Accumulation of Apoplastic Iron in Plant Roots 1

PubMed Central

Longnecker, Nancy; Welch, Ross M.

1990-01-01

We hypothesized that the resistance of Hawkeye (HA) soybean (Glycine max L.) to iron-deficiency induced chlorosis (IDC) is correlated to an ability to accumulate a large pool of extracellular-root iron which can be mobilized to shoots as the plants become iron deficient. Iron in the root apoplast was assayed after efflux from the roots of intact plants in nutrient solution treated with sodium dithionite added under anaerobic conditions. Young seedlings of HA soybean accumulated a significantly larger amount of extracellular iron in their roots than did either IDC-susceptible PI-54619 (PI) soybean or IDC-resistant IS-8001 (IS) sunflower (Helianthus annus L.). Concurrently, HA soybean had much higher concentrations of iron in their shoots than either PI soybean or IS sunflower. The concentration of iron in the root apoplast and in shoots of HA soybean decreased sharply within days after the first measurements of extracellular root iron were made, in both +Fe and −Fe treatments. The accumulation of short-term iron reserves in the root apoplast and translocation of iron in large quantities to the shoot may be important characteristics of IDC resistance in soybeans. PMID:16667242

40 CFR 262.211 - Making the hazardous waste determination at an on-site central accumulation area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

....34(a) (or § 262.34(j) and (k) for Performance Track members) for large quantity generators or § 262... Performance Track members). (d) A trained professional must determine, pursuant to § 262.11, if the unwanted... must: (1) Write the words “hazardous waste” on the container label that is affixed or attached to the...

40 CFR 262.211 - Making the hazardous waste determination at an on-site central accumulation area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....34(a) (or § 262.34(j) and (k) for Performance Track members) for large quantity generators or § 262... Performance Track members). (d) A trained professional must determine, pursuant to § 262.11, if the unwanted... must: (1) Write the words “hazardous waste” on the container label that is affixed or attached to the...

40 CFR 262.211 - Making the hazardous waste determination at an on-site central accumulation area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

....34(a) (or § 262.34(j) and (k) for Performance Track members) for large quantity generators or § 262... Performance Track members). (d) A trained professional must determine, pursuant to § 262.11, if the unwanted... must: (1) Write the words “hazardous waste” on the container label that is affixed or attached to the...

40 CFR 262.211 - Making the hazardous waste determination at an on-site central accumulation area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

....34(a) (or § 262.34(j) and (k) for Performance Track members) for large quantity generators or § 262... Performance Track members). (d) A trained professional must determine, pursuant to § 262.11, if the unwanted... must: (1) Write the words “hazardous waste” on the container label that is affixed or attached to the...

40 CFR 262.211 - Making the hazardous waste determination at an on-site central accumulation area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....34(a) (or § 262.34(j) and (k) for Performance Track members) for large quantity generators or § 262... Performance Track members). (d) A trained professional must determine, pursuant to § 262.11, if the unwanted... must: (1) Write the words “hazardous waste” on the container label that is affixed or attached to the...

Proteomic analysis of Chlorella vulgaris: Potential targets for enhanced lipid accumulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guarnieri, Michael T.; Nag, Ambarish; Yang, Shihui

2013-11-01

Oleaginous microalgae are capable of producing large quantities of fatty acids and triacylglycerides. As such, they are promising feedstocks for the production of biofuels and bioproducts. Genetic strain-engineering strategies offer a means to accelerate the commercialization of algal biofuels by improving the rate and total accumulation of microalgal lipids. However, the industrial potential of these organisms remains to be met, largely due to the incomplete knowledgebase surrounding the mechanisms governing the induction of algal lipid biosynthesis. Such strategies require further elucidation of genes and gene products controlling algal lipid accumulation. In this study, we have set out to examine thesemore » mechanisms and identify novel strain-engineering targets in the oleaginous microalga, Chlorella vulgaris. Comparative shotgun proteomic analyses have identified a number of novel targets, including previously unidentified transcription factors and proteins involved in cell signaling and cell cycle regulation. These results lay the foundation for strain-improvement strategies and demonstrate the power of translational proteomic analysis.« less

Severe anion gap metabolic acidosis from acetaminophen use secondary to 5-oxoproline (pyroglutamic acid) accumulation.

PubMed

Zand, Ladan; Muriithi, Angela; Nelsen, Eric; Franco, Pablo M; Greene, Eddie L; Qian, Qi; El-Zoghby, Ziad M

2012-12-01

Anion gap metabolic acidosis (AGMA) is commonly encountered in medical practice. Acetaminophen-induced AGMA is, however, not widely recognized. We report 2 cases of high anion gap metabolic acidosis secondary to 5-oxoproline accumulation resulting from acetaminophen consumption: the first case caused by acute one-time ingestion of large quantities of acetaminophen and the second case caused by chronic repeated ingestion in a patient with chronic liver disease. Recognition of this entity facilitated timely diagnosis and effective treatment. Given acetaminophen is commonly used over the counter medication, increased recognition of this adverse effect is of important clinical significance.

Flexible data-management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pelouch, J. J., Jr.

1977-01-01

Combined ASRDI Data-Management and Analysis Technique (CADMAT) is system of computer programs and procedures that can be used to conduct data-management tasks. System was developed specifically for use by scientists and engineers who are confronted with management and analysis of large quantities of data organized into records of events and parametric fields. CADMAT is particularly useful when data are continually accumulated, such as when the need of retrieval and analysis is ongoing.

Large uncertainty in permafrost carbon stocks due to hillslope soil deposits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shelef, Eitan; Rowland, Joel C.; Wilson, Cathy J.

Here, northern circumpolar permafrost soils contain more than a third of the global Soil Organic Carbon pool (SOC). The sensitivity of this carbon pool to a changing climate is a primary source of uncertainty in simulationbased climate projections. These projections, however, do not account for the accumulation of soil deposits at the base of hillslopes (hill-toes), and the influence of this accumulation on the distribution, sequestration, and decomposition of SOC in landscapes affected by permafrost. Here we combine topographic models with soil-profile data and topographic analysis to evaluate the quantity and uncertainty of SOC mass stored in perennially frozen hill-toemore » soil deposits. We show that in Alaska this SOC mass introduces an uncertainty that is > 200% than state-wide estimates of SOC stocks (77 PgC), and that a similarly large uncertainty may also pertain at a circumpolar scale. Soil sampling and geophysical-imaging efforts that target hill-toe deposits can help constrain this large uncertainty.« less

Large uncertainty in permafrost carbon stocks due to hillslope soil deposits

DOE PAGES

Shelef, Eitan; Rowland, Joel C.; Wilson, Cathy J.; ...

2017-05-31

Here, northern circumpolar permafrost soils contain more than a third of the global Soil Organic Carbon pool (SOC). The sensitivity of this carbon pool to a changing climate is a primary source of uncertainty in simulationbased climate projections. These projections, however, do not account for the accumulation of soil deposits at the base of hillslopes (hill-toes), and the influence of this accumulation on the distribution, sequestration, and decomposition of SOC in landscapes affected by permafrost. Here we combine topographic models with soil-profile data and topographic analysis to evaluate the quantity and uncertainty of SOC mass stored in perennially frozen hill-toemore » soil deposits. We show that in Alaska this SOC mass introduces an uncertainty that is > 200% than state-wide estimates of SOC stocks (77 PgC), and that a similarly large uncertainty may also pertain at a circumpolar scale. Soil sampling and geophysical-imaging efforts that target hill-toe deposits can help constrain this large uncertainty.« less

Flow-sediment-large woody debris interplay: Introducing an appropriately scaled laboratory experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedrich, H.; Spreitzer, G.; Tunnicliffe, J. F.

2017-12-01

The morphology of steep (>0.01 m/m) forested streams is governed not only by water-sediment interplay, but also by accumulations of coarse and fine organic debris. In this project we look at the jamming dynamics (formation, persistence and hydraulic feedbacks) of large woody debris with the help of scaled laboratory experiments. In New Zealand, the recruitment of wood from both natural tree-fall and forest harvesting has led to obstruction of culverts, bridges and other river constrictions. Understanding the dynamics of jam formation and persistence is important for harvest practice guidelines, management of sediment accumulation, as well as establishing impacts to habitat and infrastructure. In this study, we provide the context of our work, present our experimental setup for studying the complex flow-sediment-wood interactions and present some initial results. In our experimental setup, we varied feed rates of sediment and organic fine material in order to establish concentration thresholds for jam formation, and development of sediment retention capacity upstream of the jam. Large woody debris accumulation is studied for different blocking scenarios, and the effect on sediment transport is measured. Sediment quantities and changes in channel bed morphology upstream of the critical cross section are evaluated, together with resulting backwater effects, and associated energy losses. In the long term, our results will inform our understanding of the processes that take place from the mobilization of woody debris to accumulation.

Secretory vesicles of immune cells contain only a limited number of interleukin 6 molecules.

PubMed

Verboogen, Daniëlle R J; Ter Beest, Martin; Honigmann, Alf; van den Bogaart, Geert

2018-05-01

Immune cells communicate by releasing large quantities of cytokines. Although the mechanisms of cytokine secretion are increasingly understood, quantitative knowledge of the number of cytokines per vesicle is still lacking. Here, we measured with quantitative microscopy the release rate of vesicles potentially carrying interleukin-6 (IL-6) in human dendritic cells. By comparing this to the total secreted IL-6, we estimate that secretory vesicles contain about 0.5-3 IL-6 molecules, but with a large spread among cells/donors. Moreover, IL-6 did not accumulate within most cells, indicating that synthesis and not trafficking is the bottleneck for IL-6 production. IL-6 accumulated in the Golgi apparatus only in ~ 10% of the cells. Understanding how immune cells produce cytokines is important for designing new immunomodulatory drugs. © 2018 The Authors. FEBS Letters published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Quantity and quality benefits of in-service invasive cleaning of trunk mains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sunny, Iftekhar; Husband, Stewart; Drake, Nick; Mckenzie, Kevan; Boxall, Joby

2017-07-01

Trunk mains are high risk critical infrastructure where poor performance can impact on large numbers of customers. Both quantity (e.g. hydraulic capacity) and quality (e.g. discolouration) of trunk main performance are affected by asset deterioration in the form of particle accumulation at the pipe wall. Trunk main cleaning techniques are therefore desirable to remove such material. However, little is quantified regarding the efficacy of different maintenance interventions or longer-term changes following such cleaning. This paper presents an assessment of quantity and quality performance of a trunk main system pre, post and for 12 months following cleaning using pigging with ice slurry. Hydraulic calibration showed a 7 times roughness height reduction after ice slurry pigging, evidencing substantially improved hydraulic capacity and reduced headloss. Turbidity response due to carefully imposed shear stress increase remained significant after the cleaning intervention, showing that relatively loose material had not been fully removed from the pipe wall. Overall the results demonstrate that cleaning by pigging with ice slurry can be beneficial for quantity performance, but care and further assessment may be necessary to realise the full quality benefits.

Delay in micro-discharges appearance during PEO of Al: Evidence of a mechanism of charge accumulation at the electrolyte/oxide interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, J.; Nominé, A.; Brochard, F.; Briançon, J.-L.; Noël, C.; Belmonte, T.; Czerwiec, T.; Henrion, G.

2017-07-01

PEO was conducted on Al by applying a pulsed bipolar current. The role of the cathodic polarization on the appearance of micro-discharges (MDs) and on the subsequent formation of the PEO oxide layers is investigated. Various ratios of the charge quantity RCQ = Qp/Qn (defined as the anodic Qp to cathodic Qn charge quantity ratio over one current pulse period) in the range [0.5; 6.0] were selected by changing the waveform parameters of the cathodic current while keeping the waveform of the anodic current unchanged. Results show that the appearance of MDs is delayed with respect to the rising edge of the anodic current; this delay strongly depends on both the processing time and the applied cathodic charge quantity. It is also evidenced that shorter delays promoted by high RCQ values (RCQ > 1) are associated with stronger MDs (large size and long life) that have detrimental effects on the formed PEO oxide layers. Thicker and the more compact oxide layer morphology is achieved with the intermediate RCQ value (RCQ = 0.9) for which the delay of the MDs appearance is high and the MDs softer. Low RCQ (RCQ < 0.9) results in an earlier extinction of the MDs as the process goes on, which leads to poorly oxidized metal. A mechanism of charge accumulation taking place at the oxide/electrolyte interface and arising before the occurrence of dielectric breakdown is proposed to explain the ignition of MDs during pulsed bipolar PEO of aluminium. A close examination of the voltage-time response which can be adequately simulated with an equivalent RC circuit evidences the capacitive behaviour of the oxide layer and therefore confirms this proposed mechanism of charge accumulation.

TYPES AND QUANTITIES OF LEFTOVER DRUGS ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

BACKGROUND: Pharmaceuticals designed for humans and animals often remain unused. Leftover and accumulated drugs represent suboptimal delivery of health care and environmentally unsound disposal, which can pose exposure risks for humans and wildlife.OBJECTIVES: A major unknown with respect to drugs as pollutants is what fractions of drug residues occurring in the ambient environment result from discarding leftover drugs. To gauge the significance of leftover drugs as potential pollutants, data are needed on the types, quantities, and frequencies with which drugs accumulate. Absence of this data has prevented assessments of the significance of drug accumulation and disposal as a contributing source of drug residues in the environment.METHODS: One particular source of drug accumulation is those drugs that become

The Chlorella vulgaris S-Nitrosoproteome under Nitrogen-Replete and -Deplete Conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Henard, Calvin A.; Guarnieri, Michael T.; Knoshaug, Eric P.

Oleaginous microalgae synthesize and accumulate large quantities of lipids that are promising feedstocks for the production of biofuels (Hu et al., 2008; Williams and Laurens, 2010; Day et al., 2012; Quinn and Davis, 2015). The algal species Chlorella vulgaris accumulates triacylglycerides that dominate its cellular composition (>60% lipid based on dry cell weight) when cultured in medium lacking a nitrogen source (Guarnieri et al., 2011; Ikaran et al., 2015), which is a 'lipid trigger' in an array of microalgae. As such, C. vulgaris represents a model algal species for examination of lipid accumulation mechanisms and a potential deployment organism inmore » industrial algal biofuels applications. C. vulgaris has been extensively characterized biochemically and physiologically (Converti et al., 2009; Liang et al., 2009), and de novo-generated transcriptomic and proteomic datasets have indicated that post-transcriptional and -translational mechanisms likely govern lipid accumulation in response to nitrogen starvation (Guarnieri et al., 2011, 2013). However, the specific mechanisms underlying lipid biosynthesis in response to nitrogen stress remain elusive.« less

The Chlorella vulgaris S-Nitrosoproteome under Nitrogen-Replete and -Deplete Conditions

DOE PAGES

Henard, Calvin A.; Guarnieri, Michael T.; Knoshaug, Eric P.

2017-01-17

Oleaginous microalgae synthesize and accumulate large quantities of lipids that are promising feedstocks for the production of biofuels (Hu et al., 2008; Williams and Laurens, 2010; Day et al., 2012; Quinn and Davis, 2015). The algal species Chlorella vulgaris accumulates triacylglycerides that dominate its cellular composition (>60% lipid based on dry cell weight) when cultured in medium lacking a nitrogen source (Guarnieri et al., 2011; Ikaran et al., 2015), which is a 'lipid trigger' in an array of microalgae. As such, C. vulgaris represents a model algal species for examination of lipid accumulation mechanisms and a potential deployment organism inmore » industrial algal biofuels applications. C. vulgaris has been extensively characterized biochemically and physiologically (Converti et al., 2009; Liang et al., 2009), and de novo-generated transcriptomic and proteomic datasets have indicated that post-transcriptional and -translational mechanisms likely govern lipid accumulation in response to nitrogen starvation (Guarnieri et al., 2011, 2013). However, the specific mechanisms underlying lipid biosynthesis in response to nitrogen stress remain elusive.« less

Types and quantities of leftover drugs entering the environment via disposal to sewage--revealed by coroner records.

PubMed

Ruhoy, Ilene Sue; Daughton, Christian G

2007-12-15

Pharmaceuticals designed for humans and animals often remain unused for a variety of reasons, ranging from expiration to a patient's non-compliance. These leftover, accumulated drugs represent sub-optimal delivery of health care and the potential for environmentally unsound disposal, which can pose exposure risks for humans and wildlife. A major unknown with respect to drugs as pollutants is what fractions of drug residues occurring in the ambient environment result from discarding leftover drugs. To gauge the significance of leftover drugs as potential pollutants, data are needed on the types, quantities, and frequencies with which drugs accumulate. Absence of this data has prevented assessments of the significance of drug accumulation and disposal as a contributing source of drug residues in the environment. One particular source of drug accumulation is those drugs that become "orphaned" by the death of a consumer. A new approach to acquiring the data needed to assess the magnitude and extent of drug disposal as a source of environmental pollution is presented by using the inventories of drugs maintained by coroner offices. The data from one metropolitan coroner's office demonstrates proof of concept. Coroner data on leftover drugs are useful for measuring the types and amounts of drugs accumulated by consumers. This inventory also provides an accurate measure of the individual active ingredients actually disposed into sewage by coroners. The types of questions these data can address are presented, and the possible uses of these data for deriving estimates of source contributions from the population at large are discussed. The approach is proposed for nationwide implementation (and automation) to better understand the significance of consumer disposal of medications.

Geological mechanism of hazardous debris flows in central Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, H.; Chen, R. H.; Lin, M. L.; Su, D. Y.

2003-04-01

GEOLOGICAL MECHANISM OF HAZARDOUS DEBRIS FLOWS IN CENTRAL PART OF TAIWAN H. Chen (1), R. H. Chen (2), M. L. Lin (2), D.Y. Su (3) (1) Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, (2) Department of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University, (3) MAA Ltd., Taiwan hche02@esc.cam.ac.uk/Fax:+44-01223-333450 This study revealed that the distribution of rock discontinuities, geomaterial characteristics and water pressure were the major hazardous factors of the triggering mechanism in the debris flows. Attention is drawn to the discontinuities pattern within the sidewalls of the gullies, which emphasized the significance of material slumping and forming the accumulated deposits in the gullies. The accumulated deposits are the main source of the debris flow once the disaster is triggered and produced large quantities of debris. A modified channel box test was used to comprehend the effect of water sources in this study. The results of this experimental test displayed that water supplied from the bottom or the top will both cause large material movement. But water supplied from the bottom tends to cause a larger and faster flow than water from the top. The visual evidence of a flushed network of discontinuities exposed after the debris flow provided in situ indications of increased pore water pressure. This rapidly increasing water pressure evidently contributed a sizable dynamic force to initiate movement of the debris flow. The heavy slurry became an effective cutting device to erode the sidewalls and move large quantities of the debris materials to the end of the gullies. Based on field investigations and laboratory tests, the precipitation could increase the water content and water pressure, and decrease the shear strength of the gullies material. It also can add confirmation to this research that debris flows are triggered by accumulated deposits from sidewalls and moved by high intensity precipitation.

Lead, Cadmium, Zinc, and Copper Bioavailability in the Soil-Plant-Animal System in a Polluted Area

PubMed Central

Angelova, Violina R.; Ivanova, Radka V.; Todorov, Jivko M.; Ivanov, Krasimir I.

2010-01-01

A comparative research study on the bioavailability of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu in the soil-plant-animal-system was carried out. The connection between the total quantity and the mobile forms of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu in soils with different levels of contamination; the transition of these metals into rapeseed; and their assimilation by rabbits fed with a food that consisted mainly of rapeseed was studied. It was established that the absorption of heavy metals by the rapeseed definitely has a selective character, as the affinity towards Zn is most strongly expressed. The accumulation of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu in the organs of the rapeseed occurs in the following order: inflorescences > leaves > stems. A direct connection between the quantity of the mobile forms and their accumulation in the plants was not found. The environmental contamination has a significant effect on heavy metal levels and distribution, as the largest quantity of all four elements is accumulated in the kidneys and liver. A well-expressed impact of the level of Cd contamination on the absorption of essential trace metals (Zn and Cu) and their accumulation into some of the organs of the animals was found. PMID:20191239

The impact of flow focusing on gas hydrate accumulations in overpressured marine sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nole, Michael; Daigle, Hugh; Cook, Ann

This study demonstrates the potential for flow focusing due to overpressuring in marine sedimentary environments to act as a significant methane transport mechanism from which methane hydrate can precipitate in large quantities in dipping sandstone bodies. Traditionally, gas hydrate accumulations in nature are discussed as resulting from either short-range diffusive methane migration or from long-range advective fluid transport sourced from depth. However, 3D simulations performed in this study demonstrate that a third migration mechanism, short-range advective transport, can provide a significant methane source that is unencumbered by limitations of the other two end-member mechanisms. Short-range advective sourcing is advantageous overmore » diffusion because it can convey greater amounts of methane to sands over shorter timespans, yet it is not necessarily limited by down-dip pore blocking in sands as is typical of updip advection from a deep source. These results are novel because they integrate pore size impacts on spatial solubility gradients, grid block properties that evolve through time, and methane sourcing through microbial methanogenesis into a holistic characterization of environments exposed to multiple methane hydrate sourcing mechanisms. We show that flow focusing toward sand bodies transports large quantities of methane, the magnitude of which are determined by the sand-clay solubility contrast, and generates larger quantities of hydrate in sands than a solely diffusive system; after depositing methane as hydrate, fluid exiting a sand body is depleted in methane and leaves a hydrate free region in its wake above the sand. Additionally, we demonstrate that in overpressured environments, hydrate growth is initially diffusively dominated before transitioning to an advection-dominated regime. The timescale and depth at which this transition takes place depends primarily on the rate of microbial metabolism and the sedimentation rate but only depends loosely on the degree of overpressuring.« less

The moisture budget in relation to convection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, R. W.; Scoggins, J. R.

1977-01-01

An evaluation of the moisture budget in the environment of convective storms is presented by using the unique 3- to 6-h rawinsonde data. Net horizontal and vertical boundary fluxes accounted for most of the large amounts of moisture which were concentrated into convective regions associated with two squall lines that moved through the area during the experiment. The largest values of moisture accumulations were located slightly downwind of the most intense convective activity. Relationships between computed moisture quantities of the moisture budget and radar-observed convection improved when lagging the radar data by 3 h. The residual of moisture which represents all sources and sinks of moisture in the budget equation was largely accounted for by measurements of precipitation.

ESTIMATING URBAN WET WEATHER POLLUTANT LOADING

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents procedures for estimating pollutant loads emanating from wet-weather flow discharge in urban watersheds. Equations are presented for: annual volume of litter and floatables; the quantity of sand from highway runoff; the quantity of dust-and-dirt accumulation ...

Effects of short-term warming and nitrogen addition on the quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter in a subtropical Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation.

PubMed

Yuan, Xiaochun; Si, Youtao; Lin, Weisheng; Yang, Jingqing; Wang, Zheng; Zhang, Qiufang; Qian, Wei; Chen, Yuehmin; Yang, Yusheng

2018-01-01

Increasing temperature and nitrogen (N) deposition are two large-scale changes projected to occur over the coming decades. The effects of these changes on dissolved organic matter (DOM) are largely unknown. This study aimed to assess the effects of warming and N addition on the quantity and quality of DOM from a subtropical Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation. Between 2014 and 2016, soil solutions were collected from 0-15, 15-30, and 30-60 cm depths by using a negative pressure sampling method. The quantity and quality of DOM were measured under six different treatments. The spectra showed that the DOM of the forest soil solution mainly consisted of aromatic protein-like components, microbial degradation products, and negligible amounts of humic-like substances. Warming, N addition, and warming + N addition significantly inhibited the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the surface (0-15 cm) soil solution. Our results suggested that warming reduced the amount of DOM originating from microbes. The decrease in protein and carboxylic acid contents was mostly attributed to the reduction of DOC following N addition. The warming + N addition treatment showed an interactive effect rather than an additive effect. Thus, short-term warming and warming + N addition decreased the quantity of DOM and facilitated the migration of nutrients to deeper soils. Further, N addition increased the complexity of the DOM structure. Hence, the loss of soil nutrients and the rational application of N need to be considered in order to prevent the accumulation of N compounds in soil.

Effects of short-term warming and nitrogen addition on the quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter in a subtropical Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation

PubMed Central

Yuan, Xiaochun; Si, Youtao; Lin, Weisheng; Yang, Jingqing; Wang, Zheng; Zhang, Qiufang; Qian, Wei; Yang, Yusheng

2018-01-01

Increasing temperature and nitrogen (N) deposition are two large-scale changes projected to occur over the coming decades. The effects of these changes on dissolved organic matter (DOM) are largely unknown. This study aimed to assess the effects of warming and N addition on the quantity and quality of DOM from a subtropical Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation. Between 2014 and 2016, soil solutions were collected from 0–15, 15–30, and 30–60 cm depths by using a negative pressure sampling method. The quantity and quality of DOM were measured under six different treatments. The spectra showed that the DOM of the forest soil solution mainly consisted of aromatic protein-like components, microbial degradation products, and negligible amounts of humic-like substances. Warming, N addition, and warming + N addition significantly inhibited the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the surface (0–15 cm) soil solution. Our results suggested that warming reduced the amount of DOM originating from microbes. The decrease in protein and carboxylic acid contents was mostly attributed to the reduction of DOC following N addition. The warming + N addition treatment showed an interactive effect rather than an additive effect. Thus, short-term warming and warming + N addition decreased the quantity of DOM and facilitated the migration of nutrients to deeper soils. Further, N addition increased the complexity of the DOM structure. Hence, the loss of soil nutrients and the rational application of N need to be considered in order to prevent the accumulation of N compounds in soil. PMID:29360853

The impact of pH and calcium on the uptake of fluoride by tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.).

PubMed

Ruan, Jianyun; Ma, Lifeng; Shi, Yuanzhi; Han, Wenyan

2004-01-01

Tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.) accumulate large amounts of fluoride (F) from soils containing normal F concentrations. The present experiments examined the effects of pH and Ca on F uptake by this accumulating plant species. The effect of pH was assessed in two experiments, one using uptake solutions with different pHs, and the other using lime, as CaO, applied to the soil. The effect of Ca was examined by analysing F concentrations in plants supplied with varying amounts of Ca, as Ca(NO3)2, either in uptake solutions or through the soil. F uptake was highest at solution pH 5.5, and significantly lower at pH 4.0. In the soil experiment, leaf F decreased linearly with the amounts of lime, which raised the soil pH progressively from 4.32 to 4.91, 5.43, 5.89 and, finally, 6.55. Liming increased the water-soluble F content of the soil. Including Ca in the uptake solution or adding Ca to soil significantly decreased leaf F concentrations. The distribution pattern of F in tea plants was not altered by Ca treatment, with most F being allocated to leaves. The activity of F- in the uptake solution was unaffected and water-soluble F in the soil was sometimes increased by added Ca. F uptake by tea plants, which are inherently able to accumulate large quantities of F, was affected both by pH and by Ca levels in the medium. The reduced F uptake following Ca application appeared not to be due simply to the precipitation of CaF2 in solution and soil or to the complexing of Ca and F in roots, although these factors cannot be dismissed. It was more likely due to the effect of Ca on the properties of cell wall or membrane permeability in the solution experiments, and to alteration of F speciations and their quantities in soil solutions following Ca application.

A high-yield procedure for isolation of metaphase chromosomes from root tips of Vicia faba L.

PubMed

Doležel, J; Cíhalíková, J; Lucretti, S

1992-08-01

A new method is described for the isolation of large quantities of Vicia faba metaphase chromosomes. Roots were treated with 2.5 mM hydroxyurea for 18 h to accumulate meristem tip cells at the G1/S interface. After release from the block, the cells re-entered the cell cycle with a high degree of synchrony. A treatment with 2.5 μM amiprophos-methyl (APM) was used to accumulate mitotic cells in metaphase. The highest metaphase index (53.9%) was achieved when, 6 h after the release from the hydroxyurea block, the roots were exposed to APM for 4 h. The chromosomes were released from formaldehyde-fixed root tips by chopping with a scalpel in LB01 lysis buffer. Both the quality and the quantity of isolated chromosomes, examined microscopically and by flow cytometry, depended on the extent of the fixation. The best results were achieved after fixation with 6% formaldehyde for 30 min. Under these conditions, 1 · 10(6) chromosomes were routinely obtained from 30 root tips. The chromosomes were morphologically intact and suitable both for high-resolution chromosome studies and for flow-cytometric analysis and sorting. After the addition of hexylene glycol, the chromosome suspensions could be stored at 4° C for six months without any signs of deterioration.

Methodology for assessing quantities of water and proppant injection, and water production associated with development of continuous petroleum accumulations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haines, Seth S.

2015-07-13

The quantities of water and hydraulic fracturing proppant required for producing petroleum (oil, gas, and natural gas liquids) from continuous accumulations, and the quantities of water extracted during petroleum production, can be quantitatively assessed using a probabilistic approach. The water and proppant assessment methodology builds on the U.S. Geological Survey methodology for quantitative assessment of undiscovered technically recoverable petroleum resources in continuous accumulations. The U.S. Geological Survey assessment methodology for continuous petroleum accumulations includes fundamental concepts such as geologically defined assessment units, and probabilistic input values including well-drainage area, sweet- and non-sweet-spot areas, and success ratio within the untested area of each assessment unit. In addition to petroleum-related information, required inputs for the water and proppant assessment methodology include probabilistic estimates of per-well water usage for drilling, cementing, and hydraulic-fracture stimulation; the ratio of proppant to water for hydraulic fracturing; the percentage of hydraulic fracturing water that returns to the surface as flowback; and the ratio of produced water to petroleum over the productive life of each well. Water and proppant assessments combine information from recent or current petroleum assessments with water- and proppant-related input values for the assessment unit being studied, using Monte Carlo simulation, to yield probabilistic estimates of the volume of water for drilling, cementing, and hydraulic fracture stimulation; the quantity of proppant for hydraulic fracture stimulation; and the volumes of water produced as flowback shortly after well completion, and produced over the life of the well.

Relative quantity judgments in the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) and the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).

PubMed

Abramson, José Z; Hernández-Lloreda, Victoria; Call, Josep; Colmenares, Fernando

2013-06-01

Numerous studies have documented the ability of many species to make relative quantity judgments using an analogue magnitude system. We investigated whether one beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas, and three bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, were capable of selecting the larger of two sets of quantities, and analyzed if their performance matched predictions from the object file model versus the analog accumulator model. In Experiment 1, the two sets were presented simultaneously, under water, and they were visually (condition 1) or echoically (condition 2) available at the time of choice. In experiment 2, the two sets were presented above the water, successively (condition 1) or sequentially, item-by-item (condition 2), so that they were not visually available at the time of choice (condition 1) or at any time throughout the experiment (condition 2). We analyzed the effect of the ratio between quantities, the difference between quantities, and the total number of items presented on the subjects' choices. All subjects selected the larger of the two sets of quantities above chance levels in all conditions. However, unlike most previous studies, the subjects' choices did not match the predictions from the accumulator model. Whether these findings reflect interspecies differences in the mechanisms which underpin relative quantity judgments remains to be determined. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing the role of coastal characteristics in erosional process of rocky shores by boulder quarrying.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Causon Deguara, Joanna; Gauci, Ritienne

2017-04-01

Rocky coasts are considered as relatively stable coastlines, subject to erosional processes that change the landscape over long periods of time. Block quarrying is one such process, occurring when hydraulic pressure from wave impact dislodges boulders from within the outcropping bedrock. These dislodged boulders can be either deposited inland or dragged seaward by further wave action. This process can be evidenced from boulder deposits on the coast, as well as sockets and detachment scarps that are identified at the shoreline and in the backshore. This study seeks to identify the role of attributes such as aspect, geological structure and water depth have on erosion of rocky coasts through boulder quarrying processes. This is being done through observation of coastline morphology and an analysis of boulder accumulations and erosional features identified on a 3km stretch of rocky shore. The study area is situated on the SE coast of the Island of Malta (Central Mediterranean). The coastline being analysed generally trends NW - SE and consists of a series of limestone beds that dip slightly towards the NE. The boulder deposits observed along the site vary in size, quantity and position with respect to the shoreline. Whilst some areas exhibit large boulder accumulations, other areas are distinguished by the complete absence of such deposits. Taking into consideration the wave climate, the variable size, quantity and distribution of boulder accumulations observed along the site may indicate that geological structure and aspect play an important role in boulder dislodgment by wave action. Key words: rock coast, boulder quarrying, erosional process, Malta

Nephila clavipes spiders (Araneae: Nephilidae) keep track of captured prey counts: testing for a sense of numerosity in an orb-weaver.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Rafael L; Briceño, R D; Briceño-Aguilar, Eduardo; Höbel, Gerlinde

2015-01-01

Nephila clavipes golden orb-web spiders accumulate prey larders on their webs and search for them if they are removed from their web. Spiders that lose larger larders (i.e., spiders that lose larders consisting of more prey items) search for longer intervals, indicating that the spiders form memories of the size of the prey larders they have accumulated, and use those memories to regulate recovery efforts when the larders are pilfered. Here, we ask whether the spiders represent prey counts (i.e., numerosity) or a continuous integration of prey quantity (mass) in their memories. We manipulated larder sizes in treatments that varied in either prey size or prey numbers but were equivalent in total prey quantity (mass). We then removed the larders to elicit searching and used the spiders' searching behavior as an assay of their representations in memory. Searching increased with prey quantity (larder size) and did so more steeply with higher prey counts than with single prey of larger sizes. Thus, Nephila spiders seem to track prey quantity in two ways, but to attend more to prey numerosity. We discuss alternatives for continuous accumulator mechanisms that remain to be tested against the numerosity hypothesis, and the evolutionary and adaptive significance of evidence suggestive of numerosity in a sit-and-wait invertebrate predator.

Z-membranes: artificial organelles for overexpressing recombinant integral membrane proteins.

PubMed Central

Gong, F C; Giddings, T H; Meehl, J B; Staehelin, L A; Galbraith, D W

1996-01-01

We have expressed a fusion protein formed between the avian infectious bronchitis virus M protein and the bacterial enzyme beta-glucuronidase in transgenic tobacco cells. Electron microscope images of such cells demonstrate that overexpression of this fusion protein gives rise to a type of endoplasmic reticulum membrane domain in which adjacent membranes become zippered together apparently as a consequence of the oligomerizing action of beta-glucuronidase. These zippered (Z-) membranes lack markers of the endoplasmic reticulum (NADH cytochrome c reductase and ribosomes) and accumulate in the cells in the form of multilayered scroll-like structures (up to 2 micrometers in diameter; 20-50 per cell) without affecting plant growth. The discovery of Z-membranes has broad implications for biology and biotechnology in that they provide a means for accumulating large quantities of recombinant membrane proteins within discrete domains of native membranes. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 PMID:8700911

Radiolabeling, whole-body single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography imaging, and pharmacokinetics of carbon nanohorns in mice

PubMed Central

Zhang, Minfang; Jasim, Dhifaf A; Ménard-Moyon, Cécilia; Nunes, Antonio; Iijima, Sumio; Bianco, Alberto; Yudasaka, Masako; Kostarelos, Kostas

2016-01-01

In this work, we report that the biodistribution and excretion of carbon nanohorns (CNHs) in mice are dependent on their size and functionalization. Small-sized CNHs (30–50 nm; S-CNHs) and large-sized CNHs (80–100 nm; L-CNHs) were chemically functionalized and radiolabeled with [111In]-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid and intravenously injected into mice. Their tissue distribution profiles at different time points were determined by single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography. The results showed that the S-CNHs circulated longer in blood, while the L-CNHs accumulated faster in major organs like the liver and spleen. Small amounts of S-CNHs- and L-CNHs were excreted in urine within the first few hours postinjection, followed by excretion of smaller quantities within the next 48 hours in both urine and feces. The kinetics of excretion for S-CNHs were more rapid than for L-CNHs. Both S-CNH and L-CNH material accumulated mainly in the liver and spleen; however, S-CNH accumulation in the spleen was more prominent than in the liver. PMID:27524892

Inaccuracies in sediment budgets arising from estimations of tributary sediment inputs: an example from a monitoring network on the southern Colorado plateau

USGS Publications Warehouse

Griffiths, Ronald; Topping, David

2015-01-01

Sediment budgets are an important tool for understanding how riverine ecosystems respond to perturbations. Changes in the quantity and grain-size distribution of sediment within river systems affect the channel morphology and related habitat resources. It is therefore important for resource managers to know if a channel reach is in a state of sediment accumulation, deficit or stasis. Many studies have estimated sediment loads from ungaged tributaries using regional sediment-yield equations or other similar techniques. While these approaches may be valid in regions where rainfall and geology are uniform over large areas, use of sediment-yield equations may lead to poor estimations of sediment loads in semi-arid climates, where rainfall events, contributing geology, and vegetation have large spatial variability.

Monte Carlo simulation of induction time and metastable zone width; stochastic or deterministic?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubota, Noriaki

2018-03-01

The induction time and metastable zone width (MSZW) measured for small samples (say 1 mL or less) both scatter widely. Thus, these two are observed as stochastic quantities. Whereas, for large samples (say 1000 mL or more), the induction time and MSZW are observed as deterministic quantities. The reason for such experimental differences is investigated with Monte Carlo simulation. In the simulation, the time (under isothermal condition) and supercooling (under polythermal condition) at which a first single crystal is detected are defined as the induction time t and the MSZW ΔT for small samples, respectively. The number of crystals just at the moment of t and ΔT is unity. A first crystal emerges at random due to the intrinsic nature of nucleation, accordingly t and ΔT become stochastic. For large samples, the time and supercooling at which the number density of crystals N/V reaches a detector sensitivity (N/V)det are defined as t and ΔT for isothermal and polythermal conditions, respectively. The points of t and ΔT are those of which a large number of crystals have accumulated. Consequently, t and ΔT become deterministic according to the law of large numbers. Whether t and ΔT may stochastic or deterministic in actual experiments should not be attributed to change in nucleation mechanisms in molecular level. It could be just a problem caused by differences in the experimental definition of t and ΔT.

Minimization of organic and metallic industrial waste via lemna minor concentration. Final report, 1 September 1991-1 December 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bowers-Irons, G.L.

1992-12-30

In recent years, new strict environmental laws have required improved and cost-effective water purification methods by Air Force complexes. Naturally assisted primary units (microbiological) and secondary units (macrophyte) could bring waste treatment systems into tighter compliance. Aquatic macrophytes which have rapid growth rates and absorb large quantities of nutrients could provide a practical and economic method for more complete wastewater maintenance, hazardous waste clean-up or river, lake and ground water purification. This work has shown that Lemna minor, or Common Duckweed, can successfully and thoroughly accumulate organics and metals from Air Force wastewaters.

The Impact of pH and Calcium on the Uptake of Fluoride by Tea Plants (Camellia sinensis L.)

PubMed Central

RUAN, JIANYUN; MA, LIFENG; SHI, YUANZHI; HAN, WENYAN

2004-01-01

• Background and Aims Tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.) accumulate large amounts of fluoride (F) from soils containing normal F concentrations. The present experiments examined the effects of pH and Ca on F uptake by this accumulating plant species. • Methods The effect of pH was assessed in two experiments, one using uptake solutions with different pHs, and the other using lime, as CaO, applied to the soil. The effect of Ca was examined by analysing F concentrations in plants supplied with varying amounts of Ca, as Ca(NO3)2, either in uptake solutions or through the soil. • Key results F uptake was highest at solution pH 5·5, and significantly lower at pH 4·0. In the soil experiment, leaf F decreased linearly with the amounts of lime, which raised the soil pH progressively from 4·32 to 4·91, 5·43, 5·89 and, finally, 6·55. Liming increased the water‐soluble F content of the soil. Including Ca in the uptake solution or adding Ca to soil significantly decreased leaf F concentrations. The distribution pattern of F in tea plants was not altered by Ca treatment, with most F being allocated to leaves. The activity of F– in the uptake solution was unaffected and water‐soluble F in the soil was sometimes increased by added Ca. • Conclusions F uptake by tea plants, which are inherently able to accumulate large quantities of F, was affected both by pH and by Ca levels in the medium. The reduced F uptake following Ca application appeared not to be due simply to the precipitation of CaF2 in solution and soil or to the complexing of Ca and F in roots, although these factors cannot be dismissed. It was more likely due to the effect of Ca on the properties of cell wall or membrane permeability in the solution experiments, and to alteration of F speciations and their quantities in soil solutions following Ca application. PMID:14644914

Adaptations of quaking aspen for defense against damage by herbivores and related environmental agents

Treesearch

Richard L. Lindroth

2001-01-01

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) employs two major systems of defense against damage by environmental agents: chemical defense and tolerance. Aspen accumulates appreciable quantities of phenolic glycosides (salicylates) and condensed tannins in most tissues and accumulates coniferyl benzoate in flower buds. Phenolic glycosides are toxic and/or deterrent to pathogens...

A PQL (protein quantity loci) analysis of mature pea seed proteins identifies loci determining seed protein composition.

PubMed

Bourgeois, Michael; Jacquin, Françoise; Cassecuelle, Florence; Savois, Vincent; Belghazi, Maya; Aubert, Grégoire; Quillien, Laurence; Huart, Myriam; Marget, Pascal; Burstin, Judith

2011-05-01

Legume seeds are a major source of dietary proteins for humans and animals. Deciphering the genetic control of their accumulation is thus of primary significance towards their improvement. At first, we analysed the genetic variability of the pea seed proteome of three genotypes over 3 years of cultivation. This revealed that seed protein composition variability was under predominant genetic control, with as much as 60% of the spots varying quantitatively among the three genotypes. Then, by combining proteomic and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping approaches, we uncovered the genetic architecture of seed proteome variability. Protein quantity loci (PQL) were searched for 525 spots detected on 2-D gels obtained for 157 recombinant inbred lines. Most protein quantity loci mapped in clusters, suggesting that the accumulation of the major storage protein families was under the control of a limited number of loci. While convicilin accumulation was mainly under the control of cis-regulatory regions, vicilins and legumins were controlled by both cis- and trans-regulatory regions. Some loci controlled both seed protein composition and protein content and a locus on LGIIa appears to be a major regulator of protein composition and of protein in vitro digestibility. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lyra, Wladimir; Lin, Min-Kai, E-mail: wlyra@caltech.edu, E-mail: mklin924@cita.utoronto.ca

The Atacama Large Millimeter Array has returned images of transitional disks in which large asymmetries are seen in the distribution of millimeter sized dust in the outer disk. The explanation in vogue borrows from the vortex literature and suggests that these asymmetries are the result of dust trapping in giant vortices, excited via Rossby wave instabilities at planetary gap edges. Due to the drag force, dust trapped in vortices will accumulate in the center and diffusion is needed to maintain a steady state over the lifetime of the disk. While previous work derived semi-analytical models of the process, in thismore » paper we provide analytical steady-steady solutions. Exact solutions exist for certain vortex models. The solution is determined by the vortex rotation profile, the gas scale height, the vortex aspect ratio, and the ratio of dust diffusion to gas-dust friction. In principle, all of these quantities can be derived from observations, which would validate the model and also provide constrains on the strength of the turbulence inside the vortex core. Based on our solution, we derive quantities such as the gas-dust contrast, the trapped dust mass, and the dust contrast at the same orbital location. We apply our model to the recently imaged Oph IRS 48 system, finding values within the range of the observational uncertainties.« less

A novel harmony search-K means hybrid algorithm for clustering gene expression data

PubMed Central

Nazeer, KA Abdul; Sebastian, MP; Kumar, SD Madhu

2013-01-01

Recent progress in bioinformatics research has led to the accumulation of huge quantities of biological data at various data sources. The DNA microarray technology makes it possible to simultaneously analyze large number of genes across different samples. Clustering of microarray data can reveal the hidden gene expression patterns from large quantities of expression data that in turn offers tremendous possibilities in functional genomics, comparative genomics, disease diagnosis and drug development. The k- ¬means clustering algorithm is widely used for many practical applications. But the original k-¬means algorithm has several drawbacks. It is computationally expensive and generates locally optimal solutions based on the random choice of the initial centroids. Several methods have been proposed in the literature for improving the performance of the k-¬means algorithm. A meta-heuristic optimization algorithm named harmony search helps find out near-global optimal solutions by searching the entire solution space. Low clustering accuracy of the existing algorithms limits their use in many crucial applications of life sciences. In this paper we propose a novel Harmony Search-K means Hybrid (HSKH) algorithm for clustering the gene expression data. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm produces clusters with better accuracy in comparison with the existing algorithms. PMID:23390351

A novel harmony search-K means hybrid algorithm for clustering gene expression data.

PubMed

Nazeer, Ka Abdul; Sebastian, Mp; Kumar, Sd Madhu

2013-01-01

Recent progress in bioinformatics research has led to the accumulation of huge quantities of biological data at various data sources. The DNA microarray technology makes it possible to simultaneously analyze large number of genes across different samples. Clustering of microarray data can reveal the hidden gene expression patterns from large quantities of expression data that in turn offers tremendous possibilities in functional genomics, comparative genomics, disease diagnosis and drug development. The k- ¬means clustering algorithm is widely used for many practical applications. But the original k-¬means algorithm has several drawbacks. It is computationally expensive and generates locally optimal solutions based on the random choice of the initial centroids. Several methods have been proposed in the literature for improving the performance of the k-¬means algorithm. A meta-heuristic optimization algorithm named harmony search helps find out near-global optimal solutions by searching the entire solution space. Low clustering accuracy of the existing algorithms limits their use in many crucial applications of life sciences. In this paper we propose a novel Harmony Search-K means Hybrid (HSKH) algorithm for clustering the gene expression data. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm produces clusters with better accuracy in comparison with the existing algorithms.

Automated production of plant-based vaccines and pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Wirz, Holger; Sauer-Budge, Alexis F; Briggs, John; Sharpe, Aaron; Shu, Sudong; Sharon, Andre

2012-12-01

A fully automated "factory" was developed that uses tobacco plants to produce large quantities of vaccines and other therapeutic biologics within weeks. This first-of-a-kind factory takes advantage of a plant viral vector technology to produce specific proteins within the leaves of rapidly growing plant biomass. The factory's custom-designed robotic machines plant seeds, nurture the growing plants, introduce a viral vector that directs the plant to produce a target protein, and harvest the biomass once the target protein has accumulated in the plants-all in compliance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines (e.g., current Good Manufacturing Practices). The factory was designed to be time, cost, and space efficient. The plants are grown in custom multiplant trays. Robots ride up and down a track, servicing the plants and delivering the trays from the lighted, irrigated growth modules to each processing station as needed. Using preprogrammed robots and processing equipment eliminates the need for human contact, preventing potential contamination of the process and economizing the operation. To quickly produce large quantities of protein-based medicines, we transformed a laboratory-based biological process and scaled it into an industrial process. This enables quick, safe, and cost-effective vaccine production that would be required in case of a pandemic.

Obesity in dogs and cats: a metabolic and endocrine disorder.

PubMed

Zoran, Debra L

2010-03-01

Obesity is defined as an accumulation of excessive amounts of adipose tissue in the body, and has been called the most common nutritional disease of dogs in Western countries. Most investigators agree that at least 33% of the dogs presented to veterinary clinics are obese, and that the incidence is increasing as human obesity increases in the overall population. Obesity is not just the accumulation of large amounts of adipose tissue, but is associated with important metabolic and hormonal changes in the body, which are the focus of this review. Obesity is associated with a variety of conditions, including osteoarthritis, respiratory distress, glucose intolerance and diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dystocia, decreased heat tolerance, some forms of cancer, and increased risk of anesthetic and surgical complications. Prevention and early recognition of obesity, as well as correcting obesity when it is present, are essential to appropriate health care, and increases both the quality and quantity of life for pets. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bacteria increase arid-land soil surface temperature through the production of sunscreens

DOE PAGES

Couradeau, Estelle; Karaoz, Ulas; Lim, Hsiao Chien; ...

2016-01-20

Soil surface temperature, an important driver of terrestrial biogeochemical processes, depends strongly on soil albedo, which can be significantly modified by factors such as plant cover. In sparsely vegetated lands, the soil surface can be colonized by photosynthetic microbes that build biocrust communities. Here we use concurrent physical, biochemical and microbiological analyses to show that mature biocrusts can increase surface soil temperature by as much as 10 °C through the accumulation of large quantities of a secondary metabolite, the microbial sunscreen scytonemin, produced by a group of late-successional cyanobacteria. Scytonemin accumulation decreases soil albedo significantly. Such localized warming has apparentmore » and immediate consequences for the soil microbiome, inducing the replacement of thermosensitive bacterial species with more thermotolerant forms. In conclusion, these results reveal that not only vegetation but also microorganisms are a factor in modifying terrestrial albedo, potentially impacting biosphere feedbacks on past and future climate, and call for a direct assessment of such effects at larger scales.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horton, David Scott

Petroleum prices have made alternative fuel crops a viable option for ethanol production. Sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor] is a non-food crop that may produce large quantities of ethanol with minimal inputs. Eleven cultivars were planted in 2008 and 2009 as a half-season crop. Four-row plots 6.9 m by 0.5 m, were monitored bimonthly for °Brix, height, and sugar accumulation. Yield and extractable sap were taken at the end of season. Stalk yield was greatest for the cultivar Sugar Top (4945 kg ha-1) and lowest for Simon (1054 kg ha-1). Dale ranked highest ethanol output (807 L ha-1) while Simon (123more » L ha-1) is the lowest. All cultivars peak Brix accumulation occurs in early October. Individual sugar concentrations indicated sucrose is the predominant sugar with glucose and fructose levels dependent on cultivar. Supplemental ethanol in fermented wort was the best preservative tested to halt degradation of sorghum wort.« less

Interspecific competition effects on phosphorus accumulation by Hydrilla verticillata and Vallisneria natans.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiufeng; Liu, Zhengwen

2011-01-01

The competition between submersed plants has been recognized as an important factor influencing the structure of plant communities in shallow lakes. The ability of different species to take up and store nutrients from the surrounding ambience varies, and hence plant community structure might be expected to affect the cycling of nutrients in lake ecosystems. In this study, the uptake of phosphorus by Hydrilla verticillata and Vallisneria natans was studied and compared in monoculture and competitive mixed-culture plantings. Results showed that for both studied species the phosphorus concentrations of different tissues and of whole plants was unaffected by competition. However, the quantity of phosphorus accumulated by whole plants of H. verticillata was significantly higher in mixture culture than in monoculture, while that of V. natans was lower in the mixed culture. The results indicated that H. verticillata has a competitive advantage over V. natans, when the two species are grown in competition, and is able to accumulate a greater quantity of phosphorus.

Decay of cacti and carbon cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garvie, Laurence A. J.

2006-03-01

Cacti contain large quantities of Ca-oxalate biominerals, with C derived from atmospheric CO2. Their death releases these biominerals into the environment, which subsequently transform to calcite via a monohydrocalcite intermediate. Here, the fate of Ca-oxalates released by plants in arid environments is investigated. This novel and widespread form of biomineralization has unexpected consequences on C cycling and calcite accumulation in areas with large numbers of cacti. The magnitude of this mineralization is revealed by studying the large columnar cactus Carnegiea gigantea (Engelm.) Britton and Rose in southwestern Arizona (locally called the saguaro). A large C. gigantea contains on the order of 1×105 g of the Ca-oxalate weddellite—CaC2O4·2H2O. In areas with high C. gigantea density, there is an estimated 40 g Catm m-2 sequestered in Ca-oxalates. Following the death of the plant, the weddellite transforms to calcite on the order to 10-20 years. In areas with high saguaro density, there is an estimated release of up to 2.4 g calcite m-2 year-1 onto the desert soil. Similar transformation mechanisms occur with the Ca-oxalates that are abundant in the majority of cacti. Thus, the total atmospheric C returned to the soil of areas with a high number density of cacti is large, suggesting that there may be a significant long-term accumulation of atmospheric C in these soils derived from Ca-oxalate biominerals. These findings demonstrate that plant decay in arid environments may have locally significant impacts on the Ca and inorganic C cycles.

Decay of cacti and carbon cycling.

PubMed

Garvie, Laurence A J

2006-03-01

Cacti contain large quantities of Ca-oxalate biominerals, with C derived from atmospheric CO(2). Their death releases these biominerals into the environment, which subsequently transform to calcite via a monohydrocalcite intermediate. Here, the fate of Ca-oxalates released by plants in arid environments is investigated. This novel and widespread form of biomineralization has unexpected consequences on C cycling and calcite accumulation in areas with large numbers of cacti. The magnitude of this mineralization is revealed by studying the large columnar cactus Carnegiea gigantea (Engelm.) Britton and Rose in southwestern Arizona (locally called the saguaro). A large C. gigantea contains on the order of 1 x 10(5) g of the Ca-oxalate weddellite-CaC(2)O(4) x 2H(2)O. In areas with high C. gigantea density, there is an estimated 40 g C(atm) m(-2) sequestered in Ca-oxalates. Following the death of the plant, the weddellite transforms to calcite on the order to 10-20 years. In areas with high saguaro density, there is an estimated release of up to 2.4 g calcite m(-2) year(-1) onto the desert soil. Similar transformation mechanisms occur with the Ca-oxalates that are abundant in the majority of cacti. Thus, the total atmospheric C returned to the soil of areas with a high number density of cacti is large, suggesting that there may be a significant long-term accumulation of atmospheric C in these soils derived from Ca-oxalate biominerals. These findings demonstrate that plant decay in arid environments may have locally significant impacts on the Ca and inorganic C cycles.

Relative quantity judgments in South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens).

PubMed

Abramson, José Z; Hernández-Lloreda, Victoria; Call, Josep; Colmenares, Fernando

2011-09-01

There is accumulating evidence that a variety of species possess quantitative abilities although their cognitive substrate is still unclear. This study is the first to investigate whether sea lions (Otaria flavescens), in the absence of training, are able to assess and select the larger of two sets of quantities. In Experiment 1, the two sets of quantities were presented simultaneously as whole sets, that is, the subjects could compare them directly. In Experiment 2, the two sets of quantities were presented item-by-item, and the totality of items was never visually available at the time of choice. For each type of presentation, we analysed the effect of the ratio between quantities, the difference between quantities and the total number of items presented. The results showed that (1) sea lions can make relative quantity judgments successfully and (2) there is a predominant influence of the ratio between quantities on the subjects' performance. The latter supports the idea that an analogue representational mechanism is responsible for sea lions' relative quantities judgments. These findings are consistent with previous reports of relative quantities judgments in other species such as monkeys and apes and suggest that sea lions might share a similar mechanism to compare and represent quantities.

Influence of natural organic matter source on copper speciation as demonstrated by Cu binding to fish gills, by ion selective electrode, and by DGT gel sampler

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luider, C.D.; Crusius, John; Playle, R.C.; Curtis, P.J.

2004-01-01

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, 2 g) were exposed to 0−5 μM total copper in ion-poor water for 3 h in the presence or absence of 10 mg C/L of qualitatively different natural organic matter (NOM) derived from water spanning a large gradient in hydrologic residence time. Accumulation of Cu by trout gills was compared to Cu speciation determined by ion selective electrode (ISE) and by diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) gel sampler technology. The presence of NOM decreased Cu uptake by trout gills as well as Cu concentrations determined by ISE and DGT. Furthermore, the source of NOM influenced Cu binding by trout gills with high-color, allochthonous NOM decreasing Cu accumulation by the gills more than low-color autochthonous NOM. The pattern of Cu binding to the NOM measured by Cu ISE and by Cu accumulation by DGT samplers was similar to the fish gill results. A simple Cu−gill binding model required an NOM Cu-binding factor (F) that depended on NOM quality to account for observed Cu accumulation by trout gills; values of F varied by a factor of 2. Thus, NOM metal-binding quality, as well as NOM quantity, are both important when assessing the bioavailability of metals such as Cu to aquatic organisms.

Estimates of Marine Debris Accumulation on Beaches Are Strongly Affected by the Temporal Scale of Sampling

PubMed Central

Smith, Stephen D. A.; Markic, Ana

2013-01-01

Marine debris is a global issue with impacts on marine organisms, ecological processes, aesthetics and economies. Consequently, there is increasing interest in quantifying the scale of the problem. Accumulation rates of debris on beaches have been advocated as a useful proxy for at-sea debris loads. However, here we show that past studies may have vastly underestimated the quantity of available debris because sampling was too infrequent. Our study of debris on a small beach in eastern Australia indicates that estimated daily accumulation rates decrease rapidly with increasing intervals between surveys, and the quantity of available debris is underestimated by 50% after only 3 days and by an order of magnitude after 1 month. As few past studies report sampling frequencies of less than a month, estimates of the scale of the marine debris problem need to be critically re-examined and scaled-up accordingly. These results reinforce similar, recent work advocating daily sampling as a standard approach for accurate quantification of available debris in coastal habitats. We outline an alternative approach whereby site-specific accumulation models are generated to correct bias when daily sampling is impractical. PMID:24367607

Basin scale controls on CO2 and CH4 emissions from the Upper Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crawford, John T.; Loken, Luke C.; Stanley, Emily H.; Stets, Edward G.; Dornblaser, Mark M.; Striegl, Robert G.

2016-01-01

The Upper Mississippi River, engineered for river navigation in the 1930s, includes a series of low-head dams and navigation pools receiving elevated sediment and nutrient loads from the mostly agricultural basin. Using high-resolution, spatially resolved water quality sensor measurements along 1385 river kilometers, we show that primary productivity and organic matter accumulation affect river carbon dioxide and methane emissions to the atmosphere. Phytoplankton drive CO2to near or below atmospheric equilibrium during the growing season, while anaerobic carbon oxidation supports a large proportion of the CO2 and CH4 production. Reductions of suspended sediment load, absent of dramatic reductions in nutrients, will likely further reduce net CO2emissions from the river. Large river pools, like Lake Pepin, which removes the majority of upstream sediments, and large agricultural tributaries downstream that deliver significant quantities of sediments and nutrients, are likely to persist as major geographical drivers of greenhouse gas emissions.

Interannual kinetics (2010-2013) of large wood in a river corridor exposed to a 50-year flood event and fluvial ice dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boivin, Maxime; Buffin-Bélanger, Thomas; Piégay, Hervé

2017-02-01

Semi-alluvial rivers of the Gaspé Peninsula, Québec, are prone to produce and transport vast quantities of large wood (LW). The high rate of lateral erosion owing to high energy flows and noncohesive banks is the main process leading to the recruitment of large wood, which in turn initiates complex patterns of wood accumulation and reentrainment within the active channel. The delta of the Saint-Jean River (SJR) has accumulated large annual wood fluxes since 1960 that culminated in a wood raft of > 3-km in length in 2014. To document the kinetics of large wood on the main channel of SJR, four annual surveys were carried out from 2010 to 2013 to locate and describe > 1000 large wood jams (LWJ) and 2000 large wood individuals (LWI) along a 60-km river section. Airborne and ground photo/video images were used to estimate the wood volume introduced by lateral erosion and to identify local geomorphic conditions that control wood mobility and deposits. Video camera analysis allowed the examination of transport rates from three hydrometeorological events for specific river sections. Results indicate that the volume of LW recruited between 2010 and 2013 represents 57% of the total LW production over the 2004-2013 period. Volumes of wood deposited along the 60-km section were four times higher in 2013 than in 2010. Increases in wood amount occurred mainly in upper alluvial sections of the river, whereas decreases were observed in the semi-alluvial middle sections. Observations suggest that the 50-year flood event of 2010 produced large amounts of LW that were only partly exported out of the basin so that a significant amount was still available for subsequent floods. Large wood storage continued after this flood until a similar flood or an ice-breakup event could remobilise these LW accumulations into the river corridor. Ice-jam floods transport large amounts of wood during events with fairly low flow but do not contribute significantly to recruitment rates (ca. 10 to 30% early). It is fairly probable that the wood export peak observed in 2012 at the river mouth, where no flood occurred and which is similar to the 1-in 10-year flood of 2010, is mainly linked to such ice-break events that occurred in March 2012.

Non-verbal numerical cognition: from reals to integers.

PubMed

Gallistel; Gelman

2000-02-01

Data on numerical processing by verbal (human) and non-verbal (animal and human) subjects are integrated by the hypothesis that a non-verbal counting process represents discrete (countable) quantities by means of magnitudes with scalar variability. These appear to be identical to the magnitudes that represent continuous (uncountable) quantities such as duration. The magnitudes representing countable quantity are generated by a discrete incrementing process, which defines next magnitudes and yields a discrete ordering. In the case of continuous quantities, the continuous accumulation process does not define next magnitudes, so the ordering is also continuous ('dense'). The magnitudes representing both countable and uncountable quantity are arithmetically combined in, for example, the computation of the income to be expected from a foraging patch. Thus, on the hypothesis presented here, the primitive machinery for arithmetic processing works with real numbers (magnitudes).

Extraction and formation dynamic of oak-related volatile compounds from different volume barrels to wine and their behavior during bottle storage.

PubMed

Pérez-Prieto, Luis J; López-Roca, Jose M; Martínez-Cutillas, Adrián; Pardo-Mínguez, Francisco; Gómez-Plaza, Encarna

2003-08-27

The extraction rate of furfuryl aldehydes, guaiacol, and 4-methylguaiacol, cis- and trans-oak lactone, and vanillin and the formation rate of furfuryl alcohol and the volatile phenols 4-ethylguaiacol and 4-ethylphenol have been studied in wines matured in different capacity oak barrels (220, 500, and 1000 L). Also, the behavior of these compounds during 1 year of wine bottle storage was followed. The lactones were extracted at a linear rate with large differences that depended on barrel volume. Those compounds related to oak toasting (guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, furfuryl aldehydes, and vanillin) seemed to be extracted faster during the first days of oak maturation except for vanillin, which required at least 3 months to accumulate in the wine. The volatile phenols, 4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol, were formed in large quantities after the first 90 days of oak maturation, coinciding with the end of spring and beginning of summer. Wines matured in 1000-L oak barrels resulted in the lowest levels of volatile compound accumulation. During bottle storage, some compounds decreased in their concentration (5-methylfurfural, vanillin), others experienced increases in their levels (lactones, furfural, 4-ethylguaiacol, 4-ethylphenol), and the concentration of other compounds hardly changed (guaiacol, furfuryl alcohol).

[Nitrogen Fraction Distributions and Impacts on Soil Nitrogen Mineralization in Different Vegetation Restorations of Karst Rocky Desertification].

PubMed

Hu, Ning; Ma, Zhi-min; Lan, Jia-cheng; Wu, Yu-chun; Chen, Gao-qi; Fu, Wa-li; Wen, Zhi-lin; Wang, Wen-jing

2015-09-01

In order to illuminate the impact on soil nitrogen accumulation and supply in karst rocky desertification area, the distribution characteristics of soil nitrogen pool for each class of soil aggregates and the relationship between aggregates nitrogen pool and soil nitrogen mineralization were analyzed in this study. The results showed that the content of total nitrogen, light fraction nitrogen, available nitrogen and mineral nitrogen in soil aggregates had an increasing tendency along with the descending of aggregate-size, and the highest content was occurred in < 0. 25 mm. The content of nitrogen fractions for all aggregate-classes followed in the order of abandoned land < grass land < brush land < brush-arbor land < arbor land in different sample plots. Artificial forest lands had more effects on the improvement of the soil nitrogen than honeysuckle land. In this study it also showed the nitrogen stockpiling quantity of each aggregate-size class was differed in all aggregate-size classes, in which the content of nitrogen fraction in 5-10 mm and 2-5 mm classes of soil aggregate-size were the highest. And it meant that soil nutrient mainly was stored in large size aggregates. Large size aggregates were significant to the storage of soil nutrient. For each class of soil aggregate-size, the contribution of the nitrogen stockpiling quantity of 0. 25-1 mm class to soil net nitrogen mineralization quantity was the biggest, and following >5mm and 2-5 mm classes, and the others were the smallest. With the positive vegetation succession, the weight percentage of > 5 mm aggregate-size classes was improved and the nitrogen storage of macro-aggregates also was increased. Accordingly, the capacity of soil supply mineral nitrogen and storage organic nitrogen were intensified.

Absorption of Radionuclides from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident by a Novel Algal Strain

PubMed Central

Shimura, Hiroki; Itoh, Katsuhiko; Sugiyama, Atsushi; Ichijo, Sayaka; Ichijo, Masashi; Furuya, Fumihiko; Nakamura, Yuji; Kitahara, Ken; Kobayashi, Kazuhiko; Yukawa, Yasuhiro; Kobayashi, Tetsuro

2012-01-01

Large quantities of radionuclides have leaked from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the surrounding environment. Effective prevention of health hazards resulting from radiation exposure will require the development of efficient and economical methods for decontaminating radioactive wastewater and aquatic ecosystems. Here we describe the accumulation of water-soluble radionuclides released by nuclear reactors by a novel strain of alga. The newly discovered green microalgae, Parachlorella sp. binos (Binos) has a thick alginate-containing extracellular matrix and abundant chloroplasts. When this strain was cultured with radioiodine, a light-dependent uptake of radioiodine was observed. In dark conditions, radioiodine uptake was induced by addition of hydrogen superoxide. High-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) showed a localization of accumulated iodine in the cytosol. This alga also exhibited highly efficient incorporation of the radioactive isotopes strontium and cesium in a light-independent manner. SIMS analysis showed that strontium was distributed in the extracellular matrix of Binos. Finally we also showed the ability of this strain to accumulate radioactive nuclides from water and soil samples collected from a heavily contaminated area in Fukushima. Our results demonstrate that Binos could be applied to the decontamination of iodine, strontium and cesium radioisotopes, which are most commonly encountered after nuclear reactor accidents. PMID:22984475

Soil crusts to warm the planet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Pichel, Ferran; Couradeau, Estelle; Karaoz, Ulas; da Rocha Ulisses, Nunes; Lim Hsiao, Chiem; Northen, Trent; Brodie, Eoin

2016-04-01

Soil surface temperature, an important driver of terrestrial biogeochemical processes, depends strongly on soil albedo, which can be significantly modified by factors such as plant cover. In sparsely vegetated lands, the soil surface can also be colonized by photosynthetic microbes that build biocrust communities. We used concurrent physical, biochemical and microbiological analyses to show that mature biocrusts can increase surface soil temperature by as much as 10 °C through the accumulation of large quantities of a secondary metabolite, the microbial sunscreen scytonemin, produced by a group of late-successional cyanobacteria. Scytonemin accumulation decreases soil albedo significantly. Such localized warming had apparent and immediate consequences for the crust soil microbiome, inducing the replacement of thermosensitive bacterial species with more thermotolerant forms. These results reveal that not only vegetation but also microorganisms are a factor in modifying terrestrial albedo, potentially impacting biosphere feedbacks on past and future climate, and call for a direct assessment of such effects at larger scales. Based on estimates of the global biomass of cyanobacteria in soil biocrusts, one can easily calculate that there must currently exist about 15 million metric tons of scytonemin at work, warming soil surfaces worldwide

Detrimental effects of carotenoid pigments: the dark side of bright coloration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huggins, Kristal A.; Navara, Kristen J.; Mendonça, Mary T.; Hill, Geoffrey E.

2010-07-01

Carotenoid pigments produce yellow, orange, and red integumentary color displays that can serve as reliable signals of health and condition. In many birds and fish, individuals gain competitive or mating advantages by ingesting and utilizing large quantities of carotenoid pigments. Carotenoid pigments serve as antioxidants, performing important functions as free-radical scavengers. The beneficial effects of carotenoid pigments are well documented, but rarely have researchers considered potential detrimental effects of high-level accumulation of carotenoids. We maintained American goldfinches ( Carduelis tristis) on high- or low-carotenoid diets through molt and tested for damage to the liver and skeletal muscle. High intake of carotenoids had no measurable effect on liver enzymes but caused an increase in creatine kinase, an indicator of skeletal muscle breakdown, and a reduction in vertical flight performance, a measure of skeletal muscle integrity. The detrimental effects of high-level carotenoid accumulation were approximately equivalent to the negative effects of removing carotenoids from the diet. The adverse effects observed in this study have important implications for theories of the function and evolution of colorful plumage.

Uric acid, an important antioxidant contributing to survival in termites

PubMed Central

Tasaki, Eisuke; Sakurai, Hiroki; Nitao, Masaru; Matsuura, Kenji; Iuchi, Yoshihito

2017-01-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated spontaneously in all organisms and cause oxidative damage to biomolecules when present in excess. Accumulated oxidative damage accelerates aging; enhanced antioxidant capacity may be a positive factor for longevity. Recently, numerous studies of aging and longevity have been performed using short-lived animals, however, longevity mechanisms remain unknown. Here we show that a termite Reticulitermes speratus that is thought to be long-lived eusocial insect than other solitary insects uses large quantities of uric acid as an antioxidant against ROS. We demonstrated that the accumulation of uric acid considerably increases the free radical-scavenging activity and resistance against ultraviolet-induced oxidative stress in laboratory-maintained termites. In addition, we found that externally administered uric acid aided termite survival under highly oxidative conditions. The present data demonstrates that in addition to nutritional and metabolic roles, uric acid is an essential antioxidant for survival and contributes significantly to longevity. Uric acid also plays important roles in primates but causes gout when present in excess in humans. Further longevity studies of long-lived organisms may provide important breakthroughs with human health applications. PMID:28609463

Blood Ammonia as a Possible Etiological Agent for Alzheimer’s Disease

PubMed Central

Jin, Yan Yan; Singh, Parul; Chung, Hea-Jong; Hong, Seong-Tschool

2018-01-01

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), characterized by cognitive decline and devastating neurodegeneration, is the most common age-related dementia. Since AD is a typical example of a complex disease that is affected by various genetic and environmental factors, various factors could be involved in preventing and/or treating AD. Extracellular accumulation of beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ) and intracellular accumulation of tau undeniably play essential roles in the etiology of AD. However, interestingly enough, medications targeting Aβ or tau all failed and the only clinically efficient medications for AD are drugs targeting the cholinergic pathway. Also, a very intriguing discovery in AD is that the Mediterranean diet (MeDi), containing an unusually large quantity of Lactobacilli, is very effective in preventing AD. Based on recently emerging findings, it is our opinion that the reduction of blood ammonia levels by Lactobacilli in MeDi is the therapeutic agent of MeDi for AD. The recent evidence of Lactobacilli lowering blood ammonia level not only provides a link between AD and MeDi but also provides a foundation of pharmabiotics for hyperammonemia as well as various neurological diseases. PMID:29734664

Blood Ammonia as a Possible Etiological Agent for Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Jin, Yan Yan; Singh, Parul; Chung, Hea-Jong; Hong, Seong-Tschool

2018-05-04

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), characterized by cognitive decline and devastating neurodegeneration, is the most common age-related dementia. Since AD is a typical example of a complex disease that is affected by various genetic and environmental factors, various factors could be involved in preventing and/or treating AD. Extracellular accumulation of beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ) and intracellular accumulation of tau undeniably play essential roles in the etiology of AD. However, interestingly enough, medications targeting Aβ or tau all failed and the only clinically efficient medications for AD are drugs targeting the cholinergic pathway. Also, a very intriguing discovery in AD is that the Mediterranean diet (MeDi), containing an unusually large quantity of Lactobacilli, is very effective in preventing AD. Based on recently emerging findings, it is our opinion that the reduction of blood ammonia levels by Lactobacilli in MeDi is the therapeutic agent of MeDi for AD. The recent evidence of Lactobacilli lowering blood ammonia level not only provides a link between AD and MeDi but also provides a foundation of pharmabiotics for hyperammonemia as well as various neurological diseases.

