set. High classification error rates indicate that the folate pathway metabolites measured have little predictive capacity for pediatric ALL. In conclusion, the one-carbon metabolism nutrients measured at birth were unable to predict subsequent leukemia in children. These negative findings are reflective of the last weeks of pregnancy and our study does not address the impact of these nutrients at the time of conception or during the first trimester of pregnancy that are critical for the embryo’s DNA methylation programming.

Challenging the initial expectation that all post-Soviet economies will evolve from collective toward fully individualized farming, I argue that they separated into two different reform paths. In the European successor countries and Kazakhstan, corporate and family farms coexist, labor exited agriculture, and capital inflow boosted labor productivity (a “Westernization”). In the Transcaucasian and the other Central Asian countries, complete farm individualization did not increase labor productivity much, in turn keeping rural incomes depressed (a “Southernization” akin to the Global South). Future policies should promote income alternatives to agriculture and improve the flexibility and transparency of farm consolidation processes.

Metabolomics describes a high-throughput approach for measuring a repertoire of metabolites and small molecules in biological samples. One utility of untargeted metabolomics, unbiased global analysis of the metabolome, is to detect key metabolites as contributors to, or readouts of, human health and disease. In this perspective, we discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have promoted major advances in untargeted metabolomics workflows and facilitated pivotal findings in the areas of disease screening and diagnosis. We contextualize applications of AI and ML to the emerging field of high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) exposomics, which unbiasedly detects endogenous metabolites and exogenous chemicals in human tissue to characterize exposure linked with disease outcomes. We discuss the state of the science and suggest potential opportunities for using AI and ML to improve data quality, rigor, detection, and chemical identification in untargeted metabolomics and exposomics studies.

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), leading to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), is a serious public health issue in the United States and globally. Diagnosis of FASD is crucial in obtaining appropriate care, but it is not always possible when PAE cannot be documented.Deciduous teeth from a child with known PAE and a child with known absence of PAE were analyzed using liquid chromatography-isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-IDMS/MS) in a multiple-reaction monitoring mode for direct markers and LC-high resolution MS in positive and negative mode with hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography and reverse-phase chromatography, respectively, for indirect markers.Direct markers of PAE (ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate) were detected in prenatal and postnatal dentine from a case tooth but not from a control tooth. Indirect biomarker analysis indicated a dysregulation of amino acids and an increase in cholesterol sulfate in the case compared to the control tooth.This proof-of-concept study demonstrates for the first time that direct biomarkers of PAE are detectable and measurable in deciduous teeth which begin forming in utero and are typically naturally shed between 5 and 12 years of age. Further examination of these novel biomarkers may allow diagnosis of FASD where documentation of PAE is otherwise unavailable. Furthermore, because teeth grow incrementally, defined growth zones can be sampled allowing for identification of gestational timing of PAE to help better understand mechanisms underlying alcohol's disruption of perinatal development.

BACKGROUND Over 6 million esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) procedures are performed in the United States each year. Patients having anesthesia for advanced EGD procedures, such as interventional procedures, are at high risk for hypoxemia. METHODS Our primary study aim was to evaluate whether high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen reduces the incidence of hypoxemia during anesthesia for advanced EGD. Secondarily, we studied whether HFNC oxygen reduces hypercarbia or hypotension. After obtaining written informed consent, adults having anesthesia for advanced EGD, expected to last longer than 15 minutes, were randomly assigned to receive HFNC oxygen or standard nasal cannula (SNC) oxygen. The primary outcome was occurrence of one or more hypoxemia events during anesthesia, defined by arterial oxygen saturation

This study analyses the effect of Kazakhstan’s 2003–2005 agricultural land reform on land rental and credit market participation. Although the reform declared an intention to facilitate efficient land allocation, we observe a major land concentration. We analyze whether new land relations stimulated land sales and rental markets and made credit more accessible. Utilizing data from two independent surveys before and after private land ownership was introduced, we demonstrate that the reform did not affect the land sales market but reorganized the land-rental market in a top-down fashion with the state remaining the principal landlord. The reform did not achieve the goal of providing access to land for the more skilled producers and did little to facilitate the use of owned land as collateral. The reform achievements are modest and bolder steps will be necessary to improve the functioning of Kazakhstan’s agricultural land markets.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Exposomics studies can measure health-relevant chemical exposures during a lifetime and estimate the 'internal' environment. However, sampling limitations make these features difficult to capture directly during the critical neonatal time period. RECENT FINDINGS We review the use of newborn dried bloodspots (DBS) archived from newborn screening programs for exposomic analysis in epidemiological children's health studies. Emerging 'omics technologies such as adductomics and metabolomics have been adapted for DBS analysis, and these technologies can now provide valuable etiological information on the complex interplay between exposures, biological response, and population phenotypes. SUMMARY Adductomics and metabolomics of DBS can provide robust measurements for retrospective epidemiological investigations. With extensive bioarchiving programs in the United States and other countries, DBS are poised to substantially aid epidemiological studies, particularly for rare and low-frequency childhood diseases and disorders.

