Blue Rim Research Articles

Contrast Clearance Analysis (CCA) to Assess Viable Tumour following Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) to Brain Metastasis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).

Brain metastases are common in lung cancer and increasingly treated using targeted radiotherapy techniques such as stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Using MRI, post-SRS changes may be difficult to distinguish from progressive brain metastasis. Contrast clearance analysis (CCA) uses T1-weighted MRI images to assess the clearance of gadolinium and can be thus used to assess vascularity and active tumours. We retrospectively assessed CCAs in 62 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing 104 CCA scans in a single centre. The initial CCA suggested the aetiology of equivocal changes on standard MRI in 80.6% of patients. In all patients whose initial CCA showed post-SRS changes and who underwent serial CCAs, the initial diagnosis was upheld with the serial imaging. In only two cases of a presumed progressive tumour on the initial CCA, subsequent treatment for radionecrosis was instigated; a retrospective review and re-evaluation of the CCAs show that progression was reported where a thin rim of rapid contrast clearance was seen, and this finding has been subsequently recognised as a feature of post-treatment change on CCAs. The lack of concordance with CCA findings in those who underwent surgical resection was also found to be due to the over-reporting of the thin blue rim as disease in the early cases of CCA use and, in three cases, potentially related to timelines longer than 7 days prior to surgery, both factors being unknown during the early implementation phase of CCA at our centre but subsequently learned. Our single-centre experience shows CCA to be feasible and useful in patients with NSCLC in cases of diagnostic uncertainty in MRI. It has helped guide treatment in the majority of patients, with subsequent outcomes following the implementation of the treatment based on the results, suggesting correct classification. Recommendations from our experience of the implementation include the careful consideration of the thin rim of the rapid contrast clearance and the timing of the CCA prior to surgery for suspected brain metastasis progression.

Climate and ecology in the Rocky Mountain interior after the early Eocene Climatic Optimum

Abstract. As atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and temperatures increase with modern climate change, ancient hothouse periods become a focal point for understanding ecosystem function under similar conditions. The early Eocene exhibited high temperatures, high CO2 levels, and similar tectonic plate configuration as today, so it has been invoked as an analog to modern climate change. During the early Eocene, the greater Green River Basin (GGRB) of southwestern Wyoming was covered by an ancient hypersaline lake (Lake Gosiute; Green River Formation) and associated fluvial and floodplain systems (Wasatch and Bridger formations). The volcaniclastic Bridger Formation was deposited by an inland delta that drained from the northwest into freshwater Lake Gosiute and is known for its vast paleontological assemblages. Using this well-preserved basin deposited during a period of tectonic and paleoclimatic interest, we employ multiple proxies to study trends in provenance, parent material, weathering, and climate throughout 1 million years. The Blue Rim escarpment exposes approximately 100 m of the lower Bridger Formation, which includes plant and mammal fossils, solitary paleosol profiles, and organic remains suitable for geochemical analyses, as well as ash beds and volcaniclastic sandstone beds suitable for radioisotopic dating. New 40Ar / 39Ar ages from the middle and top of the Blue Rim escarpment constrain the age of its strata to ∼ 49.5–48.5 Myr ago during the “falling limb” of the early Eocene Climatic Optimum. We used several geochemical tools to study provenance and parent material in both the paleosols and the associated sediments and found no change in sediment input source despite significant variation in sedimentary facies and organic carbon burial. We also reconstructed environmental conditions, including temperature, precipitation (both from paleosols), and the isotopic composition of atmospheric CO2 from plants found in the floral assemblages. Results from paleosol-based reconstructions were compared to semi-co-temporal reconstructions made using leaf physiognomic techniques and marine proxies. The paleosol-based reconstructions (near the base of the section) of precipitation (608–1167 mm yr−1) and temperature (10.4 to 12.0 ∘C) were within error of, although lower than, those based on floral assemblages, which were stratigraphically higher in the section and represented a highly preserved event later in time. Geochemistry and detrital feldspar geochronology indicate a consistent provenance for Blue Rim sediments, sourcing predominantly from the Idaho paleoriver, which drained the active Challis volcanic field. Thus, because there was neither significant climatic change nor significant provenance change, variation in sedimentary facies and organic carbon burial likely reflected localized geomorphic controls and the relative height of the water table. The ecosystem can be characterized as a wet, subtropical-like forest (i.e., paratropical) throughout the interval based upon the floral humidity province and Holdridge life zone schemes. Given the mid-paleolatitude position of the Blue Rim escarpment, those results are consistent with marine proxies that indicate that globally warm climatic conditions continued beyond the peak warm conditions of the early Eocene Climatic Optimum. The reconstructed atmospheric δ13C value (−5.3 ‰ to −5.8 ‰) closely matches the independently reconstructed value from marine microfossils (−5.4 ‰), which provides confidence in this reconstruction. Likewise, the isotopic composition reconstructed matches the mantle most closely (−5.4 ‰), agreeing with other postulations that warming was maintained by volcanic outgassing rather than a much more isotopically depleted source, such as methane hydrates.

