Dose of Dialysis Based on Body Surface Area Is Markedly Less in Younger Children Than in Older Adolescents

PubMed Central

Hanna, Melisha G.; Becker-Cohen, Rachel; Langman, Craig B.

2010-01-01

Background and observations: The current denominator for dosing dialysis is the urea distribution volume (V). Normalizing Kt/V to body surface area (S) has been proposed, but the implications of doing this in children have not been examined. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: Dialysis dose given to children and adolescents was calculated in terms of conventional V-based scaling and surface-area-normalized standard Kt/V (SAN-stdKt/V) calculated as stdKt/V·(Vant/S)/17.5, where Vant was an anthropometric estimate of V calculated using the Morgenstern equation. Formal 2-pool modeling was used to compute all dialysis adequacy outputs. Results: In 34 children (11 girls, 23 boys) dialyzed 3 times a week, age range 1.4 to 18 years, the mean delivered equilibrated Kt/V (eKt/V) was 1.40, and the mean stdKt/V was 2.49, both of which tended to be higher in younger children. The ratio of Vant to S was 15.6 ± 2.69 and was strongly associated with age between ages 2 and 16. SAN-stdKt/V averaged 2.21 and was strongly correlated with age between ages 2 and 16. If one considers a desired target for SAN-stdKt/V to be 2.45, all children less than 10 years of age were below target, despite having relatively high values of eKt/V and stdKt/V. Conclusions: If a surface-area-based denominator were to be adopted for dialysis dosing, most children under 10 years of age would receive markedly less dialysis than adolescent patients and would require 6- to 8-hour hemodialysis sessions or, for the youngest children, treatments given more frequently than 3 times/wk. PMID:20299373

Dose of dialysis based on body surface area is markedly less in younger children than in older adolescents.

PubMed

Daugirdas, John T; Hanna, Melisha G; Becker-Cohen, Rachel; Langman, Craig B

2010-05-01

BACKGROUND AND OBSERVATIONS: The current denominator for dosing dialysis is the urea distribution volume (V). Normalizing Kt/V to body surface area (S) has been proposed, but the implications of doing this in children have not been examined. Dialysis dose given to children and adolescents was calculated in terms of conventional V-based scaling and surface-area-normalized standard Kt/V (SAN-stdKt/V) calculated as stdKt/V x (Vant/S)/17.5, where Vant was an anthropometric estimate of V calculated using the Morgenstern equation. Formal 2-pool modeling was used to compute all dialysis adequacy outputs. In 34 children (11 girls, 23 boys) dialyzed 3 times a week, age range 1.4 to 18 years, the mean delivered equilibrated Kt/V (eKt/V) was 1.40, and the mean stdKt/V was 2.49, both of which tended to be higher in younger children. The ratio of Vant to S was 15.6 +/- 2.69 and was strongly associated with age between ages 2 and 16. SAN-stdKt/V averaged 2.21 and was strongly correlated with age between ages 2 and 16. If one considers a desired target for SAN-stdKt/V to be 2.45, all children less than 10 years of age were below target, despite having relatively high values of eKt/V and stdKt/V. If a surface-area-based denominator were to be adopted for dialysis dosing, most children under 10 years of age would receive markedly less dialysis than adolescent patients and would require 6- to 8-hour hemodialysis sessions or, for the youngest children, treatments given more frequently than 3 times/wk.

Research note: Mapping spatial patterns in sewer age, material, and proximity to surface waterways to infer sewer leakage hotspots

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hopkins, Kristina G.; Bain, Daniel J.

2018-01-01

Identifying areas where deteriorating sewer infrastructure is in close proximity to surface waterways is needed to map likely connections between sewers and streams. We present a method to estimate sewer installation year and deterioration status using historical maps of the sewer network, parcel-scale property assessment data, and pipe material. Areas where streams were likely buried into the sewer system were mapped by intersecting the historical stream network derived from a 10-m resolution digital elevation model with sewer pipe locations. Potential sewer leakage hotspots were mapped by identifying where aging sewer pipes are in close proximity (50-m) to surface waterways. Results from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA), indicated 41% of the historical stream length was lost or buried and the potential interface between sewers and streams is great. The co-location of aging sewer infrastructure (>75 years old) near stream channels suggests that 42% of existing streams are located in areas with a high potential for sewer leakage if sewer infrastructure fails. Mapping the sewer-stream interface provides an approach to better understand areas were failing sewers may contribute a disproportional amount of nutrients and other pathogens to surface waterways.

Inhibitory effect of gold nanoparticles on the D-ribose glycation of bovine serum albumin.

PubMed

Liu, Weixi; Cohenford, Menashi A; Frost, Leslie; Seneviratne, Champika; Dain, Joel A

2014-01-01

Formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) by nonenzymatic glycation of proteins is a major contributory factor to the pathophysiology of diabetic conditions including senile dementia and atherosclerosis. This study describes the inhibitory effect of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on the D-ribose glycation of bovine serum albumin (BSA). A combination of analytical methods including ultraviolet-visible spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography, circular dichroism, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry were used to determine the extent of BSA glycation in the presence of citrate reduced spherical GNPs of various sizes and concentrations. GNPs of particle diameters ranging from 2 nm to 20 nm inhibited BSA's AGE formation. The extent of inhibition correlated with the total surface area of the nanoparticles. GNPs of highest total surface area yielded the most inhibition whereas those with the lowest total surface area inhibited the formation of AGEs the least. Additionally, when GNPs' total surface areas were set the same, their antiglycation activities were similar. This inhibitory effect of GNPs on BSA's glycation by D-ribose suggests that colloidal particles may have a therapeutic application for the treatment of diabetes and conditions that promote hyperglycemia.

Inhibitory effect of gold nanoparticles on the D-ribose glycation of bovine serum albumin

PubMed Central

Liu, Weixi; Cohenford, Menashi A; Frost, Leslie; Seneviratne, Champika; Dain, Joel A

2014-01-01

Formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) by nonenzymatic glycation of proteins is a major contributory factor to the pathophysiology of diabetic conditions including senile dementia and atherosclerosis. This study describes the inhibitory effect of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on the D-ribose glycation of bovine serum albumin (BSA). A combination of analytical methods including ultraviolet–visible spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography, circular dichroism, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry were used to determine the extent of BSA glycation in the presence of citrate reduced spherical GNPs of various sizes and concentrations. GNPs of particle diameters ranging from 2 nm to 20 nm inhibited BSA’s AGE formation. The extent of inhibition correlated with the total surface area of the nanoparticles. GNPs of highest total surface area yielded the most inhibition whereas those with the lowest total surface area inhibited the formation of AGEs the least. Additionally, when GNPs’ total surface areas were set the same, their antiglycation activities were similar. This inhibitory effect of GNPs on BSA’s glycation by D-ribose suggests that colloidal particles may have a therapeutic application for the treatment of diabetes and conditions that promote hyperglycemia. PMID:25473284

Chemical weathering rates of a soil chronosequence on granitic alluvium: I. Quantification of mineralogical and surface area changes and calculation of primary silicate reaction rates

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, A.F.; Blum, A.E.; Schulz, M.S.; Bullen, T.D.; Harden, J.W.; Peterson, M.L.

1996-01-01

Mineral weathering rates are determined for a series of soils ranging in age from 0.2-3000 Ky developed on alluvial terraces near Merced in the Central Valley of California. Mineralogical and elemental abundances exhibit time-dependent trends documenting the chemical evolution of granitic sand to residual kaolinite and quartz. Mineral losses with time occur in the order: hornblende > plagioclase > K-feldspar. Maximum volume decreases of >50% occur in the older soils. BET surface areas of the bulk soils increase with age, as do specific surface areas of aluminosilicate mineral fractions such as plagioclase, which increases from 0.4-1.5 m2 g-1 over 600 Ky. Quartz surface areas are lower and change less with time (0.11-0.23 m2 g-1). BET surface areas correspond to increasing external surface roughness (?? = 10-600) and relatively constant internal surface area (??? 1.3 m2 g-1). SEM observations confirm both surface pitting and development of internal porosity. A numerical model describes aluminosilicate dissolution rates as a function of changes in residual mineral abundance, grain size distributions, and mineral surface areas with time. A simple geometric treatment, assuming spherical grains and no surface roughness, predicts average dissolution rates (plagioclase, 10-17.4; K-feldspar, 10-17.8; and hornblende, 10-17.5 mol cm-1 s-1) that are constant with time and comparable to previous estimates of soil weathering. Average rates, based on BET surface area measurements and variable surface roughnesses, are much slower (plagioclase, 10-19.9; K-feldspar, 10-20.5; and hornblende 10-20.1 mol cm-2 s-1). Rates for individual soil horizons decrease by a factor of 101.5 over 3000 Ky indicating that the surface reactivities of minerals decrease as the physical surface areas increase. Rate constants based on BET estimates for the Merced soils are factors of 103-104 slower than reported experimental dissolution rates determined from freshly prepared silicates with low surface roughness (?? <10). This study demonstrates that the utility of experimental rate constants to predict weathering in soils is limited without consideration of variable surface areas and processes that control the evolution of surface reactivity with time.

Characterization of hematite nanoparticles synthesized via two different pathways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Soumya; Hendry, M. Jim

2014-08-01

Hematite is one of the most common and thermodynamically stable iron oxides found in both natural and anthropogenic systems. Owing to its ubiquity, stability, moderate specific surface area, and ability to sequester metals and metalloids from aquatic systems, it has been the subject of a large number of adsorption studies published during the past few decades. Although preparation techniques are known to affect the surface morphology of hematite nanoparticles, the effects of aging under environmentally relevant conditions have yet to be tested with respect to surface morphology, surface area, and adsorptive capacity. We prepared hematite via two different pathways and aged it under highly alkaline conditions encountered in many mill tailings settings. Crystal habits and morphologies of the hematite nanoparticles were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analyses were also conducted on the hematite nanoparticles before and after aging. The hematite synthesized via an Fe(III) salt solution (average particle size 37 nm) was morphologically and structurally different from the hematite synthesized via ferrihydrite aging (average particle size 144 nm). Overall, our data demonstrate that the crystallinity of hematite produced via ferrihydrite transformation is susceptible to morphological alterations/modifications. In contrast, the hematite formed via hydrolysis of an Fe(III) salt solution remains very stable in terms of structure, size, and morphology even under extreme experimental conditions.

The surface abundance and stratigraphy of lunar rocks from data about their albedo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shevchenko, V. V.

1977-01-01

The data pf ground-based studies and surveys of the lunar surface by the Zond and Apollo spacecraft have been used to construct an albedo map covering 80 percent of the lunar sphere. Statistical analysis of the distribution of areas with various albedos shows several types of lunar surface. Comparison of albedo data for maria and continental areas with the results of geochemical orbital surveys allows the identification of the types of surface with known types of lunar rock. The aluminum/silcon and magnesium/silicon ratios as measured by the geochemical experiments on the Apollo 15 and Apollo 16 spacecraft were used as an indication of the chemical composition of the rock. The relationship of the relative aluminum content to the age of crystalline rocks allows a direct dependence to be constructed between the mean albedo of areas and the age of the rocks of which they are composed.

Granitic boulder erosion caused by chaparral wildfire: Implications for cosmogenic radionuclide dating of bedrock surfaces

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kendrick, Katherine J.; Camille Partin,; Graham, Robert C.

2016-01-01

Rock surface erosion by wildfire is significant and widespread but has not been quantified in southern California or for chaparral ecosystems. Quantifying the surface erosion of bedrock outcrops and boulders is critical for determination of age using cosmogenic radionuclide techniques, as even modest surface erosion removes the accumulation of the cosmogenic radionuclides and causes significant underestimate of age. This study documents the effects on three large granitic boulders following the Esperanza Fire of 2006 in southern California. Spalled rock fragments were quantified by measuring the removed rock volume from each measured boulder. Between 7% and 55% of the total surface area of the boulders spalled in this single fire. The volume of spalled material, when normalized across the entire surface area, represents a mean surface lowering of 0.7–12.3 mm. Spalled material was thicker on the flanks of the boulders, and the height of the fire effects significantly exceeded the height of the vegetation prior to the wildfire. Surface erosion of boulders and bedrock outcrops as a result of wildfire spalling results in fresh surfaces that appear unaffected by chemical weathering. Such surfaces may be preferentially selected by researchers for cosmogenic surface dating because of their fresh appearance, leading to an underestimate of age.

Potentiometric surface of the upper Patapsco Aquifer in southern Maryland, September 1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, D.C.; Mack, Frederick K.

1993-01-01

A map showing the potentiometric surface of the upper Patapsco aquifer in the Patapsco Formation of Cretaceous age in southern Maryland during September 1991 was prepared from water levels measured in wells. The potentiometric surface was at least 70 feet above sea level near the northwestern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in a topographically high area of Anne Arundel County, and at least 56 feet above sea level in a similar setting in Prince Georges County. From these high areas, the potentiometric surface declined to the south and southeast toward large well fields in the Annapolis and Waldorf areas and at the Chalk Point powerplant.

Influence of soil biochar aging on sorption of the herbicides MCPA, nicosulfuron, terbuthylazine, indaziflam, and fluoroethyldiaminotriazine.

PubMed

Trigo, Carmen; Spokas, Kurt A; Cox, Lucia; Koskinen, William C

2014-11-12

Sorption of four herbicides and a metabolite of indaziflam on a fresh macadamia nut biochar and biochars aged one or two years in soil was characterized. On fresh biochar, the sorption was terbuthylazine (Kd = 595) > indaziflam (Kd = 162) > MCPA (Kd = 7.5) > fluoroethyldiaminotriazine (Kd = 0.26) and nicosulfuron (Kd = 0). Biochar surface area increased with aging attributed to the loss of a surface film. This was also manifested in a decline in water extractable organic carbon with aging. Correspondingly, an increase in the aromaticity was observed. The higher surface area and porosity in aged biochar increased sorption of indaziflam (KdBC-2yr = 237) and fluoroethyldiaminotriazine (KdBC-1yr = 1.2 and KdBC-2yr = 3.0), but interestingly decreased sorption of terbuthylazine (KdBC-1yr = 312 and KdBC-2yr = 221) and MCPA (KdBC-1yr = 2 and KdBC-2yr = 2). These results will facilitate development of biochars for specific remediation purposes.

Influence of lake surface area and total phosphorus on annual bluegill growth in small impoundments of central Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jennings, Cecil A.; Sundmark, Aaron P.

2017-01-01

The relationships between environmental variables and the growth rates of fishes are important and rapidly expanding topics in fisheries ecology. We used an informationtheoretic approach to evaluate the influence of lake surface area and total phosphorus on the age-specific growth rates of Lepomis macrochirus (Bluegill) in 6 small impoundments in central Georgia. We used model averaging to create composite models and determine the relative importance of the variables within each model. Results indicated that surface area was the most important factor in the models predicting growth of Bluegills aged 1–4 years; total phosphorus was also an important predictor for the same age-classes. These results suggest that managers can use water quality and lake morphometry variables to create predictive models specific to their waterbody or region to help develop lake-specific management plans that select for and optimize local-level habitat factors for enhancing Bluegill growth.

An echocardiographic assessment of cardiac morphology and common ECG findings in teenage professional soccer players: reference ranges for use in screening

PubMed Central

Somauroo, J; Pyatt, J; Jackson, M; Perry, R; Ramsdale, D

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVE—To assess physiological cardiac adaptation in adolescent professional soccer players.
SUBJECTS AND DESIGN—Over a 32 month period 172 teenage soccer players were screened by echocardiography and ECG at a tertiary referral cardiothoracic centre. They were from six professional soccer teams in the north west of England, competing in the English Football League. One was excluded because of an atrial septal defect. The median age of the 171 players assessed was 16.7 years (5th to 95th centile range: 14-19) and median body surface area 1.68 m2 (1.39-2.06 m2).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES—Standard echocardiographic measurements were compared with predicted mean, lower, and upper limits in a cohort of normal controls after matching for age and surface area. Univariate regression analysis was used to assess the correlation between echocardiographic variables and the age and surface area of the soccer player cohort. ECG findings were also assessed.
RESULTS—All mean echocardiographic variables were greater than predicted for age and surface area matched controls (p < 0.001). All variables except left ventricular septal and posterior wall thickness showed a modest linear correlation with surface area (r = 0.2 to 0.4, p < 0.001); however, left ventricular mass was the only variable that was significantly correlated with age (r = 0.2, p < 0.01). Only six players (3.5%) had structural anomalies, none of which required further evaluation. All had normal left ventricular systolic function. Sinus bradycardia was found in 65 (39%). The Solokow-Lyon voltage criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy were present in 85 (50%) and the Romhilt-Estes points score (five or more) in 29 (17%). Repolarisation changes were present in 19 (11%), mainly in the inferior leads.
CONCLUSIONS—Chamber dimensions, left ventricular wall thickness and mass, and aortic root size were all greater than predicted for controls after matching for age and surface area. Sinus bradycardia and the ECG criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy were common but there was poor correlation with echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy. The type of hypertrophy found reflected the combined endurance and strength based training undertaken.


Keywords: cardiac morphology; professional soccer players; echocardiography; ECG findings PMID:11359746

The geomorphic evolution of the lunar surface.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ronca, L. B.

1972-01-01

The solution of the function relating craters of the continuous degradation sequence with degree of erosion was defined as the geomorphic index of the area. Studies of the geomorphic index of stratigraphic surfaces show that areas covered by considerable ballistic sediments have a geomorphic index which is not a monotonic function of time. On the other hand, areas covered almost exclusively by mare flooding show an index which is a monotonic function of the age of the flooding. As each mare surface shows a considerable range in indices, it is concluded that maria are covered by surfaces formed through a considerable length of time. By using Apollo 11 and 12 radiometric ages it is suggested that the time of mare flooding lasted on the order of one billion years. The geomorphic index of highland surfaces shows a remarkable degree of order - i.e., the farther an area is inland from the mare shores, the higher will be the index. No explanation is given for this phenomenon, but it is suggested that lunar erosion is not just a localized phenomenon centered on the locus of an impact, but has lateral trends of regional dimensions.

Morphological Alterations in the Thalamus, Striatum, and Pallidum in Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Schuetze, Manuela; Park, Min Tae M; Cho, Ivy YK; MacMaster, Frank P; Chakravarty, M Mallar; Bray, Signe L

2016-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder with cognitive, motor, and emotional symptoms. The thalamus and basal ganglia form circuits with the cortex supporting all three of these behavioral domains. Abnormalities in the structure of subcortical regions may suggest atypical development of these networks, with implications for understanding the neural basis of ASD symptoms. Findings from previous volumetric studies have been inconsistent. Here, using advanced surface-based methodology, we investigated localized differences in shape and surface area in the basal ganglia and thalamus in ASD, using T1-weighted anatomical images from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (373 male participants aged 7–35 years with ASD and 384 typically developing). We modeled effects of diagnosis, age, and their interaction on volume, shape, and surface area. In participants with ASD, we found expanded surface area in the right posterior thalamus corresponding to the pulvinar nucleus, and a more concave shape in the left mediodorsal nucleus. The shape of both caudal putamen and pallidum showed a relatively steeper increase in concavity with age in ASD. Within ASD participants, restricted, repetitive behaviors were positively associated with surface area in bilateral globus pallidus. We found no differences in overall volume, suggesting that surface-based approaches have greater sensitivity to detect localized differences in subcortical structure. This work adds to a growing body of literature implicating corticobasal ganglia-thalamic circuits in the pathophysiology of ASD. These circuits subserve a range of cognitive, emotional, and motor functions, and may have a broad role in the complex symptom profile in ASD. PMID:27125303

Prognostic value of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging measurements corrected for age and sex in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

PubMed

Swift, Andrew J; Rajaram, Smitha; Campbell, Michael J; Hurdman, Judith; Thomas, Steve; Capener, Dave; Elliot, Charlie; Condliffe, Robin; Wild, Jim M; Kiely, David G

2014-01-01

There are limited data on the prognostic value of cardiovascular magnetic resonance measurements in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, with no studies investigating the impact of correction of cardiovascular magnetic resonance indices for age and sex on prognostic value. Consecutive patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5T. Steady-state free precession cardiac volumes and mass measurements were corrected for age, sex, and body surface area according to reference data and prognostic significance assessed. A total of 80 patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension were identified, and 23 patients died during the mean follow-up of 32±14 months. Corrected for age, sex, and body surface area, right ventricular end-systolic volume (P=0.004) strongly predicted mortality, independent of World Health Organization functional class, mean right atrial pressure, cardiac index, and mixed venous oxygen saturations. Consideration should be given to correcting cardiovascular magnetic resonance measures for age, sex, and body surface area, particularly given the changing demographics of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. Corrected right ventricular end-systolic volume is a strong prognostic marker in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, independent of invasively derived measurements, mean right atrial pressure cardiac index, and mixed venous oxygen saturations.

Reference values of left heart echocardiographic dimensions and mass in male peri-pubertal athletes.

PubMed

Cavarretta, Elena; Maffessanti, Francesco; Sperandii, Fabio; Guerra, Emanuele; Quaranta, Federico; Nigro, Antonia; Minati, Monia; Rebecchi, Marco; Fossati, Chiara; Calò, Leonardo; Pigozzi, Fabio

2018-01-01

Background Several articles have proposed reference values in healthy paediatric subjects, but none of them has evaluated a large population of healthy trained adolescents. Design The study purpose was to establish normal echocardiographic measurements of left heart (aortic root, left atrium and left ventricular dimensions and mass) in relation to age, weight, height, body mass index, body surface area and training hours in this specific population. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 2151 consecutive, healthy, peri-pubertal athletes (100% male, mean age 12.4 ± 1.4 years, range 8-18) referred to a single centre for pre-participation screening. All participants were young soccer athletes who trained for a mean of 7.2 ± 1.1 h per week. Results Left ventricular internal diameters, wall thickness, left ventricular mass, aortic root and left atrium diameters were significantly correlated to age, body surface area, height and weight ( p < 0.01). Age, height, weight and body surface area were found associated with chamber size, while body mass index and training hours were not. Inclusion of both age and body size parameters in the statistical models resulted in improved overall explained variance for diameters and left ventricular mass. Conclusion Equations, mean values and percentile charts for the different age groups may be useful as reference data in efficiently assessing left ventricular parameters in young athletes.

New Mathematical Model for the Surface Area of the Left Ventricle by the Truncated Prolate Spheroid

PubMed Central

Vale, Marcos de Paula; Martinez, Carlos Barreira

2017-01-01

The main aim of this study was the formula application of the superficial area of a truncated prolate spheroid (TPS) in Cartesian coordinates in obtaining a cardiac parameter that is not so much discussed in literature, related to the left ventricle (LV) surface area of the human heart, by age and sex. First we obtain a formula for the area of a TPS. Then a simple mathematical model of association of the axes measures of a TPS with the axes of the LV is built. Finally real values of the average dimensions of the humans LV are used to measure surface areas approximations of this heart chamber. As a result, the average superficial area of LV for normal patients is obtained and it is observed that the percentage differences of areas between men and women and their consecutive age groups are constant. A strong linear correlation between the obtained areas and the ventricular volumes normalized by the body areas was observed. The obtained results indicate that the superficial area of the LV, besides enabling a greater knowledge of the geometrical characteristics of the human LV, may be used as one of the normality cardiac verification criteria and be useful for medical and biological applications. PMID:28547001

Geologic history and palynologic dating of Paleocene deposits, western Rock Springs uplift, Sweetwater County, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirschbaum, M.A.; Nelson, S.N.

1988-01-01

During the latest Cretaceous or earliest Paleocene, a northwest-southeast trending anticline developed in the area of the present Rock springs uplift in southwestern Wyoming. This ancestral structure was eroded to a surface of fairly low relief on which a paleosol developed. The surface was formed on the Upper Cretaceous Almond Formation throughout the study area. In the early middle Paleocene (P3 palynomorph zone), topographic lows on the erosion surface were infilled by alluvial deposits that accumulated in channel, floodplain, and backswamp environments. An organic-rich facies contains numerous coal beds and is middle to late Paleocene in age (P3 to P5 zones). The assemblage of pollen that defines the late middle Paleocene (P4 zone) is absent from the area suggesting a hiatus, although no lithologic break was observed at this boundary. The younger organic-poor facies begins in the late Paleocene (P5 zone) and continues to the top of the studied sequence. This change in facies has been used to map the contact between the Fort Union Formation of Paleocene age in this area, and the Wasatch Formation which was though to be of Eocene age. This study demonstrates that, as currently mapped, the lower part of the Wasatch Formation is Paleocene in age. Stratigraphically higher parts of the Wasatch, which presumably contain rocks of latest Paleocene (P6 zone) and earliest Eocene age, were not studied. -Authors

Temporal changes in nitrogen adsorption properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Agnihotri, S.; Rostam-Abadi, M.; Rood, M.J.

2004-01-01

Temporal evolution of N2 adsorption (77 K) properties of as-produced and purified single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) samples is described here. The N2 adsorption isotherms are used to characterize the samples' surface areas and porosities. The as-produced samples demonstrate a temporal increase in surface area and pore volumes for up to 16 months. The purified samples, however, reached their stable values of surface area and pore volumes within four to seven months. N2 adsorption capacity of the purified SWNTs also increased when the fresh samples were subjected to thermal pre-processing, with diminishing changes in adsorption capacity with increased age. These observations indicate that the freshly prepared SWNTs, both as-produced and purified, were in an unstable state with their porosity changing with increasing sample age and thermal treatments. It is hypothesized that SWNTs undergo slow but progressive changes in their surface chemistry which causes their N2 adsorption properties to change over several months. ?? 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Nur, Adrian; Rahmawati, Alifah; Ilmi, Noor Izzati

Synthesis of nanosized of hydroxyapatite (HA) by electrochemical pulsed direct current (PDC) method has been studied. The aim of this work is to study the influence of various PDC parameters (pH initial, electrode distance, duty cycle, frequency, and amplitude) on particle surface area of HA powders. The electrochemical synthesis was prepared in solution Ca{sup 2+}/EDTA{sup 4−}/PO{sub 4}{sup 3+} at concentration 0.25/0.25/0.15 M for 24 h. The electrochemical cell was consisted of two carbon rectangular electrodes connected to a function generator to produce PDC. There were two treatments for particles after electrosynthesized, namely without aging and aged for 2 days atmore » 40 °C. For both cases, the particles were filtered and washed by demineralized water to eliminate the impurities and unreacted reactants. Then, the particles were dried at 100 °C for 2 days. The dried particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, surface area analyzer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectra and thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis. HA particles can be produced when the initial pH > 6. The aging process has significant effect on the produced HA particles. SEM images of HA particles showed that the powders consisted of agglomerates composed of fine crystallites and have morphology plate-like and sphere. The surface area of HA particles is in the range of 25 – 91 m{sup 2}/g. The largest particle surface area of HA was produced at 4 cm electrode distance, 80% cycle duty, frequency 0.1 Hz, amplitude 9 V and with aging process.« less

Specific surface area as a maturity index of lunar fines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gammage, R. B.; Holmes, H. F.

1975-01-01

Mature surface fines have an equilibrium specific surface area of about 0.6 sq m/g the equivalent mean particle size being about 3 microns. The adsorption behavior of inert gases (reversible isotherms) indicates that the particles are also nonporous in the size range of pores from 10 to 3000 A. Apparently, in mature soils there is a balance in the forces which cause fining, attrition, pore filling, and growth of lunar dust grains. Immature, lightly irradiated soils usually have coarser grains which reduce in size as aging proceeds. The specific surface area, determined by nitrogen or krypton sorption at 77 K, is a valuable index of soil maturity.

Hydrology of Area 61, Northern Great Plains and Rocky Mountain Coal Provinces, Colorado and New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abbott, P.O.; Geldon, Arthur L.; Cain, Doug; Hall, Alan P.; Edelmann, Patrick

1983-01-01

Area 61 is located on the Colorado-New Mexico boundary in Huerfano and Las Animas Counties, Colorado, and Colfax County, New Mexico, and includes the Raton Mesa coal region. The 5 ,900-square-mile area is an asymmetrical structural trough bounded by the Rocky Mountains on the west and the Great Plains on the east. The area is drained by the Huerfano, Apishapa, Purgatoire, and Canadian Rivers (and their tributaries), all tributary to the Arkansas River. The principal coal-bearing formations are the Vermejo Formation of Late Cretaceous age and the Raton Formation of Late Cretaceous and Paleocene age. Much of the coal in the area is of coking quality, important to the metallurgical industry. Topographic relief in the area is greater than 8,700 feet, and this influences the climate which in turn affects the runoff pattern of area streams. Summer thunderstorms often result in flash floods. Virtually all geologic units in the region yield water. Depth to ground water ranges from land surface to 400 feet. Surface and ground water in the area contain mostly bicarbonate and sulfate ions; locally in the ground water, chloride ions predominate. Potential hydrologic problems associated with surface coal mining in the area are water-quality degradation, water-table decline, and increased erosion and sedimentation.

Complex and region-specific changes in astroglial markers in the aging brain.

PubMed

Rodríguez, José J; Yeh, Chia-Yu; Terzieva, Slavica; Olabarria, Markel; Kulijewicz-Nawrot, Magdalena; Verkhratsky, Alexei

2014-01-01

Morphological aging of astrocytes was investigated in entorhinal cortex (EC), dentate gyrus (DG), and cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) regions of hippocampus of male SV129/C57BL6 mice of different age groups (3, 9, 18, and 24 months). Astroglial profiles were visualized by immunohistochemistry by using glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), glutamine synthetase (GS), and s100β staining; these profiles were imaged using confocal or light microscopy for subsequent morphometric analysis. GFAP-positive profiles in the DG and the CA1 of the hippocampus showed progressive age-dependent hypertrophy, as indicated by an increase in surface, volume, and somata volume at 24 months of age compared with 3-month-old mice. In contrast with the hippocampal regions, aging induced a decrease in GFAP-positive astroglial profiles in the EC: the surface, volume, and cell body volume of astroglial cells at 24 months of age were decreased significantly compared with the 3-month group. The GS-positive astrocytes displayed smaller cellular surface areas at 24 months compared with 3-month-old animals in both areas of hippocampus, whereas GS-positive profiles remained unchanged in the EC of old mice. The morphometry of s100β-immunoreactive profiles revealed substantial increase in the EC, more moderate increase in the DG, and no changes in the CA1 area. Based on the morphological analysis of 3 astroglial markers, we conclude that astrocytes undergo a complex age-dependent remodeling in a brain region-specific manner. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Surface ages and rates of erosion at the Calico Archaeological Site in the Mojave Desert, Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owen, Lewis A.; Davis, Teresa; Caffee, Marc W.; Budinger, Fred; Nash, David

2011-01-01

Erosion rates and surface exposure ages were determined at the Calico Archaeological Site in the Calico Hills of the Mojave Desert, California, using 10Be terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides (TCN) methods. The Calico Hills are composed of Miocene lacustrine deposits of the Barstow Formation and fanglomerates/debris flows of the Pleistocene Yermo Deposits. These deposits are highly denuded and dissected by arroyos that have surfaces armored with chert. Surface erosion rates based on cosmogenic 10Be concentrations in stream sediments range from 19 to 39 m/Ma, with an average of 30.5 ± 6.2 m/Ma. Surface boulders have 10Be TCN ages that range from 27 ka to 198 ka, reflecting significant erosion of the Calico Hills. The oldest boulder age (197 ± 20 ka) places a minimum limit on the age of Yermo deposits. Depth profile ages at four locations within the study area have minimum ages that range from 31 to 84 ka and erosion rate-corrected surface exposure ages ranging from 43 to 139 ka. These surface exposure ages support the view that the surfaces in Yermo deposits formed during the Late Pleistocene to latest Middle Pleistocene. This chronology has important implications for interpreting the context of possible artifacts/geofacts at the site that might provide evidence for early human occupation of North America, and for reconstructing paleoenvironment change and landscape evolution in the region.

An Assessment of Soil Disturbance from Five Harvesting Intensities

Treesearch

John Klepac; Stephen E. Reutebuch; Robert B. Rummer

1999-01-01

Surface soil disturbance was compared among a commercial thinning, group selection, patch cut, 2-age, and clearcut. The thinning, group selection and patch cut units had significantly higher percentages of undisturbed area. The 2-age unit had a significantly higher percentage of area disturbed with litter in place. The clearcut unit had a significantly higher...

Systematic determination of thyroid volume by ultrasound examination from infancy to adolescence in Japan: the Fukushima Health Management Survey.

PubMed

Suzuki, Satoru; Midorikawa, Sanae; Fukushima, Toshihiko; Shimura, Hiroki; Ohira, Tetsuya; Ohtsuru, Akira; Abe, Masafumi; Shibata, Yoshisada; Yamashita, Shunichi; Suzuki, Shinichi

2015-01-01

Although several reports have defined normal thyroid volume depending on either age or body surface, there are no sequential reference values on childhood thyroid volume evaluated by using ultrasonography and epidemiological analysis in Japan. The aim of the present study was to establish updated reference values for thyroid volume by ultrasound examination and epidemiological analysis in 0-19 year-old Japanese children. It is based on a cross-sectional study conducted from October 9, 2011 to March 31, 2012. The subjects were 38,063 children who were examined by ultrasonography as the initial preliminary survey of the Fukushima Health Management Survey in October 9, 2011 to March 31, 2012. The width, thickness, and height of each lobe were measured and the volume of each lobe was calculated by the mean of the elliptical shape volume formula. The values of thyroid volume at the 2.5 and 97.5 percentiles of age and body surface area for each gender group were obtained from 0-19 year-old children. Positive correlation was observed between thyroid volume and either age or body surface. The right lobe was significantly larger than the left lobe. The thyroid volume in females was larger than that in males after adjusting body surface area. The reference values of childhood thyroid for each age or body surface area were obtained by this extensive survey using ultrasound. These reference values may be used to define the normal size of thyroid gland by echosonography in Japanese children, although thyroid volume may be affected by dimorphic factors such as sex hormones.

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Patapsco Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Mack, Frederick K.

1996-01-01

A map showing the potentiometric surface of the upper Patapsco aquifer in the Patapsco Formation of Cretaceous age in southern Maryland during September 1995 was prepared from water-level measurements in 42 wells. The potentiometric surface was nearly 120 feet above sea level near the northwestern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in topographically high areas of Anne Arundel County, and 55 feet above sea level in a similar setting in Prince Georges County. From these high areas, the potentiometic surface declined to the south and southeast toward large well fields in the Annapolis and Waldorf areas and at the Chalk Point powerplant. Ground-water levels reached nearly 30 feet below sea level in the Annapolis area, 113 feet below sea level southwest of Waldorf, and more than 30 feet below sea level at the Chalk Point powerplant.

Potential effects of surface coal mining on the hydrology of the Corral Creek area, Hanging Woman Creek coal field, southeastern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

McClymonds, N.E.

1984-01-01

The Corral Creek area of the Hanging Woman Creek coal field, 9 miles east of the Decker coal mines near the Tongue River, contains large reserves of Federal coal that have been identified for potential lease sale. A hydrologic study was conducted in the area to describe existing hydrologic systems and to study assess potential impacts of surface coal mining on local water resources. Hydrogeologic data collected indicate that aquifers are coal and sandstone beds within the Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation (Paleocene age) and sand and gravel in valley alluvium (Pleistocene and Holocene age). Surface-water resources are limited to a few spring-fed stock ponds in the higher parts of the area and the intermittent flow of Corral Creek near the mouth. Most of the stock ponds in the area become dry by midsummer. Mining of the Anderson coal bed would remove three stock wells and would lower the potentiometric surface within the coal and sandstone aquifers. The alluvial aquifer beneath Corral Creek and South Fork would be removed. Although mining would alter the existing hydrologic systems and remove several shallow wells, alternative ground-water supplies are available that could be developed to replace those lost by mining. (USGS)

Vehicle Traffic as a Source of Particulate Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Exposure in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area

PubMed Central

MARR, LINSEY C.; GROGAN, LISA A.; WÖHRNSCHIMMEL, HENRY; MOLINA, LUISAT.; MOLINA, MARIO J.; SMITH, THOMAS J.; GARSHICK, ERIC

2005-01-01

Surface properties of aerosols in the Mexico City metropolitan area have been measured in a variety of exposure scenarios related to vehicle emissions in 2002, using continuous, real-time instruments. The objective of these experiments is to describe ambient and occupational particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations associated with vehicular traffic and facilities using diesel vehicles. Median total particulate PAH concentrations along Mexico City’s roadways range from 60 to 910 ng m−3, averaged over a minimum of 1 h. These levels are approximately 5 times higher than concentrations measured in the United States and among the highest measured ambient values reported in the literature. The ratio of particulate PAH concentration to aerosol active surface area is much higher along roadways and in other areas of fresh vehicle emissions, compared to ratios measured at sites influenced more by aged emissions or noncombustion sources. For particles freshly emitted by vehicles, PAH and elemental carbon (EC) concentrations are correlated because they both originate during the combustion process. Comparison of PAH versus EC and active surface area concentrations at different locations suggests that surface PAH concentrations may diminish with particle aging. These results indicate that exposure to vehicle-related PAH emissions on Mexico City’s roadways may present an important public health risk. PMID:15180054

Clinical characteristics of patients with facial psoriasis in Malaysia.

PubMed

Syed Nong Chek, Sharifah Rosniza; Robinson, Suganthy; Mohd Affandi, Azura; Baharum, Nurakmal

2016-10-01

Psoriasis involving the face is visible and can cause considerable emotional distress to patients. Its presence may also confer a poorer prognosis for the patient. This study sought to evaluate the characteristics of facial psoriasis in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study conducted using data from the Malaysian Psoriasis Registry from 2007 to 2011. Specific risk factors, i.e., age, age of onset, gender, duration of disease, obesity group, body surface area, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), family history of psoriasis, nail involvement, psoriatic arthritis, phototherapy, systemic therapy, clinic visit, days of work/school, and hospital admission due to psoriasis in the last 6 months were analyzed. A total of 48.4% of patients had facial psoriasis. Variables significantly associated with facial psoriasis are younger age, younger age of onset of psoriasis of ≤ 40 years, male, severity of psoriasis involving >10% of the body surface area, higher DLQI of >10, nail involvement, and history of hospitalization due to psoriasis. This study found that facial psoriasis is not as rare as previously thought. Ambient ultraviolet light, sebum, and contact with chemicals from facial products may reduce the severity of facial psoriasis, but these factors do not reduce the prevalence of facial psoriasis. The association with younger age, younger age of onset, higher percentage of body surface area involvement, higher DLQI of > 10, nail involvement, and hospitalization due to psoriasis support the notion that facial psoriasis is a marker of severe disease. © 2016 The International Society of Dermatology.

The effect of skin surface topography and skin colouration cues on perception of male facial age, health and attractiveness.

PubMed

Fink, B; Matts, P J; Brauckmann, C; Gundlach, S

2018-04-01

Previous studies investigating the effects of skin surface topography and colouration cues on the perception of female faces reported a differential weighting for the perception of skin topography and colour evenness, where topography was a stronger visual cue for the perception of age, whereas skin colour evenness was a stronger visual cue for the perception of health. We extend these findings in a study of the effect of skin surface topography and colour evenness cues on the perceptions of facial age, health and attractiveness in males. Facial images of six men (aged 40 to 70 years), selected for co-expression of lines/wrinkles and discolouration, were manipulated digitally to create eight stimuli, namely, separate removal of these two features (a) on the forehead, (b) in the periorbital area, (c) on the cheeks and (d) across the entire face. Omnibus (within-face) pairwise combinations, including the original (unmodified) face, were presented to a total of 240 male and female judges, who selected the face they considered younger, healthier and more attractive. Significant effects were detected for facial image choice, in response to skin feature manipulation. The combined removal of skin surface topography resulted in younger age perception compared with that seen with the removal of skin colouration cues, whereas the opposite pattern was found for health preference. No difference was detected for the perception of attractiveness. These perceptual effects were seen particularly on the forehead and cheeks. Removing skin topography cues (but not discolouration) in the periorbital area resulted in higher preferences for all three attributes. Skin surface topography and colouration cues affect the perception of age, health and attractiveness in men's faces. The combined removal of these features on the forehead, cheeks and in the periorbital area results in the most positive assessments. © 2018 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

3D photography is a reliable burn wound area assessment tool compared to digital planimetry in very young children.

PubMed

Gee Kee, E L; Kimble, R M; Stockton, K A

2015-09-01

Reliability and validity of 3D photography (3D LifeViz™ System) compared to digital planimetry (Visitrak™) has been established in a compliant cohort of children with acute burns. Further research is required to investigate these assessment tools in children representative of the general pediatric burns population, specifically children under the age of three years. To determine if 3D photography is a reliable wound assessment tool compared to Visitrak™ in children of all ages with acute burns ≤10% TBSA. Ninety-six children (median age 1 year 9 months) who presented to the Royal Children's Hospital Brisbane with an acute burn ≤10% TBSA were recruited into the study. Wounds were measured at the first dressing change using the Visitrak™ system and 3D photography. All measurements were completed by one investigator and level of agreement between wound surface area measurements was calculated. Wound surface area measurements were complete (i.e. participants had measurements from both techniques) for 75 participants. Level of agreement between wound surface area measurements calculated using an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was excellent (ICC 0.96, 95% CI 0.93, 0.97). Visitrak™ tracings could not be completed in 19 participants with 16 aged less than two years. 3D photography could not be completed for one participant. Barriers to completing tracings were: excessive movement, pain, young age or wound location (e.g. face or perineum). This study has confirmed 3D photography as a reliable alternative to digital planimetry in children of all ages with acute burns ≤10% TBSA. In addition, 3D photography is more suitable for very young children given its non-invasive nature. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Application of environmental tracers to delineate recharge patterns and nitrate contamination in shallow groundwater around a river

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaown, Dugin; Koh, Eunhee; Park, Byeong-Hak; Lee, Kang-Kun

2016-04-01

Hydrogeochemical data, stable isotopes, chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) and 3H-3He in groundwater were applied to characterize residence time, recharge patterns and nitrate contamination of groundwater in a small agricultural area, Yangpyung, Korea. The study area is located around a river and the measured groundwater table ranges from 1.5 to 2.65 m during the year. Most residents in the study area practice agriculture and potato, strawberry, and cabbage are the typical vegetables grown. Vegetable fields are mostly located in the upgradient area of the study area while forest and residence areas are located in the downgradient area. A lot of chemical and organic fertilizers are applied in the upgradient area. The concentration of NO3-N in groundwater showed 9.8-83.7 mg/L in the upgradient area and 0.1-22.6 mg/L in the downgradient area in 2014. It is necessary to monitor groundwater recharge patterns and transport processes of nitrate to protect surface water around the study area. The values of δ18O and δD showed that groundwater is recharged mainly from summer precipitation. The apparent groundwater ages using 3H-3He and CFCs ranged from 13 to 27 years in the upgradient area and from 25 to 35 years in the downgradient area. The NO3-N in more recently recharged groundwater showed higher concentrations while the NO3-N in older groundwater showed low concentrations. Some shallow wells in the downgradient area showed similar apparent groundwater age with that of the river water indicating groundwater-surface water interactions. A conceptual model of groundwater-surface water interactions using stable isotopes, apparent 3H-3He and CFCs age in groundwater will be useful to understand the hydrological processes and nitrate contamination of the study area.

Quantitative X-ray computed tomography peritoneography in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma patients receiving intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

PubMed

Leinwand, Joshua C; Zhao, Binsheng; Guo, Xiaotao; Krishnamoorthy, Saravanan; Qi, Jing; Graziano, Joseph H; Slavkovic, Vesna N; Bates, Gleneara E; Lewin, Sharyn N; Allendorf, John D; Chabot, John A; Schwartz, Lawrence H; Taub, Robert N

2013-12-01

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy is used to treat peritoneal surface-spreading malignancies. We sought to determine whether volume and surface area of the intraperitoneal chemotherapy compartments are associated with overall survival and posttreatment glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) patients. Thirty-eight MPM patients underwent X-ray computed tomography peritoneograms during outpatient intraperitoneal chemotherapy. We calculated volume and surface area of contrast-filled compartments by semiautomated computer algorithm. We tested whether these were associated with overall survival and posttreatment GFR. Decreased likelihood of mortality was associated with larger surface areas (p = 0.0201) and smaller contrast-filled compartment volumes (p = 0.0341), controlling for age, sex, histologic subtype, and presence of residual disease >0.5 cm postoperatively. Larger volumes were associated with higher posttreatment GFR, controlling for pretreatment GFR, body surface area, surface area, and the interaction between body surface area and volume (p = 0.0167). Computed tomography peritoneography is an appropriate modality to assess for maldistribution of intraperitoneal chemotherapy. In addition to identifying catheter failure and frank loculation, quantitative analysis of the contrast-filled compartment's surface area and volume may predict overall survival and cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Prospective studies should be undertaken to confirm and extend these findings to other diseases, including advanced ovarian carcinoma.

Ultraviolet light treatment for the restoration of age-related degradation of titanium bioactivity.

PubMed

Hori, Norio; Ueno, Takeshi; Suzuki, Takeo; Yamada, Masahiro; Att, Wael; Okada, Shunsaku; Ohno, Akinori; Aita, Hideki; Kimoto, Katsuhiko; Ogawa, Takahiro

2010-01-01

To examine the bioactivity of differently aged titanium (Ti) disks and to determine whether ultraviolet (UV) light treatment reverses the possible adverse effects of Ti aging. Ti disks with three different surface topographies were prepared: machined, acid-etched, and sandblasted. The disks were divided into three groups: disks tested for biologic capacity immediately after processing (fresh surfaces), disks stored under dark ambient conditions for 4 weeks, and disks stored for 4 weeks and treated with UV light. The protein adsorption capacity of Ti was examined using albumin and fibronectin. Cell attraction to Ti was evaluated by examining migration, attachment, and spreading behaviors of human osteoblasts on Ti disks. Osteoblast differentiation was evaluated by examining alkaline phosphatase activity, the expression of bone-related genes, and mineralized nodule area in the culture. Four-week-old Ti disks showed = or < 50% protein adsorption after 6 hours of incubation compared with fresh disks, regardless of surface topography. Total protein adsorption for 4-week-old surfaces did not reach the level of fresh surfaces, even after 24 hours of incubation. Fifty percent fewer human osteoblasts migrated and attached to 4-week-old surfaces compared with fresh surfaces. Alkaline phosphatase activity, gene expression, and mineralized nodule area were substantially reduced on the 4-week-old surfaces. The reduction of these biologic parameters was associated with the conversion of Ti disks from superhydrophilicity to hydrophobicity during storage for 4 weeks. UV-treated 4-week-old disks showed even higher protein adsorption, osteoblast migration, attachment, differentiation, and mineralization than fresh surfaces, and were associated with regenerated superhydrophilicity. Time-related degradation of Ti bioactivity is substantial and impairs the recruitment and function of human osteoblasts as compared to freshly prepared Ti surfaces, suggesting a "biologic aging"-like change of Ti. UV treatment of aged Ti, however, restores and even enhances bioactivity, exceeding its innate levels.

Disruptive Effects of Colorful vs. Non-colorful Play Area on Structured Play-A Pilot Study with Preschoolers.

PubMed

Stern-Ellran, Keren; Zilcha-Mano, Sigal; Sebba, Rachel; Levit Binnun, Nava

2016-01-01

To contribute to young children's development, sensory enrichment is often provided via colorful play areas. However, little is known about the effects of colorful environments on children while they engage in age-appropriate tasks and games. Studies in adults suggest that aspects of color can distract attention and impair performance, and children are known to have less developed attentional and executive abilities than adults. Preliminary studies conducted in children aged 5-8 suggest that the colorfulness of both distal (e.g., wall decorations) and proximal (e.g., the surface of the desktop) environments can have a disruptive effect on children's performance. The present research seeks to extend the previous studies to an even younger age group and focus on proximal colorfulness. With a sample of 15 pre-schoolers (3-4 years old) we examined whether a colorful play surface compared to a non-colorful (white) play surface would affect engagement in developmentally appropriate structured play. Our pilot findings suggest that a colorful play surface interfered with preschoolers' structured play, inducing more behaviors indicating disruption in task execution compared with a non-colorful play surface. The implications of the current study for practice and further research are discussed.

National Uranium Resource Evaluation: Newcastle Quadrangle, Wyoming and South Dakota

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

Santos, E S; Robinson, K; Geer, K A

1982-09-01

Uranium resources of the Newcastle 1/sup 0/x2/sup 0/ Quadrangle, Wyoming and South Dakota were evaluated to a depth of 1500 m (5000 ft) using available surface and subsurface geologic information. Many of the uranium occurrences reported in the literature and in reports of the US Atomic Energy Commission were located, sampled and described. Areas of anomalous radioactivity, interpreted from an aerial radiometric survey, were outlined. Areas favorable for uranium deposits in the subsurface were evaluated using gamma-ray logs. Based on surface and subsurface data, two areas have been delineated which are underlain by rocks deemed favorable as hosts for uraniummore » deposits. One of these is underlain by rocks that contain fluvial arkosic facies in the Wasatch and Fort Union Formations of Tertiary age; the other is underlain by rocks containing fluvial quartzose sandstone facies of the Inyan Kara Group of Early Cretaceous age. Unfavorable environments characterize all rock units of Tertiary age above the Wasatch Formation, all rock units of Cretaceous age above the Inyan Kara Group, and most rock units of Mesozoic and Paleozoic age below the Inyan Kara Group. Unfavorable environments characterize all rock units of Cretaceous age above the Inyan Kara Group, and all rock units of Mesozoic and Paleozoic age below the Inyan Kara Group.« less

Potential effects of surface coal mining on the hydrology of the Greenleaf-Miller area, Ashland coal field, southeastern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Levings, G.W.

1982-01-01

The Greenleaf-Miller area of the Ashland coal field contains reserves of Federal coal that have been identified for potential lease sale. A hydrologic study was conducted in the potential lease area in 1981 to describe the existing hydrologic system and to assess potential impacts of surface coal mining on local water resources. The hydrologic data collected from wells, test holes, and springs were used to identify aquifers in the alluvium (Pleistocene and Holocene age) and the Tongue River member of the Fort Union Formation (Paleocene age). Coal, clinker, and sandstone beds comprise the aquifers in the Tongue River Member. Most streams are ephemeral and flow only as a result of precipitation. The only perennial surface-water flow in the study area is along short reaches downstream from springs. A mine plan for the area is not available; thus, the location of mine cuts, direction and rate of the mine expansion, and duration of mining are unknown. The mining of the Sawyer and Knoblock coal beds in the Tonge River Member would effect ground-water flow in the area. Declines in the potentiometric surface would be caused by dewatering where the mine pits intersect the water table. Wells and springs would be removed in the mine area; however, deeper aquifers are available as replacement sources of water. The chemical quality of the ground water would change after moving through the spoils. The change would be an increase in the concentration of dissolved solids. (USGS)

Potentiometric surface of the upper Patapsco Aquifer in southern Maryland, September 1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Mack, Frederick K.; Andreasen, David C.

1995-01-01

A map showing the potentiometric surface of the upper Patapsco aquifer in the Patapsco Formation of Cretaceous age in southern Maryland during September 1994 was prepared from water levels measured in 43 wells. The potentiometric surface was at least 70 feet above sea level near the northwestern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in a topographically high area of Anne Arundel County, and nearly 60 feet above sea level in a similar setting in Prince Georges County. From these high areas, the potentiometric surface declined to the south and southeast toward large well fields in the Annapolis and Waldorf areas and at the Chalk Point powerplant. Ground-water levels reached nearly 30 feet below sea level in the Annapolis area, nearly 110 feet below sea level southwest of Waldorf, and more than 25 feet below sea level at the Chalk Point powerplant.

Release of ICTP and CTX telopeptides from demineralized dentin matrices: Effect of time, mass and surface area.

PubMed

Turco, Gianluca; Cadenaro, Milena; Maravić, Tatjana; Frassetto, Andrea; Marsich, Eleonora; Mazzoni, Annalisa; Di Lenarda, Roberto; Tay, Franklin R; Pashley, David H; Breschi, Lorenzo

2018-03-01

The present study evaluated the influence of time, mass and surface area of demineralized dentin collagen matrices on telopeptides release. The hypotheses tested were that the rates of ICTP and CTX release by matrix bound endogenous proteases are 1) not time-dependent, 2) unrelated to specimen mass, 3) unrelated to specimen surface area. Non-carious human molars (N=24) were collected and randomly assigned to three groups. Dentin slabs with three different thicknesses: 0.37mm, 0.75mm, and 1.50mm were completely demineralized and stored in artificial saliva for one week. Collagen degradation was evaluated by sampling storage media for ICTP and CTX telopeptidases. Activity of MMPs in the aging medium was evaluated using fluorometric activity assay kit. A statistically significant (p<0.05) decrease in the release of both ICTP and CTX fragments over time was observed irrespective of the specimen thickness. When data were normalized by the specimen mass, no significant differences were observed. Releases of ICTP and CTX were significantly related to the aging time as a function of surface area for the first 12h. Total MMP activity, mainly related to MMP-2 and -9, decreased with time (p<0.05). Because the release of collagen fragments was influenced by specimen storage time and surface area, it is likely that cleaved collagen fragments closer to the specimen surface diffuse into the incubation medium; those further away from the exposed surface are still entrapped within the demineralized dentin matrix. Bound MMPs can only degrade the substrate within the limited zone of their molecular mobility. Copyright © 2017 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface-exposure ages of Front Range moraines that may have formed during the Younger Dryas, 8.2 cal ka, and Little Ice Age events

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benson, L.; Madole, R.; Kubik, P.; McDonald, R.

2007-01-01

Surface-exposure (10Be) ages have been obtained on boulders from three post-Pinedale end-moraine complexes in the Front Range, Colorado. Boulder rounding appears related to the cirque-to-moraine transport distance at each site with subrounded boulders being typical of the 2-km-long Chicago Lakes Glacier, subangular boulders being typical of the 1-km-long Butler Gulch Glacier, and angular boulders being typical of the few-hundred-m-long Isabelle Glacier. Surface-exposure ages of angular boulders from the Isabelle Glacier moraine, which formed during the Little Ice Age (LIA) according to previous lichenometric dating, indicate cosmogenic inheritance values ranging from 0 to ???3.0 10Be ka.11Surface-exposure ages in this paper are labeled 10Be; radiocarbon ages are labeled 14C ka, calendar and calibrated radiocarbon ages are labeled cal ka, and layer-based ice-core ages are labeled ka. 14C ages, calibrated 14C ages, and ice core ages are given relative to AD 1950, whereas 10Be ages are given relative to the sampling date. Radiocarbon ages were calibrated using CALIB 5.01 and the INTCAL04 data base Stuiver et al. (2005). Ages estimated using CALIB 5.01 are shown in terms of their 1-sigma range. Subangular boulders from the Butler Gulch end moraine yielded surface-exposure ages ranging from 5 to 10.2 10Be ka. We suggest that this moraine was deposited during the 8.2 cal ka event, which has been associated with outburst floods from Lake Agassiz and Lake Ojibway, and that the large age range associated with the Butler Gulch end moraine is caused by cosmogenic shielding of and(or) spalling from boulders that have ages in the younger part of the range and by cosmogenic inheritance in boulders that have ages in the older part of the range. The surface-exposure ages of eight of nine subrounded boulders from the Chicago Lakes area fall within the 13.0-11.7 10Be ka age range, and appear to have been deposited during the Younger Dryas interval. The general lack of inheritance in the eight samples probably stems from the fact that only a few thousand years intervened between the retreat of the Pinedale glacier and the advance of the Chicago Lakes glacier; in addition, bedrock in the Chicago Lakes cirque area may have remained covered with snow and ice during that interval, thus partially shielding the bedrock from cosmogenic radiation.

Installation Restoration Program. Phase 2. Confirmation/Quantification. Stage 1. Air Force Plant 38, Porter, New York

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

drainageways collect surface runoff at the plant and channel the water off plant property. These are: the Central Drain- age Ditch, the Magazine Ditch, and...past, this drain- age system collected test area deluge waters , small spills from test- ing areas, and drainage from around the flush and maintenance...Drain- age Ditch Table 4-2 shows the results of the analyses of two water samples and one soil/sediment sample that were obtained from the drainage from

The Genetic Association Between Neocortical Volume and General Cognitive Ability Is Driven by Global Surface Area Rather Than Thickness.

PubMed

Vuoksimaa, Eero; Panizzon, Matthew S; Chen, Chi-Hua; Fiecas, Mark; Eyler, Lisa T; Fennema-Notestine, Christine; Hagler, Donald J; Fischl, Bruce; Franz, Carol E; Jak, Amy; Lyons, Michael J; Neale, Michael C; Rinker, Daniel A; Thompson, Wesley K; Tsuang, Ming T; Dale, Anders M; Kremen, William S

2015-08-01

Total gray matter volume is associated with general cognitive ability (GCA), an association mediated by genetic factors. It is expectable that total neocortical volume should be similarly associated with GCA. Neocortical volume is the product of thickness and surface area, but global thickness and surface area are unrelated phenotypically and genetically in humans. The nature of the genetic association between GCA and either of these 2 cortical dimensions has not been examined. Humans possess greater cognitive capacity than other species, and surface area increases appear to be the primary driver of the increased size of the human cortex. Thus, we expected neocortical surface area to be more strongly associated with cognition than thickness. Using multivariate genetic analysis in 515 middle-aged twins, we demonstrated that both the phenotypic and genetic associations between neocortical volume and GCA are driven primarily by surface area rather than thickness. Results were generally similar for each of 4 specific cognitive abilities that comprised the GCA measure. Our results suggest that emphasis on neocortical surface area, rather than thickness, could be more fruitful for elucidating neocortical-GCA associations and identifying specific genes underlying those associations. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The difference between the potentiometric surfaces of the Magothy aquifer, September 1975 and September 1999 in southern Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Wheeler, Judith C.

2001-01-01

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland for September 1975 and September 1999. The map, based on water level measurements in 61 wells, shows that the potentiometric surface during the 24-year period ranged from zero at the outcrop area, which is in the northernmost part of the study area, to a decline of 76 feet in Waldorf. Waldorf is located near the southwesternmost part of the study area, and approaches the downdip boundary of the aquifer.

The difference between the potentiometric surfaces of the Magothy aquifer, September 1975 and September 2003 in southern Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Wheeler, Judith C.

2005-01-01

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland for September 1975 and September 2003. The map, based on water level measurements in 51 wells, shows that during the 28-year period, the potentiometric surface had no change at the outcrop area, which is in the northernmost part of the study area, but declined 71 feet at Waldorf. Waldorf is located near the southwesternmost part of the study area, and approaches the downdip boundary of the aquifer.

The Difference Between the Potentiometric Surfaces of the Magothy Aquifer, September 1975 and September 2001 in Southern Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Wheeler, Judith C.

2002-01-01

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland for September 1975 and September 2001. The map, based on water level measurements in 54 wells, shows that during the 26-year period, the potentiometric surface ranged from zero at the outcrop area, which is in the northernmost part of the study area, to a decline of 75 feet at Waldorf. Waldorf is located near the southwesternmost part of the study area, and approaches the downdip boundary of the aquifer.

The Difference Between the Potentiometric Surfaces of the Magothy Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 1975 and September 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2009-01-01

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Late Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland for September 1975 and September 2007. The map, based on water-level measurements in 51 wells, shows that during the 32-year period, the potentiometric surface had no change at the outcrop area, which is in the northernmost part of the study area, but declined 90 feet at Waldorf. Waldorf is located near the southwesternmost part of the study area, and approaches the downdip boundary of the aquifer.

Family income, parental education and brain structure in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Noble, Kimberly G; Houston, Suzanne M; Brito, Natalie H; Bartsch, Hauke; Kan, Eric; Kuperman, Joshua M; Akshoomoff, Natacha; Amaral, David G; Bloss, Cinnamon S; Libiger, Ondrej; Schork, Nicholas J; Murray, Sarah S; Casey, B J; Chang, Linda; Ernst, Thomas M; Frazier, Jean A; Gruen, Jeffrey R; Kennedy, David N; Van Zijl, Peter; Mostofsky, Stewart; Kaufmann, Walter E; Kenet, Tal; Dale, Anders M; Jernigan, Terry L; Sowell, Elizabeth R

2015-05-01

Socioeconomic disparities are associated with differences in cognitive development. The extent to which this translates to disparities in brain structure is unclear. We investigated relationships between socioeconomic factors and brain morphometry, independently of genetic ancestry, among a cohort of 1,099 typically developing individuals between 3 and 20 years of age. Income was logarithmically associated with brain surface area. Among children from lower income families, small differences in income were associated with relatively large differences in surface area, whereas, among children from higher income families, similar income increments were associated with smaller differences in surface area. These relationships were most prominent in regions supporting language, reading, executive functions and spatial skills; surface area mediated socioeconomic differences in certain neurocognitive abilities. These data imply that income relates most strongly to brain structure among the most disadvantaged children.

Potentiometric surface of the Magothy Aquifer in southern Maryland, September 1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, D.C.; Mack, Frederick K.

1993-01-01

A map showing the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Cretaceous age in southern Maryland during September 1991 was prepared from water levels measured in 89 wells. The potentiometric surface was highest near the northwestern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in topographically high areas of Anne Arundel and Prince Georges Counties. Regionally, the potentiometric surface sloped gently downward toward the southeast, and the local gradients were directed toward the centers of 3 cones of depression that have developed in response to pumping. These cones were centered around well fields in the Annapolis, Waldorf, and Chalk Point areas. Groundwater levels were more than 50 feet below sea level in the Waldorf area, nearly 50 feet below sea level at Chalk Point, and greater than 10 feet below sea level near Annapolis.

Potentiometric surface of the Magothy Aquifer in southern Maryland, September 1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Mack, Frederick K.; Andreasen, David C.

1995-01-01

A map showing the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Cretaceous age in southern Maryland during September 1994 was prepared from water levels measured in 85 wells. The potentiometric surface was highest near the northwestern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in topographically high areas of Anne Arundel and Prince Georges Counties. Regionally, the potentiometric surface sloped gently downward toward the southeast, and the local gradients were directed toward the centers of three cones of depression that have developed in response to pumping. These cones were centered around well fields in the Annapolis, Waldorf, and Chalk Point areas. Ground-water levels were as low as 60 feet below sea level in the Waldorf area, more than 45 feet below sea level at Chalk Point, and almost 15 feet below sea level near Annapolis.

Potentiometric Surface of the Magothy Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Mack, Frederick K.

1996-01-01

A map showing the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Cretaceous age in southern Maryland during September 1995 was prepared from water-level measurements in 92 wells. The potentiometric surface was highest near the northwestern boundaryand outcrop area of the aquifer in topographically high areas of Anne Arundel and Prince Georges Counties. Regionally, the potentiometric surface sloped gently downward towards the southeast and the local gradients were directed toward the centers of three cones of depression that have developed in response to pumping. These cones were centeredaround well fields in the Annapolis, Waldorf, and Chalk Point areas. Ground-water levels were as low as 63 feet below sea level in the Waldorf area, more than 50 feet below sea level at Chalk Point, and almost 20 feet below sea level near Annapolis.

Exposure age and erosional history of an upland planation surface in the US Atlantic Piedmont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanford, S.D.; Seidl, M.A.; Ashley, G.M.

2000-01-01

The upland planation surface in the Piedmont of central New Jersey consists of summit flats, as much as 130 km2 in area, that truncate bedding and structure in diabase, basalt, sandstone, mudstone and gneiss. These flats define a low-relief regional surface that corresponds in elevation to residual hills in the adjacent Coastal Plain capped by a fluvial gravel of late Miocene age. A Pliocene fluvial sand is inset 50 m below the upland features. These associations suggest a late Miocene or early Pliocene age for the surface. To assess exposure age and erosional history, a 4??4 m core of clayey diabase saprolite on a 3 km2 remnant of the surface was sampled at six depths for atmospherically produced cosmogenic 10Be. The measured inventory, assuming a deposition rate of 1??3 x 106 atoms cm-2 a-1, yields a minimum exposure age of 227 000 years, or, assuming continuous surface erosion, a constant erosion rate of 10 m Ma-1. Because the sample site lies about 60 m above the aggradation surface of the Pliocene fluvial deposit, and itself supports a pre-Pliocene fluvial gravel lag, this erosion rate is too high. Rather, episodic surface erosion and runoff bypassing probably have produced an inventory deficit. Reasonable estimates of surface erosion (up to 10 m) and bypassing (up to 50 per cent of total precipitation) yield exposure ages of as much as 6??4 Ma. These results indicate that (1) the surface is probably of pre-Pleistocene age and has been modified by Pleistocene erosion, and (2) exposure ages based on 10Be inventories are highly sensitive to surface erosion and runoff bypassing. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

Usability of small impact craters on small surface areas in crater count dating: Analysing examples from the Harmakhis Vallis outflow channel, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kukkonen, S.; Kostama, V.-P.

2018-05-01

The availability of very high-resolution images has made it possible to extend crater size-frequency distribution studies to small, deca/hectometer-scale craters. This has enabled the dating of small and young surface units, as well as recent, short-time and small-scale geologic processes that have occurred on the units. Usually, however, the higher the spatial resolution of space images is, the smaller area is covered by the images. Thus the use of single, very high-resolution images in crater count age determination may be debatable if the images do not cover the studied region entirely. Here we compare the crater count results for the floor of the Harmakhis Vallis outflow channel obtained from the images of the ConTeXt camera (CTX) and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). The CTX images enable crater counts for entire units on the Harmakhis Vallis main valley, whereas the coverage of the higher-resolution HiRISE images is limited and thus the images can only be used to date small parts of the units. Our case study shows that the crater count data based on small impact craters and small surface areas mainly correspond with the crater count data based on larger craters and more extensive counting areas on the same unit. If differences between the results were founded, they could usually be explained by the regional geology. Usually, these differences appeared when at least one cratering model age is missing from either of the crater datasets. On the other hand, we found only a few cases in which the cratering model ages were completely different. We conclude that the crater counts using small impact craters on small counting areas provide useful information about the geological processes which have modified the surface. However, it is important to remember that all the crater counts results obtained from a specific counting area always primarily represent the results from the counting area-not the whole unit. On the other hand, together with crater count results from extensive counting areas and lower-resolution images, crater counts on small counting areas but by using very high-resolution images is a very valuable tool for obtaining unique additional information about the local processes on the surface units.

Progressive alterations of the auditory association areas in young non-psychotic offspring of schizophrenia patients.

PubMed

Bhojraj, Tejas S; Sweeney, John A; Prasad, Konasale M; Eack, Shaun; Rajarethinam, Rajaprabhakaran; Francis, Alan N; Montrose, Debra M; Keshavan, Matcheri S

2011-02-01

Schizophrenia may involve progressive alterations of structure and hemispheric lateralization of auditory association areas (AAA) within the superior temporal gyrus. These alterations may be greater in male patients. It is unclear if these deficits are state-dependent or whether they predate illness onset and reflect familial diathesis. We sought to compare AAA cortical thickness, surface area and lateralization across adolescent and young adult non-psychotic offspring of schizophrenia patients (OS) and healthy controls at baseline and one year follow-up. We also assessed the moderating effect of gender on these measures. Fifty-six OS and thirty-six control subjects were assessed at baseline and at follow-up on AAA surface area and thickness using FreeSurfer to process T1-MRI-images. We used repeated measures ANCOVAs, controlling intra cranial volume and age with assessment-time and side as within-subject factors and gender and study group as between-subject factors. Surface area deficit in OS was greater on the left than on the right, as reflected in a lower surface area laterality-index (left-right/left + right × 100) in OS compared to controls. Left, but not right surface area and surface area laterality-index showed a longitudinal decline in OS compared to controls. Male OS declined more than controls on surface area and thickness. Left AAA surface area may progressively decline in young non-psychotic offspring at familial diathesis for schizophrenia causing a continuing reversal of the leftward AAA lateralization. Progressive surface area reduction and thinning of AAA may be more prominent in young non-psychotic male offspring at risk for schizophrenia. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The difference between the potentiometric surfaces of the Aquia Aquifer of September 1982 and September 1995 in Southern Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Mack, Frederick K.

1996-01-01

A map showing the net change in the potentiometric surface of the Aquia aquifer in the Aquia Formation of Paleocene age in southern Maryland was based on water levels measured in 66 wells from September 1982 to September 1995 and shows that the decline of the potentiometric surface during the 13-year period was 20 to 30 feet in most of the area. The decline was more than 50 feet in the Lexington Park area and more than 60 feet at Solomons Island.

Measures of Cortical Grey Matter Structure and Development in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mak-Fan, Kathleen M.; Taylor, Margot J.; Roberts, Wendy; Lerch, Jason P.

2012-01-01

The current study examined group differences in cortical volume, surface area, and thickness with age, in a group of typically developing children and a group of children with ASD aged 6-15 years. Results showed evidence of age by group interactions, suggesting atypicalities in the relation between these measures and age in the ASD group.…

Hydrogeologic reconnaissance of part of the headwaters area of the Price River, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cordova, Robert M.

1963-01-01

The area investigated comprises 33 square miles in the Price River drainage basin ad is in the High Plateaus section of Utah. Precipitation on most of the area ranges from about 20 to 23 inches per year, and the average annual precipitation for the entire area was assumed to be 22 inches, of which approximately 65 percent is lost by evapotranspiration. The geologic formations underlying the area are the Blackhawk and Price River Formations of Cretaceous age, the North Horn Formation of Cretaceous and Tertiary age, the Flagstaff Limestone and Colton Formation of tertiary age, and unconsolidated deposits of probable Quaternary age.Some ground water issues from springs and seeps and is used by stock and the cities of Price and Helper. The annual discharge from the springs and seeps in the area averages about 3,000 acre-feet. Two deep wells supply about 400 acre-feet per year for use at a steam-generating plant. The aquifers penetrated by the wells are in the Flagstaff Limestone and the North Horn formation, the deepest aquifer being about 1,500 feet below the land surface. Most of the ground water in the area is suitable for municipal and industrial use.The surface discharge from the area is approximately 6,000 acre-feet per year. By means of a water budget, it is calculated that approximately 4,000 acre-feet per year leaves the area by subsurface flow. Further development of ground water on a large scale can be accomplished only by the use of wells. It is possible, however, that part of any newly developed supply from wells may be drawn from existing spring discharge or streamflow.

Differences in oral temperature and body shape in two populations with different propensities for obesity.

PubMed

Vozarova, B; Weyer, C; Bogardus, C; Ravussin, E; Tataranni, P A

2002-06-01

Body temperature is a function of heat production and heat dissipation. Substantial interindividual variability has been reported in healthy humans. We hypothesized that Pima Indians, a population with a high prevalence of abdominal obesity, may have a lower surface area relative to volume, that is, lower radiating area, and therefore a higher body temperature compared to Caucasians. Body composition, including volume (hydrodensitometry), and oral temperature were assessed in 69 nondiabetic Caucasian [age, 30 +/- 7 years; body fat, 21 +/- 8% (mean +/- SD)] and 115 Pima Indian males [age, 27 +/- 6 years; body fat, 28 +/- 6%]. Surface area was estimated from height, weight, and waist circumference (Bouchard's equation). In 47 Pima Indians, measures of insulin sensitivity (M, hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp) were available. Compared to Caucasians, Pima Indians had a higher oral temperature [36.4 +/- 0.3 degrees C vs. 36.3 +/- 0.3 degrees C (mean +/- SD), p < 0.04] and lower surface area relative to volume (2.19 +/- 0.05 vs. 2.23 +/- 0.26 m(2), p < 0.0001). Surface area relative to volume was negatively correlated with oral temperature (r = -0.14, p < 0.05), but in a multiple linear regression model it did not entirely explain the ethnic difference in oral temperature. Oral temperature was inversely correlated with M (r = -0.28, p < 0.05). Conclusions-Pima Indians have higher oral temperature and lower surface area relative to volume than Caucasians. The ethnic difference in temperature does not seem to be entirely explained by differences in body composition and body shape. Interestingly, higher oral temperature was associated with insulin resistance, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

SELWAY-BITTERROOT WILDERNESS, IDAHO AND MONTANA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Toth, Margo I.; Zilka, Nicholas T.

1984-01-01

Mineral-resource studies of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in Idaho County, Idaho, and Missoula and Ravalli Counties, Montana, were carried out. Four areas with probable and one small area of substantiated mineral-resource potential were recognized. The areas of the Running Creek, Painted Rocks, and Whistling Pig plutons of Tertiary age have probable resource potential for molybdenum, although detailed geochemical sampling and surface investigations failed to recognize mineralized systems at the surface. Randomly distributed breccia zones along a fault in the vicinity of the Cliff mine have a substantiated potential for small silver-copper-lead resources.

Cortical morphology development in patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome at ultra-high risk of psychosis.

PubMed

Padula, Maria Carmela; Schaer, Marie; Armando, Marco; Sandini, Corrado; Zöller, Daniela; Scariati, Elisa; Schneider, Maude; Eliez, Stephan

2018-01-17

Patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) present a high risk of developing psychosis. While clinical and cognitive predictors for the conversion towards a full-blown psychotic disorder are well defined and largely used in practice, neural biomarkers do not yet exist. However, a number of investigations indicated an association between abnormalities in cortical morphology and higher symptoms severities in patients with 22q11DS. Nevertheless, few studies included homogeneous groups of patients differing in their psychotic symptoms profile. In this study, we included 22 patients meeting the criteria for an ultra-high-risk (UHR) psychotic state and 22 age-, gender- and IQ-matched non-UHR patients. Measures of cortical morphology, including cortical thickness, volume, surface area and gyrification, were compared between the two groups using mass-univariate and multivariate comparisons. Furthermore, the development of these measures was tested in the two groups using a mixed-model approach. Our results showed differences in cortical volume and surface area in UHR patients compared with non-UHR. In particular, we found a positive association between surface area and the rate of change of global functioning, suggesting that higher surface area is predictive of improved functioning with age. We also observed accelerated cortical thinning during adolescence in UHR patients with 22q11DS. These results, although preliminary, suggest that alterations in cortical volume and surface area as well as altered development of cortical thickness may be associated to a greater probability to develop psychosis in 22q11DS.

An analysis of sitting areas and pressures of man.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1962-01-01

Studies of sitting area on a plane rigid surface for a group of 104 male subjects were made. Area was found to vary with height and weight and to increase with age up to 40 years after which there is a steady decline. Means were 179.4 sq. in. for are...

Potentiometric Surface of the Magothy Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2009-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Late Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2007. The map is based on water-level measurements in 69 wells. The highest measured water level was 85 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in the north-central part of Anne Arundel County. The potentiometric surface declined towards the south. Local gradients were directed toward the center of a cone of depression in the Waldorf area that developed in response to pumping. Measured ground-water levels were as low as 90 feet below sea level in the Waldorf area.

Water levels and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes of the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 2002 through 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Perry M.; Trost, Jared J.; Erickson, Melinda L.

2016-10-19

OverviewThis study assessed lake-water levels and regional and local groundwater and surface-water exchanges near northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area lakes applying three approaches: statistical analysis, field study, and groundwater-flow modeling.  Statistical analyses of lake levels were completed to assess the effect of physical setting and climate on lake-level fluctuations of selected lakes. A field study of groundwater and surface-water interactions in selected lakes was completed to (1) estimate potential percentages of surface-water contributions to well water across the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, (2) estimate general ages for waters extracted from the wells, and (3) assess groundwater inflow to lakes and lake-water outflow to aquifers downgradient from White Bear Lake.  Groundwater flow was simulated using a steady-state, groundwater-flow model to assess regional groundwater and surface-water exchanges and the effects of groundwater withdrawals, climate, and other factors on water levels of northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area lakes.

High resolution measures of polarization and color of selected lunar areas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, L. A.; Hall, J. S.

1972-01-01

High resolution observations of intensity, color (UBV) and polarization were obtained with scanning techniques for a number of lunar areas of special interest, including boundaries of some of the brightest and darkest lunar regions, certain Apollo landing sites and prominent craters. Two dimensional raster scans of colors were obtained for Alphonsus, Aristarchus, and Herodotus. The degree of polarization for any given phase angle appears to be roughly indicative of age. The darker younger mare surface are more highly polarized than the lighter and older mare surfaces, which appear to be more contaminated by lighter material from the highlands or by ray material thrown out from fresh craters. All mare surfaces are more highly polarized than the still older and lighter terra regions surrounding the maria. The very oldest craters are either dark-floored and show polarization characteristics similar to those of the mare surfaces, or if located in the highlands, they are less and less distinguishable from the highland background with greater age, and show the general highland polarization characteristics.

Quantifying cortical development in typically developing toddlers and young children, 1-6 years of age.

PubMed

Remer, Justin; Croteau-Chonka, Elise; Dean, Douglas C; D'Arpino, Sara; Dirks, Holly; Whiley, Dannielle; Deoni, Sean C L

2017-06-01

Cortical maturation, including age-related changes in thickness, volume, surface area, and folding (gyrification), play a central role in developing brain function and plasticity. Further, abnormal cortical maturation is a suspected substrate in various behavioral, intellectual, and psychiatric disorders. However, in order to characterize the altered development associated with these disorders, appreciation of the normative patterns of cortical development in neurotypical children between 1 and 6 years of age, a period of peak brain development during which many behavioral and developmental disorders emerge, is necessary. To this end, we examined measures of cortical thickness, surface area, mean curvature, and gray matter volume across 34 bilateral regions in a cohort of 140 healthy children devoid of major risk factors for abnormal development. From these data, we observed linear, logarithmic, and quadratic patterns of change with age depending on brain region. Cortical thinning, ranging from 10% to 20%, was observed throughout most of the brain, with the exception of posterior brain structures, which showed initial cortical thinning from 1 to 5 years, followed by thickening. Cortical surface area expansion ranged from 20% to 108%, and cortical curvature varied by 1-20% across the investigated age range. Right-left hemisphere asymmetry was observed across development for each of the 4 cortical measures. Our results present new insight into the normative patterns of cortical development across an important but under studied developmental window, and provide a valuable reference to which trajectories observed in neurodevelopmental disorders may be compared. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In-situ monitoring of flow-permeable surface area of high explosive powder using small sample masses

DOE PAGES

Maiti, Amitesh; Han, Yong; Zaka, Fowzia; ...

2015-02-17

To ensure good performance of high explosive devices over long periods of time, initiating powders need to maintain their specific surface area within allowed margins during the entire duration of deployment. A common diagnostic used in this context is the Fisher sub-sieve surface area (FSSA). Furthermore, commercial permeametry instruments measuring the FSSA requires the utilization of a sample mass equal to the crystal density of the sample material, an amount that is often one or two orders of magnitude larger than the typical masses found in standard detonator applications. Here we develop a customization of the standard device that canmore » utilize just tens of milligram samples, and with simple calibration yield FSSA values at ac curacy levels comparable to the standard apparatus. This necessitated a newly designed sample holder, made from a material of low coefficient of thermal expansion, which is conveniently transferred between an aging chamber and a re-designed permeametry tube. This improves the fidelity of accelerated aging studies by allowing measurement on the same physical sample at various time - instants during the aging process, and by obviating the need for a potentially FSSA-altering powder re-compaction step. We used the customized apparatus to monitor the FSSA evolution of a number of undoped and homolog-doped PETN powder samples that were subjected to artificial aging for several months at elevated temperatures. These results, in conjunction with an Arrhenius-based aging model were used to assess powder-coarsening - rates under long-term storage.« less

Comparison of posture and balance in cancer survivors and age-matched controls.

PubMed

Schmitt, Abigail C; Repka, Chris P; Heise, Gary D; Challis, John H; Smith, Jeremy D

2017-12-01

The combination of peripheral neuropathy and other treatment-associated side effects is likely related to an increased incidence of falls in cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to quantify differences in postural stability between healthy age-matched controls and cancer survivors. Quiet standing under four conditions (eyes open/closed, rigid/compliant surface) was assessed in 34 cancer survivors (2 males, 32 females; age: 54(13) yrs., height: 1.62(0.07) m; mass: 78.5(19.5) kg) and 34 age-matched controls (5 males, 29 females; age: 54(15) yrs.; height: 1.62(0.08) m; mass: 72.8(21.1) kg). Center of pressure data were collected for 30s and the trajectories were analyzed (100Hz). Three-factor (group*surface*vision) mixed model MANOVAs with repeated measures were used to determine the effect of vision and surface on postural steadiness between groups. Cancer survivors exhibited larger mediolateral root-mean square distance and velocity of the center of pressure, as well as increased 95% confidence ellipse area (P<0.01) when compared with their age-matched counterparts. For example, when removing visual input, cancer survivors had an average increase in 95% confidence ellipse area of 91.8mm 2 while standing on a rigid surface compared to a 68.6mm 2 increase for the control group. No frequency-based center of pressure measures differed between groups. Cancer survivors exhibit decreased postural steadiness when compared with age-matched controls. For cancer survivors undergoing rehabilitation focused on existing balance deficits, a small subset of the center of pressure measures presented here can be used to track progress throughout the intervention and potentially mitigate fall risk. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geology and ground water of the Savannah River Plant and vicinity, South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Siple, George E.

1967-01-01

The area described in this report covers approximately 2,600 square miles in west-central South Carolina and includes the site of the Savannah River Plant, a major production facility of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. The climate, surface drainage, and land forms of the study area are typical of the southern part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Precipitation is normally abundant and fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, and the mean annual temperature is moderately warm (64?F). The major streams that drain the area (the Savannah, Salkehatchie, and Edisto Rivers) have low gradients and flow in a southeasterly direction toward the Atlantic Ocean. Surface features of the area include narrow, flat-bottomed, steep-sided valleys and broad gently rolling interfluvial areas. Those parts of the Coastal Plain included within the report area can be subdivided into the Aiken Plateau, the Congaree Sandhills, and the Coastal Terraces. The area is underlain by a sequence of unconsolidated and partly consolidated sediments of Late Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quaternary age. The unconsolidated sediments were deposited unconformably on a basement of igneous and metamorphic rocks of Precambrian and Paleozoic age and sedimentary rocks of Triassic age. The basement rocks are similar to the granite-diorite complex of the Charlotte Belt, the metamorphosed rocks of the Carolina Slate Belt, and the consolidated sediments of the Newark Group. The unconsolidated sediments strike about N. 60 ? E. and dip 6-20 feet per mile to the southeast. They form a wedge-shaped mass that increases in thickness toward the southeast to slightly more than 1,200 feet in the vicinity of Allendale, S.C., on the southeast or downdip side of the study area. The oldest or lowermost unconsolidated sedimentary unit, the Tuscaloosa Formation of Late Cretaceous age, is overlain in the subsurface by beds that are also probably Late Cretaceous in age and that herein are named the Ellenton Formation. The Upper Cretaceous deposits are, in turn, overlain by the, McBean Formation and the Congaree(?) Formation of middle Eocene age, the Barnwell Formation of late Eocene age, the Hawthorn Formation of early and middle Miocene age, and by fluvial and marine(?) terrace deposits of Pliocene(?), Pleistocene, and Recent age. In the mapped area, the Congaree(?) Formation includes undifferentiated rocks (mostly Congaree and Barnwell Formations and some Mcbean outliers). (See map explanation.) Structurally, the Upper Cretaceous sediments are overlapped to the northwest by Tertiary deposits. A preliminary geologic map of the general area is included in the report. The principal aquifer in the area is composed of the beds of medium to coarse sand and gravel contained in the Tuscaloosa and Ellenton Formations. Subordinate aquifers include deposits of sand and limestone of Tertiary and Quaternary age. The ground water in the principal aquifer occurs under water-table conditions in the outcrop area of the Tuscaloosa Formation in the northern and western parts of the study area, but it is under artesian pressure downdip in the southern and eastern parts of the study area. Contours drawn on the piezometric surface of the water in the principal aquifer indicate that water is recharged to the aquifer mainly by leakage through the overlying Tertiary formations. Likewise, the piezometric contours show that the outcrop area of the Tuscaloosa Formation functions chiefly as an area of discharge. Doubtless, water is also discharged from the aquifer by moving downdip to areas near the coast where the prevailing hydraulic gradient may favor the upward leakage of water through the upper confining beds. The hydraulic properties of the principal aquifer were determined by a series of pumping tests. The results indicate that the aquifer is highly productive and could supply 15 million gallons per day in the vicinity of the Savannah River Plant without exceeding the available drawdown. Gr

Coupling 3D groundwater modeling with CFC-based age dating to classify local groundwater circulation in an unconfined crystalline aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolbe, Tamara; Marçais, Jean; Thomas, Zahra; Abbott, Benjamin W.; de Dreuzy, Jean-Raynald; Rousseau-Gueutin, Pauline; Aquilina, Luc; Labasque, Thierry; Pinay, Gilles

2016-12-01

Nitrogen pollution of freshwater and estuarine environments is one of the most urgent environmental crises. Shallow aquifers with predominantly local flow circulation are particularly vulnerable to agricultural contaminants. Water transit time and flow path are key controls on catchment nitrogen retention and removal capacity, but the relative importance of hydrogeological and topographical factors in determining these parameters is still uncertain. We used groundwater dating and numerical modeling techniques to assess transit time and flow path in an unconfined aquifer in Brittany, France. The 35.5 km2 study catchment has a crystalline basement underneath a ∼60 m thick weathered and fractured layer, and is separated into a distinct upland and lowland area by an 80 m-high butte. We used groundwater discharge and groundwater ages derived from chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) concentration to calibrate a free-surface flow model simulating groundwater flow circulation. We found that groundwater flow was highly local (mean travel distance = 350 m), substantially smaller than the typical distance between neighboring streams (∼1 km), while CFC-based ages were quite old (mean = 40 years). Sensitivity analysis revealed that groundwater travel distances were not sensitive to geological parameters (i.e. arrangement of geological layers and permeability profile) within the constraints of the CFC age data. However, circulation was sensitive to topography in the lowland area where the water table was near the land surface, and to recharge rate in the upland area where water input modulated the free surface of the aquifer. We quantified these differences with a local groundwater ratio (rGW-LOCAL), defined as the mean groundwater travel distance divided by the mean of the reference surface distances (the distance water would have to travel across the surface of the digital elevation model). Lowland, rGW-LOCAL was near 1, indicating primarily topographical controls. Upland, rGW-LOCAL was 1.6, meaning the groundwater recharge area is almost twice as large as the topographically-defined catchment for any given point. The ratio rGW-LOCAL is sensitive to recharge conditions as well as topography and it could be used to compare controls on groundwater circulation within or between catchments.