Agrarerzeugung in Kasachstan unterliegt traditionell großen Ertragsschwankungen. Der zunehmend spürbare Klimawandel könnte die Produktions- und Einkommensrisiken noch verstärken, insbesondere in der Bewässerungslandwirtschaft und in der Tierhaltung. Hingegen könnte der Getreideanbau in den nördlichen Steppengebieten u.a. durch mildere Winter und höhere Niederschläge auch profitieren. Anpassungsmaßnahmen zum Schutz besonders verwundbarer Produzenten und zur Sicherung einer nachhaltigen Agrarerzeugung erscheinen in jedem Fall sinnvoll. Zu diesen zählen eine angepasste Auswahl der Kulturpflanzen, verbesserte Anbautechniken im Ackerbau, eine stärkere Förderung von Aus- und Weiterbildung, institutionelle Reformen bei agrarrelevanten staatlichen Dienstleitungen, administrative Reformen in den Bereichen Risikobewertung und lokale Selbstverwaltung und der Zugang zum internationalen Emissionsrechtehandel.

Quantitative biomonitoring (e.g., targeted analysis) has served as the gold standard for environmental exposure biomonitoring for several decades. Recent advancements to broaden exposomic research brought new semi-quantitative untargeted assays that capture a wide range of endogenous metabolites and exogenous exposures in a single assay for discovery, though usually at the expense of absolute quantitation. The high-resolution mass spectrometers (HRMS) typically used in untargeted workflows are sensitive and robust, but there do not yet exist comprehensive comparisons between environmental chemicals at population exposure levels measured using targeted and untargeted assays. Using liquid chromatography (LC)-HRMS, we measured per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) including perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), n-perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), n-perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in plasma of 180 girls from New York City, and compared them to previously obtained targeted measures using correlation and rank order methods. We showed high agreement between the methods with Spearman Rhos ranging from 0.69 to 0.92 and weighted Kappa's from 0.62 to 0.82 for tertiles among the PFAS. This finding demonstrates that semi-quantitative data from untargeted assays designed for exposomics can be reliably used to estimate environmental exposures occurring in the general population, providing an economic alternative to targeted assays. We also describe an approach that can be used to compare relative quantitation measurements from an untargeted assay to traditional targeted measures to establish fit-for-purpose usability and validation. These results suggest that environmental exposure measures from untargeted assays can serve as reliable inputs into statistical analysis for discovery and for determining their resultant biological impacts. Future efforts to develop new statistical approaches for standardization and merging with targeted measures-toward harmonization-will further enhance the utility of untargeted assays in environmental epidemiology.

The combination of in-flight separation with a gas-filled stopping cell has opened a new field for experiments with exotic nuclei. For instance, at the SHIP/SHIPTRAP facility at GSI in Darmstadt high-precision mass measurements of rare nuclei have been successfully performed. In order to extend the reach of SHIPTRAP to exotic nuclei that are produced together with high rates of unwanted reaction products, a novel compact radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) system has been developed. It implements ion cooling, identification and separation according to mass numbers and bunching capabilities. The system has a total length of one meter only and consists of an RFQ cooler, an RFQ mass filter and an RFQ buncher. A mass resolving power (FWHM) of 240 at a transmission efficiency of 90% has been achieved. The suppression of contaminants from neighboring masses by more than four orders of magnitude has been demonstrated at rates exceeding 1 0 6 ions/s. A longitudinal emittance of 0.45 eV μ s has been achieved with the RFQ buncher, which will enable improved time-of-flight mass spectrometry downstream of the device. With this triple RFQ system the measurement of e.g. N = Z nuclides in the region up to tin will become possible at SHIPTRAP. The technology is also well suited for other rare-isotope facilities with experimental setups behind a stopping cell, such as the fragment separator FRS with the FRS Ion Catcher at GSI.

