Adaptations and biomass production of two grasses in response to waterlogging and soil nutrient enrichment.

PubMed

Rubio, G; Casasola, G; Lavado, R S

1995-04-01

We analysed the response of two grass species, Danthonia montevidensis and Paspalum dilatatum to waterlogging, soil-nutrient enrichment and the combination of both factors. Waterlogging did not affect total biomass of D. montevidensis, but it slightly promoted growth of P. dilatatum. Most analysed variables showed no significant interaction between fertilization and waterlogging. Therefore, waterlogging does not produce a detrimental effect either in the growth of these species or in their response capacity to stimulating growth factors, such as fertilization.

Guide for Oxygen Hazards Analyses on Components and Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoltzfus, Joel M.; Dees, Jesse; Poe, Robert F.

1996-01-01

Because most materials, including metals, will burn in an oxygen-enriched environment, hazards are always present when using oxygen. Most materials will ignite at lower temperatures in an oxygen-enriched environment than in air, and once ignited, combustion rates are greater in the oxygen-enriched environment. Many metals burn violently in an oxygen-enriched environment when ignited. Lubricants, tapes, gaskets, fuels, and solvents can increase the possibility of ignition in oxygen systems. However, these hazards do not preclude the use of oxygen. Oxygen may be safely used if all the materials in a system are not flammable in the end-use environment or if ignition sources are identified and controlled. These ignition and combustion hazards necessitate a proper oxygen hazards analysis before introducing a material or component into oxygen service. The objective of this test plan is to describe the White Sands Test Facility oxygen hazards analysis to be performed on components and systems before oxygen is introduced and is recommended before implementing the oxygen component qualification procedure. The plan describes the NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility method consistent with the ASTM documents for analyzing the hazards of components and systems exposed to an oxygen-enriched environment. The oxygen hazards analysis is a useful tool for oxygen-system designers, system engineers, and facility managers. Problem areas can be pinpointed before oxygen is introduced into the system, preventing damage to hardware and possible injury or loss of life.

Meta-analysis of pathway enrichment: combining independent and dependent omics data sets.

PubMed

Kaever, Alexander; Landesfeind, Manuel; Feussner, Kirstin; Morgenstern, Burkhard; Feussner, Ivo; Meinicke, Peter

2014-01-01

A major challenge in current systems biology is the combination and integrative analysis of large data sets obtained from different high-throughput omics platforms, such as mass spectrometry based Metabolomics and Proteomics or DNA microarray or RNA-seq-based Transcriptomics. Especially in the case of non-targeted Metabolomics experiments, where it is often impossible to unambiguously map ion features from mass spectrometry analysis to metabolites, the integration of more reliable omics technologies is highly desirable. A popular method for the knowledge-based interpretation of single data sets is the (Gene) Set Enrichment Analysis. In order to combine the results from different analyses, we introduce a methodical framework for the meta-analysis of p-values obtained from Pathway Enrichment Analysis (Set Enrichment Analysis based on pathways) of multiple dependent or independent data sets from different omics platforms. For dependent data sets, e.g. obtained from the same biological samples, the framework utilizes a covariance estimation procedure based on the nonsignificant pathways in single data set enrichment analysis. The framework is evaluated and applied in the joint analysis of Metabolomics mass spectrometry and Transcriptomics DNA microarray data in the context of plant wounding. In extensive studies of simulated data set dependence, the introduced correlation could be fully reconstructed by means of the covariance estimation based on pathway enrichment. By restricting the range of p-values of pathways considered in the estimation, the overestimation of correlation, which is introduced by the significant pathways, could be reduced. When applying the proposed methods to the real data sets, the meta-analysis was shown not only to be a powerful tool to investigate the correlation between different data sets and summarize the results of multiple analyses but also to distinguish experiment-specific key pathways.

Low NOx combustion using cogenerated oxygen and nitrogen streams

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

Kobayashi, Hisashi; Bool, Lawrence E; Snyder, William J

Combustion of hydrocarbon fuel is achieved with less formation of NOx by feeding the fuel into a slightly oxygen-enriched atmosphere, and separating air into oxygen-rich and nitrogen-rich streams which are fed separately into the combustion device.

Novel meat-enriched foods for older consumers.

PubMed

Farouk, Mustafa M; Yoo, Michelle J Y; Hamid, Nazimah S A; Staincliffe, Maryann; Davies, Briar; Knowles, Scott O

2018-02-01

Red meat enriched versions of bread, spaghetti, yoghurt, ice cream and chocolate were prototyped and assessed for some of their physical, chemical and microbiological properties, as well as sensory appeal. The protein content of the products were significantly increased and their colour went darker with meat enrichment (p<0.05). Bread volume and spaghetti tensile strength increased and ice cream meltability and yoghurt apparent viscosity decreased with meat enrichment (p<0.05). The overall acceptability/liking of bread, flavoured ice cream and spaghetti were not affected (p>0.05) but that of non-flavoured ice cream and yoghurt went down (p<0.05) with meat enrichment. 75% of the 940 panellist who ate the meat-enriched chocolates either loved or slightly-liked them. The outcome of the present study would assist in making the nutrition of meat available in a wider range of product categories, helping the meat industry stretch its established business models, and encouraging further development of novel food choices for elderly and other groups of consumers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enriching Science and Math through Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redmond, Adrienne; Thomas, Julie; High, Karen; Scott, Margaret; Jordan, Pat; Dockers, Jean

2011-01-01

This case study reviewed the collaborative efforts of university engineers, teacher educators, and middle school teachers to advance sixth- and seventh-grade students' learning through a series of project-based engineering activities. This two-year project enriched regular school curricula by introducing real-world applications of science and…

Metacognitive Enrichment for Community College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyre, Steven H.

2012-01-01

Recent research was conducted to explore how introducing metacognitive enrichment into courses containing implicit or explicit critical thinking goals would affect the students' personal epistemological maturity. At the beginning of a fall semester at a moderate sized community college in the southeastern United States, 733 students were divided…

Effects of environmental enrichment on behaviour, physiology and performance of pigs: A review.

PubMed

Mkwanazi, Mbusiseni Vusumuzi; Ncobela, Cyprial Ndumiso; Kanengoni, Arnold Tapera; Chimonyo, Michael

2017-06-26

The aim of this paper is to critically analyse and synthesise existing knowledge concerning the use of environmental enrichment and its effect on behaviour, physiology and performance of pigs housed in intensive production systems. The objective is also to provide clarity as to what constitute successful enrichment and recommend on when and how enrichment should be used. Environmental enrichment is usually understood as an attempt to improve animal welfare and to lesser extent, performance. Common enrichment objects used are straw bedding, suspended rope and wood shavings, toys, rubber tubing, coloured plastic keys, table tennis balls, chains and strings. These substrates need to be chewable, deformable, destructible and ingestible. For enrichment to be successful four goals are the prerequisite. Firstly, enrichment should increase the number and range of normal behaviours (2) prevent the phenomenon of anomalous behaviours or reduce their frequency (3) increase positive use of the environment such as space and (4) increase the ability of the animals to deal with behavioural and physiological challenges. The performance, behaviour and physiology of pigs in enriched environments is similar or in some cases slightly better when compared with barren environments. In studies where there was no improvement, it should be born in mind that enriching the environment may not always be practical and yield positive results due to factors such as type of enrichment substrates, duration of provision and type of enrichment used. The review also identifies possible areas which still need further research, especially in understanding the role of enrichment, novelty, breed differences and other enrichment alternatives.

Carbon isotope effects associated with mixed-acid fermentation of saccharides by Clostridium papyrosolvens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penning, Holger; Conrad, Ralf

2006-05-01

In anoxic environments, microbial fermentation is the first metabolic process in the path of organic matter degradation. Since little is known about carbon isotope fractionation during microbial fermentation, we studied mixed-acid fermentation of different saccharides (glucose, cellobiose, and cellulose) in Clostridium papyrosolvens. The bacterium was grown anaerobically in batch under different growth conditions, both in pure culture and in co-culture with Methanobacterium bryantii utilizing H 2/CO 2 or Methanospirillum hungatei utilizing both H 2/CO 2 and formate. Fermentation products were acetate, lactate, ethanol, formate, H 2, and CO 2 (and CH 4 in methanogenic co-culture), with acetate becoming dominant at low H 2 partial pressures. After complete conversion of the saccharides, acetate was 13C-enriched ( αsacc/ac = 0.991-0.997), whereas lactate ( αsacc/lac = 1.001-1.006), ethanol ( αsacc/etoh = 1.007-1.013), and formate ( αsacc/form = 1.007-1.011) were 13C-depleted. The total inorganic carbon produced was only slightly enriched in 13C, but was more enriched, when formate was produced in large amounts, as 12CO 2 was preferentially converted with H 2 to formate. During biomass formation, 12C was slightly preferred ( αsacc/biom ≈ 1.002). The observations in batch culture were confirmed in glucose-limited chemostat culture at growth rates of 0.02-0.15 h -1 at both low and high hydrogen partial pressures. Our experiments showed that the carbon flow at metabolic branch points in the fermentation path governed carbon isotope fractionation to the accumulated products. During production of pyruvate, C isotopes were not fractionated when using cellulose, but were fractionated to different extents depending on growth conditions when using cellobiose or glucose. At the first catabolic branch point (pyruvate), the produced lactate was depleted in 13C, whereas the alternative product acetyl-CoA was 13C enriched. At the second branch point (acetyl-CoA), the ethanol formed was 15.6-18.6‰ depleted in 13C compared to the alternative product acetate. At low hydrogen partial pressures, as normally observed under environmental conditions, fermentation of saccharides should mainly result in the production of acetate that is only slightly enriched in 13C (<3‰).

Atom probe tomography characterization of neutron irradiated surveillance samples from the R. E. Ginna reactor pressure vessel

DOE PAGES

Edmondson, Philip D.; Miller, Michael K.; Powers, Kathy A.; ...

2015-12-29

Surveillance samples of a low copper (nominally 0.05 wt.% Cu) forging and a higher copper (0.23 wt.% Cu) submerged arc weld from the R. E. Ginna reactor pressure vessel have been characterized by atom probe tomography (APT) after exposure to three levels of neutron irradiation, i.e., fluences of 1.7, 3.6 and 5.8 × 10 23 n.m –2 (E > 1 MeV), and inlet temperatures of ~289 °C (~552 °F). As no copper-enriched precipitates were observed in the low copper forging, and the measured copper content in the ferrite matrix was 0.04± <0.01 at.% Cu, after neutron irradiation to a fluencemore » of 1.7 × 10 23 n.m –3, this copper level was below the solubility limit. A number density of 2 × 10 22 m –3 of Ni–, Mn– Si-enriched precipitates with an equivalent radius of gyration of 1.7 ± 0.4 nm were detected in the sample. However, Cu-, Ni-, Mn-enriched precipitates were observed in specimens cut from different surveillance specimens from the same forging material in which the overall measured copper level was 0.08± <0.01 at.% (fluence of 3.6 × 10 23 n.m –3) and 0.09± <0.01 at.% Cu (fluence of 5.8 × 10 23 n.m –3). Therefore, these slightly higher copper contents were above the solubility limit of Cu under these irradiation conditions. A best fit of all the composition data indicated that the size and number density of the Cu-enriched precipitates increased slightly in both size and number density by additional exposure to neutron irradiation. High number densities of Cu-enriched precipitates were observed in the higher Cu submerged arc weld for all irradiated conditions. The size and number density of the precipitates in the welds were higher than in the same fluence forgings. Some Cu-enriched precipitates were found to have Ni-, Mn- Si-, and P-enriched regions on their surfaces suggesting a preferential nucleation site. Furthermore, atom maps revealed P, Ni, and Mn segregation to, and preferential precipitation of, Cu-enriched precipitates over the surface of a grain boundary in the low fluence weld.« less

Atom probe tomography characterization of neutron irradiated surveillance samples from the R. E. Ginna reactor pressure vessel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edmondson, P. D.; Miller, M. K.; Powers, K. A.; Nanstad, R. K.

2016-03-01

Surveillance samples of a low copper (nominally 0.05 wt.% Cu) forging and a higher copper (0.23 wt.% Cu) submerged arc weld from the R. E. Ginna reactor pressure vessel have been characterized by atom probe tomography (APT) after exposure to three levels of neutron irradiation, i.e., fluences of 1.7, 3.6 and 5.8 × 1023 n.m-2 (E > 1 MeV), and inlet temperatures of ∼289 °C (∼552 °F). As no copper-enriched precipitates were observed in the low copper forging, and the measured copper content in the ferrite matrix was 0.04± <0.01 at.% Cu, after neutron irradiation to a fluence of 1.7 × 1023 n.m-3, this copper level was below the solubility limit. A number density of 2 × 1022 m-3 of Ni-, Mn- Si-enriched precipitates with an equivalent radius of gyration of 1.7 ± 0.4 nm were detected in the sample. However, Cu-, Ni-, Mn-enriched precipitates were observed in specimens cut from different surveillance specimens from the same forging material in which the overall measured copper level was 0.08± <0.01 at.% (fluence of 3.6 × 1023 n.m-3) and 0.09± <0.01 at.% Cu (fluence of 5.8 × 1023 n.m-3). Therefore, these slightly higher copper contents were above the solubility limit of Cu under these irradiation conditions. A best fit of all the composition data indicated that the size and number density of the Cu-enriched precipitates increased slightly in both size and number density by additional exposure to neutron irradiation. High number densities of Cu-enriched precipitates were observed in the higher Cu submerged arc weld for all irradiated conditions. The size and number density of the precipitates in the welds were higher than in the same fluence forgings. Some Cu-enriched precipitates were found to have Ni-, Mn- Si-, and P-enriched regions on their surfaces suggesting a preferential nucleation site. Atom maps revealed P, Ni, and Mn segregation to, and preferential precipitation of, Cu-enriched precipitates over the surface of a grain boundary in the low fluence weld.

Atom probe tomography characterization of neutron irradiated surveillance samples from the R. E. Ginna reactor pressure vessel

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

Edmondson, Philip D.; Miller, Michael K.; Powers, Kathy A.

Surveillance samples of a low copper (nominally 0.05 wt.% Cu) forging and a higher copper (0.23 wt.% Cu) submerged arc weld from the R. E. Ginna reactor pressure vessel have been characterized by atom probe tomography (APT) after exposure to three levels of neutron irradiation, i.e., fluences of 1.7, 3.6 and 5.8 × 10 23 n.m –2 (E > 1 MeV), and inlet temperatures of ~289 °C (~552 °F). As no copper-enriched precipitates were observed in the low copper forging, and the measured copper content in the ferrite matrix was 0.04± <0.01 at.% Cu, after neutron irradiation to a fluencemore » of 1.7 × 10 23 n.m –3, this copper level was below the solubility limit. A number density of 2 × 10 22 m –3 of Ni–, Mn– Si-enriched precipitates with an equivalent radius of gyration of 1.7 ± 0.4 nm were detected in the sample. However, Cu-, Ni-, Mn-enriched precipitates were observed in specimens cut from different surveillance specimens from the same forging material in which the overall measured copper level was 0.08± <0.01 at.% (fluence of 3.6 × 10 23 n.m –3) and 0.09± <0.01 at.% Cu (fluence of 5.8 × 10 23 n.m –3). Therefore, these slightly higher copper contents were above the solubility limit of Cu under these irradiation conditions. A best fit of all the composition data indicated that the size and number density of the Cu-enriched precipitates increased slightly in both size and number density by additional exposure to neutron irradiation. High number densities of Cu-enriched precipitates were observed in the higher Cu submerged arc weld for all irradiated conditions. The size and number density of the precipitates in the welds were higher than in the same fluence forgings. Some Cu-enriched precipitates were found to have Ni-, Mn- Si-, and P-enriched regions on their surfaces suggesting a preferential nucleation site. Furthermore, atom maps revealed P, Ni, and Mn segregation to, and preferential precipitation of, Cu-enriched precipitates over the surface of a grain boundary in the low fluence weld.« less

Environmental Enrichments for a Group of Captive Macaws: Low Interaction Does Not Mean Low Behavioral Changes.

PubMed

Reimer, Jéssica; Maia, Caroline Marques; Santos, Eliana Ferraz

2016-01-01

Environmental enrichment has been widely used to improve conditions for nonhuman animals in captivity. However, there is no consensus about the best way to evaluate the success of enrichments. This study evaluated whether the proportion of time spent interacting with enrichments indicated the proportion of overall behavioral changes. Six environmental enrichments were introduced in succession to 16 captive macaws, and interaction of the animals with them as well as the behaviors of the group were recorded before and during the enrichments. All of the enrichments affected the proportions of time spent in different behaviors. Macaws interacted more with certain items (hibiscus and food tree) than with others (a toy or swings and stairs), but introduction of the enrichments that invoked the least interaction caused as many behavioral changes as those that invoked the most. Moreover, feeding behavior was only affected by the enrichment that invoked the least interaction, a change not detected by a general analysis of enrichment effects. In conclusion, little interaction with enrichment does not mean little change in behavior, and the effects of enrichments are more complex than previously considered.

Use of an Interculturally Enriched Collaboration Script in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popov, Vitaliy; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Kuznetsov, Andrei N.; Mulder, Martin

2014-01-01

In this exploratory study, the authors introduced an interculturally enriched collaboration script (IECS) for working in culturally diverse groups within a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment and then assessed student online collaborative behaviour, learning performance and experiences. The question was if and how these…

Collisionless dissociation and isotopic enrichment of SF6 using high-powered CO2 laser radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gower, M. C.; Billman, K. W.

1977-01-01

Dissociation of S-32F6 and the resultant isotopic enrichment of S-34F6 using high-powered CO2 laser radiation has been studied with higher experimental sensitivity than previously reported. Enrichment factors have been measured as a function of laser pulse number, wavelength, energy and time duration. A geometry independent dissociation cross section is introduced and measured values are presented. Threshold energy densities, below which no dissociation was observed, were also determined.

The Lives of Stars: Insights from the TGAS–RAVE–LAMOST Data Set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vickers, John J.; Smith, Martin C.

2018-06-01

In this paper, we investigate how the chemical and kinematic properties of stars vary as a function of age. Using data from a variety of photometric, astrometric, and spectroscopic surveys, we calculate the ages, phase space information, and orbits for ∼125,000 stars covering a wide range of stellar parameters. We find indications that the inner regions of the disk reached high levels of enrichment early, while the outer regions were more substantially enriched in intermediate and recent epochs. We consider these enrichment histories through comparison of the ages of stars, their metallicities, and kinematic properties, such as their angular momentum in the solar neighborhood (which is a proxy for orbital radius). We calculate rates at which the velocity dispersions evolve, investigate the Oort constants for populations of different ages (finding a slightly negative ∂V C/∂R and ∂V R /∂R for all ages, which is most negative for the oldest stars), as well as examine the behavior of the deviation angle of the velocity vertex as a function of age (which we find to fall from ∼15° for the 2 Gyr old population to ∼6° at around 6.5 Gyr of age, after which it remains unchanged). We find evidence for stellar churning, and find that the churned stars have a slightly younger age distribution than the rest of the data.

Translations on USSR Resources, Number 761

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-12-27

the problem of obtaining pyrite concentrates will create the possibility of organizing their production from flotation tailings at the Kafanskaya...enrichment was improved at enriching factories. New high efficient flotation reagents were successfully developed and introduced, and collective...by means of collective-selectxve flotation arrangements using new reagents is over 90 percent xn the total volume of reprocessing. Since 1975 a

Plume magmatism and crustal growth at 2.9 to 3.0 Ga in the Steep Rock and Lumby Lake area, Western Superior Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomlinson, K. Y.; Hughes, D. J.; Thurston, P. C.; Hall, R. P.

1999-01-01

The greenstone belts of the western Superior Province are predominantly 2.78 to 2.69 Ga and provide evidence of oceanic and arc volcanism during the accretionary phase of development of the Superior Province. There is also scattered evidence of Meso-Archean crust (predominantly 2.9 to 3.0 Ga) within the western Superior Province. The Meso-Archean greenstone belts commonly contain platformal sediments and unconformably overlie granitoid basement. The platformal sediments occur associated with komatiitic and tholeiitic volcanic rocks that suggest a history of magmatism associated with rifting during the Meso-Archean. The central Wabigoon Subprovince is a key area of Meso-Archean crust and in its southern portion comprises the Steep Rock, Finlayson and Lumby Lake greenstone belts. The Steep Rock greenstone belt unconformably overlies 3 Ga continental basement and contains platformal sediments succeeded by komatiitic and tholeiitic volcanic rocks. The Lumby Lake greenstone belt contains thick sequences of mafic volcanics, a number of komatiite horizons, and thin platformal sedimentary units. The two belts are joined by the predominantly mafic volcanic Finlayson greenstone belt. The volcanics throughout these three greenstone belts may be correlated to some extent and a range of basaltic and komatiite types is present. Al-undepleted komatiites present in the Lumby Lake greenstone belt have an Al 2O 3/TiO 2 ratio ranging from 14 to 27 and (Gd/Yb) N from 0.7 to 1.3. These are divided into basaltic komatiites with generally unfractionated mantle-normalised multi-element profiles, and spinifex-textured high-Mg basalts with slightly light REE enriched multi-element profiles and small negative Nb and Ta anomalies. The unfractionated basaltic komatiites represent high degree partial melts of the upper mantle whereas the spinifex-textured high-Mg basalts represent evolutionary products of the komatiite liquids following olivine and chromite fractionation and crustal contamination. Al-depleted komatiites are present in both the Lumby Lake and Steep Rock belts and have Al 2O 3/TiO 2 ratio ranges from 2.5 to 5. These display strong enrichment in the light REE and Nb and strong depletion in the heavy REE and Y ((Gd/Yb) N=2-4). They represent a deep mantle plume source generated from a high degree of partial melting in the majorite garnet stability field. The basaltic flows in all three greenstone belts are predominantly slightly light REE depleted and represent a slightly depleted upper mantle source. Basalts spatially associated with the unfractionated basaltic komatiites and the slightly light REE enriched spinifex-textured high-Mg basalts are also slightly enriched in light REE and have negative Nb and Ta anomalies. These basalts represent evolved products of the primitive basaltic komatiites and enriched spinifex-textured high-Mg basalts after further crustal contamination and olivine and clinopyroxene fractionation. The geochemical stratigraphy in the Lumby Lake belt is consistent with an ascending mantle plume model. The light REE depleted basalts were derived from upper mantle melted by an ascending mantle plume. These are overlain by the unfractionated basaltic komatiites and their evolutionary products which represent hotter plume head material derived from a mixture of plume mantle and entrained depleted upper mantle. In turn, these are overlain by strongly light REE and HFSE enriched komatiites that represent a deep plume source that has not been mixed with depleted mantle and are, therefore, likely to have been derived from a plume core or tail. Volcanism was protracted in these three greenstone belts lasting ca. 70 Ma and combined stratigraphic evidence from the Lumby Lake and Steep Rock belts suggests that more than one plume may have ascended and tapped the same mantle sources, over time, within the area. Plume magmatism and rifting of continental platforms thus appears to have been an important feature of crustal development in the Meso-Archean.

Sedimentation and associated trace metal enrichment in the riparian zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China.

PubMed

Tang, Qiang; Bao, Yuhai; He, Xiubin; Zhou, Huaidong; Cao, Zhijing; Gao, Peng; Zhong, Ronghua; Hu, Yunhua; Zhang, Xinbao

2014-05-01

Impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir has created an artificial riparian zone with a vertical height of 30 m and a total area of 349 km(2), which has been subjected to seasonal inundation and exposure due to regular reservoir impoundment and the occurrence of natural floods. The significant alteration of hydrologic regime has caused numerous environmental changes. The present study investigated the magnitude and spatial pattern of sedimentation and metal enrichment in a typical section of the riparian zone, composed of bench terraces with previous agricultural land uses, and explored their links to the changed hydrologic regime. In particular, we measured the total sediment depths and collected surface riparian sediments and down-profile sectioned riparian soils (at 5 cm intervals) for trace metal determination. Our analysis showed that the annual average sedimentation rates varied from 0.5 to 10 cm·yr(-1) and they decreased significantly with increasing elevation. This lateral distribution was principally attributed to seasonal variations in water levels and suspended sediment concentrations. Enriched concentrations of trace metals were found both in the riparian sediments and soils, but they were generally higher in the riparian sediments than in riparian soils and followed a similar lateral decreasing trend. Metal contamination assessment showed that the riparian sediments were slightly contaminated by Ni, Zn, and Pb, moderately contaminated by Cu, and moderately to strongly contaminated by Cd; while riparian soils were slightly contaminated by As, and moderately contaminated by Cd. Trace metal enrichment in the riparian sediments may be attributed to external input of contaminated sediments produced from upstream anthropogenic sources and chemical adsorption from dissolved fractions during pure sediment mobilization and after sink for a prolonged flooding period due to reservoir impoundment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Error baseline rates of five sample preparation methods used to characterize RNA virus populations.

PubMed

Kugelman, Jeffrey R; Wiley, Michael R; Nagle, Elyse R; Reyes, Daniel; Pfeffer, Brad P; Kuhn, Jens H; Sanchez-Lockhart, Mariano; Palacios, Gustavo F

2017-01-01

Individual RNA viruses typically occur as populations of genomes that differ slightly from each other due to mutations introduced by the error-prone viral polymerase. Understanding the variability of RNA virus genome populations is critical for understanding virus evolution because individual mutant genomes may gain evolutionary selective advantages and give rise to dominant subpopulations, possibly even leading to the emergence of viruses resistant to medical countermeasures. Reverse transcription of virus genome populations followed by next-generation sequencing is the only available method to characterize variation for RNA viruses. However, both steps may lead to the introduction of artificial mutations, thereby skewing the data. To better understand how such errors are introduced during sample preparation, we determined and compared error baseline rates of five different sample preparation methods by analyzing in vitro transcribed Ebola virus RNA from an artificial plasmid-based system. These methods included: shotgun sequencing from plasmid DNA or in vitro transcribed RNA as a basic "no amplification" method, amplicon sequencing from the plasmid DNA or in vitro transcribed RNA as a "targeted" amplification method, sequence-independent single-primer amplification (SISPA) as a "random" amplification method, rolling circle reverse transcription sequencing (CirSeq) as an advanced "no amplification" method, and Illumina TruSeq RNA Access as a "targeted" enrichment method. The measured error frequencies indicate that RNA Access offers the best tradeoff between sensitivity and sample preparation error (1.4-5) of all compared methods.

Error baseline rates of five sample preparation methods used to characterize RNA virus populations

PubMed Central

Kugelman, Jeffrey R.; Wiley, Michael R.; Nagle, Elyse R.; Reyes, Daniel; Pfeffer, Brad P.; Kuhn, Jens H.; Sanchez-Lockhart, Mariano; Palacios, Gustavo F.

2017-01-01

Individual RNA viruses typically occur as populations of genomes that differ slightly from each other due to mutations introduced by the error-prone viral polymerase. Understanding the variability of RNA virus genome populations is critical for understanding virus evolution because individual mutant genomes may gain evolutionary selective advantages and give rise to dominant subpopulations, possibly even leading to the emergence of viruses resistant to medical countermeasures. Reverse transcription of virus genome populations followed by next-generation sequencing is the only available method to characterize variation for RNA viruses. However, both steps may lead to the introduction of artificial mutations, thereby skewing the data. To better understand how such errors are introduced during sample preparation, we determined and compared error baseline rates of five different sample preparation methods by analyzing in vitro transcribed Ebola virus RNA from an artificial plasmid-based system. These methods included: shotgun sequencing from plasmid DNA or in vitro transcribed RNA as a basic “no amplification” method, amplicon sequencing from the plasmid DNA or in vitro transcribed RNA as a “targeted” amplification method, sequence-independent single-primer amplification (SISPA) as a “random” amplification method, rolling circle reverse transcription sequencing (CirSeq) as an advanced “no amplification” method, and Illumina TruSeq RNA Access as a “targeted” enrichment method. The measured error frequencies indicate that RNA Access offers the best tradeoff between sensitivity and sample preparation error (1.4−5) of all compared methods. PMID:28182717

Comparative analysis of the conceptual design studies of potential early commercial MHD power plants (CSPEC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sovie, R. J.; Winter, J. M.; Juhasz, A. J.; Berg, R. D.

1982-01-01

A conceptual design study of the MHD/steam plant that incorporates the use of oxygen enriched air preheated in a metallic heat exchanger as the combustor oxidant showed that this plant is the most attractive for early commercial applications. The variation of performance and cost was investigated as a function of plant size. The contractors' results for the overall efficiencies are in reasonable agreement considering the slight differences in their plant designs. NASA LeRC is reviewing cost and performance results for consistency with those of previous studies, including studies of conventional steam plants. LeRC in house efforts show that there are still many tradeoffs to be considered for these oxygen enriched plants and considerable variations can be made in channel length and level of oxygen enrichment with little change in overall plant efficiency.

A Comparative Study of Student Engagement, Satisfaction, and Academic Success among International and American Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korobova, Nadia; Starobin, Soko S.

2015-01-01

This study examines the relationship between student engagement, student satisfaction, and the academic success of international and American students using 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) data. It was found that international students scored slightly higher than American students on enriching educational experiences and…

Monte Carlo analyses of TRX slightly enriched uranium-H/sub 2/O critical experiments with ENDF/B-IV and related data sets (AWBA Development Program)

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

Hardy, J. Jr.

1977-12-01

Four H/sub 2/O-moderated, slightly-enriched-uranium critical experiments were analyzed by Monte Carlo methods with ENDF/B-IV data. These were simple metal-rod lattices comprising Cross Section Evaluation Working Group thermal reactor benchmarks TRX-1 through TRX-4. Generally good agreement with experiment was obtained for calculated integral parameters: the epi-thermal/thermal ratio of U238 capture (rho/sup 28/) and of U235 fission (delta/sup 25/), the ratio of U238 capture to U235 fission (CR*), and the ratio of U238 fission to U235 fission (delta/sup 28/). Full-core Monte Carlo calculations for two lattices showed good agreement with cell Monte Carlo-plus-multigroup P/sub l/ leakage corrections. Newly measured parameters for themore » low energy resonances of U238 significantly improved rho/sup 28/. In comparison with other CSEWG analyses, the strong correlation between K/sub eff/ and rho/sup 28/ suggests that U238 resonance capture is the major problem encountered in analyzing these lattices.« less

4. VIEW OF ROOM 103 IN 1980. SIX OF THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. VIEW OF ROOM 103 IN 1980. SIX OF THE NINE URANIUM NITRATE STORAGE TANKS ARE SHOWN. HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE BUILDING IN THE SUMMER OF 1965 AND THE FIRST EXPERIMENTS WERE PERFORMED IN SEPTEMBER OF 1965. EXPERIMENTS WERE PERFORMED ON ENRICHED URANIUM METAL AND SOLUTION, PLUTONIUM METAL, LOW ENRICHED URANIUM OXIDE, AND SEVERAL SPECIAL APPLICATIONS. AFTER 1983, EXPERIMENTS WERE CONDUCTED PRIMARILY WITH URANYL NITRATE SOLUTIONS, AND DID NOT INVOLVE SOLID MATERIALS. - Rocky Flats Plant, Critical Mass Laboratory, Intersection of Central Avenue & 86 Drive, Golden, Jefferson County, CO

Overcoming Gender Bias in Oral Testing: The Effect of Introducing Candidates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Bonnie

1994-01-01

Examined the effect of gender on English language teachers' evaluations of audiotapes of Japanese students' spoken English. The results showed a slight pro-male bias when the speakers were introduced as students but none when the speakers were introduced as doctors or experts in their field. Teacher gender was found to have no effect on the rating…

[Characteristics of heavy metals enrichment in algae ano its application prospects].

PubMed

Lu, Kaixing; Tang, Jian-jun; Jiang, De'an

2006-01-01

Using algae to bio-remedy heavy metals-contaminated waters has become an available and practical approach for environmental restoration. Because of its special cell wall structure, high capacity of heavy metal-enrichment, and easy to desorption, algae has been considered as an ideal biological adsorbent. This paper briefly introduced the structural and metabolic characteristics adapted for heavy metals enrichment of algae, including functional groups on cell wall, extracellular products, and intracellular heavy metals-chelating proteins, discussed the enrichment capability of living, dead and immobilized algae as well as the simple and convenient ways for desorption, and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of using algae for bioremediation of polluted water, and its application prospects.

Geochronology and geochemistry of the Niujuanzi ophiolitic mélange, Gansu Province, NW China: implications for tectonic evolution of the Beishan Orogenic Collage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shengdong; Zhang, Kexin; Song, Bowen; Li, Shucai; Li, Ming; Zhou, Jie

2018-01-01

The Niujuanzi ophiolitic mélange (NOM), located in the Beishan Orogenic Collage, marks the termination between the Huaniushan arc and Mingshui-Hanshan Massifs. The NOM is mainly composed of gabbros, diabases, plagiogranites, basalts, and greywacke. Two gabbros have ages of 433.8 ± 3.1 and 354.0 ± 3.3 Ma, two plagiogranites have ages of 429.8 ± 2 and 448.7 ± 2.0 Ma, and a diabase has an age of 433.4 ± 3.2 Ma. The gabbros and diabases are calc-alkaline and tholeiitic, with high Al2O3, CaO, and TiO2 contents and low FeOT contents. The gabbros have high Mg# values (49-82), while the diabases have relatively low Mg# values (46-61). The plagiogranites are calc-alkaline and metaluminous, with high SiO2 and Na2O contents and low Al2O3 and K2O contents. The gabbros and diabases are enriched in large iron lithophile elements and slightly depleted in high field strength elements relative to N-MORB and their trace element characteristics are similar to E-MORB. With respect to rare earth element (REE), they have slightly enriched LREEs relative to HREEs. The majority of the plagiogranite trace elements approximate those of the volcanic arc granite. The plagiogranites have obviously enriched LREEs relative to HREEs, with a slightly to strongly negative Eu anomaly, which is similar to ORG but distinct from volcanic arc and within plate granite. The NOM was formed from the Ordovician to the Carboniferous, representing the expansion period of the Niujuanzi Ocean. The gabbros, diabases, and plagiogranites were formed in a mid-ocean ridge environment. The gabbros and diabases were generated by different degrees of partial melting of the mantle, and the plagiogranites derived from both the crystallization differentiation of basaltic magma and the partial melting of amphibolites in the crust.

The slightly-enriched spectral shift control reactor. Final report, September 30, 1988--September 30, 1991

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

Martin, W.R.; Lee, J.C.; Larsen, E.W.

1991-11-01

An advanced converter reactor design utilizing mechanical spectral shift control rods in a conventional pressurized water reactor configuration is under investigation. The design is based on the principle that a harder spectrum during the early part of the fuel cycle will result in large neutron captures in fertile {sup 238}U, which can then be burned in situ in a softer spectrum later in the cycle. Preliminary design calculations performed during FY 89 showed that the slightly-enriched spectral shift reactor design offers the benefit of substantially increased fuel resource utilization with the proven safety characteristics of the pressurized water reactor technologymore » retained. Optimization of the fuel design and development of fuel management strategies were carried out in FY 90, along with effort to develop and validate neutronic methodology for tight-lattice configurations with hard spectra. During FY 91, the final year of the grant, the final Slightly-Enriched Spectral Shift Reactor (SESSR) design was determined, and reference design analyses were performed for the assemblies as well as the global core configuration, both at the beginning of cycle (BOC) and with depletion. The final SESSR design results in approximately a 20% increase in the utilization of uranium resources, based on equilibrium fuel cycle analyses. Acceptable pin power peaking is obtained with the final core design, with assembly peaking factors equal to less than 1.04 for spectral shift control rods both inserted and withdrawn, and global peaking factors at BOC predicted to be 1.4. In addition, a negative Moderation Temperature Coefficient (MTC) is maintained for BOC, which is difficult to achieve with conventional advanced converter designs based on a closed fuel cycle. The SESSR design avoids the need for burnable poison absorber, although they could be added if desired to increase the cycle length while maintaining a negative MTC.« less

The slightly-enriched spectral shift control reactor

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

Martin, W.R.; Lee, J.C.; Larsen, E.W.

1991-11-01

An advanced converter reactor design utilizing mechanical spectral shift control rods in a conventional pressurized water reactor configuration is under investigation. The design is based on the principle that a harder spectrum during the early part of the fuel cycle will result in large neutron captures in fertile {sup 238}U, which can then be burned in situ in a softer spectrum later in the cycle. Preliminary design calculations performed during FY 89 showed that the slightly-enriched spectral shift reactor design offers the benefit of substantially increased fuel resource utilization with the proven safety characteristics of the pressurized water reactor technologymore » retained. Optimization of the fuel design and development of fuel management strategies were carried out in FY 90, along with effort to develop and validate neutronic methodology for tight-lattice configurations with hard spectra. During FY 91, the final year of the grant, the final Slightly-Enriched Spectral Shift Reactor (SESSR) design was determined, and reference design analyses were performed for the assemblies as well as the global core configuration, both at the beginning of cycle (BOC) and with depletion. The final SESSR design results in approximately a 20% increase in the utilization of uranium resources, based on equilibrium fuel cycle analyses. Acceptable pin power peaking is obtained with the final core design, with assembly peaking factors equal to less than 1.04 for spectral shift control rods both inserted and withdrawn, and global peaking factors at BOC predicted to be 1.4. In addition, a negative Moderation Temperature Coefficient (MTC) is maintained for BOC, which is difficult to achieve with conventional advanced converter designs based on a closed fuel cycle. The SESSR design avoids the need for burnable poison absorber, although they could be added if desired to increase the cycle length while maintaining a negative MTC.« less

Robotic Enrichment Processing of Roche 454 Titanium Emlusion PCR at the DOE Joint Genome Institute

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

Hamilton, Matthew; Wilson, Steven; Bauer, Diane

2010-05-28

Enrichment of emulsion PCR product is the most laborious and pipette-intensive step in the 454 Titanium process, posing the biggest obstacle for production-oriented scale up. The Joint Genome Institute has developed a pair of custom-made robots based on the Microlab Star liquid handling deck manufactured by Hamilton to mediate the complexity and ergonomic demands of the 454 enrichment process. The robot includes a custom built centrifuge, magnetic deck positions, as well as heating and cooling elements. At present processing eight emulsion cup samples in a single 2.5 hour run, these robots are capable of processing up to 24 emulsion cupmore » samples. Sample emulsions are broken using the standard 454 breaking process and transferred from a pair of 50ml conical tubes to a single 2ml tube and loaded on the robot. The robot performs the enrichment protocol and produces beads in 2ml tubes ready for counting. The robot follows the Roche 454 enrichment protocol with slight exceptions to the manner in which it resuspends beads via pipette mixing rather than vortexing and a set number of null bead removal washes. The robotic process is broken down in similar discrete steps: First Melt and Neutralization, Enrichment Primer Annealing, Enrichment Bead Incubation, Null Bead Removal, Second Melt and Neutralization and Sequencing Primer Annealing. Data indicating our improvements in enrichment efficiency and total number of bases per run will also be shown.« less

Effect of consumption of tomato juice enriched with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the lipid profile, antioxidant biomarker status, and cardiovascular disease risk in healthy women.

PubMed

García-Alonso, F J; Jorge-Vidal, V; Ros, G; Periago, M J

2012-06-01

We compared the effects of consumption of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-enriched tomato juice versus plain tomato juice on the serum lipid profile and levels of biomarkers related to antioxidant status and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in women. Eighteen healthy women participated in a 2-week intervention trial involving the daily intake of 500 mL of n-3 PUFA-enriched juice (n = 11) or plain tomato juice (n = 7). Each serving of enriched juice provided 250 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexanoic acid (DHA). Both juices provided natural antioxidant compounds such as phenolics (181 mg) and lycopene (26.5 mg). Intervention with the enriched juice had no effect on the lipid profile, and serum levels of triglycerides and cholesterol (total, LDL, and HDL) remained unchanged. The serum antioxidant status improved following juice intake, as revealed by an increase in total antioxidant capacity and a slight decrease in lipid peroxidation. The serum levels of homocysteine, a cardiovascular risk factor, decreased following n-3 PUFA-enriched juice consumption. A decrease in vascular adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) levels was also noted after intake of either plain or enriched tomato juice, whereas intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) levels only decreased following intake of the enriched juice. Overall, stronger positive amelioration of CVD risk factors was observed following the intake of n-3 PUFA-enriched juice than after plain tomato juice consumption, which suggested a possible synergistic action between n-3 PUFAs and tomato antioxidants.

Preliminary Geochemical Data for the Diabase Dykes from the Izmir-Ankara-Erzincan Suture Belt, Central Anatolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balcı, Uǧur; Sayıt, Kaan

2017-04-01

The Izmir-Ankara-Erzincan Suture Belt preserves oceanic and continental fragments originated from the closure of the northern branch of Neotethys. In the Bogazkale area (Central Anatolia), the pieces of the Neotethyan oceanic lithosphere exist in a chaotic manner, forming an ophiolitic mélange. Within the mélange, diabase dykes occur, which are found to cut various types of oceanic lithospheric rocks, including pillow basalts, gabbros and serpentinized ultramafics. We here present the preliminary geochemical results obtained from the diabase dykes and put some constraints on their petrogenesis. The investigated diabase dykes are chiefly composed of plagioclase and a mafic phase, which is clinopyroxene and/or hornblende. A detailed examination reveals two petrographic types on the basis of predominating mafic mineral phase, namely clinopyroxene-dominated Type 1, and hornblende-dominated Type 2. Ophitic to sub-ophitic textures, where lath-shaped plagioclase crystals are enclosed by clinopyroxene, can be observed in almost all Type 1 dykes. In Type 2 samples, altered mafic phases can be seen enclosed within plagioclase crystals, forming poikilitic texture. Polysynthetic twinning is common in plagioclase. Hornblende occasionally displays simple twinning. Both types appear to have been variably affected by low-grade hydrothermal alteration as reflected by the presence of secondary mineral phases, such as chlorite, epidote, prehnite, and actinolite. The whole-rock geochemistry appear to be consistent with the petrographical grouping, revealing distinct immobile trace element systematics for the two types. Both types have basaltic composition with sub-alkaline characteristics (Nb/Y=0.2-0.3 for Type 1; Nb/Y=0.02-0.08 for Type 2). The relatively low MgO contents of the dykes suggest that they do not represent primary magmas, but evolved through fractionation of mafic phases. In the N-MORB normalized diagrams, Type 2 diabases exhibit marked negative Nb anomalies, with HFSE abundances around or slightly more enriched than N-MORB. Type 1 diabases, on the other hand, do not possess any negative Nb anomalies and display enrichment in highly incompatible elements. In the chondrite-normalized diagrams, Type 1 diabases display slight LREE enrichment relative to HREE, whereas Type 2 diabases show flat to slightly LREE-depleted patterns. The N-MORB-like Nb contents of Type 2 dykes suggest that they have been derived from depleted asthenopheric mantle source. The marked enrichment of Th and La over Nb indicates that their source has been metasomatized by slab-derived fluids/melts. However, the enrichment in highly incompatible elements in Type 1 dykes implies their derivation from a relatively enriched source region and/or small degrees of partial melting. Trace element systematics suggest that Type 2 diabases may have formed in an oceanic back-arc basin environment, whereas Type 1 diabases have been generated in a mid-ocean ridge or alternatively in an oceanic back-arc basin.

Sensory, Physico-Chemical and Water Sorption Properties of Corn Extrudates Enriched with Spirulina.

PubMed

Tańska, Małgorzata; Konopka, Iwona; Ruszkowska, Millena

2017-09-01

This study compares the quality of extrudates made from corn grits with the addition of up to 8% of spirulina powder. The sensory properties (shape, color, aroma, taste and crispness), chemicals (content of water, protein, fat, ash, fiber, carbohydrates, carotenoids, chlorophyll and phycocyanin) and physical properties (color, water absorption index, expansion indices, texture and water sorption properties) were determined. It has been found that spirulina-enriched extrudates had slightly lower sensory scores, but the addition of spirulina improved their nutritional value. The contents of protein, ash, fiber and β-carotene increased in extrudates with 8% of spirulina by 34, 36, 140 and 1,260%, respectively. The increasing addition of spirulina caused a decrease in extrudates lightness, an increase in their greenness and yellowness accompanied by a decrease of expansion indices and an increase of softness. Only small differences were found in water sorption properties, suggesting a similar behavior of spirulina-enriched extrudates during storage.

Campanian-Maastrichtian phosphorites of Iraq

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Bassam, K. S.; Al-Dahan, A. A.; Jamil, A. K.

1983-08-01

Bedded marine sedimentary phosphate rocks of Campanian-Maastrichtian age are exposed in the Western Desert of Iraq, forming part of the Tethyan phosphate province. The studied phosphorites are found in three horizons within carbonate rocks; they are mostly pelletal in texture, associated with bone fragments and detrital quartz grains, and cemented by calcite or chert. The mineralogy of the phosphate is dominated by carbonate-fluorapatite. The phosphate and the associated carbonate rocks are relatively enriched with Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, V, and organic matter. The apatite is enriched with isotopically light carbon and heavy sulfur. The mode of phosphorite formation seems to have included syngenetic deposition of phosphate under reducing, slightly alkaline conditions in shallow marine environment. Decomposition of organic phosphatic remnants appear to have been the local source of phosphorus enrichment. However, the major tectonic and paleogeographic development of the Tethys Sea during Upper Cretaceous have probably played an important role in providing suitable setting for large scale formation of phosphorite.

Ways and Means of Introducing Portugese to the Secondary School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawlor, Joseph P.

Lake Forest High School in Lake Forest, Illinois, has developed a program for introducing Portuguese in the secondary school. The program is now in its sixth successive, successful year. Instead of being included in the curriculum as a full-time course, Portuguese falls in the category of an "enrichment course." It is abbreviated (the first year…

Influence of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of fruit juices enriched with pine bark extract on intestinal microflora.

PubMed

López-Nicolás, Rubén; González-Bermúdez, Carlos A; Ros-Berruezo, Gaspar; Frontela-Saseta, Carmen

2014-08-15

The selective antimicrobial effect of fruit juices enriched with pine bark extract (PBE) (0.5 g/L) has been studied before and after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. PBE (a concentrate of water-soluble bioflavonoids, mainly including phenolic compounds) has been proven to have high stability to the digestion process. Pure phenolic compounds such as gallic acid had a high antimicrobial effect on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, maintaining the lactic acid bacteria population (≈100%). Otherwise, E. coli O157:H7 only growth 50% when PBE was added to the culture media, while a slight increase on the growth of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria was observed after exposition to the bark extract. Fresh fruit juices enriched with PBE showed the highest inhibitory effect on pathogenic intestinal bacterial growth, mainly E. coli and Enterococcus faecalis. The in vitro digestion process reduced the antibacterial effect of juices against most pathogenic bacteria in approximately 10%. However, the beneficial effect of fruit juices enriched with PBE (0.5 g/L) on gut microbiota is still considerable after digestion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of barley β-glucan-enriched flour fractions on the glycaemic index of bread.

PubMed

Finocchiaro, Franca; Ferrari, Barbara; Gianinetti, Alberto; Scazzina, Francesca; Pellegrini, Nicoletta; Caramanico, Rosita; Salati, Claudia; Shirvanian, Vigen; Stanca, Antonio Michele

2012-02-01

The aim of this research was to evaluate β-glucan-enriched flours, obtained from barleys with either normal or waxy starch, for their effects on the glycaemic index (GI) and the quality of bread. Rheological results confirmed that when barley flour was included in the dough the overall quality of bread slightly worsened. However, positive consequences on glycaemia were obtained with the normal starch barley: the GI of all-wheat bread (82.8 ± 7.2) was significantly reduced (57.2 ± 7.9) when 40% of wheat flour was substituted with β-glucan-enriched barley flour (6.0% ± 0.1 β-glucan in the final flour blend). In contrast, this positive effect was significantly reduced (GI: 70.1 ± 9.1) when 40% of wheat flour was substituted with the β-glucan-enriched flour of a waxy barley (CDC Alamo; 6.6 ± 0.2 β-glucan in the final flour blend), suggesting that the ability of β-glucans to lower the GI was affected by the barley starch-type.

Enrichment methods provide a feasible approach to comprehensive and adequately powered investigations of the brain methylome

PubMed Central

Chan, Robin F.; Shabalin, Andrey A.; Xie, Lin Y.; Adkins, Daniel E.; Zhao, Min; Turecki, Gustavo; Clark, Shaunna L.; Aberg, Karolina A.

2017-01-01

Abstract Methylome-wide association studies are typically performed using microarray technologies that only assay a very small fraction of the CG methylome and entirely miss two forms of methylation that are common in brain and likely of particular relevance for neuroscience and psychiatric disorders. The alternative is to use whole genome bisulfite (WGB) sequencing but this approach is not yet practically feasible with sample sizes required for adequate statistical power. We argue for revisiting methylation enrichment methods that, provided optimal protocols are used, enable comprehensive, adequately powered and cost-effective genome-wide investigations of the brain methylome. To support our claim we use data showing that enrichment methods approximate the sensitivity obtained with WGB methods and with slightly better specificity. However, this performance is achieved at <5% of the reagent costs. Furthermore, because many more samples can be sequenced simultaneously, projects can be completed about 15 times faster. Currently the only viable option available for comprehensive brain methylome studies, enrichment methods may be critical for moving the field forward. PMID:28334972

Nuclear physics research operation. Monthly report, November 1958

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

Faulkner, J.E.

1958-12-10

This report is a summary of projects worked on in support of the production reactors at Hanford. The projects include criticality studies, from tasks associated with fuel element reprocessing to shipments of slightly enriched uranium. They include studies of neutron cross sections for different reactions and neutron flux measurements in different reactor locations, as well as design studies for future reactor projects.

Geochemistry of the Neoproterozoic metabasic rocks from the Negele area, southern Ethiopia: Tectonomagmatic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yihunie, Tadesse; Adachi, Mamoru; Yamamoto, Koshi

2006-03-01

Neoproterozoic metabasic rocks along with metasediments and ultramafic rocks constitute the Kenticha and Bulbul lithotectonic domains in the Negele area. They occur as amphibolite and amphibole schist in the Kenticha, and amphibole schist and metabasalt in the Bulbul domains. These rocks are dominantly basaltic in composition and exhibit low-K tholeiitic characteristics. They are slightly enriched in large ion lithophile (LIL) and light rare earth (LRE) elements and depleted in high field strength (HFS) and heavy rare earth (HRE) elements. They exhibit chemical characteristics similar to back-arc basin and island-arc basalts, but include a few samples with slightly higher Y, Zr and Nb contents. Initial Sr isotopic ratios and ɛNd values for the Kenticha metabasic rocks range from 0.7048 to 0.7051 and from 4.7 to 9.6 whereas for the Bulbul metabasic rocks they range from 0.7032 to 0.7055 and from -0.1 to 5.5, respectively. The trace elements and Sr-Nd isotope compositions of samples from the Kenticha and Bulbul domains suggest similar, but isotopically heterogeneous magma sources. The magma is inferred to have derived from depleted source with a contribution from an enriched mantle source component.

Enrichment dynamics of Listeria monocytogenes and the associated microbiome from naturally contaminated ice cream linked to a listeriosis outbreak.

PubMed

Ottesen, Andrea; Ramachandran, Padmini; Reed, Elizabeth; White, James R; Hasan, Nur; Subramanian, Poorani; Ryan, Gina; Jarvis, Karen; Grim, Christopher; Daquiqan, Ninalynn; Hanes, Darcy; Allard, Marc; Colwell, Rita; Brown, Eric; Chen, Yi

2016-11-16

Microbiota that co-enrich during efforts to recover pathogens from foodborne outbreaks interfere with efficient detection and recovery. Here, dynamics of co-enriching microbiota during recovery of Listeria monocytogenes from naturally contaminated ice cream samples linked to an outbreak are described for three different initial enrichment formulations used by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the International Organization of Standardization (ISO), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Enrichment cultures were analyzed using DNA extraction and sequencing from samples taken every 4 h throughout 48 h of enrichment. Resphera Insight and CosmosID analysis tools were employed for high-resolution profiling of 16S rRNA amplicons and whole genome shotgun data, respectively. During enrichment, other bacterial taxa were identified, including Anoxybacillus, Geobacillus, Serratia, Pseudomonas, Erwinia, and Streptococcus spp. Surprisingly, incidence of L. monocytogenes was proportionally greater at hour 0 than when tested 4, 8, and 12 h later with all three enrichment schemes. The corresponding increase in Anoxybacillus and Geobacillus spp.indicated these taxa co-enriched in competition with L. monocytogenes during early enrichment hours. L. monocytogenes became dominant after 24 h in all three enrichments. DNA sequences obtained from shotgun metagenomic data of Listeria monocytogenes at 48 h were assembled to produce a consensus draft genome which appeared to have a similar tracking utility to pure culture isolates of L. monocytogenes. All three methods performed equally well for enrichment of Listeria monocytogenes. The observation of potential competitive exclusion of L. mono by Anoxybacillus and Geobacillus in early enrichment hours provided novel information that may be used to further optimize enrichment formulations. Application of Resphera Insight for high-resolution analysis of 16S amplicon sequences accurately identified L. monocytogenes. Both shotgun and 16S rRNA data supported the presence of three slightly variable genomes of L. monocytogenes. Moreover, the draft assembly of a consensus genome of L. monocytogenes from shotgun metagenomic data demonstrated the potential utility of this approach to expedite trace-back of outbreak-associated strains, although further validation will be needed to confirm this utility.

Highly specific enrichment of N-glycoproteome through a nonreductive amination reaction using Fe3O4@SiO2-aniline nanoparticles.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying; Yu, Meng; Zhang, Cheng; Wang, Yali; Di, Yi; Wang, Changchun; Lu, Haojie

2015-04-07

A novel method based on the conjunction of aldehydes from oxidized glycopeptides to aniline groups on magnetic nanoparticles via nonreductive amination is reported for the highly selective enrichment of N-glycopeptides. For the first time, a nonreductive amination reaction has been introduced into N-glycoproteome extraction, and correspondingly a new type of aniline-functionalized nanoparticle has been designed and synthesized.

18O Spatial Patterns of Vein Xylem Water, Leaf Water, and Dry Matter in Cotton Leaves

PubMed Central

Gan, Kim Suan; Wong, Suan Chin; Yong, Jean Wan Hong; Farquhar, Graham Douglas

2002-01-01

Three leaf water models (two-pool model, Péclet effect, and string-of-lakes) were assessed for their robustness in predicting leaf water enrichment and its spatial heterogeneity. This was achieved by studying the 18O spatial patterns of vein xylem water, leaf water, and dry matter in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) leaves grown at different humidities using new experimental approaches. Vein xylem water was collected from intact transpiring cotton leaves by pressurizing the roots in a pressure chamber, whereas the isotopic content of leaf water was determined without extracting it from fresh leaves with the aid of a purpose-designed leaf punch. Our results indicate that veins have a significant degree of lateral exchange with highly enriched leaf water. Vein xylem water is thus slightly, but progressively enriched in the direction of water flow. Leaf water enrichment is dependent on the relative distances from major veins, with water from the marginal and intercostal regions more enriched and that next to veins and near the leaf base more depleted than the Craig-Gordon modeled enrichment of water at the sites of evaporation. The spatial pattern of leaf water enrichment varies with humidity, as expected from the string-of-lakes model. This pattern is also reflected in leaf dry matter. All three models are realistic, but none could fully account for all of the facets of leaf water enrichment. Our findings acknowledge the presence of capacitance in the ground tissues of vein ribs and highlight the essential need to incorporate Péclet effects into the string-of-lakes model when applying it to leaves. PMID:12376664

Candidate genes for obesity-susceptibility show enriched association within a large genome-wide association study for BMI.

PubMed

Vimaleswaran, Karani S; Tachmazidou, Ioanna; Zhao, Jing Hua; Hirschhorn, Joel N; Dudbridge, Frank; Loos, Ruth J F

2012-10-15

Before the advent of genome-wide association studies (GWASs), hundreds of candidate genes for obesity-susceptibility had been identified through a variety of approaches. We examined whether those obesity candidate genes are enriched for associations with body mass index (BMI) compared with non-candidate genes by using data from a large-scale GWAS. A thorough literature search identified 547 candidate genes for obesity-susceptibility based on evidence from animal studies, Mendelian syndromes, linkage studies, genetic association studies and expression studies. Genomic regions were defined to include the genes ±10 kb of flanking sequence around candidate and non-candidate genes. We used summary statistics publicly available from the discovery stage of the genome-wide meta-analysis for BMI performed by the genetic investigation of anthropometric traits consortium in 123 564 individuals. Hypergeometric, rank tail-strength and gene-set enrichment analysis tests were used to test for the enrichment of association in candidate compared with non-candidate genes. The hypergeometric test of enrichment was not significant at the 5% P-value quantile (P = 0.35), but was nominally significant at the 25% quantile (P = 0.015). The rank tail-strength and gene-set enrichment tests were nominally significant for the full set of genes and borderline significant for the subset without SNPs at P < 10(-7). Taken together, the observed evidence for enrichment suggests that the candidate gene approach retains some value. However, the degree of enrichment is small despite the extensive number of candidate genes and the large sample size. Studies that focus on candidate genes have only slightly increased chances of detecting associations, and are likely to miss many true effects in non-candidate genes, at least for obesity-related traits.

Potential impact of two Aphthona spp. on a native, nontarget Euphorbia species

Treesearch

Stefanie D. Wacker; Jack L. Butler

2006-01-01

Flea beetles (Aphthona spp.) are biological control agents introduced from Eurasia to reduce the cover and density of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.). The potential for the introduced beetles to use alternate hosts for feeding and development in North America is slight; however, it is possible. Species at highest risk are native...

Introducing Preservice Teachers to Issues Surrounding Evolution and Creationism via a Mock Trial.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helgeson, Lars J.; Hoover, John; Sheehan, James

2002-01-01

Describes cooperation between social studies and science education professors to introduce preservice teachers to the evolution versus creationism debate via a mock trial. Uses a hypothetical situation in which a 6th grade teacher was fired for not balancing evolution and creationism in his teaching. Reports that the mock trial slightly increased…

Exposure to Enriched Environment Decreases Neurobehavioral Deficits Induced by Neonatal Glutamate Toxicity

PubMed Central

Horvath, Gabor; Reglodi, Dora; Vadasz, Gyongyver; Farkas, Jozsef; Kiss, Peter

2013-01-01

Environmental enrichment is a popular strategy to enhance motor and cognitive performance and to counteract the effects of various harmful stimuli. The protective effects of enriched environment have been shown in traumatic, ischemic and toxic nervous system lesions. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a commonly used taste enhancer causing excitotoxic effects when given in newborn animals. We have previously demonstrated that MSG leads to a delay in neurobehavioral development, as shown by the delayed appearance of neurological reflexes and maturation of motor coordination. In the present study we aimed at investigating whether environmental enrichment is able to decrease the neurobehavioral delay caused by neonatal MSG treatment. Newborn pups were treated with MSG subcutaneously on postnatal days 1, 5 and 9. For environmental enrichment, we placed rats in larger cages, supplemented with different toys that were altered daily. Normal control and enriched control rats received saline treatment only. Physical parameters such as weight, day of eye opening, incisor eruption and ear unfolding were recorded. Animals were observed for appearance of reflexes such as negative geotaxis, righting reflexes, fore- and hindlimb grasp, fore- and hindlimb placing, sensory reflexes and gait. In cases of negative geotaxis, surface righting and gait, the time to perform the reflex was also recorded daily. For examining motor coordination, we performed grid walking, footfault, rope suspension, rota-rod, inclined board and walk initiation tests. We found that enriched environment alone did not lead to marked alterations in the course of development. On the other hand, MSG treatment caused a slight delay in reflex development and a pronounced delay in weight gain and motor coordination maturation. This delay in most signs and tests could be reversed by enriched environment: MSG-treated pups kept under enriched conditions showed no weight retardation, no reflex delay in some signs and performed better in most coordination tests. These results show that environmental enrichment is able to decrease the neurobehavioral delay caused by neonatal excitotoxicity. PMID:24065102

Ocean plateau-seamount origin of basaltic rocks, Angayucham terrane, central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barker, F.; Jones, D.L.; Budahn, J.R.; Coney, P.J.

1988-01-01

The Angayucham terrane of north-central Alaska (immediately S of the Brooks Range) is a large (ca. 500 km E-W), allochthonous complex of Devonian to Lower Jurassic pillow basalt, diabase sills, gabbro plutons, and chert. The mafic rocks are transitional normal-to-enriched, mid-ocean-ridge (MORB) type tholeiites (TiO2 1.2-3.4%, Nb 7-23 ppm, Ta 0.24-1.08 ppm, Zr 69-214 ppm, and light REE's slightly depleted to moderately enriched). Geologic and geochemical constraints indicate that Angayucham terrane is the upper "skin' (ca. 3-4 km thick) of a long-lived (ca. 170-200 ma) oceanic plateau whose basaltic-gabbroic rocks are like those of seamounts of the East Pacific Rise. -Authors

Curcumin bioavailability from enriched bread: the effect of microencapsulated ingredients.

PubMed

Vitaglione, Paola; Barone Lumaga, Roberta; Ferracane, Rosalia; Radetsky, Irena; Mennella, Ilario; Schettino, Rita; Koder, Saul; Shimoni, Eyal; Fogliano, Vincenzo

2012-04-04

Human bioavailability of curcumin from breads enriched with 1 g/portion of free curcumin (FCB), encapsulated curcumin (ECB), or encapsulated curcumin plus other polyphenols (ECBB) was evaluated. Parental and metabolized curcuminoids and phenolic acids were quantified by HPLC/MS/MS in blood, urine, and feces collected over 24 h. The concentrations of serum curcuminoids were always below 4 nmol/L and those of glucuronides 10-fold less. Encapsulation delayed and increased curcuminoid absorption as compared to the free ingredient. Serum and urinary concentrations of ferulic and vanillic acid were between 2- and 1000-fold higher than those of curcuminoids, with ECBB eliciting the highest amounts. Fecal curcuminoids were 6-fold more abundant after ECB than FCB, while phenolic acids after ECBB quadruplicated those after ECB. Curcuminoid encapsulation increased their bioavailability from enriched bread, probably preventing their biotransformation, with combined compounds slightly reducing this effect. Phenolic acids are the major metabolites of curcuminoids and may contribute to their biological properties.

Chemistry of the older supracrustals of Archaean age around Sargur

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Janardhan, A. S.; Shadaksharaswamy, N.; Capdevila, R.

1988-01-01

In the Archaeans of the Karnataka craton two stratigraphically distinct volcano-sedimentary sequences occur, namely the older supracrustals of the Sargur type and the younger Dharwar greenstones. The dividing line between these is the 3 by old component of the Peninsular gneiss. The trace and rare earth element chemistry of the Sargur metasediments show, in general, marked similarity to the Archaean sediments. The significant departures are in the nickel and chromium abundances. The REE data of the Sargur pelites of the Terakanambi region represented by Silli-gt-bio-feldspar schists and paragneisses show LREE enrichment and flat to depleted HREE pattern. Banded iron formations have very low REE abundance. They show slightly enriched LREE and flat to depleted HREE pattern. REE abundance in the Mn-horizons is comparable to that of the Archaean sediments. Mn-horizons show enriched LREE and flat HREE with anamolous Eu. REE patterns of these bands is well evolved and has similarities with PAAS.

Interactions of green coffee bean phenolics with wheat bread matrix in a model of simulated in vitro digestion.

PubMed

Świeca, Michał; Gawlik-Dziki, Urszula; Sęczyk, Łukasz; Dziki, Dariusz; Sikora, Małgorzata

2018-08-30

Interactions of phenolics from green coffee bean flour (GCS) with the matrix of wheat bread have been studied employing direct (electrophoretic and chromatographic techniques) and indirect tests (nutrient digestibility). According to the chromatograms of digests, the antiradical activity of enriched bread was exhibited by free phenolics. An increase the area of chromatograms and some additional peaks observed for enriched bread may confirm some interactions of proteins with phenolics. The electrophoretic profile of these extracts showed that the band corresponding to a protein with molecular mass of 38 kDA had much higher intensity in enriched bread. Electrophoretic analysis of pellets remaining after digestion revealed GCS dose-dependent differences in bands corresponding to proteins with molecular masses of 52 kDa and 23 kDa. The relative digestibility of both starch and proteins was slightly decreased by addition of GCS; however, these changes did not exceed 10%, which justifies the use of this functional material. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation between length and tilt of lipid tails

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopelevich, Dmitry I.; Nagle, John F.

2015-10-01

It is becoming recognized from simulations, and to a lesser extent from experiment, that the classical Helfrich-Canham membrane continuum mechanics model can be fruitfully enriched by the inclusion of molecular tilt, even in the fluid, chain disordered, biologically relevant phase of lipid bilayers. Enriched continuum theories then add a tilt modulus κθ to accompany the well recognized bending modulus κ. Different enrichment theories largely agree for many properties, but it has been noticed that there is considerable disagreement in one prediction; one theory postulates that the average length of the hydrocarbon chain tails increases strongly with increasing tilt and another predicts no increase. Our analysis of an all-atom simulation favors the latter theory, but it also shows that the overall tail length decreases slightly with increasing tilt. We show that this deviation from continuum theory can be reconciled by consideration of the average shape of the tails, which is a descriptor not obviously includable in continuum theory.

Click-MS: Tagless Protein Enrichment Using Bioorthogonal Chemistry for Quantitative Proteomics.

PubMed

Smits, Arne H; Borrmann, Annika; Roosjen, Mark; van Hest, Jan C M; Vermeulen, Michiel

2016-12-16

Epitope-tagging is an effective tool to facilitate protein enrichment from crude cell extracts. Traditionally, N- or C-terminal fused tags are employed, which, however, can perturb protein function. Unnatural amino acids (UAAs) harboring small reactive handles can be site-specifically incorporated into proteins, thus serving as a potential alternative for conventional protein tags. Here, we introduce Click-MS, which combines the power of site-specific UAA incorporation, bioorthogonal chemistry, and quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics to specifically enrich a single protein of interest from crude mammalian cell extracts. By genetic encoding of p-azido-l-phenylalanine, the protein of interest can be selectively captured using copper-free click chemistry. We use Click-MS to enrich proteins that function in different cellular compartments, and we identify protein-protein interactions, showing the great potential of Click-MS for interaction proteomics workflows.

Olfactory enrichment and scent cue associative learning in captive birds of prey.

PubMed

Nelson Slater, Melissa; Hauber, Mark E

2017-03-01

As the use of enrichment in zoos has become a standardized husbandry practice, the continued improvement of enrichment programs should be concomitant with empirical validation of those practices. The role of scent as enrichment remains an unexplored avenue for many bird species. We conducted a multi-phase experiment to introduce wrapped food packages and scent cuing to indicate food presence into the exhibits of several birds of prey species at the Bronx Zoo, New York City, to assess if scent can function as enrichment in these species. Our research found support for these birds associating a novel scent cue from a package with the presence of food inside. When tested with sham (empty) packages, these individuals more often and more extensively handled scented versus unscented packages. Overall, these results indicate the ability of some our small sample of individuals to learn olfactory cues and provide support for trials to include olfactory enrichment as a potential part of the daily routine for some birds of prey in zoo settings. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Diesel engine experiments with oxygen enrichment, water addition and lower-grade fuel

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

Sekar, R.R.; Marr, W.W.; Cole, R.L.

1990-01-01

The concept of oxygen enriched air applied to reciprocating engines is getting renewed attention in the context of the progress made in the enrichment methods and the tougher emissions regulations imposed on diesel and gasoline engines. An experimental project was completed in which a direct injection diesel engine was tested with intake oxygen levels of 21% -- 35%. Since an earlier study indicated that it is necessary to use a cheaper fuel to make the concept economically attractive, a less refined fuel was included in the test series. Since a major objection to the use of oxygen enriched combustion airmore » had been the increase in NO{sub x} emissions, a method must be found to reduce NO{sub x}. Introduction of water into the engine combustion process was included in the tests for this purpose. Fuel emulsification with water was the means used here even though other methods could also be used. The teat data indicated a large increase in engine power density, slight improvement in thermal efficiency, significant reductions in smoke and particulate emissions and NO{sub x} emissions controllable with the addition of water. 15 refs., 10 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Behavioral and physiologic responses to environmental enrichment in the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus).

PubMed

Cummings, Dawn; Brown, Janine L; Rodden, Melissa D; Songsasen, Nucharin

2007-09-01

The ex situ population of maned wolves is not self-sustaining due to poor reproduction, caused primarily by parental incompetence. Studies have shown that environmental enrichment can promote natural parental behaviors in zoo animals. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of environmental enrichment on behavioral and physiological responses of maned wolves. During an 8-week experimental period, daily behavior observations and fecal sample collection were conducted on four adult wolves (2.2) individually housed in environments without enrichment. After 2 weeks, the wolves were chronologically provided with 2-week intervals of hiding dead mice around the exhibit, no enrichment, and introduction of boomer balls. Responses of the wolves to enrichment were assessed based on activity levels and exploratory rates, as well as the level of corticoid metabolites in fecal samples collected daily throughout the study period. Providing wolves with environmental enrichment significantly increased exploratory behaviors (P<0.05), especially when mice were hidden in the enclosure. Fecal corticoid concentrations were increased during periods of enrichment in males (P<0.05), but not in females. Overall, there were no correlations between behavioral responses to enrichment and fecal corticoid levels. Behavioral results suggest that environmental enrichment elicits positive effects on the behavior of captive maned wolves. There is evidence suggesting that providing animals with ability to forage for food is a more effective enrichment strategy than introducing objects. There is need for a longer term study to determine the impact of environmental enrichment in this species. Zoo Biol 26:331-343, 2007. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

HDL-associated dehydroepiandrosterone fatty acyl esters: enhancement of vasodilatory effect of HDL.

PubMed

Paatela, Hanna; Mervaala, Eero; Deb, Somdatta; Wähälä, Kristiina; Tikkanen, Matti J

2009-10-01

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) are both vascular relaxants. In the circulation, HDL transports DHEA fatty acyl esters (DHEA-FAEs), which are naturally occurring lipophilic derivatives of DHEA. We studied in isolated rat mesenteric arteries whether HDL-associated DHEA-FAE improves the vasodilatory effect of HDL. To prepare DHEA-FAE-enriched HDL, we incubated DHEA with human plasma. After incubation, HDL was isolated, purified, and added in cumulative doses (0.1-125 microg/ml) to noradrenaline-precontracted rat arterial rings. DHEA-FAE-enriched HDL caused a dose-dependent relaxation (maximal 43+/-4%), which was significantly stronger than the effect of HDL from the control incubation without addition of DHEA (25+/-2%, p<0.001). When plasma incubation of DHEA was carried out in the presence of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) inhibitor, the relaxation response to HDL (25+/-3%) did not differ from the control HDL (p=0.98). Pretreatment of the arterial rings with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) antagonist impaired the relaxation response to DHEA-FAE-enriched HDL (43+/-4% vs. 30+/-3%, p=0.008). Similar experiments were performed with 17beta-estradiol (E(2)). Compared to control HDL, E(2)-FAE-enriched HDL induced slightly but non-significantly stronger relaxation. DHEA-FAE-enriched HDL was a stronger vasodilator than native HDL, and vascular relaxation was in part mediated by NOS, suggesting that DHEA-FAE may improve HDL's antiatherogenic function.

“Stockpile” of Slight Transcriptomic Changes Determines the Indirect Genotoxicity of Low-Dose BPA in Thyroid Cells

PubMed Central

Porreca, Immacolata; Ulloa Severino, Luisa; D’Angelo, Fulvio; Cuomo, Danila; Ceccarelli, Michele; Altucci, Lucia; Amendola, Elena; Nebbioso, Angela; Mallardo, Massimo

2016-01-01

Epidemiological and experimental data highlighted the thyroid-disrupting activity of bisphenol A (BPA). Although pivotal to identify the mechanisms of toxicity, direct low-dose BPA effects on thyrocytes have not been assessed. Here, we report the results of microarray experiments revealing that the transcriptome reacts dynamically to low-dose BPA exposure, adapting the changes in gene expression to the exposure duration. The response involves many genes, enriching specific pathways and biological functions mainly cell death/proliferation or DNA repair. Their expression is only slightly altered but, since they enrich specific pathways, this results in major effects as shown here for transcripts involved in the DNA repair pathway. Indeed, even though no phenotypic changes are induced by the treatment, we show that the exposure to BPA impairs the cell response to further stressors. We experimentally verify that prolonged exposure to low doses of BPA results in a delayed response to UV-C-induced DNA damage, due to impairment of p21-Tp53 axis, with the BPA-treated cells more prone to cell death and DNA damage accumulation. The present findings shed light on a possible mechanism by which BPA, not able to directly cause genetic damage at environmental dose, may exert an indirect genotoxic activity. PMID:26982218

High-Fiber Orange Juice as a Nutrition Supplement in Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Tolerance and Effectiveness.

