Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites

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

None

2012-10-24

This plan incorporates U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) standard operating procedures (SOPs) into environmental monitoring activities and will be implemented at all sites managed by LM. This document provides detailed procedures for the field sampling teams so that samples are collected in a consistent and technically defensible manner. Site-specific plans (e.g., long-term surveillance and maintenance plans, environmental monitoring plans) document background information and establish the basis for sampling and monitoring activities. Information will be included in site-specific tabbed sections to this plan, which identify sample locations, sample frequencies, types of samples, field measurements, and associatedmore » analytes for each site. Additionally, within each tabbed section, program directives will be included, when developed, to establish additional site-specific requirements to modify or clarify requirements in this plan as they apply to the corresponding site. A flowchart detailing project tasks required to accomplish routine sampling is displayed in Figure 1. LM environmental procedures are contained in the Environmental Procedures Catalog (LMS/PRO/S04325), which incorporates American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), DOE, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance. Specific procedures used for groundwater and surface water monitoring are included in Appendix A. If other environmental media are monitored, SOPs used for air, soil/sediment, and biota monitoring can be found in the site-specific tabbed sections in Appendix D or in site-specific documents. The procedures in the Environmental Procedures Catalog are intended as general guidance and require additional detail from planning documents in order to be complete; the following sections fulfill that function and specify additional procedural requirements to form SOPs. Routine revision of this Sampling and Analysis Plan will be conducted annually at the beginning of each fiscal year when attachments in Appendix D, including program directives and sampling location/analytical tables, will be reviewed by project personnel and updated. The sampling location/analytical tables in Appendix D, however, may have interim updates according to project direction that are not reflected in this plan. Deviations from location/analytical tables in Appendix D prior to sampling will be documented in project correspondence (e.g., startup letters). If significant changes to other aspects of this plan are required before the annual update, then the plan will be revised as needed.« less

Data Validation Package - April and July 2015 Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling at the Gunnison, Colorado, Processing Site

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

Linard, Joshua; Campbell, Sam

This event included annual sampling of groundwater and surface water locations at the Gunnison, Colorado, Processing Site. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites. Samples were collected from 28 monitoring wells, three domestic wells, and six surface locations in April at the processing site as specified in the 2010 Ground Water Compliance Action Plan for the Gunnison, Colorado, Processing Site. Domestic wells 0476 and 0477 were sampled in July because the homes were unoccupied in April, and the wells were not in use. Duplicate samplesmore » were collected from locations 0113, 0248, and 0477. One equipment blank was collected during this sampling event. Water levels were measured at all monitoring wells that were sampled. No issues were identified during the data validation process that requires additional action or follow-up.« less

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Newcastle NTMS quadrangle, Wyoming, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements

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

Goff, S.J.; Sandoval, W.F.; Gallimore, D.L.

1980-06-01

During the summer and fall of 1977, 533 water and 1226 sediment samples were collected from 1740 locations within the 18,000 km/sup 2/ area of the Newcastle quadrangle, Wyoming. Water samples were collected from wells and springs; sediment samples were collected from stream channels and from springs. Each water sample was analyzed for uranium, and each sediment sample was analyzed for 43 elements, including uranium and thorium. Uranium concentrations in water samples range from below the detection limit of 0.02 ppB to 702.26 ppB and have a median of 1.73 ppB and a mean of 11.76 ppB. Water samples containingmore » high uranium concentrations (>20 ppB) generally are associated with known uranium mining activity or units known to be uranium bearing. About one-third of the water samples containing high uranium concentrations were collected from locations within the Pumpkin Buttes and Turnercrest-Ross Districts. Nearly half of the water samples containing high uranium concentrations were collected from locations just west of the Monument Hill and Highland Flats-Box Creek Districts. Similar anomalous uranium concentrations in this region have been reported updip from Exxon's Highland uranium deposits. High uranium concentrations were also found associated with the Lance Creek-Old Woman Anticline District.« less

Data Validation Package - June 2016 Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling at the Green River, Utah, Disposal Site

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

Linard, Joshua; Price, Jeffrey

This event included annual sampling of groundwater and surface water locations at the Green River, Utah, Disposal Site. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in Sampling and Analysis Plan for US. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated, http://energy.gov/lrnldownloads/sampling-and- analysis-plan-us-department-energy-office-legacy-management-sites). Samples were collected from 15 monitoring wells and two surface locations at the disposal site as specified in the draft 2011 Ground Water Compliance Action Plan for the Green River, Utah, Disposal Site. Planned monitoring locations are shown in Attachment 1, Sampling and Analysis Work Order. A duplicate sample was collected from location 0179. Onemore » equipment blank was collected during this sampling event. Water levels were measured at all monitoring wells that were sampled. See Attachment 2, Trip Reports for additional details. The analytical data and associated qualifiers can be viewed in environmental database reports and are also available for viewing with dynamic mapping via the GEMS (Geospatial Environmental Mapping System) website at http://gems.lm.doe.gov/#. No issues were identified during the data validation process that requires additional action or follow-up.« less

A comparison of temporal and location-based sampling strategies for global positioning system-triggered electronic diaries.

PubMed

Törnros, Tobias; Dorn, Helen; Reichert, Markus; Ebner-Priemer, Ulrich; Salize, Hans-Joachim; Tost, Heike; Meyer-Lindenberg, Andreas; Zipf, Alexander

2016-11-21

Self-reporting is a well-established approach within the medical and psychological sciences. In order to avoid recall bias, i.e. past events being remembered inaccurately, the reports can be filled out on a smartphone in real-time and in the natural environment. This is often referred to as ambulatory assessment and the reports are usually triggered at regular time intervals. With this sampling scheme, however, rare events (e.g. a visit to a park or recreation area) are likely to be missed. When addressing the correlation between mood and the environment, it may therefore be beneficial to include participant locations within the ambulatory assessment sampling scheme. Based on the geographical coordinates, the database query system then decides if a self-report should be triggered or not. We simulated four different ambulatory assessment sampling schemes based on movement data (coordinates by minute) from 143 voluntary participants tracked for seven consecutive days. Two location-based sampling schemes incorporating the environmental characteristics (land use and population density) at each participant's location were introduced and compared to a time-based sampling scheme triggering a report on the hour as well as to a sampling scheme incorporating physical activity. We show that location-based sampling schemes trigger a report less often, but we obtain more unique trigger positions and a greater spatial spread in comparison to sampling strategies based on time and distance. Additionally, the location-based methods trigger significantly more often at rarely visited types of land use and less often outside the study region where no underlying environmental data are available.

Documentation of Apollo 15 samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutton, R. L.; Hait, M. H.; Larson, K. B.; Swann, G. A.; Reed, V. S.; Schaber, G. G.

1972-01-01

A catalog is presented of the documentation of Apollo 15 samples using photographs and verbal descriptions returned from the lunar surface. Almost all of the Apollo 15 samples were correlated with lunar surface photographs, descriptions, and traverse locations. Where possible, the lunar orientations of rock samples were reconstructed in the lunar receiving laboratory, using a collimated light source to reproduce illumination and shadow characteristics of the same samples shown in lunar photographs. In several cases, samples were not recognized in lunar surface photographs, and their approximate locations are known only by association with numbered sample bags used during their collection. Tables, photographs, and maps included in this report are designed to aid in the understanding of the lunar setting of the Apollo 15 samples.

Data Validation Package October 2016 Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling at the Monticello, Utah, Disposal and Processing Sites January 2017

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

Nguyen, Jason; Smith, Fred

Sampling Period: October 10–12, 2016. This semiannual event includes sampling groundwater and surface water at the Monticello Disposal and Processing Sites. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in the Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated) and Program Directive MNT-2016-01. Samples were collected from 54 of 64 planned locations (16 of 17 former mill site wells, 15 of 18 downgradient wells, 7 of 9 downgradient permeable reactive barrier wells, 3 of 3 bedrock wells, 4 of 7 seeps and wetlands, and 9 of 10 surface water locations).

Chemical-quality reconnaissance of the water and surficial bed material in the Delaware River estuary and adjacent New Jersey tributaries, 1980-81

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hochreiter, Joseph J.

1982-01-01

This report presents chemical-quality data collected from May 1980 to January 1981 at several locations within the Delaware River estuary and selected New Jersey tributaries. Samples of surface water were analyzed Environmental Protection Agency ' priority pollutants, ' including acid extractable, base/neutral extractable and volatile organic compounds, in addition to selected dissolved inorganic constituents. Surficial bed material at selected locations was examined for trace metals, insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and base/neutral extractable organic compounds. Trace levels (1-50 micrograms per liter) of purgeable organic compounds, particularly those associated with the occurrence of hydrocarbons, were found in about 60% of the water samples taken. DDT, DDD, DDE, PCB 's and chlordane are present in most surficial bed material samples. Diazinon was the only organophosphorous insecticide detected in the study (1.6 micrograms per kilogram at one location). High values for select trace metals in bed material were discovered at two locations. Of the 10 sites sampled, the surficial bed material containing the most contamination was found along one cross section of Raccoon Creek at Bridgeport. An additional analysis of Raccoon Creek revealed bed material containing toluene, oil and grease, and trace quantities of 15 base/neutral extractable organic compounds, including polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalate esters, and chlorinated benzenes.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Arminto NTMS quadrangle, Wyoming, including concentrations of forty-three additional elements

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

Morgan, T.L.

1979-11-01

During the summers of 1976 and 1977, 570 water and 1249 sediment samples were collected from 1517 locations within the 18,000-km/sup 2/ area of the Arminto NTMS quadrangle of central Wyoming. Water samples were collected from wells, springs, streams, and artifical ponds; sediment samples were collected from wet and dry streams, springs, and wet and dry ponds. All water samples were analyzed for 13 elements, including uranium, and each sediment sample was analyzed for 43 elements, including uranium and thorium. Uranium concentrations in water samples range from below the detection limit to 84.60 parts per billion (ppb) with a meanmore » of 4.32 ppb. All water sample types except pond water samples were considered as a single population in interpreting the data. Pond water samples were excluded due to possible concentration of uranium by evaporation. Most of the water samples containing greater than 20 ppb uranium grouped into six clusters that indicate possible areas of interest for further investigation. One cluster is associated with the Pumpkin Buttes District, and two others are near the Kaycee and Mayoworth areas of uranium mineralization. The largest cluster is located on the west side of the Powder River Basin. One cluster is located in the central Big Horn Basin and another is in the Wind River Basin; both are in areas underlain by favorable host units. Uranium concentrations in sediment samples range from 0.08 parts per million (ppm) to 115.50 ppm with a mean of 3.50 ppm. Two clusters of sediment samples over 7 ppm were delineated. The first, containing the two highest-concentration samples, corresponds with the Copper Mountain District. Many of the high uranium concentrations in samples in this cluster may be due to contamination from mining or prospecting activity upstream from the sample sites. The second cluster encompasses a wide area in the Wind River Basin along the southern boundary of the quadrangle.« less

40 CFR 270.62 - Hazardous waste incinerator permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Stack gas monitoring and pollution control equipment. (H) Nozzle and burner design. (I) Construction.... (iii) A detailed description of sampling and monitoring procedures, including sampling and monitoring locations in the system, the equipment to be used, sampling and monitoring frequency, and planned analytical...

Persistent spatial information in the frontal eye field during object-based short-term memory.

PubMed

Clark, Kelsey L; Noudoost, Behrad; Moore, Tirin

2012-08-08

Spatial attention is known to gate entry into visual short-term memory, and some evidence suggests that spatial signals may also play a role in binding features or protecting object representations during memory maintenance. To examine the persistence of spatial signals during object short-term memory, the activity of neurons in the frontal eye field (FEF) of macaque monkeys was recorded during an object-based delayed match-to-sample task. In this task, monkeys were trained to remember an object image over a brief delay, regardless of the locations of the sample or target presentation. FEF neurons exhibited visual, delay, and target period activity, including selectivity for sample location and target location. Delay period activity represented the sample location throughout the delay, despite the irrelevance of spatial information for successful task completion. Furthermore, neurons continued to encode sample position in a variant of the task in which the matching stimulus never appeared in their response field, confirming that FEF maintains sample location independent of subsequent behavioral relevance. FEF neurons also exhibited target-position-dependent anticipatory activity immediately before target onset, suggesting that monkeys predicted target position within blocks. These results show that FEF neurons maintain spatial information during short-term memory, even when that information is irrelevant for task performance.

300 Area TEDF NPDES Permit Compliance Monitoring Plan

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

Loll, C.M.

1994-10-13

This monitoring plan describes the activities and methods that will be employed at the 300 Area Treated Effluent Disposal Facility (TEDF) in order to ensure compliance with the National Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Included in this document are a brief description of the project, the specifics of the sampling effort, including the physical location and frequency of sampling, the support required for sampling, and the Quality Assurance (QA) protocols to be followed in the sampling procedures.

Generation and analysis of chemical compound libraries

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

Gregoire, John M.; Jin, Jian; Kan, Kevin S.

2017-10-03

Various samples are generated on a substrate. The samples each includes or consists of one or more analytes. In some instances, the samples are generated through the use of gels or through vapor deposition techniques. The samples are used in an instrument for screening large numbers of analytes by locating the samples between a working electrode and a counter electrode assembly. The instrument also includes one or more light sources for illuminating each of the samples. The instrument is configured to measure the photocurrent formed through a sample as a result of the illumination of the sample.

Determination of geostatistically representative sampling locations in Porsuk Dam Reservoir (Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aksoy, A.; Yenilmez, F.; Duzgun, S.

2013-12-01

Several factors such as wind action, bathymetry and shape of a lake/reservoir, inflows, outflows, point and diffuse pollution sources result in spatial and temporal variations in water quality of lakes and reservoirs. The guides by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Health Organization to design and implement water quality monitoring programs suggest that even a single monitoring station near the center or at the deepest part of a lake will be sufficient to observe long-term trends if there is good horizontal mixing. In stratified water bodies, several samples can be required. According to the guide of sampling and analysis under the Turkish Water Pollution Control Regulation, a minimum of five sampling locations should be employed to characterize the water quality in a reservoir or a lake. The European Union Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) states to select a sufficient number of monitoring sites to assess the magnitude and impact of point and diffuse sources and hydromorphological pressures in designing a monitoring program. Although existing regulations and guidelines include frameworks for the determination of sampling locations in surface waters, most of them do not specify a procedure in establishment of monitoring aims with representative sampling locations in lakes and reservoirs. In this study, geostatistical tools are used to determine the representative sampling locations in the Porsuk Dam Reservoir (PDR). Kernel density estimation and kriging were used in combination to select the representative sampling locations. Dissolved oxygen and specific conductivity were measured at 81 points. Sixteen of them were used for validation. In selection of the representative sampling locations, care was given to keep similar spatial structure in distributions of measured parameters. A procedure was proposed for that purpose. Results indicated that spatial structure was lost under 30 sampling points. This was as a result of varying water quality in the reservoir due to inflows, point and diffuse inputs, and reservoir hydromorphology. Moreover, hot spots were determined based on kriging and standard error maps. Locations of minimum number of sampling points that represent the actual spatial structure of DO distribution in the Porsuk Dam Reservoir

Surface Environmental Surveillance Project: Locations Manual Volume 1 – Air and Water Volume 2 – Farm Products, Soil & Vegetation, and Wildlife

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

Fritz, Brad G.; Patton, Gregory W.; Stegen, Amanda

2009-01-01

This report describes all environmental monitoring locations associated with the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project. Environmental surveillance of the Hanford site and surrounding areas is conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Sampling is conducted to evaluate levels of radioactive and nonradioactive pollutants in the Hanford environs, as required in DOE Order 450.1, Environmental Protection Program, and DOE Order 5400.5, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment. The environmental surveillance sampling design is described in the Hanford Site Environmental Monitoring Plan, United States Department of Energy, Richland Operation Office (DOE/RL-91-50). This documentmore » contains the locations of sites used to collect samples for the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project (SESP). Each section includes directions, maps, and pictures of the locations. A general knowledge of roads and highways on and around the Hanford Site is necessary to successfully use this manual. Supplemental information (Maps, Gazetteer, etc.) may be necessary if user is unfamiliar with local routes. The SESP is a multimedia environmental surveillance effort to measure the concentrations of radionuclides and chemicals in environmental media to demonstrate compliance with applicable environmental quality standards and public exposure limits, and assessing environmental impacts. Project personnel annually collect selected samples of ambient air, surface water, agricultural products, fish, wildlife, and sediments. Soil and vegetation samples are collected approximately every 5 years. Analytical capabilities include the measurement of radionuclides at very low environmental concentrations and, in selected media, nonradiological chemicals including metals, anions, volatile organic compounds, and total organic carbon.« less

Methods and systems for detection of radionuclides

DOEpatents

Coates, Jr., John T.; DeVol, Timothy A.

2010-05-25

Disclosed are materials and systems useful in determining the existence of radionuclides in an aqueous sample. The materials provide the dual function of both extraction and scintillation to the systems. The systems can be both portable and simple to use, and as such can beneficially be utilized to determine presence and optionally concentration of radionuclide contamination in an aqueous sample at any desired location and according to a relatively simple process without the necessity of complicated sample handling techniques. The disclosed systems include a one-step process, providing simultaneous extraction and detection capability, and a two-step process, providing a first extraction step that can be carried out in a remote field location, followed by a second detection step that can be carried out in a different location.

Alcohol- and Drug-Involved Driving in the United States: Methodology for the 2007 National Roadside Survey

PubMed Central

Lacey, John H.; Kelley-Baker, Tara; Voas, Robert B.; Romano, Eduardo; Furr-Holden, C. Debra; Torres, Pedro; Berning, Amy

2013-01-01

This article describes the methodology used in the 2007 U.S. National Roadside Survey to estimate the prevalence of alcohol- and drug-impaired driving and alcohol- and drug-involved driving. This study involved randomly stopping drivers at 300 locations across the 48 continental U.S. states at sites selected through a stratified random sampling procedure. Data were collected during a 2-hour Friday daytime session at 60 locations and during 2-hour nighttime weekend periods at 240 locations. Both self-report and biological measures were taken. Biological measures included breath alcohol measurements from 9,413 respondents, oral fluid samples from 7,719 respondents, and blood samples from 3,276 respondents. PMID:21997324

Multiple pass gas absorption cell utilizing a spherical mirror opposite one or more pair of obliquely disposed flat mirrors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearson, Richard (Inventor); Lynch, Dana H. (Inventor); Gunter, William D. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A method and apparatus for passing light bundles through a multiple pass sampling cell is disclosed. The multiple pass sampling cell includes a sampling chamber having first and second ends positioned along a longitudinal axis of the sampling cell. The sampling cell further includes an entrance opening, located adjacent the first end of the sampling cell at a first azimuthal angular position. The entrance opening permits a light bundle to pass into the sampling cell. The sampling cell also includes an exit opening at a second azimuthal angular position. The light exit permits a light bundle to pass out of the sampling cell after the light bundle has followed a predetermined path.

Violence, abuse, alcohol and drug use, and sexual behaviors in street children of Greater Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt.

PubMed

Nada, Khaled H; Suliman, El Daw A

2010-07-01

To measure the prevalence of HIV/AIDS risk behaviors and related factors in a large, probability-based sample of boys and girls aged 12-17 years living on the streets of Egypt's largest urban centers of Greater Cairo and Alexandria. Time-location sampling (TLS) was used to recruit a cross-sectional sample of street children. Procedures entailed using key informants and field observation to create a sampling frame of locations at predetermined time intervals of the day, where street children congregate in the two cities, selecting a random sample of time-locations from the complete list, and intercepting children in the selected time-locations to assess eligibility and conduct interviews. Interviews gathered basic demographic information, life events on the street (including violence, abuse, forced sex), sexual and drug use behaviors, and HIV/AIDS knowledge. A total of 857 street children were enrolled in the two cities, with an age, sex, and time-location composition matching the sampling frame. The majority of these children had faced harassment or abuse (93%) typically by police and other street children, had used drugs (62%), and, among the older adolescents, were sexually active (67%). Among the sexually active 15-17-year-olds, most reported multiple partners (54%) and never using condoms (52%). Most girls (53% in Greater Cairo and 90% in Alexandria) had experienced sexual abuse. The majority of street children experienced more than one of these risks. Overlaps with populations at highest risk for HIV were substantial, namely men who have sex with men, commercial sex workers, and injection drug users. Our study using a randomized TLS approach produced a rigorous, diverse, probability-based sample of street children and documented very high levels of multiple concurrent risks. Our findings strongly advocate for multiple services including those addressing HIV and STI prevention and care, substance use, shelters, and sensitization of authorities to the plight of street children in Egypt.

Diversity changes of microbial communities into hospital surface environments.

PubMed

Yano, Rika; Shimoda, Tomoko; Watanabe, Reina; Kuroki, Yasutoshi; Okubo, Torahiko; Nakamura, Shinji; Matsuo, Junji; Yoshimura, Sadako; Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki

2017-07-01

Previous works have demonstrated considerable variability in hospital cleanliness in Japan, suggesting that contamination is driven by factors that are currently poorly controlled. We undertook 16S rRNA sequence analysis to study population structures of hospital environmental microbiomes to see which factor(s) impacted contamination. One hundred forty-four samples were collected from surfaces of three hospitals with distinct sizes ("A": >500 beds, "B": 100-500 beds, "C": <100 beds). Sample locations of two ward types (Surgical and Internal) included patient room bed table (multiple) (4BT), patient overbed table (multiple) (4OT), patient room sink (multiple) (4S), patient room bed table (single) (SBT), patient overbed table (single) (SOT), patient room sink (single) (SS), nurse desk (ND), and nurse wagon (NW). Total DNA was extracted from each sample, and the 50 samples that yielded sufficient DNA were used for further 16S rRNA sequencing of hospital microbiome populations with cluster analysis. The number of assigned bacterial OTU populations was significantly decreased in hospital "C" compared to the other hospitals. Cluster analysis of sampling locations revealed that the population structure in almost all locations of hospital "C" and some locations in the other hospitals was very similar and unusually skewed with a family, Enterobacteriaceae. Interestingly, locations included patient area (4OT, 4BT, SBT) and nurse area (ND), with a device (NW) bridging the two and a place (4S and SS) shared between patients or visitors. We demonstrated diversity changes of hospital environmental microbiomes with a skewed population, presumably by medical staff pushing NWs or sinks shared by patients or visitors. Copyright © 2017 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidence for intercontinental parasite exchange through molecular detection and characterization of haematozoa in northern pintails (Anas acuta) sampled throughout the North Pacific Basin.

PubMed

Ramey, Andrew M; Schmutz, Joel A; Reed, John A; Fujita, Go; Scotton, Bradley D; Casler, Bruce; Fleskes, Joseph P; Konishi, Kan; Uchida, Kiyoshi; Yabsley, Michael J

2015-04-01

Empirical evidence supports wild birds as playing a role in the interhemispheric exchange of bacteria and viruses; however, data supporting the redistribution of parasites among continents are limited. In this study, the hypothesis that migratory birds contribute to the redistribution of parasites between continents was tested by sampling northern pintails (Anas acuta) at locations throughout the North Pacific Basin in North America and East Asia for haemosporidian infections and assessing the genetic evidence for parasite exchange. Of 878 samples collected from birds in Alaska (USA), California (USA), and Hokkaido (Japan) during August 2011-May 2012 and screened for parasitic infections using molecular techniques, Leucocytozoon, Haemoproteus, and Plasmodium parasites were detected in 555 (63%), 44 (5%), and 52 (6%) samples, respectively. Using an occupancy modeling approach, the probability of detecting parasites via replicate genetic tests was estimated to be high (ρ > 0.95). Multi-model inference supported variation of Leucocytozoon parasite prevalence by northern pintail age class and geographic location of sampling in contrast to Haemoproteus and Plasmodium parasites for which there was only support for variation in parasite prevalence by sampling location. Thirty-one unique mitochondrial DNA haplotypes were detected among haematozoa infecting northern pintails including seven lineages shared between samples from North America and Japan. The finding of identical parasite haplotypes at widely distributed geographic locations and general lack of genetic structuring by continent in phylogenies for Leucocytozoon and Plasmodium provides evidence for intercontinental genetic exchange of haemosporidian parasites. Results suggest that migratory birds, including waterfowl, could therefore facilitate the introduction of avian malaria and other haemosporidia to novel hosts and spatially distant regions.

Evidence for intercontinental parasite exchange through molecular detection and characterization of haematozoa in northern pintails (Anas acuta) sampled throughout the North Pacific Basin

PubMed Central

Ramey, Andrew M.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Reed, John A.; Fujita, Go; Scotton, Bradley D.; Casler, Bruce; Fleskes, Joseph P.; Konishi, Kan; Uchida, Kiyoshi; Yabsley, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Empirical evidence supports wild birds as playing a role in the interhemispheric exchange of bacteria and viruses; however, data supporting the redistribution of parasites among continents are limited. In this study, the hypothesis that migratory birds contribute to the redistribution of parasites between continents was tested by sampling northern pintails (Anas acuta) at locations throughout the North Pacific Basin in North America and East Asia for haemosporidian infections and assessing the genetic evidence for parasite exchange. Of 878 samples collected from birds in Alaska (USA), California (USA), and Hokkaido (Japan) during August 2011–May 2012 and screened for parasitic infections using molecular techniques, Leucocytozoon, Haemoproteus, and Plasmodium parasites were detected in 555 (63%), 44 (5%), and 52 (6%) samples, respectively. Using an occupancy modeling approach, the probability of detecting parasites via replicate genetic tests was estimated to be high (ρ > 0.95). Multi-model inference supported variation of Leucocytozoon parasite prevalence by northern pintail age class and geographic location of sampling in contrast to Haemoproteus and Plasmodium parasites for which there was only support for variation in parasite prevalence by sampling location. Thirty-one unique mitochondrial DNA haplotypes were detected among haematozoa infecting northern pintails including seven lineages shared between samples from North America and Japan. The finding of identical parasite haplotypes at widely distributed geographic locations and general lack of genetic structuring by continent in phylogenies for Leucocytozoon and Plasmodium provides evidence for intercontinental genetic exchange of haemosporidian parasites. Results suggest that migratory birds, including waterfowl, could therefore facilitate the introduction of avian malaria and other haemosporidia to novel hosts and spatially distant regions. PMID:25830100

Evidence for intercontinental parasite exchange through molecular detection and characterization of haematozoa in northern pintails (Anas acuta) sampled throughout the North Pacific Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ramey, Andy M.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Reed, John A.; Fujita, Go; Scotton, Bradley D.; Casler, Bruce; Fleskes, Joseph P.; Konishi, Kan; Uchida, Kiyoshi; Yabsley, Michael J.

2015-01-01

Empirical evidence supports wild birds as playing a role in the interhemispheric exchange of bacteria and viruses; however, data supporting the redistribution of parasites among continents are limited. In this study, the hypothesis that migratory birds contribute to the redistribution of parasites between continents was tested by sampling northern pintails (Anas acuta) at locations throughout the North Pacific Basin in North America and East Asia for haemosporidian infections and assessing the genetic evidence for parasite exchange. Of 878 samples collected from birds in Alaska (USA), California (USA), and Hokkaido (Japan) during August 2011 - May 2012 and screened for parasitic infections using molecular techniques, Leucocytozoon, Haemoproteus, and Plasmodium parasites were detected in 555 (63%), 44 (5%), and 52 (6%) samples, respectively. Using an occupancy modeling approach, the probability of detecting parasites via replicate genetic tests was estimated to be high (p ≥ 0.95). Multi-model inference supported variation of Leucocytozoon parasite prevalence by northern pintail age class and geographic location of sampling in contrast to Haemoproteus and Plasmodium parasites for which there was only support for variation in parasite prevalence by sampling location. Thirty-one unique mitochondrial DNA haplotypes were detected among haematozoa infecting northern pintails including seven lineages shared between samples from North America and Japan. The finding of identical parasite haplotypes at widely distributed geographic locations and general lack of genetic structuring by continent in phylogenies for Leucocytozoon and Plasmodium provides evidence for intercontinental genetic exchange of haemosporidian parasites. Results suggest that migratory birds, including waterfowl, could therefore facilitate the introduction of avian malaria and other haemosporidia to novel hosts and spatially distant regions.

Hydrologic, water-quality, and meteorologic data from selected sites in the Upper Catawba River Basin, North Carolina, January 1993 through March 1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jaynes, M.L.

1994-01-01

Hydrologic, water-quality, and meteorologic data were collected from January 1993 through March 1994 as part of a water-quality investigation of the Upper Catawba River Basin, North Carolina. Specific objectives of the investigation were to characterize the water quality of Rhodhiss Lake, Lake Hickory, and three tributary streams, and to calibrate hydrodynamic water-quality models for the two reservoirs. Sampling locations included 11 sites in Rhodhiss Lake, 14 sites in Lake Hickory, and 3 tributary sites. Tributary sites were located at Lower Creek upstream from Rhodhiss Lake and at Upper Little River and Middle Little River upstream from Lake Hickory. During 21 sampling visits, specific conductance, pH, water temperature, dissolved-oxygen concentration, and water transparency were measured at all sampling locations. Water samples were collected for analysis of biochemical oxygen demand, fecal coliform bacteria, hardness, alkalinity, total and volatile suspended solids, suspended sediment, nutrients, total organic carbon, chlorophyll, iron, calcium, and magnesium from three sites in each reservoir and from the three tributary sites. Chemical and particle-size analyses of bottom material from Rhodhiss Lake and Lake Hickory were performed once during the study. At selected locations, automated instruments recorded water level, streamflow, water temperature, solar radiation, and air temperature at 15-minute intervals throughout the study. Hydrologic data presented in the report include monthly water-level statistics and daily mean values of discharge. Diagrams, tables, and statistical summaries of water-quality data are provided. Meteorologic data in the report include monthly precipitation, and daily mean values of solar radiation and air temperature.

A comparison of five sampling techniques to estimate surface fuel loading in montane forests

Treesearch

Pamela G. Sikkink; Robert E. Keane

2008-01-01

Designing a fuel-sampling program that accurately and efficiently assesses fuel load at relevant spatial scales requires knowledge of each sample method's strengths and weaknesses.We obtained loading values for six fuel components using five fuel load sampling techniques at five locations in western Montana, USA. The techniques included fixed-area plots, planar...

Geologic Map and GIS Data for the Patua Geothermal Area

DOE Data Explorer

Faulds, James E.

2011-10-31

Patua—ESRI Geodatabase (ArcGeology v1.3): - Contains all the geologic map data, including faults, contacts, folds, veins, dikes, unit polygons, and attitudes of strata and faults. - List of stratigraphic units. - Locations of geothermal wells. - Locations of 40Ar/39Ar and tephra samples.

Real-time monitoring of volatile organic compounds using chemical ionization mass spectrometry

DOEpatents

Mowry, Curtis Dale; Thornberg, Steven Michael

1999-01-01

A system for on-line quantitative monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) includes pressure reduction means for carrying a gaseous sample from a first location to a measuring input location maintained at a low pressure, the system utilizing active feedback to keep both the vapor flow and pressure to a chemical ionization mode mass spectrometer constant. A multiple input manifold for VOC and gas distribution permits a combination of calibration gases or samples to be applied to the spectrometer.

Letter from Yuen-Chang (Didi) Fung, Tetra Tech to Steve Spurlin, EPA Region 4. Concerning Site Activities and Drum Inventory Summary

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This letter summarizes the drum inventory obtained on July 12, 2007 including drum staging area locations, sample locations, physical states, and preliminary waste categories. Region ID: 04 DocID: 10517019, DocDate: 07-19-2007

A typology of female sex work in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile.

PubMed

Belmar, Julieta; Stuardo, Valeria; Folch, Cinta; Carvajal, Bielka; Clunes, Maria José; Montoliu, Alexandra; Casabona, Jordi

2018-04-01

In Chile, sex work takes place covertly in a variety of venues and locations. Formative research using time-location sampling methods is important in order to understand the nature of this diversity. This study used qualitative methods to develop a typology of female sex work in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile, using semi-structured interviews, focus groups and ethnographic fieldwork during visits to sex work venues. The study identified seven types of venue, which reflect the context and regulatory framework of the country and the structural vulnerabilities that affect female sex workers in Chile. These venues and locations include: cafés con piernas (coffee with legs); nightclubs, topless bars and cabarets; brothels; hotels; street and highway soliciting; massage parlours; and private residences. Formative research methods were helpful in identifying and characterising the venues and locations in which sex work occurred. Barriers to accessing and mapping specific locations were also identified. Recommendations for addressing these barriers include working with non-governmental organisations to map venues and initiate contact with the populations of interest. A comprehensive typology of sex work in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile, is an essential element for future time-location sampling and bio-behavioural research in the context of second-generation surveillance for HIV and sexually transmitted infections in Chile.

Assessment of long-term gas sampling design at two commercial manure-belt layer barns.

PubMed

Chai, Li-Long; Ni, Ji-Qin; Chen, Yan; Diehl, Claude A; Heber, Albert J; Lim, Teng T

2010-06-01

Understanding temporal and spatial variations of aerial pollutant concentrations is important for designing air quality monitoring systems. In long-term and continuous air quality monitoring in large livestock and poultry barns, these systems usually use location-shared analyzers and sensors and can only sample air at limited number of locations. To assess the validity of the gas sampling design at a commercial layer farm, a new methodology was developed to map pollutant gas concentrations using portable sensors under steady-state or quasi-steady-state barn conditions. Three assessment tests were conducted from December 2008 to February 2009 in two manure-belt layer barns. Each barn was 140.2 m long and 19.5 m wide and had 250,000 birds. Each test included four measurements of ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations at 20 locations that covered all operating fans, including six of the fans used in the long-term sampling that represented three zones along the lengths of the barns, to generate data for complete-barn monitoring. To simulate the long-term monitoring, gas concentrations from the six long-term sampling locations were extracted from the 20 assessment locations. Statistical analyses were performed to test the variances (F-test) and sample means (t test) between the 6- and 20-sample data. The study clearly demonstrated ammonia and carbon dioxide concentration gradients that were characterized by increasing concentrations from the west to east ends of the barns following the under-cage manure-belt travel direction. Mean concentrations increased from 7.1 to 47.7 parts per million (ppm) for ammonia and from 2303 to 3454 ppm for carbon dioxide from the west to east of the barns. Variations of mean gas concentrations were much less apparent between the south and north sides of the barns, because they were 21.2 and 20.9 ppm for ammonia and 2979 and 2951 ppm for carbon dioxide, respectively. The null hypotheses that the variances and means between the 6- and 20-sample data were equal at alpha = 0.05 (P > 0.05) were accepted for both gases. The results proved that the long-term gas sampling design was valid in this instance and suggested that the gas sampling design in these two barns was one of the best on the basis of available long-term monitoring instrumentation at reasonable cost.

An empirical comparison of respondent-driven sampling, time location sampling, and snowball sampling for behavioral surveillance in men who have sex with men, Fortaleza, Brazil.

PubMed

Kendall, Carl; Kerr, Ligia R F S; Gondim, Rogerio C; Werneck, Guilherme L; Macena, Raimunda Hermelinda Maia; Pontes, Marta Kerr; Johnston, Lisa G; Sabin, Keith; McFarland, Willi

2008-07-01

Obtaining samples of populations at risk for HIV challenges surveillance, prevention planning, and evaluation. Methods used include snowball sampling, time location sampling (TLS), and respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Few studies have made side-by-side comparisons to assess their relative advantages. We compared snowball, TLS, and RDS surveys of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Forteleza, Brazil, with a focus on the socio-economic status (SES) and risk behaviors of the samples to each other, to known AIDS cases and to the general population. RDS produced a sample with wider inclusion of lower SES than snowball sampling or TLS-a finding of health significance given the majority of AIDS cases reported among MSM in the state were low SES. RDS also achieved the sample size faster and at lower cost. For reasons of inclusion and cost-efficiency, RDS is the sampling methodology of choice for HIV surveillance of MSM in Fortaleza.

When enough is enough: The worth of monitoring data in aquifer remediation design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, Bruce R.; Gorelick, Steven M.

1994-12-01

Given the high cost of data collection at groundwater contamination remediation sites, it is becoming increasingly important to make data collection as cost-effective as possible. A Bayesian data worth framework is developed in an attempt to carry out this task for remediation programs in which a groundwater contaminant plume must be located and then hydraulically contained. The framework is applied to a hypothetical contamination problem where uncertainty in plume location and extent are caused by uncertainty in source location, source loading time, and aquifer heterogeneity. The goal is to find the optimum number and the best locations for a sequence of observation wells that minimize the expected cost of remediation plus sampling. Simplifying assumptions include steady state heads, advective transport, simple retardation, and remediation costs as a linear function of discharge rate. In the case here, an average of six observation wells was needed. Results indicate that this optimum number was particularly sensitive to the mean hydraulic conductivity. The optimum number was also sensitive to the variance of the hydraulic conductivity, annual discount rate, operating cost, and sample unit cost. It was relatively insensitive to the correlation length of hydraulic conductivity. For the case here, points of greatest uncertainty in plume presence were on average poor candidates for sample locations, and randomly located samples were not cost-effective.

A benthic-macroinvertebrate index of biotic integrity and assessment of conditions in selected streams in Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1998-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reif, Andrew G.

2012-01-01

The Stream Conditions of Chester County Biological Monitoring Network (Network) was established by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Chester County Water Resources Authority in 1969. Chester County encompasses 760 square miles in southeastern Pennsylvania and has a rapidly expanding population. Land-use change has occurred in response to this continual growth, as open space, agricultural lands, and wooded lands have been converted to residential and commercial lands. In 1998, the Network was modified to include 18 fixed-location sites and 9 flexible-location sites. Sites were sampled annually in the fall (October-November) during base-flow conditions for water chemistry, instream habitat, and benthic macroinvertebrates. A new set of 9 flexible-location sites was selected each year. From 1998 to 2009, 213 samples were collected from the 18 fixed-location sites and 107 samples were collected from the 84 flexible-location sites. Eighteen flexible-location sites were sampled more than once over the 12-year period; 66 sites were sampled only once. Benthic-macroinvertebrate data from samples collected during 1998-2009 were used to establish the Chester County Index of Biotic Integrity (CC-IBI). The CC-IBI was based on the methods and metrics outlined in the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's "A Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity for Wadeable Freestone Streams in Pennsylvania." The resulting CC-IBI consists of scores for benthic-macroinvertebrate samples collected from sites in the Network that related to reference conditions in Chester County. Mean CC-IBI scores for 18 fixed-location sites ranged from 37.21 to 88.92. Thirty-nine percent of the 213 samples collected at the 18 fixed-location sites had a CC-IBI score less than 50; 33 percent, 50 to 70; 28 percent, greater than 70. CC-IBI scores from the 107 flexible-location samples ranged from 23.48 to 99.96. Twenty-five percent of the 107 samples collected at the flexible-location sites had a CC-IBI score less than 50; 33 percent, 50 to 70; and 42 percent, greater than 70. Factors that were found to affect CC-IBI scores are nutrient concentrations, habitat conditions, and percent of wooded and urban land use. A positive relation was determined between mean CC-IBI scores and mean total habitat scores for the 18 fixed-location sites. CC-IBI scores were most strongly affected by stream bank vegetative protection, embeddedness, riparian zone width, and sediment deposition. The highest CC-IBI scores were associated with sites that had greater than 28 percent wooded-wetland-water land use, less than 5 percent urban land use, and no municipal wastewater discharges within 10 miles upstream from the sampling site. The lowest CC-IBI scores were associated with sites where urban land use was greater than 15 percent or a municipal wastewater discharge was within 10 miles upstream from the sampling reach. The Mann Kendall test for trends was used to determine trends in CC-IBI scores and concentrations of nitrate, orthophosphate, and chloride for the 18 fixed-location sites. A positive trend in CC-IBI was determined for six sites, and a negative trend was determined for one site. Positive trends in nitrate concentrations were determined for 4 of the 18 fixed-location sites, and a negative trend in orthophosphate concentrations was determined for 1 of the 18 fixed-location sites. Positive trends in chloride concentrations were determined for 16 of the 18 fixed-location sites.

Annual and Geographic variations in cone production by longleaf pine

Treesearch

William D. Boyer

1987-01-01

Abstract.Cone production by longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) has been monitored on sample trees in shelterwood stands since 1966. Eleven locations, three each-in Alabama and Florida and one in Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina were included in the study. Each location had two test areas, with...

Context of Physical Activity in a Representative Sample of Adults.

PubMed

Welk, Gregory J; Kim, Youngwon

2015-10-01

The establishment of formal physical activity (PA) guidelines has led to considerable interest in quantifying participation in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). However, evidence on the context of MVPA at the population level is scarce. The aim of this study was to provide information on the type, location, and purpose of MVPA in a representative sample of adults. Data from a representative sample of 1234 Iowa adults were included in this study. Each participant performed a telephone-administered 24-h PA recall method to recall PA in the previous 24 h. Self-reported data from the recall instrument included time and types of reported activities across five distinct location and purpose codes. Reported activities were matched with corresponding metabolic equivalent (MET) scores from a reduced list of compendium of physical activities. MVPA was defined as any activity with assigned MET ≥ 3.0. Of the top 30 most frequently reported MVPA, 16 were lifestyle activities involving walking, and only 4 can be regarded as traditional "exercises." Occupational activities (41% for purpose and 40% for location) and household activities (37% for purpose and 39% for location) accounted for nearly 80% of total reported MVPA time. Time allocations across purpose and location codes considerably differed by sociodemographic indicators. Lifestyle activities are more frequently reported than sports and/or recreational activities. Individuals with varying levels of sociodemographic indicators exhibit different patterns of use of time within a given day. A multidomain approach is needed to better understand and increase MVPA in diverse populations of US adults.

Fog chemistry in the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast corridor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raja, Suresh; Raghunathan, Ravikrishna; Yu, Xiao-Ying; Lee, Taehyoung; Chen, Jing; Kommalapati, Raghava R.; Murugesan, Karthik; Shen, Xinhua; Qingzhong, Yuan; Valsaraj, Kalliat T.; Collett, Jeffrey L.

Fog samples were collected in two population centers of the US Gulf Coast (Houston, Texas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana) using Caltech active strand cloud collectors. A total of 32 fogwater samples were collected in Baton Rouge (November 2004-February 2005) and Houston (February 2006). These samples were analyzed for pH, total and dissolved organic carbon, major inorganic ions, and a variety of organic compounds including organic acids, aromatics, carbonyls, and linear alkanes. Fogs in both environments were of moderate density, with typical fog liquid water contents <100 mg m -3. Fog samples collected in Houston reflect a clear influence of marine and anthropogenic inputs, while Baton Rouge samples also reflect agricultural inputs. The volume-weighted mean fog pH was somewhat more acidic (˜4.3) in Houston than in Baton Rouge (˜5.0). A wide pH range was observed in fog at both locations. Houston fog had higher concentrations of Cl -, NO 3-, Na +, Mg 2+, and Ca 2+. Sulfate to nitrate ratios were high in fogs at both locations, typical of many clouds in the eastern US. Total organic carbon concentrations were much higher in Houston fogs than in Baton Rouge fogs. Efforts to speciate dissolved organic carbon (DOC) reveal large contributions from organic acids and carbonyls, with smaller contributions from other organic compound families including aromatics, alkanes, amides, and alcohols. Approximately 40% of the fog DOC was unspeciated in samples from both study locations.

Cross-species infection of hepatitis E virus in a zoo-like location, including birds

PubMed Central

ZHANG, W.; SHEN, Q.; MOU, J.; YANG, Z. B.; YUAN, C. L.; CUI, L.; ZHU, J. G.; HUA, X. G.; XU, C. M.; HU, J.

2008-01-01

SUMMARY Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic pathogen of which several species of animals are considered to be reservoirs. Thirty-eight faecal samples, obtained from 22 species of animals including birds in a wildlife first-aid centre in Eastern China, were tested for HEV RNA. Our survey revealed that in total 28·9% (95% confidence interval 14·5–43·4) of the faecal samples from various mammals and birds were HEV RNA positive. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses of the 11 isolates demonstrated that all sequences clustered in genotype 4 with 96–100% identity to each other. In addition, serum samples from seven animal handlers have shown that five (71·4%) were seropositive. The findings imply that cross-species infection of HEV had probably occurred in this zoo-like location, and moreover, birds can be infected naturally with mammalian HEV. PMID:17961279

Characterization of nutrients and fecal indicator bacteria at a concentrated swine feeding operation in Wake County, North Carolina, 2009-2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harden, Stephen L.; Rogers, Shane W.; Jahne, Michael A.; Shaffer, Carrie E.; Smith, Douglas G.

2012-01-01

Study sites were sampled for laboratory analysis of nutrients, total suspended solids (TSS), and (or) fecal indicator bacteria (FIB). Nutrient analyses included measurement of dissolved ammonia, total and dissolved ammonia + organic nitrogen, dissolved nitrate + nitrite, dissolved orthophosphate, and total phosphorus. The FIB analyses included measurement of Escherichia coli and enterococci. Samples of wastewater at the swine facility were collected from a pipe outfall from the swine housing units, two storage lagoons, and the spray fields for analysis of nutrients, TSS, and FIB. Soil samples collected from a spray field were analyzed for FIB. Monitoring locations were established for collecting discharge and water-quality data during storm events at three in-field runoff sites and two sites on the headwater stream (one upstream and one downstream) next to the swine facility. Stormflow samples at the five monitoring locations were collected for four storm events during 2009 to 2010 and analyzed for nutrients, TSS, and FIB. Monthly water samples also were collected during base-flow conditions at all four stream sites for laboratory analysis of nutrients, TSS, and (or) FIB.

Investigating phenology of larval fishes in St. Louis River ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As part of the development of an early detection monitoring strategy for non-native fishes, larval fish surveys have been conducted since 2012 in the St. Louis River estuary. Survey data demonstrates there is considerable variability in fish abundance and species assemblages across different habitats and at multiple temporal scales. To optimize early detection monitoring we need to understand temporal and spatial patterns of larval fishes related to their development and dispersion, as well as the environmental factors that influence them. In 2016 we designed an experiment to assess the phenological variability in larval fish abundance and assemblages amongst shallow water habitats. Specifically, we sought to contrast different thermal environments and turbidity levels, as well as assess the importance of vegetation in these habitats. To evaluate phenological differences we sampled larval fish bi-weekly at nine locations from mid-May to mid-July. Sampling locations were split between upper estuary and lower estuary to contrast river versus seiche influenced habitats. To assess differences in thermal environments, temperature was monitored every 15 minutes at each sampling location throughout the study, beginning in early April. Our design also included sampling at both vegetated (or pre-vegetated) and non-vegetated stations within each sampling location throughout the study to assess the importance of this habitat variable. Hydroacoustic surveys (Biosonics) were

Longitudinal Metagenomic Analysis of Hospital Air Identifies Clinically Relevant Microbes.

PubMed

King, Paula; Pham, Long K; Waltz, Shannon; Sphar, Dan; Yamamoto, Robert T; Conrad, Douglas; Taplitz, Randy; Torriani, Francesca; Forsyth, R Allyn

2016-01-01

We describe the sampling of sixty-three uncultured hospital air samples collected over a six-month period and analysis using shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Our primary goals were to determine the longitudinal metagenomic variability of this environment, identify and characterize genomes of potential pathogens and determine whether they are atypical to the hospital airborne metagenome. Air samples were collected from eight locations which included patient wards, the main lobby and outside. The resulting DNA libraries produced 972 million sequences representing 51 gigabases. Hierarchical clustering of samples by the most abundant 50 microbial orders generated three major nodes which primarily clustered by type of location. Because the indoor locations were longitudinally consistent, episodic relative increases in microbial genomic signatures related to the opportunistic pathogens Aspergillus, Penicillium and Stenotrophomonas were identified as outliers at specific locations. Further analysis of microbial reads specific for Stenotrophomonas maltophilia indicated homology to a sequenced multi-drug resistant clinical strain and we observed broad sequence coverage of resistance genes. We demonstrate that a shotgun metagenomic sequencing approach can be used to characterize the resistance determinants of pathogen genomes that are uncharacteristic for an otherwise consistent hospital air microbial metagenomic profile.

Reconnaissance-level application of physical habitat simulation in the evaluation of physical habitat limits in the Animas Basin, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milhous, Robert T.

2003-01-01

Bed material samples were collected at each site. These included samples of the armour, the substrate, and sand and fines deposited on the surface. At selected sites the stream morphology was measured. These measurements included one to three cross sections, stream discharge, and water surface elevations. The data are located in the files of the Fort Collins Science Center.

Ion binding compounds, radionuclide complexes, methods of making radionuclide complexes, methods of extracting radionuclides, and methods of delivering radionuclides to target locations

DOEpatents

Chen, Xiaoyuan; Wai, Chien M.; Fisher, Darrell R.

2000-01-01

The invention pertains to compounds for binding lanthanide ions and actinide ions. The invention further pertains to compounds for binding radionuclides, and to methods of making radionuclide complexes. Also, the invention pertains to methods of extracting radionuclides. Additionally, the invention pertains to methods of delivering radionuclides to target locations. In one aspect, the invention includes a compound comprising: a) a calix[n]arene group, wherein n is an integer greater than 3, the calix[n]arene group comprising an upper rim and a lower rim; b) at least one ionizable group attached to the lower rim; and c) an ion selected from the group consisting of lanthanide and actinide elements bound to the ionizable group. In another aspect, the invention includes a method of extracting a radionuclide, comprising: a) providing a sample comprising a radionuclide; b) providing a calix[n]arene compound in contact with the sample, wherein n is an integer greater than 3; and c) extracting radionuclide from the sample into the calix[n]arene compound. In yet another aspect, the invention includes a method of delivering a radionuclide to a target location, comprising: a) providing a calix[n]arene compound, wherein n is an integer greater than 3, the calix[n]arene compound comprising at least one ionizable group; b) providing a radionuclide bound to the calix[n]arene compound; and c) providing an antibody attached to the calix[n]arene compound, the antibody being specific for a material found at the target location.

Dataset from chemical gas sensor array in turbulent wind tunnel.

PubMed

Fonollosa, Jordi; Rodríguez-Luján, Irene; Trincavelli, Marco; Huerta, Ramón

2015-06-01

The dataset includes the acquired time series of a chemical detection platform exposed to different gas conditions in a turbulent wind tunnel. The chemo-sensory elements were sampling directly the environment. In contrast to traditional approaches that include measurement chambers, open sampling systems are sensitive to dispersion mechanisms of gaseous chemical analytes, namely diffusion, turbulence, and advection, making the identification and monitoring of chemical substances more challenging. The sensing platform included 72 metal-oxide gas sensors that were positioned at 6 different locations of the wind tunnel. At each location, 10 distinct chemical gases were released in the wind tunnel, the sensors were evaluated at 5 different operating temperatures, and 3 different wind speeds were generated in the wind tunnel to induce different levels of turbulence. Moreover, each configuration was repeated 20 times, yielding a dataset of 18,000 measurements. The dataset was collected over a period of 16 months. The data is related to "On the performance of gas sensor arrays in open sampling systems using Inhibitory Support Vector Machines", by Vergara et al.[1]. The dataset can be accessed publicly at the UCI repository upon citation of [1]: http://archive.ics.uci.edu/ml/datasets/Gas+sensor+arrays+in+open+sampling+settings.

Thermal control paints on LDEF: Results of M0003 sub-experiment 18

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaggers, C. H.; Meshishnek, M. J.; Coggi, J. M.

1993-01-01

Several thermal control paints were flown on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), including the white paints Chemglaze A276, S13GLO, and YB-71, and the black paint D-111. The effects of low earth orbit, which includes those induced by UV radiation and atomic oxygen, varied significantly with each paint and its location on LDEF. For example, samples of Chemglaze A276 located on the trailing edge of LDEF darkened significantly due to UV-induced degradation of the paint's binder, while leading edge samples remained white but exhibited severe atomic oxygen erosion of the binder. Although the response of S13GLO to low earth orbit is much more complicated, it also exhibited greater darkening on trailing edge samples as compared to leading edge samples. In contrast, YB-71 and D-111 remained relatively stable and showed minimal degradation. The performance of these paints as determined by changes in their optical and physical properties, including solar absorptance as well as surface chemical changes and changes in surface morphology is examined. It will also provide a correlation of these optical and physical property changes to the physical phenomena that occurred in these materials during the LDEF mission.

Quantitative analysis of Curcuminoid collected from different location in Indonesia by TLC-Densitometry and its antioxidant capacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahyuni, D. S. C.; Artanti, A. N.; Rinanto, Y.

2018-04-01

Curcuminoid, consisting of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bis demethoxycurcumin, is the active compound in Curcuma longa L. rhizome. It yielded vary depend on the environment and varieties. Curcumin has been known to have a potent antioxidants activity. The present work was conducted to assess the curcuminoid content and antioxidant capacity in the crude extracts of C. longa L. collected from eight different locations in Indonesia. Samples were collected from eight locations including Java island, Sumatera island and Nusa Tenggara island. All samples were extracted using 96% ethanol and analyzed quantitatively using TLC-Densitometry. Antioxidant activity was assessed using diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and analyzed at 517 nm using a spectrophotometer. Curcuminoid content in C. longa varied among eight different locations (0.53±0.05 - 5.33±0.12 % w/w). The highest curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin yield were found in the samples from Magetan (5.33±0.12%, 1.54±0.05%, 0.46±0.02% w/w, respectively). In contrast, the lowest curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin yield were found in the sample from Demak (0.53±0.05%, 0.17±0.05%, 0.17±0.05% w/w, respectively). Antioxidant capacity showed similar for all places unless sample from Magetan which exhibited two times lower than other locations. It is apparently curcuminoid content and antioxidant activity varied among places. These results are useful information for curcuminoid standardization method in pharmaceutical products.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Newcastle NTMS Quadrangle, Wyoming, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements

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

Goff, S.J.; Sandoval, W.F.; Gallimore, D.L.

1980-06-01

Water and sediment samples were collected and each water sample was analyzed for U, and each sediment sample was analyzed for 43 elements, including U and Th. Uranium concentrations in water samples range from below the detection limit of 0.02 ppB to 702.26 ppB and have a median of 1.73 ppB and a mean of 11.76 ppB. Water samples containing high uranium concentrations generally are associated with known uranium mining activity or units known to be uranium bearing. About one-third of the water samples containing high uranium concentrations were collected from locations within the Pumpkin Buttes and Turnercrest-Ross Districts. Nearlymore » half of the water samples containing high uranium concentrations were collected from locations just west of the Monument Hill and Highland Flats-Box Creek Districts. Similar anomalous uranium concentrations in this region have been reported updip from Exxon's Highland uranium deposits. High uranium concentrations were also found associated with the Lance Creek-Old Woman Anticline District. Uranium concentrations in sediment samples range from 1.14 to 220.70 ppM and have a median of 3.37 ppM and a mean of 4.03 ppM. Throughout the major uranium mining districts of the Powder River Basin, sediment samples with high uranium concentrations were collected from dry streams located near wells producing water samples with high uranium concentrations. High uranium concentrations were also found associated with the Lance Creek oil field where uranium mineralization is known in the White River formation. High uranium concentrations were also found in sediment samples in areas where uranium mineralization is not known. These samples are from dry streams in areas underlain by the White River formation, the Niobrara formation, and the Pierre, Carlisle, Belle Fourche, and Mowry shales.« less

Corrective action investigation plan: Cactus Spring Waste Trenches. Revision 2

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

NONE

This Correction Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) contains environmental sample collection objectives and logic for the Corrective Action Unit No. 426, which includes the Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, located at the Tonopah Test Range. The purpose of this investigation is to generate sufficient data to establish the types of waste buried in the trenches, identify the presence and nature of contamination, determine the vertical extent of contaminant migration below the Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, and determine the appropriate course of action for the site. The potential courses of action for the site are clean closure, closure in place (with or withoutmore » remediation), or no further action. The scope of this investigation will include drilling and collecting subsurface samples from within and below the trenches. Sampling locations will be biased toward the areas most likely to be contaminated. The Cactus Spring Waste Trenches Site is identified as one of three potential locations for buried, radioactively contaminated materials from the Double Tracks Test. This test was the first of four storage-transportation tests conducted in 1963 as part of Operation Roller Coaster. The experiment involved the use of live animals to assess the inhalation intake of a plutonium aerosol.« less

EVALUATION OF SPERM CHROMATIN STRUCTURE ASSAY (SCSA REGISTERED TRADEMARK) IN HUMAN SPERM AFTER SIMULATED OVERNIGHT SHIPMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Home semen collection kits allow men to collect a sample at their convenience and send it via overnight mail to the laboratory. Benefits of this approach include facilitated sample collection from different geographic locations, minimized variability through analysis by a central...

Estuarine bed-sediment-quality data collected in New Jersey and New York after Hurricane Sandy, 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fischer, Jeffrey M.; Phillips, Patrick J.; Reilly, Timothy J.; Focazio, Michael J.; Loftin, Keith A.; Benzel, William M.; Jones, Daniel K.; Smalling, Kelly L.; Fisher, Shawn C.; Fisher, Irene J.; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Romanok, Kristin M.; Jenkins, Darkus E.; Bowers, Luke; Boehlke, Adam; Foreman, William T.; Deetz, Anna C.; Carper, Lisa G.; Imbrigiotta, Thomas E.; Birdwell, Justin E.

2015-01-01

Bed-sediment samples were collected from June to October 2013 from 167 estuarine sites extending from Cape May, New Jersey, to the New York Harbor and the eastern end of Long Island. Each sampling location and study region was characterized by using geographic information to identify potential contaminant sources. Characterizations included land cover, locations and types of businesses (industrial, financial, and others), spills (sewage, chemical, and others), bulk storage facilities, effluent discharges within 2 kilometers of the sampling point, and discharges within inundated and non-inundated regions near the sampling location. Samples were analyzed for particle size, total organic carbon, metals and trace elements, semivolatile organic compounds, wastewater compounds, hormones, and sediment toxicity. Samples were also screened using x-ray fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. In addition, bioassays for endocrine disruptors and protein phosphatase 2A inhibition were conducted. The study was designed to provide the data needed to understand the extent and sources of contamination resulting from Hurricane Sandy, to compare the chemistry and toxicity of estuarine bed sediments before and after the storm, and to evaluate the usefulness of rapid screening and bioassay approaches in disaster settings.

Production of medical radioactive isotopes using KIPT electron driven subcritical facility.

PubMed

Talamo, Alberto; Gohar, Yousry

2008-05-01

Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT) of Ukraine in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has a plan to construct an electron accelerator driven subcritical assembly. One of the facility objectives is the production of medical radioactive isotopes. This paper presents the ANL collaborative work performed for characterizing the facility performance for producing medical radioactive isotopes. First, a preliminary assessment was performed without including the self-shielding effect of the irradiated samples. Then, more detailed investigation was carried out including the self-shielding effect, which defined the sample size and location for producing each medical isotope. In the first part, the reaction rates were calculated as the multiplication of the cross section with the unperturbed neutron flux of the facility. Over fifty isotopes have been considered and all transmutation channels are used including (n, gamma), (n, 2n), (n, p), and (gamma, n). In the second part, the parent isotopes with high reaction rate were explicitly modeled in the calculations. Four irradiation locations were considered in the analyses to study the medical isotope production rate. The results show the self-shielding effect not only reduces the specific activity but it also changes the irradiation location that maximizes the specific activity. The axial and radial distributions of the parent capture rates have been examined to define the irradiation sample size of each parent isotope.

Evaluation of reproductive endocrine status in hornyhead turbot sampled from Southern California's urbanized coastal environments.

PubMed

Reyes, Jesus A; Vidal-Dorsch, Doris E; Schlenk, Daniel; Bay, Steven M; Armstrong, Jeffrey L; Gully, Joseph R; Cash, Curtis; Baker, Michael; Stebbins, Timothy D; Hardiman, Gary; Kelley, Kevin M

2012-12-01

As part of a regionwide collaboration to determine the occurrence of contaminants and biological effects in coastal ecosystems offshore of urban southern California, the present study characterized the reproductive endocrinology of an indigenous flatfish, the hornyhead turbot (Pleuronichthys verticalis), and compared groups sampled from different study sites representing varying degrees of pollution to screen for potential endocrine disruptive effects. Turbot were sampled from locations near the coastal discharge sites of four large municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located between Los Angeles and San Diego, California, USA, and were compared with fish sampled from three far-field reference locations in the region. Despite environmental presence of both legacy contaminants and contaminants of emerging concern and evidence for fish exposure to several classes of contaminants, both males and females generally exhibited coordinated seasonal reproductive cycles at all study sites. Patterns observed included peaks in sex steroids (17β-estradiol, testosterone, 11-ketotestosterone) in the spring and low levels in the fall, changes corresponding to similarly timed gonadal changes and plasma vitellogenin concentrations in females. Comparisons between fish captured at the different study sites demonstrated some regional differences in plasma levels of estrogens and androgens, indicative of location-associated effects on the endocrine system. The observed differences, however, could not be linked to the ocean discharge locations of four of the largest WWTPs in the world. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

A flexible system to capture sample vials in a storage box - the box vial scanner.

PubMed

Nowakowski, Steven E; Kressin, Kenneth R; Deick, Steven D

2009-01-01

Tracking sample vials in a research environment is a critical task and doing so efficiently can have a large impact on productivity, especially in high volume laboratories. There are several challenges to automating the capture process, including the variety of containers used to store samples. We developed a fast and robust system to capture the location of sample vials being placed in storage that allows the laboratories the flexibility to use sample containers of varying dimensions. With a single scan, this device captures the box identifier, the vial identifier and the location of each vial within a freezer storage box. The sample vials are tracked through a barcode label affixed to the cap while the boxes are tracked by a barcode label on the side of the box. Scanning units are placed at the point of use and forward data to a sever application for processing the scanned data. Scanning units consist of an industrial barcode reader mounted in a fixture positioning the box for scanning and providing lighting during the scan. The server application transforms the scan data into a list of storage locations holding vial identifiers. The list is then transferred to the laboratory database. The box vial scanner captures the IDs and location information for an entire box of sample vials into the laboratory database in a single scan. The system accommodates a wide variety of vials sizes by inserting risers under the sample box and a variety of storage box layouts are supported via the processing algorithm on the server.

Combination of a Fast Cleanup Procedure and a DR-CALUX® Bioassay for Dioxin Surveillance in Taiwanese Soils

PubMed Central

Lin, Ding-Yan; Lee, Yi-Pin; Li, Chiu-Ping; Chi, Kai-Hsien; Liang, Bo-Wei P.; Liu, Wen-Yao; Wang, Chih-Cheng; Lin, Susana; Chen, Ting-Chien; Yeh, Kuei-Jyum C.; Hsu, Ping-Chi; Hsu, Yi-Chyun; Chao, How-Ran; Tsou, Tsui-Chun

2014-01-01

Our goal was to determine dioxin levels in 800 soil samples collected from Taiwan. An in vitro DR-CALUX® assay was carried out with the help of an automated Soxhlet system and fast cleanup column. The mean dioxin level of 800 soil samples was 36.0 pg-bioanalytical equivalents (BEQs)/g dry weight (d.w.). Soil dioxin-BEQs were higher in northern Taiwan (61.8 pg-BEQ/g d.w.) than in central, southern, and eastern Taiwan (22.2, 24.9, and 7.80 pg-BEQ/g d.w., respectively). Analysis of multiple linear regression models identified four major predictors of dioxin-BEQs including soil sampling location (β = 0.097, p < 0.001), land use (β = 0.065, p < 0.001), soil brightness (β = 0.170, p < 0.001), and soil moisture (β = 0.051, p = 0.020), with adjusted R2 = 0.947 (p < 0.001) (n = 662). An univariate logistic regression analysis with the cut-off point of 33.4 pg-BEQ/g d.w. showed significant odds ratios (ORs) for soil sampling location (OR = 2.43, p < 0.001), land use (OR = 1.47, p < 0.001), and soil brightness (OR = 2.83, p = 0.009). In conclusion, four variables, including soil sampling location, land use, soil brightness, and soil moisture, may be related to soil-dioxin contamination. Soil samples collected in northern Taiwan, and especially in Bade City, soils near industrial areas, and soils with darker color may contain higher dioxin-BEQ levels. PMID:24806195

Methodological Challenges in Collecting Social and Behavioural Data Regarding the HIV Epidemic among Gay and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men in Australia

PubMed Central

Holt, Martin; de Wit, John; Brown, Graham; Maycock, Bruce; Fairley, Christopher; Prestage, Garrett

2014-01-01

Background Behavioural surveillance and research among gay and other men who have sex with men (GMSM) commonly relies on non-random recruitment approaches. Methodological challenges limit their ability to accurately represent the population of adult GMSM. We compared the social and behavioural profiles of GMSM recruited via venue-based, online, and respondent-driven sampling (RDS) and discussed their utility for behavioural surveillance. Methods Data from four studies were selected to reflect each recruitment method. We compared demographic characteristics and the prevalence of key indicators including sexual and HIV testing practices obtained from samples recruited through different methods, and population estimates from respondent-driven sampling partition analysis. Results Overall, the socio-demographic profile of GMSM was similar across samples, with some differences observed in age and sexual identification. Men recruited through time-location sampling appeared more connected to the gay community, reported a greater number of sexual partners, but engaged in less unprotected anal intercourse with regular (UAIR) or casual partners (UAIC). The RDS sample overestimated the proportion of HIV-positive men and appeared to recruit men with an overall higher number of sexual partners. A single-website survey recruited a sample with characteristics which differed considerably from the population estimates with regards to age, ethnically diversity and behaviour. Data acquired through time-location sampling underestimated the rates of UAIR and UAIC, while RDS and online sampling both generated samples that underestimated UAIR. Simulated composite samples combining recruits from time-location and multi-website online sampling may produce characteristics more consistent with the population estimates, particularly with regards to sexual practices. Conclusion Respondent-driven sampling produced the sample that was most consistent to population estimates, but this methodology is complex and logistically demanding. Time-location and online recruitment are more cost-effective and easier to implement; using these approaches in combination may offer the potential to recruit a more representative sample of GMSM. PMID:25409440

Methodological challenges in collecting social and behavioural data regarding the HIV epidemic among gay and other men who have sex with men in Australia.

PubMed

Zablotska, Iryna B; Frankland, Andrew; Holt, Martin; de Wit, John; Brown, Graham; Maycock, Bruce; Fairley, Christopher; Prestage, Garrett

2014-01-01

Behavioural surveillance and research among gay and other men who have sex with men (GMSM) commonly relies on non-random recruitment approaches. Methodological challenges limit their ability to accurately represent the population of adult GMSM. We compared the social and behavioural profiles of GMSM recruited via venue-based, online, and respondent-driven sampling (RDS) and discussed their utility for behavioural surveillance. Data from four studies were selected to reflect each recruitment method. We compared demographic characteristics and the prevalence of key indicators including sexual and HIV testing practices obtained from samples recruited through different methods, and population estimates from respondent-driven sampling partition analysis. Overall, the socio-demographic profile of GMSM was similar across samples, with some differences observed in age and sexual identification. Men recruited through time-location sampling appeared more connected to the gay community, reported a greater number of sexual partners, but engaged in less unprotected anal intercourse with regular (UAIR) or casual partners (UAIC). The RDS sample overestimated the proportion of HIV-positive men and appeared to recruit men with an overall higher number of sexual partners. A single-website survey recruited a sample with characteristics which differed considerably from the population estimates with regards to age, ethnically diversity and behaviour. Data acquired through time-location sampling underestimated the rates of UAIR and UAIC, while RDS and online sampling both generated samples that underestimated UAIR. Simulated composite samples combining recruits from time-location and multi-website online sampling may produce characteristics more consistent with the population estimates, particularly with regards to sexual practices. Respondent-driven sampling produced the sample that was most consistent to population estimates, but this methodology is complex and logistically demanding. Time-location and online recruitment are more cost-effective and easier to implement; using these approaches in combination may offer the potential to recruit a more representative sample of GMSM.

System for precise position registration

DOEpatents

Sundelin, Ronald M.; Wang, Tong

2005-11-22

An apparatus for enabling accurate retaining of a precise position, such as for reacquisition of a microscopic spot or feature having a size of 0.1 mm or less, on broad-area surfaces after non-in situ processing. The apparatus includes a sample and sample holder. The sample holder includes a base and three support posts. Two of the support posts interact with a cylindrical hole and a U-groove in the sample to establish location of one point on the sample and a line through the sample. Simultaneous contact of the third support post with the surface of the sample defines a plane through the sample. All points of the sample are therefore uniquely defined by the sample and sample holder. The position registration system of the current invention provides accuracy, as measured in x, y repeatability, of at least 140 .mu.m.

Augmenting comprehension of geological relationships by integrating 3D laser scanned hand samples within a GIS environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, A. S.; Fotopoulos, G.; Hall, B.; Amolins, K.

2017-06-01

Geological observations can be made on multiple scales, including micro- (e.g. thin section), meso- (e.g. hand-sized to outcrop) and macro- (e.g. outcrop and larger) scales. Types of meso-scale samples include, but are not limited to, rocks (including drill cores), minerals, and fossils. The spatial relationship among samples paired with physical (e.g. granulometric composition, density, roughness) and chemical (e.g. mineralogical and isotopic composition) properties can aid in interpreting geological settings, such as paleo-environmental and formational conditions as well as geomorphological history. Field samples are collected along traverses in the area of interest based on characteristic representativeness of a region, predetermined rate of sampling, and/or uniqueness. The location of a sample can provide relative context in seeking out additional key samples. Beyond labelling and recording of geospatial coordinates for samples, further analysis of physical and chemical properties may be conducted in the field and laboratory. The main motivation for this paper is to present a workflow for the digital preservation of samples (via 3D laser scanning) paired with the development of cyber infrastructure, which offers geoscientists and engineers the opportunity to access an increasingly diverse worldwide collection of digital Earth materials. This paper describes a Web-based graphical user interface developed using Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS for digitized meso-scale 3D scans of geological samples to be viewed alongside the macro-scale environment. Over 100 samples of virtual rocks, minerals and fossils populate the developed geological database and are linked explicitly with their associated attributes, characteristic properties, and location. Applications of this new Web-based geological visualization paradigm in the geosciences demonstrate the utility of such a tool in an age of increasing global data sharing.