At the Low-Energy Branch (LEB) of the Super-FRS at FAIR, projectile and fission fragments will be produced at relativistic energies, separated in-flight, energy-bunched, slowed down and thermalized in a cryogenic stopping cell (CSC) filled with ultra-pure He gas. The fragments are extracted from the stopping cell using a combination of DC and RF electric fields and gas flow. A prototype CSC for the LEB has been developed and successfully commissioned at the FRS Ion Catcher at GSI. Ionization of He buffer gas atoms during the stopping of energetic ions creates a region of high space charge in the stopping cell. The space charge decreases the extraction efficiency of stopping cells since the high amount of charge distorts the applied DC electric drag fields. Thus the understanding of space charge effects is of great importance to make full use of the high yields at future RIB facilities such as the Super-FRS at FAIR. For this purpose a detailed study of space charge effects in the CSC was performed using experiments and simulations. The dependence of the extraction efficiency, the extraction time and the temporal ion extraction profile on the intensity of the impinging beam and the electric field strength was studied for two different U-238 projectile fragments produced at 1000 MeV/u and separated with the FRS. Good agreement between experiments and simulations was found. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel multiple-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MR-TOF-MS) and isobar separator for the research with exotic nuclides at low-energy rare isotope beam facilities has been developed, commissioned and characterized. It can be used (i) as broadband mass spectrometer with medium resolution, (ii) as highly accurate mass spectrometer for direct mass measurements and (iii) as high-resolution mass separator. The device features a worldwide unique combination of performance characteristics: a mass resolving power of 600,000 (FWHM), a mass measurement accuracy of ~ 10 − 7 , large ion capacities in excess of 106 ions per second, a transmission efficiency of up to 70%, single-ion sensitivity, and cycle frequencies of up to 400 Hz have been achieved. The spatial separation of close-lying isobars with an intensity ratio of 200:1 and a binding energy difference as small as 4 MeV has been demonstrated. The MR-TOF-MS is ideally suited for experiments with rare and very short-lived nuclei at present and future in-flight, ISOL or IGISOL facilities, such as the FRS Ion-Catcher and SHIP/SHIPTRAP at GSI, TITAN at TRIUMF, IGISOL at the University of Jyvaskyla and the Low-Energy Branch of the Super-FRS at FAIR.

At the FRS Ion Catcher at GSI, projectile and fission fragments are produced at relativistic energies, separated in-flight, range-focused, slowed down and thermalized in a cryogenic stopping cell. A multiple-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MR-TOF-MS) is used to perform direct mass measurements and to provide an isobarically clean beam for further experiments, such as mass-selected decay spectroscopy. A versatile RF quadrupole transport and diagnostics unit guides the ions from the stopping cell to the MR-TOF-MS, provides differential pumping, ion identification and includes reference ion sources. The FRS Ion Catcher serves as a test facility for the Low-Energy Branch of the Super-FRS at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR), where the cryogenic stopping cell and the MR-TOF-MS will be key devices for the research with stopped projectile and fission fragments that will be performed with the experiments MATS and LaSpec. Off-line tests of the stopping cell yield a combined ion survival and extraction efficiency for Rn-219 ions of about 30% and an extraction time of about 25 ms. The stopping cell and the MR-TOF-MS were commissioned on-line as part of the FRS Ion Catcher. For the first time, a stopping cell for exotic nuclei was operated on-line at cryogenic temperatures. Using a gas density almost two times higher than ever reached before for a stopping cell with RF ion repelling structures, various U-238 projectile fragments were thermalized and extracted with very high efficiency. Direct mass measurements of projectile fragments were performed with the MR-TOF-MS, among them the nuclide Rn-213 with a half-life of 19.5 ms only. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multiple-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometers (MR-TOF-MS) have recently been installed at different low-energy radioactive ion beam facilities. They are used as isobar separators with high ion capacity and as mass spectrometers with high mass resolving power and accuracy for short-lived nuclei. Furthermore, MR-TOF-MS have a huge potential for applications in other fields, such as chemistry, biology, medicine, space science, and homeland security. The development, commissioning and results of an MR-TOF-MS is presented, which serves as proof-of-principle to show that very high mass resolving powers (∼10 5 ) can be achieved in a compact device (length ∼30 cm). Based on this work, an MR-TOF-MS for in situ application has been designed. For the first time, this device combines very high mass resolving power (>10 5 ), mobility, and an atmospheric pressure inlet in one instrument. It will enable in situ measurements without sample preparation at very high mass accuracy. Envisaged applications of this mobile MR-TOF-MS are discussed.