Role of Wax Ester Synthase/Acyl Coenzyme A:Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase in Oleaginous Streptomyces sp. Strain G25

PubMed Central

Röttig, Annika; Strittmatter, Carl Simon; Schauer, Jennifer; Hiessl, Sebastian; Daniel, Rolf

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Recently, we isolated a novel Streptomyces strain which can accumulate extraordinarily large amounts of triacylglycerol (TAG) and consists of 64% fatty acids (dry weight) when cultivated with glucose and 50% fatty acids (dry weight) when cultivated with cellobiose. To identify putative gene products responsible for lipid storage and cellobiose utilization, we analyzed its draft genome sequence. A single gene encoding a wax ester synthase/acyl coenzyme A (CoA):diacylglycerol acyltransferase (WS/DGAT) was identified and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified enzyme AtfG25 showed acyltransferase activity with C12- or C16-acyl-CoA, C12 to C18 alcohols, or dipalmitoyl glycerol. This acyltransferase exhibits 24% amino acid identity to the model enzyme AtfA from Acinetobacter baylyi but has high sequence similarities to WS/DGATs from other Streptomyces species. To investigate the impact of AtfG25 on lipid accumulation, the respective gene, atfG25, was inactivated in Streptomyces sp. strain G25. However, cells of the insertion mutant still exhibited DGAT activity and were able to store TAG, albeit in lower quantities and at lower rates than the wild-type strain. These findings clearly indicate that AtfG25 has an important, but not exclusive, role in TAG biosynthesis in the novel Streptomyces isolate and suggest the presence of alternative metabolic pathways for lipid accumulation which are discussed in the present study. IMPORTANCE A novel Streptomyces strain was isolated from desert soil, which represents an extreme environment with high temperatures, frequent drought, and nutrient scarcity. We believe that these harsh conditions promoted the development of the capacity for this strain to accumulate extraordinarily large amounts of lipids. In this study, we present the analysis of its draft genome sequence with a special focus on enzymes potentially involved in its lipid storage. Furthermore, the activity and importance of the detected acyltransferase were studied. As discussed in this paper, and in contrast to many other bacteria, streptomycetes seem to possess a complex metabolic network to synthesize lipids, whereof crucial steps are still largely unknown. This paper therefore provides insights into a range of topics, including extremophile bacteria, the physiology of lipid accumulation, and the biotechnological production of bacterial lipids. PMID:27474711

Explosion Hazards Associated with Spills of Large Quantities of Hazardous Materials. Phase I

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-10-01

quantities of hazardous material such as liquified natural gas ( LNG ), liquified petroleum gils (LPG), or ethylene. The principal results are (1) a...associated with spills of large quantities of hazardous material such as liquified natural gas ( LNG ), liquified petroleum gas (LPG), or ethylene. The...liquified natural gas ( LNG ). Unfortunately, as the quantity of material shipped at one time increases, so does the potential hazard associated with

Magma transfer processes at persistently active volcanoes: insights from gravity observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Locke, Corinne A.; Rymer, Hazel; Cassidy, John

2003-09-01

Magma transfer processes at persistently active volcanoes are distinguished by the large magma flux required to sustain the prodigious quantities of heat and gas emitted at the surface. Although the resulting degassed magma has been conjectured to accumulate either deep within the volcanic edifice or in the upper levels of the sub-edifice system, no direct evidence for such active accumulation has been reported. Temporal gravity data are unique in being able to quantify mass changes and have been successfully used to model shallow magma movements on different temporal scales, but have not generally been applied to the investigation of postulated long-term accumulation of magma at greater spatial scales within volcanic systems. Here, we model the critical data acquisition parameters required to detect mass flux at volcanoes, we review existing data from a number of volcanoes that exemplify the measurement of shallow mass changes and present new data from Poas and Telica volcanoes. We show that if a substantial proportion of degassed magma lodges within the sub-edifice region, it would result in measurable annual to decadal gravity increases occurring over spatial scales of tens of kilometres and propose that existing microgravity data from Sakurajima and, possibly, Etna volcanoes could be interpreted in these terms. Furthermore, such repeat microgravity data could be used to determine whether the accumulation rate is in equilibrium with the rate of production of degassed magma as calculated from the surface gas flux and hence identify the build-up of gas-rich magma at depth that may be significant in terms of eruption potential. We also argue that large magma bodies, both molten and frozen, modelled beneath volcanoes from seismic and gravity data, could represent endogenous or cryptic intrusions of degassed magma based on order of magnitude calculations using present-day emission rates and typical volcano lifetimes.

Star formation trends in high-redshift galaxy surveys: the elephant or the tail?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stringer, Martin; Cole, Shaun; Frenk, Carlos S.; Stark, Daniel P.

2011-07-01

Star formation rate and accumulated stellar mass are two fundamental physical quantities that describe the evolutionary state of a forming galaxy. Two recent attempts to determine the relationship between these quantities, by interpreting a sample of star-forming galaxies at redshift of z˜ 4, have led to opposite conclusions. Using a model galaxy population, we investigate possible causes for this discrepancy and conclude that minor errors in the conversion from observables to physical quantities can lead to a major misrepresentation when applied without awareness of sample selection. We also investigate, in a general way, the physical origin of the correlation between star formation rate and stellar mass within the hierarchical galaxy formation theory.

General-circulation-model simulations of future snowpack in the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCabe, G.J.; Wolock, D.M.

1999-01-01

April 1 snowpack accumulations measured at 311 snow courses in the western United States (U.S.) are grouped using a correlation-based cluster analysis. A conceptual snow accumulation and melt model and monthly temperature and precipitation for each cluster are used to estimate cluster-average April 1 snowpack. The conceptual snow model is subsequently used to estimate future snowpack by using changes in monthly temperature and precipitation simulated by the Canadian Centre for Climate Modeling and Analysis (CCC) and the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research (HADLEY) general circulation models (GCMs). Results for the CCC model indicate that although winter precipitation is estimated to increase in the future, increases in temperatures will result in large decreases in April 1 snowpack for the entire western US. Results for the HADLEY model also indicate large decreases in April 1 snowpack for most of the western US, but the decreases are not as severe as those estimated using the CCC simulations. Although snowpack conditions are estimated to decrease for most areas of the western US, both GCMs estimate a general increase in winter precipitation toward the latter half of the next century. Thus, water quantity may be increased in the western US; however, the timing of runoff will be altered because precipitation will more frequently occur as rain rather than as snow.

Effects of environmental radiation on testes and spermatogenesis in wild large Japanese field mice (Apodemus speciosus) from Fukushima

PubMed Central

Okano, Tsukasa; Ishiniwa, Hiroko; Onuma, Manabu; Shindo, Junji; Yokohata, Yasushi; Tamaoki, Masanori

2016-01-01

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident that occurred after the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 released large quantities of radionuclides to the environment. The long-term effects of radioactive cesium (Cs) on biota are of particular concern. We investigated the accumulation of radioactive Cs derived from the FDNPP accident, and chronic effects of environmental radionuclides on male reproduction, in the large Japanese field mouse (Apodemus speciosus). In 2013 and 2014, wild mice were captured at 2 sites in Fukushima Prefecture and at 2 control sites that were distant from Fukushima. Although the median concentrations of 134Cs and 137Cs in the mice from Fukushima exceeded 4,000 Bq/kg, there were no significant differences in the apoptotic cell frequencies or the frequencies of morphologically abnormal sperm among the capture sites. Thus, we conclude that radiation did not cause substantial male subfertility in Fukushima during 2013 and 2014, and radionuclide pollution levels in the study sites would not be detrimental to spermatogenesis of the wild mice in Fukushima. PMID:27005329

Absence of the aflatoxin biosynthesis gene, norA, allows accumulation of deoxyaflatoxin B1 in Aspergillus flavus cultures.

PubMed

Ehrlich, Kenneth C; Chang, Perng-Kuang; Scharfenstein, Leslie L; Cary, Jeffrey W; Crawford, Jason M; Townsend, Craig A

2010-04-01

Biosynthesis of the highly toxic and carcinogenic aflatoxins in select Aspergillus species from the common intermediate O-methylsterigmatocystin has been postulated to require only the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, OrdA (AflQ). We now provide evidence that the aryl alcohol dehydrogenase NorA (AflE) encoded by the aflatoxin biosynthetic gene cluster in Aspergillus flavus affects the accumulation of aflatoxins in the final steps of aflatoxin biosynthesis. Mutants with inactive norA produced reduced quantities of aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)), but elevated quantities of a new metabolite, deoxyAFB(1). To explain this result, we suggest that, in the absence of NorA, the AFB(1) reduction product, aflatoxicol, is produced and is readily dehydrated to deoxyAFB(1) in the acidic medium, enabling us to observe this otherwise minor toxin produced in wild-type A. flavus.

Metal contaminant accumulation in the hive: Consequences for whole-colony health and brood production in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.).

PubMed

Hladun, Kristen R; Di, Ning; Liu, Tong-Xian; Trumble, John T

2016-02-01

Metal pollution has been increasing rapidly over the past century, and at the same time, the human population has continued to rise and produce contaminants that may negatively impact pollinators. Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) forage over large areas and can collect contaminants from the environment. The primary objective of the present study was to determine whether the metal contaminants cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and selenium (Se) can have a detrimental effect on whole-colony health in the managed pollinator A. mellifera. The authors isolated small nucleus colonies under large cages and fed them an exclusive diet of sugar syrup and pollen patty spiked with Cd, Cu, Pb, and Se or a control (no additional metal). Treatment levels were based on concentrations in honey and pollen from contaminated hives around the world. They measured whole-colony health including wax, honey, and brood production; colony weight; brood survival; and metal accumulation in various life stages. Colonies treated with Cd or Cu contained more dead pupae within capped cells compared with control, and Se-treated colonies had lower total worker weights compared to control. Lead had a minimal effect on colony performance, although many members of the hive accumulated significant quantities of the metal. By examining the honey bee as a social organism through whole-colony assessments of toxicity, the authors found that the distribution of toxicants throughout the colony varied from metal to metal, some caste members were more susceptible to certain metals, and the colony's ability to grow over time may have been reduced in the presence of Se. Apiaries residing near metal-contaminated areas may be at risk and can suffer changes in colony dynamics and survival. © 2015 SETAC.

Single-cell-type quantitative proteomic and ionomic analysis of epidermal bladder cells from the halophyte model plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum to identify salt-responsive proteins.

PubMed

Barkla, Bronwyn J; Vera-Estrella, Rosario; Raymond, Carolyn

2016-05-10

Epidermal bladder cells (EBC) are large single-celled, specialized, and modified trichomes found on the aerial parts of the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. Recent development of a simple but high throughput technique to extract the contents from these cells has provided an opportunity to conduct detailed single-cell-type analyses of their molecular characteristics at high resolution to gain insight into the role of these cells in the salt tolerance of the plant. In this study, we carry out large-scale complementary quantitative proteomic studies using both a label (DIGE) and label-free (GeLC-MS) approach to identify salt-responsive proteins in the EBC extract. Additionally we perform an ionomics analysis (ICP-MS) to follow changes in the amounts of 27 different elements. Using these methods, we were able to identify 54 proteins and nine elements that showed statistically significant changes in the EBC from salt-treated plants. GO enrichment analysis identified a large number of transport proteins but also proteins involved in photosynthesis, primary metabolism and Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). Validation of results by western blot, confocal microscopy and enzyme analysis helped to strengthen findings and further our understanding into the role of these specialized cells. As expected EBC accumulated large quantities of sodium, however, the most abundant element was chloride suggesting the sequestration of this ion into the EBC vacuole is just as important for salt tolerance. This single-cell type omics approach shows that epidermal bladder cells of M. crystallinum are metabolically active modified trichomes, with primary metabolism supporting cell growth, ion accumulation, compatible solute synthesis and CAM. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD004045.

And, not or: Quality, quantity in scientific publishing

PubMed Central

Allesina, Stefano

2017-01-01

Scientists often perceive a trade-off between quantity and quality in scientific publishing: finite amounts of time and effort can be spent to produce few high-quality papers or subdivided to produce many papers of lower quality. Despite this perception, previous studies have indicated the opposite relationship, in which productivity (publishing more papers) is associated with increased paper quality (usually measured by citation accumulation). We examine this question in a novel way, comparing members of the National Academy of Sciences with themselves across years, and using a much larger dataset than previously analyzed. We find that a member’s most highly cited paper in a given year has more citations in more productive years than in in less productive years. Their lowest cited paper each year, on the other hand, has fewer citations in more productive years. To disentangle the effect of the underlying distributions of citations and productivities, we repeat the analysis for hypothetical publication records generated by scrambling each author’s citation counts among their publications. Surprisingly, these artificial histories re-create the above trends almost exactly. Put another way, the observed positive relationship between quantity and quality can be interpreted as a consequence of randomly drawing citation counts for each publication: more productive years yield higher-cited papers because they have more chances to draw a large value. This suggests that citation counts, and the rewards that have come to be associated with them, may be more stochastic than previously appreciated. PMID:28570567

Management of belching, hiccups, and aerophagia.

PubMed

Bredenoord, Albert J

2013-01-01

Although belching and hiccups are regarded as normal behaviors, they can occur at high frequency or become persistent, becoming bothersome and requiring medical care. Patients with excessive belching frequently have supragastric belches. Excessive belching should be treated as a behavioral disorder. Persistent hiccups, however, can be the first presentation of a serious disorder that requires extensive diagnostic testing. When no cause is found, only the symptoms can be treated. Aerophagia is an episodic or chronic disorder in which patients (children and adults) swallow large quantities of air, which accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract to cause abdominal distention and bloating. These patients should not undergo explorative laparotomy because they do not have ileus. New treatment approaches are needed for patients with aerophagia. Copyright © 2013 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heavy metal solubility in podzolic soils exposed to the alkalizing effect of air pollutants.

PubMed

Haapala, H; Goltsova, N; Lodenius, M

2001-01-01

The heavy metal content of pine forest soil was studied near the boundary between Russia and Estonia, an area characterized by large amounts of acidic and basic air pollutants, mainly sulfur dioxide and calcium. Alkalization dominates the processes in soil, since sulfur is adsorbed only in small quantities, and calcium is much better adsorbed. In addition to Ca, great amounts of Al, Fe, K, and Mg are accumulated in the humus layer due to air pollution. The heavy metal content has increased. The exchangeable content of heavy metals was in many cases much higher in polluted alkaline soils than in non-polluted acidic soils, even the ratio of exchangeable to total metal content being higher in alkaline plots. To avoid a dangerous increase in soluble heavy metal content, it is important to decrease not only the large sulfur emissions of local pollutant sources, but also the alkaline pollutants. A similar concern must be taken into account when liming of acidic forest soils is planned.

Metabolic measures of male southern toads (Bufo terrestris) exposed to coal combustion waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ward, C.K.; Appel, A.G.; Mendonca, M.T.

2006-03-15

Southern toads (Bufo terrestris) are found in coal fly ash collection basins associated with coal-burning electrical power plants. These basins contain large amounts of trace metals and organisms found in these basins are known to accumulate large quantities of metals. Studies on a variety of organisms exposed to trace metals found that they experience a significant increase in standard metabolic rate. We experimentally exposed southern toads to metal-contaminated sediment and food and measured changes in standard and exercise metabolic rates as well as changes in body, liver and muscle mass, blood glucose, and corticosterone. We found that toads exposed tomore » trace metal contamination gained significantly less mass (18.3%) than control toads (31.3%) when food was limited and experienced significantly decreased RQ after exercise. However, contaminated toads did not experience changes in standard or exercise metabolic rates, plasma glucose levels, and hepatic or muscle percentage indices whether food was limited or not.« less

Heavy flavour production in proton-lead and lead-lead collisions with LHCb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winn, Michael

2017-11-01

The LHCb experiment offers the unique opportunity to study heavy-ion interactions in the forward region (2 < η < 5), in a kinematic domain complementary to the other 3 large experiments at the LHC. The detector has excellent capabilities for reconstructing quarkonia and open charm states, including baryons, down to zero pT. It can separate the prompt and displaced charm components. In pPb collisions, both forward and backward rapidities are covered thanks to the possibility of beam reversal. Results include measurements of the nuclear modification factor and forward-backward ratio for charmonium, open charm and bottomonium states. These quantities are sensitive probes for nuclear effects in heavy flavour production. Perspectives are given with the large accumulated luminosity during the 2016 pPb run at the LHC. In 2015, LHCb participated successfully for the first time in the PbPb data-taking. The status of the forward prompt J/ψ nuclear modification factor measurement in lead-lead collisions is discussed.

Lithology, reservoir properties, and burial history of portion of Gammon Shale ( Cretaceous), southwestern North Dakota.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gautier, D.L.

1981-01-01

In the northern Great Plains, large quantities of biogenic methane are contained at shallow depths in Cretaceous marine mudstones. The Gammon Shale and equivalents of the Milk River Formation in Canada are typical. At Little Missouri field, Gammon reservoirs consist of discontinuous lenses and laminae of siltstone, enclosed by silty clay shale. Large amounts of allogenic clay, including highly expansible mixed-layer illite-smectite cause great water sensitivity and high water-saturation values. Studies show that the Gammon has not undergone thermal conditions sufficient for oil or thermal gas generation. The scarcity of authigenic silicates suggests that diagenesis has been inhibited by the presence of free methane. Shale layers are practically impermeable whereas siltstone microlenses are porous (30-40%) and have permeabilities on the order of 3-30 md. Organic matter in the low-permeability reservoirs served as the source of biogenic methane, and capillary forces acted as the trapping mechanism for gas accumulation. Much of the Gammon interval is potentially economic. -from Author

Accumulation of fatty acids in Chlorella vulgaris under heterotrophic conditions in relation to activity of acetyl-CoAcarboxylase, temperature, and co-immobilization with Azospirillum brasilense [corrected].

PubMed

Leyva, Luis A; Bashan, Yoav; Mendoza, Alberto; de-Bashan, Luz E

2014-10-01

The relation between fatty acid accumulation, activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and consequently lipid accumulation was studied in the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris co-immobilized with the plant growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum brasilense under dark heterotrophic conditions with Na acetate as a carbon source. In C. vulgaris immobilized alone, cultivation experiments for 6 days showed that ACC activity is directly related to fatty acid accumulation, especially in the last 3 days. In co-immobilization experiments, A. brasilense exerted a significant positive effect over ACC activity, increased the quantity in all nine main fatty acids, increased total lipid accumulation in C. vulgaris, and mitigated negative effects of nonoptimal temperature for growth. No correlation between ACC activity and lipid accumulation in the cells was established for three different temperatures. This study demonstrated that the interaction between A. brasilense and C. vulgaris has a significant effect on fatty acid and lipid accumulation in the microalgae.

Accumulation fatty acids of in Chlorella vulgaris under heterotrophic conditions in relation to activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, temperature, and co-immobilization with Azospirillum brasilense

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leyva, Luis A.; Bashan, Yoav; Mendoza, Alberto; de-Bashan, Luz E.

2014-10-01

The relation between fatty acid accumulation, activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and consequently lipid accumulation was studied in the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris co-immobilized with the plant growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum brasilense under dark heterotrophic conditions with Na acetate as a carbon source. In C. vulgaris immobilized alone, cultivation experiments for 6 days showed that ACC activity is directly related to fatty acid accumulation, especially in the last 3 days. In co-immobilization experiments, A. brasilense exerted a significant positive effect over ACC activity, increased the quantity in all nine main fatty acids, increased total lipid accumulation in C. vulgaris, and mitigated negative effects of nonoptimal temperature for growth. No correlation between ACC activity and lipid accumulation in the cells was established for three different temperatures. This study demonstrated that the interaction between A. brasilense and C. vulgaris has a significant effect on fatty acid and lipid accumulation in the microalgae.

Quantity and distribution of plaque in orthodontic patients treated with molar bands.

PubMed

Erbe, Christina; Hornikel, Sandra; Schmidtmann, Irene; Wehrbein, Heiner

2011-03-01

The placement of orthodontic bands usually increases plaque accumulation due to numerous mechanical retention sites. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the amount and distribution pattern of biofilm in the oral (palatal and lingual) and interproximal regions surrounding orthodontic bands. We evaluated the formation of biofilm on 32 orthodontic bands which had been placed intraorally for 6-37 months. Two parameters were measured: the percentage of surface covered by biofilm (quantity) and the biofilm distribution pattern of accumulation. We measured these two parameters in four regions of interest: the mesial and distal interproximal regions, as well as the mesial and distal regions of the oral attachment. The quantity of biofilm formation was similar in all four regions of interest, ranging from 13.3% to 16.8%. In contrast to biofilm quantity, distribution patterns differed in the four regions. In the mesial and distal interproximal regions it appeared as extensive insular areas in 87.5% and 71.9%, respectively, whereas it appeared more often supragingival and linear in nature in regions adjacent to the oral attachment, i.e. in 65.6% and 68.8%, respectively. Our results indicate that firstly, oral hygiene in the palatal and lingual regions of orthodontic bands seems as difficult as it is in the interproximal areas, thus requiring thorough hygiene in both areas. Secondly, orthodontic patients with a history of periodontal disease require special attention regarding the use of orthodontic bands.

Microbial production of polyhydroxybutyrate with tailor-made properties: an integrated modelling approach and experimental validation.

PubMed

Penloglou, Giannis; Chatzidoukas, Christos; Kiparissides, Costas

2012-01-01

The microbial production of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a complex process in which the final quantity and quality of the PHB depend on a large number of process operating variables. Consequently, the design and optimal dynamic operation of a microbial process for the efficient production of PHB with tailor-made molecular properties is an extremely interesting problem. The present study investigates how key process operating variables (i.e., nutritional and aeration conditions) affect the biomass production rate and the PHB accumulation in the cells and its associated molecular weight distribution. A combined metabolic/polymerization/macroscopic modelling approach, relating the process performance and product quality with the process variables, was developed and validated using an extensive series of experiments and measurements. The model predicts the dynamic evolution of the biomass growth, the polymer accumulation, the consumption of carbon and nitrogen sources and the average molecular weights of the PHB in a bioreactor, under batch and fed-batch operating conditions. The proposed integrated model was used for the model-based optimization of the production of PHB with tailor-made molecular properties in Azohydromonas lata bacteria. The process optimization led to a high intracellular PHB accumulation (up to 95% g of PHB per g of DCW) and the production of different grades (i.e., different molecular weight distributions) of PHB. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

210Po, 210Pb, 40K and 137Cs in edible wild berries and mushrooms and ingestion doses to man from high consumption rates of these wild foods.

PubMed

Gwynn, Justin P; Nalbandyan, Anna; Rudolfsen, Geir

2013-02-01

This paper discusses activity concentrations of (210)Po, (210)Pb, (40)K and (137)Cs in edible wild berries and mushrooms collected from Øvre Dividalen national park, Northern Norway and derives committed effective ingestion doses to man based on high consumption rates of these wild foods. Edible wild berries and mushrooms accumulated similar levels of (210)Pb, but mushrooms accumulated higher levels of (210)Po and (40)K than berries. There appears to be a clear difference in the ability of Leccinum spp. of fungi to accumulate (210)Po and/or translocate (210)Po to mushrooms compared to Russula spp. of fungi. Activity concentrations of (137)Cs in edible wild berries and mushrooms from Øvre Dividalen national park reflected the lower levels of fallout of this radionuclide in Northern Norway compared to more central areas following the Chernobyl accident. For mushrooms, ingestion doses are dominated by (210)Po, while for berries, (40)K is typically the main contributor to dose. Based on high consumption rates, ingestion doses arising from the combination of (210)Po, (210)Pb and (40)K were up to 0.05 mSv/a for berries and 0.50 mSv/a for mushrooms. Consumption of such wild foods may result in a significant contribution to total annual doses when consumed in large quantities, particularly when selecting mushrooms species that accumulate high activity concentrations of (210)Po. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systems Studies of DDT Transport

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, H. L.; And Others

1970-01-01

Major consequences of present and additional environmental quantities of DDT pesticide are predictable by mathematical models of transport, accumulation and concentration mechanisms in the Wisconsin regional ecosystem. High solubility and stability produce increased DDT concentrations at high organism trophic levels within world biosphere…

A small quantity of sodium arsenite will kill large cull hardwoods

Treesearch

Francis M. Rushmore

1956-01-01

Although it is well known that sodium arsenite is an effective silvicide, forestry literature contains little information about the minimum quantities of this chemical that are required to kill large cull trees. Such information would be of value because if small quantities of a chemical will produce satisfactory results, small holes or frills in the tree will hold it...

Platinum/Tin Oxide/Silica Gel Catalyst Oxidizes CO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Upchurch, Billy T.; Davis, Patricia P.; Schryer, David R.; Miller, Irvin M.; Brown, David; Van Norman, John D.; Brown, Kenneth G.

1991-01-01

Heterogeneous catalyst of platinum, tin oxide, and silica gel combines small concentrations of laser dissociation products, CO and O2, to form CO22 during long times at ambient temperature. Developed as means to prevent accumulation of these products in sealed CO2 lasers. Effective at ambient operating temperatures and installs directly in laser envelope. Formulated to have very high surface area and to chemisorb controlled quantities of moisture: chemisorbed water contained within and upon its structure, makes it highly active and very longlived so only small quantity needed for long times.

The raft of the Saint-Jean River, Gaspé (Québec, Canada): A dynamic feature trapping most of the wood transported from the catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boivin, Maxime; Buffin-Bélanger, Thomas; Piégay, Hervé

2015-02-01

The rivers of the Gaspé Peninsula, Québec (Canada), a coastal drainage system of the St. Lawrence River, receive and transport vast quantities of large wood. The rapid rate of channel shifting caused by high-energy flows and noncohesive banks allows wood recruitment that in turn greatly influences river dynamics. The delta of the Saint-Jean River has accumulated wood since 1960, leading to frequent avulsions over that time period. The wood raft there is now more than 3-km in length, which is unusual but natural. This jam configuration allows a unique opportunity to estimate a wood budget at the scale of a long river corridor and to better understand the dynamics of large wood (LW) in rivers. A wood budget includes the evaluation of wood volumes (i) produced by bank erosion (input), (ii) still in transit in the river corridor (deposited on sand bars or channel edges), and (iii) accumulated in the delta (output). The budget is based on an analysis of aerial photos dating back to 1963 as well as surveys carried out in 2010, all of which were used to locate and describe large wood accumulations along a 60-km river section. The main results of this paper show that the raft formation in the delta is dynamic and can be massive, but it is a natural process. Considering the estimated wood volume trapped in the delta from 1963 to 2013 (≈ 25,000 m3), two important points are revealed by the quantification of the wood recruitment volume from 1963 to 2004 (≈ 27,000 m3 ± 400 m3) and of the wood volume stored on the bars in 2010 (≈ 5950 m3). First, the recruitment of large wood from lateral migration for the 40-year period can account for the volume of large wood in the delta and in transit. Second, the excess wood volume produced by lateral migration and avulsion represents a minimum estimation of the large wood trapped on the floodplain owing to wood volume that has decomposed and large wood that exited the river system. Rafts are major trapping structures that provide good potential sites to monitor wood delivery from the catchment through time and allow estimations of LW residence time while in transit. These results contribute to understanding the interannual large wood dynamics in the Saint-Jean River and can assist river managers in determining sustainable solutions for coping with the issue of wood rafts in rivers.

Prediction of carboxylic and polyphenolic chemical feedstock quantities in sweet sorghum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Quantitative chemical phenotyping is on increasing demand to develop sweet sorghum genotypes targeted to accumulate carboxylate and polyphenolic secondary products as the plant-derived feedstocks for renewable biobased products including plastics. Of 24 sweet sorghum genotypes investigated, No.5 Ga...

30 CFR 56.4104 - Combustible waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-SURFACE METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Fire Prevention and... liquids, shall not accumulate in quantities that could create a fire hazard. (b) Until disposed of...

40 CFR 262.202 - This subpart is optional.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Waste Determination and Accumulation of Unwanted Material for Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic...: Eligible academic entities have the option of complying with this subpart with respect to its laboratories... exempt small quantity generators. Eligible academic entities have the option of complying with this...

40 CFR 262.202 - This subpart is optional.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Waste Determination and Accumulation of Unwanted Material for Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic...: Eligible academic entities have the option of complying with this subpart with respect to its laboratories... exempt small quantity generators. Eligible academic entities have the option of complying with this...

40 CFR 262.202 - This subpart is optional.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Waste Determination and Accumulation of Unwanted Material for Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic...: Eligible academic entities have the option of complying with this subpart with respect to its laboratories... exempt small quantity generators. Eligible academic entities have the option of complying with this...

Spider dragline silk proteins in transgenic tobacco leaves: accumulation and field production.

PubMed

Menassa, Rima; Zhu, Hong; Karatzas, Costas N; Lazaris, Anthoula; Richman, Alex; Brandle, Jim

2004-09-01

Spider dragline silk is a unique biomaterial and represents nature's strongest known fibre. As it is almost as strong as many commercial synthetic fibres, it is suitable for use in many industrial and medical applications. The prerequisite for such a widespread use is the cost-effective production in sufficient quantities for commercial fibre manufacturing. Agricultural biotechnology and the production of recombinant dragline silk proteins in transgenic plants offer the potential for low-cost, large-scale production. The purpose of this work was to examine the feasibility of producing the two protein components of dragline silk (MaSp1 and MaSp2) from Nephila clavipes in transgenic tobacco. Two different promoters, the enhanced CaMV 35S promoter (Kay et al., 1987) and a new tobacco cryptic constitutive promoter, tCUP (Foster et al., 1999) were used, in conjunction with a plant secretory signal (PR1b), a translational enhancer (alfalfa mosaic virus, AMV) and an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention signal (KDEL), to express the MaSp1 and MaSp2 genes in the leaves of transgenic plants. Both genes expressed successfully and recombinant protein accumulated in transgenic plants grown in both greenhouse and field trials.

Modeling of direct wafer bonding: Effect of wafer bow and etch patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, K. T.; Spearing, S. M.

2002-12-01

Direct wafer bonding is an important technology for the manufacture of silicon-on-insulator substrates and microelectromechanical systems. As devices become more complex and require the bonding of multiple patterned wafers, there is a need to understand the mechanics of the bonding process. A general bonding criterion based on the competition between the strain energy accumulated in the wafers and the surface energy that is dissipated as the bond front advances is developed. The bonding criterion is used to examine the case of bonding bowed wafers. An analytical expression for the strain energy accumulation rate, which is the quantity that controls bonding, and the final curvature of a bonded stack is developed. It is demonstrated that the thickness of the wafers plays a large role and bonding success is independent of wafer diameter. The analytical results are verified through a finite element model and a general method for implementing the bonding criterion numerically is presented. The bonding criterion developed permits the effect of etched features to be assessed. Shallow etched patterns are shown to make bonding more difficult, while it is demonstrated that deep etched features can facilitate bonding. Model results and their process design implications are discussed in detail.

Modern Breeding and Biotechnological Approaches to Enhance Carotenoid Accumulation in Seeds.

PubMed

Federico, M L; Schmidt, M A

There is an increasing demand for carotenoids, which are fundamental components of the human diet, for example as precursors of vitamin A. Carotenoids are also potent antioxidants and their health benefits are becoming increasingly evident. Protective effects against prostate cancer and age-related macular degeneration have been proposed for lycopene and lutein/zeaxanthin, respectively. Additionally, β-carotene, astaxanthin and canthaxanthin are high-value carotenoids used by the food industry as feed supplements and colorants. The production and consumption of these carotenoids from natural sources, especially from seeds, constitutes an important step towards fortifying the diet of malnourished people in developing nations. Therefore, attempts to metabolically manipulate β-carotene production in plants have received global attention, especially after the generation of Golden Rice (Oryza sativa). The endosperms of Golden Rice seeds synthesize and accumulate large quantities of β-carotene (provitamin A), yielding a characteristic yellow color in the polished grains. Classical breeding efforts have also focused in the development of cultivars with elevated seed carotenoid content, with maize and other cereals leading the way. In this communication we will summarize transgenic efforts and modern breeding strategies to fortify various crop seeds with nutraceutical carotenoids.

Targeted expression, purification, and cleavage of fusion proteins from inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Hwang, Peter M; Pan, Jonathan S; Sykes, Brian D

2014-01-21

Today, proteins are typically overexpressed using solubility-enhancing fusion tags that allow for affinity chromatographic purification and subsequent removal by site-specific protease cleavage. In this review, we present an alternative approach to protein production using fusion partners specifically designed to accumulate in insoluble inclusion bodies. The strategy is appropriate for the mass production of short peptides, intrinsically disordered proteins, and proteins that can be efficiently refolded in vitro. There are many fusion protein systems now available for insoluble expression: TrpLE, ketosteroid isomerase, PurF, and PagP, for example. The ideal fusion partner is effective at directing a wide variety of target proteins into inclusion bodies, accumulates in large quantities in a highly pure form, and is readily solubilized and purified in commonly used denaturants. Fusion partner removal under denaturing conditions is biochemically challenging, requiring harsh conditions (e.g., cyanogen bromide in 70% formic acid) that can result in unwanted protein modifications. Recent advances in metal ion-catalyzed peptide bond cleavage allow for more mild conditions, and some methods involving nickel or palladium will likely soon appear in more biological applications. Copyright © 2013 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accumulation of dieldrin in an alga (Scenedesmus obliquus), Daphnia magna, and the guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reinert, Robert E.

1972-01-01

Scenedesmus obliquus, Daphnia magna, and Poecilia reticulata accumulated dieldrin directly from water; average concentration factors (concentration in organism, dry weight, divided by concentration in water) were 1282 for the alga, 13,954 for D. magna, and 49,307 (estimated) for the guppy. The amount accumulated by each species at equilibrium (after about 1.5, 3-4, and 18 days, respectively) was directly proportional to the concentration of dieldrin in the water. Daphnia magna and guppies accumulated more dieldrin from water than from food that had been exposed to similar concentrations in water. When guppies were fed equal daily rations of D. magna containing different concentrations of insecticide, the amounts of dieldrin accumulated by the fish were directly proportional to the concentration in D. magna; when two lots of guppies were fed different quantities of D. magna (10 and 20 organisms per day) containing identical concentrations of dieldrin, however, the amounts accumulated did not differ substantially.

[Effects of small hydropower substitute fuel project on forest ecosystem services].

PubMed

Yu, Hai Yan; Zha, Tong Gang; Nie, Li Shui; Lyu, Zhi Yuan

2016-10-01

Based on the Forest Ecosystem Services Assessment Standards (LY/T 1721－2008) issued by the State Forestry Administration, this paper evaluated four key functions of forest ecosystems, i.e., water conservation, soil conservation, carbon fixation and oxygen release, and nutrient accumulation. Focusing on the project area of Majiang County in Guizhou Province, this study provided some quantitative evidence that the implementation of the small hydropower substituting fuel project had positive effects on the values and material quantities of ecosystem service functions. The results showed that the small hydropower substituting fuel project had a significant effect on the increase of forest ecosystem services. Water conservation quantity of Pinus massoniana and Cupressus funebris plantations inside project area was 20662.04 m 3 ·hm -2 ·a -1 , 20.5% higher than outside project area, with soil conservation quantity of 119.1 t·hm -2 ·a -1 , 29.7% higher than outside project area, carbon fixation and oxygen release of 220.49 t·hm -2 ·a -1 , 40.2% higher than outside project area, and forest tree nutrition accumulation of 3.49 t·hm -2 ·a -1 , 48.5% higher than outside project area. Small hydropower substituting fuel project for increasing the quota of forest ecosystem service function value was in the order of carbon fixation and oxygen release function (71400 yuan·hm -2 ·a -1 ) > water conservation function (60100 yuan·hm -2 ·a -1 ) > tree nutrition accumulation function (13800 yuan·hm -2 ·a -1 ) > soil conservation function (8100 yuan·hm -2 ·a -1 ). Small hydropower substituting fuel project played an important role for improving the forest ecological service function value and realizing the sustainable development of forest.

30 CFR 57.4104 - Combustible waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Fire Prevention and... liquids, shall not accumulate in quantities that could create a fire hazard. (b) Waste or rags containing...

40 CFR 273.15 - Accumulation time limits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... individual item of universal waste (e.g., each battery or thermostat) with the date it became a waste or was... Section 273.15 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Small Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste...

40 CFR 273.15 - Accumulation time limits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... individual item of universal waste (e.g., each battery or thermostat) with the date it became a waste or was... Section 273.15 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Small Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste...

40 CFR 273.15 - Accumulation time limits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... individual item of universal waste (e.g., each battery or thermostat) with the date it became a waste or was... Section 273.15 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Small Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste...

40 CFR 273.15 - Accumulation time limits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... individual item of universal waste (e.g., each battery or thermostat) with the date it became a waste or was... Section 273.15 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Small Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste...

40 CFR 273.15 - Accumulation time limits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... individual item of universal waste (e.g., each battery or thermostat) with the date it became a waste or was... Section 273.15 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Small Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste...

Biodiesel production from heterotrophic microalgal oil.

PubMed

Miao, Xiaoling; Wu, Qingyu

2006-04-01

The present study introduced an integrated method for the production of biodiesel from microalgal oil. Heterotrophic growth of Chlorella protothecoides resulted in the accumulation of high lipid content (55%) in cells. Large amount of microalgal oil was efficiently extracted from these heterotrophic cells by using n-hexane. Biodiesel comparable to conventional diesel was obtained from heterotrophic microalgal oil by acidic transesterification. The best process combination was 100% catalyst quantity (based on oil weight) with 56:1 molar ratio of methanol to oil at temperature of 30 degrees C, which reduced product specific gravity from an initial value of 0.912 to a final value of 0.8637 in about 4h of reaction time. The results suggested that the new process, which combined bioengineering and transesterification, was a feasible and effective method for the production of high quality biodiesel from microalgal oil.

Functional connectomics from a "big data" perspective.

PubMed

Xia, Mingrui; He, Yong

2017-10-15

In the last decade, explosive growth regarding functional connectome studies has been observed. Accumulating knowledge has significantly contributed to our understanding of the brain's functional network architectures in health and disease. With the development of innovative neuroimaging techniques, the establishment of large brain datasets and the increasing accumulation of published findings, functional connectomic research has begun to move into the era of "big data", which generates unprecedented opportunities for discovery in brain science and simultaneously encounters various challenging issues, such as data acquisition, management and analyses. Big data on the functional connectome exhibits several critical features: high spatial and/or temporal precision, large sample sizes, long-term recording of brain activity, multidimensional biological variables (e.g., imaging, genetic, demographic, cognitive and clinic) and/or vast quantities of existing findings. We review studies regarding functional connectomics from a big data perspective, with a focus on recent methodological advances in state-of-the-art image acquisition (e.g., multiband imaging), analysis approaches and statistical strategies (e.g., graph theoretical analysis, dynamic network analysis, independent component analysis, multivariate pattern analysis and machine learning), as well as reliability and reproducibility validations. We highlight the novel findings in the application of functional connectomic big data to the exploration of the biological mechanisms of cognitive functions, normal development and aging and of neurological and psychiatric disorders. We advocate the urgent need to expand efforts directed at the methodological challenges and discuss the direction of applications in this field. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Under-ice availability of phytoplankton lipids is key to freshwater zooplankton winter survival.

PubMed

Grosbois, Guillaume; Mariash, Heather; Schneider, Tobias; Rautio, Milla

2017-09-14

Shortening winter ice-cover duration in lakes highlights an urgent need for research focused on under-ice ecosystem dynamics and their contributions to whole-ecosystem processes. Low temperature, reduced light and consequent changes in autotrophic and heterotrophic resources alter the diet for long-lived consumers, with consequences on their metabolism in winter. We show in a survival experiment that the copepod Leptodiaptomus minutus in a boreal lake does not survive five months under the ice without food. We then report seasonal changes in phytoplankton, terrestrial and bacterial fatty acid (FA) biomarkers in seston and in four zooplankton species for an entire year. Phytoplankton FA were highly available in seston (2.6 µg L -1 ) throughout the first month under the ice. Copepods accumulated them in high quantities (44.8 µg mg dry weight -1 ), building lipid reserves that comprised up to 76% of body mass. Terrestrial and bacterial FA were accumulated only in low quantities (<2.5 µg mg dry weight -1 ). The results highlight the importance of algal FA reserve accumulation for winter survival as a key ecological process in the annual life cycle of the freshwater plankton community with likely consequences to the overall annual production of aquatic FA for higher trophic levels and ultimately for human consumption.

Rapid atmospheric transport and large-scale deposition of recently synthesized plant waxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Daniel B.; Ladd, S. Nemiah; Schubert, Carsten J.; Kahmen, Ansgar

2018-02-01

Sedimentary plant wax 2H/1H ratios are important tools for understanding hydroclimate and environmental changes, but large spatial and temporal uncertainties exist about transport mechanisms from ecosystem to sediments. To assess atmospheric pathways, we collected aerosol samples for two years at four locations within a ∼60 km radius in northern Switzerland. We measured n-alkane distributions and 2H/1H ratios in these samples, and from local plants, leaf litter, and soil, as well as surface sediment from six nearby lakes. Increased concentrations and 2H depletion of long odd chain n-alkanes in early summer aerosols indicate that most wax aerosol production occurred shortly after leaf unfolding, when plants synthesize waxes in large quantities. During autumn and winter, aerosols were characterized by degraded n-alkanes lacking chain length preferences diagnostic of recent biosynthesis, and 2H/1H values that were in some cases more than 100‰ higher than growing season values. Despite these seasonal shifts, modeled deposition-weighted average 2H/1H values of long odd chain n-alkanes primarily reflected summer values. This was corroborated by n-alkane 2H/1H values in lake sediments, which were similar to deposition-weighted aerosol values at five of six sites. Atmospheric deposition rates for plant n-alkanes on land were ∼20% of accumulation rates in lakes, suggesting a role for direct deposition to lakes or coastal oceans near similar production sources, and likely a larger role for deposition on land and transport in river systems. This mechanism allows mobilization and transport of large quantities of recently produced waxes as fine-grained material to low energy sedimentation sites over short timescales, even in areas with limited topography. Widespread atmospheric transfer well before leaf senescence also highlights the importance of the isotopic composition of early season source water used to synthesize waxes for the geologic record.

Impact of litter quantity on the soil bacteria community during the decomposition of Quercus wutaishanica litter.

PubMed

Zeng, Quanchao; Liu, Yang; An, Shaoshan

2017-01-01

The forest ecosystem is the main component of terrestrial ecosystems. The global climate and the functions and processes of soil microbes in the ecosystem are all influenced by litter decomposition. The effects of litter decomposition on the abundance of soil microorganisms remain unknown. Here, we analyzed soil bacterial communities during the litter decomposition process in an incubation experiment under treatment with different litter quantities based on annual litterfall data (normal quantity, 200 g/(m 2 /yr); double quantity, 400 g/(m 2 /yr) and control, no litter). The results showed that litter quantity had significant effects on soil carbon fractions, nitrogen fractions, and bacterial community compositions, but significant differences were not found in the soil bacterial diversity. The normal litter quantity enhanced the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes and reduced the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Plantctomycets and Nitrospiare. The Beta-, Gamma-, and Deltaproteobacteria were significantly less abundant in the normal quantity litter addition treatment, and were subsequently more abundant in the double quantity litter addition treatment. The bacterial communities transitioned from Proteobacteria-dominant (Beta-, Gamma-, and Delta) to Actinobacteria-dominant during the decomposition of the normal quantity of litter. A cluster analysis showed that the double litter treatment and the control had similar bacterial community compositions. These results suggested that the double quantity litter limited the shift of the soil bacterial community. Our results indicate that litter decomposition alters bacterial dynamics under the accumulation of litter during the vegetation restoration process, which provides important significant guidelines for the management of forest ecosystems.

A comparison of chelator-facilitated metal uptake by a halophyte and a glycophyte.

PubMed

Jordan, Fiona L; Robin-Abbott, Molly; Maier, Raina M; Glenn, Edward P

2002-12-01

Phytoextraction is the use of plants to remove contaminants, in particular metals, from soil via root uptake and translocation to the shoots. Efficient phytoextraction requires high-biomass plants with efficient translocating properties. Halophytes characteristically accumulate large quantities of salts in above ground tissue material and can have high biomass production. It has been speculated that salt-tolerant plants may also be heavy metal tolerant and, further, may be able to accumulate metals. This study compared growth and metal uptake by a halophyte, Atriplex nummularia, and a common glycophyte, Zea mays, in a mine-tailing contaminated soil:mulch mixture. Two chelators, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and rhamnolipid, were used to facilitate plant metal uptake. Despite a lower growth rate (2% growth/d) in the contaminated soil, the halophyte accumulated roughly the same amount of metals as the glycophyte on a mass basis (30-40 mg/kg dry wt). Neither plant, however, hyperaccumulated any of the metals tested. When treated with EDTA, specific differences in patterns of metal uptake between the two plants emerged. The halophyte accumulated significantly more Cu (2x) and Pb (1x) in the shoots than the glycophyte, but root metal concentrations were generally higher for the glycophyte, indicating that the halophyte translocated more metal from the root to the shoot than the glycophyte. For example, Zn shoot-to-root ratios ranged from 1.4 to 2.1 for Atriplex and from 0.5 to 0.6 for Z. mays. The biodegradable chelator rhamnolipid was not effective at enhancing shoot metal concentrations, even though radiolabeled chelator was found in the shoot material of both plants. Our results suggest that halophytes, despite their slower growth rates, may have greater potential to selectively phytoextract metals from contaminated soils than glycophytes.

Regulation of nitrogen metabolism by GATA zinc finger transcription factors in Yarrowia lipolytica

DOE PAGES

Pomraning, Kyle R.; Bredeweg, Erin L.; Baker, Scott E.; ...

2017-02-15

Here, fungi accumulate lipids in a manner dependent on the quantity and quality of the nitrogen source on which they are growing. In the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, growth on a complex source of nitrogen enables rapid growth and limited accumulation of neutral lipids, while growth on a simple nitrogen source promotes lipid accumulation in large lipid droplets. Here we examined the roles of nitrogen catabolite repression and its regulation by GATA zinc finger transcription factors on lipid metabolism in Y. lipolytica. Deletion of the GATA transcription factor genes gzf3 and gzf2 resulted in nitrogen source-specific growth defects and greatermore » accumulation of lipids when the cells were growing on a simple nitrogen source. Deletion of gzf1, which is most similar to activators of genes repressed by nitrogen catabolite repression in filamentous ascomycetes, did not affect growth on the nitrogen sources tested. We examined gene expression of wild-type and GATA transcription factor mutants on simple and complex nitrogen sources and found that expression of enzymes involved in malate metabolism, beta-oxidation, and ammonia utilization are strongly upregulated on a simple nitrogen source. Deletion of gzf3 results in overexpression of genes with GATAA sites in their promoters, suggesting that it acts as a repressor, while gzf2 is required for expression of ammonia utilization genes but does not grossly affect the transcription level of genes predicted to be controlled by nitrogen catabolite repression. Both GATA transcription factor mutants exhibit decreased expression of genes controlled by carbon catabolite repression via the repressor mig1, including genes for beta-oxidation, highlighting the complex interplay between regulation of carbon, nitrogen, and lipid metabolism.« less

Regulation of nitrogen metabolism by GATA zinc finger transcription factors in Yarrowia lipolytica

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pomraning, Kyle R.; Bredeweg, Erin L.; Baker, Scott E.

Here, fungi accumulate lipids in a manner dependent on the quantity and quality of the nitrogen source on which they are growing. In the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, growth on a complex source of nitrogen enables rapid growth and limited accumulation of neutral lipids, while growth on a simple nitrogen source promotes lipid accumulation in large lipid droplets. Here we examined the roles of nitrogen catabolite repression and its regulation by GATA zinc finger transcription factors on lipid metabolism in Y. lipolytica. Deletion of the GATA transcription factor genes gzf3 and gzf2 resulted in nitrogen source-specific growth defects and greatermore » accumulation of lipids when the cells were growing on a simple nitrogen source. Deletion of gzf1, which is most similar to activators of genes repressed by nitrogen catabolite repression in filamentous ascomycetes, did not affect growth on the nitrogen sources tested. We examined gene expression of wild-type and GATA transcription factor mutants on simple and complex nitrogen sources and found that expression of enzymes involved in malate metabolism, beta-oxidation, and ammonia utilization are strongly upregulated on a simple nitrogen source. Deletion of gzf3 results in overexpression of genes with GATAA sites in their promoters, suggesting that it acts as a repressor, while gzf2 is required for expression of ammonia utilization genes but does not grossly affect the transcription level of genes predicted to be controlled by nitrogen catabolite repression. Both GATA transcription factor mutants exhibit decreased expression of genes controlled by carbon catabolite repression via the repressor mig1, including genes for beta-oxidation, highlighting the complex interplay between regulation of carbon, nitrogen, and lipid metabolism.« less

Transcript levels, alternative splicing and proteolytic cleavage of TFIIIA control 5S rRNA accumulation during Arabidopsis thaliana development.

PubMed

Layat, Elodie; Cotterell, Sylviane; Vaillant, Isabelle; Yukawa, Yasushi; Tutois, Sylvie; Tourmente, Sylvette

2012-07-01

Ribosome biogenesis is critical for eukaryotic cells and requires coordinated synthesis of the protein and rRNA moieties of the ribosome, which are therefore highly regulated. 5S ribosomal RNA, an essential component of the large ribosomal subunit, is transcribed by RNA polymerase III and specifically requires transcription factor IIIA (TFIIIA). To obtain insight into the regulation of 5S rRNA transcription, we have investigated the expression of 5S rRNA and the exon-skipped (ES) and exon-including (EI) TFIIIA transcripts, two transcript isoforms that result from alternative splicing of the TFIIIA gene, and TFIIIA protein amounts with respect to requirements for 5S rRNA during development. We show that 5S rRNA quantities are regulated through distinct but complementary mechanisms operating through transcriptional and post-transcriptional control of TFIIIA transcripts as well as at the post-translational level through proteolytic cleavage of the TFIIIA protein. During the reproductive phase, high expression of the TFIIIA gene together with low proteolytic cleavage contributes to accumulation of functional, full-length TFIIIA protein, and results in 5S rRNA accumulation in the seed. In contrast, just after germination, the levels of TFIIIA-encoding transcripts are low and stable. Full-length TFIIIA protein is undetectable, and the level of 5S rRNA stored in the embryo progressively decreases. After day 4, in correlation with the reorganization of 5S rDNA chromatin to a mature state, full-length TFIIIA protein with transcriptional activity accumulates and permits de novo transcription of 5S rRNA. © 2012 The Authors. The Plant Journal © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Identifying conservation hotspots using tillage erosion modeling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tillage operations redistribute soil within agricultural landscapes due to deviations in the quantity of soil moved during tillage. Tillage erosion is the net loss or accumulation of soil at any spot within an agricultural landscape due to soil being directly moved by tillage; it is a dominant erosi...

Determination of post-shakedown quantities of a pipe bend via the simplified theory of plastic zones compared with load history dependent incremental analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vollrath, Bastian; Hübel, Hartwig

2018-01-01

The Simplified Theory of Plastic Zones (STPZ) may be used to determine post-shakedown quantities such as strain ranges and accumulated strains at plastic or elastic shakedown. The principles of the method are summarized. Its practical applicability is shown by the example of a pipe bend subjected to constant internal pressure along with cyclic in-plane bending or/and cyclic radial temperature gradient. The results are compared with incremental analyses performed step-by-step throughout the entire load history until the state of plastic shakedown is achieved.

Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant - An Overview of the Current Efforts to Stabilize the Chornobyl Shelter and Establish an Environmentally Safe Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Couch, Daniel P.; Gronier, Serge; Heriot, Ian D.

2005-08-08

Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant ? An Overview of the Current Efforts to Stabilize the Chornobyl Shelter and Establish an Environmentally Safe Site Abstract?The 1986 accident at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine resulted in the destruction of the reactor core and most of the reactor building. The Chornobyl accident released an enormous quantity of radionuclides into the environment, significantly contaminating a large region around the plant. Within seven months of the accident, the damaged Unit 4 was encased in a massive concrete and steel enclosure known as the Shelter. Deterioration of the Shelter over time poses increasing risks. Themore » Shelter is subject to structural damage or collapse due to wind, snow loading, or seismic activity. Collapse could lead to the release of radioactive fallout. Leakage of rainwater into the Shelter has caused the accumulation of a large quantity of highly radioactive liquid, corrosion of extremely contaminated nuclear fuel debris, and creation of hazardous radioactive dust. To address these concerns, the government of Ukraine, the G7 nations, and additional donor countries adopted the Shelter Implementation Plan (SIP) in 1997. The SIP's objectives are to reduce the risk and potential consequences of accidental collapse of the Shelter; improve nuclear, industrial and environmental safety; and develop a long-term strategy for conversion to an environmentally safe site. Implementation of the SIP has made significant progress that will lead to the construction of a new confinement facility by 2009. (Full paper available by contacting lead author, Dan Couch)« less

Glucose lowering effect of transgenic human insulin-like growth factor-I from rice: in vitro and in vivo studies

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Human insulin-like growth factor-I (hIGF-I) is a growth factor which is highly resemble to insulin. It is essential for cell proliferation and has been proposed for treatment of various endocrine-associated diseases including growth hormone insensitivity syndrome and diabetes mellitus. In the present study, an efficient plant expression system was developed to produce biologically active recombinant hIGF-I (rhIGF-I) in transgenic rice grains. Results The plant-codon-optimized hIGF-I was introduced into rice via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. To enhance the stability and yield of rhIGF-I, the endoplasmic reticulum-retention signal and glutelin signal peptide were used to deliver rhIGF-I to endoplasmic reticulum for stable accumulation. We found that only glutelin signal peptide could lead to successful expression of hIGF-I and one gram of hIGF-I rice grain possessed the maximum activity level equivalent to 3.2 micro molar of commercial rhIGF-I. In vitro functional analysis showed that the rice-derived rhIGF-I was effective in inducing membrane ruffling and glucose uptake on rat skeletal muscle cells. Oral meal test with rice-containing rhIGF-I acutely reduced blood glucose levels in streptozotocin-induced and Zucker diabetic rats, whereas it had no effect in normal rats. Conclusion Our findings provided an alternative expression system to produce large quantities of biologically active rhIGF-I. The provision of large quantity of recombinant proteins will promote further research on the therapeutic potential of rhIGF-I. PMID:21486461

Nitrite accumulation performance of aerobic MBBR treating Lurgi coal gasification waste water by adjusting pollutant load and DO concentration.

PubMed

Li, Hui-Qiang; Han, Hong-Jun

2015-01-01

An aerobic moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) was adopted to treat Lurgi coal gasification waste water (LCGW) in about 10 months. The pollutant load and dissolve oxygen (DO) concentration were adjusted by trying to maximize the accumulation of [Formula: see text] in the MBBR for LCGW treatment. The highest [Formula: see text] accumulation proportion [Formula: see text] was 73.9%, but was not stable with influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) and DO concentrations of around 1000 and 1.5 mg/L, respectively. Around 1500 mg/L of influent COD concentration and 1.5 mg/L of DO concentration were proper operation conditions for the aerobic MBBR to achieve relatively stable [Formula: see text] accumulation, with [Formula: see text] ratio at 53% and [Formula: see text] ratio at just 4.3% in the effluent. More specifically, free ammonia concentration and DO concentration affected [Formula: see text] accumulation much more obvious than phenols concentration. The activity and quantity of nitrifying bacteria growth in suspended sludge and biofilm of the MBBR were monitored simultaneously to explain the variations of [Formula: see text] accumulation performance under different operation conditions. An aerobic moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) was adopted to treat Lurgi coal gasification waste water (LCGW)in about 10 months. The pollutant load and dissolve oxygen (DO) concentration were adjusted by trying to maximize the accumulation of NO(−)(2)−N in the MBBR for LCGW treatment. The highest NO(−)(2)−N accumulation proportion(NO(−)(2)−Neffluent/TN effluent) was 73.9%, but was not stable with influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) and DO concentrations of around 1000 and 1.5 mg/L, respectively. Around 1500 mg/L of influent COD concentration and 1.5 mg/L of DO concentration were proper operation conditions for the aerobic MBBR to achieve relatively stable NO(−)(2)−N accumulation,with NO(−)(2)−N/TN ratio at 53% and NO(-)(3)−N/TN ratio at just 4.3% in the effluent. More specifically, free ammonia concentration and DO concentration affected NO(2)(−)N accumulation much more obvious than phenols concentration. The activity and quantity of nitrifying bacteria growth in suspended sludge and biofilm of the MBBR were monitored simultaneously toexplain the variations of NO(−)(2)−N accumulation performance under different operation conditions.

40 CFR 273.37 - Response to releases.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 273.37 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste § 273.37... of universal wastes and other residues from universal wastes. (b) A large quantity handler of...

40 CFR 273.38 - Off-site shipments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

....38 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste § 273.38 Off-site shipments. (a) A large quantity handler of universal waste is prohibited from sending or...

40 CFR 273.38 - Off-site shipments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....38 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste § 273.38 Off-site shipments. (a) A large quantity handler of universal waste is prohibited from sending or...

40 CFR 273.38 - Off-site shipments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

....38 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste § 273.38 Off-site shipments. (a) A large quantity handler of universal waste is prohibited from sending or...

40 CFR 273.38 - Off-site shipments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....38 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste § 273.38 Off-site shipments. (a) A large quantity handler of universal waste is prohibited from sending or...

40 CFR 273.38 - Off-site shipments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

....38 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste § 273.38 Off-site shipments. (a) A large quantity handler of universal waste is prohibited from sending or...

TYPES AND QUANTITIES OF LEFTOVER DRUGS ENTERING THE ENVIRONMENT VIA DISPOSAL TO SEWAGE - REVEALED BY CORONERS' RECORDS

EPA Science Inventory

BACKGROUND: Pharmaceuticals designed for humans and animals often remain unused. Leftover and accumulated drugs represent suboptimal delivery of health care and environmentally unsound disposal, which can pose exposure risks for humans and wildlife.

OBJECTIVES: A major unk...

Phosphorus retention by fly-ash amended filter media in aged bioretention cells

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bioretention cells (BRCs) have shown potential for stormwater quantity and quality control. However, the phosphorus (P) removal in BRC has been variable due to differences of soil properties in filter media. The objectives of this research were to identify and evaluate P accumulation in filter media...

Bone marrow fat accumulation accelerated by high fat diet is suppressed by exercise

PubMed Central

Styner, Maya; Thompson, William R.; Galior, Kornelia; Uzer, Gunes; Wu, Xin; Kadari, Sanjay; Case, Natasha; Xie, Zhihui; Sen, Buer; Romaine, Andrew; Pagnotti, Gabriel M.; Rubin, Clinton T.; Styner, Martin A.; Horowitz, Mark C.; Rubin, Janet

2014-01-01

Marrow adipose tissue (MAT), associated with skeletal fragility and hematologic insufficiency, remains poorly understood and difficult to quantify. We tested the response of MAT to high fat diet (HFD) and exercise using a novel volumetric analysis, and compared it to measures of bone quantity. We hypothesized that HFD would increase MAT and diminish bone quantity, while exercise would slow MAT acquisition and promote bone formation. Eight week-old female C57BL/6 mice were fed a regular (RD) or HFD, and exercise groups were provided voluntary access to running wheels (RD-E, HFD-E). Femoral MAT was assessed by μCT (lipid binder osmium) using a semi-automated approach employing rigid co-alignment, regional bone masks and was normalized for total femoral volume (TV) of the bone compartment. MAT was 2.6-fold higher in HFD relative to RD mice. Exercise suppressed MAT in RD-E mice by more than half compared with RD. Running similarly inhibited MAT acquisition in HFD mice. Exercise significantly increased bone quantity in both diet groups. Thus, HFD caused significant accumulation of MAT; importantly running exercise limited MAT acquisition while promoting bone formation during both diets. That MAT is exquisitely responsive to diet and exercise, and its regulation by exercise appears to be inversely proportional to effects on exercise induced bone formation, is relevant for an aging and sedentary population. PMID:24709686

Types and Origins of Debris Found on Maui Shorelines: Implications for Mitigation Policies and Strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blickley, L.; Currie, J. J.; Kaufman, G. D.

2016-02-01

Marine debris is an identified concern for coastal areas and is known to accumulate in large quantities in the North Pacific Ocean. The proximity of the Main Hawaiian Islands to these "garbage patches" represents an ongoing concern with little understanding of debris origins or efficacy of current mitigation policies. Debris accumulation surveys were conducted monthly between October 2013 and August 2014 and daily during January 2015 at 3 beaches on Maui's coastline. Debris accumulation rates, loads, and sources varied between sites and were influenced by both environmental and anthropogenic factors. Debris accumulation was strongly influenced by the temporal scale of sampling, with daily surveys showing a significant increase in accumulation rate. Plastics were the most common debris item at each site ranging from local, land-based debris including cigarette butts, straws, and food wrappers, to foreign, ocean-based debris such as oyster spacer tubes and hagfish traps. The results of this study indicate that the passage of a tobacco free beaches bill on Maui has not significantly reduced the amount of tobacco related debris. Alternatively, a ban on plastic grocery bags has eliminated this type of debris from Maui's shorelines, with no bags found at any of the sampling sites. The wide spread origins of collected debris further suggests that mitigation strategies to reduce debris will need to take place across hundreds of local municipalities. The efficacy of marine debris policies furthermore depends on enforcement and implementation strategy, as current results suggest policy enforcement at the producer level affords more effective results than that at the consumer level. Local debris mitigation actions have nevertheless been shown to affect debris loads, and municipalities are therefore encouraged to adopt a holistic combination of policy, community-based debris removal programs, increased public awareness, and ongoing monitoring to address marine debris.

Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of Sorbitol Transporters from Developing Sour Cherry Fruit and Leaf Sink Tissues1

PubMed Central

Gao, Zhifang; Maurousset, Laurence; Lemoine, Remi; Yoo, Sang-Dong; van Nocker, Steven; Loescher, Wayne

2003-01-01

The acyclic polyol sorbitol is a primary photosynthetic product and the principal photosynthetic transport substance in many economically important members of the family Rosaceace (e.g. almond [Prunus dulcis (P. Mill.) D.A. Webber], apple [Malus pumila P. Mill.], cherry [Prunus spp.], peach [Prunus persica L. Batsch], and pear [Pyrus communis]). To understand key steps in long-distance transport and particularly partitioning and accumulation of sorbitol in sink tissues, we have cloned two sorbitol transporter genes (PcSOT1 and PcSOT2) from sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) fruit tissues that accumulate large quantities of sorbitol. Sorbitol uptake activities and other characteristics were measured by heterologous expression of PcSOT1 and PcSOT2 in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Both genes encode proton-dependent, sorbitol-specific transporters with similar affinities (Km sorbitol of 0.81 mm for PcSOT1 and 0.64 mm for PcSOT2). Analyses of gene expression of these transporters, however, suggest different roles during leaf and fruit development. PcSOT1 is expressed throughout fruit development, but especially when growth and sorbitol accumulation rates are highest. In leaves, PcSOT1 expression is highest in young, expanding tissues, but substantially less in mature leaves. In contrast, PcSOT2 is mainly expressed only early in fruit development and not in leaves. Compositional analyses suggest that transport mediated by PcSOT1 and PcSOT2 plays a major role in sorbitol and dry matter accumulation in sour cherry fruits. Presence of these transporters and the high fruit sorbitol concentrations suggest that there is an apoplastic step during phloem unloading and accumulation in these sink tissues. Expression of PcSOT1 in young leaves before completion of the transition from sink to source is further evidence for a role in determining sink activity. PMID:12692316

Increased accumulation of magnetic nanoparticles by magnetizable implant materials for the treatment of implant-associated complications

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In orthopaedic surgery, accumulation of agents such as anti-infectives in the bone as target tissue is difficult. The use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as carriers principally enables their accumulation via an externally applied magnetic field. Magnetizable implants are principally able to increase the strength of an externally applied magnetic field to reach also deep-seated parts in the body. Therefore, the integration of bone-addressed therapeutics in MNPs and their accumulation at a magnetic orthopaedic implant could improve the treatment of implant related infections. In this study a martensitic steel platelet as implant placeholder was used to examine its accumulation and retention capacity of MNPs in an in vitro experimental set up considering different experimental frame conditions as magnet quantity and distance to each other, implant thickness and flow velocity. Results The magnetic field strength increased to approximately 112% when a martensitic stainless steel platelet was located between the magnet poles. Therewith a significantly higher amount of magnetic nanoparticles could be accumulated in the area of the platelet compared to the sole magnetic field. During flushing of the tube system mimicking the in vivo blood flow, the magnetized platelet was able to retain a higher amount of MNPs without an external magnetic field compared to the set up with no mounted platelet during flushing of the system. Generally, a higher flow velocity led to lower amounts of accumulated MNPs. A higher quantity of magnets and a lower distance between magnets led to a higher magnetic field strength. Albeit not significantly the magnetic field strength tended to increase with thicker platelets. Conclusion A martensitic steel platelet significantly improved the attachment of magnetic nanoparticles in an in vitro flow system and therewith indicates the potential of magnetic implant materials in orthopaedic surgery. The use of a remanent magnetic implant material could improve the efficiency of capturing MNPs especially when the external magnetic field is turned off thus facilitating and prolonging the effect. In this way higher drug levels in the target area might be attained resulting in lower inconveniences for the patient. PMID:24112871

Increased accumulation of magnetic nanoparticles by magnetizable implant materials for the treatment of implant-associated complications.

PubMed

Angrisani, Nina; Foth, Franziska; Kietzmann, Manfred; Schumacher, Stephan; Angrisani, Gian Luigi; Christel, Anne; Behrens, Peter; Reifenrath, Janin

2013-10-10

In orthopaedic surgery, accumulation of agents such as anti-infectives in the bone as target tissue is difficult. The use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as carriers principally enables their accumulation via an externally applied magnetic field. Magnetizable implants are principally able to increase the strength of an externally applied magnetic field to reach also deep-seated parts in the body. Therefore, the integration of bone-addressed therapeutics in MNPs and their accumulation at a magnetic orthopaedic implant could improve the treatment of implant related infections. In this study a martensitic steel platelet as implant placeholder was used to examine its accumulation and retention capacity of MNPs in an in vitro experimental set up considering different experimental frame conditions as magnet quantity and distance to each other, implant thickness and flow velocity. The magnetic field strength increased to approximately 112% when a martensitic stainless steel platelet was located between the magnet poles. Therewith a significantly higher amount of magnetic nanoparticles could be accumulated in the area of the platelet compared to the sole magnetic field. During flushing of the tube system mimicking the in vivo blood flow, the magnetized platelet was able to retain a higher amount of MNPs without an external magnetic field compared to the set up with no mounted platelet during flushing of the system. Generally, a higher flow velocity led to lower amounts of accumulated MNPs. A higher quantity of magnets and a lower distance between magnets led to a higher magnetic field strength. Albeit not significantly the magnetic field strength tended to increase with thicker platelets. A martensitic steel platelet significantly improved the attachment of magnetic nanoparticles in an in vitro flow system and therewith indicates the potential of magnetic implant materials in orthopaedic surgery. The use of a remanent magnetic implant material could improve the efficiency of capturing MNPs especially when the external magnetic field is turned off thus facilitating and prolonging the effect. In this way higher drug levels in the target area might be attained resulting in lower inconveniences for the patient.

Planet Formation - Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lissauer, Jack J.

2005-01-01

Modern theories of star and planet formation are based upon observations of planets and smaller bodies within our own Solar System, exoplanets &round normal stars and of young stars and their environments. Terrestrial planets are believed to grow via pairwise accretion until the spacing of planetary orbits becomes large enough that the configuration is stable for the age of the system. Giant planets begin their growth as do terrestrial planets, but they become massive enough that they are able to accumulate substantial amounts of gas before the protoplanetary disk dissipates. These models predict that rocky planets should form in orbit about most single stars. It is uncertain whether or not gas giant planet formation is common, because most protoplanetary disks may dissipate before solid planetary cores can grow large enough to gravitationally trap substantial quantities of gas. A potential hazard to planetary systems is radial decay of planetary orbits resulting from interactions with material within the disk. Planets more massive than Earth have the potential to decay the fastest, and may be able to sweep up smaller planets in their path.

Electrostatic Charging of the Pathfinder Rover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siebert, Mark W.; Kolecki, Joseph C.

1996-01-01

The Mars Pathfinder mission will send a lander and a rover to the martian surface. Because of the extremely dry conditions on Mars, electrostatic charging of the rover is expected to occur as it moves about. Charge accumulation may result in high electrical potentials and discharge through the martian atmosphere. Such discharge could interfere with the operation of electrical elements on the rover. A strategy was sought to mitigate this charge accumulation as a precautionary measure. Ground tests were performed to demonstrate charging in laboratory conditions simulating the surface conditions expected at Mars. Tests showed that a rover wheel, driven at typical rover speeds, will accumulate electrical charge and develop significant electrical potentials (average observed, 110 volts). Measurements were made of wheel electrical potential, and wheel capacitance. From these quantities, the amount of absolute charge was estimated. An engineering solution was developed and recommended to mitigate charge accumulation. That solution has been implemented on the actual rover.

Probabilistic vs. non-probabilistic approaches to the neurobiology of perceptual decision-making

PubMed Central

Drugowitsch, Jan; Pouget, Alexandre

2012-01-01

Optimal binary perceptual decision making requires accumulation of evidence in the form of a probability distribution that specifies the probability of the choices being correct given the evidence so far. Reward rates can then be maximized by stopping the accumulation when the confidence about either option reaches a threshold. Behavioral and neuronal evidence suggests that humans and animals follow such a probabilitistic decision strategy, although its neural implementation has yet to be fully characterized. Here we show that that diffusion decision models and attractor network models provide an approximation to the optimal strategy only under certain circumstances. In particular, neither model type is sufficiently flexible to encode the reliability of both the momentary and the accumulated evidence, which is a pre-requisite to accumulate evidence of time-varying reliability. Probabilistic population codes, in contrast, can encode these quantities and, as a consequence, have the potential to implement the optimal strategy accurately. PMID:22884815

Large-scale preparation of plasmid DNA.

PubMed

Heilig, J S; Elbing, K L; Brent, R

2001-05-01

Although the need for large quantities of plasmid DNA has diminished as techniques for manipulating small quantities of DNA have improved, occasionally large amounts of high-quality plasmid DNA are desired. This unit describes the preparation of milligram quantities of highly purified plasmid DNA. The first part of the unit describes three methods for preparing crude lysates enriched in plasmid DNA from bacterial cells grown in liquid culture: alkaline lysis, boiling, and Triton lysis. The second part describes four methods for purifying plasmid DNA in such lysates away from contaminating RNA and protein: CsCl/ethidium bromide density gradient centrifugation, polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation, anion-exchange chromatography, and size-exclusion chromatography.

40 CFR 273.33 - Waste management.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Waste management. 273.33 Section 273...) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste § 273.33 Waste management. (a) Universal waste batteries. A large quantity handler of universal waste must manage...

Effect of medium modification and selected precursors on sterol production by short-term callus cultures of Euphorbia tirucalli

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biesboer, D.D.; Mahlberg, P.G.

1979-01-01

Latex from E. Tirucalli, a potential rubber source, contains steroidal alcohols that are high in energy and thus of value in biomass conversion to fuels. Euphol was present in large amounts in the latex, but tirucallol predominated in greater quantities in explants and callus indicating synthesis and/or accumulation of tirucallol by cells other than the laticifer cell. Sterol production was significantly enhanced by certain nutrient media, as well as indole-3-acetic acid, and depressed by benzyladenine. Precursor stimulation of product synthesis was successful only with squalene, which promoted sterol production at 1.0 mg/liter but inhibited cell growth at higher concentrations. DL-mevalonicmore » acid and lanosterol promoted neither growth nor sterol production. DL-(214C) mevalonate was used to confirm the biosynthesis of sterols in both latex and callus cultures.« less

Characterization of marine debris in North Carolina salt marshes.