Ground-water conditions in the Green Bay area, Wisconsin, 1950-60

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knowles, Doyle B.

1964-01-01

The Green Bay area, which includes parts of Brown, Outagamie, and Shawano Counties, has an area of about 525 square miles in eastern Wisconsin at the south end of Green Bay. In 1960, it had a population estimated at 124,000; Green Bay, the largest city in the area, had a population of 62,888. The Green Bay area is underlain by a basement complex of crystalline rocks of Precambrian age. Sedimentary rocks of Cambrian, Ordovician, and Silurian ages overlie the crystalline rocks. These rocks are divided, in ascending order, as follows: The Dresbach Group, Franconia Sandstone, and Trempealeau Formation of Cambrian age; the Prairie du Chien Group, St. Peter Sandstone, Platteville Formation, and Maquoketa Shale of Ordovician age; and the Niagara Dolomite of Silurian age. The Maquoketa Shale and Niagara Dolomite are present only in the eastern part of the area. Unconsolidated deposits, largely of Pleistocene age and glacial origin, overlie the older rocks in most of the area. The rocks of the Dresbach Group, Franconia Sandstone, Trempealeau Formation, Prairie du Chien Group, and St. Peter Sandstone are connected hydraulically and can be considered to form one aquifer, called the sandstone aquifer. The sandstone aquifer is the principal source of ground-water supply in the Green Bay area and is one of the most productive water-bearing units in Wisconsin. All the public water supplies in the area, except the supply for the city of Green Bay, and many of the industrial water supplies are obtained from wells tapping the sandstone aquifer. Rates of discharge of individual wells range from about 200 to 1,000 gallous per minute. The city of Green Bay also obtained its water supply from wells tapping the sandstone aquifer until August 1957, when it began using Lake Michigan as a source of water supply. Several industries also use large quantities of surface water. The Niagara Dolomite, although largely undeveloped, is potentially an important aquifer, in the eastern part of the area. Small amounts of water are obtained from dolomite of the Platteville Formation and from sand and gravel deposits of Pleistocene age. Recharge to the sandstone aquifer in the Green Bay area is derived chiefly from precipitation that infiltrates at or near the outcrop area of the aquifer in northwestern Brown County, eastern Outagamie and Shawano Counties, and southern Oconto County. The amount of recharge is estimated to be at least 30 mgd (million gallons per day). Withdrawals of water from wells tapping the sandstone aquifer in the area began when the first well was drilled in 1886. The withdrawals gradually increased to an average of about 6 mgd in 1940, about 10 mgd in 1950, and about 13 mgd in January-July of 1957, after which time the city of Green Bay discontinued pumping from wells. From August 1957 through 1960, average annual withdrawals of water remained relatively constant at about 5 mgd. Water levels in wells tapping the sandstone aquifer persistently declined until August 1957 as a result of the gradually increasing withdrawals of water. In the area of concentrated ground-water withdrawals in downtown Green Bay, the piezometric surface, which had been about 100 feet above land surface in 1886, was about 340 feet below land surface in 1957. The cessation of pumping by the city of Green Bay in August 1957 resulted in a decrease in withdrawals of ground water from about 13.1 mgd in the first half of 1957 to about 5.3 mgd in the last half and a rapid recovery in water levels. ]n the area of concentrated withdrawals, the piezometric surface had recovered about 300 feet by September 1960. Rises in water levels were recorded throughout the Green Bay area, with the amount of the rise depending on the distance from the Green Bay city wells. In September 1960, water levels appeared to be affected more by local variations in the rates of pumping than by the recovery resulting from 1957 reduction in pumping. Much additional ground water could

A longitudinal study: changes in cortical thickness and surface area during pubertal maturation.

PubMed

Herting, Megan M; Gautam, Prapti; Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Dahl, Ronald E; Sowell, Elizabeth R

2015-01-01

Sex hormones have been shown to contribute to the organization and function of the brain during puberty and adolescence. Moreover, it has been suggested that distinct hormone changes in girls versus boys may contribute to the emergence of sex differences in internalizing and externalizing behavior during adolescence. In the current longitudinal study, the influence of within-subject changes in puberty (physical and hormonal) on cortical thickness and surface area was examined across a 2-year span, while controlling for age. Greater increases in Tanner Stage predicted less superior frontal thinning and decreases in precuneus surface area in both sexes. Significant Tanner Stage and sex interactions were also seen, with less right superior temporal thinning in girls but not boys, as well as greater decreases in the right bank of the superior temporal sulcus surface area in boys compared to girls. In addition, within-subject changes in testosterone over the 2-year follow-up period were found to relate to decreases in middle superior frontal surface area in boys, but increases in surface area in girls. Lastly, larger increases in estradiol in girls predicted greater middle temporal lobe thinning. These results show that within-subject physical and hormonal markers of puberty relate to region and sex-specific changes in cortical development across adolescence.

The Surface Age of Sputnik Planum, Pluto, Must Be Less than 10 Million Years.

PubMed

Trilling, David E

2016-01-01

Data from the New Horizons mission to Pluto show no craters on Sputnik Planum down to the detection limit (2 km for low resolution data, 625 m for high resolution data). The number of small Kuiper Belt Objects that should be impacting Pluto is known to some degree from various astronomical surveys. We combine these geological and telescopic observations to make an order of magnitude estimate that the surface age of Sputnik Planum must be less than 10 million years. This maximum surface age is surprisingly young and implies that this area of Pluto must be undergoing active resurfacing, presumably through some cryo-geophysical process. We discuss three possible resurfacing mechanisms and the implications of each one for Pluto's physical properties.

Potential effects of surface coal mining on the hydrology of the Little Bear Creek area, Moorhead coal field, southeastern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

McClymonds, N.E.

1986-01-01

The Little Bear Creek area of the Moorhead Coal Field, 27 miles south of Ashland, Montana, contains large reserves of Federally owned coal that have been identified for potential lease sale. A hydrologic study was conducted in the area to describe existing hydrologic system and to assess potential effects of surface mining on local water resources. Hydrologic data collected from private wells, observation wells, test holes and springs indicate that the aquifers are coal and sandstone beds in the upper part of the Tongue River Member, Fort Union Formation (Paleocene age), and sand and gravel layers of valley alluvium (Pleistocene and Holocene age). Surface water is available from ephemeral flow along stretches of the main streams, and from stock ponds throughout the area. Mining the Anderson and Dietz coal beds would destroy one stock well and several stock ponds, would possibly interfere with the flow of one spring, and would lower the potentiometric surface within the coal and sandstone aquifers. The alluvial aquifer beneath Little Bear Creek and Davidson Draw would be removed at the mine site, as would sandstone and coal aquifers above the mine floor. Although mining would alter existing hydrologic systems, alternative water supplies are available. Planned structuring of the spoils and reconstruction of the alluvial aquifers could minimize downstream water-quality degradation. (USGS)

Altitude of potentiometric surface, fall 1985, and historic water-level changes in the Fort Pillow aquifer in western Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parks, W.S.; Carmichael, J.K.

1990-01-01

Recharge to the Fort Pillow aquifer of Tertiary age in Tennessee is from precipitation on the outcrop, which forms a narrow belt across western Tennessee, and by downward infiltration of water from the overlying fluvial deposits of Tertiary and Quaternary age and alluvium of Quaternary age or, where the upper confining unit is absent, from the overlying Memphis aquifer of Tertiary age. The potentiometric surface in the Fort Pillow aquifer slopes gently westward from the outcrop-recharge area, and the water moves slowly in that direction. A depression in the potentiometric surface in the Memphis area is the result of past pumping at Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division (MLGW) well fields (1924-74), and past and present pumping at an industrial well field at Memphis, and the municipal well field at West Memphis, Ark. Water levels in areas affected by pumping have declined at average rates ranging from 0.4 to 0. 9 ft/year during the period 1945-85. The greatest rate of decline was as much as 4.0 ft/year between 1945 and 1954 in an observation well in a well field of MLGW at Memphis. In 1971, MLGW ceased pumping from the Fort Pillow aquifer at this well field, and between 1972 and 1976, water levels rose about 28 ft in this well. Withdrawals from the Fort Pillow aquifer in western Tennessee in 1985 averaged about 12 million gal/day. (USGS)

Hydration kinetics and morphology of cement pastes with pozzolanic volcanic ash studied via synchrotron-based techniques

DOE PAGES

Kupwade-Patil, Kunal; Chin, Stephanie; Ilavsky, Jan; ...

2017-10-13

Here, this study investigates the early ages of hydration behavior when basaltic volcanic ash was used as a partial substitute to ordinary Portland cement using ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). The mix design consisted of 10, 30 and 50% substitution of Portland cement with two different-sized volcanic ashes. The data showed that substitution of volcanic ash above 30% results in excess unreacted volcanic ash, rather than additional pozzolanic reactions along longer length scales. WAXS studies revealed that addition of finely ground volcanic ash facilitated calcium-silicate-hydrate related phases, whereas inclusion of coarser volcanic ash caused domination by calcium-aluminum-silicate-hydratemore » and unreacted MgO phases, suggesting some volcanic ash remained unreacted throughout the hydration process. Addition of more than 30% volcanic ash leads to coarser morphology along with decreased surface area and higher intensity of scattering at early-age hydration. This suggests an abrupt dissolution indicated by changes in surface area due to the retarding gel formation that can have implication on early-age setting influencing the mechanical properties of the resulting cementitious matrix. The findings from this work show that the concentration of volcanic ash influences the specific surface area and morphology of hydration products during the early age of hydration. Therefore, natural pozzolanic volcanic ashes can be a viable substitute to Portland cement by providing environmental benefits in terms of lower-carbon footprint along with long-term durability.« less

Hydration kinetics and morphology of cement pastes with pozzolanic volcanic ash studied via synchrotron-based techniques

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

Kupwade-Patil, Kunal; Chin, Stephanie; Ilavsky, Jan

Here, this study investigates the early ages of hydration behavior when basaltic volcanic ash was used as a partial substitute to ordinary Portland cement using ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). The mix design consisted of 10, 30 and 50% substitution of Portland cement with two different-sized volcanic ashes. The data showed that substitution of volcanic ash above 30% results in excess unreacted volcanic ash, rather than additional pozzolanic reactions along longer length scales. WAXS studies revealed that addition of finely ground volcanic ash facilitated calcium-silicate-hydrate related phases, whereas inclusion of coarser volcanic ash caused domination by calcium-aluminum-silicate-hydratemore » and unreacted MgO phases, suggesting some volcanic ash remained unreacted throughout the hydration process. Addition of more than 30% volcanic ash leads to coarser morphology along with decreased surface area and higher intensity of scattering at early-age hydration. This suggests an abrupt dissolution indicated by changes in surface area due to the retarding gel formation that can have implication on early-age setting influencing the mechanical properties of the resulting cementitious matrix. The findings from this work show that the concentration of volcanic ash influences the specific surface area and morphology of hydration products during the early age of hydration. Therefore, natural pozzolanic volcanic ashes can be a viable substitute to Portland cement by providing environmental benefits in terms of lower-carbon footprint along with long-term durability.« less

Correlation of Superior Canal Dehiscence Surface Area With Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials, Audiometric Thresholds, and Dizziness Handicap.

PubMed

Hunter, Jacob B; O'Connell, Brendan P; Wang, Jianing; Chakravorti, Srijata; Makowiec, Katie; Carlson, Matthew L; Dawant, Benoit; McCaslin, Devin L; Noble, Jack H; Wanna, George B

2016-09-01

To correlate objective measures of vestibular and audiometric function as well as subjective measures of dizziness handicap with the surface area of the superior canal dehiscence (SCD). Retrospective chart review and radiological analysis. Single tertiary academic referral center. Preoperative computed tomography imaging, patient survey, audiometric thresholds, and vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) testing in patients with confirmed SCD. Image analysis techniques were developed to measure the surface area of each SCD in computed tomography imaging. Preoperative ocular and cervical VEMPs, air and bone conduction thresholds, air-bone gap, dizziness handicap inventory scores, and surface area of the SCD. Fifty-three patients (mean age 52.7 yr) with 84 SCD were analyzed. The median surface area of dehiscence was 1.44 mm (0.068-8.23 mm). Ocular VEMP amplitudes (r = 0.61, p <0.0001), cervical VEMP amplitudes (r = 0.62, p <0.0001), air conduction thresholds at 250 Hz (r = 0.25, p = 0.043), and air-bone gap at 500 Hz (r = 0.27, p = 0.01) positively correlated with increasing size of dehiscence. An inverse relationship between cervical VEMP thresholds (r = -0.56, p < 0.0001) and surface area of the dehiscence was observed. No association between dizziness handicap and surface area was identified. Among patients with confirmed SCD, ocular and cervical VEMP amplitudes, cervical VEMP thresholds, and air conduction thresholds at 250 Hz are significantly correlated with the surface area of the dehiscence.

Potentiometric Surface of the Magothy Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Wheeler, Judith C.

2002-01-01

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the Aquia aquifer in the Aquia Formation of Paleocene age in Southern Maryland for September 1982 and September 2001. The map, based on water level measurements in 58 wells, shows that the potentiometric surface during the 19-year period declined from zero in the northernmost part of the study area, which is the outcrop of the aquifer, to 120 feet at Lexington Park. Lexington Park is near the southeasternmost part of the study area and approaches the downdip boundary of the aquifer.

Chronic Cardiovascular Disease Mortality in Mountaintop Mining Areas of Central Appalachian States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esch, Laura; Hendryx, Michael

2011-01-01

Purpose: To determine if chronic cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality rates are higher among residents of mountaintop mining (MTM) areas compared to mining and nonmining areas, and to examine the association between greater levels of MTM surface mining and CVD mortality. Methods: Age-adjusted chronic CVD mortality rates from 1999 to 2006 for…

The Difference Between the Potentiometric Surfaces of the Magothy Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 1975 and September 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2010-01-01

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Late Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland between September 1975 and September 2009. The map, based on water level differences obtained from 48 wells, shows that during the 34-year period, the potentiometric surface had little change at the outcrop area, which is in the northernmost part of the study area, but declined 75 feet at Waldorf. Waldorf is located near the southwesternmost part of the study area, and approaches the downdip boundary of the aquifer. The map also shows well yield in gallons per day for 2008 at wells or well fields.

Stability of plasma treated superhydrophobic surfaces under different ambient conditions.

PubMed

Chen, Faze; Liu, Jiyu; Cui, Yao; Huang, Shuai; Song, Jinlong; Sun, Jing; Xu, Wenji; Liu, Xin

2016-05-15

Plasma hydrophilizing of superhydrophobic substrates has become an important area of research, for example, superhydrophobic-(super)hydrophilic patterned surfaces have significant practical applications such as lab-on-chip systems, cell adhesion, and control of liquid transport. However, the stability of plasma-induced hydrophilicity is always considered as a key issue since the wettability tends to revert back to the untreated state (i.e. aging behavior). This paper focuses on the stability of plasma treated superhydrophobic surface under different ambient conditions (e.g. temperature and relative humidity). Water contact angle measurement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are used to monitor the aging process. Results show that low temperature and low relative humidity are favorable to retard the aging process and that pre-storage at low temperature (-10°C) disables the treated surface to recover superhydrophobicity. When the aging is performed in water, a long-lasting hydropholicity is obtained. As the stability of plasma-induced hydrophilcity over a desired period of time is a very important issue, this work will contribute to the optimization of storage conditions of plasma treated superhydrophobic surfaces. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aging of Nanocrystalline Mackinawite (FeS): Mineralogical and Physicochemical Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, H. Y.; Lee, H.

2011-12-01

Due to the extraordinary physical properties and high surface areas, nanocrystalline minerals have been widely investigated for their potential uses in treating contaminated groundwaters and surface waters. Most previous studies in this field have focused on either preparation of nanocrystalline minerals or measurement of their reactivity with environmental contaminants. Nanocrystalline minerals, due to the inherent thermodynamic instability, tend to change the physicochemical and mineralogical properties over time, usually resulting in the decreased reactivity. Thus, to better assess the long-term effectiveness of nanocrystalline minerals in field applications, such "aging" effects should be clearly delineated. In the present work, we have investigated the aging impact on nanocrystalline mackinawite (FeS), the ubiquitous Fe-bearing mineral in anoxic sulfidic sediments. Mackinawite (FeS) is known to be an effective scavenger for metal pollutants and a strong reducing reagent for chromate and chlorinated organic compounds. Our preliminary results indicate that nanocrystalline FeS ages via Ostwald ripening, particle aggregation, or mineralogical transformation. By X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, aging of nanocrystalline FeS via Ostwald ripening is found to be dominant at acidic pH. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows that particle aggregation is most evident at neutral pH. Transformation of nanosized FeS into a more thermodynamically stable greigite (Fe3S4) is observed in the presence of folic acid at acidic pH. The pH-dependent aging process may be linked with changes in the apparent solubility and surface charge of FeS with pH. The Ostwald ripening or particle aggregation of nanocrystalline FeS leads to the decrease surface area, thus causing the decreased reactivity. Given the less reactivity of greigite, the transformation of nanocrystalline FeS to greigite is also expected to result in the decreased reactivity.

Effects of Aging on the Respiratory System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levitzky, Michael G.

1984-01-01

Relates alterations in respiratory system functions occurring with aging to changes in respiratory system structure during the course of life. Main alterations noted include loss of alveolar elastic recoil, alteration in chest wall structure and decreased respiratory muscle strength, and loss of surface area and changes in pulmonary circulation.…

Progress in the Analysis of Complex Atmospheric Particles.

PubMed

Laskin, Alexander; Gilles, Mary K; Knopf, Daniel A; Wang, Bingbing; China, Swarup

2016-06-12

This article presents an overview of recent advances in field and laboratory studies of atmospheric particles formed in processes of environmental air-surface interactions. The overarching goal of these studies is to advance predictive understanding of atmospheric particle composition, particle chemistry during aging, and their environmental impacts. The diversity between chemical constituents and lateral heterogeneity within individual particles adds to the chemical complexity of particles and their surfaces. Once emitted, particles undergo transformation via atmospheric aging processes that further modify their complex composition. We highlight a range of modern analytical approaches that enable multimodal chemical characterization of particles with both molecular and lateral specificity. When combined, these approaches provide a comprehensive arsenal of tools for understanding the nature of particles at air-surface interactions and their reactivity and transformations with atmospheric aging. We discuss applications of these novel approaches in recent studies and highlight additional research areas to explore the environmental effects of air-surface interactions.

In situ atomic force microscopy analysis of morphology and particle size changes in lithium iron phosphate cathode during discharge.

PubMed

Demirocak, Dervis Emre; Bhushan, Bharat

2014-06-01

Li-ion batteries offer great promise for future plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and pure electric vehicles (EVs). One of the challenges is to improve the cycle life of Li-ion batteries which requires detailed understanding of the aging phenomenon. In situ techniques are especially valuable to understand aging since it allows monitoring the physical and chemical changes in real time. In this study, in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) is utilized to study the changes in morphology and particle size of LiFePO4 cathode during discharge. The guidelines for in situ AFM cell design for accurate and reliable measurements based on different designs are presented. The effect of working electrode to counter electrode surface area ratio on cycling data of an in situ cell is also discussed. Analysis of the surface area change in LiFePO4 particles when the cell was cycled between 100% and 70% state of charge is presented. Among four particles analyzed, surface area increase of particles during Li intercalation of LiFePO4 spanned from 1.8% to 14.3% indicating the inhomogeneous nature of the cathode surface. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Patapsco Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2009-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the upper Patapsco aquifer in the Patapsco Formation of Early Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2007. The map is based on water-level measurements in 50 wells. The highest measured water level was 120 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in northern Anne Arundel County. From this area, the potentiometric surface declined to the south toward a well field in the Annapolis-Arnold area, and from all directions toward four cones of depression. These cones are located in the Waldorf-La Plata area, Chalk Point-Prince Frederick area, Swan Point subdivision in southern Charles County, and the Lexington Park-St. Inigoes area. The lowest measured ground-water level was 44 feet below sea level at Arnold, 106 feet below sea level south of Waldorf, 54 feet below sea level at Swan Point, 59 feet below sea level at Chalk Point, and 58 feet below sea level at Lexington Park.

Can foot anthropometric measurements predict dynamic plantar surface contact area?

PubMed

McPoil, Thomas G; Vicenzino, Bill; Cornwall, Mark W; Collins, Natalie

2009-10-28

Previous studies have suggested that increased plantar surface area, associated with pes planus, is a risk factor for the development of lower extremity overuse injuries. The intent of this study was to determine if a single or combination of foot anthropometric measures could be used to predict plantar surface area. Six foot measurements were collected on 155 subjects (97 females, 58 males, mean age 24.5 +/- 3.5 years). The measurements as well as one ratio were entered into a stepwise regression analysis to determine the optimal set of measurements associated with total plantar contact area either including or excluding the toe region. The predicted values were used to calculate plantar surface area and were compared to the actual values obtained dynamically using a pressure sensor platform. A three variable model was found to describe the relationship between the foot measures/ratio and total plantar contact area (R2 = 0.77, p < 0.0001)). A three variable model was also found to describe the relationship between the foot measures/ratio and plantar contact area minus the toe region (R2 = 0.76, p < 0.0001). The results of this study indicate that the clinician can use a combination of simple, reliable, and time efficient foot anthropometric measurements to explain over 75% of the plantar surface contact area, either including or excluding the toe region.

Can foot anthropometric measurements predict dynamic plantar surface contact area?

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Previous studies have suggested that increased plantar surface area, associated with pes planus, is a risk factor for the development of lower extremity overuse injuries. The intent of this study was to determine if a single or combination of foot anthropometric measures could be used to predict plantar surface area. Methods Six foot measurements were collected on 155 subjects (97 females, 58 males, mean age 24.5 ± 3.5 years). The measurements as well as one ratio were entered into a stepwise regression analysis to determine the optimal set of measurements associated with total plantar contact area either including or excluding the toe region. The predicted values were used to calculate plantar surface area and were compared to the actual values obtained dynamically using a pressure sensor platform. Results A three variable model was found to describe the relationship between the foot measures/ratio and total plantar contact area (R2 = 0.77, p < 0.0001)). A three variable model was also found to describe the relationship between the foot measures/ratio and plantar contact area minus the toe region (R2 = 0.76, p < 0.0001). Conclusion The results of this study indicate that the clinician can use a combination of simple, reliable, and time efficient foot anthropometric measurements to explain over 75% of the plantar surface contact area, either including or excluding the toe region. PMID:19863799

Landslides in the western Columbia Gorge, Skamania County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pierson, Thomas C.; Evarts, Russell C.; Bard, Joseph A.

2016-11-04

SummaryRecent light detection and ranging (lidar) imagery has allowed us to identify and map a large number of previously unrecognized landslides, or slides, in heavily forested terrain in the western Columbia Gorge, Skamania County, Washington, and it has revealed that the few previously recognized areas of instability are actually composites of multiple smaller landslides. The high resolution of the imagery further reveals that landslides in the map area have complex movement histories and span a wide range of relative ages. Movement histories are inferred from relative landslide locations and crosscutting relations of surface features. Estimated age ranges are based on (1) limited absolute dating; (2) relative fineness of landscape surface textures, calibrated by comparison with surfaces of currently active and dated landslides as interpreted from interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), global positioning system (GPS), and historical records; (3) sharpness and steepness of larger-scale surface morphologic features, calibrated by comparison with similar dated features in other regions; (4) degree of surface erosion; and (5) evidence of erosion or deposition by late Pleistocene (15–22 ka) Missoula floods at or below 200 m altitude. The relative age categories are recent (0 to ~1,000 years old), intermediate-age (~1,000 to ~15,000 years old), and old (>~15,000 years old). Within the 221.5 km2 map area, we identified 215 discrete landslides, covering 140.9 km2 (64 percent of the map area). At least 12 of the recent landslides are currently moving or have moved within the last two decades. Mapping for this study expanded the area of previously recognized unstable terrain by 56 percent. Landslide geometries suggest that more than half (62 percent) of these slope failures are translational landslides or composite landslides with translational elements, with failure occurring along gently sloping bedding planes in zones of deeply weathered, locally clay rich volcaniclastic sedimentary units. Approximately two-thirds of the mapped landslide area comprises landslides that have remobilized parts of older slides, and 37 percent of these reactivated slides have involved reactivation of material from two or more older slides. The largest two recent landslides have volumes ≈1 km3 and runouts ≈6 km. One of these, the Bonneville landslide, temporarily dammed the Columbia River almost 600 years ago, and subsequent dam-break flooding inundated downstream areas. The other, the Red Bluffs landslide, slid into the river adjacent to the Bonneville landslide but apparently did not form a landslide dam. Another such landslide rapidly sliding into the Columbia River today could have a catastrophic impact on downstream communities and on the transportation and energy-distribution infrastructure of the Pacific Northwest.

The Surface Age of Sputnik Planum, Pluto, Must Be Less than 10 Million Years

PubMed Central

Trilling, David E.

2016-01-01

Data from the New Horizons mission to Pluto show no craters on Sputnik Planum down to the detection limit (2 km for low resolution data, 625 m for high resolution data). The number of small Kuiper Belt Objects that should be impacting Pluto is known to some degree from various astronomical surveys. We combine these geological and telescopic observations to make an order of magnitude estimate that the surface age of Sputnik Planum must be less than 10 million years. This maximum surface age is surprisingly young and implies that this area of Pluto must be undergoing active resurfacing, presumably through some cryo-geophysical process. We discuss three possible resurfacing mechanisms and the implications of each one for Pluto’s physical properties. PMID:26790001

Nothing new under the heavens: MIH in the past?

PubMed

Ogden, A R; Pinhasi, R; White, W J

2008-12-01

This was to study an archaeological population of subadult teeth in 17th and 18th century skeletal material from a London (England) cemetery for enamel defects including molar-incisor-hypomineralisation (MIH). Dentitions of 45 sub-adults were examined using standard macroscopic methods and systematically recorded. A total of 557 teeth were examined with a *5 lens and photographed. Ages of the individuals were estimated from their dental crown and root development stages and not from charts that combine tooth eruption with development stages. The dental age of the individual and the approximate age of onset of enamel defects was then calculated on the basis of the chronological sequence of incremental deposition and calcification of the enamel matrix. Affected enamel was graded macroscopically as: - Mild: <30% of the tooth's enamel surface area visibly disrupted (this encompasses the entire range reported in most other studies), Moderate: 31-49% of the tooth's enamel surface area visibly disrupted and Severe: >50% of the tooth's enamel surface area visibly disrupted. Of the total number of individuals 41 (93.2%) showed signs of enamel developmental dysplasia or MIH, 28 of them showing moderate or severe lesions of molars, primary or permanent (63.6% of the sample). Incisors and canines, though surviving much less often, showed episodes of linear hypoplasia. The extensive lesions seen on many of the molars displayed cuspal enamel hypoplasia (CEH). Many of these teeth also exhibited Molar Incisal Hypomineralisation (MIH).

Proceedings of the Tri-Service Conference on Corrosion Held in Atlantic City, New Jersey on 17-19 October 1989

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-10-19

installation. 4. Corrosion inhibiting compounds need to be applied in the final assealbly of models to all corrosion prone areas of the structure, e.g...Figure 12 shows an example of poor surface treatment of a previously repaired stringer area. Application of a corrosion inhibiting compound may have... compounds and a good corrosion control maintenance program. REFERENCE U. G. Goranson and M. Miller, "Aging Fleet - Aging Fleet Evaluation Program

Effects of barge traffic on distribution and survival of ichthyoplankton and small fishes in the upper Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holland, L.E.

1986-01-01

Short-term impacts of commercial barge traffic on fish eggs, larvae, young-of-the-year (age-0) fishes, and small adults in the main channel of the upper Mississippi River were examined. Barge passages caused significant changes in the distribution of eggs and larvae in the study area. The mean catch of ichthyoplankton was reduced in both surface and bottom waters for 90 min after passage of vessels downstream. The effects of upstream traffic on catch ranged from nil in surface or bottom samples to short-term increases in surface samples immediately after passage. No consistent effect on the catch of age-0 or small adult fishes in surface or bottom trawls was evident.

Methane and benzene in drinking-water wells overlying the Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, and Haynesville Shale hydrocarbon production areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

McMahon, Peter B.; Barlow, Jeannie R.; Engle, Mark A.; Belitz, Kenneth; Ging, Patricia B.; Hunt, Andrew G.; Jurgens, Bryant; Kharaka, Yousif K.; Tollett, Roland W.; Kresse, Timothy M.

2017-01-01

Water wells (n = 116) overlying the Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, and Haynesville Shale hydrocarbon production areas were sampled for chemical, isotopic, and groundwater-age tracers to investigate the occurrence and sources of selected hydrocarbons in groundwater. Methane isotopes and hydrocarbon gas compositions indicate most of the methane in the wells was biogenic and produced by the CO2 reduction pathway, not from thermogenic shale gas. Two samples contained methane from the fermentation pathway that could be associated with hydrocarbon degradation based on their co-occurrence with hydrocarbons such as ethylbenzene and butane. Benzene was detected at low concentrations (<0.15 μg/L), but relatively high frequencies (2.4–13.3% of samples), in the study areas. Eight of nine samples containing benzene had groundwater ages >2500 years, indicating the benzene was from subsurface sources such as natural hydrocarbon migration or leaking hydrocarbon wells. One sample contained benzene that could be from a surface release associated with hydrocarbon production activities based on its age (10 ± 2.4 years) and proximity to hydrocarbon wells. Groundwater travel times inferred from the age-data indicate decades or longer may be needed to fully assess the effects of potential subsurface and surface releases of hydrocarbons on the wells.

Methane and Benzene in Drinking-Water Wells Overlying the Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, and Haynesville Shale Hydrocarbon Production Areas.

PubMed

McMahon, Peter B; Barlow, Jeannie R B; Engle, Mark A; Belitz, Kenneth; Ging, Patricia B; Hunt, Andrew G; Jurgens, Bryant C; Kharaka, Yousif K; Tollett, Roland W; Kresse, Timothy M

2017-06-20

Water wells (n = 116) overlying the Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, and Haynesville Shale hydrocarbon production areas were sampled for chemical, isotopic, and groundwater-age tracers to investigate the occurrence and sources of selected hydrocarbons in groundwater. Methane isotopes and hydrocarbon gas compositions indicate most of the methane in the wells was biogenic and produced by the CO 2 reduction pathway, not from thermogenic shale gas. Two samples contained methane from the fermentation pathway that could be associated with hydrocarbon degradation based on their co-occurrence with hydrocarbons such as ethylbenzene and butane. Benzene was detected at low concentrations (<0.15 μg/L), but relatively high frequencies (2.4-13.3% of samples), in the study areas. Eight of nine samples containing benzene had groundwater ages >2500 years, indicating the benzene was from subsurface sources such as natural hydrocarbon migration or leaking hydrocarbon wells. One sample contained benzene that could be from a surface release associated with hydrocarbon production activities based on its age (10 ± 2.4 years) and proximity to hydrocarbon wells. Groundwater travel times inferred from the age-data indicate decades or longer may be needed to fully assess the effects of potential subsurface and surface releases of hydrocarbons on the wells.

Reference right atrial dimensions and volume estimation by steady state free precession cardiovascular magnetic resonance

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) steady state free precession (SSFP) cine sequences with high temporal resolution and improved post-processing can accurately measure RA dimensions. We used this technique to define ranges for normal RA volumes and dimensions normalized, when necessary, to the influence of gender, body surface area (BSA) and age, and also to define the best 2D images-derived predictors of RA enlargement. Methods For definition of normal ranges of RA volume we studied 120 healthy subjects (60 men, 60 women; 20 subjects per age decile from 20 to 80 years), after careful exclusion of cardiovascular abnormality. We also studied 120 patients (60 men, 60 women; age range 20 to 80 years) with a clinical indication for CMR in order to define the best 1D and 2D predictors of RA enlargement. Data were generated from SSFP cine CMR, with 3-dimensional modeling, including tracking of the atrioventricular ring motion and time-volume curves analysis. Results In the group of healthy individuals, age influenced RA 2-chamber area and transverse diameter. Gender influenced most absolute RA dimensions and volume. Interestingly, right atrial volumes did not change with age and gender when indexed to body surface area. New CMR normal ranges for RA dimensions were modeled and displayed for clinical use with normalization for BSA and gender and display of parameter variation with age. Finally, the best 2D images-derived independent predictors of RA enlargement were indexed area and indexed longitudinal diameter in the 2-chamber view. Conclusion Reference RA dimensions and predictors of RA enlargement are provided using state-of-the-art CMR techniques. PMID:23566426

[Etiological analysis of subambient temperature burn in 351 cases of Hefei area].

PubMed

Shi, Jie; Qi, Weiwei; Xu, Qinglian; Zhou, Shunying; Wang, Guobao

2010-06-01

To study the preventive measure of the subambient temperature burn by analysing the pathogenesis feature. The clinical data were analysed from 351 cases of subambient temperature burn between February 2004 and February 2009, including age, sex, burn season, burn factors, burn position, burn area, burn degree, treatment way, and wound healing. Subambient temperature burn occurred in every age stage. The susceptible age stages included infant, children, and the elderly. Female patients were more than male patients. The common burn reasons were hot-water bottle burn, honey warm keeper burn, and heating device burn. The peak season was winter. Lower limb was the most common site of the subambient temperature burn. The deep II degree to III degree were the most common level, and the burn area was always small, often < or = 1% of total body surface area. Most of patients were treated with changing dressings at clinic and few patients needed hospitalization. Though the surface of wound could heal finally, and the wound healed well with no obvious scar in patients who received operation. Subambient temperature burn is the frequently encountered disease in winter. Use of the warming articles should be cautious, at the same time safety awareness should be strengthened so as to decrease the incidence rate of subambient temperature burn and the injury degree.

Potentiometric Surface of the Magothy Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2010-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Late Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2009. The map is based on water-level measurements in 66 wells. The highest measured water level was 85 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in the north-central part of Anne Arundel County. The potentiometric surface declined towards the south. Local hydraulic gradients were directed toward the center of a cone of depression in the Waldorf area that developed in response to pumping. Measured groundwater levels were as low as 71 feet below sea level in the Waldorf area. The map also shows well yield in gallons per day for 2008 at wells or well fields.

Selected field and analytical methods and analytical results in the Dutch Flats area, western Nebraska, 1995-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Verstraeten, Ingrid M.; Steele, G.V.; Cannia, J.C.; Bohlke, J.K.; Kraemer, T.E.; Hitch, D.E.; Wilson, K.E.; Carnes, A.E.

2001-01-01

A study of the water resources of the Dutch Flats area in the western part of the North Platte Natural Resources District, western Nebraska, was conducted from 1995 through 1999 to describe the surface water and hydrogeology, the spatial distribution of selected water-quality constituents in surface and ground water, and the surface-water/ground-water interaction in selected areas. This report describes the selected field and analytical methods used in the study and selected analytical results from the study not previously published. Specifically, dissolved gases, age-dating data, and other isotopes collected as part of an intensive sampling effort in August and November 1998 and all uranium and uranium isotope data collected through the course of this study are included in the report.

Frictional `non-aging' of fault mirror surfaces?: Insight from friction experiments on Carrara marble

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Y.; Ree, J. H.; Hirose, T.

2016-12-01

Mirror-like fault surfaces (or fault mirror: FM) have recently been suggested as a precursor of unstable slip (thus indicative of seismic slip). Frictional aging of fault surfaces (increase in static friction during interseismic period) is a common phenomenon of fault surfaces, resulting from increase in contact area or in bond strength between asperities with time. Despite the importance of FM in earthquake faulting, the frictional-aging behavior of FM has never been studied. To understand the frictional-aging behavior of FM, slide-hold-slide friction experiments were done on carbonate FM and powdered gouge of former carbonate FM (PG hereafter) using low-to-high-velocity-rotary-shear apparatus, at a slip rate of 1 μm s-1 a normal stress of 1.5 MPa, room temperature and room humidity condition. The sheared PG specimens showed a logarithmic positive relationship between static friction and holding time, consistent with Dieterich-type healing behavior. In contrast, the sheared FM specimens showed little effect of holding time on static friction. The slip surface of FM specimens consists of densely-packed and sintered nano-particles while that of PG specimens is composed of loose nano-particles. It has been known that yield strength of a material increases dramatically with size-decreasing grains being nano-particles. Since FM is a layer of densely-packed and sintered nanoparticles, enhanced strength of FM may inhibit growth of real contact area of fault surfaces during hold time. Furthermore, sintered particles composing FM have less pore space than loose gouge layer, and thus there would be a less chance of strengthening by pore space reduction, inter-particle meniscus formation or water adsorption onto the particles surface in the FM layer. Our preliminary result suggests that carbonate FM's may impede the recovery of fault strength during interseismic period, resulting in less possibility of earthquake nucleation. Reduced frictional healing may be a common phenomenon of FM's in other materials too once they are composed of sintered nano-particles.

Design Evolution Study - Aging Options

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

P. McDaniel

The purpose of this study is to identify options and issues for aging commercial spent nuclear fuel received for disposal at the Yucca Mountain Mined Geologic Repository. Some early shipments of commercial spent nuclear fuel to the repository may be received with high-heat-output (younger) fuel assemblies that will need to be managed to meet thermal goals for emplacement. The capability to age as much as 40,000 metric tons of heavy metal of commercial spent nuclear he1 would provide more flexibility in the design to manage this younger fuel and to decouple waste receipt and waste emplacement. The following potential agingmore » location options are evaluated: (1) Surface aging at four locations near the North Portal; (2) Subsurface aging in the permanent emplacement drifts; and (3) Subsurface aging in a new subsurface area. The following aging container options are evaluated: (1) Complete Waste Package; (2) Stainless Steel inner liner of the waste package; (3) Dual Purpose Canisters; (4) Multi-Purpose Canisters; and (5) New disposable canister for uncanistered commercial spent nuclear fuel. Each option is compared to a ''Base Case,'' which is the expected normal waste packaging process without aging. A Value Engineering approach is used to score each option against nine technical criteria and rank the options. Open issues with each of the options and suggested future actions are also presented. Costs for aging containers and aging locations are evaluated separately. Capital costs are developed for direct costs and distributable field costs. To the extent practical, unit costs are presented. Indirect costs, operating costs, and total system life cycle costs will be evaluated outside of this study. Three recommendations for aging commercial spent nuclear fuel--subsurface, surface, and combined surface and subsurface are presented for further review in the overall design re-evaluation effort. Options that were evaluated but not recommended are: subsurface aging in a new subsurface area (high cost); surface aging in the complete waste package (risk to the waste package and impact on the Waste Handling Facility); and aging in the stainless steel liner (impact on the waste package design and new high risk operations added to the waste packaging process). The selection of a design basis for aging will be made in conjunction with the other design re-evaluation studies.« less

Degradation of oxygen reduction reaction kinetics in porous La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ cathodes due to aging-induced changes in surface chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baqué, Laura C.; Soldati, Analía L.; Teixeira-Neto, Erico; Troiani, Horacio E.; Schreiber, Anja; Serquis, Adriana C.

2017-01-01

The modification of surface composition after long-term operation is one of the most reported degradation mechanisms of (La,Sr)(Co,Fe)O3-δ (LSCFO) cathodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs). Nevertheless, its effect on the oxygen reduction reaction kinetics of porous LSCFO cathodes has not been yet reliably established. In this work, La- and Sr-enrichment at the LSCFO surface of porous cathodes has been induced after 50 h aging at 800 °C under air. Such cation redistribution can extend up to ∼400 nm depth under the LSCFO surface as detected by high resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy maps acquired inside the cathode pores. The observed surface chemical changes hamper the oxygen surface exchange reaction at the LSCFO/gas interface. Accordingly, a suitable Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy analysis revealed that the oxygen ion conductivity remains practically unaltered during the aging treatment while the oxygen surface exchange resistance increases up to 1.8 times. As a result, the cathode impedance response deteriorates within the 10-0.1 Hz frequency range during the aging treatment, resulting in a total cathode area specific resistance increase of 150%. The methodology adopted has demonstrated to be very valuable for studying the degradation of SOFC cathodes produced by the modification of surface composition.

Survey on aging on electrodes and electrocatalysts in phosphoric acid fuel cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stonehart, P.; Hochmuth, J.

1981-01-01

The processes which contribute to the decay in performance of electrodes used in phosphoric acid fuel cell systems are discussed. Loss of catalytic surface area, corrosion of the carbon support, electrode structure degradation, electrolyte degradation, and impurities in the reactant streams are identified as the major areas for concern.

Ground-water resources of the Ainsworth unit, Cherry and Brown Counties, Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cronin, James G.; Newport, Thomas G.; Krieger, R.A.

1956-01-01

The Ainsworth unit, so named by the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, is in north-central Nebraska and is in the drainage basin of the Niobrara River. It is an area of about 1,000 square miles in the east-central part of Cherry County and northern part of Brown County. The east-west length of the area is about 60 miles and the width ranges from 9 to 21 miles. About 80 percent of the area consists of grass-covered sandhills; the remainder is the Ainsworth tableland, which is flat to gently rolling farmland between Plum and Long Pine Creeks in the eastern part of the area. The average annual precipitation is about 23 inches. Although most of the C).ops are raised by dry-farming methods, some farmland is irrigated with water pumped from wells. The U. S. Bureau of Reclamation has proposed to irrigate much of the Ainsworth tableland with surface water to be stored in a reservoir on the Snake River at the west border of the Ainsworth unit. The rocks exposed in the Ainsworth unit range in age from Tertiary (Pliocene) to Quaternary (Recent). The Ogallala formation of Pliocene age is exposed along the lower part of the Snake River valley and underlies the entire Ainsworth unit. It is composed of silt, sand, and gravel, and contains layers of sandstone and conglomerate, much of which is cross bedded and cemented with lime; coarser sediments generally are more prominent in the lower part. Overlying the Ogallala formation are deposits of Pleistocene age consisting in part of layers of saturated sand and gravel which are the most important sources of ground water in the Ainsworth unit. Throughout most of the area the ground water is under watertable conditions, but locally it is confined by lenses of clay or silty clay. Some wells tap only the sand and gravel of Pleistocene age, some tap both the deposits of Pleistocene age and the underlying Ogallala formation, and some tap only the Ogallala formation; no wells are known to extend into rocks older than the Ogallala. Dune sand mantles the deposits of Pleistocene age in about 80 percent of the Ainsworth unit and a thin deposit of loess covers the surface elsewhere. Terrace deposits border the flood plain of the principal streams, and alluvium underlies the flood plain of most of the stream valleys in the area. Precipitation and underflow from the southwest are the principal sources of the ground water in the Ainsworth unit. As most of the precipitation in the sandhills evaporates, is utilized by growing plants, or penetrates to the zone of saturation, the overland runoff from this part of the area is small. In the vicinity of Ainsworth a minor amount of recharge probably is derived from the return of irrigation water pumped from wells. Where the water table is near the surface in the valleys of the sandhills, ground water is discharged directly from the zone of saturation to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration; and, as the surface of the lakes in the sandhills area is an extension of the water table, evaporation from the lake surface also constitutes ground-water discharge. In addition, ground water is discharged by the streams that are incised below the water table and by subsurface outflow. The yield of wells accounts for only a small part of the discharge of ground water from the area. In the Ainsworth unit the water table slopes northeastward from the region of favorable recharge, the sandhills, toward the Niobrara River and its principal tributaries. The average gradient of the water table is about 10 feet per mile. In the sandhills the water table is at or near the surface in the valleys and as much as 100 feet, or a little more, beneath the higher sandhills. In the vicinity of Ainsworth the water level in wells ranges from less than 1 foot to about 40 feet below the land surface, but nearer the Niobrara River and close to its deeply entrenched tributaries the depth to the water table is as much as, or a little more than, 200 feet. The coefficient of transmissibility of the gr

Use of Several Thermal Analysis Techniques to Study the Cracking of a Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) Insulator on the Booster Separation Motor (BSM) of the Space Shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wingard, Charles D.

1999-01-01

Two different vendor rubber formulations have been used to produce the silica-filled NBR insulators for the BSM of each of the two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) on the Space Shuttle. Each cured insulator is bonded to the BSM aluminum aft closure with an epoxy adhesive, and some of the curved areas in the rubber may have significant residual stresses. A number of recently bonded NBR insulators have shown fine surface cracks, and stressed insulator areas may be aging at a faster rate than unstressed areas, thus hastening the surface cracking. Thermal analysis data on both vendor insulators by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) through a temperature/frequency sweep from 24 to 74 C have shown a higher flexural storage modulus and Arrhenius activation energy for the stressed area than for the unstressed area. Other thermal analysis techniques are being used to study the insulator surface vs. bulk interior for better understanding this anomaly.

Potentiometric surface of the Upper Patapsco aquifer in southern Maryland, September 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2010-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the upper Patapsco aquifer in the Patapsco Formation of Early Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2009. The map is based on water-level measurements in 65 wells. The highest measured water level was 118 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in northern Anne Arundel County. From this area, the potentiometric surface declined to the south toward a well field in the Annapolis-Arnold area, and from all directions toward three additional cones of depression. These cones are located in the Waldorf-La Plata area, Chalk Point, and the Leonardtown-Lexington Park area. The lowest measured groundwater levels were 26 feet below sea level at Annapolis, 108 feet below sea level south of Waldorf, 60 feet below sea level at Chalk Point, and 83 feet below sea level at Leonardtown. The map also shows well yield in gallons per day for 2008 at wells or well fields.

Automatic segmentation and reconstruction of the cortex from neonatal MRI.

PubMed

Xue, Hui; Srinivasan, Latha; Jiang, Shuzhou; Rutherford, Mary; Edwards, A David; Rueckert, Daniel; Hajnal, Joseph V

2007-11-15

Segmentation and reconstruction of cortical surfaces from magnetic resonance (MR) images are more challenging for developing neonates than adults. This is mainly due to the dynamic changes in the contrast between gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) in both T1- and T2-weighted images (T1w and T2w) during brain maturation. In particular in neonatal T2w images WM typically has higher signal intensity than GM. This causes mislabeled voxels during cortical segmentation, especially in the cortical regions of the brain and in particular at the interface between GM and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We propose an automatic segmentation algorithm detecting these mislabeled voxels and correcting errors caused by partial volume effects. Our results show that the proposed algorithm corrects errors in the segmentation of both GM and WM compared to the classic expectation maximization (EM) scheme. Quantitative validation against manual segmentation demonstrates good performance (the mean Dice value: 0.758+/-0.037 for GM and 0.794+/-0.078 for WM). The inner, central and outer cortical surfaces are then reconstructed using implicit surface evolution. A landmark study is performed to verify the accuracy of the reconstructed cortex (the mean surface reconstruction error: 0.73 mm for inner surface and 0.63 mm for the outer). Both segmentation and reconstruction have been tested on 25 neonates with the gestational ages ranging from approximately 27 to 45 weeks. This preliminary analysis confirms previous findings that cortical surface area and curvature increase with age, and that surface area scales to cerebral volume according to a power law, while cortical thickness is not related to age or brain growth.

Age-Related Buildup of Humoral Immunity against Epitopes for Rosette Formation and Agglutination in African Areas of Malaria Endemicity

PubMed Central

Barragan, Antonio; Kremsner, Peter G.; Weiss, Walter; Wahlgren, Mats; Carlson, Johan

1998-01-01

In this report, we show an age-related buildup of agglutinating activity as well as serum activity against rosette formation in children living in areas of Kenya and Gabon where malaria is endemic. Sera from Kenyans in general exhibited a stronger and wider immune response toward the epitopes, probably reflecting a difference in transmission patterns between the two areas. Thus, our results indicate that repeated malaria attacks in areas of endemicity, and consequently exposure to different isolate-specific antigens, will elicit an antibody-mediated response eventually enabling recognition of the majority of rosetting and agglutinating antigens. The correlation between antirosetting and agglutinating capacity was poor in individual cases, indicating that the rosetting epitopes are only a minor part of the highly diverse surface-exposed antigens (mainly PfEMP1) on the surface of parasitized erythrocytes toward which antibodies may react. These data together with our previous findings that the protection against cerebral malaria correlates with presence of antirosetting antibodies shed new light on our understanding of the gradual acquisition of immunity toward severe complications of malarial infection which children reared in areas of endemicity attain. PMID:9746579

Assessing the accuracy of cranial and pelvic ageing methods on human skeletal remains from a modern Greek assemblage.

PubMed

Xanthopoulou, Panagiota; Valakos, Efstratios; Youlatos, Dionisios; Nikita, Efthymia

2018-05-01

The present study tests the accuracy of commonly adopted ageing methods based on the morphology of the pubic symphysis, auricular surface and cranial sutures. These methods are examined both in their traditional form as well as in the context of transition analysis using the ADBOU software in a modern Greek documented collection consisting of 140 individuals who lived mainly in the second half of the twentieth century and come from cemeteries in the area of Athens. The auricular surface overall produced the most accurate age estimates in our material, with different methods based on this anatomical area showing varying degrees of success for different age groups. The pubic symphysis produced accurate results primarily for young adults and the same applied to cranial sutures but the latter appeared completely inappropriate for older individuals. The use of transition analysis through the ADBOU software provided less accurate results than the corresponding traditional ageing methods in our sample. Our results are in agreement with those obtained from validation studies based on material from across the world, but certain differences identified with other studies on Greek material highlight the importance of taking into account intra- and inter-population variability in age estimation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface water data and geographic relation to Tertiary age intrusions and hydrothermal alteration in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) and intervening Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bove, Dana J.; Knepper, Daniel H.

2000-01-01

This data set covering the western part of Colorado includes water quality data from eight different sources (points), nine U.S. Geological Survey Digital Raster Graph (DRG) files for topographic bases, a compilation of Tertiary age intrusions (polygons and lines), and two geotiff files showing areas of hydrothermally altered rock. These data were compiled for use with an ongoing mineral resource assessment of theGrand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) and intervening Bureau of Land Management(BLM) lands. This compilation was assembled to give federal land managers a preliminary view of water within sub-basinal areas, and to show possible relationships to Tertiary age intrusion and areas of hydrothermal alteration.

Can static foot posture measurements predict regional plantar surface area?

PubMed

McPoil, Thomas G; Haager, Mathew; Hilt, John; Klapheke, John; Martinez, Ray; VanSteenwyk, Cory; Weber, Nicholas; Cornwall, Mark W; Bade, Michael

2014-12-01

The intent of this study was to determine if the use of a single or combination of static foot posture measurements can be used to predict rearfoot, midfoot, and forefoot plantar surface area in individuals with pronated or normal foot types. Twelve foot measurements were collected on 52 individuals (mean age 25.8 years) with the change in midfoot width used to place subjects in a pronated or normal foot mobility group. Dynamic plantar contact area was collected during walking with a pressure sensor platform. The 12 measures were entered into a stepwise regression analysis to determine the optimal set of measures associated with regional plantar surface area. A two variable model was found to describe the relationship between the foot measurements and forefoot plantar contact area (r(2)=0.79, p<0.0001). A four variable model was found to describe the relationship between the foot measurements and midfoot plantar contact area (r(2)=0.85, p<0.0001) in those individuals with a 1.26cm or greater change in midfoot width. The results indicate that clinicians can use a combination of simple, reliable and time efficient foot measures to explain 79% and 85% of the plantar surface area in the forefoot and midfoot, respectively. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reactions of aqueous aluminum species at mineral surfaces

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, David Wayne; Hem, John David

1975-01-01

Aqueous aluminum solutions containing 4.5 ? 10 4 molar aluminum in 0.01 molar NaC104 were partly neutralized with NaOH to give OH:A1 mole ratios from 1.40 to 2.76. Measured amounts of montmorillonite, kaolinite, volcanic ash, or feldspathic sand were added to provide an area of inert surface. Reactions that occurred during 100 days of aging were compared with those in similar solutions without added surfaces, studied in earlier work. Adsorption of monomeric species Al(H20)6+3, AlOH(H2O)5+2, and Al(OH)2(H2O 4? on the added surfaces follows a cation exchange mass law equilibrium model, and adsorption is essentially complete in 1 hour. Only minor changes in monomeric aluminum species occurred after that. Rapid adsorption of polynuclear aluminum hydroxide species also occurs and follows the pattern of the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. In the absence of surfaces, the polynuclear ions slowly increase in size and become microcrystalline gibbsite during aging. Electron micrographs showed microcrystalline gibbsite was present or surfaces after aging only 2 days. However, the analytical data suggest this material must have been adsorbed after it had already attained a near-crystalline state. Adsorbed polynuclear aluminum hydroxide species were not extensively converted to microcrystalline gibbsite during 100 days of aging.

Age-related differences in morphological characteristics of residual skin surface components collected from the surface of facial skin of healthy male volunteers.

PubMed

Chalyk, N E; Bandaletova, T Y; Kyle, N H; Petyaev, I M

2017-05-01

Global increase of human longevity results in the emergence of previously ignored ageing-related problems. Skin ageing is a well-known phenomenon, but active search for scientific approaches to its prevention and even skin rejuvenation is a relatively new area. Although the structure and composition of the stratum corneum (SC), the superficial layer of epidermis, is well studied, relatively little is known about the residual skin surface components (RSSC) that overlay the surface of the SC. The aim of this study was to examine morphological features of RSSC samples non-invasively collected from the surface of human facial skin for the presence of age-related changes. Residual skin surface component samples were collected by swabbing from the surface of facial skin of 60 adult male volunteers allocated in two age groups: 34 subjects aged in the range 18-32 years and 26 subjects aged in the range 58-72 years. The collected samples were analysed microscopically: the size of the lipid droplets was measured; desquamated corneocytes and lipid crystals were counted; and microbial presence was assessed semi-quantitatively. Age-related changes were revealed for all studied components of the RSSC. There was a significant (P = 0.0126) decrease in the size of lipid droplets among older men. Likewise, significantly (P = 0.0252) lower numbers of lipid crystals were present in this group. In contrast, microbial presence in the RSSC was significantly (P = 0.0019) increased in the older group. There was also a trend towards more abundant corneocyte desquamation among older men, but the difference has not reached statistical significance (P = 0.0636). Non-invasively collected RSSC samples present an informative material for studying age-related changes on the surface of the SC of human facial skin. The results of this study confirm earlier observations regarding age-associated decline of the efficiency of the epidermal barrier and can be used for testing new approaches to skin ageing prevention. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Variability of magnetoencephalographic sensor sensitivity measures as a function of age, brain volume and cortical area

PubMed Central

Irimia, Andrei; Erhart, Matthew J.; Brown, Timothy T.

2014-01-01

Objective To assess the feasibility and appropriateness of magnetoencephalography (MEG) for both adult and pediatric studies, as well as for the developmental comparison of these factors across a wide range of ages. Methods For 45 subjects with ages from 1 to 24 years (infants, toddlers, school-age children and young adults), lead fields (LFs) of MEG sensors are computed using anatomically realistic boundary element models (BEMs) and individually-reconstructed cortical surfaces. Novel metrics are introduced to quantify MEG sensor focality. Results The variability of MEG focality is graphed as a function of brain volume and cortical area. Statistically significant differences in total cerebral volume, cortical area, MEG global sensitivity and LF focality are found between age groups. Conclusions Because MEG focality and sensitivity differ substantially across the age groups studied, the cortical LF maps explored here can provide important insights for the examination and interpretation of MEG signals from early childhood to young adulthood. Significance This is the first study to (1) investigate the relationship between MEG cortical LFs and brain volume as well as cortical area across development, and (2) compare LFs between subjects with different head sizes using detailed cortical reconstructions. PMID:24589347

Predicting skin deficits through surface area measurements in ear reconstruction and adult ear surface area norms.

PubMed

Yazar, Memet; Sevim, Kamuran Zeynep; Irmak, Fatih; Yazar, Sevgi Kurt; Yeşilada, Ayşin Karasoy; Karşidağğ, Semra Hacikerim; Tatlidede, Hamit Soner

2013-07-01

Ear reconstruction is one of the most challenging procedures in plastic surgery practice. Many studies and techniques have been described in the literature for carving a well-pronounced framework. However, just as important as the cartilage framework is the ample amount of delicate skin coverage of the framework. In this report, we introduce an innovative method of measuring the skin surface area of the auricle from a three-dimensional template created from the healthy ear.The study group consisted of 60 adult Turkish individuals who were randomly selected (30 men and 30 women). The participant ages ranged from 18 to 45 years (mean, 31.5 years), and they had no history of trauma or congenital anomalies. The template is created by dividing the ear into aesthetic subunits and using ImageJ software to estimate the necessary amount of total skin surface area required.Reconstruction of the auricle is a complicated process that requires experience and patience to provide the auricular details. We believe this estimate will shorten the learning curve for residents and surgeons interested in ear reconstruction and will help surgeons obtain adequate skin to drape over the well-sculpted cartilage frameworks by providing a reference list of total ear skin surface area measurements for Turkish men and women.

Echocardiographic measurements of cardiac dimensions correlate better with body length than with body weight or body surface area.

PubMed

Motz, R; Schumacher, M; Nürnberg, J; Viemann, M; Grafmüller, S; Fiedler, K; Claus, M; Kronberg, K

2014-12-01

Looking after children means caring for very small infants up to adult-sized adolescents, with weights ranging from 500 g to more than 100 kg and heights ranging from 25 to more than 200 cm. The available echocardiographic reference data were drawn from a small sample, which did not include preterm infants. Most authors have used body weight or body surface area to predict left ventricular dimensions. The current authors had the impression that body length would be a better surrogate parameter than body weight or body surface area. They analyzed their echocardiographic database retrospectively. The analysis included all available echocardiographic data from 6 June 2001 to 15 December 2011 from their echocardiographic database. The authors included 12,086 of 26,325 subjects documented as patients with normal hearts in their analysis by the examining the pediatric cardiologist. For their analysis, they selected body weight, length, age, and aortic and pulmonary valve diameter in two-dimensional echocardiography and left ventricular dimension in M-mode. They found good correlation between echocardiographic dimensions and body surface area, body weight, and body length. The analysis showed a complex relationship between echocardiographic measurements and body weight and body surface area, whereas body length showed a linear relationship. This makes prediction of echo parameters more reliable. According to this retrospective analysis, body length is a better parameter for evaluating echocardiographic measurements than body weight or body surface area and should therefore be used in daily practice.

Developing a burn injury severity score (BISS): adding age and total body surface area burned to the injury severity score (ISS) improves mortality concordance.

PubMed

Cassidy, J Tristan; Phillips, Michael; Fatovich, Daniel; Duke, Janine; Edgar, Dale; Wood, Fiona

2014-08-01

There is limited research validating the injury severity score (ISS) in burns. We examined the concordance of ISS with burn mortality. We hypothesized that combining age and total body surface area (TBSA) burned to the ISS gives a more accurate mortality risk estimate. Data from the Royal Perth Hospital Trauma Registry and the Royal Perth Hospital Burns Minimum Data Set were linked. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) measured concordance of ISS with mortality. Using logistic regression models with death as the dependent variable we developed a burn-specific injury severity score (BISS). There were 1344 burns with 24 (1.8%) deaths, median TBSA 5% (IQR 2-10), and median age 36 years (IQR 23-50). The results show ISS is a good predictor of death for burns when ISS≤15 (OR 1.29, p=0.02), but not for ISS>15 (ISS 16-24: OR 1.09, p=0.81; ISS 25-49: OR 0.81, p=0.19). Comparing the AUCs adjusted for age, gender and cause, ISS of 84% (95% CI 82-85%) and BISS of 95% (95% CI 92-98%), demonstrated superior performance of BISS as a mortality predictor for burns. ISS is a poor predictor of death in severe burns. The BISS combines ISS with age and TBSA and performs significantly better than the ISS. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Regional growth and atlasing of the developing human brain

PubMed Central

Makropoulos, Antonios; Aljabar, Paul; Wright, Robert; Hüning, Britta; Merchant, Nazakat; Arichi, Tomoki; Tusor, Nora; Hajnal, Joseph V.; Edwards, A. David; Counsell, Serena J.; Rueckert, Daniel

2016-01-01

Detailed morphometric analysis of the neonatal brain is required to characterise brain development and define neuroimaging biomarkers related to impaired brain growth. Accurate automatic segmentation of neonatal brain MRI is a prerequisite to analyse large datasets. We have previously presented an accurate and robust automatic segmentation technique for parcellating the neonatal brain into multiple cortical and subcortical regions. In this study, we further extend our segmentation method to detect cortical sulci and provide a detailed delineation of the cortical ribbon. These detailed segmentations are used to build a 4-dimensional spatio-temporal structural atlas of the brain for 82 cortical and subcortical structures throughout this developmental period. We employ the algorithm to segment an extensive database of 420 MR images of the developing brain, from 27 to 45 weeks post-menstrual age at imaging. Regional volumetric and cortical surface measurements are derived and used to investigate brain growth and development during this critical period and to assess the impact of immaturity at birth. Whole brain volume, the absolute volume of all structures studied, cortical curvature and cortical surface area increased with increasing age at scan. Relative volumes of cortical grey matter, cerebellum and cerebrospinal fluid increased with age at scan, while relative volumes of white matter, ventricles, brainstem and basal ganglia and thalami decreased. Preterm infants at term had smaller whole brain volumes, reduced regional white matter and cortical and subcortical grey matter volumes, and reduced cortical surface area compared with term born controls, while ventricular volume was greater in the preterm group. Increasing prematurity at birth was associated with a reduction in total and regional white matter, cortical and subcortical grey matter volume, an increase in ventricular volume, and reduced cortical surface area. PMID:26499811

Regional growth and atlasing of the developing human brain.

PubMed

Makropoulos, Antonios; Aljabar, Paul; Wright, Robert; Hüning, Britta; Merchant, Nazakat; Arichi, Tomoki; Tusor, Nora; Hajnal, Joseph V; Edwards, A David; Counsell, Serena J; Rueckert, Daniel

2016-01-15

Detailed morphometric analysis of the neonatal brain is required to characterise brain development and define neuroimaging biomarkers related to impaired brain growth. Accurate automatic segmentation of neonatal brain MRI is a prerequisite to analyse large datasets. We have previously presented an accurate and robust automatic segmentation technique for parcellating the neonatal brain into multiple cortical and subcortical regions. In this study, we further extend our segmentation method to detect cortical sulci and provide a detailed delineation of the cortical ribbon. These detailed segmentations are used to build a 4-dimensional spatio-temporal structural atlas of the brain for 82 cortical and subcortical structures throughout this developmental period. We employ the algorithm to segment an extensive database of 420 MR images of the developing brain, from 27 to 45weeks post-menstrual age at imaging. Regional volumetric and cortical surface measurements are derived and used to investigate brain growth and development during this critical period and to assess the impact of immaturity at birth. Whole brain volume, the absolute volume of all structures studied, cortical curvature and cortical surface area increased with increasing age at scan. Relative volumes of cortical grey matter, cerebellum and cerebrospinal fluid increased with age at scan, while relative volumes of white matter, ventricles, brainstem and basal ganglia and thalami decreased. Preterm infants at term had smaller whole brain volumes, reduced regional white matter and cortical and subcortical grey matter volumes, and reduced cortical surface area compared with term born controls, while ventricular volume was greater in the preterm group. Increasing prematurity at birth was associated with a reduction in total and regional white matter, cortical and subcortical grey matter volume, an increase in ventricular volume, and reduced cortical surface area. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the relationship between head circumference, brain size, prenatal long-chain PUFA/5-methyltetrahydrofolate supplementation and cognitive abilities during childhood.

PubMed

Catena, Andrés; Martínez-Zaldívar, Cristina; Diaz-Piedra, Carolina; Torres-Espínola, Francisco J; Brandi, Pilar; Pérez-García, Miguel; Decsi, Tamás; Koletzko, Berthold; Campoy, Cristina

2017-03-29

Head circumference in infants has been reported to predict brain size, total grey matter volume (GMV) and neurocognitive development. However, it is unknown whether it has predictive value on regional and subcortical brain volumes. We aimed to explore the relationship between several head circumference measurements since birth and distributions of GMV and subcortical volumes at later childhood. We examined seventy-four, Caucasian, singleton, term-born infants born to mothers randomised to receive fish oil and/or 5-methyltetrahydrofolate or placebo prenatal supplementation. We assessed head circumference at birth and at 4 and 10 years of age and cognitive abilities at 7 years of age. We obtained brain MRI at 10 years of age, on which we performed voxel-based morphometry, cortical surface extraction and subcortical segmentation. Analyses were controlled for sex, age, height, weight, family status, laterality and total intracranial volume. Prenatal supplementation did not affect head circumference at any age, cognitive abilities or total brain volumes. Head circumference at 4 years presented the highest correlation with total GMV, white matter volume and brain surface area, and was also strongly associated with GMV of frontal, temporal and occipital areas, as well as with caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen and thalamus volumes. As relationships between brain volumes in childhood and several outcomes extend into adulthood, we have found that ages between 0 and 4 years as the optimal time for brain growth; postnatal factors might have the most relevant impact on structural maturation of certain cortical areas and subcortical nuclei, independent of prenatal supplementation.

Brain structure mediates the association between height and cognitive ability.

PubMed

Vuoksimaa, Eero; Panizzon, Matthew S; Franz, Carol E; Fennema-Notestine, Christine; Hagler, Donald J; Lyons, Michael J; Dale, Anders M; Kremen, William S

2018-05-11

Height and general cognitive ability are positively associated, but the underlying mechanisms of this relationship are not well understood. Both height and general cognitive ability are positively associated with brain size. Still, the neural substrate of the height-cognitive ability association is unclear. We used a sample of 515 middle-aged male twins with structural magnetic resonance imaging data to investigate whether the association between height and cognitive ability is mediated by cortical size. In addition to cortical volume, we used genetically, ontogenetically and phylogenetically distinct cortical metrics of total cortical surface area and mean cortical thickness. Height was positively associated with general cognitive ability and total cortical volume and cortical surface area, but not with mean cortical thickness. Mediation models indicated that the well-replicated height-general cognitive ability association is accounted for by individual differences in total cortical volume and cortical surface area (highly heritable metrics related to global brain size), and that the genetic association between cortical surface area and general cognitive ability underlies the phenotypic height-general cognitive ability relationship.

Progress in the Analysis of Complex Atmospheric Particles

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

Laskin, Alexander; Gilles, Mary K.; Knopf, Daniel A.

2016-06-16

This manuscript presents an overview on recent advances in field and laboratory studies of atmospheric particles formed in processes of environmental air-surfaces interactions. The overarching goal of these studies is to advance predictive understanding of atmospheric particle composition, particle chemistry during aging, and their environmental impacts. The diversity between chemical constituents and lateral heterogeneity within individual particles adds to the chemical complexity of particles and their surfaces. Once emitted, particles undergo transformation via atmospheric aging processes that further modify their complex composition. We highlight a range of modern analytical approaches that enable multi-modal chemical characterization of particles with both molecularmore » and lateral specificity. When combined, they provide a comprehensive arsenal of tools for understanding the nature of particles at air-surface interactions and their reactivity and transformations with atmospheric aging. We discuss applications of these novel approaches in recent studies and highlight additional research areas to explore environmental effects of air-surface interactions.« less

Progress in the analysis of complex atmospheric particles

DOE PAGES

Laskin, Alexander; Gilles, Mary K.; Knopf, Daniel A.; ...

2016-06-01

This study presents an overview of recent advances in field and laboratory studies of atmospheric particles formed in processes of environmental air-surface interactions. The overarching goal of these studies is to advance predictive understanding of atmospheric particle composition, particle chemistry during aging, and their environmental impacts. The diversity between chemical constituents and lateral heterogeneity within individual particles adds to the chemical complexity of particles and their surfaces. Once emitted, particles undergo transformation via atmospheric aging processes that further modify their complex composition. We highlight a range of modern analytical approaches that enable multimodal chemical characterization of particles with both molecularmore » and lateral specificity. When combined, these approaches provide a comprehensive arsenal of tools for understanding the nature of particles at air-surface interactions and their reactivity and transformations with atmospheric aging. We discuss applications of these novel approaches in recent studies and highlight additional research areas to explore the environmental effects of air-surface interactions.« less

Effects of Age-Related Macular Degeneration on Postural Sway

PubMed Central

Chatard, Hortense; Tepenier, Laure; Jankowski, Olivier; Aussems, Antoine; Allieta, Alain; Beydoun, Talal; Salah, Sawsen; Bucci, Maria P.

2017-01-01

Purpose: To compare the impact of unilateral vs. bilateral age-related macular degeneration (AMD) on postural sway, and the influence of different visual conditions. The hypothesis of our study was that the impact of AMD will be different between unilateral and bilateral AMD subjects compared to age-matched healthy elderly. Methods: Postural stability was measured with a platform (TechnoConcept®) in 10 elderly unilateral AMD subjects (mean age: 71.1 ± 4.6 years), 10 elderly bilateral AMD subjects (mean age: 70.8 ± 6.1 years), and 10 healthy age-matched control subjects (mean age: 69.8 ± 6.3 years). Four visual conditions were tested: both eyes viewing condition (BEV), dominant eye viewing (DEV), non-dominant eye viewing (NDEV), and eyes closed (EC). We analyzed the surface area, the length, the mean speed, the anteroposterior (AP), and mediolateral (ML) displacement of the center of pressure (CoP). Results: Bilateral AMD subjects had a surface area (p < 0.05) and AP displacement of the CoP (p < 0.01) higher than healthy elderly. Unilateral AMD subjects had more AP displacement of the CoP (p < 0.05) than healthy elderly. Conclusions: We suggest that ADM subjects could have poor postural adaptive mechanisms leading to increase their postural instability. Further studies will aim to improve knowledge on such issue and to develop reeducation techniques in these patients. PMID:28408876

Recharge and Topographical Controls on Groundwater Circulation in Shallow Crystalline Rock Aquifers revealed by CFC-based Age Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolbe, T.; Abbott, B. W.; Marçais, J.; Thomas, Z.; Aquilina, L.; Labasque, T.; Pinay, G.; De Dreuzy, J. R.

2016-12-01

Groundwater transit time and flow path are key factors controlling nitrogen retention and removal capacity at the catchment scale (Abbott et al., 2016), but the relative importance of hydrogeological and topographical factors in determining these parameters remains uncertain (Kolbe et al., 2016). To address this unknown, we used numerical modelling techniques calibrated with CFC groundwater age data to quantify transit time and flow path in an unconfined aquifer in Brittany, France. We assessed the relative importance of parameters (aquifer depth, porosity, arrangement of geological layers, and permeability profile), hydrology (recharge rate), and topography in determining characteristic flow distances (Leray et al., 2016). We found that groundwater flow was highly local (mean travel distance of 350 m) but also relatively old (mean CFC age of 40 years). Sensitivity analysis revealed that groundwater travel distances were not sensitive to geological parameters within the constraints of the CFC age data. However, circulation was sensitive to topography in lowland areas where the groundwater table was close to the land surface, and to recharge rate in upland areas where water input modulated the free surface of the aquifer. We quantified these differences with a local groundwater ratio (rGW-LOCAL) defined as the mean groundwater travel distance divided by the equivalent surface distance water would have traveled along the land surface. Lowland rGW-LOCAL was near 1, indicating primarily topographic controls. Upland rGW-LOCALwas 1.6, meaning the groundwater recharge area was substantially larger than the topographically-defined catchment. This ratio was applied to other catchments in Brittany to test its relevance in comparing controls on groundwater circulation within and among catchments. REFERENCES Abbott et al., 2016, Using multi-tracer inference to move beyond single-catchment ecohydrology. Earth-Science Reviews. Kolbe et al., 2016, Coupling 3D groundwater modeling with CFC-based age dating to classify local groundwater circulation in an unconfined crystalline aquifer. J. Hydrol. Leray et al., 2016, Residence time distributions for hydrologic systems: Mechanistic foundations and steady-state analytical solutions. J. Hydrol.

Interactions between deep bedrock aquifers and surface water in function of recharge and topography: a numerical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goderniaux, P.; Davy, P.; Le Borgne, T.; Bresciani, E.; Jimenez-Martinez, J.

2011-12-01

In crystalline rock regions, such as Brittany (France), important reserves of groundwater into deep fractured aquifers are increasingly used and provide high quality water compared to shallow aquifers which can be subject to agricultural contamination. However, recharge processes of these deep aquifers and interactions with surface water are not yet fully understood. In some areas, intensive pumping is carried out without guarantee of the resource quantity and quality. Understanding these processes is crucial for sustainable management of the resource. In this study, we study how deep groundwater fluxes, pathways, ages, and river-aquifer interactions vary according to recharge. We assume that water flowing from the ground surface is distributed between shallow more permeable layers and deep layers. This repartition mostly depends on recharge rates. With high recharge, groundwater levels are high and subsurface streamlines are relatively short between recharge areas and existing draining rivers, which constitutes a very dense network. Therefore, most of the groundwater fluxes occur through the more permeable shallow layers. With low recharge, groundwater levels are lower, and river and shallow permeable levels are partly disconnected from each other. This induces a general increase of the groundwater streamlines length from the recharge areas to more sporadic discharge areas, and more fluxes occur through the deep layers. Recharge conditions and river-aquifer interactions have changed over the last thousands of years, due to change in precipitation, temperatures, existence of permafrost, etc. They have strongly influenced deep groundwater fluxes and can explain current groundwater age and flux distribution. To study these interactions, a regional-scale finite difference flow model was implemented. The model covers an area of 1400 km 2 , a depth of 1 km, and the topography is characteristic of Brittany. As rivers are mainly fed by groundwater drainage, seepages faces are used on the whole modelled area, so that the river network is not prescribed but dependent on simulated groundwater conditions. Different recharge conditions were tested (from 20 to 500 mm/yr). Results show that streamline lengths and groundwater ages have exponential distributions with characteristic lengths increasing with decreasing recharge. The total area of discharge zones decreases with recharge. Groundwater age is quite variable and increases with depth, but the variability is much more important in discharge areas than recharge areas. The proportion of groundwater discharge into the sea (compared to total recharge) increases when total recharge decreases. The model was also used to test the influence of heterogeneity or hydraulic conductivity contrast between shallow and deep layers on deep groundwater fluxes. In a completely homogeneous model, deep fluxes are correlated with recharge fluxes. Correlation decreases while contrast increases. If the permeability of the shallow weather zone is now 3 orders of magnitude larger than of deep aquifer, we observed that simulated deep groundwater fluxes increase locally, despite total recharge at the level of the ground surface decreases.

Age determination of mallards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Krapu, G.L.; Johnson, D.H.; Dane, C.W.

1979-01-01

A technique for distinguishing adult from yearling wild mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), from late winter through the nesting season, was developed by applying discriminant analysis procedures to selected wing feather characters of 126 yearlings and 76 adults (2-year-olds) hand-reared from wild eggs during 1974, 1975, and 1977. Average values for feather characters generally increased as the birds advanced from yearlings to adults. Black-white surface area of greater secondary covert 2 was the single most reliable aging character identified during the study. The error rate was lowest in females (3%) when discriminant functions were used with measurements of primary 1 weight and black-white area of greater secondary covert 2 and in males (9%) when the functions were used with black-white area of greater secondary coverts 1, 2, and 3. Methodology precludes aging of birds in the field during capture operations.

Applicability of non-destructive substitutes for leaf area in different stands of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) focusing on traditional forest crown measures.

PubMed

Laubhann, Daniel; Eckmüllner, Otto; Sterba, Hubert

2010-09-30

Since individual tree leaf area is an important measure for productivity as well as for site occupancy, it is of high interest in many studies about forest growth. The exact determination of leaf area is nearly impossible. Thus, a common way to get information about leaf area is to use substitutes. These substitutes are often variables which are collected in a destructive way which is not feasible for long term studies. Therefore, this study aimed at testing the applicability of using substitutes for leaf area which could be collected in a non-destructive way, namely crown surface area and crown projection area. In 8 stands of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.), divided into three age classes and two thinning treatments, a total of 156 trees were felled in order to test the relationship between leaf area and crown surface area and crown projection area, respectively. Individual tree leaf area of the felled sample trees was estimated by 3P-branch sampling with an accuracy of ±10%. Crown projection area and crown surface area were compared with other, more commonly used, but destructive predictors of leaf area, namely sapwood area at different heights on the bole. Our investigations confirmed findings of several studies that sapwood area is the most precise measure for leaf area because of the high correlation between sapwood area and the leaf area. But behind sapwood area at crown base and sapwood area at three tenth of the tree height the predictive ability of crown surface area was ranked third and even better than that of sapwood area at breast height (R(2) = 0.656 compared with 0.600). Within the stands leaf area is proportional to crown surface area. Using the pooled data of all stands a mixed model approach showed that additionally to crown surface area dominant height and diameter at breast height (dbh) improved the leaf area estimates. Thus, taking dominant height and dbh into account, crown surface area can be recommended for estimating the leaf area of individual trees. The resulting model was in line with many other findings on the leaf area and leaf mass relationships with crown size. From the additional influence of dominant height and dbh in the leaf area model we conclude that the used crown model could be improved by estimating the position of the maximum crown width and the crown width at the base of the crown depending on these two variables.

Applicability of non-destructive substitutes for leaf area in different stands of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) focusing on traditional forest crown measures

PubMed Central

Laubhann, Daniel; Eckmüllner, Otto; Sterba, Hubert

2010-01-01

Since individual tree leaf area is an important measure for productivity as well as for site occupancy, it is of high interest in many studies about forest growth. The exact determination of leaf area is nearly impossible. Thus, a common way to get information about leaf area is to use substitutes. These substitutes are often variables which are collected in a destructive way which is not feasible for long term studies. Therefore, this study aimed at testing the applicability of using substitutes for leaf area which could be collected in a non-destructive way, namely crown surface area and crown projection area. In 8 stands of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.), divided into three age classes and two thinning treatments, a total of 156 trees were felled in order to test the relationship between leaf area and crown surface area and crown projection area, respectively. Individual tree leaf area of the felled sample trees was estimated by 3P-branch sampling with an accuracy of ±10%. Crown projection area and crown surface area were compared with other, more commonly used, but destructive predictors of leaf area, namely sapwood area at different heights on the bole. Our investigations confirmed findings of several studies that sapwood area is the most precise measure for leaf area because of the high correlation between sapwood area and the leaf area. But behind sapwood area at crown base and sapwood area at three tenth of the tree height the predictive ability of crown surface area was ranked third and even better than that of sapwood area at breast height (R2 = 0.656 compared with 0.600). Within the stands leaf area is proportional to crown surface area. Using the pooled data of all stands a mixed model approach showed that additionally to crown surface area dominant height and diameter at breast height (dbh) improved the leaf area estimates. Thus, taking dominant height and dbh into account, crown surface area can be recommended for estimating the leaf area of individual trees. The resulting model was in line with many other findings on the leaf area and leaf mass relationships with crown size. From the additional influence of dominant height and dbh in the leaf area model we conclude that the used crown model could be improved by estimating the position of the maximum crown width and the crown width at the base of the crown depending on these two variables. PMID:21072126

Terrain, vegetation, and landscape evolution of the R4D research site, Brooks Range Foothills, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walker, D.A.; Binnian, Emily F.; Evans, B. M.; Lederer, N.D.; Nordstrand, E.A.; Webber, P.J.

1989-01-01

Maps of the vegetation and terrain of a 22 km2 area centered on the Department of Energy (DOE) R4D (Response, Resistance, Resilience to and Recovery from Disturbance in Arctic Ecosystems) study site in the Southern Foothills Physiographic Province of Alaska were made using integrated geobotanical mapping procedures and a geographic-information system. Typical land forms and surface f orms include hillslope water tracks, Sagavanirktok-age till deposits, nonsorted stone stripes, and colluvial-basin deposits. Thirty-two plant communities are described; the dominant vegetation (51% of the mapped area) is moist tussock-sedge, dwarf-shrub tundra dominated by Eriophorum vaginatum or Carex bigelowii. Much of the spatial variation in the mapped geobotanical characters reflects different-aged glaciated surfaces. Shannon-Wienerin dices indicate that the more mature landscapes, represented by retransported hillslope deposits and basin colluvium, are less heterogeneous than newer landscapes such as surficial till deposits and floodplains. A typical toposequence on a mid-Pleistocene-age surface is discussed with respect to evolution of the landscape. Thick Sphagnum moss layers occur on lower hillslopes, and the patterns of moss-layer development, heat flux, active layer thickness, and ground-ice are seen as keys to developing thermokarst-susceptibility maps.

Long-term Isothermal Aging Effects on Weight Loss, Compression Properties, and Dimensions of T650-35 Fabric-reinforced PMR-15 Composites-data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowles, Kenneth J.; Tsuji, Luis; Kamvouris, John; Roberts, Gary D.

2003-01-01

A cooperative program was conducted with the General Electric Aircraft Engines plant in Evendale, Ohio, to study the effects of long-term isothermal aging at elevated temperatures on compression and thermal durability properties of T650 35 fabric-reinforced PMR 15 composites. This degradation study was conducted over an approximate time period of 3 1/2 yr. The aging temperatures were 204, 260, 288, 316, and 343 C. Specimens of different dimensions were evaluated. Specimens with ratios of the cut edge to total surface area of 0.03 to 0.89 were fabricated and aged. The aged and unaged specimens were tested in compression as specified in Test Method for Compressive Properties of Rigid Plastics (ASTM D695M). Thickness changes, degraded surface layer growth, weight loss, and failure modes were monitored and recorded. All property changes were thickness dependent.

230Th/U ages Supporting Hanford Site-Wide Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis

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

Paces, James B.

This product represents a USGS Administrative Report that discusses samples and methods used to conduct uranium-series isotope analyses and resulting ages and initial 234U/238U activity ratios of pedogenic cements developed in several different surfaces in the Hanford area middle to late Pleistocene. Samples were collected and dated to provide calibration of soil development in surface deposits that are being used in the Hanford Site-Wide probabilistic seismic hazard analysis conducted by AMEC. The report includes description of sample locations and physical characteristics, sample preparation, chemical processing and mass spectrometry, analytical results, and calculated ages for individual sites. Ages of innermost rindsmore » on a number of samples from five sites in eastern Washington are consistent with a range of minimum depositional ages from 17 ka for cataclysmic flood deposits to greater than 500 ka for alluvium at several sites.« less

230Th/U ages Supporting Hanford Site‐Wide Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paces, James B.

2014-01-01

This product represents a USGS Administrative Report that discusses samples and methods used to conduct uranium-series isotope analyses and resulting ages and initial 234U/238U activity ratios of pedogenic cements developed in several different surfaces in the Hanford area middle to late Pleistocene. Samples were collected and dated to provide calibration of soil development in surface deposits that are being used in the Hanford Site-Wide probabilistic seismic hazard analysis conducted by AMEC. The report includes description of sample locations and physical characteristics, sample preparation, chemical processing and mass spectrometry, analytical results, and calculated ages for individual sites. Ages of innermost rinds on a number of samples from five sites in eastern Washington are consistent with a range of minimum depositional ages from 17 ka for cataclysmic flood deposits to greater than 500 ka for alluvium at several sites.

One plunge or two?--hand disinfection with alcohol gel.

PubMed

Macdonald, Duncan J M; Mckillop, Elisabeth C A; Trotter, Sylvia; Gray, Alastair J R

2006-04-01

To compare health care workers' hand surface coverage using two different volumes of alcohol gel for hand disinfection. and methods. A total of 84 members of staff in our hospital were studied. Subjects were asked to disinfect their hands with alcohol gel containing a clear fluorescent substance. Performance was assessed by using UV light to identify areas which had been missed, and the total surface area missed was calculated. A total of 42 subjects received 3.5 ml of alcohol gel, and 42 age-, sex-, and job-matched subjects received 1.75 ml of alcohol gel. Significantly less area was missed when hand disinfecting with double the volume of alcohol gel; 1.23 versus 6.35% surface area was missed (P < 0.001). Doubling the volume of alcohol gel used for hand disinfection significantly improves the efficiency of coverage of the hands with alcohol gel. This may result in lower bacterial count on the hands and may reduce the spread of nosocomial infections including that of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

The Effects of Secondary Oxides on Copper-Based Catalysts for Green Methanol Synthesis.

PubMed

Hayward, James S; Smith, Paul J; Kondrat, Simon A; Bowker, Michael; Hutchings, Graham J

2017-05-10

Catalysts for methanol synthesis from CO 2 and H 2 have been produced by two main methods: co-precipitation and supercritical anti-solvent (SAS) precipitation. These two methods are compared, along with the behaviour of copper supported on Zn, Mg, Mn, and Ce oxides. Although the SAS method produces initially active material with high Cu specific surface area, they appear to be unstable during reaction losing significant amounts of surface area and hence activity. The CuZn catalysts prepared by co-precipitation, however, showed much greater thermal and reactive stability than the other materials. There appeared to be the usual near-linear dependence of activity upon Cu specific area, though the initial performance relationship was different from that post-reaction, after some loss of surface area. The formation of the malachite precursor, as reported before, is important for good activity and stability, whereas if copper oxides are formed during the synthesis and ageing process, then a detrimental effect on these properties is seen.

The Effects of Secondary Oxides on Copper‐Based Catalysts for Green Methanol Synthesis

PubMed Central

Hayward, James S.; Smith, Paul J.; Kondrat, Simon A.; Bowker, Michael

2017-01-01

Abstract Catalysts for methanol synthesis from CO2 and H2 have been produced by two main methods: co‐precipitation and supercritical anti‐solvent (SAS) precipitation. These two methods are compared, along with the behaviour of copper supported on Zn, Mg, Mn, and Ce oxides. Although the SAS method produces initially active material with high Cu specific surface area, they appear to be unstable during reaction losing significant amounts of surface area and hence activity. The CuZn catalysts prepared by co‐precipitation, however, showed much greater thermal and reactive stability than the other materials. There appeared to be the usual near‐linear dependence of activity upon Cu specific area, though the initial performance relationship was different from that post‐reaction, after some loss of surface area. The formation of the malachite precursor, as reported before, is important for good activity and stability, whereas if copper oxides are formed during the synthesis and ageing process, then a detrimental effect on these properties is seen. PMID:28706570

Outcome after burns: an observational study on burn scar maturation and predictors for severe scarring.

