The Uptake of Rare Trace Elements by Perennial Ryegrass ( L.).

Technological development has increased the use of chemical elements that have hitherto received scant scientific attention as environmental contaminants. Successful management of these rare trace elements (RTEs) requires elucidation of their mobility in the soil-plant system. We aimed to determine the capacity of (a common pasture species) to tolerate and accumulate the RTEs Be, Ga, In, La, Ce, Nd, and Gd in a fluvial recent soil.

Bioavailable iron concentrations regulate phytoplankton growth and bloom formation in low-nutrient lakes.

The growth of phytoplankton in lakes is thought to be primarily controlled by macronutrient concentrations, but the availability of trace metal micronutrients, such as iron (Fe), are increasingly recognised as important regulators of lake primary production. This study evaluates the role of Fe in regulating phytoplankton growth in lakes of different nutrient status in New Zealand. The results of this unique year-long study, combining highly sensitive trace metal concentration analysis of waters and particulates with advanced trace metal bioavailability and speciation modelling, constrains thresholds for bioavailable Fe and colloidal Fe of 0.

Soil cadmium mobilisation by dissolved organic matter from soil amendments.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) release from Cd contaminated soils been linked to mobilisation of the metal as Cd-DOM complexes and this may be exacerbated by organic matter-rich soil amendments. The quantity and quality of the DOM can determine the proportion of dissolved Cd that partitions to mobile complexes and their stability and, thus, the potential for Cd transport from contaminated soils. The aim of this work was to examine differences in Cd mobilisation from soils to which different types of soil amendments/conditioners have been applied and the importance of DOM characteristics in determining the extent to which this can happen.

Quality of life of ice hockey players after retirement due to concussions.

Background: Sports-related concussion (SRC) is increasingly recognized as a potential health problem in ice hockey. Quality of life (QoL) in players retiring due to SRC has not been thoroughly addressed.

Materials & Methods: QoL using the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool 5th Edition, Impact of Event Scale-Revised and Short Form Health Survey was measured in Swedish ice hockey players who retired due to persistence of postconcussion symptoms or fear of attaining additional SRC.

ALLODUST augmented activated sludge single batch anaerobic reactor (AS-SBAnR) for high concentration nitrate removal from agricultural wastewater.

Nitrate is among the most widespread contaminants that threaten water bodies and waterways. Under favourable environmental conditions, high nitrate concentrations in water can contribute to eutrophication, thus presenting a high potential for risk to ecosystems and human health. Low-cost allophanic soil material and carbon-based bio-wastes have great potential to reduce nutrient concentrations from contaminated waters.

Impacts of Phosphogypsum, Soluble Fertilizer and Lime Amendment of Acid Soils on the Bioavailability of Phosphorus and Sulphur Under Lucerne ().

Legumes play critical dual roles in grazed grassland ecosystems; providing nitrogen inputs and high-quality feed for grazing livestock. However, many species fail to persist in acidic, low fertility soils. A glasshouse study was conducted to investigate the response of lucerne () to phosphogypsum (PG), lime and soluble P + S fertilizer (PS) application to two soils.

Losing the identity of a hockey player: the long-term effects of concussions.

Aim: To describe what suffering multiple concussions meant for former semi-professional or professional hockey players who were forced to end their career.

Results: Nine former Swedish hockey players, who once played on national or professional teams were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed with reference to hermeneutic phenomenology to interpret and explain their experiences.

Environmental and edaphic factors affecting soil cadmium uptake by spinach, potatoes, onion and wheat.

The relative ease with which cadmium (Cd) in agricultural soils can transfer to crop plants can pose a potential health risk to consumers. However, efforts to predict and mitigate these risks are often confounded by the various factors that influence metal accumulation in the edible plant parts. The aim of this work was to identify key drivers that determine Cd concentrations in spinach leaves, potato tubers, onion bulbs and wheat grain grown in commercial horticultural operations across New Zealand (NZ).

Environmental Parameters Affecting the Concentration of Iodine in New Zealand Pasture.

Iodine (I) is an essential trace element commonly deficient in agricultural systems. Whereas there is much information on I in food crops, there is a lacuna of knowledge on the environmental factors that affect pasture I concentrations. We aimed to identify the most important environmental factors affecting the concentration of I in New Zealand pastures, and the consequences to agricultural systems.

Cadmium Concentrations in New Zealand Wheat: Effect of Cultivar Type, Soil Properties, and Crop Management.

Wheat ( L.) grain is a contributing source of dietary Cd in New Zealand, but despite this, there is a dearth of information on Cd concentrations in wheat and the factors that affect uptake. We measured Cd concentrations in 12 wheat cultivars grown in field sites across New Zealand and also assessed the soil, plant, and crop factors that have been reported to affect Cd uptake.

Simultaneous Quantification of Soil Phosphorus Labile Pool and Desorption Kinetics Using DGTs and 3D-DIFS.

The buffering of phosphorus concentrations in soil solution by the soil-solid phase is an important process for providing plant root access to nutrients. Accordingly, the size of labile solid phase-bound phosphorus pool and the rate at which it can resupply phosphorous into the dissolved phase can be important variables in determining when the plant availability of the nutrient may be limited. The phosphorus labile pool (P) and its desorption kinetics were simultaneously evaluated in 10 agricultural UK soils using the diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) technique.

Methotrexate treatment in rheumatoid arthritis and elevated liver enzymes: A long-term follow-up of predictors, surveillance, and outcome in clinical practice.

Aim: To assess predictors of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevation in methotrexate (MTX) treated rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and to describe the monitoring of liver enzymes, including handling and outcome of elevated ALT.

