Revised Subsurface Stratigraphic Framework of the Fort Union and Wasatch Formations, Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flores, Romeo M.; Spear, Brianne D.; Purchase, Peter A.; Gallagher, Craig M.

2010-01-01

Described in this report is an updated subsurface stratigraphic framework of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation and Eocene Wasatch Formation in the Powder River Basin (PRB) in Wyoming and Montana. This framework is graphically presented in 17 intersecting west-east and north-south cross sections across the basin. Also included are: (1) the dataset and all associated digital files and (2) digital files for all figures and table 1 suitable for large-format printing. The purpose of this U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Open-File Report is to provide rapid dissemination and accessibility of the stratigraphic cross sections and related digital data to USGS customers, especially the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to facilitate their modeling of the hydrostratigraphy of the PRB. This report contains a brief summary of the coal-bed correlations and database, and is part of a larger ongoing study that will be available in the near future.

Chemical contaminants, health indicators, and reproductive biomarker responses in fish from rivers in the Southeastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinck, J.E.; Blazer, V.S.; Denslow, N.D.; Echols, K.R.; Gale, R.W.; Wieser, C.; May, T.W.; Ellersieck, M.; Coyle, J.J.; Tillitt, D.E.

2008-01-01

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were collected from 13 sites located in the Mobile (MRB), Apalachicola-Flint-Chattahoochee (ARB), Savannah (SRB), and Pee Dee (PRB) River Basins to document spatial trends in accumulative chemical contaminants, health indicators, and reproductive biomarkers. Organochlorine residues, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-like activity (TCDD-EQ), and elemental contaminants were measured in composite samples of whole fish, grouped by species and gender, from each site. Mercury (Hg) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were the primary contaminants of concern. Concentrations of Hg in bass samples from all basins exceeded toxicity thresholds for piscivorous mammals (> 0.1????g/g ww), juvenile and adult fish (> 0.2????g/g ww), and piscivorous birds (> 0.3????g/g ww). Total PCB concentrations in samples from the MRB, ARB, and PRB were > 480??ng/g ww and may be a risk to piscivorous wildlife. Selenium concentrations also exceeded toxicity thresholds (> 0.75????g/g ww) in MRB and ARB fish. Concentrations of other formerly used (total chlordanes, dieldrin, endrin, aldrin, mirex, and hexachlorobenzene) and currently used (pentachlorobenzene, pentachloroanisole, dacthal, endosulfan, ??-hexachlorocyclohexane, and methoxychlor) organochlorine residues were generally low or did not exceed toxicity thresholds for fish and piscivorous wildlife. TCDD-EQs exceeded wildlife dietary guidelines (> 5??pg/g ww) in MRB and PRB fish. Hepatic ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity was generally greatest in MRB bass and carp. Altered fish health indicators and reproductive biomarker were noted in individual fish, but mean responses were similar among basins. The field necropsy and histopathological examination determined that MRB fish were generally in poorer health than those from the other basins, primarily due to parasitic infestations. Tumors were found in few fish (n = 5; 0.01%); ovarian tumors of smooth muscle origin were found in two ARB carp from the same site. Intersex gonads were identified in 47 male bass (42%) representing 12 sites and may indicate exposure to potential endocrine disrupting compounds. Comparatively high vitellogenin concentrations (> 0.35??mg/mL) in male fish from the MRB, SRB, and PRB indicate exposure to estrogenic or anti-androgenic chemicals.

Advanced Coal Liquefaction Research and Development Facility, Wilsonville, Alabama. Run 260 with Black Thunder Mine subbituminous coal: Technical progress report

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

Not Available

This report presents the results of Run 260 performed at the Advanced Coal Liquefaction R&D Facility in Wilsonville. The run was started on July 17, 1990 and continued until November 14, 1990, operating in the Close-Coupled Integrated Two-Stage Liquefaction mode processing Black Thunder mine subbituminous coal (Wyodak-Anderson seam from Wyoming Powder River Basin). Both thermal/catalytic and catalytic/thermal tests were performed to determine the methods for reducing solids buildup in a subbituminous coal operation, and to improve product yields. A new, smaller interstage separator was tested to reduce solids buildup by increasing the slurry space velocity in the separator. In ordermore » to obtain improved coal and resid conversions (compared to Run 258) full-volume thermal reactor and 3/4-volume catalytic reactor were used. Shell 324 catalyst, 1/16 in. cylindrical extrudate, at a replacement rate of 3 lb/ton of MF coal was used in the catalytic stage. Iron oxide was used as slurry catalyst at a rate of 2 wt % MF coal throughout the run. (TNPS was the sulfiding agent.)« less

Drill hole data for coal beds in the Powder River Basin, Montana and Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haacke, Jon E.; Scott, David C.

2013-01-01

This report by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) of the Powder River Basin (PRB) of Montana and Wyoming is part of the U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project. Essential to that project was the creation of a comprehensive drill hole database that was used for coal bed correlation and for coal resource and reserve assessments in the PRB. This drill hole database was assembled using data from the USGS National Coal Resources Data System, several other Federal and State agencies, and selected mining companies. Additionally, USGS personnel manually entered lithologic picks into the database from geophysical logs of coalbed methane, oil, and gas wells. Of the 29,928 drill holes processed, records of 21,393 are in the public domain and are included in this report. The database contains location information, lithology, and coal bed names for each drill hole.

Comparative burial and thermal history of lower Upper Cretaceous strata, Powder River basin, Wyoming

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

Nuccio, V.F.

1989-03-01

Burial histories were reconstructed for three localities in the Powder River basin (PRB), Wyoming. Thermal maturity of lower Upper Cretaceous source rocks was determined by vitrinite reflectance (R/sub m/) and time-temperature index (TTI) modeling, producing independent estimates for timing of the oil window (0.55-1.35% R/sub m/). In the northwestern PRB, lower Upper Cretaceous rocks were buried to about 12,500 ft and achieved a thermal maturity of 0.50% to 0.56% at maximum burial, 10 Ma, based on measured R/sub m/. TTI modeling suggests a slightly higher thermal maturity, with an R/sub m/ equivalent of approximately 0.75%, placing the source rocks atmore » the beginning of the oil window 30 Ma. In the southwestern PRB, lower Upper Cretaceous rocks have been buried to about 15,000 ft and achieved thermal maturities between 0.66% and 0.75% about 10 Ma based on measured R/sub m/; therefore, petroleum generation may have begun slightly earlier. TTI modeling estimates an R/sub m/ equivalent of 1.10%, placing the beginning of the oil window at 45 Ma. In the northeastern PRB, lower Upper Cretaceous rocks have been buried only to approximately 5500 ft. Measured R/sub m/ and TTI modeling indicate a thermal maturity for lower Upper Cretaceous rocks between 0.45% and 0.50% R/sub m/, too low for petroleum generation. The higher R/sub m/ values determined by the TTI models may be due to overestimation of maximum burial depth and/or paleogeothermal gradients. The two independent maturity indicators do, however, constrain fairly narrowly the onset of petroleum generation.« less

Geology and water-yielding characteristics of rocks of the northern Powder River basin, southeastern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewis, Barney D.; Roberts, Robert S.

1978-01-01

Numerous and widespread subbituminous and lignite coal deposits occur in the Powder River Basin in southeastern Montana, principally within the Fort Union Formation. Many of the coal beds are less than 250 feet (76.2 m) below land surface and are, therefore, mineable by surface methods. Individual cola beds are commonly 20-30 feet (6.1-9.1 m) thick, but may be as much as 80 feet (24 m). These factors, coupled with the low-sulfur content of the coal, make it attractive as a major energy resource. 

Identifying potential effects of climate change on the development of water resources in Pinios River Basin, Central Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arampatzis, G.; Panagopoulos, A.; Pisinaras, V.; Tziritis, E.; Wendland, F.

2018-05-01

The aim of the present study is to assess the future spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation and temperature, and relate the corresponding change to water resources' quantitative status in Pinios River Basin (PRB), Thessaly, Greece. For this purpose, data from four Regional Climate Models (RCMs) for the periods 2021-2100 driven by several General Circulation Models (GCMs) were collected and bias-correction was performed based on linear scaling method. The bias-correction was made based on monthly precipitation and temperature data collected for the period 1981-2000 from 57 meteorological stations in total. The results indicate a general trend according to which precipitation is decreasing whilst temperature is increasing to an extent that varies depending on each particular RCM-GCM output. On the average, annual precipitation change for the period 2021-2100 was about - 80 mm, ranging between - 149 and + 35 mm, while the corresponding change for temperature was 2.81 °C, ranging between 1.48 and 3.72 °C. The investigation of potential impacts to the water resources demonstrates that water availability is expected to be significantly decreased in the already water-stressed PRB. The water stresses identified are related to the potential decreasing trend in groundwater recharge and the increasing trend in irrigation demand, which constitutes the major water consumer in PRB.

Seasonal water chemistry variability in the Pangani River basin, Tanzania.

PubMed

Selemani, Juma R; Zhang, Jing; Muzuka, Alfred N N; Njau, Karoli N; Zhang, Guosen; Maggid, Arafa; Mzuza, Maureen K; Jin, Jie; Pradhan, Sonali

2017-11-01

The stable isotopes of δ 18 O, δ 2 H, and 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and dissolved major ions were used to assess spatial and seasonal water chemistry variability, chemical weathering, and hydrological cycle in the Pangani River Basin (PRB), Tanzania. Water in PRB was NaHCO 3 type dominated by carbonate weathering with moderate total dissolved solids. Major ions varied greatly, increasing from upstream to downstream. In some stations, content of fluoride and sodium was higher than the recommended drinking water standards. Natural and anthropogenic factors contributed to the lowering rate of chemical weathering; the rate was lower than most of tropical rivers. The rate of weathering was higher in Precambrian than volcanic rocks. 87 Sr/ 86 Sr was lower than global average whereas concentration of strontium was higher than global average with mean annual flux of 0.13 × 10 6  mol year -1 . Evaporation and altitude effects have caused enrichment of δ 18 O and δ 2 H in dry season and downstream of the river. Higher d-excess value than global average suggests that most of the stations were supplied by recycled moisture. Rainfall and groundwater were the major sources of surface flowing water in PRB; nevertheless, glacier from Mt. Kilimanjaro has insignificant contribution to the surface water. We recommend measures to be taken to reduce the level of fluoride and sodium before domestic use.

EVALUATION OF SCR CATALYSTS FOR COMBINED CONTROL OF NOX AND MERCURY

EPA Science Inventory

The report documents two-task, bench- and pilot-scale research on the effect of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts on mercury speciation in Illinois and Powder River Basin (PRB) coal combustion flue gases. In task I, a bench-scale reactor was used to study the oxidatio...

PRB mines mature

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

Buchsbaum, L.

2007-08-15

Already seeing the results of reclamation efforts, America's largest surface mines advance as engineers prepare for the future. 30 years after the signing of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act by Jimmy Carter, western strip mines in the USA, especially in the Powder River Basin, are producing more coal than ever. The article describes the construction and installation of a $38.5 million near-pit crusher and overland belt conveyor system at Foundation Coal West's (FCW) Belle Ayr surface mine in Wyoming, one of the earliest PRB mines. It goes on to describe the development by Rio Tinto of an elkmore » conservatory, the Rochelle Hill Conservation Easement, on reclaimed land at Jacobs Ranch, adjacent to the Rochelle Hills. 4 photos.« less

Using Airborne Geophysics to Improve the Management of Produced Water from Coal Bed Natural Gas Extraction in the Powder River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sams, J.; Lipinski, B.; Hammack, R.; Veloski, G.; Ackman, T.; Harbert, B.

2005-05-01

The Powder River Basin (PRB) of Wyoming and Montana has seen a boom in drilling for coalbed natural gas (CBNG), the natural gas contained in coal seams. Large quantities of water are coproduced during the extraction process. The water is currently managed by land application (irrigation), returned to shallow groundwater aquifers via infiltration basins, directly discharged to ephemeral or perennial streams, or injected into the deep subsurface via injection wells. At present, there are over 28,000 CBNG wells permitted or drilled in the PRB and it is estimated that another 50,000 to 100,000 new wells will be drilled in the future. Produced water management is a major challenge to the oil and gas industry as well as federal and state regulators. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of airborne electromagnetic (AEM) methods for the large-scale mapping of vadose zone properties. The base maps derived from the AEM data show the location of conductive anomalies within the vadose zone. These conductive anomalies have been identified as conditions related to soil properties, geologic features, saturated areas, and seepage zones. In the PRB, the data can be used to identify suitable locations for constructing impoundments in areas that avoid highly conductive soils where infiltrating water may leach salts through the vadose zone and into shallow aquifers. Hydrologic changes within the vadose zone were evaluated by completing an AEM survey in 2003 and 2004 over two coincident spatial areas. The data were analyzed to determine statistical relationships between the data sets, in particular data outliers which may represent areas of significant change between each year. Some outliers plot near areas of CBNG development. Ultimately, it is hoped that the information from these surveys will identify cost effective treatment or disposal options for produced water that address both production and environmental issues.

Bioassay for estimating the biogenic methane-generating potential of coal samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Elizabeth J.P.; Voytek, Mary A.; Warwick, Peter D.; Corum, Margo D.; Cohn, Alexander G.; Bunnell, Joseph E.; Clark, Arthur C.; Orem, William H.

2008-01-01

Generation of secondary biogenic methane in coal beds is likely controlled by a combination of factors such as the bioavailability of coal carbon, the presence of a microbial community to convert coal carbon to methane, and an environment supporting microbial growth and methanogenesis. A set of treatments and controls was developed to bioassay the bioavailability of coal for conversion to methane under defined laboratory conditions. Treatments included adding a well-characterized consortium of bacteria and methanogens (enriched from modern wetland sediments) and providing conditions to support endemic microbial activity. The contribution of desorbed methane in the bioassays was determined in treatments with bromoethane sulfonic acid, an inhibitor of microbial methanogenesis. The bioassay compared 16 subbituminous coal samples collected from beds in Texas (TX), Wyoming (WY), and Alaska (AK), and two bituminous coal samples from Pennsylvania (PA). New biogenic methane was observed in several samples of subbituminous coal with the microbial consortium added, but endemic activity was less commonly observed. The highest methane generation [80 µmol methane/g coal (56 scf/ton or 1.75 cm3/g)] was from a south TX coal sample that was collected from a non-gas-producing well. Subbituminous coals from the Powder River Basin, WY and North Slope Borough, AK contained more sorbed (original) methane than the TX coal sample and generated 0–23 µmol/g (up to 16 scf/ton or 0.5 cm3/g) new biogenic methane in the bioassay. Standard indicators of thermal maturity such as burial depth, nitrogen content, and calorific value did not explain differences in biogenic methane among subbituminous coal samples. No original methane was observed in two bituminous samples from PA, nor was any new methane generated in bioassays of these samples. The bioassay offers a new tool for assessing the potential of coal for biogenic methane generation, and provides a platform for studying the mechanisms involved in this economically important activity.

Hydrology of area 51, northern Great Plains and Rocky Mountain coal provinces, Wyoming and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, David A.; Mora, K.L.; Lowry, Marlin E.; Rankl, James G.; Wilson, James F.; Lowham, H.W.; Ringen, Bruce H.

1987-01-01

This report is one of a series designed to characterize the hydrology of drainage basins within coal provinces, nationwide. Area 51 (in the Rocky Mountain Coal Province) includes all or part of the Shoshone, Bighorn, Greybull, Wind, and Popo Agie River drainage basins - a total of 11,800 sq mi. Area 51 contains more than 18 million tons of strippable bituminous coal and extensive deposits of subbituminous coal, in the arid and semiarid basins. The report represents a summary of results of water resources investigations of the U.S. Geological Survey, some of which were conducted in cooperation with State and other Federal agencies. More than 30 individual topics are discussed in brief texts that are accompanied by maps, graphs, photographs , and illustrations. Primary topics in the reports are physiography, resources and economy, surface-water quantity and quality, and groundwater. (USGS)

Phospholipid Evidence for Methanogenic Archaea and Sulfate-reducing Bacteria in Coalbed Methane Wells in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glossner, A.; Flores, R. M.; Mandernack, K.

2008-12-01

The Powder River Basin (PRB) comprises roughly 22,000 mi2 in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana; it is a major source of coal and natural gas in the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains regions. The coalbed methane (CBM) produced from Paleocene Fort Union Formation coals in the PRB is thought primarily to be of bacterial origin due to its low δ13C values of -51 to -82 permil. Determination of the timing of methanogenesis, however, requires a methodology suitable for distinguishing viable methanogenic microorganisms. Here we provide evidence of living methanogenic Archaea and sulfate- reducing bacteria collected from co-produced water from CBM wells using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and phospholipid ether lipid (PLEL) analyses. Twelve producing wells were sampled in May, 2007, using a high- pressure filtering apparatus. PLFAs were analyzed as fatty acid methyl esters and PLELs analyzed by their liberated core components using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Phospholipid analyses revealed an ecosystem dominated by Archaea, as the Archaeal isoprenoid, phytane, was the dominant phospholipid observed in nine of the wells sampled. Total microbial biomass estimates ranged from 1.1 ×106 cells/L to 8.3 ×107 cells/L, with the proportion of Archaeal cells ranging from 77.5 to 99.7 percent. In addition, the biomarkers 10me16:0, and cy17:0, considered to be biomarkers for genera of sulfate-reducing bacteria, were observed in several wells. The dominance of lipids from living Archaea in co- produced waters from CBM wells provides evidence supporting a recent origin of gas in the PRB coals.

In situ and Enriched Microbial Community Composition and Function Associated with Coal Bed Methane from Powder River Basin Coals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnhart, Elliott; Davis, Katherine; Varonka, Matthew; Orem, William; Fields, Matthew

2016-04-01

Coal bed methane (CBM) is a relatively clean source of energy but current CBM production techniques have not sustained long-term production or produced enough methane to remain economically practical with lower natural gas prices. Enhancement of the in situ microbial community that actively generates CBM with the addition of specific nutrients could potentially sustain development. CBM production more than doubled from native microbial populations from Powder River Basin (PRB) coal beds, when yeast extract and several individual components of yeast extract (proteins and amino acids) were added to laboratory microcosms. Microbial populations capable of hydrogenotrophic (hydrogen production/utilization) methanogenesis were detected in situ and under non-stimulated conditions. Stimulation with yeast extract caused a shift in the community to microorganisms capable of acetoclastic (acetate production/utilization) methanogenesis. Previous isotope analysis from CBM production wells indicated a similar microbial community shift as observed in stimulation experiments: hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was found throughout the PRB, but acetoclastic methanogenesis dominated major recharge areas. In conjunction, a high proportion of cyanobacterial and algal SSU rRNA gene sequences were detected in a CBM well within a major recharge area, suggesting that these phototrophic organisms naturally stimulate methane production. In laboratory studies, adding phototrophic (algal) biomass stimulated CBM production by PRB microorganisms similarly to yeast extract (~40μg methane increase per gram of coal). Analysis of the British thermal unit (BTU) content of coal from long-term incubations indicated >99.5% of BTU content remained after CBM stimulation with either algae or yeast extract. Biomimicry of in situ algal CBM stimulation could lead to technologies that utilize coupled biological systems (photosynthesis and methane production) that sustainably enhance CBM production and generate algal biofuels while also sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2).

Characteristics of fly ashes from full-scale coal-fired power plants and their relationship to mercury adsorption

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lu, Y.; Rostam-Abadi, M.; Chang, R.; Richardson, C.; Paradis, J.

2007-01-01

Nine fly ash samples were collected from the particulate collection devices (baghouse or electrostatic precipitator) of four full-scale pulverized coal (PC) utility boilers burning eastern bituminous coals (EB-PC ashes) and three cyclone utility boilers burning either Powder River Basin (PRB) coals or PRB blends,(PRB-CYC ashes). As-received fly ash samples were mechanically sieved to obtain six size fractions. Unburned carbon (UBC) content, mercury content, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET)-N2 surface areas of as-received fly ashes and their size fractions were measured. In addition, UBC particles were examined by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission microscopy, and thermogravimetry to obtain information on their surface morphology, structure, and oxidation reactivity. It was found that the UBC particles contained amorphous carbon, ribbon-shaped graphitic carbon, and highly ordered graphite structures. The mercury contents of the UBCs (Hg/UBC, in ppm) in raw ash samples were comparable to those of the UBC-enriched samples, indicating that mercury was mainly adsorbed on the UBC in fly ash. The UBC content decreased with a decreasing particle size range for all nine ashes. There was no correlation between the mercury and UBC contents of different size fractions of as-received ashes. The mercury content of the UBCs in each size fraction, however, generally increased with a decreasing particle size for the nine ashes. The mercury contents and surface areas of the UBCs in the PRB-CYC ashes were about 8 and 3 times higher than UBCs in the EB-PC ashes, respectively. It appeared that both the particle size and surface area of UBC could contribute to mercury capture. The particle size of the UBC in PRB-CYC ash and thus the external mass transfer was found to be the major factor impacting the mercury adsorption. Both the particle size and surface reactivity of the UBC in EB-PC ash, which generally had a lower carbon oxidation reactivity than the PRB-PC ashes, appeared to be important for the mercury adsorption. ?? 2007 American Chemical Society.

Geologic Storage at the Basin Scale: Region-Based Basin Modeling, Powder River Basin (PRB), NE Wyoming and SE Montana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melick, J. J.; Gardner, M. H.

2008-12-01

Carbon capture and storage from the over 2000 power plants is estimated at 3-5 GT/yr, which requires large- scale geologic storage of greenhouse gasses in sedimentary basins. Unfortunately, determination of basin scale storage capacity is currently based on oversimplified geologic models that are difficult to validate. Simplification involves reducing the number of geologic parameters incorporated into the model, modeling with large grid cells, and treatment of subsurface reservoirs as homogeneous media. The latter problem reflects the focus of current models on fluid and/or fluid-rock interactions rather than fluid movement and migration pathways. For example, homogeneous models over emphasize fluid behavior, like the buoyancy of super-critical CO2, and hence overestimate leakage rates. Fluid mixing and fluid-rock interactions cannot be assessed with models that only investigate these reactions at a human time scale. Preliminary and conservative estimates of the total pore volume for the PRB suggest 200 GT of supercritical CO2 can be stored in this typical onshore sedimentary basin. The connected pore volume (CPV) however is not included in this estimate. Geological characterization of the CPV relates subsurface storage units to the most prolific reservoir classes (RCs). The CPV, number of well penetrations, supercritical storage area, and potential leakage pathways characterize each RC. Within each RC, a hierarchy of stratigraphic cycles is populated with stationary sedimentation regions that control rock property distributions by correlating environment of deposition (EOD) to CPV. The degree to which CPV varies between RCs depends on the geology and attendant heterogeneity retained in the fluid flow model. Region-based modeling of the PRB incorporates 28000 wells correlated across a 70,000 Km2 area, 2 km thick on average. Within this basin, five of the most productive RCs were identified from production history and placed in a fourfold stratigraphic framework (second- through fourth-order cycles). Within the small- scale 4th-order sequences (30-150-m thick, 16 total), sedimentation regions, each corresponding to an EOD, are defined by thickness, lithology and core-calibrated well-log patterns. This talk illustrates the workflow by focusing on one of the 16 layers in the basin-scale model. Isopach maps from this sample layer conform to depositional patterns confirmed through definition of five core-calibrated, well-log defined sedimentation regions. Lithology distributions also conform to thickness trends in nearshore deltas, but not in offshore regions, where sand-rich and sheet-like, but thin-bedded sandstones are flanked by mud-rich intervals of equivalent thickness. These maps represent sedimentation patterns confined by basal erosional sequence boundary and basin-wide bentonite, yet containing up to seven high-frequency sequence boundaries. To illustrate over simplification problems in this same layer, a 14000 km2 sample area is 600 km3 and using standard averaging methods, which are considered to be geologic in origin, the CPV is 16 km3. However, averaging increases connectivity with high CPV more uniformly distributed; significantly, the key mud belt region separating nearshore from offshore sandstones is not represented. Region-based modeling of this layer yields 13 km3 (110 Bbl). Furthermore, significant vertical leakage may exist from the 20000 well penetrations and faults and fractures along the western basin margin. This example illustrates the importance of accurately characterizing heterogeneity and distributing CPV using sedimentation regions.

Typical aqueous rare earth element behavior in co-produced Brines, Wyoming

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

Nye, Charles; Quillinan, Scott; McLing, Travis

Normalization of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) is important to remove the distracting effects of the Oddo–Harkins rule and provide a meaningful baseline. Normalizations for rocks are well developed and include chondritic meteorites, UCC, PM, PAAS, and NASC. However normalizations for aqueous REEs are limited to oceanic regions such as the North Pacific Deep Water or North Atlantic Surface Water. This leaves water in contact with continental lithologies without a suitable normalization. We present a preliminary continental aqueous REE normalization derived from 38 deep basin hydrocarbon brines in Wyoming. The REEs in these waters are seven orders of magnitude more dilutemore » than NASC but with significant europium enrichment. Gromet 1984 reports NASC Eu/Eu* is 0.2179, whereas in the normalization offered here, Eu/Eu* is 3.868. These waters also are free from the distracting reduction-oxidation cerium behavior found in ocean normalizations. Because these samples exhibit both the uniform behavior of NASC and the absolute concentration of seawater, a normalization based upon them offers a unique combination of the advantages of both. We used single-peak gaussian analysis to quantify the mean values for each REE and estimate the distribution variability. Additional sample collection during the last year revealed that the Powder River Basin (PRB) is atypical relative to the other sampled basins of Wyoming. Those other basins are the Wind River Basin (WRB) Green River Basin (GRB) and Wamsutter Area (WA). A pre-normalization gadolinium anomaly (Gd/Gd*) of between 4 and 23 with a mean of 11.5, defines the PRB samples. Other basins in this study range from 1 to 7 with a mean of 2.8. Finally, we present a preliminary model for ligand-based behavior of REEs in these samples. This model identifies bicarbonate, bromide, and chloride as forming significant complexes with REEs contributing to REE solubility. The ligand model explains observed REEs in the sampled Cretaceous and Paleocene clastic reservoirs. However, the presence of more REEs than predicted in six samples suggests that there is an additional, unconsidered ligand contributing to REE dissolution. Further work will identify this ligand, which appears to be confined to calcium-cemented and dolostone systems.« less

Spatial and temporal patterns of stream burial and its effect on habitat connectivity across headwater stream communities of the Potomac River Basin, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weitzell, R.; Guinn, S. M.; Elmore, A. J.

2012-12-01

The process of directing streams into culverts, pipes, or concrete-lined ditches during urbanization, known as stream burial, alters the primary physical, chemical, and biological processes of streams. Knowledge of the cumulative impacts of reduced structure and ecological function within buried stream networks is crucial for informing management of stream ecosystems, in light of continued growth in urban areas, and the uncertain response of freshwater ecosystems to the stresses of global climate change. To address this need, we utilized recently improved stream maps for the Potomac River Basin (PRB) to describe the extent and severity of stream burial across the basin. Observations of stream burial made from high resolution aerial photographs (>1% of total basin area) and a decision tree using spatial statistics from impervious cover data were used to predict stream burial at 4 time-steps (1975, 1990, 2001, 2006). Of the roughly 95,500 kilometers (km) of stream in the PRB, approximately 4551 km (4.76%) were buried by urban development as of 2001. Analysis of county-level burial trends shows differential patterns in the timing and rates of headwater stream burial, which may be due to local development policies, topographical constraints, and/or time since development. Consistently higher rates of stream burial were observed for small streams, decreasing with stream order. Headwater streams (1st-2nd order) are disproportionately affected, with burial rates continuing to increase over time in relation to larger stream orders. Beyond simple habitat loss, headwater burial decreases connectivity among headwater populations and habitats, with potential to affect a wide range of important ecological processes. To quantify changes to regional headwater connectivity we applied a connectivity model based on electrical circuit theory. Circuit-theoretical models function by treating the landscape as a resistance surface, representing hypothesized relationships between landscape features and their differential "resistance" to movement by organisms. A landscape resistance layer was developed and fine-tuned in terms of the habitat use/needs of aquatic invertebrates with terrestrial adult stages, organisms of critical importance to riparian and aquatic ecosystem health. Initial results show significant increases in landscape resistance (isolation) among headwater systems, and corresponding decreases in current flow (movement of organisms) across the increasingly urbanized PRB landscape. Of particular interest, the circuit model highlighted the importance of stream confluences and zero-order (non-channel) headwater areas for movement of organisms between headwater systems that are otherwise highly disconnected, and for which the latter currently receives no legal protection from development.

Coal Quality and Major, Minor, and Trace Elements in the Powder River, Green River, and Williston Basins, Wyoming and North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stricker, Gary D.; Flores, Romeo M.; Trippi, Michael H.; Ellis, Margaret S.; Olson, Carol M.; Sullivan, Jonah E.; Takahashi, Kenneth I.

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Wyoming Reservoir Management Group (RMG) of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and nineteen independent coalbed methane (CBM) gas operators in the Powder River and Green River Basins in Wyoming and the Williston Basin in North Dakota, collected 963 coal samples from 37 core holes (fig. 1; table 1) between 1999 and 2005. The drilling and coring program was in response to the rapid development of CBM, particularly in the Powder River Basin (PRB), and the needs of the RMG BLM for new and more reliable data for CBM resource estimates and reservoir characterization. The USGS and BLM entered into agreements with the gas operators to drill and core Fort Union coal beds, thus supplying core samples for the USGS to analyze and provide the RMG with rapid, real-time results of total gas desorbed, coal quality, and high pressure methane adsorption isotherm data (Stricker and others, 2006). The USGS determined the ultimate composition of all coal core samples; for selected samples analyses also included proximate analysis, calorific value, equilibrium moisture, apparent specific gravity, and forms of sulfur. Analytical procedures followed those of the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM; 1998). In addition, samples from three wells (129 samples) were analyzed for major, minor, and trace element contents. Ultimate and proximate compositions, calorific value, and forms of sulfur are fundamental parameters in evaluating the economic value of a coal. Determining trace element concentrations, along with total sulfur and ash yield, is also essential to assess the environmental effects of coal use, as is the suitability of the coal for cleaning, gasification, liquefaction, and other treatments. Determination of coal quality in the deeper part (depths greater than 1,000 to 1,200 ft) of the PRB (Rohrbacher and others, 2006; Luppens and others, 2006) is especially important, because these coals are targeted for future mining and development. This report contains summary tables, histograms, and isopleth maps of coal analyses. Details of the compositional internal variability of the coal beds are based on the continuous vertical sampling of coal sequences, including beds in the deeper part of the PRB. Such sampling allows for close comparisons of the compositions of different parts of coal beds as well as within the same coal beds at different core hole locations within short distances of each other.

Enhancement of mercury capture by the simultaneous addition of hydrogen bromide (HBr) and fly ashes in a slipstream facility.

PubMed

Cao, Yan; Wang, Quan-Hai; Li, Jun; Cheng, Jen-Chieh; Chan, Chia-Chun; Cohron, Marten; Pan, Wei-Ping

2009-04-15

Low halogen content in tested Powder River Basin (PRB) coals and low loss of ignition content (LOI) in PRB-derived fly ash were likely responsible for higher elemental mercury content (averaging about 75%) in the flue gas and also lower mercury capture efficiency by electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and wet-FGD. To develop a cost-effective approach to mercury capture in a full-scale coal-fired utility boiler burning PRB coal, experiments were conducted adding hydrogen bromide (HBr) or simultaneously adding HBr and selected fly ashes in a slipstream reactor (0.152 x 0.152 m) under real flue gas conditions. The residence time of the flue gas inside the reactorwas about 1.4 s. The average temperature of the slipstream reactor was controlled at about 155 degrees C. Tests were organized into two phases. In Phase 1, only HBr was added to the slipstream reactor, and in Phase 2, HBr and selected fly ash were added simultaneously. HBr injection was effective (>90%) for mercury oxidation at a low temperature (155 degrees C) with an HBr addition concentration of about 4 ppm in the flue gas. Additionally, injected HBr enhanced mercury capture by PRB fly ash in the low-temperature range. The mercury capture efficiency, attesting conditions of the slipstream reactor, reached about 50% at an HBr injection concentration of 4 ppm in the flue gas. Compared to only the addition of HBr, simultaneously adding bituminous-derived fly ash in a minimum amount (30 lb/MMacf), together with HBr injection at 4 ppm, could increase mercury capture efficiency by 30%. Injection of lignite-derived fly ash at 30 lb/MMacf could achieve even higher mercury removal efficiency (an additional 35% mercury capture efficiency compared to HBr addition alone).

Coal geology and assessment of coal resources and reserves in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luppens, James A.; Scott, David C.

2015-01-01

This report presents the final results of the first assessment of both coal resources and reserves for all significant coal beds in the entire Powder River Basin, northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana. The basin covers about 19,500 square miles, exclusive of the part of the basin within the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations in Montana. The Powder River Basin, which contains the largest resources of low-sulfur, low-ash, subbituminous coal in the United States, is the single most important coal basin in the United States. The U.S. Geological Survey used a geology-based assessment methodology to estimate an original coal resource of about 1.16 trillion short tons for 47 coal beds in the Powder River Basin; in-place (remaining) resources are about 1.15 trillion short tons. This is the first time that all beds were mapped individually over the entire basin. A total of 162 billion short tons of recoverable coal resources (coal reserve base) are estimated at a 10:1 stripping ratio or less. An estimated 25 billion short tons of that coal reserve base met the definition of reserves, which are resources that can be economically produced at or below the current sales price at the time of the evaluation. The total underground coal resource in coal beds 10–20 feet thick is estimated at 304 billion short tons.

The Republic of the Philippines coalbed methane assessment: based on seventeen high pressure methane adsorption isotherms

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flores, Romeo M.; Stricker, Gary D.; Papasin, Ramon F.; Pendon, Ronaldo R.; del Rosario, Rogelio A.; Malapitan, Ruel T.; Pastor, Michael S.; Altomea, Elmer A.; Cuaresma, Federico; Malapitan, Armando S.; Mortos, Benjamin R.; Tilos, Elizabeth N.

2006-01-01

Introduction: The Republic of the Philippines has some 19 coal districts that contain coal deposits ranging from Eocene to Pleistocene in age. These coal districts include: (1) Catanduanes (Eocene); (2) Cebu, Zamboanga Sibuguey, Bukidnon, Maguindanao, Sarangani, and Surigao (Oligocene to Miocene); (3) Batan Island, Masbate, Semirara (including Mindoro), and Quezon-Polilio (lower-upper Miocene); (4) Davao, Negros, and Sorsogon (middle-upper Miocene); (5) Cotabato (lower Miocene-lower Pliocene), Cagayan-Isabella, and Quirino (upper Miocene-Pliocene); (6) Sultan Kudarat (upper Miocene-Pleistocene); and (7) Samar-Leyte (lower Pliocene-Pleistocene). In general, coal rank is directly related to the age of the deposits - for example, the Eocene coal is semi-anthracite and the Pliocene-Pleistocene coal is lignite. Total coal resources in these 19 coal districts, which are compiled by the Geothermal and Coal Resources Development Division (GCRDD) of the Department of Energy of the Philippines, are estimated at a minimum of 2,268.4 million metric tonnes (MMT) (approximately 2.3 billion metric tones). The largest resource (550 MMT) is the subbituminous coal in the Semirara (including Mindoro) coal district, and the smallest (0.7 MMT) is the lignite-subbituminous coal in the Quirino coal district. The combined lignite and subbituminous coal resources, using the classification by GCRDD and including Semirara and Surigao coal districts, are about 1,899.2 MMT, which make up about 84 percent of the total coal resources of the Philippines. The remaining resources are composed of bituminous and semi-anthracite coal. The subbituminous coal of Semirara Island in the Mindoro- Semirara coal district (fig. 2) is known to contain coalbed methane (CBM), with the coal being comparable in gas content and adsorption isotherms to the coal of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming, USA (Flores and others, 2005). As a consequence, the presence of CBM in the Semirara coal led to the present study of determining the adsorption isotherms, or gas (CBM) holding or storage capacity, of coal beds of various ages from selected coal districts in the Philippines. Samples for the study were collected from the Batan Island, Catanduanes, Cagayan-Isabella, Cebu, Negros, Samar, Semirara, Cotabato, Surigao, and Malangas coalfield of the Zamboanga Sibuguey coal districts by five field geology teams from the GCRDD.

Northern Cheyenne Reservation Coal Bed Natural Resource Assessment and Analysis of Produced Water Disposal Options

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

Shaochang Wo; David A. Lopez; Jason Whiteman Sr.

Coalbed methane (CBM) development in the Powder River Basin (PRB) is currently one of the most active gas plays in the United States. Monthly production in 2002 reached about 26 BCF in the Wyoming portion of the basin. Coalbed methane reserves for the Wyoming portion of the basin are approximately 25 trillion cubic feet (TCF). Although coal beds in the Powder River Basin extend well into Montana, including the area of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, the only CBM development in Montana is the CX Field, operated by the Fidelity Exploration, near the Wyoming border. The Northern Cheyenne Reservation ismore » located on the northwest flank of the PRB in Montana with a total land of 445,000 acres. The Reservation consists of five districts, Lame Deer, Busby, Ashland, Birney, and Muddy Cluster and has a population of 4,470 according to the 2000 Census. The CBM resource represents a significant potential asset to the Northern Cheyenne Indian Tribe. Methane gas in coal beds is trapped by hydrodynamic pressure. Because the production of CBM involves the dewatering of coalbed to allow the release of methane gas from the coal matrix, the relatively large volume of the co-produced water and its potential environmental impacts are the primary concerns for the Tribe. Presented in this report is a study conducted by the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) in partnership with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe to assess the Tribe’s CBM resources and evaluate applicable water handling options. The project was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the Native American Initiative of the National Petroleum Technology Office, under contract DEAC07- 99ID13727. Matching funds were granted by the MBMG in supporting the work of geologic study and mapping conducted at MBMG.« less

Coal deposits of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

John, Nelson W.

1987-01-01

The coal fields of the Unites States can be divided into six major provinces. The Appalachian and Interior Provinces contain dominantly bituminous coal in strata of Pennsylvanian age. The coal seams are relatively thin and are mined both by surface and underground methods. Sulfyur content is low to moderate in the Appalachian Province, generally high in the Interior province. The Gulf Coastal Plain Province, in Texas and neighboring states, contains lignite of Eocene age. The seams are 3-25 ft (0.9-7.5 m) thick and are minded in large open pits. The Northern Great Plains Province has lignite and subbituminous coal of Cretaceous, Paleocene and Eocene age. The coal, largely very low in sulfur, occurs in beds up to 100 ft (30 m) thick and is strip-mined. The Rocky Mountain Province contains a great variety of coal deposits in numerous separate intermontane basins. Most of it is low-sulfur subbituminous to bituminous coal iof Creatceous and early Tertiary age. The seams range from a few feet to over 100 ft (30 m) thick. Strip-mining dominates but underground mines are important in Utah and Colorado. The Pacific Coast Province, which includes Alaska, contains enormous cola resources but has seen little mining. The coal is highly diverse in physical character and geologic setting. ?? 1987.

Mercury emissions during cofiring of sub-bituminous coal and biomass (chicken waste, wood, coffee residue, and tobacco stalk) in a laboratory-scale fluidized bed combustor

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

Yan Cao; Hongcang Zhou; Junjie Fan

Four types of biomass (chicken waste, wood pellets, coffee residue, and tobacco stalks) were cofired at 30 wt % with a U.S. sub-bituminous coal (Powder River Basin Coal) in a laboratory-scale fluidized bed combustor. A cyclone, followed by a quartz filter, was used for fly ash removal during tests. The temperatures of the cyclone and filter were controlled at 250 and 150{sup o}C, respectively. Mercury speciation and emissions during cofiring were investigated using a semicontinuous mercury monitor, which was certified using ASTM standard Ontario Hydra Method. Test results indicated mercury emissions were strongly correlative to the gaseous chlorine concentrations, butmore » not necessarily correlative to the chlorine contents in cofiring fuels. Mercury emissions could be reduced by 35% during firing of sub-bituminous coal using only a quartz filter. Cofiring high-chlorine fuel, such as chicken waste (Cl = 22340 wppm), could largely reduce mercury emissions by over 80%. When low-chlorine biomass, such as wood pellets (Cl = 132 wppm) and coffee residue (Cl = 134 wppm), is cofired, mercury emissions could only be reduced by about 50%. Cofiring tobacco stalks with higher chlorine content (Cl = 4237 wppm) did not significantly reduce mercury emissions. Gaseous speciated mercury in flue gas after a quartz filter indicated the occurrence of about 50% of total gaseous mercury to be the elemental mercury for cofiring chicken waste, but occurrence of above 90% of the elemental mercury for all other cases. Both the higher content of alkali metal oxides or alkali earth metal oxides in tested biomass and the occurrence of temperatures lower than 650{sup o}C in the upper part of the fluidized bed combustor seemed to be responsible for the reduction of gaseous chlorine and, consequently, limited mercury emissions reduction during cofiring. 36 refs., 3 figs. 1 tab.« less

Assessment of the Coal-Bed Gas Total Petroleum System in the Cook Inlet-Susitna region, south-central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rouse, William A.; Houseknecht, David W.

2012-01-01

The Cook Inlet-Susitna region of south-central Alaska contains large quantities of gas-bearing coal of Tertiary age. The U.S. Geological Survey in 2011 completed an assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable coal-bed gas resources underlying the Cook Inlet-Susitna region based on the total petroleum system (TPS) concept. The Cook Inlet Coal-Bed Gas TPS covers about 9,600,000 acres and comprises the Cook Inlet basin, Matanuska Valley, and Susitna lowland. The TPS contains one assessment unit (AU) that was evaluated for coal-bed gas resources between 1,000 and 6,000 feet in depth over an area of about 8,500,000 acres. Coal beds, which serve as both the source and reservoir for natural gas in the AU, were deposited during Paleocene-Pliocene time in mires associated with a large trunk-tributary fluvial system. Thickness of individual coal beds ranges from a few inches to more than 50 feet, with cumulative coal thickness of more than 800 feet in the western part of the basin. Coal rank ranges from lignite to subbituminous, with vitrinite reflectance values less than 0.6 percent throughout much of the AU. The AU is considered hypothetical because only a few wells in the Matanuska Valley have tested the coal-bed reservoirs, so the use of analog coal-bed gas production data was necessary for this assessment. In order to estimate reserves that might be added in the next 30 years, coal beds of the Upper Fort Union Formation in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana were selected as the production analog for Tertiary coal beds in the Cook Inlet-Susitna region. Upper Fort Union coal beds have similar rank (lignite to subbituminous), range of thickness, and coal-quality characteristics as coal beds of the Tertiary Kenai Group. By use of this analog, the mean total estimate of undiscovered coal-bed gas in the Tertiary Coal-Bed Gas AU is 4.674 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas.

78 FR 1210 - Notice of Membership of Performance Review Board for Senior Executives (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-08

...., Section 4314(c)(4). The Commission's PRB will remove the following member: Charles H. Schneider The Commission's PRB will add the following member: Anton C. Porter, PRB Chairman Dated: January 2, 2013...

Subtask 1.18 - A Decision Tool for Watershed-Based Effluent Trading

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

Xixi Wang; Bethany A. Kurz; Marc D. Kurz

2006-11-30

Handling produced water in an economical and environmentally sound manner is vital to coalbed methane (CBM) development, which is expected to increase up to 60% in the next 10-15 years as the demand for natural gas increases. Current produced water-handling methods (e.g., shallow reinjection and infiltration impoundments) are too costly when implemented on a well-by-well basis. A watershed-based effluent credit trading approach may be a means of managing produced water at reduced cost while meeting or surpassing water quality regulations. This market-based approach allows for improved water quality management by enabling industrial, agricultural, and municipal discharge facilities to meet watermore » quality permit requirements by purchasing pollutant reduction credits from other entities within the same watershed. An evaluation of this concept was conducted for the Powder River Basin (PRB) of Montana and Wyoming by the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC). To conduct this assessment, the EERC collected and evaluated existing water quality information and developed the appropriate tools needed to assess the environmental and economic feasibility of specific trading scenarios. The accomplishments of this study include (1) an exploration of the available PRB water quantity and quality data using advanced statistical techniques, (2) development of an integrated water quality model that predicts the impacts of CBM produced water on stream salinity and sodicity, (3) development of an economic model that estimates costs and benefits from implementing potential trading options, (4) evaluation of hypothetical trading scenarios between select watersheds of the PRB, and (5) communication of the project concept and results to key state and federal agencies, industry representatives, and stakeholders of the PRB. The preliminary results of a basinwide assessment indicate that up to $684 million could be saved basinwide without compromising water quality as a result of implementing a watershed-based credit-trading approach.« less

Enhancement of mercury capture by the simultaneous addition of hydrogen bromide (HBr) and fly ashes in a slipstream facility

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

Yan Cao; Quan-Hai Wang; Jun Li

2009-04-15

Low halogen content in tested Powder River Basin (PRB) coals and low loss of ignition content (LOI) in PRB-derived fly ash were likely responsible for higher elemental mercury content (averaging about 75%) in the flue gas and also lower mercury capture efficiency by electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and wet-FGD. To develop a cost-effective approach to mercury capture in a full-scale coal-fired utility boiler burning PRB coal, experiments were conducted adding hydrogen bromide (HBr) or simultaneously adding HBr and selected fly ashes in a slipstream reactor (0.152 x 0.152 m) under real flue gas conditions. The residence time of the flue gasmore » inside the reactor was about 1.4 s. The average temperature of the slipstream reactor was controlled at about 155{sup o}C. Tests were organized into two phases. In Phase 1, only HBr was added to the slipstream reactor, and in Phase 2, HBr and selected fly ash were added simultaneously. HBr injection was effective (>90%) for mercury oxidation at a low temperature (155{sup o}C) with an HBr addition concentration of about 4 ppm in the flue gas. Additionally, injected HBr enhanced mercury capture by PRB fly ash in the low-temperature range. The mercury capture efficiency, at testing conditions of the slipstream reactor, reached about 50% at an HBr injection concentration of 4 ppm in the flue gas. Compared to only the addition of HBr, simultaneously adding bituminous-derived fly ash in a minimum amount (30 lb/MMacf), together with HBr injection at 4 ppm, could increase mercury capture efficiency by 30%. Injection of lignite-derived fly ash at 30 lb/MMacf could achieve even higher mercury removal efficiency (an additional 35% mercury capture efficiency compared to HBR addition alone). 25 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.« less

Adjoint tomography of Empirical Green's functions from ambient noise in Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, K.; Liu, Q.; Yang, Y.; Basini, P.; Tape, C.

2017-12-01

We construct a new shear-wave velocity (Vsv) model in Southern California by adjoint tomography of Rayleigh-wave Empirical Green's functions at 5-50 s period from Z-Z component ambient noise cross-correlations. The initial model of our adjoint tomography is the isotropic Vs model M16 from Tape et al. [2010], which is generated by three-component body and surface waves at 2-30 s period from local earthquake data. Synthetic Green's functions (SGFs) from M16 show a good agreement with the Empirical Green's functions (EGFs) from ambient noise at 5-50 s and 10-50 s period bands, but have an average 1.75 s advance in time at 20-50 s. By minimizing the traveltime differences between the EGFs and SGFs using gradient-based algorithm, the initial model is refined and improved and the total misfits is reduced from the initial 1.75s to its convergent point of 0.33 s after five iterations. The final Vsv model fits EGF waveforms better than the initial model at all the three frequency bands with smaller misfit distributions. Our new Vsv model reveals some new features in the mid- and lower-crust, mainly including: (1) the mean speed of lower crust is slowed down by about 5%; (2) In the Los Angeles Basin and its Northern area, the speed is higher than the initial model throughout the crust; (3) beneath the westernmost Peninsular Range Batholith (PRB) and Sierra Nevada Batholith (SNB), we observe high shear velocities in the lower crust; (4) a shallow high-velocity zone in the mid-crust are observed beneath Salton Trough Basin. Our model also shows refined lateral velocity gradient across PRB, SNB, San Andreas Fault (SAF), which helps to understand the west-east compositional boundary in PRB, SNB, and the dip angle and the depth extent of SAF. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of adjoint tomography of ambient noise data in southern California, which is an important complement to earthquake data. The numerical solver used in adjoint tomography can provide more accurate structure sensitivity kernels than analytical methods used in traditional ambient noise tomography.

Experimental Model to Study the Role of Retinoblastoma Gene Product (pRb) for Determination of Adipocyte Differentiation.

PubMed

Popov, B V; Shilo, P S; Zhidkova, O V; Zaichik, A M; Petrov, N S

2015-06-01

Using stable constitutive expression of retinoblastoma gene product (pRb) in polypotent mesenchymal 10T1/2 cells we obtained stable cell lines hyperexpressing functionally active or inactive mutant pRb. The cells producing active exogenous pRb demonstrated high sensitivity to adipocyte differentiation inductors, whereas production of inactive form of the exogenous protein suppressed adipocyte differentiation. The obtained lines can serve as the experimental model for studying the role of pRb in determination of adipocyte differentiation.

Quality of economically extractable coal beds in the Gillette coal field as compared with other Tertiary coal beds in the Powder River basin, Wyoming and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellis, Margaret S.

2002-01-01

The Powder River Basin, and specifically the Gillette coal field, contains large quantities of economically extractable coal resources. These coal resources have low total sulfur content and ash yield, and most of the resources are subbituminous in rank. A recent U.S Geological Survey study of economically extractable coal in the Gillette coal field focused on five coal beds, the Wyodak rider, Upper Wyodak, Canyon, Lower Wyodak-Werner, and Gates/Kennedy. This report compares the coal quality of these economically extractable coal beds to coal in the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone in the Powder River Basin and in the Gillette coal field (Flores and others, 1999) and other produced coal in the Gillette coal field (Glass, 2000). The Upper Wyodak, Canyon, and Lower Wyodak/Werner beds are within the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone. Compared with all coal in the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone, both throughout the Powder River Basin and just within the Gillette coal field; the thick, persistent Upper Wyodak coal bed in the Gillette coal field has higher mean gross calorific value (8,569 Btu/lb), lower mean ash yield (5.8 percent), and lower mean total sulfur content (0.46 percent).

Advanced Coal Liquefaction Research and Development Facility, Wilsonville, Alabama. Run 262 with Black Thunder subbituminous coal: Technical progress report

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

Not Available

This report presents the results of Run 262 performed at the Advanced Coal Liquefaction R&D Facility in Wilsonville, Alabama. The run started on July 10, 1991 and continued until September 30, 1991, operating in the Close-Coupled Integrated Two-Stage Liquefaction mode processing Black Thunder Mine subbituminous coal (Wyodak-Anderson seam from Wyoming Powder River Basin). A dispersed molybdenum catalyst was evaluated for its performance. The effect of the dispersed catalyst on eliminating solids buildup was also evaluated. Half volume reactors were used with supported Criterion 324 1/16`` catalyst in the second stage at a catalyst replacement rate of 3 lb/ton of MFmore » coal. The hybrid dispersed plus supported catalyst system was tested for the effect of space velocity, second stage temperature, and molybdenum concentration. The supported catalyst was removed from the second stage for one test period to see the performance of slurry reactors. Iron oxide was used as slurry catalyst at a rate of 2 wt % MF coal throughout the run (dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) was used as the sulfiding agent). The close-coupled reactor unit was on-stream for 1271.2 hours for an on-stream factor of 89.8% and the ROSE-SR unit was on-feed for 1101.6 hours for an on-stream factor of 90.3% for the entire run.« less

Geology, coal resources, and chemical analyses of coal from the Fruitland Formation, Kimbeto EMRIA study site, San Juan County, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schneider, Gary B.; Hildebrand, Rick T.; Affolter, Ronald H.

1979-01-01

The Kimbeto EMRIA study site, an area of about 20 square miles (52 km2), is located on the south margin of the San Juan Basin on the gently northward-dipping strata of the Upper Cretaceous Fruitland Formation and the Kirtland Shale. The coal beds are mainly in the lower 150 feet (45 m) of the Fruitland Format ion. Coal resources--measured, indicated, and inferred--with less than 400 feet (120 m) of overburden in the site are 69,085,000 short tons (62,660,100 metric tons), 369,078,000 short tons (334,754,000 metric tons), and 177,803,000 short tons (161,267,000 metric tons) respectively. About 68 percent of these resources are overlain by 200 feet (60 m) or less of overburden. The apparent rank of the coal ranges from subbituminous B to subbituminous A. The average Btu/lb value of 14 core samples from the site on the as-received basis is 8,240 (4580 Kcal/kg), average ash content is 23.4 percent, and average sulfur content is 0.5 percent. Analyses of coal from the Kimbeto EMRIA study site show significantly higher ash content and significantly lower contents of volatile matter, fixed carbon, carbon, and a significantly lower heat of combustion when compared with other coal analyses from the Rocky Mountain province.

48 CFR 52.215-18 - Reversion or Adjustment of Plans for Postretirement Benefits (PRB) Other Than Pensions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Plans for Postretirement Benefits (PRB) Other Than Pensions. 52.215-18 Section 52.215-18 Federal... Postretirement Benefits (PRB) Other Than Pensions. As prescribed in 15.408(j), insert the following clause: Reversion or Adjustment of Plans for Postretirement Benefits (PRB) Other Than Pensions (JUL 2005) (a) The...

Hardgrove grindability study of Powder River Basin and Appalachian coal components in the blend to a midwestern power station

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

Padgett, P.L.; Hower, J.C.

1996-12-31

Five coals representing four distinct coal sources blended at a midwestern power station were subjected to detailed analysis of their Hardgrove grindability. The coals are: a low-sulfur, high volatile A bituminous Upper Elkhorn No. 3 coal (Pike County, KY); a medium-sulfur, high volatile A bituminous Pittsburgh coal (southwestern PA); a low-sulfur, subbituminous Wyodak coal from two mines in the eastern Powder River Basin (Campbell County, WY). The feed and all samples processed in the Hardgrove grindability test procedure were analyzed for their maceral and microlithotype content. The high-vitrinite Pittsburgh coal and the relatively more petrographically complex Upper Elkhorn No. 3more » coal exhibit differing behavior in grindability. The Pittsburgh raw feed, 16x30 mesh fraction (HGI test fraction), and the {minus}30 mesh fraction (HGI reject) are relatively similar petrographically, suggesting that the HGI test fraction is reasonably representative of the whole feed. The eastern Kentucky coal is not as representative of the whole feed, the HGI test fraction having lower vitrinite than the rejected {minus}30 mesh fraction. The Powder River Basin coals are high vitrinite and show behavior similar to the Pittsburgh coal.« less

Liquefaction of sub-bituminous coal

DOEpatents

Schindler, Harvey D.; Chen, James M.

1986-01-01

Sub-bituminous coal is directly liquefied in two stages by use of a liquefaction solvent containing insoluble material as well as 850.degree. F.+ material and 850.degree. F.- material derived from the second stage, and controlled temperature and conversion in the second stage. The process is in hydrogen balance.

Fifteen-year assessment of a permeable reactive barrier for treatment of chromate and trichloroethylene in groundwater.

PubMed

Wilkin, Richard T; Acree, Steven D; Ross, Randall R; Puls, Robert W; Lee, Tony R; Woods, Leilani L

2014-01-15

The fifteen-year performance of a granular iron, permeable reactive barrier (PRB; Elizabeth City, North Carolina) is reviewed with respect to contaminant treatment (hexavalent chromium and trichloroethylene) and hydraulic performance. Due to in-situ treatment of the chromium source zone, reactive and hydraulic longevity of the PRB has outlived the mobile chromate plume. Chromium concentrations exceeding 3 μg/L have not been detected in regions located hydraulically down-gradient of the PRB. Trichloroethylene treatment has also been effective, although non-constant influent concentrations of trichloroethylene have at times resulted in incomplete dechlorination. Daughter products: cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, ethene, and ethane have been observed within and down-gradient of the PRB at levels <10% of the influent trichloroethylene. Analysis of potentiometric surfaces up-gradient and across the PRB suggests that the PRB may currently represent a zone of reduced hydraulic conductivity; however, measurements of the in-situ hydraulic conductivity provide values in excess of 200 m/d in some intervals and indicate no discernible loss of bulk hydraulic conductivity within the PRB. The results presented here are particularly significant because they provide the longest available record of performance of a PRB. The longevity of the Elizabeth City PRB is principally the result of favorable groundwater geochemistry and hydrologic properties of the site. © 2013.

Mineral Precipitation Upgradient from a Zero-Valent Iron Permeable Reactive Barrier

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

Johnson, R. L.; Thoms, R. B.; Johnson, R. O.

2008-07-01

Core samples taken from a zero-valent iron permeable reactive barrier (ZVI PRB) at Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant, Nebraska, were analyzed for physical and chemical characteristics. Precipitates containing iron and sulfide were present at much higher concentrations in native aquifer materials just upgradient of the PRB than in the PRB itself. Sulfur mass balance on core solids coupled with trends in ground water sulfate concentrations indicates that the average ground water flow after 20 months of PRB operation was approximately twenty fold less than the regional ground water velocity. Transport and reaction modeling of the aquifer PRB interface suggests that, atmore » the calculated velocity, both iron and hydrogen could diffuse upgradient against ground water flow and thereby contribute to precipitation in the native aquifer materials. The initial hydraulic conductivity (K) of the native materials is less than that of the PRB and, given the observed precipitation in the upgradient native materials, it is likely that K reduction occurred upgradient to rather than within the PRB. Although not directly implicated, guar gum used during installation of the PRB is believed to have played a role in the precipitation and flow reduction processes by enhancing microbial activity.« less

Isoform specificity of progesterone receptor antibodies.

PubMed

Fabris, Victoria; Abascal, María F; Giulianelli, Sebastián; May, María; Sequeira, Gonzalo R; Jacobsen, Britta; Lombès, Marc; Han, Julie; Tran, Luan; Molinolo, Alfredo; Lanari, Claudia

2017-10-01

Progesterone receptors (PR) are prognostic and predictive biomarkers in hormone-dependent cancers. Two main PR isoforms have been described, PRB and PRA, that differ only in that PRB has 164 extra N-terminal amino acids. It has been reported that several antibodies empirically exclusively recognize PRA in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues. To confirm these findings, we used human breast cancer xenograft models, T47D-YA and -YB cells expressing PRA or PRB, respectively, MDA-MB-231 cells modified to synthesize PRB, and MDA-MB-231/iPRAB cells which can bi-inducibly express either PRA or PRB. Cells were injected into immunocompromised mice to generate tumours exclusively expressing PRA or PRB. PR isoform expression was verified using immunoblots. FFPE samples from the same tumours were studied by immunohistochemistry using H-190, clone 636, clone 16, and Ab-6 anti-PR antibodies, the latter exclusively recognizing PRB. Except for Ab-6, all antibodies displayed a similar staining pattern. Our results indicate that clones 16, 636, and the H-190 antibody recognize both PR isoforms. They point to the need for more stringency in evaluating the true specificity of purported PRA-specific antibodies as the PRA/PRB ratio may have prognostic and predictive value in breast cancer.

Method for providing improved solid fuels from agglomerated subbituminous coal

DOEpatents

Janiak, Jerzy S.; Turak, Ali A.; Pawlak, Wanda; Ignasiak, Boleslaw L.

1989-01-01

A method is provided for separating agglomerated subbituminous coal and the heavy bridging liquid used to form the agglomerates. The separation is performed by contacting the agglomerates with inert gas or steam at a temperature in the range of 250.degree. to 350.degree. C. at substantially atmospheric pressure.

Many-objective robust decision making for water allocation under climate change.

PubMed

Yan, Dan; Ludwig, Fulco; Huang, He Qing; Werners, Saskia E

2017-12-31

Water allocation is facing profound challenges due to climate change uncertainties. To identify adaptive water allocation strategies that are robust to climate change uncertainties, a model framework combining many-objective robust decision making and biophysical modeling is developed for large rivers. The framework was applied to the Pearl River basin (PRB), China where sufficient flow to the delta is required to reduce saltwater intrusion in the dry season. Before identifying and assessing robust water allocation plans for the future, the performance of ten state-of-the-art MOEAs (multi-objective evolutionary algorithms) is evaluated for the water allocation problem in the PRB. The Borg multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (Borg MOEA), which is a self-adaptive optimization algorithm, has the best performance during the historical periods. Therefore it is selected to generate new water allocation plans for the future (2079-2099). This study shows that robust decision making using carefully selected MOEAs can help limit saltwater intrusion in the Pearl River Delta. However, the framework could perform poorly due to larger than expected climate change impacts on water availability. Results also show that subjective design choices from the researchers and/or water managers could potentially affect the ability of the model framework, and cause the most robust water allocation plans to fail under future climate change. Developing robust allocation plans in a river basin suffering from increasing water shortage requires the researchers and water managers to well characterize future climate change of the study regions and vulnerabilities of their tools. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Novel Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) for Simultaneous and Rapid Removal of Heavy Metal and Organic Matter - A Systematic Chemical Speciation Approach on Sustainable Technique for Pallikarani Marshland Remediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvaraj, A.; Nambi, I. M.

2014-12-01

In this study, an innovative technique of ZVI mediated 'coupling of Fenton like oxidation of phenol and Cr(VI) reduction technique' was attempted. The hypothesis is that Fe3+ generated from Cr(VI) reduction process acts as electron acceptor and catalyst for Fenton's Phenol oxidation process. The Fe2+ formed from Fenton reactions can be reused for Cr(VI) reduction. Thus iron can be made to recycle between two reactions, changing back and forth between Fe2+ and Fe3+ forms, makes treatment sustainable.(Fig 1) This approach advances current Fenton like oxidation process by (i)single system removal of heavy metal and organic matter (ii)recycling of iron species; hence no additional iron required (iii)more contaminant removal to ZVI ratio (iv)eliminating sludge related issues. Preliminary batch studies were conducted at different modes i) concurrent removal ii) sequential removal. The sequential removal was found better for in-situ PRB applications. PRB was designed based on kinetic rate slope and half-life time, obtained from primary column study. This PRB has two segments (i)ZVI segment[Cr(VI)] (ii)iron species segment[phenol]. This makes treatment sustainable by (i) having no iron ions in outlet stream (ii)meeting hypothesis and elongates the life span of PRB. Sequential removal of contaminates were tested in pilot scale PRB(Fig 2) and its life span was calculated based on the exhaustion of filling material. Aqueous, sand and iron aliquots were collected at various segments of PRB and analyzed for precipitation and chemical speciation thoroughly (UV spectrometer, XRD, FTIR, electron microscope). Chemical speciation profile eliminates the uncertainties over in-situ PRB's long term performance. Based on the pilot scale PRB study, 'field level PRB wall construction' was suggested to remove heavy metal and organic compounds from Pallikaranai marshland(Fig 3)., which is contaminated with leachate coming from nearby Perungudi dumpsite. This research provides (i)deeper insight into the environmental friendly, accelerated, sustainable technique for combined removal of organic matter and heavy metal (ii)evaluation of the novel technique in PRB, which resulted in PRB's increased life span (iii)designing of PRB to remediate the marshland and its ecosystem, thus save the habitats related to it.

Progesterone Receptor-A and -B Have Opposite Effects on Proinflammatory Gene Expression in Human Myometrial Cells: Implications for Progesterone Actions in Human Pregnancy and Parturition

PubMed Central

Tan, Huiqing; Yi, Lijuan; Rote, Neal S.; Hurd, William W.

2012-01-01

Context: Progesterone promotes uterine relaxation during pregnancy and its withdrawal induces labor. Progesterone withdrawal in human parturition is mediated in part by changes in the relative levels of the nuclear progesterone receptor isoforms, PR-A and PR-B, in myometrial cells. Parturition also involves myometrial inflammation; however, the functional link between nuclear PR-mediated progesterone actions and inflammation in human myometrial cells is unclear. Objective: Our objective was to determine how PR-A and PR-B regulate progesterone action in human myometrial cells and specifically the expression of genes encoding contraction-associated proteins and proinflammatory mediators. Design: Effects of PR-A and PR-B on the capacity for progesterone to modulate gene expression was determined using an immortalized human myometrial cell line stably transfected with inducible PR-A and PR-B expression transgenes and conditioned to express various PR-A and PR-B levels. Gene expression was assessed by genome wide transcriptome analysis, quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting. Results: PR-A and PR-B were each transcriptionally active in response to progesterone and affected the expression of distinct gene cohorts. The capacity for progesterone to affect gene expression was dependent on the PR-A to PR-B ratio. This was especially apparent for the expression of proinflammatory genes. Progesterone decreased proinflammatory gene expression when the PR-A to PR-B ratio favored PR-B and increased proinflammatory gene expression when the ratio favored PR-A. Progesterone via PR-B increased expression of inhibitor-κBα, a repressor of the nuclear factor-κB transcription factor, and inhibited basal and lipopolysaccharide-induced proinflammatory gene expression. Both of those PR-B-mediated effects were inhibited by PR-A. Conclusions: Our data suggest that during most of human pregnancy, when myometrial cells are PR-B dominant, progesterone promotes myometrial quiescence through PR-B-mediated antiinflammatory actions. At parturition, the rise in PR-A expression promotes labor by inhibiting the antiinflammatory actions of PR-B and stimulating proinflammatory gene expression in response to progesterone. PMID:22419721

Regional and global modeling estimates of policy relevant background ozone over the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emery, Christopher; Jung, Jaegun; Downey, Nicole; Johnson, Jeremiah; Jimenez, Michele; Yarwood, Greg; Morris, Ralph

2012-02-01

Policy Relevant Background (PRB) ozone, as defined by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), refers to ozone concentrations that would occur in the absence of all North American anthropogenic emissions. PRB enters into the calculation of health risk benefits, and as the US ozone standard approaches background levels, PRB is increasingly important in determining the feasibility and cost of compliance. As PRB is a hypothetical construct, modeling is a necessary tool. Since 2006 EPA has relied on global modeling to establish PRB for their regulatory analyses. Recent assessments with higher resolution global models exhibit improved agreement with remote observations and modest upward shifts in PRB estimates. This paper shifts the paradigm to a regional model (CAMx) run at 12 km resolution, for which North American boundary conditions were provided by a low-resolution version of the GEOS-Chem global model. We conducted a comprehensive model inter-comparison, from which we elucidate differences in predictive performance against ozone observations and differences in temporal and spatial background variability over the US. In general, CAMx performed better in replicating observations at remote monitoring sites, and performance remained better at higher concentrations. While spring and summer mean PRB predicted by GEOS-Chem ranged 20-45 ppb, CAMx predicted PRB ranged 25-50 ppb and reached well over 60 ppb in the west due to event-oriented phenomena such as stratospheric intrusion and wildfires. CAMx showed a higher correlation between modeled PRB and total observed ozone, which is significant for health risk assessments. A case study during April 2006 suggests that stratospheric exchange of ozone is underestimated in both models on an event basis. We conclude that wildfires, lightning NO x and stratospheric intrusions contribute a significant level of uncertainty in estimating PRB, and that PRB will require careful consideration in the ozone standard setting process.

Hydraulic and geochemical performance of a permeable reactive barrier containing zero-valent iron, Denver Federal Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

McMahon, P.B.; Dennehy, K.F.; Sandstrom, M.W.

1999-01-01

The hydraulic and geochemical performance of a 366 m long permeable reactive barrier (PRB) at the Denver Federal Center; Denver, Colorado, was evaluated. The funnel and gate system, which was installed in 1996 to intercept and remediate ground water contaminated with chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs), contained four 12.2 m wide gates filled with zero-valent iron. Ground water mounding on the upgradient side of the PRB resulted in a tenfold increase in the hydraulic gradient and ground water velocity through the gates compared to areas of the aquifer unaffected by the PRB. Water balance calculations for April 1997 indicate that about 75% of the ground water moving toward the PRB from upgradient areas moved through the gates. The rest of the water either accumulated on the upgradient side of the PRB or bypassed the PRB. Chemical data from monitoring wells screened down-gradient, beneath, and at the ends of the PRB indicate that contaminants had not bypassed the PRB, except in a few isolated areas. Greater than 99% of the CAH mass entering the gates was retained by the iron. Fifty-one percent of the CAH carbon entering one gate was accounted for in dissolved C1 and C2 hydrocarbons, primarily ethane and ethene, which indicates that CAHs may adsorb to the iron prior to being dehalogenated. Treated water exiting the gates displaced contaminated ground water at a distance of at least 3 m downgradient from the PRB by the end of 1997. Measurements of dissolved inorganic ions in one gate indicate that calcite and siderite precipitation in the gate could reduce gate porosity by about 0.35% per year. Results from this study indicate that funnel and gate systems containing zero-valent iron can effectively treat ground water contaminated with CAHs. However, the hydrologic impacts of the PRB on the flow system need to be fully understood to prevent contaminants from bypassing the PRB.