PubMed

Bergamasco, Christiane; Horie, Lilian Mika; Torrinhas, Raquel Susana; Waitzberg, Dan L

2015-11-01

The daily consumption of dietary fiber is frequently below suggested recommendations. Using a double-blind, controlled, randomized study, we assessed the efficiency and tolerance of a fiber-enriched orange juice to supplement fiber intake in women. After 1 week of noninterventional observation, 192 healthy adult women ingested 400 mL of orange juice for 21 days, which either was not (placebo group) or was enriched with fiber (fiber group). Orange juice ingestion was registered daily and controlled for each week during the study period. Macronutrient, fiber, and energy intake were determined using a 3-day food record, validated food chemical composition databases, and the "Pro Diet" software. Gastrointestinal symptoms were self-evaluated daily by scoring 4 grades of symptom intensity and using a visual analog scale to grade pain severity. No changes were observed for macronutrient and energy ingestion. For the placebo group (n = 97), the total fiber intake record was under the daily recommended value. In contrast, the fiber group (n = 95) displayed higher comparative values of total and soluble fiber consumption (P ≤ .001), achieving the daily recommended values of fiber intake. Both groups reported an increased frequency of slight bloating and rumbles over time (P ≤ .05). The fiber group also experienced a higher frequency of slight flatulence over time (P = .002). Consumption of fiber-enriched orange juice was efficient to achieve the daily fiber intake recommendation for women, was not accompanied by intense adverse events, and may represent a suitable method to supplement fiber intake in woman. © 2014 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Trace Elements Affect Methanogenic Activity and Diversity in Enrichments from Subsurface Coal Bed Produced Water

PubMed Central

Ünal, Burcu; Perry, Verlin Ryan; Sheth, Mili; Gomez-Alvarez, Vicente; Chin, Kuk-Jeong; Nüsslein, Klaus

2012-01-01

Microbial methane from coal beds accounts for a significant and growing percentage of natural gas worldwide. Our knowledge of physical and geochemical factors regulating methanogenesis is still in its infancy. We hypothesized that in these closed systems, trace elements (as micronutrients) are a limiting factor for methanogenic growth and activity. Trace elements are essential components of enzymes or cofactors of metabolic pathways associated with methanogenesis. This study examined the effects of eight trace elements (iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, zinc, manganese, boron, and copper) on methane production, on mcrA transcript levels, and on methanogenic community structure in enrichment cultures obtained from coal bed methane (CBM) well produced water samples from the Powder River Basin, Wyoming. Methane production was shown to be limited both by a lack of additional trace elements as well as by the addition of an overly concentrated trace element mixture. Addition of trace elements at concentrations optimized for standard media enhanced methane production by 37%. After 7 days of incubation, the levels of mcrA transcripts in enrichment cultures with trace element amendment were much higher than in cultures without amendment. Transcript levels of mcrA correlated positively with elevated rates of methane production in supplemented enrichments (R2 = 0.95). Metabolically active methanogens, identified by clone sequences of mcrA mRNA retrieved from enrichment cultures, were closely related to Methanobacterium subterraneum and Methanobacterium formicicum. Enrichment cultures were dominated by M. subterraneum and had slightly higher predicted methanogenic richness, but less diversity than enrichment cultures without amendments. These results suggest that varying concentrations of trace elements in produced water from different subsurface coal wells may cause changing levels of CBM production and alter the composition of the active methanogenic community. PMID:22590465

Transport, biodegradation and isotopic fractionation of chlorinated ethenes: modeling and parameter estimation methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Béranger, Sandra C.; Sleep, Brent E.; Lollar, Barbara Sherwood; Monteagudo, Fernando Perez

2005-01-01

An analytical, one-dimensional, multi-species, reactive transport model for simulating the concentrations and isotopic signatures of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and its daughter products was developed. The simulation model was coupled to a genetic algorithm (GA) combined with a gradient-based (GB) method to estimate the first order decay coefficients and enrichment factors. In testing with synthetic data, the hybrid GA-GB method reduced the computational requirements for parameter estimation by a factor as great as 300. The isotopic signature profiles were observed to be more sensitive than the concentration profiles to estimates of both the first order decay constants and enrichment factors. Including isotopic data for parameter estimation significantly increased the GA convergence rate and slightly improved the accuracy of estimation of first order decay constants.

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

Zhang, Qibin; Tang, Ning; Schepmoes, Athena A.

Non-enzymatic glycation of peptides and proteins by D-glucose has important implications in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus, particularly in the development of diabetic complications. In this report, a thorough proteomic profiling of glycated proteins was attempted by using phenylboronate affinity chromatography to enrich glycated proteins and glycated, tryptic peptides from human plasma and erythrocyte membranes. Enriched peptides were subsequently analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with electron transfer dissociation tandem mass spectrometry, and 76 and 31 proteins were confidently identified as glycated from human plasma and erythrocyte membrane, respectively. It was observed that most of the glycated proteins can be identifiedmore » in samples from individuals with normal glucose tolerance, although samples from individuals with impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus have slightly higher numbers of glycated proteins and more glycation sites identified.« less

Influence of jute (Corchorus olitorius) seed protein enriched diet on some enzymes and liver lipids of albino rats (Rattus norvegicus).

PubMed

Laskar, S; Majumdar, S G; Basak, B; Dey, C D

1986-01-01

The effect of protein, isolated from Jute (Corchorus olitorius) seed was studied upon albino rats with respect to some of their serum, liver and intestinal enzymes and liver lipids. An increase in the body weight (including the weight of the liver) was noted in test animals after feeding with a Jute seed protein enriched diet. It was also observed that AST, ALT and total lipid of liver increased significantly whereas AST and ALT of serum were decreased. An increase in the concentration of lipids in the liver was found and this may be due to excess of the seed protein in the diet. An overall observation reveals that there is slight fatty infiltration in the liver of test animals.

PDBe: towards reusable data delivery infrastructure at protein data bank in Europe

PubMed Central

Alhroub, Younes; Anyango, Stephen; Armstrong, David R; Berrisford, John M; Clark, Alice R; Conroy, Matthew J; Dana, Jose M; Gupta, Deepti; Gutmanas, Aleksandras; Haslam, Pauline; Mak, Lora; Mukhopadhyay, Abhik; Nadzirin, Nurul; Paysan-Lafosse, Typhaine; Sehnal, David; Sen, Sanchayita; Smart, Oliver S; Varadi, Mihaly; Kleywegt, Gerard J

2018-01-01

Abstract The Protein Data Bank in Europe (PDBe, pdbe.org) is actively engaged in the deposition, annotation, remediation, enrichment and dissemination of macromolecular structure data. This paper describes new developments and improvements at PDBe addressing three challenging areas: data enrichment, data dissemination and functional reusability. New features of the PDBe Web site are discussed, including a context dependent menu providing links to raw experimental data and improved presentation of structures solved by hybrid methods. The paper also summarizes the features of the LiteMol suite, which is a set of services enabling fast and interactive 3D visualization of structures, with associated experimental maps, annotations and quality assessment information. We introduce a library of Web components which can be easily reused to port data and functionality available at PDBe to other services. We also introduce updates to the SIFTS resource which maps PDB data to other bioinformatics resources, and the PDBe REST API. PMID:29126160

Detection of Listeria spp. using ACTERO listeria enrichment media.

PubMed

Claveau, David; Olishevskyy, Sergiy; Giuffre, Michael; Martinez, Gabriela

2014-01-01

ACTERO Listeria Enrichment Media (ACTERO Listeria) is a selective medium developed for a single-step recovery and enrichment of Listeria spp. from environmental samples. Robustness testing of the ACTERO Listeria medium demonstrated good performance when minor changes were introduced to the incubation temperature and time. All 54 Listeria strains tested, representing the most frequently isolated Listeria species from food (L. monocytogenes, L. ivanovii, L. seeligeri, L. welshimeri, and L. grayi), were successfully enriched in ACTERO Listeria. None of the 30 nontarget strains tested in the exclusivity study was recovered after incubation in ACTERO Listeria. Recovery of Listeria was consistent across three independently produced lots of the ACTERO Listeria, and the prepared medium was stable for 45 days when stored at 4 degrees C in the dark. Matrix studies performed with environmental sponge samples from plastic and stainless steel surfaces demonstrated similar recovery of Listeria spp. in a single-step enrichment using ACTERO Listeria from plastic, and significantly better recovery from stainless steel surfaces when compared to the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Food Safety and Inspection Service reference method. The results of this study prove that ACTERO Listeria Enrichment Media can be effectively used in replacement of the two-step enrichment suggested by the reference method without affecting the recovery of Listeria spp. from environmental samples.

Analysis of Tank 13H (HTF-13-14-156, 157) Surface and Subsurface Supernatant Samples in Support of Enrichment Control, Corrosion Control and Sodium Aluminosilicate Formation Potential Programs

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

Oji, L. N.

2015-02-18

The 2H Evaporator system includes mainly Tank 43H (feed tank) and Tank 38H (drop tank) with Tank 22H acting as the DWPF recycle receipt tank. The Tank 13H is being characterized to ensure that it can be transferred to the 2H evaporator. This report provides the results of analyses on Tanks 13H surface and subsurface supernatant liquid samples to ensure compliance with the Enrichment Control Program (ECP), the Corrosion Control Program and Sodium Aluminosilicate Formation Potential in the Evaporator. The U-235 mass divided by the total uranium averaged 0.00799 (0.799 % uranium enrichment) for both the surface and subsurface Tankmore » 13H samples. This enrichment is slightly above the enrichment for Tanks 38H and 43H, where the enrichment normally ranges from 0.59 to 0.7 wt%. The U-235 concentration in Tank 13H samples ranged from 2.01E-02 to 2.63E-02 mg/L, while the U-238 concentration in Tank 13H ranged from 2.47E+00 to 3.21E+00 mg/L. Thus, the U-235/total uranium ratio is in line with the prior 2H-evaporator ECP samples. Measured sodium and silicon concentrations averaged, respectively, 2.46 M and 1.42E-04 M (3.98 mg/L) in the Tank 13H subsurface sample. The measured aluminum concentration in Tanks 13H subsurface samples averaged 2.01E-01 M.« less

Low energy consumption method for separating gaseous mixtures and in particular for medium purity oxygen production

DOEpatents

Jujasz, Albert J.; Burkhart, James A.; Greenberg, Ralph

1988-01-01

A method for the separation of gaseous mixtures such as air and for producing medium purity oxygen, comprising compressing the gaseous mixture in a first compressor to about 3.9-4.1 atmospheres pressure, passing said compressed gaseous mixture in heat exchange relationship with sub-ambient temperature gaseous nitrogen, dividing the cooled, pressurized gaseous mixture into first and second streams, introducing the first stream into the high pressure chamber of a double rectification column, separating the gaseous mixture in the rectification column into a liquid oxygen-enriched stream and a gaseous nitrogen stream and supplying the gaseous nitrogen stream for cooling the compressed gaseous mixture, removing the liquid oxygen-enriched stream from the low pressure chamber of the rectification column and pumping the liquid, oxygen-enriched steam to a predetermined pressure, cooling the second stream, condensing the cooled second stream and evaporating the oxygen-enriched stream in an evaporator-condenser, delivering the condensed second stream to the high pressure chamber of the rectification column, and heating the oxygen-enriched stream and blending the oxygen-enriched stream with a compressed blend-air stream to the desired oxygen concentration.

Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

critical aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle for the United States, where longstanding nonproliferation policy discouraged commercial nuclear fuel...perhaps the most critical question in this decade for strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime: how can access to sensitive fuel cycle...process can take advantage of the slight difference in atomic mass between 235U and 238U. The typical enrichment process requires about 10 lbs of uranium

Effect of 13C enrichment and sugar type on analysis of sugars by gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Baumann, Karen; Dignac, Marie-France; Bardoux, Gérard; Rumpel, Cornelia

2012-09-15

The objective of this investigation was to test gas-chromatographic compound-specific analysis for studies on the isotopic composition of (13)C-enriched sugar molecules. The effects of (13)C enrichment and type of sugar (C5, C6) will provide valuable information on isotopic correction for future studies employing (13)C-enriched sugars. Five sugar solutions of xylose, mannose and glucose with (13)C enrichments ranging between 1.1 and 1.5 atom-% were prepared. The (13)C enrichments of the initial sugars were measured by elemental analyser/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA/IRMS); (13)C enrichments for derivatised sugars were obtained by gas chromatography/combustion/IRMS (GC/C/IRMS). The linear relationships between the (13)C enrichments of the initial sugars and the values for the derivatised sugars were sugar-type dependent. Corrections for GC/C/IRMS values took into account the kinetic isotope effect (KIE) of the derivatising agent associated with the coefficient (K(d)) and a newly introduced second coefficient (K(c)) associated with the KIE of the sugar. While K(d) was constant, K(c) varied with sugar type. During derivatisation acetate groups with (12)C and sugars with more (13)C reacted faster. Coefficients for the specific ranges of (13)C enrichments under study have to be assessed and the reactions of different sugar types have to be taken into account to avoid underestimation of (13)C enrichment of up to 9% (C5) or overestimation of up to 4% (C6). Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Relationship between Environmental Enrichment and the Response to Novelty in Laboratory-housed Pigs

PubMed Central

Backus, Brittany L; Sutherland, Mhairi A; Brooks, Tiffanie A

2017-01-01

Environmental enrichment is the enhancement of the physical or social environment in which an animal lives with the goal to improve its quality of life. Our objective was to investigate the effect of providing environmental enrichment in the home pen on responsiveness to novelty in laboratory-housed pigs. Pigs were housed (4 pigs per pen) in enriched (n = 32) or barren (control; n = 32) pens for 3 wk total and tested in 2 anxiety behavioral tests, the novel object (NOT) and human interaction (HIT) tests. Pigs were placed in a novel arena for a 5-min familiarization period, after which either a novel object (NOT) or an unfamiliar human (HIT) was introduced for a 5-min interaction period. Behavior in the home pen and during NOT and HIT was monitored through direct observations and videorecording. In the home pen, enriched pigs spent more time active and interacting with the environment, whereas control pigs spent more time inactive and in social interactions. In addition, enriched pigs crossed more squares during the familiarization period, tended to freeze more, and interacted less with the novel object or person than control pigs. In conclusion, enrichment may improve welfare by stimulating activity and decreasing aggressive behaviors in the home pen. However, enriched pigs may experience increased anxiety when exposed to novelty, whereas pigs housed without environmental enrichment—due to lack of stimulation in the home pen—may be more motivated to interact with sources of novelty or enrichment during testing than their enriched counterparts. PMID:29256368

The effects of soy bean flour enriched bread intake on anthropometric indices and blood pressure in type 2 diabetic women: a crossover randomized controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Salari Moghaddam, Asma; Entezari, Mohammad Hassan; Iraj, Bijan; Askari, Gholamreza; Sharifi Zahabi, Elham; Maracy, Mohammad Reza

2014-01-01

Previous studies showed that soy bean has the potential to improve many aspects of diabetes state and provide metabolic benefits that aid in weight management. We aimed to determine the effects of soy bean flour enriched bread on anthropometric indices and blood pressure among type 2 diabetic patients. This randomized, crossover, clinical trial was performed in 30 type 2 diabetic women. There were two trial periods for 6 weeks and a wash-out period for 4 weeks. In the soy bread diet period, 120 g of soy bean flour enriched bread was consumed each day instead of the same amount of their usual bread or other cereal products. After a 4-week wash-out period, participants were crossed over for another 6 weeks. Mean (±SD) age of study participants was 45.7 ± 3.8 years. The results of our study showed no significant effects of soy bean flour enriched bread on anthropometric indices and blood pressure among diabetic patients. Despite the slight reduction in BMI, waist circumference, and percent of body fat, there were no significant differences in changes of these values between two groups. No significant changes in waist to hip ratio and blood pressure were seen.

The Effects of Soy Bean Flour Enriched Bread Intake on Anthropometric Indices and Blood Pressure in Type 2 Diabetic Women: A Crossover Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Salari Moghaddam, Asma; Entezari, Mohammad Hassan; Iraj, Bijan; Askari, Gholamreza; Sharifi Zahabi, Elham; Maracy, Mohammad Reza

2014-01-01

Previous studies showed that soy bean has the potential to improve many aspects of diabetes state and provide metabolic benefits that aid in weight management. We aimed to determine the effects of soy bean flour enriched bread on anthropometric indices and blood pressure among type 2 diabetic patients. This randomized, crossover, clinical trial was performed in 30 type 2 diabetic women. There were two trial periods for 6 weeks and a wash-out period for 4 weeks. In the soy bread diet period, 120 g of soy bean flour enriched bread was consumed each day instead of the same amount of their usual bread or other cereal products. After a 4-week wash-out period, participants were crossed over for another 6 weeks. Mean (±SD) age of study participants was 45.7 ± 3.8 years. The results of our study showed no significant effects of soy bean flour enriched bread on anthropometric indices and blood pressure among diabetic patients. Despite the slight reduction in BMI, waist circumference, and percent of body fat, there were no significant differences in changes of these values between two groups. No significant changes in waist to hip ratio and blood pressure were seen. PMID:25276127

Characterization of a Defined 2,3,5,6-Tetrachlorobiphenyl-ortho-Dechlorinating Microbial Community by Comparative Sequence Analysis of Genes Coding for 16S rRNA

PubMed Central

Pulliam Holoman, Tracey R.; Elberson, Margaret A.; Cutter, Leah A.; May, Harold D.; Sowers, Kevin R.

1998-01-01

Defined microbial communities were developed by combining selective enrichment with molecular monitoring of total community genes coding for 16S rRNAs (16S rDNAs) to identify potential polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-dechlorinating anaerobes that ortho dechlorinate 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorobiphenyl. In enrichment cultures that contained a defined estuarine medium, three fatty acids, and sterile sediment, a Clostridium sp. was predominant in the absence of added PCB, but undescribed species in the δ subgroup of the class Proteobacteria, the low-G+C gram-positive subgroup, the Thermotogales subgroup, and a single species with sequence similarity to the deeply branching species Dehalococcoides ethenogenes were more predominant during active dechlorination of the PCB. Species with high sequence similarities to Methanomicrobiales and Methanosarcinales archaeal subgroups were predominant in both dechlorinating and nondechlorinating enrichment cultures. Deletion of sediment from PCB-dechlorinating enrichment cultures reduced the rate of dechlorination and the diversity of the community. Substitution of sodium acetate for the mixture of three fatty acids increased the rate of dechlorination, further reduced the community diversity, and caused a shift in the predominant species that included restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns not previously detected. Although PCB-dechlorinating cultures were methanogenic, inhibition of methanogenesis and elimination of the archaeal community by addition of bromoethanesulfonic acid only slightly inhibited dechlorination, indicating that the archaea were not required for ortho dechlorination of the congener. Deletion of Clostridium spp. from the community profile by addition of vancomycin only slightly reduced dechlorination. However, addition of sodium molybdate, an inhibitor of sulfate reduction, inhibited dechlorination and deleted selected species from the community profiles of the class Bacteria. With the exception of one 16S rDNA sequence that had the highest sequence similarity to the obligate perchloroethylene-dechlorinating Dehalococcoides, the 16S rDNA sequences associated with PCB ortho dechlorination had high sequence similarities to the δ, low-G+C gram-positive, and Thermotogales subgroups, which all include sulfur-, sulfate-, and/or iron(III)-respiring bacterial species. PMID:9726883

A comparisoin of the R25 modification of Rappaport s enrichment medium with strontium chloride B for salmonella isolation from sewage polluted natural water.

PubMed Central

Harvey, R. W.; Price, T. H.

1982-01-01

The relation of salmonella isolation efficiency and the size of inoculum introduced from a buffered peptone water culture of sewage polluted water into strontium chloride B medium was investigated. Two separate studies were made, one using enrichment at 37 degrees C, the other at 43 degrees C. From these trials, two inocula suitable for efficient salmonella isolation were determined. Using this information, strontium chloride B medium was compared with modified Rappaport's broth (R25). The inoculum used with R25 was 0.005 ml, determined in an earlier study. Two incubation temperatures were employed with strontium chloride enrichment (37 and 43 degrees C). Rappaport's medium was incubated at 37 degrees C only. Elevated temperature enrichment at 43 degrees C improved the performance of strontium chloride B, but Rappaport's broth still gave significantly better results. This supports earlier studies on simplification of salmonella isolation and standardization of routine technique on a single enrichment medium: Rappaport broth (R25) incubated at 37 degrees C. PMID:7047641

Clinical-Scale Cell-Surface-Marker Independent Acoustic Microfluidic Enrichment of Tumor Cells from Blood.

PubMed

Magnusson, Cecilia; Augustsson, Per; Lenshof, Andreas; Ceder, Yvonne; Laurell, Thomas; Lilja, Hans

2017-11-21

Enumeration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) predicts overall survival and treatment response in metastatic cancer, but as many commercialized assays isolate CTCs positive for epithelial cell markers alone, CTCs with little or no epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) expression stay undetected. Therefore, CTC enrichment and isolation by label-free methods based on biophysical rather than biochemical properties could provide a more representative spectrum of CTCs. Here, we report on a clinical-scale automated acoustic microfluidic platform processing 5 mL of erythrocyte-depleted paraformaldehyde (PFA)-fixed blood (diluted 1:2) at a flow rate of 75 μL/min, recovering 43/50 (86 ± 2.3%) breast cancer cell line cells (MCF7), with 0.11% cancer cell purity and 162-fold enrichment in close to 2 h based on intrinsic biophysical cell properties. Adjustments of the voltage settings aimed at higher cancer cell purity in the central outlet provided 0.72% cancer cell purity and 1445-fold enrichment that resulted in 62 ± 8.7% cancer cell recovery. Similar rates of cancer-cell recovery, cancer-cell purity, and fold-enrichment were seen with both prostate cancer (DU145, PC3) and breast cancer (MCF7) cell line cells. We identified eosinophil granulocytes as the predominant white blood cell (WBC) contaminant (85%) in the enriched cancer-cell fraction. Processing of viable cancer cells in erythrocyte-depleted blood provided slightly reduced results as to fixed cells (77% cancer cells in the enriched cancer cell fraction, with 0.2% WBC contamination). We demonstrate feasibility of enriching either PFA-fixed or viable cancer cells with a clinical-scale acoustic microfluidic platform that can be adjusted to meet requirements for either high cancer-cell recovery or higher purity and can process 5 mL blood samples in close to 2 h.

Using Extended Huckel Theory as a Platform to Introduce Jahn-Teller Distortion: The Spontaneous Distortion of 1,3,5,7-Cyclooctatetraene from a Perfect Octagon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sohlberg, Karl; Liu, Xiang

2013-01-01

Herein, a slightly enhanced version of extended Huckel molecular orbital theory is applied to demonstrate the spontaneous distortion of 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene from a perfect octagon, a consequence of the Jahn-Teller effect. The exercise is accessible to students who have been introduced to basic quantum mechanics and extended Huckel molecular…

Symposium on the reprocessing of irradiated fuels. Book 2, Session IV

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

None

1958-12-31

Book two of this conference has a single-focused session IV entitled Nonaqueous Processing, with 8 papers. The session deals with fluoride volatility processes and pyrometallurgical or pyrochemical processes. The latter involves either an oxide drossing or molten metal extraction or fused salt extraction technique and results in only partial decontamination. Fluoride volatility processes appear to be especially favorable for recovery of enriched uranium and decontamination factors of 10/sup 7/ to 10/sup 8/ would be achieved by simpler means than those employed in solvent extraction. Data from lab research on the BrF/sub 3/ process and the ClF/sub 3/ process are givenmore » and discussed and pilot plant experience is described, all in connection with natural uranium or slightly enriched uranium processing. Fluoride volatility processes for enriched or high alloy fuels are described step by step. The economic and engineering considerations of both types of nonaqueous processing are treated separately and as fully as present knowledge allows. A comprehensive review of the chemistry of pyrometallurgical processes is included.« less

CO2 enrichment affects eco-physiological growth of maize and alfalfa under different water stress regimes in the UAE.

PubMed

Ksiksi, Taoufik Saleh; Ppoyil, Shaijal Babu Thru; Palakkott, Abdul Rasheed

2018-03-01

Water stress has been reported to alter morphology and physiology of plants affecting chlorophyll content, stomatal size and density. In this study, drought stress mitigating effects of CO 2 enrichment was assessed in greenhouse conditions in the hot climate of UAE. Commercially purchased maize ( Zea mays L.) and alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) were seeded in three different custom-built cage structures, inside a greenhouse. One cage was kept at 1000 ppm CO 2 , the second at 700 ppm CO 2 , and the third at ambient greenhouse CO 2 environment (i.e. 435 ppm). Three water stress treatments HWS (200 ml per week), MWS (400 ml per week), and CWS (600 ml per week) were given to each cage so that five maize pots and five alfalfa pots in each cage received same water stress treatments. In maize, total chlorophyll content was similar or higher in water stress treatments compared to control for all CO 2 concentrations. Stomatal lengths were higher in enriched CO 2 environments under water stress. At 700 ppm CO 2 , stomatal widths decreased as water stress increased from MWS to HWS. At both enriched CO 2 environments, stomatal densities decreased compared to ambient CO 2 environment. In alfalfa, there was no significant increase in total chlorophyll content under enriched CO 2 environments, even though a slight increase was noticed.

Effect of Selenium on Lipid and Amino Acid Metabolism in Yeast Cells.

PubMed

Kieliszek, Marek; Błażejak, Stanisław; Bzducha-Wróbel, Anna; Kot, Anna M

2018-04-19

This article discusses the effect of selenium in aqueous solutions on aspects of lipid and amino acid metabolism in the cell biomass of Saccharomyces cerevisiae MYA-2200 and Candida utilis ATCC 9950 yeasts. The yeast biomass was obtained by using waste products (potato wastewater and glycerol). Selenium, at a dose of 20 mg/L of aqueous solution, affected the differentiation of cellular morphology. Yeast enriched with selenium was characterized by a large functional diversity in terms of protein and amino acid content. The protein content in the biomass of S. cerevisiae enriched with selenium (42.6%) decreased slightly as compared to that in the control sample without additional selenium supplementation (48.4%). Moreover, yeasts of both strains enriched with selenium contained a large amount of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, lysine, and leucine. Analysis of fatty acid profiles in S. cerevisiae yeast supplemented with selenium showed an increase in the unsaturated fatty acid content (e.g., C18:1). The presence of margaric acid (C17:0) and hexadecanoic acid (C17:1) was found in the C. utilis biomass enriched with selenium, in contrast to that of S. cerevisiae. These results indicate that selenium may induce lipid peroxidation, which consequently affects the loss of integrity of the cytoplasmic membrane. Yeast enriched with selenium with optimal amino acid and lipid composition can be used to prepare a novel formula of dietary supplements, which can be applied directly to various diets for both humans and animals.

Neutronic analysis of candidate accident-tolerant cladding concepts in pressurized water reactors

DOE PAGES

George, Nathan Michael; Terrani, Kurt A.; Powers, Jeffrey J.; ...

2014-09-29

A study analyzed the neutronics of alternate cladding materials in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) environment. Austenitic type 310 (310SS) and 304 stainless steels, ferritic Fe-20Cr-5Al (FeCrAl) and APMT™ alloys, and silicon carbide (SiC)-based materials were considered and compared with Zircaloy-4. SCALE 6.1 was used to analyze the associated neutronics penalty/advantage, changes in reactivity coefficients, and spectral variations once a transition in the cladding was made. In the cases examined, materials containing higher absorbing isotopes invoked a reduction in reactivity due to an increase in neutron absorption in the cladding. Higher absorbing materials produced a harder neutron spectrum in themore » fuel pellet, leading to a slight increase in plutonium production. A parametric study determined the geometric conditions required to match cycle length requirements for each alternate cladding material in a PWR. A method for estimating the end of cycle reactivity was implemented to compare each model to that of standard Zircaloy-4 cladding. By using a thinner cladding of 350 μm and keeping a constant outer diameter, austenitic stainless steels require an increase of no more than 0.5 wt% enriched 235U to match fuel cycle requirements, while the required increase for FeCrAl was about 0.1%. When modeling SiC (with slightly lower thermal absorption properties than that of Zircaloy), a standard cladding thickness could be implemented with marginally less enriched uranium (~0.1%). Moderator temperature and void coefficients were calculated throughout the depletion cycle. Nearly identical reactivity responses were found when coolant temperature and void properties were perturbed for each cladding material. By splitting the pellet into 10 equal areal sections, relative fission power as a function of radius was found to be similar for each cladding material. FeCrAl and 310SS cladding have a slightly higher fission power near the pellet’s periphery due to the harder neutron spectrum in the system, causing more 239Pu breeding. An economic assessment calculated the change in fuel pellet production costs for use of each cladding. Furthermore, implementing FeCrAl alloys would increase fuel pellet production costs about 15% because of increased 235U enrichment and the additional UO 2 pellet volume enabled by using thinner cladding.« less

An Overview of the Southern Mariana Subduction Factory: Arc, Cross-Chains, and Back-Arc Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stern, R. J.; Hargrove, U. S.; Leybourne, M. I.; Pearce, J. A.; Bloomer, S. H.

2002-12-01

The Mariana arc system south of 18°N provides 3 opportunities to study the magmatic outputs of the IBM Subduction Factory: 1) Along the Magmatic arc; 2) Across arc cross-chains; and 3) Along the back-arc basin spreading axis. In spite of being located near population centers of Guam and Saipan, this is a relatively poorly known part of the arc system. There is a clear break in the trend and morphology of the magmatic arc west of the144°E fault and slab tear, and we surveyed and sampled the region north and east of this during the Cook 7 expedition in March-April 2001. Systematic morphologic covariations are observed along the arc and backarc basin magmatic systems, with the shallower ridge depths adjacent to more magmatically-robust arc segments. Our preliminary results reveal a compositional discontinuity in back-arc basin basalts (BABB) south of a bathymetric break near 15°30'N, with BABB in shallower segments to the north having a strong subduction component (higher Ba/Nb, Rb, Zr, etc.) and deeper regions to the south being more MORB-like. This is close to the morphological break along the magmatic front, with larger (>10E11 m3) edifices of the Central Island Province north of 16°N and smaller, entirely submarine volcanoes to the south, implying a more robust magmatic budget in the north; a similar variations are observed for cross-chain volcanoes, with smaller ones associated with the smaller, southern arc volcanoes and larger ones associated with the larger arc volcanoes of the Central Island Province. In contrast to the back-arc basin spreading axis, no systematic compositional variations are observed along or across the arc. Arc and cross-chains comprise a coherent, low- to medium-K, dominantly tholeiitic suite. REE patterns show moderate LREE-enrichment, with chondrite-normalized La/Yb = 1.5-2. Rear-arc volcanoes sometimes are slightly less fractionated, slightly more potassic, and slightly more LREE-enriched, but these are second order differences. The strong increase in K and LREE enrichment and decrease in fluid-mobile elements observed for the Kasuga cross-chain to the north is not observed in the southern cross-chains.

Image fusion of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry and Energy-dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy data for the characterization of uranium-molybdenum fuel foils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willingham, David; Naes, Benjamin E.; Tarolli, Jay G.; Schemer-Kohrn, Alan; Rhodes, Mark; Dahl, Michael; Guzman, Anthony; Burkes, Douglas E.

2018-01-01

Uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) monolithic fuels represent one option for converting civilian research and test reactors operating with high enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU), effectively reducing the threat of nuclear proliferation world-wide. However, processes associated with fabrication of U-Mo monolithic fuels result in regions of elemental heterogeneity, observed as bands traversing the cross-section of representative samples. Isotopic variations (e.g., 235U and 238U) could also be introduced because of associated processing steps, particularly since HEU feedstock is melted with natural or depleted uranium diluent to produce LEU. This study demonstrates the utility of correlative analysis of Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) with their image data streams using image fusion, resulting in a comprehensive microanalytical characterization toolbox. Elemental and isotopic measurements were made on a sample from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) Full-sized plate In-center flux trap Position (AFIP)-7 experiment and compared to previous optical and electron microscopy results. The image fusion results are characteristic of SIMS isotopic maps, but with the spatial resolution of EDS images and, therefore, can be used to increase the effective spatial resolution of the SIMS imaging results to better understand homogeneity or heterogeneity that persists because of processing selections. Visual inspection using the image fusion methodology indicated slight variations in the 235U/238U ratio and quantitative analysis using the image intensities across several FoVs revealed an average 235U atom percent value of 17.9 ± 2.4%, which was indicative of a non-uniform U isotopic distribution in the area sampled. Further development of this capability is useful for understanding the connections between the properties of LEU fuel alternatives and the ability to predict performance under irradiation.

Validation of Folate-Enriched Eggs as a Functional Food for Improving Folate Intake in Consumers

PubMed Central

Altic, Leslie; McNulty, Helene; Hoey, Leane; McAnena, Liadhan; Pentieva, Kristina

2016-01-01

Functional foods enriched with folate may be beneficial as a means of optimizing folate status in consumers. We recently developed novel eggs enriched with folate through folic acid supplementation of the hen’s feed, but their potential to influence consumer folate status is unknown because the natural folate forms incorporated into the eggs may not necessarily be retained during storage and cooking. This study aimed to determine the stability of natural folates in folate-enriched eggs under typical conditions of storage and cooking. Total folate was determined by microbiological assay following tri-enzyme treatment in folate-enriched eggs and un-enriched (barn and free-range) on the day they were laid, after storage (up to 27 days) and after using four typical cooking methods (boiling, poaching, frying, scrambling) for different durations. On the day of laying, the folate content of enriched eggs was found to be significantly higher than that of un-enriched barn or free-range eggs (mean ± SD; 123.2 ± 12.4 vs. 41.2 ± 2.8 vs. 65.6 ± 18.5 µg/100 g; p < 0.001). Storage at refrigerator and room temperature for periods up to the Best Before date resulted in no significant losses to the folate content of folate-enriched eggs. Furthermore, folate in enriched eggs remained stable when cooked by four typical methods for periods up to the maximum cooking time (e.g., 135 ± 22.5, 133.9 ± 23.0 and 132.5 ± 35.1; p = 0.73, for raw, scrambled for 50 s and scrambled for 2 min, respectively). Thus, natural folates in folate-enriched eggs remain highly stable with little or no losses following storage and cooking. These findings are important because they demonstrate the feasibility of introducing folate-enriched eggs into the diet of consumers as functional foods with enriched folate content. Further studies will confirm their effectiveness in optimizing the biomarker folate status of consumers. PMID:27916895

Validation of Folate-Enriched Eggs as a Functional Food for Improving Folate Intake in Consumers.

PubMed

Altic, Leslie; McNulty, Helene; Hoey, Leane; McAnena, Liadhan; Pentieva, Kristina

2016-11-30

Functional foods enriched with folate may be beneficial as a means of optimizing folate status in consumers. We recently developed novel eggs enriched with folate through folic acid supplementation of the hen's feed, but their potential to influence consumer folate status is unknown because the natural folate forms incorporated into the eggs may not necessarily be retained during storage and cooking. This study aimed to determine the stability of natural folates in folate-enriched eggs under typical conditions of storage and cooking. Total folate was determined by microbiological assay following tri-enzyme treatment in folate-enriched eggs and un-enriched (barn and free-range) on the day they were laid, after storage (up to 27 days) and after using four typical cooking methods (boiling, poaching, frying, scrambling) for different durations. On the day of laying, the folate content of enriched eggs was found to be significantly higher than that of un-enriched barn or free-range eggs (mean ± SD; 123.2 ± 12.4 vs. 41.2 ± 2.8 vs. 65.6 ± 18.5 µg/100 g; p < 0.001). Storage at refrigerator and room temperature for periods up to the Best Before date resulted in no significant losses to the folate content of folate-enriched eggs. Furthermore, folate in enriched eggs remained stable when cooked by four typical methods for periods up to the maximum cooking time (e.g., 135 ± 22.5, 133.9 ± 23.0 and 132.5 ± 35.1; p = 0.73, for raw, scrambled for 50 s and scrambled for 2 min, respectively). Thus, natural folates in folate-enriched eggs remain highly stable with little or no losses following storage and cooking. These findings are important because they demonstrate the feasibility of introducing folate-enriched eggs into the diet of consumers as functional foods with enriched folate content. Further studies will confirm their effectiveness in optimizing the biomarker folate status of consumers.

The Microbial Degradation of TCE (Trichloroethylene).

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-01

enrichment studies . All the sample flasks , including the controls, contained 14C in the 14C02 trap. The 14C measured in the control flask 14C02...layer compared to the controls. These data again suggested that TCE was being biologically modified. Those flasks flushed with air gave the first hard...only slightly soluble in water. All culture flasks were incubated at 250C for a minimum of a week. Results in the carbon and nitrogen source studies are

Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-20

critical aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle for the United States, where longstanding nonproliferation policy discouraged commercial nuclear fuel...have U.S. government officials. However, the case of Iran raises perhaps the most critical question in this decade for strengthening the nuclear...slight difference in atomic mass between 235U and 238U. The typical enrichment process requires about 10 lbs of uranium U3O8 to produce 1 lb of low

Functioning of a Shallow-Water Sediment System during Experimental Warming and Nutrient Enrichment

PubMed Central

Alsterberg, Christian; Sundbäck, Kristina; Hulth, Stefan

2012-01-01

Effects of warming and nutrient enrichment on intact unvegetated shallow-water sediment were investigated for 5 weeks in the autumn under simulated natural field conditions, with a main focus on trophic state and benthic nitrogen cycling. In a flow-through system, sediment was exposed to either seawater at ambient temperature or seawater heated 4°C above ambient, with either natural or nutrient enriched water. Sediment–water fluxes of oxygen and inorganic nutrients, nitrogen mineralization, and denitrification were measured. Warming resulted in an earlier shift to net heterotrophy due to increased community respiration; primary production was not affected by temperature but (slightly) by nutrient enrichment. The heterotrophic state was, however, not further strengthened by warming, but was rather weakened, probably because increased mineralization induced a shortage of labile organic matter. Climate-related warming of seawater during autumn could therefore, in contrast to previous predictions, induce shorter but more intensive heterotrophic periods in shallow-water sediments, followed by longer autotrophic periods. Increased nitrogen mineralization and subsequent effluxes of ammonium during warming suggested a preferential response of organisms driving nitrogen mineralization when compared to sinks of ammonium such as nitrification and algal assimilation. Warming and nutrient enrichment resulted in non-additive effects on nitrogen mineralization and denitrification (synergism), as well as on benthic fluxes of phosphate (antagonism). The mode of interaction appears to be related to the trophic level of the organisms that are the main drivers of the affected processes. Despite the weak response of benthic microalgae to both warming and nutrient enrichment, the assimilation of nitrogen by microalgae was similar in magnitude to rates of nitrogen mineralization. This implies a sustained filter function and retention capacity of nutrients by the sediment. PMID:23240032

Partitioning heritability by functional annotation using genome-wide association summary statistics.

PubMed

Finucane, Hilary K; Bulik-Sullivan, Brendan; Gusev, Alexander; Trynka, Gosia; Reshef, Yakir; Loh, Po-Ru; Anttila, Verneri; Xu, Han; Zang, Chongzhi; Farh, Kyle; Ripke, Stephan; Day, Felix R; Purcell, Shaun; Stahl, Eli; Lindstrom, Sara; Perry, John R B; Okada, Yukinori; Raychaudhuri, Soumya; Daly, Mark J; Patterson, Nick; Neale, Benjamin M; Price, Alkes L

2015-11-01

Recent work has demonstrated that some functional categories of the genome contribute disproportionately to the heritability of complex diseases. Here we analyze a broad set of functional elements, including cell type-specific elements, to estimate their polygenic contributions to heritability in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of 17 complex diseases and traits with an average sample size of 73,599. To enable this analysis, we introduce a new method, stratified LD score regression, for partitioning heritability from GWAS summary statistics while accounting for linked markers. This new method is computationally tractable at very large sample sizes and leverages genome-wide information. Our findings include a large enrichment of heritability in conserved regions across many traits, a very large immunological disease-specific enrichment of heritability in FANTOM5 enhancers and many cell type-specific enrichments, including significant enrichment of central nervous system cell types in the heritability of body mass index, age at menarche, educational attainment and smoking behavior.

ASSESSING RISKS TO WILDLIFE POPULATIONS FROM MULTIPLE STRESSORS: OVERVIEW OF PROBLEM AND RESEARCH NEEDS

EPA Science Inventory

Wildlife populations are experiencing increasing pressure from human-induced changes in the landscape. Stressors including agricultural and urban land use, introduced invasive and exotic species, nutrient enrichment, direct human disturbance, and toxic chemicals directly or indi...

Response of 9Cr-ODS Steel to Proton Irradiation at 400 °C

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

Jianchao He; Farong Wan; Kumar Sridharan

2014-09-01

The stability of Y–Ti–O nanoclusters, dislocation structure, and grain boundary segregation in 9Cr-ODS steels has been investigated following proton irradiation at 400 °C with damage levels up to 3.7 dpa. A slight coarsening and a decrease in number density of nanoclusters were observed as a result of irradiation. The composition of nanoclusters was also observed to change with a slight increase of Y and Cr concentration in the nanoclusters following irradiation. Size, density, and composition of the nanoclusters were investigated as a function of nanocluster size, specifically classified to three groups. In addition to the changes in nanoclusters, dislocation loopsmore » were observed after irradiation. Finally, radiation-induced enrichment of Cr and depletion of W were observed at grain boundaries after irradiation.« less

An improved method of isolating salmonellae from contaminated desiccated coconut

PubMed Central

Iveson, J. B.; Kovacs, N.; Laurie, Wm.

1964-01-01

A report is given on results obtained in the examination of desiccated coconut from Ceylon and the Philippines using two or three media in parallel, the aim being to investigate the efficacy of the enrichment medium introduced by Rappaport, Konforti, and Navon (1956). Although the claims of Rappaport et al. related only to examination of faeces the Rappaport enrichment medium has been found to give higher recovery rates of salmonella from desiccated coconut than the selenite and tetrathionate media. The differences are so striking as to justify an expansion of this work. PMID:14100009

Sift like Eratosthenes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buczynski, Sandy; Gorsky, Jennifer; McGrath, Lynn; Myers, Perla

2011-01-01

The concrete, pictorial, and abstract methods of this lesson give students access to investigate, isolate, define, and use prime numbers. In this article, the authors describe an enrichment lesson that offers opportunities to investigate prime numbers in concrete, pictorial, and abstract ways. Originally introduced by Jerome Bruner in 1960, the…

Relevance of Web Documents:Ghosts Consensus Method.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorbunov, Andrey L.

2002-01-01

Discusses how to improve the quality of Internet search systems and introduces the Ghosts Consensus Method which is free from the drawbacks of digital democracy algorithms and is based on linear programming tasks. Highlights include vector space models; determining relevant documents; and enriching query terms. (LRW)

PDBe: towards reusable data delivery infrastructure at protein data bank in Europe.

PubMed

Mir, Saqib; Alhroub, Younes; Anyango, Stephen; Armstrong, David R; Berrisford, John M; Clark, Alice R; Conroy, Matthew J; Dana, Jose M; Deshpande, Mandar; Gupta, Deepti; Gutmanas, Aleksandras; Haslam, Pauline; Mak, Lora; Mukhopadhyay, Abhik; Nadzirin, Nurul; Paysan-Lafosse, Typhaine; Sehnal, David; Sen, Sanchayita; Smart, Oliver S; Varadi, Mihaly; Kleywegt, Gerard J; Velankar, Sameer

2018-01-04

The Protein Data Bank in Europe (PDBe, pdbe.org) is actively engaged in the deposition, annotation, remediation, enrichment and dissemination of macromolecular structure data. This paper describes new developments and improvements at PDBe addressing three challenging areas: data enrichment, data dissemination and functional reusability. New features of the PDBe Web site are discussed, including a context dependent menu providing links to raw experimental data and improved presentation of structures solved by hybrid methods. The paper also summarizes the features of the LiteMol suite, which is a set of services enabling fast and interactive 3D visualization of structures, with associated experimental maps, annotations and quality assessment information. We introduce a library of Web components which can be easily reused to port data and functionality available at PDBe to other services. We also introduce updates to the SIFTS resource which maps PDB data to other bioinformatics resources, and the PDBe REST API. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

inalienable right and, by and large, neither have U.S. government officials. However, the case of Iran raises perhaps the most critical question in this...slight difference in atomic mass between 235U and 238U. The typical enrichment process requires about 10 lbs of uranium U3O8 to produce 1 lb of low...thermal neutrons but can induce fission in all actinides , including all plutonium isotopes. Therefore, nuclear fuel for a fast reactor must have a

Post-ExSELEX stabilization of an unnatural-base DNA aptamer targeting VEGF165 toward pharmaceutical applications.

PubMed

Kimoto, Michiko; Nakamura, Mana; Hirao, Ichiro

2016-09-06

A new technology, genetic alphabet expansion using artificial bases (unnatural bases), has created high-affinity DNA ligands (aptamers) that specifically bind to target proteins by ExSELEX (genetic alphabet Expansion for Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment). We recently found that the unnatural-base DNA aptamers can be stabilized against nucleases, by introducing an extraordinarily stable, unique hairpin DNA (mini-hairpin DNA) and by reinforcing the stem region with G-C pairs. Here, to establish this aptamer generation method, we examined the stabilization of a high-affinity anti-VEGF165 unnatural-base DNA aptamer. The stabilized aptamers displayed significantly increased thermal and nuclease stabilities, and furthermore, exhibited higher affinity to the target. As compared to the well-known anti-VEGF165 RNA aptamer, pegaptanib (Macugen), our aptamers did not require calcium ions for binding to VEGF165 Biological experiments using cultured cells revealed that our stabilized aptamers efficiently inhibited the interaction between VEGF165 and its receptor, with the same or slightly higher efficiency than that of the pegaptanib RNA aptamer. The development of cost-effective and calcium ion-independent high-affinity anti-VEGF165 DNA aptamers encourages further progress in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In addition, the stabilization process provided additional information about the key elements required for aptamer binding to VEGF165. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Pneumatic conveyance apparatus and process

DOEpatents

Heckendorn, Frank M.; Matzolf, Athneal D.; Hera, Kevin R.

2010-05-04

A pneumatic nozzle capable of removing dry solid debris, liquids, and mixtures of solid and liquid waste is provided. The pneumatic nozzle uses a pressurized gas stream to push materials through the nozzle. The force of a pressurized gas stream provides a partial vacuum to allow material to be introduced into an opening of a nozzle via a slight suction force. Thereafter, individual particles and materials introduced into the pneumatic nozzle are pushed by a stream of pressurized gas through the nozzle.

Characterization of Cultures Enriched from Acidic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soil for Growth on Pyrene at Low pH▿

PubMed Central

Uyttebroek, Maarten; Vermeir, Steven; Wattiau, Pierre; Ryngaert, Annemie; Springael, Dirk

2007-01-01

Two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soils of pH 2 were successfully used as inoculum to enrich cultures growing on phenanthrene and pyrene at different pHs, including pH 3. Selected pyrene-utilizing cultures obtained at pH 3, pH 5, and pH 7 were further characterized. All showed rapid [14C]pyrene mineralization at pH 3 and pH 5 and grew on pyrene at pH values ranging from 2 to 6. Eubacterial and mycobacterial 16S rRNA gene denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting and sequencing indicated that the cultures were dominated by a single bacterium closely related to Mycobacterium montefiorense, belonging to the slow-growing Mycobacterium sp. In contrast, a culture enriched on pyrene at pH 7 from a slightly alkaline soil sampled at the same site was dominated by Pseudomonas putida and a fast-growing Mycobacterium sp. The M. montefiorense-related species dominating the pyrene-utilizing cultures enriched from the acidic soils was also the dominant Mycobacterium species in the acidic soils. Our data indicate that a slow-growing Mycobacterium species is involved in PAH degradation in that culture and show that bacteria able to degrade high-molecular-weight PAHs at low pH are present in acidic PAH-contaminated soil. PMID:17369339

Improving the accuracy of ultrafast ligand-based screening: incorporating lipophilicity into ElectroShape as an extra dimension.

PubMed

Armstrong, M Stuart; Finn, Paul W; Morris, Garrett M; Richards, W Graham

2011-08-01

In a previous paper, we presented the ElectroShape method, which we used to achieve successful ligand-based virtual screening. It extended classical shape-based methods by applying them to the four-dimensional shape of the molecule where partial charge was used as the fourth dimension to capture electrostatic information. This paper extends the approach by using atomic lipophilicity (alogP) as an additional molecular property and validates it using the improved release 2 of the Directory of Useful Decoys (DUD). When alogP replaced partial charge, the enrichment results were slightly below those of ElectroShape, though still far better than purely shape-based methods. However, when alogP was added as a complement to partial charge, the resulting five-dimensional enrichments shows a clear improvement in performance. This demonstrates the utility of extending the ElectroShape virtual screening method by adding other atom-based descriptors.

Atomic vapor laser isotope separation in France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camarcat, Noel; Lafon, Alain; Perves, Jean-Pierre; Rosengard, Alex; Sauzay, Guy

1993-05-01

France has developed a very complete nuclear industry, from mining to reprocessing and radwastes management, and now has a major electro-nuclear park, with 55 power reactors, supplying 75% of the nation's electricity and representing 32% of its energy requirements. The modern multinational EURODIF enrichment plant in Pierrelatte in the south of the country supplies these reactors with enriched uranium as well as foreign utilities (30% exports). It works smoothly and has continuously been improved to reduce operating costs and to gain flexibility and longevity. Investment costs will be recovered at the turn of the century. The plant will be competitive well ahead of an aging production park, with large overcapacity, in other countries. Meanwhile, world needs will increase only slightly during the next 15 years, apart from the Asian Pacific area, but many world governments are becoming well aware of the necessity to progressively resume nuclear energy development worldwide from the year 2000 on.

The Martian Soil as a Geochemical Sink for Hydrothermally Altered Crustal Rocks and Mobile Elements: Implications of Early MER Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newsom, H. E.; Nelson, M. J.; Shearer, C. K.; Draper, D. S.

2005-01-01

Hydrothermal and aqueous alteration can explain some of the exciting results from the MER team s analyses of the martian soil, including the major elements, mobile elements, and the nickel enrichment. Published results from the five lander missions lead to the following conclusions: 1) The soil appears to be globally mixed and basaltic with only small local variations in chemistry. Relative to martian basaltic meteorites and Gusev rocks the soils are depleted in the fluid-mobile element calcium, but only slightly enriched to somewhat depleted in iron oxide. 2) The presence of olivine in the soils based on M ssbauer data argues that the soil is only partly weathered and is more akin to a lunar regolith than a terrestrial soil. 3) The presence of bromine along with sulfur and chlorine in the soils is consistent with addition of a mobile element component to the soil.

A model for the enantiomeric enrichment of polypeptides on the primitive earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blair, N. E.; Bonner, W. A.

1981-01-01

A potential model is presented for the origin of optical activity in polypeptides on the primitive earth due to enantiomeric enrichment in succeeding polymerization-hydrolysis cycles. The model was developed in experiments with the polymerization of a DL-leucine N-carboxyanhydride mixture with a 31.2% enantiomeric excess of the L isomer with sodium methoxide initiator to yield a polyleucine product which was in turn partially hydrolyzed by acid. The polymerization-hydrolysis was found to produce a net 23.8% increase in the enantiomeric excess of the remaining unhydrolyzed polypeptide (14.2% from the polymerization and 9.6% from the partial hydrolysis). On the basis of these results, it is suggested that a slight excess produced by an appropriate chiral physical process may be enhanced by cycles of stereoselective polymerization and hydrolysis driven by fluctuating wet and dry environmental cycles on the primitive earth.

Glyoxal and methylglyoxal in Atlantic seawater and marine aerosol particles: method development and first application during the Polarstern cruise ANT XXVII/4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Pinxteren, M.; Herrmann, H.

2013-06-01

An analytical method for the determination of the alpha dicarbonyls glyoxal (GLY) and methylglyoxal (MGLY) from seawater and marine aerosol samples is presented. The method is based on derivatisation with o-(2,3,4,5,6-Pentafluorobenzyl)-hydroxylamine (PFBHA) reagent, solvent extraction and GC-MS (SIM) analysis. The method showed good precision (RSD <10%), sensitivity (detection limits in the low ng L-1 range), and accuracy (good agreement between external calibration and standard addition). The method was applied to determine GLY and MGLY in oceanic water sampled during the POLARSTERN cruise ANT XXVII/4 from Capetown to Bremerhaven in spring 2011. GLY and MGLY were determined in the sea surface microlayer (SML) of the ocean and corresponding bulkwater (BW) with average concentrations of 228 ng L-1 (GLY) and 196 ng L-1 (MGLY). The results show a significant enrichment (factor of 4) of GLY and MGLY in the SML. Furthermore, marine aerosol particles (PM1) were sampled during the cruise and analyzed for GLY (average concentration 0.19 ng m-3) and MGLY (average concentration 0.15 ng m-3). On aerosol particles, both carbonyls show a very good correlation with oxalate, supporting the idea of a secondary formation of oxalic acid via GLY and MGLY. Concentrations of GLY and MGLY in seawater and on aerosol particles were correlated to environmental parameters such as global radiation, temperature, distance to the coastline and biological activity. There are slight hints for a photochemical production of GLY and MGLY in the SML (significant enrichment in the SML, higher enrichment at higher temperature). However, a clear connection of GLY and MGLY to global radiation as well as to biological activity cannot be concluded from the data. A slight correlation between GLY and MGLY in the SML and in aerosols could be a hint for interactions of especially GLY between seawater and the atmosphere.

Glyoxal and methylglyoxal in Atlantic seawater and marine aerosol particles: method development and first application during the Polarstern cruise ANT XXVII/4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Pinxteren, M.; Herrmann, H.

2013-12-01

An analytical method for the determination of the alpha dicarbonyls glyoxal (GLY) and methylglyoxal (MGLY) from seawater and marine aerosol particles is presented. The method is based on derivatization with o-(2,3,4,5,6-Pentafluorobenzyl)-hydroxylamine (PFBHA) reagent, solvent extraction and GC-MS (SIM) analysis. The method showed good precision (RSD < 10%), sensitivity (detection limits in the low ng L-1 range), and accuracy (good agreement between external calibration and standard addition). The method was applied to determine GLY and MGLY in oceanic water sampled during the Polarstern cruise ANT XXVII/4 from Capetown to Bremerhaven in spring 2011. GLY and MGLY were determined in the sea surface microlayer (SML) of the ocean and corresponding bulk water (BW) with average concentrations of 228 ng L-1 (GLY) and 196 ng L-1 (MGLY). The results show a significant enrichment (factor of 4) of GLY and MGLY in the SML. Furthermore, marine aerosol particles (PM1) were sampled during the cruise and analyzed for GLY (average concentration 0.19 ng m-3) and MGLY (average concentration 0.15 ng m-3). On aerosol particles, both carbonyls show a very good correlation with oxalate, supporting the idea of a secondary formation of oxalic acid via GLY and MGLY. Concentrations of GLY and MGLY in seawater and on aerosol particles were correlated to environmental parameters such as global radiation, temperature, distance to the coastline and biological activity. There are slight hints for a photochemical production of GLY and MGLY in the SML (significant enrichment in the SML, higher enrichment at higher temperature). However, a clear connection of GLY and MGLY to global radiation as well as to biological activity cannot be concluded from the data. A slight correlation between GLY and MGLY in the SML and in aerosol particles could be a hint for interactions, in particular of GLY, between seawater and the atmosphere.

The Introduction of Agility into Albania.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-Stevens, Eileen J.; Shkurti, Drita

1998-01-01

Describes a plan to introduce and achieve a national awareness of agility (and easy entry into the world market) for Albania through the relatively stable higher-education order. Agility's four strategic principles are enriching the customer, cooperating to enhance competitiveness, organizing to master change and uncertainty, and leveraging the…

Institutionalization of Gerontological Curricular Change in Schools of Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wernet, Stephen P.; Singleton, Judy L.

2010-01-01

This study addresses factors associated with sustainability and institutionalization of change in the 67 Geriatric Enrichment in Social Work Education (GeroRich) projects, and the ways innovations introduced became institutionalized at the respective colleges and universities. An unobtrusive qualitative-descriptive research design was used to…

The After-School Alternatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pekow, Charles

1998-01-01

Three companies (Voyager Expanded Learning, Mindsurf, and EXPLORE) have introduced after-school programs that emphasize stress-free academic enrichment activities. The companies differ, but share a fun-learning concept, maintain low staff-child ratios of about 1:8, and serve grades K-8. The operative words are flexibility and affordability. Some…

Refertilization process in the Patagonian subcontinental lithospheric mantle of Estancia Sol de Mayo (Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melchiorre, Massimiliano; Coltorti, Massimo; Gregoire, Michel; Benoit, Mathieu

2015-05-01

Anhydrous mantle xenoliths equilibrated at 1003-1040 °C from Estancia Sol de Mayo (ESM, Central Patagonia, Argentina) and entrained in post-plateau alkaline lavas belonging to Meseta Lago Buenos Aires have been investigated aiming at reconstructing the depletion and enrichment processes that affected this portion of the Patagonia lithospheric mantle. Xenoliths are characterized by a coarse-grained protogranular texture and are devoid of evident modal metasomatism. They show two texturally different clinopyroxenes: protogranular (cpx1) and texturally related to spinel (cpx2). Three different types of orthopyroxenes are also recognized: large protogranular crystals with exsolution lamellae (opx1); small clean and undeformed grains without exsolution lamellae (opx2) and small grains arranged in a vein (opx3). Major element composition of clinopyroxenes and orthopyroxenes highlights two different trends characterized by i) a high Al2O3 content at almost constant mg# and ii) a slight increase in Al2O3 content with decreasing mg#. Clinopyroxenes are enriched in LREE and are characterized by prominent to slightly negative Nb, Zr and Ti anomalies. No geochemical differences are observed between cpx1 and cpx2, while a discrimination can be observed between opx1 and opx2 (LREE-depleted; prominent to slightly negative Ti and Zr anomalies) and opx3 (prominent positive Zr anomaly). Partial melting modeling using both major and trace elements indicates a melting degree between ~ 5% and ~ 13% (up to ~ 23% according to major element modeling) for lherzolites and between ~ 20% and ~ 30% for harzburgites (down to ~ 5% according to trace element modeling). La/Yb and Al2O3, as well as Sr and Al2O3 negative correlations in clinopyroxenes point to a refertilization event affecting this lithospheric mantle. The agent was most probably a transitional alkaline/subalkaline melt, as indicated by the presence of orthopyroxene in the vein and the similar geochemical features of ESM clinopyroxenes and those from Northern Patagonia pyroxenites which are derived from transitional alkaline/subalkaline lavas.

Geochemistry of the Bela Ophiolite, Pakistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, M.; Nicholson, K. N.; Mahmood, K.

2008-12-01

The Bela ophiolite complex of Balochistan, Pakistan has been the subject of several geochemical and tectonic studies in the past. However until now there has never been a combined structural, geochemical and tectonic assimilation study which adequately explains the observed geochemistry and structural geology in a global tectonic framework. Here we present the geochemical findings of our work. The Bela ophiolite complex consists of two major units: the basal section or Lower Unit, and the Upper Unit, between the two is a mélange zone. The Lower Unit is relatively homogeneous and consists almost entirely of flow basalts and pillow basalts. The base of the Upper Unit is the metamorphic sole which is overlain by a sequence of massive basalts flows and intrusions of gabbro and granites. The entire Upper Unit is cut by doleritic dykes and sills. Geochemically the Lower Unit is comprised of basaltic lavas with E-MORB affinities. These lavas are tholeiitic, low-K series lavas with trace element signatures of E-type MORB. For example ratios such as V/Ti, Zr/Y, Nb/Th, Th/La and Nb/U all suggest these lavas are E-MORB. Previous workers have suggested these lavas are back-arc basin (BAB) however the samples lack the characteristic signatures of subduction modified MORB. This conclusion is supported by chondrite and N-MORB normalized spider diagrams where the Lower Unit lavas are enriched in the LILE with respect to the HFSE. The Upper Unit of the Bela Ophiolite sequence has a slightly more complex history. The older lavas sequences, the massive basalt flows, gabbros and granites, all formed in an oceanic arc environment. These lavas exhibit classic arc signatures such as a negative Nb and Ti anomalies, are enriched in LILE and LREE relative to HSFE, and plot in the volcanic arc and island arc fields in classic ternary plots such as 2Nb- Zr/4-Y and Y/15-La/10-Nb/8. The younger sequence of intrusions found in the Bela ophiolite appear to have BAB signatures. These lavas have relatively flat MORB normalized plots, are slightly depleted in the LILE relative the HFSE, and have a very small negative Nb anomaly. Source characteristics for both units have been determined using trace element data. This work suggests that the E-MORB lavas are derived from partial melting of enriched mantle. The lavas found in the Upper Unit have all been sourced from depleted or N-MORB mantle which has been modified by subducting fluids. It is possible that the younger BAB samples have a slightly more enriched source than the corresponding arc lavas which might indicate movement of the subduction zone allowing the influx of new mantle material below the wedge. In conclusion, our new geochemical work shows that the Bela ophiolite contains three distinct magmatic sequences: a lower E-MORB sequence over lain by a series of volcanic arc lavas which are cut by BAB-type sills and dykes.

Evaluation of the mobility and pollution index of selected essential/toxic metals in paddy soil by sequential extraction method.

PubMed

Hasan, Maria; Kausar, Dilshad; Akhter, Gulraiz; Shah, Munir H

2018-01-01

Comparative distribution and mobility of selected essential and toxic metals in the paddy soil from district Sargodha, Pakistan was evaluated by the modified Community Bureau of Reference (mBCR) sequential extraction procedure. Most of the soil samples showed slightly alkaline nature while the soil texture was predominantly silty loam in nature. The metal contents were quantified in the exchangeable, reducible, oxidisable and residual fractions of the soil by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry and the metal data were subjected to the statistical analyses in order to evaluate the mutual relationships among the metals in each fraction. Among the metals, Ca, Sr and Mn were found to be more mobile in the soil. A number of significant correlations between different metal pairs were noted in various fractions. Contamination factor, geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor revealed extremely severe enrichment/contamination for Cd; moderate to significant enrichment/contamination for Ni, Zn, Co and Pb while Cr, Sr, Cu and Mn revealed minimal to moderate contamination and accumulation in the soil. Multivariate cluster analysis showed significant anthropogenic intrusions of the metals in various fractions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implications of Barium Abundances for the Chemical Enrichment of Dwarf Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duggan, Gina; Kirby, Evan N.

2018-06-01

There are many candidate sites of the r-process: core-collapse supernovae (including rare magnetorotational core-collapse supernovae), neutron star mergers (NSMs), and neutron star/black hole mergers. The chemical enrichment of galaxies—specifically dwarf galaxies—helps distinguish between these sources based on the continual build-up of r-process elements. The existence of several nearby dwarf galaxies allows us to measure robust chemical abundances for galaxies with different star formation histories. Dwarf galaxies are especially useful because simple chemical evolution models can be used to determine the sources of r-process material. We have measured the r-process element barium with Keck/DEIMOS medium-resolution spectroscopy. We will present the largest sample of barium abundances (more than 200 stars) in dwarf galaxies ever assembled. We measure [Ba/Fe] as a function of [Fe/H] in this sample and compare with existing [alpha/Fe] measurements. We have found that a large contribution of barium needs to occur at timescales similar to Type Ia supernovae in order to recreate our observed abundances, namely the flat or slightly rising trend of [Ba/Fe] vs. [Fe/H]. We conclude that neutron star mergers are the main contribution of r-process enrichment in dwarf galaxies.

A Platinum-Enriched gamma+gamma' Two-Phase Bond Coat on Ni-Base Superalloys

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

Zhang, Ying; Pint, Bruce A; Haynes, James A

2005-01-01

Pt-enriched {gamma} + {gamma}{prime} two-phase coating was applied to directionally-solidified Ni-based superalloy Ren{acute e} 142 substrates with three different Hf levels (0.02, 0.76, and 1.37 wt.%). The coating was prepared by electroplating a thin layer of Pt on the superalloy followed by a diffusion treatment. The as-deposited coating exhibited a {gamma} + {gamma}{prime} two-phase microstructure with a major composition of Ni-16Al-18Pt-7Cr-9Co (in at.%) along with some incorporation of refractory elements from the substrates. Cyclic oxidation testing at 1100 C in air indicated improved oxidation resistance of the Ren{acute e} 142 alloys with the Pt-enriched {gamma} + {gamma}{prime} coatings. In addition,more » the oxidation resistance of both uncoated and coated alloys was proportional to the Hf content in the substrate. Compared with the single-phase {beta}-(Ni,Pt)Al coating, slightly higher mass gains and localized spallation were observed on the {gamma} + {gamma}{prime} two-phase coating, which might be due to the segregation of refractory elements and high sulfur levels in these superalloy substrates.« less

Formation conditions and REY enrichment of the 2060 Ma phosphorus mineralization at Schiel (South Africa): geochemical and geochronological constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graupner, Torsten; Klemd, Reiner; Henjes-Kunst, Friedhelm; Goldmann, Simon; Behnsen, Helge; Gerdes, Axel; Dohrmann, Reiner; Barton, Jay M.; Opperman, Rehan

2018-02-01

Rocks of the rare-earth element (REY)-enriched apatite deposit in the eastern part of the Schiel Alkaline Complex (SAC; Southern Marginal Zone, Limpopo Belt) were studied for their whole-rock and mineral chemistry, REY mineral distribution and geochronology. Apart from phoscorite (sensu lato), pyroxenite and various syenitic rock types with quite variable apatite contents display P-REY enrichments. Field observations, mineralogical composition as well as major and trace element chemistry of soils make it possible to constrain the distribution of the hidden P-REY-rich rock types in the apatite deposit. Uranium-lead ages of zircon from phoscorite (sensu lato) and syenite are in the range of 2.06-2.05 Ga. Samarium-neodymium (ɛNd(t) -8.6 to -6.0) and in part Rb-Sr (87Sr/86Sr(t) 0.70819-0.70859) isotope data for whole-rock samples and mineral separates indicate an origin from an isotopically enriched and slightly variable source. Fluorapatite, early allanite and titanite are the main REY carriers at Schiel. Fluorapatite dominates the REY budget of pyroxenite and phoscorite, whereas early allanite hosts most of the REY in syenite. Three apatite types are distinguished based on their occurrence in the rocks, REYtotal contents and colouration in cathodoluminescence microscopy. Magmatic apatite in pyroxenite and in phoscorite (sensu lato) as well as early stage type I/II apatite in syenitic rocks have moderate to high REYtotal abundances (up to 3.2 wt%) with the mineral enriched in light REE. Early ferriallanite-(Ce) is strongly enriched in light REE and shows very high REYtotal values (13.7-26.4 wt%), while late allanite has lower REYtotal concentrations (6.9-14.9 wt%). Titanite is abundant in most syenitic rocks (REYtotal 1.7-6.4 wt%); chevkinite-(Ce) occurs locally and contributes to an REY enrichment in contact aureoles between syenite and different lithologies. Apatite-enriched rocks in the SAC in part contain significantly higher REYtotal concentrations in apatite grains compared to those in apatite-mineralized pyroxenite, phoscorite and carbonatite from Phalaborwa.

Geochemistry of pillow lavas and sheeted dikes from Nain and Ashin ophiolites (Central Iran)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saccani, Emilio; Pirnia Naeini, Tahmineh; Torabi, Ghodrat

2017-04-01

An extensive, worldwide database on the geochemistry of basalts from well-known tectonic settings is available. Knowing the chemistry of basalts on one hand, and the tectonic setting of their origin on the other hand, resulted in the development of tectonic discrimination diagrams. Recently developed discrimination diagrams allow us to determine the tectonic setting of volcanics with almost neglectable probability of misclassification (<1%). One major application of these diagrams lies in discriminating the tectonic setting of formation of ophiolites, particularly in poorly-known areas. A good example is the Inner ophiolite belt of Iran, located in Central Iran. The geodynamic significance of the inner ophiolites is still poorly known. From the Inner ophiolites, either no volcanic section is reported, or, the data are highly limited and poorly-reliable due the high degree of alteration of the studied samples. We have been able to overcome this problem by spotting relatively well-preserved outcrops of pillow lavas and sheeted dikes from two ophiolite mélanges of Central Iran, Nain and Ashin ophiolites. The two mélanges are located in the west of Central-East Iranian microplate. In total, 28 samples have been collected from the pillow lavas and sheeted dikes outcrops. The studied volcanic rocks consist mainly of basalts and minor ferrobasalts and basaltic andesites, all showing a clear subalkaline nature (e.g., Nb/Y = 0.03-0.21). Two samples from the Nain ophiolite are characterized by N-MORB normalized incompatible element patterns showing marked Th positive anomalies and Ta, Nb, Ti negative anomalies. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns show LREE/HREE (light REE/heavy REE) enrichment, with LaN/YbN=3.2-4.3. These rocks are chemically similar to the calc-alkaline basalts (CAB), as also highlighted by many discrimination diagrams. These rocks are interpreted to have generated in a cordilleran-type volcanic arc setting. All other samples from both the Nain and Ashin ophiolites display a wide range of chemical composition. However, the relatively less fractionated basalts are characterized by low TiO2 (0.60-1 wt%), P2O5 (0.03-0.08 wt%), Zr (23-75 ppm) and Y (9-27) contents. Cr (38-619 ppm) and Ni (22-220 ppm) contents show a wide range of variation. N-MORB normalized incompatible element patterns show rather flat trends and a general depletion (from 0.4 to 0.8 times N-MORB composition) coupled with a slight Th enrichment (1-3 times N-MORB). Chondrite-normalized REE patterns are generally flat and are characterized by either a slight depletion or a slight enrichment in LREE compared to HREE (LaN/YbN=0.7-1.2). These overall chemical features resemble those of island arc tholeiites from many ophiolitic complexes. The depletion in incompatible elements compared to N-MORB suggest that these rocks were derived from partial melting of a depleted mantle source. Th enrichment with respect to Nb (ThN/NbN = 2.6-12.4) suggests that mantle sources underwent enrichment in subduction-derived chemical components prior melting. Our data suggest that the Nain and Ashin ophiolites were formed in a subduction-related tectonic setting during the Late Cretaceous. The chemistry of the studied rocks is compatible with transition zone either from forearc to arc or from arc to backarc.

Slightly uneven electric field trigatron employed in tens of microseconds charging time.

PubMed

Lin, Jiajin; Yang, Jianhua; Zhang, Jiande; Zhang, Huibo; Yang, Xiao

2014-09-01

To solve the issue of operation instability for the trigatron switch in the application of tens of microseconds or even less charging time, a novel trigatron spark gap with slightly uneven electric field was presented. Compared with the conventional trigatron, the novel trigatron was constructed with an obvious field enhancement on the edge of the opposite electrode. The selection of the field enhancement was analyzed based on the theory introduced by Martin. A low voltage trigatron model was constructed and tested on the tens of microseconds charging time platform. The results show that the character of relative range was improved while the trigger character still held a high level. This slightly uneven electric field typed trigatron is willing to be employed in the Tesla transformer - pulse forming line system.

On the Generation of Intermediate Number Squeezed State of the Quantized Radiation Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baseia, B.; de Lima, A. F.; Bagnato, V. S.

Recently, a new state of the quantized radiation field — the intermediate number squeezed state (INSS) — has been introduced in the literature: it interpolates between the number state |n> and the squeezed state |z, α>=Ŝ(z)|α>, and exhibits interesting nonclassical properties as antibunching, sub-Poissonian statistics and squeezing. Here we introduce a slight modification in the previous definition allowing us a proposal to generate the INSS. Nonclassical properties using a new set of parameters are also studied.

Mathematics and Living Things. Student Text. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faber, Norman J.; And Others

This document is designed for grade eight to enrich and supplement the usual courses of instruction. Mathematics and Living Things (MALT) utilizes exercises in biological science to derive data through which mathematical concepts and principles may be introduced and expanded. Chapters included are: (1) Leaves and Natural Variation: Measurement of…

YouthALIVE! From Enrichment to Employment: The YouthALIVE! Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Science-Technology Centers, Washington, DC.

This document introduces the national initiative YouthALIVE (Youth Achievement through Learning, Involvement, Volunteering, and Employment). The YouthALIVE program focuses on the needs of children of color from low-income communities and provides financial and technical assistance to science centers, zoos, botanical gardens, and museums for the…

Bringing Action Reflection Learning into Action Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rimanoczy, Isabel; Brown, Carole

2008-01-01

This paper introduces Action Reflection Learning (ARL) as a learning methodology that can contribute to, and enrich, the practice of action learning programs. It describes the Swedish constructivist origins of the model, its evolution and the coded responses that resulted from researching the practice. The paper presents the resulting sixteen ARL…

The Ins and Outs of Relief Casting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, Yvonne

2000-01-01

Describes a unit on clay casting that introduces students to relief sculpture. The unit takes three 45 to 50 minute class periods three weeks apart. Discusses each class session in detail: (1) creating the casting; (2) turning out and rinsing the casting; and (3) enriching the surface with color. (CMK)

Incorporating Digital E-Books into Educational Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Freda

2005-01-01

The first books were probably the Egyptian scrolls of papyrus that provided lineal content to readers. Today (2005) the Internet technology presents the Internet lifestyle that has introduced electronic or e-books that can enrich learning experiences. E-books have an advantage over traditional books in that they offer hypertext linking, search…

Hexaflexagons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Martin

2012-01-01

This article is a slightly condensed reprint of Martin Gardner's very first "Mathematical Games" column (which appeared December 1956 in "Scientific American"). Here Gardner introduces flexagons (paper polygons folded from straight or crooked strips of paper which have the fascinating property of changing their faces when they are "flexed"),…

Heavy Metal Pollution in Settled Dust Associated with Different Urban Functional Areas in a Heavily Air-Polluted City in North China.

PubMed

Wan, Dejun; Han, Zhangxiong; Yang, Jinsong; Yang, Guanglin; Liu, Xingqi

2016-11-10

Understanding variations of heavy metals in atmospheric particles between different functional areas is significant for pollution control and urban planning in cities. To reveal pollution and spatial distribution of heavy metals in atmospheric particles from different urban functional areas in Shijiazhuang in North China, 43 settled dust samples were collected over the main urban area and heavy metal concentrations were determined in their <63 μm fractions using an ICP-OES. The results suggest that Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and V in the dust are not or slightly enriched and their concentrations vary slightly between different sites, implying their natural origins; whereas Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb are often notably enriched and their concentrations vary significantly between different functional areas, indicating their anthropogenic sources. Integrated pollution indexes (IPIs) of the ten heavy metals are 2.7-13.6 (5.7 ± 2.2), suggesting high or very high pollution levels of most dust. Relatively lower IPIs occur mainly in the administration-education area, the commercial area, and other unclassified sites; while peaks occur mainly in the North Railway Station, the northeastern industrial area, and some sites near heavily trafficked areas, implying the significant influence of intensive industrial (including coal combustion) and traffic activities on atmospheric heavy metal accumulation. These results suggest a clear need of mitigating atmospheric heavy metal pollution via controlling emissions of toxic metals (especially Cd and Pb) from industrial and traffic sources in the city.

Heavy Metal Pollution in Settled Dust Associated with Different Urban Functional Areas in a Heavily Air-Polluted City in North China

PubMed Central

Wan, Dejun; Han, Zhangxiong; Yang, Jinsong; Yang, Guanglin; Liu, Xingqi

2016-01-01

Understanding variations of heavy metals in atmospheric particles between different functional areas is significant for pollution control and urban planning in cities. To reveal pollution and spatial distribution of heavy metals in atmospheric particles from different urban functional areas in Shijiazhuang in North China, 43 settled dust samples were collected over the main urban area and heavy metal concentrations were determined in their <63 μm fractions using an ICP-OES. The results suggest that Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and V in the dust are not or slightly enriched and their concentrations vary slightly between different sites, implying their natural origins; whereas Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb are often notably enriched and their concentrations vary significantly between different functional areas, indicating their anthropogenic sources. Integrated pollution indexes (IPIs) of the ten heavy metals are 2.7–13.6 (5.7 ± 2.2), suggesting high or very high pollution levels of most dust. Relatively lower IPIs occur mainly in the administration-education area, the commercial area, and other unclassified sites; while peaks occur mainly in the North Railway Station, the northeastern industrial area, and some sites near heavily trafficked areas, implying the significant influence of intensive industrial (including coal combustion) and traffic activities on atmospheric heavy metal accumulation. These results suggest a clear need of mitigating atmospheric heavy metal pollution via controlling emissions of toxic metals (especially Cd and Pb) from industrial and traffic sources in the city. PMID:27834903

Possible Phosphate Redistribution on the Martian Surface: Implication From Simulation Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dreibus, G.; Haubold, R.; Jagoutz, E.

