Experiencing physical warmth promotes interpersonal warmth

"Warmth" is the most powerful personality trait in social judgment, and attachment theorists have stressed the importance of warm physical contact with caregivers during infancy for healthy relationships in adulthood. Intriguingly, recent research in humans points to the involvement of the insula in the processing of both physical temperature and interpersonal warmth (trust) information. Accordingly, we hypothesized that experiences of physical warmth (or coldness) would increase feelings of interpersonal warmth (or coldness), without the person's awareness of this influence. In study 1, participants who briefly held a cup of hot (versus iced) coffee judged a target person as having a "warmer" personality (generous, caring); in study 2, participants holding a hot (versus cold) therapeutic pad were more likely to choose a gift for a friend instead of for themselves.     

Effect of route of administration and carrier on bioavailability and kinetics of astaxanthin in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L.

This study examined astaxanthin bioavailability and kinetics in adult Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L., following two different routes of astaxanthin administration (oral vs. intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection) using two different carriers of the pigment (gelatin vs. sesame oil). The dorsal aorta of adult Atlantic salmon (mean initial weight 950 g) was cannulated. The fish received a single dose of astaxanthin (572 μg kg^?1) in sesame oil or (514 μg kg^?1) in gelatin via the oral or i.p. route. Plasma was sampled regularly up to 72 h post oral administration and up to 510 h post i.p. injection. The astaxanthin concentration–time curves from plasma were best fit to a one‐compartment pharmacokinetic model for each of the four treatments. The gelatin carrier resulted in higher availability of astaxanthin compared to the sesame oil carrier. The bioavailability for astaxanthin in sesame oil was only 38.7% of that in gelatin by i.p. injection, and only 53.5% of that in gelatin by oral administration. Higher availability of astaxanthin was observed when i.p. injection was used compared to oral administration. The bioavailability for astaxanthin administered orally was only 12% of that by i.p. injection in sesame oil, and only 8.7% of that by i.p. injection in gelatin.     

Aspects of mineral composition and growth rate of the hybrid African catfish fry fed inorganic phosphorus-supplemented diets

Hybrid African catfish fry were acclimated for 14 days. A 70‐day feeding experiment involving sixteen 38% crude protein diet treatments of four inorganic phosphorus (P) sources (monosodium phosphate, monopotassium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate (MCP), dicalcium phosphate (DCP)), four levels of P (0.04%, 0.06%, 0.08%, 1.2%) and three replicates of each diet followed. A non‐P‐supplemented diet and a purified diet (controls) were additionally fed. Gross efficiency of food conversion (GEFC), daily rate of growth (DRG), tissue ash, tissue phosphorus (TP), tissue calcium (Ca) and Ca:P ratio of the fish were measured weekly. These parameters varied significantly (P<0.01) among the (a) 18 test diets, (b) inorganic P sources and (c) duration. Monocalcium phosphate‐supplemented diets resulted in better response to GEFC, DRG, TP and Ca than other P‐supplemented diet while the Ca:P ratio was best exhibited by fish fed the DCP diet. The fish fed the control diets had better GEFC, DRG, TP and Ca than the P‐supplemented diets probably because of nearer to optimum available P in these diets. In conclusion, supplementation with 0.6% MCP produced comparatively better growth, feed conversion and mineral deposition in the fry than other inorganic P sources.     

Masitinib mesylate does not enhance sensitivity to radiation in three feline injection-site sarcoma cell lines under normal growth conditions

Masitinib, a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was investigated as a radiosensitizer in three primary feline injection-site sarcoma (ISS) cell lines. Sensitivity to masitinib was previously assessed via cell growth inhibition assays with mean IC₅₀ values of 5.5–8.6 μM. Clonogenic assays were performed to determine the effect of masitinib and radiation on cell survival. Single dose radiation (0–12 Gy) experiments were carried out under normal growth conditions in control ISS cells and in cells incubated with 1 or 6 μM masitinib for 72 h prior to irradiation. Radiation administered either alone or in combination with masitinib induced a dose-dependent reduction in clonogenic survival. Survival from the combined masitinib and radiation treatment was not significantly different from that of radiation alone. Results suggest that masitinib does not directly enhance ISS cell radiosensitivity under normal in vitro conditions, although this does not preclude the utility of further investigations to assess sensitization properties under altered conditions.     

In vitro efficacy of doxorubicin and etoposide against a feline injection site sarcoma cell line

Feline injection site sarcoma (ISS) is a locally invasive tumor, in which surgical treatment is frequently combined with radiation or chemotherapy to improve tumor control. The focus of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin or etoposide on a feline injection site sarcoma cell line (JB) and to assess the impact of combining these drugs on cell death and cell cycle. Both single agent and combination drug administration increased cell death and significantly reduced the number of viable cells. Cells in G0/G1 were significantly reduced while the G2/M fraction was significantly increased following treatment. Collectively, combining doxorubicin and etoposide at the lower EC yielded comparable results to the EC50 of either drug alone in degree of cytotoxicity, level of apoptosis, and % of cells in G2/M. The results of this study indicate that doxorubicin and etoposide alone and in combination differentially alter ISS cell viability and cycle.     