Permeable Reactive Barrier: Technology Update

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

while also looking at how and when to rejuvenate PRBs already in use. Section 9 discusses the green and sustainable concept as related to PRBs. While...collected during operation of the PRB. A number of site-specific factors may influence the decision to remove an aged PRB, including the following...specific PRB system. Aging of the PRB system—that is, geochemical changes that may occur over time—also should be considered. Using the CSM

Isoform specificity of progesterone receptor antibodies

PubMed Central

Fabris, Victoria; Abascal, María F; Giulianelli, Sebastián; May, María; Sequeira, Gonzalo R; Jacobsen, Britta; Lombès, Marc; Han, Julie; Tran, Luan; Molinolo, Alfredo

2017-01-01

Abstract Progesterone receptors (PR) are prognostic and predictive biomarkers in hormone‐dependent cancers. Two main PR isoforms have been described, PRB and PRA, that differ only in that PRB has 164 extra N‐terminal amino acids. It has been reported that several antibodies empirically exclusively recognize PRA in formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) tissues. To confirm these findings, we used human breast cancer xenograft models, T47D‐YA and ‐YB cells expressing PRA or PRB, respectively, MDA‐MB‐231 cells modified to synthesize PRB, and MDA‐MB‐231/iPRAB cells which can bi‐inducibly express either PRA or PRB. Cells were injected into immunocompromised mice to generate tumours exclusively expressing PRA or PRB. PR isoform expression was verified using immunoblots. FFPE samples from the same tumours were studied by immunohistochemistry using H‐190, clone 636, clone 16, and Ab‐6 anti‐PR antibodies, the latter exclusively recognizing PRB. Except for Ab‐6, all antibodies displayed a similar staining pattern. Our results indicate that clones 16, 636, and the H‐190 antibody recognize both PR isoforms. They point to the need for more stringency in evaluating the true specificity of purported PRA‐specific antibodies as the PRA/PRB ratio may have prognostic and predictive value in breast cancer. PMID:29085663

STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF CHLORINE ADDITION ON MERCURY OXIDATION BY SCR CATALYST UNDER SIMULATED SUBBITUMINOUS COAL FLUE GAS

EPA Science Inventory

An entrained flow reactor is used to study the effect of addition of chlorine-containing species on the oxidation of elemental mercury (Hgo)by a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst in simulated subbituminous coal combustion flue gas. The combustion flue gas was doped wit...

Environmental implications of United States coal exports: a comparative life cycle assessment of future power system scenarios.

PubMed

Bohnengel, Barrett; Patiño-Echeverri, Dalia; Bergerson, Joule

2014-08-19

Stricter emissions requirements on coal-fired power plants together with low natural gas prices have contributed to a recent decline in the use of coal for electricity generation in the United States. Faced with a shrinking domestic market, many coal companies are taking advantage of a growing coal export market. As a result, U.S. coal exports hit an all-time high in 2012, fueled largely by demand in Asia. This paper presents a comparative life cycle assessment of two scenarios: a baseline scenario in which coal continues to be burned domestically for power generation, and an export scenario in which coal is exported to Asia. For the coal export scenario we focus on the Morrow Pacific export project being planned in Oregon by Ambre Energy that would ship 8.8 million tons of Powder River Basin (PRB) coal annually to Asian markets via rail, river barge, and ocean vessel. Air emissions (SOx, NOx, PM10 and CO2e) results assuming that the exported coal is burned for electricity generation in South Korea are compared to those of a business as usual case in which Oregon and Washington's coal plants, Boardman and Centralia, are retrofitted to comply with EPA emissions standards and continue their coal consumption. Findings show that although the environmental impacts of shipping PRB coal to Asia are significant, the combination of superior energy efficiency among newer South Korean coal-fired power plants and lower emissions from U.S. replacement of coal with natural gas could lead to a greenhouse gas reduction of 21% in the case that imported PRB coal replaces other coal sources in this Asian country. If instead PRB coal were to replace natural gas or nuclear generation in South Korea, greenhouse gas emissions per unit of electricity generated would increase. Results are similar for other air emissions such as SOx, NOx and PM. This study provides a framework for comparing energy export scenarios and highlights the importance of complete life cycle assessment in determining net emissions effects resulting from energy export projects and related policy decisions.

Endosulfan Degradation by Selected Strains of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria.

PubMed

Rani, Rupa; Kumar, Vipin

2017-07-01

Sixty endosulfan tolerant bacterial strains were isolated from pesticide stressed agricultural soils. Five most tolerant strains were tested for plant growth promoting (PGP) activities and endosulfan degradation under different optimizing conditions in broth and soil. The strains PRB101 and PRB77 were the most efficient in terms of endosulfan degradation and PGP activities and showed solubilization indexes of 3.3 and 3.1 mm, indole acetic acid production of 71 and 68 μg mL -1 , siderophore zones of 13 mm each at the recommended dosage, respectively. Hydrogen cyanide and ammonia production remained unaffected in the presence of endosulfan. PRB101 and PRB77 strains were able to degrade 74% and 70% of endosulfan in broth and 67% and 63% in soil, respectively. Based on 16S rDNA analysis, the strains PRB101 and PRB77 exhibited 99% homology with Bacillus sp. KF984414 and Bacillus sp. LN849696, respectively.

Mass loads of dissolved and particulate mercury and other trace elements in the Mt. Amiata mining district, Southern Tuscany (Italy)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rimondi, V.; Costagliola, P.; Gray, J.E.; Lattanzi, P.; Nannucci, M.; Paolieri, M.; Salvadori, A.

2014-01-01

Total dissolved and particulate mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), and antimony (Sb) mass loads were estimated in different seasons (March and September 2011 and March 2012) in the Paglia River basin (PRB) (central Italy). The Paglia River drains the Mt. Amiata Hg district, one of the largest Hg-rich regions worldwide. Quantification of Hg, As, and Sb mass loads in this watershed allowed (1) identification of the contamination sources, (2) evaluation of the effects of Hg on the environment, and (3) determination of processes affecting Hg transport. The dominant source of Hg in the Paglia River is runoff from Hg mines in the Mt. Amiata region. The maximum Hg mass load was found to be related to runoff from the inactive Abbadia San Salvatore Mine (ASSM), and up to 30 g day−1 of Hg, dominantly in the particulate form, was transported both in high and low flow conditions in 2011. In addition, enrichment factors (EFs) calculated for suspended particulate matter (SPM) were similar in different seasons indicating that water discharge controls the quantities of Hg transported in the PRB, and considerable Hg was transported in all seasons studied. Overall, as much as 11 kg of Hg are discharged annually in the PRB and this Hg is transported downstream to the Tiber River, and eventually to the Mediterranean Sea. Similar to Hg, maximum mass loads for As and Sb were found in March 2011, when as much as 190 g day−1 each of As and Sb were measured from sites downstream from the ASSM. Therefore, the Paglia River represents a significant source of Hg, Sb, and As to the Mediterranean Sea.

pRb phosphorylation regulates the proliferation of supporting cells in gentamicin-damaged neonatal avian utricle.

PubMed

Wu, Jingfang; Sun, Shan; Li, Wenyan; Chen, Yan; Li, Huawei

2014-10-01

The ability of nonmammalian vertebrates to regenerate hair cells (HCs) after damage-induced HC loss has stimulated and inspired research in the field of HC regeneration. The protein pRb encoded by retinoblastoma gene Rb1 forces sensory progenitor cells to exit cell cycle and maintain differentiated HCs and supporting cells (SCs) in a quiescent state. pRb function is regulated by phosphorylation through the MEK/ERK or the pRb/Raf-1 signaling pathway. In our previous study, we have shown that pRb phosphorylation is crucial for progenitor cell proliferation and survival during the early embryonic stage of avian otocyst sensory epithelium development. However, in damaged avian utricle, the role of pRb in regulating the cell cycling of SCs or HCs regeneration still remains unclear. To further elucidate the function of pRb phosphorylation on SCs re-entering the cell cycle triggered by gentamycin-induced HCs damage, we isolated neonatal chicken utricles and treated them with the MEK inhibitor U0126 or the pRb/Raf-1 inhibitor RRD-251, respectively in vitro. We found that after gentamycin-induced HCs damage, pRb phosphorylation is important for the quiescent SCs re-entering the cell cycle in the neonatal chicken utricle. In addition, the proliferation of SCs decreased in a dose-dependent manner in response to both U0126 and RRD-251, which indicates that both the MEK/ERK and the pRb/Raf-1 signaling pathway play important roles in pRb phosphorylation in damaged neonatal chicken utricle. Together, these findings on the function of pRb in damaged neonatal chicken utricle improve our understanding of the regulation of the cell cycle of SCs after HCs loss and may shed light on the mammalian HC regeneration from SCs in damaged organs.

Expression of progesterone receptor B is associated with G0/G1 arrest of the cell cycle and growth inhibition in NIH3T3 cells

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

Horiuchi, Shinji; Kato, Kiyoko; Suga, Shin

2005-05-01

Previously, we found a significant reduction of progesterone receptor B (PR-B) expression levels in the Ras-mediated NIH3T3 cell transformation, and re-expression of exogenous PR-B eliminated the tumorigenic potential. We hypothesized that this reduction is of biological significance in cell transformation. In the present study, we determined the correlation between PR-B expression and cell cycle progression. In synchronized NIH3T3 cells, we found an increase in PR-B protein and p27 CDK inhibitor levels in the G0/G1 phase and a reduction due to redistribution in the S and G2/M phases. The MEK inhibitor or cAMP stimulation arrested NIH3T3 cells in the G0/G1 phasemore » of the cell cycle. The expression of PR-B and p27 CDK inhibitors was up-regulated by treatment with both the MEK inhibitor and cAMP. Treatment of synchronized cells with a PKA inhibitor in the presence of 1% calf serum resulted in a significant reduction in both PR-B and p27 levels. The decrease in the PR-B levels caused by anti-sense oligomers or siRNA corresponded to the reduction in p27 levels. PR-B overexpression by adenovirus infection induced p27 and suppressed cell growth. Finally, we showed that PR-B modulation involved in the regulation of NIH3T3 cell proliferation was independent of nuclear estrogen receptor (ER) activity but dependent on non-genomic ER activity.« less

78 FR 58383 - Senior Executive Service; Combined Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-23

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Senior Executive Service; Combined Performance Review Board (PRB) AGENCY: United States Mint (USM), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of members of Combined... Trade Bureau (TTB). The Combined PRB reviews the performance appraisals of career senior executives...

76 FR 63351 - Senior Executive Service; Financial Management Service Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-12

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Senior Executive Service; Financial Management Service Performance Review Board (PRB) AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice announces the appointment of members to the Financial Management Service (FMS) Performance Review Board (PRB...

77 FR 60177 - Senior Executive Service; Financial Management Service Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-02

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Senior Executive Service; Financial Management Service Performance Review Board (PRB) AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice announces the appointment of members to the Financial Management Service (FMS) Performance Review Board (PRB...

Chromium-removal processes during groundwater remediation by a zerovalent iron permeable reactive barrier.

PubMed

Wilkin, Richard T; Su, Chunming; Ford, Robert G; Paul, Cynthia J

2005-06-15

Solid-phase associations of chromium were examined in core materials collected from a full-scale, zerovalent iron permeable reactive barrier (PRB) at the U.S. Coast Guard Support Center located near Elizabeth City, NC. The PRB was installed in 1996 to treat groundwater contaminated with hexavalent chromium. After eight years of operation, the PRB remains effective at reducing concentrations of Cr from average values >1500 microg L(-1) in groundwater hydraulically upgradient of the PRB to values <1 microg L(-1) in groundwater within and hydraulically downgradient of the PRB. Chromium removal from groundwater occurs at the leading edge of the PRB and also within the aquifer immediately upgradient of the PRB. These regions also witness the greatest amount of secondary mineral formation due to steep geochemical gradients that result from the corrosion of zerovalent iron. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy indicated that chromium is predominantly in the trivalent oxidation state, confirming that reductive processes are responsible for Cr sequestration. XANES spectra and microscopy results suggest that Cr is, in part, associated with iron sulfide grains formed as a consequence of microbially mediated sulfate reduction in and around the PRB. Results of this study provide evidence that secondary iron-bearing mineral products may enhance the capacity of zerovalent iron systems to remediate Cr in groundwater, either through redox reactions at the mineral-water interface or by the release of Fe(II) to solution via mineral dissolution and/or metal corrosion.

Estimation and modeling of coal pore accessibility using small angle neutron scattering

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

Zhang, Rui; Liu, Shimin; Bahadur, Jitendra

Gas diffusion in coal is controlled by nano-structure of the pores. The interconnectivity of pores not only determines the dynamics of gas transport in the coal matrix but also influences the mechanical strength. In this study, small angle neutron scattering (SANS) was employed to quantify pore accessibility for two coal samples, one of sub-bituminous rank and the other of anthracite rank. Moreover, a theoretical pore accessibility model was proposed based on scattering intensities under both vacuum and zero average contrast (ZAC) conditions. Our results show that scattering intensity decreases with increasing gas pressure using deuterated methane (CD 4) at lowmore » Q values for both coals. Pores smaller than 40 nm in radius are less accessible for anthracite than sub-bituminous coal. On the contrary, when the pore radius is larger than 40 nm, the pore accessibility of anthracite becomes larger than that of sub-bituminous coal. Only 20% of pores are accessible to CD 4 for anthracite and 37% for sub-bituminous coal, where the pore radius is 16 nm. For these two coals, pore accessibility and pore radius follows a power-law relationship.« less

Estimation and modeling of coal pore accessibility using small angle neutron scattering

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Rui; Liu, Shimin; Bahadur, Jitendra; ...

2015-09-04

Gas diffusion in coal is controlled by nano-structure of the pores. The interconnectivity of pores not only determines the dynamics of gas transport in the coal matrix but also influences the mechanical strength. In this study, small angle neutron scattering (SANS) was employed to quantify pore accessibility for two coal samples, one of sub-bituminous rank and the other of anthracite rank. Moreover, a theoretical pore accessibility model was proposed based on scattering intensities under both vacuum and zero average contrast (ZAC) conditions. Our results show that scattering intensity decreases with increasing gas pressure using deuterated methane (CD 4) at lowmore » Q values for both coals. Pores smaller than 40 nm in radius are less accessible for anthracite than sub-bituminous coal. On the contrary, when the pore radius is larger than 40 nm, the pore accessibility of anthracite becomes larger than that of sub-bituminous coal. Only 20% of pores are accessible to CD 4 for anthracite and 37% for sub-bituminous coal, where the pore radius is 16 nm. For these two coals, pore accessibility and pore radius follows a power-law relationship.« less

Continuous bench-scale slurry catalyst testing direct coal liquefaction rawhide sub-bituminous coal

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

Bauman, R.F.; Coless, L.A.; Davis, S.M.

In 1992, the Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored research to demonstrate a dispersed catalyst system using a combination of molybdenum and iron precursors for direct coal liquefaction. This dispersed catalyst system was successfully demonstrated using Black Thunder sub-bituminous coal at Wilsonville, Alabama by Southern Electric International, Inc. The DOE sponsored research continues at Exxon Research and Development Laboratories (ERDL). A six month continuous bench-scale program using ERDL`s Recycle Coal Liquefaction Unit (RCLU) is planned, three months in 1994 and three months in 1995. The initial conditions in RCLU reflect experience gained from the Wilsonville facility in their Test Run 263.more » Rawhide sub-bituminous coal which is similar to the Black Thunder coal tested at Wilsonville was used as the feed coal. A slate of five dispersed catalysts for direct coal liquefaction of Rawhide sub-bituminous coal has been tested. Throughout the experiments, the molybdenum addition rate was held constant at 100 wppm while the iron oxide addition rate was varied from 0.25 to 1.0 weight percent (dry coal basis). This report covers the 1994 operations and accomplishments.« less

Continuous bench-scale slurry catalyst testing direct coal liquefaction of rawhide sub-bituminous coal

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

Bauman, R.F.; Coless, L.A.; Davis, S.M.

In 1992, the Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored research to demonstrate a dispersed catalyst system using a combination of molybdenum and iron precursors for direct coal liquefaction. This dispersed catalyst system was successfully demonstrated using Black Thunder sub-bituminous coal at Wilsonville, Alabama by Southern Electric International, Inc. The DOE sponsored research continues at Exxon Research and Development Laboratories (ERDL). A six month continuous bench-scale program using ERDL`s Recycle Coal Liquefaction Unit (RCLU) is planned, three months in 1994 and three months in 1995. The initial conditions in RCLU reflect experience gained from the Wilsonville facility in their Test Run 263.more » Rawhide sub-bituminous coal which is similar to the Black Thunder coal tested at Wilsonville was used as the feed coal. A slate of five dispersed catalysts for direct coal liquefaction of Rawhide sub-bituminous coal has been tested. Throughout the experiments, the molybdenum addition rate was held constant at 100 wppm while the iron oxide addition rate was varied from 0.25 to 1.0 weight percent (dry coal basis). This report covers the 1994 operations and accomplishments.« less

GROUND WATER ARSENIC AND METALS TREATMENT USING A COMBINATION COMPOST-ZVI PRB (ABSTRACT ONLY)

EPA Science Inventory

A pilot permeable reactive barrier (PRB) consisting of a mixture of leaf compost, zero-valent iron (ZVI), limestone and pea gravel was installed at a former phosphate fertilizer manufacturing facility in Charleston, S.C. in September 2002. The PRB is designed to treat arsenic an...

Treatment of Arsenic, Heavy Metals, and Acidity Using a Mixed ZVI-Compost PRB

EPA Science Inventory

A 30-month performance evaluation of a pilot permeable reactive barrier (PRB) consisting of a mixture of leaf compost, zero-valent iron (ZVI), limestone and pea gravel installed at a former phosphate fertilizer manufacturing facility was conducted. The PRB is designed to remove ...

TREATMENT OF ARSENIC AND METALS IN GROUND WATER USING A COMPOST-ZVI PRB

EPA Science Inventory

A pilot permeable reactive barrier (PRB) consisting of a mixture of leaf compost, zero-valent iron (ZVI), limestone and pea gravel was installed at a former phosphate fertilizer manufacturing facility in Charleston, S.C. in September 2002. The PRB is designed to treat arsenic an...

GROUND WATER ARSENIC AND METALS TREATMENT USING A COMBINATION COMPOST-ZVI PRB

EPA Science Inventory

A pilot permeable reactive barrier (PRB) consisting of a mixture of leaf compost, zero-valent iron (ZVI), limestone and pea gravel was installed at a former phosphate fertilizer manufacturing facility in Charleston, S.C. in September 2002. The PRB is designed to treat arsenic an...

CO2 Adsorption in Low-Rank Coals: Progress Toward Assessing the National Capacity to Store CO2 in the Subsurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanton, R. W.; Burruss, R. C.; Flores, R. M.; Warwick, P. D.

2001-05-01

Subsurface environments for geologic storage of CO2 from combustion of fossil fuel include saline formations, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, and unmineable coalbeds. Of these environments, storage in petroleum reservoirs and coal beds offers a potential economic benefit of enhanced recovery of energy resources. Meaningful assessment of the volume and geographic distribution of storage sites requires quantitative estimates of geologic factors that control storage capacity. The factors that control the storage capacity of unmineable coalbeds are poorly understood. In preparation for a USGS assessment of CO2 storage capacity we have begun new measurements of CO2 and CH4 adsorption isotherms of low-rank coal samples from 4 basins. Initial results for 13 samples of low-rank coal beds from the Powder River Basin (9 subbituminous coals), Greater Green River Basin (1 subbituminous coal), Williston Basin (2 lignites) and the Gulf Coast (1 lignite) indicate that their adsorption capacity is up to 10 times higher than it is for CH4. These values contrast with published measurements of the CO2 adsorption capacity of bituminous coals from the Fruitland Formation, San Juan basin, and Gates Formation, British Columbia, that indicate about twice as much carbon dioxide as methane can be adsorbed on coals. Because CH4 adsorption isotherms are commonly measured on coals, CO2 adsorption capacity can be estimated if thecorrect relationship between the gases is known. However, use a factor to predict CO2 adsorption that is twice that of CH4 adsorption, which is common in the published literature, grossly underestimates the storage capacity of widely distributed, thick low-rank coal beds. Complete petrographic and chemical characterization of these low-rank coal samples is in progress. Significant variations in adsorption measurements among samples are depicted depending on the reporting basis used. Properties were measured on an "as received" (moist) basis but can be converted to a dry basis, ash-free basis (moist), or dry ash-free basis to emphasize the property having the greatest effect on the adsorption isotherm. Initial results show that moisture content has a strong effect on CO2 adsorption. Our current sample base covers a limited range of coal rank and composition. Full characterization of the storage capacity of coalbeds in the US will require additional samples that cover a broader range of coal compositions, ranks, and depositional environments. Even at this preliminary stage, we can use results from the recent USGS assessment of the Powder River Basin (Wyoming and Montana) to examine the impact of these new measurements on estimates of storage capacity. At depths greater than 500 feet, the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone contains 360 billion metric tons of coal. Using the new measurements of CO2 storage capacity, this coal zone could, theoretically, sequester about 290 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of CO2. This estimate contrasts sharply with an estimated capacity of 70 TCF based on the published values for bituminous coals.

Hypoxia induces p53 accumulation in the S-phase and accumulation of hypophosphorylated retinoblastoma protein in all cell cycle phases of human melanoma cells.

PubMed Central

Danielsen, T.; Hvidsten, M.; Stokke, T.; Solberg, K.; Rofstad, E. K.

1998-01-01

Hypoxia has been shown to induce accumulation of p53 and of hypophosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (pRb) in tumour cells. In this study, the cell cycle dependence of p53 accumulation and pRb hypophosphorylation in four human melanoma cell lines that are wild type for p53 was investigated using two-parameter flow cytometry measurements of p53 or pRb protein content and DNA content. The hypoxia-induced increase in p53 protein was higher in S-phase than in G1 and G2 phases in all cell lines. The accumulation of p53 in S-phase during hypoxia was not related to hypoxia-induced apoptosis or substantial cell cycle specific cell inactivation during the first 24 h of reoxygenation. pRb was hypophosphorylated in all cell cycle phases by hypoxia treatment. The results did not support a direct link between p53 and pRb during hypoxia because p53 was induced in a cell cycle-specific manner, whereas no cell cycle-dependent differences in pRb hypophosphorylation were detected. Only a fraction of the cell populations (0.60+/-0.10) showed hypophosphorylated pRb. Thus, pRb is probably not the only mediator of the hypoxia-induced cell cycle block seen in all cells and all cell cycle phases. Moreover, the cell cycle-dependent induction of p53 by hypoxia suggests that the primary function of p53 accumulation during hypoxia is other than to arrest the cells. Images Figure 4 Figure 7 PMID:9862563

Analyzing the Impact of Refunding Postretirement Benefits other than Pensions (PRB) on Department of Defense Contracting

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-01

eligibles plus non-3ligibles equals total active employees) Several key concepts provide the foundation for SFAS 106 PRB accrual costs: Expected...will lump-together dependents and survivors along with current retirees in a category called simply "retirees". 40 EXHIBIT 8 PRB Acturial Assumptions a

APC/C and retinoblastoma interaction: cross-talk of retinoblastoma protein with the ubiquitin proteasome pathway.

PubMed

Ramanujan, Ajeena; Tiwari, Swati

2016-10-01

The ubiquitin (Ub) ligase anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) and the tumour suppressor retinoblastoma protein (pRB) play key roles in cell cycle regulation. APC/C is a critical regulator of mitosis and G1-phase of the cell cycle whereas pRB keeps a check on proliferation by inhibiting transition to the S-phase. APC/C and pRB interact with each other via the co-activator of APC/C, FZR1, providing an alternative pathway of regulation of G1 to S transition by pRB using a post-translational mechanism. Both pRB and FZR1 have complex roles and are implicated not only in regulation of cell proliferation but also in differentiation, quiescence, apoptosis, maintenance of chromosomal integrity and metabolism. Both are also targeted by transforming viruses. We discuss recent advances in our understanding of the involvement of APC/C and pRB in cell cycle based decisions and how these insights will be useful for development of anti-cancer and anti-viral drugs. © 2016 The Author(s).

APC/C and retinoblastoma interaction: cross-talk of retinoblastoma protein with the ubiquitin proteasome pathway

PubMed Central

Ramanujan, Ajeena; Tiwari, Swati

2016-01-01

The ubiquitin (Ub) ligase anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) and the tumour suppressor retinoblastoma protein (pRB) play key roles in cell cycle regulation. APC/C is a critical regulator of mitosis and G1-phase of the cell cycle whereas pRB keeps a check on proliferation by inhibiting transition to the S-phase. APC/C and pRB interact with each other via the co-activator of APC/C, FZR1, providing an alternative pathway of regulation of G1 to S transition by pRB using a post-translational mechanism. Both pRB and FZR1 have complex roles and are implicated not only in regulation of cell proliferation but also in differentiation, quiescence, apoptosis, maintenance of chromosomal integrity and metabolism. Both are also targeted by transforming viruses. We discuss recent advances in our understanding of the involvement of APC/C and pRB in cell cycle based decisions and how these insights will be useful for development of anti-cancer and anti-viral drugs. PMID:27402801

Binding of the fibronectin-mimetic peptide, PR_b, to α5β1 on pig islet cells increases fibronectin production and facilitates internalization of PR_b functionalized liposomes

PubMed Central

Atchison, Nicole A.; Fan, Wei; Papas, Klearchos K.; Hering, Bernhard J.; Tsapatsis, Michael; Kokkoli, Efrosini

2010-01-01

Islet transplantation is a promising treatment for type 1 diabetes. Recent studies have demonstrated that human islet allografts can restore insulin independence to patients with this disease. As islet isolation and immunotherapeutic techniques improve, the demand for this cell-based therapy will dictate the need for other sources of islets. Pig islets could provide an unlimited supply for xenotransplantation and have shown promise as an alternative to human islet allografts. However, stresses imposed during islet isolation and transplantation decrease islet viability, leading to loss of graft function. In this study, we investigated the ability of a fibronectin-mimetic peptide, PR_b, which specifically binds to the α5β1 integrin, to reestablish lost extracellular matrix (ECM) around isolated pig islets and increase internalization of liposomes. Confocal microscopy and western blotting were used to show the presence of the integrin α5β1 on the pig islets on day 0 (day of isolation), as well as different days of islet culture. Islets cultured in medium supplemented with free PR_b for 48 hours were found to have increased levels of ECM fibronectin secretion compared to islets in normal culture conditions. Using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry we found that PR_b peptide-amphiphile functionalized liposomes delivered to the pig islets internalized into the cells in a PR_b concentration dependent manner, and non-functionalized liposomes showed minimal internalization. These studies proved that the fibronectin-mimetic peptide, PR_b, is an appropriate peptide bullet for applications involving α5β1 expressing pig islet cells. Fibronectin production stimulated through α5β1 PR_b binding may decrease apoptosis and therefore increase islet viability in culture. In addition, PR_b peptide-amphiphile functionalized liposomes may be used for targeted delivery of different agents to pig islet cells. PMID:20704278

Emerging differential roles of the pRb tumor suppressor in trichodysplasia spinulosa-associated polyomavirus and Merkel cell polyomavirus pathogeneses.

PubMed

Wu, Julie H; Simonette, Rebecca A; Nguyen, Harrison P; Doan, Hung Q; Rady, Peter L; Tyring, Stephen K

2016-03-01

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) and trichodysplasia spinulosa (TS) are two proliferative cutaneous diseases caused by the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) and trichodysplasia spinulosa-associated polyomavirus (TSPyV) respectively. Recently, studies have elucidated a key role of the small tumor (sT) antigen in the proliferative pathogenic mechanisms of MCPyV and likely TSPyV. While both sT antigens have demonstrated a capacity in regulating cellular pathways, it remains unknown whether MCPyV and TSPyV sT antigens contribute similarly or differentially to cell proliferation. The present study aims to explore the proliferative potential of MCPyV and TSPyV sT antigens by investigating their regulatory effects on the retinoblastoma protein (pRb) tumor suppressor. Inducible cell lines expressing MCPyV sT or TSPyV sT were created using a lentiviral packaging system. Cellular proteins were extracted and subjected to SDS-PAGE followed by Western blot detection and densitometric analysis. Expression of TSPyV sT markedly enhanced the phosphorylation of pRb in Western blot experiments. In contrast, expression of MCPyV sT did not alter pRb phosphorylation under the same experimental conditions. Densitometric analysis revealed that TSPyV sT antigen expression nearly doubled the ratio of phosphorylated to total pRb (P<0.001, Student's T-test), while MCPyV sT antigen expression did not cause significant change in pRb phosphorylation status. Given that hyperphosphorylation of pRb is associated with dysregulation of the cell cycle, S-phase induction, and increased cell proliferation, our findings support an important role of TSPyV-mediated pRb deactivation in the development of TS. The observation that the pRb tumor suppressor is inactivated by TSPyV sT but not MCPyV sT provides further insights into the distinct pathobiological mechanisms of MCC and TS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Contaminated Ground Water at Solid Waste Management Unit 12, Naval Weapons Station Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina, 2006-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, Don A.; Petkewich, Matthew D.; Lowery, Mark A.; Conlon, Kevin J.; Harrelson, Larry G.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey investigated natural and engineered remediation of chlorinated volatile organic compound (VOC) ground-water contamination at Solid Waste Management Unit 12 at the Naval Weapons Station Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina, beginning in 2000. The primary contaminants of interest in the study are tetrachloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, vinyl chloride, 1,1-dichloroethane, and 1,1-dichloroethene. The permeable reactive barrier (PRB) along the main axis of the contaminant plume appears to be actively removing contamination. In contrast to the central area of the PRB, the data from the southern end of the PRB indicate that contaminants are moving around the PRB. Concentrations in wells 12MW-10S and 12MW-03S, upgradient from the PRB, showed a general decrease in VOC concentrations. VOC concentrations in some wells in the forest showed a sharp increase, followed by a decrease. In 2007, the VOC concentrations began to increase in well 12MW-12S, downgradient from the PRB and thought to be unaffected by the PRB. The VOC-concentration changes in the forest, such as at well 12MW-12S, may represent lateral shifting of the plume in response to changes in ground-water-flow direction or may represent movement of a contamination pulse through the forest.

CARBON-BASED REACTIVE BARRIER FOR NITRATE ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Nitrate (NO3-) is a common ground water contaminant related to agricultural activity, waste water disposal, leachate from landfills, septic systems, and industrial processes. This study reports on the performance of a carbon-based permeable reactive barrier (PRB) that was constructed for in-situ bioremediation of a ground water nitrate plume caused by leakage from a swine CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation) lagoon. The swine CAFO, located in Logan County, Oklahoma, was in operation from 1992-1999. The overall site remediation strategy includes an ammonia recovery trench to intercept ammonia-contaminated ground water and a hay straw PRB which is used to intercept a nitrate plume caused by nitrification of sorbed ammonia. The PRB extends approximately 260 m to intercept the nitrate plume. The depth of the trench averages 6 m and corresponds to the thickness of the surficial saturated zone; the width of the trench is 1.2 m. Detailed quarterly monitoring of the PRB began in March, 2004, about 1 year after construction activities ended. Nitrate concentrations hydraulically upgradient of the PRB have ranged from 23 to 77 mg/L N, from 0 to 3.2 mg/L N in the PRB, and from 0 to 65 mg/L N hydraulically downgradient of the PRB. Nitrate concentrations have generally decreased in downgradient locations with successive monitoring events. Mass balance considerations indicate that nitrate attenuation is dominantly from denitrification but with some component of

Effect of nitrate, acetate and hydrogen on native perchlorate-reducing microbial communities and their activity in vadose soil

PubMed Central

Nozawa-Inoue, Mamie; Jien, Mercy; Yang, Kun; Rolston, Dennis E.; Hristova, Krassimira R.; Scow, Kate M.

2011-01-01

Effect of nitrate, acetate and hydrogen on native perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) was examined by conducting microcosm tests using vadose soil collected from a perchlorate-contaminated site. The rate of perchlorate reduction was enhanced by hydrogen amendment and inhibited by acetate amendment, compared to unamendment. Nitrate was reduced before perchlorate in all amendments. In hydrogen-amended and unamended soils, nitrate delayed perchlorate reduction, suggesting the PRB preferentially use nitrate as an electron acceptor. In contrast, nitrate eliminated the inhibitory effect of acetate amendment on perchlorate reduction and increased the rate and the extent, possibly because the preceding nitrate reduction/denitrification decreased the acetate concentration which was inhibitory to the native PRB. In hydrogen-amended and unamended soils, perchlorate reductase gene (pcrA) copies, representing PRB densities, increased with either perchlorate or nitrate reduction, suggesting either perchlorate or nitrate stimulates growth of the PRB. In contrast, in acetate-amended soil pcrA increased only when perchlorate was depleted: a large portion of the PRB may have not utilized nitrate in this amendment. Nitrate addition did not alter the distribution of the dominant pcrA clones in hydrogen-amended soil, likely because of the functional redundancy of PRB as nitrate-reducers/denitrifiers, whereas acetate selected different pcrA clones from those with hydrogen amendment. PMID:21284679

Run 263 with Black Thunder Mine subbituminous coal and dispersed molybdenum catalysts. Technical progress report

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

Not Available

This report presents the results of Run 263 performed at the Advanced Coal Liquefaction R&D Facility in Wilsonville, Alabama. The run started on October 31, 1991 and continued until February 23, 1992. Tests were conducted by operating the reactors in the Close-Coupled Integrated Two-Stage Liquefaction mode and by processing Black Thunder Mine subbituminous coal from Wyodak-Anderson seam in Wyoming Powder River Basin. Half volume reactors were used for the entire run. In the first part of Run 263, a dispersed molybdenum catalyst was evaluated for its performance without a supported catalyst in the second stage. Molyvan L and Molyvan 822more » (commercially available as friction reducing lubricants) were used as precursors for the dispersed molybdenum catalyst. The effect of the dispersed catalyst on eliminating the solids buildup was also evaluated. For the second part of the run, the hybrid catalyst system was tested with supported Criterion 324 1/1611 catalyst in the second stage at catalyst replacement rates of 2 and 3 lb/ton of MF coal. The molybdenum concentration was 100--200 ppm based on MF coal. Iron oxide was used as a slurry catalyst precursor at a rate of 1--2 wt % MF coal throughout the run with dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) as the sulfiding agent. The close-coupled reactor unit was on-stream for 2482 hours for an on-stream factor of 91.2% and the ROSE-SR{sup sm} unit was on-feed for 2126 hours for an on-stream factor of 96.4% for the entire run.« less

Run 263 with Black Thunder Mine subbituminous coal and dispersed molybdenum catalysts

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

Not Available

This report presents the results of Run 263 performed at the Advanced Coal Liquefaction R D Facility in Wilsonville, Alabama. The run started on October 31, 1991 and continued until February 23, 1992. Tests were conducted by operating the reactors in the Close-Coupled Integrated Two-Stage Liquefaction mode and by processing Black Thunder Mine subbituminous coal from Wyodak-Anderson seam in Wyoming Powder River Basin. Half volume reactors were used for the entire run. In the first part of Run 263, a dispersed molybdenum catalyst was evaluated for its performance without a supported catalyst in the second stage. Molyvan L and Molyvanmore » 822 (commercially available as friction reducing lubricants) were used as precursors for the dispersed molybdenum catalyst. The effect of the dispersed catalyst on eliminating the solids buildup was also evaluated. For the second part of the run, the hybrid catalyst system was tested with supported Criterion 324 1/1611 catalyst in the second stage at catalyst replacement rates of 2 and 3 lb/ton of MF coal. The molybdenum concentration was 100--200 ppm based on MF coal. Iron oxide was used as a slurry catalyst precursor at a rate of 1--2 wt % MF coal throughout the run with dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) as the sulfiding agent. The close-coupled reactor unit was on-stream for 2482 hours for an on-stream factor of 91.2% and the ROSE-SR[sup sm] unit was on-feed for 2126 hours for an on-stream factor of 96.4% for the entire run.« less

Increased progesterone receptor expression in uterine leiomyoma: correlation with age, number of leiomyomas, and clinical symptoms.

PubMed

Tsigkou, Anastasia; Reis, Fernando M; Lee, Meng H; Jiang, Bingjie; Tosti, Claudia; Centini, Gabriele; Shen, Fang-Rong; Chen, You-Guo; Petraglia, Felice

2015-07-01

To investigate the possible correlation between progesterone receptor (PR) expression in uterine leiomyoma or adjacent myometrium and patient's age, size/number of leiomyomas, or clinical symptoms such as dysmenorrhea, acyclic pelvic pain, or menstrual and intermenstrual uterine bleeding. Cross-sectional study. Referral center. Sixty-two Chinese women undergoing elective hysterectomy for uterine leiomyomata. None. Evaluation of PR-total and PR-B mRNA with real-time polymerase chain reaction; PR-A and PR-B proteins quantified by Western blot in leiomyoma tissue and myometrium; symptoms rated by the patients using visual analog scores. The PR-B mRNA and PR-A and PR-B proteins were more concentrated in leiomyomas than in matched myometrium. A direct correlation between PR-B mRNA levels in leiomyoma and age (r = 0.347) and number of tumors (r = 0.295) was found. Conversely, there was an inverse correlation between PR-B mRNA levels in leiomyoma and dysmenorrhea (r = -0.260) and intermenstrual bleeding (r = -0.266). Multiple regression analysis indicated that age (β = 0.363) and the number of myomas (β = 0.296) were independently associated with PR-B mRNA levels in leiomyoma tissue. The levels of PR-B mRNA in leiomyoma tissue are directly associated with the number of tumors and inversely correlated with the intensity of intermenstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea, suggesting that PR signaling may favor leiomyoma growth while attenuating clinical symptoms. This duality should be taken into account in the clinical management of patients with symptomatic uterine leiomyoma. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High Background Ozone Events in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria Area: Effects from Central American Fires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, R.; Wang, S. C.; Yang, S.; Wang, Y.; Talbot, R. W.

2016-12-01

The policy-relevant background (PRB) ozone is defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the surface ozone mixing ratio that would occur over the U.S. without North American anthropogenic emission influences. PRB ozone over the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB) area may be affected by foreign sources due to its unique geographical location and meteorology. Our monitoring data revealed several high ozone events over HGB area which might be caused by Central American fire during the years of 2013-2015. To qualify the effects from Central American fire, we estimated the US, Central American and worldwide background over HGB area during those events using the GEOS-Chem global 3-D model. Anomalies in fire emissions leading to high PRB ozone were mapped through spatiotemporal sampling of the Fire INventory from NCAR (FINN) along background trajectories of air masses affecting the HGB area prior to and during the selected high PRB ozone days. Daily HGB PRB ozone estimated by researchers at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) was used as the data source to validate model results. Results showed that contribution of emission from Central American to HGB PRB ozone could be tripled during fire events compared to non-impacted fire days. Besides fire emissions from Central American, different types of meteorological events (e.g., cold fronts and thunderstorms) and high local photochemical production (e.g., heat waves and stagnation) are also found associated with high PRB ozone in HGB area during these events. Thus we imply that synthetic contribution from foreign sources and local meteorology to HGB PRB ozone warrants further investigated.

Detrital Thermochronology Record of the Local-to-Extraregional Provenance Shift Recorded by the Northern Peninsular Ranges Forearc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, M.; Shulaker, D. Z.

2016-12-01

Previously measured detrital zircon U-Pb age distributions have revealed that Late Cretaceous to Eocene forearc strata in the Santa Ana mountains region experienced a dramatic shift in sedimentary provenance from a 125-90 Ma northern Peninsular Ranges batholith (PRB) source region along the continental margin to a cratonal source area intruded by Late Cretaceous (85-75 Ma) plutons within the continental interior (western Sonora). To improve our understanding of the timing and magnitude of denudation prior to, and during this local to extraregional provenance shift, we have measured new detrital K-feldspar 40Ar/39Ar total fusion and zircon U-Pb age distributions from forearc sandstones. Our combined crystallization age and thermal history results confirm two pulses of rapid denudation of the PRB. These include a syn-batholith phase (Cenomanian) and a post-batholithic (Maastrichtian to Paleocene) phase attributed to shallow subduction. The new data require that significant (5-10 km) syn-batholithic erosional denudation of the northern PRB had already occurred by ca. 95 Ma and that post-emplacement denudation of the PRB accelerated again during the Maastrichtian with the eastern PRB providing the bulk of the detritus. Our new results demonstrate that deposition of the Paleocene Silverado Fm. occurred during a transitional period. Sand reaching the forearc during the Paleocene was derived from both the heavily denuded eastern PRB with additional input supplied either from Late Cretaceous plutons of northwestern Sonoran region and/or similar plutons emplaced in thrust sheets atop PRB basement within the Santa Rosa Mountains. In contrast, the Eocene Santiago Fm. was nearly entirely derived from extraregional sources that supplied abundant late Cretaceous (75-85 Ma) and Proterozoic (1.4 & 1.7 Ga) detritus with virtually no PRB-derived sediment detected.

Remediation of nitrate-contaminated groundwater by PRB-Electrokinetic integrated process.

PubMed

Ghaeminia, Mahdyar; Mokhtarani, Nader

2018-05-30

Activated carbon is used as a reactive media in Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) for the removal of inorganic contaminants such as nitrate from groundwater. Since removal rate by this media decreases by time and due to the high costs of excavation and replacement of new media, the usage of activated carbon as an adsorbent in PRB is limited. The present study aimed to solve this defect by integrating electrokinetic process and PRB, using in-situ regeneration of activated carbon. This research was carried out on a laboratory scale using synthetically contaminated water and modified activated carbon as a reactive media in PRB. The effects of pH, nitrate concentration, carbon to sand ratio, and also electric gradient on the performance of the process were evaluated, and optimal conditions were determined, to increase the system longevity. According to the results, by applying an electric gradient of 1.25 V cm -1 to the PRB alone process in optimum operating condition (135 mg L -1 initial nitrate concentration, flow rate of 2.3 L min -1 , pH = 6.8, and carbon to sand ratios of 1:1) the adsorbent capacity increased by 90%. Under these conditions, the integrated process could keep nitrate concentration in the effluent below the standard limit for about 111 h, while the PRB alone process could do the same job for about 59 h. Also, SEM analysis showed that by applying electrokinetic process, activated carbon was regenerated. Integration of electrokinetic process and PRB was also caused nitrate to transfer from activated carbon media into the soil layer above the system. This nitrate-rich soil has the potential for reuse in agricultural activities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Active FOXO1 is a Key Determinant of Isoform-Specific Progesterone Receptor Transactivation and Senescence Programming

PubMed Central

Diep, Caroline H.; Knutson, Todd P.; Lange, Carol A.

2015-01-01

Progesterone promotes differentiation coupled to proliferation and pro-survival in the breast, but inhibits estrogen-driven growth in the reproductive tract and ovaries. Herein, it is demonstrated, using progesterone receptor (PR) isoform-specific ovarian cancer model systems, that PR-A and PR-B promote distinct gene expression profiles that differ from PR-driven genes in breast cancer cells. In ovarian cancer models, PR-A primarily regulates genes independently of progestin, while PR-B is the dominant ligand-dependent isoform. Notably, FOXO1 and the PR/FOXO1 target-gene p21 (CDKN1A) are repressed by PR-A, but induced by PR-B. In the presence of progestin, PR-B, but not PR-A, robustly induced cellular senescence via FOXO1-dependent induction of p21 and p15 (CDKN2B). Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays performed on PR-isoform specific cells demonstrated that while each isoform is recruited to the same PRE-containing region of the p21 promoter in response to progestin, only PR-B elicits active chromatin marks. Overexpression of constitutively active FOXO1 in PR-A-expressing cells conferred robust ligand-dependent upregulation of the PR-B target genes GZMA, IGFBP1, and p21, and induced cellular senescence. In the presence of endogenous active FOXO1, PR-A was phosphorylated on Ser294 and transactivated PR-B at PR-B target genes; these events were blocked by the FOXO1 inhibitor (AS1842856). PR isoform-specific regulation of the FOXO1/p21 axis recapitulated in human primary ovarian tumor explants treated with progestin; loss of progestin sensitivity correlated with high AKT activity. PMID:26577046

Full scale calcium bromide injection with subsequent mercury oxidation and removal within wet flue gas desulphurization system: Experience at a 700 MW coal-fired power facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry, Mark Simpson

The Environmental Protection Agency promulgated the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule, which requires that existing power plants reduce mercury emissions to meet an emission rate of 1.2 lb/TBtu on a 30-day rolling average and that new plants meet a 0.0002 lb/GWHr emission rate. This translates to mercury removals greater than 90% for existing units and greater than 99% for new units. Current state-of-the-art technology for the control of mercury emissions uses activated carbon injected upstream of a fabric filter, a costly proposition. For example, a fabric filter, if not already available, would require a 200M capital investment for a 700 MW size unit. A lower-cost option involves the injection of activated carbon into an existing cold-side electrostatic precipitator. Both options would incur the cost of activated carbon, upwards of 3M per year. The combination of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) reactors and wet flue gas desulphurization (wet FGD) systems have demonstrated the ability to substantially reduce mercury emissions, especially at units that burn coals containing sufficient halogens. Halogens are necessary for transforming elemental mercury to oxidized mercury, which is water-soluble. Plants burning halogen-deficient coals such as Power River Basin (PRB) coals currently have no alternative but to install activated carbon-based approaches to control mercury emissions. This research consisted of investigating calcium bromide addition onto PRB coal as a method of increasing flue gas halogen concentration. The treated coal was combusted in a 700 MW boiler and the subsequent treated flue gas was introduced into a wet FGD. Short-term parametric and an 83-day longer-term tests were completed to determine the ability of calcium bromine to oxidize mercury and to study the removal of the mercury in a wet FGD. The research goal was to show that calcium bromine addition to PRB coal was a viable approach for meeting the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule for existing boilers. The use of calcium bromide injection as an alternative to activated carbon approaches could save millions of dollars. The technology application described herein has the potential to reduce compliance cost by $200M for a 700 MW facility burning PRB coal.

Linking field and laboratory studies to investigate nitrate removal using permeable reactive barrier technology during managed recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorski, G.; Beganskas, S.; Weir, W. B.; Redford, K.; Saltikov, C.; Fisher, A. T.

2017-12-01

We present data from a series of field and laboratory studies investigating mechanisms for the enhanced removal of nitrate during infiltration as a part of managed recharge. These studies combine physical, geochemical, and microbiological data collected during controlled infiltration experiments at both a plot and a laboratory scale using permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technology. The presence of a PRB, made of wood chips or biochar, enhances nitrate removal by stimulating the growth and productivity of native soil microbes to process nitrate via denitrification. Earlier work has shown that unamended soil can remove up to 50% of nitrate during infiltration at rates <1 m/day, but at higher infiltration rates nitrate removal dramatically decreases as too much oxygen is introduced, and the necessary conditions for denitrification do not develop. Our plot scale studies show that up to 40% of incoming nitrate can consistently be removed even at infiltration rates ≥1 m/day if there is a PRB made of wood chips. Slightly less nitrate is removed in the presence of a biochar PRB and there is little to no change in nitrate concentration at similarly high infiltration rates through unamended soil. Preliminary microbiological data show significant population changes below the PRB where most of the cycling occurs. Coupled with isotopic analyses, these results suggest that a PRB expands the range of infiltration rates at which significant nitrate can be removed by microbial activity. Further, nitrate removal occurs at different depths below the biochar and redwood chips, suggesting different mechanisms of nitrate removal in the presence of different PRB materials. In laboratory studies we flowed artificial groundwater through intact sediment cores collected at the same field site where we also ran infiltration tests. These experiments show that the fluid flow rate and the presence of a PRB exhibit primary control on nitrate removal during infiltration, and that the relationship between flow rate and nitrate removal is fundamentally different in the presence of a PRB. These data from multiple scales and flow regimes are combined to offer a deeper understanding how the use of PRB technology during infiltration can help address a significant non-point source issue at the surface-subsurface interface.

Sonic hedgehog initiates cochlear hair cell regeneration through downregulation of retinoblastoma protein

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

Lu, Na; Department of Otolaryngology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School and Eaton Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA 02114; Chen, Yan

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Shh activation in neonatal cochleae enhances sensory cell proliferation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Proliferating supporting cells can transdifferentiate into hair cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Shh promotes proliferation by transiently modulating pRb activity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Shh inhibits pRb by inhibiting transcription and increasing phosphorylation of pRb. -- Abstract: Cell cycle re-entry by cochlear supporting cells and/or hair cells is considered one of the best approaches for restoring hearing loss as a result of hair cell damage. To identify mechanisms that can be modulated to initiate cell cycle re-entry and hair cell regeneration, we studied the effect of activating the sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway. We showmore » that Shh signaling in postnatal rat cochleae damaged by neomycin leads to renewed proliferation of supporting cells and hair cells. Further, proliferating supporting cells are likely to transdifferentiate into hair cells. Shh treatment leads to inhibition of retinoblastoma protein (pRb) by increasing phosphorylated pRb and reducing retinoblastoma gene transcription. This results in upregulation of cyclins B1, D2, and D3, and CDK1. These results suggest that Shh signaling induces cell cycle re-entry in cochlear sensory epithelium and the production of new hair cells, in part by attenuating pRb function. This study provides an additional route to modulate pRb function with important implications in mammalian hair cell regeneration.« less

Assessment of the petroleum, coal and geothermal resources of the economic community of West African States (ECOWAS) Region

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

Mattick, Robert E.; Spencer, Frank D.; Zihlman, Frederick N.

1982-01-01

Approximately 85 percent of the land area of the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) region is covered by basement rocks (igneous and highly metamorphosed rocks) or relatively thin layers of Paleozoic, Upper Precambrian, and Continental Intercalaire sedimentary rocks. These areas have little or no petroleum potential. The ECOWAS region can be divided into 13 sedimentary basins on the basis of analysis of the geologic framework of Africa. These 13 basins can be further grouped into 8 categories on the basis of similarities in stratigraphy, geologic history, and probable hydrocarbon potential. The author has attempted to summarize the petroleummore » potential within the geologic framework of the region. The coal discoveries can be summarized as follows: the Carboniferous section in the Niger Basin; the Paleocene-Maestrichtian, Maestrichtian, and Eocene sections in the Niger Delta and Benin; the Maestrichtian section in the Senegal Basin; and the Pleistocene section in Sierra Leone. The only proved commercial deposits are the Paleocene-Maestrichtian and Maestrichtian subbituminous coal beds of the Niger Delta. Some of the lignite deposits of the Niger Delta and Senegal Basin, however, may be exploitable in the future. Published literature contains limited data on heat-flow values in the ECOWAS region. It is inferred, however, from the few values available and the regional geology that the development of geothermal resources, in general, would be uneconomical. Exceptions may include a geopressured zone in the Niger Delta and areas of recent tectonic activity in the Benue Trough and Cameroon. Development of the latter areas under present economic conditions is not feasible.« less

Dissociation of retinoblastoma gene protein hyperphosphorylation and commitment to enter S phase.

PubMed Central

Ogryzko, V V; Hirai, T H; Shih, C E; Howard, B H

1994-01-01

Mitogenic activities of simian virus 40 large T and small t antigens were studied in serum-deprived human diploid fibroblasts. Wild-type large T and small t cooperated in stimulating DNA synthesis and in inducing hyperphosphorylation of the Rb gene product (pRb). In contrast, a T antigen mutant defective for pRb binding (Rb- T) possessed no detectable mitogenic activity alone and failed to complement small t in stimulating DNA synthesis. Surprisingly, Rb- T and small t cooperated as strongly as wild-type T and small t with respect to pRb hyperphosphorylation. As a consequence, in two closely related conditions (i.e., stimulation by small t plus wild-type T versus small t plus Rb- T), the fraction of pRb in hyperphosphorylated forms dissociated from the fraction of cells in the S phase. These results indicate that pRb hyperphosphorylation is not always tightly coupled with a commitment to initiate DNA replication. Images PMID:8189510

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

Bulut, Y.; Karayigit, A.I.

The coal-bearing Soma basin is one of the most productive lacustrine coal basins of western Anatolia-Turkey. This study mainly focuses on petrography of the feed coals (FCs) in the Soma power plant. A total of 16 feed coal samples were systematically collected once a week over an eight-week period from both group boiler units, B1-4 with 660 MW and B5-6 with 330 MW capacity. The most abundant maceral group of FCs is huminite, in which texto-ulminite, eu-ulminite, attrinite, densinite are rich. Liptinite group macerals in FCs include mainly sporinite, resinite, and liptodetrinite, which are considerably higher than the other identifiedmore » liptinite macerals. In the inertinite group, fusinite and inertodetrinite are more abundant. Identifiable minerals with petrographical studies are pyrite, siderite, other minerals (e. g., carbonates, clay minerals, quartz, feldspar, etc.), and fossil shells. This study shows that FCs used are subbituminous in rank with mean random ulminite reflectance of 0.43% Rr oil from B1-4 units and 0.39% Rr oil from B5-6 units. This indicates that coal rank is slightly higher in the central mines (southern Soma) than in the Denis mines (northern Soma).« less

Whole-exome sequencing reveals novel mutations and epigenetic regulation in hypopharyngeal carcinoma

PubMed Central

Wu, Ping; Wu, Honglong; Tang, Yaoyun; Luo, Shi; Fang, Xing; Xie, Chubo; He, Jian; Zhao, Suping; Wang, Xiaofeng; Xu, Jiajia; Chen, Xi; Li, Dongfang; Yang, Huanming; Wang, Jian

2017-01-01

Hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) frequently presents at an advanced stage, resulting in poor prognosis. Although combined surgical therapy and chemoradiotherapy have improved the survival for patients with HPC over the past 3 decades, the mortality rate in late-stage diagnosis of HPC is unsatisfactory. In this study, we performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) of 23 hypopharyngeal tumor and paired adjacent normal tissue to identify novel candidate driver genes associated with hypopharyngeal carcinoma. We identified several copy number variants (CNVs) and 15 somatic mutation genes that were associated with hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Mutations in nine new genes (PRB4, NSD1, REC8, ZNF772, ZNF69, EI24, CYFIP2, NEFH, KRTAP4-5) were also indentified. PRB4 and NSD1 expression were significantly upregulated in hypopharyngeal carcinoma, which was confirmed in an independent cohort using IHC. There was a positive relationship between PRB4 and NSD1. Downregulation of PRB4 by siRNA could inhibit cell growth, colony formation and cell invasion. Notably, we here demonstrate that NSD1 could bind to the promoter regions of PRB4 and activate promoter activity by reducing the binding of H3K27me2 and increasing the binding of H3K36me2 on PRB4 promoter. In summary, we pinpoint the predominant mutations in hypopharyngeal carcinoma by WES, highlighting the substantial genetic alterations contributing to hypopharyngeal carcinoma tumorigenesis. We also indentify a novel epigenetically regulatory between PRB4 and NSD1 that contribute to hypopharyngeal carcinoma tumorigenesis. They may become potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic target for hypopharyngeal carcinoma treatment. PMID:29156722

Monitoring trichloroethene remediation at an iron permeable reactive barrier using stable carbon isotopic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

VanStone, Nancy; Przepiora, Andrzej; Vogan, John; Lacrampe-Couloume, Georges; Powers, Brian; Perez, Ernesto; Mabury, Scott; Sherwood Lollar, Barbara

2005-08-01

Stable carbon isotopic analysis, in combination with compositional analysis, was used to evaluate the performance of an iron permeable reactive barrier (PRB) for the remediation of ground water contaminated with trichloroethene (TCE) at Spill Site 7 (SS7), F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. Compositional data indicated that although the PRB appeared to be reducing TCE to concentrations below treatment goals within and immediately downgradient of the PRB, concentrations remained higher than expected at wells further downgradient (i.e. > 9 m) of the PRB. At two wells downgradient of the PRB, TCE concentrations were comparable to upgradient values, and δ13C values of TCE at these wells were not significantly different than upgradient values. Since the process of sorption/desorption does not significantly fractionate carbon isotope values, this suggests that the TCE observed at these wells is desorbing from local aquifer materials and was present before the PRB was installed. In contrast, three other downgradient wells show significantly more enriched δ13C values compared to the upgradient mean. In addition, δ13C values for the degradation products of TCE, cis-dichloroethene and vinyl chloride, show fractionation patterns expected for the products of the reductive dechlorination of TCE. Since concentrations of both TCE and degradation products drop to below detection limit in wells within the PRB and directly below it, these downgradient chlorinated hydrocarbon concentrations are attributed to desorption from local aquifer material. The carbon isotope values indicate that this dissolved contaminant is subject to local degradation, likely due to in situ microbial activity.

Monitoring trichloroethene remediation at an iron permeable reactive barrier using stable carbon isotopic analysis.

PubMed

VanStone, Nancy; Przepiora, Andrzej; Vogan, John; Lacrampe-Couloume, Georges; Powers, Brian; Perez, Ernesto; Mabury, Scott; Sherwood Lollar, Barbara

2005-08-01

Stable carbon isotopic analysis, in combination with compositional analysis, was used to evaluate the performance of an iron permeable reactive barrier (PRB) for the remediation of ground water contaminated with trichloroethene (TCE) at Spill Site 7 (SS7), F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. Compositional data indicated that although the PRB appeared to be reducing TCE to concentrations below treatment goals within and immediately downgradient of the PRB, concentrations remained higher than expected at wells further downgradient (i.e. >9 m) of the PRB. At two wells downgradient of the PRB, TCE concentrations were comparable to upgradient values, and delta13C values of TCE at these wells were not significantly different than upgradient values. Since the process of sorption/desorption does not significantly fractionate carbon isotope values, this suggests that the TCE observed at these wells is desorbing from local aquifer materials and was present before the PRB was installed. In contrast, three other downgradient wells show significantly more enriched delta13C values compared to the upgradient mean. In addition, delta13C values for the degradation products of TCE, cis-dichloroethene and vinyl chloride, show fractionation patterns expected for the products of the reductive dechlorination of TCE. Since concentrations of both TCE and degradation products drop to below detection limit in wells within the PRB and directly below it, these downgradient chlorinated hydrocarbon concentrations are attributed to desorption from local aquifer material. The carbon isotope values indicate that this dissolved contaminant is subject to local degradation, likely due to in situ microbial activity.

Permeable Reactive Barriers Designed To Mitigate Eutrophication Alter Bacterial Community Composition and Aquifer Redox Conditions

PubMed Central

Hiller, Kenly A.; Foreman, Kenneth H.; Weisman, David

2015-01-01

Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) consist of a labile carbon source that is positioned to intercept nitrate-laden groundwater to prevent eutrophication. Decomposition of carbon in the PRB drives groundwater anoxic, fostering microbial denitrification. Such PRBs are an ideal habitat to examine microbial community structure under high-nitrate, carbon-replete conditions in coastal aquifers. We examined a PRB installed at the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Falmouth, MA. Groundwater within and below the PRB was depleted in oxygen compared to groundwater at sites upgradient and at adjacent reference sites. Nitrate concentrations declined from a high of 25 μM upgradient and adjacent to the barrier to <0.1 μM within the PRB. We analyzed the total and active bacterial communities filtered from groundwater flowing through the PRB using amplicons of 16S rRNA and of the 16S rRNA genes. Analysis of the 16S rRNA genes collected from the PRB showed that the total bacterial community had high relative abundances of bacteria thought to have alternative metabolisms, such as fermentation, including candidate phyla OD1, OP3, TM7, and GN02. In contrast, the active bacteria had lower abundances of many of these bacteria, suggesting that the bacterial taxa that differentiate the PRB groundwater community were not actively growing. Among the environmental variables analyzed, dissolved oxygen concentration explained the largest proportion of total community structure. There was, however, no significant correlation between measured environmental parameters and the active microbial community, suggesting that controls on the active portion may differ from the community as a whole. PMID:26231655

Coal Transportation Rate Sensitivity Analysis

EIA Publications

2005-01-01

On December 21, 2004, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) requested that the Energy Information Administration (EIA) analyze the impact of changes in coal transportation rates on projected levels of electric power sector energy use and emissions. Specifically, the STB requested an analysis of changes in national and regional coal consumption and emissions resulting from adjustments in railroad transportation rates for Wyoming's Powder River Basin (PRB) coal using the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS). However, because NEMS operates at a relatively aggregate regional level and does not represent the costs of transporting coal over specific rail lines, this analysis reports on the impacts of interregional changes in transportation rates from those used in the Annual Energy Outlook 2005 (AEO2005) reference case.

Investigation of Contaminated Groundwater at Solid Waste Management Unit 12, Naval Weapons Station Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, Don A.; Petkewich, Matthew D.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast investigated natural and engineered remediation of chlorinated volatile organic compound (VOC) groundwater contamination at Solid Waste Management Unit 12 at the Naval Weapons Station Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina, beginning in 2000. The primary contaminants of interest in the study are tetrachloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, vinyl chloride, 1,1-dichloroethane, and 1,1-dichloroethene. Engineered remediation aspects at the site consist of a zero-valent-iron permeable reactive barrier (PRB) installed in December 2002 intercepting the contamination plume and a phytoremediation test stand of loblolly pine trees planted in the source area in May 2003. The U.S. Geological Survey planted an additional phytoremediation test stand of loblolly pine trees on the upgradient side of the southern end of the PRB in February 2008. At least once during the summer, however, the trees were inadvertently mowed during lawn cutting activity. The PRB along the main axis of the contaminant plume appears to be actively removing contamination. In contrast to the central area of the PRB, the data from the southern end of the PRB indicate that contaminants are moving around the PRB. Concentrations in wells upgradient from the PRB showed a general decrease in VOC concentrations. VOC concentrations in some wells in the forest downgradient from the PRB showed a sharp increase in 2005, followed by a decrease in 2006. Farther downgradient in the forest, the VOC concentrations began to increase in 2007 and continued to increase into 2008. The VOC-concentration changes in groundwater beneath the forest appear to indicate movement of a groundwater-contaminant pulse through the forest. It also is possible that the data may represent lateral shifting of the plume in response to changes in groundwater-flow direction.

Low-rank coal study : national needs for resource development. Volume 2. Resource characterization

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

Not Available

1980-11-01

Comprehensive data are presented on the quantity, quality, and distribution of low-rank coal (subbituminous and lignite) deposits in the United States. The major lignite-bearing areas are the Fort Union Region and the Gulf Lignite Region, with the predominant strippable reserves being in the states of North Dakota, Montana, and Texas. The largest subbituminous coal deposits are in the Powder River Region of Montana and Wyoming, The San Juan Basin of New Mexico, and in Northern Alaska. For each of the low-rank coal-bearing regions, descriptions are provided of the geology; strippable reserves; active and planned mines; classification of identified resources bymore » depth, seam thickness, sulfur content, and ash content; overburden characteristics; aquifers; and coal properties and characteristics. Low-rank coals are distinguished from bituminous coals by unique chemical and physical properties that affect their behavior in extraction, utilization, or conversion processes. The most characteristic properties of the organic fraction of low-rank coals are the high inherent moisture and oxygen contents, and the correspondingly low heating value. Mineral matter (ash) contents and compositions of all coals are highly variable; however, low-rank coals tend to have a higher proportion of the alkali components CaO, MgO, and Na/sub 2/O. About 90% of the reserve base of US low-rank coal has less than one percent sulfur. Water resources in the major low-rank coal-bearing regions tend to have highly seasonal availabilities. Some areas appear to have ample water resources to support major new coal projects; in other areas such as Texas, water supplies may be constraining factor on development.« less

Differences in proximal (cardia) versus distal (antral) gastric carcinogenesis via retinoblastoma pathway

PubMed Central

Gulmann, Christian; Hegarty, Helen; Grace, Antoinette; Leader, Mary; Patchett, Stephen; Kay, Elaine

2004-01-01

AIM: Disruption of cell cycle regulation is a critical event in carcinogenesis, and alteration of the retinoblastoma (pRb) tumour suppressor pathway is frequent. The aim of this study was to compare alterations in this pathway in proximal and distal gastric carcinogenesis in an effort to explain the observed striking epidemiological differences. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was performed to investigate expression of p16 and pRb in the following groups of both proximal (cardia) and distal (antral) tissue samples: (a) biopsies showing normal mucosa, (b) biopsies showing intestinal metaplasia and, (c) gastric cancer resection specimens including uninvolved mucosa and tumour. RESULTS: In the antrum there were highly significant trends for increased p16 expression with concomitant (and in the group of carcinomas inversely proportional) decreased pRb expression from normal mucosa to intestinal metaplasia to uninvolved mucosa (from cancer resections) to carcinoma. In the cardia, there were no differences in p16 expression between the various types of tissue samples whereas pRb expression was higher in normal mucosa compared with intestinal metaplasia and tissue from cancer resections. CONCLUSION: Alterations in the pRb pathway appear to play a more significant role in distal gastric carcinogenesis. It may be an early event in the former location since the trend towards p16 overexpression with concomitant pRb underexpression was seen as early as between normal mucosa and intestinal metaplasia. Importantly, the marked differences in expression of pRb and p16 between the cardia and antrum strongly support the hypothesis that tumours of the two locations are genetically different which may account for some of the observed epidemiological differences. PMID:14695761

U and Th in some brown coals of Serbia and Montenegro and their environmental impact.

PubMed

Zivotić, Dragana; Grzetić, Ivan; Lorenz, Hans; Simić, Vladimir

2008-03-01

The objective of this paper is to determine and compare the concentrations of U and Th in soft to hard brown (lignite to sub-bituminous) coals of Serbia and Montenegro. It also presents comparison of the obtained data on U and Th concentrations with the published data on coals located in some other countries of the world. Almost the whole coal production of Serbia and Montenegro is used as feed coals for combustion in thermal power plants. Channel samples from open pit and underground mines and core samples were collected for hard and soft brown coals. For the analysis the samples were decomposed using microwave technique. Obtained solutions containing U and Th were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) using NIST standards. Concentration of U from the investigated basins and the corresponding mine fields ranges within 0.60-70.10 mg/kg, 0.65-3.20 mg/kg, 0.95-6.59 mg/kg, 1.20-6.05 mg/kg, 0.80-6.66 mg/kg, 0.18-89.90 mg/kg, 0.19-4.14 mg/kg, and 0.28-3.52 mg/kg for the Kostolac, Kolubara, Krepoljin, Sjenica, Soko Banja, Bogovina East field, Senje-Resavica and Pljevlja basins, respectively. Concentration of Th ranges within 0.20-2.60 mg/kg, 0.84-6.57 mg/kg, 1.48-6.48 mg/kg, 0.12-2.71 mg/kg, 0.13-4.95 mg/kg, 0.14-3.48 mg/kg, 0.29-3.56 mg/kg, and 0.17-1.89 mg/kg for the Kostolac, Kolubara, Krepoljin, Sjenica, Soko Banja, Bogovina East field, Senje-Resavica and Pljevlja basins, respectively. Brown coal from Senje-Resavica, Kolubara, Kostolac and Pljevlja is characterized by low U concentration. Coals form the Krepoljin, Soko Banja and Sjenica basins have slightly higher U concentrations than the mentioned group. The highest concentration of U is characteristic for the coal from the Bogovina East field. Concentration of Th in coals from Serbia and Montenegro has proved to be low. Out of all investigated coal basins, only the coal from the Krepoljin and Kolubara basins has high concentration of Th. The hydrothermally altered rocks of the Timok dacite-andesite complex, representing the basement of the Bogovina basin, could be a potential source of U, especially at the bottom part of the Lower seam of the Bogovina East field. This study shows that brown coals in Serbia and Montenegro (soft to hard brown coals or lignite to sub-bituminous) contain low levels of U (5.30 mg/kg, average value and 2.10 mg/kg geometric mean value) and Th (1.80 mg/kg, average value and 1.12 mg/kg geometric mean value). There are some obvious differences in concentration of U and Th in coals from different basins in Serbia and Montenegro. The approximate value for U and Th release mainly from power plants was 644.33 t and 983.46 t, respectively within the period 1965-2000 for the studied mines in Serbia, and 23.76 t and 15.05 t for the Potrlica mine (Montenegro) within the period 1965-1997. The coals in Serbia and Montenegro show no identifiable unfavourable impact on the surrounding environment, due to low natural radioactive concentration of U and Th, but further investigations concerning human health should be performed. Preliminary research revealed that in some Serbian coals (and, particularly, parts of the coal seam) U and Th content are rather high. Such coals should be carefully studied, as well as U and Th concentrations in ash, fly ash, waste disposals, nearby soil and ground water. Further studies should include determination of the radioactivity of all these products, and estimation of possible health impact.

C/EBPβ LIP and c-Jun synergize to regulate expression of the murine progesterone receptor.