Data Validation Package December 2015 Groundwater Sampling at the Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico, Disposal Site March 2016

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

Tsosie, Bernadette; Johnson, Dick

The Long-Term Surveillance Plan for the Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico, Disposal Site does not require groundwater monitoring because groundwater in the uppermost aquifer is of limited use, and supplemental standards have been applied to the aquifer. However, at the request of the New Mexico Environment Department, the U.S. Department of Energy conducts annual monitoring at three locations: monitoring wells 0409, 0675, and 0678. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in the Sampling and Analysis Plan for US. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated). Monitoring Well 0409 was not sampled during this event because itmore » was dry. Water levels were measured at each sampled well. One duplicate sample was collected from location 0675. Groundwater samples from the two sampled wells were analyzed for the constituents listed in Table 1. Time-concentration graphs for selected analytes are included in this report. At well 0675, the duplicate results for total dissolved solids and for most metals (magnesium, molybdenum, potassium, selenium, sodium, and uranium) were outside acceptance criteria, which may indicate non-homogeneous conditions at this location. November 2014 results for molybdenum and uranium at well 0675 also were outside acceptance criteria. The well condition will be evaluated prior to the next sampling event.« less

Costs of School-Located Influenza Vaccination Clinics in Maine during the 2009-2010 H1N1 Pandemic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Bo-Hyun; Asay, Garrett R. Beeler; Lorick, Suchita A.; Tipton, Meredith L.; Dube, Nancy L.; Messonnier, Mark L.

2012-01-01

This study retrospectively estimated costs for a convenience sample of school-located vaccination (SLV) clinics conducted in Maine during the 2009-2010 influenza season. Surveys were developed to capture the cost of labor including unpaid volunteers as well as supplies and materials used in SLV clinics. Six nurses from different school districts…

Addendum to Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) for Assessment of LANL-Derived Residual Radionuclides in Soils within Tract A-16-d for Land Conveyance and Transfer for Sewage Treatment Facility Area

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

Whicker, Jeffrey Jay; Gillis, Jessica Mcdonnel; Ruedig, Elizabeth

This report summarizes the sampling design used, associated statistical assumptions, as well as general guidelines for conducting post-sampling data analysis. Sampling plan components presented here include how many sampling locations to choose and where within the sampling area to collect those samples. The type of medium to sample (i.e., soil, groundwater, etc.) and how to analyze the samples (in-situ, fixed laboratory, etc.) are addressed in other sections of the sampling plan.

Rapidly locating and characterizing pollutant releases in buildings.

PubMed

Sohn, Michael D; Reynolds, Pamela; Singh, Navtej; Gadgil, Ashok J

2002-12-01

Releases of airborne contaminants in or near a building can lead to significant human exposures unless prompt response measures are taken. However, possible responses can include conflicting strategies, such as shutting the ventilation system off versus running it in a purge mode or having occupants evacuate versus sheltering in place. The proper choice depends in part on knowing the source locations, the amounts released, and the likely future dispersion routes of the pollutants. We present an approach that estimates this information in real time. It applies Bayesian statistics to interpret measurements of airborne pollutant concentrations from multiple sensors placed in the building and computes best estimates and uncertainties of the release conditions. The algorithm is fast, capable of continuously updating the estimates as measurements stream in from sensors. We demonstrate the approach using a hypothetical pollutant release in a five-room building. Unknowns to the interpretation algorithm include location, duration, and strength of the source, and some building and weather conditions. Two sensor sampling plans and three levels of data quality are examined. Data interpretation in all examples is rapid; however, locating and characterizing the source with high probability depends on the amount and quality of data and the sampling plan.

Selected Water- and Sediment-Quality, Aquatic Biology, and Mine-Waste Data from the Ely Copper Mine Superfund Site, Vershire, VT, 1998-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Argue, Denise M.; Kiah, Richard G.; Piatak, Nadine M.; Seal, Robert R.; Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Hathaway, Edward; Coles, James F.

2008-01-01

The data contained in this report are a compilation of selected water- and sediment-quality, aquatic biology, and mine-waste data collected at the Ely Copper Mine Superfund site in Vershire, VT, from August 1998 through May 2007. The Ely Copper Mine Superfund site is in eastern, central Vermont (fig. 1) within the Vermont Copper Belt (Hammarstrom and others, 2001). The Ely Copper Mine site was placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Priorities List in 2001. Previous investigations conducted at the site documented that the mine is contributing metals and highly acidic waters to local streams (Hammarstrom and others, 2001; Holmes and others, 2002; Piatak and others, 2003, 2004, and 2006). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the USEPA, compiled selected data from previous investigations into uniform datasets that will be used to help characterize the extent of contamination at the mine. The data may be used to determine the magnitude of biological impacts from the contamination and in the development of remediation activities. This report contains analytical data for samples collected from 98 stream locations, 6 pond locations, 21 surface-water seeps, and 29 mine-waste locations. The 98 stream locations are within 3 streams and their tributaries. Ely Brook flows directly through the Ely Copper Mine then into Schoolhouse Brook (fig. 2), which joins the Ompompanoosuc River (fig. 1). The six pond locations are along Ely Brook Tributary 2 (fig. 2). The surface-water seeps and mine-waste locations are near the headwaters of Ely Brook (fig. 2 and fig. 3). The datasets 'Site_Directory' and 'Coordinates' contain specific information about each of the sample locations including stream name, number of meters from the mouth of stream, geographic coordinates, types of samples collected (matrix of sample), and the figure on which the sample location is depicted. Data have been collected at the Ely Copper Mine Superfund site by the USEPA, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VTDEC), and the USGS. Data also have been collected on behalf of USEPA by the following agencies: Arthur D. Little Incorporated (ADL), U.S. Army Cold Region Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), URS Corporation (URS), USEPA, and USGS. These data provide information about the aquatic communities and their habitats, including chemical analyses of surface water, pore water, sediments, and fish tissue; assessments of macroinvertebrate and fish assemblages; physical characteristics of sediments; and chemical analyses of soil and soil leachate collected in and around the piles of mine waste.

Wetland paleoecological study of southwest coastal Louisiana: sediment cores and diatom calibration dataset

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Kathryn E. L.; Flocks, James G.; Steyer, Gregory D.; Piazza, Sarai C.

2015-01-01

Wetland sediment data were collected in 2009 and 2010 throughout the southwest Louisiana Chenier Plain as part of a pilot study to develop a diatom-based proxy for past wetland water chemistry and the identification of sediment deposits from tropical storms. The complete dataset includes forty-six surface sediment samples and nine sediment cores. The surface sediment samples were collected in fresh, intermediate, and brackish marsh and are located coincident with Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) sites. The nine sediment cores were collected at the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge (RWR) located in Grand Chenier, La.

Molecular Detection of Avian Influenza Virus from Sediment Samples in Waterfowl Habitats on the Delmarva Peninsula, United States.

PubMed

Densmore, C L; Iwanowicz, D D; Ottinger, C A; Hindman, L J; Bessler, A M; Iwanowicz, L R; Prosser, D J; Whitbeck, M; Driscoll, C P

2017-12-01

Avian influenza viruses (AIV) affect many species of birds including waterfowl and may persist in sediment in aquatic habitats. Sediment samples were collected from two areas representative of prime migration and overwintering waterfowl habitat in Dorchester County, Maryland in the fall and winter of 2013-2014. Samples were screened for the presence of AIV via reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR targeting the matrix gene. Although 13.6% of sediment samples were positive for the AIV matrix gene across all collection dates and locations, differences in detection were noted with location and collection season. Percentage of AIV-positive sediment samples recovered corresponded to trends in waterfowl abundance at collection sites both temporally and spatially. These findings provide further support for the assertion that the presence of AIV in the aquatic environment is likely affected by the total number, site-specific density, and array of waterfowl species.

A preliminary evaluation of stream sediment sampling for the detection of cobalt mineralization in the Bou Azzer District, Morocco

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foose, M.P.

1983-01-01

Analyses of 28 stream sediment samples collected in the Bou Azzer district, Morocco, show that this sampling technique may be useful in locating the cobalt arsenide mineralization that exists in this area. The absence of exceptionally high values of cobalt and arsenic, the nearly lognormal distribution of cobalt values, and the lack of correlation between the highest values of cobalt and arsenic were unanticipated results that do not support the use of this sampling technique. However, highest values of several metals, including cobalt, were associated with an identified area of cobalt mineralization, and high cobalt was present near a second area in which cobalt mineralization is suspected. Although probably mostly reflecting the geochemistry of unexposed ultramafic rocks, the association of these metals with mineralization shows that this type of sampling can independently locate areas of known or potential cobalt mineralization.

Lichen communities indicator results from Idaho: baseline sampling

Treesearch

Peter Neitlich; Paul Rogers; Roger Rosentreter

2003-01-01

Epiphytic lichen communities are included in the national Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) program because they help us assess resource contamination, biodiversity, and sustainability in the context of forest health. In 1996, field crews collected lichen samples on 141 field plots systematically located across all forest ownership groups in Idaho. Results presented here...

Compendium of marine luminescence signatures, part 2 (appendix C)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hornig, A. W.; Eastwood, D.

1973-01-01

Chlorophyll and Gelbstoff excitation and emission spectra of sea water samples are assembled according to geographic sites from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, the west coast, and a location north of Hawaii. Data were taken by fluorescent spectrophotometer and include also laboratory algal cultures for comparison with the sea water samples.

Classification of cultivation locations of Panax quinquefolius L samples using high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and chemometric analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Panax quinquefolius L (P. quinquefolius L) samples grown in the United States and China were analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC—MS). Prior to classification, the two-way datasets were subjected to pretreatment including baseline correction and retention tim...

Classification of cultivation locations of panax quinquefolius L samples using high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and chemometric analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Panax quinquefolius L (P. quinquefolius L) samples grown in the United States and China were analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC—MS). Prior to classification, the two-way datasets were subjected to pretreatment including baseline correction and retention ti...

Chemical analyses and K-Ar ages of samples from 13 drill holes, Medicine Lake volcano, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.

2006-01-01

Chemical analyses and K-Ar ages are presented for rocks sampled from drill holes at Medicine Lake volcano, northern California. A location map and a cross-section are included, as are separate tables for drill hole information, major and trace element data, and for K-Ar dates.

Soldier-Computer Interface

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-27

placed on the user by the required tasks. Design areas that are of concern include seating , input and output device location and design , ambient...software, hardware, and workspace design for the test function of operability that influence operator performance in a computer-based system. 15...PRESENTATION ................... 23 APPENDIX A. SAMPLE DESIGN CHECKLISTS ...................................... A-1 B. SAMPLE TASK CHECKLISTS

Modeling and Qualification of a Modified Emission Unit for Radioactive Air Emissions Stack Sampling Compliance.

PubMed

Barnett, J Matthew; Yu, Xiao-Ying; Recknagle, Kurtis P; Glissmeyer, John A

2016-11-01

A planned laboratory space and exhaust system modification to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Material Science and Technology Building indicated that a new evaluation of the mixing at the air sampling system location would be required for compliance to ANSI/HPS N13.1-2011. The modified exhaust system would add a third fan, thereby increasing the overall exhaust rate out the stack, thus voiding the previous mixing study. Prior to modifying the radioactive air emissions exhaust system, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics computer model was used to evaluate the mixing at the sampling system location. Modeling of the original three-fan system indicated that not all mixing criteria could be met. A second modeling effort was conducted with the addition of an air blender downstream of the confluence of the three fans, which then showed satisfactory mixing results. The final installation included an air blender, and the exhaust system underwent full-scale tests to verify velocity, cyclonic flow, gas, and particulate uniformity. The modeling results and those of the full-scale tests show agreement between each of the evaluated criteria. The use of a computational fluid dynamics code was an effective aid in the design process and allowed the sampling system to remain in its original location while still meeting the requirements for sampling at a well mixed location.

Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) at variable resolutions for enhanced watershed scale Soil Sampling and Digital Soil Mapping.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamalainen, Sampsa; Geng, Xiaoyuan; He, Juanxia

2017-04-01

Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) at variable resolutions for enhanced watershed scale Soil Sampling and Digital Soil Mapping. Sampsa Hamalainen, Xiaoyuan Geng, and Juanxia, He. AAFC - Agriculture and Agr-Food Canada, Ottawa, Canada. The Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) approach to assist with Digital Soil Mapping has been developed for some time now, however the purpose of this work was to complement LHS with use of multiple spatial resolutions of covariate datasets and variability in the range of sampling points produced. This allowed for specific sets of LHS points to be produced to fulfil the needs of various partners from multiple projects working in the Ontario and Prince Edward Island provinces of Canada. Secondary soil and environmental attributes are critical inputs that are required in the development of sampling points by LHS. These include a required Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and subsequent covariate datasets produced as a result of a Digital Terrain Analysis performed on the DEM. These additional covariates often include but are not limited to Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), Length-Slope (LS) Factor, and Slope which are continuous data. The range of specific points created in LHS included 50 - 200 depending on the size of the watershed and more importantly the number of soil types found within. The spatial resolution of covariates included within the work ranged from 5 - 30 m. The iterations within the LHS sampling were run at an optimal level so the LHS model provided a good spatial representation of the environmental attributes within the watershed. Also, additional covariates were included in the Latin Hypercube Sampling approach which is categorical in nature such as external Surficial Geology data. Some initial results of the work include using a 1000 iteration variable within the LHS model. 1000 iterations was consistently a reasonable value used to produce sampling points that provided a good spatial representation of the environmental attributes. When working within the same spatial resolution for covariates, however only modifying the desired number of sampling points produced, the change of point location portrayed a strong geospatial relationship when using continuous data. Access to agricultural fields and adjacent land uses is often "pinned" as the greatest deterrent to performing soil sampling for both soil survey and soil attribute validation work. The lack of access can be a result of poor road access and/or difficult geographical conditions to navigate for field work individuals. This seems a simple yet continuous issue to overcome for the scientific community and in particular, soils professionals. The ability to assist with the ease of access to sampling points will be in the future a contribution to the Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) approach. By removing all locations in the initial instance from the DEM, the LHS model can be restricted to locations only with access from the adjacent road or trail. To further the approach, a road network geospatial dataset can be included within spatial Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications to access already produced points using a shortest-distance network method.

Extensive population admixture on drone congregation areas of the giant honeybee, Apis dorsata (Fabricius, 1793).

PubMed

Beaurepaire, Alexis L; Kraus, Bernard F; Koeniger, Gudrun; Koeniger, Nikolaus; Lim, Herbert; Moritz, Robin F A

2014-12-01

The giant honeybee Apis dorsata often forms dense colony aggregations which can include up to 200 often closely related nests in the same location, setting the stage for inbred matings. Yet, like in all other Apis species, A. dorsata queens mate in mid-air on lek like drone congregation areas (DCAs) where large numbers of males gather in flight. We here report how the drone composition of A. dorsata DCAs facilitates outbreeding, taking into the account both spatial (three DCAs) and temporal (subsequent sampling days) dynamics. We compared the drones' genotypes at ten microsatellite DNA markers with those of the queen genotypes of six drone-producing colonies located close to the DCAs (Tenom, Sabah, Malaysia). None of 430 sampled drones originated from any of these nearby colonies. Moreover, we estimated that 141 unidentified colonies were contributing to the three DCAs. Most of these colonies were participating multiple times in the different locations and/or during the consecutive days of sampling. The drones sampled in the DCAs could be attributed to six subpopulations. These were all admixed in all DCA samples, increasing the effective population size an order of magnitude and preventing matings between potentially related queens and drones.

Extensive population admixture on drone congregation areas of the giant honeybee, Apis dorsata (Fabricius, 1793)

PubMed Central

Beaurepaire, Alexis L; Kraus, Bernard F; Koeniger, Gudrun; Koeniger, Nikolaus; Lim, Herbert; Moritz, Robin F A

2014-01-01

The giant honeybee Apis dorsata often forms dense colony aggregations which can include up to 200 often closely related nests in the same location, setting the stage for inbred matings. Yet, like in all other Apis species, A. dorsata queens mate in mid-air on lek like drone congregation areas (DCAs) where large numbers of males gather in flight. We here report how the drone composition of A. dorsata DCAs facilitates outbreeding, taking into the account both spatial (three DCAs) and temporal (subsequent sampling days) dynamics. We compared the drones’ genotypes at ten microsatellite DNA markers with those of the queen genotypes of six drone-producing colonies located close to the DCAs (Tenom, Sabah, Malaysia). None of 430 sampled drones originated from any of these nearby colonies. Moreover, we estimated that 141 unidentified colonies were contributing to the three DCAs. Most of these colonies were participating multiple times in the different locations and/or during the consecutive days of sampling. The drones sampled in the DCAs could be attributed to six subpopulations. These were all admixed in all DCA samples, increasing the effective population size an order of magnitude and preventing matings between potentially related queens and drones. PMID:25558361

Field comparison of analytical results from discrete-depth ground water samplers

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

Zemo, D.A.; Delfino, T.A.; Gallinatti, J.D.

1995-07-01

Discrete-depth ground water samplers are used during environmental screening investigations to collect ground water samples in lieu of installing and sampling monitoring wells. Two of the most commonly used samplers are the BAT Enviroprobe and the QED HydroPunch I, which rely on differing sample collection mechanics. Although these devices have been on the market for several years, it was unknown what, if any, effect the differences would have on analytical results for ground water samples containing low to moderate concentrations of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study investigated whether the discrete-depth ground water sampler used introduces statistically significant differencesmore » in analytical results. The goal was to provide a technical basis for allowing the two devices to be used interchangeably during screening investigations. Because this study was based on field samples, it included several sources of potential variability. It was necessary to separate differences due to sampler type from variability due to sampling location, sample handling, and laboratory analytical error. To statistically evaluate these sources of variability, the experiment was arranged in a nested design. Sixteen ground water samples were collected from eight random locations within a 15-foot by 15-foot grid. The grid was located in an area where shallow ground water was believed to be uniformly affected by VOCs. The data were evaluated using analysis of variance.« less

Automatic HTS force measurement instrument

DOEpatents

Sanders, Scott T.; Niemann, Ralph C.

1999-01-01

A device for measuring the levitation force of a high temperature superconductor sample with respect to a reference magnet includes a receptacle for holding several high temperature superconductor samples each cooled to superconducting temperature. A rotatable carousel successively locates a selected one of the high temperature superconductor samples in registry with the reference magnet. Mechanism varies the distance between one of the high temperature superconductor samples and the reference magnet, and a sensor measures levitation force of the sample as a function of the distance between the reference magnet and the sample. A method is also disclosed.

Impacts on seafloor geology of drilling disturbance in shallow waters.

PubMed

Corrêa, Iran C S; Toldo, Elírio E; Toledo, Felipe A L

2010-08-01

This paper describes the effects of drilling disturbance on the seafloor of the upper continental slope of the Campos Basin, Brazil, as a result of the project Environmental Monitoring of Offshore Drilling for Petroleum Exploration--MAPEM. Field sampling was carried out surrounding wells, operated by the company PETROBRAS, to compare sediment properties of the seafloor, including grain-size distribution, total organic carbon, and clay mineral composition, prior to drilling with samples obtained 3 and 22 months after drilling. The sampling grid used had 74 stations, 68 of which were located along 7 radials from the well up to a distance of 500 m. The other 6 stations were used as reference, and were located 2,500 m from the well. The results show no significant sedimentological variation in the area affected by drilling activity. The observed sedimentological changes include a fining of grain size, increase in total organic carbon, an increase in gibbsite, illite, and smectite, and a decrease in kaolinite after drilling took place.

Groundwater-quality data for a treated-wastewater plume near the Massachusetts Military Reservation, Ashumet Valley, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2006-08

USGS Publications Warehouse

Savoie, Jennifer G.; LeBlanc, Denis R.; Fairchild, Gillian M.; Smith, Richard L.; Kent, Douglas B.; Barber, Larry B.; Repert, Deborah A.; Hart, Charles P.; Keefe, Steffanie H.; Parsons, Luke A.

2012-01-01

A plume of contaminated groundwater extends from former disposal beds at the Massachusetts Military Reservation's wastewater-treatment plant toward Ashumet Pond, coastal ponds, and Vineyard Sound, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Treated sewage-derived wastewater was discharged to the rapid-infiltration beds for nearly 60 years before the disposal site was moved to a different location in December 1995. Water-quality samples were collected from monitoring wells, multilevel samplers, and profile borings to characterize the nature and extent of the contaminated groundwater and to observe the water-quality changes after the wastewater disposal ceased. Data are presented here for water samples collected in 2007 from 394 wells (at 121 well-cluster locations) and 780 multilevel-sampler ports (at 42 locations) and in 2006-08 at 306 depth intervals in profile borings (at 20 locations) in and near the treated-wastewater plume. Analyses of these water samples for field parameters (specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen and phosphate concentrations, and alkalinity); absorbance of ultraviolet/visible light; and concentrations of nitrous oxide, dissolved organic carbon, methylene blue active substances, selected anions and nutrients, including nitrate and ammonium, and selected inorganic solutes, including cations, anions, and minor elements, are presented in tabular format. The natural restoration of the sand and gravel aquifer after removal of the treated-wastewater source, along with interpretations of the water quality in the treated-wastewater plume, have been documented in several published reports that are listed in the references.

Measurements of VOCs in Mexico City during the MILAGRO Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, A. K.; Beyersdorf, A. J.; Blake, N. J.; Meinardi, S.; Atlas, E.; Rowland, F.; Blake, D. R.

2006-12-01

During March of 2006 we participated in MILAGRO (Megacities Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations), a multi-platform campaign to measure pollutants in and in outflow from the Mexico City metropolitan area. As part of MILAGRO we collected whole air canister samples at two Mexico City ground sites: the Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, located in the city, northeast of the center, and the Universidad Technologica de Tecamac, a suburban site approximately 50 km northeast of the city center. Samples were also collected in various other locations throughout Mexico City. Over 300 whole air samples were collected and analyzed for a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including methane, carbon monoxide, nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) and halocarbons. Propane was the most abundant NMHC at both the urban and suburban locations, with mixing ratios frequently in excess of 10 parts per billion at both locations. This is likely the result of the widespread use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) of which propane is the major component. For most species, median mixing ratios at the urban sites were significantly greater than at the suburban site. Here we compare results from both urban and suburban locations and also examine the influence of transport on the composition of outflow from Mexico City.

Stable Isotope Mapping of Alaskan Grasses and Marijuana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booth, A. L.; Wooller, M. J.

2008-12-01

The spatial variation of isotope signatures in organic material is a useful forensic tool, particularly when applied to the task of tracking the production and distribution of plant-derived illicit drugs. In order to identify the likely grow-locations of drugs such as marijuana from unknown locations (i.e., confiscated during trafficking), base isotope maps are needed that include measurements of plants from known grow-locations. This task is logistically challenging in remote, large regions such as Alaska. We are therefore investigating the potential of supplementing our base (marijuana) isotope maps with data derived from other plants from known locations and with greater spatial coverage in Alaska. These currently include >150 samples of modern C3 grasses (Poaceae) as well as marijuana samples (n = 18) from known grow-locations across the state. We conducted oxygen, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses of marijuana and grasses (Poaceae). Poaceae samples were obtained from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Museum of the North herbarium collection, originally collected by field botanists from around Alaska. Results indicate that the oxygen isotopic composition of these grasses range from 10‰ to 30‰, and broadly mirror the spatial pattern of water isotopes in Alaska. Our marijuana samples were confiscated around the state of Alaska and supplied to us by the UAF Police Department. δ13C, δ15N and δ18O values exhibit geographic patterns similar to the modern grasses, but carbon and nitrogen isotopes of some marijuana plants appear to be influenced by additional factors related to indoor growing conditions (supplementary CO2 sources and the application of organic fertilizer). As well as providing a potential forensic resource, our Poaceae isotope maps could serve additional value by providing resources for studying ecosystem nutrient cycling, for tracing natural ecological processes (i.e., animal migration and food web dynamics) and providing modern data for comparison with isotope analyses conducted on fossil leaf material in paleoecological studies.

Identification of discriminant proteins through antibody profiling, methods and apparatus for identifying an individual

DOEpatents

Apel, William A.; Thompson, Vicki S; Lacey, Jeffrey A.; Gentillon, Cynthia A.

2016-08-09

A method for determining a plurality of proteins for discriminating and positively identifying an individual based from a biological sample. The method may include profiling a biological sample from a plurality of individuals against a protein array including a plurality of proteins. The protein array may include proteins attached to a support in a preselected pattern such that locations of the proteins are known. The biological sample may be contacted with the protein array such that a portion of antibodies in the biological sample reacts with and binds to the proteins forming immune complexes. A statistical analysis method, such as discriminant analysis, may be performed to determine discriminating proteins for distinguishing individuals. Proteins of interest may be used to form a protein array. Such a protein array may be used, for example, to compare a forensic sample from an unknown source with a sample from a known source.

Identification of discriminant proteins through antibody profiling, methods and apparatus for identifying an individual

DOEpatents

Thompson, Vicki S; Lacey, Jeffrey A; Gentillon, Cynthia A; Apel, William A

2015-03-03

A method for determining a plurality of proteins for discriminating and positively identifying an individual based from a biological sample. The method may include profiling a biological sample from a plurality of individuals against a protein array including a plurality of proteins. The protein array may include proteins attached to a support in a preselected pattern such that locations of the proteins are known. The biological sample may be contacted with the protein array such that a portion of antibodies in the biological sample reacts with and binds to the proteins forming immune complexes. A statistical analysis method, such as discriminant analysis, may be performed to determine discriminating proteins for distinguishing individuals. Proteins of interest may be used to form a protein array. Such a protein array may be used, for example, to compare a forensic sample from an unknown source with a sample from a known source.

Metallographic Characterization of Wrought Depleted Uranium

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

Forsyth, Robert Thomas; Hill, Mary Ann

Metallographic characterization was performed on wrought depleted uranium (DU) samples taken from the longitudinal and transverse orientations from specific locations on two specimens. Characterization of the samples included general microstructure, inclusion analysis, grain size analysis, and microhardness testing. Comparisons of the characterization results were made to determine any differences based on specimen, sample orientation, or sample location. In addition, the characterization results for the wrought DU samples were also compared with data obtained from the metallographic characterization of cast DU samples previously characterized. No differences were observed in microstructure, inclusion size, morphology, and distribution, or grain size in regard tomore » specimen, location, or orientation for the wrought depleted uranium samples. However, a small difference was observed in average hardness with regard to orientation at the same locations within the same specimen. The longitudinal samples were slightly harder than the transverse samples from the same location of the same specimen. This was true for both wrought DU specimens. Comparing the wrought DU sample data with the previously characterized cast DU sample data, distinct differences in microstructure, inclusion size, morphology and distribution, grain size, and microhardness were observed. As expected, the microstructure of the wrought DU samples consisted of small recrystallized grains which were uniform, randomly oriented, and equiaxed with minimal twinning observed in only a few grains. In contrast, the cast DU microstructure consisted of large irregularly shaped grains with extensive twinning observed in most grains. Inclusions in the wrought DU samples were elongated, broken and cracked and light and dark phases were observed in some inclusions. The mean inclusion area percentage for the wrought DU samples ranged from 0.08% to 0.34% and the average density from all wrought DU samples was 1.62E+04/cm 2. Inclusions in the cast DU samples were equiaxed and intact with light and dark phases observed in some inclusions. The mean inclusion area percentage for the cast DU samples ranged from 0.93% to 1.00% and the average density from all wrought DU samples was 2.83E+04/cm 2. The average mean grain area from all wrought DU samples was 141 μm 2 while the average mean grain area from all cast DU samples was 1.7 mm2. The average Knoop microhardness from all wrought DU samples was 215 HK and the average Knoop microhardness from all cast DU samples was 264 HK.« less

Aerosols and Particulates Workshop Sampling Procedures and Venues Working Group Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pachlhofer, Peter; Howard, Robert

1999-01-01

The Sampling Procedures and Venues Workgroup discussed the potential venues available and issues associated with obtaining measurements. Some of the issues included Incoming Air Quality, Sampling Locations, Probes and Sample Systems. The following is a summary of the discussion of the issues and venues. The influence of inlet air to the measurement of exhaust species, especially trace chemical species, must be considered. Analysis procedures for current engine exhaust emissions regulatory measurements require adjustments for air inlet humidity. As a matter of course in scientific investigations, it is recommended that "background" measurements for any species, particulate or chemical, be performed during inlet air flow before initiation of combustion, if possible, and during the engine test period as feasible and practical. For current regulatory measurements, this would be equivalent to setting the "zero" level for conventional gas analyzers. As a minimum, it is recommended that measurements of the humidity and particulates in the incoming air be taken at the start and end of each test run. Additional measurement points taken during the run are desirable if they can be practically obtained. It was felt that the presence of trace gases in the incoming air is not a significant problem. However, investigators should consider the ambient levels and influences of local air pollution for species of interest. Desired measurement locations depend upon the investigation requirements. A complete investigation of phenomenology of particulate formation and growth requires measurements at a number of locations both within the engine and in the exhaust field downstream of the nozzle exit plane. Desirable locations for both extractive and in situ measurements include: (1) Combustion Zone (Multiple axial locations); (2) Combustor Exit (Multiple radial locations for annular combustors); (3) Turbine Stage (Inlet and exit of the stage); (4) Exit Nozzle (Multiple axial locations downstream of the nozzle). Actual locations with potential for extractive or non-intrusive measurements depend upon the test article and test configuration. Committee members expressed the importance of making investigators aware of various ports that could allow access to various stages of the existing engines. Port locations are engine si)ecific and might allow extractive sampling or innovative hybrid optical-probe access. The turbine stage region was one the most desirable locations for obtaining samples and might be accessed through boroscope ports available in some engine designs. Discussions of probes and sampling systems quickly identified issues dependent on particular measurement quantities. With general consensus, the group recommends SAE procedures for measurements and data analyses of currently regulated exhaust species (CO2, CO, THC, NO(x),) using conventional gas sampling techniques. Special procedures following sound scientific practices must be developed as required for species and/or measurement conditions not covered by SAE standards. Several issues arose concerning short lived radicals and highly reactive species. For conventional sampling, there are concerns of perturbing the sample during extraction, line losses, line-wall reactions, and chemical reactions during the sample transport to the analyzers. Sample lines coated with quartz.or other materials should be investigated for minimization of such effects. The group advocates the development of innovative probe techniques and non-intrusive optical techniques for measurement of short lived radicals and highly reactive species that cannot be sampled accurately otherwise. Two innovative probe concepts were discussed. One concept uses specially designed probes to transfer optical beams to and from a region of flow inaccessible by traditional ports or windows. The probe can perturb the flow field but must have a negligible impact on the region to be optically sampled. Such probes are referred to as hybrid probes and are under development at AEDC for measurement in the high pressure, high temperature of a combustor under development for power generation. The other concept consists of coupling an instrument directly to the probe. The probe would isolate a representative sample stream, freeze chemical reactions and direct the sample into the analyzer portion of the probe. Thus, the measurement would be performed in situ without sample line losses due either to reactions or binding at the wall surfaces. This concept was used to develop a fast, in situ, time-of-flight mass spectrometer measurement system for temporal quantification of NO in the IMPULSE facility at AEDC. Additional work is required in this area to determine the best probe and sampling technique for each species measurement requirement identified by the Trace Chemistry Working Group. A partial list of Venues was used as a baseline for discussion. Additional venues were added to the list and the list was broken out into the following categories: (1)Engines (a) Sea Level Test Stands (b) Altitude Chambers; (2) Annular Combustor Test Stands, (3) Sector Flametube Test Stands, (4) Fundamentals Rigs/Experiments.

The Scope of Assistive Technology in Learning Process of Students with Blindness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saleem, Saira; Sajjad, Shahida

2016-01-01

This study was carried out to investigate the scope of assistive technology in learning process of students with blindness. The sample of this study included 56 students with blindness between the ages of 11-22 years from secondary level of education. These students were selected through convenient sampling from five special schools located in…

Water quality mapping of Laguna de Bay and its watershed, Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, S.; Nakano, T.; Shin, K.; Maruyama, S.; Miyakawa, C.; Yaota, K.; Kada, R.

2011-12-01

Laguna de Bay (or Laguna Lake) is the largest lake in the Philippines, with a surface area of 900 km2 and its watershed area of 2920 km2 (Santos-Borja, 2005). It is located on the southwest part of the Luzon Island and its watershed contains 5 provinces, 49 municipalities and 12 cities, including parts of Metropolitan Manila. The water quality in Laguna de Bay has significantly deteriorated due to pollution from soil erosion, effluents from chemical industries, and household discharges. In this study, we performed multiple element analysis of water samples in the lake and its watersheds for chemical mapping, which allows us to evaluate the regional distribution of elements including toxic heavy metals such as Cd, Pb and As. We collected water samples from 24 locations in Laguna de Bay and 160 locations from rivers in the watersheds. The sampling sites of river are mainly downstreams around the lake, which covers from urbanized areas to rural areas. We also collected well water samples from 17 locations, spring water samples from 10 locations, and tap water samples from 21 locations in order to compare their data with the river and lake samples and to assess the quality of household use waters. The samples were collected in dry season of the study area (March 13 - 17 and May 2 - 9, 2011). The analysis was performed at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), Japan. The concentrations of the major components (Cl, NO3, SO4, Ca, Mg, Na, and K) dissolved in the samples were determined with ion chromatograph (Dionex Corporation ICS-3000). We also analyzed major and trace elements (Li, B, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn Ga, Ge, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, W, Pb and U) with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, Agilent Technologies 7500cx). The element concentrations of rivers are characterized by remarkable regional variations. For example, heavy metals such as Ni, Cd and Pb are markedly high in the western region as compared to the eastern region implying that the chemical variation reflects the urbanization in the western region. On the other hand, As contents is relatively high in the south of the lake and some inflowing rivers in the area. The higher concentration of As is also observed in the spring water samples in the area. Therefore, the source of As in the area is probably natural origin rather than anthropogenic. Although river water samples in western watersheds have high concentrations of heavy metals, the lake water samples in western area of the lake are not remarkably high in heavy metals. This inconsistency implies that the heavy metals flowed into the western lake from heavy metal-enriched rives have precipitated on the bottom of the lake. The polluted sediments may induce the pollution of benthos resulting in increase of the risks of food pollution through the bioaccumulation in the ecosystem.

Rain sampling device

DOEpatents

Nelson, D.A.; Tomich, S.D.; Glover, D.W.; Allen, E.V.; Hales, J.M.; Dana, M.T.

1991-05-14

The present invention constitutes a rain sampling device adapted for independent operation at locations remote from the user which allows rainfall to be sampled in accordance with any schedule desired by the user. The rain sampling device includes a mechanism for directing wet precipitation into a chamber, a chamber for temporarily holding the precipitation during the process of collection, a valve mechanism for controllably releasing samples of the precipitation from the chamber, a means for distributing the samples released from the holding chamber into vessels adapted for permanently retaining these samples, and an electrical mechanism for regulating the operation of the device. 11 figures.

Rain sampling device

DOEpatents

Nelson, Danny A.; Tomich, Stanley D.; Glover, Donald W.; Allen, Errol V.; Hales, Jeremy M.; Dana, Marshall T.

1991-01-01

The present invention constitutes a rain sampling device adapted for independent operation at locations remote from the user which allows rainfall to be sampled in accordance with any schedule desired by the user. The rain sampling device includes a mechanism for directing wet precipitation into a chamber, a chamber for temporarily holding the precipitation during the process of collection, a valve mechanism for controllably releasing samples of said precipitation from said chamber, a means for distributing the samples released from the holding chamber into vessels adapted for permanently retaining these samples, and an electrical mechanism for regulating the operation of the device.

Fungal Communities Including Plant Pathogens in Near Surface Air Are Similar across Northwestern Europe.

PubMed

Nicolaisen, Mogens; West, Jonathan S; Sapkota, Rumakanta; Canning, Gail G M; Schoen, Cor; Justesen, Annemarie F

2017-01-01

Information on the diversity of fungal spores in air is limited, and also the content of airborne spores of fungal plant pathogens is understudied. In the present study, a total of 152 air samples were taken from rooftops at urban settings in Slagelse, DK, Wageningen NL, and Rothamsted, UK together with 41 samples from above oilseed rape fields in Rothamsted. Samples were taken during 10-day periods in spring and autumn, each sample representing 1 day of sampling. The fungal content of samples was analyzed by metabarcoding of the fungal internal transcribed sequence 1 (ITS1) and by qPCR for specific fungi. The metabarcoding results demonstrated that season had significant effects on airborne fungal communities. In contrast, location did not have strong effects on the communities, even though locations were separated by up to 900 km. Also, a number of plant pathogens had strikingly similar patterns of abundance at the three locations. Rooftop samples were more diverse than samples taken above fields, probably reflecting greater mixing of air from a range of microenvironments for the rooftop sites. Pathogens that were known to be present in the crop were also found in air samples taken above the field. This paper is one of the first detailed studies of fungal composition in air with the focus on plant pathogens and shows that it is possible to detect a range of pathogens in rooftop air samplers using metabarcoding.

Exposure of Polymer Film Thermal Control Materials on the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dever, Joyce; Miller, Sharon; Messer, Russell; Sechkar, Edward; Tollis, Greg

2002-01-01

Seventy-nine samples of polymer film thermal control (PFTC) materials have been provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) for exposure to the low Earth orbit environment on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE). MISSE is a materials flight experiment sponsored by the Air Force Research Lab/Materials Lab and NASA. This paper will describe background, objectives, and configurations for the GRC PFTC samples for MISSE. These samples include polyimides, fluorinated polyimides, and Teflon fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) with and without second-surface metallizing layers and/or surface coatings. Also included are polyphenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO) and a polyarylene ether benzimidazole (TOR-LM). On August 16, 2001, astronauts installed passive experiment carriers (PECs) on the exterior of the ISS in which were located twenty-eight of the GRC PFTC samples for 1-year space exposure. MISSE PECs for 3-year exposure, which will contain fifty-one GRC PFTC samples, will be installed on the ISS at a later date. Once returned from the ISS, MISSE GRC PFTC samples will be examined for changes in optical and mechanical properties and atomic oxygen (AO) erosion. Additional sapphire witness samples located on the AO exposed trays will be examined for deposition of contaminants.

Endocrine active chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other chemicals of concern in surface water, wastewater-treatment plant effluent, and bed sediment, and biological characteristics in selected streams, Minnesota-design, methods, and data, 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Kathy E.; Langer, Susan K.; Barber, Larry B.; Writer, Jeff H.; Ferrey, Mark L.; Schoenfuss, Heiko L.; Furlong, Edward T.; Foreman, William T.; Gray, James L.; ReVello, Rhiannon C.; Martinovic, Dalma; Woodruff, Olivia R.; Keefe, Steffanie H.; Brown, Greg K.; Taylor, Howard E.; Ferrer, Imma; Thurman, E. Michael

2011-01-01

This report presents the study design, environmental data, and quality-assurance data for an integrated chemical and biological study of selected streams or lakes that receive wastewater-treatment plant effluent in Minnesota. This study was a cooperative effort of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, St. Cloud State University, the University of St. Thomas, and the University of Colorado. The objective of the study was to identify distribution patterns of endocrine active chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other organic and inorganic chemicals of concern indicative of wastewater effluent, and to identify biological characteristics of estrogenicity and fish responses in the same streams. The U.S. Geological Survey collected and analyzed water, bed-sediment, and quality-assurance samples, and measured or recorded streamflow once at each sampling location from September through November 2009. Sampling locations included surface water and wastewater-treatment plant effluent. Twenty-five wastewater-treatment plants were selected to include continuous flow and periodic release facilities with differing processing steps (activated sludge or trickling filters) and plant design flows ranging from 0.002 to 10.9 cubic meters per second (0.04 to 251 million gallons per day) throughout Minnesota in varying land-use settings. Water samples were collected from the treated effluent of the 25 wastewater-treatment plants and at one point upstream from and one point downstream from wastewater-treatment plant effluent discharges. Bed-sediment samples also were collected at each of the stream or lake locations. Water samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients, trace elements, pharmaceuticals, phytoestrogens and pharmaceuticals, alkylphenols and other neutral organic chemicals, carboxylic acids, and steroidal hormones. A subset (25 samples) of the bed-sediment samples were analyzed for carbon, wastewater-indicator chemicals, and steroidal hormones; the remaining samples were archived. Biological characteristics were determined by using an in-vitro bioassay to determine total estrogenicity in water samples and a caged fish study to determine characteristics of fish from experiments that exposed fish to wastewater effluent in 2009. St. Cloud State University deployed and processed caged fathead minnows at 13 stream sites during September 2009 for the caged fish study. Measured fish data included length, weight, body condition factor, and vitellogenin concentrations.

Empirical Assessment of Spatial Prediction Methods for Location Cost Adjustment Factors

PubMed Central

Migliaccio, Giovanni C.; Guindani, Michele; D'Incognito, Maria; Zhang, Linlin

2014-01-01

In the feasibility stage, the correct prediction of construction costs ensures that budget requirements are met from the start of a project's lifecycle. A very common approach for performing quick-order-of-magnitude estimates is based on using Location Cost Adjustment Factors (LCAFs) that compute historically based costs by project location. Nowadays, numerous LCAF datasets are commercially available in North America, but, obviously, they do not include all locations. Hence, LCAFs for un-sampled locations need to be inferred through spatial interpolation or prediction methods. Currently, practitioners tend to select the value for a location using only one variable, namely the nearest linear-distance between two sites. However, construction costs could be affected by socio-economic variables as suggested by macroeconomic theories. Using a commonly used set of LCAFs, the City Cost Indexes (CCI) by RSMeans, and the socio-economic variables included in the ESRI Community Sourcebook, this article provides several contributions to the body of knowledge. First, the accuracy of various spatial prediction methods in estimating LCAF values for un-sampled locations was evaluated and assessed in respect to spatial interpolation methods. Two Regression-based prediction models were selected, a Global Regression Analysis and a Geographically-weighted regression analysis (GWR). Once these models were compared against interpolation methods, the results showed that GWR is the most appropriate way to model CCI as a function of multiple covariates. The outcome of GWR, for each covariate, was studied for all the 48 states in the contiguous US. As a direct consequence of spatial non-stationarity, it was possible to discuss the influence of each single covariate differently from state to state. In addition, the article includes a first attempt to determine if the observed variability in cost index values could be, at least partially explained by independent socio-economic variables. PMID:25018582

CRUMP 2003 Selected Water Sample Results

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Point locations and water sampling results performed in 2003 by the Church Rock Uranium Monitoring Project (CRUMP) a consortium of organizations (Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency, US Environmental Protection Agency, New Mexico Scientific Laboratory Division, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and NM Water Quality Control Commission). Samples include general description of the wells sampled, general chemistry, heavy metals and aestheic parameters, and selected radionuclides. Here only six sampling results are presented in this point shapefile, including: Gross Alpha (U-Nat Ref.) (pCi/L), Gross Beta (Sr/Y-90 Ref.) (pCi/L), Radium-226 (pCi/L), Radium-228 (pCi/L), Total Uranium (pCi/L), and Uranium mass (ug/L). The CRUMP samples were collected in the area of Churchrock, NM in the Eastern AUM Region of the Navajo Nation.

Clamshell tomograph

DOEpatents

Derenzo, Stephen E.; Budinger, Thomas F.

1984-01-01

In brief, the invention is a tomograph modified to be in a clamshell configuration so that the ring or rings may be moved to multiple sampling positions. The tomograph includes an array of detectors arranged in successive adjacent relative locations along a closed curve in a first position in a selected plane, and means for securing the detectors in the relative locations in a first sampling position. The securing means is movable in the plane in two sections and pivotable at one p The U.S. Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. W-7405-ENG-48 between the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of California.

Soils, vegetation, and woody debris data from the 2001 Survey Line fire and a comparable unburned site, Tanana Flats region, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manies, Kristen L.; Harden, Jennifer W.; Holingsworth, Teresa N.

2014-01-01

This report describes the collection and processing methodologies for samples obtained at two sites within Interior Alaska: (1) a location within the 2001 Survey Line burn, and (2) an unburned location, selected as a control. In 2002 and 2004 U.S. Geological Survey investigators measured soil properties including, but not limited to, bulk density, volumetric water content, carbon content, and nitrogen content from samples obtained from these sites. Stand properties, such as tree density, the amount of woody debris, and understory vegetation, were also measured and are presented in this report.

A "shotgun" method for tracing the birth locations of sheep from flock tags, applied to scrapie surveillance in Great Britain.

PubMed

Birch, Colin P D; Del Rio Vilas, Victor J; Chikukwa, Ambrose C

2010-09-01

Movement records are often used to identify animal sample provenance by retracing the movements of individuals. Here we present an alternative method, which uses the same identity tags and movement records as are used to retrace movements, but ignores individual movement paths. The first step uses a simple query to identify the most likely birth holding for every identity tag included in a database recording departures from agricultural holdings. The second step rejects a proportion of the birth holding locations to leave a list of birth holding locations that are relatively reliable. The method was used to trace the birth locations of sheep sampled for scrapie in abattoirs, or on farm as fallen stock. Over 82% of the sheep sampled in the fallen stock survey died at the holding of birth. This lack of movement may be an important constraint on scrapie transmission. These static sheep provided relatively reliable birth locations, which were used to define criteria for selecting reliable traces. The criteria rejected 16.8% of fallen stock traces and 11.9% of abattoir survey traces. Two tests provided estimates that selection reduced error in fallen stock traces from 11.3% to 3.2%, and in abattoir survey traces from 8.1% to 1.8%. This method generated 14,591 accepted traces of fallen stock from samples taken during 2002-2005 and 83,136 accepted traces from abattoir samples. The absence or ambiguity of flock tag records at the time of slaughter prevented the tracing of 16-24% of abattoir samples during 2002-2004, although flock tag records improved in 2005. The use of internal scoring to generate and evaluate results from the database query, and the confirmation of results by comparison with other database fields, are analogous to methods used in web search engines. Such methods may have wide application in tracing samples and in adding value to biological datasets. Crown Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contained radiological analytical chemistry module

DOEpatents

Barney, David M.

1989-01-01

A system which provides analytical determination of a plurality of water chemistry parameters with respect to water samples subject to radiological contamination. The system includes a water sample analyzer disposed within a containment and comprising a sampling section for providing predetermined volumes of samples for analysis; a flow control section for controlling the flow through the system; and a gas analysis section for analyzing samples provided by the sampling system. The sampling section includes a controllable multiple port valve for, in one position, metering out sample of a predetermined volume and for, in a second position, delivering the material sample for analysis. The flow control section includes a regulator valve for reducing the pressure in a portion of the system to provide a low pressure region, and measurement devices located in the low pressure region for measuring sample parameters such as pH and conductivity, at low pressure. The gas analysis section which is of independent utility provides for isolating a small water sample and extracting the dissolved gases therefrom into a small expansion volume wherein the gas pressure and thermoconductivity of the extracted gas are measured.

Contained radiological analytical chemistry module

DOEpatents

Barney, David M.

1990-01-01

A system which provides analytical determination of a plurality of water chemistry parameters with respect to water samples subject to radiological contamination. The system includes a water sample analyzer disposed within a containment and comprising a sampling section for providing predetermined volumes of samples for analysis; a flow control section for controlling the flow through the system; and a gas analysis section for analyzing samples provided by the sampling system. The sampling section includes a controllable multiple port valve for, in one position, metering out sample of a predetermined volume and for, in a second position, delivering the material sample for analysis. The flow control section includes a regulator valve for reducing the pressure in a portion of the system to provide a low pressure region, and measurement devices located in the low pressure region for measuring sample parameters such as pH and conductivity, at low pressure. The gas analysis section which is of independent utility provides for isolating a small water sample and extracting the dissolved gases therefrom into a small expansion volume wherein the gas pressure and thermoconductivity of the extracted gas are measured.

SEM technique for imaging and measuring electronic transport in nanocomposites based on electric field induced contrast

DOEpatents

Jesse, Stephen [Knoxville, TN; Geohegan, David B [Knoxville, TN; Guillorn, Michael [Brooktondale, NY

2009-02-17

Methods and apparatus are described for SEM imaging and measuring electronic transport in nanocomposites based on electric field induced contrast. A method includes mounting a sample onto a sample holder, the sample including a sample material; wire bonding leads from the sample holder onto the sample; placing the sample holder in a vacuum chamber of a scanning electron microscope; connecting leads from the sample holder to a power source located outside the vacuum chamber; controlling secondary electron emission from the sample by applying a predetermined voltage to the sample through the leads; and generating an image of the secondary electron emission from the sample. An apparatus includes a sample holder for a scanning electron microscope having an electrical interconnect and leads on top of the sample holder electrically connected to the electrical interconnect; a power source and a controller connected to the electrical interconnect for applying voltage to the sample holder to control the secondary electron emission from a sample mounted on the sample holder; and a computer coupled to a secondary electron detector to generate images of the secondary electron emission from the sample.

Root location in random trees: a polarity property of all sampling consistent phylogenetic models except one.

PubMed

Steel, Mike

2012-10-01

Neutral macroevolutionary models, such as the Yule model, give rise to a probability distribution on the set of discrete rooted binary trees over a given leaf set. Such models can provide a signal as to the approximate location of the root when only the unrooted phylogenetic tree is known, and this signal becomes relatively more significant as the number of leaves grows. In this short note, we show that among models that treat all taxa equally, and are sampling consistent (i.e. the distribution on trees is not affected by taxa yet to be included), all such models, except one (the so-called PDA model), convey some information as to the location of the ancestral root in an unrooted tree. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Landscape Characterization and Representativeness Analysis for Understanding Sampling Network Coverage

DOE Data Explorer

Maddalena, Damian; Hoffman, Forrest; Kumar, Jitendra; Hargrove, William

2014-08-01

Sampling networks rarely conform to spatial and temporal ideals, often comprised of network sampling points which are unevenly distributed and located in less than ideal locations due to access constraints, budget limitations, or political conflict. Quantifying the global, regional, and temporal representativeness of these networks by quantifying the coverage of network infrastructure highlights the capabilities and limitations of the data collected, facilitates upscaling and downscaling for modeling purposes, and improves the planning efforts for future infrastructure investment under current conditions and future modeled scenarios. The work presented here utilizes multivariate spatiotemporal clustering analysis and representativeness analysis for quantitative landscape characterization and assessment of the Fluxnet, RAINFOR, and ForestGEO networks. Results include ecoregions that highlight patterns of bioclimatic, topographic, and edaphic variables and quantitative representativeness maps of individual and combined networks.

Hydrogeochemical Investigation of the Standard Mine Vicinity, Upper Elk Creek Basin, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manning, Andrew H.; Verplanck, Philip L.; Mast, M. Alisa; Wanty, Richard B.

2008-01-01

Ground- and surface-water samples were collected in the vicinity of the Standard Mine in west-central Colorado in order to characterize the local ground-water flow system, determine metal concentrations in local ground water, and better understand factors controlling the discharge of metal-rich waters from the mine. The sampling program included a one-time sampling of springs, mine adits, and exploration pits in Elk Basin and Redwell Basin; repeated sampling throughout one year of Standard Mine Level 1 discharge and Elk Creek near its confluence with Coal Creek; and a one-time sampling of underground sites in Levels 3 and 5 of the Standard Mine. Samples were analyzed for major ions and trace elements, stable isotopes of hydrogen (2H/1H) and oxygen (18O/16O), strontium isotopes, and tritium and dissolved noble gases (including helium isotopes) for tritium/helium-3 age dating. No clear correlations were observed between natural ground-water discharge locations and map-scale faults and lithology. Surface observations and the location of ground-water discharge suggest that simple topography, rather than large-scale geologic features, primarily controls the occurrence and flow of shallow ground water in Elk Basin. Discrete inflows from cross faults or other features were not observed in Levels 3 and 5 of the Standard Mine. Instead, water entered the mine as relatively persistent dripping from gouge and breccia within the Standard fault, which both tunnels follow. Therefore, the Standard fault itself is probably the main pathway of ground-water flow from the shallow subsurface to the mine workings. Low pH (as low as 3.2) and elevated concentrations of zinc, lead, cadmium, copper, and manganese (commonly exceeding water-quality standards for Elk Creek) were measured in samples located within or immediately downgradient of areas where sulfides are abundant, including the Standard fault, the Elk Lode portal, and the breccia pipe in Redwell Basin. Concentrations of these metals were typically low and pH values were circumneutral at surrounding locations. Metal concentrations in samples collected from underground workings in the Standard Mine were also generally higher than in samples collected at aboveground sites located outside of sulfide-rich areas. Metal concentrations in discharge from the Level 1 tunnel were among the highest measured in Elk Basin. All of these observations suggest that sulfide-rich mineralized rock is the primary control on dissolved metal concentrations and pH in ground water in the Standard Mine vicinity. Waste-rock piles apparently exert another major control on metal concentrations and pH; the lowest pH and highest metal concentrations typically are found in discharge from waste-rock piles. Concentrations of several chemical constituents along with strontium isotope data indicate that none of the sampled waters could have been the primary source of metals in discharge from Level 1. Therefore, this study did not identify the primary source location for metals in Level 1 discharge. Possible sources must be located below Levels 3 and 5 or farther back into the mountainside than the ends of Levels 3 and 5. Apparent tritium/helium-3 ground-water ages ranged from 0 to 9 yr, and a considerable majority were <1 yr. Tritium data and computed initial tritium values (measured tritium plus measured tritiogenic helium-3) suggest that much of the ground water in the Standard Mine vicinity was weeks to months old rather than years old. Tritium, d2H, and d18O data from water entering into and discharging from the Standard Mine displayed spatial and temporal patterns indicating that these tracers were influenced by seasonal variations in their concentration in precipitation. The tracer data therefore suggest that ground water entering into and discharging from the Standard Mine was largely composed of water <1 yr old. Pronounced seasonal variations in geochemistry in Level 1 discharge also are consistent with short r

The Digital Sample: Metadata, Unique Identification, and Links to Data and Publications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehnert, K. A.; Vinayagamoorthy, S.; Djapic, B.; Klump, J.

2006-12-01

A significant part of digital data in the Geosciences refers to physical samples of Earth materials, from igneous rocks to sediment cores to water or gas samples. The application and long-term utility of these sample-based data in research is critically dependent on (a) the availability of information (metadata) about the samples such as geographical location and time of sampling, or sampling method, (b) links between the different data types available for individual samples that are dispersed in the literature and in digital data repositories, and (c) access to the samples themselves. Major problems for achieving this include incomplete documentation of samples in publications, use of ambiguous sample names, and the lack of a central catalog that allows to find a sample's archiving location. The International Geo Sample Number IGSN, managed by the System for Earth Sample Registration SESAR, provides solutions for these problems. The IGSN is a unique persistent identifier for samples and other GeoObjects that can be obtained by submitting sample metadata to SESAR (www.geosamples.org). If data in a publication is referenced to an IGSN (rather than an ambiguous sample name), sample metadata can readily be extracted from the SESAR database, which evolves into a Global Sample Catalog that also allows to locate the owner or curator of the sample. Use of the IGSN in digital data systems allows building linkages between distributed data. SESAR is contributing to the development of sample metadata standards. SESAR will integrate the IGSN in persistent, resolvable identifiers based on the handle.net service to advance direct linkages between the digital representation of samples in SESAR (sample profiles) and their related data in the literature and in web-accessible digital data repositories. Technologies outlined by Klump et al. (this session) such as the automatic creation of ontologies by text mining applications will be explored for harvesting identifiers of publications and datasets that contain information about a specific sample in order to establish comprehensive data profiles for samples.

Area 3 Support Buildings (A3SB) H5-0992, H5-0996 PRL 218 Confirmatory Sampling Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mrdjenovich, Timothy

2015-01-01

The Area 3 Support Buildings site (A3SB) consists of two separate areas located on the north side of Beach Road in the northern portion of Kennedy Space Center, Florida (KSC), outside the secured perimeter of KSC. The A3SB areas are approximately 0.6 miles apart, and were developed as Shiffler's Grocery Store and Service Station (west site) and as a residence (east site) prior to acquisition by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1963. Both areas were used by the Bendix Company in support of NASA as chemical laboratories from 1963 through 1969. Both of the buildings were demolished by 1987. The west portion of the site was used by the US Fish & Wildlife Service (F&W) in support of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) for parking at the entrance to the Hammock Trails from 1969 to the present. The east portion of the site was used for intermittent suspect materials staging in the early 1990s and is still used as an apiary location, but is otherwise no longer active. In support of the NASA HSWA permit requirements, this site was identified as Potential Release Location (PRL) 218 and a Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) Assessment (SA) was conducted in 2013. Confirmatory Sampling (CS) was recommended and approved by the KSC Remediation Team (KSCRT). Three locations of concern (LOCs) were identified and sampled at the site. The LOCs include two former chemical labs and a former suspect staging area. The CS was conducted in March of 2015 at three locations by means of Direct Push Technology (DPT) groundwater sampling and at one location for soil sampling. The samples were collected and analyzed in accordance with the approved CS Work Plan. There were no exceedances of criteria detected in any of the samples from the three LOCs. The results of this investigation indicate that past and/or present operations have not negatively impacted environmental media at the A3SB. Based upon no confirmed groundwater detections above GCTLs and no soil impacts above applicable screening criteria no further investigation is warranted at the A3SB. A No Further Action (NFA) status for all locations was approved by the KSCRT at the June 2015 meeting.

Solid phase microextraction field kit

DOEpatents

Nunes, Peter J.; Andresen, Brian D.

2005-08-16

A field kit for the collection, isolation and concentration of trace amounts of high explosives (HE), biological weapons (BW) and chemical weapons (CW) residues in air, soil, vegetation, swipe, and liquid samples. The field kit includes a number of Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) fiber and syringe assemblies in a hermetically sealed transportation container or tubes which includes a sampling port, a number of extra SPME fiber and syringe assemblies, the fiber and syringe assemblies including a protective cap for the fiber, and an extractor for the protective cap, along with other items including spare parts, protective glove, and an instruction manual, all located in an airtight container.

Automatic HTS force measurement instrument

DOEpatents

Sanders, S.T.; Niemann, R.C.

1999-03-30

A device is disclosed for measuring the levitation force of a high temperature superconductor sample with respect to a reference magnet includes a receptacle for holding several high temperature superconductor samples each cooled to superconducting temperature. A rotatable carousel successively locates a selected one of the high temperature superconductor samples in registry with the reference magnet. Mechanism varies the distance between one of the high temperature superconductor samples and the reference magnet, and a sensor measures levitation force of the sample as a function of the distance between the reference magnet and the sample. A method is also disclosed. 3 figs.

Raw neutron scattering data for strain measurement of hydraulically loaded granite and marble samples in triaxial stress state

DOE Data Explorer

Polsky, Yarom

2014-05-23

This entry contains raw data files from experiments performed on the Vulcan beamline at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory using a pressure cell. Cylindrical granite and marble samples were subjected to confining pressures of either 0 psi or approximately 2500 psi and internal pressures of either 0 psi, 1500 psi or 2500 psi through a blind axial hole at the center of one end of the sample. The sample diameters were 1.5" and the sample lengths were 6". The blind hole was 0.25" in diameter and 3" deep. One set of experiments measured strains at points located circumferentially around the center of the sample with identical radii to determine if there was strain variability (this would not be expected for a homogeneous material based on the symmetry of loading). Another set of experiments measured load variation across the radius of the sample at a fixed axial and circumferential location. Raw neutron diffraction intensity files and experimental parameter descriptions are included.

Integrated optical biosensor system (IOBS)

DOEpatents

Grace, Karen M.; Sweet, Martin R.; Goeller, Roy M.; Morrison, Leland Jean; Grace, Wynne Kevin; Kolar, Jerome D.

2007-10-30

An optical biosensor has a first enclosure with a pathogen recognition surface, including a planar optical waveguide and grating located in the first enclosure. An aperture is in the first enclosure for insertion of sample to be investigated to a position in close proximity to the pathogen recognition surface. A laser in the first enclosure includes means for aligning and means for modulating the laser, the laser having its light output directed toward said grating. Detection means are located in the first enclosure and in optical communication with the pathogen recognition surface for detecting pathogens after interrogation by the laser light and outputting the detection. Electronic means is located in the first enclosure and receives the detection for processing the detection and outputting information on the detection, and an electrical power supply is located in the first enclosure for supplying power to the laser, the detection means and the electronic means.

Characterisation of Arctic Bacterial Communities in the Air above Svalbard

PubMed Central

Cuthbertson, Lewis; Amores-Arrocha, Herminia; Malard, Lucie A.; Els, Nora; Sattler, Birgit; Pearce, David A.

2017-01-01

Atmospheric dispersal of bacteria is increasingly acknowledged as an important factor influencing bacterial community biodiversity, biogeography and bacteria–human interactions, including those linked to human health. However, knowledge about patterns in microbial aerobiology is still relatively scarce, and this can be attributed, in part, to a lack of consensus on appropriate sampling and analytical methodology. In this study, three different methods were used to investigate aerial biodiversity over Svalbard: impaction, membrane filtration and drop plates. Sites around Svalbard were selected due to their relatively remote location, low human population, geographical location with respect to air movement and the tradition and history of scientific investigation on the archipelago, ensuring the presence of existing research infrastructure. The aerial bacterial biodiversity found was similar to that described in other aerobiological studies from both polar and non-polar environments, with Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes being the predominant groups. Twelve different phyla were detected in the air collected above Svalbard, although the diversity was considerably lower than in urban environments elsewhere. However, only 58 of 196 bacterial genera detected were consistently present, suggesting potentially higher levels of heterogeneity. Viable bacteria were present at all sampling locations, showing that living bacteria are ubiquitous in the air around Svalbard. Sampling location influenced the results obtained, as did sampling method. Specifically, impaction with a Sartorius MD8 produced a significantly higher number of viable colony forming units (CFUs) than drop plates alone. PMID:28481257

Isotopic ages of rocks in the northern Front Range, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Anna B.; Bryant, Bruce

2006-01-01

These maps, and the tables that accompany them, are a compilation of isotopic age determinations of rocks and minerals in four 1:100,000 quadrangles in the northern and central Front Range, Colorado. Phanerozoic (primarily Tertiary and Cretaceous) age data are shown on one map; Proterozoic data are on the other. A sample location map is included for ease of matching specific localities and data in the tables to the maps. Several records in the tables were not included in the maps because either there were ambiguous dates or lack of location precluded accurate plotting.

Coupling a Neural Network with Atmospheric Flow Simulations to Locate and Quantify CH4 Emissions at Well Pads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Travis, B. J.; Sauer, J.; Dubey, M. K.

2017-12-01

Methane (CH4) leaks from oil and gas production fields are a potentially significant source of atmospheric methane. US DOE's ARPA-E office is supporting research to locate methane emissions at 10 m size well pads to within 1 m. A team led by Aeris Technologies, and that includes LANL, Planetary Science Institute and Rice University has developed an autonomous leak detection system (LDS) employing a compact laser absorption methane sensor, a sonic anemometer and multiport sampling. The LDS system analyzes monitoring data using a convolutional neural network (cNN) to locate and quantify CH4 emissions. The cNN was trained using three sources: (1) ultra-high-resolution simulations of methane transport provided by LANL's coupled atmospheric transport model HIGRAD, for numerous controlled methane release scenarios and methane sampling configurations under variable atmospheric conditions, (2) Field tests at the METEC site in Ft. Collins, CO., and (3) Field data from other sites where point-source surface methane releases were monitored downwind. A cNN learning algorithm is well suited to problems in which the training and observed data are noisy, or correspond to complex sensor data as is typical of meteorological and sensor data over a well pad. Recent studies with our cNN emphasize the importance of tracking wind speeds and directions at fine resolution ( 1 second), and accounting for variations in background CH4 levels. A few cases illustrate the importance of sufficiently long monitoring; short monitoring may not provide enough information to determine accurately a leak location or strength, mainly because of short-term unfavorable wind directions and choice of sampling configuration. Length of multiport duty cycle sampling and sample line flush time as well as number and placement of monitoring sensors can significantly impact ability to locate and quantify leaks. Source location error at less than 10% requires about 30 or more training cases.

Integrated system for gathering, processing, and reporting data relating to site contamination

DOEpatents

Long, D.D.; Goldberg, M.S.; Baker, L.A.

1997-11-11

An integrated screening system comprises an intrusive sampling subsystem, a field mobile laboratory subsystem, a computer assisted design/geographical information subsystem, and a telecommunication linkup subsystem, all integrated to provide synergistically improved data relating to the extent of site soil/groundwater contamination. According to the present invention, data samples related to the soil, groundwater or other contamination of the subsurface material are gathered and analyzed to measure contaminants. Based on the location of origin of the samples in three-dimensional space, the analyzed data are transmitted to a location display. The data from analyzing samples and the data from the locating the origin are managed to project the next probable sample location. The next probable sample location is then forwarded for use as a guide in the placement of ensuing sample location, whereby the number of samples needed to accurately characterize the site is minimized. 10 figs.

Integrated system for gathering, processing, and reporting data relating to site contamination

DOEpatents

Long, Delmar D.; Goldberg, Mitchell S.; Baker, Lorie A.

1997-01-01

An integrated screening system comprises an intrusive sampling subsystem, a field mobile laboratory subsystem, a computer assisted design/geographical information subsystem, and a telecommunication linkup subsystem, all integrated to provide synergistically improved data relating to the extent of site soil/groundwater contamination. According to the present invention, data samples related to the soil, groundwater or other contamination of the subsurface material are gathered and analyzed to measure contaminants. Based on the location of origin of the samples in three-dimensional space, the analyzed data are transmitted to a location display. The data from analyzing samples and the data from the locating the origin are managed to project the next probable sample location. The next probable sample location is then forwarded for use as a guide in the placement of ensuing sample location, whereby the number of samples needed to accurately characterize the site is minimized.

National environmental specimen bank survey. [Location of 657 collections of environmental specimens

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

Van Hook, R.I.; Huber, E.E.

1976-01-01

This report presents the data base developed in the National Environmental Specimen Bank (NESB) Survey. The methodology utilized in developing the mailing lists and in developing and maintaining the data base records also is included. The NESB Survey Data Base is computerized in the Oak Ridge Computerized Hierarchical Information System, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830. The NESB Survey mailing list consisted of 4500 names and addresses. The 657 environmental specimen collections that were located and documented in the NESB Survey Data Base include the following categories: animal, atmospheric, geological, microbiological, plant, and water. However, the majority ofmore » the collections identified are biological in nature. Three indices of the NESB Survey Data Base are included in this report: respondents names and addresses categorized by organizational affiliation; (2) alphabetical listing of respondents; and geographical sampling location for materials in collections.« less

Real-time exhaust gas modular flowmeter and emissions reporting system for mobile apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breton, Leo Alphonse Gerard (Inventor)

2002-01-01

A real-time emissions reporting system includes an instrument module adapted to be detachably connected to the exhaust pipe of a combustion engine to provide for flow of exhaust gas therethrough. The instrument module includes a differential pressure probe which allows for determination of flow rate of the exhaust gas and a gas sampling tube for continuously feeding a sample of the exhaust gas to a gas analyzer or a mounting location for a non-sampling gas analyzer. In addition to the module, the emissions reporting system also includes an elastomeric boot for detachably connecting the module to the exhaust pipe of the combustion engine, a gas analyzer for receiving and analyzing gases sampled within the module and a computer for calculating pollutant mass flow rates based on concentrations detected by the gas analyzer and the detected flowrate of the exhaust gas. The system may also include a particulate matter detector with a second gas sampling tube feeding same mounted within the instrument module.

Determining Optimal Location and Numbers of Sample Transects for Characterization of UXO Sites

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

BILISOLY, ROGER L.; MCKENNA, SEAN A.

2003-01-01

Previous work on sample design has been focused on constructing designs for samples taken at point locations. Significantly less work has been done on sample design for data collected along transects. A review of approaches to point and transect sampling design shows that transects can be considered as a sequential set of point samples. Any two sampling designs can be compared through using each one to predict the value of the quantity being measured on a fixed reference grid. The quality of a design is quantified in two ways: computing either the sum or the product of the eigenvalues ofmore » the variance matrix of the prediction error. An important aspect of this analysis is that the reduction of the mean prediction error variance (MPEV) can be calculated for any proposed sample design, including one with straight and/or meandering transects, prior to taking those samples. This reduction in variance can be used as a ''stopping rule'' to determine when enough transect sampling has been completed on the site. Two approaches for the optimization of the transect locations are presented. The first minimizes the sum of the eigenvalues of the predictive error, and the second minimizes the product of these eigenvalues. Simulated annealing is used to identify transect locations that meet either of these objectives. This algorithm is applied to a hypothetical site to determine the optimal locations of two iterations of meandering transects given a previously existing straight transect. The MPEV calculation is also used on both a hypothetical site and on data collected at the Isleta Pueblo to evaluate its potential as a stopping rule. Results show that three or four rounds of systematic sampling with straight parallel transects covering 30 percent or less of the site, can reduce the initial MPEV by as much as 90 percent. The amount of reduction in MPEV can be used as a stopping rule, but the relationship between MPEV and the results of excavation versus no-further-action decisions is site specific and cannot be calculated prior to the sampling. It may be advantageous to use the reduction in MPEV as a stopping rule for systematic sampling across the site that can then be followed by focused sampling in areas identified has having UXO during the systematic sampling. The techniques presented here provide answers to the questions of ''Where to sample?'' and ''When to stop?'' and are capable of running in near real time to support iterative site characterization campaigns.« less

Nanomechanical testing system

DOEpatents

Vodnick, David James; Dwivedi, Arpit; Keranen, Lucas Paul; Okerlund, Michael David; Schmitz, Roger William; Warren, Oden Lee; Young, Christopher David

2014-07-08

An automated testing system includes systems and methods to facilitate inline production testing of samples at a micro (multiple microns) or less scale with a mechanical testing instrument. In an example, the system includes a probe changing assembly for coupling and decoupling a probe of the instrument. The probe changing assembly includes a probe change unit configured to grasp one of a plurality of probes in a probe magazine and couple one of the probes with an instrument probe receptacle. An actuator is coupled with the probe change unit, and the actuator is configured to move and align the probe change unit with the probe magazine and the instrument probe receptacle. In another example, the automated testing system includes a multiple degree of freedom stage for aligning a sample testing location with the instrument. The stage includes a sample stage and a stage actuator assembly including translational and rotational actuators.

Nanomechanical testing system

DOEpatents

Vodnick, David James; Dwivedi, Arpit; Keranen, Lucas Paul; Okerlund, Michael David; Schmitz, Roger William; Warren, Oden Lee; Young, Christopher David

2015-01-27

An automated testing system includes systems and methods to facilitate inline production testing of samples at a micro (multiple microns) or less scale with a mechanical testing instrument. In an example, the system includes a probe changing assembly for coupling and decoupling a probe of the instrument. The probe changing assembly includes a probe change unit configured to grasp one of a plurality of probes in a probe magazine and couple one of the probes with an instrument probe receptacle. An actuator is coupled with the probe change unit, and the actuator is configured to move and align the probe change unit with the probe magazine and the instrument probe receptacle. In another example, the automated testing system includes a multiple degree of freedom stage for aligning a sample testing location with the instrument. The stage includes a sample stage and a stage actuator assembly including translational and rotational actuators.