Determination of mesotrione residues and metabolites in crops,soil, and water by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A method for the determination of residues of mesotrione and two metabolites in a variety of environmental matrixes has been developed. Mesotrione, a new selective herbicide for use in corn, is 2-(4-methylsulfonyl-2-nitrobenzoyl)-1,3-cyclohexanedione. The metabolite 4-methylsulfonyl-2-nitrobenzoic acid (MNBA) is determined with the parent compound in crops, whereas two metabolites, 2-amino-4-methylsulfonyl-benzoic acid (AMBA) and MNBA are determined with parent in soil and water. Crop samples are macerated with an acetonitrile/water mixture, and an aliquot is evaporated and acidified then centrifuged. Soil is shaken with an ammonium hydroxide solution, and an aliquot is acidified then centrifuged. For water analysis, an aliquot is acidified. Crop and soil extracts, and water, are cleaned up using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RPHPLC) with mesotrione and MNBA isolated using a fraction collector. During this clean up, AMBA is determined in soil and water samples using fluorescence detection. The collected mesotrione and MNBA fractions are converted into AMBA via oxidation followed by reduction in the case of mesotrione, or by reduction alone in the case of MNBA. Both fractions are analyzed by RPHPLC with fluorescence detection using an AMBA external reference standard. The method was tested on corn grain, fodder, and forage, as well as on sugar cane. The limits of quantitation (LOQ) for each analyte are 0.01 mg/kg for crops, 0.005 mg/kg for soil, and 0.10 microg/L for water. Method fortification recoveries from all crop commodities averaged 79% (CV = 7%, n = 37 and 82% (CV = 5%, n = 37) for mesotrione and MNBA, respectively. Soil was fortified at 0.005 and 0.05 mg/kg. Recoveries were 79% (CV = 4%, n = 12), 96% (CV = 2%, n = 12), and 89% (CV = 2%, n = 12) for mesotrione, MNBA, and AMBA, respectively. Groundwater, drinking water, seawater, and river water were fortified at 0.1 and 1.0 microg/L. Recoveries for all waters were 80% (CV = 7%, n = 51), 94% (CV = 4%, n = 52), and 93% (CV = 9%, n = 51) for mesotrione, MNBA, and AMBA, respectively.     

A model to quantify wastewater odor strength

A method of quantifying the odor strength of wastewater samples has been investigated. Wastewater samples from two locations of a wastewater treatment plant were collected and subjected to air stripping. The off-gas odor concentration was measured by a dynamic olfactometer at various time intervals. Applying a first order model to the decay of odorous substances in the wastewater under air stripping, the initial odor strength of the wastewater was determined. The model was found to be acceptable under five different air-stripping rates studied.     

Liquid chromatographic method for identity, assay, and content uniformity of five tricyclic drugs

A liquid chromatographic (LC) procedure has been developed for the assay, content uniformity, and identification of single active ingredient solid and liquid formulations of amitriptyline, chlorpromazine, imipramine, thioridazine, and trifluoperazine. The drugs are extracted from their formulations with methanol or dilute hydrochloric acid, and identified by comparison of retention times with those of known standards; drugs are quantitated against these standards with dl-norephedrine hydrochloride as the internal standard. The precision of replicate injections is better than 2.5% for peak area and better than 1% for peak height. The precision of triplicate determinations of tablet composites is better than 2.2%.     

A study of ten toxins associated with paralytic shellfish poison using prechromatographic oxidation and liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

Ten paralytic shellfish toxins [saxitoxin, neosaxitoxin, B-1, B-2, gonyautoxin 1, 2, and 3 (i.e., GTX-1, GTX-2, and GTX-3), C-1, C-2, and C-3] were oxidized at room temperature under mildly basic conditions with hydrogen peroxide or periodic acid. The products were then analyzed by liquid chromatography (LC). The N-1-hydroxylated toxins (neosaxitoxin, B-2, GTX-1, and C-3) formed fluorescent products after periodate oxidation at ca pH 8.7, but did not form fluorescent derivatives with peroxide oxidation. The non-N-1-hydroxylated toxins (saxitoxin, B-1, GTX-2, GTX-3, C-1, and C-2) formed highly fluorescent derivatives with both peroxide and periodate oxidations. Individual toxins produced mainly single fluorescent peaks by reverse-phase LC. However, all GTX toxins eluted with the same retention time. Also, C-1 and C-2 eluted together, as did neosaxitoxin and B-2. The non-N-1-hydroxylated toxins could be detected in quantities as low as 20-50 pg/injection, while the N-1-hydroxy analogues could be detected at levels as low as 100-500 pg/injection. UV absorption and fluorescence emission spectra were similar for the oxidation products of all toxins examined (max. 333 +/- 2 nm absorption, 389 +/- 4 nm fluorescence emission).     

Response of wheat,canola and alfalfa to simulated acidic precipitation

Wheat, canola and alfalfa were subjected to simulated acidic precipitation with pH ranging from 5.6 to 2.6 under controlled growth room conditions. The number of simulated precipitation events were 12, 10 and 21 for wheat, canola and alfalfa, respectively. In this short-term experiment, wheat, canola and alfalfa do not appear to be sensitive to the simulated acid rain treatments used. Wheat and canola showed no visible symptoms of injury with any of the treatments. The pH 2.6 resulted in whitish spots on alfalfa leaflets. The economic yield was not affected at any of the acidity levels used in this tudy. Dry weight of the aboveground vegetative parts of wheat and canola was stimulated by the most acidic treatment (pH 2.6), apparently as a result of the higher nutrient content of the simulated acidic rain. Although below ground biomass for any of the species tested was not affected by rain acidity, the shoot: root ratio was significantly higher at pH 2.6 than with the control. Chorophyll a concentration in alfalfa leaves was reduced at only the highest acidity treatment. Chlorophyll b was not affected. While K levels in alfalfa leaves were significantly reduced at pH 2.6, no change in the concentration of Ca, Mg and P was noted. Sulfur and N concentrations increased, mainly at pH 2.6, reflecting the composition of the simulated rain solution.