2001-12-01

The chemical composition of Martian rocks and soils as measured with the APXS (Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer) of the Mars Pathfinder Mission are very different [1]. Surprisingly, only small differences of the phosphorous concentrations between soils and rocks were found. The P concentration of about 4000 ppm is similar to that measured in basaltic shergottites. Phosphates are the host mineral for the REE, Th and U. Leach experiments with slightly acidified brines on basaltic shergottites easily dissolved more than a half of the REEs and U whereas K remained insoluble. Therefore, we suggested the possibility of alteration and mobilization of phosphates in the Martian environment with the result of an enrichment of U, Th, and consequently P on the surface. However, the APXS measured no P enrichment in rocks and soil of the Martian crust, whereas a high Th concentration on the surface was measured with the gamma-spectroscopy from orbit by Mars-5 and Phobos-2 [2]. With leach experiments on terrestrial samples we studied the solubility of U and Th as in the case of shergottites, but also that of phosphorous. Furthermore, simulation experiments of reactions between slightly acidified calcium-phosphate solution and different terrestrial rock types were performed to clarify the redistribution of P at the Martian surface with its complex weathering history. Ref.: [1] Brueckner J. et al. (2001) Lunar Planet. Science. XXXII, 1293; [2] Surkov Yu. A. et al. (1989) Nature 341, 595.

The Great White Guppy: Top Predator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michalski, G. M.

2011-12-01

Nitrogen isotopes are often used to trace the trophic level of members of an ecosystem. As part of a stable isotope biogeochemistry and forensics course at Purdue University, students are introduced to this concept by analyzing nitrogen isotopes in sea food purchased from local grocery stores. There is a systematic increase in 15N/14N ratios going from kelp to clams/shrimp, to sardines, to tuna and finally to shark. These enrichments demonstrate how nitrogen is enriched in biomass as predators consume prey. Some of the highest nitrogen isotope enrichments observed, however, are in the common guppy. We investigated a number of aquarium fish foods and find they typically have high nitrogen isotope ratios because they are made form fish meal that is produced primarily from the remains of predator fish such as tuna. From, a isotope perspective, the guppy is the top of the food chain, more ferocious than even the Great White shark.

[Studies of immunomodulation caused by selenium-enriched phycocyanin].

PubMed

Egorova, E A; Gmoshinskiĭ, I V; Zorin, S N; Mazo, V K

2006-01-01

An influense was studied in rats of selenium enriched phycocyanin (Se-PC) from food microalgae Spirulina on anaphylactic reaction severity and circulating antibody response against model allergen--hen's egg white ovalbumin. Se-PC was introduced into diet in form of protein isolate precipitated with ammonia sulphate. Se-PC dosage made up to 450 mcg per rat daily that corresponded to 5 mcg of selenium. There were no differences revealed between experimental and control group that received standard diet in severity of anaphylactic reaction. Nevertheless rats receiving Se-PC demonstrated significantly increased specific IgG response. The probable immunomodulating properties of Se-PC included into food are discussed.

Comparative study on gene set and pathway topology-based enrichment methods.

PubMed

Bayerlová, Michaela; Jung, Klaus; Kramer, Frank; Klemm, Florian; Bleckmann, Annalen; Beißbarth, Tim

2015-10-22

Enrichment analysis is a popular approach to identify pathways or sets of genes which are significantly enriched in the context of differentially expressed genes. The traditional gene set enrichment approach considers a pathway as a simple gene list disregarding any knowledge of gene or protein interactions. In contrast, the new group of so called pathway topology-based methods integrates the topological structure of a pathway into the analysis. We comparatively investigated gene set and pathway topology-based enrichment approaches, considering three gene set and four topological methods. These methods were compared in two extensive simulation studies and on a benchmark of 36 real datasets, providing the same pathway input data for all methods. In the benchmark data analysis both types of methods showed a comparable ability to detect enriched pathways. The first simulation study was conducted with KEGG pathways, which showed considerable gene overlaps between each other. In this study with original KEGG pathways, none of the topology-based methods outperformed the gene set approach. Therefore, a second simulation study was performed on non-overlapping pathways created by unique gene IDs. Here, methods accounting for pathway topology reached higher accuracy than the gene set methods, however their sensitivity was lower. We conducted one of the first comprehensive comparative works on evaluating gene set against pathway topology-based enrichment methods. The topological methods showed better performance in the simulation scenarios with non-overlapping pathways, however, they were not conclusively better in the other scenarios. This suggests that simple gene set approach might be sufficient to detect an enriched pathway under realistic circumstances. Nevertheless, more extensive studies and further benchmark data are needed to systematically evaluate these methods and to assess what gain and cost pathway topology information introduces into enrichment analysis. Both types of methods for enrichment analysis require further improvements in order to deal with the problem of pathway overlaps.

Faux Mutagenesis: Teaching Troubleshooting through Controlled Failure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartberg, Yasha

2006-01-01

By shifting pedagogical goals from obtaining successful mutations to teaching students critical troubleshooting skills, it has been possible to introduce site-directed mutagenesis into an undergraduate teaching laboratory. Described in this study is an inexpensive laboratory exercise in which students follow a slightly modified version of…

An alpine treeline in a carbon dioxide-rich world: synthesis of a nine-year free-air carbon dioxide enrichment study.

PubMed

Dawes, Melissa A; Hagedorn, Frank; Handa, Ira Tanya; Streit, Kathrin; Ekblad, Alf; Rixen, Christian; Körner, Christian; Hättenschwiler, Stephan

2013-03-01

We evaluated the impacts of elevated CO2 in a treeline ecosystem in the Swiss Alps in a 9-year free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) study. We present new data and synthesize plant and soil results from the entire experimental period. Light-saturated photosynthesis (A max) of ca. 35-year-old Larix decidua and Pinus uncinata was stimulated by elevated CO2 throughout the experiment. Slight down-regulation of photosynthesis in Pinus was consistent with starch accumulation in needle tissue. Above-ground growth responses differed between tree species, with a 33 % mean annual stimulation in Larix but no response in Pinus. Species-specific CO2 responses also occurred for abundant dwarf shrub species in the understorey, where Vaccinium myrtillus showed a sustained shoot growth enhancement (+11 %) that was not apparent for Vaccinium gaultherioides or Empetrum hermaphroditum. Below ground, CO2 enrichment did not stimulate fine root or mycorrhizal mycelium growth, but increased CO2 effluxes from the soil (+24 %) indicated that enhanced C assimilation was partially offset by greater respiratory losses. The dissolved organic C (DOC) concentration in soil solutions was consistently higher under elevated CO2 (+14 %), suggesting accelerated soil organic matter turnover. CO2 enrichment hardly affected the C-N balance in plants and soil, with unaltered soil total or mineral N concentrations and little impact on plant leaf N concentration or the stable N isotope ratio. Sustained differences in plant species growth responses suggest future shifts in species composition with atmospheric change. Consistently increased C fixation, soil respiration and DOC production over 9 years of CO2 enrichment provide clear evidence for accelerated C cycling with no apparent consequences on the N cycle in this treeline ecosystem.

Post-Hercynian subvolcanic magmatism in the Serre Massif (Central-Southern Calabria, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romano, V.; Cirrincione, R.; Fiannacca, P.; Mazzoleni, P.; Tranchina, A.

2009-04-01

In the Serre Massif (Central-Southern Calabria, Italy) dykes and subvolcanic bodies intrude diffusively both Hercynian metamorphic rocks and late-Hercynian granitoids. They range in composition from basaltic andesites to dacite-rhyodacites and can be ascribed to the extensive magmatic activity that affects the entire Hercynian orogenic belt in late Paleozoic - early Mesozoic time. The geodinamic framework of the magmatic activity is still matter of debate, nevertheless most authors agree in correlating magmatism both to the late-orogenic collapse of the Hercynian belt and to the lithosphere thinning responsible for the subsequent continental rifting. In this work, we propose a petrogenetic model for acidic to basic hypabissal bodies from southern Calabria in order to define the nature of sources, discriminate magmatic processes and supply a contribution in the geodynamic reconstruction of the Late Palaeozoic in the Calabria-Peloritani Orogen. In relation to their geochemical affinity, studied dykes have been divided in two groups: a medium- to high-K calc-alkaline and a tholeiitic one. Dykes belonging to the former group, andesitic and dacitic-rhyodacitic in composition, show typical features of subduction-related magmatism, such as LILE and LREE enrichments, depletions in HFSE, peaks in Rb, Th and Ce, accentuated troughs in Ba, Nb-Ta, P and Ti (White and Dupré, 1986; McCulloch and Gamble, 1991), contrasting with the late Hercynian collisional context. On the other side, features typical of intra-plate magmatic activity, such as a moderate enrichment in Ta, Nb, Ce, P, Zr, Hf and Sm relative to MORB composition are also present in studied rocks (Shimizu & Arculus, 1975; Pearce, 1982). REE-patterns are strongly to weakly fractionated for the andesitic rocks (Lan/Ybn = 10.03-13.98) and the dacitic-rhyodacitic ones (Lan/Ybn = 6.00 to 2.82), respectively. The latter rocks exhibit a very slight negative Eu anomaly, whereas no Eu anomaly is recognizable in the andesite patterns. For the andesite rocks an origin by partial melting of an enriched lithospheric mantle source in a post-collisional context is proposed. For dacitic-rhyodacitic dykes a strong involvement of crustal material is suggested by geochemical features such as Nb-Ta trough, Th enrichment, low Nb/La rate (0.37 avg value) and high Th/La rate (0.68 avg value) (Taylor & McLennan, 1985). Tholeiitic dykes include basaltic andesites with geochemical characteristics (REE and incompatible elements) very similar to those of continental tholeiites. Nb and Ti anomalies, less marked of those observed in calc-alkaline dykes, also occur in the tholeiitic ones, as well as the enrichment in LIL elements. Besides, with respect the calc-alkaline ones, tholeiitic types are slightly more HFSE-enriched. REE patterns are sub-parallel and slightly fractionated (Lan/Ybn = 2.62 and 2.65), Eu negative anomaly is strongly pronounced. These geochemical evidences are explained invoking a derivation from an enriched mantle source, possibly in connection with early stages of continental rifting processes. Crustal contamination or magma mixing processes probably occurred during magma ascent, as suggested by petrographic evidences ("quartz ocelli" and xenocrysts of plagioclase). Indeed, even by comparing N-MORB - normalized patterns of tholeiitic dykes with E-MORB (Sun, 1980) and upper continental crust (Taylor and McLennan, 1981) compositions, a derivation from an E-MORB source type and interaction with continental crust both appear as processes strongly involved in the genesis of the studied rocks. REFERENCES: • McCulloch M.T. and Gamble J.A. (1991) - Earth Plan. Sci. Lett., 102, 358-374. • Pearce J. A. (1982) - Ed. Thorpe R. S., 525-548. John Wiley & Sons, New York. • Shimizu N. and Arculus R. J. (1975) - Contrib. Mineral. Petrol., 50, 231-240. • Sun S. S. (1980) - Phil. Trans. R. Soc., A297, 409-445. • Taylor S. R. and McLennan S. M. (1981) - Phil. Trans. R. Soc., A301, 381-399. • Taylor S. R. and McLennan S. M. (1985) - Oxford: Blackwell Scientific, 312 pp. • White W.M. and Dupré B. (1986) - J. Geophys. Res., 91, 5927-5941.

Three Lessons on Parabolas--What, Where, Why

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ceyanes, Ben; Lockwood, Pamela; Gill, Kristina

2014-01-01

In this article, Ceyanes, Lockwood, and Gill use "The Geometer's Sketchpad" in a sequence of algebra lessons to introduce quadratic functions as the product of two linear functions. The lessons provide an enriched look at the creation of parabolas and allow students to experience the foundational idea that all functions are…

Utilizing Video Conferencing to Introduce an International Perspective to Foundation Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forgey, Mary Ann; Loughran, Hilda; Hansen, Johna

2013-01-01

Video conferencing has much potential to enrich international social work education. In this educational initiative, video conferencing was used to deliver a joint foundation social work practice class to students attending an MSW degree program both in the United States and in Ireland. Student feedback indicated that they gained an appreciation…

Enriching the Theoretical Horizons of Phenomenography, Variation Theory and Learning Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahlin, Bo

2007-01-01

The aim of this article is to introduce some theoretical frameworks which may develop the research going on within phenomenography and variation theory. Central concepts from the epistemological and cognitive theories of Charles S. Peirce, Niklas Luhmann and Margaret Boden are presented and their implications for phenomenography and variation…

What is a Community? Taking Documentary Photographs of Urban Americans into the Middle School Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faires, Nora; Harkness, Bruce

1996-01-01

Describes a Michigan social studies curriculum enrichment project that combines historical analysis with documentary photographs of urban residents. The project utilizes photographs, public history, and oral histories to introduce middle school students to the concept of community. Includes photographs of urban activities and discussion questions.…

Thinking Outside the Block: An Innovative Alternative to 4X4 Block Scheduling.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Myra

2002-01-01

Introduces a 4x1 block scheduling method that was developed as an alternative to 4x4 block scheduling. Schedules Fridays for summer school, test preparation, and enrichment and elective courses. Includes suggestions on how to alleviate drawbacks of the 4x1 block schedule. (YDS)

Development and Implementation of High School Chemistry Modules Using Touch-Screen Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Maurica S.; Zhao, Jinhui; Montclare, Jin Kim

2012-01-01

Technology was employed to motivate and captivate students while enriching their in-class education. An outreach program is described that involved college mentors introducing touch-screen technology into a high school chemistry classroom. Three modules were developed, with two of them specifically tailored to encourage comprehension of molecular…

Secret Codes, Remainder Arithmetic, and Matrices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peck, Lyman C.

This pamphlet is designed for use as enrichment material for able junior and senior high school students who are interested in mathematics. No more than a clear understanding of basic arithmetic is expected. Students are introduced to ideas from number theory and modern algebra by learning mathematical ways of coding and decoding secret messages.…

KEMET Academy: A University Outreach Model for Addressing the Wholeness of Learning in a Rural Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Dannielle Joy; Davis-Maye, Denise; Thomas, Chippewa M.; Seals, Cheryl; Alfred, Dorienna M.; Tripp, Lucretia Octavia; King-Jupiter, Kimberly L.; Lovett, Garnetta Laverne

2011-01-01

This work introduces a model of university outreach in rural communities which promotes increasing post-secondary options for rural dwelling African American youth. KEMET (Knowledge and Excellence in Mathematics, Equilibrium, and Technology) Academy is a comprehensive academic enrichment program targeting African American students enrolled in…

Enrichment and assessment of the health risks posed by heavy metals in PM1 in Changji, Xinjiang, China.

PubMed

Liu, Yu Y; Shen, Ya X; Liu, Cheng; Liu, Hao F

2017-04-16

The present study aims to investigate the influence of human activity on heavy metals in a typical arid urban area of China and assess human health risks posed by heavy metals in PM 1 (particles <1.0 μm in diameter) for different people. In this paper, Changji (Xinjiang, China) was selected as the study area, and samples were collected from March 2014 to March 2015. A total 14 elements in PM 1 were quantified using ICP-MS. An enrichment factor (EF) was used to assess the influence of human activity on the contamination of these metals. The results indicated that Mn was not enriched; Co, Cu, Cr, Ni, Tl, and V were slightly enriched; Mo, Pb, and Sb were moderately enriched; and Ag, As, and Cd were strongly enriched. To assess the health risks associated with inhaling PM 1 , the risk assessment code and loss in life expectancy based on the individual metals were calculated. The results showed that the elements Ag, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sb, Tl, and V in PM 1 posed low levels of non-carcinogenic risks, but these metals may still pose risks to certain susceptible populations. In addition, the results also showed that As, Co, and Cr posed an appreciable carcinogenic risk, while Cd and Ni posed low levels of carcinogenic risk. The total predicted loss of life expectancy caused by the three metals As, Co, and Ni was 63.67 d for the elderly, 30.95 d for adult males, 26.62 d for adult females, and 48.22 d for children. Therefore, the safety of the elderly and children exposed to PM 1 should be given more attention than the safety of adults. The results from this study demonstrate that the health risks posed by heavy metals in PM 1 in Changji, Xinjiang, China should be examined.

Information Protection

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-01

changes for title page and front matter Version 1.1 (April 1987) slight cosmetic changes Version 1.0 (September 1986) original version iv SEI-CM-5-1.2...ramifications. The subject/object matrix is introduced as a method for understanding Fenton73 protection systems, and it is noteworthy that this Fenton , J

Phylogenetic relatedness and leaf functional traits, not introduced status, influence community assembly.

PubMed

Lemoine, Nathan P; Shue, Jessica; Verrico, Brittany; Erickson, David; Kress, W John; Parker, John D

2015-10-01

Considerable debate focuses on whether invasive species establish and become abundant by being functionally and phylogenetically distinct from native species, leading to a host of invasion-specific hypotheses of community assembly. Few studies, however, have quantitatively assessed whether similar patterns of phylogenetic and functional similarity explain local abundance of both native and introduced species, which would suggest similar assembly mechanisms regardless of origin. Using a chronosequence of invaded temperate forest stands, we tested whether the occurrence and abundance of both introduced and native species were predicted by phylogenetic relatedness, functional overlap, and key environmental characteristics including forest age. Environmental filtering against functionally and phylogenetically distinct species strongly dictated the occurrence and abundance of both introduced and native species, with slight modifications of these patterns according to forest age. Thus, once functional and evolutionary novelty were quantified, introduced status provided little information about species' presence or abundance, indicating largely similar sorting mechanisms for both native and introduced species.

Augmented longitudinal acoustic trap for scalable microparticle enrichment.

PubMed

Cui, M; Binkley, M M; Shekhani, H N; Berezin, M Y; Meacham, J M

2018-05-01

We introduce an acoustic microfluidic device architecture that locally augments the pressure field for separation and enrichment of targeted microparticles in a longitudinal acoustic trap. Pairs of pillar arrays comprise "pseudo walls" that are oriented perpendicular to the inflow direction. Though sample flow is unimpeded, pillar arrays support half-wave resonances that correspond to the array gap width. Positive acoustic contrast particles of supracritical diameter focus to nodal locations of the acoustic field and are held against drag from the bulk fluid motion. Thus, the longitudinal standing bulk acoustic wave (LSBAW) device achieves size-selective and material-specific separation and enrichment of microparticles from a continuous sample flow. A finite element analysis model is used to predict eigenfrequencies of LSBAW architectures with two pillar geometries, slanted and lamellar. Corresponding pressure fields are used to identify longitudinal resonances that are suitable for microparticle enrichment. Optimal operating conditions exhibit maxima in the ratio of acoustic energy density in the LSBAW trap to that in inlet and outlet regions of the microchannel. Model results guide fabrication and experimental evaluation of realized LSBAW assemblies regarding enrichment capability. We demonstrate separation and isolation of 20  μ m polystyrene and ∼10  μ m antibody-decorated glass beads within both pillar geometries. The results also establish several practical attributes of our approach. The LSBAW device is inherently scalable and enables continuous enrichment at a prescribed location. These features benefit separations applications while also allowing concurrent observation and analysis of trap contents.

Stalking the LREE-enriched component in ureilites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodrich, Cyrena Anne; Lugmair, Guenter W.

1993-01-01

Ureilites contain a LREE-enriched component whose origin and identity are unknown, but which may have been introduced into 4.55 Ga olivine + pyroxene assemblages at various times in the period 4.55 - 3.74 Ga. This component is volumetrically minor, inhomogeneously distributed, and can be removed with concentrated HNO3, which suggests that it may be contained in minor, interstitial phases not previously recognized in ureilites. There is evidence, however, that not all of this component is leachable. Whole rock samples of Kenna, Novo Urei, and ALHA77257 form a Nd-143/Nd-144-Sm-147/Nd-144 line with a slope corresponding to an age of 3.74 Ga. Although this line could be a mixing line, with one end-member being the LREE-enriched component and the other being a 4.55 Ga olivine + pyroxene assemblage, the observation that a pyroxene separate from Kenna plots on the line suggests that the LREE-enriched component at least partially equilibrated with the olivine and pyroxene and that the line is an isochron. We performed a leaching experiment on Kenna, using various acids and concentrations, in an attempt to isolate the LREE-enriched component and differentiate between possible hosts for it, and to determine whether all of it is leachable. Our results suggest that most of the LREE-enriched component is surface-sited, rather than contained in a discrete mineral. However, some of it is not readily leachable because it equilibrated with Kenna olivine + pyroxene at 3.79 plus or minus 0.05 Ga.

Enriched Housing Reduces Disease Susceptibility to Co-Infection with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Virus (PRRSV) and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A. pleuropneumoniae) in Young Pigs

PubMed Central

van Dixhoorn, Ingrid D. E.; Reimert, Inonge; Middelkoop, Jenny; Bolhuis, J. Elizabeth; Wisselink, Henk J.; Groot Koerkamp, Peter W. G.; Kemp, Bas; Stockhofe-Zurwieden, Norbert

2016-01-01

Until today, anti-microbial drugs have been the therapy of choice to combat bacterial diseases. Resistance against antibiotics is of growing concern in man and animals. Stress, caused by demanding environmental conditions, can reduce immune protection in the host, influencing the onset and outcome of infectious diseases. Therefore psychoneuro-immunological intervention may prove to be a successful approach to diminish the impact of diseases and antibiotics use. This study was designed to investigate the effect of social and environmental enrichment on the impact of disease, referred to as “disease susceptibility”, in pigs using a co-infection model of PRRSV and A. pleuropneumoniae. Twenty-eight pigs were raised in four pens under barren conditions and twenty-eight other pigs were raised in four pens under enriched conditions. In the enriched pens a combination of established social and environmental enrichment factors were introduced. Two pens of the barren (BH) and two pens of the enriched housed (EH) pigs were infected with PRRSV followed by A. pleuropneumoniae, the other two pens in each housing treatment served as control groups. We tested if differences in disease susceptibility in terms of pathological and clinical outcome were related to the different housing regimes and if this was reflected in differences in behavioural and immunological states of the animals. Enriched housed pigs showed a faster clearance of viral PRRSV RNA in blood serum (p = 0.014) and histologically 2.8 fold less interstitial pneumonia signs in the lungs (p = 0.014). More barren housed than enriched housed pigs developed lesions in the lungs (OR = 19.2, p = 0.048) and the lesions in the barren housed pigs showed a higher total pathologic tissue damage score (p<0.001) than those in enriched housed pigs. EH pigs showed less stress-related behaviour and differed immunologically and clinically from BH pigs. We conclude that enriched housing management reduces disease susceptibility to co-infection of PRRSV and A. pleuropneumoniae in pigs. Enrichment positively influences behavioural state, immunological response and clinical outcome in pigs. PMID:27606818

Enriched Housing Reduces Disease Susceptibility to Co-Infection with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Virus (PRRSV) and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A. pleuropneumoniae) in Young Pigs.

PubMed

van Dixhoorn, Ingrid D E; Reimert, Inonge; Middelkoop, Jenny; Bolhuis, J Elizabeth; Wisselink, Henk J; Groot Koerkamp, Peter W G; Kemp, Bas; Stockhofe-Zurwieden, Norbert

2016-01-01

Until today, anti-microbial drugs have been the therapy of choice to combat bacterial diseases. Resistance against antibiotics is of growing concern in man and animals. Stress, caused by demanding environmental conditions, can reduce immune protection in the host, influencing the onset and outcome of infectious diseases. Therefore psychoneuro-immunological intervention may prove to be a successful approach to diminish the impact of diseases and antibiotics use. This study was designed to investigate the effect of social and environmental enrichment on the impact of disease, referred to as "disease susceptibility", in pigs using a co-infection model of PRRSV and A. pleuropneumoniae. Twenty-eight pigs were raised in four pens under barren conditions and twenty-eight other pigs were raised in four pens under enriched conditions. In the enriched pens a combination of established social and environmental enrichment factors were introduced. Two pens of the barren (BH) and two pens of the enriched housed (EH) pigs were infected with PRRSV followed by A. pleuropneumoniae, the other two pens in each housing treatment served as control groups. We tested if differences in disease susceptibility in terms of pathological and clinical outcome were related to the different housing regimes and if this was reflected in differences in behavioural and immunological states of the animals. Enriched housed pigs showed a faster clearance of viral PRRSV RNA in blood serum (p = 0.014) and histologically 2.8 fold less interstitial pneumonia signs in the lungs (p = 0.014). More barren housed than enriched housed pigs developed lesions in the lungs (OR = 19.2, p = 0.048) and the lesions in the barren housed pigs showed a higher total pathologic tissue damage score (p<0.001) than those in enriched housed pigs. EH pigs showed less stress-related behaviour and differed immunologically and clinically from BH pigs. We conclude that enriched housing management reduces disease susceptibility to co-infection of PRRSV and A. pleuropneumoniae in pigs. Enrichment positively influences behavioural state, immunological response and clinical outcome in pigs.

Origin of peralkaline granites of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radain, A. A. M.; Fyfe, W. S.; Kerrich, R.

1982-01-01

Small volumes of peralkaline granites were generated as the final phase of a Pan African calc-alkaline igneous event which built the Arabian Peninsula. The peralkaline granites are closely associated with trends or sutures related to ophiolites. Peralkaline rocks are chemically heterogeneous, with anomalous abundances of Zr (average 2,150 ppm±2,600 1σ), Y (200±190), and Nb (105±100), representing up to ten-fold enrichments of these elements relative to abundances in calc alkaline granite counterparts. Large enrichments of some rare earth elements and fluorine are also present. The peralkaline granites have scattered whole rock 18O values, averaging 8.7±0.6% in the Hadb Aldyaheen Complex and 10.7±1% in the Jabal Sayid Complex. Quartz-albite fractionations of 0.5 to 1.5% signify that the heavier whole rock δ-values probably represent the oxygen isotope composition of the peralkaline magma. Small variable enrichments of 18O, in conjunction with slightly elevated 87Sr/86Sr initial ratios relative to broadly contemporaneous calc alkaline granites, are both suggestive of a small degree of involvement of crustal, or crustal derived material in the peralkaline magmas. It is proposed that the peculiar magma genesis is associated with a relaxation event which followed continental collision and underthrusting of salt rich sediments.

Corexit 9500 Enhances Oil Biodegradation and Changes ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

While COREXIT 9500 is widely applied after oil spills for its reported dispersing activity, there is still a debate on the effectiveness on enhancing oil biodegradation and its potential toxic effect on microbial communities. To better understand the impact of COREXIT 9500 on the structure and activity levels of hydrocarbon degrading microbial communities, we analyzed next-generation 16S rRNA gene sequencing libraries of hydrocarbon enrichments grown at cryophilic and mesophilic conditions and using both DNA and RNA extracts as sequencing templates. Oil biodegradation patterns in both cryophilic and mesophilic enrichments were consistent with those reported in the literature (i.e., aliphatics were degraded faster than aromatics). A slight increase in biodegradation was observed in the presence of COREXIT at both 25°C and 5°C experiments. Differences in community structure were observed between treatment conditions in the DNA-based libraries. The 25°C consortia was dominated by unclassified members of the Vibrio, Pseudoidiomarina, Marinobacter, Alcanivorax, and Thallassospira species, while the 5°C consortia were dominated by several genera of Flavobacteria, Alcanivorax and Oleispira. With the exception of Vibrio-like species, members of these genera have been linked to hydrocarbon degradation and have been observed after oil spills. Colwellia and Cycloclasticus, known aromatic degraders, was also found in these enrichments. RNA-based sequencing of 25°C

Valence State Partitioning of Cr and V Between Pyroxene - Melt: Estimates of Oxygen Fugacity for Martian Basalt QUE 94201

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karner, J. M.; Papike, J. J.; Shearer, C. K.; McKay, G.; Le, L.; Burger, P.

2007-01-01

Several studies, using different oxybarometers, have suggested that the variation of fO2 in martian basalts spans about 3 log units from approx. IW-1 to IW+2. The relatively oxidized basalts (e.g., pyroxene-phyric Shergotty) are enriched in incompatible elements, while the relatively reduced basalts (e.g., olivine-phyric Y980459) are depleted in incompatible elements. A popular interpretation of the above observations is that the martian mantle contains two reservoirs; 1) oxidized and enriched, and 2) reduced and depleted. The basalts are thus thought to represent mixing between these two reservoirs. Recently, Shearer et al. determined the fO2 of primitive olivine-phyric basalt Y980459 to be IW+0.9 using the partitioning of V between olivine and melt. In applying this technique to other basalts, Shearer et al. concluded that the martian mantle shergottite source was depleted and varied only slightly in fO2 (IW to IW+1). Thus the more oxidized, enriched basalts had assimilated a crustal component on their path to the martian surface. In this study we attempt to address the above debate on martian mantle fO2 using the partitioning of Cr and V into pyroxene in pyroxene-phyric basalt QUE 94201.

The occurrence and potential ecological risk assessment of bauxite mine-impacted water and sediments in Kuantan, Pahang,Malaysia.

PubMed

Kusin, Faradiella Mohd; Rahman, Muhammad Syazwan Abd; Madzin, Zafira; Jusop, Shamshuddin; Mohamat-Yusuff, Ferdaus; Ariffin, Mariani; Z, Mohd Syakirin Md

2017-01-01

Recent bauxite mining activities in the vicinity of Kuantan, Pahang, have been associated with apparent environmental quality degradation and have raised environmental concerns among the public. This study was carried out to evaluate the overall ecological impacts on water and sediment quality from the bauxite mining activities. Water and sediment samples were collected at seven sampling locations within the bauxite mining areas between June and December 2015. The water samples were analyzed for water quality index (WQI) and distribution of major and trace element geochemistry. Sediment samples were evaluated based on geochemical indices, i.e., the enrichment factor (EF) and geoaccumulation index (I geo ). Potential ecological risk index was estimated to assess the degree to which sediments of the mine-impacted areas have been contaminated with heavy metals. The results showed that WQIs of some locations were classified as slightly polluted and contained metal contents exceeding the recommended guideline values. The EFs indicated minimal to moderate enrichment of metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Co, and Sr) in the sediments. I geo showed slightly to partially polluted sediments with respect to As at some locations. The potential ecological risk index (RI) showed that As posed the highest potential ecological risk with RI of 52.35-60.92 at two locations, while other locations indicated low risk. The findings from this study have demonstrated the impact of recent bauxite mining activities, which might be of importance to the local communities and relevant authorities to initiate immediate rehabilitation phase of the impacted area.

High protein buckwheat flour suppresses hypercholesterolemia in rats and gallstone formation in mice by hypercholesterolemic diet and body fat in rats because of its low protein digestibility.

PubMed

Tomotake, Hiroyuki; Yamamoto, Naoe; Yanaka, Noriyuki; Ohinata, Hiroshi; Yamazaki, Rikio; Kayashita, Jun; Kato, Norihisa

2006-02-01

This study evaluated the physiologic properties of high protein buckwheat flour (PBF) by examining its effects on serum cholesterol and body fat in rats and on cholesterol gallstone formation in mice. Animals were fed experimental diets that contained casein, buckwheat protein extract (BWP), or PBF as a protein source (net protein content 200 g/kg). In experiment 1, consumption of PBF and BWP for 10 d caused 33% and 31% decreases, respectively, in serum cholesterol of rats fed cholesterol-enriched diets when compared with consumption of casein (P < 0.05). Dietary PBF caused a significant decrease in liver cholesterol, whereas dietary BWP caused only a slight decrease (P > 0.05). Fecal excretion of neutral and acidic steroids in the PBF group was significantly higher than those in the BWP and casein groups. In experiment 2, consumption of PBF for 10 d significantly suppressed adipose tissue weight and hepatic activity of fatty acid synthase in rats fed cholesterol-free diets compared with consumption of casein (P < 0.05), whereas that of BWP for this period caused only a slight decrease in adipose tissue weight (P > 0.05). In experiment 3, dietary PBF and BWP significantly decreased the incidence of cholesterol gallstones and lithogenic index in mice fed cholesterol-enriched diets for 27 d, which was associated with increased fecal excretion of acidic steroids. This study demonstrated that PBF has strong activities against hypercholesterolemia, obesity, and gallstone formation, suggesting a potential usefulness of PBF as functional ingredient.

Ubiquitin S65 phosphorylation engenders a pH-sensitive conformational switch

PubMed Central

Dong, Xu; Gong, Zhou; Lu, Yun-Bi; Liu, Kan; Qin, Ling-Yun; Ran, Meng-Lin; Zhang, Chang-Li; Liu, Zhu; Zhang, Wei-Ping

2017-01-01

Ubiquitin (Ub) is an important signaling protein. Recent studies have shown that Ub can be enzymatically phosphorylated at S65, and that the resulting pUb exhibits two conformational states—a relaxed state and a retracted state. However, crystallization efforts have yielded only the structure for the relaxed state, which was found similar to that of unmodified Ub. Here we present the solution structures of pUb in both states obtained through refinement against state-specific NMR restraints. We show that the retracted state differs from the relaxed state by the retraction of the last β-strand and by the extension of the second α-helix. Further, we show that at 7.2, the pKa value for the phosphoryl group in the relaxed state is higher by 1.4 units than that in the retracted state. Consequently, pUb exists in equilibrium between protonated and deprotonated forms and between retracted and relaxed states, with protonated/relaxed species enriched at slightly acidic pH and deprotonated/retracted species enriched at slightly basic pH. The heterogeneity of pUb explains the inability of phosphomimetic mutants to fully mimic pUb. The pH-sensitive conformational switch is likely preserved for polyubiquitin, as single-molecule FRET data indicate that pH change leads to quaternary rearrangement of a phosphorylated K63-linked diubiquitin. Because cellular pH varies among compartments and changes upon pathophysiological insults, our finding suggests that pH and Ub phosphorylation confer additional target specificities and enable an additional layer of modulation for Ub signals. PMID:28611216

Effect of storage and cooking on the fatty acid profile of omega-3 enriched eggs and pork meat marketed in Belgium

PubMed Central

Douny, Caroline; El Khoury, Rawad; Delmelle, Julien; Brose, François; Degand, Guy; Moula, Nassim; Farnir, Frédéric; Clinquart, Antoine; Maghuin-Rogister, Guy; Scippo, Marie-Louise

2015-01-01

The fatty acids (FA) profile was determined in n-3 enriched (Columbus™) Belgian eggs and pork in order to evaluate to what extent the n-3 fatty acids, which are very sensitive to oxidation, are resistant to storage or cooking. In standard eggs or pork, no change of the fatty acid profile was observed after storage or cooking without culinary fat, as well as in Columbus™ eggs and pork after storage. Some cooking processes (eggs in custard and meat in oven) induced a slight significant loss of n-3 fatty acids in Columbus™ eggs or pork (11.1% in fat from eggs cooked in custard vs. 15.3% in raw Columbus™ eggs and 11.0% in fat from oven cooked meat vs. 11.6% in raw Columbus™ meat). As expected, when Columbus™ pork is cooked with culinary fat, its fatty acid profile is modified according to the nature of the fat used. PMID:25838892

Effect of storage and cooking on the fatty acid profile of omega-3 enriched eggs and pork meat marketed in Belgium.

PubMed

Douny, Caroline; El Khoury, Rawad; Delmelle, Julien; Brose, François; Degand, Guy; Moula, Nassim; Farnir, Frédéric; Clinquart, Antoine; Maghuin-Rogister, Guy; Scippo, Marie-Louise

2015-03-01

The fatty acids (FA) profile was determined in n-3 enriched (Columbus™) Belgian eggs and pork in order to evaluate to what extent the n-3 fatty acids, which are very sensitive to oxidation, are resistant to storage or cooking. In standard eggs or pork, no change of the fatty acid profile was observed after storage or cooking without culinary fat, as well as in Columbus™ eggs and pork after storage. Some cooking processes (eggs in custard and meat in oven) induced a slight significant loss of n-3 fatty acids in Columbus™ eggs or pork (11.1% in fat from eggs cooked in custard vs. 15.3% in raw Columbus™ eggs and 11.0% in fat from oven cooked meat vs. 11.6% in raw Columbus™ meat). As expected, when Columbus™ pork is cooked with culinary fat, its fatty acid profile is modified according to the nature of the fat used.

Starch and protein analysis of wheat bread enriched with phenolics-rich sprouted wheat flour.

PubMed

Świeca, Michał; Dziki, Dariusz; Gawlik-Dziki, Urszula

2017-08-01

Wheat flour in the bread formula was replaced with sprouted wheat flour (SF) characterized by enhanced nutraceutical properties, at 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% levels. The addition of SF slightly increased the total protein content; however, it decreased their digestibility. Some qualitative and quantitative changes in the electrophoretic pattern of proteins were also observed; especially, in the bands corresponding with 27kDa and 15-17kDa proteins. These results were also confirmed by SE-HPLC technique, where a significant increase in the content of proteins and peptides (molecular masses <20kDa) was determined for breads with 20% of SF. Bread enriched with sprouted wheat flour had more resistant starch, but less total starch, compared to control bread. The highest in vitro starch digestibility was determined for the control bread. The studied bread with lowered nutritional value but increased nutritional quality can be used for special groups of consumers (obese, diabetic). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proteomic Profiling of Nonenzymatically Glycated Proteins in Human Plasma and Erythrocyte Membranes

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qibin; Tang, Ning; Schepmoes, Athena A.; Phillips, Lawrence S.; Smith, Richard D.; Metz, Thomas O.

2009-01-01

Nonenzymatic glycation of peptides and proteins by d-glucose has important implications in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus, particularly in the development of diabetic complications. In this work, we report the first proteomics-based characterization of nonenzymatically glycated proteins in human plasma and erythrocyte membranes from individuals with normal glucose tolerance, impaired glucose tolerance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Phenylboronate affinity chromatography was used to enrich glycated proteins and glycated tryptic peptides from both human plasma and erythrocyte membranes. The enriched peptides were subsequently analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with electron transfer dissociation-tandem mass spectrometry, resulting in the confident identification of 76 and 31 proteins from human plasma and erythrocyte membranes, respectively. Although most of the glycated proteins could be identified in samples from individuals with normal glucose tolerance, slightly higher numbers of glycated proteins and more glycation sites were identified in samples from individuals with impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. PMID:18396901

Capillary electrophoresis of covalently functionalized single-chirality carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

He, Pingli; Meany, Brendan; Wang, Chunyan; Piao, Yanmei; Kwon, Hyejin; Deng, Shunliu; Wang, YuHuang

2017-07-01

We demonstrate the separation of chirality-enriched single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by degree of surface functionalization using high-performance CE. Controlled amounts of negatively charged and positively charged functional groups were attached to the sidewall of chirality-enriched SWCNTs through covalent functionalization using 4-carboxybenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate or 4-diazo-N,N-diethylaniline tetrafluoroborate, respectively. Surfactant- and pH-dependent studies confirmed that under conditions that minimized ionic screening effects, separation of these functionalized SWCNTs was strongly dependent on the surface charge density introduced through covalent surface chemistry. For both heterogeneous mixtures and single-chirality-enriched samples, covalently functionalized SWCNTs showed substantially increased peak width in electropherogram spectra compared to nonfunctionalized SWCNTs, which can be attributed to a distribution of surface charges along the functionalized nanotubes. Successful separation of functionalized single-chirality SWCNTs by functional density was confirmed with UV-Vis-NIR absorption and Raman scattering spectroscopies of fraction collected samples. These results suggest a high degree of structural heterogeneity in covalently functionalized SWCNTs, even for chirality-enriched samples, and show the feasibility of applying CE for high-performance separation of nanomaterials based on differences in surface functional density. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enriching Careers and Lives: Introducing a Positive, Holistic, and Narrative Career Counseling Method that Bridges Theory and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zikic, Jelena; Franklin, Mark

2010-01-01

CareerCycles (CC) career counseling framework and method of practice integrates and builds on aspects of positive psychology. Through its holistic and narrative approach, the CC method seeks to collaboratively identify and understand clients' career and life stories. It focuses on their strengths, desires, preferences, assets, future…

Self-Portrait with Mortar Board: A Study of Academic Identity Using the Map, the Novel and the Grid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Virginia

2013-01-01

This paper introduces the "map", the "novel" and the "grid", three strategies inspired by the creative arts that potentially enrich higher education research by revealing layers of truth otherwise difficult to discern. The "map" was inspired by the "Map of an Englishman," an etching by Grayson…

Story Drama in the Special Needs Classroom: Step-by-Step Lesson Plans for Teaching through Dramatic Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carleton, Jessica Perich

2012-01-01

Introducing drama to the learning experience is guaranteed to enrich a child's development, and is an especially effective approach for children with special educational needs, including those with autism spectrum disorders. This practical handbook offers teachers an array of simple and easy-to-implement theatrical techniques that will enhance…

Action Research in Preservice Teachers' Arts-Integration Pedagogies for Social Justice Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felleman-Fattal, Laura Rachel

2017-01-01

Age-appropriate children's books can be an effective way to introduce and discuss issues of social justice with young students. These books can be the anchor for interdisciplinary lessons that integrate core content areas, such as language arts, science, and/or social studies with the visual and performing arts to enrich students' learning…

Successfully Integrating Novel Games into the Curriculum: Netball for All

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clancy, Mary; Portman, Penelope; Bowersock, Amy

2007-01-01

Novel activities enrich a curriculum by allowing students to learn new skills and knowledge, to apply previously learned skills in new ways, and to be introduced to a new challenge that can increase student interest and motivation. This article first presents several considerations when adding a new game to the physical education curriculum. It…

Tracking the flow of bacterially derived 13C and 15N through soil faunal feeding channels.

PubMed

Crotty, F V; Blackshaw, R P; Murray, P J

2011-06-15

The soil food web has been referred to as a 'black box', a 'poor man's tropical rainforest' and an 'enigma', due to its opacity, diversity and the limited insight into feeding specificity. Here we investigate the flow of C and N through the soil food web as a way to gain understanding of the feeding interactions occurring. A bacterium, Pseudomonas lurida, was introduced to soil cores from two different habitats, a grassland and a woodland with the same soil type, enriched to 99 atom% in (13)C and (15)N, to trace the flow of bacterial C and N through the soil food web. Throughout the experiment the soil remained enriched in (13)C and (15)N. Almost all the invertebrates tested gained C and N enrichment indicative of the labelled bacteria, implying that bacterial feeding is a common mechanism within the soil. Only three groups were significantly enriched in both (13)C and (15)N in both habitats. These were Collembola (Entomobryomorpha), Acari (Oribatida), and Nematoda, indicating that these organisms are consuming the most bacteria within both systems. When the invertebrates were grouped into hypothesised trophic levels, those considered secondary decomposers were gaining the most enrichment across all invertebrates tested. This enrichment was also high in the micro-predators within the soil, implying that their main food source was the secondary decomposers, particularly the Collembola. Using an enriched bacterium to track the trophic transfer between organisms within the soil food web is a novel way of empirically showing that interactions are occurring, which normally cannot be seen. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Three-dimensional ordered titanium dioxide-zirconium dioxide film-based microfluidic device for efficient on-chip phosphopeptide enrichment.

PubMed

Zhao, De; He, Zhongyuan; Wang, Gang; Wang, Hongzhi; Zhang, Qinghong; Li, Yaogang

2016-09-15

Microfluidic technology plays a significant role in separating biomolecules, because of its miniaturization, integration, and automation. Introducing micro/nanostructured functional materials can improve the properties of microfluidic devices, and extend their application. Inverse opal has a three-dimensional ordered net-like structure. It possesses a large surface area and exhibits good mass transport, making it a good candidate for bio-separation. This study exploits inverse opal titanium dioxide-zirconium dioxide films for on-chip phosphopeptide enrichment. Titanium dioxide-zirconium dioxide inverse opal film-based microfluidic devices were constructed from templates of 270-, 340-, and 370-nm-diameter poly(methylmethacrylate) spheres. The phosphopeptide enrichments of these devices were determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The device constructed from the 270-nm-diameter sphere template exhibited good comprehensive phosphopeptide enrichment, and was the best among these three devices. Because the size of opal template used in construction was the smallest, the inverse opal film therefore had the smallest pore sizes and the largest surface area. Enrichment by this device was also better than those of similar devices based on nanoparticle films and single component films. The titanium dioxide-zirconium dioxide inverse opal film-based device provides a promising approach for the efficient separation of various biomolecules. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Substitutions on the Biodegradation Potential of Benzotriazole Derivatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abu-Dalo, M. A.; O'Brien, I.; Hernandez, M. T.

2018-02-01

Fourteen benzotriazole derivatives were subjected to microcosm tests to study the influence of substitutions on their biodegradation potential. Methylated, nitrated, carboxylated, and propionated bezotriazoles, a heterocyclic triazole, as well as methylated benzimidazoles, were introduced to activated sludge and soil enrichment cultures as the only carbon source. Some of the enrichment cultures were derived from airport soils that had been previously contaminated with aircraft deicing fluids and subsequently enriched with the commercially significant corrosion inhibitor methylbenzotriazole. The 5-methylbenzotriazole and only the carboxylated derivatives were degraded by soil or activated sludge biomass regardless of acclimation conditions. Radiotracer studies of [U-14C] 5-methylbenzotriazole, and [U-14C] 5-carboxybenzotriazole confirmed that relatively high concentrations (25mg L-1) of these derivatives can be completely mineralized in relatively short time frames by microbial consortia regardless of prior exposure. Observations suggested that the growth yield on these compounds is likely low. Biodegradation patterns suggested that carboxylated benzotriazole derivatives are more readily biodegradable than their more popular methylated counterparts.

Enhanced methane production via repeated batch bioaugmentation pattern of enriched microbial consortia.

PubMed

Yang, Zhiman; Guo, Rongbo; Xu, Xiaohui; Wang, Lin; Dai, Meng

2016-09-01

Using batch and repeated batch cultivations, this study investigated the effects of bioaugmentation with enriched microbial consortia (named as EMC) on methane production from effluents of hydrogen-producing stage of potato slurry, as well as on the indigenous bacterial community. The results demonstrated that the improved methane production and shift of the indigenous bacterial community structure were dependent on the EMC/sludge ratio and bioaugmentation patterns. The methane yield and production rate in repeated batch bioaugmentation pattern of EMC were, respectively, average 15% and 10% higher than in one-time bioaugmentation pattern of EMC. DNA-sequencing approach showed that the enhanced methane production in the repeated batch bioaugmentation pattern of EMC mainly resulted from the enriched iron-reducing bacteria and the persistence of the introduced Syntrophomonas, which led to a rapid degradation of individual VFAs to methane. The findings contributed to understanding the correlation between the bioaugmentation of microbial consortia, community shift, and methane production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Benchmarking methods and data sets for ligand enrichment assessment in virtual screening.

PubMed

Xia, Jie; Tilahun, Ermias Lemma; Reid, Terry-Elinor; Zhang, Liangren; Wang, Xiang Simon

2015-01-01

Retrospective small-scale virtual screening (VS) based on benchmarking data sets has been widely used to estimate ligand enrichments of VS approaches in the prospective (i.e. real-world) efforts. However, the intrinsic differences of benchmarking sets to the real screening chemical libraries can cause biased assessment. Herein, we summarize the history of benchmarking methods as well as data sets and highlight three main types of biases found in benchmarking sets, i.e. "analogue bias", "artificial enrichment" and "false negative". In addition, we introduce our recent algorithm to build maximum-unbiased benchmarking sets applicable to both ligand-based and structure-based VS approaches, and its implementations to three important human histone deacetylases (HDACs) isoforms, i.e. HDAC1, HDAC6 and HDAC8. The leave-one-out cross-validation (LOO CV) demonstrates that the benchmarking sets built by our algorithm are maximum-unbiased as measured by property matching, ROC curves and AUCs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of inorganic species on torrefaction process and product properties of rice husk.

PubMed

Zhang, Shuping; Su, Yinhai; Ding, Kuan; Zhu, Shuguang; Zhang, Houlei; Liu, Xinzhi; Xiong, Yuanquan

2018-06-20

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of inorganic species on torrefaction process and product properties. Torrefaction process of raw and leached rice husk was performed at different temperatures between 210 and 270 °C. Inorganic species have significant effect on the torrefaction process and properties of torrefaction products. The results indicated that solid yield increased, gas yield decreased and liquid yield remained unchanged for leached rice husk when compared to raw rice husk. Gas products from torrefaction process mainly contained CO 2 and CO, and leaching process slightly reduced the volume concentration of CO 2 . Removal of inorganic species slightly decreased water content and increased organic component content in liquid products. Acetic acid, furfural, 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran and levoglucosan were the dominant components in liquid product. Inorganic species enhanced the effect of deoxygenation and dehydrogenation during torrefaction process, resulting in the enrichment of C component in solid products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Formation of Fe-Mn crusts within a continental margin environment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conrad, Tracey A.; Hein, James R.; Paytan, Adina; Clague, David A.

2017-01-01

This study examines Fe-Mn crusts that form on seamounts along the California continental-margin (CCM), within the United States 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone. The study area extends from approximately 30° to 38° North latitudes and from 117° to 126° West longitudes. The area of study is a tectonically active northeast Pacific plate boundary region and is also part of the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre with currents dominated by the California Current System. Upwelling of nutrient-rich water results in high primary productivity that produces a pronounced oxygen minimum zone. Hydrogenetic Fe-Mn crusts forming along the CCM show distinct chemical and mineral compositions compared to open-ocean crusts. On average, CCM crusts contain more Fe relative to Mn than open-ocean Pacific crusts. The continental shelf and slope release both Fe and Mn under low-oxygen conditions. Silica is also enriched relative to Al compared to open-ocean crusts. This is due to the North Pacific silica plume and enrichment of Si along the path of deep-water circulation, resulting in Si enrichment in bottom and intermediate waters of the eastern Pacific.The CCM Fe-Mn crusts have a higher percentage of birnessite than open-ocean crusts, reflecting lower dissolved seawater oxygen that results from the intense coastal upwelling and proximity to zones of continental slope pore-water anoxia. Carbonate fluorapatite (CFA) is not present and CCM crusts do not show evidence of phosphatization, even in the older sections. The mineralogy indicates a suboxic environment under which birnessite forms, but in which pH is not high enough to facilitate CFA deposition. Growth rates of CCM crusts generally increase with increasing water depth, likely due to deep-water Fe sources mobilized from reduced shelf and slope sediments.Many elements of economic interest including Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, W, and Te have slightly or significantly lower concentrations in CCM crusts relative to crusts from the Pacific Prime Crust Zone and other open-ocean basins. However, concentrations of total rare earth elements and yttrium average only slightly lower contents and in the future may be a strategic resource for the U.S.

Provenance, Source Rock Characteristics And Paleoweathering Conditions Of The Nearshore Continental Sediments Off Pondicherry, South East Coast Of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Natarajan, T.; Seshachalam, S.; Ponniah, J.; Varadhan, R.; M, S.

2008-05-01

Geochemical studies, comprising major elements and trace elements, including the Rare Earth Elements (REE), have been carried out on the modern sediments of inner continental shelf representing nearshore marine environments. Concentrations were normalized with Chondrite and PAAS show LREE enriched and flat HREE patterns with slight positive Eu anomaly which is due to the influence of feldspar rich source materials. The LREE enriched and flat HREE patterns with positive Eu anomaly have been considered as the typical character of post- Archaean Sediments. The La/Th ratio ranges from 1.66 to 8.84 with an average value of 4.09, which indicates a heterogenitic source for the sediments of the study area. The La-Th-Sc ternary plot suggests all the samples fall close to the field dominated by tonalite to granite and away from the basalt and komatiite compositions and appear to be derived from sources enriched in felsic components. The transition metal ratios such as Cr/V, Ni/CO and V/Ni indicate both Archaean and Post-Archaean nature to the sediments indicating that the sediments have been derived from heterogenitic sources. The ternary diagram plot of Th-Hf-Co and La-Th-Sc falls in the field of upper continental crust of post Archaean age. This clearly indicates the terrestrial source for the sediments from the nearby landmass. The data are slightly offset from the upper crustal composition away from the Hf apex. This is probably a result of Zircon concentration. Geochemical data have also helped in ascertaining the weathering trends. The Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) has been used to quantify the degree of weathering. The calculated CIA values for sediments demonstrate both low CIA values of less than 50 percent (low silicate weathering) and intermediate CIA values (60-70 percent) indicating that the sediments are possibly the product of sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks that have undergone intermediate chemical weathering. On an A—CN—K diagram, the data fall closer to the trend parallel to Al2O3 (CaO*+Na2O) join, suggesting that the sediments represent weathered products from granite and charnockite.

Evolution of the lithospheric mantle beneath Mt. Baekdu (Changbaishan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, S. H.; Park, K.; Cho, M.; Lee, D. C.

2017-12-01

Major and trace element compositions of minerals as well as Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic compositions of clinopyroxenes from spinel peridotite xenoliths entrained in Late Cenozoic trachybasalt from Mt. Baekdu (Changbaishan) were used to elucidate lithospheric mantle formation and evolution in the eastern North China Craton (NCC). The analyzed peridotites were mainly spinel lherzolites with rare harzburgites. They consisted of olivine, enstatite, diopside and spinel. Plots of the Cr# in spinel against the Mg# in coexisting olivine or spinel suggested an affinity with abyssal peridotites. Comparisons of Cr# and TiO2 in spinel were also compatible with an abyssal peridotite-like composition; however, harzburgites were slightly enriched in TiO2 because of the reaction with MORB-like melt. Temperatures estimated using two-pyroxene thermometry ranged from 750 to 1,010°C, reflecting their lithospheric mantle origin. The REE patterns in clinopyroxenes of the peridotites varied from LREE-depleted to spoon shaped to LREE-enriched, reflecting secondary overprinting effects of metasomatic melts or fluids on the residues from primordial melting. The calculated trace element pattern of metasomatic melt equilibrated with clinopyroxene in Mt. Baekdu peridotite showed strong enrichment in LILEs, Th and U together with slight fractionation in HREEs and considerable depletion in Nb and Ti. The Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic compositions of clinopyroxenes separated from the peridotites varied from more depleted than present-day MORB to bulk Earth values. However, some clinopyroxene showed a decoupling between Nd and Sr isotopes, deviating from the mantle array with a high 87Sr/86Sr ratio. This sample also showed a significant Nd-Hf isotope decoupling lying well above the mantle array. The Lu-Hf and Sm-Nd model ages of residual clinopyroxenes yielded Early Proterozoic to Phanerozoic ages. No signature of Archean cratonic mantle was present. Therefore, Mt. Baekdu peridotite is residual lithospheric mantle that has undergone variable degrees of diachronous melt extraction and infiltration metasomatism involving subduction-related, fluid-bearing silicate melts. The predominance of Phanerozoic Hf model ages indicates that the lherzolites represent lithospheric mantle fragments newly accreted underneath the eastern NCC.

The colour-magnitude relation of globular clusters in Centaurus and Hydra. Constraints on star cluster self-enrichment with a link to massive Milky Way globular clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fensch, J.; Mieske, S.; Müller-Seidlitz, J.; Hilker, M.

2014-07-01

Aims: We investigate the colour-magnitude relation of metal-poor globular clusters, the so-called blue tilt, in the Hydra and Centaurus galaxy clusters and constrain the primordial conditions for star cluster self-enrichment. Methods: We analyse U,I photometry for about 2500 globular clusters in the central regions of Hydra and Centaurus, based on VLT/FORS1 data. We measure the relation between mean colour and luminosity for the blue and red subpopulation of the globular cluster samples. We convert these relations into mass-metallicity space and compare the obtained GC mass-metallicity relation with predictions from the star cluster self-enrichment model by Bailin & Harris (2009, ApJ, 695, 1082). For this we include effects of dynamical and stellar evolution and a physically well motivated primordial mass-radius scaling. Results: We obtain a mass-metallicity scaling of Z ∝ M0.27 ± 0.05 for Centaurus GCs and Z ∝ M0.40 ± 0.06 for Hydra GCs, consistent with the range of observed relations in other environments. We find that the GC mass-metallicity relation already sets in at present-day masses of a few and is well established in the luminosity range of massive MW clusters like ω Centauri. The inclusion of a primordial mass-radius scaling of star clusters significantly improves the fit of the self-enrichment model to the data. The self-enrichment model accurately reproduces the observed relations for average primordial half-light radii rh ~ 1-1.5 pc, star formation efficiencies f⋆ ~ 0.3-0.4, and pre-enrichment levels of [Fe/H] - 1.7 dex. The slightly steeper blue tilt for Hydra can be explained either by a ~30% smaller average rh at fixed f⋆ ~ 0.3, or analogously by a ~20% smaller f⋆ at fixed rh ~ 1.5 pc. Within the self-enrichment scenario, the observed blue tilt implies a correlation between GC mass and width of the stellar metallicity distribution. We find that this implied correlation matches the trend of width with GC mass measured in Galactic GCs, including extreme cases like ω Centauri and M 54. Conclusions: First, we found that a primordial star cluster mass-radius relation provides a significant improvement to the self-enrichment model fits. Second we show that broadened metallicity distributions as found in some massive MW globular clusters may have arisen naturally from self-enrichment processes, without the need of a dwarf galaxy progenitor.

Trace element levels in mollusks from clean and polluted coastal marine sites in the Mediterranean, Red and North Seas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herut, Barak; Kress, Nurit; Shefer, Edna; Hornung, Hava

1999-12-01

The trace element contamination levels in mollusks were evaluated for different marine coastal sites in the Mediterranean (Israeli coast), Red (Israeli coast) and North (German coast) Seas. Three bivalve species (Mactra corallina, Donax sp, and Mytilus edulis) and two gastropod species (Patella sp.and Cellana rota) were sampled at polluted and relatively clean sites, and their soft tissue analyzed for Hg, Cd, Zn, Cu, Mn and Fe concentrations. Representative samples were screened for organic contaminants [(DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)] which exhibited very low concentrations at all sites. In the Red Sea, the gastropod C. rota showed low levels of Hg (below detection limit) and similar Cd concentrations at all the examined sites, while other trace elements (Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe) were slightly enriched at the northern beach stations. Along the Mediterranean coast of Israel, Hg and Zn were enriched in two bivalves (M. corallina and Donax sp.) from Haifa Bay, both species undergoing a long-term decrease in Hg based on previous studies. Significant Cd and Zn enrichment was detected in Patella sp. from the Kishon River estuary at the southern part of Haifa Bay. In general, Patella sp. and Donax sp. specimens from Haifa Bay exhibited higher levels of Cd compared to other sites along the Israeli Mediterranean coast, attributed to the enrichment of Cd in suspended particulate matter. Along the German coast (North Sea) M. edulis exhibited higher concentrations of Hg and Cd at the Elbe and Eider estuaries, but with levels below those found in polluted sites elsewhere.

Environmental enrichment and social interaction improve cognitive function and decrease reactive oxidative species in normal adult mice.

PubMed

Doulames, Vanessa; Lee, Sangmook; Shea, Thomas B

2014-05-01

Environmental stimulation and increased social interactions stimulate cognitive performance, while decrease in these parameters can exacerbate cognitive decline as a function of illness, injury, or age. We examined the impact of environmental stimulation and social interactions on cognitive performance in healthy adult C57B1/6J mice. Mice were housed for 1 month individually or in groups of three (to prevent or allow social interaction) in either a standard environment (SE) or an enlarged cage containing nesting material and items classically utilized to stimulate exploration and activity ("enriched environment"; EE). Cognitive performance was tested by Y maze navigation and Novel Object Recognition (NOR; which compares the relative amount of time mice spent investigating a novel vs. a familiar object). Mice maintained for 1 month under isolated conditions in the SE statistically declined in performance versus baseline in the Y maze (p < 0.02; ANOVA). Performance under all other conditions did not change from baseline. Maintenance in groups in the SE statistically improved NOR (p < 0.01), whereas maintenance in isolation in the SE did not alter performance from baseline. Maintenance in the EE statistically improved performance in NOR for mice housed in groups and individually (p < 0.01). Maintenance under isolated conditions slightly increased reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) in brain. Environmental enrichment did not influence ROS/RNS. These findings indicate that environmental and social enrichment can positively influence cognitive performance in healthy adult mice, and support the notion that proactive approaches may delay age-related cognitive decline.

Towards a Rhythmanalysis of Debt Dressage: Education as Rhythmic Resistance in Everyday Indebted Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wozniak, Jason Thomas

2017-01-01

Debt shapes subjectivity by rhythmically training indebted subjects. Stated slightly differently, there exists a debt dressage that produces indebted subjectivity. One of the principle aims of this article is to introduce rhythm into the debt analysis debates. Building on Henri Lefebvre's book "Rhythmanalysis: Space, Time and Everyday…

Teaching Science: Air Pressure "Eggs-periments."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leyden, Michael B.

1994-01-01

Discusses how teachers can introduce students to various scientific concept concerning motion, air composition, and heat by conducting an experiment: A peeled, hard-boiled egg is sucked into a bottle neck slightly smaller than the egg, after the bottle has been filled and emptied of hot water. Also discusses how students' understanding of the…

Crosscutting Runtime Adaptations of LD Execution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zarraonandia, Telmo; Dodero, Juan Manuel; Fernandez, Camino

2006-01-01

In this paper, the authors describe a mechanism for the introduction of small variations in the original learning design process defined in a particular Unit of Learning (UoL). The objective is to increase the UoL reusability by offering the designers an alternative to introduce slight variations on the original design instead of creating a new…

Evaluating climate controls on isotopic shifts in high-altitude forests during the Last Interglacial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Insel, N.; Berkelhammer, M. B.; Sturm, C.; Karimova, G.

2016-12-01

Forests play a significant role in the global carbon cycle, and influence climate through their effect on albedo and latent heat flux. Predicting the response of these ecosystems to climate change is complicated by competing influences between rising CO2, warming, and shifts in hydrology such as timing, rate, and type of precipitation. A key to detection and prediction of future regional and global changes of modern ecosystems lies in understanding the causes and characteristics of historical variations at the ecosystem level. The Last Interglacial (LIG: 130 to 116 ka) is the most recent period in Earth's history when growing season temperature exceeded those of today. In this study, we are using isotope-enabled regional climate model (REMOiso) simulations under LIG (115ka, 125 ka and 135 ka) and modern forcings to evaluate climate controls on boreal forest in the western US. In particular, we investigate (1) changes in moisture sources and moisture transport, (2) changes in the annual and seasonal extent and duration of precipitation, and (3) temperature variations to explore how ecosystem carbon and water fluxes change under coupled temperature and precipitation variability. Eemian wood samples from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado show a progressive increase in the 18O seasonal cycle that may be related to trees utilizing isotopically enriched monsoonal moisture. However, Eemian climate simulations (125ka) incorporate orbital forcings that result in stronger seasonal changes in temperature, precipitation, and snow cover in comparison to today, while annual anomalies are small. The seasonal shift in climate affects the water availability and the length of growing season for Eemian plants. Model results indicate only a very slight increase in monsoonal moisture transport from the south, resulting in slightly wetter conditions in western Colorado, but slightly drier conditions in the eastern part. Preliminary results suggest that changes in the North American monsoon system were not sufficient to explain the observed isotopic enrichment in Eemian wood samples. Current isotope simulations address changes in the seasonal isotopic cycle in the precipitation during the Eemian and will allow us to distinguish tree's reliance on summer or winter moisture sources more clearly.

Oxygen isotope constraints on the sulfur cycle over the past 10 million years.

PubMed

Turchyn, Alexandra V; Schrag, Daniel P

2004-03-26

Oxygen isotopes in marine sulfate (delta18O(SO4)) measured in marine barite show variability over the past 10 million years, including a 5 per mil decrease during the Plio-Pleistocene, with near-constant values during the Miocene that are slightly enriched over the modern ocean. A numerical model suggests that sea level fluctuations during Plio-Pleistocene glacial cycles affected the sulfur cycle by reducing the area of continental shelves and increasing the oxidative weathering of pyrite. The data also require that sulfate concentrations were 10 to 20% lower in the late Miocene than today.

The micro-scale synthesis of (117)Sn-enriched tributyltin chloride and its characterization by GC-ICP-MS and NMR techniques.

PubMed

Peeters, Kelly; Iskra, Jernej; Zuliani, Tea; Ščančar, Janez; Milačič, Radmila

2014-07-01

Organotin compounds (OTCs) are among the most toxic substances ever introduced to the environment by man. They are common pollutants in marine ecosystems, but are also present in the terrestrial environment, accumulated mainly in sewage sludge and landfill leachates. In investigations of the degradation and methylation processes of OTC in environmental samples, the use of enriched isotopic tracers represents a powerful analytical tool. Sn-enriched OTC are also necessary in application of the isotope dilution mass spectrometry technique for their accurate quantification. Since Sn-enriched monobutyltin (MBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and tributyltin (TBT) are not commercially available as single species, "in house" synthesis of individual butyltin-enriched species is necessary. In the present work, the preparation of the most toxic butyltin, namely TBT, was performed via a simple synthetic path, starting with bromination of metallic Sn, followed by butylation with butyl lithium. The tetrabutyltin (TeBT) formed was transformed to tributyltin chloride (TBTCl) using concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl). The purity of the synthesized TBT was verified by speciation analysis using the techniques of gas chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (GC-ICP-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The results showed that TBT had a purity of more than 97%. The remaining 3% corresponded to DBT. TBT was quantified by reverse isotope dilution GC-ICP-MS. The synthesis yield was around 60%. The advantage of this procedure over those previously reported lies in its possibility to be applied on a micro-scale (starting with 10mg of metallic Sn). This feature is of crucial importance, since enriched metallic Sn is extremely expensive. The procedure is simple and repeatable, and was successfully applied for the preparation of (117)Sn-enriched TBTCl from (117)Sn-enriched metal. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk Informed Design and Analysis Criteria for Nuclear Structures

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

Salmon, Michael W.

2015-06-17

Target performance can be achieved by defining design basis ground motion from results of a probabilistic seismic hazards assessment, and introducing known levels of conservatism in the design above the DBE. ASCE 4, 43, DOE-STD-1020 defined the DBE at 4x10-4 and introduce only slight levels of conservatism in response. ASCE 4, 43, DOE-STD-1020 assume code capacities shoot for about 98% NEP. There is a need to have a uniform target (98% NEP) for code developers (ACI, AISC, etc.) to aim for. In considering strengthening options, one must also consider cost/risk reduction achieved.

Inhibiting the TE1-mode diffraction losses in terahertz parallel-plate waveguides using concave plates.

PubMed

Mbonye, Marx; Mendis, Rajind; Mittleman, Daniel M

2012-12-03

We present numerical and experimental results on inhibiting diffraction losses associated with the lowest order transverse electric (TE1) mode of a terahertz (THz) parallel-plate waveguide (PPWG) via the use of slightly concave plates. We find that there is an optimal radius of curvature that inhibits the diffraction for a given waveguide operating at a given frequency. We also find that introducing this curvature does not introduce any additional group-velocity dispersion. These results support the possibility of realizing long range transport of THz radiation using the TE1 mode of the PPWG.

Recording polarization gratings with a standing spiral wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vernon, Jonathan P.; Serak, Svetlana V.; Hakobyan, Rafik S.; Aleksanyan, Artur K.; Tondiglia, Vincent P.; White, Timothy J.; Bunning, Timothy J.; Tabiryan, Nelson V.

2013-11-01

A scalable and robust methodology for writing cycloidal modulation patterns of optical axis orientation in photosensitive surface alignment layers is demonstrated. Counterpropagating circularly polarized beams, generated by reflection of the input beam from a cholesteric liquid crystal, direct local surface orientation in a photosensitive surface. Purposely introducing a slight angle between the input beam and the photosensitive surface normal introduces a grating period/orientation that is readily controlled and templated. The resulting cycloidal diffractive waveplates offer utility in technologies requiring diffraction over a broad range of angles/wavelengths. This simple methodology of forming polarization gratings offers advantages over conventional fabrication techniques.

Enriched Imperialist Competitive Algorithm for system identification of magneto-rheological dampers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talatahari, Siamak; Rahbari, Nima Mohajer

2015-10-01

In the current research, the imperialist competitive algorithm is dramatically enhanced and a new optimization method dubbed as Enriched Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (EICA) is effectively introduced to deal with high non-linear optimization problems. To conduct a close examination of its functionality and efficacy, the proposed metaheuristic optimization approach is actively employed to sort out the parameter identification of two different types of hysteretic Bouc-Wen models which are simulating the non-linear behavior of MR dampers. Two types of experimental data are used for the optimization problems to minutely examine the robustness of the proposed EICA. The obtained results self-evidently demonstrate the high adaptability of EICA to suitably get to the bottom of such non-linear and hysteretic problems.

A bilayer Double Semion model with symmetry-enriched topological order

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

Ortiz, L., E-mail: lauraort@ucm.es; Martin-Delgado, M.A.

2016-12-15

We construct a new model of two-dimensional quantum spin systems that combines intrinsic topological orders and a global symmetry called flavour symmetry. It is referred as the bilayer Doubled Semion model (bDS) and is an instance of symmetry-enriched topological order. A honeycomb bilayer lattice is introduced to combine a Double Semion Topological Order with a global spin–flavour symmetry to get the fractionalization of its quasiparticles. The bDS model exhibits non-trivial braiding self-statistics of excitations and its dual model constitutes a Symmetry-Protected Topological Order with novel edge states. This dual model gives rise to a bilayer Non-Trivial Paramagnet that is invariantmore » under the flavour symmetry and the well-known spin flip symmetry.« less

Outreach and Engagement Education for Graduate Students in Natural Resources: Developing a Course to Enrich a Graduate Outreach Requirement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latimore, Jo A.; Dreelin, Erin A.; Burroughs, Jordan Pusateri

2014-01-01

Scientists need to engage stakeholders in natural resource management; however, few graduate programs prepare students to conduct outreach and engagement. Given this need, the authors' goals were to (1) create a one-credit course that introduced outreach and engagement practices and participatory approaches, (2) improve the quality of graduate…

A beachhead on the island of stability

DOE PAGES

Oganessian, Yuri Ts.; Rykaczewski, Krzysztof P.

2015-01-01

Remember learning the periodic table of elements in high school? Our chemistry teachers explained that the chemical properties of elements come from the electronic shell structure of atoms. Furthermore, our physics teachers enriched that picture of the atomic world by introducing us to isotopes and the Segrè chart of nuclides, which arranges them by proton number Z and neutron number N.

Dance: The Possibilities of a Discipline

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bannon, Fiona

2010-01-01

Dance has been a discipline in higher education in the UK for nearly 35 years; the first programme was introduced at the Laban Centre in 1975. The breadth of features that have come to characterise dance in the academy during this time have arguably been enriched by a permeability between the varied ideas that have come to be part of its maturing…

A Point Kinetics Model for Estimating Neutron Multiplication of Bare Uranium Metal in Tagged Neutron Measurements

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

Tweardy, Matthew C.; McConchie, Seth; Hayward, Jason P.

An extension of the point kinetics model is developed in this paper to describe the neutron multiplicity response of a bare uranium object under interrogation by an associated particle imaging deuterium-tritium (D-T) measurement system. This extended model is used to estimate the total neutron multiplication of the uranium. Both MCNPX-PoliMi simulations and data from active interrogation measurements of highly enriched and depleted uranium geometries are used to evaluate the potential of this method and to identify the sources of systematic error. The detection efficiency correction for measured coincidence response is identified as a large source of systematic error. If themore » detection process is not considered, results suggest that the method can estimate total multiplication to within 13% of the simulated value. Values for multiplicity constants in the point kinetics equations are sensitive to enrichment due to (n, xn) interactions by D-T neutrons and can introduce another significant source of systematic bias. This can theoretically be corrected if isotopic composition is known a priori. Finally, the spatial dependence of multiplication is also suspected of introducing further systematic bias for high multiplication uranium objects.« less

A Point Kinetics Model for Estimating Neutron Multiplication of Bare Uranium Metal in Tagged Neutron Measurements

DOE PAGES

Tweardy, Matthew C.; McConchie, Seth; Hayward, Jason P.

2017-06-13

An extension of the point kinetics model is developed in this paper to describe the neutron multiplicity response of a bare uranium object under interrogation by an associated particle imaging deuterium-tritium (D-T) measurement system. This extended model is used to estimate the total neutron multiplication of the uranium. Both MCNPX-PoliMi simulations and data from active interrogation measurements of highly enriched and depleted uranium geometries are used to evaluate the potential of this method and to identify the sources of systematic error. The detection efficiency correction for measured coincidence response is identified as a large source of systematic error. If themore » detection process is not considered, results suggest that the method can estimate total multiplication to within 13% of the simulated value. Values for multiplicity constants in the point kinetics equations are sensitive to enrichment due to (n, xn) interactions by D-T neutrons and can introduce another significant source of systematic bias. This can theoretically be corrected if isotopic composition is known a priori. Finally, the spatial dependence of multiplication is also suspected of introducing further systematic bias for high multiplication uranium objects.« less

Giant (12 ×12 ) and (4 ×8 ) reconstructions of the 6 H -SiC(0001) surface obtained by progressive enrichment in Si atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martrou, David; Leoni, Thomas; Chaumeton, Florian; Castanié, Fabien; Gauthier, Sébastien; Bouju, Xavier

2018-02-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) is nowadays a major material for applications in high power electronics, quantum optics, or nitride semiconductors growth. Mastering the surface of SiC substrate is crucial to obtain reproducible results. Previous studies on the 6 H -SiC(0001) surface have determined several reconstructions, including the (√{3 }×√{3 }) -R 30∘ and the (3 ×3 ) . Here, we introduce a process of progressive Si enrichment that leads to the formation of two reconstructions, the giant (12 ×12 ) and the (4 ×8 ) . From electron diffraction and tunneling microscopy completed by molecular dynamics simulations, we build models introducing a type of Si adatom bridging two Si surface atoms. Using these Si bridges, we also propose a structure for two other reconstructions, the (2 √{3 }×2 √{3 }) -R 30∘ and the (2 √{3 }×2 √{13 } ). We show that five reconstructions follow each other with Si coverage ranging from 1 and 1.444 monolayer. This result opens the way to greatly improve the control of 6 H -SiC(0001) at the atomic scale.

progressive problemshifts between different research programs in science education: A lakatosian perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niaz, Mansoor

Given the importance of epistemology and philosophy of science, the Lakatos (1970) methodology is particularly suited to evaluate competing research programs in science education. This article has two objectives: (a) to evaluate critically the interpretations of Gilbert and Swift (1985) and Rowell and Dawson (1989), and (b) to postulate a progressive problemshift between Piaget's epistemic subject and Pascual-Leone's metasubject. Regarding the Gilbert and Swift interpretation, it is concluded that the alternative conceptions movement at its present stage of development cannot explain the previous success of its rival (Piagetian school) nor supersede it by a further display of heuristic power as required by Lakatos. If we accept the Rowell and Dawson thesis it would amount to the postulation of Piagetian and integrated (Piagetian and schema) theories as rival research programs. It appears that the Rowell and Dawson approach would enrich Piagetian theory with descriptive content rather than explanatory constructs, and thus would not lead to a progressive problemshift. It is concluded that Pascual-Leone's theory extends Piaget's negative heuristic by introducing antecedent variables, and at the same time enriches the positive heuristic by introducing metasubjective task analysis, which leads to a progressive problemshift.

Interstitial solutions and diagenesis in deeply buried marine sediments: results from the Deep Sea Drilling Project

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sayles, F.L.; Manheim, F.T.