PubMed

Wang, Weizhong; Do, Han Ngoc; Aupperlee, Mark D; Durairaj, Srinivasan; Flynn, Emily E; Miksicek, Richard J; Haslam, Sandra Z; Schwartz, Richard C

2018-06-02

CCAAT/enhancer binding protein β (C/EBPβ) is required for murine mammary ductal morphogenesis and alveologenesis. Progesterone is critical for proliferation and alveologenesis in adult mammary glands, and there is a similar requirement for progesterone receptor isoform B (PRB) in alveologenesis. We examined C/EBPβ regulation of PR expression. All three C/EBPβ isoforms, including typically inhibitory LIP, transactivated the PR promoter. LIP, particularly, strongly synergized with c-Jun to drive PR transcription. Endogenous C/EBPβ and c-Jun stimulated a PR promoter-reporter and these two factors showed promoter occupancy on the endogenous PR gene. Additionally, LIP overexpression elevated endogenous PR protein expression. In pregnancy, both PRB and the relative abundance of LIP among C/EBPβ isoforms increase. Consistent with a role in PRB expression, in vivo C/EBPβ and PR isoform A expression showed mutually exclusive localization in mammary epithelium, while C/EBPβ and PRB largely co-localized. We suggest a critical role for C/EBPβ, particularly LIP, in PRB expression. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermochronology of Cretaceous batholithic rocks in the northern Peninsular Ranges batholith, southern California: Implications for the Late Cretaceous tectonic evolution of southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miggins, Daniel P.; Premo, Wayne R.; Snee, Lawrence W; Yeoman, Ross; Naeaer, Nancy D.; Naeser, Charles W.; Morton, Douglas M.

2014-01-01

The thermochronology for several suites of Mesozoic metamorphic and plutonic rocks collected throughout the northern Peninsular Ranges batholith (PRB) was studied as part of a collaborative isotopic study to further our understanding of the magmatic and tectonic history of southern California. These sample suites include: a traverse through the plutonic rocks across the northern PRB (N = 29), a traverse across a central structural and metamorphic transition zone of mainly metasedimentary rocks at Searl ridge (N = 20), plutonic samples from several drill cores (N = 7) and surface samples (N = 2) from the Los Angeles Basin, a traverse across the Eastern Peninsular Ranges mylonite zone (N = 6), and a suite of plutonic samples collected across the northern PRB (N = 13) from which only biotite 40Ar/39Ar ages were obtained. These geochronologic data help to characterize five major petrologic, geochemical, and isotopic zonations of the PRB (western zone, WZ; western transition zone, WTZ; eastern transition zone, ETZ; eastern zone, EZ; and upper-plate zone, UPZ).Apparent cooling rates were calculated using U-Pb zircon (zr) and titanite (sphene) ages; 40Ar/39Ar ages from hornblende (hbl), biotite (bi), and K-feldspar (Kf); and apatite fission-track (AFT) ages from the same samples. The apparent cooling rates across the northern PRB vary from relatively rapid in the west (zr-hbl ~210 °C/m.y.; zr-bio ~160 °C/m.y.; zr-Kf ~80 °C/m.y.) to less rapid in the central (zr-hb ~280 °C/m.y.; zr-bio ~90 °C/m.y.; zr-Kf ~60 °C/m.y.) and eastern (zr-hbl ~185 °C/m.y.; zr-bio ~180 °C/m.y.; zr-Kf ~60 °C/m.y.) zones. An exception in the eastern zone, the massive San Jacinto pluton, appears to have cooled very rapidly (zr-bio ~385 °C/m.y.). Apparent cooling rates for the UPZ samples are consistently slower in comparison (~25–45 °C/m.y.), regardless of which geochronometers are used.Notable characteristics of the various ages from different dating methods include: (1) Zircon ages indicate a progressive younging of magmatic activity from west to east between ca. 125 and 90 Ma. (2) Various geochronometers were apparently affected by emplacement of the voluminous (ETZ and EZ) La Posta–type plutons emplaced between 99 and 91 Ma. Those minerals affected include K-feldspar in the western zone rocks, biotite and K-feldspar in the WTZ rocks, and white mica and K-feldspar in rocks from Searl ridge. (3) The AFT ages record the time the rocks cooled through the AFT closure temperature (~100 °C in these rocks), likely due to exhumation. Throughout most of the northern traverse, the apatite data indicate the rocks cooled relatively quickly through the apatite partial annealing zone (PAZ; from ~110 °C to 60 °C) and remained at temperatures less than 60 °C as continued exhumation cooled them to present-day surface temperatures. The ages indicate that the western “arc” terrane of the WZ was being uplifted and cooled at ca. 91 Ma, during or shortly after intrusion of the 99–91 Ma La Posta–type plutons to the east. Uplift and cooling occurred later, between ca. 70 Ma and ca. 55 Ma, in the central WTZ, ETZ, and EZ rocks, possibly as upwarping in response to events in the UPZ. The UPZ experienced differential exhumation at ca. 50–35 Ma: Cooling on the western edge was taking place at about the same time or shortly after cooling in the younger samples in the ETZ and EZ, whereas on the east side of the UPZ, the rocks cooled later (ca. 35 Ma) and spent a prolonged time in the apatite PAZ compared to most northern traverse samples.Apparent cooling rates from Los Angeles Basin drill core samples of plutonic rocks show that four are similar to the WTZ thermal histories, and two are similar to the WTZ histories, indicating that the eastern part of the Los Angeles Basin area is underlain by mainly western zone PRB rocks.Thermal histories revealed by samples from Searl ridge indicate that the WTZ magmatism intruded the metasedimentary rocks prior to their deformation and metamorphism at ca. 97 Ma. Both low-grade schists and metasandstones of the western side of the ridge and high-grade gneisses of the eastern side of the ridge have thermal histories consistent with eastern zone rocks—suggesting a temporal/thermal relationship between the western transition zone and the eastern zones.Limited ages from six samples across the Eastern Peninsular Ranges mylonite zone (EPRMZ) indicate that this zone underwent cooling after emplacement of the youngest UPZ rocks at 85 Ma, suggesting that thrusting along the EPRMZ was either coeval with emplacement of the UPZ plutonic rocks or occurred shortly afterwards (~10–15 m.y.). Alternatively, the EPRMZ thrusting may have occurred at temperatures under ~180 °C at yet a later date.The geochronology presented here differs slightly from previous studies for similar rocks exposed across the middle and southern portions of the PRB, in that our data define a relatively smooth progression of magmatism from west to east, and the transition from western, oceanic-arc plutonism to eastern, continental arc plutonism is interpreted to have occurred at ca. 99–97 Ma and not at ca. 105 Ma.

Know how to maximize maintenance spending

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

Carrino, A.J.; Jones, R.B.; Platt, W.E.

Solomon has developed a methodology to determine a large optimum point where availability meets maintenance spending for Powder River Basin (PRB) coal-fired units. Using a database of sufficient size and composition across various operating ranges, Solomon generated an algorithm that predicts the relationship between maintenance spending and availability. Coupling this generalized algorithm with a unit-specific market-loss curve determines the optimum spending for a facility. The article presents the results of the analysis, how this methodology can be applied to develop optimum operating and financial targets for specific units and markets and a process to achieve those targets. It also describesmore » how this methodology can be used for other types of fossil-fired technologies and future enhancements to the analysis. 5 figs.« less

Comparing and evaluating model estimates of background ozone in surface air over North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oberman, J.; Fiore, A. M.; Lin, M.; Zhang, L.; Jacob, D. J.; Naik, V.; Horowitz, L. W.

2011-12-01

Tropospheric ozone adversely affects human health and vegetation, and is thus a criteria pollutant regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). Ozone is produced in the atmosphere via photo-oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide (CO) in the presence of nitrogen oxides (NOx). The present EPA approach considers health risks associated with exposure to ozone enhancement above the policy-relevant background (PRB), which is currently defined as the surface concentration of ozone that would exist without North American anthropogenic emissions. PRB thus includes production by natural precursors, production by precursors emitted on foreign continents, and transport of stratospheric ozone into surface air. As PRB is not an observable quantity, it must be estimated using numerical models. We compare PRB estimates for the year 2006 from the GFDL Atmospheric Model 3 (AM3) chemistry-climate model (CCM) and the GEOS-Chem (GC) chemical transport model (CTM). We evaluate the skill of the models in reproducing total surface ozone observed at the U.S. Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet), dividing the stations into low-elevation (< 1.5 km in altitude, primarily eastern) and high-elevation (> 1.5 km in altitude, all western) subgroups. At the low-elevation sites AM3 estimates of PRB (38±9 ppbv in spring, 27±9 ppbv in summer) are higher than GC (27±7 ppbv in spring, 21±8 ppbv in summer) in both seasons. Analysis at these sites is complicated by a positive bias in AM3 total ozone with respect to the observed total ozone, the source of which is yet unclear. At high-elevation sites, AM3 PRB is higher in the spring (47±8 ppbv) than in the summer (33±8 ppbv). In contrast, GC simulates little seasonal variation at high elevation sites (39±5 ppbv in spring vs. 38±7 ppbv in summer). Seasonal average total ozone at these sites was within 4 ppbv of the observations for both spring and summer in both models. The high elevation springtime maximum in PRB predicted by AM3 likely reflects stronger exchange between the surface and the free troposphere relative to GC, including a larger influence of stratospheric ozone. Higher summertime PRB in GC may be associated with differences in how the models treat the lightning NOx source (~10 times higher in GC over the Southwest U.S.). Biomass burning emissions (treated differently in the two models) contribute to episodic PRB enhancements in AM3 over the Midwest and East Coast. We conclude that further multi-model studies, including additional models, could provide the EPA with a more robust estimate of PRB, particularly if designed to isolate the relative roles of emissions, chemistry and transport, and evaluated with observation-based constraints wherever possible.

A parapoxviral virion protein targets the retinoblastoma protein to inhibit NF-κB signaling

PubMed Central

Nagendraprabhu, Ponnuraj; Khatiwada, Sushil; Chaulagain, Sabal

2017-01-01

Poxviruses have evolved multiple strategies to subvert signaling by Nuclear Factor κB (NF-κB), a crucial regulator of host innate immune responses. Here, we describe an orf virus (ORFV) virion-associated protein, ORFV119, which inhibits NF-κB signaling very early in infection (≤ 30 min post infection). ORFV119 NF-κB inhibitory activity was found unimpaired upon translation inhibition, suggesting that virion ORFV119 alone is responsible for early interference in signaling. A C-terminal LxCxE motif in ORFV119 enabled the protein to interact with the retinoblastoma protein (pRb) a multifunctional protein best known for its tumor suppressor activity. Notably, experiments using a recombinant virus containing an ORFV119 mutation which abrogates its interaction with pRb together with experiments performed in cells lacking or with reduced pRb levels indicate that ORFV119 mediated inhibition of NF-κB signaling is largely pRb dependent. ORFV119 was shown to inhibit IKK complex activation early in infection. Consistent with IKK inhibition, ORFV119 also interacted with TNF receptor associated factor 2 (TRAF2), an adaptor protein recruited to signaling complexes upstream of IKK in infected cells. ORFV119-TRAF2 interaction was enhanced in the presence of pRb, suggesting that ORFV119-pRb complex is required for efficient interaction with TRAF2. Additionally, transient expression of ORFV119 in uninfected cells was sufficient to inhibit TNFα-induced IKK activation and NF-κB signaling, indicating that no other viral proteins are required for the effect. Infection of sheep with ORFV lacking the ORFV119 gene led to attenuated disease phenotype, indicating that ORFV119 contributes to virulence in the natural host. ORFV119 represents the first poxviral protein to interfere with NF-κB signaling through interaction with pRb. PMID:29244863

Perceived Risk of Burglary and Fear of Crime: Individual- and Country-Level Mixed Modeling.

PubMed

Chon, Don Soo; Wilson, Mary

2016-02-01

Given the scarcity of prior studies, the current research introduced country-level variables, along with individual-level ones, to test how they are related to an individual's perceived risk of burglary (PRB) and fear of crime (FC), separately, by using mixed-level logistic regression analyses. The analyses of 104,218 individuals, residing in 50 countries, showed that country-level poverty was positively associated with FC only. However, individual-level variables, such as prior property crime victimization and female gender, had consistently positive relationships with both PRB and FC. However, age group and socioeconomic status were inconsistent between those two models, suggesting that PRB and FC are two different concepts. Finally, no significant difference in the pattern of PRB and FC was found between a highly developed group of countries and a less developed one. © The Author(s) 2014.

Characterization and modes of occurrence of elements in feed coal and fly ash; an integrated approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brownfield, M.E.

2002-01-01

Despite certain environmental concerns, coal is likely to remain an important component of the United States energy supply, partly because it is the most abundant domestically available fossil fuel. One of the concerns about coal combustion for electricity production is the potential release of elements from coal and coal combustion products (CCPs) - fly ash - to the environment. This concern prompted the need for accurate, reliable, and comprehensive information on the contents and modes of occurrence of selected elements in power-plant feed coal and fly ash. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is collaborating with several electric utilities to determine the chemical and mineralogical properties of feed coal and fly ash. Our first study analyzed coal and fly ash from a Kentucky power plant, which uses many different bituminous coals from the Appalachian and Illinois Basins. Sulfur content of these feed coals rangedfrom 2.5 to 3.5 percent. The second study analyzed coal and fly ash from an Indiana power plant, which uses subbituminous coal from the Powder River Basin (fig. 1). Sulfur content of this feed coal ranged from 0.23 to 0.47 percent. A summary of important aspects of our approach and results are presented in this report. 

Maceral and palynomorph facies from two tertiary peat-forming environments in the Powder River Basin, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, T.A.; Stanton, R.W.; Pocknall, D.T.; Glores, R.M.

1990-01-01

The differences between the depositional settings of the Smith and Anderson subbituminous coal beds (Paleocene, central Powder River Basin, U.S.A.) are interpreted on the basis of their petrographic composition and palynologic assemblages. The Smith coal bed is relatively thin ( 50 m) sandstone bodies of an abandoned meander-belt complex, the coal bed is generally thicker (> 7 m) and more widespread (> 15 km) in extent than the Smith coal bed. The sands provided a relatively stable, poorly compactable platform that was favorable to the growth of large, arborescent vegetation, such as the dominant ancestral Glyptostrobus, as well as ancestral Nyssa, Carya, and Betulaceae in a well-drained but moist swamp environment. The stability of the peat-forming environment resulted in a raised peat deposit of relatively uniform paleoflora and peat composition. In the thicker areas of the Anderson coal bed, the upward increase in carbonized plant components indicates a progressively drier or better-drained swamp environment. Intervals within the coal bed that overlie or are lateral to crevasse-splay deposits contain a high concentration of pollen attributable to Pterocarya and an absence of carbonized plant remains, an indication that ancestral Pterocarya preferred a water-saturated environment close to the edge of the swamp where detrial influx occurred. ?? 1990.

Evaluating long-term patterns of decreasing groundwater discharge through a lake-bottom permeable reactive barrier.

PubMed

McCobb, Timothy D; Briggs, Martin A; LeBlanc, Denis R; Day-Lewis, Frederick D; Johnson, Carole D

2018-05-18

Identifying and quantifying groundwater exchange is critical when considering contaminant fate and transport at the groundwater/surface-water interface. In this paper, areally distributed temperature and point seepage measurements are used to efficiently assess spatial and temporal groundwater discharge patterns through a glacial-kettle lakebed area containing a zero-valent iron permeable reactive barrier (PRB). Concern was that the PRB was becoming less permeable with time owing to biogeochemical processes within the PRB. Patterns of groundwater discharge over an 8-year period were examined using fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS) and snapshot-in-time point measurements of temperature. The resulting thermal maps show complex and uneven distributions of temperatures across the lakebed and highlight zones of rapid seepage near the shoreline and along the outer boundaries of the PRB. Repeated thermal mapping indicates an increase in lakebed temperatures over time at periods of similar stage and surface-water temperature. Flux rates in six seepage meters permanently installed on the lakebed in the PRB area decreased on average by 0.021 md -1 (or about 4.5 percent) annually between 2004 and 2015. Modeling of diurnal temperature signals from shallow vertical profiles yielded mean flux values ranging from 0.39 to 1.15 md -1 , with stronger fluxes generally related to colder lakebed temperatures. The combination of an increase in lakebed temperatures, declines in direct seepage, and observations of increased cementation of the lakebed surface provide in situ evidence that the permeability of the PRB is declining. The presence of temporally persistent rapid seepage zones is also discussed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

75 FR 70289 - Notice of Appointment of Individuals to Serve as Members of Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-17

... INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Roscoe, Director of Human Resources, U.S. International Trade Commission (202... the PRB: Vice Chairman Irving A. Williamson Vice-Chair of the PRB: Commissioner Daniel R. Pearson...

75 FR 38549 - Notice of Appointment of Individuals To Serve as Members of Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-02

... INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Roscoe, Director of Human Resources, U.S. International Trade Commission (202... the PRB: Commissioner Daniel R. Pearson. Vice-Chair of the PRB: Commissioner Dean A. Pinkert. Member...

PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS FOR REMEDIATION OF INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS

EPA Science Inventory

The permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technology is an in-situ approach for groundwater remediation that couples subsurface flow management with a passive chemical or biochemical treatment zone. The development and application of the PRB technology has progressed over the last de...

COMBINATION OF IRON AND MIXED ANAEROBIC CULTURE FOR PERCHLOROETHENE DEGRADATION

EPA Science Inventory

Permeable reactive barriers (PRB's) are an emerging, alternative in-situ approach for remediating contaminated groundwater that combine subsurface fluid flow management with a passive chemical treatment zone. PRB's are a potentially more cost effective treatment option at severa...

COST ANALYSIS OF PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS FOR REMEDIATION OF GROUND WATER

EPA Science Inventory

ABSTRACT

Permeable reactive barriers (PRB's) are an emerging, alternative in-situ approach for remediating contaminated groundwater that combine subsurface fluid flow management with a passive chemical treatment zone. PRB's are a potentially more cost effective treatment...

Permeable Reactive Barriers for Treatment of Cr6

EPA Science Inventory

Several options are available for treatment of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in groundwater using the permeable reactive barrier (PRB) approach. They include conventional trench-and-fill systems, chemical redox curtains, and organic carbon redox curtains. Each of these PRB syste...

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

Doherty, K.E.; Naugle, D.E.; Walker, B.L.

Recent energy development has resulted in rapid and large-scale changes to western shrub-steppe ecosystems without a complete understanding of its potential impacts on wildlife populations. We modeled winter habitat use by female greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the Powder River Basin (PRB) of Wyoming and Montana, USA, to 1) identify landscape features that influenced sage-grouse habitat selection, 2) assess the scale at which selection occurred, 3) spatially depict winter habitat quality in a Geographic Information System, and 4) assess the effect of coal-bed natural gas (CBNG) development on winter habitat selection. We developed a model of winter habitat selection basedmore » on 435 aerial relocations of 200 radiomarked female sage-grouse obtained during the winters of 2005 and 2006. Percent sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) cover on the landscape was an important predictor of use by sage-grouse in winter. Sage-grouse were 1.3 times more likely to occupy sagebrush habitats that lacked CBNG wells within a 4-km{sup 2} area, compared to those that had the maximum density of 12.3 wells per 4 km{sup 2} allowed on federal lands. We validated the model with 74 locations from 74 radiomarked individuals obtained during the winters of 2004 and 2007. This winter habitat model based on vegetation, topography, and CBNG avoidance was highly predictive (validation R{sup 2} = 0.984). Our spatially explicit model can be used to identify areas that provide the best remaining habitat for wintering sage-grouse in the PRB to mitigate impacts of energy development.« less

75 FR 54445 - Senior Executive Service; Financial Management Service Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-07

..., Management (Chief Financial Officer). Alfred J. Kopec, Assistant Commissioner, Business Architecture. Sheryl... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Senior Executive Service; Financial Management Service Performance Review Board (PRB) AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice...

LONG TERM PERFORMANCE MONITORING OF A PRB FOR REMEDIATION OF CHLORINATED SOLVENTS AND CHROMIUM

EPA Science Inventory

Permeable reactive barriers (PRB's) are an emerging, alternative in-situ approach for remediating groundwater contamination that combine subsurface fluid flow management with a passive chemical treatment zone. The few pilot and commercial installations which have been implemented...

BIOMASS ACCUMULATION AT THE ELIZABETH CITY AND DENVER FEDERAL CENTER PRBS

EPA Science Inventory

Microbial characterization results, based on PLFA profiles, from the Elizabeth City PRB and adjacent aquifer materials showed a diverse microbiological community dominated by Gram-negative bacteria. Iron core samples from near the upgradient edge of the PRB are typically enriche...

75 FR 69642 - Membership of the Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-15

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Membership of the Performance Review Board (PRB... Executive Service performance appraisals and makes recommendations regarding performance ratings and performance scores to the Director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency. DATES: Effective Date: The effective date...

76 FR 65503 - Performance Review Board Membership

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-21

... executive and by any higher-level executive or executives. The PRB makes recommendations to the appointing authority relative to the performance of the senior executive, including recommendations on performance awards. The Department of Education's PRB also makes recommendations on SES pay adjustments for career...

Impact of FeS Mineralogy on TCE Degradation

EPA Science Inventory

Iron- and sulfate-reducing conditions are often encountered in permeable reactive barrier (PRB) systems that are constructed to remove TCE from groundwater, which usually leads to the accumulation of FeS mineral phases in the matrix of the PRB. Poorly crystalline mackinawite (Fe...

Effects of low-temperature catalytic pretreatments on coal structure and reactivity in liquefaction. Final technical report, Volume 1 - effects of solvents, catalysts and temperature conditions on conversion and structural changes of low-rank coals

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

Huang, Lili; Schobert, Harold H.; Song, Chunshan

1998-01-01

The main objectives of this project were to study the effects of low-temperature pretreatments on coal structure and their impacts on subsequent liquefaction. The effects of pretreatment temperatures, catalyst type, coal rank, and influence of solvent were examined. Specific objectives were to identify the basic changes in coal structure induced by catalytic and thermal pretreatments, and to determine the reactivity of the catalytically and thermally treated coals for liquefaction. In the original project management plan it was indicated that six coals would be used for the study. These were to include two each of bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite rank. Formore » convenience in executing the experimental work, two parallel efforts were conducted. The first involved the two lignites and one subbituminous coal; and the second, the two bituminous coals and the remaining subbituminous coal. This Volume presents the results of the first portion of the work, studies on two lignites and one subbituminous coal. The remaining work accomplished under this project will be described and discussed in Volume 2 of this report. The objective of this portion of the project was to determine and compare the effects of solvents, catalysts and reaction conditions on coal liquefaction. Specifically, the improvements of reaction conversion, product distribution, as well as the structural changes in the coals and coal-derived products were examined. This study targeted at promoting hydrogenation of the coal-derived radicals, generated during thermal cleavage of chemical bonds, by using a good hydrogen donor-solvent and an effective catalyst. Attempts were also made in efforts to match the formation and hydrogenation of the free radicals and thus to prevent retrogressive reaction.« less

The Retinoblastoma Tumor Suppressor Regulates a Xenobiotic Detoxification Pathway

PubMed Central

Sáenz Robles, Maria Teresa; Case, Ashley; Chong, Jean-Leon; Leone, Gustavo; Pipas, James M.

2011-01-01

The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor (pRb) regulates cell cycle entry, progression and exit by controlling the activity of the E2F-family of transcription factors. During cell cycle exit pRb acts as a transcriptional repressor by associating with E2F proteins and thereby inhibiting their ability to stimulate the expression of genes required for S phase. Indeed, many tumors harbor mutations in the RB gene and the pRb-E2F pathway is compromised in nearly all types of cancers. In this report we show that both pRb and its interacting partners, the transcriptional factors E2F1-2-3, act as positive modulators of detoxification pathways important for metabolizing and clearing xenobiotics—such as toxins and drugs—from the body. Using a combination of conventional molecular biology techniques and microarray analysis of specific cell populations, we have analyzed the detoxification pathway in murine samples in the presence or absence of pRb and/or E2F1-2-3. In this report, we show that both pRb and E2F1-2-3 act as positive modulators of detoxification pathways in mice, challenging the conventional view of E2F1-2-3 as transcriptional repressors negatively regulated by pRb. These results suggest that mutations altering the pRb-E2F axis may have consequences beyond loss of cell cycle control by altering the ability of tissues to remove toxins and to properly metabolize anticancer drugs, and might help to understand the formation and progression rates of different types of cancer, as well as to better design appropriate therapies based on the particular genetic composition of the tumors. PMID:22022495

Inactivation of retinoblastoma protein does not overcome the requirement for human cytomegalovirus UL97 in lamina disruption and nuclear egress.

PubMed

Reim, Natalia I; Kamil, Jeremy P; Wang, Depeng; Lin, Alison; Sharma, Mayuri; Ericsson, Maria; Pesola, Jean M; Golan, David E; Coen, Donald M

2013-05-01

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encodes one conventional protein kinase, UL97. During infection, UL97 phosphorylates the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (pRb) on sites ordinarily phosphorylated by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK), inactivating the ability of pRb to repress host genes required for cell cycle progression to S phase. UL97 is important for viral DNA synthesis in quiescent cells, but this function can be replaced by human papillomavirus type 16 E7, which targets pRb for degradation. However, viruses in which E7 replaces UL97 are still defective for virus production. UL97 is also required for efficient nuclear egress of viral nucleocapsids, which is associated with disruption of the nuclear lamina during infection, and phosphorylation of lamin A/C on serine 22, which antagonizes lamin polymerization. We investigated whether inactivation of pRb might overcome the requirement of UL97 for these roles, as pRb inactivation induces CDK1, and CDK1 phosphorylates lamin A/C on serine 22. We found that lamin A/C serine 22 phosphorylation during HCMV infection correlated with expression of UL97 and was considerably delayed in UL97-null mutants, even when E7 was expressed. E7 failed to restore gaps in the nuclear lamina seen in wild-type but not UL97-null virus infections. In electron microscopy analyses, a UL97-null virus expressing E7 was as impaired as a UL97-null mutant in cytoplasmic accumulation of viral nucleocapsids. Our results demonstrate that pRb inactivation is insufficient to restore efficient viral nuclear egress of HCMV in the absence of UL97 and instead argue further for a direct role of UL97 in this stage of the infectious cycle.

Rb1 loss modifies but does not initiate alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (aRMS) is a myogenic childhood sarcoma frequently associated with a translocation-mediated fusion gene, Pax3:Foxo1a. Methods We investigated the complementary role of Rb1 loss in aRMS tumor initiation and progression using conditional mouse models. Results Rb1 loss was not a necessary and sufficient mutational event for rhabdomyosarcomagenesis, nor a strong cooperative initiating mutation. Instead, Rb1 loss was a modifier of progression and increased anaplasia and pleomorphism. Whereas Pax3:Foxo1a expression was unaltered, biomarkers of aRMS versus embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma were both increased, questioning whether these diagnostic markers are reliable in the context of Rb1 loss. Genome-wide gene expression in Pax3:Foxo1a,Rb1 tumors more closely approximated aRMS than embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Intrinsic loss of pRb function in aRMS was evidenced by insensitivity to a Cdk4/6 inhibitor regardless of whether Rb1 was intact or null. This loss of function could be attributed to low baseline Rb1, pRb and phospho-pRb expression in aRMS tumors for which the Rb1 locus was intact. Pax3:Foxo1a RNA interference did not increase pRb or improve Cdk inhibitor sensitivity. Human aRMS shared the feature of low and/or heterogeneous tumor cell pRb expression. Conclusions Rb1 loss from an already low pRb baseline is a significant disease modifier, raising the possibility that some cases of pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma may in fact be Pax3:Foxo1a-expressing aRMS with Rb1 or pRb loss of function. PMID:24274149

LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE MONITORING OF PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS TO REMEDIATE CONTAMINATED GROUND WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Permeable reactive barriers (PRB's) are an alternative in-situ approach for remediating contaminated groundwater that combine subsurface fluid flow management with a passive chemical treatment zone. PRB's are being selected with increased frequency at waste sites (more than 40 f...

75 FR 14214 - Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board Membership

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-24

... OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board Membership AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. ACTION: Annual notice. SUMMARY: Notice... established a Senior Executive Service PRB. The PRB reviews and evaluates the initial appraisal of a senior...

78 FR 5516 - Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board Membership

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-25

... OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board Membership AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. ACTION: Annual notice. SUMMARY: Notice... established a Senior Executive Service PRB. The PRB reviews and evaluates the initial appraisal of a senior...

76 FR 39926 - Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board Membership

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-07

... OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board Membership AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. ACTION: Annual notice. SUMMARY: Notice... established a Senior Executive Service PRB. The PRB reviews and evaluates the initial appraisal of a senior...

76 FR 81998 - Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board Membership

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-29

... OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board Membership AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. ACTION: Annual notice. SUMMARY: Notice... established a Senior Executive Service PRB. The PRB reviews and evaluates the initial appraisal of a senior...

ZERO-VALENT IRON PRB APPLICATION EXPANDS TO ARSENIC REMOVAL

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) and Region 8 have begun evaluating performance of a pilot-scale permeable reactive barrier (PRB) to treat arsenic-contaminated ground water at the ASARCO Superfund near Helena, ...

PLANT MULCH TO TREAT TCE IN GROUND WATER IN A PRB

EPA Science Inventory

In the past ten years, passive reactive barriers (PRBs) have found widespread application to treat chlorinated solvent contamination in ground water. The traditional PRB commonly uses granular zero-valent iron and/or iron alloys as filling materials for treatment of chlorinated ...

The Impact of FeS Mineralogy on TCE Degradation

EPA Science Inventory

Iron- and sulfate-reducing conditions are often encountered in permeable reactive barrier (PRB) systems that are constructed to remove TCE from groundwater, which usually leads to the accumulation of FeS mineral phases in the matrix of the PRB. Poorly crystalline mackinawite (Fe...

Expression of retinoblastoma gene product (pRb) in mantle cell lymphomas. Correlation with cyclin D1 (PRAD1/CCND1) mRNA levels and proliferative activity.

PubMed Central

Jares, P.; Campo, E.; Pinyol, M.; Bosch, F.; Miquel, R.; Fernandez, P. L.; Sanchez-Beato, M.; Soler, F.; Perez-Losada, A.; Nayach, I.; Mallofré, C.; Piris, M. A.; Montserrat, E.; Cardesa, A.

1996-01-01

Mantle cell lymphomas (MCLs) are molecularly characterized by bcl-1 rearrangement and constant cyclin D1 (PRAD-1/CCND1) gene overexpression. Cyclin D1 is a G1 cyclin that participates in the control of the cell cycle progression by interacting with the retinoblastoma gene product (pRb). Inactivation of the Rb tumor suppressor gene has been implicated in the development of different types of human tumors including some high grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. To determine the role of the retinoblastoma gene in the pathogenesis of MCLs and its possible interaction with cyclin D1, pRb expression was examined in 23 MCLs including 17 typical and 6 blastic variants by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Rb gene structure was studied in 13 cases by Southern blot. Cytogenetic analysis was performed in 5 cases. The results were compared with the cyclin D1 mRNA levels examined by Northern analysis, and the proliferative activity of the tumors was measured by Ki-67 growth fraction and flow cytometry. pRb was expressed in all MCLs. The expression varied from case to case (mean, 14.1% of positive cells; range, 1.3 to 42%) with a significant correlation with the proliferative activity of the tumors (mitotic index r = 0.85; Ki-67 r = 0.7; S phase = 0.73). Blastic variants showed higher numbers of pRb-positive cells (mean, 29%) than the typical cases (10%; P < 0.005) by immunohistochemistry and, concordantly, higher levels of expression by Western blot. In addition, the blastic cases also had an increased expression of the phosphorylated protein. No alterations in Rb gene structure were observed by Southern blot analysis. Cyclin D1 mRNA levels were independent of pRb expression and the proliferative activity of the tumors. These findings suggest that pRb in MCLs is normally regulated in relation to the proliferative activity of the tumors. Cyclin D1 overexpression may play a role in the maintenance of cell proliferation by overcoming the suppressive growth control of pRb. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 4 PMID:8623927

A dynamical systems model of progesterone receptor interactions with inflammation in human parturition.

PubMed

Brubaker, Douglas; Barbaro, Alethea; R Chance, Mark; Mesiano, Sam

2016-08-19

Progesterone promotes uterine relaxation and is essential for the maintenance of pregnancy. Withdrawal of progesterone activity and increased inflammation within the uterine tissues are key triggers for parturition. Progesterone actions in myometrial cells are mediated by two progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms, PR-A and PR-B, that function as ligand-activated transcription factors. PR-B mediates relaxatory actions of progesterone, in part, by decreasing myometrial cell responsiveness to pro-inflammatory stimuli. These same pro-inflammatory stimuli promote the expression of PR-A which inhibits the anti-inflammatory activity of PR-B. Competitive interaction between the progesterone receptors then augments myometrial responsiveness to pro-inflammatory stimuli. The interaction between PR-B transcriptional activity and inflammation in the pregnancy myometrium is examined using a dynamical systems model in which quiescence and labor are represented as phase-space equilibrium points. Our model shows that PR-B transcriptional activity and the inflammatory load determine the stability of the quiescent and laboring phenotypes. The model is tested using published transcriptome datasets describing the mRNA abundances in the myometrium before and after the onset of labor at term. Surrogate transcripts were selected to reflect PR-B transcriptional activity and inflammation status. The model coupling PR-B activity and inflammation predicts contractile status (i.e., laboring or quiescent) with high precision and recall and outperforms uncoupled single and two-gene classifiers. Linear stability analysis shows that phase space bifurcations exist in our model that may reflect the phenotypic states of the pregnancy uterus. The model describes a possible tipping point for the transition of the quiescent to the contractile laboring phenotype. Our model describes the functional interaction between the PR-A:PR-B hypothesis and tissue level inflammation in the pregnancy uterus and is a first step in more sophisticated dynamical systems modeling of human partition. The model explains observed biochemical dynamics and as such will be useful for the development of a range of systems-based models using emerging data to predict preterm birth and identify strategies for its prevention.

LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE OF PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS: AN UPDATE ON A U.S. MULTI-AGENCY INITIATIVE

EPA Science Inventory

Permeable reactive barriers (PRB's) are an emerging, alternative in-situ approach for remediating contaminated groundwater that combine subsurface fluid flow management with a passive chemical treatment zone. PRB's are a potentially more cost effective treatment option at seve...

PLANT MULCH TO TREAT TCE IN GROUND WATER IN A PRB (ABSTRACT ONLY)

EPA Science Inventory

In the past ten years, passive reactive barriers (PRBs) have found widespread application to treat chlorinated solvent contamination in ground water. The traditional PRB commonly uses granular zero-valent iron and/or iron alloys as filling materials for treatment of chlorinated ...

Pyrolysis g.c.-m.s. of a series of degraded woods and coalified logs that increase in rank from peat to subbituminous coal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatcher, P.G.; Lerch, H. E.; Kotra, R.K.; Verheyen, T.V.

1988-01-01

Xylem tissue from degraded wood and coalified logs or stems was examined by pyrolysis g.c.-m.s. to improve understanding of the coalification process. The pyrolysis data, when combined with solid-state 13C n.m.r. data for the same samples, show several stages of evolution during coalification. The first stage, microbial degradation in peat, involves the selective degradation of cellulosic components and preservation of lignin-like components. As coalification increases, the lignin structural units undergo a series of defunctionalization reactions. The first of these involve loss of methoxyl groups, with replacement by phenolic hydroxyls such that catechol-like structures are produced. As the xylem tissue is converted to subbituminous coal, the persistence of phenols and methylated phenols in pyrolysis g.c.-m.s. data of subbituminous coal suggests that the catechol-like structures are being converted to phenol-like structures. The ability to discern detailed changes in the chemical structural composition of a genetically and histologically related series of samples provides an ideal method for developing models of coal structure, especially that of low-rank coal. ?? 1988.

Autochthonous tumors driven by Rb1 loss have an ongoing requirement for the RBP2 histone demethylase.

PubMed

McBrayer, Samuel K; Olenchock, Benjamin A; DiNatale, Gabriel J; Shi, Diana D; Khanal, Januka; Jennings, Rebecca B; Novak, Jesse S; Oser, Matthew G; Robbins, Alissa K; Modiste, Rebecca; Bonal, Dennis; Moslehi, Javid; Bronson, Roderick T; Neuberg, Donna; Nguyen, Quang-De; Signoretti, Sabina; Losman, Julie-Aurore; Kaelin, William G

2018-04-17

Inactivation of the retinoblastoma gene ( RB1 ) product, pRB, is common in many human cancers. Targeting downstream effectors of pRB that are central to tumorigenesis is a promising strategy to block the growth of tumors harboring loss-of-function RB1 mutations. One such effector is retinoblastoma-binding protein 2 (RBP2, also called JARID1A or KDM5A), which encodes an H3K4 demethylase. Binding of pRB to RBP2 has been linked to the ability of pRB to promote senescence and differentiation. Importantly, genetic ablation of RBP2 is sufficient to phenocopy pRB's ability to induce these cellular changes in cell culture experiments. Moreover, germline Rbp2 deletion significantly impedes tumorigenesis in Rb1 +/- mice. The value of RBP2 as a therapeutic target in cancer, however, hinges on whether loss of RBP2 could block the growth of established tumors as opposed to simply delaying their onset. Here we show that conditional, systemic ablation of RBP2 in tumor-bearing Rb1 +/- mice is sufficient to slow tumor growth and significantly extend survival without causing obvious toxicity to the host. These findings show that established Rb1 -null tumors require RBP2 for growth and further credential RBP2 as a therapeutic target in human cancers driven by RB1 inactivation.

Water-quality data from shallow pond-bottom groundwater in the Fishermans Cove area of Ashumet Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2001–2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCobb, Timothy D.; LeBlanc, Denis R.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected water-quality data between 2001 and 2010 in the Fishermans Cove area of Ashumet Pond, Falmouth, Massachusetts, where the eastern portion of a treated-wastewater plume, created by more than 60 years of overland disposal, discharges to the pond. Temporary drive points were installed, and shallow pond-bottom groundwater was sampled, at 167 locations in 2001, 150 locations in 2003, and 120 locations in 2004 to delineate the distribution of wastewater-related constituents. In 2004, the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment (AFCEE) installed a pond-bottom permeable reactive barrier (PRB) to intercept phosphate in the plume at its discharge point to the pond. The USGS monitored the performance of the PRB by collecting samples from temporary drive points at multiple depth intervals in 2006 (200 samples at 76 locations) and 2009 (150 samples at 90 locations). During the first 5 years after installation of the PRB, water samples were collected periodically from five types of pore-water samplers that had been permanently installed in and near the PRB during the barrier's emplacement. The distribution of wastewater-related constituents in the pond-bottom groundwater and changes in the geochemistry of the pond-bottom groundwater after installation of the PRB have been documented in several published reports that are listed in the references.

Co-gasification of pine and oak biochar with sub-bituminous coal in carbon dioxide.

PubMed

Beagle, E; Wang, Y; Bell, D; Belmont, E

2018-03-01

Pine and oak biochars derived as byproducts of demonstration-scale pyrolysis, and blends of these two feedstocks with Powder River Basin coal, were gasified in a carbon dioxide environment using a modified drop tube reactor (MDTR) and a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). The impact of gasification temperature on conversion kinetics was evaluated from the temporal evolution of major product gases in the MDTR as measured using a mass spectrometer. Random pore modeling was conducted to simulate gasification in the MDTR with favorable results. The MDTR and TGA were used to conduct gasification for assessment of non-linear additive effects in the blends. Additive analysis of the blends showed deviation from the experimental blend results, indicating inhibiting effects of co-gasifying the biochar and coal. Inhibitory effects are more significant for oak than pine and more pronounced in the TGA at lower gasification temperatures. Results are discussed in the context of feedstock and reactor type. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mineralogy of ash of some American coals: variations with temperature and source

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mitchell, R.S.; Gluskoter, H.J.

1976-01-01

Ten samples of mineral-matter residue were obtained by the radio-frequency low-temperature ashing of subbituminous and bituminous coals. The low-temperature ash samples were then heated progressively from 400 ??C to 1400 ??C at 100 ??C intervals. Mineral phases present at each temperature interval were determined by X-ray diffraction analyses. The minerals originally present in the coals (quartz, kaolinite, illite, pyrite, calcite, gypsum, dolomite, and sphalerite) were all altered to higher temperature phases. Several of these phases, including kaolinite, metakaolinite, mullite, anhydrite, and anorthite, were found only in limited temperature ranges. Therefore the temperature of formation of the ashes in which they occur may be determined. Mineralogical differences were observed between coal samples from the Rocky Mountain Province, the Illinois Basin, and the Appalachians; and as a result of these mineralogical differences, different high-temperature phases resulted as the samples were heated. However, regional generalizations cannot be made until a greater number of samples have been studied. ?? 1976.

75 FR 60125 - SES Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-29

... FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION SES Performance Review Board AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the appointment of members to the FTC Performance Review Board... the Performance Review Board (PRB) membership is required by 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4). The PRB reviews and...

75 FR 68669 - Senior Executive Service; Departmental Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-08

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Senior Executive Service; Departmental Performance Review Board AGENCY: Treasury Department. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4), this notice announces the appointment of members of the Departmental PRB. The purpose of this PRB is to review and make recommendations...

76 FR 64429 - Senior Executive Service; Public Debt Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-18

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Bureau of the Public Debt Senior Executive Service; Public Debt Performance Review Board (PRB) AGENCY: Bureau of the Public Debt, Treasury. ACTION: Notice of Members of... reviews the performance appraisals of career senior executives who are below the level of Assistant...

78 FR 75447 - Senior Executive Service; Departmental Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-11

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Senior Executive Service; Departmental Performance Review Board AGENCY: Treasury Department. ACTION: Notice of members of the Departmental Performance Review Board (PRB). SUMMARY: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4), this notice announces the appointment of members of the Departmental PRB...

75 FR 60864 - Senior Executive Service Combined Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-01

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Senior Executive Service Combined Performance Review Board (PRB) AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Pursuant to... career senior executives below the level of bureau head and principal deputy in the bureaus, except for...

76 FR 69798 - Senior Executive Service; Departmental Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-09

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Senior Executive Service; Departmental Performance Review Board AGENCY: Treasury Department. ACTION: Notice of members of the Departmental Performance Review Board (PRB). SUMMARY: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4), this notice announces the appointment of members of the Departmental PRB...

Performance Monitoring: Evaluating an Organic Carbon-Limestone PRB for Treatment of Heavy Metals and Acidity

EPA Science Inventory

Since 2004, researchers from the U.S. EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) have annually evaluated performance of an organic carbon-limestone permeable reactive barrier (PRB) system installed in 2003 by EPA Region 6 at the Delatte Metals Superfund site in Ponc...

Performance Monitoring: Evaluating a Wheat Straw PRB for Nitrate Removal at an Agricultural Operation

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) is conducting long-term monitoring of a wheat straw permeable reactive barrier (PRB) for remediation of ground water contaminated with nitrate from a now-closed swine concentrat...

75 FR 60090 - Membership of the Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-29

...: Missile Defense Agency (MDA), DoD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice announces the appointment of the members of the Performance Review Board (PRB) of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). The publication of PRB... CONTACT: Jovey Martir, MDA SES Program Management, Missile Defense Agency, Arlington, Virginia, (703) 693...

CHROMIUM REMOVAL PROCESSES DURING GROUNDWATER REMEDIATION BY A ZEROVALENT IRON PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIER

EPA Science Inventory

Solid-phase associations of chromium were examined in core materials collected from a full-scale, zerovalent iron, permeable reactive barrier (PRB) at the U.S. Coast Guard Support Center located near Elizabeth City (NC). The PRB was installed in 1996 to treat groundwater contami...

EFFECTIVE REMOVAL OF TCE IN A LABORATORY MODEL OF A PRB CONSTRUCTED WITH PLANT MULCH

EPA Science Inventory

In the past ten years, passive reactive barriers (PRBs) have found widespread application to treat chlorinated solvent contamination in ground water. The traditional PRB commonly uses granular zero-valent iron and/or iron alloys as filling materials for treatment of chlorinated ...

TREATMENT OF ARSENIC AND METALS IN GROUND WATER USING A COMPOST/ZVI PRB

EPA Science Inventory

A pilot permeable reactive barrier (PRB) consisting of a mixture of 30% yard waste compost, 20% zero-valent iron (ZVI), 5% limestone and 45% pea gravel by volume was installed at a former phosphate fertilizer manufacturing facility in Charleston, S.C. in September 2002. The pilo...

RESEARCH PROJECT -- PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS FOR REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATERS(SUBSURFACE PROTECTION AND REMEDIATION DIVISION, (NRMRL)

EPA Science Inventory

Permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technology is gradually being accepted as a viable alternative to conventional groundwater remediation systems such as pump and treat. PRB technology involves the placement or formation of a reactive treatment zone in the path of a dissolved conta...

GWERD MONITORING OF PRB PERFORMANCE AT CIMARRON PORK FIELD SITE - UPDATE 2005

EPA Science Inventory

GWERD personnel have been invited to help evaluate the performance of a carbon-based permeable reactive barrier (PRB) that was constructed for in-situ bioremediation of a ground water nitrate plume caused by leakage from a swine CAFO lagoon. Research activities to date have invol...

75 FR 65673 - Appointments to Performance Review Board for Senior Executive Service

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-26

... appointed as members of the NRC Performance Review Board (PRB) responsible for making recommendations to the... Executives and Senior Level System employees: Darren B. Ash, Deputy Executive Director for Corporate... of the NRC PRB Panel that was established to review appraisals and make recommendations to the...

76 FR 18516 - Senior Executive Service; Combined Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-04

... performance appraisals of career and non-career senior executives. The Board recommendations regarding..., more than half of the members shall consist of career appointees. The names and titles of the PRB... Center, Bureau of Public Debt Debra L. Hines, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Public Debt Accounting...

New constrains on the thermal history of the Miocene Jarando basin (Southern Serbia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrić, Nevena; Životić, Dragana; Fügenschuh, Bernhard; Cvetković, Vladica

2013-04-01

The Jarando basin, located in the internal Dinarides, formed in the course of the Miocene extension affecting the whole Alpine-Carpathian-Dinaride system (Schmid et al., 2008). In the study area Miocene extension led to the formation of a core-complex in the Kopaonik area (Schefer et al., 2011) with the Jarando basin located in the hanging wall of the detachment fault. The Jarando basin is characterized by the presence of bituminous coals, whereas in the other intramontane basins in Serbia coalification did not exceed the subbituminous stage within the same stratigraphic level. Furthermore, the basin hosts boron mineralizations (borates and howlite) and a magnesite deposit, which again implies elevated temperatures. This thermal overprint is possibly due to post-magmatic activity related to the emplacement of Oligocene I-type Kopaonik and Miocene S-type Polumir granitoid (Schefer et al., 2011.). This research project is aimed at providing new information about the thermal history of the Jarando basin. Fifteen core samples from three boreholes and 10 samples from the surrounding outcrops were processed for apatite fission-track analysis. Additionally, vitrinite reflectance was measured for 11 core samples of shales from one borehole and 5 samples of coal from an underground mine. VR data of Early to Middle Miocene sediments reveal a strong post-depositional overprint. Values increase with the depth from 0.66-0.79% to 0.83-0.90%. Thus organic matter reached the bituminous stage and experienced temperatures of around 110-120˚C (Barker and Pawlewicz, 1994). FT single grain ages for apatite scatter between 45 Ma to 10 Ma with a general trend towards younger ages with depth. Both, the spread in single grain ages together with the bimodal track lengths distribution clearly point to partial annealing of the detrital apatites. With the temperature given from the VR values the partial annealing points to a rather short-lived thermal event. This is assisted by thermal modelling of our fission track data indicating that maximum temperatures of <120°C around 15-12 Ma. We correlate the thermal event with the extension and core-complex formation followed by the syn-extensional intrusion of the Polumir granite. Later cooling from 10 Ma onwards is related to basin inversion and erosion.

78 FR 73586 - Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board (PRB) and Executive Resources Board (ERB...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-06

...: Performance Review Board Leland L. Gardner, Chairman Rachel D. Campbell, Member Craig M. Keats, Member Lucille Marvin, Alternate Member Executive Resources Board Rachel D. Campbell, Chairman Lucille Marvin, Member Joseph H. Dettmar, Alternate Member These changes to the PRB and ERB membership are due to the departure...

TREATMENT OF METALS IN GROUND WATER USING AN ORGANIC-BASED SULFATE-REDUCING PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIER

EPA Science Inventory

A pilot permeable reactive barrier (PRB) consisting of a mixture of leaf compost, zero-valent iron (ZVI) filings, limestone and pea gravel was evaluated at a former phosphate fertilizer manufacturing facility in Charleston, S.C. The PRB is designed to treat arsenic and heavy met...

EFFECTIVE REMOVAL OF TCE IN A LABORATORY MODEL OF A PRB CONSTRUCTED WITH PLANT MULCH

EPA Science Inventory

Ground water contaminated with TCE is commonly treated with a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) constructed with zero-valence iron. The cost of iron as the reactive matrix has driven a search for less costly alternatives, and composted plant mulch has been used as an alternative ...

77 FR 65248 - Senior Executive Service; Public Debt Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-25

... Performance Review Board AGENCY: Bureau of the Public Debt, Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice announces the appointment of the members of the Public Debt Performance Review Board (PRB) for the Bureau of the Public Debt (BPD). The PRB reviews the performance appraisals of career senior executives who are...

77 FR 48129 - National Institute of Standards and Technology Performance Review Board Membership

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-13

... Institute of Standards and Technology Performance Review Board (NIST PRB) and supersedes the list published on September 9, 2011. DATES: The changes to the NIST PRB membership list announced in this notice are... Standards and Technology, (301) 975-3000 or by email at [email protected]nist.gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION...

Sonic Hedgehog Initiates Cochlear Hair Cell Regeneration through Downregulation of Retinoblastoma Protein

PubMed Central

Lu, Na; Chen, Yan; Wang, Zhengmin; Chen, Guoling; Lin, Qin; Chen, Zheng-Yi; Li, Huawei

2013-01-01

Cell cycle re-entry by cochlear supporting cells and/or hair cells is considered one of the best approaches for restoring hearing loss as a result of hair cell damage. To identify mechanisms that can be modulated to initiate cell cycle re-entry and hair cell regeneration, we studied the effect of activating the sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway. We show that Shh signaling in postnatal rat cochleae damaged by neomycin leads to renewed proliferation of supporting cells and hair cells. Further, proliferating supporting cells are likely to transdifferentiate into hair cells. Shh treatment leads to inhibition of retinoblastoma protein (pRb) by increasing phosphorylated pRb and reducing retinoblastoma gene transcription. This results in upregulation of cyclins B1, D2, and D3, and CDK1. These results suggest that Shh signaling induces cell cycle re-entry in cochlear sensory epithelium and the production of new hair cells, in part by attenuating pRb function. This study provides an additional route to modulate pRb function with important implications in mammalian hair cell regeneration. PMID:23211596

Low levels of PRB3 mRNA are associated with dopamine-agonist resistance and tumor recurrence in prolactinomas.

PubMed

Wang, Fei; Gao, Hua; Li, Chuzhong; Bai, Jiwei; Lu, Runchun; Cao, Lei; Wu, Yongtu; Hong, Lichuan; Wu, Yonggang; Lan, Xiaolei; Zhang, Yazhuo

2014-01-01

Prolactinomas, or prolactin-secreting adenomas, constitute the most common type of hyperfunctioning pituitary adenoma. Dopamine agonists are used as first-line medication for prolactinomas, but the tumors are resistant to the therapy in 5-18 % of patients. To explore potential mechanisms of resistance to bromocriptine (a dopamine agonist), we analyzed six responsive prolactinomas and six resistant prolactinomas by whole-exome sequencing. We identified ten genes with sequence variants that were differentially found in the two groups of tumors. The expression of these genes was then quantified by real-time reverse-transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) in the 12 prolactinomas and in six normal pituitary glands. The mRNA levels of one of the genes, PRB3, were about fourfold lower in resistant prolactinomas than in the responsive tumors (p = 0.02). Furthermore, low PRB3 expression was also associated with tumor recurrence. Our results suggest that low levels of PRB3 mRNA may have a role in dopamine-agonist resistance and tumor recurrence of prolactinomas.

Delineating the Construct Network of the Personnel Reaction Blank: Associations with Externalizing Tendencies and Normal Personality

PubMed Central

Blonigen, Daniel M.; Patrick, Christopher J.; Gasperi, Marianna; Steffen, Benjamin; Ones, Deniz S.; Arvey, Richard D.; de Oliveira Baumgartl, Viviane; do Nascimento, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

Integrity testing has long been utilized in personnel selection to screen for tendencies toward counterproductive workplace behaviors. The construct of externalizing from the psychopathology literature represents a coherent spectrum marked by disinhibitory traits and behaviors. The present study used a sample of male and female undergraduates to examine the construct network of the Personnel Reaction Blank (PRB; Gough, Arvey, & Bradley, 2004), a measure of integrity, in relation to externalizing as well as normal-range personality constructs assessed by the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ; Tellegen & Waller, 2008). Results revealed moderate to strong associations between several PRB scales and externalizing, which were largely accounted for by MPQ traits subsumed by Negative Emotionality and Constraint. After accounting for MPQ traits in the prediction of externalizing, a modest predictive increment was achieved when adding the PRB scales, particularly biographical indicators from the Prosocial Background subscale. The findings highlight externalizing as a focal criterion for scale development in the integrity testing literature, and help delineate the construct network of the PRB within the domains of personality and psychopathology. PMID:21171783

Origin of the phagocytic respiratory burst and its role in gut epithelial phagocytosis in a basal chordate.

PubMed

Yang, Ping; Huang, Shengfeng; Yan, Xinyu; Huang, Guangrui; Dong, Xiangru; Zheng, Tingting; Yuan, Dongjuan; Wang, Ruihua; Li, Rui; Tan, Ying; Xu, Anlong

2014-05-01

The vertebrate phagocytic respiratory burst (PRB) is a highly specific and efficient mechanism for reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. This mechanism is mediated by NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) and used by vertebrate phagocytic leukocytes to destroy internalized microbes. Here we demonstrate the presence of the PRB in a basal chordate, the amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense (bbt). We show that using the antioxidant NAC to scavenge the production of ROS significantly decreased the survival rates of infected amphioxus, indicating that ROS are indispensable for efficient antibacterial responses. Amphioxus NOX enzymes and cytosolic factors were found to colocalize in the epithelial cells of the gill, intestine, and hepatic cecum and could be upregulated after exposure to microbial pathogens. The ROS production in epithelial cell lysates could be reconstructed by supplementing recombinant cytosolic factors, including bbt-p47phox, bbt-p67phox, bbt-p47phox, and bbt-Rac; the restored ROS production could be inhibited by anti-bbt-NOX2 and anti-bbt-p67phox antibodies. We also reveal that the gut epithelial lining cells of the amphioxus are competent at bacterial phagocytosis, and there is evidence that the PRB machinery could participate in the initiation of this phagocytic process. In conclusion, we report the presence of the classical PRB machinery in nonvertebrates and provide the first evidence for the possible role of PRB in epithelial cell immunity and phagocytosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Progesterone receptor (PR) polyproline domain (PPD) mediates inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

PubMed

Kawprasertsri, Sornsawan; Pietras, Richard J; Marquez-Garban, Diana C; Boonyaratanakornkit, Viroj

2016-05-01

Recent evidence has suggested a possible role for progesterone receptor (PR) in the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, little is known concerning roles of PR in NSCLC. PR contains a polyproline domain (PPD), which directly binds to the SH3 domain of signaling molecules. Because PPD-SH3 interactions are essential for EGFR signaling, we hypothesized that the presence of PR-PPD interfered with EGFR-mediated signaling and cell proliferation. We examined the role of PR-PPD in cell proliferation and signaling by stably expressing PR-B, or PR-B with disrupting mutations in the PPD (PR-BΔSH3), from a tetracycline-regulated promoter in A549 NSCLC cells. PR-B dose-dependently inhibited cell growth in the absence of ligand, and progestin (R5020) treatment further suppressed the growth. Treatment with RU486 abolished PR-B- and R5020-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation. Expression of PR-BΔSH3 and treatment with R5020 or RU486 had no effect on cell proliferation. Furthermore, PR-B expression but not PR-BΔSH3 expression reduced EGF-induced A549 proliferation and activation of ERK1/2, in the absence of ligand. Taken together, our data demonstrated the significance of PR extranuclear signaling through PPD interactions in EGFR-mediated proliferation and signaling in NSCLC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Localization of estrogen receptor α and progesterone receptor B in bovine cervix and vagina during the follicular and luteal phases of the sexual cycle.

PubMed

Sağsöz, H; Akbalik, M E; Saruhan, B G; Ketani, M A

2011-08-01

The localization and distribution of estrogen receptors (ERα) and progesterone receptors (PR-B) in the cervix and vagina of sexually mature bovines during the follicular and luteal phases of the sexual cycle were studied using immunohistochemistry. The estrous cycle stage of 23 Holstein bovines was assessed by gross and histological appearance of ovaries and blood steroid hormone values. Tissue samples from cervix and vagina were fixed in 10% formaldehyde for routine histological processing. Nuclear staining for ERα and PR-B was observed in the epithelial cells of the surface epithelium, stromal cells and smooth muscle cells. Generally, in the cervix, ERα immunoreactivity was more intense in the epithelial and smooth muscle cells during the follicular phase and in the epithelial cells during the luteal phase (p < 0.05). PR-B immunoreactivity was more intense in the epithelial and smooth muscle cells than in the superficial and deep stromal cells during the follicular and luteal phases (p < 0.05). In the vagina, ERα and PR-B immunoreactivities were more intense in the epithelial cells than in the connective tissue cells and smooth muscle cells during the follicular and luteal phases (p < 0.05). These results indicated that the frequency and intensity of ERα and PR-B immunoreactivity in the cervix and vagina of bovines varied according to the cervical and vaginal cell types and the phases of the sexual cycle.

Targeted drug delivery and enhanced intracellular release using functionalized liposomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garg, Ashish

The ability to target cancer cells using an appropriate drug delivery system can significantly reduce the associated side effects from cancer therapies and can help in improving the overall quality of life, post cancer survival. Integrin alpha5beta1 is expressed on several types of cancer cells, including colon cancer and plays an important role in tumor growth and metastasis. Thus, the ability to target the integrin alpha 5beta1 using an appropriate drug delivery nano-vector can significantly help in inhibiting tumor growth and reducing tumor metastasis. The work in this thesis focuses on designing and optimizing, functionalized stealth liposomes (liposomes covered with polyethylene glycol (PEG)) that specifically target the integrin alpha5beta1. The PEG provides a steric barrier allowing the liposomes to circulate in the blood for longer duration and the functionalizing moiety, PR_b peptide specifically recognizes and binds to integrin alpha5beta1 expressing cells. The work demonstrates that by optimizing the amount of PEG and PR_b on the liposomal interface, nano-vectors can be engineered that bind to CT26.WT colon cancer cells in a specific manner and internalize through alpha 5beta1-mediated endocytosis. To further improve the efficacy of the system, PR_b functionalized pH-sensitive stealth liposomes that exhibit triggered release under mild acidic conditions present in endocytotic vesicles were designed. The study showed that PR_b functionalized pH-sensitive stealth liposomes, undergo destabilization under mildly acidic conditions and incorporation of the PR_b peptide does not significantly affect the pH-sensitivity of the liposomes. PR_b functionalized pH-sensitive stealth liposomes bind to CT26.WT colon carcinoma cells that express integrin alpha5beta 1, undergo cellular internalization, and release their load intracellularly in a short period of time as compared to other formulations. PR_b-targeted pH-sensitive stealth liposomes encapsulating 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) show significantly higher cytotoxicity than the PR_b-targeted inert stealth liposomes and the non-targeted stealth liposomes (both pH-sensitive and inert). The studies demonstrated that optimized PR_b functionalized pH sensitive liposomes have the potential to deliver a payload, such as chemotherapeutic agents, directly to colon cancer cells in an efficient and specific manner.

The Use of Multi-Component Statistical Techniques in Understanding Subduction Zone Arc Granitic Geochemical Data Sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompe, L.; Clausen, B. L.; Morton, D. M.

2015-12-01

Multi-component statistical techniques and GIS visualization are emerging trends in understanding large data sets. Our research applies these techniques to a large igneous geochemical data set from southern California to better understand magmatic and plate tectonic processes. A set of 480 granitic samples collected by Baird from this area were analyzed for 39 geochemical elements. Of these samples, 287 are from the Peninsular Ranges Batholith (PRB) and 164 from part of the Transverse Ranges (TR). Principal component analysis (PCA) summarized the 39 variables into 3 principal components (PC) by matrix multiplication and for the PRB are interpreted as follows: PC1 with about 30% of the variation included mainly compatible elements and SiO2 and indicates extent of differentation; PC2 with about 20% of the variation included HFS elements and may indicate crustal contamination as usually identified by Sri; PC3 with about 20% of the variation included mainly HRE elements and may indicate magma source depth as often diplayed using REE spider diagrams and possibly Sr/Y. Several elements did not fit well in any of the three components: Cr, Ni, U, and Na2O.For the PRB, the PC1 correlation with SiO2 was r=-0.85, the PC2 correlation with Sri was r=0.80, and the PC3 correlation with Gd/Yb was r=-0.76 and with Sr/Y was r=-0.66 . Extending this method to the TR, correlations were r=-0.85, -0.21, -0.06, and -0.64, respectively. A similar extent of correlation for both areas was visually evident using GIS interpolation.PC1 seems to do well at indicating differentiation index for both the PRB and TR and correlates very well with SiO2, Al2O3, MgO, FeO*, CaO, K2O, Sc, V, and Co, but poorly with Na2O and Cr. If the crustal component is represented by Sri, PC2 correlates well and less expesively with this indicator in the PRB, but not in the TR. Source depth has been related to the slope on REE spidergrams, and PC3 based on only the HREE and using the Sr/Y ratios gives a reasonable correlation for both PRB and TR, but the Gd/Yb ratio gives a reasonable correlation for only the PRB. The PRB data provide reasonable correlation between principal components and standard geochemical indicators, perhaps because of the well-recognized monotonic variation from SW to NE. Data sets from the TR give similar results in some cases, but poor correlation in others.

Mode of occurrence of chromium in four US coals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huggins, Frank E.; Shah, N.; Huffman, G.P.; Kolker, A.; Crowley, S.; Palmer, C.A.; Finkelman, R.B.

2000-01-01

The mode of occurrence of chromium in three US bituminous coals and one US subbituminous has been examined using both X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy and a selective leaching protocol supplemented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron microprobe measurements. A synthesis of results from both methods indicates that chromium occurs principally in two forms in the bituminous coals: the major occurrence of chromium is associated with the macerals and is not readily leached by any reagent, whereas a second, lesser occurrence, which is leachable in hydrofluoric acid (HF), is associated with the clay mineral, illite. The former occurrence is believed to be a small particle oxyhydroxide phase (CrO(OH)). One coal also contained a small fraction (<5%) of the chromium in the form of a chromian magnetite, and the leaching protocol indicated the possibility of a similar small fraction of chromium in sulfide form in all three coals. There was little agreement between the two techniques on the mode of occurrence of chromium in the subbituminous coal; however, only a limited number of subbituminous coals have been analyzed by either technique. The chromium in all four coals was trivalent as no evidence was found for the Cr6+ oxidation state in any coal.

Making the Marine Corps Reserve Truly Operational: A Case Study in the Reorganization of the Marine Corps Reserve

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-10

Military’s Reliance on the Reserves”, PRB March 2005, http://www.prb.org/Articles/2005/USMilitarysRelianceontheReserves 30 Purpura , Paul. “Transfer of...March 20, 2009. Purpura , Paul. “Transfer of Marine Corps facility in New Orleans nears completion”, The Times Picayune. May 30, 2011. http

77 FR 60106 - Membership of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-02

... Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC). ACTION: Notice of Membership of the NOAA Performance Review Board. SUMMARY: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4), NOAA announces the appointment of members who will serve on the NOAA Performance Review Board (PRB). The NOAA PRB is responsible for reviewing...

Inorganic chemistry, petrography and palaeobotany of Permian coals in the Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holdgate, G.R.; McLoughlin, S.; Drinnan, A.N.; Finkelman, R.B.; Willett, J.C.; Chiehowsky, L.A.

2005-01-01

Sampled outcrops of Permian coal seams of the Bainmedart Coal Measures in the Lambert Graben, eastern Antarctica, have been analysed for their proximates, ultimates, ash constituents and trace elements. A similar series of samples has been analysed for their principle maceral and microlithotype components and vitrinite reflectance. The coals are sub-bituminous to high volatile bituminous in rank; maturity increases markedly in southern exposures around Radok Lake where the oldest part of the succession is exposed and some strata have been intruded by mafic dykes and ultramafic sills. The coal ash is mostly silica and aluminium oxides, indicating that the mineral ash component is mostly quartz and various clay minerals. The ratio of silica to aluminium oxides appears to increase in an upward stratigraphic direction. The coal macerals include a relatively high liptinite content (mainly sporinite) that is significantly higher than for typical Gondwana coals. Greater degrees of weathering within the floodbasin/peat mire environments associated with climatic drying towards the end of the Permian might account for both preferential sporopollenin preservation and increased silica:aluminium oxide ratios up-section. Correlation of the coal maceral components to adjacent peninsula India coals indicates the closest comparative coals of similar age and rank occur within the Godavari Basin, rather then the Mahanadi Basin, which is traditionally interpreted to have been contiguous with the Lambert Graben before Gondwanan breakup. The petrological characteristics suggest that either previous interpretations of Palaeozoic basin alignments between Antarctica and India are incorrect, or that environmental settings and post-Permian burial histories of these basins were strongly independent of their tectonic juxtaposition. A permineralized peat bed within the succession reveals that the coals predominantly comprise wood- and leaf-rich debris derived from low-diversity forest-mire communities dominated by glossopterid and noeggerathiopsid gymnosperms. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fuel Flexibility in Gasification

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

McLendon, T. Robert; Pineault, Richard L.; Richardson, Steven W.

2001-11-06

In order to increase efficiencies of carbonizers, operation at high pressures is needed. In addition, waste biomass fuels of opportunity can be used to offset fossil fuel use. The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Fluidized Bed Gasifier/Combustor (FBG/C) was used to gasify coal and mixtures of coal and biomass (sawdust) at 425 psig. The purpose of the testing program was to generate steady state operating data for modeling efforts of carbonizers. A test program was completed with a matrix of parameters varied one at a time in order to avoid second order interactions. Variables were: coal feed rate, pressure, andmore » varying mixtures of sawdust and coal types. Coal types were Montana Rosebud subbituminous and Pittsburgh No. 8 bituminous. The sawdust was sanding waste from a furniture manufacturer in upstate New York. Coal was sieved from -14 to +60 mesh and sawdust was sieved to -14 mesh. The FBG/C operates at a nominal 425 psig, but pressures can be lowered. For the tests reported it was operated as a jetting, fluidized bed, ash-agglomerating gasifier. Preheated air and steam are injected into the center of the bottom along with the solid feed that is conveyed with cool air. Fairly stable reactor internal flow patterns develop and temperatures stabilize (with some fluctuations) when steady state is reached. At nominal conditions the solids residence time in the reactor is on the order of 1.5 to 2 hours, so changes in feed types can require on the order of hours to equilibrate. Changes in operating conditions (e.g. feed rate) usually require much less time. The operating periods of interest for these tests were only the steady state periods, so transient conditions were not monitored as closely. The test matrix first established a base case of operations to which single parameter changes in conditions could be compared. The base case used Montana Rosebud at a coal feed rate of 70 lbm/hr at 425 psig. The coal sawdust mixtures are reported as percent by weight coal to percent by weight sawdust. The mixtures of interest were: 65/35 subbituminous, 75/25 subbituminous, 85/15 subbituminous, and 75/25 bituminous. Steady state was achieved quickly when going from one subbituminous mixture to another, but longer when going from subbituminous to bituminous coal. The most apparent observation when comparing the base case to subbituminous coal/sawdust mixtures is that operating conditions are nearly the same. Product gas does not change much in composition and temperatures remain nearly the same. Comparisons of identical weight ratios of sawdust and subbituminous and bituminous mixtures show considerable changes in operating conditions and gas composition. The highly caking bituminous coal used in this test swelled up and became about half as dense as the comparable subbituminous coal char. Some adjustments were required in accommodating changes in solids removal during the test. Nearly all the solids in the bituminous coal sawdust were conveyed into the upper freeboard section and removed at the mid-level of the reactor. This is in marked contrast to the ash-agglomerating condition where most solids are removed at the very bottom of the gasifier. Temperatures in the bottom of the reactor during the bituminous test were very high and difficult to control. The most significant discovery of the tests was that the addition of sawdust allowed gasification of a coal type that had previously resulted in nearly instant clinkering of the gasifier. Several previous attempts at using Pittsburgh No. 8 were done only at the end of the tests when shutdown was imminent anyway. It is speculated that the fine wood dust somehow coats the pyrolyzed sticky bituminous coal particles and prevents them from agglomerating quickly. As the bituminous coal char particles swell, they are carried to the cooler upper regions of the reactor where they re-solidify. Other interesting phenomena were revealed regarding the transport (rheological) properties of the coal sawdust mixtures. The coal sawdust mixtures segregate quickly when transported. This is visibly apparent. To prevent bridges and ratholes from developing in the lowest coal feed hopper, it is normally fluidized. When feeding the coal sawdust mixtures the fluidizing gas was turned off to prevent segregation. The feed system worked as well with no fluidizing gas when using the mixtures as it did with fluidizing gas and only coal. In addition, it was inadvertently discovered that greatly increased pressure above the feeder resulted in greatly increased flow with the mixtures. Increased pressure above the feeder with coal only results in quickly plugging the feed system. Also, it was learned that addition of sawdust reduces the system loss during conveying compared to coal only. This is in spite of overall smaller particle sizes with the coal sawdust mixtures.« less

ck2-dependent phosphorylation of progesterone receptors (PR) on Ser81 regulates PR-B isoform-specific target gene expression in breast cancer cells.

