Trace metal partitioning in caustic calcined magnesia produced from natural magnesite.

Caustic calcined magnesia from natural magnesite has been widely employed as a source of magnesium. This mineral, depending on the origin, may contain heavy metals and metalloids that can exceed the regulatory limits in some applications. In most cases, heavy metals and metalloids form solid solutions with the mineral phases of the main impurities, or even magnesium oxide itself, replacing other ions in the crystal lattice. Compared with magnesium oxide, most of these impurities such as silica and silicates are much more chemically stable even in concentrated mineral acids under normal temperature and pressure conditions. In this study, the partitioning of the trace metals was monitored using a sequential extraction procedure (SEP), and their potential solubility was determined using the pH-static leaching test. Only a small fraction of magnesium oxide derived from heavily calcined magnesia is soluble in slightly acidic media. The release of the trace metals and metalloids contained in the soluble fractions was less than 40% as determined by total digestion. It can be concluded that SEP is more accurate than total chemical digestion for setting the maximum limits of the undesirable trace metals.

Solar PV Power Potential is Greatest Over Croplands.

Solar energy has the potential to offset a significant fraction of non-renewable electricity demands globally, yet it may occupy extensive areas when deployed at this level. There is growing concern that large renewable energy installations will displace other land uses. Where should future solar power installations be placed to achieve the highest energy production and best use the limited land resource? The premise of this work is that the solar panel efficiency is a function of the location's microclimate within which it is immersed. Current studies largely ignore many of the environmental factors that influence Photovoltaic (PV) panel function. A model for solar panel efficiency that incorporates the influence of the panel's microclimate was derived from first principles and validated with field observations. Results confirm that the PV panel efficiency is influenced by the insolation, air temperature, wind speed and relative humidity. The model was applied globally using bias-corrected reanalysis datasets to map solar panel efficiency and the potential for solar power production given local conditions. Solar power production potential was classified based on local land cover classification, with croplands having the greatest median solar potential of approximately 28 W/m2. The potential for dual-use, agrivoltaic systems may alleviate land competition or other spatial constraints for solar power development, creating a significant opportunity for future energy sustainability. Global energy demand would be offset by solar production if even less than 1% of cropland were converted to an agrivoltaic system.

Gene amplification-associated overexpression of the RNA editing enzyme ADAR1 enhances human lung tumorigenesis.

The introduction of new therapies against particular genetic mutations in non-small-cell lung cancer is a promising avenue for improving patient survival, but the target population is small. There is a need to discover new potential actionable genetic lesions, to which end, non-conventional cancer pathways, such as RNA editing, are worth exploring. Herein we show that the adenosine-to-inosine editing enzyme ADAR1 undergoes gene amplification in non-small cancer cell lines and primary tumors in association with higher levels of the corresponding mRNA and protein. From a growth and invasion standpoint, the depletion of ADAR1 expression in amplified cells reduces their tumorigenic potential in cell culture and mouse models, whereas its overexpression has the opposite effects. From a functional perspective, ADAR1 overexpression enhances the editing frequencies of target transcripts such as NEIL1 and miR-381. In the clinical setting, patients with early-stage lung cancer, but harboring ADAR1 gene amplification, have poor outcomes. Overall, our results indicate a role for ADAR1 as a lung cancer oncogene undergoing gene amplification-associated activation that affects downstream RNA editing patterns and patient prognosis.

Analysis of the IRBP gene as a cause of RP in 45 ARRP Spanish families. Autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa. Interstitial retinol binding protein. Spanish Multicentric and Multidisciplinary Group for Research into Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (ARRP) is a degenerative disorder of photoreceptors. Mutations in several genes encoding different proteins of the visual cascade are described. The inheritance of two intragenic markers within the interstitial retinol binding protein (IRBP) gene was established in 45 Spanish families with a history of ARRP. Homozygosity mapping and cosegregation analyses were positive in 19 families. Only one heterozygous T-C transition at position 3024 (exon 1) was detected in one consanguineous family. This variant was identified as a rare polymorphism and was present in 5% of the chromosomes analyzed.

Evaluation of RLBP1 in 50 autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa and 4 retinitis punctata albescens Spanish families.