Geochemistry and boron isotope compositions of tourmalines from the granite-greisen-quartz vein system in Dayishan pluton, Southern China: Implications for potential mineralization

Abstract Tourmaline occurs widely within Dayishan ore field, Nanling Range, and is associated with magmatic-hydrothermal rare metal mineralization. Four types of tourmaline are recognized: (1) tour-maline in coarse-grained monzogranite (Tur-G1); (2) tourmaline in medium–fine-grained monzogranite (Tur-G2); (3) tourmaline aggregates associated with muscovite in greisen (Tur-Gr), showing a yellow core (Tur-Gry) and blue rim (Tur-Grb); and (4) quartz-vein-hosted tourmaline (Tur-V). In this study, we performed systematic investigations of in situ boron isotopic and elemental compositions of tour-malines in different granite, greisen, and quartz veins by EPMA and LA-MC-ICP-MS. Results show that almost all tourmalines exhibit schorl compositional affinity with extremely low Ca contents, high Fe/(Fe+Mg), and the calculated X-site occupancies in tourmalines show their affinities to the alkali group. Substitution processes of major element variations are dominantly caused by MgFe−1, FeAl−1, (Ca,Mg)(☐–1,Al–2), and R(Na,Mg)–1 exchange vectors. Based on geochemistry and petrology, Tur-G1, Tur-G2, and Tur-Gry precipitated from a boron-rich melt, while Tur-Grb and Tur-V crystallized from hydrothermal fluid. Many trace element concentrations overlap and most are <10 ppm. The significantly higher contents of Sn and Zn and positive Eu anomaly reflect the influence of an external fluid. Magmatic tourmalines fall into a narrow range of δ11B values between –15.58 and –14.09‰, indicating a single boron source of the granitic magma. Hydrothermal tourmalines display slightly lighter B isotopic compositions (–16.31 to –14.91‰), which are consistent with precipitation from externally derived fluids with lighter boron. Based on the isotopic and chemical compositional evidence, Sn and Zn may come from the host rock rather than granite.

In-situ boron isotopic and geochemical compositions of tourmaline from the Shangbao Nb–Ta bearing monzogranite, Nanling Range: Implication for magmatic-hydrothermal evolution of Nb and Ta

The enrichment mechanism of tantalum and niobium are still in dispute due to complex textural features of Nb–Ta minerals. Tourmaline is an accurate passive geochemical monitor related to the W-Sn-Nb-Ta-Li mineralization, which can record Nb and Ta variations in melt/fluid. The newly discovered Shangbao Nb–Ta bearing monzogranite is located in Nanling Range, South China, which is characterized by tourmaline wide occurrence. In this paper, we systematically investigate the different types of tourmaline using in-situ major, trace elemental and boron isotope for studying the origin of tourmaline, boron source, and Nb–Ta enrichment process. Three types of tourmaline have been identified, namely, disseminated tourmaline (TD type) in monzogranite, nodular tourmaline (TN type), consisting of the yellow core (TNy type) and blue rim (TNb type), and veined tourmaline (TV type). Almost all tourmalines from the Shangbao Nb–Ta deposit exhibit very low Ca content, X-site occupancy and high ratio of Fe / (Fe + Mg), pertaining to the group of schorl and alkali. Trace elements primarily present the low concentrations of <10 ppm, while the contents of Sc, Li and Zn are higher.Based on the petrography and Al occupations in the Y-site of tourmaline, TD type tourmaline was precipitated straightly from the melt at the late magmatic stage, while TN type tourmaline crystallized during the magmatic-hydrothermal transition process, and TV type tourmaline was the origin of hydrothermal fluid. In-situ boron isotope analyses of TD and TN type tourmaline by MC-ICP-MS show the narrow δ11B values from −17.16‰ to −14.81‰, demonstrating the same boron source. TV type tourmaline shows the weak higher δ11B values of −14.48‰ to −13.46‰ likely resulted by Rayleigh fractionation. The concentration of Nb in TD and TV type tourmaline can reach up to 20 ppm, which is higher than that in TN type tourmaline. However, TN type tourmaline contains higher Ta content than other types, revealing magmatic-hydrothermal transitional stage is critical to Ta enrichment. Compared with tourmaline in other type deposits, tourmaline in Shangbao monzogranite contains high Nb and Ta contents, indicating that it is a suitable tool for exploration, and the tourmaline is available to targeting Nb and Ta mineralization.