This study evaluated the safety of meloxicam administered via transmucosal oral spray (TMOS) at 1, 2, 3 and 5 times the maximum proposed dose for 6 months in dogs. After baseline assessments, 40 Beagles (20 M, 20 F) were randomized to gender-balanced groups administered either water or meloxicam TMOS at 1, 2, 3 and 5 times the maximum proposed dose once daily for 26 weeks. Dogs were subjected to daily food consumption measurements and clinical and dose site observations. Periodic evaluations were made of body weight, physical examination, clinical pathology, urinalysis, buccal mucosal bleeding time (BMBT) and gastroduodenal endoscopy. At study completion, all dogs were subjected to gross necropsy. Histopathology was performed on tissues from dogs in groups 0X and 5X and from selected tissues in other dose groups. Clinical signs of previously reported NSAID-associated gastrointestinal upset were noted with higher frequency in meloxicam-dosed animals than in controls. Despite the presence of statistically significant effects on some clinicopathological variables, no toxicologically relevant dose-associated effects were determined on these or on food consumption, dose site observations, body weight, physical examination, urinalysis, BMBT, endoscopic examination or gross and histopathological examination of necropsy tissues.

Between 1880 and 1930 the application of new technologies not only reshaped the US landscape by introducing large‐scale manufacturing into urban settings, but it also transformed what Americans ate. This transformation to foods made outside of the home created opportunities for adulteration as exemplified by Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. Equally, widely reported toxic effects of various chemicals fed to Harvey Wiley's Poison Squad only heightened the public's and Congress's fear that there was something fundamentally wrong with the foods Americans ate. Using the H.J. Heinz Company as a case study, this article examines how one large industrial food processor built consumer trust based on his belief that religion and good works were essential to his business and crafting pure foods was his moral obligation. As a pioneer in the nascent food industry, Henry Heinz wanted to infuse both his products and his company with purity to differentiate his products and put consumers' fear of industrial foods to rest.

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea and consecutive meningitis are well recognised clinical features of macroprolactinomas invading the skull base and are mainly observed under a dopamine-agonist therapy regimen. To our knowledge, a clinical case of primary meningitis due to an untreated macroprolactinoma, without any history of rhinorrhea, has not been reported previously in the English literature. Case Report: A 64-year-old patient presented with acute meningitis. He had no prior episode of CSF rhinorrhea. Neuroradiological imaging revealed a pituitary tumour with invasion and destruction of the skull base. Massive hyperprolactinaemia was proof of a prolactinoma. The patient underwent transsphenoidal adenomectomy. The skull base defect was sealed with a fascia lata graft. In the postoperative course, no further episode of meningitis and no CSF rhinorrhea occurred. The invasive residual tumour was successfully treated with cabergoline. Conclusion: Macroprolactinomas can present with meningitis without any prior history of CSF rhinorrhea. Surgical repair of the skull base defect is the treatment of choice in order to prevent further episodes of meningitis. Pituitary tumours should be considered as a cause of otherwise unexplained meningitis.

A multiple-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MR-TOF-MS) system for low-energy radioactive ion beam facilities has been developed, which can be used for (i) isobar separation and (ii) direct mass measurements of very short-lived nuclei with half-lives of about 1 ms or longer, and (iii) for identification and diagnosis of the ion beam by mass spectrometry. The system has been designed and simulated, and individual subsystems have been built and characterized experimentally. An injection trap for cooling and bunching of the ion beam has been developed, and cooling times of less than one millisecond have been achieved. The performance of the MR-TOF-MS was characterized using the isobaric doublet of carbon monoxide and nitrogen molecular ions. A mass resolving power of 105 (FWHM) has been obtained even with an uncooled ion population. The separator capabilities of the MR-TOF-MS have been demonstrated by removing either carbon monoxide or nitrogen ions from the beam in a Bradbury-Nielsen Gate after a flight time of 320 μs. The separation power achieved is thus at least 7000 (FWHM) and increases for longer time-of-flight. An energy buncher stage has been designed that compresses the energy spread of the beam after the separation and facilitates efficient injection of the selected ions into an accumulation trap prior to transfer of the ions to experiments downstream of the MR-TOF-MS.