Defects in retinal vitamin A metabolism or in genes expressed in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) are related to nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The RLBP1 gene encodes the cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein which, in the RPE and Müller cells of the retina, is thought to play a role in retinoid metabolism and visual pigment regeneration. We describe a study of the involvement of the RLBP1 gene in 50 autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (ARRP) and four retinitis punctata albescens Spanish families. Cosegregation and homozygosity studies using an intragenic polymorphism and three close markers (D15S116, D15S127, and D15S130) ruled out RLBP1 as the cause of ARRP in 26 pedigrees. In the remaining families, SSCP analysis of the coding region and sequencing of the abnormal migrating bands did not detect any disease-causing mutation. These results indicate that mutations in the RLBP1 gene are not responsible for the ARRP or retinitis punctata albescens in this set of Spanish families. We did, however, identify two frequent polymorphisms (3'UTR + 167 G > T, T: 0.23 and G: 0.77; IVS6 + 20 T > C, T: 0.36 and C: 0.64), a silent substitution (S218S), and a rare variant (5'UTR-101 G > A).

[Identification of 2 allelic mutations of the gene of the phosphodiesterase beta subunit in a Spanish family with recessive autosomic retinitis pigmentosa]. / Identificación de dos mutaciones alélicas en el gen de la subunidad beta de la fosfodiesterasa en una familia española afectada de retinosis pigmentaria autosómica recesiva.

BACKGROUND: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited eye disorders that affect photoreceptor and pigment epithelial function. Mutations in different genes involved in the phototransduction process have been described in patients with autosomal recessive RP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined the gene coding the beta subunit of the phosphodiesterase (PDEB) in a ARRP family with two affected sisters. SSCP (single stand conformational polymorphism) analysis of the coding region of the gene showed abnormal bands in two different exons. PCR products showing SSCP aberrant patterns were subsequently sequenced. RESULTS: The two affected sisters had inherited from their father a PDEB gene with a known mutation (Gln298X) and a rare variant and from their mother a PDEB gene with a new mutation: Asp600Asn. CONCLUSIONS: The nature of the mutations in the PDEB gene and their pattern of inheritance indicate that the lack of activity of the phosphodiesterase (PDE), a key enzyme in the visual phototransduction process, account for the RP phenotype in these patients.

[Nephropathy and microalbuminuria in type II diabetes]. / Nefropatía y microalbuminuria en la diabetes tipo II.

OBJECTIVE: To study the population receiving care to find the prevalence of diabetic Nephropathy (DNP) and its association with possible risk factors in type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. DESIGN: A descriptive crossover study. SETTING: An urban health district with an aged and socio-economically depressed population. PATIENTS: Randomised sampling among the health district's registered diabetics (n = 198). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among other parameters, the values of Proteinuria and Microalbuminuria in 24 hour's urine and of serum Creatinine were analysed. On the basis of these values the four stages of DNP were established: I) Normality, II) Microalbuminuria, III) Proteinuria, IV) Renal failure. The prevalences recorded were 33.8%, 51%, 11.1% and 4%, respectively. Also studied was the value of Microalbuminuria measured at random by reactive strips dipped in urine, which displayed 78% sensitivity and 68% specificity. The most notable of the DNP risk factors were how long the DM had evolved (p = 0.005). Age (p = 0.02), the value of the glucosilated haemoglobin (p = 0.03) and of the triglycerides (p = 0.03) were also related factors. On analysing the association of DNP with other chronic complications of DM, a statistical relationship to the presence of Retinopathy (p < 0.001) and peripheric Vasculopathy (p < 0.001) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of some stage of DNP among the type 2 DM population is very common. Only 33.8% of the sample was normal regarding the urinary excretion of proteins. Microalbuminuria quantified at random with reactive strips has low specificity. The highest risk factor for DNP is the length of the DM's evolution, with age and metabolic control of the disease also being important.

[Macroangiopathy in type II diabetes. The Raval South study]. / Macroangiopatía en la diabetes tipo II. El estudio Raval Sud.

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of clinical forms of diabetic macroangiopathy (DM) and its risk factors. DESIGN: A descriptive crossover study. SETTING: An elderly and socio-economically very depressed population in Raval Sud Health District (HD), Barcelona. PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Random sampling of type II diabetes patients (n = 387) registered in the HD (6.6% prevalence). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Each patient was examined for the presence of diagnostic criteria of peripheric, cerebral or coronary vasculopathy (VP); as well as for the possible risk factors (age, gender, years of the DM's evolution, tobacco, hypertension, obesity, glycosilated haemoglobin and dyslipemia). Prevalences obtained were: peripheric VP = 24.5%, cerebral VP = 9.5%, coronary VP = 18.1%. 30.5% of the diabetics had some form of macroangiopathy. The main risk factors for all the clinical forms (p < 0.001) were age and the length of evolution of DM, tobacco mainly for peripheric VP (p < 0.001), systolic Hypertension for cerebral VP (p = 0.03) and Hypertriglyceridaemia for peripheric VP (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Macroangiopathy affects a high percentage (30.5%) of type 2 diabetics. The principal risk factors are those associated with tobacco, hypertension and hypertriglyceridaemia, all of which we can affect and control.