PubMed

Hagan, Christy R; Regan, Tarah M; Dressing, Gwen E; Lange, Carol A

2011-06-01

Progesterone receptors (PR) are critical mediators of mammary gland development and contribute to breast cancer progression. Progestin-induced rapid activation of cytoplasmic protein kinases leads to selective regulation of growth-promoting genes by phospho-PR species. Herein, we show that phosphorylation of PR Ser81 is ck2 dependent and progestin regulated in intact cells but also occurs in the absence of PR ligands when cells enter the G(1)/S phase of the cell cycle. T47D breast cancer cells stably expressing a PR-B mutant receptor that cannot be phosphorylated at Ser79/81 (S79/81A) formed fewer soft agar colonies. Regulation of selected genes by PR-B, but not PR-A, also required Ser79/81 phosphorylation for basal and/or progestin-regulated (BIRC3, HSD11β2, and HbEGF) expression. Additionally, wild-type (wt) PR-B, but not S79/81A mutant PR, was robustly recruited to a progesterone response element (PRE)-containing transcriptional enhancer region of BIRC3; abundant ck2 also associated with this region in cells expressing wt but not S79/81A PR. We conclude that phospho-Ser81 PR provides a platform for ck2 recruitment and regulation of selected PR-B target genes. Understanding how ligand-independent PRs function in the context of high levels of kinase activities characteristic of breast cancer is critical to understanding the basis of tumor-specific changes in gene expression and will speed the development of highly selective treatments.

ck2-Dependent Phosphorylation of Progesterone Receptors (PR) on Ser81 Regulates PR-B Isoform-Specific Target Gene Expression in Breast Cancer Cells ▿

PubMed Central

Hagan, Christy R.; Regan, Tarah M.; Dressing, Gwen E.; Lange, Carol A.

2011-01-01

Progesterone receptors (PR) are critical mediators of mammary gland development and contribute to breast cancer progression. Progestin-induced rapid activation of cytoplasmic protein kinases leads to selective regulation of growth-promoting genes by phospho-PR species. Herein, we show that phosphorylation of PR Ser81 is ck2 dependent and progestin regulated in intact cells but also occurs in the absence of PR ligands when cells enter the G1/S phase of the cell cycle. T47D breast cancer cells stably expressing a PR-B mutant receptor that cannot be phosphorylated at Ser79/81 (S79/81A) formed fewer soft agar colonies. Regulation of selected genes by PR-B, but not PR-A, also required Ser79/81 phosphorylation for basal and/or progestin-regulated (BIRC3, HSD11β2, and HbEGF) expression. Additionally, wild-type (wt) PR-B, but not S79/81A mutant PR, was robustly recruited to a progesterone response element (PRE)-containing transcriptional enhancer region of BIRC3; abundant ck2 also associated with this region in cells expressing wt but not S79/81A PR. We conclude that phospho-Ser81 PR provides a platform for ck2 recruitment and regulation of selected PR-B target genes. Understanding how ligand-independent PRs function in the context of high levels of kinase activities characteristic of breast cancer is critical to understanding the basis of tumor-specific changes in gene expression and will speed the development of highly selective treatments. PMID:21518957

Pocket Proteins Suppress Head and Neck Cancer

PubMed Central

Shin, Myeong-Kyun; Pitot, Henry C.; Lambert, Paul F.

2012-01-01

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) is a common cancer in humans long known to be caused by tobacco and alcohol use, but now an increasing percentage of HNSCC is recognized to be caused by the same human papillomaviruses (HPVs) that cause cervical and other anogenital cancers. HPV-positive HNSCCs differ remarkably from HPV-negative HNSCCs in their clinical response and molecular properties. From studies in mice, we know that E7 is the dominant HPV oncoprotein in head and neck cancer. E7 is best known for its ability to inactivate pRb, the product of the retinoblastoma tumor susceptibility gene. However loss of pRb function does not fully account for E7’s potency in causing head and neck cancer. In this study, we characterized the cancer susceptibility of mice deficient in the expression of pRb and either of two related “pocket” proteins, p107 and p130, that are also inactivated by E7. pRb/p107 deficient mice developed head and neck cancer as frequently as do HPV16 E7 transgenic mice. The head and neck epithelia of the pRb/p107 deficient mice also displayed the same acute phenotypes and biomarker readouts as observed in the epithelia of E7 transgenic mice. Mice deficient for pRb and p130 in their head and neck epithelia showed intermediate acute and tumor phenotypes. We conclude that pRb and p107 act together to efficiently suppress head and neck cancer, and are therefore highly relevant targets of HPV16 E7 in its contribution to HPV-positive HNSCC. PMID:22237625

Pocket proteins suppress head and neck cancer.

PubMed

Shin, Myeong-Kyun; Pitot, Henry C; Lambert, Paul F

2012-03-01

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) is a common cancer in humans long known to be caused by tobacco and alcohol use, but now an increasing percentage of HNSCC is recognized to be caused by the same human papillomaviruses (HPV) that cause cervical and other anogenital cancers. HPV-positive HNSCCs differ remarkably from HPV-negative HNSCCs in their clinical response and molecular properties. From studies in mice, we know that E7 is the dominant HPV oncoprotein in head and neck cancer. E7 is best known for its ability to inactivate pRb, the product of the retinoblastoma tumor susceptibility gene. However, loss of pRb function does not fully account for potency of E7 in causing head and neck cancer. In this study, we characterized the cancer susceptibility of mice deficient in the expression of pRb and either of two related "pocket" proteins, p107 and p130, that are also inactivated by E7. pRb/p107-deficient mice developed head and neck cancer as frequently as do HPV-16 E7 transgenic mice. The head and neck epithelia of the pRb/p107-deficient mice also displayed the same acute phenotypes and biomarker readouts as observed in the epithelia of E7 transgenic mice. Mice deficient for pRb and p130 in their head and neck epithelia showed intermediate acute and tumor phenotypes. We conclude that pRb and p107 act together to efficiently suppress head and neck cancer and are, therefore, highly relevant targets of HPV-16 E7 in its contribution to HPV-positive HNSCC.

The RB-related gene Rb2/p130 in neuroblastoma differentiation and in B-myb promoter down-regulation.

PubMed

Raschellà, G; Tanno, B; Bonetto, F; Negroni, A; Claudio, P P; Baldi, A; Amendola, R; Calabretta, B; Giordano, A; Paggi, M G

1998-05-01

The retinoblastoma family of nuclear factors is composed of RB, the prototype of the tumour suppressor genes and of the strictly related genes p107 and Rb2/p130. The three genes code for proteins, namely pRb, p107 and pRb2/p130, that share similar structures and functions. These proteins are expressed, often simultaneously, in many cell types and are involved in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation. We determined the expression and the phosphorylation of the RB family gene products during the DMSO-induced differentiation of the N1E-115 murine neuroblastoma cells. In this system, pRb2/p130 was strongly up-regulated during mid-late differentiation stages, while, on the contrary, pRb and p107 resulted markedly decreased at late stages. Differentiating N1E-115 cells also showed a progressive decrease in B-myb levels, a proliferation-related protein whose constitutive expression inhibits neuronal differentiation. Transfection of each of the RB family genes in these cells was able, at different degrees, to induce neuronal differentiation, to inhibit [3H]thymidine incorporation and to down-regulate the activity of the B-myb promoter.

Negative Effects of SRD5A1 on Nuclear Activity of Progesterone Receptor Isoform B in JEG3 Cells.

PubMed

Miao, Zhuo; Sun, Min; Jiang, Feng; Yao, Yuanqing; Li, Yi

2016-02-01

Progesterone withdrawal signals labor in mammals. Elevated intracellular metabolism contributes to progesterone functional withdrawal through unknown mechanism, which is thought to act via progesterone receptor (PR). This study aims to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying progesterone withdrawal during pregnancy and labor. We investigated the role of 5α-reductase type I (SRD5A1) in enzymatic catalysis of progesterone and loss of PR function in a human trophoblast choriocarcinoma cell line JEG3. The PR isoform B (PR-B) was robustly expressed in JEG3 cells. The SRD5A1 small-interfering RNA knockdown led to significant increase in PR-B nuclear import, ectopic, whereas SRD5A1 overexpression resulted in remarkable inhibition of nuclear PR-B in P4-treated cells. Repression of SRD5A1 activated PR-B responsive gene, whereas overexpression of SRD5A1 possessed an inhibitory effect. JEG3 cell line is a valuable tool to study mechanisms responsible for loss of PR function and screening of drugs for preterm birth treatment. Our study aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying progesterone withdrawal during pregnancy and labor. © The Author(s) 2015.

Heavy metal removal from MSWI fly ash by electrokinetic remediation coupled with a permeable activated charcoal reactive barrier

PubMed Central

Huang, Tao; Li, Dongwei; Kexiang, Liu; Zhang, Yuewei

2015-01-01

This paper presents the investigations into the feasibility of the application of a remediation system that couples electrokinetic remediation (EKR) with the permeable reactive barrier (PRB) concept for municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash with activated charcoal as the PRB material. The experimental results of this study showed that the proposed combined method can effectively improve the remediation efficiency and that the addition of the oxalic acid to the PRB media before the coupled system can further enhance the remediation process. In the optimization tests, the maximum removals of Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd were achieved under different experimental conditions. The voltage gradient and processing time were shown to have significant effects on the removal of Cu and Cd, whereas the addition of the oxalic acid had a more significant influence on the removal of Pb. Generally, the processing time is the most significant factor in changing the removal rates of HMs in the enhanced coupled system. In terms of the leaching toxicity, the specimen remediated by ENEKR + PRB showed the lowest leaching value for each HM in the S2 and S3 regions. PMID:26486449

Liquefaction of calcium-containing subbituminous coals and coals of lower rank

DOEpatents

Brunson, Roy J.

1979-01-01

An improved process for the treatment of a calcium-containing subbituminous coal and coals of lower rank to form insoluble, thermally stable calcium salts which remain within the solids portions of the residue on liquefaction of the coal, thereby suppressing the formation of scale, made up largely of calcium carbonate which normally forms within the coal liquefaction reactor (i.e., coal liquefaction zone), e.g., on reactor surfaces, lines, auxiliary equipment and the like. An oxide of sulfur, in liquid phase, is contacted with a coal feed sufficient to impregnate the pores of the coal. The impregnated coal, in particulate form, can thereafter be liquefied in a coal liquefaction reactor (reaction zone) at coal liquefaction conditions without significant formation of scale.

Frontier Science in the Polar Regions: Current Activities of the Polar Research Board

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, L. M.

2011-12-01

The National Academies (the umbrella term for the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council) is a private, nonprofit organization chartered by Congress in 1863. The Polar Research Board (PRB) is the focal point within the Academies for providing advice on issues related to the Arctic, Antarctic, and cold regions in general. Tasks within the PRB mission include: providing a forum for the polar science community to address research needs and policy issues; conducting studies and workshops on emerging scientific and policy issues in response to requests from federal agencies and others; providing program reviews, guidance, and assessments of priorities; and facilitating communication on polar issues among academia, industry, and government. The PRB also serves as the US National Committee to two international, nongovernmental polar science organizations: the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC). The polar regions are experiencing rapid changes in environment and climate, and the PRB has a number of completed and ongoing studies that will enhance scientific understanding of these issues. This poster will illustrate current PRB activities as well as results from two recently released reports: Frontiers in Understanding Climate Change and Polar Ecosystems and Future Science Opportunities in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. In the former, a set of frontier research questions are developed to help scientists understand the impacts of climate change on polar ecosystems. The report builds on existing knowledge of climate change impacts and highlights the next big topics to be addressed in the coming decades. In addition, a number of methods and technologies are identified that will be useful to advance future research in polar ecosystem science. In the latter, changes to important science conducted on Antarctica and the surrounding Southern Ocean will be summarized. The report will identify the anticipated types and scope of US scientific programs in the region over the next two decades. It will also examine opportunities for international Antarctic scientific collaborations and report any new and emerging technologies. Through these reports, ongoing studies and workshops, and various outreach methods, the PRB plays an important role in dissemination of polar science, both in the United States and internationally. For example, the PRB played a critical role in planning the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 and is currently conducting a synthesis study called Legacies and Lessons of IPY 2007-2008. The report will be informed by a large community workshop and will examine what was learned and how the many pieces of IPY combine to move polar understanding forward in the future. Other PRB reports (e.g., Scientific Value of Arctic Sea Ice Imagery Derived Products and Toward an Integrated Arctic Observing Network) have also had important implications for current and future polar research.

Geologic map of the Morena Reservoir 7.5-minute quadrangle, San Diego County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Todd, Victoria R.

2016-06-01

IntroductionMapping in the Morena Reservoir 7.5-minute quadrangle began in 1980, when the Hauser Wilderness Area, which straddles the Morena Reservoir and Barrett Lake quadrangles, was mapped for the U.S. Forest Service. Mapping was completed in 1993–1994. The Morena Reservoir quadrangle contains part of a regional-scale Late Jurassic(?) to Early Cretaceous tectonic suture that coincides with the western limit of Jurassic metagranites in this part of the Peninsular Ranges batholith (PRB). This suture, and a nearly coincident map unit consisting of metamorphosed Cretaceous and Jurassic back-arc basinal volcanic and sedimentary rocks (unit KJvs), mark the boundary between western, predominantly metavolcanic rocks, and eastern, mainly metasedimentary, rocks. The suture is intruded and truncated by the western margin of middle to Late Cretaceous Granite Mountain and La Posta plutons of the eastern zone of the batholith.

De Haas van Alphen effect of PrB6 in commensurate and incommensurate phases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endo, M.; Isshiki, T.; Kimura, N.; Aoki, H.; Kunii, S.

2006-05-01

We have studied the de Haas-van Alphen effect in the commensurate (C) and incommensurate (IC) phases of PrB6. It is found that the amplitudes and effective masses of the two oscillations α1 and α2 from the main Fermi surface are approximately the same in the C phase while they are considerably different in the IC phase.

Ecological assessment of streams in the Powder River Structural Basin, Wyoming and Montana, 2005-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, D.A.; Wright, P.R.; Edwards, G.P.; Hargett, E.G.; Feldman, D.L.; Zumberge, J.R.; Dey, Paul

2009-01-01

Energy and mineral development, particularly coalbed natural gas development, is proceeding at a rapid pace in the Powder River Structural Basin (PRB) in northeastern Wyoming. Concerns about the potential effects of development led to formation of an interagency working group of primarily Federal and State agencies to address these issues in the PRB in Wyoming and in Montana where similar types of resources exist but are largely undeveloped. Under the direction of the interagency working group, an ecological assessment of streams in the PRB was initiated to determine the current status (2005–06) and to establish a baseline for future monitoring.The ecological assessment components include assessment of stream habitat and riparian zones as well as assessments of macroinvertebrate, algal, and fish communities. All of the components were sampled at 47 sites in the PRB during 2005. A reduced set of components, consisting primarily of macroinvertebrate and fish community assessments, was sampled in 2006. Related ecological data, such as habitat and fish community data collected from selected sites in 2004, also are included in this report.The stream habitat assessment included measurement of channel features, substrate size and embeddedness, riparian vegetation, and reachwide characteristics. The width-to-depth ratio (bankfull width/bankfull depth) tended to be higher at sites on the main-stem Powder River than at sites on the main-stem Tongue River and at sites on tributary streams. The streambed substrate particle size was largest at sites on the main-stem Tongue River and smallest at sites on small tributary streams such as Squirrel Creek and Otter Creek. Total vegetative cover at the ground level, understory, and canopy layers ranged from less than 40 percent at a few sites to more than 90 percent at many of the sites. A bank-stability index indicated that sites in the Tongue River drainage were less at risk of bank failure than sites on the main-stem Powder River.Macroinvertebrate communities showed similarity at the river-drainage scale. Macroinvertebrate communities at sites with mountainous headwaters and snowmelt-driven hydrology, such as Clear Creek, Crazy Woman Creek, and Goose Creek, showed similarity with communities from the main-stem Tongue River. The data also indicated similarity among sites on the main-stem Powder River and among small tributaries of the Tongue River. Data analyses using macroinvertebrate observed/expected models and multimetric indices developed by the States of Wyoming and Montana indicated a tendency toward declining biological condition in the downstream direction along the Tongue River. Biological condition for the main-stem Powder River generally improved downstream, from below Salt Creek to near the Wyoming/Montana border, followed by a general decline downstream from the border to the confluence with the Yellowstone River. The biological condition generally was not significantly different between 2005 and 2006, although streamflow was less in 2006 because of drought.Algal communities showed similarity at the river-drainage scale with slight differences from the pattern observed in the macroinvertebrate communities. Although the algal communities from Clear Creek and Goose Creek were similar to those from the main-stem Tongue River, as was true of the macroinvertebrate communities, the algal communities from Crazy Woman Creek had more similarity to those of main-stem Powder River sites than to the Tongue River sites, contrary to the macroinvertebrates. Ordination of algal communities, as well as diatom metrics including salinity and dominant taxa, indicated substantial variation at two sites along the main stem of the Powder River.Fish communities of the PRB were most diverse in the Tongue River drainage. In part due to the effects of Tongue River Reservoir, 15 species of fish were found in the Tongue River drainage that were not found in the Cheyenne, Belle Fourche, or Little Powder River drainages. The number of introduced species and relative abundance of introduced species of fish were higher in the Tongue River and other drainages than at sites on the main-stem Powder River. Although non-native species were identified in the Powder River, the native fish community is largely intact. Western silvery minnow and sturgeon chub—species of special concern—were identified only at sites on the main-stem Powder River and were most common in the Montana segment of the main stem. Fish and habitat sampling on the main-stem Powder River indicated affinity of some species for certain habitats such as pools, runs, riffles, backwaters, or shoals.

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

Bartke, T.C.

Under the US Department of Energy's Underground-Coal-Conversion program, four field tests were completed in 1979 and preparations were begun in 1980 for two additional field tests to be operated in 1981. The Laramie Energy Technology Center (LETC) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) completed Hanna IV, an air gasification test in Wyoming subbituminous coal. The Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) completed Pricetown 1, an air gasification test in West Virginia bituminous coal. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) completed Hoe Creek 3, a steam-oxygen gasification test in Wyoming subbituminous coal. Gulf Research and Development Co. completed Steeply Dipping Beds (SDB) Test 1,more » primarily an air gasification test in Wyoming subbituminous coal and the first SDB test in the US. In 1980, Gulf R and D Co. began preparation of SDB Test 2, scheduled for operation in the fall of 1981. The DOE project teams at LETC, METC, LLNL, and SNL, in association with the Washington Irrigation and Development Co. (WIDCo), Washington Water Power (WWP), and the State of Washington, are preparing a field test site in the Centralia-Chehalis coal district of Washington. A series of large coal block tests will be completed prior to the field test, scheduled for operation in 1982 or 1983. This field test will utilize a directionally drilled link and steam-oxygen gasification system. This paper summarizes the results of the four recently completed field tests and the plans for additional tests.« less

Coupling of bio-PRB and enclosed in-well aeration system for remediation of nitrobenzene and aniline in groundwater.

PubMed

Liu, Na; Ding, Feng; Wang, Liu; Liu, Peng; Yu, Xiaolong; Ye, Kang

2016-05-01

A laboratory-scale bio-permeable reactive barrier (bio-PRB) was constructed and combined with enclosed in-well aeration system to treat nitrobenzene (NB) and aniline (AN) in groundwater. Batch-style experiments were first conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of NB and AN degradation, using suspension (free cells) of degrading consortium and immobilized consortium by a mixture of perlite and peat. The NB and AN were completely degraded in <3 days using immobilized consortium, while 3-5 days were required using free cells. The O2 supply efficiency of an enclosed in-well aeration system was assessed in a box filled with perlite and peat. Dissolved O2 (DO) concentrations increased to 8-12 mg L(-1) in 12 h for sampling ports within 12 cm of the aeration well. A diffusion coefficient as 33.5 cm(2) s(-1) was obtained. The DO concentration was >4 mg L(-1) when the aeration system was applied into the bio-PRB system. The NB and AN were effectively removed when the aeration system was functional in the bio-PRB. The removal efficiency decreased when the aeration system malfunctioned for 20 days, thus indicating that DO was an important factor for the degradation of NB and AN. The regain of NB and AN removal after the malfunction indicates the robustness of degradation consortium. No original organics and new formed by-products were observed in the effluent. The results indicate that NB and AN in groundwater can be completely mineralized in a bio-PRB equipped with enclosed in-well aeration system and filled with perlite and peat attached with degrading consortium.

Host range and cell cycle activation properties of polyomavirus large T-antigen mutants defective in pRB binding

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

Freund, R.; Bauer, P.H.; Benjamin, T.L.

1994-11-01

The authors have examined the growth properties of polyomavirus large T-antigen mutants that ar unable to bind pRB, the product of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene. These mutants grow poorly on primary mouse cells yet grow well on NIH 3T3 and other established mouse cell lines. Preinfection of primary baby mouse kidney (BMK) epithelial cells with wild-type simian virus 40 renders these cells permissive to growth of pRB-binding polyomavirus mutants. Conversely, NIH 3T3 cells transfected by and expressing wild-type human pRB become nonpermissive. Primary fibroblasts for mouse embryos that carry a homozygous knockout of the RB gene are permissive, whilemore » those from normal littermates are nonpermissive. The host range of polyomavirus pRB-binding mutants is thus determined by expression or lack of expression of functional pRB by the host. These results demonstrate the importance of pRB binding by large T antigen for productive viral infection in primary cells. Failure of pRB-binding mutants to grow well in BMK cells correlates with their failure to induce progression from G{sub 0} or G{sub 1} through the S phase of the cell cycle. Time course studies show delayed synthesis and lower levels of accumulation of large T antigen, viral DNA, and VP1 in mutant compared with wild-type virus-infected BMK cells. These results support a model in which productive infection by polyomavirus in normal mouse cells is tightly coupled to the induction and progression of the cell cycle. 48 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs.« less

The activities of progesterone receptor isoform A and B are differentially modulated by their ligands in a gene-selective manner.

PubMed

Leo, Joyce C L; Lin, Valerie C L

2008-01-01

It is known that progesterone receptor (PR) isoform A (PR-A) and isoform B (PR-B) may mediate different effects of progesterone. The objective of this study was to determine if the functions of PR isoforms also vary in response to different PR modulators (PRM). The effects of 7 synthetic PRM were tested in MDA-MB-231 cells engineered to express PR-A, PR-B, or both PR isoforms. The effects of progesterone were similar in cells expressing PR-A or PR-B in which it inhibited growth and induced focal adhesion. On the other hand, synthetic PRM modulated the activity of the PR isoforms differently. RU486, CDB4124, 17alpha-hydroxy CDB4124 and VA2914 exerted agonist activities on cell growth and adhesion via PR-B. Via PR-A, however, these compounds displayed agonist effect on cell growth but induced stellate morphology which was distinct from the agonist's effect. Their dual properties via PR-A were also displayed at the gene expression level: the compounds acted as agonists on cell cycle genes but exhibited antagonistic effect on cell adhesion genes. Introduction of ERalpha by adenoviral vector to these cells did not change PR-A or PR-B mediated effect of PRM radically, but it causes significant cell rounding and modified the magnitudes of the responses to PRM. The findings suggest that the activities of PR isoforms may be modulated by different PRM through gene-specific regulatory mechanisms. This raises an interesting possibility that PRM may be designed to be PR isoform and cellular pathway selective to achieve targeted therapy in breast cancer. Copyright 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Coal desulfurization by low temperature chlorinolysis, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalvinskas, J. J.; Hsu, G. C.; Ernest, J. B.; Andress, D. F.; Feller, D. R.

1977-01-01

The reported activity covers laboratory scale experiments on twelve bituminous, sub-bituminous and lignite coals, and preliminary design and specifications for bench-scale and mini-pilot plant equipment.

Amino-terminal domains of c-myc and N-myc proteins mediate binding to the retinoblastoma gene product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rustgi, Anil K.; Dyson, Nicholas; Bernards, Rene

1991-08-01

THE proteins encoded by the myc gene family are involved in the control of cell proliferation and differentiation, and aberrant expression of myc proteins has been implicated in the genesis of a variety of neoplasms1. In the carboxyl terminus, myc proteins have two domains that encode a basic domain/helix-loop-helix and a leucine zipper motif, respectively. These motifs are involved both in DNA binding and in protein dimerization2-5. In addition, myc protein family members share several regions of highly conserved amino acids in their amino termini that are essential for transformation6,7. We report here that an N-terminal domain present in both the c-myc and N-myc proteins mediates binding to the retinoblastoma gene product, pRb. We show that the human papilloma virus E7 protein competes with c-myc for binding to pRb, indicating that these proteins share overlapping binding sites on pRb. Furthermore, a mutant Rb protein from a human tumour cell line that carried a 35-amino-acid deletion in its C terminus failed to bind to c-myc. Our results suggest that c-myc and pRb cooperate through direct binding to control cell proliferation.

Growth and Survival of Perchlorate-Reducing Bacteria in Media Containing Elevated Perchlorate Concentrations and UV-C Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bywaters, K. F.; Mckay, C. P.; Quinn, R. C.

2017-01-01

Introduction: The identification of perchlorate (ClO4(-)) on Mars has led to the possibility that complete redox couples are available for microbial metabolism in contemporary surface environments. Perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) utilize ClO4(-) and chlorate (ClO3(-)) as terminal electron acceptors due to the high reduction potential. Additionally, ClO4(-) salts have been suggested as a possible source of brines on Mars and spectral evidence indicates that the hydration of ClO4(-) salts in the regolith of Martian is linked to the surface recurring slope lineae (RSL). For these reasons PRB may serve as analog organisms for possible life on Mars. However, there is very little information on the viability of PRB in aqueous environments that contain high levels of perchlorate Microorganisms on or near the surface of Mars, such as in the RSL, would potentially be exposed to high-salinity and high ultraviolet radiation environments. Under these extreme conditions, microorganisms must possess mechanisms for maintaining continued high genome fidelity. To assess possible microbial viability in contemporary Mars analog environments we are investigating the tolerance of two PRB strains in aqueous conditions under high UV-C conditions and high ClO4(-) concentrations.

Column test-based optimization of the permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technique for remediating groundwater contaminated by landfill leachates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Dan; Li, Yan; Zhang, Yinbo; Zhang, Chang; Li, Xiongfei; Chen, Zhiliang; Huang, Junyi; Li, Xia; Flores, Giancarlo; Kamon, Masashi

2014-11-01

We investigated the optimum composition of permeable reactive barrier (PRB) materials for remediating groundwater heavily contaminated by landfill leachate, in column tests using various mixtures of zero-valent iron (ZVI), zeolite (Zeo) and activated carbon (AC) with 0.01-0.25, 3.0-5.0 and 0.7-1.0 mm grain sizes, respectively. The main contributors to the removal of organic/inorganic contaminants were ZVI and AC, and the optimum weight ratio of the three PRB materials for removing the contaminants and maintaining adequate hydraulic conductivity was found to be 5:1:4. Average reductions in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and contents of total nitrogen (TN), ammonium, Ni, Pb and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from test samples using this mixture were 55.8%, 70.8%, 89.2%, 70.7%, 92.7% and 94.2%, respectively. We also developed a systematic method for estimating the minimum required thickness and longevity of the PRB materials. A ≥ 309.6 cm layer with the optimum composition is needed for satisfactory longevity, defined here as meeting the Grade III criteria (the Chinese National Bureau of Standards: GB/T14848/93) for in situ treatment of the sampled groundwater for ≥ 10 years.

Early breakthrough of molybdenum and uranium in a permeable reactive barrier.

PubMed

Morrison, Stan J; Mushovic, Paul S; Niesen, Preston L

2006-03-15

A permeable reactive barrier (PRB) using zerovalent iron (ZVI) was installed at a site near Cañon City, CO, to treat molybdenum (Mo) and uranium (U) in groundwater. The PRB initially decreased Mo concentrations from about 4.8 to less than 0.1 mg/L; however, Mo concentrations in the ZVI increased to 2.0 mg/L after about 250 days and continued to increase until concentrations in the ZVI were about 4 times higherthan in the influent groundwater. Concentrations of U were reduced from 1.0 to less than 0.02 mg/L during the same period. Investigations of solid-phase samples indicate that (1) calcium carbonate, iron oxide, and sulfide minerals had precipitated in pores of the ZVI; (2) U and Mo were concentrated in the upgradient 5.1 cm of the ZVI; and (3) calcium was present throughout the ZVI accounting for up to 20.5% of the initial porosity. Results of a column test indicated that the ZVI from the PRB was still reactive for removing Mo and that removal rates were dependenton residence time and pH. The chemical evolution of the PRB is explained in four stages that present a progression from porous media flow through preferential flow and, finally, complete bypass of the ZVI.

Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase activity triggers neuronal differentiation of mouse neuroblastoma cells.

PubMed

Kranenburg, O; Scharnhorst, V; Van der Eb, A J; Zantema, A

1995-10-01

Studies on the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal differentiation are frequently performed using cell lines established from neuroblastomas. In this study we have used mouse N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells that undergo neuronal differentiation in response to DMSO. During differentiation, cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) activities decline and phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma gene product (pRb) is lost, leading to the appearance of a pRb-containing E2F DNA-binding complex. The loss of cdk2 activity is due to a decrease in cdk2 abundance whereas loss of cdk4 activity is caused by strong association with the cdk inhibitor (CKI) p27KIP1 and concurrent loss of cdk4 phosphorylation. Moreover, neuronal differentiation can be induced by overexpression of p27KIP1 or pRb, suggesting that inhibition of cdk activity leading to loss of pRb phosphorylation, is the major determinant for neuronal differentiation.

Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase activity triggers neuronal differentiation of mouse neuroblastoma cells

PubMed Central

1995-01-01

Studies on the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal differentiation are frequently performed using cell lines established from neuroblastomas. In this study we have used mouse N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells that undergo neuronal differentiation in response to DMSO. During differentiation, cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) activities decline and phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma gene product (pRb) is lost, leading to the appearance of a pRb-containing E2F DNA-binding complex. The loss of cdk2 activity is due to a decrease in cdk2 abundance whereas loss of cdk4 activity is caused by strong association with the cdk inhibitor (CKI) p27KIP1 and concurrent loss of cdk4 phosphorylation. Moreover, neuronal differentiation can be induced by overexpression of p27KIP1 or pRb, suggesting that inhibition of cdk activity leading to loss of pRb phosphorylation, is the major determinant for neuronal differentiation. PMID:7559779

Linking micro- and macroevolutionary perspectives to evaluate the role of Quaternary sea-level oscillations in island diversification.

PubMed

Papadopoulou, Anna; Knowles, L Lacey

2017-12-01

With shifts in island area, isolation, and cycles of island fusion-fission, the role of Quaternary sea-level oscillations as drivers of diversification is complex and not well understood. Here, we conduct parallel comparisons of population and species divergence between two island areas of equivalent size that have been affected differently by sea-level oscillations, with the aim to understand the micro- and macroevolutionary dynamics associated with sea-level change. Using genome-wide datasets for a clade of seven Amphiacusta ground cricket species endemic to the Puerto Rico Bank (PRB), we found consistently deeper interspecific divergences and higher population differentiation across the unfragmented Western PRB, in comparison to the currently fragmented Eastern PRB that has experienced extreme changes in island area and connectivity during the Quaternary. We evaluate alternative hypotheses related to the microevolutionary processes (population splitting, extinction, and merging) that regulate the frequency of completed speciation across the PRB. Our results suggest that under certain combinations of archipelago characteristics and taxon traits, the repeated changes in island area and connectivity may create an opposite effect to the hypothesized "species pump" action of oscillating sea levels. Our study highlights how a microevolutionary perspective can complement current macroecological work on the Quaternary dynamics of island biodiversity. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Kidney allocation to liver transplant candidates with renal failure of undetermined etiology: role of percutaneous renal biopsy.

PubMed

Wadei, H M; Geiger, X J; Cortese, C; Mai, M L; Kramer, D J; Rosser, B G; Keaveny, A P; Willingham, D L; Ahsan, N; Gonwa, T A

2008-12-01

The feasibility, value and risk of percutaneous renal biopsy (PRB) in liver transplant candidates with renal failure are unknown. PRB was performed on 44 liver transplant candidates with renal failure of undetermined etiology and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <40 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (n = 37) or on renal replacement therapy (RRT) (n = 7). Patients with >or=30% interstitial fibrosis (IF), >or=40% global glomerulosclerosis (gGS) and/or diffuse glomerulonephritis were approved for simultaneous-liver-kidney (SLK) transplantation. Prebiopsy GFR, urinary sodium indices, dependency on RRT and kidney size were comparable between 27 liver-transplant-alone (LTA) and 17 SLK candidates and did not relate to the biopsy diagnosis. The interobserver agreement for the degree of IF or gGS was moderate-to-excellent. After a mean of 78 +/- 67 days, 16 and 8 patients received LTA and SLK transplants. All five LTA recipients on RRT recovered kidney function after transplantation and serum creatinine was comparable between LTA and SLK recipients at last follow-up. Biopsy complications developed in 13, of these, five required intervention. PRB is feasible in liver transplant candidates with renal failure and provides reproducible histological information that does not relate to the pretransplant clinical data. Randomized studies are needed to determine if PRB can direct kidney allocation in this challenging group of liver transplant candidates.

Design, installation, and performance of a multi-layered permeable reactive barrier, Los Alamos National Laboratory

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

Kaszuba, J. P.; Longmire, P. A.; Strietelmeier, E. A.

2004-01-01

A multi-layered permeable reactive barrier (PRB) has been installed in Mortandad Canyon, on the Pajarito Plateau in the north-central part of LANL, to demonstrate in-situ treatment of a suite of contaminants with dissimilar geochemical properties. The PRB will also mitigate possible vulnerabilities from downgradient contaminant movement within alluvial and deeper perched groundwater. Mortandad Canyon was selected as the location for this demonstration project because the flow of alluvial groundwater is constrained by the geology of the canyon, a large network of monitoring wells already were installed along the canyon reach, and the hydrochemistry and contaminant history of the canyon ismore » well-documented. The PRB uses a funnel-and-gate system with a series of four reactive media cells to immobilize or destroy contaminants present in alluvial groundwater, including strontium-90, plutonium-238,239,240, americium-241, perchlorate, and nitrate. The four cells, ordered by sequence of contact with the groundwater, consist of gravel-sized scoria (for colloid removal); phosphate rock containing apatite (for metals and radionuclides); pecan shells and cotton seed admixed with gravel (bio-barrier, to deplete dissolved oxygen and destroy potential RCRA organic compounds, nitrate and perchlorate); and limestone (pH buffering and anion adsorption). Design elements of the PRB are based on laboratory-scale treatability studies and on a field investigation of hydrologic, geochemical, and geotechnical parameters. The PRB was designed with the following criteria: 1-day residence time within the biobarrier, 10-year lifetime, minimization of surface water infiltration and erosion, optimization of hydraulic capture, and minimization of excavated material requiring disposal. Each layer has been equipped with monitoring wells or ports to allow sampling of groundwater and reactive media, and monitor wells are located immediately adjacent to the up- and down-gradient perimeter of the engineered structure. Groundwater sampling upgradient, within, and downgradient of the PRB took place from May through August 2003. Concentrations of strontium-90 have diminished by 80% and 40% within the central portion of the phosphate rock (apatite) and bio-barrier cells, respectively. Higher concentrations of this radionuclide occur in groundwater near the north and south perimeters of the two cells. The non-uniform distribution of strontium-90 may result from varying residence time and saturated thickness of pore water. Initial concentrations of nitrate (8-12 parts per million or ppm as nitrate) and perchlorate (0.035 ppm) have been reduced in the phosphate rock and bio-barrier cells to concentrations that are less than method detection limits (0.01 and 0.002 ppm, respectively). Initial microbial analyses suggest the presence of both dissimilatory perchlorate- and nitrate-reducing bacterial populations, along with production of acetate and propionate, and decreasing dissolved oxygen and pH. The dominant group of perchlorate reducers consists of members of the previously described Dechloromonas genus, in the beta subclass of the Proteobacteria, which together with the Dechlorosoma genus are considered to be the dominant genera in circum-neutral mesophilic environments. Groundwater flow through the multiple PRB is taking place at a very slow rate based on similar concentrations of nitrate, perchlorate, chlorate, and chlorite in the upgradient well MCO-4B and downgradient well MCO-5. Concentrations of these constituents also increase within the limestone cell. Decreased precipitation due to extreme drought is probably responsible for decreasing saturated thickness within both the alluvium and PRB, resulting in stagnant conditions. Varying distributions of ammonium, nitrate, sulfate, iron, and manganese within the phosphate rock, bio-barrier, and limestone cells also support this hypothesis.« less

Effects of organ motion on proton prostate treatments, as determined from analysis of daily CT imaging for patient positioning.

PubMed

Maeda, Yoshikazu; Sato, Yoshitaka; Shibata, Satoshi; Bou, Sayuri; Yamamoto, Kazutaka; Tamamura, Hiroyasu; Fuwa, Nobukazu; Takamatsu, Shigeyuki; Sasaki, Makoto; Tameshige, Yuji; Kume, Kyo; Minami, Hiroki; Saga, Yusuke; Saito, Makoto

2018-05-01

We quantified interfractional movements of the prostate, seminal vesicles (SVs), and rectum during computed tomography (CT) image-guided proton therapy for prostate cancer and studied the range variation in opposed lateral proton beams. We analyzed 375 sets of daily CT images acquired throughout the proton therapy treatment of ten patients. We analyzed daily movements of the prostate, SVs, and rectum by simulating three image-matching strategies: bone matching, prostate center (PC) matching, and prostate-rectum boundary (PRB) matching. In the PC matching, translational movements of the prostate center were corrected after bone matching. In the PRB matching, we performed PC matching and correction along the anterior-posterior direction to match the boundary between the prostate and the rectum's anterior region. In each strategy, we evaluated systematic errors (Σ) and random errors (σ) by measuring the daily movements of certain points on each anatomic structure. The average positional deviations in millimeter of each point were determined by the Van Herk formula of 2.5Σ + 0.7σ. Using these positional deviations, we created planning target volumes of the prostate and SVs and analyzed the daily variation in the water equivalent length (WEL) from the skin surface to the target along the lateral beam directions using the density converted from the daily CT number. Based on this analysis, we designed prostate cancer treatment planning and evaluated the dose volume histograms (DVHs) for these strategies. The SVs' daily movements showed large variations over the superior-inferior direction, as did the rectum's anterior region. The average positional deviations of the prostate in the anterior, posterior, superior, inferior, and lateral sides (mm) in bone matching, PC matching, and PRB matching were (8.9, 9.8, 7.5, 3.6, 1.6), (5.6, 6.1, 3.5, 4.5, 1.9), and (8.6, 3.2, 3.5, 4.5, 1.9) (mm), respectively. Moreover, the ones of the SV tip were similarly (22.5, 15.5, 11.0, 7.6, 6.0), (11.8, 8.4, 7.8, 5.2, 6.3), and (9.9, 7.5, 7.8, 5.2, 6.3). PRB matching showed the smallest positional deviations at all portions except for the anterior portion of the prostate and was able to markedly reduce the positional deviations at the posterior portion. The averaged WEL variations at the distal and proximal sides of planning target volumes were estimated 7-9 mm and 4-6 mm, respectively, and showed the increasing of a few millimeters in PC and PRB matching compared to bone matching. In the treatment planning simulation, the DVH values of the rectum in PRB matching were reduced compared to those obtained with other matching strategies. The positional deviations for the prostate on the posterior side and the SVs were smaller by PRB matching than the other strategies and effectively reduced the rectal dose. 3D dose calculations indicate that PRB matching with CT image guidance may do a better job relative to other positioning methods to effectively reduce the rectal complications. The WEL variation was quite large, and the appropriate margin (approx. 10 mm) must be adapted to the proton range in an initial planning to maintain the coverage of target volumes throughout entire treatment. © 2018 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Differentiation and injury-repair signals modulate the interaction of E2F and pRB proteins with novel target genes in keratinocytes.

PubMed

Chang, Wing Y; Andrews, Joseph; Carter, David E; Dagnino, Lina

2006-08-01

E2F transcription factors are central to epidermal morphogenesis and regeneration after injury. The precise nature of E2F target genes involved in epidermal formation and repair has yet to be determined. Identification of these genes is essential to understand how E2F proteins regulate fundamental aspects of epidermal homeostasis and transformation. We have conducted a genome-wide screen using CpG island microarray analysis to identify novel promoters bound by E2F3 and E2F5 in human keratinocytes. We further characterized several of these genes, and determined that multiple E2F and retinoblastoma (pRb) family proteins associate with them in exponentially proliferating cells. We also assessed the effect on E2F and pRb binding to those genes in response to differentiation induced by bone morphogenetic protein-6 (BMP-6), or to activation of repair mechanisms induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). These studies demonstrate promoter- and cytokine-specific changes in binding profiles of E2F and/or pRb family proteins. For example, E2F1, 3, 4 and p107 were recruited to the N-myc promoter in cells treated with BMP-6, whereas E2F1, 3, 4, 5, p107 and p130 were bound to this promoter in the presence of TGF-beta. Functionally, these different interactions resulted in transcriptional repression by BMP-6 and TGF-beta of the N-myc gene, via mechanisms that involved E2F binding to the promoter and association with pRb-family proteins. Thus, multiple combinations of E2F and pRb family proteins may associate with and transcriptionally regulate a given target promoter in response to differentiation and injury-repair stimuli in epidermal keratinocytes.

La Ninez en Puerto Rico: Resultados del Censo 2000. Un informe de KIDS COUNT/PRB sobre el Censo 2000 (Children in Puerto Rico: Results from the 2000 Census. A KIDS COUNT/PRB Report on Census 2000).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mather, Mark

This Spanish-language report provides data on children in Puerto Rico based on the 2000 U.S. Census. It compares the situation of Puerto Rico's children with that of children living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, noting how characteristics of Puerto Rican children have changed over time. Between 1990-2000, the number of Puerto…

Monitoring the decontamination of a site polluted by DNAPLs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Audí-Miró, C.; Espinola, R.; Torrentó, C.; Otero, N.; Rossi, A.; Palau, J.; Soler, A.

2012-04-01

The aim of this study is to monitor the decontamination of a site polluted by DNAPLs coming from an automotive industry. The contamination was caused by the poor management of the waste generated by the industrial activity, which was discharged into a seepage pit. As a result, soil contamination was produced in the seepage pit area and a plume of DNAPLs-contaminated groundwater was generated. To recover the original environmental quality, a dual action was proposed: in the first place, the removal of the source of contamination and in the second one, the treatment of the DNAPLs plume. The elimination of the source of contamination consisted on a selective excavation of the seepage pit and an offsite management of the contaminated land. To restore the groundwater quality, a passive treatment system using a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) of zero valent iron (ZVI) was implemented. In order to determine the efficiency of the remediation actions, a chemical, isotopic and hydrogeological control of the main solvents detected in groundwater (perchloroethylene -PCE-, trichloroethene -TCE- and cis-dichloroethylene -cis-DCE-) has been established. Results show a decrease in PCE concentration that has been attributed to the removal of the source more than to a degradation process. However, the presence of PCE by-products, TCE and cis-DCE, might indicate a possible PCE biotic degradation. δ13CPCE values analyzed upstream and downstream of the barrier don't show isotopic changes associated to the PRB (values are around -20‰ in all the sampling points). TCE might have experienced a natural advanced degradation process according to the high concentration of cis-DCE found prior the installation of the PRB and the isotopic enrichment in δ13CTCE in some specific areas of the plume (-19.9‰ in the source and -16‰ before the barrier). Slight isotopic changes have been observed in the water flow in a far distance after the barrier (-15.4‰). δ13Ccis-DCE experienced an enrichment upstream to downstream of the barrier (from -15.5‰ to -11.5‰) indicating that a possible abiotic degradation due to the PRB is being produced. However, an enrichment in δ13Ccis-DCE from the focus area to the barrier (from -19.9‰ to -15.5‰) was also detected, suggesting that biotic degradation of cis-DCE is occurring in the field. As a conclusion, preliminary concentration and isotopic results seem to indicate that the PRB does not intercept the whole contaminated plume. The installation of a monitoring system of multilevel piezometers of new construction around the PRB has been proposed in order to study in detail the underground sections most affected by pollution and help to define patterns of migration of DNAPLs in the subsurface, giving the possibility to improve the design of the ZVI-PRB.

Low-rank coal oil agglomeration

DOEpatents

Knudson, Curtis L.; Timpe, Ronald C.

1991-01-01

A low-rank coal oil agglomeration process. High mineral content, a high ash content subbituminous coals are effectively agglomerated with a bridging oil which is partially water soluble and capable of entering the pore structure, and usually coal derived.

How DRB-XCL burners and air heater upgrade reduced NO sub x and improved efficiency at a western utility

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

Becker, W.; Stalcup, T.; Schild, V.

1992-01-01

The Neil Simpson Unit is a 220,000 lb/hr pulverized coal boiler that was designed to fire a local Wyoming subbituminous coal. During the late 1980s, the Wyoming Department of Air Quality imposed emission limits on the Black Hills Power and Light Co., Neil Simpson Station. The new limits required Black Hills power to control not only particulate and sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) emissions, but also nitrogen oxide (NO{sub x}) emissions. At the same time, Black Hills Power initiated an efficiency improvement study at Neil Simpson Station to investigate methods for reducing net electrical generation costs. This paper addresses the plantmore » efficiency and emissions studies, startup activities, the operating problems and successful operating solutions for NO{sub x} control when firing a Wyoming subbituminous coal. Also included is a summary of the post-0retrofit boiler performance data.« less

Experimental Study of Hydrogasification of Lignite and Subbituminous Coal Chars

PubMed Central

Gil, Stanisław

2015-01-01

The experimental facility for pressure hydrogasification research was adapted to the pressure of 10 MPa and temperature of 1300 K, which ensured repeatability of results and hydrogen heating to the process temperature. A hydrogasification reaction of chars produced from two rank coals was investigated at temperatures up to 1173 K, pressures up to 8 MPa, and the gas flow rates of 0.5–5 dmn 3/min. Reactivity of the “Szczerców” lignite char was found to be slightly higher than that of the subbituminous “Janina” coal char produced under the same conditions. A high value of the char reactivity was observed to a certain carbon conversion degree, above which a sharp drop took place. It was shown that, to achieve proper carbon conversion, the hydrogasification reaction must proceed at a temperature above 1200 K. PMID:26065028

Depositional aspects and a guide to Paleocene coal-bearing sequences, Powder River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flores, Romeo M.; Warwick, Peter D.; Moore, Timothy A.; Flores, Romeo M.; Warwick, Peter D.; Moore, Timothy A.; Glass, Gary; Smith, Archie; Nichols, Douglas J.; Wolfe, Jack A.; Stanton, Ronald W.; Weaver, Jean

1989-01-01

The Paleocene coal-bearing sequences in the northern Powder River Basin are contained in the Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation and include anomalously thick (54 m) subbituminous coals. These thick coals have been the target of exploration and development for the past few decades. For the past decade, these coals have also been the object of depositional modeling studies [Law, 1976; Galloway, 1979; Flores, 1981, 1983, 1986; Ethridge and others, 1981; Ayers and Kaiser, 1984; Warwick, 1985; Ayers, 1986; Moore, 1986; Warwick and Stanton, 1988].Intensive modeling of these coals has resulted in two major schools of thought. Firstly, Galloway [1979], Flores [1981, 1983, 1986], Ethridge and others [1981], Warwick [1985], Moore [1986], and Warwick and Stanton [1988] believe that the coals formed from peat that accumulated in swamps of fluvial systems. The fluvial systems are interpreted as a basin axis trunktributary complex that drained to the north-northeast into the Williston Basin. Secondly, Ayers and Kaiser [1984] and Ayers [1986] believe that the coals formed from peat swamps of deltaic systems. These deltas are envisioned to have prograded east to west from the Black Hills and infilled Lebo lake that was centrally located along the basin axis.In order to explain the low ash content of the thick coals, Flores [1981] proposed that they are formed as domed peats, similar in geomorphology to swamps associated with the modern fluvial systems in Borneo as described by Anderson [1964]. Ethridge and others [1981] suggested that these fluvial-related swamps are platforms well above drainage systems and are fed by ground water that is recharged from surrounding highlands. Warwick [1985], Warwick and Stanton [1988], Satchell [1984], and Pocknall and Flores [1987] confirmed the domed peat hypothesis by investigating the petrology and palynology of the thick coals.The purpose of this paper is to provide a guide to the depositional aspects of the thick coals in the Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation and, because of the biases of the field trip leaders, it elaborates on the fluvial origin of the swamps in which the thick coals formed. Case histories of these thick coals and associated sediments in the Gillette, Powder River, and Kaycee-Linch areas of Wyoming and in the Decker-Tongue River area of Montana (fig. 1) are highlighted on this field trip.

Skin Tumors Rb(eing) Uncovered

PubMed Central

Costa, Clotilde; Paramio, Jesús M.; Santos, Mirentxu

2013-01-01

The Rb1 gene was the first bona fide tumor suppressor identified and cloned more than 25 years ago. Since then, a plethora of studies have revealed the functions of pRb and the existence of a sophisticated and strictly regulated pathway that modulates such functional roles. An emerging paradox affecting Rb1 in cancer connects the relatively low number of mutations affecting Rb1 gene in specific human tumors, compared with the widely functional inactivation of pRb in most, if not in all, human cancers. The existence of a retinoblastoma family of proteins pRb, p107, and p130 and their potential unique and overlapping functions as master regulators of cell cycle progression and transcriptional modulation by similar processes, may provide potential clues to explain such conundrum. Here, we will review the development of different genetically engineered mouse models, in particular those affecting stratified epithelia, and how they have offered new avenues to understand the roles of the Rb family members and their targets in the context of tumor development and progression. PMID:24381932

The impact of luteal phase support on endometrial estrogen and progesterone receptor expression: a randomized control trial

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background To assess the impact of luteal phase support on the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and progesterone receptors B (PR-B) on the endometrium of oocyte donors undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH). Methods A prospective, randomized study was conducted in women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for oocyte donation. Participants were randomized to receive no luteal support, vaginal progesterone alone, or vaginal progesterone plus orally administered 17 Beta estradiol. Endometrial biopsies were obtained at 4 time points in the luteal phase and evaluated by tissue microarray for expression of ER alpha and PR-B. Results One-hundred and eight endometrial tissue samples were obtained from 12 patients. No differences were found in expression of ER alpha and PR-B among all the specimens with the exception of one sample value. Conclusions The administration of progesterone during the luteal phase of COH for oocyte donor cycles, either with or without estrogen, does not significantly affect the endometrial expression of ER alpha and PR. PMID:22360924

Thermal maturity and organic composition of Pennsylvanian coals and carbonaceous shales, north-central Texas: Implications for coalbed gas potential

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hackley, P.C.; Guevara, E.H.; Hentz, T.F.; Hook, R.W.

2009-01-01

Thermal maturity was determined for about 120 core, cuttings, and outcrop samples to investigate the potential for coalbed gas resources in Pennsylvanian strata of north-central Texas. Shallow (< 600??m; 2000??ft) coal and carbonaceous shale cuttings samples from the Middle-Upper Pennsylvanian Strawn, Canyon, and Cisco Groups in Archer and Young Counties on the Eastern Shelf of the Midland basin (northwest and downdip from the outcrop) yielded mean random vitrinite reflectance (Ro) values between about 0.4 and 0.8%. This range of Ro values indicates rank from subbituminous C to high volatile A bituminous in the shallow subsurface, which may be sufficient for early thermogenic gas generation. Near-surface (< 100??m; 300??ft) core and outcrop samples of coal from areas of historical underground coal mining in the region yielded similar Ro values of 0.5 to 0.8%. Carbonaceous shale core samples of Lower Pennsylvanian strata (lower Atoka Group) from two deeper wells (samples from ~ 1650??m; 5400??ft) in Jack and western Wise Counties in the western part of the Fort Worth basin yielded higher Ro values of about 1.0%. Pyrolysis and petrographic data for the lower Atoka samples indicate mixed Type II/Type III organic matter, suggesting generated hydrocarbons may be both gas- and oil-prone. In all other samples, organic material is dominated by Type III organic matter (vitrinite), indicating that generated hydrocarbons should be gas-prone. Individual coal beds are thin at outcrop (< 1??m; 3.3??ft), laterally discontinuous, and moderately high in ash yield and sulfur content. A possible analog for coalbed gas potential in the Pennsylvanian section of north-central Texas occurs on the northeast Oklahoma shelf and in the Cherokee basin of southeastern Kansas, where contemporaneous gas-producing coal beds are similar in thickness, quality, and rank.

Evaluation of Thermal Evolution Profiles and Estimation of Kinetic Parameters for Pyrolysis of Coal/Corn Stover Blends Using Thermogravimetric Analysis

DOE PAGES

Bhagavatula, Abhijit; Huffman, Gerald; Shah, Naresh; ...

2014-01-01

The thermal evolution profiles and kinetic parameters for the pyrolysis of two Montana coals (DECS-38 subbituminous coal and DECS-25 lignite coal), one biomass sample (corn stover), and their blends (10%, 20%, and 30% by weight of corn stover) have been investigated at a heating rate of 5°C/min in an inert nitrogen atmosphere, using thermogravimetric analysis. The thermal evolution profiles of subbituminous coal and lignite coal display only one major peak over a wide temperature distribution, ~152–814°C and ~175–818°C, respectively, whereas the thermal decomposition profile for corn stover falls in a much narrower band than that of the coals, ~226–608°C. Themore » nonlinearity in the evolution of volatile matter with increasing percentage of corn stover in the blends verifies the possibility of synergistic behavior in the blends with subbituminous coal where deviations from the predicted yield ranging between 2% and 7% were observed whereas very little deviations (1%–3%) from predicted yield were observed in blends with lignite indicating no significant interactions with corn stover. In addition, a single first-order reaction model using the Coats-Redfern approximation was utilized to predict the kinetic parameters of the pyrolysis reaction. The kinetic analysis indicated that each thermal evolution profile may be represented as a single first-order reaction. Three temperature regimes were identified for each of the coals while corn stover and the blends were analyzed using two and four temperature regimes, respectively.« less

Leaching characteristics of arsenic and selenium from coal fly ash: role of calcium

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

Tian Wang; Jianmin Wang; Yulin Tang

2009-05-15

Understanding the leaching behavior of arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) in coal fly ash is important in evaluating the potential environmental impact of coal fly ash. Batch experiments were employed to systematically investigate the leaching behavior of As and Se in two major types of coal fly ashes, bituminous coal ash and sub-bituminous coal ash, and to determine the underlying processes that control As and Se leaching. The effects of pH, solid/liquid (S/L) ratio, calcium addition, and leaching time on the release of As and Se were studied. Overall, bituminous coal ash leached significantly more As and Se than sub-bituminousmore » coal ash, and Se was more readily leachable, in both absolute concentration and relative fraction, than As for both types of fly ashes. Adsorption/desorption played a major role on As and Se leaching from bituminous coal ashes. However, calcium precipitation played the most important role in reducing As and Se leaching from sub-bituminous coal ashes in the entire experimental pH range. The leaching of As and Se from bituminous coal ashes generally increased with increases in the S/L ratio and leaching time. However, for sub-bituminous coal ashes, the leaching of As was not detected under most experimental conditions, while the leaching of Se increased with increases in the S/L ratio and leaching time. As{sup V} and Se{sup IV} were found to be the major species in all ash leachates in this study. 46 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.« less

Evaluation of Thermal Evolution Profiles and Estimation of Kinetic Parameters for Pyrolysis of Coal/Corn Stover Blends Using Thermogravimetric Analysis

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

Bhagavatula, Abhijit; Huffman, Gerald; Shah, Naresh

The thermal evolution profiles and kinetic parameters for the pyrolysis of two Montana coals (DECS-38 subbituminous coal and DECS-25 lignite coal), one biomass sample (corn stover), and their blends (10%, 20%, and 30% by weight of corn stover) have been investigated at a heating rate of 5°C/min in an inert nitrogen atmosphere, using thermogravimetric analysis. The thermal evolution profiles of subbituminous coal and lignite coal display only one major peak over a wide temperature distribution, ~152–814°C and ~175–818°C, respectively, whereas the thermal decomposition profile for corn stover falls in a much narrower band than that of the coals, ~226–608°C. Themore » nonlinearity in the evolution of volatile matter with increasing percentage of corn stover in the blends verifies the possibility of synergistic behavior in the blends with subbituminous coal where deviations from the predicted yield ranging between 2% and 7% were observed whereas very little deviations (1%–3%) from predicted yield were observed in blends with lignite indicating no significant interactions with corn stover. In addition, a single first-order reaction model using the Coats-Redfern approximation was utilized to predict the kinetic parameters of the pyrolysis reaction. The kinetic analysis indicated that each thermal evolution profile may be represented as a single first-order reaction. Three temperature regimes were identified for each of the coals while corn stover and the blends were analyzed using two and four temperature regimes, respectively.« less

Low-rank coal oil agglomeration

DOEpatents

Knudson, C.L.; Timpe, R.C.

1991-07-16

A low-rank coal oil agglomeration process is described. High mineral content, a high ash content subbituminous coals are effectively agglomerated with a bridging oil which is partially water soluble and capable of entering the pore structure, and is usually coal-derived.

Active methods of mercury removal from flue gases.

PubMed

Marczak, Marta; Budzyń, Stanisław; Szczurowski, Jakub; Kogut, Krzysztof; Burmistrz, Piotr

2018-03-23

Due to its adverse impact on health, as well as its global distribution, long atmospheric lifetime and propensity for deposition in the aquatic environment and in living tissue, the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has classified mercury and its compounds as a severe air quality threat. Such widespread presence of mercury in the environment originates from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Global anthropogenic emission of mercury is evaluated at 2000 Mg year -1 . According to the National Centre for Emissions Management (Pol. KOBiZE) report for 2014, Polish annual mercury emissions amount to approximately 10 Mg. Over 90% of mercury emissions in Poland originate from combustion of coal.The purpose of this paper was to understand mercury behaviour during sub-bituminous coal and lignite combustion for flue gas purification in terms of reduction of emissions by active methods. The average mercury content in Polish sub-bituminous coal and lignite was 103.7 and 443.5 μg kg -1 . The concentration of mercury in flue gases emitted into the atmosphere was 5.3 μg m -3 for sub-bituminous coal and 17.5 μg m -3 for lignite. The study analysed six low-cost sorbents with the average achieved efficiency of mercury removal from 30.6 to 92.9% for sub-bituminous coal and 22.8 to 80.3% for lignite combustion. Also, the effect of coke dust grain size was examined for mercury sorptive properties. The fine fraction of coke dust (CD) adsorbed within 243-277 μg Hg kg -1 , while the largest fraction at only 95 μg Hg kg -1 . The CD fraction < 0.063 mm removed almost 92% of mercury during coal combustion, so the concentration of mercury in flue gas decreased from 5.3 to 0.4 μg Hg m -3 . The same fraction of CD had removed 93% of mercury from lignite flue gas by reducing the concentration of mercury in the flow from 17.6 to 1.2 μg Hg m -3 . The publication also presents the impact of photochemical oxidation of mercury on the effectiveness of Hg vapour removal during combustion of lignite. After physical oxidation of Hg in the flue gas, its effectiveness has increased twofold.

Reducing power production costs by utilizing petroleum coke. Annual report

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

Galbreath, K.C.

1998-07-01

A Powder River Basin subbituminous coal from the North Antelope mine and a petroleum shot coke were received from Northern States Power Company (NSP) for testing the effects of parent fuel properties on coal-coke blend grindability and evaluating the utility of petroleum coke blending as a strategy for improving electrostatic precipitator (ESP) particulate collection efficiency. Petroleum cokes are generally harder than coals, as indicated by Hardgrove grindability tests. Therefore, the weaker coal component may concentrate in the finer size fractions during the pulverizing of coal-coke blends. The possibility of a coal-coke size fractionation effect is being investigated because it maymore » adversely affect combustion performance, it may enhance ESP particulate collection efficiency. Petroleum cokes contain much higher concentrations of V relative to coals. Consequently, coke blending can significantly increase the V content of fly ash resulting from coal-coke combustion. Pentavalent vanadium oxide (V{sub 2}O{sub 5}) is a known catalyst for transforming gaseous sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}[g]) to gaseous sulfur trioxide (SO{sub 3}[g]). The presence of SO{sub 3}(g) strongly affects fly ash resistivity and, thus, ESP performance.« less

REDUCING POWER PRODUCTION COSTS BY UTILIZING PETROLEUM COKE

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

NONE

1998-09-01

A Powder River Basin subbituminous coal from the North Antelope mine and a petroleum shot coke were received from Northern States Power Company (NSP) for testing the effects of parent fuel properties on coal-coke blend grindability and evaluating the utility of petroleum coke blending as a strategy for improving electrostatic precipitator (ESP) particulate collection efficiency. Petroleum cokes are generally harder than coals, as indicated by Hardgrove grindability tests. Therefore, the weaker coal component may concentrate in the finer size fractions during the pulverizing of coal-coke blends. The possibility of a coal-coke size fractionation effect is being investigated because it maymore » adversely affect combustion performance. Although the blending of petroleum coke with coal may adversely affect combustion performance, it may enhance ESP particulate collection efficiency. Petroleum cokes contain much higher concentrations of V relative to coals. Consequently, coke blending can significantly increase the V content of fly ash resulting from coal-coke combustion. Pentavalent vanadium oxide (V{sub 2}O{sub 5}) is a known catalyst for transforming gaseous sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}[g]) to gaseous sulfur trioxide (SO{sub 3}[g]). The presence of SO{sub 3}(g) strongly affects fly ash resistivity and, thus, ESP performance.« less

Gas emissions, minerals, and tars associated with three coal fires, Powder River Basin, USA.

PubMed

Engle, Mark A; Radke, Lawrence F; Heffern, Edward L; O'Keefe, Jennifer M K; Hower, James C; Smeltzer, Charles D; Hower, Judith M; Olea, Ricardo A; Eatwell, Robert J; Blake, Donald R; Emsbo-Mattingly, Stephen D; Stout, Scott A; Queen, Gerald; Aggen, Kerry L; Kolker, Allan; Prakash, Anupma; Henke, Kevin R; Stracher, Glenn B; Schroeder, Paul A; Román-Colón, Yomayra; ter Schure, Arnout

2012-03-15

Ground-based surveys of three coal fires and airborne surveys of two of the fires were conducted near Sheridan, Wyoming. The fires occur in natural outcrops and in abandoned mines, all containing Paleocene-age subbituminous coals. Diffuse (carbon dioxide (CO(2)) only) and vent (CO(2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane, hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S), and elemental mercury) emission estimates were made for each of the fires. Additionally, gas samples were collected for volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis and showed a large range in variation between vents. The fires produce locally dangerous levels of CO, CO(2), H(2)S, and benzene, among other gases. At one fire in an abandoned coal mine, trends in gas and tar composition followed a change in topography. Total CO(2) fluxes for the fires from airborne, ground-based, and rate of fire advancement estimates ranged from 0.9 to 780mg/s/m(2) and are comparable to other coal fires worldwide. Samples of tar and coal-fire minerals collected from the mouth of vents provided insight into the behavior and formation of the coal fires. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cell Cycle Dependent Regulation of Human Progesterone Receptor in Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-10-01

wt PR or S400A PR (0.01-1.0 [tg each), CDK2 (ljig), and PRE-2x-TATA-luc reporter plasmid (lig) along with Renilla plasmid (10ng) as a control for...8 hours prior to treatment. Cells were collected following treatment with 10 nM R5020 or ETOH vehicle control for 18 hrs. Luciferase and renilla ...reporter, a renilla reporter construct as a transfection control, either wt PR-B or S400A mutant PR-B, and control parental vector or a vector encoding an

Tectono-Thermal History Modeling and Reservoir Simulation Study of the Nenana Basin, Central Alaska: Implications for Regional Tectonics and Geologic Carbon Sequestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dixit, Nilesh C.

Central Interior Alaska is an active tectonic deformation zone highlighted by the complex interactions of active strike-slip fault systems with thrust faults and folds of the Alaska Range fold-and-thrust belt. This region includes the Nenana basin and the adjacent Tanana basin, both of which have significant Tertiary coal-bearing formations and are also promising areas (particularly the Nenana basin) with respect to hydrocarbon exploration and geologic carbon sequestration. I investigate the modern-day crustal architecture of the Nenana and Tanana basins using seismic reflection, aeromagnetic and gravity anomaly data and demonstrate that the basement of both basins shows strong crustal heterogeneity. The Nenana basin is a deep (up to 8 km), narrow transtensional pull-apart basin that is deforming along the left-lateral Minto Flats fault zone. The Tanana basin has a fundamentally different geometry and is a relatively shallow (up to 2 km) asymmetrical foreland basin with its southern, deeper side controlled by the northern foothills of the central Alaska Range. NE-trending strike-slip faults within the Tanana basin are interpreted as a zone of clockwise crustal block rotation. Seismic refection data, well data, fracture data and apatite fission track data further constrain the tectonic evolution and thermal history of the Nenana basin. The Nenana basin experienced four distinct tectonic phases since Late Paleocene time. The basin initiated as a narrow half-graben structure in Late Paleocene with accumulation of greater than 6000 feet of sediments. The basin was then uplifted, resulting in the removal of up to 5000 feet of Late Paleocene sediments in Eocene to Oligocene time. During Middle to Late Miocene time, left lateral strike-slip faulting was superimposed on the existing half-graben system. Transtensional deformation of the basin began in the Pliocene. At present, Miocene and older strata are exposed to temperatures > 60°C in the deeper parts of the Nenana basin. Coals have significant capacity for sequestering anthropogenic CO 2 emissions and offer the benefit of enhanced coal bed methane production that can offset the costs associated with the sequestration processes. In order to do a preliminary assessment of the CO2 sequestration and coal bed methane production potential of the Nenana basin, I used available surface and subsurface data to build and simulate a reservoir model of subbituminous Healy Creek Formation coals. The petroleum exploration data were also used to estimate the state of subsurface stresses that are critical in modeling the orientation, distribution and flow behavior of natural coal fractures in the basin. The effect of uncertainties within major coal parameters on the total CO2 sequestration and coal bed methane capacity estimates were evaluated through a series of sensitivity analyses, experimental design methods and fluid flow simulations. Results suggest that the mature, unmineable Healy Creek Formation coals of the Nenana basin can sequester up to 0.41 TCF of CO2 while producing up to 0.36 TCF of CH4 at the end of 44-year forecast. However, these volumes are estimates and they are also sensitive to the well type, pattern and cap rock lithology. I used a similar workflow to evaluate the state of in situ stress in the northeastern North Slope province of Alaska. The results show two distinct stress regimes across the northeastern North Slope. The eastern Barrow Arch exhibits both strike-slip and normal stress regimes. Along the northeastern Brooks Range thrust front, an active thrust-fault regime is present at depths up to 6000 ft but changes to a strike-slip stress regime at depths greater than 6000 ft.

Baicalein induces G1 arrest in oral cancer cells by enhancing the degradation of cyclin D1 and activating AhR to decrease Rb phosphorylation

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

Cheng, Ya-Hsin, E-mail: yhcheng@mail.cmu.edu.tw; Li, Lih-Ann; Lin, Pinpin

Baicalein is a flavonoid, known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. As an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligand, baicalein at high concentrations blocks AhR-mediated dioxin toxicity. Because AhR had been reported to play a role in regulating the cell cycle, we suspected that the anti-cancer effect of baicalein is associated with AhR. This study investigated the molecular mechanism involved in the anti-cancer effect of baicalein in oral cancer cells HSC-3, including whether such effect would be AhR-mediated. Results revealed that baicalein inhibited cell proliferation and increased AhR activity in a dose-dependent manner. Cell cycle was arrested at the G1 phasemore » and the expression of CDK4, cyclin D1, and phosphorylated retinoblastoma (pRb) was decreased. When the AhR was suppressed by siRNA, the reduction of pRb was partially reversed, accompanied by a decrease of cell population at G1 phase and an increase at S phase, while the reduction of cyclin D1 and CDK4 did not change. This finding suggests that the baicalein activation of AhR is indeed associated with the reduction of pRb, but is independent of the reduction of cyclin D1 and CDK4. When cells were pre-treated with LiCl, the inhibitor of GSK-3β, the decrease of cyclin D1 was blocked and the reduction of pRb was recovered. The data indicates that in HSC-3 the reduction of pRb is both mediated by baicalein through activation of AhR and facilitation of cyclin D1 degradation, which causes cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, and results in the inhibition of cell proliferation. -- Highlights: ► Baicalein causes the G1 phase arrest by decreasing Rb phosphorylation. ► Baicalein modulates AhR-mediated cell proliferation. ► Both AhR activation and cyclin D1 degradation results in hypophosphorylation of Rb. ► Baicalein facilitates cyclin D1 degradation by signalling the GSK-3β pathway.« less

Effect of water management, tillage options and phosphorus status on arsenic uptake in rice.