Nanomechanical testing system

DOEpatents

Vodnick, David James; Dwivedi, Arpit; Keranen, Lucas Paul; Okerlund, Michael David; Schmitz, Roger William; Warren, Oden Lee; Young, Christopher David

2015-02-24

An automated testing system includes systems and methods to facilitate inline production testing of samples at a micro (multiple microns) or less scale with a mechanical testing instrument. In an example, the system includes a probe changing assembly for coupling and decoupling a probe of the instrument. The probe changing assembly includes a probe change unit configured to grasp one of a plurality of probes in a probe magazine and couple one of the probes with an instrument probe receptacle. An actuator is coupled with the probe change unit, and the actuator is configured to move and align the probe change unit with the probe magazine and the instrument probe receptacle. In another example, the automated testing system includes a multiple degree of freedom stage for aligning a sample testing location with the instrument. The stage includes a sample stage and a stage actuator assembly including translational and rotational actuators.

On the precision of automated activation time estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaplan, D. T.; Smith, J. M.; Rosenbaum, D. S.; Cohen, R. J.

1988-01-01

We examined how the assignment of local activation times in epicardial and endocardial electrograms is affected by sampling rate, ambient signal-to-noise ratio, and sinx/x waveform interpolation. Algorithms used for the estimation of fiducial point locations included dV/dtmax, and a matched filter detection algorithm. Test signals included epicardial and endocardial electrograms overlying both normal and infarcted regions of dog myocardium. Signal-to-noise levels were adjusted by combining known data sets with white noise "colored" to match the spectral characteristics of experimentally recorded noise. For typical signal-to-noise ratios and sampling rates, the template-matching algorithm provided the greatest precision in reproducibly estimating fiducial point location, and sinx/x interpolation allowed for an additional significant improvement. With few restrictions, combining these two techniques may allow for use of digitization rates below the Nyquist rate without significant loss of precision.

Inorganic Carbon Isotopes and Chemical Characterization of Watershed Drainages, Barrow, Alaska, 2013

DOE Data Explorer

Heikoop, Jeffrey H.; Throckmorton, Heather M.; Wilson, Cathy J.; Newman, Brent D.

2016-02-22

Data include results from geochemical and isotopic analyses for samples collected in Barrow, Alaska during July and September 2013. Samples were soil pore waters from 17 drainages that could be interlake (basins with polygonal terrain), different-aged drain thaw lake basins (young, medium, old, or ancient), or a combination of different aged basins. Samples taken in different drainage flow types at three different depths at each location in and around the Barrow Environmental Observatory.

Using Lagrangian sampling to study water quality during downstream transport in the San Luis Drain, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Volkmar, E.C.; Dahlgren, R.A.; Stringfellow, W.T.; Henson, S.S.; Borglin, S.E.; Kendall, C.; Van Nieuwenhuyse, E. E.

2011-01-01

To investigate the mechanism for diel (24h) changes commonly observed at fixed sampling locations and how these diel changes relate to downstream transport in hypereutrophic surface waters, we studied a parcel of agricultural drainage water as it traveled for 84h in a concrete-lined channel having no additional water inputs or outputs. Algal fluorescence, dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, conductivity, and turbidity were measured every 30min. Grab samples were collected every 2h for water quality analyses, including nutrients, suspended sediment, and chlorophyll/pheophytin. Strong diel patterns were observed for dissolved oxygen, pH, and temperature within the parcel of water. In contrast, algal pigments and nitrate did not exhibit diel patterns within the parcel of water, but did exhibit strong diel patterns for samples collected at a fixed sampling location. The diel patterns observed at fixed sampling locations for these constituents can be attributed to algal growth during the day and downstream transport (washout) of algae at night. Algal pigments showed a rapid daytime increase during the first 48h followed by a general decrease for the remainder of the study, possibly due to sedimentation and photobleaching. Algal growth (primarily diatoms) was apparent each day during the study, as measured by increasing dissolved oxygen concentrations, despite low phosphate concentrations (<0.01mgL-1). ?? 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Chemical analyses of water samples from the Picher mining area, northeast Oklahoma and southeast Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parkhurst, David L.

1987-01-01

Chemical analyses are presented for 169 water samples from Tar Creek drainage and the Picher lead-zinc mining area of northeast Oklahoma and southeast Kansas. Water samples were taken from November 1983 through February 1986 from the abandoned mines, from points of mine-water discharge, and from surface-water locations upstream and downstream from mine discharge area. The pH, temperature, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, and specific conductance were measured in the field. Laboratory analyses routinely included the major ions plus aluminum, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc. Non-routine analyses of dissolved gases and tritium are presented. Stable carbon-isotope ratios for 11 mine-water samples and three carbonate-rock samples are reported. Miscellaneous stream-discharge measurements made at the time of sampling or taken from gaging-station records are included in the report.

Friends in low places: The impact of locations and companions on 21st birthday drinking.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Lindsey M; Young, Chelsie M; Tomkins, Mary M; DiBello, Angelo M; Krieger, Heather; Neighbors, Clayton

2016-01-01

The present research examined how various locations and companions were associated with hazardous drinking during 21st birthday celebrations. The sample included 912 college students (57% female) who completed an online survey to examine 21st birthday drinking. Locations included bars, friends' houses, restaurants, outdoor barbecues, homes, parents' homes, and Fraternity/Sorority houses. Companions included friends, family members, casual acquaintances, roommates, significant others, Fraternity/Sorority members, and none (alone). Participants consumed an average of 7.6 drinks and reached an average eBAC of .15 during their 21st birthday celebrations. Locations accounted for 20%/18% of the variance in number of drinks and eBAC, respectively, whereas companions accounted for 23%/20% of the variance. Drinking with romantic partners was associated with less drinking, whereas drinking with Fraternity/Sorority members was associated with more drinking. Stepwise regressions combining locations and companions suggested that, overall, celebrating in a bar setting and with Fraternity and Sorority members were the strongest variables associated with drinking. With the exception of a bar setting, companions were the most important contextual factors associated with 21st birthday drinking. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field Immune Assessment during Simulated Planetary Exploration in the Canadian Arctic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crucian, Brian; Lee, Pascal; Stowe, Raymond; Jones, Jeff; Effenhauser, Rainer; Widen, Raymond; Sams, Clarence

2006-01-01

Dysregulation of the immune system has been shown to occur during space flight, although the detailed nature of the phenomenon and the clinical risks for exploration class missions has yet to be established. In addition, the growing clinical significance of immune system evaluation combined with epidemic infectious disease rates in third world countries provides a strong rationale for the development of field-compatible clinical immunology techniques and equipment. In July 2002 NASA performed a comprehensive field immunology assessment on crewmembers participating in the Haughton-Mars Project (HMP) on Devon Island in the high Canadian Arctic. The purpose of the study was to evaluate mission-associated effects on the human immune system, as well as to evaluate techniques developed for processing immune samples in remote field locations. Ten HMP-2002 participants volunteered for the study. A field protocol was developed at NASA-JSC for performing sample collection, blood staining/processing for immunophenotype analysis, wholeblood mitogenic culture for functional assessments and cell-sample preservation on-location at Devon Island. Specific assays included peripheral leukocyte distribution; constitutively activated T cells, intracellular cytokine profiles and plasma EBV viral antibody levels. Study timepoints were L-30, midmission and R+60. The protocol developed for immune sample processing in remote field locations functioned properly. Samples were processed in the field location, and stabilized for subsequent analysis at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The data indicated that some phenotype, immune function and stress hormone changes occurred in the HMP field participants that were largely distinct from pre-mission baseline and post-mission recovery data. These immune changes appear similar to those observed in Astronauts following spaceflight. The sample processing protocol developed for this study may have applications for immune assessment during exploration-class space missions or in remote terrestrial field locations. The data validate the use of the HMP as a ground-based spaceflight/planetary exploration analog for some aspects of human physiology.

Health assessment using aqua-quality indicators of alpine streams (Khunjerab National Park), Gilgit, Pakistan.

PubMed

Ali, Salar; Gao, Junfeng; Begum, Farida; Rasool, Atta; Ismail, Muhammad; Cai, Yongjiu; Ali, Shaukat; Ali, Shujaat

2017-02-01

This preliminary research was conducted to evaluate the alpine stream health by using water quality as an indicator in Khunjerab National park of the Karakoram ranges located in Pak-China boarder Pakistan having altitude of 3660 m. This study investigated the stream health in the context of the presence or absence of sensitive species, their diversity, and their taxa richness. The water and macroinvertebrate samples were collected from 17 different locations from upstream and downstream of the river by using random sampling method. Macroinvertebrate samples were obtained using kick net (500-μm mesh size) and hand-picking method (NYSDEC). A total of 710 counts including 41 families of macroinvertebrates were recorded comprising of 7 orders including: Ephemeroptera (46%) being the most dominant group, Plecoptera (33%), Trichoptera (5%), Chironomidae (Diptera) (14%), Heteroptera (1%), and Coleoptera (1%). Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera, and Plecoptera (EPT) were found in abundance at the main source, Qarchanai, Dhee, and Tourqeen Nullah, as compared to the other locations of the stream. The most dominant macroinvertebrate was Ephemeroptera whose relative abundance is Pi = 0.49 by using the Shannon index. However, different statistical tools, including principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), ANOVA, and linear regression model, show a strong correlation between water quality and macroinvertebrates. The overall results of the biological indicators showed better ecological health at downstream compared to upstream. This study will provide basic information and understanding about the macroinvertebrates for future researchers, and the data will be helpful for upcoming research programs on alpine streams for the discovery and occurrences of macroinvertebrates and associated fauna.

Onco-STS: a web-based laboratory information management system for sample and analysis tracking in oncogenomic experiments.

PubMed

Gavrielides, Mike; Furney, Simon J; Yates, Tim; Miller, Crispin J; Marais, Richard

2014-01-01

Whole genomes, whole exomes and transcriptomes of tumour samples are sequenced routinely to identify the drivers of cancer. The systematic sequencing and analysis of tumour samples, as well other oncogenomic experiments, necessitates the tracking of relevant sample information throughout the investigative process. These meta-data of the sequencing and analysis procedures include information about the samples and projects as well as the sequencing centres, platforms, data locations, results locations, alignments, analysis specifications and further information relevant to the experiments. The current work presents a sample tracking system for oncogenomic studies (Onco-STS) to store these data and make them easily accessible to the researchers who work with the samples. The system is a web application, which includes a database and a front-end web page that allows the remote access, submission and updating of the sample data in the database. The web application development programming framework Grails was used for the development and implementation of the system. The resulting Onco-STS solution is efficient, secure and easy to use and is intended to replace the manual data handling of text records. Onco-STS allows simultaneous remote access to the system making collaboration among researchers more effective. The system stores both information on the samples in oncogenomic studies and details of the analyses conducted on the resulting data. Onco-STS is based on open-source software, is easy to develop and can be modified according to a research group's needs. Hence it is suitable for laboratories that do not require a commercial system.

Lead as a legendary pollutant with emerging concern: Survey of lead in tap water in an old campus building using four sampling methods.

PubMed

Ng, Ding-Quan; Liu, Shu-Wei; Lin, Yi-Pin

2018-09-15

In this study, a sampling campaign with a total of nine sampling events investigating lead in drinking water was conducted at 7 sampling locations in an old building with lead pipes in service in part of the building on the National Taiwan University campus. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of four different sampling methods, namely first draw sampling, sequential sampling, random daytime sampling and flush sampling, in lead contamination detection. In 3 out of the 7 sampling locations without lead pipe, lead could not be detected (<1.1 μg/L) in most samples regardless of the sampling methods. On the other hand, in the 4 sampling locations where lead pipes still existed, total lead concentrations >10 μg/L were consistently observed in 3 locations using any of the four sampling methods while the remaining location was identified to be contaminated using sequential sampling. High lead levels were consistently measured by the four sampling methods in the 3 locations in which particulate lead was either predominant or comparable to soluble lead. Compared to first draw and random daytime samplings, although flush sampling had a high tendency to reduce total lead in samples in lead-contaminated sites, the extent of lead reduction was location-dependent and not dependent on flush durations between 5 and 10 min. Overall, first draw sampling and random daytime sampling were reliable and effective in determining lead contamination in this study. Flush sampling could reveal the contamination if the extent is severe but tends to underestimate lead exposure risk. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

33 CFR 148.405 - What are the procedures for notifying the Commandant (CG-5) of proposed site evaluation and pre...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... proposed location and purpose of the activities, including: (1) Gravity and magneto-metric measurements; (2...) Sediment sampling of a limited nature using either core or grab samplers, and the specified diameter and...) Hydrographic and oceanographic measurements, including the setting of instruments; and (7) Small diameter core...

33 CFR 148.405 - What are the procedures for notifying the Commandant (CG-5) of proposed site evaluation and pre...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... proposed location and purpose of the activities, including: (1) Gravity and magneto-metric measurements; (2...) Sediment sampling of a limited nature using either core or grab samplers, and the specified diameter and...) Hydrographic and oceanographic measurements, including the setting of instruments; and (7) Small diameter core...

Secondary School Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge Levels and Use of History of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bütüner, Suphi Önder

2018-01-01

This study describes secondary school mathematics teachers' use of history of mathematics in their classes and their knowledge levels in this field. The study population included a total of 58 secondary school mathematics teachers working at the secondary schools located in Yozgat city center, and the sample included 32 mathematics teachers from…

Standoff spectroscopic interrogation of samples irradiated by high energy lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daigle, Jean-François; Pudo, Dominik; Théberge, Francis

2017-10-01

We report on a novel method that shows the potential to provide real-time, standoff forensic analysis of samples being irradiated by a high energy laser (HEL). The interaction of the HEL beam with matter produces specific optical signatures that can be detected from the location of the HEL system. A spectroscopic analysis of these signals can then provide useful information to the operator including the impact the laser has on the sample as well as providing data about the its structure and composition.

Leaf sample detail, Feb2016-May2016, PA-SLZ, PA-PNM, PA-BCI: Panama

DOE Data Explorer

Ely, Kim [Brookhaven National Lab; Rogers, Alistair [Brookhaven National Lab; Serbin, Shawn [Brookhaven National Lab; Wu, Jin [BNL; Wolfe, Brett [Smithsonian; Dickman, Turin [Los Alamos National Lab; Collins, Adam [Los Alamos National Lab; Detto, Matteo [Princeton; Grossiord, Charlotte [Los Alamos National Lab; McDowell, Nate [Los Alamos National Lab; Michaletz, Sean

2017-01-01

Date, location, species and photographs of leaf samples collected on a monthly basis from Feb to May 2016 at SLZ and PNM. Data from BCI only available for March. This data was collected as part of the 2016 ENSO campaign. Data to be used as a reference to linking related datasets (existing and future) including leaf water potential, leaf spectra, LMA, gas exchange and leaf chemistry (CHN, NSC, P). Most leaves were sampled from sunlit canopy trees.

Tracking Human Mobility Using WiFi Signals.

PubMed

Sapiezynski, Piotr; Stopczynski, Arkadiusz; Gatej, Radu; Lehmann, Sune

2015-01-01

We study six months of human mobility data, including WiFi and GPS traces recorded with high temporal resolution, and find that time series of WiFi scans contain a strong latent location signal. In fact, due to inherent stability and low entropy of human mobility, it is possible to assign location to WiFi access points based on a very small number of GPS samples and then use these access points as location beacons. Using just one GPS observation per day per person allows us to estimate the location of, and subsequently use, WiFi access points to account for 80% of mobility across a population. These results reveal a great opportunity for using ubiquitous WiFi routers for high-resolution outdoor positioning, but also significant privacy implications of such side-channel location tracking.

40 CFR 141.703 - Sampling locations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Sampling locations. 141.703 Section... Monitoring Requirements § 141.703 Sampling locations. (a) Systems required to conduct source water monitoring... a sampling tap is available where the sources are combined prior to treatment, systems must collect...

Geodatabase of environmental information for Air Force Plant 4 and Naval Air Station-Joint Reserve Base Carswell Field, Fort Worth, Texas, 1990-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shah, Sachin D.; Quigley, Sean M.

2005-01-01

Air Force Plant 4 (AFP4) and adjacent Naval Air Station-Joint Reserve Base (NAS-JRB) at Fort Worth, Tex., constitute a government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO) facility that has been in operation since 1942. Contaminants from the facility, primarily volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metals, have entered the groundwater-flow system through leakage from waste-disposal sites (landfills and pits) and from manufacturing processes (U.S. Air Force, Aeronautical Systems Center, 1995). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force (USAF), Aeronautical Systems Center, Environmental Management Directorate (ASC/ENVR), developed a comprehensive database (or geodatabase) of temporal and spatial environmental information associated with the geology, hydrology, and water quality at AFP4 and NAS-JRB. The database of this report provides information about the AFP4 and NAS-JRB study area including sample location names, identification numbers, locations, historical dates, and various measured hydrologic data. This database does not include every sample location at the site, but is limited to an aggregation of selected digital and hardcopy data of the USAF, USGS, and various consultants who have previously or are currently working at the site.

Large scale prediction of soil properties in the West African yam belt based on mid-infrared soil spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumann, Philipp; Lee, Juhwan; Paule Schönholzer, Laurie; Six, Johan; Frossard, Emmanuel

2016-04-01

Yam (Dioscorea sp.) is an important staple food in West Africa. Fertilizer applications have variable effects on yam tuber yields, and a management option solely based on application of mineral NPK fertilizers may bear the risk of increased organic matter mineralization. Therefore, innovative and sustainable nutrient management strategies need to be developed and evaluated for yam cultivation. The goal of this study was to establish a mid-infrared soil spectroscopic library and models to predict soil properties relevant to yam growth. Soils from yam fields at four different locations in Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso that were representative of the West African yam belt were sampled. The project locations ranged from the humid forest zone (5.88 degrees N) to the northern Guinean savannah (11.07 degrees N). At each location, soils of 20 yam fields were sampled (0-30 cm). For the location in the humid forest zone additional 14 topsoil samples from positions that had been analyzed in the Land Degradation Surveillance Framework developed by ICRAF were included. In total, 94 soil samples were analyzed using established reference analysis protocols. Besides soils were milled and then scanned by fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy in the range between 400 and 4000 reciprocal cm. Using partial least squares (PLS) regression, PLS1 calibration models that included soils from the four locations were built using two thirds of the samples selected by Kennard-Stones sampling algorithm in the spectral principal component space. Models were independently validated with the remaining data set. Spectral models for total carbon, total nitrogen, total iron, total aluminum, total potassium, exchangeable calcium, and effective cation exchange capacity performed very well, which was indicated by R-squared values between 0.8 and 1.0 on both calibration and validation. For these soil properties, spectral models can be used for cost-effective, rapid, and accurate predictions. Measures of total silicium, total zinc, total copper, total manganese, pH, exchangeable magnesium, total sulfur, total phosphorus, resin membrane extractable phosphorus, DTPA iron, and DTPA copper were predicted with intermediate accuracy (R-squared of both calibration and validation between 0.5 and 0.8). For these measures, the models can be used to establish a rapid screening in order to distinguish high from low soil fertility status. Generally, soil fertility in West African soils is constrained by low organic C, for example, ranging between 0.2% to 2.5% in this study. The accurate prediction of total soil organic C is an important factor for monitoring soil fertility status. Results of this study showed that soil spectroscopy has a high potential to evaluate soil fertility in the selected locations.

Storage effects on quantity and composition of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen of lake water, leaf leachate and peat soil water.

PubMed

Heinz, Marlen; Zak, Dominik

2018-03-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of freezing and cold storage at 4 °C on bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) concentration and SEC fractions determined with size exclusion chromatography (SEC), as well as on spectral properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) analyzed with fluorescence spectroscopy. In order to account for differences in DOM composition and source we analyzed storage effects for three different sample types, including a lake water sample representing freshwater DOM, a leaf litter leachate of Phragmites australis representing a terrestrial, 'fresh' DOM source and peatland porewater samples. According to our findings one week of cold storage can bias DOC and DON determination. Overall, the determination of DOC and DON concentration with SEC analysis for all three sample types were little susceptible to alterations due to freezing. The findings derived for the sampling locations investigated here may not apply for other sampling locations and/or sample types. However, DOC size fractions and DON concentration of formerly frozen samples should be interpreted with caution when sample concentrations are high. Alteration of some optical properties (HIX and SUVA 254 ) due to freezing were evident, and therefore we recommend immediate analysis of samples for spectral analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confidence Hills Mineralogy and Chemin Results from Base of Mt. Sharp, Pahrump Hills, Gale Crater, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cavanagh, P. D.; Bish, D. L.; Blake, D. F.; Vaniman, D. T.; Morris, R. V.; Ming, D. W.; Rampe, E. B.; Achilles, C. N.; Chipera, S. J.; Treiman, A. H.;

Correlation between macrobenthic structure (biotic) and water-sediment characteristics (abiotic) adjacent aquaculture areas at Tembelas Island, indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharani, Jeanny; Hidayat, Jafron W.; Putro, Sapto P.

2018-05-01

Macrobenthic community play important role in sedimentary habitats as a part of food chain. Their structure may be influenced by environmental characteristic spatially and temporally. The purpose of this study is to access the correlation between macrobenthic structure (biotic) and water-sediment characteristics (abiotic) adjacent aquaculture areas at Tembelas Island, Indonesia. Water and sediments samples were taken twice, where the first and second sampling time were taken in June and October 2016, respectively. Samples were taken in the area of fish farming at coastal area of policulture/IMTA (as Location I), site of 1 km away from fish farming area as a reference site (as Location II), and monoculture sites (as Location III), with three stations for each location. Data of abiotic parameters included the composition of sediment substrate and DO, pH, salinity, temperature, and. Sediment samples were taken using Ekman grab. The organisms were 1 mm -size sieved and fixed using 10% formalin for further analysis, i.e. sorting, preserving, enumerating, identifying, and grouping. The relationship between biotics (macrobentos) and abiotics (physical-chemical factors) was assessed using a non-parametric multivariate procedure (BIOENV). This study found 61 species consisting of 46 families and 5 classes of macrobenthos. The most common classes were member of Mollusca and Polychaeta. Total nitrogen, silt, and clay were the abiotic factors most influencing macrobenthic structure (BIO-ENV; r = 0.46; R2 = 21.16%).

Spectroscopic and x-ray diffraction analyses of asbestos in the World Trade Center dust:

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swayze, Gregg A.; Clark, Roger N.; Sutley, Stephen J.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Meeker, Gregory P.; Brownfield, Isabelle; Livo, Keith E.; Morath, Laurie C.

2009-01-01

On September 17 and 18, 2001, samples of settled dust and airfall debris were collected from 34 sites within a 1-km radius of the WTC collapse site, including a sample from an indoor location unaffected by rainfall, and samples of insulation from two steel beams at Ground Zero. Laboratory spectral and x-ray diffraction analyses of the field samples detected trace levels of serpentine minerals, including chrysotile asbestos, in about two-thirds of the dust samples at concentrations at or below ~1 wt%. One sample of a beam coating material contained up to 20 wt% chrysotile asbestos. Analyses indicate that trace levels of chrysotile were distributed with the dust radially to distances greater than 0.75 km from Ground Zero. The chrysotile content of the dust is variable and may indicate that chrysotile asbestos was not distributed uniformly during the three collapse events.

Methyl-CpG island-associated genome signature tags

DOEpatents

Dunn, John J

2014-05-20

Disclosed is a method for analyzing the organismic complexity of a sample through analysis of the nucleic acid in the sample. In the disclosed method, through a series of steps, including digestion with a type II restriction enzyme, ligation of capture adapters and linkers and digestion with a type IIS restriction enzyme, genome signature tags are produced. The sequences of a statistically significant number of the signature tags are determined and the sequences are used to identify and quantify the organisms in the sample. Various embodiments of the invention described herein include methods for using single point genome signature tags to analyze the related families present in a sample, methods for analyzing sequences associated with hyper- and hypo-methylated CpG islands, methods for visualizing organismic complexity change in a sampling location over time and methods for generating the genome signature tag profile of a sample of fragmented DNA.

User’s guide to the North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database 2.0

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drew, Gary S.; Piatt, John F.; Renner, Martin

2015-07-13

The North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD) was created in 2005 to consolidate data on the oceanic distribution of marine bird species in the North Pacific. Most of these data were collected on surveys by counting species within defined areas and at known locations (that is, on strip transects). The NPPSD also contains observations of other bird species and marine mammals. The original NPPSD combined data from 465 surveys conducted between 1973 and 2002, primarily in waters adjacent to Alaska. These surveys included 61,195 sample transects with location, environment, and metadata information, and the data were organized in a flat-file format. In developing NPPSD 2.0, our goals were to add new datasets, to make significant improvements to database functionality and to provide the database online. NPPSD 2.0 includes data from a broader geographic range within the North Pacific, including new observations made offshore of the Russian Federation, Japan, Korea, British Columbia (Canada), Oregon, and California. These data were imported into a relational database, proofed, and structured in a common format. NPPSD 2.0 contains 351,674 samples (transects) collected between 1973 and 2012, representing a total sampled area of 270,259 square kilometers, and extends the time series of samples in some areas—notably the Bering Sea—to four decades. It contains observations of 16,988,138 birds and 235,545 marine mammals and is available on the NPPSD Web site. Supplementary materials include an updated set of standardized taxonomic codes, reference maps that show the spatial and temporal distribution of the survey efforts and a downloadable query tool.

Multi-Sensor Aerosol Products Sampling System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petrenko, M.; Ichoku, C.; Leptoukh, G.

2011-01-01

Global and local properties of atmospheric aerosols have been extensively observed and measured using both spaceborne and ground-based instruments, especially during the last decade. Unique properties retrieved by the different instruments contribute to an unprecedented availability of the most complete set of complimentary aerosol measurements ever acquired. However, some of these measurements remain underutilized, largely due to the complexities involved in analyzing them synergistically. To characterize the inconsistencies and bridge the gap that exists between the sensors, we have established a Multi-sensor Aerosol Products Sampling System (MAPSS), which consistently samples and generates the spatial statistics (mean, standard deviation, direction and rate of spatial variation, and spatial correlation coefficient) of aerosol products from multiple spacebome sensors, including MODIS (on Terra and Aqua), MISR, OMI, POLDER, CALIOP, and SeaWiFS. Samples of satellite aerosol products are extracted over Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) locations as well as over other locations of interest such as those with available ground-based aerosol observations. In this way, MAPSS enables a direct cross-characterization and data integration between Level-2 aerosol observations from multiple sensors. In addition, the available well-characterized co-located ground-based data provides the basis for the integrated validation of these products. This paper explains the sampling methodology and concepts used in MAPSS, and demonstrates specific examples of using MAPSS for an integrated analysis of multiple aerosol products.

Optimizing Sampling Efficiency for Biomass Estimation Across NEON Domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abercrombie, H. H.; Meier, C. L.; Spencer, J. J.

2013-12-01

Over the course of 30 years, the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) will measure plant biomass and productivity across the U.S. to enable an understanding of terrestrial carbon cycle responses to ecosystem change drivers. Over the next several years, prior to operational sampling at a site, NEON will complete construction and characterization phases during which a limited amount of sampling will be done at each site to inform sampling designs, and guide standardization of data collection across all sites. Sampling biomass in 60+ sites distributed among 20 different eco-climatic domains poses major logistical and budgetary challenges. Traditional biomass sampling methods such as clip harvesting and direct measurements of Leaf Area Index (LAI) involve collecting and processing plant samples, and are time and labor intensive. Possible alternatives include using indirect sampling methods for estimating LAI such as digital hemispherical photography (DHP) or using a LI-COR 2200 Plant Canopy Analyzer. These LAI estimations can then be used as a proxy for biomass. The biomass estimates calculated can then inform the clip harvest sampling design during NEON operations, optimizing both sample size and number so that standardized uncertainty limits can be achieved with a minimum amount of sampling effort. In 2011, LAI and clip harvest data were collected from co-located sampling points at the Central Plains Experimental Range located in northern Colorado, a short grass steppe ecosystem that is the NEON Domain 10 core site. LAI was measured with a LI-COR 2200 Plant Canopy Analyzer. The layout of the sampling design included four, 300 meter transects, with clip harvests plots spaced every 50m, and LAI sub-transects spaced every 10m. LAI was measured at four points along 6m sub-transects running perpendicular to the 300m transect. Clip harvest plots were co-located 4m from corresponding LAI transects, and had dimensions of 0.1m by 2m. We conducted regression analyses with LAI and clip harvest data to determine whether LAI can be used as a suitable proxy for aboveground standing biomass. We also compared optimal sample sizes derived from LAI data, and clip-harvest data from two different size clip harvest areas (0.1m by 1m vs. 0.1m by 2m). Sample sizes were calculated in order to estimate the mean to within a standardized level of uncertainty that will be used to guide sampling effort across all vegetation types (i.e. estimated within × 10% with 95% confidence). Finally, we employed a Semivariogram approach to determine optimal sample size and spacing.

Accounting for animal movement in estimation of resource selection functions: sampling and data analysis.

PubMed

Forester, James D; Im, Hae Kyung; Rathouz, Paul J

2009-12-01

Patterns of resource selection by animal populations emerge as a result of the behavior of many individuals. Statistical models that describe these population-level patterns of habitat use can miss important interactions between individual animals and characteristics of their local environment; however, identifying these interactions is difficult. One approach to this problem is to incorporate models of individual movement into resource selection models. To do this, we propose a model for step selection functions (SSF) that is composed of a resource-independent movement kernel and a resource selection function (RSF). We show that standard case-control logistic regression may be used to fit the SSF; however, the sampling scheme used to generate control points (i.e., the definition of availability) must be accommodated. We used three sampling schemes to analyze simulated movement data and found that ignoring sampling and the resource-independent movement kernel yielded biased estimates of selection. The level of bias depended on the method used to generate control locations, the strength of selection, and the spatial scale of the resource map. Using empirical or parametric methods to sample control locations produced biased estimates under stronger selection; however, we show that the addition of a distance function to the analysis substantially reduced that bias. Assuming a uniform availability within a fixed buffer yielded strongly biased selection estimates that could be corrected by including the distance function but remained inefficient relative to the empirical and parametric sampling methods. As a case study, we used location data collected from elk in Yellowstone National Park, USA, to show that selection and bias may be temporally variable. Because under constant selection the amount of bias depends on the scale at which a resource is distributed in the landscape, we suggest that distance always be included as a covariate in SSF analyses. This approach to modeling resource selection is easily implemented using common statistical tools and promises to provide deeper insight into the movement ecology of animals.

Methods for Monitoring Fish Communities of Buffalo National River and Ozark National Scenic Riverways in the Ozark Plateaus of Arkansas and Missouri: Version 1.0

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petersen, James C.; Justus, B.G.; Dodd, H.R.; Bowles, D.E.; Morrison, L.W.; Williams, M.H.; Rowell, G.A.

2008-01-01

Buffalo National River located in north-central Arkansas, and Ozark National Scenic Riverways, located in southeastern Missouri, are the two largest units of the National Park Service in the Ozark Plateaus physiographic province. The purpose of this report is to provide a protocol that will be used by the National Park Service to sample fish communities and collect related water-quality, habitat, and stream discharge data of Buffalo National River and Ozark National Scenic Riverways to meet inventory and long-term monitoring objectives. The protocol includes (1) a protocol narrative, (2) several standard operating procedures, and (3) supplemental information helpful for implementation of the protocol. The protocol narrative provides background information about the protocol such as the rationale of why a particular resource or resource issue was selected for monitoring, information concerning the resource or resource issue of interest, a description of how monitoring results will inform management decisions, and a discussion of the linkages between this and other monitoring projects. The standard operating procedures cover preparation, training, reach selection, water-quality sampling, fish community sampling, physical habitat collection, measuring stream discharge, equipment maintenance and storage, data management and analysis, reporting, and protocol revision procedures. Much of the information in the standard operating procedures was gathered from existing protocols of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment program or other sources. Supplemental information that would be helpful for implementing the protocol is included. This information includes information on fish species known or suspected to occur in the parks, sample sites, sample design, fish species traits, index of biotic integrity metrics, sampling equipment, and field forms.

Incipient fire detection system

DOEpatents

Brooks, Jr., William K.

1999-01-01

A method and apparatus for an incipient fire detection system that receives gaseous samples and measures the light absorption spectrum of the mixture of gases evolving from heated combustibles includes a detector for receiving gaseous samples and subjecting the samples to spectroscopy and determining wavelengths of absorption of the gaseous samples. The wavelengths of absorption of the gaseous samples are compared to predetermined absorption wavelengths. A warning signal is generated whenever the wavelengths of absorption of the gaseous samples correspond to the predetermined absorption wavelengths. The method includes receiving gaseous samples, subjecting the samples to light spectroscopy, determining wavelengths of absorption of the gaseous samples, comparing the wavelengths of absorption of the gaseous samples to predetermined absorption wavelengths and generating a warning signal whenever the wavelengths of absorption of the gaseous samples correspond to the predetermined absorption wavelengths. In an alternate embodiment, the apparatus includes a series of channels fluidically connected to a plurality of remote locations. A pump is connected to the channels for drawing gaseous samples into the channels. A detector is connected to the channels for receiving the drawn gaseous samples and subjecting the samples to spectroscopy. The wavelengths of absorption are determined and compared to predetermined absorption wavelengths is provided. A warning signal is generated whenever the wavelengths correspond.

X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) to identify chemical analysis of minerals in Buton island, SE Sulawesi, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamaluddin; Darwis, A.; Massinai, M. A.

2018-02-01

Asbuton as natural rock asphalt consists of a granular material; usually limestone or sandstone. In its natural state, it contains bitumen intimately dispersed throughout its mass, while the remainder of the material is a solid mineral matter. This research was conducted in Sorowalio, Buton Regency, Southeast Sulawesi province, Indonesia. This study aims to determine the content and the percentage of minerals contained in the rocks by using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). The method of research is a preliminary survey, sampling and laboratory analysis. XRF reports chemical composition, including Si (quartz) and Ca (calcite). The results indicate the content and the percentage of element dominate the rock sample is Fe2O3, MgO, CaO, and SiO2. Research results using XRF show that there are four metal oxide dominant elements. Hematite (Fe2O3) is dominant in all locations of sampling. Magnesium oxide (MgO) has the highest levels found in sample number six and the lowest is in sample number five. Silicates (SiO) has the highest levels at sample number six and the lowest in sample number seven. Calcium oxide (CaO) is dominant in all sampling locations. The sample of asbuton contains 37.90% asphalt, 43.28% carbonate, and18.82% other minerals.

Ultra-wide Range Gamma Detector System for Search and Locate Operations

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

Odell, D. Mackenzie Odell; Harpring, Larry J.; Moore, Frank S. Jr.

2005-10-26

Collecting debris samples following a nuclear event requires that operations be conducted from a considerable stand-off distance. An ultra-wide range gamma detector system has been constructed to accomplish both long range radiation search and close range hot sample collection functions. Constructed and tested on a REMOTEC Andros platform, the system has demonstrated reliable operation over six orders of magnitude of gamma dose from 100's of uR/hr to over 100 R/hr. Functional elements include a remotely controlled variable collimator assembly, a NaI(Tl)/photomultiplier tube detector, a proprietary digital radiation instrument, a coaxially mounted video camera, a digital compass, and both local andmore » remote control computers with a user interface designed for long range operations. Long range sensitivity and target location, as well as close range sample selection performance are presented.« less

Identification of heavy metals on vegetables at the banks of Kaligarang river using neutron analysis activation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yulianti, D.; Marwoto, P.; Fianti

2018-03-01

This research aims to determine the type, concentration, and distribution of heavy metals in vegetables on the banks river Kaligarang using Neutron Analysis Activation (NAA) Method. The result is then compared to its predefined threshold. Vegetable samples included papaya leaf, cassava leaf, spinach, and water spinach. This research was conducted by taking a snippet of sediment and vegetation from 4 locations of Kaligarang river. These snippets are then prepared for further irradiated in the reactor for radioactive samples emiting γ-ray. The level of γ-ray energy determines the contained elements of sample that would be matched to Neutron Activation Table. The results showed that vegetablesat Kaligarang are containing Cr-50, Co-59, Zn-64, Fe-58, and Mn-25, and well distributed at all research locations. Furthermore, the level of the detected metal elements is less than the predefined threshold.

Atmospheric transport of pesticides in the Sacramento, California, metropolitan area, 1996-1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Majewski, Michael S.; Baston, David S.

2002-01-01

Weekly composite, bulk air was sampled with respect to wind speed and direction from January 1996 through December 1997 in one urban and two agricultural locations in Sacramento County, California. The sampling sites were located along a north-south transect, the dominant directions of the prevailing winds. The samples were analyzed for a variety of current-use pesticides, including dormant orchard spray insecticides and rice herbicides. A variety of pesticides were detected throughout the year, predominantly chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and trifluralin. The data obtained during the winter and spring suggest that some pesticides used in agricultural areas become airborne and may be transported into the urban area. Confirmation of this drift is difficult, however, because these three predominant pesticides, as well as other detected pesticides, also are heavily used in the urban environment. The spring data clearly show that molinate and thiobencarb, two herbicides used only in rice production, do drift into the urban environment.

Annual radiological environmental operating report, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, 1991

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

Not Available

1992-04-01

This report describes the environmental radiological monitoring program conducted by TVA in the vicinity of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in 1991. The program includes the collection of samples from the environment and the determination of the concentrations of radioactive materials in the samples. Samples are taken from stations in the general area of the plant and from areas not influenced by plant operations. Station locations are selected after careful consideration of the weather patterns and projected radiation doses to the various areas around the plant. Material sampled includes air, water, milk, foods, vegetation, soil, fish, sediment, and direct radiation levels.more » Results from stations near the plant are compared with concentrations from control stations and with preoperational measurements to determine potential impacts of plant operations.« less

Moving DNA barcoding toward bioassessment application: roadmap of challenges and solutions

EPA Science Inventory

DNA barcoding holds promise for helping to address several challenges associated with taxonomic based bioassessments; these include the time and effort necessary to identify hundreds of specimens per sample location, incomplete or unavailable local taxonomy that limits the abili...

40 CFR 270.30 - Conditions applicable to all permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... operator staffing and training, and adequate laboratory and process controls, including appropriate quality... any location. (j) Monitoring and records. (1) Samples and measurements taken for the purpose of... recordings for continuous monitoring instrumentation, copies of all reports required by this permit, the...

40 CFR 270.30 - Conditions applicable to all permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... operator staffing and training, and adequate laboratory and process controls, including appropriate quality... any location. (j) Monitoring and records. (1) Samples and measurements taken for the purpose of... recordings for continuous monitoring instrumentation, copies of all reports required by this permit, the...

Geographic information system (GIS) representation of coal-bearing areas in India and Bangladesh

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trippi, Michael H.; Tewalt, Susan J.

2011-01-01

Geographic information system (GIS) information may facilitate energy studies, which in turn provide input for energy policy decisions. Prior to this study, no GIS file representing the occurrence of coal-bearing units in India or Bangladesh was known to exist. This Open-File Report contains downloadable shapefiles representing the coalfields of India and Bangladesh and a limited number of chemical and petrographic analyses of India and Bangladesh coal samples. Also included are maps of India and Bangladesh showing the locations of the coalfields and coal samples in the shapefiles, figures summarizing the stratigraphic units in the coalfields of India and Bangladesh, and a brief report summarizing the stratigraphy and geographic locations of coal-bearing deposits in India and Bangladesh.

Hydrologic Data from the Study of Acidic Contamination in the Miami Wash-Pinal Creek Area, Arizona, Water Years 1997-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Konieczki, A.D.; Brown, J.G.; Parker, J.T.C.

2008-01-01

Since 1984, hydrologic data have been collected as part of a U.S. Geological Survey study of the occurrence and movement of acidic contamination in the aquifer and streams of the Pinal Creek drainage basin near Globe, Arizona. Ground-water data from that study are presented for water years 1997 through 2004 and include location, construction information, site plans, water levels, chemical and physical field measurements, and selected chemical analyses of water samples for 31 project wells. Hydrographs of depth to ground water are also included. Surface-water data for four sites are also presented and include selected chemical analyses of water samples. Monthly precipitation data and long-term precipitation statistics are presented for two sites. Chemical analyses of samples collected from the stream and shallow ground water in the perennial reach of Pinal Creek are also included.

Red-shouldered hawk occupancy surveys in central Minnesota, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Henneman, C.; McLeod, M.A.; Andersen, D.E.

2007-01-01

Forest-dwelling raptors are often difficult to detect because many species occur at low density or are secretive. Broadcasting conspecific vocalizations can increase the probability of detecting forest-dwelling raptors and has been shown to be an effective method for locating raptors and assessing their relative abundance. Recent advances in statistical techniques based on presence-absence data use probabilistic arguments to derive probability of detection when it is <1 and to provide a model and likelihood-based method for estimating proportion of sites occupied. We used these maximum-likelihood models with data from red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) call-broadcast surveys conducted in central Minnesota, USA, in 1994-1995 and 2004-2005. Our objectives were to obtain estimates of occupancy and detection probability 1) over multiple sampling seasons (yr), 2) incorporating within-season time-specific detection probabilities, 3) with call type and breeding stage included as covariates in models of probability of detection, and 4) with different sampling strategies. We visited individual survey locations 2-9 times per year, and estimates of both probability of detection (range = 0.28-0.54) and site occupancy (range = 0.81-0.97) varied among years. Detection probability was affected by inclusion of a within-season time-specific covariate, call type, and breeding stage. In 2004 and 2005 we used survey results to assess the effect that number of sample locations, double sampling, and discontinued sampling had on parameter estimates. We found that estimates of probability of detection and proportion of sites occupied were similar across different sampling strategies, and we suggest ways to reduce sampling effort in a monitoring program.

Analytical results for 544 water samples collected in the Attean Quartz Monzonite in the vicinity of Jackman, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ficklin, W.H.; Nowlan, G.A.; Preston, D.J.

1983-01-01

Water samples were collected in the vicinity of Jackman, Maine as a part of the study of the relationship of dissolved constituents in water to the sediments subjacent to the water. Each sample was analyzed for specific conductance, alkalinity, acidity, pH, fluoride, chloride, sulfate, phosphate, nitrate, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and silica. Trace elements determined were copper, zinc, molybdenum, lead, iron, manganese, arsenic, cobalt, nickel, and strontium. The longitude and latitude of each sample location and a sample site map are included in the report as well as a table of the analytical results.

Rotor component displacement measurement system

DOEpatents

Mercer, Gary D.; Li, Ming C.; Baum, Charles R.

2003-05-27

A measuring system for measuring axial displacement of a tube relative to an axially stationary component in a rotating rotor assembly includes at least one displacement sensor adapted to be located normal to a longitudinal axis of the tube; an insulated cable system adapted for passage through the rotor assembly; a rotatable proximitor module located axially beyond the rotor assembly to which the cables are connected; and a telemetry system operatively connected to the proximitor module for sampling signals from the proximitor module and forwarding data to a ground station.

Observation of valley-selective microwave transport in photonic crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Liping; Yang, Yuting; Hong Hang, Zhi; Qiu, Chunyin; Liu, Zhengyou

2017-12-01

Recently, the discrete valley degree of freedom has attracted extensive attention in condensed matter physics. Here, we present an experimental observation of the intriguing valley transport for microwaves in photonic crystals, including the bulk valley transport and the valley-projected edge modes along the interface separating different photonic insulating phases. For both cases, valley-selective excitations are realized by a point-like chiral source located at proper locations inside the samples. Our results are promising for exploring unprecedented routes to manipulate microwaves.

Physical, chemical, and biological data for detailed study of irrigation drainage in the San Juan River area, New Mexico, 1993-94, with supplemental data, 1991-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, C.L.; Lusk, J.D.; Bristol, R.S.; Wilson, R.M.; Shineman, A.R.

1997-01-01

In response to increasing concern about the quality of irrigation drainage and its potential effects on fish, wildlife, and human health, the U.S. Department of the Interior formed an interbureau task group to prepare a plan for investigating water- quality problems on irrigation projects sponsored by the Department of the Interior. The San Juan River area in northwestern New Mexico was one of the areas designated for study. Investigators collected water, bottom-sediment, soil, and biological samples at more than 50 sites in the San Juan River area during 1993-94. Sample sites included (1) sites located within Department of the Interior irrigation project service areas, or areas that receive drainage from irrigation projects; (2) reference sites for comparison with irrigation project sites; and (3) sites located within the reach of the San Juan River from Navajo Dam to 10 miles downstream from the dam. The types of habitat sampled included the main stem of the San Juan River, backwater areas adjacent to the San Juan River, tributaries to the San Juan River, ponds, seeps, irrigation-delivery canals, irrigation-drainage canals, a stock tank, and shallow ground water. The types of media sampled included water, bottom sediment, soil, aquatic plants, aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, and fish. Semipermeable-membrane devices were used as a surrogate medium to sample both air and water in some instances. Sample measurements included concentrations of major ions, trace elements, organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic-aromatic-hydrocarbon compounds, and stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen. This report presents tables of physical, chemical, and biological data collected for the U.S. Department of the Interior National Irrigation Water-Quality Program. Additionally, supplemental physical, chemical, and biological data collected in association with the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project are presented.

Tracking Human Mobility Using WiFi Signals

PubMed Central

Sapiezynski, Piotr; Stopczynski, Arkadiusz; Gatej, Radu; Lehmann, Sune

2015-01-01

We study six months of human mobility data, including WiFi and GPS traces recorded with high temporal resolution, and find that time series of WiFi scans contain a strong latent location signal. In fact, due to inherent stability and low entropy of human mobility, it is possible to assign location to WiFi access points based on a very small number of GPS samples and then use these access points as location beacons. Using just one GPS observation per day per person allows us to estimate the location of, and subsequently use, WiFi access points to account for 80% of mobility across a population. These results reveal a great opportunity for using ubiquitous WiFi routers for high-resolution outdoor positioning, but also significant privacy implications of such side-channel location tracking. PMID:26132115

Assessment of ground water quality for drinking purpose, District Nainital, Uttarakhand, India.

PubMed

Jain, C K; Bandyopadhyay, A; Bhadra, A

2010-07-01

The ground water quality of District Nainital (Uttarakhand, India) has been assessed to see the suitability of ground water for drinking and irrigation applications. This is a two-part series paper and this paper examines the suitability of ground water including spring water for drinking purposes. Forty ground water samples (including 28 spring samples) were collected during pre- and post-monsoon seasons and analyzed for various water quality constituents. The hydrochemical and bacteriological data was analyzed with reference to BIS and WHO standards and their hydrochemical facies were determined. The concentration of total dissolved solids exceeds the desirable limit of 500 mg/L in about 10% of the samples, alkalinity values exceed the desirable limit of 200 mg/L in about 30% of the samples, and total hardness values exceed the desirable limit of 300 mg/L in 15% of the samples. However, no sample crosses the maximum permissible limit for TDS, alkalinity, hardness, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and fluoride. The concentration of chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and fluoride are well within the desirable limit at all the locations. The bacteriological analysis of the samples does not show any sign of bacterial contamination in hand pump and tube-well water samples. However, in the case of spring water samples, six samples exceed the permissible limit of ten coliforms per 100 ml of sample. It is recommended that water drawn from such sources should be properly disinfected before being used for drinking and other domestic applications. Among the metal ions, the concentration of iron and lead exceeds the permissible limit at one location whereas the concentration of nickel exceeds the permissible limit in 60 and 32.5% of the samples during pre- and post-monsoon seasons, respectively. The grouping of samples according to their hydrochemical facies indicates that majority of the samples fall in Ca-Mg-HCO(3) hydrochemical facies.

Data Validation Package June 2016 Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling at the Old and New Rifle, Colorado, Processing Sites September 2016

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

Bush, Richard; Lemke, Peter

Sampling Period: June 14–17 and July 7, 2016. Water samples were collected from 36 locations at New Rifle and Old Rifle, Colorado, Disposal/Processing Sites. Planned monitoring locations are shown in Attachment 1, Sampling and Analysis Work Order. Duplicate samples were collected from New Rifle locations 0216 and 0855, and Old Rifle location 0655. One equipment blank was collected after decontamination of non-dedicated equipment used to collect one surface water sample. See Attachment 2, Trip Report for additional details. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in the Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Managementmore » Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated, http://energy.gov/lm/downloads/sampling-and- analysis-plan-us-department-energy-office-legacy-management-sites). New Rifle Site Samples were collected at the New Rifle site from 16 monitoring wells and 7 surface locations in compliance with the December 2008 Groundwater Compliance Action Plan [GCAP] for the New Rifle, Colorado, Processing Site (LMS/RFN/S01920). Monitoring well 0216 could not be sampled in June because it was surrounded by standing water due to the high river stage from spring runoff, it was later sampled in July. Monitoring well 0635 and surface location 0322 could not be sampled because access through the elk fence along Interstate 70 has not been completed at this time. Old Rifle Site Samples were collected at the Old Rifle site from eight monitoring wells and five surface locations in compliance with the December 2001 Ground Water Compliance Action Plan for the Old Rifle, Colorado, UMTRA Project Site (GJ0-2000-177-TAR).« less

Effects of long term space environment exposure on optical substrates and coatings (S0050-2)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harvey, Keith; Mustico, Arthur; Vallimont, John

1993-01-01

Eastman Kodak Company included twelve substrate and coating samples on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) structure. There were three Fused Silica and three Ultra Low Expansion (ULE) uncoated glass samples, two ULE samples with a high reflectance silver coating, two Fused Silica samples with an antireflectance coating, and two Fused silica samples with a solar rejection coating. A set of duplicate control samples was also manufactured and stored in a controlled environment for comparison purposes. Kodak's samples were included as a subset of the Georgia Institute of Technology tray, which was located on row 5-E, tray S0050-2. This placed the samples on the trailing edge of the structure, which protected them from the effects of atomic oxygen bombardment. An evaluation of the flight samples for effects from the 5 year mission showed that a contaminant was deposited on the samples, a micrometeoroid impact occurred on one of the samples, and the radiation darkening which was expected for the glass did not occur. The results are listed in more detail.

Radionuclide Concentrations in Terrestrial Vegetation and Soil Samples On and Around the Hanford Site, 1971 Through 2008

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

Simmons, Mary Ann; Poston, Ted M.; Fritz, Brad G.

2011-07-29

Environmental monitoring is conducted on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site to comply with DOE Orders and federal and state regulations. Major objectives of the monitoring are to characterize contaminant levels in the environment and to determine site contributions to the contaminant inventory. This report focuses on surface soil and perennial vegetation samples collected between 1971 and 2008 as part of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Surface Environmental Surveillance Project performed under contract to DOE. Areas sampled under this program are located on the Hanford Site but outside facility boundaries and on public lands surrounding the Hanford Site.more » Additional samples were collected during the past 8 years under DOE projects that evaluated parcels of land for radiological release. These data were included because the same sampling methodology and analytical laboratory were used for the projects. The spatial and temporal trends of six radionuclides collected over a 38-year period were evaluated. The radionuclides----cobalt-60, cesium-137, strontium-90, plutonium-238, plutonium-239/240, and uranium (reported either as uranium-238 or total uranium)----were selected because they persist in the environment and are still being monitored routinely and reported in Hanford Site environmental reports. All these radionuclides were associated with plutonium production and waste management of activities occurring on the site. Other sources include fallout from atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons, which ended in 1980, and the Chernobyl explosion in 1986. Uranium is also a natural component of the soil. This assessment of soil and vegetation data provides important information on the distribution of radionuclides in areas adjacent to industrial areas, established perimeter locations and buffer areas, and more offsite nearby and distant locations. The concentrations reflect a tendency for detection of some radionuclides close to where they were utilized onsite, but as one moves to unindustrialized areas on the site, surrounding buffer areas and perimeter location into the more distant sites, concentrations of these radionuclides approach background and cannot be distinguished from fallout activity. More importantly, concentrations in soil and vegetation samples did not exceed environmental benchmark concentrations, and associated exposure to human and ecological receptors were well below levels that are demonstratively hazardous to human health and the environment.« less

Spatial pattern of dissolved organic matter (DOM) along a stream drainage in a forested, Piedmont catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inamdar, S. P.; Singh, S.

2013-12-01

Understanding how dissolved organic matter (DOM) varies spatially in catchments and the processes and mechanisms that regulate this variation is critical for developing accurate and reliable models of DOM. We determined the concentrations and composition of DOM at multiple locations along a stream drainage network in a 79 ha forested, Piedmont, watershed in Maryland, USA. DOM concentrations and composition was compared for five stream locations during baseflow (drainage areas - 0.62, 3.5, 4.5, 12 and 79 ha) and three locations (3.5, 12, 79 ha) for storm flow. Sampling was conducted by manual grab samples and automated ISCO samplers. DOM composition was characterized using a suite of spectrofluorometric indices which included - HIX, a254, and FI. A site-specific PARAFAC model was also developed for DOM fluorescence to determine the humic-, fulvic-, and protein-like DOM constituents. Hydrologic flow paths during baseflow and stormflow were characterized for all stream locations using an end-member mixing model (EMMA). DOM varied notably across the sampled positions for baseflow and stormflow. During baseflow, mean DOC concentrations for the sampled locations ranged between 0.99-3.1 mg/L whereas for stormflow the range was 5.22-8.11 mg/L. Not surprisingly, DOM was more humic and aromatic during stormflow versus baseflow. The 3.5 ha stream drainage location that contained a large wetland yielded the highest DOC concentration as well as the most humic and aromatic DOM, during both, baseflow and stormflow. In contrast, a headwater stream location (0.62 ha) that received runoff from a groundwater seep registered the highest mean value for % protein-like DOM (30%) and the lowest index for aromaticity (mean a254 = 6.52) during baseflow. During stormflow, the mean % protein-like DOM was highest at the largest 79 ha drainage location (mean = 11.8%) and this site also registered the lowest mean value for a254 (46.3). Stream drainage locations that received a larger proportion of runoff along surficial flow paths produced a more aromatic and humic DOM with high DOC concentrations; whereas those with a greater proportion of groundwater contributions produced DOM with greater % of protein-like content. Overall, our observations suggest that occurrence of wetlands and the nature of hydrologic flow paths were the key determinants for the spatial pattern of DOM.

PREDICTION OF CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN AQUATIC ORGANISMS FOR A FIELD DISCHARGE SITUATION.

EPA Science Inventory

A field study was performed which compared predicted and measured concentrations of chemicals in receiving water organisms from three sampling locations on Five Mile Creek, Birmingham, Al. Two point source discharges, both from coke manufacturing facilities, were included in the ...

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

Sousa, Debora Batista Pinheiro, E-mail: deborabpsousa@gmail.com; Neta, Raimunda Nonata Fortes Carvalho

This study used micronucleus assays and erythrocyte indices in the freshwater fish tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum, to assess environmental impacts in the Environmental Protection Area at Maracanã, São Luis, Brazil. Fish were sampled from two locations within the protected area, Serena Lagoon and Ambude River, on four occasions. Biometric data (length and weight) and an aliquot of blood were collected from each fish for analysis. Erythrocyte indices including: mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were calculated, and blood samples were examined for micronuclei and nuclear morphological changes. Micronuclei were found in fish from both locations, althoughmore » the frequency was higher in fish from Ambude River. Nuclear morphological changes were identified only in fish collected from Ambude River. Several nuclear morphological changes were found in erythrocytes stained with Giemsa, including: micronuclei and binucleate nuclei. On average, erythrocyte indices were lower in fish collected from Ambude River than in those from Serena Lagoon. Our results indicate that micronuclei and erythrocyte indices can be used in C. macropomum as indicators of environmental health.« less

Micropaleontology of selected wells and seismic shot holes, northern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mickey, Michael B.; Haga, Hideyo; Bird, Kenneth J.

2006-01-01

This report provides micropaleontologic data (foraminifera, pollen, spores, and microplankton) and interpretations of the rocks penetrated by 49 wells and 3,134 seismic shot holes distributed among 73 seismic lines (figs. 1, 2; table 1). All shot holes and 30 wells are located within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA); the remaining 19 wells are located adjacent to the NPRA. The biostratigraphic zonation scheme, stratigraphy, and geologic ages followed in this study are summarized in figure 3. This update brings paleontologic analyses performed at various times over several decades to a current, unified set of interpretations that benefit from the evolution of northern Alaska biostratigraphic understanding developed during the past 33-years by Mickey and Haga. For each well, paleontologic information includes microfossil distribution charts, data spreadsheets, diversity graphs, and interpretive reports describing age and environments of deposition. Three biostratigraphic well-correlation sections that relate Chukchi Sea wells to onshore northwestern NPRA wells are also included. For all analyzed seismic shot hole samples, foraminiferal age and environmental interpretations are provided; palynological interpretations are provided only for those shot hole samples collected and analyzed after 1976, a little less than half of the total number of samples.

A new method to sample stuttering in preschool children.

PubMed

O'Brian, Sue; Jones, Mark; Pilowsky, Rachel; Onslow, Mark; Packman, Ann; Menzies, Ross

2010-06-01

This study reports a new method for sampling the speech of preschool stuttering children outside the clinic environment. Twenty parents engaged their stuttering children in an everyday play activity in the home with a telephone handset nearby. A remotely located researcher telephoned the parent and recorded the play session with a phone-recording jack attached to a digital audio recorder at the remote location. The parent placed an audio recorder near the child for comparison purposes. Children as young as 2 years complied with the remote method of speech sampling. The quality of the remote recordings was superior to that of the in-home recordings. There was no difference in means or reliability of stutter-count measures made from the remote recordings compared with those made in-home. Advantages of the new method include: (1) cost efficiency of real-time measurement of percent syllables stuttered in naturalistic situations, (2) reduction of bias associated with parent-selected timing of home recordings, (3) standardization of speech sampling procedures, (4) improved parent compliance with sampling procedures, (5) clinician or researcher on-line control of the acoustic and linguistic quality of recordings, and (6) elimination of the need to lend equipment to parents for speech sampling.

Contamination investigation in a karst region

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

Bentowski, J.E.

1993-03-01

A series of springs in the karst region of north central Kentucky appeared to have been contaminated. These springs are within 1/2 mile of two sinkholes which were filled-in as permitted landfills for inert waste and then developed into an industrial park. A pre-remedial site inspection was performed under the authority of the Superfund laws in late 1989. A preliminary site visit included site reconnaissance and geologic field work to locate the springs. A review of historical serial photos aided in the planning the investigation program consisting of magnetic and soil gas surveys and the taking environmental soil and watermore » samples. The soil gas survey indicated potential soil sampling locations. Seventeen surface and subsurface soil samples were taken. Eleven water samples were taken from various springs, rivers and the local public water supply. The analytical results from soil samples taken over the largest sinkhole matched nine inorganic and eleven volatile organic compounds also found in the spring water and sediment samples. The springs are roughly on strike with major fracture systems reported in the literature. The success of this investigation emphasizes the importance of proper geologic consideration for contaminant monitoring in karst regions.« less

Measuring Water Quality in Hong Kong using an Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, J. W.

2017-12-01

Clean water is a vital necessity in our day to day lives, with all living organisms depending on it for survival and countless others relying on it as their habitat. The waters surrounding Hong Kong are home to a wide diversity of marine animals and organisms but are polluted for a variety of reasons. This pollution includes marine debris, industrial and construction waste, a high concentration of organic material, and other pollutants. This research project will focus on collecting water and soil samples from various locations around the Hong Kong ocean waters for analytical chemical sampling. A Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) will be designed, built and used for collecting the water and soil samples. ROVs are used around the world in oceans and other deep water applications. ThisROV will be tethered with a control system and equipped with a camera, mechanical arms for collections water and soil samples and sensors for testing basic water parameters. Using a ROV will allow for long term sampling in the same location to occur as required. The collected samples will be tested in the lab to determine overall water and soil quality, allowing conclusions to be drawn about the conditions of the tested area.

Preserving Geological Samples and Metadata from Polar Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grunow, A.; Sjunneskog, C. M.

2011-12-01

The Office of Polar Programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF-OPP) has long recognized the value of preserving earth science collections due to the inherent logistical challenges and financial costs of collecting geological samples from Polar Regions. NSF-OPP established two national facilities to make Antarctic geological samples and drill cores openly and freely available for research. The Antarctic Marine Geology Research Facility (AMGRF) at Florida State University was established in 1963 and archives Antarctic marine sediment cores, dredge samples and smear slides along with ship logs. The United States Polar Rock Repository (USPRR) at Ohio State University was established in 2003 and archives polar rock samples, marine dredges, unconsolidated materials and terrestrial cores, along with associated materials such as field notes, maps, raw analytical data, paleomagnetic cores, thin sections, microfossil mounts, microslides and residues. The existence of the AMGRF and USPRR helps to minimize redundant sample collecting, lessen the environmental impact of doing polar field work, facilitates field logistics planning and complies with the data sharing requirement of the Antarctic Treaty. USPRR acquires collections through donations from institutions and scientists and then makes these samples available as no-cost loans for research, education and museum exhibits. The AMGRF acquires sediment cores from US based and international collaboration drilling projects in Antarctica. Destructive research techniques are allowed on the loaned samples and loan requests are accepted from any accredited scientific institution in the world. Currently, the USPRR has more than 22,000 cataloged rock samples available to scientists from around the world. All cataloged samples are relabeled with a USPRR number, weighed, photographed and measured for magnetic susceptibility. Many aspects of the sample metadata are included in the database, e.g. geographical location, sample description, collector, rock age, formation, section location, multimedia images as well structural data, field observations, logistics, surface features, etc. The metadata are entered into a commercial, museum based database called EMu. The AMGRF houses more than 25,000m of deep-sea cores and drill cores as well as nearly 3,000 meters of rotary cored geological material from Antarctica. Detailed information on the sediment cores including location, sediment composition are available in cruise reports posted on the AMGRF web-site. Researchers may access the sample collections through the online websites (http://www-bprc.mps.ohio-state.edu/emuwebusprr and http://www.arf.fsu.edu). Searches may be done using multiple search terms or by use of the mapping feature. The on-line databases provide an essential resource for proposal preparation, pilot studies and other sample based research that should make fieldwork more efficient.

Technology for home dementia care: A prototype locating system put to the test.

PubMed

Megges, Herlind; Freiesleben, Silka Dawn; Jankowski, Natalie; Haas, Brigitte; Peters, Oliver

2017-09-01

The user experience of persons with dementia and their primary caregivers with locating systems is not firmly established. Eighteen dyads used a prototype locating system during 4 weeks. Primary outcome measures were ratings of usability, and product functions and features. Secondary outcome measures were caregiver burden, perceived self-efficacy, frequency of use, and willingness to purchase the prototype. Changes in scores between baseline (T 1 ) and end of testing period (T 2 ) were compared by performing independent and dependent samples correlations and descriptive statistics. Seventeen dyads made up the final sample. Ratings of usability and product functions and features were fair, but usability ratings were significantly reduced after 4 weeks. Although the prototype was used infrequently by majority of the participants, most caregivers would be willing to purchase the prototype, with men more willing than women. No significant change in technological willingness, caregiver burden, or perceived self-efficacy was found between T 1 and T 2 . Perceived self-efficacy significantly negatively correlated with willingness to purchase the prototype after 4 weeks. Results highlight the importance of including end users in the research and development phase of locating systems to improve the user experience in home dementia care. Necessary indications for further research are carrying out randomized controlled trials with larger, more representative samples and developing innovative software and hardware solutions.

Sampling and analysis plan for sludge located on the floor and in the pits of the 105-K basins

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

BAKER, R.B.

1998-11-20

This Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) provides direction for the sampling of the sludge found on the floor and in the remote pits of the 105-K Basins to provide: (1) basic data for the sludges that have not been characterized to-date and (2) representative Sludge material for process tests to be made by the SNF Project/K Basins sludge treatment process subproject. The sampling equipment developed will remove representative samples of the radioactive sludge from underwater at the K Basins, depositing them in shielded containers for transport to the Hanford Site laboratories. Included in the present document is the basic backgroundmore » logic for selection of the samples to meet the requirements established in the Data Quality Objectives (DQO), HNF-2033, for this sampling activity. The present document also includes the laboratory analyses, methods, procedures, and reporting that will be required to meet the DQO.« less

Algal Data from Selected Sites in the Upper Colorado River Basin, Colorado, Water Years 1996-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mize, Scott V.; Deacon, Jeffrey R.

2001-01-01

Algal community samples were collected at 15 sites in the Upper Colorado River Basin in Colorado as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program during water years 1996-97. Sites sampled were located in two physiographic provinces, the Southern Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plateaus, and represented agricultural, mining, urban, and mixed land uses and background conditions. Algal samples were collected once per year during low-flow conditions. Quantitative algal samples were collected within two targeted instream habitat types including a taxonomically richest-targeted habitat and a depositional-targeted habitat. This report presents the algal community data collected at the fixed sites in the Upper Colorado River Basin study unit. Algal data include densities (abundance of cells per square centimeter of substrate) and biovolumes (cubic micrometers of cells per square centimeter of substrate) for the two habitat types. Quality-assurance and quality-control results for algal samples indicate that the largest sampling variability tends to occur in samples from small streams.

Fluid sampling system for a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Lau, Louis K.; Alper, Naum I.

1994-01-01

A system of extracting fluid samples, either liquid or gas, from the interior of a nuclear reactor containment utilizes a jet pump. To extract the sample fluid, a nonradioactive motive fluid is forced through the inlet and discharge ports of a jet pump located outside the containment, creating a suction that draws the sample fluid from the containment through a sample conduit connected to the pump suction port. The mixture of motive fluid and sample fluid is discharged through a return conduit to the interior of the containment. The jet pump and means for removing a portion of the sample fluid from the sample conduit can be located in a shielded sample grab station located next to the containment. A non-nuclear grade active pump can be located outside the grab sampling station and the containment to pump the nonradioactive motive fluid through the jet pump.

Fluid sampling system for a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Lau, L.K.; Alper, N.I.

1994-11-22

A system of extracting fluid samples, either liquid or gas, from the interior of a nuclear reactor containment utilizes a jet pump. To extract the sample fluid, a nonradioactive motive fluid is forced through the inlet and discharge ports of a jet pump located outside the containment, creating a suction that draws the sample fluid from the containment through a sample conduit connected to the pump suction port. The mixture of motive fluid and sample fluid is discharged through a return conduit to the interior of the containment. The jet pump and means for removing a portion of the sample fluid from the sample conduit can be located in a shielded sample grab station located next to the containment. A non-nuclear grade active pump can be located outside the grab sampling station and the containment to pump the nonradioactive motive fluid through the jet pump. 1 fig.

Estimating the theoretical semivariogram from finite numbers of measurements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zheng, Li; Silliman, Stephen E.

2000-01-01

We investigate from a theoretical basis the impacts of the number, location, and correlation among measurement points on the quality of an estimate of the semivariogram. The unbiased nature of the semivariogram estimator ŷ(r) is first established for a general random process Z(x). The variance of ŷZ(r) is then derived as a function of the sampling parameters (the number of measurements and their locations). In applying this function to the case of estimating the semivariograms of the transmissivity and the hydraulic head field, it is shown that the estimation error depends on the number of the data pairs, the correlation among the data pairs (which, in turn, are determined by the form of the underlying semivariogram γ(r)), the relative locations of the data pairs, and the separation distance at which the semivariogram is to be estimated. Thus design of an optimal sampling program for semivariogram estimation should include consideration of each of these factors. Further, the function derived for the variance of ŷZ(r) is useful in determining the reliability of a semivariogram developed from a previously established sampling design.

First report on Cryptococcus neoformans in pigeon excreta from public and residential locations in the metropolitan area of Cuiabá, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

PubMed

Takahara, Doracilde Terumi; Lazéra, Márcia dos Santos; Wanke, Bodo; Trilles, Luciana; Dutra, Valéria; Paula, Daphine Ariadne Jesus de; Nakazato, Luciano; Anzai, Mariana Caselli; Leite Júnior, Diniz Pereira; Paula, Claudete Rodrigues; Hahn, Rosane Christine

2013-01-01

Cryptococcosis is a severe systemic mycosis caused by two species of Cryptococcus that affect humans and animals: C. neoformans and C. gattii. Cosmopolitan and emergent, the mycosis results from the interaction between a susceptible host and the environment. The occurrence of C. neoformans was evaluated in 122 samples of dried pigeon excreta collected in 49 locations in the City of Cuiabá, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, including public squares (n = 5), churches (n = 4), educational institutions (n = 3), health units (n = 8), open areas covered with asbestos (n = 4), residences (n = 23), factory (n = 1) and a prison (n = 1). Samples collected from July to December of 2010 were seeded on Niger seed agar (NSA). Dark brown colonies were identified by urease test, carbon source assimilation tests and canavanine-glycine-bromothymol blue medium. Polymerase chain reaction primer pairs specific for C. neoformans were also used for identification. Cryptococcus neoformans associated to pigeon excreta was isolated from eight (6.6%) samples corresponding to six (12.2%) locations. Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated from urban areas, predominantly in residences, constituting a risk of acquiring the disease by immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals.

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

Flach, G. P.; Whiteside, T. S.

The E-Area Vadose Zone Monitoring System (VZMS) includes lysimeter sampling points at many locations alongside and angling beneath the Engineered Trench #1 (ET1) disposal unit footprint. The sampling points for ET1 were selected for this study because collectively they showed consistently higher tritium (H-3) concentrations than lysimeters associated with other trench units. The VZMS tritium dataset for ET1 from 2001 through 2015 comprises concentrations at or near background levels at approximately half of locations through time, concentrations up to about 600 pCi/mL at a few locations, and concentrations at two locations that have exceeded 1000 pCi/mL. The highest three valuesmore » through 2015 were 6472 pCi/mL in 2014 and 4533 pCi/mL in 2013 at location VL-17, and 3152 pCi/mL in 2007 at location VL-15. As a point of reference, the drinking water standard for tritium and a DOE Order 435.1 performance objective in the saturated zone at the distant 100-meter facility perimeter is 20 pCi/mL. The purpose of this study is to assess whether these elevated concentrations are indicative of a general trend that could challenge 2008 E-Area Performance Assessment (PA) conclusions, or are isolated perturbations that when considered in the context of an entire disposal unit would support PA conclusions.« less

Outpatient endometrial aspiration: an alternative to methotrexate for pregnancy of unknown location.