PubMed

van der Wal, Martijn B A; Vloemans, Jos F P M; Tuinebreijer, Wim E; van de Ven, Peter; van Unen, Ella; van Zuijlen, Paul P M; Middelkoop, Esther

2012-01-01

Long-term outcome of burn scars as well as the relation with clinically relevant parameters has not been studied quantitatively. Therefore, we conducted a detailed analysis on the clinical changes of burn scars in a longitudinal setup. In addition, we focused on the differences in scar quality in relation to the depth, etiology of the burn wound and age of the patient. Burn scars of 474 patients were subjected to a scar assessment protocol 3, 6, and 12 months postburn. Three different age groups were defined (≤5, 5-18, and ≥18 years). The observer part of the patient and observer scar assessment scale revealed a significant (p < 0.001) improvement in scar quality at 12 months compared with the 3- and 6-month data. Predictors for severe scarring are depth of the wound (p < 0.001) and total body surface area burned (p < 0.001). Etiology (p = 0.753) and age (p > 0.230) have no significant influence on scar quality when corrected for sex, total body surface area burned, time, and age or etiology, respectively. © 2012 by the Wound Healing Society.

Analyzing contraction of full thickness skin grafts in time: Choosing the donor site does matter.

PubMed

Stekelenburg, Carlijn M; Simons, Janine M; Tuinebreijer, Wim E; van Zuijlen, Paul P M

2016-11-01

In reconstructive burn surgery full thickness skin grafts (FTSGs) are frequently preferred over split thickness skin grafts because they are known to provide superior esthetic results and less contraction. However, the contraction rate of FTSGs on the long term has never been studied. The surface area of FTSGs of consecutive patients was measured during surgery and at their regular follow up (at approximately 1, 6,13 and 52 weeks postoperatively) by means of 3D-stereophotogrammetry. Linear regression analysis was conducted to assess the influence of age, recipient- and donor site and operation indication. 38 FTSGs in 26 patients, with a mean age of 37.4 (SD 21.9) were evaluated. A significant reduction in remaining surface area to 79.1% was observed after approximately 6 weeks (p=0.002), to 85.9% after approximately 13 weeks (p=0.040) and to 91.5% after approximately 52 weeks (p=0.033). Grafts excised from the trunk showed significantly less contraction than grafts excised from the extremities (94.0% vs. 75.7% p=0.036). FTSGs showed a significant reduction in surface area, followed by a relaxation phase, but remained significantly smaller. Furthermore, the trunk should be preferred as donor site location over the extremities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Surficial Geologic Map of the Pocasset-Provincetown-Cuttyhunk-Nantucket 24-Quadrangle Area of Cape Cod and Islands, Southeast Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Byron D.; DiGiacomo-Cohen, Mary L.

2006-01-01

The surficial geologic map layer shows the distribution of nonlithified earth materials at land surface in an area of 24 7.5-minute quadrangles (555 mi2 total) in southeast Massachusetts. Across Massachusetts, these materials range from a few feet to more than 500 ft in thickness. They overlie bedrock, which crops out in upland hills and as resistant ledges in valley areas. On Cape Cod and adjacent islands, these materials completely cover the bedrock surface. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (such as grain size and sedimentary structures), constructional geomorphic features, stratigraphic relations, and age. Surficial earth materials significantly affect human use of the land, and an accurate description of their distribution is particularly important for assessing water resources, construction aggregate resources, and earth-surface hazards, and for making land-use decisions. This work is part of a comprehensive study to produce a statewide digital map of the surficial geology at a 1:24,000-scale level of accuracy. This report includes explanatory text (PDF), quadrangle maps at 1:24,000 scale (PDF files), GIS data layers (ArcGIS shapefiles), metadata for the GIS layers, scanned topographic base maps (TIF), and a readme.txt file.

Potentiometric Surface of the Ozark Aquifer in Northern Arkansas, 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pugh, Aaron L.

2008-01-01

The Ozark aquifer in northern Arkansas is composed of dolomite, limestone, sandstone, and shale of Late Cambrian to Middle Devonian age, and ranges in thickness from approximately 1,100 feet to more than 4,000 feet. Hydrologically, the aquifer is complex, characterized by discrete and discontinuous flow components with large variations in permeability. The potentiometric-surface map, based on 58 well and 5 spring water-level measurements collected in 2007 in Arkansas and Missouri, has a maximum water-level altitude measurement of 1,169 feet in Carroll County and a minimum water-level altitude measurement of 118 feet in Randolph County. Regionally, the flow within the aquifer is to the south and southeast in the eastern and central part of the study area and to the west, northwest, and north in the western part of the study area. Comparing the 2007 potentiometric-surface map with a predevelopment potentiometric-surface map indicates general agreement between the two surfaces except in the northwestern part of the study area. Potentiometric-surface differences can be attributed to withdrawals related to increasing population, changes in public-supply sources, processes or water withdrawals outside the study area, or differences in data-collection or map-construction methods. The rapidly increasing population within the study area appears to have some effect on ground-water levels. Although, the effect appears to have been minimized by the development and use of surface-water distribution infrastructure, suggesting most of the incoming populations are fulfilling their water needs from surface-water sources. The conversion of some users from ground water to surface water may be allowing water levels in wells to recover (rise) or decline at a slower rate, such as in Benton, Carroll, and Washington Counties.

Potentiometric surface map of the Magothy aquifer in southern Maryland, September, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Wheeler, Judith C.

2005-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Upper Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2002. The map is based on water-level measurements in 79 wells. The highest measured water level was 83 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in the north-central part of Anne Arundel County. The potentiometric surface declined towards the south and east. Local gradients were directed toward the centers of two cones of depression that developed in response to pumping. These cones of depression were centered around well fields in the Waldorf area and at the Chalk Point power plant. Measured ground-water levels were as low as 81 feet below sea level in the Waldorf area and 75 feet below sea level at Chalk Point.

Potentiometric Surface of the Magothy Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Wheeler, Judith C.

2003-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Upper Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2002. The map is based on water-level measurements in 79 wells. The highest measured water level was 83 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in the north-central part of Anne Arundel County. The potentiometric surface declined towards the south and east. Local gradients were directed toward the centers of two cones of depression that developed in response to pumping. These cones of depression were centered around well fields in the Waldorf area and at the Chalk Point power plant. Measured ground-water levels were as low as 81 feet below sea level in the Waldorf area and 75 feet below sea level at Chalk Point.

Potentiometric Surface of the Aquia Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Wheeler, Judith C.

2002-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Aquia aquifer in the Aquia Formation of Paleocene age in Southern Maryland during September 2001. The map is based on water-level measurements in 76 wells. The potentiometric surface was highest at 40 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in the central part of Anne Arundel County, and was below sea level in the remainder of the study area. The hydraulic gradient was directed southeastward toward an extensive cone of depression around well fields at Lexington Park and Solomons Island. A cone of depression formed in northern Calvert County due to pumpage at Chesapeake Beach and North Beach. The water level has declined to 44 feet below sea level in this area. The lowest measurement was 160 feet below sea level at the center of a cone of depression at Lexington Park.

Effect of SrO content on Zeolite Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widiarti, N.; Sari, U. S.; Mahatmanti, F. W.; Harjito; Kurniawan, C.; Prasetyoko, D.; Suprapto

2018-04-01

The aims of current studies is to investigate the effect of strontium oxide content (SrO) on synthesized zeolite. Zeolite was synthesized from Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as precursors of SiO2 and aluminum isopropoxide (AIP) precursors. The mixture was aged for 3 days and hydrothermally treated for 6 days. The SrO content was added by impregnation method. The products were then characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), and Surface Area Analyzer (SAA). The diffractogram confirmed the formation of Faujasite-like zeolite. However, after the addition of SrO, the crystallinity of zeolite was deformed. The diffractograms shows the amorphous phase of zeolite were decrease as the SrO content is increase. The structural changes was also observed from FTIR spectra which shows the shifting and peak formation. The surface area analysis showed that the increasing loading of SrO/Zeolites reduced the catalyst surface area.

Use of iodine surface geochemical surveys in the Lodgepole and Minnelusa plays, U.S. northern Rockies

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

Tedesco, S.A.; Bretz, S.

1995-06-05

The use of surface geochemistry is becoming more prevalent in oil exploration, especially for focusing specific target areas for 2D and 3D seismic surveys. Presented here are two surface geochemical surveys utilizing the iodine method in delineating Upper Minnelusa sands of Permian age in the Powder River basin and Lodgepole Waulsortian-like mounds of Mississippian age in the Williston basin. Iodine is an indirect indicator of a petroleum accumulation at depth. Increases in iodine anomalies are caused by the presence of petroleum seepage in the upper part of the soil section. In the very shallow surface, less than 10 ft, amore » reaction occurs between hydrocarbons and iodine under sunlight forming inorganic compounds. The source of the iodine is either from minerals in the soil and/or from the atmosphere with ultraviolet light as the initiator of the reaction. Any iodine in the subsurface could not migrate far in the presence of hydrocarbons and due to its large molecular size. The compounds that form in the soil remain solid and are relatively difficult to remove. Any surface geochemical anomaly needs to be followed by seismic in order to provide a specific drilling target. If a surface geochemical survey is properly designed and implemented, when no anomaly is present, then to date regardless of the type of method used the results have been dry holes. If a surface geochemical anomaly is present, the intensity, areal extent, and quality of the anomaly cannot determine the economic viability of the accumulation of depth, but there is a significant increase in the success rate. The best utilization of these methods is to determine areas where there is no possibility of finding petroleum and focusing on areas that do. In the case of the Lodgepole and Minnelusa plays, surface geochemistry allows a low cost approach and helps focus and minimize 2D and 3D survey costs.« less

Potentiometric Surface of the Aquia Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Wheeler, Judith C.

2001-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Aquia aquifer in the Aquia Formation of Paleocene age in Southern Maryland during September 1999. The map is based on water-level measurements in 85 wells. The potentiometric surface was above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in a topographically high area of Anne Arundel County, and was below sea level in the remainder of the study area. The hydraulic gradient was directed southeastward toward an extensive cone of depression around well fields at Lexington Park and Solomons Island. Ground-water levels were more than 80 feet below sea level in a 100-square-mile area surrounding the deepest part of the cone of depression. A cone of depression formed in northern Calvert County due to pumpage at Chesapeake Beach and North Beach. The water level has declined to 43 feet below sea level in this area. The lowest measurement was 164 feet below sea level in a well near the center of the cone of depression at Lexington Park.

Analysis of the Relative Geological Ages of the Lunar Maria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, X.; Mu, L.; Gao, X.; Yan, W.

2014-12-01

Lunar Maria are large, dark, plain areas on the lunar surface mostly covered by basaltic, which are formed by ancient volcanic eruptions, and 23 lunar maria have been named. There are mainly two methods used to determine the ages of the planet surface which are radiometric dating (Papike et.al., 1998) and crater counting (Hiesinger et.al. 2000, 2003). As for the lunar surface, some scientists have study the ages of the lunar mare basalts with these methods, however, since the boundaries of the lunar maria have not been defined, so that there are few study on the relative ages among the named lunar maria from a geographic area perspective. In this approach, we detected the boundaries for each named lunar mare and analysis the relative ages for them with the crater counting method.In detecting the boundaries of the lunar maria, some lunar image data and topographic data were collected from Chang'E1 program data, such as the lunar global DOM data with a resolution of 120m, and the global DEM data with a resolution of 500m. For the crater counting, some crater data were downloaded from the website (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/SearchResults?target=Moon&featureType=Crater,%20craters). Based on the global lunar DEM and DOM data, the images were classified into lunar mare and highland with maximum likelihood classification method, after that, ArcMap 3D Analyst tool was used to extract each lunar mare, then the boundaries of 23 named lunar maria were detected.With the crater data and the lunar mare boundaries, the number of the craters in each lunar mare could be counted, and the summarize area of the craters in each mare could also be calculated with the diameter attribute in the crater data. Some attributes of each lunar mare were shown as Tab.1.After that, we calculated the value by dividing the area of each mare with the area of the craters in the mare, and then the value was visualized in a global lunar map, as shown in Fig.1. The bigger value stands for more crater frequency, which means the geologic age of the mare might be relatively older.The result shows that some maria in the farside such as the Mare Ingenii might be older than others. Since the result depends a lot on the precision of craters data, so in the future research, we should extract the craters from other lunar global images with higher resolution.

Polarization signatures for abandoned agricultural fields in the Manix Basin area of the Mojave Desert

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Terrill W.; Farr, Tom G.; Vanzyl, Jakob J.

1991-01-01

Polarimetric signatures from abandoned circular alfalfa fields in the Manix Basin area of the Mojave desert show systematic changes with length of abandonment. The obliteration of circular planting rows by surface processes could account for the disappearance of bright 'spokes', which seems to be reflection patterns from remnants of the planting rows, with increasing length of abandonment. An observed shift in the location of the maximum L-band copolarization return away from VV, as well as an increase in surface roughness, both occurring with increasing age of abandonment, seems to be attributable to the formation of wind ripple on the relatively vegetationless fields. A Late Pleistocene/Holocene sand bar deposit, which can be identified in the radar images, is probably responsible for the failure of three fields to match the age sequence patterns in roughness and peak shift.

Colour change evaluation on UV radiation exposure for Păun-Repedea calcareous geomaterial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelin, V.; Sandu, I.; Munteanu, M.; Iurcovschi, C. T.; Gurlui, S.; Sandu, AV; Vasilache, V.; Brȃnzilă, M.; Sandu, I. G.

2016-06-01

When talking about the preservation treatments that can be applied to natural stones used in different constructions, the surface hydrophobization plays an important part, especially when referring to porous surfaces like the calcareous oolithic stones specific to Repedea area, Iasi County, Romania. The present paper presents a method that evaluates the hydrophobization efficiency of two types of pellicles, involving UV artificial ageing and colorimetric analysis of the treated surfaces. The evaluation was done through continuous colorimetric monitoring and by comparing the evolution of the chromatic modifications of the two treated surfaces with the original colorimetric values and with the witness area, which was exposed to UV radiations under the same conditions, but left chemical untreated. The techniques used during this experiment were: CIE L*a*b* colorimetry, OM, SEM-EDX, UV radiation exposure and Spectrum Irradiance Measurement.

[Storage of carbon and nitrogen in Quercus and Platycladus orientalis plantations at different ages in the hilly area of western Henan Province, China.

PubMed

Wang, Yan Fang; Liu, Ling; Li, Zhi Chao; Shi, Xiao Feng; Yang, Xiao Yan; ShangGuan, Zhou Ping

2018-01-01

In the study, the method of space substituting time was used to investigate the distribution pattern of carbon and nitrogen storages in Quercus and Platycladus orientalis plantation ecosystems at different ages in hilly area of western Henan Province, China. We also analyzed the dynamic changes of soil carbon and nitrogen storages in different soil layers in the two plantation ecosystems. The results showed that the carbon storage in the arbor and litter layers increased with the increasing tree age. The storage of carbon and nitrogen in soil aggregated mainly in the surface layer and showed a trend of decrease-increase-decrease with the increasing tree age in all soil layers. The ranges of carbon and nitrogen storage in the surface soil were 20.31-50.07 and 1.68-2.12 t·hm -2 in Quercus plantation, and 23.99-48.76 and 1.59-2.34 t·hm -2 in P. orientalis plantation, respectively. Carbon storage ranges in Quercus and P. orientalis plantation ecosystems at different ages were 52.04-275.82 and 62.18-279.81 t·hm -2 , respectively. The carbon sequestration capacity in P. orientalis plantation was a little higher than that in Quercus plantation. Soil C/N increased with the increase of afforestation age.

Impact of cycling at low temperatures on the safety behavior of 18650-type lithium ion cells: Combined study of mechanical and thermal abuse testing accompanied by post-mortem analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friesen, Alex; Horsthemke, Fabian; Mönnighoff, Xaver; Brunklaus, Gunther; Krafft, Roman; Börner, Markus; Risthaus, Tim; Winter, Martin; Schappacher, Falko M.

2016-12-01

The impact of cycling at low temperatures on the thermal and mechanical abuse behavior of commercial 18650-type lithium ion cells was compared to fresh cells. Post-mortem analyses revealed a deposition of high surface area lithium (HSAL) metal on the graphite surface accompanied by severe electrolyte decomposition. Heat wait search (HWS) tests in an accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC) were performed to investigate the thermal abuse behavior of aged and fresh cells under quasi-adiabatic conditions, showing a strong shift of the onset temperature for exothermic reactions. HSAL deposition promotes the reduction of the carbonate based electrolyte due to the high reactivity of lithium metal with high surface area, leading to a thermally induced decomposition of the electrolyte to produce volatile gaseous products. Nail penetration tests showed a change in the thermal runaway (TR) behavior affected by the decomposition reaction. This study indicates a greater thermal hazard for LIB cells at higher SOC and experiencing aging at low temperature.

Automated recognition of quasi-planar ignimbrite sheets and paleo-surfaces via robust segmentation of DTM - examples from the Western Cordillera of the Central Andes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Székely, B.; Karátson, D.; Koma, Zs.; Dorninger, P.; Wörner, G.; Brandmeier, M.; Nothegger, C.

2012-04-01

The Western slope of the Central Andes between 22° and 17°S is characterized by large, quasi-planar landforms with tilted ignimbrite surfaces and overlying younger sedimentary deposits (e.g. Nazca, Oxaya, Huaylillas ignimbrites). These surfaces were only modified by tectonic uplift and tilting of the Western Cordillera preserving minor now fossilized drainage systems. Several deep, canyons started to form from about 5 Ma ago. Due to tectonic oversteepening in a arid region of very low erosion rates, gravitational collapses and landslides additionally modified the Andean slope and valley flanks. Large areas of fossil surfaces, however, remain. The age of these surfaces has been dated between 11 Ma and 25 Ma at elevations of 3500 m in the Precordillera and at c. 1000 m near the coast. Due to their excellent preservation, our aim is to identify, delineate, and reconstruct these original ignimbrite and sediment surfaces via a sophisticated evaluation of SRTM DEMs. The technique we use here is a robust morphological segmentation method that is insensitive to a certain amount of outliers, even if they are spatially correlated. This paves the way to identify common local planar features and combine these into larger areas of a particular surface segment. Erosional dissection and faulting, tilting and folding define subdomains, and thus the original quasi-planar surfaces are modified. Additional processes may create younger surfaces, such as sedimentary floodplains and salt pans. The procedure is tuned to provide a distinction of these features. The technique is based on the evaluation of local normal vectors (perpendicular to the actual surface) that are obtained by determination of locally fitting planes. Then, this initial set of normal vectors are gradually classified into groups with similar properties providing candidate point clouds that are quasi co-planar. The quasi co-planar sets of points are analysed further against other criteria, such as number of minimum points, maximized standard deviation of spatial scatter, maximum point-to-plane surface, etc. SRTM DEMs of selected areas of the Western slope of the Central Andes have been processed with various parameter sets. The resulting domain structure shows strong correlation with tectonic features (e.g. faulting) and younger depositional surfaces whereas other segmentation features appear or disappear depending on parameters of the analysis. For example, a fine segmentation results - for a given study area - in ca. 2500 planar features (of course not all are geologically meaningful), whereas a more meaningful result has an order of magnitude less planes, ca. 270. The latter segmentation still covers the key areas, and the dissecting features (e.g., large incised canyons) are typically identified. For the fine segmentation version an area of 3863 km2 is covered by fitted planes for the ignimbrite surfaces, whereas for the more robust segmentation this area is 2555 km2. The same values for the sedimentary surfaces are 3162 km2 and 2080 km2, respectively. The total processed area was 14498 km2. As the previous numbers and the 18,1% and 18,6% decrease in the coverage suggest, the robust segmentation remains meaningful for large parts of the area while the number of planar features decreased by an order of magnitude. This result also emphasizes the importance of the initial parameters. To verify the results in more detail, residuals (difference between measured and modelled elevation) are also evaluated, and the results are fed back to the segmentation procedure. Steeper landscapes (young volcanic edifices) are clearly separated from higher-order (long-wavelength) structures. This method allows to quantitatively identify uniform surface segments and to relate these to geologically and morphologically meaningful parameters (type of depositional surface, rock type, surface age).

Ground-water investigations of the Project Gnome area, Eddy and Lea Counties, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cooper, J.B.

1962-01-01

The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, through the Office of Test Operations, Albuquerque Operations Office, plans to detonate a nuclear device in a massive salt bed 1,200 feet beneath the land surface. The project, known as Project Gnome, is an element of the Plowshare program--a study of peacetime applications of nuclear fission. The location of the proposed underground shot is in a sparsely-populated area in southeastern Eddy County, N. Mex., east of the Pecos River and about 25 miles southeast of the city of Carlsbad. The area is arid to Semiarid and ground water is a vital factor in the economic utilization of the land, which is primarily used for stock raising. An investigation of the Project Gnome site and surrounding area for the purposes of evaluating the ground-water resources and the possible effect upon them from the detonation of the nuclear shot was desired by the Commission. This report describes work done by the U.S. Geological Survey on behalf of the Commission and presents results of the investigation of the ground-water resources and geology of the area. The most intensive investigations were made within a 15-mile radius of the site of Project Gnome and mainly on the east side of the Pecos River. The total area of study of over 1,200 square miles includes parts of Eddy and Lea Counties, N. Mex. The Project Gnome site is in the sedimentary Delaware Basin. It is underlain by about 18,000 feet of sedimentary rocks ranging in age from Ordovician to Recent. Upper Permian evaporitic rocks, which contain the principal source of potash available in the United States, are worked in nearby mines. The potash minerals are found in a massive salt bed about 1,400 feet thick in the Salado Formation of Permian age. The land surface of the area is covered mostly by a wind-blown sand and caliche; however, rocks of the Rustler Formation of Permian age and younger rocks of Permian, Triassic, Pleistocene(?) and Recent age crop out at several localities. Solution by ground water of salt at the top of the Salado Formation and of anhydrite within the Rustler Formation has removed thick sections of these rocks. A subsequent lowering of the land surface and differential collapse of the Rustler has formed many sinkholes and has created a karst topography over much of the western part of the area. Ground water is obtained from rocks of Permian, Triassic, Tertiary, and Quaternary age in the general region. However, the only aquifer at the Gnome site is the Culebra Dolomite Member of the Rustler Formation of Permian age. The aquifer is about 500 feet beneath the surface at the site and is about 30 feet thick. An aquifer, immediately above the top of the salt, contains a brine solution in Nash Draw, a few miles west of the Gnome site. This aquifer discharges into the Pecos River and is a major source of contamination of the river water. No potable water is known to be present in the area below the top of the salt of the Salado Formation. The ground water in the area is generally under artesian pressure. The general direction of ground-water movement is toward the Pecos River both east and west of the river. At the Gnome site the artesian head of the water in the Culebra Dolomite Member is about 7.5 feet. The water moves westward through the aquifer at a rate of about ? foot per day. The most widespread utilization of ground water east of the river is for stock use. Irrigation usage west of the Pecos River accounts for the largest withdrawal of water. Wells range in depth from a few tens of feet to nearly 800 feet. Water levels range from a few feet to about 500 feet below the surface. A test well at the Gnome site drawing water from the Culebra Dolomite Member was pumped at a rate of 100 gpm (gallons per minute); however, most wells east of the river yield only a few gpm. Irrigation wells west of the river yield as much as 3,500 gpm. Most of the water in the area is highly mineralized and is suitable only for use by livest

Geology and ground-water resources of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Newport, Thomas G.

1962-01-01

The principal water-bearing rocks underlying Fond du Lac County, Wis., are sandstones of Cambrian and Ordovician age and dolomite of Silurian age. Other aquifers include dolomite of Ordovician age and sand. and gravel of Quaternary age. Crystalline rocks of Precambrian age, which underlie all the water-bearing formations, form a practically impermeable basement complex and yield little or no water to wells. Ground water is the source of all public and most private and industrial water supplies in the county. The municipalities and industries obtain water chiefly from wells that penetrate the sandstones of Cambrian and Ordorician age. The Platteville formation and Galena dolomite of Ordovician age and the Niagara dolomite of Silurian age supply water to most domestic and stock wells and to a few industrial wells. Several buried valleys in the bedrock surface contain water-bearing deposits of sand and gravel. The source of the ground water in Fond du Lac County is local precipitation. Recharge to the water-bearing beds occurs in most of the county but is greatest where the bedrock formations are near the surface. Ground water is discharged by seeps and springs, by evaporation and transpiration, and by wells. Ground-water levels in wells fluctuate in response to recharge and to natural discharge and pumping. In areas not affected by pumping, water levels generally decline through the summer months because of natural discharge and lack of recharge, recover slightly in the fall after the first killing frost, decline during the winter, and recover in the spring when recharge is greatest. In areas of heavy pumping, the water levels are lowest in late summer and highest in late winter. Water levels in wells in the Fond du Lac area were about 5 to 50 feet above the land surface in 1885, but they had declined to as low as 185 feet below the land surface by 1957. Coefficients of transmissibility and storage of the sandstones of Cambrian and Ordovician age were determined by making controlled aquifer tests at Fond du Lac. The coefficients were verified by comparing computed water-level declines with actual declines. The computed values were within about 30 percent of the actual values, a reasonable agreement for coefficients of this type. Probable declines of water levels by 1966 were computed, using the same coefficients of transmissibility and storage. If the distribution of wells and the rate of pumping remain the same in 1957-66 as they were in 1956, the water levels will decline about 5 feet more by 1966. If, however, the distribution of pumped wells remains the same but the pumping by the city of Fond du Lac increases at a uniform rate from the 3 mgd (million gallons per day) pumped in 1956 to 5 mgd in 1966, the water levels in 1966 will be at least 60 feet below those of 1956. Dispersal of wells to the northwest toward the recharge area would reduce the water-level declines. The results of pumping tests, of test holes tapping the Niagara dolomite indicate that wells producing at least 200 gpm (gallons per minute) could be developed east of the Niagara escarpment. The ground water in Fond do Lac County is, in general, a hard calcium and magnesium bicarbonate water, which contains excessive iron in some areas.

Medial-to-lateral Ratio of Tibiofemoral Subchondral Bone Area is Adapted to Alignment and Mechanical Load

PubMed Central

Eckstein, Felix; Hudelmaier, Martin; Cahue, September; Marshall, Meredith; Sharma, Leena

2010-01-01

Malalignment is known to impact the medial-to-lateral load distribution in the tibiofemoral joint. In this longitudinal study, we test the hypothesis that subchondral bone surface areas functionally adapt to the load distribution in malaligned knees. Alignment (hip-knee-ankle angle) was measured from full limb films in 174 participants with knee osteoarthritis. Coronal MR images were acquired at baseline and 26.6±5.4 months later. The subchondral bone surface area of the weight-bearing tibiofemoral cartilages was segmented, with readers blinded to the order of acquisition. The size of the subchondral bone surface areas was computed after triangulation using proprietary software. The hip-knee-ankle angle showed a significant correlation with the tibial (r2=0.25, p<0.0001) and femoral (r2=0.07, p<0.001) ratio of medial-to-lateral subchondral bone surface area. In the tibia, the ratio was significantly different between varus (1.28:1), neutral (1.18:1) and valgus (1.13:1) knees (ANOVA; p<0.00001). Similar observations were made in the weight-bearing femur (0.94:1 in neutral, 0.97.1 in varus, 0.91:1 in valgus knees; ANOVA p=0.018). The annualized longitudinal increase in subchondral bone surface area was significant (p<0.05) in the medial tibia (+0.13%), medial femur (+0.26%) and lateral tibia (+0.19%). In the medial femur, the change between baseline and follow-up was significantly different (ANOVA; p=0.020) between neutral, varus and valgus knees, the increase in surface area being significantly greater (p=0.019) in varus than in neutral knees. Tibiofemoral subchondral bone surface areas are shown to be functionally adapted to the medial-to-lateral load distribution. The longitudinal findings indicate that this adaptational process may continue to take place at advanced age. PMID:19148562

Hydrogeology and analysis of ground-water withdrawal in the Mendenhall-D'Lo area, Simpson County, Mississippi

USGS Publications Warehouse

Strom, E.W.; Oakley, W.T.

1995-01-01

The cities of Mendenhall and D'Lo, located in Simpson County, rely on ground water for their public supply and industrial needs. Most of the ground water comes from an aquifer of Miocene age. A study began in 1991 to describe the hydrogeology, analyze effects of ground-water withdrawal by making a drawdown map, and estimate the effects increased ground-water withdrawal might have on water levels in the Miocene age aquifer in the Mendenhall-D'Lo area. The most significant withdrawals of ground water in the study area are from 10 wells screened in the lower sand of the Catahoula Formation of Miocene age. Analysis of the effect of withdrawals from the 10 wells was made using the Theis non- equilibrium equation and applying the principle of superposition. Analysis of 1994 conditions was based on the pumpage history and aquifer properties deter- mined for each well. The drawdown surface resulting from the analysis indicates three general cones of depression. One cone is in the northwestern D'Lo area, one in the south-central Mendenhall area, and one about 1-1/2 miles east of Mendenhall. Calculated drawdown ranges from 21 to 47 feet. Potential drawdown-surface maps were made for 10 years and 20 years beyond 1994 using a constant pumpage. The map made for 10 years beyond 1994 indicates an average total increase in drawdown of about 5.3 feet. The map made for 20 years beyond 1994 indicates an average total increase in drawdown of about 7.3 feet.

Three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging of the phakic crystalline lens during accommodation.

PubMed

Sheppard, Amy L; Evans, C John; Singh, Krish D; Wolffsohn, James S; Dunne, Mark C M; Davies, Leon N

2011-06-01

To quantify changes in crystalline lens curvature, thickness, equatorial diameter, surface area, and volume during accommodation using a novel two-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) paradigm to generate a complete three-dimensional crystalline lens surface model. Nineteen volunteers, aged 19 to 30 years, were recruited. T(2)-weighted MRIs, optimized to show fluid-filled chambers of the eye, were acquired using an eight-channel radio frequency head coil. Twenty-four oblique-axial slices of 0.8 mm thickness, with no interslice gaps, were acquired to visualize the crystalline lens. Three Maltese cross-type accommodative stimuli (at 0.17, 4.0, and 8.0 D) were presented randomly to the subjects in the MRI to examine lenticular changes with accommodation. MRIs were analyzed to generate a three-dimensional surface model. During accommodation, mean crystalline lens thickness increased (F = 33.39, P < 0.001), whereas lens equatorial diameter (F = 24.00, P < 0.001) and surface radii both decreased (anterior surface, F = 21.78, P < 0.001; posterior surface, F = 13.81, P < 0.001). Over the same stimulus range, mean crystalline lens surface area decreased (F = 7.04, P < 0.005) with a corresponding increase in lens volume (F = 6.06, P = 0.005). These biometric changes represent a 1.82% decrease and 2.30% increase in crystalline lens surface area and volume, respectively. CONCLUSIONS; The results indicate that the capsular bag undergoes elastic deformation during accommodation, causing reduced surface area, and the observed volumetric changes oppose the theory that the lens is incompressible.

The sexually dimorphic impact of maltreatment on cortical thickness, surface area and gyrification.

PubMed

Kelly, Philip A; Viding, Essi; Puetz, Vanessa B; Palmer, Amy L; Samuel, Sophie; McCrory, Eamon J

2016-09-01

An extensive literature has detailed how maltreatment experience impacts brain structure in children and adolescents. However, there is a dearth of studies on the influence of maltreatment on surface based indices, and to date no study has investigated how sex influences the impact of maltreatment on cortical thickness, surface area and local gyrification. We investigated sex differences in these measures of cortical structure in a large community sample of children aged 10-14 years (n = 122) comprising 62 children with verified maltreatment experience and 60 matched non-maltreated controls. The maltreated group relative to the controls presented with a pattern of decreased cortical thickness within a region of right anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal cortex and superior frontal gyrus; decreased surface area within the right inferior parietal cortex; and increased local gyrification within left superior parietal cortex. This atypical pattern of cortical structure was similar across males and females. An interaction between maltreatment exposure and sex was found only in local gyrification, within two clusters: the right tempo-parietal junction and the left precentral gyrus. These findings suggest that maltreatment impacts cortical structure in brain areas associated with emotional regulation and theory of mind, with few differences between the sexes.

Isolation and Quantification of Glycosaminoglycans from Human Hair Shaft

PubMed Central

Bonovas, Stefanos; Sitaras, Nikolaos

2016-01-01

Background There is evidence that glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are present in the hair shaft within the follicle but there are no studies regarding GAGs isolation and measurement in the human hair shaft over the scalp surface, it means, in the free hair shaft. Objective The purpose of our research was to isolate and measure the total GAGs from human free hair shaft. Methods Seventy-five healthy individuals participated in the study, 58 adults, men and women over the age of 50 and 17 children (aged 4~9). GAGs in hair samples, received from the parietal and the occipital areas, were isolated with 4 M guanidine HCl and measured by the uronic acid-carbazole reaction assay. Results GAGs concentration was significantly higher in the occipital area than in the parietal area, in all study groups. GAG levels from both areas were significantly higher in children than in adults. GAG levels were not associated with gender, hair color or type. Conclusion We report the presence of GAGs in the human free hair shaft and the correlation of hair GAG levels with the scalp area and participants' age. PMID:27746630

The Morphological Anatomy of the Menisci of the Knee Joint in Human Fetuses

PubMed Central

Koyuncu, Esra; Özgüner, Gülnur; Öztürk, Kenan; Bilkay, Cemil; Dursun, Ahmet; Sulak, Osman

2017-01-01

Background: Development of the foetal period of the meniscus has been reported in different studies. Aims: Evaluation of lateral and medial meniscus development, typing and the relationship of the tibia during the foetal period. Study Design: Anatomical dissection. Methods: We evaluated 210 knee menisci obtained from 105 human foetuses ranging in age from 9 to 40 weeks’ gestation. Foetuses were divided into four groups, and the intra-articular structure was exposed. We subsequently acquired images (Samsung WB 100 26X Optical Zoom Wide, Beijing, China) of the intra-articular structures with the aid of a millimetric ruler. The images were digitized for morphometric analyses and analysed by using Netcad 5.1 Software (Ak Mühendislik, Ankara, Turkey). Results: The lateral and medial meniscal areas as well as the lateral and the medial articular surface areas of the tibia increased throughout gestation. We found that the medial articular surface areas were larger than the lateral articular surface areas, and the difference was statistically significant. The ratios of the mean lateral and medial meniscal areas to the lateral and medial articular surface areas, respectively, of the tibia decreased gradually from the first trimester to full term. The most common shape of the medial meniscus was crescentic (50%), and that of the lateral meniscus was C-shaped (61%). Conclusion: This study reveals the development of morphological changes and morphometric measurements of the menisci. PMID:28832324

Diameter Growth of Loblolly Pine Trees as Affected by Soil-Moisture Availibility

Treesearch

John R. Bassett

1964-01-01

In a 30-year-old even-aged stand of loblolly pine on a site 90 loessial soil in southeast Arkansas during foul growing seasons, most trees on plots thinned to 125 square feet of basal area per acre increased in basal area continuously when, under the crown canopy, available water in the surface foot remained above 65 percent. Measurable diameter growth ceased when...

Assessing Past Surface Processes Rates Using Feldspar Luminescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamothe, M.

2010-12-01

Luminescence dating methods (OSL) developed over the last decade offer absolute depositional ages for sediments, crystallization ages for volcanic material or firing ages for burnt archaeological materials. When these natural surface events are from well-documented geological sequences of events, the ages can decipher timing as well as intensity of processes rates. The advent of luminescence dating has yielded a unique window on the pace of the erosion-transport-depositional cycle as the event assessed using luminescence is last exposure to sunlight and burial. A unique advantage of luminescence is its universal applicability since the routinely used dosimeters, minerals of quartz and feldspar, are almost ubiquitous on the land surface. Dating applications to sediments are still clouded by low accuracy and near saturation of the natural luminescence level, commonly observed for sediments older than the Last Interglacial. The latter imposes severe constraints in the use of quartz as a reliable dosimeter for any environment beyond the Late Pleistocene. However, in the case of feldspar, if dates are corrected for anomalous fading, ages of ancient surface processes could potentially be obtained up to ca 500 ka. Nevertheless, large uncertainties inherent to older ages may therein limit usefulness to precisely assessing processes rates. Case-studies will be used to highlight the potential and limitation of luminescence to properly assess surface processes rates for a) Holocene and older aeolian sedimentary systems, b) rates of tectonic movement by dating relative sea level changes from moderately stable to highly dynamic coastal areas, and c) albeit at its early stages, processes in volcanism, by means of tephra-extracted feldspar luminescence dating.

Effect of Coatings on the Uptake Rate and HONO Yield in Heterogeneous Reaction of Soot with NO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz-Quiñones, M.; Khalizov, A. F.; Zhang, R.

2009-12-01

Heterogeneous reaction of nitrogen dioxide on carbon soot aerosols has been suggested as a possible source of nighttime nitrous acid (HONO) in atmosphere boundary layer. Available laboratory data show significant variability in the measured reaction probabilities and HONO yields, making it difficult to asses the atmospheric significance of this process. Moreover, little is known of how aging of soot aerosol through internal mixing with other atmospheric trace constituents will affect the heterogeneous reactivity and HONO production. In this work, the heterogeneous reaction of NO2 on fresh and aged soot films leading to HONO formation was studied through a series of kinetic uptake experiments and HONO yield measurements. Soot samples were prepared by incomplete combustion of propane and kerosene fuels under lean and rich flame conditions. Experiments were performed in a low-pressure, fast-flow reactor coupled to a chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS), using atmospheric-level NO2 concentrations. Heterogeneous uptake coefficients, γ(geom) and γ(BET), were calculated using geometric and internal BET soot surface areas, respectively. The uptake coefficient and the HONO yield depend on the type of fuel and combustion regime and are the highest for soot samples prepared using rich kerosene flame. Although, the internal surface area of soot measured by BET method is a factor of 50 to 500 larger than the geometric surface area, only the top soot layers are involved in heterogeneous reaction with NO2 as follows from the observed weak dependence of γ(geom) and decrease in γ(BET) with increasing sample mass. Heating the soot samples before exposure to NO2 increases the BET surface area, the HONO yield, and the NO2 uptake coefficient due to the removal of the organic fraction from the soot backbone that unblocks active sites and makes them accessible for physical adsorption and chemical reactions. Our results support the oxidation-reduction mechanism involving adsorptive and reactive centers on soot surface where NO2 is converted into HONO and other products. Coating the soot surface by different materials to simulate atmospheric aging has a strong impact on the reactivity of soot toward NO2. Sulfuric acid coating reduces the uptake coefficient and HONO production by physically blocking the soot active sites and initiating decomposition of HONO in the aqueous acid layer. Furthermore, the HONO yield can be reduced to zero after exposure to elevated relative humidity or partially restored when sulfuric acid is removed by heating. Coatings made of glutaric and succinic acids increase HONO yields and NO2 uptake coefficients, similarly as in the case of pre-heated soot samples. We propose that the organic acids change the top layer morphology, opening up the pores and making the internal soot surface more accessible for heterogeneous interaction with NO2. The implications of our study regarding the contribution of freshly emitted and aged soot aerosols to nighttime HONO production will be discussed.

Earth's Constant Mean Elevation: Implication for Long-Term Sea Level and Controlled by Ocean Lithosphere Dynamics in a Pitman World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rowley, David

2017-04-01

On a spherical Earth, the mean elevation ( -2440m) would be everywhere at a mean Earth radius from the center. This directly links an elevation at the surface to physical dimensions of the Earth, including surface area and volume that are at most very slowly evolving components of the Earth system. Earth's mean elevation thus provides a framework within which to consider changes in heights of Earth's solid surface as a function of time. In this paper the focus will be on long-term, non-glacially controlled sea level. Long-term sea level has long been argued to be largely controlled by changes in ocean basin volume related to changes in area-age distribution of oceanic lithosphere. As generally modeled by Pitman (1978) and subsequent workers, the age-depth relationship of oceanic lithosphere, including both the ridge depth and coefficients describing the age-depth relationship are assumed constant. This paper examines the consequences of adhering to these assumptions when placed within the larger framework of maintaining a constant mean radius of the Earth. Self-consistent estimates of long-term sea level height and changes in mean depth of the oceanic crust are derived from the assumption that the mean elevation and corresponding mean radius are unchanging aspects of Earth's shorter-term evolution. Within this context, changes in mean depth of the oceanic crust, corresponding with changes in mean age of the oceanic lithosphere, acting over the area of the oceanic crust represent a volume change that is required to be balanced by a compensating equal but opposite volume change under the area of the continental crust. Models of paleo-cumulative hypsometry derived from a starting glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA)-corrected ice-free hypsometry that conserve mean elevation provide a basis for understanding how these compensating changes impact global hypsometry and particularly estimates of global mean shoreline height. Paleo-shoreline height and areal extent of flooding can be defined as the height and corresponding cumulative area of the solid surface of the Earth at which the integral of area as a function of elevation, from the maximum depth upwards, equals the volume of ocean water filling it with respect to cumulative paleo-hypsometry. Present height of the paleo-shoreline is the height on the GIA-corrected cumulative hypsometry at an area equal to the areal extent of flooding. Paleogeographic estimates of global extent of ocean flooding from the Middle Jurassic to end Eocene, when combined with conservation of mean elevation and ocean water volume allow an explicit estimate of the paleo-height and present height of the paleo-shoreline. The best-fitting estimate of present height of the paleo-shoreline, equivalent to a long-term "eustatic" sea level curve, implies very modest (25±22m) changes in long-term sea level above the ice-free sea level height of +40m. These, in turn, imply quite limited changes in mean depth of the oceanic crust (15±11m), and mean age of the oceanic lithosphere ( 62.1±2.4 my) since the Middle Jurassic.

Potentiometric surfaces, summer 2013 and winter 2015, and select hydrographs for the Southern High Plains aquifer, Cannon Air Force Base, Curry County, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collison, Jake

2016-04-07

Cannon Air Force Base (Cannon AFB) is located in the High Plains physiographic region of east-central New Mexico, about 5 miles west of Clovis, New Mexico. The area surrounding Cannon AFB is primarily used for agriculture, including irrigated cropland and dairies. The Southern High Plains aquifer is the principal source of water for Cannon AFB, for the nearby town of Clovis, and for local agriculture and dairies. The Southern High Plains aquifer in the vicinity of Cannon AFB consists of three subsurface geological formations: the Chinle Formation of Triassic age, the Ogallala Formation of Tertiary age, and the Blackwater Draw Formation of Quaternary age. The Ogallala Formation is the main water-yielding formation of the Southern High Plains aquifer. Groundwater-supplied, center-pivot irrigation dominates pumping from the Southern High Plains aquifer in the area surrounding Cannon AFB, where the irrigation season typically extends from early March through October. The U.S. Geological Survey has been monitoring groundwater levels in the vicinity of Cannon AFB since 1954 and has developed general potentiometric-surface maps that show groundwater flow from northwest to southeast in the study area. While previous potentiometric-surface maps show the general direction of groundwater flow, a denser well network is needed to show details of groundwater flow at a local scale. Groundwater levels were measured in 93 wells during summer 2013 and 100 wells during winter 2015.The summer and winter potentiometric-surface maps display the presence of what is interpreted to be a groundwater trough trending from the northwest to the southeast through the study area. This groundwater trough may be the hydraulic expression of a Tertiary-age paleochannel. Groundwater north of the trough flows in a southerly direction into the trough, and groundwater south of the trough flows in an easterly direction into the trough.During the 18-month period between summer 2013 and winter 2015, changes in groundwater levels ranged from a rise of 10.0 to a decline of 3.8 feet. The regions to the north and south of the groundwater trough contained the majority of the rises in groundwater levels, whereas the regions within the trough contained the majority of the declines in groundwater levels. In contrast, the long-term groundwater-level trend in wells with 20 to 60 years of record is a steady decline in average annual water levels, with declines ranging from 0.41 to 2.81 feet per year. Overall, the northwestern part of the study area exhibits the smallest average annual declines, while the southeastern part of the study area exhibits the largest average annual declines.

Spatial and temporal deformation along the northern San Jacinto fault, southern California: Implications for slip rates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kendrick, K.J.; Morton, D.M.; Wells, S.G.; Simpson, R.W.

2002-01-01

The San Timoteo badlands is an area of uplift and erosional dissection that has formed as a result of late Quaternary uplift along a restraining bend in the San Jacinto fault, of the San Andreas fault system in southern California. This bend currently is located in a region where late Quaternary deposits and associated surfaces have formed in lower San Timoteo Canyon. We have used morphometric analysis of these surfaces, in conjunction with computer modeling of deformational patterns along the San Jacinto fault, to reconstruct spatial and temporal variations in uplift along the bend. Morphometric techniques used include envelope/subenvelope mapping, a gradient-length index along channels, and denudation values. Age control is determined using a combination of thermoluminescence (TL) and near infrared optical simulation luminescence dating (IROSL) and correlation of soil-development indices. These approaches are combined with an elastic half-space model used to determine the deformation associated with the fault bend. The region of modeled uplift has a similar distribution as that determined by morphometric techniques. Luminescence dates and soil-correlation age estimates generally agree. Based on soil development, surfaces within the study area were stabilized at approximately 300-700 ka for Q3, 43-67 ka for Q2, and 27.5-67 ka for Q1. Luminescence ages (both TL and IROSL) for the formation of the younger two surfaces are 58 to 94 ka for Q2 and 37 to 62 ka for Q1 (ages reported to 1?? uncertainty). Periods of uplift were determined for the surfaces in the study area, resulting in approximate uplift rates of 0.34 to 0.84 m/ka for the past 100 ka and 0.13 to 1.00 m/ka for the past 66 ka. Comparison of these rates of uplift to those generated by the model support a higher rate of lateral slip along the San Jacinto fault than commonly assumed (greater than 20 mm/yr, as compared to 8-12 mm/yr commonly cited). This higher slip rate supports the proposal that a greater amount of slip has transferred from the San Andreas fault to the San Jacinto fault than generally held. The San Jacinto fault may have accommodated a significant portion of the plate boundary slip during the past 100 ka.

Stabilization of Co{sup 2+} in layered double hydroxides (LDHs) by microwave-assisted ageing

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

Herrero, M.; Benito, P.; Labajos, F.M.

2007-03-15

Co-containing layered double hydroxides at different pH have been prepared, and aged following different routes. The solids prepared have been characterized by element chemical analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses (both in nitrogen and in oxygen), FT-IR and Vis-UV spectroscopies, temperature-programmed reduction and surface area assessment by nitrogen adsorption at -196 deg. C. The best conditions found to preserve the cobalt species in the divalent oxidation state are preparing the samples at controlled pH, and then submit them to ageing under microwave irradiation. - Graphical abstract: The use of microwave-hydrothermal treatment, controlling both temperature and ageing time,more » permits to synthesize well-crystallized nanomaterials with controlled surface properties. An enhancement in the crystallinity degree and an increase in the particle size are observed when the irradiation time is prolonged.« less

Three ages of Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, Charles A.; Coombs, Cassandra R.

1989-01-01

A central question for any planet is the age of its surface. Based on comparative planetological arguments, Venus should be as young and active as the Earth (Wood and Francis). The detection of probable impact craters in the Venera radar images provides a tool for estimating the age of the surface of Venus. Assuming somewhat different crater production rates, Bazilevskiy et al. derived an age of 1 + or - 0.5 billion years, and Schaber et al. and Wood and Francis estimated an age of 200 to 400 million years. The known impact craters are not randomly distributed, however, thus some area must be older and others younger than this average age. Ages were derived for major geologic units on Venus using the Soviet catalog of impact craters (Bazilevskiy et al.), and the most accessible geologic unit map (Bazilevskiy). The crater counts are presented for (diameters greater than 20 km), areas, and crater densities for the 7 terrain units and coronae. The procedure for examining the distribution of craters is superior to the purely statistical approaches of Bazilevskiy et al. and Plaut and Arvidson because the bins are larger (average size 16 x 10(6) sq km) and geologically significant. Crater densities define three distinct groups: relatively heavily cratered (Lakshmi, mountain belts), moderately cratered (smooth and rolling plains, ridge belts, and tesserae), and essentially uncratered (coronae and domed uplands). Following Schaber et al., Grieve's terrestrial cratering rate of 5.4 + or - 2.7 craters greater than 20 km/10(9) yrs/10(6) sq km was used to calculate ages for the geologic units on Venus. To improve statistics, the data was aggregated into the three crater density groups, deriving the ages. For convenience, the three similar age groups are given informal time stratigraphic unit names, from youngest to oldest: Ulfrunian, Sednaian, Lakshmian.

Three ages of Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Charles A.; Coombs, Cassandra R.

A central question for any planet is the age of its surface. Based on comparative planetological arguments, Venus should be as young and active as the Earth (Wood and Francis). The detection of probable impact craters in the Venera radar images provides a tool for estimating the age of the surface of Venus. Assuming somewhat different crater production rates, Bazilevskiy et al. derived an age of 1 + or - 0.5 billion years, and Schaber et al. and Wood and Francis estimated an age of 200 to 400 million years. The known impact craters are not randomly distributed, however, thus some area must be older and others younger than this average age. Ages were derived for major geologic units on Venus using the Soviet catalog of impact craters (Bazilevskiy et al.), and the most accessible geologic unit map (Bazilevskiy). The crater counts are presented for (diameters greater than 20 km), areas, and crater densities for the 7 terrain units and coronae. The procedure for examining the distribution of craters is superior to the purely statistical approaches of Bazilevskiy et al. and Plaut and Arvidson because the bins are larger (average size 16 x 10(6) sq km) and geologically significant. Crater densities define three distinct groups: relatively heavily cratered (Lakshmi, mountain belts), moderately cratered (smooth and rolling plains, ridge belts, and tesserae), and essentially uncratered (coronae and domed uplands). Following Schaber et al., Grieve's terrestrial cratering rate of 5.4 + or - 2.7 craters greater than 20 km/10(9) yrs/10(6) sq km was used to calculate ages for the geologic units on Venus. To improve statistics, the data was aggregated into the three crater density groups, deriving the ages. For convenience, the three similar age groups are given informal time stratigraphic unit names, from youngest to oldest: Ulfrunian, Sednaian, Lakshmian.

An allometric scaling relationship in the brain of preterm infants

PubMed Central

Paul, Rachel A; Smyser, Christopher D; Rogers, Cynthia E; English, Ian; Wallendorf, Michael; Alexopoulos, Dimitrios; Meyer, Erin J; Van Essen, David C; Neil, Jeffrey J; Inder, Terrie E

2014-01-01

Allometry has been used to demonstrate a power–law scaling relationship in the brain of premature born infants. Forty-nine preterm infants underwent neonatal MRI scans and neurodevelopmental testing at age 2. Measures of cortical surface area and total cerebral volume demonstrated a power–law scaling relationship (α = 1.27). No associations were identified between these measures and investigated clinical variables. Term equivalent cortical surface area and total cerebral volume measures and scaling exponents were not related to outcome. These findings confirm a previously reported allometric scaling relationship in the preterm brain, and suggest that scaling is not a sensitive indicator of aberrant cortical maturation. PMID:25540808

Preliminary geological mapping of Io

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Masursky, H.; Schaber, G. G.; Soderblom, L. A.; Strom, R. G.

1979-01-01

A preliminary summary of information gained by Voyager 1 on the colored, terrain and landform surface units of Io and their global distribution is presented. Colored units are classified as white to bluish-white regions which may be sulfur or sulfur dioxide deposits, red, orange, or yellow regions thought to contain various sublimates or alterations of sulfur, brownish regions limited to the polar areas and dark brown areas surrounding some vents. Terrain features observed include plains broken by scarps, isolated mountainous regions and volcanic vents resembling terrestrial caldera or pit craters. Maps of the distribution of these features, compiled by photogeological mapping techniques developed for terrestrial volcanic mapping, are presented, and the implications of the surface unit distributions for the volcanology, crustal composition, internal convection patterns and surface age of Io are discussed.

Potentiometric surface of the Ozark aquifer in northern Arkansas, 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schrader, T.P.

2005-01-01

The Ozark aquifer in northern Arkansas comprises dolomites, limestones, sandstones, and shales of Late Cambrian to Middle Devonian age, and ranges in thickness from approximately 1,100 feet to more than 4,000 feet. Hydrologically, the aquifer is complex, characterized by discrete and discontinuous flow components with large variations in permeability. The potentiometric-surface map, based on 59 well and 5 spring water-level measurements collected in 2004 in Arkansas and Missouri, indicates maximum water-level altitudes of about 1,188 feet in Benton County and minimum water-level altitudes of about 116 feet in Randolph County. Regionally, the flow within the aquifer is to the south and southeast in the eastern and central part of the study area and to the northwest and north in the western part of the study area. Comparing the 2004 potentiometric- surface map with a predevelopment potentiometricsurface map indicates general agreement between the two surfaces. Potentiometric-surface differences could be attributed to differences in pumping related to changing population from 1990 to 2000, change in source for public supplies, processes or water use outside the study area, or differences in data-collection or map-construction methods.

Surface Ages and Resurfacing Rates of the Polar Layered Deposits on Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Herkenhoff, K. E.; Plaut, J.J.

2000-01-01

Interpretation of the polar stratigraphy of Mars in terms of global climate changes is complicated by the significant difference in surface ages between the north and south polar layered terrains inferred from crater statistics. We have reassessed the cratering record in both polar regions using Viking Orbiter and Mariner 9 images. No craters have been found in the north polar layered terrain, but the surface of most of the south polar layered deposits appears to have been stable for many of the orbital/axial cycles that are thought to have induced global climate changes on Mars. The inferred surface age of the south polar layered deposits (about 10 Ma) is two orders of magnitude greater than the surface age of the north polar layered deposits and residual cap (at most 100 ka). Similarly, modeled resurfacing rates are at least 20 times greater in the north than in the south. These results are consistent with the hypotheses that polar layered deposit resurfacing rates are highest in areas covered by perennial ice and that the differences in polar resurfacing rates result from the 6.4 km difference in elevation between the polar regions. Deposition on the portion of the south polar layered deposits that is not covered by the perennial ice cap may have ceased about 5 million years ago when the obliquity of Mars no longer exceeded 40??. ?? 2000 Academic Press.

Statistical analysis of lake levels and field study of groundwater and surface-water exchanges in the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 2002 through 2015: Chapter A of Water levels and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes of the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 2002 through 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Perry M.; Trost, Jared J.; Diekoff, Aliesha L.; Rosenberry, Donald O.; White, Eric A.; Erickson, Melinda L.; Morel, Daniel L.; Heck, Jessica M.

2016-10-19

Water levels declined from 2003 to 2011 in many lakes in Ramsey and Washington Counties in the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota; however, water levels in other northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area lakes increased during the same period. Groundwater and surface-water exchanges can be important in determining lake levels where these exchanges are an important component of the water budget of a lake. An understanding of groundwater and surface-water exchanges in the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area has been limited by the lack of hydrologic data. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Council and Minnesota Department of Health, completed a field and statistical study assessing lake-water levels and regional and local groundwater and surface-water exchanges near northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area lakes. This report documents the analysis of collected hydrologic, water-quality, and geophysical data; and existing hydrologic and geologic data to (1) assess the effect of physical setting and climate on lake-level fluctuations of selected lakes, (2) estimate potential percentages of surface-water contributions to well water across the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, (3) estimate general ages for waters extracted from the wells, and (4) assess groundwater inflow to lakes and lake-water outflow to aquifers downgradient from White Bear Lake. Statistical analyses of lake levels during short-term (2002–10) and long-term (1925–2014) periods were completed to help understand lake-level changes across the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Comparison of 2002–10 lake levels to several landscape and geologic characteristics explained variability in lake-level changes for 96 northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area lakes. Application of several statistical methods determined that (1) closed-basin lakes (without an active outlet) had larger lake-level declines than flow-through lakes with an outlet; (2) closed-basin lake-level changes reflected groundwater-level changes in the Quaternary, Prairie du Chien, and Jordan aquifers; (3) the installation of outlet-control structures, such as culverts and weirs, resulted in smaller multiyear lake-level changes than lakes without outlet-control structures; (4) water levels in lakes primarily overlying Superior Lobe deposits were significantly more variable than lakes primarily overlying Des Moines Lobe deposits; (5) lake-level declines were larger with increasing mean lake-level elevation; and (6) the frequency of some of these characteristics varies by landscape position. Flow-through lakes and lakes with outlet-control structures were more common in watersheds with more than 50 percent urban development compared to watersheds with less than 50 percent urban development. A comparison of two 35-year periods during 1925–2014 revealed that variability of annual mean lake levels in flow-through lakes increased when annual precipitation totals were more variable, whereas variability of annual mean lake levels in closed-basin lakes had the opposite pattern, being more variable when annual precipitation totals were less variable. Oxygen-18/oxygen-16 and hydrogen-2/hydrogen-1 ratios for water samples from 40 wells indicated the well water was a mixture of surface water and groundwater in 31 wells, whereas ratios from water sampled from 9 other wells indicated that water from these wells receive no surface-water contribution. Of the 31 wells with a mixture of surface water and groundwater, 11 were downgradient from White Bear Lake, likely receiving water from deeper parts of the lake. Age dating of water samples from wells indicated that the age of water in the Prairie du Chien and Jordan aquifers can vary widely across the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Estimated ages of recharge for 9 of the 40 wells sampled for chlorofluorocarbon concentrations ranged widely from the early 1940s to mid-1970s. The wide range in estimated ages of recharge may have resulted from the wide range in the open-interval lengths and depths for the wells.Results from stable isotope analyses of water samples, lake-sediment coring, continuous seismic-reflection profiling, and water-level and flow monitoring indicated that there is groundwater inflow from nearshore sites and lake-water outflow from deep-water sites in White Bear Lake. Continuous seismic-reflection profiling indicated that deep sections of White Bear, Pleasant, Turtle, and Big Marine Lakes have few trapped gases and little organic material, which indicates where groundwater and lake-water exchanges are more likely. Water-level differences between White Bear Lake and piezometer and seepage measurements in deep waters of the lake indicate that groundwater and lake-water exchange is happening in deep waters, predominantly downgradient from the lake and into the lake sediment. Seepage fluxes measured in the nearshore sites of White Bear Lake generally were higher than seepage fluxes measured in the deep-water sites, which indicates that groundwater-inflow rates at most of the nearshore sites are higher than lake-water outflow from the deep-water sites.

Age and extent of a giant glacial-dammed lake at Yarlung Tsangpo gorge in the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Weiming; Lai, Zhongping; Hu, Kaiheng; Ge, Yonggang; Cui, Peng; Zhang, Xiaogang; Liu, Feng

2015-10-01

Many glacier dams on major rivers at the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau had been previously determined through remote sensing and glacier terminal position calculation. It was hypothesized that such damming substantially impeded river incision into the plateau interior. Investigation on the large glacial-dammed lake at the entrance of Tsangpo gorge is critical for understanding this hypothesis. So far, the issues, such as age, lake surface elevation, and stages of this dammed lake, are still in debate. Our field survey of lacustrine deposits and loess distribution along the middle Yarlung Tsangpo River and its tributary, Nyang River, suggested that the lake surface elevation was at about 3180 m asl. The 23 quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and 4 organic AMS 14C ages all fall into the Last Glacial period ( 41-13 ka). The OSL and 14C ages are in general agreement with each other where applicable. There might be only one long damming event because the ages of lacustrine deposits from 2970 to 3100 m asl are similar, and every lacustrine section is sustained for a long time. The estimated lake surface area was 1089 km2, and the volume was 170 km3, which differ from previous estimations which suggested two-stage (about early Holocene and 1.5 ka) lakes, and the largest lake surface elevation reached 3500 m.

Stepped surfaces and palaeolandforms in the northern Brazilian «Nordeste»: constraints on models of morphotectonic evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peulvast, Jean-Pierre; de Claudino Sales, Vanda

2004-09-01

From the Parnaiba Basin to the Borborema Plateau (northeastern Brazil), the crystalline and sedimentary highlands and plains of the huge Jaguaribe-Piranhas amphitheatre are intersected seawards by offset elements of a marginal scarp which overlooks coastal lowlands along the Equatorial Atlantic transform margin. Its stepped surfaces are classically related to regional uplift induced by the break-up of the Gondwana supercontinent, supposed to have triggered the formation, until the Plio-Pleistocene, of successively younger planation surfaces below a culminating Cretaceous surface. A reinterpretation of this topography, combined with analyses of palaeolandforms, surface deposits, drainage anomalies, and structural controls on landforms, is used to obtain ages for significant features of the stepped patterns and to propose a morphostratigraphic scheme for the whole area. It is shown that the regional morphology is widely controlled by structures formed during Early Cretaceous continental rifting and later Aptian oceanic opening. Exhumed pre-Cenomanian palaeolandforms—planation surfaces, residual Cretaceous fault scarps—are identified. This study points out the value of the morphostructural approach for revisiting classical problems of geomorphology such as the meaning of stepped landforms (identification of palaeosurfaces of Cretaceous age at various levels), and the age and origin of planation surfaces. Its results are considered as constraining elements for a further tentative reconstruction of the morphotectonic evolution of this margin.

Morphometric Measurements of Bony Nasolacrimal Canal in Children.

PubMed

Ela, Araz Server; Cigdem, Kalaycik Ertugay; Karagoz, Yesim; Yigit, Ozgur; Longur, Ecem Sevim

2018-05-01

Morphology and dimensions of the bony nasolacrimal canal duct (BNLD) as a key factor in the development of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction. We aimed to obtain detailed morphometric analysis of BNLD in children without nasolacrimal duct pathology by using computed tomography and provide standard measurements by means of age which could be utilized in planning management or in invasive interventions. Picture Archiving Communication Systems database of our hospital's radiology department was searched for this retrospective study. Subjects were under 18 years of age who had undergone a paranasal, maxillofacial, or temporal bone high-resolution computed tomography scan in last 2 years with various indications. Those with fractures including facial bones and/or nasolacrimal canal or history of nasolacrimal duct pathology were excluded from the study. We measured the diameter, angle, and surface area of BNLD. A total number of 136 subjects (86 boys, 50 girls) were included in the study. The average age was 7.3 ± 5.1 years. We documented statistically significantly positive correlation between all measured diameters and ages (P < 0.001), whereas there was a negative association between mean angle and age (P < 0.001). Mean angle is defined as the angle between BNLD and nasal floor. The surface area of BNLD was found to be significantly increasing depending on age (P < 0.001). However, we could not find any significant association between gender and measured parameters (P > 0.050). Our study demonstrated that development of BNLD continues during childhood, regardless of gender.

No Association between Cortical Gyrification or Intrinsic Curvature and Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adolescents and Young Adults.

PubMed

Forde, Natalie J; Ronan, Lisa; Zwiers, Marcel P; Alexander-Bloch, Aaron F; Faraone, Stephen V; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Heslenfeld, Dirk J; Hartman, Catharina A; Buitelaar, Jan K; Hoekstra, Pieter J

2017-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have highlighted subcortical, cortical, and structural connectivity abnormalities associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Gyrification investigations of the cortex have been inconsistent and largely negative, potentially due to a lack of sensitivity of the previously used morphological parameters. The innovative approach of applying intrinsic curvature analysis, which is predictive of gyrification pattern, to the cortical surface applied herein allowed us greater sensitivity to determine whether the structural connectivity abnormalities thus far identified at a centimeter scale also occur at a millimeter scale within the cortical surface. This could help identify neurodevelopmental processes that contribute to ADHD. Structural MRI datasets from the NeuroIMAGE project were used [ n = 306 ADHD, n = 164 controls, and n = 148 healthy siblings of individuals with ADHD (age in years, mean(sd); 17.2 (3.4), 16.8 (3.2), and 17.7 (3.8), respectively)]. Reconstructions of the cortical surfaces were computed with FreeSurfer. Intrinsic curvature (taken as a marker of millimeter-scale surface connectivity) and local gyrification index were calculated for each point on the surface (vertex) with Caret and FreeSurfer, respectively. Intrinsic curvature skew and mean local gyrification index were extracted per region; frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, cingulate, and insula. A generalized additive model was used to compare the trajectory of these measures between groups over age, with sex, scanner site, total surface area of hemisphere, and familiality accounted for. After correcting for sex, scanner site, and total surface area no group differences were found in the developmental trajectory of intrinsic curvature or local gyrification index. Despite the increased sensitivity of intrinsic curvature, compared to gyrification measures, to subtle morphological abnormalities of the cortical surface we found no milimeter-scale connectivity abnormalities associated with ADHD.

Late Oligocene to Recent Landscape Evolution in Atacama Desert: a Case for Episodic Pluvial Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunai, T. J.

2005-12-01

Depositional surfaces of early Miocene sediments are preserved in the Coastal Cordillera, Atacama Desert, northern Chile (Dunai et al. 2005). Measurement of cosmogenic 21Ne in clasts from erosion-sensitive sediment surfaces show that these surfaces have been barely affected by erosion since 25 Ma. Predominantly hyperarid conditions since 25 Ma are required to create and preserve these oldest continuously exposed surfaces on Earth (ibid). The next oldest continuously exposed surfaces, in the Dry Valleys region, Antarctica, have about half this age (e.g. Schafer et al. 1999); van der Wateren et al. 1999). Eighty additional vein-quartz clasts were collected from the surface studied earlier (Dunai et al. 2005). These clasts were shed onto the surface from surrounding hill slopes after deposition of the main sedimentary body (22-25 Ma, references: ibid). The clasts were collected at the inlet of the first in a series of salt carst depressions at the bottom of a wide `valley' on the sediment surface(ibid). The 21Ne ages of these clasts show distinct clusters at 3.5-4 Ma, 8-10 Ma, 13-15 Ma, 17-18 Ma, ~24 Ma and 33-35 Ma. The ages that are younger than the deposition age give the timing of pluvial phases, in which the runoff was strong enough to incise hardrock channels into the surrounding hill slopes, and deposit material onto the sediment surface that had little to no pre-exposure to cosmic rays. Ages concordant to the deposition age probably represent laterally dislocated material of the original sediment surface. Ages greater than the deposition age indicate that portions of the local source region of the clasts were very slowly eroding/stable prior to the pluvial episode that eroded and transported them onto the sediment surface. The inferred pluvial phases are age-concordant with episodes of supergene enrichment in porphyry copper deposits of the Pre-Cordillera and the Andes to the east of the study area (e.g. Quang et el. 2005, Sillitoe and McKee 1996). Every Stage in the landform chronology of the region (Tosdal 1984; as revised by Quang et al. 2005) has its counterpart in the inferred pluvial phases in the Coastal Cordillera. The timing of all inferred pluvial phases is age-concordant with periods global and/or regional climate change (global cooling, regional wet-phases; Zachos 2001, Vasconcelos et al. 1994). It is therefore indicated that episodic pluvial activity, rather than episodic tectonic uplift (Quang et al. 2005), is responsible for the episodic changes in the Antacama section of the western flank of the Andes.

Sunlight Exposure and Vitamin D Status in Breastfed Infants.

PubMed

Meena, Pinky; Dabas, Aashima; Shah, Dheeraj; Malhotra, Rajeev Kumar; Madhu, S V; Gupta, Piyush

2017-02-15

To correlate the sunlight exposure in first 6 months to vitamin D status at 6 months of age in predominantly breastfed infants; and to quantify the sunlight exposure required to achieve serum 25(OH)D level >20 ng/mL, by 6 months of age. Design: Prospective cohort. Tertiary-care hospital predominantly catering to urban poor population in Delhi. 132 healthy infants, delivered at term, and predominantly breastfed were enrolled at 6-8 weeks of age. Of these, 100 infants were available for final evaluation at 6 months of age (mean (SD) follow-up: 126 (17) days). Baseline maternal vitamin D (serum 25(OH)D) levels were obtained at enrolment. The mothers were asked to maintain a daily record of duration of sunlight exposure, timing of exposure, and body surface area exposed, for the infant, on a pre-designed proforma, till the child was 6 months of age. Infant's serum 25(OH)D was measured at 6 months of age. Cumulative Sun Index was calculated as a composite measure of overall duration/time/body surface area exposed to sunlight; and correlated with the infant serum 25(OH)D after adjusting for baseline maternal serum 25(OH)D levels, season of exposure, and skin color of the infant. Sun index for exposure in morning (before 10 am) and afternoon (10 am-3 pm) were also correlated to vitamin D status. Of 100 mother-infant pairs completing the study, 90 mothers had vitamin D deficiency (serum 25(OH)D <12 ng/mL). The median duration of exposure of infants to sunlight was 17 min per week, on 6% of body surface area. Vitamin D levels of 67 (67%) infants at 6 months were less than 12 ng/mL and another 23% had insufficient levels (12-20 ng/mL). Cumulative sun index correlated positively to infant's serum 25(OH)D level at 6 months of age (r= 0.461, P<0.001). Increment in afternoon sun index by 1 unit increased the serum 25(OH)D level by 1.07 ng/mL (95% CI 0.37, 1.78; P= 0.003). A minimum 30 minute weekly afternoon sunlight exposure, between 10 am and 3 pm, over 40% body area (infant clothed in diapers, in prone position) for at least 16 weeks, was estimated requirement to achieve sufficient vitamin D levels (>20 ng/mL) by 6 months of age. There is a significant positive correlation between afternoon sunlight exposure and infant's vitamin D levels, independent of maternal vitamin D status. Randomized controlled trials are suggested to explore the effectiveness of this simple intervention to prevent or treat vitamin D deficiency in children.

Potentiometric Surface of the Aquia Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2009-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Aquia aquifer in the Aquia Formation of Paleocene age in Southern Maryland during September 2007. The map is based on water-level measurements in 85 wells. The highest measured water level was 50 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in the central part of Anne Arundel County, and was below sea level just south of this area and in the remainder of the study area. The hydraulic gradient increased southeastward toward an extensive cone of depression around well fields at Lexington Park and Solomons Island. A water level measured west of the Cheasapeake Beach area has declined to 57 feet below sea level due to increased withdrawals. The lowest water level measured was 162 feet below sea level at the center of a cone of depression at Lexington Park.

Application of multiple-isotope and groundwater-age data to identify factors affecting the extent of denitrification in a shallow aquifer near a river in South Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaown, Dugin; Koh, Eun-Hee; Mayer, Bernhard; Kim, Heejung; Park, Dong Kyu; Park, Byeong-Hak; Lee, Kang-Kun

2018-01-01

The extent of denitrification in a small agricultural area near a river in Yangpyeong, South Korea, was determined using multiple isotopes, groundwater age, and physicochemical data for groundwater. The shallow groundwater at one monitoring site had high concentrations of NO3-N (74-83 mg L-1). The δ15N-NO3 values for groundwater in the study area ranged between +9.1 and +24.6‰ in June 2014 and +12.2 to +21.6‰ in October 2014. High δ15N-NO3 values (+10.7 to +12.5‰) in both sampling periods indicated that the high concentrations of nitrate in the groundwater originated from application of organic fertilizers and manure. In the northern part of the study area, some groundwater samples showed elevated δ15N-NO3 and δ18O-NO3 values, which suggest that nitrate was removed from the groundwater via denitrification, with N isotope enrichment factors ranging between -4.8 and -7.9‰ and O isotope enrichment factors varying between -3.8 and -4.9‰. Similar δD and δ18O values of the surface water and groundwater in the south appear to indicate that groundwater in that area was affected by surface-water infiltration. The mean residence times (MRTs) of groundwater showed younger ages in the south (10-20 years) than in the north (20-30 years). Hence, it was concluded that denitrification processes under anaerobic conditions with longer groundwater MRT in the northern part of the study area removed considerable amounts of nitrate. This study demonstrates that multi-isotope data combined with physicochemical data and age-dating information can be effectively applied to characterize nitrate contaminant sources and attenuation processes.

Potential effects of surface coal mining on the hydrology of the upper Otter Creek-Pasture Creek Area, Moorehead coal field, southeastern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

McClymonds, N.E.; Moreland, J.A.

1988-01-01

The combined upper Otter Creek-Pasture Creek area, south of Ashland, Montana, contains large reserves of Federal coal for potential lease sale. A hydrologic study was conducted in the area to describe existing hydrologic systems and generalized groundwater quality, to assess potential effects of surface mining on local water resources, and to evaluate the potential for reclamation of those water resources. Principal aquifers are coal beds and sandstone in the upper Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation (Paleocene age), and sand and gravel in alluvium (Pleistocene and Holocene age). Hydraulic conductivity determined from aquifer tests was about 0.004 to 16 ft/d for coal or sandstone aquifers and 1 to 290 ft/d for alluvial aquifers. Dissolved-solids concentrations in water from bedrock ranged from 1,160 to 4,390 mg/L. In alluvium, the concentrations were 1,770 to 12,600 mg/L. Surface water is available from interrupted flow along downstream reaches of Otter and Pasture Creeks, from stock ponds, and from springs. Most stock ponds are dry by midsummer. Mining of coal in the Anderson, Dietz, and Canyon beds would lower the potentiometric surface within coal and sandstone aquifers. Alluvium along Otter Creek, its main tributaries, and Pasture Creek would be removed at the mines. Planned structuring of the spoils and reconstruction of alluvial aquifers could minimize downstream changes in water quality. Although mining would alter the existing hydrologic systems and destroy several shallow wells and stock ponds, alternative water supplies are available. (USGS)

Aging impairs heat loss, but when does it matter?

PubMed Central

Stapleton, Jill M.; Poirier, Martin P.; Flouris, Andreas D.; Boulay, Pierre; Sigal, Ronald J.; Malcolm, Janine

2014-01-01

Aging is associated with an attenuated physiological ability to dissipate heat. However, it remains unclear if age-related impairments in heat dissipation only occur above a certain level of heat stress and whether this response is altered by aerobic fitness. Therefore, we examined changes in whole body evaporative heat loss (HE) as determined using whole body direct calorimetry in young (n = 10; 21 ± 1 yr), untrained middle-aged (n = 10; 48 ± 5 yr), and older (n = 10; 65 ± 3 yr) males matched for body surface area. We also studied a group of trained middle-aged males (n = 10; 49 ± 5 yr) matched for body surface area with all groups and for aerobic fitness with the young group. Participants performed intermittent aerobic exercise (30-min exercise bouts separated by 15-min rest) in the heat (40°C and 15% relative humidity) at progressively greater fixed rates of heat production equal to 300 (Ex1), 400 (Ex2), and 500 (Ex3) W. Results showed that HE was significantly lower in middle-aged untrained (Ex2: 426 ± 34; and Ex3: 497 ± 17 W) and older (Ex2: 424 ± 38; and Ex3: 485 ± 44 W) compared with young (Ex2: 472 ± 42; and Ex3: 558 ± 51 W) and middle-aged trained (474 ± 21; Ex3: 552 ± 23 W) males at the end of Ex2 and Ex3 (P < 0.05). No differences among groups were observed during recovery. We conclude that impairments in HE in older and middle-aged untrained males occur at exercise-induced heat loads of ≥400 W when performed in a hot environment. These impairments in untrained middle-aged males can be minimized through regular aerobic exercise training. PMID:25505030

Relationship of Echocardiographic Z Scores Adjusted for Body Surface Area to Age, Sex, Race, and Ethnicity: The Pediatric Heart Network Normal Echocardiogram Database.

PubMed

Lopez, Leo; Colan, Steven; Stylianou, Mario; Granger, Suzanne; Trachtenberg, Felicia; Frommelt, Peter; Pearson, Gail; Camarda, Joseph; Cnota, James; Cohen, Meryl; Dragulescu, Andreea; Frommelt, Michele; Garuba, Olukayode; Johnson, Tiffanie; Lai, Wyman; Mahgerefteh, Joseph; Pignatelli, Ricardo; Prakash, Ashwin; Sachdeva, Ritu; Soriano, Brian; Soslow, Jonathan; Spurney, Christopher; Srivastava, Shubhika; Taylor, Carolyn; Thankavel, Poonam; van der Velde, Mary; Minich, LuAnn

2017-11-01

Published nomograms of pediatric echocardiographic measurements are limited by insufficient sample size to assess the effects of age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Variable methodologies have resulted in a wide range of Z scores for a single measurement. This multicenter study sought to determine Z scores for common measurements adjusted for body surface area (BSA) and stratified by age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Data collected from healthy nonobese children ≤18 years of age at 19 centers with a normal echocardiogram included age, sex, race, ethnicity, height, weight, echocardiographic images, and measurements performed at the Core Laboratory. Z score models involved indexed parameters (X/BSA α ) that were normally distributed without residual dependence on BSA. The models were tested for the effects of age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Raw measurements from models with and without these effects were compared, and <5% difference was considered clinically insignificant because interobserver variability for echocardiographic measurements are reported as ≥5% difference. Of the 3566 subjects, 90% had measurable images. Appropriate BSA transformations (BSA α ) were selected for each measurement. Multivariable regression revealed statistically significant effects by age, sex, race, and ethnicity for all outcomes, but all effects were clinically insignificant based on comparisons of models with and without the effects, resulting in Z scores independent of age, sex, race, and ethnicity for each measurement. Echocardiographic Z scores based on BSA were derived from a large, diverse, and healthy North American population. Age, sex, race, and ethnicity have small effects on the Z scores that are statistically significant but not clinically important. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Age discrimination among basalt flows using digitally enhanced LANDSAT imagery. [Saudi Arabia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blodget, H. W.; Brown, G. F.

1984-01-01

Digitally enhanced LANDSAT MSS data were used to discriminate among basalt flows of historical to Tertiary age, at a test site in Northwestern Saudi Arabia. Spectral signatures compared favorably with a field-defined classification that permits discrimination among five groups of basalt flows on the basis of geomorphic criteria. Characteristics that contributed to age definition include: surface texture, weathering, color, drainage evolution, and khabrah development. The inherent gradation in the evolution of geomorphic parameters, however, makes visual extrapolation between areas subjective. Therefore, incorporation of spectrally-derived volcanic units into the mapping process should produce more quantitatively consistent age groupings.

Measuring Surface Deformation in Glacier Retreated Areas Based on Ps-Insar - Geladandong Glacier as a Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamadi, B.; Balz, T.

2018-04-01

Glaciers are retreating in many parts of the world as a result of global warming. Many researchers consider Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau as a reference for climate change by measuring glaciers retreat on the plateau. This retreat resulted in some topographic changes in retreated areas, and in some cases can lead to geohazards as landslides, and rock avalanches, which is known in glacier retreated areas as paraglacial slope failure (PSF). In this study, Geladandong biggest and main glacier mass was selected to estimate surface deformation on its glacier retreated areas and define potential future PSF based on PS-InSAR technique. 56 ascending and 49 descending images were used to fulfill this aim. Geladandong glacier retreated areas were defined based on the maximum extent of the glacier in the little ice age. Results revealed a general uplift in the glacier retreated areas with velocity less than 5mm/year. Obvious surface motion was revealed in seven parts surround glacier retreated areas with high relative velocity reached ±60mm/year in some parts. Four parts were considered as PSF potential motion, and two of them showed potential damage for the main road in the study area in case of rock avalanche into recent glacier lakes that could result in glacier lake outburst flooding heading directly to the road. Finally, further analysis and field investigations are needed to define the main reasons for different types of deformation and estimate future risks of these types of surface motion in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Predicting improvement of postorthodontic white spot lesions.

PubMed

Kim, Susan; Katchooi, Mina; Bayiri, Burcu; Sarikaya, Mehmet; Korpak, Anna M; Huang, Greg J

2016-05-01

Patients undergoing orthodontic treatment are at greater risk for developing white spot lesions (WSLs). Although prevention is always the goal, WSLs continue to be a common sequela. For this reason, understanding the patterns of WSL improvement, if any, has great importance. Previous studies have shown that some lesions exhibit significant improvement, whereas others have limited or no improvement. Our aim was to identify specific patient-related and tooth-related factors that are most predictive of improvement with treatment. Patients aged 12 to 20 years with at least 1 WSL that developed during orthodontic treatment were recruited from private dental and orthodontic offices. They had their fixed appliances removed 2 months or less before enrollment. Photographs were taken at enrollment and 8 weeks later. Paired photographs of the maxillary incisors, taken at each time point, were blindly assessed for changes in surface area and appearance at the individual tooth level using visual inspection. One hundred one subjects were included in this study. Patient age, brushing frequency, and greater percentage of surface area affected were associated with increased improvement. Central incisors exhibited greater improvements than lateral incisors. Longer time since appliance removal and longer length of orthodontic treatment were associated with decreased levels of improvement. Sex, oral hygiene status, retainer type, location of the lesion (gingival, middle, incisal), staining, and lesion diffuseness were not found to be predictive of improvement. Of the various patient-related and tooth-related factors examined, age, time since appliance removal, length of orthodontic treatment, tooth type (central or lateral incisor), WSL surface area, and brushing frequency had significant associations with WSL improvement. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Unraveling adsorption behavior and mechanism of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) on aging aquatic sediments contaminated with engineered nano-TiO2.

PubMed

Qian, Jin; Li, Kun; Wang, Peifang; Wang, Chao; Liu, Jingjing; Tian, Xin; Lu, Bianhe; Guan, Wenyi

2018-04-20

Engineered nano-TiO 2 (Enano-TiO 2 ) have inevitably discharged into aquatic sediments that resulted from their widespread use. The physicochemical characteristics of sediments might be changed because of remarkable properties of Enano-TiO 2 and affected by the aging of sediments, thereby altering the environmental behavior and bioavailability of other pollutants such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in sediments. Here, adsorption behavior and mechanism of PFOS on aging aquatic sediments spiked with Enano-TiO 2 at a weight ratio of 5.0% were investigated. The results showed that Enano-TiO 2 significantly altered zero points of charge (pH zpc ) and pore surface properties of sediments, manifested as pH zpc , the total surface area (S BET ), the micro-pore surface area (S micro ), and the external surface area (S ext ) of sediment particles contaminated with Enano-TiO 2 clearly increased, instead average pore size decreased. Rapid intra-particle diffusion processes were well fitted by the pseudo-second-order rate model with the sorption rate (K 2 ) following the order single (5.764 mg/(g·h)) > binary systems (3.393 mg/(g·h)). Freundlich model best described the sorption isotherm data with the larger sorption capacity (K F ) and sorption affinity (1/n) of sediments spiked with Enano-TiO 2 than that of sediments only. Additionally, Enano-TiO 2 changed the adsorption thermodynamics of PFOS on the sediments with the absolute value of ∆G 0 , ∆H 0 , and ∆S 0 increased. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy suggested possible formation of a negative charge-assisted H-bond between PFOS and the functionalities on sediment surfaces, including O-H of carboxyl, alcohol, phenols, and chemisorbed H 2 O as well as carbonyl groups (C=O) of ketone groups. Furthermore, the multilayer sorption of PFOS on sediments contaminated with Enano-TiO 2 is plausible because of bridging effect of Cu 2+ and Pb 2+ .

Post-adolescent developmental changes in cortical complexity.

PubMed

Sandu, Anca-Larisa; Izard, Edouard; Specht, Karsten; Beneventi, Harald; Lundervold, Arvid; Ystad, Martin

2014-11-27

Post-adolescence is known to be a period of general maturation and development in the human brain. In brain imaging, volumetric and morphologic cortical grey-matter changes can easily be assessed, but the analysis of cortical complexity seems to have been broadly neglected for this age interval. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to acquire structural brain images. The study involved 17 adolescents (mean age 14.1 ± 0.27, 11 girls) who were compared with 14 young adults (mean age 24.24 ± 2.76, 7 women) for measures of brain complexity (fractal dimension--FD), grey matter (GM) volume and surface-area of cortical ribbon. FD was calculated using box-counting and Minkowski-Bouligand methods; FD and GM volume were measured for the whole brain, each hemisphere and lobes: frontal, occipital, parietal and temporal. The results show that the adults have a lower cortical complexity than the adolescents, which was significant for whole brain, left and right hemisphere, frontal and parietal lobes for both genders; and only for males in left temporal lobe. The GM volume was smaller in men than in boys for almost all measurements, and smaller in women than in girls just for right parietal lobe. A significant Pearson correlation was found between FD and GM volume for whole brain and each hemisphere in both genders. The decrease of the GM surface-area was significant in post-adolescence for males, not for females. During post-adolescence there are common changes in cortical complexity in the same regions for both genders, but there are also gender specific changes in some cortical areas. The sex differences from different cortical measurements (FD, GM volume and surface-area of cortical ribbon) could suggest a maturation delay in specific brain regions for each gender in relation to the other and might be explained through the functional role of the corresponding regions reflected in gender difference of developed abilities.

Metropolitan Spokane Region Water Resources Study. Appendix B. Geology and Groundwater

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-01-01

to develop and confirm map data. Engineering Geology. Large-scale (1:24,000) mapping of near- surface soil classification and drainage characteristics...of the great lava field. By the beginning of the Pleistocene Ice Age, a broad valley had developed at about 1600 feet altitude. This pre-glacial...has developed on re level basalt surfaces. In the southern and eastern portions of the study area, chemical alteration has caused deep decomposition

Potentiometric Surface of the Lower Patapsco Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2009-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the lower Patapsco aquifer in the Patapsco Formation of Early Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2007. The map is based on water-level measurements in 65 wells. The highest measured water level was 111 feet above sea level near the northwestern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in northern Prince George's County. From this area, the potentiometric surface declined towards well fields at Severndale and Arnold. The measured ground-water levels were 87 feet below sea level at Severndale, and 42 feet below sea level at Arnold. There was also a cone of depression covering a large area in Charles County that includes Waldorf, La Plata, Indian Head, and the Morgantown power plant. The ground-water levels measured were as low as 219 feet below sea level at Waldorf, 187 feet below sea level at La Plata, 106 feet below sea level at Indian Head, and 89 feet below sea level at the Morgantown power plant.

Machine learning algorithms based on signals from a single wearable inertial sensor can detect surface- and age-related differences in walking.