An Argument, and: Before and After, and: Vista Hermosa

An Argument, and: Before and After, and: Vista Hermosa Maxine Scates (bio) An Argument I don't know why I am so movedby early photographs of cityscapes and ruinswhere tiny figures walk together or alonewhen I distrust the posed close-ups of a bored girlsprouting angel wings or one of the great poets,chin cupped in his hands, staring pensivelyfrom the same era. I think it's because I do knoweverything is open to interpretation or do I meanis an illusion, an argument I sometimesdon't realize I'm entering the wayinside a long friendship I said Luckand you said you didn't believe in it, and I said maybefirst there's Luck and after that working hardto hold onto it when actually I don't believein Luck either as whatever was happening between uskept on happening, you asking question after question,those questions now reminding me how sometimes I wonder how I have lived a lifetime knowing so littleand remembering less than what I never forget:In my grandparents' house there was the auraof the century they were born in,that century of cityscapes and ruins thoughthey were never part of any photograph. I don'tknow why that matters except that it was somethingI could never say but knew. And when I said wordswere just words, I meant that they can never entirelysay no matter how hard we try. They are [End Page 117] the reason we keep trying. I should have saidmy grandfather drank his coffeefrom a white bowl with a blue rim,and in that house a bowl meant bowl and the ice boxwas an ice box waiting for the ice man to hookhis chunk of ice into a gunny sack and leave itout in the alley. I should have said I haven't seen or hearda red-winged blackbird in two or three summers.I miss its song, or, I know now that whenthe neighbor held me and rocked me as she weptthat she was drunk which is the originof my belief I don't exist except as somethingto hold onto. The blackbird means, as does the amount of wood I stack each summer,the fallen trees. Ours was a small storyfilled with absences, each of us trying to imaginethe other. Such an old argument all this imagining . . . Before and After I try to rememberwhat I was thinking about and whenI look back I see I arrived by boat in a dreamwhere someone asked Is the water deep?and the boatman steppedinto the water to pull the boat to shore. Your familywas there, but you were sleeping. Then you appeared,then disappeared. Before the future was still ahead of useven as we were growing older. After I know as long as I speak to you you're not goneas in the dream where you were giving a party, [End Page 118] and in the last room where I found you,you were sleeping again. When I looked for a placeto write down what I had seen,I woke you. You smiled, but now I wonderif I disturb you becauseI always have one more thing to tell you—this time it's how in the movie theater the aliensemerged from the fog, long tentaclesdangling hooves like those of giraffes,and I remembered a wedding reception at a zoo,how I wandered up to see the giraffes,the band playing down below as the bride sangI'm gonna love you like nobody's loved youcome rain or come shine though the marriageis over now. In the movietime had no beginning and no end, looping endlessly,the leaders of the world as always terrified by intrudersand turning on each other. At the end, the characterwho'd already seen the future asked her loverif he would live his life over if he knewwhat was coming, and then I heard you say or sigh, Oh Maxas clearly...

Radiation-Induced Vascular Malformations Mimicking Tumor in MRI-Based Treatment Response Assessment Maps (TRAMs)

We have recently presented MRI-based TRAMs enabling efficient separation between tumor (contrast clearance >1-hour post injection, blue) and treatment-effects (TEs, contrast accumulation, red), validated histologically in 51 resected patients reaching 92%/100% PPV/sensitivity to morphologically active tumor. This high selectivity stems from the ability of viable vessels in blue/tumor regions to efficiently clear contrast by 1hour, while damaged lumens in red/TEs regions are unable to, resulting in contrast accumulation. Approximately 400 adult patients have been recruited to our studies in Israel since 2010. As the TRAMs cannot differentiate blood vessels from active tumor (both appearing blue), we studied whether radiation-induced cavernoma-like vascular malformations (RICMs) may mimic tumors in the TRAMs. Cases in which the pre-surgical TRAMs were found false-positive for tumor were re-reviewed. For comparison, 2 patients with newly diagnosed cavernomas and 4 with treated AVMs were scanned by the TRAMs. One AVM underwent TRAMs-guided biopsies. Four cases of false-positive TRAMs showing RICMs in histology were found between 2010-2017: GBM post Stupp followed by bevacizumab +rindopepimut, breast and NSCLC metastases post SRS, and resected NSCLC post SRS to the surgery site. The pre-surgical TRAMs of the GBM and post-resection NSCLC showed 2-3mm blue masses within larger thin blue rims. The metastases depicted thin blue rims surrounding red regions. Histology revealed clusters of connective tissue with multiple vessel-channels in all 4 cases, consistent with RICMs at various stages of tissue re-organization. The treated AVMs TRAMs showed mixed blue/red regions. Biopsies taken from blue regions revealed large vessels, some showing re-organization; red regions showed TEs. The cavernomas were depicted blue in the TRAMs. The TRAMs reliability in differentiating tumor from TEs has been validated histologically reaching PPV=92%. The presented findings suggest that RICMs, as other vascular-malformations, may mimic tumor (blue) in the TRAMs, thus explaining false-positive cases.