PubMed

Insogna, Iris G; Farland, Leslie V; Missmer, Stacey A; Ginsburg, Elizabeth S; Brady, Paula C

2017-08-01

Pregnancies of unknown location with abnormal beta-human chorionic gonadotropin trends are frequently treated as presumed ectopic pregnancies with methotrexate. Preliminary data suggest that outpatient endometrial aspiration may be an effective tool to diagnose pregnancy location, while also sparing women exposure to methotrexate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of an endometrial sampling protocol for the diagnosis of pregnancies of unknown location after in vitro fertilization. A retrospective cohort study of 14,505 autologous fresh and frozen in vitro fertilization cycles from October 2007 to September 2015 was performed; 110 patients were diagnosed with pregnancy of unknown location, defined as a positive beta-human chorionic gonadotropin without ultrasound evidence of intrauterine or ectopic pregnancy and an abnormal beta-human chorionic gonadotropin trend (<53% rise or <15% fall in 2 days). These patients underwent outpatient endometrial sampling with Karman cannula aspiration. Patients with a beta-human chorionic gonadotropin decline ≥15% within 24 hours of sampling and/or villi detected on pathologic analysis were diagnosed with failing intrauterine pregnancy and had weekly beta-human chorionic gonadotropin measurements thereafter. Those patients with beta-human chorionic gonadotropin declines <15% and no villi identified were diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy and treated with intramuscular methotrexate (50 mg/m 2 ) or laparoscopy. Across 8 years of follow up, among women with pregnancy of unknown location, failed intrauterine pregnancy was diagnosed in 46 patients (42%), and ectopic pregnancy was diagnosed in 64 patients (58%). Clinical variables that included fresh or frozen embryo transfer, day of embryo transfer, serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin at the time of sampling, endometrial thickness, and presence of an adnexal mass were not significantly different between patients with failed intrauterine pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy. In patients with failed intrauterine pregnancy, 100% demonstrated adequate postsampling beta-human chorionic gonadotropin declines; villi were identified in just 46% (n=21 patients). Patients with failed intrauterine pregnancy had significantly shorter time to resolution (negative serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin) after sampling compared with patients with ectopic pregnancy (12.6 vs 26.3 days; P<.001). With the use of this safe and effective protocol of endometrial aspiration with Karman cannula, a large proportion of women with pregnancy of unknown location are spared methotrexate, with a shorter time to pregnancy resolution than those who receive methotrexate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the accuracy of sampling to estimate central line-days: simplification of the National Healthcare Safety Network surveillance methods.

PubMed

Thompson, Nicola D; Edwards, Jonathan R; Bamberg, Wendy; Beldavs, Zintars G; Dumyati, Ghinwa; Godine, Deborah; Maloney, Meghan; Kainer, Marion; Ray, Susan; Thompson, Deborah; Wilson, Lucy; Magill, Shelley S

2013-03-01

To evaluate the accuracy of weekly sampling of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) denominator data to estimate central line-days (CLDs). Obtained CLABSI denominator logs showing daily counts of patient-days and CLD for 6-12 consecutive months from participants and CLABSI numerators and facility and location characteristics from the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Convenience sample of 119 inpatient locations in 63 acute care facilities within 9 states participating in the Emerging Infections Program. Actual CLD and estimated CLD obtained from sampling denominator data on all single-day and 2-day (day-pair) samples were compared by assessing the distributions of the CLD percentage error. Facility and location characteristics associated with increased precision of estimated CLD were assessed. The impact of using estimated CLD to calculate CLABSI rates was evaluated by measuring the change in CLABSI decile ranking. The distribution of CLD percentage error varied by the day and number of days sampled. On average, day-pair samples provided more accurate estimates than did single-day samples. For several day-pair samples, approximately 90% of locations had CLD percentage error of less than or equal to ±5%. A lower number of CLD per month was most significantly associated with poor precision in estimated CLD. Most locations experienced no change in CLABSI decile ranking, and no location's CLABSI ranking changed by more than 2 deciles. Sampling to obtain estimated CLD is a valid alternative to daily data collection for a large proportion of locations. Development of a sampling guideline for NHSN users is underway.

Drilling and completion specifications for CA series multilevel piezometers

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

Clawson, T.S.

1986-08-01

CX Series multilevel piezometer boreholes will provide information on hydraulic heads in the Rosalia, Sentinel Gap, Ginkgo, Rocky Coulee, Cohassett, Birkett, and Umtanum flow tops. The borehole sites will be located adjacent to the reference repository location. In addition, information from the boreholes will provide input data used to determine horizontal and vertical flow rates, and identify possible geologic structures. This specification includes details for drilling, piezometer design, hydrologic testing, and hydrochemical sampling of the boreholes. It includes drilling requirements, design, and installation procedures for the series piezometer nests, intervals selected for head monitoring and schedules for drilling and piezometermore » installation. Specific drilling and piezometer installation specifications for boreholes DC-24CX and DC-25CX are also included. 27 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Microbial Communities in the Vertical Atmosphere: Effects of Urbanization and the Natural Environment in Four North American Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Docherty, K. M.; Lemmer, K. M.; Domingue, K. D.; Spring, A.; Kerber, T. V.; Mooney, M. M.

2017-12-01

Airborne transport of microbial communities is a key component of the global ecosystem because it serves as a mechanism for dispersing microbial life between all surface habitats on the planet. However, most of our understanding of airborne microbial distribution is derived from samples collected near the ground. Little is understood about how the vertical layers of the air may act as a habitat filter or how local terrestrial ecosystems contribute to a vast airborne microbial seedbank. Specifically, urbanization may fundamentally alter the terrestrial sources of airborne microbial biodiversity. To address this question, we conducted airborne sampling at minimally disturbed natural sites and paired urban sites in 4 different North American ecosystems: shortgrass steppe, desert scrub, eastern deciduous forest, and northern mesic forest. All natural area sites were co-located with NEON/Ameriflux tower sites collecting atmospheric data. We developed an airborne sampling platform that uses tethered helikites at 3 replicate locations within each ecosystem to launch remote-controlled sampler payloads. We designed sampler payloads to collect airborne bacteria and fungi from 150, 30 and 2 m above the ground. Payload requirements included: ability to be disinfected and remain contaminant-free during transport, remote open/close functionality, payload weight under 6 lbs and automated collection of weather data. After sampling for 6 hours at each location, we extracted DNA collected by the samplers. We also extracted DNA from soil and plant samples collected from each location, and characterized ground vegetation. We conducted bacterial 16S amplicon-based sequencing using Mi-Seq and sequence analysis using QIIME. We used ArcGIS to determine percent land use coverage. Our results demonstrate that terrestrial ecosystem type is the most important factor contributing to differences in airborne bacterial community composition, and that communities differed by ecosystem. The signature of the specific ecosystem, and whether it was located in a natural or urban area, was evident in both near-surface and higher altitude samples. This suggests that continued urbanization and increases in impervious surface area can fundamentally change sources of atmospheric biodiversity and distribution patterns.

Biogeochemical Controls on Biodegradation of MC252 Oil:Sand Aggregates on a Rapidly Eroding Coastal Headland Beach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pardue, J.; Elango, V.; Urbano, M.; Lemelle, K.

2012-12-01

The research described below was conducted on Fourchon Beach, a coastal headland consisting of nine miles of fairly pristine sandy beaches and dunes, backed by wetlands and tidal channels, located between Belle Pass tidal inlet on the west and Elmer's Island on the east in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana. MC252 oil first arrived in large quantities on Fourchon Beach on or around May 20, 2010. A unique oil form created under these conditions was an aggregate of sand and emulsified oil, typically 0.1-10 cm in diameter, termed small surface residue balls (SSRBs). The work from this project made critical measurements on the factors controlling biodegradability of these SSRB aggregates. SSRB aggregates were sampled across transects perpendicular to the beach from the intertidal to the supratidal. Areas in the supratidal that were sampled initially were set aside for research purposes and not altered by any clean-up activities. Chemical composition of SSRBs was measured including concentrations of n-alkanes, PAHs, hopanes, nutrients (nitrate, nitrite, ammonium and orthophosphate measured on water extracts of SSRBs), and electron acceptor concentrations (O2 microprofiles measured on intact SSRBs and sulfate). Physical characterization of the SSRBs including length and area dimensions, mass, density, porosity, moisture content, and salinity using standard methods. Microbial characterization of SSRBs was also conducted using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and sequencing of dominant bands. SSRBs were sampled from various locations across the beach profile deposited by 2 significant tropical events in 2010; Hurricane Alex and TS Bonnie, and one event in 2011, TS Lee. Sampling focused on comparing and contrasting impacts of biogeochemistry on weathering of oil stranded in three beach microenvironments; supratidal surface; subtidal subsurface which is permanently inundated and intertidal subsurface samples which are intermittently inundated. The three types of oil are dramatically different in appearance and have a distinctive chemical signature indicative of different rates of weathering. Supratidal surface samples were depleted in n-alkanes and lower-molecular weight PAHs. Geochemically, aggregates located in these environments had low salinities (1.3-1.5 ppt), O2 at near saturation throughout the aggregates and nutrient concentrations (N and P) significantly lower than SSRBs deposited in the intertidal and subtidal. Intertidal and subtidal subsurface oil samples were characterized by elevated nutrient concentrations and salinities consistent with regular seawater inundation. Complete inundation leads to O2 consumption in the aggregates after several days. Despite the presence of elevated nutrients, PAHs and n-alkanes were comparatively unweathered in the subtidal subsurface samples consistent with O2 limitations. Sequences of known PAH degraders were isolated from the supratidal and intertidal aggregates. The results to be presented support the hypothesis that SSRBs deposited at different locations on the beach have different biogeochemical characteristics . These characteristics are due, in part, to their location on the landscape.

A dataset of housing market and self-attitudes towards housing location choices in Alexandria, Egypt.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Mohamed R

2017-04-01

A survey, of sample size 224, is designed to include the different related-factors to housing location choice, such as; socioeconomic factors, housing characteristics, travel behavior, current self-selection factors, housing demand and future location preferences. It comprises 16 questions, categorized into three different sections; socioeconomic (5 Questions), current dwelling unit characteristics (7 Questions), and housing demand characteristics (4 Questions). The first part, socioeconomic, covers the basic information about the respondent, such as; age, gender, marital status, employment, and car ownership. While the second part, current dwelling unit characteristics, covers different aspect concerning the residential unit typology, financial aspects, and travel behavior of the respondent. It includes the tenure types of the residential unit, estimation of the unit price (in the case of ownership or renting), housing typologies, the main reason for choosing the unit, in case of working, the modes of travel to work, and time to reach it, residential mobility in the last decade, and the ownership of any other residential units. The last part, housing demand characteristics, covers the size of the demand for a residential unit, preference in living in a certain area and the reason to choose it, and the preference of residential unit׳s tenure. This survey is a representative sample for the population in Alexandria, Egypt. The data in this article is represented in: How do people select their residential locations in Egypt? The case of Alexandria; JCIT1757.

The National Children's Study: Recruitment Outcomes Using an Enhanced Household-Based Approach.

PubMed

Blaisdell, Laura L; Zellner, Jennifer A; King, Alison A; Faustman, Elaine; Wilhelm, Mari; Hudak, Mark L; Annett, Robert D

2016-06-01

Ten National Children's Study (NCS) study locations with diverse demographic characteristics used an enhanced household-based recruitment (EHBR) approach to enroll preconceptional and pregnant women. Study centers used different types and dosages of community outreach and engagement (COE) activities and supplemental strategies. The goal of the study was to determine whether variability in enumeration and recruitment outcomes correlated with study location characteristics or types and dosages of COE activities (number of COE events, number of advance household mailings, total media expenditures, and total COE expenditures). Each of the sites provided data on COE activities, protocol implementation, supplemental recruitment activities, location demographic characteristics, and enumeration/recruitment outcomes. COE activities varied across sites in breadth and scope. Numerous strategies were used, including media advertising, social media, participation in community-wide events, presentations to stakeholders, and creation of advisory boards. Some sites included supplemental recruitment efforts. EHBR sites enrolled 1404 women at the initial pregnancy screening. No significant relationships were found between study location demographic characteristics or between the types and dosages of COE activities and recruitment outcomes. Probability sampling for a long-term study requires a positive image with stakeholders and within communities; this requirement may be especially true for door-to-door recruitment. EHBR sites successfully recruited a representative sample of preconceptional and pregnant women. Sites reported implementing similar COE activities but with varying dosage and cost; however, analyses did not support a benefit of COE strategies on study recruitment. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Geologic Map and GID Data for the Salt Wells Geothermal Area

DOE Data Explorer

Hinz, Nick

2011-10-31

Salt Wells—ESRI Geodatabase (ArcGeology v1.3): - Contains all the geologic map data, including faults, contacts, folds, dikes, unit polygons, and attitudes of strata and faults. - List of stratigraphic units and stratigraphic correlation diagram. - Locations of 40Ar/39Ar samples.

AN ASSESSMENT OF GROUND TRUTH VARIABILITY USING A "VIRTUAL FIELD REFERENCE DATABASE"

EPA Science Inventory

A "Virtual Field Reference Database (VFRDB)" was developed from field measurment data that included location and time, physical attributes, flora inventory, and digital imagery (camera) documentation foy 1,01I sites in the Neuse River basin, North Carolina. The sampling f...

Preparation of Plant Samples for Phytochemical Research and the Study of Their Biological Activities

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Prior to investigating plant natural products for biologically active constituents, it is necessary to establish guidelines and procedures for carefully collecting, cataloging, and storing specimens. All field collections should begin with detailed records on location, which should include a list o...

Hydrologic data collected in the vicinity of the proposed gamma-ray and neutrino detector site, Hot Spring County, Arkansas, 1988-89

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fitzpatrick, D.J.; Westerfield, P.W.

1990-01-01

An abandoned barite mine in Hot Spring County, Arkansas, has been selected as the location for a proposed gamma-ray and neutrino detector site. As part of the hydrologic evaluation of the site, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Arkansas Geological Commission collected hydrologic data at selected locations in the vicinity of the abandoned barite mine. Data collected as part of the project included water quality, pond-evaluation, and precipitation data within the abandoned barite mine and flow and water quality data at selected sites in the vicinity of the mine. Water quality samples from within the abandoned mine were collected at three locations in the pond at selected depths. These data included field measurements of specific conductance, pH, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, major ions, and trace metals. Major ion and trace-metal samples were collected at six stream sites, one lake site, and two wastewater pond sites. Pond elevation and precipitation data from within the abandoned barite mine were measured during the period between July 1, 1988 and June 30, 1989. Twevle discharge measurements during the period between June 21, 1988, and June 26, 1989, were collected at six sites in the vicinity of the abandoned barite mine. (USGS)

Contribution Of Spray Irrigation Of Wastewater To Groundwater Contamination In The Karst Of Southeastern Minnesota, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mooers, H. D.; Alexander, E. C., Jr.

1994-01-01

A vegetable- and meat-canning facility located in the karst of southeastern Minnesota disposes ≈2.85×105 m3 yr-1 of wastewater by spray irrigation of an 83.7-ha field located atop the local groundwater divide. Cannery effluent contains high levels of chloride and nitrogen (organic and ammonia), in excess of 7000 mg/l and 400 mg/l, respectively. Nitrate-nitrogen concentrations are generally < 5 mg/l. Agricultural, domestic, and municipal sources of chloride and nitrate are common in the region, and water supplies frequently exceed the drinking-water limit for nitrate-nitrogen of 10 mg/l. Fifty-two area wells and thirteen surface-water locations were sampled and analyzed for five ionic species, including: chloride (Cl), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), sulfate (SO4), nitrite-nitrogen (NO2-N), and phosphate (PO4). Two distinct chloride plumes flowing outward from the groundwater divide were identified, and 65% of the wells sampled had nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in excess of 10 mg/l. The data were divided into two groups: one group of samples from wells located near the canning facility and another group from outside that area. A correlation coefficient of R2= 0.004 for Cl vs. NO3-N in the vicinity of the irrigation fields indicates essentially no relationship between the source of Cl and NO3. In areas of agricultural and domestic activities located away from the cannery, an R2 of 0.54 suggests that Cl and NO3 have common sources in these areas.

Lufkin_Exercise_ Setup

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

Milbrath, Brian; Sussman, Aviva Joy

As part of this training course, we have created a scenario at a location that will provide you with an opportunity to practice the techniques you have learned during the week. For the first hour, you will have the opportunity to conduct a Visual Observation and use VOB to determine ideal locations for RN soil sampling, swipe sampling, and in situ measurements. After the VOB and sampling locating, you will rotate between soil sample, swipe sample, and two in situ activities.

Apparatus for sectioning demountable semiconductor samples

DOEpatents

Sopori, B.L.; Wolf, A.

1984-01-01

Apparatus for use during polishing and sectioning operations of a ribbon sample is described. The sample holder includes a cylinder having an axially extending sample cavity terminated in a first funnel-shaped opening and a second slot-like opening. A spring-loaded pressure plunger is located adjacent the second opening of the sample cavity for frictional engagement of the sample cavity. A heat softenable molding medium is inserted in the funnel-shaped opening, to surround the sample. After polishing, the heater is energized to allow draining of the molding medium from the sample cavity. During manual polishing, the second end of the sample holder is inserted in a support ring which provides mechanical support as well as alignment of the sample holder during polishing. A gauge block for measuring the protrusion of a sample beyond the second wall of the holder is also disclosed.

Physical properties of glasses exposed to Earth-facing and trailing-side environments on LDEF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiedlocher, David E.; Kinser, Donald L.; Weller, Robert A.; Weeks, Robert A.; Mendenhall, Marcus H.

1993-01-01

The exposure of 108 glass samples and 12 glass-ceramic samples to Earth-orbit environments permitted measurements which establish the effects of each environment. Examination of five glass types and one glass ceramic located on both the Earth-facing side and the trailing edge revealed no reduction in strength within experimental limits. Strength measurements subjected less than 5 percent of the sample surface area to stresses above 90 percent of the glass's failure strength. Seven micrometeorite or space debris impacts occurred on trailing edge samples. One of those impacts occurred in a location which was subjected to 50 percent of the applied stress at failure. Micrometeorite or space debris impacts were not observed on Earth-facing samples. The physical shape and structure of the impact sites were carefully examined using stereographic scanning electron microscopy. These impacts induce a stress concentration at the damaged region which influences mechanical strength. The flaw size produced by such damage was examined to determine the magnitude of strength degradation in micrometeorite or space-debris impacted glasses. Scanning electron microscopy revealed topographical details of impact sites which included central melt zones and glass fiber production. The overall crater structure is similar to much larger impacts of large meteorite on the Moon in that the melt crater is surrounded by shocked regions of material which fracture zones and spall areas. Residual stresses arising from shock compression and cooling of the fused zone cannot currently be included in fracture mechanics analyses based on simple flaw size examination.

High-priority lunar landing sites for in situ and sample return studies of polar volatiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemelin, Myriam; Blair, David M.; Roberts, Carolyn E.; Runyon, Kirby D.; Nowka, Daniela; Kring, David A.

2014-10-01

Our understanding of the Moon has advanced greatly over the last several decades thanks to analyses of Apollo samples and lunar meteorites, and recent lunar orbital missions. Notably, it is now thought that the lunar poles may be much more enriched in H2O and other volatile chemical species than the equatorial regions sampled during the Apollo missions. The equatorial regions sampled, themselves, contain more H2O than previously thought. A new lunar mission to a polar region is therefore of great interest; it could provide a measure of the sources and processes that deliver volatiles while also evaluating the potential in situ resource utilization value they may have for human exploration. In this study, we determine the optimal sites for studying lunar volatiles by conducting a quantitative GIS-based spatial analysis of multiple relevant datasets. The datasets include the locations of permanently shadowed regions, thermal analyses of the lunar surface, and hydrogen abundances. We provide maps of the lunar surface showing areas of high scientific interest, including five regions near the lunar north pole and seven regions near the lunar south pole that have the highest scientific potential according to rational search criteria. At two of these sites-a region we call the “Intercrater Polar Highlands” (IPH) near the north pole, and Amundsen crater near the south pole-we provide a more detailed assessment of landing sites, sample locations, and exploration strategies best suited for future human or robotic exploration missions.

Evaluation of National Atmospheric Deposition Program measurements for co-located Sites CO89 and CO98 at Rocky Mountain National Park, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2013-01-01

Median weekly absolute percent differences for selected parameters including: sample volume, 8.0 percent; ammonium concentration, 9.1 percent; nitrate concentration, 8.5 percent; sulfate concentration, 10.2 percent. Annual precipitation-weighted mean concentrations were higher for CO98 compared to CO89 for all analytes. The chemical concentration record for CO98 contains more valid samples than the CO89 record. Therefore, the CO98 record is more representative of 2012 total annual deposition at Loch Vale. Daily precipitation-depth records for the co-located precipitation gages were 100 percent complete, and the total annual precipitation depths between the sites differed by 0.1 percent for the year (91.5 and 91.4 cm).

Infant Sleep Location and Breastfeeding Practices in the United States, 2011-2014.

PubMed

Smith, Lauren A; Geller, Nicole L; Kellams, Ann L; Colson, Eve R; Rybin, Denis V; Heeren, Timothy; Corwin, Michael J

2016-08-01

To describe the prevalence of breastfeeding and sleep location practices among US mothers and the factors associated with these behaviors, including advice received regarding these practices. A nationally representative sample of 3218 mothers who spoke English or Spanish were enrolled at a sample of 32 US birth hospitals between January 2011 and March 2014. Exclusive breastfeeding was reported by 30.5% of mothers, while an additional 29.5% reported partial breastfeeding. The majority of mothers, 65.5%, reported usually room sharing without bed sharing, while 20.7% reported bed sharing. Compared to mothers who room shared without bed sharing, mothers who bed shared were more likely to report exclusive breastfeeding (adjusted odds ratio 2.46, 95% confidence interval 1.76, 3.45) or partial breastfeeding (adjusted odds ratio 1.75, 95% confidence interval 1.33, 2.31). The majority of mothers reported usually room sharing without bed sharing regardless of feeding practices, including 58.2% of exclusively breastfeeding mothers and 70.0% of nonbreastfeeding mothers. Receiving advice regarding sleep location or breastfeeding increased adherence to recommendations in a dose response manner (the adjusted odds of room sharing without bed sharing and exclusive breastfeeding increased as the relevant advice score increased); however, receiving advice regarding sleep location did not affect feeding practices. Many mothers have not adopted the recommended infant sleep location or feeding practices. Receiving advice from multiple sources appears to promote adherence in a dose response manner. Many women are able to both breastfeed and room share without bed sharing, and advice to adhere to both of these recommendations did not decrease breastfeeding rates. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Variations in Grain-Scale Sediment Structure in a Gravel-Bed Channel as a Function of Fine Sediment Content and Morphological Location

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voepel, H.; Ahmed, S. I.; Hodge, R. A.; Leyland, J.; Sear, D. A.

2016-12-01

One of the major causes of uncertainty in estimates of bedload transport rates in gravel bed rivers is a lack of understanding of grain-scale sediment structure, and the impact that this structure has on bed stability. Furthermore, grain-scale structure varies throughout a channel and over time in ways that have not been fully quantified. Our research aims to quantify variations in sediment structure caused by two key variables; morphological location within a riffle-pool sequence (reflecting variation in hydraulic conditions), and the fine sediment content of the gravel bed (sand and clay). We report results from a series of flume experiments in which we water-worked a gravel bed with a riffle-pool morphology. The fine sediment content of the bed was incrementally increased over a series of runs from gravel only, to coarse sand, fine sand and two concentrations of clay. After each experimental run intact samples of the bed at different locations were extracted and the internal structure of the bed was measured using non-destructive, micro-focus X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging. The CT images were processed to measure the properties of individual grains, including volume, center of mass, dimension, and contact points. From these data we were able to quantify the sediment structure through metrics including measurement of grain pivot angles, grain exposure and protrusion, and vertical variation in bed porosity and fine sediment content. Metrics derived from the CT data were verified using data from grain counts and tilt-table measurements on co-located samples. Comparison of the metrics across different morphological locations and fine sediment content demonstrates how these factors affect the bed structure. These results have implications for the development of sediment entrainment models for gravel bed rivers.

Variability of 137Cs inventory at a reference site in west-central Iran.

PubMed

Bazshoushtari, Nasim; Ayoubi, Shamsollah; Abdi, Mohammad Reza; Mohammadi, Mohammad

2016-12-01

137 Cs technique has been widely used for the evaluation rates and patterns of soil erosion and deposition. This technique requires an accurate estimate of the values of 137 Cs inventory at the reference site. This study was conducted to evaluate the variability of the inventory of 137 Cs regarding to the sampling program including sample size, distance and sampling method at a reference site located in vicinity of Fereydan district in Isfahan province, west-central Iran. Two 3 × 8 grids were established comprising large grid (35 m length and 8 m width), and small grid (24 m length and 6 m width). At each grid intersection two soil samples were collected from 0 to 15 cm and 15-30 cm depths, totally 96 soil samples from 48 sampling points. Coefficients of variation for 137 Cs inventory in the soil samples was relatively low (CV = 15%), and the sampling distance and methods used did not significantly affect the 137 Cs inventories across the studied reference site. To obtain a satisfactory estimate of the mean 137 Cs activity in the reference sites, particularly those located in the semiarid regions, it is recommended to collect at least four samples along in a grid pattern 3 m apart. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SEM/EDS Characterization of Ambient PM during Agricultural Burns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, J.; Wall, S.

2010-12-01

Ambient particulate matter (PM) samples were collected with UNC passive samplers during agricultural burns in Imperial Valley, California. Four Bermuda grass field burn events were sampled at 3-8 locations surrounding each burn. Sampling began at the start of each burn (30-60 min) and continued for 24-120 hours. During 3 of the 4 burn events, winds were calm and plumes were observed to travel straight up to the inversion layer. In one event, winds created a ground-level plume that enveloped two UNC samplers mounted on telephone poles very close to the field (0.2-0.3 miles away). Computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy / energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (CCSEM/EDS) was used to measure particle sizes and elemental composition, from which mass concentrations and size distributions were calculated. The median PM2.5 and PM10 levels measured in this study were 3.4 and 20 ug/m3, respectively. To determine quantitative accuracy, UNC sampler PM2.5 results (PM< 2.5 um) were compared to PM2.5 results from four co-located, continuous-reading beta-attenuation monitors (EBAMs). The median agreement (EBAM - UNC) was 3.8 ug/m3. Manual SEM/EDS detected various distinctive species in these samples, including sea salt, spores, plant fragments, and large soot agglomerates. During the ‘plume event’, 24-hour PM2.5 exposures downwind were up to 17 times higher than that measured upwind. Numerous submicron combustion particles with carbon and oxygen only were directly observed by manual SEM/EDS in the two plume-impacted samples, along with larger ash particles enriched in potassium, sulfur, chlorine, calcium, sodium, and phosphorus. CCSEM/EDS data from this event was grouped into 5 particle classes to generate size-fraction-specific pie charts. Burn-related particle types contributed 95% of the PM2.5 in the location directly impacted by the ground-level plume, compared to only 12% in the upwind location. A sample of Imperial County Bermuda grass analyzed in bulk and partially-burned states was found to contain similar inorganic elements as the air samples impacted by the burn plume, as well as mold spores found at trace levels in various air samples.

Gas sampling system for a mass spectrometer

DOEpatents

Taylor, Charles E; Ladner, Edward P

2003-12-30

The present invention relates generally to a gas sampling system, and specifically to a gas sampling system for transporting a hazardous process gas to a remotely located mass spectrometer. The gas sampling system includes a capillary tube having a predetermined capillary length and capillary diameter in communication with the supply of process gas and the mass spectrometer, a flexible tube surrounding and coaxial with the capillary tube intermediate the supply of process gas and the mass spectrometer, a heat transfer tube surrounding and coaxial with the capillary tube, and a heating device in communication the heat transfer tube for substantially preventing condensation of the process gas within the capillary tube.

Lee Acculturation Dream Scale for Korean-American college students.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Bok

2005-04-01

This study examined acculturation as represented in dream narratives of 165 Korean immigrant college students living in the USA. A total of 165 dreams were collected and evaluated using the Lee Acculturation Dream Scale, for which locations of dream contents were coded. 39% of the dreams took place in South Korea, while 38% were in the USA. Also, 16% of the dreams included both locations, whereas 7% had no specific dream location. The dreams contained overlapping dream messages, images, scenes, and interactions in both South Korea and the USA. A two-sample t test on the mean scores of the Lee Acculturation Dream Scale indicated no significant difference between men and women.

A rock physics and seismic reservoir characterization study of the Rock Springs Uplift, a carbon dioxide sequestration site in Southwestern Wyoming

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

Grana, Dario; Verma, Sumit; Pafeng, Josiane

We present a reservoir geophysics study, including rock physics modeling and seismic inversion, of a carbon dioxide sequestration site in Southwestern Wyoming, namely the Rock Springs Uplift, and build a petrophysical model for the potential injection reservoirs for carbon dioxide sequestration. Our objectives include the facies classification and the estimation of the spatial model of porosity and permeability for two sequestration targets of interest, the Madison Limestone and the Weber Sandstone. The available dataset includes a complete set of well logs at the location of the borehole available in the area, a set of 110 core samples, and a seismicmore » survey acquired in the area around the well. The proposed study includes a formation evaluation analysis and facies classification at the well location, the calibration of a rock physics model to link petrophysical properties and elastic attributes using well log data and core samples, the elastic inversion of the pre-stack seismic data, and the estimation of the reservoir model of facies, porosity and permeability conditioned by seismic inverted elastic attributes and well log data. In particular, the rock physics relations are facies-dependent and include granular media equations for clean and shaley sandstone, and inclusion models for the dolomitized limestone. The permeability model has been computed by applying a facies-dependent porosity-permeability relation calibrated using core sample measurements. Finally, the study shows that both formations show good storage capabilities. The Madison Limestone includes a homogeneous layer of high-porosity high-permeability dolomite; the Weber Sandstone is characterized by a lower average porosity but the layer is thicker than the Madison Limestone.« less

A rock physics and seismic reservoir characterization study of the Rock Springs Uplift, a carbon dioxide sequestration site in Southwestern Wyoming

DOE PAGES

Grana, Dario; Verma, Sumit; Pafeng, Josiane; ...

2017-06-20

We present a reservoir geophysics study, including rock physics modeling and seismic inversion, of a carbon dioxide sequestration site in Southwestern Wyoming, namely the Rock Springs Uplift, and build a petrophysical model for the potential injection reservoirs for carbon dioxide sequestration. Our objectives include the facies classification and the estimation of the spatial model of porosity and permeability for two sequestration targets of interest, the Madison Limestone and the Weber Sandstone. The available dataset includes a complete set of well logs at the location of the borehole available in the area, a set of 110 core samples, and a seismicmore » survey acquired in the area around the well. The proposed study includes a formation evaluation analysis and facies classification at the well location, the calibration of a rock physics model to link petrophysical properties and elastic attributes using well log data and core samples, the elastic inversion of the pre-stack seismic data, and the estimation of the reservoir model of facies, porosity and permeability conditioned by seismic inverted elastic attributes and well log data. In particular, the rock physics relations are facies-dependent and include granular media equations for clean and shaley sandstone, and inclusion models for the dolomitized limestone. The permeability model has been computed by applying a facies-dependent porosity-permeability relation calibrated using core sample measurements. Finally, the study shows that both formations show good storage capabilities. The Madison Limestone includes a homogeneous layer of high-porosity high-permeability dolomite; the Weber Sandstone is characterized by a lower average porosity but the layer is thicker than the Madison Limestone.« less

Boeing Michigan Aeronautical Research Center (BOMARC) Missile Shelters and Bunkers Scoping Survey Workplan

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-08-01

Characterization (OHM 1998). From the plot, it is clear that the HEU dominates DU in the overall isotopic characteristic. Among the three uranium ... isotopes , 234U comprised about 90 % of the total activity, including naturally-occurring background sources. However, in comparison to the WGP, uranium ...listed for a few sampling locations that had isotopic plutonium analysis of wipe samples. Figure A-19 contains a scatterplot of the paired Table 4-13

Low-pressure water-cooled inductively coupled plasma torch

DOEpatents

Seliskar, C.J.; Warner, D.K.

1984-02-16

An inductively coupled plasma torch is provided which comprises an inner tube, including a sample injection port to which the sample to be tested is supplied and comprising an enlarged central portion in which the plasma flame is confined; an outer tube surrounding the inner tube and containing water therein for cooling the inner tube, the outer tube including a water inlet port to which water is supplied and a water outlet port spaced from the water inlet port and from which water is removed after flowing through the outer tube; and an rf induction coil for inducing the plasma in the gas passing into the tube through the sample injection port. The sample injection port comprises a capillary tube including a reduced diameter orifice, projecting into the lower end of the inner tube. The water inlet is located at the lower end of the outer tube and the rf heating coil is disposed around the outer tube above and adjacent to the water inlet.

Low-pressure water-cooled inductively coupled plasma torch

DOEpatents

Seliskar, Carl J.; Warner, David K.

1988-12-27

An inductively coupled plasma torch is provided which comprises an inner tube, including a sample injection port to which the sample to be tested is supplied and comprising an enlarged central portion in which the plasma flame is confined; an outer tube surrounding the inner tube and containing water therein for cooling the inner tube, the outer tube including a water inlet port to which water is supplied and a water outlet port spaced from the water inlet port and from which water is removed after flowing through the outer tube; and an r.f. induction coil for inducing the plasma in the gas passing into the tube through the sample injection port. The sample injection port comprises a capillary tube including a reduced diameter orifice, projecting into the lower end of the inner tube. The water inlet is located at the lower end of the outer tube and the r.f. heating coil is disposed around the outer tube above and adjacent to the water inlet.

Digital coordinates and age of more than 13,000 foraminifers samples collected by Chevron Petroleum geologists in California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Malmblorg, William T.; West, William B.; Brabb, Earl E.; Parker, John M.

2008-01-01

The general location and age of more than 33,500 mostly foraminifer samples from Chevron surface localities in nearly 600 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5' quadrangles from California were provided by Brabb and Parker (2003). Barren and non-diagnostic samples plus many that have no paleontologic information were omitted to provide a revised list for more than 27,000 of these samples by Brabb and Parker (2005). The locations for many of these samples were recorded by Chevron geoscientists on topographic maps (originals now in the USGS Library in Menlo Park, Calif.). The recent availability of digital databases for geologic and topographic maps has provided the opportunity to prepare a database of the locations of these Chevron samples so that the information can be combined with geology and topography for plotting or geospatial analysis. This report provides specific locations for more than 13,000 samples in central California that have enough paleontologic information to determine their age but omits thousands of samples that are too closely spaced to differentiate or those that have only a general location.

Geochemistry of Surface and Ground Water in Cement Creek from Gladstone to Georgia Gulch and in Prospect Gulch, San Juan County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Raymond H.; Wirt, Laurie; Manning, Andrew H.; Leib, Kenneth J.; Fey, David L.; Yager, Douglas B.

2007-01-01

In San Juan County, Colo., the effects of historical mining continue to contribute metals to ground water and surface water. Previous research by the U.S. Geological Survey identified ground-water discharge as a significant pathway for the loading of metals to surface water in the upper Animas River watershed from both acid-mine drainage and acid-rock drainage. In support of this ground-water research effort, Prospect Gulch was selected for further study and the geochemistry of surface and ground water in the area was analyzed as part of four sampling plans: (1) ten streamflow and geochemistry measurements at five stream locations (four locations along Cement Creek plus the mouth of Prospect Gulch from July 2004 through August 2005), (2) detailed stream tracer dilution studies in Prospect Gulch and in Cement Creek from Gladstone to Georgia Gulch in early October 2004, (3) geochemistry of ground water through sampling of monitoring wells, piezometers, mine shafts, and springs, and (4) samples for noble gases and tritium/helium for recharge temperatures (recharge elevation) and ground-water age dating. This report summarizes all of the surface and ground-water data that was collected and includes: (1) all sample collection locations, (2) streamflow and geochemistry, (3) ground-water geochemistry, and (4) noble gas and tritium/helium data.

Aquatic assessment of the Pike Hill Copper Mine Superfund site, Corinth, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Piatak, Nadine M.; Argue, Denise M.; Seal, Robert R.; Kiah, Richard G.; Besser, John M.; Coles, James F.; Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Levitan, Denise M.; Deacon, Jeffrey R.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.

2013-01-01

The Pike Hill Copper Mine Superfund site in Corinth, Orange County, Vermont, includes the Eureka, Union, and Smith mines along with areas of downstream aquatic ecosystem impairment. The site was placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Priorities List in 2004. The mines, which operated from about 1847 to 1919, contain underground workings, foundations from historical structures, several waste-rock piles, and some flotation tailings. The mine site is drained to the northeast by Pike Hill Brook, which includes several wetland areas, and to the southeast by an unnamed tributary that flows to the south and enters Cookville Brook. Both brooks eventually drain into the Waits River, which flows into the Connecticut River. The aquatic ecosystem at the site was assessed using a variety of approaches that investigated surface-water quality, sediment quality, and various ecological indicators of stream-ecosystem health. The degradation of surface-water quality is caused by elevated concentrations of copper, and to a lesser extent cadmium, with localized effects caused by aluminum, iron, and zinc. Copper concentrations in surface waters reached or exceeded the USEPA national recommended chronic water-quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life in all of the Pike Hill Brook sampling locations except for the location farthest downstream, in half of the locations sampled in the tributary to Cookville Brook, and in about half of the locations in one wetland area located in Pike Hill Brook. Most of these same locations also contained concentrations of cadmium that exceeded the chronic water-quality criteria. In contrast, surface waters at background sampling locations were below these criteria for copper and cadmium. Comparison of hardness-based and Biotic Ligand Model (BLM)-based criteria for copper yields similar results with respect to the extent or number of stations impaired for surface waters in the affected area. However, the BLM-based criteria are commonly lower values than the hardness-based criteria and thus suggest a greater degree or magnitude of impairment at the sampling locations. The riffle-habitat benthic invertebrate richness and abundance data correlate strongly with the extent of impact based on water quality for both brooks. Similarly, the fish community assessments document degraded conditions throughout most of Pike Hill Brook, whereas the data for the tributary to Cookville Brook suggest less degradation to this brook. The sediment environment shows similar extents of impairment to the surface-water environment, with most sampling locations in Pike Hill Brook, including the wetland areas, and the tributary to Cookville Brook affected. Sediment impairment is caused by elevated copper concentrations, although localized degradation due to elevated cadmium and zinc concentrations was documented on the basis of exceedances of probable effects concentrations (PECs). In contrast to impairment determined by exceedances of PECs, equilibrium-partitioning sediment benchmarks (based on simultaneously extracted metals, acid volatile sulfides, and total organic carbon) predict no toxic effects in sediments at the background locations and uncertain toxic effects throughout Pike Hill Brook and the tributary to Cookville Brook, with the exception of the most downstream Cookville Brook location, which indicated no toxic effects. Acute laboratory toxicity testing using the amphipod Hyalella azteca and the midge Chironomus dilutus on pore waters extracted from sediment in situ indicate impairment (based on tests with H. azteca) at only one location in Pike Hill Brook and no impairment in the tributary to Cookville Brook. Chronic laboratory sediment toxicity testing using H. azteca and C. dilutus indicated toxicity in Pike Hill Brook at several locations in the lower reach and two locations in the tributary to Cookville Brook. Toxicity was not indicated for either species in sediment from the most acidic metal-rich location, likely due to the low lability of copper in that sediment, as indicated by a low proportion of extractable copper (simultaneously extracted metal (SEM) copper only 5 percent of total copper) and due to the flushing of acidic metal-rich pore water from experimental chambers as overlying test water was introduced before and replaced periodically during the toxicity tests. Depositional habitat invertebrate richness and abundance data generally agreed with the results of toxicity tests and with the extent of impact in the watersheds on the basis of sediment and pore waters. The information was used to develop an overall assessment of the impact of mine drainage on the aquatic system downstream from the Pike Hill copper mines. Most of Pike Hill Brook, including several wetland areas that are all downstream from the Eureka and Union mines, was found to be impaired on the basis of water-quality data and biological assessments of fish or benthic invertebrate communities. In contrast, only one location in the tributary to Cookville Brook, downstream from the Smith mine, is definitively impaired. The biological community begins to recover at the most downstream locations in both brooks due to natural attenuation from mixing with unimpaired streams. On the basis of water quality and biological assessment, the reference locations were of good quality. The sediment toxicity, chemistry, and aquatic community survey data suggest that the sediments could be a source of toxicity in Pike Hill Brook and the tributary to Cookville Brook. On the basis of water quality, sediment quality, and biologic communities, the impacts of mine drainage on the aquatic ecosystem health of the watersheds in the study area are generally consistent with the toxicity suggested from laboratory toxicity testing on pore water and sediments.

INTERIM REPORT ON THE EVOLUTION AND ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A demonstration of screening technologies for determining the presence of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds in soil and sediment was conducted under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's(EPA's) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program in Saginaw, Michigan in 2004. The objectives of the demonstration included evaluating each participating technology's accuracy, precision, sensitivity, sample throughput, tendency for matrix effects, and cost. The test also included an assessment of how well the technology's results compared to those generated by established laboratory methods using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The demonstration objectives were accomplished by evaluating the results generated by each technology from 209 soil, sediment, and extract samples. The test samples included performance evaluation (PE) samples (i.e., contaminant concentrations were certified or the samples were spiked with known contaminants) and environmental samples collected from 10 different sampling locations. The PE and environmental samples were distributed to the technology developers in blind, random order. One of the participants in the original SITE demonstration was Hybrizyme Corporation, which demonstrated the use of the AhRC PCR Kit. The AhRC PCR Kit was a technology that reported the concentration of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) binding compounds in a sample, with units reported as Ah Receptor Binding Units (AhRBU). At the time of the original dem

Nurses' Needs for Education on Cancer and End-of-life Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meraviglia, Martha G.; McGuire, Catherine; Chesley, Dorothy A.

2003-01-01

From a random sample of Texas registered nurses, 352 respondents (8.3%) primarily obtained continuing education from workshops, inservice education, and independent studies, citing cost, location, content, and length of course as influencing factors. Their cancer educational needs included clinical trials, genetics, complementary therapies, and…

Deep Water Cooling | Climate Neutral Research Campuses | NREL

Science.gov Websites

the Cornell website. Additional examples of research campus geothermal cooling projects include Deep Water Cooling Deep Water Cooling Research campuses that are located near a deep lake or deep plan for your research campus. Considerations Sample Project Related Links Deep water cooling involves

Determinants of Student Wastage in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnes, Jill

1990-01-01

Statistical analysis of a sample of the 1979 entry cohort to Lancaster University indicates that the likelihood of non-completion is determined by various characteristics including the student's academic ability, gender, marital status, work experience prior to university, school background, and location of home in relation to university.…

A survey of catfish pond water chemistry parameters for copper toxicity modelling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water samples were collected from 20 catfish ponds in 2015 to obtain data useful in predicting copper toxicity and chemical behavior. Ponds were located in major catfish producing areas of west Alabama, east Arkansas, and Mississippi. Pond types included traditional levee ponds, split-ponds, water...

Preferential sampling and Bayesian geostatistics: Statistical modeling and examples.

PubMed

Cecconi, Lorenzo; Grisotto, Laura; Catelan, Dolores; Lagazio, Corrado; Berrocal, Veronica; Biggeri, Annibale

2016-08-01

Preferential sampling refers to any situation in which the spatial process and the sampling locations are not stochastically independent. In this paper, we present two examples of geostatistical analysis in which the usual assumption of stochastic independence between the point process and the measurement process is violated. To account for preferential sampling, we specify a flexible and general Bayesian geostatistical model that includes a shared spatial random component. We apply the proposed model to two different case studies that allow us to highlight three different modeling and inferential aspects of geostatistical modeling under preferential sampling: (1) continuous or finite spatial sampling frame; (2) underlying causal model and relevant covariates; and (3) inferential goals related to mean prediction surface or prediction uncertainty. © The Author(s) 2016.

Towards Making Data Bases Practical for use in the Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, T. P.; Lehnert, K. A.; Chiodini, G.; McCormick, B.; Cardellini, C.; Clor, L. E.; Cottrell, E.

2014-12-01

Geological, geochemical, and geophysical research is often field based with travel to remote areas and collection of samples and data under challenging environmental conditions. Cross-disciplinary investigations would greatly benefit from near real-time data access and visualisation within the existing framework of databases and GIS tools. An example of complex, interdisciplinary field-based and data intensive investigations is that of volcanologists and gas geochemists, who sample gases from fumaroles, hot springs, dry gas vents, hydrothermal vents and wells. Compositions of volcanic gas plumes are measured directly or by remote sensing. Soil gas fluxes from volcanic areas are measured by accumulation chamber and involve hundreds of measurements to calculate the total emission of a region. Many investigators also collect rock samples from recent or ancient volcanic eruptions. Structural, geochronological, and geophysical data collected during the same or related field campaigns complement these emissions data. All samples and data collected in the field require a set of metadata including date, time, location, sample or measurement id, and descriptive comments. Currently, most of these metadata are written in field notebooks and later transferred into a digital format. Final results such as laboratory analyses of samples and calculated flux data are tabulated for plotting, correlation with other types of data, modeling and finally publication and presentation. Data handling, organization and interpretation could be greatly streamlined by using digital tools available in the field to record metadata, assign an International Geo Sample Number (IGSN), upload measurements directly from field instruments, and arrange sample curation. Available data display tools such as GeoMapApp and existing data sets (PetDB, IRIS, UNAVCO) could be integrated to direct locations for additional measurements during a field campaign. Nearly live display of sampling locations, pictures, and comments could be used as an educational and outreach tool during sampling expeditions. Achieving these goals requires the integration of existing online data resources, with common access through a dedicated web portal.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Albuquerque NTMS Quadrangle, New Mexico, including concentrations of forty-three additional elements

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

Maassen, L.W.; Bolivar, S.L.

1979-06-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory conducted a hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance for uranium. Totals of 408 water and 1538 sediment samples were collected from 1802 locations over a 20 100-km/sup 2/ area at an average density of one location per 11 km/sup 2/. Water samples were collected from springs, wells, and streams; sediments samples were collected predominantly from streams, but also from springs. All water samples were analyzed for uranium and 12 other elements. Sediment samples were analyzed for uranium and 42 additional elements. The uranium concentrations in water samples range from below the detection limit of 0.02 ppBmore » to 194.06 ppB. The mean uranium concentration for all water types containing < 40 ppB uranium is 1.98 ppB. Six samples contained uranium concentrations > 40.00 ppB. Well waters have the highest mean uranium concentration; spring waters have the lowest. Clusters of water samples that contain anomalous uranium concentrations are delineated in nine areas. Sediments collected from the quadrangle have uranium concentrations that range between 0.63 ppM and 28.52 ppM, with a mean for all sediments of 3.53 ppM. Eight areas containing clusters of sediments with anomalous uranium concentrations are delineated. One cluster contains sample locations within the Ambrosia Lake uranium district. Five clusters of sediment samples with anomalous uranium concentrations were collected from streams that drain the Jemez volcanic field. Another cluster defines an area just northeast of Albuquerque where streams drain Precambrian rocks, predominantly granites, of the Sandia Mountains. The last cluster, consisting of spring sediments from Mesa Portales, was collected near the contact of the Tertiary Ojo Alamo sandstone with underlying Cretaceous sediments. Sediments from these springs exhibit some of the highest uranium values reported and are associated with high uranium/thorium ratios.« less

Selected water-quality data for the Standard Mine, Gunnison County, Colorado, 2006-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Verplanck, Philip L.; Manning, Andrew H.; Mast, M. Alisa; Wanty, Richard B.; McCleskey, R. Blaine; Todorov, Todor I.; Adams, Monique

2007-01-01

Mine drainage and underground water samples were collected for analysis of inorganic solutes as part of a 1-year, hydrogeologic investigation of the Standard Mine and vicinity. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has listed the Standard Mine in the Elk Creek drainage near Crested Butte, Colorado, as a Superfund Site because discharge from the Standard Mine enters Elk Creek, contributing dissolved and suspended loads of zinc, cadmium, copper, and other metals to Coal Creek, which is the primary drinking-water supply for the town of Crested Butte. Water analyses are reported for mine-effluent samples from Levels 1 and 5 of the Standard Mine, underground samples from Levels 3 and 5 of the Standard Mine, mine effluent from an adit located on the Elk Lode, and two spring samples that emerged from waste-rock material below Level 5 of the Standard Mine and the adit located on the Elk Lode. Reported analyses include field parameters (pH, specific conductance, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and redox potential) and major constituents and trace elements.

Under-sampling in a Multiple-Channel Laser Vibrometry System

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

Corey, Jordan

2007-03-01

Laser vibrometry is a technique used to detect vibrations on objects using the interference of coherent light with itself. Most vibrometry systems process only one target location at a time, but processing multiple locations simultaneously provides improved detection capabilities. Traditional laser vibrometry systems employ oversampling to sample the incoming modulated-light signal, however as the number of channels increases in these systems, certain issues arise such a higher computational cost, excessive heat, increased power requirements, and increased component cost. This thesis describes a novel approach to laser vibrometry that utilizes undersampling to control the undesirable issues associated with over-sampled systems. Undersamplingmore » allows for significantly less samples to represent the modulated-light signals, which offers several advantages in the overall system design. These advantages include an improvement in thermal efficiency, lower processing requirements, and a higher immunity to the relative intensity noise inherent in laser vibrometry applications. A unique feature of this implementation is the use of a parallel architecture to increase the overall system throughput. This parallelism is realized using a hierarchical multi-channel architecture based on off-the-shelf programmable logic devices (PLDs).« less

Raman spectroscopic analysis identifies testicular microlithiasis as intratubular hydroxyapatite.

PubMed

De Jong, B W D; De Gouveia Brazao, C A; Stoop, H; Wolffenbuttel, K P; Oosterhuis, J W; Puppels, G J; Weber, R F A; Looijenga, L H J; Kok, D J

2004-01-01

As diagnosed by ultrasonography, testicular microlithiasis is associated with various benign and malignant conditions. The molecular constitution of these microliths is largely unknown. Raman spectroscopy provides detailed in situ information about the molecular composition of tissues and to our knowledge it has not been applied to gonadal microliths. We analyzed the molecular composition of gonadal microlithiasis and its surrounding region using Raman spectroscopy in malignant and benign conditions. Multiple microliths from 6 independent samples diagnosed with gonadal microlithiasis by ultrasound and histologically confirmed were investigated by Raman spectroscopy. The samples included 4 testicular parenchyma samples adjacent to a germ cell tumor (4 seminomas), a gonadoblastoma of a dysgenetic gonad and testicular biopsy of a subfertile male without malignancy. Raman spectroscopic mapping demonstrated that testicular microliths were located within the seminiferous tubule. Glycogen surrounded all microliths in the samples associated with germ cell neoplasm but not in the benign case. The molecular composition of the 26 microliths in all 6 conditions was pure hydroxyapatite. Microliths in the testis are located in the seminiferous tubules and composed of hydroxyapatite. In cases of germ cell neoplasm they co-localize with glycogen deposits.

Site survey method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Oldham, James G.; Spencer, Charles R.; Begley, Carl L.; Meyer, H. Robert

1991-06-18

The disclosure of the invention is directed to a site survey ground vehicle based apparatus and method for automatically detecting source materials, such as radioactivity, marking the location of the source materials, such as with paint, and mapping the location of the source materials on a site. The apparatus of the invention is also useful for collecting and analyzing samples. The apparatus includes a ground vehicle, detectors mounted at the front of the ground vehicle, and individual detector supports which follow somewhat irregular terrain to allow consistent and accurate detection, and autolocation equipment.

Site survey method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Oldham, J.G.; Spencer, C.R.; Begley, C.L.; Meyer, H.R.

1991-06-18

The disclosure of the invention is directed to a site survey ground vehicle based apparatus and method for automatically detecting source materials, such as radioactivity, marking the location of the source materials, such as with paint, and mapping the location of the source materials on a site. The apparatus of the invention is also useful for collecting and analyzing samples. The apparatus includes a ground vehicle, detectors mounted at the front of the ground vehicle, and individual detector supports which follow somewhat irregular terrain to allow consistent and accurate detection, and autolocation equipment. 19 figures.

Fluid rare earth element anlayses from geothermal wells located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland and Middle Valley seafloor hydrothermal system on the Juan de Fuca Ridge.

DOE Data Explorer

Andrew Fowler

2015-05-01

Results for fluid rare earth element analyses from four Reykjanes peninsula high-temperature geothermal fields. Data for fluids from hydrothermal vents located 2400 m below sea level from Middle Valley on the Juan de Fuca Ridge are also included. Data have been corrected for flashing. Samples preconcentrated using a chelating resin with IDA functional group (InertSep ME-1). Analyzed using an Element magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

VARIATIONS IN MINERAL MATTER CONTENT OF A PEAT DEPOSIT IN MAINE RESTING ON GLACIO-MARINE SEDIMENTS.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cameron, Cornelia C.; Schruben, Paul

1983-01-01

The Great Heath, Washington County, Maine, is an excellent example of a multidomed ombrotrophic peatland resting on a gently undulating surface of glacio-marine sediments and towering above modern streams. A comprehensive study sponsored by the Geological Survey of Maine in cooperation with the U. S. Geological Survey included preparation of a contoured surficial geology map on which are located 81 core sites. Eight cross sections accompany the map showing occurrence and thickness of three types of organic material and locations of cored sample analyses. Refs.

Microfluidic ultrasonic particle separators with engineered node locations and geometries

DOEpatents

Rose, Klint A.; Fisher, Karl A.; Wajda, Douglas A.; Mariella, Jr., Raymond P.; Bailey, Christopher; Dehlinger, Dietrich; Shusteff, Maxim; Jung, Byoungsok; Ness, Kevin D.

2016-04-26

An ultrasonic microfluidic system includes a separation channel for conveying a sample fluid containing small particles and large particles, flowing substantially parallel, adjacent to a recovery fluid, with which it is in contact. An acoustic transducer produces an ultrasound standing wave, that generates a pressure field having at least one node of minimum pressure amplitude. An acoustic extension structure is located proximate to said separation channel for positioning said acoustic node off center in said acoustic area and concentrating the large particles in said recovery fluid stream.

Microfluidic ultrasonic particle separators with engineered node locations and geometries

DOEpatents

Rose, Klint A; Fisher, Karl A; Wajda, Douglas A; Mariella, Jr., Raymond P; Bailey, Christopher; Dehlinger, Dietrich; Shusteff, Maxim; Jung, Byoungsok; Ness, Kevin D

2015-03-31

An ultrasonic microfluidic system includes a separation channel for conveying a sample fluid containing small particles and large particles, flowing substantially parallel, adjacent to a recovery fluid, with which it is in contact. An acoustic transducer produces an ultrasound standing wave, that generates a pressure field having at least one node of minimum, pressure amplitude. An acoustic extension structure is located proximate to said separation channel for positioning said acoustic node off center in said acoustic area and concentrating the large particles in said recovery fluid stream.

Microfluidic ultrasonic particle separators with engineered node locations and geometries

DOEpatents

Rose, Klint A; Fisher, Karl A; Wajda, Douglas A; Mariella, Jr., Raymond P; Bailey, Christoppher; Dehlinger, Dietrich; Shusteff, Maxim; Jung, Byoungsok; Ness, Kevin D

2014-05-20

An ultrasonic microfluidic system includes a separation channel for conveying a sample fluid containing small particles and large particles, flowing substantially parallel, adjacent to a recovery fluid, with which it is in contact. An acoustic transducer produces an ultrasound standing wave, that generates a pressure field having at least one node of minimum pressure amplitude. An acoustic extension structure is located proximate to said separation channel for positioning said acoustic node off center in said acoustic area and concentrating the large particles in said recovery fluid stream.

Apparatus, system, and method for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

DOEpatents

Effenberger, Jr., Andrew J; Scott, Jill R; McJunkin, Timothy R

2014-11-18

In laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), an apparatus includes a pulsed laser configured to generate a pulsed laser signal toward a sample, a constructive interference object and an optical element, each located in a path of light from the sample. The constructive interference object is configured to generate constructive interference patterns of the light. The optical element is configured to disperse the light. A LIBS system includes a first and a second optical element, and a data acquisition module. The data acquisition module is configured to determine an isotope measurement based, at least in part, on light received by an image sensor from the first and second optical elements. A method for performing LIBS includes generating a pulsed laser on a sample to generate light from a plasma, generating constructive interference patterns of the light, and dispersing the light into a plurality of wavelengths.

A new computer code for discrete fracture network modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Chaoshui; Dowd, Peter

2010-03-01

The authors describe a comprehensive software package for two- and three-dimensional stochastic rock fracture simulation using marked point processes. Fracture locations can be modelled by a Poisson, a non-homogeneous, a cluster or a Cox point process; fracture geometries and properties are modelled by their respective probability distributions. Virtual sampling tools such as plane, window and scanline sampling are included in the software together with a comprehensive set of statistical tools including histogram analysis, probability plots, rose diagrams and hemispherical projections. The paper describes in detail the theoretical basis of the implementation and provides a case study in rock fracture modelling to demonstrate the application of the software.

Authentication of an endangered herb Changium smyrnioides from different producing areas based on rDNA ITS sequences and allele-specific PCR.

PubMed

Sun, Xiaoqin; Wei, Yanglian; Qin, Minjian; Guo, Qiaosheng; Guo, Jianlin; Zhou, Yifeng; Hang, Yueyu

2012-03-01

The rDNA ITS region of 18 samples of Changium smyrnioides from 7 areas and of 2 samples of Chuanminshen violaceum were sequenced and analyzed. The amplified ITS region of the samples, including a partial sequence of ITS1 and complete sequences of 5.8S and ITS2, had a total length of 555 bp. After complete alignment, there were 49 variable sites, of which 45 were informative, when gaps were treated as missing data. Samples of C. smyrnioides from different locations could be identified exactly based on the variable sites. The maximum parsimony (MP) and neighbor joining (NJ) tree constructed from the ITS sequences based on Kumar's two-parameter model showed that the genetic distances of the C. smyrnioides samples from different locations were not always related to their geographical distances. A specific primer set for Allele-specific PCR authentication of C. violaceum from Jurong of Jiangsu was designed based on the SNP in the ITS sequence alignment. C. violaceum from the major genuine producing area in Jurong of Jiangsu could be identified exactly and quickly by Allele-specific PCR.

Dynamic microbial populations along the Cuyahoga River

PubMed Central

Craine, Joseph; Hester, James; Shalkhauser, Amanda; Chan, Ernest R.; Logue, Kyle; Small, Scott; Serre, David

2017-01-01

The study of the microbial communities has gained traction in recent years with the advent of next-generation sequencing with, or without, PCR-based amplification of the 16S ribosomal RNA region. Such studies have been applied to topics as diverse as human health and environmental ecology. Fewer studies have investigated taxa outside of bacteria, however. We present here data demonstrating the utility of studying taxa outside of bacteria including algae, diatoms, archaea and fungi. Here, we show how location along the Cuyahoga River as well as a transient rainfall event heavily influence the microbial composition. Our data reveal how individual OTUs vary between samples and how the patterns of OTU abundance can accurately predict sampling location. The clustering of samples reveals that these taxa are all sensitive to water conditions in unique ways and demonstrate that, for our dataset, algae was most distinctive between sample groups, surpassing bacteria. Diversity between sampling sites could allow studies investigating pollution or water quality to identify marker OTUs or patterns of OTU abundance as indicators to assess environmental conditions or the impact of human activity. We also directly compare data derived from primers amplifying distinct taxa and show that taxa besides bacteria are excellent indicators of water condition. PMID:29049324

Water-quality data for the Ohio River from Willow Island Dam to Belleville Dam, West Virginia and Ohio, June-October 1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chambers, D.B.; Miller, K.F.; Waldron, M.C.; Falkenburg, C.W.

1994-01-01

This report contains water-quality data for the Ohio River from river mile 160.6 (1.1 mi upstream from Willow Island Dam) to river mile 203.6 (0.3 mi upstream from Belleville Dam) during the summer of 1991. Water quality was determined by a combi- nation of synoptic field measurements and laboratory analyses. Synoptic sampling consisted of 8 cross-sectional transects and a longitudinal transect with 28 mid-channel stations. Each cross- sectional transect included five vertical profiles of water temperature, dissolved oxygen concen- tration, pH, and specific conductance. Longi- tudinal transect stations were sampled at three depths (near the surface, middle of the water column, and at or near the bottom) for the same characteristics. Sampling was completed in 3 days or less, and was repeated approximately every 2 weeks from June through October 1991. Beginning in August 1991, water samples were collected at selected locations and analyzed for chlorophyll-a and pheophytin concentrations, as measures of phytoplankton biomass and phytoplankton-degradation products, respectively. The depth of light penetration was estimated at all pigment-sampling locations.

Apparatus for sectioning demountable semiconductor samples

DOEpatents

Sopori, Bhushan L.; Wolf, Abraham

1984-01-01

Apparatus for use during polishing and sectioning operations of a ribbon sample is described. The sample holder includes a cylinder having an axially extending sample cavity terminated in a first funnel-shaped opening and a second slot-like opening. A spring-loaded pressure plunger is located adjacent the second opening of the sample cavity for frictional engagement of the sample prior to introduction of a molding medium in the sample cavity. A heat softenable molding medium is inserted in the funnel-shaped opening, to surround the sample. After polishing, the heater is energized to allow draining of the molding medium from the sample cavity. During manual polishing, the second end of the sample holder is inserted in a support ring which provides mechanical support as well as alignment of the sample holder during polishing. A gauge block for measuring the protrusion of a sample beyond the second wall of the holder is also disclosed.

Occurrence of Organic Wastewater Compounds in Selected Surface-Water Supplies, Triangle Area of North Carolina, 2002-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giorgino, M.J.; Rasmussen, R.B.; Pfeifle, C.M .

2007-01-01

Selected organic wastewater compounds, such as household, industrial, and agricultural-use compounds, sterols, pharmaceuticals, and antibiotics, were measured at eight sites classified as drinking-water supplies in the Triangle Area of North Carolina. From October 2002 through July 2005, seven of the sites were sampled twice, and one site was sampled 28 times, for a total of 42 sets of environmental samples. Samples were analyzed for as many as 126 compounds using three laboratory analytical methods. These methods were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey to detect low levels (generally less than or equal to 1.0 microgram per liter) of the target compounds in filtered water. Because analyses were conducted on filtered samples, the results presented in this report may not reflect the total concentration of organic wastewater compounds in the waters that were sampled. Various quality-control samples were used to quality assure the results in terms of method performance and possible laboratory or field contamination. Of the 108 organic wastewater compounds that met method performance criteria, 24 were detected in at least one sample during the study. These 24 compounds included 3 pharmaceutical compounds, 6 fire retardants and plasticizers, 3 antibiotics, 3 pesticides, 6 fragrances and flavorants, 1 disinfectant, and 2 miscellaneous-use compounds, all of which likely originated from a variety of domestic, industrial, and agricultural sources. The 10 most frequently detected compounds included acetyl-hexamethyl tetrahydronaphthalene and hexahydro-hexamethyl cyclopentabenzopyran (synthetic musks that are widely used in personal-care products and are known endocrine disruptors); tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, tri(dichloroisopropyl) phosphate, and tributyl phosphate (fire retardants); metolachlor (herbicide); caffeine (nonprescription stimulant); cotinine (metabolite of nicotine); acetaminophen (nonprescription analgesic); and sulfamethoxazole (prescription antibiotic). The occurrence and distribution of organic wastewater compounds varied considerably among sampling sites, but at least one compound was detected at every location. The most organic wastewater compounds (19) were detected at the Neuse River above U.S. 70 at Smithfield, where two-thirds of the total number of samples were collected. The fewest organic wastewater compounds (1) were detected at the Eno River at Hillsborough. The detection of multiple organic wastewater compounds was common, with a median of 3.5 and as many as 12 compounds observed in individual samples. Some compounds, including acetaminophen, cotinine, tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, and metolachlor, were detected at numerous sites and in numerous samples, indicating that they are widely distributed in the environment. Other organic wastewater compounds, including acetyl-hexamethyl tetrahydronaphthalene and hexahydro-hexamethyl cyclopentabenzopyran, were detected in numerous samples but at only one location, indicating that sources of these compounds are more site specific. Results indicate that municipal wastewater may be a source of antibiotics and synthetic musks; however, the three sites in this study that are located downstream from wastewater discharges also receive runoff from agricultural, urban, and rural residential lands. Source identification was not an objective of this study. Concentrations of individual compounds generally were less than 0.5 microgram per liter. No concentrations exceeded Federal drinking-water standards or health advisories, nor water-quality criteria established by the State of North Carolina; however, such criteria are available for only a few of the compounds that were studied. Compared with other surface waters that have been sampled across the United States, the Triangle Area water-supply sites had fewer detections of organic wastewater compounds; however, differences in study design and analytical methods used among studies must be considered when mak

Sorbent-based sampling methods for volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds in air Part 1: Sorbent-based air monitoring options.

PubMed

Woolfenden, Elizabeth

2010-04-16

Sorbent tubes/traps are widely used in combination with gas chromatographic (GC) analytical methods to monitor the vapour-phase fraction of organic compounds in air. Target compounds range in volatility from acetylene and freons to phthalates and PCBs and include apolar, polar and reactive species. Airborne vapour concentrations will vary depending on the nature of the location, nearby pollution sources, weather conditions, etc. Levels can range from low percent concentrations in stack and vent emissions to low part per trillion (ppt) levels in ultra-clean outdoor locations. Hundreds, even thousands of different compounds may be present in any given atmosphere. GC is commonly used in combination with mass spectrometry (MS) detection especially for environmental monitoring or for screening uncharacterised workplace atmospheres. Given the complexity and variability of organic vapours in air, no one sampling approach suits every monitoring scenario. A variety of different sampling strategies and sorbent media have been developed to address specific applications. Key sorbent-based examples include: active (pumped) sampling onto tubes packed with one or more sorbents held at ambient temperature; diffusive (passive) sampling onto sorbent tubes/cartridges; on-line sampling of air/gas streams into cooled sorbent traps; and transfer of air samples from containers (canisters, Tedlar) bags, etc.) into cooled sorbent focusing traps. Whichever sampling approach is selected, subsequent analysis almost always involves either solvent extraction or thermal desorption (TD) prior to GC(/MS) analysis. The overall performance of the air monitoring method will depend heavily on appropriate selection of key sampling and analytical parameters. This comprehensive review of air monitoring using sorbent tubes/traps is divided into 2 parts. (1) Sorbent-based air sampling option. (2) Sorbent selection and other aspects of optimizing sorbent-based air monitoring methods. The paper presents current state-of-the-art and recent developments in relevant areas such as sorbent research, sampler design, enhanced approaches to analytical quality assurance and on-tube derivatisation. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of groundwater, soil-gas, and soil contamination at the Vietnam Armor Training Facility, Fort Gordon, Georgia, 2009-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guimaraes, Wladmir B.; Falls, W. Fred; Caldwell, Andral W.; Ratliff, W. Hagan; Wellborn, John B.; Landmeyer, James E.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Army Environmental and Natural Resources Management Office of the U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon, Georgia, assessed the groundwater, soil gas, and soil for contaminants at the Vietnam Armor Training Facility (VATF) at Fort Gordon, from October 2009 to September 2010. The assessment included the detection of organic compounds in the groundwater and soil gas, and inorganic compounds in the soil. In addition, organic contaminant assessment included organic compounds classified as explosives and chemical agents in selected areas. The assessment was conducted to provide environmental contamination data to the U.S. Army at Fort Gordon pursuant to requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B Hazardous Waste Permit process. Four passive samplers were deployed in groundwater wells at the VATF in Fort Gordon. Total petroleum hydrocarbons were detected above the method detection level at all four wells. The only other volatile organic compounds detected above their method detection level were undecane and pentadecane, which were detected in two of the four wells sampled. Soil-gas samplers were deployed at 72 locations in a grid pattern across the VATF. Total petroleum hydrocarbons were detected in 71 of the 72 samplers (one sampler was destroyed in the field and not analyzed) at levels above the method detection level, and the combined mass of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and total xylene was detected above the detection level in 31 of the 71 samplers that were analyzed. Other volatile organic compounds detected above their respective method detection levels were naphthalene, 2-methyl-naphthalene, tridecane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and perchloroethene. Subsequent to the soil-gas survey, four areas determined to have elevated contaminant mass were selected and sampled for explosives and chemical agents. No detections of explosives or chemical agents above their respective method detection levels were found at any of the sampling locations. The same four locations that were sampled for explosives and chemical agents were selected for the collection of soil samples. A fifth location also was selected on the basis of the elevated contaminant mass of the soil-gas survey. No metals that exceeded the Regional Screening Levels for Industrial Soils as classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were detected at any of the five VATF locations. The soil samples also were compared to values from the ambient, uncontaminated (background) levels for soils in South Carolina, as classified by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Because South Carolina is adjacent to Georgia and the soils in the coastal plain are similar, these comparisons are valid. No similar values are available for Georgia to use for comparison purposes. The metals that were detected above the ambient background levels for South Carolina, as classified by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, include aluminum, arsenic, barium, beryllium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, nickel, potassium, sodium, and zinc.

Identification of possible sources of particulate matter in the personal cloud using SEM/EDX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conner, Teri L.; Williams, Ronald W.

2004-10-01

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) conducted the Baltimore Particulate Matter (PM) Epidemiology-Exposure Study of the Elderly during the summer of 1998. The study design included PM2.5 samples obtained from elderly (65+ years of age) retirement facility residents using personal exposure sampling devices. These sampling devices were also used to obtain PM2.5 samples at fixed locations within the personal monitoring subjects' apartments. Selected personal and apartment samples were examined using scanning electron microscopy with individual-particle X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX), providing a qualitative assessment of the chemical and physical characteristics of geological and trace element particles collected within these micro-environments at the retirement facility. This information was used to identify possible indoor source particles. The manual surveys of the personal samples revealed that some particles larger than 2.5 μm reached the filter surface. Using SEM/EDX, several particle types with possible indoor origins were identified. The Al-Zr-Cl particle is likely to have originated from a personal antiperspirant product. Particles with a talc or alumino-silicate composition point to cosmetics as a possible source. Large cadmium-containing particles were also found, which may indicate the use of art pigments or ceramic glazes, or emissions from television screen phosphors. A greater variety of particles was observed in a personal sample compared with its corresponding fixed-location apartment sample.

Selecting A Landing Site Of Astrobiological Interest For Mars Landers And Sample Return Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wills, Danielle; Monaghan, E.; Foing, B.