PubMed

Hu, B; Dixon, P C; Jacobs, J V; Dennerlein, J T; Schiffman, J M

2018-04-11

The aim of this study was to investigate if a machine learning algorithm utilizing triaxial accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer data from an inertial motion unit (IMU) could detect surface- and age-related differences in walking. Seventeen older (71.5 ± 4.2 years) and eighteen young (27.0 ± 4.7 years) healthy adults walked over flat and uneven brick surfaces wearing an inertial measurement unit (IMU) over the L5 vertebra. IMU data were binned into smaller data segments using 4-s sliding windows with 1-s step lengths. Ninety percent of the data were used as training inputs and the remaining ten percent were saved for testing. A deep learning network with long short-term memory units was used for training (fully supervised), prediction, and implementation. Four models were trained using the following inputs: all nine channels from every sensor in the IMU (fully trained model), accelerometer signals alone, gyroscope signals alone, and magnetometer signals alone. The fully trained models for surface and age outperformed all other models (area under the receiver operator curve, AUC = 0.97 and 0.96, respectively; p ≤ .045). The fully trained models for surface and age had high accuracy (96.3, 94.7%), precision (96.4, 95.2%), recall (96.3, 94.7%), and f1-score (96.3, 94.6%). These results demonstrate that processing the signals of a single IMU device with machine-learning algorithms enables the detection of surface conditions and age-group status from an individual's walking behavior which, with further learning, may be utilized to facilitate identifying and intervening on fall risk. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Terrain Properties on Determining Crater Model Ages of Lunar Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirchoff, M. R.; Marchi, S.

2017-12-01

Analyzing crater size-frequency distributions (SFDs) and using them to determine model ages of surfaces is an important technique for understanding the Moon's geologic history and evolution. Small craters with diameters (D) < 1 km are frequently used, especially given the very high resolution imaging now available from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Narrow and Wide Angle Cameras (LROC-NAC/WAC) and the Selene Terrain Camera. However, for these diameters, final crater sizes and shapes are affected by the properties of the terrains on which they are formed [1], which alters crater SFD shapes [2]. We use the Model Production Function (MPF; [2]), which includes terrain properties in computing crater production functions, to explore how incorporating terrain properties affects the estimation of crater model ages. First, crater SFDs are compiled utilizing LROC-WAC/NAC images to measure craters with diameters from 10 m up to 20 km (size of largest crater measured depends on the terrain). A nested technique is used to obtain this wide diameter range: D ≥ 0.5 km craters are measured in the largest area, D = 0.09-0.5 km craters are measured in a smaller area within the largest area, and D = 0.01-0.1 km craters are measured in the smallest area located in both of the larger areas. Then, we quantitatively fit the crater SFD with distinct MPFs that use broadly different terrain properties. Terrain properties are varied through coarsely altering the parameters in the crater scaling law [1] that represent material type (consolidated, unconsolidated, porous), material tensile strength, and material density (for further details see [2]). We also discuss the effect of changing terrain properties with depth (i.e., layering). Finally, fits are used to compute the D = 1 km crater model ages for the terrains. We discuss the new constraints on how terrain properties affect crater model ages from our analyses of a variety of lunar terrains from highlands to mare and impact melt to continuous ejecta deposits. References: [1] Holsapple, K. A & Housen, K. R., Icarus 187, 345-356, 2007. [2] Marchi, S., et al., AJ 137, 4936-4948, 2009.

Dynamic Development of Regional Cortical Thickness and Surface Area in Early Childhood.

PubMed

Lyall, Amanda E; Shi, Feng; Geng, Xiujuan; Woolson, Sandra; Li, Gang; Wang, Li; Hamer, Robert M; Shen, Dinggang; Gilmore, John H

2015-08-01

Cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA) are altered in many neuropsychiatric disorders and are correlated with cognitive functioning. Little is known about how these components of cortical gray matter develop in the first years of life. We studied the longitudinal development of regional CT and SA expansion in healthy infants from birth to 2 years. CT and SA have distinct and heterogeneous patterns of development that are exceptionally dynamic; overall CT increases by an average of 36.1%, while cortical SA increases 114.6%. By age 2, CT is on average 97% of adult values, compared with SA, which is 69%. This suggests that early identification, prevention, and intervention strategies for neuropsychiatric illness need to be targeted to this period of rapid postnatal brain development, and that SA expansion is the principal driving factor in cortical volume after 2 years of age. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Relationship of the Anthropometric Variables to the Infusion Rate of Rocuronium in the Elderly

PubMed Central

Koo, Bon Nyeo; Bai, Sun Jun; Lee, Woo Chang

2005-01-01

We have determined the infusion rates of rocuronium in the elderly and young adult patients during sevoflurane and nitrous oxide anesthesia. The correlation of some anthropometric predictors with infusion rate of rocuronium was also investigated for both elderly and young adult. Participating patients were assigned to one of two groups: 1) young adult patients aged 20 to 50 years (n = 30); 2) elderly patients aged over 65 years (n = 30). The anthropometric variables such as height, weight, ratio of weight to body surface area, subscapularis and suprailiac skin folds, body surface area, body mass index and % ideal body weight were evaluated as predictors for infusion rate. The infusion rate in elderly patients was significantly less compared with that in young adult patients (p < 0.05). In elderly patients, no anthropometric predictor was related to the infusion rate of rocuronium. This suggests that the infusion rate of rocuronium for an elderly patient needs to be individualized by monitoring neuromuscular transmission to avoid excessive dose. PMID:16259061

Potentiometric Surface of the Alluvial Aquifer and Hydrologic Conditions in the Juana Diaz area, Puerto Rico, June 29 - July 1, 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodriguez, Jose M.; Santigo-Rivera, Luis; Gómez-Gómez, Fernando

2006-01-01

A synoptic survey of the hydrologic conditions in the Juana Diaz area, Puerto Rico, was conducted between June 29 and July 1, 2005, to define the spatial distribution of the potentiometric surface of the alluvial aquifer. The study area encompasses 21 square miles of the more extensive South Coastal Plain Alluvial Aquifer system and is bounded along the north by foothills of the Cordillera Central mountain chain, to the south by the Caribbean Sea, the east by the Rio Descalabrado and to the west by the Rio Inabon. Ground water in the Juana Diaz area is in the Quaternary-age alluvial deposits and the middle-Tertiary age Ponce Limestone and Juana Diaz Formation (Giusti, 1968). The hydraulic properties of the Ponce Limestone in the Juana Diaz area are unknown, and the Juana Diaz Formation is a unit of poor permeability due to its high clay content. Consequently, the Ponce Limestone and the Juana Diaz Formation are generally considered to be the base of the alluvial aquifer in the Juana Diaz area with ground-water flow occurring primarily within the alluvial deposits. The potentiometric-surface map of the alluvial aquifer was delineated using ground-water level measurements taken at existing wells. The water-level measurements were taken at wells that were either not pumping during the survey or were shut down for a brief period. In the latter case, a recovery period of 30 minutes was allowed for the drawdown in the wellbore to achieve a near static level position representative of the aquifer at the measurement point. Land-surface altitude from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 1:20,000 scale topographic maps (Playa de Ponce, Ponce, Rio Descalabrado, and Santa Isabel) were used to refer ground-water levels to mean sea level datum (National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929). In addition to the ground-water level measurements, the potentiometricsurface contours were delineated using hydrologic features, such as drainage ditches and saturated intermittent streams that were considered as aquifer drains and losing streams, respectively.

Potentiometric Surface of the Patuxent Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2009-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Patuxent aquifer in the Patuxent Formation of Early Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2007. The map is based on water-level measurements in 41 wells. The highest measured water level was 165 feet above sea level near the northwestern boundary and in the outcrop area of the aquifer in northern Prince George's County. From this area, the potentiometric surface declined south towards well fields at Glen Burnie, Bryans Road, the Morgantown power plant, and the Chalk Point power plant. The measured ground-water levels were 81 feet below sea level at Glen Burnie, 47 feet below sea level southwest of Bryans Road, 27 feet below sea level at the Morgantown power plant, and 24 feet below sea level at the Chalk Point power plant.

Surficial Geologic Map of the Ashby-Lowell-Sterling-Billerica 11-Quadrangle Area in Northeast-Central Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Byron D.; Stone, Janet R.

2007-01-01

The surficial geologic map shows the distribution of nonlithified earth materials at land surface in an area of eleven 7.5-minute quadrangles (total 505 mi2) in northeast-central Massachusetts. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (such as grain size and sedimentary structures), constructional geomorphic features, stratigraphic relationships, and age. Surficial earth materials significantly affect human use of the land, and an accurate description of their distribution is particularly important for water resources, construction aggregate resources, earth-surface hazards assessments, and land-use decisions. This compilation of surficial geologic materials is an interim product that defines the areas of exposed bedrock, and the boundaries between glacial till, glacial stratified deposits, and overlying postglacial deposits. This work is part of a comprehensive study to produce a statewide digital map of the surficial geology at a 1:24,000-scale level of accuracy. This report includes explanatory text (PDF), a regional map at 1:50,000 scale (PDF), quadrangle maps at 1:24,000 scale (PDF files), GIS data layers (ArcGIS shapefiles), metadata for the GIS layers, scanned topographic base maps (TIF), and a readme.txt file.

Surficial Geologic Map of the Salem Depot-Newburyport East-Wilmington-Rockport 16-Quadrangle Area in Northeast Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Byron D.; Stone, Janet Radway; DiGiacomo-Cohen, Mary L.

2006-01-01

The surficial geologic map shows the distribution of nonlithified earth materials at land surface in an area of 16 7.5-minute quadrangles (total 658 mi2) in northeast Massachusetts. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (grain size, sedimentary structures, mineral and rock-particle composition), constructional geomorphic features, stratigraphic relationships, and age. Surficial earth materials significantly affect human use of the land, and an accurate description of their distribution is particularly important for water resources, construction aggregate resources, earth-surface hazards assessments, and land-use decisions. This compilation of surficial geologic materials is an interim product that defines the areas of exposed bedrock, and the boundaries between glacial till, glacial stratified deposits, and overlying postglacial deposits. This work is part of a comprehensive study to produce a statewide digital map of the surficial geology at a 1:24,000-scale level of accuracy. This report includes explanatory text (PDF), a regional map at 1:50,000 scale (PDF), quadrangle maps at 1:24,000 scale (PDF files), GIS data layers (ArcGIS shapefiles), metadata for the GIS layers, scanned topographic base maps (TIF), and a readme.txt file.

A Quantitative Approach to Determining the Ideal Female Lip Aesthetic and Its Effect on Facial Attractiveness.

PubMed

Popenko, Natalie A; Tripathi, Prem B; Devcic, Zlatko; Karimi, Koohyar; Osann, Kathryn; Wong, Brian J F

2017-07-01

Aesthetic proportions of the lips and their effect on facial attractiveness are poorly defined. Established guidelines would aid practitioners in achieving optimal aesthetic outcomes during cosmetic augmentation. To assess the most attractive lip dimensions of white women based on attractiveness ranking of surface area, ratio of upper to lower lip, and dimensions of the lip surface area relative to the lower third of the face. In phase 1 of this study, synthetic morph frontal digital images of the faces of 20 white women ages 18 to 25 years old were used to generate 5 varied lip surface areas for each face. These 100 faces were cardinally ranked by attractiveness through our developed conventional and internet-based focus groups by 150 participants. A summed ranking score of each face was plotted to quantify the most attractive surface area. In phase 2 of the study, 4 variants for each face were created with 15 of the most attractive images manipulating upper to lower lip ratios while maintaining the most attractive surface area from phase 1. A total of 60 faces were created, and each ratio was ranked by attractiveness by 428 participants (internet-based focus groups). In phase 3, the surface area from the most attractive faces was used to determine the total lip surface area relative to the lower facial third. Data were collected from March 1 to November 31, 2010, and analyzed from June 1 to October 31, 2016. Most attractive lip surface area, ratio of upper to lower lip, and dimension of the lips relative to the lower facial third. In phase 1, all 100 faces were cardinally ranked by 150 individuals (internet-based focus groups [n = 130] and raters from conventional focus groups [conventional raters] [n = 20]). In phase 2, all 60 faces were cardinally ranked by 428 participants (internet-based focus groups [n = 408] and conventional raters [n = 20]). The surface area that corresponded to the range of 2.0 to 2.5 × 104 pixels represented the highest summed rank, generating a pool of 14 images. This surface area was determined to be the most attractive and corresponded to a 53.5% increase in surface area from the original image. With the highest mean and highest proportions of most attractive rankings, the 1:2 ratio was deemed most attractive. Conversely, the ratio of 2:1 was deemed least attractive, having the lowest mean at 1.61 and the highest proportion of ranks within 1 with 310 votes (72.3%). Using a robust sample size, this study found that the most attractive lip surface area represents a 53.5% increase from baseline, an upper to lower lip ratio of 1:2, and a surface area equal to 9.6% of the lower third of the face. Lip dimensions and ratios derived in this study may provide guidelines in improving overall facial aesthetics and have clinical relevance to the field of facial plastic surgery. NA.

Quantitative Anatomy of the Trapezius Muscle in the Human Fetus.

PubMed

Badura, Mateusz; Grzonkowska, Magdalena; Baumgart, Mariusz; Szpinda, Michał

2016-01-01

The trapezius muscle consists of three parts that are capable of functioning independently. Its superior part together with the levator scapulae and rhomboids elevate the shoulder, the middle part retracts the scapula, while the inferior part lowers the shoulder. The present study aimed to supplement numerical data and to provide growth dynamics of the trapezius in the human fetus. Using methods of anatomical dissection, digital image analysis (NIS Elements AR 3.0), and statistics (Student's t-test, regression analysis), we measured the length, the width and the surface area of the trapezius in 30 fetuses of both sexes (13™ k,17™ … ) aged 13-19 weeks. Neither sex nor laterality differences were found. All the studied parameters of the trapezius increased proportionately with age. The linear functions were computed as follows: y = -103.288 + 10.514 × age (r = 0.957) for total length of the trapezius muscle, y = -67.439 + 6.689 × age (r = 0.856) for length of its descending part, y = -8.493 + 1.033 × age (r = 0.53) for length of its transverse part, y = -27.545 + 2.802 × age (r = 0.791) for length of its ascending part, y = -19.970 + 2.505 × age (r = 0.875) for width of the trapezius muscle, and y = -2670.458 + 212.029 × age (r = 0.915) for its surface area. Neither sex nor laterality differences exist in the numerical data of the trapezius muscle in the human fetus. The descending part of trapezius is the longest, while its transverse part is the shortest. The growth dynamics of the fetal trapezius muscle follows proportionately.

Neuroanatomical and resting state EEG power correlates of central hearing loss in older adults.

PubMed

Giroud, Nathalie; Hirsiger, Sarah; Muri, Raphaela; Kegel, Andrea; Dillier, Norbert; Meyer, Martin

2018-01-01

To gain more insight into central hearing loss, we investigated the relationship between cortical thickness and surface area, speech-relevant resting state EEG power, and above-threshold auditory measures in older adults and younger controls. Twenty-three older adults and 13 younger controls were tested with an adaptive auditory test battery to measure not only traditional pure-tone thresholds, but also above individual thresholds of temporal and spectral processing. The participants' speech recognition in noise (SiN) was evaluated, and a T1-weighted MRI image obtained for each participant. We then determined the cortical thickness (CT) and mean cortical surface area (CSA) of auditory and higher speech-relevant regions of interest (ROIs) with FreeSurfer. Further, we obtained resting state EEG from all participants as well as data on the intrinsic theta and gamma power lateralization, the latter in accordance with predictions of the Asymmetric Sampling in Time hypothesis regarding speech processing (Poeppel, Speech Commun 41:245-255, 2003). Methodological steps involved the calculation of age-related differences in behavior, anatomy and EEG power lateralization, followed by multiple regressions with anatomical ROIs as predictors for auditory performance. We then determined anatomical regressors for theta and gamma lateralization, and further constructed all regressions to investigate age as a moderator variable. Behavioral results indicated that older adults performed worse in temporal and spectral auditory tasks, and in SiN, despite having normal peripheral hearing as signaled by the audiogram. These behavioral age-related distinctions were accompanied by lower CT in all ROIs, while CSA was not different between the two age groups. Age modulated the regressions specifically in right auditory areas, where a thicker cortex was associated with better auditory performance in older adults. Moreover, a thicker right supratemporal sulcus predicted more rightward theta lateralization, indicating the functional relevance of the right auditory areas in older adults. The question how age-related cortical thinning and intrinsic EEG architecture relates to central hearing loss has so far not been addressed. Here, we provide the first neuroanatomical and neurofunctional evidence that cortical thinning and lateralization of speech-relevant frequency band power relates to the extent of age-related central hearing loss in older adults. The results are discussed within the current frameworks of speech processing and aging.

Potentiometric Surfaces in the Springfield Plateau and Ozark Aquifers of Northwestern Arkansas, Southeastern Kansas, Southwestern Missouri, and Northeastern Oklahoma, 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gillip, Jonathan A.; Czarnecki, John B.; Mugel, Douglas N.

2008-01-01

The Springfield Plateau and Ozark aquifers are important sources of ground water in the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system. Water from these aquifers is used for agricultural, domestic, industrial, and municipal water sources. Changing water use over time in these aquifers presents a need for updated potentiometric-surface maps of the Springfield Plateau and Ozark aquifers. The Springfield Plateau aquifer consists of water-bearing Mississippian-age limestone and chert. The Ozark aquifer consists of Late Cambrian to Middle Devonian age water-bearing rocks consisting of dolostone, limestone, and sandstone. Both aquifers are complex with areally varying lithologies, discrete hydrologic units, varying permeabilities, and secondary permeabilities related to fractures and karst features. During the spring of 2006, ground-water levels were measured in 285 wells. These data, and water levels from selected lakes, rivers, and springs, were used to create potentiometric-surface maps for the Springfield Plateau and Ozark aquifers. Linear kriging was used initially to construct the water-level contours on the maps; the contours were subsequently modified using hydrologic judgment. The potentiometric-surface maps presented in this report represent ground-water conditions during the spring of 2006. During the spring of 2006, the region received less than average rainfall. Dry conditions prior to the spring of 2006 could have contributed to the observed water levels as well. The potentiometric-surface map of the Springfield Plateau aquifer shows a maximum measured water-level altitude within the study area of about 1,450 feet at a spring in Barry County, Missouri, and a minimum measured water-level altitude of 579 feet at a well in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. Cones of depression occur in Dade, Lawrence and Newton Counties in Missouri and Delaware and Ottawa Counties in Oklahoma. These cones of depression are associated with private wells. Ground water in the Springfield Plateau aquifer generally flows to the west in the study area, and to surface features (lakes, rivers, and springs) particularly in the south and east of the study area where the Springfield Plateau aquifer is closest to land surface. The potentiometric-surface map of the Ozark aquifer indicates a maximum measured water-level altitude of 1,303 feet in the study area at a well in Washington County, Arkansas, and a minimum measured water-level altitude of 390 feet in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. The water in the Ozark aquifer generally flows to the northwest in the northern part of the study area and to the west in the remaining study area. Cones of depression occur in Barry, Barton, Cedar, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, and Vernon Counties in Missouri, Cherokee and Crawford Counties in Kansas, and Craig and Ottawa Counties in Oklahoma. These cones of depression are associated with municipal supply wells. The flow directions, based on both potentiometric-surface maps, generally agree with flow directions indicated by previous studies.

Polarization signatures for abandoned agricultural fields in the Manix Basin area of the Mojave Desert - Can polarimetric SAR detect desertification?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Terrill W.; Farr, Tom G.; Van Zyl, Jakob J.

1992-01-01

Radar backscatter from abandoned circular alfalfa fields in the Manix Basin area of the Mojave desert shows systematic changes with length of abandonment. The obliteration of circular planting rows by surface processes could account for the disappearance of bright spokes, which seem to be reflection patterns from remnants of the planting rows, with increasing length of abandonment. An observed shift in the location of the maximum L-band copolarization return away from VV, as well as an increase in surface roughness, both occurring with increasing age of abandonment, seems to be attributable to the formation of wind ripples on the relatively vegetationless fields.

Thermal and Mechanical Testing of Neoprene Gloves Used in a Space Shuttle Microgravity Glove Box Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wingard, Charles Doug; Munafo, Paul M. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Neoprene gloves are used in a Space Shuttle Microgravity Glove Box (MGBX) experiment. In 1999, significant corrosion was observed in the work area and on the outer surface of the left glove ring. Analysis of the corrosion products showed that they contained chlorine. The Neoprene gloves used in this glove box were obtained in 1995, with a recommended shelf life of 3 years. After storage of these gloves in a cabinet drawer until 1999, significant signs of corrosion were also observed in the drawer. Mechanical and thermal properties were determined on samples cut from the finger and sleeve areas of the "good" and "bad" gloves. This data showed significant aging of the left-hand glove, particularly in the sleeve area. Thermal analysis data by DSC and TGA was complimentary to tensile data in showing this aging. However, this test data did not pinpoint the cause of the left-hand glove aging, or of the corrosion products.

Monitoring global snow cover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Armstrong, Richard; Hardman, Molly

1991-01-01

A snow model that supports the daily, operational analysis of global snow depth and age has been developed. It provides improved spatial interpolation of surface reports by incorporating digital elevation data, and by the application of regionalized variables (kriging) through the use of a global snow depth climatology. Where surface observations are inadequate, the model applies satellite remote sensing. Techniques for extrapolation into data-void mountain areas and a procedure to compute snow melt are also contained in the model.

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.

PAH EXPOSURES OF NINE PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

EPA Science Inventory

The exposures to 20 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) of 9 children, ages 2-5 yr, were measured over 48 hr at day care and at home. Sampled media included indoor and outdoor air, floor dust, outdoor play area soil, hand surface, and solid and liquid food. Urine samples ...

Comparison of status variables among accident and non-accident airmen from the active airman population.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1970-12-01

The distributions of age, weight, height, body weight/body surface area and ponderal index for the accident versus non-accident segments of the active airman population were compared for years 1966-1967. : The differences in the distributions of thes...

Geomorphic influences of the Little Ice Age glacial advance on selected hillslope systems in Nordfjord, Western Norway (Erdalen and Bødalen valleys)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laute, Katja; Beylich, Achim A.

2010-05-01

Hillslopes in glacially formed landscapes are typically characterized by talus cones developed beneath free rock faces. Studying hillslopes as sedimentary source, storage and transfer zones as well as surface processes acting on hillslopes since the end of the deglaciation is of importance in order to gain a better understanding of the complex sedimentary source-to-sink fluxes in cold climate environments. Hillslopes function as a key component within the geomorphic process response system. Large areas of the Norwegian fjord landscapes are covered by hillslopes and are characterized by the influences of the glacial inheritance. This PhD project is part of the NFR funded SedyMONT-Norway project within the ESF TOPO-EUROPE SedyMONT (Timescales of sediment dynamics, climate and topographic change in mountain landscapes) programme. The focus of this study is on geomorphic influences of the Little Ice Age glacial advance on postglacial hillslope systems in four distinct headwater areas of the Erdalen and Bødalen valleys in the Nordfjord valley-fjord system (inner Nordfjord, Western Norway). Both valleys can be described as steep, U-shaped and glacier-fed, subarctic tributary valleys. Approximately 14% of the 49 km2 large headwater areas of Erdalen are occupied by hillslope deposits and 41% by rock surfaces; in Bødalen hillslope deposits occupy 12% and rock surfaces occupy 38% of the 42 km2 large headwater areas. The main aims of this study are (i) to analyze and compare the morphometric characteristics as well as the composition of hillslope systems inside and outside of the Little Ice Age glacial limit, (ii) to detect possible changes within the mass balances of these hillslope systems, (iii) to identify the type and intensity of currently acting hillslope processes as well as (iv) to determine possible sediment sources and delivery pathways within the headwater areas of the catchments. The process-based approach includes orthophoto- and topographical map interpretation, hillslope profile surveying, photo monitoring, geomorphological mapping as well as GIS and DEM computing. Two appropriate hillslope test sites within each headwater area are selected in order to follow the main aims of this study. The designed monitoring instrumentation of the slope test sites includes nets for collecting freshly accumulated rockfall debris, stone tracer lines for measuring surface movements, wooden sticks for monitoring of slow surface creep movements and peg lines for depth-integrated measurements of slow mass movements. In addition, remote site cameras for monitoring rapid mass movement events (avalanches, slush- and debris flows) and slope wash traps for analyzing slope wash denudation are installed and measurements of solute concentrations at small hillslope drainage creeks for investigating the role of chemical denudation are conducted. Measurements of morphometric characteristics and longitudinal profiles along the main axis of the talus cones are carried out at each test site. The manually obtained longitudinal profile data are combined with data derived from a DEM in order to generate complete longitudinal hillslope profiles reaching from the apex until the slope foot. Preliminary results show a steepening trend of the talus cones located inside the Little Ice Age glacier limit which is due to erosion during the Little Ice Age glacial advance. In addition, some of these talus cones are characterized by a recognizable more complex talus cone morphometry and composition, resulting from implementation of Little Ice Age glacier side moraines. The combination of (i) steepened talus cones and (ii) complex composition seems to increase currently acting hillslope processes which leads to a higher sediment delivery from these slopes as compared to hillslopes outside the Little Ice Age glacier limit. The implementation of moraine material but also the increased intensity of denudative processes has a recognizable influence on the mass balance of the hillslope systems inside the Little Ice Age glacier limit. Research on the complex development of hillslope systems from a postglacial to contemporary time perspective in combination with analyses of contemporary sedimentary fluxes contributes to a better understanding of hillslopes acting as source, storage and transfer zones in cold climate environments (paraglacial systems).

Determinants and Normal Values of Ascending Aortic Diameter by Age, Gender and Race/Ethnicity in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

PubMed Central

Turkbey, Evrim B.; Jain, Aditya; Johnson, Craig; Redheuil, Alban; Arai, Andrew E.; Gomes, Antoinette S.; Carr, James; Hundley, W. Gregory; Teixido-Tura, Gisela; Eng, John; Lima, Joao A.C.; Bluemke, David A.

2013-01-01

PURPOSE To determine the normal size and wall thickness of the ascending thoracic aorta (AA) and its relationship with cardiovascular risk factors in a large population-based study. MATERIALS AND METHODS The mean AA luminal diameter was measured in 3573 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) participants (age: 45–84 years), using gradient echo phase contrast cine MRI. Multiple linear regression models were used to evaluate the associations between risk factors and AA diameter. The median and upper normal limit (95th percentile) was defined in a “healthy” subgroup as well as AA wall thickness. RESULTS The upper limits of body surface area indexed AA luminal diameter for age categories of 45–54, 55–64, 65–74, and 75–84 years are 21, 22, 22, and 28 mm/m2 in women and 20, 21, 22, 23 mm/m2 in men, respectively. The mean AA wall thickness was 2.8 mm. Age, gender and body surface area were major determinants of AA luminal diameter (~+1 mm/10 years; ~+1.9 mm in men than women; ~+1 mm/ 0.23 m2; p<0.001). The AA diameter in hypertensive subjects was +0.9 mm larger than in normotensives (p<0.001). CONCLUSION AA diameter increases gradually with aging for both genders, among all race/ethnicities. Normal value of AA diameter is provided. PMID:23681649

The potential for translocation of marine species via small-scale disruptions to antifouling surfaces.

PubMed

Piola, Richard F; Johnston, Emma L

2008-01-01

Vessel hull fouling is a major vector for the translocation of nonindigenous species (NIS). Antifouling (AF) paints are the primary method for preventing the establishment and translocation of fouling species. However, factors such as paint age, condition and method of application can all reduce the effectiveness of these coatings. Areas of hull that escape AF treatment (through limited application or damage) constitute key areas that may be expected to receive high levels of fouling. The investigation focused on whether small-scale (mm(2) to cm(2)) areas of unprotected surface or experimental 'scrapes' provided sufficient area for the formation of fouling assemblages within otherwise undamaged AF surfaces. Recruitment of fouling taxa such as algae, spirorbids and hydroids was recorded on scrapes as narrow as 0.5 cm wide. The abundance and species richness of fouling assemblages developing on scrapes > or =1 cm often equalled or surpassed levels observed in reference assemblages totally unprotected by AF coatings. Experiments were conducted at three sites within the highly protected and isolated marine park surrounding Lady Elliott Island at the southernmost tip of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Several NIS were recorded on scrapes of AF coated surfaces at this location, with 1-cm scrapes showing the greatest species richness and abundance of NIS relative to all other treatments (including controls) at two of the three sites investigated. Slight disruptions to newly antifouled surfaces may be all that is necessary for the establishment of fouling organisms and the translocation of a wide range of invasive taxa to otherwise highly protected marine areas.

Cortical Abnormalities Associated With Pediatric and Adult Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Findings From the ENIGMA Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Working Group.

PubMed

Boedhoe, Premika S W; Schmaal, Lianne; Abe, Yoshinari; Alonso, Pino; Ameis, Stephanie H; Anticevic, Alan; Arnold, Paul D; Batistuzzo, Marcelo C; Benedetti, Francesco; Beucke, Jan C; Bollettini, Irene; Bose, Anushree; Brem, Silvia; Calvo, Anna; Calvo, Rosa; Cheng, Yuqi; Cho, Kang Ik K; Ciullo, Valentina; Dallaspezia, Sara; Denys, Damiaan; Feusner, Jamie D; Fitzgerald, Kate D; Fouche, Jean-Paul; Fridgeirsson, Egill A; Gruner, Patricia; Hanna, Gregory L; Hibar, Derrek P; Hoexter, Marcelo Q; Hu, Hao; Huyser, Chaim; Jahanshad, Neda; James, Anthony; Kathmann, Norbert; Kaufmann, Christian; Koch, Kathrin; Kwon, Jun Soo; Lazaro, Luisa; Lochner, Christine; Marsh, Rachel; Martínez-Zalacaín, Ignacio; Mataix-Cols, David; Menchón, José M; Minuzzi, Luciano; Morer, Astrid; Nakamae, Takashi; Nakao, Tomohiro; Narayanaswamy, Janardhanan C; Nishida, Seiji; Nurmi, Erika; O'Neill, Joseph; Piacentini, John; Piras, Fabrizio; Piras, Federica; Reddy, Y C Janardhan; Reess, Tim J; Sakai, Yuki; Sato, Joao R; Simpson, H Blair; Soreni, Noam; Soriano-Mas, Carles; Spalletta, Gianfranco; Stevens, Michael C; Szeszko, Philip R; Tolin, David F; van Wingen, Guido A; Venkatasubramanian, Ganesan; Walitza, Susanne; Wang, Zhen; Yun, Je-Yeon; Thompson, Paul M; Stein, Dan J; van den Heuvel, Odile A

2018-05-01

Brain imaging studies of structural abnormalities in OCD have yielded inconsistent results, partly because of limited statistical power, clinical heterogeneity, and methodological differences. The authors conducted meta- and mega-analyses comprising the largest study of cortical morphometry in OCD ever undertaken. T 1 -weighted MRI scans of 1,905 OCD patients and 1,760 healthy controls from 27 sites worldwide were processed locally using FreeSurfer to assess cortical thickness and surface area. Effect sizes for differences between patients and controls, and associations with clinical characteristics, were calculated using linear regression models controlling for age, sex, site, and intracranial volume. In adult OCD patients versus controls, we found a significantly lower surface area for the transverse temporal cortex and a thinner inferior parietal cortex. Medicated adult OCD patients also showed thinner cortices throughout the brain. In pediatric OCD patients compared with controls, we found significantly thinner inferior and superior parietal cortices, but none of the regions analyzed showed significant differences in surface area. However, medicated pediatric OCD patients had lower surface area in frontal regions. Cohen's d effect sizes varied from -0.10 to -0.33. The parietal cortex was consistently implicated in both adults and children with OCD. More widespread cortical thickness abnormalities were found in medicated adult OCD patients, and more pronounced surface area deficits (mainly in frontal regions) were found in medicated pediatric OCD patients. These cortical measures represent distinct morphological features and may be differentially affected during different stages of development and illness, and possibly moderated by disease profile and medication.

New data for Late Pleistocene Pinedale alpine glaciation from southwestern Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benson, L.; Madole, R.; Landis, G.; Gosse, J.

2005-01-01

New cosmogenic surface-exposure ages of moraine-crest boulders from southwestern Colorado are compared with published surface-exposure ages of boulders from moraine complexes in north-central Colorado and in west-central (Fremont Lake basin) Wyoming. 10Be data sets from the three areas were scaled to a single 10Be production rate of 5.4 at/g/yr at sea level and high latitude (SLHL), which represents the average 10Be production rate for two high-altitude, mid-latitude sites in the western United States (US) and Austria. Multiple nuclide ages on single boulders indicate that this 10Be production rate yields ages comparable to those calculated with a commonly used 36Cl production scheme. The average age and age range of moraine-crest boulders on terminal moraines at the southwestern Colorado and Wyoming sites are similar, indicating a retreat from their positions ???16.8 36Cl ka (Cosmogenic ages in this paper are labeled 10Be or 36Cl ka or just ka when both 10Be or 36Cl ages are being discussed; radiocarbon ages are labeled 14C ka, calibrated radiocarbon are labeled cal ka, and calendar ages are labeled calendar ka. Errors (??1??) associated with ages are shown in tables. Radiocarbon ages were calibrated using the data of Hughen et al. (Science 303 (2004) 202). This suggests a near-synchronous retreat of Pinedale glaciers across a 470-km latitudinal range in the Middle and Southern Rocky Mountains. Hypothetical corrections for snow shielding and rock-surface erosion shifts the time of retreat to between 17.2 and 17.5 10Be ka at Pinedale, Wyoming, and between 16.3 and 17.3 36Cl ka at Hogback Mountain, Colorado. ?? 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vegetation colonization of permafrost-related landslides, Ellesmere Island, Canadian High Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cannone, Nicoletta; Lewkowicz, Antoni G.; Guglielmin, Mauro

2010-12-01

Relationships between vegetation colonization and landslide disturbance are analyzed for 12 active-layer detachments of differing ages located in three areas of the Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island (80°N). We discuss vegetation as an age index for landslides and a way to assess the time needed for complete recolonization of the surfaces since landslide detachment. Vegetation on undisturbed terrain is similar in the three areas but is more highly developed and complex inland due to a warmer summer climate. On a regional scale, the location of the area is as important as the effect of landslide age on vegetation colonization because of the influence of mesoclimatic conditions on vegetation development. On a landscape scale, there is a positive relationship between landslide age and vegetation development, as represented by total vegetation cover, floristic composition, and successional stage. Consequently, vegetation can be used at this scale as an indicator of landslide age. Fifty years are required to restore vegetation patches to a floristic composition similar to communities occurring in undisturbed conditions, but with lower floristic richness and a discontinuous cover and without well-developed layering. The shorter time needed for landslide recovery in the area with the warmest summer climate confirms the sensitivity of arctic vegetation to small differences in air temperature. This could trigger a set of interlinked feedbacks that would amplify future rates of climate warming.

Cerebellar Growth Impairment Characterizes School-Aged Children Born Preterm without Perinatal Brain Lesions.

PubMed

Pieterman, K; White, T J; van den Bosch, G E; Niessen, W J; Reiss, I K M; Tibboel, D; Hoebeek, F E; Dudink, J

2018-05-01

Infants born preterm are commonly diagnosed with structural brain lesions known to affect long-term neurodevelopment negatively. Yet, the effects of preterm birth on brain development in the absence of intracranial lesions remain to be studied in detail. In this study, we aim to quantify long term consequences of preterm birth on brain development in this specific group. Neonatal cranial sonography and follow-up T1-weighted MR imaging and DTI were performed to evaluate whether the anatomic characteristics of the cerebrum and cerebellum in a cohort of school-aged children (6-12 years of age) were related to gestational age at birth in children free of brain lesions in the perinatal period. In the cohort consisting of 36 preterm (28-37 weeks' gestational age) and 66 term-born infants, T1-weighted MR imaging and DTI at 6-12 years revealed a reduction of cerebellar white matter volume (β = 0.387, P < .001), altered fractional anisotropy of cerebellar white matter (β = -0.236, P = .02), and a reduction of cerebellar gray and white matter surface area (β = 0.337, P < .001; β = 0.375, P < .001, respectively) in relation to birth age. Such relations were not observed for the cerebral cortex or white matter volume, surface area, or diffusion quantities. The results of our study show that perinatal influences that are not primarily neurologic are still able to disturb long-term neurodevelopment, particularly of the developing cerebellum. Including the cerebellum in future neuroprotective strategies seems therefore essential. © 2018 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Bioaccessibility of PAHs and PAH derivatives in a fuel soot assessed by an in vitro digestive model with absorptive sink: Effects of aging the soot in a soil-water mixture.

PubMed

Zhang, Yanyan; Pignatello, Joseph J; Tao, Shu

2018-02-15

Aging soot in soil under neutral aqueous condition for 30days significantly (p<0.05) reduced the apparent gastrointestinal bioaccessibility (B app ) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and PAH derivatives (d-PAHs) natively present in a composite fuel soot sample. B app was determined under fasting conditions by a previously developed in vitro digestive model that includes silicone sheet as a third phase absorptive sink in the small intestinal stage. Redistribution of contaminants from soot to soil, determined in independent experiments, was too small to affect B app . Prior uptake by soot of a commercial humic acid representing dissolved soil organic matter had no impact on B app . We identified two causes for the reduction in B app by soil and found they were approximately additive. One is an aging time-independent "matrix effect" attributable to competitive sorption by the soil of labile contaminant that is desorbed from the soot during the digestion test. The other is the dissolution of soluble substances from the soot during the aging process that increases soot surface area and nanoporosity. The increased surface area and nanoporosity drive contaminants from labile to nonlabile states in the soot and decrease the desorption into the digestive fluid, the former contributing most to the reduction in B app . The present study shows that mixing of raw soot with soil has important effects, both aging and non-aging, on the bioaccessibility of soot-borne contaminants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment and application of a snowblow modelling approach for identifying enhanced snow accumulation in areas of former glaciation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mills, Stephanie; Smith, Michael; Le Brocq, Anne; Ardakova, Ekaterina; Hillier, John; Boston, Clare

2016-04-01

The redistribution of snow by wind can play an important role in providing additional mass to the surface of glaciers and can, therefore, have an impact on the glacier's surface mass balance. In areas of marginal glaciation, this local topo-climatic effect may be prove crucial for the initiation and survival of glaciers, whilst it can also increase heterogeneity in the distribution of snow on ice caps and ice sheets. We present a newly developed snowblow model which calculates spatial variations in relative snow accumulation that result from variations in topography. We apply this model to areas of former marginal glaciation in the Brecon Beacons, Wales and an area of former plateau icefield glaciation in the Monadhliath, Scotland. We can then determine whether redistribution by snow can help explain variations in the estimated equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) of these former glaciers. Specifically, we compare the areas where snow is modelled as accumulating, to the reconstructed glacier surface, which is based on mapped moraines believed to be of Younger Dryas age. The model is applied to 30 m resolution DEMs and potential snow accumulation is simulated from different wind directions in order to determine the most likely contributing sector. Total snow accumulation in sub-set areas is then calculated and compared to the reconstructed glacier area. The results suggest that areas with larger amounts of snow accumulation often correspond with those where the ELA is lower than surrounding glaciers and vice versa, in both the marginal and icefield setting, suggesting that the role of snowblow in supplying additional mass to the surface of glaciers is significant.

Potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in southern Maryland, September 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Wheeler, Judith C.

2001-01-01

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the Lower Patapsco aquifer in the Lower Patapsco Formation of Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland for September 1990 and September 1999. The map, based on water?level measurements in 52 wells, shows that the change of the potentiometric surface during the 9- year period ranged from a rise of 13 feet at Indian Head and 6 feet near the outcrop area in Glen Burnie, to declines of 34 feet at Arnold, 30 feet at Waldorf, and 24 feet at Morgantown.

Chronic cardiovascular disease mortality in mountaintop mining areas of central Appalachian states.

PubMed

Esch, Laura; Hendryx, Michael

2011-01-01

To determine if chronic cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality rates are higher among residents of mountaintop mining (MTM) areas compared to mining and nonmining areas, and to examine the association between greater levels of MTM surface mining and CVD mortality. Age-adjusted chronic CVD mortality rates from 1999 to 2006 for counties in 4 Appalachian states where MTM occurs (N = 404) were linked with county coal mining data. Three groups of counties were compared: MTM, coal mining but not MTM, and nonmining. Covariates included smoking rate, rural-urban status, percent male population, primary care physician supply, obesity rate, diabetes rate, poverty rate, race/ethnicity rates, high school and college education rates, and Appalachian county. Linear regression analyses examined the association of mortality rates with mining in MTM areas and non-MTM areas and the association of mortality with quantity of surface coal mined in MTM areas. Prior to covariate adjustment, chronic CVD mortality rates were significantly higher in both mining areas compared to nonmining areas and significantly highest in MTM areas. After adjustment, mortality rates in MTM areas remained significantly higher and increased as a function of greater levels of surface mining. Higher obesity and poverty rates and lower college education rates also significantly predicted CVD mortality overall and in rural counties. MTM activity is significantly associated with elevated chronic CVD mortality rates. Future research is necessary to examine the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of MTM on health to reduce health disparities in rural coal mining areas. © 2011 National Rural Health Association.

Dental caries, its surface susceptibility and dental fluorosis in South India.

PubMed

Acharya, Shashidhar

2005-12-01

To correlate water fluoride levels with dental caries and dental fluorosis in areas with different levels of fluoride in the drinking water and to establish the surface susceptibility of dental caries in an endemic fluoride area. 544 schoolchildren 12 to 15 years of age from the Davangere region of India were examined. The DMFS index was used to measure dental caries, which was further differentiated into smooth surface and pit and fissure lesions. Dean's index was used to diagnose dental fluorosis. Five villages with fluoride levels ranging from 0.43 ppm to 3.41 ppm were studied. There was a highly significant negative correlation (r = -0.16) between water fluoride levels and dental caries. Dental fluorosis increased from 16% at 0.43 ppm to 100% at 3.41 ppm. Pit and fissure lesions made up the vast majority of the lesions in all the villages and showed a decreasing trend with increasing fluoride levels, however no such trend was seen for smooth surface lesions. Water fluoride was an important factor responsible for the low caries prevalence. The prevalence of fluorosis and low caries even in low fluoride areas may point to a halo effect.

Surficial geologic map of the Heath-Northfield-Southwick-Hampden 24-quadrangle area in the Connecticut Valley region, west-central Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Janet R.; DiGiacomo-Cohen, Mary L.

2010-01-01

The surficial geologic map layer shows the distribution of nonlithified earth materials at land surface in an area of 24 7.5-minute quadrangles (1,238 mi2 total) in west-central Massachusetts. Across Massachusetts, these materials range from a few feet to more than 500 ft in thickness. They overlie bedrock, which crops out in upland hills and as resistant ledges in valley areas. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (such as grain size and sedimentary structures), constructional geomorphic features, stratigraphic relationships, and age. Surficial materials also are known in engineering classifications as unconsolidated soils, which include coarse-grained soils, fine-grained soils, and organic fine-grained soils. Surficial materials underlie and are the parent materials of modern pedogenic soils, which have developed in them at the land surface. Surficial earth materials significantly affect human use of the land, and an accurate description of their distribution is particularly important for assessing water resources, construction aggregate resources, and earth-surface hazards, and for making land-use decisions. This work is part of a comprehensive study to produce a statewide digital map of the surficial geology at a 1:24,000-scale level of accuracy. This report includes explanatory text, quadrangle maps at 1:24,000 scale (PDF files), GIS data layers (ArcGIS shapefiles), metadata for the GIS layers, scanned topographic base maps (TIF), and a readme.txt file.

Surficial geologic map of the Norton-Manomet-Westport-Sconticut Neck 23-quadrangle area in southeast Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Byron D.; Stone, Janet R.; DiGiacomo-Cohen, Mary L.; Kincare, Kevin A.

2012-01-01

The surficial geologic map shows the distribution of nonlithified earth materials at land surface in an area of 23 7.5-minute quadrangles (919 mi2 total) in southeastern Massachusetts. Across Massachusetts, these materials range from a few feet to more than 500 ft in thickness. They overlie bedrock, which crops out in upland hills and as resistant ledges in valley areas. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (such as grain size and sedimentary structures), constructional geomorphic features, stratigraphic relationships, and age. Surficial materials also are known in engineering classifications as unconsolidated soils, which include coarse-grained soils, fine-grained soils, and organic fine-grained soils. Surficial materials underlie and are the parent materials of modern pedogenic soils, which have developed in them at the land surface. Surficial earth materials significantly affect human use of the land, and an accurate description of their distribution is particularly important for assessing water resources, construction aggregate resources, and earth-surface hazards, and for making land-use decisions. This work is part of a comprehensive study to produce a statewide digital map of the surficial geology at a 1:24,000-scale level of accuracy. This report includes explanatory text (PDF), quadrangle maps at 1:24,000 scale (PDF files), GIS data layers (ArcGIS shapefiles), metadata for the GIS layers, scanned topographic base maps (TIF), and a readme.txt file.

Surficial geologic map of the Mount Grace-Ashburnham-Monson-Webster 24-quadrangle area in central Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Janet R.

2013-01-01

The surficial geologic map shows the distribution of nonlithified earth materials at land surface in an area of 24 7.5-minute quadrangles (1,238 mi2 total) in central Massachusetts. Across Massachusetts, these materials range from a few feet to more than 500 ft in thickness. They overlie bedrock, which crops out in upland hills and as resistant ledges in valley areas. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (such as grain size and sedimentary structures), constructional geomorphic features, stratigraphic relationships, and age. Surficial materials also are known in engineering classifications as unconsolidated soils, which include coarse-grained soils, fine-grained soils, and organic fine-grained soils. Surficial materials underlie and are the parent materials of modern pedogenic soils, which have developed in them at the land surface. Surficial earth materials significantly affect human use of the land, and an accurate description of their distribution is particularly important for assessing water resources, construction-aggregate resources, and earth-surface hazards, and for making land-use decisions. This work is part of a comprehensive study to produce a statewide digital map of the surficial geology at a 1:24,000-scale level of accuracy. This report includes explanatory text (PDF), quadrangle maps at 1:24,000 scale (PDF files), GIS data layers (ArcGIS shapefiles), metadata for the GIS layers, scanned topographic base maps (TIF), and a readme.txt file.

Study of archaeological underwater finds: deterioration and conservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crisci, G. M.; La Russa, M. F.; Macchione, M.; Malagodi, M.; Palermo, A. M.; Ruffolo, S. A.

2010-09-01

This study is aimed at an assessment of the methodologies, instruments and new applications for underwater archaeology. Research focused on study of the various kinds of degradation affecting underwater finds and stone materials aged in underwater environment, efficiency evaluation of various surface cleaning methods and study and mixing of protective products with consolidating resins and antimicrobial biocides to be applied to restored underwater finds. Transmitted light optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study surface biofilms and the interactions with samples of different stone materials such as brick, marble and granite immersed in the submarine archaeological area of Crotone (South of Italy). Surface cleaning tests were performed with application of ion exchange resins, EDTA, hydrogen peroxide and ultrasound techniques. Capillary water absorption, simulated solar ageing and colourimetric measurements were carried out to evaluate hydrophobic and consolidant properties; to assess biocidal efficacy, heterotrophic micro-organisms ( Aspergillus niger) were inoculated on agar plates and growth inhibition was measured.

Deconvolution analysis of 24-h serum cortisol profiles informs the amount and distribution of hydrocortisone replacement therapy.

PubMed

Peters, Catherine J; Hill, Nathan; Dattani, Mehul T; Charmandari, Evangelia; Matthews, David R; Hindmarsh, Peter C

2013-03-01

Hydrocortisone therapy is based on a dosing regimen derived from estimates of cortisol secretion, but little is known of how the dose should be distributed throughout the 24 h. We have used deconvolution analysis of 24-h serum cortisol profiles to determine 24-h cortisol secretion and distribution to inform hydrocortisone dosing schedules in young children and older adults. Twenty four hour serum cortisol profiles from 80 adults (41 men, aged 60-74 years) and 29 children (24 boys, aged 5-9 years) were subject to deconvolution analysis using an 80-min half-life to ascertain total cortisol secretion and distribution throughout the 24-h period. Mean daily cortisol secretion was similar between adults (6.3 mg/m(2) body surface area/day, range 5.1-9.3) and children (8.0 mg/m(2) body surface area/day, range 5.3-12.0). Peak serum cortisol concentration was higher in children compared with adults, whereas nadir serum cortisol concentrations were similar. Timing of the peak serum cortisol concentration was similar (07.05-07.25), whereas that of the nadir concentration occurred later in adults (midnight) compared with children (22.48) (P = 0.003). Children had the highest percentage of cortisol secretion between 06.00 and 12.00 (38.4%), whereas in adults this took place between midnight and 06.00 (45.2%). These observations suggest that the daily hydrocortisone replacement dose should be equivalent on average to 6.3 mg/m(2) body surface area/day in adults and 8.0 mg/m(2) body surface area/day in children. Differences in distribution of the total daily dose between older adults and young children need to be taken into account when using a three or four times per day dosing regimen. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Right and Left Ventricular Function and Mass in Male Elite Master Athletes: A Controlled Contrast-Enhanced Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Study.

PubMed

Bohm, Philipp; Schneider, Günther; Linneweber, Lutz; Rentzsch, Axel; Krämer, Nadine; Abdul-Khaliq, Hashim; Kindermann, Wilfried; Meyer, Tim; Scharhag, Jürgen

2016-05-17

It is under debate whether the cumulative effects of intensive endurance exercise induce chronic cardiac damage, mainly involving the right heart. The aim of this study was to examine the cardiac structure and function in long-term elite master endurance athletes with special focus on the right ventricle by contrast-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance. Thirty-three healthy white competitive elite male master endurance athletes (age range, 30-60 years) with a training history of 29±8 years, and 33 white control subjects pair-matched for age, height, and weight underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing, echocardiography including tissue-Doppler imaging and speckle tracking, and cardiovascular magnetic resonance. Indexed left ventricular mass and right ventricular mass (left ventricular mass/body surface area, 96±13 and 62±10 g/m(2); P<0.001; right ventricular mass/body surface area, 36±7 and 24±5 g/m(2); P<0.001) and indexed left ventricular end-diastolic volume and right ventricular end-diastolic volume (left ventricular end-diastolic volume/body surface area, 104±13 and 69±18 mL/m(2); P<0.001; right ventricular end-diastolic volume/body surface area, 110±22 and 66±16 mL/m(2); P<0.001) were significantly increased in athletes in comparison with control subjects. Right ventricular ejection fraction did not differ between athletes and control subjects (52±8 and 54±6%; P=0.26). Pathological late enhancement was detected in 1 athlete. No correlations were found for left ventricular and right ventricular volumes and ejection fraction with N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, and high-sensitive troponin was negative in all subjects. Based on our results, chronic right ventricular damage in elite endurance master athletes with lifelong high training volumes seems to be unlikely. Thus, the hypothesis of an exercise-induced arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy has to be questioned. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Does fluoride in drinking water delay tooth eruption?

PubMed

Jolaoso, Ismail Adeyemi; Kumar, Jayanth; Moss, Mark E

2014-01-01

The objectives of this study are to determine the effect of fluoride exposure on permanent tooth eruption patterns as well as to understand its effect on caries attack rate by accounting for the number of erupted tooth surfaces. We analyzed data from the 1986-1987 National Survey of Oral Health of US Schoolchildren to determine the mean number of erupted permanent teeth and permanent first molars according to fluoride level in drinking water. The analysis included 13,348 children aged 5-17 years with a history of single residence. We also estimated the attack rate (decayed, missing, and filled surfaces/surfaces at risk) for fluoride deficient, suboptimal, and optimally fluoridated areas adjusting for covariates. Multivariable statistical analyses were performed to control for potential confounders. By age 7, almost all permanent first molars had erupted. The adjusted mean number of erupted permanent first molars per child were 3.81, 3.67, and 3.92 in areas with <0.3, 0.3-<0.7, and 0.7-1.2 ppm of fluoride, respectively. The adjusted caries attack rate in the first permanent molars among 5- to 17-year-old children was 93, 81, and 78 per 1,000 surfaces in fluoride deficient, suboptimal, and optimally fluoridated areas, respectively (P < 0.0001). This pattern of higher first molar attack rate among children in the fluoride-deficient communities was also observed in all erupted teeth. Exposure to fluoride in drinking water did not delay the eruption of permanent teeth. The observed difference in dental caries experience among children exposed to different fluoride levels could not be explained by the timing of eruption of permanent teeth. © 2014 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

Epidermal Permeability Barrier Recovery Is Delayed in Vitiligo-Involved Sites

PubMed Central

Liu, J.; Man, W.Y.; Lv, C.Z.; Song, S.P.; Shi, Y.J.; Elias, P.M.; Man, M.Q.

2010-01-01

Background/Objectives Prior studies have demonstrated that both the skin surface pH and epidermal permeability barrier function vary with skin pigmentation types. Although melanin deficiency is the main feature of vitiligo, alterations in cutaneous biophysical properties in vitiligo have not yet been well defined. In the present study, stratum corneum (SC) hydration, the skin surface pH and epidermal permeability barrier function in vitiligo were evaluated. Methods A total of 30 volunteers with vitiligo comprising 19 males and 11 females aged 13–51 years (mean age: 27.91 ± 2.06 years) were enrolled in this study. The skin surface pH, SC hydration, melanin/erythema index and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were measured by respective probes connected to a Courage-Khazaka MPA5. SC integrity was determined by measuring the TEWL following each D-Squame application. The barrier recovery rate was assessed at 5 h following barrier disruption by repeated tape stripping. Results In addition to SC hydration, both melanin and erythema index were significantly lower in vitiligo lesions than in contralateral, nonlesional sites, while no difference in skin surface pH between vitiligo-involved and uninvolved areas was observed. In addition, neither the basal TEWL nor SC integrity in the involved areas differed significantly from that in the uninvolved areas. However, barrier recovery in vitiligo-involved sites was significantly delayed in comparison with uninvolved sites (40.83 ± 5.39% vs. 58.30 ± 4.71%; t = 2.441; p < 0.02). Conclusion Barrier recovery following tape stripping of the SC is delayed in vitiligo. Therefore, improvement in epidermal permeability barrier function may be an important unrecognized factor to be considered in treating patients with vitiligo. PMID:20185976

Spatial variations in geochemical characteristics of the modern Mackenzie Delta sedimentary system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vonk, Jorien E.; Giosan, Liviu; Blusztajn, Jerzy; Montlucon, Daniel; Graf Pannatier, Elisabeth; McIntyre, Cameron; Wacker, Lukas; Macdonald, Robie W.; Yunker, Mark B.; Eglinton, Timothy I.

2015-12-01

The Mackenzie River in Canada is by far the largest riverine source of sediment and organic carbon (OC) to the Arctic Ocean. Therefore the transport, degradation and burial of OC along the land-to-ocean continuum for this riverine system is important to study both regionally and as a dominant representative of Arctic rivers. Here, we apply sedimentological (grain size, mineral surface area), and organic and inorganic geochemical techniques (%OC, δ13C-OC and Δ14C-OC, 143Nd/144Nd, δ2H and δ18O, major and trace elements) on particulate, bank, channel and lake surface sediments from the Mackenzie Delta, as well as on surface sediments from the Mackenzie shelf in the Beaufort Sea. Our data show a hydrodynamic sorting effect resulting in the accumulation of finer-grained sediments in lake and shelf deposits. A general decrease in organic carbon (OC) to mineral surface area ratios from river-to-sea furthermore suggests a loss of mineral-bound terrestrial OC during transport through the delta and deposition on the shelf. The net isotopic value of the terrestrial OC that is lost en route, derived from relationships between δ13C, OC and surface area, is -28.5‰ for δ13C and -417‰ for Δ14C. We calculated that OC burial efficiencies are around 55%, which are higher (∼20%) than other large river systems such as the Amazon. Old sedimentary OC ages, up to 12 14C-ky, suggest the delivery of both a petrogenic OC source (with an estimated contribution of 19 ± 9%) as well as a pre-aged terrestrial OC source. We calculated the 14C-age of this pre-aged, biogenic, component to be about 6100 yrs, or -501‰, which illustrates that terrestrial OC in the watershed can reside for millennia in soils before being released into the river. Surface sediments in lakes across the delta (n = 20) showed large variability in %OC (0.92-5.7%) and δ13C (-30.7‰ to -23.5‰). High-closure lakes, flooding only at exceptionally high water levels, hold high sedimentary OC contents (>2.5%) and young biogenic OC with a terrestrial or an autochthonous source whereas no-closure lakes, permanently connected to a river channel, hold sediments with pre-aged, terrestrial OC. The intermediate low-closure lakes, flooding every year during peak discharge, display the largest variability in OC content, age and source, likely reflecting variability in for example the length of river-lake connections, the distance to sediment source and the number of intermediate settling basins. Bank, channel and suspended sediment show variable 143Nd/144Nd values, yet there is a gradual but distinct spatial transition in 143Nd/144Nd (nearly three ε units; from -11.4 to -13.9) in the detrital fraction of lake surface sediments from the western to the eastern delta. This reflects the input of younger Peel River catchment material in the west and input of older geological source material in the east, and suggests that lake sediments can be used to assess variability in source watershed patterns across the delta.

Water resources and potential effects of surface coal mining in the area of the Woodson Preference Right Lease Application, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, M.R.

1987-01-01

Federal coal lands of the Woodson Preference Right Lease Application are located in Dawson and Richland Counties, northeastern Montana. A probable mine area, comprised of the lease area and adjacent coal lands, contains about 220 million tons of recoverable lignite coal in the 12-37 ft thick Pust coal bed. A hydrologic study has been conducted in the area to describe the water resources and to evaluate potential effects of coal mining on the water resources. Geohydrologic data collected from wells and springs indicate that several aquifers exist in the area. Sandstone beds in the Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation (Paleocene age) are the most common aquifers and probably underlie the entire area. The Pust coal bed in the Tongue River Member is water saturated in part of the probable mine area and is dry in other parts of the probable mine area. Other aquifers, located mostly outside of the probable mine area, exist in gravel of the Flaxville Formation (Miocene of Pliocene age) and valley alluvium (Pleistocene and Holocene age). Chemical analyses of groundwater indicate a range in dissolved solids concentration of 240-2,280 mg/L. Surface water resources are limited. Most streams in the area are ephemeral and flow only in response to rainfall or snowmelt. Small reaches of the North and Middle Forks of Burns Creek have intermittent flow. Water sampled from a small perennial reach of the Middle Fork had a dissolved solids concentration of 700 mg/L. Mining of the Pust coal bed would destroy one spring and four stock wells, dewater areas of the Pust coal and sandstone aquifers, and probably lower water levels in seven stock and domestic wells. Mining in the valley of Middle Fork Burns Creek would intercept streamflow and alter flow characteristics of a small perennial reach of stream. Leaching of soluble minerals from mine spoils may cause a long-term degradation of the quality of water in the spoils and in aquifers downgradient from the spoils. Some of the effects on local water supplies could be mitigated by development of new wells in deeper sandstones of the Tongue River Member. Effects of mining on water resources would be minimized if only areas of dry coal were mined. (Author 's abstract)

Sources and ages of fine-grained sediment to streams using fallout radionuclides in the Midwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gellis, Allen; Fuller, Christopher C.; Van Metre, Peter C.

2017-01-01

Fallout radionuclides, 7Be and 210Pbex, sampled in bed sediment for 99 watersheds in the Midwestern region of the United States and in 15 samples of suspended sediment from 3 of these watersheds were used to partition upland from channel sources and to estimate the age or the time since the surface-derived portion of sediment was on the land surface (0–∼1 year). Channel sources dominate: 78 of the 99 bed material sites (79%) have >50% channel-derived sediment, and 9 of the 15 suspended-sediment samples (60%) have >50% channel-derived sediment. 7Be was detected in 82 bed sediment samples and all 15 suspended-sediment samples. The surface-derived portion of 54 of the 80 (68%) streams with detectable 7Be and 210Pbex were ≤ 100 days old and the surface-derived portion of all suspended-sediment samples were ≤ 100 days old, indicating that surface-derived fine-grained sediment moves rapidly though these systems. The concentrations of two hydrophobic pesticides–DDE and bifenthrin–are correlated with the proportion of surface-derived sediment, indicating a link between geomorphic processes and particle-associated contaminants in streams. Urban areas had the highest pesticide concentrations and the largest percentage of surface-derived sediment. Although the percentage of surface-derived sediment is less than channel sources at most of the study sites, the relatively young age of the surface-derived sediment might indicate that management actions to reduce sediment contamination where the land surface is an important source could have noticeable effects.

Uranium favorability of tertiary rocks in the Badger Flats, Elkhorn Thrust Area, Park and Teller Counties, Colorado

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

Young, P.; Mickle, D.G.

1976-10-01

Uranium potential of Tertiary rocks in the Badger Flats--Elkhorn Thrust area of central Colorado is closely related to a widespread late Eocene erosion surface. Most uranium deposits in the area are in the Eocene Echo Park Alluvium and Oligocene Tallahassee Creek Conglomerate, which were deposited in paleodrainage channels on or above this surface. Arkosic detritus within the channels and overlying tuffaceous sedimentary rocks of the Antero and Florissant Formations of Oligocene age and silicic tuffs within the volcanic units provide abundant sources of uranium that could be concentrated in the channels where carbonaceous debris facilitates a reducing environment. Anomalous soil,more » water, and stream-sediment samples near the Elkhorn Thrust and in Antero basin overlie buried channels or are offset from them along structural trends; therefore, uranium-bearing ground water may have moved upward from buried uranium deposits along faults. The area covered by rocks younger than the late Eocene erosion surface, specifically the trends of mapped or inferred paleochannels filled with Echo Park Alluvium and Tallahassee Creek Conglomerate, and the Antero Formation are favorable for the occurrence of uranium deposits.« less

Age-related changes in the articular cartilage of the stifle joint in non-working and working German Shepherd dogs.

PubMed

Francuski, J V; Radovanović, A; Andrić, N; Krstić, V; Bogdanović, D; Hadzić, V; Todorović, V; Lazarević Macanović, M; Sourice Petit, S; Beck-Cormier, S; Guicheux, J; Gauthier, O; Kovacević Filipović, M

2014-11-01

The aims of this study were to define age-related histological changes in the articular cartilage of the stifle joint in non-chondrodystrophic dogs and to determine whether physical activity has a positive impact on preservation of cartilage structure during ageing. Twenty-eight German shepherd dogs were included in the study. These dogs had no evidence of joint inflammation as defined by clinical assessment, radiology and synovial fluid analysis (specifically absence of synovial fluid serum amyloid A). The dogs were grouped as young working (n ¼ 4), young non-working (n ¼ 5), aged working (n ¼ 13) and aged non-working (n ¼ 6) animals. Gross changes in the stifle joints were recorded and biopsy samples of femoral and tibial articular cartilage were evaluated for thickness; chondrocyte number, density, surface area and morphology; isogenous group morphology; tidemark integrity; subchondral bone structure; presence of proteoglycans/ glycosaminoglycans; and expression of type I, II and X collagens. The major age-related changes, not related to type of physical activity, included elevated chondrocyte density and thinning of tibial cartilage and increased chondrocyte surface area in the superficial and intermediate zone of the femoral cartilage. There was also expression of type X collagen in the femoral and tibial calcified and non-calcified cartilage; however, type X collagen was not detected in the superficial zone of old working dogs. Therefore, ageing, with or without physical activity, leads to slight cartilage degeneration, while physical activity modulates the synthesis of type X collagen in the superficial cartilage zone, partially preserving the structure of hyaline cartilage. 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation of Hydrophobic Metal-Organic Frameworks via Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition of Perfluoroalkanes for the Removal of Ammonia

PubMed Central

DeCoste, Jared B.; Peterson, Gregory W.

2013-01-01

Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of perfluoroalkanes has long been studied for tuning the wetting properties of surfaces. For high surface area microporous materials, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), unique challenges present themselves for PECVD treatments. Herein the protocol for development of a MOF that was previously unstable to humid conditions is presented. The protocol describes the synthesis of Cu-BTC (also known as HKUST-1), the treatment of Cu-BTC with PECVD of perfluoroalkanes, the aging of materials under humid conditions, and the subsequent ammonia microbreakthrough experiments on milligram quantities of microporous materials. Cu-BTC has an extremely high surface area (~1,800 m2/g) when compared to most materials or surfaces that have been previously treated by PECVD methods. Parameters such as chamber pressure and treatment time are extremely important to ensure the perfluoroalkane plasma penetrates to and reacts with the inner MOF surfaces. Furthermore, the protocol for ammonia microbreakthrough experiments set forth here can be utilized for a variety of test gases and microporous materials. PMID:24145623

Potentiometric surface of the Ozark aquifer in northern Arkansas, 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Czarnecki, John B.; Pugh, Aaron L.; Blackstock, Joshua M.

2014-01-01

The Ozark aquifer in northern Arkansas is composed of dolomite, limestone, sandstone, and shale of Late Cambrian to Middle Devonian age and ranges in thickness from approximately 1,100 feet to more than 4,000 feet. Hydrologically, the aquifer is complex, characterized by discrete and discontinuous flow components with large variations in permeability. The potentiometric-surface map, based on 56 well and 5 spring water-level measurements made in 2010 in Arkansas and Missouri, has a maximum water-level altitude measurement of 1,174 feet in Carroll County and a minimum water-level altitude measurement of 120 feet in Randolph County. Regionally, the flow within the aquifer is to the south and southeast in the eastern and central part of the study area and to the west, northwest, and north in the western part of the study area. Water-level altitudes changed 0.5 feet or less in 31 out of 56 wells measured between 2007 and 2010. Despite rapidly increasing population within the study area, the increase appears to have minimal effect on groundwater levels, although the effect may have been minimized by the development and use of surface-water distribution infrastructure, suggesting that most of the incoming populations are fulfilling their water needs from surface-water sources. The conversion of some users from groundwater to surface water may be allowing water levels in some wells to recover (rise) or decline at a slower rate in some areas such as in Benton, Carroll, and Washington Counties.

Martian crater counts on Elysium Mons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcbride, Kathleen; Barlow, Nadine G.

1990-01-01

Without returned samples from the Martian surface, relative age chronologies and stratigraphic relationships provide the best information for determining the ages of geomorphic features and surface regions. Crater-size frequency distributions of six recently mapped geological units of Elysium Mons were measured to establish their relative ages. Most of the craters on Elysium Mons and the adjacent plains units are between 500 and 1000 meters in diameter. However, only craters 1 km in diameter or larger were used because of inadequate spatial resolution of some of the Viking images and to reduce probability of counting secondary craters. The six geologic units include all of the Elysium Mons construct and a portion of the plains units west of the volcano. The surface area of the units studied is approximately 128,000 sq km. Four of the geologic units were used to create crater distribution curves. There are no craters larger than 1 km within the Elysium Mons caldera. Craters that lacked raised rims, were irregularly shaped, or were arranged in a linear pattern were assumed to be endogenic in origin and not counted. A crater frequency distribution analysis is presented.

Landforms of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hack, John T.

1969-01-01

The United States contains a great variety of landforms which offer dramatic contrasts to a crosscountry traveler. Mountains and desert areas, tropical jungles and areas of permanently frozen subsoil, deep canyons and broad plains are examples of the Nation's varied surface. The present-day landforms the features that make up the face of the earth are products of the slow, sculpturing actions of streams and geologic processes that have been at work throughout the ages since the earth's beginning.

Landforms of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hack, John T.

1988-01-01

The United States contains a great variety of landforms which offer dramatic contrasts to a cross-country traveler. Mountains and desert areas, tropical jungles and areas of permanently frozen subsoil, and deep canyons and broad plains are examples of the Nation's varied surface. The presentday landforms the features that make up the face of the Earth are products of the slow sculpturing actions of streams and geologic processes that have been at work throughout the ages since the Earth's beginning.

3-D Reconstructions of Subsurface Pleistocene Basalt Flows from Paleomagnetic Inclination Data and 40Ar/39Ar Ages in the Southern Part of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho (USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodges, M. K.; Champion, D. E.; Turrin, B. D.; Swisher, C. C.

2012-12-01

The U. S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, is mapping the distribution of basalt flows and sedimentary interbeds at the Idaho National Laboratory in three dimensions to provide data for refining numerical models of groundwater flow and contaminant transport in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer. Paleomagnetic inclination and polarity data from basalt samples from 47 coreholes are being used to create a three-dimensional (3-D) model of the subsurface of the southern part of the INL. Surface and sub-surface basalt flows can be identified in individual cores and traced in three dimensions on the surface and in the subsurface for distances of more than 20 km using a combination of paleomagnetic, stratigraphic, and 40Ar/39Ar data. Eastern Snake River Plain olivine tholeiite basalts have K2O contents of 0.2 to 1.0 weight per cent. In spite of the low-K content, high-precision 40Ar/39Ar ages were obtained by applying a protocol that employs short irradiation times (minimizing interferences from Ca derived 36Ar), frequent measurement of various size atmospheric Ar pipettes to monitor and correct for temporal variation, and signal size dependent nonlinearity in spectrometer mass bias, resulting in age dates with resolution generally between 2 to 10% of the age. 3-D models of subsurface basalt flows are being used to: (1) Estimate eruption volumes; (2) locate the approximate vent areas and extent of sub-surface flows; and (3) Help locate high and low transmissivity zones. Results indicate that large basalt eruptions (>3 km3) occurred at and near the Central Facilities Area between 637 ka and 360 ka; at and near the Radioactive Waste Management Complex before 540 ka; and north of the Naval Reactors Facility at about 580 ka. Since about 360 ka, large basalt flows have erupted along the Arco-Big Southern Butte Volcanic Rift Zone and the Axial Volcanic Zone, and flowed northerly towards the Central Facilities Area. Basalt eruptions shifted the course of the Big Lost River from a more southerly course to its present one.

3-D reconstructions of subsurface Pleistocene basalt flows from paleomagnetic inclination data and 40Ar/39Ar ages in the southern part of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho (USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hodges, Mary K. V.; Champion, Duane E.; Turrin, B.D.; Swisher, C. C.

2012-01-01

The U. S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, is mapping the distribution of basalt flows and sedimentary interbeds at the Idaho National Laboratory in three dimensions to provide data for refining numerical models of groundwater flow and contaminant transport in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer. Paleomagnetic inclination and polarity data from basalt samples from 47 coreholes are being used to create a three-dimensional (3-D) model of the subsurface of the southern part of the INL. Surface and sub-surface basalt flows can be identified in individual cores and traced in three dimensions on the surface and in the subsurface for distances of more than 20 km using a combination of paleomagnetic, stratigraphic, and 40Ar/39Ar data. Eastern Snake River Plain olivine tholeiite basalts have K2O contents of 0.2 to 1.0 weight per cent. In spite of the low-K content, high-precision 40Ar/39Ar ages were obtained by applying a protocol that employs short irradiation times (minimizing interferences from Ca derived 36Ar), frequent measurement of various size atmospheric Ar pipettes to monitor and correct for temporal variation, and signal size dependent nonlinearity in spectrometer mass bias, resulting in age dates with resolution generally between 2 to 10% of the age. 3-D models of subsurface basalt flows are being used to: (1) Estimate eruption volumes; (2) locate the approximate vent areas and extent of sub-surface flows; and (3) Help locate high and low transmissivity zones. Results indicate that large basalt eruptions (>3 km3) occurred at and near the Central Facilities Area between 637 ka and 360 ka; at and near the Radioactive Waste Management Complex before 540 ka; and north of the Naval Reactors Facility at about 580 ka. Since about 360 ka, large basalt flows have erupted along the Arco-Big Southern Butte Volcanic Rift Zone and the Axial Volcanic Zone, and flowed northerly towards the Central Facilities Area. Basalt eruptions shifted the course of the Big Lost River from a more southerly course to its present one.

Potentiometric Surface of the Patuxent Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2010-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Patuxent aquifer in the Patuxent Formation of Early Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2009. The map is based on water-level measurements in 42 wells. The highest measured water level was 169 feet above sea level in the outcrop area of the aquifer in northern Prince George's County. From this area, the potentiometric surface declined south towards well fields at Glen Burnie, Bryans Road, the Morgantown power plant, and the Chalk Point power plant. The measured groundwater levels were 78 feet below sea level at Glen Burnie, 56 feet below sea level at Bryans Road, 29 feet below sea level at the Morgantown power plant, and 28 feet below sea level at the Chalk Point power plant. The map also shows well yield in gallons per day for 2008 at wells or well fields.

Effect of cognitive challenge on the postural control of patients with ACL reconstruction under visual and surface perturbations.

PubMed

Lion, Alexis; Gette, Paul; Meyer, Christophe; Seil, Romain; Theisen, Daniel

2018-02-01

Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of cognitive challenge on double-leg postural control under visual and surface perturbations of patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) cleared to return to sport. Double-leg stance postural control of 19 rehabilitated patients with ACLR (age: 24.8 ± 6.7 years, time since surgery: 9.2 ± 1.6 months) and 21 controls (age: 24.9 ± 3.7 years) was evaluated in eight randomized situations combining two cognitive (with and without silent backward counting in steps of seven), two visual (eyes open, eyes closed) and two surface (stable support, foam support) conditions. Sway area and sway path of the centre of foot pressure were measured during three 20-s recordings for each situation. Higher values indicated poorer postural control. Generally, postural control of patients with ACLR and controls was similar for sway area and sway path (p > 0.05). The lack of visual anchorage and the disturbance of the plantar input by the foam support increased sway area and sway path (p < 0.001) similarly in both groups. The addition of the cognitive task decreased sway area and sway path (p < 0.001) similarly in both groups. Patients with ACLR who recently completed their rehabilitation have normalized postural control during double-leg stance tests. The use of a dual task paradigm under increased task complexity modified postural control, but in a similar way in patients with ACLR than in healthy controls. Double-leg stance tests, even under challenging conditions, are not sensitive enough to reveal postural control differences between rehabilitated patients with ACLR and controls. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An impression cytology based study of ocular surface in an urban population.

PubMed

Mukhopadhyay, Somnath; Dutta, Jayanta; Mitra, Jayati; Prakash, Ratnesh; Datta, Himadri

2013-04-01

To assess the health of ocular surface in a defined urban population, conjunctival goblet cell density and degree of surface squamous metaplasia were utilized as study tools. Two thousand names of those aged between 20 and 79 years from the 2006 electoral register in ward number 63 of Kolkata Corporation area were initially selected. Normal healthy human volunteers without any history of ocular surface disorder were recruited and divided into five age-groups. Impression cytology samples were obtained from interpalpebral part of bulbar conjunctiva from all the participants fixated and stained by a single observer. A stratified, clustered, disproportionate, random sampling method was used. The software used in the statistical analysis was EPI Info. The tests applied were t test and ANOVA. A variation in the number of goblet cells according to gender (women having less cells) and age (20-30 years group having the highest number of cells) was found. Those working outdoors were found to have fewer goblet cells compared to those who stay indoors. The majority of the people had grade 1 cytological appearance in both males and females. There was no statistically significant difference in Nelson's grading with age. People using coal and kerosene to cook were found to have a smaller goblet cell density than those who cooked on LPG or those who did not cook at all. Besides age and sex, environmental factors like the method of cooking and occupational variables (like outdoor activity, prolonged period of computer use, etc.) modify the health of the ocular surface. The results of this study will help put these findings into perspective as public health problems.

An analysis of gravity data in Area 12, Nevada Test Site

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wahl, R.R.

1969-01-01

The gravity data available from Healey and Miller (1963a) were augmented by new observations along three profiles through two new drill holes in Area 12; UEI2t #1 and UEI2p #1. The data were interpreted to allow evaluation of the geologic structure prior to the planning and excavation of two proposed tunnel complexes, Ul2t and Ul2p. Density values for each of six rock units were determined to allow a two-dimensional analysis of the gravity data along the above-mentioned profiles. The surficial rocks of Quaternary and Tertiary age and the Tertiary volcanic rocks have a weighted average density of 1.86 gm/cc. The density of the caprock at Rainier and Aqueduct Mesas ranges from 2.17 gm/cc at UEI2p #1 to 2.27 gm/cc at UEI2t #1. The Gold Meadows stock and the associated Precambrian quartzite have an arithmetic average density of 2.60 gm/cc for all samples measured. The middle Paleozoic dolomite in Area 12 has an arithmetic average density of 2.75 gm/cc. The clastic rocks of Paleozoic age have an arithmetic average density of 2.60 gm/cc. Interpretation of the residual gravity data indicates a maximum thickness of about 2,800 feet for all Tertiary volcanic rocks. A normal fault striking N. 30 ? E. disrupts the pre-Cenozoic surface at UEI2p #1 and 0.4 mile east of UEI2t #1. The throw within rock of Paleozoic age is about 400-500 feet. Another normal fault that strikes about N. 20 ? E. is located about 1.5 miles east of UEI2p #1. The throw of this fault is at least 1,100 feet in rocks of pre-Cenozoic age. Elevation contours representing the pre-Cenozoic surface in Area 12 show a maximum relief of about 2,000 feet.

Climatology of Global Swell-Atmosphere Interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semedo, Alvaro

2016-04-01

At the ocean surface wind sea and swell waves coexist. Wind sea waves are locally generated growing waves strongly linked to the overlaying wind field. Waves that propagate away from their generation area, throughout entire ocean basins, are called swell. Swell waves do not receive energy from local wind. Ocean wind waves can be seen as the "gearbox" between the atmosphere and the ocean, and are of critical importance to the coupled atmosphere-ocean system, since they modulate most of the air-sea interaction processes and exchanges, particularly the exchange of momentum. This modulation is most of the times sea-state dependent, i.e., it is a function of the prevalence of one type of waves over the other. The wave age parameter, defined as the relative speed between the peak wave and the wind (c_p⁄U_10), has been largely used in different aspects of the air-sea interaction theory and in practical modeling solutions of wave-atmosphere coupled model systems. The wave age can be used to assess the development of the sea state but also the prevalence (domination) of wind sea or swell waves at the ocean surface. The presence of fast-running waves (swell) during light winds (at high wave age regimes) induces an upward momentum flux, directed from the water surface to the atmosphere. This upward directed momentum has an impact in the lower marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL): on the one hand it changes the vertical wind speed profile by accelerating the flow at the first few meters (inducing the so called "wave-driven wind"), and on the other hand it changes the overall MABL turbulence structure by limiting the wind shear - in some observed and modeled situations the turbulence is said to have "collapse". The swell interaction with the lower MABL is a function of the wave age but also of the swell steepness, since steeper waves loose more energy into the atmosphere as their energy attenuates. This interaction can be seen as highest in areas where swells are steepest, but also where the wind speed is lowest and consequently the wave age is high. A detailed global climatology of the wave age and swell steepness parameters, based on the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) ERA-Interim reanalysis is presented. It will be shown, in line with previous studies, that the global climatological patterns of the wave age confirm the global dominance of the World Ocean by swell waves. The areas of the ocean where the highest interaction of swell waves and the lower atmosphere can be expected are also presented.

Appraisal of water resources in the Hackensack River basin, New Jersey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carswell, L.D.

1976-01-01

The Hackensack River basin, in the northern part of the New Jersey-New York metropolitan area, includes some of the most highly urbanized areas in the United States as well as a largely undeveloped 23.4 square mile area of tidal marsh referred to as the Hackensack Meadows. Bedrock in the Hackensack River basin, consisting of the Newark Group of Triassic age, is composed of diabase dikes and sills and gently westward dipping sandstone, conglomerate, and shale. The Brunswick Formation of the Newark Group is the only important bedrock aquifer in the basin. Water occurs in this aquifer in joints and fractures. The zone of most abundant and largest water-bearing joints and fractures occurs generally within 200 feet of land surface in lowland areas of major streams and within 400 to 500 feet of land surface in upland areas. Reported yields of industrial and public-supply wells tapping the Brunswick are as much as 600 gpm (gallons per minute): the median yield is 100 gpm. The formation is anisotropic; the greatest permeability and thus the movement of water in response to pumping are parallel to the strike of bedding. Therefore, wells in well fields alined perpendicular to strike have minimum interference. The Newark Group is overlain by unconsolidated deposits of till, varved silt and clay, alluvium, and sand and gravel of Quaternary age. Sand and gravel aquifers consist of (1) deltaic deposits formed at the mouths of streams that entered ancient Lake Hackensack in the western part of the basin and (2) valley-fill deposits along the eastern side of the basin. These aquifers locally yield large quantities of water (greater than 300 gpm) to wells. The chemical quality of water in the Brunswick Formation is generally good, and the water is relatively low in dissolved mineral matter in the upper area of the Hackensack River basin. In the lower area of the basin, water in the Brunswick is highly mineralized: specific conductance ranges from 579 to 3,480 micromhos per centimeter at 25 °C; chloride content ranges from 19 to 755 mg/L (milligrams per liter); and sufate content ranges from 87 to 966 mg/L. Chemical quality in both the Brunswick Formation and the unconsolidated deposits in the lower area is affected by induced recharge of poor quality surface water from the Hackensack River and Newark Bay. Water quality in these surface water bodies is influenced by tidal flooding and by the disposal of an average of 57 mgd (million gallons per day) of sewage and industrial wastes in the Hackensack Meadows. Future development of ground-water supplies in the upper area of the basin is restricted, because such development would decrease surface-water supplies which are almost entirely utilized for water supply. Additional development of ground water in the lower area of the basin is limited by the small amount of ground water in the basin and by the intrusion of highly mineralized surface water into the aquifers.

Terrestrial ages of ordinary chondrites from the lewis cliff stranding area, East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welten, K. C.; Lindner, L.; Alderliesten, C.; van der Borg, K.

1999-07-01

We determined terrestrial ages of ordinary chondrites from the Lewis Cliff stranding area, East Antarctica, on the basis of the concentrations of cosmogenic 10Be (t1/2 = 1.51 Ma), 26Al (t1/2 = 0.705 Ma) and 36Cl (t1/2 = 0.301 Ma). After an initial 26Al -ray survey of 91 meteorites suggested that many have terrestrial ages larger than 0.1 Ma, we selected 62 meteorites for 10Be and 26Al measurements by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and measured 36Cl in twelve of those. Low terrestrial ages (<0.1 Ma) were found for about 60% of the meteorites, whereas all others have ages between 0.1 and 0.5 Ma, except for one exceptional age of >2 Ma (Welten et al., 1997). Our major conclusions are: (1) The Lewis Cliff H-chondrites show similar ages as those from the Allan Hills Ice-fields, but the L-chondrites are about a factor of two younger than those from Allan Hills, which indicates that Lewis Cliff is a younger stranding area. (2) The terrestrial age distributions at different parts of the Lewis Cliff stranding area generally agree with simple meteorite concentration models, although differences in weathering rate may also play a role. (3) We confirm that meteorites with natural thermoluminescence (TL) levels >80 krad are associated with low terrestrial ages (Benoit et al., 1992), but conclude that natural TL levels <80 krad can not be used to calculate the terrestrial age of a meteorite. Natural TL levels do seem useful to estimate relative terrestrial ages of large groups of meteorites and to determine differences in surface exposure age of paired meteorite fragments. (4) Of the 62 meteorites measured with AMS, 31 were assigned to eleven different pairing groups, mainly on the basis of their cosmogenic nuclide record. The meteorites are estimated to represent between 42 and 52 distinct falls.

Potentiometric Surface of the Aquia Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Wheeler, Judith C.

2003-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Aquia aquifer in the Aquia Formation of Paleocene age in Southern Maryland during September 2002. The map is based on water-level measurements in 94 wells. The highest measured water level was 38 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in the central part of Anne Arundel County, and was below sea level just south of this area and in the remainder of the study area. The hydraulic gradient increased southeastward toward an extensive cone of depression around well fields at Lexington Park and Solomons Island. Another cone of depression occurred in northern Calvert County due to pumpage at and near Chesapeake Beach and North Beach. The water level measured in this area has declined to 55 feet below sea level. The lowest water level measured was 169 feet below sea level at the center of a cone of depression at Lexington Park.

Potentiometric surface of the Aquia Aquifer in southern Maryland, September 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreason, David C.; Wheeler, Judith C.

2005-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Aquia aquifer in the Aquia Formation of Paleocene age in Southern Maryland during September 2003. The map is based on water-level measurements in 91 wells. The highest measured water level was 40 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in the central part of Anne Arundel County, and was below sea level just south of this area and in the remainder of the study area. The hydraulic gradient increased southeastward toward an extensive cone of depression around well fields at Lexington Park and Solomons Island. Another cone of depression occurred in northern Calvert County due to pumpage at and near North Beach and Chesapeake Beach. The water level measured in this area has declined to 48 feet below sea level. The lowest water level measured was 156 feet below sea level at the center of a cone of depression at Lexington Park.

The influence of social deprivation on dental caries in Swedish children and adolescents, as measured by an index for primary health care: The Care Need Index.

PubMed

Östberg, Anna-Lena; Kjellström, Anna N; Petzold, Max

2017-06-01

The objective was to examine associations between a primary Care Need Index (CNI) and dental caries experience. Dental journal records for 300 988 individuals in western Sweden, aged 3-19 years in 2007-09, were completed with official socioeconomic information. The CNI (independent variable), originally developed for assessing primary care need, was calculated for residential areas (small areas, parishes, dental clinics) based on markers of material deprivation, sociodemographic characteristics, social instability and cultural needs. Dental caries (dependent variable) was registered using the decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) system. Multilevel Poisson regression and logistic regression models were used. All analyses were adjusted for age and gender. In the most deprived areas, the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for dental caries was up to five times higher than in the most affluent areas (reference); in small areas, the IRR for decayed teeth (DT) was 3.74 (95% CI: 3.39-4.12) and 5.11 (CI: 4.45-5.87) for decayed surfaces approximally (DSa). Caries indices including fillings (decayed filled teeth [DFT], decayed filled surfaces approximally [DFSa]) produced lower IRRs, with similar pictures at the parish and dental clinic level. The intracluster correlation was low overall, but stronger at lower geographical levels. The odds ratios for ≥3 caries lesions in the two most deprived areas of the CNI deciles were high, with a DT OR of 3.55 in small areas (95% CI: 3.39-3.73), compared with the eight more affluent deciles. There were strong associations between an index for assessing need in primary care, the CNI and dental caries in Swedish children and adolescents. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Early excision and grafting versus delayed excision and grafting of deep thermal burns up to 40% total body surface area: a comparison of outcome

PubMed Central

Saaiq, M.; Zaib, S.; Ahmad, S.

2012-01-01

Summary This is a study of 120 patients of either sex and all ages who had sustained deep burns of up to 40% of the total body surface area. Half the patients underwent early excision and skin autografting (i.e., within 4-7 days of sustaining burn injury) while the rest underwent delayed excision and skin autografting (i.e., within 1-4 weeks post-burn). Significant differences were found in favour of the early excision and grafting group with regard to the various burn management outcome parameters taken into consideration, i.e. culture positivity of wounds, graft take, duration of post-graft hospitalization, and mortality. PMID:23467391

A repeatable geometric morphometric approach to the analysis of hand entheseal three-dimensional form.