1975-01-01

Through the Deep Sea Drilling Project samples of interstitial solutions of deeply buried marine sediments throughout the World Ocean have been obtained and analyzed. The studies have shown that in all but the most slowly deposited sediments pore fluids exhibit changes in composition upon burial. These changes can be grouped into a few consistent patterns that facilitate identification of the diagenetic reactions occurring in the sediments. Pelagic clays and slowly deposited (<1 cm/103yr) biogenic sediments are the only types that exhibit little evidence of reaction in the pore waters. In most biogenic sediments sea water undergoes considerable alteration. In sediments deposited at rates up to a few cm/103 yr the changes chiefly involve gains of Ca2+ and Sr2+ and losses of Mg2+ which balance the Ca2+ enrichment. The Ca-Mg substitution may often reach 30 mM/kg while Sr2+ may be enriched 15-fold over sea water. These changes reflect recrystallization of biogenic calcite and the substitution of Mg2+ for Ca2+ during this reaction. The Ca-Mg-carbonate formed is most likely a dolomitic phase. A related but more complex pattern is found in carbonate sediments deposited at somewhat greater rates. Ca2+ and Sr2+ enrichment is again characteristic, but Mg2+ losses exceed Ca2+ gains with the excess being balanced by SO4post staggered2- losses. The data indicate that the reactions are similar to those noted above, except that the Ca2+ released is not kept in solution but is precipitated by the HCO3post staggered- produced in SO4post staggered2- reduction. In both these types of pore waters Na+ is usually conservative, but K+ depletions are frequent. In several partly consolidated sediment sections approaching igneous basement contact, very marked interstitial calcium enrichment has been found (to 5.5 g/kg). These phenomena are marked by pronounced depletion in Na+, Si and CO2, and slight enhancement in Cl-. The changes are attributed to exchange of Na+ for Ca2+ in silicate minerals forming from submarine weathering of igneous rocks such as basalts. Water is also consumed in these reactions, accounting for minor increases in total interstitial salinity. Terrigenous, organic-rich sediments deposited rapidly along continental margins also exhibit significant evidences of alteration. Microbial reactions involving organic matter lead to complete removal of SO4post staggered2-, strong HCO3post staggered- enrichment, formation of NH4post staggered+, and methane synthesis from H2 and CO2 once SO4post staggered2- is eliminated. K+ and often Na+ (slightly) are depleted in the interstitial waters. Ca2+ depletion may occur owing to precipitation of CaCO3. In most cases interstitial Cl- remains relatively constant, but increases are noted over evaporitic strata, and decreases in interstitial Cl- are observed in some sediments adjacent to continents. ?? 1975.

A new method to track seed dispersal and recruitment using 15N isotope enrichment.

PubMed

Carlo, Tomás A; Tewksbury, Joshua J; Martínez Del Río, Carlos

2009-12-01

Seed dispersal has a powerful influence on population dynamics, genetic structuring, evolutionary rates, and community ecology. Yet, patterns of seed dispersal are difficult to measure due to methodological shortcomings in tracking dispersed seeds from sources of interest. Here we introduce a new method to track seed dispersal: stable isotope enrichment. It consists of leaf-feeding plants with sprays of 15N-urea during the flowering stage such that seeds developed after applications are isotopically enriched. We conducted a greenhouse experiment with Solanum americanum and two field experiments with wild Capsicum annuum in southern Arizona, USA, to field-validate the method. First, we show that plants sprayed with 15N-urea reliably produce isotopically enriched progeny, and that delta 15N (i.e., the isotopic ratio) of seeds and seedlings is a linear function of the 15N-urea concentration sprayed on mothers. We demonstrate that three urea dosages can be used to distinctly enrich plants and unambiguously differentiate their offspring after seeds are dispersed by birds. We found that, with high urea dosages, the resulting delta 15N values in seedlings are 10(3) - 10(4) times higher than the delta 15N values of normal plants. This feature allows tracking not only where seeds arrive, but in locations where seeds germinate and recruit, because delta 15N enrichment is detectable in seedlings that have increased in mass by at least two orders of magnitude before fading to normal delta 15N values. Last, we tested a mixing model to analyze seed samples in bulk. We used the delta 15N values of batches (i.e., combined seedlings or seeds captured in seed traps) to estimate the number of enriched seeds coming from isotopically enriched plants in the field. We confirm that isotope enrichment, combined with batch-sampling, is a cheap, reliable, and user-friendly method for bulk-processing seeds and is thus excellent for the detection of rare dispersal events. This method could further the study of dispersal biology, including the elusive, but critically important, estimation of long-distance seed dispersal.

The effect of polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHMG) derivatives introduced into polylactide (PLA) on the activity of bacterial enzymes.

PubMed

Walczak, Maciej; Richert, Agnieszka; Burkowska-But, Aleksandra

2014-11-01

The present study was aimed at investigating bactericidal properties of polylactide (PLA) films containing three different polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHMG) derivatives and effect of the derivatives on extracellular hydrolytic enzymes and intracellular dehydrogenases. All PHMG derivatives had a slightly stronger bactericidal effect on Staphylococcus aureus than on E. coli but only PHMG granular polyethylene wax (at the concentration of at least 0.6 %) has a bactericidal effect. PHMG derivatives introduced into PLA affected the activity of microbial hydrolases to a small extent. This means that the introduction of PHMG derivatives into PLA will not reduce its enzymatic biodegradation significantly. On the other hand, PHMG derivatives introduced into PLA strongly affected dehydrogenases activity in S. aureus than in E. coli.

Drama Improvisation as a Method of Covering Fairy Tales in School Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sefer, Jasmina; Angelovski, Nada

In order to influence motivation and children's creativity, some attractive methods were introduced into the classical contents of the usual program of material (Serbocroatian) language and literature and other subjects in the curriculum planned for the third grade. Work on a tale was carried out in an atmosphere of slightly transformed space in…

Providing Access to Academic Content for High-School Students with Significant Intellectual Disability through Interactive Videos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evmenova, Anya S.; Graff, Heidi J.; Behrmann, Michael M.

2017-01-01

There has been a slight increase in the number of studies focused on the strategies used to introduce content-based instruction to students with moderate/severe disability. However, interventions for students with significant intellectual disability (ID) are lacking adapted materials to make instruction available in all major academic areas…

Optimisation of dynamic nuclear polarisation of [1-13C] pyruvate by addition of gadolinium-based contrast agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friesen-Waldner, Lanette; Chen, Albert; Mander, Will; Scholl, Timothy J.; McKenzie, Charles A.

2012-10-01

Dynamic nuclear polarisation (DNP) of carbon-13 (13C) enriched endogenous compounds provides a novel means for magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy of biological processes. Adding small amounts of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) to the 13C-enriched substrate matrix increases the amount of hyperpolarisation that can be achieved, but also may decrease the longitudinal relaxation time (T1) of the 13C nucleus in solution. This study examined the effects of five different GBCA at concentrations of 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 mM on [1-13C]-enriched pyruvic acid. It was found that contrast agents with an open chain structure (Gadobenate dimeglumine, Gadopentetate dimeglumine, Gadodiamide) caused the largest enhancement (up to 82%) in solid state polarisation relative to solutions without GBCA. In the liquid state, T1 of pyruvate decreased by as much as 62% and polarisation was much lower (70%) relative to solutions without GBCA added. Conversely, for GBCA with macrocyclic structures (Gadoterate meglumine, Gadoteridol), the solid state polarisation enhancement was only slightly less than the open chain GBCA, but enhanced polarisation was retained much better in the liquid state with minimal decrease in T1 (25% at the highest GBCA concentrations). Near maximum polarisation in the solid state was obtained at a GBCA concentration of 2 mM, with a higher concentration of 3 mM producing minimal improvement. These results indicate that the macrocyclic contrast agents provide the best combination of high solid state and liquid state polarisations with minimal loss of T1 in experiments with hyperpolarised 13C-enriched pyruvate. This suggests that macrocyclic contrast agents should be the GBCA of choice for maximising signal in experiments with hyperpolarised 13C-enriched pyruvate, particularly for in vivo measurements where shortened substrate T1 is especially problematic.

An integrated epidemiological and neural net model of the warfarin effect in managed care patients.

PubMed

Jacobs, David M; Stefanovic, Filip; Wilton, Greg; Gomez-Caminero, Andres; Schentag, Jerome J

2017-01-01

Risk assessment tools are utilized to estimate the risk for stroke and need of anticoagulation therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). These risk stratification scores are limited by the information inputted into them and a reliance on time-independent variables. The objective of this study was to develop a time-dependent neural net model to identify AF populations at high risk of poor clinical outcomes and evaluate the discriminatory ability of the model in a managed care population. We performed a longitudinal, cohort study within a health-maintenance organization from 1997 to 2008. Participants were identified with incident AF irrespective of warfarin status and followed through their duration within the database. Three clinical outcome measures were evaluated including stroke, myocardial infarction, and hemorrhage. A neural net model was developed to identify patients at high risk of clinical events and defined to be an "enriched" patient. The model defines the enrichment based on the top 10 minimum mean square error output parameters that describe the three clinical outcomes. Cox proportional hazard models were utilized to evaluate the outcome measures. Among 285 patients, the mean age was 74±12 years with a mean follow-up of 4.3±2.6 years, and 154 (54%) were treated with warfarin. After propensity score adjustment, warfarin use was associated with a slightly increased risk of adverse outcomes (including stroke, myocardial infarction, and hemorrhage), though it did not attain statistical significance (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] =1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75-1.97; p =0.42). Within the neural net model, subjects at high risk of adverse outcomes were identified and labeled as "enriched." Following propensity score adjustment, enriched subjects were associated with an 81% higher risk of adverse outcomes as compared to nonenriched subjects (aHR=1.81; 95% CI, 1.15-2.88; p =0.01). Enrichment methodology improves the statistical discrimination of meaningful endpoints when used in a health records-based analysis.

[Hydroxylamine conversion by anammox enrichment].

PubMed

Hu, Anhui; Zheng, Ping; Lu, Huifeng; Ding, Shuang; Wang, Caihua

2010-04-01

Hydroxylamine is an important intermediate product of anammox. This study was focused on the characteristics of hydroxylamine and nitrite conversions by anammox enrichment. The changes of nitrogenous substrates and related products with time were measured using batch tests with anammox enrichment as inoculum. Since hydroxylamine didn't react with nitrite in uninoculated control culture, these two compounds were chemically stable. Both of them decreased with time in anammox enrichment inoculated cultures, in which ammonia as intermediate product would be produced and converted with the maximum concentration being 0.338 mg/L. The total nitrogen concentration decreased from 4.694 mmol/L to 0.812 mmol/L with conversion rate 82.7% in the end. When hydroxylamine and nitrite concentrations were about 2.5 mmol/L respectively, the maximum specific sludge conversion rates of hydroxylamine was 0.535 mmol/(gVSS.h), which was 1.81 times bigger than that of ammonia in ammonia reaction system; the maximum specific sludge rate of total nitrogen was slightly higher than that in ammonia reaction system. When hydroxylamine concentration increased to 5.0 mmol/L, the hydroxylamine and nitrite conversion rates promoted by 26.7% and 120.7% respectively; and the maximum ammonia accumulated was 1.810 mmol/L. When nitrite concentration increased to 5.0 mmol/L, the hydroxylamine and nitrite conversion rates promoted by 6.9% and 9.0% respectively; and the maximum ammonia accumulated was 0.795 mmol/L. Anammox enrichment was capable of converting hydroxylamine and nitrite simultaneously and had the higher conversion rate of hydroxylamine than ammonia conversion rate. Hydroxylamine and nitrite conversion rates were less affected by increase in nitrite concentration, but more significantly influenced by increase in hydroxylamine. The maximum ammonia concentration accumulated would rise as the result of increasing both hydroxylamine and nitrite. The result of experiment was consistent with pathway model presented by van de Graaf AA.

Rare Mineralogy in Alkaline Ultramafic Rocks, Western Kentucky Fluorspar District

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, W.

2017-12-01

The alkaline ultramafic intrusive dike complex in the Western Kentucky Fluorspar District contains unusual mineralogy that was derived from mantle magma sources. Lamprophyre and peridotite petrologic types occur in the district where altered fractionated peridotites are enriched in Rare Earth Elements (REE) and some lamprophyre facies are depleted in incompatible elements. Unusual minerals in dikes, determined by petrography and X-ray diffraction, include schorlomite and andradite titanium garnets, astrophyllite, spodumene, niobium rutile, wüstite, fluoro-tetraferriphlogopite, villiaumite, molybdenite, and fluocerite, a REE-bearing fluoride fluorescent mineral. Mixing of MVT sphalerite ore fluids accompanies a mid-stage igneous alteration and intrusion event consistent with paragenetic studies. The presence of lithium in the spodumene and fluoro-tetraferriphlogopite suggests a lithium phase in the mineral fluids, and the presence of enriched REE in dikes and fluorite mineralization suggest a metasomatic event. Several of these rare minerals have never been described in the fluorspar district, and their occurrence suggests deep mantle metasomatism. Several REE-bearing fluoride minerals occur in the dikes and in other worldwide occurrences, they are usually associated with nepheline syenite and carbonatite differentiates. There is an early and late stage fluoride mineralization, which accompanied dike intrusion and was also analyzed for REE content. One fluorite group is enriched in LREE and another in MREE, which suggests a bimodal or periodic fluorite emplacement. Whole-rock elemental analysis was chondrite normalized and indicates that some of the dikes are slightly enriched in light REE and show a classic fractionation enrichment. Variations in major-element content; high titanium, niobium, and zirconium values; and high La/Yb, Zr/Y, Zr/Hf, and Nb/Ta ratios suggest metasomatized lithospheric-asthenospheric mantle-sourced intrusions. The high La/Yb ratios in some dikes in the titanium garnet facies suggest a magma melt trend toward the carbonation phase of a fractionated peridotite parent magma.

Difference in physiological responses of growth, photosynthesis and calcification of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi to acidification by acid and CO2 enrichment.

PubMed

Fukuda, Shin-Ya; Suzuki, Yurina; Shiraiwa, Yoshihiro

2014-09-01

Ocean acidification, one of the great global environmental issues at present, is expected to result in serious damage on marine calcareous organisms such as corals and calcifying algae, which potentially release huge amounts of CO2 from the ocean to the atmosphere. The coccolithophore, Emiliania huxleyi (Haptophyceae), which frequently produces blooms, has greatly contributed to the biological CO2 pump. This study was aimed at analyzing effects of how E. huxleyi responds to acidification. Acidification was performed by two methods, namely by just adding HCl under bubbling ordinary air at 8.2-8.4, 7.6-7.8 and 7.1-7.3 (acidification by HCl) and by bubbling with ordinary air or with increased CO2 concentration such as 406, 816 and 1,192 ppm that maintained pH of the medium at 8.0-8.3, 7.6-7.9 and 7.5-7.7 (acidification by CO2 enrichment). As a result, cell growth and cellular calcification of E. huxleyi were strongly damaged by acidification by HCl, but not by acidification by CO2 enrichment. The activities of photosystems such as F v/F m and ϕPSII were not affected by any acidification conditions while photosynthetic O2 evolution was slightly stimulated. A (45)Ca-radiotracer experiment revealed that Ca(2+)-uptake was strongly suppressed by acidification with HCl. This suppression recovered after increasing the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration and further stimulated by an additional increase in DIC concentration. The production of storage and coccolith polysaccharides was increased by acidification by HCl and also highly stimulated by acidification with CO2 enrichment. The present study clearly showed that the coccolithophore, E. huxleyi, has an ability to respond positively to acidification with CO2 enrichment, but not just acidification.

Do invasive alien plants benefit more from global environmental change than native plants?

PubMed

Liu, Yanjie; Oduor, Ayub M O; Zhang, Zhen; Manea, Anthony; Tooth, Ifeanna M; Leishman, Michelle R; Xu, Xingliang; van Kleunen, Mark

2017-08-01

Invasive alien plant species threaten native biodiversity, disrupt ecosystem functions and can cause large economic damage. Plant invasions have been predicted to further increase under ongoing global environmental change. Numerous case studies have compared the performance of invasive and native plant species in response to global environmental change components (i.e. changes in mean levels of precipitation, temperature, atmospheric CO 2 concentration or nitrogen deposition). Individually, these studies usually involve low numbers of species and therefore the results cannot be generalized. Therefore, we performed a phylogenetically controlled meta-analysis to assess whether there is a general pattern of differences in invasive and native plant performance under each component of global environmental change. We compiled a database of studies that reported performance measures for 74 invasive alien plant species and 117 native plant species in response to one of the above-mentioned global environmental change components. We found that elevated temperature and CO 2 enrichment increased the performance of invasive alien plants more strongly than was the case for native plants. Invasive alien plants tended to also have a slightly stronger positive response to increased N deposition and increased precipitation than native plants, but these differences were not significant (N deposition: P = 0.051; increased precipitation: P = 0.679). Invasive alien plants tended to have a slightly stronger negative response to decreased precipitation than native plants, although this difference was also not significant (P = 0.060). So while drought could potentially reduce plant invasion, increases in the four other components of global environmental change considered, particularly global warming and atmospheric CO 2 enrichment, may further increase the spread of invasive plants in the future. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of the foil flatness on the stress-strain characteristics of U10Mo alloy based monolithic mini-plates

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

Hakan Ozaltun; Pavel Medvedev

The effects of the foil flatness on stress-strain behavior of monolithic fuel mini-plates during fabrication and irradiation were studied. Monolithic plate-type fuels are a new fuel form being developed for research and test reactors to achieve higher uranium densities. This concept facilitates the use of low-enriched uranium fuel in the reactor. These fuel elements are comprised of a high density, low enrichment, U–Mo alloy based fuel foil encapsulated in a cladding material made of Aluminum. To evaluate the effects of the foil flatness on the stress-strain behavior of the plates during fabrication, irradiation and shutdown stages, a representative plate frommore » RERTR-12 experiments (Plate L1P756) was considered. Both fabrication and irradiation processes of the plate were simulated by using actual irradiation parameters. The simulations were repeated for various foil curvatures to observe the effects of the foil flatness on the peak stress and strain magnitudes of the fuel elements. Results of fabrication simulations revealed that the flatness of the foil does not have a considerable impact on the post fabrication stress-strain fields. Furthermore, the irradiation simulations indicated that any post-fabrication stresses in the foil would be relieved relatively fast in the reactor. While, the perfectly flat foil provided the slightly better mechanical performance, overall difference between the flat-foil case and curved-foil case was not significant. Even though the peak stresses are less affected, the foil curvature has several implications on the strain magnitudes in the cladding. It was observed that with an increasing foil curvature, there is a slight increase in the cladding strains.« less

Replacement of salt by a novel potassium- and magnesium-enriched salt alternative improves the cardiovascular effects of ramipril.

PubMed Central

Mervaala, E. M.; Paakkari, I.; Laakso, J.; Nevala, R.; Teräväinen, T. M.; Fyhrquist, F.; Vapaatalo, H.; Karppanen, H.

1994-01-01

1. The influence of salt (sodium chloride; NaCl) (an additional 6% in the diet) and that of a novel sodium-reduced, potassium-, magnesium-, and L-lysine-enriched salt alternative on the cardiovascular effects of ramipril was studied in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats in a 6-week study. The intake of sodium chloride was adjusted to the same level by adding the salt alternative at a 1.75 times higher amount than regular salt. 2. Salt produced a marked rise in blood pressure and induced cardiac hypertrophy and significant mortality, while the salt alternative neither increased blood pressure nor caused any mortality and produced less cardiac hypertrophy than salt. 3. Ramipril treatment at a daily dose of 3 mg kg-1 normalized blood pressure and prevented the development of cardiac hypertrophy of rats on control diet. These effects of ramipril were blocked by the addition of salt but were only slightly attenuated by the addition of the salt alternative. The mortality in the salt group was prevented by ramipril. 4. Responses of mesenteric arterial rings in vitro were examined at the end of the study. Salt, but not the salt alternative, increased vascular contractile responses to noradrenaline. Ramipril treatment improved the arterial relaxation responses to acetylcholine and to sodium nitroprusside. The vascular relaxation enhancing effect of ramipril was blocked by salt but only slightly attenuated by the salt alternative. 5. Ramipril treatment did not significantly increase plasma renin activity in the presence or in the absence of salt supplementation. The salt alternative did not cause hyperkalaemia, either alone or in combination with ramipril treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:8032605

Characterization of microbial arsenate reduction in the anoxic bottom waters of Mono Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoeft, S.E.; Lucas, F.; Hollibaugh, J.T.; Oremland, R.S.

2002-01-01

Dissimilatory reduction of arsenate (DAsR) occurs in the arsenic-rich, anoxic water column of Mono Lake, California, yet the microorganisms responsible for this observed in situ activity have not been identified. To gain insight as to which microorganisms mediate this phenomenon, as well as to some of the biogeochemical constraints on this activity, we conducted incubations of arsenate-enriched bottom water coupled with inhibition/amendment studies and Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) characterization techniques. DAsR was totally inhibited by filter-sterilization and by nitrate, partially inhibited (~50%) by selenate, but only slightly (~25%) inhibited by oxyanions that block sulfate-reduction (molybdate and tungstate). The apparent inhibition by nitrate, however, was not due to action as a preferred electron acceptor to arsenate. Rather, nitrate addition caused a rapid, microbial re-oxidation of arsenite to arsenate, which gave the overall appearance of no arsenate loss. A similar microbial oxidation of As(III) was also found with Fe(III), a fact that has implications for the recycling of As(V) in Mono Lake's anoxic bottom waters. DAsR could be slightly (10%) stimulated by substrate amendments of lactate, succinate, malate, or glucose, but not by acetate, suggesting that the DAsR microflora is not electron donor limited. DGGE analysis of amplified 16S rDNA gene fragments from incubated arsenate-enriched bottom waters revealed the presence of two bands that were not present in controls without added arsenate. The resolved sequences of these excised bands indicated the presence of members of the epsilon (Sulfurospirillum) and delta (Desulfovibrio) subgroups of the Proteobacteria, both of which have representative species that are capable of anaerobic growth using arsenate as their electron acceptor.

InstantLabs Listeria species food safety kit. Performance tested methods 041304.

PubMed

Sharma, Neil; Bambusch, Lauren; Le, Thu; Morey, Amit

2014-01-01

The InstantLabs Listeria Species Food SafetyKitwas validated against the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) reference method 11290-1 for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species. The matrixes (stainless steel, sealed concrete, cheddar cheese, raw shrimp, and hot dogs) were inoculated with approximately 1 CFU/test portion of various Listeria species to generate fractional positives (5-15) in 20 inoculated samples. Enrichments were also fractionally inoculated with L. monocytogenes for side-by-side testing of the InstantLabs Listeria monocytogenes Food Safety Kit. Stainless steel and sealed concrete samples were validated using 4 x 4" and 1 x 1" test areas, respectively, and enriched in Buffered Listeria Enrichment Broth (BLEB) at 35 +/- 1 degrees C for 22-28 h. All food samples were tested at 25 g or 25 mL and enriched in BLEB at 35 +/- 1 degrees C for 24-28 h. All samples were confirmed using the ISO reference method, regardless of initial screen result. The InstantLabs test method performed as well as or better than the reference method for the detection of Listeria species on stainless steel, sealed concrete, cheddar cheese, raw shrimp, and hot dogs. Inclusivity and exclusivity testing revealed no false negatives and no false positives among the 80 Listeria species and 30 non-Listeria species examined. The method was shown to be robust when variations were introduced to the enrichment time, the volume for DNA extraction, and the heat block time (data not shown).

Selenium-mediated protection in reversing the sensitivity of bacterium to the bactericidal antibiotics.

PubMed

Li, Zhonglei; Tan, Jun; Shao, Lei; Dong, Xiaojing; Ye, Richard D; Chen, Daijie

2017-05-01

Inducing production of damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an important criterion to distinguish the bactericidal antibiotics from bacteriostatic antibiotics. Selenoenzymes were generally recognized to be a powerful antioxidant capable of scavenging free radicals, protecting the cells from the harmful effects of ROS. Therefore, the present study was carried out to investigate the selenium (Se)-mediated protection in reversing antibiotic sensitivity and the role of selenoenzymes in alleviating the negative effects of oxidative stress. The cellular antioxidant activity of Se-enriched bacteria was analyzed, as well as intracellular ROS production and elimination when Se-enriched bacteria in the presence of various antibiotics. Compared to complete inhibition of the parental strain by bactericidal antibiotics, it only exhibited slight and reversible inhibition of Se-enriched Escherichia coli ATCC25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 at the same conditions, which indicated that intracellular selenium provided substantial protection against antibiotics. ROS generation caused by bactericidal antibiotics was confirmed by fluorescence spectrophotometry using 2', 7'-dichloro- uorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) as substrate. The time course experiments of pretreatment with selenium showed significant decrease of ROS level at 2h. In summary, the present study provides experimental evidence supporting selenoenzymes has good scavenging effect to ROS and can protect bacteria from oxidative stress injury induced by bactericidal antibiotics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Geochemistry of Archean shales from the Pilbara Supergroup, Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLennan, Scott M.; Taylor, S. R.; Eriksson, K. A.

1983-07-01

Archean clastic sedimentary rocks are well exposed in the Pilbara Block of Western Australia. Shales from turbidites in the Gorge Creek Group ( ca. 3.4 Ae) and shales from the Whim Creek Group ( ca. 2.7 Ae) have been examined. The Gorge Creek Group samples, characterized by muscovite-quartzchlorite mineralogy, are enriched in incompatible elements (K, Th, U, LREE) by factors of about two, when compared to younger Archean shales from the Yilgarn Block. Alkali and alkaline earth elements are depleted in a systematic fashion, according to size, when compared with an estimate of Archean upper crust abundances. This depletion is less notable in the Whim Creek Group. Such a pattern indicates the source of these rocks underwent a rather severe episode of weathering. The Gorge Creek Group also has fairly high B content (85 ± 29 ppm) which may indicate normal marine conditions during deposition. Rare earth element (REE) patterns for the Pilbara samples are characterized by light REE enrichment ( La N/Yb N ≥ 7.5 ) and no or very slight Eu depletion ( Eu/Eu ∗ = 0.82 - 0.99 ). A source comprised of about 80% felsic igneous rocks without large negative Eu-anomalies (felsic volcanics, tonalites, trondhjemites) and 20% mafic-ultramafic volcanics is indicated by the trace element data. Very high abundances of Cr and Ni cannot be explained by any reasonable provenance model and a secondary enrichment process is called for.

Physicochemical properties of cookies enriched with xylooligosaccharides.

PubMed

Ayyappan, P; Abirami, A; Anbuvahini, N A; Tamil Kumaran, P S; Naresh, M; Malathi, D; Antony, Usha

2016-07-01

The growing commercial importance of xylooligosaccharides is based on their beneficial health properties, particularly their ability to stimulate the growth and activity of intestinal bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species. Xylooligosaccharides are less sweet, acid, and heat stable, with low recommended levels of intake compared to other oligosaccharides. In view of the consumer demand for foods with low sugar, low fat, and high fiber contents, they are suitable for incorporation into bakery products. In this study, we have developed wheat-based cookies incorporated with xylooligosaccharides at 5%, 10%, and 15% levels. The nutritive value and physicochemical properties of the cookies changed with xylooligosaccharides incorporation; both crude fiber and dietary fiber contents increased by 14% and 35%, respectively, in the enriched cookies. The moisture levels increased with increase in the percentage of xylooligosaccharides incorporated. Cookies with 5% xylooligosaccharides were found most acceptable, although the color was slightly darker compared to the control, while cookies with 10% and 15% xylooligosaccharides were softer and darker and therefore less acceptable. Enrichment with xylooligosaccharides at 5% provided a product stable for 21 days at room temperature (25 ± 2℃). The storage stability of cookies with higher levels of xylooligosaccharides was less than the 5% xylooligosaccharides cookies and control. The retention of the prebiotic xylooligosaccharides in the products was relatively high (74%). © The Author(s) 2015.

Application of new insoluble dietary fibres from triticale as supplement in yoghurt - effects on physico-chemical, rheological and quality properties.

PubMed

Miocinovic, Jelena; Tomic, Nikola; Dojnov, Biljana; Tomasevic, Igor; Stojanovic, Sanja; Djekic, Ilija; Vujcic, Zoran

2018-03-01

The need to increase the daily intake of dietary fibres opens a new chapter in the research of functional foods enriched with fibres. The potential application of an innovative product - insoluble dietary fibres from triticale in yoghurts - was deployed by characterising their food application and evaluating physico-chemical, rheological and sensory properties and was the aim of this research. Detailed characterisations of these fibres are presented for the first time and showed very good hydration properties, optimal pH (slightly acidic), optimal chemical composition, high antioxidant capacity which was proven by phenolics contents. Besides, these fibres showed negligible calorific value, with no phytates and high antioxidant capacity, mainly from ferulic acid. Therefore they could be successfully added to yoghurt. Enrichment of yoghurt having different milk fat content (1.5 and 2.8% w/w) with triticale insoluble fibre (1.5% and 3.0% w/w) significantly influenced the syneresis level, its apparent viscosity, yield stress and thixotropic behaviour. The overall sensory quality scores indicated that yoghurt enriched with 1.5% triticale insoluble fibres was recognised as 'excellent' and had enhanced antioxidant activity. Insoluble triticale fibre could therefore be used as a supplement to produce functional yoghurt. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

CD45RO enriches for activated, highly mutated human germinal center B cells

PubMed Central

Jackson, Stephen M.; Harp, Natessa; Patel, Darshna; Zhang, Jeffrey; Willson, Savannah; Kim, Yoon J.; Clanton, Christian

2007-01-01

To date, there is no consensus regarding the influence of different CD45 isoforms during peripheral B-cell development. Examining correlations between surface CD45RO expression and various physiologic processes ongoing during the germinal center (GC) reaction, we hypothesized that GC B cells, like T cells, that up-regulate surface RO should progressively acquire phenotypes commonly associated with activated, differentiating lymphocytes. GC B cells (IgD−CD38+) were subdivided into 3 surface CD45RO fractions: RO−, RO+/−, and RO+. We show here that the average number of mutations per IgVH transcript increased in direct correlation with surface RO levels. Conjunctional use of RO and CD69 further delineated low/moderately and highly mutated fractions. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) mRNA was slightly reduced among RO+ GC B cells, suggesting that higher mutation averages are unlikely due to elevated somatic mutation activity. Instead, RO+ GC B cells were negative for Annexin V, comprised mostly (93%) of CD77− centrocytes, and were enriched for CD69+ cells. Collectively, RO+ GC B cells occupy what seems to be a specialized niche comprised mostly of centrocytes that may be in transition between activation states. These findings are among the first to sort GC B cells into populations enriched for live mutated cells solely using a single extracellular marker. PMID:17644737

Two-stage microfluidic chip for selective isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs).

PubMed

Hyun, Kyung-A; Lee, Tae Yoon; Lee, Su Hyun; Jung, Hyo-Il

2015-05-15

Over the past few decades, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been studied as a means of overcoming cancer. However, the rarity and heterogeneity of CTCs have been the most significant hurdles in CTC research. Many techniques for CTC isolation have been developed and can be classified into positive enrichment (i.e., specifically isolating target cells using cell size, surface protein expression, and so on) and negative enrichment (i.e., specifically eluting non-target cells). Positive enrichment methods lead to high purity, but could be biased by their selection criteria, while the negative enrichment methods have relatively low purity, but can isolate heterogeneous CTCs. To compensate for the known disadvantages of the positive and negative enrichments, in this study we introduced a two-stage microfluidic chip. The first stage involves a microfluidic magnetic activated cell sorting (μ-MACS) chip to elute white blood cells (WBCs). The second stage involves a geometrically activated surface interaction (GASI) chip for the selective isolation of CTCs. We observed up to 763-fold enrichment in cancer cells spiked into 5 mL of blood sample using the μ-MACS chip at 400 μL/min flow rate. Cancer cells were successfully separated with separation efficiencies ranging from 10.19% to 22.91% based on their EpCAM or HER2 surface protein expression using the GASI chip at a 100 μL/min flow rate. Our two-stage microfluidic chips not only isolated CTCs from blood cells, but also classified heterogeneous CTCs based on their characteristics. Therefore, our chips can contribute to research on CTC heterogeneity of CTCs, and, by extension, personalized cancer treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Review of remediation practices regarding cadmium-enriched farmland soil with particular reference to China.

PubMed

Tang, X; Li, Q; Wu, M; Lin, L; Scholz, M

2016-10-01

Cadmium-enrichment of farmland soil greatly threatens the sustainable use of soil resources and the safe cultivation of grain. This review paper briefly introduces the status of farmland soil as well as grain, which are both often polluted by cadmium (Cd) in China, and illustrates the major sources of Cd contaminants in farmland soil. In order to meet soil environmental quality standards and farmland environmental quality evaluation standards for edible agricultural products, Cd-enriched farmland soil is frequently remediated with the following prevailing techniques: dig and fill, electro-kinetic remediation, chemical elution, stabilisation and solidification, phytoremediation, field management and combined remediation. Most remediation techniques are still at the stage of small-scale trial experiments in China and few techniques are assessed in field trials. After comparing the technical and economical applicability among different Cd-enriched farmland soil remediation techniques, a novel ecological and hydraulic remediation technique has been proposed, which integrated the advantages of chemical elution, solidification and stabilisation, phytoremediation and field management. The ecological and hydraulic remediation concept is based on existing irrigation and drainage facilities, ecological ditches (ponds) and agronomic measures, which mainly detoxify the Cd-enriched soil during the interim period of crop cultivation, and guarantee the grain safety during its growth period. This technique may shift the challenge from soil to water treatment, and thus greatly enhances the remediation efficiency and shortens the remediation duration. Moreover, the proposed ecological and hydraulic remediation method matches well with the practical choice of cultivation while remediation for Cd-enriched soil in China, which has negligible impacts on the normal crop cultivation process, and thus shows great potential for large area applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of a Play-Based Curriculum in the First Two Years of Primary School: Literacy and Numeracy Outcomes over Seven Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuinness, Carol; Sproule, Liz; Bojke, Chris; Trew, Karen; Walsh, Glenda

2014-01-01

In 2000-2002 an innovative early years curriculum, the Enriched Curriculum (EC), was introduced into 120 volunteer schools across Northern Ireland, replacing a traditional curriculum similar to others across the UK at that time. It was intended by the designers to be developmentally appropriate and play-based with the primary goal of preventing…

Project EAGLE (Early Academic Gifted Learning Experience): A Program for Gifted and Talented Students (Grades K-3)--Animals 3; Magnets; Sight; Geoboards 3; Dinosaurs 3; and Groups 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merkoski, Kay

Six thematic activity booklets are presented for implementing Project EAGLE, an enrichment program for gifted and talented primary-level children. "Animals 3" introduces endangered animals and locates their home areas on maps or globes, using nine learning activities involving science and creative writing. "Magnets" discusses…

Pre-Freshman Enrichment Program (PREP). Closeout documentation

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

NONE

1996-12-19

This is the final report on a project to support a science/mathematics summer program aimed at minority middle school students, whose objective was to introduce them to career opportunities, job interest, and financial help for pursuing a career objective in a technology field. The report describes program results from the summers of 1992, 1993 and 1996. It was administered through Eastern New Mexico University.

Developing a Community of Inquiry in a Face-to-Face Class: How an Online Learning Framework Can Enrich Traditional Classroom Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warner, Alfred G.

2016-01-01

Traditional classes are typically bound both in the classroom space and scheduled time. In this article, I show how applying an online learning framework called the Community of Inquiry and an organizational architecture of matrixed teams has worked in a face-to-face capstone class and extended those boundaries. These were introduced as an…

A new feature in the internal heavy isotope distribution in ozone.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, S K; Savarino, Joel; Michalski, G; Liang, Mao-Chang

2014-10-07

Ozone produced by discharge or photolysis of oxygen has unusually heavy isotopic composition ((18)O/(16)O and (17)O/(16)O ratio) which does not follow normal mass fractionation rule: δ(17)O ∼ 0.52(*)δ(18)O, expressed as an anomaly Δ(17)O = δ(17)O - 0.52(*)δ(18)O. Ozone molecule being an open isosceles triangle can have the heavy isotope located either in its apex or symmetric (s) position or the base or asymmetric (as) position. Correspondingly, one can define positional isotopic enrichment, written as δ(18)O (s) or δ(18)O (as) (and similarly for δ(17)O) as well as position dependent isotope anomaly Δ(17)O (s) and Δ(17)O (as). Marcus and co-workers have proposed a semi-empirical model based in principle on the RRKM model of uni-molecular dissociation but with slight modification (departure from statistical randomness assumption for symmetrical molecules) which explains many features of ozone isotopic enrichment. This model predicts that the bulk isotope anomaly is contained wholly in the asymmetric position and the Δ(17)O (s) is zero. Consequently, Δ(17)O (as) = 1.5 (*) Δ(17)O (bulk) (named here simply as the "1.5 rule") which has been experimentally confirmed over a range of isotopic enrichment. We now show that a critical re-analysis of the earlier experimental data demonstrates a small but significant departure from this 1.5 rule at the highest and lowest levels of enrichments. This departure provides the first experimental proof that the dynamics of ozone formation differs from a statistical model constrained only by restriction of symmetry. We speculate over some possible causes for the departure.

A new feature in the internal heavy isotope distribution in ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, S. K.; Savarino, Joel; Michalski, G.; Liang, Mao-Chang

2014-10-01

Ozone produced by discharge or photolysis of oxygen has unusually heavy isotopic composition (18O/16O and 17O/16O ratio) which does not follow normal mass fractionation rule: δ17O ˜ 0.52*δ18O, expressed as an anomaly Δ17O = δ17O - 0.52*δ18O. Ozone molecule being an open isosceles triangle can have the heavy isotope located either in its apex or symmetric (s) position or the base or asymmetric (as) position. Correspondingly, one can define positional isotopic enrichment, written as δ18O (s) or δ18O (as) (and similarly for δ17O) as well as position dependent isotope anomaly Δ17O (s) and Δ17O (as). Marcus and co-workers have proposed a semi-empirical model based in principle on the RRKM model of uni-molecular dissociation but with slight modification (departure from statistical randomness assumption for symmetrical molecules) which explains many features of ozone isotopic enrichment. This model predicts that the bulk isotope anomaly is contained wholly in the asymmetric position and the Δ17O (s) is zero. Consequently, Δ17O (as) = 1.5 * Δ17O (bulk) (named here simply as the "1.5 rule") which has been experimentally confirmed over a range of isotopic enrichment. We now show that a critical re-analysis of the earlier experimental data demonstrates a small but significant departure from this 1.5 rule at the highest and lowest levels of enrichments. This departure provides the first experimental proof that the dynamics of ozone formation differs from a statistical model constrained only by restriction of symmetry. We speculate over some possible causes for the departure.

Cl/Br ratios and chlorine isotope evidences for groundwater salinization and its impact on groundwater arsenic, fluoride and iodine enrichment in the Datong basin, China.

PubMed

Li, Junxia; Wang, Yanxin; Xie, Xianjun

2016-02-15

In order to identify the salinization processes and its impact on arsenic, fluoride and iodine enrichment in groundwater, hydrogeochemical and environmental isotope studies have been conducted on groundwater from the Datong basin, China. The total dissolved solid (TDS) concentrations in groundwater ranged from 451 to 8250 mg/L, and 41% of all samples were identified as moderately saline groundwater with TDS of 3000-10,000 mg/L. The results of groundwater Cl concentrations, Cl/Br molar ratio and Cl isotope composition suggest that three processes including water-rock interaction, surface saline soil flushing, and evapotranspiration result in the groundwater salinization in the study area. The relatively higher Cl/Br molar ratio in groundwater from multiple screening wells indicates the contribution of halite dissolution from saline soil flushed by vertical infiltration to the groundwater salinization. However, the results of groundwater Cl/Br molar ratio model indicate that the effect of saline soil flushing practice is limited to account for the observed salinity variation in groundwater. The plots of groundwater Cl vs. Cl/Br molar ratio, and Cl vs δ(37)Cl perform the dominant effects of evapotranspiration on groundwater salinization. Inverse geochemical modeling results show that evapotranspiration may cause approximately 66% loss of shallow groundwater to account for the observed hydrochemical pattern. Due to the redox condition fluctuation induced by irrigation activities and evapotranspiration, groundwater salinization processes have negative effects on groundwater arsenic enrichment. For groundwater iodine and fluoride enrichment, evapotranspiration partly accounts for their elevation in slightly saline water. However, too strong evapotranspiration would restrict groundwater fluoride concentration due to the limitation of fluorite solubility. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Lignin Composition and Structure Differs between Xylem, Phloem and Phellem in Quercus suber L.

PubMed Central

Lourenço, Ana; Rencoret, Jorge; Chemetova, Catarina; Gominho, Jorge; Gutiérrez, Ana; del Río, José C.; Pereira, Helena

2016-01-01

The composition and structure of lignin in different tissues—phellem (cork), phloem and xylem (wood)—of Quercus suber was studied. Whole cell walls and their respective isolated milled lignins were analyzed by pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (2D-NMR) and derivatization followed by reductive cleavage (DFRC). Different tissues presented varied p-hydroxyphenyl:guaiacyl:syringyl (H:G:S) lignin compositions. Whereas lignin from cork has a G-rich lignin (H:G:S molar ratio 2:85:13), lignin from phloem presents more S-units (H:G:S molar ratio of 1:58:41) and lignin from xylem is slightly enriched in S-lignin (H:G:S molar ratio 1:45:55). These differences were reflected in the relative abundances of the different interunit linkages. Alkyl-aryl ethers (β–O–4′) were predominant, increasing from 68% in cork, to 71% in phloem and 77% in xylem, as consequence of the enrichment in S-lignin units. Cork lignin was enriched in condensed structures such as phenylcoumarans (β-5′, 20%), dibenzodioxocins (5–5′, 5%), as corresponds to a lignin enriched in G-units. In comparison, lignin from phloem and xylem presented lower levels of condensed linkages. The lignin from cork was highly acetylated at the γ-OH of the side-chain (48% lignin acetylation), predominantly over G-units; while the lignins from phloem and xylem were barely acetylated and this occurred mainly over S-units. These results are a first time overview of the lignin structure in xylem, phloem (generated by cambium), and in cork (generated by phellogen), in agreement with literature that reports that lignin biosynthesis is flexible and cell specific. PMID:27833631

Photosynthetic responses of yellow poplar and white oak to long term atmospheric CO sub 2 enrichment in the field. [Liriondendron tulipifera L; Quercus alba L

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

Gunderson, C.A.; Norby, R.J.

1991-05-01

A critical consideration in evaluating forest response to rising atmospheric CO{sub 2} is whether the enhancement of net photosynthesis (P{sub N}) by elevated CO{sub 2} can be sustained over the long term. There are reports of declining enhancement of P{sub N} with duration of exposure to elevated CO{sub 2}, associated with decreases in photosynthetic capacity and carboxylation efficiency. We investigated whether this photosynthetic acclimation occurs in two tree species under field conditions. Seedlings of yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) and white oak (Quercus alba L.) were planted in the ground within six open-top field chambers in May 1989 and have beenmore » exposed continuously to CO{sub 2} enrichment during the last two growing seasons. The three CO{sub 2} treatment levels were: ambient, ambient +150, and ambient +300 {mu}L/L. Throughout the second season, gas exchange of upper, light-saturated leaves was surveyed periodically, and leaves of different ages and canopy positions were measured occasionally. Net photosynthesis remained higher at higher CO{sub 2} levels (28-32% higher in +150 and 49-67% higher in +300 seedlings) in both species throughout the season, regardless of increasing leaf age and duration of exposure to CO{sub 2} enrichment. Stomatal conductance remained unchanged or decreased slightly with increasing CO{sub 2}, but instantaneous water use efficiency (P{sub N}/transpiration) increased significantly with CO{sub 2}. Analysis of P{sub N} versus internal CO{sub 2} concentration indicated no significant treatment differences in carboxylation efficiency, CO{sub 2}-saturated P{sub N}, or CO{sub 2} compensation point. There was no evidence of a downward acclimation of photosynthesis to CO{sub 2} enrichment in this system.« less

Compartmentalization and Functionality of Nuclear Disorder: Intrinsic Disorder and Protein-Protein Interactions in Intra-Nuclear Compartments

PubMed Central

Meng, Fanchi; Na, Insung; Kurgan, Lukasz; Uversky, Vladimir N.

2015-01-01

The cell nucleus contains a number of membrane-less organelles or intra-nuclear compartments. These compartments are dynamic structures representing liquid-droplet phases which are only slightly denser than the bulk intra-nuclear fluid. They possess different functions, have diverse morphologies, and are typically composed of RNA (or, in some cases, DNA) and proteins. We analyzed 3005 mouse proteins localized in specific intra-nuclear organelles, such as nucleolus, chromatin, Cajal bodies, nuclear speckles, promyelocytic leukemia (PML) nuclear bodies, nuclear lamina, nuclear pores, and perinuclear compartment and compared them with ~29,863 non-nuclear proteins from mouse proteome. Our analysis revealed that intrinsic disorder is enriched in the majority of intra-nuclear compartments, except for the nuclear pore and lamina. These compartments are depleted in proteins that lack disordered domains and enriched in proteins that have multiple disordered domains. Moonlighting proteins found in multiple intra-nuclear compartments are more likely to have multiple disordered domains. Protein-protein interaction networks in the intra-nuclear compartments are denser and include more hubs compared to the non-nuclear proteins. Hubs in the intra-nuclear compartments (except for the nuclear pore) are enriched in disorder compared with non-nuclear hubs and non-nuclear proteins. Therefore, our work provides support to the idea of the functional importance of intrinsic disorder in the cell nucleus and shows that many proteins associated with sub-nuclear organelles in nuclei of mouse cells are enriched in disorder. This high level of disorder in the mouse nuclear proteins defines their ability to serve as very promiscuous binders, possessing both large quantities of potential disorder-based interaction sites and the ability of a single such site to be involved in a large number of interactions. PMID:26712748

Effect of air flow, panel curvature, and internal pressurization on field-incidence transmission loss

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koval, L. R.

1976-01-01

In the context of sound transmission through aircraft fuselage panels, equations for the field-incidence transmission loss (TL) of a single-walled panel are derived that include the effects of external air flow, panel curvature, and internal fuselage pressurization. Flow is shown to provide a modest increase in TL that is uniform with frequency up to the critical frequency. The increase is about 2 dB at Mach number M = 0.5, and about 3.5 dB at M = 1. Above the critical frequency where TL is damping controlled, the increase can be slightly larger at certain frequencies. Curvature is found to stiffen the panel, thereby increasing the TL at low frequencies, but also to introduce a dip at the 'ring frequency' of a full cylinder having the same radius as the panel. Pressurization appears to produce a slight decrease in TL throughout the frequency range, and also slightly shifts the dips at the critical frequency and at the ring frequency.

Phosphorus nutrition of phosphorus-sensitive Australian native plants: threats to plant communities in a global biodiversity hotspot

PubMed Central

Lambers, Hans; Ahmedi, Idriss; Berkowitz, Oliver; Dunne, Chris; Finnegan, Patrick M.; Hardy, Giles E. St J.; Jost, Ricarda; Laliberté, Etienne; Pearse, Stuart J.; Teste, François P.

2013-01-01

South-western Australia harbours a global biodiversity hotspot on the world's most phosphorus (P)-impoverished soils. The greatest biodiversity occurs on the most severely nutrient-impoverished soils, where non-mycorrhizal species are a prominent component of the flora. Mycorrhizal species dominate where soils contain slightly more phosphorus. In addition to habitat loss and dryland salinity, a major threat to plant biodiversity in this region is eutrophication due to enrichment with P. Many plant species in the south-western Australian biodiversity hotspot are extremely sensitive to P, due to a low capability to down-regulate their phosphate-uptake capacity. Species from the most P-impoverished soils are also very poor competitors at higher P availability, giving way to more competitive species when soil P concentrations are increased. Sources of increased soil P concentrations include increased fire frequency, run-off from agricultural land, and urban activities. Another P source is the P-fertilizing effect of spraying natural environments on a landscape scale with phosphite to reduce the impacts of the introduced plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi, which itself is a serious threat to biodiversity. We argue that alternatives to phosphite for P. cinnamomi management are needed urgently, and propose a strategy to work towards such alternatives, based on a sound understanding of the physiological and molecular mechanisms of the action of phosphite in plants that are susceptible to P. cinnamomi. The threats we describe for the south-western Australian biodiversity hotspot are likely to be very similar for other P-impoverished environments, including the fynbos in South Africa and the cerrado in Brazil. PMID:27293594

Phosphorus nutrition of phosphorus-sensitive Australian native plants: threats to plant communities in a global biodiversity hotspot.

PubMed

Lambers, Hans; Ahmedi, Idriss; Berkowitz, Oliver; Dunne, Chris; Finnegan, Patrick M; Hardy, Giles E St J; Jost, Ricarda; Laliberté, Etienne; Pearse, Stuart J; Teste, François P

2013-01-01

South-western Australia harbours a global biodiversity hotspot on the world's most phosphorus (P)-impoverished soils. The greatest biodiversity occurs on the most severely nutrient-impoverished soils, where non-mycorrhizal species are a prominent component of the flora. Mycorrhizal species dominate where soils contain slightly more phosphorus. In addition to habitat loss and dryland salinity, a major threat to plant biodiversity in this region is eutrophication due to enrichment with P. Many plant species in the south-western Australian biodiversity hotspot are extremely sensitive to P, due to a low capability to down-regulate their phosphate-uptake capacity. Species from the most P-impoverished soils are also very poor competitors at higher P availability, giving way to more competitive species when soil P concentrations are increased. Sources of increased soil P concentrations include increased fire frequency, run-off from agricultural land, and urban activities. Another P source is the P-fertilizing effect of spraying natural environments on a landscape scale with phosphite to reduce the impacts of the introduced plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi, which itself is a serious threat to biodiversity. We argue that alternatives to phosphite for P. cinnamomi management are needed urgently, and propose a strategy to work towards such alternatives, based on a sound understanding of the physiological and molecular mechanisms of the action of phosphite in plants that are susceptible to P. cinnamomi. The threats we describe for the south-western Australian biodiversity hotspot are likely to be very similar for other P-impoverished environments, including the fynbos in South Africa and the cerrado in Brazil.

Design and synthesis of magnetic binary metal oxides nanocomposites through dopamine chemistry for highly selective enrichment of phosphopeptides.

PubMed

Wang, Mengyi; Sun, Xueni; Li, Yan; Deng, Chunhui

2016-03-01

In this work, for the first time, magnetic binary metal oxides nanocomposites which integrated Zr and Ti into one entity on an atomic scale on polydopamine coated magnetic graphene (magG/PD/(Zr-Ti)O4 ) was designed and synthesized, and applied to the enrichment of phosphopeptides. The newly prepared magG/PD/(Zr-Ti)O4 composites gathered the advantages of large surface area, superparamagnetism, biocompatibility and the enhanced affinity properties to phosphopeptides. MagG/PD/ZrO2 , magG/PD/TiO2 , as well as the simple physical mixture of them were introduced to compare with magG/PD/(Zr-Ti)O4 composites. High sensitivity (1 pg/μL or 4.0 × 10(-11) M) and selectivity (weight ratio of β-casein and BSA reached up to 1:8000) toward phosphopeptides were also presented for magG/PD/(Zr-Ti)O4 composites. Additionally, mouse brain tissue was chose as the real samples to further investigate the phosphopeptides enrichment ability of this new material. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Gas-Purged Headspace Liquid Phase Microextraction System for Determination of Volatile and Semivolatile Analytes

PubMed Central

Zhang, Meihua; Bi, Jinhu; Yang, Cui; Li, Donghao; Piao, Xiangfan

2012-01-01

In order to achieve rapid, automatic, and efficient extraction for trace chemicals from samples, a system of gas-purged headspace liquid phase microextraction (GP-HS-LPME) has been researched and developed based on the original HS-LPME technique. In this system, semiconductor condenser and heater, whose refrigerating and heating temperatures were controlled by microcontroller, were designed to cool the extraction solvent and to heat the sample, respectively. Besides, inert gas, whose gas flow rate was adjusted by mass flow controller, was continuously introduced into and discharged from the system. Under optimized parameters, extraction experiments were performed, respectively, using GP-HS-LPME system and original HS-LPME technique for enriching volatile and semivolatile target compounds from the same kind of sample of 15 PAHs standard mixture. GC-MS analysis results for the two experiments indicated that a higher enrichment factor was obtained from GP-HS-LPME. The enrichment results demonstrate that GP-HS-LPME system is potential in determination of volatile and semivolatile analytes from various kinds of samples. PMID:22448341

Strawberry tannins inhibit IL-8 secretion in a cell model of gastric inflammation.

PubMed

Fumagalli, Marco; Sangiovanni, Enrico; Vrhovsek, Urska; Piazza, Stefano; Colombo, Elisa; Gasperotti, Mattia; Mattivi, Fulvio; De Fabiani, Emma; Dell'Agli, Mario

2016-09-01

In the present study we chemically profiled tannin-enriched extracts from strawberries and tested their biological properties in a cell model of gastric inflammation. The chemical and biological features of strawberry tannins after in vitro simulated gastric digestion were investigated as well. The anti-inflammatory activities of pure strawberry tannins were assayed to get mechanistic insights. Tannin-enriched extracts from strawberries inhibit IL-8 secretion in TNFα-treated human gastric epithelial cells by dampening the NF-κB signaling. In vitro simulated gastric digestion slightly affected the chemical composition and the biological properties of strawberry tannins. By using pure compounds, we found that casuarictin may act as a pure NF-κB inhibitor while agrimoniin inhibits IL-8 secretion also acting on other biological targets; in our system procyanidin B1 prevents the TNFα-induced effects without interfering with the NF-κB pathway. We conclude that strawberry tannins, even after in vitro simulated gastric digestion, exert anti-inflammatory activities at nutritionally relevant concentrations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parametric study of potential early commercial MHD power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hals, F. A.

1979-01-01

Three different reference power plant configurations were considered with parametric variations of the various design parameters for each plant. Two of the reference plant designs were based on the use of high temperature regenerative air preheaters separately fired by a low Btu gas produced from a coal gasifier which was integrated with the power plant. The third reference plant design was based on the use of oxygen enriched combustion air preheated to a more moderate temperature in a tubular type metallic recuperative heat exchanger which is part of the bottoming plant heat recovery system. Comparative information was developed on plant performance and economics. The highest net plant efficiency of about 45 percent was attained by the reference plant design with the use of a high temperature air preheater separately fired with the advanced entrained bed gasifier. The use of oxygen enrichment of the combustion air yielded the lowest cost of generating electricity at a slightly lower plant efficiency. Both of these two reference plant designs are identified as potentially attractive for early MHD power plant applications.

Irradiation-induced formation of a spinel phase at the FeCr/MgO interface

DOE PAGES

Xu, Yun; Yadav, Satyesh Kumar; Aguiar, Jeffery A.; ...

2015-04-27

Oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic/martensitic alloys have attracted significant attention for their potential uses in future nuclear reactors and storage vessels, as the metal/oxide interfaces act as stable high-strength sinks for point defects while also dispersing helium. Here, in order to unravel the evolution and interplay of interface structure and chemistry upon irradiation in these types of materials, an atomically sharp FeCr/MgO interface was synthesized at 500 °C and separately annealed and irradiated with Ni 3+ ions at 500 °C. After annealing, a slight enrichment of Cr atoms was observed at the interface, but no other structural changes were found. However,more » under irradiation, sufficient Cr diffuses across the interface into the MgO to form a Cr-enriched transition layer that contains spinel precipitates. First-principles calculations indicate that it is energetically favorable to incorporate Cr, but not Fe, substitutionally into MgO. Furthermore, our results indicate that irradiation can be used to form new phases and complexions at interfaces, which may have different radiation tolerance than the pristine structures.« less

Methanogenic degradation of acetone by an enrichment culture.

PubMed

Platen, H; Schink, B

1987-01-01

An anaerobic enrichment culture degraded 1 mol of acetone to 2 mol of methane and 1 mol of carbon dioxide. Two microorganisms were involved in this process, a filament-forming rod similar to Methanothrix sp. and an unknown rod with round to slightly pointed ends. Both organisms formed aggregates up to 300 micron in diameter. No fluorescing bacteria were observed indicating that hydrogen or formate-utilizing methanogens are not involved in this process. Acetate was utilized in this culture by the Methanothrix sp. Inhibition of methanogenesis by bromoethanesulfonic acid or acetylene decreased the acetone degradation rate drastically and led to the formation of 2 mol acetate per mol of acetone. Streptomycin completely inhibited acetone degradation, and neither acetate nor methane was formed. 14CO2 was incorporated exclusively into the C-1 atom of acetate indicating that acetone is degraded via carboxylation to an acetoacetate residue. It is concluded that acetone is degraded by a coculture of an eubacterium and an acetate-utilizing methanogen and that acetate is the only intermediate transferred between both. The energetical problems of the eubacterium converting acetone to acetate are discussed.

Impact of the neutron detector choice on Bell and Glasstone spatial correction factor for subcriticality measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talamo, Alberto; Gohar, Y.; Cao, Y.; Zhong, Z.; Kiyavitskaya, H.; Bournos, V.; Fokov, Y.; Routkovskaya, C.

2012-03-01

In subcritical assemblies, the Bell and Glasstone spatial correction factor is used to correct the measured reactivity from different detector positions. In addition to the measuring position, several other parameters affect the correction factor: the detector material, the detector size, and the energy-angle distribution of source neutrons. The effective multiplication factor calculated by computer codes in criticality mode slightly differs from the average value obtained from the measurements in the different experimental channels of the subcritical assembly, which are corrected by the Bell and Glasstone spatial correction factor. Generally, this difference is due to (1) neutron counting errors; (2) geometrical imperfections, which are not simulated in the calculational model, and (3) quantities and distributions of material impurities, which are missing from the material definitions. This work examines these issues and it focuses on the detector choice and the calculation methodologies. The work investigated the YALINA Booster subcritical assembly of Belarus, which has been operated with three different fuel enrichments in the fast zone either: high (90%) and medium (36%), medium (36%), or low (21%) enriched uranium fuel.

Tautomer preference in PDB complexes and its impact on structure-based drug discovery.

PubMed

Milletti, Francesca; Vulpetti, Anna

2010-06-28

Tautomer enrichment is a key step of ligand preparation prior to virtual screening. In this paper, we have investigated how tautomer preference in various media (water, gas phase, and crystal) compares to tautomer preference at the active site of the protein by analyzing the different possible H-bonding contacts for a set of 13 tautomeric structures. In addition, we have explored the impact of four different protocols for the enumeration of tautomers in virtual screening by using Flap, Glide, and Gold as docking tools on seven targets of the DUD data set. Excluding targets in which the binding does not involve tautomeric atoms (HSP90, p38, and VEGFR2), we found that the average receiver operating characteristic curve enrichment at 10% was 0.25 (Gold), 0.24 (Glide), and 0.50 (Flap) by considering only tautomers predicted to be unstable in water versus 0.41 (Gold), 0.56 (Glide), 0.51 (Flap) by limiting the enumeration process only to the predicted most stable tautomer. The inclusion of all tautomers (stable and unstable) yielded slightly poorer results than considering only the most stable form in water.

Atmospheric mercury distribution in Northern Europe and in the Mediterranean region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wängberg, I.; Munthe, J.; Pirrone, N.; Iverfeldt, Å.; Bahlman, E.; Costa, P.; Ebinghaus, R.; Feng, X.; Ferrara, R.; Gårdfeldt, K.; Kock, H.; Lanzillotta, E.; Mamane, Y.; Mas, F.; Melamed, E.; Osnat, Y.; Prestbo, E.; Sommar, J.; Schmolke, S.; Spain, G.; Sprovieri, F.; Tuncel, G.

Mercury species in air have been measured at five sites in Northwest Europe and at five coastal sites in the Mediterranean region during measurements at four seasons. Observed concentrations of total gaseous mercury (TGM), total particulate mercury (TPM) and reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) were generally slightly higher in the Mediterranean region than in Northwest Europe. Incoming clean Atlantic air seems to be enriched in TGM in comparison to air in Scandinavia. Trajectory analysis of events where high concentrations of TPM simultaneously were observed at sites in North Europe indicate source areas in Central Europe and provide evidence of transport of mercury on particles on a regional scale.

European Foundation Designs for Seasonally Frozen Ground

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

104 173. Design thermal conductivity of mineral wool for frost protection...inside of theo - foundation wall, consisted of 50 mm of Rockwool o3 wallo -"o 0 ° (a mineral wool ). This insulation guides heat from the house down...Thermal Insulation Laboratory 1982.) by introducing mineral wool (Fig. 49c) gives a Table 4. Relationship between floor surface tempera- further slight

Everyone Wants One...A Slightly Different One: The Process of Introducing a User Interface System into an Online Public Access Catalog Network.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Darrell L.

The development, testing, introduction, evaluation, and refinement of a user interface for a statewide, multi-library online public access catalog network can be a very involved and politically complex enterprise. A multitude of perspectives, assumptions, preferences, and needs accompanies the multitude of players involved, i.e., library…

Public versus Private: Evidence on Health Insurance Selection

PubMed Central

Pardo, Cristian; Schott, Whitney

2012-01-01

This paper models health insurance choice in Chile (public versus private) as a dynamic, stochastic process, where individuals consider premiums, expected out-of pocket costs, personal characteristics and preferences. Insurance amenities and restrictions against pre-existing conditions among private insurers introduce asymmetry to the model. We confirm that the public system services a less healthy and wealthy population (adverse selection for public insurance). Simulation of choices over time predicts a slight crowding out of private insurance only for the most pessimistic scenario in terms of population aging and the evolution of education. Eliminating the restrictions on pre-existing conditions would slightly ameliorate the level (but not the trend) of the disproportionate accumulation of less healthy individuals in the public insurance program over time. PMID:22374192

The Wonder and Enrichment of Teaching Wright Morris's "A Fight between a White Boy and a Black Boy in the Dusk of a Fall Afternoon in Omaha, Nebraska."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCaffrey, Jerrine

2001-01-01

Outlines a teaching method for Wright Morris's "A Fight Between a White Boy and a Black Boy in the Dusk of a Fall Afternoon in Omaha, Nebraska." Proposes that the story provides and opportunity to introduce stream-of-consciousness writing and to convey the significance of memory recall. (PM)

Free range hens use the range more when the outdoor environment is enriched.

PubMed

Nagle, T A D; Glatz, P C

2012-04-01

To evaluate the role of using forage, shade and shelterbelts in attracting birds into the range, three trials were undertaken with free range layers both on a research facility and on commercial farms. Each of the trials on the free range research facility in South Australia used a total of 120 laying hens (Hyline Brown). Birds were housed in an eco-shelter which had 6 internal pens of equal size with a free range area adjoining the shelter. The on-farm trials were undertaken on commercial free range layer farms in the Darling Downs in Southeast Queensland with bird numbers on farms ranging from 2,000-6,800 hens. The first research trial examined the role of shaded areas in the range; the second trial examined the role of forage and the third trial examined the influence of shelterbelts in the range. These treatments were compared to a free range area with no enrichment. Aggressive feather pecking was only observed on a few occasions in all of the trials due to the low bird numbers housed. Enriching the free range environment attracted more birds into the range. Shaded areas were used by 18% of the hens with a tendency (p = 0.07) for more hens to be in the paddock. When forage was provided in paddocks more control birds (55%) were observed in the range in morning than in the afternoon (30%) while for the forage treatments 45% of the birds were in the range both during the morning and afternoon. When shelterbelts were provided there was a significantly (p<0.05) higher % of birds in the range (43% vs. 24%) and greater numbers of birds were observed in areas further away from the poultry house. The results from the on-farm trials mirrored the research trials. Overall 3 times more hens used the shaded areas than the non shaded areas, with slightly more using the shade in the morning than in the afternoon. As the environmental temperature increased the number of birds using the outdoor shade also increased. Overall 17 times more hens used the shelterbelt areas than the control areas, with slightly more using the shelterbelts in the afternoon than in the morning. Approximately 17 times more birds used the forage areas compared to the control area in the corresponding range. There were 8 times more birds using a hay bale enriched area compared to the area with no hay bales. The use of forage sources (including hay bales) were the most successful method on-farm to attract birds into the range followed by shelterbelts and artificial shade. Free range egg farmers are encouraged to provide pasture, shaded areas and shelterbelts to attract birds into the free range.

LC-MS/MS strategies for therapeutic antibodies and investigation into the quantitative impact of antidrug-antibodies.

PubMed

Ewles, Matthew; Mannu, Ranbir; Fox, Chris; Stanta, Johannes; Evans, Graeme; Goodwin, Lee; Duffy, James; Bell, Len; Estdale, Sian; Firth, David

2016-12-01

We aimed to establish novel, high-throughput LC-MS/MS strategies for quantification of monoclonal antibodies in human serum and examine the potential impact of antidrug antibodies. We present two strategies using a thermally stable immobilized trypsin. The first strategy uses whole serum digestion and the second introduces Protein G enrichment to improve the selectivity. The impact of anti-trastuzumab antibodies on the methods was tested. Whole serum digestion has been validated for trastuzumab (LLOQ 0.25 µg/ml). Protein G enrichment has been validated for trastuzumab (LLOQ 0.1 µg/ml), bevacizumab (LLOQ 0.1 µg/ml) and adalimumab (LLOQ 0.25 µg/ml). We have shown the potential for anti-drug antibodies to impact on the quantification and we have subsequently established a strategy to overcome this impact where total quantification is desired.

Caveolins: targeting pro-survival signaling in the heart and brain

PubMed Central

Stary, Creed M.; Tsutsumi, Yasuo M.; Patel, Piyush M.; Head, Brian P.; Patel, Hemal H.; Roth, David M.

2012-01-01

The present review discusses intracellular signaling moieties specific to membrane lipid rafts (MLRs) and the scaffolding proteins caveolin and introduces current data promoting their potential role in the treatment of pathologies of the heart and brain. MLRs are discreet microdomains of the plasma membrane enriched in gylcosphingolipids and cholesterol that concentrate and localize signaling molecules. Caveolin proteins are necessary for the formation of MLRs, and are responsible for coordinating signaling events by scaffolding and enriching numerous signaling moieties in close proximity. Specifically in the heart and brain, caveolins are necessary for the cytoprotective phenomenon termed ischemic and anesthetic preconditioning. Targeted overexpression of caveolin in the heart and brain leads to induction of multiple pro-survival and pro-growth signaling pathways; thus, caveolins represent a potential novel therapeutic target for cardiac and neurological pathologies. PMID:23060817

An Analysis of the Application of Wikipedia Corpus on the Lexical Learning in the Second Language Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shi, Jing

2015-01-01

Corpus linguistics has transformed linguistic research but has a slightly moderate impact on the ESL teaching and learning. The Wikipedia Corpus, designed by Mark Davis is introduced in this essay. The corpus allows teachers to search Wikipedia in a powerful way: they can search by word, phrase, part of speech, and synonyms. Teachers can also find…

Fault Detection of Rotating Machinery using the Spectral Distribution Function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Sanford S.

1997-01-01

The spectral distribution function is introduced to characterize the process leading to faults in rotating machinery. It is shown to be a more robust indicator than conventional power spectral density estimates, but requires only slightly more computational effort. The method is illustrated with examples from seeded gearbox transmission faults and an analytical model of a defective bearing. Procedures are suggested for implementation in realistic environments.

DUPAL anomaly in the Sea of Japan: Pb, Nd, and Sr isotopic variations at the eastern Eurasian continental margin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tatsumoto, M.; Nakamura, Y.

1991-01-01

Volcanic rocks from the eastern Eurasian plate margin (southwestern Japan, the Sea of Japan, and northeastern China) show enriched (EMI) component signatures. Volcanic rocks from the Ulreung and Dog Islands in the Sea of Japan show typical DUPAL anomaly characteristics with extremely high ??208/204 Pb (up to 143) and enriched Nd and Sr isotopic compositions (??{lunate}Nd = -3 to -5, 87Sr 86Sr = ~0.705). The ??208/204 Pb values are similar to those associated with the DUPAL anomaly (up to 140) in the southern hemisphere. Because the EMI characteristics of basalts from the Sea of Japan are more extreme than those of southwestern Japan and inland China basalts, we propose that old mantle lithosphere was metasomatized early (prior to the Proterozoic) with subduction-related fluids (not present subduction system) so that it has been slightly enriched in incompatible elements and has had a high Th/U for a long time. The results of this study support the idea that the old subcontinental mantle lithosphere is the source for EMI of oceanic basalts, and that EMI does not need to be stored at the core/ mantle boundary layer for a long time. Dredged samples from seamounts and knolls from the Yamato Basin Ridge in the Sea of Japan show similar isotopic characteristics to basalts from the Mariana arc, supporting the idea that the Yamato Basin Ridge is a spreading center causing separation of the northeast Japan Arc from Eurasia. ?? 1991.

Intra-eruption changes in composition of some mafic to intermediate tephras in Central America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Michael J.; Walker, James A.

1987-08-01

Tephras provide stratigraphic control that allows documentation of changes in magma composition during eruptions. Stratigraphic sections of five recent mafic tephra deposits show a variety of different changes in composition, but three patterns stand out: elements abundant in plagioclase, Al, Sr and to a lesser extent Ca, are sometimes concentrated in the earliest eruptive products; elements common in ferromagnesian minerals, Mg, Fe, Cr and Ni, are usually concentrated in the latest eruptive products; the incompatible elements and Si are highest during the early phases of the eruption, although the very first erupted material will not have the highest incompatible element and Si contents if a high proportion of plagioclase crystals are present. The unusual pattern is the enrichment of Al, Sr and Ca in the earliest phases of eruptions. The two most mafic tephra sequences show the most enrichment, the intermediate tephras show slight enrichment and the most silicic sequence, which also had the longest repose interval, has an opposite pattern. Plagioclase phenocrysts are able to float in some mafic magmas, especially, when aided by the adherence of vesicles to their surfaces. Mafic magmas, especially water-rich ones, appear to have low enough viscosity to allow phenocryst sorting during the rise of magma to the surface. Random samples will not represent either the liquid component of the erupted magma or the parental magmatic liquid. Stratigraphic sampling of tephras produced by disruption of such magma is essential for deducing preeruptive conditions.

Potential of diatom consortium developed by nutrient enrichment for biodiesel production and simultaneous nutrient removal from waste water.

PubMed

Marella, Thomas Kiran; Parine, Narasimha Reddy; Tiwari, Archana

2018-05-01

Because of the decreasing fossil fuel supply and increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, microalgae have been identified as a viable and sustainable feedstock for biofuel production. The major effect of the release of wastewater rich in organic compounds has led to the eutrophication of freshwater ecosystems. A combined approach of freshwater diatom cultivation with urban sewage water treatment is a promising solution for nutrient removal and biofuel production. In this study, urban wastewater from eutrophic Hussain Sagar Lake was used to cultivate a diatom algae consortium, and the effects of silica and trace metal enrichment on growth, nutrient removal, and lipid production were evaluated. The nano-silica-based micronutrient mixture Nualgi containing Si, Fe, and metal ions was used to optimize diatom growth. Respectively, N and P reductions of 95.1% and 88.9%, COD and BOD reductions of 91% and 51% with a biomass yield of 122.5 mg L -1  day -1 and lipid productivity of 37 mg L -1  day -1 were observed for cultures grown in waste water using Nualgi. Fatty acid profiles revealed 13 different fatty acids with slight differences in their percentage of dry cell weight (DCW) depending on enrichment level. These results demonstrate the potential of diatom algae grown in wastewater to produce feedstock for renewable biodiesel production. Enhanced carbon and excess nutrient utilization makes diatoms ideal candidates for co-processes such as CO 2 sequestration, biodiesel production, and wastewater phycoremediation.

Weighted Feature Significance: A Simple, Interpretable Model of Compound Toxicity Based on the Statistical Enrichment of Structural Features

PubMed Central

Huang, Ruili; Southall, Noel; Xia, Menghang; Cho, Ming-Hsuang; Jadhav, Ajit; Nguyen, Dac-Trung; Inglese, James; Tice, Raymond R.; Austin, Christopher P.

2009-01-01

In support of the U.S. Tox21 program, we have developed a simple and chemically intuitive model we call weighted feature significance (WFS) to predict the toxicological activity of compounds, based on the statistical enrichment of structural features in toxic compounds. We trained and tested the model on the following: (1) data from quantitative high–throughput screening cytotoxicity and caspase activation assays conducted at the National Institutes of Health Chemical Genomics Center, (2) data from Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutagenicity assays conducted by the U.S. National Toxicology Program, and (3) hepatotoxicity data published in the Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances. Enrichments of structural features in toxic compounds are evaluated for their statistical significance and compiled into a simple additive model of toxicity and then used to score new compounds for potential toxicity. The predictive power of the model for cytotoxicity was validated using an independent set of compounds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tested also at the National Institutes of Health Chemical Genomics Center. We compared the performance of our WFS approach with classical classification methods such as Naive Bayesian clustering and support vector machines. In most test cases, WFS showed similar or slightly better predictive power, especially in the prediction of hepatotoxic compounds, where WFS appeared to have the best performance among the three methods. The new algorithm has the important advantages of simplicity, power, interpretability, and ease of implementation. PMID:19805409

Early diagenesis and organic matter preservation--A molecular stable isotope perspective

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

Macko, S.A.; Engel, M.H.; Qian, Y.

1992-01-01

Through new developments in stable isotope capability, gas chromatography coupled to a stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer (GC/IRMS), the molecular pathways of the diagenetic reactions can be observed on the components themselves. The authors report the results of laboratory-controlled degradation experiments of fresh organic substrates. Isotopically resolvable materials were used. Seagrass showed slight enrichments in [delta]N-15 with little change in [delta]C-13 following four weeks of decomposition. During that period the identifiable amino acid content decreased by approx. 50% for each amino acid. Mixtures of marine sediment with the same seagrass showed enrichments in nitrogen with associated depletions in carbon isotopicmore » compositions over the same time span. Control experiments on the sediments without added fresh seagrass showed no change in isotopic content. These changes are attributed to hydrolysis, deamination and decarboxylation reactions. Isotopic fractionations of similar size and direction have been observed in laboratory studies on peptide hydrolysis and natural samples of particulate organic materials. At the molecular level, using GC/IRMS, certain amino acids are seen to decrease in C-13 content while others become increasingly enriched in C-13. Similar reactions are seen in carbohydrates. The molecular isotope approach indicates that the process of diagenesis and preservation is significantly more complex than simple breakdown and loss. A large portion of the organic matter eventually preserved in organic-rich deposits can be attributed to new production in the deposit.« less

DEVELOPMENT OF ISOTOPICALLY ENRICHED BORON-DOPED ALUMINA DOSIMETER FOR THERMAL NEUTRONS.