2008-09-01

The landscape of Mars, despite its apparent hostility to life, is riddled with geological and mineralogical signs of past or present hydrological activity. As such, it is a key target for astrobiological exploration. The aim of this work is to combine data and studies to select top priority landing locations for in-situ landers and sample return missions to Mars. We report in particular on science and technical criteria and our data analysis for sites of astrobiological interest. This includes information from previous missions (such as Mars Express, MGS, Odyssey, MRO and MER rovers) on mineralogical composition, geomorphology, evidence from past water history from imaging and spectroscopic data, and existence of in-situ prior information from landers and rovers (concerning evidence for volatiles, organics and habitability conditions). We discuss key mission objectives, and consider the accessibility of chosen locations. We describe what additional measurements are needed, and outline the technical and scientific operations requirements of in-situ landers and sample return missions to Mars.

Bacteria and Nutrients in the Obhur Recreational Sharm, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turki, Adnan; Mudarris, Mohammed

2013-04-01

Environmental pollution that render waters along the recreational shore unsatisfactory for use by the general public has become a global health problem. This study was carried out to examine the marine waters in sampling stations located at Sharm Obhur (North of Jeddah). These parameters included: total coliform (TC), l fecal coliform (FC) and nutrients (NO2-N, NO3-N, NH4-N and PO4-P). A comparison of the mean values of nutrients in Sharm Obhur with those of other locations in the Red Sea suggests that the mean levels of nutrients were similar to those of unpolluted areas. TC and FC counts were higher at the north sampling stations than the south ones, and with little variations between their numbers. FC was not recovered at stations to the south. The study shows that TC and FC counts at all sampling stations similar to the levels reported for normal unpolluted sea water. Keywords: Pollution, Nutrients, Coliforms, Sharm Obhur, Red Sea.

Chemical Analyses of Pre-Holocene Rocks from Medicine Lake Volcano and Vicinity, Northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.

2008-01-01

Chemical analyses are presented in an accompanying table (Table 1) for more than 600 pre-Holocene rocks collected at and near Medicine Lake Volcano, northern California. The data include major-element X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses for all of the rocks plus XRF trace element data for most samples, and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) trace element data for many samples. In addition, a limited number of analyses of Na2O and K2O by flame photometry (FP) are included as well assome wet chemical analyses of FeO, H2O+/-, and CO2. Latitude and longitude location information is provided for all samples. This data set is intended to accompany the geologic map of Medicine Lake Volcano (Donnelly-Nolan, in press); map unit designations are given for each sample collected from the map area.

Co-victims of Homicide: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Connolly, Jennifer; Gordon, Ronit

2015-10-01

This systematic literature review examines the effects of homicide on surviving family members, the "co-victims" or "survivors" of homicide. A content analysis was conducted on 40 articles identified through a search of the literature. The research samples were predominately located in the United States, but included two U.K. samples, one Jamaican sample, and one sample from Israel. All articles were written in English. Three themes were identified. Nineteen articles explored the psychological, academic, social, occupational, and familial effects of homicide. Thirteen articles considered survivors' grieving process and how it was altered by experiences with the criminal justice system as well as coping strategies used by survivors to deal with their grief. Eight articles explored treatment interventions available to help surviving family members deal with their grief. Key findings from the articles, limitations of the current research, and implications for future research, policy, and practice are included. © The Author(s) 2014.

Challenges with Final Status Surveys at a Large Decommissioning Site - 13417

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

Downey, Heath; Collopy, Peter; Shephard, Eugene

2013-07-01

As part of decommissioning a former nuclear fuel manufacturing site, one of the crucial final steps is to conduct Final Status Surveys (FSS) in order to demonstrate compliance with the release criteria. At this decommissioning site, the area for FSS was about 100 hectares (248 acres) and included varying terrain, wooded areas, ponds, excavations, buildings and a brook. The challenges in performing the FSS included determining location, identifying FSS units, logging gamma walkover survey data, determining sample locations, managing water in excavations, and diverting water in the brook. The approaches taken to overcome these challenges will be presented in themore » paper. The paper will present and discuss lessons learned that will aid others in the FSS process. (authors)« less

Water-quality and biological data for selected streams, lakes, and wells in the High Point Lake watershed, Guilford County, North Carolina, 1988-89

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davenport, M.S.

1993-01-01

Water and bottom-sediment samples were collected at 26 sites in the 65-square-mile High Point Lake watershed area of Guilford County, North Carolina, from December 1988 through December 1989. Sampling locations included 10 stream sites, 8 lake sites, and 8 ground-water sites. Generally, six steady-flow samples were collected at each stream site and three storm samples were collected at five sites. Four lake samples and eight ground-water samples also were collected. Chemical analyses of stream and lake sediments and particle-size analyses of lake sediments were performed once during the study. Most stream and lake samples were analyzed for field characteristics, nutrients, major ions, trace elements, total organic carbon, and chemical-oxygen demand. Analyses were performed to detect concentrations of 149 selected organic compounds, including acid and base/neutral extractable and volatile constituents and carbamate, chlorophenoxy acid, triazine, organochlorine, and organophosphorus pesticides and herbicides. Selected lake samples were analyzed for all constituents listed in the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1986, including Giardia, Legionella, radiochemicals, asbestos, and viruses. Various chromatograms from organic analyses were submitted to computerized library searches. The results of these and all other analyses presented in this report are in tabular form.

100 Area Columbia River sediment sampling

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

Weiss, S.G.

1993-09-08

Forty-four sediment samples were collected from 28 locations in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River to assess the presence of metals and man-made radionuclides in the near shore and shoreline settings of the Hanford Site. Three locations were sampled upriver of the Hanford Site plutonium production reactors. Twenty-two locations were sampled near the reactors. Three locations were sampled downstream of the reactors near the Hanford Townsite. Sediment was collected from depths of 0 to 6 in. and between 12 to 24 in. below the surface. Samples containing concentrations of metals exceeding the 95 % upper threshold limit values (DOE-RLmore » 1993b) are considered contaminated. Contamination by arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, and zinc was found. Man-made radionuclides occur in all samples except four collected opposite the Hanford Townsite. Man-made radionuclide concentrations were generally less than 1 pCi/g.« less

Acoustic emissions imaging and synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis of calcite at high pressure and temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasc, J.; Brantut, N.; Schubnel, A.; Brunet, F.; Mueller, H.

2008-12-01

We have monitored from in-situ X-ray diffraction coupled to Acoustic Emission (AE) imaging, the behavior of a fine grained synthetic calcite aggregate, at 0.66 GPa and for temperatures ranging from ambient to 1200° C. The powder sample was placed in a boron-epoxy assembly with an 8 mm edge-length and loaded in the MAX80 cubic multi-anvil press installed on the German synchrotron (HASYLAB-DESY, Hamburg). AE were recorded using five piezoceramic transducers (5 MHz eigen frequency) glued on each of the five WC anvils (4 side anvils and upper one). Full waveforms were acquired using an eight channel digital oscilloscope and located using the software Insite (ASC Ltd). Beyond 600° C, calcite grains started growing as evidenced by huge changes in the relative intensity of the diffraction lines. This is correlated to a sudden burst of AE which all located within the sample volume. These AE may indicate that stress relaxation, going on as intra-crystalline plasticity mechanisms were activated, released enough acoustic energy to be recorded and located. Although the diffraction data showed that grain growth continued beyond 800° C, the acoustic activity progressively decreased to below the sensitivity of our recording device (i.e. the triggering level). However, at temperature higher than 1000° C, a large number of AE were recorded again ( 2000 events). AE location revealed that the AE front progressed inwards the sample. The complete loss of diffraction signal and the post-mortem recovery of small amounts of CaO suggest that the second AE burst may be related to calcite melting/decarbonation. Perspectives include thorough microstructural analysis of the samples using electron microscopies (SEM and TEM) as well as a statistical and mechanical analysis of the acoustic data.

Archaeal and Bacterial Communities Associated with the Surface Mucus of Caribbean Corals Differ in Their Degree of Host Specificity and Community Turnover Over Reefs.

PubMed

Frade, Pedro R; Roll, Katharina; Bergauer, Kristin; Herndl, Gerhard J

2016-01-01

Comparative studies on the distribution of archaeal versus bacterial communities associated with the surface mucus layer of corals have rarely taken place. It has therefore remained enigmatic whether mucus-associated archaeal and bacterial communities exhibit a similar specificity towards coral hosts and whether they vary in the same fashion over spatial gradients and between reef locations. We used microbial community profiling (terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism, T-RFLP) and clone library sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to compare the diversity and community structure of dominant archaeal and bacterial communities associating with the mucus of three common reef-building coral species (Porites astreoides, Siderastrea siderea and Orbicella annularis) over different spatial scales on a Caribbean fringing reef. Sampling locations included three reef sites, three reef patches within each site and two depths. Reference sediment samples and ambient water were also taken for each of the 18 sampling locations resulting in a total of 239 samples. While only 41% of the bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) characterized by T-RFLP were shared between mucus and the ambient water or sediment, for archaeal OTUs this percentage was 2-fold higher (78%). About half of the mucus-associated OTUs (44% and 58% of bacterial and archaeal OTUs, respectively) were shared between the three coral species. Our multivariate statistical analysis (ANOSIM, PERMANOVA and CCA) showed that while the bacterial community composition was determined by habitat (mucus, sediment or seawater), host coral species, location and spatial distance, the archaeal community composition was solely determined by the habitat. This study highlights that mucus-associated archaeal and bacterial communities differ in their degree of community turnover over reefs and in their host-specificity.

Modeling Particle Exposure in US Trucking Terminals

PubMed Central

Davis, ME; Smith, TJ; Laden, F; Hart, JE; Ryan, LM; Garshick, E

2007-01-01

Multi-tiered sampling approaches are common in environmental and occupational exposure assessment, where exposures for a given individual are often modeled based on simultaneous measurements taken at multiple indoor and outdoor sites. The monitoring data from such studies is hierarchical by design, imposing a complex covariance structure that must be accounted for in order to obtain unbiased estimates of exposure. Statistical methods such as structural equation modeling (SEM) represent a useful alternative to simple linear regression in these cases, providing simultaneous and unbiased predictions of each level of exposure based on a set of covariates specific to the exposure setting. We test the SEM approach using data from a large exposure assessment of diesel and combustion particles in the US trucking industry. The exposure assessment includes data from 36 different trucking terminals across the United States sampled between 2001 and 2005, measuring PM2.5 and its elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC) components, by personal monitoring, and sampling at two indoor work locations and an outdoor “background” location. Using the SEM method, we predict: 1) personal exposures as a function of work related exposure and smoking status; 2) work related exposure as a function of terminal characteristics, indoor ventilation, job location, and background exposure conditions; and 3) background exposure conditions as a function of weather, nearby source pollution, and other regional differences across terminal sites. The primary advantage of SEMs in this setting is the ability to simultaneously predict exposures at each of the sampling locations, while accounting for the complex covariance structure among the measurements and descriptive variables. The statistically significant results and high R2 values observed from the trucking industry application supports the broader use of this approach in exposure assessment modeling. PMID:16856739

Magnetostratigraphy in the Lodo Formation, CA: An Attempt to Locate Hyperthermals of the Early Eocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aldrich, N. C.; Pluhar, C. J.; Gibbs, S.; Rieth, J. A.

2015-12-01

The Lodo Formation in the California Coast Range, Fresno County records the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and possibly other Early Eocene hyperthermal events. The Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 (ETM2, ELMO, or H1) represents a hyperthermal event that occurred approximately 2 million years after the PETM and just prior to the C24r - C24n magnetic reversal (≈ 53.9 Ma) in the Ypresian. While the ETM2 event has been located in offshore samples, it has been more difficult to locate in a terrestrial section. This project attempts to locate the ETM2 magnetostratigraphically by finding the paleomagnetic reversal at C24r-C24n.3n, provide geochronological framework, and assess sedimentation rate changes during this time. This area is known to have had a high rate of deposition (16.8 cm/kyr ) during the PETM, which is found lower in the section. We collected 36 new samples from a 13.44m section spanning stratigraphy thought to cover the ETM2 along with 31 previous samples spanning the PETM, and prepared them for paleomagnetic and paleontological analysis. We analyzed samples using standard paleomagnetic methods including low-temperature and thermal demagnetization. Preliminary results suggest that the magnetostratigraphy spans the C24r-C24n boundary, while the micropaleontology shows the NP10-NP11 boundary, which occurs near the ETM2 as well as the NP11-NP12 boundary. The data indicate an order-of-magnitude drop in sedimentation rate in the lower Eocene at this site, concomitant with a drop in grain size, compared with the PETM.

Dosimeter for monitoring vapors and aerosols of organic compounds

DOEpatents

Vo-Dinh, Tuan

1987-01-01

A dosimeter is provided for collecting and detecting vapors and aerosols of organic compounds. The dosimeter comprises a lightweight, passive device that can be conveniently worn by a person as a badge or placed at a stationary location. The dosimeter includes a sample collector comprising a porous web treated with a chemical for inducing molecular displacement and enhancing phosphorescence. Compounds are collected onto the web by molecular diffusion. The web also serves as the sample medium for detecting the compounds by a room temperature phosphorescence technique.

Investigation of Skin Cancers Using MicroRaman Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Short, M. A.; Chen, X. K.; Zeng, H.; Ajlan, A. A.; McLean, D. I.; Hui, H.

2004-03-01

We have measured the Raman spectra of skin cancers, including melanoma and basal cell carcinoma, using a confocal microRaman spectrograph. In an attempt to identify the origin of the observed Raman modes, we investigated the spectra obtained from different locations of the samples, compared the observed spectra with those measured from normal human skin and pig skin, and studied the polarization dependence of the spectra. In addition, we will discuss the effects of fluorescence in the measurement of Raman spectra of skin samples.

Characterization of ice nucleating particles during continuous springtime measurements in Prudhoe Bay: an Arctic oilfield location

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Creamean, J.; Spada, N. J.; Kirpes, R.; Pratt, K.

2017-12-01

Aerosols that serve as ice nucleating particles (INPs) have the potential to modulate cloud microphysical properties. INPs can thus subsequently impact cloud radiative forcing in addition to modification of precipitation formation processes. In regions such as the Arctic, aerosol-cloud interactions are severely understudied yet have significant implications for surface radiation reaching the sea ice and snow surfaces. Further, uncertainties in model representations of heterogeneous ice nucleation are a significant hindrance to simulating Arctic mixed-phase cloud processes. Characterizing a combination of aerosol chemical, physical, and ice nucleating properties is pertinent to evaluating of the role of aerosols in altering Arctic cloud microphysics. We present preliminary results from an aerosol sampling campaign called INPOP (Ice Nucleating Particles at Oliktok Point), which took place at a U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (DOE ARM) facility on the North Slope of Alaska. Three time- and size-resolved aerosol samplers were deployed from 1 Mar to 31 May 2017 and were co-located with routine measurements of aerosol number, size, chemical, and radiative property measurements conducted by DOE ARM at their Aerosol Observing System (AOS). Offline analysis of samples collected at a daily time resolution included composition and morphology via single-particle analysis and drop freezing measurements for INP concentrations, while analysis of 12-hourly samples included mass, optical, and elemental composition. We deliberate the possible influences on the aerosol and INP population from the Prudhoe Bay oilfield resource extraction and daily operations in addition to what may be local background or long-range transported aerosol. To our knowledge our results represent some of the first INP characterization measurements in an Arctic oilfield location and can be used as a benchmark for future INP characterization studies in Arctic locations impacted by local resource extraction pollution. Ultimately, these results can be used to evaluate the impacts of oil exploration activities on Arctic cloud aerosol composition and possible linkages to Arctic cloud ice formation.

Assessment of need for transport tubes when continuously monitoring for radioactive aerosols.

PubMed

Whicker, J J; Rodgers, J C; Lopez, R C

1999-09-01

Aerosol transport tubes are often used to draw aerosol from desirable sampling locations to nearby air sampling equipment that cannot be placed at that location. In many plutonium laboratories at Los Alamos National Laboratory, aerosol transport tubes are used to transport aerosol from the front of room ventilation exhaust registers to continuous air monitors (CAMs) that are mounted on nearby walls. Transport tubes are used because past guidance suggests that extraction of aerosol samples from exhaust locations provides the most sensitive and reliable detection under conditions where the rooms have unpredictable release locations and significant spatial variability in aerosol concentrations after releases, and where CAMs cannot be located in front of exhaust registers without blocking worker walkways. Despite designs to minimize particle loss in tubes, aerosol transport model predictions suggest losses occur lowering the sensitivity of CAMs to accidentally released plutonium aerosol. The goal of this study was to test the hypotheses that the reliability, speed, and sensitivity of aerosol detection would be equal whether the sample was extracted from the front of the exhaust register or from the wall location of CAMs. Polydisperse oil aerosols were released from multiple locations in two plutonium laboratories to simulate plutonium aerosol releases. Networked laser particle counters (LPCs) were positioned to simultaneously measure time-resolved aerosol concentrations at each exhaust register (representative of sampling with transport tubes) and at each wall-mounted CAM location (representative of sampling without transport tubes). Results showed no significant differences in detection reliability, speed, or sensitivity for LPCs positioned at exhaust locations when compared to LPCs positioned at the CAM wall location. Therefore, elimination of transport tubes would likely improve CAM performance.

Effects of the built environment on physical activity of adults living in rural settings.

PubMed

Frost, Stephanie S; Goins, R Turner; Hunter, Rebecca H; Hooker, Steven P; Bryant, Lucinda L; Kruger, Judy; Pluto, Delores

2010-01-01

To conduct a systematic review of the literature to examine the influence of the built environment (BE) on the physical activity (PA) of adults in rural settings. Key word searches of Academic Search Premier, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Sport Discus were conducted. Studies published prior to June 2008 were included if they assessed one or more elements of the BE, examined relationships between the BE and PA, and focused on rural locales. Studies only reporting descriptive statistics or assessing the reliability of measures were excluded. Objective(s), sample size, sampling technique, geographic location, and definition of rural were extracted from each study. Methods of assessment and outcomes were extracted from the quantitative literature, and overarching themes were identified from the qualitative literature. Key characteristics and findings from the data are summarized in Tables 1 through 3. Twenty studies met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Positive associations were found among pleasant aesthetics, trails, safety/crime, parks, and walkable destinations. Research in this area is limited. Associations among elements of the BE and PA among adults appear to differ between rural and urban areas. Considerations for future studies include identifying parameters used to define rural, longitudinal research, and more diverse geographic sampling. Development and refinement of BE assessment tools specific to rural locations are also warranted.

PCB dechlorination hotspots and reductive dehalogenase genes in sediments from a contaminated wastewater lagoon.

PubMed

Mattes, Timothy E; Ewald, Jessica M; Liang, Yi; Martinez, Andres; Awad, Andrew; Richards, Patrick; Hornbuckle, Keri C; Schnoor, Jerald L

2017-08-12

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of persistent organic pollutants that are distributed worldwide. Although industrial PCB production has stopped, legacy contamination can be traced to several different commercial mixtures (e.g., Aroclors in the USA). Despite their persistence, PCBs are subject to naturally occurring biodegradation processes, although the microbes and enzymes involved are poorly understood. The biodegradation potential of PCB-contaminated sediments in a wastewater lagoon located in Virginia (USA) was studied. Total PCB concentrations in sediments ranged from 6.34 to 12,700 mg/kg. PCB congener profiles in sediment sample were similar to Aroclor 1248; however, PCB congener profiles at several locations showed evidence of dechlorination. The sediment microbial community structure varied among samples but was dominated by Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. The relative abundance of putative dechlorinating Chloroflexi (including Dehalococcoides sp.) was 0.01-0.19% among the sediment samples, with Dehalococcoides sp. representing 0.6-14.8% of this group. Other possible PCB dechlorinators present included the Clostridia and the Geobacteraceae. A PCR survey for potential PCB reductive dehalogenase genes (RDases) yielded 11 sequences related to RDase genes in PCB-respiring Dehalococcoides mccartyi strain CG5 and PCB-dechlorinating D. mccartyi strain CBDB1. This is the first study to retrieve potential PCB RDase genes from unenriched PCB-contaminated sediments.

Atmospheric Concentrations of New Persistent Organic Pollutants and Emerging Chemicals of Concern in the Group of Latin America and Caribbean (GRULAC) Region.

PubMed

Rauert, Cassandra; Harner, Tom; Schuster, Jasmin K; Eng, Anita; Fillmann, Gilberto; Castillo, Luisa Eugenia; Fentanes, Oscar; Villa Ibarra, Martín; Miglioranza, Karina S B; Moreno Rivadeneira, Isabel; Pozo, Karla; Aristizábal Zuluaga, Beatriz Helena

2018-06-15

A special initiative was run by the Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS) Network to provide atmospheric data on a range of emerging chemicals of concern and candidate and new persistent organic pollutants in the Group of Latin America and Caribbean (GRULAC) region. Regional-scale data for a range of flame retardants (FRs) including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), and a range of alternative FRs (novel FRs) are reported over 2 years of sampling with low detection frequencies of the novel FRs. Atmospheric concentrations of the OPEs were an order of magnitude higher than all other FRs, with similar profiles at all sites. Regional-scale background concentrations of the poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including the neutral PFAS (n-PFAS) and perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), and the volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS) are also reported. Ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide (EtFOSA) was detected at highly elevated concentrations in Brazil and Colombia, in line with the use of the pesticide sulfluramid in this region. Similar concentrations of the perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFAS) were detected throughout the GRULAC region regardless of location type, and the VMS concentrations in air increased with the population density of sampling locations. This is the first report of atmospheric concentrations of the PFAAs and VMS from this region.

Impacts of sampling design and estimation methods on nutrient leaching of intensively monitored forest plots in the Netherlands.

PubMed

de Vries, W; Wieggers, H J J; Brus, D J

2010-08-05

Element fluxes through forest ecosystems are generally based on measurements of concentrations in soil solution at regular time intervals at plot locations sampled in a regular grid. Here we present spatially averaged annual element leaching fluxes in three Dutch forest monitoring plots using a new sampling strategy in which both sampling locations and sampling times are selected by probability sampling. Locations were selected by stratified random sampling with compact geographical blocks of equal surface area as strata. In each sampling round, six composite soil solution samples were collected, consisting of five aliquots, one per stratum. The plot-mean concentration was estimated by linear regression, so that the bias due to one or more strata being not represented in the composite samples is eliminated. The sampling times were selected in such a way that the cumulative precipitation surplus of the time interval between two consecutive sampling times was constant, using an estimated precipitation surplus averaged over the past 30 years. The spatially averaged annual leaching flux was estimated by using the modeled daily water flux as an ancillary variable. An important advantage of the new method is that the uncertainty in the estimated annual leaching fluxes due to spatial and temporal variation and resulting sampling errors can be quantified. Results of this new method were compared with the reference approach in which daily leaching fluxes were calculated by multiplying daily interpolated element concentrations with daily water fluxes and then aggregated to a year. Results show that the annual fluxes calculated with the reference method for the period 2003-2005, including all plots, elements and depths, lies only in 53% of the cases within the range of the average +/-2 times the standard error of the new method. Despite the differences in results, both methods indicate comparable N retention and strong Al mobilization in all plots, with Al leaching being nearly equal to the leaching of SO(4) and NO(3) with fluxes expressed in mol(c) ha(-1) yr(-1). This illustrates that Al release, which is the clearest signal of soil acidification, is mainly due to the external input of SO(4) and NO(3).

CFD modelling of sampling locations for early detection of spontaneous combustion in long-wall gob areas.

PubMed

Yuan, Liming; Smith, Alex C

In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling was conducted to optimize gas sampling locations for the early detection of spontaneous heating in longwall gob areas. Initial simulations were carried out to predict carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations at various regulators in the gob using a bleeder ventilation system. Measured CO concentration values at these regulators were then used to calibrate the CFD model. The calibrated CFD model was used to simulate CO concentrations at eight sampling locations in the gob using a bleederless ventilation system to determine the optimal sampling locations for early detection of spontaneous combustion.

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

Fritz, Brad G.; Dirkes, Roger L.; Napier, Bruce A.

The Hanford Reach National Monument (HRNM) was created by presidential proclamation in 2000. It is located along the Columbia River in south central Washington and consists of five distinct units. The McGee Ranch-Riverlands and the North Slope units are addressed in this report. North Slope refers to two of the HRNM units: the Saddle Mountain Unit and the Wahluke Slope Unit. The Saddle Mountain and Wahluke Slope Units are located north of the Columbia River, while the McGee Ranch-Riverlands Unit is located south of the Columbia River and north and west of Washington State Highway 24. To fulfill internal U.S.more » Department of Energy (DOE) requirements prior to any radiological clearance of land, the DOE must evaluate the potential for residual radioactive contamination on this land and determine compliance with the requirements of DOE Order 5400.5. Authorized limits for residual radioactive contamination were developed based on the DOE annual exposure limit to the public (100 mrem) using future potential land-use scenarios. The DOE Office of Environmental Management approved these authorized limits on March 1, 2004. Historical soil monitoring conducted on and around the HRNM indicated soil concentrations of radionuclides were well below the authorized limits (Fritz et al. 2003). However, the historical sampling was done at a limited number of sampling locations. Therefore, additional soil sampling was conducted to determine if the concentrations of radionuclides in soil on the McGee Ranch-Riverlands and North Slope units were below the authorized limits. Sixty-seven soil samples were collected from the McGee Ranch-Riverlands and North Slope units. A software package (Visual Sample Plan) was used to plan the collection to assure an adequate number of samples were collected. The number of samples necessary to decide with a high level of confidence (99%) that the soil concentrations of radionuclides on the North Slope and McGee Ranch-Riverlands units did not exceed the authorized limits was determined to be 27. Additional soil samples were collected from areas suspected to have a potential for accumulation of radionuclides. This included samples collected from the riparian zone along the Columbia River, Savage Island, and other locations across the North Slope and McGee Ranch-Riverlands units. The 67 soil samples collected from the McGee Ranch-Riverlands and North Slope units all had concentrations of radionuclides far below the authorized limits established by the DOE. Statistical analysis of the results concluded that the Authorized Limits were not exceeded when total uncertainty was considered. The calculated upper confidence limit for each radionuclide measured in this study (which represents the value at which 99% of the measurements reside below with a 99% confidence level) was lower than the Authorized Limit for each radionuclide. The maximum observed soil concentrations for the radionuclides included in the authorized limits would result in a potential annual dose of 0.23 mrem assuming the most probable use scenario, a recreational visitor. This potential dose is well below the DOE 100-mrem/year dose limit for members of the public. Furthermore, the results of the biota dose assessment screen, which used the RESRAD biota code, indicated that the sum of fractions is less than one. This assumed soil concentrations equal to the maximum concentrations of radionuclides measured on the McGee Ranch-Riverlands and North Slope units’ in this study. Since the sum of fractions was less than 1, dose to terrestrial biota will not exceed the recommended biota dose limit for the soil concentrations measured in this study.« less

The population of planetary nebulae near the Galactic Centre: chemical abundances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mollá, M.; Cavichia, O.; Costa, R. D. D.; Maciel, W. J.

2017-10-01

In this work, we report physical parameters and abundances derived for a sample of 15 high extinction planetary nebulae located in the inner 2° of the Galactic bulge, based on low dispersion spectroscopy secured at the SOAR telescope using the Goodman spectrograph. The new data allow us to extend our database including older, weaker objects that are at the faint end of the planetary nebulae luminosity function. The data provide chemical compositions for PNe located in this region of the bulge to explore the chemical enrichment history of the central region of the Galactic bulge. The results show that the abundances of our sample are skewed to higher metallicities than previous data in the outer regions of the bulge. This can indicate a faster chemical enrichment taking place at the Galactic centre.

Multielement geochemistry identifies the spatial pattern of soil and sediment contamination in an urban parkland, Western Australia.

PubMed

Rate, Andrew W

2018-06-15

Urban environments are dynamic and highly heterogeneous, and multiple additions of potential contaminants are likely on timescales which are short relative to natural processes. The likely sources and location of soil or sediment contamination in urban environment should therefore be detectable using multielement geochemical composition combined with rigorously applied multivariate statistical techniques. Soil, wetland sediment, and street dust was sampled along intersecting transects in Robertson Park in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. Samples were analysed for near-total concentrations of multiple elements (including Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Gd, La, Mn, Nd, Ni, Pb, Y, and Zn), as well as pH, and electrical conductivity. Samples at some locations within Robertson Park had high concentrations of potentially toxic elements (Pb above Health Investigation Limits; As, Ba, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn above Ecological Investigation Limits). However, these concentrations carry low risk due to the main land use as recreational open space, the low proportion of samples exceeding guideline values, and a tendency for the highest concentrations to be located within the less accessible wetland basin. The different spatial distributions of different groups of contaminants was consistent with different inputs of contaminants related to changes in land use and technology over the history of the site. Multivariate statistical analyses reinforced the spatial information, with principal component analysis identifying geochemical associations of elements which were also spatially related. A multivariate linear discriminant model was able to discriminate samples into a-priori types, and could predict sample type with 84% accuracy based on multielement composition. The findings suggest substantial advantages of characterising a site using multielement and multivariate analyses, an approach which could benefit investigations of other sites of concern. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New measurements of particulates in glacial snow and ice in the Cordillera Blanca mountains of Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

All, J.; Schmitt, C.; Celestian, A. J.; Rucks, M.; Arnott, W. P.; Cole, R.

2012-12-01

During the local dry season (June/July) of 2011 and 2012, the American Climber Science Program (organized with the assistance of the American Alpine Club) conducted scientific expeditions in Huascaran National Park in Peru. The Park is located in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range and contains the world's largest collection of tropical mountain glaciers. One component of the environmental research program was sampling particulates on glacier surfaces by means of snow collection and filtration. Over 150 samples were collected during the two expeditions by volunteer climbers working with scientists in the field. Glacier snows were collected on over fifteen peaks throughout the range at altitudes from 4800 to nearly 6800 meters. Snow samples were kept frozen until the climber-scientists returned to basecamp - at which point they were rapidly melted and then immediately filtered through 0.7 micron PallFlex tissuequartz filters. The particulates captured on the filters have been analyzed for their bulk heat absorption properties as well as to determine the properties of individual particles through X-ray diffraction for bulk mineral identification, and Raman microscopy for chemical mapping of minerals. Preliminary results indicate that snow age, altitude, as well as geographic location (with respect to urban areas, mines, and predominant wind direction) all play significant roles in the amount and types of contaminants. Multiple locations were sampled during both expeditions as well as at different times during the same climbing season. Results include the relative heating capacity of the samples at various wavelengths as well as mineral composition information across the range. Local weather patterns and geographic observations will be used to identify potential sources of contaminants. Sampling will continue under the American Climber Science Program in 2013 and beyond.

Quantification of Juniperus Ashei Pollen Production for the Development of Forecasting Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bunderson, L. D.; Levetin, E.

2010-01-01

Juniperus ashei pollen is considered one of the most allergenic species of Cupressaceae in North America. Juniperus ashei is distributed throughout central Texas, Northern Mexico, the Arbuckle Mountains of south central Oklahoma, and the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas and southwestern Missouri. The large amount of airborne pollen that J. ashei produces affects inhabitants of cities and towns adjacent to juniper woodland areas and because juniper pollen can be transported over long distances, it affects populations that are far away. In order to create a dynamic forecast system for allergy and asthma sufferers, pollen production must be estimated. Estimation of pollen production requires the estimation of male cone production. Two locations in the Arbuckle Mountains of Oklahoma and 4 locations in the Edwards Plateau region of Texas were chosen as sampling sites. Trees were measured to determine approximate size. Male to female ratio was determined and pollen cone production was estimated using a qualitative scale from 0 to 2. Cones were counted from harvested 1/8 sections of representative trees. The representative trees were measured and approximate surface area of the tree was calculated. Using the representative tree data, the number of cones per square meter was calculated for medium production (1) and high production (2) trees. These numbers were extrapolated to calculate cone production in other trees sampled. Calibration was achieved within each location's sub-plot by counting cones on 5 branches collected from 5 sides of both high production and medium production trees. The total area sampled in each location was 0.06 hectare and total cone production varied greatly from location to location. The highest production area produced 5.8 million cones while the lowest production area produced 72,000 cones. A single representative high production tree in the Arbuckle Mountains produced 1.38 million cones. The number of trees per location was relatively uniform, but the number of high cone production trees varied greatly. Although there is great diversity in the locations making it difficult to determine which factors are most important, cone production was well correlated with certain stand characteristics including trunk diameter.

Cultural Diversity of Los Angeles County Residents Using Undeveloped Natural Areas

Treesearch

Patrick T. Tierney; Rene F. Dahl; Chavez Deborah J.

1998-01-01

A model of ethnic participation at undeveloped natural areas was developed and tested. The proposed model included the constructs of socio-economic status, perceived discrimination, assimilation, and ethnicity. Undeveloped natural areas were defined as being located outside of cities and primarily natural in composition. A telephone survey of a stratified random sample...

Monitoring of Harmful Algal Blooms through Drinking Water Treatment Facilities Located on Lake Erie in the 2014 and 2015 Bloom Seasons

EPA Science Inventory

A number of drinking water treatment plants on Lake Erie have supplied water samples on a monthly basis for analysis related to the occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs). General water quality parameters including total organic carbon (TOC), orthophosphate, and chlorophyll-A ...

Introduction to the special section ‘Applications of electromagnetic induction to digital soil mapping’

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Use of electromagnetic induction (EMI) instruments has increased as a tool to map soils because it provides a means of locating suitable sampling sites that provide the basis for mapping the spatial variability of various soil properties either directly or indirectly measured with EMI, including sa...

Lunar soil properties and soil mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, J. K.; Houston, W. N.; Hovland, H. J.

1972-01-01

The study to identify and define recognizable fabrics in lunar soil in order to determine the history of the lunar regolith in different locations is reported. The fabric of simulated lunar soil, and lunar soil samples are discussed along with the behavior of simulated lunar soil under dynamic and static loading. The planned research is also included.

Rugby and Mathematics: A Surprising Link among Geometry, the Conics, and Calculus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Troy; Jackson, Steven

2001-01-01

Describes a rugby problem designed to help students understand the maximum-minimum situation. Presents a series of explorations that locate an optimal place for kicking the ball to maximize the angle at the goalposts. Uses interactive geometry software to construct a model of the situation. Includes a sample student activity. (KHR)

Effect of sampling location on L* values and pH measurements and their relationship in broiler breast fillets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lightness (CIELAB L*) and pH values are the most widely measured quality indicators for broiler breast fillets (pectoralis major). Measurement of L* values with a spectrophotometer can be done through Specular Component Included (SCI) or Specular Component Excluded (SCE) modes. The intra-fillet loca...

Exploring Bullying: An Early Childhood Perspective from Mainland China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arndt, Janet S.; Luo, Nili

2008-01-01

This article explores bullying in mainland China. The authors conducted a study to determine the existence of a problem with bullying in younger Chinese children. Samples included 40 randomly selected, early childhood educators serving children ages 2 through 6, located in 10 different urban school settings along the Yangzi River. The authors…

Tracking cotton fiber quality and foreign matter through a stripper harvester

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The main objective of this project was to track cotton fiber quality and foreign matter content throughout the harvesting units and conveying/cleaning systems on a brush-roll stripper harvester. Seed cotton samples were collected at six locations in 2011 and five in 2012 including: 1) hand-picked fr...

Calibration of collection procedures for the determination of precipitation chemistry

Treesearch

James N. Galloway; Gene E. Likens

1976-01-01

Precipitation is currently collected by several methods, including several different designs of collection apparatus. We are investigating these differing methods and designs to determine which gives the most representative sample of precipitation for the analysis of some 25 chemical parameters. The experimental site, located in Ithaca, New York, has 22 collectors of...

An Analysis of the Recruitment and Participation of African American Men in Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management Research: A Review of the Published Literature.

PubMed

Sherman, Ledric D; Hawkins, Jaclynn Marie; Bonner, Timethia

2017-01-02

Research studies have shown that African American men have experienced higher rates of serious complications of type 2 diabetes, due in part to poor disease management. Although type 2 diabetes research among minority populations is consistently advancing, there still remains a scarcity of African American male representation within these studies. It is unclear if this scarcity stems from lack of interest among men, location of recruitment, or ways in which these men are motivated to participate in research studies. As a result, an analysis of recruitment methods and locations of literature that includes African American men with type 2 diabetes is needed. The purpose of this review of the literature is threefold: (a) determine the number of published empirical studies specific to type 2 diabetes self-management that included African Americans in the sample, (b) to evaluate the percentage of men that were represented in the study sample as compared to how many women, and (c) identify the method of recruitment of each study.

Evaluation of clinical and histopathologic prognostic factors for survival in canine osteosarcoma of the extracranial flat and irregular bones.

PubMed

Kruse, M A; Holmes, E S; Balko, J A; Fernandez, S; Brown, D C; Goldschmidt, M H

2013-07-01

Osteosarcoma is the most common bone tumor in dogs. However, current literature focuses primarily on appendicular osteosarcoma. This study examined the prognostic value of histological and clinical factors in flat and irregular bone osteosarcomas and hypothesized that clinical factors would have a significant association with survival time while histological factors would not. All osteosarcoma biopsy samples of the vertebra, rib, sternum, scapula, or pelvis were reviewed while survival information and clinical data were obtained from medical records, veterinarians, and owners. Forty-six dogs were included in the analysis of histopathological variables and 27 dogs with complete clinical data were included in the analysis of clinical variables. In the histopathologic cox regression model, there was no significant association between any histologic feature of osteosarcoma, including grade, and survival time. In the clinical cox regression model, there was a significant association between the location of the tumor and survival time as well as between the percent elevation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) above normal and survival time. Controlling for ALP elevation, dogs with osteosarcoma located in the scapula had a significantly greater hazard for death (2.8) compared to dogs with tumors in other locations. Controlling for tumor location, every 100% increase in ALP from normal increased the hazard for death by 1.7. For canine osteosarcomas of the flat and irregular bones, histopathological features, including grade do not appear to be rigorous predictors of survival. Clinical variables such as increased ALP levels and tumor location in the scapula were associated with decreased survival times.

Y-12 National Security Complex Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program 2007 Calendar Yeare Report

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

Peterson, M.J.; Greeley, M. S. Jr.; Morris, G. W.

2008-07-01

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued for the Oak Ridge Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12 Complex) which became effective May 1, 2006, continued a requirement for a Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP). The BMAP was originally developed in 1985 to demonstrate that the effluent limitations established for the Y-12 Complex protected the classified uses of the receiving stream (East Fork Poplar Creek: EFPC), in particular, the growth and propagation of aquatic life (Loar et al. 1989). The objectives of the current BMAP are similar, specifically to assess stream ecological conditions relative to regulatory limits and criteria,more » to assess ecological impacts as well as recovery in response to Y-12 operations, and to investigate the causes of continuing impacts. The BMAP consists of three tasks that reflect complementary approaches to evaluating the effects of the Y-12 Complex discharges on the biotic integrity of EFPC. These tasks include: (1) bioaccumulation monitoring, (2) benthic macroinvertebrate community monitoring, and (3) fish community monitoring. As required by the NPDES permit, the BMAP benthic macroinvertebrate community monitoring task includes studies to annually evaluate the receiving stream's biological integrity in comparison to TN Water Quality Criteria. BMAP monitoring is currently being conducted at five primary EFPC sites, although sites may be excluded or added depending upon the specific objectives of the various tasks. Criteria used in selecting the sites include: (1) location of sampling sites used in other studies, (2) known or suspected sources of downstream impacts, (3) proximity to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) boundaries, (4) appropriate habitat distribution, and (5) access. The primary sampling sites include upper EFPC at kilometers (EFKs) 24.4 and 23.4 [upstream and downstream of Lake Reality (LR) respectively]; EFK 18.7 (also EFK 18.2 and 19), located off the ORR and below an area of intensive commercial and light industrial development; EFK 13.8, located upstream from the Oak Ridge Wastewater Treatment Facility (ORWTF); and EFK 6.3 located approximately 1.4 km below the ORR boundary (Fig. 1.1). Actual sampling locations on EFPC may differ slightly by task according to specific requirements of the task. Brushy Fork (BF) at kilometer (BFK) 7.6 and Hinds Creek at kilometer (HCK) 20.6 are the most commonly used reference sites for the Y-12 BMAP. Additional sites off the ORR are also occasionally used for reference, including Beaver Creek, Bull Run, Cox Creek, and Paint Rock Creek (Fig. 1.2). Summaries of the sampling designs for the three primary tasks of the Y-12 Complex BMAP for EFPC are presented in Tables 1.1-1.3. This report covers the 2007 study period, although data collected outside this time period are included as appropriate. To address the biological monitoring requirements for Bear Creek and McCoy Branch, CERCLA-funded data is summarized in Appendix A (for Bear Creek) and Appendix B (for McCoy Branch). Data for these two watersheds is provided herein to address Section IX of the NPDES Permit for Y-12, where 'Results of these CERCLA programs can be used to meet the biological monitoring requirements of this permit'. For potential comparison with instream biological measures, a summary of the toxicity testing results for Y-12 outfalls into upper EFPC is provided in Appendix C (these results have been previously reported).« less

Annual radiological environmental operating report: Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, 1992. Operations Services/Technical Programs

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

Not Available

1993-04-01

This report describes the environmental radiological monitoring program conducted by TVA in the vicinity of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) in 1992. The program includes the collection of samples from the environment and the determination of the concentrations of radioactive materials in the samples. Samples are taken from stations in the general area of the plant and from areas not influenced by plant operations. Station locations are selected after careful consideration of the weather patterns and projected radiation doses to the various areas around the plant. Material sampled includes air, water, milk, foods, vegetation, soil, fish, sediment, and direct radiationmore » levels. Results from stations near the plant are compared with concentrations from control stations and with preoperational measurements to determine potential impacts of plant operations. Small amounts of Co-60 and Cs-134 were found in sediment samples downstream from the plant. This activity in stream sediment would result in no measurable increase over background in the dose to the general public.« less

Sampling in freshwater environments: suspended particle traps and variability in the final data.

PubMed

Barbizzi, Sabrina; Pati, Alessandra

2008-11-01

This paper reports one practical method to estimate the measurement uncertainty including sampling, derived by the approach implemented by Ramsey for soil investigations. The methodology has been applied to estimate the measurements uncertainty (sampling and analyses) of (137)Cs activity concentration (Bq kg(-1)) and total carbon content (%) in suspended particle sampling in a freshwater ecosystem. Uncertainty estimates for between locations, sampling and analysis components have been evaluated. For the considered measurands, the relative expanded measurement uncertainties are 12.3% for (137)Cs and 4.5% for total carbon. For (137)Cs, the measurement (sampling+analysis) variance gives the major contribution to the total variance, while for total carbon the spatial variance is the dominant contributor to the total variance. The limitations and advantages of this basic method are discussed.

Assessing spatial and temporal variability of acid-extractable organics in oil sands process-affected waters.

PubMed

Frank, Richard A; Milestone, Craig B; Rowland, Steve J; Headley, John V; Kavanagh, Richard J; Lengger, Sabine K; Scarlett, Alan G; West, Charles E; Peru, Kerry M; Hewitt, L Mark

2016-10-01

The acid-extractable organic compounds (AEOs), including naphthenic acids (NAs), present within oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) receive great attention due to their known toxicity. While recent progress in advanced separation and analytical methodologies for AEOs has improved our understanding of the composition of these mixtures, little is known regarding any variability (i.e., spatial, temporal) inherent within, or between, tailings ponds. In this study, 5 samples were collected from the same location of one tailings pond over a 2-week period. In addition, 5 samples were collected simultaneously from different locations within a tailings pond from a different mine site, as well as its associated recycling pond. In both cases, the AEOs were analyzed using SFS, ESI-MS, HRMS, GC×GC-ToF/MS, and GC- & LC-QToF/MS (GC analyses following conversion to methyl esters). Principal component analysis of HRMS data was able to distinguish the ponds from each other, while data from GC×GC-ToF/MS, and LC- and GC-QToF/MS were used to differentiate samples from within the temporal and spatial sample sets, with the greater variability associated with the latter. Spatial differences could be attributed to pond dynamics, including differences in inputs of tailings and surface run-off. Application of novel chemometric data analyses of unknown compounds detected by LC- and GC-QToF/MS allowed further differentiation of samples both within and between data sets, providing an innovative approach for future fingerprinting studies. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Method and apparatus for measuring spatial uniformity of radiation

DOEpatents

Field, Halden

2002-01-01

A method and apparatus for measuring the spatial uniformity of the intensity of a radiation beam from a radiation source based on a single sampling time and/or a single pulse of radiation. The measuring apparatus includes a plurality of radiation detectors positioned on planar mounting plate to form a radiation receiving area that has a shape and size approximating the size and shape of the cross section of the radiation beam. The detectors concurrently receive portions of the radiation beam and transmit electrical signals representative of the intensity of impinging radiation to a signal processor circuit connected to each of the detectors and adapted to concurrently receive the electrical signals from the detectors and process with a central processing unit (CPU) the signals to determine intensities of the radiation impinging at each detector location. The CPU displays the determined intensities and relative intensity values corresponding to each detector location to an operator of the measuring apparatus on an included data display device. Concurrent sampling of each detector is achieved by connecting to each detector a sample and hold circuit that is configured to track the signal and store it upon receipt of a "capture" signal. A switching device then selectively retrieves the signals and transmits the signals to the CPU through a single analog to digital (A/D) converter. The "capture" signal. is then removed from the sample-and-hold circuits. Alternatively, concurrent sampling is achieved by providing an A/D converter for each detector, each of which transmits a corresponding digital signal to the CPU. The sampling or reading of the detector signals can be controlled by the CPU or level-detection and timing circuit.

A Critical Assessment of Bias in Survey Studies Using Location-Based Sampling to Recruit Patrons in Bars

PubMed Central

Morrison, Christopher; Lee, Juliet P.; Gruenewald, Paul J.; Marzell, Miesha

2015-01-01

Location-based sampling is a method to obtain samples of people within ecological contexts relevant to specific public health outcomes. Random selection increases generalizability, however in some circumstances (such as surveying bar patrons) recruitment conditions increase risks of sample bias. We attempted to recruit representative samples of bars and patrons in six California cities, but low response rates precluded meaningful analysis. A systematic review of 24 similar studies revealed that none addressed the key shortcomings of our study. We recommend steps to improve studies that use location-based sampling: (i) purposively sample places of interest, (ii) utilize recruitment strategies appropriate to the environment, and (iii) provide full information on response rates at all levels of sampling. PMID:26574657

Clay Chemistry's Influence on the Average Carbon Content and Particle Size at the Ninety-Six Historical Site, South Carolina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lintz, L.; Werts, S. P.

2014-12-01

The Ninety-Six National Historic Site is located in Greenwood County, SC. Recent geologic mapping of this area has revealed differences in soil properties over short distances within the park. We studied the chemistry of the clay minerals found within the soils to see if there was a correlation between the amounts of soil organic carbon contained in the soil and particle size in individual soil horizons. Three different vegetation areas, including an old field, a deciduous forest, and a pine forest were selected to see what influence vegetation type had on the clay chemistry and carbon levels as well. Four samples containing the O, A, and B horizons were taken from each location and we studied the carbon and nitrogen content using an elemental analyzer, particle size using a Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyzer, and clay mineralogy with powder X-ray diffraction of each soil sample. Samples from the old field and pine forest gave an overall negative correlation between carbon content and clay percentage, which is against the normal trend for Southern Piedmont Ultisols. The deciduous forest samples gave no correlation at all between its carbon content and clay percentage. Together, all three locations show the same negative relationship, while once separated into vegetation type and A and B horizons it shows even more abnormal relationships of negative while several show no correlation (R2= 0.007403- 0.56268). Using powder XRD, we ran clay samples from each A and B horizon for the clay mineralogy. All three vegetation areas had the same results of containing quartz, kaolinite, and Fe oxides, therefore, clay chemistry is not a reason behind the abnormal trend of a negative correlation between average carbon content and clay percentage. Considering that all three locations have the same climate, topography, and parent material of metagranite, it could be reasonable to assume these results are a factor of environmental and biological influences rather than clay type.

Genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains, isolated on three different geography locations.

PubMed

Ostojić, Maja; Hukić, Mirsada

2015-08-04

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections worldwide. Increased frequency of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hospitalized patients and possibility of vancomycin resistance requires rapid and reliable characterization of isolates and control of MRSA spread in hospitals. Typing of isolates helps to understand the route of a hospital pathogen spread. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of MRSA samples on three different geography locations. In addition, our aim was to evaluate three different methods of MRSA typing: spa-typing, agr-typing and GenoType MRSA.  We included 104 samples of MRSA, isolated in 3 different geographical locations in clinical hospitals in Zagreb, Mostar, and Heidelberg, during the period of six months. Genotyping and phenotyping were done by spa-typing, agr-typing and dipstick assay GenoType MRSA. We failed to type all our samples by spa-typing.  The most common spa-type in clinical hospital Zagreb was t041, in Mostar t001, and in Heidelberg t003.We analyzed 102/104 of our samples by agr-typing method. We did not find any agr-type IV in our locations. We analyzed all our samples by the dipstick assay GenoType MRSA. All isolates in our study were MRSA strains. In Zagreb there were no positive strains to PVL gene. In Mostar we have found 5/25 positive strains to PVL gene, in Heidelberg there was 1/49. PVL positive isolates were associated with spa-type t008 and agr-type I, thus, genetically, they were community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA). Dipstick assay GenoType MRSA has demonstrated sufficient specificity, sensibility, simple performance and low cost, so we could introduce it to work in smaller laboratories. Using this method may expedite MRSA screening, thus preventing its spread in hospitals.

Near-surface gas mapping studies of salt geologic features at Weeks Island and other sites

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

Molecke, M.A.; Carney, K.R.; Autin, W.J.

1996-10-01

Field sampling and rapid gas analysis techniques were used to survey near-surface soil gases for geotechnical diagnostic purposes at the Weeks Island Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) site and other salt dome locations in southern Louisiana. This report presents the complete data, results and interpretations obtained during 1995. Weeks Island 1994 gas survey results are also briefly summarized; this earlier study did not find a definitive correlation between sinkhole No. 1 and soil gases. During 1995, several hundred soil gas samples were obtained and analyzed in the field by gas chromatography, for profiling low concentrations and gas anomalies at ppm tomore » percent levels. The target gases included hydrogen, methane, ethane and ethylene. To supplement the field data, additional gas samples were collected at various site locations for laboratory analysis of target gases at ppb levels. Gases in the near-surface soil originate predominantly from the oil, from petrogenic sources within the salt, or from surface microbial activity. Surveys were conducted across two Weeks Island sinkholes, several mapped anomalous zones in the salt, and over the SPR repository site and its perimeter. Samples were also taken at other south Louisiana salt dome locations for comparative purposes. Notable results from these studies are that elevated levels of hydrogen and methane (1) were positively associated with anomalous gassy or shear zones in the salt dome(s) and (2) are also associated with suspected salt fracture (dilatant) zones over the edges of the SPR repository. Significantly elevated areas of hydrogen, methane, plus some ethane, were found over anomalous shear zones in the salt, particularly in a location over high pressure gas pockets in the salt, identified in the mine prior to SPR operations. Limited stable isotope ratio analyses, SIRA, were also conducted and determined that methane samples were of petrogenic origin, not biogenic.« less

Nevada National Security Site Integrated Groundwater Sampling Plan, Revision 1

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

Wilborn, Bill R.; Boehlecke, Robert F.

The purpose is to provide a comprehensive, integrated approach for collecting and analyzing groundwater samples to meet the needs and objectives of the DOE/EM Nevada Program’s UGTA Activity. Implementation of this Plan will provide high-quality data required by the UGTA Activity for ensuring public protection in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The Plan is designed to ensure compliance with the UGTA Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) (NNSA/NFO, 2015); Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) (1996, as amended); and DOE Order 458.1, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment (DOE, 2013). The Plan’s scope comprises sample collection and analysis requirementsmore » relevant to assessing both the extent of groundwater contamination from underground nuclear testing and impact of testing on water quality in downgradient communities. This Plan identifies locations to be sampled by CAU and location type, sampling frequencies, sample collection methodologies, and the constituents to be analyzed. In addition, the Plan defines data collection criteria such as well purging, detection levels, and accuracy requirements/recommendations; identifies reporting and data management requirements; and provides a process to ensure coordination between NNSS groundwater sampling programs for sampling analytes of interest to UGTA. Information used in the Plan development—including the rationale for selection of wells, sampling frequency, and the analytical suite—is discussed under separate cover (N-I, 2014) and is not reproduced herein. This Plan does not address compliance for those wells involved in a permitted activity. Sampling and analysis requirements associated with these wells are described in their respective permits and are discussed in NNSS environmental reports (see Section 5.2). In addition, sampling for UGTA CAUs that are in the Closure Report (CR) stage are not included in this Plan. Sampling requirements for these CAUs are described in the CR. Frenchman Flat is currently the only UGTA CAU in the CR stage. Sampling requirements for this CAU are described in Underground Test Area (UGTA) Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 98: Frenchman Flat Nevada National Security Site, Nevada (NNSA/NFO, 2016).« less

Geochemical Exploration Techniques Applicable in the Search for Copper Deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chaffee, Maurice A.

1975-01-01

Geochemical exploration is an important part of copper-resource evaluation. A large number of geochemical exploration techniques, both proved and untried, are available to the geochemist to use in the search for new copper deposits. Analyses of whole-rock samples have been used in both regional and local geochemical exploration surveys in the search for copper. Analyses of mineral separates, such as biotite, magnetite, and sulfides, have also been used. Analyses of soil samples are widely used in geochemical exploration, especially for localized surveys. It is important to distinguish between residual and transported soil types. Orientation studies should always be conducted prior to a geochemical investigation in a given area in order to determine the best soil horizon and the best size of soil material for sampling in that area. Silty frost boils, caliche, and desert varnish are specialized types of soil samples that might be useful sampling media. Soil gas is a new and potentially valuable geochemical sampling medium, especially in exploring for buried mineral deposits in arid regions. Gaseous products in samples of soil may be related to base-metal deposits and include mercury vapor, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon oxysulfide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, the noble gases, the halogens, and many hydrocarbon compounds. Transported materials that have been used in geochemical sampling programs include glacial float boulders, glacial till, esker gravels, stream sediments, stream-sediment concentrates, and lake sediments. Stream-sediment sampling is probably the most widely used and most successful geochemical exploration technique. Hydrogeochemical exploration programs have utilized hot- and cold-spring waters and their precipitates as well as waters from lakes, streams, and wells. Organic gel found in lakes and at stream mouths is an unproved sampling medium. Suspended material and dissolved gases in any type of water may also be useful media. Samples of ice and snow have been used for limited geochemical surveys. Both geobotanical and biogeochemical surveys have been successful in locating copper deposits in many parts of the world. Micro-organisms, including bacteria and algae, are other unproved media that should be studied. Animals can be used in geochemical-prospecting programs. Dogs have been used quite successfully to sniff out hidden and exposed sulfide minerals. Tennite mounds are commonly composed of subsurface material, but have not as yet proved to be useful in locating buried mineral deposits. Animal tissue and waste products are essentially unproved but potentially valuable sampling media. Knowledge of the location of areas where trace-element-associated diseases in animals and man are endemic as well as a better understanding of these diseases, may aid in identifying regions that are enriched in or depleted of various elements, including copper. Results of analyses of gases in the atmosphere are proving valuable in mineral-exploration surveys. Studies involving metallic compounds exhaled by plants into the atmosphere, and of particulate matter suspended in the atmosphere are reviewed these methods may become important in the future. Remote-sensing techniques are useful for making indirect measurements of geochemical responses. Two techniques applicable to geochemical exploration are neutron-activation analysis and gamma-ray spectrometry. Aerial photography is especially useful in vegetation surveys. Radar imagery is an unproved but potentially valuable method for use in studies of vegetation in perpetually clouded regions. With the advent of modern computers, many new techniques, such as correlation analysis, regression analysis, discriminant analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, trend-surface analysis, and moving-average analysis can be applied to geochemical data sets. Selective use of these techniques can provide new insights into the interpretatio

An evaluation of potential sampling locations in a reservoir with emphasis on conserved spatial correlation structure.

PubMed

Yenilmez, Firdes; Düzgün, Sebnem; Aksoy, Aysegül

2015-01-01

In this study, kernel density estimation (KDE) was coupled with ordinary two-dimensional kriging (OK) to reduce the number of sampling locations in measurement and kriging of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in Porsuk Dam Reservoir (PDR). Conservation of the spatial correlation structure in the DO distribution was a target. KDE was used as a tool to aid in identification of the sampling locations that would be removed from the sampling network in order to decrease the total number of samples. Accordingly, several networks were generated in which sampling locations were reduced from 65 to 10 in increments of 4 or 5 points at a time based on kernel density maps. DO variograms were constructed, and DO values in PDR were kriged. Performance of the networks in DO estimations were evaluated through various error metrics, standard error maps (SEM), and whether the spatial correlation structure was conserved or not. Results indicated that smaller number of sampling points resulted in loss of information in regard to spatial correlation structure in DO. The minimum representative sampling points for PDR was 35. Efficacy of the sampling location selection method was tested against the networks generated by experts. It was shown that the evaluation approach proposed in this study provided a better sampling network design in which the spatial correlation structure of DO was sustained for kriging.

Legacy sample disposition project. Volume 2: Final report

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

Gurley, R.N.; Shifty, K.L.

1998-02-01

This report describes the legacy sample disposition project at the Idaho Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), which assessed Site-wide facilities/areas to locate legacy samples and owner organizations and then characterized and dispositioned these samples. This project resulted from an Idaho Department of Environmental Quality inspection of selected areas of the INEEL in January 1996, which identified some samples at the Test Reactor Area and Idaho Chemical Processing Plant that had not been characterized and dispositioned according to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requirements. The objective of the project was to manage legacy samples in accordance with all applicable environmentalmore » and safety requirements. A systems engineering approach was used throughout the project, which included collecting the legacy sample information and developing a system for amending and retrieving the information. All legacy samples were dispositioned by the end of 1997. Closure of the legacy sample issue was achieved through these actions.« less

Baseline ecological risk assessment of the Calcasieu Estuary, Louisiana: 3. An evaluation of the risks to benthic invertebrates associated with exposure to contaminated sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacDonald, Donald D.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Kemble, Nile E.; Smorong, Dawn E.; Sinclair, Jesse A.; Lindskoog, Rebekka; Gaston, Gary; Sanger, Denise; Carr, R. Scott; Biedenbach, James; Gouguet, Ron; Kern, John; Shortelle, Ann; Field, L. Jay; Meyer, John

2011-01-01

The sediments in the Calcasieu Estuary are contaminated with a wide variety of chemicals of potential concern (COPCs), including heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, phthalates, chlorinated benzenes, and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans. The sources of these COPCs include both point and non-point source discharges. As part of a baseline ecological risk assessment, the risks to benthic invertebrates posed by exposure to sediment-associated COPCs were assessed using five lines of evidence, including whole-sediment chemistry, pore-water chemistry, whole-sediment toxicity, pore-water toxicity, and benthic invertebrate community structure. The results of this assessment indicated that exposure to whole sediments and/or pore water from the Calcasieu Estuary generally posed low risks to benthic invertebrate communities (i.e., risks were classified as low for 68% of the sampling locations investigated). However, incremental risks to benthic invertebrates (i.e., compared with those associated with exposure to conditions in reference areas) were indicated for 32% of the sampling locations within the estuary. Of the three areas of concern (AOCs) investigated, the risks to benthic invertebrates were highest in the Bayou d'Inde AOC; risks were generally lower in the Upper Calcasieu River AOC and Middle Calcasieu River AOC. The areas showing the highest risks to sediment-dwelling organisms were generally located in the vicinity of point source discharges of COPCs. These results provided risk managers with the information required to make decisions regarding the need for remedial actions at the site.

Establishment of sentinel sampling sites to monitor changes in water and sediment quality and biota related to visitor use at Lake Powell, Arizona and Utah, 2004-2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hart, Robert J.; Taylor, Howard E.; Anderson, G.M.

2012-01-01

Twenty sentinel sampling sites were established and sampled during 2004–06 at Lake Powell, Arizona and Utah, by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service—Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The sentinel sampling sites provide sampling locations on Lake Powell, the Nation’s second largest reservoir that can be visited and sampled repeatedly over time to monitor changes in water and sediment quality and also biota. The sites were established in response to an Environmental Impact Statement that addressed the use of personal watercraft on Lake Powell. The use of personal watercraft can potentially introduce hydrocarbons and other contaminants and are of concern to the health of visitors and aquatic habitats of these environments. Data from this initial sampling period (2004–06) include (1) discrete measurements of water temperature, specific conductance, pH, and water clarity; (2) major ions, nutrients, and organic carbon; (3) trace elements including rare earths; (4) organic compounds including oil and grease, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds; (5) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in lakebed sediments; and (6) continuous depth profile measurements of water temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. Also, the National Park Service-Glen Canyon National Recreation Area collected bacteria samples during this initial sampling period.

Genetic variation of Anastrepha suspensa (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Florida and the Caribbean using microsatellite DNA markers.

PubMed

Boykin, Laura M; Shatters, Robert G; Hall, David G; Dean, David; Beerli, Peter

2010-12-01

Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), the Caribbean fruit fly, is indigenous to Florida and the Greater Antilles where it causes economic losses in fruit crops, including citrus. Because of the geographic separation of many of its native locations and anecdotal descriptions of regional differences in host preferences, there have been questions about the population structure of A. suspensa. Seven DNA microsatellite markers were used to characterize the population genetic structure of A. suspensa, in Florida and the Caribbean from a variety of hosts, including citrus. We genotyped 729 A. suspensa individuals from Florida, Puerto Rico, Cayman Island, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. The investigated seven loci displayed from 5 to 19 alleles, with expected heterozygosities ranging from 0.05 to 0.83. There were five unique alleles in Florida and three unique alleles in the Caribbean samples; however, no microsatellite alleles were specific to a single host plant. Genetic diversity was analyzed using F(ST) and analysis of molecular variance and revealed low genetic diversity between Florida and Caribbean samples and also between citrus and noncitrus samples. Analyses using migrate revealed there is continuous gene flow between sampling sites in Florida and the Caribbean and among different hosts. These results support previous comparisons based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I locus indicating there is no genetic differentiation among locations in Florida and the Caribbean and that there is no separation into host races.

Synthetic musk fragrances in urban and rural air of Iowa and the Great Lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peck, Aaron M.; Hornbuckle, Keri C.

Synthetic musk fragrances are semivolatile organic compounds used to scent a variety of household and personal care products. In this study, six polycyclic musk fragrances (HHCB, AHTN, ATII, AHMI, ADBI, and DPMI) and two nitro musk fragrances (musk xylene and musk ketone) were evaluated in 181 air samples collected at urban, suburban, and rural sites in Iowa and the Great Lakes. This is the largest reported study of the compounds in ambient air and reveals the ubiquitous nature of these environmental contaminants. HHCB and AHTN were detected most frequently and at the highest concentrations at all sites. Synthetic musk fragrance concentrations were highest in urban locations, including Milwaukee, WI (previously reported) and an urban location in Cedar Rapids, IA. Urban concentrations of HHCB and AHTN are on the order of 1-5 ng m -3 and background terrestrial concentrations are about an order of magnitude less. In rural Iowa, the concentrations and frequency of detection of the synthetic musk fragrances are comparable to (and often greater than) gas-phase pesticide concentrations. The concentrations measured at the suburban location in Iowa City, IA and over the Lakes Erie, Ontario, and Michigan were generally intermediate of those measured at the rural and urban locations. Concentrations of HHCB and AHTN were correlated with temperature at the sampling sites in Iowa.

Quality of ground water used for selected municipal water supplies in Iowa, 1982-96 water years

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schaap, B.D.; Linhart, S.M.

1998-01-01

Maps show the general location of wells that have been sampled in the various aquifers. Other maps show the location of wells where sulfate and nitrite plus nitrate concentrations exceed the respective Maximum Contaminant Levels and wells where concentrations of the pesticides alachlor, atrazine, or cyanazine exceeded the respective minimum reporting levels. The compact disc included with this report has information about water-quality properties and concentrations of dissolved solids, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, radionuclides, total organic carbon, pesticides, and synthetic organic compounds for water years 1982 through 1996.

Pharmaceuticals, hormones, pesticides, and other bioactive contaminants in water, sediment, and tissue from Rocky Mountain National Park, 2012–2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Battaglin, William A.; Bradley, Paul M.; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Journey, Celeste A.; Walsh, Heather L.; Blazer, Vicki S.

2018-01-01

Pharmaceuticals, hormones, pesticides, and other bioactive contaminants (BCs) are commonly detected in surface water and bed sediment in urban and suburban areas, but these contaminants are understudied in remote locations. In Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), Colorado, USA, BCs may threaten the reproductive success and survival of native aquatic species, benthic communities, and pelagic food webs. In 2012–2013, 67 water, 57 sediment, 63 fish, 10 frog, and 12 quality-control samples (8 water and 4 sediment) were collected from 20 sites in RMNP. Samples were analyzed for 369 parameters including 149 pharmaceuticals, 22 hormones, 137 pesticides, and 61 other chemicals or conditions to provide a representative assessment of BC occurrence within RMNP. Results indicate that BCs were detected in water and/or sediment from both remote and more accessible locations in RMNP. The most commonly detected BCs in water were caffeine, camphor, para-cresol, and DEET; and the most commonly detected BCs in sediment were indole, 3-methyl-1H-indole, para-cresol, and 2,6-dimethyl-naphthalene. Some detected contaminants, including carbaryl, caffeine, and oxycodone, are clearly attributable to direct local human input, whereas others may be transported into the park atmospherically (e.g., atrazine) or have local natural sources (e.g., para-cresol). One or more pharmaceuticals were detected in at least 1 sample from 15 of 20 sites. Most of the 29 detected pharmaceuticals are excreted primarily in human urine, not feces. Elevated net estrogenicity was observed in 18% of water samples, and elevated vitellogenin in blood was observed in 12% of male trout, both evidence of potential endocrine disruption. Hormone concentrations in sediment tended to be greater than concentrations in water. Most BCs were observed at concentrations below those not expected to pose adverse effects to aquatic life. Results indicate that even in remote locations aquatic wildlife can be exposed to pharmaceuticals, hormones, pesticides, and other bioactive contaminants.

Assessment of the National Research Universal Reactor Proposed New Stack Sampling Probe Location for Compliance with ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999

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

Glissmeyer, John A.; Antonio, Ernest J.; Flaherty, Julia E.

2016-02-29

This document reports on a series of tests conducted to assess the proposed air sampling location for the National Research Universal reactor (NRU) complex exhaust stack, located in Chalk River, Ontario, Canada, with respect to the applicable criteria regarding the placement of an air sampling probe. Due to the age of the equipment in the existing monitoring system, and the increasing difficulty in acquiring replacement parts to maintain this equipment, a more up-to-date system is planned to replace the current effluent monitoring system, and a new monitoring location has been proposed. The new sampling probe should be located within themore » exhaust stack according to the criteria established by the American National Standards Institute/Health Physics Society (ANSI/HPS) N13.1-1999, Sampling and Monitoring Releases of Airborne Radioactive Substances from the Stack and Ducts of Nuclear Facilities. These criteria address the capability of the sampling probe to extract a sample that represents the effluent stream. The internal Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) project for this task was 65167, Atomic Energy Canada Ltd. Chalk River Effluent Duct Flow Qualification. The testing described in this document was guided by the Test Plan: Testing of the NRU Stack Air Sampling Position (TP-STMON-032).« less

Characterization and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contaminations in surface sediment and water from Gao-ping River, Taiwan.

PubMed

Doong, Ruey-An; Lin, Yu-Tin

2004-04-01

The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water and sediment samples collected from 12 locations in Gao-ping River, Taiwan were analyzed. Molecular ratios and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to characterize the possible pollution sources. Concentrations of total 16 PAHs (SigmaPAHs) in water samples ranged from below method detection limits (

Optimizing the MAC Protocol in Localization Systems Based on IEEE 802.15.4 Networks

PubMed Central

Claver, Jose M.; Ezpeleta, Santiago

2017-01-01

Radio frequency signals are commonly used in the development of indoor localization systems. The infrastructure of these systems includes some beacons placed at known positions that exchange radio packets with users to be located. When the system is implemented using wireless sensor networks, the wireless transceivers integrated in the network motes are usually based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. But, the CSMA-CA, which is the basis for the medium access protocols in this category of communication systems, is not suitable when several users want to exchange bursts of radio packets with the same beacon to acquire the radio signal strength indicator (RSSI) values needed in the location process. Therefore, new protocols are necessary to avoid the packet collisions that appear when multiple users try to communicate with the same beacons. On the other hand, the RSSI sampling process should be carried out very quickly because some systems cannot tolerate a large delay in the location process. This is even more important when the RSSI sampling process includes measures with different signal power levels or frequency channels. The principal objective of this work is to speed up the RSSI sampling process in indoor localization systems. To achieve this objective, the main contribution is the proposal of a new MAC protocol that eliminates the medium access contention periods and decreases the number of packet collisions to accelerate the RSSI collection process. Moreover, the protocol increases the overall network throughput taking advantage of the frequency channel diversity. The presented results show the suitability of this protocol for reducing the RSSI gathering delay and increasing the network throughput in simulated and real environments. PMID:28684666

Measurement of soil contamination by radionuclides due to the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident and associated estimated cumulative external dose estimation.

PubMed

Endo, S; Kimura, S; Takatsuji, T; Nanasawa, K; Imanaka, T; Shizuma, K

2012-09-01

Soil sampling was carried out at an early stage of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Samples were taken from areas around FDNPP, at four locations northwest of FDNPP, at four schools and in four cities, including Fukushima City. Radioactive contaminants in soil samples were identified and measured by using a Ge detector and included (129 m)Te, (129)Te, (131)I, (132)Te, (132)I, (134)Cs, (136)Cs, (137)Cs, (140)Ba and (140)La. The highest soil depositions were measured to the northwest of FDNPP. From this soil deposition data, variations in dose rates over time and the cumulative external doses at the locations for 3 months and 1y after deposition were estimated. At locations northwest of FDNPP, the external dose rate at 3 months after deposition was 4.8-98 μSv/h and the cumulative dose for 1 y was 51 to 1.0 × 10(3)mSv; the highest values were at Futaba Yamada. At the four schools, which were used as evacuation shelters, and in the four urban cities, the external dose rate at 3 months after deposition ranged from 0.03 to 3.8μSv/h and the cumulative doses for 1 y ranged from 3 to 40 mSv. The cumulative dose at Fukushima Niihama Park was estimated as the highest in the four cities. The estimated external dose rates and cumulative doses show that careful countermeasures and remediation will be needed as a result of the accident, and detailed measurements of radionuclide deposition densities in soil will be important input data to conduct these activities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimizing the MAC Protocol in Localization Systems Based on IEEE 802.15.4 Networks.