PubMed

Karakostis, Fotios Alexandros; Hotz, Gerhard; Scherf, Heike; Wahl, Joachim; Harvati, Katerina

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study was to put forth a precise landmark-based technique for reconstructing the three-dimensional shape of human entheseal surfaces, to investigate whether the shape of human entheses is related to their size. The effects of age-at-death and bone length on entheseal shapes were also assessed. The sample comprised high-definition three-dimensional models of three right hand entheseal surfaces, which correspond to 45 male adult individuals of known age. For each enthesis, a particular landmark configuration was introduced, whose precision was tested both within and between observers. The effect of three-dimensional size, age-at-death, and bone length on shape was investigated through shape regression. The method presented high intra-observer and inter-observer repeatability. All entheses showed significant allometry, with the area of opponens pollicis demonstrating the most substantial relationship. This was particularly due to variation related to its proximal elongated ridge. The effect of age-at-death and bone length on entheses was limited. The introduced methodology can set a reliable basis for further research on the factors affecting entheseal shape. Using both size and shape, variables can provide further information on entheseal variation and its biomechanical implications. The low entheseal variation by age verifies that specimens under 50 years of age are not substantially affected by age-related changes. The lack of correlation between entheseal shape and bone length or age implies that other factors may regulate entheseal surfaces. Future research should focus on multivariate shape patterns among entheses and their association with occupation. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Base of Principal Aquifer for the Elkhorn-Loup Model Area, North-Central Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

McGuire, V.L.; Peterson, Steven M.

2008-01-01

In Nebraska, the water managers in the Natural Resources Districts and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources are concerned with the effect of ground-water withdrawal on the availability of surface water and the long-term effects of ground-water withdrawal on ground- and surface-water resources. In north-central Nebraska, in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins, ground water is used for irrigation, domestic supply, and public supply; surface water is used in this area for irrigation, recreation, and hydropower production. In recognition of these sometimes competing ground- and surface-water uses in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Lewis and Clark Natural Resources District, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District, the Lower Loup Natural Resources District, the Lower Niobrara Natural Resources District, the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District, the Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District, the Upper Elkhorn Natural Resources District, and the Upper Loup Natural Resources District agreed to cooperatively study water resources in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins. The goals of the overall study were to construct and calibrate a regional ground-water flow model of the area and to use that flow model as a tool to assess current and future effects of ground-water irrigation on stream base flow and to help develop long-term water-resource management strategies for this area, hereafter referred to as the Elkhorn-Loup model area. The Elkhorn-Loup model area covers approximately 30,800 square miles, and extends from the Niobrara River in the north to the Platte River in the south. The western boundary of the Elkhorn-Loup model area coincides with the western boundary of the Middle Niobrara, Twin Platte, and Upper Loup Natural Resources Districts; the eastern boundary coincides with the approximate location of the western extent of glacial till in eastern Nebraska. The principal aquifer in most of the Elkhorn-Loup model area is the High Plains aquifer; the principal aquifer in the remaining part of the Elkhorn-Loup model area is an unnamed alluvial aquifer. The upper surface of the geologic units that directly underlie the aquifer is called the 'base of aquifer' in this report. The geologic unit that forms the base of aquifer in the Elkhorn-Loup model area varies by location. The Tertiary-age Brule Formation generally is the base of aquifer in the west; the Cretaceous-age Pierre Shale generally is the base of aquifer in the east. The purpose of this report is to update the altitude and configuration of the base of the principal aquifer in the Elkhorn-Loup model area and a 2-mile buffer area around the Elkhorn-Loup model area, using base-of-aquifer data from test holes, registered water wells, and oil and gas wells within the Elkhorn-Loup model area and a 20-mile buffer area around the Elkhorn-Loup model area that have become available since the publication of earlier maps of the base of aquifer for this area. The base-of-aquifer map is important for the Elkhorn-Loup ground-water flow model because it defines the model's lower boundary. The accuracy of the Elkhorn-Loup ground-water flow model and the accuracy of the model's predictions about the effects of ground-water irrigation on stream base flow are directly related to the accuracy of the model's lower boundary.

Regionalization of the Arctic Region, Siberia and Eurasian Continental Area

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-05-31

inverted the data under the assumption that a sim- ple ray theory for surface waves applies. That is, the phase shift for a seismic wave passing through...of Parker and Oldenburg (1973), the lithospheric thickness Is a function of the age .(0=9.4^^ .with t the age in my. Thus, assuming that the lid...and D.E. Oldenburg (1973). Thermal model of ocean ridges, Nature Physical Science, 242, 137-139. Pilant, W.L. and L. Knopoff (1970). Inversion of

Influence of de/remineralization of enamel on the tensile bond strength of etch-and-rinse and self-etching adhesives.

PubMed

Farias de Lacerda, Ana Julia; Ferreira Zanatta, Rayssa; Crispim, Bruna; Borges, Alessandra Bühler; Gomes Torres, Carlos Rocha; Tay, Franklin R; Pucci, Cesar Rogério

2016-10-01

To evaluate the bonding behavior of resin composite and different adhesives applied to demineralized or remineralized enamel. Bovine tooth crowns were polished to prepare a 5 mm2 enamel bonding area, and divided into five groups (n= 48) according to the surface treatment: CONT (sound enamel control), DEM (demineralized with acid to create white spot lesions), REMS (DEM remineralized with artificial saliva), REMF (DEM remineralized with sodium fluoride) and INF (DEM infiltrated with Icon resin infiltrant). The surface-treated teeth were divided into two subgroups (n= 24) according to adhesive type: ER (etch-and-rinse; Single Bond Universal) and SE (self-etching; Clearfill S3 Bond), and further subdivided into two categories (n= 12) according to aging process: Thermo (thermocycling) and NA (no aging). Composite blocks were made over bonded enamel and sectioned for microtensile bond strength (MTBS) testing. Data were analyzed with three-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey's test (α= 0.05). Significant differences were observed for enamel surface treatment (P< 0.0001), adhesive type (P< 0.0001) and aging (P< 0.0001). CONT and INF groups had higher MTBS than the other groups; Single Bond Universal had higher MTBS than Clearfil S3 Bond; thermo-aging resulted in lower MTBS irrespective of adhesive type and surface treatment condition. The predominant failure mode was mixed for all groups. Enamel surface infiltrated with Icon does not interfere with adhesive resin bonding procedures. Treatment of enamel surface containing white spot lesions or cavities with cavosurface margins in partially-demineralized enamel can benefit from infiltration with a low viscosity resin infiltrant prior to adhesive bonding of resin composites.

Surficial Geologic Map of the Clinton-Concord-Grafton-Medfield 12-Quadrangle Area in East Central Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Janet R.; Stone, Byron D.

2006-01-01

The surficial geologic map shows the distribution of nonlithified earth materials at land surface in an area of twelve 7.5-minute quadrangles (total 660 square miles) in east-central Massachusetts. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (grain size, sedimentary structures, mineral and rock-particle composition), constructional geomorphic features, stratigraphic relationships, and age. Surficial earth materials significantly affect human use of the land, and an accurate description of their distribution is particularly important for water resources, construction aggregate resources, earth-surface hazards assessments, and land-use decisions. This compilation of surficial geologic materials is an interim product that defines the areas of exposed bedrock, and the boundaries between glacial till, glacial stratified deposits, and overlying postglacial deposits. This work is part of a comprehensive study to produce a statewide digital map of the surficial geology at a 1:24,000-scale level of accuracy. This report includes explanatory text (PDF), a regional map at 1:50,000 scale (PDF), quadrangle maps at 1:24,000 scale (12 PDF files), GIS data layers (ArcGIS shapefiles), scanned topographic base maps (TIF), metadata for the GIS layers, and a readme.txt file.

Thermal maps of young women and men

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chudecka, Monika; Lubkowska, Anna

2015-03-01

The objective was to use thermal imaging (ThermaCAM SC500) as an effective tool in establishing a thermal map of young participants, with a high diagnostic value for medicine, physiotherapy and sport. A further aim was to establish temperature distributions and ranges on the body surface of the young women and men as standard temperatures for the examined age group, taking into account BMI, body surface area and selected parameters of body fat distribution. The participants included young, healthy and physically active women (n = 100) and men (n = 100). In the women and men, the highest Tmean temperatures were found on the trunk. The warmest were the chest and upper back, then the lower back and abdomen. The lowest Tmean were found in the distal parts of the body, especially on the lower limbs. The results showed that only in the area of the chest was Tmean significantly higher in women than in men. In the areas of the hands (front and back) Tmean were similar for women and men. In the other analyzed body surface areas, Tmean were significantly lower in women. Research showed significant differences in body surface temperature between the women and men. Among the analyzed characteristics, Tmean in the chest, upper back, abdomen, lower back (both in women and men) were mainly correlated with BMI and PBF; the correlations were negative. Difficulties in interpreting changes in temperature in selected body areas in people with various conditions can be associated with the lack of studies on large and representative populations of healthy individuals with normal weight/height parameters. Therefore, it seems that this presented research is a significant practical and cognitive contribution to knowledge on thermoregulation, and may therefore be used as a reference for other studies using thermal imaging in the evaluation of changes in body surface temperatures.

MORBIDITY AND SURVIVAL PROBABILITY IN BURN PATIENTS IN MODERN BURN CARE

PubMed Central

Jeschke, Marc G.; Pinto, Ruxandra; Kraft, Robert; Nathens, Avery B.; Finnerty, Celeste C.; Gamelli, Richard L.; Gibran, Nicole S.; Klein, Matthew B.; Arnoldo, Brett D.; Tompkins, Ronald G.; Herndon, David N.

2014-01-01

Objective Characterizing burn sizes that are associated with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity is critical because it would allow identifying patients who might derive the greatest benefit from individualized, experimental, or innovative therapies. Although scores have been established to predict mortality, few data addressing other outcomes exist. The objective of this study was to determine burn sizes that are associated with increased mortality and morbidity after burn. Design and Patients Burn patients were prospectively enrolled as part of the multicenter prospective cohort study, Inflammation and the Host Response to Injury Glue Grant, with the following inclusion criteria: 0–99 years of age, admission within 96 hours after injury, and >20% total body surface area burns requiring at least one surgical intervention. Setting Six major burn centers in North America. Measurements and Main Results Burn size cutoff values were determined for mortality, burn wound infection (at least two infections), sepsis (as defined by ABA sepsis criteria), pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and multiple organ failure (DENVER2 score >3) for both children (<16 years) and adults (16–65 years). Five-hundred seventy-three patients were enrolled, of which 226 patients were children. Twenty-three patients were older than 65 years and were excluded from the cutoff analysis. In children, the cutoff burn size for mortality, sepsis, infection, and multiple organ failure was approximately 60% total body surface area burned. In adults, the cutoff for these outcomes was lower, at approximately 40% total body surface area burned. Conclusions In the modern burn care setting, adults with over 40% total body surface area burned and children with over 60% total body surface area burned are at high risk for morbidity and mortality, even in highly specialized centers. PMID:25559438

Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma in Australia and New Zealand: High-Surface-Area Textured Implants Are Associated with Increased Risk.

PubMed

Loch-Wilkinson, Anna; Beath, Kenneth J; Knight, Robert John William; Wessels, William Louis Fick; Magnusson, Mark; Papadopoulos, Tim; Connell, Tony; Lofts, Julian; Locke, Michelle; Hopper, Ingrid; Cooter, Rodney; Vickery, Karen; Joshi, Preeti Avinash; Prince, H Miles; Deva, Anand K

2017-10-01

The association between breast implants and breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) has been confirmed. Implant-related risk has been difficult to estimate to date due to incomplete datasets. All cases in Australia and New Zealand were identified and analyzed. Textured implants reported in this group were subjected to surface area analysis. Sales data from three leading breast implant manufacturers (i.e., Mentor, Allergan, and Silimed) dating back to 1999 were secured to estimate implant-specific risk. Fifty-five cases of breast implant-associated ALCL were diagnosed in Australia and New Zealand between 2007 and 2016. The mean age of patients was 47.1 years and the mean time of implant exposure was 7.46 years. There were four deaths in the series related to mass and/or metastatic presentation. All patients were exposed to textured implants. Surface area analysis confirmed that higher surface area was associated with 64 of the 75 implants used (85.3 percent). Biocell salt loss textured (Allergan, Inamed, and McGhan) implants accounted for 58.7 percent of the implants used in this series. Comparative analysis showed the risk of developing breast implant-associated ALCL to be 14.11 times higher with Biocell textured implants and 10.84 higher with polyurethane (Silimed) textured implants compared with Siltex textured implants. This study has calculated implant-specific risk of breast implant-associated ALCL. Higher-surface-area textured implants have been shown to significantly increase the risk of breast implant-associated ALCL in Australia and New Zealand. The authors present a unifying hypothesis to explain these observations.

Investigation of test methods, material properties, and processes for solar cell encapsulants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willis, P. B.

1981-01-01

Encapsulant materials and processes for the production of cost-effective, long-life solar cell modules were investigated. The following areas were explored: (1) soil resistant surface treatment; (2) corrosion protecting coatings from mild steel substrates; (3) primers for bonding module interfaces; and (4) RS/4 accelerated aging of candidate encapsulation compounds

Tweens feel the burn: "salt and ice challenge" burns.

PubMed

Roussel, Lauren O; Bell, Derek E

2016-05-01

To review our institution's experience with frostbite injury secondary to "salt and ice challenge" (SIC) participation. We conducted a retrospective analysis of intentional freezing burns from 2012 to 2014. Demographics, depth and location of burn, total body surface area of burn, treatment, time to wound healing, length of stay, complications, and motives behind participation were analyzed. Five patients were seen in the emergency department for intentional freezing burns that resulted from SIC (all females; mean age: 12.3 years; range age: 10.0-13.2 years). Mean total body surface area was 0.408%. Salt and ice was in contact with skin for >10 min for two patients, >20 min for two patients, and an unknown duration for one patient. Complications included pain and burn scar dyschromia. Four patients cited peer pressure and desire to replicate SIC as seen on the Internet as their motivation in attempting the challenge. SIC has become a popular, self-harming behavior among youths. Increased public education, and provider and parent awareness of SIC are essential to address this public health concern.

Allometric shape change and heterochrony in the freeliving coral Trachyphyllia bilobata (Duncan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, Ann Budd; Johnson, Kenneth G.; Schultz, Lori L.

1988-05-01

Regression analysis has been used to study the relationship between age, size, shape, and surface area in two ancestral-descendant populations of the Neogene Caribbean coral Trachyphyllia bilobata. Analyses of the relationship between size and age show that the relationship is isometric and that little difference occurs between populations in mean corallite length or height and in their rates of growth. Onset of columella growth is significantly earlier, however, in the descendant population. Studies of the relationship between size and shape show that growth is allometric, with shape change occurring in both corallum elongation and pinching of the corallite wall during ontogeny. In the descendant population, pinching and elongation initiate earlier in the ontogeny of the coral. These results suggest that the evolutionary development of the meandroid form in freeliving corals has been accomplished by heterochrony, involving a complex set of disassociated peramorphic changes in ontogeny accompanied by paedomorphic changes in astogeny. Further analyses show that the observed heterochronic changes serve to decrease corallum surface area which may in turn enhance sediment removal and nutrition in unstable habitats.

Measuring skin aging using optical coherence tomography in vivo: a validation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trojahn, Carina; Dobos, Gabor; Richter, Claudia; Blume-Peytavi, Ulrike; Kottner, Jan

2015-04-01

Dermal and epidermal structures in human skin change during intrinsic and extrinsic aging. Epidermal thickness is one of the most often reported parameters for the assessment of skin aging in cross-sectional images captured by optical coherence tomography (OCT). We aimed to identify further parameters for the noninvasive measurement of skin aging of sun-exposed and sun-protected areas utilizing OCT. Based on a literature review, seven parameters were inductively developed. Three independent raters assessed these parameters using four-point scales on images of female subjects of two age groups. All items could be detected and quantified in our sample. Interrater agreement ranged between 25.0% and 83.3%. The item scores "stratum corneum reflectivity," "upper dermal reflectivity," and "dermoepidermal contrast" showed significant differences between age groups on the volar and dorsal forearm indicating that they were best able to measure changes during skin aging. "Surface unevenness" was associated with the skin roughness parameters, Rz and Rmax, on the inner upper arm and volar forearm supporting the criterion validity of this parameter on sun-protected skin areas. Based on the interrater agreement and the ability to differentiate between age groups, these four parameters are being considered as the best candidates for measuring skin aging in OCT images.

Measuring skin aging using optical coherence tomography in vivo: a validation study.

PubMed

Trojahn, Carina; Dobos, Gabor; Richter, Claudia; Blume-Peytavi, Ulrike; Kottner, Jan

2015-04-01

Dermal and epidermal structures in human skin change during intrinsic and extrinsic aging. Epidermal thickness is one of the most often reported parameters for the assessment of skin aging in cross-sectional images captured by optical coherence tomography (OCT). We aimed to identify further parameters for the noninvasive measurement of skin aging of sun-exposed and sun-protected areas utilizing OCT. Based on a literature review, seven parameters were inductively developed. Three independent raters assessed these parameters using four-point scales on images of female subjects of two age groups. All items could be detected and quantified in our sample. Interrater agreement ranged between 25.0% and 83.3%. The item scores “stratum corneum reflectivity,” “upper dermal reflectivity,” and “dermoepidermal contrast” showed significant differences between age groups on the volar and dorsal forearm indicating that they were best able to measure changes during skin aging. “Surface unevenness” was associated with the skin roughness parameters, Rz and Rmax, on the inner upper arm and volar forearm supporting the criterion validity of this parameter on sun-protected skin areas. Based on the interrater agreement and the ability to differentiate between age groups, these four parameters are being considered as the best candidates for measuring skin aging in OCT images.

Surficial Geologic Map of the Worcester North-Oxford- Wrentham-Attleboro Nine-Quadrangle Area in South- Central Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Byron D.; Stone, Janet R.; DiGiacomo-Cohen, Mary L.

2008-01-01

The surficial geologic map layer shows the distribution of nonlithified earth materials at land surface in an area of nine 7.5-minute quadrangles (417 mi2 total) in south-central Massachusetts (fig. 1). Across Massachusetts, these materials range from a few feet to more than 500 ft in thickness. They overlie bedrock, which crops out in upland hills and in resistant ledges in valley areas. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (such as grain size and sedimentary structures), constructional geomorphic features, stratigraphic relationships, and age. Surficial materials also are known in engineering classifications as unconsolidated soils, which include coarse-grained soils, fine-grained soils, or organic fine-grained soils. Surficial materials underlie and are the parent materials of modern pedogenic soils, which have developed in them at the land surface. Surficial earth materials significantly affect human use of the land, and an accurate description of their distribution is particularly important for water resources, construction aggregate resources, earth-surface hazards assessments, and land-use decisions. The mapped distribution of surficial materials that lie between the land surface and the bedrock surface is based on detailed geologic mapping of 7.5-minute topographic quadrangles, produced as part of an earlier (1938-1982) cooperative statewide mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Massachusetts Department of Public Works (now Massachusetts Highway Department) (Page, 1967; Stone, 1982). Each published geologic map presents a detailed description of local geologic map units, the genesis of the deposits, and age correlations among units. Previously unpublished field compilation maps exist on paper or mylar sheets and these have been digitally rendered for the present map compilation. Regional summaries based on the Massachusetts surficial geologic mapping studies discuss the ages of multiple glaciations, the nature of glaciofluvial, glaciolacustrine, and glaciomarine deposits, and the processes of ice advance and retreat across Massachusetts (Koteff and Pessl, 1981; papers in Larson and Stone, 1982; Oldale and Barlow, 1986; Stone and Borns, 1986; Warren and Stone, 1986). This compilation of surficial geologic materials is an interim product that defines the areas of exposed bedrock and the boundaries between glacial till, glacial stratified deposits, and overlying postglacial deposits. This work is part of a comprehensive study to produce a statewide digital map of the surficial geology at a 1:24,000-scale level of accuracy. This surficial geologic map layer covering nine quadrangles revises previous digital surficial geologic maps (Stone and others, 1993; MassGIS, 1999) that were compiled on base maps at regional scales of 1:125,000 and 1:250,000. The purpose of this study is to provide fundamental geologic data for the evaluation of natural resources, hazards, and land information within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Stratigraphy of the unsaturated zone and uppermost part of the Snake River Plain aquifer at test area north, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

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

Anderson, S.R.; Bowers, B.

1995-06-01

A complex sequence of basalt flows and sedimentary interbeds underlies Test Area North (TAN) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory in eastern Idaho. Wells drilled to depths of at least 500 feet penetrate 10 basalt-flow groups and 5 to 10 sedimentary interbeds that range in age from about 940,000 to 1.4 million years. Each basalt-flow group consists of one or more basalt flows from a brief, single or compound eruption. All basalt flows of each group erupted from the same vent, and have similar ages, paleomagnetic properties, potassium contents, and natural-gamma emissions. Sedimentary interbeds consist of fluvial, lacustrine, and eolianmore » deposits of clay, silt, sand, and gravel that accumulated for hundreds to hundreds of thousands of years during periods of volcanic quiescence. Basalt and sediment are elevated by hundreds of feet with respect to rocks of equivalent age south and cast of the area, a relation that is attributed to past uplift at TAN. Basalt and sediment are unsaturated to a depth of about 200 feet below land surface. Rocks below this depth are saturated and make up the Snake River Plain aquifer. The effective base of the aquifer is at a depth of 885 feet below land surface. Detailed stratigraphic relations for the lowermost part of the aquifer in the depth interval from 500 to 885 feet were not determined because of insufficient data. The stratigraphy of basalt-flow groups and sedimentary interbeds in the upper 500 feet of the unsaturated zone and aquifer was determined from natural-gamma logs, lithologic logs, and well cores. Basalt cores were evaluated for potassium-argon ages, paleomagnetic properties, petrographic characteristics, and chemical composition. Stratigraphic control was provided by differences in ages, paleomagnetic properties, potassium content, and natural-gamma emissions of basalt-flow groups and sedimentary interbeds.« less

Stratigraphy and hydrologic conditions at the Brookhaven National Laboratory and vicinity, Suffolk County, New York, 1994-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scorca, Michael P.; Dorsch, William R.; Paquette, Douglas E.

1999-01-01

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has installed many test borings as part of an effort to delineate the extent of ground-water contamination at the site. In 1994, the U.S. Geological Survey began a study in cooperation with BNL to define the stratigraphy in the 28-square-mile area encompassing BNL, and to monitor ground-water levels in the 300 squaremile area of central Suffolk County that surrounds BNL. The uppermost geologic units at BNL are of Pleistocene age. These sediments are underlain unconformably by the Matawan Group-Magothy Formation, undifferentiated (referred to as the Magothy Formation), of Cretaceous age, which typically consists of light- to dark-gray, variably sorted sand interbedded with light- to dark-gray clay layers; it also contains beds of grayish-brown to brownish-gray sand. Bed thicknesses differ substantially within each boring and tend to be laterally discontinuous as a result of their terrestrial deltaic depositional environment, although a prominent clay unit, referred to as the ?grayish-brown clay? in this report, was encountered at many borings. Pollen-sample analyses confirm that this unit is of Cretaceous age and is the uppermost unit of Cretaceous sediments in several parts of the study area. The upper surface of the Cretaceous deposits is irregular within the 28-square-mile study area and has relief of about 120 feet. Several prominent channels and ridges in the surface are aligned generally northwest-southeast. The Cretaceous surface beneath BNL is characterized more by local erosional features than by the regional cuesta shape that was suggested by previous authors. The overlying Pleistocene-aged units include (1) a sand layer overlain by the Gardiners Clay, (2) the Gardiners Clay, and (3) upper Pleistocene deposits, which include the Upton unit, glacial outwash, glaciolacustrine deposits, and terminal moraine deposits. The sand unit below the Gardiners Clay was the first Pleistocene unit to be deposited atop the irregular surface of the Cretaceous deposits in this area. The Gardiners Clay was deposited during a major rise in sea level as the sea encroached into parts of the present-day BNL study area. The shallow part of the upper Pleistocene deposits generally consists of light-brown sand and gravel but overlies green to grayish-green, variably sorted sand, silt, and clay at altitudes of 50 to 70 feet below sea level in some parts of the study area. This lower part of the upper Pleistocene deposits in the study area was referred to by previous investigators as the unidentified unit and has been designated as the Upton unit in this report. The discharge of ground water to the Peconic and Carmans Rivers locally affects the water-table configuration. The main ground-water divide on Long Island is about 0.5 miles north of the site; a secondary divide originates near the start of flow of the Peconic River and extends east-southeastward toward the South Fork. The water-table configuration on the BNL site is affected by pumping from supply wells and remediation wells, by infiltration of the water through recharge basins, by discharge from the sewage-treatment plant, and by local near-surface clay units. The horizontal hydraulic gradient at BNL typically is 0.001 foot per foot but can steepen near recharge basins and pumping wells. Vertical flow gradients within the upper Pleistocene deposits (upper glacial aquifer) were as large as 0.007 foot per foot (downward) in the northern part of BNL and were negligible in the southern part. Downward vertical gradients between the lower part of the upper glacial aquifer and the upper part of the Magothy Formation (Magothy aquifer) were about 0.018 foot per foot throughout the site.

The difference between the potentiometric surfaces of the Magothy Aquifer of September 1975 and September 1995 in southern Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Mack, Frederick K.

1996-01-01

A map showing the net change in the poentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Cretaceous age in southern Maryland from September 1975 to September 1995 was based on water-level measurements in 67 wells. The map shows that the decline of the potentiometric surface during the 20-year period ranged from 2 to 21 feet in the northernmost part of the study area. The decline was greater than 40 feet in parts of southern Prince Georges County, 75 feet at Waldorf, and 28 feet at the Chalk Point powerplant.

The Difference Between the Potentiomentric Surfaces of the Lower Patapsco Aquifer, September 1990 and September 2001 in Southern Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Wheeler, Judith C.

2002-01-01

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the Lower Patapsco aquifer in the Lower Patapsco Formation of Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland for September 1990 and September 2001. The map, based on water level measurements in 49 wells, shows that the change of the potentiometric surface during the 11- year period ranged from a rise of 11 feet at Indian Head and 6 feet near the outcrop area in Glen Burnie, to declines of 37 feet at Arnold, 52 feet at Waldorf, and 31 feet at Morgantown.

PALS and SPM/EFM investigation of charged nanoporous electret films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiang, Dar-Ming; Liu, Wen-Liang; Chen, Jen-Luan; Susuki, Ryoichi

2005-08-01

The electret properties of nanoporous Teflon-FEP films, fabricated by the super-critical fluids method and charged by the corona method at room temperature, are investigated. PALS and SAXS are applied first to examine the charge characteristics of a free volume of electret materials. The topography and surface charges of electret materials are determined by scanning probe microscopy and electric field microscopy, respectively. The experimental results reveal that the interior surface areas of the pores of the electret materials influence the retention and stability of charge. Initial and aged surface charge was increased by factors of two and ten, with and without nanoporous Teflon-FEP films, respectively.

Time Strengthening of Crystal Nanocontacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazo, Juan J.; Dietzel, Dirk; Schirmeisen, Andre; Vilhena, J. G.; Gnecco, Enrico

2017-06-01

We demonstrate how an exponentially saturating increase of the contact area between a nanoasperity and a crystal surface, occurring on time scales governed by the Arrhenius equation, is consistent with measurements of the static friction and lateral contact stiffness on a model alkali-halide surface at different temperatures in ultrahigh vacuum. The "contact ageing" effect is attributed to atomic attrition and is eventually broken by thermally activated slip of the nanoasperity on the surface. The combination of the two effects also leads to regions of strengthening and weakening in the velocity dependence of the friction, which are well-reproduced by an extended version of the Prandtl-Tomlinson model.

Geohydrology and quality of water in aquifers in Lucas, Sandusky, and Wood counties, northwestern Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breen, K.J.; Dumouchelle, D.H.

1991-01-01

The hydrology and quality of ground water were evaluated for the surficial sand and carbonate aquifers in northwestern Ohio. A locally important surficial sand aquifer in western Lucas County was evaluated on the basis of data from 10 wells completed in undeveloped and developed areas. The carbonate aquifer in Silurian and Devonian bedrock at its northernmost extent on the Ohio mainland was evaluated on the basis of data from previous studies and data from 466 wells and 11 springs. Most data are for the period 1985-88. The unconfined surficial sand aquifer is less than 50 ft. (feet) thick. Clay-rich drift, which restricts vertical movement of water, underlines the aquifer. Recharge is from precipitation, and discharge is by evapotranspiration and by flow to local streams and drainage ditches. Water levels are generally 2 to 8 ft. below land surface and fluctuate a total of about 3.5 ft. seasonally in a forested area. Concentrations of iron and manganese in ground water are excessive in some areas. Waters from shallow drive-point wells in residential areas contained larger concentrations of dissolved solids, hardness, sodium, and chloride than did waters from identical wells in undeveloped areas. The presence of nitrate nitrogen an other selected constituents in ground water in residential areas, and the absence of these constituents in ground water in undeveloped areas, indicate that the surficial sand aquifer has been affected by development. In carbonate aquifer, fractures, bedding-plane joints, and other secondary openings are the principal water-bearing zones. These zones can be areally and stratigraphically separated by low-permeability rock. Leaky artesian or semiconfined conditions predominate beneath most of the 1,400-mi? study area. The aquifer is confined by relatively impermeable underlying shale of Silurian age and overlying clay-rich drift of Quaternary age. Unproductive strata, including evaporites, within the sequence of carbonate rocks also confine some water-bearing zones. The carbonate aquifer is part of a regional ground-water-flow system; however, subsystems such as the eastern karst and central outcrops are locally important. The potentiometric surface indicates that recharge from areas south and west of the study area flows toward discharge areas along major rivers (Maumee, Portage, and Sandusky) , to a buried bedrock valley in central Sandusky County, and to springs and flowing wells. The potentiometric surface flattens markedly near the southern shore of Lake Erie, where ground-water levels approximate those of the lake, indicating a hydraulic connection between the lake and the aquifer. Hydrogeologic characteristics and water-quality data indicate that Lake Erie is not a major source of recharge to the aquifer. Ground-water ages inferred from tritium concentrations and potentiometric-surface maps indicate that recharge from precipitation enters the aquifer by subsurface drainage in karstified strata in eastern Sandusky County and by infiltration in shallow bedrock areas where drift is less than 20 ft. thick. The quality of water in the carbonate aquifer is described with reference to 52 properties and constituents that characterize chemical, radiochemical, bacteriologic, and physical conditions. Ground-water samples from 135 wells and 11 springs are used in the characterization. On the basis of these data, water from the aquifer is generally suitable for drinking and for most domestic purposes. The most areally widespread aesthtic factors limiting the use of ground water are hardness, concentrations of dissolved solids, sulfate and iron, and the presence of hydrogen sulfide. Selected bacteria are commonly present and may compromise the potability of water from the aquifer. Coliform bacteria from surface sources were found in 47 of 143 water samples. Analyses for total coliform bacteria indicate that 36 of the 125 samples from wells maintained for potable supply have bacteria counts of 4

Hydrology of the Ferron sandstone aquifer and effects of proposed surface-coal mining in Castle Valley, Utah

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

Lines, G.C.; Morrissey, D.J.

Coal in the Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale of Cretaceous age has traditionally been mined by underground techniques in the Emery Coal Field in the southern end of Castle Valley in east-central Utah. However, approximately 99 million tons are recoverable by surface mining. Ground water in the Ferron is the sole source of supply for the town of Emery, but the aquifer is essentially untapped outside the Emery area. A three-dimensional digital-computer model was used to simulate ground-water flow in the Ferron sandstone aquifer in the Emery area. The model also was used to predict the effects ofmore » dewatering of a proposed surface mine on aquifer potentiometric surfaces and the base flow of streams. Discharge from the proposed surface mine is predicted to average about 0.3 cubic foot per second during the 15 years of mine operation. Dewatering of the mine would affect the potentiometric surface of all sections of the Ferron sanstone aquifer, but the greatest effects would be in the upper section. Modeling results indicate that, except for Christiansen Wash, the dewatering of the proposed surface mine would not affect the base flow of streams.« less

Early musical training is linked to gray matter structure in the ventral premotor cortex and auditory-motor rhythm synchronization performance.

PubMed

Bailey, Jennifer Anne; Zatorre, Robert J; Penhune, Virginia B

2014-04-01

Evidence in animals and humans indicates that there are sensitive periods during development, times when experience or stimulation has a greater influence on behavior and brain structure. Sensitive periods are the result of an interaction between maturational processes and experience-dependent plasticity mechanisms. Previous work from our laboratory has shown that adult musicians who begin training before the age of 7 show enhancements in behavior and white matter structure compared with those who begin later. Plastic changes in white matter and gray matter are hypothesized to co-occur; therefore, the current study investigated possible differences in gray matter structure between early-trained (ET; <7) and late-trained (LT; >7) musicians, matched for years of experience. Gray matter structure was assessed using voxel-wise analysis techniques (optimized voxel-based morphometry, traditional voxel-based morphometry, and deformation-based morphometry) and surface-based measures (cortical thickness, surface area and mean curvature). Deformation-based morphometry analyses identified group differences between ET and LT musicians in right ventral premotor cortex (vPMC), which correlated with performance on an auditory motor synchronization task and with age of onset of musical training. In addition, cortical surface area in vPMC was greater for ET musicians. These results are consistent with evidence that premotor cortex shows greatest maturational change between the ages of 6-9 years and that this region is important for integrating auditory and motor information. We propose that the auditory and motor interactions required by musical practice drive plasticity in vPMC and that this plasticity is greatest when maturation is near its peak.

Geologic Map of the San Luis Quadrangle, Costilla County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Machette, Michael N.; Thompson, Ren A.; Drenth, Benjamin J.

2008-01-01

The map area includes San Luis and the primarily rural surrounding area. San Luis, the county seat of Costilla County, is the oldest surviving settlement in Colorado (1851). West of the town are San Pedro and San Luis mesas (basalt-covered tablelands), which are horsts with the San Luis fault zone to the east and the southern Sangre de Cristo fault zone to the west. The map also includes the Sanchez graben (part of the larger Culebra graben), a deep structural basin that lies between the San Luis fault zone (on the west) and the central Sangre de Cristo fault zone (on the east). The oldest rocks exposed in the map area are the Pliocene to upper Oligocene basin-fill sediments of the Santa Fe Group, and Pliocene Servilleta Basalt, a regional series of 3.7?4.8 Ma old flood basalts. Landslide deposits and colluvium that rest on sediments of the Santa Fe Group cover the steep margins of the mesas. Rare exposures of the sediment are comprised of siltstones, sandstones, and minor fluvial conglomerates. Most of the low ground surrounding the mesas and in the graben is covered by surficial deposits of Quaternary age. The alluvial deposits are subdivided into three Pleistocene-age units and three Holocene-age units. The oldest Pleistocene gravel (unit Qao) forms extensive coalesced alluvial fan and piedmont surfaces, the largest of which is known as the Costilla Plain. This surface extends west from San Pedro Mesa to the Rio Grande. The primary geologic hazards in the map area are from earthquakes, landslides, and localized flooding. There are three major fault zones in the area (as discussed above), and they all show evidence for late Pleistocene to possible Holocene movement. The landslides may have seismogenic origins; that is, they may be stimulated by strong ground shaking during large earthquakes. Machette and Thompson based this geologic map entirely on new mapping, whereas Drenth supplied geophysical data and interpretations.

Reduced Microvascular Density in Omental Biopsies of Children with Chronic Kidney Disease

PubMed Central

Grabe, Niels; Lahrmann, Bernd; Nasser, Hamoud; Freise, Christian; Schneider, Axel; Lingnau, Anja; Degenhardt, Petra; Ranchin, Bruno; Sallay, Peter; Cerkauskiene, Rimante; Malina, Michal; Ariceta, Gema; Schmitt, Claus Peter; Querfeld, Uwe

2016-01-01

Background Endothelial dysfunction is an early manifestation of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and consistently observed in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We hypothesized that CKD is associated with systemic damage to the microcirculation, preceding macrovascular pathology. To assess the degree of “uremic microangiopathy”, we have measured microvascular density in biopsies of the omentum of children with CKD. Patients and Methods Omental tissue was collected from 32 healthy children (0–18 years) undergoing elective abdominal surgery and from 23 age-matched cases with stage 5 CKD at the time of catheter insertion for initiation of peritoneal dialysis. Biopsies were analyzed by independent observers using either a manual or an automated imaging system for the assessment of microvascular density. Quantitative immunohistochemistry was performed for markers of autophagy and apoptosis, and for the abundance of the angiogenesis-regulating proteins VEGF-A, VEGF-R2, Angpt1 and Angpt2. Results Microvascular density was significantly reduced in uremic children compared to healthy controls, both by manual imaging with a digital microscope (median surface area 0.61% vs. 0.95%, p<0.0021 and by automated quantification (total microvascular surface area 0.89% vs. 1.17% p = 0.01). Density measured by manual imaging was significantly associated with age, height, weight and body surface area in CKD patients and healthy controls. In multivariate analysis, age and serum creatinine level were the only independent, significant predictors of microvascular density (r2 = 0.73). There was no immunohistochemical evidence for apoptosis or autophagy. Quantitative staining showed similar expression levels of the angiogenesis regulators VEGF-A, VEGF-receptor 2 and Angpt1 (p = 0.11), but Angpt2 was significantly lower in CKD children (p = 0.01). Conclusions Microvascular density is profoundly reduced in omental biopsies of children with stage 5 CKD and associated with diminished Angpt2 signaling. Microvascular rarefaction could be an early systemic manifestation of CKD-induced cardiovascular disease. PMID:27846250

Treatment of pressure sores in spina bifida patients with calcium alginate and foam dressings.

PubMed

Ausili, E; Paolucci, V; Triarico, S; Maestrini, C; Murolo, D; Focarelli, B; Rendeli, C

2013-06-01

Prospective study on local treatment of pressure sores using calcium alginate and foam dressings in spina bifida patients. Investigate if this sequential approach is valid and safe for selected patients with neurological impairments. Using European Pressure Ulcer Grading System, after clinical evaluation of local sore, selected patients of Spina Bifida Center of Rome were treated with sequential calcium alginate and foam dressings for 12 weeks. Pressure ulcere surfaces were measured monthly by ulcer tracing. The endpoints were the mean absolute areas surface reduction during every month and number of patients achieving a 50% or more during study. 14 patients (7 males aged 12-24 years) with spina bifida and pressure sores were treated. Mean and standard deviation of mean surface area reduction were 12.5 ± 7.5 cm 2 at start of the study versus 3.7 ± 5.2 cm 2 after 12 weeks, p < 0.001. 75% of the patients reached mean surface area reduction of 50% during trial. Dressing tolerance was good in every patient. Calcium alginate and foam dressings are valid and safe approach in the treatment of pressure sores in selected patients with spina bifida. In fact, they protect the wound and create an environment favorable to healing.

Differential contributions of cortical thickness and surface area to trait impulsivity in healthy young adults.

PubMed

Kubera, Katharina M; Schmitgen, Mike M; Maier-Hein, Klaus H; Thomann, Philipp A; Hirjak, Dusan; Wolf, Robert C

2018-05-08

Impulsivity is an essential human personality trait and highly relevant for the development of several mental disorders. There is evidence that impulsivity is heritable, yet little is known about neural correlates reflecting early brain development. Here, we address the question whether motor, attentional and non-planning components, as reflected by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), are distinctly associated with cortical thickness and surface area variations in young healthy individuals. We investigated cortical thickness and surface area in 54 healthy volunteers (m/f = 30%/70%; age mean/SD = 24.9/4.02) using structural magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T together with surface-based analysis techniques. Impulsivity was examined on the Barratt impulsiveness scale (BIS-11) and related to the two distinct cortical measurements. Higher BIS-11 total scores were negatively associated with cortical thickness variations in the left lingual gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, right cuneus, and right superior parietal gyrus (p<0.05 cluster-wise probability [CWP] corrected). Higher BIS-11 nonplanning scores were negatively associated with cortical thickness variations in bilateral pericalcarine gyrus (p<0.05 CWP corr.). In the orbitofrontal cortex motor impulsivity associated cortical thickness differs significantly between male and female. These data suggest distinct neurodevelopmental trajectories underlying impulsivity in healthy subjects. Impulsivity total scores appear to be specifically related to cortical thickness variations, in contrast to variations of cortical surface area. Furthermore, our findings underscores the importance of better characterizing gender-specific structural correlates of impulsivity. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Voluntary Field Data Collection for Landscape Phenology and Surface Water Essential Climate Variable Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, J. W.; Hudson-Dunn, A.; Aquino, K.; Pasa, M.; Paez, F.

2013-12-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is developing techniques to monitor vegetation and surface water condition for improved resource management. Educational materials and data forms that allow volunteer Citizen Scientists to collect information on vegetation and surface water extent to enhance satellite and web camera data analyses (http://egsc.usgs.gov/shenandoah.html) have been developed, tested, and refined. Collection is focused on supplementing landscape phenology and surface water extent (SWE) essential climate variable (ECV) research. Low cost instrumentation, subject education, and measurement calibration techniques all have utility for multiple remote sensing and biophysical studies. Trials have been conducted with subjects ranging from elementary school-aged summer camp children to science major undergraduate and graduate students. Experiments were replicated in several project study areas in Virginia that are also phenology and SWE-ECV research sites. Analysis of volunteer responses and their narrative feedback have improved the ability to request and assess data from volunteers. Children ages 12 and over were able to provide reliable supplemental information for phenology and aquatic research. Finally, trial observation and subject feedback both confirmed that participation furthered volunteer interest in science.

Effect of ageing of K-feldspar on its ice nucleating efficiency in immersion, deposition and contact freezing modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peckhaus, Andreas; Bachmann, Felix; Hoffmann, Nadine; Koch, Michael; Kiselev, Alexei; Leisner, Thomas

2015-04-01

Recently K-feldspar was identified as one of the most active atmospheric ice nucleating particles (INP) of mineral origin [1]. Seeking the explanation to this phenomena we have conducted extensive experimental investigation of the ice nucleating efficiency of K-feldspar in three heterogeneous freezing modes. The immersion freezing of K-feldspar was investigated with the cold stage using arrays of nanoliter-size droplets containing aqueous suspension of polydisperse feldspar particles. For contact freezing, the charged droplets of supercooled water were suspended in the laminar flow of the DMA-selected feldspar-containing particles, allowing for determination of freezing probability on a single particle-droplet contact [2]. The nucleation and growth of ice via vapor deposition on the crystalline surfaces of macroscopic feldspar particles have been investigated in the Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) under humidified nitrogen atmosphere. The ice nucleation experiments were supplemented with measurements of effective surface area of feldspar particles and ion chromatography (IC) analysis of the leached framework cations (K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+). In this contribution we focus on the role of surface chemistry influencing the IN efficiency of K-feldspar, in particular the connection between the degree of surface hydroxylation and its ability to induce local structural ordering in the interfacial layer in water molecules (as suggested by recent modeling efforts). We mimic the natural process of feldspar ageing by suspending it in water or weak aqueous solution of carbonic acid for different time periods, from minutes to months, and present its freezing efficiency as a function of time. Our immersion freezing experiments show that ageing have a nonlinear effect on the freezing behavior of feldspar within the investigated temperature range (-40°C to -10°C). On the other hand, deposition nucleation of ice observed in the ESEM reveals clear different pattern between freshly cleaved and aged mineral surfaces. This effect is especially pronounced for surfaces having different crystallographic orientations (001 and 010), with 001 being clearly preferential for ice nucleation. The factor two change of the BET effective area of the naturally aged feldspar particles is also indicative for the change in the surface morphology. Based on the IC analysis of framework cations removal from the surface of feldspar, we discuss the possible implications of this process for the interpretation of observed freezing behavior of feldspars. [1] Atkinson, J.D., Murray, B.J., Woodhouse, M.T., Whale, T.F., Baustian, K.J., Carslaw, K.S., Dobbie, S., O'Sullivan, D., and Malkin, T.L.: The importance of feldspar for ice nucleation by mineral dust in mixed-phase clouds. Nature, 498, 355-358, 2013 [2] Hoffmann, N., Kiselev, A., Rzesanke, D., Duft, D., and Leisner, T.: Experimental quantification of contact freezing in an electrodynamic balance. Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 2373-2382, 2013.

Hydrology of area 18, Eastern Coal Province, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

May, V.J.

1981-01-01

The Eastern Coal Province is divided into 24 hydrologic reporting areas. This report describes the hydrology of area 18 which is located in the Cumberland River basin in central Tennessee near the southern end of the Province. Hydrologic information and sources are presented as text, tables, maps, and other illustrations designed to be useful to mine owners, operators, and consulting engineers in implementing permit applications that comply with the environmental requirements of the ' Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. ' Area 18 encompasses parts of three physiographic regions; from east to west the Cumberland Plateau, Highland Rim, and Central Basin. The Plateau is underlain by sandstones and shales, with thin interbedded coal beds, of Pennsylvanian age. The Highland Rim and Central Basin are underlain by limestone and dolomite of Mississippian age. Field and laboratory analyses of chemical and physical water-quality parameters of streamflow samples show no widespread water quality problems. Some streams, however, in the heavily mined areas have concentrations of sulfate, iron, manganese, and sediment above natural levels, and pH values below natural levels. Mine seepage and direct mine drainage were not sampled. Ground water occurs in and moves through fractures in the sandstones and shales and solution openings in the limestones and dolomites. Depth to water is variable, ranging from about 5 to 70 feet below land-surface in the limestones and dolomites, and 15 to 40 feet in the coal-bearing rocks. The quality of ground water is generally good. Locally, in coal-bearing rocks, acidic water and high concentrations of manganese, chloride, and iron have been detected. (USGS)

The effects of ageing time on the microstructure and properties of mesoporous silica-hydroxyapatite nanocomposite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yousefpour, Mardali; Taherian, Zahra

2013-02-01

In this study, a mesoporous silica-hydroxyapatite nanocomposite (MCM-41/HA) was synthesized via sol-gel technique as a drug delivery system. The synthesis of MCM-41/hydroxyapatite nanocomposite was carried out at room temperature. The effect of various ageing time on the nanocomposite properties was studied during synthesis process. 0, 24, 36, and 48 h aging times were chosen. Textural properties and microstructure of the nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Electron Diffraction pattern (ED), and N2 adsorption-desorption. Results showed that ageing process led to HA crystals nucleation and growth on the surface of mesoporous silica. At 48 h of aging time, the surface area and total pore volume increased from 36.2 to 334 m2/g and 0.14-0.7 cm3/g, respectively. In contrast, the average pore diameter considerably decreased from 20.1 nm for (MCM-41/HA)24 to 8.39 nm for (MCM-41/HA)48. Furthermore, it was observed more homogeneous pore distribution with increasing the ageing time. In conclusion, the ageing time play an important role on textural properties of MCM-41/HA nanocomposite which could have a major effect on drug delivery properties such as molecular loading and release kinetics.

The Issue of Age Estimation in a Modern Skeletal Population: Are Even the More Modern Current Aging Methods Satisfactory for the Elderly?

PubMed

Cappella, Annalisa; Cummaudo, Marco; Arrigoni, Elena; Collini, Federica; Cattaneo, Cristina

2017-01-01

The main idea behind age assessment in adults is related to the analysis of the physiological degeneration of particular skeletal structures with age. The main issues with these procedures are due to the fact that they have not been tested on different modern populations and in different taphonomic contexts and that they tend to underestimate the age of older individuals. The purpose of this study was to test the applicability and the reliability of these methods on a contemporary population of skeletal remains of 145 elderly individuals of known sex and age. The results show that, due to taphonomic influences, some skeletal sites showed a lower survival. Therefore, the methods with the highest percentage of applicability were Lovejoy (89.6%) and Rougé-Maillart (81.3%), followed by Suchey-Brooks (59.3%), and those with the lowest percentage of applicability were Beauthier (26.2%) and Iscan (22.7%). In addition, this research has shown how for older adults the study of both acetabulum and auricular surface may be more reliable for aging. This is also in accordance with the fact that auricular surface and the acetabulum are the areas more frequently surviving taphonomic insult. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Changes in ectocervical surface area in women throughout pregnancy compared to non-pregnant and postpartum states.

PubMed

Qian, Xueya; Jiang, Yanmin; Liu, Lei; Shi, Shao-Qing; Garfield, Robert E; Liu, Huishu

2016-11-01

The objective of this study is to estimate changes in the surface area of the ectocervix (CA) in women during pregnancy and compare this to postpartum and non-pregnant states. CA was evaluated in 210 normal nulliparous women divided into groups from early to late gestation, 40 postpartum women, and 25 non-pregnant women. CA in cm(2) was estimated from analysis of images taken with an endoscope of the cervical face and an mm scale. An mm scale was also used to determine fornix length and fornix area computed. The face, fornix, and total areas of the CA of non-pregnant and postpartum groups are significantly smaller (p < 0.001) than these areas in groups during pregnancy. Generally, the CA of the face, fornix, and total area are also less in early pregnancy compared with late gestation (p < 0.01 to <0.001). Total CA correlates with gestational age (r = 0.196, p < 0.004). (1) During pregnancy, CA slowly and progressively increases to >75% area compared with CA of non-pregnant patients and then reverts back to low CA postpartum. (2) Increases in CA during pregnancy occur in both the face and fornix areas. (3) Increases in CA reflect enlargement in cervical volume and remodeling during pregnancy.

PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO MATERNAL AND PATERNAL DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND BRAIN MORPHOLOGY: A POPULATION-BASED PROSPECTIVE NEUROIMAGING STUDY IN YOUNG CHILDREN.

PubMed

El Marroun, Hanan; Tiemeier, Henning; Muetzel, Ryan L; Thijssen, Sandra; van der Knaap, Noortje J F; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Fernández, Guillén; Verhulst, Frank C; White, Tonya J H

2016-07-01

Prenatal depressive symptoms have been associated with multiple adverse outcomes. Previously, we demonstrated that prenatal depressive symptoms were associated with impaired growth of the fetus and increased behavioral problems in children aged between 1.5 and 6 years. In this prospective study, we aimed to assess whether prenatal maternal depressive symptoms at 3 years have long-term consequences on brain development in a cohort of children aged 6-10 years. As a contrast, the association of paternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy and brain morphology was assessed to serve as a marker of background confounding due to shared genetic and environmental family factors. We assessed parental depressive symptoms during pregnancy with the Brief Symptom Inventory. At approximately 8 years of age, we collected structural neuroimaging data, using cortical thickness, surface area, and gyrification as outcomes (n = 654). We found that exposure to prenatal maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy was associated with a thinner superior frontal cortex in the left hemisphere. Additionally, prenatal maternal depressive symptoms were related to larger caudal middle frontal area in the left hemisphere. Maternal depressive symptoms at 3 years were not associated with cortical thickness, surface area, or gyrification in the left and right hemispheres. No effects of paternal depressive symptoms on brain morphology were observed. Prenatal maternal depressive symptoms were associated with differences in brain morphology in children. It is important to prevent, identify, and treat depressive symptoms during pregnancy as it may have long-term consequences on child brain development. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Thyroid Volume and Its Relation to Anthropometric Measures in a Healthy Cuban Population

PubMed Central

Turcios, Silvia; Lence-Anta, Juan J.; Santana, Jose-Luis; Pereda, Celia M.; Velasco, Milagros; Chappe, Mae; Infante, Idalmis; Bustillo, Marlene; García, Anabel; Clero, Enora; Maillard, Stephane; Rodriguez, Regla; Xhaard, Constance; Ren, Yan; Rubino, Carole; Ortiz, Rosa M.; de Vathaire, Florent

2015-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to describe the thyroid volume in healthy adults by ultrasound and to correlate this volume with some anthropometric measures and other differentiated thyroid cancer risk factors. Study Design Thyroid volume and anthropometric measures were recorded in a sample of 100 healthy adults, including 21 men and 79 women aged 18-50 years, living in a non-iodine-deficient area of Havana city. Results The average thyroid volume was 6.6 ± 0.26 ml; it was higher in men (7.3 ml) than in women (6.4 ml; p = 0.15). In the univariate analysis, thyroid volume was correlated with all anthropometric measures, but in the multivariate analysis, body surface area was found to be the only significant anthropometric parameter. Thyroid volume was also higher in current or former smokers and in persons with blood group AB or B. Conclusion Specific reference values of thyroid volume as a function of body surface area could be used for evaluating thyroid volume in clinical practice. The relation between body surface area and thyroid volume is coherent with what is known about the relation of thyroid volume to thyroid cancer risk, but the same is not true about the relation between thyroid volume and smoking habit. PMID:25960963

Distribution and ventilation of water masses in the western Ross Sea inferred from CFC measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivaro, Paola; Ianni, Carmela; Magi, Emanuele; Massolo, Serena; Budillon, Giorgio; Smethie, William M.

2015-03-01

During the CLIMA Project (R.V. Italica cruise PNRA XVI, January-February 2001), hydrographic and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) observations were obtained, particularly in the western Ross Sea. Their distribution demonstrated water mass structure and ventilation processes in the investigated areas. In the surface waters (AASW) the CFC saturation levels varied spatially: CFCs were undersaturated in all the areas (range from 80 to 90%), with the exception of few stations sampled near Ross Island. In particular, the Terra Nova Bay polynya, where high salinity shelf water (HSSW) is produced, was a low-saturated surface area (74%) with respect to CFCs. Throughout most of the shelf area, the presence of modified circumpolar deep water (MCDW) was reflected in a mid-depth CFC concentration minima. Beneath the MCDW, CFC concentrations generally increased in the shelf waters towards the seafloor. We estimated that the corresponding CFCs saturation level in the source water region for HSSW was about 68-70%. Waters with high CFC concentrations were detected in the western Ross Sea on the down slope side of the Drygalski Trough, indicating that AABW was being supplied to the deep Antarctic Basin. Estimates of ventilation ages depend strongly on the saturation levels. We calculated ventilation ages using the saturation level calibrated tracer ratio, CFC11/CFC12. We deduced a mean residence time of the shelf waters of about 6-7 years between the western Ross Sea source and the shelf break.

Modeling nearshore-offshore exchange in Lake Superior

PubMed Central

Tokos, Kathy S.; Matsumoto, Katsumi

2018-01-01

Lake Superior′s ecosystem includes distinct nearshore and offshore food webs linked by hydrodynamic processes that transport water and tracers along and across shore. The scales over which these processes occur and their sensitivity to increasing summer surface temperatures are not well understood. This study investigated horizontal mixing between nearshore and offshore areas of Lake Superior over the 10-year period from 2003 to 2012 using a realistically forced three-dimensional numerical model and virtual tracers. An age tracer was used to characterize the time scales of horizontal mixing between nearshore areas of the lake where water depth is less than 100 m and deeper areas. The age of water in nearshore areas increased and decreased in an annual cycle corresponding to the lake′s dimictic cycle of vertical mixing and stratification. Interannual variability of mixing in the isothermal period was significantly correlated to average springtime wind speed, whereas variability during the stratified season was correlated to the average summer surface temperature. Dispersal of a passive tracer released from nine locations around the model lake’s perimeter was more extensive in late summer when stratification was established lakewide than in early summer. The distribution of eddies resolved in the model reflected differences between the early and late summer dispersal patterns. In the eastern part of the lake dispersal was primarily alongshore, reflecting counterclockwise coastal circulation. In the western part of the lake, cross-shore mixing was enhanced by cross-basin currents. PMID:29447286

Hooded seal Cystophora cristata foraging areas in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean—Investigated using three complementary methods

PubMed Central

Lydersen, Christian; Biuw, Martin; Haug, Tore; Fedak, Mike A.; Kovacs, Kit M.

2017-01-01

Identifying environmental characteristics that define the ecological niche of a species is essential to understanding how changes in physical conditions might affect its distribution and other aspects of its ecology. The present study used satellite relay data loggers (SRDLs) to study habitat use by Northeast Atlantic hooded seals (N = 20; 9 adult females, 3 adult males, and 8 juveniles). Three different methods were used in combination to achieve maximum insight regarding key foraging areas for hooded seals in this region, which have decline by 85% in recent decades: 1) first passage time (FPT); 2) vertical transit rate and; 3) change in dive drift rate. Generalized additive mixed models (GAMM) were applied to each method to determine whether specific habitat characteristics were associated with foraging. Separate models were run for the post-molting and the post-breeding seasons; sex and age classes were included in the GAMMs. All three methods highlighted a few common geographic areas as being important foraging zones; however, there were also some different areas identified by the different methods, which highlights the importance of using multiple indexes when analyzing tracking and diving data to study foraging behavior. Foraging occurred most commonly in relatively shallow areas with high Sea Surface Temperatures (SST), corresponding to continental shelf areas with Atlantic Water masses. All age and sex classes overlapped spatially to some extent, but the different age and sex groups showed differences in the bathymetry of their foraging areas as well as in their vertical use of the water column. When foraging, pups dove in the upper part of the water column in relatively deep areas. Adult females foraged relatively shallowly in deep water areas too, though in shallower areas than pups. Adult males foraged close to the bottom in shallower areas. PMID:29211797

Bedrock-surface altitude in the midwestern basins and arches region of Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bunner, Danny W.

1993-01-01

The Midwestern Basins and Arches Regional Aquifer-Systems Analysis (RASA) is one of 28 projects that were identified by Congress in 1978, after a period of severe drought, to be studied by the U.S. Geological Survey (Sun, 1984).  The Midwestern Basins and Arches RASA study area in parts of Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois is defined by either the limestone-shale contact of rocks of Devonian age or by the contact of the land with surface-water bodies (fig. 1).

Potential Impacts from Using Photoactive Roads as AN Air Quality Mitigation Strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toro, C.; Jobson, B. T.; Shen, S.; Chung, S. H.; Haselbach, L.

2013-12-01

Mobile sources are major contributors to photochemical air pollution in urban areas. It has been proposed that the use of TiO2 coated roadways ('photoactive roads') could be an effective approach to reduce mobile source emissions by oxidizing NOx and VOC emissions at the roadway surface. However, studies have shown that formation of HONO and aldehydes can occur from some TiO2 treated surfaces during the photocatalytic oxidation of NOx and VOC, respectively. By changing the NOx-to-VOC ratio and generating photolabile HOx radical precursors, photoactive roads may enhance ozone formation rates in urban areas. In this work we present results that quantify NOx and VOC loss rates onto TiO2 treated asphalt and concrete samples, as well as HONO and aldehydes yields that result from the photocatalytic process. The treatment used a commercially available product. These objectives are relevant considering that the quantification of pollutant loss rates and yields of byproducts have not been determined for asphalt and that in the US more than 90% of the roadway surface is made of this material. Surface reaction probabilities (γ) and byproduct yields were determined using a CSTR photochemical chamber under varying conditions of water vapor and UV-A light intensity. Our results indicate that asphalt surfaces have a significantly higher molar yield of HONO compared to concrete surfaces with similar TiO2 loading. Concrete surfaces have reaction probabilities with NO one order of magnitude higher than asphalt samples. Fresh asphalt samples showed negligible photocatalytic activity, presumably due to absorption of TiO2 into the bitumen substrate. Laboratory-prepared asphalt samples with a higher degree of exposed aggregates showed increased HONO molar yields when compared to real-road asphalt samples, whose HONO molar yield was ~1%. Preliminary results for aldehydes formation showed similar molar yields between aged asphalt and concrete, even though aged asphalt samples had twice the TiO2 loading than concrete samples.

Specimen geometry effects on graphite/PMR-15 composites during thermo-oxidative aging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowles, K. J.; Meyers, A.

1986-01-01

Studies were conducted to establish the effects of specimen geometry on the thermo-oxidative stability and the mechanical properties retention of unidirectional Celion 12000 graphite fiber reinforced PMR-15 polyimide composites. Weight loss, flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength are measured at isothermal aging times as long as 1639 hr at a temperature of 316 C for three different specimen geometries. It is found that the three different types of specimen surfaces exhibit different values of weight loss/unit area. The mechanical properties retention is also found to be dependent on geometry for these composites. The interlaminar shear strength decreases significantly over the complete range of aging times. The flexural strength retention starts showing geometric dependency after about 1000 hr of aging at 316C. Weight loss fluxes, associated with the three different types of exposed surfaces, are calculated and used to develop an empirical mathematical model for predicting the weight loss behavior of unidirectional composites of arbitrary geometries. Data are presented comparing experimentally determined weight loss with weight loss values predicted using the empirical model.

Specimen geometry effects on graphite/PMR-15 composites during thermo-oxidative aging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowles, K. J.; Meyers, A.

1986-01-01

Studies were conducted to establish the effects of specimen geometry on the thermo-oxidative stability and the mechanical properties retention of unidirectional Celion 12000 graphite fiber reinforced PMR-15 polyimide composites. Weight loss, flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength are measured at isothermal aging times as long as 1639 hr at a temperature of 316 C for three different specimen geometries. It is found that the three different types of specimen surfaces exhibit different values of weight loss/unit area. The mechanical properties retention is also found to be dependent on geometry for these composites. The interlaminar shear strength decreases significantly over the complete range of aging times. The flexural strength retention starts showing geometric dependency after about 1000 hr of aging at 316 C. Weight loss fluxes, associated with the three different types of exposed surfaces, are calculated and used to develop an empirical mathematical model for predicting the weight loss behavior of unidirectional composites of arbitrary geometries. Data are presented comparing experimentally determined weight loss with weight loss values predicted using the empirical model.

Determination of retinal surface area.

PubMed

Nagra, Manbir; Gilmartin, Bernard; Thai, Ngoc Jade; Logan, Nicola S

2017-09-01

Previous attempts at determining retinal surface area and surface area of the whole eye have been based upon mathematical calculations derived from retinal photographs, schematic eyes and retinal biopsies of donor eyes. 3-dimensional (3-D) ocular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows a more direct measurement, it can be used to image the eye in vivo, and there is no risk of tissue shrinkage. The primary purpose of this study is to compare, using T2-weighted 3D MRI, retinal surface areas for superior-temporal (ST), inferior-temporal (IT), superior-nasal (SN) and inferior-nasal (IN) retinal quadrants. An ancillary aim is to examine whether inter-quadrant variations in area are concordant with reported inter-quadrant patterns of susceptibility to retinal breaks associated with posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). Seventy-three adult participants presenting without retinal pathology (mean age 26.25 ± 6.06 years) were scanned using a Siemens 3-Tesla MRI scanner to provide T2-weighted MR images that demarcate fluid-filled internal structures for the whole eye and provide high-contrast delineation of the vitreous-retina interface. Integrated MRI software generated total internal ocular surface area (TSA). The second nodal point was used to demarcate the origin of the peripheral retina in order to calculate total retinal surface area (RSA) and quadrant retinal surface areas (QRSA) for ST, IT, SN, and IN quadrants. Mean spherical error (MSE) was -2.50 ± 4.03D and mean axial length (AL) 24.51 ± 1.57 mm. Mean TSA and RSA for the RE were 2058 ± 189 and 1363 ± 160 mm 2 , respectively. Repeated measures anova for QRSA data indicated a significant difference within-quadrants (P < 0.01) which, contrasted with ST (365 ± 43 mm 2 ), was significant for IT (340 ± 40 mm 2 P < 0.01), SN (337 ± 40 mm 2 P < 0.01) and IN (321 ± 39 mm 2 P < 0.01) quadrants. For all quadrants, QRSA was significantly correlated with AL (P < 0.01) and exhibited equivalent increases in retinal area/mm increase in AL. Although the differences between QRSAs are relatively small, there was evidence of concordance with reported inter-quadrant patterns of susceptibility to retinal breaks associated with PVD. The data allow AL to be converted to QRSAs, which will assist further work on inter-quadrant structural variation. © 2017 Anatomical Society.

Relationship between iris surface features and angle width in Asian eyes.

PubMed

Sidhartha, Elizabeth; Nongpiur, Monisha Esther; Cheung, Carol Y; He, Mingguang; Wong, Tien Yin; Aung, Tin; Cheng, Ching-Yu

2014-10-23

To examine the associations between iris surface features with anterior chamber angle width in Asian eyes. In this prospective cross-sectional study, we recruited 600 subjects from a large population-based study, the Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases (SEED) study. We obtained standardized digital slit-lamp iris photographs and graded the iris crypts (by number and size), furrows (by number and circumferential extent), and color (higher grade denoting darker iris). Vertical and horizontal cross-sections of anterior chamber were imaged using anterior segment optical coherence tomography. Angle opening distance (AOD), angle recess area (ARA), and trabecular-iris space area (TISA) were measured using customized software. Associations of the angle width with the iris surface features in the subject's right eyes were assessed using linear regression analysis. A total of 464 eyes of the 464 subjects (mean age: 57.5 ± 8.6 years) had complete and gradable data for crypts and color, and 423 eyes had gradable data for furrows. After adjustment for age, sex, ethnicity, pupil size, and corneal arcus, higher crypt grade was independently associated with wider AOD750 (β [change in angle width per grade higher] = 0.018, P = 0.023), ARA750 (β = 0.022, P = 0.049), and TISA750 (β = 0.011, P = 0.019), and darker iris was associated narrower ARA750 (β = -0.025, P = 0.044) and TISA750 (β = -0.013, P = 0.011). Iris surface features, assessed and measured from slit-lamp photographs, correlated well with anterior chamber angle width; irises with more crypts and lighter color were associated with wider angle. These findings may provide another imaging modality to assess angle closure risk based on iris surface features. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

Photocatalytic activity of low temperature oxidized Ti-6Al-4V.

PubMed

Unosson, Erik; Persson, Cecilia; Welch, Ken; Engqvist, Håkan

2012-05-01

Numerous advanced surface modification techniques exist to improve bone integration and antibacterial properties of titanium based implants and prostheses. A simple and straightforward method of obtaining uniform and controlled TiO(2) coatings of devices with complex shapes is H(2)O(2)-oxidation and hot water aging. Based on the photoactivated bactericidal properties of TiO(2), this study was aimed at optimizing the treatment to achieve high photocatalytic activity. Ti-6Al-4V samples were H(2)O(2)-oxidized and hot water aged for up to 24 and 72 h, respectively. Degradation measurements of rhodamine B during UV-A illumination of samples showed a near linear relationship between photocatalytic activity and total treatment time, and a nanoporous coating was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction showed a gradual decrease in crystallinity of the surface layer, suggesting that the increase in surface area rather than anatase formation was responsible for the increase in photocatalytic activity.

Urinary perchlorate exposure and risk in women of reproductive age in a fireworks production area of China.

PubMed

Li, Qin; Yu, Yun-jiang; Wang, Fei-fei; Chen, Shi-wu; Yin, Yan; Lin, Hai-peng; Che, Fei; Sun, Peng; Qin, Juan; Liu, Jie; Wang, Hong-mei

2014-07-01

Perchlorate is used widely in fireworks, and, if ingested, it has the potential to disrupt thyroid function. The concentrations of perchlorate in water and soil samples and in urine samples of women of reproductive age from Liuyang, the largest fireworks production area in China, were investigated. The results showed that the average perchlorate concentrations in groundwater, surface water, farmland soil, and urine samples of women from the fireworks production area were significantly greater than those from the control area. The health risk of perchlorate ingested through drinking water was assessed based on the mode recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The values of hazard quotient of river water and groundwater in the fireworks production area were much greater than the safe level (=1), which indicates that adverse health effects may result from perchlorate when these sources of water are used as drinking water. These results indicated that the environment of the fireworks production area has been polluted by perchlorate and that residents were and are facing greater exposure doses of perchlorate. Fireworks production enterprises may be a major source of perchlorate contamination.

Ground-water resources of the South Platte River Basin in western Adams and southwestern Weld Counties, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Rex O.; Schneider, P.A.; Petri, Lester R.

1964-01-01

The area described in this report consists of about 970 square miles in western Adams and southwestern Weld Counties in northeastern Colorado. It includes that part of the South Platte River valley between Denver and Kuner, Colo., all of Beebe Draw, and the lower part of the valley of Box Elder Creek. The stream-valley lowlands are separated by rolling uplands. The climate is semiarid, the normal annual precipitation being about 13 inches; thus, irrigation is essential for stable agricultural development. The area contains about 220,000 acres of irrigated land in the stream valleys. Most of the remaining 400,000 acres of land is used for dry farming or grazing because it lacks irrigation water. Most of the lowlands were brought under irrigation with surface water during the early 1900's, and now nearly all the surface water in the area is appropriated for irrigation within and downstream from the area. Because the natural flow of the streams is sometimes less than the demand for water, ground water is used to supplement the surface-water supply. Wells, drilled chiefly since 1930, supply the supplemental water and in some places are the sole supply for irrigation use. Rocks exposed in the area are of sedimentary origin and range in age from Lato Cretaceous to Recent. Those that are consolidated, called 'bedrock' in this report, consist of the Fox Hills sandstone and the Laramie and Arapahoe formations, all of Late Cretaceous age, and the Denver formation and Dawson arkose of Late Cretaceous and Tertiary age. The surface of the bedrock was shaped by ancestral streams, the valleys of which are reflected by the present surface topography. Dune sand, slope wash, and thin upland deposits of Quaternary age mantle the bedrock in the divide areas, and stream deposits ranging in thickness from 0 to about 125 feet partly fill the ancestral valleys. The valley-fill deposits consist of beds and lenses of clay, silt, sand, gravel, cobbles, and boulders. Abundant supplies of ground water for irrigation, municipal, and industrial use are obtained in the principal stream valleys from wells tapping valley-fill deposits beneath the flood plain and bordering terraces. Many domestic and stock wells obtain water from the unconsolidated deposits both on the uplands and in the valleys. The ground water in the valley-fill deposits generally is unconfined but in a few places is under slight artesian pressure. The bedrock formations yield small to moderate supplies of water to municipal, industrial, domestic, and stock wells, but the yields are not sufficient for irrigation. Ground water in the South Platte River valley moves downstream and toward the river and is discharged into the river. The direction of ground-water movement in Beebe Draw and Box Elder Creek valley is nearly parallel to the streams. Beebe Seep, the stream in Beebe Draw, gains water from the groundwater reservoir in some reaches and loses water in others, but Box Elder Creek loses water to the ground-water reservoir throughout its course especially during floods. The shape and slope of the water table are affected chiefly by the permeability of the valley-fill deposits, the location and altitude of the areas of recharge and discharge, and the configuration of the underlying bedrock floor. The depth to water in the South Platte River valley ranges from less than 1 foot beneath the flood plain to as much as 80 feet beneath the terraces. In Beebe Draw the depth to water ranges from less than 1 foot to about 60 feet and in Box Elder Creek valley from about 5 feet to about 40 feet. During the period of record the annual fluctuation of water levels in wells in the area has ranged from 2 to 13 feet. Precipitation within the area and infiltrating water from irrigated tracts, reservoirs, canals, and streams are the principal sources of recharge to the ground-water reservoir; some recharge results from underflow from outside the area. Ground water is discharged by evapotranspiratio

Forensic age estimation by morphometric analysis of the manubrium from 3D MR images.

PubMed

Martínez Vera, Naira P; Höller, Johannes; Widek, Thomas; Neumayer, Bernhard; Ehammer, Thomas; Urschler, Martin

2017-08-01

Forensic age estimation research based on skeletal structures focuses on patterns of growth and development using different bones. In this work, our aim was to study growth-related evolution of the manubrium in living adolescents and young adults using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is an image acquisition modality that does not involve ionizing radiation. In a first step, individual manubrium and subject features were correlated with age, which confirmed a statistically significant change of manubrium volume (M vol :p<0.01, R 2 ¯=0.50) and surface area (M sur :p<0.01, R 2 ¯=0.53) for the studied age range. Additionally, shapes of the manubria were for the first time investigated using principal component analysis. The decomposition of the data in principal components allowed to analyse the contribution of each component to total shape variation. With 13 principal components, ∼96% of shape variation could be described (M shp :p<0.01, R 2 ¯=0.60). Multiple linear regression analysis modelled the relationship between the statistically best correlated variables and age. Models including manubrium shape, volume or surface area divided by the height of the subject (Y∼M shp M sur /S h :p<0.01, R 2 ¯=0.71; Y∼M shp M vol /S h :p<0.01, R 2 ¯=0.72) presented a standard error of estimate of two years. In order to estimate the accuracy of these two manubrium-based age estimation models, cross validation experiments predicting age on held-out test sets were performed. Median absolute difference of predicted and known chronological age was 1.18 years for the best performing model (Y∼M shp M sur /S h :p<0.01, R p 2 =0.67). In conclusion, despite limitations in determining legal majority age, manubrium morphometry analysis presented statistically significant results for skeletal age estimation, which indicates that this bone structure may be considered as a new candidate in multi-factorial MRI-based age estimation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stratigraphy and surface ages on Iapetus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmedemann, N.; Denk, T.; Wagner, R.; Neukum, G.

2007-08-01

Introduction: The examination of the geologic history of Iapetus is a major goal of the Cassini imaging experiment (ISS). Crater counting for the determination of model ages is a powerful tool to understand stratigraphic relationships between different terrain units (e.g., Neukum 1983, Neukum et al. 1998). In the case of Iapetus (Porco et al. 2005), the situation is unusual because this moon has a very large semi-major axis, resulting in unusually low relative velocities of planetocentric impactors. Nevertheless, the surface of Iapetus is heavily cratered, indicating a rather old surface. The shapes of the measured crater-size frequency distributions follow very closely the distribution of Earth's moon (after correction for the different impact conditions) (Neukum et al. 2006), justifying its usage here for model age determinations. Castillo-Rogez et al. (2007) suggest that the formation of Iapetus has occurred very precisely between 4.5622 and 4.5647 Ga ago. Assuming it took roughly 100 Ma for formation of a rigid surface which is able to hold the cratering record, absolute surface (model) ages can be calibrated to these boundary conditions. Stratigraphy: At the time of this writing, four different surface areas were investigated so far for stratigraphic comparison: 1. A small part of the ridge near 96°W longitude; 2. an "average" dark terrain sample north of the ridge; 3. the "landslide" crater (diameter ˜ 120 km; 6°N/36°W) in the south western part of a huge basin, and its surroundings; 4. a large, 420 km diameter basin on the leading side of Iapetus (34°N, 80°W). Following the models of Castillo-Rogez and Neukum, an age of 4.4 Ga is expected for the oldest parts of Iapetus' surface, which is actually found at the equatorial ridge and on the "average" terrain north of the ridge. The "landslide crater" and the landslide partly covering the crater and a neighboring area in the northwest are a few hundred million years younger (˜4.1 Ga). Thus, the idea that the impact event might have triggered the landslide is consistent with the data. The surroundings of the "landslide crater" are covered by its ejecta blankets to different degrees. Further away from the crater, the ejecta blanket is thinner, and the former underlying surface (especially the larger craters) is still visible. This results in a mixed age from the blanket and the former surface. The model age of the investigated basin on the leading side of Iapetus is 4.3 Ga. The crater statistics of the outer part of the basin, which is characterised by multiple ring structures, shows evidence of surviving of larger craters in the course of basin formation. References: Castillo-Rogez J.C., D.L. Matson, C. Sotin, T.V. Johnson, J.I. Lunine, P.C. Thomas (2007): Iapetus' Geophysics: Rotation Rate, Shape, and Equatorial Ridge, Icarus, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2007.02.018 Neukum, G. (1983): Meteoritenbombardement und Datierung planetarer Oberflächen, Habilitation Dissertation for Faculty Membership, Ludwig-Maximilians Univ. München, Munich, Germany, 186 pp. Neukum, G., R. Wagner, U. Wolf, B.A. Ivanov, J.W. Head, R. T. Pappalardo, J.E. Klemaszewski, R. Greeley, M.J.S. Belton, and Galileo SSI Team (1998): Cratering chronology in the Jovian system and derivation of absolute ages, Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. 29th, abstr. No. 1742 [CD-Rom] Neukum, G.; Wagner, R.; Wolf, U.; Denk, T. (2006): The Cratering Record and Cratering Chronologies of the Saturnian Satellites and the Origin of Impactors: Results from Cassini ISS Data, European Planetary Science Congress 2006. Berlin, Germany, 18 - 22 September 2006., p.610 Porco, C.C., et al. (2005): Cassini Imaging Science: Initial Results on Phoebe and Iapetus, Science 307, 1237-1242.

[Spatial pattern of land surface dead combustible fuel load in Huzhong forest area in Great Xing'an Mountains].

PubMed

Liu, Zhi-Hua; Chang, Yu; Chen, Hong-Wei; Zhou, Rui; Jing, Guo-Zhi; Zhang, Hong-Xin; Zhang, Chang-Meng

2008-03-01

By using geo-statistics and based on time-lag classification standard, a comparative study was made on the land surface dead combustible fuels in Huzhong forest area in Great Xing'an Mountains. The results indicated that the first level land surface dead combustible fuel, i. e., 1 h time-lag dead fuel, presented stronger spatial auto-correlation, with an average of 762.35 g x m(-2) and contributing to 55.54% of the total load. Its determining factors were species composition and stand age. The second and third levels land surface dead combustible fuel, i. e., 10 h and 100 h time-lag dead fuels, had a sum of 610.26 g x m(-2), and presented weaker spatial auto-correlation than 1 h time-lag dead fuel. Their determining factor was the disturbance history of forest stand. The complexity and heterogeneity of the factors determining the quality and quantity of forest land surface dead combustible fuels were the main reasons for the relatively inaccurate interpolation. However, the utilization of field survey data coupled with geo-statistics could easily and accurately interpolate the spatial pattern of forest land surface dead combustible fuel loads, and indirectly provide a practical basis for forest management.

Snow specific surface area simulation using the one-layer snow model in the Canadian LAnd Surface Scheme (CLASS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, A.; Royer, A.; Montpetit, B.; Bartlett, P. A.; Langlois, A.

2012-12-01

Snow grain size is a key parameter for modeling microwave snow emission properties and the surface energy balance because of its influence on the snow albedo, thermal conductivity and diffusivity. A model of the specific surface area (SSA) of snow was implemented in the one-layer snow model in the Canadian LAnd Surface Scheme (CLASS) version 3.4. This offline multilayer model (CLASS-SSA) simulates the decrease of SSA based on snow age, snow temperature and the temperature gradient under dry snow conditions, whereas it considers the liquid water content for wet snow metamorphism. We compare the model with ground-based measurements from several sites (alpine, Arctic and sub-Arctic) with different types of snow. The model provides simulated SSA in good agreement with measurements with an overall point-to-point comparison RMSE of 8.1 m2 kg-1, and a RMSE of 4.9 m2 kg-1 for the snowpack average SSA. The model, however, is limited under wet conditions due to the single-layer nature of the CLASS model, leading to a single liquid water content value for the whole snowpack. The SSA simulations are of great interest for satellite passive microwave brightness temperature assimilations, snow mass balance retrievals and surface energy balance calculations with associated climate feedbacks.

Bioactive glasses containing Au nanoparticles. Effect of calcination temperature on structure, morphology, and surface properties.

PubMed

Lusvardi, Gigliola; Malavasi, Gianluca; Aina, Valentina; Bertinetti, Luca; Cerrato, Giuseppina; Magnacca, Giuliana; Morterra, Claudio; Menabue, Ledi

2010-06-15

Bioactive glasses containing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been synthesized via the sol-gel route using HAuCl(4) x 3 H(2)O as gold precursor. The formation process of AuNPs was studied as a function of the thermal treatment, which induces nucleation of Au particles and influences their nature, optical properties, shape, size, and distribution. The physicochemical characterization indicates that the sample treated at 600 degrees C presents the best characteristics to be used as a bioactive material, namely high surface area, high amount of AuNPs located at the glass surface, presence of micropores, and abundant surface OH groups. In the case of samples either aged at 60 degrees C or calcined at 150 degrees C, AuNPs just begin their formation, and at this stage the gel is not completely polymerized and dried yet. A thermal treatment at higher temperatures (900 degrees C) causes the aggregation of AuNPs, forming "AuMPs" (i.e., Au microparticles) in a densified glass-ceramic material with low surface area, absence of pores, and low number of surface OH groups. These features induce in the glass-ceramic materials treated at high-temperatures a lower bioactivity (evidenced by SBF reaction), as compared with that exhibited by the glass samples treated at 600 degrees C.

Martian Buried Basins and Implications for Characteristics of the Burial Layer and Underlying Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarid, A. R.; Frey, H. V.; Roark, J. H.

2003-01-01

Deciphering the cratering record on Mars has been challenging because it may reflect the changes in both the population of impactors and in the resurfacing processes on Mars. However, it is possible to determine the breadth of impactors captured in the cratering record. Extensive areas of resurfacing are of particular interest because they likely contain material from various ages in Martian history. By deducing the impact populations in both surface and underlying layers of terrain, it is possible to determine the age of the layers and constrain theories on the development of the Martian surface. However, to do so requires a method of seeing impact features which are no longer visible. Topographic data of Mars, taken by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), has revealed impact features buried by resurfacing processes. These features are often indistinguishable on Viking images of the Martian surface. In this study, gridded MOLA data was analyzed in order to locate buried impact features, also called buried basins, in Syria, Solis, and Sinai Planum just south of Valles Marineris. The population statistics of buried features can be compared to those of visible features in order to determine the age of the underlying material and characteristics of the surface cover. Specifically, if the buried population in the Hesperian terrain is similar to the population of visible features in the Noachian, it would suggest that the underlying terrain is Noachian in age. The buried craters can then be compared to visible Noachian craters to reveal the amount of deterioration of the buried features. These comparisons allow us to explore the morphology of the terrain in the Hesperian region to determine if topographic variations are due to differences in the thickness of the overlying material or are a characteristic of the underlying terrain.

Organizing Principles of Human Cortical Development--Thickness and Area from 4 to 30 Years: Insights from Comparative Primate Neuroanatomy.

PubMed

Amlien, Inge K; Fjell, Anders M; Tamnes, Christian K; Grydeland, Håkon; Krogsrud, Stine K; Chaplin, Tristan A; Rosa, Marcello G P; Walhovd, Kristine B

2016-01-01

The human cerebral cortex undergoes a protracted, regionally heterogeneous development well into young adulthood. Cortical areas that expand the most during human development correspond to those that differ most markedly when the brains of macaque monkeys and humans are compared. However, it remains unclear to what extent this relationship derives from allometric scaling laws that apply to primate brains in general, or represents unique evolutionary adaptations. Furthermore, it is unknown whether the relationship only applies to surface area (SA), or also holds for cortical thickness (CT). In 331 participants aged 4 to 30, we calculated age functions of SA and CT, and examined the correspondence of human cortical development with macaque to human expansion, and with expansion across nonhuman primates. CT followed a linear negative age function from 4 to 30 years, while SA showed positive age functions until 12 years with little further development. Differential cortical expansion across primates was related to regional maturation of SA and CT, with age trajectories differing between high- and low-expanding cortical regions. This relationship adhered to allometric scaling laws rather than representing uniquely macaque-human differences: regional correspondence with human development was as large for expansion across nonhuman primates as between humans and macaque. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

New Technologies for Repairing Aging Cables in Nuclear Power Plants: M3LW-14OR0404015 Cable Rejuvenation Report

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

Simmons, Kevin L.; Fifield, Leonard S.; Westman, Matthew P.

The goal of this project is to conceptually demonstrate techniques to repair cables that have degraded through subjection to long-term thermal and radiation exposure in nuclear power plants. In fiscal year 2014 (FY14) we focused on commercially available ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR) as the relevant test material, isolated a high surface area form of the EPR material to facilitate chemical treatment screening and charaterization, and measured chemical changes in the material due to aging and treatment using Fourier Transfrom Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.

MX Siting Investigation. Volume IIB. Geotechnical Report, Yuma Proving Grounds/Luke-Williams Bombing and Gunnery Range (YPG/LWBGR).

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-06-30

Appendix B) to indicate relative ages within YPG and LWBGR, but not to imply necessarily that they are correlative NATIONAL, INC. 32 between the two areas...They are Tertiary in age (Lance, 1960), but cannot easily be differentiated from Tertiary fanglomerate (well- cemented fan) without field checking. The...portion of the valleys. A coarse-grained facies of these and related deposits (A5c and ASCu ), where the surface is o ATIu ,Mo IL I I 36 estimated to be

Applying downscaled Global Climate Model data to a groundwater model of the Suwannee River Basin, Florida, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swain, Eric D.; Davis, J. Hal

2016-01-01

The higher future rainfall causes simulated groundwater levels to rise in areas where they are deep and have little ET in either the recent or future case. However, in areas where groundwater levels were originally near the surface, the greater future ET causes groundwater levels to become lower despite the higher projected rainfall. The general implication is that unsaturated zone depth could be more spatially uniform in the future and vegetation that requires a range of conditions (substantially wetter or drier than aver¬age) could be detrimentally affected. This vegetation would include wetland species, especially in areas inland from the coast.

Detection of coffee flavour ageing by solid-phase microextraction/surface acoustic wave sensor array technique (SPME/SAW).

PubMed

Barié, Nicole; Bücking, Mark; Stahl, Ullrich; Rapp, Michael

2015-06-01

The use of polymer coated surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor arrays is a very promising technique for highly sensitive and selective detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We present new developments to achieve a low cost sensor setup with a sampling method enabling the highly reproducible detection of volatiles even in the ppb range. Since the VOCs of coffee are well known by gas chromatography (GC) research studies, the new sensor array was tested for an easy assessable objective: coffee ageing during storage. As reference method these changes were traced with a standard GC/FID set-up, accompanied by sensory panellists. The evaluation of GC data showed a non-linear characteristic for single compound concentrations as well as for total peak area values, disabling prediction of the coffee age. In contrast, the new SAW sensor array demonstrates a linear dependency, i.e. being capable to show a dependency between volatile concentration and storage time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Southern high latitude dune fields on Mars: Morphology, aeolian inactivity, and climate change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fenton, L.K.; Hayward, R.K.