PubMed

Viehman, Shay; Vander Pluym, Jenny L; Schellinger, Jennifer

2011-12-01

Marine debris composition, density, abundance, and accumulation were evaluated in salt marshes in Carteret County, North Carolina seasonally between 2007 and 2009. We assessed relationships between human use patterns and debris type. Wave effects on marine debris density were examined using a GIS-based forecasting tool. We assessed the influence of site wave exposure, period, and height on debris quantity. Presence and abundance of debris were related to wave exposure, vegetation type and proximity of the strata to human population and human use patterns. Plastic pieces accounted for the majority of all debris. Small debris (0-5 cm) was primarily composed of foam pieces and was frequently affiliated with natural wrack. Large debris (>100 cm) was encountered in all marsh habitat types surveyed and was primarily composed of anthropogenic wood and derelict fishing gear. Marsh cleanup efforts should be targeted to specific habitat types or debris types to minimize further damage to sensitive habitats. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Education Program on Fossil Resources Including Coal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usami, Masahiro

Fossil fuels including coal play a key role as crucial energies in contributing to economic development in Asia. On the other hand, its limited quantity and the environmental problems causing from its usage have become a serious global issue and a countermeasure to solve such problems is very much demanded. Along with the pursuit of sustainable development, environmentally-friendly use of highly efficient fossil resources should be therefore, accompanied. Kyushu-university‧s sophisticated research through long years of accumulated experience on the fossil resources and environmental sectors together with the advanced large-scale commercial and empirical equipments will enable us to foster cooperative research and provide internship program for the future researchers. Then, this program is executed as a consignment business from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry from 2007 fiscal year to 2009 fiscal year. The lecture that uses the textbooks developed by this program is scheduled to be started a course in fiscal year 2010.

Budget of Turbulent Kinetic Energy in a Shock Wave Boundary-Layer Interaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vyas, Manan A.; Waindim, Mbu; Gaitonde, Datta V.

2016-01-01

Implicit large-eddy simulation (ILES) of a shock wave/boundary-layer interaction (SBLI) was performed. Quantities present in the exact equation of the turbulent kinetic energy transport were accumulated and used to calculate terms like production, dissipation, molecular diffusion, and turbulent transport. The present results for a turbulent boundary layer were validated by comparison with direct numerical simulation data. It was found that a longer development domain was necessary for the boundary layer to reach an equilibrium state and a finer mesh resolution would improve the predictions. In spite of these findings, trends of the present budget match closely with that of the direct numerical simulation. Budgets for the SBLI region are presented at key axial stations. These budgets showed interesting dynamics as the incoming boundary layer transforms and the terms of the turbulent kinetic energy budget change behavior within the interaction region.

High-Yield Secretion of Multiple Client Proteins in Aspergillus

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Segato, F.; Damasio, A. R. L.; Goncalves, T. A.

2012-07-15

Production of pure and high-yield client proteins is an important technology that addresses the need for industrial applications of enzymes as well as scientific experiments in protein chemistry and crystallization. Fungi are utilized in industrial protein production because of their ability to secrete large quantities of proteins. In this study, we engineered a high-expression-secretion vector, pEXPYR that directs proteins towards the extracellular medium in two Aspergillii host strains, examine the effect of maltose-induced over-expression and protein secretion as well as time and pH-dependent protein stability in the medium. We describe five client proteins representing a core set of hemicellulose degradingmore » enzymes that accumulated up to 50-100 mg/L of protein. Using a recyclable genetic marker that allows serial insertion of multiple genes, simultaneous hyper-secretion of three client proteins in a single host strain was accomplished.« less

75 FR 5120 - United States, et al. v. Stericycle, Inc., et al.; Proposed Final Judgment and Competitive Impact...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-01

... services for Large Quantity Generator (``LQG'') customers in the states of Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and...; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Omaha, Nebraska; and Booneville, Missouri; LQG customer contracts associated with... collection and treatment services for large quantity generator (``LQG'') customers. The resulting combination...

Light versus Dark Carbon Metabolism in Cherry Tomato Fruits

PubMed Central

Laval-Martin, Danielle; Farineau, Jack; Diamond, Jeffrey

1977-01-01

The photosynthetic properties of the internal and peripheral tissues of the cherry tomato fruit (Lycopersicum esculentum var. cerasiforme Dun A. Gray) were investigated. Whole fruit and their isolated tissues evolve large amounts of CO2 in darkness. In the light, this evolution decreases but nevertheless remains a net evolution; 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea abolishes the effects of light. Incorporation of 14CO2 by leaves and fruit tissues demonstrates that the outer region of the fruit has the highest photosynthetic efficiency on a chlorophyll basis; the internal fruit tissue, richer in chlorophyll, has a much lower efficiency. The identification of intermediates following short term incubations with 14CO2 shows that in darkness the fruit accumulates the majority of label in malate. In the light, leaf tissue exhibits a pattern of incorporation characteristic of C-3 metabolism, whereas fruit tissue exhibits a decreased labeling of malate with a concomitant appearance of label in Calvin cycle intermediates. This is in agreement with the levels and types of carboxylating activities demonstrated in vitro; especially noteworthy is the very low ribulose diphosphate carboxylase activity in the internal fruit tissue. The photosynthetic potential, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity, and quantities of malate accumulated by fruit tissues are parallel to their chlorophyll content during growth and maturation. PMID:16660204

Trap Modulated Charge Carrier Transport in Polyethylene/Graphene Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Li, Zhonglei; Du, Boxue; Han, Chenlei; Xu, Hang

2017-06-21

The role of trap characteristics in modulating charge transport properties is attracting much attentions in electrical and electronic engineering, which has an important effect on the electrical properties of dielectrics. This paper focuses on the electrical properties of Low-density Polyethylene (LDPE)/graphene nanocomposites (NCs), as well as the corresponding trap level characteristics. The dc conductivity, breakdown strength and space charge behaviors of NCs with the filler content of 0 wt%, 0.005 wt%, 0.01 wt%, 0.1 wt% and 0.5 wt% are studied, and their trap level distributions are characterized by isothermal discharge current (IDC) tests. The experimental results show that the 0.005 wt% LDPE/graphene NCs have a lower dc conductivity, a higher breakdown strength and a much smaller amount of space charge accumulation than the neat LDPE. It is indicated that the graphene addition with a filler content of 0.005 wt% introduces large quantities of deep carrier traps that reduce charge carrier mobility and result in the homocharge accumulation near the electrodes. The deep trap modulated charge carrier transport attributes to reduce the dc conductivity, suppress the injection of space charges into polymer bulks and enhance the breakdown strength, which is of great significance in improving electrical properties of polymer dielectrics.

When Genomes Collide: Aberrant Seed Development Following Maize Interploidy Crosses

PubMed Central

Pennington, Paul D.; Costa, Liliana M.; Gutierrez-Marcos, Jose F.; Greenland, Andy J.; Dickinson, Hugh G.

2008-01-01

Background and Aims The results of wide- or interploidy crosses in angiosperms are unpredictable and often lead to seed abortion. The consequences of reciprocal interploidy crosses have been explored in maize in detail, focusing on alterations to tissue domains in the maize endosperm, and changes in endosperm-specific gene expression. Methods Following reciprocal interploidy crosses between diploid and tetraploid maize lines, development of endosperm domains was studied using GUS reporter lines, and gene expression in resulting kernels was investigated using semi-quantitative RT-PCR on endosperms isolated at different stages of development. Key Results Reciprocal interploidy crosses result in very small, largely infertile seeds with defective endosperms. Seeds with maternal genomic excess are smaller than those with paternal genomic excess, their endosperms cellularize earlier and they accumulate significant quantities of starch. Endosperms from the reciprocal cross undergo an extended period of cell proliferation, and accumulate little starch. Analysis of reporter lines and gene expression studies confirm that functional domains of the endosperm are severely disrupted, and are modified differently according to the direction of the interploidy cross. Conclusions Interploidy crosses affect factors which regulate the balance between cell proliferation and cell differentiation within the endosperm. In particular, unbalanced crosses in maize affect transfer cell differentiation, and lead to the temporal deregulation of the ontogenic programme of endosperm development. PMID:18276791

Roles of grain boundary and oxygen vacancies in Ba{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}TiO{sub 3} films for resistive switching device application

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, Xiaobing, E-mail: xiaobing-yan@126.com, E-mail: mseyanx@nus.edu.sg; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore 117576; Li, Yucheng

2016-01-18

Oxygen vacancies are widely thought to be responsible for resistive switching (RS) effects based on polycrystalline oxides films. It is also well known that grain boundaries (GB) serve as reservoirs for accumulating oxygen vacancies. Here, Ar gas was introduced to enlarge the size of GB and increase the quantity of oxygen vacancies when the Ba{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}TiO{sub 3} (BST) films were deposited by pulse laser deposition technique. The experimental results indicate that the RS properties of the device exhibits better in the Ar-introduced BST films than in the O{sub 2}-grown BST films. High resolution transmission electron microscopy images show thatmore » an amorphous region GB with large size appears between two lattice planes corresponding to oxygen vacancies defects in the Ar-introduced BST. Fourier-transform infrared reflectivity spectroscopy results also reveal highly accumulated oxygen vacancies in the Ar-introduced BST films. And we propose that the conduction transport of the cell was dominantly contributed from not ions migration of oxygen vacancies but the electrons in our case according to the value of activation energies of two kinds of films.« less

Short- and long-term effects of carbohydrate limitation on sugar and organic acid accumulation during mandarin fruit growth.

PubMed

Antoine, Sandrine; Pailly, Olivier; Gibon, Yves; Luro, François; Santini, Jérémie; Giannettini, Jean; Berti, Liliane

2016-08-01

The physiological roles of organic acids in fruit cells are not fully understood, especially in citrus, whereas the decline in titratable acidity during ripening shown by many citrus fruits is due to the utilization of citric acid. We induced carbohydrate depletion by removing source leaves at two key periods in mandarin development (early and full citric acid accumulation). Then, we assessed the resulting changes in the short term (within 48 h) and long term (several weeks until ripening). Control mature fruits were characterized by elevated fresh weight, large diameters and high quantities of malic acid, citric acid and sucrose. At the same stage, fruits subjected to early or late defoliation had higher glucose, fructose, citric acid concentrations and lower sucrose concentrations. They differed only in their malic acid concentrations, which were higher in early defoliation fruits and similar in late defoliation fruits when compared to control fruits. Finally, fruits subjected to late defoliation were characterized by high proline and γ-aminobutyric acid concentrations, and low fructose and glucose concentrations. We have shown that short- and long-term carbohydrate limitation modifies sugar and organic acid metabolism during mandarin fruit growth. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Origin and microfossils of the oil shale of the Green River formation of Colorado and Utah

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bradley, W.H.

1931-01-01

The Green River formation of Colorado and Utah is a series of lakebeds of middle Eocene age that occupy two broad, shallow, simple, structural basins--the Piceance Creek basin in northwestern Colorado and the Uinta basin in northeastern Utah. The ancient lakes served as a basin for the accumulation of tremendous quantities of aquatic organisms. The predominance of microscopic fresh-water algae and protozoa over the remains of land plants, pollens and spores suggests that the greater part of the organic matter was derived from microorganisms that grew in the lakes. The pollens and spores were carried into the lakes by wind.more » Fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic insect larvae were also plentiful; and turtles, crocodiles, birds, small camels, and insects may have contributed to the organic matter. The ancient lakes apparently were shallow and had a large area, compared with depth. The abundance of organisms and the decaying organic matter produced a strongly reducing environment. Mechanical and chemical action, such as the mastication and digestion of the organic material by bottom-living organisms, caused disintegration of the original organic matter. When the residue was reduced to a gelatinous condition, it apparently resisted further bacterial decay, and other organisms accidently entombed in the gel were protected from disintegration. An accumulation of inorganic material occurred simultaneously with the disintegration of the organic ooze, and the entire mass became lithified. After most of the oil shale was deposited, the lake reverted nearly to the conditions that prevailed during its early stage, when the marlstone and low-grade oil shale of the basal member were formed. The streams in the vicinity of the lake were rejuvenated and carried great quantities of medium- to coarse-grained sand into the basin and formed a thick layer over the lakebeds.« less

Poly-(Epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(hydroxy-butyrate) (PHB) blends containing seaweed fibers: Morphology and thermal-mechanical properties

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Massive quantities of marine seaweed, Ulva armoricana are washed onto shores of many European countries and accumulates as waste. Attempts were made to utilize this renewable resource in hybrid composites by blending the algal biomass with biodegradable polymers such as poly(hydroxy-butyrate) and po...

Poly-(epsilon-caprolactone)(PCL) and poly(hydroxy-butyrate)(PHB) blends containing seaweed fibers: morphology and thermal-mechanical properties.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Massive quantities of marine seaweed, Ulva armoricana are washed onto shores of many European countries and accumulates as waste. Attempts were made to utilize this renewable resource in hybrid composites by blending the algal biomass with biodegradable polymers such as poly(hydroxy-butyrate) and po...

Secondary metabolites and metal content dynamics in Teucrium montanum L. and Teucrium chamaedrys L. from habitats with serpentine and calcareous substrate.

PubMed

Zlatić, Nenad M; Stanković, Milan S; Simić, Zoran S

2017-03-01

The purpose of this comparative analysis is the determination of the total quantity of metals (Mg, Ca, K, Ni, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr and Pb) in soil samples, above ground plant parts and tea made of plants Teucrium montanum and T. chamaedrys from different serpentine and calcareous habitats as well as of the total quantity of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. The obtained results showed that the quantities of certain metals (Mg, Fe, Ni and Mn) in the soil from the serpentine habitats were greater in comparison with other metals (Ca, Zn and Pb) which were more frequently found in the soil from the calcareous habitats. The results demonstrated that the analysed plant samples from the serpentine habitats contained higher quantity of Fe, Ni and Cr as opposed to the plant samples from the calcareous habitats which contained greater quantity of Ca and Zn. Although the studied species accumulate analysed metals in different quantities, depending on the substrate type, they are not hyperaccumulators of these metals. The use of these species from serpentine habitats for tea preparation is safe to a great extent, because in spite of the determined metal absorption by plant organs, the tea does not contain dangerous quantity of heavy metals. The results showed greater total quantity of phenolic compounds and the higher level of antioxidant activity in the plant samples from serpentine habitats in comparison with the samples from calcareous habitats, which is an indicator of one of the mechanisms of adaptation to the serpentine habitat conditions.

Clay fractions from a soil chronosequence after glacier retreat reveal the initial evolution of organo-mineral associations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dümig, Alexander; Häusler, Werner; Steffens, Markus; Kögel-Knabner, Ingrid

2012-05-01

Interactions between organic and mineral constituents prolong the residence time of organic matter in soils. However, the structural organization and mechanisms of organic coverage on mineral surfaces as well as their development with time are still unclear. We used clay fractions from a soil chronosequence (15, 75 and 120 years) in the foreland of the retreating Damma glacier (Switzerland) and from mature soils outside the proglacial area (>700 and <3000 years) to elucidate the evolution of organo-mineral associations during initial soil formation. The chemical composition of the clay-bound organic matter (OM) was assessed by solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy while the quantities of amino acids and neutral sugar monomers were determined after acid hydrolysis. The mineral phase was characterized by X-ray diffraction, oxalate extraction, specific surface area by N2 adsorption (BET approach), and cation exchange capacity at pH 7 (CECpH7). The last two methods were applied before and after H2O2 treatment. We found pronounced shifts in quantity and quality of OM during aging of the clay fractions, especially within the first one hundred years of soil formation. The strongly increasing organic carbon (OC) loading of clay-sized particles resulted in decreasing specific surface areas (SSA) of the mineral phases and increasing CECpH7. Thus, OC accumulation was faster than the supply of mineral surfaces and cation exchange capacity was mainly determined by the OC content. Clay-bound OC of the 15-year-old soils showed high proportions of carboxyl C and aromatic C. This may point to remnants of ancient OC which were inherited from the recently exposed glacial till. With increasing age (75 and 120 years), the relative proportions of carboxyl and aromatic C decreased. This was associated with increasing O-alkyl C proportions, whereas accumulation of alkyl C was mainly detected in clay fractions from the mature soils. These findings from solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy are in line with the increasing amounts of microbial-derived carbohydrates with soil age. The large accumulation of proteins, which was comparable to those of carbohydrates, and the very low C/N ratios of H2O2-resistant OM indicated strong and preferential associations between proteinaceous compounds and mineral surfaces. In the acid soils, poorly crystalline Fe oxides were the main providers of mineral surface area and important for the stabilization of OM during aging of the clay fractions. This was indicated by (I) the strong correlations between oxalate soluble Fe and both, SSA of H2O2-treated clay fractions and OC content, and (II) the low formation of expandable clays due to small extents of mineral weathering. Our chronosequence approach provided new insights into the evolution of organo-mineral interactions in acid soils. The formation of organo-mineral associations started with the sorption of proteinaceous compounds and microbial-derived carbohydrates on mineral surfaces which were mainly provided by ferrihydrite. The sequential accumulation of different organic compounds and the large OC loadings point to multiple accretion of OM in distinct zones or layers during the initial evolution of clay fractions.

Enhanced anaerobic digestion performance via combined solids- and leachate-based hydrolysis reactor inoculation.

PubMed

Wilson, L Paige; Sharvelle, Sybil E; De Long, Susan K

2016-11-01

Suboptimal conditions in anaerobic digesters (e.g., presence of common inhibitors ammonia and salinity) limit waste hydrolysis and lead to unstable performance and process failures. Application of inhibitor-tolerant inocula improves hydrolysis, but approaches are needed to establish and maintain these desired waste-hydrolyzing bacteria in high-solids reactors. Herein, performance was compared for leach bed reactors (LBRs) seeded with unacclimated or acclimated inoculum (0-60% by mass) at start-up and over long-term operation. High quantities of inoculum (∼60%) increase waste hydrolysis and are beneficial at start-up or when inhibitors are increasing. After start-up (∼112days) with high inoculum quantities, leachate recirculation leads to accumulation of inhibitor-tolerant hydrolyzing bacteria in leachate. During long-term operation, low inoculum quantities (∼10%) effectively increase waste hydrolysis relative to without solids-derived inoculum. Molecular analyses indicated that combining digested solids with leachate-based inoculum doubles quantities of Bacteria contacting waste over a batch and supplies additional desirable phylotypes Bacteriodes and Clostridia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biochemical, hydrological and mechanical behaviors of high food waste content MSW landfill: Liquid-gas interactions observed from a large-scale experiment.

PubMed

Zhan, Liang-Tong; Xu, Hui; Chen, Yun-Min; Lan, Ji-Wu; Lin, Wei-An; Xu, Xiao-Bing; He, Pin-Jing

2017-10-01

The high food waste content (HFWC) MSW at a landfill has the characteristics of rapid hydrolysis process, large leachate production rate and fast gas generation. The liquid-gas interactions at HFWC-MSW landfills are prominent and complex, and still remain significant challenges. This paper focuses on the liquid-gas interactions of HFWC-MSW observed from a large-scale bioreactor landfill experiment (5m×5m×7.5m). Based on the connected and quantitative analyses on the experimental observations, the following findings were obtained: (1) The high leachate level observed at Chinese landfills was attributed to the combined contribution from the great quantity of self-released leachate, waste compression and gas entrapped underwater. The contribution from gas entrapped underwater was estimated to be 21-28% of the total leachate level. (2) The gas entrapped underwater resulted in a reduction of hydraulic conductivity, decreasing by one order with an increase in gas content from 13% to 21%. (3) The "breakthrough value" in the gas accumulation zone was up to 11kPa greater than the pore liquid pressure. The increase of the breakthrough value was associated with the decrease of void porosity induced by surcharge loading. (4) The self-released leachate from HFWC-MSW was estimated to contribute to over 30% of the leachate production at landfills in Southern China. The drainage of leachate with a high organic loading in the rapid hydrolysis stage would lead to a loss of landfill gas (LFG) potential of 13%. Based on the above findings, an improved method considering the quantity of self-released leachate was proposed for the prediction of leachate production at HFWC-MSW landfills. In addition, a three-dimensional drainage system was proposed to drawdown the high leachate level and hence to improve the slope stability of a landfill, reduce the hydraulic head on a bottom liner and increase the collection efficiency for LFG. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Influence of cadmium stress on root exudates of high cadmium accumulating rice line (Oryza sativa L.).

PubMed

Fu, Huijie; Yu, Haiying; Li, Tingxuan; Zhang, Xizhou

2018-04-15

A hydroponic experiment with two different cadmium (Cd) accumulating rice lines of Lu527-8 (the high Cd accumulating rice line) and Lu527-4 (the normal rice line) was carried out to explore the links among Cd stress, root exudates and Cd accumulation. The results showed that (1) Cd stress increased quantities of organic acids, but had no effect on composition in root exudates of the two rice lines. In Cd treatments, the contents of every detected organic acid in root exudates of Lu527-8 were 1.76-2.43 times higher than those of Lu527-4. Significant positive correlations between organic acids contents and Cd contents in plants were observed in both rice lines, except that malic acid was only highly relevant to Lu527-8, but not to Lu527-4. (2) Both composition and quantities of amino acids in root exudates changed a lot under Cd stress and this change differed in two rice lines. In control, four amino acids (glutamic acid, glycine, tyrosine and histidine) were detected in two rice lines. Under Cd stress, eight amino acids in Lu527-8 and seven amino acids in Lu527-4 could be detected, among which phenylalanine was only secreted by Lu527-8 and alanine, methionine and lysine were secreted by both rice lines. The contents of those four newly secreted amino acids from Lu527-8 increased significantly with the increase of Cd dose and each had a high-positive correlation with Cd contents, but the same change did not appear in Lu527-4. The difference between two rice lines in secretion of organic acids and amino acids may be related to their different Cd uptake properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Protein Folding and the Challenges of Maintaining Endoplasmic Reticulum Proteostasis in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

PubMed

Romero, Freddy; Summer, Ross

2017-11-01

Alveolar epithelial type II (AEII) cells are "professional" secretory cells that synthesize and secrete massive quantities of proteins to produce pulmonary surfactant and maintain airway immune defenses. To facilitate this high level of protein synthesis, AEII cells are equipped with an elaborate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) structure and possess an abundance of the machinery needed to fold, assemble, and secrete proteins. However, conditions that suddenly increase the quantity of new proteins entering the ER or that impede the capacity of the ER to fold proteins can cause misfolded or unfolded proteins to accumulate in the ER lumen, also called ER stress. To minimize this stress, AEII cells adapt by (1) reducing the quantity of proteins entering the ER, (2) increasing the amount of protein-folding machinery, and (3) removing misfolded proteins when they accumulate. Although these adaptive responses, aptly named the unfolded protein response, are usually effective in reducing ER stress, chronic aggregation of misfolded proteins is recognized as a hallmark feature of AEII cells in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Although mutations in surfactant proteins are linked to the development of ER stress in some rare IPF cases, the mechanisms causing protein misfolding in most cases are unknown. In this article, we review the mechanisms regulating ER proteostasis and highlight specific aspects of protein folding and the unfolded protein response that are most vulnerable to failure. Then, we postulate mechanisms other than genetic mutations that might contribute to protein aggregation in the alveolar epithelium of IPF lung.

Quantity discounts on a virtual good: The results of a massive pricing experiment at King Digital Entertainment

PubMed Central

Levitt, Steven D.; List, John A.; Neckermann, Susanne; Nelson, David

2016-01-01

We report on a natural field experiment on quantity discounts involving more than 14 million consumers. Implementing price reductions ranging from 9–70% for large purchases, we found remarkably little impact on revenue, either positively or negatively. There was virtually no increase in the quantity of customers making a purchase; all the observed changes occurred for customers who already were buyers. We found evidence that infrequent purchasers are more responsive to discounts than frequent purchasers. There was some evidence of habit formation when prices returned to pre-experiment levels. There also was some evidence that consumers contemplating small purchases are discouraged by the presence of extreme quantity discounts for large purchases. PMID:27382146

Split luciferase complementation assay to detect regulated protein-protein interactions in rice protoplasts in a large-scale format

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The rice interactome, in which a network of protein-protein interactions has been elucidated in rice, is a useful resource to identify functional modules of rice signal transduction pathways. Protein-protein interactions occur in cells in two ways, constitutive and regulative. While a yeast-based high-throughput method has been widely used to identify the constitutive interactions, a method to detect the regulated interactions is rarely developed for a large-scale analysis. Results A split luciferase complementation assay was applied to detect the regulated interactions in rice. A transformation method of rice protoplasts in a 96-well plate was first established for a large-scale analysis. In addition, an antibody that specifically recognizes a carboxyl-terminal fragment of Renilla luciferase was newly developed. A pair of antibodies that recognize amino- and carboxyl- terminal fragments of Renilla luciferase, respectively, was then used to monitor quality and quantity of interacting recombinant-proteins accumulated in the cells. For a proof-of-concept, the method was applied to detect the gibberellin-dependent interaction between GIBBERELLIN INSENSITIVE DWARF1 and SLENDER RICE 1. Conclusions A method to detect regulated protein-protein interactions was developed towards establishment of the rice interactome. PMID:24987490

Enhanced accumulation of PCB congeners by Baltic Sea blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, with increased algae enrichment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gilek, M.; Bjoerk, M.; Broman, D.

The objective of this study was to examine if natural variations in the quantity of phytoplankton-derived particulate and dissolved organic carbon influences the accumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the tissues of Baltic Sea blue mussels (Mytilus edulis L.). In a laboratory flow-through experiment the authors exposed M. edulis to the technical PCB mixture Aroclor{reg_sign} 1248 for 21 d at three different enrichments of the unicellular green algae Chlamydomonas sp., 0.10, 0.16, and 0.32 mg particulate organic carbon (POC)/L. Tissue and water concentrations were determined for seven PCB congeners and 21-d bioaccumulation factors were calculated against total water concentrations. Contrarymore » to what would be expected, an increase in algae enrichment from 0.10 to 0.32 mg POC/L resulted in an enhanced PCB accumulation by a factor of approx. 2. This increase in PCB accumulation was more pronounced for PCB congeners with lower hydrophobicity. These observations have implications for the design of laboratory accumulation studies and potentially for PCB accumulation and cycling in field populations of suspension-feeding mussels in response to changes in eutrophication status.« less

[Indoor simulation on dew formation on plant leaves].

PubMed

Gao, Zhi-Yong; Wang, You-Ke; Wei, Xin-Guang; Liu, Shou-Yang; He, Zi-Li; Zhou, Yu-Hong

2014-03-01

Dew forming on plant leaves through water condensation plays a significant ecological role in arid and semi-arid areas as an ignorable fraction of water resources. In this study, an artificial intelligent climate chamber and an automatic temperature-control system for leaves were implemented to regulate the ambient temperature, the leaf surface temperature and the leaf inclination for dew formation. The impact of leaf inclination, ambient temperature and dew point-leaf temperature depression on the rate and quantity of dew accumulation on leaf surface were analyzed. The results indicated that the accumulation rate and the maximum volume of dew on leaves decreased with increasing the leaf inclination while increased with the increment of dew point-leaf temperature depression, ambient temperature and relative humidity. Under the horizontal configuration, dew accumulated linearly on leaf surface over time until the maximum volume (0.80 mm) was reached. However, dew would fall down after reaching the maximum volume when the leaf inclination existed (45 degrees or 90 degrees), significantly slowing down the accumulative rate, and the zigzag pattern for the dynamic of dew accumulation appeared.

Variability in evaluating environmental impacts of treated wood.

Treesearch

Stan Lebow; Paul Cooper; Patricia. Lebow

2004-01-01

Preservative treated wood contains components that may be toxic to non-target organisms if released into the environment in sufficient quantities. Numerous studies have been conducted to determine the rate of preservative release from treated wood and/or the extent of their subsequent accumulation in the environment. These studies have produced a wide range of results...

Variability in evaluating environmental impacts of treated wood.

Treesearch

Stan T. Lebow; Paul Cooper; Patricia K. Lebow

2004-01-01

Preservative-treated wood contains components that may be toxic to non-target organisms if released into the environment in sufficient quantities. Numerous studies have been conducted to determine the rate of preservative release from treated wood and/or the extent of their subsequent accumulation in the environment. These studies have produced a wide range of results...

Genetic variation of piperidine alkaloids in Pinus ponderosa from a common garden

Treesearch

Elizabeth A. Gerson; Rick G. Kelsey; Bradley J. St. Clair

2012-01-01

Most species of pine and spruce synthesize and accumulate variable quantities of alkaloids in their tissues. These compounds express numerous types of biological activities in bioassay and could potentially offer resistance against enemies, although this function has never been confirmed for any known enemies of pine or spruce under natural conditions. The...

Permeability measurements on new and equitemperature snow

Treesearch

R. A. Sommerfeld; J. R. Rocchio

1993-01-01

During the month of February, between 46 and 53% of the land area of the northern hemisphere is snow covered. Continental snowpacks act as chemical reservoirs; pollutants can accumulate in the pack over the entire winter and are released during a relatively short spring melt period. Interactions between the snow and the atmosphere can change the quantities of different...

Growing Large Quantities of Containerized Seedlings

Treesearch

Tim Pittman

2002-01-01

The sowing of large quantities of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) seed into trays depends on the quality of the seed and the timing of seed sowing. This can be accomplished with mechanization. Seed quality is accomplished by using a gravity table. Tray filling can be accomplished by using a ribbon-type soil mixer and an automated tray-filling...

An effective and simple procedure to isolate abundant quantities of biologically active chemopreventive lunasin-protease inhibitor concentrate (LPIC) from soybean

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lunasin is a 5-kDa soybean bioactive peptide with demonstrated anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. The use of lunasin as a chemopreventive agent in large-scale animal studies and human clinical trials is hampered by the paucity of large quantities of lunasin. Recently, purification methods...

The influence of large wood accumulations on riparian seed bank diversity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osei, N. A.

2012-04-01

Little is known about the structure and complexity of seed bank within the riparian corridor and the how large wood accumulations contribute to riparian seed bank diversity. This study aimed to examine and quantify seed bank assemblage and diversity along the undisturbed riparian corridor of the Highland Water, a second order lowland stream draining the New Forest. Seed bank samples were collected from five riparian corridor microhabitats namely mid-channel bars, floodplains, bare banks, banks adjacent large wood accumulations and within large wood accumulations that differed in their hydrologic connectivity with the river. Descriptive statistics and ordination methods applied to the floristic and sediment data sets indicates that sediment organic matter content, species richness and proportions of functional types distinctly differed among the riparian microhabitats types but there was no difference in viable seed densities. Banks adjacent large wood accumulations were the most floristically diverse and rich in organic matter with mid-channel bars exhibiting the reverse. This was due to the ability of large wood accumulations to buffer varying magnitudes of physical gradients and sort seeds and sediments, therefore altering the character of bare banks. This study not only strengthen the evidence that riparian corridors exhibit elevated spatial sediment and vegetation heterogeneity but also demonstrates the importance of large wood accumulation as habitat modifiers, ecosystem engineers and conservation sink for moisture, organic matter and seeds, resources essential for riparian vegetation conservation, recovery and restoration efforts.

Critically safe vacuum pickup for use in wet or dry cleanup of radioactive materials

DOEpatents

Zeren, Joseph D.

1994-01-01

A vacuum pickup of critically safe quantity and geometric shape is used in cleanup of radioactive materials. Collected radioactive material is accumulated in four vertical, parallel, equally spaced canisters arranged in a cylinder configuration. Each canister contains a filter bag. An upper intake manifold includes four 90 degree spaced, downward facing nipples. Each nipple communicates with the top of a canister. The bottom of each canister communicates with an exhaust manifold comprising four radially extending tubes that meet at the bottom of a centrally located vertical cylinder. The top of the central cylinder terminates at a motor/fan power head. A removable HEPA filter is located intermediate the top of the central cylinder and the power head. Four horizontal bypass tubes connect the top of the central cylinder to the top of each of the canisters. Air enters the vacuum cleaner via a hose connected to the intake manifold. Air then travels down the canisters, where particulate material is accumulated in generally equal quantities in each filter bag. Four air paths of bag filtered air then pass radially inward to the bottom of the central cylinder. Air moves up the central cylinder, through the HEPA filter, through a vacuum fan compartment, and exits the vacuum cleaner. A float air flow valve is mounted at the top of the central cylinder. When liquid accumulates to a given level within the central cylinder, the four bypass tubes, and the four canisters, suction is terminated by operation of the float valve.

Biennial Hazardous Waste Report

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Federal regulations require large quantity generators to submit a report (EPA form 8700-13A/B) every two years regarding the nature, quantities and disposition of hazardous waste generated at their facility.

Discovery of Newer Therapeutic Leads for Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

promising plant extracts and then prepare large-scale quantities of the plant extracts using supercritical fluid extraction techniques and use this...quantities of the plant extracts using supercritical fluid extraction techniques. Large scale plant collections were conducted for 14 of the top 20...material for bioassay-guided fractionation of the biologically active constituents using modern chromatography techniques. The chemical structures of

Large Scale Culture of Ginseng Adventitious Roots for Production of Ginsenosides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paek, Kee-Yoeup; Murthy, Hosakatte Niranjana; Hahn, Eun-Joo; Zhong, Jian-Jiang

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) is one of the most famous oriental medicinal plants used as crude drugs in Asian countries, and now it is being used worldwide for preventive and therapeutic purposes. Among diverse constituents of ginseng, saponins (ginsenosides) have been found to be major components responsible for their biological and pharmacological actions. On the other hand, difficulties in the supply of pure ginsenosides in quantity prevent the development of ginseng for clinical medicines. Cultivation of ginseng in fields takes a long time, generally 5-7 years, and needs extensive effort regarding quality control since growth is susceptible to many environmental factors including soil, shade, climate, pathogens and pests. To solve the problems, cell and tissue cultures have been widely explored for more rapid and efficient production of ginseng biomass and ginsenosides. Recently, cell and adventitious root cultures of P. ginseng have been established in large scale bioreactors with a view to commercial application. Various physiological and engineering parameters affecting the biomass production and ginsenoside accumulation have been investigated. Advances in adventitious root cultures including factors for process scale-up are reviewed in this chapter. In addition, biosafety analyses of ginseng adventitious roots are also discussed for real application.

Environmental Impacts and Hotspots of Food Losses: Value Chain Analysis of Swiss Food Consumption.

PubMed

Beretta, Claudio; Stucki, Matthias; Hellweg, Stefanie

2017-10-03

Reducing food losses and waste is crucial to making our food system more efficient and sustainable. This is the first paper that quantifies the environmental impacts of food waste by distinguishing the various stages of the food value chain, 33 food categories that represent the whole food basket in Switzerland, and including food waste treatment. Environmental impacts are expressed in terms of climate change and biodiversity impacts due to water and land use. Climate change impacts of food waste are highest for fresh vegetables, due to the large amounts wasted, while the specific impact per kg is largest for beef. Biodiversity impacts are mainly caused by cocoa and coffee (16% of total) and by beef (12%). Food waste at the end of the food value chain (households and food services) causes almost 60% of the total climate impacts of food waste, because of the large quantities lost at this stage and the higher accumulated impacts per kg of product. The net environmental benefits from food waste treatment are only 5-10% of the impacts from production and supply of the wasted food. Thus, avoiding food waste should be a first-line priority, while optimizing the method of treatment is less relevant.

Planet Formation and the Characteristics of Extrasolar Planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lissauer, Jack J.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

An overview of current theories of planetary growth, emphasizing the formation of extrasolar planets, is presented. Models of planet formation are based upon observations of the Solar System, extrasolar planets, and young stars and their environments. Terrestrial planets are believed to grow via pairwise accretion until the spacing of planetary orbits becomes large enough that the configuration is stable for the age of the system. Giant planets begin their growth like terrestrial planets, but if they become massive enough before the protoplanetary disk dissipates, then they are able to accumulate substantial amounts of gas. These models predict that rocky planets should form in orbit about most single stars. It is uncertain whether or not gas giant planet formation is common, because most protoplanetary disks may dissipate before solid planetary cores can grow large enough to gravitationally trap substantial quantities of gas. A potential hazard to planetary systems is radial decay of planetary orbits resulting from interactions with material within the disk. Planets more massive than Earth have the potential to decay the fastest, and may be able to sweep up smaller planets in their path. The implications of the giant planets found in recent radial velocity searches for the abundances of habitable planets are discussed.

Evidence for exocellular Arsenic in Fronds of Pteris vittata

DOE PAGES

Datta, Rupali; Das, Padmini; Tappero, Ryan; ...

2017-06-06

The arsenic (As) hyperaccumulating fern species Pteris vittata (PV) is capable of accumulating large quantities of As in its aboveground tissues. Transformation to AsIII and vacuolar sequestration is believed to be the As detoxification mechanism in PV. Here we present evidence for a preponderance of exocellular As in fronds of Pteris vittata despite numerous reports of a tolerance mechanism involving intracellular compartmentalization. Results of an extraction experiment show that 43–71% of the As extruded out of the fronds of PV grown in 0.67, 3.3 and 6.7 mM AsV. SEM-EDX analysis showed that As was localized largely on the lower pinnamore » surface, with smaller amounts on the upper surface, as crystalline deposits. X-ray fluorescence imaging of pinna cross-sections revealed preferential localization of As on the pinna surface in the proximity of veins, with the majority localized near the midrib. Majority of the As in the pinnae is contained in the apoplast rather than vacuoles. Our results provide evidence that exocellular sequestration is potentially a mechanism of As detoxification in PV, particularly at higher As concentrations, raising concern about its use for phytoremediation.« less

Evidence for exocellular Arsenic in Fronds of Pteris vittata

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Datta, Rupali; Das, Padmini; Tappero, Ryan

The arsenic (As) hyperaccumulating fern species Pteris vittata (PV) is capable of accumulating large quantities of As in its aboveground tissues. Transformation to AsIII and vacuolar sequestration is believed to be the As detoxification mechanism in PV. Here we present evidence for a preponderance of exocellular As in fronds of Pteris vittata despite numerous reports of a tolerance mechanism involving intracellular compartmentalization. Results of an extraction experiment show that 43–71% of the As extruded out of the fronds of PV grown in 0.67, 3.3 and 6.7 mM AsV. SEM-EDX analysis showed that As was localized largely on the lower pinnamore » surface, with smaller amounts on the upper surface, as crystalline deposits. X-ray fluorescence imaging of pinna cross-sections revealed preferential localization of As on the pinna surface in the proximity of veins, with the majority localized near the midrib. Majority of the As in the pinnae is contained in the apoplast rather than vacuoles. Our results provide evidence that exocellular sequestration is potentially a mechanism of As detoxification in PV, particularly at higher As concentrations, raising concern about its use for phytoremediation.« less

Assessment of storage lipid accumulation patterns in eucalanoid copepods from the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cass, Christine J.; Daly, Kendra L.; Wakeham, Stuart G.

2014-11-01

Members of the copepod family Eucalanidae are widely distributed throughout the world's oceans and have been noted for their accumulation of storage lipids in high- and low-latitude environments. However, little is known about the lipid composition of eucalanoid copepods in low-latitude environments. The purpose of this study was to examine fatty acid and alcohol profiles in the storage lipids (wax esters and triacylglycerols) of Eucalanus inermis, Rhincalanus rostrifrons, R. nasutus, Pareucalanus attenuatus, and Subeucalanus subtenuis, collected primarily in the eastern tropical north Pacific near the Tehuantepec Bowl and Costa Rica Dome regions, noted for its oxygen minimum zone, during fall 2007 and winter 2008/2009. Adult copepods and particulate material were collected in the upper 50 m and from 200 to 300 m in the upper oxycline. Lipid profiles of particulate matter were generated to help ascertain information on ecological strategies of these species and on differential accumulation of dietary and modified fatty acids in the wax ester and triacylglycerol storage lipid components of these copepods in relation to their vertical distributions around the oxygen minimum zone. Additional data on phospholipid fatty acid and sterol/fatty alcohol fractions were also generated to obtain a comprehensive lipid data set for each sample. Rhincalanus spp. accumulated relatively large amounts of storage lipids (31-80% of dry mass (DM)), while E. inermis had moderate amounts (2-9% DM), and P. attenuatus and S. subtenuis had low quantities of storage lipid (0-1% DM). E. inermis and S. subtenuis primarily accumulated triacylglycerols (>90% of storage lipids), while P. attenuatus and Rhincalanus spp. primarily accumulated wax esters (>84% of storage lipids). Based on previously generated molecular phylogenies of the Eucalanidae family, these results appear to support genetic predisposition as a major factor explaining why a given species accumulates primarily triacylglycerols or wax esters, and also potentially dictating major fatty acid and alcohol accumulation patterns within the more highly modified wax ester fraction. Comparisons of fatty acid profiles between triacylglycerol and wax ester components in copepods with that in available prey suggested that copepod triacylglycerols were more reflective of dietary fatty acids, while wax esters contained a higher proportion of modified or de novo synthesized forms. Sterols and phospholipid fatty acids were similar between species, confirming high levels of regulation within these components. Similarities between triacylglycerol fatty acid profiles of E. inermis collected in surface waters and at >200 m depth indicate little to no feeding during their ontogenetic migration to deeper, low-oxygen waters.

Profiling of Genes Related to Cross Protection and Competition for NbTOM1 by HLSV and TMV

PubMed Central

Wen, Yi; Lim, Grace Xiao-Yun; Wong, Sek-Man

2013-01-01

Cross protection is the phenomenon through which a mild strain virus suppresses symptoms induced by a closely related severe strain virus in infected plants. Hibiscus latent Singapore virus (HLSV) and Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) are species within the genus tobamovirus. HLSV can protect Nicotiana benthamiana against TMV-U1 strain, resulting in mild symptoms instead of severe systemic necrosis. The mechanism of cross protection between HLSV and TMV is unknown. In the past, some researchers suggest that the protecting virus strain might occupy virus-specific replication sites within a cell leaving no room for the challenge virus. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR was performed to detect viral RNA levels during cross protection. HLSV accumulation increased in cross protected plants compared with that of single HLSV infected plants, while TMV decreased in cross protected plants. This suggests that there is a competition for host factors between HLSV and TMV for replication. To investigate the mechanism under the cross protection between HLSV and TMV, microarray analysis was conducted to examine the transcriptional levels of global host genes during cross protection, using Tobacco Gene Expression Microarray, 4x44 k slides. The transcriptional level of some host genes corresponded to accumulation level of TMV. Some host genes were up-regulated only by HLSV. Tobamovirus multiplication gene 1 (TOM1), essential for tobamovirus multiplication, was involved in competition for replication by HLSV and TMV during cross protection. Both HLSV and TMV accumulation decreased when NbTOM1 was silenced. A large quantity of HLSV resulted in decreased TMV accumulation in HLSV+TMV (100:1) co-infection. These results indicate that host genes involved in the plant defense response and virus multiplication are up-regulated by challenge virus TMV but not by protecting virus HLSV during cross protection. PMID:24023899

Geology and occurrence of ground water in Lyon County, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodis, Harry G.

1963-01-01

Large quantities of ground water are available from melt-water channels in the county. Moderate quantities, adequate for domestic and small industrial needs, are available from many of the small isolated deposits of sand and gravel in the till. Small quantities of ground water, adequate only for domestic supply, generally can be obtained from Cretaceous sandstone.

Quantity Representation in Children and Rhesus Monkeys: Linear Versus Logarithmic Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beran, Michael J.; Johnson-Pynn, Julie S.; Ready, Christopher

2008-01-01

The performances of 4- and 5-year-olds and rhesus monkeys were compared using a computerized task for quantity assessment. Participants first learned two quantity anchor values and then responded to intermediate values by classifying them as similar to either the large anchor or the small anchor. Of primary interest was an assessment of where the…

In vivo quantification of intraventricular hemorrhage in a neonatal piglet model using an EEG-layout based electrical impedance tomography array.

PubMed

Tang, Te; Weiss, Michael D; Borum, Peggy; Turovets, Sergei; Tucker, Don; Sadleir, Rosalind

2016-06-01

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a common occurrence in the days immediately after premature birth. It has been correlated with outcomes such as periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), cerebral palsy and developmental delay. The causes and evolution of IVH are unclear; it has been associated with fluctuations in blood pressure, damage to the subventricular zone and seizures. At present, ultrasound is the most commonly used method for detection of IVH, but is used retrospectively. Without the presence of adequate therapies to avert IVH, the use of a continuous monitoring technique may be somewhat moot. While treatments to mitigate the damage caused by IVH are still under development, the principal benefit of a continuous monitoring technique will be in investigations into the etiology of IVH, and its associations with periventricular injury and blood pressure fluctuations. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is potentially of use in this context as accumulating blood displaces higher conductivity cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles. We devised an electrode array and EIT measurement strategy that performed well in detection of simulated ventricular blood in computer models and phantom studies. In this study we describe results of pilot in vivo experiments on neonatal piglets, and show that EIT has high sensitivity and specificity to small quantities of blood (<1 ml) introduced into the ventricle. EIT images were processed to an index representing the quantity of accumulated blood (the 'quantity index', QI). We found that QI values were linearly related to fluid quantity, and that the slope of the curve was consistent between measurements on different subjects. Linear discriminant analysis showed a false positive rate of 0%, and receiver operator characteristic analysis found area under curve values greater than 0.98 to administered volumes between 0.5, and 2.0 ml. We believe our study indicates that this method may be well suited to quantitative monitoring of IVH in newborns, simultaneously or interleaved with electroencephalograph assessments.

Similarities in chemical composition of soil organic matter across a millennia-old paddy soil chronosequence as revealed by advanced solid-state NMR spectroscopy

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil organic matter (SOM) accumulation in paddy soils has aroused considerable attention due to its vital significance in global food, energy, climate, and environmental issues. Considerable progress has been made toward the understanding of changes in the quantity of SOM in paddy soils over a mille...

Premature germination of forest tree seed during natural storage in duff

Treesearch

I. T. Haig

1932-01-01

For some years forest investigators in the Pacific Northwest have been aware of the considerable quantity of tree seed which accumulates in the duff of heavy virgin timber stands and apparently retains its vitality for a few years in a sort of natural cold-storage condition. The major portion of the luxuriant regeneration which frequently follows logging and forest...

Effects of fire behavior on prescribed fire smoke characteristics: A case study [Chapter 50

Treesearch

Wayne Einfeld; Darold E. Ward; Colin Hardy

1991-01-01

Biomass burning on a global scale injects a substantial quantity of gaseous and particulate matter emissions into the troposphere. Some of these combustion products are known to accumulate in the atmosphere and are implicated in observed changes in tropospheric composition and chemistry. The practice of open burning of biomass has come under close examination as a...

Study of quantitative interactions of potato and corn starch granules with ions in diluted solutions of heavy metal salts.

PubMed

Szymońska, Joanna; Molenda, Marcin; Wieczorek, Jerzy

2015-12-10

Interactions of potato and corn starch granules with ions in diluted solutions of silver, lead, copper or iron salts were investigated. It was shown experimentally that granules accumulated the cations in amounts depending on the granule structure and water content as well as a type of both metal and counter-ions present in solution. Potato starch retained almost three times more cations compared to corn starch what was proportional to the total phosphorous content in these starches. Quantity of milligrams of cations bound by 1g of starch was inversely correlated with the cation hydration. Ag(+), Pb(2+) and Cu(2+) were connected in stoichiometric amounts of moles to semicrystalline and amorphous parts of the granules. Fe(3+) ions were accumulated in higher than stoichiometric quantities mainly in granule amorphous regions. Metal ions penetrated into granules together with anions except nitrates which remained on surface of potato starch granules. Cations facilitated the starch thermal decomposition in accordance with values of their standard redox potentials. Nitrates supported this process only in the presence of base metal cations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Marine debris contamination along undeveloped tropical beaches from northeast Brazil.

PubMed

Santos, Isaac R; Friedrich, Ana Cláudia; Ivar do Sul, Juliana Assunção

2009-01-01

We hypothesize that floating debris leaving polluted coastal bays accumulate on nearby pristine beaches. We examined composition, quantities and distribution of marine debris along approximately 150 km of relatively undeveloped, tropical beaches in Costa do Dendê (Bahia, Brazil). The study site is located south of Salvador City, the largest urban settlement from NE Brazil. Strong spatial variations were observed. Plastics accounted for 76% of the sampled items, followed by styrofoam (14%). Small plastic fragments resultant from the breakdown of larger items are ubiquitous all over the area. Because the dominant littoral drift in Bahia is southward, average beach debris densities (9.1 items/m) along Costa do Dendê were threefold higher than densities previously observed north of Salvador City. River-dominated and stable beaches had higher debris quantities than unstable, erosional beaches. Areas immediately south of the major regional embayments (Camamu and Todos os Santos) were the preferential accumulation sites, indicating that rivers draining populous areas are the major source of debris to the study site. Our results provide baseline information for future assessments. Management actions should focus on input prevention at the hydrographic basin level rather than on cleaning services on beaches.

Intra-basin variability of snowmelt water balance calculations in a subarctic catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCartney, Stephen E.; Carey, Sean K.; Pomeroy, John W.

2006-03-01

The intra-basin variability of snowmelt and melt-water runoff hydrology in an 8 km2 subarctic alpine tundra catchment was examined for the 2003 melt period. The catchment, Granger Creek, is within the Wolf Creek Research Basin, Yukon, which is typical of mountain subarctic landscapes in northwestern Canada. The study catchment was segmented into nine internally uniform zones termed hydrological response units (HRUs) based on their similar hydrological, physiographic, vegetation and soil properties. Snow accumulation exhibited significant variability among the HRUs, with greatest snow water equivalent in areas of tall shrub vegetation. Melt began first on southerly exposures and at lower elevations, yet average melt rates for the study period varied little among HRUs with the exception of those with steep aspects. In HRUs with capping organic soils, melt water first infiltrated this surface horizon, satisfying its storage capacity, and then percolated into the frozen mineral substrate. Infiltration and percolation into frozen mineral soils was restricted where melt occurred rapidly and organic soils were thin; in this case, melt-water delivery rates exceeded the frozen mineral soil infiltration rate, resulting in high runoff rates. In contrast, where there were slower melt rates and thick organic soils, infiltration was unlimited and runoff was suppressed. The snow water equivalent had a large impact on runoff volume, as soil storage capacity was quickly surpassed in areas of deep snow, diverting the bulk of melt water laterally to the drainage network. A spatially distributed water balance indicated that the snowmelt freshet was primarily controlled by areas with tall shrub vegetation that accumulate large quantities of snow and by alpine areas with no capping organic soils. The intra-basin water balance variability has important implications for modelling freshet in hydrological models.

Late Pleistocene steppe lion Panthera leo spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) footprints and bone records from open air sites in northern Germany - Evidence of hyena-lion antagonism and scavenging in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diedrich, Cajus G.

2011-07-01

Bone remains and a trackway of Pantheraichnus bottropensis nov. ichg. ichnsp. of the Late Pleistocene lion Panthera leo spelaea ( Goldfuss, 1810) have been recovered from Bottrop and other open air sites in northern Germany. Some of these bones are from open air hyena den sites. A relative high proportion of lion bones (20%) exhibit bite, chew or nibble marks, or bone crushing and nibbling caused by a large carnivore. Repeated patterns of similar bone damage have been compared to bone remains found at hyena dens in gypsum karst areas and cave sites in northern Germany. Ice Age spotted hyenas have been the main antagonists and the main scavengers on lion carcasses. The remains appear to have been imported often by hyenas into their communal dens, supporting the theory of strong hyena-lion antagonism, similar to the well documented antagonism between modern African lions and spotted hyenas. Most of the lion bones from the open air hyena den at Bottrop are probably a result of such antagonism, as are the rare remains of these carnivores found within large hyena prey bone accumulations along the Pleistocene rivers. The Emscher River terrace also has the largest quantity of hyena remains from open air river terrace sites in northern Germany. Their cub remains, and incomplete chewed prey bones from mammoths and woolly rhinoceroses, typical of hyena activity, underline the character of these sites as cub-raising and communal dens, where their prey was accumulated along the riverbanks in a similar manner to modern African hyenas.

The effect of fire on soil organic matter--a review.

PubMed

González-Pérez, José A; González-Vila, Francisco J; Almendros, Gonzalo; Knicker, Heike

2004-08-01

The extent of the soil organic carbon pool doubles that present in the atmosphere and is about two to three times greater than that accumulated in living organisms in all Earth's terrestrial ecosystems. In such a scenario, one of the several ecological and environmental impacts of fires is that biomass burning is a significant source of greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. Nevertheless, the oxidation of biomass is usually incomplete and a range of pyrolysis compounds and particulate organic matter (OM) in aerosols are produced simultaneously to the thermal modification of pre-existing C forms in soil. These changes lead to the evolution of the OM to "pyromorphic humus", composed by rearranged macromolecular substances of weak colloidal properties and an enhanced resistance against chemical and biological degradation. Hence the occurrence of fires in both undisturbed and agricultural ecosystems may produce long-lasting effects on soils' OM composition and dynamics. Due to the large extent of the C pool in soils, small deviations in the different C forms may also have a significant effect in the global C balance and consequently on climate change. This paper reviews the effect of forest fires on the quantity and quality of soils' OM. It is focused mainly on the most stable pool of soil C; i.e., that having a large residence time, composed of free lipids, colloidal fractions, including humic acids (HA) and fulvic acids (FA), and other resilient forms. The main transformations exerted by fire on soil humus include the accumulation of new particulate C forms highly resistant to oxidation and biological degradation including the so-called "black carbon" (BC). Controversial environmental implications of such processes, specifically in the stabilisation of C in soil and their bearing on the global C cycle are discussed.

Fighting cancer with nanomedicine---drug-polyester nanoconjugates for targeted cancer therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Qian

The aim of my Ph. D. research is to develop drug-polyester nanoconjugates (NCs) as a novel translational polymeric drug delivery system that can successfully evade non-specific uptake by reticuloendothelial system (RES) and facilitate targeted cancer diagnosis and therapy. By uniquely integrating well-established chemical reaction-controlled ring opening polymerization (ROP) with nanoprecipitation technique, I successfully developed a polymeric NC system based on poly(lactic acid) and poly(O-carboxyanhydrides) (OCA) that allows for the quantitative loading and controlled release of a variety of anticancer drugs. The developed NC system could be easily modified with parmidronate, one of bisphosphonates commonly used as the treatment for disease characterized by osteolysis, to selectively deliver doxorubicin (Doxo) to the bone tissues and substantially to improve their therapeutic efficiency in inhibiting the growth of osteosarcoma in both murine and canine models. More importantly, the developed NCs could avidly bind to human serum albumin, a ubiquitous protein in the blood, to bypass the endothelium barrier and penetrate into tumor tissues more deeply and efficiently. When compared with PEGylated NCs, these albumin-bound NCs showed significantly reduced accumulation in RES and enhanced tumor accumulation, which consequently contributed to higher their tumor inhibition capabilities. In addition, the developed NC system allows easy incorporation of X-ray computed tomography (CT) contrast agents to largely facilitate personalized therapy by improving diagnosis accuracy and monitoring therapeutic efficacy. Through the synthetic and formulation strategy I developed, a large quantity (grams or larger-scale) of drug-polyester NCs can be easily obtained, which can be used as a model drug delivery system for fundamental studies as well as a real drug delivery system for disease treatment in clinical settings.

Performance of vertical up-flow constructed wetlands on swine wastewater containing tetracyclines and tet genes.

PubMed

Huang, Xu; Liu, Chaoxiang; Li, Ke; Su, Jianqiang; Zhu, Gefu; Liu, Lin

2015-03-01

Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) pollution in animal feeding farms received more public attention recently. Livestock wastewater contains large quantities of antibiotics and ARGs even after traditional lagoon treatment. In this study, the performance of vertical up-flow constructed wetlands (VUF-CWs) on swine wastewater containing tetracycline compounds (TCs) and tet genes was evaluated based on three aspects, TCs and tet genes removal efficiencies, residual TCs and tet genes in soils and plants, and the effect of TCs accumulation on nutrients removal and tet genes development. High removal efficiencies (69.0-99.9%) were achieved for oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) with or without OTC spiked in the influent additionally. TCs concentrations in surface soils increased at first two sampling periods and then decreased after plants were harvested. Satisfactory nutrients removal efficiencies were also obtained, but TN and NH4-N removal efficiencies were significantly negative correlated with total concentration of TCs (∑TCs) in the soils (p < 0.01). The absolute abundances of all the target genes (tetO, tetM, tetW, tetA, tetX and intI1) were greatly reduced with their log units ranging from 0.26 to 3.3. However, the relative abundances of tetO, tetM and tetX in some effluent samples were significantly higher than those in the influent (p < 0.05). The relative abundances of tet genes except for tetO were significantly correlated with ∑TCs in the soils (p < 0.05). In summary, the proposed VUF-CWs are effective alternative for the removal of TCs and tet genes. But it is of great importance to prevent large accumulation of TCs in the soils. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Root cultures of Hypericum perforatum subsp. angustifolium elicited with chitosan and production of xanthone-rich extracts with antifungal activity.

PubMed

Tocci, Noemi; Simonetti, Giovanna; D'Auria, Felicia Diodata; Panella, Simona; Palamara, Anna Teresa; Valletta, Alessio; Pasqua, Gabriella

2011-08-01

Hypericum perforatum is a well-known medicinal plant which contains a wide variety of metabolites, including xanthones, which have a wide range of biological properties, including antifungal activity. In the present study, we evaluated the capability of roots regenerated from calli of H. perforatum subsp. angustifolium to produce xanthones. Root biomass was positively correlated with the indole-3-butyric acid concentration, whereas a concentration of 1 mg l(-1) was the most suitable for the development of roots. High auxin concentrations also inhibited xanthone accumulation. Xanthones were produced in large amounts, with a very stable trend throughout the culture period. When the roots were treated with chitosan, the xanthone content dramatically increased, peaking after 7 days. Chitosan also induced a release of these metabolites into the culture. The maximum accumulation (14.26 ± 0.62 mg g(-1) dry weight [DW]) and release (2.64 ± 0.13 mg g(-1) DW) of xanthones were recorded 7 days after treatment. The most represented xanthones were isolated, purified, and spectroscopically characterized. Antifungal activity of the total root extracts was tested against a broad panel of human fungal pathogen strains (30 Candida species, 12 Cryptococcus neoformans, and 16 dermatophytes); this activity significantly increased when using chitosan. Extracts obtained after 7 days of chitosan treatment showed high antifungal activity (mean minimum inhibitory concentration of 83.4, 39.1, and 114 μg ml(-1) against Candida spp., C. neoformans, and dermatophytes, respectively). Our results suggest that root cultures can be considered as a potential tool for large-scale production of extracts with stable quantities of xanthones.

Regulation of Nitrogen Metabolism by GATA Zinc Finger Transcription Factors in Yarrowia lipolytica

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pomraning, Kyle R.; Bredeweg, Erin L.; Baker, Scott E.

ABSTRACT Fungi accumulate lipids in a manner dependent on the quantity and quality of the nitrogen source on which they are growing. In the oleaginous yeastYarrowia lipolytica, growth on a complex source of nitrogen enables rapid growth and limited accumulation of neutral lipids, while growth on a simple nitrogen source promotes lipid accumulation in large lipid droplets. Here we examined the roles of nitrogen catabolite repression and its regulation by GATA zinc finger transcription factors on lipid metabolism inY. lipolytica. Deletion of the GATA transcription factor genesgzf3andgzf2resulted in nitrogen source-specific growth defects and greater accumulation of lipids when the cells weremore » growing on a simple nitrogen source. Deletion ofgzf1, which is most similar to activators of genes repressed by nitrogen catabolite repression in filamentous ascomycetes, did not affect growth on the nitrogen sources tested. We examined gene expression of wild-type and GATA transcription factor mutants on simple and complex nitrogen sources and found that expression of enzymes involved in malate metabolism, beta-oxidation, and ammonia utilization are strongly upregulated on a simple nitrogen source. Deletion ofgzf3results in overexpression of genes with GATAA sites in their promoters, suggesting that it acts as a repressor, whilegzf2is required for expression of ammonia utilization genes but does not grossly affect the transcription level of genes predicted to be controlled by nitrogen catabolite repression. Both GATA transcription factor mutants exhibit decreased expression of genes controlled by carbon catabolite repression via the repressormig1, including genes for beta-oxidation, highlighting the complex interplay between regulation of carbon, nitrogen, and lipid metabolism. IMPORTANCENitrogen source is commonly used to control lipid production in industrial fungi. Here we identified regulators of nitrogen catabolite repression in the oleaginous yeastY. lipolyticato determine how the nitrogen source regulates lipid metabolism. We show that disruption of both activators and repressors of nitrogen catabolite repression leads to increased lipid accumulation via activation of carbon catabolite repression through an as yet uncharacterized method.« less

Sugar loss and enzyme inhibition due to oligosaccharide accumulation during high solids-loading enzymatic hydrolysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xue, Saisi; Uppugundla, Nirmal; Bowman, Michael J.

Accumulation of recalcitrant oligosaccharides during high-solids loading enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass reduces biofuel yields and increases processing costs for a cellulosic biorefinery. Recalcitrant oligosaccharides in AFEX-pretreated corn stover hydrolysate accumulate to the extent of about 18–25 % of the total soluble sugars in the hydrolysate and 12–18 % of the total polysaccharides in the inlet biomass (untreated), equivalent to a yield loss of about 7–9 kg of monomeric sugars per 100 kg of inlet dry biomass (untreated). These oligosaccharides represent a yield loss and also inhibit commercial hydrolytic enzymes, with both being serious bottlenecks for economical biofuel production frommore » cellulosic biomass. Very little is understood about the nature of these oligomers and why they are recalcitrant to commercial enzymes. This work presents a robust method for separating recalcitrant oligosaccharides from high solid loading hydrolysate in gramme quantities. Composition analysis, recalcitrance study and enzyme inhibition study were performed to understand their chemical nature. Results indicate that, oligosaccharide accumulation occurs during high solid loading enzymatic hydrolysis of corn stover (CS) irrespective of using different pretreated corn stover (dilute acid: DA, ionic liquids: IL, and ammonia fibre expansion: AFEX). The methodology for large-scale separation of recalcitrant oligosaccharides from 25 % solids-loading AFEXcorn stover hydrolysate using charcoal fractionation and size exclusion chromatography is reported for the first time. Oligosaccharides with higher degree of polymerization (DP) were recalcitrant towards commercial enzyme mixtures [Ctec2, Htec2 and Multifect pectinase (MP)] compared to lower DP oligosaccharides. Enzyme inhibition studies using processed substrates (Avicel and xylan) showed that low DP oligosaccharides also inhibit commercial enzymes. Addition of monomeric sugars to oligosaccharides increases the inhibitory effects of oligosaccharides on commercial enzymes. In conclusion, the carbohydrate composition of the recalcitrant oligosaccharides, ratios of different DP oligomers and their distribution profiles were determined. Recalcitrance and enzyme inhibition studies help determine whether the commercial enzyme mixtures lack the enzyme activities required to completely de-polymerize the plant cell wall. Such studies clarify the reasons for oligosaccharide accumulation and contribute to strategies by which oligosaccharides can be converted into fermentable sugars and provide higher biofuel yields with less enzyme.« less

Sugar loss and enzyme inhibition due to oligosaccharide accumulation during high solids-loading enzymatic hydrolysis

DOE PAGES

Xue, Saisi; Uppugundla, Nirmal; Bowman, Michael J.; ...

2015-11-26

Accumulation of recalcitrant oligosaccharides during high-solids loading enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass reduces biofuel yields and increases processing costs for a cellulosic biorefinery. Recalcitrant oligosaccharides in AFEX-pretreated corn stover hydrolysate accumulate to the extent of about 18–25 % of the total soluble sugars in the hydrolysate and 12–18 % of the total polysaccharides in the inlet biomass (untreated), equivalent to a yield loss of about 7–9 kg of monomeric sugars per 100 kg of inlet dry biomass (untreated). These oligosaccharides represent a yield loss and also inhibit commercial hydrolytic enzymes, with both being serious bottlenecks for economical biofuel production frommore » cellulosic biomass. Very little is understood about the nature of these oligomers and why they are recalcitrant to commercial enzymes. This work presents a robust method for separating recalcitrant oligosaccharides from high solid loading hydrolysate in gramme quantities. Composition analysis, recalcitrance study and enzyme inhibition study were performed to understand their chemical nature. Results indicate that, oligosaccharide accumulation occurs during high solid loading enzymatic hydrolysis of corn stover (CS) irrespective of using different pretreated corn stover (dilute acid: DA, ionic liquids: IL, and ammonia fibre expansion: AFEX). The methodology for large-scale separation of recalcitrant oligosaccharides from 25 % solids-loading AFEXcorn stover hydrolysate using charcoal fractionation and size exclusion chromatography is reported for the first time. Oligosaccharides with higher degree of polymerization (DP) were recalcitrant towards commercial enzyme mixtures [Ctec2, Htec2 and Multifect pectinase (MP)] compared to lower DP oligosaccharides. Enzyme inhibition studies using processed substrates (Avicel and xylan) showed that low DP oligosaccharides also inhibit commercial enzymes. Addition of monomeric sugars to oligosaccharides increases the inhibitory effects of oligosaccharides on commercial enzymes. In conclusion, the carbohydrate composition of the recalcitrant oligosaccharides, ratios of different DP oligomers and their distribution profiles were determined. Recalcitrance and enzyme inhibition studies help determine whether the commercial enzyme mixtures lack the enzyme activities required to completely de-polymerize the plant cell wall. Such studies clarify the reasons for oligosaccharide accumulation and contribute to strategies by which oligosaccharides can be converted into fermentable sugars and provide higher biofuel yields with less enzyme.« less

An Analytical Investigation of the Heat Losses from a U.S. Navy K-Type Airship

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hillendahl, Wesley H.; George, Ralph E.

1946-01-01

The heat losses from the envelope surface of a U.S. Navy K-type airship are evaluated to determine if the use of heat is a feasible means of preventing ice and snow accumulations on lighter-than-air craft during flight and when moored uncovered. Consideration is given to heat losses in clear air (no liquid water present in the atmosphere) and in probable conditions of icing and snow. The results of the analysis indicate that the amount of heat required in flight to raise the surface temperature of the entire envelope to the extent considered adequate for ice protection, based on experience with tests of heavier-than-air craft, is very large. Existing types of heating equipment which could be used to supply this quantity of heat would probably be too bulky and heavy to provide a practical flight installation. The heat requirements to provide protection for the nose and stern regions in assumed mild to moderate icing conditions appear to be within the range of the capacity of current types of heating equipment suitable for flight use. The amount of heat necessary to prevent snow accumulations on the upper surface of the airship envelope when moored uncovered under all conditions appear to be excessive for the heating equipment presently available for flight use, but could possibly be achieved with auxiliary ground heating equipment.

Toward identifying the next generation of superfund and hazardous waste site contaminants.

PubMed

Ela, Wendell P; Sedlak, David L; Barlaz, Morton A; Henry, Heather F; Muir, Derek C G; Swackhamer, Deborah L; Weber, Eric J; Arnold, Robert G; Ferguson, P Lee; Field, Jennifer A; Furlong, Edward T; Giesy, John P; Halden, Rolf U; Henry, Tala; Hites, Ronald A; Hornbuckle, Keri C; Howard, Philip H; Luthy, Richard G; Meyer, Anita K; Sáez, A Eduardo; Vom Saal, Frederick S; Vulpe, Chris D; Wiesner, Mark R

2011-01-01

This commentary evolved from a workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences titled "Superfund Contaminants: The Next Generation" held in Tucson, Arizona, in August 2009. All the authors were workshop participants. Our aim was to initiate a dynamic, adaptable process for identifying contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) that are likely to be found in future hazardous waste sites, and to identify the gaps in primary research that cause uncertainty in determining future hazardous waste site contaminants. Superfund-relevant CECs can be characterized by specific attributes: They are persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic, occur in large quantities, and have localized accumulation with a likelihood of exposure. Although still under development and incompletely applied, methods to quantify these attributes can assist in winnowing down the list of candidates from the universe of potential CECs. Unfortunately, significant research gaps exist in detection and quantification, environmental fate and transport, health and risk assessment, and site exploration and remediation for CECs. Addressing these gaps is prerequisite to a preventive approach to generating and managing hazardous waste sites. A need exists for a carefully considered and orchestrated expansion of programmatic and research efforts to identify, evaluate, and manage CECs of hazardous waste site relevance, including developing an evolving list of priority CECs, intensifying the identification and monitoring of likely sites of present or future accumulation of CECs, and implementing efforts that focus on a holistic approach to prevention.

High- and low-throughput scoring of fat mass and body fat distribution in C. elegans

PubMed Central

Wählby, Carolina; Lee-Conery, Annie; Bray, Mark-Anthony; Kamentsky, Lee; Larkins-Ford, Jonah; Sokolnicki, Katherine L.; Veneskey, Matthew; Michaels, Kerry; Carpenter, Anne E.; O’Rourke, Eyleen J.

2014-01-01

Fat accumulation is a complex phenotype affected by factors such as neuroendocrine signaling, feeding, activity, and reproductive output. Accordingly, the most informative screens for genes and compounds affecting fat accumulation would be those carried out in whole living animals. Caenorhabditis elegans is a well-established and effective model organism, especially for biological processes that involve organ systems and multicellular interactions, such as metabolism. Every cell in the transparent body of C. elegans is visible under a light microscope. Consequently, an accessible and reliable method to visualize worm lipid-droplet fat depots would make C. elegans the only metazoan in which genes affecting not only fat mass but also body fat distribution could be assessed at a genome-wide scale. Here we present a radical improvement in oil red O worm staining together with high-throughput image-based phenotyping. The three-step sample preparation method is robust, formaldehyde-free, and inexpensive, and requires only 15 minutes of hands-on time to process a 96-well plate. Together with our free and user-friendly automated image analysis package, this method enables C. elegans sample preparation and phenotype scoring at a scale that is compatible with genome-wide screens. Thus we present a feasible approach to small-scale phenotyping and large-scale screening for genetic and/or chemical perturbations that lead to alterations in fat quantity and distribution in whole animals. PMID:24784529

Mitochondrial anchorage and fusion contribute to mitochondrial inheritance and quality control in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PubMed Central

Higuchi-Sanabria, Ryo; Charalel, Joseph K.; Viana, Matheus P.; Garcia, Enrique J.; Sing, Cierra N.; Koenigsberg, Andrea; Swayne, Theresa C.; Vevea, Jason D.; Boldogh, Istvan R.; Rafelski, Susanne M.; Pon, Liza A.

2016-01-01

Higher-functioning mitochondria that are more reduced and have less ROS are anchored in the yeast bud tip by the Dsl1-family protein Mmr1p. Here we report a role for mitochondrial fusion in bud-tip anchorage of mitochondria. Fluorescence loss in photobleaching (FLIP) and network analysis experiments revealed that mitochondria in large buds are a continuous reticulum that is physically distinct from mitochondria in mother cells. FLIP studies also showed that mitochondria that enter the bud can fuse with mitochondria that are anchored in the bud tip. In addition, loss of fusion and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) by deletion of mitochondrial outer or inner membrane fusion proteins (Fzo1p or Mgm1p) leads to decreased accumulation of mitochondria at the bud tip and inheritance of fitter mitochondria by buds compared with cells with no mtDNA. Conversely, increasing the accumulation and anchorage of mitochondria in the bud tip by overexpression of MMR1 results in inheritance of less-fit mitochondria by buds and decreased replicative lifespan and healthspan. Thus quantity and quality of mitochondrial inheritance are ensured by two opposing processes: bud-tip anchorage by mitochondrial fusion and Mmr1p, which favors bulk inheritance; and quality control mechanisms that promote segregation of fitter mitochondria to the bud. PMID:26764088

Effects of plant density on recombinant hemagglutinin yields in an Agrobacterium-mediated transient gene expression system using Nicotiana benthamiana plants.