Reconstructing the Local Vegetation and Seasonality of the Lower Eocene Blue Rim Site of Southwestern Wyoming Using Fossil Wood

Premise of research. Permineralized wood along with fossil leaves, reproductive structures, and dispersed pollen and spores are preserved in the uppermost Lower Eocene (∼49.0 Ma) Blue Rim escarpment of the Bridger Formation in southwestern Wyoming. Each component of the flora provides a slightly different view of the diversity and environment, but the wood assemblage provides additional information on the taxonomic composition, forest structure, and local seasonality and climate.Methodology. Fossil wood specimens, including occasional in situ stumps, were collected from Bridger strata exposed at Blue Rim, north of Green River, Wyoming. Thin sections in the three standard orientations were prepared of each specimen and examined by light microscopy. Specific gravity and vulnerability index values were calculated for well-preserved specimens. Tree height was estimated from diameter measurements obtained from 10 specimens.Pivotal results. Seven wood types are recognized in the assemblage, including a single s...

The Effect of Blue Motifs on White Plates, Including the Number of Motifs and the Presence of a Blue Rim, on Appetite by Placing Japanese Food on Small Serving Plates

The Effect of Blue Motifs on White Plates, Including the Number of Motifs and the Presence of a Blue Rim, on Appetite by Placing Japanese Food on Small Serving Plates

Origin of gem corundum in calcite marble: The Revelstoke occurrence in the Canadian Cordillera of British Columbia

The calcite marble-hosted gem corundum (ruby, sapphire) occurrence near Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada, occurs in the Monashee Complex of the Omineca Belt of the Canadian Cordillera . Corundum occurs in thin, folded and stretched layers with green muscovite + Ba-bearing K-feldspar + anorthite (An 0.85–1 ) ± phlogopite ± Na-poor scapolite . Other silicate layers within the marble are composed of: (1) diopside + tremolite ± quartz and (2) garnet (Alm 0.7–0.5 Grs 0.2–0.4 ) + Na-rich scapolite + diopside + tremolite + Na,K-amphiboles. Non-silicate layers in the marble are either magnetite- or graphite-bearing. Predominantly pink (locally red or purple) opaque to transparent corundum crystals have elevated Cr 2 O 3 (≤ 0.21 wt.%) and variable amounts of TiO 2 ; rare blue rims on the corundum crystals contain higher amounts of TiO 2 (≤ 0.53 wt.%) and Fe 2 O 3 (≤ 0.07 wt.%). The associated micas have elevated Cr, V, Ti, and Ba contents. Petrography of the silicate layers show that corundum formed from muscovite at the peak of metamorphism (~ 650–700 °C at 8.5–9 kbar). Because the marble is almost pure calcite (dolomite is very rare), the corundum was preserved because it did not react with dolomite to spinel + calcite during decompression. The scapolite-bearing assemblages formed during or after decompression of the rock at ~ 650 °C and 4–6 kbar. Gem-quality corundum crystals formed especially on borders of the mica-feldspar layers in an assemblage with calcite. Whole rock geochemistry data show that the corundum-bearing silicate (mica-feldspar) layers formed by mechanical mixing of carbonate with the host gneiss protolith ; the bulk composition of the silicate layers was modified by Si and Fe depletion during prograde metamorphism . High element mobility is supported by the homogenization of δ 18 O and δ 13 C values in carbonates and silicates for the marble and silicate layers. The silicate layers and the gneiss contain elevated contents of Cr and V due to the volcanoclastic component of their protolith. • First detailed characterization of prograde gem corundum formation in calcite marble • Corundum present in mica-feldspar layers in calcite marble • Common protolith of Cr,V-bearing marble assemblages and host rock • Isotope homogenization between the host rock and the marble • Corundum formed by prograde muscovite breakdown reactions

The nature of “quartz eyes” hosted by dykes associated with Au-Bi-As-Cu, Mo-Cu, and Base-metal-Au-Ag mineral occurrences in the Mountain Freegold region (Dawson Range), Yukon, Canada