2010-01-01

In a study area spanning the martian surface poleward of 50?? S., 1190 dune fields have been identified, mapped, and categorized based on dune field morphology. Dune fields in the study area span ??? 116400km2, leading to a global dune field coverage estimate of ???904000km2, far less than that found on Earth. Based on distinct morphological features, the dune fields were grouped into six different classes that vary in interpreted aeolian activity level from potentially active to relatively inactive and eroding. The six dune field classes occur in specific latitude zones, with a sequence of reduced activity and degradation progressing poleward. In particular, the first signs of stabilization appear at ???60?? S., which broadly corresponds to the edge of high concentrations of water-equivalent hydrogen content (observed by the Neutron Spectrometer) that have been interpreted as ground ice. This near-surface ground ice likely acts to reduce sand availability in the present climate state on Mars, stabilizing high latitude dunes and allowing erosional processes to change their morphology. As a result, climatic changes in the content of near-surface ground ice are likely to influence the level of dune activity. Spatial variation of dune field classes with longitude is significant, suggesting that local conditions play a major role in determining dune field activity level. Dune fields on the south polar layered terrain, for example, appear either potentially active or inactive, indicating that at least two generations of dune building have occurred on this surface. Many dune fields show signs of degradation mixed with crisp-brinked dunes, also suggesting that more than one generation of dune building has occurred since they originally formed. Dune fields superposed on early and late Amazonian surfaces provide potential upper age limits of ???100My on the south polar layered deposits and ???3Ga elsewhere at high latitudes. No craters are present on any identifiable dune fields, which can provide a lower age limit through crater counting: assuming all relatively stabilized dune fields represent a single noncontiguous surface of uniform age, their estimated crater retention age is

3D profilometric characterization of the aged skin surface using a skin replica and alicona Mex software.

PubMed

Pirisinu, Marco; Mazzarello, Vittorio

2016-05-01

The skin's surface is characterized by a network of furrows and wrinkles showing different height and depth. Different studies showed that processes such as aging, photo aging and cancer may alter dermal ultrastructure surface. The quantitative analysis of skin topography is a key point for understanding health condition of the skin. Here, for the first time, the skin fine structure was studied via a new approach where replica method was combined with Mex Alicona software and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The skin texture of cheek and forearm were studied in 120 healthy sardinian volunteers. Patients were divided into three different aged groups. The skin areas of interest were reproduced by the silicone replica method, each replica was explored by SEM and digital images were taken. By using Mex Alicona software were created 3D imagine and a list of 24 surface texture parameters were obtained, of these the most representative were chosen in order to assess eventual changes between groups. The skin's texture of forearm and cheek showed a gradually loss of its typical polyhedric mesh with increasing age group. In particular, the photoexposition increased loss of dermal texture. At today, Alicona mex technology was exclusively used on palaeontology studies, our results showed that a deep analyze of skin texture was performed and support Mex alicona software as a new promising tool on dermatological research. This new analytical approach provided an easy and fast process to appreciate skin texture and its changes, by using high quality 3D dimension images. SCANNING 38:213-220, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of Ultrasonic Nano-Crystal Surface Modification (UNSM) on the Passivation Behavior of Aged 316L Stainless Steel

PubMed Central

Kim, Ki-Tae; Lee, Jung-Hee; Kim, Young-Sik

2017-01-01

Stainless steels have good corrosion resistance in many environments but welding or aging can decrease their resistance. This work focused on the effect of aging time and ultrasonic nano-crystal surface modification on the passivation behavior of 316L stainless steel. In the case of slightly sensitized 316L stainless steel, increasing the aging time drastically decreased the pitting potential, increased the passive current density, and decreased the resistance of the passive film, even though aging did not form chromium carbide and a chromium depletion zone. This behavior is due to the micro-galvanic corrosion between the matrix and carbon segregated area, and this shows the importance of carbon segregation in grain boundaries to the pitting corrosion resistance of stainless steel, in addition to the formation of the chromium depletion zone. UNSM (Ultrasonic Nano Crystal Surface Modification)-treatment to the slightly sensitized 316L stainless steel increased the pitting potential, decreased the passive current density, and increased the resistance of the passive film. However, in the case of heavily sensitized 316L stainless steel, UNSM-treatment decreased the pitting potential, increased the passive current density, and decreased the resistance of the passive film. This behavior is due to the dual effects of the UNSM-treatment. That is, the UNSM-treatment reduced the carbon segregation, regardless of whether the stainless steel 316L was slightly or heavily sensitized. However, since this treatment made mechanical flaws in the outer surface in the case of the heavily sensitized stainless steel, UNSM-treatment may eliminate chromium carbide, and this flaw can be a pitting initiation site, and therefore decrease the pitting corrosion resistance. PMID:28773067

Effect of Ultrasonic Nano-Crystal Surface Modification (UNSM) on the Passivation Behavior of Aged 316L Stainless Steel.

PubMed

Kim, Ki-Tae; Lee, Jung-Hee; Kim, Young-Sik

2017-06-27

Stainless steels have good corrosion resistance in many environments but welding or aging can decrease their resistance. This work focused on the effect of aging time and ultrasonic nano-crystal surface modification on the passivation behavior of 316L stainless steel. In the case of slightly sensitized 316L stainless steel, increasing the aging time drastically decreased the pitting potential, increased the passive current density, and decreased the resistance of the passive film, even though aging did not form chromium carbide and a chromium depletion zone. This behavior is due to the micro-galvanic corrosion between the matrix and carbon segregated area, and this shows the importance of carbon segregation in grain boundaries to the pitting corrosion resistance of stainless steel, in addition to the formation of the chromium depletion zone. UNSM (Ultrasonic Nano Crystal Surface Modification)-treatment to the slightly sensitized 316L stainless steel increased the pitting potential, decreased the passive current density, and increased the resistance of the passive film. However, in the case of heavily sensitized 316L stainless steel, UNSM-treatment decreased the pitting potential, increased the passive current density, and decreased the resistance of the passive film. This behavior is due to the dual effects of the UNSM-treatment. That is, the UNSM-treatment reduced the carbon segregation, regardless of whether the stainless steel 316L was slightly or heavily sensitized. However, since this treatment made mechanical flaws in the outer surface in the case of the heavily sensitized stainless steel, UNSM-treatment may eliminate chromium carbide, and this flaw can be a pitting initiation site, and therefore decrease the pitting corrosion resistance.

The management of small area burns and unexpected illness after burn in children under five years of age - A costing study in the English healthcare setting.

PubMed

Kandiyali, R; Sarginson, J H; Hollén, L I; Spickett-Jones, F; Young, A E R

2018-02-01

The objective of this economic study was to evaluate the resource use and cost associated with the management of small area burns, including the additional costs associated with unexpected illness after burn in children of less than five years of age. This study was conducted as a secondary analysis of a multi-centre prospective observational cohort study investigating the physiological response to burns in children. 452 children were included in the economic analysis (median age=1.60years, 61.3% boys, median total burn surface area [TBSA]=1.00%) with a mean length of stay of 0.69 days. Of these children, 21.5% re-presented to medical care with an unexpected illness within fourteen days of injury. The cost of managing a burn of less than 10% TBSA in a child less than five years of age was £785. The additional cost associated with the management of illness after burn was £1381. A generalised linear regression model was used to determine the association between an unexpected illness after burn, presenting child characteristics and NHS cost. Our findings may be of value to those planning economic evaluations of novel technologies in burn care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Development of facial sexual dimorphism in children aged between 12 and 15 years: a three-dimensional longitudinal study.

PubMed

Koudelová, J; Brůžek, J; Cagáňová, V; Krajíček, V; Velemínská, J

2015-08-01

To evaluate sexual dimorphism of facial form and shape and to describe differences between the average female and male face from 12 to 15 years. Overall 120 facial scans from healthy Caucasian children (17 boys, 13 girls) were longitudinally evaluated over a 4-year period between the ages of 12 and 15 years. Facial surface scans were obtained using a three-dimensional optical scanner Vectra-3D. Variation in facial shape and form was evaluated using geometric morphometric and statistical methods (DCA, PCA and permutation test). Average faces were superimposed, and the changes were evaluated using colour-coded maps. There were no significant sex differences (p > 0.05) in shape in any age category and no differences in form in the 12- and 13-year-olds, as the female faces were within the area of male variability. From the age of 14, a slight separation occurred, which was statistically confirmed. The differences were mainly associated with size. Generally boys had more prominent eyebrow ridges, more deeply set eyes, a flatter cheek area, and a more prominent nose and chin area. The development of facial sexual dimorphism during pubertal growth is connected with ontogenetic allometry. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Where are lengths of stay longer and total charges higher for pediatric burn patients?

PubMed

Myers, John; Lehna, Carlee

2014-01-01

Treatment of pediatric burn patients is costly and may require long length of stay in the hospital (LOS). Establishing where these LOS and charges are highest is warranted. The current study investigated whether pediatric burn patients had higher total charges and longer LOS when seen at teaching hospitals, when compared with nonteaching hospitals. The study reviewed inpatient admissions for pediatric burn patients in 2003, 2006, and 2009 by using the Kids' Inpatient Database, which is part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes 940-947 were used to define burn injury, LOS, total charges, and type of hospital. The authors tested for differences between the LOS and total charges between children seen at three types of hospitals (pediatric, nonpediatric/teaching, nonpediatric/nonteaching) while adjusting for traditional risk factors (eg age, total burn surface area) by using generalized linear mixed-effects modeling. A total of N=28,777 children had burn injuries (n=16,115, 56.0% seen at pediatric hospitals; n=9353, 32.5% seen at nonpediatric/teaching hospitals; and n=3309, 11.5% seen at nonpediatric/nonteaching hospitals). Pediatric burn patients seen at pediatric hospitals, unadjusted, have significantly longer LOS (5.54 days vs 4.25 days and 4.00 days, P<.001) and more total charges in 2009 dollars ($31,319 vs $24,413 and $21,499, P<.001). In addition, patients seen at pediatric hospitals had significantly more total burn surface area (P<.001), more comorbidities (P=.021), and were younger (P<.001). After adjusting for total burn surface area, number of comorbidities, and age, no differences existed between teaching and nonteaching hospitals for LOS (P=.481) or total charges (P=.758). Although pediatric burn patients may have increased LOS and total charges when seen at teaching hospitals, when taking an unadjusted perspective, this may be an artifact that teaching hospitals see pediatric burn patients who are younger, have more comorbidities, and have more total burn surface area. As such, after adjustment, type of hospital may have no influence on LOS and total charges.

The application of phase contrast X-ray techniques for imaging Li-ion battery electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eastwood, D. S.; Bradley, R. S.; Tariq, F.; Cooper, S. J.; Taiwo, O. O.; Gelb, J.; Merkle, A.; Brett, D. J. L.; Brandon, N. P.; Withers, P. J.; Lee, P. D.; Shearing, P. R.

2014-04-01

In order to accelerate the commercialization of fuel cells and batteries across a range of applications, an understanding of the mechanisms by which they age and degrade at the microstructural level is required. Here, the most widely commercialized Li-ion batteries based on porous graphite based electrodes which de/intercalate Li+ ions during charge/discharge are studied by two phase contrast enhanced X-ray imaging modes, namely in-line phase contrast and Zernike phase contrast at the micro (synchrotron) and nano (laboratory X-ray microscope) level, respectively. The rate of charge cycling is directly dependent on the nature of the electrode microstructure, which are typically complex multi-scale 3D geometries with significant microstructural heterogeneities. We have been able to characterise the porosity and the tortuosity by micro-CT as well as the morphology of 5 individual graphite particles by nano-tomography finding that while their volume varied significantly their sphericity was surprisingly similar. The volume specific surface areas of the individual grains measured by nano-CT are significantly larger than the total volume specific surface area of the electrode from the micro-CT imaging, which can be attributed to the greater particle surface area visible at higher resolution.

The Difference Between the Potentiometric Surfaces of the Upper Patapsco Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 1990 and September 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2009-01-01

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the upper Patapsco aquifer in the Patapsco Formation of Early Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland for September 1990 and September 2007. The map, based on water-level measurements in 33 wells, shows that during the 17-year period, the change in the potentiometric surface ranged from zero at the edge of the outcrop area in northern Anne Arundel County to a decline of 28 feet at Crofton Meadows, 38 feet at Arnold, 36 feet at Waldorf, 35 feet at the Chalk Point power plant, and 40 feet at Lexington Park.

Isotopic Analysis and Evolved Gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swindle, Timothy D.; Boynton, William V.; Chutjian, Ara; Hoffman, John H.; Jordan, Jim L.; Kargel, Jeffrey S.; McEntire, Richard W.; Nyquist, Larry

1996-01-01

Precise measurements of the chemical, elemental, and isotopic composition of planetary surface material and gases, and observed variations in these compositions, can contribute significantly to our knowledge of the source(s), ages, and evolution of solar system materials. The analyses discussed in this paper are mostly made by mass spectrometers or some other type of mass analyzer, and address three broad areas of interest: (1) atmospheric composition - isotopic, elemental, and molecular, (2) gases evolved from solids, and (3) solids. Current isotopic data on nine elements, mostly from in situ analysis, but also from meteorites and telescopic observations are summarized. Potential instruments for isotopic analysis of lunar, Martian, Venusian, Mercury, and Pluto surfaces, along with asteroid, cometary and icy satellites, surfaces are discussed.

[Healthy habits and osteoporosis prevention in perimenopausal women from rural areas].

PubMed

Pérez-Fernández, M Reyes; Almazán Ortega, Raquel; Martínez Portela, José M; Alves Pérez, M Teresa; Segura-Iglesias, M Carmen; Pérez-Fernández, Román

2014-01-01

The probability of developing osteoporosis decreases with an adequate supply of vitamin D, a balanced diet, and increased physical activity. In this study, we evaluated whether an educational intervention improves osteoporosis-related behavior in perimenopausal women from rural areas. A randomized experimental evaluation was performed of an educational intervention. The variables were physical activity, calcium intake and sun exposure in women from rural areas aged 45-54 years (n=216) at time 0 and 12 months after the educational intervention. In the control group (n=106), the information was sent by surface mail (month 0). In the intervention group (n=110), two interactive workshops were given (month 0). The topic of the workshops and the information sent by surface mail was healthy habits for osteoporosis prevention. After 12 months, the intervention group, but not the control group, had increased their physical activity (p=0.006), sun exposure (p=0.029), and calcium intake (53% to 64%). A simple educational intervention in perimenopausal women from rural areas improved healthy habits for osteoporosis prevention. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Durability of Pt-Co Alloy Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Cathode Catalysts under Accelerated Stress Tests

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

Papadias, D. D.; Ahluwalia, R. K.; Kariuki, N.

The durability of Pt-Co alloy cathode catalysts supported on high surface area carbon is investigated by subjecting them to accelerated stress tests (ASTs). The catalysts had different initial Co contents and nanoparticle morphologies: a “spongy” porous morphology for the high-Co (H) content catalyst, and a fully alloyed crystalline morphology for the medium-Co (M) and low-Co (L) content catalysts. The specific activity of the catalysts depends on their initial Co content, morphology and nanoparticle size, and remained higher than 1000 μA/cm 2-Pt after 27–50% Co loss. The H-catalyst electrode showed the smallest kinetic overpotentials (η c s) due to higher initialmore » Pt loading than the other two electrodes, but it had the fastest increase in ηcs with AST cycling due to lower Co retention; the L-catalyst electrode showed higher η c s due to a lower initial Pt loading, but had a smaller increase in η c s with aging due to higher Co retention; the M-catalyst electrode showed a similar increase in η c s with aging, but this increase was due to the combined effects of Co dissolution and electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) loss. In conclusion, the modeled increase in mass transfer overpotentials with aging correlates with the initial Pt loading, ECSA loss and the initial catalyst morphology« less

Durability of Pt-Co Alloy Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Cathode Catalysts under Accelerated Stress Tests

DOE PAGES

Papadias, D. D.; Ahluwalia, R. K.; Kariuki, N.; ...

2018-03-17

The durability of Pt-Co alloy cathode catalysts supported on high surface area carbon is investigated by subjecting them to accelerated stress tests (ASTs). The catalysts had different initial Co contents and nanoparticle morphologies: a “spongy” porous morphology for the high-Co (H) content catalyst, and a fully alloyed crystalline morphology for the medium-Co (M) and low-Co (L) content catalysts. The specific activity of the catalysts depends on their initial Co content, morphology and nanoparticle size, and remained higher than 1000 μA/cm 2-Pt after 27–50% Co loss. The H-catalyst electrode showed the smallest kinetic overpotentials (η c s) due to higher initialmore » Pt loading than the other two electrodes, but it had the fastest increase in ηcs with AST cycling due to lower Co retention; the L-catalyst electrode showed higher η c s due to a lower initial Pt loading, but had a smaller increase in η c s with aging due to higher Co retention; the M-catalyst electrode showed a similar increase in η c s with aging, but this increase was due to the combined effects of Co dissolution and electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) loss. In conclusion, the modeled increase in mass transfer overpotentials with aging correlates with the initial Pt loading, ECSA loss and the initial catalyst morphology« less

Chronology of the last glacial maximum in the upper Bear River Basin, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laabs, B.J.C.; Munroe, Jeffrey S.; Rosenbaum, J.G.; Refsnider, K.A.; Mickelson, D.M.; Singer, B.S.; Caffee, M.W.

2007-01-01

The headwaters of the Bear River drainage were occupied during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) by outlet glaciers of the Western Uinta Ice Field, an extensive ice mass (???685 km2) that covered the western slope of the Uinta Mountains. A well-preserved sequence of latero-frontal moraines in the drainage indicates that outlet glaciers advanced beyond the mountain front and coalesced on the piedmont. Glacial deposits in the Bear River drainage provide a unique setting where both 10Be cosmogenic surface-exposure dating of moraine boulders and 14C dating of sediment in Bear Lake downstream of the glaciated area set age limits on the timing of glaciation. Limiting 14C ages of glacial flour in Bear Lake (corrected to calendar years using CALIB 5.0) indicate that ice advance began at 32 ka and culminated at about 24 ka. Based on a Bayesian statistical analysis of cosmogenic surface-exposure ages from two areas on the terminal moraine complex, the Bear River glacier began its final retreat at about 18.7 to 18.1 ka, approximately coincident with the start of deglaciation elsewhere in the central Rocky Mountains and many other alpine glacial localities worldwide. Unlike valleys of the southwestern Uinta Mountains, deglaciation of the Bear River drainage began prior to the hydrologie fall of Lake Bonneville from the Provo shoreline at about 16 ka. ?? 2007 Regents of the University of Colorado.

Characteristic CT Findings After Percutaneous Cryoablation Treatment of Malignant Lung Nodules

PubMed Central

Chaudhry, Ammar; Grechushkin, Vadim; Hoshmand, Mahsa; Kim, Choo Won; Pena, Andres; Huston, Brett; Chaya, Yair; Bilfinger, Thomas; Moore, William

2015-01-01

Abstract Assess computed tomography (CT) imaging characteristics after percutaneous cryotherapy for lung cancer. A retrospective IRB-approved analysis of 40 patients who underwent nonsurgical treatment for primary stage 1 lung cancer performed from January 2007 to March 2011 was included in this study. All procedures were performed using general anesthesia and CT guidance. Follow-up imaging with CT of the chest was obtained at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postprocedure to evaluate the ablated lung nodule. Nodule surface area, density (in Hounsfield units), and presence or absence of cavitations were recorded. In addition, the degree of nodule enhancement was also recorded. Patients who were unable to obtain the aforementioned follow-up were excluded from the study. Thirty-six patients underwent percutaneous cryoablation with men to women ratio of 75% with mean age for men 74.6 and mean age for women 74.3 years of age. The average nodule surface area preablation and postcryoablation at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups were 2.99, 7.86, 3.89, 3.18 and 3.07�cm2, respectively. The average precontrast nodule density before cryoablation was 8.9 and average precontrast nodule density postprocedure at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months follow-ups were 8.5, −5.9, −9.4, and −3.8 HU, respectively. There is increased attenuation of lung nodules over time with an average postcontrast enhancement of 11.4, 18.5, 16.1, and 25.7 HU at the aforementioned time intervals. Cavitations occurred in the cryoablation zone in 53% (19/36) of patients. 80.6% (29/36) of the cavitations in the cryoablation zone resolved within 12 months. Four patients (11%) had recurrence of tumor at the site of cryoablation and none of the patients had satellite or distant metastasis. Our study shows that patients who underwent cryotherapy for lung nodules treatment had characteristic changes on follow-up CT including. The surface area of the nodule increases at the 1-month follow-up with subsequent gradual decrease in the surface area. Decreased nodule density (Hounsfield units) at each interval follow-up is associated with complete ablation of the lung cancer whereas increasing nodule density was suggestive of recurrence. Cavity formation within the region of the ablated nodule, most of which typically resolved within the first 3 to 6 months. Nodule enhancement is difficult to assess because of the limited data sets that are available. PMID:26496275

Characteristic CT Findings After Percutaneous Cryoablation Treatment of Malignant Lung Nodules.

PubMed

Chaudhry, Ammar; Grechushkin, Vadim; Hoshmand, Mahsa; Kim, Choo Won; Pena, Andres; Huston, Brett; Chaya, Yair; Bilfinger, Thomas; Moore, William

2015-10-01

Assess computed tomography (CT) imaging characteristics after percutaneous cryotherapy for lung cancer.A retrospective IRB-approved analysis of 40 patients who underwent nonsurgical treatment for primary stage 1 lung cancer performed from January 2007 to March 2011 was included in this study. All procedures were performed using general anesthesia and CT guidance. Follow-up imaging with CT of the chest was obtained at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postprocedure to evaluate the ablated lung nodule. Nodule surface area, density (in Hounsfield units), and presence or absence of cavitations were recorded. In addition, the degree of nodule enhancement was also recorded. Patients who were unable to obtain the aforementioned follow-up were excluded from the study.Thirty-six patients underwent percutaneous cryoablation with men to women ratio of 75% with mean age for men 74.6 and mean age for women 74.3 years of age. The average nodule surface area preablation and postcryoablation at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups were 2.99, 7.86, 3.89, 3.18 and 3.07[REPLACEMENT CHARACTER]cm, respectively. The average precontrast nodule density before cryoablation was 8.9 and average precontrast nodule density postprocedure at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months follow-ups were 8.5, -5.9, -9.4, and -3.8 HU, respectively. There is increased attenuation of lung nodules over time with an average postcontrast enhancement of 11.4, 18.5, 16.1, and 25.7 HU at the aforementioned time intervals. Cavitations occurred in the cryoablation zone in 53% (19/36) of patients. 80.6% (29/36) of the cavitations in the cryoablation zone resolved within 12 months. Four patients (11%) had recurrence of tumor at the site of cryoablation and none of the patients had satellite or distant metastasis.Our study shows that patients who underwent cryotherapy for lung nodules treatment had characteristic changes on follow-up CT including. The surface area of the nodule increases at the 1-month follow-up with subsequent gradual decrease in the surface area. Decreased nodule density (Hounsfield units) at each interval follow-up is associated with complete ablation of the lung cancer whereas increasing nodule density was suggestive of recurrence. Cavity formation within the region of the ablated nodule, most of which typically resolved within the first 3 to 6 months. Nodule enhancement is difficult to assess because of the limited data sets that are available.

Interactive effects of biochar ageing in soils related to feedstock, pyrolysis temperature, and historic charcoal production.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heitkötter, Julian; Marschner, Bernd

2015-04-01

Biochar is suggested for soil amelioration and carbon sequestration, based on its assumed role as the key factor for the long-term fertility of Terra preta soils. Several studies have shown that certain biochar properties can undergo changes through ageing processes, especially regarding charge characteristics. However, only a few studies determined the changes of different biochars under the same incubation conditions and in different soils. The objective of this study was to characterize the changes of pine chip (PC)- and corn digestate (CD)-derived biochars pyrolyzed at 400 or 600 °C during 100 days of laboratory incubation in a historical kiln soil and an adjacent control soil. Separation between soil and biochar was ensured by using mesh bags. Especially, changes in charge characteristics depended on initial biochar properties affected by feedstock and pyrolysis temperature and on soil properties affected by historic charcoal production. While the cation exchange capacity (CEC) markedly increased for both CD biochars during incubation, PC biochars showed no or only slight increases in CEC. Corresponding to the changes in CEC, ageing of biochars also increased the amount of acid functional groups with increases being in average about 2-fold higher in CD biochars than in PC biochars. Further and in contrast to other studies, the surface areas of biochars increased during ageing, likely due to ash leaching and degradation of tar residues. Changes in CEC and surface acidity of CD biochars were more pronounced after incubation in the control soil, while surface area increase was higher in the kiln soil. Since the two acidic forest soils used in this this study did not greatly differ in physical or chemical properties, the main process for inducing these differences in the buried biochar most likely is related to the differences in dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Although the kiln soil contained about 50% more soil organic carbon due to the presence of charcoal particles, extractable DOC was lower and less aromatic than in the adjacent control soil, likely due to strong sorption of dissolved organic matter (DOM) onto charcoal particles. We suggest that higher sorption of DOM onto the surface of biochar in the control soil provided additional acid functional groups and thus increased the surface charge to a greater extent than in the DOC poorer kiln soil. Hence, biochars incubated in the kiln soil showed less changes in CEC and surface acidity. Higher availability of DOM in the control soil could also stimulate microbial activity to a larger extent, resulting in higher oxidation rates of biochars incubated in the control soil.

The accumulation rate of meteorite falls at the earth's surface - The view from Roosevelt County, New Mexico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zolensky, Michael E.; Wells, Gordon L.; Rendell, Helen M.

1990-01-01

The discovery of 154 meteorite fragments within an 11-sq km area of wind-excavated basins in Roosevelt County, New Mexico, permits a new calculation of the accumulation rate of meteorite falls at the earth's surface. Thermoluminescence dating of the coversand unit comprising the prime recovery surface suggests the maximum terrestrial age of the meteorites to be about 16.0 ka. The 68 meteorite fragments subjected to petrological analyses represent a minimum of 49 individual falls. Collection bias has largely excluded carbonaceous chondrites and achondrites, requiring the accumulation rate derived from the recovered samples to be increased by a factor of 1.25. Terrestrial weathering destroying ordinary chondrites can be modeled as a first-order decay process with an estimated half-life of 3.5 + or - 1.9 ka on the semiarid American High Plains. Having accounted for the age of the recovery surface, area of field searches, pairing of finds, collection bias and weathering half-life, an accumulation rate of 940 falls/a per 10 to the 6th sq km is calculated for falls greater than 10 g total mass. This figure exceeds the best-constrained previous estimate by more than an order of magnitude. One possible reason for this disparity may be the extraordinary length of the fall record preserved in the surficial geology of Roosevelt County. The high accumulation rate determined for the past 16 ka may point to the existence of periods when the meteorite fall rate was significantly greater than at present.

Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic normal reference ranges for proximal aorta dimensions: results from the EACVI NORRE study.

PubMed

Saura, Daniel; Dulgheru, Raluca; Caballero, Luis; Bernard, Anne; Kou, Seisyou; Gonjilashvili, Natalia; Athanassopoulos, George D; Barone, Daniele; Baroni, Monica; Cardim, Nuno; Hagendorff, Andreas; Hristova, Krasimira; Lopez, Teresa; de la Morena, Gonzalo; Popescu, Bogdan A; Penicka, Martin; Ozyigit, Tolga; Rodrigo Carbonero, Jose David; Van De Veire, Nico; Von Bardeleben, Ralph Stephan; Vinereanu, Dragos; Zamorano, Jose Luis; Gori, Ann-Stephan; Cosyns, Bernard; Donal, Erwan; Habib, Gilbert; Addetia, Karima; Lang, Roberto M; Badano, Luigi P; Lancellotti, Patrizio

2017-02-01

To report normal reference ranges for echocardiographic dimensions of the proximal aorta obtained in a large group of healthy volunteers recruited using state-of-the-art cardiac ultrasound equipment, considering different measurement conventions, and taking into account gender, age, and body size of individuals. A total of 704 (mean age: 46.0 ± 13.5 years) healthy volunteers (310 men and 394 women) were prospectively recruited from the collaborating institutions of the Normal Reference Ranges for Echocardiography (NORRE) study. A comprehensive echocardiographic examination was obtained in all subjects following pre-defined protocols. Aortic dimensions were obtained in systole and diastole, following both the leading-edge to leading-edge and the inner-edge to inner-edge conventions. Diameters were measured at four levels: ventricular-arterial junction, sinuses of Valsalva, sino-tubular junction, and proximal tubular ascending aorta. Measures of aortic root in the short-axis view following the orientation of each of the three sinuses were also performed. Men had significantly larger body sizes when compared with women, and showed larger aortic dimensions independently of the measurement method used. Dimensions indexed by height and body surface area are provided, and stratification by age ranges is also displayed. In multivariable analysis, the independent predictors of aortic dimensions were age, gender, and height or body surface area. The NORRE study provides normal values of proximal aorta dimensions as assessed by echocardiography. Reference ranges for different anatomical levels using different (i) measurement conventions and (ii) at different times of the cardiac cycle (i.e. mid-systole and end-diastole) are provided. Age, gender, and body size were significant determinants of aortic dimensions. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Longitudinal measurements of oxygen consumption in growing infants during the first weeks after birth: old data revisited.

PubMed

Sinclair, J C; Thorlund, K; Walter, S D

2013-01-01

In a study conducted in 1966-1969, longitudinal measurements were made of the metabolic rate in growing infants. Statistical methods for analyzing longitudinal data weren't readily accessible at that time. To measure minimal rates of oxygen consumption (V·O2, ml/min) in growing infants during the first postnatal weeks and to determine the relationships between postnatal increases in V·O2, body size and postnatal age. We studied 61 infants of any birth weight or gestational age, including 19 of very low birth weight. The infants, nursed in incubators, were clinically well and without need of oxygen supplementation or respiratory assistance. Serial measures of V·O2 using a closed-circuit method were obtained at approximately weekly intervals. V·O2 was measured under thermoneutral conditions with the infant asleep or resting quietly. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects models. During early postnatal growth, V·O2 rises as surface area (m(2))(1.94) (standard error, SE 0.054) or body weight (kg)(1.24) (SE 0.033). Multivariate analyses show statistically significant effects of both size and age. Reference intervals (RIs) for V·O2 for fixed values of body weight and postnatal age are presented. As V·O2 rises with increasing size and age, there is an increase in the skin-operative environmental temperature gradient (T skin-op) required for heat loss. Required T skin-op can be predicted from surface area and heat loss (heat production minus heat storage). Generation of RIs for minimal rates of V·O2 in growing infants from the 1960s was enabled by application of mixed-effects statistical models for analyses of longitudinal data. Results apply to the precaffeine era of neonatal care. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Spatial variability in the abundance, composition, and age of organic matter in surficial sediments of the East China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Ying; Eglinton, Timothy; Yang, Liyang; Deng, Bing; Montluçon, Daniel; Zhang, Jing

2013-12-01

the sources and fate of organic matter (OM) sequestered in continental margin sediments is of importance because the mode and efficiency of OM burial impact the carbon cycle and the regulation of atmospheric CO2 over long time scales. We carried out molecular (lignin-derived phenols from CuO oxidation), elemental, isotopic (δ13C, Δ14C), and sedimentological (grain size and mineral surface area) analyses in order to examine spatial variability in the abundance, source, age of surface sediments of the East China Sea. Higher terrigenous organic matter values were found in the main accumulating areas of fluvial sediments, including the Changjiang (Yangtze) Estuary and Zhejiang-Fujian coastal zone. Isotopic and biomarker data suggest that the sedimentary OM in the inner shelf region was dominated by aged (Δ14C = -423 ± 42‰) but relatively lignin-rich OM (Λ = 0.94 ± 0.57 mg/100 mg OC) associated with fine-grained sediments, suggesting important contributions from soils. In contrast, samples from the outer shelf, while of similar age (Δ14 C = -450 ± 99‰), are lignin poor (Λ = 0.25 ± 0.14 mg/100 mg OC) and associated with coarse-grained material. Regional variation of lignin phenols and OM ages indicates that OM content is fundamentally controlled by hydrodynamic sorting (especially, sediment redistribution and winnowing) and in situ primary production. Selective sorption of acid to aldehyde in clay fraction also modified the ratios of lignin phenols. The burial of lignin in East China Sea is estimated to be relatively efficient, possibly as a consequence of terrigenous OM recalcitrance and/or relatively high sedimentation rates in the Changjiang Estuary and the adjacent Zhejing-Fujian mud belt.

Elemental, microstructural, and mechanical characterization of high gold orthodontic brackets after intraoral aging.

PubMed

Hersche, Sepp; Sifakakis, Iosif; Zinelis, Spiros; Eliades, Theodore

2017-02-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the elemental composition, the microstructure, and the selected mechanical properties of high gold orthodontic brackets after intraoral aging. Thirty Incognito™ (3M Unitek, Bad Essen, Germany) lingual brackets were studied, 15 brackets as received (control group) and 15 brackets retrieved from different patients after orthodontic treatment. The surface of the wing area was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Backscattered electron imaging (BEI) was performed, and the elemental composition was determined by X-ray EDS analysis (EDX). After appropriate metallographic preparation, the mechanical properties tested were Martens hardness (HM), indentation modulus (EIT), elastic index (ηIT), and Vickers hardness (HV). These properties were determined employing instrumented indentation testing (IIT) with a Vickers indenter. The results were statistically analyzed by unpaired t-test (α=0.05). There were no statistically significant differences evidenced in surface morphology and elemental content between the control and the experimental group. These two groups of brackets showed no statistically significant difference in surface morphology. Moreover, the mean values of HM, EIT, ηIT, and HV did not reach statistical significance between the groups (p>0.05). Under the limitations of this study, it may be concluded that the surface elemental content and microstructure as well as the evaluated mechanical properties of the Incognito™ lingual brackets remain unaffected by intraoral aging.

Umbilical artery histomorphometry: a link between the intrauterine environment and kidney development.

PubMed

DeFreitas, M J; Mathur, D; Seeherunvong, W; Cano, T; Katsoufis, C P; Duara, S; Yasin, S; Zilleruelo, G; Rodriguez, M M; Abitbol, C L

2017-06-01

Prematurity is a risk factor for hypertension, vascular stiffness, nephron deficit and adult onset cardiorenal disease. The vascular tree and kidneys share morphogenic drivers that promote maturation in utero before 36 weeks of gestation. Vascular elastin accrual terminates after birth leaving collagen to promote vascular stiffness. Our objective was to determine if the histomorphometry of the umbilical artery, an extension of the aorta, parallels nephron mass across gestational age groups. From a cohort of 54 newborns, 32 umbilical cord specimens were adequate for evaluation. The umbilical cord was sectioned, stained with trichrome, and digitalized. Muscular and collagenous areas of the umbilical artery were measured in pixels using the Image J 1.48q software. Total kidney volume was measured by ultrasound and factored by body surface area (TKV/BSA). The umbilical artery total area was significantly greater in term v. preterm infants (9.3±1.3 v. 7.0±2.0 mm2; P<0.05) and increased with gestational age; while the percent muscular and collagen areas were independent of gestational age (R 2=0.04; P=ns). Percent muscular area correlated positively with TKV/BSA (r=0.53; P=0.002); while an increase in collagen correlated inversely with kidney mass (r=-0.53; P=0.002). In conclusion, an enhanced % muscular area and presumed vascular elasticity was associated with increased renal mass in all infants. Umbilical artery histomorphometry provides a link between the intrauterine environment, vascular and kidney development.

Synthesis and applications of titania nanotubes: Drug delivery and ionomer composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, Harsha Prabhakar

In this dissertation, the potential of a tubular form of titania (titanium dioxide) has been explored for two diverse applications, in the field of targeted drug delivery for medical applications and in the field of composite materials for structural applications. We introduce the tubular form of titania, a material well known for its catalytic properties. The tubes are synthesized by hydrothermal procedure and are nanometers in dimension, with an inside diameter of 5-6 nm, outside diameter of 10-12, and an aspect ratio of ˜100:1 (l:d), structures both chemically and thermally stable. Biocompatible titania nanotubes with large catalytic surface area are used as vehicles for carrying Doxorubicin, an anticancer chemotherapeutic drug, to explore its potential in targeted drug delivery. Optical properties of Doxorubicin are used to study adsorption and release of the drug molecule from the nanotube surface. Pilot experiments show strong adsorption of 4 wt% of doxorubicin on the nanotube surface characterized by the quenching of its absorption centered at 490 nm. Quinone and protonated amino groups on the drug molecule, involved in protonation and deprotonation with the surface hydroxyls and molecular water on the nanotube surface, are responsible for adsorption. Doxorubicin adsorbed on the nanotube surface show pH specific release, with 40% release at a physiological pH of 7.4 as compared to 4% and 10% at pH values of 3.4 and 5.7 respectively under sink conditions. In vitro cytotoxicity experiments, used to characterize the anticancer potential of the nanotube-drug conjugate, shows comparable toxicity for the conjugates as the free drug. Nanotubes with strong adsorption of doxorubicin, large surface area, pH controlled release, and effective toxicity, demonstrate its potential as a vehicle for targeted drug delivery. If nanotube-drug conjugates with reversible bonds between them, and a pH controlled release in an aqueous solution are promising for medical applications, nanotube-polymer conjugates with nanotubes as reinforcing structures in a polymer matrix with improved mechanical properties are equally promising for structural applications. Nanotubes are used as reinforcing structures in Surlyn, a polyethylene-co-methacrylic acid polymer containing ions. When cooled from the melt, Surlyn shows strong aging effects on mechanical properties over periods of several days to months. Structures in the matrix of the polymer which form with time are responsible for these aging effects on mechanical properties. Aging at short times after cooling from the melt reveal subtle contributions from these structures not fully formed and mechanical properties not fully recovered. Nanotubes are used as reinforcing structures to improve the mechanical properties at short aging times, a property desired for high temperature applications demanding a quick recovery of mechanical properties. A unique Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) based Local Thermal Analysis (LTA) probe is used to study the mechanical properties of Surlyn and Nanotube-Surlyn composite. Nanotube-Surlyn composites show superior mechanical properties at both short and long aging times after cooling from the melt, as the structures in the matrix continue to form at long aging times.

Fish Mercury and Surface Water Sulfate Relationships in the Everglades Protection Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabriel, Mark C.; Howard, Nicole; Osborne, Todd Z.

2014-03-01

Few published studies present data on relationships between fish mercury and surface or pore water sulfate concentrations, particularly on an ecosystem-wide basis. Resource managers can use these relationships to identify the sulfate conditions that contain fish with health-concerning total mercury (THg) levels and to evaluate the role of sulfate in methyl-mercury (MeHg) production. In this study, we derived relationships between THg in three fish trophic levels (mosquitofish, sunfish, and age-1 largemouth bass) and surface water sulfate from 1998 to 2009 for multiple stations across the Everglades Protection Area (EPA). Results show the relationship between sulfate and fish THg in each fish type is nonlinear and largely skewed, similar to the relationship between MeHg production and sulfate concentration in peatland sediment pore water identified by other researchers. Peak fish THg levels occurred in ~1 to 12 mg/L sulfate conditions. There was significant variability in the fish THg data, and there were several instances of high-fish THg levels in high-sulfate conditions (>30 mg/L). Health-concerning fish THg levels were present in all surface water sulfate conditions; however, most of these levels occurred in 1-20 mg/L sulfate. The data in this study, including recent studies, show consistent and identifiable areas of high- and low-fish THg across the spectrum of surface water sulfate concentration, therefore, applying an ecosystem-wide sulfur strategy may be an effective management approach as it would significantly reduce MeHg risk in the EPA.

Fish mercury and surface water sulfate relationships in the Everglades Protection Area.

PubMed

Gabriel, Mark C; Howard, Nicole; Osborne, Todd Z

2014-03-01

Few published studies present data on relationships between fish mercury and surface or pore water sulfate concentrations, particularly on an ecosystem-wide basis. Resource managers can use these relationships to identify the sulfate conditions that contain fish with health-concerning total mercury (THg) levels and to evaluate the role of sulfate in methyl-mercury (MeHg) production. In this study, we derived relationships between THg in three fish trophic levels (mosquitofish, sunfish, and age-1 largemouth bass) and surface water sulfate from 1998 to 2009 for multiple stations across the Everglades Protection Area (EPA). Results show the relationship between sulfate and fish THg in each fish type is nonlinear and largely skewed, similar to the relationship between MeHg production and sulfate concentration in peatland sediment pore water identified by other researchers. Peak fish THg levels occurred in ~1 to 12 mg/L sulfate conditions. There was significant variability in the fish THg data, and there were several instances of high-fish THg levels in high-sulfate conditions (>30 mg/L). Health-concerning fish THg levels were present in all surface water sulfate conditions; however, most of these levels occurred in 1-20 mg/L sulfate. The data in this study, including recent studies, show consistent and identifiable areas of high- and low-fish THg across the spectrum of surface water sulfate concentration, therefore, applying an ecosystem-wide sulfur strategy may be an effective management approach as it would significantly reduce MeHg risk in the EPA.

Ultrastructural study on the follicle-associated epithelium of nasal-associated lymphoid tissue in specific pathogen-free (SPF) and conventional environment-adapted (SPF-CV) rats

PubMed Central

JEONG, KWANG IL; SUZUKI, HODAKA; NAKAYAMA, HIROYUKI; DOI, KUNIO

2000-01-01

Membranous (M) cells in follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) play an important role in the mucosal immunity through transport of a variety of foreign antigens to the underlying mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). We aimed to investigate the ultrastructure of M cells in the FAE covering nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) both in specific pathogen-free (SPF) rats and in conventional environment-adapted (SPF-CV) rats aged 8–38 wk. In NALT of both SPF and SPF-CV rats, FAE included the nonciliated microvillous cell, which appears to be an analogue of M cell previously described in other MALT. In SPF rats, M cells increased in number only slightly with age, and they maintained morphological uniformity irrespective of age. In SPF-CV rats, M cells selectively increased in number resulting in prominent expansion of FAE surface area in parallel with the duration of maintenance in a conventional environment. In addition, M cells in SPF-CV rats showed heterogeneity in their surface morphology such as the length and number of microvilli and cell surface area and outline. In addition, the FAE was stratified by various subtypes of M cells, which were characterised by several subcellular alterations including the presence of many keratin filaments, homogeneous dark bodies and extensive cytoplasmic interfoliation with wide intercellular spaces filled with amorphous proteinaceous material. These characteristics of M cells in SPF-CV rat were intimately related with a preferential influx of immunocompetent cells into the FAE, which was not seen or was very rare in SPF rats irrespective of age. The results suggest the possibility that NALT may effectively carry out the mucosal immune response against antigenic stimuli of different magnitude through the unique dynamics of M cells which seem to be influenced by the infiltration of immunocompetent cells. PMID:10853966

Formation and mantling ages of lobate debris aprons on Mars: Insights from categorized crater counts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berman, Daniel C.; Crown, David A.; Joseph, Emily C. S.

2015-06-01

Lobate debris aprons in the Martian mid-latitudes offer important insights into the history of the Martian climate and the role of volatiles in Martian geologic activity. Here we present the results of counts of small impact craters, categorized by morphology, on debris aprons in the Deuteronilus Mensae region and the area east of Hellas basin. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) ConTeXt Camera (CTX) images were used to document crater populations on the apron surfaces. Each crater was assessed and categorized according to its morphological characteristics (fresh, degraded, or filled). Fresh and most degraded craters likely superpose recent mantling deposits, whereas filled craters contain mantling deposits and thus indicate a minimum formation age for the apron (i.e., the age since stabilization of the debris apron surface following some modification but prior to mantling). Size-frequency distributions (SFDs) were compiled using established methodologies and plotted to assess their fit to the isochrons. The range or ranges in crater diameter over which each distribution paralleled the isochrons was determined by visual inspection, and general age constraints were noted from SFDs for all craters on a given surface and from each morphological class. The diameter range of each SFD segment observed to parallel an isochron was then input into the Craterstats2 analysis tool to calculate specific age estimates. The aprons were assessed both individually and as regional populations, which improved interpretation of the results and demonstrated the value and limitations of both approaches. The categorized counts reveal three groups of ages: (a) filled impact craters at larger diameters (>~500 m) typically show the oldest ages, between ~300 Ma and 1 Ga, (b) smaller diameter filled and degraded craters reveal ages of resurfacing events between ~10 Ma and 300 Ma, and (c) fresh crater populations (<~100 m diameter) indicate mantling deposits of less than ~10 Ma in age. These results indicate that the lobate debris apron populations formed (or their surfaces became stable) in the Early to Middle Amazonian Epochs, and were subsequently subjected to complex degradation by erosion and sublimation and/or melting of contained ice, culminating in episodes of deposition of ice-rich mantles in the Late Amazonian Epoch.

Linking Anomalously Low Topographic Relief in the Taiwan Arc-Continent Collision to a Submarine Plateau South of the Collision.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byrne, T. B.; Lin, A. T.; Su, C. C.; Lewis, J. C.; Liu, C. S.; Ouimet, W. B.; Chen, T. T.; Huang, C.

2015-12-01

Ouimet et al. (2014; submitted) have recently described broad areas of anomalously low relief and slope that straddle the topographic ridge crest in Taiwan. The areas are anomalous because Taiwan also preserves some of the steepest topography in the world, as expected from the high rates of convergence, exhumation and erosion. In addition, several age-elevation data sets (see Hsu et al. this meeting), using new and previously published ZrnFT, ZrnHe and ApFT ages, show exhumation cooling rates of 3 to 5 mm/yr since ~1.5-2.0 Ma, which is consistent with the exposure of reset zircons beneath the surfaces. Erosion rates of this magnitude, however, are expected to produce significant topographic relief, making it difficult to generate a topographic surface of low slope and low relief centered on the ridge crest. Very young ApFT and ZrnHe ages (e.g., < 0.5 Ma) also suggest a more recent acceleration in exhumation cooling. A relatively large area of low relief centered on the top of the submarine accretionary prism south of Taiwan may provide a solution for this conundrum. The area covers ca 1000 km2, has a mean elevation of ca 450 m below sea level and appears to be composed of hard, intact rocks rather than unlithified deep sea muds. Several attempts at gravity and piston coring failed to penetrate the substrate and samples retrieved in the core catcher include rounded clasts of quartz and siltstone. Geophysical studies also show high Vp velocities at relatively shallow depths beneath the sea floor, suggesting the removal of a significant volume of sediment and rock, presumably through erosion. We propose that this low relief plateau serves as a modern analog for the formation of the low relief surfaces that currently straddle the ridge crest in Taiwan. If this interpretation is correct, it suggests a tectonic model in which submarine erosion processes modulate vertical growth of the prism until collision of thick continental crust promotes uplift that outpaces erosion. This requires significant erosion rates (e.g., mm/yr) in the shallow water marine environment. Based on the young ApFT and ZrnHe ages, we propose that emergence of the prism occurred less than about a half a million years ago, and that this hypothesis could be tested by chronologic and thermochronologic data from cores retrieved through submarine drilling.

A system for 3D representation of burns and calculation of burnt skin area.

PubMed

Prieto, María Felicidad; Acha, Begoña; Gómez-Cía, Tomás; Fondón, Irene; Serrano, Carmen

2011-11-01

In this paper a computer-based system for burnt surface area estimation (BAI), is presented. First, a 3D model of a patient, adapted to age, weight, gender and constitution is created. On this 3D model, physicians represent both burns as well as burn depth allowing the burnt surface area to be automatically calculated by the system. Each patient models as well as photographs and burn area estimation can be stored. Therefore, these data can be included in the patient's clinical records for further review. Validation of this system was performed. In a first experiment, artificial known sized paper patches were attached to different parts of the body in 37 volunteers. A panel of 5 experts diagnosed the extent of the patches using the Rule of Nines. Besides, our system estimated the area of the "artificial burn". In order to validate the null hypothesis, Student's t-test was applied to collected data. In addition, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated and a value of 0.9918 was obtained, demonstrating that the reliability of the program in calculating the area is of 99%. In a second experiment, the burnt skin areas of 80 patients were calculated using BAI system and the Rule of Nines. A comparison between these two measuring methods was performed via t-Student test and ICC. The hypothesis of null difference between both measures is only true for deep dermal burns and the ICC is significantly different, indicating that the area estimation calculated by applying classical techniques can result in a wrong diagnose of the burnt surface. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Ground water resources of southeastern Oakland County, Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferris, J.G.; Burt, E.M.; Stramel, G.J.; Crosthwaite, E.G.

1954-01-01

The area covered by this report comprises a square which measures three townships on a side and enclose 318 square miles in southeastern Oakland County. The investigation of the ground-water resources of this area was made by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Detroit Metropolitan Area Regional Planning Commission, the Michigan Department of Conservation, and the Michigan Water Resources Commission.In 1950 the population of this nine-township area exceeded 341,000, or more than 86 percent of the total population of Oakland County. This county ranks third in the state in number of industrial establishments and workers and is fifteenth in agricultural importance. Its numerous lakes and rolling uplands contribute to its top rank in the state in the number of recreational enterprises in rural or suburban areas.The climate is moderately humid. The average annual precipitation is 30 inches and the mean air temperature is 47.2° F. Snowfall averages 38 inches in the November-April interval. The growing season averages 151 days.The regional land surface slopes from northwest to southeast and has a total relief of 360 feet. Pitted outwash plains and morainal hills that are more than 1,000 feet above sea level in the northwest corner of the area give way southeastward to a sequence of terminal moraines and intervening till plains in the middle part. These give way to the broad lake plains that cover the southeastern third of the area.The area lies on the southeast edge of the Michigan Basin and the bedrock is composed of northwest dipping strata of the Devonian and Mississippian systems. The Antrim shale, of Lake Devonian and early Mississippian age, is the oldest formation cropping out beneath the mantle of glacial Berea sandstone, and Sunbury shale overlie the Antrim and are overlain by the Coldwater shale, their areas of outcrop beneath the drift lying successively farther northwest. These formations are of early Mississippian age.Throughout the area the bedrock is covered by glacial drift which ranges in thickness from 25 to more than 350 feet. The drift increases in thickness from southeast to northwest, but considerable relief on the underlying bedrock surface greatly modifies this trend. Extensive moraines, till plains, lake plains, and gravel outwash plains cover the area. In the northwestern third of the area an extensive upland of gravel plains is dotted with lakes ranging from a few feet to more than 100 feet in depth.Precipitation is the perennial source of all water in this area, whether on the surface of underground. The average annual rainfall on the nine-townships is equivalent to a continuous supply of 450 m.g.d. or  9 times the combined annual withdrawal from all wells in the area.About 53 percent of the area is drained by the Clinton River, 44 percent by the River Rouge, and the remaining 3 percent by the Huron River. Less than one-third of the annual precipitation reappears as surface discharge from the watersheds of this area.About two-thirds of the annual precipitation on the area is lost by evaporation from water and land surfaces and by transpirations from vegetative cover. A substantial part of this large annual water loss is from the many lakes and other exposed water surfaces and from contiguous lands where the depth to the water table is slight. Average annual water losses by evapotranspiration are equivalent to about 280 m.g.d. or nearly 6 times the combined withdrawal from all ground-water supplies in the area.The principal aquifers are the alluvial deposits bordering streams and the buried outwash deposits which represent alluvial fills in preglacial or interglacial stream channels. Intensive well developments in the urban areas have greatly lowered ground-water levels in the buried outwash deposits, have brought localized problems of declining well yield, and have induced migration of mineralized waters from the underlying consolidated formations. During 1952, withdrawals of ground water in the nine township area averages about 50 m.g.d., most of this quantity being pumped from municipal wells. This annual pumpage was distributed as follows: 60 percent in Pontiac and environs; 20 percent in Birmingham, Royal Oak and Troy Township; and the remaining 20 percent throughout the suburban and rural areas.

Degradation of Li/S Battery Electrodes On 3D Current Collectors Studied Using X-ray Phase Contrast Tomography

PubMed Central

Zielke, L.; Barchasz, C.; Waluś, S.; Alloin, F.; Leprêtre, J.-C.; Spettl, A.; Schmidt, V.; Hilger, A.; Manke, I.; Banhart, J.; Zengerle, R.; Thiele, S.

2015-01-01

Lithium/sulphur batteries are promising candidates for future energy storage systems, mainly due to their high potential capacity. However low sulphur utilization and capacity fading hinder practical realizations. In order to improve understanding of the system, we investigate Li/S electrode morphology changes for different ageing steps, using X-ray phase contrast tomography. Thereby we find a strong decrease of sulphur loading after the first cycle, and a constant loading of about 15% of the initial loading afterwards. While cycling, the mean sulphur particle diameters decrease in a qualitatively similar fashion as the discharge capacity fades. The particles spread, migrate into the current collector and accumulate in the upper part again. Simultaneously sulphur particles lose contact area with the conducting network but regain it after ten cycles because their decreasing size results in higher surface areas. Since the capacity still decreases, this regain could be associated with effects such as surface area passivation and increasing charge transfer resistance. PMID:26043280

Degradation of Li/S Battery Electrodes On 3D Current Collectors Studied Using X-ray Phase Contrast Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zielke, L.; Barchasz, C.; Waluś, S.; Alloin, F.; Leprêtre, J.-C.; Spettl, A.; Schmidt, V.; Hilger, A.; Manke, I.; Banhart, J.; Zengerle, R.; Thiele, S.

2015-06-01

Lithium/sulphur batteries are promising candidates for future energy storage systems, mainly due to their high potential capacity. However low sulphur utilization and capacity fading hinder practical realizations. In order to improve understanding of the system, we investigate Li/S electrode morphology changes for different ageing steps, using X-ray phase contrast tomography. Thereby we find a strong decrease of sulphur loading after the first cycle, and a constant loading of about 15% of the initial loading afterwards. While cycling, the mean sulphur particle diameters decrease in a qualitatively similar fashion as the discharge capacity fades. The particles spread, migrate into the current collector and accumulate in the upper part again. Simultaneously sulphur particles lose contact area with the conducting network but regain it after ten cycles because their decreasing size results in higher surface areas. Since the capacity still decreases, this regain could be associated with effects such as surface area passivation and increasing charge transfer resistance.

Potentiometric Surface of the Aquia Aquifer in Southern Maryland, September 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2010-01-01

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Aquia aquifer in the Aquia Formation of Paleocene age in Southern Maryland during September 2009. The map is based on water-level measurements in 82 wells. The highest measured water level was 48 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and in the outcrop area of the aquifer in the central part of Anne Arundel County. Water levels also were above sea level in Kent County and northern Queen Anne's County. Water levels were below sea level south and east of these areas and in the remainder of the study area. The hydraulic gradient increased southeastward toward a cone of depression around well fields at Lexington Park and Solomons Island. The lowest measured water level was 145 feet below sea level at the center of a cone of depression at Lexington Park. The map also shows well yield in gallons per day for 2008 at wells or well fields.

Contribution of stable isotopes and age dating tools to the understanding of pesticide transfer into surface and ground-waters in Martinique (French West Indies)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gourcy, Laurence; Arnaud, Luc; Baran, Nicole; Petelet-Giraud, Emmanuelle

2013-04-01

In Martinique, chlordecone, a synthetic chlorinated organic compound has mainly been used as an insecticide for banana farming up to 1993. The intrinsic characteristic of this contaminant makes it still quite abundant in soil, surface and groundwater. Since 2004 and the implementation of the Water Framework Directive the concentration of chlordecone in groundwater has been monitored regularly (two to four times / year) at different points of the island by the ODE (Office de l'Eau). Previous study (Gourcy et al. 2009, Arnaud et al. 2012) showed that variations of pesticides concentrations in groundwater are temporally strong and not always easy to correlate to climate, geological or hydrogeological context. The objective of the present study was to explore new investigation ways to identify, in a specific site and for high sampling frequency possible pathways of chlordecone into surface and ground-waters. A major sampling campaign was carried out in December 2011 including 12 surface and groundwater points located in Chalvet and Chez Lélène wells watersheds. Besides, monthly or weekly samples were taken at these two groundwater monitoring wells and the Falaise river up to August 2012. Major dissolved ions, δ18O, δ2H, chlordecone concentrations were determined for all samples. CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113 and SF6 analyses were performed for groundwater for apparent age estimation. Punctual or cumulative rainfalls were sampled at Chalvet (30 m NGM) and Aileron (800 m NGM) for stable isotopes determination. The isotope data are indicating a deuterium excess higher for surface water, groundwater and rainfall collected at high altitude vs. samples corresponding to lowest altitudes. This data can therefore be used to estimate the average altitude of recharge area of groundwater. This altitude of recharge, between 30 and 350m corresponds to the altitude of banana growing ; it is therefore in accordance with the presence of chlordecone in soils. This information is also giving necessary data for apparent age estimation using dissolved gases tracers (CFCs). Apparent age (or CFC and SF6 concentrations) and δ18O and δ2H (and calculated d-excess) of groundwater are very stable with time even during intensive rainfall episodes and high water stage. Limited variability of chemistry and isotopes in surface water allow demonstrating that the Falaise River is highly sustained by groundwater. As a consequence, regarding chlordecone, the quality of surface water is governed by groundwater quality. Besides, during the dry season when the contribution of groundwater to the flow is the highest, chlordecone concentrations fluctuations are similar for both surface and ground-waters. During the period December 2011 - August 2012, chlordecone concentration varies from 0.25 to 0.45 µg/L at Chez Lélène borehole and 0.02 to 0.1 µg/L at Falaise River. In this area, groundwater contributes to the degradation of surface water quality.

The role of inducible nitric oxide synthase for interstitial remodeling of alveolar septa in surfactant protein D-deficient mice

PubMed Central

Atochina-Vasserman, Elena N.; Massa, Christopher B.; Birkelbach, Bastian; Guo, Chang-Jiang; Scott, Pamela; Haenni, Beat; Beers, Michael F.; Ochs, Matthias; Gow, Andrew J.

2015-01-01

Surfactant protein D (SP-D) modulates the lung's immune system. Its absence leads to NOS2-independent alveolar lipoproteinosis and NOS2-dependent chronic inflammation, which is critical for early emphysematous remodeling. With aging, SP-D knockout mice develop an additional interstitial fibrotic component. We hypothesize that this age-related interstitial septal wall remodeling is mediated by NOS2. Using invasive pulmonary function testing such as the forced oscillation technique and quasistatic pressure-volume perturbation and design-based stereology, we compared 29-wk-old SP-D knockout (Sftpd−/−) mice, SP-D/NOS2 double-knockout (DiNOS) mice, and wild-type mice (WT). Structural changes, including alveolar epithelial surface area, distribution of septal wall thickness, and volumes of septal wall components (alveolar epithelium, interstitial tissue, and endothelium) were quantified. Twenty-nine-week-old Sftpd−/− mice had preserved lung mechanics at the organ level, whereas elastance was increased in DiNOS. Airspace enlargement and loss of surface area of alveolar epithelium coexist with increased septal wall thickness in Sftpd−/− mice. These changes were reduced in DiNOS, and compared with Sftpd−/− mice a decrease in volumes of interstitial tissue and alveolar epithelium was found. To understand the effects of lung pathology on measured lung mechanics, structural data were used to inform a computational model, simulating lung mechanics as a function of airspace derecruitment, septal wall destruction (loss of surface area), and septal wall thickening. In conclusion, NOS2 mediates remodeling of septal walls, resulting in deposition of interstitial tissue in Sftpd−/−. Forward modeling linking structure and lung mechanics describes the complex mechanical properties by parenchymatous destruction (emphysema), interstitial remodeling (septal wall thickening), and altered recruitability of acinar airspaces. PMID:26320150

Coupled Environmental Processes in the Mojave Desert and Implications for ET Covers as Stable Landforms

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

D. Shafer; M. Y oung; S. Zitzer

2006-01-18

Monolayer evapotranspiration (ET) covers are the baseline method for closure of disposal sites for low-level radioactive waste (LLW), mixed LLW, and transuranic (TRU) waste at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The regulatory timeline is typically 1,000 years for LLW and 10,000 years for TRU waste. Covers for such waste have different technical considerations than those with shorter timelines because they are subject to environmental change for longer periods of time, and because the environmental processes are often coupled. To evaluate these changes, four analog sites (approximately 30, 1,000 to 2,000, 7,000 to 12,500, and 125,000 years in age) on themore » NTS were analyzed to address the early post-institutional control period (the youngest site), the 1,000-year compliance period for disposal of LLW, and the 10,000-year period for TRU waste. Tests included soil texture, structure, and morphology; surface soil infiltration and hydraulic conductivity; vegetation and faunal surveys; and literature reviews. Separate measurements were made in plant undercanopy and intercanopy areas. The results showed a progressive increase in silt and clay content of surface soils with age. Changes in soil texture and structure led to a fivefold decline in saturated hydraulic conductivity in intercanopy areas, but no change in undercanopies, which were subject to bioturbation. These changes may have been responsible for the reduction in total plant cover, most dramatically in intercanopy areas, primarily because more precipitation either runs off the site or is held nearer to the surface where plant roots are less common. The results suggest that covers may evolve over longer timeframes to stable landforms that minimize the need for active maintenance.« less

Changes in stem quality of young thinned hardwoods

Treesearch

David L. Sonderman; David L. Sonderman

1986-01-01

Describes changes in limb-related defects on 18-year-old, even-aged hardwoods 6 years after thinning. Stocking levels of 30, 45, and 60 percent were studied. There were fewer defects per square foot of surface area in the higher stocking plots than in the lower stocking plots. The average number of live limbs decreased 83 percent in the unthinned plots and increased...

Dental amalgam and cognitive function in older women: findings from the Nun Study.

PubMed

Saxe, S R; Snowdon, D A; Wekstein, M W; Henry, R G; Grant, F T; Donegan, S J; Wekstein, D R

1995-11-01

The authors determined the number and surface area of occlusal dental amalgams in a group of 129 Roman Catholic sisters who were 75 to 102 years of age. Findings from this study of women with relatively homogeneous adult lifestyles and environments suggest that existing amalgams are not associated with lower performance on eight different tests of cognitive function.

Uneven-aged management for longleaf pine: freedom to choose

Treesearch

David Dyson

2012-01-01

Longleaf pine once was present on 90 million acres of the southern landscape, ranging from coastal Virginia to east Texas and from central Florida to the mountains of Alabama. On nearly two-thirds of that area, longleaf pine grew in nearly pure (single-species) stands maintained by frequent, low-intensity surface fires of both natural and human origin. The remaining...

Quaternary fluvial terraces of the Tiber Valley: geochronologic and geometric constraints on the back-arc magmatism-related uplift in central Italy.

PubMed

Marra, Fabrizio; Florindo, Fabio; Petronio, Carmelo

2017-05-31

Through a geomorphological study relying on statistically assessed classes of hilltop elevations, we reconstruct a suite of paleo-surfaces along the Tiber River Valley north of Rome that we identify as fluvial terraces formed by interplay between global sea-level fluctuations and regional upift. Using biostratigraphic constraints provided by marine through continental deposits of Santernian age, we recognize the oldest terrace in this area, corresponding to an early coastal plain of late Santernian-Emilian age. By assuming the simple chronological principle of a staircase geometry we correlate the sea-level highstands of MIS 21 through MIS 5 with the lowest eight paleo-surfaces. By plotting against time the cumulated terrace elevations and the average elevation of the Santernian coastline in the investigated area, we detect rates of uplift during the last 1.8 Ma. Two major pulses of uplift are recognized 0.86 through 0.5 Ma, and 0.25 Ma through the Present, which are interpreted as driven by the subduction process and uprising of metasomatized magma bodies on the Tyrrhenian Sea Margin of central Italy, superimposied on a smaller isostatic component of uplift.

A zonal evaluation of intrinsic susceptibility in selected principal aquifers of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wellman, Tristan P.; Kauffman, Leon; Clark, Brian

2012-01-01

A method was developed to evaluate intrinsic groundwater susceptibility in 11 study areas across the United States. Calibrated groundwater-flow models and a variable-advection particle-tracking scheme that accounts for uncertainty were used to derive ranges of conservative solute concentration and groundwater age within spatially defined zones from solute loading to the water table. Aquifers were partitioned into six zones; four relative depth zones and two zones to represent pumping wells and surface water. Five years after solute was introduced in simulated recharge and stream leakage, normalized zone concentrations were detected at values above 10-4 in the shallowest aquifer zone, well zone, and surface-water zone for 10 of the 11 study areas. At the 125-year time scale, 9 out of the 11 study areas exhibited detectable concentrations in all zones and the majority of zones possess concentrations that are substantial relative to the source concentration (ClCo > 10-1). Thresholds defined by the time representing the earliest 1% of groundwater-transit times were used to identify fast transport pathways within the groundwater. The 1% thresholds occurred in a period of days to years for the shallow zone, days to decades for the well and surface-water zones, and years to millennia for the deeper zones. Thresholds defined by the 99th percentile of groundwater travel times were used to reflect late-time response and ranged considerably between study area (~102 to ~106 years), which highlights the potential for chemical constituents to persist in groundwater for long periods under a conservative state. The results of this investigation provide an instructive example of the intricate relations between climate and aquifer characteristics and their role on solute transport in groundwater. The proposed method accounts for dynamical processes in the aquifer and complements more traditional assessments of susceptibility using (apparent) mean water age.

Microanalytical X-ray imaging of depleted uranium speciation in environmentally aged munitions residues.

PubMed

Crean, Daniel E; Livens, Francis R; Stennett, Martin C; Grolimund, Daniel; Borca, Camelia N; Hyatt, Neil C

2014-01-01

Use of depleted uranium (DU) munitions has resulted in contamination of the near-surface environment with penetrator residues. Uncertainty in the long-term environmental fate of particles produced by impact of DU penetrators with hard targets is a specific concern. In this study DU particles produced in this way and exposed to the surface terrestrial environment for longer than 30 years at a U.K. firing range were characterized using synchrotron X-ray chemical imaging. Two sites were sampled: a surface soil and a disposal area for DU-contaminated wood, and the U speciation was different between the two areas. Surface soil particles showed little extent of alteration, with U speciated as oxides U3O7 and U3O8. Uranium oxidation state and crystalline phase mapping revealed these oxides occur as separate particles, reflecting heterogeneous formation conditions. Particles recovered from the disposal area were substantially weathered, and U(VI) phosphate phases such as meta-ankoleite (K(UO2)(PO4) · 3H2O) were dominant. Chemical imaging revealed domains of contrasting U oxidation state linked to the presence of both U3O7 and meta-ankoleite, indicating growth of a particle alteration layer. This study demonstrates that substantial alteration of DU residues can occur, which directly influences the health and environmental hazards posed by this contamination.

Anisotropic models of the upper mantle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Regan, J.; Anderson, D. L.

1983-01-01

Long period Rayleigh wave and Love wave dispersion data, particularly for oceanic areas, were not simultaneously satisfied by an isotropic structure. Available phase and group velocity data are inverted by a procedure which includes the effects of transverse anisotropy, an elastic dispersion, sphericity, and gravity. The resulting models, for the average Earth, average ocean and oceanic regions divided according to the age of the ocean floor, are quite different from previous results which ignore the above effects. The models show a low velocity zone with age dependent anisotropy and velocities higher than derived in previous surface wave studies. The correspondence between the anisotropy variation with age and a physical model based on flow aligned olivine is suggested.

A New Approach of Juvenile Age Estimation using Measurements of the Ilium and Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) Models for Better Age Prediction.

PubMed

Corron, Louise; Marchal, François; Condemi, Silvana; Chaumoître, Kathia; Adalian, Pascal

2017-01-01

Juvenile age estimation methods used in forensic anthropology generally lack methodological consistency and/or statistical validity. Considering this, a standard approach using nonparametric Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) models were tested to predict age from iliac biometric variables of male and female juveniles from Marseilles, France, aged 0-12 years. Models using unidimensional (length and width) and bidimensional iliac data (module and surface) were constructed on a training sample of 176 individuals and validated on an independent test sample of 68 individuals. Results show that MARS prediction models using iliac width, module and area give overall better and statistically valid age estimates. These models integrate punctual nonlinearities of the relationship between age and osteometric variables. By constructing valid prediction intervals whose size increases with age, MARS models take into account the normal increase of individual variability. MARS models can qualify as a practical and standardized approach for juvenile age estimation. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Clinicopathologic correlation of submacular membranectomy with retention of good vision in a patient with age-related macular degeneration.

PubMed

Rosa, R H; Thomas, M A; Green, W R

1996-04-01

We present the clinicopathologic features of the eye of a patient with age-related macular degeneration who underwent submacular membranectomy and had retention of good visual acuity for almost 4 years despite recurrent choroidal neovascularization treated with krypton laser photocoagulation and mild expansion of the laser lesion with time. Histopathologic study of the surgically removed membrane from the right eye disclosed a thin fibrovascular membrane lined by retinal pigment epithelium on one surface. Microscopic examination of the right eye obtained post mortem disclosed a 2.75-mm (horizontal) x 2.1-mm (vertical) retinal pigment epithelium defect with overlying photoreceptor cell atrophy centered on the temporal parafoveal area, and a 0.6 x 0.1-mm subretinal pigment epithelium fibrovascular membrane with an area of retinal pigment epithelial hyperplasia and vascularization from the retina 0.4 mm temporal to the fovea. Basal laminar deposit was present in the region of the fovea and nasal parafoveal area.

Influence of the Quaternary Climate Change on the Landscape of the Southern Part of the Middle Russian Upland (Russia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanovskaya, M.; Bessudnov, A. N.; Kuznetsova, T. V.; Sukhanova, T. V.; Krilkov, N. M.

2017-12-01

The study area belongs to the East European Plain. In paleoclimatic terms the northern limits of this area were covered by ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the entire area was located within the permafrost zone of the Last Permafrost Maximum (LPM) according to the published maps. The results of our geological and geomorphologic exploration of the area have clearly shown that this area is an actively growing neo-tectonic structure. Geomorphologic study and modeling have revealed the presence of erosion-shaped surfaces of different age which were formed by neo-tectonic movements and the effects of climate fluctuations. The entire landscape of the area is a system of altitudinal steps. Each surface has its own complex of recent deposits, which closely related to climate change. The fluvial terraces of the rivers Don and Tikhaya Sosna were formed under the influence of the Don, Dnepr, Moscow and, Valdai Glaciations. There are many calcareous loess layers and paleosol layers in the Quaternary geological sections of the area. Radiocarbon dating of fossils and paleosol layers found at the archaeological site Divnogorie-9 located in loess-like loam parts of the section (50.9649ºN, 39.3031ºE) provides the age 12-14 ka BP. Our rock-magnetism studies of this section have shown that its formation was affected by regional paleoclimate. We believe that a decrease of the erosion basis during the LGM led to a deepening of the erosion network. Later on, when the climate warmed the powerful but short-lived water streams filled the ravines with thick proluvial deposits. The degradation of the permafrost after LPM within the study area apparently had no significant effects on its landscape formation, as evidenced by the very small number of ice-wedge pseudomorphs and specific morphological features reported for this area. This conclusion is also supported by the results of our carbon research of loess-like loam and paleosol layers. Thus the emerging picture of the landscape of the study area being formed by the work of exogenous agents and neo-tectonic movements and also reflects climatic fluctuations during the Pleistocene and Holocene.

Surface plasticity: theory and computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esmaeili, A.; Steinmann, P.; Javili, A.

2017-11-01

Surfaces of solids behave differently from the bulk due to different atomic rearrangements and processes such as oxidation or aging. Such behavior can become markedly dominant at the nanoscale due to the large ratio of surface area to bulk volume. The surface elasticity theory (Gurtin and Murdoch in Arch Ration Mech Anal 57(4):291-323, 1975) has proven to be a powerful strategy to capture the size-dependent response of nano-materials. While the surface elasticity theory is well-established to date, surface plasticity still remains elusive and poorly understood. The objective of this contribution is to establish a thermodynamically consistent surface elastoplasticity theory for finite deformations. A phenomenological isotropic plasticity model for the surface is developed based on the postulated elastoplastic multiplicative decomposition of the surface superficial deformation gradient. The non-linear governing equations and the weak forms thereof are derived. The numerical implementation is carried out using the finite element method and the consistent elastoplastic tangent of the surface contribution is derived. Finally, a series of numerical examples provide further insight into the problem and elucidate the key features of the proposed theory.

Three-dimensional measurement of periodontal surface area for quantifying inflammatory burden.

PubMed

Park, Sa-Beom; An, So-Youn; Han, Won-Jeong; Park, Jong-Tae

2017-06-01

Measurement of the root surface area (RSA) is important in periodontal treatment and for the evaluation of periodontal disease as a risk factor for systemic disease. The aim of this study was to measure the RSA at 6 mm below the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) using the Mimics software (Materialise, Leuven, Belgium). We obtained cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data from 33 patients who had visited the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology of Dankook University Dental Hospital. The patients comprised 17 men and 16 women aged from 20 to 35 years, with a mean age of 24.4 years. Only morphologically intact teeth were included in our data. Because the third molars of the maxilla and mandible have a high deformation rate and were absent in some participants, they were not included in our research material. The CBCT data were reconstructed into 3-dimensional (3D) teeth models using the Mimics software, and the RSA at 6 mm below the CEJ was separated and measured using 3-Matic (Materialise). In total, 924 3D teeth models were created, and the area at 6 mm below the CEJ could be isolated in all the models. The area at 6 mm below the CEJ was measured in all teeth from the 33 patients and compared based on sex and position (maxilla vs. mandible). In this study, we demonstrated that it was feasible to generate 3D data and to evaluate RSA values using CBCT and the Mimics software. These results provide deeper insights into the relationship between periodontal inflammatory burden and systemic diseases.

10Be inventories in Alpine soils and their potentiality for dating land surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egli, Markus; Brandová, Dagmar; Böhlert, Ralph; Favilli, Filippo; Kubik, Peter W.

2010-05-01

To exploit natural archives and geomorphic objects it is necessary to date them first. Landscape evolution of Alpine areas is often strongly related to the activities of glaciers in the Pleistocene and Holocene. At sites where no organic matter for radiocarbon dating exists and where suitable boulders for surface exposure dating (using in situ produced cosmogenic nuclides) are absent, dating of soils could give information about the timing of landscape evolution. We explored the applicability of soil dating using the inventory of meteoric Be-10 in Alpine soils. For this purpose, a set of 6 soil profiles in the Swiss and Italian Alps was investigated. The surface at these sites had already been dated (using the radiocarbon technique or surface exposure dating using in situ produced Be-10). Consequently, a direct comparison of the ages of the soils using meteoric Be-10 and other dating techniques was made possible. The estimation of Be-10 deposition rates is subject to severe limitations and strongly influences the obtained results. We tested three scenarios using a) the meteoric Be-10 deposition rates as a function of the annual precipitation rate, b) a constant Be-10 input for the Central Alps and c) as b) but assuming a pre-exposure of the parent material. The obtained ages that are based on the Be-10 inventory in soils and on scenario a) for the Be-10 input agreed reasonably well with the expected age (obtained from surface exposure or radiocarbon dating). The ages obtained from soils using scenario b) produced mostly ages that were too old whereas the approach using scenario c) seemed to yield better results than scenario b). Erosion calculations can, in theory, be performed using the Be-10 inventory and Be-10 deposition rates. An erosion estimation was possible using scenario a) and c), but not using b). The estimated erosion rates are in a reasonable range. The dating of soils using Be-10 has several potential error sources. Analytical errors as well as errors from other parameters such as bulk soil density and soil skeleton content have to be taken into account. The error range was from 8 up to 21%. Furthermore, uncertainties in estimating Be-10 deposition rates substantially influence the calculated ages. Relative age estimates and, under optimal conditions, a numerical dating can be carried out. Age determination of Alpine soils using Be-10 gives another possibility to date surfaces when other methods fail or are not possible at all. It is, however, not straightforward, quite laborious and may consequently have some distinct limitations.

Computer-assisted quantification of the skull deformity for craniosynostosis from 3D head CT images using morphological descriptor and hierarchical classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Min Jin; Hong, Helen; Shim, Kyu Won; Kim, Yong Oock

2017-03-01

This paper proposes morphological descriptors representing the degree of skull deformity for craniosynostosis in head CT images and a hierarchical classifier model distinguishing among normal and different types of craniosynostosis. First, to compare deformity surface model with mean normal surface model, mean normal surface models are generated for each age range and the mean normal surface model is deformed to the deformity surface model via multi-level threestage registration. Second, four shape features including local distance and area ratio indices are extracted in each five cranial bone. Finally, hierarchical SVM classifier is proposed to distinguish between the normal and deformity. As a result, the proposed method showed improved classification results compared to traditional cranial index. Our method can be used for the early diagnosis, surgical planning and postsurgical assessment of craniosynostosis as well as quantitative analysis of skull deformity.

A postglacial chronology for some alluvial valleys in Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leopold, Luna Bergere; Miller, John P.

1954-01-01

Alluvial terraces were studied in several major river basins in eastern Wyoming. Three terraces are present along nearly all the streams and large tributaries. There are several extensive dissected erosion surfaces in the area, but these are much older than, and stand well above, the recent alluvial terraces with which this report is concerned.The three alluvial terraces stand respectively about 40, 10, and 5 feet above the present streams. The uppermost and oldest is a fill terrace comprised of three stratigraphic units of varying age. The oldest unit is Pleistocene and the youngest unit postdates the development of a soil zone, or paleosol, which is characterized by strong accumulation of calcium carbonate and gypsum. This paleosol is an important stratigraphic marker. The middle terrace is generally a cut terrace and is developed on the material making up the youngest alluvium of the high terrace. The lowest is a fill terrace, the surface of which is only slightly higher than the present flood plain.The oldest terrace can tentatively be traced into mountain valleys of the Bighorn Range on the basis of discontinuous remnants. The terrace remnants occur far upstream from the youngest moraine in the valleys studied. On this basis, the terrace sequence is considered to postdate the last Wisconsin ice in the Bighorn Mountains. The paleosol is tentatively correlated with Altithermal time, called in Europe the Climatic Optimum. The terrace sequence is very similar to that suggested by various workers in the southwestern United States.Two streams, Clear Creek and the Powder River, deposited comparable silty alluvium, the surface of which now comprises the highest alluvial terrace. The gradients of these former flood plains differed markedly between the two streams despite the comparability in size of material deposited. This difference in gradient is believed to have required different relative contributions of water from mountain and plain areas than now exist.Knowledge of Recent physiographic history of the area is the basis of determining the relative ages of some gully features. Certain vertical-walled channels or arroyos that might appear to be attributable to postsettlement grazing or other man-induced influences are shown to be Recent but pre-Columbian in age. Such differentiation in age of erosion features is necessary for proper understanding of present-day soil erosion problems.

Flow-induced detachment of red blood cells adhering to surfaces by specific antigen-antibody bonds.

PubMed

Xia, Z; Goldsmith, H L; van de Ven, T G

1994-04-01

Fixed spherical swollen human red blood cells of blood type B adhering on a glass surface through antigen-antibody bonds to monoclonal mouse antihuman IgM, adsorbed or covalently linked on the surface, were detached by known hydrodynamic forces created in an impinging jet. The dynamic process of detachment of the specifically bound cells was recorded and analyzed. The fraction of adherent cells remaining on the surface decreased with increasing hydrodynamic force. For an IgM coverage of 0.26%, a tangential force on the order of 100 pN was able to detach almost all of the cells from the surface within 20 min. After a given time of exposure to hydrodynamic force, the fraction of adherent cells remaining increased with time, reflecting an increase in adhesion strength. The characteristic time for effective aging was approximately 4 h. Results from experiments in which the adsorbed antibody molecules were immobilized through covalent coupling and from evanescent wave light scattering of adherent cells, imply that deformation of red cells at the contact area was the principal cause for aging, rather than local clustering of the antibody through surface diffusion. Experiments with latex beads specifically bound to red blood cells suggest that, instead of breaking the antigen-antibody bonds, antigen molecules were extracted from the cell membrane during detachment.

Present day and Allerod - Younger Dryas marine 14C reservoir ages of surface waters in the North Atlantic-Norwegian Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangerud, J.; Bondevik, S.; Gulliksen, S.; Birks, H. H.; Reimer, P.; Hufthammer, A. K.; Hoisaeter, T.

2005-12-01

In order to compare radiocarbon dates on marine and terrestrial samples, the former have to be corrected for a marine reservoir age. We have calculated present day reservoir ages in this area by dating 22 whales collected AD 1860-1901 and 23 molluscs collected AD 1857-1926. Whales feed on pelagic organisms and will provide the reservoir age for the open ocean surface water. However, they travel large distances and integrate the reservoir ages of water masses along their way. Molluscs are stationary and monitor the sea water passing their living site. For the surface water in the N-Atlantic and Norwegian Sea we recommend to use the mean obtained for the two sets, i.e. reservoir ages of 400 +/- 40 and 375 +/- 30 years relative to tree rings of Intcal04 and British oak respectively, for the parts of the Holocene where specific time-dependent reservoir ages are not determined. The reservoir ages relative to British oak best reflects regional processes and we therefore prefer those, whereas IntCal04 ages are much more precisely determined, but dominated by trees from NW-USA in this time period. The reservoir ages for Allerod-Younger Dryas (YD) are obtained by dating parallel samples of terrestrial plant fragments and marine shells from sediment cores from the outermost western coast of Norway. The marine mud contains both plant fragments blown or washed in from adjacent land and in situ marine shells. In the earliest period (13,800-14,500 cal yrs BP) the reservoir age is 300-400 years, similar to present day values. This suggests that the exchange of CO2 between the atmosphere and the surface ocean was comparable to the present. During a short interval 13,200-13,500 cal yrs BP we found higher reservoir ages of 500-600 years coinciding with lower organic carbon content in our cores, and an inter-Allerod fluctuation seen in marine records. During the early YD the reservoir ages increased gradually from 400 to 650 years, causing a 700-14C year-long plateau, centred at 11,000 14C yrs BP, for marine dates at a time of high resolution for terrestrial dates. This may reflect increased annual sea-ice cover, reducing the rate of CO2 exchange between the atmosphere and the sea surface. But better; our dates show that the marine 14C ages decreased rapidly from 10,600 to 10,100 14C yrs BP. This is the time of the well-known 10,000 14C year plateau in terrestrial dates, and the result is that one can obtain higher resolution of calibrated marine 14C dates at the YD/Holocene transition than for terrestrial 14C dates. This presentation is based on two manuscripts that will be submitted about 1. Sept 2005: Bondevik, S., Mangerud, J., Birks, H. H., Gulliksen, S., and Reimer, P.: Late-glacial reservoir ages of surface waters in the North Atlantic. Mangerud, J., Bondevik, S., Gulliksen, S., Hufthammer, A.K., Hoisaeter, T.: Marine 14C reservoir ages for whales and molluscs from the North Atlantic.

Idiopathic preretinal glia in aging and age-related macular degeneration

PubMed Central

Edwards, Malia M.; McLeod, D. Scott; Bhutto, Imran A.; Villalonga, Mercedes B.; Seddon, Johanna M.; Lutty, Gerard A.

2015-01-01

During analysis of glia in wholemount aged human retinas, frequent projections onto the vitreal surface of the inner limiting membrane (ILM) were noted. The present study characterized these preretinal glial structures. The amount of glial cells on the vitreal side of the ILM was compared between eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and age-matched control eyes. Retinal wholemounts were stained for markers of retinal astrocytes and activated Müller cells (glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP), Müller cells (vimentin, glutamine synthetase) and microglia/hyalocytes (IBA-1). Retinal vessels were labeled with UEA lectin. Images were collected using a Zeiss 710 confocal microscope. Retinas were then cryopreserved. Laminin labeling of cryosections determined the location of glial structures in relation to the ILM. All retinas investigated herein had varied amounts of preretinal glial. These glial structures were classified into three groups based on size: sprouts, blooms, and membranes. The simplest of the glial structures observed were focal sprouts of singular GFAP-positive cells or processes on the vitreal surface of the ILM. The intermediate structures observed, glial blooms, were created by multiple cells/processes exiting from a single point and extending along the vitreoretinal surface. The most extensive structures, glial membranes, consisted of compact networks of cells and processes. Preretinal glia were observed in all areas of the retina but they were most prominent over large vessels. While all glial blooms and membranes contained vimentin and GFAP-positive cells, these proteins did not always co-localize. Many areas had no preretinal GFAP but had numerous vimentin only glial sprouts. In double labelled glial sprouts, vimentin staining extended beyond that of GFAP. Hyalocytes and microglia were detected along with glial sprouts, blooms, and membranes. They did not, however, concentrate in the retina below these structures. Cross sectional analysis identified small breaks in the ILM above large retinal vessels through which glial cells exited the retina. Preretinal glial structures of varied sizes are a common occurrence in aged retinas and, in most cases, are subclinical. While all retinal glia are found in blooms, vimentin labeling suggests that Müller cells form the leading edge. All retinas investigated from eyes with active choroidal neovascularization (CNV) had extensive glial membranes on the vitreal surface of the ILM. Although these structures may be benign, they may exert traction on the retina as they spread along the vitreoretinal interface. In cases with CNV, glial cells in the vitreous could bind intravitreally injected anti-vascular endothelial growth factor. These preretinal glial structures indicate the remodeling of both astrocytes and Müller cells in aged retinas, in particular those with advanced AMD. PMID:26220834

No association between hair cortisol or cortisone and brain morphology in children.