At the FRS Ion Catcher at GSI, relativistic exotic ions produced by projectile fragmentation/fission are range-focused, slowed down and thermalised in a gas-filled stopping cell, extracted and made available to high-precision experiments with ions almost at rest. It is a prototype for a gas cell system at the Low-Energy Branch of the Super-FRS at FAIR. In an online experiment, the FRS Ion Catcher was commissioned successfully with relativistic nickel fragments. The overall efficiency of the system was measured as (1.8 ± 0.3)% and can be divided into a stopping efficiency of (5.0 ± 1.1)% and an extraction and transport efficiency of (35.8 ± 9.4)%. The overall efficiency is hence limited mostly by the stopping efficiency, which could be increased in the future by operating at higher gas cell pressures. From extraction time measurements of polyatomic ions formed in the gas cell extraction times of atomic ions of 20–50 ms can be derived. The potential of the system was illustrated by the half-life measurement of 54Co with a short half-life of 193 ms only. ispartof: Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research B vol:266 issue:19 pages:4493-4497 ispartof: location:FRANCE, Deauville status: published

ObjectiveRecent observational studies have established progression and recurrence rates of pituitary adenomas. However, it is still unknown how individual pituitary adenomas grow over years and whether growth kinetics follow a distinct growth model. The objective of this study was to define a growth model for non-functioning pituitary adenomas.MethodsFifteen patients who had five or more serial high-quality examinations with magnetic resonance images or computerized tomography scans were identified among 216 patients with non-functioning pituitary adenomas. Tumour volumes were assessed using a stereological method based on the Cavalieri principle. Tumour growth during the observation period was analysed and different growth models were fitted to the data.ResultsFifteen pituitary adenomas (12 recurrent tumours and 3 newly diagnosed tumours) were longitudinally observed during a median observation period of 7.4 years (range: 2.3–11.9 years). Growth kinetics could be described either by an exponential growth model (nine patients) or by a logistic model (five patients) with initial exponential growth followed by deceleration of growth. One tumour remained unchanged in size during the observation period. None of the adenomas showed accelerated growth during the observation period. Overall, the linear growth model was not suitable to describe the growth kinetics of non-functioning pituitary adenomas.ConclusionsOur study shows that growth of pituitary adenomas can be described by distinct growth models. Knowledge of growth dynamics has implications for clinical practice and helps to adjust scanning protocols for follow-up investigations.

BACKGROUND Medical therapy is usually indicated as first-line treatment for prolactinomas. Surgery is generally reserved as second-line therapy if prolactinomas are non-responsive to dopamine agonists (DA) or DA therapy is not tolerated. Herein, we draw attention to the rare occurrence of spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea in prolactinomas requiring primary surgical therapy. Only 8 cases of confirmed prolactinomas with spontaneous rhinorrhea have been reported in the literature so far. CASE REPORTS Two out of 267 surgical cases with pituitary adenomas presented with spontaneous rhinorrhea. Both patients harbored invasive prolactinomas. In both cases, the defect was exposed using a transsphenoidal procedure and was sealed with fascia lata. RESULTS Urgent surgical repair of the leak prevented meningitis. In one case, a second operation was required due to recurrent rhinorrhea under postoperative dopamine-agonist therapy of the residual tumor. The clinical course was otherwise uncomplicated. CONCLUSION Certain clinical settings still require primary surgical therapy of prolactinomas. Spontaneous rhinorrhea caused by invasive macroprolactinomas represents a mandatory indication for initial surgery. Early detection and surgical repair of a CSF leak is crucial for a favorable clinical outcome.

Spin finishes, including lubricants, emulsifiers, antistatic agents, and wetting agents are used to facilitate the manufacturing and processing of textiles. Autoxidation of ten spin finish components was studied by subjecting them to air and heat over time. Chemical changes were observed visually and evaluated using UV/Vis spectroscopy, viscosity measurements, and Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Yellowing occurred for HCO-16, TMP, wetting agent, coconut oil ethoxylate, and coconut oil. Changes in solubility were observed for wetting agent. Significant changes in viscosity were measured for CO-16, HCO-25, anti-static agent, and wetting agent. Finally, changes in FTIR spectral ratios were observed for CO-25, HCO-16, CO-16, and antistatic agent. Chemical changes observed were consistent with autoxidation of spin finish components.