*Corresponding author Various origins have been assigned to rounded to subrounded and elliptical quartz megacrysts (“quartz eyes”) in dyke rocks associated with mineral deposits/occurrences worldwide. An exact interpretation of their nature is likely to tightly constrain the petrogenesis of the host rocks, and by association may be critical in evaluating genetic models for spatially associated ore minerals. ChromaSEM-CL imaging and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) of “quartz eyes” within porphyry dykes associated with Au–Bi–Cu–As, Mo–Cu, and base-metal–Au–Ag mineral occurrences across the Northern Freegold Resources (NFR) property in the Dawson Range of Yukon Territory, Canada, reveals that the cathodoluminescence (CL) response of quartz is a function of its trace-element abundance(s). Bright blue luminescent growth zones are in most cases richer in Fe (up to 8839 ppm) and Ti (up to 229 ppm) relative to CL dark growth zones, with up to 41 times lower concentration of these elements. Assuming a TiO 2 = 1, the Ti-poor dull cores consistently recorded lower temperatures (mostly < 600 °C) compared to Ti-rich brighter blue rims (up to 860 °C). This suggests either overgrowth on xenocrystic cores or an increase in crystallization temperature. The temperature rise likely reflects magma mixing, and is therefore consistent with the phenocryst/phenoclasts having formed in a magma chamber rather than by secondary processes. Also, the great variability in composition and temperature of crystallization and/or reequilibration of brighter blue growth zones of two quartz crystals (660 °C and 855 °C) from a single sample suggests that multiple episodes of magma mixing and incremental growth of parental magma chambers occurred. Some “quartz eyes” are overprinted by variably oriented, bifurcating, and anastomosing fluid migration trails (“splatter and cobweb textu res”) of red to reddish-brown CL quartz that is in most cases of low-temperature origin, and trace-elements poor, thus implying interaction of deuteric fluids with quartz phenocrysts/phenoclasts. The presence of “quartz eye” crystals with broken and angular blue cores, overgrown by oscillatory-zoned rims in which the zoning pattern does not correspond with the crystal boundaries, further suggests that some quartz crystals had been explosively fragmented (phenocrysts) and are now hosted in a recrystallized tuffisitic groundmass. The volatile exsolution that likely accompanied both magma mixing and decompression (as suggested by dendritic quartz, fine-grained recrystallized tuffisitic groundmass, and corroded quartz grains) was probably an important process that could have favoured the ore formation.

Concentração e conteúdo de nutrientes em lisianto, cultivado em hidroponia, em sistema NFT

The nutritional diagnosis is fundamental for determining plant nutrients, in order to correctly manage the nutritional requirements for each species. Thus, in order to determine the ideal nutrient amount and concentration for obtaining the best yield and quality of lisianthus grown hydroponically, an experiment was conducted in which the plants were grown under the NFT system in different nutrient solutions. The experiment was conducted according to a random block design arrangement in a 4x3 factorial scheme, totaling 12 treatments with three repetitions. The treatments were comprised of four cultivars (Echo Champagne, Mariachi Pure White, Balboa Yellow and Ávila Blue Rim) and three nutrient solutions (Test, modified Steiner and Barbosa). In the leaves, nutrient concentration and content were evaluated; in the aerial parts of the plants, only the content was evaluated. The plants grown in Barbosa solution and in the Test solution had satisfactory results regarding nutrient concentration and amounts, while the modified Steiner solution produced plants with limited nutritional qualities.

Cultivo hidropônico de lisianto para flor de corte em sistema de fluxo laminar de nutrientes

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as características produtivas e comerciais do cultivo de quatro cultivares de lisianto (Eustoma grandiflorum) em três soluções nutritivas em sistema de fluxo laminar de nutrientes (NFT). Utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 4x3, com três repetições. Os tratamentos foram compostos de quatro cultivares (Echo Champagne, Mariachi Pure White, Balboa Yellow e Ávila Blue Rim) e três soluções nutritivas (Teste, Steiner modificada e Barbosa). O sistema NFT é uma alternativa viável para o cultivo de lisianto nas soluções Barbosa e Teste. A cultivar Echo Champagne foi superior quanto ao ciclo, período em produção, altura da haste floral, número de folhas, diâmetro de botão e produção de massa fresca e seca, enquanto a cultivar Mariachi Pure White se destacou quanto ao período em produção. A cultivar Ávila Blue Rim apresentou maior período de produção, número de flores e produção de massa de matéria fresca e seca, enquanto a cultivar Balboa Yellow apresentou maior período em produção e diâmetro de botão.

