We report measurements of linear dichroism in x-ray absorption at Ti L(2,3) edges of a Mott-insulating ferromagnet YTiO3, where orbital ordering occurs in the triply degenerate Ti 3d t(2g) states. ...Dichroic spectra and their integrated intensities are obtained for the incident electric field with polarizations parallel to a, b, and c axes. The comparison of the spectra with atomic multiplet calculations removes the ambiguity about the orbital polarization, i.e., the relative weights of |xy>, |yz>, and |zx> orbits, which are crucial for the origin of ferromagnetism. The result is consistent with the previous analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance in the Mizokawa-Fujimori scheme.
Earthworm burrows can be significant preferential flow paths for water and contaminants to move to subsurface drainage networks and groundwater. Thus earthworm biomass could serve as an indicator of ...such transport potential, and therefore, inform risk assessments associated with water contamination resulting from land application of fertilizer amendments. In this study, we evaluated relationships and interactions between earthworm biomass, soil properties (bulk density, particle size, organic matter, surface residue), land management (crop type, tillage approach), and soil hydraulic properties (field saturated hydraulic conductivity and air-entry tension) for the purpose of building regionally based models to predict earthworm biomass. Data were collected from 43 fields distributed throughout eastern Ontario, Canada. Earthworm biomass was measured using “hot mustard” methods (early autumn) and
in situ soil hydraulic properties were determined using pressure infiltrometers (late summer/early fall). Classification and Regression Tree (CART) data mining techniques were used to develop tree-structured models to predict biomass from site environmental data. CART regression tree models had coefficients of determination between 0.50 (not including soil hydraulic properties) and 0.55 (including soil hydraulic properties). Both regression trees split all earthworm biomass data (
N
=
243) into two groupings defined on the basis of tillage treatment. No-tilled field biomass averaged 192.1
g
m
−2 (S.D.
=
71.5
g
m
−2), and biomass data for conventionally tilled sites subdivided into terminal groupings on the basis of “higher surface residue cover” (biomass average
=
107.9
g
m
−2 (S.D.
=
81.1
g
m
−2) and ‘lower surface residue cover’ (62.4
g
m
−2 (S.D.
=
54.6
g
m
−2)) classes. Soil physical and hydraulic data were not important predictors of biomass for tilled datasets; whereas they were more important for no-tilled datasets. For both regression trees, no-till biomass stratified into terminal biomass groupings defined on the basis of bulk density, clay content, and silt content; and for the model including soil hydraulic properties, additionally by soil air-entry tension and surface residue cover. However, bulk density was deemed in the model to be a proxy for years a field was in no-tillage; a positive relationship existed between bulk density and biomass. Overall, the terminal tree groups with the highest average earthworm biomasses were for no-till soils with bulk densities >1.4
g
cm
−3 (longer term no-tillage). Regression tree variance reductions associated with the
in situ measurements of field saturated hydraulic conductivity and air-entry tension were insignificant or small. Generally, empirical models predicting earthworm biomass at large spatial scales in agroecosystems using soils and land management information, should consider utilizing variables that express tillage practice, surface residue coverage, years in no-tillage, and soil particle size; however, variable interactions should be considered.
Geomatics and related technologies allow for the application of integrated approaches to the analysis of individual spatial and temporal activities in the context of place and health research. The ...ability to track individuals as they make decisions and negotiate space may provide a fundamental advance. This paper introduces the need to move beyond conventional place-based perspectives in health research, and invokes the theoretical contributions of time geography and spatial ecology as opportunities to integrate human agency into contextual models of health. Issues around the geographical representation of place are reviewed, and the concept of the healthscape is introduced as an approach to operationalizing context as expressed by the spatial and temporal activities of individuals. We also discuss how these concepts have the potential to influence and contribute to empirical place and health research.
Background: Metallothionein (MT) is a protein that can be induced by inflammatory mediators and participate in cytoprotection. However, its role in inflammation remains to be established. A study was ...undertaken to determine whether intrinsic MT protects against acute inflammatory lung injury induced by bacterial endotoxin in MT-I/II knock out (−/−) and wild type (WT) mice. Methods: MT (−/−) and WT mice were given vehicle or lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 125 μg/kg) intratracheally and the cellular profile of the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, pulmonary oedema, lung histology, expression of proinflammatory molecules, and nuclear localisation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the lung were evaluated. Results: MT (−/−) mice were more susceptible than WT mice to lung inflammation, especially to lung oedema induced by intratracheal challenge with LPS. After LPS challenge, MT deficiency enhanced vacuolar degeneration of pulmonary endothelial cells and type I alveolar epithelial cells and caused focal loss of the basement membrane. LPS treatment caused no significant differences in the enhanced expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines nor in the activation of the NF-κB pathway in the lung between the two genotypes. Lipid peroxide levels in the lungs were significantly higher in LPS treated MT (−/−) mice than in LPS treated WT mice. Conclusions: Endogenous MT protects against acute lung injury related to LPS. The effects are possibly mediated by the enhancement of pulmonary endothelial and epithelial integrity, not by the inhibition of the NF-κB pathway.