PubMed

Fujiuchi, Naomichi; Matsuda, Ryo; Matoba, Nobuyuki; Fujiwara, Kazuhiro

2017-08-01

Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression systems enable plants to rapidly produce a wide range of recombinant proteins. To achieve economically feasible upstream production and downstream processing, it is beneficial to obtain high levels of two yield-related quantities of upstream production: recombinant protein content per fresh mass of harvested biomass (g gFM -1 ) and recombinant protein productivity per unit area-time (g m -2 /month). Here, we report that the density of Nicotiana benthamiana plants during upstream production had significant impacts on the yield-related quantities of recombinant hemagglutinin (HA). The two quantities were smaller at a high plant density of 400 plants m -2 than at a low plant density of 100 plants m -2 . The smaller quantities at the high plant density were attributed to: (i) a lower HA content in young leaves, which usually have high HA accumulation potentials; (ii) a lower biomass allocation to the young leaves; and (iii) a high area-time requirement for plants. Thus, plant density is a key factor for improving upstream production in Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression systems. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1762-1770. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparative energetics of carbon storage molecules in green algae

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McKie-Krisberg, Zaid M.; Laurens, Lieve M. L.; Huang, Andy

Several members of the green algae possess the ability to produce lipids and/or high value compounds in significant quantities. While for several of these green algal species induction of increased lipid production has been shown, and cultivation of species for high value molecules occurs at production scale, the molecular mechanisms governing over-accumulation of molecules synthesized from isoprenoid precursors, carotenoids, for example, have received far less attention. Here, we present a calculation of the required ATP equivalencies per carbon atom and reducing power equivalencies as NADH/NADPH (NAD(P)H) per carbon atom for the isoprenoid molecules ..beta..-carotene (C40), astaxanthin (C40), and squalene (C30).more » We compared energetic requirements of carbohydrates, triacylglycerol, and isoprenoid molecules under a gradient of conditions of cellular stress. Our calculations revealed slightly less ATP and NAD(P)H equivalency per carbon atom between triacylglycerol and the three isoprenoid molecules. Based on our results, we propose that the driving force for differences in accumulation patterns of carotenoids vs. triacylglycerols in algal cells under stress is largely dependent on the presence and regulation of bypass mechanisms at metabolic junction bottlenecks, like pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), within particular species. We provide a discussion of several molecular mechanisms that may influence carbon partitioning within different groups of green algae, including metabolic inhibition through accumulation of specific substrates related to ATP and reducing equivalent production (NAD(P)H) as well as cellular compartmentalization. This work contributes to the ongoing discussion of cellular homeostatic regulation during stress, as well as the potential mechanisms driving long-term carbon storage as it relates to energy and redox states within the algal cell.« less

Comparative energetics of carbon storage molecules in green algae

DOE PAGES

McKie-Krisberg, Zaid M.; Laurens, Lieve M. L.; Huang, Andy; ...

2018-02-28

Several members of the green algae possess the ability to produce lipids and/or high value compounds in significant quantities. While for several of these green algal species induction of increased lipid production has been shown, and cultivation of species for high value molecules occurs at production scale, the molecular mechanisms governing over-accumulation of molecules synthesized from isoprenoid precursors, carotenoids, for example, have received far less attention. Here, we present a calculation of the required ATP equivalencies per carbon atom and reducing power equivalencies as NADH/NADPH (NAD(P)H) per carbon atom for the isoprenoid molecules ..beta..-carotene (C40), astaxanthin (C40), and squalene (C30).more » We compared energetic requirements of carbohydrates, triacylglycerol, and isoprenoid molecules under a gradient of conditions of cellular stress. Our calculations revealed slightly less ATP and NAD(P)H equivalency per carbon atom between triacylglycerol and the three isoprenoid molecules. Based on our results, we propose that the driving force for differences in accumulation patterns of carotenoids vs. triacylglycerols in algal cells under stress is largely dependent on the presence and regulation of bypass mechanisms at metabolic junction bottlenecks, like pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), within particular species. We provide a discussion of several molecular mechanisms that may influence carbon partitioning within different groups of green algae, including metabolic inhibition through accumulation of specific substrates related to ATP and reducing equivalent production (NAD(P)H) as well as cellular compartmentalization. This work contributes to the ongoing discussion of cellular homeostatic regulation during stress, as well as the potential mechanisms driving long-term carbon storage as it relates to energy and redox states within the algal cell.« less

Improved productivity of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) in thermophilic Chelatococcus daeguensis TAD1 using glycerol as the growth substrate in a fed-batch culture.

PubMed

Cui, Bin; Huang, Shaobin; Xu, Fuqian; Zhang, Ruijian; Zhang, Yongqing

2015-07-01

A particularly successful polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) in industrial applications is poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB). However, one of the major obstacles for wider application of PHB is the cost of its production and purification. Therefore, it is desirable to discover a method for producing PHB in large quantities at a competitive price. Glycerol is a cheap and widely used carbon source that can be applied in PHB production process. There are numerous advantages to operating fermentation at elevated temperatures; only several thermophilic bacteria are able to accumulate PHB when glycerol is the growth substrate. Here, we report on the possibility of increasing PHB production at low cost using thermophilic Chelatococcus daeguensis TAD1 when glycerol is the growth substrate in a fed-batch culture. We found that (1) excess glycerol inhibited PHB accumulation and (2) organic nitrogen sources, such as tryptone and yeast extract, promoted the growth of C. daeguensis TAD1. In the batch fermentation experiments, we found that using glycerol at low concentrations as the sole carbon source, along with the addition of mixed nitrate (NH4Cl, tryptone, and yeast extract), stimulated PHB accumulation in C. daeguensis TAD1. The results showed that the PHB productivity decreased in the following order: two-stage fed-batch fermentation > fed-batch fermentation > batch fermentation. In optimized culture conditions, a PHB amount of 17.4 g l(-1) was obtained using a two-stage feeding regimen, leading to a productivity rate of 0.434 g l(-1) h(-1), which is the highest productivity rate reported for PHB to date. This high PHB biosynthetic productivity could decrease the total production cost, allowing for further development of industrial applications of PHB.

Fatty acid profiles of phyllosoma larvae of western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus) in cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies of the Leeuwin Current off Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, M.; O'Rorke, R.; Waite, A. M.; Beckley, L. E.; Thompson, P.; Jeffs, A. G.

2014-03-01

The recent dramatic decline in settlement in the population of the spiny lobster, Panulirus cygnus, may be due to changes in the oceanographic processes that operate offshore of Western Australia. It has been suggested that this decline could be related to poor nutritional condition of the post-larvae, especially lipid which is accumulated in large quantities during the preceding extensive pelagic larval stage. The current study focused on investigations into the lipid content and fatty acid (FA) profiles of lobster phyllosoma larvae from three mid to late stages of larval development (stages VI, VII, VIII) sampled from two cyclonic and two anticyclonic eddies of the Leeuwin Current off Western Australia. The results showed significant accumulation of lipid and energy storage FAs with larval development regardless of location of capture, however, larvae from cyclonic eddies had more lipid and FAs associated with energy storage than larvae from anticyclonic eddies. FA food chain markers from the larvae indicated significant differences in the food webs operating in the two types of eddy, with a higher level of FA markers for production from flagellates and a lower level from copepod grazing in cyclonic versus anticyclonic eddies. The results indicate that the microbial food web operating in cyclonic eddies provides better feeding conditions for lobster larvae despite anticyclonic eddies being generally more productive and containing greater abundances of zooplankton as potential prey for lobster larvae. Gelatinous zooplankton, such as siphonophores, may play an important role in cyclonic eddies by accumulating dispersed microbial nutrients and making them available as larger prey for phyllosoma. The markedly superior nutritional condition of lobster larvae feeding in the microbial food web found in cyclonic eddies, could greatly influence their subsequent settlement and recruitment to the coastal fishery.

p57KIP2 expression and loss of heterozygosity during immortal conversion of cultured human mammary epithelial cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nijjar, Tarlochan; Wigington, Don; Garbe, James C.

1999-08-01

The authors have uncovered a novel role for the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p57KIP2, during the immortalization of cultured human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC). HMEC immortalized following chemical carcinogen exposure initially expressed little or no telomerase activity, and their telomeres continued to shorten with passage. Cell populations whose mean terminal restriction fragment (TRF) length declined and exhibited slow heterogeneous growth, and contained many non-proliferative cells. These conditionally immortal HMEC cultures accumulated large quantities of p57 protein. With continued passage, the conditionally immortal cell populations very graduall2048nverted to a fully immortal phenotype of good uniform growth, expression of high levels of telomerasemore » activity, and stabilization of telomere length. The fully immortal good growing HMEC did not accumulate p57 in G0 or during the cell cycle. DNA and RNA analysis of mass populations and individual subclones of conditionally immortal HMEC line 184A1 showed that continued growth of conditionally immortal cells with critically short telomeres was repeatedly accompanied by loss of the expressed p57 allele, and transient expression of the previously imprinted allele. Conditionally immortal 184A1 with mean TRF > 3 kb infected with retroviruses containing the p57 gene exhibited premature slow heterogeneous growth. Conversely, exogenous expression of hTERT, the catalytic subunit of telomerase, in 184A1 with mean TRF > 3 kb prevented both the slow heterogeneous growth phase and accumulation of p57 in cycling populations. These data indicate that in HMEC which have overcome replicative senescence, p57 may provide an additional barrier against indefinite proliferation. Overcoming p57 mediated growth inhibition in these cells may be crucial for acquisition of the unlimited growth potential thought to be critical for malignant progression.« less

Giant mitochondria do not fuse and exchange their contents with normal mitochondria

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Navratil, Marian; Terman, Alexei; Arriaga, Edgar A.

2008-01-01

Giant mitochondria accumulate within aged or diseased postmitotic cells as a consequence of insufficient autophagy, which is normally responsible for mitochondrial degradation. We report that giant mitochondria accumulating in cultured rat myoblasts due to inhibition of autophagy have low inner membrane potential and do not fuse with each other or with normal mitochondria. In addition to the low inner mitochondrial membrane potential in giant mitochondria, the quantity of the OPA1 mitochondrial fusion protein in these mitochondria was low, but the abundance of mitofusin-2 (Mfn2) remained unchanged. The combination of these factors may explain the lack of mitochondrial fusion in giantmore » mitochondria and imply that the dysfunctional giant mitochondria cannot restore their function by fusing and exchanging their contents with fully functional mitochondria. These findings have important implications for understanding the mechanisms of accumulation of age-related mitochondrial damage in postmitotic cells.« less

Pleading for the use of biodegradable polymers in favor of marine environments and to avoid an asbestos-like problem for the future.

PubMed

Kubota, Masahisa; Takayama, Katsumi; Namimoto, Daisuke

2005-06-01

Research results about the movement and accumulation of floating marine debris drifting throughout the world's oceans are reviewed in this paper. A mechanism for this accumulation and movement is strongly associated with surface currents consisting of the Ekman drift and the geostrophic current, because all floating marine debris is passive to surface currents. The basic published mechanism for the North Pacific is common across the world's ocean. After marine debris accumulates in the narrow Ekman convergence zone, it is moved to the east by geostrophic currents. The most important thing is that floating marine debris concentrates in some specific regions, independent of the initial quantity of marine debris. In order to resolve this problem and to avoid an asbestos-like problem, the use of biodegradable polymers is important in our daily life.

Radiation Requirements and Testing of Cryogenic Thermometers for the Ilc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnett, T.; Filippov, Yu. P.; Filippova, E. Yu.; Mokhov, N. V.; Nakao, N.; Klebaner, A. L.; Korenev, S. A.; Theilacker, J. C.; Trenikhina, J.; Vaziri, K.

2008-03-01

Large quantity of cryogenic temperature sensors will be used for operation of the International Linear Collider (ILC). Most of them will be subject to high radiation doses during the accelerator lifetime. Understanding of particle energy spectra, accumulated radiation dose in thermometers and its impact on performance are vital in establishing technical specification of cryogenic thermometry for the ILC. Realistic MARS15 computer simulations were performed to understand the ILC radiation environment. Simulation results were used to establish radiation dose requirements for commercially available cryogenic thermometers. Two types of thermometers, Cernox® and TVO, were calibrated prior to irradiation using different technique. The sensors were subjected then to up to 200 kGy electron beam irradiation with kinetic energy of 5 MeV, a representative of the situation at the ILC operation. A post-irradiation behavior of the sensors was studied. The paper describes the MARS15 model, simulation results, cryogenic test set-up, irradiation tests, and cryogenic test results.

Assessment of Trace Metals in Soil, Vegetation and Rodents in Relation to Metal Mining Activities in an Arid Environment.

PubMed

Méndez-Rodríguez, Lia C; Alvarez-Castañeda, Sergio Ticul

2016-07-01

Areas where abandoned metal-extraction mines are located contain large quantities of mineral wastes derived from environmentally unsafe mining practices. These wastes contain many pollutants, such as heavy metals, which could be released to the environment through weathering and leaching, hence becoming an important source of environmental metal pollution. This study evaluates differences in the levels of lead, iron, nickel, manganese, copper and cadmium in rodents sharing the same type of diet under different microhabitat use in arid areas with past mining activities. Samples of soil, roots, branches and seeds of Palo Adán (Fouquieria diguetii) and specimens of two rodent species (Chaetodipus arenarius and C. spinatus) were collected in areas with impact from past metal mining activities as well as from areas with no mining impact. Both rodent species mirrored nickel and iron levels in soil and seeds, as well as lead levels in soil; however, C. arenarius accumulated higher levels of manganese, copper and cadmium.

Transfer of gold nanoparticles from the water column to the estuarine food web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferry, John L.; Craig, Preston; Hexel, Cole; Sisco, Patrick; Frey, Rebecca; Pennington, Paul L.; Fulton, Michael H.; Scott, I. Geoff; Decho, Alan W.; Kashiwada, Shosaku; Murphy, Catherine J.; Shaw, Timothy J.

2009-07-01

Within the next five years the manufacture of large quantities of nanomaterials may lead to unintended contamination of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The unique physical, chemical and electronic properties of nanomaterials allow new modes of interaction with environmental systems that can have unexpected impacts. Here, we show that gold nanorods can readily pass from the water column to the marine food web in three laboratory-constructed estuarine mesocosms containing sea water, sediment, sea grass, microbes, biofilms, snails, clams, shrimp and fish. A single dose of gold nanorods (65 nm length × 15 nm diameter) was added to each mesocosm and their distribution in the aqueous and sediment phases monitored over 12 days. Nanorods partitioned between biofilms, sediments, plants, animals and sea water with a recovery of 84.4%. Clams and biofilms accumulated the most nanoparticles on a per mass basis, suggesting that gold nanorods can readily pass from the water column to the marine food web.

Framework for cascade size calculations on random networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burkholz, Rebekka; Schweitzer, Frank

2018-04-01

We present a framework to calculate the cascade size evolution for a large class of cascade models on random network ensembles in the limit of infinite network size. Our method is exact and applies to network ensembles with almost arbitrary degree distribution, degree-degree correlations, and, in case of threshold models, for arbitrary threshold distribution. With our approach, we shift the perspective from the known branching process approximations to the iterative update of suitable probability distributions. Such distributions are key to capture cascade dynamics that involve possibly continuous quantities and that depend on the cascade history, e.g., if load is accumulated over time. As a proof of concept, we provide two examples: (a) Constant load models that cover many of the analytically tractable casacade models, and, as a highlight, (b) a fiber bundle model that was not tractable by branching process approximations before. Our derivations cover the whole cascade dynamics, not only their steady state. This allows us to include interventions in time or further model complexity in the analysis.

The role of large wood in retaining fine sediment, organic matter and plant propagules in a small, single-thread forest river

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osei, Nana A.; Gurnell, Angela M.; Harvey, Gemma L.

2015-04-01

This paper investigates associations among large wood accumulations, retained sediment, and organic matter and the establishment of a viable propagule bank within a forested reach of a lowland river, the Highland Water, UK. A wood survey within the 2-km study reach, illustrates that the quantity of wood retained within the channel is typical of relatively unmanaged river channels bordered by deciduous woodland and that the wood accumulations (jams) that are present are well developed, typically spanning the river channel and comprised of wood that is well decayed. Sediment samples were obtained in a stratified random design focusing on nine subreaches within which samples were aggregated from five different types of sampling location. Two of these locations were wood-associated (within and on bank faces immediately adjacent to wood jams), and the other three locations represented the broader river environment (gravel bars, bank faces, floodplain). The samples were analysed to establish their calibre, organic, and viable plant propagule content. The gravel bar sampling locations retained significantly coarser sediment containing a lower proportion of organic matter and viable propagules than the other four sampling locations. The two wood-related sampling locations retained sediment of intermediate calibre between the gravel bar and the bank-floodplain samples but they retained significantly more organic matter and viable propagules than were found in the other three sampling locations. In particular, the jam bank samples (areas of sediment accumulation against bank faces adjacent to wood jams) contained the highest number of propagules and the largest number of propagule species. These results suggest that retention of propagules, organic matter and relatively fine sediment in and around wood jams has the potential to support vegetation regeneration, further sediment retention, and as a consequence, landform development within woodland streams, although this process is arrested by grazing at the study site. These results also suggest that self-restoration using wood is a potentially cost-effective and far-reaching river restoration strategy but that its full effects develop gradually and require the establishment of a functioning wood budget coupled with grazing levels that are in balance with vegetation growth.

Importance of measuring discharge and sediment transport in lesser tributaries when closing sediment budgets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffiths, Ronald E.; Topping, David J.

2017-11-01

Sediment budgets are an important tool for understanding how riverine ecosystems respond to perturbations. Changes in the quantity and grain size distribution of sediment within river systems affect the channel morphology and related habitat resources. It is therefore important for resource managers to know if a river reach is in a state of sediment accumulation, deficit or stasis. Many sediment-budget studies have estimated the sediment loads of ungaged tributaries using regional sediment-yield equations or other similar techniques. While these approaches may be valid in regions where rainfall and geology are uniform over large areas, use of sediment-yield equations may lead to poor estimations of loads in regions where rainfall events, contributing geology, and vegetation have large spatial and/or temporal variability. Previous estimates of the combined mean-annual sediment load of all ungaged tributaries to the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam vary by over a factor of three; this range in estimated sediment loads has resulted in different researchers reaching opposite conclusions on the sign (accumulation or deficit) of the sediment budget for particular reaches of the Colorado River. To better evaluate the supply of fine sediment (sand, silt, and clay) from these tributaries to the Colorado River, eight gages were established on previously ungaged tributaries in Glen, Marble, and Grand canyons. Results from this sediment-monitoring network show that previous estimates of the annual sediment loads of these tributaries were too high and that the sediment budget for the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam is more negative than previously calculated by most researchers. As a result of locally intense rainfall events with footprints smaller than the receiving basin, floods from a single tributary in semi-arid regions can have large (≥ 10 ×) differences in sediment concentrations between equal magnitude flows. Because sediment loads do not necessarily correlate with drainage size, and may vary by two orders of magnitude on an annual basis, using techniques such as sediment-yield equations to estimate the sediment loads of ungaged tributaries may lead to large errors in sediment budgets.

Importance of measuring discharge and sediment transport in lesser tributaries when closing sediment budgets

USGS Publications Warehouse

Griffiths, Ronald; Topping, David

2017-01-01

Sediment budgets are an important tool for understanding how riverine ecosystems respond to perturbations. Changes in the quantity and grain size distribution of sediment within river systems affect the channel morphology and related habitat resources. It is therefore important for resource managers to know if a river reach is in a state of sediment accumulation, deficit or stasis. Many sediment-budget studies have estimated the sediment loads of ungaged tributaries using regional sediment-yield equations or other similar techniques. While these approaches may be valid in regions where rainfall and geology are uniform over large areas, use of sediment-yield equations may lead to poor estimations of loads in regions where rainfall events, contributing geology, and vegetation have large spatial and/or temporal variability.Previous estimates of the combined mean-annual sediment load of all ungaged tributaries to the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam vary by over a factor of three; this range in estimated sediment loads has resulted in different researchers reaching opposite conclusions on the sign (accumulation or deficit) of the sediment budget for particular reaches of the Colorado River. To better evaluate the supply of fine sediment (sand, silt, and clay) from these tributaries to the Colorado River, eight gages were established on previously ungaged tributaries in Glen, Marble, and Grand canyons. Results from this sediment-monitoring network show that previous estimates of the annual sediment loads of these tributaries were too high and that the sediment budget for the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam is more negative than previously calculated by most researchers. As a result of locally intense rainfall events with footprints smaller than the receiving basin, floods from a single tributary in semi-arid regions can have large (≥ 10 ×) differences in sediment concentrations between equal magnitude flows. Because sediment loads do not necessarily correlate with drainage size, and may vary by two orders of magnitude on an annual basis, using techniques such as sediment-yield equations to estimate the sediment loads of ungaged tributaries may lead to large errors in sediment budgets.

Energy metabolism in feasting and fasting.

PubMed

Owen, O E; Reichard, G A; Patel, M S; Boden, G

1979-01-01

During feasting on a balanced carbohydrate, fat, and protein meal resting metabolic rate, body temperature and respiratory quotient all increase. The dietary components are utilized to replenish and augment glycogen and fat stores in the body. Excessive carbohydrate is also converted to lipid in the liver and stored along with the excessive lipids of dietary origin as triglycerides in adipose tissue, the major fuel storage depot. Amino acids in excess of those needed for protein synthesis are preferentially catabolized over glucose and fat for energy production. This occurs because there are no significant storage sites for amino acids or proteins, and the accumulation of nitrogenous compounds is ill tolerated. During fasting, adipose tissue, muscle, liver, and kidneys work in concert to supply, to convert, and to conserve fuels for the body. During the brief postabsorptive period, blood fuel homeostasis is maintained primarily by hepatic glycogenolysis and adipose tissue lipolysis. As fasting progresses, muscle proteolysis supplies glycogenic amino acids for heightened hepatic gluconeogenesis for a short period of time. After about three days of starvation, the metabolic profile is set to conserve protein and to supply greater quantities of alternate fuels. In particular, free fatty acids and ketone bodies are utilized to maintain energy needs. The ability of the kidney to conserve ketone bodies prevents the loss of large quantities of these valuable fuels in the urine. This delicate interplay among liver, muscle, kidney, and adipose tissue maintains blood fuel homeostasis and allows humans to survive caloric deprivation for extended periods.

Boron- and salt-tolerant trees and shrubs for northern Nevada

Treesearch

Heidi Kratsch

2012-01-01

Boron is a mineral that, in small quantities, is essential for plant growth and development , but becomes toxic at levels above 0.5 to 1 part per million (ppm) in the soil. Excess boron may be naturally present in the soil, and it can accumulate by irrigating with water high in boron. Boron occurs naturally in arid soils originating from geologically young deposits. It...

Fuel and fire behavior in high-elevation five-needle pines affected by mountain pine beetle

Treesearch

Michael J. Jenkins

2011-01-01

Bark beetle-caused tree mortality in conifer forests affects the quantity and quality of forest fuels and has long been assumed to increase fire hazard and potential fire behavior. In reality, bark beetles and their effects on fuel accumulation and subsequent fire hazard have only recently been described. We have extensively sampled fuels in three conifer forest types...

Implications of metal accumulation mechanisms to phytoremediation.

PubMed

Memon, Abdul R; Schröder, Peter

2009-03-01

Trace elements (heavy metals and metalloids) are important environmental pollutants, and many of them are toxic even at very low concentrations. Pollution of the biosphere with trace elements has accelerated dramatically since the Industrial Revolution. Primary sources are the burning of fossil fuels, mining and smelting of metalliferous ores, municipal wastes, agrochemicals, and sewage. In addition, natural mineral deposits containing particularly large quantities of heavy metals are found in many regions. These areas often support characteristic plant species thriving in metal-enriched environments. Whereas many species avoid the uptake of heavy metals from these soils, some of them can accumulate significantly high concentrations of toxic metals, to levels which by far exceed the soil levels. The natural phenomenon of heavy metal tolerance has enhanced the interest of plant ecologists, plant physiologists, and plant biologists to investigate the physiology and genetics of metal tolerance in specialized hyperaccumulator plants such as Arabidopsis halleri and Thlaspi caerulescens. In this review, we describe recent advances in understanding the genetic and molecular basis of metal tolerance in plants with special reference to transcriptomics of heavy metal accumulator plants and the identification of functional genes implied in tolerance and detoxification. Plants are susceptible to heavy metal toxicity and respond to avoid detrimental effects in a variety of different ways. The toxic dose depends on the type of ion, ion concentration, plant species, and stage of plant growth. Tolerance to metals is based on multiple mechanisms such as cell wall binding, active transport of ions into the vacuole, and formation of complexes with organic acids or peptides. One of the most important mechanisms for metal detoxification in plants appears to be chelation of metals by low-molecular-weight proteins such as metallothioneins and peptide ligands, the phytochelatins. For example, glutathione (GSH), a precursor of phytochelatin synthesis, plays a key role not only in metal detoxification but also in protecting plant cells from other environmental stresses including intrinsic oxidative stress reactions. In the last decade, tremendous developments in molecular biology and success of genomics have highly encouraged studies in molecular genetics, mainly transcriptomics, to identify functional genes implied in metal tolerance in plants, largely belonging to the metal homeostasis network. Analyzing the genetics of metal accumulation in these accumulator plants has been greatly enhanced through the wealth of tools and the resources developed for the study of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana such as transcript profiling platforms, protein and metabolite profiling, tools depending on RNA interference (RNAi), and collections of insertion line mutants. To understand the genetics of metal accumulation and adaptation, the vast arsenal of resources developed in A. thaliana could be extended to one of its closest relatives that display the highest level of adaptation to high metal environments such as A. halleri and T. caerulescens. This review paper deals with the mechanisms of heavy metal accumulation and tolerance in plants. Detailed information has been provided for metal transporters, metal chelation, and oxidative stress in metal-tolerant plants. Advances in phytoremediation technologies and the importance of metal accumulator plants and strategies for exploring these immense and valuable genetic and biological resources for phytoremediation are discussed. A number of species within the Brassicaceae family have been identified as metal accumulators. To understand fully the genetics of metal accumulation, the vast genetic resources developed in A. thaliana must be extended to other metal accumulator species that display traits absent in this model species. A. thaliana microarray chips could be used to identify differentially expressed genes in metal accumulator plants in Brassicaceae. The integration of resources obtained from model and wild species of the Brassicaceae family will be of utmost importance, bringing most of the diverse fields of plant biology together such as functional genomics, population genetics, phylogenetics, and ecology. Further development of phytoremediation requires an integrated multidisciplinary research effort that combines plant biology, genetic engineering, soil chemistry, soil microbiology, as well as agricultural and environmental engineering.

[A new method of processing quantitative PCR data].

PubMed

Ke, Bing-Shen; Li, Guang-Yun; Chen, Shi-Min; Huang, Xiang-Yan; Chen, Ying-Jian; Xu, Jun

2003-05-01

Today standard PCR can't satisfy the need of biotechnique development and clinical research any more. After numerous dynamic research, PE company found there is a linear relation between initial template number and cycling time when the accumulating fluorescent product is detectable.Therefore,they developed a quantitative PCR technique to be used in PE7700 and PE5700. But the error of this technique is too great to satisfy the need of biotechnique development and clinical research. A better quantitative PCR technique is needed. The mathematical model submitted here is combined with the achievement of relative science,and based on the PCR principle and careful analysis of molecular relationship of main members in PCR reaction system. This model describes the function relation between product quantity or fluorescence intensity and initial template number and other reaction conditions, and can reflect the accumulating rule of PCR product molecule accurately. Accurate quantitative PCR analysis can be made use this function relation. Accumulated PCR product quantity can be obtained from initial template number. Using this model to do quantitative PCR analysis,result error is only related to the accuracy of fluorescence intensity or the instrument used. For an example, when the fluorescence intensity is accurate to 6 digits and the template size is between 100 to 1,000,000, the quantitative result accuracy will be more than 99%. The difference of result error is distinct using same condition,same instrument but different analysis method. Moreover,if the PCR quantitative analysis system is used to process data, it will get result 80 times of accuracy than using CT method.

X-Ray Microanalytic Concentration Measurements in Unsectioned Specimens: a Technique and its Application to Zinc, Manganese, and Iron Enriched Mechanical Structures of Organisms from Three Phyla

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schofield, Robert M. S.

A method for measuring concentrations of minor elements in microscopic volumes of heterogeneous, unsectioned biological specimens using an ion microprobe is developed. The element quantity is obtained from PIXE (Proton Induced X-ray Emission) and the total quantity of material is derived from STIM (Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy) energy loss measurements. Sources of error, including changes in x-ray production cross section with proton energy and absorption of induced x-rays, are discussed and a method of calculating the total measurement uncertainty, typically about 25% here, is developed. The measurement accuracy is shown to be improved for symmetric specimens, and a method of using the bremsstrahlung background to correct for x-ray attenuation within irregular specimens is developed. Methods for measuring local concentrations in internal features are also discussed. With this technique, scorpions were found to contain cuticular accumulations of one or more heavy metals (manganese up to 5% of dry weight, iron up to 8%, zinc up to 24%) in the chelicera, pedipalp denticles, tarsal claws, and stingers; different region soften contained different metals. The stingers are argued to be of particular interest because they are not homologous to legs. Similar accumulations were found in spiders, some other chelicerates and crustaceans. Previous reports of manganese and zinc accumulations in insect and worm mouth parts were augmented with local concentration measurements and with the detection of other enrichment features (such as 6% iron in the paragnaths of the worm Nereis vexillosa). Zinc accumulations (up to only 0.1%) were also found in the tips of the teeth of a hagfish, Myxine + glutinosa. X-ray images of several of these features are presented. It is argued that the extreme magnitude of some concentration values suggests that some metals are incorporated in unusual biominerals rather than organically bound. Results of x-ray diffractometry and Vickers microhardness measurements are reported although the results are inconclusive. The atomic ratio of zinc to chlorine in these accumulations is shown not to be constant. It is suggested from their typical locations that at least two of the observed accumulation patterns impart different mechanical properties to the cuticle.

Quantity and Quality of Computer Use and Academic Achievement: Evidence from a Large-Scale International Test Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheema, Jehanzeb R.; Zhang, Bo

2013-01-01

This study looked at the effect of both quantity and quality of computer use on achievement. The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 student survey comprising of 4,356 students (boys, n = 2,129; girls, n = 2,227) was used to predict academic achievement from quantity and quality of computer use while controlling for…

Dynamics of leaf litter humidity, depth and quantity: two restoration strategies failed to mimic ground microhabitat conditions of a low montane and premontane forest in Costa Rica.

PubMed

Barrientos, Zaidett

2012-09-01

Little is known about how restoration strategies affect aspects like leaf litter's quantity, depth and humidity. I analyzed leaf litter's quantity, depth and humidity yearly patterns in a primary tropical lower montane wet forest and two restored areas: a 15 year old secondary forest (unassisted restoration) and a 40 year old Cupressus lusitanica plantation (natural understory). The three habitats are located in the Rio Macho Forest Reserve, Costa Rica. Twenty litter samples were taken every three months (April 2009-April 2010) in each habitat; humidity was measured in 439g samples (average), depth and quantity were measured in five points inside 50x50cm plots. None of the restoration strategies reproduced the primary forest leaf litter humidity, depth and quantity yearly patterns. Primary forest leaf litter humidity was higher and more stable (mean=73.2), followed by secondary forest (mean=63.3) and cypress plantation (mean=52.9) (Kruskall-Wallis=77.93, n=232, p=0.00). In the primary (Kruskal-Wallis=31.63, n=78, p<0.001) and secondary (Kruskal-Wallis=11.79, n=75, p=0.008) forest litter accumulation was higher during April due to strong winds. In the primary forest (Kruskal-wallis=21.83, n=78, p<0.001) and the cypress plantation (Kruskal-wallis=39.99, n=80, p<0.001) leaf litter depth was shallow in October because heavy rains compacted it. Depth patterns were different from quantity patterns and described the leaf litter's structure in different ecosystems though the year. September 01.

Unleashing Empirical Equations with "Nonlinear Fitting" and "GUM Tree Calculator"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovell-Smith, J. W.; Saunders, P.; Feistel, R.

2017-10-01

Empirical equations having large numbers of fitted parameters, such as the international standard reference equations published by the International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS), which form the basis of the "Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater—2010" (TEOS-10), provide the means to calculate many quantities very accurately. The parameters of these equations are found by least-squares fitting to large bodies of measurement data. However, the usefulness of these equations is limited since uncertainties are not readily available for most of the quantities able to be calculated, the covariance of the measurement data is not considered, and further propagation of the uncertainty in the calculated result is restricted since the covariance of calculated quantities is unknown. In this paper, we present two tools developed at MSL that are particularly useful in unleashing the full power of such empirical equations. "Nonlinear Fitting" enables propagation of the covariance of the measurement data into the parameters using generalized least-squares methods. The parameter covariance then may be published along with the equations. Then, when using these large, complex equations, "GUM Tree Calculator" enables the simultaneous calculation of any derived quantity and its uncertainty, by automatic propagation of the parameter covariance into the calculated quantity. We demonstrate these tools in exploratory work to determine and propagate uncertainties associated with the IAPWS-95 parameters.

Implications of Carotenoid Biosynthetic Genes in Apocarotenoid Formation during the Stigma Development of Crocus sativus and Its Closer Relatives1

PubMed Central

Castillo, Raquel; Fernández, José-Antonio; Gómez-Gómez, Lourdes

2005-01-01

Crocus sativus is a triploid sterile plant characterized by its long red stigmas, which produce and store significant quantities of the apocarotenoids crocetin and crocin, formed from the oxidative cleavage of zeaxanthin. Here, we investigate the accumulation and the molecular mechanisms that regulate the synthesis of these apocarotenoids during stigma development in C. sativus. We cloned the cDNAs for phytoene synthase, lycopene-β-cyclase, and β-ring hydroxylase from C. sativus. With the transition of yellow undeveloped to red fully developed stigmas, an accumulation of zeaxanthin was observed, accompanying the expression of CsPSY, phytoene desaturase, and CsLYCb, and the massive accumulation of CsBCH and CsZCD transcripts. We analyzed the expression of these two transcripts in relation to zeaxanthin and apocarotenoid accumulation in other Crocus species. We observed that only the relative levels of zeaxanthin in the stigma of each cultivar were correlated with the level of CsBCH transcripts. By contrast, the expression levels of CsZCD were not mirrored by changes in the apocarotenoid content, suggesting that the reaction catalyzed by the CsBCH enzyme could be the limiting step in the formation of saffron apocarotenoids in the stigma tissue. Phylogenetic analysis of the CsBCH intron sequences allowed us to determine the relationships among 19 Crocus species and to identify the closely related diploids of C. sativus. In addition, we examined the levels of the carotenoid and apocarotenoid biosynthetic genes in the triploid C. sativus and its closer relatives to determine whether the quantities of these specific mRNAs were additive or not in C. sativus. Transcript levels in saffron were clearly higher and nonadditive, suggesting that, in the triploid gene, regulatory interactions that produce novel effects on carotenoid biosynthesis genes are involved. PMID:16183835

The influence of food quantity on metal bioaccumulation and reproduction in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) during chronic exposures to a metal mine effluent.

PubMed

Ouellet, Jacob D; Dubé, Monique G; Niyogi, Som

2013-05-01

Metal mine effluents can impact fish in the receiving environment via both direct effects from exposure as well as indirect effects via food web. The main objective of the present study was to assess whether an indirect effect such as reduced food (prey) availability could influence metal accumulation and reproductive capacity in fish during chronic exposure to a metal mine effluent. Breeding pairs of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were exposed to either reference water (RW) or an environmentally relevant metal mine effluent [45 percent process water effluent (PWE)] for 21 days and fed either low food quantities [LF (a daily ration of 6-10 percent body weight)] or normal food quantities [NF (a daily ration of 20-30 percent body weight)] in artificial stream systems. Fish in RW treatments were fed Chironomus dilutus larvae cultured in RW (Treatments: RW-NF or RW-LF), while fish in PWE treatments were fed C. dilutus larvae cultured in PWE (Treatments: PWE-NF or PWE-LF). Tissue-specific (gill, liver, gonad and carcass) metal accumulation, egg production, and morphometric parameters in fish were analyzed. Fathead minnows that were exposed to LF rations had significantly smaller body, gonad and liver sizes, and were in a relatively poor condition compared to fathead minnows exposed to NF rations, regardless of the treatment water type (RW or PWE) (two-way ANOVA; p<0.05). Although elevated concentrations of copper, nickel, rubidium, selenium, and thallium were recorded in C. dilutus cultured in PWE, only the concentrations of rubidium, selenium and thallium increased in tissues of fish in PWE treatments. Interestingly though, despite the greater abundance of metal-contaminated food in the PWE-NF treatment, tissue metal accumulation pattern were almost similar between the PWE-NF and PWE-LF treatments, except for higher liver barium, cobalt and manganese concentrations in the latter treatment. This indicated that a higher food ration could help reduce the tissue burden of at least some metals and thereby ameliorate the toxicity of metal-mine effluents in fish. More importantly, cumulative egg production in fish was found to be lowest in the PWE-LF treatment, whereas fish egg production in the PWE-NF treatment was not impacted. Overall, these findings suggest that decreased food abundance could have a greater impact than metal accumulation in target tissues on the reproductive capacity of fish inhabiting metal-mine effluent receiving environments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Organic matter quantity and quality, metals availability and foraminiferal assemblages as environmental proxy applied to the Bizerte Lagoon (Tunisia).

PubMed

Martins, Maria Virgínia Alves; Helali, Mohamed Amine; Zaaboub, Noureddine; Boukef-BenOmrane, Imen; Frontalini, Fabrizio; Reis, Darlly; Portela, Helena; Clemente, Iara Martins Matos Moreira; Nogueira, Leandro; Pereira, Egberto; Miranda, Paulo; El Bour, Monia; Aleya, Lotfi

2016-04-15

This study analyzes the benthic trophic state of Bizerte Lagoon (Tunisia) based on the total organic matter and the bioavailability of biopolymeric carbon including proteins (PTN), carbohydrates (CHO), lipids (LIP), chlorophyll a, as well as bacteria counts. The overall simultaneously extracted metals (SEM), and acid volatile sulfides (AVS) as well as the SEM/AVS ratio indicative of the toxicity of the sediments also were analyzed aiming to study their impact in the dimension, composition and structure of both dead and living benthic foraminiferal assemblages. In the studied sites TOC content is relatively high and the PTN/CHO values indicate that they can be considered as meso-eutrophic environments. The CHO/TOC and C/N values suggest that the OM which accumulated on the sediments surface has mainly natural origin despite the introduction of municipal and industrial effluents in the lagoon and the large bacterial pool. The living assemblages of benthic foraminifera of Bizerte Lagoon are quite different to other Mediterranean transitional systems studied until now. They are composed of typical lagoonal species but also include several marine and opportunistic species including significant numbers of bolivinids, buliminids, Nonionella/Nonionoides spp. and Cassidulina/Globocassidulina spp. These assemblages seem to benefitfrom the physicochemical parameters and the sediment stability. They may however face environmental stress in the lagoon related to the AVS production as a result of the organic matter degradation and toxicity in some areas due to the available concentrations of metals. Nonetheless statistical results evidence that the structure and dimension of assemblages are being controlled mostly by OM quantity and quality related mainly to the availability of PTN, CHO and chlorophyll a. Results of this work support the importance of considering OM quantity and quality in studies of environmental impact in coastal systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The long journey of botulinum neurotoxins into the synapse.

PubMed

Rummel, Andreas

2015-12-01

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT) cause the disease botulism, a flaccid paralysis of the muscle. They are also very effective, widely used medicines applied locally in sub-nanogram quantities. BoNTs are released together with several non-toxic, associated proteins as progenitor toxin complexes (PCT) by Clostridium botulinum to become highly potent oral poisons ingested via contaminated food. They block the neurotransmission in susceptible animals and humans already in nanogram quantities due to their specific ability to enter motoneurons and to cleave only selected neuronal proteins involved in neuroexocytosis. BoNTs have developed a sophisticated strategy to passage the gastrointestinal tract and to be absorbed in the intestine of the host to finally attack neurons. A non-toxic non-hemagglutinin (NTNHA) forms a binary complex with BoNT to protect it from gastrointestinal degradation. This binary M-PTC is one component of the bi-modular 14-subunit ∼760 kDa large progenitor toxin complex. The other component is the structurally and functionally independent dodecameric hemagglutinin (HA) complex which facilitates the absorption on the intestinal epithelium by glycan binding. Subsequent to its transcytosis the HA complex disrupts the tight junction of the intestinal barrier from the basolateral side by binding to E-cadherin. Now, the L-PTC can also enter the circulation by paracellular routes in much larger quantities. From here, the dissociated BoNTs reach the neuromuscular junction and accumulate via interaction with polysialo gangliosides, complex glycolipids, on motoneurons at the neuromuscular junction. Subsequently, additional specific binding to luminal segments of synaptic vesicles proteins like SV2 and synaptotagmin leads to their uptake. Finally, the neurotoxins shut down the synaptic vesicle cycle, which they had exploited before to enter their target cells, via specific cleavage of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins, which constitute the core components of the cellular membrane fusion machinery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Zero-gravity quantity gaging system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

The Zero-Gravity Quantity Gaging System program is a technology development effort funded by NASA-LeRC and contracted by NASA-JSC to develop and evaluate zero-gravity quantity gaging system concepts suitable for application to large, on-orbit cryogenic oxygen and hydrogen tankage. The contract effective date was 28 May 1985. During performance of the program, 18 potential quantity gaging approaches were investigated for their merit and suitability for gaging two-phase cryogenic oxygen and hydrogen in zero-gravity conditions. These approaches were subjected to a comprehensive trade study and selection process, which found that the RF modal quantity gaging approach was the most suitable for both liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen applications. This selection was made with NASA-JSC concurrence.

Stilbene production in cell cultures of Vitis vinifera L. cvs Red Globe and Michele Palieri elicited by methyl jasmonate.

PubMed

Santamaria, A R; Antonacci, D; Caruso, G; Cavaliere, C; Gubbiotti, R; Lagana, A; Valletta, A; Pasqua, G

2010-09-01

Cell cultures obtained from Vitis vinifera cvs Michele Palieri and Red Globe were cultured in order to stimulate stilbene production. In the calli, stilbene production peaked at day 22 of culture for both cultivars; the main compound was trans-piceid, followed by cis-piceid. Methyl jasmonate, which was added to cell suspensions in the first half of the exponential growth phase, enhanced stilbene accumulation, producing mainly trans-piceid and epsilon-viniferin. Other stilbenoids, though in lower quantities, were identified by liquid chromatography/positive electrospray mass spectrometry. epsilon-Viniferin and trans-resveratrol were the main compounds released into the culture medium. The total quantity of stilbenes was genotype dependent, with a better response found for the cv Red Globe.

Evaluating abiotic influences on soil salinity of inland managed wetlands and agricultural croplands in a semi-arid environment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fowler, D.; King, Sammy L.; Weindorf, David C.

2014-01-01

Agriculture and moist-soil management are important management techniques used on wildlife refuges to provide adequate energy for migrant waterbirds. In semi-arid systems, the accumulation of soluble salts throughout the soil profile can limit total production of wetland plants and agronomic crops and thus jeopardize meeting waterbird energy needs. This study evaluates the effect of distinct hydrologic regimes associated with moist-soil management and agricultural production on salt accumulation in a semi-arid floodplain. We hypothesized that the frequency of flooding and quantity of floodwater in a moist-soil management hydroperiod results in a less saline soil profile compared to profiles under traditional agricultural management. Findings showed that agricultural croplands differed (p-value < 0.001, df = 9) in quantities of total soluble salts (TSS) compared to moist-soil impoundments and contained greater concentrations (TSS range = 1,160-1,750 (mg kg-1)) at depth greater than 55 cm below the surface of the profile, while moist-soil impoundments contained lower concentrations (TSS range = 307-531 (mg kg-1)) at the same depths. Increased salts in agricultural may be attributed to the lack of leaching afforded by smaller summer irrigations while larger periodic flooding events in winter and summer flood irrigations in moist-soil impoundments may serve as leaching events.

Temporal and spectral characteristics of dynamic functional connectivity between resting-state networks reveal information beyond static connectivity

PubMed Central

Yeh, Hsiang J.; Guindani, Michele; Vannucci, Marina; Haneef, Zulfi; Stern, John M.

2018-01-01

Estimation of functional connectivity (FC) has become an increasingly powerful tool for investigating healthy and abnormal brain function. Static connectivity, in particular, has played a large part in guiding conclusions from the majority of resting-state functional MRI studies. However, accumulating evidence points to the presence of temporal fluctuations in FC, leading to increasing interest in estimating FC as a dynamic quantity. One central issue that has arisen in this new view of connectivity is the dramatic increase in complexity caused by dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) estimation. To computationally handle this increased complexity, a limited set of dFC properties, primarily the mean and variance, have generally been considered. Additionally, it remains unclear how to integrate the increased information from dFC into pattern recognition techniques for subject-level prediction. In this study, we propose an approach to address these two issues based on a large number of previously unexplored temporal and spectral features of dynamic functional connectivity. A Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model is used to estimate time-varying patterns of functional connectivity between resting-state networks. Time-frequency analysis is then performed on dFC estimates, and a large number of previously unexplored temporal and spectral features drawn from signal processing literature are extracted for dFC estimates. We apply the investigated features to two neurologic populations of interest, healthy controls and patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, and show that the proposed approach leads to substantial increases in predictive performance compared to both traditional estimates of static connectivity as well as current approaches to dFC. Variable importance is assessed and shows that there are several quantities that can be extracted from dFC signal which are more informative than the traditional mean or variance of dFC. This work illuminates many previously unexplored facets of the dynamic properties of functional connectivity between resting-state networks, and provides a platform for dynamic functional connectivity analysis that facilitates its usage as an investigative measure for healthy as well as abnormal brain function. PMID:29320526

Can liming reduce cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa) in slightly acidic soils? A contradictory dynamic equilibrium between Cd uptake capacity of roots and Cd immobilisation in soils.

PubMed

Yang, Yongjie; Chen, Jiangmin; Huang, Qina; Tang, Shaoqing; Wang, Jianlong; Hu, Peisong; Shao, Guosheng

2018-02-01

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice is strongly controlled by liming, but information on the use of liming to control Cd accumulation in rice grown in slightly acidic soils is inconsistent. Here, pot experiments were carried out to investigate the mechanisms of liming on Cd accumulation in two rice varieties focusing on two aspects: available/exchangeable Cd content in soils that were highly responsive to liming, and Cd uptake and transport capacity in the roots of rice in terms of Cd accumulation-relative gene expression. The results showed that soil availability and exchangeable iron, manganese, zinc and Cd contents decreased with increased liming, and that genes related to Cd uptake (OsNramp5 and OsIRT1) were sharply up-regulated in the roots of the two rice varieties. Thus, iron, manganese, zinc and Cd contents in rice plants increased under low liming applications but decreased in response to high liming applications. However, yield and rice quantities were only slightly affected. These results indicated that Cd accumulation in rice grown in slightly acidic soils presents a contradictory dynamic equilibrium between Cd uptake capacity by roots and soil Cd immobilisation in response to liming. The enhanced Cd uptake capacity under low liming dosages increases risks to human health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantity discrimination in canids: Dogs (Canis familiaris) and wolves (Canis lupus) compared.

PubMed

Miletto Petrazzini, Maria Elena; Wynne, Clive D L

2017-11-01

Accumulating evidence indicates that animals are able to discriminate between quantities. Recent studies have shown that dogs' and coyotes' ability to discriminate between quantities of food items decreases with increasing numerical ratio. Conversely, wolves' performance is not affected by numerical ratio. Cross-species comparisons are difficult because of differences in the methodologies employed, and hence it is still unclear whether domestication altered quantitative abilities in canids. Here we used the same procedure to compare pet dogs and wolves in a spontaneous food choice task. Subjects were presented with two quantities of food items and allowed to choose only one option. Four numerical contrasts of increasing difficulty (range 1-4) were used to assess the influence of numerical ratio on the performance of the two species. Dogs' accuracy was affected by numerical ratio, while no ratio effect was observed in wolves. These results align with previous findings and reinforce the idea of different quantitative competences in dogs and wolves. Although we cannot exclude that other variables might have played a role in shaping quantitative abilities in these two species, our results might suggest that the interspecific differences here reported may have arisen as a result of domestication. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study of Polyolefines Waste Thermo-Destruction in Large Laboratory and in Industrial Installations

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-15

coke ”–waste after thermo-destruction carried out on the module No 2 showed an content to 46.1% of ash [20]. This ash content indicates a very large... coke (post-production waste) from the wastes thermo-destruction on 2 modules of vertical modular installation for thermo-destruction of used polymer...of receivedwaste water, the quantity of received coke , the quantity of gaseous product in periods of carrying out installation work before (first

Tracing the Cycling and Fate of the Explosive 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene in Coastal Marine Systems with a Stable Isotopic Tracer, (15)N-[TNT].

PubMed

Smith, Richard W; Vlahos, Penny; Böhlke, J K; Ariyarathna, Thivanka; Ballentine, Mark; Cooper, Christopher; Fallis, Stephen; Groshens, Thomas J; Tobias, Craig

2015-10-20

2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) has been used as a military explosive for over a hundred years. Contamination concerns have arisen as a result of manufacturing and use on a large scale; however, despite decades of work addressing TNT contamination in the environment, its fate in marine ecosystems is not fully resolved. Here we examine the cycling and fate of TNT in the coastal marine systems by spiking a marine mesocosm containing seawater, sediments, and macrobiota with isotopically labeled TNT ((15)N-[TNT]), simultaneously monitoring removal, transformation, mineralization, sorption, and biological uptake over a period of 16 days. TNT degradation was rapid, and we observed accumulation of reduced transformation products dissolved in the water column and in pore waters, sorbed to sediments and suspended particulate matter (SPM), and in the tissues of macrobiota. Bulk δ(15)N analysis of sediments, SPM, and tissues revealed large quantities of (15)N beyond that accounted for in identifiable derivatives. TNT-derived N was also found in the dissolved inorganic N (DIN) pool. Using multivariate statistical analysis and a (15)N mass balance approach, we identify the major transformation pathways of TNT, including the deamination of reduced TNT derivatives, potentially promoted by sorption to SPM and oxic surface sediments.

Tracing the cycling and fate of the explosive 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in coastal marine systems with a stable isotopic tracer, 15N-[TNT

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Richard W.; Vlahos, Penny; Böhlke, John Karl; Ariyarathna, Thivanka; Ballentine, Mark; Cooper, Christopher; Fallis, Stephen; Groshens, Thomas J.; Tobias, Craig

2015-01-01

2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) has been used as a military explosive for over a hundred years. Contamination concerns have arisen as a result of manufacturing and use on a large scale; however, despite decades of work addressing TNT contamination in the environment, its fate in marine ecosystems is not fully resolved. Here we examine the cycling and fate of TNT in the coastal marine systems by spiking a marine mesocosm containing seawater, sediments, and macrobiota with isotopically labeled TNT (15N-[TNT]), simultaneously monitoring removal, transformation, mineralization, sorption, and biological uptake over a period of 16 days. TNT degradation was rapid, and we observed accumulation of reduced transformation products dissolved in the water column and in pore waters, sorbed to sediments and suspended particulate matter (SPM), and in the tissues of macrobiota. Bulk δ15N analysis of sediments, SPM, and tissues revealed large quantities of 15N beyond that accounted for in identifiable derivatives. TNT-derived N was also found in the dissolved inorganic N (DIN) pool. Using multivariate statistical analysis and a 15N mass balance approach, we identify the major transformation pathways of TNT, including the deamination of reduced TNT derivatives, potentially promoted by sorption to SPM and oxic surface sediments.

Gravitational waves with dark matter minispikes: The combined effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Xiao-Jun; Han, Wen-Biao

2018-03-01

It was shown that the dark matter (DM) minihalo around an intermediate mass black hole (IMBH) can be redistributed into a cusp, called the DM minispike. We consider an intermediate-mass-ratio inspiral consisting of an IMBH harbored in a DM minispike with nonannihilating DM particles and a small black hole (BH) orbiting around it. We investigate gravitational waves (GWs) produced by this system and analyze the waveforms with the comprehensive consideration of gravitational pull, dynamical friction and accretion of the minispike and calculate the time difference and phase difference caused by it. We find that for a certain range of frequency, the inspiralling time of the system is dramatically reduced for smaller central IMBH and large density of DM. For the central IMBH with 105 M⊙ , the time of merger is ahead, which can be distinguished by LISA, Taiji and Tianqin. We focus on the effect of accretion and compare it with that of gravitational pull and friction. We find that the accretion mass is a small quantity compared to the initial mass of the small BH and the accretion effect is inconspicuous compared with friction. However, the accumulated phase shift caused by accretion is large enough to be detected by LISA, Taiji, and Tianqin, which indicate that the accretion effect can not be ignored in the detection of GWs.

Lessons from temporal and spatial patterns in global use of N and P fertilizer on cropland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouwman, A. F.; Beusen, A. H. W.; Lassaletta, L.; van Apeldoorn, D. F.; van Grinsven, H. J. M.; Zhang, J.; Ittersum van, M. K.

2017-01-01

In recent decades farmers in high-income countries and China and India have built up a large reserve of residual soil P in cropland. This reserve can now be used by crops, and in high-income countries the use of mineral P fertilizer has recently been decreasing with even negative soil P budgets in Europe. In contrast to P, much of N surpluses are emitted to the environment via air and water and large quantities of N are transported in aquifers with long travel times (decades and longer). N fertilizer use in high-income countries has not been decreasing in recent years; increasing N use efficiency and utilization of accumulated residual soil P allowed continued increases in crop yields. However, there are ecological risks associated with the legacy of excessive nutrient mobilization in the 1970s and 1980s. Landscapes have a memory for N and P; N concentrations in many rivers do not respond to increased agricultural N use efficiency, and European water quality is threatened by rapidly increasing N:P ratios. Developing countries can avoid such problems by integrated management of N, P and other nutrients accounting for residual soil P, while avoiding legacies associated with the type of past or continuing mismanagement of high-income countries, China and India.

Lessons from temporal and spatial patterns in global use of N and P fertilizer on cropland

PubMed Central

Bouwman, A. F.; Beusen, A. H. W.; Lassaletta, L.; van Apeldoorn, D. F.; van Grinsven, H. J. M.; Zhang, J.; Ittersum van, M. K.

2017-01-01

In recent decades farmers in high-income countries and China and India have built up a large reserve of residual soil P in cropland. This reserve can now be used by crops, and in high-income countries the use of mineral P fertilizer has recently been decreasing with even negative soil P budgets in Europe. In contrast to P, much of N surpluses are emitted to the environment via air and water and large quantities of N are transported in aquifers with long travel times (decades and longer). N fertilizer use in high-income countries has not been decreasing in recent years; increasing N use efficiency and utilization of accumulated residual soil P allowed continued increases in crop yields. However, there are ecological risks associated with the legacy of excessive nutrient mobilization in the 1970s and 1980s. Landscapes have a memory for N and P; N concentrations in many rivers do not respond to increased agricultural N use efficiency, and European water quality is threatened by rapidly increasing N:P ratios. Developing countries can avoid such problems by integrated management of N, P and other nutrients accounting for residual soil P, while avoiding legacies associated with the type of past or continuing mismanagement of high-income countries, China and India. PMID:28084415

A reservoir for solar-wind-produced water in lunar soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, L.; Liu, Y.; Zent, A.; Quinn, R.; Ichimura, A.

2012-09-01

Discoveries of new sources of WATER on the Moon are becoming more numerous as our research progresses. All these recent discoveries of different forms of H (OH, HOH, and H2O ice) on the Moon, both endogenic and exogenic, have reshaped our view of "water" ON and IN the Moon Despite these discoveries, a potential large reservoir, LUNAR SOIL, has been largely overlooked until recently [1-2]. This was the first report and confirmation of OH in micro-meteoriteformed, impact glass in lunar soils; so-called "agglutinates", with abundances of up to 500 ppmw H2O, presents a medium for the accumulation of H from all the various sources. And the Lunar Soil Characterization Consortium (LSCC) [3-5] has demonstrated that the impact-melt glass portion of the fine-grain sizes of the lunar soil contains upwards of 70-80 % of such water-bearing glass. This could make for lunar soil feedstock with upwards of ~0.1 wt% H2O, in addition to any water produced solarwind hydrogen reduction of ilmenite, etc. Therefore, thermal rendering of the fine-portions of the soil for solar-wind volatiles (e.g., H, He-3, C, N) will encounter additional quantities of water, exceeding those of the absorbed solar-wind.

Halophytic plants as a component of a bioregenerative life support system for recycling of NaCl contained in human liquid waste.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balnokin, Yurii; Balnokin, Yurii; Myasoedov, Nikolay; Popova, Larissa; Tikhomirov, Alexander A.; Ushakova, Sofya; Tikhomirova, Natalia; Lasseur, Christophe; Gros, Jean-Bernard

Currently, the closure of matter turnover is one of the urgent problems of bioregenerative life support system (BLSS) designing. The important aspect of the problem is involving of substances contained in liquid and solid exometabolites of humans inhabiting BLSS into intrasystem matter turnover. Recycling of Na+ and Cl- contained in human liquid exometabolites, i.e. urine is acknowledged to be among the main tasks of the matter turnover in BLSS. The ions excreted with urine may be returned to human organism with food. A way to allow this is including edible halophytic plants into the phototrophic compartment of BLSS. Halophytes are defined as plants which can grow on saline soils and produce high biomass under these conditions. Some halophytes can take up high quantities of Na+ and Cl- and accumulate the ions in the shoots or extrude them to leaf surface by means of salt glands. To allow Na+ and Cl- recycling through halophyte utilization, the following principal steps should be accomplished: (i) mineralization of the exometabolites by physicochemical methods; (ii) oxidation of ammonia formed during the exometabolite mineralization to nitrate by nitrifying bacteria, (iii) growing the halophyte on the nutrient solution prepared on the basis of the mineralized exometabolites, (iv) introducing the halophyte green biomass into human food. The present work is devoted to the following problems: (i) selection of a salt-accumulating/extruding halophytic plant suitable for Na+ and Cl- recycling in BLSS and (ii) parameter evaluation of a plant conveyor containing the halophytic plants at various ages. Halophytic plants selected for BLSS should meet the following criteria: (i) ability to grow under 24-hour-illumination, (ii) high productivity, (iii) ability to accumulate Na+ and Cl- in high quantities in shoots or to excrete salts to leaf surface, (iv) edibility, and (v) high nutritive value of the biomass. Relying on these criteria, salt-accumulating halophyte Salicornia europaea was selected from seven halophytic plant candidates, preliminary chosen from observations in their natural habitats, from our previous investigations and literature data. Characterization of the plant performance was obtained in the experiments on plants grown in water culture in a cultivation chamber under controlled conditions. A model nutrient solution simulating mineralized urine was used for halophyte growing. Under the experimental conditions, S.europaea exhibited high productivity and accumulated Na+ and Cl- in the shoots in high quantities. It has been shown that above-ground organs of S.europaea exhibit high nutritive value, the proteins are enriched with the essential amino acids and displayed high abundance of leucine, aspartic and glutamic acids. The results demonstrate that it is feasible to put into practice permanent Na+ and Cl- recycling in BLSS by a various-aged S.europaea conveyor. Relying on data on distribution of Na+ and Cl- between the plant and growth medium, parameters of the conveyor for permanent ion turnover in the system humans - exometabolites - nutrient solution - S.europaea - humans have been evaluated.

Nutrient and Antinutrient Compositions and Heavy Metal Uptake and Accumulation in S. nigrum Cultivated on Different Soil Types

PubMed Central

Ogundola, Adijat Funke; Bvenura, Callistus

2018-01-01

Solanum nigrum cultivated on different soil texture types, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, loam, and control soils, were evaluated for proximate compositions, antinutrients, vitamins, and mineral composition with plant age using standard analytical methods. Accumulation of trace elements using translocation factor was studied to determine their toxic levels in plant tissues. Data were analysed by ANOVA and results expressed as means and standard deviation. Ash content, crude fibre, protein, alkaloid, phytate, and saponin ranged between 11.4 and 12%, 19.24 and 19.95%, 34.23 and 38.98, 42.08 and 45.76 mg/ml, 0.84 and 1.17%, and 94.10 and 97.00%, respectively. Vitamins A, C, and B were present in high quantity. Macro- and micronutrients recorded showed that S. nigrum is a potential reservoir of minerals. Accumulation of micronutrients was observed to be the highest at the flowering stage between the 4th and 5th weeks after transplanting. Plants cultivated on clay loam, silty clay loam, and loam soils accumulated elevated nutritional compositions and abundant antinutrients. However, the accumulated trace metals in the plants are within the recommended safe levels. All nutrient values are in the recommended requirements for daily consumption. PMID:29576752

The accumulation pattern of ferruginol in the heartwood-forming Cryptomeria japonica xylem as determined by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and quantity analysis

PubMed Central

Kuroda, Katsushi; Fujiwara, Takeshi; Hashida, Koh; Imai, Takanori; Kushi, Masayoshi; Saito, Kaori; Fukushima, Kazuhiko

2014-01-01

Background and Aims Heartwood formation is a unique phenomenon of tree species. Although the accumulation of heartwood substances is a well-known feature of the process, the accumulation mechanism remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the accumulation process of ferruginol, a predominant heartwood substance of Cryptomeria japonica, in heartwood-forming xylem. Methods The radial accumulation pattern of ferruginol was examined from sapwood and through the intermediate wood to the heartwood by direct mapping using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). The data were compared with quantitative results obtained from a novel method of gas chromatography analysis using laser microdissection sampling and with water distribution obtained from cryo-scanning electron microscopy. Key Results Ferruginol initially accumulated in the middle of the intermediate wood, in the earlywood near the annual ring boundary. It accumulated throughout the entire earlywood in the inner intermediate wood, and in both the earlywood and the latewood in the heartwood. The process of ferruginol accumulation continued for more than eight annual rings. Ferruginol concentration peaked at the border between the intermediate wood and heartwood, while the concentration was less in the latewood compared wiht the earlywood in each annual ring. Ferruginol tended to accumulate around the ray parenchyma cells. In addition, at the border between the intermediate wood and heartwood, the accumulation was higher in areas without water than in areas with water. Conclusions TOF-SIMS clearly revealed ferruginol distribution at the cellular level. Ferruginol accumulation begins in the middle of intermediate wood, initially in the earlywood near the annual ring boundary, then throughout the entire earlywood, and finally across to the whole annual ring in the heartwood. The heterogeneous timing of ferruginol accumulation could be related to the distribution of ray parenchyma cells and/or water in the heartwood-forming xylem. PMID:24651372

Microstructurally-sensitive fatigue crack nucleation in Ni-based single and oligo crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Bo; Jiang, Jun; Dunne, Fionn P. E.

2017-09-01

An integrated experimental, characterisation and computational crystal plasticity study of cyclic plastic beam loading has been carried out for nickel single crystal (CMSX4) and oligocrystal (MAR002) alloys in order to assess quantitatively the mechanistic drivers for fatigue crack nucleation. The experimentally validated modelling provides knowledge of key microstructural quantities (accumulated slip, stress and GND density) at experimentally observed fatigue crack nucleation sites and it is shown that while each of these quantities is potentially important in crack nucleation, none of them in its own right is sufficient to be predictive. However, the local (elastic) stored energy density, measured over a length scale determined by the density of SSDs and GNDs, has been shown to predict crack nucleation sites in the single and oligocrystals tests. In addition, once primary nucleated cracks develop and are represented in the crystal model using XFEM, the stored energy correctly identifies where secondary fatigue cracks are observed to nucleate in experiments. This (Griffith-Stroh type) quantity also correctly differentiates and explains intergranular and transgranular fatigue crack nucleation.

The effects of temperature and salinity on phosphate levels in two euryhaline crustacean species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spaargaren, D. H.; Richard, P.; Ceccaldi, H. J.

Total phoshate, inorganic phosphate and organic (phospholipid) phosphate concentrations were determined in the blood of Carcinus maenas and in whole-animal homogenates of Penaeus japonicus acclimatized to various salinities and a high or a low temperature. In the blood of Carcinus, total and inorganic P concentrations range between 1.0 and 4.5 mmol · l -1; the amount of phospholipids is negligeable. The higher values were found at more extreme salinities. Low temperature is associated with low phosphate concentrations, particularly at intermediate salinities. Total P concentrations in Penaeus homogenates range between 10 and 60 mmol · 1 -1; phospholipid concentrations range between zero and 50 mmol · 1 -1. The higher values are again found at the extreme salinities. Inorganic P concentrations are almost constant — ca 10 mmol · 1 -1. No apparent effect of temperature on phosphate concentrations was observed. The results show clearly that osmotic stress influences severely the phosphate metabolism of the two species studied. Both species are able to accumulate phosphate at all experimental temperature/salinity combinations used, even when deprived of food. At extreme salinities, large quantities of phosphate are accumulated and converted to organic P compounds, most likely as phospholipids associated with the cell membranes. These effects of osmotic conditions in phosphate metabolism may offer an explanation for the effect of Ca ++ on membrane permeability as the regulation of both ions may be strongly interrelated, often under hormonal control.

High CO2 triggers preferential root growth of Arabidopsis thaliana via two distinct systems under low pH and low N stresses.

PubMed

Hachiya, Takushi; Sugiura, Daisuke; Kojima, Mikiko; Sato, Shigeru; Yanagisawa, Shuichi; Sakakibara, Hitoshi; Terashima, Ichiro; Noguchi, Ko

2014-02-01

Biomass allocation between shoots and roots is an important strategy used by plants to optimize growth in various environments. Root to shoot mass ratios typically increase in response to high CO2, a trend particularly evident under abiotic stress. We investigated this preferential root growth (PRG) in Arabidopsis thaliana plants cultivated under low pH/high CO2 or low nitrogen (N)/high CO2 conditions. Previous studies have suggested that changes in plant hormone, carbon (C) and N status may be related to PRG. We therefore examined the mechanisms underlying PRG by genetically modifying cytokinin (CK) levels, C and N status, and sugar signaling, performing sugar application experiments and determining primary metabolites, plant hormones and expression of related genes. Both low pH/high CO2 and low N/high CO2 stresses induced increases in lateral root (LR) number and led to high C/N ratios; however, under low pH/high CO2 conditions, large quantities of C were accumulated, whereas under low N/high CO2 conditions, N was severely depleted. Analyses of a CK-deficient mutant and a starchless mutant, in conjunction with sugar application experiments, revealed that these stresses induce PRG via different mechanisms. Metabolite and hormone profile analysis indicated that under low pH/high CO2 conditions, excess C accumulation may enhance LR number through the dual actions of increased auxin and decreased CKs.

High CO2 Triggers Preferential Root Growth of Arabidopsis thaliana Via Two Distinct Systems Under Low pH and Low N Stresses

PubMed Central

Hachiya, Takushi; Sugiura, Daisuke; Kojima, Mikiko; Sato, Shigeru; Yanagisawa, Shuichi; Sakakibara, Hitoshi; Terashima, Ichiro; Noguchi, Ko

2014-01-01

Biomass allocation between shoots and roots is an important strategy used by plants to optimize growth in various environments. Root to shoot mass ratios typically increase in response to high CO2, a trend particularly evident under abiotic stress. We investigated this preferential root growth (PRG) in Arabidopsis thaliana plants cultivated under low pH/high CO2 or low nitrogen (N)/high CO2 conditions. Previous studies have suggested that changes in plant hormone, carbon (C) and N status may be related to PRG. We therefore examined the mechanisms underlying PRG by genetically modifying cytokinin (CK) levels, C and N status, and sugar signaling, performing sugar application experiments and determining primary metabolites, plant hormones and expression of related genes. Both low pH/high CO2 and low N/high CO2 stresses induced increases in lateral root (LR) number and led to high C/N ratios; however, under low pH/high CO2 conditions, large quantities of C were accumulated, whereas under low N/high CO2 conditions, N was severely depleted. Analyses of a CK-deficient mutant and a starchless mutant, in conjunction with sugar application experiments, revealed that these stresses induce PRG via different mechanisms. Metabolite and hormone profile analysis indicated that under low pH/high CO2 conditions, excess C accumulation may enhance LR number through the dual actions of increased auxin and decreased CKs. PMID:24401956

Biodegradable Chitosan Magnetic Nanoparticle Carriers for Sub-Cellular Targeting Delivery of Artesunate for Efficient Treatment of Breast Cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramanian, Natesan; Abimanyu, Sugumaran; Vinoth, Jeevanesan; Sekar, Ponnusamy Chandra

2010-12-01

Artesunate is a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin, the active principle extracted from Artemisia annua. It possesses good anti-proliferative activity and anti-angiogenic activity with very low toxicity to normal healthy cells. The drawback of most cancer drugs is their inability to accumulate selectively in the cancerous cells. So, large quantities of doses have to be administered to get the required therapeutic concentration in the target site and it resulted in many serious side effects due to the exposure of healthy cells to higher concentrations of cytotoxic drugs. The problem may be solved by selectively and quantitatively accumulating the drug at target site using magnetic nanoparticles guided by an externally applied magnetic field. A modest attempt has been made in this present study, the artesunate magnetic nanoparticle was successfully formulated using two forms of chitosan and evaluated for its in-vitro characteristics like surface morphology, particle size and distribution, zeta potential, magnetic susceptibility, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity and in-vitro drug release. The synthesized magnetite size was 73 nm and the size of developed magnetic nanoparticles of artesunate was in the range of 90 to 575 nm. Acetic acid soluble chitosan at low concentration exhibit highest encapsulation efficiency and drug loading whereas increase in water soluble chitosan concentration increases the encapsulation efficiency and drug loading in formulations. The developed chitosan magnetic nanoparticles of artesunate shows better release characteristics and may be screened for its in-vivo breast cancer activity.

Cloning, characterization, and expression of xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase and expansin genes associated with petal growth and development during carnation flower opening

PubMed Central

Harada, Taro; Torii, Yuka; Morita, Shigeto; Onodera, Reiko; Hara, Yoshinao; Yokoyama, Ryusuke; Nishitani, Kazuhiko; Satoh, Shigeru

2011-01-01

Growth of petal cells is a basis for expansion and morphogenesis (outward bending) of petals during opening of carnation flowers (Dianthus caryophyllus L.). Petal growth progressed through elongation in the early stage, expansion with outward bending in the middle stage, and expansion of the whole area in the late stage of flower opening. In the present study, four cDNAs encoding xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) (DcXTH1–DcXTH4) and three cDNAs encoding expansin (DcEXPA1–DcEXPA3) were cloned from petals of opening carnation flowers and characterized. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR analyses showed that transcript levels of XTH and expansin genes accumulated differently in floral and vegetative tissues of carnation plants with opening flowers, indicating regulated expression of these genes. DcXTH2 and DcXTH3 transcripts were detected in large quantities in petals as compared with other tissues. DcEXPA1 and DcEXPA2 transcripts were markedly accumulated in petals of opening flowers. The action of XTH in growing petal tissues was confirmed by in situ staining of xyloglucan endotransglucosylase (XET) activity using a rhodamine-labelled xyloglucan nonasaccharide as a substrate. Based on the present findings, it is suggested that two XTH genes (DcXTH2 and DcXTH3) and two expansin genes (DcEXPA1 and DcEXPA2) are associated with petal growth and development during carnation flower opening. PMID:20959626

Toward Identifying the Next Generation of Superfund and Hazardous Waste Site Contaminants

PubMed Central

Ela, Wendell P.; Sedlak, David L.; Barlaz, Morton A.; Henry, Heather F.; Muir, Derek C.G.; Swackhamer, Deborah L.; Weber, Eric J.; Arnold, Robert G.; Ferguson, P. Lee; Field, Jennifer A.; Furlong, Edward T.; Giesy, John P.; Halden, Rolf U.; Henry, Tala; Hites, Ronald A.; Hornbuckle, Keri C.; Howard, Philip H.; Luthy, Richard G.; Meyer, Anita K.; Sáez, A. Eduardo; vom Saal, Frederick S.; Vulpe, Chris D.; Wiesner, Mark R.

