Report of the CCQM-K97: measurement of arsenobetaine standard solution and arsenobetaine content in fish tissue (tunafish)

Ma, L D,Wang, J,WEI, C,Kuroiwa, T,Narukawa, T,Ito, N,HIOKI, A,CHIBA, K,Yim, Y H,Lee, K S,Lim, Y R,Turk, G C,Davis, C W,Mester, Z,Yang, L,McCooeye, M,Maxwell, P,Cankur, O,Tokman, N,Coskun, F G BUREAU INTERNATIONAL DES POIDS ET MESURES 2017 METROLOGIA -BERLIN- Vol.54 No.-

<P></P> <P>The CCQM-K97 key comparison was organized by the inorganic analysis working group (IAWG) of CCQM as a follow-up to completed pilot study CCQM-P96 and P96.1 to test the abilities of the national metrology institutes to accurately quantitate the mass fraction of arsenobetaine (AsB) in standard solution and in fish tissue. A pilot study CCQM-P133 was parallelized with this key comparison. National Institute of Metrology (NIM), China and National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ) acted as the coordinating laboratories.</P> <P>Six NMIs participated in CCQM-K97 and two institutes participated in CCQM-P133, and all of them submitted the results. Some NMIs submitted more than one results by different methods. The results were in excellent agreement with each other, and obviously better than those of previous P96 and P96.1. Therefore the calibrant which each NMI used was comparable. It shows that the capabilities of some of the participants have been improved after the previous pilot studies.</P> <H2>Main text</H2> <P> To reach the main text of this paper, click on <A HREF='http://www.bipm.org/utils/common/pdf/final_reports/QM/K97/CCQM-K97.pdf'>Final Report</A>. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database <A HREF='http://kcdb.bipm.org/'>kcdb.bipm.org/</A>.</P> <P>The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).</P>

Portion Sizes from 24-Hour Dietary Recalls Differed by Sex among Those Who Selected the Same Portion Size Category on a Food Frequency Questionnaire

Kang, Minji,Park, Song-Yi,Boushey, Carol J.,Wilkens, Lynne R.,Monroe, Kristine R.,Le Marchand, Loï,c,Kolonel, Laurence N.,Murphy, Suzanne P.,Paik, Hee-Young Elsevier 2018 Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Vol.118 No.9

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P><B>Background</B></P> <P>Accounting for sex differences in food portions may improve dietary measurement; however, this factor has not been well examined.</P> <P><B>Objective</B></P> <P>The aim of this study was to examine sex differences in reported food portions from 24-hour dietary recalls (24HDRs) among those who selected the same portion size category on a quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ).</P> <P><B>Design</B></P> <P>This study was conducted with a cross-sectional design.</P> <P><B>Participants/setting</B></P> <P>Participants (n=319) were members of the Hawaii–Los Angeles Multiethnic Cohort who completed three 24HDRs and a QFFQ in a calibration study conducted in 2010 and 2011.</P> <P><B>Main outcome measures</B></P> <P>Portions of individual foods reported from 24HDRs served as the outcome measures.</P> <P><B>Statistical analyses performed</B></P> <P>Mean food portions from 24HDRs were compared between men and women who reported the same portion size on the QFFQ, after adjustment for race/ethnicity using a linear regression model. Actual amount and the assigned amount of the selected portion size in the QFFQ were compared using one-sample <I>t</I> test for men and women separately.</P> <P><B>Results</B></P> <P>Of 163 food items with portion size options listed in the QFFQ, 32 were reported in 24HDRs by ≥20 men and ≥20 women who selected the same portion size in the QFFQ. Although they chose the same portion size on the QFFQ, mean intake amounts from 24HDRs were significantly higher for men than for women for “beef/lamb/veal,” “white rice,” “brown/wild rice,” “lettuce/tossed salad,” “eggs cooked/raw,” “whole wheat/rye bread,” “buns/rolls,” and “mayonnaise in sandwiches.” For men, mean portions of 14 items from the 24HDRs were significantly different from the assigned amounts for QFFQ items (seven higher and seven lower), whereas for women, mean portions of 14 items were significantly lower from the assigned amounts (with five significantly higher).</P> <P><B>Conclusions</B></P> <P>These sex differences in reported 24HDR food portions—even among participants who selected the same portion size on the QFFQ—suggest that the use of methods that account for differences in the portions consumed by men and women when QFFQs are quantified may provide more accurate absolute dietary intakes.</P>

International comparison CCQM-K119 liquefied petroleum gas

Brewer, P J,Downey, M L,Atkins, E,Brown, R J C,Brown, A S,Zalewska, E T,van der Veen, A M H,Smeulders, D E,McCallum, J B,Satumba, R T,Kim, Y D,Kang, N,Bae, H K,Woo, J C,Konopelko, L A,Popova, T A,Mesh IOP 2018 Metrologia Vol.55 No.-