PubMed

Talukder, A S M H M; Meisner, C A; Sarkar, M A R; Islam, M S

2011-05-01

High arsenic (As) concentrations in soil may lead to elevated concentrations of arsenic in agricultural products. Field experiments were conducted to examine the effects of water management (WM) and Phosphorus (P) rates on As uptake, rice growth, yield and yield attributes of winter (boro) and monsoon (aman) rice in an As contaminated soil-water at Gobindagonj, Gaibandha, Bangladesh in 2004 and 2005. Significantly, the highest average grain yields (6.88±0.07 t ha(-1) in boro 6.38±0.06 t ha(-1) in aman) were recorded in permanent raised bed (PRB; aerobic WM: Eh=+360 mV) plus 100% P amendment. There was a 12% yield increase over conventional till on flat (CTF; anaerobic WM: Eh=-56 mV) at the same P level. In boro, the As content in grain and As content in straw were about 3 and 6 times higher in CTF compared to PRB, respectively. The highest total As content (0.646±0.01 ppm in grain and 10.93±0.19 ppm in straw) was recorded under CTF, and the lowest total As content (0.247±0.01 and 1.554±0.09 ppm in grain and straw, respectively) was recorded under PRB (aerobic WM). The results suggest that grain and straw As are closely associated in boro rice. The furrow irrigation approach of the PRB treatments consistently reduced irrigation input by 29-31% for boro and 27-30% for aman rice relative to CTF treatments in 2004 and 2005, respectively, thus reducing the amount of As added to the soil from the As-contaminated irrigation water. Yearly, 30% less As was deposited to the soil compared to CTF system through irrigation water during boro season. High As concentrations in grain and straw in rice grown using CTF in the farmers' field, and the fact that using PRB reduced grain As concentrations to value less than half of the proposed food hygiene standard. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Progranulin Deficiency Reduces CDK4/6/pRb Activation and Survival of Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells.

PubMed

de la Encarnación, Ana; Alquézar, Carolina; Esteras, Noemí; Martín-Requero, Ángeles

2015-12-01

Null mutations in GRN are associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43 inclusions (FTLD-TDP). However, the influence of progranulin (PGRN) deficiency in neurodegeneration is largely unknown. In neuroblastoma cells, silencing of GRN gene causes significantly reduced cell survival after serum withdrawal. The following observations suggest that alterations of the CDK4/6/retinoblastoma protein (pRb) pathway, secondary to changes in PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 activation induced by PGRN deficiency, are involved in the control of serum deprivation-induced apoptosis: (i) inhibiting CDK4/6 levels or their associated kinase activity by sodium butyrate or PD332991 sensitized control SH-SY5Y cells to serum deprivation-induced apoptosis without affecting survival of PGRN-deficient cells; (ii) CDK4/6/pRb seems to be downstream of the PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 signaling pathways since their specific inhibitors, LY294002 and PD98059, were able to decrease CDK6-associated kinase activity and induce death of control SH-SY5Y cells; (iii) PGRN-deficient cells show reduced stimulation of PI3K/Akt, ERK1/2, and CDK4/6 activities compared with control cells in the absence of serum; and (iv) supplementation of recombinant human PGRN was able to rescue survival of PGRN-deficient cells. These observations highlight the important role of PGRN-mediated stimulation of the PI3K/Akt-ERK1/2/CDK4/6/pRb pathway in determining the cell fate survival/death under serum deprivation.

Inflammatory Stimuli Increase Progesterone Receptor-A Stability and Transrepressive Activity in Myometrial Cells

PubMed Central

Peters, Gregory A.; Yi, Lijuan; Skomorovska-Prokvolit, Yelenna; Patel, Bansari; Amini, Peyvand; Tan, Huiqing

2017-01-01

The steroid hormone progesterone acting via the nuclear progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms, progesterone receptor A (PR-A) and progesterone receptor B (PR-B), is essential for the maintenance of uterine quiescence during pregnancy. Inhibition of PR signaling augments uterine contractility and induces labor. Human parturition is thought to be triggered by modulation of PR signaling in myometrial cells to induce a functional progesterone withdrawal. One mechanism for functional progesterone withdrawal is increased abundance of PR-A, which decreases progesterone responsiveness by inhibiting the transcriptional activity of PR-B. Human parturition also involves tissue-level inflammation within the myometrium. This study examined the control of PR-A abundance and transrepressive activity in myometrial cells and the role of the inflammatory stimuli in the form of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in these processes. We found that abundance of PR-A was markedly increased by progesterone and by exposure to IL-1β and LPS via posttranslational mechanisms involving increased PR-A protein stability. In contrast, progesterone decreased abundance of PR-B by increasing its rate of degradation. Together, progesterone and proinflammatory stimuli induced a PR-A–dominant state in myometrial cells similar to that observed in term laboring myometrium. IL-1β and LPS also increased the capacity for PR-A to inhibit the transcriptional activity of PR-B. Taken together, our data suggest that proinflammatory stimuli increase the steady-state levels of PR-A and its transrepressive activity in myometrial cells and support the hypothesis that tissue-level inflammation triggers parturition by inducing PR-A–mediated functional progesterone withdrawal. PMID:27886516

Emission factors for fugitive dust from bulldozers working on a coal pile.

PubMed

Mueller, Stephen F; Mallard, Jonathan W; Mao, Qi; Shaw, Stephanie L

2015-01-01

A study of a Powder River Basin (PRB) coal pile found that fugitive emissions from natural and human activity each produced similar levels of downwind fine + coarse (i.e., smaller than 10 µm, or PM10) particle mass concentrations. Natural impacts were statistically removed from downwind measurements to estimate emission factor Ev for bulldozers working on the pile. The Ev determined here was similar in magnitude to emission factors (EFs) computed using a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formulation for unpaved surfaces at industrial sites, even though the latter was not based on data for coal piles. EF formulations from this study and those in the EPA guidance yield values of similar magnitude but differ in the variables used to compute Ev variations. EPA studies included effects of surface silt fraction and vehicle weight, while the present study captured the influence of coal moisture. Our data indicate that the relationship between PRB coal fugitive dust Ev (expressed as mass of PM10 emitted per minute of bulldozer operation) and coal moisture content Mc (in percent) at the study site is best expressed as Ev =10(f(Mc())) where f(Mc) is a function of moisture. This function was determined by statistical regression between log10(Ev) and Mc where both Ev and Mc are expressed as daily averages of observations based on 289 hours sampled during 44 days from late June through mid-November of 2012. A methodology is described that estimates Mc based on available meteorological data (precipitation amount and solar radiation flux). An example is given of computed variations in daily Ev for an entire year. This illustrates the sensitivity of the daily average particulate EF to meteorological variability at one location. Finally, a method is suggested for combining the moisture-sensitive formulation for Ev with the EPA formulation to accommodate a larger number of independent variables that influence fugitive emissions.

Progesterone receptor isoforms expression pattern in the rat brain during the estrous cycle.

PubMed

Guerra-Araiza, C; Cerbón, M A; Morimoto, S; Camacho-Arroyo, I

2000-03-24

Progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms expression was determined in the hypothalamus, the preoptic area, the hippocampus and the frontal cerebral cortex of the rat at 12:00 h on each day of the estrous cycle by using reverse transcription coupled to polymerase chain reaction. Rats under a 14:10 h light-dark cycle, with lights on at 06:00 h were used. We found that PR-B isoform was predominant in the hypothalamus, the preoptic area and the frontal cerebral cortex. Both PR isoforms were similarly expressed in the hippocampus. The highest PR-B expression was found on proestrus day in the hypothalamus; on metestrus in the preoptic area; and on diestrus in the frontal cortex. We observed no changes in PR isoforms expression in the hippocampus during the estrous cycle. These results indicate that PR isoforms expression is differentially regulated during the estrous cycle in distinct brain regions and that PR-B may be involved in progesterone actions upon the hypothalamus, the preoptic area and the frontal cortex of the rat.

Microbiological characteristics of multi-media PRB reactor in the bioremediation of groundwater contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Liu, Hong; Zhang, Lanying; Deng, Haijing; Liu, Na; Liu, Cuizhu

2011-10-01

A multi-media bio-PRB reactor was designed to treat groundwater contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. After a 208-day bioremediation, combined with the total petroleum hydrocarbons content in the groundwater flowed through the reactor, microbiological characteristics of the PRB reactor including microbes immobilized and its dehydrogenase activity were investigated. TPH was significantly reduced by as much as 65% in the back of the second media layer, whereas in the third layer, the TPH content reached lower than 1 mg l⁻¹. For microbes immobilized on the media, the variations with depth in different media were significantly the same and the regularity was obvious in the forepart of the media, which increased with depth at first and then reduced gradually, while in the back-end, the microbes almost did not have any variations with depth but decreased with the distance. The dehydrogenase activity varied from 2.98 to 16.16 mg TF L⁻¹ h⁻¹ and its distribution illustrated a similar trend with numbers of microbial cell, therefore, the noticeable correlation was found between them.

Pax6 Exerts Regional Control of Cortical Progenitor Proliferation via Direct Repression of Cdk6 and Hypophosphorylation of pRb

PubMed Central

Mi, Da; Carr, Catherine B.; Georgala, Petrina A.; Huang, Yu-Ting; Manuel, Martine N.; Jeanes, Emily; Niisato, Emi; Sansom, Stephen N.; Livesey, Frederick J.; Theil, Thomas; Hasenpusch-Theil, Kerstin; Simpson, T. Ian; Mason, John O.; Price, David J.

2013-01-01

Summary The mechanisms by which early spatiotemporal expression patterns of transcription factors such as Pax6 regulate cortical progenitors in a region-specific manner are poorly understood. Pax6 is expressed in a gradient across the developing cortex and is essential for normal corticogenesis. We found that constitutive or conditional loss of Pax6 increases cortical progenitor proliferation by amounts that vary regionally with normal Pax6 levels. We compared the gene expression profiles of equivalent Pax6-expressing progenitors isolated from Pax6+/+ and Pax6−/− cortices and identified many negatively regulated cell-cycle genes, including Cyclins and Cdks. Biochemical assays indicated that Pax6 directly represses Cdk6 expression. Cyclin/Cdk repression inhibits retinoblastoma protein (pRb) phosphorylation, thereby limiting the transcription of genes that directly promote the mechanics of the cell cycle, and we found that Pax6 inhibits pRb phosphorylation and represses genes involved in DNA replication. Our results indicate that Pax6’s modulation of cortical progenitor cell cycles is regional and direct. PMID:23622063

Performance of two differently designed permeable reactive barriers with sulfate and zinc solutions.

PubMed

Pérez, Norma; Schwarz, Alex O; Barahona, Esteban; Sanhueza, Pamela; Diaz, Isabel; Urrutia, Homero

2018-06-18

For the first time, this laboratory-scale study evaluates the feasibility of incorporating diffusive exchange in permeable reactive barriers. In order to do this, the performance of two permeable reactive barriers (PRB) with different internal substrate arrangements were compared during the administration of a sulfate solution without metals (for 163 days) and with metals (for 60 days), simulating groundwater contaminated with acid mine drainage (AMD). In order to simulate a traditional PRB, a homogeneous distribution was implemented in the first reactor and the other PRB reactor utilized diffusion-active technology (DAPRB). In the DAPRB, the distribution of the reactive material was interspersed with the conductive material. The measurements in the internal ports showed that transverse gradients of sulfide formed in the DAPRB, causing the diffusion of sulfide from the substrate toward the layer interface, which is where the sulfide reacts by forming complexes with the metal. The DAPRB prevents the microorganisms from direct contact with AMD. This protection caused greater activity (sulfide production). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ATM Mediates pRB Function To Control DNMT1 Protein Stability and DNA Methylation

PubMed Central

Suzuki, Misa; Hayashi, Naoyuki; Kobayashi, Masahiko; Sasaki, Nobunari; Nishiuchi, Takumi; Doki, Yuichiro; Okamoto, Takahiro; Kohno, Susumu; Muranaka, Hayato; Kitajima, Shunsuke; Yamamoto, Ken-ichi

2013-01-01

The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene (RB) product has been implicated in epigenetic control of gene expression owing to its ability to physically bind to many chromatin modifiers. However, the biological and clinical significance of this activity was not well elucidated. To address this, we performed genetic and epigenetic analyses in an Rb-deficient mouse thyroid C cell tumor model. Here we report that the genetic interaction of Rb and ATM regulates DNMT1 protein stability and hence controls the DNA methylation status in the promoters of at least the Ink4a, Shc2, FoxO6, and Noggin genes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that inactivation of pRB promotes Tip60 (acetyltransferase)-dependent ATM activation; allows activated ATM to physically bind to DNMT1, forming a complex with Tip60 and UHRF1 (E3 ligase); and consequently accelerates DNMT1 ubiquitination driven by Tip60-dependent acetylation. Our results indicate that inactivation of the pRB pathway in coordination with aberration in the DNA damage response deregulates DNMT1 stability, leading to an abnormal DNA methylation pattern and malignant progression. PMID:23754744

Utilization of western coal fly ash in construction of highways in the Midwest

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-03-01

Coal burning utilities in the Midwest are increasingly using sub-bituminous coal from Wyoming. These utilities typically produce fly ash, which, because of its high calcium oxide content, may be classified as Class C fly ash. These ashes are characte...

Organic geochemical studies of the transformation of gymnospermous xylem during peatification and coalification to subbituminous coal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatcher, P.G.; Lerch, H. E.; Verheyen, Vincent T.

1989-01-01

Organic geochemical investigations of peatified and coalified xylem from gymnosperms have provided useful information on the organic transformational processes collectively known as coalification. The combined use of solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and pyrolysis/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (py/gc/ms) has allowed us to examine the organic composition of peatified and coalified xylem on both a bulk (average) compositional basis and on a detailed molecular basis. We conclude from our studies that coalification of gymnospermous xylem involves the following processes: 1. (1) early selective removal of cellulosic materials so that lignin, a primary constituent of xylem, is transformed to macromolecular aromatic components in coal; 2. (2) modification of gymnospermous lignin by demethylation to form catechol-like structures, and by condensation reactions to induce a high level of cross-linking at an early stage of coalification; and 3. (3) dehydroxylation during increasing coalification to subbituminous coal, the resultant xylem becomes more phenolic in character as the catechol-like structures decrease. ?? 1989.

Combustion characteristics of Malaysian oil palm biomass, sub-bituminous coal and their respective blends via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).

PubMed

Idris, Siti Shawalliah; Rahman, Norazah Abd; Ismail, Khudzir

2012-11-01

The combustion characteristics of Malaysia oil palm biomass (palm kernel shell (PKS), palm mesocarp fibre (PMF) and empty fruit bunches (EFB)), sub-bituminous coal (Mukah Balingian) and coal/biomass blends via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were investigated. Six weight ratios of coal/biomass blends were prepared and oxidised under dynamic conditions from temperature 25 to 1100°C at four heating rates. The thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that the EFB and PKS evolved additional peak besides drying, devolatilisation and char oxidation steps during combustion. Ignition and burn out temperatures of blends were improved in comparison to coal. No interactions were observed between the coal and biomass during combustion. The apparent activation energy during this process was evaluated using iso-conversional model free kinetics which resulted in highest activation energy during combustion of PKS followed by PMF, EFB and MB coal. Blending oil palm biomass with coal reduces the apparent activation energy value. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting the geochemistry of a thick, subbituminous coal bed in the Powder River Basin: volcanic, detrital, and peat-forming processes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crowley, S.S.; Ruppert, L.F.; Belkin, H.E.; Stanton, R.W.; Moore, T.A.

1993-01-01

The inorganic geochemistry and mineralogy of three cores from the Anderson-Dietz 1 coal bed, a 15.2-m-thick subbituminous coal bed in the Tongue River Member (Paleocene) of the Fort Union Formation, were examined (1) to determine if the cores could be correlated by geochemical composition alone over a total distance of 2 km and (2) to identify the major factors that influenced the geochemistry of the coal bed. Chemical data (46 elements on a coal-ash basis) for 81 coal samples and 4 carbonaceous rock samples, with most samples representing a 0.6-m-thick (2-ft) interval of core, were grouped into compositional clusters by means of cluster analysis. Seven major clusters were produced; two of these clusters can be used to correlate the coal bed throughout the study area. Data from scanning electron and optical microscope analyses indicate that several factors influenced the geochemistry of the Anderson-Dietz 1 coal bed. The majority of mineral grains in the coal bed are interpreted to be detrital (water borne); evidence includes the presence of rounded to subrounded quartz grains having two-phase, aqueous fluid inclusions characteristic of hydrothermal or low-to-moderate grade metamorphic quartz. These quartz grains are found throughout the coal bed but are most abundant in samples from the midpart of the bed, which was influenced by detrital input associated with the deposition of the clastic rocks that form the split between the Anderson and Dietz 1 coal beds 900 m to the east of the study area. In addition to the detrital minerals mentioned above, volcanic ash that was fluvially transported to the sites of peat deposition or possibly deposited as air-fall volcanic ash also affected the geochemistry of the coal bed. For example, crandallite(?), a mineral reported to form as an alteration product of volcanic ash, is found in seven samples from the coal bed. The presence of quartz grains containing silicate-melt inclusions in eight samples from the coal bed.provides further support for a volcanic ash component. Other factors that probably affected the geochemistry of the coal bed include (1) detrital input associated with the deposition of the roof rocks of the coal bed, (2) peat-forming processes and plant material, and (3) epigenetic ground-water flow. ?? 1993.

Effects of sulfate ligand on uranyl carbonato surface species on ferrihydrite surfaces

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arai, Yuji; Fuller, C.C.

2012-01-01

Understanding uranium (U) sorption processes in permeable reactive barriers (PRB) are critical in modeling reactive transport for evaluating PRB performance at the Fry Canyon demonstration site in Utah, USA. To gain insight into the U sequestration mechanism in the amorphous ferric oxyhydroxide (AFO)-coated gravel PRB, U(VI) sorption processes on ferrihydrite surfaces were studied in 0.01 M Na2SO4 solutions to simulate the major chemical composition of U-contaminatedgroundwater (i.e., [SO42-]~13 mM L-1) at the site. Uranyl sorption was greater at pH 7.5 than that at pH 4 in both air- and 2% pCO2-equilibrated systems. While there were negligible effects of sulfate ligands on the pH-dependent U(VI) sorption (<24 h) in both systems, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analysis showed sulfate ligand associated U(VI) surface species at the ferrihydrite–water interface. In air-equilibrated systems, binary and mono-sulfate U(VI) ternary surface species co-existed at pH 5.43. At pH 6.55–7.83, a mixture of mono-sulfate and bis-carbonato U(VI) ternary surface species became more important. At 2% pCO2, there was no contribution of sulfate ligands on the U(VI) ternary surface species. Instead, a mixture of bis-carbonato inner-sphere (38%) and tris-carbonato outer-sphere U(VI) ternary surface species (62%) was found at pH 7.62. The study suggests that the competitive ligand (bicarbonate and sulfate) coordination on U(VI) surface species might be important in evaluating the U solid-state speciation in the AFO PRB at the study site where pCO2 fluctuates between 1 and 2 pCO2%.

Prognostic value of the expression of tumor suppressor genes p53, p21, p16 and prb, and Ki-67 labelling in high grade astrocytomas treated with radiotherapy.

PubMed

Kirla, R; Salminen, E; Huhtala, S; Nuutinen, J; Talve, L; Haapasalo, H; Kalimo, H

2000-01-01

Cumulative inactivation of tumor suppressor genes and/or amplification of oncogenes lead to progressively more malignant astrocytic tumors. We have analyzed the significance of tumor suppressor genes p53, p21, p16 and retinoblastoma protein (pRb) and proliferative activity for survival in 77 high grade astrocytic tumors. After operation, the patients--25 anaplastic astrocytomas (AA) and 52 glioblastomas (GBs)--were treated with similar radiotherapy. The expression of the suppressor genes and the proliferative activity were analyzed immunohistochemically. p53 immunopositivity was found in 44% of AAs and 46% of GBs. Tumors with aberrant p53 expression had lower proliferation indices than p53 immunonegative tumors. Neither p53 expression nor p21 immunonegativity (52% of AAs and 48% of GBs) correlated with survival. p16 immunostaining was negative in 16% of AAs and in 44% of GBs, and it correlated inversely with survival in both uni- and multivariate analyses. pRb immunostaining was negative only in 8% of both AAs and GBs and the absence of p16 and pRb were mutually exclusive. Ki-67 labelling index (LI) was significantly higher in GBs (26.8%) than in AAs (20.3%), and in multivariate analysis it was an independent prognostic factor for survival. In 48% of AAs Ki-67 LI exceeded 20% and this subset of AAs had similar prognosis as GB. In high grade astrocytic tumors p16 immunonegativity was an independent indicator of poor prognosis in addition to the previously established patient's age, histopathology and Ki-67 LI. Furthermore, there was a subset of AAs with a high proliferation rate (> 20%) in which the histopathological hallmarks of GB were lacking, but which had similarly dismal prognosis as GB.

Proteolysis suppresses spontaneous prion generation in yeast.

PubMed

Okamoto, Atsushi; Hosoda, Nao; Tanaka, Anri; Newnam, Gary P; Chernoff, Yury O; Hoshino, Shin-Ichi

2017-12-08

Prions are infectious proteins that cause fatal neurodegenerative disorders including Creutzfeldt-Jakob and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow) diseases. The yeast [ PSI + ] prion is formed by the translation-termination factor Sup35, is the best-studied prion, and provides a useful model system for studying such diseases. However, despite recent progress in the understanding of prion diseases, the cellular defense mechanism against prions has not been elucidated. Here, we report that proteolytic cleavage of Sup35 suppresses spontaneous de novo generation of the [ PSI + ] prion. We found that during yeast growth in glucose media, a maximum of 40% of Sup35 is cleaved at its N-terminal prion domain. This cleavage requires the vacuolar proteases PrA-PrB. Cleavage occurs in a manner dependent on translation but independently of autophagy between the glutamine/asparagine-rich (Q/N-rich) stretch critical for prion formation and the oligopeptide-repeat region required for prion maintenance, resulting in the removal of the Q/N-rich stretch from the Sup35 N terminus. The complete inhibition of Sup35 cleavage, by knocking out either PrA ( pep4 Δ) or PrB ( prb1 Δ), increased the rate of de novo formation of [ PSI + ] prion up to ∼5-fold, whereas the activation of Sup35 cleavage, by overproducing PrB, inhibited [ PSI + ] formation. On the other hand, activation of the PrB pathway neither cleaved the amyloid conformers of Sup35 in [ PSI + ] strains nor eliminated preexisting [ PSI + ]. These findings point to a mechanism antagonizing prion generation in yeast. Our results underscore the usefulness of the yeast [ PSI + ] prion as a model system to investigate defense mechanisms against prion diseases and other amyloidoses. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Microbial community activities during establishment, performance, and decline of bench-scale passive treatment systems for mine drainage.

PubMed

Logan, Miranda V; Reardon, Kenneth F; Figueroa, Linda A; McLain, Jean E T; Ahmann, Dianne M

2005-11-01

Permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technology, in which sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) facilitate precipitation of metal sulfides, is a promising approach for remediation of sulfate- and metal-laden mine drainage. While PRBs are easily established, they often decline for reasons not well understood. SRB depend on or compete with multiple dynamic microbial populations within a PRB; as a result, performance depends on the changing PRB chemical composition and on succession and competition within the microbial community. To investigate these interactions, we constructed and monitored eight bench-scale PRBs to define periods of establishment, performance, and decline. We then conducted short-term batch studies, using substrate-supplemented column materials, on Days 0 (pre-establishment), 27 (establishment), 41 (performance), and 99 (decline) to reveal potential activities of cellulolytic bacteria, fermenters + anaerobic respirers, SRB, and methanogens. PRBs showed active sulfate reduction, with sulfate removal rates (SRR) of approximately 1-3 mol/m3/d, as well as effective removal of Zn2+. Potential activities of fermentative + anaerobic respiratory bacteria were initially high but diminished greatly during establishment and dropped further during performance and decline. In contrast, potential SRB activity rose during establishment, peaked during performance, and diminished as performance declined. Potential methanogen activity was low; in addition, SRB-methanogen substrate competition was shown not to limit SRB activity. Cellulolytic bacteria showed no substrate limitation at any time. However, fermenters experienced substrate limitation by Day 0, SRB by Day 27, and methanogens by Day 41, showing the dependence of each group on upstream populations to provide substrates. All potential activities, except methanogenesis, were ultimately limited by cellulose hydrolysis; in addition, all potential activities except methanogenesis declined substantially by Day 99, showing that long-term substrate deprivation strongly diminished the intrinsic capacity of the PRB community to perform.

Effects of sulfate ligand on uranyl carbonato surface species on ferrihydrite surfaces.

PubMed

Arai, Yuji; Fuller, C C

2012-01-01

Understanding uranium (U) sorption processes in permeable reactive barriers (PRB) are critical in modeling reactive transport for evaluating PRB performance at the Fry Canyon demonstration site in Utah, USA. To gain insight into the U sequestration mechanism in the amorphous ferric oxyhydroxide (AFO)-coated gravel PRB, U(VI) sorption processes on ferrihydrite surfaces were studied in 0.01 M Na(2)SO(4) solutions to simulate the major chemical composition of U-contaminated groundwater (i.e., [SO(4)(2-)] ~13 mM L(-1)) at the site. Uranyl sorption was greater at pH 7.5 than that at pH 4 in both air- and 2% pCO(2)-equilibrated systems. While there were negligible effects of sulfate ligands on the pH-dependent U(VI) sorption (<24 h) in both systems, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analysis showed sulfate ligand associated U(VI) surface species at the ferrihydrite-water interface. In air-equilibrated systems, binary and mono-sulfate U(VI) ternary surface species co-existed at pH 5.43. At pH 6.55-7.83, a mixture of mono-sulfate and bis-carbonato U(VI) ternary surface species became more important. At 2% pCO(2), there was no contribution of sulfate ligands on the U(VI) ternary surface species. Instead, a mixture of bis-carbonato inner-sphere (38%) and tris-carbonato outer-sphere U(VI) ternary surface species (62%) was found at pH 7.62. The study suggests that the competitive ligand (bicarbonate and sulfate) coordination on U(VI) surface species might be important in evaluating the U solid-state speciation in the AFO PRB at the study site where pCO(2) fluctuates between 1 and 2 pCO(2)%. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

XAS AND XPS CHARACTERIZATION OF MERCURY BINDING ON BROMINATED ACTIVATED CARBON

EPA Science Inventory

Brominated powdered activated carbon sorbents have been shown to e quite effective for mercury capture when injected into the flue gas duct at coal-fired power plants and are especially useful when buring Western low-chlorine subbituminous coals. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (X...

INVESTIGATION OF PRIMARY FINE PARTICULATE MATTER FROM COAL COMBUSTION BY COMPUTER-CONTROLLED SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

EPA Science Inventory

The particle size distributions, morphologies, and chemical composition distributions of 14 coal fly ash (CFA) samples produced by the combustion of four western U.S. coals (two subbituminous, one lignite, and one bituminous) and three eastern U.S. coals (all bituminous) have bee...

Defense Energy Support Center Fact Book: Providing Energy Solutions Worldwide

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-20

2011.through.fiscal. 2017 .. • Merging.System.Analysis.and.Program. Development.Oil.and.GAS.with.EBS.in.fiscal.2010...Wright.Patterson.Air.Force.Base,.OH Rock.Island.Arsenal,.IL Red.River.Army.Depot,. Texarkana ,.TX Malmstrom.Air.Force.Base,.MT Sub-Bituminous Coal: Ft..Wainwright,.AK

Gametophyte differentiation and imprinting control in plants: Crosstalk between RBR and chromatin.

PubMed

Johnston, Amal J; Gruissem, Wilhelm

2009-01-01

The Retinoblastoma (pRb) pathway has been implicated as a convergent regulatory unit in the control of cell cycle and disease. We have shown that a crosstalk between RETINOBLASTOMA RELATED (RBR), the Arabidopsis homologue of pRb, and the genes encoding proteins of the chromatin complexes involved in DNA or histone methylation, controls gametophytic and post-fertilization differentiation events and a subset of imprinting effects. We describe here a plausible model that incorporates several components of the plant Retinoblastoma pathway, thus offering a novel paradigm that merges the traditional cell cycle and the chromatin components in the control of cell differentiation and imprinting.

Reversible electrokinetic adsorption barriers for the removal of organochlorine herbicide from spiked soils.

PubMed

Rodrigo, S; Saez, C; Cañizares, P; Rodrigo, M A

2018-06-02

This work aims to describe the removal of clopyralid from clay soils using electrokinetically assisted soil flushing (EKSF) coupled with a permeable reactive barrier (PRB), consisting of beds of Granulated Activated Carbon (GAC). To do this, two strategies have been evaluated on bench-scale electroremediation facilities (175 dm 3 ): electrokinetic adsorption barrier (EKAB) and reversible electrokinetic adsorption barrier (REKAB). Likewise, to clarify the contribution of the different mechanisms to remediation process results are compared to those obtained in a reference test (without applying an electric field) and to results obtained in the EKSF of soils polluted with compounds with different polarity and vapour pressure. Results show that during EKAB and REKAB tests, clopyralid is removed from the soil by adsorption in PRB, electrokinetic transport and, very less decisively, by evaporation. The application of polarity reversion attains a higher retention of clopyralid in the activated carbon-PRB and a better regulation of pH because of the neutralization of H + and OH - generated in the electrolyte wells. After 30 days of operation, the removal of clopyralid by EKAB is 45% while it reaches 57% in the case of REKAB. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Modelling of Remediation Technologies at the Performance Assessment Level

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

Parton, N.J.; Paksy, A.; Eden, L.

2008-07-01

This paper presents approaches to modelling three different remediation technologies that are designed to support site operators during their assessment of remediation options for the management of radioactively contaminated land on nuclear licensed sites in the UK. The three selected technologies were soil washing, permeable reactive barrier and in-situ stabilisation. The potential exists to represent electrokinetics in the future. These technologies were chosen because it was considered that enough information already existed for site operators to assess mature technologies such as soil dig and disposal and groundwater pump and treat. Using the software code GoldSim, the models have been designedmore » to allow site operators to make both a reasonable scoping level assessment of the viability of treatment and understand the cost-benefits of each technology. For soil washing, a standard soil leaching technique was simulated whereby the soil is separated into fines and oversize particles, and subsequently a chemical reagent is used to strip contamination off the soil. The cost benefit of this technology in terms of capital costs for the plant and materials, operational costs and waste disposal costs can also be assessed. The permeable reactive barrier (PRB) model can represent either a continuous wall or a funnel and gate system. The model simulates the transport of contaminants through the reactive material contained in the PRB. The outputs from the model include concentration of contaminants in the groundwater flow downstream of the PRB, mass of contaminants retained by the PRB, total mass and volume of waste and the various costs associated with the PRB remediation technology. The in-situ stabilisation (ISS) model has the capability to represent remediation by the addition of reagents that immobilise contaminated soil. The model simulates the release of contaminants from the treated soil over time. Performance is evaluated by comparison of the mass of contaminants retained and released to the area outside the treatment zone. Other outputs include amount of spoil generated (to be treated as waste) and the costs associated with the application of the ISS technology. These models are aimed to help users select a technology or technologies that are potentially suitable for a particular site. It is anticipated that they will prompt the user to undertake more detailed assessments to tailor the selected technology to their site specific circumstances and contaminated land conditions. (author)« less

Assessment of Coal Geology, Resources, and Reserves in the Gillette Coalfield, Powder River Basin, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luppens, James A.; Scott, David C.; Haacke, Jon E.; Osmonson, Lee M.; Rohrbacher, Timothy J.; Ellis, Margaret S.

2008-01-01

The Gillette coalfield, within the Powder River Basin in east-central Wyoming, is the most prolific coalfield in the United States. In 2006, production from the coalfield totaled over 431 million short tons of coal, which represented over 37 percent of the Nation's total yearly production. The Anderson and Canyon coal beds in the Gillette coalfield contain some of the largest deposits of low-sulfur subbituminous coal in the world. By utilizing the abundance of new data from recent coalbed methane development in the Powder River Basin, this study represents the most comprehensive evaluation of coal resources and reserves in the Gillette coalfield to date. Eleven coal beds were evaluated to determine the in-place coal resources. Six of the eleven coal beds were evaluated for reserve potential given current technology, economic factors, and restrictions to mining. These restrictions included the presence of railroads, a Federal interstate highway, cities, a gas plant, and alluvial valley floors. Other restrictions, such as thickness of overburden, thickness of coal beds, and areas of burned coal were also considered. The total original coal resource in the Gillette coalfield for all eleven coal beds assessed, and no restrictions applied, was calculated to be 201 billion short tons. Available coal resources, which are part of the original coal resource that is accessible for potential mine development after subtracting all restrictions, are about 164 billion short tons (81 percent of the original coal resource). Recoverable coal, which is the portion of available coal remaining after subtracting mining and processing losses, was determined for a stripping ratio of 10:1 or less. After mining and processing losses were subtracted, a total of 77 billion short tons of coal were calculated (48 percent of the original coal resource). Coal reserves are the portion of the recoverable coal that can be mined, processed, and marketed at a profit at the time of the economic evaluation. With a discounted cash flow at 8 percent rate of return, the coal reserves estimate for the Gillette coalfield is10.1 billion short tons of coal (6 percent of the original resource total) for the 6 coal beds evaluated.

TRACE ELEMENT PARTITIONING AND TRANSFORMATIONS DURING COMBUSTION OF BITUMINOUS AND SUBBITUMINOUS U.S. COALS IN A 7-KW COMBUSTION SYSTEM. (R827649)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Hydrogen production from coal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The gasification reactions necessary for the production of hydrogen from montana subbituminous coal are presented. The coal composition is given. The gasifier types mentioned include: suspension (entrained) combustion; fluidized bed; and moving bed. Each gasification process is described. The steam-iron process, raw and product gas compositions, gasifier feed quantities, and process efficiency evaluations are also included.

Research on solvent-refined coal. Quarterly technical progress report, July 1-September 30, 1981

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

Not Available

1982-07-01

This report describes progress on the Research on Solvent Refined Coal project by The Pittsburg and Midway Coal Mining Company's Merriam Laboratory during the third quarter of 1981. A four-part experiment was conducted with subbituminous Edna coal, pyrite and/or bituminous Ireland coal at 457/sup 0/C and 1800 psig or 450/sup 0/C and 2250 psig. The purpose was to determine the conditions appropriate for processing a 50/50 by weight blend of these coals. A total of four runs (11 experiments) discussed this quarter were directed toward the study of disposable catalysts. Subbituminous coals from the Edna and Belle Ayr Mines weremore » processed in the SRC II mode. Additives investigated were pyrite, ferric oxide, molybdenum doped ferric oxide and iron dispersed on silica-alumina. The level and type of sulfur added in conjunction with ferric oxide catalysts was also explored as well as addition of sulfur by itself. Two solvent hydrogenation runs and five SRC I runs were directed toward a preliminary investigation of short residence time processing of western (Belle Ayr) coals.« less

Role of oxygen functional groups for structure and dynamics of interfacial water on low rank coal surface: a molecular dynamics simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Xiaofang; Wei, Hengbin; Zhu, Xianchang; Lyu, Xianjun; Li, Lin

2018-07-01

Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to study the effects of oxygen functional groups for structure and dynamics properties of interfacial water molecules on the subbituminous coal surface. Because of complex composition and structure, the graphite surface modified by hydroxyl, carboxyl and carbonyl groups was used to represent the surface model of subbituminous coal according to XPS results, and the composing proportion for hydroxyl, carbonyl and carboxyl is 25:3:5. The hydration energy with -386.28 kJ/mol means that the adsorption process between water and coal surface is spontaneous. Density profiles for oxygen atoms and hydrogen atoms indicate that the coal surface properties affect the structural and dynamic characteristics of the interfacial water molecules. The interfacial water exhibits much more ordering than bulk water. The results of radial distribution functions, mean square displacement and local self-diffusion coefficient for water molecule related to three oxygen moieties confirmed that the water molecules prefer to absorb with carboxylic groups, and adsorption of water molecules at the hydroxyl and carbonyl is similar.

Organic emissions from coal pyrolysis: mutagenic effects.

PubMed Central

Braun, A G; Wornat, M J; Mitra, A; Sarofim, A F

1987-01-01

Four different types of coal have been pyrolyzed in a laminar flow, drop tube furnace in order to establish a relationship between polycyclic aromatic compound (PAC) evolution and mutagenicity. Temperatures of 900K to 1700K and particle residence times up to 0.3 sec were chosen to best simulate conditions of rapid rate pyrolysis in pulverized (44-53 microns) coal combustion. The specific mutagenic activity (i.e., the activity per unit sample weight) of extracts from particulates and volatiles captured on XAD-2 resin varied with coal type according to the order: subbituminous greater than high volatile bituminous greater than lignite greater than anthracite. Total mutagenic activity (the activity per gram of coal pyrolyzed), however, varied with coal type according to the order: high volatile bituminous much greater than subbituminous = lignite much greater than anthracite, due primarily to high organic yield during high volatile bituminous coal pyrolysis. Specific mutagenic activity peaked in a temperature range of 1300K to 1500K and generally appeared at higher temperatures and longer residence times than peak PAC production. PMID:3311724

Thermogravimetric analysis of the behavior of sub-bituminous coal and cellulosic ethanol residue during co-combustion.

PubMed

Buratti, C; Barbanera, M; Bartocci, P; Fantozzi, F

2015-06-01

The influence of the addition of cellulosic ethanol residue (CER) on the combustion of Indonesian sub-bituminous coal was analyzed by non isothermal thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). The effect of blends ratio (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%), interaction mechanism, and heating rate (5°C/min, 10°C/min, 15°C/min, 20°C/min) on the combustion process was studied. The results show that the increase of the blending ratio allows to achieve the increase of the combustibility index from 7.49E-08 to 5.26E-07 at the blending ratio of 20%. Two types of non-isothermal kinetic analysis methods (Ozawa-Flynn-Wall and Vyazovkin) were also applied. Results indicate that the activation energy of the blends decreases with increasing the conversion rate. In particular, the blending ratio of 20% confirms to have the better combustion performance, with the average value of the activation energy equal to 41.10 kJ/mol obtained by Ozawa-Flynn-Wall model and 31.17 kJ/mol obtained by Vyazovkin model. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Remediation potential of mulch for removing lead.

PubMed

Jang, A; Bishop, P L

2012-01-01

Hardwood bark mulch has good physicochemical properties for the adsorption of lead (Pb(II)). Batch tests were conducted to obtain the sorption coefficient of Pb(II) in mulch. The results of the Freundlich model were not in as good agreement as for the case of the Langmuir model. In addition, a laboratory-scale mulch permeable reactive barrier (PRB) system was designed for the treatment of Pb(II)-contaminated groundwater. The mulch PRB system, using a mulch layer, can potentially be used in the subsurface for cost-effective and in situ transformation of the Pb(II) into environmentally acceptable forms. From the Pb(II) breakthrough curve, the mulch becomes saturated more quickly at higher flow rates.

Organic petrology of subbituminous carbonaceous shale samples from Chalaw, Kabul Province, Afghanistan: Considerations for paleoenvironment and energy resource potential

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hackley, P.C.; SanFilipo, J.R.; Azizi, G.P.; Davis, P.A.; Starratt, S.W.

2010-01-01

Neogene (?) subbituminous carbonaceous shale deposits from Chalaw, Afghanistan, were investigated through organic petrology techniques and standard coal analyses to determine paleoenvironment and potential for resource utilization. The Chalaw deposit, approximately 30. km southeast of Kabul, currently is exploited for brick making and domestic heating and cooking. Three multiple-bench channel samples of the mined bed at Chalaw were collected and evaluated. The presence of significant huminite (ranging from 0.2 to 59.0. vol.%, mineral-inclusive basis) is suggestive of a terrestrial lignin-rich precursor plant material. Measured reflectance values of 0.38-0.55% indicate subbituminous rank. This rank suggests burial depths of approximately 1500. m and maximum temperatures of approximately 50. ??C. Structured liptinite macerals generally are absent except for some fluorescing morphologies interpreted to be poorly-preserved root cork suberinite. Sponge spicule bioliths including gemmoscleres and megascleres are common. These petrographic observations, in addition to high mineral matter content (33 to >95 vol%), medium to high sulfur content (2.1-11.5. wt.%, dry basis; db), and the presence of common gastropod? shell fragments and an aragonite-needle chalk bed are consistent with, but not directly indicative of, a marginal marine or estuarine mangrove depositional environment. However, additional data are necessary to confirm this hypothesis and deposition in a freshwater environment cannot be ruled out at this time.Commercial-scale development and utilization of the Chalaw deposit as a thermal fuel resource may be possible using a fluidized bed combustion system which could accept the low-quality mine product currently produced. Samples examined herein contain high-ash yield (45-90. wt.%, db), high total moisture content (17-39. wt.%), low calorific value (980-6860. Btu/lb, m,mmf), and have poor agglomerating properties (FSI=0), consistent with fuels utilized in fluidized bed combustors. However, delineation of the extent of the deposit through field investigation will be necessary to make a quantified resource estimate for mine planning. ?? 2009.

Using dissolved gas analysis to investigate the performance of an organic carbon permeable reactive barrier for the treatment of mine drainage

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, R.L.; Mayer, K.U.; Amos, R.T.; Blowes, D.W.; Ptacek, C.J.; Bain, J.G.

2007-01-01

The strongly reducing nature of permeable reactive barrier (PRB) treatment materials can lead to gas production, potentially resulting in the formation of gas bubbles and ebullition. Degassing in organic C based PRB systems due to the production of gases (primarily CO2 and CH4) is investigated using the depletion of naturally occurring non-reactive gases Ar and N2, to identify, confirm, and quantify chemical and physical processes. Sampling and analysis of dissolved gases were performed at the Nickel Rim Mine Organic Carbon PRB, which was designed for the treatment of groundwater contaminated by low quality mine drainage characterized by slightly acidic pH, and elevated Fe(II) and SO4 concentrations. A simple 4-gas degassing model was used to analyze the dissolved gas data, and the results indicate that SO4 reduction is by far the dominant process of organic C consumption within the barrier. The data provided additional information to delineate rates of microbially mediated SO4 reduction and confirm the presence of slow and fast flow zones within the barrier. Degassing was incorporated into multicomponent reactive transport simulations for the barrier and the simulations were successful in reproducing observed dissolved gas trends.

Ovarian steroid hormones modulate the expression of progesterone receptors and histone acetylation patterns in uterine leiomyoma cells.

PubMed

Sant'Anna, Gabriela Dos Santos; Brum, Ilma Simoni; Branchini, Gisele; Pizzolato, Lolita Schneider; Capp, Edison; Corleta, Helena von Eye

2017-08-01

Uterine leiomyomas are the most common benign smooth muscle cell tumors in women. Estrogen (E2), progesterone (P4) and environmental factors play important roles in the development of these tumors. New treatments, such as mifepristone, have been proposed. We evaluated the gene expression of total (PRT) and B (PRB) progesterone receptors, and the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and deacetylase (HDAC) activity after treatment with E2, P4 and mifepristone (RU486) in primary cell cultures from uterine leiomyoma and normal myometrium. Compared to myometrium, uterine leiomyoma cells showed an increase in PRT mRNA expression when treated with E2, and increase in PRB mRNA expression when treated with E2 and P4. Treatment with mifepristone had no significant impact on mRNA expression in these cells. The HDAC activity was higher in uterine leiomyoma compared to myometrial cells after treatment with E2 and E2 + P4 + mifepristone. HAT activity was barely detectable. Our results suggest that ovarian steroid hormones modulate PR, and mifepristone was unable to decrease PRT and PRB mRNA. The higher activity of HDAC leiomyoma cells could be involved in transcriptional repression of genes implicated in normal myometrium cell function, contributing to the maintenance and growth of uterine leiomyoma.

In vitro cytotoxic potential of friedelin in human MCF-7 breast cancer cell: Regulate early expression of Cdkn2a and pRb1, neutralize mdm2-p53 amalgamation and functional stabilization of p53.

PubMed

Subash-Babu, Pandurangan; Li, David K; Alshatwi, Ali A

2017-10-02

We aimed to explore the cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of friedelin on breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Cytotoxic effect of friedelin on MCF-7 cells was analyzed using MTT, cell and nuclear morphology. The apoptosis mechanism of friedelin on MCF-7 cells was analyzed using real-time PCR. Friedelin potentially inhibit 78% of MCF-7 cell's growth, the IC 50 value was 1.8μM in 24h and 1.2μM in 48h. Friedelin increased ROS significantly and DNA damage was confirmed by tunel assay. We found characteristically 52% apoptotic cells and 6% necrotic cells in PI, AO/ErBr staining after 48h treatment with 1.2μM of friedelin. Apoptosis was confirmed by significantly (p≤0.001) increased tumor suppressor gene Cdkn1a, pRb2, p53, Nrf2, caspase-3 and decreased Bcl-2, mdm2 & PCNA expression after 48h. In conclusion, friedelin effectively inhibit breast cancer MCF-7 cell growth, it was associated with early expression of Cdkn1a, pRb2 and activation of p53 and caspases. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Electrical conductivity of the crust in central Baja California, México, based on magnetotelluric observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romo, J. M.; Gómez-Treviño, E.; Flores-Luna, C.; García-Abdeslem, J.

2017-12-01

Crustal and sub-crustal structure of northwestern Mexico (peninsular California) resulted from major accretion episodes occurred during the long-lived subduction of the Farallon plate beneath the North American plate, since late Jurassic time. A magnetotelluric profile across central Baja California reveals several electrical conductivity anomalies probably associated to the crustal boundaries of distinct Mezosoic terranes juxtaposed in the current peninsular crust. It is known that electrical conductivity is significantly increased by the pervasive presence of conductive minerals generated during metamorphic processes in highly sheared zones. We interpret a striking sub-horizontal conductivity anomaly reveled in the model as explained by the presence of high-salinity fluids released after dehydration of the subducted Magdalena microplate (Farallon plate?). The presence of fluids at the base of the peninsular crust may produce a zone of weakness, which supports the idea that Baja California lithosphere has not been entirely coupled to the Pacific plate. In addition, crustal thickness is estimated in our model in about 35 km beneath the western Peninsular Ranges batholith (PRB) and 20 km beneath the eastern PRB. This crustal thickness is in good agreement with independent estimations of a thinner crust in the Gulf of California margin and a thicker crust along the axial PRB.

Microbial Sulfate Reduction Enhances Arsenic Mobility Downstream of Zerovalent-Iron-Based Permeable Reactive Barrier.

PubMed

Kumar, Naresh; Couture, Raoul-Marie; Millot, Romain; Battaglia-Brunet, Fabienne; Rose, Jérôme

2016-07-19

We assessed the potential of zerovalent-iron- (Fe(0)) based permeable reactive barrier (PRB) systems for arsenic (As) remediation in the presence or absence of microbial sulfate reduction. We conducted long-term (200 day) flow-through column experiments to investigate the mechanisms of As transformation and mobility in aquifer sediment (in particular, the PRB downstream linkage). Changes in As speciation in the aqueous phase were monitored continuously. Speciation in the solid phase was determined at the end of the experiment using X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy analysis. We identified thio-As species in solution and AsS in solid phase, which suggests that the As(V) was reduced to As(III) and precipitated as AsS under sulfate-reducing conditions and remained as As(V) under abiotic conditions, even with low redox potential and high Fe(II) content (4.5 mM). Our results suggest that the microbial sulfate reduction plays a key role in the mobilization of As from Fe-rich aquifer sediment under anoxic conditions. Furthermore, they illustrate that the upstream-downstream linkage of PRB affects the speciation and mobility of As in downstream aquifer sediment, where up to 47% of total As initially present in the sediment was leached out in the form of mobile thio-As species.

Inhibition of Human Cytomegalovirus Replication by Artemisinins: Effects Mediated through Cell Cycle Modulation

PubMed Central

Roy, Sujayita; He, Ran; Kapoor, Arun; Forman, Michael; Mazzone, Jennifer R.; Posner, Gary H.

2015-01-01

Artemisinin-derived monomers and dimers inhibit human cytomegalovirus (CMV) replication in human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs). The monomer artesunate (AS) inhibits CMV at micromolar concentrations, while dimers inhibit CMV replication at nanomolar concentrations, without increased toxicity in HFFs. We report on the variable anti-CMV activity of AS compared to the consistent and reproducible CMV inhibition by dimer 606 and ganciclovir (GCV). Investigation of this phenomenon revealed that the anti-CMV activity of AS correlated with HFFs synchronized to the G0/G1 stage of the cell cycle. In contact-inhibited serum-starved HFFs or cells arrested at early/late G1 with specific checkpoint regulators, AS and dimer 606 efficiently inhibited CMV replication. However, in cycling HFFs, in which CMV replication was productive, virus inhibition by AS was significantly reduced, but inhibition by dimer 606 and GCV was maintained. Cell cycle analysis in noninfected HFFs revealed that AS induced early G1 arrest, while dimer 606 partially blocked cell cycle progression. In infected HFFs, AS and dimer 606 prevented the progression of cell cycle toward the G1/S checkpoint. AS reduced the expression of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) 2, 4, and 6 in noninfected cycling HFFs, while the effect of dimer 606 on these CDKs was moderate. Neither compound affected CDK expression in noninfected contact-inhibited HFFs. In CMV-infected cells, AS activity correlated with reduced CDK2 levels. CMV inhibition by AS and dimer 606 also correlated with hypophosphorylation (activity) of the retinoblastoma protein (pRb). AS activity was strongly associated with pRb hypophosphorylation, while its reduced anti-CMV activity was marked by pRb phosphorylation. Roscovitine, a CDK2 inhibitor, antagonized the anti-CMV activities of AS and dimer 606. These data suggest that cell cycle modulation through CDKs and pRb might play a role in the anti-CMV activities of artemisinins. Proteins involved in this modulation may be identified and targeted for CMV inhibition. PMID:25870074

Increased mitochondrial function downstream from KDM5A histone demethylase rescues differentiation in pRB-deficient cells

PubMed Central

Váraljai, Renáta; Islam, Abul B.M.M.K.; Beshiri, Michael L.; Rehman, Jalees; Lopez-Bigas, Nuria; Benevolenskaya, Elizaveta V.

2015-01-01

The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein pRb restricts cell growth through inhibition of cell cycle progression. Increasing evidence suggests that pRb also promotes differentiation, but the mechanisms are poorly understood, and the key question remains as to how differentiation in tumor cells can be enhanced in order to diminish their aggressive potential. Previously, we identified the histone demethylase KDM5A (lysine [K]-specific demethylase 5A), which demethylates histone H3 on Lys4 (H3K4), as a pRB-interacting protein counteracting pRB's role in promoting differentiation. Here we show that loss of Kdm5a restores differentiation through increasing mitochondrial respiration. This metabolic effect is both necessary and sufficient to induce the expression of a network of cell type-specific signaling and structural genes. Importantly, the regulatory functions of pRB in the cell cycle and differentiation are distinct because although restoring differentiation requires intact mitochondrial function, it does not necessitate cell cycle exit. Cells lacking Rb1 exhibit defective mitochondria and decreased oxygen consumption. Kdm5a is a direct repressor of metabolic regulatory genes, thus explaining the compensatory role of Kdm5a deletion in restoring mitochondrial function and differentiation. Significantly, activation of mitochondrial function by the mitochondrial biogenesis regulator Pgc-1α (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-coactivator 1α; also called PPARGC1A) a coactivator of the Kdm5a target genes, is sufficient to override the differentiation block. Overexpression of Pgc-1α, like KDM5A deletion, inhibits cell growth in RB-negative human cancer cell lines. The rescue of differentiation by loss of KDM5A or by activation of mitochondrial biogenesis reveals the switch to oxidative phosphorylation as an essential step in restoring differentiation and a less aggressive cancer phenotype. PMID:26314709

Enhanced expression of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases in aniline-induced cell proliferation in rat spleen

PubMed Central

Wang, Jianling; Wang, Gangduo; Ma, Huaxian; Khan, M. Firoze

2010-01-01

Aniline exposure is associated with toxicity to the spleen leading to splenomegaly, hyperplasia, fibrosis and a variety of sarcomas of the spleen on chronic exposure. In earlier studies, we have shown that aniline exposure leads to iron overload, oxidative stress and activation of redox-sensitive transcription factors, which could regulate various genes leading to a tumorigenic response in the spleen. However, molecular mechanisms leading to aniline-induced cellular proliferation in the spleen remain largely unknown. This study was, therefore, undertaken on the regulation of G1 phase cell cycle proteins (cyclins), expression of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (pRB) and cell proliferation in the spleen, in an experimental condition preceding a tumorigenic response. Male SD rats were treated with aniline (0.5 mmol/kg/day via drinking water) for 30 days (controls received drinking water only), and splenocyte proliferation, protein expression of G1 phase cyclins, CDKs and pRB were measured. Aniline treatment resulted in significant increases in splenocyte proliferation, based on cell counts, cell proliferation markers including proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), nuclear Ki67 protein (Ki67) and minichromosome maintenance (MCM), MTT assay and flow cytometric analysis. Western blot analysis of splenocyte proteins from aniline-treated rats showed significantly increased expression of cyclins D1, D2, D3 and cyclin E, as compared to the controls. Similarly, real-time PCR analysis showed significantly increased mRNA expression for cyclins D1, D2, D3 and E in the spleens of aniline-treated rats. The overexpression of these cyclins was associated with increases in the expression of CDK4, CDK6, CDK2 as well as phosphorylation of pRB protein. Our data suggest that increased expression of cyclins, CDKs and phosphorylation of pRB protein could be critical in cell proliferation, and may contribute to aniline-induced tumorigenic response in the spleen. PMID:21070798

Abundance and Localization of Progesterone Receptor Isoforms in Endometrium in Women With and Without Endometriosis and in Peritoneal and Ovarian Endometriotic Implants

PubMed Central

Bedaiwy, Mohamed A.; Dahoud, Wissam; Skomorovska-Prokvolit, Yelena; Yi, Lijuan; Liu, James H.; Falcone, Tommaso; Hurd, William W.; Mesiano, Sam

2015-01-01

Background: Several studies suggest that resistance to progesterone may contribute to the pathophysiology of endometriosis. Progesterone mediates its biological activity via the 2 progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms (PR-A and PR-B). Effects of progesterone are determined by the PR-A:PR-B ratio such that a PR-B-dominant state promotes progesterone signaling, whereas a PR-A-dominant state decreases progesterone responsiveness. Our objective was to compare the abundance and cellular localization of the PR isoforms in endometrium and endometriotic lesions from women with and without peritoneal and ovarian endometriosis. Methods: This in vitro study was conducted in a tertiary care facility. Reproductive-age women with surgically diagnosed endometriosis (n = 18) and asymptomatic control individuals (n = 20) were prospectively recruited at the late proliferative and the early secretory phases. At laparoscopy, samples of eutopic endometrium, peritoneal and ovarian endometriosis, and disease-free peritoneum were obtained for subsequent immunohistochemical and immunoblot analysis of PR-B and total PR localization and PR-A and PR-B abundance, respectively. Results: The PR-A and PR-B were detected in eutopic endometrium and in peritoneal and ovarian endometriosis but not in disease-free peritoneum from patients with and without endometriosis. In peritoneal endometriosis, PR-A was the predominant isoform detected, whereas both receptors were detected in ovarian endometriosis and eutopic endometrium. In eutopic endometrium, levels of PR-A were significantly elevated in women with endometriosis compared with women without disease, regardless of menstrual phase. The PR-A levels were significantly elevated in ovarian endometriosis compared with peritoneal endometriosis. Conclusions: Endometriotic lesions and eutopic endometrium from women with endometriosis are uniform in a PR-A-dominant state. The data suggest that menstrual efflux of a PR-A-dominant endometrial tissue into the peritoneal cavity may play a role in the pathophysiology of endometriosis. PMID:26037298

Hydrogeochemistry and coal-associated bacterial populations from a methanogenic coal bed

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

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Weeks, Edwin P.; Jones, Elizabeth J. P.

Biogenic coalbed methane (CBM), a microbially-generated source of natural gas trapped within coal beds, is an important energy resource in many countries. Specific bacterial populations and enzymes involved in coal degradation, the potential rate-limiting step of CBM formation, are relatively unknown. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has established a field site, (Birney test site), in an undeveloped area of the Powder River Basin (PRB), with four wells completed in the Flowers-Goodale coal bed, one in the overlying sandstone formation, and four in overlying and underlying coal beds (Knoblach, Nance, and Terret). The nine wells were positioned to characterize the hydraulicmore » conductivity of the Flowers-Goodale coal bed and were selectively cored to investigate the hydrogeochemistry and microbiology associated with CBM production at the Birney test site. Aquifer-test results indicated the Flowers-Goodale coal bed, in a zone from about 112-120 m below land surface at the test site, had very low hydraulic conductivity (0.005 m/d) compared to other PRB coal beds examined. Consistent with microbial methanogenesis, groundwater in the coal bed and overlying sandstone contain dissolved methane (46 mg/L average) with low δ 13C values (-67‰ average), high alkalinity values (22 meq/kg average), relatively positive δ 13C-DIC values (4‰ average), and no detectable higher chain hydrocarbons, NO 3 -, or SO 4 2-. Bioassay methane production was greatest at the upper interface of the Flowers-Goodale coal bed near the overlying sandstone. Pyrotag analysis identified Aeribacillus as a dominant in situ bacterial community member in the coal near the sandstone and statistical analysis indicated Actinobacteria predominated coal core samples compared to claystone or sandstone cores. These bacteria, which previously have been correlated with hydrocarbon-containing environments such as oil reservoirs, have demonstrated the ability to produce biosurfactants to break down hydrocarbons. As a result, identifying microorganisms involved in coal degradation and the ydrogeochemical conditions that promote their activity is crucial to understanding and improving in situ CBM production.« less

Hydrogeochemistry and coal-associated bacterial populations from a methanogenic coal bed

DOE PAGES

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Weeks, Edwin P.; Jones, Elizabeth J. P.; ...

2016-05-04

Biogenic coalbed methane (CBM), a microbially-generated source of natural gas trapped within coal beds, is an important energy resource in many countries. Specific bacterial populations and enzymes involved in coal degradation, the potential rate-limiting step of CBM formation, are relatively unknown. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has established a field site, (Birney test site), in an undeveloped area of the Powder River Basin (PRB), with four wells completed in the Flowers-Goodale coal bed, one in the overlying sandstone formation, and four in overlying and underlying coal beds (Knoblach, Nance, and Terret). The nine wells were positioned to characterize the hydraulicmore » conductivity of the Flowers-Goodale coal bed and were selectively cored to investigate the hydrogeochemistry and microbiology associated with CBM production at the Birney test site. Aquifer-test results indicated the Flowers-Goodale coal bed, in a zone from about 112-120 m below land surface at the test site, had very low hydraulic conductivity (0.005 m/d) compared to other PRB coal beds examined. Consistent with microbial methanogenesis, groundwater in the coal bed and overlying sandstone contain dissolved methane (46 mg/L average) with low δ 13C values (-67‰ average), high alkalinity values (22 meq/kg average), relatively positive δ 13C-DIC values (4‰ average), and no detectable higher chain hydrocarbons, NO 3 -, or SO 4 2-. Bioassay methane production was greatest at the upper interface of the Flowers-Goodale coal bed near the overlying sandstone. Pyrotag analysis identified Aeribacillus as a dominant in situ bacterial community member in the coal near the sandstone and statistical analysis indicated Actinobacteria predominated coal core samples compared to claystone or sandstone cores. These bacteria, which previously have been correlated with hydrocarbon-containing environments such as oil reservoirs, have demonstrated the ability to produce biosurfactants to break down hydrocarbons. As a result, identifying microorganisms involved in coal degradation and the ydrogeochemical conditions that promote their activity is crucial to understanding and improving in situ CBM production.« less

Hydrogeochemistry and coal-associated bacterial populations from a methanogenic coal bed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Weeks, Edwin P.; Jones, Elizabeth J.P.; Ritter, Daniel J.; McIntosh, Jennifer C.; Clark, Arthur C.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Cunningham, Alfred B.; Vinson, David S.; Orem, William H.; Fields, Matthew W.

2016-01-01

Biogenic coalbed methane (CBM), a microbially-generated source of natural gas trapped within coal beds, is an important energy resource in many countries. Specific bacterial populations and enzymes involved in coal degradation, the potential rate-limiting step of CBM formation, are relatively unknown. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has established a field site, (Birney test site), in an undeveloped area of the Powder River Basin (PRB), with four wells completed in the Flowers-Goodale coal bed, one in the overlying sandstone formation, and four in overlying and underlying coal beds (Knoblach, Nance, and Terret). The nine wells were positioned to characterize the hydraulic conductivity of the Flowers-Goodale coal bed and were selectively cored to investigate the hydrogeochemistry and microbiology associated with CBM production at the Birney test site. Aquifer-test results indicated the Flowers-Goodale coal bed, in a zone from about 112 to 120 m below land surface at the test site, had very low hydraulic conductivity (0.005 m/d) compared to other PRB coal beds examined. Consistent with microbial methanogenesis, groundwater in the coal bed and overlying sandstone contain dissolved methane (46 mg/L average) with low δ13C values (−67‰ average), high alkalinity values (22 meq/kg average), relatively positive δ13C-DIC values (4‰ average), and no detectable higher chain hydrocarbons, NO3−, or SO42−. Bioassay methane production was greatest at the upper interface of the Flowers-Goodale coal bed near the overlying sandstone. Pyrotag analysis identified Aeribacillus as a dominant in situbacterial community member in the coal near the sandstone and statistical analysis indicated Actinobacteria predominated coal core samples compared to claystone or sandstone cores. These bacteria, which previously have been correlated with hydrocarbon-containing environments such as oil reservoirs, have demonstrated the ability to produce biosurfactants to break down hydrocarbons. Identifying microorganisms involved in coal degradation and the hydrogeochemical conditions that promote their activity is crucial to understanding and improving in situ CBM production.

Spin-split fermi surfaces in CexLa1-xB6 and PrxLa1-xB6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isshiki, T.; Endo, M.; Sugi, M.; Kimura, N.; Nakamura, S.; Nojima, T.; Aoki, H.; Kunii, S.

2006-05-01

We have performed the dHvA measurements on CexLa1-xB6 and PrxLa1-xB6 compounds to study spin splitting of the Fermi surfaces. In PrB 6 we have found new frequency branches to confirm that the Fermi surface splits into up and down spin Fermi surfaces, whereas no spin splitting has been found for x=0.25,0.5,0.75. We have also found several new frequency branches in CeB6. The new frequency branches imply that the Fermi surfaces of up and down spin conduction electrons are significantly different in CeB6 as well as in PrB6.

Chemistry and microbiology of permeable reactive barriers for in situ groundwater clean up.

PubMed

Scherer, M M; Richter, S; Valentine, R L; Alvarez, P J

2000-01-01

Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) are receiving a great deal of attention as an innovative, cost-effective technology for in situ clean up of groundwater contamination. A wide variety of materials are being proposed for use in PRBs, including zero-valent metals (e.g., iron metal), humic materials, oxides, surfactant-modified zeolites (SMZs), and oxygen- and nitrate-releasing compounds. PRB materials remove dissolved groundwater contaminants by immobilization within the barrier or transformation to less harmful products. The primary removal processes include: (1) sorption and precipitation, (2) chemical reaction, and (3) biologically mediated reactions. This article presents an overview of the mechanisms and factors controlling these individual processes and discusses the implications for the feasibility and long-term effectiveness of PRB technologies.

Geology and coal resources of the Hanging Woman Creek Study Area, Big Horn and Powder River Counties, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Culbertson, William Craven; Hatch, Joseph R.; Affolter, Ronald H.

1978-01-01

In an area of 7,200 acres (29 sq km) In the Hanging Woman Creek study area, the Anderson coal bed contains potentially surface minable resources of 378 million short tons (343 million metric tons) of subbituminous C coal that ranges in thickness from 26 to 33 feet (7.9-10.1 m) at depths of less than 200 feet (60 m). Additional potentially surface minable resources of 55 million short tons (50 million metric tons) are contained in the 9-12 foot (2.7-3.7 m) thick Dietz coal bed which lies 50-100 feet (15-30 m) below the Anderson. Analyses of coal from 5 core holes indicates that the Anderson bed contains 0.4 percent sulfur, 5 percent ash, and has a heating value of 8,540 Btu/lb (4,750 Kcal/kg). The trace element content of the coal is generally similar to other coals in the Powder River Basin. The two coal beds are in the Fort Union Formation of Paleocene age which consists of sandstone, siltstone, shale, coal beds, and locally impure limestone. A northeast-trending normal fault through the middle of the area, downthrown on the southeast side, has displaced the generally flat lying strata as much as 300 feet (91 m). Most of the minable coal lies northwest of this fault.

Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the Montana Powder River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haacke, Jon E.; Scott, David C.; Osmonson, Lee M.; Luppens, James A.; Pierce, Paul E.; Gunderson, Jay A.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this report is to summarize geology, coal resources, and coal reserves in the Montana Powder River Basin assessment area in southeastern Montana. This report represents the fourth assessment area within the Powder River Basin to be evaluated in the continuing U.S. Geological Survey regional coal assessment program. There are four active coal mines in the Montana Powder River Basin assessment area: the Spring Creek and Decker Mines, both near Decker; the Rosebud Mine, near Colstrip; and the Absaloka Mine, west of Colstrip. During 2011, coal production from these four mines totaled approximately 36 million short tons. A fifth mine, the Big Sky, had significant production from 1969-2003; however, it is no longer in production and has since been reclaimed. Total coal production from all five mines in the Montana Powder River Basin assessment area from 1968 to 2011 was approximately 1.4 billion short tons. The Rosebud/Knobloch coal bed near Colstrip and the Anderson, Dietz 2, and Dietz 3 coal beds near Decker contain the largest deposits of surface minable, low-sulfur, subbituminous coal currently being mined in the assessment area. A total of 26 coal beds were identified during this assessment, 18 of which were modeled and evaluated to determine in-place coal resources. The total original coal resource in the Montana Powder River Basin assessment area for the 18 coal beds assessed was calculated to be 215 billion short tons. Available coal resources, which are part of the original coal resource remaining after subtracting restrictions and areas of burned coal, are about 162 billion short tons. Restrictions included railroads, Federal interstate highways, urban areas, alluvial valley floors, state parks, national forests, and mined-out areas. It was determined that 10 of the 18 coal beds had sufficient areal extent and thickness to be evaluated for recoverable surface resources ([Roland (Baker), Smith, Anderson, Dietz 2, Dietz 3, Canyon, Werner/Cook, Pawnee, Rosebud/Knobloch, and Flowers-Goodale]). These 10 coal beds total about 151 billion short tons of the 162 billion short tons of available resource; however, after applying a strip ratio of 10:1 or less, only 39 billion short tons remains of the 151 billion short tons. After mining and processing losses are subtracted from the 39 billion short tons, 35 billion short tons of coal were considered as a recoverable resource. Coal reserves (economically recoverable coal) are the portion of the recoverable coal resource that can be mined, processed, and marketed at a profit at the time of the economic evaluation. The surface coal reserve estimate for the 10 coal beds evaluated for the Montana Powder River assessment area is 13 billion short tons. It was also determined that about 42 billion short tons of underground coal resource exists in the Montana Powder River Basin assessment area; about 34 billion short tons (80 percent) are within 500-1,000 feet of the land surface and another 8 billion short tons are 1,000-2,000 feet beneath the land surface.

Pyrosequencing analysis yields comprehensive assessment of microbial communities in pilot-scale two-stage membrane biofilm reactors.

PubMed

Ontiveros-Valencia, Aura; Tang, Youneng; Zhao, He-Ping; Friese, David; Overstreet, Ryan; Smith, Jennifer; Evans, Patrick; Rittmann, Bruce E; Krajmalnik-Brown, Rosa

2014-07-01

We studied the microbial community structure of pilot two-stage membrane biofilm reactors (MBfRs) designed to reduce nitrate (NO3(-)) and perchlorate (ClO4(-)) in contaminated groundwater. The groundwater also contained oxygen (O2) and sulfate (SO4(2-)), which became important electron sinks that affected the NO3(-) and ClO4(-) removal rates. Using pyrosequencing, we elucidated how important phylotypes of each "primary" microbial group, i.e., denitrifying bacteria (DB), perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB), and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), responded to changes in electron-acceptor loading. UniFrac, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), and diversity analyses documented that the microbial community of biofilms sampled when the MBfRs had a high acceptor loading were phylogenetically distant from and less diverse than the microbial community of biofilm samples with lower acceptor loadings. Diminished acceptor loading led to SO4(2-) reduction in the lag MBfR, which allowed Desulfovibrionales (an SRB) and Thiothrichales (sulfur-oxidizers) to thrive through S cycling. As a result of this cooperative relationship, they competed effectively with DB/PRB phylotypes such as Xanthomonadales and Rhodobacterales. Thus, pyrosequencing illustrated that while DB, PRB, and SRB responded predictably to changes in acceptor loading, a decrease in total acceptor loading led to important shifts within the "primary" groups, the onset of other members (e.g., Thiothrichales), and overall greater diversity.