PubMed

Pérez-Solano, Juan J; Claver, Jose M; Ezpeleta, Santiago

2017-07-06

Radio frequency signals are commonly used in the development of indoor localization systems. The infrastructure of these systems includes some beacons placed at known positions that exchange radio packets with users to be located. When the system is implemented using wireless sensor networks, the wireless transceivers integrated in the network motes are usually based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. But, the CSMA-CA, which is the basis for the medium access protocols in this category of communication systems, is not suitable when several users want to exchange bursts of radio packets with the same beacon to acquire the radio signal strength indicator (RSSI) values needed in the location process. Therefore, new protocols are necessary to avoid the packet collisions that appear when multiple users try to communicate with the same beacons. On the other hand, the RSSI sampling process should be carried out very quickly because some systems cannot tolerate a large delay in the location process. This is even more important when the RSSI sampling process includes measures with different signal power levels or frequency channels. The principal objective of this work is to speed up the RSSI sampling process in indoor localization systems. To achieve this objective, the main contribution is the proposal of a new MAC protocol that eliminates the medium access contention periods and decreases the number of packet collisions to accelerate the RSSI collection process. Moreover, the protocol increases the overall network throughput taking advantage of the frequency channel diversity. The presented results show the suitability of this protocol for reducing the RSSI gathering delay and increasing the network throughput in simulated and real environments.

Monitoring of a wide range of organic micropollutants on the Portuguese coast using plastic resin pellets.

PubMed

Mizukawa, Kaoruko; Takada, Hideshige; Ito, Maki; Geok, Yeo Bee; Hosoda, Junki; Yamashita, Rei; Saha, Mahua; Suzuki, Satoru; Miguez, Carlos; Frias, João; Antunes, Joana Cepeda; Sobral, Paula; Santos, Isabelina; Micaelo, Cristina; Ferreira, Ana Maria

2013-05-15

We analyzed polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethane and its metabolites, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and hopanes, in plastic resin pellets collected from nine locations along the Portuguese coast. Concentrations of a sum of 13 PCBs were one order of magnitude higher in two major cities (Porto: 307 ng/g-pellet; Lisboa: 273 ng/g-pellet) than in the seven rural sites. Lower chlorinated congeners were more abundant in the rural sites than in the cities, suggesting atmospheric dispersion. At most of the locations, PAH concentrations (sum of 33 PAH species) were ∼100 to ∼300 ng/g-pellet; however, three orders of magnitude higher concentrations of PAHs, with a petrogenic signature, were detected at a small city (Sines). Hopanes were detected in the pellets at all locations. This study demonstrated that multiple sample locations, including locations in both urban and remote areas, are necessary for country-scale pellet watch. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kuwaiti oil fires—Particulate monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husain, Tahir; Amin, Mohamed B.

The total suspended particulate (TSP) matters using a high-volume sampler and inhalable particulate matters using PM-10 samplers were collected at various locations in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia during and after the Kuwaiti oil fires. The collected samples were analysed for toxic metals and oil hydrocarbon concentrations including some carcinogenic organic compounds in addition to gravimetric analysis. The concentration values of particulate matters were determined on a daily basis at Dhahran. Abqaiq, Rahima, Tanajib and Jubail locations. The analyses of the filters show a high concentration of the inhalable particulate at various locations, especially when north or northwest winds were blowing. It was found that the inhalable particulate concentration exceeded the Meteorology and Environmental Protection Administration (MEPA) permissible limit of 340 μg m- 3 at most of these locations during May-October 1991. A trend between the total suspended particulate and inhalable particulate measured concurrently at the same locations was observed and a regression equation was developed to correlate PM-10 data with the total suspended particulate data.

Is Location of Sex Associated with Sexual Risk Behaviour in Men Who Have Sex with Men? Systematic Review of Within-Subjects Studies.

PubMed

Melendez-Torres, G J; Nye, Elizabeth; Bonell, Chris

2016-06-01

To understand associations between location of sex and sexual risk, it is most helpful to compare sexual encounters within persons. We systematically reviewed within-subjects comparisons of sexual encounters reported by men who have sex with men (MSM) with respect to location of sex. Within-subjects comparisons of sexual risk and location of sex were eligible if they collected data post-1996 from samples of MSM. We independently screened results and full-text records in duplicate. Of 6,336 deduplicated records, we assessed 138 full-text studies and included six, most of which compared unprotected anal intercourse against other anal intercourse. This small, but high quality, body of evidence suggests that associations between attendance at sex-on-premises venues and person-level sexual risk may be due to overall propensity towards unprotected sex. However, there may be some location factors that promote or are associated with serononconcordant unprotected anal intercourse. Health promoters may wish to focus on person-level characteristics.

Water Security Toolkit User Manual: Version 1.3 | Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

User manual: Data Product/Software The Water Security Toolkit (WST) is a suite of tools that help provide the information necessary to make good decisions resulting in the minimization of further human exposure to contaminants, and the maximization of the effectiveness of intervention strategies. WST assists in the evaluation of multiple response actions in order to select the most beneficial consequence management strategy. It includes hydraulic and water quality modeling software and optimization methodologies to identify: (1) sensor locations to detect contamination, (2) locations in the network in which the contamination was introduced, (3) hydrants to remove contaminated water from the distribution system, (4) locations in the network to inject decontamination agents to inactivate, remove or destroy contaminants, (5) locations in the network to take grab sample to confirm contamination or cleanup and (6) valves to close in order to isolate contaminated areas of the network.

Air quality during demolition and recovery activities in post-Katrina New Orleans.

PubMed

Ravikrishna, Raghunathan; Lee, Han-Woong; Mbuligwe, Stephen; Valsaraj, K T; Pardue, John H

2010-07-01

Air samples were collected during demolition and cleanup operations in the Lakeview district of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, in late 2005 during the period immediately after Hurricane Katrina. Three different high-volume air samples were collected around waste collection areas that were created to temporarily hold the debris from the cleanup of residential properties in the area. Particulate concentrations were elevated and included crystalline fibers associated with asbestos. Metal concentrations on particulate matter resembled those measured in sediments deposited by floodwaters with the exception of Ba, which was elevated at all three locations. The highest organic contaminant concentration measured on particulates was the pesticide Ziram (Zinc, bis[diethylcarbamodithioato-S,S']-, [T-4]-) at 2,200 microg/g of particulate matter during sampling period 2. Ziram is used in latex paint, adhesives, caulking, and wallboard as a preservative. Fungal isolates developed from particulate air samples included species associated with disease including Aspergillus and Penicillium species. These data represent the most comprehensive assessment of demolition activities during the period immediately after Hurricane Katrina. Copyright (c) 2010 SETAC.

A Preliminary Survey of Terrestrial Plant Communities in the Sierra de los Valles

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

Randy G. Balice

To more fully understand the species compositions and environmental relationships of high-elevation terrestrial plant communities in the Los Alamos region, 30 plots in randomly selected, upland locations were sampled for vegetation, topographic, and soils characteristics. The locations of these plots were constrained to be above 2,134 m (7,000 ft) above mean sea level. The field results were summarized, analyzed, and incorporated into a previously developed classification of vegetation and land cover types. The revised and updated discussions of the environmental relationships at these sites and their associated species compositions are included in this report. A key to the major landmore » cover types in the Los Alamos region was also revised in accordance with the new information and included herein its entirety.« less

Volatile organic compounds: sampling methods and their worldwide profile in ambient air.

PubMed

Kumar, Anuj; Víden, Ivan

2007-08-01

The atmosphere is a particularly difficult analytical system because of the very low levels of substances to be analysed, sharp variations in pollutant levels with time and location, differences in wind, temperature and humidity. This makes the selection of an efficient sampling technique for air analysis a key step to reliable results. Generally, methods for volatile organic compounds sampling include collection of the whole air or preconcentration of samples on adsorbents. All the methods vary from each other according to the sampling technique, type of sorbent, method of extraction and identification technique. In this review paper we discuss various important aspects for sampling of volatile organic compounds by the widely used and advanced sampling methods. Characteristics of various adsorbents used for VOCs sampling are also described. Furthermore, this paper makes an effort to comprehensively review the concentration levels of volatile organic compounds along with the methodology used for analysis, in major cities of the world.

A demonstration of NIOSH push-pull ventilation criteria.

PubMed

Klein, M K

1987-03-01

This paper summarizes the results of a study performed on an actual chrome plating tank in order to validate criteria for push-pull ventilation systems developed by Huebener and Hughes at NIOSH. Validation of the criteria was made by taking area industrial hygiene samples for hexavalent and total chrome at ten locations around the plating tank. The sampling was performed during actual production runs or while the tank was operating with a dummy load. The sampling data are summarized. The data show that the push-pull system, operating at Huebener's criteria, could control emissions to below the current standards and guidelines. Conclusions and recommendations are included.

Pitfall Traps and Mini-Winkler Extractor as Complementary Methods to Sample Soil Coleoptera.

PubMed

Carneiro, A C; Batistella, D A; Battirola, L D; Marques, M I

2016-02-01

We compared abundance, species richness, and capture efficiency with pitfall traps and mini-Winkler extractors to examine their use as complementary methods for sampling soil Coleoptera during dry (2010) and high water seasons (2011) in three areas, including inundated and non-inundated regions, in the Pantanal of Poconé, Mato Grosso, Brazil. We paired treatments with two 10 × 10 m plots in inundated and non-inundated locations that were repeated three times in each location for a total of 18 plots. In each plot, we used nine pitfall traps and collected 2 m(2) of leaf litter and surface soil samples with mini-Winkler extractors. We collected a total of 4260 adult beetles comprising 36 families, 113 genera, and 505 species. Most were caught in pitfalls (69%) and the remainder in the mini-Winkler extractors (31%). Each method provided distinct information about the beetle community: 252 species were captured only in pitfall traps, 147 using only the mini-Winkler extractors, and these methods shared another 106 species. Pitfall and mini-Winkler contribute in different ways for the sampling of the soil beetle community, and so they should be considered complementary for a more thorough assessment of community diversity.

Urban Land Cover Mapping Accuracy Assessment - A Cost-benefit Analysis Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, T.

2012-12-01

One of the most important components in urban land cover mapping is mapping accuracy assessment. Many statistical models have been developed to help design simple schemes based on both accuracy and confidence levels. It is intuitive that an increased number of samples increases the accuracy as well as the cost of an assessment. Understanding cost and sampling size is crucial in implementing efficient and effective of field data collection. Few studies have included a cost calculation component as part of the assessment. In this study, a cost-benefit sampling analysis model was created by combining sample size design and sampling cost calculation. The sampling cost included transportation cost, field data collection cost, and laboratory data analysis cost. Simple Random Sampling (SRS) and Modified Systematic Sampling (MSS) methods were used to design sample locations and to extract land cover data in ArcGIS. High resolution land cover data layers of Denver, CO and Sacramento, CA, street networks, and parcel GIS data layers were used in this study to test and verify the model. The relationship between the cost and accuracy was used to determine the effectiveness of each sample method. The results of this study can be applied to other environmental studies that require spatial sampling.

Investigating population continuity with ancient DNA under a spatially explicit simulation framework.

PubMed

Silva, Nuno Miguel; Rio, Jeremy; Currat, Mathias

2017-12-15

Recent advances in sequencing technologies have allowed for the retrieval of ancient DNA data (aDNA) from skeletal remains, providing direct genetic snapshots from diverse periods of human prehistory. Comparing samples taken in the same region but at different times, hereafter called "serial samples", may indicate whether there is continuity in the peopling history of that area or whether an immigration of a genetically different population has occurred between the two sampling times. However, the exploration of genetic relationships between serial samples generally ignores their geographical locations and the spatiotemporal dynamics of populations. Here, we present a new coalescent-based, spatially explicit modelling approach to investigate population continuity using aDNA, which includes two fundamental elements neglected in previous methods: population structure and migration. The approach also considers the extensive temporal and geographical variance that is commonly found in aDNA population samples. We first showed that our spatially explicit approach is more conservative than the previous (panmictic) approach and should be preferred to test for population continuity, especially when small and isolated populations are considered. We then applied our method to two mitochondrial datasets from Germany and France, both including modern and ancient lineages dating from the early Neolithic. The results clearly reject population continuity for the maternal line over the last 7500 years for the German dataset but not for the French dataset, suggesting regional heterogeneity in post-Neolithic migratory processes. Here, we demonstrate the benefits of using a spatially explicit method when investigating population continuity with aDNA. It constitutes an improvement over panmictic methods by considering the spatiotemporal dynamics of genetic lineages and the precise location of ancient samples. The method can be used to investigate population continuity between any pair of serial samples (ancient-ancient or ancient-modern) and to investigate more complex evolutionary scenarios. Although we based our study on mitochondrial DNA sequences, diploid molecular markers of different types (DNA, SNP, STR) can also be simulated with our approach. It thus constitutes a promising tool for the analysis of the numerous aDNA datasets being produced, including genome wide data, in humans but also in many other species.

Availability of Foods and Beverages in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Authorized Dollar Stores in a Region of North Carolina.

PubMed

Racine, Elizabeth F; Batada, Ameena; Solomon, Corliss A; Story, Mary

2016-10-01

There are >25,000 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-authorized dollar stores throughout the United States; many are located in lower-income neighborhoods and provide an accessible food and beverage source for area residents. The purpose of this research was to determine the percent of food deserts within 16 counties in North Carolina that include a SNAP dollar store; examine the types of foods and beverages at SNAP dollar stores in these counties; test whether the foods and beverages offered vary by SNAP dollar store chain; and test whether the foods and beverages available differ by rural and urban location. This cross-sectional study used a combination of publicly available data and primary data to investigate the research questions. Secondary data sources were obtained from the US Department of Agriculture's SNAP retailer locator, the US Census, and the US Department of Agriculture's Food Access Research Atlas. Availability of foods and beverages was assessed among a sample of 90 SNAP dollar stores in 16 counties in southern and western sections of North Carolina. Data were collected in June 2014. About half (52%) of the food deserts in the research area included a SNAP dollar store. Most of the sampled stores sold healthier food staples, such as frozen meats, brown rice, 100% whole-wheat bread, and dried beans. None of the stores sold fresh fruits or vegetables. Some of the foods and beverages offered (eg, frozen fruit, frozen unseasoned vegetables, nonfat or low-fat milk, frozen ground beef) varied by SNAP dollar store chain. The foods and beverages offered did not differ by rural or urban county location. SNAP dollar stores offer a number of healthy food staples; however, they do not sell fresh fruits or vegetables. Further food environment research should include dollar stores. Copyright © 2016 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 761.283 - Determination of the number of samples to collect and sample collection locations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... sites at this example location: a loading dock, a transformer storage lot, and a disposal pit. The... (three samples). The non-liquid PCB remediation wastes present at the transformer storage lot are oily...

40 CFR 761.283 - Determination of the number of samples to collect and sample collection locations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... sites at this example location: a loading dock, a transformer storage lot, and a disposal pit. The... (three samples). The non-liquid PCB remediation wastes present at the transformer storage lot are oily...

The Relationship between Non-Cognitive Coaching Interventions and College Student Persistence at a Rural Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valora, Jenniffer

2017-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative correlation study was to contribute empirical research findings concerning the relationship of non-cognitive coaching interventions on at-risk student persistence at a rural public community college located in northwest New Mexico. The sample population included 210 undergraduate at-risk students who an alert was…

"The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth": Girls' Agency, Subjectivity and Empowerment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Currie, Dawn H.; Kelly, Deirdre M.; Pomerantz, Shauna

2006-01-01

This paper is located in a larger study of girls' empowerment within the everyday context of school cultures. While much feminist research has focused on the "perils" of feminine adolescence, we are interested in how girls successfully navigate the transition from girlhood to adult womanhood. Thus the sample for this paper includes girls who…

Immigration history of amphidromous species on a Greater Antillean island

Treesearch

Benjamin D. Cook; Catherine M. Pringle; Jane M. Hughes

2010-01-01

Aim To use molecular data to test for dispersal structuring in the immigration history of an amphidromous community on an island. Location The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Methods Mitochondrial DNA sequences were obtained from 11 amphidromous species, including shrimps, fish and a gastropod, sampled from throughout the island. The timing of population expansion (TE...

Assistant Principals' Lived Experiences with Managerial Skills Needed for Promotion: A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flowers, Melnice

2014-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of assistant principals in what they deem to be the needed managerial skills for promotion to campus principal. The sample for the study included 20 assistant principals in an urban school district located in Texas. The process of phenomenological enquiry…

Bilingual Phonological Awareness: Multilevel Construct Validation among Spanish-Speaking Kindergarteners in Transitional Bilingual Education Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Branum-Martin, Lee; Mehta, Paras D.; Fletcher, Jack M.; Carlson, Coleen D.; Ortiz, Alba; Carlo, Maria; Francis, David J.

2006-01-01

The construct validity of English and Spanish phonological awareness (PA) tasks was examined with a sample of 812 kindergarten children from 71 transitional bilingual education program classrooms located in 3 different types of geographic regions in California and Texas. Tasks of PA, including blending nonwords, segmenting words, and phoneme…

Immune system changes during simulated planetary exploration on Devon Island, high arctic

PubMed Central

Crucian, Brian; Lee, Pascal; Stowe, Raymond; Jones, Jeff; Effenhauser, Rainer; Widen, Raymond; Sams, Clarence

2007-01-01

Background Dysregulation of the immune system has been shown to occur during spaceflight, although the detailed nature of the phenomenon and the clinical risks for exploration class missions have yet to be established. Also, the growing clinical significance of immune system evaluation combined with epidemic infectious disease rates in third world countries provides a strong rationale for the development of field-compatible clinical immunology techniques and equipment. In July 2002 NASA performed a comprehensive immune assessment on field team members participating in the Haughton-Mars Project (HMP) on Devon Island in the high Canadian Arctic. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of mission-associated stressors on the human immune system. To perform the study, the development of techniques for processing immune samples in remote field locations was required. Ten HMP-2002 participants volunteered for the study. A field protocol was developed at NASA-JSC for performing sample collection, blood staining/processing for immunophenotype analysis, whole-blood mitogenic culture for functional assessments and cell-sample preservation on-location at Devon Island. Specific assays included peripheral leukocyte distribution; constitutively activated T cells, intracellular cytokine profiles, plasma cortisol and EBV viral antibody levels. Study timepoints were 30 days prior to mission start, mid-mission and 60 days after mission completion. Results The protocol developed for immune sample processing in remote field locations functioned properly. Samples were processed on Devon Island, and stabilized for subsequent analysis at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The data indicated that some phenotype, immune function and stress hormone changes occurred in the HMP field participants that were largely distinct from pre-mission baseline and post-mission recovery data. These immune changes appear similar to those observed in astronauts following spaceflight. Conclusion The immune system changes described during the HMP field deployment validate the use of the HMP as a ground-based spaceflight/planetary exploration analog for some aspects of human physiology. The sample processing protocol developed for this study may have applications for immune studies in remote terrestrial field locations. Elements of this protocol could possibly be adapted for future in-flight immunology studies conducted during space missions. PMID:17521440

Path analyses of the influence of substrate composition on nematode numbers and on decomposition of stranded seaweed at an Antarctic coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alkemade, R.; Van Rijswijk, P.

Large amounts of seaweed are deposited along the coast of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctica. The stranded seaweed partly decomposes on the beach and supports populations of meiofauna species, mostly nematodes. The factors determining the number of nematodes found in the seaweed packages were studied. Seaweed/sediment samples were collected from different locations, along the coast near Arctowski station, covering gradients of salinity, elevation and proximity of Penguin rookeries. On the same locations decomposition rate was determined by means of permeable containers with seaweed material. Models, including the relations between location, seaweed and sediment characteristics, number of nematodes and decomposition rates, were postulated and verified using path analysis. The most plausible and significant models are presented. The number of nematodes was directly correlated with the height of the location, the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, and the salinity of the sample. Nematode numbers were apparently indirectly dependent on sediment composition and water content. We hypothesize that the different influences of melt water and tidal water, which affect both salinity and water content of the deposits, are important phenomena underlying these results. Analysis of the relation between decomposition rate and abiotic, location-related characteristics showed that decomposition rate was dependent on the water content of the stranded seaweed and sediment composition. Decomposition rates were high on locations where water content of the deposits was high. There the running water from melt water run-off or from the surf probably increased weight losses of seaweed.

Forensic Tools to Track and Connect Physical Samples to Related Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molineux, A.; Thompson, A. C.; Baumgardner, R. W.

2016-12-01

Identifiers, such as local sample numbers, are critical to successfully connecting physical samples and related data. However, identifiers must be globally unique. The International Geo Sample Number (IGSN) generated when registering the sample in the System for Earth Sample Registration (SESAR) provides a globally unique alphanumeric code associated with basic metadata, related samples and their current physical storage location. When registered samples are published, users can link the figured samples to the basic metadata held at SESAR. The use cases we discuss include plant specimens from a Permian core, Holocene corals and derived powders, and thin sections with SEM stubs. Much of this material is now published. The plant taxonomic study from the core is a digital pdf and samples can be directly linked from the captions to the SESAR record. The study of stable isotopes from the corals is not yet digitally available, but individual samples are accessible. Full data and media records for both studies are located in our database where higher quality images, field notes, and section diagrams may exist. Georeferences permit mapping in current and deep time plate configurations. Several aspects emerged during this study. The first, ensure adequate and consistent details are registered with SESAR. Second, educate and encourage the researcher to obtain IGSNs. Third, publish the archive numbers, assigned prior to publication, alongside the IGSN. This provides access to further data through an Integrated Publishing Toolkit (IPT)/aggregators/or online repository databases, thus placing the initial sample in a much richer context for future studies. Fourth, encourage software developers to customize community software to extract data from a database and use it to register samples in bulk. This would improve workflow and provide a path for registration of large legacy collections.

Field and laboratory data describing physical and chemical characteristics of metal-contaminated flood-plain deposits downstream from Lead, west-central South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marron, D.C.

1988-01-01

Samples from metal-contaminated flood-plain sediments at 9 sites downstream from Lead, in west-central South Dakota, were collected during the summers of 1985-87 to characterize aspects of the sedimentology, chemistry, and geometry of a deposit that resulted from the discharge of a large volume of mining wastes into a river system. Field and laboratory data include stratigraphic descriptions, chemical contents and grain-size distributions of samples, and surveyed flood-plain positions of samples. This report describes sampling-site locations, and methods of sample collection and preservation, and subsequent laboratory analysis. Field and laboratory data are presented in 4 figures and 11 tables in the ' Supplemental Data ' section at the back of the report. (USGS)

RaPToRS Sample Delivery System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henchen, Robert; Shibata, Kye; Krieger, Michael; Pogozelski, Edward; Padalino, Stephen; Glebov, Vladimir; Sangster, Craig

2010-11-01

At various labs (NIF, LLE, NRL), activated material samples are used to measure reaction properties. The Rapid Pneumatic Transport of Radioactive Samples (RaPToRS) system quickly and safely moves these radioactive samples through a closed PVC tube via airflow. The carrier travels from the reaction chamber to the control and analysis station, pneumatically braking at the outlet. A reversible multiplexer routes samples from various locations near the shot chamber to the analysis station. Also, the multiplexer allows users to remotely load unactivated samples without manually approaching the reaction chamber. All elements of the system (pneumatic drivers, flow control valves, optical position sensors, multiplexers, Geiger counters, and release gates at the analysis station) can be controlled manually or automatically using a custom LabVIEW interface. A prototype is currently operating at NRL in Washington DC. Prospective facilities for Raptors systems include LLE and NIF.

Analyses and description of geochemical samples, Mill Creek Wilderness Study Area, Giles County, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mei, Leung; Lesure, Frank Gardner

1978-01-01

Semiquantitative emission spectrographic analyses for 64 elements on 62 stream sediment and 71 rock samples from Mill Creek Wilderness Study area, Giles County, Virginia, are reported here in detail. Locations for all samples are given in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates. Brief descriptions of rock samples are also included. Rocks analysed are mostly sandstone. Samples of hematitic sandstone of the Rose Hill Formation and limonite-cemented sandstone of the Rocky Gap Sandstone contain high values of iron; these rocks are submarginal iron resources. Some of the same iron-rich samples have a little more barium, copper, cobalt, lead, silver, and/or zinc then is in average sandstone, but they do not suggest the presence of economic deposits of these metals. No other obviously anomalous values related to mineralized rock are present in the data.

Analyses and description of geochemical samples, Peters Mountain Wilderness Study Area, Giles County, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rait, Norma; Lesure, Frank Gardner

1978-01-01

Semiquantitative emission spectrographic analyses for 64 elements on 43 stream sediment and 73 rock samples from Peters Mountain Wilderness Study area, Giles County, Virginia, are reported here in detail. Locations for all samples are in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates. Brie[ descriptions of rock samples are also included. Rocks analysed are mostly sandstone. Samples of hematitic sandstone of the Rose Hill Formation and limonite-cemented sandstone of the Rocky Gap Sandstone contain high values of iron; these rocks are submarginal iron resources. Some of the same iron-rich samples have a little more barium, copper, cobalt, lead, silver, and/or zinc then average sandstone, but they do not suggest the presence of economic deposits of these metals. No other obviously anomalous values related to mineralized rock are present in the data.

Fully automatic characterization and data collection from crystals of biological macromolecules.

PubMed

Svensson, Olof; Malbet-Monaco, Stéphanie; Popov, Alexander; Nurizzo, Didier; Bowler, Matthew W

2015-08-01

Considerable effort is dedicated to evaluating macromolecular crystals at synchrotron sources, even for well established and robust systems. Much of this work is repetitive, and the time spent could be better invested in the interpretation of the results. In order to decrease the need for manual intervention in the most repetitive steps of structural biology projects, initial screening and data collection, a fully automatic system has been developed to mount, locate, centre to the optimal diffraction volume, characterize and, if possible, collect data from multiple cryocooled crystals. Using the capabilities of pixel-array detectors, the system is as fast as a human operator, taking an average of 6 min per sample depending on the sample size and the level of characterization required. Using a fast X-ray-based routine, samples are located and centred systematically at the position of highest diffraction signal and important parameters for sample characterization, such as flux, beam size and crystal volume, are automatically taken into account, ensuring the calculation of optimal data-collection strategies. The system is now in operation at the new ESRF beamline MASSIF-1 and has been used by both industrial and academic users for many different sample types, including crystals of less than 20 µm in the smallest dimension. To date, over 8000 samples have been evaluated on MASSIF-1 without any human intervention.

Levels of organochlorine pesticides in the blood of people living in areas of intensive pesticide use in Sudan.

PubMed

Elbashir, Ahmed B; Abdelbagi, Azhari O; Hammad, Ahmed M A; Elzorgani, Gafar A; Laing, Mark D

2015-03-01

Ninety-six human blood samples were collected from six locations that represent areas of intensive pesticide use in Sudan, which included irrigated cotton schemes (Wad Medani, Hasaheesa, Elmanagil, and Elfaw) and sugarcane schemes (Kenana and Gunaid). Blood samples were analyzed for organochlorine pesticide residues by gas liquid chromatography (GLC) equipped with an electron capture detector (ECD). Residues of p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), heptachlor epoxide, γ-HCH, and dieldrin were detected in blood from all locations surveyed. Aldrin was not detected in any of the samples analyzed, probably due to its conversion to dieldrin. The levels of total organochlorine burden detected were higher in the blood from people in the irrigated cotton schemes (mean 261 ng ml(-1), range 38-641 ng ml(-1)) than in the blood of people from the irrigated sugarcane schemes (mean 204 ng ml(-1), range 59-365 ng ml(-1)). The highest levels of heptachlor epoxide (170 ng ml(-1)) and γ-HCH (92 ng ml(-1)) were observed in blood samples from Hasaheesa, while the highest levels of DDE (618 ng ml(-1)) and dieldrin (82 ng ml(-1)) were observed in blood samples from Wad Medani and Kenana, respectively. The organochlorine levels in blood samples seemed to decrease with increasing distance from the old irrigated cotton schemes (Wad Medani, Hasaheesa, and Elmanagil) where the heavy application of these pesticides took place historically.

Application of spatially gridded temperature and land cover data sets for urban heat island analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gallo, Kevin; Xian, George Z.

2014-01-01

Two gridded data sets that included (1) daily mean temperatures from 2006 through 2011 and (2) satellite-derived impervious surface area, were combined for a spatial analysis of the urban heat-island effect within the Dallas-Ft. Worth Texas region. The primary advantage of using these combined datasets included the capability to designate each 1 × 1 km grid cell of available temperature data as urban or rural based on the level of impervious surface area within the grid cell. Generally, the observed differences in urban and rural temperature increased as the impervious surface area thresholds used to define an urban grid cell were increased. This result, however, was also dependent on the size of the sample area included in the analysis. As the spatial extent of the sample area increased and included a greater number of rural defined grid cells, the observed urban and rural differences in temperature also increased. A cursory comparison of the spatially gridded temperature observations with observations from climate stations suggest that the number and location of stations included in an urban heat island analysis requires consideration to assure representative samples of each (urban and rural) environment are included in the analysis.

Element concentrations in soils and other surficial materials of Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gough, L.P.; Severson, R.C.; Shacklette, H.T.

1988-01-01

Mean concentrations of 35 elements, ash yields, and pH have been estimated for samples of sils and other unconsolidated surficial materials from 266 collection locations throughout Alaska. These background values can be applied to studies of environmental geochemistry and health, wildlife management, and soil-forming processes in cold climates and to computation of element abundances on a regional or worldwide scale. Limited data for an additoinal eight elements are also presented. Materials were collected using a one-way, three-level, analysis-of-variance samplling design in which collecting procedures were simplified for the convenience of the many volunteer field workers. The sample collectors were asked to avoid locations of known mineral deposits and obvious contamination, to take samples at a depth of about 20 cm where possible, and to take a replicate sample about 100 m distant from the first sample collected. With more than 60 percent of the samples replicated and 14 percent of the samples split for duplicate laboratory analyses, reliable estimates were made of the variability in element concentrations at two geographic scales and of the error associated with sample handling and laboratory procedures. Mean concentrations of most elements in surficial materials from the state of alaska correspond well with those reported in similar materials from the conterminous United STatess. Most element concentrations and ranges in samples of stream and lake sediments from Alaska, however, as reported in the literature, do not correspond well with those found in surficial materials of this study. This lack of correspondence is attributed to (1) a merger of two kinds ofsediments (stream and lake) for calculating means; (2) elimination from the sediment mean calculations of values below the limit of quantitative determination; (3) analytical methods different from those of the surficial materials study; and (4) most importantly, the inherent differences in chemistry of the materials. The distribution of variability in element concentrations o Alaskan surficial-material samples was, for most elements, largely among sampling locations, with only a samll part of the variability occurring between replicate samples at a location. The geochemical uniformity within sampling locations in Alaska is an expression of uniform geochemical cycling processes within small geographic areas. The concentration values for 35 elements in 266 samples were plotted on maps by symbols representing classes of concentration frequency distributions. These plotted symbols form patterns that may or may not be possible to interpret but nevertheless show differences that are observable at several geographical scales. The largest pattern is one generally low concentrations of many elements in materials from arctic and oceanic tundra regions, as contrasted to their often high concentrations in samples from interior and southeastern Alaska. The patttern for sodium isespecially pronounced. Intermediate-sized patterns are shown, for example, by the generally high values for magnesium and low values for silicon in the coastal forest region of southeastern Alaska. Many elements occur at low concentratoins in samples from the Alaskan peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. The degree of confidence in patterns of element abundance is expected to be in direct proportion to the number of samples included in the area. As the patterns become smaller, the probability increases that the patterns are not reproducible.

Dosimeter for monitoring vapors and aerosols of organic compounds

DOEpatents

Vo-Dinh, T.

1987-07-14

A dosimeter is provided for collecting and detecting vapors and aerosols of organic compounds. The dosimeter comprises a lightweight, passive device that can be conveniently worn by a person as a badge or placed at a stationary location. The dosimeter includes a sample collector comprising a porous web treated with a chemical for inducing molecular displacement and enhancing phosphorescence. Compounds are collected onto the web by molecular diffusion. The web also serves as the sample medium for detecting the compounds by a room temperature phosphorescence technique. 7 figs.

A guide to the use of distance sampling to estimate abundance of Karner blue butterflies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grundel, Ralph

2015-01-01

This guide is intended to describe the use of distance sampling as a method for evaluating the abundance of Karner blue butterflies at a location. Other methods for evaluating abundance exist, including mark-release-recapture and index counts derived from Pollard-Yates surveys, for example. Although this guide is not intended to be a detailed comparison of the pros and cons of each type of method, there are important preliminary considerations to think about before selecting any method for evaluating the abundance of Karner blue butterflies.

A field test of point relascope sampling of down coarse woody material in managed stands in the Acadian Forest

Treesearch

John C. Brissette; Mark J. Ducey; Jeffrey H. Gove

2003-01-01

We field tested a new method for sampling down coarse woody material (CWM) using an angle gauge and compared it with the more traditional line intersect sampling (LIS) method. Permanent sample locations in stands managed with different silvicultural treatments within the Penobscot Experimental Forest (Maine, USA) were used as the sampling locations. Point relascope...

Tissue Sampling Guides for Porcine Biomedical Models.

PubMed

Albl, Barbara; Haesner, Serena; Braun-Reichhart, Christina; Streckel, Elisabeth; Renner, Simone; Seeliger, Frank; Wolf, Eckhard; Wanke, Rüdiger; Blutke, Andreas

2016-04-01

This article provides guidelines for organ and tissue sampling adapted to porcine animal models in translational medical research. Detailed protocols for the determination of sampling locations and numbers as well as recommendations on the orientation, size, and trimming direction of samples from ∼50 different porcine organs and tissues are provided in the Supplementary Material. The proposed sampling protocols include the generation of samples suitable for subsequent qualitative and quantitative analyses, including cryohistology, paraffin, and plastic histology; immunohistochemistry;in situhybridization; electron microscopy; and quantitative stereology as well as molecular analyses of DNA, RNA, proteins, metabolites, and electrolytes. With regard to the planned extent of sampling efforts, time, and personnel expenses, and dependent upon the scheduled analyses, different protocols are provided. These protocols are adjusted for (I) routine screenings, as used in general toxicity studies or in analyses of gene expression patterns or histopathological organ alterations, (II) advanced analyses of single organs/tissues, and (III) large-scale sampling procedures to be applied in biobank projects. Providing a robust reference for studies of porcine models, the described protocols will ensure the efficiency of sampling, the systematic recovery of high-quality samples representing the entire organ or tissue as well as the intra-/interstudy comparability and reproducibility of results. © The Author(s) 2016.

Lab-on-chip systems for integrated bioanalyses

PubMed Central

Madaboosi, Narayanan; Soares, Ruben R.G.; Fernandes, João Tiago S.; Novo, Pedro; Moulas, Geraud; Chu, Virginia

2016-01-01

Biomolecular detection systems based on microfluidics are often called lab-on-chip systems. To fully benefit from the miniaturization resulting from microfluidics, one aims to develop ‘from sample-to-answer’ analytical systems, in which the input is a raw or minimally processed biological, food/feed or environmental sample and the output is a quantitative or qualitative assessment of one or more analytes of interest. In general, such systems will require the integration of several steps or operations to perform their function. This review will discuss these stages of operation, including fluidic handling, which assures that the desired fluid arrives at a specific location at the right time and under the appropriate flow conditions; molecular recognition, which allows the capture of specific analytes at precise locations on the chip; transduction of the molecular recognition event into a measurable signal; sample preparation upstream from analyte capture; and signal amplification procedures to increase sensitivity. Seamless integration of the different stages is required to achieve a point-of-care/point-of-use lab-on-chip device that allows analyte detection at the relevant sensitivity ranges, with a competitive analysis time and cost. PMID:27365042

Central Appalachian basin natural gas database: distribution, composition, and origin of natural gases

USGS Publications Warehouse

Román Colón, Yomayra A.; Ruppert, Leslie F.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has compiled a database consisting of three worksheets of central Appalachian basin natural gas analyses and isotopic compositions from published and unpublished sources of 1,282 gas samples from Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The database includes field and reservoir names, well and State identification number, selected geologic reservoir properties, and the composition of natural gases (methane; ethane; propane; butane, iso-butane [i-butane]; normal butane [n-butane]; iso-pentane [i-pentane]; normal pentane [n-pentane]; cyclohexane, and hexanes). In the first worksheet, location and American Petroleum Institute (API) numbers from public or published sources are provided for 1,231 of the 1,282 gas samples. A second worksheet of 186 gas samples was compiled from published sources and augmented with public location information and contains carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen isotopic measurements of natural gas. The third worksheet is a key for all abbreviations in the database. The database can be used to better constrain the stratigraphic distribution, composition, and origin of natural gas in the central Appalachian basin.

The stability of clay using mount Sinabung ash with unconfined compression test (uct) value

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puji Hastuty, Ika; Roesyanto; Hutauruk, Ronny; Simanjuntak, Oberlyn

2018-03-01

The soil has a important role as a highway’s embankment material (sub grade). Soil conditions are very different in each location because the scientifically soil is a very complex and varied material and the located on the field is very loose or very soft, so it is not suitable for construction, then the soil should be stabilized. The additive material commonly used for soil stabilization includes cement, lime, fly ash, rice husk ash, and others. This experiment is using the addition of volcanic ash. The purpose of this study was to determine the Index Properties and Compressive Strength maximum value with Unconfined Compression Test due to the addition of volcanic ash as a stabilizing agent along with optimum levels of the addition. The result showed that the original soil sample has Water Content of 14.52%; the Specific Weight of 2.64%; Liquid limit of 48.64% and Plasticity Index of 29.82%. Then, the Compressive Strength value is 1.40 kg/cm2. According to USCS classification, the soil samples categorized as the (CL) type while based on AASHTO classification, the soil samples are including as the type of A-7-6. After the soil is stabilized with a variety of volcanic ash, can be concluded that the maximum value occurs at mixture variation of 11% Volcanic Ash with Unconfined Compressive Strength value of 2.32 kg/cm2.

Simulation analyses of space use: Home range estimates, variability, and sample size

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bekoff, Marc; Mech, L. David

1984-01-01

Simulations of space use by animals were run to determine the relationship among home range area estimates, variability, and sample size (number of locations). As sample size increased, home range size increased asymptotically, whereas variability decreased among mean home range area estimates generated by multiple simulations for the same sample size. Our results suggest that field workers should ascertain between 100 and 200 locations in order to estimate reliably home range area. In some cases, this suggested guideline is higher than values found in the few published studies in which the relationship between home range area and number of locations is addressed. Sampling differences for small species occupying relatively small home ranges indicate that fewer locations may be sufficient to allow for a reliable estimate of home range. Intraspecific variability in social status (group member, loner, resident, transient), age, sex, reproductive condition, and food resources also have to be considered, as do season, habitat, and differences in sampling and analytical methods. Comparative data still are needed.

The Geochemical Databases GEOROC and GeoReM - What's New?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarbas, B.; Jochum, K. P.; Nohl, U.; Weis, U.

2017-12-01

The geochemical databases GEOROC (http: georoc.mpch-mainz.gwdg.de) and GeoReM (http: georem.mpch-mainz.gwdg.de) are maintained by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, Germany. Both online databases became crucial tools for geoscientists from different research areas. They are regularly upgraded by new tools and new data from recent publications obtained from a wide range of international journals. GEOROC is a collection of published analyses of volcanic rocks and mantle xenoliths. Since recently, data for plutonic rocks are added. The analyses include major and trace element concentrations, radiogenic and non-radiogenic isotope ratios as well as analytical ages for whole rocks, glasses, minerals and inclusions. Samples come from eleven geological settings and span the whole geological age scale from Archean to Recent. Metadata include, among others, geographic location, rock class and rock type, geological age, degree of alteration, analytical method, laboratory, and reference. The GEOROC web page allows selection of samples by geological setting, geography, chemical criteria, rock or sample name, and bibliographic criteria. In addition, it provides a large number of precompiled files for individual locations, minerals and rock classes. GeoReM is a database collecting information about reference materials of geological and environmental interest, such as rock powders, synthetic and natural glasses as well as mineral, isotopic, biological, river water and seawater reference materials. It contains published data and compilation values (major and trace element concentrations and mass fractions, radiogenic and stable isotope ratios). Metadata comprise, among others, uncertainty, analytical method and laboratory. Reference materials are important for calibration, method validation, quality control and to establish metrological traceability. GeoReM offers six different search strategies: samples or materials (published values), samples (GeoReM preferred values), chemical criteria, chemical criteria based on bibliography, bibliography, as well as methods and institutions.

Mobile membrane introduction tandem mass spectrometry for on-the-fly measurements and adaptive sampling of VOCs around oil and gas projects in Alberta, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krogh, E.; Gill, C.; Bell, R.; Davey, N.; Martinsen, M.; Thompson, A.; Simpson, I. J.; Blake, D. R.

2012-12-01

The release of hydrocarbons into the environment can have significant environmental and economic consequences. The evolution of smaller, more portable mass spectrometers to the field can provide spatially and temporally resolved information for rapid detection, adaptive sampling and decision support. We have deployed a mobile platform membrane introduction mass spectrometer (MIMS) for the in-field simultaneous measurement of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds. In this work, we report instrument and data handling advances that produce geographically referenced data in real-time and preliminary data where these improvements have been combined with high precision ultra-trace VOCs analysis to adaptively sample air plumes near oil and gas operations in Alberta, Canada. We have modified a commercially available ion-trap mass spectrometer (Griffin ICX 400) with an in-house temperature controlled capillary hollow fibre polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer membrane interface and in-line permeation tube flow cell for a continuously infused internal standard. The system is powered by 24 VDC for remote operations in a moving vehicle. Software modifications include the ability to run continuous, interlaced tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) experiments for multiple contaminants/internal standards. All data are time and location stamped with on-board GPS and meteorological data to facilitate spatial and temporal data mapping. Tandem MS/MS scans were employed to simultaneously monitor ten volatile and semi-volatile analytes, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX), reduced sulfur compounds, halogenated organics and naphthalene. Quantification was achieved by calibrating against a continuously infused deuterated internal standard (toluene-d8). Time referenced MS/MS data were correlated with positional data and processed using Labview and Matlab to produce calibrated, geographical Google Earth data-visualizations that enable adaptive sampling protocols. This real-time approach has been employed in a moving vehicle to identify and track downwind plumes of fugitive VOC emissions near hydrocarbon upgrading and chemical processing facilities in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. This information was relayed to a trailing vehicle, which collected stationary grab samples in evacuated canisters for ultra trace analysis of over seventy VOC analytes. In addition, stationary time series data were collected and compared with grab samples co-located with our sampling line. Spatially and temporally resolved, time referenced MS/MS data for several air contaminants associated with oil and gas processing were processed in real time to produce geospatial data for visualization in Google Earth. This information was used to strategically locate grab samples for high precision, ultra trace analysis.

Food-service establishment wastewater characterization.

PubMed

Lesikar, B J; Garza, O A; Persyn, R A; Kenimer, A L; Anderson, M T

2006-08-01

Food-service establishments that use on-site wastewater treatment systems are experiencing pretreatment system and/or drain field hydraulic and/or organic overloading. This study included characterization of four wastewater parameters (five-day biochemical oxygen demand [BOD5]; total suspended solids [TSS]; food, oil, and grease [FOG]; and flow) from 28 restaurants located in Texas during June, July, and August 2002. The field sampling methodology included taking a grab sample from each restaurant for 6 consecutive days at approximately the same time each day, followed by a 2-week break, and then sampling again for another 6 consecutive days, for a total of 12 samples per restaurant and 336 total observations. The analysis indicates higher organic (BOD5) and hydraulic values for restaurants than those typically found in the literature. The design values for this study for BOD5, TSS, FOG, and flow were 1523, 664, and 197 mg/L, and 96 L/day-seat respectively, which captured over 80% of the data collected.

Geochemical study of urban soils in public areas of an industrialized town (Ajka, western Hungary)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zacháry, D.; Jordán, Gy.; Szabó, Cs.

2012-04-01

Soil is one of the most essential parts of urban ecosystem contributing to the biogeochemical cycles along the rock-soil-plant-animal and human pathway. Soil plays a fundamental role in plant nutrient uptake and groundwater filtration, too. Urban soils differ from non-urban soils in many aspects, including their origin, and they may also concentrate contaminants in large quantities due to intensive human activities. The pollution sources are industry, traffic, fertilizer, tailing and waste. In addition to the increasing rate of urban areas, urban soils are under growing interest and their pollution have received significant attention in the past few decades. This work focuses on the toxic element (As, Hg, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Ni) content of soils and their spatial distribution in order to find a link between contamination sources and the receiving urban soils at sensitive receptor locations such as children's playgrounds and parks. Ajka town is located in western Hungary. It has an old-established industrial history with multiple contamination sources of heavy alumina industry and coal-based power plants supplied by the nearby bauxite and coal mines. At 44 locations 46 soil samples have been collected at a depth of 0-10 cm along a 1x1 km grid. The whole grid covers an area of 48 km2. In each grid cell a sampling site was selected at public areas. Sample preparation included drying at 40 C°, thorough homogenization and sieving to 2 mm fine earth before chemical analysis. Grain size distribution and soil pH were also determined. Samples were analyzed with ICP-OES and SEM methods. The As, Hg, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd and Ni concentrations range from 2.07 ppm to 9.48 ppm, 0.02 ppm to 2.84 ppm, 5.08 ppm to 35.74 ppm, 2.55 ppm to 47.78 ppm, 17.00 ppm to 91.00 ppm, 0.07 ppm to 0.61 ppm and 5.57 ppm to 32.09 ppm, respectively. The results revealed the contaminated areas associated with past industrial sites. This study also identified locations with considerable contamination at sensitive receptors in urban public areas, thus supporting contamination risk assessment for environmental decisions.

Trophic accumulation of PSP toxins in zooplankton during Alexandrium fundyense blooms in Casco Bay, Gulf of Maine, April-June 1998. II. . Zooplankton abundance and size-fractionated community composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, Jefferson T.; Doucette, Gregory J.; Keafer, Bruce A.; Anderson, Donald M.

2005-09-01

During spring blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense in Casco Bay, Maine in 1998, we investigated vectorial intoxication of various zooplankton size fractions with PSP toxins, including zooplankton community composition from quantitative zooplankton samples (>102 μm), as well as zooplankton composition in relation to toxin levels in various size fractions (20-64, 64-100, 100-200, 200-500, >500 μm). Zooplankton abundance in 102 μm mesh samples was low (most values<10,000 animals m -3) from early April through early May, but increased to maxima in mid-June (cruise mean=121,500 animals m -3). Quantitative zooplankton samples (>102 μm) were dominated by copepod nauplii, and Oithona similis copepodites and adults at most locations except for those furthest inshore. At these inshore locations, Acartia hudsonica copepodites and adults were usually dominant. Larger copepods such as Calanus finmarchicus, Centropages typicus, and Pseudocalanus spp. were found primarily offshore, and at much lower abundances than O. similis. Rotifers, mainly present from late April to late May, were most abundant inshore. The marine cladoceran Evadne nordmani was sporadically abundant, particularly in mid-June. Microplankton in 20-64 μm size fractions was generally dominated by A. fundyense, non-toxic dinoflagellates, and tintinnids. Microplankton in 64-100 μm size fractions was generally dominated by larger non-toxic dinoflagellates, tintinnids, aloricate ciliates, and copepod nauplii, and in early May, rotifers. Some samples (23%) in the 64-100 μm size fractions contained abundant cells of A. fundyense, presumably due to sieve clogging, but most did not contain A. fundyense cells. This suggests that PSP toxin levels in those samples were due to vectorial intoxication of microzooplankters such as heterotrophic dinoflagellates, tintinnids, aloricate ciliates, rotifers, and copepod nauplii via feeding on A. fundyense cells. Dominant taxa in zooplankton fractions varied in size. Samples in the 100-200 μm size fraction were overwhelmingly dominated in most cases by copepod nauplii and small copepodites of O. similis, and during late May, rotifers. Samples in the 200-500 μm size fraction contained fewer copepod nauplii, but progressively more copepodites and adults of O. similis, particularly at offshore locations. At the most inshore stations, copepodites and adults of A. hudsonica were usual dominants. There were few copepod nauplii or O. similis in the>500 μm size fraction, which was usually dominated by copepodites and adults of C. finmarchicus, C. typicus, and Pseudocalanus spp. at offshore locations, and A. hudsonica inshore. Most of the higher PSP toxin concentrations were found in the larger zooplankton size fractions that were dominated by larger copepods such as C. finmarchicus and C. typicus. In contrast to our earlier findings, elevated toxin levels were also measured in numerous samples from smaller zooplankton size fractions, dominated by heterotrophic dinoflagellates, tintinnids and aloricate ciliates, rotifers, copepod nauplii, and smaller copepods such as O. similis and, at the most inshore locations, A. hudsonica. Thus, our data suggest that ingested PSP toxins are widespread throughout the zooplankton grazing community, and that potential vectors for intoxication of zooplankton assemblages include heterotrophic dinoflagellates, rotifers, protozoans, copepod nauplii, and small copepods.

Perfluorocarbon Tracer Experiments on a 2 km Scale in Manchester Showing Ingress of Pollutants into a Building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, James; Wright, Matthew; Bacak, Asan; Silva, Hugo; Priestley, Michael; Martin, Damien; Percival, Carl; Shallcross, Dudley

2016-04-01

Cyclic perfluorocarbons (PFCs) have been used to measure the passage of air in urban and rural settings as they are chemically inert, non-toxic and have low background concentrations. The use of pre-concentrators and chemical ionisation gas chromatography enables concentrations of a few parts per quadrillion (ppq) to be measured in bag samples. Three PFC tracers were used in Manchester, UK in the summer of 2015 to map airflow in the city and ingress into buildings: perfluomethylcyclohexane (PMCH), perfluoro-2-4-dimethylcyclohexane (mPDMCH) and perfluoro-2-methyl-3-ethylpentene (PMEP). A known quantity of each PFC was released for 15 minutes from steel canisters using pre-prepared PFC mixtures. Release points were chosen to be upwind of the central sampling location (Simon Building, University of Manchester) and varied in distance up to 2.2 km. Six releases using one or three tracers in different configurations and under different conditions were undertaken in the summer. Three further experiments were conducted in the Autumn, to more closely investigate the rate of ingress and decay of tracer indoors. In each experiment, 10 litre samples were made over 30 minutes into Tedlar bags, starting at the same time the as PFC release. Samples were taken in 11 locations chosen from 15 identified areas including three in public parks, three outside within the University of Manchester area, seven inside and five outside of the Simon building and two outside a building nearby. For building measurements, receptors were placed inside the buildings on different floors; outside measurements were achieved through a sample line out of the window. Three of the sample positions inside the Simon building were paired with samplers outside to allow indoor-outdoor comparisons. PFC concentrations varied depending on location and height. The highest measured concentrations occurred when the tracer was released at sunrise; up to 330 ppq above background (11 ppq) of PMCH was measured at the 6th floor of the Simon Building from a release 1.9 km away. One experiment sampled for an additional two 30 minute periods in four locations inside and one location outside the Simon Building in order to investigate how long it took for air to enter and leave the building. For this measurement, 1.3 g of PMCH was released 1.9 km away and average roof level wind speed was 7.8 m/s. The highest measurement of PMCH outside was 54 ppq above background, and 46 ppq inside. After the first 30 minutes, the PFC concentration returned to background levels outside, but other internal rooms still had elevated PFC concentrations between 10 and 16 ppq above background an hour after release demonstrating that pollutants may persist within buildings having passed outside. In the final experiment, the wind direction changed so the sampling locations were not directly downwind of the release point, but nevertheless a small amount of PFC tracer above background was detected at the highest sampling point on the 6th floor of the Simon Building (14 ppq above background), and a smaller amount at street level.

Installation-restoration program. Phase 2. Confirmation/quantification. Stage 1 for Mather AFB, Sacramento, California. Volume 1. Final report, September 1983-June 1986

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

Not Available

A Problem Confirmation Study was performed at three sites on Mather AFB identified in the Phase I investigation as requiring further study (the Air command and warning Area, the 7100 Area, the West Ditch) and the Northeast Perimeter. The field investigation was conducted from February 1984 to June 1985 and included installation of 11 monitor wells, collection of groundwater samples from the monitor wells and 15 base production wells, and collection of sediment samples from two locations on the West Ditch. Analytes included oil and grease, TOC, volatile organic compounds (VOA), as well as dimethylnitrosamine, phenols, pesticides, and dissolved metalsmore » at some specific sites. Based on the hydrogeologic complexity of the physical setting and the findings of the sampling and analytical work, follow-on investigations were recommended at all three sites.« less

Mars Climate Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

The purpose of this mission is to study the climate history and the water distribution of Mars. Beautiful panoramic views of the shuttle on the launch pad, engine ignition, Rocket launch, and the separation and burnout of the Solid Rocket Boosters are shown. The footage also includes an animation of the mission. Detailed views of the path that the Orbiter traversed were shown. Once the Orbiter lands on the surface of Mars, it will dig a six to eight inch hole and collect samples from the planets' surface. The animation also included the prospective return of the Orbiter to Earth over the desert of Utah. The remote sensor on the Orbiter helps in finding the exact location of the Orbiter so that scientists may collect the sample and analyze it.

Spherical disharmonics in the Earth sciences and the spatial solution: Ridges, hotspots, slabs, geochemistry and tomography correlations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Terrill W.; Anderson, Don L.

1994-01-01

There is increasing use of statistical correlations between geophysical fields and between geochemical and geophysical fields in attempts to understand how the Earth works. Typically, such correlations have been based on spherical harmonic expansions. The expression of functions on the sphere as spherical harmonic series has many pitfalls, especially if the data are nonuniformly and/or sparsely sampled. Many of the difficulties involved in the use of spherical harmonic expansion techniques can be avoided through the use of spatial domain correlations, but this introduces other complications, such as the choice of a sampling lattice. Additionally, many geophysical and geochemical fields fail to satisfy the assumptions of standard statistical significance tests. This is especially problematic when the data values to be correlated with a geophysical field were collected at sample locations which themselves correlate with that field. This paper examines many correlations which have been claimed in the past between geochemistry and mantle tomography and between hotspot, ridge, and slab locations and tomography using both spherical harmonic coefficient correlations and spatial domain correlations. No conclusively significant correlations are found between isotopic geochemistry and mantle tomography. The Crough and Jurdy (short) hotspot location list shows statistically significant correlation with lowermost mantle tomography for degree 2 of the spherical harmonic expansion, but there are no statistically significant correlations in the spatial case. The Vogt (long) hotspot location list does not correlate with tomography anywhere in the mantle using either technique. Both hotspot lists show a strong correlation between hotspot locations and geoid highs when spatially correlated, but no correlations are revealed by spherical harmonic techniques. Ridge locations do not show any statistically significant correlations with tomography, slab locations, or the geoid; the strongest correlation is with lowermost mantle tomography, which is probably spurious. The most striking correlations are between mantle tomography and post-Pangean subducted slabs. The integrated locations of slabs correlate strongly with fast areas near the transition zone and the core-mantle boundary and with slow regions from 1022-1248 km depth. This seems to be consistent with the 'avalanching' downwellings which have been indicated by models of the mantle which include an endothermic phase transition at the 670-km discontinuity, although this is not a unique interpretation. Taken as a whole, these results suggest that slabs and associated cold downwellings are the dominant feature of mantle convection. Hotspot locations are no better correlated with lower mantle tomography than are ridge locations.

Sources of variability in collection and preparation of paint and lead-coating samples.

PubMed

Harper, S L; Gutknecht, W F

2001-06-01

Chronic exposure of children to lead (Pb) can result in permanent physiological impairment. Since surfaces coated with lead-containing paints and varnishes are potential sources of exposure, it is extremely important that reliable methods for sampling and analysis be available. The sources of variability in the collection and preparation of samples were investigated to improve the performance and comparability of methods and to ensure that data generated will be adequate for its intended use. Paint samples of varying sizes (areas and masses) were collected at different locations across a variety of surfaces including metal, plaster, concrete, and wood. A variety of grinding techniques were compared. Manual mortar and pestle grinding for at least 1.5 min and mechanized grinding techniques were found to generate similar homogenous particle size distributions required for aliquots as small as 0.10 g. When 342 samples were evaluated for sample weight loss during mortar and pestle grinding, 4% had 20% or greater loss with a high of 41%. Homogenization and sub-sampling steps were found to be the principal sources of variability related to the size of the sample collected. Analysis of samples from different locations on apparently identical surfaces were found to vary by more than a factor of two both in Pb concentration (mg cm-2 or %) and areal coating density (g cm-2). Analyses of substrates were performed to determine the Pb remaining after coating removal. Levels as high as 1% Pb were found in some substrate samples, corresponding to more than 35 mg cm-2 Pb. In conclusion, these sources of variability must be considered in development and/or application of any sampling and analysis methodologies.

[Correlation between demyelinating lesions and executive function decline in a sample of Mexican patients with multiple sclerosis].

PubMed

Aldrete Cortez, V R; Duriez-Sotelo, E; Carrillo-Mora, P; Pérez-Zuno, J A

2013-09-01

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is characterised by several neurological symptoms including cognitive impairment, which has recently been the subject of considerable study. At present, evidence pointing to a correlation between lesion characteristics and specific cognitive impairment is not conclusive. To investigate the presence of a correlation between the characteristics of demyelinating lesions and performance of basic executive functions in a sample of MS patients. We included 21 adult patients with scores of 0 to 5 on the Kurtzke scale and no exacerbations of the disease in at least 3 months prior to the evaluation date. They completed the Stroop test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). The location of the lesions was determined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed by a blinded expert in neuroimaging. Demyelinating lesions were more frequently located in the frontal and occipital lobes. The Stroop test showed that as cognitive demand increased on each of the sections in the test, reaction time and number of errors increased. On the WCST, 33.33% of patients registered as having moderate cognitive impairment. No correlation could be found between demyelinating lesion characteristics (location, size, and number) and patients' scores on the tests. Explanations of the causes of cognitive impairment in MS should examine a variety of biological, psychological, and social factors instead of focusing solely on demyelinating lesions. Copyright © 2012 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear Spatial Inversion Without Monte Carlo Sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curtis, A.; Nawaz, A.

2017-12-01

High-dimensional, nonlinear inverse or inference problems usually have non-unique solutions. The distribution of solutions are described by probability distributions, and these are usually found using Monte Carlo (MC) sampling methods. These take pseudo-random samples of models in parameter space, calculate the probability of each sample given available data and other information, and thus map out high or low probability values of model parameters. However, such methods would converge to the solution only as the number of samples tends to infinity; in practice, MC is found to be slow to converge, convergence is not guaranteed to be achieved in finite time, and detection of convergence requires the use of subjective criteria. We propose a method for Bayesian inversion of categorical variables such as geological facies or rock types in spatial problems, which requires no sampling at all. The method uses a 2-D Hidden Markov Model over a grid of cells, where observations represent localized data constraining the model in each cell. The data in our example application are seismic properties such as P- and S-wave impedances or rock density; our model parameters are the hidden states and represent the geological rock types in each cell. The observations at each location are assumed to depend on the facies at that location only - an assumption referred to as `localized likelihoods'. However, the facies at a location cannot be determined solely by the observation at that location as it also depends on prior information concerning its correlation with the spatial distribution of facies elsewhere. Such prior information is included in the inversion in the form of a training image which represents a conceptual depiction of the distribution of local geologies that might be expected, but other forms of prior information can be used in the method as desired. The method provides direct (pseudo-analytic) estimates of posterior marginal probability distributions over each variable, so these do not need to be estimated from samples as is required in MC methods. On a 2-D test example the method is shown to outperform previous methods significantly, and at a fraction of the computational cost. In many foreseeable applications there are therefore no serious impediments to extending the method to 3-D spatial models.

Data Validation Package: April 2016 Groundwater Sampling at the Falls City, Texas, Disposal Site

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

Jasso, Tashina; Widdop, Michael

Nine groundwater samples were collected at the Falls City, Texas, Disposal Site as specified in the March 2008 Long-Term Surveillance Plan for the US Department of Energy Falls City Uranium Mill Tailings Disposal Site, Falls City, Texas (DOE-LM/1602-2008). Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in the Sampling and Analysis Plan for US Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated). The wells sampled included the cell performance monitoring wells (0709, 0858, 0880, 0906, and 0921) and the groundwater monitoring wells (0862, 0886, 0891, 0924, and 0963). A duplicate sample was collected from location 0891. Water levelsmore » were measured at each sampled well. Historically, cell performance monitoring wells 0908 and 0916 have not produced water and were confirmed as dry during this sampling event. These wells are completed above the saturated interval in the formation. Notable observations for time-concentration graphs in this report include: (1) uranium concentrations in well 0891 continue to increase; (2) the uranium concentration in well 0880 is higher than the 2015 value and lower than the 2014 value, and it remains within the range of historical values; and (3) uranium concentrations in the other sampled wells are below 2 mg/L and consistent with previous results.« less

Soil- and groundwater-quality data for petroleum hydrocarbon compounds within Fuels Area C, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bender, David A.; Rowe, Barbara L.

2015-01-01

Ellsworth Air Force Base is an Air Combat Command located approximately 10 miles northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota. Ellsworth Air Force Base occupies about 6,000 acres within Meade and Pennington Counties, and includes runways, airfield operations, industrial areas, housing, and recreational facilities. Fuels Area C within Ellsworth Air Force Base is a fuels storage area that is used to support the mission of the base. In fall of 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey began a study in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, Ellsworth Air Force Base, to estimate groundwater-flow direction, select locations for permanent monitoring wells, and install and sample monitoring wells for petroleum hydrocarbon compounds within Fuels Area C. Nine monitoring wells were installed for the study within Fuels Area C during November 4–7, 2014. Soil core samples were collected during installation of eight of the monitoring wells and analyzed for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, total xylenes, naphthalene,m- and p-xylene, o-xylene, and gasoline- and diesel-range organic compounds. Groundwater samples were collected from seven of the nine wells (two of the monitoring wells did not contain enough water to sample or were dry) during November 19–21, 2014, and analyzed for select physical properties, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, total xylenes, naphthalene, m- and p-xylene, o-xylene, and gasoline- and diesel-range organic compounds. This report describes the nine monitoring well locations and presents the soil- and groundwater-quality data collected in 2014 for this study.

Prevalence and distribution of Wellfleet Bay virus exposure in the Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ballard, Jennifer R.; Mickley, Randall M.; Gibbs, Samantha E.J.; Dwyer, Chris P.; Soos, Catherine; Harms, N. Jane; Gilchrist, H. Grant; Hall, Jeffrey S.; Franson, J. Christian; Milton, G. Randy; Parsons, Glen; Allen, Brad; Giroux, Jean-Francois; Lair, Stéphane; Mead, Daniel G.; Fischer, John R.

2017-01-01

Between 1998 and 2014, recurrent mortality events were reported in the Dresser's subspecies of the Common Eider (Somateria mollissima dresseri) on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA near Wellfleet Harbor. The early die-offs were attributed to parasitism and emaciation, but beginning in 2006 a suite of distinct lesions was observed concomitant with the isolation of a previously unknown RNA virus. This novel pathogen was identified as an orthomyxovirus in the genus Quaranjavirus and was named Wellfleet Bay virus (WFBV). To assess evidence of exposure to this virus in Common Eiders, we conducted a longitudinal study of the prevalence of WFBV antibodies at multiple locations from 2004–14; we collected 2,258 serum samples from six locations and analyzed each using a microneutralization assay. Results corroborate the emergence of WFBV in 2006 based on the first detection of antibodies in that year. Significantly higher prevalence was detected in Common Eiders sampled in Massachusetts compared to those in Maine, Nova Scotia, and Québec. For birds breeding and wintering in Massachusetss, viral exposure varied by age, sex, and season of sampling, and prevalence by season and sex were highly interrelated with greater numbers of antibody-positive males in the autumn and females in the spring. No evidence of viral exposure was detected in the Northern subspecies (Somateria mollissima borealis). Among the locations sampled, Massachusetts appears to be the epicenter of Common Eider exposure to WFBV. Further research is warranted to understand the factors controlling the epidemiology of WFBV in Massachussetts, including those that may be limiting geographic expansion of this virus.

The distribution and stratification of persistent organic pollutants and fatty acids in bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) blubber.

PubMed

Ellisor, Debra; McLellan, William; Koopman, Heather; Schwacke, Lori; McFee, Wayne; Kucklick, John

2013-10-01

Blubber has been used for decades to monitor exposure of marine mammals to persistent organic pollutants (POPs). However, little is known about POP variability as a function of blubber depth and across the body of the animal. Remote blubber biopsy sampling (e.g, projectile biopsy) is the most common technique used to acquire samples from free-swimming animals, yet such techniques may result in variable sampling. It is important to understand whether blubber stratification or body location affects POP concentration or the concentration of other important blubber constituents such as fatty acids (FA). To investigate the influence of sampling depth and location on POP concentration, full depth blubber samples were taken from one stranded bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) at six different body sites to assess variation in FA distribution and contaminant storage with body location. Three of the samples from different body locations were separated into histologically distinct layers to examine the effect of blubber depth and body location on POPs and FAs. In this individual, both POPs and FAs were heterogeneous with blubber depth and body location. POP concentrations were significantly greater in ventral (average ΣPBDEs 1350 ng/g lipid) and anterior (average ΣPCBs 28,700 ng/g lipid) body locations and greater in the superficial blubber layer (average ΣPCBs 35,500 ng/g lipid) when compared to the deep (8390 ng/g lipid) and middle (23,700 ng/g lipid) layers. Proportionally more dietary FAs were found in dorsal blubber and in middle and deep layers relative to other locations while the reverse was true for biosynthesized FAs. Stratification was further examined in blubber from the same body location in five additional stranded bottlenose dolphins. Although FAs were stratified with blubber depth, lipid-normalized POPs were not significantly different with depth, indicating that POP concentrations can vary in an individual with blubber depth though the direction of POP stratification is not consistent among individuals. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Sex Differences in “Weightlifting” Injuries Presenting to United States Emergency Rooms

PubMed Central

Quatman, Carmen E.; Myer, Gregory D.; Khoury, Jane; Wall, Eric J.; Hewett, Timothy E.

2009-01-01

Benefits of resistance training include improved muscle strength and sports performance, and may include reduced injuries. However, few studies have examined sex differences in resistance training related injuries. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate sex differences in injuries associated with weightlifting, in adolescents and young adults by type (sprains and strains, fractures), mechanism (accidental, non-accidental) and location (head, trunk, arm, hand, leg, foot) of injury. We hypothesized that there would be sex differences in type, mechanism and location of “weightlifting” injuries. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried from 2002-2005, using the CPSC code for “Weightlifting.” Subjects between the ages of 14 and 30 were included in the study. CPSC sampling weights were used to calculate national estimates from the sample of 3,713 patients (Males= 3,102; Females= 611). Weighted Chi-square analyses were used to compare differences in mechanism, type, and location of injury for males versus females. Males had significantly more sprains and strains (P=0.004), while females demonstrated increased accidental injuries compared to males (P<0.001). The trunk was the most commonly injured body part for both males (36.9%) and females (27.4%). However, males had more trunk injuries than females (P<0.001), while females had more foot (P<0.001) and leg (P=0.03) injuries than males (P<0.001). The findings indicate that males may suffer more exertional type resistance injuries during weightlifting (sprains and strains) compared to females, especially at the trunk. Conversely, females may be more susceptible to lower extremity injuries resulting from accidents during resistance training. PMID:19855331

Sex differences in "weightlifting" injuries presenting to United States emergency rooms.

PubMed

Quatman, Carmen E; Myer, Gregory D; Khoury, Jane; Wall, Eric J; Hewett, Timothy E

2009-10-01

Benefits of resistance training include improved muscle strength and sports performance and may include reduced injuries. However, few studies have examined sex differences in resistance training-related injuries. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate sex differences in injuries associated with strength training in adolescents and young adults by type (sprains and strains, fractures), mechanism (accidental, nonaccidental), and location (head, trunk, arm, hand, leg, foot) of injury. We hypothesized that there would be sex differences in type, mechanism, and location of strength training injuries. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried from 2002 to 2005 using the CPSC code for "Weightlifting." Subjects between the ages of 14 and 30 years were included in the study. CPSC sampling weights were used to calculate national estimates from the sample of 3,713 patients (men = 3,102; women = 611). Weighted Chi-square analyses were used to compare differences in mechanism, type, and location of injury for men versus women. Men had significantly more sprains and strains (p = 0.004), whereas women demonstrated increased accidental injuries compared to men (p < 0.001). The trunk was the most commonly injured body part for both men (36.9%) and women (27.4%). Men had more trunk injuries than women (p < 0.001), whereas women had more foot (p < 0.001) and leg (p = 0.03) injuries than men (p < 0.001). The findings indicate that men may suffer more exertional-type resistance injuries during strength training (sprains and strains) compared to women, especially at the trunk. Conversely, women may be more susceptible to lower-extremity injuries resulting from accidents during resistance training.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2015-04-01

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

Estimating acreage by double sampling using LANDSAT data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pont, F.; Horwitz, H.; Kauth, R. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

Double sampling techniques employing LANDSAT data for estimating the acreage of corn and soybeans was investigated and evaluated. The evaluation was based on estimated costs and correlations between two existing procedures having differing cost/variance characteristics, and included consideration of their individual merits when coupled with a fictional 'perfect' procedure of zero bias and variance. Two features of the analysis are: (1) the simultaneous estimation of two or more crops; and (2) the imposition of linear cost constraints among two or more types of resource. A reasonably realistic operational scenario was postulated. The costs were estimated from current experience with the measurement procedures involved, and the correlations were estimated from a set of 39 LACIE-type sample segments located in the U.S. Corn Belt. For a fixed variance of the estimate, double sampling with the two existing LANDSAT measurement procedures can result in a 25% or 50% cost reduction. Double sampling which included the fictional perfect procedure results in a more cost effective combination when it is used with the lower cost/higher variance representative of the existing procedures.

Locating and Evaluating Sea-Disposed Munitions--Examples from the Hawaii Undersea Military Munitions Assessment (HUMMA) Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, M.; Wilkens, R. H.; Kelley, C.; de Carlo, E. H.; MacDonald, K.; Garcia, S.; Vanwoerkom, M.; Payne, Z.; Dupra, V.; Rosete, M.; Cox, M.; Fineran, S.; King, J. C.; Carton, G.