Methods: All RA patients starting MTX in January, 2005 to April, 2013 at a rheumatology clinic, (Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden) were identified from electronic medical records. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained from medical records, supplemented by telephone interviews.

Response of a Pioneering Species ( J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) to Heterogeneity in a Low-Fertility Soil.

Root foraging may increase plant nutrient acquisition at the cost of reducing the total volume of soil explored, thereby reducing the chance of the roots encountering additional patches. Patches in soil seldom contain just one nutrient: the patch may also have distinct textural, hydrological, and toxicological characteristics. We sought to determine the characteristics of root foraging by a pioneering species, , using pot trials and rhizobox experiments with patches of biosolids.

The mobility and plant uptake of gallium and indium, two emerging contaminants associated with electronic waste and other sources.

Gallium (Ga) and indium (In) are increasingly susceptible to soil contamination via disposal of electronic equipment. Chemically similar to aluminium (Al), these elements may be mobile and bioavailable under acidic conditions. We sought to determine extent and nature of Ga and In mobility in the soil - plant system and thus their potential to enter the food chain.

Trace metal mobilization by organic soil amendments: insights gained from analyses of solid and solution phase complexation of cadmium, nickel and zinc.

The accumulation of Cd in soils worldwide has increased the demand for methods to reduce the metal's plant bioavailability. Organic matter rich soil amendments have been shown to be effective in achieving this. However, it is not known how long these amendments can retain the Cd, and whether dissolved organic matter (DOM) released from them can enhance the metal's mobility in the environment.

A mesocosm study of oxygen and trace metal dynamics in sediment microniches of reactive organic material.

Deposition of particulate organic matter (POM) induces diagenetic hot spots at the sediment-water interface (SWI). Here we explore the effects of intensive POM degradation for metal mobilization at the SWI. By using a combined planar optode-DGT (diffusive gradient in thin-films) sensor we obtained simultaneous measurements of dissolved O and trace metal dynamics around an aggregate of reactive organic matter placed on the SWI of a sediment mesocosm.

Effects of Lime and Organic Amendments Derived from Varied Source Materials on Cadmium Uptake by Potato.

Repeated applications of Cd-rich phosphate fertilizers have resulted in elevated concentrations of this toxic element in some New Zealand soils. Exceedance of the food safety standard for Cd (0.1 mg kg fresh weight) has been reported for potato ( L.

Neurochemical Aftermath of Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Importance: Evidence is accumulating that repeated mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) incidents can lead to persistent, long-term debilitating symptoms and in some cases a progressive neurodegenerative condition referred to as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. However, to our knowledge, there are no objective tools to examine to which degree persistent symptoms after mTBI are caused by neuronal injury.

Objective: To determine whether persistent symptoms after mTBI are associated with brain injury as evaluated by cerebrospinal fluid biochemical markers for axonal damage and other aspects of central nervous system injury.

Effects of age on marathon finishing time among male amateur runners in Stockholm Marathon 1979-2014.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the age-related changes in the endurance performance among male amateur marathon runners.

Methods: Subjects were taken from the 36 Stockholm Marathons held from 1979 through 2014, and age and finishing time were analyzed for a total of 312,342 male runners.

Results: The relation was found to be a second-order polynomial,  =  +  +  , which models 99.

Nursing students' perceptions of learning after high fidelity simulation: Effects of a Three-step Post-simulation Reflection Model.

Background: High-fidelity simulation (HFS) has become a bridge between theoretical knowledge and practical skills. A safe and realistic environment is commonly used in nursing education to improve cognitive, affective and psychomotor abilities. Debriefing following a simulation experience provides opportunities for students to analyze and begin to reflect upon their decisions, actions and results.

Municipal composts reduce the transfer of Cd from soil to vegetables.

Cadmium (Cd) is a non-essential trace element that accumulates in agricultural soils through the application of Cd-rich phosphate fertiliser. Vegetables can accumulate Cd to concentrations that sometimes exceed food safety standards. We investigated the potential of low-cost soil amendments to reduce Cd uptake by spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.

Localized flux maxima of arsenic, lead, and iron around root apices in flooded lowland rice.

In wetland-adapted plants, such as rice, it is typically root apexes, sites of rapid entry for water/nutrients, where radial oxygen losses (ROLs) are highest. Nutrient/toxic metal uptake therefore largely occurs through oxidized zones and pH microgradients. However, the processes controlling the acquisition of trace elements in rice have been difficult to explore experimentally because of a lack of techniques for simultaneously measuring labile trace elements and O2/pH.

A simple laser ablation ICPMS method for the determination of trace metals in a resin gel.

Trace metal analysis of DGT gels using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma (LA-ICP-MS) has traditionally been carried out by ablating single spots along a line to provide high resolution data on trace metal distributions on a resin gel. This work compares the performance of two different LA-ICPMS systems, one at Lancaster University, UK and another at VUB, Belgium, in terms of instrument sensitivity and limit of detection in the analysis of trace metals (Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) bound by a DGT resin gel using SPR-IDA resin. No defocusing of the laser beam was necessary to prevent burning through the resin gel and the internal standardization became very simple by using (13)C, naturally present in the resin-gel, instead of impregnating a back-up layer with (115)In.

An evaluation of DGT performance using a dynamic numerical model.

A numerical model of the transport and dynamics of metal complexes in the resin and gel layers of a DGT (diffusive gradients in thin films) device was developed and used to investigate how the chelating resin and metal-ligand complexes in solution affect metal uptake. Decreasing the stability constant or concentration of the binding resin increases the competition for free metal ions by ligands in solution, lowering the rate of mass uptake. Such effects would be rarely observed for moderately or strongly binding resins (K> 10(12)), including Chelex, which out-compete labile ligands in solution.