Periosteal chondrosarcoma: a histopathological and molecular analysis of a rare chondrosarcoma subtype.

PubMed

Cleven, Arjen H G; Zwartkruis, Evita; Hogendoorn, Pancras C W; Kroon, Herman M; Briaire-de Bruijn, Inge; Bovée, Judith V M G

2015-10-01

Periosteal chondrosarcoma is a rare, malignant cartilage-forming neoplasm originating from the periosteal surface of bone. We collected 38 cases from the archives of the Netherlands Committee on Bone Tumours, with the aim of studying histological features and evaluating the involvement of isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1), EXT, Wnt/β-catenin, the pRB pathway (CDK4 and p16), and the TP53 pathway (p53 and MDM2). Histology showed a moderately cellular matrix with mucoid-myxoid changes and, in 42% of cases, formation of a neocortex. Occasional intramedullary extension (26%) and subsequent host bone entrapment (40%) were seen. Histological grading revealed grade 1 (53%) and grade 2 (45%). The EXT1 protein was normally expressed, and mutations in IDH1 were observed in only 15% of cases. pRb signalling was deregulated by loss of p16 expression in 50% of cases, and Wnt signalling was lost in 89%. No alterations were found in CDK4, p53, or MDM2. We report the first large histological and molecular study on periosteal chondrosarcoma showing that histopathological examination and molecular aberrations do not predict prognosis. Although the mutation frequency of IDH1 was low, we confirm the supposed relationship with central chondrosarcoma. Moreover, we identify loss of canonical Wnt signalling and deregulation of pRb signalling as possible events contributing to its histogenesis. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Post-transcriptional gene expression control by NANOS is up-regulated and functionally important in pRb-deficient cells

PubMed Central

Miles, Wayne O; Korenjak, Michael; Griffiths, Lyra M; Dyer, Michael A; Provero, Paolo; Dyson, Nicholas J

2014-01-01

Inactivation of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor (pRb) is a common oncogenic event that alters the expression of genes important for cell cycle progression, senescence, and apoptosis. However, in many contexts, the properties of pRb-deficient cells are similar to wild-type cells suggesting there may be processes that counterbalance the transcriptional changes associated with pRb inactivation. Therefore, we have looked for sets of evolutionary conserved, functionally related genes that are direct targets of pRb/E2F proteins. We show that the expression of NANOS, a key facilitator of the Pumilio (PUM) post-transcriptional repressor complex, is directly repressed by pRb/E2F in flies and humans. In both species, NANOS expression increases following inactivation of pRb/RBF1 and becomes important for tissue homeostasis. By analyzing datasets from normal retinal tissue and pRb-null retinoblastomas, we find a strong enrichment for putative PUM substrates among genes de-regulated in tumors. These include pro-apoptotic genes that are transcriptionally down-regulated upon pRb loss, and we characterize two such candidates, MAP2K3 and MAP3K1, as direct PUM substrates. Our data suggest that NANOS increases in importance in pRb-deficient cells and helps to maintain homeostasis by repressing the translation of transcripts containing PUM Regulatory Elements (PRE). PMID:25100735

Post-transcriptional gene expression control by NANOS is up-regulated and functionally important in pRb-deficient cells.

PubMed

Miles, Wayne O; Korenjak, Michael; Griffiths, Lyra M; Dyer, Michael A; Provero, Paolo; Dyson, Nicholas J

2014-10-01

Inactivation of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor (pRb) is a common oncogenic event that alters the expression of genes important for cell cycle progression, senescence, and apoptosis. However, in many contexts, the properties of pRb-deficient cells are similar to wild-type cells suggesting there may be processes that counterbalance the transcriptional changes associated with pRb inactivation. Therefore, we have looked for sets of evolutionary conserved, functionally related genes that are direct targets of pRb/E2F proteins. We show that the expression of NANOS, a key facilitator of the Pumilio (PUM) post-transcriptional repressor complex, is directly repressed by pRb/E2F in flies and humans. In both species, NANOS expression increases following inactivation of pRb/RBF1 and becomes important for tissue homeostasis. By analyzing datasets from normal retinal tissue and pRb-null retinoblastomas, we find a strong enrichment for putative PUM substrates among genes de-regulated in tumors. These include pro-apoptotic genes that are transcriptionally down-regulated upon pRb loss, and we characterize two such candidates, MAP2K3 and MAP3K1, as direct PUM substrates. Our data suggest that NANOS increases in importance in pRb-deficient cells and helps to maintain homeostasis by repressing the translation of transcripts containing PUM Regulatory Elements (PRE). © 2014 The Authors.

Remediation of lead and cadmium from simulated groundwater in loess region in northwestern China using permeable reactive barrier filled with environmentally friendly mixed adsorbents.

PubMed

Fan, Chunhui; Gao, Yalin; Zhang, Yingchao; Dong, Wanqing; Lai, Miao

2018-01-01

Permeable reactive barrier (PRB) is potentially effective for groundwater remediation, especially using environmentally friendly mixed fillers in representative areas, such as semi-arid loess region in northwestern China. The mixed materials, including corn straw (agricultural wastes), fly ash (industrial wastes), zeolite synthesized from fly ash (reutilized products), and iron-manganese nodule derived from loess (materials with regional characteristics) in northwestern China, were chosen as PRB media to reduce the contents of lead and cadmium in simulated groundwater. A series of lab-scale column experiments were investigated, and the response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the working process; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were applied to further reveal the reaction mechanism. It shows that the purification efficiencies are more acceptable when the concentrations of lead and cadmium are approximately 7 and 0.7 mg/L, respectively, at 25 °C in weakly acidic solution, and functional groups of -OH and C=C play an important role for contaminants removal. The mixed adsorbents used are effective to remove lead and cadmium in groundwater. This is the first report on the removal of lead and cadmium from groundwater in loess region in northwestern China using PRB filled with environmentally friendly mixed adsorbents.

Defective heat shock factor 1 inhibits the growth of fibrosarcoma derived from simian virus 40/T antigen-transformed MEF cells

PubMed Central

JIANG, QIYING; ZHANG, ZHI; LI, SHULIAN; WANG, ZHAOYANG; MA, YUANFANG; HU, YANZHONG

2015-01-01

Heat shock factor 1 (Hsf1) serves an important role in regulating the proliferation of human tumor cell lines in vitro and tissue specific tumorigenesis in certain mouse models. However, its role in viral-oncogenesis remains to be fully elucidated. In the current study, the role of Hsf1 in fibroblastoma derived from simian virus 40/T antigen (SV40/TAG)-transformed mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cell lines was investigated. Knockout of Hsf1 inhibited MEF cell proliferation in vitro and fibroblastoma growth and metastasis to the lungs in vivo in nude mice. Knockout of Hsf1 increased the protein expression levels of p53 and phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (pRb), however reduced the expression of heat shock protein 25 (Hsp25) in addition to the expression of the angiogenesis markers vascular endothelial growth factor, cluster of differentiation 34 and factor VIII related antigen. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation indicated that knockout of Hsf1 inhibited the association between SV40/TAG and p53 or pRb. These data suggest that Hsf1 is involved in the regulation of SV40/TAG-derived fibroblastoma growth and metastasis by modulating the association between SV40/TAG and tumor suppressor p53 and pRb. The current study provides further evidence that Hsf1 may be a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of cancer. PMID:26352782

Papillomavirus E7 protein binding to the retinoblastoma protein is not required for viral induction of warts.

PubMed Central

Defeo-Jones, D; Vuocolo, G A; Haskell, K M; Hanobik, M G; Kiefer, D M; McAvoy, E M; Ivey-Hoyle, M; Brandsma, J L; Oliff, A; Jones, R E

1993-01-01

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the etiologic agents responsible for benign epithelial proliferative disorders including genital warts and are a contributory factor in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer. HPVs demonstrate strict species and cell-type specificity, which is manifested by the inability of these viruses to induce disease in any species other than humans. The natural history of HPV infection in humans is closely mimicked by cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) infection in domestic laboratory rabbits. The CRPV E7 gene is known to play an essential role in virus-mediated induction of papillomas. We now show by mutational analysis that the CRPV E7 protein's biochemical and biological properties, including binding to the retinoblastoma suppressor protein (pRB), transcription factor E2F transactivation of the adenovirus E2 promoter, disruption of pRB-E2F complexes, and cellular transformation as measured by growth in soft agar, mimic those of the HPV E7 protein. Intradermal injection of CRPV DNA lacking E7 gene sequences critical for the binding of the CRPV E7 protein to pRB induced papillomas in rabbits. These studies indicate that E7 protein binding to pRB is not required in the molecular pathogenesis of virally induced warts and suggest that other properties intrinsic to the E7 protein are necessary for papilloma formation. Images PMID:8380462

78 FR 1936 - Tongue River Railroad Company, Inc.-Rail Construction and Operation-In Custer, Powder River and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-09

... the proposed line is to transport low sulfur sub-bituminous coal from mine sites in the Otter Creek... October 16, 2012, but modified the project in a December 17, 2012 supplemental application that supersedes... River and Rosebud Cntys., Mont. (Tongue River I), FD 30186 (ICC served Sept. 4, 1985), modified (ICC...

Advanced Thermally Stable Coal-Derived Jet Fuels Compositional Factors Affecting Thermal Degradation of Jet Fuels

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

shown in Figure 4.2 and the peaks are identified and quantified in Table 4.2. Phenol and alkylphenols are the most readily visible 137 Cf) C-)" M0 oý...transformation of the catechol and alkylphenolic structures in subbituminous coal is a loss of aryl-( -containing structures and a condensation of the phenols

Chemicals from low temperature liquid-phase cracking of coals

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

Sato, Y.; Kodera, Y.; Kamo, T.

1999-07-01

Mild gasification and low temperature pyrolysis are considered to be the most promising process for high-moisture subbituminous and lignite coal to produce upgraded solid fuel with high heating value and low sulfur, and to produce a useful liquid product. However effective technology to prevent spontaneous combustion of solid product and to utilize oxygen-rich liquid product has not yet been reported to enhance commercial feasibility of these process. In this study, liquid-phase cracking of low rank coal at 350--450 C under 2 MPa of initial nitrogen atmosphere has been studied to produce upgraded coal and value added liquid product. Liquid-phase crackingmore » of Wyoming subbituminous Buckskin coal using iron oxide catalyst in the presence of t-decalin at 440C gave 10 wt% of liquid product, 12 wt% of gases and 74 wt% of upgraded coal with small amount of water. Gaseous product consisted of mainly carbon dioxide (62wt%) and methane. Therefore, cracking of carboxylic function took place effectively in these conditions. Liquid product contains BTX, phenols and alkylphenols. Concentrated chemicals of BTX, phenol and cresols from the liquid products by hydrocracking and hydrotreating will be discussed.« less

A Geochemical Comparison of the Northern Peninsular Ranges Batholith in Southern California and the Coastal Batholith in Southern Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clausen, B. L.; Martínez Ardila, A. M.; Morton, D. M.

2010-12-01

An extensive geochemical data set from the northern Peninsular Ranges Batholith (PRB) in southern California is compared and contrasted with the Arequipa segment of the Peruvian Coastal Batholith, including new granitoid samples recently collected near Ica (14°S, 76°W). The data include major and trace elements and Sr isotope ratios. This is part of an on-going study of subduction-related magmatism to refine a petrogenetic model of crust formation at plate boundaries, with a particular interest in the role of magma mixing. Research in the northern PRB suggests that continental crust is formed in several cycles: (1) mantle melting to give mafic volcanics and gabbroic intrusives, (2) basalt/gabbro melting to give felsic granitoids uncontaminated by continental crust and having low initial 87Sr/86Sr (Sri) values less than 0.704, and (3) crustal melting to give high Sri values greater than 0.704. Geochemical evidence was used to determine the extent of mixing between mafic and felsic magma that produced rocks of intermediate SiO2 composition. These differentiation cycles formed a west to east chronologic sequence and yielded granitoids of gabbro, tonalite, and granodiorite composition. Using principal component analysis on the northern PRB granitoids, the four factors affecting geochemical composition were categorized as differentiation, crustal contamination, depth of magma source, and conditions that yield a range from calcic to more alkaline granitoids. A similar major and trace element analysis is being done for a classic result of subduction in the Peruvian Coastal Batholith. The Peruvian samples recently collected include granitoids of the upper Cretaceous Coastal Batholith, as well as the associated volcanics of Cretaceous and Jurassic age. The Coastal Batholith samples include a range of granitoids from the early gabbros and from the four batholithic super-units (from west to east: Linga, Pampahuasi, Tiabaya, and Incahuasi) containing a combination of diorite, tonalite, monzonite, and granodiorite. In addition, samples were taken from the adjacent Precambrian basement and Paleozoic San Nicolas batholith in order to estimate the local geochemistry for continental crust contamination and to compare with published crustal averages. For this part of the Coastal Batholith, gabbroic plutons that formed during extension have little contamination from continental crust; the time-separated super-units form distinct assemblages; some of the super-units went through several differentiation cycles; parts of the Linga super-unit have low Sri ratios below 0.704; and magma mixing played an important role. The Coastal Batholith of western Peru (similar to the eastern PRB) has an intermediate calc-alkaline composition, in comparison to batholiths in Chile (similar to the western PRB) that are more calcic and those in eastern Peru (similar to the Sierra Nevadas) that are more alkaline.

First high-resolution near-seafloor survey of magnetic anomalies of the South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, J.; Xu, X.; Li, C.; Sun, Z.; Zhu, J.; Zhou, Z.; Qiu, N.

2013-12-01

We successfully conducted the first high-resolution near-seafloor magnetic survey of the Central, Southwest, and Northern Central Basins of the South China Sea (SCS) during two cruises on board Chinese R/V HaiYangLiuHao in October-November 2012 and March-April 2013, respectively. Measurements of magnetic field were made along four long survey lines, including (1) a NW-SE across-isochron profile transecting the Southwest Basin and covering all ages of the oceanic crust (Line CD); (2) a N-S across-isochron profile transecting the Central Basin (Line AB); and (3) two sub-parallel NE-SW across-isochron profiles transecting the Northern Central Basin of the SCS (Lines D and E). A three-axis magnetometer was mounted on a deep-tow vehicle, flying within 0.6 km above the seafloor. The position of the tow vehicle was provided by an ultra-short baseline navigation system along Lines D and E, while was estimated using shipboard GPS along Lines AB and CD. To investigate crustal magnetization, we first removed the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) of 2010 from the measured magnetic data, and then downward continued the resultant magnetic field data to a horizontal plane at a water depth of 4.5 km to correct for variation due to the fishing depth of the deep-tow vehicle. Finally, we calculated magnetic anomalies at various water depths after reduction-to-the-pole corrections. We also constructed polarity reversal block (PRB) models of crustal magnetization by matching peaks and troughs of the observed magnetic field anomaly. Our analysis yielded the following results: (1) The near-bottom magnetic anomaly showed peak-to-trough amplitudes of more than 2,500 nT, which are several times of the anomaly amplitudes at the sea surface, illustrating that deep-tow measurements acquired much higher spatial resolutions. (2) The deep-tow data revealed several distinctive magnetic anomalies with wavelengths of 5-15 km and amplitudes of several hundred nT. These short-wavelength anomalies were unrecognized in sea surface measurements. (3) Preliminary results showed that the study regions might have experienced several episodes of magnetic reversal events that were not recognized in existing models. (4) We are currently investigating the geomagnetic timing of these relatively short-duration events to determine the detailed spreading history of the sub-basins of the SCS. These high-resolution near-seafloor magnetic survey lines are located close to the planned drilling sites of IODP Expedition 349 scheduled for January-March 2014.

Geophysical and Geochemical Characterization of Subsurface Drip Irrigation Sites, Powder River Basin, Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burton, B. L.; Bern, C. R.; Sams, J. I., III; Veloski, G.; Minsley, B. J.; Smith, B. D.

2010-12-01

Coalbed natural gas (CBNG) production in the Powder River Basin (PRB) in northeastern Wyoming has increased rapidly since 1997. CBNG production involves the extraction of large amounts of water containing >2000 mg/L total dissolved solids, dominantly sodium bicarbonate. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is a beneficial disposal method of produced waters, provided that waters and associated salts are managed properly. We are studying how water and solute distributions change in soils with progressive irrigation at two PRB sites using a combination of geophysical, geochemical, and mineralogical analyses. Perennial crops are grown at both sites, drip tapes are located at 92 cm depth, and water is applied year-round. The first SDI site is located at the confluence of Crazy Woman Creek and the Powder River. Baseline ground-based and helicopter-borne frequency domain electromagnetic induction (EMI) surveys were completed in 2007 and 2008, respectively, prior to the installation of the SDI system. Since installation, additional ground-based EMI, resistivity, and downhole geophysical log surveys have been completed along with soil geochemical and mineralogical analyses. Determining baseline physical, chemical, and electrical soil characteristics at this study site is an important step in linking the EMI measurements to the soil characteristics they are intended to assess. EMI surveys indicate that soil conductivity has generally increased with irrigation, but lateral migration of water away from the irrigated blocks is minimal. Median downhole electrical conductivity was positively correlated with soil mass wetness but not correlated with soil mineralogy. Soil-water extract results indicate existing salts are chemically heterogeneous throughout the site and in depth. The observed EMI conductivity variations are therefore primarily attributed to water content changes and secondarily to soil texture. The second SDI site, located northeast of Sheridan, WY, has been operating for six years and includes irrigated alfalfa and grass and adjacent non-irrigated grass fields. A single ground-based EMI survey was performed in Feb. 2010, which helped direct subsequent soil sampling. Gypsum distribution can be differentiated into two soil zones: an upper, gypsum-poor zone and a lower gypsum-rich zone. The break between zones is 30 cm deeper in the irrigated soil and is probably due to dissolution and displacement of gypsum by SDI waters infiltrating from the drip tape. Resistivity profiles were acquired in June 2010 over the soil sampling sites and are consistent with the EMI data, which show higher conductivity values in the irrigated fields. In the SDI alfalfa field, there is a strong negative correlation between mass wetness and resistivity with a 75% increase in mass wetness (0.2-0.35 g/g) at 3 m depth corresponding to a 30% resistivity decrease (15-10 ohm-m). When compared to the non-irrigated field profile, the SDI alfalfa field data show a 50% resistivity decrease (20-10 ohm-m) below 3 m depth, indicating a possible accumulation of irrigated waters below the SDI system.

pH-Sensitive PEGylated liposomes functionalized with a fibronectin-mimetic peptide show enhanced intracellular delivery to colon cancer cell.

PubMed

Garg, Ashish; Kokkoli, Efrosini

2011-08-01

pH-sensitive liposomes undergo rapid destabilization under mildly acidic conditions such as those found in endocytotic vesicles. Though this makes them promising drug carriers, their application is limited due to their rapid clearance from circulation by the reticulo-endothelial system. Researchers have therefore used pH-sensitive liposomes that are sterically stabilized by polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules (stealth liposomes) on the liposome surface. The goal of this study is to bring bio-functionality to pH-sensitive PEGylated liposomes in order to facilitate their potential use as a targeted drug delivery agent. To improve the selectivity of these nanoparticles, we included a targeting moiety, PR_b which specifically recognizes and binds to integrin α(5)β(1) expressing cells. PR_b (KSSPHSRN(SG)(5)RGDSP) is a novel fibronectin-mimetic peptide sequence that mimics the cell adhesion domain of fibronectin. Integrin α(5)β(1) is expressed on several types of cancer cells, including colon cancer, and plays an important role in tumor growth and metastasis. We have thoroughly studied the release of calcein from pH-sensitive PEGylated liposomes by varying the lipid composition of the liposomes in the absence and presence of the targeting peptide, PR_b, and accounting for the first time for the effect of both pH and time (photo-bleaching effect) on the fluorescence signal of calcein. We have demonstrated that we can design PR_b-targeted pH-sensitive PEGylated liposomes, which can undergo destabilization under mildly acidic conditions and have shown that incorporating the PR_b peptide does not significantly affect the pH-sensitivity of the liposomes. PR_b-targeted pH-sensitive PEGylated liposomes bind to CT26.WT colon carcinoma cells that express integrin α(5)β(1), undergo cellular internalization, and release their load intracellularly in a short period of time as compared to other formulations. Our studies demonstrate that PR_b-functionalized pH-sensitive targeted delivery systems have the potential to deliver a payload directly to cancer cells in an efficient and specific manner.

40 CFR 74.23 - 1985 Allowable SO 2 emissions rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

....00 1.00 Coal Unit with Federal Limit, but Averaging Time Not Specified 0.93 0.89 (2) Calendar year... Bituminous coal Subbituminous coal Lignite coal Oil lbs Sulfur/mmBtu 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 % Sulfur in fuel 1.66 2... year as defined under § 74.23(a)(2). (ii) Citation of statute, regulations, and any other authority...

40 CFR 74.23 - 1985 Allowable SO 2 emissions rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....00 1.00 Coal Unit with Federal Limit, but Averaging Time Not Specified 0.93 0.89 (2) Calendar year... Bituminous coal Subbituminous coal Lignite coal Oil lbs Sulfur/mmBtu 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 % Sulfur in fuel 1.66 2... year as defined under § 74.23(a)(2). (ii) Citation of statute, regulations, and any other authority...

Processes for liquefying carbonaceous feedstocks and related compositions

DOEpatents

MacDonnell, Frederick M.; Dennis, Brian H.; Billo, Richard E.; Priest, John W.

2017-02-28

Methods for the conversion of lignites, subbituminous coals and other carbonaceous feedstocks into synthetic oils, including oils with properties similar to light weight sweet crude oil using a solvent derived from hydrogenating oil produced by pyrolyzing lignite are set forth herein. Such methods may be conducted, for example, under mild operating conditions with a low cost stoichiometric co-reagent and/or a disposable conversion agent.

75 FR 52801 - Membership of the Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-27

... for Administration and Director of Human Resources (202) 395-7360. Lorraine Green, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Administration and Director of Human Resources. [FR Doc. 2010-21371...

78 FR 57837 - Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-20

... Chair of the PRB; Fran Leonard, Chief of Staff, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service; Nadine... Counsel, Institute of Museum and Library Services. This notice is published in the Federal Register...

Organic compounds in produced waters from coalbed natural gas wells in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orem, W.H.; Tatu, C.A.; Lerch, H.E.; Rice, C.A.; Bartos, T.T.; Bates, A.L.; Tewalt, S.; Corum, M.D.

2007-01-01

The organic composition of produced water samples from coalbed natural gas (CBNG) wells in the Powder River Basin, WY, sampled in 2001 and 2002 are reported as part of a larger study of the potential health and environmental effects of organic compounds derived from coal. The quality of CBNG produced waters is a potential environmental concern and disposal problem for CBNG producers, and no previous studies of organic compounds in CBNG produced water have been published. Organic compounds identified in the produced water samples included: phenols, biphenyls, N-, O-, and S-containing heterocyclic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aromatic amines, various non-aromatic compounds, and phthalates. Many of the identified organic compounds (phenols, heterocyclic compounds, PAHs) are probably coal-derived. PAHs represented the group of organic compounds most commonly observed. Concentrations of total PAHs ranged up to 23 ??g/L. Concentrations of individual compounds ranged from about 18 to <0.01 ??g/L. Temporal variability of organic compound concentrations was documented, as two wells with relatively high organic compound contents in produced water in 2001 had much lower concentrations in 2002. In many areas, including the PRB, coal strata provide aquifers for drinking water wells. Organic compounds observed in produced water are also likely present in drinking water supplied from wells in the coal. Some of the organic compounds identified in the produced water samples are potentially toxic, but at the levels measured in these samples are unlikely to have acute health effects. The human health effects of low-level, chronic exposure to coal-derived organic compounds in drinking water are currently unknown. Continuing studies will evaluate possible toxic effects from low level, chronic exposure to coal-derived organic compounds in drinking water supplies.

76 FR 64428 - Senior Executive Service; Combined Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-18

... Greiner, Chief Financial Officer, United States Mint. John J. Manfreda, Administrator, TTB. Diane K. Wade... of Engraving and Printing (BEP), the Financial Management Service (FMS), the United [[Page 64429

Slider--maximum use of probability information for alignment of short sequence reads and SNP detection.

PubMed

Malhis, Nawar; Butterfield, Yaron S N; Ester, Martin; Jones, Steven J M

2009-01-01

A plethora of alignment tools have been created that are designed to best fit different types of alignment conditions. While some of these are made for aligning Illumina Sequence Analyzer reads, none of these are fully utilizing its probability (prb) output. In this article, we will introduce a new alignment approach (Slider) that reduces the alignment problem space by utilizing each read base's probabilities given in the prb files. Compared with other aligners, Slider has higher alignment accuracy and efficiency. In addition, given that Slider matches bases with probabilities other than the most probable, it significantly reduces the percentage of base mismatches. The result is that its SNP predictions are more accurate than other SNP prediction approaches used today that start from the most probable sequence, including those using base quality.

Linear Dichroism in Angle-Resolved Core-Level Photoemission Spectra Reflecting 4f Ground-State Symmetry of Strongly Correlated Cubic Pr Compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamamoto, Satoru; Fujioka, Shuhei; Kanai, Yuina; Yamagami, Kohei; Nakatani, Yasuhiro; Nakagawa, Koya; Fujiwara, Hidenori; Kiss, Takayuki; Higashiya, Atsushi; Yamasaki, Atsushi; Kadono, Toshiharu; Imada, Shin; Tanaka, Arata; Tamasaku, Kenji; Yabashi, Makina; Ishikawa, Tetsuya; Matsumoto, Keisuke T.; Onimaru, Takahiro; Takabatake, Toshiro; Sekiyama, Akira

2017-12-01

We report experimentally observed linear dichroism in angle-resolved core-level photoemission spectra of PrIr2Zn20 and PrB6 with cubic symmetry. The different anisotropic 4f charge distributions between the compounds due to the crystalline-electric-field splitting are responsible for the difference in the linear dichroism, which has been verified by spectral simulations with the full multiplet theory for a single-site Pr3+ ion with cubic symmetry. The observed linear dichroism and polarization-dependent spectra in two different photoelectron directions for PrIr2Zn20 are reproduced by theoretical analysis for the Γ3 ground state, whereas those of the Pr 3d and 4d core levels indicate the Γ5 ground state for PrB6.

Progesterone receptor isoforms in the mammary gland of cats and dogs.

PubMed

Gracanin, A; de Gier, J; Zegers, K; Bominaar, M; Rutteman, G R; Schaefers-Okkens, A C; Kooistra, H S; Mol, J A

2012-12-01

Progesterone exerts its effect by binding to specific progesterone receptors (PR) within the cell. In dogs and cats, no data are available on PR isoforms as found in other species. We therefore investigated the sequence of the PR gene and encoded protein in dogs and cats, the expression of PR isoforms in mammary tissue using Western blots and the presence of PR in mammary tissue using immunohistochemistry. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of the canine and feline PR with human PR revealed major differences in the PR-B-specific upstream segment (BUS). However, the essential activation function 3 (AF3) domain was intact in the cat but mutated in the dog. The DNA and ligand-binding domains were highly similar among the species. In cats with fibroadenomatous hyperplasia (FAH), high expression of PR mRNA together with growth hormone (GH), GH receptor (GHR) and IGF-I mRNA was found in comparison with feline mammary carcinomas. Immunohistochemical analysis showed strong nuclear as well as cytoplasmic staining for PR in FAH. Western blot analysis revealed expression of the PR-A and PR-B isoforms in the feline mammary gland. In canine mammary tissue, the most abundant PR staining was found in proliferative zones of the mammary gland. Western blot analyses showed mainly staining for PR-A with lower PR-B staining. It is concluded that in dogs and cats both PR isoforms are expressed. The role of mutations found in the canine PR-B is discussed. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Uptake Mechanisms of Eu(III) on Hydroxyapatite: A Potential Permeable Reactive Barrier Backfill Material for Trapping Trivalent Minor Actinides.

PubMed

Xu, Lin; Zheng, Tao; Yang, Shitong; Zhang, Linjuan; Wang, Jianqiang; Liu, Wei; Chen, Lanhua; Diwu, Juan; Chai, Zhifang; Wang, Shuao

2016-04-05

The permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technique has attracted an increasing level of attention for the in situ remediation of contaminated groundwater. In this study, the macroscopic uptake behaviors and microscopic speciation of Eu(III) on hydroxyapatite (HAP) were investigated by a combination of theoretical modeling, batch experiments, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) fitting, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The underlying removal mechanisms were identified to further assess the application potential of HAP as an effective PRB backfill material. The macroscopic analysis revealed that nearly all dissolved Eu(III) in solution was removed at pH 6.5 within an extremely short reaction time of 5 min. In addition, the thermodynamic calculations, desorption experiments, and PXRD and XAS analyses definitely confirmed the formation of the EuPO4·H2O(s) phase during the process of uptake of dissolved Eu(III) by HAP via the dissolution-precipitation mechanism. A detailed comparison of the present experimental findings and related HAP-metal systems suggests that the relative contribution of precipitation to the total Eu(III) removal increases as the P:Eu ratio decreases. The dosage of HAP-based PRB for the remediation of groundwater polluted by Eu(III) and analogous trivalent actinides [e.g., Am(III) and Cm(III)] should be strictly controlled depending on the dissolved Eu(III) concentration to obtain an optimal P:M (M represents Eu, Am, or Cm) ratio and treatment efficiency.

Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater remediation with simulated permeable reactive barrier (PRB) filled with natural pyrite as reactive material: Environmental factors and effectiveness.

PubMed

Liu, Yuanyuan; Mou, Haiyan; Chen, Liqun; Mirza, Zakaria A; Liu, Li

2015-11-15

Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) are efficient technologies for in situ remediation of contaminated groundwater, the effectiveness of which greatly depends on the reactive media filled. Natural pyrite is an iron sulfide material with a very low content of iron and sulfur, and a mining waste which is a potential material for Cr(VI) immobilization. In this study, we conducted a series of batch tests to research the effects of typical environmental factors on Cr(VI) removal and also simulated PRB filled with natural pyrite to investigate its effectiveness, in order to find a both environmentally and economically fine method for groundwater remediation. Batch tests showed that pH had the significant impact on Cr(VI) removal with an apparently higher efficiency under acidic conditions, and dissolved oxygen (DO) would inhibit Cr(VI) reduction; a relatively high initial Cr(VI) concentration would decrease the rate of Cr(VI) sorption; ionic strength and natural organic matter resulted in no significant effects on Cr(VI) removal. Column tests demonstrated that the simulated PRB with natural pyrite as the reactive media was considerably effective for removing Cr(VI) from groundwater, with a sorption capability of 0.6222 mg Cr per gram of natural pyrite at an initial Cr(VI) concentration of 10mg/L at pH 5.5 in an anoxic environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Permeable bio-reactive barriers to address petroleum hydrocarbon contamination at subantarctic Macquarie Island.

PubMed

Freidman, Benjamin L; Terry, Deborah; Wilkins, Dan; Spedding, Tim; Gras, Sally L; Snape, Ian; Stevens, Geoffrey W; Mumford, Kathryn A

2017-05-01

A reliance on diesel generated power and a history of imperfect fuel management have created a legacy of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination at subantarctic Macquarie Island. Increasing environmental awareness and advances in contaminant characterisation and remediation technology have fostered an impetus to reduce the environmental risk associated with legacy sites. A funnel and gate permeable bio-reactive barrier (PRB) was installed in 2014 to address the migration of Special Antarctic Blend diesel from a spill that occurred in 2002, as well as older spills and residual contaminants in the soil at the Main Power House. The PRB gate comprised of granular activated carbon and natural clinoptilolite zeolite. Petroleum hydrocarbons migrating in the soil water were successfully captured on the reactive materials, with concentrations at the outflow of the barrier recorded as being below reporting limits. The nutrient and iron concentrations delivered to the barrier demonstrated high temporal variability with significant iron precipitation observed across the bed. The surface of the granular activated carbon was largely free from cell attachment while natural zeolite demonstrated patchy biofilm formation after 15 months following PRB installation. This study illustrates the importance of informed material selection at field scale to ensure that adsorption and biodegradation processes are utilised to manage the environmental risk associated with petroleum hydrocarbon spills. This study reports the first installation of a permeable bio-reactive barrier in the subantarctic. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 67333 - Performance Review Board Membership

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-12

.... Arnold William G. Bostic, Jr. Stephen B. Burke Joanne Buenzli Crane Susan R. Helper Ron S. Jarmin Enrique... Stephens Sonja Steptoe Frank A. Vitrano Katherine K. Wallman Adam Wilczewski The term of each PRB member...

Liquefaction of calcium-containing subbituminous coals and coals of lower rank

DOEpatents

Gorbaty, Martin L.; Taunton, John W.

1980-01-01

A process for the treatment of a calcium-containing subbituminous coal and coals of lower rank to form insoluble, thermally stable calcium salts which remain within the solids portions of the residue on liquefaction of the coal, thereby suppressing the formation scale, made up largely of calcium carbonate deposits, e.g., vaterite, which normally forms within the coal liquefaction reactor (i.e., coal liquefaction zone), e.g., on reactor surfaces, lines, auxiliary equipment and the like. A solution of a compound or salt characterized by the formula MX, where M is a Group IA metal of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and X is an anion which is capable of forming water-insoluble, thermally stable calcium compounds, is maintained in contact with a particulate coal feed sufficient to impregnate said salt or compound into the pores of the coal. On separation of the impregnated particulate coal from the solution, the coal can be liquefied in a coal liquefaction reactor (reaction zone) at coal liquefaction conditions without significant formation of vaterite or other forms of calcium carbonate on reactor surfaces, auxiliary equipment and the like; and the Group IA metal which remains within the liquefaction bottoms catalyzes the reaction when the liquefaction bottoms are subjected to a gasification reaction.

Continental Arcs as Both Carbon Source and Sink in Regulating Long Term Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, H.; Lee, C. T.

2017-12-01

The long-term variability of atmospheric pCO2 is determined by the balance between the rate of geologic inputs of CO­­2 (e.g., magmatic/metamorphic degassing, carbonate weathering) and the rate of carbonate precipitation driven by silicate weathering. The Late Cretaceous-Early Cenozoic was characterized by elevated atmospheric pCO2 and greenhouse climate, likely due to increased magmatic flux from mid-ocean ridges and, in particular, continental arcs. However, it has been suggested that continental arc magmatism is accompanied by rapid uplift and erosion due to magmatic/tectonic thickening of the crust, thus continental arcs likely enhance the chemical weathering flux, in turn increasing the carbon sink. To assess the contribution of continental arcs to global carbon inputs and sinks, we conducted a case study in the Cretaceous Peninsular Ranges batholith (PRB) and associated forearc basin in southern California, USA, representing one segment of the Cretaceous Cordillera arc-forearc system. Arc magmatism occurred between 170-85 Ma, peaking at 100 Ma, but erosion of the arc continues into the early Eocene, with forearc sediments representing this protracted arc unroofing. During magmatism, we estimate the CO2 degassing flux from the PRB was at least 5-25*105 mol·km-2·yr-1. By calculating the depletion of Ca and Mg in the forearc sediments relative to their arc protoliths, we estimate the silicate weathering/carbonate precipitation flux to be 106 mol·km-2·yr-1 during Late Cretaceous magmatism, decreasing to 105 mol·km-2·yr-1 by the Early Eocene. We show that during active continental arc magmatism, the CO2 degassing flux is comparable to CO2 consumption driven by silicate weathering in the arc. However, after magmatism ends, a regional imbalance arises in which the arc no longer contributes to CO2 inputs but continued silicate weathering of the arc drives carbonate precipitation such that the arc indirectly becomes CO2 sink. We propose that the development of continental arcs increases weatherability through mountain building processes, and therefore may affect the strength of the global negative feedback between silicate weathering and climate. Future studies are needed to quantify the variability in weathering feedback strength associated with global continental arc development.

77 FR 60146 - SES Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-02

... NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD SES Performance Review Board AGENCY: National Transportation... National Transportation Safety Board, Performance Review Board (PRB). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT... Performance Review Boards. The board reviews and evaluates the initial appraisal of a senior executive's...

76 FR 70169 - SES Performance Review Board

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2011-11-10

... NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD SES Performance Review Board AGENCY: National Transportation... National Transportation Safety Board, Performance Review Board (PRB). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT... Performance Review Boards. The board reviews and evaluates the initial appraisal of a senior executive's...

77 FR 35752 - Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-14

... agency implement a performance appraisal system making senior executives accountable for organizational... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board Senior Executive Service Performance... Executive Service Performance Review Board (PRB). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paula Chandler, Director...

PERFORMANCE GOALS CASE STUDY: ELIZABETH CITY, NC

EPA Science Inventory

Permeable reactive barriers (PRB's) are an emerging, alternative in-situ approach for remediating groundwater contamination that combine subsurface fluid flow management with a passive chemical treatment zone. The few pilot and commercial installations which have been implemented...

Coal resources for part of the Wilcox group (Paleocene through Eocene), central Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warwick, Peter D.; Aubourg, Claire E.; Suitt, Stephen E.; Podwysocki, Steven M.; Schultz, Adam C.; Warwick, Peter D.; Karlsen, Alexander K.; Merrill, Matthew D.; Valentine, Brett J.

2011-01-01

The Wilcox Group of central Texas contains shallow (less than 500 ft) coal deposits that are mined for use in mine-mouth electric power generating plants. These coal deposits range in apparent rank from lignite to sub-bituminous (Pierce et al., 2011) and are similar in rank and composition to shallow coal deposits in the northeast and south Texas areas (Figure 1). The coal zones and associated strata in the central Texas assessment area generally dip to the southeast toward the Gulf of Mexico coastline and basin center. The central Texas resource assessment area includes parts of eight counties (Figure 2). The assessment area was selected to encompass current mining areas and areas with available subsurface stratigraphic data. The assessment area is roughly 160 miles long and 5 to 25 miles wide and generally follows the outcrop of the Paleocene to Eocene Wilcox Group in central Texas (Figures 1, 2). Approximately 1800 subsurface stratigraphic records from rotary and core drill holes were used to assess the resources of the central Texas assessment area. Of the 1800 drill holes, only 167 are public data points and are primarily located in the areas that have been permitted for surface mining (Figure 2; Appendix 1). The remaining 1632 drill holes, which are distributed throughout the assessment area, were provided to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on a confidential basis by various coal companies for use in regional studies.

Analytical solutions of one-dimensional multispecies reactive transport in a permeable reactive barrier-aquifer system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mieles, John; Zhan, Hongbin

2012-06-01

The permeable reactive barrier (PRB) remediation technology has proven to be more cost-effective than conventional pump-and-treat systems, and has demonstrated the ability to rapidly reduce the concentrations of specific chemicals of concern (COCs) by up to several orders of magnitude in some scenarios. This study derives new steady-state analytical solutions to multispecies reactive transport in a PRB-aquifer (dual domain) system. The advantage of the dual domain model is that it can account for the potential existence of natural degradation in the aquifer, when designing the required PRB thickness. The study focuses primarily on the steady-state analytical solutions of the tetrachloroethene (PCE) serial degradation pathway and secondly on the analytical solutions of the parallel degradation pathway. The solutions in this study can also be applied to other types of dual domain systems with distinct flow and transport properties. The steady-state analytical solutions are shown to be accurate and the numerical program RT3D is selected for comparison. The results of this study are novel in that the solutions provide improved modeling flexibility including: 1) every species can have unique first-order reaction rates and unique retardation factors, and 2) daughter species can be modeled with their individual input concentrations or solely as byproducts of the parent species. The steady-state analytical solutions exhibit a limitation that occurs when interspecies reaction rate factors equal each other, which result in undefined solutions. Excel spreadsheet programs were created to facilitate prompt application of the steady-state analytical solutions, for both the serial and parallel degradation pathways.

Signalling in the epidermis: the E2F cell cycle regulatory pathway in epidermal morphogenesis, regeneration and transformation.

PubMed

Ivanova, Iordanka A; D'Souza, Sudhir J A; Dagnino, Lina

2005-01-01

The epidermis is the outermost layer in the skin, and it is the first line of defence against the environment. The epidermis also provides a barrier against loss of fluids and electrolytes, which is crucial for life. Essential in the maintenance of this tissue is its ability to continually self-renew and regenerate after injury. These two characteristics are critically dependent on the ability of the principal epidermal cell type, the keratinocyte, to proliferate and to respond to differentiation cues. Indeed, the epidermis is a multilayered tissue composed of keratinocyte stem cells and their differentiated progeny. Central for the control of cell proliferation is the E2F transcription factor regulatory network. This signaling network also includes cyclins, cdk, cdk inhibitors and the retinoblastoma (pRb) family of proteins. The biological importance of the E2F/pRb pathway is emphasized by the fact that a majority of human tumours exhibit alterations that disrupt the ability of pRb proteins to inhibit E2F, leading to permanent activation of the latter. Further, E2F is essential for normal epidermal regeneration after injury. Other member of the E2F signaling pathway are also involved in epidermal development and pathophysiology. Thus, whereas the pRb family of proteins is essential for epidermal morphogenesis, abnormal regulation of cyclins and E2F proteins results in tumorgenesis in this tissue. In this review, we discuss the role of each member of this important growth regulatory network in epidermal formation, homeostasis and carcinogenesis.

Signalling In The Epidermis: The E2f Cell Cycle Regulatory Pathway In Epidermal Morphogenesis, Regeneration And Transformation

PubMed Central

2005-01-01

The epidermis is the outermost layer in the skin, and it is the first line of defence against the environment. The epidermis also provides a barrier against loss of fluids and electrolytes, which is crucial for life. Essential in the maintenance of this tissue is its ability to continually self-renew and regenerate after injury. These two characteristics are critically dependent on the ability of the principal epidermal cell type, the keratinocyte, to proliferate and to respond to differentiation cues. Indeed, the epidermis is a multilayered tissue composed of keratinocyte stem cells and their differentiated progeny. Central for the control of cell proliferation is the E2F transcription factor regulatory network. This signaling network also includes cyclins, cdk, cdk inhibitors and the retinoblastoma (pRb) family of proteins. The biological importance of the E2F/pRb pathway is emphasized by the fact that a majority of human tumours exhibit alterations that disrupt the ability of pRb proteins to inhibit E2F, leading to permanent activation of the latter. Further, E2F is essential for normal epidermal regeneration after injury. Other member of the E2F signaling pathway are also involved in epidermal development and pathophysiology. Thus, whereas the pRb family of proteins is essential for epidermal morphogenesis, abnormal regulation of cyclins and E2F proteins results in tumorgenesis in this tissue. In this review, we discuss the role of each member of this important growth regulatory network in epidermal formation, homeostasis and carcinogenesis. PMID:15951853

Physical-Chemical Treatment of Metals and Radionuclides in the Saturated Zone Using Colloidal Buffers - 12515

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

Lai, Yenjung; Borden, Robert C.; Alperin, Ed

There are numerous acidic plumes throughout the DOE complex and the nation as a whole. Low aquifer pH is a major concern since many important radionuclides (Pu, Ra, Sr, Tc) and metals (Cd, Co, Cs, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) strongly sorb to iron hydroxides and aluminosilicates under neutral to alkaline conditions, but are mobile in acidic plumes. To effectively use natural and enhanced attenuation (NEA) for management of these contaminants, we must be able to raise aquifer pH and maintain it at background levels until the external acid loading to the aquifer has dissipated. Geochemical modeling showed that a permeablemore » reactive barrier (PRB) formed by injection of colloidal Mg(OH){sub 2} would last much longer than colloidal Ca(OH){sub 2} due to the much lower solubility of Mg(OH){sub 2}. Assuming a 1,000 meq/L suspension of colloidal Mg(OH)2 could be effectively distributed, the PRB could last over twenty years before rejuvenation was required. Preliminary bench-scale treatability studies were conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of increasing the aquifer pH using a colloidal pH buffer. Laboratory studies demonstrated that three different colloidal Mg(OH){sub 2} suspensions (concentration varied from 1,000 to 1,250 meq/L) could be transported through the columns packed with aquifer sand without significant permeability loss. The time before suspension breakthrough into the column effluent varied with surface treatment, indicating the Mg(OH)2 retention and PRB longevity could be controlled by varying the suspension surface treatment. (authors)« less

Functional synergy between DP-1 and E2F-1 in the cell cycle-regulating transcription factor DRTF1/E2F.

PubMed Central

Bandara, L R; Buck, V M; Zamanian, M; Johnston, L H; La Thangue, N B

1993-01-01

It is widely believed that the cellular transcription factor DRTF1/E2F integrates cell cycle events with the transcription apparatus because during cell cycle progression in mammalian cells it interacts with molecules that are important regulators of cellular proliferation, such as the retinoblastoma tumour suppressor gene product (pRb), p107, cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases. Thus, pRb, which negatively regulates early cell cycle progression and is frequently mutated in tumour cells, and the Rb-related protein p107, bind to and repress the transcriptional activity of DRTF1/E2F. Viral oncoproteins, such as adenovirus E1a and SV40 large T antigen, overcome such repression by sequestering pRb and p107 and in so doing are likely to activate genes regulated by DRTF1/E2F, such as cdc2, c-myc and DHFR. Two sequence-specific DNA binding proteins, E2F-1 and DP-1, which bind to the E2F site, contain a small region of similarity. The functional relationship between them has, however, been unclear. We report here that DP-1 and E2F-1 exist in a DNA binding complex in vivo and that they bind efficiently and preferentially as a heterodimer to the E2F site. Moreover, studies in yeast and Drosophila cells indicate that DP-1 and E2F-1 interact synergistically in E2F site-dependent transcriptional activation. Images PMID:8223441

Transforming properties of Felis catus papillomavirus type 2 E6 and E7 putative oncogenes in vitro and their transcriptional activity in feline squamous cell carcinoma in vivo

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

Altamura, Gennaro, E-mail: gennaro.altamura@unina.it; Corteggio, Annunziata, E-mail: ancorteg@unina.it; Pacini, Laura, E-mail: PaciniL@students.iarc.fr

Felis catus papillomavirus type 2 (FcaPV2) DNA is found in feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs); however, its biological properties are still uncharacterized. In this study, we successfully expressed FcaPV2 E6 and E7 putative oncogenes in feline epithelial cells and demonstrated that FcaPV2 E6 binds to p53, impairing its protein level. In addition, E6 and E7 inhibited ultraviolet B (UVB)-triggered accumulation of p53, p21 and pro-apoptotic markers such as Cleaved Caspase3, Bax and Bak, suggesting a synergistic action of the virus with UV exposure in tumour pathogenesis. Furthermore, FcaPV2 E7 bound to feline pRb and impaired pRb levels, resulting inmore » upregulation of the downstream pro-proliferative genes Cyclin A and Cdc2. Importantly, we demonstrated mRNA expression of FcaPV2 E2, E6 and E7 in feline SCC samples, strengthening the hypothesis of a causative role in the development of feline SCC. - Highlights: • FcaPV2 E6 binds to and deregulates feline p53 protein. • FcaPV2 E7 binds to and deregulates feline pRb protein. • FcaPV2 oncogenes inhibit UVB-induced apoptosis. • FcaPV2 E6E7 and E7 increase the lifespan of primary cells. • FcaPV2 E2, E6 and E7 are expressed at the mRNA level in feline SCC in vivo.« less

Sodium alginate/graphene oxide hydrogel beads as permeable reactive barrier material for the remediation of ciprofloxacin-contaminated groundwater.

PubMed

Zhao, Pingping; Yu, Fei; Wang, Ruoyu; Ma, Yao; Wu, Yanqing

2018-06-01

The wide occurrence of antibiotics in groundwater has raised serious concerns due to their impacts on humans and the ecosystem. Most of the research in groundwater remediation focuses on the exploitation of nano-materials. However, nano-materials have several disadvantages such as high production cost, rapid reduction in permeability, disposal problems, and high sensitivity to environmental conditions. To solve these issues, novel sodium alginate/graphene oxide hydrogel beads (GSA) were synthesised and their effectiveness as permeable reactive barrier (PRB) backfill material in the remediation of ciprofloxacin (CPX)-contaminated groundwater was tested. The adsorption of CPX onto GSA followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The isotherm data followed the Freundlich model. The maximum adsorption capacity was 100 mg g -1 at pH 7.0. The adsorption process was sensitive to contact time, initial CPX concentration and ionic strength. However, it was not pH sensitive. Hydrophobic interaction, electrostatic interaction, ion exchange, H-bonding, and pore filling were proposed to be the main adsorption mechanisms. The effects of flow rate, influent CPX concentration, and ionic strength on the performance of PRB were confirmed through flow-through column experiments and by using a chemical non-equilibrium two-site model. Accordingly, a proper PRB was designed based on hydrogeological conditions. Finally, the lifetime and cost of the PRBs were calculated. The results obtained provided concrete evidence that GSA is a promising adsorbent material for PRBs applications in the remediation of CPX-contaminated groundwater. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 69706 - SES Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-15

... NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD SES Performance Review Board AGENCY: National Transportation... National Transportation Safety Board Performance Review Board (PRB). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily... Review Boards. The board reviews and evaluates the initial appraisal of a senior executive's performance...

EVALUATION OF PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIER PERFORMANCE

EPA Science Inventory

The permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technology represents a passive option for long-term treatment of ground-water contamination. PRBs are a potentially more cost-effective treatment option for a variety of dissolved contaminants, such as certain types of chlorinated solvents, ...

Imaging, Behavior and Endocrine Analysis of “Jealousy” in a Monogamous Primate

PubMed Central

Maninger, Nicole; Mendoza, Sally P.; Williams, Donald R.; Mason, William A.; Cherry, Simon R.; Rowland, Douglas J.; Schaefer, Thomas; Bales, Karen L.

2018-01-01

Understanding the neurobiology of social bonding in non-human primates is a critical step in understanding the evolution of monogamy, as well as understanding the neural substrates for emotion and behavior. Coppery titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus) form strong pair bonds, characterized by selective preference for their pair mate, mate-guarding, physiological and behavioral agitation upon separation, and social buffering. Mate-guarding, or the “maintenance” phase of pair bonding, is relatively under-studied in primates. In the current study, we used functional imaging to examine how male titi monkeys viewing their pair mate in close proximity to a stranger male would change regional cerebral glucose metabolism. We predicted that this situation would challenge the pair bond and induce “jealousy” in the males. Animals were injected with [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), returned to their cage for 30 min of conscious uptake, placed under anesthesia, and then scanned for 1 hour on a microPET P4 scanner. During the FDG uptake, males (n=8) had a view of either their female pair mate next to a stranger male (“jealousy” condition) or a stranger female next to a stranger male (control condition). Blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected and assayed for testosterone, cortisol, oxytocin, and vasopressin. Positron emission tomography (PET) was co-registered with structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and region of interest analysis was carried out. Bayesian multivariate multilevel analyses found that the right lateral septum (Pr(b>0)=93%), left posterior cingulate cortex (Pr(b>0)=99%), and left anterior cingulate (Pr(b>0)=96%) showed higher FDG uptake in the jealousy condition compared to the control condition, while the right medial amygdala (Pr(b>0)=85%) showed lower FDG uptake. Plasma testosterone and cortisol concentrations were higher during the jealousy condition. During the jealousy condition, duration of time spent looking across at the pair mate next to a stranger male was associated with higher plasma cortisol concentrations. The lateral septum has been shown to be involved in mate-guarding and mating-induced aggression in monogamous rodents, while the cingulate cortex has been linked to territoriality. These neural and physiological changes may underpin the emotion of jealousy, which can act in a monogamous species to preserve the long-term integrity of the pair. PMID:29682503

Progestin effects on expression of AKR1C1-AKR1C3, SRD5A1 and PGR in the Z-12 endometriotic epithelial cell line.

PubMed

Beranič, Nataša; Lanišnik Rižner, Tea

2013-02-25

Endometriosis is defined as the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity. This disease is associated with diminished protective effects of progesterone, which are usually explained by inadequate activation of progesterone receptors and also enhanced pre-receptor metabolism of progesterone. Endometriosis is often treated with progestins, which act as progesterone receptor agonists, although their exact mechanisms of action are not completely understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate how the progestins medroxyprogesterone acetate, dydrogesterone and dienogest, as well as progesterone, impact on the expression of genes of pre-receptor progesterone metabolism in Z-12 epithelial cell line, a model system of peritoneal endometriosis. Our data demonstrate that these progestins affect local pre-receptor metabolism to a different extent. The most favorable effects were seen for dydrogesterone and dienogest, where the first, dydrogesterone, significantly reduced SRD5A1, AKR1C2 and AKR1C3 expression, and additionally had a nonsignificant impact on progesterone receptor B (PR-B) protein levels. This might slow down the first step of pre-receptor metabolism, the conversion of progesterone to 5α-dihydroprogestrone by SRD5A1, and it might also affect further reduction of 3-keto and 20-keto groups catalyzed by AKR1C2 and AKR1C3. Similarly favorable effects were seen for dienogest, which promoted significant reduction of AKR1C1 and AKR1C2 expression and also showed no effect on PR-B protein levels. Different effects were seen for progesterone, which significantly decreased SRD5A1, PR-B and HSD17B2 protein levels. In contrast, treatment with medroxyprogesterone acetate resulted in increased AKR1C1 expression and decreased levels of PR-B, which might lead to enhanced progesterone metabolism and reduced signaling through progesterone receptors. Altogether, our data in this Z-12 cell model suggest that the beneficial effects of treatment with progestin observed in endometriosis patients might arise from decreased pre-receptor metabolism of the protective progesterone by the SRD5A1 and AKR1C enzymes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

SUMMARY CONCLUSIONS FOR THE PILOT IN-SITU CHROMIUM REDUCTION TEST AT RIVERBANK ARMY AMMUNITIONS PLANT

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

Ridley, M

2007-04-25

A treatability study was conducted at Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant's (RBAAP) Site 17, to evaluate the effectiveness of a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) for the treatment of hexavalent chromium (Cr{sup 6+}). The chromium contamination at Site 17 is hydrologically isolated and unsuitable for standard extraction and treatment (pump and treat). The majority of the chromium contamination at Site 17 is trapped within the fine grain sediments of a clay/slit zone (45 to 63). The PRB was established above and adjacent to the contaminated zone at Site 17 to reduce the hexavalent chromium as it leaches out of the contaminated clay/siltmore » zone separating the A zone from the A zone. Site 17 and the monitoring network are described in the In-Situ Chromium Reduction Treatability Study Work Plan (CH2MHILL, January 2004). The PRB was created by reducing naturally occurring Fe{sup 3+} to Fe{sup 2+} with the injection of a buffered sodium dithionite solution into subsurface chromium source area. The Cr{sup 6+} leaching out of the contaminated clay/silt zone and migrating through the PRB is reduced by Fe{sup 2+} to Cr{sup 3+} and immobilized (Amonette, et al., 1994). The sodium dithionite will also reduce accessible Cr{sup 6+}, however the long-term reductant is the Fe{sup 2+}. Bench scale tests (Appendix A) were conducted to assess the quantity and availability of the naturally occurring iron at Site 17, the ability of the sodium dithionite to reduce the hexavalent chromium and Fe within the sediments, and the by-products produced during the treatment. Appendix A, provides a detailed description of the laboratory treatability tests, and provides background information on the technologies considered as possible treatment options for Site 17. Following the sodium dithionite treatment, groundwater/treatment solution was extracted to remove treatment by-products (sulfate, manganese, and iron). The following sections briefly discuss the current treatment status, future recommendations for Site 17, and future recommendations for the application of sodium dithionite at additional sites. At the completion of the treatability test, none of the wells at Site 17 had detectable hexavalent chromium, but the sulfate, iron, and manganese concentrations were detected and exceeded the CA secondary drinking water standards. The extraction done after the injection of the sodium dithionite solution to remove the sulfate, manganese, and iron has to a large extent negated the effectiveness of the iron reduction. Riverbank's local groundwater is naturally high in dissolved oxygen (concentration range at Site 17: 1.8 to 6.0 mg/l) and moving this type of groundwater through the reduced zone caused oxidation of the Fe2+ within the treatment zone, followed by a new release of hexavalent chromium detected in one of the treatment wells. Additional extraction at Site 17 will continue to degrade the PRB, threatening to release additional Cr{sup 6+} into the groundwater. Sulfate and manganese only exceed the CA secondary drinking water standards in the area immediately surrounding the PRB. It is unlikely that these contaminants will threaten any water supply wells in the area. The chromium concentrations are increasing in IW-17. The current concentration is still only a third of the original concentration. It might be worth investigating some of the new zero valent iron treatments, such as nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) to replace the in-situ naturally occurring iron, which may no longer be available for reduction. The NZVI has been successfully tested at NASA in Florida (O'Hara, 2006), and demonstrated no release of metals from the natural sediments. This might also be a viable option for other sites at RBAAP.« less

A new customized fetal growth standard for African American women: the PRB/NICHD Detroit Study

PubMed Central

Tarca, Adi L.; Romero, Roberto; Gudicha, Dereje W.; Erez, Offer; Hernandez-Andrade, Edgar; Yeo, Lami; Bhatti, Gaurav; Pacora, Percy; Maymon, Eli; Hassan, Sonia S.

2018-01-01

Background The assessment of fetal growth disorders requires a standard. Current nomograms for the assessment of fetal growth in African American women have been derived either from neonatal (rather than fetal) biometry data or have not been customized for maternal ethnicity, weight, height, parity, and fetal sex. Objective We sought to 1) develop a new customized fetal growth standard for African American mothers; and 2) compare such a standard to three existing standards for the classification of fetuses as small (SGA) or large (LGA) for gestational age. Study Design A retrospective cohort study included 4,183 women (4,001 African American and 182 Caucasian) from the Detroit metropolitan area who underwent ultrasound examinations between 14 and 40 weeks of gestation (the median number of scans per pregnancy was 5, interquartile range 3-7) and for whom relevant covariate data were available. Longitudinal quantile regression was used to build models defining the “normal” estimated fetal weight (EFW) centiles for gestational age in African American women, adjusted for maternal height, weight, parity, and fetal sex, and excluding pathologic factors with a significant effect on fetal weight. The resulting Perinatology Research Branch/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (hereinafter, PRB/NICHD) growth standard was compared to 3 other existing standards—the customized gestation-related optimal weight (GROW) standard; the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (hereinafter, NICHD) African American standard; and the multinational World Health Organization (WHO) standard—utilized to screen fetuses for SGA (<10th centile) or LGA (>90th centile) based on the last available ultrasound examination for each pregnancy. Results 1) First, the mean birthweight at 40 weeks was 133g higher for neonates born to Caucasian than to African American mothers and 150g higher for male than female neonates; maternal weight, height, and parity had a positive effect on birthweight.Second, analysis of longitudinal EFW revealed the following features of fetal growth: (1) all weight centiles were about 2% higher for male than for female fetuses; (2) maternal height had a positive effect on EFW, with larger fetuses being affected more (2% increase in the 95th centile of weight for each 10-cm increase in height); and (3) maternal weight and parity had a positive effect on EFW that increased with gestation and varied among the weight centiles. Third, the screen-positive rate for SGA was 7.2% for the NICHD African American standard, 12.3% for the GROW standard, 13% for the WHO standard customized by fetal sex, and 14.4% for the PRB/NICHD customized standard. For all standards, the screen-positive rate for SGA was at least two-fold higher among fetuses delivered preterm than at term.Fourth, the screen-positive rate for LGA was 8.7% for the GROW standard, 9.2% for the PRB/NICHD customized standard, 10.8% for the WHO standard customized by fetal sex, and 12.3% for the NICHD African American standard. Finally, the highest overall agreement among standards was between the GROW and PRB/NICHD customized standards (Cohen’s inter-rater agreement, kappa=0.85). Conclusions We developed a novel customized PRB/NICHD fetal growth standard from fetal data in an African American population without assuming proportionality of the effects of covariates and also without assuming that these effects are equal on all centiles of weight; we also provide an easy-to-use centile calculator. This standard classified more fetuses as being at risk for SGA compared to existing standards, especially among fetuses delivered preterm, but classified about the same number of LGA fetuses. The comparison among the four growth standards also revealed that the most important factor determining agreement among standards is whether they account for the same factors known to affect fetal growth. PMID:29422207

76 FR 39401 - Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-06

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Performance Review Board AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Notice. As required by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95- 454), Chairman Julius Genachowski appointed the following executive to the Performance Review Board (PRB): Mindel De La...

75 FR 62591 - Performance Review Board, Senior Executive Service (SES)

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2010-10-12

... NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [Notice (10-121)] Performance Review Board, Senior... the NASA PRB and the NASA Senior Executive Committee. The latter performs this function for senior... Space Center. Senior Executive Committee Chairperson, Deputy Administrator, NASA Headquarters; Chair...

78 FR 28243 - Senior Executive Service; Performance Review Board; Members

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2013-05-14

... NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION Senior Executive Service; Performance Review Board; Members AGENCY: National Capital Planning Commission. ACTION: Notice of Members of Senior Executive Service... Senior Executive Service. The PRB established for the National Capital Planning Commission also makes...

76 FR 29013 - Senior Executive Service; Performance Review Board; Members

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2011-05-19

... NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION Senior Executive Service; Performance Review Board; Members AGENCY: National Capital Planning Commission. ACTION: Notice of Members of Senior Executive Service... Senior Executive Service. The PRB established for the National Capital Planning Commission also makes...

77 FR 54570 - Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board

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2012-09-05

... DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board AGENCY... the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) Senior Executive Service (SES) Performance Review.... The PRB shall review and evaluate the initial summary rating of the senior executive's performance...

78 FR 13706 - Notice of Appointment of Individuals To Serve as Members of Performance Review Board

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2013-02-28

.... Pearson Vice-Chair of the PRB: Commissioner Dean A. Pinkert Member--Catherine DeFilippo Member--Robert B... Member--Lyn M Schlitt FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Connelly, Director of Human Resources, U...

78 FR 39019 - Omaha Public Power District, Fort Calhoun Station, Unit 1

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2013-06-28

... disasters, such as flooding, are undergoing NRC review as part of the lessons learned from the Fukushima Dai... of the Fukushima Dai-ichi reviews, as well as other processes. The PRB intends to use the results of...

76 FR 57712 - Performance Review Board Membership

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2011-09-16

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Performance Review Board Membership AGENCY: Economics and Statistics Administration, Commerce. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Below is a listing of individuals who are eligible to serve on the Performance Review Board (PRB) in accordance with the Economics and Statistics Administration's...

MICROBIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MANURE BASED PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIER

EPA Science Inventory

The implementation of permeable reactive barriers (PRB) provides a viable option for the remediation of contaminants of environmental significance such as dissolved metals (i.e., chromium), chlorinated solvents, and nitrate/ammonia. The designs of PRBs are usually based on the a...

Low-Cost Options for Moderate Levels of Mercury Control

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

Sharon Sjostrom

2008-02-09

This is the final technical report for a three-site project that is part of an overall program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE/NETL) and industry partners to obtain the necessary information to assess the feasibility and costs of controlling mercury from coal-fired utility plants. This report summarizes results from tests conducted at MidAmerican's Louisa Generating Station and Entergy's Independence Steam Electric Station (ISES) and sorbent screening at MidAmerican's Council Bluffs Energy Center (CBEC) (subsequently renamed Walter Scott Energy Center (WSEC)). Detailed results for Independence and Louisa are presented in the respective Topical Reports. Asmore » no full-scale testing was conducted at CBEC, screening updates were provided in the quarterly updates to DOE. ADA-ES, Inc., with support from DOE/NETL, EPRI, and other industry partners, has conducted evaluations of EPRI's TOXECON II{trademark} process and of high-temperature reagents and sorbents to determine the capabilities of sorbent/reagent injection, including activated carbon, for mercury control on different coals and air emissions control equipment configurations. An overview of each plant configuration is presented: (1) MidAmerican's Louisa Generating Station burns Powder River Basin (PRB) coal in its 700-MW Unit 1 and employs hot-side electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) with flue gas conditioning for particulate control. This part of the testing program evaluated the effect of reagents used in the existing flue gas conditioning on mercury removal. (2) MidAmerican's Council Bluffs Energy Center typically burns PRB coal in its 88-MW Unit 2. It employs a hot-side ESP for particulate control. Solid sorbents were screened for hot-side injection. (3) Entergy's Independence Steam Electric Station typically burns PRB coal in its 880-MW Unit 2. Various sorbent injection tests were conducted on 1/8 to 1/32 of the flue gas stream either within or in front of one of four ESP boxes (SCA = 542 ft{sup 2}/kacfm), specifically ESP B. Initial mercury control evaluations indicated that although significant mercury control could be achieved by using the TOXECON II{trademark} design, the sorbent concentration required was higher than expected, possibly due to poor sorbent distribution. Subsequently, the original injection grid design was modeled and the results revealed that the sorbent distribution pattern was determined by the grid design, fluctuations in flue gas flow rates, and the structure of the ESP box. To improve sorbent distribution, the injection grid and delivery system were redesigned and the effectiveness of the redesigned system was evaluated. This project was funded through the DOE/NETL Innovations for Existing Plants program. It was a Phase II project with the goal of developing mercury control technologies that can achieve 50-70% mercury capture at costs 25-50% less than baseline estimates of $50,000-$70,000/lb of mercury removed. Results from testing at Independence indicate that the DOE goal was successfully achieved. Further improvements in the process are recommended, however. Results from testing at Louisa indicate that the DOE goal was not achievable using the tested high-temperature sorbent. Sorbent screening at Council Bluffs also indicated that traditional solid sorbents may not achieve significant mercury removal in hot-side applications.« less

The leaching characteristics of selenium from coal fly ashes

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

Wang, T.; Wang, J.; Burken, J.G.

2007-11-15

The leaching characteristics of selenium from several bituminous and subbituminous coal fly ashes under different pH conditions were investigated using batch methods. Results indicated that pH had a significant effect on selenium leaching from bituminous coal ash. The minimum selenium leaching occurred in the pH range between 3 and 4, while the maximum selenium leaching occurred at pH 12. The release of selenium from subbituminous coal ashes was very low for the entire experimental pH range, possibly due to the high content of calcium which can form hydration or precipitation products as a sink for selenium. The adsorption results formore » different selenium species indicated that Se(VI) was hardly adsorbable on either bituminous coal ashes or subbitumminous coal ashes at any pH. However, Se(I) was highly adsorbed by bituminous coal ashes under acidic pH conditions and was mostly removed by subbitumminous coal ashes across the entire pH range. This result suggests that the majority of selenium released from the tested fly ashes was Se(IV). A speciation-based model was developed to simulate the adsorption of Se(IV) on bituminous coal fly ash, and the pH-independent adsorption constants of HSeO{sup 3-} and SeO{sub 3}{sup 2-} were determined. The modeling approach is useful for understanding and predicting the release process of selenium from fly ash.« less

77 FR 61379 - Performance Review Board Membership

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2012-10-09

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Performance Review Board Membership AGENCY: Economics and Statistics... eligible to serve on the Performance Review Board (PRB) in accordance with the Economics and Statistics..., Associate Under Secretary for Management Chair, Performance Review Board. [FR Doc. 2012-24510 Filed 10-5-12...

EVALUATION OF PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIER PERFORMANCE: A TRI-AGENCY INITIATIVE

EPA Science Inventory

The permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technology represents a passive option for long-term treatment of ground-water contamination. PRBs are a potentially more cost-effective treatment option for a variety of dissolved contaminants, such as certain types of chlorinated solvents, ...

75 FR 63147 - Performance Review Board (PRB)

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2010-10-14

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77 FR 66663 - Senior Executive Service; Combined Performance Review Board (PRB)

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LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE MONITORING OF A PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIER TO REMEDIATE CONTAMINATED GROUND WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Permeable reactive barriers (PRB's) are an emerging, alternative in-situ approach for remediating groundwater contamination that combine subsurface fluid flow management with a passive chemical treatment zone. The few pilot and commercial installations which have been implemented...

76 FR 80902 - Senior Executive Service; Performance Review Board; Members

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77 FR 3515 - Request for Action Against Omaha Public Power District and Nebraska Public Power District

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Long-Term Groundwater Monitoring Optimization, Clare Water Supply Superfund Site, Permeable Reactive Barrier and Soil Remedy Areas, Clare, Michigan

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report contains a review of the long-term groundwater monitoring network for the Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) and Soil Remedy Areas at the Clare Water Supply Superfund Site in Clare, Michigan.

76 FR 35399 - SES Performance Review Board Membership

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... BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS SES Performance Review Board Membership AGENCY: Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). ACTION: Notice of Membership of SES Performance Review Board. SUMMARY: Title 5... member of a performance review board (PRB) shall be published in the Federal Register. The following...

Inhibition of E2F1 activity and cell cycle progression by arsenic via retinoblastoma protein.