PubMed

Sato, Fuminobu; Maekawa, Tatsuro; Kariba, Tomoharu; Kusaka, Sachie; Tanaka, Teruya; Murata, Isao

2017-12-01

A novel optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) detector containing isotopically enriched boron was developed for thermal neutron dosimetry. Alumina containing isotopically enriched boron (Al2O3:B) was synthesised by the sol-gel method. The Al2O3:B was annealed up to ~1800 K. For X-ray diffractometer (XRD) analysis, the diffraction pattern of the Al2O3:B had reflex peaks corresponding to α-Al2O3. The sensitivity of Al2O3:B to photons was slightly 2% of that of a commercial Al2O3:C. The Al2O3:B detector had satisfactory linearity in X-ray dose measurement. A thermal neutron field was constructed using a 241Am-Be neutron source and graphite blocks. A pair of Al2O3:10B and Al2O3:11B detectors were set in the thermal neutron field. The response of Al2O3:10B was larger than that of Al2O3:11B owing to the 10B(n,α)7Li reactions. The sensitivity of Al2O3:10B to thermal neutrons was estimated to be two orders less than the photon sensitivity. Therefore, the pair of Al2O3:10B and Al2O3:11B detectors were useful for thermal neutron dosimetry. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Microwave-assisted pyrolysis of textile dyeing sludge, and migration and distribution of heavy metals.

PubMed

Zhang, Hedong; Gao, Zuopeng; Liu, Yang; Ran, Chunmei; Mao, Xiao; Kang, Qinhao; Ao, Wenya; Fu, Jie; Li, Jing; Liu, Guangqing; Dai, Jianjun

2018-05-01

This study investigated the pyrolysis characteristic of textile dyeing sludge (DS) using an auger pyrolyser under microwave irradiation at different pyrolysis temperature. The migration and distribution characteristic of heavy metals and their potential ecological risks were investigated using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) techniques. Temperature and additives (e.g. Ca-bentonite, kaolin and CaO) significantly affected product distribution and yields. Heavy metals showed different enrichment characteristics during pyrolysis and a great percentage of the heavy metals was retained in the sludge char (SC), depending on different temperatures and additives. CaO had a strong ability for retention of S, Pb and Ni. Ca-bentonite, kaolin and CaO had considerable ability to retain Cr at 650 ℃. Ca-bentonite and CaO had positive effects on Ni retention at 450 °C and 650 °C. As was enriched at 450 °C with addition of Ca-bentonite. Cu and Zn were enriched at 450 °C and 850 °C without additives and the corresponding residue ratios (RRs) were 88.68-100%, which indicated good stability of these heavy metals during microwave pyrolysis of DS. The heavy metal contents in SC were lower than those in the national standards (CJ/T 362-2011, China) and these heavy metals showed slight potential ecological risk to the environment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stem hypertrophic lenticels and secondary aerenchyma enable oxygen transport to roots of soybean in flooded soil.

PubMed

Shimamura, Satoshi; Yamamoto, Ryo; Nakamura, Takuji; Shimada, Shinji; Komatsu, Setsuko

2010-08-01

Aerenchyma provides a low-resistance O(2) transport pathway that enhances plant survival during soil flooding. When in flooded soil, soybean produces aerenchyma and hypertrophic stem lenticels. The aims of this study were to investigate O(2) dynamics in stem aerenchyma and evaluate O(2) supply via stem lenticels to the roots of soybean during soil flooding. Oxygen dynamics in aerenchymatous stems were investigated using Clark-type O(2) microelectrodes, and O(2) transport to roots was evaluated using stable-isotope (18)O(2) as a tracer, for plants with shoots in air and roots in flooded sand or soil. Short-term experiments also assessed venting of CO(2) via the stem lenticels. The radial distribution of the O(2) partial pressure (pO(2)) was stable at 17 kPa in the stem aerenchyma 15 mm below the water level, but rapidly declined to 8 kPa at 200-300 microm inside the stele. Complete submergence of the hypertrophic lenticels at the stem base, with the remainder of the shoot still in air, resulted in gradual declines in pO(2) in stem aerenchyma from 17.5 to 7.6 kPa at 13 mm below the water level, and from 14.7 to 6.1 kPa at 51 mm below the water level. Subsequently, re-exposure of the lenticels to air caused pO(2) to increase again to 14-17 kPa at both positions within 10 min. After introducing (18)O(2) gas via the stem lenticels, significant (18)O(2) enrichment in water extracted from roots after 3 h was confirmed, suggesting that transported O(2) sustained root respiration. In contrast, slight (18)O(2) enrichment was detected 3 h after treatment of stems that lacked aerenchyma and lenticels. Moreover, aerenchyma accelerated venting of CO(2) from submerged tissues to the atmosphere. Hypertrophic lenticels on the stem of soybean, just above the water surface, are entry points for O(2), and these connect to aerenchyma and enable O(2) transport into roots in flooded soil. Stems that develop aerenchyma thus serve as a 'snorkel' that enables O(2) movement from air to the submerged roots.

Comparisons of Unconsolidated Sediments Analyzed by APXS (MSL-Curiosity) within Gale Crater, Mars: Soils, Sands of the Barchan and Linear Dunes of the Active Bagnold Dune Field, and Ripple-field Sands.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, L. M.; O'Connell-Cooper, C.; Spray, J. G.; Gellert, R.; Boyd, N. I.; Desouza, E.

2017-12-01

The MSL-APXS has analyzed a variety of unconsolidated sediments within the Gale impact crater, including soils, sands from barchan [High, Namib dunes], and linear dunes [Nathan Bridges, Mount Desert dunes], within the active Bagnold dune field, and sands from two smaller ripple fields ("mega-ripples"). The Gale "soils" (unsorted, unconsolidated sediments, ranging from fine-grained particles (including dust) to coarser "pebbly" material [>2 mm]), are, to a large degree, similar to Martian basaltic soils quantified by APXS, at Gusev crater (MER-A_Spirit) and Meridiani Planum (MER-B_Opportunity). Some local contributions are indicated by, for example, the enriched K levels (relative to a martian average basaltic soil [ABS]) within coarser Gale soil samples, and a Cr, Mn, Fe enrichment within finer-grained samples. Sands (grain size 62 µm to 2 mm) of the Bagnold dunes, generally, exhibit elevated Mg and Ni, indicating enrichment from olivine and pyroxene, but depleted S, Cl and Zn, indicating high activity levels and low dust. Compositional differences, related both to position within a dune (i.e., crest versus off-crest sand), and type of dune (linear versus barchan), are identified. Off-crest sands have Na, Al, Si, K, P contents similar to (or slightly depleted, relative to) the ABS, enrichment in Mg, and low dust content, whilst crest sands contain very high Mg and Ni (relative to the ABS), low felsic elemental concentrations and very low dust content. Cr is significantly enriched (and, to a lesser degree, Mn, Fe, Ti) in the off-crest sands of the linear dunes. In contrast, barchan dunes off-crest sands have Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ti abundances similar to those in the Gale soils. Additionally, Ni concentrations in barchan dunes off-crest sands are enriched relative to the linear dunes. Analyses from a small, isolated "mega-ripple" reveal a composition similar to that of the Gale soils, including a high dust content. The second mega-ripple, within a larger ripple field, is broadly similar in composition to the active dune sands, with low dust, and elevated Mg and Ni. The compositional differences between sand bodies indicate the influence of ongoing eolian sorting processes. Further, the Cr enrichment (found in most Gale sediments, most notably the linear dunes off-crest sands) reinforces evidence of local contributions.

Mineralogy and composition of the oceanic mantle

USGS Publications Warehouse

Putirka, Keith; Ryerson, F.J.; Perfit, Michael; Ridley, W. Ian

2011-01-01

The mineralogy of the oceanic basalt source region is examined by testing whether a peridotite mineralogy can yield observed whole-rock and olivine compositions from (1) the Hawaiian Islands, our type example of a mantle plume, and (2) the Siqueiros Transform, which provides primitive samples of normal mid-ocean ridge basalt. New olivine compositional data from phase 2 of the Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project (HSDP2) show that higher Ni-in-olivine at the Hawaiian Islands is due to higher temperatures (T) of melt generation and processing (by c. 300°C) related to the Hawaiian mantle plume. DNi is low at high T, so parental Hawaiian basalts are enriched in NiO. When Hawaiian (picritic) parental magmas are transported to shallow depths, olivine precipitation occurs at lower temperatures, where DNi is high, leading to high Ni-in-olivine. Similarly, variations in Mn and Fe/Mn ratios in olivines are explained by contrasts in the temperatures of magma processing. Using the most mafic rocks to delimit Siqueiros and Hawaiian Co and Ni contents in parental magmas and mantle source compositions also shows that both suites can be derived from natural peridotites, but are inconsistent with partial melting of natural pyroxenites. Whole-rock compositions at Hawaii and Siqueiros are also matched by partial melting experiments conducted on peridotite bulk compositions. Hawaiian whole-rocks have elevated FeO contents compared with Siqueiros, which can be explained if Hawaiian parental magmas are generated from peridotite at 4-5 GPa, in contrast to pressures of slightly greater than 1 GPa for melt generation at Siqueiros; these pressures are consistent with olivine thermometry, as described in an earlier paper. SiO2-enriched Koolau compositions are reproduced if high-Fe Hawaiian parental magmas re-equilibrate at 1-1·5 GPa. Peridotite partial melts from experimental studies also reproduce the CaO and Al2O3 contents of Hawaiian (and Siqueiros) whole-rocks. Hawaiian magmas have TiO2 contents, however, that are enriched compared with melts from natural peridotites and magmas derived from the Siqueiros depleted mantle, and consequently may require an enriched source. TiO2 is not the only element that is enriched relative to melts of natural peridotites. Moderately incompatible elements, such as Ti, Zr, Hf, Y, and Eu, and compatible elements, such as Yb and Lu, are all enriched at the Hawaiian Islands. Such enrichments can be explained by adding 5-10% mid-ocean ridge basalt (crust) to depleted mantle; when the major element composition of such a mixture is recast into mineral components, the result is a fertile peridotite mineralogy.

Invasion of novel habitats uncouples haplo-diplontic life cycles.

PubMed

Krueger-Hadfield, Stacy A; Kollars, Nicole M; Byers, James E; Greig, Thomas W; Hammann, Mareike; Murray, David C; Murren, Courtney J; Strand, Allan E; Terada, Ryuta; Weinberger, Florian; Sotka, Erik E

2016-08-01

Baker's Law predicts uniparental reproduction will facilitate colonization success in novel habitats. While evidence supports this prediction among colonizing plants and animals, few studies have investigated shifts in reproductive mode in haplo-diplontic species in which both prolonged haploid and diploid stages separate meiosis and fertilization in time and space. Due to this separation, asexual reproduction can yield the dominance of one of the ploidy stages in colonizing populations. We tested for shifts in ploidy and reproductive mode across native and introduced populations of the red seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla. Native populations in the northwest Pacific Ocean were nearly always attached by holdfasts to hard substrata and, as is characteristic of the genus, haploid-diploid ratios were slightly diploid-biased. In contrast, along North American and European coastlines, introduced populations nearly always floated atop soft-sediment mudflats and were overwhelmingly dominated by diploid thalli without holdfasts. Introduced populations exhibited population genetic signals consistent with extensive vegetative fragmentation, while native populations did not. Thus, the ecological shift from attached to unattached thalli, ostensibly necessitated by the invasion of soft-sediment habitats, correlated with shifts from sexual to asexual reproduction and slight to strong diploid bias. We extend Baker's Law by predicting other colonizing haplo-diplontic species will show similar increases in asexuality that correlate with the dominance of one ploidy stage. Labile mating systems likely facilitate colonization success and subsequent range expansion, but for haplo-diplontic species, the long-term eco-evolutionary impacts will depend on which ploidy stage is lost and the degree to which asexual reproduction is canalized. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Relative Abundance of Nitrotoga spp. in a Biofilter of a Cold-Freshwater Aquaculture Plant Appears To Be Stimulated by Slightly Acidic pH

PubMed Central

Hüpeden, Jennifer; Wegen, Simone; Off, Sandra; Lücker, Sebastian; Bedarf, Yvonne; Daims, Holger; Kühn, Carsten

2016-01-01

The functioning of recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS) is essential to maintain water quality for fish health, and one crucial process here is nitrification. The investigated RAS was connected to a rainbow trout production system and operated at an average temperature of 13°C and pH 6.8. Community analyses of the nitrifying biofilm revealed a coexistence of Nitrospira and Nitrotoga, and it is hypothesized that a slightly acidic pH in combination with lower temperatures favors the growth of the latter. Modification of the standard cultivation approach toward lower pH values of 5.7 to 6.0 resulted in the successful enrichment (99% purity) of Nitrotoga sp. strain HW29, which had a 16S rRNA sequence similarity of 99.0% to Nitrotoga arctica. Reference cultures of Nitrospira defluvii and the novel Nitrotoga sp. HW29 were used to confirm differentiation of these nitrite oxidizers in distinct ecological niches. Nitrotoga sp. HW29 revealed pH and temperature optima of 6.8 and 22°C, respectively, whereas Nitrospira defluvii displayed the highest nitrite oxidation rate at pH 7.3 and 32°C. We report here the occurrence of Nitrotoga as one of the main nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in freshwater aquaculture systems and indicate that a slightly acidic pH, in addition to temperatures below 20°C, can be applied as a selective isolation criterion for this microorganism. PMID:26746710

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

Korolev, D. S.; Mikhaylov, A. N.; Belov, A. I.

The composition and structure of silicon surface layers subjected to combined gallium and nitrogen ion implantation with subsequent annealing have been studied by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering, electron spin resonance, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. A slight redistribution of the implanted atoms before annealing and their substantial migration towards the surface during annealing depending on the sequence of implantations are observed. It is found that about 2% of atoms of the implanted layer are replaced with gallium bonded to nitrogen; however, it is impossible to detect the gallium-nitride phase. At the same time, gallium-enriched inclusions containingmore » ∼25 at % of gallium are detected as candidates for the further synthesis of gallium-nitride inclusions.« less

Nutrient enrichment can increase the susceptibility of reef corals to bleaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiedenmann, Jörg; D'Angelo, Cecilia; Smith, Edward G.; Hunt, Alan N.; Legiret, François-Eric; Postle, Anthony D.; Achterberg, Eric P.

2013-02-01

Mass coral bleaching, resulting from the breakdown of coral-algal symbiosis has been identified as the most severe threat to coral reef survival on a global scale. Regionally, nutrient enrichment of reef waters is often associated with a significant loss of coral cover and diversity. Recently, increased dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations have been linked to a reduction of the temperature threshold of coral bleaching, a phenomenon for which no mechanistic explanation is available. Here we show that increased levels of dissolved inorganic nitrogen in combination with limited phosphate concentrations result in an increased susceptibility of corals to temperature- and light-induced bleaching. Mass spectrometric analyses of the algal lipidome revealed a marked accumulation of sulpholipids under these conditions. Together with increased phosphatase activities, this change indicates that the imbalanced supply of dissolved inorganic nitrogen results in phosphate starvation of the symbiotic algae. Based on these findings we introduce a conceptual model that links unfavourable ratios of dissolved inorganic nutrients in the water column with established mechanisms of coral bleaching. Notably, this model improves the understanding of the detrimental effects of coastal nutrient enrichment on coral reefs, which is urgently required to support knowledge-based management strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Role of human oocyte-enriched factors in somatic cell reprograming.

PubMed

El-Gammal, Zaynab; AlOkda, Abdelrahman; El-Badri, Nagwa

2018-06-08

Cellular reprograming paves the way for creating functional patient-specific tissues to eliminate immune rejection responses by applying the same genetic profile. However, the epigenetic memory of a cell remains a challenge facing the current reprograming methods and does not allow transcription factors to bind properly. Because somatic cells can be reprogramed by transferring their nuclear contents into oocytes, introducing specific oocyte factors into differentiated cells is considered a promising approach for mimicking the reprograming process that occurs during fertilization. Mammalian metaphase II oocyte possesses a superior capacity to epigenetically reprogram somatic cell nuclei towards an embryonic stem cell-like state than the current factor-based reprograming approaches. This may be due to the presence of specific factors that are lacking in the current factor-based reprograming approaches. In this review, we focus on studies identifying human oocyte-enriched factors aiming to understand the molecular mechanisms mediating cellular reprograming. We describe the role of oocyte-enriched factors in metabolic switch, chromatin remodelling, and global epigenetic transformation. This is critical for improving the quality of resulting reprogramed cells, which is crucial for therapeutic applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification and genetic analysis of cancer cells with PCR-activated cell sorting

PubMed Central

Eastburn, Dennis J.; Sciambi, Adam; Abate, Adam R.

2014-01-01

Cell sorting is a central tool in life science research for analyzing cellular heterogeneity or enriching rare cells out of large populations. Although methods like FACS and FISH-FC can characterize and isolate cells from heterogeneous populations, they are limited by their reliance on antibodies, or the requirement to chemically fix cells. We introduce a new cell sorting technology that robustly sorts based on sequence-specific analysis of cellular nucleic acids. Our approach, PCR-activated cell sorting (PACS), uses TaqMan PCR to detect nucleic acids within single cells and trigger their sorting. With this method, we identified and sorted prostate cancer cells from a heterogeneous population by performing >132 000 simultaneous single-cell TaqMan RT-PCR reactions targeting vimentin mRNA. Following vimentin-positive droplet sorting and downstream analysis of recovered nucleic acids, we found that cancer-specific genomes and transcripts were significantly enriched. Additionally, we demonstrate that PACS can be used to sort and enrich cells via TaqMan PCR reactions targeting single-copy genomic DNA. PACS provides a general new technical capability that expands the application space of cell sorting by enabling sorting based on cellular information not amenable to existing approaches. PMID:25030902

A two-way enriched clinical trial design: combining advantages of placebo lead-in and randomized withdrawal.

PubMed

Ivanova, Anastasia; Tamura, Roy N

2015-12-01

A new clinical trial design, designated the two-way enriched design (TED), is introduced, which augments the standard randomized placebo-controlled trial with second-stage enrichment designs in placebo non-responders and drug responders. The trial is run in two stages. In the first stage, patients are randomized between drug and placebo. In the second stage, placebo non-responders are re-randomized between drug and placebo and drug responders are re-randomized between drug and placebo. All first-stage data, and second-stage data from first-stage placebo non-responders and first-stage drug responders, are utilized in the efficacy analysis. The authors developed one, two and three degrees of freedom score tests for treatment effect in the TED and give formulae for asymptotic power and for sample size computations. The authors compute the optimal allocation ratio between drug and placebo in the first stage for the TED and compare the operating characteristics of the design to the standard parallel clinical trial, placebo lead-in and randomized withdrawal designs. Two motivating examples from different disease areas are presented to illustrate the possible design considerations. © The Author(s) 2011.

Spatiotemporal Interpolation Methods for Solar Event Trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filali Boubrahimi, Soukaina; Aydin, Berkay; Schuh, Michael A.; Kempton, Dustin; Angryk, Rafal A.; Ma, Ruizhe

2018-05-01

This paper introduces four spatiotemporal interpolation methods that enrich complex, evolving region trajectories that are reported from a variety of ground-based and space-based solar observatories every day. Our interpolation module takes an existing solar event trajectory as its input and generates an enriched trajectory with any number of additional time–geometry pairs created by the most appropriate method. To this end, we designed four different interpolation techniques: MBR-Interpolation (Minimum Bounding Rectangle Interpolation), CP-Interpolation (Complex Polygon Interpolation), FI-Interpolation (Filament Polygon Interpolation), and Areal-Interpolation, which are presented here in detail. These techniques leverage k-means clustering, centroid shape signature representation, dynamic time warping, linear interpolation, and shape buffering to generate the additional polygons of an enriched trajectory. Using ground-truth objects, interpolation effectiveness is evaluated through a variety of measures based on several important characteristics that include spatial distance, area overlap, and shape (boundary) similarity. To our knowledge, this is the first research effort of this kind that attempts to address the broad problem of spatiotemporal interpolation of solar event trajectories. We conclude with a brief outline of future research directions and opportunities for related work in this area.

The use of fruit extracts for production of apple chips with enhanced antioxidant activity

PubMed

Tarko, Tomasz; Duda-Chodak, Aleksandra; Semik-Szczurak, Dorota

Style and pace of life make consumers more willing to reach for snack products. This group of processed food includes, among others, fruit chips. Due to the increasing incidence of diseases associated with the excessive exposure to free radicals foods enriched with antioxidant compounds, eg. polyphenols, can be introduced into the sale. The aim of the study was to use the fruit extracts for the production of apple chips with enhanced antioxidant activity. ‘Golden Delicious’ variety of apple fruit was used to produce chips. Apple chips were prepared by slicing, soaking in a sugar solution and pre-drying in a microwave oven. Chips were enriched with extracts prepared from fruits of chokeberry, five-flavor berry, Cornelian cherry, woodland hawthorn, goji berry, Japanese quince and cranberry microcarpa. For this purpose, pre-dried apple slices were soaked (5 min) in ethanolic extract of fruits and then dried to achieve a 5% moisture content. Chips were sensory evaluated and their antioxidant activity and total polyphenols content were determined. All enriched apple chips were characterized by high antioxidant activity and a relatively high value of total polyphenols content. Chips soaked in extracts of five-flavor berry, cranberry and goji berry were characterized by the highest antioxidant potential. Samples obtained by using chokeberry and Cornelian cherry extracts showed the highest content of polyphenols. High sensory attractiveness of enriched chips was also showed. The chips with the addition of fiveflavor berry extract were exceptions. Their taste was not acceptable. Fruit extracts are a valuable material for chips enrichment. Taking into account all the analyzed differentiators, extracts of Japanese quince, goji berry and woodland hawthorn were found to be the best enriching additives. The chips soaked in extract of five-flavor berry, despite their high antioxidant activity, were disqualified due to very low score of sensory evaluation.

[Dynamics of quickly absorption of the carbon source in wastewater by activated sludge].

PubMed

Liu, Hong-Bo; Wen, Xiang-Hua; Zhao, Fang

2011-09-01

In this paper, absorption characteristics of organic matter in municipal wastewater by three kinds of activated sludge (carbon-enriching, nitrification and denitrification sludge) were studied, and the absorption kinetic data was checked using three kinds of absorption kinetic equations based on Ritchie rate equation. The objectives of this study were to investigate the absorption mechanism of activated sludge to organic matter in municipal wastewater, and to identify the possibility of reclaiming organic matter by activated sludge. Results indicated that in the early 30 min, absorption process of organic matter by activated sludge was found to be mainly physical adsorption, which could be expressed by the Lagergren single-layer adsorption model. The carbon-enriching sludge had the highest adsorption capacity (COD/SS) which was 60 mg/g but the adsorption rate was lower than that of denitrification sludge. While nitrification sludge had the lowest adsorption rate and higher adsorption capacity compared with denitrification sludge, which was about 35 mg/g. The rates of the fitting index theta(0) of carbon-enriching, nitrification and denitrification sludge were 0.284, 0.777 and 0.923, respectively, which indicated that the sorbed organic matter on the surface of carbon-enriching sludge was the easiest fraction to be washed away. That is, the combination intensity of carbon-enriching sludge and organic matter was the feeblest, which was convenient for carbon-enriching sludge to release sorbed carbon. Furthermore, by fitting with Langmuir model, concentration of organic matter was found to be the key parameter influencing the adsorption capacity of activated sludge, while the influence of temperature was not obvious. The kinetic law of organic matter absorption by activated sludge was developed, which introduces a way to kinetically analyze the removing mechanism of pollutant by activated sludge and provides theoretical base for the reclaiming of nutriments in wastewater by the absorption of activated sludge.

Gallium isotopic evidence for the fate of moderately volatile elements in planetary bodies and refractory inclusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Chizu; Moynier, Frédéric

2017-12-01

The abundance of moderately volatile elements, such as Zn and Ga, show variable depletion relative to CI between the Earth and primitive meteorite (chondrites) parent bodies. Furthermore, the first solar system solids, the calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs), are surprisingly rich in volatile element considering that they formed under high temperatures. Here, we report the Ga elemental and isotopic composition of a wide variety of chondrites along with five individual CAIs to understand the origin of the volatile elements and to further characterize the enrichment of the volatile elements in high temperature condensates. The δ71Ga (permil deviation of the 71Ga/69Ga ratio from the Ga IPGP standard) of carbonaceous chondrites decreases in the order of CI >CM >CO >CV and is inversely correlated with the Al/Ga ratio. This implies that the Ga budget of the carbonaceous chondrites parent bodies were inherited from a two component mixing of a volatile rich reservoir enriched in heavy isotope of Ga and a volatile poor reservoir enriched in light isotope of Ga. Calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions are enriched in Ga and Zn compared to the bulk meteorite and are both highly isotopically fractionated with δ71Ga down to -3.56‰ and δ66Zn down to -0.74‰. The large enrichment in the light isotopes of Ga and Zn in the CAIs implies that the moderately volatile elements were introduced in the CAIs during condensation in the solar nebula as opposed to secondary processing in the meteorite parent body and supports a change in gas composition in which CAIs were formed.

Testosterone-mineralizing culture enriched from swine manure: characterization of degradation pathways and microbial community composition.

PubMed

Yang, Yun-Ya; Pereyra, Luciana P; Young, Robert B; Reardon, Kenneth F; Borch, Thomas

2011-08-15

Environmental releases and fate of steroid sex hormones from livestock and wastewater treatment plants are of increasing regulatory concern. Despite the detection of these hormones in manures, biosolids, and the environment, little attention has been paid to characterization of fecal bacteria capable of hormone degradation. The enrichments of (swine) manure-borne bacteria capable of aerobic testosterone degradation were prepared and the testosterone mineralization pathway was elucidated. Six DNA sequences of bacteria from the Proteobacteria phylum distributed among the genera Acinetobacter, Brevundimonas, Comamonas, Sphingomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Rhodobacter were identified in a testosterone-degrading enriched culture with testosterone as the sole carbon source. Three degradation products of testosterone were identified as androstenedione, androstadienedione, and dehydrotestosterone using commercially available reference standards, liquid chromatography-UV diode array detection, and liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF/MS). Three additional degradation products of testosterone were tentatively identified as 9α-hydroxytestosterone, 9α-hydroxyandrostadienedione or 3-hydroxy-9,10-secoandrosta-1,3,5(10)-triene-9,17-dione, and 9α-hydroxydehydrotestosterone or 9α-hydroxyandrostenedione using LC-TOF/MS. When (14)C-testosterone was introduced to the enriched culture, 49-68% of the added (14)C-testosterone was mineralized to (14)CO(2) within 8 days of incubation. The mineralization of (14)C-testosterone followed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics in the enriched culture with half-lives (t(1/2)) of 10-143 h. This work suggests that Proteobacteria play an important environmental role in degradation of steroid sex hormones and that androgens have the potential to be mineralized during aerobic manure treatment or after land application to agricultural fields by manure-borne bacteria.

Optics Demonstration with Student Eyeglasses Using the Inquiry Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, Mark C.

2011-09-01

A favorite qualitative optics demonstration I perform in introductory physics classes makes use of students' eyeglasses to introduce converging and diverging lenses. Taking on the persona of a magician, I walk to the back of the classroom and approach a student wearing glasses. The top part of Fig. 1 shows a glasses-wearing student who is farsighted in her left eye and has a slight astigmatism in her right eye.

Sound Explorations from the Ages of 10 to 37 Months: The Ontogenesis of Musical Conducts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delalande, Francois; Cornara, Silvia

2010-01-01

One of the forms of first musical conduct is the exploration of sound sources. When young children produce sounds with any object, these sounds may surprise them and so they make the sounds again--not exactly the same, but introducing some variation. A process of repetition with slight changes is set in motion which can be analysed, as did Piaget,…

D/H on Mars: Effects of floods, volcanism, impacts, and polar processes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, M.H.

1990-01-01

Water in the Martian atmosphere is 5.1 times more enriched in deuterium than terrestial water. The enrichment has been previously attributed to either a massive loss of water early in the planet's history or the presence of only a very small reservoir of water that has exchanged with the atmosphere over geologic time. Both these interpretations appear inconsistent with geologic evidence of large floods and sustained volcanism. Large floods are believed to have episodically introduced large amounts of water onto the surface. During a large flood roughly 1017 g of water would almost immediately sublime into the atmospher and be frozen out on polar terrain, to form a new layer several centimeters thick. The long-term effect of a flood would depend on where the water pooled after the flood. If the water pooled at low latitudes, all the water would slowly sublime into the atmosphers and ultimately be frozen out at the poles, thereby adding several meters to the polar deposits for each flood. If the water pooled at high latitude, it would form a permanent ice deposit, largely isolated from further interchange with the atmosphere. Volcanism has also episodically introduced water into the atmosphere. Most of this water has become incorporated into the polar deposits. That released over the last 3.5 Ga could have added a few kilometers to the polar deposits, depending on the amount of dust incorporated along with the ice. Large cometary impacts would have introduced additional large amounts of water into the atmosphere. The long-term evolution of D/H in the atmosphere depends on the rate of exchange of water between the atmosphere and the polar deposits. If exchange is active, then loss rates of hydrogen from the upper atmosphere are substantially higher than those estimated by Y. L. Yung, J. Wen, J. P. Pinto, M. Allen, K. K. Pierce, and S. Paulsen [Icarus 76, 146-159 (1988)]. More plausibly, exchange of water between the atmosphere and the polar deposits is limited, so that after eruptions, floods, and cometary impacts, the atmosphere soon becomes enriched in deuterium. According to this scenario, the atmospheric D/H is different from the bulk of the planet's water and so reveals little about the amount of water outgassed. The scenario implies, however, that the polar deposits are older and more stable than formerly thought. ?? 1990.

Fine-Grained Rims in the Allan Hills 81002 and Lewis Cliff 90500 CM2 Meteorites: Their Origin and Modification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hua, X.; Wang, J.; Buseck, P. R.

2002-01-01

Antarctic CM meteorites Allan Hills (ALH) 8 1002 and Lewis Cliff (LEW) 90500 contain abundant fine-grained rims (FGRs) that surround a variety of coarse-grained objects. FGRs from both meteorites have similar compositions and petrographic features, independent of their enclosed objects. The FGRs are chemically homogeneous at the 10 m scale for major and minor elements and at the 25 m scale for trace elements. They display accretionary features and contain large amounts of volatiles, presumably water. They are depleted in Ca, Mn, and S but enriched in P. All FGRs show a slightly fractionated rare earth element (REE) pattern, with enrichments of Gd and Yb and depletion of Er. Gd is twice as abundant as Er. Our results indicate that those FGRs are not genetically related to their enclosed cores. They were sampled from a reservoir of homogeneously mixed dust, prior to accretion to their parent body. The rim materials subsequently experienced aqueous alteration under identical conditions. Based on their mineral, textural, and especially chemical similarities, we conclude that ALH 8 1002 and LEW 90500 likely have a similar or identical source.

Simultaneous enantioselective separation of polychlorinated biphenyls and their methyl sulfone metabolites by heart-cut MDGC: determination of enantiomeric fractions in fish oils and cow liver samples.

PubMed

Pérez-Fernández, Virginia; Castro-Puyana, María; González, María José; Marina, María Luisa; García, María Ángeles; Gómara, Belén

2012-07-01

The potential of three capillary columns based on β-cyclodextrin (i.e., Chirasil-Dex, BGB-172, and BGB-176SE) has been studied for the simultaneous enantiomeric separation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and methylsulfonyl metabolites of PCBs (MeSO(2)-PCBs) employing a heart-cut multidimensional gas chromatographic system (heart-cut MDGC). Among the columns studied, the BGB-176SE capillary column provided the best results, allowing the simultaneous enantioselective resolution of six MeSO(2)-PCBs and six chiral PCBs; the Chirasil-Dex column did not resolve any of the studied MeSO(2)-PCBs; and a poor resolution was obtained for three MeSO(2)-PCBs when the BGB-172 column was employed. The developed method was successfully applied to two fish oil and one cow liver samples commercially available, which showed different enantioselective pattern. PCBs 91 and 176 presented a clear enrichment of the second eluted atropisomer in codfish oil, whereas in fish oil sample, slight enrichment of the first eluted atropisomer of CB45 and the second eluted atropisomer of CB136 were observed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Time course of fractional gluconeogenesis after meat ingestion in healthy adults: a D2O study.

PubMed

Gaudichon, Claire; Ta, Hai-Yen; Khodorova, Nadezda V; Oberli, Marion; Breton, Isabelle; Benamouzig, Robert; Tomé, Daniel; Godin, Jean-Philippe

2018-06-19

In the postprandial state, glucose homeostasis is challenged by macronutrient intake, including proteins that trigger insulin secretion and provide glucose precursors. However, little is known about the postprandial response of gluconeogenesis to a protein meal. We aimed to quantify the evolution of fractional gluconeogenesis after a meat meal. Thirteen healthy subjects received oral doses of D 2 O. After fasting overnight, they ingested a steak (120 g). Glycemia, insulinemia and 2 H enrichments in glucose and plasma water were measured for 8 h after the meal. Fractional gluconeogenesis was assessed using the average method. Glucose was stable for 5 h and then decreased. There was a slight increase of insulin 1 h after the meal. 2 H enrichment in C5 increased after 2 h, whereas it decreased in plasma water. Consequently, fractional gluconeogenesis increased from 68.2 {plus minus} 7.2% before the meal to 75.5 {plus minus} 5.8% 8 h after the meal, the latter corresponding to 22 h without a glucose supply. These values are consistent with the exhaustion of glycogen stores after 24 h, but represents the highest among values in the literature. The impact of methodological conditions is discussed.

Measurement and calculation of fast neutron and gamma spectra in well defined cores in LR-0 reactor.

PubMed

Košťál, Michal; Matěj, Zdeněk; Cvachovec, František; Rypar, Vojtěch; Losa, Evžen; Rejchrt, Jiří; Mravec, Filip; Veškrna, Martin

2017-02-01

A well-defined neutron spectrum is essential for many types of experimental topics and is also important for both calibration and testing of spectrometric and dosimetric detectors. Provided it is well described, such a spectrum can also be employed as a reference neutron field that is suitable for validating selected cross sections. The present paper aims to compare calculations and measurements of such a well-defined spectra in geometrically similar cores of the LR-0 reactor with fuel containing slightly different enrichments (2%, 3.3% and 3.6%). The common feature to all cores is a centrally located dry channel which can be used for the insertion of studied materials. The calculation of neutron and gamma spectra was realized with the MCNP6 code using ENDF/B-VII.0, JEFF-3.1, JENDL-3.3, ROSFOND-2010 and CENDL-3.1 nuclear data libraries. Only minor differences in neutron and gamma spectra were found in the comparison of the presented reactor cores with different fuel enrichments. One exception is the gamma spectrum in the higher energy region (above 8MeV), where more pronounced variations could be observed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enrichment of rare earth elements as environmental tracers of contamination by acid mine drainage in salt marshes: a new perspective.

PubMed

Delgado, Joaquín; Pérez-López, Rafael; Galván, Laura; Nieto, José Miguel; Boski, Tomasz

2012-09-01

Rare earth elements (REE) were analyzed in surface sediments from the Guadiana Estuary (SW Iberian Pyrite Belt). NASC (North American Shale Composite) normalized REE patterns show clearly convex curvatures in middle-REE (MREE) with respect to light- and heavy-REE, indicating acid-mixing processes between fluvial waters affected by acid mine drainage (AMD) and seawater. However, REE distributions in the mouth (closer to the coastal area) show slightly LREE-enriched and flat patterns, indicating saline-mixing processes typical of the coastal zone. NASC-normalized ratios (La/Gd and La/Yb) do not discriminate between both mixing processes in the estuary. Instead, a new parameter (E(MREE)) has been applied to measure the curvature in the MREE segment. The values of E(MREE)>0 are indicative of acid signatures and their spatial distribution reveal the existence of two decantation zones from flocculation processes related to drought periods and flood events. Studying REE fractionation through the E(MREE) may serve as a good proxy for AMD-pollution in estuarine environments in relation to the traditional methods. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A mineralogical study in contrasts: highly mineralized whale rostrum and human enamel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhen; Ai-Jawad, Maisoon; Siddiqui, Samera; Pasteris, Jill D.

2015-11-01

The outermost enamel of the human tooth and the rostrum of the whale Mesoplodon densirostris are two highly mineralized tissues that contain over 95 wt.% mineral, i.e., bioapatite. However, the same mineral type (carbonated hydroxylapatite) does not yield the same material properties, as revealed by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron microprobe analysis, and synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis. Overall, the outermost enamel of a tooth has more homogeneous physical and chemical features than the rostrum. Chemical comparison of rostrum and enamel shows bioapatite in the rostrum to be enriched in Na, Mg, CO3, and S, whereas the outermost enamel shows only a slightly enriched Cl concentration. Morphologically, mineral rods (at tens of μm scale), crystallites and prisms (at μm and sub-μm scale), and platelets (at tens of nm scale) all demonstrate less organized texture in the rostrum than in enamel. Such contrasts between two mineralized tissues suggest distinct pathways of biomineralization, e.g., the nature of the equilibrium between mineral and body fluid. This study illustrates the remarkable flexibility of the apatite mineral structure to match its chemical and physical properties to specific biological needs within the same animal or between species.

pyAmpli: an amplicon-based variant filter pipeline for targeted resequencing data.

PubMed

Beyens, Matthias; Boeckx, Nele; Van Camp, Guy; Op de Beeck, Ken; Vandeweyer, Geert

2017-12-14

Haloplex targeted resequencing is a popular method to analyze both germline and somatic variants in gene panels. However, involved wet-lab procedures may introduce false positives that need to be considered in subsequent data-analysis. No variant filtering rationale addressing amplicon enrichment related systematic errors, in the form of an all-in-one package, exists to our knowledge. We present pyAmpli, a platform independent parallelized Python package that implements an amplicon-based germline and somatic variant filtering strategy for Haloplex data. pyAmpli can filter variants for systematic errors by user pre-defined criteria. We show that pyAmpli significantly increases specificity, without reducing sensitivity, essential for reporting true positive clinical relevant mutations in gene panel data. pyAmpli is an easy-to-use software tool which increases the true positive variant call rate in targeted resequencing data. It specifically reduces errors related to PCR-based enrichment of targeted regions.

High liquid yield process for retorting various organic materials including oil shale

DOEpatents

Coburn, Thomas T.

1990-01-01

This invention is a continuous retorting process for various high molecular weight organic materials, including oil shale, that yields an enhanced output of liquid product. The organic material, mineral matter, and an acidic catalyst, that appreciably adsorbs alkenes on surface sites at prescribed temperatures, are mixed and introduced into a pyrolyzer. A circulating stream of olefin enriched pyrolysis gas is continuously swept through the organic material and catalyst, whereupon, as the result of pyrolysis, the enhanced liquid product output is provided. Mixed spent organic material, mineral matter, and cool catalyst are continuously withdrawn from the pyrolyzer. Combustion of the spent organic material and mineral matter serves to reheat the catalyst. Olefin depleted pyrolysis gas, from the pyrolyzer, is enriched in olefins and recycled into the pyrolyzer. The reheated acidic catalyst is separated from the mineral matter and again mixed with fresh organic material, to maintain the continuously cyclic process.

Cellular membrane enrichment of self-assembling D-peptides for cell surface engineering.

PubMed

Wang, Huaimin; Wang, Youzhi; Han, Aitian; Cai, Yanbin; Xiao, Nannan; Wang, Ling; Ding, Dan; Yang, Zhimou

2014-06-25

We occasionally found that several self-assembling peptides containing D-amino acids would be preferentially enriched in cellular membranes at self-assembled stages while distributed evenly in the cytoplasma of cells at unassembled stages. Self-assembling peptides containing only Lamino acids distributed evenly in cytoplasma of cells at both self-assembled and unassembled stages. The self-assembling peptides containing D-amino acids could therefore be applied for engineering cell surface with peptides. More importantly, by integrating a protein binding peptide (a PDZ domain binding hexapeptide of WRESAI) with the self-assembling peptide containing D-amino acids, protein could also be introduced to the cell surface. This study not only provided a novel approach to engineer cell surface, but also highlighted the unusual properties and potential applications of self-assembling peptides containing D-amino acids in regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and tissue engineering.

A high liquid yield process for retorting various organic materials including oil shale

DOEpatents

Coburn, T.T.

1988-07-26

This invention is a continuous retorting process for various high molecular weight organic materials, including oil shale, that yields an enhanced output of liquid product. The organic material, mineral matter, and an acidic catalyst, that appreciably adsorbs alkenes on surface sites at prescribed temperatures, are mixed and introduced into a pyrolyzer. A circulating stream of olefin enriched pyrolysis gas is continuously swept through the organic material and catalyst, whereupon, as the result of pyrolysis, the enhanced liquid product output is provided. Mixed spent organic material, mineral matter, and cool catalyst are continuously withdrawn from the pyrolyzer. Combustion of the spent organic material and mineral matter serves to reheat the catalyst. Olefin depleted pyrolysis gas, from the pyrolyzer, is enriched in olefins and recycled into the pyrolyzer. The reheated acidic catalyst is separated from the mineral matter and again mixed with fresh organic material, to maintain the continuously cyclic process. 2 figs.

Regulation of hepatitis B virus ENI enhancer activity by hepatocyte-enriched transcription factor HNF3.

PubMed

Chen, M; Hieng, S; Qian, X; Costa, R; Ou, J H

1994-11-15

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) ENI enhancer can activate the expression of HBV and non-HBV genes in a liver-specific manner. By performing the electrophoretic mobility-shift assays, we demonstrated that the three related, liver-enriched, transcription factors, HNF3 alpha, HNF3 beta, and HNF3 gamma could all bind to the 2c site of HBV ENI enhancer. Mutations introduced in the 2c site to abolish the binding by HNF3 reduced the enhancer activity approximately 15-fold. Moreover, expression of HNF3 antisense sequences to suppress the expression of HNF3 in Huh-7 hepatoma cells led to reduction of the ENI enhancer activity. These results indicate that HNF3 positively regulates the ENI enhancer activity and this regulation is most likely mediated through the 2c site. The requirement of HNF3 for the ENI enhancer activity could explain the liver specificity of this enhancer element.

Hyperpolarization of Nitrogen-15 Schiff Bases by Reversible Exchange Catalysis with para-Hydrogen.

PubMed

Logan, Angus W J; Theis, Thomas; Colell, Johannes F P; Warren, Warren S; Malcolmson, Steven J

2016-07-25

NMR with thermal polarization requires relatively concentrated samples, particularly for nuclei with low abundance and low gyromagnetic ratios, such as (15) N. We expand the substrate scope of SABRE, a recently introduced hyperpolarization method, to allow access to (15) N-enriched Schiff bases. These substrates show fractional (15) N polarization levels of up to 2 % while having only minimal (1) H enhancements. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Recovery of nitrogen and light hydrocarbons from polyalkene purge gas

DOEpatents

Zwilling, Daniel Patrick; Golden, Timothy Christoph; Weist, Jr., Edward Landis; Ludwig, Keith Alan

2003-06-10

A method for the separation of a gas mixture comprises (a) obtaining a feed gas mixture comprising nitrogen and at least one hydrocarbon having two to six carbon atoms; (b) introducing the feed gas mixture at a temperature of about 60.degree. F. to about 105.degree. F. into an adsorbent bed containing adsorbent material which selectively adsorbs the hydrocarbon, and withdrawing from the adsorbent bed an effluent gas enriched in nitrogen; (c) discontinuing the flow of the feed gas mixture into the adsorbent bed and depressurizing the adsorbent bed by withdrawing depressurization gas therefrom; (d) purging the adsorbent bed by introducing a purge gas into the bed and withdrawing therefrom an effluent gas comprising the hydrocarbon, wherein the purge gas contains nitrogen at a concentration higher than that of the nitrogen in the feed gas mixture; (e) pressurizing the adsorbent bed by introducing pressurization gas into the bed; and (f) repeating (b) through (e) in a cyclic manner.

Optimization of strand displacement amplification-sensitized G-quadruplex DNAzyme-based sensing system and its application in activity detection of uracil-DNA glycosylase.

PubMed

Du, Yi-Chen; Jiang, Hong-Xin; Huo, Yan-Fang; Han, Gui-Mei; Kong, De-Ming

2016-03-15

As an isothermal nucleic acid amplification technique, strand displacement amplification (SDA) reaction has been introduced in G-quadruplex DNAzyme-based sensing system to improve the sensing performance. To further provide useful information for the design of SDA-amplified G-quadruplex DNAzyme-based sensors, the effects of nicking site number in SDA template DNA were investigated. With the increase of the nicking site number from 1 to 2, enrichment of G-quadruplex DNAzyme by SDA is changed from a linear amplification to an exponential amplification, thus greatly increasing the amplification efficiency and subsequently improving the sensing performance of corresponding sensing system. The nicking site number cannot be further increased because more nicking sites might result in high background signals. However, we demonstrated that G-quadruplex DNAzyme enrichment efficiency could be further improved by introducing a cross-triggered SDA strategy, in which two templates each has two nicking sites are used. To validate the proposed cross-triggered SDA strategy, we used it to develop a sensing platform for the detection of uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) activity. The sensor enables sensitive detection of UDG activity in the range of 1 × 10(-4)-1 U/mL with a detection limit of 1 × 10(-4)U/mL. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Introducing Clicker Training as a Cognitive Enrichment for Laboratory Mice.

PubMed

Leidinger, Charlotte; Herrmann, Felix; Thöne-Reineke, Christa; Baumgart, Nadine; Baumgart, Jan

2017-03-06

Establishing new refinement strategies in laboratory animal science is a central goal in fulfilling the requirements of Directive 2010/63/EU. Previous research determined a profound impact of gentle handling protocols on the well-being of laboratory mice. By introducing clicker training to the keeping of mice, not only do we promote the amicable treatment of mice, but we also enable them to experience cognitive enrichment. Clicker training is a form of positive reinforcement training using a conditioned secondary reinforcer, the "click" sound of a clicker, which serves as a time bridge between the strengthened behavior and an upcoming reward. The effective implementation of the clicker training protocol with a cohort of 12 BALB/c inbred mice of each sex proved to be uncomplicated. The mice learned rather quickly when challenged with tasks of the clicker training protocol, and almost all trained mice overcame the challenges they were given (100% of female mice and 83% of male mice). This study has identified that clicker training for mice strongly correlates with reduced fear in the mice during human-mice interactions, as shown by reduced anxiety-related behaviors (e.g., defecation, vocalization, and urination) and fewer depression-like behaviors (e.g., floating). By developing a reliable protocol that can be easily integrated into the daily routine of the keeping of laboratory mice, the lifetime experience of welfare in the mice can be improved substantially.

Facile preparation of SiO2/TiO2 composite monolithic capillary column and its application in enrichment of phosphopeptides.

PubMed

Wang, Shao-Ting; Wang, Meng-Ya; Su, Xin; Yuan, Bi-Feng; Feng, Yu-Qi

2012-09-18

A novel SiO(2)/TiO(2) composite monolithic capillary column was prepared by sol-gel technology and successfully applied to enrich phosphopeptides as a metal oxide affinity chromatography (MOAC) material. For the monolith preparation, tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and tetrabutoxytitanium (TBOT) were used as silica and titania source, respectively, and glycerol was introduced to attenuate the activity of titanium precursor, which provided a mild synthetic condition. The prepared monolith was characterized by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results revealed an approximate 1/2 molar ratio of titanium to silica as well as an atom-scale homogeneity in the framework. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results demonstrated an excellent anchorage between the column and the inner capillary wall, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption experiments showed a bimodal porosity with a narrow mesopore distribution around 3.6 nm. The prepared monolith was then applied for selective enrichment of phosphopeptides from the digestion mixture of phosphoproteins and bovine serum albumin (BSA) as well as human blood serum, nonfat milk, and egg white using an in-tube solid phase microextraction (SPME) system. Our results showed that SiO(2)/TiO(2) composite monolithic capillary column could efficiently enrich the phosphopeptides from complex matrixes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt for preparing the silica-metal composite monolithic capillary column, which offers the promising application of the monolith on phosphoproteomics study.

Environment and brain plasticity: towards an endogenous pharmacotherapy.

PubMed

Sale, Alessandro; Berardi, Nicoletta; Maffei, Lamberto

2014-01-01

Brain plasticity refers to the remarkable property of cerebral neurons to change their structure and function in response to experience, a fundamental theoretical theme in the field of basic research and a major focus for neural rehabilitation following brain disease. While much of the early work on this topic was based on deprivation approaches relying on sensory experience reduction procedures, major advances have been recently obtained using the conceptually opposite paradigm of environmental enrichment, whereby an enhanced stimulation is provided at multiple cognitive, sensory, social, and motor levels. In this survey, we aim to review past and recent work concerning the influence exerted by the environment on brain plasticity processes, with special emphasis on the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms and starting from experimental work on animal models to move to highly relevant work performed in humans. We will initiate introducing the concept of brain plasticity and describing classic paradigmatic examples to illustrate how changes at the level of neuronal properties can ultimately affect and direct key perceptual and behavioral outputs. Then, we describe the remarkable effects elicited by early stressful conditions, maternal care, and preweaning enrichment on central nervous system development, with a separate section focusing on neurodevelopmental disorders. A specific section is dedicated to the striking ability of environmental enrichment and physical exercise to empower adult brain plasticity. Finally, we analyze in the last section the ever-increasing available knowledge on the effects elicited by enriched living conditions on physiological and pathological aging brain processes.

Microclimatic Performance of a Free-Air Warming and CO2 Enrichment Experiment in Windy Wyoming, USA

PubMed Central

LeCain, Daniel; Smith, David; Morgan, Jack; Kimball, Bruce A.; Pendall, Elise; Miglietta, Franco

2015-01-01

In order to plan for global changing climate experiments are being conducted in many countries, but few have monitored the effects of the climate change treatments (warming, elevated CO2) on the experimental plot microclimate. During three years of an eight year study with year-round feedback-controlled infra-red heater warming (1.5/3.0°C day/night) and growing season free-air CO2 enrichment (600 ppm) in the mixed-grass prairie of Wyoming, USA, we monitored soil, leaf, canopy-air, above-canopy-air temperatures and relative humidity of control and treated experimental plots and evaluated ecologically important temperature differentials. Leaves were warmed somewhat less than the target settings (1.1 & 1.5°C day/night) but soil was warmed more creating an average that matched the target settings extremely well both during the day and night plus the summer and winter. The site typically has about 50% bare or litter covered soil, therefore soil heat transfer is more critical than in dense canopy ecosystems. The Wyoming site commonly has strong winds (5 ms-1 average) and significant daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations (as much as 30°C daily) but the warming system was nearly always able to maintain the set temperatures regardless of abiotic variation. The within canopy-air was only slightly warmed and above canopy-air was not warmed by the system, therefore convective warming was minor. Elevated CO2 had no direct effect nor interaction with the warming treatment on microclimate. Relative humidity within the plant canopy was only slightly reduced by warming. Soil water content was reduced by warming but increased by elevated CO2. This study demonstrates the importance of monitoring the microclimate in manipulative field global change experiments so that critical physiological and ecological conclusions can be determined. Highly variable energy demand fluctuations showed that passive IR heater warming systems will not maintain desired warming for much of the time. PMID:25658313

Microclimatic performance of a free-air warming and CO₂ enrichment experiment in windy Wyoming, USA

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

LeCain, Daniel; Smith, David; Morgan, Jack

In order to plan for global changing climate experiments are being conducted in many countries, but few have monitored the effects of the climate change treatments (warming, elevated CO₂) on the experimental plot microclimate. During three years of an eight year study with year-round feedback-controlled infra-red heater warming (1.5/3.0°C day/night) and growing season free-air CO₂ enrichment (600 ppm) in the mixed-grass prairie of Wyoming, USA, we monitored soil, leaf, canopy-air, above-canopy-air temperatures and relative humidity of control and treated experimental plots and evaluated ecologically important temperature differentials. Leaves were warmed somewhat less than the target settings (1.1 & 1.5°C day/night)more » but soil was warmed more creating an average that matched the target settings extremely well both during the day and night plus the summer and winter. The site typically has about 50% bare or litter covered soil, therefore soil heat transfer is more critical than in dense canopy ecosystems. The Wyoming site commonly has strong winds (5 ms⁻¹ average) and significant daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations (as much as 30°C daily) but the warming system was nearly always able to maintain the set temperatures regardless of abiotic variation. The within canopy-air was only slightly warmed and above canopy-air was not warmed by the system, therefore convective warming was minor. Elevated CO₂ had no direct effect nor interaction with the warming treatment on microclimate. Relative humidity within the plant canopy was only slightly reduced by warming. Soil water content was reduced by warming but increased by elevated CO₂. This study demonstrates the importance of monitoring the microclimate in manipulative field global change experiments so that critical physiological and ecological conclusions can be determined. Highly variable energy demand fluctuations showed that passive IR heater warming systems will not maintain desired warming for much of the time.« less

Microclimatic performance of a free-air warming and CO₂ enrichment experiment in windy Wyoming, USA

DOE PAGES

LeCain, Daniel; Smith, David; Morgan, Jack; ...

2015-02-06

In order to plan for global changing climate experiments are being conducted in many countries, but few have monitored the effects of the climate change treatments (warming, elevated CO₂) on the experimental plot microclimate. During three years of an eight year study with year-round feedback-controlled infra-red heater warming (1.5/3.0°C day/night) and growing season free-air CO₂ enrichment (600 ppm) in the mixed-grass prairie of Wyoming, USA, we monitored soil, leaf, canopy-air, above-canopy-air temperatures and relative humidity of control and treated experimental plots and evaluated ecologically important temperature differentials. Leaves were warmed somewhat less than the target settings (1.1 & 1.5°C day/night)more » but soil was warmed more creating an average that matched the target settings extremely well both during the day and night plus the summer and winter. The site typically has about 50% bare or litter covered soil, therefore soil heat transfer is more critical than in dense canopy ecosystems. The Wyoming site commonly has strong winds (5 ms⁻¹ average) and significant daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations (as much as 30°C daily) but the warming system was nearly always able to maintain the set temperatures regardless of abiotic variation. The within canopy-air was only slightly warmed and above canopy-air was not warmed by the system, therefore convective warming was minor. Elevated CO₂ had no direct effect nor interaction with the warming treatment on microclimate. Relative humidity within the plant canopy was only slightly reduced by warming. Soil water content was reduced by warming but increased by elevated CO₂. This study demonstrates the importance of monitoring the microclimate in manipulative field global change experiments so that critical physiological and ecological conclusions can be determined. Highly variable energy demand fluctuations showed that passive IR heater warming systems will not maintain desired warming for much of the time.« less

Hydrology and water quality of the headwaters of the River Severn: Stream acidity recovery and interactions with plantation forestry under an improving pollution climate.

PubMed

Neal, Colin; Robinson, Mark; Reynolds, Brian; Neal, Margaret; Rowland, Philip; Grant, Simon; Norris, David; Williams, Bronwen; Sleep, Darren; Lawlor, Alan

2010-10-01

This paper presents new information on the hydrology and water quality of the eroding peatland headwaters of the River Severn in mid-Wales and links it to the impact of plantation conifer forestry further down the catchment. The Upper Hafren is dominated by low-growing peatland vegetation, with an average annual precipitation of around 2650 mm with around 250 mm evaporation. With low catchment permeability, stream response to rainfall is "flashy" with the rising limb to peak stormflow typically under an hour. The water quality is characteristically "dilute"; stormflow is acidic and enriched in aluminium and iron from the acid organic soil inputs. Baseflow is circum-neutral and calcium and bicarbonate bearing due to the inputs of groundwater enriched from weathering of the underlying rocks. Annual cycling is observed for the nutrients reflecting uptake and decomposition processes linked to the vegetation and for arsenic implying seasonal water-logging within the peat soils and underlying glacial drift. Over the decadal scale, sulphate and nitrate concentrations have declined while Gran alkalinity, dissolved organic carbon and iron have increased, indicating a reduction in stream acidification. Within the forested areas the water quality is slightly more concentrated and acidic, transgressing the boundary for acid neutralisation capacity as a threshold for biological damage. Annual sulphate and aluminium concentrations are double those observed in the Upper Hafren, reflecting the influence of forestry and the greater ability of trees to scavenge pollutant inputs from gaseous and mist/cloud-water sources compared to short vegetation. Acidification is decreasing more rapidly in the forest compared to the eroding peatland possibly due to the progressive harvesting of the mature forest reducing the scavenging of acidifying inputs. For the Lower Hafren, long-term average annual precipitation is slightly lower, with lower average altitude, at around 2520mm and evaporation is around double that of the Upper Hafren. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous intake of beta-glucan and plant stanol esters affects lipid metabolism in slightly hypercholesterolemic subjects.

PubMed

Theuwissen, Elke; Mensink, Ronald P

2007-03-01

Intake of food products rich in water-soluble fiber beta-glucan and products enriched with plant stanol esters lower serum cholesterol. Combining 2 functional food ingredients into one food product may achieve additional reductions of serum cholesterol. Our objective was to investigate the effects of a simultaneous intake of beta-glucan plus plant stanol esters on lipid metabolism in mildly hypercholesterolemic volunteers. In a randomized, controlled, 3-period crossover study, 40 mildly hypercholesterolemic men and women received muesli in random order twice a day for 4 wk, which provided, in total, 5 g control fiber from wheat (control muesli), 5 g oat beta-glucan (beta-glucan muesli), or 5 g oat beta-glucan plus 1.5 g plant stanols (combination muesli). beta-Glucan muesli decreased serum LDL cholesterol by 5.0% compared with control muesli (P = 0.013). Combination muesli reduced LDL cholesterol by 9.6% compared with control muesli (P < 0.001), and by 4.4% compared with beta-glucan muesli (P = 0.036). Serum HDL cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations did not differ after the 3 treatments. Compared with control muesli, beta-glucan muesli increased bile acid synthesis (P = 0.043) and decreased cholesterol absorption (P = 0.011). Addition of plant stanols did not influence bile acid synthesis but decreased cholesterol absorption (P < 0.001) and raised cholesterol synthesis (P = 0.016) compared with control muesli, and the plant stanols decreased cholesterol absorption compared with beta-glucan muesli (P = 0.004). The combination muesli decreased serum concentrations of sitostanol compared with control muesli (P = 0.010). Plasma concentrations of lipid-soluble antioxidants did not differ after the 3 treatments. beta-Glucan muesli effectively lowered serum LDL cholesterol concentrations. The addition of plant stanol esters to beta-glucan-enriched muesli further lowered serum LDL cholesterol, although effects were slightly less than predicted.

Decision-aided ICI mitigation with time-domain average approximation in CO-OFDM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Hongliang; Cai, Jiaxing; Ye, Xin; Lu, Jin; Cao, Quanjun; Guo, Shuqin; Xue, Lin-lin; Qin, Yali; Hu, Weisheng

2015-07-01

We introduce and investigate the feasibility of a novel iterative blind phase noise inter-carrier interference (ICI) mitigation scheme for coherent optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (CO-OFDM) systems. The ICI mitigation scheme is performed through the combination of frequency-domain symbol decision-aided estimation and the ICI phase noise time-average approximation. An additional initial decision process with suitable threshold is introduced in order to suppress the decision error symbols. Our proposed ICI mitigation scheme is proved to be effective in removing the ICI for a simulated CO-OFDM with 16-QAM modulation format. With the slightly high computational complexity, it outperforms the time-domain average blind ICI (Avg-BL-ICI) algorithm at a relatively wide laser line-width and high OSNR.

Resilience in mathematics after early brain injury: The roles of parental input and early plasticity.

PubMed

Glenn, Dana E; Demir-Lira, Özlem Ece; Gibson, Dominic J; Congdon, Eliza L; Levine, Susan C

2018-04-01

Children with early focal unilateral brain injury show remarkable plasticity in language development. However, little is known about how early brain injury influences mathematical learning. Here, we examine early number understanding, comparing cardinal number knowledge of typically developing children (TD) and children with pre- and perinatal lesions (BI) between 42 and 50 months of age. We also examine how this knowledge relates to the number words children hear from their primary caregivers early in life. We find that children with BI, are, on average, slightly behind TD children in both cardinal number knowledge and later mathematical performance, and show slightly slower learning rates than TD children in cardinal number knowledge during the preschool years. We also find that parents' "number talk" to their toddlers predicts later mathematical ability for both TD children and children with BI. These findings suggest a relatively optimistic story in which neural plasticity is at play in children's mathematical development following early brain injury. Further, the effects of early number input suggest that intervening to enrich the number talk that children with BI hear during the preschool years could narrow the math achievement gap. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A new feature in the internal heavy isotope distribution in ozone

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

Bhattacharya, S. K., E-mail: skbhatta1@gmail.com; Liang, Mao-Chang; Savarino, Joel

Ozone produced by discharge or photolysis of oxygen has unusually heavy isotopic composition ({sup 18}O/{sup 16}O and {sup 17}O/{sup 16}O ratio) which does not follow normal mass fractionation rule: δ{sup 17}O ∼ 0.52{sup *}δ{sup 18}O, expressed as an anomaly Δ{sup 17}O = δ{sup 17}O − 0.52{sup *}δ{sup 18}O. Ozone molecule being an open isosceles triangle can have the heavy isotope located either in its apex or symmetric (s) position or the base or asymmetric (as) position. Correspondingly, one can define positional isotopic enrichment, written as δ{sup 18}O (s) or δ{sup 18}O (as) (and similarly for δ{sup 17}O) as well asmore » position dependent isotope anomaly Δ{sup 17}O (s) and Δ{sup 17}O (as). Marcus and co-workers have proposed a semi-empirical model based in principle on the RRKM model of uni-molecular dissociation but with slight modification (departure from statistical randomness assumption for symmetrical molecules) which explains many features of ozone isotopic enrichment. This model predicts that the bulk isotope anomaly is contained wholly in the asymmetric position and the Δ{sup 17}O (s) is zero. Consequently, Δ{sup 17}O (as) = 1.5 {sup *} Δ{sup 17}O (bulk) (named here simply as the “1.5 rule”) which has been experimentally confirmed over a range of isotopic enrichment. We now show that a critical re-analysis of the earlier experimental data demonstrates a small but significant departure from this 1.5 rule at the highest and lowest levels of enrichments. This departure provides the first experimental proof that the dynamics of ozone formation differs from a statistical model constrained only by restriction of symmetry. We speculate over some possible causes for the departure.« less

X-Ray-induced Deuterium Enrichment of N-rich Organics in Protoplanetary Disks: An Experimental Investigation Using Synchrotron Light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavilan, Lisseth; Remusat, Laurent; Roskosz, Mathieu; Popescu, Horia; Jaouen, Nicolas; Sandt, Christophe; Jäger, Cornelia; Henning, Thomas; Simionovici, Alexandre; Lemaire, Jean Louis; Mangin, Denis; Carrasco, Nathalie

2017-05-01

The deuterium enrichment of organics in the interstellar medium, protoplanetary disks, and meteorites has been proposed to be the result of ionizing radiation. The goal of this study is to simulate and quantify the effects of soft X-rays (0.1-2 keV), an important component of stellar radiation fields illuminating protoplanetary disks, on the refractory organics present in the disks. We prepared tholins, nitrogen-rich organic analogs to solids found in several astrophysical environments, e.g., Titan’s atmosphere, cometary surfaces, and protoplanetary disks, via plasma deposition. Controlled irradiation experiments with soft X-rays at 0.5 and 1.3 keV were performed at the SEXTANTS beamline of the SOLEIL synchrotron, and were immediately followed by ex-situ infrared, Raman, and isotopic diagnostics. Infrared spectroscopy revealed the preferential loss of singly bonded groups (N-H, C-H, and R-N≡C) and the formation of sp3 carbon defects with signatures at ˜1250-1300 cm-1. Raman analysis revealed that, while the length of polyaromatic units is only slightly modified, the introduction of defects leads to structural amorphization. Finally, tholins were measured via secondary ion mass spectrometry to quantify the D, H, and C elemental abundances in the irradiated versus non-irradiated areas. Isotopic analysis revealed that significant D-enrichment is induced by X-ray irradiation. Our results are compared to previous experimental studies involving the thermal degradation and electron irradiation of organics. The penetration depth of soft X-rays in μm-sized tholins leads to volume rather than surface modifications: lower-energy X-rays (0.5 keV) induce a larger D-enrichment than 1.3 keV X-rays, reaching a plateau for doses larger than 5 × 1027 eV cm-3. Synchrotron fluences fall within the expected soft X-ray fluences in protoplanetary disks, and thus provide evidence of a new non-thermal pathway to deuterium fractionation of organic matter.

Post-collisional subvolcanic rhyolites associated with the Neoproterozoic Pelotas Batholith, southern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveira, Diego Skieresz de; Sommer, Carlos Augusto; Philipp, Ruy Paulo; Lima, Evandro Fernandes de; Basei, Miguel Ângelo Stipp

2015-11-01

Neoproterozoic volcanic and subvolcanic rhyolitic systems in southernmost Brazil are correlated with acid magmatism linked to different petrotectonic associations of the Sul-Rio-Grandense Shield. A portion of this volcanism in the Dom Feliciano Belt is associated with the Pelotas Batholith, which resulted from magmatic episodes associated with the Ediacaran post-collisional evolution of southern Brazil. Ana Dias Rhyolite is the main subvolcanic occurrence of this volcanism that took place in the Quitéria region, in the central part of Rio Grande do Sul State. The acid magmatism has been commonly associated with the most differentiated granite suite phases during the final stages of emplacement of the Pelotas Batholith. The Ana Dias Rhyolite is characterized as an intrusive body with rocks that present a porphyritic to seriated texture and a gradational variation to fine-grained equigranular rocks. New zircon U-Pb dating indicates crystallization age of 581.9 ± 1.9 Ma for the Ana Dias Rhyolite. Geochemistry data characterize the rhyolites as belonging to the alkaline series; they present a metaluminous to peraluminous character; elevated SiO2 and alkali concentrations, high FeOt/FeOt + MgO ratios and agpaitic index; and low Al2O3, CaO, and MgO contents. The Zr, Rb, Y, Nb, and Ga concentrations are moderate when compared with the relatively low Ba and Sr contents. These geochemistry characteristics are common in acid magmas with alkaline affinity. The behavior of certain trace elements and REE demonstrate enrichment in more incompatible elements, in addition to the negative anomaly of Ba, the slight enrichment in Ce relative to adjacent elements, as well as the enrichment in K2O and Rb relative to Nb, suggesting magmas derived from mantle sources enriched in incompatible elements with some crustal contamination. The chemical characteristics are similar to those of A-type granites associated with Neoproterozoic post-collision magmatism in the Sul-Rio-Grandense Shield.

Back-arc basalts from the Loncopue graben (Province of Neuquen, Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varekamp, J. C.; Hesse, A.; Mandeville, C. W.

2010-11-01

Young basaltic back-arc volcanoes occur east of the main Andes chain at about 37.5°-39°S in the Loncopue graben, Province of Neuquen, Argentina. These olivine-rich basalts and trachybasalts have up to 8% MgO, with high Ni and Cr contents, but highly variable incompatible element concentrations. Mafic lava flows and cinder cones at the southern end of the graben lack phenocrystic plagioclase. The northern samples have relative Ta-Nb depletions and K, Pb and LREE enrichment. These samples strongly resemble rocks of the nearby arc volcanoes Copahue and Caviahue, including their Fe-Ti enrichment relative to the main Andes arc rocks. The Sr, Nd and Pb isotope ratios show that the source regions of these back-arc basalts are enriched in subducted components that were depleted in the aqueous mobile elements such as Cs, Sr and Ba as a result of prior extractions from the subducted complex below the main arc. Some mafic flows show slightly low 206Pb/ 204Pb and 143Nd/ 144Nd values as well as incompatible trace element ratios similar to southern Patagonia plateau back-arc basalts, suggesting contributions from an EM1 mantle source. Geothermometry and barometry suggest that the basalts crystallized and fractionated small amounts of olivine and spinel at ˜ 35 km depth at temperatures of 1170-1220 °C, at about QFM + 0.5 to QFM + 1 with 1-2% H 2O, and then rose rapidly to the surface. The Loncopue graben back-arc basalts are transitional in composition between the South Patagonia back-arc plateau basalts and the Caviahue and Copahue arc volcanoes to the northwest. The EM1 source endmember is possibly the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Strong variations in incompatible element enrichment and isotopic compositions between closely spaced cinder cones and lava flows suggest a heterogeneous mantle source for the Loncopue graben volcanics.

Uniaxial ratchetting of 316FR steel at room temperature -- Part 2. Constitutive modeling and simulation

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

Ohno, N.; Abdel-Karim, M.

2000-01-01

Uniaxial ratchetting experiments of 316FR steel at room temperature reported in Part 1 are simulated using a new kinematic hardening model which has two kinds of dynamic recovery terms. The model, which features the capability of simulating slight opening of stress-strain hysteresis loops robustly, is formulated by furnishing the Armstrong and Frederick model with the critical state of dynamic recovery introduced by Ohno and Wang (1993). The model is then combined with a viscoplastic equation, and the resulting constitutive model is applied successfully to simulating the experiments. It is shown that for ratchetting under stress cycling with negative stress ratio,more » viscoplasticity and slight opening of hysteresis loops are effective mainly in early and subsequent cycles, respectively, whereas for ratchetting under zero-to-tension only viscoplasticity is effective.« less

Positive anomalous concentrations of Pb in some gabbroic rocks of Afikpo basin southeastern Nigeria.

PubMed

Onwualu-John, J N

2016-08-01

Gabbroic rocks have intruded the sedimentary sequence at Ameta in Afikpo basin southeastern Nigeria. Petrographic and geochemical features of the rocks were studied in order to evaluate their genetic and geotectonic history. The petrographic results show that the rocks contain plagioclase, olivine, pyroxene, biotite, iron oxide, and traces of quartz in three samples. Major element characteristics show that the rocks are subalkaline. In addition, the rocks have geochemical characteristics similar to basaltic andesites. The trace elements results show inconsistent concentrations of high field strength elements (Zr, Nb, Th, Ta), moderate enrichment of large-ion lithophile elements (Rb, Sr, Ba) and low concentrations of Ni and Cr. Rare earth element results show that the rocks are characterized by enrichment of light rare earth elements, middle rare earth elements enrichment, and depletion of heavy rare earth elements with slight positive europium anomalies. Zinc concentrations are within the normal range in basaltic rocks. There are extremely high concentrations of Pb in three of the rock samples. The high Pb concentrations in some of these rocks could be as a result of last episodes of magmatic crystallization. The rocks intruded the Asu River Group; organic components in the sedimentary sequence probably contain Pb which has been assimilated into the magma at the evolutionary stage of the magma. Weathering of some rocks that contain galena could lead to an increase in the concentration of lead in the gabbroic rocks, especially when the migration and crystallization of magma take place in an aqueous environment. Nevertheless, high concentration of lead is hazardous to health and environment.

Quality of fresh-cut baby spinach grown under a floating trays system as affected by nitrogen fertilisation and innovative packaging treatments.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Hidalgo, Stephanie; Artés-Hernández, Francisco; Gómez, Perla A; Fernández, Juan Antonio; Artés, Francisco

2010-04-30

Alternative techniques for cultivation of leafy vegetables such as a floating tray system and unconventional gas mixtures for post-harvest active modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) could be of interest in the minimally processed vegetable industry. The combined effect of three pre-harvest fertilisation doses (8, 12 or 16 mmol N L(-1)) and three post-harvest MAP conditions (passive, super-atmospheric or N2O-enriched) on the main quality attributes of fresh-cut baby spinach leaves throughout 10 days at 5 degrees C was studied. After 8 days of shelf life, spinach leaves fertilised with 8 and 16 mmol N L(-1) and stored under N2O-enriched MAP showed the lowest microbial growth, with good sensory quality. Such combined treatments also preserved the total antioxidant capacity sampled at harvest (8 g ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity kg(-1) f.w.). A decrease of 10-20% in total vitamin C content regardless of N fertilisation and packaging treatment was found during shelf life. Total phenolics content at harvest was 2 g gallic acid equivalents kg(-1) f.w., which was slightly decreased or preserved during shelf life while total chlorophylls were preserved for all treatments assayed around 550 mg kg(-1) f.w. No clear effect of fertilisation doses was observed during post-harvest storage on overall quality of fresh-cut baby spinach leaves, while N2O-enriched atmospheres seems to be a promising alternative to passive MAP for extending shelf life.

Mineralogy and Geochemistry from Trollveggen Vent Field Chimneys and Metalliferous Sediments (Mohns Ridge, West Jan Mayen Fracture Zone at 71°N)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, S.; Cruz, I.; Fonseca, R.; Barriga, F. J.; Pedersen, R.

2010-12-01

The Jan Mayen vent fields were discovered in the Mohns Ridge during an expedition with the Norwegian research vessel "G.O. Sars" in July 2005. They comprise two main active areas: (1) Soria Moria and (2) Gallionella Garden & Trollveggen. The Trollveggen vent field is located at depths of 700-750 m. Venting takes place mainly through white smoker chimneys with fluid temperatures reaching up to 260-270°C. Here we present mineralogical and geochemical data from vent chimneys and metalliferous sediments collected at the Trollveggen vent field with an ROV. Cross-sections of chimneys present evident mineralogical zonation, showing acicular barite crystals in the outer parts and sulfide enrichments in the interior (Sph + Cpy +/- Py - Po). Sediments are mainly formed by vent fragments but also by minerals precipitated by diffuse fluid circulation, showing a mineral assemblage similar to that of chimneys. Microprobe analyses were obtained both in sulfates and sulphides revealing a particular sphalerite composition, characterized by low Fe (< 2%) and high total trace metal contents (up to 4%, including Cu, Ag and Au). Geochemical profiles of gravity cores collected in the area surrounding Jan Mayen were also performed in order to investigate the presence of additional hydrothermal activity in the area. Total geochemical analyses showed a slight enrichment in trace metals, such as Cu, Zn and Fe, with exception of one core that reached 85 ppm for Cu, 150 ppm for Zn and 20% for Fe. The metal enrichment in this core suggests hydrothermal activity in the neighboring area.

[Study on effect of oil-bearing solution environment of Caryophylli Flos and other traditional Chinese medicines on system flux and oil recovery rate].

PubMed

Fan, Wen-Ling; Guo, Li-Wei; Lin, Ying; Shen, Jie; Cao, Gui-Ping; Zhu, Yun; Xu, Min; Yang, Lei

2013-10-01

The membrane enrichment process of traditional Chinese medicine volatile oil is environmental friendly and practical, with a good application prospect. In this article, oil-bearing solutions of eight traditional Chinese medicines, namely Caryophylli Flos, Schizonepetae Herba, Eupatorii Herb, Acori Talarinowii Rhizoma, Magnoliae Flos, Chrysanthemum indicum, Cyperi Rhizoma and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride, were taken as the experimental system. Under unified conditions (membrane: PVDF-14W, temperature: 40 degreeC, pressure: 0. 1 MPa, membrane surface speed: 150 r min- 1), trans-membrane was conducted for above eight oil-bearing solutions to explore the effect of their oil-bearing solution environment on system flux and oil recovery rate. The results showed that systems with smaller pH had a lower flux, without significant effect on oil recovery rate. Greater differences between the surface tension of solutions and that of pure water contributed to a lower oil recovery rate. The conductivity had no notable effect on membrane enrichment process. Systems with high turbidity had a lower flux, without remarkable effect on oil recovery rat. Heavy oils showed lower flux than light ones, but with a slightly higher oil recovery rat. Systems with higher viscosity had a lower flux than those with lower viscosity. Except for Magnoliae Flos volatile oil, all of the remaining volatile oils showed a much higher oil recovery rat than systems with high viscosity. The above results could provide data support and theoretical basis for the industrialization of membrane enrichment volatile oil technology.