PubMed

Chen, Ruoqing; Muetzel, Ryan L; El Marroun, Hanan; Noppe, Gerard; van Rossum, Elisabeth F C; Jaddoe, Vincent W; Verhulst, Frank C; White, Tonya; Fang, Fang; Tiemeier, Henning

2016-12-01

Little is known about the relationship between the long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning and brain structure in children. Glucocorticoid in hair has emerged as an important biomarker of HPA activity. In this study, we investigated the associations of hair cortisol and cortisone concentrations with brain morphology in young children. We included 219 children aged 6-10 years from the Generation R Study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. We examined cortisol and cortisone concentrations by hair analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and assessed brain morphometric measures with structural magnetic resonance imaging. The relationships of hair cortisol and cortisone concentrations with brain volumetrics, cortical thickness, cortical surface area and gyrification were analyzed separately after adjustment for several potential confounding factors. We observed a positive association between cortisol concentrations and cortical surface area in the parietal lobe, positive associations of cortisone concentrations with thalamus volume, occipital lobe volume and cortical surface area in the parietal lobe, and a negative association between cortisone concentrations and cortical surface area in the temporal lobe in the regions of interest analyses. A negative association between cortisol or cortisone concentrations and hippocampal volume was observed in children with behavioral problems. The whole brain vertex-wise analyses did however not show any association between cortisol or cortisone concentration and brain morphometric measures after correction for multiple testing. Although some associations are noted in region of interest analyses, we do not observe clear association of hair cortisol or cortisone with brain morphometric measures in typically developing young children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

pp iii Morphological response to Quaternary deformation at an intermontane basin piedmont, the northern Tien Shan, Kyrghyzstan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowman, Dan; Korjenkov, Andrey; Porat, Naomi; Czassny, Birka

2004-11-01

The Tien Shan is a most active intracontinental mountain-building range with abundant Quaternary fault-related folding. In order to improve our understanding of Quaternary intermontane basin deformation, we investigated the intermontane Issyk-Kul Lake area, an anticline that was up-warped through the piedmont cover, causing partitioning of the alluvial fan veneer. To follow the morphological scenario during the warping process, we relied on surface-exposed and trenched structures and on alluvial fans and bajadas as reference surfaces. We used air photos and satellite images to analyze the spatial-temporal morphological record and determined the age of near surface sediments by luminescence dating. We demonstrate that the up-warped Ak-Teke hills are a thrust-generated subdued anticline with strong morphological asymmetry which results from the coupling of the competing processes of up-warp and erosional feedback. The active creeks across the up-warped anticline indicate that the antecedent drainage system kept pace with the rate of uplift. The rivers which once sourced the piedmont, like the Toru-Aygyr, Kultor and the Dyuresu, became deeply entrenched and gradually transformed the study area into an abandoned morphological surface. The up-warp caused local lateral drainage diversion in front of the northern backlimb and triggered the formation of a dendritic drainage pattern upfan. Luminescence dating suggest that the period of up-warp and antecedent entrenchment started after 157 ka. The morphologically mature study area demonstrates the response of fluvial systems to growing folds on piedmont areas, induced by a propagating frontal fold at a thrust belt edge, following shortening.

Cortical and subcortical abnormalities in youths with conduct disorder and elevated callous-unemotional traits.

PubMed

Wallace, Gregory L; White, Stuart F; Robustelli, Briana; Sinclair, Stephen; Hwang, Soonjo; Martin, Alex; Blair, R James R

2014-04-01

Although there is growing evidence of brain abnormalities among individuals with conduct disorder (CD), the structural neuroimaging literature is mixed and frequently aggregates cortical volume rather than differentiating cortical thickness from surface area. The current study assesses CD-related differences in cortical thickness, surface area, and gyrification as well as volume differences in subcortical structures critical to neurodevelopmental models of CD (amygdala; striatum) in a carefully characterized sample. We also examined whether group structural differences were related to severity of callous-unemotional (CU) traits in the CD sample. Participants were 49 community adolescents aged 10 to 18 years, 22 with CD and 27 healthy comparison youth. Structural MRI was collected and the FreeSurfer image analysis suite was used to provide measures of cortical thickness, surface area, and local gyrification as well as subcortical (amygdala and striatum) volumes. Youths with CD showed reduced cortical thickness in the superior temporal cortex. There were also indications of reduced gyrification in the ventromedial frontal cortex, particularly for youths with CD without comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. There were no group differences in cortical surface area. However, youths with CD also showed reduced amygdala and striatum (putamen and pallidum) volumes. Right temporal cortical thickness was significantly inversely related to severity of CU traits. Youths with CD show reduced cortical thickness within superior temporal regions, some indication of reduced gyrification within ventromedial frontal cortex and reduced amygdala and striatum (putamen and pallidum) volumes. These results are discussed with reference to neurobiological models of CD. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The geohydrologic system and probable effects of mining in the Sand Creek-Hanks lignite area, western Williams County, North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Armstrong, C.A.

1985-01-01

The investigation was undertaken to define the geohydrology of the Sand Creek-Hanks area and to project probable hydrologic effects of lignite mining on the area. Aquifers occur in sandstone beds in the Fox Hills Sandstone and the Hell Creek Formation of Cretaceous age and in sandstone lenses and lignite beds in the Tongue River and Sentinel Butte Members of the Fort Union Formation of Tertiary age.The top of the Fox Hills aquifer ranges from about 1,200 to 2,000 feet below land surface. Yields of wells completed in the aquifer could be as much as 60 gallons per minute. Water in the Fox Hills aquifer is a sodium bicarbonate type and generallyDepths to the top of the Hell Creek aquifer range from about 900 to 1,600 feet. Well yields range from less than 10 to 40 gallons per minute. Water in the aquifer is a sodium bicarbonate type and generally contains between 1,000 and 2,200 milligrams per liter dissolved solids. Depths to aquifers in the Tongue River and Sentinel Butte Members of Fort Union Formation range from near land surface to about 1,000 feet below land surface. Wells completed in the aquifers may yield as much as 40 gallons per minute of sodium bicarbonate or a sodium sulfate type water that contains about 800 to 4,100 milligrams per liter dissolved solids.Glacial drift covers most of the study area. The drift thickness ranges from a veneer to about 380 feet. Well yields range from a few gallons per minute to 900 gallons per minute. Dissolved-solids concentrations in water from the glacial drift generally range from 477 to 2,050 milligrams per liter. Mining of lignite will destroy all aquifers in and above the mined lignite and will expose overburden to oxidation. Leaching will cause an increase in dissolved solids in ground water immediately beneath the mines and possibly will cause some increase in the dissolved solids in low flows in area streams.

Surface subsidence and collapse in relation to extraction of salt and other soluble evaporites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ege, John R.

1979-01-01

Extraction of soluble minerals, whether by natural or man-induced processes, can result in localized land-surface subsidence and more rarely sinkhole formation. One process cited by many investigators is that uncontrolled dissolving of salt or other soluble evaporites can create or enlarge underground cavities, thereby increasing the span of the unsupported roof to the strength limit of the overlying rocks. Downwarping results when spans are exceeded, or collapse of the undermined roof leads to upward sloping or chimneying of the overburden rocks. If underground space is available for rock debris to collect, the void can migrate to the surface with the end result being surface subsidence or collapse. In North America natural solution subsidence and collapse features in rocks ranging in age from Silurian to the present are found in evaporite terranes in the Great Plains from Saskatchewan in the north to Texas and New Mexico in the south, in the Great Lakes area, and in the southeastern States. Man-induced subsidence and collapse in evaporites are generally associated with conventional or solution mining, oilfield operations, and reservoir and dam construction, and can be especially hazardous in populated or built-up areas.

Age-related differences in the structural complexity of subcortical and ventricular structures.

PubMed

Madan, Christopher R; Kensinger, Elizabeth A

2017-02-01

It has been well established that the volume of several subcortical structures decreases in relation to age. Different metrics of cortical structure (e.g., volume, thickness, surface area, and gyrification) have been shown to index distinct characteristics of interindividual differences; thus, it is important to consider the relation of age to multiple structural measures. Here, we compare age-related differences in subcortical and ventricular volume to those differences revealed with a measure of structural complexity, quantified as fractal dimensionality. Across 3 large data sets, totaling nearly 900 individuals across the adult lifespan (aged 18-94 years), we found greater age-related differences in complexity than volume for the subcortical structures, particularly in the caudate and thalamus. The structural complexity of ventricular structures was not more strongly related to age than volume. These results demonstrate that considering shape-related characteristics improves sensitivity to detect age-related differences in subcortical structures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and predictors of low voltage zones in the left atrium in patients with atrial fibrillation.

PubMed

Huo, Yan; Gaspar, Thomas; Pohl, Matthias; Sitzy, Judith; Richter, Utz; Neudeck, Sebastian; Mayer, Julia; Kronborg, Mads Brix; Piorkowski, Christopher

2017-06-10

To describe the extent and distribution of low voltage zones (LVZ) in a large cohort of patients undergoing ablation for paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation (AF), and to explore baseline predictors of LVZ in these patients. Consecutive patients who underwent a bipolar voltage map guided AF ablation, were enrolled. Voltage maps were conducted for each patient using 3-dimensional electroanatomical mapping system and LVZ were defined as areas of bipolar voltage < 0.5 mV. A total of 539 patients (309 male, age 65 ± 10 years) were included. Low voltage zones was present in 58 out of 292 patients with paroxysmal and 134 out of 247 persistent AF (P < 0.001). The area of LVZ was larger in patients with persistent as compare to paroxysmal AF, 5 cm2 (IQR 3-18.6) vs. 12.1 cm2 (IQR 3.6-28.5), P = 0.026, respectively. In the multivariate analysis age (OR 1.07, 95%CI 1.05-1.10, P < 0.001), female gender (OR 2.18, 95%CI 1.38-3.43, P = 0.001), sinoatrial node dysfunction (OR 3.90, 95%CI 1.24-12.21, P = 0.020), larger surface area of left atrium pr. cm2 (OR 1.01, 95%CI 1.00-1.02, P = 0.016), and persistent AF (OR 5.03, 95%CI 3.20-7.90, P<0.001) were associated with presence of LVZ. In a large cohort of patients undergoing ablation for AF, the prevalence of LVZ was higher and LVZ areas larger in patients with persistent as compared with paroxysmal AF. The most frequent localization of LVZ was anterior wall, septum and posterior wall. Presence of LVZ was associated with higher age, female gender, larger LA surface area, and sinoatrial node dysfunction. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Land-surface evolution at the continental time-scale: An example from interior Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mabbutt, J. A.

1988-12-01

The interior plateau of Western Australia in the Wiluna—Meekatharra area is in part an exhumed pre-Permian surface of low relief and to that extent of Gondwana age. A lateritic duricrust on interfluvial remnants of an Old Plateau surface is probably the outcome of several cycles of weathering and stripping, rather than of a single geomorphic episode. Landforms above the Old Plateau have maintained their relief during this circumdenudation and there is no regional evidence of their isolation by major escarpment retreat. A New Plateau surface has extended by stripping of saprolite and is an etchplain, as also is the Old Plateau under the genesis postulated. The New Plateau cycle was initiated by general drainage rejuvenation whilst lateritic weathering still continued, but its extension was halted through increasing climatic aridity, probably during the Miocene.

Hydrology of area 25, Eastern Region, Interior Coal Province, Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zuehls, E.E.; Ryan, G.L.; Peart, D.B.; Fitzgerald, K.K.

1981-01-01

The eastern region of the Interior Coal Province has been divided into 11 hydrologic study areas. Area 25, located in west-central Illinois, includes the Spoon River and small tributaries to the Illinois River. Pennsylvanian age rocks underlie most of the study area. Illinois, with the largest reserves of bituminous coal, is second only to Montana in total coal reserves. Loess soils cover most of the study area. Agriculture is the dominant land use. Surface water provides 97% of all the water used. Precipitation averages 34 to 35 inches. Water-quality data has been collected at over 31 sites. Analysis for specific conductance, pH, alkalinity, iron, manganese, sulfate and many trace elements and other water-quality constituents have been completed. These data are available from computer storage through the National Water Data Storage and Retrieval System (WATSTORE). (USGS)

Stratigraphy and Surface Ages on Iapetus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmedemann, Nico; Denk, T.; Wagner, R.; Neukum, G.

2007-10-01

The examination of the geologic history of Iapetus is a major goal of the Cassini imaging experiment (ISS). Crater counting for the determination of model ages is a powerful tool to understand stratigraphic relationships between different terrain units. The shapes of the measured crater-size frequency distributions follow very closely the distribution of Earth's moon (after correction for the different impact conditions; Neukum et al. 2006), justifying its usage here for model age determinations. Following the models of Castillo-Rogez et al. (2007) and Neukum et al. (2006), an age of 4.4 Gyr is expected for the oldest parts of Iapetus’ surface. Based on these models, we measured different ages at neighboring morphologic units. A small part of the ridge near 96°W longitude and an "average" dark terrain sample north of the ridge shows dense cratering, indicating the most ancient surface ( 4.4 Gyr). The surroundings of the "landslide" crater (diameter 120 km; 6°N/36°W) in the south western part of a huge basin and a large, 420 km diameter basin on the leading side of Iapetus (34°N, 80°W) appear slightly younger ( 4.3 Gyr). The "landslide" crater and the landslide itself are sparsely cratered with a model age of 4.1 Gyr. These might be among the youngest areas on Iapetus. New high-resolution imagery data from the targeted flyby are expected for mid-September (see abstract by Denk et al., this meeting), with spatial resolutions down to 10 m/pxl. We expect to present first results at the meeting. References: Castillo-Rogez J.C., et al. (2007), Icarus, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2007.02.018. Denk, T., et al. (2007), DPS, this conference. Neukum, G., et al. (2006), 1st EPSC, Berlin, p.610.

Origin of lunar light plains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chao, E. C. T.; Hodges, C. A.; Boyce, J. M.; Soderblom, L. A.

1975-01-01

In order to determine the origin of Cayley-type lunar light plains, their physical properties, distribution, and relative ages are examined from Apollo orbital and Lunar Orbiter photographs. The distribution and apparent age of the plains deposits and data on highly feldspathic breccias indicate that these superficial materials are neither locally derived nor part of the Imbrium ejecta. The existence of a planar facies of continuous ejecta at Orientale and in the ejecta blankets of small craters is demonstrated. The data and interpretation presented support the hypothesis that the surface and near-surface materials of some light plains, including those at the Apollo 16 site, are at least partly composed of ejecta from the Orientale basin and that the materials of many rugged areas, such as the Descartes highlands, are overlain by similar material. The possibility that some Cayley-type plains may have a different origin is not excluded.

Cortical and subcortical connections of V1 and V2 in early postnatal macaque monkeys.

PubMed

Baldwin, Mary K L; Kaskan, Peter M; Zhang, Bin; Chino, Yuzo M; Kaas, Jon H

2012-02-15

Connections of primary (V1) and secondary (V2) visual areas were revealed in macaque monkeys ranging in age from 2 to 16 weeks by injecting small amounts of cholera toxin subunit B (CTB). Cortex was flattened and cut parallel to the surface to reveal injection sites, patterns of labeled cells, and patterns of cytochrome oxidase (CO) staining. Projections from the lateral geniculate nucleus and pulvinar to V1 were present at 4 weeks of age, as were pulvinar projections to thin and thick CO stripes in V2. Injections into V1 in 4- and 8-week-old monkeys labeled neurons in V2, V3, middle temporal area (MT), and dorsolateral area (DL)/V4. Within V1 and V2, labeled neurons were densely distributed around the injection sites, but formed patches at distances away from injection sites. Injections into V2 labeled neurons in V1, V3, DL/V4, and MT of monkeys 2-, 4-, and 8-weeks of age. Injections in thin stripes of V2 preferentially labeled neurons in other V2 thin stripes and neurons in the CO blob regions of V1. A likely thick stripe injection in V2 at 4 weeks of age labeled neurons around blobs. Most labeled neurons in V1 were in superficial cortical layers after V2 injections, and in deep layers of other areas. Although these features of adult V1 and V2 connectivity were in place as early as 2 postnatal weeks, labeled cells in V1 and V2 became more restricted to preferred CO compartments after 2 weeks of age. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Quality response of 29-year-old, even-aged central hardwoods after thinning

Treesearch

David L. Sonderman

1984-01-01

Describes the quality response of a 29-year-old upland hardwood stand grown for 6 years under different levels of residual stand density. Both the number of defects per square foot of surface area and the number of epicormic branches changed under different stocking levels. The results suggest that the effect of stocking on potential stem quality of certain species may...

Adsorption of poly(ethylene glycol)-modified ribonuclease A to a poly(lactide-co-glycolide) surface.

PubMed

Daly, Susan M; Przybycien, Todd M; Tilton, Robert D

2005-06-30

Protein adsorption is a source of variability in the release profiles of therapeutic proteins from biodegradable microspheres. We employ optical reflectometry and total internal reflection fluorescence to explore the extent and kinetics of ribonuclease A (RNase A) adsorption to spin-cast films of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) and, in particular, to determine how covalent grafting of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to RNase A affects adsorption. Adsorption kinetics on PLG surfaces are surface-limited for RNase A but transport-limited for unconjugated PEG homopolymers and for PEG-modified RNase A, indicating that PEG anchors the conjugates to the surface during the transport-limited regime. PEG modification of RNase A decreases the total number of adsorbed molecules per unit area but increases the areal surface coverage because the grafted PEG chains exclude additional surface area. Total internal reflection fluorescence-based exchange measurements show that there is no exchange between adsorbed and solution-phase protein molecules. This indicates an unusually tenacious adsorption. Streaming current measurements indicate that the zeta potential of the PLG surface becomes increasingly negative as the film is exposed to water for several weeks, as expected. Aging of the PLG surface results in increased adsorption of unmodified RNase A but decreased adsorption of unconjugated PEG homopolymers and of PEG-RNase A conjugates, relative to the extent of adsorption on freshly prepared PLG surfaces. Adsorption results correlate well with an increase in the rate, total extent and preservation of bioactivity of RNase A released from PLG microspheres for the PEG-modified version of RNase A.

Epidemiology and Clinical Features of Atopic Dermatitis in Kerman, a Desert Area of Iran

PubMed Central

Esfandiarpour, Iraj; Sedaghatmanesh, Maryam; Saviz, Mahdieh

2014-01-01

Background Epidemiologic studies of atopic dermatitis (AD) in desert areas are still lacking. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of AD in children in Kerman city, a desert area in Iran. Methods We evaluated preschool children (age, 2 to 7 years) and primary school students (age, greater than 7 up to 12 years) in Kerman. We selected 865 students to estimate the prevalence and assess other features of AD such as distribution of lesions, personal history, family history of atopy, aggravating factors, associated symptoms, and morphological variants. Results The prevalence of AD was 9.1% in our study population. The prevalence of AD was 9.17% and 9.09% in males and females, respectively. The prevalence of AD in the age range of 2 to 7 years was 13.53% and 8.33% among children aged greater than 7 up to 12 years. In total, 82.27% of the patients were in chronic stage of the disease, and 31.6% had a personal history of other atopic diseases. At least one first-degree family member with atopy was seen in 46.83% of the patients. The most common sites of involvement were the head and neck. The most involved areas in the limbs were extensor surfaces. The most frequent morphological variant of AD was the common type. Conclusion The prevalence of AD in Kerman was higher than in other Iranian cities but lower than that in developed countries. Diversity in the clinical features of AD has been observed among different studies, and the diagnostic criteria of AD should be adapted in proportion to the studied area. PMID:24648683

Factors Influencing Central Lamina Cribrosa Depth: A Multicenter Study

PubMed Central

Luo, Haomin; Yang, Hongli; Gardiner, Stuart K.; Hardin, Christy; Sharpe, Glen P.; Caprioli, Joseph; Demirel, Shaban; Girkin, Christopher A.; Liebmann, Jeffrey M.; Mardin, Christian Y.; Quigley, Harry A.; Scheuerle, Alexander F.; Fortune, Brad; Chauhan, Balwantray C.; Burgoyne, Claude F.

2018-01-01

Purpose To quantify the influence of ocular and demographic factors on central laminar depth (LD) in healthy participants. Methods A total of 362 normal subjects underwent optical coherence tomography (OCT) enhanced depth imaging of the optic nerve head (ONH) with a 24 radial B-scan pattern aligned to the fovea–to–Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) axis. BMO, anterior lamina, anterior scleral canal opening (ASCO), Bruch's membrane (BM), and the peripapillary scleral surface were manually segmented. The extent of laminar segmentation was quantified within 72 ASCO subsectors. Central LD was quantified relative to four reference planes: BMO, ASCO, BM, and scleral. The effects of age, sex, ethnicity, IOP, BMO area, ASCO area, and axial length on LD were assessed. Results Laminar visibility was most consistent within the central ASCO (median 89%, range, 69%–95%). LDBMO and LDBM were significantly shallower in eyes with greater age, BMO area, and axial length and in females. LDASCO was shallower in eyes with greater ASCO area and axial length and in European and Hispanic descent compared to African descent eyes. LDSclera behaved similarly, but was not associated with axial length. BMO and ASCO area were not different between African descent and European descent eyes. Conclusions Central LD was deeper in African descent eyes and influenced least by age, axial length, and sex, but more by ASCO area, when measured relative to the ASCO and sclera. However, the magnitude of these effects for all four reference planes was small, and their clinical importance in the detection of glaucoma and its progression remains to be determined. PMID:29847642

Clinical anthropometrics and body composition from 3D whole-body surface scans.

PubMed

Ng, B K; Hinton, B J; Fan, B; Kanaya, A M; Shepherd, J A

2016-11-01

Obesity is a significant worldwide epidemic that necessitates accessible tools for robust body composition analysis. We investigated whether widely available 3D body surface scanners can provide clinically relevant direct anthropometrics (circumferences, areas and volumes) and body composition estimates (regional fat/lean masses). Thirty-nine healthy adults stratified by age, sex and body mass index (BMI) underwent whole-body 3D scans, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), air displacement plethysmography and tape measurements. Linear regressions were performed to assess agreement between 3D measurements and criterion methods. Linear models were derived to predict DXA body composition from 3D scan measurements. Thirty-seven external fitness center users underwent 3D scans and bioelectrical impedance analysis for model validation. 3D body scan measurements correlated strongly to criterion methods: waist circumference R 2 =0.95, hip circumference R 2 =0.92, surface area R 2 =0.97 and volume R 2 =0.99. However, systematic differences were observed for each measure due to discrepancies in landmark positioning. Predictive body composition equations showed strong agreement for whole body (fat mass R 2 =0.95, root mean square error (RMSE)=2.4 kg; fat-free mass R 2 =0.96, RMSE=2.2 kg) and arms, legs and trunk (R 2 =0.79-0.94, RMSE=0.5-1.7 kg). Visceral fat prediction showed moderate agreement (R 2 =0.75, RMSE=0.11 kg). 3D surface scanners offer precise and stable automated measurements of body shape and composition. Software updates may be needed to resolve measurement biases resulting from landmark positioning discrepancies. Further studies are justified to elucidate relationships between body shape, composition and metabolic health across sex, age, BMI and ethnicity groups, as well as in those with metabolic disorders.

Ecological studies on the revegetation process of surface coal mined areas in North Dakota. 9. Viability and diversity of the seed bank. Final report Aug 75-Jun 82

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

Iverson, L.R.; Brophy, L.

1982-06-01

Analysis of seed numbers present in topsoils indicated that seeds of the most prevalent colonizers (e.g. Kochia scoparia, Setaria virdis, and Salsola collins) were not present in the topsoil upon respreading but rather appeared by immigration from the surrounding areas. Seed bank analysis was also undertaken on mined sites ranging in age of 2 to 6 years. As with the previous part of this study there was a poor correlation between the aboveground flora and the belowground seed composition.

Modern shelf ice, equatorial Aeolis Quadrangle, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brakenridge, G. R.

1993-01-01

As part of a detailed study of the geological and geomorphological evolution of Aeolis Quadrangle, I have encountered evidence suggesting that near surface ice exists at low latitudes and was formed by partial or complete freezing of an inland sea. The area of interest is centered at approximately -2 deg, 196 deg. As seen in a suite of Viking Orbiter frames obtained at a range of approximately 600 km, the plains surface at this location is very lightly cratered or uncratered, and it is thus of late Amazonian age. Extant topographic data indicate that the Amazonian plains at this location occupy a trough whose surface lies at least 1000 m below the Mars datum. A reasonable hypothesis is that quite recent surface water releases, perhaps associated with final evolution of large 'outflow chasms' to the south, but possibly from other source areas, filled this trough, that ice floes formed almost immediately, and that either grounded ice or an ice-covered sea still persists. A reasonable hypothesis is that quite recent surface water releases, perhaps associated with final evolution of large 'outflow chasms' to the south, but possibly from other source areas, filled this trough, that ice floes formed almost immediately, and that either grounded ice or an ice-covered sea still persists. In either case, the thin (a few meters at most) high albedo, low thermal inertia cover of aeolian materials was instrumental in allowing ice preservation, and at least the lower portions of this dust cover may be cemented by water ice. Detailed mapping using Viking stereopairs and quantitative comparisons to terrestrial shelf ice geometries are underway.

Age evaluation and causation of rock-slope failures along the western margin of the Antrim Lava Group (ALG), Northern Ireland, based on cosmogenic isotope (36Cl) surface exposure dating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Southall, David W.; Wilson, Peter; Dunlop, Paul; Schnabel, Christoph; Rodés, Ángel; Gulliver, Pauline; Xu, Sheng

2017-05-01

The temporal pattern of postglacial rock-slope failure in a glaciated upland area of Ireland (the western margin of the Antrim Lava Group) was evaluated using both 36Cl exposure dating of surface boulders on run-out debris and 14C dating of basal organic soils from depressions on the debris. The majority of the 36Cl ages ( 21-15 ka) indicate that major failures occurred during or immediately following local deglaciation ( 18-17 ka). Other ages ( 14-9 ka) suggest some later, smaller-scale failures during the Lateglacial and/or early Holocene. The 14C ages (2.36-0.15 cal ka BP) indicate the very late onset of organic accumulation and do not provide close limiting age constraints. Rock-slope failure during or immediately following local deglaciation was probably in response to some combination of glacial debuttressing, slope steepening and paraglacial stress release. Later failures may have been triggered by seismic activity associated with glacio-isostatic crustal uplift and/or permafrost degradation consequent upon climate change. The 36Cl ages support the findings of previous studies that show the deglacial - Lateglacial period in northwest Ireland and Scotland to have been one of enhanced rock-slope failure. Table S2 Concentrations of main elements (as oxides) etc.

Rates of surface lowering and landscape development in southern South Africa: a cosmogenic view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, Janet; Vanacker, Veerle; Lang, Andreas; Hodgson, David

2016-04-01

The landscape of southern South Africa is characterised by large-scale erosion surfaces, including extensive pediments and multiple strath terraces, which document discordant river evolution through resistant quarzitic lithologies of the Cape Fold Belt (CFB). The timing and rate of erosion is poorly constrained. New cosmogenic ages from surfaces in South Africa are presented using in situ produced 10Be. Strath terraces in deeply incised rivers at two sites within the CFB indicate slow rates of erosion (1.54 - 11.79 m/Ma), which are some of the lowest rates recorded globally. Four pediment surfaces and a depth profile of the thickest pediment were also dated, and the results indicate that there are low rates of surface lowering on the pediments (0.44 - 1.24 m/Ma). The pediments are long-lived features (minimum exposure ages of 0.47 - 1.09 Ma), and are now deeply dissected. Given the minimum exposure ages, calculated river incision rates (42- 203 m/Ma) suggest that after a long period of geomorphic stability during pediment formation there was a discrete phase of increased geomorphic activity. The calculated minimum exposure ages are considered dubious because: 1) known rates of surrounding river incision (published and ours); 2) the climate conditions and time necessary for ferricrete formation on the pediment surfaces and; 3) the deeply incised catchments in the CFB on which the pediments sit, which all point to the pediments being much older. The pediments are fossilised remnants of a much larger geomorphic surface that formed after the main phase of exhumation in southern Africa. They form a store of sediment that currently sit above the surrounding rivers that have some of the lowest erosion rates in the world. These results indicate that steep topography can prevail even in areas of low erosion and tectonic quiescence, and that whilst cosmogenic dating of landscapes is an exciting development in earth sciences, care is needed especially in ancient settings. We strongly suggest benchmarking chronometric information with geomorphic and stratigraphic information.

Brain Morphology Links Systemic Inflammation to Cognitive Function in Midlife Adults

PubMed Central

Marsland, Anna L.; Gianaros, Peter J.; Kuan, Dora C-H.; Sheu, Lei K.; Krajina, Katarina; Manuck, Stephen B.

2015-01-01

Background Inflammation is linked to cognitive decline in midlife, but the neural basis for this link is unclear. One possibility is that inflammation associates with adverse changes in brain morphology, which accelerates cognitive aging and later dementia risk. Clear evidence is lacking, however, regarding whether inflammation relates to cognition in midlife via changes in brain morphology. Accordingly, the current study examines whether associations of inflammation with cognitive function are mediated by variation in cortical gray matter volume among midlife adults. Methods Plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP), relatively stable markers of peripheral systemic inflammation, were assessed in 408 community volunteers aged 30–54 years. All participants underwent structural neuroimaging to assess global and regional brain morphology and completed neuropsychological tests sensitive to early changes in cognitive function. Measurements of brain morphology (regional tissue volumes and cortical thickness and surface area) were derived using Freesurfer. Results Higher peripheral inflammation was associated with poorer spatial reasoning, short term memory, verbal proficiency, learning and memory, and executive function, as well as lower cortical gray and white matter volumes, hippocampal volume and cortical surface area. Mediation models with age, sex and intracranial volume as covariates showed cortical gray matter volume to partially mediate the association of inflammation with cognitive performance. Exploratory analyses of body mass suggested that adiposity may be a source of the inflammation linking brain morphology to cognition. Conclusions Inflammation and adiposity might relate to cognitive decline via influences on brain morphology. PMID:25882911

Stratigraphy of the Martian northern plains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanaka, K. L.

1993-01-01

The northern plains of Mars are roughly defined as the large continuous region of lowlands that lies below Martian datum, plus higher areas within the region that were built up by volcanism, sedimentation, tectonism, and impacts. These northern lowlands span about 50 x 10(exp 6) km(sup 2) or 35 percent of the planet's surface. The age and origin of the lowlands continue to be debated by proponents of impact and tectonic explanations. Geologic mapping and topical studies indicate that volcanic, fluvial, and eolian deposition have played major roles in the infilling of this vast depression. Periglacial, glacial, fluvial, eolian, tectonic, and impact processes have locally modified the surface. Because of the northern plains' complex history of sedimentation and modification, much of their stratigraphy was obscured. Thus the stratigraphy developed is necessarily vague and provisional: it is based on various clues from within the lowlands as well as from highland areas within and bordering the plains. The results are summarized.

Developmental changes in the structure of the social brain in late childhood and adolescence.

PubMed

Mills, Kathryn L; Lalonde, François; Clasen, Liv S; Giedd, Jay N; Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

2014-01-01

Social cognition provides humans with the necessary skills to understand and interact with one another. One aspect of social cognition, mentalizing, is associated with a network of brain regions often referred to as the 'social brain.' These consist of medial prefrontal cortex [medial Brodmann Area 10 (mBA10)], temporoparietal junction (TPJ), posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) and anterior temporal cortex (ATC). How these specific regions develop structurally across late childhood and adolescence is not well established. This study examined the structural developmental trajectories of social brain regions in the longest ongoing longitudinal neuroimaging study of human brain maturation. Structural trajectories of grey matter volume, cortical thickness and surface area were analyzed using surface-based cortical reconstruction software and mixed modeling in a longitudinal sample of 288 participants (ages 7-30 years, 857 total scans). Grey matter volume and cortical thickness in mBA10, TPJ and pSTS decreased from childhood into the early twenties. The ATC increased in grey matter volume until adolescence and in cortical thickness until early adulthood. Surface area for each region followed a cubic trajectory, peaking in early or pre-adolescence before decreasing into the early twenties. These results are discussed in the context of developmental changes in social cognition across adolescence.

The importance of sampling standardization for comparisons of insect herbivory in deep time: a case study from the late Palaeozoic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schachat, Sandra R.; Labandeira, Conrad C.; Maccracken, S. Augusta

2018-03-01

Sampling standardization has not been fully addressed for the study of insect herbivory in the fossil record. The effects of sampling within a single locality were explored almost a decade ago, but the importance of sampling standardization for comparisons of herbivory across space and time has not yet been evaluated. Here, we present a case study from the Permian in which we evaluate the impact of sampling standardization on comparisons of insect herbivory from two localities that are similar in age and floral composition. Comparisons of insect damage type (DT) diversity change dramatically when the number of leaves examined is standardized by surface area. This finding suggests that surface area should always be taken into account for comparisons of DT diversity. In addition, the three most common metrics of herbivory-DT diversity, proportion of leaves herbivorized and proportion of leaf surface area herbivorized-are inherently decoupled from each other. The decoupling of the diversity and intensity of insect herbivory necessitates a reinterpretation of published data because they had been conflated in previous studies. Future studies should examine the divergent ecological factors that underlie these metrics. We conclude with suggestions to guide the sampling and analysis of herbivorized leaves in the fossil record.

Mapping cortical brain asymmetry in 17,141 healthy individuals worldwide via the ENIGMA Consortium.

PubMed

Kong, Xiang-Zhen; Mathias, Samuel R; Guadalupe, Tulio; Glahn, David C; Franke, Barbara; Crivello, Fabrice; Tzourio-Mazoyer, Nathalie; Fisher, Simon E; Thompson, Paul M; Francks, Clyde

2018-05-29

Hemispheric asymmetry is a cardinal feature of human brain organization. Altered brain asymmetry has also been linked to some cognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, the ENIGMA (Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis) Consortium presents the largest-ever analysis of cerebral cortical asymmetry and its variability across individuals. Cortical thickness and surface area were assessed in MRI scans of 17,141 healthy individuals from 99 datasets worldwide. Results revealed widespread asymmetries at both hemispheric and regional levels, with a generally thicker cortex but smaller surface area in the left hemisphere relative to the right. Regionally, asymmetries of cortical thickness and/or surface area were found in the inferior frontal gyrus, transverse temporal gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, and entorhinal cortex. These regions are involved in lateralized functions, including language and visuospatial processing. In addition to population-level asymmetries, variability in brain asymmetry was related to sex, age, and intracranial volume. Interestingly, we did not find significant associations between asymmetries and handedness. Finally, with two independent pedigree datasets ( n = 1,443 and 1,113, respectively), we found several asymmetries showing significant, replicable heritability. The structural asymmetries identified and their variabilities and heritability provide a reference resource for future studies on the genetic basis of brain asymmetry and altered laterality in cognitive, neurological, and psychiatric disorders.

Geology, water resources and usable ground-water storage capacity of part of Solano County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomasson, H.G.; Olmsted, F.H.; LeRoux, E.F.

1960-01-01

The area described is confined largely to the valley-floor and foothill lands of Solano County, which lies directly between Sacramento, the State capital, and San Francisco. The area is considered in two subareas: The Putah area, which extends from Putah Creek southward to the Montezuma Hills and from the foothills of the Coast Ranges eastward to the west edge of the Yolo Bypass; and the Suisun-Fairfield area, which is to the southwest in the notch in the Coast Ranges through which the waters of the Great Central Valley of California reach San Francisco Bay. There are no known hydrologic interconnections between the two subareas, through either surface streams or underground aquifers. The climate of the area is characterized by warm, rainless summers and by cool winters in which temperatures seldom drop much below freezing. The rainfall ranges from about 17 inches per year along the east side to perhaps 24 inches in the foothills to the west, and irrigation is necessary for all crops except dry-farmed grains, pastures, and some orchards. PUTAH AREA The Putah area occupies the southwestern corner of the Sacramento Valley, a topographic and structural basin underlain by a thick accumulation of sediments eroded from the surrounding hills and mountains by the Sacramento River and its tributaries. The eastern Coast Ranges and foothills lying west of the Sacramento Valley are a generally northward-trending belt of eastward-dipping sedimentary rocks that range in age from Cretaceous to Pleistocene. Successively younger strata are exposed eastward, and the essentially undeformed deposits of late Pleistocene and Recent age that immediately underlie the valley lap onto the tilted sediments of the foothills. Most of the streams of the Putah area rise east of the high ridge of Cretaceous rocks marking the western boundaries of Solano and Yolo Counties, but Putah Creek, the largest stream in the area, rises far west of that ridge and flows across it in a deep, narrow canyon. Putah Creek and the smaller streams have constructed an alluvial plain, herein designated the Putah plain, which slopes eastward and southeastward from the foothills toward the Sacramento River. A large part of the Putah plain is traversed by a branching set of distributary channel ridges or natural levees formed at times of overflow of Putah Creek. The rocks in the Putah area range in age from Cretaceous to Recent. For the purposes of this investigation they are divided into eight geologic or stratigraphic units, from youngest to oldest: (1) Stream-channel deposits, (2) younger alluvium, (3) older alluvium, (4) Tehama formation and related continental sediments, (5) volcanic sedimentary rocks, (6) basalt, (7) undifferentiated sedimentary rocks of Paleocene(?) and Eocene age, and (8) undifferentiated rocks of Cretaceous age. The stream-channel deposits are predominantly loose sand and gravel along the channel of Putah Creek. In part they are actively moving downstream and shifting. The younger alluvium, of Recent age, consists of flood-plain deposits underlying the Putah plain, Vaca Valley, Pleasants Valley, and the small valleys in the foothills north of Putah Creek and in the English Hills. Exposures of younger alluvium are characterized by soils lacking significant profile development and in many places by channel-ridge topography. The older alluvium occupies the stratigraphic interval between the younger alluvium and the Tehama formation and related continental sediments and is probably of late Pleistocene age. Its contact with the underlying Tehama formation and related continental sediments is unconformable near the foothills, but it may be gradational beneath much of the Putah plain. The base of the older alluvium is not well defined at many places but is inferred to be at the bottom of an irregular and ill-defined zone of coarse deposits, which ranges from about 50 feet to more than 150 feet below the land surface. Exposures of the older

Geomorphic Mapping and Paleoterrain Generation for use in Modeling Holocene (8,000 1,500 yr) Agropastoral Landuse and Landscape Interactions in Southeast Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arrowsmith, J. R.; Dimaggio, E. N.; Barton, C. M.; Sarjoughian, H. S.; Fall, P.; Falconer, S. E.; Ullah, I. I.

2006-12-01

Dramatic changes in land use were associated with the rise of agriculture in the mid Holocene. Both the surface properties and the drainage networks were changed. Along with the direct modifications to surface properties (vegetation change, sediment liberation, and compaction) and drainage network alteration (terracing, canals), up and downstream responses in the watersheds communicated these changes throughout the landscape. The magnitude, rate, and feedbacks with the growing human populations are critical questions in our effort to assess human-landscape interactions. Our interdisciplinary team has focused on two field sites around the Mediterranean for model development and testing. We are combining high resolution process- based models of landscape change implemented within the GRASS GIS with agent based models of agropastoral behavior and driven by high resolution climate and vegetation models. In the Spanish field area (Penaguila Valley, 38.41 N 0.23 W), we have produced detailed (1:10,000) geomorphic maps which we combine with high resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) on which we can run the surface process models to assess the portions of the landscape that are most sensitive to the postulated agropastoral landuse changes. To support this modeling we have produced the 1 m DEMs from softcopy photogrammetry. This DEM has greatly improved our overall spatial resolution to permit more accurate terrace correlations and improved quantitative assessment of morphologic processes (e.g. channel erosion, slope stability). In stereo, we have mapped overall landscape morphology that emphasizes areas of active erosion and alluvial terrace surfaces. Alluvial terraces are crucial to this research because they record periods of past stable topography and those of mid Holocene age were settled and farmed. We have correlated mapped terraces across the landscape using elevation and morphological distinctions. Using ArcGIS, we interpolated surfaces across equivalent terraces using triangulated irregular networks (TINs) allowing reconstruction of multiple regional landscapes to establish a chronosequence of absolute landscape change. This mapping and reconstruction will be field checked and numerical age constraints applied. Interestingly, our tentative age assessment of the lowest broad surface indicates that it was occupied about 5 ka, and now has been incised by 20 m. Archeological sites have been cut by the incision. This change from a broad low relief alluvial surface to one cut by narrow channels may have been an important change for the local populations and caused them to change their behaviors, even though it may have been initially triggered by distributed landscape change in the watershed, due to agropastoral activities.

Otolith development in larval and juvenile Schizothorax davidi: ontogeny and growth increment characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Taiming; Hu, Jiaxiang; Cai, Yueping; Xiong, Sen; Yang, Shiyong; Wang, Xiongyan; He, Zhi

2017-09-01

Laboratory-reared Schizothorax davidi larvae and juveniles were examined to assess the formation and characteristics of David's schizothoracin otoliths. Otolith development was observed and their formation period was verified by monitoring larvae and juveniles of known age. The results revealed that lapilli and sagittae developed before hatching, and the first otolith increment was identified at 2 days post hatching in both. The shape of lapilli was relatively stable during development compared with that of sagittae; however, growth of four sagittae and lapilli areas was consistent, but the posterior area grew faster than the anterior area and the ventral surface grew faster than the dorsal surface. Similarly, the sum length of the radius of the anterior and posterior areas on sagittae and lapilli were linearly and binomially related to total fish length, respectively. Moreover, daily deposition rates were validated by monitoring knownage larvae and juveniles. The increase in lapilli width was 1.88±0.080 0 μm at the ninth increment, which reached a maximum and the decreased gradually toward the otolith edge, whereas that of sagittae increased more slowly. These results illustrate the developmental biology of S. davidi, which will aid in population conservation and fish stock management.

Lithogeochemical character of near-surface bedrock in the New England coastal basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, Gilpin R.; Ayotte, Joseph D.; Montgomery, Denise L.; DeSimone, Leslie A.

2002-01-01

This geographic information system (GIS) data layer shows the generalized lithologic and geochemical, termed lithogeochemical, character of near-surface bedrock in the New England Coastal Basin (NECB) study area of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. The area encompasses 23,000 square miles in western and central Maine, eastern Massachusetts, most of Rhode Island, eastern New Hampshire and a small part of eastern Connecticut. The NECB study area includes the Kennebec, Androscoggin, Saco, Merrimack, Charles, and Blackstone River Basins, as well as all of Cape Cod. Bedrock units in the NECB study area are classified into lithogeochemical units based on the relative reactivity of their constituent minerals to dissolution and the presence of carbonate or sulfide minerals. The 38 lithogeochemical units are generalized into 7 major groups: (1) carbonate-bearing metasedimentary rocks; (2) primarily noncalcareous, clastic sedimentary rocks with restricted deposition in discrete fault-bounded sedimentary basins of Mississipian or younger age; (3) primarily noncalcareous, clastic sedimentary rocks at or above biotite-grade of regional metamorphism; (4) mafic igneous rocks and their metamorphic equivalents; (5) ultramafic rocks; (6) felsic igneous rocks and their metamorphic equivalents; and (7) unconsolidated and poorly consolidated sediments.

Determinants of heat production in newborn lambs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eales, F. A.; Small, J.

1980-06-01

Measurement of summit metabolism (the maximum rate of heat production) in lambs aged 1 or 4h revealed considerable between animal variation. Summit metabolism per unit body weight decreased as body weight increased whereas summit metabolism per unit body surface area was independent of body weight. Severe pre-partum hypoxia was apparently associated with a low summit metabolism at 1 or 4h of age which made such lambs very susceptible to hypothermia. This deficiency in heat production capacity did not appear to be a permanent featuresince most lambs so affected recovered full thermoregulatory ability by 12h of age. Feeding of colostrum conferred an immediate 18% increase in summit metabolism. The significance of these findings to the prevention of hypothermia in the newborn lamb is discussed.

Polycrystalline Si nanoparticles and their strong aging enhancement of blue photoluminescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shikuan; Cai, Weiping; Zeng, Haibo; Li, Zhigang

2008-07-01

Nearly spherical polycrystalline Si nanoparticles with 20 nm diameter were fabricated based on laser ablation of silicon wafer immersed in sodium dodecyl sulfate aqueous solution. Such Si nanoparticles consist of disordered areas and ultrafine grains of 3 nm in mean size and exhibit significant photoluminescence in blue region. Importantly, aging at ambient air leads to continuing enhancement of the emission (more than 130 times higher in 16 weeks) showing stable and strong blue emission. This aging enhancement is attributed to progressive passivation of nonradiative Pb centers corresponding to silicon dangling bonds on the particles' surface. This study could be helpful in pushing Si into optoelectronic field and Si-based full color display, biomedical tagging, and flash memories.

Tetralogy of Fallot and aortic root dilation: a long-term outlook.

PubMed

Nagy, Christian D; Alejo, Diane E; Corretti, Mary C; Ravekes, William J; Crosson, Jane E; Spevak, Philip J; Ringel, Richard; Carson, Kathryn A; Khalil, Sara; Dietz, Harry C; Cameron, Duke E; Vricella, Luca A; Traill, Thomas A; Holmes, Kathryn W

2013-04-01

Dilation of the sinus of Valsalva (SoV) has been increasingly observed after repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). We estimate the prevalence of SoV dilation in adults with repaired TOF and analyze possible factors related to aortic disease. Adults with TOF [n = 109, median age 33.2 years (range 18.1 to 69.5)] evaluated at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 2001 to 2009 were reviewed in an observational retrospective cohort study. Median follow-up was 27.3 (range 0.1-48.8) years. SoV dilation was defined as >95 % confidence interval adjusted for age and body surface area (z-score > 2). The prevalence of SoV dilation was 51 % compared with that of a normal population with a mean z-score of 2.03. Maximal aortic diameters were ≥ 4 cm in 39 % (42 of 109), ≥ 4.5 cm in 21 % (23 of 109), ≥ 5 cm in 8 % (9 of 109), and ≥ 5.5 cm in 2 % (2 of 109). There was no aortic dissection or death due contributable to aortic disease. Aortic valve replacement was performed in 1.8 % and aortic root or ascending aorta (AA) replacement surgery in 2.8 % of patients. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, aortic regurgitation (AR) [odds ratio (OR) = 3.09, p = 0.005], residual ventricular septal defect (VSD) (OR = 4.14, p < 0.02), and TOF with pulmonary atresia (TOF/PA) (OR = 6.75, p = 0.03) were associated with increased odds of dilated aortic root. SoV dilation after TOF repair is common and persists with aging. AR, residual VSD, and TOF/PA are associated with increased odds of dilation. AA evaluation beyond the SoV is important. Indexed values are imperative to avoid bias on the basis of age and body surface area.

Deciphering the Preparatory and Triggering Factors Responsible for Post-Glacial Slope Failures: Insights from Landslide Age and Morphology in Yellowstone National Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicholas, G.; Dixon, J. L.; Pierce, K. L.

2017-12-01

Landslides are ubiquitous to post-glacial landscapes worldwide. Withdrawal of glacier ice exposes oversteepened landscapes that may be unstable, and consequently susceptible to landsliding. Several disparate mechanisms can act as triggers: glacial debuttressing can directly destabilize slopes; however, changes in climate resulting in greater effective moisture and subsequent degradation of permafrost may also play a role. Here, we quantify relative age, spatial relationships, and topographic metrics in a set of post-glacial landslides in northwest Yellowstone National Park. Preliminary analysis of high-resolution topography indicates increasing surface roughness of non-active landslides southward, consistent with younging ages along the retreat path of the Yellowstone Ice Cap. These roughness values in ancient slides are roughly half those of the active Slide Lake Landslide within the same study region. However, the changes in roughness within the non-active landslides disappear when we remove biases such as gullying, fluvial erosional contacts, and areas believed to have been remobilized. These removed areas appear largely linked to a Holocene incision pulse up the Gardiner River, which interacts with the toes of landslides in the southern region. Stream power analysis indicates that incision is focused at a knickpoint locally coincident with the toe of the modern and active Slide Lake Landslide. Our results indicate caution should be used when using surface roughness for landslide ages without accounting for both intrinsic and extrinsic changes in erosion of the landslide system, and suggest tight links between modern stream erosion and landslide reactivation. Insights from this dynamic landscape in Yellowstone National Park are actively being used by park officials to mitigate risk, and broadly show that quantifying the temporal and spatial patterns of landslides can provide diagnostic understanding of the long-term controls on post-glacial slope failure.

Right Ventricular Volumes and Systolic Function by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance and the Impact of Sex, Age, and Obesity in a Longitudinally Followed Cohort Free of Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Disease: The Framingham Heart Study.

PubMed

Foppa, Murilo; Arora, Garima; Gona, Philimon; Ashrafi, Arman; Salton, Carol J; Yeon, Susan B; Blease, Susan J; Levy, Daniel; O'Donnell, Christopher J; Manning, Warren J; Chuang, Michael L

2016-03-01

Cardiac magnetic resonance is uniquely well suited for noninvasive imaging of the right ventricle. We sought to define normal cardiac magnetic resonance reference values and to identify the main determinants of right ventricular (RV) volumes and systolic function using a modern imaging sequence in a community-dwelling, longitudinally followed cohort free of clinical cardiovascular and pulmonary disease. The Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort has been followed since 1971. We scanned 1794 Offspring cohort members using steady-state free precession cardiac magnetic resonance and identified a reference group of 1336 adults (64±9 years, 576 men) free of prevalent cardiovascular and pulmonary disease. RV trabeculations and papillary muscles were considered cavity volume. Men had greater RV volumes and cardiac output before and after indexation to body size (all P<0.001). Women had higher RV ejection fraction than men (68±6% versus 64±7%; P<0.0001). RV volumes and cardiac output decreased with advancing age. There was an increase in raw and height-indexed RV measurements with increasing body mass index, but this trend was weakly inverted after indexation of RV volumes to body surface area. Sex, age, height, body mass index, and heart rate account for most of the variability in RV volumes and function in this community-dwelling population. We report sex-specific normative values for RV measurements among principally middle-aged and older adults. RV ejection fraction is greater in women. RV volumes increase with body size, are greater in men, and are smaller in older people. Body surface area seems to be appropriate for indexation of cardiac magnetic resonance-derived RV volumes. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Clinical and demographic features of burn injuries in karachi: a six-year experience at the burns centre, civil hospital, Karachi

PubMed Central

Ali, S.A.; Hamiz-ul-Fawwad, S.; Al-Ibran, E.; Ahmed, G.; Saleem, A.; Mustafa, D.; Hussain, M.

2016-01-01

Summary Burn injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, with 195,000 deaths annually. This study was conducted to identify the demographics of burn victims and the effect of different variables on the outcome of their injuries. 4016 patients admitted to the Burns Centre, Civil Hospital Karachi from January 2006 to December 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographics, burn injury details and their outcome were recorded in a pre-designed questionnaire. Injuries were categorized as: fire, chemical, scald or electrical. To estimate total body surface area (TBSA) burned in adults, the rule of nines was used. For children and infants, the Lund-Browder chart was employed. SPSS v16.0 software was used for analysis. Frequencies and percentages of all variables, and the measure of central tendencies and dispersion for continuous variables were calculated. Cross tabs were used to assess mortality. Mean age was 28.13 years. More than half of the cases (n=2337, 58.2%) were aged between 16-30 years. Labourers, housewives and students were the most commonly affected groups. Burn injuries by flame/fire and electricity were most common. Most cases were accidental, followed by suicide attempts and homicides. Mean percentage of TBSA affected was 35.49%. Mean duration of hospital stay was 16.45 days. 50.6% of the expired cases were females. The mean age of expired patients was 30.07 while for patients who survived it was 27.01 years. The outcome of burn injuries is related to various demographic factors. Female gender, increasing age, burn injuries following suicide attempts and greater surface area involvement predict poor outcome. PMID:27857643

Lunar crater arcs. [origins, distribution and age classification of Pre-Imbrian families

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaffe, L. D.; Bulkley, E. O.

1976-01-01

An analysis has been made of the tendency of large lunar craters to lie along circles. A catalog of the craters at least 50 km in diameter was prepared first, noting position, diameter, rim sharpness and completion, nature of underlying surface, and geological age. The subset of those craters 50-400 km in diameter was then used as input to computer programs which identified each 'family' of four or more craters of selected geological age lying on a circular arc. For comparison, families were also identified for randomized crater models in which the crater spatial density was matched to that on the moon, either overall or separately for mare and highland areas. The observed frequency of lunar arcuate families was statistically highly significantly greater than for the randomized models, for craters classified as either late-pre-Imbrian (Nectarian), middle pre-Imbrian, or early pre-Imbrian, as well as for a number of larger age-classes. The lunar families tend to center in specific areas of the moon; these lie in highlands rather than maria and are different for families of Nectarian craters than for pre-Nectarian. The origin of the arcuate crater groupings is not understood.

Postural control and attentional demand during adolescence.

PubMed

Palluel, Estelle; Nougier, Vincent; Olivier, Isabelle

2010-10-28

In the present study we aimed to determine the attentional cost of postural control during adolescence by studying the influence of a cognitive task on concurrent postural control. 38 teenagers aged 12 to 17years and 13 young adults (mean age=26.1) stood barefoot on a force platform in a semi-tandem position. A dual-task paradigm consisted of performing a Stroop or a COUNTING BACKWARD task while simultaneously standing quietly on a firm or foam support surface. Different centre of pressure (CoP) measures were calculated (90% confidence ellipse area, mean velocity, root mean square on the antero-posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML) axes). The number and percentage of correct responses in the cognitive tasks were also recorded. Our results indicate (1) higher values of surface, ML mean velocity and ML RMS in the COUNTING BACKWARD task in adolescents aged 12 to 15 than in teenagers aged 16 to 17 and in adults, regardless of the complexity of the postural task and, (2) better cognitive performances in the Stroop than in the COUNTING BACKWARD task. The difference in the dual-task performance between the different age groups and particularly the existence of a turning point around 14-15years of age might be due to 1) difficulties in properly allocating attentional resources to two simultaneous tasks and/or, 2) the inability to manage increased cognitive requests because of a limited information processing capacity in adolescents aged 14-15years. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

Nacapricha, D.; Taylor, C.

Studies have been performed on potassium-iodide-impregnated charcoals of the type used in the nuclear industry for trapping radioiodine released during nuclear fission. The effects of various parameters on the trapping efficiency of methyl iodide have been investigated. A variation in particle size within a bulk charcoal caused poor precision in K value measurements because of differences in surface area, pore volume, and bed density, leading to differences in the deposition of the impregnant. Precision is improved by sieving the charcoal to a narrower size because smaller particles have a higher porosity. This finding is supported by surface area and poremore » measurements. Two methods of impregnation are compared by measuring K values and the deposition of potassium iodide. Charcoal impregnated by rotary evaporation exhibits both higher K values and higher potassium iodide contents than sprayed charcoal. Two designs of spraying drum are compared: a drum with helical vanes allows more efficient deposition and more uniform distribution of impregnant than a drum with axial vanes. A decrease in the K value with increasing humidity correlates with the available surface area. A similar correlation exists between water content and available pore volume. Aging of potassium-iodide-impregnated charcoal, caused by the formation of oxygen complexes on the surface, is associated with significant falls in K value. K values of charcoals also can be restored to at least their original values by heat treatment in the absence of air. 12 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.« less

Comparison of the Physical and Chemical Properties of Laboratory and Field-Aged Biochars.

PubMed

Bakshi, Santanu; Aller, Deborah M; Laird, David A; Chintala, Rajesh

2016-09-01

The long-term impact of biochar on soil properties and agronomic outcomes is influenced by changes in the physical and chemical properties of biochars that occur with time (aging) in soil environments. Fresh biochars, however, are often used in studies because aged biochars are generally unavailable. Therefore, a need exists to develop a method for rapid aging of biochars in the laboratory. The objectives of this study were to compare the physicochemical properties of fresh, laboratory-aged (LA), and field-aged (FA) (≥3 yr) biochars and to assess the appropriateness of a laboratory aging procedure that combines acidification, oxidation, and incubations as a mimic to field aging in neutral or acidic soil environments. Twenty-two biochars produced by fast and slow pyrolysis, and gasification techniques from five different biomass feedstocks (hardwood, corn stover, soybean stover, macadamia nut shells, and switchgrass) were studied. In general, both laboratory and field aging caused similar increases in ash-free volatile matter (% w/w), cation and anion exchange capacities, specific surface area, and modifications in oxygen-containing surface functional groups of the biochars. However, ash content increased for FA (18-195%) and decreased for LA (22-74%) biochars, and pH decreased to a greater extent for LA (2.8-6.7 units) than for FA (1.6-3.8 units) biochars. The results demonstrate that the proposed laboratory aging procedure is effective for predicting the direction of changes in biochar properties on field aging. However, in the future we recommend using a less aggressive acid treatment. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Fetal sigmoid colon mesentery - In relevance in fetal ultrasound application. A pilot study.

PubMed

Wozniak, Slawomir; Florjanski, Jerzy; Kordecki, Henryk; Podhorska-Okolow, Marzena; Domagala, Zygmunt

2018-03-01

Ultrasound examinations during pregnancy are routine procedures used to detect fetal congenital malformations. Ultrasound monitoring of sigmoid colon mesenterial development could be useful for early detection of subjects at risk of sigmoid colon volvulus. The aim of our paper was to assess the sigmoid colon length, and sigmoid colon mesentery width and height in the late fetal period, and, using the results, to estimate the surface area of the mesocolon (in mm 2 ) in living fetuses. Moreover, we attempted to repeat some of these measurements in living fetuses using ultrasound imaging. The study was carried out on 209 formalin fixed human fetuses (100 female and 109 male) aged from 4th to 7th gestational months (102-203 days), with a crown-rump length of 132-342mm. The length of the sigmoid colon, as well as the height and width of its mesentery were measured. The surface area of the mesocolon was estimated. Correction for formalin induced shrinkage was applied. Pilot ultrasound examinations of live fetuses were performed. Mean values of sigmoid colon length, mesenteric width and height (formalin fixed fetuses) for respective gestational ages were: month 4: 21.46±6.7mm, 6.80±2.1mm, 5.5±1.49mm; month 5: 27.32±1.2mm, 7.62±2.01mm, 7.33±2.17mm; month 6: 47.56±9.57mm, 11.68±3.8mm, 10.3±3.05mm; month 7: 56.92±17.48mm. 15.32±8 mm, 12.81±3.16mm. The surface area ranges of the sigmoid colon mesentery found for respective gestational months (intrauterine fetuses) were as follows: month 4: 33.24-51.95mm 2 ; month 5: 49.63-77.6mm 2 ; month 6: 106.89-167.15mm 2 and month 7: 145.69-272.53mm 2 . The surface area of the sigmoid colon mesentery can be used as a simple parameter applied in fetal ultrasonographic evaluation. The development of the sigmoid colon accelerates in the 6th gestational month, and decelerates in the 7th gestational month. The sigmoid colon mesentery width was larger than its height between the 4th and 7th gestational months. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Size-related bioconcentration kinetics of hydrophobic chemicals in fish

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

Sijm, D.T.H.M.; Linde, A. van der

1994-12-31

Uptake and elimination of hydrophobic chemicals by fish can be regarded as passive diffusive transport processes. Diffusion coefficients, lipid/water partitioning, diffusion pathlenghts, concentration gradients and surface exchange areas are key parameters describing this bioconcentration distribution process. In the present study two of these parameters were studied: the influence of lipid/water partitioning was studied by using hydrophobic chemicals of different hydrophobicity, and the surface exchange area by using different sizes of fish. By using one species of fish it was assumed that all other parameters were kept constant. Seven age classes of fish were exposed to a series of hydrophobic, formore » five days, which was followed by a deputation phase lasting up to 6 months. Bioconcentration parameters, such as uptake and elimination rate constants, and bioconcentration factors were determined. Uptake of the hydrophobic compounds was compared to that of oxygen. Uptake and elimination rates were compared to weight and estimated (gill) exchange areas. The role of weight and its implications for extrapolations of bioconcentration parameters to other species and sizes will be discussed.« less

Estimating the volume and age of water stored in global lakes using a geo-statistical approach

PubMed Central

Messager, Mathis Loïc; Lehner, Bernhard; Grill, Günther; Nedeva, Irena; Schmitt, Oliver

2016-01-01

Lakes are key components of biogeochemical and ecological processes, thus knowledge about their distribution, volume and residence time is crucial in understanding their properties and interactions within the Earth system. However, global information is scarce and inconsistent across spatial scales and regions. Here we develop a geo-statistical model to estimate the volume of global lakes with a surface area of at least 10 ha based on the surrounding terrain information. Our spatially resolved database shows 1.42 million individual polygons of natural lakes with a total surface area of 2.67 × 106 km2 (1.8% of global land area), a total shoreline length of 7.2 × 106 km (about four times longer than the world's ocean coastline) and a total volume of 181.9 × 103 km3 (0.8% of total global non-frozen terrestrial water stocks). We also compute mean and median hydraulic residence times for all lakes to be 1,834 days and 456 days, respectively. PMID:27976671

Estimating the surface area of birds: using the homing pigeon (Columba livia) as a model.

PubMed

Perez, Cristina R; Moye, John K; Pritsos, Chris A

2014-05-08

Estimation of the surface area of the avian body is valuable for thermoregulation and metabolism studies as well as for assessing exposure to oil and other surface-active organic pollutants from a spill. The use of frozen carcasses for surface area estimations prevents the ability to modify the posture of the bird. The surface area of six live homing pigeons in the fully extended flight position was estimated using a noninvasive method. An equation was derived to estimate the total surface area of a pigeon based on its body weight. A pigeon's surface area in the fully extended flight position is approximately 4 times larger than the surface area of a pigeon in the perching position. The surface area of a bird is dependent on its physical position, and, therefore, the fully extended flight position exhibits the maximum area of a bird and should be considered the true surface area of a bird. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd | Biology Open.

A new evaluation of heat distribution on facial skin surface by infrared thermography.

PubMed

Haddad, Denise S; Brioschi, Marcos L; Baladi, Marina G; Arita, Emiko S

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify the facial areas defined by thermal gradient, in individuals compatible with the pattern of normality, and to quantify and describe them anatomically. The sample consisted of 161 volunteers, of both genders, aged between 26 and 84 years (63 ± 15 years). The results demonstrated that the thermal gradient areas suggested for the study were present in at least 95% of the thermograms evaluated and that there is significant difference in temperature between the genders, racial group and variables "odontalgia", "dental prothesis" and "history of migraine" (p < 0.05). Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference in the absolute temperatures between ages, and right and left sides of the face, in individuals compatible with the pattern of normality (ΔT = 0.11°C). The authors concluded that according to the suggested areas of thermal gradients, these were present in at least 95% of all the thermograms evaluated, and the areas of high intensity found in the face were medial palpebral commissure, labial commissure, temporal, supratrochlear and external acoustic meatus, whereas the points of low intensity were inferior labial, lateral palpebral commissure and nasolabial.

Relationship between cardiac diffusion tensor imaging parameters and anthropometrics in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

McGill, L A; Ferreira, P F; Scott, A D; Nielles-Vallespin, S; Giannakidis, A; Kilner, P J; Gatehouse, P D; de Silva, R; Firmin, D N; Pennell, D J

2016-01-06

In vivo cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI) is uniquely capable of interrogating laminar myocardial dynamics non-invasively. A comprehensive dataset of quantative parameters and comparison with subject anthropometrics is required. cDTI was performed at 3T with a diffusion weighted STEAM sequence. Data was acquired from the mid left ventricle in 43 subjects during the systolic and diastolic pauses. Global and regional values were determined for fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), helix angle gradient (HAg, degrees/%depth) and the secondary eigenvector angulation (E2A). Regression analysis was performed between global values and subject anthropometrics. All cDTI parameters displayed regional heterogeneity. The RR interval had a significant, but clinically small effect on systolic values for FA, HAg and E2A. Male sex and increasing left ventricular end diastolic volume were associated with increased systolic HAg. Diastolic HAg and systolic E2A were both directly related to left ventricular mass and body surface area. There was an inverse relationship between E2A mobility and both age and ejection fraction. Future interpretations of quantitative cDTI data should take into account anthropometric variations observed with patient age, body surface area and left ventricular measurements. Further work determining the impact of technical factors such as strain and SNR is required.

Gender disparities in the association between epicardial adipose tissue volume and coronary atherosclerosis: a 3-dimensional cardiac computed tomography imaging study in Japanese subjects.

PubMed

Dagvasumberel, Munkhbaatar; Shimabukuro, Michio; Nishiuchi, Takeshi; Ueno, Junji; Takao, Shoichiro; Fukuda, Daiju; Hirata, Yoichiro; Kurobe, Hirotsugu; Soeki, Takeshi; Iwase, Takashi; Kusunose, Kenya; Niki, Toshiyuki; Yamaguchi, Koji; Taketani, Yoshio; Yagi, Shusuke; Tomita, Noriko; Yamada, Hirotsugu; Wakatsuki, Tetsuzo; Harada, Masafumi; Kitagawa, Tetsuya; Sata, Masataka

2012-09-10

Growing evidence suggests that epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) may contribute to the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). In this study, we explored gender disparities in EAT volume (EATV) and its impact on coronary atherosclerosis. The study population consisted of 90 consecutive subjects (age: 63 ± 12 years; men: 47, women: 43) who underwent 256-slice multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) coronary angiography. EATV was measured as the sum of cross-sectional epicardial fat area on CT images, from the lower surface of the left pulmonary artery origin to the apex. Subjects were segregated into the CAD group (coronary luminal narrowing > 50%) and non-CAD group. EATV/body surface area (BSA) was higher among men in the CAD group than in the non-CAD group (62 ± 13 vs. 33 ± 10 cm3/m2, p < 0.0001), but did not differ significantly among women in the 2 groups (49 ± 18 vs. 42 ± 9 cm3/m2, not significant). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that EATV/BSA was the single predictor for >50% coronary luminal narrowing in men (p < 0.0001). Predictors excluded were age, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. Increased EATV is strongly associated with coronary atherosclerosis in men.

The 50/50 cc Total Artificial Heart Trial: Extending the Benefits of the Total Artificial Heart to Underserved Populations.

PubMed

Wells, Dennis; Villa, Chet R; Simón Morales, David Luís

2017-01-01

While use of the total artificial heart (TAH) is growing, the use of the device is not uniform across the gender and age spectrum because the vast majority of implants are in adult males. SynCardia has recently developed a smaller 50 cc TAH that was designed to accommodate patients with a body surface area as low as 1.2 m 2 (potentially even lower using virtual implantation). Herein, we describe the early use of the 50 cc TAH (10 implants in the US and 18 outside the US). Twenty-eight devices have been implanted worldwide. Nineteen (68%) patients were female, 4 (14%) were 21 years of age or younger, and 2 (7%) had a diagnosis of congenital heart disease (1 Fontan). The smallest patient, by body surface area, was 1.35 m 2 . Six patients (21%) have been placed on the Freedom Driver, all of whom have survived. Fourteen patients (50%) have had a positive outcome to date. The development of the 50 cc TAH has expanded the population of patients who may benefit from TAH support and thus may help improve outcomes for patients who have had limited biventricular support options to date. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automobile carburetor- and radiator-related burns.

PubMed

Renz, B M; Sherman, R

1992-01-01

Seventy-nine persons who had sustained automobile engine carburetor- and radiator-related burns were admitted to Grady Memorial Hospital Burn Unit between June 1, 1984 and September 30, 1990. Forty patients with carburetor-priming flame burns had a mean age of 31.5 years, a mean burn size of 13.4% total body surface area, and a mean length of stay of 13.8 days. There were 37 male patients. Four patients had an inhalation injury. Twenty-two surgical procedures were performed on 13 patients. One patient was an innocent bystander, and one patient died. The clothing of 16 patients had ignited, which resulted in larger, deeper burns and in one death. Burns predominantly involved the right sides of the face, head, and torso; the right upper extremity; and the right hand. Thirty-nine patients had scald burns that were associated with uncapping a radiator. These patients had a mean age of 29.6 years, a mean burn size of 8.9% total body surface area, and a mean length of stay of 6.4 days. There were 36 male patients and three innocent bystanders. One autografting procedure was performed, and there were no deaths in this group of patients. The burn-prone person is the young adult male. The circumstances that result in such dangerous behavior are predictable, and resultant burn injuries are preventable.

Measuring the specific surface area of natural and manmade glasses: effects of formation process, morphology, and particle size

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

Papelis, Charalambos; Um, Wooyong; Russel, Charles E.

2003-03-28

The specific surface area of natural and manmade solid materials is a key parameter controlling important interfacial processes in natural environments and engineered systems, including dissolution reactions and sorption processes at solid-fluid interfaces. To improve our ability to quantify the release of trace elements trapped in natural glasses, the release of hazardous compounds trapped in manmade glasses, or the release of radionuclides from nuclear melt glass, we measured the specific surface area of natural and manmade glasses as a function of particle size, morphology, and composition. Volcanic ash, volcanic tuff, tektites, obsidian glass, and in situ vitrified rock were analyzed.more » Specific surface area estimates were obtained using krypton as gas adsorbent and the BET model. The range of surface areas measured exceeded three orders of magnitude. A tektite sample had the highest surface area (1.65 m2/g), while one of the samples of in situ vitrified rock had the lowest surf ace area (0.0016 m2/g). The specific surface area of the samples was a function of particle size, decreasing with increasing particle size. Different types of materials, however, showed variable dependence on particle size, and could be assigned to one of three distinct groups: (1) samples with low surface area dependence on particle size and surface areas approximately two orders of magnitude higher than the surface area of smooth spheres of equivalent size. The specific surface area of these materials was attributed mostly to internal porosity and surface roughness. (2) samples that showed a trend of decreasing surface area dependence on particle size as the particle size increased. The minimum specific surface area of these materials was between 0.1 and 0.01 m2/g and was also attributed to internal porosity and surface roughness. (3) samples whose surface area showed a monotonic decrease with increasing particle size, never reaching an ultimate surface area limit within the particle size range examined. The surface area results were consistent with particle morphology, examined by scanning electron microscopy, and have significant implications for the release of radionuclides and toxic metals in the environment.« less

Morphological dependency of cutaneous blood flow and sweating during compensable heat stress when heat-loss requirements are matched across participants.

PubMed

Notley, Sean R; Park, Joonhee; Tagami, Kyoko; Ohnishi, Norikazu; Taylor, Nigel A S

2016-07-01

Human heat loss is thought, in part, to be morphologically related. It was therefore hypothesized that when heat-loss requirements and body temperatures were matched, that the mass-specific surface area alone could significantly explain both cutaneous vascular and sudomotor responses during compensable exercise. These thermoeffector responses were examined in 36 men with widely varying mass-specific surface areas (range, 232.3-292.7 cm(2)/kg), but of similar age, aerobic fitness, and adiposity. Subjects completed two trials under compensable conditions (28.1°C, 36.8% relative humidity), each involving rest (20 min) and steady-state cycling (45 min) at two matched metabolic heat-production rates (light, ∼135 W/m(2); moderate, ∼200 W/m(2)). Following equivalent mean body temperature changes, forearm blood flow and vascular conductance (r = 0.63 and r = 0.65) shared significant, positive associations with the mass-specific surface area during light work (P < 0.05), explaining ∼45% of the vasomotor variation. Conversely, during light and moderate work, whole body sweat rate, as well as local sweat rate and sudomotor sensitivity at three of four measured sites, revealed moderate, negative relationships with the mass-specific surface area (correlation coefficient range -0.37 to -0.73, P < 0.05). Moreover, those relationships could uniquely account for between 10 and 53% of those sweating responses (P < 0.05). Therefore, both thermoeffector responses displayed a significant morphological dependency in the presence of equivalent thermoafferent drive. Indeed, up to half of the interindividual variation in these effector responses could now be explained through morphological differences and the first principles governing heat transfer. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Comparison of the Lund and Browder table to computed tomography scan three-dimensional surface area measurement for a pediatric cohort.

PubMed

Rumpf, R Wolfgang; Stewart, William C L; Martinez, Stephen K; Gerrard, Chandra Y; Adolphi, Natalie L; Thakkar, Rajan; Coleman, Alan; Rajab, Adrian; Ray, William C; Fabia, Renata

2018-01-01

Treating burns effectively requires accurately assessing the percentage of the total body surface area (%TBSA) affected by burns. Current methods for estimating %TBSA, such as Lund and Browder (L&B) tables, rely on historic body statistics. An increasingly obese population has been blamed for increasing errors in %TBSA estimates. However, this assumption has not been experimentally validated. We hypothesized that errors in %TBSA estimates using L&B were due to differences in the physical proportions of today's children compared with children in the early 1940s when the chart was developed and that these differences would appear as body mass index (BMI)-associated systematic errors in the L&B values versus actual body surface areas. We measured the TBSA of human pediatric cadavers using computed tomography scans. Subjects ranged from 9 mo to 15 y in age. We chose outliers of the BMI distribution (from the 31st percentile at the low through the 99th percentile at the high). We examined surface area proportions corresponding to L&B regions. Measured regional proportions based on computed tomography scans were in reasonable agreement with L&B, even with subjects in the tails of the BMI range. The largest deviation was 3.4%, significantly less than the error seen in real-world %TBSA estimates. While today's population is more obese than those studied by L&B, their body region proportions scale surprisingly well. The primary error in %TBSA estimation is not due to changing physical proportions of today's children and may instead lie in the application of the L&B table. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlation and sex differences between ankle and knee cartilage morphology determined by quantitative magnetic resonance imaging

PubMed Central

Eckstein, F; Siedek, V; Glaser, C; Al-Ali, D; Englmeier, K; Reiser, M; Graichen, H

2004-01-01

Objective: To study the correlation between ankle and knee cartilage morphology to test the hypothesis that knee joint cartilage loss in gonarthritis can be estimated retrospectively using quantitative MRI analysis of the knee and ankle and established regression equations; and to test the hypothesis that sex differences in joint surface area are larger in the knee than the ankle, which may explain the greater incidence of knee osteoarthritis in elderly women than in elderly men. Methods: Sagittal MR images (3D FLASH WE) of the knee and hind foot were acquired in 29 healthy subjects (14 women, 15 men; mean (SD) age, 25 (3) years), with no signs joint disease. Cartilage volume, thickness, and joint surface area were determined in the knee, ankle, and subtalar joint. Results: Knee cartilage volumes and joint surface areas showed only moderate correlations with those of the ankle and subtalar joint (r = 0.33 to 0.81). The correlations of cartilage thickness between the two joints were weaker still (r = –0.05 to 0.53). Sex differences in cartilage morphology at the knee and the ankle were similar, with surface areas being –17.5% to –23.5% lower in women than in men. Conclusions: Only moderate correlations in cartilage morphology of healthy subjects were found between knee and ankle. It is therefore impractical to estimate knee joint cartilage loss a posteriori in cross sectional studies by measuring the hind foot and then applying a scaling factor. Sex differences in cartilage morphology do not explain differences in osteoarthritis incidence between men and women in the knee and ankle. PMID:15479900

Morphological dependency of cutaneous blood flow and sweating during compensable heat stress when heat-loss requirements are matched across participants

PubMed Central

Notley, Sean R.; Park, Joonhee; Tagami, Kyoko; Ohnishi, Norikazu

2016-01-01

Human heat loss is thought, in part, to be morphologically related. It was therefore hypothesized that when heat-loss requirements and body temperatures were matched, that the mass-specific surface area alone could significantly explain both cutaneous vascular and sudomotor responses during compensable exercise. These thermoeffector responses were examined in 36 men with widely varying mass-specific surface areas (range, 232.3-292.7 cm2/kg), but of similar age, aerobic fitness, and adiposity. Subjects completed two trials under compensable conditions (28.1°C, 36.8% relative humidity), each involving rest (20 min) and steady-state cycling (45 min) at two matched metabolic heat-production rates (light, ∼135 W/m2; moderate, ∼200 W/m2). Following equivalent mean body temperature changes, forearm blood flow and vascular conductance (r = 0.63 and r = 0.65) shared significant, positive associations with the mass-specific surface area during light work (P < 0.05), explaining ∼45% of the vasomotor variation. Conversely, during light and moderate work, whole body sweat rate, as well as local sweat rate and sudomotor sensitivity at three of four measured sites, revealed moderate, negative relationships with the mass-specific surface area (correlation coefficient range −0.37 to −0.73, P < 0.05). Moreover, those relationships could uniquely account for between 10 and 53% of those sweating responses (P < 0.05). Therefore, both thermoeffector responses displayed a significant morphological dependency in the presence of equivalent thermoafferent drive. Indeed, up to half of the interindividual variation in these effector responses could now be explained through morphological differences and the first principles governing heat transfer. PMID:27125845

A Framework for Analyzing the Whole Body Surface Area from a Single View

PubMed Central

Doretto, Gianfranco; Adjeroh, Donald

2017-01-01

We present a virtual reality (VR) framework for the analysis of whole human body surface area. Usual methods for determining the whole body surface area (WBSA) are based on well known formulae, characterized by large errors when the subject is obese, or belongs to certain subgroups. For these situations, we believe that a computer vision approach can overcome these problems and provide a better estimate of this important body indicator. Unfortunately, using machine learning techniques to design a computer vision system able to provide a new body indicator that goes beyond the use of only body weight and height, entails a long and expensive data acquisition process. A more viable solution is to use a dataset composed of virtual subjects. Generating a virtual dataset allowed us to build a population with different characteristics (obese, underweight, age, gender). However, synthetic data might differ from a real scenario, typical of the physician’s clinic. For this reason we develop a new virtual environment to facilitate the analysis of human subjects in 3D. This framework can simulate the acquisition process of a real camera, making it easy to analyze and to create training data for machine learning algorithms. With this virtual environment, we can easily simulate the real setup of a clinic, where a subject is standing in front of a camera, or may assume a different pose with respect to the camera. We use this newly designated environment to analyze the whole body surface area (WBSA). In particular, we show that we can obtain accurate WBSA estimations with just one view, virtually enabling the possibility to use inexpensive depth sensors (e.g., the Kinect) for large scale quantification of the WBSA from a single view 3D map. PMID:28045895

Northern bobwhite breeding season ecology on a reclaimed surface mine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooke, Jarred M.; Tanner, Evan P.; Peters, David C.; Tanner, Ashley M.; Harper, Craig A.; Keyser, Patrick D.; Clark, Joseph D.; Morgan, John J.

2017-01-01

Surface coal mining and subsequent reclamation of surface mines have converted large forest areas into early successional vegetative communities in the eastern United States. This reclamation can provide a novel opportunity to conserve northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). We evaluated the influence of habitat management activities on nest survival, nest-site selection, and brood resource selection on managed and unmanaged units of a reclaimed surface mine, Peabody Wildlife Management Area (Peabody), in west-central Kentucky, USA, from 2010 to 2013. We compared resource selection, using discrete-choice analysis, and nest survival, using the nest survival model in Program MARK, between managed and unmanaged units of Peabody at 2 spatial scales: the composition and configuration of vegetation types (i.e., macrohabitat) and vegetation characteristics at nest sites and brood locations (i.e., microhabitat). On managed sites, we also investigated resource selection relative to a number of different treatments (e.g., herbicide, disking, prescribed fire). We found no evidence that nest-site selection was influenced by macrohabitat variables, but bobwhite selected nest sites in areas with greater litter depth than was available at random sites. On managed units, bobwhite were more likely to nest where herbicide was applied to reduce sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) compared with areas untreated with herbicide. Daily nest survival was not influenced by habitat characteristics or by habitat management but was influenced by nest age and the interaction of nest initiation date and nest age. Daily nest survival was greater for older nests occurring early in the breeding season (0.99, SE < 0.01) but was lower for older nests occurring later in the season (0.08, SE = 0.13). Brood resource selection was not influenced by macrohabitat or microhabitat variables we measured, but broods on managed units selected areas treated with herbicide to control sericea lespedeza and were located closer to firebreaks and disked native-warm season grass stands than would be expected at random. Our results suggest the vegetation at Peabody was sufficient without manipulation to support nesting and brood-rearing northern bobwhite at a low level, but habitat management practices improved vegetation for nesting and brood-rearing resource selection. Reproductive rates (e.g., nest survival and re-nesting rates) at Peabody were lower than reported in other studies, which may be related to nutritional deficiencies caused by the abundance of sericea lespedeza. On reclaimed mine lands dominated by sericea lespedeza, we suggest continuing practices such as disking and herbicide application that are targeted at reducing sericea lespedeza to improve the vegetation for nesting and brood-rearing bobwhite.

Groundwater flow, quality (2007-10), and mixing in the Wind Cave National Park area, South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Long, Andrew J.; Ohms, Marc J.; McKaskey, Jonathan D.R.G.

2012-01-01

A study of groundwater flow, quality, and mixing in relation to Wind Cave National Park in western South Dakota was conducted during 2007-11 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Park Service because of water-quality concerns and to determine possible sources of groundwater contamination in the Wind Cave National Park area. A large area surrounding Wind Cave National Park was included in this study because to understand groundwater in the park, a general understanding of groundwater in the surrounding southern Black Hills is necessary. Three aquifers are of particular importance for this purpose: the Minnelusa, Madison, and Precambrian aquifers. Multivariate methods applied to hydrochemical data, consisting of principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis, and an end-member mixing model, were applied to characterize groundwater flow and mixing. This provided a way to assess characteristics important for groundwater quality, including the differentiation of hydrogeologic domains within the study area, sources of groundwater to these domains, and groundwater mixing within these domains. Groundwater and surface-water samples collected for this study were analyzed for common ions (calcium, magnesium, sodium, bicarbonate, chloride, silica, and sulfate), arsenic, stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen, specific conductance, and pH. These 12 variables were used in all multivariate methods. A total of 100 samples were collected from 60 sites from 2007 to 2010 and included stream sinks, cave drip, cave water bodies, springs, and wells. In previous approaches that combined PCA with end-member mixing, extreme-value samples identified by PCA typically were assumed to represent end members. In this study, end members were not assumed to have been sampled but rather were estimated and constrained by prior hydrologic knowledge. Also, the end-member mixing model was quantified in relation to hydrogeologic domains, which focuses model results on major hydrologic processes. Finally, conservative tracers were weighted preferentially in model calibration, which distributed model errors of optimized values, or residuals, more appropriately than would otherwise be the case The latter item also provides an estimate of the relative effect of geochemical evolution along flow paths in comparison to mixing. The end-member mixing model estimated that Wind Cave sites received 38 percent of their groundwater inflow from local surface recharge, 34 percent from the upgradient Precambrian aquifer, 26 percent from surface recharge to the west, and 2 percent from regional flow. Artesian springs primarily received water from end members assumed to represent regional groundwater flow. Groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for chlorofluorocarbons, dissolved gasses (argon, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen, and oxygen), and tritium at selected sites and used to estimate groundwater age. Apparent ages, or model ages, for the Madison aquifer in the study area indicate that groundwater closest to surface recharge areas is youngest, with increasing age in a downgradient direction toward deeper parts of the aquifer. Arsenic concentrations in samples collected for this study ranged from 0.28 to 37.1 micrograms per liter (μg/L) with a median value of 6.4 μg/L, and 32 percent of these exceeded 10 μg/L. The highest arsenic concentrations in and near the study area are approximately coincident with the outcrop of the Minnelusa Formation and likely originated from arsenic in shale layers in this formation. Sample concentrations of nitrate plus nitrite were less than 2 milligrams per liter for 92 percent of samples collected, which is not a concern for drinking-water quality. Water samples were collected in the park and analyzed for five trace metals (chromium, copper, lithium, vanadium, and zinc), the concentrations of which did not correlate with arsenic. Dye tracing indicated hydraulic connection between three water bodies in Wind Cave.

Treatment of vitiligo with the topical Janus kinase inhibitor ruxolitinib.

PubMed

Rothstein, Brooke; Joshipura, Deep; Saraiya, Ami; Abdat, Rana; Ashkar, Huda; Turkowski, Yana; Sheth, Vaneeta; Huang, Victor; Au, Shiu Chung; Kachuk, Courtney; Dumont, Nicole; Gottlieb, Alice B; Rosmarin, David

2017-06-01

Existing therapies for vitiligo are limited in efficacy and can be associated with undesirable side effects. Topical Janus kinase inhibitors may offer a new therapeutic option for vitiligo. We sought to assess the role of topical ruxolitinib 1.5% cream, a Janus kinase inhibitor, in vitiligo treatment. This 20-week, open-label, proof-of-concept trial of twice-daily topical ruxolitinib 1.5% cream was conducted in 12 patients with a minimum of 1% affected body surface area of vitiligo. The primary outcome was percent improvement in Vitiligo Area Scoring Index from baseline to week 20. Of 12 patients screened, 11 were enrolled and 9 completed the study (54.5% men; mean age, 52 years). Four patients with significant facial involvement at baseline had a 76% improvement in facial Vitiligo Area Scoring Index scores at week 20 (95% confidence interval, 53-99%; P = .001). A 23% improvement in overall Vitiligo Area Scoring Index scores was observed in all enrolled patients at week 20 (95% confidence interval, 4-43%; P = .02). Three of 8 patients responded on body surfaces and 1 of 8 patients responded on acral surfaces. Adverse events were minor, including erythema, hyperpigmentation, and transient acne. Limitations of the study include the small sample size and open-label study design. Topical ruxolitinib 1.5% cream provided significant repigmentation in facial vitiligo and may offer a valuable new treatment for vitiligo. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantitative bedrock geology of east and Southeast Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, eastern and southeastern China, East Timor, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, far-eastern Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peucker-Ehrenbrink, Bernhard; Miller, Mark W.

2004-01-01

We quantitatively analyze the area-age distribution of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic bedrock based on data from the most recent digital geologic maps of East and Southeast Asia (Coordinating Committee for Coastal and Offshore Geosciences Programmes in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP) and the Geologic Survey of Japan, 1997; 1:2,000,000), published as Digital Geoscience Map G-2 by the Geological Survey of Japan. Sedimentary rocks, volcanic rocks, plutonic rocks, ultramafic rocks and metamorphic rocks cover 73.3%, 8.5%, 8.8%, 0.9%, and 8.6% of the surface area, respectively. The average ages of major lithologic units, weighted according to bedrock area, are as follows: sedimentary rocks (average stratigraphic age of 123 Myr/median age of 26 Myr), volcanic rocks (84 Myr/20 Myr), intrusive rocks (278 Myr/195 Myr), ultramafic rocks (unknown) and metamorphic rocks (1465 Myr/1118 Myr). The variability in lithologic composition and age structure of individual countries reflects the complex tectonic makeup of this region that ranges from Precambrian cratons (e.g., northeast China and North Korea) to Mesozoic-Cenozoic active margins (e.g., Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia and New Guinea). The spatial resolution of the data varies from 44 km2 per polygon (Japan) to 1659 km2 per polygon (Taiwan) and is, on average (490 km2/polygon), similar to our previous analyses of the United States of America and Canada. The temporal and spatial resolution is sufficiently high to perform age-area analyses of individual river basins larger than ˜10,000 km2 and to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between bedrock geology and river chemistry. As many rivers draining tropical, mountainous islands of East and Southeast Asia have a disproportionate effect on the dissolved and particulate load delivered to the world oceans, bedrock geology in such river drainage basins disproportionately affect ocean chemistry.