Claw

Claw Giulio Mozzi (bio) Translated by Elizabeth Harris Behling (bio) Click for larger view View full resolution Figure 1. [End Page 32] The house is small, square, and white. The roof's flat. The door, centered on the eastern side, is just a curtain with red and yellow flowers. The other sides have one square window, also centered. There's no glass in the windows, just yellowing, loosely woven cotton rags nailed to the wood like mosquito netting. The house sits on a slight rise in the middle of the plain, and anyone looking out the windows could see a long way. Down the slope from the door, there's a water pump. A leather razor strop hangs from a couple of nails in the pump's wooden handle. A small washboard rests against the pump. The house has just one room. A hundred feet to [End Page 33] the west, there's a small shack for bodily functions. The house has a packed dirt floor. Two feet off the floor, a built-in shelf or bench runs along all four walls, broken only by the doorway. At the center of the room, there's a wooden table, a single chair. A few things sit on the shelf: a bowl with a set of flatware, one fork, one knife, one spoon; a covered metal bucket with a curved handle and inside, a thick soup or mash; a basin with a few soap chips and a brush; a tiny, round mirror in a metal frame, a straight-edge razor resting on the mirror; a small rectangular basket with the lid on, probably for linen or clothing; a rolled-up mat. On the table, there's a white enamel pitcher with a blue rim and next to it, a slightly flared drinking glass, the bottom thick, rounded. The glass is cloudy, tinted pink. In one corner of the table, there's a lighter and a canister of cigarettes. There's a white man sitting on the chair. He has on khaki trousers and a light, collarless jacket, also khaki, but faded nearly white. He's extremely thin: those clothes were meant for someone more muscular. The man's face has a few deep lines. He doesn't have a hair on his head. He could be fifty, someone who's spent his life outdoors, but you can tell he's extremely old because he's so unnaturally thin. Another way you can tell his age: he barely moves. The man sits, facing the door, smoking. He's not looking at anything in particular, or maybe he's staring at the red-and-yellow curtain rippling slightly in the air currents. The man sits rigid on the chair, left hand in his lap, right hand resting on the table, holding the cigarette, bringing it to his lips now and then. This man is Yanez, the Tiger's white brother, and this ground where his house stands is far, far from any sea, in a part of India that appears on British maps as just a milk spot scratched with a few uncertain paths that could be swallowed up at any time by thriving forests or flooding rivers. Once a day, in the morning, a woman comes from the village (which is close, just past the line of trees to the south), and she carries the bucket of food, and once a day, in the evening, she takes the empty bucket back again. Yanez has lost his teeth and his sense of taste; the bucket holds a milky broth with small bits of meat, boiled vegetables, rice. When he started eating only from the bowl, he gave the woman his metal plate but kept the fork and knife in case a large piece of meat needed cutting. Over the years, his throat has nearly closed. The woman also brings him soap and cigarettes when he runs out and sometimes a lantern wick or a piece of flint for the lighter. Sometimes the woman brings Yanez a shirt or a pair of pants, used, but still good enough to wear. She's the only one who goes inside his house. Anyone could, but no one...

Evaluation of Lisianthus Cultivars for Resistance to Botrytis cinerea.

Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) is a high-value cut flower. However, major yield losses often result from gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea. Various techniques were used to evaluate 12 lisianthus cultivars for resistance B. cinerea. Disease evaluations from detached leaf, leaf disc, cut stem, and in vivo growth chamber stem (GC) assays were correlated with those from an in vivo greenhouse stem (GH) assay, in which commercial greenhouse production of lisianthus was simulated. In all assays, stems or leaves were wounded before inoculation with spores or mycelia of B. cinerea. There was a significant (P ≤ 0.03) positive correlation between stem lesion length in the GH assay and disease incidence in the same assay (R = 0.74), stem lesion length from spore spray inoculation in the GC assay (R = 0.62), and percent necrosis from spore spray inoculation of detached leaves (R = 0.71). Correlations between stem lesion length in the GH assay and disease evaluations from spore drop and mycelial inoculation of detached leaves, leaf discs, and cut stems were not significant at P = 0.05. Considering only screening methods with significant correlations, 'Magic Champagne' was the most resistant cultivar (mean rank [mr] = 2 of 12). 'Echo White' and 'Echo Lavender' were the least resistant cultivars (mr = 11). The other cultivars were 'Magic White' (mr = 4); 'Avila Ivory', 'Balboa Yellow', 'Echo Pink', and 'Magic Rose' (mr = 5); 'Balboa Blue' (mr = 6); 'Avila Blue Rim' (mr = 8); and 'Avila Purple' and 'Catalina Purple' (mr = 9). The results from this study indicate that in vivo disease incidence, in vivo stem assays, and detached leaf assays, all initiated with wounding followed by spore spray inoculation, may be more reliable in evaluating lisianthus cultivars for resistance to B. cinerea than spore drop and mycelial inoculation of detached leaves, leaf discs, and cut stems. The results also indicate that lisianthus cultivars with moderate resistance to B. cinerea are commercially available. These cultivars have potential for use as germplasm in breeding lisianthus for resistance to the pathogen.