Seasonal variation of oxygen-18 in precipitation and surface water of the Poyang Lake Basin, China.

PubMed

Hu, Chunhua; Froehlich, Klaus; Zhou, Peng; Lou, Qian; Zeng, Simiao; Zhou, Wenbin

2013-06-01

Based on the monthly δ(18)O value measured over a hydrology period in precipitation, runoff of five tributaries and the main lake of the Poyang Lake Basin, combined with hydrological and meteorological data, the characteristics of δ(18)O in precipitation (δ(18)OPPT) and runoff (δ(18)OSUR) are discussed. The δ(18)OPPT and δ(18)OSUR values range from-2.75 to-14.12 ‰ (annual mean value=-7.13 ‰ ) and from-2.30 to-8.56 ‰, respectively. The seasonal variation of δ(18)OPPT is controlled by the air mass circulation in this region, which is dominated by the Asian summer monsoon and the Siberian High during winter. The correlation between the wet seasonal averages of δ(18)OSUR in runoff of the rivers and δ(18)OPPT of precipitation at the corresponding stations shows that in the Poyang Lake catchment area the river water consists of 23% direct runoff (precipitation) and 77% base flow (shallow groundwater). This high proportion of groundwater in the river runoff points to the prevalence of wetland conditions in the Poyang Lake catchment during rainy season. Considering the oxygen isotopic composition of the main body of Poyang Lake, no isotopic enrichment relative to river inflow was found during the rainy season with maximum expansion of the lake. Thus, evaporation causing isotopic enrichment is a minor component of the lake water balance in the rainy period. During dry season, a slight isotopic enrichment has been observed, which suggests a certain evaporative loss of lake water in that period.

[Pollution evaluation and health risk assessment of heavy metals from atmospheric deposition in Lanzhou].

PubMed

Li, Ping; Xue, Su-Yin; Wang, Sheng-Li; Nan, Zhong-Ren

2014-03-01

In order to evaluate the contamination and health risk of heavy metals from atmospheric deposition in Lanzhou, samples of atmospheric deposition were collected from 11 sampling sites respectively and their concentrations of heavy metals were determined. The results showed that the average contents of Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Zn and Mn were 82.22, 130.31, 4.34, 88.73, 40.64, 369.23 and 501.49 mg x kg(-1), respectively. There was great difference among different functional areas for all elements except Mn. According to the results, the enrichment factor score of Mn was close to 1, while the enrichment of Zn, Ni, Cu and Cr was more serious, and Pb and Cd were extremely enriched. The assessment results of geoaccumulation index of potential ecological risk indicated that the pollution of Cd in the atmospheric deposition of Lanzhou should be classified as extreme degree, and that of Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb as between slight and extreme degrees, and Cr as practically uncontaminated. Contaminations of atmospheric dust by heavy metals in October to the next March were more serious than those from April to August. Health risk assessment indicated that the heavy metals in atmospheric deposition were mainly ingested by human bodies through hand-mouth ingestion. The non-cancer risk was higher for children than for adults. The order of non-cancer hazard indexes of heavy metals was Pb > Cr > Cd > Cu > Ni > Zn. The non-cancer hazard indexes and carcinogen risks of heavy metals were both lower than their threshold values, suggesting that they will not harm the health.

Stochastic 2-D galaxy disk evolution models. Resolved stellar populations in the galaxy M33

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mineikis, T.; Vansevičius, V.

We improved the stochastic 2-D galaxy disk models (Mineikis & Vansevičius 2014a) by introducing enriched gas outflows from galaxies and synthetic color-magnitude diagrams of stellar populations. To test the models, we use the HST/ACS stellar photometry data in four fields located along the major axis of the galaxy M33 (Williams et al. 2009) and demonstrate the potential of the models to derive 2-D star formation histories in the resolved disk galaxies.

Unwitting Exposure of the Therapist

PubMed Central

Ulman, Kathleen Hubbs

2001-01-01

The unwitting exposure of the therapist's private life creates an unexpected rupture in the frame and puts both the therapist and the patient off balance. The exposure introduces into the therapy a moment of human sharing of vulnerability that has the potential to enrich the treatment. Clinical vignettes are presented to help therapists anticipate possible exposures and their consequences. The discussion encourages therapists to predict their reactions, obtain needed professional support, and make the most of opportunities for full exploration of patients' material. PMID:11121003

Inflight Microbial Monitoring - An Alternative Method to Culture Based Detection Currently Used on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khodadad, Christina L.; Birmele, Michele N.; Hummerick, Mary E.; Roman, Monsi; Smith, David J.

2015-01-01

Microorganisms including potential human pathogens have been detected on the International Space Station (ISS). The potential to introduce new microorganisms occurs with every exchange of crew or addition of equipment or supplies. Current microbial monitoring methods require enrichment of microorganisms and a 48-hour incubation time resulting in an increase in microbial load, detecting a limited number of unidentified microorganisms. An expedient, low-cost, in-flight method of microbial detection, identification, and enumeration is warranted.

Sharing Wisdom(s) to Enrich Knowledge: Working in a Transdisciplinary Research Team in Medical Anthropology.

PubMed

Carceller-Maicas, Natalia

2015-06-01

This paper explains our experience working in a transdisciplinary research team focused on adolescence mental health. It introduces briefly the two key theoretical concepts: participation and transdisciplinarity. In order to be followed with a deep description of the methodology and the creation of the two principal materials resulting from our research: a guide of best practices in adolescent mental health, and a documentary film. Showing in a practical way how the research could be enhanced by the sharing of knowledge.

Method for increasing steam decomposition in a coal gasification process

DOEpatents

Wilson, Marvin W.

1988-01-01

The gasification of coal in the presence of steam and oxygen is significantly enhanced by introducing a thermochemical water-splitting agent such as sulfuric acid, into the gasifier for decomposing the steam to provide additional oxygen and hydrogen usable in the gasification process for the combustion of the coal and enrichment of the gaseous gasification products. The addition of the water-splitting agent into the gasifier also allows for the operation of the reactor at a lower temperature.

Method for increasing steam decomposition in a coal gasification process

DOEpatents

Wilson, M.W.

1987-03-23

The gasification of coal in the presence of steam and oxygen is significantly enhanced by introducing a thermochemical water- splitting agent such as sulfuric acid, into the gasifier for decomposing the steam to provide additional oxygen and hydrogen usable in the gasification process for the combustion of the coal and enrichment of the gaseous gasification products. The addition of the water-splitting agent into the gasifier also allows for the operation of the reactor at a lower temperature.

Proterozoic Eastern Sayan ophiolites (Central Asian Orogenic Belt) record subduction initiation in vicinity of continental block

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaev, Vasilii; Gornova, Marina; Medvedev, Alexander; Dril, Sergey; Karimov, Anas

2017-04-01

Geochemical study of cumulate and volcanic rocks from ˜ 1020 Ma Eastern Sayan ophiolites1 (Siberia, Russia) is used to provide a correlation between two ophiolitic belts and link them to subduction initiation setting. Studied areas include Ospin and Ilchir massifs to the East and Dunzhugur to the West of Early Precambrian Gargan block. Ophiolitic cumulates represent peridotite-pyroxenite-gabbro-norite suite with crystallization orders of Cr-Sp - Ol - Cpx - Opx - Plag, and Cr-Sp - Ol - Opx - Amph - (Cpx) - Plag. Clinopyroxene is augite-diopside with Mg# 85-95, low Al2O3 (1-2.5%) and TiO2 (0.05-0.2%). Amph is Mg-hornblende to edenite (Mg# 84-86, 5-8% Al2O3, 0.3-0.6% TiO2). Cr-Sp has Cr# 65-83 and 0.05-0.3% TiO2 in cumulates with high Opx proportion, while in Cpx-dominating pyroxenites chemistry of Cr-Sp is variable (Cr# 40-75, 0.05-0.5% TiO2). Due to alteration, Ol and Opx chemistry is available only for some samples (Ol: Mg# 88, 0.2-0.3% NiO; Opx: Mg# 89, 1.6% Al2O3). Whole-rock MgO ranges 9 to 38%. Amph-free pyroxenites and gabbro-norites show flat to slightly depleted REE pattern with negative HFSE anomalies. Amph-pyroxenites have fractionated trace-element pattern with LREE enrichment, Nb-Ti minima at slightly higher HFSE abundances. In-situ LA-ICP-MS analysis of Cpx in Amph-free pyroxenites and gabbro-norites revealed moderately depleted to flat REE and Nb-Zr-Hf-Ti depletion, with low trace element abundances (La/SmPM = 0.14-0.9, Zr 0.6-2.3, Nd = 0.2-1.1, Yb = 0.2-0.7 ppm). Melts calculated to be in equilibrium with Cpx using distribution coefficients2 are REE-flat to slightly LREE-enriched (La/SmPM = 1-4) at low HREE abundances (0.5-1.5 ppm Yb). Overall, crystallization orders, mineral and whole-rock chemistry suggest origin of ophiolitic cumulates from low-Ca boninites or primitive andesites (higher Opx or Amph proportion) to high-Ca boninites or primitive island arc tholeiites (Cpx-dominating, Amph-free associations with subordinate Opx). Ophiolitic volcanics and dikes are low-Ca and intermediate-Ca boninites, andesite-basalts, andesites, dacites of calc-alkaline (CA) affinity with rare evolved island-arc tholeiitic (IAT) andesite-basalts. They resemble appropriate rocks of intraoceanic island arcs, forearcs, and ophiolites. Boninites and CA-andesites are LREE-enriched (La/SmPM 1.2-3.8) at low HREE (0.5-1.6 ppm Yb) contents while evolved IAT show flat REE (La/SmPM = 1.1) and higher abundances (2.4-2.8 ppm Yb), and both have negative Nb anomalies. Nd-isotopic data expressed as epsilon Nd(1020Ma) values are -2.3 to +4.1 in cumulates, -2.8 to +0.4 in boninites and andesites, and +2.3 to +2.7 in IAT (compared to epsilon Nd(1020Ma) +7.8 in depleted mantle). The ophiolites obducted on the Gargan continental block, which contains Archean gneisses with epsilon Nd(1020) = -20 to -281. Subduction and recycling of sediments derived from these gneisses could explain enriched Nd isotopic characteristics of the studied ophiolitic rocks. The boninite-andesite-IAT association is usually found in subduction initiation settings recorded by modern forearc regions and forearc ophiolites. The difference of the Eastern Sayan ophiolites is their supposed formation close to ancient continental block which supplied recycled material into newly formed subduction zone. 1. Sklyarov et al (2016) Russ Geol Geophys 57, 127-140 2. Sobolev et al (1996) Petrology 3, 326-336.

Segmentation Fusion Techniques with Application to Plenoptic Images: A Survey.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evin, D.; Hadad, A.; Solano, A.; Drozdowicz, B.

2016-04-01

The segmentation of anatomical and pathological structures plays a key role in the characterization of clinically relevant evidence from digital images. Recently, plenoptic imaging has emerged as a new promise to enrich the diagnostic potential of conventional photography. Since the plenoptic images comprises a set of slightly different versions of the target scene, we propose to make use of those images to improve the segmentation quality in relation to the scenario of a single image segmentation. The problem of finding a segmentation solution from multiple images of a single scene, is called segmentation fusion. This paper reviews the issue of segmentation fusion in order to find solutions that can be applied to plenoptic images, particularly images from the ophthalmological domain.

Tracing the factors responsible for arsenic enrichment in groundwater of the middle Gangetic Plain, India: a source identification perspective.

PubMed

Kumar, Pankaj; Kumar, Manish; Ramanathan, A L; Tsujimura, Maki

2010-04-01

Arsenic contamination in groundwater is of increasing concern because of its high toxicity and widespread occurrence. This study is an effort to trace the factors responsible for arsenic enrichment in groundwater of the middle Gangetic Plain of India through major ion chemistry, arsenic speciation, sediment grain-size analyses, and multivariate statistical techniques. The study focuses on the distinction between the contributions of natural weathering and anthropogenic inputs of arsenic with its spatial distribution and seasonal variations in the plain of the state Bihar of India. Thirty-six groundwater and one sediment core samples were collected in the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Various graphical plots and statistical analysis were carried out using chemical data to enable hydrochemical evaluation of the aquifer system based on the ionic constituents, water types, hydrochemical facies, and factors controlling groundwater quality. Results suggest that the groundwater is characterized by slightly alkaline pH with moderate to strong reducing nature. The general trend of various ions was found to be Ca(2+) > Na(+) > Mg(2+) > K(+) > NH(4) (+); and HCO(3) (-) > Cl(-) > SO(4) (2-) > NO(3) (-) > PO(4) (3-) > F(-) in both seasons. Spatial and temporal variations showed a slightly higher arsenic concentration in the pre-monsoon period (118 microg/L) than in the post-monsoon period (114 microg/L). Results of correlation analyses indicate that arsenic contamination is strongly associated with high concentrations of Fe, PO(4) (3-), and NH(4) (+) but relatively low Mn concentrations. Further, the enrichment of arsenic is more prevalent in the proximity of the Ganges River, indicating that fluvial input is the main source of arsenic. Grain size analyses of sediment core samples revealed clay (fine-grained) strata between 4.5 and 7.5 m deep that govern the vertical distribution of arsenic. The weathering of carbonate and silicate minerals along with surface-groundwater interactions, ion exchange, and anthropogenic activities seem to be the processes governing groundwater contamination, including with arsenic. Although the percentage of wells exceeding the permissible limit (50 microg/L) was less (47%) than that reported in Bangladesh and West Bengal, the percentage contribution of toxic As(III) to total arsenic concentration is quite high (66%). This study is vital considering that groundwater is the exclusive source of drinking water in the region and not only makes situation alarming but also calls for immediate attention.

Evolution of the lithospheric mantle beneath Mt. Baekdu (Changbaishan): Constraints from geochemical and Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic studies on peridotite xenoliths in trachybasalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Keunsu; Choi, Sung Hi; Cho, Moonsup; Lee, Der-Chuen

2017-08-01

Major and trace element compositions of minerals as well as Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic compositions of clinopyroxenes from spinel peridotite xenoliths entrained in Late Cenozoic trachybasalt from Mt. Baekdu (Changbaishan) were used to elucidate lithospheric mantle formation and evolution in the eastern North China Craton (NCC). The analyzed peridotites were mainly spinel lherzolites with rare harzburgites. They consisted of olivine (Fo89.3-91.0), enstatite (Wo1-2En88-90Fs8-11), diopside (Wo45-50En45-51Fs4-6), and spinel (Cr# = 8.8-54.7). The peridotite residues underwent up to 25% partial melting in fertile mid-ocean-ridge basalt (MORB) mantle. Plots of the Cr# in spinel against the Mg# in coexisting olivine or spinel suggested an affinity with abyssal peridotites. Comparisons of Cr# and TiO2 in spinel were also compatible with an abyssal peridotite-like composition; however, harzburgites were slightly enriched in TiO2 because of the reaction with MORB-like melt. Temperatures estimated using two-pyroxene thermometry ranged from 750 to 1010 °C, reflecting their lithospheric mantle origin. The rare earth element (REE) patterns in clinopyroxenes of the peridotites varied from light REE (LREE) depleted to spoon shaped to LREE enriched, reflecting secondary overprinting effects of metasomatic melts or fluids on the residues from primordial melting. The calculated trace element pattern of metasomatic melt equilibrated with clinopyroxene in Mt. Baekdu peridotite showed strong enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements, Th and U together with slight fractionation in heavy REEs (HREEs) and considerable depletion in Nb and Ti. The Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic compositions of clinopyroxenes separated from the peridotites varied from more depleted than present-day MORB to bulk Earth values. However, some clinopyroxene showed a decoupling between Nd and Sr isotopes, deviating from the mantle array with a high 87Sr/86Sr ratio. This sample also showed a significant Nd-Hf isotope decoupling lying well above the mantle array. The Lu-Hf and Sm-Nd model ages of residual clinopyroxenes yielded Early Proterozoic to Phanerozoic ages. No signature of Archean cratonic mantle was present. Therefore, Mt. Baekdu peridotite is residual lithospheric mantle that has undergone variable degrees of diachronous melt extraction and infiltration metasomatism involving subduction-related, fluid-bearing silicate melts. The predominance of Phanerozoic Hf model ages indicates that the lherzolites represent lithospheric mantle fragments newly accreted underneath the eastern NCC.

Petrology and geobarometry of Admiralty-Revillagigedo belt granitoids near Petersburg, southeastern Alaska

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

Hammarstrom, J.M.; Brew, D.A.

1993-04-01

The Admiralty-Revillagigedo belt (ARB) of southeastern Alaska is an approximately 400 mile long northwest-trending belt of Late Cretaceous ([approximately]95 Ma) calcalkalic plutons that extends from Juneau to Ketchikan. The ARB is bounded on the east by the younger Coast plutonic complex sill and on the west by the mid-Cretaceous Muir-Chichagof plutonic belt. Near Petersburg, the ARB consists of a variety of plutons that include equigranular and porphyritic quartz diorite, tonalite, quartz monzodiorite, and granodiorite. Minerals in these plutons are: hornblende, biotite, plagioclase, potassium feldspar, quartz, apatite, zircon, titanite, and ilmenite [+-] epidote, minor allanite, magnetite, grossular-almandine garnet, clinopyroxene, and locallymore » trace amounts of sulfide minerals. New geochemical data for six samples from three plutons near Petersburg overlap data for the rest of the ARB, which is metaluminous to slightly peraluminous. The central ARB granitoids are moderately LREE-enriched with slightly negative to slightly positive europium anomalies. High strontium (700 to 800 ppm) and low rubidium contents in central ARB plutons overlap compositions of ARB plutons to the north and south, and magmatic epidote-bearing plutons elsewhere. Pressure estimates for pluton emplacement based on hornblende geobarometry (6 to 9 kbars) are compatible with pressure estimates for plutons to the south and for metamorphic aureole assemblages around ARB plutons elsewhere in the western metamorphic belt of southeastern Alaska. These data support the chemical consanguinity of plutons along the length of the magmatic arc now preserved as the ARB and suggest that the whole ARB has been uplifted and eroded to expose plutons emplaced at relatively deep crustal levels.« less

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are enriched but bioaccessibility reduced in brownfield soils adhered to human hands.

PubMed

Siciliano, Steven D; Laird, B D; Lemieux, C L

2010-08-01

The health risk associated with exposure to urban brownfields is often driven by the incidental ingestion of soil by humans. Recent evidence found that humans likely ingest the fraction of soil that passes a 45-microm sieve, which is the particle size adhered to the hands. We evaluated if PAH concentrations were enriched in this soil fraction compared to the bulk soil and if this enrichment lead to an increase in bioaccessibility and thus an increase in incremental lifetime cancer risk for exposed persons. Soils (n=18) with PAH concentrations below the current Canadian soil quality guidelines for human health were collected from an Arctic urban site and were sieved to pass a 45-microm sieve. Soil PAH profiles were measured and bioaccessibility was assessed using the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME). PAHs were significantly enriched in the <45 microm size fraction (3.7-fold) and this enrichment could be predicted according to the fugacity capacity of soil (Enrichment=2.18-0.055Zsoil, r2=0.65, p<0.001). PAH release in the stomach and small intestine compartments of the SHIME was low (8%) and could not be predicted by PAH concentrations in 45-microm sieved soil. In fact, PAH release in the SHIME was lower from the <45 microm size fraction despite the fact that this fraction had higher levels of PAHs than the bulk soil. We postulate that this occurs because PAHs adsorbed to soil did not reach equilibrium with the small intestinal fluid. In contrast, PAH release in the colonic compartment of the SHIME reached equilibrium and was linked to soil concentration. Bioaccessibility in the SHIME colon could be predicted by the ratio of fugacity capacity of soil to water for a PAH (Bioaccessibility=0.15e(-6.4x10E-7Zsoil/Zwater), r2=0.53, p<0.01). The estimated incremental lifetime cancer risk was significantly greater for the <45 microm soil fraction compared to the bulk fraction; however, when bioaccessible PAH concentrations in a simulated small intestine were used in the risk assessment calculations, cancer risk was slightly lower in the <45 microm soil fraction for these soils. Our results highlight the importance of using a small soil size fraction, e.g. 45 microm, for contaminated site human health risk assessment. However, further work is needed to estimate the bioavailability of this size fraction in an in vivo model and to assess the correlation between in vitro and in vivo gastrointestinal models. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Petrogenesis of Near-Ridge Seamounts: AN Investigation of Mantle Source Heterogeneity and Melting Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baxter, N. L.; Perfit, M. R.; Lundstrom, C.; Clague, D. A.

2010-12-01

Near-ridge (NR) seamounts offer an important opportunity to study lavas that have similar sources to ridge basalts but have been less affected by fractionation and homogenization that takes place at adjacent spreading ridge axes. By studying lavas erupted at these off-axis sites, we have the potential to better understand source heterogeneity and melting and transport processes that can be applied to the ridge system as a whole. One purpose of our study is to investigate the role of dunite conduits in the formation of near-ridge seamount chains. We believe that near-ridge seamounts could form due to focusing of melts in dunite channels located slightly off-axis and that such conduits may be important in the formation and transport of melt both on- and off-axis (Lundstrom et al., 2000). New trace element and isotopic analyses of glasses from Rogue, Hacksaw, and T461 seamounts near the Juan de Fuca Ridge (JdFR), the Lamont Seamounts adjacent to the East Pacific Rise (EPR) ~ 10°N, and the Vance Seamounts next to the JdFR ~45°N provide a better understanding of the petrogenesis of NR seamounts. Our data indicate that lavas from these seamounts have diverse incompatible trace element compositions that range from highly depleted to slightly enriched in comparison to associated ridge basalts. Vance A lavas (the oldest in the Vance chain) have the most enriched signatures and lavas from Rogue seamount on the JdFR plate have the most depleted signatures. Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic ratios indicate that NR seamount lava compositions vary within the chains as well as within individual seamounts, and that there is some mixing between heterogeneous, small-scale mantle sources. Using the program PRIMELT2.XLS (Herzberg and Asimow, 2008), we calculated mantle potential temperatures (Tp) for some of the most primitive basalts erupted at these seamounts. Our data indicate that NR seamount lavas have Tp values that are only slightly higher than that of average ambient mantle. Variations in major and trace elements along with geochemical modeling suggest a heterogeneous mantle source that melts to different extents. Shallow level crystal fractionation and mixing cannot explain the geochemical diversity found at NR seamounts. We are using the modeling programs MELTS (Ghiorso et al., 2002) and IRIDIUM (Boudreau, 2003) to model processes hypothesized to form dunite conduits (dissolution of pyroxenes and precipitation of olivine), to evaluate if these dissolution/precipitation processes can produce some of the geochemical diversity observed at these seamounts.

Coupling of metal-organic frameworks-containing monolithic capillary-based selective enrichment with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry for efficient analysis of protein phosphorylation.

PubMed

Li, Daojin; Yin, Danyang; Chen, Yang; Liu, Zhen

2017-05-19

Protein phosphorylation is a major post-translational modification, which plays a vital role in cellular signaling of numerous biological processes. Mass spectrometry (MS) has been an essential tool for the analysis of protein phosphorylation, for which it is a key step to selectively enrich phosphopeptides from complex biological samples. In this study, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-based monolithic capillary has been successfully prepared as an effective sorbent for the selective enrichment of phosphopeptides and has been off-line coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for efficient analysis of phosphopeptides. Using š-casein as a representative phosphoprotein, efficient phosphorylation analysis by this off-line platform was verified. Phosphorylation analysis of a nonfat milk sample was also demonstrated. Through introducing large surface areas and highly ordered pores of MOFs into monolithic column, the MOFs-based monolithic capillary exhibited several significant advantages, such as excellent selectivity toward phosphopeptides, superb tolerance to interference and simple operation procedure. Because of these highly desirable properties, the MOFs-based monolithic capillary could be a useful tool for protein phosphorylation analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Evaluating the response of yield and evapotranspiration of winter wheat and the adaptation by adjusting crop variety to climate change in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain].

PubMed

Hu, Shi; Mo, Xing-guo; Lin, Zhong-hui

2015-04-01

Based on the multi-model datasets of three representative concentration pathway (RCP) emission scenarios from IPCC5, the response of yield and accumulative evapotranspiration (ET) of winter wheat to climate change in the future were assessed by VIP model. The results showed that if effects of CO2 enrichment were excluded, temperature rise would lead to a reduction in the length of the growing period for wheat under the three climate change scenarios, and the wheat yield and ET presented a decrease tendency. The positive effect of atmospheric CO2 enrichment could offset most negative effect introduced by temperature rising, indicating that atmospheric CO2 enrichment would be the prime reason of the wheat yield rising in future. In 2050s, wheat yield would increase 14.8% (decrease 2.5% without CO2 fertilization) , and ET would decrease 2.1% under RCP4.5. By adoption of new crop variety with enhanced requirement on accumulative temperature, the wheat yield would increase more significantly with CO2 fertilization, but the water consumption would also increase. Therefore, cultivar breeding new irrigation techniques and agronomical management should be explored under the challenges of climate change in the future.

Detection and cultivation of circulating tumor cells in malignant pleural mesothelioma.

PubMed

Bobek, Vladimir; Kacprzak, Grzegorz; Rzechonek, Adam; Kolostova, Katarina

2014-05-01

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive disease with very poor prognosis which tends to affect older patients. Progress in the management of this group of patients has been limited by the rarity of the disease and hence, difficulty in conducting randomized trials. The vast majority of cancer deaths occur due to metastasis of the primary tumor to distant sites via circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the circulation. CTCs are extremely rare and limits in technology used to capture these cells hamper our complete understanding over the metastatic process. In the present study we present a new method for detection and cultivation of CTCs isolated from peripheral blood of MPM patients. Patients with diagnosed MPM were enrolled into this study. A size-based separation method for viable CTC enrichment from unclothed peripheral blood has been introduced; MetaCell. The size-based enrichment process was based on filtration of peripheral blood (PB) through porous polycarbonate membrane. The separated CTCs are cultured on the membrane in vitro under standard cancer cell culture conditions and observed by an inverted microscope. The reported methodology allows for quick and easy enrichment of CTCs and their cultivation. The cultivated cells can be used for next specification of gene expression and histological/biological specificity of concrete mesothelioma.

Aquaculture changes the profile of antibiotic resistance and mobile genetic element associated genes in Baltic Sea sediments.

PubMed

Muziasari, Windi I; Pärnänen, Katariina; Johnson, Timothy A; Lyra, Christina; Karkman, Antti; Stedtfeld, Robert D; Tamminen, Manu; Tiedje, James M; Virta, Marko

2016-04-01

Antibiotics are commonly used in aquaculture and they can change the environmental resistome by increasing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Sediment samples were collected from two fish farms located in the Northern Baltic Sea, Finland, and from a site outside the farms (control). The sediment resistome was assessed by using a highly parallel qPCR array containing 295 primer sets to detect ARGs, mobile genetic elements and the 16S rRNA gene. The fish farm resistomes were enriched in transposon and integron associated genes and in ARGs encoding resistance to antibiotics which had been used to treat fish at the farms. Aminoglycoside resistance genes were also enriched in the farm sediments despite the farms not having used aminoglycosides. In contrast, the total relative abundance values of ARGs were higher in the control sediment resistome and they were mainly genes encoding efflux pumps followed by beta-lactam resistance genes, which are found intrinsically in many bacteria. This suggests that there is a natural Baltic sediment resistome. The resistome associated with fish farms can be from native ARGs enriched by antibiotic use at the farms and/or from ARGs and mobile elements that have been introduced by fish farming. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Identification of hierarchical chromatin domains

PubMed Central

Weinreb, Caleb; Raphael, Benjamin J.

2016-01-01

Motivation: The three-dimensional structure of the genome is an important regulator of many cellular processes including differentiation and gene regulation. Recently, technologies such as Hi-C that combine proximity ligation with high-throughput sequencing have revealed domains of self-interacting chromatin, called topologically associating domains (TADs), in many organisms. Current methods for identifying TADs using Hi-C data assume that TADs are non-overlapping, despite evidence for a nested structure in which TADs and sub-TADs form a complex hierarchy. Results: We introduce a model for decomposition of contact frequencies into a hierarchy of nested TADs. This model is based on empirical distributions of contact frequencies within TADs, where positions that are far apart have a greater enrichment of contacts than positions that are close together. We find that the increase in contact enrichment with distance is stronger for the inner TAD than for the outer TAD in a TAD/sub-TAD pair. Using this model, we develop the TADtree algorithm for detecting hierarchies of nested TADs. TADtree compares favorably with previous methods, finding TADs with a greater enrichment of chromatin marks such as CTCF at their boundaries. Availability and implementation: A python implementation of TADtree is available at http://compbio.cs.brown.edu/software/ Contact: braphael@cs.brown.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:26315910

Foundation Design against Frost Action in Europe.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-01

the inside of the foundation wall and consisted of 50mm of ’Rockwool’ (a mineral wool ). This insulation guides heat from the house down toward the...Separation of the floor slab from the inner part of the foundation wall by introducing mineral wool (Fig. 49c) gives a further slight reduction in...construction consisting, for example, of wood and mineral wool and including air spaces. Rt is the thermal resistance of the composite floor from surface to

Two-IMU FDI performance of the sequential probability ratio test during shuttle entry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rich, T. M.

1976-01-01

Performance data for the sequential probability ratio test (SPRT) during shuttle entry are presented. Current modeling constants and failure thresholds are included for the full mission 3B from entry through landing trajectory. Minimum 100 percent detection/isolation failure levels and a discussion of the effects of failure direction are presented. Finally, a limited comparison of failures introduced at trajectory initiation shows that the SPRT algorithm performs slightly worse than the data tracking test.

Enrichment of functional properties of ice cream with pomegranate by-products.

PubMed

Çam, Mustafa; Erdoğan, Fatma; Aslan, Duygu; Dinç, Merve

2013-10-01

Pomegranate peel rich in phenolics, and pomegranate seed which contain a conjugated fatty acid namely punicic acid in lipid fraction remain as by-products after processing the fruit into juice. Ice cream is poor in polyunsaturated fatty acids and phenolics, therefore, this study was conducted to improve the functional properties of ice cream by incorporating pomegranate peel phenolics and pomegranate seed oil. Incorporation of the peel phenolics into ice cream at the levels of 0.1% and 0.4% (w/w) resulted in significant changes in the pH, total acidity, and color of the samples. The most prominent outcomes of phenolic incorporation were sharp improvements in antioxidant and antidiabetic activities as well as the phenolic content of ice creams. Replacement of pomegranate seed oil by milk fat at the levels of 2.0% and 4.0% (w/w) increased the conjugated fatty acid content. However, perception of oxidized flavor increased with the additional seed oil. When one considers the functional and nutritional improvements in the enrichment of the ice cream together with overall acceptability results of the sensory analysis, then it follows from this study that ice creams enriched with pomegranate peel phenolics up to 0.4% (w/w) and pomegranate seed oil up to 2.0% (w/w) could be introduced to markets as functional ice cream. Enrichment of ice creams with pomegranate by-products might provide consumers health benefits with striking functional properties of punicalagins in pomegranate peel, and punicic acid in pomegranate seed oil. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

Mississippi River Plume Enriches Microbial Diversity in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

PubMed Central

Mason, Olivia U.; Canter, Erin J.; Gillies, Lauren E.; Paisie, Taylor K.; Roberts, Brian J.

2016-01-01

The Mississippi River (MR) serves as the primary source of freshwater and nutrients to the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM). Whether this input of freshwater also enriches microbial diversity as the MR plume migrates and mixes with the nGOM serves as the central question addressed herein. Specifically, in this study physicochemical properties and planktonic microbial community composition and diversity was determined using iTag sequencing of 16S rRNA genes in 23 samples collected along a salinity (and nutrient) gradient from the mouth of the MR, in the MR plume, in the canyon, at the Deepwater Horizon wellhead and out to the loop current. Analysis of these datasets revealed that the MR influenced microbial diversity as far offshore as the Deepwater Horizon wellhead. The MR had the highest microbial diversity, which decreased with increasing salinity. MR bacterioplankton communities were distinct compared to the nGOM, particularly in the surface where Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria dominated, while the deeper MR was also enriched in Thaumarchaeota. Statistical analyses revealed that nutrients input by the MR, along with salinity and depth, were the primary drivers in structuring the microbial communities. These results suggested that the reduced salinity, nutrient enriched MR plume could act as a seed bank for microbial diversity as it mixes with the nGOM. Whether introduced microorganisms are active at higher salinities than freshwater would determine if this seed bank for microbial diversity is ecologically significant. Alternatively, microorganisms that are physiologically restricted to freshwater habitats that are entrained in the plume could be used as tracers for freshwater input to the marine environment. PMID:27458442

Behaviour of Lyapunov exponents near crisis points in the dissipative standard map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompe, B.; Leven, R. W.

1988-11-01

We numerically study the behaviour of the largest Lyapunov characteristic exponent λ1 in dependence on a control parameter in the 2D standard map with dissipation. In order to investigate the system's motion in parameter intervals slightly above crisis points we introduce "partial" Lyapunov exponents which characterize the average exponential divergence of nearby orbits on a semi-attractor at a boundary crisis and on distinct parts of a "large" chaotic attractor near an interior crisis. In the former case we find no significant difference between λ1 in the pre-crisis regime and the partial Lyapunov exponent describing transient chaotic motions slightly above the crisis. For the latter case we give a quantitative description of the drastic increase of λ1. Moreover, a formula which connects the critical exponent of a chaotic transient above a boundary crisis with a pointwise dimension is derived.

Automatic detection of slight parameter changes associated to complex biomedical signals using multiresolution q-entropy1.

PubMed

Torres, M E; Añino, M M; Schlotthauer, G

2003-12-01

It is well known that, from a dynamical point of view, sudden variations in physiological parameters which govern certain diseases can cause qualitative changes in the dynamics of the corresponding physiological process. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a technique that allows the automated temporal localization of slight changes in a parameter of the law that governs the nonlinear dynamics of a given signal. This tool takes, from the multiresolution entropies, the ability to show these changes as statistical variations at each scale. These variations are held in the corresponding principal component. Appropriately combining these techniques with a statistical changes detector, a complexity change detection algorithm is obtained. The relevance of the approach, together with its robustness in the presence of moderate noise, is discussed in numerical simulations and the automatic detector is applied to real and simulated biological signals.

A novel fiber optic geophone with high sensitivity for geo-acoustic detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhenhui; Yang, Huayong; Xiong, Shuidong; Luo, Hong; Cao, Chunyan; Ma, Shuqing

2014-12-01

A novel interferometric fiber optic geophone is introduced in this paper. This geophone is mainly used for geo-acoustic signal detection. The geophone use one of the three orthogonal components of mandrel type push-pull structure in mechanically and single-mode fiber optic Michelson interferometer structure with Faraday Rotation Mirror (FRM) elements in optically. The resonance frequency of the geophone is larger than 1000Hz. The acceleration sensitivity is as high as 56.6 dB (0dB re 1rad/g) with a slight sensitivity fluctuation of +/-0. 2dB within the frequency band from 20Hz to 200Hz. The geo-acoustic signals generated by underwater blasting are detected successfully. All the channels show good uniformity in the detected wave shape and the amplitudes exhibit very slight differences. The geo-acoustic signal excitated by the engine of surface vehicles was also detected successfully.

Splitting of Van Hove singularities in slightly twisted bilayer graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Si-Yu; Liu, Ke-Qin; Yin, Long-Jing; Wang, Wen-Xiao; Yan, Wei; Yang, Xu-Qin; Yang, Jun-Kai; Liu, Haiwen; Jiang, Hua; He, Lin

2017-10-01

A variety of new and interesting electronic properties have been predicted in graphene monolayer doped to Van Hove singularities (VHSs) of its density of state. However, tuning the Fermi energy to reach a VHS of graphene by either gating or chemical doping is prohibitively difficult, owing to their large energy distance (˜3 eV). This difficulty can be easily overcome in twisted bilayer graphene (TBG). By introducing a small twist angle between two adjacent graphene sheets, we are able to generate two low-energy VHSs arbitrarily approaching the Fermi energy. Here, we report experimental studies of electronic properties around the VHSs of a slightly TBG through scanning tunneling microscopy measurements. The split of the VHSs is observed and the spatial symmetry breaking of electronic states around the VHSs is directly visualized. These exotic results provide motivation for further theoretical and experimental studies of graphene systems around the VHSs.

On the uncertainty of interdisciplinarity measurements due to incomplete bibliographic data.

PubMed

Calatrava Moreno, María Del Carmen; Auzinger, Thomas; Werthner, Hannes

The accuracy of interdisciplinarity measurements is directly related to the quality of the underlying bibliographic data. Existing indicators of interdisciplinarity are not capable of reflecting the inaccuracies introduced by incorrect and incomplete records because correct and complete bibliographic data can rarely be obtained. This is the case for the Rao-Stirling index, which cannot handle references that are not categorized into disciplinary fields. We introduce a method that addresses this problem. It extends the Rao-Stirling index to acknowledge missing data by calculating its interval of uncertainty using computational optimization. The evaluation of our method indicates that the uncertainty interval is not only useful for estimating the inaccuracy of interdisciplinarity measurements, but it also delivers slightly more accurate aggregated interdisciplinarity measurements than the Rao-Stirling index.

Matter coupling in partially constrained vielbein formulation of massive gravity

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

Felice, Antonio De; Mukohyama, Shinji; Gümrükçüoğlu, A. Emir

2016-01-01

We consider a linear effective vielbein matter coupling without introducing the Boulware-Deser ghost in ghost-free massive gravity. This is achieved in the partially constrained vielbein formulation. We first introduce the formalism and prove the absence of ghost at all scales. As next we investigate the cosmological application of this coupling in this new formulation. We show that even if the background evolution accords with the metric formulation, the perturbations display important different features in the partially constrained vielbein formulation. We study the cosmological perturbations of the two branches of solutions separately. The tensor perturbations coincide with those in the metricmore » formulation. Concerning the vector and scalar perturbations, the requirement of absence of ghost and gradient instabilities yields slightly different allowed parameter space.« less

Matter coupling in partially constrained vielbein formulation of massive gravity

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

Felice, Antonio De; Gümrükçüoğlu, A. Emir; Heisenberg, Lavinia

2016-01-04

We consider a linear effective vielbein matter coupling without introducing the Boulware-Deser ghost in ghost-free massive gravity. This is achieved in the partially constrained vielbein formulation. We first introduce the formalism and prove the absence of ghost at all scales. As next we investigate the cosmological application of this coupling in this new formulation. We show that even if the background evolution accords with the metric formulation, the perturbations display important different features in the partially constrained vielbein formulation. We study the cosmological perturbations of the two branches of solutions separately. The tensor perturbations coincide with those in the metricmore » formulation. Concerning the vector and scalar perturbations, the requirement of absence of ghost and gradient instabilities yields slightly different allowed parameter space.« less

THE FINAL DEMISE OF EAST TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGY PARK BUILDING K-33 Health Physics Society Annual Meeting West Palm Beach, Florida June 27, 2011

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

David A. King

2011-06-27

Building K-33 was constructed in 1954 as the final section of the five-stage uranium enrichment cascade at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP). The two original building (K-25 and K-27) were used to produce weapons grade highly enriched uranium (HEU). Building K-29, K-31, and K-33 were added to produce low enriched uranium (LEU) for nuclear power plant fuel. During ORGDP operations K-33 produced a peak enrichment of 2.5%. Thousands of tons of reactor tails fed into gaseous diffusion plants in the 1950s and early 1960s introducing some fission products and transuranics. Building K-33 was a two-story, 25-meters (82-feet) tallmore » structure with approximately 30 hectare (64 acres) of floor space. The Operations (first) Floor contained offices, change houses, feed vaporization rooms, and auxiliary equipment to support enrichment operations. The Cell (second) Floor contained the enrichment process equipment and was divided into eight process units (designated K-902-1 through K-902-8). Each unit contained ten cells, and each cell contained eight process stages (diffusers) for a total of 640 enrichment stages. 1985: LEU buildings were taken off-line after the anticipated demand for uranium enrichment failed to materialize. 1987: LEU buildings were placed in permanent shutdown. Process equipment were maintained in a shutdown state. 1997: DOE signed an Action Memorandum for equipment removal and decontamination of Buildings K-29, K-31, K-33; BNFL awarded contract to reindustrialize the buildings under the Three Buildings D&D and Recycle Project. 2002: Equipment removal complete and effort shifts to vacuuming, chemical cleaning, scabbling, etc. 2005: Decontamination efforts in K-33 cease. Building left with significant {sup 99}Tc contamination on metal structures and PCB contamination in concrete. Uranium, transuranics, and fission products also present on building shell. 2009: DOE targets Building K-33 for demolition. 2010: ORAU contracted to characterize Building K-33 for final disposition at the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility (EMWMF) in Oak Ridge. ORAU collected 439 samples from May and June. LATA Sharp started removing transite panels in September. 2011: LATA Sharp began demolition in January and expects the last waste shipment to EMWMF in September. Approximately 237,000 m{sup 3} (310,000 yd{sup 3}, bulked) of waste taken to EMWMF in 23,000 truckloads expected by project completion.« less

Recycled Uranium Mass Balance Project Y-12 National Security Complex Site Report

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

NONE

2000-12-01

This report has been prepared to summarize the findings of the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12 Complex) Mass Balance Project and to support preparation of associated U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) site reports. The project was conducted in support of DOE efforts to assess the potential for health and environmental issues resulting from the presence of transuranic (TRU) elements and fission products in recycled uranium (RU) processed by DOE and its predecessor agencies. The United States government used uranium in fission reactors to produce plutonium and tritium for nuclear weapons production. Because uranium was considered scarce relative to demandmore » when these operations began almost 50 years ago, the spent fuel from U.S. fission reactors was processed to recover uranium for recycling. The estimated mass balance for highly enriched RU, which is of most concern for worker exposure and is the primary focus of this project, is summarized in a table. A discrepancy in the mass balance between receipts and shipments (plus inventory and waste) reflects an inability to precisely distinguish between RU and non-RU shipments and receipts involving the Y-12 Complex and Savannah River. Shipments of fresh fuel (non-RU) and sweetener (also non-RU) were made from the Y-12 Complex to Savannah River along with RU shipments. The only way to distinguish between these RU and non-RU streams using available records is by enrichment level. Shipments of {le}90% enrichment were assumed to be RU. Shipments of >90% enrichment were assumed to be non-RU fresh fuel or sweetener. This methodology using enrichment level to distinguish between RU and non-RU results in good estimates of RU flows that are reasonably consistent with Savannah River estimates. Although this is the best available means of distinguishing RU streams, this method does leave a difference of approximately 17.3 MTU between receipts and shipments. Slightly depleted RU streams received by the Y-12 Complex from ORGDP and PGDP are believed to have been returned to the shipping site or disposed of as waste on the Oak Ridge Reservation. No evidence of Y-12 Complex processing of this material was identified in the historical records reviewed by the Project Team.« less

Origin and evolution of the Ilmeny-Vishnevogorsky carbonatites (Urals, Russia): insights from trace-element compositions, and Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, U-Pb, Lu-Hf isotope data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nedosekova, I. L.; Belousova, E. A.; Sharygin, V. V.; Belyatsky, B. V.; Bayanova, T. B.

2013-02-01

The carbonatites of the Ilmeny-Vishnevogorsky Alkaline Complex (IVAC) are specific in geological and geochemical aspects and differ by some characteristics from classic carbonatites of the zoned alkaline-ultramafic complexes. Geological, geochemical and isotopic data and comparison with relevant experimental systems show that the IVAC carbonatites are genetically related to miaskites, and seem to be formed as a result of separation of carbonatite liquid from a miaskitic magma. Appreciable role of a carbonate fluid is established at the later stages of carbonatite formation. The trace element contents in the IVAC carbonatites are similar to carbonatites of the ultramafic-alkaline complexes. The characteristic signatures of the IVAC carbonatites are a high Sr content, a slight depletion in Ba, Nb, Та, Ti, Zr, and Hf, and enrichment in HREE in comparison with carbonatites of ultramafic-alkaline complexes. This testifies a specific nature of the IVAC carbonatites related to the fractionation of a miaskitic magma and to further Late Paleozoic metamorphism. Isotope data suggest a mantle source for IVAC carbonatites and indicate that moderately depleted mantle and enriched EMI-type components participated in magma generation. The lower crust could have been involved in the generation of the IVAC magma.

Intracrystalline site preference of hydrogen isotopes in borax

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

Pradhananga, T.M.; Matsuo, S.

1985-01-03

The total hydrogen involved in borax synthesized at 25/sup 0/C in aqueous solution is enriched in deuterium by 5.3% compared with the mother liquor. There is no change in the value of the D/H fractionation factor between the hydrogen in borax and those in the mother liquor with changes in the degree of supersaturation. The fractionation factor changes slightly with a change in the crystallization temperature of borax in the range from 5 to 25/sup 0/C. The D/H ratio in the different sites of borax was estimated by a fractional dehydration technique. The results show that hydrogen atoms of themore » polyanionic group (B/sub 4/O/sub 5/(OH)/sub 4/) are much more enriched in deuterium than those of the cationic group (Na/sub 2/ x 8H/sub 2/O). The delta D values, referred to the mother liquor from which the borax was crystallized, for the cationic group (site A) and the polyanionic group (site B) are -35 +/- 3 and 167 +/- 13%, respectively based on the fractional dehydration results obtained at -21/sup 0/C. At -21/sup 0/C, isotopic exchange between different sites during dehydration is assumed not to occur. The mechanism for dehydration of borax is discussed. 48 references, 8 figures, 3 tables.« less

Geochemistry of loess-paleosol sediments of Kashmir Valley, India: Provenance and weathering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Ishtiaq; Chandra, Rakesh

2013-04-01

Middle to Late Pleistocene loess-paleosol sediments of Kashmir Valley, India, were analyzed for major, trace and REE elements in order to determine their chemical composition, provenance and intensity of palaeo-weathering of the source rocks. These sediments are generally enriched with Fe2O3, MgO, MnO, TiO2, Y, Ni, Cu, Zn, Th, U, Sc, V and Co while contents of SiO2, K2O, Na2O, P2O5, Sr, Nb and Hf are lower than the UCC. Chondrite normalized REE patterns are characterized by moderate enrichment of LREEs, relatively flat HREE pattern (GdCN/YbCN = 1.93-2.31) and lack of prominent negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu* = 0.73-1.01, average = 0.81). PAAS normalized REE are characterized by slightly higher LREE, depleted HREE and positive Eu anomaly. Various provenance discrimination diagrams reveal that the Kashmir Loess-Paleosol sediments are derived from the mixed source rocks suggesting large provenance with variable geological settings, which apparently have undergone weak to moderate recycling processes. Weathering indices such as CIA, CIW and PIA values (71.87, 83.83 and 80.57 respectively) and A-CN-K diagram imply weak to moderate weathering of the source material.

Spatially resolved spectroscopy of WR ring nebulae. I - NGC 2359 and RCW 78

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esteban, C.; Vilchez, J. M.; Manchado, A.; Edmunds, M. G.

1990-01-01

We report detailed spatially resolved spectroscopy of the WR nebulae NGC 2359 and RCW 78 surrounding the WN 5 HD 56925 and WN 8 HD 117688 stars. The aim of this work has been to study possible abundance inhomogeneities and the ionization structure of the nebulae, as well as to derive reliable values for the degree of self-enrichment. In NGC 2359 the derived ratio O2+/O+ shows localized variations resulting from the compression of the gas in the filaments with respect to the shell gas. Effective temperatures for the central stars of both nebulae have been estimated on the basis of the ionization structure; the values found appear appropriate for their spectral types. Abundances of O/H, NIH, Ne/H, and He/H have been determined in twelve different positions in NGC 2359, covering its different morphological zones. No significant differences in the N/H and O/H abundances across the nebula have been found, although He/H shows marginal evidence for localized enhancements. In the case of RCW 78 the derived value of O/H is roughly solar, but He/H and NIH may be slightly overabundant. The results suggest that the amount of chemical self-enrichment of these WR nebulae is, at most, small.

Sedimentary provenance of Maastrichtian oil shales, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fathy, Douaa; Wagreich, Michael; Mohamed, Ramadan S.; Zaki, Rafat

2017-04-01

Maastrichtian oil shales are distributed within the Central Eastern Desert in Egypt. In this study elemental geochemical data have been applied to investigate the probable provenance of the sedimentary detrital material of the Maastrichtian oil shale beds within the Duwi and the Dakhla formations. The Maastrichtian oil shales are characterized by the enrichment in Ca, P, Mo, Ni, Zn, U, Cr and Sr versus post-Archean Australian shales (PAAS). The chondrite-normalized patterns of the Maastrichtian oil shale samples are showing LREE enrichment, HREE depletion, slightly negative Eu anomaly, no obvious Ce anomaly and typical shale-like PAAS-normalized patterns. The total REE well correlated with Si, Al, Fe, K and Ti, suggesting that the REE of the Maastrichtian oil shales are derived from terrigenous source. Chemical weathering indices such as Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA), Chemical Proxy of Alteration (CPA) and Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA) indicate moderate to strong chemical weathering. We suggest that the Maastrichtian oil shale is mainly derived from first cycle rocks especially intermediate rocks without any significant inputs from recycled or mature sources. The proposed data illustrated the impact of the parent material composition on evolution of oil shale chemistry. Furthermore, the paleo-tectonic setting of the detrital source rocks for the Maastrichtian oil shale is probably related to Proterozoic continental island arcs

Stable isotope analysis of energy dynamics in aquatic ecosystems suggests trophic shifts following severe wildfire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martens, A. M.; Silins, U.; Bladon, K. D.; Williams, C.; Wagner, M. J.; Luchkow, E.

2015-12-01

Wildfire alters landscapes and can have significant impacts on stream ecosystems. The 2003 Lost Creek wildfire was one of the most severe on Alberta's eastern rocky mountain slopes, resulting in elevated sediment production and nutrient (phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon) export in impacted streams. These resulted in increased algal productivity and macroinvertebrate abundance and diversity, and as a result, fish in watersheds draining wildfire affected catchments were larger than those in the same age class from reference (unburned) watersheds. In the present investigation, stable isotope analysis of C and N was utilized to evaluate ecosystem energy dynamics and describe trophic relationships in those watersheds. Aquatic invertebrates from burned catchments showed enrichment in δ13C and δ15N relative to algae suggesting a reliance on algae (autochthony) as a primary source of energy. Invertebrates from unburned systems were depleted in δ13C relative to algae indicating reliance on allochthonous or terrestrial primary energy sources. Preliminary analysis of δ15N in macroinvertebrates showed slight enrichment in burned catchments suggesting a trophic shift. More comprehensive macroinvertebrate sampling and identification has been conducted; isotopic analysis will provide greater resolution of how specific families within feeding guilds have been affected by wildfire. This will provide more robust insights into how wildfires may impact stream ecology in mountain environments.

Early Precambrian crustal evolution of south India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivasan, R.

1986-01-01

The Early Precambrian sequence in Karnataka, South India provides evidences for a distinct trend of evolution which differs from trends exhibited in many other Early Precambrian regions of the world. The supracrustal rock associations preserved in greenstone belts and as inclusions in gneisses and granulites suggest the evolution of the terrain from a stable to a mobile regime. The stable regime is represented by (1) layered ultramafic-mafic complexes, (2) orthoquartzite-basalt-rhyodacite-iron formation, and (30 ortho-quartzite-carbonate-Mn-Fe formation. The mobile regime, which can be shown on sedimentological grounds to have succeeded the stable regime, witnessed the accumulation of a greywacke-pillow basalt-dacite-rhyolite-iron formation association. Detrital sediments of the stable zone accumulated dominantly in fluvial environment and the associated volcanics are ubaerial. The volcanics of the stable regime are tholeiites derived from a zirconium and LREE-enriched sources. The greywackes of the mobile regime are turbidities, and the volcanic rocks possess continental margin (island-arc or back-arc) affinity; they show a LREE depleted to slightly LREE-enriched pattern. The evolution from a stable to a mobile regime is in contrast to the trend seen in most other regions of the world, where an early dominantly volcanic association of a mobile regime gives way upward in the sequence to sediments characteristic of a stable regime.

Development and composition of a mixed culture for bioremediation of chlorinated ethenes and ethanes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, E.J.P.; Voytek, M.A.; Lorah, M.M.

2005-01-01

Microbial organisms capable of dechlorinating 1,1,2,2 tetrachloroethane (TeCA) and its chlorinated ethane and ethylene daughter products were enriched in surface sediments collected from the West Branch Canal Creek wetland area, leading to the formation of two mixed cultures using slightly different enrichment methods. Both WBC-1 and WBC-2 were capable of rapid and complete reductive dechlorination of TeCA and its daughter products (1,1,2-trichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, 1,2-dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride) to ethylene, and addition of either culture to wetland sediment and to engineered peat/compost mixtures resulted in significant enhancement of dechlorination. However, the WBC-2 culture supported better sustained activity and was more readily scaled up for application in bioaugmentation treatments, whereas dechlorination activity was gradually lost in WBC-1. The microbial composition of WBC-1 and WBC-2 were determined by cloning and sequencing 500 base pairs of the 16S rDNA gene and the methyl co-reductase. Methanogens identified in the consortia were members of the Order Methanomicrobiales, which includes acetoclastic methanogens. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the Proceedings of the 8th International In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation Symposium (Baltimore, MD 6/6-9/2005).

Obtaining NASA Approval for use of Non-Metallic Materials in Manned Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Samuel E.; Wise, Harry L.

2003-01-01

Material manufacturers and suppliers are often surprised when a material commonly provided to industry is not approved for use on manned spacecraft. Often the reason is a lack of test data in environments that simulate those encountered in space applications, especially oxygen-enriched conditions, which significantly increase both the likelihood of material combustion and the propagation of a fire. This paper introduces the requirements for flight approval of non-metallic materials, focusing on material testing for human-rated space flight programs; it reviews the history of flight materials requirements and provides the rationale for such and introduces specific requirements related to testing and to good material engineering and design practices. After describing the procedure for submitting materials to be tested, the paper outlines options available if a material fails testing. In addition, this treatise introduces the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Materials and Processes Technical Information System (MAPTIS), a database housing all test data produced in accordance with NASA-STD-6001, Flammability, Odor, Offgassing, and Compatibility Requirements and Test Procedures for Materials in Environments that Support Combustion.

Trace metals in bulk precipitation and throughfall in a suburban area of Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, H.; Takamatsu, T.; Koshikawa, M. K.; Hosomi, M.

Throughfall and bulk precipitation samples were collected monthly for 1.5 years over bare land and under canopies of Japanese cedar ( Cryptomeria japonica), Japanese red pine ( Pinus densiflora), Japanese cypress ( Chamaecyparis obtusa), and bamboo-leafed oak ( Quercus myrsinaefolia) in a suburban area of Japan. Samples were analyzed for dissolved Al, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ag, In, Sn, Sb and Bi by ICP-AES and ICP-MS. The metal concentrations were higher in throughfall, especially that of C. japonica, than bulk precipitation. Enrichment ratios (ERs: ratios of metal concentrations in throughfall to those in bulk precipitation) ranged from 2.5 (Zn) to 5.3 (Ag) (3.9 on average), and ERs for slightly soluble metals were generally higher than those for easily soluble metals. Concentrations of Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn accounted for 99% of the total concentration of heavy metals in rainwater, whereas those of rare metals such as Ag, In, Sn, and Bi totaled <0.23%. Average concentrations of rare metals were 0.002 and 0.010 μg l -1 for Ag, 0.001 and 0.005 μg l -1 for In, 0.062 and 0.21 μg l -1 for Sn, and 0.006 and 0.023 μg l -1 for Bi in bulk precipitation and throughfall, respectively. The metal concentrations in rainwater were negatively correlated to the volume of rainwater, indicating that washout is the main mechanism that incorporates metals into rainwater. From the enrichment factors, that is, (X/Al) rain/(X/Al) crust, metals other than Fe were shown to be more enriched in rainwater than in the Earth's crust, including those present as a result of leaching from soil dust (Mn) and from anthropogenic sources (Cu, Zn, Ag, In, Sn, Sb, and Bi).

Escherichia coli contamination of vegetables grown in soils fertilized with noncomposted bovine manure: garden-scale studies.

PubMed

Ingham, Steven C; Losinski, Jill A; Andrews, Matthew P; Breuer, Jane E; Breuer, Jeffry R; Wood, Timothy M; Wright, Thomas H

2004-11-01

In this study we tested the validity of the National Organic Program (NOP) requirement for a > or =120-day interval between application of noncomposted manure and harvesting of vegetables grown in manure-fertilized soil. Noncomposted bovine manure was applied to 9.3-m2 plots at three Wisconsin sites (loamy sand, silt loam, and silty clay loam) prior to spring and summer planting of carrots, radishes, and lettuce. Soil and washed (30 s under running tap water) vegetables were analyzed for indigenous Escherichia coli. Within 90 days, the level of E. coli in manure-fertilized soil generally decreased by about 3 log CFU/g from initial levels of 4.2 to 4.4 log CFU/g. Low levels of E. coli generally persisted in manure-fertilized soil for more than 100 days and were detected in enriched soil from all three sites 132 to 168 days after manure application. For carrots and lettuce, at least one enrichment-negative sample was obtained < or =100 days after manure application for 63 and 88% of the treatments, respectively. The current > or =120-day limit provided an even greater likelihood of not detecting E. coli on carrots (> or =1 enrichment-negative result for 100% of the treatments). The rapid maturation of radishes prevented conclusive evaluation of a 100- or 120-day application-to-harvest interval. The absolute absence of E. coli from vegetables harvested from manure-fertilized Wisconsin soils may not be ensured solely by adherence to the NOP > or =120-day limit. Unless pathogens are far better at colonizing vegetables than indigenous E. coli strains are, it appears that the risk of contamination for vegetables grown in Wisconsin soils would be elevated only slightly by reducing the NOP requirement to > or =100 days.

Origin of the anomalies in light and middle REE in sediments of an estuary affected by phosphogypsum wastes (south-western Spain).

PubMed

Borrego, J; López-González, N; Carro, B; Lozano-Soria, O

2004-12-01

Sc, Y, Th, Cu and rare earth elements (REE) concentrations have been analyzed in 14 samples of surface sediments and in two gravity cores by means of ICP-MS. Mean concentrations of Sc, Y and Th in surface sediments are 6.23, 4.76 and 16.30 ppm, respectively, lower than those present in the Upper Continental Crust (UCC). Cu concentration in these sediments is very high, 1466 ppm, and is caused by inputs from the Odiel and Tinto rivers, affected by acid mine drainage. SigmaREE mean concentration is 106.8 ppm, lower than that observed in other rivers and estuaries. In the cores, Sc, Y and Th concentrations show a significant increase in the intermediate levels, between 10 and 40 cm depth. The same pattern exists with Cu, where concentrations of 4440 ppm can be reached. Vertical evolution patterns for Sc, Y, Cu and heavy REE (HREE) are similar, and contrary to those shown by Th, light REE (LREE) and middle REE (MREE). Plots of North American Shale Composite (NASC)-normalized REE data of surface sediments show a slight depletion in REE concentrations. Most samples present with middle REE enrichment relative to light REE and heavy REE. Conversely, samples of the intermediate levels of the cores show significant enrichment of REE relative to NASC and high values in the (La/Gd)NASC and (La/Yb)NASC ratios. These anomalies in the fractionation patterns caused by enrichments in LREE and MREE concentrations is related to the presence of high concentrations of Th. They were generated by effluents from fertilizer factories between 1968 and 1998 which used phosphorite as source material.

Stratigraphic and geochemical evolution of an oceanic arc upper crustal section: The Jurassic Talkeetna Volcanic Formation, south-central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clift, P.D.; Draut, A.E.; Kelemen, P.B.; Blusztajn, J.; Greene, A.

2005-01-01

The Early Jurassic Talkeetna Volcanic Formation forms the upper stratigraphic level of an oceanic volcanic arc complex within the Peninsular Terrane of south-central Alaska. The section comprises a series of lavas, tuffs, and volcaniclastic debris-How and flow turbidite deposits, showing significant lateral facies variability. There is a general trend toward more volcaniclastic sediment at the top of the section and more lavas and tuff breccias toward the base. Evidence for dominant submarine, mostly mid-bathyal or deeper (>500 m) emplacement is seen throughout the section, which totals ???7 km in thickness, similar to modern western Pacific arcs, and far more than any other known exposed section. Subaerial sedimentation was rare but occurred over short intervals in the middle of the section. The Talkeetna Volcanic Formation is dominantly calc-alkatine and shows no clear trend to increasing SiO2 up-section. An oceanic subduction petrogenesis is shown by trace element and Nd isotope data. Rocks at the base of the section show no relative enrichment of light rare earth elements (LREEs) versus heavy rare earth elements (REES) or in melt-incompatible versus compatible high field strength elements (HFSEs). Relative enrichment of LREEs and HFSEs increases slightly up-section. The Talkeetna Volcanic Formation is typically more REE depleted than average continental crust, although small volumes of light REE-enriched and heavy REE-depleted mafic lavas are recognized low in the stratigraphy. The Talkeetna Volcanic Formation was formed in an intraoceanic arc above a north-dipping subduction zone and contains no preserved record of its subsequent collisions with Wrangellia or North America. ?? 2005 Geological Society of America.

Elemental and Sr-Nd isotopic geochemistry of the Uradzhongqi magmatic complex in western Inner Mongolia, China: A record of early Permian post-collisional magmatism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Xueyuan; Li, Wenbo; Zhong, Richen; Hu, Chuansheng; Zhu, Feng; Li, Zhihua

2017-08-01

The magmatic complex in Uradzhongqi, Inner Mongolia, is located in the western segment of the northern margin of the North China Craton (NCC). The dominant components in the complex include syenogranite, monzogranite, granodiorite, diorite and gabbro. Mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) are common in syenogranite and granodiorite. Zircon U-Pb dating shows that the ages of these rocks range from 283 to 270 Ma, suggesting an early Permian emplacement. The syenogranite and monzogranite are peraluminous I-type granites, exhibiting conspicuous negative Eu anomaly, enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) and light rare earth elements (LREE), depletion in high field strength elements (HFSE). The granodiorites, diorites and MMEs are metaluminous in composition, show high Al2O3, MgO and Fe2O3T contents and weak negative Eu anomaly, as well as LREE and LILE enrichment and HFSE depletion. The gabbros show weak positive Eu anomaly and slight REE differentiation. The Sr-Nd isotope compositions show that the source of mafic magma was depleted mantle (DM) with possible involvement of enriched mantle II (EM II), whereas the felsic magma was derived from the Archean lower crust. Petrographic observation and analytical results of mineralogy, geochronology, geochemistry and Sr-Nd isotopes indicate that the main petrogenesis of these magmatic rocks is the mixing of underplating mafic magma and felsic magma. Tectonically, the complex pluton was formed within a post-collisional regime, and the underplating in this area provides another piece of evidence for the vertical growth of the western segment of the northern margin of the NCC.

High quality methylome-wide investigations through next-generation sequencing of DNA from a single archived dry blood spot

PubMed Central

Aberg, Karolina A.; Xie, Lin Y.; Nerella, Srilaxmi; Copeland, William E.; Costello, E. Jane; van den Oord, Edwin J.C.G.

2013-01-01

The potential importance of DNA methylation in the etiology of complex diseases has led to interest in the development of methylome-wide association studies (MWAS) aimed at interrogating all methylation sites in the human genome. When using blood as biomaterial for a MWAS the DNA is typically extracted directly from fresh or frozen whole blood that was collected via venous puncture. However, DNA extracted from dry blood spots may also be an alternative starting material. In the present study, we apply a methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD) protein enrichment-based technique in combination with next generation sequencing (MBD-seq) to assess the methylation status of the ~27 million CpGs in the human autosomal reference genome. We investigate eight methylomes using DNA from blood spots. This data are compared with 1,500 methylomes previously assayed with the same MBD-seq approach using DNA from whole blood. When investigating the sequence quality and the enrichment profile across biological features, we find that DNA extracted from blood spots gives comparable results with DNA extracted from whole blood. Only if the amount of starting material is ≤ 0.5µg DNA we observe a slight decrease in the assay performance. In conclusion, we show that high quality methylome-wide investigations using MBD-seq can be conducted in DNA extracted from archived dry blood spots without sacrificing quality and without bias in enrichment profile as long as the amount of starting material is sufficient. In general, the amount of DNA extracted from a single blood spot is sufficient for methylome-wide investigations with the MBD-seq approach. PMID:23644822

High quality methylome-wide investigations through next-generation sequencing of DNA from a single archived dry blood spot.

PubMed

Aberg, Karolina A; Xie, Lin Y; Nerella, Srilaxmi; Copeland, William E; Costello, E Jane; van den Oord, Edwin J C G

2013-05-01

The potential importance of DNA methylation in the etiology of complex diseases has led to interest in the development of methylome-wide association studies (MWAS) aimed at interrogating all methylation sites in the human genome. When using blood as biomaterial for a MWAS the DNA is typically extracted directly from fresh or frozen whole blood that was collected via venous puncture. However, DNA extracted from dry blood spots may also be an alternative starting material. In the present study, we apply a methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD) protein enrichment-based technique in combination with next generation sequencing (MBD-seq) to assess the methylation status of the ~27 million CpGs in the human autosomal reference genome. We investigate eight methylomes using DNA from blood spots. This data are compared with 1,500 methylomes previously assayed with the same MBD-seq approach using DNA from whole blood. When investigating the sequence quality and the enrichment profile across biological features, we find that DNA extracted from blood spots gives comparable results with DNA extracted from whole blood. Only if the amount of starting material is ≤ 0.5µg DNA we observe a slight decrease in the assay performance. In conclusion, we show that high quality methylome-wide investigations using MBD-seq can be conducted in DNA extracted from archived dry blood spots without sacrificing quality and without bias in enrichment profile as long as the amount of starting material is sufficient. In general, the amount of DNA extracted from a single blood spot is sufficient for methylome-wide investigations with the MBD-seq approach.

3D modeling of the laterites on top of the Koniambo Massif, New Caledonia: refinement of the per descensum lateritic model for nickel mineralization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quesnel, Benoît; de Veslud, Christian Le Carlier; Boulvais, Philippe; Gautier, Pierre; Cathelineau, Michel; Drouillet, Maxime

2017-10-01

Resulting from the weathering of the Peridotite Nappe, laterites are abundant in New Caledonia and host one of the largest nickel deposits worldwide. This work presents a 3D model of the Koniambo nickel laterite ore deposit. It shows that the laterites are located along the ridges of the massif and organized as hectometric-sized patches obliquely cut by the topography and distributed at various elevations. Three kinds of geometry were observed: (i) a thick laterite cover (between 20 and 40 m) overlying saprolite and mainly localized on topographic highs, (ii) a thin laterite cover (from a few meters to 20 m) mainly localized on areas with gentle slopes, and (iii) exposure of saprolite without laterite cover. Our data show that Ni-rich and Ni-poor areas are organized as hectometric-sized patches which broadly correlate with the distribution of the laterite thickness. The highest Ni areas are localized on slopes where laterite cover is thin or absent. The areas with lowest Ni are located in topographic highs under the thickest laterite cover. The vertical Ni mass balance for each borehole shows that, in areas with thick laterite cover, Ni is sub-equilibrated to slightly depleted whereas in areas with thin laterite cover, Ni is enriched. This suggests the existence of lateral infiltration of water rich in dissolved Ni, from areas such as topographic highs to downstream slope areas, in a process leading to enrichment of saprolite in Ni in slope areas. Mechanical transport and leaching of laterite material on slopes, including Ni-bearing material, could also contribute to local enrichment of Ni in the saprolite.

Physiologic TLR9-CpG-DNA interaction is essential for the homeostasis of the intestinal immune system.

PubMed

Hofmann, Claudia; Dunger, Nadja; Doser, Kristina; Lippert, Elisabeth; Siller, Sebastian; Edinger, Matthias; Falk, Werner; Obermeier, Florian

2014-01-01

Cytosine-guanosine dinucleotide (CpG) motifs are immunostimulatory components of bacterial DNA and activators of innate immunity through Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). Administration of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides before the onset of experimental colitis prevents intestinal inflammation by enforcement of regulatory mechanisms. It was investigated whether physiologic CpG/TLR9 interactions are critical for the homeostasis of the intestinal immune system. Mesenteric lymph node cell and lamina propria mononuclear cell (LPMC) populations from BALB/c wild-type (wt) or TLR9 mice were assessed by flow cytometry and proteome profiling. Cytokine secretion was determined and nuclear extracts were analyzed for nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and cAMP response-element binding protein activity. To assess the colitogenic potential of intestinal T cells, CD4-enriched cells from LPMC of wt or TLR9 donor mice were injected intraperitoneally in recipient CB-17 SCID mice. TLR9 deficiency was accompanied by slight changes in cellular composition and phosphorylation of signaling proteins of mesenteric lymph node cell and LPMC. LPMC from TLR9 mice displayed an increased proinflammatory phenotype compared with wt LPMC. NF-κB activity in cells from TLR9 mice was enhanced, whereas cAMP response-element binding activity was reduced compared with wt. Transfer of lamina propria CD4-enriched T cells from TLR9 mice induced severe colitis, whereas wt lamina propria CD4-enriched T cells displayed an attenuated phenotype. Lack of physiologic CpG/TLR9 interaction impairs the function of the intestinal immune system indicated by enhanced proinflammatory properties. Thus, physiologic CpG/TLR interaction is essential for homeostasis of the intestinal immune system as it is required for the induction of counterregulating anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

Water Content in the SW USA Mantle Lithosphere: FTIR Analysis of Dish Hill and Kilbourne Hole Pyroxenites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gibler, Robert; Peslier, Anne H.; Schaffer, Lillian Aurora; Brandon, Alan D.

2014-01-01

Kilbourne Hole (NM, USA) and Dish Hill (CA, USA) mantle xenoliths sample continental mantle in two different tectonic settings. Kilbourne Hole (KH) is located in the Rio Grande rift. Dish Hill (DH) is located in the southern Mojave province, an area potentially affected by subduction of the Farallon plate beneath North America. FTIR analyses were obtained on well characterized pyroxenite, dunite and wehrlite xenoliths, thought to represent crystallized melts at mantle depths. PUM normalized REE patterns of the KH bulk-rocks are slightly LREE enriched and consistent with those of liquids generated by < 5% melting of a spinel peridotite source. Clinopyroxenes contain from 272 to 313 ppm weight H2O similar to the lower limit of KH peridotite clinopyroxenes (250-530 ppm H2O). This is unexpected as crystallized melts like pyroxenites should concentrate water more than residual mantle-like peridotites, given that H is incompatible. PUM normalized bulk REE of the DH pyroxenites are characterized by flat to LREE depleted REE profiles consistent with > 6% melting of a spinel peridotite source. Pyroxenite pyroxenes have no detectable water but one DH wehrlite, which bulk-rock is LREE enriched, has 4 ppm H2O in orthopyroxene and <1ppm in clinopyroxene. The DH pyroxenites may thus come from a dry mantle source, potentially unaffected by the subduction of the Farallon plate. These water-poor melts either originated from shallow oceanic lithosphere overlaying the Farallon slab or from continental mantle formed > 2 Ga. The Farallon subduction appears to have enriched in water the southwestern United States lithospheric mantle further east than DH, beneath the Colorado plateau.

Combining raw and compositional data to determine the spatial patterns of Potentially Toxic Elements in soils.

PubMed

Boente, C; Albuquerque, M T D; Fernández-Braña, A; Gerassis, S; Sierra, C; Gallego, J R

2018-08-01

When considering complex scenarios involving several attributes, such as in environmental characterization, a clearer picture of reality can be achieved through the dimensional reduction of data. In this context, maps facilitate the visualization of spatial patterns of contaminant distribution and the identification of enriched areas. A set, of 15 Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) - (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl, V, and Zn), was measured in soil, collected in Langreo's municipality (80km 2 ), Spain. Relative enrichment (RE) is introduced here to refer to the proportion of elements present in a given context. Indeed, a novel approach is provided for research into PTE fate. This method involves studying the variability of PTE proportions throughout the study area, thereby allowing the identification of dissemination trends. Traditional geostatistical approaches commonly use raw data (concentrations) accepting that the elements analyzed make up the entirety of the soil. However, in geochemical studies the analyzed elements are just a fraction of the total soil composition. Therefore, considering compositional data is pivotal. The spatial characterization of PTEs considering raw and compositional data together allowed a broad discussion about, not only the PTEs concentration's distribution but also to reckon possible trends of relative enrichment (RE). Transformations to open closed data are widely used for this purpose. Spatial patterns have an indubitable interest. In this study, the Centered Log-ratio transformation (clr) was used, followed by its back-transformation, to build a set of compositional data that, combined with raw data, allowed to establish the sources of the PTEs and trends of spatial dissemination. Based on the obtained findings it was possible to conclude that the Langreo area is deeply affected by its industrial and mining legacy. City center is highly enriched in Pb and Hg and As shows enrichment in a northwesterly direction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strains, functions, and dynamics in the expanded Human Microbiome Project

PubMed Central

Lloyd-Price, Jason; Mahurkar, Anup; Rahnavard, Gholamali; Crabtree, Jonathan; Orvis, Joshua; Hall, A. Brantley; Brady, Arthur; Creasy, Heather H.; McCracken, Carrie; Giglio, Michelle G.; McDonald, Daniel; Franzosa, Eric A.; Knight, Rob; White, Owen; Huttenhower, Curtis

2018-01-01

Summary The characterization of baseline microbial and functional diversity in the human microbiome has enabled studies of microbiome-related disease, microbial population diversity, biogeography, and molecular function. The NIH Human Microbiome Project (HMP) has provided one of the broadest such characterizations to date. Here, we introduce an expanded second phase of the study, abbreviated HMP1-II, comprising 1,631 new metagenomic samples (2,355 total) targeting diverse body sites with multiple time points in 265 individuals. We applied updated profiling and assembly methods to these data to provide new characterizations of microbiome personalization. Strain identification revealed distinct subspecies clades specific to body sites; it also quantified species with phylogenetic diversity under-represented in isolate genomes. Body-wide functional profiling classified pathways into universal, human-enriched, and body site-enriched subsets. Finally, temporal analysis decomposed microbial variation into rapidly variable, moderately variable, and stable subsets. This study furthers our knowledge of baseline human microbial diversity, thus enabling an understanding of personalized microbiome function and dynamics. PMID:28953883

City model enrichment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smart, Philip D.; Quinn, Jonathan A.; Jones, Christopher B.