2009-12-01

The Army, under its Environmental Quality Technology (EQT) Program funded the HUMMA Project to assess the location of, and potential risk to human health posed by, sea disposed munitions (discarded military munitions (DMM)) at a study site south of Pearl Harbor, Hawai‘i known as HI-05. These conventional and chemical munitions are believed to have been exposed to undersea biochemical and mechanical erosion since the late 1940’s. To locate <2-meter long DMM at depths of 300-600 meters, we used a series of nested surveys beginning with an IMI-120 sidescan sonar survey of HI-05. From backscatter data gridded into 0.5-2m cells, we identified trails of highly reflective targets as candidate study sites. We initially surveyed these sites using a towed video camera. Subsequently, during a 12-day program aboard the R/V Kaimikai-o-Kanaloa, we surveyed selected targets using PISCES submersibles and an RCV-150 remotely operated vehicle operated by the Hawaii Undersea Research Lab. Every trail of reflective targets identified in the IMI-120 data was subsequently shown to contain DMM of various types. In combination with completing optical surveys to augment the IMI-120 acoustic data, the PISCES submersibles collected 96 sediment and 24 water samples within 1 and 2 meters of high-interest DMM as well as comparative background sites. The Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center supported dive operations to ensure crew personnel were not exposed to chemical agents (CA) and processed samples on board to determine if CA was present. The processed samples were then packaged and shipped to various shore-based laboratories to determine the presence of energetics and metals. Upon completion of the diving program, various species of locally consumed snapper and shrimp were collected near several of the sediment and water sample sites for analogous laboratory analyses. Our approach proved to be highly successful, identifying in a 5-day long IMI-120 survey the location of dozens of munitions trails containing ~2,000 munitions. At the 0.5m grid cell size for the backscatter data, it is even possible to identify trails of different types of munitions. Backscatter maps were critical for directing PISCES operations during sampling, including returning to specific 1-m long munitions on separate dives. These maps now serve as the foundation of a database that will allow near-bottom instruments including submersibles to operate more safely in the 69 km2 field area. At the time of this abstract preparation, sample analysis is still underway, but it will be completed in time to present the results at the December meeting.

Empirical analyses of plant-climate relationships for the western United States

Treesearch

Gerald E. Rehfeldt; Nicholas L. Crookston; Marcus V. Warwell; Jeffrey S. Evans

2006-01-01

The Random Forests multiple-regression tree was used to model climate profiles of 25 biotic communities of the western United States and nine of their constituent species. Analyses of the communities were based on a gridded sample of ca. 140,000 points, while those for the species used presence-absence data from ca. 120,000 locations. Independent variables included 35...

Repeats, returns, and estimated flight ranges of neotropical migratory birds in Utah riparian habitat

Treesearch

Dan A. Roberts; Jimmie R. Parrish; Frank P. Howe

2005-01-01

We present data on capture and recapture of neotropical migrants at constant-effort mist net sampling locations in Utah between 1994 and 2002. Data were collected in accordance with MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) protocols. Since 1994, a total of 23,789 birds have been captured (i.e., total captures include new captures, recaptures, and unbanded...

Leaf Mass Area, Leaf Carbon and Nitrogen Content, Kougarok Road and Teller Road, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2016

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

Shawn Serbin; Alistair Rogers; Kim Ely

Carbon, Nitrogen and Leaf Mass Area of leaves sampled from locations on the Kougarok Rd (transect A) and Teller Rd NGEE Arctic study sites, Seward Peninsula, Alaska. Species include: Alnus viridis spp. fruticosa, Arctostaphylos rubra, Betula glandulosa, Chamerion latifolium, Petasites frigidus, Salix alaxensis, Salix glauca, Salix pulchra, Salix richardsonii and Vaccinium uliginosum.

Reproductive success and contaminant associations in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) used to assess a beneficial use impairment in U.S. and Binational Great Lakes’ Areas of Concern

EPA Science Inventory

During 2010-2014, tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) reproductive success was monitored at 68 sites across all 5 Great Lakes, including 58 sites located within Great Lakes Areas of concern (AOCs) and 10 non-AOCs. Sample eggs were collected from tree swallow clutches and analyzed ...

Out-of-School Care and Problem Behavior Trajectories Among Low-Income Adolescents: Individual, Family, and Neighborhood Characteristics as Added Risks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coley, Rebekah Levine; Morris, Jodi Eileen; Hernandez, Daphne

2004-01-01

Using a developmental systems approach, this study considered longitudinal links between adolescents' out-of-school care experiences and behavioral trajectories within a random sample of 819 adolescents ages 10 to 14 years at Wave 1 from low-income, urban families. Multiple aspects of context were considered, including the location, supervision,…

Sediment data collected in 2013 from the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buster, Noreen A.; Kelso, Kyle W.; Bernier, Julie C.; Flocks, James G.; Miselis, Jennifer L.; DeWitt, Nancy T.

2014-01-01

This data series serves as an archive of sediment data collected in July 2013 from the Chandeleur Islands sand berm and adjacent barrier-island environments. Data products include descriptive core logs, core photographs and x-radiographs, results of sediment grain-size analyses, sample location maps, and Geographic Information System data files with accompanying formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata.

Steinhaus’ Geometric Location Problem for Random Samples in the Plane.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-11

NAL 411R A1, ’I 7 - I STEINHAUS ’ GEOMETRIC LOCATION PROBLEM FOR RANDOM SAMPLES IN THE PLANE By Dorit Hochbaum and J. Michael Steele TECHNICAL REPORT...DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS -Dltrib’ytion/ STANFORD UNIVERSITY A-I.abilty Codes STANFORD, CALIFORNIA Dist Spciat ecial Steinhaus ’ Geometric Location Problem for...Random Samples in the Plane By Dorit Hochbaum and J. Michael Steele I. Introduction. The work of H. Steinhaus U wf94 as apparently the first explicit

Global distribution of perfluorooctane sulfonate in wildlife.

PubMed

Giesy, J P; Kannan, K

2001-04-01

Here we report, for the first time, on the global distribution of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), a fluorinated organic contaminant. PFOS was measured in the tissues of wildlife, including, fish, birds, and marine mammals. Some of the species studied include bald eagles, polar bears, albatrosses, and various species of seals. Samples were collected from urbanized areas in North America, especially the Great Lakes region and coastal marine areas and rivers, and Europe. Samples were also collected from a number of more remote, less urbanized locations such as the Arctic and the North Pacific Oceans. The results demonstrated that PFOS is widespread in the environment. Concentrations of PFOS in animals from relatively more populated and industrialized regions, such as the North American Great Lakes, Baltic Sea, and Mediterranean Sea,were greaterthan those in animals from remote marine locations. Fish-eating, predatory animals such as mink and bald eagles contained concentrations of PFOS that were greater than the concentrations in their diets. This suggests that PFOS can bioaccumulate to higher trophic levels of the food chain. Currently available data indicate that the concentrations of PFOS in wildlife are less than those required to cause adverse effects in laboratory animals.

New geothermal database for Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blackett, Robert E.; ,

1993-01-01

The Utah Geological Survey complied a preliminary database consisting of over 800 records on thermal wells and springs in Utah with temperatures of 20??C or greater. Each record consists of 35 fields, including location of the well or spring, temperature, depth, flow-rate, and chemical analyses of water samples. Developed for applications on personal computers, the database will be useful for geochemical, statistical, and other geothermal related studies. A preliminary map of thermal wells and springs in Utah, which accompanies the database, could eventually incorporate heat-flow information, bottom-hole temperatures from oil and gas wells, traces of Quaternary faults, and locations of young volcanic centers.

A Stoichioproteomic Analysis of Samples from the Human Microbiome Project

PubMed Central

Vecchio-Pagan, Briana; Bewick, Sharon; Mainali, Kumar; Karig, David K.; Fagan, William F.

2017-01-01

Ecological stoichiometry (ES) uses organism-specific elemental content to explain differences in species life histories, species interactions, community organization, environmental constraints and even ecosystem function. Although ES has been successfully applied to a range of different organisms, most emphasis on microbial ecological stoichiometry focuses on lake, ocean, and soil communities. With the recent advances in human microbiome research, however, large amounts of data are being generated that describe differences in community composition across body sites and individuals. We suggest that ES may provide a framework for beginning to understand the structure, organization, and function of human microbial communities, including why certain organisms exist at certain locations, and how they interact with both the other microbes in their environment and their human host. As a first step, we undertake a stoichioproteomic analysis of microbial communities from different body sites. Specifically, we compare and contrast the elemental composition of microbial protein samples using annotated sequencing data from 690 gut, vaginal, oral, nares, and skin samples currently available through the Human Microbiome Project. Our results suggest significant differences in both the median and variance of the carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur contents of microbial protein samples from different locations. For example, whereas proteins from vaginal sites are high in carbon, proteins from skin and nasal sites are high in nitrogen and oxygen. Meanwhile, proteins from stool (the gut) are particularly high in sulfur content. We interpret these differences in terms of the local environments at different human body sites, including atmospheric exposure and food intake rates. PMID:28769875

40 CFR 80.1653 - Recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... this subpart O: (i) The location, date, time, and storage tank or truck identification for each sample... analytical testing: (i) The location, date, time, and storage tank or truck identification for each sample..., time, and storage tank or truck identification for each sample collected. (B) The name and title of the...

Sampling strategies for radio-tracking coyotes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, G.J.; Cary, J.R.; Rongstad, O.J.

1981-01-01

Ten coyotes radio-tracked for 24 h periods were most active at night and moved little during daylight hours. Home-range size determined from radio-locations of 3 adult coyotes increased with the number of locations until an asymptote was reached at about 35-40 independent day locations or 3 6 nights of hourly radio-locations. Activity of the coyote did not affect the asymptotic nature of the home-range calculations, but home-range sizes determined from more than 3 nights of hourly locations were considerably larger than home-range sizes determined from daylight locations. Coyote home-range sizes were calculated from daylight locations, full-night tracking periods, and half-night tracking periods. Full- and half-lnight sampling strategies involved obtaining hourly radio-locations during 12 and 6 h periods, respectively. The half-night sampling strategy was the best compromise for our needs, as it adequately indexed the home-range size, reduced time and energy spent, and standardized the area calculation without requiring the researcher to become completely nocturnal. Sight tracking also provided information about coyote activity and sociability.

Metadata, Identifiers, and Physical Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arctur, D. K.; Lenhardt, W. C.; Hills, D. J.; Jenkyns, R.; Stroker, K. J.; Todd, N. S.; Dassie, E. P.; Bowring, J. F.

2016-12-01

Physical samples are integral to much of the research conducted by geoscientists. The samples used in this research are often obtained at significant cost and represent an important investment for future research. However, making information about samples - whether considered data or metadata - available for researchers to enable discovery is difficult: a number of key elements related to samples are difficult to characterize in common ways, such as classification, location, sample type, sampling method, repository information, subsample distribution, and instrumentation, because these differ from one domain to the next. Unifying these elements or developing metadata crosswalks is needed. The iSamples (Internet of Samples) NSF-funded Research Coordination Network (RCN) is investigating ways to develop these types of interoperability and crosswalks. Within the iSamples RCN, one of its working groups, WG1, has focused on the metadata related to physical samples. This includes identifying existing metadata standards and systems, and how they might interoperate with the International Geo Sample Number (IGSN) schema (schema.igsn.org) in order to help inform leading practices for metadata. For example, we are examining lifecycle metadata beyond the IGSN `birth certificate.' As a first step, this working group is developing a list of relevant standards and comparing their various attributes. In addition, the working group is looking toward technical solutions to facilitate developing a linked set of registries to build the web of samples. Finally, the group is also developing a comparison of sample identifiers and locators. This paper will provide an overview and comparison of the standards identified thus far, as well as an update on the technical solutions examined for integration. We will discuss how various sample identifiers might work in complementary fashion with the IGSN to more completely describe samples, facilitate retrieval of contextual information, and access research work on related samples. Finally, we welcome suggestions and community input to move physical sample unique identifiers forward.

Microfungi in cultivated fields in Eskişehir provience (Turkey).

PubMed

Demirel, Rasime; Ilhan, Semra; Asan, Ahmet; Kinaci, Engin; Oner, Setenay

2005-01-01

The soil microfungi flora was investigated in four locations of Eskişehir (Turkey). 56 soil samples were seasonaly collected from 14 stations in the areas of Karacahöyük, Bahçecik, OGU I, and OGU II. A total of 110 species belonging to 32 genera were encountered including Absidia, Acremonium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Beauveria, Botryoderma, Chaetomium, Chrysosporium, Cladosporium, Eupenicillium, Eurotium, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Gliocladium, Gonytrichum, Metarrhizium, Mucor, Myrothecium, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Phoma, Plectosphaerella, Rhizoctania, Rhizopus, Scopulariopsis, Septonema, Stachybotrys, Trichocladium, Trichoderma, Ulocladium, Verticillium, and Wardomyces. Twenty five species were more frequent (all locations) while twenty seven species were rare (only one sample). Mainly, Acremonium kiliense, Aspergillus ochraceus, A. terricola var. americanus, A. versicolor, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, Gliocladium roseum, Penicillium chrysogenum, P. corylophum, P. expansum, P. griseofulvum, P. implicatum, P. restrictum, and Stachybotrys chartarum were the most common and abundant microfungi in all locations. Five species Aspergillus subsessilis, A. terreus var. africanus, Eupenicillium egyptiacum, Paecilomyces ramosus, and Penicillium novae-zeelandiae are likely to be newly recorded for Turkey. The microfungi number in Eskişehir soils was between 25,000-234,000 CFU/g (mean value at 126,375 CFU/g). Copyright (c) 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Benthic macrofauna data for San Francisco Bay, California, September 1986

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schemel, Laurence E.; Thompson, J.K.; Harmon, J.G.; Yost, B.T.

1995-01-01

Benthic macrofauna were collected during September 1986 to evaluate locations for long-term monitoring stations as part of the U.S. Geological Survey Regional Effects Monitoring Program in San Francisco Bay, California. Three to ten replicate samples were collected with a modified Van Veen sampler (0.05 m2 area) at ten locations. One box core sample (0.06 m2 area) was collected at seven to the ten locations. Six of the box core samples were split into an upper 10 cm sample and a deeper sample before analysis. Macrofauna specimens were identified to the lowest possible taxon, usually genus and species, then counted. An average of 88 percent of the benthic macrofauna specimens were identified to the species level. The fraction identified varied among stations from 54 to 98 percent. Nematodes and oligochaetes accounted for most of the unidentified specimens. Relative to the total number of species identified in five replicates at each location, an average of 90 percent of the species were collected with three replicates. In general, species with high to moderate abundances were present in all replicates, and species collected only after three or more replicates averaged less than one specimen per replicate. Results from the box cores showed that the dominant species were most abundant in the upper 10 cm, the depth of sediment that can be adequately sampled with a modified Van Veen sampler. On the basis of the number of species and their abundances at each location, seven of the ten locations were selected for sampling in the regular program, which began in March 1987.

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

Nichols, T.

The Nuclear Forensics Analysis Center (NFAC) is part of Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) and is one of only two USG National Laboratories accredited to perform nuclear forensic analyses to the requirements of ISO 17025. SRNL NFAC is capable of analyzing nuclear and radiological samples from bulk material to ultra-trace samples. NFAC provides analytical support to the FBI's Radiological Evidence Examination Facility (REEF), which is located within SRNL. REEF gives the FBI the capability to perform traditional forensics on material that is radiological and/or is contaminated. SRNL is engaged in research and development efforts to improve the USG technical nuclearmore » forensics capabilities. Research includes improving predictive signatures and developing a database containing comparative samples.« less

Application of Handheld Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) to Geochemical Analysis.

PubMed

Connors, Brendan; Somers, Andrew; Day, David

2016-05-01

While laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been in use for decades, only within the last two years has technology progressed to the point of enabling true handheld, self-contained instruments. Several instruments are now commercially available with a range of capabilities and features. In this paper, the SciAps Z-500 handheld LIBS instrument functionality and sub-systems are reviewed. Several assayed geochemical sample sets, including igneous rocks and soils, are investigated. Calibration data are presented for multiple elements of interest along with examples of elemental mapping in heterogeneous samples. Sample preparation and the data collection method from multiple locations and data analysis are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

Ozone trends in Great Smoky Mountains National Park over the past two decades: Implications for plants and ecosystems

EPA Science Inventory

Hourly ozone data from five sampling locations in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and one low elevation location adjacent to the Park in NC were analyzed over the period 1989 to 2012 for diurnal and season trends. Sampling locations spanned an elevational range from 564 m at...

40 CFR 761.304 - Determining sample location.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... (a) For 1 square meter non-porous surface areas having the same size and shape, it is permissible to sample the same 10 cm by 10 cm location or position in each identical 1 square meter area. This location or position is determined in accordance with § 761.306 or § 761.308. (b) If some 1 square meter...

40 CFR 761.304 - Determining sample location.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

.... (a) For 1 square meter non-porous surface areas having the same size and shape, it is permissible to sample the same 10 cm by 10 cm location or position in each identical 1 square meter area. This location or position is determined in accordance with § 761.306 or § 761.308. (b) If some 1 square meter...

40 CFR 761.304 - Determining sample location.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... (a) For 1 square meter non-porous surface areas having the same size and shape, it is permissible to sample the same 10 cm by 10 cm location or position in each identical 1 square meter area. This location or position is determined in accordance with § 761.306 or § 761.308. (b) If some 1 square meter...

40 CFR 761.304 - Determining sample location.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

.... (a) For 1 square meter non-porous surface areas having the same size and shape, it is permissible to sample the same 10 cm by 10 cm location or position in each identical 1 square meter area. This location or position is determined in accordance with § 761.306 or § 761.308. (b) If some 1 square meter...

40 CFR 761.304 - Determining sample location.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.... (a) For 1 square meter non-porous surface areas having the same size and shape, it is permissible to sample the same 10 cm by 10 cm location or position in each identical 1 square meter area. This location or position is determined in accordance with § 761.306 or § 761.308. (b) If some 1 square meter...

Discovery of the First Leaking Double-Shell Tank - Hanford Tank 241-AY-102

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

Harrington, Stephanie J.; Sams, Terry L.

Full text - Long Abstract. A routine video inspection of the annulus region of double-shell tank 241-A Y-102 in August of 2012 indicated the presence material in the annulus space between the primary and secondary liners. A comparison was made to previous inspections performed in 2006 and 2007. which indicated that a change had occurred. The material was observed at two locations on the floor of the annulus and one location at the top of the annulus region where the primary and secondary top knuckles meet (RPP-ASMT-53793). Subsequent inspections were performed. leading to additional material observed on the floor ofmore » the annulus space in a region that had not previously been inspected (WRPS-PER-2012-1363). The annulus Continuous Air Monitor (CAM) was still operational and was not indicating elevated radiation levels in the annulus region. When the camera from the inspections was recovered. it also did not indicate increased radiation above minimum contamination levels (WRPS-PER-2012-1363). A formal leak assessment team was established August 10, 2012 to review tank 241-AY-102 construction and operating histories and to determine whether the material observed in the annulus had resulted from a leak in the primary tank. The team consisted of individuals from Engineering. Base Operations and Environmental Protection. As this was a first-of-its-kind task. a method for obtaining a sample of the material in the annulus was needed. The consistency of the material was unknown.and the location of a majority of the material was not conducive to using the sampling devices that were currently available at Hanford. A subcontractor was tasked with the development fabrication.and testing of a sampling device that would be able to obtain multiple samples from the material on the annulus floor. as well as the material originating from a refractory air-slot near the floor of the annulus space. This sampler would need to be able to collect and dispense the material it collected into a sample jar retrieval device for transportation of the material to the 222-S laboratory on the Hanford site for analysis. The subcontractor agency fabricated a remote underground sampler by modifying off-the-shelf robotics and parts. Limited testing of the sampler was conducted using a mock-up of the tank annulus and one simulated material type -a salt block. The mock-up testing indicated that the sampler would be able to maneuver within the confined space and that the device worked with full functionality. A total of six weeks had passed from initiation to implementation of the new sampler in the 241-AY-102 tank annulus. Initial sample material was obtained from the annulus floor using the Off-Riser Sampler System that has been used at Hanford tor years to obtain material from the primary tanks. This could be used at the location near Riser 83 since the material was collected directly from the annulus floor and not from a location on the wall or behind a pipe, as was needed from the two locations near Riser 90. After obtaining a small sample of the material on the annulus floor.this sampler sustained terminal damage due to conduit pipes it had to transverse in order to collect and recover material from this location. Several issues were also encountered during deployment of the new sampler into the annulus near Riser 90. These included: Difficulty fitting the sampler down the 12-inch riser into the annulus due to a small tolerance in the size of the sampler; Failure of sampler components and functions during deployment including the camera. pneumatics.and bearing seals; Delays in the field due to supporting equipment issues including cables. cameras. and scaffolding; and, Low recovery of sample material obtained for analysis. The complications that occurred during deployment and use of the new sampler during the sampling event ultimately resulted in lower recovery of material from these locations in the annulus than was obtained using the Off-Riser Sampler System and limited the analyses that could be performed for determining the origin of the material. Following completion of the sample analyses and the assessment of its construction history and use. there was a consensus among the leak assessment team members that two of the three materials sampled from the annulus floor region were the result of waste leaking from a breach in the primary tank. The probable leak cause was identified as corrosion at high temperatures in a tank whose containment margins had been reduced due to construction difficulties (RPP-ASMT-53793). A formal Lessons Learned was created concerning designing equipment tor unique purposes under time constraints. This document was published in OPEXShare on May 20. 2013. It highlighted some of the issues that arose with the subcontractor sampler development and provided recommendations to prevent a recurrence should this task need to be performed again in the future. The document can be found at http://msa.hanford.gov/opex/lesson.cfm/2013/5/20/3481/AY-102-Annulus-Sampler-Designing-Equipment-for-Unique-Purposes-under-Time-Constraints/.« less

Journal Article: the National Dioxin Air Monitoring Network ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The U.S. EPA has established a National Dioxin Air Monitoring Network (NDAMN) to determine the temporal and geographical variability of atmospheric CDDs, CDFs and coplanar PCBs at rural and nonimpacted locations throughout the United States. Currently operating at 32 sampling stations, NDAMN has three primary purposes: (1) to determine the atmospheric levels and occurrences of dioxin-like compounds in rural and agricultural areas where livestock, poultry and animal feed crops are grown; (2) to provide measurements of atmospheric levels of dioxin-like compounds in different geographic regions of the U.S.; and (3) to provide information regarding the long-range transport of dioxin-like compounds in air over the U.S. Designed in 1997, NDAMN has been implemented in phases, with the first phase consisting of 9 monitoring stations. Previously EPA has reported on the preliminary results of monitoring at 9 rural locations from June1998 through June 19991. The one-year measurement at the 9 stations indicated an annual mean TEQDF–WHO98 air concentration of 12 fg m-3. Since this reporting, NDAMN has been extended to include additional stations. The following is intended to be an update to this national monitoring effort. We are reporting the air monitoring results of 22 NDAMN stations operational over 9 sampling moments from June 1998 to December 1999. Fifteen stations are in rural areas, and 6 are located in National Parks. One station is located in suburban Wa

Intra-urban spatial variability of PM2.5-bound carbonaceous components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Mingjie; Coons, Teresa L.; Dutton, Steven J.; Milford, Jana B.; Miller, Shelly L.; Peel, Jennifer L.; Vedal, Sverre; Hannigan, Michael P.

2012-12-01

The Denver Aerosol Sources and Health (DASH) study was designed to evaluate associations between PM2.5 species and sources and adverse human health effects. The DASH study generated a five-year (2003-2007) time series of daily speciated PM2.5 concentration measurements from a single, special-purpose monitoring site in Denver, CO. To evaluate the ability of this site to adequately represent the short term temporal variability of PM2.5 concentrations in the five county Denver metropolitan area, a one year supplemental set of PM2.5 samples was collected every sixth day at the original DASH monitoring site and concurrently at three additional sites. Two of the four sites, including the original DASH site, were located in residential areas at least 1.9 km from interstate highways. The other two sites were located within 0.3 km of interstate highways. Concentrations of elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), and 58 organic molecular markers were measured at each site. To assess spatial variability, site pairs were compared using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) and coefficient of divergence (COD), a statistic that provides information on the degree of uniformity between monitoring sites. Bi-weekly co-located samples collected from July 2004 to September 2005 were also analyzed and used to estimate the uncertainty associated with sampling and analytical measurement for each species. In general, the two near-highway sites exhibited higher concentrations of EC, OC, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and steranes than did the more residential sites. Lower spatial heterogeneity based on r and COD was inferred for all carbonaceous species after considering their divergence and lack of perfect correlations in co-located samples. Ratio-ratio plots combined with available gasoline- and diesel-powered motor vehicle emissions profiles for the region suggested a greater impact to high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs from diesel-powered vehicles at the near-highway sites and a more uniformly distributed impact to ambient hopanes from gasoline-powered motor vehicles at all four sites.

Invertebrate drift during in-channel gravel mining: the Upper River Cinca (Southern Pyrenees)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Béjar, Maria; Gibbins, Chris; Vericat, Damià; Batalla, Ramon J.; Muñoz, Efrén; Ramos, Ester; Lobera, Gemma; Andrés López-Tarazón, Jose; Piqué, Gemma; Tena, Álvaro; Buendía, Cristina; Rennie, Colin D.

2015-04-01

Invertebrate drift has been widely studied as an important mechanism to structure the benthic assemblages and as a part of invertebrate behavior in fluvial systems. River channel disturbance is considered the main factor affecting the organization of riverine communities and contributes to key ecological processes. However, little is known about involuntary drift associated to bed disturbance due to the difficulties associated with sampling during floods. In-channel gravel mining offers an opportunity to study involuntary drift associated not only to local bed disturbances but also to sudden changes on suspended sediment concentrations and flow. High suspended sediment concentrations and sudden changes in flow also prompt drift due to the limiting conditions (i.e. lack of oxygen, hydric stress). Within this context, invertebrate drift was monitored in the Upper River Cinca (Southern Pyrenees) during two gravel mining activities performed in summer 2014. The data acquisition design includes: drift, suspended sediment, bedload, bed mobility and flow. Data was acquired before, during and after mining at different sampling locations located upstream and downstream the perturbation. Drift and suspended sediment transport were sampled at 5 sections: 1 control site upstream the mining and 4 downstream. Bedload samples were collected just downstream the channel where gravels were extracted. Bed mobility and changes on topography were assessed by means of GPS-aDcp and repeat topographic surveys. Discharge was continuously recorded 2.5 km downstream the mining location. Additionally, two turbidity meters registered water turbidity at 15 minute intervals in two of the four sampling sections located downstream. This experimental design provides data on the spatial and temporal variability of drift associated to a local bed disturbance that (i) changes the distribution of flow across the section where mining was performed, (ii) increase substantially suspended sediment transport, and (iii) generates bed mobility and changes on local morphology and roughness that, ultimately, modify channel topography. Samples are being post-processed. Preliminary results show markedly differences in drift in terms of densities and species at different temporal and spatial scales. These differences can be attributed to the type of disturbance during mining: (i) hydric stress associated to changes on the distribution of flows, (ii) the sudden increase of suspended sediment concentrations, or (iii) high bed mobility just downstream from the mining location. These results will provide: (a) a new framework to understand ecological responses during river disturbances and (b) key information or guidelines for an appropriate management in human stressed fluvial systems.

CancerLocator: non-invasive cancer diagnosis and tissue-of-origin prediction using methylation profiles of cell-free DNA.

PubMed

Kang, Shuli; Li, Qingjiao; Chen, Quan; Zhou, Yonggang; Park, Stacy; Lee, Gina; Grimes, Brandon; Krysan, Kostyantyn; Yu, Min; Wang, Wei; Alber, Frank; Sun, Fengzhu; Dubinett, Steven M; Li, Wenyuan; Zhou, Xianghong Jasmine

2017-03-24

We propose a probabilistic method, CancerLocator, which exploits the diagnostic potential of cell-free DNA by determining not only the presence but also the location of tumors. CancerLocator simultaneously infers the proportions and the tissue-of-origin of tumor-derived cell-free DNA in a blood sample using genome-wide DNA methylation data. CancerLocator outperforms two established multi-class classification methods on simulations and real data, even with the low proportion of tumor-derived DNA in the cell-free DNA scenarios. CancerLocator also achieves promising results on patient plasma samples with low DNA methylation sequencing coverage.

Blacktip reef sharks, Carcharhinus melanopterus, have high genetic structure and varying demographic histories in their Indo-Pacific range.

PubMed

Vignaud, Thomas M; Mourier, Johann; Maynard, Jeffrey A; Leblois, Raphael; Spaet, Julia; Clua, Eric; Neglia, Valentina; Planes, Serge

2014-11-01

For free-swimming marine species like sharks, only population genetics and demographic history analyses can be used to assess population health/status as baseline population numbers are usually unknown. We investigated the population genetics of blacktip reef sharks, Carcharhinus melanopterus; one of the most abundant reef-associated sharks and the apex predator of many shallow water reefs of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Our sampling includes 4 widely separated locations in the Indo-Pacific and 11 islands in French Polynesia with different levels of coastal development. Four-teen microsatellite loci were analysed for samples from all locations and two mitochondrial DNA fragments, the control region and cytochrome b, were examined for 10 locations. For microsatellites, genetic diversity is higher for the locations in the large open systems of the Red Sea and Australia than for the fragmented habitat of the smaller islands of French Polynesia. Strong significant structure was found for distant locations with FST values as high as ~0.3, and a smaller but still significant structure is found within French Polynesia. Both mitochondrial genes show only a few mutations across the sequences with a dominant shared haplotype in French Polynesia and New Caledonia suggesting a common lineage different to that of East Australia. Demographic history analyses indicate population expansions in the Red Sea and Australia that may coincide with sea level changes after climatic events. Expansions and flat signals are indicated for French Polynesia as well as a significant recent bottleneck for Moorea, the most human-impacted lagoon of the locations in French Polynesia. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Virological and molecular epidemiological investigations into the role of wild birds in the epidemiology of influenza A/H5N1 in central Thailand.

PubMed

Siengsanan-Lamont, J; Robertson, I; Blacksell, S D; Ellis, T; Fenwick, S; Saengchoowong, S; Suwanpukdee, S; Yongyuttawichai, P; Sariya, L; Prompiram, P; Chaichoun, K; Wiriyarat, W; Pothieng, D; Ratanakorn, P

2011-03-24

A serological and virological surveillance program to investigate the HPAI H5N1 virus in wild bird populations was undertaken from February 2007 to October 2008. The purpose of the survey was to investigate the infection status in free ranging wild birds in Banglane district, Nakhon Pathom province, central Thailand. Samples from wild birds were collected every two months. Choanal and cloacal swabs, serum and tissue samples were collected from 421 birds comprising 44 species. Sero-prevalence of the virus tested by H5N1 serum neutralization test (using a H5N1 virus clade 1; A/chicken/Thailand/vsmu-3-BKK/2004) was 2.1% (8 out of 385 samples; 95% CI 0.7, 3.5). Species that were antibody positive included rock pigeons (Columba livia), Asian pied starling (Gracupica contra), spotted dove (Streptopelia chinensis), oriental magpie robin (Copsychus saularis), blue-tailed bee-eater (Merops philippinus), myna (Acridotheres spp.), and pond heron (Ardeola spp.). Prevalence by H5N1 virus isolation was 0.5% (2 out of 421 samples; 95% CI 0.0, 1.1); the two H5N1 virus-positive samples were from Asian pied starling (Gracupica contra) and white vented myna (Acridotheres grandis). Positive virological samples were collected in June 2007 while all positive serology samples were collected between May and August except for one sample collected in December 2007. No positive samples were collected in 2008. Molecular studies revealed that the wild bird H5N1 viruses were closely related to poultry viruses isolated in other parts of Thailand. However, there was no poultry H5N1 prevalence study performed in the study site during the time of this wild bird survey. Interpretation of source of virus isolates would include spill-over of H5N1 viruses from contaminated sources due to movement of domestic poultry and/or fomites from other areas; or infection of wild birds within the outbreak locations and then translocation by wild bird movement and interaction with wild birds inhabiting distant locations. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Publications - GMC 407 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

locations, and archive inventory for 32 near-shore marine sediment Vibracore samples, West Dock Causeway , Drilling procedures, sample descriptions, boring logs, borehole locations, and archive inventory for 32

Using the Rasch model as an objective and probabilistic technique to integrate different soil properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebollo, Francisco J.; Jesús Moral García, Francisco

2016-04-01

Soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) is one of the simplest, least expensive soil measurements that integrates many soil properties affecting crop productivity, including, for instance, soil texture, water content, and cation exchange capacity. The ECa measurements obtained with a 3100 Veris sensor, operating in both shallow (0-30 cm), ECs, and deep (0-90 cm), ECd, mode, can be used as an additional and essential information to be included in a probabilistic model, the Rasch model, with the aim of quantifying the overall soil fertililty potential in an agricultural field. This quantification should integrate the main soil physical and chemical properties, with different units. In this work, the formulation of the Rasch model integrates 11 soil properties (clay, silt and sand content, organic matter -OM-, pH, total nitrogen -TN-, available phosphorus -AP- and potassium -AK-, cation exchange capacity -CEC-, ECd, and ECs) measured at 70 locations in a field. The main outputs of the model include a ranking of all soil samples according to their relative fertility potential and the unexpected behaviours of some soil samples and properties. In the case study, the considered soil variables fit the model reasonably, having an important influence on soil fertility, except pH, probably due to its homogeneity in the field. Moreover, ECd, ECs are the most influential properties on soil fertility and, on the other hand, AP and AK the less influential properties. The use of the Rasch model to estimate soil fertility potential (always in a relative way, taking into account the characteristics of the studied soil) constitutes a new application of great practical importance, enabling to rationally determine locations in a field where high soil fertility potential exists and establishing those soil samples or properties which have any anomaly; this information can be necessary to conduct site-specific treatments, leading to a more cost-effective and sustainable field management. Furthermore, from the measures of soil fertility potential at sampled locations, estimates can be computed using, for instance, a geostatistical algorithm, and these estimates can be utilized to map soil fertility potential and delineate with a rational basis the management zones in the field. Keywords: Rasch model; soil management; soil electrical conductivity; probabilistic algorithm.

Differences in soil biological activity by terrain types at the sub-field scale in central Iowa US

DOE PAGES

Kaleita, Amy L.; Schott, Linda R.; Hargreaves, Sarah K.; ...

2017-07-07

Soil microbial communities are structured by biogeochemical processes that occur at many different spatial scales, which makes soil sampling difficult. Because soil microbial communities are important in nutrient cycling and soil fertility, it is important to understand how microbial communities function within the heterogeneous soil landscape. In this study, a self-organizing map was used to determine whether landscape data can be used to characterize the distribution of microbial biomass and activity in order to provide an improved understanding of soil microbial community function. Points within a row crop field in south-central Iowa were clustered via a self-organizing map using sixmore » landscape properties into three separate landscape clusters. Twelve sampling locations per cluster were chosen for a total of 36 locations. After the soil samples were collected, the samples were then analysed for various metabolic indicators, such as nitrogen and carbon mineralization, extractable organic carbon, microbial biomass, etc. It was found that sampling locations located in the potholes and toe slope positions had significantly greater microbial biomass nitrogen and carbon, total carbon, total nitrogen and extractable organic carbon than the other two landscape position clusters, while locations located on the upslope did not differ significantly from the other landscape clusters. However, factors such as nitrate, ammonia, and nitrogen and carbon mineralization did not differ significantly across the landscape. Altogether, this research demonstrates the effectiveness of a terrain-based clustering method for guiding soil sampling of microbial communities.« less

Differences in soil biological activity by terrain types at the sub-field scale in central Iowa US

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

Kaleita, Amy L.; Schott, Linda R.; Hargreaves, Sarah K.

Soil microbial communities are structured by biogeochemical processes that occur at many different spatial scales, which makes soil sampling difficult. Because soil microbial communities are important in nutrient cycling and soil fertility, it is important to understand how microbial communities function within the heterogeneous soil landscape. In this study, a self-organizing map was used to determine whether landscape data can be used to characterize the distribution of microbial biomass and activity in order to provide an improved understanding of soil microbial community function. Points within a row crop field in south-central Iowa were clustered via a self-organizing map using sixmore » landscape properties into three separate landscape clusters. Twelve sampling locations per cluster were chosen for a total of 36 locations. After the soil samples were collected, the samples were then analysed for various metabolic indicators, such as nitrogen and carbon mineralization, extractable organic carbon, microbial biomass, etc. It was found that sampling locations located in the potholes and toe slope positions had significantly greater microbial biomass nitrogen and carbon, total carbon, total nitrogen and extractable organic carbon than the other two landscape position clusters, while locations located on the upslope did not differ significantly from the other landscape clusters. However, factors such as nitrate, ammonia, and nitrogen and carbon mineralization did not differ significantly across the landscape. Altogether, this research demonstrates the effectiveness of a terrain-based clustering method for guiding soil sampling of microbial communities.« less

Near Real-Time Prospecting for Lunar Volatiles: Demonstrating RESOLVE Science in the Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elphic, R. C.; Colaprete, A.; Heldmann, J. L.; Mattes, G.; Ennico, K.; Sanders, G. B.; Quinn, J.; Fritzler, E.; Marinova, M.; Roush, T. L.; Stoker, C.; Larson, W.; Picard, M.; McMurray, R.; Morse, S.

2012-12-01

The Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) project aims to demonstrate the utility of "in situ resource utilization". In situ resource utilization (ISRU) is a way to rebalance the economics of spaceflight by reducing or eliminating materials that must be brought up from Earth and placed on the surface of the Moon for human use. RESOLVE is developing a rover-borne payload that (1) can locate near subsurface volatiles, (2) excavate and analyze samples of the volatile-bearing regolith, and (3) demonstrate the form, extractability and usefulness of the materials. Such investigations are important not only for ISRU but are also critically important for understanding the scientific nature of these intriguing lunar polar volatile deposits. Temperature models and orbital data suggest near surface volatile concentrations may exist at briefly lit lunar polar locations outside persistently shadowed regions. A lunar rover could be remotely operated at some of these locations for the 4-7 days of expected sunlight at relatively low cost. In July 2012 the RESOLVE project conducted a full-scale field demonstration. In particular, the ability to perform the real-time measurement analysis necessary to search for volatiles and the ability to combine the various measurement techniques to meet the mission measurement and science goals. With help from the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES), a lunar rover prototype (provided by the Canadian Space Agency) was equipped with prospecting instruments (neutron spectrometer and near-infrared spectrometer), subsurface access and sampling tools, including both an auger and coring drill (provided by CSA) and subsurface sample analysis instrumentation, including a sample oven system, the Oxygen and Volatile Extraction Node (OVEN), and Gas Chromatograph / Mass Spectrometer system, the Lunar Advanced Volatile Analysis (LAVA) system. Given the relatively short time period this lunar mission is being designed to, prospecting needs to occur in near real-time. The two prospecting instruments are the neutron and NIR spectrometers. In the field demo a small radioactive source was provided the neutron flux. The NIR spectrometer, which includes its own light source, looks at surface reflectance for signatures of bound H2O/OH and general mineralogy. Once a "hot spot" was found by the prospecting instruments, the drill could either auger or core. The auger drill worked to a depth of 50 cm and is monitored with a drill camera and the NIR spectrometer. As cuttings are brought up the NIR spectra is monitored. If a particular location is considered of high-interest then the decision to core could be made. The coring drill (a push-tube) allowed a 1-meter sample to be acquired processed by the OVEN/LAVA sys-tem. This presentation will provide details as how these instruments worked together and how and if the planned measurements and science was obtained.

Near Real Time Prospecting for Lunar Volatiles: Demonstrating RESOLVE Science in the Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elphic, Richard; Colaprete, Anthony; Heldmann, Jennifer; Mattes, Gregory W.; Ennico, Kimberly; Sanders, Gerald; Quinn, Jacqueline; Tegnerud, Erin Leigh; Marinova, Margarita; Larson, William E.;

Hydrologic data for aquifers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paulachok, G.N.; Wood, C.R.; Norton, L.J.

1984-01-01

Selected data on the ground-water resources of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, are presented in this report. Information including water levels and data on aquifers is tabulated for 828 wells and 3 sumps. Chemical analyses are given for 1,467 water samples obtained from 205 sites and include 103 analyses for trace elements and 68 analyses for volatile organic compounds. An index of geophysical logs including gamma ray, neutron, caliper, fluid conductivity, fluid velocity, single-point resistance, spontaneous potential, and temperature determinations made in 51 wells is also presented. Data-collection sites are shown on a 1:50,000 scale location map.

Micro-CT scouting for transmission electron microscopy of human tissue specimens

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

Morales, A. G.; Stempinski, E. S.; XIAO, X.

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) provides sub-nanometre-scale details in volumetric samples. Samples such as pathology tissue specimens are often stained with a metal element to enhance contrast, which makes them opaque to optical microscopes. As a result, it can be a lengthy procedure to find the region of interest inside a sample through sectioning. Here, we describe micro-CT scouting for TEM that allows noninvasive identification of regions of interest within a block sample to guide the sectioning step. In a tissue pathology study, a bench-top micro-CT scanner with 10 m resolution was used to determine the location of patches of themore » mucous membrane in osmium-stained human nasal scraping samples. Furthermore, once the regions of interest were located, the sample block was sectioned to expose that location, followed by ultra-thin sectioning and TEM to inspect the internal structure of the cilia of the membrane epithelial cells with nanometre resolution. This method substantially reduced the time and labour of the search process from typically 20 sections for light microscopy to three sections with no added sample preparation. Lay description Electron microscopy provides very high levels of detail in a small area, and thus the question of where to look in an opaque sample, such as a stained tissue specimen, needs to be answered by sectioning the sample in small steps and examining the sections under a light microscope, until the region of interest is found. The search process can be lengthy and labor intensive, especially for a study involving a large number of samples. Small areas of interest can be missed in the process if not enough regions are examined. We also describe a method to directly locate the region of interest within a whole sample using micro-CT imaging, bypassing the need of blindly sectioning. Micro-CT enables locating the region within 3D space; this information provides a guide for sectioning the sample to expose that precise location for high resolution electron microscopy imaging. In a human tissue specimen study, this method considerably reduced the time and labor of the search process.« less

Micro-CT scouting for transmission electron microscopy of human tissue specimens

DOE PAGES

Morales, A. G.; Stempinski, E. S.; XIAO, X.; ...

2016-02-08

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) provides sub-nanometre-scale details in volumetric samples. Samples such as pathology tissue specimens are often stained with a metal element to enhance contrast, which makes them opaque to optical microscopes. As a result, it can be a lengthy procedure to find the region of interest inside a sample through sectioning. Here, we describe micro-CT scouting for TEM that allows noninvasive identification of regions of interest within a block sample to guide the sectioning step. In a tissue pathology study, a bench-top micro-CT scanner with 10 m resolution was used to determine the location of patches of themore » mucous membrane in osmium-stained human nasal scraping samples. Furthermore, once the regions of interest were located, the sample block was sectioned to expose that location, followed by ultra-thin sectioning and TEM to inspect the internal structure of the cilia of the membrane epithelial cells with nanometre resolution. This method substantially reduced the time and labour of the search process from typically 20 sections for light microscopy to three sections with no added sample preparation. Lay description Electron microscopy provides very high levels of detail in a small area, and thus the question of where to look in an opaque sample, such as a stained tissue specimen, needs to be answered by sectioning the sample in small steps and examining the sections under a light microscope, until the region of interest is found. The search process can be lengthy and labor intensive, especially for a study involving a large number of samples. Small areas of interest can be missed in the process if not enough regions are examined. We also describe a method to directly locate the region of interest within a whole sample using micro-CT imaging, bypassing the need of blindly sectioning. Micro-CT enables locating the region within 3D space; this information provides a guide for sectioning the sample to expose that precise location for high resolution electron microscopy imaging. In a human tissue specimen study, this method considerably reduced the time and labor of the search process.« less

Comparison of a wipe method with and without a rinse to recover wall losses in closed face 37-mm cassettes used for sampling lead dust particulates

PubMed Central

Ceballos, Diana; King, Bradley; Beaucham, Catherine; Brueck, Scott E.

2015-01-01

Closed-face 37-millimeter (mm) polystyrene cassettes are often used for exposure monitoring of metal particulates. Several methods have been proposed to account for the wall loss in air sampling cassettes, including rinsing, wiping, within-cassette dissolution, and an internal capsule fused to the filter that could be digested with the filter. Until internal capsules replace filters, other methods for assessing wall losses may be considered. To determine if rinsing and wiping or wiping alone is adequate to determine wall losses on cassettes, we collected 54 full-shift area air samples at a battery recycling facility. We collected six replicate samples at three locations within the facility for 3 consecutive days. The wall losses of three replicate cassettes from each day-location were analyzed following a rinse and two consecutive wipes. The wall losses of the other three replicates from each day-location were analyzed following two consecutive wipes only. Mixed-cellulose ester membrane filter, rinse, and wipes were analyzed separately following NIOSH Method 7303. We found an average of 29% (range: 8%–54%) recovered lead from the cassette walls for all samples. We also found that rinsing prior to wiping the interior cassette walls did not substantially improve recovery of wall losses compared to wiping alone. A rinse plus one wipe recovered on average 23% (range: 13%–33%) of the lead, while one wipe alone recovered on average 21% (range: 16%–22%). Similarly we determined that a second wipe did not provide substantial additional recovery of lead (average: 4%, range: 0.4%–19%) compared to the first wipe disregarding the rinse (average: 18%, range: 4%–39%). We concluded that when an internal capsule is not used, wall losses of lead dust in air sampling cassettes can be adequately recovered by wiping the internal wall surfaces of the cassette with a single wipe. PMID:26125330

Presence of Pathogenic Bacteria and Viruses in the Daycare Environment.

PubMed

Ibfelt, Tobias; Engelund, Eva Hoy; Permin, Anders; Madsen, Jonas Stenløkke; Schultz, Anna Charlotte; Andersen, Leif Percival

2015-10-01

The number of children in daycare centers (DCCs) is rising. This increases exposure to microorganisms and infectious diseases. Little is known about which bacteria and viruses are present in the DCC environment and where they are located. In the study described in this article, the authors set out to determine the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria and viruses and to find the most contaminated fomites in DCCs. Fifteen locations in each DCC were sampled for bacteria, respiratory viruses, and gastrointestinal viruses. The locations were in the toilet, kitchen, and playroom areas and included nursery pillows, toys, and tables, among other things. Coliform bacteria were primarily found in the toilet and kitchen areas whereas nasopharyngeal bacteria were found mostly on toys and fabric surfaces in the playroom. Respiratory viruses were omnipresent in the DCC environment, especially on the toys.

Stochastic Multi-Commodity Facility Location Based on a New Scenario Generation Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahootchi, M.; Fattahi, M.; Khakbazan, E.

2011-11-01

This paper extends two models for stochastic multi-commodity facility location problem. The problem is formulated as two-stage stochastic programming. As a main point of this study, a new algorithm is applied to efficiently generate scenarios for uncertain correlated customers' demands. This algorithm uses Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) and a scenario reduction approach. The relation between customer satisfaction level and cost are considered in model I. The risk measure using Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) is embedded into the optimization model II. Here, the structure of the network contains three facility layers including plants, distribution centers, and retailers. The first stage decisions are the number, locations, and the capacity of distribution centers. In the second stage, the decisions are the amount of productions, the volume of transportation between plants and customers.

Seasonal rationalization of river water quality sampling locations: a comparative study of the modified Sanders and multivariate statistical approaches.

PubMed

Varekar, Vikas; Karmakar, Subhankar; Jha, Ramakar

2016-02-01

The design of surface water quality sampling location is a crucial decision-making process for rationalization of monitoring network. The quantity, quality, and types of available dataset (watershed characteristics and water quality data) may affect the selection of appropriate design methodology. The modified Sanders approach and multivariate statistical techniques [particularly factor analysis (FA)/principal component analysis (PCA)] are well-accepted and widely used techniques for design of sampling locations. However, their performance may vary significantly with quantity, quality, and types of available dataset. In this paper, an attempt has been made to evaluate performance of these techniques by accounting the effect of seasonal variation, under a situation of limited water quality data but extensive watershed characteristics information, as continuous and consistent river water quality data is usually difficult to obtain, whereas watershed information may be made available through application of geospatial techniques. A case study of Kali River, Western Uttar Pradesh, India, is selected for the analysis. The monitoring was carried out at 16 sampling locations. The discrete and diffuse pollution loads at different sampling sites were estimated and accounted using modified Sanders approach, whereas the monitored physical and chemical water quality parameters were utilized as inputs for FA/PCA. The designed optimum number of sampling locations for monsoon and non-monsoon seasons by modified Sanders approach are eight and seven while that for FA/PCA are eleven and nine, respectively. Less variation in the number and locations of designed sampling sites were obtained by both techniques, which shows stability of results. A geospatial analysis has also been carried out to check the significance of designed sampling location with respect to river basin characteristics and land use of the study area. Both methods are equally efficient; however, modified Sanders approach outperforms FA/PCA when limited water quality and extensive watershed information is available. The available water quality dataset is limited and FA/PCA-based approach fails to identify monitoring locations with higher variation, as these multivariate statistical approaches are data-driven. The priority/hierarchy and number of sampling sites designed by modified Sanders approach are well justified by the land use practices and observed river basin characteristics of the study area.

a Comparative Analysis of Five Cropland Datasets in Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Y.; Lu, M.; Wu, W.

2018-04-01

The food security, particularly in Africa, is a challenge to be resolved. The cropland area and spatial distribution obtained from remote sensing imagery are vital information. In this paper, according to cropland area and spatial location, we compare five global cropland datasets including CCI Land Cover, GlobCover, MODIS Collection 5, GlobeLand30 and Unified Cropland in circa 2010 of Africa in terms of cropland area and spatial location. The accuracy of cropland area calculated from five datasets was analyzed compared with statistic data. Based on validation samples, the accuracies of spatial location for the five cropland products were assessed by error matrix. The results show that GlobeLand30 has the best fitness with the statistics, followed by MODIS Collection 5 and Unified Cropland, GlobCover and CCI Land Cover have the lower accuracies. For the accuracy of spatial location of cropland, GlobeLand30 reaches the highest accuracy, followed by Unified Cropland, MODIS Collection 5 and GlobCover, CCI Land Cover has the lowest accuracy. The spatial location accuracy of five datasets in the Csa with suitable farming condition is generally higher than in the Bsk.

Automated sample exchange and tracking system for neutron research at cryogenic temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rix, J. E.; Weber, J. K. R.; Santodonato, L. J.; Hill, B.; Walker, L. M.; McPherson, R.; Wenzel, J.; Hammons, S. E.; Hodges, J.; Rennich, M.; Volin, K. J.

2007-01-01

An automated system for sample exchange and tracking in a cryogenic environment and under remote computer control was developed. Up to 24 sample "cans" per cycle can be inserted and retrieved in a programed sequence. A video camera acquires a unique identification marked on the sample can to provide a record of the sequence. All operations are coordinated via a LABVIEW™ program that can be operated locally or over a network. The samples are contained in vanadium cans of 6-10mm in diameter and equipped with a hermetically sealed lid that interfaces with the sample handler. The system uses a closed-cycle refrigerator (CCR) for cooling. The sample was delivered to a precooling location that was at a temperature of ˜25K, after several minutes, it was moved onto a "landing pad" at ˜10K that locates the sample in the probe beam. After the sample was released onto the landing pad, the sample handler was retracted. Reading the sample identification and the exchange operation takes approximately 2min. The time to cool the sample from ambient temperature to ˜10K was approximately 7min including precooling time. The cooling time increases to approximately 12min if precooling is not used. Small differences in cooling rate were observed between sample materials and for different sample can sizes. Filling the sample well and the sample can with low pressure helium is essential to provide heat transfer and to achieve useful cooling rates. A resistive heating coil can be used to offset the refrigeration so that temperatures up to ˜350K can be accessed and controlled using a proportional-integral-derivative control loop. The time for the landing pad to cool to ˜10K after it has been heated to ˜240K was approximately 20min.

Molecular Characterization of Human-Pathogenic Microsporidia and Cyclospora cayetanensis Isolated from Various Water Sources in Spain: a Year-Long Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Galván, Ana Luz; Magnet, Angela; Izquierdo, Fernando; Fenoy, Soledad; Rueda, Cristina; Fernández Vadillo, Carmen; Henriques-Gil, Nuno

2013-01-01

Recent studies suggest the involvement of water in the epidemiology of Cyclospora cayetanensis and some microsporidia. A total of 223 samples from four drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), seven wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and six locations of influence (LI) on four river basins from Madrid, Spain, were analyzed from spring 2008 to winter 2009. Microsporidia were detected in 49% of samples (109/223), Cyclospora spp. were detected in 9% (20/223), and both parasites were found in 5.4% (12/223) of samples. Human-pathogenic microsporidia were detected, including Enterocytozoon bieneusi (C, D, and D-like genotypes), Encephalitozoon intestinalis, Encephalitozoon cuniculi (genotypes I and III), and Anncaliia algerae. C. cayetanensis was identified in 17 of 20 samples. To our knowledge, this is the first study that shows a year-long longitudinal study of C. cayetanensis in drinking water treatment plants. Additionally, data about the presence and molecular characterization of the human-pathogenic microsporidia in drinking water, wastewater, and locations of influence during 1 year in Spain are shown. It is noteworthy that although the DWTPs and WWTPs studied meet European and national regulations on water sanitary quality, both parasites were found in water samples from these plants, supporting the idea that new and appropriate controls and regulations for drinking water, wastewater, and recreational waters should be proposed to avoid health risks from these pathogens. PMID:23124243

Characterization of rock samples and mineralogical controls on leachates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Cravotta, Charles A.; Galeone, Daniel G.; Jackson, John C.; Dulong, Frank T.; Hornberger, Roger J.; Brady, Keith B.C.

2009-01-01

Rocks associated with coal beds typically include shale, sandstone, and (or) limestone. In addition to common rock-forming minerals, all of these rock types may contain sulfide and sulfate minerals, various carbonate minerals, and organic material. These different minerals have inherently different solubility characteristics, as well as different acid-generating or acid-neutralizing potentials. The abundance and composition of sulfur- and carbonate-bearing minerals are of particular interest in interpreting the leaching column data because (1) pyrite and carbonate minerals are the primary controls on the acid-base account of a sample, (2) these minerals incorporate trace metals that can be released during weathering, and (3) these minerals readily react during weathering due to mineral dissolution and oxidation of iron.Rock samples were collected by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PaDEP) from five different sites to assess the draft standardized leaching column method (ADTI-WP2) for the prediction of weathering rates and water quality at coal mines. Samples were sent to USGS laboratories for mineralogical characterization and to ActLabs for chemical analysis. The samples represent a variety of rock types (shales, sandstones, and coal refuse) that are typical of coal overburden in the eastern United States. These particular samples were chosen for testing the weathering protocols because they represent a range of geochemical and lithologic characteristics, sulfur contents, and acid-base accounting characteristics (Hornberger et al., 2003). The rocks contain variable amounts of pyrite and carbonate minerals and vary in texture.This chapter includes bulk rock chemical data and detailed mineralogical and textural data for unweathered starting materials used in the interlaboratory validation study, and for two samples used in the early phases of leaching column tests (Wadesville Sandstone, Leechburg Coal Refuse). We also characterize some of the post-weathering rock samples, report trace-element content in leachate, and discuss mineralogical controls on leachate quality based on data from one of the participating laboratories. Table 5.1 lists the samples described in this chapter, the sample numbers, and comments on the characteristics of each lithology. Sample locations are plotted in Figure 5.1. Chapters 2 and 3 describe the sample locations, sample preparation protocols, ABA characteristics, and rationale for selection of rock samples for testing. Microprobe data for pyrite and carbonate minerals are tabulated in Appendix 5.1. Leachate data, along with a series of graphs showing concentration and cumulative transport trends, for the laboratory data discussed in this chapter are included as Excel spreadsheets in Appendices 5.2 and 5.3. Leach column data for the interlaboratory study are evaluated and interpreted in Chapters 7 -11.

Annual radiological environmental operating report, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, 1987

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

Not Available

1988-04-01

This report describes the environmental radiological monitoring programs conducted by TVA in the vicinity of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in 1987. The program includes the collection of samples from the environment and the determination of the concentrations of radioactive materials in the samples. Samples are taken from stations in the general area of the plant and from areas not influenced by plant operations. Station locations are selected after careful consideration of the weather patterns and projected radiation doses to the various areas around the plant. Material sampled includes air, water, milk, foods, vegetation, soil, fish, sediment, and direct radiation levels.more » Results from stations near the plant are compared with concentrations from control stations and with preoperational measurements to determine potential impacts of plant operations. The vast majority of the exposures calculated from environmental samples were contributed by naturally occurring radioactive materials or from materials commonly found in the environment as a result of atmospheric nuclear weapons fallout. Small amounts of Co-60 were found in sediment samples downstreams from the plant. This activity in stream sediment would result in no measurable increase over background in the dose to the general public. 3 refs., 2 figs., 34 tabs.« less

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant annual radiological environmental operating report, 1990

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

Not Available

1991-04-01

This report describes the environmental radiological monitoring program conducted by TVA in the vicinity of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in 1990. The program includes the collection of samples from the environment and the determination of the concentrations of radioactive materials in the samples. Samples are taken from stations in the general area of the plant and from areas not influenced by plant operations. Station locations are selected after careful consideration of the weather patterns and projected radiation doses to the various areas around the plant. Material sampled includes air, water, milk, foods, vegetation, soil, fish, sediment, and direct radiation levels.more » Results from stations near the plant are compared with concentrations from control stations and with preoperational measurements to determine potential impacts of plant operations. The vast majority of the exposures calculated from environmental samples were contributed by naturally occurring radioactive materials or from materials commonly found in the environment as a result of atmospheric nuclear weapons fallout. Small amounts of Co-60 were found in sediment samples downstream from the plant. This activity in stream sediment would result in no measurable increase over background in the dose to the general public. 4 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Annual radiological environmental operating report, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, 1989

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

Not Available

1990-04-01

This report describes the environmental radiological monitoring program conducted by TVA in the vicinity of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) in 1989. The program includes the collection of samples from the environment and the determination of the concentrations of radioactive materials in the samples. Samples are taken from stations in the general area of the plant and from areas not influenced by plant operations. Station locations are selected after careful consideration of the weather patterns and projected radiation doses to the various areas around the plant. Material sampled includes air, water, milk, foods, vegetation, soil, fish, sediment, and direct radiationmore » levels. Results from stations near the plant are compared with concentrations from control stations and with preoperational measurements to determine potential impacts if plant operations. The vast majority of the exposures calculated from environmental samples were contributed by naturally occurring radioactive materials or from materials commonly found in the environment as a result of atmospheric nuclear weapons fallout. Small amounts of Co-60 were found in sediment samples downstream from the plant. This activity in river sediment would result in no measurable increase over background in the dose to the general public. 4 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Annual radiological environmental operating report, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, 1988

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

Not Available

1989-04-01

This report describes the environmental radiological monitoring program conducted by TVA in the vicinity of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in 1988. The program includes the collection of samples from the environment and the determination of the concentrations of radioactive materials in the samples. Samples are taken from stations in the general area of the plant and from areas not influenced by plant operations. Station locations are selected after careful consideration of the weather patterns and projected radiation doses to the various areas around the plant. Material sampled includes air, water, milk, foods, vegetation, soil, fish, sediment, and direct radiation levels.more » Results from stations near the plant are compared with concentrations from control stations and with preoperational measurements to determine potential impacts of plant operations. The vast majority of the exposures calculated from environmental samples were contributed by naturally occurring radioactive materials or from materials commonly found in the environment as a result of atmospheric nuclear weapons fallout. Small amounts of Co-60 were found in sediment samples downstream from the plant. This activity in stream sediment would result in no measurable increase over background in the dose to the general public. 3 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Interpretation of stable isotope, denitrification, and groundwater age data for samples collected from Sandia National Laboratories /New Mexico (SNL/NM) Burn Site Groundwater Area of Concern

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

Madrid, V.; Singleton, M. J.; Visser, A.

This report combines and summarizes results for two groundwater-sampling events (October 2012 and October/November 2015) from the Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM) Burn Site Groundwater (BSG) Area of Concern (AOC) located in the Lurance Canyon Arroyo southeast of Albuquerque, NM in the Manzanita Mountains. The first phase of groundwater sampling occurred in October 2012 including samples from 19 wells at three separate sites that were analyzed by the Environmental Radiochemistry Laboratory at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as part of a nitrate Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) evaluation. The three sites (BSG, Technical Area-V, and Tijeras Arroyo) are shown on the regionalmore » hydrogeologic map and described in the Sandia Annual Groundwater Monitoring Report. The first phase of groundwater sampling included six monitoring wells at the Burn Site, eight monitoring wells at Technical Area-V, and five monitoring wells at Tijeras Arroyo. Each groundwater sample was analyzed using the two specialized analytical methods, age-dating and denitrification suites. In September 2015, a second phase of groundwater sampling took place at the Burn Site including 10 wells sampled and analyzed by the same two analytical suites. Five of the six wells sampled in 2012 were resampled in 2015. This report summarizes results from two sampling events in order to evaluate evidence for in situ denitrification, the average age of the groundwater, and the extent of recent recharge of the bedrock fracture system beneath the BSG AOC.« less

Quality of stormwater runoff discharged from Massachusetts highways, 2005-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Kirk P.; Granato, Gregory E.

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, conducted a field study from September 2005 through September 2007 to characterize the quality of highway runoff for a wide range of constituents. The highways studied had annual average daily traffic (AADT) volumes from about 3,000 to more than 190,000 vehicles per day. Highway-monitoring stations were installed at 12 locations in Massachusetts on 8 highways. The 12 monitoring stations were subdivided into 4 primary, 4 secondary, and 4 test stations. Each site contained a 100-percent impervious drainage area that included two or more catch basins sharing a common outflow pipe. Paired primary and secondary stations were located within a few miles of each other on a limited-access section of the same highway. Most of the data were collected at the primary and secondary stations, which were located on four principal highways (Route 119, Route 2, Interstate 495, and Interstate 95). The secondary stations were operated simultaneously with the primary stations for at least a year. Data from the four test stations (Route 8, Interstate 195, Interstate 190, and Interstate 93) were used to determine the transferability of the data collected from the principal highways to other highways characterized by different construction techniques, land use, and geography. Automatic-monitoring techniques were used to collect composite samples of highway runoff and make continuous measurements of several physical characteristics. Flowweighted samples of highway runoff were collected automatically during approximately 140 rain and mixed rain, sleet, and snowstorms. These samples were analyzed for physical characteristics and concentrations of 6 dissolved major ions, total nutrients, 8 total-recoverable metals, suspended sediment, and 85 semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), which include priority polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalate esters, and other anthropogenic or naturally occurring organic compounds. The distribution of particle size of suspended sediment also was determined for composite samples of highway runoff. Samples of highway runoff were collected year round and under various dry antecedent conditions throughout the 2-year sampling period. In addition to samples of highway runoff, supplemental samples also were collected of sediment in highway runoff, background soils, berm materials, maintenance sands, deicing compounds, and vegetation matter. These additional samples were collected near or on the highways to support data analysis. There were few statistically significant differences between populations of constituent concentrations in samples from the primary and secondary stations on the same principal highways (Mann-Whitney test, 95-percent confidence level). Similarly, there were few statistically significant differences between populations of constituent concentrations for the four principal highways (data from the paired primary and secondary stations for each principal highway) and populations for test stations with similar AADT volumes. Exceptions to this include several total-recoverable metals for stations on Route 2 and Interstate 195 (highways with moderate AADT volumes), and for stations on Interstate 95 and Interstate 93 (highways with high AADT volumes). Supplemental data collected during this study indicate that many of these differences may be explained by the quantity, as well as the quality, of the sediment in samples of highway runoff. Nonparametric statistical methods also were used to test for differences between populations of sample constituent concentrations among the four principal highways that differed mainly in traffic volume. These results indicate that there were few statistically significant differences (Mann-Whitney test, 95-percent confidence level) for populations of concentrations of most total-recoverable metals

Autocorrelation of location estimates and the analysis of radiotracking data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Otis, D.L.; White, Gary C.

1999-01-01

The wildlife literature has been contradictory about the importance of autocorrelation in radiotracking data used for home range estimation and hypothesis tests of habitat selection. By definition, the concept of a home range involves autocorrelated movements, but estimates or hypothesis tests based on sampling designs that predefine a time frame of interest, and that generate representative samples of an animal's movement during this time frame, should not be affected by length of the sampling interval and autocorrelation. Intensive sampling of the individual's home range and habitat use during the time frame of the study leads to improved estimates for the individual, but use of location estimates as the sample unit to compare across animals is pseudoreplication. We therefore recommend against use of habitat selection analysis techniques that use locations instead of individuals as the sample unit. We offer a general outline for sampling designs for radiotracking studies.

Temporally Adaptive Sampling: A Case Study in Rare Species Survey Design with Marbled Salamanders (Ambystoma opacum)

PubMed Central

Charney, Noah D.; Kubel, Jacob E.; Eiseman, Charles S.

2015-01-01

Improving detection rates for elusive species with clumped distributions is often accomplished through adaptive sampling designs. This approach can be extended to include species with temporally variable detection probabilities. By concentrating survey effort in years when the focal species are most abundant or visible, overall detection rates can be improved. This requires either long-term monitoring at a few locations where the species are known to occur or models capable of predicting population trends using climatic and demographic data. For marbled salamanders (Ambystoma opacum) in Massachusetts, we demonstrate that annual variation in detection probability of larvae is regionally correlated. In our data, the difference in survey success between years was far more important than the difference among the three survey methods we employed: diurnal surveys, nocturnal surveys, and dipnet surveys. Based on these data, we simulate future surveys to locate unknown populations under a temporally adaptive sampling framework. In the simulations, when pond dynamics are correlated over the focal region, the temporally adaptive design improved mean survey success by as much as 26% over a non-adaptive sampling design. Employing a temporally adaptive strategy costs very little, is simple, and has the potential to substantially improve the efficient use of scarce conservation funds. PMID:25799224

An evaluation of water quality in private drinking water wells near natural gas extraction sites in the Barnett Shale formation.

PubMed

Fontenot, Brian E; Hunt, Laura R; Hildenbrand, Zacariah L; Carlton, Doug D; Oka, Hyppolite; Walton, Jayme L; Hopkins, Dan; Osorio, Alexandra; Bjorndal, Bryan; Hu, Qinhong H; Schug, Kevin A

2013-09-03

Natural gas has become a leading source of alternative energy with the advent of techniques to economically extract gas reserves from deep shale formations. Here, we present an assessment of private well water quality in aquifers overlying the Barnett Shale formation of North Texas. We evaluated samples from 100 private drinking water wells using analytical chemistry techniques. Analyses revealed that arsenic, selenium, strontium and total dissolved solids (TDS) exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency's Drinking Water Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL) in some samples from private water wells located within 3 km of active natural gas wells. Lower levels of arsenic, selenium, strontium, and barium were detected at reference sites outside the Barnett Shale region as well as sites within the Barnett Shale region located more than 3 km from active natural gas wells. Methanol and ethanol were also detected in 29% of samples. Samples exceeding MCL levels were randomly distributed within areas of active natural gas extraction, and the spatial patterns in our data suggest that elevated constituent levels could be due to a variety of factors including mobilization of natural constituents, hydrogeochemical changes from lowering of the water table, or industrial accidents such as faulty gas well casings.

Detection of Methyl Salicylate Transforted by Honeybees (Apis mellifera) Using Solid Phase Microextration (SPME) Fibers

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

BENDER, SUSAN FAE ANN; RODACY, PHILIP J.; BARNETT, JAMES L.

The ultimate goal of many environmental measurements is to determine the risk posed to humans or ecosystems by various contaminants. Conventional environmental monitoring typically requires extensive sampling grids covering several media including air, water, soil and vegetation. A far more efficient, innovative and inexpensive tactic has been found using honeybees as sampling mechanisms. Members from a single bee colony forage over large areas ({approx}2 x 10{sup 6} m{sup 2}), making tens of thousands of trips per day, and return to a fixed location where sampling can be conveniently conducted. The bees are in direct contact with the air, water, soilmore » and vegetation where they encounter and collect any contaminants that are present in gaseous, liquid and particulate form. The monitoring of honeybees when they return to the hive provides a rapid method to assess chemical distributions and impacts (1). The primary goal of this technology is to evaluate the efficiency of the transport mechanism (honeybees) to the hive using preconcentrators to collect samples. Once the extent and nature of the contaminant exposure has been characterized, resources can be distributed and environmental monitoring designs efficiently directed to the most appropriate locations. Methyl salicylate, a chemical agent surrogate was used as the target compound in this study.« less

Coxiella Detection in Ticks from Wildlife and Livestock in Malaysia

PubMed Central

Khoo, Jing-Jing; Lim, Fang-Shiang; Chen, Fezshin; Phoon, Wai-Hong; Khor, Chee-Sieng; Pike, Brian L.; Chang, Li-Yen

2016-01-01

Abstract Recent studies have shown that ticks harbor Coxiella-like bacteria, which are potentially tick-specific endosymbionts. We recently described the detection of Coxiella-like bacteria and possibly Coxiella burnetii in ticks found from rural areas in Malaysia. In the present study, we collected ticks, including Haemaphysalis bispinosa, Haemaphysalis hystricis, Dermacentor compactus, Dermacentor steini, and Amblyomma sp. from wildlife and domesticated goats from four different locations in Malaysia. Coxiella 16s rRNA genomic sequences were detected by PCR in 89% of ticks tested. Similarity analysis and phylogenetic analyses of the 16s rRNA and rpoB partial sequences were performed for 10 representative samples selected based on the tick species, sex, and location. The findings here suggested the presence of C. burnetii in two samples, each from D. steini and H. hystricis. The sequences of both samples clustered with published C. burnetii sequences. The remaining eight tick samples were shown to harbor 16s rRNA sequences of Coxiella-like bacteria, which clustered phylogenetically according to the respective tick host species. The findings presented here added to the growing evidence of the association between Coxiella-like bacteria and ticks across species and geographical boundaries. The importance of C. burnetii found in ticks in Malaysia warrants further investigation. PMID:27763821

Detecting Kerogen as a Biosignature Using Co-located UV Time-Gated Raman and Fuorescence Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shkolyar, S.; Eshelman, E.; Farmer, J. D.; Hamilton, D.; Daly, M. G.; Youngbull, C.