Integrated hydrologic and hydrodynamic modeling to assess water exchange in a data-scarce reservoir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Binbin; Wang, Guoqiang; Wang, Zhonggen; Liu, Changming; Ma, Jianming

2017-12-01

Integrated hydrologic and hydrodynamic modeling is useful in evaluating hydrodynamic characteristics (e.g. water exchange processes) in data-scarce water bodies, however, most studies lack verification of the hydrologic model. Here, water exchange (represented by water age) was investigated through integrated hydrologic and hydrodynamic modeling of the Hongfeng Reservoir, a poorly gauged reservoir in southwest China. The performance of the hydrologic model and parameter replacement among sub-basins with hydrological similarity was verified by historical data. Results showed that hydrological similarity based on the hierarchical cluster analysis and topographic index probability density distribution was reliable with satisfactory performance of parameter replacement. The hydrodynamic model was verified using daily water levels and water temperatures from 2009 and 2010. The water exchange processes in the Hongfeng Reservoir are very complex with temporal, vertical, and spatial variations. The temporal water age was primarily controlled by the variable inflow and outflow, and the maximum and minimum ages for the site near the dam were 406.10 d (15th June) and 90.74 d (3rd August), respectively, in 2010. Distinct vertical differences in water age showed that surface flow, interflow, and underflow appeared alternately, depending on the season and water depth. The worst water exchange situation was found in the central areas of the North Lake with the highest water ages in the bottom on both 15th June and 3rd August, in 2010. Comparison of the spatial water ages revealed that the more favorable hydraulic conditions on 3rd August mainly improved the water exchange in the dam areas and most areas of the South Lake, but had little effect on the bottom layers of the other deepest areas in the South and North Lakes. The presented framework can be applied in other data-scarce waterbodies worldwide to provide better understanding of water exchange processes.

Development of the human lateral geniculate nucleus: A morphometric and computerized 3D-reconstruction study.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Katsuyuki

2018-04-04

The lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) is the major relay center of the visual pathway in humans. There are few quantitative data on the morphology of LGN in prenatal infants. In this study, using serial brain sections, the author investigated the morphology of this nucleus during the second half of fetal period. Eleven human brains were obtained at routine autopsy from preterm infants aged 20-39 postmenstrual weeks. After fixation, the brain was embedded en bloc in celloidin and cut serially at 30 μm in the horizontal plane. The sections were stained at regular intervals using the Klüver-Barrera method. At 20-21 weeks, the long axis of LGN declined obliquely from the vertical to horizontal plane, while a deep groove was noted on the ventro-lateral surface of the superior half. At this time, an arcuate cell-sparse zone appeared in the dorso-medial region, indicating the beginning of lamination. From 25 weeks onwards, the magnocellular and parvocellular layers were distinguishable, and the characteristic six-layered structure was recognized. The magnocellular layer covered most of the dorsal surface, and parts of the medial, lateral, and inferior surfaces but not the ventral and superior surfaces. Nuclear volume increased exponentially with age during 20-39 weeks, while the mean neuronal profile area increased linearly during 25-39 weeks. Human LGN develops a deep groove on the ventro-lateral surface at around mid-gestation, when the initial lamination is recognized in the prospective magnocellular layer. Thereafter, the nuclear volume increases with age in an exponential function. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The difference between the potentiometric surfaces of the Upper Patapsco aquifer in southern Maryland, September 1990 and September 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2010-01-01

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the upper Patapsco aquifer in the Patapsco Formation of Early Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland between September 1990 and September 2009. The map, based on water level differences obtained from 33 wells, shows that during the 19-year period, the change in the potentiometric surface ranged from zero at the edge of the outcrop area in northern Anne Arundel County to a decline of 20 feet at Broad Creek, 16 feet near Arnold, 32 feet at Waldorf, 37 feet at the Chalk Point power plant, and 43 feet at Lexington Park. The map also shows well yield in gallons per day for 2008 at wells or well fields.

The difference between the potentiometric surfaces of the lower Patapsco aquifer in southern Maryland, September 1990 and September 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtin, Stephen E.; Andreasen, David C.; Staley, Andrew W.

2009-01-01

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the lower Patapsco aquifer in the Patapsco Formation of Early Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland for September 1990 and September 2007. The map, based on water-level measurements in 45 wells, shows that the change of the potentiometric surface during the 17-year period ranged from increases of 19 feet at Indian Head and 6 feet near the outcrop area in Glen Burnie, to declines of 41 feet at Arnold, 45 feet at Severndale, 68 feet at Crofton Meadows, 77 feet at Waldorf, 76 feet at La Plata, 28 feet at the Morgantown power plant, and 35 feet at the Swan Point subdivision south of Morgantown.

Understanding wetland sub-surface hydrology using geologic and isotopic signatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sikdar, P. K.; Sahu, P.

2009-07-01

This paper attempts to utilize hydrogeology and isotope composition of groundwater to understand the present hydrological processes prevalent in a freshwater wetland, source of wetland groundwater, surface water/groundwater interaction and mixing of groundwater of various depth zones in the aquifer. This study considers East Calcutta Wetlands (ECW) - a freshwater peri-urban inland wetland ecosystem located at the lower part of the deltaic alluvial plain of South Bengal Basin and east of Kolkata city. This wetland is well known over the world for its resource recovery systems, developed by local people through ages, using wastewater of the city. Geological investigations reveal that the sub-surface geology is completely blanketed by the Quaternary sediments comprising a succession of silty clay, sand of various grades and sand mixed with occasional gravels and thin intercalations of silty clay. At few places the top silty clay layer is absent due to scouring action of past channels. In these areas sand is present throughout the geological column and the areas are vulnerable to groundwater pollution. Groundwater mainly flows from east to west and is being over-extracted to the tune of 65×103 m3/day. δ18O and δD values of shallow and deep groundwater are similar indicating resemblance in hydrostratigraphy and climate of the recharge areas. Groundwater originates mainly from monsoonal rain with some evaporation prior to or during infiltration and partly from bottom of ponds, canals and infiltration of groundwater withdrawn for irrigation. Relatively high tritium content of the shallow groundwater indicates local recharge, while the deep groundwater with very low tritium is recharged mainly from distant areas. At places the deep aquifer has relatively high tritium, indicating mixing of groundwater of shallow and deep aquifers. Metals such as copper, lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminium, nickel and chromium are also present in groundwater of various depths. Therefore, aquifers of wetland and surrounding urban areas which are heavily dependent on groundwater are vulnerable to pollution. In the area south of ECW isotope data indicates no interaction between shallow and deep aquifer and hence this area may be a better location to treat sewage water than within ECW. To reduce the threat of pollution in ECW's aquifer, surface water-groundwater interaction should be minimized by regulating tubewell operation time, introducing treated surface water supply system and artificial recharging of the aquifer.

10Be inventories in Alpine soils and their potential for dating land surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egli, Markus; Brandová, Dagmar; Böhlert, Ralph; Favilli, Filippo; Kubik, Peter W.

2010-07-01

To exploit natural sedimentary archives and geomorphic landforms it is necessary to date them first. Landscape evolution of Alpine areas is often strongly related to the activities of glaciers in the Pleistocene and Holocene. At sites where no organic matter for radiocarbon dating exists and where suitable boulders for surface exposure dating (using in situ produced cosmogenic nuclides) are absent, dating of soils could give information about the timing of landscape evolution. This paper explores the applicability of soil dating using the inventory of meteoric 10Be in Alpine soils. For this purpose, a set of 6 soil profiles in the Swiss and Italian Alps was investigated. The surface at these sites had already been dated (using the radiocarbon technique or the surface exposure determination using in situ produced 10Be). Consequently, a direct comparison of the ages of the soils using meteoric 10Be and other dating techniques was made possible. The estimation of 10Be deposition rates is subject to severe limitations and strongly influences the obtained results. We tested three scenarios using a) the meteoric 10Be deposition rates as a function of the annual precipitation rate, b) a constant 10Be input for the Central Alps, and c) as b) but assuming a pre-exposure of the parent material. The obtained ages that are based on the 10Be inventory in soils and on scenario a) for the 10Be input agreed reasonably well with the age using surface exposure or radiocarbon dating. The ages obtained from soils using scenario b) produced ages that were mostly too old whereas the approach using scenario c) seemed to yield better results than scenario b). Erosion calculations can, in theory, be performed using the 10Be inventory and 10Be deposition rates. An erosion estimation was possible using scenario a) and c), but not using b). The calculated erosion rates using these scenarios seemed to be plausible with values in the range of 0-57 mm/ky. The dating of soils using 10Be has several potential error sources. Analytical errors as well as errors from other parameters such as bulk soil density and soil skeleton content have to be taken into account. The error range was from 8 up to 21%. Furthermore, uncertainties in estimating 10Be deposition rates substantially influence the calculated ages. Relative age estimates and, under optimal conditions, absolute dating can be carried out. Age determination of Alpine soils using 10Be gives another possibility to date surfaces when other methods fail or are not possible at all. It is, however, not straightforward, quite laborious and may consequently have some distinct limitations.

Associations between soil lead concentrations and populations by race/ethnicity and income-to-poverty ratio in urban and rural areas.

PubMed

Aelion, C Marjorie; Davis, Harley T; Lawson, Andrew B; Cai, Bo; McDermott, Suzanne

2013-02-01

Lead (Pb) is a well-studied environmental contaminant that has many negative health effects, especially for children. Both racial/ethnic and income disparities have been documented with respect to exposure to Pb in soils. The objectives of this study were to assess whether soil Pb concentrations in rural and urban areas of South Carolina USA, previously identified as having clusters of intellectual disabilities (ID) in children, were positively associated with populations of minority and low-income individuals and children (≤ 6 years of age). Surface soils from two rural and two urban areas with identified clusters of ID were analyzed for Pb and concentrations were spatially interpolated using inverse distance weighted analysis. Population race/ethnicity and income-to-poverty ratio (ITPR) from United States Census 2000 block group data were aerially interpolated by block group within each area. Urban areas had significantly higher concentrations of Pb than rural areas. Significant positive associations between black, non-Hispanic Latino, individuals and children ≤ 6 years of age and mean estimated Pb concentrations were observed in both urban (r = 0.38, p = 0.0007) and rural (r = 0.53, p = 0.04) areas. Significant positive associations also were observed between individuals and children with an ITPR < 1.00 and Pb concentrations, though primarily in urban areas. Racial/ethnic minorities and low ITPR individuals, including children, may be at elevated risk for exposure to Pb in soils.

Multispectral thermal infrared mapping of the 1 October 1988 Kupaianaha flow field, Kilauea volcano, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Realmuto, V.J.; Hon, K.; Kahle, A.B.; Abbott, E.A.; Pieri, D.C.

1992-01-01

Multispectral thermal infrared radiance measurements of the Kupaianaha flow field were acquired with the NASA airborne Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) on the morning of 1 October 1988. The TIMS data were used to map both the temperature and emissivity of the surface of the flow field. The temperature map depicted the underground storage and transport of lava. The presence of molten lava in a tube or tumulus resulted in surface temperatures that were at least 10?? C above ambient. The temperature map also clearly defined the boundaries of hydrothermal plumes which resulted from the entry of lava into the ocean. The emissivity map revealed the boundaries between individual flow units within the Kupaianaha field. In general, the emissivity of the flows varied systematically with age but the relationship between age and emissivity was not unique. Distinct spectral anomalies, indicative of silica-rich surface materials, were mapped near fumaroles and ocean entry sites. This apparent enrichment in silica may have resulted from an acid-induced leaching of cations from the surfaces of glassy flows. Such incipient alteration may have been the cause for virtually all of the emissivity variations observed on the flow field, the spectral anomalies representing areas where the acid attack was most intense. ?? 1992 Springer-Verlag.

Reference left atrial dimensions and volumes by steady state free precession cardiovascular magnetic resonance

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Left atrial (LA) size is related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) provides high quality images of the left atrium with high temporal resolution steady state free precession (SSFP) cine sequences. We used SSFP cines to define normal ranges for LA volumes and dimensions relative to gender, age and body surface area (BSA), and examine the relative value of 2D atrial imaging techniques in patients. For definition of normal ranges of LA volume we studied 120 healthy subjects after careful exclusion of cardiovascular abnormality (60 men, 60 women; 20 subjects per age decile from 20 to 80 years). Data were generated from 3-dimensional modeling, including tracking of the atrioventricular ring motion and time-volume curves analysis. For definition of the best 2D images-derived predictors of LA enlargement, we studied 120 patients (60 men, 60 women; age range 20 to 80 years) with a clinical indication for CMR. Results In the healthy subjects, age was associated with LA 4-chamber transverse and 3-chamber anteroposterior diameters, but not with LA volume. Gender was an independent predictor of most absolute LA dimensions and volume, but following normalization to BSA, some associations became non-significant. CMR normal ranges were modeled and are tabled for clinical use with normalization, where appropriate, for BSA and gender and display of parameter variation with age. The best 2D predictors of LA volume were the 2-chamber area and 3-chamber area (both r = 0.90, p < 0.001). Conclusions These CMR data show that LA dimensions and volume in healthy, individuals vary significantly by BSA, with lesser effects of age and gender. PMID:21070636

Study on evaluation of corrosion condition of reinforcing bar embedded concrete using infrared thermal imaging camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiko, Watanabe; Toshiaki, Mizobuchi

2017-04-01

Rapid aging of many concrete structures, which have been developed during rapid economic growth period in Japan, has become a serious problem for us these days. And thus, there is an urgent need to prolong their service life expectancies. For this purpose, the deterioration of reinforcing bars in the concrete structures should be detected quickly and correctly at the early stages. Nevertheless, conventional testing methods such as destructive and nondestructive testing have disadvantages: partial damages on concrete structures; difficulty with quantitative evaluation, etc. Many preceding studies have examined to estimate the deterioration of reinforcing bars based on the temperature of the concrete specimen surfaces. According to those papers, the differences in corrosion degree of reinforcing bars have a certain effect on the temperature of concrete specimen surfaces. In this study, firstly, the quantitative evaluation of the corrosion degree was conducted with 3D scanner which could measure the volume, coverage area and cross-sectional area. Secondly, the surface of the concrete specimen was cooled down with liquid nitrogen, and thirdly, thermographic change was observed up until the air temperature. Finally, the surface of the concrete specimen was detected clearly by the thermal images. As a result, this study shows that the corrosion thickness tends to get bigger, following the uprising temperature of the concrete specimen surfaces. The same kind of tendency can be observed by the thermal images, too.

Geology and ground-water features of salt springs, seeps, and plains in the Arkansas and Red River basins of western Oklahoma and adjacent parts of Kansas and Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ward, P.E.

1963-01-01

The salt springs, seeps, and plains described in this report are in the Arkansas and Red River basins in western Oklahoma and adjacent areas in Kansas and Texas. The springs and seeps contribute significantly to the generally poor water quality of the rivers by bringing salt (HaCI) to the surface at an estimated daily rate of more than 8,000 tons. The region investigated is characterized by low hills and rolling plains. Many of the rivers are eroded 100 feet or more below the .surrounding upland surface and in places the valleys are bordered by steep bluffs. The alluvial plains of the major rivers are wide and the river channels are shallow and unstable. The flow of many surface streams is intermittent, especially in the western part of the area. All the natural salt-contributing areas studied are within the outcrop area of rocks of Permian age. The Permian rocks, commonly termed red beds, are composed principally of red and gray gypsiferous shale, siltstone, sandstone, gypsum, anhydrite, and dolomite. Many of the formations contain halite in the subsurface. The halite occurs mostly as discontinuous lenses in shale, although some of the thicker, more massive beds are extensive. It underlies the entire region studied at depths ranging from about 30 feet to more than 2,000 feet. The salt and associated strata show evidence of extensive removal of salt through solution by ground water. Although the salt generally occurs in relatively impervious shale small joints and fractures ,allow the passage of small quantities of water which dissolves the salt. Salt water occurs in the report area at depths ranging from less than 100 feet to more than 1,000 feet. Salt water occurs both as meteoric and connate, but the water emerging as salt springs is meteoric. Tritium analyses show that the age of the water from several springs is less than 20 years. The salt springs, seeps, and plains are confined to 13 local areas. The flow of the springs and seeps is small, but the chloride concentration in the water ranges from a few hundred parts per million to about 190,000 ppm. The wide range of concentration is believed to be due, in part, to differential dilution by fresh water. Alluvium in the vicinity of the salt springs remains saturated with salt water and evaporation from the alluvial surface causes the formation of a salt crust during dry weather. Those areas appear as salt plains that range in size from less than an acre to as much as 60 square miles. The rocks exposed at the surface in the vicinity of the salt springs are permeable enough to allow the infiltration of some precipitation. Under certain geologic and hydrologic conditions ground water percolates down and through salt-bearing rocks where it dissolves the .salt. Hydrostatic pressure of ground water at higher elevations forces the salt water to emerge as salt springs at lower elevations.

Predictive Factors of Mortality in Burn Patients

PubMed Central

Fazeli, Shahram; Karami-Matin, Reza; Kakaei, Neda; Pourghorban, Samira; Safari-Faramani, Roya; Safari-Faramani, Bahare

2014-01-01

Background: Burn injuries impose a considerable burden on healthcare systems in Iran. It is among the top ten causes of mortality and a main cause of disability. Objectives: This study aimed to examine factors influencing mortality in burn patients admitted to the main educational tertiary referral hospital in Kermanshah. Patients and Methods: All patients admitted to the Imam Khomeini Hospital (from March 2011 to March 2012), due to thermal burn injuries were included in the study. We applied multiple logistic regressions to identify risk and protective factors of mortality. Also we calculated lethal area fifty percent (LA50), as an aggregate index for hospital quality. Results: During the study period, 540 burn patients were admitted. Male to female ratio was 1.12:1. Twenty three percent of the patients were less than 15 years-old. Median of age was 25 years (Inter Quartile Range, 16 - 37). Overall, probability of death was 25.8%. Lethal area fifty percent (LA50) was 50.82 (CI 95%: 47.76 - 54.48). In the final model, after adjustment of sex, age, total body surface area (TBSA), cause of burn and it’s severity, female gender (P < 0.05), age ≥ 60 years (in comparison with age less than 15 years, P < 0.05) and larger burn size (P < 0.0001) were identified as the main risk factors of death in these patients. Conclusions: Findings showed that the main risk factors of death were female gender, burn size and old age. Directing more attention to these vulnerable patients is required to reduce mortality and improve patient survival. PMID:24719826

Localization, characterization and dating of water circulations in the soil-saprolite system of the Strengbach watershed: petrological, hydro-geophysical and geochemical evidences.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chabaux, François; Viville, Daniel; Pierret, Marie-Claire; Stille, Peter; Lerouge, Catherine; Wyns, Robert; Dezayes, Chrystel; Labasque, Thierry; Aquilina, Luc; Ranchoux, Coralie; Négrel, Philippe

2017-04-01

The characterization of the critical zone along depth profiles remains a major scientific issue for understanding and modelling the response of continental surfaces to climatic, tectonic and anthropogenic forcings. Besides characterization it requires the modelling of the water circulations within the substratum of the critical zone. A series of boreholes drilled along the north and the south slopes of the Strengbach watershed makes it possible to characterize the critical zone to depths of ≈100 to 150 m within this critical zone observatory. In this study we attempt to combine mineralogical and petrological observations of the cores recovered through the drilling with chemical data of waters collected in each of these wells and hydro-geophysical data in order to characterize processes of water-rock interactions, visualize the water arrivals within the boreholes and bring new information on the deep water circulations within the watershed. Mineralogical, petrological and hydrogeophysical data suggest that deepwater circulation in the watershed likely occurs along fractures, concentrated in relatively narrow areas, several centimeters wide, interspersed with areas where the granite is much less fractured. This points to the occurrence of deep waters circulating in a network of more or less independent conduits, which could extend over several tens to hundreds of meters deep. The hydrochemical data from the boreholes, show contrasting characteristics for surface waters collected at 10 to 15 m depth and the deeper waters collected between 50 to 80m depth; the surface waters are very similar to those of the spring waters collected in the watershed (Pierret et al., 2014), and the deeper waters collected between 50 to 80m depth. The residence times of the circulating waters are also very variable, with ages of up to a few months for surface and subsurface waters and ages exceeding several decades for the deep waters. These differences suggest that the subsurface circulation systems are quite different from the deeper circulation ones. They also point to the importance to focus future studies on deep-water circulations in order to properly characterize the functioning of the critical zone in watersheds, especially in mountainous areas, such as the Strengbach watershed.

Liquefaction along Late Pleistocene to early Holocene Faults as Revealed by Lidar in Northwest Tasmania, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, J.; Gardner, T.

2016-12-01

In northwest Tasmania well-preserved mid-Holocene beach ridges with maximum radiocarbon ages of 5.25 ka occur along the coast; inland are a parallel set of lower relief beach ridges of probable MIS 5e age. The latter are cut by northeast-striking faults clearly visible on LIDAR images, with a maximum vertical displacement (evident as difference in topographic elevation) of 3 m. Also distinct on the LIDAR images are large sand boils along the fault lines; they are up to 5 m in diameter and 2-3 m high and mostly occur on the hanging wall close to the fault traces. Without LIDAR it would have been almost impossible to distinguish either the fault scarps or the sand boils. Excavations through the sand boils show that they are massive, with no internal structure, suggesting that they formed in a single event. They are composed of well-sorted, very fine white sand, identical to the sand in the underlying beach ridges. The sand boils overlie a peaty paleosol; this formed in the tea-tree swamp that formerly covered the area, and has been offset along the faults. Radiocarbon dating of the buried organic-rich paleosol gave ages of 14.8-7.2 ka, suggesting that the faulting is latest Pleistocene to early Holocene in age; it occurred prior to deposition of the mid-Holocene beach ridges, which are not offset. The beach ridge sediments are up to 7 m thick and contain an iron-cemented hard pan 1-3 m below the surface. The water table is very shallow and close to the ground surface, so the sands of the beach ridges are mostly saturated. During faulting these sands experienced extensive liquefaction. The resulting sand boils rose to a substantial height of 2-3 m, probably possibly reflecting the elevation of the potentiometric surface within the confined part of the beach ridge sediments below the iron-cemented hard pan. Motion on the faults was predominantly dip slip (shown by an absence of horizontal offset) and probably reverse, which is consistent with the present-day northwest-southeast compressive stress in this area.

Oceans on Mars: An assessment of the observational evidence and possible fate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, M.H.; Head, J. W.

2003-01-01

If the large Late Hesperian outflow channels were eroded by extensive floods, as appears likely, then large bodies of water must have once occupied the northern plains during that period. Previous estimates of the sizes of bodies of water in the northern lowlands range up to 3 ?? 108 km3. Several contacts have been previously mapped around the edges of the northern plains and interpreted to be shorelines remaining from these former standing bodies of water. We examine the elevations and geologic relations along these contacts in detail and find little support for their interpretation as shorelines. Some contacts are clearly of volcanic origin, and all have significant variations in elevation. Better support for the former presence of water over large parts of the northern plains is provided by the Vastitas Borealis Formation (VBF). Most of the post-Noachian fill within the northern basin is ridged plains of Lower Hesperian age, interpreted to be volcanic in origin. Overlying the ridged plains is the VBF, a thin veneer of material of Upper Hesperian age. The VBF may have been deposited from large floods. Support for this interpretation is the similarity in age between the outflow channels and the VBF, the presence of the VBF at the lower ends of the outflow channels, and identification of numerous features in the outcrop areas of the VBF that are suggestive of basal melting of an ice sheet. To cover all the area over which the VBF is exposed would require ???2.3 ?? 107 km3 of water. Spread over the entire surface of Mars, this volume is equal to a global layer (global equivalent layer, or GEL) ???156 m deep. We find no support for the larger estimates of ocean volumes that range up to 3 ?? 108 km3 and which imply comparable amounts of water per unit area as are currently present on the surface of the Earth. Under present climatic conditions on Mars an ocean would freeze in a geologically short time period (???104 years), then would sublimate away at rates strongly dependent on the presence or absence of debris on the ice surface. The present VBF is interpreted as a sublimation residue from the ponded outflow channel effluents. The fate of a volume of water thought to have been emplaced by the outflow channels (???2.3 ?? 107 km3) is largely accounted for by the presence of other existing reservoirs on the planet. An approximately 20-30 m GEL of water is estimated to be in the present polar caps, and a 50 m GEL may have escaped to space since the Hesperian, leaving ???80 m GEL unaccounted for. This amount may be partly trapped in other volatile-rich deposits on the surface, and a significant amount could have reentered the groundwater system by south polar basal melting and been progressively cold-trapped at the base of a growing cryosphere. On the basis of our assessment of the Hesperian-aged deposits, we predict that testing of the Clifford and Parker [2001] hypothesis that a Noachian-aged ocean covered up to one third of the surface of Mars will be made very difficult by the enhanced degradation rates in the Noachian and subsequent geological events in the northern lowlands.

Genomic Methylation Inhibits Expression of Hepatitis B Virus Envelope Protein in Transgenic Mice: A Non-Infectious Mouse Model to Study Silencing of HBV Surface Antigen Genes.

PubMed

Graumann, Franziska; Churin, Yuri; Tschuschner, Annette; Reifenberg, Kurt; Glebe, Dieter; Roderfeld, Martin; Roeb, Elke

2015-01-01

The Hepatitis B virus genome persists in the nucleus of virus infected hepatocytes where it serves as template for viral mRNA synthesis. Epigenetic modifications, including methylation of the CpG islands contribute to the regulation of viral gene expression. The present study investigates the effects of spontaneous age dependent loss of hepatitis B surface protein- (HBs) expression due to HBV-genome specific methylation as well as its proximate positive effects in HBs transgenic mice. Liver and serum of HBs transgenic mice aged 5-33 weeks were analyzed by Western blot, immunohistochemistry, serum analysis, PCR, and qRT-PCR. From the third month of age hepatic loss of HBs was observed in 20% of transgenic mice. The size of HBs-free area and the relative number of animals with these effects increased with age and struck about 55% of animals aged 33 weeks. Loss of HBs-expression was strongly correlated with amelioration of serum parameters ALT and AST. In addition lower HBs-expression went on with decreased ER-stress. The loss of surface protein expression started on transcriptional level and appeared to be regulated epigenetically by DNA methylation. The amount of the HBs-expression correlated negatively with methylation of HBV DNA in the mouse genome. Our data suggest that methylation of specific CpG sites controls gene expression even in HBs-transgenic mice with truncated HBV genome. More important, the loss of HBs expression and intracellular aggregation ameliorated cell stress and liver integrity. Thus, targeted modulation of HBs expression may offer new therapeutic approaches. Furthermore, HBs-transgenic mice depict a non-infectious mouse model to study one possible mechanism of HBs gene silencing by hypermethylation.

Lp-dual affine surface area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Wang; Binwu, He

2008-12-01

According to the notion of Lp-affine surface area by Lutwak, in this paper, we introduce the concept of Lp-dual affine surface area. Further, we establish the affine isoperimetric inequality and the Blaschke-Santaló inequality for Lp-dual affine surface area. Besides, the dual Brunn-Minkowski inequality for Lp-dual affine surface area is presented.

Evaluation of the hydrologic system and potential effects of mining in the Dickinson lignite area, eastern slope and western Stark and Hettinger counties, North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Armstrong, C.A.

1984-01-01

The investigation of the water resources of the Dickinson lignite area, an area of about 500 square miles, was undertaken to define the hydrologic system of the area and to project probable effects of coal mining on the system.Aquifers occur in sandstone beds in: the Fox Hills Sandstone and the lower Hell Creek Formation of Cretaceous age, the upper Hell Creek Formation of Cretaceous age and the lower Ludlow Member of the Fort Union Formation of Tertiary age, and the upper Ludlow and lower Tongue River Members of the Fort Union Formation of Tertiary age. Aquifers also occur in the sandstone and lignite lenses in the upper Tongue River Member and the Sentinel Butte Member of the Fort Union Formation. Depths to the Fox Hills-lower Hell Creek aquifer system range from about 1,300 to 1,710 feet. Well yields range from 18 to 100 gallons per minute. The water is soft and is a sodium bicarbonate type. Dissolvedsolids concentrations in samples collected from the aquifer system ranged from 1,230 to 1,690 milligrams per liter.Depths to the upper Hell Creek-lower Ludlow aquifer system range from about 720 to 1,040 feet. Well yields generally are less than 30 gallons per minute but may be as much as 150 gallons per minute. The water is soft and a sodium bicarbonate type. Dissolved-solids concentrations in samples collected from the aquifer system ranged from 1,010 to 1,450 milligrams per liter.Depths to the upper Ludlow-lower Tongue River aquifer system range from about 440 to 713 feet. Well yields may range from about 1 to 100 gallons per minute. The water generally is soft and a sodium bicarbonate type but may be moderately hard and a sulfate type in the southwestern part of the area. Dissolved-solids concentrations in samples collected from the aquifer system ranged from 995 to 1,990 milligrams per liter. Depths to the upper Tongue River-Sentinel Butte aquifer system range from near land surface to about 530 feet below land surface. Well yields generally range from about 1 to 185 gallons per minute. Yields from the lignite parts of the system range from about 2 to 60 gallons per minute. The water generally is a sodium bicarbonate type, but locally sulfate is the dominant anion. Dissolved-solids concentrations in samples collected from the aquifer system generally ranged from 574 to 2,720 milligrams per liter.

The association between etanercept serum concentration and psoriasis severity is highly age-dependent.

PubMed

Detrez, Iris; Van Steen, Kristel; Segaert, Siegfried; Gils, Ann

2017-06-01

The association between etanercept serum concentration and psoriasis disease severity is poorly investigated, and currently etanercept serum concentration monitoring that is aiming to optimize the psoriasis treatment lacks evidence. In this prospective study, we investigated the relation between etanercept exposure and disease severity via measuring etanercept concentrations at five consecutive time points in 56 psoriasis patients. Disease severity assessments included the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), body surface area (BSA) and Physician Global Assessment (PGA), and etanercept and anti-etanercept antibody concentrations were determined every 3 months for a period of 1 year. The present study demonstrated that the association between etanercept concentration and psoriasis severity is age-dependent: when patients were stratified into three groups, patients in the youngest age group (-50 years) showed a lower PASI at a higher etanercept concentration (β = -0.26), whereas patients in the oldest age group (+59 years) showed the opposite trend (β =0.22). Similar age effects were observed in the relation of etanercept concentration with BSA ( P =0.02) and PGA ( P =0.02). The influence of age and length of time in therapy on the etanercept concentration-disease severity relation was unaffected by body mass index (BMI) or any other possible confounder. Incidence of anti-etanercept antibodies was low (2%). The age-dependent relation between etanercept serum concentrations is both unexpected and intriguing and needs further investigation. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Detachment strength of human osteoblasts cultured on hydroxyapatite with various surface roughness. Contribution of integrin subunits.

PubMed

Kokkinos, Petros A; Koutsoukos, Petros G; Deligianni, Despina D

2012-06-01

Hydroxyapatite (HA) has been widely used as a bone substitute in dental, maxillofacial and orthopaedic surgery and as osteoconductive bone substitute or precoating of pedicle screws and cages in spine surgery. The aim of the present study was to investigate the osteoblastic adhesion strength on HA substrata with different surface topography and biochemistry (pre-adsorption of fibronectin) after blocking of specific integrin subunits with monoclonal antibodies. Stoichiometric HA was prepared by precipitation followed by ageing and characterized by SEM, EDX, powder XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TGA, and specific surface area analysis. Human bone marrow derived osteoblasts were cultured on HA disc-shaped substrata which were sintered and polished resulting in two surface roughness grades. For attachment evaluation, cells were incubated with monoclonal antibodies and seeded for 2 h on the substrata. Cell detachment strength was determined using a rotating disc device. Cell detachment strength was surface roughness, fibronectin preadsorption and intergin subunit sensitive.

M-Mode Echocardiographic Changes in Growing Beagles

PubMed Central

Diez-Prieto, Inmaculada; García-Rodríguez, M Belén; Ríos-Granja, M Angeles; Cano-Rábano, María J; Peña-Penabad, Marina; Pérez-García, Carlos C

2010-01-01

Heart growth in 6 female beagle dogs was measured by using M-mode echocardiography at 4, 7, 10, 13, 17, and 21 mo of age. The same 6 dogs were evaluated throughout the study to establish when cardiac development ends in this breed. The following parameters were measured during systole and diastole: left ventricle posterior wall thickness, interventricular septal thickness, left ventricular internal dimension, left atrial dimension during ventricular systole, aortic root dimension at end diastole, E-point to septal separation, left ventricular preejection period, ejection time of the left ventricular outflow, and time between the cessation and onset of the mitral inflow intervals. The percentage of the left ventricle posterior wall thickening, fractional shortening, ejection fraction, left ventricular end systolic and end-diastolic volumes, ratio of the left atrial dimension to aortic root dimension, and the Tei index of myocardial performance were calculated. The heart rate was measured by cardiac auscultation. The influence of ageing on each echocardiographic parameter and relationships with body weight and surface were studied. Results show that cardiac development in female beagles can be considered finished by the age of 1 y, perhaps as soon as 7 mo. The cardiac indexes studied were unaffected by the age and corporal dimensions, confirming the usefulness of these parameters for evaluating cardiac functionality alterations independent of a dog's age and body weight or surface area. PMID:20122313

Geology of the Knife River area, North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benson, William Edward

1953-01-01

The Knife River area, consisting of six 15-minute quadrangles, includes the lower half of the Knife River valley in west-central North Dakota. The area, in the center of the Williston Basin, is underlain by the Tongue River member of the Fort Union formation (Paleocene) and the Golden Valley formation (Eocene). The Tongue River includes beds equivalent to the Sentinel Butte shale; the Golden Valley formation, which receives its first detailed description in this report, consists of two members, a lower member of gray to white sandy kaolin clay and an upper member of cross-bedded micaceous sandstone. Pro-Tongue River rocks that crop out in southwestern North Dakota include the Ludlow member of the Fort Union formation, the Cannonball marine formation (Paleocene) and the Hell Creek, Fox Hills, and Pierre formations, all upper Cretaceous. Post-Golden Valley rocks include the White River formation (Oligocene) and gravels on an old planation surface that may be Miocene or Pliocent. Surficial deposits include glacial and fluvial deposits of Pleistocene age and alluvium, dune sand, residual silica, and landslide blocks of Recent age. Three ages of glacial deposits can be differentiated, largely on the basis of three fills, separated by unconformities, in the Knife River valley. All three are of Wisconsin age and probably represent the Iowan, Tazewell, and Mankato substages. Deposits of the Cary substage have not been identified either in the Knife River area or elsewhere in southern North Dakota. Iowan glacial deposits form the outermost drift border in North Dakota. Southwest of this border are a few scattered granite boulders that are residual from the erosion of either the White River formation or a pre-Wisconsin till. The Tazewell drift border cannot be followed in southern North Dakota. The Mankato drift border can be traced in a general way from the South Dakota State line northwest across the Missouri River and through the middle of the Knife River area. The major land forms of southwestern North Dakota are: (1) high buttes that stand above (2) a gravel-capped planation surface and (3) a gently-rolling upland; below the upland surface are (4) remnants of a broad valley stage of erosion into which (5) modern valleys have been cut. The broad valley profiles of many streams continue east across the Missouri River trench and are part of a former drainage system that flowed into Hudson Bay. Crossing the divides are (6) large trenches, formed when the former northeast-flowing streams were dammed by the glacier and diverted to the southeast. The largest diversion valley is occupied by the Missouri River; another diversion system, now largely abandoned, extends from the Killdeer Mountains southwest to the mouth of Porcupine Creek in Sioux County. By analogy with South Dakota, most of the large diversion valleys are thought to have been cut in Illinoian time. Numerous diversion valleys of Illinoian to late Wisconsin age cut across the divides. Other Pleistocene land forms include ground and moraines, kames, and terraces. Land forms of Recent age include dunes, alluvial terraces, floodplains, and several types of landslide blocks. One type of landslide, called rockslide slump, has not previously been described. Drainage is well adjusted to the structure, most of the streams flowing down the axes of small synclines. The bedrock formations have been gently folded into small domes and synclines that interrupt a gentle northward regional dip into the Williston Basin. Three episodes of deformation affected southwestern North Dakota in Tertiary time: (1) intra-Paleocene, involving warping and minor faulting; (2) post-Eocene, involving uplift and tilting; (2) Oligocene, involving uplift and gentle folding. Mineral resources include ceramic clay, sand and gravel and lignite coal. The Knife River area is the largest lignite-producing district in the United States.

Fabrication and characterization of Aerogel-Polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) Insulation Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noh, Yeoung ah; Song, Sinae; Taik Kim, Hee

2018-03-01

The building has a large impact on the space heating demand and the indoor environment is affected by climate or daylight. Hence, silica aerogel has generally used as a film to reduce the coefficient of the window in the building. Silica aerogel is a suitable material to apply for insulation material with lower thermal conductivity than that of air to save interior energy. However expensive precursor and drying process were the main issue of the silica aerogel synthesis and practical usage. We attempt to fabricate aerogel insulation film for energy saving through the economic process under ambient pressure. Silica aerogel was synthesized from rice husk ash, which was an agricultural waste to be able to recycle. Taguchi design was used to optimize the parameters (amount of rice husk ash, pH, aging time) controlling the surface area of silica aerogel. The silica aerogel is prepared by sol-gel processing through acidic treatment and aging. The silica aerogel was obtained by modification of silica hydrogel surface and dry at ambient pressure. Finally, aerogel film was respectively fabricated by the different content of aerogel in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Silica aerogel obtained 21 – 24nm average particle size was analyzed by SEM and silica aerogel with high surface area (832.26 m2/g), pore size ( 3.30nm ) was characterized by BET. Then silica Aerogel – PDMS insulation film with thermal conductivity (0.002 W/mK) was analyzed by thermal wave system. The study demonstrates an eco-friendly and low-cost route toward silica – PDMS insulation film with low thermal conductivity (0.002 W/mK).

Geomorphic consequences of rapid deglaciation at Pasterze Glacier, Hohe Tauern Range, Austria, between 2010 and 2013 based on repeated terrestrial laser scanning data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avian, M.; Kellerer-Pirklbauer, A.; Lieb, G. K.

2018-06-01

Since the end of the Little Ice Age around 1850 CE glaciers in the Alps have been receding dramatically. This study aimed to quantify and characterize the geomorphic and landform changes of a 0.9 km2 large proglacial area at the largest glacier in Austria (Pasterze Glacier, Austria, N 47°04‧, E 12°44‧). Point clouds from multiple terrestrial laserscanning (TLS) and different image data were used to quantify surface elevation changes and distinguish different types of erosional and depositional landforms during the period 2010-2013. Results indicate that the study area is characterized by a total volume loss of 1,309,000 m3. Excluding the area which was deglaciated, the volume loss equals 275,000 m3 in the period 2010-13. The decrease is related to sediment transfer out of study area and due to sediment-buried glacier ice which is slowly melting. The landform classification reveals that drift mantled slopes are most frequent (20.9% of the study area in 2013) next to ice contact terrace landforms (19.7%). In terms of vertical surface elevation changes, our results suggest distinguishing between 3 distinct domains within the study area: (i) a flat valley bottom area consisting of water/sandur areas and ice-cored landforms dominated by widespread subsurface ice melting and lateral fluvial (and thermal) erosion; (ii) a gently-sloping footslope area consisting of ice-contact sediments, former ice marginal channels and deep incised gullies with corresponding debris cones dominated by linear erosion and corresponding deposition; and (iii) a steep lateral slope area mainly built up of consolidated drift material with incised gullies dominated by linear erosion. Our results not only confirm the previously revealed high geomorphic activity for proglacial areas of alpine glaciers in terms of surface elevation variations, they also highlight that landforms might change substantially from one year to the next not only because of erosional/depositional processes, but also because of the melting of buried dead-ice bodies.

Mite communities (Acari: Mesostigmata) in young and mature coniferous forests after surface wildfire.

PubMed

Kamczyc, Jacek; Urbanowski, Cezary; Pers-Kamczyc, Emilia

2017-06-01

Density, diversity and assemblage structure of Mesostigmata (cohorts Gamasina and Uropodina) were investigated in Scots pine forests differing in forest age (young: 9-40 years and mature: 83-101 years) in which wildfire occurred. This animal group belongs to the dominant acarine predators playing a crucial role in soil food webs and being important as biological control agents. In total, six forests (three within young and three within mature stands) were inspected in Puszcza Knyszyńska Forest Complex in May 2015. At each forest area, sampling was done from burned and adjacent control sites with steel cylinders for heat extraction of soil fauna. Data were analyzed statistically with nested ANOVA. We found a significant effect on mite density of both fire and forest age, with more mites in mature forests and control plots. In total, 36 mite taxa were identified. Mite diversity differed significantly between forest ages but not between burned versus control. Our study indicated that all studied forests are characterized by unique mite species and that the mite communities are dominated by different mite species depending on age forest and surface wildfire occurrence. Finally, canonical correspondence analysis ranked the mite assemblages from control mature, through burned young and burned mature, away from the control young.

Potentiometric surface of the intermediate aquifer system, west- central Florida, May 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewelling, B.R.

1988-01-01

The intermediate aquifer system within the Southwest Florida Water Management District underlies a 5,000 sq mi area of De Soto, Sarasota, Hardee, Manatee, and parts of Charlotte, Hillsborough, Highlands, and Polk Counties. The intermediate aquifer system occurs between the overlying surficial aquifer system and the underlying Floridan aquifer system, and consists of layers of sand, shell, clay, marl, limestone, and dolom of the Tamiami, Hawthorn, and Tampa Formations of late Tertiary age. The intermediate aquifer system contains one or more water-bearing units separated by discontinuous confining units. This aquifer system is the principal source of potable water in the southwestern part of the study area and is widely used as a source of water in other parts where wells are open to the intermediate aquifer system or to both the intermediate and Floridan aquifer systems. Yields of individual wells open to the intermediate aquifer system range from a few gallons to several hundred gallons per minute. The volume of water withdrawn from the intermediate aquifer system is considerably less than that withdrawn from the Floridan aquifer system in the study area. The surface was mapped by determining the altitude of water levels in a network of wells and is represented on maps by contours that connect points of equal altitude. The compos potentiometric surface of all water-bearing units within the intermediate aquifer system is shown. In areas where multiple aquifers exist, wells open to all aquifers were selected for water level measurements whenever possible. In the southwestern and lower coastal region of the study area, two aquifers and confining units are described for the intermediate aquifer system: the Tamiami-upper Hawthorn aquifer and the underlying lower Hawthorn-upper Tampa aquifer. The potentiometric surface of the Tamiami-upper Hawthorn aquifer is also shown. Water levels are from wells drilled and open exclusively to that aquifer. The exact boundary for the Tamiami-upper Hawthorn aquifer is undetermined because of limd geohydrologic data available from wells. (Lantz-PTT)

Stratigraphy, correlation, and age estimates for fossils from Area 123, Koobi Fora.

PubMed

Feibel, Craig S; Lepre, Christopher J; Quinn, Rhonda L

2009-08-01

Geological data from the Bura Hasuma region at Koobi Fora provide important constraints for estimating the ages of hominin fossils recovered there, including the cranium KNM-ER 1813. Strata of the upper Burgi, KBS, and Okote members in this part of Koobi Fora reflect three depositional regimes driven by changing paleogeography through time. The upper Burgi and lowermost KBS sequence in the southern Bura Hasuma region accumulated in a lacustrine to delta front setting, with highly localized depositional patterns, limiting the lateral extent of lithostratigraphic markers. Farther north, uppermost upper Burgi through KBS member strata document a fluctuating lake margin, with complex facies patterns. This interval is marked by laterally extensive lithostratigraphic markers, including molluscan packstones, beach sandstones, and stromatolite beds. The uppermost KBS and Okote members show a transition to dominantly fluvial character, with localized and discontinuous accumulation. An age model for the richly fossiliferous Area 123 sequence demonstrates the complexity of terrestrial accumulation patterns. Early lacustrine and delta front accumulation is marked by fairly continuous sedimentation, and high accumulation rates (up to ca. 91 cm/k.yr.). The fluctuating lake margin interval reflects lower sedimentation rates coupled with intervals of exposure, decreasing accumulation significantly (to ca. 13 cm/k.yr.). The capping fluvial interval is marked by significant erosion surfaces, breaks which may drop the overall accumulation rate even lower (ca. 0.3 cm/k.yr.). The data provided here establish a geological framework at odds with a recent proposal of ages considerably younger (by ca. 250 k.yr.) for many of the fossils from Area 123 and elsewhere. Tests of age models demonstrate that the younger ages are not possible. While minor refinements to age estimates for fossils are indicated by improved chronostratigraphic control, in the case of KNM-ER 1813, an age of younger than 1.78 Ma is precluded on magnetostratigraphic grounds.

Mercury Underpotential Deposition to Determine Iridium and Iridium Oxide Electrochemical Surface Areas

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

Alia, Shaun M.; Hurst, Katherine E.; Kocha, Shyam S.

Determining the surface areas of electrocatalysts is critical for separating the key properties of area-specific activity and electrochemical surface area from mass activity. Hydrogen underpotential deposition and carbon monoxide oxidation are typically used to evaluate iridium (Ir) surface areas, but are ineffective on oxides and can be sensitive to surface oxides formed on Ir metals. Mercury underpotential deposition is presented in this study as an alternative, able to produce reasonable surface areas on Ir and Ir oxide nanoparticles, and able to produce similar surface areas prior to and following characterization in oxygen evolution. Reliable electrochemical surface areas allow for comparativemore » studies of different catalyst types and the characterization of advanced oxygen evolution catalysts. Lastly, they also enable the study of catalyst degradation in durability testing, both areas of increasing importance within electrolysis and electrocatalysis.« less

Mercury Underpotential Deposition to Determine Iridium and Iridium Oxide Electrochemical Surface Areas

DOE PAGES

Alia, Shaun M.; Hurst, Katherine E.; Kocha, Shyam S.; ...

2016-06-02

Determining the surface areas of electrocatalysts is critical for separating the key properties of area-specific activity and electrochemical surface area from mass activity. Hydrogen underpotential deposition and carbon monoxide oxidation are typically used to evaluate iridium (Ir) surface areas, but are ineffective on oxides and can be sensitive to surface oxides formed on Ir metals. Mercury underpotential deposition is presented in this study as an alternative, able to produce reasonable surface areas on Ir and Ir oxide nanoparticles, and able to produce similar surface areas prior to and following characterization in oxygen evolution. Reliable electrochemical surface areas allow for comparativemore » studies of different catalyst types and the characterization of advanced oxygen evolution catalysts. Lastly, they also enable the study of catalyst degradation in durability testing, both areas of increasing importance within electrolysis and electrocatalysis.« less

Geology and ground-water resources of the upper Lodgepole Creek drainage basin, Wyoming, with a section on chemical quality of the water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bjorklund, Louis Jay; Krieger, R.A.; Jochens, E.R.

1959-01-01

The principal sources of ground-water supply in the upper Lodgepole Creek drainage basin-the part of the basin west of the Wyoming-Nebraska State line-are the Brule formation of Oligocene age, the Arikaree formation of Miocene age, the Ogallala formation of Pliocene age, and the unconsolidated deposits of Quaternary age. The Brule formation is a moderately hard siltstone that generally is not a good aquifer. However, where it is fractured or where the upper part consists of pebbles of reworked siltstone, it will yield large quantities of water to wells. Many wells in the Pine Bluffs lowland, at the east end of the area, derive water from the Brule. The Arikaree formation, which consists of loosely to moderately cemented fine sand, will yield small quantities of water to wells but is not thick enough or permeable enough to supply sufficient water for irrigation. Only a few wells derive water from it. The Ogallala formation consists of lenticular beds of clay, silt, sand, and gravel which, in part, are cemented with calcium carbonate. Only the lower part of the formation is saturated. Nearly all the wells in the upland part of the area tap the Ogallala, but they supply water in amounts sufficient for domestic and stock use only. Two of the wells have a moderately large discharge, and other wells of comparable discharge probably could be drilled in those parts of the upland where the saturated part of the Ogallala is fairly thick. Most of the unconsolidated deposits of Quaternary age are very permeable and, where a sufficient thickness is saturated, will yield large quantities of water to wells. These deposits are a significant source of water supply in the southeastern part of the area. The Chadron formation of Oligocene age, which underlies the Brule formation, is a medium- to coarse-grained sandstone where it crops out in the Islay lowland. No wells tap the Chadron, but it probably would yield small quantities of water to wells. It lies at a relatively shallow depth beneath most of the Islay lowland, near the west end of the area, and at a depth of about 800 feet beneath the Pine Bluffs lowland. In the latter area it probably is finer grained and may not be permeable enough to yield water to wells. All the ground water in the area is derived from precipitation. It is estimated that about 5 percent of the precipitation infiltrates directly to the zone of saturation. The remainder either is evaporated immediately; is retained by the soil, later to be evaporated or transpired; or is discharged by overland flow to the surface drainage courses. Most of the water that reaches the surface drainage courses eventually sinks to the zone of saturation or is evaporated. The slope of the water table and the movement of ground water are generally eastward. The depth to water ranges from less than 10 feet in parts of the valley to about 300 feet in the upland areas. In much of the Pine Bluffs lowland, the depth to water is less than 50 feet. Ground water not pumped from wells within the area is discharged by evapotranspiration where the water table is close to the land surface, by outflow into streams, or by underflow eastward beneath the State line. The chemical quality of ground water from the principal sources is remarkably uniform, and the range in concentration of dissolved constituents is narrow. In general, the water is of the calcium bicarbonate type, is hard (hardness as CaC03 is as high as 246 ppm), and contains less than about 400 parts per million of dissolved solids, which is a moderate mineralization. Silica constitutes a large proportion of the dissolved solids. The water is suitable for irrigation and, except for iron in water from some wells that tap the Ogallala formation, meets the drinking water standards of the U.S. Public Health Service for chemical constituents. Because the water is siliceous, alkaline, and hard, it is unsuitable for many industrial uses unless treated.

Surface Evolution and Uplift History of the Central Apennines, Italy: New Constraints from Thermochronology and Paleoaltimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

San José, M.; Faccenna, C.; Fellin, M. G.; Willett, S.; Funiciello, F.; Caves Rugenstein, J. K.

2017-12-01

The topography of mountain belts results from interactions between surface processes, lithospheric thickening, and mantle dynamics. However, the contributions of each mechanism have yet to be clearly quantified. The Apennines (Italy) provide a study area where all of these processes are at play. The central part of the Apennines is an orogenic wedge formed by the westward subducting Adriatic microplate during Miocene-Pliocene, and overlies an area of local slab detachment. Recent studies indicate anomalously high uplift rates in this area (Faccenna et al., 2015), as well as a simultaneous onset of post-orogenic extension across the Central Apennines at ̴ 2 Ma (Cosentino et al., 2017). These observations have been interpreted as an expression of dynamic topography due to the slab break-off and inherent mantle upwelling. In order to test this hypothesis and further constrain the topographic evolution of the orogen, we use low-temperature thermochronology to date the exhumation, and stable isotope paleoaltimetry (18O/16O on carbonates) to reconstruct paleoelevations. We couple this paleotopographic dataset with geomorphological analysis of the present day topography. Here we present a set of 30 new (U-Th)/He cooling ages on apatites (AHe) sampled from widespread syn-orogenic flysch basin deposits (including one high-resolution vertical profile), as well as preliminary isotopic measurements. Initial results show mean AHe ages ranging from 1.62 (± 0.38 ) Ma to 2.6 (±0.02) Ma, suggesting a regionally uniform exhumation during Pleistocene. Denudation rates inferred from our vertical profile are extremely high (>1 mm/year from 2 to 1 Ma). Some samples have not been thermally reset due to insufficient burial, and yield exhumation ages older than stratigraphic depositional ages (generally > 5 Ma). These results support the hypothesis that exhumation is mainly controlled by rapid regional scale uplift related to the opening of the Adriatic slab window at the end of the orogenic phase. However, denudation is not only driven by geodynamic processes, but also by climatic changes. Further research will consider climatic variations in the interpretation of our results.

Distal Ejecta from Lunar Impacts: Extensive Regions of Rocky Deposits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bandfield, Joshua L.; Cahill, Joshua T. S.; Carter, Lynn M.; Neish, Catherine D.; Patterson, G. Wesley; Williams, Jean-Pierre; Paige, David A.

2016-01-01

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Diviner Radiometer, Mini-RF, and LRO Camera data were used to identify and characterize rocky lunar deposits that appear well separated from any potential source crater. Two regions are described: 1) A approximate 18,000 sq km area with elevated rock abundance and extensive melt ponds and veneers near the antipode of Tycho crater (167.5 deg E, 42.5 deg N). This region has been identified previously, using radar and aging data. 2) A much larger and more diffuse region, covering approximately 730,000 sq km, centered near 310 deg E, 35 deg S, containing elevated rock abundance and numerous granular flow deposits on crater walls. The rock distributions in both regions favor certain slope azimuths over others, indicating a directional component to the formation of these deposits. The spatial distribution of rocks is consistent with the arrival of ejecta from the west and northwest at low angles (approximately 10-30 deg) above the horizon in both regions. The derived age and slope orientations of the deposits indicate that the deposits likely originated as ejecta from the Tycho impact event. Despite their similar origin, the deposits in the two regions show significant differences in the datasets. The Tycho crater antipode deposit covers a smaller area, but the deposits are pervasive and appear to be dominated by impact melts. By contrast, the nearside deposits cover a much larger area and numerous granular flows were triggered. However, the features in this region are less prominent with no evidence for the presence of impact melts. The two regions appear to be surface expressions of a distant impact event that can modify surfaces across wide regions, resulting in a variety of surface morphologies. The Tycho impact event may only be the most recent manifestation of these processes, which likely have played a role in the development of the regolith throughout lunar history

Change of serum phosphate level and clinical outcome of hypophosphatemia in massive burn patient.

PubMed

Yang, Hyeong Tae; Yim, Haejun; Cho, Yong Suk; Kim, Dohern; Hur, Jun; Kim, Jong Hyun; Lee, Boung Chul; Seo, Cheong Hoon; Chun, Wook

2012-11-01

Hypophosphatemia is relatively common phenomenon in patients with massive burn injury. Therefore, we check serum phosphate level routinely and try to supply phosphate in a timely manner. The purpose of this study was to investigate the change of the serum phosphate level of early postburn period and the impact of hypophosphatemia on the prognosis of patients. A total of 227 patients with burn injury were reviewed retrospectively. We performed analysis of serum phosphate level within 20 days from burn injury. Patients' mean (SD) age was 47.0 (14.1) years, and mean (SD) percentage of total body surface area burned were 47.7 (21.9). Severe hypophosphatemia (phosphate < 1.0 mg/dL) was observed in 35 patients (15.8%), and moderate hypophosphatemia (1.0 ≤ phosphate < 2.0 mg/dL) was found in 115 patients (50.6%). Therefore, overall incidence of hypophosphatemia was 66.4%. There was no significant difference in serum phosphate level with survival, total body surface area burned, and mechanical ventilation. Age (odds ratio [OR], 3.180; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.025-9.871; p = 0.045), total body surface area burned (OR, 20.934; 95% CI, 6.845-64.024; p = 0.000), and mechanical ventilation (OR, 5.581; 95% CI, 2.380-13.085; p = 0.002) were independently associated with mortality. However, serum phosphate level (OR, 0.828; 95% CI, 0.275-2.495; p = 0.737) does not have a statistical significance. Although multiple studies have evaluated the efficacy and safety of phosphate repletion regimens, the effect on mortality and morbidity is not well reported. However, our results show that patients with massive burn injury have high incidence of hypophosphatemia, and hypophosphatemia can result in many complications. Therefore, routine check and supply of phosphate can be suggested in patients with massive burn injury. Prognostic study, level II.

Reference Values of Aortic Root in Male and Female White Elite Athletes According to Sport.

PubMed

Boraita, Araceli; Heras, Maria-Eugenia; Morales, Francisco; Marina-Breysse, Manuel; Canda, Alicia; Rabadan, Manuel; Barriopedro, Maria-Isabel; Varela, Amai; de la Rosa, Alejandro; Tuñón, José

2016-10-01

There is limited information regarding the aortic root upper physiological limits in all planes in elite athletes according to static and dynamic cardiovascular demands and sex. A cross-sectional study was performed in 3281 healthy elite athletes (2039 men and 1242 women) aged 23.1±5.7 years, with body surface area of 1.9±0.2 m 2 and 8.9±4.9 years and 19.2±9.6 hours/week of training. Maximum end-diastolic aortic root diameters were measured in the parasternal long axis by 2-dimensional echocardiography. Age, left ventricular mass, and body surface area were the main predictors of aortic dimensions. Raw values were greater in males than in females (P<0.0001) at all aortic root levels. Dimensions corrected by body surface area were higher in men than in women at the aortic annulus (13.1±1.7 versus 12.9±1.7 mm/m 2 ; P=0.007), without significant differences at the sinus of Valsalva (16.3±1.9 versus 16.3±1.9 mm/m 2 ; P=0.797), and were smaller in men at the sinotubular junction (13.6±1.8 versus 13.8±1.8 mm/m 2 ; P=0.008) and the proximal ascending aorta (13.8±1.9 versus 14.1±1.9 mm/m 2 ; P=0.001). Only 1.8% of men and 1.5% of women had values >40 mm and 34 mm, respectively. Raw and corrected aortic measures at all levels were significantly greater in sports, with a high dynamic component in both sexes, except for corrected values of the sinotubular junction in women. Aortic root dimensions in healthy elite athletes are within the established limits for the general population. This study describes the normal dimensions for healthy elite athletes classified according to sex and dynamic and static components of their sports. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Some physicochemical properties of surface layer soils shelterbelts in agricultural landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaskulska, R.; Szajdak, L.

2009-04-01

Shelterbelts belong to very efficient biogeochemical barriers. They decrease the migration of chemical compounds between ecosystems. The investigations were carried out in the Chlapowski's Agroecological Park in Turew situated 40 km South-West of Poznań, Poland. This area is located on loamy soils, which contains 70% cultivated fields and 14% shelterbelts and small afforestations. The shelterbelts represent different ages and the content of plants as well as humus quantity in surface layer. The first one is 100-year-old shelterbelt, where predominant species is Crataegus monogyna Jacq., Quercus rober L., and Fraxinus excelsior (L.) and is characterized by a well-developed humus level. The other one is 14-year-old shelterbelt. It includes 13 species of trees and revealed a small amount of humus. The soil under both shelterbelts is mineral, grey-brown podzolic in surface layer compound from light loamy sands and weakly loamy sands. The soil samples were taken from surface layer (0-20 cm). pH 1N KCl, hydrolytic acidity, cation-exchange capacity, total proper area, total organic carbon and dissociation constants were determined in soils. The study showed that the soil under shelterbelts revealed acidic properties. It was observed that soils of 100-year-old shelterbelt characterizing lowest values pH = 4.2 revealed highest values of hydrolytic acidity equaled to 7.8 cmol(+)ṡkg-1. The physicochemical properties of investigated soils shoved specific surface areas (22.8 m2ṡg-1), cationic sorptive capacity (12.9 cmol(+)ṡkg-1). TOC (1.6%) 100-year-old shelterbelt was higher than in 14-year-old shelterbelt. The dissociation constants were determined by potentiometric titration. This investigation revealed that the pK value was the highest in the humus of 100-year-old shelterbelt (pKa = 3.1). However, soils of 14-year-old shelterbelt characterized by the lovest pK equaled to 2.8. The surface layer soils shelterbelts in agricultural landscape with good humus development are the most acidic of the soils studied. Most values of acidity, full specific surface areas and sorption capacity are specific to the surface layer of 100-year-old shelterbelt with the highest total organic carbon content. This work was supported by a grant No. 2295/B/P01/2008/35 founded by Polish Ministry of Education.

Ascending Aortic Dimensions in Former National Football League Athletes.

PubMed

Gentry, James L; Carruthers, David; Joshi, Parag H; Maroules, Christopher D; Ayers, Colby R; de Lemos, James A; Aagaard, Philip; Hachamovitch, Rory; Desai, Milind Y; Roselli, Eric E; Dunn, Reginald E; Alexander, Kezia; Lincoln, Andrew E; Tucker, Andrew M; Phelan, Dermot M

2017-11-01

Ascending aortic dimensions are slightly larger in young competitive athletes compared with sedentary controls, but rarely >40 mm. Whether this finding translates to aortic enlargement in older, former athletes is unknown. This cross-sectional study involved a sample of 206 former National Football League (NFL) athletes compared with 759 male subjects from the DHS-2 (Dallas Heart Study-2; mean age of 57.1 and 53.6 years, respectively, P <0.0001; body surface area of 2.4 and 2.1 m 2 , respectively, P <0.0001). Midascending aortic dimensions were obtained from computed tomographic scans performed as part of a NFL screening protocol or as part of the DHS. Compared with a population-based control group, former NFL athletes had significantly larger ascending aortic diameters (38±5 versus 34±4 mm; P <0.0001). A significantly higher proportion of former NFL athletes had an aorta of >40 mm (29.6% versus 8.6%; P <0.0001). After adjusting for age, race, body surface area, systolic blood pressure, history of hypertension, current smoking, diabetes mellitus, and lipid profile, the former NFL athletes still had significantly larger ascending aortas ( P <0.0001). Former NFL athletes were twice as likely to have an aorta >40 mm after adjusting for the same parameters. Ascending aortic dimensions were significantly larger in a sample of former NFL athletes after adjusting for their size, age, race, and cardiac risk factors. Whether this translates to an increased risk is unknown and requires further evaluation. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Crater-based dating of geological units on Mars: methods and application for the new global geological map

USGS Publications Warehouse

Platz, Thomas; Michael, Gregory; Tanaka, Kenneth L.; Skinner, James A.; Fortezzo, Corey M.

2013-01-01

The new, post-Viking generation of Mars orbital imaging and topographical data provide significant higher-resolution details of surface morphologies, which induced a new effort to photo-geologically map the surface of Mars at 1:20,000,000 scale. Although from unit superposition relations a relative stratigraphical framework can be compiled, it was the ambition of this mapping project to provide absolute unit age constraints through crater statistics. In this study, the crater counting method is described in detail, starting with the selection of image data, type locations (both from the mapper’s and crater counter’s perspectives) and the identification of impact craters. We describe the criteria used to validate and analyse measured crater populations, and to derive and interpret crater model ages. We provide examples of how geological information about the unit’s resurfacing history can be retrieved from crater size–frequency distributions. Three cases illustrate short-, intermediate, and long-term resurfacing histories. In addition, we introduce an interpretation-independent visualisation of the crater resurfacing history that uses the reduction of the crater population in a given size range relative to the expected population given the observed crater density at larger sizes. From a set of potential type locations, 48 areas from 22 globally mapped units were deemed suitable for crater counting. Because resurfacing ages were derived from crater statistics, these secondary ages were used to define the unit age rather than the base age. Using the methods described herein, we modelled ages that are consistent with the interpreted stratigraphy. Our derived model ages allow age assignments to be included in unit names. We discuss the limitations of using the crater dating technique for global-scale geological mapping. Finally, we present recommendations for the documentation and presentation of crater statistics in publications.

Calculating landscape surface area from digital elevation models

Treesearch

Jeff S. Jenness

2004-01-01

There are many reasons to want to know the true surface area of the landscape, especially in landscape analysis and studies of wildlife habitat. Surface area provides a better estimate of the land area available to an animal than planimetric area, and the ratio of this surface area to planimetric area provides a useful measure of topographic roughness of the landscape...

Reduction of pressure ulcer size with high-voltage pulsed current and high-frequency ultrasound: a randomised trial.

PubMed

Polak, A; Taradaj, J; Nawrat-Szoltysik, A; Stania, M; Dolibog, P; Blaszczak, E; Zarzeczny, R; Juras, G; Franek, A; Kucio, C

2016-12-02

International guidelines recommend the use of ultrasound (US) and electrical stimulation (ES) for treating chronic and recurrent pressure ulcers (PUs). The methodology of these procedures, however, still needs elaboration and confirmation by clinical studies. This parallel-group, randomised, single-blind, prospective, controlled clinical trial was conducted to determine whether by using high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) and high-voltage monophasic pulsed current (HVMPC), the rate of change in the area of older patients' PUs can be accelerated. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either: standard wound care (SWC) involving supportive care and topical treatments; SWC+US (1MHz; 0.5 W/cm 2 ; 20%; 1-3 minutes/cm2); or SWC+ES (HVMPC, 154 µs, 100 pps, 100 V, 250 µC/sec, 50 minutes/day). US and ES were administered once a day, 5 days a week. The primary outcome was change in PU surface area measured against baseline after 6 weeks of treatment with SWC, SWC+US, and SWC+ES. We recruited 77 patients, aged 60-95 years (80% aged over 70 years of age), with 88 Category II, III and IV PUs were enrolled in the study. The percentage reduction in the surface area of PUs at the end of treatment was significantly greater in the SWC+US group (mean ± standard deviation, 77.48±11.59 %; p=0.024) and the SWC+ES group (76.19±32.83%; p=0.030) versus the control group (48.97±53.42%). The SWC+ES group also had a significantly greater proportion of PUs that decreased in area by at least 50% or closed than the control group (p=0.05 and 0.031, respectively). The SWC+US and SWC+ES groups were not statistically significant different regarding treatment results. Clinical side effects were not recorded. The results show that HFUS and HVMPC are comparable regarding their effectiveness in reducing the size of PUs in older people. The authors have nothing to disclose. All research activities were funded by the Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland.

Match-derived relative pitch area changes the physical and team tactical performance of elite soccer players in small-sided soccer games.

PubMed

Olthof, Sigrid B H; Frencken, Wouter G P; Lemmink, Koen A P M

2018-07-01

Small-sided games (SSGs) are used in training sessions to prepare for full-sized matches. For the same number of players, smaller pitch sizes result in decreased physical performance and shorter interpersonal distances. A relative pitch area derived from the full-sized match results in larger pitch sizes and this may increase the fit between SSGs and full-sized matches. This study aimed to investigate SSGs with a traditional small pitch and a match-derived relative pitch area in youth elite soccer players. Four age categories (under-13, under-15, under-17 and under-19) played 4 vs. 4 plus goalkeepers on a small (40x30m, 120m 2 relative pitch area) and large pitch (68x47m, 320m 2 relative pitch area). The number of games per age category ranged 15-30. Positional data (LPM-system) were collected to determine physical (total distance covered, high intensity distance and number of sprints) and team tactical (inter-team distance, LPW-ratio, surface area, stretch indices, goalkeeper-defender distance) performance measures and tactical variability. On a large pitch, physical performance significantly increased, inter-team and intra-team distances were significantly larger and tactical variability of intra-team distance measures significantly increased. The match-derived relative pitch area is an important training manipulation and leads to changes in physical and tactical performance 4 vs. 4 plus goalkeepers.

On the influence of substrate morphology and surface area on phytofauna

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becerra-Munoz, S.; Schramm, H.L.

2007-01-01

The independent effects and interactions between substrate morphology and substrate surface area on invertebrate density or biomass colonizing artificial plant beds were assessed in a clear-water and a turbid playa lake in Castro County, Texas, USA. Total invertebrate density and biomass were consistently greater on filiform substrates than on laminar substrates with equivalent substrate surface areas. The relationship among treatments (substrates with different morphologies and surface areas) and response (invertebrate density or biomass) was assessed with equally spaced surface areas. Few statistically significant interactions between substrate morphology and surface area were detected, indicating that these factors were mostly independent from each other in their effect on colonizing invertebrates. Although infrequently, when substrate morphology and surface area were not independent, the effects of equally spaced changes in substrate surface area on the rate of change of phytofauna density or biomass per unit of substrate surface area were dependent upon substrate morphology. The absence of three-way interactions indicated that effects of substrate morphology and substrate area on phytofauna density or biomass were independent of environmental conditions outside and inside exclosures. ?? 2006 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Vitrification and xenografting of human ovarian tissue.

PubMed

Amorim, Christiani Andrade; Dolmans, Marie-Madeleine; David, Anu; Jaeger, Jonathan; Vanacker, Julie; Camboni, Alessandra; Donnez, Jacques; Van Langendonckt, Anne

2012-11-01

To assess the efficiency of two vitrification protocols to cryopreserve human preantral follicles with the use of a xenografting model. Pilot study. Gynecology research unit in a university hospital. Ovarian biopsies were obtained from seven women aged 30-41 years. Ovarian tissue fragments were subjected to one of three cryopreservation protocols (slow freezing, vitrification protocol 1, and vitrification protocol 2) and xenografted for 1 week to nude mice. The number of morphologically normal follicles after cryopreservation and grafting and fibrotic surface area were determined by histologic analysis. Apoptosis was assessed by the TUNEL method. Morphometric analysis of TUNEL-positive surface area also was performed. Follicle proliferation was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. After xenografting, a difference was observed between the cryopreservation procedures applied. According to TUNEL analysis, both vitrification protocols showed better preservation of preantral follicles than the conventional freezing method. Moreover, histologic evaluation showed a significantly higher proportion of primordial follicles in vitrified (protocol 2)-warmed ovarian tissue than in frozen-thawed tissue. The proportion of growing follicles and fibrotic surface area was similar in all groups. Vitrification procedures appeared to preserve not only the morphology and survival of preantral follicles after 1 week of xenografting, but also their ability to resume folliculogenesis. In addition, vitrification protocol 2 had a positive impact on the quiescent state of primordial follicles after xenografting. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preliminary water quality assessment of Spunky Bottoms restored wetland.

PubMed

Jin, Guang; Eilts, Kristen; Kelley, Timothy R; Webb, James W

2009-02-15

The approximately 1200-acre "Spunky Bottoms" wetland in Southern Illinois has been undergoing restoration to conditions prior to levying of the Illinois River and draining of adjacent floodplain for intensive agriculture (circa 1900). As part of a long-term water quality impact assessment of this restoration project, baseline water quality monitoring was conducted soon after restoration began. During this baseline/preliminary assessment, water samples were taken every 2-4 weeks from 10 sampling wells and seven surface water sites throughout the wetlands area for a period of 18 months. Measured parameters include nutrients (nitrate (NO3-) and phosphate (PO4(3-)), cations and anions (SO4(2-), Cl-, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+) commonly found in surface and well water, trace metals (Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Zn), total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, and trace organics (triazine herbicides and their metabolites). In general, highest concentrations of ions were found in the southwest and northeast perimeter of the wetland area for both surface and ground water samples. Primarily low concentrations of heavy metals and organic compounds were found throughout the wetland sampling area. Distribution of NO3--N suggests that this restored wetland, even at its infant age, may still contribute to biogeochemical (particularly N) element cycling. Continued monitoring and further research is necessary to determine long-term specific contribution of restored wetland to biogeochemical cycles.

Geomorphologic flood-hazard assessment of alluvial fans and piedmonts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Field, J.J.; Pearthree, P.A.

1997-01-01

Geomorphologic studies are an excellent means of flood-hazard assessment on alluvial fans and piedmonts in the southwestern United States. Inactive, flood-free, alluvial fans display well developed soils, desert pavement, rock varnish, and tributary drainage networks. These areas are easily distinguished from flood-prone active alluvial fans on aerial photographs and in the field. The distribution of flood-prone areas associated with alluvial fans is strongly controlled by fanhead trenches dissecting the surface. Where fanhead trenches are permanent features cut in response to long-term conditions such as tectonic quiescence, flood-prone surfaces are situated down-slope from the mountain front and their positions are stable for thousands of years. Since the length and permanency of fanhead trenches can vary greatly between adjacent drainages, it is not appropriate to use regional generalizations to evaluate the distribution and stability of flood-hazard zones. Site-specific geomorphologic studies must be carried out if piedmont areas with a high risk of flooding are to be correctly identified and losses due to alluvial-fan flooding minimized. To meet the growing demand for trained professionals to complete geomorphologic maps of desert piedmonts, undergraduate and graduate geomorphology courses should adopt an instructional unit on alluvial-fan flood hazards that includes: 1) a review of geomorphologic characteristics that vary with surface age; 2) a basic mapping exercise; and 3) a discussion of the causes of fanhead trenching.

Evaluation of Advanced Reactive Surface Area Estimates for Improved Prediction of Mineral Reaction Rates in Porous Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beckingham, L. E.; Mitnick, E. H.; Zhang, S.; Voltolini, M.; Yang, L.; Steefel, C. I.; Swift, A.; Cole, D. R.; Sheets, J.; Kneafsey, T. J.; Landrot, G.; Anovitz, L. M.; Mito, S.; Xue, Z.; Ajo Franklin, J. B.; DePaolo, D.

2015-12-01

CO2 sequestration in deep sedimentary formations is a promising means of reducing atmospheric CO2 emissions but the rate and extent of mineral trapping remains difficult to predict. Reactive transport models provide predictions of mineral trapping based on laboratory mineral reaction rates, which have been shown to have large discrepancies with field rates. This, in part, may be due to poor quantification of mineral reactive surface area in natural porous media. Common estimates of mineral reactive surface area are ad hoc and typically based on grain size, adjusted several orders of magnitude to account for surface roughness and reactivity. This results in orders of magnitude discrepancies in estimated surface areas that directly translate into orders of magnitude discrepancies in model predictions. Additionally, natural systems can be highly heterogeneous and contain abundant nano- and micro-porosity, which can limit connected porosity and access to mineral surfaces. In this study, mineral-specific accessible surface areas are computed for a sample from the reservoir formation at the Nagaoka pilot CO2 injection site (Japan). Accessible mineral surface areas are determined from a multi-scale image analysis including X-ray microCT, SEM QEMSCAN, XRD, SANS, and SEM-FIB. Powder and flow-through column laboratory experiments are performed and the evolution of solutes in the aqueous phase is tracked. Continuum-scale reactive transport models are used to evaluate the impact of reactive surface area on predictions of experimental reaction rates. Evaluated reactive surface areas include geometric and specific surface areas (eg. BET) in addition to their reactive-site weighted counterparts. The most accurate predictions of observed powder mineral dissolution rates were obtained through use of grain-size specific surface areas computed from a BET-based correlation. Effectively, this surface area reflects the grain-fluid contact area, or accessible surface area, in the powder dissolution experiment. In the model of the flow-through column experiment, the accessible mineral surface area, computed from the multi-scale image analysis, is evaluated in addition to the traditional surface area estimates.

Summary of workshops concerning regional seismic source zones of parts of the conterminous United States, convened by the U.S. Geological Survey, 1979-1980, Golden, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thenhaus, P.C.; McKeown, F.A.; Bucknam, R.C.; Ross, D.C.; Anderson, R.E.; Irwin, W.P.; Russ, D.P.; Diment, W.H.; Thenhaus, Paul C.

1983-01-01

Workshops were convened by the U.S. Geological Survey to obtain the latest information and concepts relative to defining seismic source zones for five regions of the United States. The zones, with some modifications, have been used in preparation of new national probabilistic ground motion hazard maps by the U.S. Geological Survey. The five regions addressed are the Great Basin, the Northern Rocky Mountains, the Southern Rocky Mountains, the Central Interior, and the northeastern United States. Discussions at the workshops focussed on possible temporal and spatial variations of seismicity within the regions, latest ages of surface-fault displacements, most recent uplift or subsidence, geologic structural provinces as they relate to seismicity, and speculation on earthquake causes. Within the Great Basin region, the zones conform to areas characterized by a predominance of faults that have certain ages of latest surface displacements. In the Northern and Southern Rocky Mountain regions, zones primarily conform to distinctive structural terrane. In the Central Interior, primary emphasis was placed on an interpretation of the areal distribution of historic seismicity, although geophysical studies in the Reelfoot rift area provided data for defining zones in the New Madrid earthquake area. An interpretation of the historic seismicity also provided the basis for drawing the zones of the New England region. Estimates of earthquake maximum magnitudes and of recurrence times for these earthquakes are given for most of the zones and are based on either geologic data or opinion.

Large-scale structural alteration of brain in epileptic children with SCN1A mutation.

PubMed

Lee, Yun-Jeong; Yum, Mi-Sun; Kim, Min-Jee; Shim, Woo-Hyun; Yoon, Hee Mang; Yoo, Il Han; Lee, Jiwon; Lim, Byung Chan; Kim, Ki Joong; Ko, Tae-Sung

2017-01-01

Mutations in SCN1A gene encoding the alpha 1 subunit of the voltage gated sodium channel are associated with several epilepsy syndromes including genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS +) and severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (SMEI). However, in most patients with SCN1A mutation, brain imaging has reported normal or non-specific findings including cerebral or cerebellar atrophy. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in brain morphometry in epileptic children with SCN1A mutation compared to healthy control subjects. We obtained cortical morphology (thickness, and surface area) and brain volume (global, subcortical, and regional) measurements using FreeSurfer (version 5.3.0, https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu) and compared measurements of children with epilepsy and SCN1A gene mutation ( n  = 21) with those of age and gender matched healthy controls ( n  = 42). Compared to the healthy control group, children with epilepsy and SCN1A gene mutation exhibited smaller total brain, total gray matter and white matter, cerebellar white matter, and subcortical volumes, as well as mean surface area and mean cortical thickness. A regional analysis revealed significantly reduced gray matter volume in the patient group in the bilateral inferior parietal, left lateral orbitofrontal, left precentral, right postcentral, right isthmus cingulate, right middle temporal area with smaller surface area and white matter volume in some of these areas. However, the regional cortical thickness was not significantly different in two groups. This study showed large-scale developmental brain changes in patients with epilepsy and SCN1A gene mutation, which may be associated with the core symptoms of the patients. Further longitudinal MRI studies with larger cohorts are required to confirm the effect of SCN1A gene mutation on structural brain development.

Aging and heat tolerance at rest or during work.

PubMed

Pandolf, K B

1991-01-01

Collectively, the literature on heat tolerance suggests that middle-aged (45-64 year old) men and women are more work-heat intolerant, and suffer more physiological strain during heat acclimation, than do younger individuals. However, it is unclear whether the age differences in work-heat intolerance and physiological strain during heat acclimation are related to age per se or associated with other factors such as certain disease states, decreased physical activity, and/or lowered aerobic fitness. In contrast, the work-heat tolerance and physiological responses during heat acclimation of habitually active or aerobically trained middle-aged men are the same or better than younger individuals. The reviewed studies emphasize the importance of aerobic fitness and pertinent morphological factors, such as body fat, body weight, and surface area in maintaining work-heat tolerance with aging. Recent studies suggest that middle-aged and older men and women may be more susceptible to greater heat strain at physiologically significant levels of dehydration than those younger. However, additional research appears necessary to support this hypothesis. When the effects of chronic debilitating diseases in the elderly (greater than 64 years old) are minimized, their heat tolerance and thermoregulatory responses are comparable to those younger. In fact, healthy and well-acclimated elderly men and women appear to perform as well as those younger during desert walks in dry heat. This review shall discuss experimental observations from previously published studies concerning aging and heat tolerance or the physiological heat strain during heat acclimation at rest or during work; and, will suggest future research efforts needed to advance the area.

Experimental study of the interaction of HO2 radicals with soot surface.

PubMed

Bedjanian, Yuri; Lelièvre, Stéphane; Le Bras, Georges

2005-01-21

The reaction of HO2 with toluene and kerosene flame soot was studied over the temperature range 240-350 K and at P = 0.5-5 Torr of helium using a discharge flow reactor coupled to a modulated molecular beam mass spectrometer. A flat-flame burner was used for the preparation and deposition of soot samples from premixed flames of liquid fuels under well controlled and adjustable combustion conditions. The independent of temperature in the range 240-350 K value of gamma = (7.5 +/- 1.5) x 10(-2) (calculated with geometric surface area) was found for the uptake coefficient of HO2 on kerosene and toluene soot. No significant deactivation of soot surface during its reaction with HO2 was observed. Experiments on soot ageing under ambient conditions showed that the reactivity of aged soot is similar to that of freshly prepared soot samples. The results show that the HO2 + soot reaction could be a significant loss process for HOx in the urban atmosphere with a potential impact on photochemical ozone formation. In contrast this process will be negligible in the upper troposphere even in flight corridors.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity and hepatitis B surface antigenemia (HBSAG) among blood donors in Benin city, Edo state, Nigeria.

PubMed

Umolu, Patience Idia; Okoror, Lawrence Ehis; Orhue, Philip

2005-03-01

Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis B virus are blood borne pathogens that can be transmitted through blood transfusion and could pose a huge problem in areas where mechanisms of ensuring blood safety are suspect. This study became necessary in a population where most of the blood for transfusion is from commercial blood donors. A total of 130 donors comprising 120 commercial donors and 10 voluntary donors were tested for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B surface antigen in Benin city using Immunocomb HIV - 1 and 2 Biospot kit and Quimica Clinica Aplicada direct latex agglutination method respectively. Thirteen (10%) samples were HIV seropositive and 7(5.8%) were HBsAg positive. The age bracket 18 - 25years had the highest numbers of donors and also had the highest number of HBsAg positive cases (7.8%) while the age group 29 - 38years had highest number of HIV seropositive cases. High prevalence of HIV antibodies and Hepatitis B surface antigen was found among commercial blood donors. Appropriate and compulsory screening of blood donors using sensitive methods, must be ensured to prevent post transfusion hepatitis and HIV.

Brain Structure and Organization Five Decades After Childhood Onset Epilepsy

PubMed Central

Garcia-Ramos, Camille; Bobholz, Sam; Dabbs, Kevin; Hermann, Bruce; Joutsa, Juho; Rinne, Juha O.; Karrasch, Mira; Prabhakaran, Vivek; Shinnar, Shlomo; Sillanpää, Matti

2017-01-01

The purpose of this project was to characterize brain structure and organization in persons with active and remitted childhood onset epilepsy 50 years after diagnosis compared to healthy controls. Participants from a population-based investigation of uncomplicated childhood onset epilepsy were followed up 5 decades later. Forty-one participants had a history of childhood onset epilepsy (mean age of onset= 5.2 yrs, current chronological age= 56.0 yrs) and were compared to 48 population-based controls (mean age= 55.9 yrs). Of the epilepsy participants, 8 had persisting active epilepsy and in 33 the epilepsy had remitted. All participants underwent 3T MRI with subsequent vertex analysis of cortical volume, thickness, surface area and gyral complexity. In addition, cortical and subcortical volumes, including regions of the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes, and subcortical structures including amygdala, thalamus, and hippocampus, were analyzed using graph theory techniques. There were modest group differences in traditional vertex-based analyses of cortical volume, thickness, surface area and gyral index, as well as across volumes of subcortical structures, after correction for multiple comparisons. Graph theory analyses revealed suboptimal topological structural organization with enhanced network segregation and reduced global integration in the epilepsy participants compared to controls, these patterns significantly more extreme in the active epilepsy group. Furthermore, both groups with epilepsy presented a greater number of higher Z-score regions in betweenness centrality (BC) than lower Z-score regions compared to controls. Also, contrary to the group with remitted epilepsy, patients with active epilepsy presented most of their high BC Z-score regions in subcortical areas including the amygdala, thalamus, hippocampus, pallidum and accumbens. Overall, this population-based investigation of long term outcome (5 decades) of childhood onset epilepsy reveals persisting abnormalities, especially when examined by graph theoretical measurements, and provides new insights into the very long term outcomes of active and remitted epilepsy. PMID:28370719

Geology and ground water in Russian River Valley areas and in Round, Laytonville, and Little Lake Valleys, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cardwell, G.T.

1965-01-01

This report describes the occurrence, availability, and quality of ground water in seven valley areas along the course of the Russian River in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, Calif., and in three valleys in the upper drainage reach of the Eel River in Mendocino County. Except for the westward-trending lower Russian River valley, the remaining valley areas along the Russian River (Healdsburg, Alexander, Cloverdale, Sanel, Ukiah, and Potter Valleys) lie in northwest-trending structurally controlled depressions formed in marine rocks of Jurassic and Cretaceous age. The principal aquifer in all the valleys is the alluvium of Recent age, which includes highly permeable channel deposits of gravel and sand. Water for domestic, irrigation, industrial, and other uses is developed by (1) direct diversion from the Russian River and its tributaries, (2) withdrawal of ground water and river water from shallow wells near the river, and (3) withdrawals of ground water from wells in alluvial deposits at varying distances from the river. Surface water in the Russian River and most tributaries is of good chemical quality. The water is a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type and contains 75,200 parts per million of dissolved solids. Ground water is also of good chemical quality throughout most of the drainage basin, but the concentration of dissolved solids (100-300 parts per million) is somewhat higher than that in the surface water. Round, Laytonville, and Little Lake Valleys are in central and northern Mendocino County in the drainage basin of the northwestward flowing Eel River. In Round Valley the alluvium of Recent age yields water of good chemical quality in large quantities. Yields are lower and the chemical quality poorer in Laytonville Valley. Ground water in Little Lake Valley is relatively undeveloped. Selected descriptions of wells, drillers' logs, chemical analyses, and hydrographs showing water-level fluctuations are included in the report. Accompanying maps show the distribution of water-bearing formations and the location of wells.

Mapping the articular contact area of the long head of the biceps tendon on the humeral head.

PubMed

Morris, Brent J; Byram, Ian R; Lathrop, Ray A; Dunn, Warren R; Kuhn, John E

2014-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to calculate the contact surface area of the long head of the biceps (LHB) in neutral position and abduction. We sought to determine whether the LHB articulates with the humeral head in a consistent pattern comparing articular contact area in neutral position and abduction. Eleven fresh frozen matched cadaveric shoulders were analyzed. The path of the biceps tendon on the articular surface of the humeral head and the total articular surface were digitized using a MicronTracker 2 H3-60 three-dimensional optical tracker. Contact surface area was significantly less in abduction than in neutral position (P = 0.002) with a median ratio of 41% (36%, 47.5%). Ratios of contact area in neutral position to full articular surface area were consistent between left and right shoulders (rho = 1, P = 0.017) as were ratios of abduction area to full articular surface area (rho = 0.97, P = 0.005). The articular contact surface area is significantly greater in neutral position than abduction. The ratios of articular contact surface areas to total humeral articular surface areas have a narrow range and are consistent between left and right shoulders of the same cadaver.

Development of unbonded and bonded areas in relation to Populus species wood characteristics in grinding

Treesearch

L.K. Lehtonen; J.H. Lehto; A.W. Rudie

2004-01-01

In terms of fibre development in mechanical pulping, most of the energy is spent on the creation of specific surface area. The total surface area created can be divided into two categories: surface area that adds to the unbonded area (optical properties) and surface area that adds to the bonded area (strength properties) of mechanical papers. This paper considers these...