The development of large-scale lettuce production in California’s Salinas Valley illustrates the tensions between technology and nature and provides a starting point for understanding the complexities of supplying vast quantities of quality fresh produce to consumers in distant markets. The case of iceberg lettuce shows that the industrialization of agriculture was largely idiosyncratic, and the level of industrialization possible for any specific crop varied, depending equally on the nature of the commodity and the willingness of consumers to purchase it. The emergence of lettuce cultivation in the Salinas Valley during the inter-war period highlights how early growers harnessed organizational techniques, transportation infrastructures, and technological and scientific knowledge to transcend both the ephemeral nature of lettuce and consumer taste. Yet, these very same factors also limited the success of valley growers after World War II, despite the best efforts of growers and agricultural researchers to improve lettuce quality.

An ion-catcher device consisting of a buffer-gas stopping cell and a radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) has been built for the SHIPTRAP facility at GSI. Results of characterisation measurements with the buffer-gas cell and the extraction RFQ performed at GSI in Darmstadt and at the MLL (Maier-Leibnitz-Laboratory) in Garching are presented. The set-up was tested off-line using laser-produced ions and on-line using stable beams and fusion–evaporation products. During the on-line measurements the ions with total energies of around 200 keV/u were thermalised in helium buffer gas at 40–60 mbar. In the following they were guided by a combination of electric RF- and DC-fields until they were transported by the gas flow through the extraction nozzle. After being extracted by a supersonic gas jet the ions were separated from the buffer gas and guided by the extraction RFQ towards subsequent detection systems. Depending on the electric-field strength average extraction times of around 10 ms and an overall efficiency (including stopping and extraction) between 4% and 8% have been achieved.

Soiling of nylon 66 carpets was studied to investigate the effect of spin finishes with and without fluorocarbons finishes; and, in addition, the use of a secondary extraction process was examined to determine the effect of removing residual spin finish oils. Two types of residential carpet of intimate blend trilobal fibers with two modification ratios were evaluated: one had fluorcarbons in the spin finish with an additional topical mill-applied fluorocarbon. The second carpet had no fluorocarbons in the spin finish, but had a topical mill-applied fluorocarbon finish so that both carpets had a target of 250 to 300 ppm fluorine. Acetone extraction was used to remove the spin finishes from the carpets. Both carpets with and without extraction were soiled with particulate soil in the laboratory. Visual ratings and color difference measurements indicated more soiling on the carpets that had been extracted. Fluorine analysis showed that fluorcarbons were removed from both carpet types with the acetone extraction. Electron microscopy indicated the deposition of soil in the V-groove of the filaments with the higher modification ratio. Furthermore, fiber surfaces near the face of the carpet exhibited higher levels of soil than surfaces located near the carpet backing.

Objective and importance Isolated fungal granulomas originating within the sphenoid sinus are extremely rare in immunocompetent patients. In their symptoms and morphological appearance, these lesions may be mistaken for pituitary tumors. We report such a case and review the literature. Clinical presentation A 74-year-old man presented with a 3-week history of Cranial Nerve III paresis. The patient had a long-term history of snuff abuse. Computed tomography demonstrated a space-occupying lesion of the sellar and sphenoid sinus region with displacement of the cavernous sinus. Intervention The lesion was operated on via a transnasal-transsphenoidal approach. After the sphenoid sinus was opened, mucus extruded spontaneously, and a brownish, crumbly mass was found and removed. The lesion had completely eroded the sella and clivus. Histological analysis revealed numerous Aspergillus hyphae. Postoperatively, the IIIrd cranial nerve paresis resolved completely within a few days. No systemic fungal infection was found in extensive serological studies. There was no evidence of immunosuppression. Conclusion Fungal granuloma must be included in the differential diagnosis of lesions in the sellar region, even in nonimmunosuppressed patients. Early diagnosis and transsphenoidal extirpation is crucial with this potentially life-threatening disease.