<P></P> <P>Liquefied hydrocarbon mixtures with traceable composition are required in order to underpin measurements of the composition and other physical properties of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), thus meeting the needs of an increasingly large industrial market.</P> <P>This comparison aims to assess the analytical capabilities of laboratories for measuring the composition of a Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) mixture when sampled in the liquid phase from a Constant Pressure Cylinder. Mixtures contained ethane, propane, propene, i-butane, n-butane, but-1-ene and i-pentane with nominal amount fractions of 2, 71, 9, 4, 10, 3 and 1 cmol mol<SUP>−1</SUP> respectively.</P> <H2>Main text</H2> <P> To reach the main text of this paper, click on <A HREF='https://www.bipm.org/utils/common/pdf/final_reports/QM/K119/CCQM-K119.pdf'>Final Report</A>. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database <A HREF='http://kcdb.bipm.org/'>kcdb.bipm.org/</A>.</P> <P>The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).</P>

Various Isomers in Doubly Odd I Isotopes

C.-B. Moon,G. D. Dracoulis,R. A. Bark,A. P. Byrne,P. A. Davidson,T. Kibedi,G. J. Lane,A. N. Wilson 한국물리학회 2011 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.59 No.23

Isomeric states (Isomers) in odd-odd ^(120)I, ^(122)I, and ^(124)I nuclei have been investigated using in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy with the ^(118)Sn (^6Li, 4n), ^(120)Sn (^7Li, 5n), and ^(122)Sn (^7Li, 5n) reactions at E_(lab) = 48, 58, and 54 MeV, respectively. Several isomers with half-lives ranging from a few nanoseconds to tens of microseconds have been identified for the first time and the absolute excited energies have been established by linking the low- and high-spin levels through the feeding and decay of the isomers in these nuclei. The properties of the isomers have been discussed in terms of spin traps and high-K isomerism based on two-quasiparticle configurations. The systematics for the absolute excitation energies of the J^π = 7^- and 8^- high-K isomers based on the πg_(9/2) υh_(11/2) configuration are presented for ^(116)I to ^(124)I and compared with the 9/2^+ states in the neighboring odd-A I isotopes.

Syntheses of SSZ-39 and mordenite zeolites with N,N-dialkyl-2,6-dimethyl-piperidinium hydroxide/iodides: Phase-selective syntheses with anions

Bhadra, B.N.,Seo, P.W.,Jun, J.W.,Jeong, J.H.,Kim, T.W.,Kim, C.U.,Jhung, S.H. Elsevier 2016 Microporous and mesoporous materials Vol.235 No.-

<P>SSZ-39 and mordenite zeolites were obtained from the conversion of zeolite Y in the presence of the same reaction precursors (organic templates, NaOH, water, etc.) under a wide range of reaction conditions. The applied templates were N,N-dialkyl-2,6-dimethyl-piperidinium-OH and -I (alkyl: ethyl or methyl). Curiously, SSZ-39 and mordenite were obtained from hydroxides and iodides, respectively, showing firstly the importance of the anion in the selective crystallization of zeolites. Reactions were also performed at the same set of pH values (achieved by adding small amounts of NaOH to the iodide-based precursors) to investigate the effect of basicity; the results did not vary appreciably with the pH of the synthesis precursors. Based on the phase conversion (MOR - > AEI or ANA with increasing reaction time and pH), the selective formation of SSZ-39 and mordenite from hydroxides and iodides, respectively, could be explained in terms of zeolite-promoting and -preventing anions (hydroxide and iodide, respectively). The phase conversion of zeolites could be explained on the basis of the maximum pore size of zeolites, rather than the framework densities. The obtained zeolites (SSZ-39 and mordenite), in their protonated forms, were employed in ethanol dehydration and direct ethylene-to-propylene conversion, and the results showed that the two zeolites have potential application in acid catalysis. In particular, the SSZ-39 with an AEI structure can be applied in the direct production of propylene from ethylene or ethanol. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</P>

Potential Control of Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria by Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lactobacillus graminis Isolated from Fresh Vegetables

C.J. González-Pérez1,I. Vargas-Arispuro,E. Aispuro-Hernández,C.L. Aguilar-Gil,Y.E. Aguirre-Guzmán,A. Castillo,A. Hernández-Mendoza,J.F. Ayala-Zavala,M.A. Martínez-Téllez1 한국미생물·생명공학회 2019 한국미생물·생명공학회지 Vol.47 No.2