2011-01-01

Background This commentary evolved from a workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences titled “Superfund Contaminants: The Next Generation” held in Tucson, Arizona, in August 2009. All the authors were workshop participants. Objectives Our aim was to initiate a dynamic, adaptable process for identifying contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) that are likely to be found in future hazardous waste sites, and to identify the gaps in primary research that cause uncertainty in determining future hazardous waste site contaminants. Discussion Superfund-relevant CECs can be characterized by specific attributes: They are persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic, occur in large quantities, and have localized accumulation with a likelihood of exposure. Although still under development and incompletely applied, methods to quantify these attributes can assist in winnowing down the list of candidates from the universe of potential CECs. Unfortunately, significant research gaps exist in detection and quantification, environmental fate and transport, health and risk assessment, and site exploration and remediation for CECs. Addressing these gaps is prerequisite to a preventive approach to generating and managing hazardous waste sites. Conclusions A need exists for a carefully considered and orchestrated expansion of programmatic and research efforts to identify, evaluate, and manage CECs of hazardous waste site relevance, including developing an evolving list of priority CECs, intensifying the identification and monitoring of likely sites of present or future accumulation of CECs, and implementing efforts that focus on a holistic approach to prevention. PMID:21205582

Occurrence and fate of acrylamide in water-recycling systems and sludge in aggregate industries.

PubMed

Junqua, Guillaume; Spinelli, Sylvie; Gonzalez, Catherine

2015-05-01

Acrylamide is a hazardous substance having irritant and toxic properties as well as carcinogen, mutagen, and impaired fertility possible effects. Acrylamide might be found in the environment as a consequence of the use of polyacrylamides (PAMs) widely added as a flocculant for water treatment. Acrylamide is a monomer used to produce polyacrylamide (PAM) polymers. This reaction of polymerization can be incomplete, and acrylamide molecules can be present as traces in the commercial polymer. Thus, the use of PAMs may generate a release of acrylamide in the environment. In aggregate industries, PAM is widely involved in recycling process and water reuse (aggregate washing). Indeed, these industries consume large quantities of water. Thus, European and French regulations have favored loops of recycling of water in order to reduce water withdrawals. The main goal of this article is to study the occurrence and fate of acrylamide in water-recycling process as well as in the sludge produced by the flocculation treatment process in aggregate production plants. Moreover, to strengthen the relevance of this article, the objective is also to demonstrate if the recycling system leads to an accumulation effect in waters and sludge and if free acrylamide could be released by sludge during their storage. To reach this objective, water sampled at different steps of recycling water process has been analyzed as well as different sludge corresponding to various storage times. The obtained results reveal no accumulation effect in the water of the water-recycling system nor in the sludge.

Formation of Giant Planets and Brown Dwarves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lissauer, Jack J.

2003-01-01

According to the prevailing core instability model, giant planets begin their growth by the accumulation of small solid bodies, as do terrestrial planets. However, unlike terrestrial planets, the growing giant planet cores become massive enough that they are able to accumulate substantial amounts of gas before the protoplanetary disk dissipates. Models predict that rocky planets should form in orbit about most stars. It is uncertain whether or not gas giant planet formation is common, because most protoplanetary disks may dissipate before solid planetary cores can grow large enough to gravitationally trap substantial quantities of gas. Ongoing theoretical modeling of accretion of giant planet atmospheres, as well as observations of protoplanetary disks, will help decide this issue. Observations of extrasolar planets around main sequence stars can only provide a lower limit on giant planet formation frequency . This is because after giant planets form, gravitational interactions with material within the protoplanetary disk may cause them to migrat inwards and be lost to the central star. The core instability model can only produce planets greater than a few jovian masses within protoplanetary disks that are more viscous than most such disks are believed to be. Thus, few brown dwarves (objects massive enough to undergo substantial deuterium fusion, estimated to occur above approximately 13 jovian masses) are likely to be formed in this manner. Most brown dwarves, as well as an unknown number of free-floating objects of planetary mass, are probably formed as are stars, by the collapse of extended gas/dust clouds into more compact objects.

Quantification of interstitial fluid on whole body CT: comparison with whole body autopsy.

PubMed

Lo Gullo, Roberto; Mishra, Shelly; Lira, Diego A; Padole, Atul; Otrakji, Alexi; Khawaja, Ranish Deedar Ali; Pourjabbar, Sarvenaz; Singh, Sarabjeet; Shepard, Jo-Anne O; Digumarthy, Subba R; Kalra, Mannudeep K; Stone, James R

2015-12-01

Interstitial fluid accumulation can occur in pleural, pericardial, and peritoneal spaces, and subcutaneous tissue planes. The purpose of the study was to assess if whole body CT examination in a postmortem setting could help determine the presence and severity of third space fluid accumulation in the body. Our study included 41 human cadavers (mean age 61 years, 25 males and 16 females) who had whole-body postmortem CT prior to autopsy. All bodies were maintained in the morgue in the time interval between death and autopsy. Two radiologists reviewed the whole-body CT examinations independently to grade third space fluid in the pleura, pericardium, peritoneum, and subcutaneous space using a 5-point grading system. Qualitative CT grading for third space fluid was correlated with the amount of fluid found on autopsy and the quantitative CT fluid volume, estimated using a dedicated software program (Volume, Syngo Explorer, Siemens Healthcare). Moderate and severe peripheral edema was seen in 16/41 and 7/41 cadavers respectively. It is not possible to quantify anasarca at autopsy. Correlation between imaging data for third space fluid and the quantity of fluid found during autopsy was 0.83 for pleural effusion, 0.4 for pericardial effusion and 0.9 for ascites. The degree of anasarca was significantly correlated with the severity of ascites (p < 0.0001) but not with pleural or pericardial effusion. There was strong correlation between volumetric estimation and qualitative grading for anasarca (p < 0.0001) and pleural effusion (p < 0.0001). Postmortem CT can help in accurate detection and quantification of third space fluid accumulation. The quantity of ascitic fluid on postmortem CT can predict the extent of anasarca.

Luminance mechanisms in green organic light-emitting devices fabricated utilizing tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum/4,7-diphenyl-1, 10-phenanthroline multiple heterostructures acting as an electron transport layer.

PubMed

Choo, Dong Chul; Seo, Su Yul; Kim, Tae Whan; Jin, You Young; Seo, Ji Hyun; Kim, Young Kwan

2010-05-01

The electrical and the optical properties in green organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) fabricated utilizing tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3)/4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (BPhen) multiple heterostructures acting as an electron transport layer (ETL) were investigated. The operating voltage of the OLEDs with a multiple heterostructure ETL increased with increasing the number of the Alq3/BPhen heterostructures because more electrons were accumulated at the Alq3/BPhen heterointerfaces. The number of the leakage holes existing in the multiple heterostructure ETL of the OLEDs at a low voltage range slightly increased due to an increase of the internal electric field generated from the accumulated electrons at the Alq3/BPhen heterointerface. The luminance efficiency of the OLEDs with a multiple heterostructure ETL at a high voltage range became stabilized because the increase of the number of the heterointerface decreased the quantity of electrons accumulated at each heterointerface.

Stratigraphic Framework and Depositional Sequences in the Lower Silurian Regional Oil and Gas Accumulation, Appalachian Basin: From Licking County, Ohio, to Fayette County, West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryder, Robert T.

2006-01-01

The Lower Silurian regional oil and gas accumulation was named by Ryder and Zagorski (2003) for a 400-mile (mi)-long by 200-mi-wide hydrocarbon accumulation in the central Appalachian basin of the Eastern United States and Ontario, Canada. From the early 1880s to 2000, approximately 300 to 400 million barrels of oil and eight to nine trillion cubic feet of gas have been produced from the Lower Silurian regional oil and gas accumulation (Miller, 1975; McCormac and others, 1996; Harper and others, 1999). Dominant reservoirs in the regional accumulation are the Lower Silurian 'Clinton' and Medina sandstones in Ohio and westernmost West Virginia and coeval rocks in the Lower Silurian Medina Group (Grimsby Sandstone (Formation) and Whirlpool Sandstone) in northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York. A secondary reservoir is the Upper Ordovician(?) and Lower Silurian Tuscarora Sandstone in central Pennsylvania and central West Virginia, a more proximal eastern facies of the 'Clinton' sandstone and Medina Group (Yeakel, 1962; Cotter, 1982, 1983; Castle, 1998). The Lower Silurian regional oil and gas accumulation is subdivided by Ryder and Zagorski (2003) into the following three parts: (1) an easternmost part consisting of local gas-bearing sandstone units in the Tuscarora Sandstone that is included with the basin-center accumulation; (2) an eastern part consisting predominantly of gas-bearing 'Clinton' sandstone-Medina Group sandstones that have many characteristics of a basin-center accumulation (Davis, 1984; Zagorski, 1988, 1991; Law and Spencer, 1993); and (3) a western part consisting of oil- and gas-bearing 'Clinton' sandstone-Medina Group sandstones that is a conventional accumulation with hybrid features of a basin-center accumulation (Zagorski, 1999). With the notable exception of the offshore part of Lake Erie (de Witt, 1993), the supply of oil and (or) gas in the hybrid-conventional part of the regional accumulation continues to decline because of the many wells drilled there since the late 1880s. However, new gas and local oil continues to be discovered in the deeper basin-center part (Zagorski, 1991; Pees, 1994; Petroleum Information Corporation, 1994). In general, only small quantities of gas have been produced from the Tuscarora Sandstone fields because of their generally poor reservoir quality and because of the low energy (Btu) content of the gas (Avary, 1996). Although fracture porosity is the dominant porosity type in the Tuscarora Sandstone gas reservoirs (Avary, 1996), there are several fields, such as Indian Creek, where intergranular porosity seems to be important (Bruner, 1983; Castle and Byrnes, 2005). In order to better understand the character and origin of the Lower Silurian regional oil and gas accumulation and its component parts, six cross sections were drawn through the Lower Silurian strata in parts of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The locations of all six cross sections are shown on sheet 2 (figs. 1 and 2) of this report. Each cross section shows the stratigraphic framework, depositional setting, sequence stratigraphy, and hydrocarbon-producing intervals of the Lower Silurian sandstone reservoirs and adjoining strata. Cross section F-F' presented here is about 215 mi long and trends northwestward, approximately normal to the depositional strike of the Lower Silurian sandstone system, and extends through large stretches of the basin-center and hybrid-conventional parts of the Lower Silurian regional oil and gas accumulation.

Teratology Studies of Lewisite and Sulfur Mustard Agents: Effects of Lewisite in Rats and Rabbits

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-31

virus of mice (PCM), rat corona virus /sialodacryoadenitis virus (RCV/SDA), H-1 virus and Kilham rat virus (KRV) by Microbiological Associates...Pneumonia virus of mice RCV/SDA = Rat corona virus /sialodacryoadenitis virus RH = Relative humidity SC = Subcutaneous SD = Standard deviation SE = Standard... cat , rabbit and human but apparently did not cross the placental membranes readily. The accumulation of a sufficient quantity of arsenate to induce a

EVALUATING THE ACCOTINK CREEK RESTORATION PROJECT FOR IMPROVING WATER QUALITY, IN-STREAM HABITAT, AND BANK STABILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Increased urbanization results in a larger percentage of connected impervious areas and can contribute large quantities of stormwater runoff and significant quantities of debris and pollutants (e.g., litter, oils, microorganisms, sediments, nutrients, organic matter, and heavy me...

The production of multiprotein complexes in insect cells using the baculovirus expression system.

PubMed

Abdulrahman, Wassim; Radu, Laura; Garzoni, Frederic; Kolesnikova, Olga; Gupta, Kapil; Osz-Papai, Judit; Berger, Imre; Poterszman, Arnaud

2015-01-01

The production of a homogeneous protein sample in sufficient quantities is an essential prerequisite not only for structural investigations but represents also a rate-limiting step for many functional studies. In the cell, a large fraction of eukaryotic proteins exists as large multicomponent assemblies with many subunits, which act in concert to catalyze specific activities. Many of these complexes cannot be obtained from endogenous source material, so recombinant expression and reconstitution are then required to overcome this bottleneck. This chapter describes current strategies and protocols for the efficient production of multiprotein complexes in large quantities and of high quality, using the baculovirus/insect cell expression system.

Earthquake cycles and physical modeling of the process leading up to a large earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohnaka, Mitiyasu

2004-08-01

A thorough discussion is made on what the rational constitutive law for earthquake ruptures ought to be from the standpoint of the physics of rock friction and fracture on the basis of solid facts observed in the laboratory. From this standpoint, it is concluded that the constitutive law should be a slip-dependent law with parameters that may depend on slip rate or time. With the long-term goal of establishing a rational methodology of forecasting large earthquakes, the entire process of one cycle for a typical, large earthquake is modeled, and a comprehensive scenario that unifies individual models for intermediate-and short-term (immediate) forecasts is presented within the framework based on the slip-dependent constitutive law and the earthquake cycle model. The earthquake cycle includes the phase of accumulation of elastic strain energy with tectonic loading (phase II), and the phase of rupture nucleation at the critical stage where an adequate amount of the elastic strain energy has been stored (phase III). Phase II plays a critical role in physical modeling of intermediate-term forecasting, and phase III in physical modeling of short-term (immediate) forecasting. The seismogenic layer and individual faults therein are inhomogeneous, and some of the physical quantities inherent in earthquake ruptures exhibit scale-dependence. It is therefore critically important to incorporate the properties of inhomogeneity and physical scaling, in order to construct realistic, unified scenarios with predictive capability. The scenario presented may be significant and useful as a necessary first step for establishing the methodology for forecasting large earthquakes.

Demonstration-Scale High-Cell-Density Fermentation of Pichia pastoris.

PubMed

Liu, Wan-Cang; Zhu, Ping

2018-01-01

Pichia pastoris has been one of the most successful heterologous overexpression systems in generating proteins for large-scale production through high-cell-density fermentation. However, optimizing conditions of the large-scale high-cell-density fermentation for biochemistry and industrialization is usually a laborious and time-consuming process. Furthermore, it is often difficult to produce authentic proteins in large quantities, which is a major obstacle for functional and structural features analysis and industrial application. For these reasons, we have developed a protocol for efficient demonstration-scale high-cell-density fermentation of P. pastoris, which employs a new methanol-feeding strategy-biomass-stat strategy and a strategy of increased air pressure instead of pure oxygen supplement. The protocol included three typical stages of glycerol batch fermentation (initial culture phase), glycerol fed-batch fermentation (biomass accumulation phase), and methanol fed-batch fermentation (induction phase), which allows direct online-monitoring of fermentation conditions, including broth pH, temperature, DO, anti-foam generation, and feeding of glycerol and methanol. Using this protocol, production of the recombinant β-xylosidase of Lentinula edodes origin in 1000-L scale fermentation can be up to ~900 mg/L or 9.4 mg/g cells (dry cell weight, intracellular expression), with the specific production rate and average specific production of 0.1 mg/g/h and 0.081 mg/g/h, respectively. The methodology described in this protocol can be easily transferred to other systems, and eligible to scale up for a large number of proteins used in either the scientific studies or commercial purposes.

The plasma separation process as a pre-cursor for large scale radioisotope production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevenson, Nigel R.

2001-07-01

Radioisotope production generally employs either accelerators or reactors to convert stable (usually enriched) isotopes into the desired product species. Radioisotopes have applications in industry, environmental sciences, and most significantly in medicine. The production of many potentially useful radioisotopes is significantly hindered by the lack of availability or by the high cost of key enriched stable isotopes. To try and meet this demand, certain niche enrichment processes have been developed and commercialized. Calutrons, centrifuges, and laser separation processes are some of the devices and techniques being employed to produce large quantities of selective enriched stable isotopes. Nevertheless, the list of enriched stable isotopes in sufficient quantities remains rather limited and this continues to restrict the availability of many radioisotopes that otherwise could have a significant impact on society. The Plasma Separation Process is a newly available commercial technique for producing large quantities of a wide range of enriched isotopes and thereby holds promise of being able to open the door to producing new and exciting applications of radioisotopes in the future.

Rapid Ovary Mass-Isolation (ROMi) to Obtain Large Quantities of Drosophila Egg Chambers for Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization.

PubMed

Jambor, Helena; Mejstrik, Pavel; Tomancak, Pavel

2016-01-01

Isolation of large quantities of tissue from organisms is essential for many techniques such as genome-wide screens and biochemistry. However, obtaining large quantities of tissues or cells is often the rate-limiting step when working in vivo. Here, we present a rapid method that allows the isolation of intact, single egg chambers at various developmental stages from ovaries of adult female Drosophila flies. The isolated egg chambers are amenable for a variety of procedures such as fluorescent in situ hybridization, RNA isolation, extract preparation, or immunostaining. Isolation of egg chambers from adult flies can be completed in 5 min and results, depending on the input amount of flies, in several milliliters of material. The isolated egg chambers are then further processed depending on the exact requirements of the subsequent application. We describe high-throughput in situ hybridization in 96-well plates as example application for the mass-isolated egg chambers.

Lipid-induced toxicity stimulates hepatocytes to release angiogenic microparticles that require Vanin-1 for uptake by endothelial cells

PubMed Central

Povero, Davide; Eguchi, Akiko; Niesman, Ingrid R.; Andronikou, Nektaria; de Mollerat du Jeu, Xavier; Mulya, Anny; Berk, Michael; Lazic, Milos; Thapaliya, Samjana; Parola, Maurizio; Patel, Hemal H.; Feldstein, Ariel E.

2014-01-01

Angiogenesis is a key pathological feature of experimental and human steatohepatitis, a common chronic liver disease that is associated with obesity. We demonstrated that hepatocytes generated a type of membrane-bound vesicle, microparticles, in response to conditions that mimicked the lipid accumulation that occurs in the liver in some forms of steatohepatitis and that these microparticles promoted angiogenesis. When applied to an endothelial cell line, medium conditioned by murine hepatocytes or a human hepatocyte cell line exposed to saturated free fatty acids induced migration and tube formation, two processes required for angiogenesis. Medium from hepatocytes in which caspase 3 was inhibited or medium in which the microparticles were removed by ultracentrifugation lacked proangiogenic activity. Isolated hepatocyte-derived microparticles induced migration and tube formation of an endothelial cell line in vitro and angiogenesis in mice, processes that depended on internalization of microparticles. Microparticle internalization required the interaction of the ectoenzyme Vanin-1 (VNN1), an abundant surface protein on the microparticles, with lipid raft domains of endothelial cells. Large quantities of hepatocyte-derived microparticles were detected in the blood of mice with diet-induced steatohepatitis, and microparticle quantity correlated with disease severity. Genetic ablation of caspase 3 or RNA interference directed against VNN1 protected mice from steatohepatitis-induced pathological angiogenesis in the liver and resulted in a loss of the proangiogenic effects of microparticles. Our data identify hepatocyte-derived microparticles as critical signals that contribute to angiogenesis and liver damage in steatohepatitis and suggest a therapeutic target for this condition. PMID:24106341

Geochemical and microbiological responses to oxidant introduction into reduced subsurface sediment from the Hanford 300 Area, Washington.

PubMed

Percak-Dennett, Elizabeth M; Roden, Eric E

2014-08-19

Pliocene-aged reduced lacustrine sediment from below a subsurface redox transition zone at the 300 Area of the Hanford site (southeastern Washington) was used in a study of the geochemical response to introduction of oxygen or nitrate in the presence or absence of microbial activity. The sediments contained large quantities of reduced Fe in the form of Fe(II)-bearing phyllosilicates, together with smaller quantities of siderite and pyrite. A loss of ca. 50% of 0.5 M HCl-extractable Fe(II) [5-10 mmol Fe(II) L(-1)] and detectable generation of sulfate (ca. 0.2 mM, equivalent to 10% of the reduced inorganic sulfur pool) occurred in sterile aerobic reactors. In contrast, no systematic loss of Fe(II) or production of sulfate was observed in any of the other oxidant-amended sediment suspensions. Detectable Fe(II) accumulation and sulfate consumption occurred in non-sterile oxidant-free reactors. Together, these results indicate the potential for heterotrophic carbon metabolism in the reduced sediments, consistent with the proliferation of known heterotrophic taxa (e.g., Pseudomonadaceae, Burkholderiaceae, and Clostridiaceae) inferred from 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing. Microbial carbon oxidation by heterotrophic communities is likely to play an important role in maintaining the redox boundary in situ, i.e., by modulating the impact of downward oxidant transport on Fe/S redox speciation. Diffusion-reaction simulations of oxygen and nitrate consumption coupled to solid-phase organic carbon oxidation indicate that heterotrophic consumption of oxidants could maintain the redox boundary at its current position over millennial time scales.

Copper Accumulation, Availability and Adsorption Capacity in Sandy Soils of Vineyards with Different Cultivation Duration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallmann, F. J. K.; Miotto, A.; Bender, M. A.; Gubiani, E.; Rheinheimer, D. D. S.; Kaminski, J.; Ceretta, C. A.; Šimůnek, J.

2015-12-01

Bordeaux mixture is a copper-based (Cu) fungicide and bactericide applied in vineyards to control plant diseases. Since it is applied several times per year, it accumulates in large quantities on plants and in soil. This study evaluates the Cu accumulation in, and desorption kinetics and adsorption capability of a sandy Ultisol in a natural field and in 3 vineyards for 5 (V1), 11 (V2), and 31 (V3) years in South of Brazil. Soil samples were collected in 8 depths (0-60 cm) of all four soil profiles, which all displayed similar soil properties. The following soil properties were measured: pH, organic matter (OM), soil bulk density, Cu total concentration, and Cu desorption and adsorption curves. A two first-order reactions model and the Langmuir isotherm were fitted to the desorption and adsorption curves, respectively. An increase in the total mass of Cu in the vineyards followed a linear regression curve, with an average annual increase of 7.15 kg ha-1. Cu accumulated down to a depth of 5, 20, and 30 cm in V1, V2 and V3, respectively, with the highest Cu content reaching 138.4 mg kg-1 in the 0-5 cm soil layer of V3. Cu desorption parameters showed a high correlation with its total concentration. Approximately 57 and 19% of total Cu were immediately and slowly available, respectively, indicating a high potential for plant absorption and/or downward movement. Cu concentrations extracted by EDTA from soil layers not affected by anthropogenic Cu inputs were very low. The maximum Cu adsorption capacity of the 0-5 and 5-10 cm soil layers increased with the vineyard age, reaching concentrations higher than 900 mg kg-1. This increase was highly related to OM and pH, which both increased with cultivation duration. Despite of low clay content of these soils, there is low risk of groundwater Cu contamination for actual conditions. However, high Cu concentrations in the surface layer of the long-term vineyards could cause toxicity problems for this and for companion crops.

Solutol and cremophor products as new additives in suppository formulation.

PubMed

Berkó, Szilvia; Regdon, Géza; Erös, István

2002-01-01

Our research has a double purpose. On the one hand, doctors have expressed the need to formulate a rectal suppository dosage form from diuretic ethacrynic acid, which would add to the choice of treatment methods and thereby increase the possibilities of individual cure. On the other hand, the liberation and thereby the bioavailability of poorly-soluble ethacrynic acid needs to be enhanced, and for this purpose solubility-increasing additives new to rectal therapy were used. Solutol HS 15, Cremophor RH 40, and Cremophor RH 60 were used as additives in concentrations of 1, 3, 5, and 10%. The quantity of drug released changed as a function of additive concentration. Depending on the acceptor phase, the best results were achieved with an additive concentration of 1-3%, which is related to the optimal additive quantity accumulated on the boundary surface.

Quantity, Revisited: An Object-Oriented Reusable Class

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Funston, Monica Gayle; Gerstle, Walter; Panthaki, Malcolm

1998-01-01

"Quantity", a prototype implementation of an object-oriented class, was developed for two reasons: to help engineers and scientists manipulate the many types of quantities encountered during routine analysis, and to create a reusable software component to for large domain-specific applications. From being used as a stand-alone application to being incorporated into an existing computational mechanics toolkit, "Quantity" appears to be a useful and powerful object. "Quantity" has been designed to maintain the full engineering meaning of values with respect to units and coordinate systems. A value is a scalar, vector, tensor, or matrix, each of which is composed of Value Components, each of which may be an integer, floating point number, fuzzy number, etc., and its associated physical unit. Operations such as coordinate transformation and arithmetic operations are handled by member functions of "Quantity". The prototype has successfully tested such characteristics as maintaining a numeric value, an associated unit, and an annotation. In this paper we further explore the design of "Quantity", with particular attention to coordinate systems.

Variability and Maintenance of Turbulence in the Very Stable Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahrt, Larry

2010-04-01

The relationship of turbulence quantities to mean flow quantities, such as the Richardson number, degenerates substantially for strong stability, at least in those studies that do not place restrictions on minimum turbulence or non-stationarity. This study examines the large variability of the turbulence for very stable conditions by analyzing four months of turbulence data from a site with short grass. Brief comparisons are made with three additional sites, one over short grass on flat terrain and two with tall vegetation in complex terrain. For very stable conditions, any dependence of the turbulence quantities on the mean wind speed or bulk Richardson number becomes masked by large scatter, as found in some previous studies. The large variability of the turbulence quantities is due to random variations and other physical influences not represented by the bulk Richardson number. There is no critical Richardson number above which the turbulence vanishes. For very stable conditions, the record-averaged vertical velocity variance and the drag coefficient increase with the strength of the submeso motions (wave motions, solitary waves, horizontal modes and numerous more complex signatures). The submeso motions are on time scales of minutes and not normally considered part of the mean flow. The generation of turbulence by such unpredictable motions appears to preclude universal similarity theory for predicting the surface stress for very stable conditions. Large variation of the stress direction with respect to the wind direction for the very stable regime is also examined. Needed additional work is noted.

EVALUATING THE ACCOTINK CREEK URBAN STREAM RESTORATION PROJECT FOR IMPROVING WATER QUALITY, IN-STREAM HABITAT, AND BANK STABILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Increased urbanization results in a larger percentage of connected impervious areas and can contribute large quantities of stormwater runoff and significant quantities of debris and pollutants (e.g., litter, oils, microorganisms, sediments, nutrients, organic matter, and heavy me...

Predicting ground-water movement in large mine spoil areas in the Appalachian Plateau

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wunsch, D.R.; Dinger, J.S.; Graham, C.D.R.

1999-01-01

Spoil created by surface mining can accumulate large quantities of ground-water, which can create geotechnical or regulatory problems, as well as flood active mine pits. A current study at a large (4.1 km2), thick, (up to 90 m) spoil body in eastern Kentucky reveals important factors that control the storage and movement of water. Ground-water recharge occurs along the periphery of the spoil body where surface-water drainage is blocked, as well as from infiltration along the spoil-bedrock contact, recharge from adjacent bedrock, and to a minor extent, through macropores at the spoil's surface. Based on an average saturated thickness of 6.4 m for all spoil wells, and assuming an estimated porosity of 20%, approximately 5.2 x 106 m3 of water is stored within the existing 4.1 km2 of reclaimed spoil. A conceptual model of ground-water flow, based on data from monitoring wells, dye-tracing data, discharge from springs and ponds, hydraulic gradients, chemical data, field reconnaissance, and aerial photographs indicate that three distinct but interconnected saturated zones have been established: one in the spoil's interior, and others in the valley fills that surround the main spoil body at lower elevations. Ground-water movement is sluggish in the spoil's interior, but moves quickly through the valley fills. The conceptual model shows that a prediction of ground-water occurrence, movement, and quality can be made for active or abandoned spoil areas if all or some of the following data are available: structural contour of the base of the lowest coal seam being mined, pre-mining topography, documentation of mining methods employed throughout the mine, overburden characteristics, and aerial photographs of mine progression.Spoil created by surface mining can accumulate large quantities of ground-water, which can create geotechnical or regulatory problems, as well as flood active mine pits. A current study at a large (4.1 km2), thick, (up to 90 m) spoil body in eastern Kentucky reveals important factors that control the storage and movement of water. Ground-water recharge occurs along the periphery of the spoil body where surface-water drainage is blocked, as well as from infiltration along the spoil-bedrock contact, recharge from adjacent bedrock, and to a minor extent, through macropores at the spoil's surface. Based on an average saturated thickness of 6.4 m for all spoil wells, and assuming an estimated porosity of 20%, approximately 5.2 ?? 106 m3 of water is stored within the existing 4.1 km2 of reclaimed spoil. A conceptual model of ground-water flow, based on data from monitoring wells, dye-tracing data, discharge from springs and ponds, hydraulic gradients, chemical data, field reconnaissance, and aerial photographs indicate that three distinct but interconnected saturated zones have been established: one in the spoil's interior, and others in the valley fills that surround the main spoil body at lower elevations. Ground-water movement is sluggish in the spoil's interior, but moves quickly through the valley fills. The conceptual model shows that a prediction of ground-water occurrence, movement, and quality can be made for active or abandoned spoil areas if all or some of the following data are available: structural contour of the base of the lowest coal seam being mined, pre-mining topography, documentation of mining methods employed throughout the mine, overburden characteristics, and aerial photographs of mine progression.

Influence of pre-injection control parameters on main-injection fuel quantity for an electronically controlled double-valve fuel injection system of diesel engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Enzhe; Fan, Liyun; Chen, Chao; Dong, Quan; Ma, Xiuzhen; Bai, Yun

2013-09-01

A simulation model of an electronically controlled two solenoid valve fuel injection system for a diesel engine is established in the AMESim environment. The accuracy of the model is validated through comparison with experimental data. The influence of pre-injection control parameters on main-injection quantity under different control modes is analyzed. In the spill control valve mode, main-injection fuel quantity decreases gradually and then reaches a stable level because of the increase in multi-injection dwell time. In the needle control valve mode, main-injection fuel quantity increases with rising multi-injection dwell time; this effect becomes more obvious at high-speed revolutions and large main-injection pulse widths. Pre-injection pulse width has no obvious influence on main-injection quantity under the two control modes; the variation in main-injection quantity is in the range of 1 mm3.

Do Social Conditions Affect Capuchin Monkeys' (Cebus apella) Choices in a Quantity Judgment Task?

PubMed

Beran, Michael J; Perdue, Bonnie M; Parrish, Audrey E; Evans, Theodore A

2012-01-01

Beran et al. (2012) reported that capuchin monkeys closely matched the performance of humans in a quantity judgment test in which information was incomplete but a judgment still had to be made. In each test session, subjects first made quantity judgments between two known options. Then, they made choices where only one option was visible. Both humans and capuchin monkeys were guided by past outcomes, as they shifted from selecting a known option to selecting an unknown option at the point at which the known option went from being more than the average rate of return to less than the average rate of return from earlier choices in the test session. Here, we expanded this assessment of what guides quantity judgment choice behavior in the face of incomplete information to include manipulations to the unselected quantity. We manipulated the unchosen set in two ways: first, we showed the monkeys what they did not get (the unchosen set), anticipating that "losses" would weigh heavily on subsequent trials in which the same known quantity was presented. Second, we sometimes gave the unchosen set to another monkey, anticipating that this social manipulation might influence the risk-taking responses of the focal monkey when faced with incomplete information. However, neither manipulation caused difficulty for the monkeys who instead continued to use the rational strategy of choosing known sets when they were as large as or larger than the average rate of return in the session, and choosing the unknown (riskier) set when the known set was not sufficiently large. As in past experiments, this was true across a variety of daily ranges of quantities, indicating that monkeys were not using some absolute quantity as a threshold for selecting (or not) the known set, but instead continued to use the daily average rate of return to determine when to choose the known versus the unknown quantity.

Nebulization Reflux Concentrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cofer, Wesley R., III; Collins, V. G.

1986-01-01

Nebulization reflux concentrator extracts and concentrates trace quantities of water-soluble gases for subsequent chemical analysis. Hydrophobic membrane and nebulizing nozzles form scrubber for removing trace quantities of soluble gases or other contaminants from atmosphere. Although hydrophobic membrane virtually blocks all transport of droplets, it offers little resistance to gas flow; hence, device permits relatively large volumes of gas scrubbed efficiently with very small volumes of liquid. This means analyzable quantities of contaminants concentrate in extracting solutions in much shorter times than with conventional techniques.

Active Transport of Exogenous S-Adenosylmethionine and Related Compounds into Cells and Vacuoles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PubMed Central

Nakamura, K. D.; Schlenk, F.

1974-01-01

Saccharomyces cerevisiae 4094-B (α, ade-2, ura-1) in potassium phosphate buffer with glucose under aerobic conditions took up (−)S-adenosyl-l-methionine from the medium in sufficient quantity to permit the demonstration of its accumulation in the vacuole by ultraviolet micrography. The same result was obtained with (±)S-adenosyl-l-methionine, (±)S-adenosyl-d-methionine, and (−)S-adenosyl-l-ethionine. The rate of uptake was slow with (−)S-adenosyl-S(n-propyl)-l-homocysteine and S-adenosyl-d-homocysteine. S-Adenosyl-l-homocysteine was assimilated rapidly, but intracellular degradation precluded accumulation and ultraviolet micrographic studies. The uptake of 5′-methyl-, 5′-ethyl-, 5′-n-propylthioadenosine, and 5′-dimethylsulfonium adenosine was minimal. Images PMID:4371757

Dinuclear polypyridylruthenium(II) complexes: flow cytometry studies of their accumulation in bacteria and the effect on the bacterial membrane.

PubMed

Li, Fangfei; Feterl, Marshall; Warner, Jeffrey M; Keene, F Richard; Collins, J Grant

2013-12-01

To determine the energy dependency of and the contribution of the membrane potential to the cellular accumulation of the dinuclear complexes [{Ru(phen)2}2{μ-bbn}](4+) (Rubbn) and the mononuclear complexes [Ru(Me4phen)3](2+) and [Ru(phen)2(bb7)](2+) in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and to examine their effect on the bacterial membrane. The accumulation of the ruthenium complexes in bacteria was determined using flow cytometry at a range of temperatures. The cellular accumulation of the ruthenium complexes was also determined in cells that had been incubated with the metal complexes in the presence or absence of metabolic stimulators or inhibitors and/or commercial dyes to determine the membrane potential or membrane permeability. The accumulation of ruthenium complexes in the two bacterial strains was shown to increase with increasing incubation temperature, with the relative increase in accumulation greater with E. coli, particularly for Rubb12 and Rubb16. No decrease in accumulation was observed for Rubb12 in ATP-inhibited cells. While carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP) did depolarize the cell membrane, no reduction in the accumulation of Rubb12 was observed; however, all ruthenium complexes, when incubated with S. aureus at concentrations twice their MIC, depolarized the membrane to a similar extent to CCCP. Except for the mononuclear complex [Ru(Me4phen)3](2+), incubation of any of the other ruthenium complexes allowed a greater quantity of the membrane-impermeable dye TO-PRO-3 to be taken up by S. aureus. The results indicate that the potential new antimicrobial Rubbn complexes enter the cell in an energy-independent manner, depolarize the cell membrane and significantly permeabilize the cellular membrane.

First evidence of an extensive Acheulean large cutting tool accumulation in Europe from Porto Maior (Galicia, Spain).

PubMed

Méndez-Quintas, E; Santonja, M; Pérez-González, A; Duval, M; Demuro, M; Arnold, L J

2018-02-15

We describe a European Acheulean site characterised by an extensive accumulation of large cutting tools (LCT). This type of Lower Paleolithic assemblage, with dense LCT accumulations, has only been found on the African continent and in the Near East until now. The identification of a site with large accumulations of LCTs favours the hypothesis of an African origin for the Acheulean of Southwest Europe. The lithic tool-bearing deposits date back to 293-205 thousand years ago. Our chronological findings confirm temporal overlap between sites with clear "African" Acheulean affinities and Early Middle Paleolithic sites found elsewhere in the region. These complex technological patterns could be consistent with the potential coexistence of different human species in south-western Europe during the Middle Pleistocene.

BnSGS3 Has Differential Effects on the Accumulation of CMV, ORMV and TuMV in Oilseed Rape

PubMed Central

Chen, Quan; Wang, Jie; Hou, Mingsheng; Liu, Shengyi; Huang, Junyan; Cai, Li

2015-01-01

Virus diseases greatly affect oilseed rape (Brassica napus) production. Investigating antiviral genes may lead to the development of disease-resistant varieties of oilseed rape. In this study, we examined the effects of the suppressor of gene silencing 3 in Brassica napus (BnSGS3, a putative antiviral gene) with different genus viruses by constructing BnSGS3-overexpressing (BnSGS3-Ov) and BnSGS3-silenced (BnSGS3-Si) oilseed rape (cv. Zhongshuang No. 6) plants. These three viruses are Oilseed rape mosaic virus (ORMV), Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). The native BnSGS3 expressed in all examined tissues with the highest expression in siliques. All three viruses induced BnSGS3 expression, but ORMV induced a dramatic increase in the BnSGS3-Ov plants, followed by TuMV and CMV. Upon inoculation with three different viruses, transcript abundance of BnSGS3 gene follows: BnSGS3-Ov > non-transgenic plants > BnSGS3-Si. The accumulation quantities of ORMV and TuMV exhibited a similar trend. However, CMV accumulation showed an opposite trend where virus accumulations were negatively correlated with BnSGS3 expression. The results suggest that BnSGS3 selectively inhibits CMV accumulation but promotes ORMV and TuMV accumulation. BnSGS3 should be used in different ways (up- and down-regulation) for breeding virus-resistant oilseed rape varieties. PMID:26225990

Changes in amino acid profile and metal content in seeds of Cicer arietinum L. (chickpea) grown under various fly-ash amendments.

PubMed

Gupta, D K; Tripathi, R D; Rai, U N; Dwivedi, S; Mishra, Seema; Srivastava, S; Inouhe, M

2006-11-01

Seeds of Cicer arietinum L. plants are edible and a valuable source of protein. Accumulation of toxic metals in the edible part of the plant, grown in fields close to fly-ash (FA) landfills, may pose a threat to human health. In the present study, the effects of FA and its amendments with different ameliorants viz., garden soil (GS), press mud (PM) and saw dust (SD), on total soluble protein contents, amino acid composition and metal accumulation in seeds were investigated in var. CSG-8962 and var. C-235 of C. arietinum. Plants accumulated adequate amounts of essential metals viz. Fe, Cu, Zn in seeds, while the toxic metals such as Cd and Cr were taken up in smaller quantities. The accumulation of Cr and Cd was less in var. C-235 than var. CSG-8962. Amendment of FA with PM enhanced the amount of soluble protein and amino acids in both varieties and was found to be superior among all tested ameliorants. Both quantitative and qualitative analysis of amino acids showed better response in var. C-235 as compared to var. CSG-8962. Thus var. C-235 seems to be suitable for cultivation in FA contaminated areas due to more accumulation of essential metals and less accumulation of toxic metals in seeds. Application of PM may further improve the growth of plants and nutritional quality of seeds.

European consumer attitudes on the associated health benefits of neutraceutical-containing processed meats using Co-enzyme Q10 as a sample functional ingredient.

PubMed

Tobin, Brian D; O'Sullivan, Maurice G; Hamill, Ruth; Kerry, Joseph P

2014-06-01

This study accumulated European consumer attitudes towards processed meats and their use as a functional food. A survey was set up using an online web-application to gather information on consumer perception of processed meats as well as neutraceutical-containing processed meats. 548 responses were obtained and statistical analysis was carried out using a statistical software package. Data was summarized as frequencies for each question and statistical differences analyzed using the Chi-Square statistical test with a significance level of 5% (P<0.05). The majority of consumer attitudes towards processed meat indicate that they are unhealthy products. Most believe that processed meats contain large quantities of harmful chemicals, fat and salt. Consumers were found to be very pro-bioactive compounds in yogurt style products but unsure of their feelings in meat based products, which is likely due to the lack of familiarity to these products. Many of the respondents were willing to consume meat based functional foods but were not willing to pay more for them. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lipoprotein Uptake by Neuronal Growth Cones in Vitro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ignatius, Michael J.; Shooter, Eric M.; Pitas, Robert E.; Mahley, Robert W.

1987-05-01

Macrophages that rapidly enter injured peripheral nerve synthesize and secrete large quantities of apolipoprotein E. This protein may be involved in the redistribution of lipid, including cholesterol released during degeneration, to the regenerating axons. To test this postulate, apolipoprotein E-associated lipid particles released from segments of injured rat sciatic nerve and apolipoprotein E-containing lipoproteins from plasma were used to determine whether sprouting neurites, specifically their growth cones, possessed lipoprotein receptors. Pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, which can be stimulated to produce neurites in vitro, were used as a model system. Apolipoprotein E-containing lipid particles and lipoproteins, which had been labeled with fluorescent dye, were internalized by the neurites and their growth cones; the unmetabolized dye appeared to be localized to the lysosomes. The rapid rate of accumulation in the growth cones precludes the possibility of orthograde transport of the fluorescent particles from the PC12 cell bodies. Thus, receptor-mediated lipoprotein uptake is performed by the apolipoprotein B,E(LDL) (low density lipoprotein) receptors, and in the regenerating peripheral nerve apolipoprotein E may deliver lipids to the neurites and their growth cones for membrane biosynthesis.

Microphytobenthos in ecotoxicology: a review of the use of marine benthic diatoms in bioassays.

PubMed

Araújo, Cristiano V M; Blasco, Julián; Moreno-Garrido, Ignacio

2010-08-01

Contamination in coastal zones is an increasing problem that adversely affects biological diversity and the functioning of coastal ecosystems. Sediment is an important compartment of these zones since large quantities of diverse contaminants can accumulate there. Whole-sediment toxicity assays are of increasing importance, and several assay methods using mainly invertebrates have been developed. However, an important part of the benthic community, the microphytobenthos (represented principally by benthic diatoms and cyanobacteria), has surprisingly been neglected. Recently, comprehensive studies have been conducted using benthic marine microalgae with the object of establishing a toxicity assay method for sediment samples. The main results published to date in the literature and obtained by our own team have been compiled and are discussed in this review. The value and feasibility of using certain organisms of the microphytobenthos group in ecotoxicology studies are also discussed, and a sediment quality guideline based on multivariate procedure has been derived from data obtained in previous studies. Finally, future perspectives for research in this field are discussed. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expressing genes do not forget their LINEs: transposable elements and gene expression

PubMed Central

Kines, Kristine J.; Belancio, Victoria P.

2012-01-01

1. ABSTRACT Historically the accumulated mass of mammalian transposable elements (TEs), particularly those located within gene boundaries, was viewed as a genetic burden potentially detrimental to the genomic landscape. This notion has been strengthened by the discovery that transposable sequences can alter the architecture of the transcriptome, not only through insertion, but also long after the integration process is completed. Insertions previously considered harmless are now known to impact the expression of host genes via modification of the transcript quality or quantity, transcriptional interference, or by the control of pathways that affect the mRNA life-cycle. Conversely, several examples of the evolutionary advantageous impact of TEs on the host gene structure that diversified the cellular transcriptome are reported. TE-induced changes in gene expression can be tissue-or disease-specific, raising the possibility that the impact of TE sequences may vary during development, among normal cell types, and between normal and disease-affected tissues. The understanding of the rules and abundance of TE-interference with gene expression is in its infancy, and its contribution to human disease and/or evolution remains largely unexplored. PMID:22201807

Determination of Survivable Fires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dietrich, D. L.; Niehaus, J. E.; Ruff, G. A.; Urban, D. L.; Takahashi, F.; Easton, J. W.; Abbott, A. A.; Graf, J. C.

2012-01-01

At NASA, there exists no standardized design or testing protocol for spacecraft fire suppression systems (either handheld or total flooding designs). An extinguisher's efficacy in safely suppressing any reasonable or conceivable fire is the primary benchmark. That concept, however, leads to the question of what a reasonable or conceivable fire is. While there exists the temptation to over-size' the fire extinguisher, weight and volume considerations on spacecraft will always (justifiably) push for the minimum size extinguisher required. This paper attempts to address the question of extinguisher size by examining how large a fire a crew member could successfully survive and extinguish in the confines of a spacecraft. The hazards to the crew and equipment during an accidental fire include excessive pressure rise resulting in a catastrophic rupture of the vehicle skin, excessive temperatures that burn or incapacitate the crew (due to hyperthermia), carbon dioxide build-up or other accumulation of other combustion products (e.g. carbon monoxide). Estimates of these quantities are determined as a function of fire size and mass of material burned. This then becomes the basis for determining the maximum size of a target fire for future fire extinguisher testing.

Fermentative hydrogen production using pretreated microalgal biomass as feedstock.

PubMed

Wang, Jianlong; Yin, Yanan

2018-02-14

Microalgae are simple chlorophyll containing organisms, they have high photosynthetic efficiency and can synthesize and accumulate large quantities of carbohydrate biomass. They can be cultivated in fresh water, seawater and wastewater. They have been used as feedstock for producing biodiesel, bioethanol and biogas. The production of these biofuels can be integrated with CO 2 mitigation, wastewater treatment, and the production of high-value chemicals. Biohydrogen from microalgae is renewable. Microalgae have several advantages compared to terrestrial plants, such as higher growth rate with superior CO 2 fixation capacity; they do not need arable land to grow; they do not contain lignin. In this review, the biology of microalgae and the chemical composition of microalgae were briefly introduced, the advantages and disadvantages of hydrogen production from microalgae were discussed, and the pretreatment of microalgal biomass and the fermentative hydrogen production from microalgal biomass pretreated by different methods (including physical, chemical, biological and combined methods) were summarized and evaluated. For the production of biohydrogen from microalgae, the economic feasibility remains the most important aspect to consider. Several technological and economic issues must be addressed to achieve success on a commercial scale.

Mutation rates among RNA viruses

PubMed Central

Drake, John W.; Holland, John J.

1999-01-01

The rate of spontaneous mutation is a key parameter in modeling the genetic structure and evolution of populations. The impact of the accumulated load of mutations and the consequences of increasing the mutation rate are important in assessing the genetic health of populations. Mutation frequencies are among the more directly measurable population parameters, although the information needed to convert them into mutation rates is often lacking. A previous analysis of mutation rates in RNA viruses (specifically in riboviruses rather than retroviruses) was constrained by the quality and quantity of available measurements and by the lack of a specific theoretical framework for converting mutation frequencies into mutation rates in this group of organisms. Here, we describe a simple relation between ribovirus mutation frequencies and mutation rates, apply it to the best (albeit far from satisfactory) available data, and observe a central value for the mutation rate per genome per replication of μg ≈ 0.76. (The rate per round of cell infection is twice this value or about 1.5.) This value is so large, and ribovirus genomes are so informationally dense, that even a modest increase extinguishes the population. PMID:10570172

Hazardous E-waste and its impact on soil structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dharini, K.; Cynthia, J. Bernadette; Kamalambikai, B.; Sudar Celestina, J. P. Arul; Muthu, D.

2017-07-01

E-waste disposal has been a significant issue over the past few decades with the development of technology and the plethora of electronic products produced. The inclusive term E-Waste encapsulates various forms of electrical and electronical equipment which provides no value to the current owners and it is one among the fastest growing waste streams. E-Waste is a complex, non-biodegradable waste which is generally dumped in mountain like heaps. These wastes are said to have a large quantities of lead, cadmium, arsenic etc.it is mandatory to dispose such scrupulously since they have the ability to affect the soil and water parameters. Solid waste management is a blooming field which strives to reduce the accumulation of used electronic gadgets. Rainwater gets infiltrated through the e-waste landfill and it leaches through the soil which in turn reaches the groundwater directly thereby affecting the water intended for drinking and domestic purposes. This study focuses on the consequences of toxic waste by comparing the difference in properties of the soil structure prior to and after the e-waste landfill at various concentrations.

Limits of computational biology.

PubMed

Bray, Dennis

2015-01-01

Are we close to a complete inventory of living processes so that we might expect in the near future to reproduce every essential aspect necessary for life? Or are there mechanisms and processes in cells and organisms that are presently inaccessible to us? Here I argue that a close examination of a particularly well-understood system--that of Escherichia coli chemotaxis--shows we are still a long way from a complete description. There is a level of molecular uncertainty, particularly that responsible for fine-tuning and adaptation to myriad external conditions, which we presently cannot resolve or reproduce on a computer. Moreover, the same uncertainty exists for any process in any organism and is especially pronounced and important in higher animals such as humans. Embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, immune recognition, memory formation, and survival in the real world, all depend on vast numbers of subtle variations in cell chemistry most of which are presently unknown or only poorly characterized. Overcoming these limitations will require us to not only accumulate large quantities of highly detailed data but also develop new computational methods able to recapitulate the massively parallel processing of living cells.

The biosynthesis of hydroxycinnamoyl quinate esters and their role in the storage of cocaine in Erythroxylum coca.

PubMed

Torre, José Carlos Pardo; Schmidt, Gregor W; Paetz, Christian; Reichelt, Michael; Schneider, Bernd; Gershenzon, Jonathan; D'Auria, John C

2013-07-01

Complexation of alkaloids is an important strategy plants utilize to facilitate storage in vacuoles and avoid autotoxicity. Previous studies have implicated hydroxycinnamoyl quinate esters in the complexation of purine alkaloids in Coffea arabica. The goal of this study was to determine if Erythroxylum coca uses similar complexation agents to store abundant tropane alkaloids, such as cocaine and cinnamoyl cocaine. Metabolite analysis of various E. coca organs established a close correlation between levels of coca alkaloids and those of two hydroxycinnamoyl esters of quinic acid, chlorogenic acid and 4-coumaroyl quinate. The BAHD acyltransferase catalyzing the final step in hydroxycinnamoyl quinate biosynthesis was isolated and characterized, and its gene expression found to correlate with tropane alkaloid accumulation. A physical interaction between chlorogenic acid and cocaine was observed and quantified in vitro using UV and NMR spectroscopic methods yielding similar values to those reported for a caffeine chlorogenate complex in C. arabica. These results suggest that storage of cocaine and other coca alkaloids in large quantities in E. coca involves hydroxycinnamoyl quinate esters as complexation partners. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1 isolated from Antarctica: a suitable renewable lipid source for biodiesel production.

PubMed

Chen, Zhuo; Gong, Yangmin; Fang, Xiantao; Hu, Hanhua

2012-11-01

Microalgal lipids are promising alternative feedstocks for biodiesel production. Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1, an oil-rich freshwater microalga isolated from Antarctica, was identified to be a suitable candidate to produce biodiesel in this study. This strain could grow at temperatures ranging from 4 to 35 °C. With regular decrease in nitrate concentration in the medium, large quantities of triacylglycerols accumulated under batch culture conditions detected by thin layer chromatography and BODIPY 505/515 fluorescent staining. Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1 achieved the average biomass productivity of 0.105 g l⁻¹ d⁻¹ (dry weight) and nearly the highest lipid content (35 % of dry cell weight) was reached at day 28 in the batch culture. Neutral lipids accounted for 78 % of total lipids, and C18:1 (n-9), C16:0 were the major fatty acids in total lipids, composing 37 and 20 % of total fatty acids of Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1 grown for 36 days, respectively. These results suggested that Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1 was a good source of microalgal oils for biodiesel production.

Prolonged dry periods between rainfall events shorten the growth period of the resurrection plant Reaumuria soongorica.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhengzhong; Shan, Lishan; Li, Yi

2018-01-01

The resurrection plant Reaumuria soongorica is widespread across Asia, southern Europe, and North Africa and is considered to be a constructive keystone species in desert ecosystems, but the impacts of climate change on this species in desert ecosystems are unclear. Here, the morphological responses of R. soongorica to changes in rainfall quantity (30% reduction and 30% increase in rainfall quantity) and interval (50% longer drought interval between rainfall events) were tested. Stage-specific changes in growth were monitored by sampling at the beginning, middle, and end of the growing season. Reduced rainfall decreased the aboveground and total biomass, while additional precipitation generally advanced R. soongorica growth and biomass accumulation. An increased interval between rainfall events resulted in an increase in root biomass in the middle of the growing season, followed by a decrease toward the end. The response to the combination of increased rainfall quantity and interval was similar to the response to increased interval alone, suggesting that the effects of changes in rainfall patterns exert a greater influence than increased rainfall quantity. Thus, despite the short duration of this experiment, consequences of changes in rainfall regime on seedling growth were observed. In particular, a prolonged rainfall interval shortened the growth period, suggesting that climate change-induced rainfall variability may have significant effects on the structure and functioning of desert ecosystems.

The geology of selected peat-forming environments in temperate and tropical latitudes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cameron, C.C.; Palmer, C.A.; Esterle, J.S.

1990-01-01

We studied peat in several geologic and climatic settings: (1) a glaciated terrain in cold-temperate Maine and Minnesota, U.S.A.; (2) an island in a temperate maritime climate in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maine, U.S.A., where sea level is rising rapidly and changing the environment of peat accumulation; (3) swamps along the warm-temperate U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains, where sea level has changed often, thus creating sites for accumulation; and (4) in a tropical climate along the coast of Sarawak, Malaysia, and the delta of the Batang Hari River, Sumatra, Indonesia (Figs. 1 and 2). With the exception of the deposits on the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains, most of the deposits described are domed bogs in which peat accumulation continued above the surface of the surrounding soil. The bogs of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains have almost level surfaces. All domed bogs are not entirely ombrotrophic (watered only from precipitation); multidomed bogs that rise from irregular or hilly surfaces may be crossed by streams that supply water to the bogs. The geologic processes or organic sedimentation, namely terrestrialization and paludification, are similar in all peat deposits considered here. Differences in geomorphology affecting the quantity and that quality of peat that has ash contents of less than 25%, which are desirable for commercial purposes, depend chiefly on: (1) high humidity, which is favorable to luxuriant growth of peat-forming vegetation; (2) a depositional setting that permits extensive accumulation relatively free from inorganic contamination from sea water and streams and from dust and volcanic ash; and (3) a stable regional water table that controls the rate of decomposition under aerobic conditions and protects the deposit against the ravages of fire. Differences in peat textures are due to the type of vegetation and to the degree of decomposition. The rate of decomposition is largely the result of the amount of oxidation and aerobic microbial activity. Stratigraphic distribution of various textures and amounts of inorganic components within a peat deposit is largely determined by the vertical positions occupied by peat-forming environments, such as pond, marsh, swamp and heath where vegetation accumulated, and the depth to zones of unoxygenated water. Peat also differs in the rate of accumulation. On the basis of carbon-14 dating, an estimated 8 m of peat in the tropical Batang Hari River deposit in Sumatra has been accumulating at the rate of about 1.5 m/1,000 yr, whereas peat in the cold-temperate deposit in Maine has been accumulating at the rate of 0.66 m/1,000 yr. Accumulation rates in domed deposits such as these are affected not only by factors controlling volume of biomass and aerobic decay but also by stream erosion and fires that remove peat. Such disconformities (see Fig. 2) within the deposit may be recognized by sudden vertical changes in degree of decomposition and/or the presence of charcoal. The trace-element content of peat deposits is affected by the environments of their settings. Samples of peat that have an ash content of less than 25% dry weight and that are from small, almost level swamp deposits along the Atlantic Coastal Plain of North Carolina were compared with similar samples from small domed bogs in Maine, a glaciated area. Samples from Nort Carolina, which are from deposits in thick fluvial and nearshore marine sediments far from the bedrock source, are generally higher in Ti, Cr and Pb. The Maine samples from deposits in glacial drift close to the bedrock source contain more Zn, Mn, P, Ca, Na and Fe. The kind and amount of trace elements within the deposits appear to relate largely to depositional setting, to kinds of bedrock source, and to the modes of transportation from source to peat swamp. Trace-element concentrations in the extensive Sumatra peat deposit, which represents a potentially commercial coal bed, are similar to those found in Appalachian c

An assessment of potential weather effects due to operation of the Space Orbiting Light Augmentation Reflector Energy System (SOLARES)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, N. C.

1978-01-01

Implementation of SOLARES will input large quantities of heat continuously into a stationary location on the Earth's surface. The quantity of heat released by each of the SOlARES ground receivers, having a reflector orbit height of 6378 km, exceeds by 30 times that released by large power parks which were studied in detail. Using atmospheric models, estimates are presented for the local weather effects, the synoptic scale effects, and the global scale effects from such intense thermal radiation.

Shifts in Summertime Precipitation Accumulation Distributions over the US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez-Villalobos, C.; Neelin, J. D.

2016-12-01

Precipitation accumulations, i.e., the amount of precipitation integrated over the course of an event, is a variable with both important physical and societal implications. Previous observational studies show that accumulation distributions have a characteristic shape, with an approximately power law decrease at first, followed by a sharp decrease at a characteristic large event cutoff scale. This cutoff scale is important as it limits the biggest accumulation events. Stochastic prototypes show that the resulting distributions, and importantly the large event cutoff scale, can be understood as a result of the interplay between moisture loss by precipitation and changes in moisture sinks/sources due to fluctuations in moisture divergence over the course of a precipitation event. The strength of this fluctuating moisture sink/source term is expected to increase under global warming, with both theory and climate model simulations predicting a concomitant increase in the large event cutoff scale. This cutoff scale increase has important consequences as it implies an approximately exponential increase for the largest accumulation events. Given its importance, in this study we characterize and track changes in the distribution of precipitation events accumulations over the contiguous US. Accumulation distributions are calculated using hourly precipitation data from 1700 stations, covering the 1974-2013 period over May-October. The resulting distributions largely follow the aforementioned shape, with individual cutoff scales depending on the local climate. An increase in the large event cutoff scale over this period is observed over several regions over the US, most notably over the eastern third of the US. In agreement with the increase in the cutoff, almost exponential increases in the highest accumulation percentiles occur over these regions, with increases in the 99.9 percentile in the Northeast of 70% for example. The relationship to changes in daily precipitation that have previously been noted and to changes in the moisture budget over this period are examined.

Shifts in Summertime Precipitation Accumulation Distributions over the US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez-Villalobos, C.; Neelin, J. D.

2017-12-01

Precipitation accumulations, i.e., the amount of precipitation integrated over the course of an event, is a variable with both important physical and societal implications. Previous observational studies show that accumulation distributions have a characteristic shape, with an approximately power law decrease at first, followed by a sharp decrease at a characteristic large event cutoff scale. This cutoff scale is important as it limits the biggest accumulation events. Stochastic prototypes show that the resulting distributions, and importantly the large event cutoff scale, can be understood as a result of the interplay between moisture loss by precipitation and changes in moisture sinks/sources due to fluctuations in moisture divergence over the course of a precipitation event. The strength of this fluctuating moisture sink/source term is expected to increase under global warming, with both theory and climate model simulations predicting a concomitant increase in the large event cutoff scale. This cutoff scale increase has important consequences as it implies an approximately exponential increase for the largest accumulation events. Given its importance, in this study we characterize and track changes in the distribution of precipitation events accumulations over the contiguous US. Accumulation distributions are calculated using hourly precipitation data from 1700 stations, covering the 1974-2013 period over May-October. The resulting distributions largely follow the aforementioned shape, with individual cutoff scales depending on the local climate. An increase in the large event cutoff scale over this period is observed over several regions over the US, most notably over the eastern third of the US. In agreement with the increase in the cutoff, almost exponential increases in the highest accumulation percentiles occur over these regions, with increases in the 99.9 percentile in the Northeast of 70% for example. The relationship to changes in daily precipitation that have previously been noted and to changes in the moisture budget over this period are examined.

Muzzling the Bear: Gorbachev’s Program to Restructure the Soviet Military

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-01

quantity to quality- in a continuing program of military accumulation.4 4 Steven Adragna argues thalt Soviet military doctrine can not evolve until it...aggressive nature and intent of capitalist society. Adragna maintains that so far there has been no serious effort to discredit the historical theorem that...any military action the Soviet Union takes is defensive in nature by definition and is therefore justified. Further, Adragna claims that the Kremlin’s

Effect of indirect non-thermal plasma on particle size distribution and composition of diesel engine particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linbo, GU; Yixi, CAI; Yunxi, SHI; Jing, WANG; Xiaoyu, PU; Jing, TIAN; Runlin, FAN

2017-11-01

To explore the effect of the gas source flow rate on the actual diesel exhaust particulate matter (PM), a test bench for diesel engine exhaust purification was constructed, using indirect non-thermal plasma technology. The effects of different gas source flow rates on the quantity concentration, composition, and apparent activation energy of PM were investigated, using an engine exhaust particle sizer and a thermo-gravimetric analyzer. The results show that when the gas source flow rate was large, not only the maximum peak quantity concentrations of particles had a large drop, but also the peak quantity concentrations shifted to smaller particle sizes from 100 nm to 80 nm. When the gas source flow rate was 10 L min-1, the total quantity concentration greatly decreased where the removal rate of particles was 79.2%, and the variation of the different mode particle proportion was obvious. Non-thermal plasma (NTP) improved the oxidation ability of volatile matter as well as that of solid carbon. However, the NTP gas source rate had little effects on oxidation activity of volatile matter, while it strongly influenced the oxidation activity of solid carbon. Considering the quantity concentration and oxidation activity of particles, a gas source flow rate of 10 L min-1 was more appropriate for the purification of particles.

Reexamination of the calculation of two-center, two-electron integrals over Slater-type orbitals. II. Neumann expansion of the exchange integrals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesiuk, Michał; Moszynski, Robert

2014-12-01

In this paper we consider the calculation of two-center exchange integrals over Slater-type orbitals (STOs). We apply the Neumann expansion of the Coulomb interaction potential and consider calculation of all basic quantities which appear in the resulting expression. Analytical closed-form equations for all auxiliary quantities have already been known but they suffer from large digital erosion when some of the parameters are large or small. We derive two differential equations which are obeyed by the most difficult basic integrals. Taking them as a starting point, useful series expansions for small parameter values or asymptotic expansions for large parameter values are systematically derived. The resulting expansions replace the corresponding analytical expressions when the latter introduce significant cancellations. Additionally, we reconsider numerical integration of some necessary quantities and present a new way to calculate the integrand with a controlled precision. All proposed methods are combined to lead to a general, stable algorithm. We perform extensive numerical tests of the introduced expressions to verify their validity and usefulness. Advances reported here provide methodology to compute two-electron exchange integrals over STOs for a broad range of the nonlinear parameters and large angular momenta.

Effects of groundwater flow on the distribution of biogenic gas in parts of the northern Great Plains of Canada and United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anna, Lawrence O.

2011-01-01

Parts of the northern Great Plains in eastern Montana and western North Dakota and southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada, were studied as part of an assessment of shallow biogenic gas in Upper Cretaceous rocks.Parts of the northern Great Plains in eastern Montana and western North Dakota and southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada, were studied as part of an assessment of shallow biogenic gas in Upper Cretaceous rocks. Large quantities of shallow biogenic gas are produced from low-permeability, Upper Cretaceous reservoirs in southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. Rocks of similar types and age produce sparingly in the United States except on large structures, such as Bowdoin dome and Cedar Creek anticline. Significant production also occurs in the Tiger Ridge area, where uplift of the Bearpaw Mountains created stratigraphic traps. The resource in Canada is thought to be a continuous, biogenic-gas-type accumulation with economic production in a variety of subtle structures and stratigraphic settings. The United States northern Great Plains area has similar conditions but only broad structural closures or stratigraphic traps associated with local structure have produced economically to date. Numerical flow modeling was used to help determine that biogenic gas in low-permeability reservoirs is held in place by high hydraulic head that overrides buoyancy forces of the gas. Modeling also showed where hydraulic head is greater under Tertiary capped topographic remnants rather than near adjacent topographic lows. The high head can override the capillary pressure of the rock and force gas to migrate to low head in topographically low areas. Most current biogenic gas production is confined to areas between mapped lineaments in the northern Great Plains. The lineaments may reflect structural zones in the Upper Cretaceous that help compartmentalize reservoirs and confine gas accumulations.

Testing of transition-region models: Test cases and data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singer, Bart A.; Dinavahi, Surya; Iyer, Venkit

1991-01-01

Mean flow quantities in the laminar turbulent transition region and in the fully turbulent region are predicted with different models incorporated into a 3-D boundary layer code. The predicted quantities are compared with experimental data for a large number of different flows and the suitability of the models for each flow is evaluated.

Large-scale generation of cell-derived nanovesicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jo, W.; Kim, J.; Yoon, J.; Jeong, D.; Cho, S.; Jeong, H.; Yoon, Y. J.; Kim, S. C.; Gho, Y. S.; Park, J.

2014-09-01

Exosomes are enclosed compartments that are released from cells and that can transport biological contents for the purpose of intercellular communications. Research into exosomes is hindered by their rarity. In this article, we introduce a device that uses centrifugal force and a filter with micro-sized pores to generate a large quantity of cell-derived nanovesicles. The device has a simple polycarbonate structure to hold the filter, and operates in a common centrifuge. Nanovesicles are similar in size and membrane structure to exosomes. Nanovesicles contain intracellular RNAs ranging from microRNA to mRNA, intracellular proteins, and plasma membrane proteins. The quantity of nanovesicles produced using the device is 250 times the quantity of naturally secreted exosomes. Also, the quantity of intracellular contents in nanovesicles is twice that in exosomes. Nanovesicles generated from murine embryonic stem cells can transfer RNAs to target cells. Therefore, this novel device and the nanovesicles that it generates are expected to be used in exosome-related research, and can be applied in various applications such as drug delivery and cell-based therapy.

A Novel Pathway for Triacylglycerol Biosynthesis Is Responsible for the Accumulation of Massive Quantities of Glycerolipids in the Surface Wax of Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) Fruit[OPEN

PubMed Central

Ohlrogge, John B.

2016-01-01

Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) fruits synthesize an extremely thick and unusual layer of crystalline surface wax that accumulates to 32% of fruit dry weight, the highest reported surface lipid accumulation in plants. The composition is also striking, consisting of completely saturated triacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, and monoacylglycerol with palmitate and myristate acyl chains. To gain insight into the unique properties of Bayberry wax synthesis, we examined the chemical and morphological development of the wax layer, monitored wax biosynthesis through [14C]-radiolabeling, and sequenced the transcriptome. Radiolabeling identified sn-2 monoacylglycerol as an initial glycerolipid intermediate. The kinetics of [14C]-DAG and [14C]-TAG accumulation and the regiospecificity of their [14C]-acyl chains indicated distinct pools of acyl donors and that final TAG assembly occurs outside of cells. The most highly expressed lipid-related genes were associated with production of cutin, whereas transcripts for conventional TAG synthesis were >50-fold less abundant. The biochemical and expression data together indicate that Bayberry surface glycerolipids are synthesized by a pathway for TAG synthesis that is related to cutin biosynthesis. The combination of a unique surface wax and massive accumulation may aid understanding of how plants produce and secrete non-membrane glycerolipids and also how to engineer alternative pathways for lipid production in non-seeds. PMID:26744217

Violaxanthin is an abscisic acid precursor in water-stressed dark-grown bean leaves

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Yi; Walton, D.C.

The leaves a dark-grown bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seedlings accumulate considerably lower quantities of xanthophylls and carotenes than do leaves of light-grown seedlings, but they synthesize at least comparable amounts of abscisic acid (ABA) and its metabolites when water stressed. We observed a 1:1 relationship on a molar basis between the reduction in levels of ciolaxanthin, 9{prime}-cis-neoxanthin, and 9-cis-violaxanthin and the accumulation of ABA, phaseic acid, and dihydrophaseic acid, when leaves from dark-grown plants were stressed for 7 hours. Early in the stress period, reductions in xanthophylls were greater than the accumulation of ABA and its metabolites, suggesting the accumulationmore » of an intermediate which was subsequently converted to ABA. Leaves which were detached, but no stressed, did not accumulate ABA nor were their xanthophyll levels reduced. Leaves from plants that had been sprayed with cycloheximido did not accumulate ABA when stressed, nor were their xanthophyll levels reduced significantly. Incubation of dark-grown stressed leaves in an {sup 18}O{sub 2}-containing atmosphere resulted in the synthesis of ABA with levels of {sup 18}O in the carboxyl group that were virtually identical to those observed in light-grown leaves. The results of these experiments indicate that violaxanthin is an ABA precursor in stressed dark-grown leaves, and they are used to suggest several possible pathways from violaxanthin to ABA.« less

Evaluation of urban environment pollution based on the accumulation of macro- and trace elements in epiphytic lichens.

PubMed

Parzych, Agnieszka; Astel, Aleksander; Zduńczyk, Anna; Surowiec, Tomasz

2016-01-01

Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc, nickel, copper, manganese, iron and lead accumulation properties of three epiphytic lichen species (Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl., Parmelia sulcata Taylor and Xanthoria parietina (L.) Th. Fr.) were compared. An assessment of pollution of the municipal environment in Słupsk (Poland) according to macro- and trace elements was also done. Lichen samples were taken in Autumn 2013 from Betula pendula, Fraxinus excelsior, Acer platanoides, A. pseudoplatanus and Populus sp. trees. Sampling stations comprised of house development areas, green urban parks, vicinity of streets with heavy traffic and industrial enterprises. It was found that lichens represent diverse accumulation properties to pollutants according to the species. X. parietina indicated the highest bioaccumulation in relation to N, K, Mg, Zn and Fe, the thalli of H. physodes accumulated the largest amounts of Ni and Pb, while P. sulcata P and Cu. Manganese was accumulated in similar quantities by all species. Evidences acquired by the use of factor analysis proved that pollution in Słupsk municipal environment is a serious issue with three major sources domination: street dust, marine factor and residual oil combustion. The high-risk areas were detected and visualized using surface maps based on Kriging algorithm. It was seen that the highest pollution occurs in the town centre, while the smallest happened on its outskirts and in urban parks.

Five-month-old infants have expectations for the accumulation of nonsolid substances.

PubMed

Anderson, Erin M; Hespos, Susan J; Rips, Lance J

2018-06-01

Infants fail to represent quantities of non-cohesive substances in paradigms where they succeed with solid objects. Some investigators have interpreted these results as evidence that infants do not yet have representations for substances. More recent research, however, shows that 5-month-old infants expect objects and substances to behave and interact in different ways. In the present experiments, we test whether infants have expectations for substances when the outcomes are not simply the opposite of those for objects. In Experiment 1, we find that 5-month-old infants expect that when a cup of sand pours behind a screen, it will accumulate in just one pile rather than two. Similarly, infants expect that when two cups of sand pour in separate streams, two distinct piles will accumulate rather than one. Infants look significantly longer at outcomes with an inconsistent number of piles, providing evidence that infants have expectations for how sand accumulates. To test whether the number of cups or the number of pours guided expectations about accumulation, Experiment 2 placed these cues in conflict. This resulted in chance performance, suggesting that, for infants to build expectations about these outcomes, they need both cues (cup and pour) to converge. These findings offer insight into the nature of infants' representations for non-cohesive substances like sand. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Climate change and peak demand for electricity: Evaluating policies for reducing peak demand under different climate change scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anthony, Abigail Walker

This research focuses on the relative advantages and disadvantages of using price-based and quantity-based controls for electricity markets. It also presents a detailed analysis of one specific approach to quantity based controls: the SmartAC program implemented in Stockton, California. Finally, the research forecasts electricity demand under various climate scenarios, and estimates potential cost savings that could result from a direct quantity control program over the next 50 years in each scenario. The traditional approach to dealing with the problem of peak demand for electricity is to invest in a large stock of excess capital that is rarely used, thereby greatly increasing production costs. Because this approach has proved so expensive, there has been a focus on identifying alternative approaches for dealing with peak demand problems. This research focuses on two approaches: price based approaches, such as real time pricing, and quantity based approaches, whereby the utility directly controls at least some elements of electricity used by consumers. This research suggests that well-designed policies for reducing peak demand might include both price and quantity controls. In theory, sufficiently high peak prices occurring during periods of peak demand and/or low supply can cause the quantity of electricity demanded to decline until demand is in balance with system capacity, potentially reducing the total amount of generation capacity needed to meet demand and helping meet electricity demand at the lowest cost. However, consumers need to be well informed about real-time prices for the pricing strategy to work as well as theory suggests. While this might be an appropriate assumption for large industrial and commercial users who have potentially large economic incentives, there is not yet enough research on whether households will fully understand and respond to real-time prices. Thus, while real-time pricing can be an effective tool for addressing the peak load problems, pricing approaches are not well suited to ensure system reliability. This research shows that direct quantity controls are better suited for avoiding catastrophic failure that results when demand exceeds supply capacity.

