Correlative imaging of cutaneous tumors provides additional information to the standard histopathologic examination. However, the joint progress in the establishment of analytical techniques, such as Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) in clinical practice is still limited. Their combination provides complementary information as it is also shown in our study in terms of major biotic (Ca, Mg, and P) and trace (Cu and Zn) elements. To elucidate changes in the elemental composition in tumors, we have compiled a set of malignant tumors (Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Basal Cell Carcinoma, Malignant Melanoma, and Epithelioid Angiosarcoma), one benign tumor (Pigmented Nevus) and one healthy-skin sample. The data processing was based on a methodological pipeline involving binary image registration and affine transformation. Thus, our paper brings a feasibility study of a practical methodological concept that enables us to compare LIBS and LA-ICP-MS results despite the mutual spatial distortion of original elemental images. Moreover, we also show that LIBS could be a sufficient pre-screening method even for a larger number of samples according to the speed and reproducibility of the analyses. Whereas LA-ICP-MS could serve as a ground truth and reference technique for preselected samples.
- MeSH
- Carcinoma, Basal Cell diagnostic imaging MeSH
- Mass Spectrometry methods MeSH
- Laser Therapy MeSH
- Lasers MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Melanoma diagnostic imaging pathology MeSH
- Skin Neoplasms * diagnostic imaging pathology MeSH
- Nevus, Pigmented diagnostic imaging MeSH
- Spectrum Analysis methods MeSH
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell diagnostic imaging pathology MeSH
- Trace Elements analysis MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
The sustenance of humans and livestock depends on the protection of the soil. Consequently, the pollution of the soil with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is of great concern to humanity. The objective of this study is to investigate the source apportionment, concentration levels and spatial distribution of PTEs in selected soils in Frýdek-Místek District of the Czech Republic. The total number of soil samples was 70 (topsoil 49 and 21 subsoils) and was analysed using a portable XRF machine. Contamination factor and the pollution index load were used for the assessment and interpreting the pollution and distribution of PTEs in the soils. The inverse distance weighting was used for the spatial evaluation of the PTEs. The results of the analysis showed that the area is composed of low-to-high pollution site. PTEs displayed spatial variation patterns. The average PTE concentration decreases in this Fe > Ti > Ba > Zr > Rb > Sr > Cr > Y>Cu > Ni > Th order for the topsoil and also decreases in this Fe > Ti > Zr > Ba > Rb > Sr > Cr > Y > Cu > Ni > and Th order for the subsoil. These PTEs Cr, Ni, Cu, Rb, Y, Zr, Ba, Th, and Fe were far above the baseline European average value and the World average value level, respectively. The source apportionment showed the dominance of Cr, Ni, Rb, Ti, Th, Zr, Cu, Fe in the topsoil, while the subsoil was dominated by all the PTEs (factor 1 to 6) except Ba. The study concludes that indiscriminate human activities have an enormous effect on soil pollution.
- MeSH
- Risk Assessment MeSH
- Soil Pollutants analysis toxicity MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Environmental Monitoring MeSH
- Spatial Analysis MeSH
- Soil chemistry MeSH
- Metals, Heavy analysis toxicity MeSH
- Environmental Pollution analysis statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
The manuscript presents a procedure for optimal sample preparation and the mapping of the spatial distribution of metal ions and nanoparticles in plant roots using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in a double-pulse configuration (DP LIBS) in orthogonal reheating mode. Two Nd:YAG lasers were used; the first one was an ablation laser (UP-266 MACRO, New Wave, USA) with a wavelength of 266nm, and the second one (Brilliant, Quantel, France), with a fundamental wavelength of 1064nm, was used to reheat the microplasma. Seedlings of Vicia faba were cultivated for 7 days in CuSO4 or AgNO3 solutions with a concentration of 10µmoll-1 or in a solution of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with a concentration of 10µmoll-1 of total Ag, and in distilled water as a control. The total contents of the examined metals in the roots after sample mineralization as well as changes in the concentrations of the metals in the cultivation solutions were monitored by ICP-OES. Root samples embedded in the TissueTek medium and cut into 40µm thick cross sections using the Cryo-Cut Microtome proved to be best suited for an accurate LIBS analysis with a 50µm spatial resolution. 2D raster maps of elemental distribution were created for the emission lines of Cu(I) at 324.754nm and Ag(I) at 328.068nm. The limits of detection of DP LIBS for the root cross sections were estimated to be 4pg for Cu, 18pg for Ag, and 3pg for AgNPs. The results of Ag spatial distribution mapping indicated that unlike Ag+ ions, AgNPs do not penetrate into the inner tissues of Vicia faba roots but stay in their outermost layers. The content of Ag in roots cultivated in the AgNP solution was one order of magnitude lower compared to roots cultivated in the metal ion solutions. The significantly smaller concentration of Ag in root tissues cultivated in the AgNP solution also supports the conclusion that the absorption and uptake of AgNPs by roots of Vicia faba is very slow. LIBS mapping of root sections represents a fast analytical method with sufficient precision and spatial resolution that can provide very important information for researchers, particularly in the fields of plant science and ecotoxicology.
- MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Urban Population MeSH
- Neutron Activation Analysis MeSH
- Nutritional Status MeSH
- Selenium analysis blood urine MeSH
- Sensitivity and Specificity MeSH
- Trace Elements analysis MeSH
- Rural Population MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Comparative Study MeSH
Road and railway networks are pervasive elements of all environments, which have expanded intensively over the last century in all European countries. These transportation infrastructures have major impacts on the surrounding landscape, representing a threat to biodiversity. Roadsides and railways may function as corridors for dispersal of alien species in fragmented landscapes. However, only few studies have explored the spread of invasive species in relationship to transport network at large spatial scales. We performed a spatial mismatch analysis, based on a spatially explicit correlation test, to investigate whether alien plant species hotspots in Germany and Austria correspond to areas of high density of roads and railways. We tested this independently of the effects of dominant environments in each spatial unit, in order to focus just on the correlation between occurrence of alien species and density of linear transportation infrastructures. We found a significant spatial association between alien plant species hotspots distribution and roads and railways density in both countries. As expected, anthropogenic landscapes, such as urban areas, harbored more alien plant species, followed by water bodies. However, our findings suggested that the distribution of neobiota is strongest correlated to road/railways density than to land use composition. This study provides new evidence, from a transnational scale, that alien plants can use roadsides and rail networks as colonization corridors. Furthermore, our approach contributes to the understanding on alien plant species distribution at large spatial scale by the combination with spatial modeling procedures.
- MeSH
- Plants * MeSH
- Introduced Species * MeSH
- Railroads * MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Germany MeSH
- Austria MeSH
Human activities are altering the fundamental geography of biogeochemicals. Yet we lack an understanding of how the spatial patterns in organismal stoichiometry affect biogeochemical processes and the tools to predict the impacts of global changes on biogeochemical processes. In this contribution we develop stoichiometric distribution models (StDMs), which allow us to map spatial structure in resource elemental composition across a landscape and evaluate spatial responses of consumers. We parameterise StDMs for a consumer-resource (moose-white birch) system and demonstrate that we can develop predictive models of resource stoichiometry across a landscape and that such models could improve our predictions of consumer space use. With results from our study system application, we argue that explicit consideration of the spatial patterns in organismal elemental composition may uncover emergent individual, population, community and ecosystem properties that are not revealed at the local extents routinely used in ecological stoichiometry. We discuss perspectives for further developments and application of StDMs to advance three emerging frameworks for spatial ecosystem ecology in an era of global change; meta-ecosystem theory, macroecological stoichiometry and remotely sensed biogeochemistry. Progress on these emerging frameworks will allow for the integration of ecological stoichiometry and individual space use and fitness.
- MeSH
- Models, Biological MeSH
- Ecology * MeSH
- Ecosystem * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
An in vitro test simulating release of elements from inhaled particles using artificial lung fluids was used in estimation of bioavailability of hazardous elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn). The extractable Al, Cr, Pb, and Fe did not exceed 1 %. The mobility of the elements was affected by the extractants used, incubation time and/or element properties. Whereas no significant differences between the extractants were found for As and Cr, higher extractability of the other elements was observed depending on the artificial lung fluid.
- MeSH
- Biological Availability * MeSH
- Bronchoalveolar Lavage MeSH
- Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid * MeSH
- Indicators and Reagents MeSH
- Rats MeSH
- Air Pollutants MeSH
- Urban Population MeSH
- Models, Animal MeSH
- Dust * MeSH
- Elements MeSH
- Respiratory Mucosa pathology MeSH
- Risk MeSH
- In Vitro Techniques MeSH
- Zinc * adverse effects MeSH
- Air Pollution MeSH
- Check Tag
- Rats MeSH
- Publication type
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- MeSH
- Sodium Chloride MeSH
- Child MeSH
- Goiter, Endemic urine prevention & control MeSH
- Iodine analysis metabolism urine MeSH
- Potassium Iodide supply & distribution MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Thyroid Diseases epidemiology urine MeSH
- Trace Elements supply & distribution MeSH
- Rural Population MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- MeSH
- Sodium Chloride MeSH
- Child MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Goiter, Endemic urine prevention & control MeSH
- Iodine analysis metabolism urine MeSH
- Potassium Iodide supply & distribution MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Urban Population MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Thyroid Diseases diagnosis epidemiology ultrasonography MeSH
- Trace Elements supply & distribution MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