Insulin Dynamically Regulates Calmodulin Gene Expression by Sequential O-Glycosylation and Phosphorylation of Sp1 and Its Subcellular Compartmentalization in Liver Cells

O-glycosylation and phosphorylation of Sp1 are thought to modulate the expression of a number of genes in normal and diabetic state. Sp1 is an obligatory transcription factor for constitutive and insulin-responsive expression of the calmodulin gene (Majumdar, G., Harmon, A., Candelaria, R., Martinez-Hernandez, A., Raghow, R., and Solomon, S. S. (2003) Am. J. Physiol. 285, E584-E591). Here we report the temporal dynamics of accumulation of total, O-GlcNAc-modified, and phosphorylated Sp1 in H-411E hepatoma cells by immunohistochemistry with monospecific antibodies, confocal microscopy, and matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. Insulin elicited sequential and reciprocal post-translational modifications of Sp1. The O-glycosylation of Sp1 and its nuclear accumulation induced by insulin peaked early (approximately 30 min), followed by a steady decline of O-GlcNAc-modified Sp1 to negligible levels by 240 min. The accumulation of phosphorylated Sp1 in the nuclei of insulin-treated cells showed an opposite pattern, increasing steadily until reaching a maximum around 240 min after treatment. Analyses of the total, O-GlcNAc-modified, or phosphorylated Sp1 by Western blot and mass spectrometry corroborated the sequential and reciprocal control of post-translational modifications of Sp1 in response to insulin. Treatment of cells with streptozotocin (a potent inhibitor of O-GlcNAcase) led to hyperglycosylation of Sp1 that failed to be significantly phosphorylated. The mass spectrometry data indicated that a number of common serine residues of Sp1 undergo time-dependent, reciprocal O-glycosylation and phosphorylation, paralleling its rapid translocation from cytoplasm to the nucleus. Later, changes in the steady state levels of phosphorylated Sp1 mimicked the enhanced steady state levels of calmodulin mRNA seen after insulin treatment. Thus, O-glycosylation of Sp1 appears to be critical for its localization into the nucleus, where it undergoes obligatory phosphorylation that is needed for Sp1 to activate calmodulin gene expression.

Fe-BEARING OLENITE WITH TETRAHEDRALLY COORDINATED Al FROM AN ABYSSAL PEGMATITE AT KUTNA HORA, CZECH REPUBLIC: STRUCTURE, CRYSTAL CHEMISTRY, OPTICAL AND XANES SPECTRA

The pale blue rim of olenite on a black crystal of olenite–schorl tourmaline from an abyssal pegmatite at the locality Kuklik, near Kutna Hora, Czech Republic, has been chemically and structurally characterized. The optimized formula, calculated using chemical and structural data, is ^X(Na_(0.54)Ca_(0.14)K_(0.01)□_(0.31)) ^Y(Al_(2.15)Fe^(2+)_(0.78)Mn^(2+)_(0.06)Ti^(4+)_(0.01)) ^Z(Al_(5.90)Mg_(0.10))^T(Si_(5.60)Al_(0.40))B_3 O_(27)^V[(OH)_(2.49)O_(0.51)]^W(O_(0.99)F_(0.01)), with ɑ 15.8838(3), c 7.1056(2) A and R = 0.017. The relatively short bond-length, 1.992 A, confirms the high content of Al at the Y site (~2.1 atoms per formula unit, apfu). It is similar to that of olenite from the type locality, though the olenite from Kuklik contains significant amounts of Fe at the Y site, and significant amounts of ^([4])Al (~0.4 apfu) instead of ^([4])B in the T site. This finding is supported by results of the structure determination, which show an enlarged bond-length of ~1.626 A. This sample of olenite shows that nonstoichiometric content of Si does not always imply ^([4])B in aluminous tourmaline. No H could be found at the O1 site by refinement, and the spherical distribution of electron density in the difference-Fourier map around the O1 site supports the conclusion that this site is only or mainly occupied by O and not by OH. On a bond-angle distortion (σ_(oct)^2 of the ZO_6 octahedron) – distance diagram, the olenite from Kuklik lies between compositions containing 3 (OH) at the V site, and natural buergerite, which contains 0.3 (OH) and 2.7 O at the V site (O3 site). The (OH) content with ~2.5 (OH) pfu, which was calculated for a charge-balanced formula, is in a good agreement with these findings and with the integrated intensity of the OH overtones in the 7000 cm^(−1) region (690 cm^(−2) per cm thickness), which is one of the lowest measured to date for tourmaline. The OH seems to be ordered strongly at the O3 site. The composition of this sample of olenite shows a trend toward the proposed olenite end-member formula, which contains only 1 OH group. The low content of F (0.01 apfu) is uncommon for natural Al-rich and Mg-poor tourmaline from granitic pegmatites. Synchrotron micro-XANES was used to detect the valence state of Fe in this crystal; it was found to have 93 ± 10% of the total Fe as Fe^(2+). Optical absorption spectra show that the blue color is derived primarily from a combination of ^([6])Fe^(2+), together with ^([6])Fe^(2+) interaction with a minor amount of ^([6])Fe^(3+).