High flavonoid accompanied with high starch accumulation triggered by nutrient starvation in bioenergy crop duckweed (Landoltia punctata).

PubMed

Tao, Xiang; Fang, Yang; Huang, Meng-Jun; Xiao, Yao; Liu, Yang; Ma, Xin-Rong; Zhao, Hai

2017-02-15

As the fastest growing plant, duckweed can thrive on anthropogenic wastewater. The purple-backed duckweed, Landoltia punctata, is rich in starch and flavonoids. However, the molecular biological basis of high flavonoid and low lignin content remains largely unknown, as does the best method to combine nutrients removed from sewage and the utilization value improvement of duckweed biomass. A combined omics study was performed to investigate the biosynthesis of flavonoid and the metabolic flux changes in L. punctata grown in different culture medium. Phenylalanine metabolism related transcripts were identified and carefully analyzed. Expression quantification results showed that most of the flavonoid biosynthetic transcripts were relatively highly expressed, while most lignin-related transcripts were poorly expressed or failed to be detected by iTRAQ based proteomic analyses. This explains why duckweed has a much lower lignin percentage and higher flavonoid content than most other plants. Growing in distilled water, expression of most flavonoid-related transcripts were increased, while most were decreased in uniconazole treated L. punctata (1/6 × Hoagland + 800 mg•L -1 uniconazole). When L. punctata was cultivated in full nutrient medium (1/6 × Hoagland), more than half of these transcripts were increased, however others were suppressed. Metabolome results showed that a total of 20 flavonoid compounds were separated by HPLC in L. punctata grown in uniconazole and full nutrient medium. The quantities of all 20 compounds were decreased by uniconazole, while 11 were increased and 6 decreased when grown in full nutrient medium. Nutrient starvation resulted in an obvious purple accumulation on the underside of each frond. The high flavonoid and low lignin content of L. punctata appears to be predominantly caused by the flavonoid-directed metabolic flux. Nutrient starvation is the best option to obtain high starch and flavonoid accumulation simultaneously in a short time for biofuels fermentation and natural products isolation.

Excess single-stranded DNA inhibits meiotic double-strand break repair.

PubMed

Johnson, Rebecca; Borde, Valérie; Neale, Matthew J; Bishop-Bailey, Anna; North, Matthew; Harris, Sheila; Nicolas, Alain; Goldman, Alastair S H

2007-11-01

During meiosis, self-inflicted DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are created by the protein Spo11 and repaired by homologous recombination leading to gene conversions and crossovers. Crossover formation is vital for the segregation of homologous chromosomes during the first meiotic division and requires the RecA orthologue, Dmc1. We analyzed repair during meiosis of site-specific DSBs created by another nuclease, VMA1-derived endonuclease (VDE), in cells lacking Dmc1 strand-exchange protein. Turnover and resection of the VDE-DSBs was assessed in two different reporter cassettes that can repair using flanking direct repeat sequences, thereby obviating the need for a Dmc1-dependent DNA strand invasion step. Access of the single-strand binding complex replication protein A, which is normally used in all modes of DSB repair, was checked in chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments, using antibody against Rfa1. Repair of the VDE-DSBs was severely inhibited in dmc1Delta cells, a defect that was associated with a reduction in the long tract resection required to initiate single-strand annealing between the flanking repeat sequences. Mutants that either reduce Spo11-DSB formation or abolish resection at Spo11-DSBs rescued the repair block. We also found that a replication protein A component, Rfa1, does not accumulate to expected levels at unrepaired single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) in dmc1Delta cells. The requirement of Dmc1 for VDE-DSB repair using flanking repeats appears to be caused by the accumulation of large quantities of ssDNA that accumulate at Spo11-DSBs when Dmc1 is absent. We propose that these resected DSBs sequester both resection machinery and ssDNA binding proteins, which in wild-type cells would normally be recycled as Spo11-DSBs repair. The implication is that repair proteins are in limited supply, and this could reflect an underlying mechanism for regulating DSB repair in wild-type cells, providing protection from potentially harmful effects of overabundant repair proteins.

Excess Single-Stranded DNA Inhibits Meiotic Double-Strand Break Repair

PubMed Central

Bishop-Bailey, Anna; North, Matthew; Harris, Sheila; Nicolas, Alain; Goldman, Alastair S. H

2007-01-01

During meiosis, self-inflicted DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are created by the protein Spo11 and repaired by homologous recombination leading to gene conversions and crossovers. Crossover formation is vital for the segregation of homologous chromosomes during the first meiotic division and requires the RecA orthologue, Dmc1.We analyzed repair during meiosis of site-specific DSBs created by another nuclease, VMA1-derived endonuclease (VDE), in cells lacking Dmc1 strand-exchange protein. Turnover and resection of the VDE-DSBs was assessed in two different reporter cassettes that can repair using flanking direct repeat sequences, thereby obviating the need for a Dmc1-dependent DNA strand invasion step. Access of the single-strand binding complex replication protein A, which is normally used in all modes of DSB repair, was checked in chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments, using antibody against Rfa1. Repair of the VDE-DSBs was severely inhibited in dmc1Δ cells, a defect that was associated with a reduction in the long tract resection required to initiate single-strand annealing between the flanking repeat sequences. Mutants that either reduce Spo11-DSB formation or abolish resection at Spo11-DSBs rescued the repair block. We also found that a replication protein A component, Rfa1, does not accumulate to expected levels at unrepaired single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) in dmc1Δ cells. The requirement of Dmc1 for VDE-DSB repair using flanking repeats appears to be caused by the accumulation of large quantities of ssDNA that accumulate at Spo11-DSBs when Dmc1 is absent. We propose that these resected DSBs sequester both resection machinery and ssDNA binding proteins, which in wild-type cells would normally be recycled as Spo11-DSBs repair. The implication is that repair proteins are in limited supply, and this could reflect an underlying mechanism for regulating DSB repair in wild-type cells, providing protection from potentially harmful effects of overabundant repair proteins. PMID:18081428

Application of sensitivity-analysis techniques to the calculation of topological quantities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilchrist, Stuart

2017-08-01

Magnetic reconnection in the corona occurs preferentially at sites where the magnetic connectivity is either discontinuous or has a large spatial gradient. Hence there is a general interest in computing quantities (like the squashing factor) that characterize the gradient in the field-line mapping function. Here we present an algorithm for calculating certain (quasi)topological quantities using mathematical techniques from the field of ``sensitivity-analysis''. The method is based on the calculation of a three dimensional field-line mapping Jacobian from which all the present topological quantities of interest can be derived. We will present the algorithm and the details of a publicly available set of libraries that implement the algorithm.

Evaluation of a Class of Simple and Effective Uncertainty Methods for Sparse Samples of Random Variables and Functions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Romero, Vicente; Bonney, Matthew; Schroeder, Benjamin

When very few samples of a random quantity are available from a source distribution of unknown shape, it is usually not possible to accurately infer the exact distribution from which the data samples come. Under-estimation of important quantities such as response variance and failure probabilities can result. For many engineering purposes, including design and risk analysis, we attempt to avoid under-estimation with a strategy to conservatively estimate (bound) these types of quantities -- without being overly conservative -- when only a few samples of a random quantity are available from model predictions or replicate experiments. This report examines a classmore » of related sparse-data uncertainty representation and inference approaches that are relatively simple, inexpensive, and effective. Tradeoffs between the methods' conservatism, reliability, and risk versus number of data samples (cost) are quantified with multi-attribute metrics use d to assess method performance for conservative estimation of two representative quantities: central 95% of response; and 10 -4 probability of exceeding a response threshold in a tail of the distribution. Each method's performance is characterized with 10,000 random trials on a large number of diverse and challenging distributions. The best method and number of samples to use in a given circumstance depends on the uncertainty quantity to be estimated, the PDF character, and the desired reliability of bounding the true value. On the basis of this large data base and study, a strategy is proposed for selecting the method and number of samples for attaining reasonable credibility levels in bounding these types of quantities when sparse samples of random variables or functions are available from experiments or simulations.« less

How tobacco companies have used package quantity for consumer targeting.

PubMed

Persoskie, Alexander; Donaldson, Elisabeth A; Ryant, Chase

2018-05-31

Package quantity refers to the number of cigarettes or amount of other tobacco product in a package. Many countries restrict minimum cigarette package quantities to avoid low-cost packs that may lower barriers to youth smoking. We reviewed Truth Tobacco Industry Documents to understand tobacco companies' rationales for introducing new package quantities, including companies' expectations and research regarding how package quantity may influence consumer behaviour. A snowball sampling method (phase 1), a static search string (phase 2) and a follow-up snowball search (phase 3) identified 216 documents, mostly from the 1980s and 1990s, concerning cigarettes (200), roll-your-own tobacco (9), smokeless tobacco (6) and 'smokeless cigarettes' (1). Companies introduced small and large packages to motivate brand-switching and continued use among current users when faced with low market share or threats such as tax-induced price increases or competitors' use of price promotions. Companies developed and evaluated package quantities for specific brands and consumer segments. Large packages offered value-for-money and matched long-term, heavy users' consumption rates. Small packages were cheaper, matched consumption rates of newer and lighter users, and increased products' novelty, ease of carrying and perceived freshness. Some users also preferred small packages as a way to try to limit consumption or quit. Industry documents speculated about many potential effects of package quantity on appeal and use, depending on brand and consumer segment. The search was non-exhaustive, and we could not assess the quality of much of the research or other information on which the documents relied. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Property of Fluctuations of Sales Quantities by Product Category in Convenience Stores.

PubMed

Fukunaga, Gaku; Takayasu, Hideki; Takayasu, Misako

2016-01-01

The ability to ascertain the extent of product sale fluctuations for each store and locality is indispensable to inventory management. This study analyzed POS data from 158 convenience stores in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan and found a power scaling law between the mean and standard deviation of product sales quantities for several product categories. For the statistical domains of low sales quantities, the power index was 1/2; for large sales quantities, the power index was 1, so called Taylor's law holds. The value of sales quantities with changing power indixes differed according to product category. We derived a Poissonian compound distribution model taking into account fluctuations in customer numbers to show that the scaling law could be explained theoretically for most of items. We also examined why the scaling law did not hold in some exceptional cases.

A Functional Model for Management of Large Scale Assessments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banta, Trudy W.; And Others

This functional model for managing large-scale program evaluations was developed and validated in connection with the assessment of Tennessee's Nutrition Education and Training Program. Management of such a large-scale assessment requires the development of a structure for the organization; distribution and recovery of large quantities of…

High Quantities of Microplastic in Arctic Deep-Sea Sediments from the HAUSGARTEN Observatory.

PubMed

Bergmann, Melanie; Wirzberger, Vanessa; Krumpen, Thomas; Lorenz, Claudia; Primpke, Sebastian; Tekman, Mine B; Gerdts, Gunnar

2017-10-03

Although mounting evidence suggests the ubiquity of microplastic in aquatic ecosystems worldwide, our knowledge of its distribution in remote environments such as Polar Regions and the deep sea is scarce. Here, we analyzed nine sediment samples taken at the HAUSGARTEN observatory in the Arctic at 2340-5570 m depth. Density separation by MicroPlastic Sediment Separator and treatment with Fenton's reagent enabled analysis via Attenuated Total Reflection FTIR and μFTIR spectroscopy. Our analyses indicate the wide spread of high numbers of microplastics (42-6595 microplastics kg -1 ). The northernmost stations harbored the highest quantities, indicating sea ice as a possible transport vehicle. A positive correlation between microplastic abundance and chlorophyll a content suggests vertical export via incorporation in sinking (ice-) algal aggregates. Overall, 18 different polymers were detected. Chlorinated polyethylene accounted for the largest proportion (38%), followed by polyamide (22%) and polypropylene (16%). Almost 80% of the microplastics were ≤25 μm. The microplastic quantities are among the highest recorded from benthic sediments. This corroborates the deep sea as a major sink for microplastics and the presence of accumulation areas in this remote part of the world, fed by plastics transported to the North via the Thermohaline Circulation.

Polymeric films loaded with vitamin E and aloe vera for topical application in the treatment of burn wounds.

PubMed

Pereira, Gabriela Garrastazu; Guterres, Sílvia Stanisçuaki; Balducci, Anna Giulia; Colombo, Paolo; Sonvico, Fabio

2014-01-01

Burns are serious traumas related to skin damage, causing extreme pain and possibly death. Natural drugs such as Aloe vera and vitamin E have been demonstrated to be beneficial in formulations for wound healing. The aim of this work is to develop and evaluate polymeric films containing Aloe vera and vitamin E to treat wounds caused by burns. Polymeric films containing different quantities of sodium alginate and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were characterized for their mechanical properties and drug release. The polymeric films, which were produced, were thin, flexible, resistant, and suitable for application on damaged skin, such as in burn wounds. Around 30% of vitamin E acetate was released from the polymeric films within 12 hours. The in vivo experiments with tape stripping indicated an effective accumulation in the stratum corneum when compared to a commercial cream containing the same quantity of vitamin E acetate. Vitamin E acetate was found in higher quantities in the deep layers of the stratum corneum when the film formulation was applied. The results obtained show that the bioadhesive films containing vitamin E acetate and Aloe vera could be an innovative therapeutic system for the treatment of burns.

Polymeric Films Loaded with Vitamin E and Aloe vera for Topical Application in the Treatment of Burn Wounds

PubMed Central

Pereira, Gabriela Garrastazu; Guterres, Sílvia Stanisçuaki; Balducci, Anna Giulia; Colombo, Paolo

2014-01-01

Burns are serious traumas related to skin damage, causing extreme pain and possibly death. Natural drugs such as Aloe vera and vitamin E have been demonstrated to be beneficial in formulations for wound healing. The aim of this work is to develop and evaluate polymeric films containing Aloe vera and vitamin E to treat wounds caused by burns. Polymeric films containing different quantities of sodium alginate and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were characterized for their mechanical properties and drug release. The polymeric films, which were produced, were thin, flexible, resistant, and suitable for application on damaged skin, such as in burn wounds. Around 30% of vitamin E acetate was released from the polymeric films within 12 hours. The in vivo experiments with tape stripping indicated an effective accumulation in the stratum corneum when compared to a commercial cream containing the same quantity of vitamin E acetate. Vitamin E acetate was found in higher quantities in the deep layers of the stratum corneum when the film formulation was applied. The results obtained show that the bioadhesive films containing vitamin E acetate and Aloe vera could be an innovative therapeutic system for the treatment of burns. PMID:24524083

A new technique for detecting colored macro plastic debris on beaches using webcam images and CIELUV.

PubMed

Kataoka, Tomoya; Hinata, Hirofumi; Kako, Shin'ichiro

2012-09-01

We have developed a technique for detecting the pixels of colored macro plastic debris (plastic pixels) using photographs taken by a webcam installed on Sodenohama beach, Tobishima Island, Japan. The technique involves generating color references using a uniform color space (CIELUV) to detect plastic pixels and removing misdetected pixels by applying a composite image method. This technique demonstrated superior performance in terms of detecting plastic pixels of various colors compared to the previous method which used the lightness values in the CIELUV color space. We also obtained a 10-month time series of the quantity of plastic debris by combining a projective transformation with this technique. By sequential monitoring of plastic debris quantity using webcams, it is possible to clean up beaches systematically, to clarify the transportation processes of plastic debris in oceans and coastal seas and to estimate accumulation rates on beaches. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical Waste Management for the Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmer, Steven W.

1999-06-01

Management of hazardous chemical wastes generated as a part of the curriculum poses a significant task for the individual responsible for maintaining compliance with all rules and regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation while maintaining the principles of OSHA's Lab Standard and the Hazard Communication Standard. For schools that generate relatively small quantities of waste, an individual can effectively manage the waste program without becoming overly burdened by the EPA regulations required for those generating large quantities of waste, if given the necessary support from the institution.

Marine litter on deep Arctic seafloor continues to increase and spreads to the North at the HAUSGARTEN observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tekman, Mine B.; Krumpen, Thomas; Bergmann, Melanie

2017-02-01

The increased global production of plastics has been mirrored by greater accumulations of plastic litter in marine environments worldwide. Global plastic litter estimates based on field observations account only for 1% of the total volumes of plastic assumed to enter the marine ecosystem from land, raising again the question 'Where is all the plastic? '. Scant information exists on temporal trends on litter transport and litter accumulation on the deep seafloor. Here, we present the results of photographic time-series surveys indicating a strong increase in marine litter over the period of 2002-2014 at two stations of the HAUSGARTEN observatory in the Arctic (2500 m depth). Plastic accounted for the highest proportion (47%) of litter recorded at HAUSGARTEN for the whole study period. When the most southern station was considered separately, the proportion of plastic items was even higher (65%). Increasing quantities of small plastics raise concerns about fragmentation and future microplastic contamination. Analysis of litter types and sizes indicate temporal and spatial differences in the transport pathways to the deep sea for different categories of litter. Litter densities were positively correlated with the counts of ship entering harbour at Longyearbyen, the number of active fishing vessels and extent of summer sea ice. Sea ice may act as a transport vehicle for entrained litter, being released during periods of melting. The receding sea ice coverage associated with global change has opened hitherto largely inaccessible environments to humans and the impacts of tourism, industrial activities including shipping and fisheries, all of which are potential sources of marine litter.

Arboreal adaptations of body fat in wild toque macaques (Macaca sinica) and the evolution of adiposity in primates.

PubMed

Dittus, Wolfgang P J

2013-11-01

There is a paucity of information on body composition and fat patterning in wild nonhuman primates. Dissected adipose tissue from wild toque macaques (Macaca sinica) (WTM), feeding on a natural diet, accounted for 2.1% of body weight. This was far less than fatness reported for nonhuman primates raised in captivity or for contemporary humans. In WTM, fatness increased with age and diet richness, but did not differ by sex. In WTM (none of which were obese) intra-abdominal fat filled first, and "excess" fat was stored peripherally in a ratio of about 6:1. Intermuscular fat was minimal (0.1%). The superficial paunch held <15% of subcutaneous fat weight in contrast to its much larger proportions in obese humans and captive monkeys where most added fat accumulates subcutaneously. With increasing total adiposity, accumulating fat shifted in its distribution among eight different main internal and peripheral deposit areas-consistent with maintaining body balance and a low center of gravity. The available data suggest that, in arboreal primates, adaptations for agile locomotion and terminal branch feeding set constraints on the quantity and distribution of fat. The absence of a higher percentage of body fat in females and neonates (as are typical of humans) suggests that arboreal adaptations preclude the development of fat-dependent, large-brained infants and the adipose-rich mothers needed to sustain them. The lifestyle and body composition of wild primates represent a more appropriate model for early human foragers than well-fed captive monkeys do. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of Scaffold-Free Elastic Cartilaginous Constructs with Structural Similarities to Auricular Cartilage

PubMed Central

Giardini-Rosa, Renata; Joazeiro, Paulo P.; Thomas, Kathryn; Collavino, Kristina; Weber, Joanna

2014-01-01

External ear reconstruction with autologous cartilage still remains one of the most difficult problems in the fields of plastic and reconstructive surgery. As the absence of tissue vascularization limits the ability to stimulate new tissue growth, relatively few surgical approaches are currently available (alloplastic implants or sculpted autologous cartilage grafts) to repair or reconstruct the auricle (or pinna) as a result of traumatic loss or congenital absence (e.g., microtia). Alternatively, tissue engineering can offer the potential to grow autogenous cartilage suitable for implantation. While tissue-engineered auricle cartilage constructs can be created, a substantial number of cells are required to generate sufficient quantities of tissue for reconstruction. Similarly, as routine cell expansion can elicit negative effects on chondrocyte function, we have developed an approach to generate large-sized engineered auricle constructs (≥3 cm2) directly from a small population of donor cells (20,000–40,000 cells/construct). Using rabbit donor cells, the developed bioreactor-cultivated constructs adopted structural-like characteristics similar to native auricular cartilage, including the development of distinct cartilaginous and perichondrium-like regions. Both alterations in media composition and seeding density had profound effects on the formation of engineered elastic tissue constructs in terms of cellularity, extracellular matrix accumulation, and tissue structure. Higher seeding densities and media containing sodium bicarbonate produced tissue constructs that were closer to the native tissue in terms of structure and composition. Future studies will be aimed at improving the accumulation of specific tissue constituents and determining the clinical effectiveness of this approach using a reconstructive animal model. PMID:24124666

Development of scaffold-free elastic cartilaginous constructs with structural similarities to auricular cartilage.

PubMed

Giardini-Rosa, Renata; Joazeiro, Paulo P; Thomas, Kathryn; Collavino, Kristina; Weber, Joanna; Waldman, Stephen D

2014-03-01

External ear reconstruction with autologous cartilage still remains one of the most difficult problems in the fields of plastic and reconstructive surgery. As the absence of tissue vascularization limits the ability to stimulate new tissue growth, relatively few surgical approaches are currently available (alloplastic implants or sculpted autologous cartilage grafts) to repair or reconstruct the auricle (or pinna) as a result of traumatic loss or congenital absence (e.g., microtia). Alternatively, tissue engineering can offer the potential to grow autogenous cartilage suitable for implantation. While tissue-engineered auricle cartilage constructs can be created, a substantial number of cells are required to generate sufficient quantities of tissue for reconstruction. Similarly, as routine cell expansion can elicit negative effects on chondrocyte function, we have developed an approach to generate large-sized engineered auricle constructs (≥3 cm(2)) directly from a small population of donor cells (20,000-40,000 cells/construct). Using rabbit donor cells, the developed bioreactor-cultivated constructs adopted structural-like characteristics similar to native auricular cartilage, including the development of distinct cartilaginous and perichondrium-like regions. Both alterations in media composition and seeding density had profound effects on the formation of engineered elastic tissue constructs in terms of cellularity, extracellular matrix accumulation, and tissue structure. Higher seeding densities and media containing sodium bicarbonate produced tissue constructs that were closer to the native tissue in terms of structure and composition. Future studies will be aimed at improving the accumulation of specific tissue constituents and determining the clinical effectiveness of this approach using a reconstructive animal model.

Metformin, an AMPK activator, stimulates the phosphorylation of aquaporin 2 and urea transporter A1 in inner medullary collecting ducts.

PubMed

Klein, Janet D; Wang, Yanhua; Blount, Mitsi A; Molina, Patrick A; LaRocque, Lauren M; Ruiz, Joseph A; Sands, Jeff M

2016-05-15

Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) is characterized by production of very large quantities of dilute urine due to an inability of the kidney to respond to vasopressin. Congenital NDI results from mutations in the type 2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) in ∼90% of families. These patients do not have mutations in aquaporin-2 (AQP2) or urea transporter UT-A1 (UT-A1). We tested adenosine monophosphate kinase (AMPK) since it is known to phosphorylate another vasopressin-sensitive transporter, NKCC2 (Na-K-2Cl cotransporter). We found AMPK expressed in rat inner medulla (IM). AMPK directly phosphorylated AQP2 and UT-A1 in vitro. Metformin, an AMPK activator, increased phosphorylation of both AQP2 and UT-A1 in rat inner medullary collecting ducts (IMCDs). Metformin increased the apical plasma membrane accumulation of AQP2, but not UT-A1, in rat IM. Metformin increased both osmotic water permeability and urea permeability in perfused rat terminal IMCDs. These findings suggest that metformin increases osmotic water permeability by increasing AQP2 accumulation in the apical plasma membrane but increases urea permeability by activating UT-A1 already present in the membrane. Lastly, metformin increased urine osmolality in mice lacking a V2R, a mouse model of congenital NDI. We conclude that AMPK activation by metformin mimics many of the mechanisms by which vasopressin increases urine-concentrating ability. These findings suggest that metformin may be a novel therapeutic option for congenital NDI due to V2R mutations. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Metformin, an AMPK activator, stimulates the phosphorylation of aquaporin 2 and urea transporter A1 in inner medullary collecting ducts

PubMed Central

Wang, Yanhua; Blount, Mitsi A.; Molina, Patrick A.; LaRocque, Lauren M.; Ruiz, Joseph A.

2016-01-01

Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) is characterized by production of very large quantities of dilute urine due to an inability of the kidney to respond to vasopressin. Congenital NDI results from mutations in the type 2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) in ∼90% of families. These patients do not have mutations in aquaporin-2 (AQP2) or urea transporter UT-A1 (UT-A1). We tested adenosine monophosphate kinase (AMPK) since it is known to phosphorylate another vasopressin-sensitive transporter, NKCC2 (Na-K-2Cl cotransporter). We found AMPK expressed in rat inner medulla (IM). AMPK directly phosphorylated AQP2 and UT-A1 in vitro. Metformin, an AMPK activator, increased phosphorylation of both AQP2 and UT-A1 in rat inner medullary collecting ducts (IMCDs). Metformin increased the apical plasma membrane accumulation of AQP2, but not UT-A1, in rat IM. Metformin increased both osmotic water permeability and urea permeability in perfused rat terminal IMCDs. These findings suggest that metformin increases osmotic water permeability by increasing AQP2 accumulation in the apical plasma membrane but increases urea permeability by activating UT-A1 already present in the membrane. Lastly, metformin increased urine osmolality in mice lacking a V2R, a mouse model of congenital NDI. We conclude that AMPK activation by metformin mimics many of the mechanisms by which vasopressin increases urine-concentrating ability. These findings suggest that metformin may be a novel therapeutic option for congenital NDI due to V2R mutations. PMID:26962099

A Directory of Human Performance Models for System Design (Defence Research Group Panel 8 on the Defence Applications of Human and Bio-Medical Sciences)

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-27

quantities, but they are not continuously dependent on these quantities. This pure open-loop programmed-control-like behaviour is called precognitive . Like...and largely accomplished by the precognitive action and then may be completed with compeisatory eor-reducuon operations. 304. A quasilinear or

Variation of organic matter quantity and quality in streams at Critical Zone Observatory watersheds

Treesearch

Matthew P. Miller; Elizabeth W. Boyer; Diane M. McKnight; Michael G. Brown; Rachel S. Gabor; Carolyn Hunsaker; Lidiia Iavorivska; Shreeram Inamdar; Dale W. Johnson; Louis A. Kaplan; Henry Lin; William H. McDowell; Julia N. Perdrial

2016-01-01

The quantity and chemical composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in surface waters influence ecosystem processes and anthropogenic use of freshwater. However, despite the importance of understanding spatial and temporal patterns in DOM, measures of DOM quality are not routinely included as part of large-scale ecosystem monitoring programs and variations in...

Functional Characteristics of Tumor Associated Protein Spot14 and Interacting Proteins in Mouse Mammary Epithelial and Breast Cancer Cell Lines

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

enhanced accumulation of total lipids evaluated by Bodipy staining and NMR analysis. A major finding in this report is that glycolytic and lipogenic enzyme...total lipid component using NMR Metabolomics showed significant increases in the quantity of intracellular (CH2)n and (CH3) acyl chains (i.e. fatty...Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) methods were developed. GC-MS differs from NMR analysis of lipid fractions in that GC-MS distinguishes between fatty acids

Deposition of cadmium in tissues of Coturnix quail fed honey bees

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stoewsand, G.S.; Morse, R.A.; Bache, C.A.

1987-05-01

Insects have been reported to concentrate cadmium probably through food or water intake or by contact with contaminated surfaces. It is conceivable that avian species consuming such insects could concentrate cadmium in their tissues. In the work reported here, domesticated honey bees were found to contain appreciable levels of cadmium. The bees were collected in quantity and fed to Coturnix quail to study the extent to which an avian species may accumulate cadmium in liver and kidney as well as in their eggs.

Stratigraphy of the north polar layered deposits of Mars from high-resolution topography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becerra, Patricio; Byrne, Shane; Sori, Michael M.; Sutton, Sarah; Herkenhoff, Kenneth E.

2016-01-01

The stratigraphy of the layered deposits of the polar regions of Mars is theorized to contain a record of recent climate change linked to insolation changes driven by variations in the planet's orbital and rotational parameters. In order to confidently link stratigraphic signals to insolation periodicities, a description of the stratigraphy is required based on quantities that directly relate to intrinsic properties of the layers. We use stereo Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) to derive a characteristic of North Polar Layered Deposits (NPLD) strata that can be correlated over large distances: the topographic protrusion of layers exposed in troughs, which is a proxy for the layers’ resistance to erosion. Using a combination of image analysis and a signal-matching algorithm to correlate continuous depth-protrusion signals taken from DTMs at different locations, we construct a stratigraphic column that describes the upper ~500 m of at least 7% of the area of the NPLD, and find accumulation rates that vary by factors of up to two. We find that, when coupled with observations of exposed layers in orbital images, the topographic expression of the strata is consistently continuous through large distances in the top 300 – 500 m of the NPLD, suggesting it is better related to intrinsic layer properties than brightness alone.

Formation and Detection of Planetary Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lissauer, Jack J.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

Modern theories of star and planet formation and of the orbital stability of planetary systems are described and used to discuss possible characteristics of undiscovered planetary systems. The most detailed models of planetary growth are based upon observations of planets and smaller bodies within our own Solar System and of young stars and their environments. Terrestrial planets are believed to grow via pairwise accretion until the spacing of planetary orbits becomes large enough that the configuration is stable for the age of the system. Giant planets begin their growth as do terrestrial planets, but they become massive enough that they are able to accumulate substantial amounts of gas before the protoplanetary disk dissipates. These models predict that rocky planets should form in orbit about most single stars. It is uncertain whether or not gas giant planet formation is common, because most protoplanetary disks may dissipate before solid planetary cores can grow large enough to gravitationally trap substantial quantities of gas. A potential hazard to planetary systems is radial decay of planetary orbits resulting from interactions with material within the disk. Planets more massive than Earth have the potential to decay the fastest, and may be able to sweep up smaller planets in their path. The implications of the giant planets found in recent radial velocity searches for the abundances of habitable planets are discussed, and the methods that are being used and planned for detecting and characterizing extrasolar planets are reviewed.

Planet Formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lissauer, Jack J.; Fonda, Mark (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Modern theories of star and planet formation and of the orbital stability of planetary systems are described and used to discuss possible characteristics of undiscovered planetary systems. The most detailed models of planetary growth are based upon observations of planets and smaller bodies within our own Solar System and of young stars and their environments. Terrestrial planets are believed to grow via pairwise accretion until the spacing of planetary orbits becomes large enough that the configuration is stable for the age of the system. Giant planets begin their growth as do terrestrial planets, but they become massive enough that they are able to accumulate substantial amounts of gas before the protoplanetary disk dissipates. These models predict that rocky planets should form in orbit about most single stars. It is uncertain whether or not gas giant planet formation is common, because most protoplanetary disks may dissipate before solid planetary cores can grow large enough to gravitationally trap substantial quantities of gas. A potential hazard to planetary systems is radial decay of planetary orbits resulting from interactions with material within the disk. Planets more massive than Earth have the potential to decay the fastest, and may be able to sweep up smaller planets in their path. The implications of the giant planets found in recent radial velocity searches for the abundances of habitable planets are discussed, and the methods that are being used and planned for detecting and characterizing extrasolar planets are reviewed.

How Cold are the Floors of Lunar Polar Shadowed Craters?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mendell, Wendell W.

2010-01-01

Almost five decades ago Watson, et al, [1] speculated that molecules of volatile species might accumulate within the cryogenic environments of permanently shadowed polar craters. The subject was largely a scientific curiosity until recently. In the mid-1980's, people began to seriously discuss the feasibility of long-term or permanent human settlement of the Moon. Given that the Moon was known be missing the compounds need to support life and that importing volatiles from Earth is prohibitively expensive, lunar colonists were pictured as processing the putative polar volatiles. A bistatic radar experiment performed with the Clementine spacecraft was interpreted to suggest the presence of large quantities of ice at some polar locations. [2] The neutron spectrometer aboard the Lunar Prospector spacecraft reported high concentrations of hydrogen in the polar regolith, [3] and some interpretations of the data set pointed to very high concentrations in permanently shadowed craters. The reformulation of civilian space policy in 2004, known as the Vision for Space Exploration, emphasized lunar exploration with eye toward development of economic returns from cislunar space and long-tern human presence on the Moon. The theme of finding lunar resources was an impetus for the inclusion of the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Preliminary results from Diviner report an unexpectedly low temperature down to 35K in the depths of some craters. [4

Biosorption of heavy metals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Volesky, B.; Holan, Z.R.

1995-05-01

Only within the past decade has the potential of metal biosorption by biomass materials been well established. For economic reasons, of particular interest are abundant biomass types generated as a waste byproduct of large-scale industrial fermentations or certain metal-binding algae found in large quantities in the sea. These biomass types serve as a basis for newly developed metal biosorption processes foreseen particularly as a very competitive means for the detoxification of metal-bearing industrial effluents. The assessment of the metal-building capacity of some new biosorbents is discussed. Lead and cadmium, for instance, have been effectively removed from very dilute solutions bymore » the dried biomass of some ubiquitous species of brown marine algae such as Ascophyllum and Sargassum, which accumulate more than 30% of biomass dry weight in the metal. Mycelia of the industrial steroid-transforming fungi Rhizopus and Absidia are excellent biosorbents for lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, and uranium and also bind other heavy metals up to 25% of the biomass dry weight. Biosorption isotherm curves, derived from equilibrium batch sorption experiments, are used in the evaluation of metal uptake by different biosorbents. Further studies are focusing on the assessment of biosorbent performance in dynamic continuous-flow sorption systems. In the course of this work, new methodologies are being developed that are aimed at mathematical modeling of biosorption systems and their effective optimization. 115 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Biotechnological conversion of waste cooking olive oil into lipid-rich biomass using Aspergillus and Penicillium strains.

PubMed

Papanikolaou, S; Dimou, A; Fakas, S; Diamantopoulou, P; Philippoussis, A; Galiotou-Panayotou, M; Aggelis, G

2011-05-01

In this study, we have investigated the biochemical behaviour of Aspergillus sp. (five strains) and Penicillium expansum (one strain) fungi cultivated on waste cooking olive oil. The production of lipid-rich biomass was the main target of the work. In parallel, the biosynthesis of other extracellular metabolites (organic acids) and enzyme (lipase) and the substrate fatty acid specificity of the strains were studied. Carbon-limited cultures were performed on waste oil, added in the growth medium at 15g l(-1) , and high biomass quantities were produced (up to c.18g l(-1) , conversion yield of c. 1·0 g of dry biomass formed per g of fat consumed or higher). Cellular lipids were accumulated in notable quantities in almost all cultures. Aspergillus sp. ATHUM 3482 accumulated lipid up to 64·0% (w/w) in dry fungal mass. In parallel, extracellular lipase activity was quantified, and it was revealed to be strain and fermentation time dependent, with a maximum quantity of 645 U ml(-1) being obtained by Aspergillus niger NRRL 363. Storage lipid content significantly decreased at the stationary growth phase. Some differences in the fatty acid composition of both cellular and residual lipids when compared with the initial substrate fat used were observed; in various cases, cellular lipids more saturated and enriched with arachidic acid were produced. Aspergillus strains produced oxalic acid up to 5·0 g l(-1) . Aspergillus and Penicillium strains are able to convert waste cooking olive oil into high-added-value products.   Increasing fatty wastes amounts are annually produced. The current study provided an alternative way of biovalourization of these materials, by using them as substrates, to produce added-value compounds. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

A cost-effective protocol for the over-expression and purification of fully-functional and more stable Erwinia chrisanthemi ligand-gated ion channel

PubMed Central

Elberson, Benjamin W.; Whisenant, Ty E.; Cortes, D. Marien; Cuello, Luis G.

2017-01-01

The Erwinia chrisanthemi ligand-gated ion channel, ELIC, is considered an excellent structural and functional surrogate for the whole pentameric ligand-gated ion channel family. Despite its simplicity, ELIC is structurally capable of undergoing ligand-dependent activation and a concomitant desensitization process. To determine at the molecular level the structural changes underlying ELIC’s function, it is desirable to produce large quantities of protein. This protein should be properly folded, fully-functional and amenable to structural determinations. In the current paper, we report a completely new protocol for the expression and purification of milligram quantities of fully-functional, more stable and crystallizable ELIC. The use of an autoinduction media and inexpensive detergents during ELIC extraction, in addition to the high-quality and large quantity of the purified channel, are the highlights of this improved biochemical protocol. PMID:28279818

Large-scale purification of 90Sr from nuclear waste materials for production of 90Y, a therapeutic medical radioisotope.

PubMed

Wester, Dennis W; Steele, Richard T; Rinehart, Donald E; DesChane, Jaquetta R; Carson, Katharine J; Rapko, Brian M; Tenforde, Thomas S

2003-07-01

A major limitation on the supply of the short-lived medical isotope 90Y (t1/2 = 64 h) is the available quantity of highly purified 90Sr generator material. A radiochemical production campaign was therefore undertaken to purify 1,500 Ci of 90Sr that had been isolated from fission waste materials. A series of alkaline precipitation steps removed all detectable traces of 137Cs, alpha emitters, and uranium and transuranic elements. Technical obstacles such as the buildup of gas pressure generated upon mixing large quantities of acid with solid 90Sr carbonate were overcome through safety features incorporated into the custom-built equipment used for 90Sr purification. Methods are described for analyzing the chemical and radiochemical purity of the final product and for accurately determining by gravimetry the quantities of 90Sr immobilized on stainless steel filters for future use.

Phytoremediation potential of chromium-containing tannery effluent-contaminated soil by native Indian timber-yielding tree species.

PubMed

Manikandan, Muthu; Kannan, Vijayaraghavan; Mahalingam, Kanimozhi; Vimala, A; Chun, Sechul

2016-01-01

Twenty-six native Indian tree species that are used for the enhanced tree cover program of the forest department (Government of Tamilnadu, India) were screened for phytoremediation of tannery effluent-contaminated soil containing high chromium content. Out of 26 tree species tested, 10 timber-yielding tree species were selected for further phytoremediation monitoring. After a series of treatments with tannery effluent sludge, the chromium content was measured in the plant parts. The saplings of Acacia auriculiformis, Azadirachta indica, Albizzia lebbeck, Dalbergia sisso, and Thespesia populnea were identified as efficient bioaccumulators of chromium from Cr-contaminated soil. Acacia auriculiformis accumulates higher amounts of Cr in both the root and stem. Dalbergia sisso and T. populnea were found to accumulate higher quantity of Cr in the roots, whereas A. indica, A. richardiana, and A. lebbeck accumulate Cr in their stem. The stress response of the plant species was assessed by quantifying the antioxidative enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, and DHAR. Activity of all the enzymes was observed to gradually increase following treatment with tannery effluent sludge.

Petroleum surface oil seeps from Palaeoproterozoic petrified giant oilfield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melezhik, V.; Fallick, A.; Filippov, M.; Lepland, A.; Rychanchik, D.; Deines, Yu.; Medvedev, P.; Romashkin, A.; Strauss, H.

2009-04-01

Evidence of petroleum generation and migration has been previously reported from rocks dating as early as 3.25 Ga. Micron-size carbonaceous streaks and bitumen micronodules were found in abundance in Archaean rocks across the Pilbara craton in Australia suggesting pervasive petroleum generation and migration. However, none of the Archaean petroleum deposits has been reported to be preserved in quantity due to destructive effects of deformation and thermal obliteration during metamorphism. During the Palaeoproterozoic, unprecedented accumulation of Corg-rich rocks worldwide, known as the 2.0 Ga Shunga Event, occurred during the early stage of progressive oxidation of terrestrial environments, and in the aftermath of the Lomagundi-Jatuli isotopic event, which based on the magnitude and duration of positive d13C was the greatest perturbation of the global carbon cycle in Earth history. C. 2.0 Ga Zaonezhskaya Formation (ZF) rocks from the Onega Basin in Russian Fennoscandia contain evidence for substantial accumulation and preservation of organic matter (up to 75 wt.-% total organic carbon) with an estimated original petroleum potential comparable to a modern supergiant oilfield. The basin contains a uniquely preserved petrified oilfield including evidence of oil traps and oil migration pathways. Here, we report the discovery of the surface expression of a migration pathway, along which petroleum was flowing from the sub-surface. This surface oil seep, the first occurrence ever reported from the Palaeoproterozoic, appears as originally bitumen clasts redeposited in Palaeoproterozoic lacustrine turbidites of the Kondopozhskaya Formation. The d13Corg of clastic pyrobitumen ranges between -35.4 and -36.0 per mill (n = 14) which is within the range of interbed- and vein-trapped fossil oil (-46 and -24 per mill), suggesting similar source. Biogenic organic matter, whose isotopic composition was modified during thermal maturation, is the likely source for the migrated hydrocarbon. Oil seeps, being a very common attribute of almost every major petroleum-producing province in the world, highlight the scale of oil generation and migration in the Onega Basin. The large d13C variability in interbed-trapped pyrobitumen and in organic matter (OM) of the ZF can be entirely explained neither by isotopic fractionation during petroleum generation nor by metamorphic processes, thus it might reflect a primary feature. The source material could have had a wide range of compositions that could have reacted in various ways to the subsequent maturation and alteration. We tentatively suggest that small-scale pyrobitumen accumulations may reflect the initial isotope heterogeneity of the source. In contrast, the seeps d13C are homogeneous, thus perhaps reflecting a large-scale migration and accumulation of composite oil produced by mixing and homogenisation of various oil sources. However, the low H/C of OM and pyrobitumens suggests that the source rock's various components with apparent diversity of original d13C have been over-matured. Although these values are compatible with being the source of the seeps, robust source-reservoir correlation cannot be made. In the evolutionary context, it is significant that the 2.0 Ga OM-rich rocks and generation of supergiant oilfields occurred in the aftermath of the Lomagundi-Jatuli isotopic event, and during the course of the early stage of oxidation of the terrestrial atmosphere. Whether enhanced biomass or change in the preservation potential caused such unprecedented OM accumulation and large-scale oil generation remains to be investigated.

Large spin accumulation and crystallographic dependence of spin transport in single crystal gallium nitride nanowires

PubMed Central

Park, Tae-Eon; Park, Youn Ho; Lee, Jong-Min; Kim, Sung Wook; Park, Hee Gyum; Min, Byoung-Chul; Kim, Hyung-jun; Koo, Hyun Cheol; Choi, Heon-Jin; Han, Suk Hee; Johnson, Mark; Chang, Joonyeon

2017-01-01

Semiconductor spintronics is an alternative to conventional electronics that offers devices with high performance, low power and multiple functionality. Although a large number of devices with mesoscopic dimensions have been successfully demonstrated at low temperatures for decades, room-temperature operation still needs to go further. Here we study spin injection in single-crystal gallium nitride nanowires and report robust spin accumulation at room temperature with enhanced spin injection polarization of 9%. A large Overhauser coupling between the electron spin accumulation and the lattice nuclei is observed. Finally, our single-crystal gallium nitride samples have a trigonal cross-section defined by the (001), () and () planes. Using the Hanle effect, we show that the spin accumulation is significantly different for injection across the (001) and () (or ()) planes. This provides a technique for increasing room temperature spin injection in mesoscopic systems. PMID:28569767

Micronutrients-fortified rapeseed oil improves hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress in rats fed a high-fat diet

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Intake of high-fat diet is associated with increased fatty livers. Hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress are key pathophysiological mechanisms in this disease. Micronutrients polyphenols, tocopherols and phytosterols in rapeseed exert potential benefit to hepatoprotection, but most of these micronutrients are removed by the traditional refining process. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether rapeseed oil fortified with these micronutrients can decrease hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress induced by high-fat diet. Sprague–Dawley rats received rodent diet contained 20% fat whose source was refined rapeseed oil (RRO) or fortified RRO with low, middle and high quantities of these micronutrients for 10 weeks. Intake of RRO caused a remarkable hepatic steatosis. Micronutrients supplementation was effective in reducing steatosis as well as total triglyceride and total cholesterol contents in liver. These micronutrients also significantly increased hepatic antioxidant defense capacities, as evaluated by the significant elevation in the activities of SOD and GPx as well as the level of GSH, and the significant decline in lipid peroxidation. These findings suggest that rapeseed oil fortified with micronutrients polyphenols, tocopherols and phytosterols may contribute to prevent fatty livers such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by ameliorating hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress. PMID:23510587

Large scale EMF in current sheets induced by tearing modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizerski, Krzysztof A.

2018-02-01

An extension of the analysis of resistive instabilities of a sheet pinch from a famous work by Furth et al (1963 Phys. Fluids 6 459) is presented here, to study the mean electromotive force (EMF) generated by the developing instability. In a Cartesian configuration and in the presence of a current sheet first the boundary layer technique is used to obtain global, matched asymptotic solutions for the velocity and magnetic field and then the solutions are used to calculate the large-scale EMF in the system. It is reported, that in the bulk the curl of the mean EMF is linear in {{j}}0\\cdot {{B}}0, a simple pseudo-scalar quantity constructed from the large-scale quantities.

Toward high-throughput genotyping: dynamic and automatic software for manipulating large-scale genotype data using fluorescently labeled dinucleotide markers.

PubMed

Li, J L; Deng, H; Lai, D B; Xu, F; Chen, J; Gao, G; Recker, R R; Deng, H W

2001-07-01

To efficiently manipulate large amounts of genotype data generated with fluorescently labeled dinucleotide markers, we developed a Microsoft database management system, named. offers several advantages. First, it accommodates the dynamic nature of the accumulations of genotype data during the genotyping process; some data need to be confirmed or replaced by repeat lab procedures. By using, the raw genotype data can be imported easily and continuously and incorporated into the database during the genotyping process that may continue over an extended period of time in large projects. Second, almost all of the procedures are automatic, including autocomparison of the raw data read by different technicians from the same gel, autoadjustment among the allele fragment-size data from cross-runs or cross-platforms, autobinning of alleles, and autocompilation of genotype data for suitable programs to perform inheritance check in pedigrees. Third, provides functions to track electrophoresis gel files to locate gel or sample sources for any resultant genotype data, which is extremely helpful for double-checking consistency of raw and final data and for directing repeat experiments. In addition, the user-friendly graphic interface of renders processing of large amounts of data much less labor-intensive. Furthermore, has built-in mechanisms to detect some genotyping errors and to assess the quality of genotype data that then are summarized in the statistic reports automatically generated by. The can easily handle >500,000 genotype data entries, a number more than sufficient for typical whole-genome linkage studies. The modules and programs we developed for the can be extended to other database platforms, such as Microsoft SQL server, if the capability to handle still greater quantities of genotype data simultaneously is desired.

Non-symbolic arithmetic in adults and young children.

PubMed

Barth, Hilary; La Mont, Kristen; Lipton, Jennifer; Dehaene, Stanislas; Kanwisher, Nancy; Spelke, Elizabeth

2006-01-01

Five experiments investigated whether adults and preschool children can perform simple arithmetic calculations on non-symbolic numerosities. Previous research has demonstrated that human adults, human infants, and non-human animals can process numerical quantities through approximate representations of their magnitudes. Here we consider whether these non-symbolic numerical representations might serve as a building block of uniquely human, learned mathematics. Both adults and children with no training in arithmetic successfully performed approximate arithmetic on large sets of elements. Success at these tasks did not depend on non-numerical continuous quantities, modality-specific quantity information, the adoption of alternative non-arithmetic strategies, or learned symbolic arithmetic knowledge. Abstract numerical quantity representations therefore are computationally functional and may provide a foundation for formal mathematics.

Property of Fluctuations of Sales Quantities by Product Category in Convenience Stores

PubMed Central

Fukunaga, Gaku; Takayasu, Hideki; Takayasu, Misako

2016-01-01

The ability to ascertain the extent of product sale fluctuations for each store and locality is indispensable to inventory management. This study analyzed POS data from 158 convenience stores in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan and found a power scaling law between the mean and standard deviation of product sales quantities for several product categories. For the statistical domains of low sales quantities, the power index was 1/2; for large sales quantities, the power index was 1, so called Taylor’s law holds. The value of sales quantities with changing power indixes differed according to product category. We derived a Poissonian compound distribution model taking into account fluctuations in customer numbers to show that the scaling law could be explained theoretically for most of items. We also examined why the scaling law did not hold in some exceptional cases. PMID:27310915

Ribulose-1,5-bis-phosphate carboxylase/oxygenase accumulation factor1 is required for holoenzyme assembly in maize.

PubMed

Feiz, Leila; Williams-Carrier, Rosalind; Wostrikoff, Katia; Belcher, Susan; Barkan, Alice; Stern, David B

2012-08-01

Most life is ultimately sustained by photosynthesis and its rate-limiting carbon fixing enzyme, ribulose-1,5-bis-phosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). Although the structurally comparable cyanobacterial Rubisco is amenable to in vitro assembly, the higher plant enzyme has been refractory to such manipulation due to poor understanding of its assembly pathway. Here, we report the identification of a chloroplast protein required for Rubisco accumulation in maize (Zea mays), RUBISCO ACCUMULATION FACTOR1 (RAF1), which lacks any characterized functional domains. Maize lines lacking RAF1 due to Mutator transposon insertions are Rubisco deficient and seedling lethal. Analysis of transcripts and proteins showed that Rubisco large subunit synthesis in raf1 plants is not compromised; however, newly synthesized Rubisco large subunit appears in a high molecular weight form whose accumulation requires a specific chaperonin 60 isoform. Gel filtration analysis and blue native gels showed that endogenous and recombinant RAF1 are trimeric; however, following in vivo cross-linking, RAF1 copurifies with Rubisco large subunit, suggesting that they interact weakly or transiently. RAF1 is predominantly expressed in bundle sheath chloroplasts, consistent with a Rubisco accumulation function. Our results support the hypothesis that RAF1 acts during Rubisco assembly by releasing and/or sequestering the large subunit from chaperonins early in the assembly process.

Compound antimalarial ethosomal cataplasm: preparation, evaluation, and mechanism of penetration enhancement

PubMed Central

Shen, Shuo; Liu, Shu-Zhi; Zhang, Yu-Shi; Du, Mao-Bo; Liang, Ai-Hua; Song, Li-Hua; Ye, Zu-Guang

2015-01-01

Malaria is still a serious public health problem in some parts of the world. The problems of recurrence and drug resistance are increasingly more serious. Thus, it is necessary to develop a novel antimalarial agent. The objectives of this study were to construct a novel compound antimalarial transdermal nanosystem–ethosomal cataplasm, to investigate its characteristics and efficiency, and to systematically explore the penetration-enhancing mechanisms of ethosomal cataplasm. Artesunate-loaded ethosomes and febrifugine-loaded ethosomes were prepared, and their characteristics were evaluated. Drug-loaded ethosomes were incorporated in the matrix of cataplasm to form the compound antimalarial ethosomal cataplasm. With the help of ethosomal technology, the accumulated permeation quantity of artesunate significantly increased at 8 hours after administration, which was 1.57 times as much as that of conventional cataplasm. Soon after administration, the ethosomal cataplasm could make a large quantity of antimalarial drug quickly penetrate through skin, then the remaining drug in the ethosomal cataplasm could be steadily released. These characteristics of ethosomal cataplasm are favorable for antimalarial drugs to kill Plasmodium spp. quickly and prevent the resurgence of Plasmodium spp. As expected, the ethosomal cataplasm showed good antimalarial efficiency in this experiment. The negative conversion rates were 100% and the recurrence rates were 0% at all dosages. The mechanism of penetration enhancement of the ethosomal cataplasm was systematically explored using an optics microscope, polarization microscope, and transmission electron microscopy. The microstructure, ultrastructure, and birefringent structure in skin were observed. Data obtained in this study showed that the application of ethosomal technology to antimalarial cataplasm could improve the transdermal delivery of drug, enhance the efficacy, and facilitate practical application in clinic. PMID:26170661

Estimating Global Seafloor Total Organic Carbon Using a Machine Learning Technique and Its Relevance to Methane Hydrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, T. R.; Wood, W. T.; Dale, J.

2017-12-01

Empirical and theoretical models of sub-seafloor organic matter transformation, degradation and methanogenesis require estimates of initial seafloor total organic carbon (TOC). This subsurface methane, under the appropriate geophysical and geochemical conditions may manifest as methane hydrate deposits. Despite the importance of seafloor TOC, actual observations of TOC in the world's oceans are sparse and large regions of the seafloor yet remain unmeasured. To provide an estimate in areas where observations are limited or non-existent, we have implemented interpolation techniques that rely on existing data sets. Recent geospatial analyses have provided accurate accounts of global geophysical and geochemical properties (e.g. crustal heat flow, seafloor biomass, porosity) through machine learning interpolation techniques. These techniques find correlations between the desired quantity (in this case TOC) and other quantities (predictors, e.g. bathymetry, distance from coast, etc.) that are more widely known. Predictions (with uncertainties) of seafloor TOC in regions lacking direct observations are made based on the correlations. Global distribution of seafloor TOC at 1 x 1 arc-degree resolution was estimated from a dataset of seafloor TOC compiled by Seiter et al. [2004] and a non-parametric (i.e. data-driven) machine learning algorithm, specifically k-nearest neighbors (KNN). Built-in predictor selection and a ten-fold validation technique generated statistically optimal estimates of seafloor TOC and uncertainties. In addition, inexperience was estimated. Inexperience is effectively the distance in parameter space to the single nearest neighbor, and it indicates geographic locations where future data collection would most benefit prediction accuracy. These improved geospatial estimates of TOC in data deficient areas will provide new constraints on methane production and subsequent methane hydrate accumulation.

Compound antimalarial ethosomal cataplasm: preparation, evaluation, and mechanism of penetration enhancement.

PubMed

Shen, Shuo; Liu, Shu-Zhi; Zhang, Yu-Shi; Du, Mao-Bo; Liang, Ai-Hua; Song, Li-Hua; Ye, Zu-Guang

2015-01-01

Malaria is still a serious public health problem in some parts of the world. The problems of recurrence and drug resistance are increasingly more serious. Thus, it is necessary to develop a novel antimalarial agent. The objectives of this study were to construct a novel compound antimalarial transdermal nanosystem-ethosomal cataplasm, to investigate its characteristics and efficiency, and to systematically explore the penetration-enhancing mechanisms of ethosomal cataplasm. Artesunate-loaded ethosomes and febrifugine-loaded ethosomes were prepared, and their characteristics were evaluated. Drug-loaded ethosomes were incorporated in the matrix of cataplasm to form the compound antimalarial ethosomal cataplasm. With the help of ethosomal technology, the accumulated permeation quantity of artesunate significantly increased at 8 hours after administration, which was 1.57 times as much as that of conventional cataplasm. Soon after administration, the ethosomal cataplasm could make a large quantity of antimalarial drug quickly penetrate through skin, then the remaining drug in the ethosomal cataplasm could be steadily released. These characteristics of ethosomal cataplasm are favorable for antimalarial drugs to kill Plasmodium spp. quickly and prevent the resurgence of Plasmodium spp. As expected, the ethosomal cataplasm showed good antimalarial efficiency in this experiment. The negative conversion rates were 100% and the recurrence rates were 0% at all dosages. The mechanism of penetration enhancement of the ethosomal cataplasm was systematically explored using an optics microscope, polarization microscope, and transmission electron microscopy. The microstructure, ultrastructure, and birefringent structure in skin were observed. Data obtained in this study showed that the application of ethosomal technology to antimalarial cataplasm could improve the transdermal delivery of drug, enhance the efficacy, and facilitate practical application in clinic.

Immune response is required for the control of in vivo translocation and chronic toxicity of graphene oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qiuli; Zhao, Yunli; Fang, Jianpeng; Wang, Dayong

2014-05-01

Graphene oxide (GO) shows great promise as a nanomaterial for medical applications; however, the mechanism for its long-term adverse effects is still largely unclear. Here, we show that chronic GO exposure not only caused damage on the function of both primary and secondary targeted organs but also induced severe accumulation of pathogenic microbial food (OP50) in the intestine of Caenorhabditis elegans, a non-mammalian alternative toxicity assay system. GO accumulated in the intestine could be largely co-localized with OP50 and induced decreased immune response of animals. In contrast, feeding with UV-treated OP50 suppressed GO toxicity and accumulation in the intestine and maintained the relatively normal immune response of animals. The severe accumulation of OP50 in the intestine might be partially due to the damage by GO on the development and function of AVL and DVB neurons controlling defecation behavior. Reduction of chronic GO toxicity by PEG surface modification largely resulted from the inhibition of OP50 accumulation in the intestine and the maintenance of normal immune response. Our results highlight the key role of innate immunity in regulating in vivo chronic GO toxicity, which will be helpful for our understanding of the interactions between nanomaterials and biological systems during the long-term development of animals.Graphene oxide (GO) shows great promise as a nanomaterial for medical applications; however, the mechanism for its long-term adverse effects is still largely unclear. Here, we show that chronic GO exposure not only caused damage on the function of both primary and secondary targeted organs but also induced severe accumulation of pathogenic microbial food (OP50) in the intestine of Caenorhabditis elegans, a non-mammalian alternative toxicity assay system. GO accumulated in the intestine could be largely co-localized with OP50 and induced decreased immune response of animals. In contrast, feeding with UV-treated OP50 suppressed GO toxicity and accumulation in the intestine and maintained the relatively normal immune response of animals. The severe accumulation of OP50 in the intestine might be partially due to the damage by GO on the development and function of AVL and DVB neurons controlling defecation behavior. Reduction of chronic GO toxicity by PEG surface modification largely resulted from the inhibition of OP50 accumulation in the intestine and the maintenance of normal immune response. Our results highlight the key role of innate immunity in regulating in vivo chronic GO toxicity, which will be helpful for our understanding of the interactions between nanomaterials and biological systems during the long-term development of animals. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr00699b

Estimation of post-Katrina debris volume: An example from coastal Mississippi: Chapter 3E in Science and the storms-the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hansen, Mark; Howd, Peter; Sallenger, Asbury; Wright, C. Wayne; Lillycrop, Jeff

2007-01-01

Hurricane Katrina severely impacted coastal Mississippi, creating large quantities of building and vegetation debris. This paper summarizes techniques to estimate vegetation and nonvegetation debris quantities from light detection and ranging (lidar) data and presents debris volume results for Harrison County, Miss.

7 CFR 201.33 - Seed in bulk or large quantities; seed for cleaning or processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... quantities; seed for cleaning or processing. (a) In the case of seed in bulk, the information required under... seeds. (b) Seed consigned to a seed cleaning or processing establishment, for cleaning or processing for... pertaining to such seed show that it is “Seed for processing,” or, if the seed is in containers and in...

7 CFR 201.33 - Seed in bulk or large quantities; seed for cleaning or processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... quantities; seed for cleaning or processing. (a) In the case of seed in bulk, the information required under... seeds. (b) Seed consigned to a seed cleaning or processing establishment, for cleaning or processing for... pertaining to such seed show that it is “Seed for processing,” or, if the seed is in containers and in...

7 CFR 201.33 - Seed in bulk or large quantities; seed for cleaning or processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... quantities; seed for cleaning or processing. (a) In the case of seed in bulk, the information required under... seeds. (b) Seed consigned to a seed cleaning or processing establishment, for cleaning or processing for... pertaining to such seed show that it is “Seed for processing,” or, if the seed is in containers and in...

7 CFR 201.33 - Seed in bulk or large quantities; seed for cleaning or processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... quantities; seed for cleaning or processing. (a) In the case of seed in bulk, the information required under... seeds. (b) Seed consigned to a seed cleaning or processing establishment, for cleaning or processing for... pertaining to such seed show that it is “Seed for processing,” or, if the seed is in containers and in...

7 CFR 201.33 - Seed in bulk or large quantities; seed for cleaning or processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... quantities; seed for cleaning or processing. (a) In the case of seed in bulk, the information required under... seeds. (b) Seed consigned to a seed cleaning or processing establishment, for cleaning or processing for... pertaining to such seed show that it is “Seed for processing,” or, if the seed is in containers and in...

A Kinetic Study Using Evaporation of Different Types of Hand-Rub Sanitizers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinhas, Allan R.

2010-01-01

Alcohol-based hand-rub sanitizers are the types of products that hospital professionals use very often. These sanitizers can be classified into two major groups: those that contain a large quantity of thickener, and thus are a gel, and those that contain a small quantity of thickener, and thus remain a liquid. In an effort to create a laboratory…

Large number discrimination by mosquitofish.

PubMed

Agrillo, Christian; Piffer, Laura; Bisazza, Angelo

2010-12-22

Recent studies have demonstrated that fish display rudimentary numerical abilities similar to those observed in mammals and birds. The mechanisms underlying the discrimination of small quantities (<4) were recently investigated while, to date, no study has examined the discrimination of large numerosities in fish. Subjects were trained to discriminate between two sets of small geometric figures using social reinforcement. In the first experiment mosquitofish were required to discriminate 4 from 8 objects with or without experimental control of the continuous variables that co-vary with number (area, space, density, total luminance). Results showed that fish can use the sole numerical information to compare quantities but that they preferentially use cumulative surface area as a proxy of the number when this information is available. A second experiment investigated the influence of the total number of elements to discriminate large quantities. Fish proved to be able to discriminate up to 100 vs. 200 objects, without showing any significant decrease in accuracy compared with the 4 vs. 8 discrimination. The third experiment investigated the influence of the ratio between the numerosities. Performance was found to decrease when decreasing the numerical distance. Fish were able to discriminate numbers when ratios were 1:2 or 2:3 but not when the ratio was 3:4. The performance of a sample of undergraduate students, tested non-verbally using the same sets of stimuli, largely overlapped that of fish. Fish are able to use pure numerical information when discriminating between quantities larger than 4 units. As observed in human and non-human primates, the numerical system of fish appears to have virtually no upper limit while the numerical ratio has a clear effect on performance. These similarities further reinforce the view of a common origin of non-verbal numerical systems in all vertebrates.

Economics of Undiscovered Oil and Gas in the North Slope of Alaska: Economic Update and Synthesis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Attanasi, E.D.; Freeman, P.A.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has published assessments by geologists of undiscovered conventional oil and gas accumulations in the North Slope of Alaska; these assessments contain a set of scientifically based estimates of undiscovered, technically recoverable quantities of oil and gas in discrete oil and gas accumulations that can be produced with conventional recovery technology. The assessments do not incorporate economic factors such as recovery costs and product prices. The assessors considered undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in four areas of the North Slope: (1) the central North Slope, (2) the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA), (3) the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), and (4) the area west of the NPRA, called in this report the 'western North Slope'. These analyses were prepared at different times with various minimum assessed oil and gas accumulation sizes and with slightly different assumptions. Results of these past studies were recently supplemented with information by the assessment geologists that allowed adjustments for uniform minimum assessed accumulation sizes and a consistent set of assumptions. The effort permitted the statistical aggregation of the assessments of the four areas composing the study area. This economic analysis is based on undiscovered assessed accumulation distributions represented by the four-area aggregation and incorporates updates of costs and technological and fiscal assumptions used in the initial economic analysis that accompanied the geologic assessment of each study area.

The role of temperature in the onset of the Olea europaea L. pollen season in southwestern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galán, C.; García-Mozo, H.; Cariñanos, P.; Alcázar, P.; Domínguez-Vilches, E.

Temperature is one of the main factors affecting the flowering of Mediterranean trees. In the case of Olea europaea L., a low-temperature period prior to bud development is essential to interrupt dormancy. After that, and once a base temperature is reached, the plant accumulates heat until flowering starts. Different methods of obtaining the best-forecast model for the onset date of the O. europaea pollen season, using temperature as the predictive parameter, are proposed in this paper. An 18-year pollen and climatic data series (1982-1999) from Cordoba (Spain) was used to perform the study. First a multiple-regression analysis using 15-day average temperatures from the period prior to flowering time was tested. Second, three heat-summation methods were used, determining the the quantities heat units (HU): accumulated daily mean temperature after deducting a threshold, growing degree-days (GDD): proposed by Snyder [J Agric Meteorol 35:353-358 (1985)] as a measure of physiological time, and accumulated maximum temperature. In the first two, the optimum base temperature selected for heat accumulation was 12.5°C. The multiple-regression equation for 1999 gives a 7-day delay from the observed date. The most accurate results were obtained with the GDD method, with a difference of only 4.7 days between predicted and observed dates. The average heat accumulation expressed as GDD was 209.9°C days. The HU method also gives good results, with no significant statistical differences between predictions and observations.

Photosynthesis-related quantities for education and modeling.

PubMed

Antal, Taras K; Kovalenko, Ilya B; Rubin, Andrew B; Tyystjärvi, Esa

2013-11-01

A quantitative understanding of the photosynthetic machinery depends largely on quantities, such as concentrations, sizes, absorption wavelengths, redox potentials, and rate constants. The present contribution is a collection of numbers and quantities related mainly to photosynthesis in higher plants. All numbers are taken directly from a literature or database source and the corresponding reference is provided. The numerical values, presented in this paper, provide ranges of values, obtained in specific experiments for specific organisms. However, the presented numbers can be useful for understanding the principles of structure and function of photosynthetic machinery and for guidance of future research.

Effects of nitrate and phosphate supply on chromophoric and fluorescent dissolved organic matter in the Eastern Tropical North Atlantic: a mesocosm study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loginova, A. N.; Borchard, C.; Meyer, J.; Hauss, H.; Kiko, R.; Engel, A.

2015-12-01

In open-ocean regions, as is the Eastern Tropical North Atlantic (ETNA), pelagic production is the main source of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and is affected by dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (DIP) concentrations. Changes in pelagic production under nutrient amendments were shown to also modify DOM quantity and quality. However, little information is available about the effects of nutrient variability on chromophoric (CDOM) and fluorescent (FDOM) DOM dynamics. Here we present results from two mesocosm experiments ("Varied P" and "Varied N") conducted with a natural plankton community from the ETNA, where the effects of DIP and DIN supply on DOM optical properties were studied. CDOM accumulated proportionally to phytoplankton biomass during the experiments. Spectral slope (S) decreased over time indicating accumulation of high molecular weight DOM. In Varied N, an additional CDOM portion, as a result of bacterial DOM reworking, was determined. It increased the CDOM fraction in DOC proportionally to the supplied DIN. The humic-like FDOM component (Comp.1) was produced by bacteria proportionally to DIN supply. The protein-like FDOM component (Comp.2) was released irrespectively to phytoplankton or bacterial biomass, but depended on DIP and DIN concentrations. Under high DIN supply, Comp.2 was removed by bacterial reworking, leading to an accumulation of humic-like Comp.1. No influence of nutrient availability on amino acid-like FDOM component in peptide form (Comp.3) was observed. Comp.3 potentially acted as an intermediate product during formation or degradation of Comp.2. Our findings suggest that changes in nutrient concentrations may lead to substantial responses in the quantity and quality of optically active DOM and, therefore, might bias results of the applied in situ optical techniques for an estimation of DOC concentrations in open-ocean regions.

Development of a simple and fast voltammetric procedure for determination of trace quantity of Se(IV) in natural lake and river water samples.

PubMed

Grabarczyk, Malgorzata; Korolczuk, Mieczyslaw

2010-03-15

A simple and fast cathodic stripping voltammetric procedure for determination of trace quantity of Se(IV) in natural samples containing high concentrations of surfactants and humic substances was developed. The procedure exploiting selenium accumulation (from sample solution spiked with 0.1 mol L(-1) HClO(4) and 4 x 10(-4)mol L(-1) Cu(NO(3))(2)) as Cu(2)Se was employed as the initial method. The deposited Cu(2)Se was stripped by differential pulse cathodic potential scan. The interference from dissolved organic matter such as surfactants and humic substances was eliminated by adding Amberlite XAD-7 resin to the voltammetric cell. The whole procedure was applied to a single cell, which allows one to monitor the voltammetric scan. Optimum conditions for removing the surfactants and humic substances due to their adsorption on XAD-7 resin were evaluated. The method was tested on synthetic samples spiked with surfactants and humic substances. The calibration graph for Se(IV) under optimized conditions following the accumulation of 30s was linear in the range from 2 x 10(-9) to 2 x 10(-7)mol L(-1) and was found to obey the equation y=0.74x-0.61, where y and x are the peak current (nA) and Se(IV) concentration (nmol L(-1)), respectively. The linear correlation coefficient was r=0.9993. The relative standard deviation for determination of Se(IV) at the concentration of 1 x 10(-8)mol L(-1) was 3.7% (n=5). The detection limit estimated from three times the standard deviation for low Se(IV) concentration and accumulation time of 30s was about 7.8 x 10(-10)mol L(-1). The presented procedure was successfully applied to selenium determination in TMRAIN-95 certified reference material and to real samples including spiked lake and river waters for selenium speciation. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chimpanzees Sometimes See Fuller as Better: Judgments of Food Quantities Based on Container Size and Fullness

PubMed Central

Parrish, Audrey E.; Beran, Michael J.

2014-01-01

The context in which food is presented can alter quantity judgments leading to sub-optimal choice behavior. Humans often over-estimate food quantity on the basis of how food is presented. Food appears larger if plated on smaller dishes than larger dishes and liquid volumes appear larger in taller cups than shorter cups. Moreover, smaller but fuller containers are preferred in comparison to larger, but less full containers with a truly larger quantity. Here, we assessed whether similar phenomena occur in chimpanzees. Four chimpanzees chose between two amounts of food presented in different sized containers, a large (2 oz.) and small (1 oz.) cup. When different quantities were presented in the same-sized cups or when the small cup contained the larger quantity, chimpanzees were highly accurate in choosing the larger food amount. However, when different-sized cups contained the same amount of food or the smaller cup contained the smaller amount of food (but looked relatively fuller), the chimpanzees often showed a bias to select the smaller but fuller cup. These findings contribute to our understanding of how quantity estimation and portion judgment is impacted by the surrounding context in which it is presented. PMID:24374384

NCI Cohort Consortium

Cancer.gov

The NCI Cohort Consortium is an extramural-intramural partnership formed by the National Cancer Institute to address the need for large-scale collaborations to pool the large quantity of data and biospecimens necessary to conduct a wide range of cancer studies.

A new interpretation of the structure of the Sept Iles Intrusive suite, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higgins, Michael D.

2005-08-01

The layered mafic intrusion at Sept Iles, Canada, is one of the largest intrusions in the world. A new interpretation of its structure is proposed, based on a review of its geology and a comparison with the Skaergaard intrusion, Greenland. Several different magmatic components are recognized; hence the name Sept Iles Intrusive suite (SIIS) is proposed. Emplacement of the suite may have been preceded by eruption of flood basalts. The first magmas of the suite rose in the crust to accumulate beneath the density filter afforded by the basalts. The largest component is the Sept Iles Mafic intrusion (SIMI). The Lower series of the SIMI is dominated by leucotroctolites and leucogabbros. Above it lie the Layered series, which is largely comprised of gabbro and troctolite. Both these units are unchanged from earlier interpretations. The anorthosites (s.l.), gabbros and monzogabbros, formerly called the Transitional series, are now considered to be the Upper Border series, developed by floatation of plagioclase. Common autoliths in the Layered series are parts of the hydrothermally altered Upper Border series from towards the interior of the intrusion, which have foundered and settled through the magma. The contamination of the magma that accompanied this event oxidised iron in the magma and led to the precipitation of magnetite around the periphery of the intrusion. The subsequent depletion of Fe 3+ and/or increase in SiO 2, CaO and P 2O 5 may have induced apatite saturation and accumulation to form two layers rich in apatite, near the base and at top of the Layered series. Granitic magma was developed by fractional crystallisation and was emplaced along the roof of the chamber, where it acquired large quantities of xenoliths. These were probably derived from the flood basalts, their evolved members and fragments of mafic dykes chilled by the granitic magma. Accumulations of monzonite pillows in this unit testify to another magmatic event and a floor to the granitic magma chamber, indicating lateral transport of magma. Chemically distinct syenites in the upper part of the intrusion are part of the Point du Criade intrusion, a large, late composite sill. Diabase and leucogabbro components show a close link with the SIMI and all the acidic magmas may have originally formed by differentiation of the main magma in cupolas towards the centre of the intrusion. A series of late gabbro intrusions that cut the SIMI may represent a rejuvenation of magmatism. The Border zone is a mass of fine-grained rocks that occurs along the border of the SIMI: it may be another magmatic component, or just the lateral border series of the SIMI.