PubMed

Sheldon, Lynn A

2017-01-01

The regulation of cell cycle progression by steroid hormones and growth factors is important for maintaining normal cellular processes including development and cell proliferation. Deregulated progression through the G1/S and G2/M cell cycle transitions can lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation and cancer. The transcription factor E2F1, a key cell cycle regulator, targets genes encoding proteins that regulate cell cycle progression through the G1/S transition as well as proteins important in DNA repair and apoptosis. E2F1 expression and activity is inhibited by inorganic arsenic (iAs) that has a dual role as a cancer therapeutic and as a toxin that leads to diseases including cancer. An understanding of what underlies this dichotomy will contribute to understanding how to use iAs as a more effective therapeutic and also how to treat cancers that iAs promotes. Here, we show that quiescent breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells treated with 17-β estradiol (E2) progress through the cell cycle, but few cells treated with E2 + iAs progress from G1 into S-phase due to a block in cell cycle progression. Our data support a model in which iAs inhibits the dissociation of E2F1 from the tumor suppressor, retinoblastoma protein (pRB) due to changes in pRB phosphorylation which leads to decreased E2F1 transcriptional activity. These findings present an explanation for how iAs can disrupt cell cycle progression through E2F1-pRB and has implications for how iAs acts as a cancer therapeutic as well as how it may promote tumorigenesis through decreased DNA repair.

Functional characterization of JMJD2A, a histone deacetylase- and retinoblastoma-binding protein.

PubMed

Gray, Steven G; Iglesias, Antonio H; Lizcano, Fernando; Villanueva, Raul; Camelo, Sandra; Jingu, Hisaka; Teh, Bin T; Koibuchi, Noriyuki; Chin, William W; Kokkotou, Efi; Dangond, Fernando

2005-08-05

To effectively direct targeted repression, the class I histone deacetylases (HDACs) associate with many important regulatory proteins. In this paper we describe the molecular characterization of a member of the Jumonji domain 2 (JMJD2) family of proteins, and demonstrate its binding to both class I HDACs and the retinoblastoma protein (pRb). JMJD2 proteins are characterized by the presence of two leukemia-associated protein/plant homeodomain (LAP/PHD) zinc fingers, one JmjN, one JmjC (containing an internal retinoblastoma-binding protein 2 (RBBP2)-like sequence), and two Tudor domains. The first member of this group, JMJD2A, is widely expressed in human tissues and cell lines, and high endogenous expression of JMJD2A mRNA was found in several cell types, including human T-cell lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1)-infected cell lines. JMJD2A and JMJD2B exhibit cell type-specific responses to the HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A. We show that the JMJD2A protein associates in vivo with pRb and class I HDACs, and mediates repression of E2F-regulated promoters. In HTLV-1 virus-infected cells, we find that JMJD2A binds to the viral Tax protein. Antibodies to JMJD2A recognize the native protein but also a half-sized protein fragment, the latter up-regulated in THP-1 cells during the G(2)/M phase of the cell cycle. The ability of JMJD2A to associate with pRb and HDACs and potentiate pRb-mediated repression of E2F-regulated promoters implies an important role for this protein in cell proliferation and oncogenesis.

Horizontal transmission of Marek's disease virus requires US2, the UL13 protein kinase, and gC.

PubMed

Jarosinski, Keith W; Margulis, Neil G; Kamil, Jeremy P; Spatz, Stephen J; Nair, Venugopal K; Osterrieder, Nikolaus

2007-10-01

Marek's disease virus (MDV) causes a general malaise in chickens that is mostly characterized by the development of lymphoblastoid tumors in multiple organs. The use of bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) for cloning and manipulation of the MDV genome has facilitated characterization of specific genes and genomic regions. The development of most MDV BACs, including pRB-1B-5, derived from a very virulent MDV strain, involved replacement of the US2 gene with mini-F vector sequences. However, when reconstituted viruses based on pRB-1B were used in pathogenicity studies, it was discovered that contact chickens housed together with experimentally infected chickens did not contract Marek's disease (MD), indicating a lack of horizontal transmission. Staining of feather follicle epithelial cells in the skins of infected chickens showed that virus was present but was unable to be released and/or infect susceptible chickens. Restoration of US2 and removal of mini-F sequences within viral RB-1B did not alter this characteristic, although in vivo viremia levels were increased significantly. Sequence analyses of pRB-1B revealed that the UL13, UL44, and US6 genes encoding the UL13 serine/threonine protein kinase, glycoprotein C (gC), and gD, respectively, harbored frameshift mutations. These mutations were repaired individually, or in combination, using two-step Red mutagenesis. Reconstituted viruses were tested for replication, MD incidence, and their abilities to horizontally spread to contact chickens. The experiments clearly showed that US2, UL13, and gC in combination are essential for horizontal transmission of MDV and that none of the genes alone is able to restore this phenotype.

Combination of bioremediation and electrokinetics for the in-situ treatment of diesel polluted soil: A comparison of strategies.

PubMed

Mena Ramírez, Esperanza; Villaseñor Camacho, José; Rodrigo, Manuel A; Cañizares, Pablo

2015-11-15

The aim of this work is to compare different strategies based on electrokinetic soil flushing and bioremediation for the remediation of diesel-polluted soil. Four options were tested at the laboratory scale: single bioremediation (Bio), performed as a control test; a direct combination of electrokinetic soil flushing and biological technologies (EKSF-Bio); EKSF-Bio with daily polarity reversal of the electric field (PR-EKSF-Bio); and a combination of electrokinetic soil flushing and a permeable reactive biological barrier (EKSF-BioPRB). Four batch experiments of 14 days duration were carried out for comparing technologies at room temperature with an electric field of 1.0 V cm(-1) (in EKSF). A diesel degrading microbial consortium was used. The experimental procedure and some specific details, such as the flushing fluids used, varied depending on the strategy. When using the EKSF-Bio option, a high buffer concentration was required to control the pH, causing soil heating, which negatively affected the biological growth and thus the diesel removal. The PR-EKSF-Bio and the EKSF-BioPRB options attained suitable operating conditions and improved the transport processes for biological growth. Polarity reversal was an efficient option for pH, moisture and temperature control. Homogeneous microbial growth was observed, and approximately 20% of the diesel was removed. The BioPRB option was not as efficient as PR-EKSF-Bio in controlling the operating conditions, but the central biobarrier protected the biological activity. Microbial growth was observed not only in the biobarrier but also in a large portion of the soil, and 29% of the diesel was removed in the short remediation test. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Human Parturition Involves Phosphorylation of Progesterone Receptor-A at Serine-345 in Myometrial Cells.

PubMed

Amini, Peyvand; Michniuk, Daniel; Kuo, Kelly; Yi, Lijuan; Skomorovska-Prokvolit, Yelenna; Peters, Gregory A; Tan, Huiqing; Wang, Junye; Malemud, Charles J; Mesiano, Sam

2016-11-01

The hypothesis that phosphorylation of progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms, PR-A and PR-B, in myometrial cells affects progesterone action in the context of human parturition was tested. Immunodetection of phosphoserine (pSer) PR forms in term myometrium revealed that the onset of labor is associated with increased phosphorylation of PR-A at serine-345 (pSer345-PRA) and that pSer345-PRA localized to the nucleus of myometrial cells. In explant cultures of term myometrium generation of pSer345-PRA was induced by interleukin-1β and dependent on progesterone, suggesting that pSer345-PRA generation is induced by a proinflammatory stimulus. In the hTERT-HM A/B human myometrial cell line, abundance of pSer345-PRA was induced by progesterone in a dose- (EC 50 ∼1 nM) and time-dependent manner. Prevention of pSer345 (by site-directed mutagenesis) abolished the capacity for PR-A to inhibit anti-inflammatory actions of progesterone mediated by PR-B but had no effect on the transrepressive activity of PR-A at a canonical progesterone response element. Taken together, the data show that human parturition involves the phosphorylation of PR-A at serine-345 in myometrial cells and that this process is ligand dependent and induced by a proinflammatory stimulus. We also found that in myometrial cells, pSer345 activates the capacity for PR-A to inhibit antiinflammatory actions of progesterone mediated by PR-B. Phosphorylation of PR-A at serine-345 may be an important functional link between tissue-level inflammation and PR-A-mediated functional progesterone withdrawal to trigger parturition.

Human Parturition Involves Phosphorylation of Progesterone Receptor-A at Serine-345 in Myometrial Cells

PubMed Central

Amini, Peyvand; Michniuk, Daniel; Kuo, Kelly; Yi, Lijuan; Skomorovska-Prokvolit, Yelenna; Peters, Gregory A.; Tan, Huiqing; Wang, Junye; Malemud, Charles J.

2016-01-01

The hypothesis that phosphorylation of progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms, PR-A and PR-B, in myometrial cells affects progesterone action in the context of human parturition was tested. Immunodetection of phosphoserine (pSer) PR forms in term myometrium revealed that the onset of labor is associated with increased phosphorylation of PR-A at serine-345 (pSer345-PRA) and that pSer345-PRA localized to the nucleus of myometrial cells. In explant cultures of term myometrium generation of pSer345-PRA was induced by interleukin-1β and dependent on progesterone, suggesting that pSer345-PRA generation is induced by a proinflammatory stimulus. In the hTERT-HMA/B human myometrial cell line, abundance of pSer345-PRA was induced by progesterone in a dose- (EC50 ∼1 nM) and time-dependent manner. Prevention of pSer345 (by site-directed mutagenesis) abolished the capacity for PR-A to inhibit anti-inflammatory actions of progesterone mediated by PR-B but had no effect on the transrepressive activity of PR-A at a canonical progesterone response element. Taken together, the data show that human parturition involves the phosphorylation of PR-A at serine-345 in myometrial cells and that this process is ligand dependent and induced by a proinflammatory stimulus. We also found that in myometrial cells, pSer345 activates the capacity for PR-A to inhibit antiinflammatory actions of progesterone mediated by PR-B. Phosphorylation of PR-A at serine-345 may be an important functional link between tissue-level inflammation and PR-A-mediated functional progesterone withdrawal to trigger parturition. PMID:27653036

Progesterone receptor isoforms, agonists and antagonists differentially reprogram estrogen signaling

PubMed Central

Singhal, Hari; Greene, Marianne E.; Zarnke, Allison L.; Laine, Muriel; Al Abosy, Rose; Chang, Ya-Fang; Dembo, Anna G.; Schoenfelt, Kelly; Vadhi, Raga; Qiu, Xintao; Rao, Prakash; Santhamma, Bindu; Nair, Hareesh B.; Nickisch, Klaus J.; Long, Henry W.; Becker, Lev; Brown, Myles; Greene, Geoffrey L.

2018-01-01

Major roadblocks to developing effective progesterone receptor (PR)-targeted therapies in breast cancer include the lack of highly-specific PR modulators, a poor understanding of the pro- or anti-tumorigenic networks for PR isoforms and ligands, and an incomplete understanding of the cross talk between PR and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling. Through genomic analyses of xenografts treated with various clinically-relevant ER and PR-targeting drugs, we describe how the activation or inhibition of PR differentially reprograms estrogen signaling, resulting in the segregation of transcriptomes into separate PR agonist and antagonist-mediated groups. These findings address an ongoing controversy regarding the clinical utility of PR agonists and antagonists, alone or in combination with tamoxifen, for breast cancer management. Additionally, the two PR isoforms PRA and PRB, bind distinct but overlapping genomic sites and interact with different sets of co-regulators to differentially modulate estrogen signaling to be either pro- or anti-tumorigenic. Of the two isoforms, PRA inhibited gene expression and ER chromatin binding significantly more than PRB. Differential gene expression was observed in PRA and PRB-rich patient tumors and PRA-rich gene signatures had poorer survival outcomes. In support of antiprogestin responsiveness of PRA-rich tumors, gene signatures associated with PR antagonists, but not PR agonists, predicted better survival outcomes. The better patient survival associated with PR antagonists versus PR agonists treatments was further reflected in the higher in vivo anti-tumor activity of therapies that combine tamoxifen with PR antagonists and modulators. This study suggests that distinguishing common effects observed due to concomitant interaction of another receptor with its ligand (agonist or antagonist), from unique isoform and ligand-specific effects will inform the development of biomarkers for patient selection and translation of PR-targeted therapies to the clinic. PMID:29435103

Modeling porosity reductions caused by mineral fouling in continuous-wall permeable reactive barriers.

PubMed

Li, Lin; Benson, Craig H; Lawson, Elizabeth M

2006-02-01

A study was conducted to assess key factors to include when modeling porosity reductions caused by mineral fouling in permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) containing granular zero valent iron. The public domain codes MODFLOW and RT3D were used and a geochemical algorithm was developed for RT3D to simulate geochemical reactions occurring in PRBs. Results of simulations conducted with the model show that the largest porosity reductions occur between the entrance and mid-plane of the PRB as a result of precipitation of carbonate minerals and that smaller porosity reductions occur between the mid-plane and exit face due to precipitation of ferrous hydroxide. These findings are consistent with field and laboratory observations, as well as modeling predictions made by others. Parametric studies were conducted to identify the most important variables to include in a model evaluating porosity reduction. These studies showed that three minerals (CaCO3, FeCO3, and Fe(OH)2 (am)) account for more than 99% of the porosity reductions that were predicted. The porosity reduction is sensitive to influent concentrations of HCO3-, Ca2+, CO3(2-), and dissolved oxygen, the anaerobic iron corrosion rate, and the rates of CaCO3 and FeCO3 formation. The predictions also show that porosity reductions in PRBs can be spatially variable and mineral forming ions penetrate deeper into the PRB as a result of flow heterogeneities, which reflects the balance between the rate of mass transport and geochemical reaction rates. Level of aquifer heterogeneity and the contrast in hydraulic conductivity between the aquifer and PRB are the most important hydraulic variables affecting porosity reduction. Spatial continuity of aquifer hydraulic conductivity is less significant.

78 FR 56703 - SES Performance Review Board

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2013-09-13

... FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION SES Performance Review Board AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission. ACTION... Performance Review Board. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Leydon, Chief Human Capital Officer, Federal... INFORMATION: Publication of the Performance Review Board (PRB) membership is required by 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4...

75 FR 67696 - Membership of the Performance Review Board

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2010-11-03

...: Defense Finance and Accounting Service, DoD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice announces the appointment of the members of the Performance Review Board (PRB) of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.... FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise Thornburg, DFAS SES Program Manager, Defense Finance and...

76 FR 62046 - Membership of the Performance Review Board

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2011-10-06

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77 FR 29305 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Updated Postretirement Benefit (PRB) References

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-17

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78 FR 37696 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Updated Postretirement Benefit (PRB) References

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PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A CARBON-BASED REACTIVE BARRIER FOR NITRATE REMEDIATION

EPA Science Inventory

Nitrate (NO3-) is a common ground water contaminant related to agricultural activity, waste water disposal, leachate from landfills, septic systems, and industrial processes. This study reports on the performance of a carbon-based permeable reactive barrier (PRB) that was constr...

CARBON-BASED REACTIVE BARRIER FOR NITRATE REMEDIATION AT A FORMER SWINE CAFO

EPA Science Inventory

Nitrate (NO3-) is a common ground water contaminant related to agricultural activity, waste water disposal, leachate from landfills, septic systems, and industrial processes. This study reports on the performance of a carbon-based permeable reactive barrier (PRB) that was constr...

LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE OF IN-SITU PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS FOR REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED GROUND WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Permeable reactive barriers (PRB's) are an emerging, alternative in-situ approach for remediating groundwater contamination that combine subsurface fluid flow management with a passive chemical treatment zone. The few pilot and commercial installations which have been implemented...

Project Update: ZVI Used for Arsenic from Lead Smelting Facility

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) is conducting long-term monitoring of a granular iron permeable reactive barrier (PRB) for remediation of ground water contaminated with arsenic from a former lead smelting faci...

PRB CHEMISTRY CASE STUDY: DENVER FEDERAL CENTER

EPA Science Inventory

The Denver Federal Center permeable reactive barrier is a funnel-and-gate system with four reactive gates, each separated by up to about 120 m of metal sheet pile. In this study, ground water sampling, core collection, and solid phase characterization studies were carried out in...

5 CFR 534.402 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PAY UNDER OTHER SYSTEMS Pay and... contributions to the agency's performance. Performance expectations means the critical and other performance... § 430.303). PRB means Performance Review Board, as described in § 430.310. Rate of basic pay means the...

77 FR 52707 - Notice of Membership of the Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-30

... makes recommendations to the appointing authority relative to the performance of the senior executive, including recommendations on performance awards. The Department of Education's PRB also makes recommendations on SES pay adjustments for career senior executives. Membership The Secretary has selected the...

75 FR 59704 - Office of Management; Performance Review Board Membership

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-28

... FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Beth Pultz, Director, Executive Resources Team, Human Resources Services... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Management; Performance Review Board Membership AGENCY... Department of Education for 2010 is composed of career and non-career senior executives. The PRB reviews and...

Performance Assessment of a Permeable Reactive Barrier for Ground Water Remediation Fifteen Years After Installation

EPA Science Inventory

The fifteen-year performance of a granular iron, permeable reactive barrier (PRB; Elizabeth City, North Carolina) is reviewed with respect to contaminanttreatment (hexavalent chromium and trichloroethylene) and hydraulic performance. Due to in-situ treatment of the chromium sourc...

The association of mammalian DREAM complex and HPV16 E7 proteins

PubMed Central

Rashid, Nurshamimi Nor; Rothan, Hussin A; Yusoff, Mohd Shahrizal Mohd

2015-01-01

The mammalian DREAM (Drosophila, RB, E2F, and Myb) complex was discovered in 2004 by several research groups. It was initially identified in Drosophila followed by Caenorhaditis elegans and later in mammalian cells. The composition of DREAM is temporally regulated during cell cycle; being associated with E2F-4 and either p107 or p130 in G0/G1 (repressive DREAM complexes) and with B-myb transcription factor in S/G2 (activator DREAM complex). High risk human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 and E7 oncoproteins expression are important for malignant transformation of cervical cancer cells. In particular, the E7 of high risk HPV binds to pRB family members (pRB, p107 and p130) for degradation. It has recently been discovered that the p107 and p130 ‘pocket proteins’ are members of mammalian DREAM complexes. With this understanding, we would like to hypothesise the mammalian DREAM complex could plays a critical role for malignant transformation in cervical cancer cells. PMID:26885443

Charge transfer in photorechargeable composite films of TiO2 and polyaniline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomiyama, Teruaki; Sasabe, Kenichi; Sakamoto, Kenta; Horie, Yuji

2015-07-01

A photorechargeable battery (PRB) is a photovoltaic device having an energy storage function in a single cell. The photoactive electrode of PRB is a bilayer film consisting of bare porous TiO2 and a TiO2-polyaniline (PANi) mixture that work as a photovoltaic current generator and an electrochemical energy storage by ion dedoping, respectively. To study the charge transfer between TiO2 and PANi, the photorechargeable quantum efficiency QE ([electron count on discharge]/[incident photon count on photocharge]) was measured by varying the thickness LS of the TiO2-PANi mixture. The quantum efficiency QEuv for UV photons had a maximum of ˜7% at LS ˜ 7 µm. The time constant τTP for the charge transfer was about 10-1 s, which was longer ten times or more than the lifetime of excited electrons within TiO2. These facts reveal that the main rate-limiting factor in the photocharging process is the charge transfer between TiO2 and PANi.

A cytoskeleton-associated protein, TMAP/CKAP2, is involved in the proliferation of human foreskin fibroblasts.

PubMed

Jeon, Sang-Min; Choi, Bongkun; Hong, Kyung Uk; Kim, Eunhee; Seong, Yeon-Sun; Bae, Chang-Dae; Park, Joobae

2006-09-15

Previously, we reported the cloning of a cytoskeleton-associated protein, TMAP/CKAP2, which was up-regulated in primary human gastric cancers. Although TMAP/CKAP2 has been found to be expressed in most cancer cell lines examined, the function of CKAP2 is not known. In this study, we found that TMAP/CKAP2 was not expressed in G0/G1 arrested HFFs, but that it was expressed in actively dividing cells. After initiating the cell cycle, TMAP/CKAP2 levels remained low throughout most of the G1 phase, but gradually increased between late G1 and G2/M. Knockdown of TMAP/CKAP2 reduced pRB phosphorylation and increased p27 expression, and consequently reduced HFF proliferation, whereas constitutive TMAP/CKAP2 expression increased pRB phosphorylation and enhanced proliferation. Our results show that this novel cytoskeleton-associated protein is expressed cell cycle dependently and that it is involved in cell proliferation.

TREATMENT OF ARSENIC AND METALS IN GROUND WATER USING A COMPOST/ZVI PRB

EPA Science Inventory

One of Region 4's Regional Applied Research Efforts (RARE) projects resulted in two different studies on cleaning up the Columbia Nitrogen Superfund Site located in Charleston, SC. This site is extensively contaminated with pyrite and elemental sulfur used in phosphate fertilize...

AMELIORATION OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE USING REACTIVE MIXTURES IN PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS

EPA Science Inventory

The generation and release of acidic drainage from mine wastes is an environmental problem of international scale. The use of zero-valent iron and/or iron mixtures in subsurface Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRB) presents a possible passive alternative for remediating acidic grou...

Fifteen-year Assessment of a Permeable Reactive Barrier for Treatment of Chromate and Trichloroethylene in Groundwater

EPA Science Inventory

The fifteen-year performance of a granular iron, permeable reactive barrier (PRB; Elizabeth City, North Carolina) is reviewed with respect to contaminant treatment (hexavalent chromium and trichloroethylene) and hydraulic performance. Due to in-situ treatment of the chromium sou...

76 FR 64902 - Membership of the Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-19

...: Defense Information Systems Agency, Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice announces... Systems Agency (DISA). The publication of PRB membership is required by 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4). The... appraisals and makes recommendations regarding performance ratings and performance scores to the Director...

75 FR 59800 - Senior Executive Service; Public Debt Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-28

... Notice is effective on September 28, 2010. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Jones, Director, Human Resources Division, Office of Management Services, BPD, (304) 480-8949. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant... reviews the performance appraisals of career senior executives who are below the level of Assistant...

SODIUM DITHIONITE INJECTIONS USED FOR CHROMIUM REDUCTION

EPA Science Inventory

A field-scale pilot study was conducted in 1999 at the U.S. Coast Guard Support Center in Elizabeth City, NC, to evaluate the effectiveness of injecting sodium dithionite into the upper aquifer and lower vadose zone to create a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) system utilizing na...

Role of nuclear progesterone receptor isoforms in uterine pathophysiology

PubMed Central

Patel, Bansari; Elguero, Sonia; Thakore, Suruchi; Dahoud, Wissam; Bedaiwy, Mohamed; Mesiano, Sam

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Progesterone is a key hormonal regulator of the female reproductive system. It plays a major role to prepare the uterus for implantation and in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Actions of progesterone on the uterine tissues (endometrium, myometrium and cervix) are mediated by the combined effects of two progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms, designated PR-A and PR-B. Both receptors function primarily as ligand-activated transcription factors. Progesterone action on the uterine tissues is qualitatively and quantitatively determined by the relative levels and transcriptional activities of PR-A and PR-B. The transcriptional activity of the PR isoforms is affected by specific transcriptional coregulators and by PR post-translational modifications that affect gene promoter targeting. In this context, appropriate temporal and cell-specific expression and function of PR-A and PR-B are critical for normal uterine function. METHODS Relevant studies describing the role of PRs in uterine physiology and pathology (endometriosis, uterine leiomyoma, endometrial cancer, cervical cancer and recurrent pregnancy loss) were comprehensively searched using PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar and critically reviewed. RESULTS Progesterone, acting through PR-A and PR-B, regulates the development and function of the endometrium and induces changes in cells essential for implantation and the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. During pregnancy, progesterone via the PRs promotes myometrial relaxation and cervical closure. Withdrawal of PR-mediated progesterone signaling triggers menstruation and parturition. PR-mediated progesterone signaling is anti-mitogenic in endometrial epithelial cells, and as such, mitigates the tropic effects of estrogen on eutopic normal endometrium, and on ectopic implants in endometriosis. Similarly, ligand-activated PRs function as tumor suppressors in endometrial cancer cells through inhibition of key cellular signaling pathways required for growth. In contrast, progesterone via PR activation appears to increase leiomyoma growth. The exact role of PRs in cervical cancer is unclear. PRs regulate implantation and therefore aberrant PR function may be implicated in recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). PRs likely regulate key immunogenic factors involved in RPL. However, the exact role of PRs in the pathophysiology of RPL and the use of progesterone for therapeutic benefit remains uncertain. CONCLUSIONS PRs are key mediators of progesterone action in uterine tissues and are essential for normal uterine function. Aberrant PR function (due to abnormal expression and/or function) is a major cause of uterine pathophysiology. Further investigation of the underlying mechanisms of PR isoform action in the uterus is required, as this knowledge will afford the opportunity to create progestin/PR-based therapeutics to treat various uterine pathologies. PMID:25406186

Function of cell-cycle regulators in predicting silent pituitary adenoma progression following surgical resection

PubMed Central

Park, Sung Hyun; Jang, Ji Hwan; Lee, Young Min; Kim, Joon Soo; Kim, Kyu Hong; Kim, Young Zoon

2017-01-01

The present study investigated the use of cell-cycle regulators for predicting the progression of silent pituitary adenoma (SPA) following surgical resection, via immunohistochemical analysis of tumor samples obtained by surgical resection. The medical records of patients diagnosed with SPA between January 2000 and December 2013 in the Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine (Changwon, South Korea) were reviewed. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on sections of the archived, paraffin-embedded tissues obtained by surgery, with all tissues stained for cell-cycle regulatory proteins p16, p15, p21, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4, CDK6, retinoblastoma protein (pRb) and cyclin D1, as well as E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase mib1 (MIB-1) antigen and p53. The primary end-point was to investigate the expression of cell-cycle regulatory proteins in SPA. The secondary end-point was to estimate the progression-free survival of patients with SPA following surgical resection and to identify its association with the expression of cell-cycle regulatory proteins. Of the 127 SPA samples, 44 (34.6%) were from patients with progression during a mean follow-up period of 62.4 months (range, 24.2–118.9 months). Immunohistochemical overexpression was identified in 61 samples (48.0%) for p16, 38 samples (29.9%) for p15, 19 samples (15.0%) for p21, 49 samples (38.6%) for CDK4, 17 samples (13.4%) for CDK6, 57 samples (44.9%) for pRb and in 65 samples (51.2%) for cyclin D1. Multivariate analysis revealed that null cell adenoma [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.276–0.808], somatotroph SPAs (95% CI, 1.296–3.121), corticotroph SPAs (95% CI, 1.811–4.078), pluripotent SPAs (95% CI, 2.264–5.194), decreased expression of p16 (95% CI, 2.724–5.588), overexpression of pRb (95% CI, 2.557–5.333), cyclin D1 (95% CI, 1.894–4.122) and MIB-1 (95% CI, 1.561–4.133), increased mitotic index (95% CI, 1.228–4.079), increased p53 expression (95% CI, 1.307–4.065) and invasion into the cavernous sinus (95% CI, 3.842–7.502) predicted SPA progression following resection. The results of the present study suggested that specific cell-cycle regulators, including p16, cyclin D1 and pRb, were associated with SPA progression. PMID:29344143

TREATMENT OF HEAVY METALS USING AN ORGANIC SULFATE REDUCING PRB

EPA Science Inventory

A mpilot-scale permeable reactive wall consisting of a leaf-rich compost-pea gravel mixture was installed at a site in the Vancouver area, Canada to evaluate its potential use for treatment of a large dissolved heavy metal plume. The compost based permeable reactive wall promote...

78 FR 44563 - Senior Executive Service (SES) Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-24

... FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY Senior Executive Service (SES) Performance Review Board AGENCY... Management, one or more PRBs. The PRB shall review and evaluate the initial appraisal of a senior executive's performance by the supervisor, along with any response by the senior executive, and make recommendations to...

SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF CARBON AND SULFUR PRECIPITATING WITHIN PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS: DEVELOPMENT OF ANALYTICAL METHODS

EPA Science Inventory

A permeable reactive barrier (PRB) is a wall of porous reactive material placed in the path of a dissolved contaminant plume for the purpose of removing contaminants from ground water. Chemical processes within these reactive materials remove both inorganic and organic contamina...

School Choice: Economic and Fiscal Perspectives. Policy Report PR-B12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Addonizio, Michael

This paper applies economic concepts to several school choice issues, identifying various market and public school choice proposals as alternative mechanisms for generating and distributing the economic benefits of education. Private benefits redound directly to those educated or their parents; external, or public, benefits redound to other…

NOVEL ECONOMICAL HG(0) OXIDATION REAGENT FOR MERCURY EMISSIONS CONTROL FROM COAL-FIRED BOILERS

EPA Science Inventory

The authors have developed a novel economical additive for elemental mercury (Hg0) removal from coal-fired boilers. The oxidation reagent was rigorously tested in a lab-scale fixed-bed column with the Norit America's FGD activated carbon (DOE's benchmark sorbent) in a typical PRB...

Genetic Construction and Molecular Characterization of Breast Cancer Precursor Cells.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-06-30

papilloma virus (HPV) E6/E7 fusion construct, previously shown to specifically target the retinoblastoma protein (pRb) for degradation, will be...will be transfected into human mammary epithelial cell lines (HMEC) in order to knock out both RB allels via homologous recombination. Second, a human

75 FR 67697 - Membership of the Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-03

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Membership of the Performance Review Board AGENCY... appointment of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Performance Review Board (PRB) members, to include the....S Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and the following Defense Agencies: Defense Advance Research...

Transformation of Reactive Iron Minerals in a Permeable Reactive Barrier (Biowall) Used to Treat TCE in Groundwater

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract: Iron and sulfur reducing conditions are generally created in permeable reactive barrier (PRB) systems constructed for groundwater treatment, which usually leads to formation of iron sulfide phases. Iron sulfides have been shown to play an important role in degrading ch...

76 FR 34105 - FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company; Notice of Issuance of Director's Decision

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-10

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 50-320; License No. DPR-73; NRC-2010-0358] FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company; Notice of Issuance of Director's Decision Notice is hereby given that the..., Petition Review Board (PRB) meeting, via teleconference, with the Petitioner and FirstEnergy Corporation...

Low severity coal liquefaction promoted by cyclic olefins. Quarterly report, January--March 1994

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

Curtis, C.W.

Previous research has suggested that using a more effective hydrogen donor solvent in the low severity coal liquefaction reaction improves coal conversion. In order to understand the results of these methods, both independently and combined, a factorial experiment was designed. Pretreating coal with hydrochloric and sulfurous acid solutions in both water and methanol is compared with pretreating coal using only methanol and with no pretreatment. The effects of these pretreatments on coal liquefaction behavior are contrasted with the ammonium acetate pretreatment. Within each of these, individual reactions are performed with the hydroaromatic 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene (tetralin, TET) and the cyclic olefin 1,4,5,8-tetrahydronaphthalenemore » (isotetralin, ISO). The final aspect of the factorial experiment is the comparison of Wyodak subbituminous coal (WY) from the Argonne Premium Sample Bank and Black Thunder subbituminous coal (BT) provided by Amoco. Half of the reactions in the matrix have now been completed. In all but one case, Black Thunder-HCl/H{sub 2}O, the ISO proved to be more reactive than TET. After the other four reactions using this combination are complete, the average conversion may be greater with the cyclic olefin. The second part of this paper describes the current and future work with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The objective of this work is to determine the kinetics of reaction of isotetralin at high temperatures and pressures. This quarter combinations of three products typically produced from isotetralin were used in spectral subtraction.« less

Geologic history of natural coal-bed fires, Powder River basin, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heffern, E.L.; Coates, D.A.

2004-01-01

Coal-bed fires ignited by natural processes have baked and fused overlying sediments to form clinker, a hard red or varicolored rock, through much of the northern Great Plains of the United States (USA). The gently dipping coal beds in the region burn when regional downwasting brings them above the local water table. The resulting clinker forms a rim along the exposed edge of the coal bed in an ongoing process through geologic time. The resistant clinker is left capping buttes and ridges after the softer unbaked strata erode away. Clinker outcrops cover more than 4100 km2 in the Powder River basin (PRB), which lies in Wyoming (WY) and Montana (MT). The clinker in place records tens of billions of tons of coal that have burned, releasing gases into the atmosphere. The amount of clinker that has eroded away was at least an order of magnitude greater than the clinker that remains in place. Fission-track and uranium-thorium/ helium ages of detrital zircon crystals in clinker, and paleomagnetic ages of clinker, show that coal beds have burned naturally during at least the past 4 million years (Ma). The oldest in-place clinker that has been dated, collected from a high, isolated, clinker-capped ridge, has a fission track age of 2.8??0.6 Ma. Evidence of erosion and downcutting is also preserved by clinker clasts in gravel terraces. One clinker boulder in a terrace 360 m above the Yellowstone River has a fission track age of 4.0??0.7 Ma. Coal-bed fires are caused by lightning, wildfires, spontaneous combustion, or human activity on coal outcrops and in mines. Miners, government agencies, and ranchers have extinguished thousands of coal bed fires, but natural ignition continues where fresh coal has access to air. At any given time, hundreds of fires, mostly small, are burning. In the Powder River basin, the total amount of coal burned by natural fires in the last 2 Ma is one to two orders of magnitude greater than the total amount of coal removed by mining in the past century. However, current annual rates of coal mining are three to four orders of magnitude greater than estimated prehistoric annual rates of coal consumption by natural fires. ?? 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive for Enhanced Mercury Control - Pilot-Scale Test Results

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

Gary M. Blythe

2006-03-01

This Topical Report summarizes progress on Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-04NT42309, ''Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive.'' The objective of the project is to demonstrate the use of a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) additive, Degussa Corporation's TMT-15, to prevent the reemissions of elemental mercury (Hg{sup 0}) in flue gas exiting wet FGD systems on coal-fired boilers. Furthermore, the project intends to demonstrate that the additive can be used to precipitate most of the mercury (Hg) removed in the wet FGD system as a fine TMT salt that can be separated from the FGD liquor and bulk solid byproducts for separate disposal.more » The project will conduct pilot and full-scale tests of the TMT-15 additive in wet FGD absorbers. The tests are intended to determine required additive dosage requirements to prevent Hg{sup 0} reemissions and to separate mercury from the normal FGD byproducts for three coal types: Texas lignite/Power River Basin (PRB) coal blend, high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal, and low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal. The project team consists of URS Group, Inc., EPRI, TXU Generation Company LP, Southern Company, and Degussa Corporation. TXU Generation has provided the Texas lignite/PRB co-fired test site for pilot FGD tests, Monticello Steam Electric Station Unit 3. Southern Company is providing the low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal host site for wet scrubbing tests, as well as the pilot and full-scale jet bubbling reactor (JBR) FGD systems to be tested. A third utility, to be named later, will provide the high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal full-scale FGD test site. Degussa Corporation is providing the TMT-15 additive and technical support to the test program. The project is being conducted in six tasks. Of the six project tasks, Task 1 involves project planning and Task 6 involves management and reporting. The other four tasks involve field testing on FGD systems, either at pilot or full scale. The four tasks include: Task 2 - Pilot Additive Testing in Texas Lignite Flue Gas; Task 3 - Full-scale FGD Additive Testing in High Sulfur Eastern Bituminous Flue Gas; Task 4 - Pilot Wet Scrubber Additive Tests at Yates; and Task 5 - Full-scale Additive Tests at Plant Yates. This topical report presents the results from the Task 2 and Task 4 pilot-scale additive tests. The Task 3 and Task 5 full-scale additive tests will be conducted later in calendar year 2006.« less

Understanding selected trace elements behavior in a coal-fired power plant in Malaysia for assessment of abatement technologies.

PubMed

Mokhtar, Mutahharah M; Taib, Rozainee M; Hassim, Mimi H

2014-08-01

The Proposed New Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulation 201X (Draft), which replaces the Malaysia Environmental Quality (Clean Air) 1978, specifies limits to additional pollutants from power generation using fossil fuel. The new pollutants include Hg, HCl, and HF with limits of 0.03, 100, and 15 mg/N-m3 at 6% O2, respectively. These pollutants are normally present in very small concentrations (known as trace elements [TEs]), and hence are often neglected in environmental air quality monitoring in Malaysia. Following the enactment of the new regulation, it is now imperative to understand the TEs behavior and to assess the capability of the existing abatement technologies to comply with the new emission limits. This paper presents the comparison of TEs behavior of the most volatile (Hg, Cl, F) and less volatile (As, Be, Cd, Cr, Ni, Se, Pb) elements in subbituminous and bituminous coal and coal combustion products (CCP) (i.e., fly ash and bottom ash) from separate firing of subbituminous and bituminous coal in a coal-fired power plant in Malaysia. The effect of air pollution control devices configuration in removal of TEs was also investigated to evaluate the effectiveness of abatement technologies used in the plant. This study showed that subbituminous and bituminous coals and their CCPs have different TEs behavior. It is speculated that ash content could be a factor for such diverse behavior In addition, the type of coal and the concentrations of TEs in feed coal were to some extent influenced by the emission of TEs in flue gas. The electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and seawater flue gas desulfurization (FGD) used in the studied coal-fired power plant were found effective in removing TEs in particulate and vapor form, respectively, as well as complying with the new specified emission limits. Implications: Coals used by power plants in Peninsular Malaysia come from the same supplier (Tenaga Nasional Berhad Fuel Services), which is a subsidiary of the Malaysia electricity provider (Tenaga Nasional Berhad). Therefore, this study on trace elements behavior in a coal-fired power plant in Malaysia could represent emission from other plants in Peninsular Malaysia. By adhering to the current coal specifications and installation of electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and flue gas desulfurization, the plants could comply with the limits specified in the Malaysian Department of Environment (DOE) Scheduled Waste Guideline for bottom ash and fly ash and the Proposed New Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulation 201X (Draft).

Enhanced Combustion Low NOx Pulverized Coal Burner

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

David Towle; Richard Donais; Todd Hellewell

2007-06-30

For more than two decades, Alstom Power Inc. (Alstom) has developed a range of low cost, infurnace technologies for NOx emissions control for the domestic U.S. pulverized coal fired boiler market. This includes Alstom's internally developed TFS 2000{trademark} firing system, and various enhancements to it developed in concert with the U.S. Department of Energy. As of the date of this report, more than 270 units representing approximately 80,000 MWe of domestic coal fired capacity have been retrofit with Alstom low NOx technology. Best of class emissions range from 0.18 lb/MMBtu for bituminous coal to 0.10 lb/MMBtu for subbituminous coal, withmore » typical levels at 0.24 lb/MMBtu and 0.13 lb/MMBtu, respectively. Despite these gains, NOx emissions limits in the U.S. continue to ratchet down for new and existing boiler equipment. On March 10, 2005, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR). CAIR requires 25 Eastern states to reduce NOx emissions from the power generation sector by 1.7 million tons in 2009 and 2.0 million tons by 2015. Low cost solutions to meet such regulations, and in particular those that can avoid the need for a costly selective catalytic reduction system (SCR), provide a strong incentive to continue to improve low NOx firing system technology to meet current and anticipated NOx control regulations. The overall objective of the work is to develop an enhanced combustion, low NOx pulverized coal burner, which, when integrated with Alstom's state-of-the-art, globally air staged low NOx firing systems will provide a means to achieve: Less than 0.15 lb/MMBtu NOx emissions when firing a high volatile Eastern or Western bituminous coal, Less than 0.10 lb/MMBtu NOx emissions when firing a subbituminous coal, NOx reduction costs at least 25% lower than the costs of an SCR, Validation of the NOx control technology developed through large (15 MWt) pilot scale demonstration, and Documentation required for economic evaluation and commercial application. During the project performance period, Alstom performed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and large pilot scale combustion testing in its Industrial Scale Burner Facility (ISBF) at its U.S. Power Plant Laboratories facility in Windsor, Connecticut in support of these objectives. The NOx reduction approach was to optimize near-field combustion to ensure that minimum NOx emissions are achieved with minimal impact on unburned carbon in ash, slagging and fouling, corrosion, and flame stability/turn-down. Several iterations of CFD and combustion testing on a Midwest coal led to an optimized design, which was extensively combustion tested on a range of coals. The data from these tests were then used to validate system costs and benefits versus SCR. Three coals were evaluated during the bench-scale and large pilot-scale testing tasks. The three coals ranged from a very reactive subbituminous coal to a moderately reactive Western bituminous coal to a much less reactive Midwest bituminous coal. Bench-scale testing was comprised of standard ASTM properties evaluation, plus more detailed characterization of fuel properties through drop tube furnace testing and thermogravimetric analysis. Bench-scale characterization of the three test coals showed that both NOx emissions and combustion performance are a strong function of coal properties. The more reactive coals evolved more of their fuel bound nitrogen in the substoichiometric main burner zone than less reactive coal, resulting in the potential for lower NOx emissions. From a combustion point of view, the more reactive coals also showed lower carbon in ash and CO values than the less reactive coal at any given main burner zone stoichiometry. According to bench-scale results, the subbituminous coal was found to be the most amenable to both low NOx, and acceptably low combustibles in the flue gas, in an air staged low NOx system. The Midwest bituminous coal, by contrast, was predicted to be the most challenging of the three coals, with the Western bituminous coal predicted to behave in-between the subbituminous coal and the Midwest bituminous coal. CFD modeling was used to gain insight into the mechanisms governing nozzle tip performance with respect to NOx emissions. The CFD simulations were run as steady state, turbulent, non-reacting flow with heat transfer and focused on predicting the near field mixing and particle dispersion rates. CFD results were used to refine the proposed tip concepts before they were built, as well as to help identify and evaluate possible improvements to the tips for subsequent test weeks.« less

SIX YEARS OF INTENSIVE MONITORING OF THE 1ST PRB TO TREAT A MIXED WASTE PLUME: USCG SITE IN ELIZABETH CITY, NC

EPA Science Inventory

Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) for the restoration of contaminated ground water are no longer innovative. PRBs have evolved from innovative to accepted, standard practice, for the containment and treatment of a variety of contaminants in ground water. Like any remedial tech...

TRICHLOROETHYLENE REMOVAL FROM GROUNDWATER IN FLOW-THROUGH COLUMNS SIMULATING A PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIER CONSTRUCTED WITH PLANT MULCH

EPA Science Inventory

Ground water contaminated with TCE is commonly treated with a passive reactive barrier (PRB) constructed with zero-valence iron. The cost of iron as the reactive matrix has driven a search for less costly alternatives, and composted plant mulch has been used as an alternative re...

REMOVAL OF ADDED NITRATE IN COTTON BURR COMPOST, MULCH COMPOST, AND PEAT: MECHANISMS AND POTENTIAL USE FOR GROUNDWATER NITRATE REMEDIATION

EPA Science Inventory

We conducted batch tests on the nature and kinetics of removal of added nitrate in cotton burr compost, mulch compost, and sphagnum peat that may be potentially used in a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) for groundwater nitrate remediation. A rigorous steam autoclaving protocol (...

48 CFR 2152.070 - Applicable clauses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Asset Reversions 52.215-16Facilities Capital Cost of Money 52.215-17Waiver of Facilities Capital Cost of Money 52.215-18Reversion or Adjustment of Plans for Postretirement Benefits (PRB) Other Than Pensions 52..., Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans 52.223-6Drug-Free Workplace 52.227-1Authorization...

48 CFR 2152.070 - Applicable clauses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Asset Reversions 52.215-16Facilities Capital Cost of Money 52.215-17Waiver of Facilities Capital Cost of Money 52.215-18Reversion or Adjustment of Plans for Postretirement Benefits (PRB) Other Than Pensions 52..., Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans 52.223-6Drug-Free Workplace 52.227-1Authorization...

48 CFR 2152.070 - Applicable clauses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Asset Reversions 52.215-16Facilities Capital Cost of Money 52.215-17Waiver of Facilities Capital Cost of Money 52.215-18Reversion or Adjustment of Plans for Postretirement Benefits (PRB) Other Than Pensions 52..., Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans 52.223-6Drug-Free Workplace 52.227-1Authorization...

48 CFR 2152.070 - Applicable clauses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Asset Reversions 52.215-16Facilities Capital Cost of Money 52.215-17Waiver of Facilities Capital Cost of Money 52.215-18Reversion or Adjustment of Plans for Postretirement Benefits (PRB) Other Than Pensions 52..., Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans 52.223-6Drug-Free Workplace 52.227-1Authorization...

THE USE OF A PRB TO TREAT GROUNDWATER IMPACTED BY COAL-COMBUSTION BY-PRODUCTS

EPA Science Inventory

The burning of coal for the production of electricity generates combustion by-products such as boiler bottom ash and fly ash. These ashes have the potential to release arsenic (As), boron (B), chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), selenium (Se), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn) to the envi...

78 FR 75447 - Senior Executive Service; Departmental Offices Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-11

... Secretary for Human Resources and Chief Human Capital Officer Cavella, Charles J., Deputy Assistant... Human Resources Specialist, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., ATTN: Room 6W529, 6th Floor, Washington, DC... Offices PRB: The Board shall consist of at least three members. In the case of an appraisal of a career...

78 FR 67979 - Hardwood Lumber and Hardwood Plywood Promotion, Research and Information Order; Referendum...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-13

...-11-0074; PR-B] RIN 0581-AD24 Hardwood Lumber and Hardwood Plywood Promotion, Research and Information... whether issuance of a proposed Hardwood Lumber and Hardwood Plywood Promotion, Research and Information... submitted on the Internet at: http://www.regulations.gov or to the Promotion and Economics Division, Fruit...

[The role of percutaneous renal biopsy in kidney transplant].

PubMed

Manfro, R C; Lee, J Y; Lewgoy, J; Edelweiss, M I; Gonçalves, L F; Prompt, C A

1994-01-01

Percutaneous renal biopsy (PRB) is an useful tool for diagnostic and therapeutic orientation in renal transplantation. PURPOSE--To evaluate the current role of PRB in post-transplant acute renal dysfunction (ARD) of renal allografts. METHODS--Sixty-five renal transplant patients were submitted to 95 valid renal biopsies with no major complications. RESULTS--There was disagreement between the clinical and the pathological diagnosis in 28 occasions (29.5%). In 36 cases (37.9%) the results of the pathological examination led to a modification in patient's management. These modifications were most commonly the avoidance or witholding of a steroid pulse (8 cases); nephrectomy of the renal allograft (8 cases); witholding or decrease of cyclosporine dosage (6 cases); giving a steroid pulse (5 cases) and giving antibiotics to treat acute pyelonephritis in 4 cases. The use of kidneys from cadaveric donors was significantly associated with an increased number of biopsies (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION--These results demonstrate that even though several less invasive procedures are currently employed, renal biopsy is still an indispensable method to the management of ARD in renal transplant patients.

Low- and high-risk human papillomavirus E7 proteins regulate p130 differently

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

Barrow-Laing, Lisa; Chen Wei; Roman, Ann, E-mail: aroman@iupui.ed

2010-05-10

The E7 protein of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR HPVs) targets pRb family members (pRb, p107 and p130) for degradation; low-risk (LR) HPV E7 only targets p130 for degradation. The effect of HR HPV 16 E7 and LR HPV 6 E7 on p130 intracellular localization and half-life was examined. Nuclear/cytoplasmic fractionation and immunofluorescence showed that, in contrast to control and HPV 6 E7-expressing cells, a greater amount of p130 was present in the cytoplasm in the presence of HPV 16 E7. The half-life of p130, relative to control cells, was decreased in the cytoplasm in the presence of HPV 6 E7more » or HPV 16 E7, but only decreased by HPV 6 E7 in the nucleus. Inhibition of proteasomal degradation extended the half-life of p130, regardless of intracellular localization. These results suggest that there may be divergent mechanisms by which LR and HR HPV E7 target p130 for degradation.« less

First-principles calculations of electronic transport through graphene with realistic metallic leads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barraza-Lopez, Salvador; Chou, M. Y.

2009-03-01

We present transmission characteristics for electrons through graphene with realistic metallic contacts. The methodology relies on an in-house version of the electronic transport SMEAGOL code [1], in which the memory required to allocate for the matrices of contact leads and the graphene sheet in the Green's function solver is distributed into more than one processor, for a given electron energy. We are able to accommodate for commensurate graphene-metal supercells which have the correct atomic structure (namely, stress caused by contracting/extending the metal contacts to match the periodicity of graphene is avoided). In addition, and despite of the large size of the leads, the electronic properties and transport are computed at the density-functional theory level [2] within a double-zeta plus polarization basis[3], ensuring the accuracy of the atomic forces in the system, as well as on the final transmission characteristics. [1] A. R. Rocha et al, PRB. 73, 085414 (2006); [2] J. M. Soler et al, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 14, 2745-2779 (2002); [3] J. Junquera et al, PRB 64, 235111 (2001).

Genome-wide Analysis of the H3K4 Histone Demethylase RBP2 Reveals a Transcriptional Program Controlling Differentiation

PubMed Central

Lopez-Bigas, Nuria; Kisiel, Tomasz A.; DeWaal, Dannielle C.; Holmes, Katie B.; Volkert, Tom L.; Gupta, Sumeet; Love, Jennifer; Murray, Heather L.; Young, Richard A.; Benevolenskaya, Elizaveta V.

2010-01-01

SUMMARY Retinoblastoma protein (pRB) mediates cell-cycle withdrawal and differentiation by interacting with a variety of proteins. RB-Binding Protein 2 (RBP2) has been shown to be a key effector. We sought to determine transcriptional regulation by RBP2 genome-wide by using location analysis and gene expression profiling experiments. We describe that RBP2 shows high correlation with the presence of H3K4me3 and its target genes are separated into two functionally distinct classes: differentiation-independent and differentiation-dependent genes. The former class is enriched by genes that encode mitochondrial proteins, while the latter is represented by cell-cycle genes. We demonstrate the role of RBP2 in mitochondrial biogenesis, which involves regulation of H3K4me3-modified nucleosomes. Analysis of expression changes upon RBP2 depletion depicted genes with a signature of differentiation control, analogous to the changes seen upon reintroduction of pRB. We conclude that, during differentiation, RBP2 exerts inhibitory effects on multiple genes through direct interaction with their promoters. PMID:18722178

Development of clean coal and clean soil technologies using advanced agglomeration techniques

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

Ignasiak, B.; Ignasiak, T.; Szymocha, K.

1990-01-01

Three major topics are discussed in this report: (1) Upgrading of Low Rank Coals by the Agflotherm Process. Test data, procedures, equipment, etc., are described for co-upgrading of subbituminous coals and heavy oil; (2) Upgrading of Bituminous Coals by the Agflotherm Process. Experimental procedures and data, bench and pilot scale equipments, etc., for beneficiating bituminous coals are described; (3) Soil Clean-up and Hydrocarbon Waste Treatment Process. Batch and pilot plant tests are described for soil contaminated by tar refuse from manufactured gas plant sites. (VC)

Electric Pulse Discharge Activated Carbon Supercapacitors for Transportation Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayak, Subhadarshi; Agrawal, Jyoti

2012-03-01

ScienceTomorrow is developing a high-speed, low-cost process for synthesizing high-porosity electrodes for electrochemical double-layer capacitors. Four types of coal (lignite, subbituminous, bituminous, and anthracite) were used as precursor materials for spark discharge activation with multiscale porous structure. The final porosity and pore distribution depended, among other factors, on precursor type. The high gas content in low-grade carbon resulted in mechanical disintegration, whereas high capacitance was attained in higher-grade coal. The properties, including capacitance, mechanical robustness, and internal conductivity, were excellent when the cost is taken into consideration.

U.S. sulfur dioxide emission reductions: Shifting factors and a carbon dioxide penalty

DOE PAGES

Brown, Marilyn Ann; Li, Yufei; Massetti, Emanuele; ...

2017-01-18

For more than 20 years, the large-scale application of flue gas desulfurization technology has been a dominant cause of SO 2 emission reductions. From 1994–2004, electricity generation from coal increased, but the shift to low-sulfur coal eclipsed this. From 2004–2014, electricity generation from coal decreased, but a shift to higher-sulfur subbituminous and lignite coal overshadowed this. Here, the shift in coal quality has also created a CO 2 emissions penalty, representing 2% of the sector’s total emissions in 2014.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinomas with DNA replication errors (RER+) are associated with p16/pRb loss and wild-type p53.

PubMed

Mathew, R; Arora, S; Mathur, M; Chattopadhyay, T K; Ralhan, R

2001-10-01

Microsatellite instability (MSI) as a determinant of propensity to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) at seven microsatellite markers at 2p (2p15-16), 3p (3p13, 3p14.1-3, 3p25, and 3p26) and 16q (16q12.1-3) was investigated to analyze their putative role as indicators of predisposition to esophageal malignancies. Seven microsatellite loci were amplified by polymerase chain reaction, from surgically resected tumor tissues from 30 ESCC patients from Indian population, to assess the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and replication error repeats (RER) and to correlate these alterations with aberrations in major cell cycle regulatory proteins and histopathological parameters. LOH and RER analyses at these loci demonstrated moderate microsatellite alterations, suggesting the involvement of MSI in esophageal tumorigenesis in a subset of the Indian population. MSI, defined as RER in at least two or more of the loci studied, was observed in ten of 30 (33%) patients. Twenty-two of 30 patients (73%) showed LOH at one or more loci, while 17 of the 30 patients (60%) showed RER in at least one of the loci studied. RER-positive patients showed a trend towards better prognosis when compared to RER-negative patients. MSI demonstrated a significant association with concomitant loss of p16 and pRb (p16-/pRb- phenotype) (P=0.046). Interestingly, we observed an inverse correlation between MSI and p53 mutations (P=0.03) suggesting that MSI may provide a p53-independent pathway for esophageal tumorigenesis in RER+ patients. MSI showed a trend towards longer survival and absence of distant organ metastasis (P=0.06). The present study demonstrates the probable role of MSI in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in the Indian population. Instability associated with the repetitive sequences--the revealing marks of loss of DNA replication fidelity may serve as an indicator of predisposition to esophageal cancer.

Overlapping and distinct pRb pathways in the mammalian auditory and vestibular organs

PubMed Central

Huang, Mingqian; Sage, Cyrille; Tang, Yong; Lee, Sang Goo; Petrillo, Marco; Hinds, Philip W

2011-01-01

Retinoblastoma gene (Rb1) is required for proper cell cycle exit in the developing mouse inner ear and its deletion in the embryo leads to proliferation of sensory progenitor cells that differentiate into hair cells and supporting cells. In a conditional hair cell Rb1 knockout mouse, Pou4f3-Cre-pRb™/™, pRb™/™ utricular hair cells differentiate and survive into adulthood whereas differentiation and survival of pRb™/™ cochlear hair cells are impaired. To comprehensively survey the pRb pathway in the mammalian inner ear, we performed microarray analysis of pRb™/™ cochlea and utricle. The comparative analysis shows that the core pathway shared between pRb™/™ cochlea and utricle is centered on e2F, the key pathway that mediates pRb function. A majority of differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways are not shared but uniquely associated with pRb™/™ cochlea or utricle. In pRb™/™ cochlea, pathways involved in early inner ear development such as Wnt/β-catenin and Notch were enriched, whereas pathways involved in proliferation and survival are enriched in pRb™/™ utricle. Clustering analysis showed that the pRb™/™ inner ear has characteristics of a younger control inner ear, an indication of delayed differentiation. We created a transgenic mouse model (ER-Cre-pRbflox/flox) in which Rb1 can be acutely deleted postnatally. Acute Rb1 deletion in the adult mouse fails to induce proliferation or cell death in inner ear, strongly indicating that Rb1 loss in these postmitotic tissues can be effectively compensated for, or that pRb-mediated changes in the postmitotic compartment result in events that are functionally irreversible once enacted. This study thus supports the concept that pRb-regulated pathways relevant to hair cell development, encompassing proliferation, differentiation and survival, act predominantly during early development. PMID:21239885

High glucose concentration induces endothelial cell proliferation by regulating cyclin-D2-related miR-98.

PubMed

Li, Xin-Xin; Liu, Yue-Mei; Li, You-Jie; Xie, Ning; Yan, Yun-Fei; Chi, Yong-Liang; Zhou, Ling; Xie, Shu-Yang; Wang, Ping-Yu

2016-06-01

Cyclin D2 is involved in the pathology of vascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study investigated the role of cyclin-D2-regulated miRNAs in endothelial cell proliferation of T2DM. Results showed that higher glucose concentration (4.5 g/l) significantly promoted the proliferation of rat aortic endothelial cells (RAOECs), and significantly increased the expression of cyclin D2 and phosphorylation of retinoblastoma 1 (p-RB1) in RAOECs compared with those under low glucose concentration. The cyclin D2-3' untranslated region is targeted by miR-98, as demonstrated by miRNA analysis software. Western blot also confirmed that cyclin D2 and p-RB1 expression was regulated by miR-98. The results indicated that miR-98 treatment can induce RAOEC apoptosis. The suppression of RAOEC growth by miR-98 might be related to regulation of Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase 9 expression. Furthermore, the expression levels of miR-98 decreased in 4.5 g/l glucose-treated cells compared with those treated by low glucose concentration. Similarly, the expression of miR-98 significantly decreased in aortas of established streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat model compared with that in control rats; but cyclin D2 and p-RB1 levels remarkably increased in aortas of STZ-induced diabetic rats compared with those in healthy control rats. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that high glucose concentration induces cyclin D2 up-regulation and miR-98 down-regulation in the RAOECs. By regulating cyclin D2, miR-98 can inhibit human endothelial cell growth, thereby providing novel therapeutic targets for vascular complication of T2DM. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Field Demonstration of Sequential Iron Reduction and Aerobic Biodegradation of Nitrobenzene and 2,4-Dinitrotoluene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, T. L.; Gillham, R. W.; Gui, L.

2005-12-01

To demonstrate the in situ sequential degradation of nitrobenzene (NB) and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) using a granular iron permeable reactive barrier (PRB) and aerobic biodegradation zone, a field study is currently being conducted in a 24m long x 2m wide x 3m deep isolated section of the Borden aquifer (the ``gate''). This gate is closed on three sides by sealable-joint sheet piling keyed into the aquitard, and open to groundwater flow on the other, which, under natural conditions, is approximately parallel to the longest sides of the gate. The PRB was installed approximately 10 meters into the gate, and the oxygen injection system was installed approximately 18 meters into the gate. A hydraulic gradient was induced across the gate by pumping at the closed end via a fully-screened well, resulting in a groundwater velocity of 40-50 cm/day. Based on the results of laboratory tests, the first stage of the treatment system, involving the PRB, was expected to reduce nitrobenzene and 2,4-DNT to aniline and 2,4-diaminotoluene (2,4-DAT), respectively. Initial results show that portions of the nitrobenzene and 2,4-dinitrotoluene were transforming into their daughter products, aniline and 2,4-diaminotoluene, prior to the groundwater entering the permeable reactive barrier. Lab tests are ongoing to determine whether an indigenous bacterial population is capable of biotically transforming the nitro groups on the nitrobenzene and 2,4-DNT. In the second stage of the treatment system, oxygen was introduced via 4 10-inch diameter fully-screened wells spanning the width of the gate, each containing a Waterloo EmitterTM. The oxygen is expected to stimulate indigenous aerobic microbes in the aquifer to mineralize the aniline and 2,4-diaminotoluene, and the results from this are expected in the next few months.

Integrated evaluation of the performance of a more than seven year old permeable reactive barrier at a site contaminated with chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muchitsch, Nanna; Van Nooten, Thomas; Bastiaens, Leen; Kjeldsen, Peter

2011-11-01

An important issue of concern for permeable reactive iron barriers is the long-term efficiency of the barriers due to the long operational periods required. Mineral precipitation resulting from the anaerobic corrosion of the iron filings and bacteria present in the barrier may play an important role in the long-term performance. An integrated study was performed on the Vapokon permeable reactive barrier (PRB) in Denmark by groundwater and iron core sample characterization. The detailed field groundwater sampling carried out from more than 75 well screens up and downstream the barrier showed a very efficient removal (> 99%) for the most important CAHs (PCE, TCE and 1,1,1-TCA). However, significant formation of cis-DCE within the PRB resulted in an overall insufficient efficiency for cis-DCE removal. The detailed analysis of the upstream groundwater revealed a very heterogeneous spatial distribution of contaminant loading into the PRB, which resulted in that only about a quarter of the barrier system is treating significant loads of CAHs. Laboratory batch experiments using contaminated groundwater from the site and iron material from the core samples revealed that the aged iron material performed equally well as virgin granular iron of the same type based on determined degradation rates despite that parts of the cored iron material were covered by mineral precipitates (especially iron sulfides, carbonate green rust and aragonite). The PCR analysis performed on the iron core samples indicated the presence of a microbial consortium in the barrier. A wide range of species were identified including sulfate and iron reducing bacteria, together with Dehalococcoides and Desulfuromonas species indicating microbial reductive dehalogenation potential. The microbes had a profound effect on the performance of the barrier, as indicated by significant degradation of dichloromethane (which is typically unaffected by zero valent iron) within the barrier.

Inactivation of p16INK4a, with retention of pRB and p53/p21cip1 function, in human MRC5 fibroblasts that overcome a telomere-independent crisis during immortalization.

PubMed

Taylor, Lisa M; James, Alexander; Schuller, Christine E; Brce, Jesena; Lock, Richard B; Mackenzie, Karen L

2004-10-15

Recent investigations, including our own, have shown that specific strains of fibroblasts expressing telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) have an extended lifespan, but are not immortal. We previously demonstrated that hTERT-transduced MRC5 fetal lung fibroblasts (MRC5hTERTs) bypassed senescence but eventually succumbed to a second mortality barrier (crisis). In the present study, 67 MRC5hTERT clones were established by limiting dilution of a mass culture. Whereas 39/67 clones had an extended lifespan, all 39 extended lifespan clones underwent crisis. 11 of 39 clones escaped crisis and were immortalized. There was no apparent relationship between the fate of clones at crisis and the level of telomerase activity. Telomeres were hyperextended in the majority of the clones analyzed. There was no difference in telomere length of pre-crisis compared with post-crisis and immortal clones, indicating that hyperextended telomeres were conducive for immortalization and confirming that crisis was independent of telomere length. Immortalization of MRC5hTERT cells was associated with repression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p16INK4a and up-regulation of pRB. However, the regulation of pRB phosphorylation and the response of the p53/p21cip1/waf1 pathway were normal in immortal cells subject to genotoxic stress. Overexpression of oncogenic ras failed to de-repress p16INK4a in immortal cells. Furthermore, expression of ras enforced senescent-like growth arrest in p16INK4a-positive, but not p16INK4a-negative MRC5hTERT cells. Immortal cells expressing ras formed small, infrequent colonies in soft agarose, but were non-tumorigenic. Overall, these results implicate the inactivation of p16INK4a as a critical event for overcoming telomere-independent crisis, immortalizing MRC5 fibroblasts and overcoming ras-induced premature senescence.

Double demonstration of oncogenic high risk human papilloma virus DNA and HPV-E7 protein in oral cancers.

PubMed

Pannone, G; Santoro, A; Carinci, F; Bufo, P; Papagerakis, S M; Rubini, C; Campisi, G; Giovannelli, L; Contaldo, M; Serpico, R; Mazzotta, M; Lo Muzio, L

2011-01-01

Oncogenic HPVs are necessarily involved in cervical cancer but their role in oral carcinogenesis is debated. To detect HPV in oral cancer, 38 cases of formalin fixed-paraffin embedded OSCC were studied by both DNA genotyping (MY09/11 L1 consensus primers in combination with GP5-GP6 primer pair followed by sequencing) and immunohistochemistry (monoclonal Abs against capsid protein and HPV-E7 protein, K1H8 DAKO and clone 8C9 INVITROGEN, respectively). HPV-16 tonsil cancer was used as positive control. The overall prevalence of HPV infection in OSCCs was 10.5%. Amplification of DNA samples showed single HPV DNA infection in 3 cases (HPV16; HPV53; HPV70) and double infection in one case of cheek cancer (HPV31/HPV44). The overall HR-HPV prevalence was 7.5%. E-7 antigen was immunohistochemically detected in all HPV-positive cases. HPV+ OSCC cases showed an overall better outcome than HPV negative oral cancers, as evaluated by Kaplan-Meier curves. HPVs exert their oncogenic role after DNA integration, gene expression of E5, E6 and E7 loci and p53/pRb host proteins suppression. This study showed that HPV-E7 protein inactivating pRb is expressed in oral cancer cells infected by oncogenic HPV other than classical HR-HPV-16/18. Interestingly HPV-70, considered a low risk virus with no definite collocation in oncogenic type category, gives rise to the expression of HPV-E7 protein and inactivate pRb in oral cancer. HPV-70, as proved in current literature, is able to inactivates also p53 protein, promoting cell immortalization. HPV-53, classified as a possible high risk virus, expresses E7 protein in OSCC, contributing to oral carcinogenesis. We have identified among OSCCs, a subgroup characterized by HPV infection (10.5%). Finally, we have proved the oncogenic potential of some HPV virus types, not well known in literature.

Regulation of coal polymer degradation by fungi. Tenth Quartery report, October 1996--December 1996

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

Irvine, R.L.; Bumpus, J.A.

1997-01-28

It has long been known that low rank coal such as leonardite can be solubilized by strong base (>pH 12). Recent discoveries have also shown that leonardite is solubilized by Lewis bases at considerably lower pH values and by fungi that secrete certain Lewis bases (i.e., oxalate ion). During the current reporting period we have studied the ability of a strong base (sodium hydroxide, pH 12), and two fungi, Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Trametes versicolor, to solubilize Argonne Premium Coals. In general, Argonne Premium Coals were relatively resistant to base mediated solubilization. However, when these coals were preoxidized (150{degrees}C for sevenmore » days), substantial amounts of several coals were solubilized. Most affected were the Lewiston-Stockton bituminous coal, the Beulah-Zap lignite, the Wyodak-Anderson subbituminous coal and the Blind Canyon bituminous coal. Argonne Premium Coals were previously shown by us to be relatively resistant to solubilization by sodium oxalate. When preoxidized coals were treated with sodium oxalate, only the Beulah-Zap lignite was substantially solubilized. Although very small amounts of the other preoxidized coals were solubilized by treatment with oxalate, the small amount of solubilization that did take place was generally increased relative to that observed for coals that were not preoxidized. None of the Argonne Premium Coals were solubilized by P. chrysosporium or T. versicolor. Of considerable interest, however, is the observation that P. chrysosporium and T. versicolor mediated extensive solubilization of Lewiston-Stockton bituminous coal, the Beulah-Zap lignite and the Wyodak-Anderson subbituminous coal.« less

Catalysts and process developments for two-stage liquefaction. Final technical report, October 1, 1989--September 30, 1992

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

Cronauer, D.C.; Swanson, A.J.; Sajkowski, D.J.

1992-12-31

Research in this project centered upon developing and evaluating catalysts and process improvements for coal liquefaction in the two-stage, close-coupled catalytic process. The major results are summarized here and they are described in more detail under each Task. In tasks for coal pretreatment and beneficiation, it was shown for coal handling that drying of both lignite or subbituminous coals using warm air, vacuum oven or exposing to air for long time was detrimental to subsequent liquefaction. Both laboratory and bench-scale beneficiations indicated that in order to achieve increased liquefaction yield for Illinois No. 6 bituminous coal, size separation with inmore » sink-float technique should be used. For subbituminous coal, the best beneficiation was aqueous SO{sub 2} treatment, which reduced mineral matter. In the case of lignite, the fines should be rejected prior to aqueous SO{sub 2} treatment and sink-float gravity separation. In liquefying coals with supported catalysts in both first and second stages, coal conversion was highest (93%) with Illinois No. 6 coal, which also had the highest total liquid yield of 80%, however, the product contained unacceptably high level of resid (30%). Both low rank coals gave lower conversion (85--87%) and liquid yields (57--59%), but lighter products (no resid). The analysis of spent first stage catalysts indicated significant sodium and calcium deposits causing severe deactivation. The second stage catalysts were in better condition showing high surface areas and low coke and metal deposits. The use of dispersed catalyst in the first stage would combat the severe deactivation.« less

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

Kevin C. Galbreath; Donald L. Toman; Christopher J. Zygarlicke

Petroleum coke, a byproduct of the petroleum-refining process, is an attractive primary or supplemental fuel for power production primarily because of a progressive and predictable increase in the production volumes of petroleum coke (1, 2). Petroleum coke is most commonly blended with coal in proportions suitable to meet sulfur emission compliance. Petroleum coke is generally less reactive than coal; therefore, the cofiring of petroleum coke with coal typically improves ignition, flame stability, and carbon loss relative to the combustion of petroleum coke alone. Although petroleum coke is a desirable fuel for producing relatively inexpensive electrical power, concerns about the effectsmore » of petroleum coke blending on combustion and pollution control processes exist in the coal-fired utility industry (3). The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) completed a 2-year technical assessment of petroleum coke as a supplemental fuel. A survey questionnaire was sent to seven electric utility companies that are currently cofiring coal and petroleum coke in an effort to solicit specific suggestions on research needs and fuel selections. An example of the letter and survey questionnaire is presented in Appendix A. Interest was expressed by most utilities in evaluating the effects of petroleum coke blending on grindability, combustion reactivity, fouling, slagging, and fly ash emissions control. Unexpectedly, concern over corrosion was not expressed by the utilities contacted. Although all seven utilities responded to the question, only two utilities, Northern States Power Company (NSP) and Ameren, sent fuels to the EERC for evaluation. Both utilities sent subbituminous coals from the Power River Basin and petroleum shot coke samples. Petroleum shot coke is produced unintentionally during operational upsets in the petroleum refining process. This report evaluates the effects of petroleum shot coke blending on grindability, fuel reactivity, fouling/slagging, and electrostatic precipitator (ESP) fly ash collection efficiency.« less

Alaska coal geology, resources, and coalbed methane potential

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flores, Romeo M.; Stricker, Gary D.; Kinney, Scott A.