▶
In situ study of ultrathin films by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). ▶ The XMCD revealed magnetic properties of single monolayer Co films on Pd(0
0
1). ▶ The sandwich film of Pd/Co/Pd(0
0
...1) shows perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). ▶ Orbital magnetic moment along the PMA axis is large at the Co site of Pd/Co/Pd(0
0
1). ▶ The XMCD hysteresis curve shows full magnetic remanence of the PMA film at 300
K.
Magnetic property of monatomic Co layers grown on a Pd(0
0
1) surface was surveyed by means of soft X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). Hysteresis loops were derived from the magnetic field dependence measurement of the XMCD effect in absorption intensities at the Co
L
3 edge. The hysteresis measurements indicate that a bare Co film on Pd(0
0
1) and a sandwich structure of Pd/Co/Pd(0
0
1) show in-plane magnetic anisotropy and out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy, respectively. Temperature dependence of the hysteresis loop reveals that ferromagnetic order with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Pd/Co/Pd(0
0
1) is stable even at room temperature.
Abstract Objective To identify the best operative approach for neuroendocrine cervical carcinoma (NECC). Methods The records of surgically treated patients with stages IB to IIB NECC were reviewed. ...Results Of 10 patients who met the study criteria for NECC and underwent radical hysterectomy, 4 had pT1bN0, 4 had pT1bN1, 1 had pT2aN0, and 1 had pT2bN1 disease. Those with pT1bN1 or pT2bN1 disease received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, and recurrence occurred in 7 patients (70%). Among these 7 patients, 5 (71%) had a primary NECC tumor with deep stromal invasion and 5 (71%) had extrauterine disease (parametrium and/or lymph node). The recurrences in 6 patients (86%) were located outside the pelvis (lung, liver, or brain). Stromal invasion was 6 mm or less in the 3 patients who did not experience disease recurrence. Conclusions Pelvic control by radical hysterectomy may not be beneficial for patients with NECC except for those with an early invasive lesion.
The present study was designed to examine the roles of p53, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and ceramide, and to determine their mutual relationships during tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-induced ...apoptosis of human glioma cells. In cells possessing wild-type p53, TNF-alpha stimulated ceramide formation via the activation of both neutral and acid sphingomyelinases (SMases), accompanied by superoxide anion (O2-*) production, and induced mitochondrial depolarization and cytochrome c release, whereas p53-deficient cells were partially resistant to TNF-alpha and lacked O2-* generation and neutral SMase activation. Restoration of functional p53 sensitized glioma cells expressing mutant p53 to TNF-alpha by accumulation of O2-*. z-IETD-fmk (benzyloxycarbonyl-Ile-Glu-Thr-Asp fluoromethyl ketone), but not z-DEVD-fmk (benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp fluoromethyl ketone), blocked TNF-alpha-induced ceramide formation through both SMases as well as O2-* generation. Caspase-8 was processed by TNF-alpha regardless of p53 status of cells or the presence of antioxidants. Two separate signaling cascades, p53-mediated ROS-dependent and -independent pathways, both of which are initiated by caspase-8 activation, thus contribute to ceramide formation in TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis of human glioma cells.
: The aim of this study was to determine the carrier rate of hepatitis virus in patients with haematological malignancies and the incidence of liver injury in these patients following chemotherapy. ...From January 1996 to September 2002, we studied 601 consecutive, unselected series of patients with haematological malignancies admitted in our hospital unit (Japan). They consisted of 246 cases of acute leukaemia, 218 non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), 13 adult T‐cell leukaemia, and 124 multiple myeloma. Of these 601 patients, 373 were men and 228 were women; their mean age was 61 yr, with a range from 18 to 89 yr. The prevalences of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) were 7.3% and 10.1%, respectively, in NHL, both higher than those in acute leukaemia (1.7% and 2.9%, P < 0.005) and in general Japanese population (1.2% and 2.6%). The incidence of post‐chemotherapy liver injury in 25 HBV carriers (36.0%) was significantly higher than that in 539 non‐hepatitis virus carriers (12.6%, P = 0.003) and 37 HCV carriers (10.8%, P = 0.026). Liver injury in HBV carriers was more often present in patients who had been treated with steroids than in those without steroids (72.7% and 0%, P = 0.013). After lamivudine became available in our institution, the incidence of liver injury in HBV carriers was reduced from 53.3% to 10.0% (P = 0.041). The therapeutic strategy for haematological malignancies in hepatitis virus carriers should be further investigated.
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