Produção de lisianthus (&lt;em&gt;Eustoma grandiflorum&lt;/em&gt; Shinn.) em vaso sob diferentes densidades de plantas

Over the last few years the flower consumer market has showed great interest in lisianthus. Differently, there is not so much scientific and technical information about lisianthus crop, especially the one concerning its growth and management in tropical regions. The objective of this work was to evaluate five lisianthus cultivars in different plants densities in pot of three liters. The cultivars Echo Champagne, Echo Pink, Mariachi Pure White, Ávila Blue Rim and Balboa Yellow were evaluated in density of three, four and five plants per pot. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with three replications in a 5x3 factorial scheme. The density of three plants provided larger number of flowers and leaves compared to the other densities. The density of three plants per pot is the most recommended for the growth of lisianthus. Mariachi Pure White, Avila Blue Rim and Balboa Yellow cultivars showed good results of production.

Evaluation of Forty-seven Cultivars of Lisianthus as Cut Flowers

Lisianthus [Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf). Shinn.] is emerging as an important cut flower in the United States while in European and Asian markets it is already listed among the top ten cut flowers. Many new cultivars have been released in the United States within the last 5 years, but comparative performance trials of these cultivars have been lacking. This trial evaluated 47 cultivars of lisianthus representing series (cultivar groups) that were marketed in the United States in 1998. Evaluations were made for rosetting, plug performance, cut-flower characteristics (vegetative and flowering attributes) as well as postharvest longevity of cut flowers. Significant differences among cultivars were found for all of the attributes evaluated. `Malibu Purple', `Catalina Blue Blush', and `Alice Pink' were selected as the best performers in the seedling (plug) stage since they had less than 5% rosettes, large leaves and a vigorous root system. Cultivars were placed in classes based on flower color, flower size, and number of petals (single or double flowers). Cultivars were ranked for each of the attributes and the total rank sum of all attributes (TRS) was used to select the best in class. Cultivars selected as best in class were `Malibu Purple', `Malibu Blue Blush', `Alice Purple', `Balboa Blue', `Avila Blue Rim', `Mellow Pink', `Flamenco Wine Red', `Flamenco Rose Rim', `Alice Pink', `Avila Rose' and `Echo Pink', `Alice White', and `Mariachi White'.

Lipofuscin pigmentation (so-called "melanosis") of the prostate.

Although intraepithelial pigment in the prostate gland has been termed melanosis, the nature of the pigment is not entirely clear, and many pathologists are not aware of its existence. We examined 863 hematoxylin and eosin (H + E) stained slides from 150 surgical specimens of prostate (69 needle biopsies, 66 transurethral resections, 14 radical prostatectomies, and 1 suprapubic prostatectomy) from 149 patients (age range, 47 to 90 years; mean 70 years) in an effort to characterize this pigment. The 1-3 microns in diameter, predominantly subnuclear, yellow-brown to gray-brown granules with a dark blue rim (by H + E) stained positively with Fontana-Masson, periodic acid-Schiff with diastase, Congo red, luxol fast blue, and oil-red-O and exhibited yellow autofluorescence consistent with lipofuscin. H + E stained slides revealed pigment in the benign epithelium in 86 of 150 cases (57%), within stromal macrophages in eight cases, and in atypical epithelium in two cases of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. Ten cases of invasive adenocarcinoma without recognizable pigment in H + E stained sections were stained by the Fontana-Masson technique, and pigment was identified in malignant epithelium in three of these cases. Ultrastructural examination of intraepithelial pigment in KII-fixed tissue from three radical prostatectomy specimens demonstrated the typical appearance of lipofuscin. Although intraepithelial pigment in prostatic biopsy or resection specimens is usually considered characteristic of seminal vesicle epithelium, our study demonstrates that lipofuscin is commonly present in epithelial cells of benign prostatic hyperplasia and less frequently in those of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and adenocarcinoma. The recognition of this pigment is important in preventing diagnostic confusion with seminal vesicle epithelium and with melanocytic lesions.

Frequency of "blue bodies" in pulmonary cytology specimens.

To determine the frequency of occurrence of "blue bodies" (BBs), 2,010 pulmonary cytology specimens (1,403 sputum and 607 bronchial specimens) from 1985 were reviewed. The smears were examined microscopically by transmitted and polarized light. BBs were extracellular structures, occurring most commonly in clusters but sometimes conglomerated. With Papanicolaou stain, they had a characteristic birefringent laminated brown core and a nonbirefringent blue rim. Chemical microanalysis and energy-dispersive x-ray analysis revealed that their chemical composition was calcium carbonate. A total of 233 specimens contained BBs, with a frequency of 10.5% in bronchial specimens and 12% in sputum. Only 8.6% of the BBs had co-existent pulmonary malignancy. We concluded that BBs were common structures in pulmonary cytology and were not associated with pulmonary malignancy or pulmonary fibrosis in our series. They must be distinguished from contaminants, staining artifacts, and parasitic ova.