Background: The degradation of smooth pursuit eye movements (SP) in myotonic dystrophy (MD) has been shown to result from lesions in the central nervous system. Imaging and histopathological studies have shown considerable areas of white matter lesions (WMLs) with periventricular emphasis. Objective: To discover which of these WMLs are relevant in SP impairment? Method: Horizontal sinusoidal SP, the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), and its suppression by fixation (VOR-S) were investigated in 12 patients with MD, and the data obtained were compared with those from a control group. Results: Parallel degradation of SP and VOR-S was found in patients, although the eyes hardly needed to move with VOR-S. VOR in patients was normal. These results indicate a central rather than a peripheral origin for the SP degradation. Magnetic resonance images of the patients9 heads were obtained and the WMLs transferred to a standard map. The lesions were mainly located around the occipital and anterior horn of the lateral ventricle. SP performance was then related to lesion site. The largest area of deficit associated lesions appeared to be in the parieto-occipital white matter. The most severe SP impairment, however, was associated with frontal WMLs. Conclusion: The study establishes a link between SP deficits and WMLs in patients with MD, in line with previous observations that, not only parieto-occipital regions, but also the frontal cortex has a crucial role in the gain control of SP.

A three-phase reacting flow computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computer code was used to study the major effects of spray injection parameters on mixing, heat transfer, vaporization, and reaction product yields in fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) riser reactors. The CFD code was validated using experimental or field data. A number of computations were performed with varied injection parameters, including injection velocity, injection angle, and droplet size. Local optimum operating windows for spray injection parameters were identified, and the sensitivity of local optima to variation in spray parameters was also investigated.

A cryogenic stopping cell (CSC) has been commissioned with U-238 projectile fragments produced at 1000 MeV/u. The spatial isotopic separation in flight was performed with the FRS applying a monoenergetic degrader. For the first time, a stopping cell was operated with exotic nuclei at cryogenic temperatures (70 to 100K). A helium stopping gas density of up to 0.05mg/cm(3) was used, about two times higher than reached before for a stopping cell with RF ion repelling structures. An overall efficiency of up to 15%, a combined ion survival and extraction efficiency of about 50%, and extraction times of 24ms were achieved for heavy a-decaying uranium fragments. Mass spectrometry with a multiple-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer has demonstrated the excellent cleanliness of the CSC. This setup has opened a new field for the spectroscopy of short-lived nuclei. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2013

Background: Diagnosis of T-lymphoid neoplasms frequently requires molecular studies of T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangements. The Southern blot technique traditionally used for these analyses lacks the sensitivity and speed necessary for the routine clinical laboratory. The authors have developed a method using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification with single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis that is rapid, sensitive, and semiautomated. Methods and Results: Polymerase chain reaction of the TCR gamma gene is done with consensus primers to the V and J regions. Amplicons thus include the N region, which serves as a marker of clonal T-cell population. Clonal populations having identical N-region sequences are identified by SSCP analysis, using a semiautomated electrophoresis system with silver staining for gel visualization. A series of 46 DNA samples from normal controls and various hematopoietic malignancies was comparatively analyzed by both Southern blot of the TCR beta locus and PCR-SSCP of the of the TCR gamma gene. The PCR-SSCP technique was rapid and reproducible, and detected clonal T-cell populations constituting 1% of the cell sample: The PCR-SSCP technique detected clones in eight cases that were negative by Southern blot. Conclusions: PCR-SSCP analysis of the TCR gamma gene is a rapid and sensitive method for the detection of clonal T-cell populations.

The years between 1880 and 1930 have been characterized not only as "Hell with the lid taken off" but also as a consumer revolution. Until recently, however, little attention has been paid to how industrialization changed the foods available to Americans. This article examines what Americans were eating in the first half of the twentieth century. It first defines industrial foods as foods that are mass produced in a factory setting and require no or very little cooking to make them edible. These foods are also packaged which make them highly portable. Examples of industrial foods are commercially canned goods; frozen foods; ice cream; breads, cakes, and pies purchased at bakeries and/or groceries and supermarkets; cake mixes; hot and cold cereals; instant mashed potatoes; pastry/pie shell mixes; and jams and jellies. Industrial foods are considered products of the Cold War and the Baby Boom Generation, rather than the Gilded Age or the Progressive Era. This article also discusses home economics, food consumption, and the national diet.