2004-01-01

Estimated Alaska coal resources are largely in Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks distributed in three major provinces. Northern Alaska-Slope, Central Alaska-Nenana, and Southern Alaska-Cook Inlet. Cretaceous resources, predominantly bituminous coal and lignite, are in the Northern Alaska-Slope coal province. Most of the Tertiary resources, mainly lignite to subbituminous coal with minor amounts of bituminous and semianthracite coals, are in the other two provinces. The combined measured, indicated, inferred, and hypothetical coal resources in the three areas are estimated to be 5,526 billion short tons (5,012 billion metric tons), which constitutes about 87 percent of Alaska's coal and surpasses the total coal resources of the conterminous United States by 40 percent. Coal mining has been intermittent in the Central Alaskan-Nenana and Southern Alaska-Cook Inlet coal provinces, with only a small fraction of the identified coal resource having been produced from some dozen underground and strip mines in these two provinces. Alaskan coal resources have a lower sulfur content (averaging 0.3 percent) than most coals in the conterminous United States are within or below the minimum sulfur value mandated by the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments. The identified resources are near existing and planned infrastructure to promote development, transportation, and marketing of this low-sulfur coal. The relatively short distances to countries in the west Pacific Rim make them more exportable to these countries than to the lower 48 States of the United States. Another untapped but potential resource of large magnitude is coalbed methane, which has been estimated to total 1,000 trillion cubic feet (28 trillion cubic meters) by T.N. Smith 1995, Coalbed methane potential for Alaska and drilling results for the upper Cook Inlet Basin: Intergas, May 15 - 19, 1995, Tuscaloosa, University of Alabama, p. 1 - 21.

Those Perplexing U.S. Fertility Swings. A New Perspective on a 20th Century Puzzle. PRB Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masnick, George S.; McFalls, Joseph A., Jr.

Based on data derived from a study of three generations of black women in Philadelphia in 1975, the report offers a new explanation of fertility differences between generations, population subgroups, and individuals. The authors hypothesize that varying fertility patterns are due to societal norms and circumstances which influence womens'…

The Undercount in the 2000 Census. A Kids Count/PRB Report on Census 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edmonston, Barry

Every 10 years, the national census describes the number of U.S. residents and their characteristics. This decennial census, however, is subject to error. This report summarizes what is known about census undercount and methods used to adjust census data, emphasizing the undercount of children and minorities. The Census Bureau reported that more…

LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE OF PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS: LESSONS LEARNED ON DESIGN, CONTAMINANT TREATMENT, LONGEVITY, PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND COST - AN OVERVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

An overview of permeable reactive barrier (PRB) performance for field sites in the U.S. was evaluated over the last 10 years by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Office of Research and Development (EPA-ORD) in collaboration with other U.S. federal agencies, consulting co...

USE OF PRETREATMENT ZONES AND ZERO-VALENT IRON FOR THE REMEDIATION OF CHLOROALKENES IN AN OXIC AQUIFER

EPA Science Inventory

Pre-treatment zones (PTZs) composed of sand, 10% zero-valent iron [Fe(0)]/sand, and 10% pyrite (FeS2)/sand were examined for their ability to prolong Fe(0) reactivity in aboveground column reactors and a subsurface permeable reactive barrier (PRB). The test site had an acidic, o...

THE APPLICATION OF PRB TECHNOLOGY AT TWO SITES: LESSONS LEARNED AFTER 7 YEARS OF PERFORMANCE MONITORING

EPA Science Inventory

In June of 1996, a 46 m long, 7.3 m deep, and 0.6 m wide permeable reactive barrier (continuous wall configuration) of zero-valent iron was installed at the USCG-SC site. The reactive wall was designed to remediate hexavalent chromium-contaminated groundwater, in addition to tre...

78 FR 211 - Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion, Research and Information Order; Referendum Procedures

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-02

... Service 7 CFR Part 1222 Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion, Research and Information Order... [Document Number AMS-FV-11-0069 PR-B] RIN 0581-AD21 Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion, Research and... referendum to determine whether issuance of a proposed Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion, Research...

Secondary gas emissions during coal desorption, Marathon Grassim Oskolkoff-1 Well, Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska: Implications for resource assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barker, C.E.; Dallegge, T.

2006-01-01

Cuttings samples of sub-bituminous humic coals from the Oligocene to Pliocene Tyonek Formation, Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska show secondary gas emissions whose geochemistry is consistent with renewed microbial methanogenesis during canister desorption. The renewed methanogenesis was noted after initial desorption measurements had ceased and a canister had an air and desorbed gas mixture backflow into the canister during a measurement. About a week after this event, a secondary emission of gas began and continued for over two years. The desorbed gas volume reached a new maximum, increasing the total from 3.3 to 4.9 litres, some 48% above the pre-contamination total volume. The gases released during desorption show a shift in the isotopic signature over time of methane from ??13CCH4 of -53.60 ??? and ??DCH4 of -312.60 ??? at the first day to ??13CCH4 of -57.06 ??? and ??DCH4 of -375.80 ??? after 809 days, when the experiment was arbitrarily stopped and the canister opened to study the coal. These isotopic data, interpreted using a Bernard Diagram, indicate a shift from a mixed thermogenic and biogenic source typical of natural gases in the coals and conventional gas reservoirs of the Cook Inlet Basin to a likely biogenic acetate-fermentation methane source. However, the appearance of CO2 during the renewed gas emissions with a ??13CCO2 of +26.08 to +21.72 ???, interpreted using the carbon isotope fractions found for acetate fermentation and CO2 reduction between CO2 and CH4 by Jenden and Kaplan (1986), indicates a biogenic CO2-reduction pathway may also be operative during renewed gas emission. Adding nutrients to the coal cuttings and canister water and culturing the microbial consortia under anaerobic conditions led to additional methane-rich gas generation in the laboratory. After this anaerobic culturing, ultraviolet microscopy showed that canister water contained common, fluorescent, rod-like microbes comparable to Methanobacterium sp. Scanning electron microscope investigations of the coal matrix showed several morphological types of microbes, including rod, cocci and spherical forms attached to the coal surface. These microbes apparently represent at least a portion of the microbial consortia needed to depolymerize coal, as well as to generate the observed secondary methane emission from the canister. The introduction of 48% more methane from secondary sources has a major impact on coal-bed methane resource assessments and also in determining the true, in-situ degree of methane saturation in coal-beds using isotherms. Canister and isotherm measurements that show "supersaturation" of methane may actually be the result of additional gases generated during secondary methanogenesis.

Preliminary Public Design Report for the Texas Clean Energy Project: Topical Report - Phase 1, June 2010-July 2011

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

Mattes, Karl

Summit Texas Clean Energy, LLC (Summit) is developing the Texas Clean Energy Project (TCEP or the project) to be located near Penwell, Texas. The TCEP will include an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant with a nameplate capacity of 400 megawatts electric (MWe), combined with the production of urea fertilizer and the capture, utilization and storage of carbon dioxide (CO 2) sold commercially for regional use in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in the Permian Basin of west Texas. The TCEP will utilize coal gasification technology to convert Powder River Basin sub-bituminous coal delivered by rail from Wyoming into a syntheticmore » gas (syngas) which will be cleaned and further treated so that at least 90 percent of the overall carbon entering the facility will be captured. The clean syngas will then be divided into two high-hydrogen (H 2) concentration streams, one of which will be combusted as a fuel in a combined cycle power block for power generation and the other converted into urea fertilizer for commercial sale. The captured CO 2 will be divided into two streams: one will be used in producing the urea fertilizer and the other will be compressed for transport by pipeline for offsite use in EOR. The TCEP was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) for cost-shared co-funded financial assistance under Round 3 of its Clean Coal Power Initiative (CCPI). A portion of this financial assistance was budgeted and provided for initial development, permitting and design activities. Front-end Engineering and Design (FEED) commenced in June 2010 and was completed in July 2011, setting the design basis for entering into the detailed engineering phase of the project. During Phase 1, TCEP conducted and completed the FEED, applied for and received its air construction permit, provided engineering and other technical information required for development of the draft Environmental Impact Statement, and completed contracts for the sale of all of the urea and most of the CO 2. Significant progress was made on the contracts for the purchase of coal feedstock from Cloud Peak Energy’s Cordero Rojo mine and the sale of electricity to CPS Energy, as well as a memorandum of understanding with the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) for delivery of the coal to the TCEP site.« less

Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Davis, Katherine J.; Varonka, Matthew; Orem, William H.; Cunningham, Alfred B.; Ramsay, Bradley D.; Fields, Matthew W.

2017-01-01

Many coal beds contain microbial communities that can convert coal to natural gas (coalbed methane). Native microorganisms were obtained from Powder River Basin (PRB) coal seams with a diffusive microbial sampler placed downhole and used as an inoculum for enrichments with different nutrients to investigate microbially-enhanced coalbed methane production (MECoM). Coal-dependent methanogenesis more than doubled when yeast extract (YE) and several less complex components (proteins and amino acids) were added to the laboratory microcosms. Stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis with peptone was 86% of that with YE while glutamate-stimulated activity was 65% of that with YE, and a vitamin mix had only 33% of the YE stimulated activity. For field application of MECoM, there is interest in identifying cost-effective alternatives to YE and other expensive nutrients. In laboratory studies, adding algal extract (AE) with lipids removed stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis and the activity was 60% of that with YE at 27 d and almost 90% of YE activity at 1406 d. Analysis of British Thermal Unit (BTU) content of coal (a measure of potential energy yield) from long-term incubations indicated > 99.5% of BTU content remained after coalbed methane (CBM) stimulation with either AE or YE. Thus, the coal resource remains largely unchanged following stimulated microbial methane production. Algal CBM stimulation could lead to technologies that utilize coupled biological systems (photosynthesis and methane production) that sustainably enhance CBM production and generate algal biofuels while also sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2).

Biodegradation and bioconversion of coals by fungi: Technical report No. 6 for the period December 1, 1986-February 28, 1987. [Candida sp. , Cunninghamella sp. , Acremonium sp. , and Trametes versicolor

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

Ward, B.

We continued our tests for biosolubilization activity on lignite, subbituminous, and bituminous coals, using both surface solubilization and agar diffusion assays for selected lignite-solubilizing strains challenged with untreated and treated coals shown in earlier tests to be resistant to biosolubilization. These latter were subjected to treatments with heat or pressurized oxygen atmosphere, or to combinations of the same. We have observed biosolubilization of some weathered high-rank coals by some of the fungal isolates tested. 1 tab.

Some peat deposits in Penobscot County, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cameron, Cornelia Clermont; Anderson, Walter A.

1979-01-01

Twenty of the peat deposits in Penobscot County, Maine contain an estimated 29,282,000 short tons air-dried peat. The peat is chiefly sphagnum moss and reed-sedge of high quality according to ASTM standards for agricultural and horticultural use. Analyses show that this same volume has high fuel value, low sulfur and high hydrogen contents compared with lignite and sub-bituminous coal, which may indicate that it also has potential for fuel use. On the basis of the metallic trace element content, one area within the region containing the 20 deposits has been delineated for further bedrock studies.

Economic comparison of fabric filters and electrostatic precipitators for particulate control on coal-fired utility boilers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cukor, P. M.; Chapman, R. A.

1978-01-01

The uncertainties and associated costs involved in selecting and designing a particulate control device to meet California's air emission regulations are considered. The basic operating principles of electrostatic precipitators and fabric filters are discussed, and design parameters are identified. The size and resulting cost of the control device as a function of design parameters is illustrated by a case study for an 800 MW coal-fired fired utility boiler burning a typical southwestern subbituminous coal. The cost of selecting an undersized particulate control device is compared with the cost of selecting an oversized device.

Cretaceous sedimentation and tectonism in the southeastern Kaiparowits region, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, Fred

1969-01-01

Upper Cretaceous strata in the southeastern Kaiparowits region of south-central Utah consist of approximately 3,500 feet of interfingering sandstone, mudstone, shale, and coal in the Dakota Formation (oldest), Tropic Shale, Straight Cliffs Formation, and Wahweap Formation (youngest). The formations consist of several depositional facies that can be recognized by characteristic lithologies bedding structures, and fossils; these are the alluvial plain, deltaic plain, lagoonal-paludal, barrier sandstone, and offshore marine facies. The distribution of facies clearly defines the paleogeography of the region during several cycles of marine transgression and regression. The nonmarine beds were deposited on a broad alluvial coastal plain that was bordered on the west and southwest by highlands and on the east and northeast by the Western Interior seaway. The marine beds were deposited whenever the seaway advanced into or across the region. The Dakota Formation and the lower part of the Tropic Shale were deposited in nonmarine and marine environments, while the shoreline advanced generally westward across the region. The middle and upper part of the Tropic Shale and the Tibbet Canyon and Smoky Hollow Members of the Straight Cliffs Formation were deposited in marine and nonmarine environments when the seaway had reached its greatest areal extent and began a gradual northeastward withdrawal. An unconformity at the top of the Smoky Hollow represents a period of erosion and possibly nondeposition before deposition of the John Henry Member of the Straight Cliffs. The John Henry Member grades from nonmarine in the southwest to predominantly marine in the northeast, and was deposited during two relatively minor cycles of transgression and regression. The Drip Tank Member at the top of the Straight Cliffs Formation is a widespread sandstone unit deposited mainly in fluvial environments. Some of the beds in the northeastern part of the region were probably deposited in marine waters during the final incursion of the seaway into the Kaiparowits region. The overlying Wahweap Formation was deposited in nonmarine environments. Slight but continued tectonism during Late Cretaceous time is indicated by lateral changes of facies and thickness variations that coincide at least partly with present structures. These criteria indicate that Laramide tectonism consisted of two phases. An early phase that lasted from about late Albian to late Campanian time included regional subsidence, basin downwarping, and movement on local folds and faults. A later phase that lasted from late Campanian to about late Paleocene time included regional uplift, monoclinal flexing, and probable new faulting, as well as continued basin downwarping and movement on local folds and probably on the older faults. The principal economic resource in the Kaiparowits region is bituminous or subbituminous coal in the john Henry Member. Because basin downwarping and movement on local folds occurred during deposition, the thicker and more continuous coal beds are in the ancestral synclines and tile deeper part of the structural basin. Presently indicated resources total 7.3 billion tons, but considerably larger quantities are probably present in the unexplored parts of the region. Several potential resources include ground water, titaniferous sandstone, and possibly oil and gas.

IN-SITU REMEDIATION OF ARSENIC IN SIMULATED GROUNDWATER USING ZEROVALENT IRON: LABORATORY COLUMN TESTS ON COMBINED EFFECTS OF PHOSPHATE AND SILICATE

EPA Science Inventory

We performed three column tests to study the behavior of permeable reactive barrier (PRB) materials to remove arsenic under dynamic flow conditions in the absence, as well as in the presence, of added phosphate and silicate. The column consisted of a 10.3-cm depth of 50 : 50 (w :...

The Department of Education's Limits on Publications: Saving Money or Censorship? Sixtieth Report by the Committee on Government Operations together with Dissenting and Supplemental Views.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U. S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Government Operations.

This report discusses an oversight investigation of the Department of Education's Publication and Audio Visual Council (PAVAC) and its successor, the Publications Review Board (PRB). Background information is provided about the review process for publications and products; the Women's Educational Equity Act (WEEA) program; educational laboratories…

75 FR 57796 - Membership of the Federal Labor Relations Authority's Senior Executive Service Performance Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-22

... or more Performance Review Boards (PRB). Section 4314(c)(4) requires that notice of appointment of... Relations Authority. Authority: 5 U.S.C. 4134(c)(4). Dated: September 17, 2010. Sonna Stampone, Executive...: Section 4314(c) of Title 5, U.S.C. (as amended by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978) requires each...

Size Effects in Dye-Sensitized TiO2 Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marom, Noa; Körzdörfer, Thomas; Ren, Xinguo; Tkatchenko, Alexandre; Chelikowsky, James

2014-03-01

The development of solar cells is driven by the need for clean and sustainable energy. Organic and dye sensitized cells are considered as promising technologies, particularly for large area, low cost applications. However, the efficiency of such cells is still far from the theoretical limit. Ab initio simulations may be used for computer-aided design of new materials and nano-structures for more efficient solar cells. It is essential to obtain an accurate description of the electronic structure, including the fundamental gaps and energy level alignment at the interfaces in the device active region. This requires going beyond ground-state DFT to the GW approximation. A recently developed GW method [PRB 86, 041110R (2012)] is applied to dye-sensitized TiO2 clusters [PRB 84, 245115 (2011)]. The effect of cluster size on the energy level alignment at the dye-TiO2 interface is discussed. With the increase in the TiO2 cluster size its gap narrows. The gap of the molecule attached to the cluster subsequently narrows due to screening. As a result, the energy level alignment at the interface changes in an unexpected way [Marom, Körzdörfer, Ren, Tkatchenko, Chelikowsky, to be published].

E2F1 transcription factor and its impact on growth factor and cytokine signaling.

PubMed

Ertosun, Mustafa Gokhan; Hapil, Fatma Zehra; Osman Nidai, Ozes

2016-10-01

E2F1 is a transcription factor involved in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis. The transactivation capacity of E2F1 is regulated by pRb. In its hypophosphorylated form, pRb binds and inactivates DNA binding and transactivating functions of E2F1. The growth factor stimulation of cells leads to activation of CDKs (cyclin dependent kinases), which in turn phosphorylate Rb and hyperphosphorylated Rb is released from E2F1 or E2F1/DP complex, and free E2F1 can induce transcription of several genes involved in cell cycle entry, induction or inhibition of apoptosis. Thus, growth factors and cytokines generally utilize E2F1 to direct cells to either fate. Furthermore, E2F1 regulates expressions of various cytokines and growth factor receptors, establishing positive or negative feedback mechanisms. This review focuses on the relationship between E2F1 transcription factor and cytokines (IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-6, TGF-beta, G-CSF, LIF), growth factors (EGF, KGF, VEGF, IGF, FGF, PDGF, HGF, NGF), and interferons (IFN-α, IFN-β and IFN-γ). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Retinoblastoma

PubMed Central

Dimaras, Helen; Corson, Timothy W.; Cobrinik, David; White, Abby; Zhao, Junyang; Munier, Francis L.; Abramson, David H.; Shields, Carol L.; Chantada, Guillermo L.; Njuguna, Festus; Gallie, Brenda L.

2017-01-01

Retinoblastoma is a rare cancer of the infant retina, which forms when both RB1 alleles mutate in a susceptible retinal cell, likely a cone photoreceptor precursor. Loss of the tumour suppressor functions of the retinoblastoma protein, pRB, leads to uncontrolled cell division and recurrent genomic changes during tumour progression. Although pRB is expressed in virtually all tissues, cone precursors have biochemical and molecular features that may sensitize to RB1 loss to enable tumourigenesis. Retinoblastoma is diagnosed in ~8,000 children each year worldwide. Patient survival is >95% in high-income countries, but <30% globally. However, outcomes are improving through increasing awareness for earlier diagnosis, new guidelines and sharing of expertise. Intra-arterial and intravitreal chemotherapy have emerged as promising methods to salvage eyes. Ongoing international collaborations will replace the multiple different classifications of eye involvement with standardized definitions to consistently assess eligibility, efficacy and safety of treatment options. Life-long follow-up is warranted since survivors of heritable retinoblastoma are at risk for developing second cancers. Defining the molecular consequences of RB1 loss in diverse tissues may open new avenues for treatment and prevention of retinoblastoma as well as second cancers in patients with germline RB1 mutations. PMID:27189421

Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive for Enhanced Mercury Control - Task 5 Full-Scale Test Results

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

Gary Blythe; MariJon Owens

2007-12-01

This Topical Report summarizes progress on Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-04NT42309, 'Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive'. The objective of the project is to demonstrate the use of two flue gas desulfurization (FGD) additives, Evonik Degussa Corporation's TMT-15 and Nalco Company's Nalco 8034, to prevent the re-emission of elemental mercury (Hg{sup 0}) in flue gas exiting wet FGD systems on coal-fired boilers. Furthermore, the project intends to demonstrate whether the additive can be used to precipitate most of the mercury (Hg) removed in the wet FGD system as a fine salt that can be separated from the FGD liquor and bulkmore » solid byproducts for separate disposal. The project is conducting pilot- and full-scale tests of the additives in wet FGD absorbers. The tests are intended to determine required additive dosages to prevent Hg{sup 0} re-emissions and to separate mercury from the normal FGD byproducts for three coal types: Texas lignite/Powder River Basin (PRB) coal blend, high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal, and low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal. The project team consists of URS Group, Inc., EPRI, Luminant Power (was TXU Generation Company LP), Southern Company, IPL (an AES company), Evonik Degussa Corporation and the Nalco Company. Luminant Power has provided the Texas lignite/PRB co-fired test site for pilot FGD tests and cost sharing. Southern Company has provided the low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal host site for wet scrubbing tests, as well as the pilot- and full-scale jet bubbling reactor (JBR) FGD systems tested. IPL provided the high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal full-scale FGD test site and cost sharing. Evonik Degussa Corporation is providing the TMT-15 additive, and the Nalco Company is providing the Nalco 8034 additive. Both companies are also supplying technical support to the test program as in-kind cost sharing. The project is being conducted in six tasks. Of the six project tasks, Task 1 involves project planning and Task 6 involves management and reporting. The other four tasks involve field testing on FGD systems, either at pilot or full scale. The four tasks include: Task 2 - Pilot Additive Testing in Texas Lignite Flue Gas; Task 3 - Full-scale FGD Additive Testing in High-sulfur Eastern Bituminous Flue Gas; Task 4 - Pilot Wet Scrubber Additive Tests at Plant Yates; and Task 5 - Full-scale Additive Tests at Plant Yates. The pilot-scale tests and the full-scale test using high-sulfur coal were completed in 2005 and 2006 and have been previously reported. This topical report presents the results from the Task 5 full-scale additive tests, conducted at Southern Company's Plant Yates Unit 1. Both additives were tested there.« less

Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive for Enhanced Mercury Control - Task 3 Full-scale Test Results

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

Gary Blythe

2007-05-01

This Topical Report summarizes progress on Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-04NT42309, 'Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive'. The objective of the project is to demonstrate the use of a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) additive, Degussa Corporation's TMT-15, to prevent the reemission of elemental mercury (Hg{sup 0}) in flue gas exiting wet FGD systems on coal-fired boilers. Furthermore, the project intends to demonstrate whether the additive can be used to precipitate most of the mercury (Hg) removed in the wet FGD system as a fine TMT salt that can be separated from the FGD liquor and bulk solid byproducts for separate disposal.more » The project is conducting pilot- and full-scale tests of the TMT-15 additive in wet FGD absorbers. The tests are intended to determine required additive dosages to prevent Hg{sup 0} reemissions and to separate mercury from the normal FGD byproducts for three coal types: Texas lignite/Power River Basin (PRB) coal blend, high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal, and low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal. The project team consists of URS Group, Inc., EPRI, TXU Generation Company LP, Southern Company, and Degussa Corporation. TXU Generation has provided the Texas lignite/PRB cofired test site for pilot FGD tests, Monticello Steam Electric Station Unit 3. Southern Company is providing the low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal host site for wet scrubbing tests, as well as the pilot- and full-scale jet bubbling reactor (JBR) FGD systems to be tested. IPL, an AES company, provided the high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal full-scale FGD test site and cost sharing. Degussa Corporation is providing the TMT-15 additive and technical support to the test program as cost sharing. The project is being conducted in six tasks. Of the six project tasks, Task 1 involves project planning and Task 6 involves management and reporting. The other four tasks involve field testing on FGD systems, either at pilot or full scale. The four tasks include: Task 2 - Pilot Additive Testing in Texas Lignite Flue Gas; Task 3 - Full-scale FGD Additive Testing in High-sulfur Eastern Bituminous Flue Gas; Task 4 - Pilot Wet Scrubber Additive Tests at Plant Yates; and Task 5 - Full-scale Additive Tests at Plant Yates. The pilot-scale tests were completed in 2005 and have been previously reported. This topical report presents the results from the Task 3 full-scale additive tests, conducted at IPL's Petersburg Station Unit 2. The Task 5 full-scale additive tests will be conducted later in calendar year 2007.« less

Water quality impacts of hydraulic-fracturing chemicals observed in a permeable, quartz-sand aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kent, D. B.; LeBlanc, D. R.; Smith, R. L.

2012-12-01

A pilot scale experiment was conducted on western Cape Cod, Massachusetts to test the use of hydraulic fracturing (HF) for emplacing permeable reactive barriers (PRB) where the water table is too far below land surface to use standard excavation methods. Two PRB were emplaced 24 to 36 meters below land surface in a plume with low concentrations of perchloroethylene in oxic, mildly acidic groundwater with low concentrations of dissolved salts. The granular aquifer sediments consist of permeable sands and gravels. Quartz comprises greater than 90% by weight of the aquifer sediments but chemical reactivity of the sediments is controlled by micrometer-scale chlorite and illite and nanometer-scale aluminum-substituted goethite. HF fluids contained guar gum (gelling agent), cellulose enzyme and acetic acid (breakers), sodium borate (cross-linker), potassium (K) carbonate (pH adjustor), and sodium (Na) chloride (tracer). Water-quality impacts within about 20 meters of the PRB were monitored over a 1.7-year period following HF. Arrival of HF-chemicals was marked by an increase in boron (B) from ambient concentrations of 6 uM to >800 uM. B concentrations rose for approximately 50 days, much longer than the 22-day period over which HF was conducted. B concentrations subsequently decreased but remained 2-3 times above background concentrations for almost one year. Elevated Na and K concentrations in the HF fluids drove sorption (including ion exchange) reactions resulting in transient increases in naturally occurring major, minor, and trace cations up to 20 to 50 times background concentrations. Increases in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and decreases in dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations were observed as B concentrations increased. DOC concentration subsequently decreased but remained significantly above background. DO concentrations remained below detection. Dissolved iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) concentrations increased as DO concentrations decreased below detection and remained elevated 1.7 years after HF. Reactions with Fe in the PRB may have contributed to the observed Fe concentrations but Mn was likely released from the aquifer sediments. Fe and Mn concentrations remained elevated throughout the sampling period. Dissolved arsenic concentrations increased after anaerobic conditions were established from below detection to 0.3-0.5 uM. HF fluids contained only a subset of the chemicals used in typical HF stimulations and aquifer sediments were likely less reactive than aquifer solids at other sites. Despite these differences, several findings have applicability to other sites. B is a potentially useful tracer of intrusion of HF fluids into aquifers, but elevated concentrations may be short-lived. Sorption reactions driven by differences in dissolved salt concentrations between HF fluids and ambient groundwater result in changes in cation concentrations, including barium and strontium. Organic compounds in HF fluids may drive aerobic aquifers anaerobic. Anaerobic conditions may lead to mobilization of naturally occurring contaminants like arsenic, whose reduced forms are more mobile than oxidized forms.

Direct liquefaction proof-of-concept program. Finaltopical report, Bench Run 4 (227-95)

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

Comolli, A.G.; Pradhan, V.R.; Lee, T.L.K.

This report presents the results of bench-scale work, Bench Run PB-04, conducted under the DOE Proof of Concept-Bench Option Program in direct coal liquefaction at Hydrocarbon Technologies, Inc. in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. The Bench Run PB-04 was the fifth of the nine runs planned in the POC Bench Option Contract between the U.S. DOE and Hydrocarbon Technologies, Inc. Bench Run PB-04 had multiple goals. These included the evaluation of the effects of dispersed slurry catalyst system on the performance of direct liquefaction of a subbituminous Wyoming Black Thunder mine coal under extinction recycle (454{degrees}C+ recycle) condition; another goal was tomore » investigate the effects of the combined processing of automobile shredder residue (auto-fluff) with coal and other organic waste materials. PB-04 employed a two-stage, back-mixed, slurry reactor system with an interstage V/L separator and an in-line fixed-bed hydrotreater. The HTI`s newly modified P/Fe catalyst was very effective for direct liquefaction and coprocessing of Black Thunder mine subbituminous coal with Hondo resid and auto-fluff; during `coal-only` liquefaction mode, over 93% maf coal conversion was obtained with about 90% residuum conversion and as high as 67% light distillate (C{sub 4}-975 F) yield, while during `coprocessing` mode of operation, distillate yields varied between 58 and 69%; the residuum conversions varied between 74 and 89% maf. Overall, it is concluded, based upon the yield data available from PB-04, that auto-effective as MSW plastics in improving coal hydroconversion process performance. Auto-fluff did not increase light distillate yields nor decrease light gas make and chemical hydrogen consumption in coal liquefaction, as was observed to occur with MSW plastics.« less

Advanced liquefaction using coal swelling and catalyst dispersion techniques. Quarterly progress report, July--September 1993

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

Curtis, C.W.; Gutterman, C.; Chander, S.

The overall objective of this project is to develop a new approach for the direct liquefaction of coal to produce an all-distillate product slate at a sizable cost reduction over current technology. The approach integrates coal selection, pretreatment, coal swelling with catalyst impregnation, liquefaction, product recovery with characterization, alternate bottoms processing, and carrying out a technical assessment including an economic evaluation. The primary coal of this program, Black Thunder subbituminous coal, can be effectively beneficiated to about 3.5 wt % ash using aqueous sulfurous acid pretreatment. This treated coal can be further beneficiated to about 2 wt % ash usingmore » commercially available procedures. All three coals used in this study (Black Thunder, Burning Star bituminous, and Martin Lake lignite) are effectively swelled by a number of solvents. The most effective solvents are those having hetero-functionality. laboratory- and bench-scale liquefaction experimentation is underway using swelled and catalyst impregnated coal samples. Higher coal conversions were observed for the SO{sub 2}-treated subbituminous coal than the raw coal, regardless of catalyst type. Conversions of swelled coal were highest when Molyvan L, molybdenum naphthenate, and nickel octoate, respectively, were added to the liquefaction solvent. The study of bottoms processing consists of combining the ASCOT process which consists of coupling solvent deasphalting with delayed coking to maximize the production of coal-derived liquids while rejecting solids within the coke drum. The asphalt production phase has been completed; representative product has been evaluated. The solvent system for the deasphalting process has been established. Two ASCOT tests produced overall liquid yields (63.3 wt % and 61.5 wt %) that exceeded the combined liquid yields from the vacuum tower and ROSE process.« less

Field Testing of Cryogenic Carbon Capture

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

Sayre, Aaron; Frankman, Dave; Baxter, Andrew

Sustainable Energy Solutions has been developing Cryogenic Carbon Capture™ (CCC) since 2008. In that time two processes have been developed, the External Cooling Loop and Compressed Flue Gas Cryogenic Carbon Capture processes (CCC ECL™ and CCC CFG™ respectively). The CCC ECL™ process has been scaled up to a 1TPD CO2 system. In this process the flue gas is cooled by an external refrigerant loop. SES has tested CCC ECL™ on real flue gas slip streams from subbituminous coal, bituminous coal, biomass, natural gas, shredded tires, and municipal waste fuels at field sites that include utility power stations, heating plants, cementmore » kilns, and pilot-scale research reactors. The CO2 concentrations from these tests ranged from 5 to 22% on a dry basis. CO2 capture ranged from 95-99+% during these tests. Several other condensable species were also captured including NO2, SO2 and PMxx at 95+%. NO was also captured at a modest rate. The CCC CFG™ process has been scaled up to a .25 ton per day system. This system has been tested on real flue gas streams including subbituminous coal, bituminous coal and natural gas at field sites that include utility power stations, heating plants, and pilot-scale research reactors. CO2 concentrations for these tests ranged from 5 to 15% on a dry basis. CO2 capture ranged from 95-99+% during these tests. Several other condensable species were also captured including NO2, SO2 and PMxx at 95+%. NO was also captured at 90+%. Hg capture was also verified and the resulting effluent from CCC CFG™ was below a 1ppt concentration. This paper will focus on discussion of the capabilities of CCC, the results of field testing and the future steps surrounding the development of this technology.« less

Children in Puerto Rico: Results from the 2000 Census. A KIDS COUNT/PRB Report on Census 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mather, Mark

This report provides data on children in Puerto Rico based on the 2000 U.S. Census. It compares the situation of Puerto Rico's children with that of children living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, noting how characteristics of Puerto Rican children have changed over time. Between 1990-2000, the number of Puerto Rican children…

Development of Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRB) Using Edible Oils

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

developed for the in-situ treatment of hazardous constituents including chlorinated solvents, perchlorate (ClO4-), chromate (CrO4-2) and oxidized... beef tallow, melted corn oil margarine, coconut oil and molasses supported the complete reductive dehalogenation of PCE to ethene in microcosms using...anaerobic bioremediation processes are being developed for the in-situ treatment of hazardous constituents including chlorinated solvents, perchlorate

Permeable Reactive Barriers: Lessons Learned/New Directions

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-02-01

set up to treat simulated mine drainage indicates that the sulfide minerals form in close proximity to the organic solids (Waybrant, Ptacek, and...both vertically and horizontally along the PRB installation area. Groundwater and solute transport modeling can be used to simulate representative...2001; Elder, Benson, and Eykholt 2002). The numerical simulations show that the spatial variations in the hydraulic conductivity of both the aquifer

Children in American Samoa: Results of the 2000 Census. A KIDS COUNT/PRB Report on Census 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, MD.

Using 2000 U.S. Census data, this report compares the situation of children in American Samoa to children's situations in neighboring territories and the nation overall. Between 1999-2000, the number of children in American Samoa increased 24 percent, while the increase was only 14 percent nationwide during the past decade. In 2000, 45 percent of…

Guidance for Optimizing Remedy Evaluation, Selection, and Design

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-04-01

attenuation [MNA] and phytovolatilization) and to enhance these processes using low energy techniques (PRB and engineered phytoremediation ) for...technically and commercially viable. This approach promotes the in situ treatment of contaminants through several means such as phytoremediation ... Mercury Burial Sites I and II and Site 11 – Former Waste Oil Tanks 6 and 7) within the boundaries of the Jamaica Island Landfill (JILF). The JILF

Ozone-induced gene expression occurs via ethylene-dependent and -independent signalling.

PubMed

Grimmig, Bernhard; Gonzalez-Perez, Maria N; Leubner-Metzger, Gerhard; Vögeli-Lange, Regina; Meins, Fred; Hain, Rüdiger; Penuelas, Josep; Heidenreich, Bernd; Langebartels, Christian; Ernst, Dieter; Sandermann, Heinrich

2003-03-01

Recent studies suggest that ethylene is involved in signalling ozone-induced gene expression. We show here that application of ozone increased glucuronidase (GUS) expression of chimeric reporter genes regulated by the promoters of the tobacco class I beta-1,3-glucanases (GLB and Gln2) and the grapevine resveratrol synthase (Vst1) genes in transgenic tobacco leaves. 5'-deletion analysis of the class I beta-1,3-glucanase promoter revealed that ozone-induced gene regulation is mainly mediated by the distal enhancer region containing the positively acting ethylene-responsive element (ERE). In addition, application of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an inhibitor of ethylene action, blocked ozone-induced class I beta-1,3-glucanase promoter activity. Enhancer activity and ethylene-responsiveness depended on the integrity of the GCC boxes, cis-acting elements present in the ERE of the class I beta-1,3-glucanase and the basic-type pathogenesis-related PR-1 protein (PRB-1b) gene promoters. The minimal PRB-1b promoter containing only the ERE with intact GCC boxes, was sufficient to confer 10-fold ozone inducibility to a GUS-reporter gene, while a substitution mutation in the GCC box abolished ozone responsiveness. The ERE region of the class I beta-1,3-glucanase promoter containing two intact GCC boxes confered strong ozone inducibility to a minimal cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S RNA promoter, whereas two single-base substitution in the GCC boxes resulted in a complete loss of ozone inducibility. Taken together, these datastrongly suggest that ethylene is signalling ozone-induced expression of class I beta-l,3-glucanase and PRB-1b genes. Promoter analysis of the stilbene synthase Vst1 gene unravelled different regions for ozone and ethylene-responsiveness. Application of 1-MCP blocked ethylene-induced Vst1 induction, but ozone induction was not affected. This shows that ozone-induced gene expression occurs via at least two different signalling mechanisms and suggests an additional ethylene independent signalling pathway for ozone-induced expression of genes involved in phytoalexin biosynthesis.

Huminite reflectance measurements of Paleocene and Upper Cretaceous coals from borehole cuttings, Zavala and Dimmit counties, South Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hackley, Paul C.; Hook, Robert W.; Warwick, Peter D.

2005-01-01

The reflectance of huminite in 19 cuttings samples was determined in support of ongoing investigations into the coal bed methane potential of subsurface Paleocene and Upper Cretaceous coals of South Texas. Coal cuttings were obtained from the Core Research Center of the Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin. Geophysical logs, mud-gas logs, driller's logs, completion cards, and scout tickets were used to select potentially coal-bearing sample suites and to identify specific sample depths. Reflectance measurements indicate coals of subbituminous rank are present in a wider area in South Texas than previously recognized.

Organic intermediates in the anaerobic biodegradation of coal to methane under laboratory conditions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orem, William H.; Voytek, Mary A.; Jones, Elizabeth J.; Lerch, Harry E.; Bates, Anne L.; Corum, Margo D.; Warwick, Peter D.; Clark, Arthur C.

2010-01-01

Organic intermediates in coal fluids produced by anaerobic biodegradation of geopolymers in coal play a key role in the production of methane in natural gas reservoirs. Laboratory biodegradation experiments on sub-bituminous coal from Texas, USA, were conducted using bioreactors to examine the organic intermediates relevant to methane production. Production of methane in the bioreactors was linked to acetate accumulation in bioreactor fluid. Long chain fatty acids, alkanes (C19–C36) and various low molecular weight aromatics, including phenols, also accumulated in the bioreactor fluid and appear to be the primary intermediates in the biodegradation pathway from coal-derived geopolymers to acetate and methane.

Advanced direct coal liquefaction concepts. Quarterly report, July 1--September 30, 1994

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

Berger, D.J.; Parker, R.J.; Simpson, P.L.

All the reports required for completion of the contract were submitted this quarter. A proposal for further work in Phase 2 was also submitted. The technical and economic assessment of the process was completed. The results show that for the base case scenario (25% equity, 15% after tax DCF-ROE) coal derived synthetic crude oil can be produced at just below US $30 per barrel. The study was based on the production of 75,000 BPD of C{sub 4+} synthetic crude oil from Black Thunder coal for subsequent processing in a conventional petroleum refinery from Black Thunder (Wyoming) subbituminous coal.

Ship Operation Research and Development, A Program for Industry.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

severe economic pressures. While protective legislation may still be afforded the U.S. merchant marine, both the market and the government require...national strategy to enhance the country’s competi- tive posture in international markets . 2 o Research and development pr-->,b in other countries having...operation, maritime technology, market analysis, and the use of ports and terminals. As of October 1981, the agency had 157 projects under way

Advances in Permeable Reactive Barrier Technologies

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-08-01

technical methods, such as jetting and hydraulic fracturing , has improved the ability to access deeper aquifers. Table 1 describes the established and...34, Cape Canaveral Air Station, FL. Hydraulic Fracturing 120 A series of wells are installed along the length of the PRB. A vertical fracture is...especially helpful with deep instal- lation methods, such as hydraulic fracturing , where the barrier installed is just a few inches thick. A second, new type

Children in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Results of the 2000 Census. A KIDS COUNT/PRB Report on Census 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mather, Mark

Using 2000 U.S. Census data, this report compares the situation of children in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to children's situations in neighboring territories and the nation overall. Between 1990-2000, the number of children in the Northern Mariana Islands increased 49 percent, while the number increased nationwide by only 14…

Prokaryotic cDNA Subtraction: A Method to Rapidly Identify Functional Gene Biomarkers

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) must not only be present, but they must also synthesize the enzymes that catalyze perchlorate reduction. The...synthesis of specific enzymes , termed gene expression, is often regulated by each cell in response to environmental conditions (e.g., influent water...diverse. MBT that target functional genes (e.g., genes that encode biodegradation enzymes ), might prove more useful for determining the capabilities of

Reversible electrokinetic adsorption barriers for the removal of atrazine and oxyfluorfen from spiked soils.

PubMed

Vieira Dos Santos, E; Sáez, C; Cañizares, P; Martínez-Huitle, C A; Rodrigo, M A

2017-01-15

This study demonstrates the application of reversible electrokinetic adsorption barrier (REKAB) technology to soils spiked with low-solubility pollutants. A permeable reactive barrier (PRB) of granular activated carbon (GAC) was placed between the anode and cathode of an electrokinetic (EK) soil remediation bench-scale setup with the aim of enhancing the removal of two low-solubility herbicides (atrazine and oxyfluorfen) using a surfactant solution (sodium dodecyl sulfate) as the flushing fluid. This innovative study focused on evaluating the interaction between the EK system and the GAC-PRB, attempting to obtain insights into the primary mechanisms involved. The obtained results highlighted the successful treatment of atrazine and oxyfluorfen in contaminated soils. The results obtained from the tests after 15days of treatment were compared with those obtained using the more conventional electrokinetic soil flushing (EKSF) technology, and very important differences were observed. Although both technologies are efficient for removing the herbicides from soils, REKAB outperforms EKSF. After the 15-day treatment tests, only approximately 10% of atrazine and oxyfluorfen remained in the soil, and adsorption onto the GAC bed was an important removal mechanism (15-17% of herbicide retained). The evaporation loses in REKAB were lower than those obtained in EKSF (45-50% compared to 60-65%). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantum Monte Carlo Simulations of the Quartz to Stishovite Transition in SiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, R. E.; Towler, Mike; Lopez Rios, Pablo; Drummond, Neil; Needs, Richard

2007-03-01

The quartz-stishovite transition has been a long standing problem for density functional theory (DFT). Although conventional DFT computations within the local density approximation (LDA) give reasonably good properties of silica phases individually, they do not give the energy difference between quartz and stishovite accurately. The LDA gives stishovite as a lower energy structure than quartz at zero pressure, which is incorrect. The generalized gradient approximation (GGA) has been shown to give the correct energy difference between quartz and stishovite (about 0.5 eV/formula unit) (Hamann, PRL 76, 660, 1996; Zupan et al., PRB 58, 11266, 1998), and it was generally thought that the GGA was simply a better approximation than the LDA. However, closer inspection shows that other properties are not better for the GGA than the LDA, so there is room for improvement. A new density functional that is an improvement for most materials unfortunately does not improve the quartz-stishovite transition (Wu and Cohen, PRB 73, 235116, 2006). We are performing QMC computations using the CASINO code to obtain the accurate energy difference between quartz and stishovite to obtain more accurate high pressure properties, and to better understand the errors on DFT and how DFT can be improved.

PP2A: more than a reset switch to activate pRB proteins during the cell cycle and in response to signaling cues

PubMed Central

Kurimchak, Alison; Graña, Xavier

2015-01-01

In their active hypophosphorylated state, members of the retinoblastoma family of pocket proteins negatively regulate cell cycle progression at least in part by repressing expression of E2F-dependent genes. Mitogen-dependent activation of G1 and G1/S Cyclin Dependent Kinases (CDKs) results in coordinated hyperphosphorylation and inactivation of these proteins, which no longer bind and repress E2Fs. S and G2/M CDKs maintain pocket protein hyperphosphorylated through the end of mitosis. The inactivating action of inducible CDKs is opposed by the Ser/Thr protein phosphatases PP2A and PP1. Various trimeric PP2A holoenzymes have been implicated in dephosphorylation of pocket proteins in response to specific cellular signals and stresses or as part of an equilibrium with CDKs throughout the cell cycle. PP1 has specifically been implicated in dephosphorylation of pRB in late mitosis and early G1. This review is particularly focused on the emerging role of PP2A as a major hub for integration of growth suppressor signals that require rapid inactivation of pocket proteins. Of note, activation of particular PP2A holoenzymes triggers differential activation of pocket proteins in the presence of active CDKs.

Ochratoxin A induced premature senescence in human renal proximal tubular cells.

PubMed

Yang, Xuan; Liu, Sheng; Huang, Chuchu; Wang, Haomiao; Luo, Yunbo; Xu, Wentao; Huang, Kunlun

2017-05-01

Ochratoxin A (OTA) has many nephrotoxic effects and is a promising compound for the study of nephrotoxicity. Human renal proximal tubular cells (HKC) are an important model for the study of renal reabsorption, renal physiology and pathology. Since the induction of OTA in renal senescence is largely unknown, whether OTA can induce renal senescence, especially at a sublethal dose, and the mechanism of OTA toxicity remain unclear. In our study, a sublethal dose of OTA led to an enhanced senescent phenotype, β-galactosidase staining and senescence associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Cell cycle arrest and cell shape alternations also confirmed senescence. In addition, telomere analysis by RT-qPCR allowed us to classify OTA-induced senescence as a premature senescence. Western blot assays showed that the p53-p21 and the p16-pRB pathways and the ezrin-associated cell spreading changes were activated during the OTA-induced senescence of HKC. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that OTA promotes the senescence of HKC through the p53-p21 and p16-pRB pathways. The understanding of the mechanisms of OTA-induced senescence is critical in determining the role of OTA in cytotoxicity and its potential carcinogenicity. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Zero bias STS Kondo anomalies of Co impurities on Cu surfaces: do ab initio calculations work?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baruselli, Pier Paolo; Smogunov, Alexander; Fabrizio, Michele; Requist, Ryan; Tosatti, Erio

2012-02-01

Transition metal atoms such as Co on Cu (111), (100), and (110) surfaces produce STS I-V spectra showing different zero bias Kondo anomalies [1] but these differences have been neither quantitatively predicted nor fully explained theoretically. We apply to this problem the DFT+NRG scheme of Lucignano et al [2], where one solves by NRG an Anderson model built from ab initio phase shifts provided by DFT. For Co/Cu(100) and Co/Cu(110) our calculations describe correctly the experimental trend of Kondo temperatures, and fairly the lineshapes too. By contrast, they fail to describe Co/Cu(111) where in particular the anti-lorentzian lineshape found in experiment remains unexplained. This failure underscores the role of surface states, probably relevant for Co/Cu(111) [3] but not correctly described by our thin slab calculations. Future efforts to quantitatively include Kondo screening by surface states are therefore called for. 1. N. Knorr et al PRL 88, 096804 (2002); M. Ternes et al 2009 J. Phys.: Cond. Matt. 21, 053001 (2009); A. Gumbsch et al PRB81, 165420 (2010). 2. P. Lucignano et al Nature Mat. 8, 563 (2009); P.P. Baruselli et al, Physica E, doi:10.1016/j.physe.2011.05.005. 3. C. Lin et al. PRB 71, 035417 (2005).

Assessment of a Hydroxyapatite Permeable Reactive Barrier to Remediate Uranium at the Old Rifle Site Colorado.

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

Moore, Robert C.; Szecsody, James; Rigali, Mark J.

We have performed an initial evaluation and testing program to assess the effectiveness of a hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) permeable reactive barrier and source area treatment to decrease uranium mobility at the Department of Energy (DOE) former Old Rifle uranium mill processing site in Rifle, western Colorado. Uranium ore was processed at the site from the 1940s to the 1970s. The mill facilities at the site as well as the uranium mill tailings previously stored there have all been removed. Groundwater in the alluvial aquifer beneath the site still contains elevated concentrations of uranium, and is currently used for field tests tomore » study uranium behavior in groundwater and investigate potential uranium remediation technologies. The technology investigated in this work is based on in situ formation of apatite in sediment to create a subsurface apatite PRB and also for source area treatment. The process is based on injecting a solution containing calcium citrate and sodium into the subsurface for constructing the PRB within the uranium plume. As the indigenous sediment micro-organisms biodegrade the injected citrate, the calcium is released and reacts with the phosphate to form hydroxyapatite (precipitate). This paper reports on proof-of-principle column tests with Old Rifle sediment and synthetic groundwater.« less

Spontaneous squamous cell carcinoma induced by the somatic inactivation of retinoblastoma and Trp53 tumor suppressors.

PubMed

Martínez-Cruz, Ana Belén; Santos, Mirentxu; Lara, M Fernanda; Segrelles, Carmen; Ruiz, Sergio; Moral, Marta; Lorz, Corina; García-Escudero, Ramón; Paramio, Jesús M

2008-02-01

Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) represent the most aggressive type of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Although little is known about the causal alterations of SCCs, in organ-transplanted patients the E7 and E6 oncogenes of human papillomavirus, targeting the p53- and pRb-dependent pathways, have been widely involved. Here, we report the functional consequences of the simultaneous elimination of Trp53 and retinoblastoma (Rb) genes in epidermis using Cre-loxP system. Loss of p53, but not pRb, produces spontaneous tumor development, indicating that p53 is the predominant tumor suppressor acting in mouse epidermis. Although the simultaneous inactivation of pRb and p53 does not aggravate the phenotype observed in Rb-deficient epidermis in terms of proliferation and/or differentiation, spontaneous SCC development is severely accelerated in doubly deficient mice. The tumors are aggressive and undifferentiated and display a hair follicle origin. Detailed analysis indicates that the acceleration is mediated by premature activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor/Akt pathway, resulting in increased proliferation in normal and dysplastic hair follicles and augmented tumor angiogenesis. The molecular characteristics of this model provide valuable tools to understand epidermal tumor formation and may ultimately contribute to the development of therapies for the treatment of aggressive squamous cancer.

Analytical solutions for flow fields near drain-and-gate reactive barriers.

PubMed

Klammler, Harald; Hatfield, Kirk; Kacimov, Anvar

2010-01-01

Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) are a popular technology for passive contaminant remediation in aquifers through installation of reactive materials in the pathway of a plume. Of fundamental importance are the degree of remediation inside the reactor (residence time) and the portion of groundwater intercepted by a PRB (capture width). Based on a two-dimensional conformal mapping approach (previously used in related work), the latter is studied in the present work for drain-and-gate (DG) PRBs, which may possess a collector and a distributor drain ("full" configuration) or a collector drain only ("simple" configuration). Inherent assumptions are a homogeneous unbounded aquifer with a uniform far field, in which highly permeable drains establish constant head boundaries. Solutions for aquifer flow fields in terms of the complex potential are derived, illustrated, and analyzed for doubly symmetric DG configurations and arbitrary reactor hydraulic resistance as well as ambient groundwater flow direction. A series of practitioner-friendly charts for capture width is given to assist in PRB design and optimization without requiring complex mathematics. DG PRBs are identified as more susceptible to flow divergence around the reactor than configurations using impermeable side structures (e.g., funnel-and-gate), and deployment of impermeable walls on drains is seen to mitigate this problem under certain circumstances.

The History of Nontraditional or Ectopic Placement of Reservoirs in Prosthetic Urology.

PubMed

Perito, Paul; Wilson, Steven

2016-04-01

Reservoir placement during implantation of prosthetic urology devices has been problematic throughout the history of the surgical treatment of erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence. We thought it would be interesting to review the history of reservoir placement leading up to current surgical techniques. To provide an overview of the past and present techniques for reservoir placement and discuss the evolutionary process leading to safe and effective placement of prosthetic reservoirs. We reviewed data pertaining to inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) reservoirs and pressure-regulating balloons (PRB) in a chronological fashion, spanning 25 years. Main outcomes included a historical review of techniques for IPP reservoir and PRB placement leading to the subsequent incremental improvements in safety and efficacy when performing penile implants and artificial urinary sphincters. Prosthetic urologic reservoirs have traditionally been placed in the retropubic space. Over the years, urologists have attempted use of alternative spaces including peritoneal, epigastric, "ectopic," posterior to transversalis, and high submuscular. Current advances in prosthetic urologic reservoir placement allow safe and effective abdominal wall placement of reservoirs. These novel approaches appear to be so effective that urologists may now be able to cease using the traditional retropubic space for reservoir placement, even in the case of virgin pelves. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Organic geochemistry and petrology of subsurface Paleocene-Eocene Wilcox and Claiborne Group coal beds, Zavala County, Maverick Basin, Texas, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hackley, Paul C.; Warwick, Peter D.; Hook, Robert W.; Alimi, Hossein; Mastalerz, Maria; Swanson, Sharon M.

2012-01-01

Coal samples from a coalbed methane exploration well in northern Zavala County, Maverick Basin, Texas, were characterized through an integrated analytical program. The well was drilled in February, 2006 and shut in after coal core desorption indicated negligible gas content. Cuttings samples from two levels in the Eocene Claiborne Group were evaluated by way of petrographic techniques and Rock–Eval pyrolysis. Core samples from the Paleocene–Eocene Indio Formation (Wilcox Group) were characterized via proximate–ultimate analysis in addition to petrography and pyrolysis. Two Indio Formation coal samples were selected for detailed evaluation via gas chromatography, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and 13C CPMAS NMR spectroscopy. Samples are subbituminous rank as determined from multiple thermal maturity parameters. Elevated rank (relative to similar age coal beds elsewhere in the Gulf Coast Basin) in the study area is interpreted to be a result of stratigraphic and/or structural thickening related to Laramide compression and construction of the Sierra Madre Oriental to the southwest. Vitrinite reflectance data, along with extant data, suggest the presence of an erosional unconformity or change in regional heat flow between the Cretaceous and Tertiary sections and erosion of up to >5 km over the Cretaceous. The presence of liptinite-rich coals in the Claiborne at the well site may indicate moderately persistent or recurring coal-forming paleoenvironments, interpreted as perennially submerged peat in shallow ephemeral lakes with herbaceous and/or flotant vegetation. However, significant continuity of individual Eocene coal beds in the subsurface is not suggested. Indio Formation coal samples contain abundant telovitrinite interpreted to be preserved from arborescent, above-ground woody vegetation that developed during the middle portion of mire development in forested swamps. Other petrographic criteria suggest enhanced biological, chemical and physical degradation at the beginning and end of Indio mire development. Fluorescence spectra of sporinite and resinite are consistent and distinctly different from each other, attributed to the presence of a greater proportion of complex asphaltene and polar molecules in resinite. Gas chromatography of resinite-rich coal shows sesquiterpenoid and diterpenoid peaks in the C14–17 range, which are not present in resinite-poor coal. Quantities of extracts suggest bitumen concentration below the threshold for effective source rocks [30–50 mg hydrocarbon/g total organic carbon (HC/g TOC)]. Saturate/aromatic and pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratios are different from values for nearby Tertiary-reservoired crude oil, suggesting that the Indio coals are too immature to source liquid hydrocarbons in the area. However, moderately high HI values (200–400 mg HC/g rock) may suggest some potential for naphthenic–paraffinic oil generation where buried more deeply down stratigraphic/structural dip. Extractable phenols and C20+ alkanes are suggested as possible intermediates for acetate fermentation in microbial methanogenesis which may, however, be limited by poor nutrient supply related to low rainfall and meteoric recharge rate or high local sulfate concentration.

Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture

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

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Davis, Katherine J.; Varonka, Matthew

Many coal beds contain microbial communities that can convert coal to natural gas (coalbed methane). Native microorganisms were obtained from Powder River Basin (PRB) coal seams with a diffusive microbial sampler placed downhole and used as an inoculum for enrichments with different nutrients to investigate microbially-enhanced coalbed methane production (MECoM). Coal-dependent methanogenesis more than doubled when yeast extract (YE) and several less complex components (proteins and amino acids) were added to the laboratory microcosms. Stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis with peptone was 86% of that with YE while glutamate-stimulated activity was 65% of that with YE, and a vitamin mix had onlymore » 33% of the YE stimulated activity. For field application of MECoM, there is interest in identifying cost-effective alternatives to YE and other expensive nutrients. In laboratory studies, adding algal extract (AE) with lipids removed stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis and the activity was 60% of that with YE at 27 d and almost 90% of YE activity at 1406 d. Analysis of British Thermal Unit (BTU) content of coal (a measure of potential energy yield) from long-term incubations indicated > 99.5% of BTU content remained after coalbed methane (CBM) stimulation with either AE or YE. Thus, the coal resource remains largely unchanged following stimulated microbial methane production. Algal CBM stimulation could lead to technologies that utilize coupled biological systems (photosynthesis and methane production) that sustainably enhance CBM production and generate algal biofuels while also sequestering carbon dioxide (CO 2).« less

Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture

DOE PAGES

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Davis, Katherine J.; Varonka, Matthew; ...

2017-01-05

Many coal beds contain microbial communities that can convert coal to natural gas (coalbed methane). Native microorganisms were obtained from Powder River Basin (PRB) coal seams with a diffusive microbial sampler placed downhole and used as an inoculum for enrichments with different nutrients to investigate microbially-enhanced coalbed methane production (MECoM). Coal-dependent methanogenesis more than doubled when yeast extract (YE) and several less complex components (proteins and amino acids) were added to the laboratory microcosms. Stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis with peptone was 86% of that with YE while glutamate-stimulated activity was 65% of that with YE, and a vitamin mix had onlymore » 33% of the YE stimulated activity. For field application of MECoM, there is interest in identifying cost-effective alternatives to YE and other expensive nutrients. In laboratory studies, adding algal extract (AE) with lipids removed stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis and the activity was 60% of that with YE at 27 d and almost 90% of YE activity at 1406 d. Analysis of British Thermal Unit (BTU) content of coal (a measure of potential energy yield) from long-term incubations indicated > 99.5% of BTU content remained after coalbed methane (CBM) stimulation with either AE or YE. Thus, the coal resource remains largely unchanged following stimulated microbial methane production. Algal CBM stimulation could lead to technologies that utilize coupled biological systems (photosynthesis and methane production) that sustainably enhance CBM production and generate algal biofuels while also sequestering carbon dioxide (CO 2).« less

Microbially-Enhanced Coal Bed Methane: Strategies for Increased Biogenic Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, K.; Barhart, E. P.; Schweitzer, H. D.; Cunningham, A. B.; Gerlach, R.; Hiebert, R.; Fields, M. W.

2014-12-01

Coal is the largest fossil fuel resource in the United States. Most of this coal is deep in the subsurface making it costly and potentially dangerous to extract. However, in many of these deep coal seams, methane, the main component of natural gas, has been discovered and successfully harvested. Coal bed methane (CBM) currently accounts for approximately 7.5% of the natural gas produced in the U.S. Combustion of natural gas produces substantially less CO2 and toxic emissions (e.g. heavy metals) than combustion of coal or oil thereby making it a cleaner energy source. In the large coal seams of the Powder River Basin (PRB) in southeast Montana and northeast Wyoming, CBM is produced almost entirely by biogenic processes. The in situ conversion of coal to CBM by the native microbial community is of particular interest for present and future natural gas sources as it provides the potential to harvest energy from coal seams with lesser environmental impacts than mining and burning coal. Research at Montana State University has shown the potential for enhancing the subsurface microbial processes that produce CBM. Long-term batch enrichments have investigated the methane enhancement potential of yeast extract as well as algal and cyanobacterial biomass additions with increased methane production observed with all three additions when compared to no addition. Future work includes quantification of CBM enhancement and normalization of additions. This presentation addresses the options thus far investigated for increasing CBM production and the next steps for developing the enhanced in situ conversion of coal to CBM.

Geology and mineral resources of central Antioquia Department (Zone IIA), Colombia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hall, R.B.; Alvarez A., Jairo; Rico H., Hector

1973-01-01

This report summarizes the geology of an area of some 6000 square kilometers in the northern part of the Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. The area, in north-central Department of Antioquia, was mapped between 1964 and 1968 as part of the Inventario Minero Nacional (IMN) project. Mineral resources are summarized within a larger area, designated as subzone ILK of IMN Zone If, which comprises almost 22,000 sq. kin, including the area mapped geologically by IMN and additional areas mapped by other agencies. The oldest formation is a micaceous paragneiss of early Paleozoic or possibly late Precambrian age. A thick geosynclinal sedimentary series accumulated during the Paleozoic Era and became regionally metamorphosed to greenschist (locally amphibolite) facies during the Permian or early Triassic; these schists and gneisses are designated collectively as the Valdivia Group. The Permian(?) orogenic episode included intrusion of concordant syntectonic plutons, mostly of tonalitic composition. Rocks of unequivocal Triassic or Jurassic age are not recognized. The Cretaceous is well represented by both igneous and sedimentary assemblages. Eugeosynclinal alpine ophiolites comprising submarine basalt flows and numerous intrusions of gabbro and serpentinite are prominent in the Lower Cretaceous, together with flysch composed of marine shale and lesser sandstone and conglomerate. The Upper Cretaceous is represented along the west border of the mapped area by submarine basalt flows and pyroclastic rocks, locally Interbedded with fine-grained clastic sedimentary beds, and lenses of dark laminated chert, at least part of which is radiolarian. The Late Cretaceous was marked by an orogenic event that profoundly folded and faulted all rocks and in the Central Cordillera caused low-grade metamorphism, the overprint of which is hardly observable in pre-Cretaceous rocks elsewhere. The Late Cretaceous orogeny culminated with discordant intrusion of the epizonal tonalitic Antioquian batholith. Displacement along the great Romeral wrench fault may have begun in the Cretaceous. Plutonism continued into the Cenozoic, exemplified by the hornblende-diorite Sabanalarga pluton. Intermontane basins were filled with molasse derived from the erosion of adjacent highlands; Tertiary sedimentation in marshy areas included organic carboniferous matter subsequently converted to lignite or subbituminous coal. The Sabanalarga fault system originated in the Late Tertiary; intermittent displacement continued on the older wrench faults such as the Romeral. Epeirogenic uplift, which probably began in the Pliocene and continued through the Pleistocene and Holocene, brought on renewed erosion which has sculptured the mountains into their present form. Mineral resources in subzone IIA are varied but not of outstanding importance. Gold and silver mining, significant in past centuries, is minor today. Ferruginous laterite on serpentinite once considered as a potential source of iron ore is not economically exploitable. IMN has explored nickeliferous laterite at the extreme northwest corner of subzone IIA; this is a potential resource, exploitable only after exhaustion of the larger and richer nickel laterite deposit at Cerro Matoso, farther to the north and outside the boundaries of Zone If. Known deposits of mercury, chromium, manganese, and copper are small, with limited economic potential. Nonmetallic resources include raw materials for cement, including portland cement. Saprolite clay is widely used in making common red brick and tile, still a dominant construction material in all but the most modern multistory buildings. Aggregate materials are varied and abundant. Kaolin of good quality near La Union is important as a ceramic raw mineral filler. Tertiary subbituminous coal beds are an important energy resource in western subzone IIA, and have a good potential for greater development. Deposits of sodic feldspar, talc, decorative stone, and silica a

A First Look at Children in the U.S. Virgin Islands. A Kids Count/PRB Report on Census 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Population Reference Bureau, Inc., Washington, DC.

This report describes children in the U.S. Virgin Islands, using 2000 U.S. Census data. Between 1990-2000 the number of children in the U.S. Virgin Islands decreased 3 percent, mainly due to declining birth rates. While the U.S. economy grew at a record pace in the 1990s, contributing to the lowest child poverty rate in 20 years, economic…

Biosolubilization of coal by Candida in glucose limited cultures

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

Mitter, J.; Guillory, L.; Bose, N.K.

1990-01-01

Coal biodegradation is attracting the attention of many workers because of its significance for efficient bioconversion of coal into useful chemicals. The authors work is based upon the beneficiation of a fungus (candida) on subbituminous coal. Candida was grown on both solid and liquid sabouraud medium and the coal solubilizing activity was studied at varying glucose concentration and temperature. Lower glucose concentration and higher temperature enhanced coal solubilizing activity by this fungus. Preliminary work has begun on analyzing organic extractions (alumina chromatography) of the liquid produced after microbial solubilization, including elemental analysis, solubility, molecular weights and chemical structure. This preliminarymore » work suggests that the candida could metabolize naturally occurring coal as substrate.« less

Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive for Enhanced Mercury Control

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

Gary Blythe; MariJon Owens

2007-12-31

This document is the final report for DOE-NETL Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-04NT42309, 'Field Testing of a Wet FGD Additive'. The objective of the project has been to demonstrate the use of two flue gas desulfurization (FGD) additives, Evonik Degussa Corporation's TMT-15 and Nalco Company's Nalco 8034, to prevent the re-emission of elemental mercury (Hg{sup 0}) in flue gas exiting wet FGD systems on coal-fired boilers. Furthermore, the project was intended to demonstrate whether such additives can be used to precipitate most of the mercury (Hg) removed in the wet FGD system as a fine salt that can be separated from themore » FGD liquor and bulk solid byproducts for separate disposal. The project involved pilot- and full-scale tests of the additives in wet FGD absorbers. The tests were intended to determine required additive dosages to prevent Hg{sup 0} re-emissions and to separate mercury from the normal FGD byproducts for three coal types: Texas lignite/Powder River Basin (PRB) coal blend, high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal, and low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal. The project team consists of URS Group, Inc., EPRI, Luminant Power (was TXU Generation Company LP), Southern Company, IPL (an AES company), Evonik Degussa Corporation and the Nalco Company. Luminant Power provided the Texas lignite/PRB co-fired test site for pilot FGD tests and project cost sharing. Southern Company provided the low-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal host site for wet scrubbing tests, the pilot- and full-scale jet bubbling reactor (JBR) FGD systems tested, and project cost sharing. IPL provided the high-sulfur Eastern bituminous coal full-scale FGD test site and cost sharing. Evonik Degussa Corporation provided the TMT-15 additive, and the Nalco Company provided the Nalco 8034 additive. Both companies also supplied technical support to the test program as in-kind cost sharing. The project was conducted in six tasks. Of the six tasks, Task 1 involved project planning and Task 6 involved management and reporting. The other four tasks involved field testing on FGD systems, either at pilot or full scale. These four tasks included: Task 2 - Pilot Additive Testing in Texas Lignite Flue Gas; Task 3 - Full-scale FGD Additive Testing in High-sulfur Eastern Bituminous Flue Gas; Task 4 - Pilot Wet Scrubber Additive Tests at Plant Yates; and Task 5 - Full-scale Additive Tests at Plant Yates. The pilot-scale tests were completed in 2005 and the full-scale test using high-sulfur coal was completed in 2006; only the TMT-15 additive was tested in these efforts. The Task 5 full-scale additive tests conducted at Southern Company's Plant Yates Unit 1 were completed in 2007, and both the TMT-15 and Nalco 8034 additives were tested.« less

SM22{alpha}-induced activation of p16{sup INK4a}/retinoblastoma pathway promotes cellular senescence caused by a subclinical dose of {gamma}-radiation and doxorubicin in HepG2 cells

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

Kim, Tae Rim; Lee, Hee Min; Lee, So Yong

Research highlights: {yields} SM22{alpha} overexpression in HepG2 cells leads cells to a growth arrest state, and the treatment of a subclinical dose of {gamma}-radiation or doxorubicin promotes cellular senescence. {yields} SM22{alpha} overexpression elevates p16{sup INK4a} followed by pRB activation, but there are no effects on p53/p21{sup WAF1/Cip1} pathway. {yields} SM22{alpha}-induced MT-1G activates p16{sup INK4a}/pRB pathway, which promotes cellular senescence by damaging agents. -- Abstract: Smooth muscle protein 22-alpha (SM22{alpha}) is known as a transformation- and shape change-sensitive actin cross-linking protein found in smooth muscle tissue and fibroblasts; however, its functional role remains uncertain. We reported previously that SM22{alpha} overexpression confersmore » resistance against anti-cancer drugs or radiation via induction of metallothionein (MT) isozymes in HepG2 cells. In this study, we demonstrate that SM22{alpha} overexpression leads cells to a growth arrest state and promotes cellular senescence caused by treatment with a subclinical dose of {gamma}-radiation (0.05 and 0.1 Gy) or doxorubicin (0.01 and 0.05 {mu}g/ml), compared to control cells. Senescence growth arrest is known to be controlled by p53 phosphorylation/p21{sup WAF1/Cip1} induction or p16{sup INK4a}/retinoblastoma protein (pRB) activation. SM22{alpha} overexpression in HepG2 cells elevated p16{sup INK4a} followed by pRB activation, but did not activate the p53/p21{sup WAF1/Cip1} pathway. Moreover, MT-1G, which is induced by SM22{alpha} overexpression, was involved in the activation of the p16{sup INK4a}/pRB pathway, which led to a growth arrest state and promoted cellular senescence caused by damaging agents. Our findings provide the first demonstration that SM22{alpha} modulates cellular senescence caused by damaging agents via regulation of the p16{sup INK4a}/pRB pathway in HepG2 cells and that these effects of SM22{alpha} are partially mediated by MT-1G.« less