The combination of mobile communication technology with location and orientation aware digital cameras has introduced increasing interest in the exploitation of 3D city models for applications such as augmented reality and automated image captioning. The effectiveness of such applications is, at present, severely limited by the often poor quality of semantic annotation of the 3D models. In this paper, we show how freely available sources of georeferenced Web 2.0 information can be used for automated enrichment of 3D city models. Point referenced names of prominent buildings and landmarks mined from Wikipedia articles and from the OpenStreetMaps digital map and Geonames gazetteer have been matched to the 2D ground plan geometry of a 3D city model. In order to address the ambiguities that arise in the associations between these sources and the city model, we present procedures to merge potentially related buildings and implement fuzzy matching between reference points and building polygons. An experimental evaluation demonstrates the effectiveness of the presented methods.

Bulk oxygen vacancies enriched TiO2 and its enhanced visible photocatalytic performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Liming; Ma, Xujun; Sun, Na; Chen, Feng

2018-05-01

Via a vacuum thermal treatment, oxygen vacancy (Ov) was introduced into TiO2 bulk lattice during the phase transformation from amorphous TiO2 to anatase. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirm the involvement of Ov causes more violent changes in both bulk and surface structure. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) demonstrated as-obtained V350 gets about a 40-times enhanced Ov signal compared with pure TiO2 (A350) and a 10-times larger signal than that of common Ov modified TiO2 (A450-V350), which clearly illustrates the high concentration of Ov in its bulk lattice. The much enriched Ovs in both bulk and surface lattices of TiO2 help V350 get an enhanced capacity in either visible light harvest or photocarriers generation. And a much higher visible photocatalytic activity for Aicd Orange 7 degradation was finally achieved by V350.

Illness Identity in Adults with a Chronic Illness.

PubMed

Oris, Leen; Luyckx, Koen; Rassart, Jessica; Goubert, Liesbet; Goossens, Eva; Apers, Silke; Arat, Seher; Vandenberghe, Joris; Westhovens, René; Moons, Philip

2018-02-21

The present study examines the concept of illness identity, the degree to which a chronic illness is integrated into one's identity, in adults with a chronic illness by validating a new self-report questionnaire, the Illness Identity Questionnaire (IIQ). Self-report questionnaires on illness identity, psychological, and physical functioning were assessed in two samples: adults with congenital heart disease (22-78 year old; n = 276) and with multisystem connective tissue disorders (systemic lupus erythematosus or systemic sclerosis; 17-81 year old; n = 241). The IIQ could differentiate four illness identity states (i.e., engulfment, rejection, acceptance, and enrichment) in both samples, based on exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. All four subscales proved to be reliable. Rejection and engulfment were related to maladaptive psychological and physical functioning, whereas acceptance and enrichment were related to adaptive psychological and physical functioning. The present findings underscore the importance of the concept of illness identity. The IIQ, a self-report questionnaire, is introduced to measure four different illness identity states in adults with a chronic illness.

Benchmarking Methods and Data Sets for Ligand Enrichment Assessment in Virtual Screening

PubMed Central

Xia, Jie; Tilahun, Ermias Lemma; Reid, Terry-Elinor; Zhang, Liangren; Wang, Xiang Simon

2014-01-01

Retrospective small-scale virtual screening (VS) based on benchmarking data sets has been widely used to estimate ligand enrichments of VS approaches in the prospective (i.e. real-world) efforts. However, the intrinsic differences of benchmarking sets to the real screening chemical libraries can cause biased assessment. Herein, we summarize the history of benchmarking methods as well as data sets and highlight three main types of biases found in benchmarking sets, i.e. “analogue bias”, “artificial enrichment” and “false negative”. In addition, we introduced our recent algorithm to build maximum-unbiased benchmarking sets applicable to both ligand-based and structure-based VS approaches, and its implementations to three important human histone deacetylase (HDAC) isoforms, i.e. HDAC1, HDAC6 and HDAC8. The Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation (LOO CV) demonstrates that the benchmarking sets built by our algorithm are maximum-unbiased in terms of property matching, ROC curves and AUCs. PMID:25481478

Irradiation behavior of the interaction product of U-Mo fuel particle dispersion in an Al matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yeon Soo; Hofman, G. L.

2012-06-01

Irradiation performance of U-Mo fuel particles dispersed in Al matrix is stable in terms of fuel swelling and is suitable for the conversion of research and test reactors from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU). However, tests of the fuel at high temperatures and high burnups revealed obstacles caused by the interaction layers forming between the fuel particle and matrix. In some cases, fission gas filled pores grow and interconnect in the interdiffusion layer resulting in fuel plate failure. Postirradiation observations are made to examine the behavior of the interdiffusion layers. The interdiffusion layers show a fluid-like behavior characteristic of amorphous materials. In the amorphous interdiffusion layers, fission gas diffusivity is high and the material viscosity is low so that the fission gas pores readily form and grow. Based on the observations, a pore formation mechanism is proposed and potential remedies to suppress the pore growth are also introduced.

Arkas: Rapid reproducible RNAseq analysis

PubMed Central

Colombo, Anthony R.; J. Triche Jr, Timothy; Ramsingh, Giridharan

2017-01-01

The recently introduced Kallisto pseudoaligner has radically simplified the quantification of transcripts in RNA-sequencing experiments.  We offer cloud-scale RNAseq pipelines Arkas-Quantification, and Arkas-Analysis available within Illumina’s BaseSpace cloud application platform which expedites Kallisto preparatory routines, reliably calculates differential expression, and performs gene-set enrichment of REACTOME pathways .  Due to inherit inefficiencies of scale, Illumina's BaseSpace computing platform offers a massively parallel distributive environment improving data management services and data importing.   Arkas-Quantification deploys Kallisto for parallel cloud computations and is conveniently integrated downstream from the BaseSpace Sequence Read Archive (SRA) import/conversion application titled SRA Import.  Arkas-Analysis annotates the Kallisto results by extracting structured information directly from source FASTA files with per-contig metadata, calculates the differential expression and gene-set enrichment analysis on both coding genes and transcripts. The Arkas cloud pipeline supports ENSEMBL transcriptomes and can be used downstream from the SRA Import facilitating raw sequencing importing, SRA FASTQ conversion, RNA quantification and analysis steps. PMID:28868134

A bilayer Double Semion Model with Symmetry-Enriched Topological Order

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz, Laura; Martin-Delgado, Miguel Angel

We construct a new model of two-dimensional quantum spin systems that combines intrinsic topological orders and a global symmetry called flavour symmetry. It is referred as the bilayer Doubled Semion model (bDS) and is an instance of symmetry-enriched topological order. A honeycomb bilayer lattice is introduced to combine a Double Semion Topolgical Order with a global spin-flavour symmetry to get the fractionalization of its quasiparticles. The bDS model exhibits non-trival braiding self-statistics of excitations and its dual model constitutes a Symmetry-Protected Topological Order with novel edge states. This dual model gives rise to a bilayer Non-Trivial Paramagnet that is invariant under the flavour symmetry and the well-known spin flip symmetry. We acknowledge financial support from the Spanish MINECO Grants FIS2012-33152, FIS2015-67411, and the CAM research consortium QUITEMAD+, Grant No. S2013/ICE-2801. The research of M.A.M.-D. has been supported in part by the U.S. Army Research Office throu.

Improving the Welfare of a Zoo-Housed Male Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus poensis) Aggressive Toward Visitors.

PubMed

Martín, Olga; Vinyoles, Dolors; García-Galea, Eduardo; Maté, Carmen

2016-01-01

Improving the welfare of nonhuman animals in captivity and maintaining behavioral competence for future conservation purposes is of the highest priority for zoos. The behavior of an aggressive male drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus poensis) was assessed in Barcelona Zoo. The 2-year study presented in this article examined the effects of introducing changes in the exhibit of the drill to improve his welfare by analyzing scan behaviors. First, a partial visual barrier was applied and proved to be insufficient to decrease the long-term stress indicators assessed. Next, a feeding enrichment program was implemented. The results supported the hypothesis that feeding and explorative activities would increase, whereas apathetic and stereotypic behaviors would decrease. However, visitor-directed aggression did not vary, indicating that more profound structural modifications were needed to reduce the negative impact of the agonistic interactions between the drill and the public. The study emphasized the usefulness of environmental enrichment evaluations in assessing captive animal welfare.

Cultivation, detection, and ecophysiology of anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria.

PubMed

Kartal, Boran; Geerts, Wim; Jetten, Mike S M

2011-01-01

Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria oxidize ammonium with nitrite under anoxic conditions. The anammox process is currently used to remove ammonium from wastewater and contributes significantly to the loss of fixed nitrogen from the oceans. In this chapter, we focus on the ecophysiology of anammox bacteria and describe new methodologies to grow these microorganisms. Now, it is possible to enrich anammox bacteria up to 95% with a membrane bioreactor that removes forces of selection for fast settling aggregates and facilitates the growth of planktonic cells. The biomass from this system has a high anaerobic ammonium oxidation rate (50 fmol NH(4)(+) · cell(-1) day(-1)) and is suitable for many ecophysiological and molecular experiments. A high throughput Percoll density gradient centrifugation protocol may be applied on this biomass for further enrichment (>99.5%) of anammox bacteria. Furthermore, we provide an up-to-date list of commonly used primers and introduce protocols for quantification and detection of functional genes of anammox bacteria in their natural environment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Asymptotic of the Solutions of Hyperbolic Equations with a Skew-Symmetric Perturbation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallagher, Isabelle

1998-12-01

Using methods introduced by S. Schochet inJ. Differential Equations114(1994), 476-512, we compute the first term of an asymptotic expansion of the solutions of hyperbolic equations perturbated by a skew-symmetric linear operator. That result is first applied to two systems describing the motion of geophysic fluids: the rotating Euler equations and the primitive system of the quasigeostrophic equations. Finally in the last part, we study the slightly compressible Euler equations by application of that same result.

Influence of a Small Fraction of Individuals with Enhanced Mutations on a Population Genetic Pool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cebrat, S.; Stauffer, D.

It has been observed that a higher mutation load could be introduced into the genomes of children conceived by assisted reproduction technology (fertilization in-vitro). This generates two effects — slightly higher mutational pressure on the whole genetic pool of population and inhomogeneity of mutation distributions in the genetic pool. Computer simulations of the Penna ageing model suggest that already a small fraction of births with enhanced number of new mutations can negatively influence the whole population.

Research Forum on Changes in Sensory Perception in Middle-Aged Adults: A Summary of a Special Session at Hearing Across the Lifespan (HEAL) 2014.

PubMed

Humes, Larry E

2015-06-01

The purpose of this article is to introduce the special research forum on sensory-processing changes in middle-aged adults. This is a brief written introduction to the special session, which included five presentations, each emphasizing a slightly different aspect of sensory perception. The effects of aging on sensory processing, including auditory processing and speech perception, are not confined to older adults but begin in middle age in many cases.

An argyrodite-type Ag9GaSe6 liquid-like material with ultralow thermal conductivity and high thermoelectric performance.

PubMed

Jiang, Binbin; Qiu, Pengfei; Chen, Hongyi; Zhang, Qihao; Zhao, Kunpeng; Ren, Dudi; Shi, Xun; Chen, Lidong

2017-10-24

We report a ternary argyrodite-type Ag 9 GaSe 6 compound as a promising thermoelectric material in a moderate temperature range. Due to high carrier mobility and ultralow lattice thermal conductivity, a maximum ZT of 1.1 was obtained with stoichiometric Ag 9 GaSe 6 at 800 K. Via introducing slight Se-deficiency to optimize the carrier concentration, the maximum ZT is further enhanced to 1.3.

Some queuing network models of computer systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herndon, E. S.

1980-01-01

Queuing network models of a computer system operating with a single workload type are presented. Program algorithms are adapted for use on the Texas Instruments SR-52 programmable calculator. By slightly altering the algorithm to process the G and H matrices row by row instead of column by column, six devices and an unlimited job/terminal population could be handled on the SR-52. Techniques are also introduced for handling a simple load dependent server and for studying interactive systems with fixed multiprogramming limits.

[A battle of th health clubs in the Netherlands around 1840].

PubMed

van der Valk, Loes

2003-01-01

The discovery of a national inquiry into health funds in the 1840s gives cause to reconsider the traditional view on this subject. After a prosperous period under the guild regime commercial interests penetrated the health market. Its directors supposedly enriched themselves at the expense of both the insured and the professionals (general practitioners (gp's) and chemists). As things grew worse the government intervened and ordered an inquiry by a Select Committee. In reality things were slightly different. The debate on heath insurance was part and parcel of the pursuit of the medical profession to improve its standing. An alarming report on health funds by the Amsterdam medical commission spurred the Health Department to action. The national inquiry did not in fact corroborate the earlier report. In most parts of the Netherlands health insurance did not exist. In only two provinces - North and South Holland - taking out health insurance was an option and even there it was to a large extent in the cities. The three big cities - Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague - accounted for 51.8 percent of all funds and as much as 72.2 percent of all persons insured. Nearly all complaints in the 1840s originated from gp's in Amsterdam. Only The Hague had the same experience i.e. infringements on private practice, enrichment by the fund governors etc. The complaints were not unlike those of the English club doctors at the end of the century. In both cities commercial health funds were important, while in Rotterdam gp's had very often been founding fathers. The author has tried to put the complaints into a wider perspective by comparing commercial funds with local clubs' and gp's own fund, the AZA, founded in 1847 to combat the disputed trend. Finally commercial funds have been compared with medical relief (number of patients and paid fees). The complaints about remuneration seem exaggerated as even AZA could not afford to pay higher fees. Commercialisation had only just started, but the new funds were more successful than the older clubs. AZA, however, proved to be even more successful. In close co-operation with poor law authorities a demarcation was introduced between medical relief and the working poor who had to take out a health insurance. AZA excluded the well-to-do from participating. Amsterdam developed a brand new health insurance policy in response to the threat of commercial funds. In the early twentieth century the story was repeated on a national level in response to proposals for compulsory sickness insurance.

Microgravity Droplet Combustion in CO2 Enriched Environments at Elevated Pressures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hicks, Michael C.; Nayagam, V.; Williams, F. A.

2007-01-01

Microgravity droplet combustion experiments were performed in elevated concentrations of CO2 at pressures of 1.0 atm, 3.0 atm, and 5.0 atm to examine the effects of a radiatively participating suppression agent in space applications. Methanol and n-heptane droplets, with an initial diameter of 2.0 mm supported on a quartz fiber, were used in these experiments. The ambient O2 concentration was held constant at 21% and the CO2 concentrations ranged from 0% to a maximum of 70%, by volume with the balance consisting of N2 . Results from the methanol tests showed slight decreases in burning rates with increased CO2 concentrations at all ambient pressures. The n-heptane tests show slight increases in burning rates with increasing CO2 concentrations at each pressure level. Instantaneous radiative heat flux was also measured using both a broadband radiometer (i.e., wavelengths from 0.6 microns to 40.0 microns) and a narrowband radiometer (i.e., centered at 5.6 microns with a filter width at half maximum of 1.5 microns). Radiative exchanges between the droplet and surrounding gases as well as the soot field produce departures from the classical quasisteady theory which would predict a decrease in burning rates with increasing CO2 concentrations in microgravity.

Rett Syndrome: A Focus on Gut Microbiota

PubMed Central

Borghi, Elisa; Borgo, Francesca; Severgnini, Marco; Savini, Miriam Nella; Casiraghi, Maria Cristina; Vignoli, Aglaia

2017-01-01

Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 1 in 10,000 live female births. Changes in microbiota composition, as observed in other neurological disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, may account for several symptoms typically associated with RTT. We studied the relationship between disease phenotypes and microbiome by analyzing diet, gut microbiota, and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. We enrolled eight RTT patients and 10 age- and sex-matched healthy women, all without dietary restrictions. The microbiota was characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and SCFAs concentration was determined by gas chromatographic analysis. The RTT microbiota showed a lower α diversity, an enrichment in Bacteroidaceae, Clostridium spp., and Sutterella spp., and a slight depletion in Ruminococcaceae. Fecal SCFA concentrations were similar, but RTT samples showed slightly higher concentrations of butyrate and propionate, and significant higher levels in branched-chain fatty acids. Daily caloric intake was similar in the two groups, but macronutrient analysis showed a higher protein content in RTT diets. Microbial function prediction suggested in RTT subjects an increased number of microbial genes encoding for propionate and butyrate, and amino acid metabolism. A full understanding of these critical features could offer new, specific strategies for managing RTT-associated symptoms, such as dietary intervention or pre/probiotic supplementation. PMID:28178201

Spectral characteristics and the extent of paleosols of the Palouse formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frazier, B. E.; Busacca, Alan; Cheng, Yaan; Wherry, David; Hart, Judy; Gill, Steve

1987-01-01

Thematic mapping data was analyzed and verified by comparison to previously gathered transect samples and to aerial photographs. A bare-soil field with exposed paleosols characterized by slight enrichment of iron was investigated. Spectral relationships were first investigated statistically by creating a data set with DN values spatially matched as nearly as possible to field sample points. Chemical data for each point included organic carbon, free iron oxide, and amorphous iron content. The chemical data, DN values, and various band ratios were examined with the program package Statistix in order to find the combinations of reflectance data most likely to show a relationship which would dependably separate the exposed paleosols from the other soils. Cluster analysis and Fastclas classification procedures were applied to the most promising of the band ratio combinations.

Shield Through Rejuvenated Stage Volcanism On Kauai and Niihau, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cousens, B.; Clague, D. A.

2013-12-01

Kauai and Niihau are the northwesternmost large islands in the Hawaiian chain and consist of shield, rare postshield, and abundant rejuvenated stage lavas. We present new geochronological, geochemical and isotopic data for all phases of volcanic activity on the adjacent islands. K-Ar ages show Niihau shield volcanism occurred from 6.3-4.4 Ma, and K-Ar and new Ar-Ar ages for postshield volcanism range from 5.4-4.7 Ma. Kauai shield volcanism (K-Ar) overlaps with shield volcanism on Niihau. A new Ar-Ar age for a Kauai postshield dike is 4.4 Ma, older than previously-dated postshield lavas (3.95-3.58 Ma). New Ar-Ar ages show that Kauai rejuvenated stage volcanism began prior to 3.42 Ma (Izuka & Sherrod, 2011), compared to ~2.3 Ma on Niihau. Tholeiitic shield lavas from Kauai vary only slightly in trace element chemistry but have variable isotopic compositions. Subtle trends in some trace element and isotopic ratios between Napali Member shield lavas from the east and west side of Kauai support the two-shield hypothesis of Holcomb et al. (1997). Shield lavas from Niihau are chemically similar to those on Kauai, although Niihau tholeiites extend to higher 143Nd/144Nd ratios. Onland and submarine postshield rocks from Niihau are slightly more alkaline and LREE-enriched compared to shield lavas, but postshield rocks from Kauai are more chemically evolved, more LREE-enriched, and have more depleted Sr and Nd isotopic signatures than Kauai tholeiites. Postshield rocks on Kauai overlap in apparent age with lavas that are chemically like later rejuvenated stage lavas, suggesting either interfingering of the chemically distinct lavas or problems with the K-Ar ages. Rejuvenated stage lavas from the two islands differ dramatically; Kauai lavas are alkaline, LREE-enriched, and have even more depleted Sr and Nd isotopic compositions than postshield lavas, whereas Niihau lavas are only mildly alkaline, have lower REE abundances than postshield basalts, but isotopically are like Kauai rejuvenated rocks. Niihau rejuvenated lavas are shifted to slightly higher 87Sr/86Sr at a given 143Nd/144Nd than Kauai rejuvenated lavas, consistent with an enhanced carbonate component in their source (Dixon et al., 2008). Rejuvenated stage lavas have a diagnostic Sr and Nd isotopic signature on both Kauai and Niihau, but on Kauai the isotopic shift begins during the postshield stage. For Kauai, age and geochemical data suggest that volcanic activity was near-continuous from shield to postshield to rejuvenated stage, with a change in mantle source at the postshield to rejuvenated transition. On Niihau, a prominent erosional and age gap separates onland shield and postshield rocks from the rejuvenated stage lavas, with the change in mantle sources at the beginning of the rejuvenated stage. ROV dives on six vents off the NW coast of Niihau recovered a suite of highly alkaline basanites with REE patterns similar to Kauai rejuvenated lavas but with isotopic ratios spanning the range of Niihau shield and postshield lavas. These alkaline lavas are highly vesicular and more altered than rejuvenated stage Niihau rocks, are undated, but may straddle the postshield to rejuvenated stage transition. No equivalents exist at other Hawaiian volcanoes.

Power generation and its environmental consequences in Poland with special attention to the Upper Silesia region

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

Hlawiczka, S.

1994-12-31

High consumption of coal that affected the prime energy balance, plus the absence of effective measures to protect the atmosphere from pollution, resulted in a widespread ecological threat to Poland. The paper describes the current air pollution conditions in Poland and basic measures that apply to the energy production sector that must by implemented. The most important and simplest method to reduce the emissions of SO{sub 2} and dust that result from burning coal is to introduce fuel enrichment and desulfurization.

Precipitation of Al3(Sc,Zr) Particles in a Direct Chill Cast Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Sc-Zr Alloy During Conventional Solution Heat Treatment and its Effect on Tensile Properties

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

recrystallization during hot working and introduce additional strengthening through the formation of fine coherent Al3(Sc,Zr) particles from a super...microstructure was described in detail elsewhere [8]. TEM analysis of the as-cast alloy revealed large eutectic -forming particles, which were enriched...however suggest that this additional strengthening (~10-30 MPa) can be due to incomplete dissolution of the eutectic phases, which were present in the

Genetic and Morphometric Divergence of an Invasive Bird: The Introduced House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Brazil

PubMed Central

Lima, Marcos R.; Macedo, Regina H. F.; Martins, Thaís L. F.; Schrey, Aaron W.; Martin, Lynn B.; Bensch, Staffan

2012-01-01

Introduced species are interesting systems for the study of contemporary evolution in new environments because of their spatial and temporal scales. For this study we had three aims: (i) to determine how genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of introduced populations of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Brazil varies with range expansion, (ii) to determine how genetic diversity and differentiation in Brazil compares to ancestral European populations; and (iii) to determine whether selection or genetic drift has been more influential on phenotypic divergence. We used six microsatellite markers to genotype six populations from Brazil and four populations from Europe. We found slightly reduced levels of genetic diversity in Brazilian compared to native European populations. However, among introduced populations of Brazil, we found no association between genetic diversity and time since introduction. Moreover, overall genetic differentiation among introduced populations was low indicating that the expansion took place from large populations in which genetic drift effects would likely have been weak. We found significant phenotypic divergence among sites in Brazil. Given the absence of a spatial genetic pattern, divergent selection and not genetic drift seems to be the main force behind most of the phenotypic divergence encountered. Unravelling whether microevolution (e.g., allele frequency change), phenotypic plasticity, or both mediated phenotypic divergence is challenging and will require experimental work (e.g., common garden experiments or breeding programs). PMID:23285283

[European Union regulatory and quality requirements for botanical drugs and their implications for Chinese herbal medicinal products development].

PubMed

Zhu, You-Ping

2017-06-01

This paper introduces regulatory pathways and characteristic quality requirements for marketing authorization of herbal medicinal products in the European Union（EU）, and the legal status and applications of "European Union list of herbal substances, preparations and combinations" and "European Union herbal monographs". Also introduced are Chinese herbs that have been granted the EU list entry, those with EU herbal monographs, and registered EU traditional herbal medicinal products with Chinese herbs as active ingredients. Special attention is paid to the technical details of three authorized EU herbal medicinal products (Veregen, Sativex and Episalvan) in comparison with Andrographis paniculata extract HMPL-004 that failed the phase Ⅲ clinical trial for ulcerative colitis. The paper further emphasizes the importance of enriching active fractions of herbal extracts and taking regulatory and quality considerations into account in early stage of botanical drug development. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Nutritional Ecology and Human Health.

PubMed

Raubenheimer, David; Simpson, Stephen J

2016-07-17

In contrast to the spectacular advances in the first half of the twentieth century with micronutrient-related diseases, human nutrition science has failed to stem the more recent rise of obesity and associated cardiometabolic disease (OACD). This failure has triggered debate on the problems and limitations of the field and what change is needed to address these. We briefly review the two broad historical phases of human nutrition science and then provide an overview of the main problems that have been implicated in the poor progress of the field with solving OACD. We next introduce the field of nutritional ecology and show how its ecological-evolutionary foundations can enrich human nutrition science by providing the theory to help address its limitations. We end by introducing a modeling approach from nutritional ecology, termed nutritional geometry, and demonstrate how it can help to implement ecological and evolutionary theory in human nutrition to provide new direction and to better understand and manage OACD.

Spinning the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Mindset: A Modern Physics Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roughani, Bahram

2010-04-01

Topics in Modern Physics course from relativity to quantum mechanics were examined in the context of innovation as part of the recent Kettering University program on ``Entrepreneurship Across Curriculum-EAC.'' The main goals were (a) to introduce innovation and entrepreneurship without eliminating any topics from this course, (b) to use EAC as a vehicle for intentional education that produces graduates with innovative mindsets, (c) to enrich the students learning experience aligned with the desired educational outcomes, and (d) to highlight the impact of scientific innovation in the society, while encouraging students to re-think how entrepreneurship mindset could maximize their impact in the society through innovation. Ideas such as principles behind innovation and innovative ideas, disciplines of innovations, formation of innovation teams, and effective methods for analyzing innovative value propositions were introduced in this course. Most of the implementation were achieved through out of class activities, and communicated through in class presentations, papers or weekly laboratory reports.

Single molecule targeted sequencing for cancer gene mutation detection.

PubMed

Gao, Yan; Deng, Liwei; Yan, Qin; Gao, Yongqian; Wu, Zengding; Cai, Jinsen; Ji, Daorui; Li, Gailing; Wu, Ping; Jin, Huan; Zhao, Luyang; Liu, Song; Ge, Liangjin; Deem, Michael W; He, Jiankui

2016-05-19

With the rapid decline in cost of sequencing, it is now affordable to examine multiple genes in a single disease-targeted clinical test using next generation sequencing. Current targeted sequencing methods require a separate step of targeted capture enrichment during sample preparation before sequencing. Although there are fast sample preparation methods available in market, the library preparation process is still relatively complicated for physicians to use routinely. Here, we introduced an amplification-free Single Molecule Targeted Sequencing (SMTS) technology, which combined targeted capture and sequencing in one step. We demonstrated that this technology can detect low-frequency mutations using artificially synthesized DNA sample. SMTS has several potential advantages, including simple sample preparation thus no biases and errors are introduced by PCR reaction. SMTS has the potential to be an easy and quick sequencing technology for clinical diagnosis such as cancer gene mutation detection, infectious disease detection, inherited condition screening and noninvasive prenatal diagnosis.

A combination of positive dielectrophoresis driven on-line enrichment and aptamer-fluorescent silica nanoparticle label for rapid and sensitive detection of Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Shangguan, Jingfang; Li, Yuhong; He, Dinggeng; He, Xiaoxiao; Wang, Kemin; Zou, Zhen; Shi, Hui

2015-07-07

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is an important human pathogen that causes several diseases ranging from superficial skin infections to life-threatening diseases. Here, a method combining positive dielectrophoresis (pDEP) driven on-line enrichment and aptamer-fluorescent silica nanoparticle label has been developed for the rapid and sensitive detection of S. aureus in microfluidic channels. An aptamer, having high affinity to S. aureus, is used as the molecular recognition tool and immobilized onto chloropropyl functionalized fluorescent silica nanoparticles through a click chemistry approach to obtain S. aureus aptamer-nanoparticle bioconjugates (Apt(S.aureus)/FNPs). The pDEP driven on-line enrichment technology was used for accumulating the Apt(S.aureus)/FNP labeled S. aureus. After incubating with S. aureus, the mixture of Apt(S.aureus)/FNP labeled S. aureus and Apt(S.aureus)/FNPs was directly introduced into the pDEP-based microfluidic system. By applying an AC voltage in a pDEP frequency region, the Apt(S.aureus)/FNP labelled S. aureus moved to the electrodes and accumulated in the electrode gap, while the free Apt(S.aureus)/FNPs flowed away. The signal that came from the Apt(S.aureus)/FNP labelled S. aureus in the focused detection areas was then detected. Profiting from the specificity of aptamer, signal amplification of FNP label and pDEP on-line enrichment, this assay can detect as low as 93 and 270 cfu mL(-1)S. aureus in deionized water and spiked water samples, respectively, with higher sensitivities than our previously reported Apt(S.aureus)/FNP based flow cytometry. Moreover, without the need for separation and washing steps usually required for FNP label involved bioassays, the total assay time including sample pretreatment was within 2 h.

A new approach to phosphoserine and phosphothreonine analysis in peptides and proteins: chemical modification, enrichment via solid-phase reversible binding, and analysis by mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Thaler, Florian; Valsasina, Barbara; Baldi, Rosario; Xie, Jin; Stewart, Albert; Isacchi, Antonella; Kalisz, Henryk M; Rusconi, Luisa

2003-06-01

beta-Elimination of the phosphate group on phosphoserine and phosphothreonine residues and addition of an alkyldithiol is a useful tool for analysis of the phosphorylation states of proteins and peptides. We have explored the influence of several conditions on the efficiency of this PO(4)(3-) elimination reaction upon addition of propanedithiol. In addition to the described influence of different bases, the solvent composition was also found to have a major effect on the yield of the reaction. In particular, an increase in the percentage of DMSO enhances the conversion rate, whereas a higher amount of protic polar solvents, such as water or isopropanol, induces the opposite effect. We have also developed a protocol for enrichment of the modified peptides, which is based on solid-phase covalent capture/release with a dithiopyridino-resin. The procedure for beta-elimination and isolation of phosphorylated peptides by solid-phase capture/release was developed with commercially available alpha-casein. Enriched peptide fragments were characterized by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric analysis before and after alkylation with iodoacetamide, which allowed rapid confirmation of the purposely introduced thiol moiety. Sensitivity studies, carried out in order to determine the detection limit, demonstrated that samples could be detected even in the low picomolar range by mass spectrometry. The developed solid-phase enrichment procedure based on reversible covalent binding of the modified peptides is more effective and significantly simpler than methods based on the interaction between biotin and avidin, which require additional steps such as tagging the modified peptides and work-up of the samples prior to the affinity capture step.

Continuous-flow trapping and localized enrichment of micro- and nano-particles using induced-charge electrokinetics.

PubMed

Zhao, Cunlu; Yang, Chun

2018-02-14

In this work, we report an effective microfluidic technique for continuous-flow trapping and localized enrichment of micro- and nano-particles by using induced-charge electrokinetic (ICEK) phenomena. The proposed technique utilizes a simple microfluidic device that consists of a straight microchannel and a conducting strip attached to the bottom wall of the microchannel. Upon application of the electric field along the microchannel, the conducting strip becomes polarized to introduce two types of ICEK phenomena, the ICEK flow vortex and particle dielectrophoresis, and they are identified by a theoretical model formulated in this study to be jointly responsible for the trapping of particles over the edge of the conducting strip. Our experiments showed that successful trapping requires an AC/DC combined electric field: the DC component is mainly to induce electroosmotic flow for transporting particles to the trapping location; the AC component induces ICEK phenomena over the edge of the conducting strip for particle trapping. The performance of the technique is examined with respect to the applied electric voltage, AC frequency and the particle size. We observed that the trapped particles form a narrow band (nearly a straight line) defined by the edge of the conducting strip, thereby allowing localized particle enrichment. For instance, we found that under certain conditions a high particle enrichment ratio of 200 was achieved within 30 seconds. We also demonstrated that the proposed technique was able to trap particles from several microns down to several tens of nanometer. We believe that the proposed ICEK trapping would have great flexibility that the trapping location can be readily varied by controlling the location of the patterned conducting strip and multiple-location trapping can be expected with the use of multiple conducting strips.

Lead isotopes and trace metals in dust at Yucca Mountain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kwak, Loretta; Neymark, Leonid A.; Peterman, Zell E.

2008-01-01

Lead (Pb)-isotope compositions and trace-metal concentrations were determined for samples of dust collected from underground and surface locations at and near the proposed radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Rare earth element concentrations in the dust samples from the underground tunnels are similar to those in wholerock samples of the repository host rocks (Miocene Tiva Canyon Tuff and Topopah Spring Tuff), supporting interpretation that the subsurface dust is mainly composed of rock comminuted during tunnel construction. Other trace metals (arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, manganese, nickel, lead, antimony, thallium, and zinc) are variably enriched in the subsurface dust samples relative to the average concentrations in the host rocks. Average concentrations of arsenic and lead in dust samples, high concentrations of which can cause corrosion of waste canisters, have enrichment factors from 1.2 to 1.6 and are insignificant relative to the range of concentrations for these metals observed in the host rock samples. Most dust samples from surface sites also are enriched in many of these trace metals relative to average repository host rocks. At least some of these enrichments may be artifacts of sampling. Plotted on a 208Pb/206Pb-207Pb/206Pb graph, Pb-isotope compositions of dust samples from underground sites form a mixing line extending from host-rock Pb-isotope compositions towards compositions of many of the dust samples from surface sites; however, combined Pb concentration and isotope data indicate the presence of a Pbenriched component in the subsurface dust that is not derived from host rock or surface dust and may derive from anthropogenic materials introduced into the underground environment.

Horizontal transmission of Salmonella Enteritidis in experimentally infected laying hens housed in conventional or enriched cages.

PubMed

Gast, Richard K; Guraya, Rupa; Jones, Deana R; Anderson, Kenneth E

2014-12-01

The majority of human illnesses caused by Salmonella Enteritidis are attributed to contaminated eggs, and the prevalence of this pathogen in commercial laying flocks has been identified as a leading epidemiologic risk factor. Flock housing and management systems can affect opportunities for the introduction, transmission, and persistence of foodborne pathogens in poultry. The animal welfare implications of different types of housing for laying hens have been widely discussed in recent years, but the food safety consequences of these production systems remain incompletely understood. The present study assessed the effects of 2 different housing systems (conventional cages and colony cages enriched with perching and nesting areas) on the horizontal transmission of experimentally introduced Salmonella Enteritidis infection within groups of laying hens. In each of 2 trials, 136 hens were distributed among cages of both housing systems and approximately one-third of the hens in each cage were orally inoculated with doses of 10(8) cfu of Salmonella Enteritidis (phage type 13a in one trial and phage type 4 in the other). At regular intervals through 23 d postinoculation, cloacal swabs were collected from all hens (inoculated and uninoculated) and cultured for Salmonella Enteritidis. Horizontal contact transmission of infection was observed for both Salmonella Enteritidis strains, reaching peak prevalence values of 27.1% of uninoculated hens in conventional cages and 22.7% in enriched cages. However, no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the overall frequencies of horizontal Salmonella Enteritidis transmission were evident between the 2 types of housing. These results suggest that opportunities for Salmonella Enteritidis infection to spread horizontally throughout laying flocks may be similar in conventional and enriched cage-based production systems. ©2014 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Ewing's sarcoma precursors are highly enriched in embryonic osteochondrogenic progenitors.

PubMed

Tanaka, Miwa; Yamazaki, Yukari; Kanno, Yohei; Igarashi, Katsuhide; Aisaki, Ken-ichi; Kanno, Jun; Nakamura, Takuro

2014-07-01

Ewing's sarcoma is a highly malignant bone tumor found in children and adolescents, and the origin of this malignancy is not well understood. Here, we introduced a Ewing's sarcoma-associated genetic fusion of the genes encoding the RNA-binding protein EWS and the transcription factor ETS (EWS-ETS) into a fraction of cells enriched for osteochondrogenic progenitors derived from the embryonic superficial zone (eSZ) of long bones collected from late gestational murine embryos. EWS-ETS fusions efficiently induced Ewing's sarcoma-like small round cell sarcoma formation by these cells. Analysis of the eSZ revealed a fraction of a precursor cells that express growth/differentiation factor 5 (Gdf5), the transcription factor Erg, and parathyroid hormone-like hormone (Pthlh), and selection of the Pthlh-positive fraction alone further enhanced EWS-ETS-dependent tumor induction. Genes downstream of the EWS-ETS fusion protein were quite transcriptionally active in eSZ cells, especially in regions in which the chromatin structure of the ETS-responsive locus was open. Inhibition of β-catenin, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), or enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) suppressed cell growth in a murine model of Ewing's sarcoma, suggesting the utility of the current system as a preclinical model. These results indicate that eSZ cells are highly enriched in precursors to Ewing's sarcoma and provide clues to the histogenesis of Ewing's sarcoma in bone.

Assessment of Nuclear Fuels using Radiographic Thickness Measurement Method

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

Muhammad Abir; Fahima Islam; Hyoung Koo Lee

2014-11-01

The Convert branch of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) focuses on the development of high uranium density fuels for research and test reactors for nonproliferation. This fuel is aimed to convert low density high enriched uranium (HEU) based fuel to high density low enriched uranium (LEU) based fuel for high performance research reactors (HPRR). There are five U.S. reactors that fall under the HPRR category, including: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR), the National Bureau of Standards Reactor (NBSR), the Missouri University Research Reactor (UMRR), the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), and the Highmore » Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). U-Mo alloy fuel phase in the form of either monolithic or dispersion foil type fuels, such as ATR Full-size In center flux trap Position (AFIP) and Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor (RERTR), are being designed for this purpose. The fabrication process1 of RERTR is susceptible to introducing a variety of fuel defects. A dependable quality control method is required during fabrication of RERTR miniplates to maintain the allowable design tolerances, therefore evaluating and analytically verifying the fabricated miniplates for maintaining quality standards as well as safety. The purpose of this work is to analyze the thickness of the fabricated RERTR-12 miniplates using non-destructive technique to meet the fuel plate specification for RERTR fuel to be used in the ATR.« less

Compact reaction cell for homogenizing and down-blending highly enriched uranium metal

DOEpatents

McLean, W. II; Miller, P.E.; Horton, J.A.

1995-05-02

The invention is a specialized reaction cell for converting uranium metal to uranium oxide. In a preferred form, the reaction cell comprises a reaction chamber with increasing diameter along its length (e.g. a cylindrical chamber having a diameter of about 2 inches in a lower portion and having a diameter of from about 4 to about 12 inches in an upper portion). Such dimensions are important to achieve the necessary conversion while at the same time affording criticality control and transportability of the cell and product. The reaction chamber further comprises an upper port and a lower port, the lower port allowing for the entry of reactant gases into the reaction chamber, the upper port allowing for the exit of gases from the reaction chamber. A diffuser plate is attached to the lower port of the reaction chamber and serves to shape the flow of gas into the reaction chamber. The reaction cell further comprises means for introducing gases into the reaction chamber and a heating means capable of heating the contents of the reaction chamber. The present invention also relates to a method for converting uranium metal to uranium oxide in the reaction cell of the present invention. The invention is useful for down-blending highly enriched uranium metal by the simultaneous conversion of highly enriched uranium metal and natural or depleted uranium metal to uranium oxide within the reaction cell. 4 figs.

Compact reaction cell for homogenizing and down-blanding highly enriched uranium metal

DOEpatents

McLean, II, William; Miller, Philip E.; Horton, James A.

1995-01-01

The invention is a specialized reaction cell for converting uranium metal to uranium oxide. In a preferred form, the reaction cell comprises a reaction chamber with increasing diameter along its length (e.g. a cylindrical chamber having a diameter of about 2 inches in a lower portion and having a diameter of from about 4 to about 12 inches in an upper portion). Such dimensions are important to achieve the necessary conversion while at the same time affording criticality control and transportability of the cell and product. The reaction chamber further comprises an upper port and a lower port, the lower port allowing for the entry of reactant gasses into the reaction chamber, the upper port allowing for the exit of gasses from the reaction chamber. A diffuser plate is attached to the lower port of the reaction chamber and serves to shape the flow of gas into the reaction chamber. The reaction cell further comprises means for introducing gasses into the reaction chamber and a heating means capable of heating the contents of the reaction chamber. The present invention also relates to a method for converting uranium metal to uranium oxide in the reaction cell of the present invention. The invention is useful for down-blending highly enriched uranium metal by the simultaneous conversion of highly enriched uranium metal and natural or depleted uranium metal to uranium oxide within the reaction cell.

Pressure-assisted electrokinetic injection for on-line enrichment in capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry: a sensitive method for measurement of ten haloacetic acids in drinking water.

PubMed

Zhang, Huijuan; Zhu, Jiping; Aranda-Rodriguez, Rocio; Feng, Yong-Lai

2011-11-07

Haloacetic acids (HAAs) are by-products of the chlorination of drinking water containing natural organic matter and bromide. A simple and sensitive method has been developed for determination of ten HAAs in drinking water. The pressure-assisted electrokinetic injection (PAEKI), an on-line enrichment technique, was employed to introduce the sample into a capillary electrophoresis (CE)-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry system (ESI-MS/MS). HAAs were monitored in selected reaction monitoring mode. With 3 min of PAEKI time, the ten major HAAs (HAA10) in drinking water were enriched up to 20,000-fold into the capillary without compromising resolution. A simple solid phase clean-up method has been developed to eliminate the influence of ionic matrices from drinking water on PAEKI. Under conditions optimized for mass spectrometry, PAEKI and capillary electrophoresis, detection limits defined as three times ratio of signal to noise have been achieved in a range of 0.013-0.12 μg L(-1) for ten HAAs in water sample. The overall recoveries for all ten HAAs in drinking water samples were between 76 and 125%. Six HAAs including monochloro- (MCAA), dichloro- (DCAA), trichloro- (TCAA), monobromo- (MBAA), bromochloro- (BCAA), and bromodichloroacetic acids (BDCAA) were found in tap water samples collected. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Late response to patient-reported outcome questionnaires after surgery was associated with worse outcome.

PubMed

Hutchings, Andrew; Grosse Frie, Kirstin; Neuburger, Jenny; van der Meulen, Jan; Black, Nick

2013-02-01

Nonresponse to patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires after surgery might bias the results. Our aim was to gauge the potential impact of nonresponse bias by comparing the outcomes of early and late responders. This study compares 59,565 early and 20,735 late responders who underwent a hip or knee replacement, hernia repair, or varicose vein (VV) surgery. The association between timeliness of response and three outcomes (the mean postoperative disease-specific PRO and generic PRO scores and the proportion reporting a fair or poor result) was examined by regression analysis. Late responders were slightly more likely to be young, nonwhite, deprived, and have a more severe preoperative condition with poorer quality of life. Late response was associated with a slightly poorer outcome in all four procedures although not statistically significant (P < 0.05) for VV surgery. Adjusting for preoperative characteristics reduced the strength of the associations, but they remained statistically significant. As nonresponse to PRO questionnaires introduces slight bias, differences in response rates between hospitals should be taken into account when making comparisons so as to avoid overestimating the performance of those with lower response rates and failing to detect poor performing hospitals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Geochemistry and mineralogy of kimberlites from the Arkhangelsk Region, NW Russia: evidence for transitional kimberlite magma types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beard, A. D.; Downes, H.; Hegner, E.; Sablukov, S. M.

2000-03-01

The Arkhangelsk kimberlite province (AKP) is situated in the north of the Baltic Shield within the buried southeastern portion of the Kola-Kuloi craton. It forms part of the extensive Devonian magmatic event of the northern Baltic Shield and Kola Peninsula. Two main groups of kimberlites can be distinguished within the province: (1) kimberlites from the diamondiferous Zolotitsa field that have geochemical and isotopic affinities with Group 2 kimberlites and lamproites; (2) diamond-poor Ti-Fe-rich kimberlites from other Arkhangelsk fields that have geochemical and isotopic affinities with Group 1 kimberlites. However, the Zolotitsa and Ti-Fe-rich kimberlites have mineralogical characteristics that are not typical for their respective assigned kimberlite group classifications. Both groups of Arkhangelsk kimberlites are apparently transitional to Group 1 kimberlites, Group 2 kimberlites and lamproites as they are defined elsewhere in the world. An associated kimberlite from the Mela Sill Complex has strong affinities with carbonatites. The low Al 2O 3, high Ni and Cr contents, and high Mg# in both groups of kimberlites indicate strongly depleted lherzolitic-harzburgitic mantle sources. Trace element patterns show a variable enrichment of incompatible elements and strong LREE enrichment. However, kimberlites from the Zolotitsa field have overall lower trace element abundances and less steep REE patterns, suggesting a higher degree of partial melt and/or a less enriched source compared to that of the Ti-Fe-rich kimberlites. A calciocarbonatite of the Mela Sill Complex has trace element and REE patterns typical of other carbonatites closely associated with kimberlites. 87Sr/ 86Sri and 143Nd/ 144Ndi isotope compositions of the Arkhangelsk kimberlites and carbonatite reveal that at least two mantle sources are required to explain the isotopic variation: (1) most of the Zolotitsa and Mela kimberlites and the Mela carbonatite are derived from an ancient enriched lithospheric source (EMI); (2) the Ti-Fe-rich kimberlites are derived from a plume-related asthenospheric mantle source with an isotopic composition close to Bulk Earth. Present-day Pb isotope compositions reveal that the Zolotitsa kimberlites have values close to Group 1 kimberlites. However, the Ti-Fe-rich kimberlites generally have slightly more radiogenic Pb isotope values.

Ground-water quality in the central part of the Passaic River basin, northeastern New Jersey, 1959-88

USGS Publications Warehouse

Czarnik, T.S.; Kozinski, Jane

1994-01-01

Ground-water samples were collected from 71 wells screened in or open to three aquifers in the central part of the Passaic River basin during 1959-88. Water samples from aquifers in glacial sediments and aquifers in sedimentary and igneous bedrock of the Newark Supergroup were analyzed for major ions. Most samples were analyzed for metals, nutrients, and tritium; 38 samples were analyzed for purgeable organic compounds. Calcium and bicarbonate were the predominant ions in ground water in the study area. Ground water was dilute (median dissolved-solids concentration 239 milligrams per liter) and slightly basic (median pH 7.89). Concentrations of inorganic constituents were within U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) primary drinking-water regulations. Concentrations of benzene, tetrachloroethylene, and trichloroethylene, however, were greater than USEPA primary drinking-water regulations in six samples. Ground-water samples from aquifers in sedimentary bedrock were enriched in barium, calcium, magnesium, strontium,and sulfate relative to samples form the other aquifers. Such ion enrichment can be attributed either to disolution of carbonate and sulfate-containing minerals or to human activities. Ground-water samples from two wells screened in glacial sediments near swamps contained sulfate in concentrations higher than the median for the aquifer. Sulfate enrichment could result from downward leaching of water enriched in sulfur from the decay of organic matter in the swamps, from the disolution of sulfate-containing minerals, or from human activities. No regional trends in the chemical composition of the ground water in the study area were identified. Sulfate concentrations in ground- water samples from the sedimentary bedrock tended to increase with decreasing altitude of the deepest opening of the well; the correlation coefficient for the ranks of sulfate concentration and the altitude of the deepest opening of the well for 17 pairs of data is -0.690. Concentrations of tritium were greater than the detection limit in 33 of 35 ground-water samples, indicating that most ground water in the study area is more recent than 1953.

C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) at IR wavelengths and the variability of CO abundances among Oort Cloud comets

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

Paganini, L.; Mumma, M. J.; Villanueva, G. L.

2014-08-20

We report production rates, rotational temperatures, and related parameters for gases in C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) using the Near InfraRed SPECtrometer at the Keck Observatory, on six UT dates spanning heliocentric distances (R{sub h} ) that decreased from 1.35 AU to 1.16 AU (pre-perihelion). We quantified nine gaseous species (H{sub 2}O, OH*, CO, CH{sub 4}, HCN, C{sub 2}H{sub 6}, CH{sub 3}OH, NH{sub 3}, and NH{sub 2}) and obtained upper limits for two others (C{sub 2}H{sub 2} and H{sub 2}CO). Compared with organics-normal comets, our results reveal highly enriched CO, (at most) slightly enriched CH{sub 3}OH, C{sub 2}H{sub 6}, and HCN, andmore » CH{sub 4} consistent with {sup n}ormal{sup ,} yet depleted, NH{sub 3}, C{sub 2}H{sub 2}, and H{sub 2}CO. Rotational temperatures increased from ∼50 K to ∼70 K with decreasing R{sub h} , following a power law in R{sub h} of –2.0 ± 0.2, while the water production rate increased from 1.0 to 3.9 × 10{sup 28} molecules s{sup –1}, following a power law in R{sub h} of –4.7 ± 0.9. The ortho-para ratio for H{sub 2}O was 3.01 ± 0.49, corresponding to spin temperatures (T {sub spin}) ≥ 29 K (at the 1σ level). The observed spatial profiles for these emissions showed complex structures, possibly tied to nucleus rotation, although the cadence of our observations limits any definitive conclusions. The retrieved CO abundance in Lovejoy is more than twice the median value for comets in our IR survey, suggesting this comet is enriched in CO. We discuss the enriched value for CO in comet C/2013 R1 in terms of the variability of CO among Oort Cloud comets.« less

Effects of elemental composition on the incorporation of dietary nitrogen and carbon isotopic signatures in an omnivorous songbird

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

Pearson, Scott, F.; Levey, Douglas, J.; Greenberg, Catheryn, H.

2003-02-28

Pearson, S.F., D.J. Levey, C.H. Greenberg, and C.M. del Rio. 2003. Effects of elemental composition on the incorporation of dietary nitrogen and carbon isotopic signatures in an omnivorous songbird. Oecologia. 135:516-523. The use of stable isotopes to infer diet requires quantifying the relationship between diet and tissues and, in particular, knowing of how quickly isotopes turnover in different tissues and how isotopic concentrations of different food components change (discriminate) when incorporated into consumer tissues. We used feeding trials with wild-caught yellow-rumped warblers (Dendroica coronata) to determine d15N and d13C turnover rates for blood, d15N and d13C diet-tissue discrimination factors, andmore » diet-tissue relationships for blood and feathers. After 3 weeks on a common diet, 36 warblers were assigned to one of four diets differing in the relative proportion of fruit and insects. Plasma half-life estimates ranged from 0.4 to 0.7 days for d13C and from 0.5 to 1.7 days for d15N. Half-life did not differ among diets. Whole blood half-life for d13C ranged from 3.9 to 6.1 days. Yellow-rumped warbler tissues were enriched relative to diet by 1.7.3.6% for nitrogen isotopes and by 1.2 to 4.3% for carbon isotopes, depending on tissue and diet. Consistent with previous studies, feathers were the most enriched and whole blood and plasma were the least enriched or, in the case of carbon, slightly depleted relative to diet. In general, tissues were more enriched relative to diet for birds with high percentages of insects. For all tissues, carbon and nitrogen isotope discrimination factors increased with carbon and nitrogen concentrations of diets. The isotopic signature of plasma increased linearly with the sum of the isotopic signature of the diet and the discrimination factor. Because the isotopic signature of tissues depends on both elemental concentration and isotopic signature of the diet, attempts to reconstruct diet from stable isotope signatures require mixing models that incorporate elemental concentration.« less

X-Ray-induced Deuterium Enrichment of N-rich Organics in Protoplanetary Disks: An Experimental Investigation Using Synchrotron Light

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

Gavilan, Lisseth; Carrasco, Nathalie; Remusat, Laurent

The deuterium enrichment of organics in the interstellar medium, protoplanetary disks, and meteorites has been proposed to be the result of ionizing radiation. The goal of this study is to simulate and quantify the effects of soft X-rays (0.1–2 keV), an important component of stellar radiation fields illuminating protoplanetary disks, on the refractory organics present in the disks. We prepared tholins, nitrogen-rich organic analogs to solids found in several astrophysical environments, e.g., Titan’s atmosphere, cometary surfaces, and protoplanetary disks, via plasma deposition. Controlled irradiation experiments with soft X-rays at 0.5 and 1.3 keV were performed at the SEXTANTS beamline ofmore » the SOLEIL synchrotron, and were immediately followed by ex-situ infrared, Raman, and isotopic diagnostics. Infrared spectroscopy revealed the preferential loss of singly bonded groups (N–H, C–H, and R–N≡C) and the formation of sp{sup 3} carbon defects with signatures at ∼1250–1300 cm{sup −1}. Raman analysis revealed that, while the length of polyaromatic units is only slightly modified, the introduction of defects leads to structural amorphization. Finally, tholins were measured via secondary ion mass spectrometry to quantify the D, H, and C elemental abundances in the irradiated versus non-irradiated areas. Isotopic analysis revealed that significant D-enrichment is induced by X-ray irradiation. Our results are compared to previous experimental studies involving the thermal degradation and electron irradiation of organics. The penetration depth of soft X-rays in μ m-sized tholins leads to volume rather than surface modifications: lower-energy X-rays (0.5 keV) induce a larger D-enrichment than 1.3 keV X-rays, reaching a plateau for doses larger than 5 × 10{sup 27} eV cm{sup −3}. Synchrotron fluences fall within the expected soft X-ray fluences in protoplanetary disks, and thus provide evidence of a new non-thermal pathway to deuterium fractionation of organic matter.« less

Li Isotopes as Tracers of Fluid-Rock Interactions in Oceanic Hydrothermal Systems: Evidence From the Hess Deep Rift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brant, C. O.; Coogan, L. A.; Gillis, K. M.

2004-12-01

Li isotopes have the potential to be powerful tracers of fluid-rock interactions at mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems due to the large isotopic difference between seawater (δ7Li = 31‰) and fresh MORB (δ7Li = 1.5 to 5.6 ‰). Sampling programs along tectonic escarpments at Hess Deep provide an ideal suite to examine the spatial variability of Li mobility and Li isotopic content within young (1 Ma) lavas and sheeted dikes formed at the fast-spreading East Pacific Rise towards the end of a segment. Previous work has shown that the lavas are relatively fresh, with minor alteration to clay minerals and Fe oxyhydroxides. Sheeted dikes are variably altered to amphibole-dominated assemblages, with localized zones where chlorite dominates. Sr and O isotope data correlate with these regional patterns. Preliminary data, collected by Thermo X-series quadrupole ICP-MS, show that the lavas have similar Li concentrations to fresh MORB (5 to 6 ppm) and are slightly enriched in δ7Li (4.1 to 7.7 ‰). There is a positive correlation between Li content and δ7Li within the lavas, however, the trend is not a simple mixing line between seawater and fresh MORB, being offset to lower δ7Li in the altered component. Similar to previous studies, these relationships support the prediction that 6Li is preferentially retained in low temperature clay minerals. Sheeted dykes are depleted in Li (0.8-4.63 ppm) and most samples are enriched in δ7Li (6.7-15.4 ‰) relative to fresh MORB. These samples show an inverse relationship between decreasing concentration and increasing isotopic enrichment. This implies that 6Li is not simply preferentially retained in the replacement mineral assemblages. The degree of isotopic enrichment appears to increase with increasing clinopyroxene alteration, and is greatest for amphibolite dominated assemblages. A broad positive correlation between Li concentration and δ18O is observed in the dikes. Thus Li isotopes are sensitive indicators of the nature and extent of hydrothermal interactions for both high and low temperature processes.

Li Isotopes as Tracers of Fluid-Rock Interactions in Oceanic Hydrothermal Systems: Evidence From the Hess Deep Rift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brant, C. O.; Coogan, L. A.; Gillis, K. M.

2007-12-01

Li isotopes have the potential to be powerful tracers of fluid-rock interactions at mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems due to the large isotopic difference between seawater (δ7Li = 31‰) and fresh MORB (δ7Li = 1.5 to 5.6 ‰). Sampling programs along tectonic escarpments at Hess Deep provide an ideal suite to examine the spatial variability of Li mobility and Li isotopic content within young (1 Ma) lavas and sheeted dikes formed at the fast-spreading East Pacific Rise towards the end of a segment. Previous work has shown that the lavas are relatively fresh, with minor alteration to clay minerals and Fe oxyhydroxides. Sheeted dikes are variably altered to amphibole-dominated assemblages, with localized zones where chlorite dominates. Sr and O isotope data correlate with these regional patterns. Preliminary data, collected by Thermo X-series quadrupole ICP-MS, show that the lavas have similar Li concentrations to fresh MORB (5 to 6 ppm) and are slightly enriched in δ7Li (4.1 to 7.7 ‰). There is a positive correlation between Li content and δ7Li within the lavas, however, the trend is not a simple mixing line between seawater and fresh MORB, being offset to lower δ7Li in the altered component. Similar to previous studies, these relationships support the prediction that 6Li is preferentially retained in low temperature clay minerals. Sheeted dykes are depleted in Li (0.8-4.63 ppm) and most samples are enriched in δ7Li (6.7-15.4 ‰) relative to fresh MORB. These samples show an inverse relationship between decreasing concentration and increasing isotopic enrichment. This implies that 6Li is not simply preferentially retained in the replacement mineral assemblages. The degree of isotopic enrichment appears to increase with increasing clinopyroxene alteration, and is greatest for amphibolite dominated assemblages. A broad positive correlation between Li concentration and δ18O is observed in the dikes. Thus Li isotopes are sensitive indicators of the nature and extent of hydrothermal interactions for both high and low temperature processes.

In situ U-Th-Pb ages of the Miaoya carbonatite complex in the South Qinling orogenic belt, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ying, Yuancan; Chen, Wei; Lu, Jue; Jiang, Shao-Yong; Yang, Yueheng

2017-10-01

The Miaoya carbonatite complex in the South Qinling orogenic belt hosts one of the largest rare earth element (REE)-Nb deposits in China that is composed of carbonatite and syenite. The emplacement age of the complex and the geochronological relationship between the carbonatite and syenite have long been debated. In this study, in situ U-Th-Pb ages have been obtained for the constituent minerals zircon, monazite and columbite from carbonatite and syenite of the Miaoya complex, together with their chemical and isotopic compositions. In situ trace element compositions for zircon from carbonatite and syenite are highly variable. The zircon displays slightly heavy REE (HREE)-enriched chondrite-normalized patterns with no Eu anomaly and various light REE (LREE) contents. In situ Th-Pb dating for zircon from the Miaoya complex by laser ablation ICP-MS yields ages of 442.6 ± 4.0 Ma (n = 53) for syenite and 426.5 ± 8.0 Ma (n = 23) for carbonatite. Monazite from carbonatite and syenite shows similar chondrite-normalized REE patterns and yields a consistent Th-Pb age of 240 Ma. Based on petrographic and chemical composition, columbite from the carbonatite can be identified into two groups. The columbite dispersed within carbonatite is characterized by slightly LREE-enriched chondrite-normalized REE patterns, whereas columbite associated with apatite is characterized by LREE-depleted trends. Columbite has been further determined to have a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 232.8 ± 4.5 Ma (n = 9) using LA-ICP-MS. Detailed geochronological and chemical investigations suggest that there were two major episodes of magmatic/metasomatic activities in the formational history of the Miaoya carbonatite complex. The early alkaline magmatism emplaced in the Silurian was related to the opening of the Mianlue Ocean, whereas the late metasomatism or hydrothermal overprint occurred during the Triassic South Qinling orogeny. The latter serves as the major ore formation period for both REE (e.g., monazite) and Nb (e.g., columbite).

Metabolic modeling of dynamic brain 13C NMR multiplet data: Concepts and simulations with a two-compartment neuronal-glial model

PubMed Central

Shestov, Alexander A.; Valette, Julien; Deelchand, Dinesh K.; Uğurbil, Kâmil; Henry, Pierre-Gilles

2016-01-01

Metabolic modeling of dynamic 13C labeling curves during infusion of 13C-labeled substrates allows quantitative measurements of metabolic rates in vivo. However metabolic modeling studies performed in the brain to date have only modeled time courses of total isotopic enrichment at individual carbon positions (positional enrichments), not taking advantage of the additional dynamic 13C isotopomer information available from fine-structure multiplets in 13C spectra. Here we introduce a new 13C metabolic modeling approach using the concept of bonded cumulative isotopomers, or bonded cumomers. The direct relationship between bonded cumomers and 13C multiplets enables fitting of the dynamic multiplet data. The potential of this new approach is demonstrated using Monte-Carlo simulations with a brain two-compartment neuronal-glial model. The precision of positional and cumomer approaches are compared for two different metabolic models (with and without glutamine dilution) and for different infusion protocols ([1,6-13C2]glucose, [1,2-13C2]acetate, and double infusion [1,6-13C2]glucose + [1,2-13C2]acetate). In all cases, the bonded cumomer approach gives better precision than the positional approach. In addition, of the three different infusion protocols considered here, the double infusion protocol combined with dynamic bonded cumomer modeling appears the most robust for precise determination of all fluxes in the model. The concepts and simulations introduced in the present study set the foundation for taking full advantage of the available dynamic 13C multiplet data in metabolic modeling. PMID:22528840

Fault tolerance in protein interaction networks: stable bipartite subgraphs and redundant pathways.

PubMed

Brady, Arthur; Maxwell, Kyle; Daniels, Noah; Cowen, Lenore J

2009-01-01

As increasing amounts of high-throughput data for the yeast interactome become available, more system-wide properties are uncovered. One interesting question concerns the fault tolerance of protein interaction networks: whether there exist alternative pathways that can perform some required function if a gene essential to the main mechanism is defective, absent or suppressed. A signature pattern for redundant pathways is the BPM (between-pathway model) motif, introduced by Kelley and Ideker. Past methods proposed to search the yeast interactome for BPM motifs have had several important limitations. First, they have been driven heuristically by local greedy searches, which can lead to the inclusion of extra genes that may not belong in the motif; second, they have been validated solely by functional coherence of the putative pathways using GO enrichment, making it difficult to evaluate putative BPMs in the absence of already known biological annotation. We introduce stable bipartite subgraphs, and show they form a clean and efficient way of generating meaningful BPMs which naturally discard extra genes included by local greedy methods. We show by GO enrichment measures that our BPM set outperforms previous work, covering more known complexes and functional pathways. Perhaps most importantly, since our BPMs are initially generated by examining the genetic-interaction network only, the location of edges in the protein-protein physical interaction network can then be used to statistically validate each candidate BPM, even with sparse GO annotation (or none at all). We uncover some interesting biological examples of previously unknown putative redundant pathways in such areas as vesicle-mediated transport and DNA repair.

Fault Tolerance in Protein Interaction Networks: Stable Bipartite Subgraphs and Redundant Pathways

PubMed Central

Brady, Arthur; Maxwell, Kyle; Daniels, Noah; Cowen, Lenore J.

2009-01-01

As increasing amounts of high-throughput data for the yeast interactome become available, more system-wide properties are uncovered. One interesting question concerns the fault tolerance of protein interaction networks: whether there exist alternative pathways that can perform some required function if a gene essential to the main mechanism is defective, absent or suppressed. A signature pattern for redundant pathways is the BPM (between-pathway model) motif, introduced by Kelley and Ideker. Past methods proposed to search the yeast interactome for BPM motifs have had several important limitations. First, they have been driven heuristically by local greedy searches, which can lead to the inclusion of extra genes that may not belong in the motif; second, they have been validated solely by functional coherence of the putative pathways using GO enrichment, making it difficult to evaluate putative BPMs in the absence of already known biological annotation. We introduce stable bipartite subgraphs, and show they form a clean and efficient way of generating meaningful BPMs which naturally discard extra genes included by local greedy methods. We show by GO enrichment measures that our BPM set outperforms previous work, covering more known complexes and functional pathways. Perhaps most importantly, since our BPMs are initially generated by examining the genetic-interaction network only, the location of edges in the protein-protein physical interaction network can then be used to statistically validate each candidate BPM, even with sparse GO annotation (or none at all). We uncover some interesting biological examples of previously unknown putative redundant pathways in such areas as vesicle-mediated transport and DNA repair. PMID:19399174

Chemical evolution of a pleistocene rhyolitic center: Sierra La Primavera, Jalisco, México

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahood, Gail A.

1981-06-01

The late Pleistocene caldera complex of the Sierra La Primavera, Jalisco, México, contains well-exposed lava flows and domes, ash-flow tuff, air-fall pumice, and caldera-lake sediments. All eruptive units are high-silica rhyolites, but systematic chemical differences correlate with age and eruptive mode. The caldera-producing unit, the 45-km3 Tala Tuff, is zoned from a mildly peralkaline first-erupted portion enriched in Na, Rb, Cs, Cl, F, Zn, Y, Zr, Hf, Ta, Nb, Sb, HREE, Pb, Th, and U to a metaluminous last-erupted part enriched in K, LREE, Sc, and Ti; Al, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, and Eu are constant within analytical errors. The earliest post-caldera lava, the south-central dome, is nearly identical to the last-erupted portion of the Tala Tuff, whereas the slightly younger north-central dome is chemically transitional from the south-central dome to later, moremafic, ring domes. This sequence of ash-flow tuff and domes represents the tapping of progressively deeper levels of a zoned magma chamber 95,000 ± 5,000 years ago. Since that time, the lavas that erupted 75,000, 60,000, and 30,000 years ago have become decreasingly peralkaline and progressively enriched only in Si, Rb, Cs, and possibly U. They represent successive eruption of the uppermost magma in the post-95,000-year magma chamber. Eruptive units of La Primavera are either aphyric or contain up to 15% phenocrysts of sodic sanidine ≧quartz >ferrohedenbergite >fayalite>ilmenite±titanomagnetite. Whereas major-element compositions of sanidine, clinopyroxene, and fayalite phenocrysts changed only slightly between eruptive groups, concentrations of many trace elements changed by factors of 5 to 10, resulting in crystal/glass partition coefficients that differ by factors of up to 20 between successively erupted units. The extreme variations in partitioning behavior are attributed to small changes in bulk composition of the melt because major-element compositions of the phenocrysts and temperature, pressure, and oxygen fugacity of the magma all remained essentially constant. Crystal settling and incremental partial melting by themselves appear incapable of producing either the chemical gradients within the Tala Tuff magma chamber or the trends with time in the post-caldera lavas. Transport of trace metals as volatile complexes within the thermal and gravitational gradient in volatilerich but water-undersaturated magma is considered the dominant process responsible for compositional zonation in the Tala Tuff. The evolution of the post-caldera lavas with time is thought to involve the diffusive emigration of trace elements from a relatively dry magma as a decreasing proportion of network modifiers and/or a decreasing concentration of complexing ligands progressively reduced trace-metal-site availability in the silicate melt.

Non-Parametric Blur Map Regression for Depth of Field Extension.

PubMed

D'Andres, Laurent; Salvador, Jordi; Kochale, Axel; Susstrunk, Sabine

2016-04-01

Real camera systems have a limited depth of field (DOF) which may cause an image to be degraded due to visible misfocus or too shallow DOF. In this paper, we present a blind deblurring pipeline able to restore such images by slightly extending their DOF and recovering sharpness in regions slightly out of focus. To address this severely ill-posed problem, our algorithm relies first on the estimation of the spatially varying defocus blur. Drawing on local frequency image features, a machine learning approach based on the recently introduced regression tree fields is used to train a model able to regress a coherent defocus blur map of the image, labeling each pixel by the scale of a defocus point spread function. A non-blind spatially varying deblurring algorithm is then used to properly extend the DOF of the image. The good performance of our algorithm is assessed both quantitatively, using realistic ground truth data obtained with a novel approach based on a plenoptic camera, and qualitatively with real images.

Combining Metabolic ¹⁵N Labeling with Improved Tandem MOAC for Enhanced Probing of the Phosphoproteome.

PubMed

Thomas, Martin; Huck, Nicola; Hoehenwarter, Wolfgang; Conrath, Uwe; Beckers, Gerold J M

2015-01-01

In eukaryotic cells many diverse cellular functions are regulated by reversible protein phosphorylation. In recent years, phosphoproteomics has become a powerful tool for studying protein phosphorylation because it enables unbiased localization, and site-specific quantification of in vivo phosphorylation of hundreds of proteins in a single experiment. A common strategy for identifying phosphoproteins and their phosphorylation sites from complex biological samples is the enrichment of phosphopeptides from digested cellular lysates followed by mass spectrometry. However, despite high sensitivity of modern mass spectrometers the large dynamic range of protein abundance and the transient nature of protein phosphorylation remained major pitfalls in MS-based phosphoproteomics. This is particularly true for plants in which the presence of secondary metabolites and endogenous compounds, the overabundance of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase and other components of the photosynthetic apparatus, and the concurrent difficulties in protein extraction necessitate two-step phosphoprotein/phosphopeptide enrichment strategies (Nakagami et al., Plant Cell Physiol 53:118-124, 2012).Approaches for label-free peptide quantification are advantageous due to their low cost and experimental simplicity, but they lack precision. These drawbacks can be overcome by metabolic labeling of whole plants with heavy nitrogen ((15)N) which allows combining two samples very early in the phosphoprotein enrichment workflow. This avoids sample-to-sample variation introduced by the analytical procedures and it results in robust relative quantification values that need no further standardization. The integration of (15)N metabolic labeling into tandem metal-oxide affinity chromatography (MOAC) (Hoehenwarter et al., Mol Cell Proteomics 12:369-380, 2013) presents an improved and highly selective approach for the identification and accurate site-specific quantification of low-abundance phosphoproteins that is based on the successive enrichment of light and heavy nitrogen-labeled phosphoproteins and peptides. This improved strategy combines metabolic labeling of whole plants with the stable heavy nitrogen isotope ((15)N), protein extraction under denaturing conditions, phosphoprotein enrichment using Al(OH)3-based MOAC, and tryptic digest of enriched phosphoproteins followed by TiO2-based MOAC of phosphopeptides and quantitative phosphopeptide measurement by liquid chromatography (LC) and high-resolution accurate mass (HR/AM) mass spectrometry (MS). Thus, tandem MOAC effectively targets the phosphate moiety of phosphoproteins and phosphopeptides and allows probing of the phosphoproteome to unprecedented depth, while (15)N metabolic labeling enables accurate relative quantification of measured peptides and direct comparison between samples.

A Heavy Protection.

PubMed

Derkenne, Clément; Lamblin, Antoine; Demaison, Xavier; Darléguy, Adrien

2015-12-01

The wearing of individual protective elements has revolutionized the typology of war wounds. The benefit/risk ratio is particularly satisfying, but several side effects with minor consequences are described, calling for further ergonomic development from manufacturers of these protective elements. This case report describes a meralgia paresthetica by compression of the lateral cutaneous thigh nerve because of the wearing of bulletproof vest. A symptomatic treatment was introduced, and 2 months after the apparition of the symptoms, the patient's condition has improved, with only a slight hypoesthesia remaining. Reprint & Copyright © 2015 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

From Eastern Europe to Western China; The Growing Role of Turkey in the World and it’s Implications for Western Interests

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

Growing trade with the Arab world, and the increased presence of Arab investment in Turkey, introduced a slightly more acceptable "Islamic orienta...to market economies with very limited economic in- centives for Turkey. Turkey has only limited abilities to invest and even less money available for...Russia. From the Russian side, too, the bugaboo of "Pan-Turkism," so long touted by a Soviet Union fearful of resurgent internal nationalisms, has now be

Seqestration of dissolved organic carbon in the deep sea

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

Daniel J. Repeta

2006-03-01

There are 600 GT of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) sequestered in seawater. The marine inventory of DOC is set by its concentration in the deep sea, which is nearly constant at 35+2µM C, irrespective of sample location or depth. Isotopic measurements show deep sea DOC to be depleted in radiocarbon, with an apparent radiocarbon age of between 4000ybp (Atlantic) and 6000ybp (Pacific). From the radiocarbon data, we can infer that deep sea DOC is inert and does not cycle on less than millennial time scales. However, high precision DOC measurements show deep sea concentrations are variable at the + 1-2µMmore » DOC level, suggesting a fraction of deep sea DOC, equivalent to 15-30Gt C, is cycling on short time scales, acting as a sink for new, atmospheric carbon. This project is designed to identify and quantify the biological and physical processes that sequester DOM in the deep sea by making compound specific radiocarbon measurements on sugars and proteins extracted from deep sea DOC. Our Hawaii surface seawater sample has a DIC Δ14C value of 72 + 7 ‰ and shows the influence of bomb radiocarbon on surface water DIC values. HMWDOC Δ14C is 10 ‰, significantly depleted in radiocarbon relative to DIC. Purification of HMWDOC by reverse phase HPLC yields seven neutral sugars with radiocarbon values of 47 – 67‰. Assuming the radiocarbon determinations of individual sugars in HMWDOC serve as replicates, then the average Δ14C for neutral sugars in HMWDOC is 57 + 6 ‰(1 SD, n=11), only slightly depleted in 14C relative to DIC. There has been a sharp decrease in radiocarbon values for DIC in the North Pacific Ocean over the past few decades. If neutral sugars cycle more slowly than DIC, we would expect them to have correspondingly higher radiocarbon values. Previous studies have modeled upper ocean DOC as a two component mixture of newly synthesized DOC with a radiocarbon value equal to DIC, and an old component with a radiocarbon value equal to deep sea DO14C. In order to measure the radiocarbon value of the old DOC component, we analyzed a molecularly uncharacterized carbon (MUC) fraction isolated from HMWDOC. Ten percent of HMWDOC is retained by the Biorex anion ion exchange resin, but eluted by NH4OH. This fraction has spectral characteristics nearly identical to deep sea HMWDOC (Fig. 2), and a Δ14C of–416‰. Our Δ14C value for MUC in surface water is within the range of values for HMWDOC isolated from 900-5200m at this site (-380 to –440‰), and significantly depleted relative to a sample of humic substances isolated at 10 m by adsorption onto XAD resin (-342‰; Druffel et al. (1992)). Separation of MUC from the more reactive, newly synthesized component of HMWDOC as represented by neutral sugars in surface seawater yields a MUC fraction with radiocarbon depletions similar to deep sea (> 1000-5720 m) DO14C (-501 to -536‰, Druffel et al., 1992). Our analyses therefore verify the existence of both a newly synthesized and old fraction of DOC in surface seawater with radiocarbon values equal to DIC and nearly equal to deep sea DOC. Neutral sugar concentrations decrease from 4-6 µM C or 13-21% of HMWDOC in surface samples, to 0.7µM C or 6% of HMWDOC at 600m. The carbohydrate fraction of HMWDOC can be introduced into the mesopelagic ocean through two fundamentally different mechanisms. A small fraction of the reactive carbohydrate synthesized in the euphotic zone may escape degradation and be mixed into the mesopelagic ocean by advection. These sugars will have a radiocarbon value equal to DIC at depth. Alternatively, sugars could be introduced from the dissolution of rapidly sinking large particles. Reactive DOC injected by sinking particles will have radiocarbon values similar to surface water DIC. To distinguish these two mechanisms, we compared radiocarbon values of DIC and neutral sugars in samples from 600m. DIC Δ14C and HMWDOC Δ14C values at 600m sample are –155 + 7 ‰ and –258‰ respectively, and are typical of values at this depth in the North Pacific Ocean. Neutral sugars at 600m have radiocarbon values between –108 and –133‰, and are enriched by up to 150 ‰ relative to HMWDOC. The average Δ14C value obtained by treating glucose, galactose, xylose and mannose as replicates is –123 + 10 ‰ (1SD, n=4), and is slightly enriched in radiocarbon relative to DIC. Our data suggest that some fraction of neutral sugars might be introduced by the dissolution of rapidly sinking particles. If we assume that neutral sugars at 600m are a simple mixture of new carbon with a Δ14C value equal to surface water DIΔ14C, and older carbon with a Δ14C value equal to DIΔ14C at depth, then 15% of the neutral sugars at 600m are introduced by large, rapidly sinking particles.« less

Chemical Composition Analysis, Sensory, and Feasibility Study of Tree Peony Seed.