27 CFR 40.183 - Record of tobacco products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) TOBACCO MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS, CIGARETTE PAPERS AND TUBES... quantities of all tobacco products, by kind (small cigars-large cigars; small cigarettes-large cigarettes... inventory; (e) Removed subject to tax (itemize large cigars by sale price in accordance with § 40.22, except...

27 CFR 40.183 - Record of tobacco products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) TOBACCO MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS, CIGARETTE PAPERS AND TUBES... quantities of all tobacco products, by kind (small cigars-large cigars; small cigarettes-large cigarettes... inventory; (e) Removed subject to tax (itemize large cigars by sale price in accordance with § 40.22, except...

27 CFR 40.183 - Record of tobacco products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) TOBACCO MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS, CIGARETTE PAPERS AND TUBES... quantities of all tobacco products, by kind (small cigars-large cigars; small cigarettes-large cigarettes... inventory; (e) Removed subject to tax (itemize large cigars by sale price in accordance with § 40.22, except...

[Application of improved regional citrate anticoagulation in continuous hemofiltration in children].

PubMed

Bai, K; Liu, C J; Fu, Y Q; Xu, F

2017-05-04

Objective: To investigate the application of regional citrate anticoagulation with calcium hemofiltration basic solution in continuous hemofiltration in children. Method: The clinical data of 18 patients with citrate anticoagulation in continuous hemofiltration in children, excluding the hepatic failure and septic shock cases, were analyzed retrospectively, from September 2015 to August 2016 in Intensive Care Unit of the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University.The commercial calcium hemofiltration basic solution was used as displacement liquid . The blood gas analysis, electrolyte, four coagulation tests during the treatment and the corresponding relations of quantity of blood flow(QB), quantity of citrate flow(QCi), quantity of sodium bicarbonate flow(QSB), quantity of calcium flow(QCa), quantity of filtered solution flow (Qf) were monitored. Meanwhile, the blood gas analysis, electrolyte, four coagulation tests, useful life of filter, bleeding and clotting events internal and external before, during and after the treatments were monitored, too. And the common complications of citrate anticoagulation, such as hypocalcaemia, metabolic alkalosis, citrate accumulation and hypernatremia were observed. Result: Continuous hemofiltration was applied in 18 patients for 734.5 hours, and the average useful life of filter was (25±11)h.There was no obvious clotting event. There were 168 groups of datum of the blood gas analysis, electrolyte, four coagulation tests during the treatment and the relationships of QB, QCi, QSB, QCa, Qf had been collected. The relationships of the initial parameter settings of QB, QCi, QSB, QCa and Qf were concluded as QCi=1.8×QB, QCa=0.12×QB, QSB=0.01×Qf . There were 150 times(89.3%)of extracorporeal ionized calcium(iCa(E)(2+)) and 162 times(96.4%) of intracorporal ionized calcium(iCa(I)(2+)) reached the anticoagulation target. Although all the comparisons of Na(+) ((136.2±4.1) vs .(138.2±2.4) vs .(138.5±3.9)mmol/L), iCa(2+) ((1.07±0.11) vs .(1.21±0.12) vs .(1.17±0.09)mmol/L), HCO(3)(-) ((22±4) vs .(28±5) vs . (26±4)mmol/L) among before, during and after treatment had significant difference( F =6.414, 18.950, 19.151; P =0.002, 0.000, 0.000). Each mean parameter was within the nearly normal range, except that the HCO(3)(-) increased slightly. High HCO(3)(-) was the most common complications, which happened 87 times (51.8%) during the treatment and 11 cases(37.9%) after the treatment. There was none with refractory hypocalcemia and total ionized calcium(TCa(2+) )/iCa(2+) above 2.5, which hints the accumulation of citrate. Conclusion: The commercialized displacement liquid containing calcium can be used in RCA-CHF in children safely and simply.

How deep does disturbance go? The legacy of hurricanes on tropical forest soil biogeochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutiérrez del Arroyo, O.; Silver, W. L.

2016-12-01

Ecosystem-scale disturbances, such as hurricanes and droughts, are periodic events with the capacity to cycle vast amounts of energy and matter. Such is the case of hurricanes in wet tropical forests, where intense winds defoliate the forest canopy and deposit large quantities of debris on the forest floor. These disturbances strongly affect soil biogeochemistry by altering soil moisture and temperature regimes, as well as litterfall, decomposition rates, and ultimately soil carbon (C) pools. Although these impacts are mostly concentrated near the soil surface, it is critical to consider the long-term effects on hurricanes on the deep soil profile, given the potential for soil C sequestration to occur at depth. Our study was conducted in the Canopy Trimming Experiment, an ongoing experiment within the Luquillo LTER in Puerto Rico. Ten years prior to our study, treatments including canopy trimming and debris deposition, independently and in combination, were imposed on 30 x 30 m plots within Tabonuco forests. We sampled 12 soil profiles (4 treatments, n=3) from 0 to 100 cm, at 10 cm intervals, and measured a suite of biogeochemical properties to explore treatment effects, as well as changes with depth. After a decade of recovery from the imposed treatments, there were no significant differences in soil moisture or soil pH among treatments at any depth, although significant changes with depth occurred for both variables. Iron concentrations, despite showing no treatment effects, decreased markedly with depth, highlighting the biogeochemical thresholds that occur along the soil profile. Notably, debris deposition resulted in significantly higher soil C, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) concentrations in bulk soils, with effects being detected even at depths >50 cm. Moreover, density fractionation analyses of surface and deep soils revealed potential pathways for the measured increases in C, N, and P, including the accumulation of organic matter in the light fraction, as well as physiochemical interactions between organic molecules and minerals in the heavy fraction. Together, our data suggests that hurricane disturbances, by providing unusually large quantities of litterfall, can serve as a periodic subsidy of organic matter to the soil, which helps to maintain soil fertility and promote soil C sequestration.

Dynamical spin accumulation in large-spin magnetic molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Płomińska, Anna; Weymann, Ireneusz; Misiorny, Maciej

2018-01-01

The frequency-dependent transport through a nanodevice containing a large-spin magnetic molecule is studied theoretically in the Kondo regime. Specifically, the effect of magnetic anisotropy on dynamical spin accumulation is of primary interest. Such accumulation arises due to finite components of frequency-dependent conductance that are off diagonal in spin. Here, employing the Kubo formalism and the numerical renormalization group method, we demonstrate that the dynamical transport properties strongly depend on the relative orientation of spin moments in electrodes of the device, as well as on intrinsic parameters of the molecule. In particular, the effect of dynamical spin accumulation is found to be greatly affected by the type of magnetic anisotropy exhibited by the molecule, and it develops for frequencies corresponding to the Kondo temperature. For the parallel magnetic configuration of the device, the presence of dynamical spin accumulation is conditioned by the interplay of ferromagnetic-lead-induced exchange field and the Kondo correlations.

ACCUMULATION OF RADIOCESIUM BY MUSHROOMS IN THE ENVIRONMENT: A LITERATURE REVIEW

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duff, M

2007-05-28

During the last 50 years, a large amount of information on radionuclide accumulators or ''sentinel-type'' organisms in the environment has been published. Much of this work focused on the risks of food-chain transfer of radionuclides to higher organisms such as reindeer and man. However, until the 1980's and 1990's, there has been little published data on the radiocesium ({sup 134}Cs and {sup 137}Cs) accumulation by mushrooms. This presentation will consist of a review of the published data for {sup 134,137}Cs accumulation by mushrooms in nature. This review will discuss the aspects that promote {sup 134,137}Cs uptake by mushrooms and focusmore » on mushrooms that demonstrate a large propensity for use in the environmental biomonitoring of radiocesium contamination. It will also provide descriptions of habitats for many of these mushrooms and discuss on how growth media and other conditions relate to Cs accumulation.« less

The Sines industrial complex monitoring programme: A preliminary report.

PubMed

Jones, M P; Catarino, F M; Sérgio, C; Bento-Pereira, F

1981-06-01

It is anticipated that the establishment of the industrial complex at Sines, Alentejo, Portugal, will have some impact on the environment. Details of the methods used in the monitoring programme are provided. Records of the epiphytic lichen vegetation in permanent quadrats have been made and changes shown in selected sites over a three year period are discussed. Material has been collected for analysis for heavy metals and the results discussed. There is considerable variation in replicates and in interspecies values. The problem of age and bio-accumulation is mentioned. Scanning electron microscopy has shown the accumulation of particulates, as yet unidentified, the quantity varying with increase in age and surface texture. A broadly based study of the local epiphytic flora is being carried out to record the present day diversity. There appears, as yet, to be no detectable influence of the industrial complex on the epiphytic flora of the permanent quadrats.

Comment on 'volume of magma accumulation or withdrawal estimated from surface uplift or subsidence, with application to the 1960 collapse of Kilauea volcano' by P.T. Delaney and D.F. McTigue

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Daniel J.; Sigmundsson, F.; Delaney, P.T.

2000-01-01

In volcanoes that store a significant quantity of magma within a subsurface summit reservoir, such as Kilauea, bulk compression of stored magma is an important mode of deformation. Accumulation of magma is also accompanied by crustal deformation, usually manifested at the surface as uplift. These two modes of deformation - bulk compression of resident magma and deformation of the volcanic edifice - act in concert to accommodate the volume of newly added magma. During deflation, the processes reverse and reservoir magma undergoes bulk decompression, the chamber contracts, and the ground surface subsides. Because magma compression plays a role in creating subsurface volume of accommodate magma, magma budget estimates that are derived from surface uplift observations without consideration of magma compression will underestimate actual magma volume changes.

An efficient plant viral expression system generating orally immunogenic Norwalk virus-like particles.

PubMed

Santi, Luca; Batchelor, Lance; Huang, Zhong; Hjelm, Brooke; Kilbourne, Jacquelyn; Arntzen, Charles J; Chen, Qiang; Mason, Hugh S

2008-03-28

Virus-like particles (VLPs) derived from enteric pathogens like Norwalk virus (NV) are well suited to study oral immunization. We previously described stable transgenic plants that accumulate recombinant NV-like particles (rNVs) that were orally immunogenic in mice and humans. The transgenic approach suffers from long generation time and modest level of antigen accumulation. We now overcome these constraints with an efficient tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-derived transient expression system using leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. We produced properly assembled rNV at 0.8 mg/g leaf 12 days post-infection (dpi). Oral immunization of CD1 mice with 100 or 250 microg/dose of partially purified rNV elicited systemic and mucosal immune responses. We conclude that the plant viral transient expression system provides a robust research tool to generate abundant quantities of rNV as enriched, concentrated VLP preparations that are orally immunogenic.

An efficient plant viral expression system generating orally immunogenic Norwalk virus-like particles

PubMed Central

Santi, Luca; Batchelor, Lance; Huang, Zhong; Hjelm, Brooke; Kilbourne, Jacquelyn; Arntzen, Charles J.; Chen, Qiang; Mason, Hugh S.

2009-01-01

Virus like particles (VLPs) derived from enteric pathogens like Norwalk virus (NV) are well suited to study oral immunization. We previously described stable transgenic plants that accumulate recombinant NV-like particles (rNV) that were orally immunogenic in mice and humans. The transgenic approach suffers from long generation time and modest level of antigen accumulation. We now overcome these constraints with an efficient tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-derived transient expression system using leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. We produced properly assembled rNV at 0.8 mg/g leaf 12 days post infection. Oral immunization of CD1 mice with 100 or 250 μg/dose of partially purified rNV elicited systemic and mucosal immune responses. We conclude that the plant viral transient expression system provides a robust research tool to generate abundant quantities of rNV as enriched, concentrated VLP preparations that are orally immunogenic. PMID:18325641

The effect of simulated microgravity on hybridoma cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skok, Marina V.; Koval, Ludmila M.; Petrova, Yulia I.; Lykhmus, Olena Y.; Kolibo, Denis V.; Romanyuk, Svitlana I.; Yevdokimova, Nataliya Y.; Komisarenko, Sergiy V.

2005-04-01

The effect of clinostat-simulated microgravity on SP-2/0 and 1D6 hybridoma cells was studied. Clinorotation during 4-5 days at 1.5 rounds per minute decreased dramatically their proliferating capacity: the rotated cells divided less than once while control cells performed 4-5 divisions. They decreased the non-specific adhesion to tissue culture plastic, but increased the number of cell-to-cell contacts. Such phenomenological changes were accompanied with the alterations in pericellular glycosaminoglycans: decreased accumulation of hyaluronic acid and increased accumulation of chondroitin/dermatan-sulfate, as well as with the increase of cytoplasmic Ca concentration. Clinorotation resulted in hybridoma nicotinic receptor desensitization but not down-regulation. In contrast, both the quantity and quality (molecular isoforms, affinity and specificity) of the antibody produced by 1D6 hybridoma cells were not altered by clinorotation. It is concluded that simulated microgravity affected the proliferating and adhesive, but not biosynthetic properties of hybridoma cells.

Sustainability of rare earth elements chain: from production to food - a review.

PubMed

Turra, Christian

2018-02-01

Rare earth elements (REE) are a group of chemical elements that include lanthanoids (lanthanum to lutetium), scandium and yttrium. In the last decades, the REE demand in the industry and other areas has increased significantly. In general, REE have shown low concentrations in soils, plants, water and atmosphere, but they may accumulate in such environments due to anthropogenic inputs. In areas where there is REE contamination, the slow accumulation of these elements in the environment could become problematic. Many studies have shown environmental areas contaminated with REE and their toxic effects. Thus, it is important to review, in order to improve the current understanding of these elements in the environment, showing the effects of REE exposure in mining, soil, water, plants and food. Besides, there are few suppliers and a limited quantity of these elements in the world. This paper suggests options to improve the sustainability management of REE chain.

Of Small Beauties and Large Beasts: The Quality of Distractors on Multiple-Choice Tests Is More Important than Their Quantity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papenberg, Martin; Musch, Jochen

2017-01-01

In multiple-choice tests, the quality of distractors may be more important than their number. We therefore examined the joint influence of distractor quality and quantity on test functioning by providing a sample of 5,793 participants with five parallel test sets consisting of items that differed in the number and quality of distractors.…

Evaluation of bioenergy crop growth and the impacts of bioenergy crops on streamflow, tile drain flow and nutrient losses in an extensively tile-drained watershed using SWAT

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Large quantities of biofuel production are expected from bioenergy crops at a national scale to meet US biofuel goals. It is important to study biomass production of bioenergy crops and the impacts of these crops on water quantity and quality to identify environment-friendly and productive biofeeds...

Polynomial complexity despite the fermionic sign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossi, R.; Prokof'ev, N.; Svistunov, B.; Van Houcke, K.; Werner, F.

2017-04-01

It is commonly believed that in unbiased quantum Monte Carlo approaches to fermionic many-body problems, the infamous sign problem generically implies prohibitively large computational times for obtaining thermodynamic-limit quantities. We point out that for convergent Feynman diagrammatic series evaluated with a recently introduced Monte Carlo algorithm (see Rossi R., arXiv:1612.05184), the computational time increases only polynomially with the inverse error on thermodynamic-limit quantities.

Ribulose-1,5-Bis-Phosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase Accumulation Factor1 Is Required for Holoenzyme Assembly in Maize[C][W

PubMed Central

Feiz, Leila; Williams-Carrier, Rosalind; Wostrikoff, Katia; Belcher, Susan; Barkan, Alice; Stern, David B.

2012-01-01

Most life is ultimately sustained by photosynthesis and its rate-limiting carbon fixing enzyme, ribulose-1,5-bis-phosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). Although the structurally comparable cyanobacterial Rubisco is amenable to in vitro assembly, the higher plant enzyme has been refractory to such manipulation due to poor understanding of its assembly pathway. Here, we report the identification of a chloroplast protein required for Rubisco accumulation in maize (Zea mays), RUBISCO ACCUMULATION FACTOR1 (RAF1), which lacks any characterized functional domains. Maize lines lacking RAF1 due to Mutator transposon insertions are Rubisco deficient and seedling lethal. Analysis of transcripts and proteins showed that Rubisco large subunit synthesis in raf1 plants is not compromised; however, newly synthesized Rubisco large subunit appears in a high molecular weight form whose accumulation requires a specific chaperonin 60 isoform. Gel filtration analysis and blue native gels showed that endogenous and recombinant RAF1 are trimeric; however, following in vivo cross-linking, RAF1 copurifies with Rubisco large subunit, suggesting that they interact weakly or transiently. RAF1 is predominantly expressed in bundle sheath chloroplasts, consistent with a Rubisco accumulation function. Our results support the hypothesis that RAF1 acts during Rubisco assembly by releasing and/or sequestering the large subunit from chaperonins early in the assembly process. PMID:22942379

Insulin-like growth factor-I and growth differentiation factor-5 promote the formation of tissue-engineered human nasal septal cartilage.

PubMed

Alexander, Thomas H; Sage, August B; Chen, Albert C; Schumacher, Barbara L; Shelton, Elliot; Masuda, Koichi; Sah, Robert L; Watson, Deborah

2010-10-01

Tissue engineering of human nasal septal chondrocytes offers the potential to create large quantities of autologous material for use in reconstructive surgery of the head and neck. Culture with recombinant human growth factors may improve the biochemical and biomechanical properties of engineered tissue. The objectives of this study were to (1) perform a high-throughput screen to assess multiple combinations of growth factors and (2) perform more detailed testing of candidates identified in part I. In part I, human nasal septal chondrocytes from three donors were expanded in monolayer with pooled human serum (HS). Cells were then embedded in alginate beads for 2 weeks of culture in medium supplemented with 2% or 10% HS and 1 of 90 different growth factor combinations. Combinations of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-1), bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, BMP-7, BMP-13, growth differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5), transforming growth factor β (TGFβ)-2, insulin, and dexamethasone were evaluated. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) accumulation was measured. A combination of IGF-1 and GDF-5 was selected for further testing based on the results of part I. Chondrocytes from four donors underwent expansion followed by three-dimensional alginate culture for 2 weeks in medium supplemented with 2% or 10% HS with or without IGF-1 and GDF-5. Chondrocytes and their associated matrix were then recovered and cultured for 4 weeks in 12 mm transwells in medium supplemented with 2% or 10% HS with or without IGF-1 and GDF-5 (the same medium used for alginate culture). Biochemical and biomechanical properties of the neocartilage were measured. In part I, GAG accumulation was highest for growth factor combinations including both IGF-1 and GDF-5. In part II, the addition of IGF-1 and GDF-5 to 2% HS resulted in a 12-fold increase in construct thickness compared with 2% HS alone (p < 0.0001). GAG and type II collagen accumulation was significantly higher with IGF-1 and GDF-5. Confined compression modulus was greatest with 2% HS, IGF-1, and GDF-5. Supplementation of medium with IGF-1 and GDF-5 during creation of neocartilage constructs results in increased accumulation of GAG and type II collagen and improved biomechanical properties compared with constructs created without the growth factors.

Eastern Colorado mobility study : final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-04-01

Colorado, with an economy based in large part on agriculture, has a need to transport large quantities of commodities. The rapidly growing urban areas in the state also need many products and goods to support the growth. Furthermore, Colorado is stra...

Free-ranging dogs assess the quantity of opponents in intergroup conflicts.

PubMed

Bonanni, Roberto; Natoli, Eugenia; Cafazzo, Simona; Valsecchi, Paola

2011-01-01

In conflicts between social groups, the decision of competitors whether to attack/retreat should be based on the assessment of the quantity of individuals in their own and the opposing group. Experimental studies on numerical cognition in animals suggest that they may represent both large and small numbers as noisy mental magnitudes subject to scalar variability, and small numbers (≤4) also as discrete object-files. Consequently, discriminating between large quantities, but not between smaller ones, should become easier as the asymmetry between quantities increases. Here, we tested these hypotheses by recording naturally occurring conflicts in a population of free-ranging dogs, Canis lupus familiaris, living in a suburban environment. The overall probability of at least one pack member approaching opponents aggressively increased with a decreasing ratio of the number of rivals to that of companions. Moreover, the probability that more than half of the pack members withdrew from a conflict increased when this ratio increased. The skill of dogs in correctly assessing relative group size appeared to improve with increasing the asymmetry in size when at least one pack comprised more than four individuals, and appeared affected to a lesser extent by group size asymmetries when dogs had to compare only small numbers. These results provide the first indications that a representation of quantity based on noisy mental magnitudes may be involved in the assessment of opponents in intergroup conflicts and leave open the possibility that an additional, more precise mechanism may operate with small numbers.

Testing Photoionization Calculations Using Chandra X-ray Spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kallman, Tim

2008-01-01

A great deal of work has been devoted to the accumulation of accurate quantities describing atomic processes for use in analysis of astrophysical spectra. But in many situations of interest the interpretation of a quantity which is observed, such as a line flux, depends on the results of a modeling- or spectrum synthesis code. The results of such a code depends in turn on many atomic rates or cross sections, and the sensitivity of the observable quantity on the various rates and cross sections may be non-linear and if so cannot easily be derived analytically. In such cases the most practical approach to understanding the sensitivity of observables to atomic cross sections is to perform numerical experiments, by calculating models with various rates perturbed by random (but known) factors. In addition, it is useful to compare the results of such experiments with some sample observations, in order to focus attention on the rates which are of the greatest relevance to real observations. In this paper I will present some attempts to carry out this program, focussing on two sample datasets taken with the Chandra HETG. I will discuss the sensitivity of synthetic spectra to atomic data affecting ionization balance, temperature, and line opacity or emissivity, and discuss the implications for the ultimate goal of inferring astrophysical parameters.

Sensitivity Analysis Applied to Atomic Data Used for X-ray Spectrum Synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kallman, Tim

2006-01-01

A great deal of work has been devoted to the accumulation of accurate quantities describing atomic processes for use in analysis of astrophysical spectra. But in many situations of interest the interpretation of a quantity which is observed, such as a line flux, depends on the results of a modeling- or spectrum synthesis code. The results of such a code depends in turn 011 many atomic rates or cross sections, and the sensitivity of the observable quantity on the various rates and cross sections may be non-linear and if so cannot easily be derived analytically. In such cases the most practical approach to understanding the sensitivity of observables to atomic cross sections is to perform numerical experiments, by calculating models with various rates perturbed by random (but known) factors. In addition, it is useful to compare the results of such experiments with some sample observations, in order to focus attention on the rates which are of the greatest relevance to real observations. In this paper I will present some attempts to carry out this program, focussing on two sample datasets taken with the Chandra HETG. I will discuss the sensitivity of synthetic spectra to atomic data affecting ionization balance, temperature, and line opacity or emissivity, and discuss the implications for the ultimate goal of inferring astrophysical parameters.

Sensitivity Analysis Applied to Atomic Data Used for X-ray Spectrum Synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kallman, Tim

2006-01-01

A great deal of work has been devoted to the accumulation of accurate quantities describing atomic processes for use in analysis of astrophysical spectra. But in many situations of interest the interpretation of a quantity which is observed, such as a line flux, depends on the results of a modeling- or spectrum synthesis code. The results of such a code depends in turn on many atomic rates or cross sections, and the sensitivity of the observable quantity on the various rates and cross sections may be non-linear and if so cannot easily be derived analytically. In such cases the most practical approach to understanding the sensitivity of observables to atomic cross sections is to perform numerical experiments, by calculating models with various rates perturbed by random (but known) factors. In addition, it is useful to compare the results of such experiments with some sample observations, in order to focus attention on the rates which are of the greatest relevance to real observations. In this paper I will present some attempts to carry out this program, focussing on two sample datasets taken with the Chandra HETG. I will discuss the sensitivity of synthetic spectra to atomic data affecting ionization balance, temperature, and line opacity or emissivity, and discuss the implications for the ultimate goal of inferring astrophysical parameters.

Electron microscopy of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae of yellow poplar. II. Intracellular hyphae and vesicles.

PubMed

Kinden, D A; Brown, M F

1975-11-01

Intracellular hyphae and vesicles in mycorrhizal roots of yellow poplar were examined by electron microscopy. An investing layer of host wall material and cytoplasm enclosed the endophyte within the cells. Young developing hyphae contained abundant cytoplasm and few vacuoles. As hyphae matured, they became highly vacuolated and accumulated carbohydrate (glycogen) and lipid reserves. Mature vesicles were engorged with lipid droplets, possessed a trilaminate wall and were also enclosed by host wall material and cytoplasm. Compared with uninfected cells, infected cortical cells showed an increase in cytoplasmic volume, enlarged nuclei, and a reduction of starch reserves. Host nuclei were always proximal to the hyphae during hyphal development and deterioration. While other cytoplasmic components of infected and uninfected cells were comparable large electron-dense bodies occurred in vacuoles of most cells containing hyphae. Deterioration of intracellular hyphae occurred throughout the samples examined. Septa separated functional and degenerating portions of the hyphae. Hyphal deterioration involved degeneration and ultimate disappearance of fungal cytoplasm as well as collapse of hyphal walls. Based on these observations, the authors hypothesize that deterioration of the endophyte may release significant quantities of mineral nutrients, via hyphal contents, which are absorbed by the host.

Swath bathymetric survey of Englebright Lake, Yuba-Nevada Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Childs, Jonathan R.; Stevenson, Andrew J.

2006-01-01

In March, 2004, the USGS conducted a swath bathymetric survey of Englebright Lake, a 9-mile long reservoir located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of northern California on the Yuba River. This survey was follow-on to an earlier bathymetric survey and sediment thickness analysis done by the USGS in 2001 (Childs and others, 2003). The primary purpose of these studies is to assess the quantity and nature of the sediment that has accumulated since the dam was completed in 1940. The specific purpose of the swath bathymetry was to map in high detail the prograding delta that is being formed as the lake fills in with sediment. In the event of another large flood such as occurred on January 1, 1997, the survey could be repeated to determine the effect of such an event on the sediment volume and distribution. This study was conducted under the auspices of the Upper Yuba River Studies Program (UYRSP) . The UYRSP is funded by the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, whose mission is to "develop and implement a long-term comprehensive plan that will restore ecological health and improve water management for beneficial uses of the San Francisco Bay-Delta System".

In vitro effects of anthelmintics on the histochemistry of Haemonchus contortus and Trichuris globulosa.

PubMed

Kaur, M; Sood, M L

1996-12-01

In vitro incubation of Haemonchus contortus (RUD., 1803) and Trichuris globulosa (v. LINSTOW, 1901) were proformed for 10-12 h in Tyrode's solution and 10 and 50 micrograms/ml concentrations each of albendazole (ABZ), fenbendazole (FBZ), thiophenate (TP), dl-tetramisole and oxyclozanide (TO), dl-tetramisole HCI (TMS) and levamisole HCI (LMS) to study morphological and histochemical alterations. The major structural changes observed after treatment with all the drugs were vacuolation in the intestine of H. contortus except with TP treatment and disruption of the epithelium in T. globulosa except with TMS treatment. The other major alteration in T. globulosa was the loss of muscle striations after TP, TO, TMS and LMS treatments. All the six anthelmintics reduced the quantity of neutral mucopolysaccharides in the intestine of H. contortus and T. globulosa except with TMS and LMS treatments in the latter. Acidic mucopolysaccharides detected in the microvilli of the intestine of H. contortus were lost after TO and ABZ treatments. The loss of lipids from the intestine was evident after TO, ABZ, FBZ and TP treatments in H. contortus and by all the drugs in T. globulosa. LMS treatment caused accumulation of very large lipid droplets in the intestine of H. contortus.

Radicinols and radicinin phytotoxins produced by Alternaria radicina on carrots.

PubMed

Solfrizzo, Michele; Vitti, Carolina; De Girolamo, Annalisa; Visconti, Angelo; Logrieco, Antonio; Fanizzi, Francesco P

2004-06-02

The phytotoxin epi-radicinol, a diastereomer of radicinol, was isolated from large cultures of Alternaria radicina grown on carrot slices and identified by GC-MS, LC-MS, (1)H NMR, and (13)C NMR. Four strains of A. radicina isolated from rotted carrot produced epi-radicinol as the major metabolite (up to 39414 microg/g) together with radicinol (up to 2423 microg/g), and, to a lesser extent, radicinin when cultured on carrot slices, whereas on rice they mainly produced radicinin (2486-53800 microg/g). Radicinin and epi-radicinol reduced root elongation of germinating carrot seeds at concentrations of 10-20 microg/mL. Carrot samples naturally infected by A. radicina contained detectable quantities of epi-radicinol also in combination with lower levels of radicinin or radicinol. Accumulation of radicinols and radicinin in stored carrots, either naturally contaminated or artificially inoculated with A. radicina, was stimulated by successive temperature rises from 1 to 10 degrees C and from 10 to 20 degrees C, reaching maximum levels of 60 microg/g epi-radicinol and 26 microg/g radicinin. This is the first report on the production of radicinols by A. radicina and its natural occurrence in carrots in association with radicinin.

Isoprenoid-Based Biofuels: Homologous Expression and Heterologous Expression in Prokaryotes.

PubMed

Phulara, Suresh Chandra; Chaturvedi, Preeti; Gupta, Pratima

2016-10-01

Enthusiasm for mining advanced biofuels from microbial hosts has increased remarkably in recent years. Isoprenoids are one of the highly diverse groups of secondary metabolites and are foreseen as an alternative to petroleum-based fuels. Most of the prokaryotes synthesize their isoprenoid backbone via the deoxyxylulose-5-phosphate pathway from glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and pyruvate, whereas eukaryotes synthesize isoprenoids via the mevalonate pathway from acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA). Microorganisms do not accumulate isoprenoids in large quantities naturally, which restricts their application for fuel purposes. Various metabolic engineering efforts have been utilized to overcome the limitations associated with their natural and nonnatural production. The introduction of heterologous pathways/genes and overexpression of endogenous/homologous genes have shown a remarkable increase in isoprenoid yield and substrate utilization in microbial hosts. Such modifications in the hosts' genomes have enabled researchers to develop commercially competent microbial strains for isoprenoid-based biofuel production utilizing a vast array of substrates. The present minireview briefly discusses the recent advancement in metabolic engineering efforts in prokaryotic hosts for the production of isoprenoid-based biofuels, with an emphasis on endogenous, homologous, and heterologous expression strategies. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

One-dimensional modeling of thermal energy produced in a seismic fault

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konga, Guy Pascal; Koumetio, Fidèle; Yemele, David; Olivier Djiogang, Francis

2017-12-01

Generally, one observes an anomaly of temperature before a big earthquake. In this paper, we established the expression of thermal energy produced by friction forces between the walls of a seismic fault while considering the dynamic of a one-dimensional spring-block model. It is noted that, before the rupture of a seismic fault, displacements are caused by microseisms. The curves of variation of this thermal energy with time show that, for oscillatory and aperiodic displacement, the thermal energy is accumulated in the same way. The study reveals that thermal energy as well as temperature increases abruptly after a certain amount of time. We suggest that the corresponding time is the start of the anomaly of temperature observed which can be considered as precursory effect of a big seism. We suggest that the thermal energy can heat gases and dilate rocks until they crack. The warm gases can then pass through the cracks towards the surface. The cracks created by thermal energy can also contribute to the rupture of the seismic fault. We also suggest that the theoretical model of thermal energy, produced in seismic fault, associated with a large quantity of experimental data may help in the prediction of earthquakes.

Isoprenoid-Based Biofuels: Homologous Expression and Heterologous Expression in Prokaryotes

PubMed Central

Phulara, Suresh Chandra; Chaturvedi, Preeti

2016-01-01

Enthusiasm for mining advanced biofuels from microbial hosts has increased remarkably in recent years. Isoprenoids are one of the highly diverse groups of secondary metabolites and are foreseen as an alternative to petroleum-based fuels. Most of the prokaryotes synthesize their isoprenoid backbone via the deoxyxylulose-5-phosphate pathway from glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and pyruvate, whereas eukaryotes synthesize isoprenoids via the mevalonate pathway from acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA). Microorganisms do not accumulate isoprenoids in large quantities naturally, which restricts their application for fuel purposes. Various metabolic engineering efforts have been utilized to overcome the limitations associated with their natural and nonnatural production. The introduction of heterologous pathways/genes and overexpression of endogenous/homologous genes have shown a remarkable increase in isoprenoid yield and substrate utilization in microbial hosts. Such modifications in the hosts' genomes have enabled researchers to develop commercially competent microbial strains for isoprenoid-based biofuel production utilizing a vast array of substrates. The present minireview briefly discusses the recent advancement in metabolic engineering efforts in prokaryotic hosts for the production of isoprenoid-based biofuels, with an emphasis on endogenous, homologous, and heterologous expression strategies. PMID:27422837

A short review of variants calling for single-cell-sequencing data with applications.

PubMed

Wei, Zhuohui; Shu, Chang; Zhang, Changsheng; Huang, Jingying; Cai, Hongmin

2017-11-01

The field of single-cell sequencing is fleetly expanding, and many techniques have been developed in the past decade. With this technology, biologists can study not only the heterogeneity between two adjacent cells in the same tissue or organ, but also the evolutionary relationships and degenerative processes in a single cell. Calling variants is the main purpose in analyzing single cell sequencing (SCS) data. Currently, some popular methods used for bulk-cell-sequencing data analysis are tailored directly to be applied in dealing with SCS data. However, SCS requires an extra step of genome amplification to accumulate enough quantity for satisfying sequencing needs. The amplification yields large biases and thus raises challenge for using the bulk-cell-sequencing methods. In order to provide guidance for the development of specialized analyzed methods as well as using currently developed tools for SNS, this paper aims to bridge the gap. In this paper, we firstly introduced two popular genome amplification methods and compared their capabilities. Then we introduced a few popular models for calling single-nucleotide polymorphisms and copy-number variations. Finally, break-through applications of SNS were summarized to demonstrate its potential in researching cell evolution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Snowmelt Runoff: A New Focus of Urban Nonpoint Source Pollution

PubMed Central

Zhu, Hui; Xu, Yingying; Yan, Baixing; Guan, Jiunian

2012-01-01

Irregular precipitation associated with global climate change had been causing various problems in urban regions. Besides the runoff due to rainfall in summer, the snowmelt runoff in early spring could also play an important role in deteriorating the water quality of the receiving waters. Due to global climate change, the snowfall has increased gradually in individual regions, and snowstorms occur more frequently, which leads to an enhancement of snowmelt runoff flow during the melting seasons. What is more, rivers just awaking from freezing cosntitute a frail ecosystem, with poor self-purification capacity, however, the urban snowmelt runoff could carry diverse pollutants accumulated during the winter, such as coal and/or gas combustion products, snowmelting agents, automotive exhaust and so on, which seriously threaten the receiving water quality. Nevertheless, most of the research focused on the rainfall runoff in rainy seasons, and the study on snowmelt runoff is still a neglected field in many countries and regions. In conclusion, due to the considerable water quantity and the worrisome water quality, snowmelt runoff in urban regions with large impervious surface areas should be listed among the important targets in urban nonpoint source pollution management and control. PMID:23202881

Snowmelt runoff: a new focus of urban nonpoint source pollution.

PubMed

Zhu, Hui; Xu, Yingying; Yan, Baixing; Guan, Jiunian

2012-11-30

Irregular precipitation associated with global climate change had been causing various problems in urban regions. Besides the runoff due to rainfall in summer, the snowmelt runoff in early spring could also play an important role in deteriorating the water quality of the receiving waters. Due to global climate change, the snowfall has increased gradually in individual regions, and snowstorms occur more frequently, which leads to an enhancement of snowmelt runoff flow during the melting seasons. What is more, rivers just awaking from freezing constitute a frail ecosystem, with poor self-purification capacity, however, the urban snowmelt runoff could carry diverse pollutants accumulated during the winter, such as coal and/or gas combustion products, snowmelting agents, automotive exhaust and so on, which seriously threaten the receiving water quality. Nevertheless, most of the research focused on the rainfall runoff in rainy seasons, and the study on snowmelt runoff is still a neglected field in many countries and regions. In conclusion, due to the considerable water quantity and the worrisome water quality, snowmelt runoff in urban regions with large impervious surface areas should be listed among the important targets in urban nonpoint source pollution management and control.

Reuse of waste iron as a partial replacement of sand in concrete.

PubMed

Ismail, Zainab Z; Al-Hashmi, Enas A

2008-11-01

One of the major environmental issues in Iraq is the large quantity of waste iron resulting from the industrial sector which is deposited in domestic waste and in landfills. A series of 109 experiments and 586 tests were carried out in this study to examine the feasibility of reusing this waste iron in concrete. Overall, 130 kg of waste iron were reused to partially replace sand at 10%, 15%, and 20% in a total of 1703 kg concrete mixtures. The tests performed to evaluate waste-iron concrete quality included slump, fresh density, dry density, compressive strength, and flexural strength tests: 115 cubes of concrete were molded for the compressive strength and dry density tests, and 87 prisms were cast for the flexural strength tests. This work applied 3, 7, 14, and 28 days curing ages for the concrete mixes. The results confirm that reuse of solid waste material offers an approach to solving the pollution problems that arise from an accumulation of waste in a production site; in the meantime modified properties are added to the concrete. The results show that the concrete mixes made with waste iron had higher compressive strengths and flexural strengths than the plain concrete mixes.

WD60/FAP163 is a dynein intermediate chain required for retrograde intraflagellar transport in cilia

PubMed Central

Patel-King, Ramila S.; Gilberti, Renée M.; Hom, Erik F. Y.; King, Stephen M.

2013-01-01

Retrograde intraflagellar transport (IFT) is required for assembly of cilia. We identify a Chlamydomonas flagellar protein (flagellar-associated protein 163 [FAP163]) as being closely related to the D1bIC(FAP133) intermediate chain (IC) of the dynein that powers this movement. Biochemical analysis revealed that FAP163 is present in the flagellar matrix and is actively trafficked by IFT. Furthermore, FAP163 copurified with D1bIC(FAP133) and the LC8 dynein light chain, indicating that it is an integral component of the retrograde IFT dynein. To assess the functional role of FAP163, we generated an RNA interference knockdown of the orthologous protein (WD60) in planaria. The Smed-wd60(RNAi) animals had a severe ciliary assembly defect that dramatically compromised whole-organism motility. Most cilia were present as short stubs that had accumulated large quantities of IFT particle–like material between the doublet microtubules and the membrane. The few remaining approximately full-length cilia had a chaotic beat with a frequency reduced from 24 to ∼10 Hz. Thus WD60/FAP163 is a dynein IC that is absolutely required for retrograde IFT and ciliary assembly. PMID:23864713

Splitting of the weak hypercharge quantum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nielsen, H. B.; Brene, N.

1991-08-01

The ratio between the weak hypercharge quantum for particles having no coupling to the gauge bosons corresponding to the semi-simple component of the gauge group and the smallest hypercharge quantum for particles that do have such couplings is exceptionally large for the standard model, considering its rank. To compare groups with respect to this property we propose a quantity χ which depends on the rank of the group and the splitting ratio of the hypercharge(s) to be found in the group. The quantity χ has maximal value for the gauge group of the standard model. This suggests that the hypercharge splitting may play an important rôle either in the origin of the gauge symmetry at a fundamental scale or in some kind of selection mechanism at a scale perhaps nearer to the experimental scale. Such a selection mechanism might be what we have called confusion which removes groups with many (so-called generalized) automorphisms. The quantity χ tends to be large for groups with few generalized automorphisms.

Quantities of Arsenic-Treated Wood in Demolition Debris Generated by Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Dubey, Brajesh; Solo-Gabriele, Helena M.; Townsend, Timothy G.

2008-01-01

The disaster debris from Hurricane Katrina is one of the largest in terms of volume and economic loss in American history. One of the major components of the demolition debris is wood waste of which a significant proportion is treated with preservatives, including preservatives containing arsenic. As a result of the large scale destruction of treated wood structures such as electrical poles, fences, decks, and homes a considerable amount of treated wood and consequently arsenic will be disposed as disaster debris. In this study an effort was made to estimate the quantity of arsenic disposed through demolition debris generated in the Louisiana and Mississippi area through Hurricane Katrina. Of the 72 million cubic meters of disaster debris generated, roughly 12 million cubic meters were in the form of construction and demolition wood resulting in an estimated 1740 metric tons of arsenic disposed. Management of disaster debris should consider the relatively large quantities of arsenic associated with pressure-treated wood. PMID:17396637

Rapid intraplate strain accumulation in the New Madrid seismic zone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, L.; Zoback, M.D.; Segall, P.

1992-09-01

Remeasurement of a triangulation network in the southern part of the New Madrid seismic zone with the Global Positioning System has revealed rapid crustal strain accumulation since the 1950s. This area experienced three large (moment magnitudes greater than 8) earthquakes in 1811 to 1812. The orientation and sense of shear is consistent with right-lateral strike slip motion along a northeast-trending fault zone (as indicated by current seismicity). Detection of crustal strain accumulation may be a useful discriminant for identifying areas where potentially damaging intraplate earthquakes may occur despite the absence of large earthquakes during historic time. 34 refs.

Energy and the English Industrial Revolution.

PubMed

Wrigley, E A

2013-03-13

Societies before the Industrial Revolution were dependent on the annual cycle of plant photosynthesis for both heat and mechanical energy. The quantity of energy available each year was therefore limited, and economic growth was necessarily constrained. In the Industrial Revolution, energy usage increased massively and output rose accordingly. The energy source continued to be plant photosynthesis, but accumulated over a geological age in the form of coal. This poses a problem for the future. Fossil fuels are a depleting stock, whereas in pre-industrial time the energy source, though limited, was renewed each year.

Magnet reliability in the Fermilab Main Injector and implications for the ILC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tartaglia, M.A.; Blowers, J.; Capista, D.

2007-08-01

The International Linear Collider reference design requires over 13000 magnets, of approximately 135 styles, which must operate with very high reliability. The Fermilab Main Injector represents a modern machine with many conventional magnet styles, each of significant quantity, that has now accumulated many hundreds of magnet-years of operation. We review here the performance of the magnets built for this machine, assess their reliability and categorize the failure modes, and discuss implications for reliability of similar magnet styles expected to be used at the ILC.

Aeolian processes in Proctor Crater on Mars: Sedimentary history as analyzed from multiple data sets

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fenton, L.K.; Bandfield, J.L.; Ward, A.W.

2003-01-01

Proctor Crater is a 150 km diameter crater in Noachis Terra, within the southern highlands of Mars. The analysis leading to the sedimentary history incorporates several data sets including imagery, elevation, composition, and thermal inertia, mostly from the Mars Global Surveyor mission. The resulting stratigraphy reveals that the sedimentary history of Proctor Crater has involved a complex interaction of accumulating and eroding sedimentation. Aeolian features spanning much of the history of the crater interior dominate its surface, including large erosional pits, stratified beds of aeolian sediment, sand dunes, erosional and depositional streaks, dust devil tracks, and small bright bed forms that are probably granule ripples. Long ago, up to 450 m of layered sediment filled the crater basin, now exposed in eroded pits on the crater floor. These sediments are probably part of an ancient deposit of aeolian volcaniclastic material. Since then, some quantity of this material has been eroded from the top layers of the strata. Small, bright dune forms lie stratigraphically beneath the large dark dune field. Relative to the large dark dunes, the bright bed forms are immobile, although in places, their orientations are clearly influenced by the presence of the larger dunes. Their prevalence in the crater and their lack of compositional and thermal distinctiveness relative to the crater floor suggests that these features were produced locally from the eroding basin fill. Dust devil tracks form during the spring and summer, following a west-southwesterly wind. Early in the spring the dust devils are largely restricted to dark patches of sand. As the summer approaches, dust devil tracks become more plentiful and spread to the rest of the crater floor, indicating that the entire region acquires an annual deposit of dust that is revealed by seasonal dust devils. The dark dunes contain few dust devil tracks, suggesting that accumulated dust is swept away directly by saltation, rather than by the passage of dust devils. Spectral deconvolution indicates that the dark dunes have infrared spectra consistent with basalt-like materials. The average thermal inertia calculated from Thermal Emission Spectrometer bolometric temperatures is 277 ?? 17 J m-2 s-0.5 K-1, leading to an effective grain size of 740 ?? 170 ??m, which is consistent with coarse sand and within the range expected for Martian sand. The coarse sand that composes the large dune field may have originated from outside the crater, saltating in from the southwest. Most of the transport pathway that delivered this sand to the dune field has since been eroded away or buried. The sand was transported to the east center of the crater floor, where beneath the present-day dunes a 50 m high mound of sand has accumulated. Dune slip faces indicate a wind regime consisting of three opposing winds. Some of these wind directions are correlated with the orientations of dust devil tracks and bright bed forms. The combination of a tall mound of sand and three opposing winds is consistent with a convergent wind regime, which produces the large reversing transverse and star dunes that dominate the dune field. The dark dunes have both active slip faces and seemingly inactive slip faces, suggesting that the dunes vary spatially in their relative activity. Nevertheless, the aeolian activity that has dominated the history of Proctor Crater still continues today. Copyright 2003 by the American Geophysical Union.

Large trees losing out to drought

Treesearch

Michael G. Ryan

2015-01-01

Large trees provide many ecological services in forests. They provide seeds for reproduction and food, habitat for plants and animals, and shade for understory vegetation. Older trees and forests store large quantities of carbon, tend to release more water to streams than their more rapidly growing younger counterparts, and provide wood for human use. Mature...

Spatial distribution of the trace elements zinc, strontium and lead in human bone tissue☆

PubMed Central

Pemmer, B.; Roschger, A.; Wastl, A.; Hofstaetter, J.G.; Wobrauschek, P.; Simon, R.; Thaler, H.W.; Roschger, P.; Klaushofer, K.; Streli, C.

2013-01-01

Trace elements are chemical elements in minute quantities, which are known to accumulate in the bone. Cortical and trabecular bones consist of bone structural units (BSUs) such as osteons and bone packets of different mineral content and are separated by cement lines. Previous studies investigating trace elements in bone lacked resolution and therefore very little is known about the local concentration of zinc (Zn), strontium (Sr) and lead (Pb) in BSUs of human bone. We used synchrotron radiation induced micro X-ray fluorescence analysis (SR μ-XRF) in combination with quantitative backscattered electron imaging (qBEI) to determine the distribution and accumulation of Zn, Sr, and Pb in human bone tissue. Fourteen human bone samples (10 femoral necks and 4 femoral heads) from individuals with osteoporotic femoral neck fractures as well as from healthy individuals were analyzed. Fluorescence intensity maps were matched with BE images and correlated with calcium (Ca) content. We found that Zn and Pb had significantly increased levels in the cement lines of all samples compared to the surrounding mineralized bone matrix. Pb and Sr levels were found to be correlated with the degree of mineralization. Interestingly, Zn intensities had no correlation with Ca levels. We have shown for the first time that there is a differential accumulation of the trace elements Zn, Pb and Sr in BSUs of human bone indicating different mechanisms of accumulation. PMID:23932972

Dioxin chronology and fluxes in sediments of the Houston Ship Channel, Texas: influences of non-steady-state sediment transport and total organic carbon.

PubMed

Yeager, Kevin M; Santschi, Peter H; Rifai, Hanadi S; Suarez, Monica P; Brinkmeyer, Robin; Hung, Chin-Chang; Schindler, Kimberly J; Andres, Michael J; Weaver, Erin A

2007-08-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (dioxins) are persistent contaminants that bioaccumulate and pose serious risks to humans. The primary objective of this study was to determine the history and mechanisms of dioxin accumulation in sediments of the Houston Ship Channel (HSC) using analytical data on natural and anthropogenic radionuclides (7Be, 137Cs, and 210Pb) and dioxins. Results showed that present-day sedimentary dioxin accumulation rates are orders of magnitude higher than atmospheric inputs to the HSC. Most stations showed dioxin peaks in the near surface, indicating continuing inputs despite federal regulations. Stations with high dioxin inventories reflect accentuated accumulation in the HSC as one moves west toward Houston, at the confluence of the HSC and the San Jacinto River and upstream in the San Jacinto River. These results indicate that a significant quantity of dioxins continues to be released into the environment here or that sedimentary storage and release of previously supplied dioxins is significant, or both. The results support the interpretation that the HSC is influenced by episodic sediment resuspension, erosion and lateral transport processes driven by tides, wind, shipping, and dredging, which can cause intermittently high accumulations of dioxins, and underscores the need for additional research on the roles of sedimentary processes in organic contaminant bioavailability.

Dexamethasone alone and in combination with desipramine, phenytoin, valproic acid or levetiracetam interferes with 5-ALA-mediated PpIX production and cellular retention in glioblastoma cells.

PubMed

Lawrence, Johnathan E; Steele, Christopher J; Rovin, Richard A; Belton, Robert J; Winn, Robert J

2016-03-01

Extent of resection of glioblastoma (GBM) correlates with overall survival. Fluorescence-guided resection (FGR) using 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) can improve the extent of resection. Unfortunately not all patients given 5-ALA accumulate sufficient quantities of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) for successful FGR. In this study, we investigated the effects of dexamethasone, desipramine, phenytoin, valproic acid, and levetiracetam on the production and accumulation of PpIX in U87MG cells. All of these drugs, except levetiracetam, reduce the total amount of PpIX produced by GBM cells (p < 0.05). When dexamethasone is mixed with another drug (desipramine, phenytoin, valproic acid or levetiracetam) the amount of PpIX produced is further decreased (p < 0.01). However, when cells are analyzed for PpIX cellular retention, dexamethasone accumulated significantly more PpIX than the vehicle control (p < 0.05). Cellular retention of PpIX was not different from controls in cells treated with dexamethasone plus desipramine, valproic acid or levetiracetam, but was significantly less for dexamethasone plus phenytoin (p < 0.01). These data suggest that medications given before and during surgery may interfere with PpIX accumulation in malignant cells. At this time, levetiracetam appears to be the best medication in its class (anticonvulsants) for patients undergoing 5-ALA-mediated FGR.

Global warming precipitation accumulation increases above the current-climate cutoff scale

PubMed Central

Sahany, Sandeep; Stechmann, Samuel N.; Bernstein, Diana N.

2017-01-01

Precipitation accumulations, integrated over rainfall events, can be affected by both intensity and duration of the storm event. Thus, although precipitation intensity is widely projected to increase under global warming, a clear framework for predicting accumulation changes has been lacking, despite the importance of accumulations for societal impacts. Theory for changes in the probability density function (pdf) of precipitation accumulations is presented with an evaluation of these changes in global climate model simulations. We show that a simple set of conditions implies roughly exponential increases in the frequency of the very largest accumulations above a physical cutoff scale, increasing with event size. The pdf exhibits an approximately power-law range where probability density drops slowly with each order of magnitude size increase, up to a cutoff at large accumulations that limits the largest events experienced in current climate. The theory predicts that the cutoff scale, controlled by the interplay of moisture convergence variance and precipitation loss, tends to increase under global warming. Thus, precisely the large accumulations above the cutoff that are currently rare will exhibit increases in the warmer climate as this cutoff is extended. This indeed occurs in the full climate model, with a 3 °C end-of-century global-average warming yielding regional increases of hundreds of percent to >1,000% in the probability density of the largest accumulations that have historical precedents. The probabilities of unprecedented accumulations are also consistent with the extension of the cutoff. PMID:28115693

Global warming precipitation accumulation increases above the current-climate cutoff scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neelin, J. David; Sahany, Sandeep; Stechmann, Samuel N.; Bernstein, Diana N.

2017-02-01

Precipitation accumulations, integrated over rainfall events, can be affected by both intensity and duration of the storm event. Thus, although precipitation intensity is widely projected to increase under global warming, a clear framework for predicting accumulation changes has been lacking, despite the importance of accumulations for societal impacts. Theory for changes in the probability density function (pdf) of precipitation accumulations is presented with an evaluation of these changes in global climate model simulations. We show that a simple set of conditions implies roughly exponential increases in the frequency of the very largest accumulations above a physical cutoff scale, increasing with event size. The pdf exhibits an approximately power-law range where probability density drops slowly with each order of magnitude size increase, up to a cutoff at large accumulations that limits the largest events experienced in current climate. The theory predicts that the cutoff scale, controlled by the interplay of moisture convergence variance and precipitation loss, tends to increase under global warming. Thus, precisely the large accumulations above the cutoff that are currently rare will exhibit increases in the warmer climate as this cutoff is extended. This indeed occurs in the full climate model, with a 3 °C end-of-century global-average warming yielding regional increases of hundreds of percent to >1,000% in the probability density of the largest accumulations that have historical precedents. The probabilities of unprecedented accumulations are also consistent with the extension of the cutoff.

Global warming precipitation accumulation increases above the current-climate cutoff scale

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neelin, J. David; Sahany, Sandeep; Stechmann, Samuel N.

Precipitation accumulations, integrated over rainfall events, can be affected by both intensity and duration of the storm event. Thus, although precipitation intensity is widely projected to increase under global warming, a clear framework for predicting accumulation changes has been lacking, despite the importance of accumulations for societal impacts. Theory for changes in the probability density function (pdf) of precipitation accumulations is presented with an evaluation of these changes in global climate model simulations. We show that a simple set of conditions implies roughly exponential increases in the frequency of the very largest accumulations above a physical cutoff scale, increasing withmore » event size. The pdf exhibits an approximately power-law range where probability density drops slowly with each order of magnitude size increase, up to a cutoff at large accumulations that limits the largest events experienced in current climate. The theory predicts that the cutoff scale, controlled by the interplay of moisture convergence variance and precipitation loss, tends to increase under global warming. Thus, precisely the large accumulations above the cutoff that are currently rare will exhibit increases in the warmer climate as this cutoff is extended. This indeed occurs in the full climate model, with a 3 °C end-of-century global-average warming yielding regional increases of hundreds of percent to >1,000% in the probability density of the largest accumulations that have historical precedents. The probabilities of unprecedented accumulations are also consistent with the extension of the cutoff.« less

Global warming precipitation accumulation increases above the current-climate cutoff scale.

PubMed

Neelin, J David; Sahany, Sandeep; Stechmann, Samuel N; Bernstein, Diana N

2017-02-07

Precipitation accumulations, integrated over rainfall events, can be affected by both intensity and duration of the storm event. Thus, although precipitation intensity is widely projected to increase under global warming, a clear framework for predicting accumulation changes has been lacking, despite the importance of accumulations for societal impacts. Theory for changes in the probability density function (pdf) of precipitation accumulations is presented with an evaluation of these changes in global climate model simulations. We show that a simple set of conditions implies roughly exponential increases in the frequency of the very largest accumulations above a physical cutoff scale, increasing with event size. The pdf exhibits an approximately power-law range where probability density drops slowly with each order of magnitude size increase, up to a cutoff at large accumulations that limits the largest events experienced in current climate. The theory predicts that the cutoff scale, controlled by the interplay of moisture convergence variance and precipitation loss, tends to increase under global warming. Thus, precisely the large accumulations above the cutoff that are currently rare will exhibit increases in the warmer climate as this cutoff is extended. This indeed occurs in the full climate model, with a 3 °C end-of-century global-average warming yielding regional increases of hundreds of percent to >1,000% in the probability density of the largest accumulations that have historical precedents. The probabilities of unprecedented accumulations are also consistent with the extension of the cutoff.

Global warming precipitation accumulation increases above the current-climate cutoff scale

DOE PAGES

Neelin, J. David; Sahany, Sandeep; Stechmann, Samuel N.; ...

2017-01-23

Precipitation accumulations, integrated over rainfall events, can be affected by both intensity and duration of the storm event. Thus, although precipitation intensity is widely projected to increase under global warming, a clear framework for predicting accumulation changes has been lacking, despite the importance of accumulations for societal impacts. Theory for changes in the probability density function (pdf) of precipitation accumulations is presented with an evaluation of these changes in global climate model simulations. We show that a simple set of conditions implies roughly exponential increases in the frequency of the very largest accumulations above a physical cutoff scale, increasing withmore » event size. The pdf exhibits an approximately power-law range where probability density drops slowly with each order of magnitude size increase, up to a cutoff at large accumulations that limits the largest events experienced in current climate. The theory predicts that the cutoff scale, controlled by the interplay of moisture convergence variance and precipitation loss, tends to increase under global warming. Thus, precisely the large accumulations above the cutoff that are currently rare will exhibit increases in the warmer climate as this cutoff is extended. This indeed occurs in the full climate model, with a 3 °C end-of-century global-average warming yielding regional increases of hundreds of percent to >1,000% in the probability density of the largest accumulations that have historical precedents. The probabilities of unprecedented accumulations are also consistent with the extension of the cutoff.« less

Ethylene biosynthesis in detached young persimmon fruit is initiated in calyx and modulated by water loss from the fruit.

PubMed

Nakano, Ryohei; Ogura, Emi; Kubo, Yasutaka; Inaba, Akitsugu

2003-01-01

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) fruit are usually classified as climacteric fruit; however, unlike typical climacteric fruits, persimmon fruit exhibit a unique characteristic in that the younger the stage of fruit detached, the greater the level of ethylene produced. To investigate ethylene induction mechanisms in detached young persimmon fruit, we cloned three cDNAs encoding 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase (DK-ACS1, 2, and -3) and two encoding ACC oxidase (DK-ACO1 and -2) genes involved in ethylene biosynthesis, and we analyzed their expression in various fruit tissues. Ethylene production was induced within a few days of detachment in all fruit tissues tested, accompanied by temporally and spatially coordinated expression of all the DK-ACS and DK-ACO genes. In all tissues except the calyx, treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene, an inhibitor of ethylene action, suppressed ethylene production and ethylene biosynthesis-related gene expression. In the calyx, one ACC synthase gene (DK-ACS2) exhibited increased mRNA accumulation accompanied by a large quantity of ethylene production, and treatment of the fruit with 1-methylcyclopropene did not prevent either the accumulation of DK-ACS2 transcripts or ethylene induction. Furthermore, the alleviation of water loss from the fruit significantly delayed the onset of ethylene production and the expression of DK-ACS2 in the calyx. These results indicate that ethylene biosynthesis in detached young persimmon fruit is initially induced in calyx and is modulated by water loss through transcriptional activation of DK-ACS2. The ethylene produced in the calyx subsequently diffuses to other fruit tissues and acts as a secondary signal that stimulates autocatalytic ethylene biosynthesis in these tissues, leading to a burst of ethylene production.

Ethylene Biosynthesis in Detached Young Persimmon Fruit Is Initiated in Calyx and Modulated by Water Loss from the Fruit1

PubMed Central

Nakano, Ryohei; Ogura, Emi; Kubo, Yasutaka; Inaba, Akitsugu

2003-01-01

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) fruit are usually classified as climacteric fruit; however, unlike typical climacteric fruits, persimmon fruit exhibit a unique characteristic in that the younger the stage of fruit detached, the greater the level of ethylene produced. To investigate ethylene induction mechanisms in detached young persimmon fruit, we cloned three cDNAs encoding 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase (DK-ACS1, 2, and -3) and two encoding ACC oxidase (DK-ACO1 and -2) genes involved in ethylene biosynthesis, and we analyzed their expression in various fruit tissues. Ethylene production was induced within a few days of detachment in all fruit tissues tested, accompanied by temporally and spatially coordinated expression of all the DK-ACS and DK-ACO genes. In all tissues except the calyx, treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene, an inhibitor of ethylene action, suppressed ethylene production and ethylene biosynthesis-related gene expression. In the calyx, one ACC synthase gene (DK-ACS2) exhibited increased mRNA accumulation accompanied by a large quantity of ethylene production, and treatment of the fruit with 1-methylcyclopropene did not prevent either the accumulation of DK-ACS2 transcripts or ethylene induction. Furthermore, the alleviation of water loss from the fruit significantly delayed the onset of ethylene production and the expression of DK-ACS2 in the calyx. These results indicate that ethylene biosynthesis in detached young persimmon fruit is initially induced in calyx and is modulated by water loss through transcriptional activation of DK-ACS2. The ethylene produced in the calyx subsequently diffuses to other fruit tissues and acts as a secondary signal that stimulates autocatalytic ethylene biosynthesis in these tissues, leading to a burst of ethylene production. PMID:12529535

Environmental RNAi in herbivorous insects.

PubMed

Ivashuta, Sergey; Zhang, Yuanji; Wiggins, B Elizabeth; Ramaseshadri, Partha; Segers, Gerrit C; Johnson, Steven; Meyer, Steve E; Kerstetter, Randy A; McNulty, Brian C; Bolognesi, Renata; Heck, Gregory R

2015-05-01

Environmental RNAi (eRNAi) is a sequence-specific regulation of endogenous gene expression in a receptive organism by exogenous double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). Although demonstrated under artificial dietary conditions and via transgenic plant presentations in several herbivorous insects, the magnitude and consequence of exogenous dsRNA uptake and the role of eRNAi remains unknown under natural insect living conditions. Our analysis of coleopteran insects sensitive to eRNAi fed on wild-type plants revealed uptake of plant endogenous long dsRNAs, but not small RNAs. Subsequently, the dsRNAs were processed into 21 nt siRNAs by insects and accumulated in high quantities in insect cells. No accumulation of host plant-derived siRNAs was observed in lepidopteran larvae that are recalcitrant to eRNAi. Stability of ingested dsRNA in coleopteran larval gut followed by uptake and transport from the gut to distal tissues appeared to be enabling factors for eRNAi. Although a relatively large number of distinct coleopteran insect-processed plant-derived siRNAs had sequence complementarity to insect transcripts, the vast majority of the siRNAs were present in relatively low abundance, and RNA-seq analysis did not detect a significant effect of plant-derived siRNAs on insect transcriptome. In summary, we observed a broad genome-wide uptake of plant endogenous dsRNA and subsequent processing of ingested dsRNA into 21 nt siRNAs in eRNAi-sensitive insects under natural feeding conditions. In addition to dsRNA stability in gut lumen and uptake, dosage of siRNAs targeting a given insect transcript is likely an important factor in order to achieve measurable eRNAi-based regulation in eRNAi-competent insects that lack an apparent silencing amplification mechanism. © 2015 Ivashuta et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

AFLP-based transcript profiling for cassava genome-wide expression analysis in the onset of storage root formation.

PubMed

Sojikul, Punchapat; Kongsawadworakul, Panida; Viboonjun, Unchera; Thaiprasit, Jittrawan; Intawong, Burapat; Narangajavana, Jarunya; Svasti, Mom Rajawong Jisnuson

2010-10-01

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a root crop that accumulates large quantities of starch, and it is an important source of carbohydrate. Study on gene expressions during storage root development provides important information on storage root formation and starch accumulation as well as unlock new traits for improving of starch yield. cDNA-Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) was used to compare gene expression profiles in fibrous and storage roots of cassava cultivar Kasetsart 50. Total of 155 differentially expressed transcript-derived fragments with undetectable or low expression in leaves were characterized and classified into 11 groups regarding to their functions. The four major groups were no similarity (20%), hypothetical or unknown proteins (17%), cellular metabolism and biosynthesis (17%) and cellular communication and signaling (14%). Interestingly, sulfite reductase (MeKD82), calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK) (MeKD83), ent-kaurene synthase (KS) (MeKD106) and hexose transporter (HT) (MeKD154) showed root-specific expression patterns. This finding is consistent with previously reported genes involved in the initiation of potato tuber. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction of early-developed root samples confirmed that those four genes exhibited significant expression with similar pattern in the storage root initiation and early developmental stages. We proposed that KS and HT may involve in transient induction of CDPK expression, which may play an important role in the signaling pathway of storage root initiation. Sulfite reductase, on the other hand, may involve in storage root development by facilitating sulfur-containing protein biosynthesis or detoxifying the cyanogenic glucoside content through aspartate biosynthesis. Copyright © Physiologia Plantarum 2010.

The Eurasia-North Pacific Oscillation in atmospheric mass variations independent of both IHO and AO and its possible impacts on winter climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qian; Guan, Zhaoyong; Li, Minggang

2018-06-01

Using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, we have investigated the features of migrations of atmospheric mass (AM) between land and ocean in Eurasia-North Pacific domain in boreal winter after having both signals of Inter-hemispheric Oscillation and Arctic Oscillation removed from the physical quantities. It is found that there is a Eurasia-North Pacific Oscillation (ENPO) in surface air pressure anomalies. This ENPO pattern characterizes with two oppositely signed anomalous surface pressure centers over Eurasia and North Pacific respectively, indicating strong connections between Siberian high and Aleutian low during period 1979-2012. The maintenance of this ENPO teleconnection is significantly associated with three factors including the anomalous AM flows and zonal circulation cell over Eurasia-North Pacific domain, the Rossby wave energy propagations, and the thermal forcing contrasts near the surface between Eurasia and North Pacific during boreal winter. The variations of both wintertime rainfall and temperature over Eurasia may be strongly affected by ENPO. When the ENPO index is positive (negative), there occurs the AM accumulation (depletion) over Eurasia with simultaneous depletion (accumulation) over mid-latitude North-Pacific. Correspondingly, this anomalous surface pressure pattern along with the related circulation anomalies at different isobaric levels possibly results in winter precipitation decreases (increases) over Siberian Plain and East China, whereas increases (decreases) over southeastern Europe, Xinjiang of China, and the west coast of Sea of Okhotsk. On the other hand, surface air temperature decreases (increases) over large areas of Eurasia. These results are helpful for our better understanding the mechanisms behind circulation and winter climate variations over Eurasia-North Pacific region.

Enhanced accumulation and storage of mercury on subtropical evergreen forest floor: Implications on mercury budget in global forest ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xun; Lin, Che-Jen; Lu, Zhiyun; Zhang, Hui; Zhang, Yiping; Feng, Xinbin

2016-08-01

Forest ecosystems play an important role in the global cycling of mercury (Hg). In this study, we characterized the Hg cycling at a remote evergreen broadleaf (EB) forest site in southwest China (Mount Ailao). The annual Hg input via litterfall is estimated to be 75.0 ± 24.2 µg m-2 yr-1 at Mount Ailao. Such a quantity is up to 1 order of magnitude greater than those observed at remote temperate/boreal (T/B) forest sites. Production of litter biomass is found to be the most influential factor causing the high Hg input to the EB forest. Given their large areal coverage, Hg deposition through litterfall in EB forests is appropriately 9 ± 5 Mg yr-1 in China and 1086 ± 775 Mg yr-1 globally. The observed wet Hg deposition at Mount Ailao is 4.9 ± 4.5 µg m-2 yr-1, falling in the lower range of those observed at 49 T/B forest sites in North America and Europe. Given the data, the Hg deposition flux through litterfall is approximately 15 times higher than the wet Hg deposition at Mount Ailao. Steady Hg accumulation in decomposing litter biomass and Hg uptake from the environment were observed during 25 months of litter decomposition. The size of the Hg pool in the organic horizon of EB forest floors is estimated to be up to 2-10 times the typical pool size in T/B forests. This study highlights the importance of EB forest ecosystems in global Hg cycling, which requires further assessment when more data become available in tropical forests.

Sodium relations in desert plants. V. Cation balance when grown in solution culture and in the field in three species of Lycium from the northern Mojave desert

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ashcroft, R.T.; Wallace, A.

1976-07-01

Three species of Lycium (wolfberry or desert thorn) are indicators of saline conditions of the soils of the northern Mojave Desert on which they grow and range from a halophyte (Lycium shockleyi Gray) to a partial halophyte (Lycium pallidum Miers) to a nonhalophyte (Lycium andersonii Gray). Each species was grown in nutrient solutions with varying Na levels to determine if the differential responses to cations in the field were reproducible in the glasshouse. The differences in Na, K, and Ca contents of leaves of L. andersonii, L. pallidum, and L. shockleyi grown in nutrient solution with varying cation levels weremore » similar to those for plants grown in the field. L. shockleyi accumulated large quantities of Na in leaves when supplied irrespective of the level of Na or of K and Ca in the nutrient substrate. Root and leaf analyses indicate that L. andersonii is a poor accumulator of Na and that the other two Lycium species transport Na to shoots rather than retain it in roots. A high level of NaCl in the nutrient substrate resulted in increased total cations in all three species; in L. shockleyi the increase was the result of an increased Na, but in L. andersonii it was due to increased Ca. There was no relationship in total cation contents of the plants with total contents of N + P + Cl (me basis as ions are absorbed by plants). In whole plants collected from the field, high cation concentrations in leaves were related to differential distribution among plant parts for the three species so that leaf differences were compensated for without differences on the whole plant basis.« less

The role of airway macrophages in apoptotic cell clearance following acute and chronic lung inflammation.

PubMed

Grabiec, Aleksander M; Hussell, Tracy

2016-07-01

Acute and chronic inflammatory responses in the lung are associated with the accumulation of large quantities of immune and structural cells undergoing apoptosis, which need to be engulfed by phagocytes in a process called 'efferocytosis'. Apoptotic cell recognition and removal from the lung is mediated predominantly by airway macrophages, though immature dendritic cells and non-professional phagocytes, such as epithelial cells and mesenchymal cells, can also display this function. Efficient clearance of apoptotic cells from the airways is essential for successful resolution of inflammation and the return to lung homeostasis. Disruption of this process leads to secondary necrosis of accumulating apoptotic cells, release of necrotic cell debris and subsequent uncontrolled inflammatory activation of the innate immune system by the released 'damage associated molecular patterns' (DAMPS). To control the duration of the immune response and prevent autoimmune reactions, anti-inflammatory signalling cascades are initiated in the phagocyte upon apoptotic cell uptake, mediated by a range of receptors that recognise specific phospholipids or proteins externalised on, or secreted by, the apoptotic cell. However, prolonged activation of apoptotic cell recognition receptors, such as the family of receptor tyrosine kinases Tyro3, Axl and MerTK (TAM), may delay or prevent inflammatory responses to subsequent infections. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in our understanding of the mechanism controlling apoptotic cell recognition and removal from the lung in homeostasis and during inflammation, the contribution of defective efferocytosis to chronic inflammatory lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and cystic fibrosis, and implications of the signals triggered by apoptotic cells in the susceptibility to pulmonary microbial infections.

Chemistry and phase evolution during roasting of toxic thallium-bearing pyrite.

PubMed

Lopez-Arce, Paula; Garcia-Guinea, Javier; Garrido, Fernando

2017-08-01

In the frame of a research project on microscopic distribution and speciation of geogenic thallium (Tl) from contaminated mine soils, Tl-bearing pyrite ore samples from Riotinto mining district (Huelva, SW Spain) were experimentally fired to simulate a roasting process. Concentration and volatility behavior of Tl and other toxic heavy metals was determined by quantitative ICP-MS, whereas semi-quantitative mineral phase transitions were identified by in situ thermo X-Ray Diffraction (HT-XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analyses after each firing temperature. Sample with initial highest amount of quartz (higher Si content), lowest quantity of pyrite and traces of jarosite (lower S content) developed hematite and concentrated Tl (from 10 up to 72 mg kg -1 ) after roasting at 900 °C in an oxidizing atmosphere. However, samples with lower or absent quartz content and higher pyrite amount mainly developed magnetite, accumulating Tl between 400 and 500 °C and releasing Tl from 700 up to 900 °C (from 10-29 mg kg -1 down to 4-1 mg kg -1 ). These results show the varied accumulative, or volatile, behaviors of one of the most toxic elements for life and environment, in which oxidation of Tl-bearing Fe sulfides produce Fe oxides wastes with or without Tl. The initial chemistry and mineralogy of pyrite ores should be taken into account in coal-fired power stations, cement or sulfuric acid production industry involving pyrite roasting processes, and steel, brick or paint industries, which use iron ore from roasted pyrite ash, where large amounts of Tl entail significant environmental pollution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of traditional agricultural practices on mobilization of arsenic from sediments to groundwater in Bengal delta.