2017-12-01

The Mars 2020 mission will analyze samples in situ and identify any that could have preserved biosignatures in ancient habitable environments for later return to Earth. Highest-priority targeted samples include aqueously formed sedimentary lithologies containing fossil biosignatures as aromatic carbon (kerogen). In this study, we analyze non-extracted, naturally preserved kerogen in a diverse suite of realistic Mars analogs using combined UV excitation time-gated (UV-TG) Raman and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. We interrogated kerogen and its host matrix in samples to: (1) explore the capabilities of UV-TG Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy for detecting kerogen in high-priority targets in the search for a Martian fossil record; (2) assess the effectiveness of time-gating and UV laser wavelength in reducing fluorescence; and (3) identify sample-specific issues which could challenge rover-based identifications of kerogen using UV-TG Raman spectroscopy. We found that ungated UV Raman is suited to identify diagnostic kerogen Raman bands without interfering fluorescence and that fluorescence features indicating kerogen are detectable. These data highlight the value of using both co-located Raman and fluorescence data sets together to strengthen the confidence of kerogen detection as a potential biosignature and are obtainable by SHERLOC onboard Mars 2020.

Tobacco promotion and availability in school neighborhoods in India: a cross-sectional study of their impact on adolescent tobacco use.

PubMed

Patel, Deepa; Kassim, Saba; Croucher, Ray

2012-01-01

Adolescent tobacco use is a major public health problem. However, there is little information about the impact of tobacco advertising and availability near schools on adolescent tobacco use in India. The various tobacco products and brands available in outlets within 100 meters of two high schools in an Indian town were identified. A stratified random sample of 172 participants from these two schools completed a questionnaire on tobacco use and socioeconomic status. Eighteen outlets selling tobacco products were identified. In the two schools the current use of smoked and smokeless tobacco was 9.1% and 17.4% respectively. School location and low socio-economic status of adolescents were associated with tobacco awareness of advertisements (p=0.001) and the receipt of a free sample (p= 0.032). Advertisements on billboards, posters and the receipt of a free tobacco sample were significant factors (p=0.031, p=0.016, p=0.017 respectively) in current tobacco use. In this study a significant proportion of adolescents used tobacco. Tobacco- promotion activities (advertising, the receipt of a free sample), school location and economic status were found to be associated with adolescent tobacco initiation. The local environment should be included in the prevention of adolescent tobacco initiation.

Preliminary Results from Downhole Osmotic Samplers in a Gas Tracer Injection Experiment in the Upper Oceanic Crust on the Eastern Flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Jong, M. T.; Clark, J. F.; Neira, N. M.; Fisher, A. T.; Wheat, C. G.

2015-12-01

We present results from a gas tracer injection experiment in the ocean crust on the eastern flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge, in an area of hydrothermal circulation. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer was injected in Hole 1362B in 2010, during IODP Expedition 327. Fluid samples were subsequently collected from a borehole observatory (CORK) installed in this hole and similar CORKs in three additional holes (1026B, 1362A, and 1301A), located 300 to 500 m away. This array of holes is located on 3.5 My old seafloor, as an array oriented subparallel to the Endeavor Segment of Juan de Fuca Ridge. Borehole fluid samples were collected in copper coils using osmotic pumps. In addition to pumps at seafloor wellheads, downhole sampling pumps were installed in the perforated casing in the upper ocean crust. These downhole samplers were intended to produce a high-resolution continuous record of tracer concentrations, including records from the first year after tracer injection in Holes 1362A and 1362B. In contrast, wellhead samplers were not installed on these CORKs holes until 2011, and wellhead records from all CORKs have a record gap of up to one year, because of a delayed expedition in 2012. The downhole samples were recovered with the submersible Alvin in August 2014. SF6 concentrations in downhole samples recovered in 2014 are generally consistent with data obtained from wellhead samples. Of particular interest are the results from Hole 1362B, where a seafloor valve was opened and closed during various recovery expeditions. High resolution tracer curves produced from the 1362B downhole samples confirm that these operations produced an SF6 breakthrough curve corresponding to a classic push-pull test used to evaluate contaminant field locations in terrestrial setting. Complete analyses of downhole samples from these CORKs are expected to produce high-resolution breakthrough curves that will allow more precise analysis and modeling of hydrothermal flow in the study area.

Homodyne impulse radar hidden object locator

DOEpatents

McEwan, T.E.

1996-04-30

An electromagnetic detector is designed to locate an object hidden behind a separator or a cavity within a solid object. The detector includes a PRF generator for generating 2 MHz pulses, a homodyne oscillator for generating a 2 kHz square wave, and for modulating the pulses from the PRF generator. A transmit antenna transmits the modulated pulses through the separator, and a receive antenna receives the signals reflected off the object. The receiver path of the detector includes a sample and hold circuit, an AC coupled amplifier which filters out DC bias level shifts in the sample and hold circuit, and a rectifier circuit connected to the homodyne oscillator and to the AC coupled amplifier, for synchronously rectifying the modulated pulses transmitted over the transmit antenna. The homodyne oscillator modulates the signal from the PRF generator with a continuous wave (CW) signal, and the AC coupled amplifier operates with a passband centered on that CW signal. The present detector can be used in several applications, including the detection of metallic and non-metallic objects, such as pipes, studs, joists, nails, rebars, conduits and electrical wiring, behind wood wall, ceiling, plywood, particle board, dense hardwood, masonry and cement structure. The detector is portable, light weight, simple to use, inexpensive, and has a low power emission which facilitates the compliance with Part 15 of the FCC rules. 15 figs.

Homodyne impulse radar hidden object locator

DOEpatents

McEwan, Thomas E.

1996-01-01

An electromagnetic detector is designed to locate an object hidden behind a separator or a cavity within a solid object. The detector includes a PRF generator for generating 2 MHz pulses, a homodyne oscillator for generating a 2 kHz square wave, and for modulating the pulses from the PRF generator. A transmit antenna transmits the modulated pulses through the separator, and a receive antenna receives the signals reflected off the object. The receiver path of the detector includes a sample and hold circuit, an AC coupled amplifier which filters out DC bias level shifts in the sample and hold circuit, and a rectifier circuit connected to the homodyne oscillator and to the AC coupled amplifier, for synchronously rectifying the modulated pulses transmitted over the transmit antenna. The homodyne oscillator modulates the signal from the PRF generator with a continuous wave (CW) signal, and the AC coupled amplifier operates with a passband centered on that CW signal. The present detector can be used in several applications, including the detection of metallic and non-metallic objects, such as pipes, studs, joists, nails, rebars, conduits and electrical wiring, behind wood wall, ceiling, plywood, particle board, dense hardwood, masonry and cement structure. The detector is portable, light weight, simple to use, inexpensive, and has a low power emission which facilitates the compliance with Part 15 of the FCC rules.

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

Elvado Environmental LLC

This report contains the groundwater and surface water monitoring data that were obtained during calendar year (CY) 2008 at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Y-12 National Security Complex (hereafter referenced as Y-12) on the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The CY 2008 monitoring data were obtained from wells, springs, and surface water sampling locations in three hydrogeologic regimes at Y-12 (Figure A.1). The Bear Creek Hydrogeologic Regime (Bear Creek Regime) encompasses a section of Bear Creek Valley (BCV) between the west end of Y-12 and the west end of the Bear Creek Watershed (directions aremore » in reference to the Y-12 grid system). The Upper East Fork Poplar Creek Hydrogeologic Regime (East Fork Regime) encompasses the Y-12 industrial facilities and support structures in BCV. The Chestnut Ridge Hydrogeologic Regime (Chestnut Ridge Regime) encompasses a section of Chestnut Ridge directly south of Y-12. Section 2 of this report provides background information pertinent to groundwater and surface water quality monitoring in each hydrogeologic regime, including the topography and bedrock geology, surface water drainage, groundwater system, and extent of groundwater contamination. The CY 2008 groundwater and surface water monitoring data in this report were obtained from sampling and analysis activities implemented under the Y-12 Groundwater Protection Program (GWPP) managed by Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Y-12, LLC (B&W Y-12) and from sampling and analysis activities implemented under several monitoring programs managed by Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC (BJC). Cooperative implementation of the monitoring programs directed by the Y-12 GWPP and BJC (i.e., coordinating sample collection and sharing data) ensures that the CY 2008 monitoring results fulfill requirements of all the applicable monitoring drivers with no duplication of sampling and analysis efforts. Section 3 of this report contains a summary of information regarding the groundwater and surface water sampling and analysis activities implemented under the Y-12 GWPP including sampling locations and frequency; quality assurance (QA)/quality control (QC) sampling; sample collection and handling; field measurements and laboratory analytes; data management and data quality objective (DQO) evaluation; and groundwater elevation monitoring. However, this report does not include equivalent QA/QC or DQO evaluation information regarding the groundwater and surface water sampling and analysis activities associated with the monitoring programs implemented by BJC. Such details are deferred to the respective programmatic plans and reports issued by BJC (see Section 3.0).« less

Population Screening Using Sewage Reveals Pan-Resistant Bacteria in Hospital and Community Samples.

PubMed

Meir-Gruber, Lital; Manor, Yossi; Gefen-Halevi, Shiraz; Hindiyeh, Musa Y; Mileguir, Fernando; Azar, Roberto; Smollan, Gill; Belausov, Natasha; Rahav, Galia; Shamiss, Ari; Mendelson, Ella; Keller, Nathan

2016-01-01

The presence of pan-resistant bacteria worldwide possesses a threat to global health. It is difficult to evaluate the extent of carriage of resistant bacteria in the population. Sewage sampling is a possible way to monitor populations. We evaluated the presence of pan-resistant bacteria in Israeli sewage collected from all over Israel, by modifying the pour plate method for heterotrophic plate count technique using commercial selective agar plates. This method enables convenient and fast sewage sampling and detection. We found that sewage in Israel contains multiple pan-resistant bacteria including carbapenemase resistant Enterobacteriacae carrying blaKPC and blaNDM-1, MRSA and VRE. blaKPC carrying Klebsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter cloacae were the most common Enterobacteriacae drug resistant bacteria found in the sewage locations we sampled. Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter spp., Escherichia coli and Citrobacter spp. were the 4 main CRE isolated from Israeli sewage and also from clinical samples in our clinical microbiology laboratory. Hospitals and Community sewage had similar percentage of positive samplings for blaKPC and blaNDM-1. VRE was found to be more abundant in sewage in Israel than MRSA but there were more locations positive for MRSA and VRE bacteria in Hospital sewage than in the Community. Therefore, our upgrade of the pour plate method for heterotrophic plate count technique using commercial selective agar plates can be a useful tool for routine screening and monitoring of the population for pan-resistant bacteria using sewage.

Population Screening Using Sewage Reveals Pan-Resistant Bacteria in Hospital and Community Samples

PubMed Central

Mileguir, Fernando; Azar, Roberto; Smollan, Gill; Belausov, Natasha; Rahav, Galia; Shamiss, Ari; Mendelson, Ella; Keller, Nathan

2016-01-01

The presence of pan-resistant bacteria worldwide possesses a threat to global health. It is difficult to evaluate the extent of carriage of resistant bacteria in the population. Sewage sampling is a possible way to monitor populations. We evaluated the presence of pan-resistant bacteria in Israeli sewage collected from all over Israel, by modifying the pour plate method for heterotrophic plate count technique using commercial selective agar plates. This method enables convenient and fast sewage sampling and detection. We found that sewage in Israel contains multiple pan-resistant bacteria including carbapenemase resistant Enterobacteriacae carrying blaKPC and blaNDM-1, MRSA and VRE. blaKPC carrying Klebsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter cloacae were the most common Enterobacteriacae drug resistant bacteria found in the sewage locations we sampled. Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter spp., Escherichia coli and Citrobacter spp. were the 4 main CRE isolated from Israeli sewage and also from clinical samples in our clinical microbiology laboratory. Hospitals and Community sewage had similar percentage of positive samplings for blaKPC and blaNDM-1. VRE was found to be more abundant in sewage in Israel than MRSA but there were more locations positive for MRSA and VRE bacteria in Hospital sewage than in the Community. Therefore, our upgrade of the pour plate method for heterotrophic plate count technique using commercial selective agar plates can be a useful tool for routine screening and monitoring of the population for pan-resistant bacteria using sewage. PMID:27780222

High-resolution x-ray absorption spectroscopy studies of metal compounds in neurodegenerative brain tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collingwood, J. F.; Mikhaylova, A.; Davidson, M. R.; Batich, C.; Streit, W. J.; Eskin, T.; Terry, J.; Barrea, R.; Underhill, R. S.; Dobson, J.

2005-01-01

Fluorescence mapping and microfocus X-ray absorption spectroscopy are used to detect, locate and identify iron biominerals and other inorganic metal accumulations in neurodegenerative brain tissue at sub-cellular resolution (<5 microns). Recent progress in developing the technique is reviewed. Synchrotron X-rays are used to map tissue sections for metals of interest, and XANES and XAFS are used to characterise anomalous concentrations of the metals in-situ so that they can be correlated with tissue structures and disease pathology. Iron anomalies associated with biogenic magnetite, ferritin and haemoglobin are located and identified in an avian tissue model with a pixel resolution ~5 microns. Subsequent studies include brain tissue sections from transgenic Huntington's mice, and the first high-resolution mapping and identification of iron biominerals in human Alzheimer's and control autopsy brain tissue. Technical developments include use of microfocus diffraction to obtain structural information about biominerals in-situ, and depositing sample location grids by lithography for the location of anomalies by conventional microscopy. The combined techniques provide a breakthrough in the study of both intra- and extra-cellular iron compounds and related metals in tissue. The information to be gained from this approach has implications for future diagnosis and treatment of neurodegeneration, and for our understanding of the mechanisms involved.

BOREAS TGB-5 Dissolved Organic Carbon Data from NSA Beaver Ponds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bourbonniere, Rick; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Conrad, Sara K. (Editor)

2000-01-01

The BOReal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study Trace Gas Biogeochemistry (BOREAS TGB-5) team collected several data sets related to carbon and trace gas fluxes and concentrations in the Northern Study Area (NSA). This data set contains concentrations of dissolved organic and inorganic carbon species from water samples collected at various NSA sites. In particular, this set covers the NSA Tower Beaver Pond Site and the NSA Gillam Road Beaver Pond Site, including data from all visits to open water sampling locations during the BOREAS field campaigns from April to September 1994. The data are provided in tabular ASCII files.

Ground-water data in the Baker County-northern Malheur County area, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collins, C.A.

1979-01-01

Ground-water data for the Baker County-northern Malheur area, Oregon, are tabulated for the Bureau of Land Management. The data include well and spring records, a well-location map, drillers ' logs of wells, observation-well hydrographs, and chemical analyses of ground-water samples. The reported yields of wells and springs in the area ranged from less than 1 to 2 ,500 gallons per minute. Dissolved solids in ground-water samples ranged from 50 to 1,587 milligrams per liter, and arsenic ranged from 0.001 to 0.317 milligrams per liter. (Woodard-USGS)

Water-quality data for the ground-water network in eastern Broward County, Florida, 1983-84

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waller, B.G.; Cannon, F.L.

1986-01-01

During 1983-84, groundwater from 63 wells located at 31 sites throughout eastern Broward County, Florida, was sampled and analyzed to determine baseline water quality conditions. The physical and chemical parameters analyzed included field measurements (pH and temperature), physical characteristics (color, turbidity, and specific conductance), major inorganic ions, nutrients, (nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon), selected metals, and total phenolic compounds. Groundwater samples were collected at the end of the dry season (April) and during the wet season (July and September). These data are tabulated, by well, in this report. (USGS)

A methodology for calibration of hyperspectral and multispectral satellite data in coastal areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pennucci, Giuliana; Fargion, Giulietta; Alvarez, Alberto; Trees, Charles; Arnone, Robert

2012-06-01

The objective of this work is to determine the location(s) in any given oceanic area during different temporal periods where in situ sampling for Calibration/Validation (Cal/Val) provides the best capability to retrieve accurate radiometric and derived product data (lowest uncertainties). We present a method to merge satellite imagery with in situ measurements, to determine the best in situ sampling strategy suitable for satellite Cal/Val and to evaluate the present in situ locations through uncertainty indices. This analysis is required to determine if the present in situ sites are adequate for assessing uncertainty and where additional sites and ship programs should be located to improve Calibration/Validation (Cal/Val) procedures. Our methodology uses satellite acquisitions to build a covariance matrix encoding the spatial-temporal variability of the area of interest. The covariance matrix is used in a Bayesian framework to merge satellite and in situ data providing a product with lower uncertainty. The best in situ location for Cal/Val is then identified by using a design principle (A-optimum design) that looks for minimizing the estimated variance of the merged products. Satellite products investigated in this study include Ocean Color water leaving radiance, chlorophyll, and inherent and apparent optical properties (retrieved from MODIS and VIIRS). In situ measurements are obtained from systems operated on fixed deployment platforms (e.g., sites of the Ocean Color component of the AErosol RObotic NETwork- AERONET-OC), moorings (e.g, Marine Optical Buoy-MOBY), ships or autonomous vehicles (such as Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and/or Gliders).

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

none,

Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), under the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) contract, collected split surface water samples with Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) representatives on June 12, 2013. Representatives from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation were also in attendance. Samples were collected at four surface water stations, as required in the approved Request for Technical Assistance number 11-018. These stations included Nolichucky River upstream (NRU), Nolichucky River downstream (NRD), Martin Creek upstream (MCU), and Martin Creek downstream (MCD). Both ORAU and NFS performed gross alpha and gross betamore » analyses, and Table 1 presents the comparison of results using the duplicate error ratio (DER), also known as the normalized absolute difference. A DER ≤ 3 indicates at a 99% confidence interval that split sample results do not differ significantly when compared to their respective one standard deviation (sigma) uncertainty (ANSI N42.22). The NFS split sample report specifies 95% confidence level of reported uncertainties (NFS 2013). Therefore, standard two sigma reporting values were divided by 1.96. In conclusion, most DER values were less than 3 and results are consistent with low (e.g., background) concentrations. The gross beta result for sample 5198W0014 was the exception. The ORAU gross beta result of 6.30 ± 0.65 pCi/L from location NRD is well above NFS's non-detected result of 1.56 ± 0.59 pCi/L. NFS's data package includes no detected result for any radionuclide at location NRD. At NRC's request, ORAU performed gamma spectroscopic analysis of sample 5198W0014 to identify analytes contributing to the relatively elevated gross beta results. This analysis identified detected amounts of naturally-occurring constituents, most notably Ac-228 from the thorium decay series, and does not suggest the presence of site-related contamination.« less

Remote vacuum or pressure sealing device and method for critical isolated systems

DOEpatents

Brock, James David [Newport News, VA; Keith, Christopher D [Newport News, VA

2012-07-10

A remote vacuum or pressure sealing apparatus and method for making a radiation tolerant, remotely prepared seal that maintains a vacuum or pressure tight seal throughout a wide temperature range. The remote sealing apparatus includes a fixed threaded sealing surface on an isolated system, a gasket, and an insert consisting of a plug with a protruding sample holder. An insert coupling device, provided for inserting samples within the isolated system, includes a threaded fastener for cooperating with the fixed threaded sealing surface on the isolated system. The insert coupling device includes a locating pin for azimuthal orientation, coupling pins, a tooted coaxial socket wrench, and an insert coupling actuator for actuating the coupling pins. The remote aspect of the sealing apparatus maintains the isolation of the system from the user's environment, safely preserving the user and the system from detrimental effect from each respectively.

Emission Factors from Aerial and Ground Measurements of Field and Laboratory Forest Burns in the Southeastern U.S.: PM2.5, Black and Brown Carbon, VOC, and PCDD/PCDF

EPA Science Inventory

Aerial- and ground-sampled emissions from three prescribed forest burns in the southeastern U.S. were compared to emissions from laboratory open burn tests using biomass from the same locations. A comprehensive array of emissions, including PM2.5, black carbon (BC), brown carbon ...

Assessment of Critical Thinking as a Predictor of Success in Completion of an Associate Degree Respiratory Care Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Fiona B.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between assessment of critical thinking as admission criteria as a predictor of success in the completion of an associate degree respiratory care program. The research site was a community college located in the southern United States. The sample included 176 students who completed Health…

United States Air Force 611th Air Support Group/Civil Engineering Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Remedial investigation and feasibility study: Oliktok Point Radar Installation, Alaska. Volume 1. (Includes appendices a - b)

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

NONE

1996-04-15

This report presents the findings of Remedial Investigations and Feasibility Studies at sites located at the Oliktok Point radar installation in northern Alaska. The sites were characterized based on sampling and analyses conducted during Remedial Investigation activities performed during August and September 1993.

Writing a Writing Assessment: Saying What You Want to Say Isn't as Simple as It Seems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Escoe, Adrienne

Since acceptable writing is essential to success in job training programs and in many entry-level jobs, a writing sample was included in the Training and Employment Prerequisites Survey, a multiple-choice test about skills like mechanics, usage, and spelling. The two writing prompts asked students to give directions for finding a location in a…

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration of 545 focal pancreatic lesions.

PubMed

Zamboni, Giulia A; D'Onofrio, Mirko; Idili, Antonio; Malagò, Roberto; Iozzia, Roberta; Manfrin, Erminia; Mucelli, Roberto Pozzi

2009-12-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy and short-term complication rate of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytologic sampling of focal pancreatic lesions. We reviewed 545 consecutive ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytologic sampling procedures for focal pancreatic lesions from January 2004 through June 2008. The procedures were performed with a 20- or 21-gauge needle. The onsite cytopathologist evaluated the appropriateness of the sample and made a diagnosis. We reviewed the final diagnosis and the radiologic and medical records of all patients for onset of complications during or within 7 days of the procedure. The study sample included 262 women and 283 men (mean age, 62 years; range, 25-86 years). The head or uncinate process of the pancreas was the location of 63.0% of the lesions, and 35.2% of the lesions were located in the body or tail of the pancreas. The site of 10 lesions (1.8%) was not specified. Sampling was diagnostic in 509 of the 545 cases (93.4%). Excluding the 36 nondiagnostic samples, ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytologic sampling had 99.4% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 99.4% accuracy. In 537 of the 545 cases (98.5%), the procedure was uneventful. In two cases, abdominal fluid was found after the procedure that was not present before the procedure. Six patients experienced postprocedural pain without abnormal findings at subsequent imaging. No major complications occurred. Ultrasound-guided cytologic sampling is safe and accurate for the diagnosis and planning of management of focal pancreatic lesions. With a cytologist on site, the rate of acquisition of samples adequate for diagnosis is high, reducing the need for patient recall.

Assessment of the LV-C2 Stack Sampling Probe Location for Compliance with ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999

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

Glissmeyer, John A.; Antonio, Ernest J.; Flaherty, Julia E.

2015-09-01

This document reports on a series of tests conducted to assess the proposed air sampling location for the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Low-Activity Waste (LAW) C2V (LV-C2) exhaust stack with respect to the applicable criteria regarding the placement of an air sampling probe. Federal regulations require that a sampling probe be located in the exhaust stack according to the criteria established by the American National Standards Institute/Health Physics Society (ANSI/HPS) N13.1-1999, Sampling and Monitoring Releases of Airborne Radioactive Substances from the Stack and Ducts of Nuclear Facilities. These criteria address the capability of the sampling probemore » to extract a sample that represents the effluent stream. The tests were conducted on the LV-C2 scale model system. Based on the scale model tests, the location proposed for the air sampling probe in the scale model stack meets the requirements of the ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 standard for velocity uniformity, flow angle, gas tracer and particle tracer uniformity. Additional velocity uniformity and flow angle tests on the actual stack will be necessary during cold startup to confirm the validity of the scale model results in representing the actual stack.« less

Inference methods for spatial variation in species richness and community composition when not all species are detected

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichols, J.D.; Boulinier, T.; Hines, J.E.; Pollock, K.H.; Sauer, J.R.

1998-01-01

Inferences about spatial variation in species richness and community composition are important both to ecological hypotheses about the structure and function of communities and to community-level conservation and management. Few sampling programs for animal communities provide censuses, and usually some species present. We present estimators useful for drawing inferences about comparative species richness and composition between different sampling locations when not all species are detected in sampling efforts. Based on capture-recapture models using the robust design, our methods estimate relative species richness, proportion of species in one location that are also found in another, and number of species found in one location but not in another. The methods use data on the presence or absence of each species at different sampling occasions (or locations) to estimate the number of species not detected at any occasions (or locations). This approach permits estimation of the number of species in the sampled community and in subsets of the community useful for estimating the fraction of species shared by two communities. We provide an illustration of our estimation methods by comparing bird species richness and composition in two locations sampled by routes of the North American Breeding Bird Survey. In this example analysis, the two locations (an associated bird communities) represented different levels of urbanization. Estimates of relative richness, proportion of shared species, and number of species present on one route but not the other indicated that the route with the smaller fraction of urban area had greater richness and a larer number of species that were not found on the more urban route than vice versa. We developed a software package, COMDYN, for computing estimates based on the methods. Because these estimation methods explicitly deal with sampling in which not all species are detected, we recommend their use for addressing questions about species richness and community composition.

Characterization of the quality of water, bed sediment, and fish in Mittry Lake, Arizona, 2014–15

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hermosillo, Edyth; Coes, Alissa L.

2017-03-01

Water, bed-sediment, and fish sampling was conducted in Mittry Lake, Arizona, in 2014–15 to establish current water-quality conditions of the lake. The parameters of temperature, dissolved-oxygen concentration, specific conductance, and alkalinity were measured in the field. Water samples were collected and analyzed for dissolved major ions, dissolved trace elements, dissolved nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved pesticides, bacteria, and suspended-sediment concentrations. Bed-sediment and fish samples were analyzed for trace elements, halogenated compounds, total mercury, and methylmercury.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant levels in drinking water were exceeded for sulfate, chloride, and manganese in the water samples. Trace-element concentrations were relatively similar between the inlet, middle, and outlet locations. Concentrations for nutrients in all water samples were below the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s water-quality standards for aquatic and wildlife uses, and all bacteria levels were below the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s recommended recreational water-quality criteria. Three out of 81 pesticides were detected in the water samples.Trace-element concentrations in bed sediment were relatively consistent between the inlet, middle, and outlet locations. Lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc concentrations, however, decreased from the inlet to outlet locations. Concentrations for lead, nickel, and zinc in some bed-sediment samples exceeded consensus-based sediment-quality guidelines probable effect concentrations. Eleven out of 61 halogenated compounds were detected in bed sediment at the inlet location, whereas three were detected at the middle location, and five were detected at the outlet location. No methylmercury was detected in bed sediment. Total mercury was detected in bed sediment at concentrations below the consensus-based sediment-quality guidelines probable effect concentration.Sixteen trace elements were detected in at least one of the fish-tissue samples, and trace-element concentrations were relatively consistent between the three fish-tissue samples. Seven halogenated compounds were detected in at least one of the whole-body fish samples; four to five compounds were detected in each fish. One fish-tissue sample exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency human health consumption criteria for methylmercury.

A two-dimensional location method based on digital micromirror device used in interactive projection systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Liangjun; Ni, Kai; Zhou, Qian; Cheng, Xuemin; Ma, Jianshe; Gao, Yuan; Sun, Peng; Li, Yi; Liu, Minxia

2010-11-01

Interactive projection systems based on CCD/CMOS have been greatly developed in recent years. They can locate and trace the movement of a pen equipped with an infrared LED, and displays the user's handwriting or react to the user's operation in real time. However, a major shortcoming is that the location device and the projector are independent with each other, including both the optical system and the control system. This requires construction of two optical systems, calibration of the differences between the projector view and the camera view, and also synchronization between two control systems, etc. In this paper, we introduced a two-dimensional location method based on digital micro-mirror device (DMD). The DMD is used as the display device and the position detector in turn. By serially flipping the micro-mirrors on the DMD according to a specially designed scheme and monitoring the reflected light energy, the image spot of the infrared LED can be quickly located. By using this method, the same optical system as well as the DMD can be multiplexed for projection and location, which will reduce the complexity and cost of the whole system. Furthermore, this method can also achieve high positioning accuracy and sampling rates. The results of location experiments are given.

Bacteria and Turbidity Survey for Blue Mountain Lake, Arkansas, Spring and Summer, 1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lasker, A. Dwight

1995-01-01

Introduction Blue Mountain Lake darn is located at river mile 74.4 on the Petit Jean River in Logan and Yell Counties in west-central Arkansas (fig. 1). Drainage area above the darn is 488 square miles. Blue Mountain Lake is located between two national forests-the Ozark National Forest and the Ouachita National Forest. The primary purpose for Blue Mountain Lake is flood control, but the lake is used for a variety of recreational purposes. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.s. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District, conducted a bacterial and turbidity study of the Blue Mountain Lake Basin during the spring and suri1mer 1994. Samples were collected weekly at 11 locations within the lake basin from May through September 1994. Eight sampling sites were located on tributaries to the lake and three sampling sites were located on the lake with one of the sites located at a swim beach (fig. 2; table 1).

Water-quality trend analysis and sampling design for the Souris River, Saskatchewan, North Dakota, and Manitoba

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vecchia, Aldo V.

2000-01-01

The Souris River Basin is a 24,600-square-mile basin located in southeast Saskatchewan, north-central North Dakota, and southwest Manitoba.  The Souris River Bilateral Water Quality Monitoring Group, formed in 1989 by the governments of Canada and the United States, is responsible for documenting trends in water quality in the Souris River and making recommendations for monitoring future water-quality conditions.  This report presents results of a study conducted for the Bilateral Water Quality Monitoring Group by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the North Dakota Department of Health, to analyze historic trends in water quality in the Souris River and to determine efficient sampling designs for monitoring future trends.  U.S. Geological Survey and Environment Canada water-quality data collected during 1977-96 from four sites near the boundary crossings between Canada and the United States were included in the trend analysis. A parametric time-series model was developed for detecting trends in historic constituent concentration data.  The model can be applied to constituents that have at least 90 percent of observations above detection limits of the analyses, which, for the Souris River, includes most major ions and nutrients and many trace elements.  The model can detect complex nonmonotonic trends in concentration in the presence of complex interannual and seasonal variability in daily discharge.  A key feature of the model is its ability to handle highly irregular sampling intervals.  For example, the intervals between concentration measurements may be be as short as 10 days to as long as several months, and the number of samples in any given year can range from zero to 36. Results from the trend analysis for the Souris River indicated numerous trends in constituent concentration.  The most significant trends at the two sites located near the upstream boundary crossing between Saskatchewan and North Dakota consisted of increases in concentrations of most major ions, dissolved boron, and dissolved arsenic during 1987-91 and decreases in concentrations of the same constituents during 1992-96.  Significant trends at the two sites located near the downstream boundary crossing between North Dakota and Manitoba included increases in dissolved sodium, dissolved chloride, and total phosphorus during 1977-86, decreases in dissolved oxygen and dissolved boron and increases in total phosphorus and dissolved iron during 1987-91, and a decrease in total phosphorus during 1992-96. The time-series model also was used to determine the sensitivity of various sampling designs for monitoring future water-quality trends in the Souris River.  It was determined that at least two samples per year are required in each of three seasons--March through June, July through October, and November through February--to obtain reasonable sensitivity for detecting trends in each season.  In addition, substantial improvements occurred in sensitivity for detecting trends by adding a third sample for major ions and trace elements in March through June, adding a third sample for nutrients in July through October, and adding a third sample for nutrients, trace elements, and dissolved oxygen in November through February.

Fuel leak detection apparatus for gas cooled nuclear reactors

DOEpatents

Burnette, Richard D.

1977-01-01

Apparatus is disclosed for detecting nuclear fuel leaks within nuclear power system reactors, such as high temperature gas cooled reactors. The apparatus includes a probe assembly that is inserted into the high temperature reactor coolant gaseous stream. The probe has an aperture adapted to communicate gaseous fluid between its inside and outside surfaces and also contains an inner tube for sampling gaseous fluid present near the aperture. A high pressure supply of noncontaminated gas is provided to selectively balance the pressure of the stream being sampled to prevent gas from entering the probe through the aperture. The apparatus includes valves that are operable to cause various directional flows and pressures, which valves are located outside of the reactor walls to permit maintenance work and the like to be performed without shutting down the reactor.

Forest statistics for West Tennessee counties

Treesearch

No Author Named

1982-01-01

These tables were derived from data obtained during a 1980 inventory of 18 counties comprising the West Unit of Tennessee (fig. 1). The data on forest acreage and timber volume were secured by a systematic sampling method involving a forest-nonforest classification on aerial photographs and on-the-ground measurements of trees at sample locations. The sample locations...

Forest statistics for North Alabama counties

Treesearch

Forest Inventory and Analysis Work Unit

1983-01-01

These tables were derived from data obtained during a 1982 inventory of 10 counties comprising the North Unit of Alabama (fig. 1). The data on forest acreage and timber volume were secured by a systematic sampling method involving a forest-nonforest classification on aerial photographs and on-the-ground measurements of trees at sample locations. The sample locations...

Effect of Elicitation Variables on Analysis of Language Samples for Normal and Language-Disordered Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fields, Thomas A.; Ashmore, Lear L.

1980-01-01

Expressive language samples were obtained from 20 children in four location-stimulus combinations and from wireless radio telemetry. No significant differences existed between the locations of home and clinic, but significant differences were noted among samples elicited using pictures as opposed to open-ended questions as compared to telemetry…

Relationship between Heavy Metal Concentrations in Soils and Grasses of Roadside Farmland in Nepal

PubMed Central

Yan, Xuedong; Zhang, Fan; Zeng, Chen; Zhang, Man; Devkota, Lochan Prasad; Yao, Tandong

2012-01-01

Transportation activities can contribute to accumulation of heavy metals in roadside soil and grass, which could potentially compromise public health and the environment if the roadways cross farmland areas. Particularly, heavy metals may enter the food chain as a result of their uptake by roadside edible grasses. This research was conducted to investigate heavy metal (Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) concentrations in roadside farmland soils and corresponding grasses around Kathmandu, Nepal. Four factors were considered for the experimental design, including sample type, sampling location, roadside distance, and tree protection. A total of 60 grass samples and 60 topsoil samples were collected under dry weather conditions. The Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) results indicate that the concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Pb in the soil samples are significantly higher than those in the grass samples; the concentrations of Cu and Pb in the suburban roadside farmland are higher than those in the rural mountainous roadside farmland; and the concentrations of Cu and Zn at the sampling locations with roadside trees are significantly lower than those without tree protection. The analysis of transfer factor, which is calculated as the ratio of heavy-metal concentrations in grass to those in the corresponding soil, indicates that the uptake capabilities of heavy metals from soil to grass is in the order of Zn > Cu > Pb. Additionally, it is found that as the soils’ heavy-metal concentrations increase, the capability of heavy-metal transfer to the grass decreases, and this relationship can be characterized by an exponential regression model. PMID:23202679

Transport of chemical and microbial compounds from known wastewater discharges: Potential for use as indicators of human fecal contamination

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glassmeyer, S.T.; Furlong, E.T.; Kolpin, D.W.; Cahill, J.D.; Zaugg, S.D.; Werner, S.L.; Meyer, M.T.; Kryak, D.D.

2005-01-01

The quality of drinking and recreational water is currently (2005) determined using indicator bacteria. However, the culture tests used to analyze for these bacteria require a long time to complete and do not discriminate between human and animal fecal material sources. One complementary approach is to use chemicals found in human wastewater, which would have the advantages of (1) potentially shorter analysis times than the bacterial culture tests and (2) being selected for human-source specificity. At 10 locations, water samples were collected upstream and at two successive points downstream from a wastewaster treatment plant (WWTP); a treated effluent sample was also collected at each WWTP. This sampling plan was used to determine the persistence of a chemically diverse suite of emerging contaminants in streams. Samples were also collected at two reference locations assumed to have minimal human impacts. Of the 110 chemical analytes investigated in this project, 78 were detected at least once. The number of compounds in a given sample ranged from 3 at a reference location to 50 in a WWTP effluent sample. The total analyte load at each location varied from 0.018 μg/L at the reference location to 97.7 μg/L in a separate WWTP effluent sample. Although most of the compound concentrations were in the range of 0.01−1.0 μg/L, in some samples, individual concentrations were in the range of 5−38 μg/L. The concentrations of the majority of the chemicals present in the samples generally followed the expected trend:  they were either nonexistent or at trace levels in the upstream samples, had their maximum concentrations in the WWTP effluent samples, and then declined in the two downstream samples. This research suggests that selected chemicals are useful as tracers of human wastewater discharge.

Note: A simple image processing based fiducial auto-alignment method for sample registration.

PubMed

Robertson, Wesley D; Porto, Lucas R; Ip, Candice J X; Nantel, Megan K T; Tellkamp, Friedjof; Lu, Yinfei; Miller, R J Dwayne

2015-08-01

A simple method for the location and auto-alignment of sample fiducials for sample registration using widely available MATLAB/LabVIEW software is demonstrated. The method is robust, easily implemented, and applicable to a wide variety of experiment types for improved reproducibility and increased setup speed. The software uses image processing to locate and measure the diameter and center point of circular fiducials for distance self-calibration and iterative alignment and can be used with most imaging systems. The method is demonstrated to be fast and reliable in locating and aligning sample fiducials, provided here by a nanofabricated array, with accuracy within the optical resolution of the imaging system. The software was further demonstrated to register, load, and sample the dynamically wetted array.

Catchment-Scale Sampling Reveals the Consistent Function of the Sediment-Water Interface to Remove Landscape Scale Dissolved Organic Carbon Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee-Cullin, J. A.; Zarnetske, J. P.; Wiewiora, E.; Ruhala, S.; Hampton, T. B.

2016-12-01

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is a critical component to biogeochemical cycling and water quality in surface waters. As DOC moves through stream networks, from headwaters to higher order streams, the sediment-water interface (SWI), where streams and groundwater readily interact, exerts a strong influence on DOC concentrations and compositional characteristics (i.e., molecular properties). Few studies examine SWI patterns at larger spatial scales, instead focusing primarily on site-level studies because sampling in the SWI is methodologically time and labor intensive. It is presently unknown how land use and landcover influence the fate of DOC in the SWI and therefore the function of the SWI on catchment-scale DOC conditions. Here, we performed a catchment-scale, high spatial-resolution SWI sampling campaign to test how landscape pattern DOC signatures are propagated into the stream and groundwater, and to assess the fate of these signatures when DOC travels through the SWI. We sampled across 39 sites composed of first-, second-, and third-order locations in a lowland, third-order catchment composed of diverse landscape units and properties, including wetland, upland forest, and agriculture. At each of these locations, surface water, groundwater, and SWI water were collected, including six discrete depths across the SWI. The major land use and landcover properties were also determined for each of these locations. We developed two simple generalized linear models to identify the landscape properties with greatest explanatory power for DOC conditions - one for stream water and one for groundwater. The correlation between landscape properties and surface water DOC characteristics was stronger than between landscape properties and groundwater DOC characteristics. To test if the DOC properties from surface and groundwater were preserved or removed by the SWI, the resulting best-fit models for each water source were used to predict the DOC conditions across the SWI. The models were unable to predict SWI DOC conditions, indicating that the landscape signature present in both the surface water and groundwater is removed by processes occurring in the SWI. Overall, this suggests that the SWI functions as and effective zone for processing the landscape-derived DOC signatures.

Catchment-Scale Sampling Reveals the Consistent Function of the Sediment-Water Interface to Remove Landscape Scale Dissolved Organic Carbon Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee-Cullin, J. A.; Zarnetske, J. P.; Wiewiora, E.; Ruhala, S.; Hampton, T. B.

2017-12-01

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is a critical component to biogeochemical cycling and water quality in surface waters. As DOC moves through stream networks, from headwaters to higher order streams, the sediment-water interface (SWI), where streams and groundwater readily interact, exerts a strong influence on DOC concentrations and compositional characteristics (i.e., molecular properties). Few studies examine SWI patterns at larger spatial scales, instead focusing primarily on site-level studies because sampling in the SWI is methodologically time and labor intensive. It is presently unknown how land use and landcover influence the fate of DOC in the SWI and therefore the function of the SWI on catchment-scale DOC conditions. Here, we performed a catchment-scale, high spatial-resolution SWI sampling campaign to test how landscape pattern DOC signatures are propagated into the stream and groundwater, and to assess the fate of these signatures when DOC travels through the SWI. We sampled across 39 sites composed of first-, second-, and third-order locations in a lowland, third-order catchment composed of diverse landscape units and properties, including wetland, upland forest, and agriculture. At each of these locations, surface water, groundwater, and SWI water were collected, including six discrete depths across the SWI. The major land use and landcover properties were also determined for each of these locations. We developed two simple generalized linear models to identify the landscape properties with greatest explanatory power for DOC conditions - one for stream water and one for groundwater. The correlation between landscape properties and surface water DOC characteristics was stronger than between landscape properties and groundwater DOC characteristics. To test if the DOC properties from surface and groundwater were preserved or removed by the SWI, the resulting best-fit models for each water source were used to predict the DOC conditions across the SWI. The models were unable to predict SWI DOC conditions, indicating that the landscape signature present in both the surface water and groundwater is removed by processes occurring in the SWI. Overall, this suggests that the SWI functions as and effective zone for processing the landscape-derived DOC signatures.

Roosevelt Hot Springs, Utah FORGE X-Ray Diffraction Data

DOE Data Explorer

Nash, Greg; Jones, Clay

2018-02-07

This dataset contains X-ray diffraction (XRD) data taken from wells and outcrops as part of the DOE GTO supported Utah FORGE project located near Roosevelt Hot Springs. It contains an Excel spreadsheet with the XRD data, a text file with sample site names, types, and locations in UTM, Zone 12, NAD83 coordinates, and a GIS shapefile of the sample locations with attributes.

Mobile inductively coupled plasma system

DOEpatents

D'Silva, Arthur P.; Jaselskis, Edward J.

1999-03-30

A system for sampling and analyzing a material located at a hazardous site. A laser located remote from the hazardous site is connected to an optical fiber, which directs laser radiation proximate the material at the hazardous site. The laser radiation abates a sample of the material. An inductively coupled plasma is located remotely from the material. An aerosol transport system carries the ablated particles to a plasma, where they are dissociated, atomized and excited to provide characteristic optical reduction of the elemental constituents of the sample. An optical spectrometer is located remotely from the site. A second optical fiber is connected to the optical spectrometer at one end and the plasma source at the other end to carry the optical radiation from the plasma source to the spectrometer.

Firefighter noise exposure during training activities and general equipment use.

PubMed

Root, Kyle S; Schwennker, Catherine; Autenrieth, Daniel; Sandfort, Delvin R; Lipsey, Tiffany; Brazile, William J

2013-01-01

Multiple noise measurements were taken on 6 types of fire station equipment and 15 types of emergency response vehicle-related equipment used by firefighters during routine and emergency operations at 10 fire stations. Five of the six types of fire station equipment, when measured at a distance of one meter and ear level, emitted noise equal to or greater than 85 dBA, including lawn maintenance equipment, snow blowers, compressors, and emergency alarms. Thirteen of 15 types of equipment located on the fire engines emitted noise levels equal to or greater than 85 dBA, including fans, saws, alarms, and extrication equipment. In addition, noise measurements were taken during fire engine operations, including the idling vehicle, vehicle sirens, and water pumps. Results indicated that idling fire-engine noise levels were below 85 dBA; however, during water pump and siren use, noise levels exceeded 85 dBA, in some instances, at different locations around the trucks where firefighters would be stationed during emergency operations. To determine if the duration and use of fire fighting equipment was sufficient to result in overexposures to noise during routine training activities, 93 firefighter personal noise dosimetry samples were taken during 10 firefighter training activities. Two training activities per sampling day were monitored during each sampling event, for a mean exposure time of 70 min per day. The noise dosimetry samples were grouped based on job description to compare noise exposures between the different categories of job tasks commonly associated with fire fighting. The three job categories were interior, exterior, and engineering. Mean personal dosimetry results indicated that the average noise exposure was 78 dBA during the training activities that lasted 70 min on average. There was no significant difference in noise exposure between each of the three job categories. Although firefighters routinely use equipment and emergency response vehicles that can produce hazardous levels of noise, this study showed that the average noise levels experienced by firefighters was below generally accepted guidelines.

Prevalence of Salmonella enterica serovar Albany in captive zoo wild animals in the Culiacán Zoo in Mexico.

PubMed

Silva-Hidalgo, Gabriela; López-Moreno, Héctor Samuel; Ortiz-Navarrete, Vianney Francisco; Alpuche-Aranda, Celia; Rendón-Maldonado, José Guadalupe; López-Valenzuela, José Angel; López-Valenzuela, Martin; Juárez-Barranco, Felipe

2013-03-01

Salmonellosis is an important zoonotic disease but little is known about the role that free-living animals play as carriers of this pathogen. Moreover, the primary route of infection in the wild needs to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the source and the route of transmission of Salmonella enterica serovar Albany (S. Albany) infection in captive zoo wild animals in the Culiacán Zoo. A total of 267 samples were analyzed including 220 fecal samples from zoo animals, 15 fecal samples from rodents, 5 pooled samples each of two insects (Musca domestica and Periplaneta americana), and 22 samples of animal feed. We detected S. Albany in 28 (10.5%) of the samples analyzed, including in samples from raw chicken meat. Characterization of isolates was performed by serotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. All isolates shared a single pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profile, indicating a possible common origin. These data suggest that the infected meat consumed by the wild felines was the primary source of infection in this zoo. It is likely that the pathogen was shed in the feces and disseminated by insects and rats to other locations in the zoo.

Searching for signatures across microbial communities: Metagenomic analysis of soil samples from mangrove and other ecosystems.

PubMed

Imchen, Madangchanok; Kumavath, Ranjith; Barh, Debmalya; Azevedo, Vasco; Ghosh, Preetam; Viana, Marcus; Wattam, Alice R

2017-08-18

In this study, we categorize the microbial community in mangrove sediment samples from four different locations within a vast mangrove system in Kerala, India. We compared this data to other samples taken from the other known mangrove data, a tropical rainforest, and ocean sediment. An examination of the microbial communities from a large mangrove forest that stretches across southwestern India showed strong similarities across the higher taxonomic levels. When ocean sediment and a single isolate from a tropical rain forest were included in the analysis, a strong pattern emerged with Bacteria from the phylum Proteobacteria being the prominent taxon among the forest samples. The ocean samples were predominantly Archaea, with Euryarchaeota as the dominant phylum. Principal component and functional analyses grouped the samples isolated from forests, including those from disparate mangrove forests and the tropical rain forest, from the ocean. Our findings show similar patterns in samples were isolated from forests, and these were distinct from the ocean sediment isolates. The taxonomic structure was maintained to the level of class, and functional analysis of the genes present also displayed these similarities. Our report for the first time shows the richness of microbial diversity in the Kerala coast and its differences with tropical rain forest and ocean microbiome.

Y-12 National Security Complex Biological Monitoring And Abatement Program 2008 Calendar Year Report

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

Peterson, M. J.; Greeley Jr., M. S.; Mathews, T. J.

2009-07-01

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued for the Oak Ridge Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12 Complex) which became effective May 1, 2006, continued a requirement for a Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP). The BMAP was originally developed in 1985 to demonstrate that the effluent limitations established for the Y-12 Complex protected the classified uses of the receiving stream (East Fork Poplar Creek: EFPC), in particular, the growth and propagation of aquatic life (Loar et al. 1989). The objectives of the current BMAP are similar, specifically to assess stream ecological conditions relative to regulatory limits and criteria,more » to assess ecological impacts as well as recovery in response to Y-12 operations, and to investigate the causes of continuing impacts. The BMAP consists of three tasks that reflect complementary approaches to evaluating the effects of the Y-12 Complex discharges on the biotic integrity of EFPC. These tasks include: (1) bioaccumulation monitoring, (2) benthic macroinvertebrate community monitoring, and (3) fish community monitoring. As required by the NPDES permit, the BMAP benthic macroinvertebrate community monitoring task includes studies to annually evaluate the receiving stream's biological integrity in comparison to TN Water Quality Criteria. BMAP monitoring is currently being conducted at five primary EFPC sites, although sites may be excluded or added depending upon the specific objectives of the various tasks. Criteria used in selecting the sites include: (1) location of sampling sites used in other studies, (2) known or suspected sources of downstream impacts, (3) proximity to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) boundaries, (4) appropriate habitat distribution, and (5) access. The primary sampling sites include upper EFPC at kilometers (EFKs) 24.4 and 23.4 [upstream and downstream of Lake Reality (LR) respectively]; EFK 18.7 (also EFK 18.2 and 19), located off the ORR and below an area of intensive commercial and light industrial development; EFK 13.8, located upstream from the Oak Ridge Wastewater Treatment Facility (ORWTF); and EFK 6.3 located approximately 1.4 km below the ORR boundary (Fig. 1.1). Actual sampling locations on EFPC may differ slightly by task according to specific requirements of the task. Brushy Fork (BF) at kilometer (BFK) 7.6 and Hinds Creek at kilometer (HCK) 20.6 are the most commonly used reference sites for the Y-12 BMAP. Additional sites off the ORR are also occasionally used for reference, including Beaver Creek, Bull Run, Cox Creek, and Paint Rock Creek (Fig. 1.2). Summaries of the sampling designs for the three primary tasks of the Y-12 Complex BMAP for EFPC are presented in Tables 1.1-1.3. This report covers the 2008 period, although data collected outside this time period are included as appropriate. To address the biological monitoring requirements for Bear Creek and McCoy Branch, CERLCA-funded programs, data are summarized in Appendix A and Appendix B respectively. Data for these two watersheds are provided herein to address Section IX of the NPDES Permit for Y-12, where 'Results of these CERCLA programs can be used to meet the biological monitoring requirements of this permit...'. A summary of the toxicity testing results for Y-12 outfalls into upper EFPC is provided in Appendix C (these results have been previously reported) to provide a more thorough perspective of conditions in the stream. Data summarized in this report are available from the Oak Ridge Environmental Information system (OREIS) in an Arc-GIS usable format (http://www-oreis.bechteljacobs.org/oreis/help/oreishome.html). Per requirements specified in the NPDES permit, data collected following TDEC monitoring protocols (TDEC 2006) is also submitted directly to TDEC in Excel format.« less

Module Degradation Mechanisms Studied by a Multi-Scale Approach

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

Johnston, Steve; Al-Jassim, Mowafak; Hacke, Peter

2016-11-21

A key pathway to meeting the Department of Energy SunShot 2020 goals is to reduce financing costs by improving investor confidence through improved photovoltaic (PV) module reliability. A comprehensive approach to further understand and improve PV reliability includes characterization techniques and modeling from module to atomic scale. Imaging techniques, which include photoluminescence, electroluminescence, and lock-in thermography, are used to locate localized defects responsible for module degradation. Small area samples containing such defects are prepared using coring techniques and are then suitable and available for microscopic study and specific defect modeling and analysis.

Maintenance of tactile short-term memory for locations is mediated by spatial attention.

PubMed

Katus, Tobias; Andersen, Søren K; Müller, Matthias M

2012-01-01

According to the attention-based rehearsal hypothesis, maintenance of spatial information is mediated by covert orienting towards memorized locations. In a somatosensory memory task, participants simultaneously received bilateral pairs of mechanical sample pulses. For each hand, sample stimuli were randomly assigned to one of three locations (fingers). A subsequent visual retro-cue determined whether the left or right hand sample was to be memorized. The retro-cue elicited lateralized activity reflecting the location of the relevant sample stimulus. Sensory processing during the retention period was probed by task-irrelevant pulses randomized to locations at the cued and uncued hand. The somatosensory N140 was enhanced for probes delivered to the cued hand, relative to uncued. Probes presented shortly after the retro-cue showed greatest attentional modulations. This suggests that transient contributions from retrospective selection overlapped with the sustained effect of attention-based rehearsal. In conclusion, focal attention shifts within tactile mnemonic content occurred after retro-cues and guided sensory processing during retention. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microwave reflectometer ionization sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seals, Joseph; Fordham, Jeffrey A.; Pauley, Robert G.; Simonutti, Mario D.

1993-01-01

The development of the Microwave Reflectometer Ionization Sensor (MRIS) Instrument for use on the Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE) spacecraft is described. The instrument contract was terminated, due to cancellation of the AFE program, subsequent to testing of an engineering development model. The MRIS, a four-frequency reflectometer, was designed for the detection and location of critical electron density levels in spacecraft reentry plasmas. The instrument would sample the relative magnitude and phase of reflected signals at discrete frequency steps across 4 GHz bandwidths centered at four frequencies: 20, 44, 95, and 140 GHz. The sampled data would be stored for later processing to calculate the distance from the spacecraft surface to the critical electron densities versus time. Four stepped PM CW transmitter receivers were located behind the thermal protection system of the spacecraft with horn antennas radiating and receiving through an insulating tile. Techniques were developed to deal with interference, including multiple reflections and resonance effects, resulting from the antenna configuration and operating environment.

SEQUOIA: A Newly Operating Chopper Spectrometer at the SNS

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

Kolesnikov, Alexander I; Sherline, Todd E; Clancy, James P

2010-01-01

A fine resolution chopper spectrometer (SEQUOIA) recently received first neutrons at the SNS. The commissioning phase of the instrument is underway. SEQUOIA is designed to utilize neutrons of an incident energy (Ei) between 10-2000 meV. A monochromatic beam is provided on a sample, 20 m from the decoupled ambient temperature H2O moderator, by filtering the white beam with a Fermi chopper located 18 m from the source. After interacting with the sample, neutrons are detected by an array of 3He linear position sensitive tubes located on a vertical cylinder with a radius of 5.5 m. This contribution presents current resultsmore » from the commissioning experiments and compares SEQUOIA s actual and predicted performance. These commissioning experiments include characterization of the beam by monitors, determination of the chopper phase offsets, and runs with V and C4H2I2S. The predicted performance is provided by analytical calculations and Monte Carlo simulations.« less

Complex depth-related patterns in taxonomic and functional diversity of polychaetes in the Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvalho, Russell; Wei, Chih-Lin; Rowe, Gilbert; Schulze, Anja

2013-10-01

Patterns of taxonomic and functional diversity in polychaete assemblages were examined in the deep northern Gulf of Mexico, including the first analysis of polychaete feeding guild distribution. An analysis of samples from a total of 51 stations located along 7 transects plus additional nearby sites, indicated that density decreased exponentially with depth, with the central locations having higher densities than the eastern and western regions. Alpha diversity was also highest at the central stations associated with the Mississippi trough. The samples can be grouped into three significant clusters based on thirty percent similarity of species composition. BIO-ENV indicated depth, sediment particle size, and export POC were most important variables explaining distributions. The diversity of polychaete feeding guilds was high in the Mississippi trough, upper and mid-slope regions but declined to a few guilds on the Sigsbee abyssal plain. Combining feeding guild analysis with traditional analysis of species diversity contributes to a clearer understanding of trophic diversity in deep-sea benthic assemblages.

Occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in Wrinkled Hornbill and other birds in the Kuala Lumpur National Zoo.

PubMed

Rohela, M; Lim, Y A L; Jamaiah, I; Khadijah, P Y Y; Laang, S T; Nazri, M H Mohd; Nurulhuda, Z

2005-01-01

The occurrence of a coccidian parasite, Cryptosporidium, among birds in the Kuala Lumpur National Zoo was investigated in this study. A hundred bird fecal samples were taken from various locations of the zoo. Fecal smears prepared using direct smear and formalin ethyl acetate concentration technique were stained with modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain. Samples positive for Cryptosporidium with Ziehl-Neelsen stain were later confirmed using the immunofluorescence technique and viewed under the epifluorescence microscope. Six species of bird feces were confirmed positive with Cryptosporidium oocysts. They included Wrinkled Hornbill (Aceros corrugatus), Great Argus Pheasant (Argusianus argus), Black Swan (Cygnus atratus), Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides), Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus), and Moluccan Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccencis). These birds were located in the aviary and lake, with the Moluccan Cockatoo routinely used as a show bird. Results obtained in this study indicated that animal sanctuaries like zoos and bird parks are important sources of Cryptosporidium infection to humans, especially children and other animals.

Preliminary assessment of a water-quality monitoring program for total maximum daily loads in Johnson County, Kansas, January 2015 through June 2016

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Paxson, Chelsea R.

2017-08-25

Municipalities in Johnson County in northeastern Kansas are required to implement stormwater management programs to reduce pollutant discharges, protect water quality, and comply with applicable water-quality regulations in accordance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits for stormwater discharge. To this end, municipalities collect grab samples at streams entering and leaving their jurisdiction to determine levels of excessive nutrients, sediment, and fecal bacteria to characterize pollutants and understand the factors affecting them.In 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Johnson County Stormwater Management Program, with input from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, initiated a 5-year monitoring program to satisfy minimum sampling requirements for each municipality as described by new stormwater permits issued to Johnson County municipalities. The purpose of this report is to provide a preliminary assessment of the monitoring program. The monitoring program is described, a preliminary assessment of the monitoring program design is provided using water-quality data collected during the first 2 years of the program, and the ability of the current monitoring network and sampling plan to provide data sufficient to quantify improvements in water quality resulting from implemented and planned best management practices is evaluated. The information in this initial report may be used to evaluate changes in data collection methods while data collection is still ongoing that may lead to improved data utility.Discrete water-quality samples were collected at 27 sites and analyzed for nutrients, Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, total suspended solids, and suspended-sediment concentration. In addition, continuous water-quality data (water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, turbidity, and nitrate plus nitrite) were collected at one site to characterize variability and provide a basis for comparison to discrete data. Base flow samples indicated that point sources are likely affecting nutrient concentrations and E. coli bacteria densities at several sites. Concentrations of all analytes in storm runoff samples were characterized by substantial variability among sites and samples. About one-half of the sites, representing different watersheds, had storm runoff samples with nitrogen concentrations greater than 10 milligrams per liter. About one-third of the sites, representing different watersheds, had storm runoff samples with total phosphorus concentrations greater than 3 milligrams per liter. Six sites had samples with E. coli densities greater than 100,000 colonies per 100 milliliters of water. Total suspended solids concentrations of about 12,000 milligrams per liter or greater occurred in samples from three sites.Data collected for this monitoring program may be useful for some general assessment purposes but may also be limited in potential to fully inform stormwater management activities. Valuable attributes of the monitoring program design included incorporating many sites across the county for comparisons among watersheds and municipalities, using fixed-stage samplers to collect multiple samples during single events, collection of base flow samples in addition to storm samples to isolate possible point sources from stormwater sources, and use of continuous monitors to characterize variability. Limiting attributes of the monitoring program design included location of monitoring sites along municipal boundaries to satisfy permit requirements rather than using watershed-based criteria such as locations of tributaries, potential pollutant sources, and implemented management practices. Additional limiting attributes include having a large number of widespread sampling locations, which presented logistical challenges for predicting localized rainfall and collecting and analyzing samples during short timeframes associated with storms, and collecting storm samples at fixed-stage elevations only during the rising limb of storms, which does not characterize conditions over the storm hydrograph. The small number of samples collected per site resulted in a sample size too small to be representative of site conditions, including seasonal and hydrologic variability, and insufficient for meaningful statistical analysis or site-specific modeling.Several measures could be taken to improve data utility and include redesigning the monitoring network according to watershed characteristics, incorporating a nested design in which data are collected at different scales (watershed, subwatershed, and best management practices), increasing sampling frequency, and combining different methods to allow for flexibility to focus on areas and conditions of particular interest. A monitoring design that would facilitate most of these improvements would be to focus efforts on a limited number of watersheds for several years, then cycle to the next set of watersheds for several years, eventually returning to previously monitored watersheds to document changes.Redesign of the water-quality monitoring program requires considerable effort and commitment from municipalities of Johnson County. However, the long-term benefit likely is a monitoring program that results in improved stream conditions and more effective management practices and efficient expenditure of resources.

Fecal-indicator bacteria concentrations in the Illinois River between Hennepin and Peoria, Illinois: 2007-08

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dupre, David H.; Hortness, Jon E.; Terrio, Paul J.; Sharpe, Jennifer B.

2012-01-01

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has designated portions of the Illinois River in Peoria, Woodford, and Tazewell Counties, Illinois, as impaired owing to the presence of fecal coliform bacteria. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, examined the water quality in the Illinois River and major tributaries within a 47-mile reach between Peoria and Hennepin, Ill., during water year 2008 (October 2007–September 2008). Investigations included synoptic (snapshot) sampling at multiple locations in a 1-day period: once in October 2007 during lower streamflow conditions, and again in June 2008 during higher streamflow conditions. Five locations in the study area were monitored for the entire year at monthly or more frequent intervals. Two indicator bacteria were analyzed in each water sample: fecal coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Streamflow information from previously established monitoring locations in the study area was used in the analysis. Correlation analyses were used to characterize the relation between the two fecal-indicator bacteria and the relation of either indicator to streamflow. Concentrations of the two measured fecal-indicator bacteria correlated well for all samples analyzed (r = 0.94, p E. coli: rho = -0.43, p = 0.0157). The correlation between fecal indicators and streamflow in tributaries or in the Illinois River at Hennepin was found to be statistically significant, yet moderate in strength with coefficient values ranging from r = 0.4 to 0.6. Indirect observations from the June 2008 higher flow synoptic event may indicate continued effects from combined storm and sanitary sewers in the vicinity of the Illinois River near Peoria, Ill., contributing to observed single-sample exceedance of the State criterion for fecal coliform.

Situational drinking in private and public locations: A multilevel analysis of blood alcohol level in Finnish drinking occasions.

PubMed

Mustonen, Heli; Mäkelä, Pia; Lintonen, Tomi

2016-11-01

The first aim was to estimate the extent to which the variation in alcohol use across specific drinking occasions arises from variation at the occasion level and from variation at the drinker level. The second aim was to identify characteristics of drinking situations that moderate or increase situational alcohol use beyond the influence of drinker-level characteristics. The general population aged 15-69 years in Finland was sampled randomly in 2008. The multilevel analysis was based on data from 1511 drinkers and 2933 drinking occasions that occurred in the 7 days before the interview. Alcohol use was operationalised as estimated blood alcohol level (BAL). Characteristics of drinking occasions included location, circumstance, company and timing. Drinker-level data included demographic and drinking pattern variables. Fifty-three percent of the variance in BAL was between occasions and 47% between respondents, for both women and men. With drinking patterns and demographic characteristics controlled for, the dominant characteristics of drinking occasions predisposing to greater intoxication were late-night drinking, across locations and for both genders. For private locations, predisposing characteristics included drinking on weekends for both genders and drinking with friends for men. Situational and drinker levels are equally important in determining the BAL in drinking occasions; therefore, prevention efforts should be targeted at both risky individuals and risky drinking occasions. Occasions occurring late at night, often at home and with friends, are a central challenge for targeting preventive efforts related to situational drinking.[Mustonen H, Mäkelä P, Lintonen T. Situational drinking in private and public locations: A multilevel analysis of blood alcohol level in Finnish drinking occasions. Drug Alcohol Rev 2016;35:772-784]. © 2016 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

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

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

Paces, James B.

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

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paces, James B.

2014-01-01

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

Method and apparatus for sampling low-yield wells

DOEpatents

Last, George V.; Lanigan, David C.

2003-04-15

An apparatus and method for collecting a sample from a low-yield well or perched aquifer includes a pump and a controller responsive to water level sensors for filling a sample reservoir. The controller activates the pump to fill the reservoir when the water level in the well reaches a high level as indicated by the sensor. The controller deactivates the pump when the water level reaches a lower level as indicated by the sensors. The pump continuously activates and deactivates the pump until the sample reservoir is filled with a desired volume, as indicated by a reservoir sensor. At the beginning of each activation cycle, the controller optionally can select to purge an initial quantity of water prior to filling the sample reservoir. The reservoir can be substantially devoid of air and the pump is a low volumetric flow rate pump. Both the pump and the reservoir can be located either inside or outside the well.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance data from the area of the Shishmaref, Kotzebue, Selawik and Shungnak Quadrangles, northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity, Alaska

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

Warren, R.G.; Hill, D.E.; Sharp, R.R. Jr.

1978-05-01

During the summer of 1976, 1336 water and 1251 sediment samples were collected for Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) from 1356 streams and small lakes or ponds within Shishmaref, Kotzebue, Selawik, and western portion of Shungnak NTMS quadrangles in western Alaska. Both a water and sediment sample were generally obtained from each location at a nominal location density of 1/23 km/sup 2/. Total uranium was measured in waters by fluorometry and in sediments and a few waters by delayed neutron counting at LASL. Uranium concentrations in waters have a mean of 0.31 ppB and a maximum of 9.23 ppB, andmore » sediments exhibit a mean of 3.44 ppM and a maximum of 37.7 ppM. A large number of high-uranium concentrations occur in both water and sediment samples collected in the Selawik Hills. At least two locations within the Selawik Hills appear favorable for further investigation of possible uranium mineralization. A cluster of high-uranium sediments, seen in the Waring Mountains, are probably derived from a lower Cretaceous conglomerate unit which is assocated with known airborne radiometric anomalies. Apparently less favorable areas for further investigation of possible uranium mineralization are also located in the Waring Mountains and Kiana Hills. Additional samples were collected within the Shungnak quadrange to increase the sampling density used elsewhere in the area to about one location per 11 km/sup 2/ (double-density). Contoured plots of uranium concentrations for both waters and sediments were prepared for all double-density sample locations, and then for the even-numbered and odd-numbered locations separately. These plots indicate that the HSSR sampling density of 1/23 km/sup 2/ used in lowland areas of Alaska provide essentially the same definition of relative areal uranium distributions in waters and sediments as seen when the density is doubled. These plots indicate that regional distribution patterns for uranium are well defined without selective sampling of geologic units.« less

Matrix isolation apparatus with extended sample collection capability

DOEpatents

Reedy, Gerald T.

1987-01-01

A gas-sample collection device provides for the matrix isolation of increased amounts of a sample material for spectrographic analysis from a gas chromatographic separation. The device includes an evacuated sample collection chamber containing a disc-like specular carousel having a generally circular lateral surface upon which the sample is deposited in an inert gas matrix for infrared (IR) spectral analysis. The evacuated sample chamber is mounted in a fixed manner and is coupled to and supports a rotating cryostatic coupler which, in turn, supports the specular carousel within the collection chamber. A rotational drive system connected to the cryostatic coupler provides for its rotational displacement as well as that of the sample collecting carousel. In addition, rotation of the cryostatic coupler effects vertical displacement of the carousel to permit the collection of an extended sample band in a helical configuration on the entire lateral surface of the carousel. The various components of the carousel's angular/linear displacement drive system are located exterior to the cryostatic coupler for easy access and improved operation. The cryostatic coupler includes a 360.degree. rotary union assembly for permitting the delivery of a high pressure working fluid to the cryostatic coupler in a continuous flow manner for maintaining the specular carousel at a low temperature, e.g., 10.degree.-20.degree. K., for improved uninterrupted gas sample collection and analysis.

Effects of dredging operations on soft bottom macrofauna in a harbor in the Patos Lagoon estuarine region of southern Brazil.

PubMed

Bemvenuti, C E; Angonesi, L G; Gandra, M S

2005-11-01

An evaluation was made of the effects of dredging on the soft bottom community in the channel of the Rio Grande harbor in the Patos Lagoon estuarine region of southern Brazil. During four seasonal cruises, samples were collected from nine biological stations, one of which was located outside the dredged area. Three macrobenthic samples were collected on each cruise from each station, using a 0.08 m2 van Veen grab. A cluster analysis was applied to group summer and autumn cruise stations before the dredging period, revealing larger numbers of species (35-36 spp.) and higher densities of organisms. The station located outside the dredging area was always included in this group, regardless of the sampling period or conditions of salinity. Another group comprised the winter and spring stations during the dredging period. This group was characterized by stations with the fewest species (20-18 spp.) and the lowest and most variable organism densities. The efficient strategies of resilience of the dominant estuarine species may minimize the effects of dredging on the biota through the rapid recolonization of the soft bottom of the harbor channel.

The presence of natural radioactivity and 137Cs in the South China Sea bordering peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Amin, Y M; Mahat, R H; Nor, R M; Khandaker, Mayeen Uddin; Takleef, Ghazwa Hatem; Bradley, D A

2013-10-01

The presence of natural radioactivity and (137)Cs has been investigated in fresh media obtained from South China Sea locations off the coast of peninsular Malaysia. The media include seafood, sea water and sediment. The samples were collected some weeks prior to the devastating 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and associated tsunami, the occurrence of which precipitated the Fukushima incident. All samples showed the presence of naturally occurring (226)Ra, (228)Ra and primordial (40)K, all at typically prevailing levels. The concentrations of natural radioactivity in molluscs were found to be greater than that of other marine life studied herein, the total activity ranging from 337 to 393 Bq kg(-1) dry weight. The total activity in sea water ranged from 15 to 88 Bq l(-1). Sediment samples obtained at deep sea locations more than 20 km offshore further revealed the presence of (137)Cs. The activity of (137)Cs varied from ND to 0.5 Bq kg(-1) dry weight, the activity increasing with offshore distance and depth. The activity concentrations presented herein should be considered useful in assessing the impact of any future radiological contamination to the marine environment.

Map showing locations and statistical parameters of beach and offshore sand samples, Tutuila Island, American Samoa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dingler, J.R.; Carlson, D.V.; Sallenger, A.H.

1987-01-01

In April 1985, sand samples were collected from many of the beaches on Tutuila Island, American Samoa, and in July 1985, three bays were surveyed using side-scan sonar and shallow seismic profiling. During that second trip, scuba divers collected sand samples from the surveyed areas. Dingler and others (1986) describes the study; this report presents the grain-size and composition data for the onshore and offshore sand samples. Locations of the onshore samples are plotted on the map of the island, which is reproduced from Normark and others (1985); locations of most of the offshore samples and side-scan sonar interpretations made during the study are plotted on enlargements (A and B, respectively) of Fagaitua and Nua-seetaga Bays. Lam Yuen (1981), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1980), and Sea Engineering Services Inc. (1980) provide additional information pertaining to the island's beaches.

Overview of 'Omics Technologies for Military Occupational Health Surveillance and Medicine.

PubMed

Bradburne, Christopher; Graham, David; Kingston, H M; Brenner, Ruth; Pamuku, Matt; Carruth, Lucy

2015-10-01

Systems biology ('omics) technologies are emerging as tools for the comprehensive analysis and monitoring of human health. In order for these tools to be used in military medicine, clinical sampling and biobanking will need to be optimized to be compatible with downstream processing and analysis for each class of molecule measured. This article provides an overview of 'omics technologies, including instrumentation, tools, and methods, and their potential application for warfighter exposure monitoring. We discuss the current state and the potential utility of personalized data from a variety of 'omics sources including genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics, lipidomics, and efforts to combine their use. Issues in the "sample-to-answer" workflow, including collection and biobanking are discussed, as well as national efforts for standardization and clinical interpretation. Establishment of these emerging capabilities, along with accurate xenobiotic monitoring, for the Department of Defense could provide new and effective tools for environmental health monitoring at all duty stations, including deployed locations. Reprint & Copyright © 2015 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.