The consumption of fresh vegetables has been related to recurrent outbreaks of foodborne diseases (FBD) worldwide. Therefore, the development of effective alternative technologies is necessary to improve the safety of these products. This study aimed to isolate and identify epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from fresh fruits and leafy vegetables and characterize their antagonistic capacity due to their ability to produce bacteriocins or antibacterial compounds. For this, 92 LAB isolates from fruits and leafy vegetables were screened for antagonistic activity. Two strains with the highest and broadest antagonistic activities were selected for further characterization; one from cantaloupe melon (strain CM175) and one from cilantro leaves (strain C15). The cell-free supernatants (CFS) of CM175 and C15 were found to exhibit antagonistic activity against FBD-causing pathogens. The CM175 and C15 strains were identified as Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lactobacillus graminis, respectively. Notably, the P. pentosaceus CM175 CFS stopped the growth of Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Saintpaul, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes, and delayed Escherichia coli O157:H7 growth. Moreover, L. graminis C15 CFS delayed the growth of all indicator pathogens, but did not completely stop it. Organic acids and bacteriocin-like molecules were determined to be possibly exerting the observed antagonistic activity of the identified LAB strains. Thus, application of the antagonistic compounds produced by Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lactobacillus graminis could be a novel and ecological strategy in developing antimicrobial biopreservatives for the food industry and mitigating FBD by reducing the biological contamination in fruit and vegetable orchards, mainly via their potential in controlling both gram-negative and gram-positive pathogenic bacteria.

ENERGY SPECTRA OF COSMIC-RAY NUCLEI AT HIGH ENERGIES

Ahn, H. S.,Allison, P.,Bagliesi, M. G.,Barbier, L.,Beatty, J. J.,Bigongiari, G.,Brandt, T. J.,Childers, J. T.,Conklin, N. B.,Coutu, S.,DuVernois, M. A.,Ganel, O.,Han, J. H.,Jeon, J. A.,Kim, K. C.,Lee, IOP Publishing 2009 The Astrophysical journal Vol.707 No.1

<P>We present new measurements of the energy spectra of cosmic-ray (CR) nuclei from the second flight of the balloon-borne experiment Cosmic-Ray Energetics And Mass (CREAM). The instrument included different particle detectors to provide redundant charge identification and measure the energy of CRs up to several hundred TeV. The measured individual energy spectra of C, O, Ne, Mg, Si, and Fe are presented up to similar to 10(14) eV. The spectral shape looks nearly the same for these primary elements and it can be fitted to an E(-2.66 +/- 0.04)power law in energy. Moreover, a new measurement of the absolute intensity of nitrogen in the 100-800 GeV/n energy range with smaller errors than previous observations, clearly indicates a hardening of the spectrum at high energy. The relative abundance of N/O at the top of the atmosphere is measured to be 0.080 +/- 0.025 (stat.) +/- 0.025 (sys.) at similar to 800 GeV/n, in good agreement with a recent result from the first CREAM flight.</P>

MEASUREMENTS OF THE RELATIVE ABUNDANCES OF HIGH-ENERGY COSMIC-RAY NUCLEI IN THE TeV/NUCLEON REGION

Ahn, H. S.,Allison, P. S.,Bagliesi, M. G.,Barbier, L.,Beatty, J. J.,Bigongiari, G.,Brandt, T. J.,Childers, J. T.,Conklin, N. B.,Coutu, S.,DuVernois, M. A.,Ganel, O.,Han, J. H.,Jeon, J. A.,Kim, K. C.,L IOP Publishing 2010 The Astrophysical journal Vol.715 No.2

<P>We present measurements of the relative abundances of cosmic-ray nuclei in the energy range of 500-3980 GeV/nucleon from the second flight of the Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass balloon-borne experiment. Particle energy was determined using a sampling tungsten/scintillating-fiber calorimeter, while particle charge was identified precisely with a dual-layer silicon charge detector installed for this flight. The resulting element ratios C/O, N/O, Ne/O, Mg/O, Si/O, and Fe/O at the top of atmosphere are 0.919 +/- 0.123(stat) +/- 0.030(syst), 0.076 +/- 0.019(stat) +/- 0.013(syst), 0.115 +/- 0.031(stat) +/- 0.004(syst), 0.153 +/- 0.039(stat) +/- 0.005(syst), 0.180 +/- 0.045(stat) +/- 0.006(syst), and 0.139 +/- 0.043(stat) +/- 0.005(syst), respectively, which agree with measurements at lower energies. The source abundance of N/O is found to be 0.054 +/- 0.013(stat) +/- 0.009(-0.017)(syst+0.010esc). The cosmic-ray source abundances are compared to local Galactic (LG) abundances as a function of first ionization potential and as a function of condensation temperature. At high energies the trend that the cosmic-ray source abundances at large ionization potential or low condensation temperature are suppressed compared to their LG abundances continues. Therefore, the injection mechanism must be the same at TeV/nucleon energies as at the lower energies measured by HEAO-3, CRN, and TRACER. Furthermore, the cosmic-ray source abundances are compared to a mixture of 80% solar system abundances and 20% massive stellar outflow (MSO) as a function of atomic mass. The good agreement with TIGER measurements at lower energies confirms the existence of a substantial fraction of MSO material required in the similar to TeV per nucleon region.</P>