PubMed

Farooq, S H; Chandrasekharam, D; Berner, Z; Norra, S; Stüben, D

2010-11-01

In the wake of the idea that surface derived dissolved organic carbon (DOC) plays an important role in the mobilization of arsenic (As) from sediments to groundwater and may provide a vital tool in understanding the mechanism of As contamination (mobilization/fixation) in Bengal delta; a study has been carried out. Agricultural fields that mainly cultivate rice (paddy fields) leave significantly large quantities of organic matter/organic carbon on the surface of Bengal delta which during monsoon starts decomposing and produces DOC. The DOC thus produced percolates down with rain water and mobilizes As from the sediments. Investigations on sediment samples collected from a paddy field clearly indicate that As coming on to the surface along with the irrigation water accumulates itself in the top few meters of sediment profile. The column experiments carried out on a 9 m deep sediment profile demonstrates that DOC has a strong potential to mobilize As from the paddy fields and the water recharging the aquifer through such agricultural fields contain As well above the WHO limit thus contaminating the shallow groundwater. Experiment also demonstrates that decay of organic matter induces reducing condition in the sediments. Progressively increasing reducing conditions not only prevent the adsorption of As on mineral surfaces but also cause mobilization of previously sorbed arsenic. There seems to be a cyclic pattern where As from deeper levels comes to the surface with irrigational water, accumulates itself in the sediments, and ultimately moves down to the shallow groundwater. The extensive and continual exploitation of intermediate/deep groundwater accelerates this cyclic process and helps in the movement of shallow contaminated groundwater to the deeper levels. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mitochondrial anchorage and fusion contribute to mitochondrial inheritance and quality control in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Higuchi-Sanabria, Ryo; Charalel, Joseph K; Viana, Matheus P; Garcia, Enrique J; Sing, Cierra N; Koenigsberg, Andrea; Swayne, Theresa C; Vevea, Jason D; Boldogh, Istvan R; Rafelski, Susanne M; Pon, Liza A

2016-03-01

Higher-functioning mitochondria that are more reduced and have less ROS are anchored in the yeast bud tip by the Dsl1-family protein Mmr1p. Here we report a role for mitochondrial fusion in bud-tip anchorage of mitochondria. Fluorescence loss in photobleaching (FLIP) and network analysis experiments revealed that mitochondria in large buds are a continuous reticulum that is physically distinct from mitochondria in mother cells. FLIP studies also showed that mitochondria that enter the bud can fuse with mitochondria that are anchored in the bud tip. In addition, loss of fusion and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) by deletion of mitochondrial outer or inner membrane fusion proteins (Fzo1p or Mgm1p) leads to decreased accumulation of mitochondria at the bud tip and inheritance of fitter mitochondria by buds compared with cells with no mtDNA. Conversely, increasing the accumulation and anchorage of mitochondria in the bud tip by overexpression of MMR1 results in inheritance of less-fit mitochondria by buds and decreased replicative lifespan and healthspan. Thus quantity and quality of mitochondrial inheritance are ensured by two opposing processes: bud-tip anchorage by mitochondrial fusion and Mmr1p, which favors bulk inheritance; and quality control mechanisms that promote segregation of fitter mitochondria to the bud. © 2016 Higuchi-Sanabria et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Oil Shale

USGS Publications Warehouse

Birdwell, Justin E.

2017-01-01

Oil shales are fine-grained sedimentary rocks formed in many different depositional environments (terrestrial, lacustrine, marine) containing large quantities of thermally immature organic matter in the forms of kerogen and bitumen. If defined from an economic standpoint, a rock containing a sufficient concentration of oil-prone kerogen to generate economic quantities of synthetic crude oil upon heating to high temperatures (350–600 °C) in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis) can be considered an oil shale.

A Semi-Vectorization Algorithm to Synthesis of Gravitational Anomaly Quantities on the Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdollahzadeh, M.; Eshagh, M.; Najafi Alamdari, M.

2009-04-01

The Earth's gravitational potential can be expressed by the well-known spherical harmonic expansion. The computational time of summing up this expansion is an important practical issue which can be reduced by an efficient numerical algorithm. This paper proposes such a method for block-wise synthesizing the anomaly quantities on the Earth surface using vectorization. Fully-vectorization means transformation of the summations to the simple matrix and vector products. It is not a practical for the matrices with large dimensions. Here a semi-vectorization algorithm is proposed to avoid working with large vectors and matrices. It speeds up the computations by using one loop for the summation either on degrees or on orders. The former is a good option to synthesize the anomaly quantities on the Earth surface considering a digital elevation model (DEM). This approach is more efficient than the two-step method which computes the quantities on the reference ellipsoid and continues them upward to the Earth surface. The algorithm has been coded in MATLAB which synthesizes a global grid of 5′Ã- 5′ (corresponding 9 million points) of gravity anomaly or geoid height using a geopotential model to degree 360 in 10000 seconds by an ordinary computer with 2G RAM.

The Dynamics of Pheromone Gland Synthesis and Release: a Paradigm Shift for Understanding Sex Pheromone Quantity in Female Moths.

PubMed

Foster, Stephen P; Anderson, Karin G; Casas, Jérôme

2018-05-10

Moths are exemplars of chemical communication, especially with regard to specificity and the minute amounts they use. Yet, little is known about how females manage synthesis and storage of pheromone to maintain release rates attractive to conspecific males and why such small amounts are used. We developed, for the first time, a quantitative model, based on an extensive empirical data set, describing the dynamical relationship among synthesis, storage (titer) and release of pheromone over time in a moth (Heliothis virescens). The model is compartmental, with one major state variable (titer), one time-varying (synthesis), and two constant (catabolism and release) rates. The model was a good fit, suggesting it accounted for the major processes. Overall, we found the relatively small amounts of pheromone stored and released were largely a function of high catabolism rather than a low rate of synthesis. A paradigm shift may be necessary to understand the low amounts released by female moths, away from the small quantities synthesized to the (relatively) large amounts catabolized. Future research on pheromone quantity should focus on structural and physicochemical processes that limit storage and release rate quantities. To our knowledge, this is the first time that pheromone gland function has been modeled for any animal.

Sequential monitoring of beach litter using webcams.

PubMed

Kako, Shin'ichiro; Isobe, Atsuhiko; Magome, Shinya

2010-05-01

This study attempts to establish a system for the sequential monitoring of beach litter using webcams placed at the Ookushi beach, Goto Islands, Japan, to establish the temporal variability in the quantities of beach litter every 90 min over a one and a half year period. The time series of the quantities of beach litter, computed by counting pixels with a greater lightness than a threshold value in photographs, shows that litter does not increase monotonically on the beach, but fluctuates mainly on a monthly time scale or less. To investigate what factors influence this variability, the time derivative of the quantity of beach litter is compared with satellite-derived wind speeds. It is found that the beach litter quantities vary largely with winds, but there may be other influencing factors. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seafood prices reveal impacts of a major ecological disturbance

PubMed Central

Smith, Martin D.; Oglend, Atle; Kirkpatrick, A. Justin; Asche, Frank; Bennear, Lori S.; Craig, J. Kevin; Nance, James M.

2017-01-01

Coastal hypoxia (dissolved oxygen ≤ 2 mg/L) is a growing problem worldwide that threatens marine ecosystem services, but little is known about economic effects on fisheries. Here, we provide evidence that hypoxia causes economic impacts on a major fishery. Ecological studies of hypoxia and marine fauna suggest multiple mechanisms through which hypoxia can skew a population’s size distribution toward smaller individuals. These mechanisms produce sharp predictions about changes in seafood markets. Hypoxia is hypothesized to decrease the quantity of large shrimp relative to small shrimp and increase the price of large shrimp relative to small shrimp. We test these hypotheses using time series of size-based prices. Naive quantity-based models using treatment/control comparisons in hypoxic and nonhypoxic areas produce null results, but we find strong evidence of the hypothesized effects in the relative prices: Hypoxia increases the relative price of large shrimp compared with small shrimp. The effects of fuel prices provide supporting evidence. Empirical models of fishing effort and bioeconomic simulations explain why quantifying effects of hypoxia on fisheries using quantity data has been inconclusive. Specifically, spatial-dynamic feedbacks across the natural system (the fish stock) and human system (the mobile fishing fleet) confound “treated” and “control” areas. Consequently, analyses of price data, which rely on a market counterfactual, are able to reveal effects of the ecological disturbance that are obscured in quantity data. Our results are an important step toward quantifying the economic value of reduced upstream nutrient loading in the Mississippi Basin and are broadly applicable to other coupled human-natural systems. PMID:28137850

Seafood prices reveal impacts of a major ecological disturbance.

PubMed

Smith, Martin D; Oglend, Atle; Kirkpatrick, A Justin; Asche, Frank; Bennear, Lori S; Craig, J Kevin; Nance, James M

2017-02-14

Coastal hypoxia (dissolved oxygen ≤ 2 mg/L) is a growing problem worldwide that threatens marine ecosystem services, but little is known about economic effects on fisheries. Here, we provide evidence that hypoxia causes economic impacts on a major fishery. Ecological studies of hypoxia and marine fauna suggest multiple mechanisms through which hypoxia can skew a population's size distribution toward smaller individuals. These mechanisms produce sharp predictions about changes in seafood markets. Hypoxia is hypothesized to decrease the quantity of large shrimp relative to small shrimp and increase the price of large shrimp relative to small shrimp. We test these hypotheses using time series of size-based prices. Naive quantity-based models using treatment/control comparisons in hypoxic and nonhypoxic areas produce null results, but we find strong evidence of the hypothesized effects in the relative prices: Hypoxia increases the relative price of large shrimp compared with small shrimp. The effects of fuel prices provide supporting evidence. Empirical models of fishing effort and bioeconomic simulations explain why quantifying effects of hypoxia on fisheries using quantity data has been inconclusive. Specifically, spatial-dynamic feedbacks across the natural system (the fish stock) and human system (the mobile fishing fleet) confound "treated" and "control" areas. Consequently, analyses of price data, which rely on a market counterfactual, are able to reveal effects of the ecological disturbance that are obscured in quantity data. Our results are an important step toward quantifying the economic value of reduced upstream nutrient loading in the Mississippi Basin and are broadly applicable to other coupled human-natural systems.

Spin current and spin transfer torque in ferromagnet/superconductor spin valves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moen, Evan; Valls, Oriol T.

2018-05-01

Using fully self-consistent methods, we study spin transport in fabricable spin valve systems consisting of two magnetic layers, a superconducting layer, and a spacer normal layer between the ferromagnets. Our methods ensure that the proper relations between spin current gradients and spin transfer torques are satisfied. We present results as a function of geometrical parameters, interfacial barrier values, misalignment angle between the ferromagnets, and bias voltage. Our main results are for the spin current and spin accumulation as functions of position within the spin valve structure. We see precession of the spin current about the exchange fields within the ferromagnets, and penetration of the spin current into the superconductor for biases greater than the critical bias, defined in the text. The spin accumulation exhibits oscillating behavior in the normal metal, with a strong dependence on the physical parameters both as to the structure and formation of the peaks. We also study the bias dependence of the spatially averaged spin transfer torque and spin accumulation. We examine the critical-bias effect of these quantities, and their dependence on the physical parameters. Our results are predictive of the outcome of future experiments, as they take into account imperfect interfaces and a realistic geometry.

Gastric emptying rate and chyme characteristics for cooked brown and white rice meals in vivo.

PubMed

Bornhorst, Gail M; Chang, Lucy Q; Rutherfurd, Shane M; Moughan, Paul J; Singh, R Paul

2013-09-01

Rice structure is important to rice grain and starch breakdown during digestion. The objective of this study was to determine the gastric emptying and rice composition during gastric digestion of cooked brown and white medium-grain (Calrose variety) rice using the growing pig as a model for the adult human. Brown and white rice did not show significantly different gastric emptying rates of dry matter or starch, but brown rice had slower protein emptying (P < 0.05). Moisture content was greater and pH was lower in the distal stomach compared to the proximal stomach (P < 0.0001), and varied with time (P < 0.0001). The mechanism of physical breakdown for brown and white rice varied. Brown rice exhibited an accumulation of bran layer fragments in the distal stomach, quantified by lower starch and higher protein content. The quantity of gastric secretions observed after a brown or white rice meal may be related to the meal buffering capacity, and are accumulated in the distal stomach. The delayed rate of protein emptying in brown rice compared to white rice was most likely due to the accumulation of bran layers in the stomach. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Risk assessment and loading capacity of reclaimed wastewater to be reused for agricultural irrigation.

PubMed

Chiou, Ren-Jie

2008-07-01

The reuse of treated municipal wastewater should be one of the new water resource target areas. The suitability of the reuse of wastewater for agricultural irrigation has to consider health risk, soil contamination and the influence of the reclaimed water on crop growth. In this work the aim is to use quantitative risk analysis to assess the health effects related to reclaimed water quality and to calculate the loading capacity of reclaimed wastewater in terms of the heavy metal accumulation. The results of chemical risk assessment show there would be slightly significant health risk and what risk there is can be limited within an acceptable level. The following exposure pathway: reclaimed water-->surface water-->fish (shellfish)-->human, and arsenic risks are of more concern. In terms of reuse impact in soil contamination, the most possible heavy metal caused accumulation is arsenic. The irrigative quantity has to reach 13,300 m(3)/ha to cause arsenic accumulation. However, only 12,000 m(3)/ha is essential for rice paddy cropland. The high total nitrogen of reclaimed water from secondary treatment makes it unfavorable for crop growth. The recommended dilution ratio is 50% during the growth period and 25% during the maturity period.

Accumulation of unsaturated lipids in monocytes during early phase pyrogen tolerance.

PubMed

Szewczenko-Pawlikowski, M; Kozak, W

2000-04-12

This paper presents data that inspired a new explanation for the mechanism of early phase endotoxin tolerance. Rabbits injected intravenously with LPS from Salmonella abortus developed a two-phase fever (6 h) and monophasic hyperlipidemia of very low density lipoproteins (two consecutive days). If during these days rabbits were injected with the same dose of LPS at 24-h intervals, the second phase of fever disappeared, i.e. early phase pyrogenic tolerance was obtained. This was correlated with a decrease of lipoprotein hyperlipidemia (measured 1.5 h after LPS injection) and an accumulation of lipids rich in double bonds in monocytes (measured 3.5 h after LPS injection). Results showed that the degree of unsaturation of acyl chains (AC) in monocytes (AC/DB, DB=double bonds) is negatively correlated (r=-0.72) with fever response (fever index). The authors maintain that a gradual increase in monocyte membrane fluidity is an adaptation to repeated exposure of monocytes to lipid A and is responsible for the progressive desensitization of monocytes to endotoxin. It is suggested that disorders of this mechanism lead to an accumulation of abnormal quantities of saturated lipids and cholesterol within macrophages, which, as foam cells, are the starting point for atherosclerosis pathology.

Automated Decisional Model for Optimum Economic Order Quantity Determination Using Price Regressive Rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roşu, M. M.; Tarbă, C. I.; Neagu, C.

2016-11-01

The current models for inventory management are complementary, but together they offer a large pallet of elements for solving complex problems of companies when wanting to establish the optimum economic order quantity for unfinished products, row of materials, goods etc. The main objective of this paper is to elaborate an automated decisional model for the calculus of the economic order quantity taking into account the price regressive rates for the total order quantity. This model has two main objectives: first, to determine the periodicity when to be done the order n or the quantity order q; second, to determine the levels of stock: lighting control, security stock etc. In this way we can provide the answer to two fundamental questions: How much must be ordered? When to Order? In the current practice, the business relationships with its suppliers are based on regressive rates for price. This means that suppliers may grant discounts, from a certain level of quantities ordered. Thus, the unit price of the products is a variable which depends on the order size. So, the most important element for choosing the optimum for the economic order quantity is the total cost for ordering and this cost depends on the following elements: the medium price per units, the stock cost, the ordering cost etc.

Towards large-scale plasma-assisted synthesis of nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cvelbar, U.

2011-05-01

Large quantities of nanomaterials, e.g. nanowires (NWs), are needed to overcome the high market price of nanomaterials and make nanotechnology widely available for general public use and applications to numerous devices. Therefore, there is an enormous need for new methods or routes for synthesis of those nanostructures. Here plasma technologies for synthesis of NWs, nanotubes, nanoparticles or other nanostructures might play a key role in the near future. This paper presents a three-dimensional problem of large-scale synthesis connected with the time, quantity and quality of nanostructures. Herein, four different plasma methods for NW synthesis are presented in contrast to other methods, e.g. thermal processes, chemical vapour deposition or wet chemical processes. The pros and cons are discussed in detail for the case of two metal oxides: iron oxide and zinc oxide NWs, which are important for many applications.

Large scale preparation of high mannose and paucimannose N-glycans from soybean proteins by oxidative release of natural glycans (ORNG).

PubMed

Zhu, Yuyang; Yan, Maomao; Lasanajak, Yi; Smith, David F; Song, Xuezheng

2018-07-15

Despite the important advances in chemical and chemoenzymatic synthesis of glycans, access to large quantities of complex natural glycans remains a major impediment to progress in Glycoscience. Here we report a large-scale preparation of N-glycans from a kilogram of commercial soy proteins using oxidative release of natural glycans (ORNG). The high mannose and paucimannose N-glycans were labeled with a fluorescent tag and purified by size exclusion and multidimensional preparative HPLC. Side products are identified and potential mechanisms for the oxidative release of natural N-glycans from glycoproteins are proposed. This study demonstrates the potential for using the ORNG approach as a complementary route to synthetic approaches for the preparation of multi-milligram quantities of biomedically relevant complex glycans. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantity, composition, and source of sediment collected in sediment traps along the fringing coral reef off Molokai, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bothner, Michael H.; Reynolds, R.L.; Casso, M.A.; Storlazzi, C.D.; Field, M.E.

2006-01-01

Sediment traps were used to evaluate the frequency, cause, and relative intensity of sediment mobility/resuspension along the fringing coral reef off southern Molokai (February 2000–May 2002). Two storms with high rainfall, floods, and exceptionally high waves resulted in sediment collection rates > 1000 times higher than during non-storm periods, primarily because of sediment resuspension by waves. Based on quantity and composition of trapped sediment, floods recharged the reef flat with land-derived sediment, but had a low potential for burying coral on the fore reef when accompanied by high waves.The trapped sediments have low concentrations of anthropogenic metals. The magnetic properties of trapped sediment may provide information about the sources of land-derived sediment reaching the fore reef. The high trapping rate and low sediment cover indicate that coral surfaces on the fore reef are exposed to transient resuspended sediment, and that the traps do not measure net sediment accumulation on the reef surface.

Quantity, composition, and source of sediment collected in sediment traps along the fringing coral reef off Molokai, Hawaii.

PubMed

Bothner, Michael H; Reynolds, Richard L; Casso, Michael A; Storlazzi, Curt D; Field, Michael E

2006-09-01

Sediment traps were used to evaluate the frequency, cause, and relative intensity of sediment mobility/resuspension along the fringing coral reef off southern Molokai (February 2000-May 2002). Two storms with high rainfall, floods, and exceptionally high waves resulted in sediment collection rates>1000 times higher than during non-storm periods, primarily because of sediment resuspension by waves. Based on quantity and composition of trapped sediment, floods recharged the reef flat with land-derived sediment, but had a low potential for burying coral on the fore reef when accompanied by high waves. The trapped sediments have low concentrations of anthropogenic metals. The magnetic properties of trapped sediment may provide information about the sources of land-derived sediment reaching the fore reef. The high trapping rate and low sediment cover indicate that coral surfaces on the fore reef are exposed to transient resuspended sediment, and that the traps do not measure net sediment accumulation on the reef surface.

Ascorbate metabolism and the developmental demand for tartaric and oxalic acids in ripening grape berries

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Fresh fruits are well accepted as a good source of the dietary antioxidant ascorbic acid (Asc, Vitamin C). However, fruits such as grapes do not accumulate exceptionally high quantities of Asc. Grapes, unlike most other cultivated fruits do however use Asc as a precursor for the synthesis of both oxalic (OA) and tartaric acids (TA). TA is a commercially important product in the wine industry and due to its acidifying effect on crushed juice it can influence the organoleptic properties of the wine. Despite the interest in Asc accumulation in fruits, little is known about the mechanisms whereby Asc concentration is regulated. The purpose of this study was to gain insights into Asc metabolism in wine grapes (Vitis vinifera c.v. Shiraz.) and thus ascertain whether the developmental demand for TA and OA synthesis influences Asc accumulation in the berry. Results We provide evidence for developmentally differentiated up-regulation of Asc biosynthetic pathways and subsequent fluctuations in Asc, TA and OA accumulation. Rapid accumulation of Asc and a low Asc to dehydroascorbate (DHA) ratio in young berries was co-ordinated with up-regulation of three of the primary Asc biosynthetic (Smirnoff-Wheeler) pathway genes. Immature berries synthesised Asc in-situ from the primary pathway precursors D-mannose and L-galactose. Immature berries also accumulated TA in early berry development in co-ordination with up-regulation of a TA biosynthetic gene. In contrast, ripe berries have up-regulated expression of the alternative Asc biosynthetic pathway gene D-galacturonic acid reductase with only residual expression of Smirnoff-Wheeler Asc biosynthetic pathway genes and of the TA biosynthetic gene. The ripening phase was further associated with up-regulation of Asc recycling genes, a secondary phase of increased accumulation of Asc and an increase in the Asc to DHA ratio. Conclusion We demonstrate strong developmental regulation of Asc biosynthetic, recycling and catabolic genes in grape berries. Integration of the transcript, radiotracer and metabolite data demonstrates that Asc and TA metabolism are developmentally regulated in grapevines; resulting in low accumulated levels of the biosynthetic intermediate Asc, and high accumulated levels of the metabolic end-product TA. PMID:19995454

Aspergillus Volatiles Regulate Aflatoxin Synthesis and Asexual Sporulation in Aspergillus parasiticus▿

PubMed Central

Roze, Ludmila V.; Beaudry, Randolph M.; Arthur, Anna E.; Calvo, Ana M.; Linz, John E.

2007-01-01

Aspergillus parasiticus is one primary source of aflatoxin contamination in economically important crops. To prevent the potential health and economic impacts of aflatoxin contamination, our goal is to develop practical strategies to reduce aflatoxin synthesis on susceptible crops. One focus is to identify biological and environmental factors that regulate aflatoxin synthesis and to manipulate these factors to control aflatoxin biosynthesis in the field or during crop storage. In the current study, we analyzed the effects of aspergillus volatiles on growth, development, aflatoxin biosynthesis, and promoter activity in the filamentous fungus A. parasiticus. When colonies of Aspergillus nidulans and A. parasiticus were incubated in the same growth chamber, we observed a significant reduction in aflatoxin synthesis and asexual sporulation by A. parasiticus. Analysis of the headspace gases demonstrated that A. nidulans produced much larger quantities of 2-buten-1-ol (CA) and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol (EH) than A. parasiticus. In its pure form, EH inhibited growth and increased aflatoxin accumulation in A. parasiticus at all doses tested; EH also stimulated aflatoxin transcript accumulation. In contrast, CA exerted dose-dependent up-regulatory or down-regulatory effects on aflatoxin accumulation, conidiation, and aflatoxin transcript accumulation. Experiments with reporter strains carrying nor-1 promoter deletions and mutations suggested that the differential effects of CA were mediated through separate regulatory regions in the nor-1 promoter. The potential efficacy of CA as a tool for analysis of transcriptional regulation of aflatoxin biosynthesis is discussed. We also identify a novel, rapid, and reliable method to assess norsolorinic acid accumulation in solid culture using a Chroma Meter CR-300 apparatus. PMID:17890344

Sedimentation of Lake Taneycomo, Missouri, 1913-1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berkas, W.R.

1989-01-01

On the basis of the data from a sedimentation survey done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, during 1935 and data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey during 1987, the volume of sediment accumulated in Lake Taneycomo from 1913 to 1935 and 1913 to 1987 was determined. Table Rock Dam, built directly upstream from Lake Taneycomo during 1958, eliminated about 92% of the 4,644-sq mi basin from contributing sediment directly to the lake. Cesium-137 isotope was used as a tracer in the sediment to determine the quantity of deposition in the lake after Table Rock Dam was completed. The relation between cross-sectional area and distance upstream from the dam (curve method) was used to determine the 1913 (original), the 1935, and the 1987 volumes of Lake Taneycomo. A total of 910,000,000 cu ft of sediment accumulated between 1913 and 1935, 42% of the original volume of the lake. A total of 1 ,066,000,000 cu ft of sediment accumulated between 1913 and 1987 , 49% of the original volume. Lake Taneycomo seems to be functioning as an alluvial river, responding to the new energy gradient established by the spillway at Ozark Beach Dam, and later to changes in the sediment load. The upper two-thirds of the lake seems to have been scoured after Table Rock Dam greatly decreased the sediment load to the lake. The cesium-137 analysis indicated that sediment is still accumulating in the lower reaches of the lake, with measured accumulation generally ranging from 0.2 to 2.6 ft. (USGS)

The Influence of Cultivars and Phenological Phases on the Accumulation of Nevadensin and Salvigenin in Basil (Ocimum basilicum).

PubMed

Bernhardt, Botond; Bernáth, Jenő; Gere, Attila; Kókai, Zoltán; Komáromi, Bonifác; Tavaszi-Sárosi, Szilvia; Varga, László; Sipos, László; Szabó, Krisztina

2015-10-01

According to the earlier literature the optimum harvest time for basil is at the full flowering stage if accumulation of essential oil is taken into account. In this research we have investigated our gene-bank stored basil accessions to determine whether the harvest timing is variety specific or not considering their flavonoid accumulation pattern. In our work we have determined by HPLC the content of two main flavonoid compounds, salvigenin and nevadensin, of eight different gene bank accessions from 2013 of Ocimum basilicum L. Data were analysed with the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test. Multiple pairwise comparisons were made using the Conover-Iman procedure where the significance level was 5%. We have observed that the optimum harvest time is at the full flowering stage in the case of accessions 'Genovese' and 'Piros', but this was not verified for the others. The result of our experiment has shown that the maximum salvigenin and nevadensin content was detected both at the full- and early flowering period. Almost in all phenological phases the accession 'M. Grünes' accumulated the highest level of nevadensin, while accession 'Lengyel' produced the lowest results in all phenological phases. Generally it could be observed that compared with nevadensin more salvigenin is accumulated, and it is independent of the phenological phases. In the case of salvigenin, 'M. Grünes' accession produced the largest quantity and accession 'Dark Opal' showed the lowest values. Our analyses demonstrated that harvest at different phenological phases may result in different amounts of active agents according to the cultivar.

Lianas reduce carbon accumulation and storage in tropical forests.

PubMed

van der Heijden, Geertje M F; Powers, Jennifer S; Schnitzer, Stefan A

2015-10-27

Tropical forests store vast quantities of carbon, account for one-third of the carbon fixed by photosynthesis, and are a major sink in the global carbon cycle. Recent evidence suggests that competition between lianas (woody vines) and trees may reduce forest-wide carbon uptake; however, estimates of the impact of lianas on carbon dynamics of tropical forests are crucially lacking. Here we used a large-scale liana removal experiment and found that, at 3 y after liana removal, lianas reduced net above-ground carbon uptake (growth and recruitment minus mortality) by ∼76% per year, mostly by reducing tree growth. The loss of carbon uptake due to liana-induced mortality was four times greater in the control plots in which lianas were present, but high variation among plots prevented a significant difference among the treatments. Lianas altered how aboveground carbon was stored. In forests where lianas were present, the partitioning of forest aboveground net primary production was dominated by leaves (53.2%, compared with 39.2% in liana-free forests) at the expense of woody stems (from 28.9%, compared with 43.9%), resulting in a more rapid return of fixed carbon to the atmosphere. After 3 y of experimental liana removal, our results clearly demonstrate large differences in carbon cycling between forests with and without lianas. Combined with the recently reported increases in liana abundance, these results indicate that lianas are an important and increasing agent of change in the carbon dynamics of tropical forests.

Soil bacterial community composition altered by increased nutrient availability in Arctic tundra soils

PubMed Central

Koyama, Akihiro; Wallenstein, Matthew D.; Simpson, Rodney T.; Moore, John C.

2014-01-01

The pool of soil organic carbon (SOC) in the Arctic is disproportionally large compared to those in other biomes. This large quantity of SOC accumulated over millennia due to slow rates of decomposition relative to net primary productivity. Decomposition is constrained by low temperatures and nutrient concentrations, which limit soil microbial activity. We investigated how nutrients limit bacterial and fungal biomass and community composition in organic and mineral soils within moist acidic tussock tundra ecosystems. We sampled two experimental arrays of moist acidic tussock tundra that included fertilized and non-fertilized control plots. One array included plots that had been fertilized annually since 1989 and the other since 2006. Fertilization significantly altered overall bacterial community composition and reduced evenness, to a greater degree in organic than mineral soils, and in the 1989 compared to the 2006 site. The relative abundance of copiotrophic α-Proteobacteria and β-Proteobacteria was higher in fertilized than control soils, and oligotrophic Acidobacteria were less abundant in fertilized than control soils at the 1989 site. Fungal community composition was less sensitive to increased nutrient availability, and fungal responses to fertilization were not consistent between soil horizons and sites. We detected two ectomycorrhizal genera, Russula and Cortinarius spp., associated with shrubs. Their relative abundance was not affected by fertilization despite increased dominance of their host plants in the fertilized plots. Our results indicate that fertilization, which has been commonly used to simulate warming in Arctic tundra, has limited applicability for investigating fungal dynamics under warming. PMID:25324836

Characterization of Domestic Wastewater Sludge in Oman from Three Different Regions and Recommendations for Alternative Reuse Applications.

PubMed

Baawain, Mahad S; Al-Jabri, Mohsin; Choudri, B S

2014-02-01

There are more than 350 wastewater treatment plants distributed across different parts of Oman. Some of them produce large quantities of domestic sewage sludge, particularly this study focused on characterizing domestic sludge of six treatment plants that may contain various pollutants, therefore the proper management of domestic sewage sludge is essential. Samples of domestic sewage sludge were collected for each month over a period of one year in 2010. Samples of retained/recycled activated sludge (RAS) and waste activated sludge (WAS) were analyzed for elec-trical conductivity (EC), potential of hydrogen (pH), cations, anions and volatile content. All tests were conducted according to the Standard Method for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. Monitoring ofelectrical conductivity, nitrite and nitrate, the presence of chloride, sulfate and phosphate were higher than the other anions, the phosphate was found very high in all domestic STPs. The average obtained values of the cations in both domestic RAS and WAS samples were within the Omani Standards. The study showed the very high concentration of phosphate, it might be worth to further investigate on the sources of phosphate. Cations in both domestic RAS and WAS samples were low and suggest that the domestic sludge can be re used in agriculture. A regular maintenance should be performed to prevent any accumulation of some harmful substances which may affect the sludge quality and the sludge drying beds should be large enough to handle the produced sludge for better management.

Phosphorus from wastewater to crops: An alternative path involving microalgae.

PubMed

Solovchenko, Alexei; Verschoor, Antonie M; Jablonowski, Nicolai D; Nedbal, Ladislav

2016-01-01

Phosphorus (P) is a non-renewable resource, a major plant nutrient that is essential for modern agriculture. Currently, global food and feed production depends on P extracted from finite phosphate rock reserves mainly confined to a small number of countries. P limitation and its potential socio-economic impact may well exceed the potential effects of fossil fuel scarcity. The efficiency of P usage today barely reaches 20%, with the remaining 80% ending up in wastewater or in surface waters as runoff from fields. When recovered from wastewater, either chemically or biologically, P is often present in a form that does not meet specifications for agricultural use. As an alternative, the potential of microalgae to accumulate large quantities of P can be a way to direct this resource back to crop plants. Algae can acquire and store P through luxury uptake, and the P enriched algal biomass can be used as bio-fertilizer. Technology of large-scale algae cultivation has made tremendous progress in the last decades, stimulated by perspectives of obtaining third generation biofuels without requiring arable land or fresh water. These new cultivation technologies can be used for solar-driven recycling of P and other nutrients from wastewater into algae-based bio-fertilizers. In this paper, we review the specifics of P uptake from nutrient-rich waste streams, paying special attention to luxury uptake by microalgal cells and the potential application of P-enriched algal biomass to fertilize crop soils. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

3D Electric Waveforms of Solar Wind Turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kellogg, P. J.; Goetz, K.; Monson, S. J.

2018-01-01

Electric fields provide the major coupling between the turbulence of the solar wind and particles. A large part of the turbulent spectrum of fluctuations in the solar wind is thought to be kinetic Alfvén waves; however, whistlers have recently been found to be important. In this article, we attempt to determine the mode identification of individual waveforms using the three-dimensional antenna system of the SWaves experiments on the STEREO spacecraft. Samples are chosen using waveforms with an apparent periodic structure, selected visually. The short antennas of STEREO respond to density fluctuations and to electric fields. Measurement of four quantities using only three antennas presents a problem. Methods to overcome or to ignore this difficulty are presented. We attempt to decide whether the waveforms correspond to the whistler mode or the Alfvén mode by using the direction of rotation of the signal. Most of the waveforms are so oblique—nearly linearly polarized—that the direction cannot be determined. However, about one third of the waveforms can be identified, and whistlers and Alfvén waves are present in roughly equal numbers. The selected waveforms are very intense but intermittent and are orders of magnitude stronger than the average, yet their accumulated signal accounts for a large fraction of the average. The average, however, is supposed to be the result of a turbulent mixture of many waves, not short coherent events. This presents a puzzle for future work.

URANIUM PURIFICATION PROCESS

DOEpatents

Ruhoff, J.R.; Winters, C.E.

1957-11-12

A process is described for the purification of uranyl nitrate by an extraction process. A solution is formed consisting of uranyl nitrate, together with the associated impurities arising from the HNO/sub 3/ leaching of the ore, in an organic solvent such as ether. If this were back extracted with water to remove the impurities, large quantities of uranyl nitrate will also be extracted and lost. To prevent this, the impure organic solution is extracted with small amounts of saturated aqueous solutions of uranyl nitrate thereby effectively accomplishing the removal of impurities while not allowing any further extraction of the uranyl nitrate from the organic solvent. After the impurities have been removed, the uranium values are extracted with large quantities of water.

Modern Deposition Rates and Patterns of Carbon Burial in Southern Fiordland, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez, M. T.; Allison, M. A.; Vetter, L.; Cui, X.; Bianchi, T. S.; Smith, R. W.; Savage, C.; Schüller, S.

2016-02-01

Fjords have been recognized as a hotspot of organic carbon burial, as they accumulate a disproportionate quantity of organic carbon given their areal extent in comparison to other marine settings. However, organic carbon is buried in context with other biogenic and mineral sediments, so localized sedimentation processes play a critical role in determining rates of organic carbon burial. Therefore, it is important to assess the local sources and processes responsible for depositing inorganic sediment as a control on the burial of organic carbon. Here we evaluate three fjords in southern New Zealand that are not glaciated, with a sedimentary system that is dominantly controlled by terrigenous input at fjord heads, reworking of sediments over fjord-mouth sills, and landslide events from the steep fjord walls. Sediment cores were collected throughout the three southernmost fjord systems of Fiordland, New Zealand, and analyzed to determine sedimentary fabric, mass accumulation rates, and organic carbon content. Sediment mass accumulation rates from 210Pb geochronology range up to 500 mg/cm2/yr in proximal and distal areas of the fjords, with lower rates (below 200 mg/cm2/yr) in medial reaches, where terrestrial and marine sediment input is minimal. X-radiographs and 210Pb downcore activity trends show evidence of both mass wasting and surface-sediment bioturbation operating throughout the fjords. Percent organic carbon displays a negative correlation with mass accumulation rate and thickness of the sediment surface mixed layer. Rates of organic carbon accumulation ranged from 3.97 to 21.59 mg/cm2/yr, with a mean of 13.41 mg/cm2/yr. Organic carbon accumulation rates are dependent on the sediment accumulation rate and the percent organic carbon of the sediment. Our results highlight the importance of spatial variability in sedimentation processes and rates within fjords when evaluating organic carbon burial in these systems.

Nonconservative and reverse spectral transfer in Hasegawa-Mima turbulence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Terry, P.W.; Newman, D.E.

1993-01-01

The dual cascade is generally represented as a conservative cascade of enstrophy to short wavelengths through an enstrophy similarity range and an inverse cascade of energy to long wavelengths through an energy similarity range. This picture, based on a proof due to Kraichnan [Phys. Fluids 10, 1417 (1967)], is found to be significantly modified for a spectra of finite extent. Dimensional arguments and direct measurement of spectral flow in Hasegawa-Mima turbulence indicate that for both the energy and enstrophy cascades, transfer of the conserved quantity is accompanied by a nonconservative transfer of the other quantity. The decrease of a givenmore » invariant (energy or enstrophy) in the nonconservative transfer in one similarity range is balanced by the increase of that quantity in the other similarity range, thus maintaining net invariance. The increase or decrease of a given invariant quantity in one similarity range depends on the injection scale and is consistent with that quantity being carried in a self-similar transfer of the other invariant quantity. This leads, in an inertial range of finite size, to some energy being carried to small scales and some enstrophy being carried to large scales.« less

Nonconservative and reverse spectral transfer in Hasegawa--Mima turbulence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Terry, P.W.; Newman, D.E.

1993-07-01

The dual cascade is generally represented as a conservative cascade of enstrophy to short wavelengths through an enstrophy similarity range and an inverse cascade of energy to long wavelengths through an energy similarity range. This picture, based on a proof due to Kraichnan [Phys. Fluids [bold 10], 1417 (1967)], is found to be significantly modified for spectra of finite extent. Dimensional arguments and direct measurement of spectral flow in Hasegawa--Mima turbulence indicate that for both the energy and enstrophy cascades, transfer of the conserved quantity is accompanied by a nonconservative transfer of the other quantity. The decrease of a givenmore » invariant (energy or enstrophy) in the nonconservative transfer in one similarity range is balanced by the increase of that quantity in the other similarity range, thus maintaining net invariance. The increase or decrease of a given invariant quantity in one similarity range depends on the injection scale and is consistent with that quantity being carried in a self-similar transfer of the other invariant quantity. This leads, in an inertial range of finite size, to some energy being carried to small scales and some enstrophy being carried to large scales.« less

Operative control of human microflora in confined habitat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viacheslav, Ilyin; Solovieva, Zoya; Panina, Jana

The problem of operative control and transmission of information on microbial state of humans in artificial environment is much actual especially in conditions of long-term space missions and in perspective mission to Mars. There was revealed that in long-term missions there is a periodical accumulation of pathogenicity potential in the system "human-microbes" which lead to possible development of opportunistic infections of crew members in spaceflight. To investigate covering tissues microflora of volunteers participated in 14 and 105 days isolation in confined habitat the new non-culture method was elaborated, based on computer treatment of native swab, equally distributed on total surface of microscopy glass and Gram stained. It allows to obtain information on 3 basic indices -morphology, tinctorial and quantitative, thus it could detect increasing of total microbial amount, growth of staphylococci which is important for early diagnostics of microbial disbalance on covering tissues of volunteers. The analysis is performed with the aid of authomatized system of digital microscopy dedicated to recognition of microbial images on the preparate and for further transmission of these digital images via telecommunication network, thus making possibility of remote consultancies. The data of 14-day experiment reveals increasing of potential pathogens on 7th day of isolation with further decrease on 14th day, changes of microflora in 105-day isolation has the tendency of periodical accumulation. In general, the results were compatible with ones obtained by classical bacteriological studies. The results are significant under the microbial quantity of 104 CFU/swab and higher, which is important for analyzing of microbial groups if they grow in quantities, increasing normal values.

Regulation of Oil Biosynthesis in Algae

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-06

renewed interest in microalgae as potential feed stock for renewable fuels including high energy density aviation fuels. Microalgae accumulate large...mechanisms of TAG accumulation relevant to other microalgae and perhaps dedicated biofuel crop plants. Knowledge and understanding of algal model systems...energy density liquid fuels. Long Term Objectives. Under permissive conditions, i.e. nutrient deprivation, many microalgae accumulate oils (TAGs

Safety analysis report -- Packages LP-50 tritium package (Packaging of fissile and other radioactive materials)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gates, A.A.; McCarthy, P.G.; Edl, J.W.

1975-05-01

Elemental tritium is shipped at low pressure in a stainless steel container (LP-50) surrounded by an aluminum vessel and Celotex insulation at least 4 in. thick in a steel drum. Each package contains a large quantity (greater than a Type A quantity) of nonfissile material, as defined in AECM 0529. This report provides the details of the safety analysis performed for this type container.

40 CFR Appendix B to Subpart E of... - Federal Guidelines-User Charges for Operation and Maintenance of Publicly Owned Treatment Works

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... S = Concentration of SS from a user above a base level. Pc = O&M cost for treatment of a unit of any...(B)=Sc(S)=Pc(P)]Vu (3) Model No. 3. This model is commonly called the “quantity/quality formula”: Cu = Vc Vu=Bc Bu=Sc Su=Pc Pu (h) Other considerations. (1) Quantity discounts to large volume users will...

Forecasting Science and Technology for the Department of Defense

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

Watson and Francis Crick announced that they had elucidated the structure of DNA and had therefore “discovered the secret of life.” While this was a...an organic chemist, figured out a process by which very small quantities of DNA could be amplified with high fidelity. This process, known as...polymerase chain reaction (PCR), for the first time, allowed scientists to produce DNA in large quantities. Roughly during this period, Leroy Hood and

Thermoelastic response of metal matrix composites with large-diameter fibers subjected to thermal gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aboudi, Jacob; Pindera, Marek-Jerzy; Arnold, Steven M.

1993-01-01

A new micromechanical theory is presented for the response of heterogeneous metal matrix composites subjected to thermal gradients. In contrast to existing micromechanical theories that utilize classical homogenization schemes in the course of calculating microscopic and macroscopic field quantities, in the present approach the actual microstructural details are explicitly coupled with the macrostructure of the composite. Examples are offered that illustrate limitations of the classical homogenization approach in predicting the response of thin-walled metal matrix composites with large-diameter fibers when subjected to thermal gradients. These examples include composites with a finite number of fibers in the thickness direction that may be uniformly or nonuniformly spaced, thus admitting so-called functionally gradient composites. The results illustrate that the classical approach of decoupling micromechanical and macromechanical analyses in the presence of a finite number of large-diameter fibers, finite dimensions of the composite, and temperature gradient may produce excessively conservative estimates for macroscopic field quantities, while both underestimating and overestimating the local fluctuations of the microscopic quantities in different regions of the composite. Also demonstrated is the usefulness of the present approach in generating favorable stress distributions in the presence of thermal gradients by appropriately tailoring the internal microstructure details of the composite.

Silica in invasive wetland plant species of lagoons, Côte d'Ivoire: Spatio-temporal patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

José-mathieu Koné, Yéfanlan; Schoelynck, Jonas

2017-04-01

Tropical wetlands are known to accumulate a large quantity of Biogenic Silica (BSi) produced by wetland plant species (Struyf et al., 2015), and approximately 70-80% of the total supply of Dissolved Si (DSi) to the coastal zone occurs in (sub) tropical river systems (Jennerjahn et al. 2006). However, the data at these latitudes are limited. Here, we present the BSi concentration from eleven invasive macrophyte species randomly collected in three small ( 800ha) lagoons of Côte d'Ivoire during 12 months. Our data showed a large spatio-temporal variability of BSi in the three lagoons with no consistent trends. In general, the BSi concentrations obtained were high and values ranged from 0 to 54 mg g-1 through the entire sampling period, with the highest values found in Acroceras zizaniodes (emergent species of Poaceae). In general, free floating species had significantly less BSi than emergent species (P<0.0001) which corroborates with the earlier findings of Schoelynck and Struyf (2016). However, the concentrations of BSi found in Salvinia molesta (a free floating species of fern, Salviniaceae) at the young stage were similar to those found in the emergent species. Based on yearly averages, highest BSi values were observed in Kodjoboué lagoon, and the lowest in the Ono lagoon that is 80% covered by macrophytes. Moreover, the dissolved silica (DSi) concentrations were systematically higher in Ono Lagoon than in Kodjoboué Lagoon. We conclude that in an eutrophic system Si accumulating in aquatic macrophytes is not related to Si availability but to other environmental factors. Jennerjahn, T.C., Knoppers, B.A., de Souze, W.F.L., Brunskill, G.J., Silva, E.I.L., Adi, S. et al., 2006. Factors controlling dissolved silica in tropical rivers. In: Ittekot, V. (ed) The silicon cycle. Island Press, Washington, D. C, pp 29-51 Schoelynck J and Struyf E, 2016. Silicon in aquatic vegetation. Functional Ecology. 30: 1323-1330. Struyf, E., Mosimane, K., Van Pelt, D., Murray-Hudson, M., Meire, P., Frings, P., Wolski, P., Schaller, J., Gondwe, M.J., Schoelynck, J. and Conley, D.J., 2015. The role of vegetation in the Okavango Delta silica sink. Wetlands, 5: 171-181.

The decomposition of vegetation and soil in marginal peat-forming landscapes: climate simulations to quantify gaseous and dissolved carbon fluxes and the effects on peat accumulation and drinking water treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritson, J.; Bell, M.; Clark, J. M.; Graham, N.; Templeton, M.; Brazier, R.; Verhoef, A.; Freeman, C.

2013-12-01

Peatlands in the UK represent a large proportion of the soil carbon store, however there is concern that some systems may be switching from sinks to sources of carbon. The accumulation of organic material in peatlands results from the slow rates of decomposition typically occurring in these regions. Climate change may lead to faster decomposition which, if not matched by an equivalent increase in net primary productivity and litter fall, may tip the balance between source and sink. Recent trends have seen a greater flux of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from peatlands to surface waters and a change in DOM character, presenting challenges to water treatment, for example in terms of increased production of disinfectant by-products (DBPs). Peat systems border a large proportion of reservoirs in the UK so uncertainty regarding DOM quantity and quality is a concern for water utilities. This study considered five peatland vegetation types (Sphagnum spp., Calluna vulgaris, Molinea caerulea, peat soil and mixed litter) collected from the Exmoor National Park, UK where it is hypothesised that peat formation may be strongly affected by future changes to climate. A factorial experiment design to simulate climate was used, considering vegetation type, temperature and rainfall amount using a current baseline and predictions from the UKCP09 model. Gaseous fluxes of carbon were monitored over a two month period to quantify the effect on carbon mineralisation rates while 13C NMR analysis was employed to track which classes of compounds decayed preferentially. The DOM collected was characterised using UV and fluorescence techniques before being subject to standard drinking water treatment processes (coagulation/flocculation followed by chlorination). The effect of the experimental factors on DOM amenability to removal and propensity to form DBPs was then considered, with both trihalomethane (THM) and haloacetonitrile (HAN) DBP classes monitored. Initial results have shown a statistically significant (Mann-Whitney U) difference in THM formation (p<0.05) as well as the amount of DOM produced and specific UV absorption at 254nm (p<0.01) between vegetation classes.

Validation of crowdsourced automatic rain gauge measurements in Amsterdam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Vos, Lotte; Leijnse, Hidde; Overeem, Aart; Uijlenhoet, Remko

2016-04-01

The increasing number of privately owned weather stations and the facilitating role the internet to make this data publicly available, has led to several online platforms that collect and visualize crowdsourced weather data. This has resulted in ever increasing freely available datasets of weather measurements generated by amateur weather enthusiasts. Because of the lack of quality control and the frequent absence of metadata, these measurements are often considered as unreliable. Given the often large variability of weather variables in space and time, and the generally low number of official weather stations, this growing quantity of crowdsourced data may become an important additional source of information. Amateur weather observations have become more frequent over the past decade due to weather stations becoming more user-friendly and affordable. The variables measured by these weather stations are temperature, pressure and dew point, and in some cases wind and rainfall. Meteorological data from crowdsourced automatic weather stations in cities have primarily been used to examine the urban heat island effect. Thus far, these studies have focused on the comparison of the crowdsourced station temperature measurements with a nearby WMO-standard weather station, which is often located in a rural area or the outskirts of a city, generally not being representative of the city center. Instead of temperature, the rainfall measurements by the stations are examined. This research focuses on the combined ability of a large number of privately owned weather stations in an urban setting to correctly monitor rainfall. A set of 64 automatic weather stations distributed over Amsterdam (The Netherlands) that have at least 3 months of precipitation measurement during one year are evaluated. Precipitation measurements from stations are compared to a merged radar-gauge precipitation product. Disregarding sudden jumps in station measured precipitation, the accumulative rainfall over time in most stations showed an underestimation of rainfall compared to the accumulative values found in the corresponding radar pixel of the reference. Special consideration is given to the identification of faulty measurements without the need to obtain additional meta-data, such as setup and surroundings. This validation will show the potential of crowdsourced automatic weather stations for future urban rainfall monitoring.

High-flexibility, noncollapsing lightweight hose

DOEpatents

Williams, David A.

1993-01-01

A high-flexibility, noncollapsing, lightweight, large-bore, wire-reinforced hose is inside fiber-reinforced PVC tubing that is flexible, lightweight, and abrasion resistant. It provides a strong, kink- and collapse-free conduit for moving large quantities of dangerous fluids, e.g., removing radioactive waste water or processing chemicals.

High-flexibility, noncollapsing lightweight hose

DOEpatents

Williams, D.A.

1993-04-20

A high-flexibility, noncollapsing, lightweight, large-bore, wire-reinforced hose is inside fiber-reinforced PVC tubing that is flexible, lightweight, and abrasion resistant. It provides a strong, kink- and collapse-free conduit for moving large quantities of dangerous fluids, e.g., removing radioactive waste water or processing chemicals.

Animal danders.

PubMed

Erwin, Elizabeth A; Woodfolk, Judith A; Custis, Natalie; Platts-Mills, Thomas A E

2003-08-01

Animals release proteins into their surroundings through secretions, as excretions, or as dander. The quantity of dander that is dispersed by cats, dogs, or humans is sufficient to supply food for dust mites and to supply easily measurable quantities of proteins in dust. Fel d 1, Can f 1, and human IgA or IgG can be found in microgram quantities in dust samples. Allergens also can accumulate from the urine of wild or pet rodents. For cats and dogs, the accumulation of dander particles is not related to the cleanliness of the animals. All animals, including humans, provide a fully adequate supply of organic material for bacterial growth in a carpet, provided conditions are sufficiently humid. The authors' preliminary results in Virginia do not find a significant difference in endotoxin between homes with or without animals. The likely explanation for the nonallergic IgG and IgG4 response to cat, dog, or rat allergens is high exposure to proteins from these animals. If the highest levels of cat allergen in a home can result in immunologic tolerance, it is unlikely that primary avoidance would be successful at reducing exposure. The data showing that 80% of Swedish children with cat allergies never had lived with a cat imply that the concentrations of cat allergen in schools or in houses without a cat are sufficient to cause sensitization. Primary prevention would be possible only on a community basis, which is unlikely to occur. Sensitization to cat, rat, dog, or mouse allergens consistently is associated with asthma. In symptomatic children with positive skin test results, there is a strong case for allergen avoidance and a clear need for controlled trials. Controlled trials of avoidance should include houses without cats and schools. Controlling exposure to cat allergens with the cat in situ requires aggressive measures, such as removing reservoirs, washing the cat, and air cleaning. Many allergic or symptomatic children who live with a cat do not have positive skin test results or positive IgE antibodies to cats. Avoidance measures related to animals should be recommended only for individuals with positive skin test results. Increasing evidence shows that exposure to cats, dogs, rats, and other animals can induce a form of immunologic tolerance without causing allergic disease, and it is important to understand why this change occurs with dander allergens rather than with all allergens. The most probable explanations are related to the form and quantity of airborne allergens.

Using 15-minute acoustic data to analyze suspended-sediment dynamics in the Rio Grande in the Big Bend Region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dean, David; Topping, David; Griffiths, Ronald; Sabol, Thomas; Schmidt, John C.; Bennett, Jeffery B.

2015-01-01

The Rio Grande in the Big Bend region is subject to rapid geomorphic change consisting of channel narrowing during years of low flow, and channel widening during rare, large, long duration floods. Since the 1940s, there have been large declines in mean and peak stream flow, and the channel has progressively narrowed. Large, channel widening floods are infrequent and have failed to widen the channel to widths measured prior to the onset of channel narrowing in the 1940s. Before the most recent channel-widening flood in September 2008, the Rio Grande in the Big Bend was more than 50 percent narrower than measured in the 1940s. Channel narrowing results in increased flood frequency and flood magnitude due to the loss of channel capacity and flood conveyance (Dean and Schmidt, 2011). Channel narrowing also results in the loss of important aquatic habitats such as backwaters and side-channels, because these habitats accumulate sediment and are converted to floodplains. Environmental managers are attempting to construct an environmental flow program for the purposes of minimizing channel narrowing during low flow years such that channel capacity, flood conveyance, and important aquatic habitats are maintained. Effective mitigation of channel narrowing processes requires an in-depth understanding of the predominant sediment source areas, the quantity of sediment input from those source areas, the parts of the flow regime responsible for the greatest sediment deposition, and the effect of managed flows in ameliorating the sediment loading that occurs within the channel. Here, we analyze data collected with acoustic instrumentation at high temporal resolution to quantify suspended-sediment transport during a variety of flood types. We also investigate the effect of long duration managed flows in promoting sediment export and minimizing channel narrowing.

Analysis of the Pressure Rise in a Partially Filled Liquid Tank in Microgravity with Low Wall Heat Flux and Simultaneous Boiling and Condensation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hasan, Mohammad M.; Balasubramaniam, R.

2012-01-01

Experiments performed with Freon 113 in the space shuttle have shown that in a pro- cess of very slow heating, high liquid superheats can be sustained for a long period in microgravity. In a closed system explosive vaporization of superheated liquid resulted in pressure spikes of varying magnitudes. In this paper, we analyze the pressure rise in a partially lled closed tank in which a large vapor bubble (i.e., ullage) is initially present, and the liquid is subjected to a low wall heat ux. The liquid layer adjacent to the wall becomes superheated until the temperature for nucleation of the bubbles (or the incipience of boiling) is achieved. In the absence of the gravity-induced convection large quantities of superheated liquid can accumulate over time near the heated surface. Once the incipience temperature is attained, explosive boiling occurs and the vapor bubbles that are produced on the heater surface tend to quickly raise the tank pressure. The liquid-vapor saturation temperature increases as well. These two e ects tend to induce condensation of the large ullage bubble that is initially present, and tends to mitigate the tank pressure rise. As a result, the tank pressure is predicted to rise sharply, attain a maximum, and subsequently decay slowly. The predicted pressure rise is compared with experimental results obtained in the microgravity environments of the space shuttle for Freon 113. The analysis is appli- cable, in general to heating of liquid in closed containers in microgravity and to cryogenic fuel tanks, in particular where small heat leaks into the tank are unavoidable.

HIV populations are large and accumulate high genetic diversity in a nonlinear fashion.

PubMed

Maldarelli, Frank; Kearney, Mary; Palmer, Sarah; Stephens, Robert; Mican, JoAnn; Polis, Michael A; Davey, Richard T; Kovacs, Joseph; Shao, Wei; Rock-Kress, Diane; Metcalf, Julia A; Rehm, Catherine; Greer, Sarah E; Lucey, Daniel L; Danley, Kristen; Alter, Harvey; Mellors, John W; Coffin, John M

2013-09-01

HIV infection is characterized by rapid and error-prone viral replication resulting in genetically diverse virus populations. The rate of accumulation of diversity and the mechanisms involved are under intense study to provide useful information to understand immune evasion and the development of drug resistance. To characterize the development of viral diversity after infection, we carried out an in-depth analysis of single genome sequences of HIV pro-pol to assess diversity and divergence and to estimate replicating population sizes in a group of treatment-naive HIV-infected individuals sampled at single (n = 22) or multiple, longitudinal (n = 11) time points. Analysis of single genome sequences revealed nonlinear accumulation of sequence diversity during the course of infection. Diversity accumulated in recently infected individuals at rates 30-fold higher than in patients with chronic infection. Accumulation of synonymous changes accounted for most of the diversity during chronic infection. Accumulation of diversity resulted in population shifts, but the rates of change were low relative to estimated replication cycle times, consistent with relatively large population sizes. Analysis of changes in allele frequencies revealed effective population sizes that are substantially higher than previous estimates of approximately 1,000 infectious particles/infected individual. Taken together, these observations indicate that HIV populations are large, diverse, and slow to change in chronic infection and that the emergence of new mutations, including drug resistance mutations, is governed by both selection forces and drift.

Analysis and metabolic engineering of lipid-linked oligosaccharides in glycosylation-deficient CHO cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, Meredith B., E-mail: mbauman7@jhu.edu; Tomiya, Noboru, E-mail: ntomiya1@jhu.edu; Betenbaugh, Michael J., E-mail: beten@jhu.edu

2010-04-23

Glycosylation-deficient Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines can be used to expand our understanding of N-glycosylation pathways and to study Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation, diseases caused by defects in the synthesis of N-glycans. The mammalian N-glycosylation pathway involves the step-wise assembly of sugars onto a dolichol phosphate (P-Dol) carrier, forming a lipid-linked oligosaccharide (LLO), followed by the transfer of the completed oligosaccharide onto the protein of interest. In order to better understand how deficiencies in this pathway affect the availability of the completed LLO donor for use in N-glycosylation, we used a non-radioactive, HPLC-based assay to examine the intermediates inmore » the LLO synthesis pathway for CHO-K1 cells and for three different glycosylation-deficient CHO cell lines. B4-2-1 cells, which have a mutation in the dolichol phosphate-mannose synthase (DPM2) gene, accumulated LLO with the structure Man{sub 5}GlcNAc{sub 2}-P-P-Dol, while MI8-5 cells, which lack glucosyltransferase I (ALG6) activity, accumulated Man{sub 9}GlcNAc{sub 2}-P-P-Dol. CHO-K1 and MI5-4 cells both produced primarily the complete LLO, Glc{sub 3}Man{sub 9}GlcNAc{sub 2}-P-P-Dol, though the relative quantity was lower in MI5-4. MI5-4 cells have reduced hexokinase activity which could affect the availability of many of the substrates required for LLO synthesis and, consequently, impair production of the final LLO donor. Increasing hexokinase activity by overexpressing hexokinase II in MI5-4 caused a decrease in the relative quantities of the incomplete LLO intermediates from Man{sub 5}GlcNAc{sub 2}-PP-Dol through Glc{sub 1}Man{sub 9}GlcNAc{sub 2}-PP-Dol, and an increase in the relative quantity of the final LLO donor, Glc{sub 3}Man{sub 9}GlcNAc{sub 2}-P-P-Dol. This study suggests that metabolic engineering may be a useful strategy for improving LLO availability for use in N-glycosylation.« less

Permafrost features on Earth and Mars: Similarities, differences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joens, H. P.

1985-01-01

Typical permafrost features on Earth are polygonal structures, pingos and soli-/gelifluxion features. In areas around the poles and in mountain ranges the precipitation accumulates to inland ice or ice streams. On Mars the same features were identified: polygonal features cover the larger part of the northern lowlands indicating probably an ice wedge-/sand wedge system or desiccation cracks. These features indicate the extend of large mud accumulations which seem to be related to large outflow events of the chaotic terrains. The shore line of this mud accumulation is indicated by a special set of relief types. In some areas large pingo-like hills were identified. In the vicinity of the largest martian volcano, Olympus Mons, the melting of underlying permafrost and/or ground ice led to the downslope sliding of large parts of the primary shield which formed the aureole around Olympus Mons. Glacier-like features are identified along the escarpment which separates the Southern Uplands from the Northern Lowlands.

Estimation of gloss from rough surface parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simonsen, Ingve; Larsen, Åge G.; Andreassen, Erik; Ommundsen, Espen; Nord-Varhaug, Katrin

2005-12-01

Gloss is a quantity used in the optical industry to quantify and categorize materials according to how well they scatter light specularly. With the aid of phase perturbation theory, we derive an approximate expression for this quantity for a one-dimensional randomly rough surface. It is demonstrated that gloss depends in an exponential way on two dimensionless quantities that are associated with the surface randomness: the root-mean-square roughness times the perpendicular momentum transfer for the specular direction, and a correlation function dependent factor times a lateral momentum variable associated with the collection angle. Rigorous Monte Carlo simulations are used to access the quality of this approximation, and good agreement is observed over large regions of parameter space.

Temperature and acidity effects on WO{sub 3} nanostructures and gas-sensing properties of WO{sub 3} nanoplates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Huili; Liu, Zhifang; Yang, Jiaqin

2014-09-15

Graphical abstract: Generally, large acid quantity and high temperature are beneficial to the formation of anhydrous WO3, but the acidity effect on the crystal phase is weaker than that of temperature. Large acid quantity is found helpful to the oriented growth of tungsten oxides, forming a nanoplate-like product. - Highlights: • Large acid quantity is propitious to the oriented growth of a WO{sub 3} nanoplate. • Effect of acid quantity on crystal phases of products is weaker than that of temperature. • One step hydrothermal synthesis of WO{sub 3} is facile and can be easily scaled up. • A WO{submore » 3} nanoplate shows a fast response and distinct sensing selectivity to acetone gas. - Abstract: WO{sub 3} nanostructures were successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method using Na{sub 2}WO{sub 4}·2H{sub 2}O and HNO{sub 3} as raw materials. They are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The specific surface area was obtained from N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption isotherm. The effects of the amount of HNO{sub 3}, hydrothermal temperature and reaction time on the crystal phases and morphologies of the WO{sub 3} nanostructures were investigated in detail, and the reaction mechanism was discussed. Large amount of acid is found for the first time to be helpful to the oriented growth of tungsten oxides, forming nanoplate-like products, while hydrothermal temperature has more influence on the crystal phase of the product. Gas-sensing properties of the series of as-prepared WO{sub 3} nanoplates were tested by means of acetone, ethanol, formaldehyde and ammonia. One of the WO{sub 3} nanoplates with high specific surface area and high crystallinity displays high sensitivity, fast response and distinct sensing selectivity to acetone gas.« less

Current databases on biological variation: pros, cons and progress.

PubMed

Ricós, C; Alvarez, V; Cava, F; García-Lario, J V; Hernández, A; Jiménez, C V; Minchinela, J; Perich, C; Simón, M

1999-11-01

A database with reliable information to derive definitive analytical quality specifications for a large number of clinical laboratory tests was prepared in this work. This was achieved by comparing and correlating descriptive data and relevant observations with the biological variation information, an approach that had not been used in the previous efforts of this type. The material compiled in the database was obtained from published articles referenced in BIOS, CURRENT CONTENTS, EMBASE and MEDLINE using "biological variation & laboratory medicine" as key words, as well as books and doctoral theses provided by their authors. The database covers 316 quantities and reviews 191 articles, fewer than 10 of which had to be rejected. The within- and between-subject coefficients of variation and the subsequent desirable quality specifications for precision, bias and total error for all the quantities accepted are presented. Sex-related stratification of results was justified for only four quantities and, in these cases, quality specifications were derived from the group with lower within-subject variation. For certain quantities, biological variation in pathological states was higher than in the healthy state. In these cases, quality specifications were derived only from the healthy population (most stringent). Several quantities (particularly hormones) have been treated in very few articles and the results found are highly discrepant. Therefore, professionals in laboratory medicine should be strongly encouraged to study the quantities for which results are discrepant, the 90 quantities described in only one paper and the numerous quantities that have not been the subject of study.

17. CUPOLA TENDERS FILLED THE LARGE LADLES WORKERS USED TO ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

17. CUPOLA TENDERS FILLED THE LARGE LADLES WORKERS USED TO POUR MOLDS ON THE CONVEYORS FROM BULL LADLES THAT WERE USED TO STORE BATCH QUANTITIES OF IRON TAPPED FROM THE CUPOLA, CA. 1950. - Stockham Pipe & Fittings Company, 4000 Tenth Avenue North, Birmingham, Jefferson County, AL

Monitoring multi-year macro ocean litter dynamics and backward-tracking simulation of litter origins on a remote island in the South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Chia-Ying; Hsin, Yi-Chia; Yu, Teng-Lang; Liu, Kuo-Lieh; Shiah, Fuh-Kwo; Jeng, Ming-Shiou

2018-04-01

Ocean litter has accumulated rapidly and is becoming a major environmental concern, yet quantitative and regular observations and exploration that track litter origins are limited. By implementing monthly sample collections over five years (2012–2016) at Dongsha Island, a remote island in the northern South China Sea (SCS), we assessed macro ocean litter dynamics, identified source countries of individual plastic bottles, and analyzed the origins of the litter by a backward-tracking model simulation considering both the effects of current velocity and windage. The results showed that large amounts of litter, which varied monthly and annually in weight and quantity, reached the island during the study years, and there were spatial differences in accumulation patterns between the north and south coasts. Styrofoam and plastic bottles were the two primary sources of macro ocean litter both annually and monthly, and most of the litter collected on the island originated from China and Vietnam, which were collectively responsible for approximately 47.5%–63.7% per month. The simulation indicated that current advection at the near-surface depths and low windage at the sea surface showed similar patterns, while medium to high windage exhibited comparable expression patterns in response to potential source regions and drifting time experiments. At either the surface with low windage or current advection at depths of 0.5 m and 1 m, macro ocean litter in the Western Philippine Sea, i.e. through the Luzon Strait between Taiwan and the Philippines, was an important contributor to the litter bulk from October to March, whereas the litter was predicted to mainly originate from the southwestern SCS from April to September. With an increasing windage effect, litter in the Taiwan Strait was predicted to be an additional major potential source. Surprisingly, a small proportion of the macro ocean litter was predicted to continuously travel in the northern SCS for a long duration (> 2 years) before drifting onto Dongsha Island. The estimated drifting time of macro ocean litter also showed monthly and directional variability. This study demonstrated that a tremendous quantity of macro ocean litter, which may cause great damage to the marine ecosystem, drifts in the ocean surface layer and is finally pushed onto beaches. Therefore, we proposed an action plan for effective ocean litter management development at regional and global spatial scales, which is vital for improving and restoring the health and sustainability of the oceanic environment.

How the great apes (Pan troglodytes, Pongo pygmaeus, Pan paniscus, Gorilla gorilla) perform on the reversed reward contingency task II: transfer to new quantities, long-term retention, and the impact of quantity ratios.

PubMed

Uher, Jana; Call, Josep

2008-05-01

We tested 6 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), 3 orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), 4 bonobos (Pan paniscus), and 2 gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) in the reversed reward contingency task. Individuals were presented with pairs of quantities ranging between 0 and 6 food items. Prior to testing, some experienced apes had solved this task using 2 quantities while others were totally naïve. Experienced apes transferred their ability to multiple-novel pairs after 6 to 19 months had elapsed since their initial testing. Two out of 6 naïve apes (1 chimpanzee, 1 bonobo) solved the task--a proportion comparable to that of a previous study using 2 pairs of quantities. Their acquisition speed was also comparable to the successful subjects from that study. The ratio between quantities explained a large portion of the variance but affected naïve and experienced individuals differently. For smaller ratios, naïve individuals were well below 50% correct and experienced ones were well above 50%, yet both groups tended to converge toward 50% for larger ratios. Thus, some apes require no procedural modifications to overcome their strong bias for selecting the larger of 2 quantities. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved.

The precipitation of aluminum, iron and manganese at the junction of Deer Creek with the Snake River in Summit County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Theobald, P.K.; Lakin, H.W.; Hawkins, D.B.

1963-01-01

The oxidation of disseminated pyrite in relatively acid schists and gneisses of the Snake River drainage basin provides abundant iron sulfate and sulfuric acid to ground and surface water. This acid water dissolves large quantities of many elements, particularly aluminum and surprisingly large quantities of elements, such as magnesium and zinc, not expected to be abundant in the drainage basin. The adjoining drainage to the west, Deer Creek, is underlain by basic rocks, from which the water inherits a high pH. Despite the presence of base- and precious- metal veins in the drainage basin of Deer Creek, it carries less metal than the Snake River. The principal precipitate on the bed of the Snake River is hydrated iron oxide with small quantities of the other metals. In Deer Creek manganese oxide is precipitated with iron oxide and large quantities of other metals are carried down with this precipitate. Below the junction of these streams the pH stabilizes at a near-neutral value. Iron is removed from the Snake River water at the junction, and aluminum is precipitated for some distance downstream. The aluminum precipitate carries down other metals in concentrations slightly less than that in the manganese precipitate on Deer Creek. The natural processes observed in this junction if carried to a larger scale could provide the mechanism described by Ansheles (1927) for the formation of bauxite. In the environment described, geochemical exploration by either water or stream sediment techniques is difficult because of (1) the extreme pH differential between the streams above their junction and (2) the difference in the precipitates formed on the streambeds. ?? 1963.

Chinese Grain for Green Program led to highly increased soil organic carbon levels: A meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Song, Xinzhang; Peng, Changhui; Zhou, Guomo; Jiang, Hong; Wang, Weifeng

2014-01-01

The Grain for Green Program (GGP), initiated in 1999, is the largest ecological restoration project in central and western China. Here, for the first time, we performed a meta-analysis and found that the GGP largely increased the soil organic carbon (SOC). The SOC was increased by 48.1%, 25.4%, and 25.5% at soil depths of 0–20 cm, 20–40 cm, and 40–60 cm, respectively. Moreover, this carbon accumulation has significantly increased over time since GGP implementation. The carbon accumulation showed a significantly more active response to the GGP in the top 20 cm of soil than in the deeper soil layers. Conversion of cropland to forest could lead to significantly greater SOC accumulation than would the conversion of cropland to grassland. Conversion from cropland to woodland could lead to greater SOC accumulation than would the conversion to either shrubland or orchard. Our results suggest that the GGP implementation caused SOC to accumulate and that there remains a large potential for further accumulation of carbon in the soil, which will help to mitigate climate change in the near future. PMID:24675818

Fe(0) Nanomotors in Ton Quantities (10(20) Units) for Environmental Remediation.

PubMed

Teo, Wei Zhe; Zboril, Radek; Medrik, Ivo; Pumera, Martin

2016-03-24

Despite demonstrating potential for environmental remediation and biomedical applications, the practical environmental applications of autonomous self-propelled micro-/nanorobots have been limited by the inability to fabricate these devices in large (kilograms/tons) quantities. In view of the demand for large-scale environmental remediation by micro-/nanomotors, which are easily synthesized and powered by nontoxic fuel, we have developed bubble-propelled Fe(0) Janus nanomotors by a facile thermally induced solid-state procedure and investigated their potential as decontamination agents of pollutants. These Fe(0) Janus nanomotors, stabilized by an ultrathin iron oxide shell, were fuelled by their decomposition in citric acid, leading to the asymmetric bubble propulsion. The degradation of azo-dyes was dramatically increased in the presence of moving self-propelled Fe(0) nanomotors, which acted as reducing agents. Such enhanced pollutant decomposition triggered by biocompatible Fe(0) (nanoscale zero-valent iron motors), which can be handled in the air and fabricated in ton quantities for low cost, will revolutionize the way that environmental remediation is carried out. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.