Nuclear ground state properties including mass, charge radii, spins and moments can be determined by applying atomic physics techniques such as Penning-trap based mass spectrometry and laser spectroscopy. The MATS and LaSpec setups at the low-energy beamline at FAIR will allow us to extend the knowledge of these properties further into the region far from stability. The mass and its inherent connection with the nuclear binding energy is a fundamental property of a nuclide, a unique “fingerprint”. Thus, precise mass values are important for a variety of applications, ranging from nuclear-structure studies like the investigation of shell closures and the onset of deformation, tests of nuclear mass models and mass formulas, to tests of the weak interaction and of the Standard Model. The required relative accuracy ranges from 10−5 to below 10−8 for radionuclides, which most often have half-lives well below 1 s. Substantial progress in Penning trap mass spectrometry has made this method a prime choice for precision measurements on rare isotopes. The technique has the potential to provide high accuracy and sensitivity even for very short-lived nuclides. Furthermore, ion traps can be used for precision decay studies and offer advantages over existing methods. With MATS (Precision Measurements of very short-lived nuclei using an A_dvanced Trapping System for highly-charged ions) at FAIR we aim to apply several techniques to very short-lived radionuclides: High-accuracy mass measurements, in-trap conversion electron and alpha spectroscopy, and trap-assisted spectroscopy. The experimental setup of MATS is a unique combination of an electron beam ion trap for charge breeding, ion traps for beam preparation, and a high-precision Penning trap system for mass measurements and decay studies. For the mass measurements, MATS offers both a high accuracy and a high sensitivity. A relative mass uncertainty of 10−9 can be reached by employing highly-charged ions and a non-destructive Fourier-Transform Ion-Cyclotron-Resonance (FT-ICR) detection technique on single stored ions. This accuracy limit is important for fundamental interaction tests, but also allows for the study of the fine structure of the nuclear mass surface with unprecedented accuracy, whenever required. The use of the FT-ICR technique provides true single ion sensitivity. This is essential to access isotopes that are produced with minimum rates which are very often the most interesting ones. Instead of pushing for highest accuracy, the high charge state of the ions can also be used to reduce the storage time of the ions, hence making measurements on even shorter-lived isotopes possible. Decay studies in ion traps will become possible with MATS. Novel spectroscopic tools for in-trap high-resolution conversion-electron and charged-particle spectroscopy from carrier-free sources will be developed, aiming e.g. at the measurements of quadrupole moments and E0 strengths. With the possibility of both high-accuracy mass measurements of the shortest-lived isotopes and decay studies, the high sensitivity and accuracy potential of MATS is ideally suited for the study of very exotic nuclides that will only be produced at the FAIR facility.Laser spectroscopy of radioactive isotopes and isomers is an efficient and model-independent approach for the determination of nuclear ground and isomeric state properties. Hyperfine structures and isotope shifts in electronic transitions exhibit readily accessible information on the nuclear spin, magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments as well as root-mean-square charge radii. The dependencies of the hyperfine splitting and isotope shift on the nuclear moments and mean square nuclear charge radii are well known and the theoretical framework for the extraction of nuclear parameters is well established. These extracted parameters provide fundamental information on the structure of nuclei at the limits of stability. Vital information on both bulk and valence nuclear properties are derived and an exceptional sensitivity to changes in nuclear deformation is achieved. Laser spectroscopy provides the only mechanism for such studies in exotic systems and uniquely facilitates these studies in a model-independent manner.The accuracy of laser-spectroscopic-determined nuclear properties is very high. Requirements concerning production rates are moderate; collinear spectroscopy has been performed with production rates as few as 100 ions per second and laser-desorption resonance ionization mass spectroscopy (combined with β-delayed neutron detection) has been achieved with rates of only a few atoms per second.This Technical Design Report describes a new Penning trap mass spectrometry setup as well as a number of complementary experimental devices for laser spectroscopy, which will provide a complete system with respect to the physics and isotopes that can be studied. Since MATS and LaSpec require high-quality low-energy beams, the two collaborations have a common beamline to stop the radioactive beam of in-flight produced isotopes and prepare them in a suitable way for transfer to the MATS and LaSpec setups, respectively., This manuscript has been acomplished by the contributions from several members of the MATS and LaSpec collaborations. All the contributions are acknowledged and without them this document would not exist. We also acknowledge support from the Max-Planck Society as well as from several funding agencies in Spain which provided economical support for the organization of the 3rd LaSpec-MATS collaboration meeting held in Matalascañas (Huelva) in October 2008. This meeting served to fix the TDR contents. These funding agencies are Junta de Andalucía and CPAN (Centro Nacional de Partículas Astropartículas y Nuclear).

This article challenges therapists to find out what the needs of people with disability are before planning community based rehabilitation services. It also establishes that therapists and people with disabilities have different ideas about the needs of people with disability.