CYP2W1, CYP4F11 and CYP8A1 Polymorphisms and Interaction of CYP2W1 Genotypes with Risk Factors in Mexican Women with Breast Cancer

Cardenas-Rodriguez, N.,Lara-Padilla, E.,Bandala, C.,Lopez-Cruz, J.,Uscanga-Carmona, C.,Lucio-Monter, P.F.,Floriano-Sanchez, E. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.3

Breast cancer (BCa) is the leading type of cancer in Mexican women. Genetic factors, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of P450 system, have been reported in BCa. In this report, and for the first time in the literature, we analyzed the rs3735684 (7021 G>A), rs11553651 (15016 G>T) and rs56195291 (60020 C>G) polymorphisms in the CYP2W1, 4F11 and 8A1 genes in patients with BCa and in healthy Mexican women to identify a potential association between these polymorphisms and BCa risk. Patients and controls were used for polymorphism analysis using an allelic discrimination assay with TaqMan probes and confirmed by DNA sequencing. Links with clinic-pathological characteristics were also analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using the standard ${\chi}^2$ or Fisher exact test statistic. No significant differences were observed in the distributions of CYP2W1 (OR 8.6, 95%CI 0.43-172.5 P>0.05; OR 2.0, 95%CI 0.76-5.4, P>0.05) and CYP4F11 (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.01-8.4 P>0.05) genotypes between the patients and controls. Only the CYP8A1 CC genotype was detected in patients with BCa and the controls. All polymorphism frequencies were in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) in the controls (P>0.05). We found a significant association between BCa risk and smoking, use of oral contraceptives or hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), obesity, hyperglycemia, chronic diseases, family history of cancer and menopausal status in the population studied (P<0.05). Tobacco, oral contraceptive or HRT, chronic diseases and obesity or overweight were strongly associated with almost eight, thirty-five, nine and five-fold increased risk for BCa. Tobaco, obesity and hyperglycemia significantly increased the risk of BCa in the patients carrying variant genotypes of CYP2W1 (P<0.05). These results indicate that the CYP2W1 rs3735684, CYP4F11 rs11553651 and CYP8A1 rs56195291 SNPs are not a key risk factor for BCa in Mexican women. This study did not detect an association between the CYP2W1, 4F11 and 8A1 genes polymorphisms and BCa risk in a Mexican population. However, some clinico-pathological risk factors interact with CYP2W1 genotypes and modifies susceptibility to BCa.

Ribonucleotide reductase small subunit p53R2 suppresses MEK–ERK activity by binding to ERK kinase 2

Piao, C,Jin, M,Kim, H B,Lee, S M,Amatya, P N,Hyun, J -W,Chang, I -Y,You, H J Macmillan Publishers Limited 2009 Oncogene Vol.28 No.21

The p53-dependent RR small subunit (p53R2) protein, a newly identified member of the ribonucleotide reductase family, plays a key role in the p53-dependent cellular response to DNA. Several recent studies have suggested that p53R2 also plays an important role in suppressing the invasive potential of human cancer cells. However, the cellular mechanism that regulates invasiveness remains largely unknown. In this study, we show that p53R2 interacts with MEK2 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase 2–mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase 2), the molecule immediately upstream of ERK in the Ras–Raf–MAPK signaling cascade. In co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence analyses, we found that p53R2 and MEK2 interact physically in cultured mammalian cells, and that the p53R2 segment comprising amino acids 161–206 is critical for this interaction. Moreover, serum-induced phosphorylation of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 was greatly augmented in human cancer cells expressing small-interfering RNA against p53R2. On the other hand, phosphorylation of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in human cancer cells was markedly attenuated by overexpression of p53R2. Furthermore, MEK2 was required for p53R2 knockdown-induced enhancement of the invasive ability and anchorage-independent growth of human lung cancer H1299 cells. Taken together, these findings show that p53R2 negatively modulates serum-induced MEK–ERK activity and inhibits the MEK–ERK-mediated malignancy potential of human cancer cells.Oncogene (2009) 28, 2173–2184; doi:10.1038/onc.2009.84; published online 27 April 2009