Recent Developments in the Determination of PM2.5 Chemical Composition

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology - Fine particulate matter (named PM2.5) has become a prominent and dangerous form of air pollution. The chemical composition of PM2.5 mainly...     

Zinc protection against aluminium induced altered lipid profile and membrane integrity

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Zinc (Zn) supplementation on lipid profile and fluidity of cerebrum and cerebellum membranes of rats treated with aluminium (Al). Sprague dawley male rats were divided into four different treatment groups viz: Control, aluminium treated, zinc treated and aluminium + zinc treated. Aluminium (AlCl₃) was administered orally at a dose of 100 mg/kg b.wt./day (dissolved in drinking water). Zinc as zinc sulphate was supplemented to rats at a dose of 227 mg/l in drinking water. A significant decrease in the levels of total lipids, glycolipids, phospholipids, cholesterol and gangliosides contents were observed in both the cerebrum and cerebellum following Al exposure, which were found to be significantly increased following Zn supplementation. On the contrary, Al treatment caused a significant increase in the formation of conjugated dienes, which were observed to be reduced on Zn co-treatment. Further, Al treatment significantly elevated the fluorescence polarization, anisotropy and order parameter, which however were normalized upon Zn co-administration. Hence, the present study depicts the potential of Zn in moderating the changes caused by Al on membrane composition and fluidity in rat brain.     

Update of NIST half-life results corrected for ionization chamber source-holder instability

As reported at the ICRM 2011, it was discovered that the source holder used for calibrations in the NIST 4πγ ionization chamber (IC) was not stable. This has affected a large number of half-life measurement results previously reported and used in compilations of nuclear data. Corrections have been made on all of the half-life data based on the assumption that the changes to the ionization chamber response were gradual. The corrections are energy dependent and therefore radionuclide specific. This presentation will review our results and present the recommended changes in half-life values and/or uncertainties.     

LiSr4(BO3)3:Ce3+ phosphor as a new material for ESR dosimetry

LiSr₄(BO₃)₃:0.01Ce³⁺ phosphor was investigated to assess its potential as a material for measurements of radiotherapeutic doses with electron spin resonance (ESR). The ESR spectrum of the phosphor irradiated with ⁶⁰Co features five ESR signals. An isochronal annealing experiment has shown that the strongest of these signals is associated with the same trap center as the 473 K peak on the TL glow curve of this material. The dose–response is linear in the studied range from 0.89 to 90.30 Gy. Fading of the signal was also investigated.     

sIPV process development for costs reduction

Polio is expected to be eradicated within only a few years from now. Upon polio eradication, the use of oral polio vaccines, which can cause circulating and virulent vaccine derived polio viruses, will be stopped. From this moment onwards, inactivated polio vaccines (IPV) will be used for worldwide vaccination against polio. An increased demand for IPV is thus anticipated. As a result, process development studies regarding the IPV production process, developed in the 1960s, have intensified. Studies on yield optimization aiming at costs reduction as well as the use of alternative polio viruses, which are more biosafe for manufacturing, are actual. Here our strategy to setup a new IPV production process using attenuated Sabin polio virus strains is presented. Moreover, aspects on reduction of the costs of goods and the impact of process optimization on sIPV costs are reviewed.     

Haplotype distribution in a forensic full mtDNA genome database of admixed Southern Brazilians and its association with self-declared ancestry and pigmentation traits

Background:The advent of massively parallel sequencing (MPS) applications focused on the generation of forensic-quality full mitochondrial genome sequences led to a popularization of the technique on a global scale. However, the lack of forensic-graded population databases has refrained a wider adoption of full genome sequences as the industry standard, despite its better discrimination capacity of individual maternal lineages.Purpose:This work describes a forensic-oriented full mtDNA genome database comprised of 480 samples from a Southern Brazilian population.Methods:A collection of mitochondrial sequences were obtained from low-pass, full genome DNA sequencing results. The complete sample set was evaluated regarding haplotype composition and distribution. Summary statistics and forensic parameters were calculated and are presented for the database, with detailed information concerning the impact of removing genetic information in the form of specific variants or increasingly larger genomic regions. Interpopulational analysis comparing haplotypical diversity in Brazilian and 26 worldwide populations was also performed. The association between mitochondrial genetic variability and phenotypic diversity was also evaluated in populations, with self-declared ancestry and three distinct phenotypic pigmentation traits (eyes, skin and hair colors) as parameters.Results:The presented database can be used to evaluate mitochondrial-related genetic evidence, providing LR values of up to 20,465 for unobserved haplotypes. Haplotype distribution in Southern Brazil seems to be different than the remaining of the country, with a larger contribution of maternal lines with European origin. Despite association can be found between lighter and darker phenotypes or self-declared ancestry and haplotype distribution, prediction models cannot be reliably proposed due to the admixed nature of the Brazilian population.Conclusions:The proposed database provides a basis for statistical calculation and frequency estimation of full mitochondrial genomes, and can be part of an integrated, representative, national database comprising most of the genetic diversity of maternal lineages in the country.     

药品检测机构仪器设备计量分类管理模式的建立及应用

目的初步建立药品检测机构仪器设备计量分类管理模式。方法根据国内外法律法规对设备计量的要求,结合药品检测机构仪器设备的特点,首次提出将药品检测机构仪器设备分为必须计量、选择性计量和不需要计量3种类别,针对不同类别设备提出具体的计量管理方法。结果与结论初步建立药品检测机构仪器设备计量管理模式并应用于实践,为药品检测机构仪器设备计量规范化管理提供依据。