PubMed

Mao, Yingyi; Han, Jigang; Tian, Fang; Tang, Xue; Hu, Yonghong; Guan, Yan

2017-02-01

Eight wild species in Sect. Moutan DC (tree peony) of the genus Paeonia grown in natural habitats and 1 cultivated specie were investigated to analyze their fatty acid and bioactive phenolic compound profiles. For fatty acid composition, P. ludlowii contained the lowest α-linolenic acid (27.68%) and P. jishanensis contained the highest (51.96 %) content of the 9 species. For phenolic compounds, P. qiui contained the highest resveratrol (2.12 mg/g), P. delavayi contained the highest β-gentiobiosylpaeoniflorin (26.23 mg/g), and P. ostii contained the highest paeoniflorin (23.66 mg/g). P. ostii was selected to perform a feasibility study because of its relatively high level of α-linolenic acid 46.53%, low in ω-6 to ω-3 ratio of 1:2, and high level of the preferred bioactive phenolic compounds l including paeoniflorin and resveratrol. Physical pressing and refining process were conducted to obtain P. ostii seed oil. It exhibited bland sensory attributes described as slight grassy, very slight nutty, no painty or fishy aroma and slight grassy, slight nutty flavor with a very slight throat catch. Tocol results reported high level in tree peony seed oil 223.5 ± 13.65 mg/100 g with γ-tocopherol 70.1 ± 2.14 mg/100 g, and γ-tocotrienol 149.6 ± 15.83 mg/g. Because of the high total tocol, γ-tocopherol and γ-tocotrienol levels, and tree peony seed oil exhibited better oxidation stability than flaxseed oil even with similar α-linolenic acid levels. In addition, high levels of γ-tocopherol and γ-tocotrienol can introduce therapeutic effects such as antiinflammation and antioxidation. Therefore, this study showed that tree peony seed oil has a great potential to be used in edible oil, nutraceutical supplement, and other health care products. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

LDV measurement of small nonlinearities in flat and curved membranes. A model for eardrum nonlinear acoustic behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilian, Gladiné; Pieter, Muyshondt; Joris, Dirckx

2016-06-01

Laser Doppler Vibrometry is an intrinsic highly linear measurement technique which makes it a great tool to measure extremely small nonlinearities in the vibration response of a system. Although the measurement technique is highly linear, other components in the experimental setup may introduce nonlinearities. An important source of artificially introduced nonlinearities is the speaker, which generates the stimulus. In this work, two correction methods to remove the effects of stimulus nonlinearity are investigated. Both correction methods were found to give similar results but have different pros and cons. The aim of this work is to investigate the importance of the conical shape of the eardrum as a source of nonlinearity in hearing. We present measurements on flat and indented membranes. The data shows that the curved membrane exhibit slightly higher levels of nonlinearity compared to the flat membrane.

Intramolecular Tsuji-Trost-type Allylation of Carboxylic Acids: Asymmetric Synthesis of Highly π-Allyl Donative Lactones.

PubMed

Suzuki, Yusuke; Seki, Tomoaki; Tanaka, Shinji; Kitamura, Masato

2015-08-05

Tsuji-Trost-type asymmetric allylation of carboxylic acids has been realized by using a cationic CpRu complex with an axially chiral picolinic acid-type ligand (Cl-Naph-PyCOOH: naph = naphthyl, py = pyridine). The carboxylic acid and allylic alcohol intramolecularly condense by the liberation of water without stoichiometric activation of either nucleophile or electrophile part, thereby attaining high atom- and step-economy, and low E factor. This success can be ascribed to the higher reactivity of allylic alcohols as compared with the allyl ester products in soft Ru/hard Brønstead acid combined catalysis, which can function under slightly acidic conditions unlike the traditional Pd-catalyzed system. Detailed analysis of the stereochemical outcome of the reaction using an enantiomerically enriched D-labeled substrate provides an intriguing view of enantioselection.

Interfacial layers in high-temperature-oxidized NiCrAl

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larson, L. A.; Browning, R.; Poppa, H.; Smialek, J.

1983-01-01

The utility of Auger electron spectroscopy combined with ball cratering for depth analysis of oxide and diffusion layers produced in a Ni-14Cr-24Al alloy by oxidation in air at 1180 C for 25 hr is demonstrated. During postoxidation cooling, the oxide layers formed by this alloy spalled profusely. The remaining very thin oxide was primarily Cr2O3 with a trace of Ni. The underlying metal substrate exhibited gamma/gamma-prime and beta phases with a metallic interfacial layer which was similar to the bulk gamma/gamma-prime phase but slightly enriched in Cr and Al. These data are compared to electron microprobe results from a nominally identical alloy. The diffusion layer thickness is modelled with a simple mass balance equation and compared to recent results on the diffusion process in NiCrAl alloys.

 De novo isolation of antibodies with pH-dependent binding properties.

PubMed

Bonvin, Pauline; Venet, Sophie; Fontaine, Gaëlle; Ravn, Ulla; Gueneau, Franck; Kosco-Vilbois, Marie; Proudfoot, Amanda Ei; Fischer, Nicolas

2015-01-01

pH-dependent antibodies are engineered to release their target at a slightly acidic pH, a property making them suitable for clinical as well as biotechnological applications. Such antibodies were previously obtained by histidine scanning of pre-existing antibodies, a labor-intensive strategy resulting in antibodies that displayed residual binding to their target at pH 6.0. We report here the de novo isolation of pH-dependent antibodies selected by phage display from libraries enriched in histidines. Strongly pH-dependent clones with various affinity profiles against CXCL10 were isolated by this method. Our best candidate has nanomolar affinity for CXCL10 at pH 7.2, but no residual binding was detected at pH 6.0. We therefore propose that this new process is an efficient strategy to generate pH-dependent antibodies.

Neonicotinoid Insecticides Alter the Gene Expression Profile of Neuron-Enriched Cultures from Neonatal Rat Cerebellum

PubMed Central

Kimura-Kuroda, Junko; Nishito, Yasumasa; Yanagisawa, Hiroko; Kuroda, Yoichiro; Komuta, Yukari; Kawano, Hitoshi; Hayashi, Masaharu

2016-01-01

Neonicotinoids are considered safe because of their low affinities to mammalian nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) relative to insect nAChRs. However, because of importance of nAChRs in mammalian brain development, there remains a need to establish the safety of chronic neonicotinoid exposures with regards to children’s health. Here we examined the effects of long-term (14 days) and low dose (1 μM) exposure of neuron-enriched cultures from neonatal rat cerebellum to nicotine and two neonicotinoids: acetamiprid and imidacloprid. Immunocytochemistry revealed no differences in the number or morphology of immature neurons or glial cells in any group versus untreated control cultures. However, a slight disturbance in Purkinje cell dendritic arborization was observed in the exposed cultures. Next we performed transcriptome analysis on total RNAs using microarrays, and identified significant differential expression (p < 0.05, q < 0.05, ≥1.5 fold) between control cultures versus nicotine-, acetamiprid-, or imidacloprid-exposed cultures in 34, 48, and 67 genes, respectively. Common to all exposed groups were nine genes essential for neurodevelopment, suggesting that chronic neonicotinoid exposure alters the transcriptome of the developing mammalian brain in a similar way to nicotine exposure. Our results highlight the need for further careful investigations into the effects of neonicotinoids in the developing mammalian brain. PMID:27782041

Carbon isotope fractionation by sulfate-reducing bacteria using different pathways for the oxidation of acetate.

PubMed

Goevert, Dennis; Conrad, Ralf

2008-11-01

Acetate is a key intermediate in the anaerobic degradation of organic matter. In anoxic environments, available acetate is a competitive substrate for sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and methane-producing archaea. Little is known about the fractionation of carbon isotopes by sulfate reducers. Therefore, we determined carbon isotope compositions in cultures of three acetate-utilizing SRB, Desulfobacter postgatei, Desulfobacter hydrogenophilus, and Desulfobacca acetoxidans. We found that these species showed strong differences in their isotope enrichment factors (epsilon) of acetate. During the consumption of acetate and sulfate, acetate was enriched in 13C by 19.3% per hundred in Desulfobacca acetoxidans. By contrast, both D. postgatei and D. hydrogenophilus showed a slight depletion of 13C resulting in epsilon(ac)-values of 1.8 and 1.5% per hundred, respectively. We suggest that the different isotope fractionation is due to the different metabolic pathways for acetate oxidation. The strongly fractionating Desulfobacca acetoxidans uses the acetyl-CoA/carbon monoxide dehydrogenase pathway, which is also used by acetoclastic methanogens that show a similar fractionation of acetate (epsilon(ac) = -21 to -27% per hundred). In contrast, Desulfobacter spp. oxidize acetate to CO2 via the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and apparently did not discriminate against 13C. Our results suggestthat carbon isotope fractionation in environments with sulfate reduction will strongly depend on the composition of the sulfate-reducing bacterial community oxidizing acetate.

In vitro induction of lymphocyte responsiveness by a Strongylus vulgaris-derived mitogen.

PubMed

Bailey, M; Lloyd, S; Martin, S C; Soulsby, E J

1984-01-01

Proliferation in vitro of peripheral blood lymphocytes both from horses infected with Strongylus vulgaris and from helminth-free ponies was observed in the presence of extracts of the fourth and fifth stage larvae and adults of S. vulgaris. In addition, S. vulgaris extracts induced transformation in cultures of peripheral blood lymphocytes from sheep and dogs and in mouse spleen cell cultures. Nylon wool non-adherent, T cell enriched fractions of lymphocytes from both mice and horses were stimulated by the S. vulgaris larval mitogen while no proliferation was observed in cultures containing nylon wool adherent, B cell enriched fractions. Macrophage co-operation appeared not to be necessary for S. vulgaris mitogen-induced transformation of spleen cells. The S. vulgaris mitogen stimulated a subpopulation of mouse spleen cells different from those responsive to PHA, Con A and LPS. These cells might be T helper cells since B cells were stimulated to proliferate in the presence of both T cells and S. vulgaris larval mitogen. In addition, the supernatant of in vitro cultured larvae of S. vulgaris induced slight, but significant transformation of equine peripheral blood lymphocytes. Therefore, it is possible that the S. vulgaris mitogen released by both viable parasites and degenerating larvae might induce T cell dependent production of immunoglobulin in vivo and account for the beta-globulinaemia, of which IgG(T) is a major component, in S vulgaris infected horses.

Intestinal immune system of young rats influenced by cocoa-enriched diet.

PubMed

Ramiro-Puig, Emma; Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; Ramos-Romero, Sara; Pérez-Berezo, Teresa; Castellote, Cristina; Permanyer, Joan; Franch, Angels; Izquierdo-Pulido, Maria; Castell, Margarida

2008-08-01

Gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) maintains mucosal homeostasis by counteracting pathogens and inducing a state of nonresponsiveness when it receives signals from food antigens and commensal bacteria. We report for the first time the influence of continuous cocoa consumption on GALT function in rats postweaning. Weaned Wistar rats were fed cocoa-enriched diets (4% or 10% food intake) for 3 weeks. The function of the primary inductive sites of GALT, such as Peyer's patches (PP) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), was evaluated through an analysis of IgA-secretory ability and lymphocyte composition (T, B and natural killer cells), activation (IL-2 secretion and IL-2 receptor alpha expression) and proliferation. T-helper effector cell balance was also established based on cytokine profile (interferon gamma, IL-4 and IL-10) after mitogen activation. A 10% cocoa intake induced significant changes in PP and MLN lymphocyte composition and function, whereas a 4% cocoa diet did not cause significant modifications in either tissues. Cocoa diet strongly reduced secretory IgA (S-IgA) in the intestinal lumen, although IgA's secretory ability was only slightly decreased in PP. In addition, the 10% cocoa diet increased T-cell-antigen receptor gammadelta cell proportion in both lymphoid tissues. Thus, cocoa intake modulates intestinal immune responses in young rats, influencing gammadelta T-cells and S-IgA production.

THE HIGH-RESOLUTION INFRARED SPECTRUM OF O$sup 18$-ENRICHED CO$sub 2$

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

Berney, C.V.

1962-01-01

The infrared spectrum of a sample of CO/sub 2/ enriched to about 10 at.% with O/sup 18/ was examined in the region of 5400 to 1620 cm/sup -1/, using an Ebert grating spectrometer with spectral slit widths ranging from 0.4 to 0.2 cm/ sup -1/. Various bands of O/sup 18/-substituted species of CO/sub 2/ were observed, including several which were not previously reported under comparable resolution. These are given, together with the observed band centers in cm/sup - 1/. The data are compared with values calculated from vibrational constants given by Courtoy (Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles 73: No. I, 1959).more » Band centers for the unsymmetrical species were found to be consistently higher than calculated, by 0.2 to 1.3 cm/sup -1/. The anomalously large Fermi resonance constant (52.5 cm/sup -1/) found by Courtoy for C/sup 12/O/sup 16/O/sup 18/ was confirmed, an d the C/sup 12/O/sup 18/ bands observed indicated that it is even higher (around 53.7 cm/sup -1/) for the doubly-substituted species. Rotational data for C/sup 12/O/sup 16/O/sup 18/ indicated that alpha /sup 3/ is abo ut 287 x 10/sup -5/ cm/ sup -1/, slightly smaller than the value suggested by Courtoy. (Dissertation Abstr.)« less

Novel Accident-Tolerant Fuel Meat and Cladding

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

Robert D. Mariani; Pavel G Medvedev; Douglas L Porter

A novel accident-tolerant fuel meat and cladding are here proposed. The fuel meat design incorporates annular fuel with inserts and discs that are fabricated from a material having high thermal conductivity, for example niobium. The inserts are rods or tubes. Discs separate the fuel pellets. Using the BISON fuel performance code it was found that the peak fuel temperature can be lowered by more than 600 degrees C for one set of conditions with niobium metal as the thermal conductor. In addition to improved safety margin, several advantages are expected from the lower temperature such as decreased fission gas releasemore » and fuel cracking. Advantages and disadvantages are discussed. An enrichment of only 7.5% fully compensates the lost reactivity of the displaced UO2. Slightly higher enrichments, such as 9%, allow uprates and increased burnups to offset the initial costs for retooling. The design has applications for fast reactors and transuranic burning, which may accelerate its development. A zirconium silicide coating is also described for accident tolerant applications. A self-limiting degradation behavior for this coating is expected to produce a glassy, self-healing layer that becomes more protective at elevated temperature, with some similarities to MoSi2 and other silicides. Both the fuel and coating may benefit from the existing technology infrastructure and the associated wide expertise for a more rapid development in comparison to other, more novel fuels and cladding.« less

A 50-year record of platinum, iridium, and rhodium in Antarctic snow: volcanic and anthropogenic sources.

PubMed

Soyol-Erdene, Tseren-Ochir; Huh, Youngsook; Hong, Sungmin; Hur, Soon Do

2011-07-15

Antarctic snow preserves an atmospheric archive that enables the study of global atmospheric changes and anthropogenic disturbances from the past. We report atmospheric deposition rates of platinum group elements (PGEs) in Antarctica during the last ∼ 50 years based on determinations of Pt, Ir, and Rh in snow samples collected from Queen Maud Land, East Antarctica to evaluate changes in the global atmospheric budget of these noble metals. The 50-year average PGE concentrations in Antarctic snow were 17 fg g(-1) (4.7-76 fg g(-1)) for Pt, 0.12 fg g(-1) (<0.05-0.34 fg g(-1)) for Ir, and 0.71 fg g(-1) (0.12-8.8 fg g(-1)) for Rh. The concentration peaks for Pt, Ir, and Rh were observed at depths corresponding to volcanic eruption periods, indicating that PGEs can be used as a good tracer of volcanic activity in the past. A significant increase in concentrations and crustal enrichment factors for Pt and a slight enhancement in enrichment factors for Rh were observed after the 1980s. This suggests that there has been large-scale atmospheric pollution for Pt and probably for Rh since the 1980s, which may be attributed to the increasing emissions of these metals from anthropogenic sources such as automobile catalysts and metal production processes.

Composition and origin of basaltic magma of the Hawaiian Islands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Powers, H.A.

1955-01-01

Silica-saturated basaltic magma is the source of the voluminous lava flows, erupted frequently and rapidly in the primitive shield-building stage of activity, that form the bulk of each Hawaiian volcano. This magma may be available in batches that differ slightly in free silica content from batch to batch both at the same and at different volcanoes; differentiation by fractionation of olivine does not occur within this primitive magma. Silica-deficient basaltic magma, enriched in alkali, is the source of commonly porphyritic lava flows erupted less frequently and in relatively negligible volume during a declining and decadent stage of activity at some Hawaiian volcanoes. Differentiation by fractionation of olivine, plagioclase and augite is evident among these lavas, but does not account for the silica deficiency or the alkali enrichment. Most of the data of Hawaiian volcanism and petrology can be explained by a hypothesis that batches of magma are melted from crystalline paridotite by a recurrent process (distortion of the equatorial bulge by forced and free nutational stresses) that accomplishes the melting only of the plagioclase and pyroxene component but not the excess olivine and more refractory components within a zone of fixed and limited depth. Eruption exhausts the supply of meltable magma under a given locality and, in the absence of more violent melting processes, leaves a stratum of crystalline refractory components. ?? 1955.

Stream-sediment geochemistry in mining-impacted streams: Prichard, Eagle, and Beaver creeks, northern Coeur d'Alene Mining District, northern Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Box, Stephen E.; Wallis, John C.; Briggs, Paul H.; Brown, Zoe Ann

2005-01-01

This report presents the results of one aspect of an integrated watershed-characterization study that was undertaken to assess the impacts of historical mining and milling of silver-lead-zinc ores on water and sediment composition and on aquatic biota in streams draining the northern part of the Coeur d?Alene Mining District in northern Idaho. We present the results of chemical analyses of 62 samples of streambed sediment, 19 samples of suspended sediment, 23 samples of streambank soil, and 29 samples of mine- and mill-related artificial- fill material collected from the drainages of Prichard, Eagle, and Beaver Creeks, all tributaries to the North Fork of the Coeur d?Alene River. All samples were sieved into three grain-size fractions (<0.063, 0.063?0.25, and 0.25?1.0 mm) and analyzed for 40 elements after four-acid digestion by inductively coupled plasma atomic-emission spectrometry and for mercury by continuous- flow cold-vapor atomic-absorption spectrometry in the U.S. Geological Survey laboratory in Denver, Colo. Historical mining of silver-lead-zinc ores in the headwater reaches of the Prichard Creek, Eagle Creek, and Beaver Creek drainages has resulted in enrichments of lead, zinc, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, silver, copper, cobalt, and, to a lesser extent, iron and manganese in streambed sediment. Using samples collected from the relatively unimpacted West Fork of Eagle Creek as representative of background compositions, streambed sediment in the vicinity of the mines and millsites has Pb and Zn contents of 20 to 100 times background values, decreasing to 2 to 5 times background values at the mouth of the each stream, 15 to 20 km downstream. Lesser enrichments (<10 times background values) of mercury and arsenic also are generally associated with, and decrease downstream from, historical silver-lead-zinc mining in the drainages. However, enrichments of arsenic and, to a lesser extent, mercury also are areally associated with the lode gold deposits along Prichard Creek near Murray, which were not studied here. Metal contents in samples of unfractionated suspended sediment collected during a high-flow event in April 2000 are generally similar to, but slightly higher than, those in the fine (<0.063- mm grain size) fraction of streambed sediment from the same sampling site. Although metal enrichment in streambed sediment typically begins adjacent to the mine portals and their associated mine-waste rock dumps, volumetrically larger inputs of metal-enriched materials were contributed by the ore-concentration millsites and their associated, more finely ground, more metal rich mill-tailings impoundments.

Mantle-derived trace element variability in olivines and their melt inclusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neave, David A.; Shorttle, Oliver; Oeser, Martin; Weyer, Stefan; Kobayashi, Katsura

2018-02-01

Trace element variability in oceanic basalts is commonly used to constrain the physics of mantle melting and the chemistry of Earth's deep interior. However, the geochemical properties of mantle melts are often overprinted by mixing and crystallisation processes during ascent and storage. Studying primitive melt inclusions offers one solution to this problem, but the fidelity of the melt-inclusion archive to bulk magma chemistry has been repeatedly questioned. To provide a novel check of the melt inclusion record, we present new major and trace element analyses from olivine macrocrysts in the products of two geographically proximal, yet compositionally distinct, primitive eruptions from the Reykjanes Peninsula of Iceland. By combining these macrocryst analyses with new and published melt inclusion analyses we demonstrate that olivines have similar patterns of incompatible trace element (ITE) variability to the inclusions they host, capturing chemical systematics on intra- and inter-eruption scales. ITE variability (element concentrations, ratios, variances and variance ratios) in olivines from the ITE-enriched Stapafell eruption is best accounted for by olivine-dominated fractional crystallisation. In contrast, ITE variability in olivines and inclusions from the ITE-depleted Háleyjabunga eruption cannot be explained by crystallisation alone, and must have originated in the mantle. Compatible trace element (CTE) variability is best described by crystallisation processes in both eruptions. Modest correlations between host and inclusion ITE contents in samples from Háleyjabunga suggest that melt inclusions can be faithful archives of melting and magmatic processes. It also indicates that degrees of ITE enrichment can be estimated from olivines directly when melt inclusion and matrix glass records of geochemical variability are poor or absent. Inter-eruption differences in olivine ITE systematics between Stapafell and Háleyjabunga mirror differences in melt inclusion suites, and confirm that the Stapafell eruption was fed by lower degree melts from greater depths within the melting region than the Háleyjabunga eruption. Although olivine macrocrysts from Stapafell are slightly richer in Ni than those from Háleyjabunga, their overall CTE systematics (e.g., Ni/(Mg/Fe), Fe/Mn and Zn/Fe) are inconsistent with being derived from olivine-free pyroxenites. However, the major element systematics of Icelandic basalts require lithological heterogeneity in their mantle source in the form of Fe-rich and hence fusible domains. We thus conclude that enriched heterogeneities in the Icelandic mantle are composed of modally enriched, yet nonetheless olivine-bearing, lithologies and that olivine CTE contents provide an incomplete record of lithological heterogeneity in the mantle. Modally enriched peridotites may therefore play a more important role in oceanic magma genesis than previously inferred.

Inferring the Behavior, Concentration and Flux of CO2 from the Suboceanic Mantle from Undegassed Ocean Ridge and Ocean Island Basalts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michael, P. J.; Graham, D. W.

2015-12-01

We determined glass and vesicle CO2 contents, plus trace element contents for fifty-one ultradepleted mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) glasses distributed globally. Sixteen had no vesicles and were volatile undersaturated. Thirty-five had vesicles and were slightly oversaturated. If this latter group lost bubbles during emplacement, then CO2/Ba calculated for the undersaturated group alone is the most reliable and uniform ratio at 98±10, and CO2/Nb is 283±32. If they did not lose bubbles, then CO2/Nb is the most uniform ratio for the entire suite of ultradepleted MORBs at 291±132, while CO2/Ba decreases with incompatible element enrichment. For a wider range of compositions, we used published estimates of CO2 in enriched basalts that retained vesicles e.g., "popping rocks", and from melt inclusions in normal MORBs. As incompatible element enrichment increases, CO2/Nb increases from 283±32 in ultradepleted MORBs to 603±69 in depleted melt inclusions to 936±132 in enriched basalts. In contrast, CO2/Ba is nearly constant at 98±10, 106±24 and 111±11 respectively. This suggests that Ba is the best proxy for estimating CO2 contents of MORBs, with an overall average CO2/Ba = 105±9. Atlantic, Pacific and Indian basalts have similar values. Gakkel ridge has anomalously high Ba and low CO2/Ba. Using the CO2/Ba ratio and an average MORB composition, the CO2 concentration of a primary, average MORB is 2085+473/-427 ppm while primary NMORB has 1840ppm CO2. The annual flux of CO2 from mid-ocean ridges is 1.25±0.16 x 1014 g/yr (0.93 - 1.61 x 1014 g/yr is possible): higher than published estimates that use CO2/3He in MORB and the abyssal ocean 3He flux. This may be accounted for by a CO2/3He ratio that is higher than the commonly accepted MORB ratio of 2x109 due to leverage by more enriched basalts. NMORB mantle has 183 ppm CO2 based on simple melting models. More realistic estimates of depleted mantle composition yield lower estimates of ~60-130ppm, with large uncertainties that depend more on melting models than on CO2/Ba. CO2/Ba is not correlated with isotopic or trace element ratios.

Smart polyelectrolyte microcapsules as carriers for water-soluble small molecular drug.

PubMed

Song, Weixing; He, Qiang; Möhwald, Helmuth; Yang, Yang; Li, Junbai

2009-10-15

Heat treatment is introduced as a simple method for the encapsulation of low molecular weight water-soluble drugs within layer-by-layer assembled microcapsules. A water-soluble drug, procainamide hydrochloride, could thus be encapsulated in large amount and enriched by more than 2 orders of magnitude in the assembled PDADMAC/PSS capsules. The shrunk capsules could control the unloading rate of drugs, and the drugs could be easily unloaded using ultrasonic treatment. The encapsulated amount could be quantitatively controlled via the drug concentration in the bulk. We also found that smaller capsules possess higher encapsulation capability.

Seamless Genome Editing in Rice via Gene Targeting and Precise Marker Elimination.

PubMed

Nishizawa-Yokoi, Ayako; Saika, Hiroaki; Toki, Seiichi

2016-01-01

Positive-negative selection using hygromycin phosphotransferase (hpt) and diphtheria toxin A-fragment (DT-A) as positive and negative selection markers, respectively, allows enrichment of cells harboring target genes modified via gene targeting (GT). We have developed a successful GT system employing positive-negative selection and subsequent precise marker excision via the piggyBac transposon derived from the cabbage looper moth to introduce desired modifications into target genes in the rice genome. This approach could be applied to the precision genome editing of almost all endogenous genes throughout the genome, at least in rice.

Graded Alternating-Time Temporal Logic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faella, Marco; Napoli, Margherita; Parente, Mimmo

Graded modalities enrich the universal and existential quantifiers with the capability to express the concept of at least k or all but k, for a non-negative integer k. Recently, temporal logics such as μ-calculus and Computational Tree Logic, Ctl, augmented with graded modalities have received attention from the scientific community, both from a theoretical side and from an applicative perspective. Both μ-calculus and Ctl naturally apply as specification languages for closed systems: in this paper, we add graded modalities to the Alternating-time Temporal Logic (Atl) introduced by Alur et al., to study how these modalities may affect specification languages for open systems.

Impact of Climate Variability on the Hydrogeochemistry of Ecologically Important Prairie Wetlands and Lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldhaber, M. B.; Mills, C. T.; Mushet, D. M.; Stricker, C. A.; Rover, J.

2015-12-01

The Prairie Pothole region encompasses 715,000 km2 of the north central US and south central Canada and contains millions of small wetlands and lakes. It sustains large populations of shore birds and migratory waterfowl. PPR ecology is influenced by wetland geochemistry, which can range dramatically over short distances (≤ 200m) from dilute Ca2+-HCO3- to saline Na+-Mg2+-SO42- compositions. These compositional differences result, in part, from long-term critical zone processes in upland areas coupled to groundwater inflow, but they are also influenced by climate. Climate impacts on the geochemistry of 167 wetlands/lakes from a 9700 km2 area of North Dakota (USA) were studied. The chemical composition of these wetlands was determined in the early 1970's during slightly dry climatic conditions and again in 2012-2013, a period of exceptional precipitation. Dilution dominated wetland geochemical trends. Concentrations of Cl-, Na+, K+, and Mg2+ generally decreased in 2012-2013 compared to earlier data. In contrast Ca2+ increased, and SO42- change was variable. The processes driving these modifications were evaluated using inverse (mass balance based) geochemical modeling. The decrease in the largely inert ion, Na+ by rainwater addition was used to approximate the net dilution factor of the wetlands which ranged to >9. This volume increase was associated with large expansions of wetland area determined from time-series Landsat data. Introducing dissolution of authigenic CaCO3, a known constituent of wetland sediments, matched the observed Ca2+ increase. Addition of SO42--enriched groundwater (composition determined from well analyses) was required to model wetlands with increased SO42-. Those wetlands with increased SO42- had more negative δ34SSO4 values, a result consistent with a previously established isotopically light marine pyrite source for groundwater SO42-. Understanding the evolution of wetland chemistry may aid in assessing future climatic impacts to the PPR.

Contaminations, Sources, and Health Risks of Trace Metal(loid)s in Street Dust of a Small City Impacted by Artisanal Zn Smelting Activities

PubMed Central

Wu, Tingting; Bi, Xiangyang; Sun, Guangyi; Feng, Xinbin; Shang, Lihai; Zhang, Hua; He, Tianrong; Chen, Ji

2017-01-01

To investigate the impact of artisanal zinc smelting activities (AZSA) on the distribution and enrichment of trace metal(loid)s in street dust of a small city in Guizhou province, SW China, street dust samples were collected and analyzed for 10 trace metal(loid)s (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, Pb, and Hg). Meanwhile, the health risks of local resident exposed to street dust were assessed. The result showed that the average concentrations of 10 elements were Zn (1039 mg kg−1), Pb (423 mg kg−1), Cr (119 mg kg−1), Cu (99 mg kg−1), As (55 mg kg−1), Ni (39 mg kg−1), Co (18 mg kg−1), Sb (7.6 mg kg−1), Cd (2.6 mg kg−1), and Hg (0.22 mg kg−1). Except Ni, Co, and Cr, other elements in street dust were obviously elevated compared to the provincial soil background. Pb, Zn, Cd, Sb, and Cu were at heavy to moderate contamination status, especially Pb and Zn, with maximums of 1723 and 708 mg kg−1, respectively; As and Hg were slightly contaminated; while Cr, Ni, and Co were at un-contaminated levels. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed AZSA contributed to the increase of Pb, Zn, Cd, Sb, As, and Hg, while, natural sources introduced Ni, Co, Cr, and Cu. The health risk assessment disclosed that children had higher non-carcinogenic risk than those found in adults, and As has hazardous index (HI) higher than 1 both for children and adults, while Pb and Cr only had HIs higher than 1 for children, other elements were relatively safe. For carcinogenic risks, the major concern was As, then a lesser concern for Cr. The study showed that although the scale of AZSA was small, the contamination of heavy metal(loid)s in street dust and associated health risks were severe. PMID:28841170

The Terminator mouse is a diphtheria toxin-receptor knock-in mouse strain for rapid and efficient enrichment of desired cell lineages.

PubMed

Guo, Jian-Kan; Shi, Hongmei; Koraishy, Farrukh; Marlier, Arnaud; Ding, Zhaowei; Shan, Alan; Cantley, Lloyd G

2013-11-01

Biomedical research often requires primary cultures of specific cell types, which are challenging to obtain at high purity in a reproducible manner. Here we engineered the murine Rosa26 locus by introducing the diphtheria toxin receptor flanked by loxP sites. The resultant strain was nicknamed the Terminator mouse. This approach results in diphtheria toxin-receptor expression in all non-Cre expressing cell types, making these cells susceptible to diphtheria toxin exposure. In primary cultures of kidney cells derived from the Terminator mouse, over 99.99% of cells were dead within 72 h of diphtheria toxin treatment. After crossing the Terminator with the podocin-Cre (podocyte specific) mouse or the Ggt-Cre (proximal tubule specific) mouse, diphtheria toxin treatment killed non-Cre expressing cells but spared podocytes and proximal tubule cells, respectively, enriching the primary cultures to over 99% purity, based on both western blotting and immunostaining of marker proteins. Thus, the Terminator mouse can be a useful tool to selectively and reproducibly obtain even low-abundant cell types at high quantity and purity.

Soymilk enriched with green coffee phenolics - Antioxidant and nutritional properties in the light of phenolics-food matrix interactions.

PubMed

Sęczyk, Łukasz; Świeca, Michał; Gawlik-Dziki, Urszula

2017-05-15

This study investigated the effect of soymilk fortification with green coffee extract (GCE) on phenolic contents, antioxidant capacity, relative in vitro digestibility of proteins and starch, and consumer acceptance. Special attention was paid to the effect of phenolics-food matrix interactions on fortification efficiency. Soymilk was enriched with GCE extracts containing 0.025-1mg of phenolics per 1mL-samples M1-M6. Compared to control, an increase in phenolic contents of up to 70% (M6) was observed for potentially bioaccessible fractions (AD). The antiradical activity and reducing power were also about 1.9 and 10.1 times higher, respectively. However, the determined phenolic and antioxidant activities differed from those predicted. Fortification improved the digestibility of nutrients when higher doses of GCE was introduced (M4-M6). The addition of GCE at an adequate dose allowed the production of a beverage with elevated hedonic properties. In conclusion, fortification was a successful in improving the pro-health status of soymilk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Network diffusion-based analysis of high-throughput data for the detection of differentially enriched modules

PubMed Central

Bersanelli, Matteo; Mosca, Ettore; Remondini, Daniel; Castellani, Gastone; Milanesi, Luciano

2016-01-01

A relation exists between network proximity of molecular entities in interaction networks, functional similarity and association with diseases. The identification of network regions associated with biological functions and pathologies is a major goal in systems biology. We describe a network diffusion-based pipeline for the interpretation of different types of omics in the context of molecular interaction networks. We introduce the network smoothing index, a network-based quantity that allows to jointly quantify the amount of omics information in genes and in their network neighbourhood, using network diffusion to define network proximity. The approach is applicable to both descriptive and inferential statistics calculated on omics data. We also show that network resampling, applied to gene lists ranked by quantities derived from the network smoothing index, indicates the presence of significantly connected genes. As a proof of principle, we identified gene modules enriched in somatic mutations and transcriptional variations observed in samples of prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD). In line with the local hypothesis, network smoothing index and network resampling underlined the existence of a connected component of genes harbouring molecular alterations in PRAD. PMID:27731320

Semantic Enrichment of Movement Behavior with Foursquare--A Visual Analytics Approach.

PubMed

Krueger, Robert; Thom, Dennis; Ertl, Thomas

2015-08-01

In recent years, many approaches have been developed that efficiently and effectively visualize movement data, e.g., by providing suitable aggregation strategies to reduce visual clutter. Analysts can use them to identify distinct movement patterns, such as trajectories with similar direction, form, length, and speed. However, less effort has been spent on finding the semantics behind movements, i.e. why somebody or something is moving. This can be of great value for different applications, such as product usage and consumer analysis, to better understand urban dynamics, and to improve situational awareness. Unfortunately, semantic information often gets lost when data is recorded. Thus, we suggest to enrich trajectory data with POI information using social media services and show how semantic insights can be gained. Furthermore, we show how to handle semantic uncertainties in time and space, which result from noisy, unprecise, and missing data, by introducing a POI decision model in combination with highly interactive visualizations. Finally, we evaluate our approach with two case studies on a large electric scooter data set and test our model on data with known ground truth.

Saturation analysis of ChIP-seq data for reproducible identification of binding peaks

PubMed Central

Hansen, Peter; Hecht, Jochen; Ibrahim, Daniel M.; Krannich, Alexander; Truss, Matthias; Robinson, Peter N.

2015-01-01

Chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with next-generation sequencing (ChIP-seq) is a powerful technology to identify the genome-wide locations of transcription factors and other DNA binding proteins. Computational ChIP-seq peak calling infers the location of protein–DNA interactions based on various measures of enrichment of sequence reads. In this work, we introduce an algorithm, Q, that uses an assessment of the quadratic enrichment of reads to center candidate peaks followed by statistical analysis of saturation of candidate peaks by 5′ ends of reads. We show that our method not only is substantially faster than several competing methods but also demonstrates statistically significant advantages with respect to reproducibility of results and in its ability to identify peaks with reproducible binding site motifs. We show that Q has superior performance in the delineation of double RNAPII and H3K4me3 peaks surrounding transcription start sites related to a better ability to resolve individual peaks. The method is implemented in C+l+ and is freely available under an open source license. PMID:26163319

Current perspectives of bio-ceramic technology in endodontics: calcium enriched mixture cement - review of its composition, properties and applications

PubMed Central

Nawal, Ruchika Roongta; Talwar, Sangeeta; Verma, Mahesh

2015-01-01

Advancements in bio-ceramic technology has revolutionised endodontic material science by enhancing the treatment outcome for patients. This class of dental materials conciliates excellent biocompatibility with high osseoconductivity that render them ideal for endodontic care. Few recently introduced bio-ceramic materials have shown considerable clinical success over their early generations in terms of good handling characteristics. Calcium enriched mixture (CEM) cement, Endosequence sealer, and root repair materials, Biodentine and BioAggregate are the new classes of bio-ceramic materials. The aim of this literature review is to present investigations regarding properties and applications of CEM cement in endodontics. A review of the existing literature was performed by using electronic and hand searching methods for CEM cement from January 2006 to December 2013. CEM cement has a different chemical composition from that of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) but has similar clinical applications. It combines the biocompatibility of MTA with more efficient characteristics, such as significantly shorter setting time, good handling characteristics, no staining of tooth and effective seal against bacterial leakage. PMID:25671207

Environmental enrichment and abstinence attenuate ketamine-induced cardiac and renal toxicity

PubMed Central

Li, Xingxing; Li, Shuangyan; Zheng, Wenhui; Pan, Jian; Huang, Kunyu; Chen, Rong; Pan, Tonghe; Liao, Guorong; Chen, Zhongming; Zhou, Dongsheng; Shen, Wenwen; Zhou, Wenhua; Liu, Yu

2015-01-01

The current study was designed to investigate the effect of abstinence in combination with environmental enrichment (EE) on cardiac and renal toxicity induced by 2 weeks of ketamine self-administration (SA) in rodents. In Experiment 1, one group of rats underwent ketamine SA for 14 days. In Experiment 2, the animals completed 2 weeks of ketamine SA followed by 2 and 4 weeks of abstinence. In Experiment 3, animals underwent 14 days of ketamine SA and 4 weeks of abstinence in which isolated environment (IE) and EE was introduced. The corresponding control groups were included for each experiment. Two weeks of ketamine SA caused significant increases in organ weight, Apoptosis Stimulating Fragment/Kidney Injury Molecule-1, and apoptotic level of heart and kidney. The extended length of withdrawal from ketamine SA partially reduced toxicity on the heart and kidney. Finally, introduction of EE during the period of abstinence greatly promoted the effect of abstinence on ketamine-induced cardiac and renal toxicity. The interactive effect of EE and abstinence was promising to promote the recovery of cardiac and renal toxicity of ketamine. PMID:26112338

Element enrichment factor calculation using grain-size distribution and functional data regression.

PubMed

Sierra, C; Ordóñez, C; Saavedra, A; Gallego, J R

2015-01-01

In environmental geochemistry studies it is common practice to normalize element concentrations in order to remove the effect of grain size. Linear regression with respect to a particular grain size or conservative element is a widely used method of normalization. In this paper, the utility of functional linear regression, in which the grain-size curve is the independent variable and the concentration of pollutant the dependent variable, is analyzed and applied to detrital sediment. After implementing functional linear regression and classical linear regression models to normalize and calculate enrichment factors, we concluded that the former regression technique has some advantages over the latter. First, functional linear regression directly considers the grain-size distribution of the samples as the explanatory variable. Second, as the regression coefficients are not constant values but functions depending on the grain size, it is easier to comprehend the relationship between grain size and pollutant concentration. Third, regularization can be introduced into the model in order to establish equilibrium between reliability of the data and smoothness of the solutions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gas analysis system for the Eight Foot High Temperature Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leighty, Bradley D.; Davis, Patricia P.; Upchurch, Billy T.; Puster, Richard L.

1992-01-01

This paper describes the development of a gas collection and analysis system that is to be installed in the Eight-Foot High Temperature Tunnel (8' HTT) at NASA's Langley Research Center. This system will be used to analyze the test gas medium that results after burning a methane-air mixture to achieve the proper tunnel test parameters. The system consists of a sampling rake, a gas sample storage array, and a gas chromatographic system. Gas samples will be analyzed after each run to assure that proper combustion takes place in the tunnel resulting in a correctly balanced composition of the test gas medium. The proper ratio of gas species is critically necessary in order for the proper operation and testing of scramjet engines in the tunnel. After a variety of methane-air burn conditions have been analyzed, additional oxygen will be introduced into the combusted gas and the enriched test gas medium analyzed. The pre/post enrichment sets of data will be compared to verify that the gas species of the test gas medium is correctly balanced for testing of air-breathing engines.

SHAPE Selection (SHAPES) enrich for RNA structure signal in SHAPE sequencing-based probing data

PubMed Central

Poulsen, Line Dahl; Kielpinski, Lukasz Jan; Salama, Sofie R.; Krogh, Anders; Vinther, Jeppe

2015-01-01

Selective 2′ Hydroxyl Acylation analyzed by Primer Extension (SHAPE) is an accurate method for probing of RNA secondary structure. In existing SHAPE methods, the SHAPE probing signal is normalized to a no-reagent control to correct for the background caused by premature termination of the reverse transcriptase. Here, we introduce a SHAPE Selection (SHAPES) reagent, N-propanone isatoic anhydride (NPIA), which retains the ability of SHAPE reagents to accurately probe RNA structure, but also allows covalent coupling between the SHAPES reagent and a biotin molecule. We demonstrate that SHAPES-based selection of cDNA–RNA hybrids on streptavidin beads effectively removes the large majority of background signal present in SHAPE probing data and that sequencing-based SHAPES data contain the same amount of RNA structure data as regular sequencing-based SHAPE data obtained through normalization to a no-reagent control. Moreover, the selection efficiently enriches for probed RNAs, suggesting that the SHAPES strategy will be useful for applications with high-background and low-probing signal such as in vivo RNA structure probing. PMID:25805860

Real-time image processing for label-free enrichment of Actinobacteria cultivated in picolitre droplets.

PubMed

Zang, Emerson; Brandes, Susanne; Tovar, Miguel; Martin, Karin; Mech, Franziska; Horbert, Peter; Henkel, Thomas; Figge, Marc Thilo; Roth, Martin

2013-09-21

The majority of today's antimicrobial therapeutics is derived from secondary metabolites produced by Actinobacteria. While it is generally assumed that less than 1% of Actinobacteria species from soil habitats have been cultivated so far, classic screening approaches fail to supply new substances, often due to limited throughput and frequent rediscovery of already known strains. To overcome these restrictions, we implement high-throughput cultivation of soil-derived Actinobacteria in microfluidic pL-droplets by generating more than 600,000 pure cultures per hour from a spore suspension that can subsequently be incubated for days to weeks. Moreover, we introduce triggered imaging with real-time image-based droplet classification as a novel universal method for pL-droplet sorting. Growth-dependent droplet sorting at frequencies above 100 Hz is performed for label-free enrichment and extraction of microcultures. The combination of both cultivation of Actinobacteria in pL-droplets and real-time detection of growing Actinobacteria has great potential in screening for yet unknown species as well as their undiscovered natural products.

Analysis of benchmark critical experiments with ENDF/B-VI data sets

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

Hardy, J. Jr.; Kahler, A.C.

1991-12-31

Several clean critical experiments were analyzed with ENDF/B-VI data to assess the adequacy of the data for U{sup 235}, U{sup 238} and oxygen. These experiments were (1) a set of homogeneous U{sup 235}-H{sub 2}O assemblies spanning a wide range of hydrogen/uranium ratio, and (2) TRX-1, a simple, H{sub 2}O-moderated Bettis lattice of slightly-enriched uranium metal rods. The analyses used the Monte Carlo program RCP01, with explicit three-dimensional geometry and detailed representation of cross sections. For the homogeneous criticals, calculated k{sub crit} values for large, thermal assemblies show good agreement with experiment. This supports the evaluated thermal criticality parameters for U{supmore » 235}. However, for assemblies with smaller H/U ratios, k{sub crit} values increase significantly with increasing leakage and flux-spectrum hardness. These trends suggest that leakage is underpredicted and that the resonance eta of the ENDF/B-VI U{sup 235} is too large. For TRX-1, reasonably good agreement is found with measured lattice parameters (reaction-rate ratios). Of primary interest is rho28, the ratio of above-thermal to thermal U{sup 238} capture. Calculated rho28 is 2.3 ({+-} 1.7) % above measurement, suggesting that U{sup 238} resonance capture remains slightly overpredicted with ENDF/B-VI. However, agreement is better than observed with earlier versions of ENDF/B.« less

Biofortification of rice with the essential amino acid lysine: molecular characterization, nutritional evaluation, and field performance

PubMed Central

Yang, Qing-qing; Zhang, Chang-quan; Chan, Man-ling; Zhao, Dong-sheng; Chen, Jin-zhu; Wang, Qing; Li, Qian-feng; Yu, Heng-xiu; Gu, Ming-hong; Sun, Samuel Sai-ming; Liu, Qiao-quan

2016-01-01

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), a major staple crop worldwide, has limited levels of the essential amino acid lysine. We previously produced engineered rice with increased lysine content by expressing bacterial aspartate kinase and dihydrodipicolinate synthase and inhibiting rice lysine ketoglutarate reductase/saccharopine dehydrogenase activity. However, the grain quality, field performance, and integration patterns of the transgenes in these lysine-enriched lines remain unclear. In the present study, we selected several elite transgenic lines with endosperm-specific or constitutive regulation of the above key enzymes but lacking the selectable marker gene. All target transgenes were integrated into the intragenic region in the rice genome. Two pyramid transgenic lines (High Free Lysine; HFL1 and HFL2) with free lysine levels in seeds up to 25-fold that of wild type were obtained via a combination of the above two transgenic events. We observed a dramatic increase in total free amino acids and a slight increase in total protein content in both pyramid lines. Moreover, the general physicochemical properties were improved in pyramid transgenic rice, but the starch composition was not affected. Field trials indicated that the growth of HFL transgenic rice was normal, except for a slight difference in plant height and grain colour. Taken together, these findings will be useful for the potential commercialization of high-lysine transgenic rice. PMID:27252467

Chemical abundances of globular clusters in NGC 5128 (Centaurus A)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez, Svea; Larsen, Søren; Trager, Scott; Kaper, Lex; Groot, Paul

2018-06-01

We perform a detailed abundance analysis on integrated-light spectra of 20 globular clusters (GCs) in the early-type galaxy NGC 5128 (Centaurus A). The GCs were observed with X-Shooter on the Very Large Telescope (VLT). The cluster sample spans a metallicity range of -1.92 < [Fe/H] < -0.13 dex. Using theoretical isochrones, we compute synthetic integrated-light spectra and iterate the individual abundances until the best fit to the observations is obtained. We measured abundances of Mg, Ca, and Ti, and find a slightly higher enhancement in NGC 5128 GCs with metallicities [Fe/H] < -0.75 dex, of the order of ˜0.1 dex, than in the average values observed in the Milky Way (MW) for GCs of the same metallicity. If this α-enhancement in the metal-poor GCs in NGC 5128 is genuine, it could hint at a chemical enrichment history different than that experienced by the MW. We also measure Na abundances in 9 out of 20 GCs. We find evidence for intracluster abundance variations in six of these clusters where we see enhanced [Na/Fe] > +0.25 dex. We obtain the first abundance measurements of Cr, Mn, and Ni for a sample of the GC population in NGC 5128 and find consistency with the overall trends observed in the MW, with a slight enhancement (<0.1 dex) in the Fe-peak abundances measured in the NGC 5128.

Culture Bottle Investigations of Nutrient Enriched Oligotrophic Phytoplankton Communities Challenge Contemporary Beliefs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrison, D. P.

2016-02-01

Humankind has fundamentally altered the global nitrogen cycle, such that today as much nitrogen is fixed from the atmosphere anthropogenically, as is fixed naturally by terrestrial and aquatic systems. 70% of this alteration is in the form of nitrogenous fertilizers, and Haber-Bosh production of urea now accounts for 20% of total global nitrogen fixation (anthropogenic and natural). Cultural eutrophication has long been implicated in an apparent increase in the number and severity of harmful algal blooms (HAB). More recently the form of introduced nitrogen has been receiving attention, with urea in particular singled out as a potential causative agent, yet this deduction seems to largely rely on observed correlations rather than establishment of a direct link. An alternative hypothesis is that environmental factors rather than the form of nitrogen exert a controlling influence on the nature of phytoplankton response to nutrient enrichment. Here I present the results of a series of eight repeated experiments conducted over an annual cycle in 2013-2014 using oligotrophic coastal phytoplankton assemblages to asses the effect of urea and nitrate enrichment on size distribution, speciation, and biochemistry. Experiments were conducted at one location offshore Sydney, Australia but had very different oceanographic starting conditions. The result of enrichment (+8 μM N & +0.5 μM P) using both nitrate and urea was a greater abundance of diatoms than dinoflagellates in all cases. Overall species composition was not significantly different (at 0.05 level) for nitrate and urea as revealed by multidimensional scaling and permutational ANOVA. However in some cases, contrary to published speculation, nitrate rather than urea resulted in increased abundance of dinoflagellates. A generalized mixed modeling approach identified aspects of the water column which appear to be associated with the presence of the East Australian Current as being influential. These results imply that greater caution should be applied when extrapolating observed correlations and laboratory measurements of individual cultured species to predict the reaction of planktonic communities to nutrient enrichment. Given that urea production is expected to double by 2050 understanding its influence in diverse marine environments is critical.

Ewing’s sarcoma precursors are highly enriched in embryonic osteochondrogenic progenitors

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Miwa; Yamazaki, Yukari; Kanno, Yohei; Igarashi, Katsuhide; Aisaki, Ken-ichi; Kanno, Jun; Nakamura, Takuro

2014-01-01

Ewing’s sarcoma is a highly malignant bone tumor found in children and adolescents, and the origin of this malignancy is not well understood. Here, we introduced a Ewing’s sarcoma–associated genetic fusion of the genes encoding the RNA-binding protein EWS and the transcription factor ETS (EWS-ETS) into a fraction of cells enriched for osteochondrogenic progenitors derived from the embryonic superficial zone (eSZ) of long bones collected from late gestational murine embryos. EWS-ETS fusions efficiently induced Ewing’s sarcoma–like small round cell sarcoma formation by these cells. Analysis of the eSZ revealed a fraction of a precursor cells that express growth/differentiation factor 5 (Gdf5), the transcription factor Erg, and parathyroid hormone-like hormone (Pthlh), and selection of the Pthlh-positive fraction alone further enhanced EWS-ETS–dependent tumor induction. Genes downstream of the EWS-ETS fusion protein were quite transcriptionally active in eSZ cells, especially in regions in which the chromatin structure of the ETS-responsive locus was open. Inhibition of β-catenin, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), or enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) suppressed cell growth in a murine model of Ewing’s sarcoma, suggesting the utility of the current system as a preclinical model. These results indicate that eSZ cells are highly enriched in precursors to Ewing’s sarcoma and provide clues to the histogenesis of Ewing’s sarcoma in bone. PMID:24911143

Sonic wave separation of invertase from a dilute solution to generated droplets.

PubMed

Tanner, R D; Ko, S; Loha, V; Prokop, A

2000-01-01

It has previously been shown that a droplet fractionation process, simulated by shaking a separatory funnel containing a dilute protein solution, can generate droplets richer in protein than present in the original dilute solution. In this article, we describe an alternative method that can increase the amount of protein transferred to the droplets. The new method uses ultrasonic waves, enhanced by a bubble gas stream to create the droplets. The amount of protein in these droplets increases by about 50%. In this method, the top layer of the dilute protein solution (of the solution-air interface) becomes enriched in protein when air is bubbled into the solution. This concentrating procedure is called bubble fractionation. Once the protein has passed through the initial buildup, this enriched protein layer is transferred into droplets with the aid of a vacuum above the solution at the same time that ultrasonic waves are introduced. The droplets are then carried over to a condenser and coalesced. We found that this new method provides an easier way to remove the protein-enriched top layer of the dilute solution and generates more droplets within a shorter period than the separatory funnel droplet generation method. The added air creates the bubbles and carries the droplets, and the vacuum helps remove the effluent airstream from the condenser. The maximum partition coefficient, the ratio of the protein concentration in the droplets to that in the residual solution (approx 8.5), occurred at pH 5.0.

Amine Enrichment of Thin-Film Composite Membranes via Low Pressure Plasma Polymerization for Antimicrobial Adhesion.

PubMed

Reis, Rackel; Dumée, Ludovic F; He, Li; She, Fenghua; Orbell, John D; Winther-Jensen, Bjorn; Duke, Mikel C

2015-07-15

Thin-film composite membranes, primarily based on poly(amide) (PA) semipermeable materials, are nowadays the dominant technology used in pressure driven water desalination systems. Despite offering superior water permeation and salt selectivity, their surface properties, such as their charge and roughness, cannot be extensively tuned due to the intrinsic fabrication process of the membranes by interfacial polymerization. The alteration of these properties would lead to a better control of the materials surface zeta potential, which is critical to finely tune selectivity and enhance the membrane materials stability when exposed to complex industrial waste streams. Low pressure plasma was employed to introduce amine functionalities onto the PA surface of commercially available thin-film composite (TFC) membranes. Morphological changes after plasma polymerization were analyzed by SEM and AFM, and average surface roughness decreased by 29%. Amine enrichment provided isoelectric point changes from pH 3.7 to 5.2 for 5 to 15 min of plasma polymerization time. Synchrotron FTIR mappings of the amine-modified surface indicated the addition of a discrete 60 nm film to the PA layer. Furthermore, metal affinity was confirmed by the enhanced binding of silver to the modified surface, supported by an increased antimicrobial functionality with demonstrable elimination of E. coli growth. Essential salt rejection was shown minimally compromised for faster polymerization processes. Plasma polymerization is therefore a viable route to producing functional amine enriched thin-film composite PA membrane surfaces.

Nutrient-enhanced decomposition of plant biomass in a freshwater wetland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bodker, James E.; Turner, Robert Eugene; Tweel, Andrew; Schulz, Christopher; Swarzenski, Christopher M.

2015-01-01

We studied soil decomposition in a Panicum hemitomon (Schultes)-dominated freshwater marsh located in southeastern Louisiana that was unambiguously changed by secondarily-treated municipal wastewater effluent. We used four approaches to evaluate how belowground biomass decomposition rates vary under different nutrient regimes in this marsh. The results of laboratory experiments demonstrated how nutrient enrichment enhanced the loss of soil or plant organic matter by 50%, and increased gas production. An experiment demonstrated that nitrogen, not phosphorus, limited decomposition. Cellulose decomposition at the field site was higher in the flowfield of the introduced secondarily treated sewage water, and the quality of the substrate (% N or % P) was directly related to the decomposition rates. We therefore rejected the null hypothesis that nutrient enrichment had no effect on the decomposition rates of these organic soils. In response to nutrient enrichment, plants respond through biomechanical or structural adaptations that alter the labile characteristics of plant tissue. These adaptations eventually change litter type and quality (where the marsh survives) as the % N content of plant tissue rises and is followed by even higher decomposition rates of the litter produced, creating a positive feedback loop. Marsh fragmentation will increase as a result. The assumptions and conditions underlying the use of unconstrained wastewater flow within natural wetlands, rather than controlled treatment within the confines of constructed wetlands, are revealed in the loss of previously sequestered carbon, habitat, public use, and other societal benefits.

Versatile molybdenum disulfide based antibacterial composites for in vitro enhanced sterilization and in vivo focal infection therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wentao; Shi, Shuo; Wang, Yanru; Yu, Shaoxuan; Zhu, Wenxin; Zhang, Xu; Zhang, Daohong; Yang, Baowei; Wang, Xin; Wang, Jianlong

2016-06-01

Biologically, MoS2-based nanostructures have been intensely applied for the photothermal therapy of cancer, but rarely for antibacterial uses. In this contribution, a multifunctional chitosan (CS) functionalized magnetic MoS2 (abbreviated to CFM) was constructed to nonspecifically combat bacterial infection by integrating bacterial conjugation and enrichment, and NIR-triggered photothermal sterilization. Owing to the abundant introduced amino groups, the CFM complex offers a significantly enhanced conjugation efficiency without obvious specificity towards both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria compared to amino-free magnetic MoS2. The magnetic properties of CFM obtained from iron oxide facilitate the enrichment of a CFM-bacteria conjugate, improving the photothermal efficiency of CFM as a photothermal antibacterial agent. Specifically, after being trapped together with bacteria cells, CFM shows an enhanced in vitro photothermal sterilization ability. In vivo S. aureus-induced abscess treatment studies show faster healing when CFM is used as subcutaneous nano-localized heating sources with the assistance of an external magnet to concentrate the CFM-bacteria conjugate. This work establishes an innovative solution and a novel antimicrobial agent for combating bacterial infections without the use of antibiotics, which may open a new area of application and research for MoS2-based nanostructures.Biologically, MoS2-based nanostructures have been intensely applied for the photothermal therapy of cancer, but rarely for antibacterial uses. In this contribution, a multifunctional chitosan (CS) functionalized magnetic MoS2 (abbreviated to CFM) was constructed to nonspecifically combat bacterial infection by integrating bacterial conjugation and enrichment, and NIR-triggered photothermal sterilization. Owing to the abundant introduced amino groups, the CFM complex offers a significantly enhanced conjugation efficiency without obvious specificity towards both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria compared to amino-free magnetic MoS2. The magnetic properties of CFM obtained from iron oxide facilitate the enrichment of a CFM-bacteria conjugate, improving the photothermal efficiency of CFM as a photothermal antibacterial agent. Specifically, after being trapped together with bacteria cells, CFM shows an enhanced in vitro photothermal sterilization ability. In vivo S. aureus-induced abscess treatment studies show faster healing when CFM is used as subcutaneous nano-localized heating sources with the assistance of an external magnet to concentrate the CFM-bacteria conjugate. This work establishes an innovative solution and a novel antimicrobial agent for combating bacterial infections without the use of antibiotics, which may open a new area of application and research for MoS2-based nanostructures. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details, characterization and supporting figures. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr01243d

Isorhamnetin and Quercetin Derivatives as Anti-Acetylcholinesterase Principles of Marigold (Calendula officinalis) Flowers and Preparations

PubMed Central

Kashchenko, Nina I.; Chirikova, Nadezhda K.; Akobirshoeva, Anzurat; Zilfikarov, Ifrat N.; Vennos, Cecile

2017-01-01

Marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) is one of the most common and widespread plants used medicinally all over the world. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-acetylcholinesterase activity of marigold flowers, detect the compounds responsible and perform chemical analysis of marigold commercial products. Analysis of 23 varieties of C. officinalis flowers introduced into Siberia allowed us to select the Greenheart Orange variety due to the superior content of flavonoids (46.87 mg/g) and the highest inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (IC50 63.52 µg/mL). Flavonoids, isorhamnetin and quercetin derivatives were revealed as potential inhibitors with the application of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) activity-based profiling. Investigation of the inhibitory activity of isorhamnetin glycosides demonstrated the maximal potency for isorhamnetin-3-O-(2′′,6′′-di-acetyl)-glucoside (IC50 51.26 μM) and minimal potency for typhaneoside (isorhamnetin-3-O-(2′′,6′′-di-rhamnosyl)-glucoside; IC50 94.92 µM). Among quercetin derivatives, the most active compound was quercetin-3-O-(2′′,6′′-di-acetyl)-glucoside (IC50 36.47 µM), and the least active component was manghaslin (quercetin-3-O-(2′′,6′′-di-rhamnosyl)-glucoside; IC50 94.92 µM). Some structure-activity relationships were discussed. Analysis of commercial marigold formulations revealed a reduced flavonoid content (from 7.18–19.85 mg/g) compared with introduced varieties. Liquid extract was the most enriched preparation, characterized by 3.10 mg/mL of total flavonoid content, and infusion was the least enriched formulation (0.41 mg/mL). The presented results suggest that isorhamnetin and quercetin and its glycosides can be considered as potential anti-acetylcholinesterase agents. PMID:28767066

Isorhamnetin and Quercetin Derivatives as Anti-Acetylcholinesterase Principles of Marigold (Calendula officinalis) Flowers and Preparations.

PubMed

Olennikov, Daniil N; Kashchenko, Nina I; Chirikova, Nadezhda K; Akobirshoeva, Anzurat; Zilfikarov, Ifrat N; Vennos, Cecile

2017-08-02

Marigold ( Calendula officinalis L.) is one of the most common and widespread plants used medicinally all over the world. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-acetylcholinesterase activity of marigold flowers, detect the compounds responsible and perform chemical analysis of marigold commercial products. Analysis of 23 varieties of C. officinalis flowers introduced into Siberia allowed us to select the Greenheart Orange variety due to the superior content of flavonoids (46.87 mg/g) and the highest inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (IC 50 63.52 µg/mL). Flavonoids, isorhamnetin and quercetin derivatives were revealed as potential inhibitors with the application of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) activity-based profiling. Investigation of the inhibitory activity of isorhamnetin glycosides demonstrated the maximal potency for isorhamnetin-3- О -(2'',6''-di-acetyl)-glucoside (IC 50 51.26 μM) and minimal potency for typhaneoside (isorhamnetin-3- O -(2'',6''-di-rhamnosyl)-glucoside; IC 50 94.92 µM). Among quercetin derivatives, the most active compound was quercetin-3- О -(2'',6''-di-acetyl)-glucoside (IC 50 36.47 µM), and the least active component was manghaslin (quercetin-3- O -(2'',6''-di-rhamnosyl)-glucoside; IC 50 94.92 µM). Some structure-activity relationships were discussed. Analysis of commercial marigold formulations revealed a reduced flavonoid content (from 7.18-19.85 mg/g) compared with introduced varieties. Liquid extract was the most enriched preparation, characterized by 3.10 mg/mL of total flavonoid content, and infusion was the least enriched formulation (0.41 mg/mL). The presented results suggest that isorhamnetin and quercetin and its glycosides can be considered as potential anti-acetylcholinesterase agents.

Allelopathic effect of new introduced biofuel crops on the soil biota: A comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heděnec, Petr; Frouz, Jan; Ustak, Sergej; Novotny, David

2015-04-01

Biofuel crops as an alternative to fossil fuels are a component of the energy mix in many countries. Many of them are introduced plants, so they pose a serious threat of biological invasions. Production of allelopathic compounds can increase invasion success by limiting co-occurring species in the invaded environment (novel weapons hypothesis). In this study, we focused on plant chemistry and production of allelopathic compounds by biofuel crops (hybrid sorrel Rumex tianschanicus x Rumex patientia and miscanthus Miscanthus sinensis) in comparison with invasive knotweed (Fallopia sachalinensis) and cultural meadow species. First, we tested the impact of leachates isolated from hybrid sorrel, miscanthus, knotweed and cultural meadow species compared to deionized water, used as a control, on seed germination of mustard (Sinapis arvensis) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivated on sand and soil. Secondly, we studied the effect of leachates on the growth of soil fungal pathogens Fusarium culmorum, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia solani and Cochliobolus sativus. Finally, we tested the effect of litter of hybrid sorrel, miscanthus, knotweed and cultural meadow litter mixed with soil on population growth of Enchytraeus crypticus and Folsomia candida. Miscanthus and knotweed litter had a higher C:N ratio than the control meadow and hybrid sorrel litter. Miscanthus and hybrid sorrel litter had a higher content of phenols than knotweed and cultural meadow litter. Leachates from hybrid sorrel, miscanthus and knotweed biomass significantly decreased seed germination of wheat and mustard in both substrates. Soil fungal pathogens grew less vigorously on agar enriched by leachates from both biofuel crops than on agar enriched by knotweed and leachates. Litter from hybrid sorrel, miscanthus and knotweed significantly altered (both ways) the population growth of the soil mesofauna.

[Determination of net exchange of CO2 between paddy fields and atmosphere with static poaque-chamber-based measurements].

PubMed

Zheng, Xunhua; Xu, Zhongjun; Wang, Yuesi; Han, Shenghui; Huang, Yao; Cai, Zucong; Zhu, Jianguo

2002-10-01

We firstly introduced the method for determining the net ecosystem exchange fluxes of CO2 (NEE) between croplands and atmosphere, based on field measurements using static opaquechamber/gas chromatography methods was introduced, and the application of this method in the FACE (free-air CO2 enrichment) study to examine the effects of elevated CO2 on the NEE over a typical paddy ecosystem was carried out, because of lacking in observation data for some necessary parameters, e.g., dark maintenance respiration coefficient, only the minimum value of NEE (NEEmin) was calculated based on opaque-chamber measurements. The NEEmin data indicate that CO2 elevated by 200 +/- 40 mumol.mol-1 significantly increased the ecosystem uptake of atmospheric CO2 by a factor ca. 3. To accurately determine the NEE based on opaquechamber measurements, dark maintenance respiration coefficient, above-ground biomass and root: shoot, i.e. R:S, ratio of root to shoot should be observed over the whole growing season.

Enhancement of dielectric constant at percolation threshold in CaCu3 Ti4 O12 ceramic fabricated by both solid state and sol-gel process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Rupam; Garcia, Lucia; Lawes, Gavin; Nadgorny, Boris

2014-03-01

We have investigated the large dielectric enhancement at the percolation threshold by introducing metallic RuO2 grains into a matrix of CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO). The intrinsic response of the pure CCTO samples prepared by solid state and sol-gel processes results in a dielectric constant on the order of 104 and 103 respectively with low loss. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy indicate that a difference in the thickness of the copper oxide enriched grain boundary is the main reason for the different dielectric properties between these two samples. Introducing RuO2 metallic fillers in these CCTO samples yields a sharp increase of the dielectric constant at percolation threshold fc, by a factor of 6 and 3 respectively. The temperature dependence of the dielectric constant shows that the dipolar relaxation plays an important role in enhancing dielectric constant in composite systems.

Sample displacement chromatography as a method for purification of proteins and peptides from complex mixtures

PubMed Central

Gajdosik, Martina Srajer; Clifton, James; Josic, Djuro

2012-01-01

Sample displacement chromatography (SDC) in reversed-phase and ion-exchange modes was introduced approximately twenty years ago. This method takes advantage of relative binding affinities of components in a sample mixture. During loading, there is a competition among different sample components for the sorption on the surface of the stationary phase. SDC was first used for the preparative purification of proteins. Later, it was demonstrated that this kind of chromatography can also be performed in ion-exchange, affinity and hydrophobic-interaction mode. It has also been shown that SDC can be performed on monoliths and membrane-based supports in both analytical and preparative scale. Recently, SDC in ion-exchange and hydrophobic interaction mode was also employed successfully for the removal of trace proteins from monoclonal antibody preparations and for the enrichment of low abundance proteins from human plasma. In this review, the principals of SDC are introduced, and the potential for separation of proteins and peptides in micro-analytical, analytical and preparative scale is discussed. PMID:22520159

Insights into the chemical composition of the metal-poor Milky Way halo globular cluster NGC 6426

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanke, M.; Koch, A.; Hansen, C. J.; McWilliam, A.

2017-03-01

We present our detailed spectroscopic analysis of the chemical composition of four red giant stars in the halo globular cluster NGC 6426. We obtained high-resolution spectra using the Magellan2/MIKE spectrograph, from which we derived equivalent widths and subsequently computed abundances of 24 species of 22 chemical elements. For the purpose of measuring equivalent widths, we developed a new semi-automated tool, called EWCODE. We report a mean Fe content of [Fe/H] =-2.34 ± 0.05 dex (stat.) in accordance with previous studies. At a mean α-abundance of [(Mg, Si, Ca)/3 Fe] = 0.39 ± 0.03 dex, NGC 6426 falls on the trend drawn by the Milky Way halo and other globular clusters at comparably low metallicities. The distribution of the lighter α-elements as well as the enhanced ratio [Zn/Fe] = 0.39 dex could originate from hypernova enrichment of the pre-cluster medium. We find tentative evidence for a spread in the elements Mg, Si, and Zn, indicating an enrichment scenario, where ejecta of evolved massive stars of a slightly older population have polluted a newly born younger one. The heavy element abundances in this cluster fit well into the picture of metal-poor globular clusters, which in that respect appear to be remarkably homogeneous. The pattern of the neutron-capture elements heavier than Zn points toward an enrichment history governed by the r-process with little, if any, sign of s-process contributions. This finding is supported by the striking similarity of our program stars to the metal-poor field star HD 108317. This paper includes data gathered with the 6.5-m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile.Equivalent widths and full Table 2 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/599/A97

Geochemistry of K/T boundaries in India and contributions of Deccan volcanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhandari, N.; Gupta, M.; Pandey, J.; Shukla, P. N.

1988-01-01

Three possible Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary sections in the Indian subcontinent were studied for their geochemical and fossil characteristics. These include two marine sections of Meghalaya and Zanskar and one continental section of Nagpur. The Um Sohryngkew river section of Meghalaya shows a high iridium, osmium, iron, cobalt, nickel and chromium concentration in a 1.5 cm thick limonitic layer about 30 cm below the planktonic Cretaceous-Palaeocene boundary identified by the characteristic fossils. The Bottaccione and Contessa sections at Gubbio were also analyzed for these elements. The geochemical pattern at the boundary at the Um Sohryngkew river and Gubbio sections are similar but the peak concentrations and the enrichment factors are different. The biological boundary is not as sharp as the geochemical boundary and the extinction appears to be a prolonged process. The Zanskar section shows, in general, similar concentration of the siderophile, lithophile and rare earth elements but no evidence of enrichment of siderophiles has so far been observed. The Takli section is a shallow inter-trappean deposit within the Deccan province, sandwiched between flow 1 and flow 2. The geochemical stratigraphy of the inter-trappeans is presented. The various horizons of ash, clay and marl show concentration of Fe and Co, generally lower than the adjacent basalts. Two horizons of slight enrichment of iridium are found within the ash layers, one near the contact of flow 1 and other near the contact of flow 2, where iridium occurs at 170 and 260 pg/g. These levels are lower by a factor of 30 compared to Ir concentration in the K/T boundary in Meghalaya section. If the enhanced level of some elements in a few horizons of the ash layer are considered as volcanic contribution by some fractionation processes than the only elements for which it occurs are REE, Ir and possibly Cr.

Pollution characteristics, source apportionment, and health risk of heavy metals in street dust of Suzhou, China.

PubMed

Lin, Manli; Gui, Herong; Wang, Yao; Peng, Weihua

2017-01-01

To analyze the pollution characteristics, source apportionment, and health risk of heavy metals (HMs) in street dust of Suzhou, China, 23 sampling sites were selected and periodically sampled for 12 months. A total of 276 samples were collected, and the concentrations of selected HMs (e.g., Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn) were examined with an X-ray fluorescence spectrum analyzer. Results showed that the mean concentrations of Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn in the street dust of Suzhou were 112.9, 27.5, 19941.3, 410.3, 45.2, 75.6, and 225.3 mg kg -1 , respectively. Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn exceeded their background values in local natural soils by 1.3-3.6-fold, whereas Fe, Mn, and V were all within their background values. However, enrichment factor analysis revealed that Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn, especially Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn, were enriched in Suzhou street dust. The HMs showed no significant seasonal changes overall, but spatial distribution analysis implied that the high values of Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn were mainly distributed in areas with frequent human activities. Results of multivariate techniques (e.g., Pearson correlation, hierarchical cluster, and principal components analyses) suggested that Pb and Zn had complicated sources; Cu and V mainly originated from traffic sources; Fe and Mn mainly came from natural sources; and Cr was dominantly related to industrial district. Health risk assessment revealed that a single heavy metal might not cause both non-cancer and carcinogenic risks to local residents. Nevertheless, the sum of the hazard index of all selected HMs for children slightly exceeded the safety value, thereby implying that the HMs from Suzhou street dust can possibly produce significant risk to children. Cr was the priority pollutant in the study area because of its high concentration, high enrichment, and high contribution to non-cancer risk values.

The Nature of the Dietary Protein Impacts the Tissue-to-Diet 15N Discrimination Factors in Laboratory Rats

PubMed Central

Poupin, Nathalie; Bos, Cécile; Mariotti, François; Huneau, Jean-François; Tomé, Daniel; Fouillet, Hélène

2011-01-01

Due to the existence of isotope effects on some metabolic pathways of amino acid and protein metabolism, animal tissues are 15N-enriched relative to their dietary nitrogen sources and this 15N enrichment varies among different tissues and metabolic pools. The magnitude of the tissue-to-diet discrimination (Δ15N) has also been shown to depend on dietary factors. Since dietary protein sources affect amino acid and protein metabolism, we hypothesized that they would impact this discrimination factor, with selective effects at the tissue level. To test this hypothesis, we investigated in rats the influence of a milk or soy protein-based diet on Δ15N in various nitrogen fractions (urea, protein and non-protein fractions) of blood and tissues, focusing on visceral tissues. Regardless of the diet, the different protein fractions of blood and tissues were generally 15N-enriched relative to their non-protein fraction and to the diet (Δ15N>0), with large variations in the Δ15N between tissue proteins. Δ15N values were markedly lower in tissue proteins of rats fed milk proteins compared to those fed soy proteins, in all sampled tissues except in the intestine, and the amplitude of Δ15N differences between diets differed between tissues. Both between-tissue and between-diet Δ15N differences are probably related to modulations of the relative orientation of dietary and endogenous amino acids in the different metabolic pathways. More specifically, the smaller Δ15N values observed in tissue proteins with milk than soy dietary protein may be due to a slightly more direct channeling of dietary amino acids for tissue protein renewal and to a lower recycling of amino acids through fractionating pathways. In conclusion, the present data indicate that natural Δ15N of tissue are sensitive markers of the specific subtle regional modifications of the protein and amino acid metabolism induced by the protein dietary source. PMID:22132207

Geology, geochemistry and geochronology of the Songwe Hill carbonatite, Malawi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broom-Fendley, Sam; Brady, Aoife E.; Horstwood, Matthew S. A.; Woolley, Alan R.; Mtegha, James; Wall, Frances; Dawes, Will; Gunn, Gus

2017-10-01

Songwe Hill, Malawi, is one of the least studied carbonatites but has now become particularly important as it hosts a relatively large rare earth deposit. The results of new mapping, petrography, geochemistry and geochronology indicate that the 0.8 km diameter Songwe Hill is distinct from the other Chilwa Alkaline Province carbonatites in that it intruded the side of the much larger (4 × 6 km) and slightly older (134.6 ± 4.4 Ma) Mauze nepheline syenite and then evolved through three different carbonatite compositions (C1-C3). Early C1 carbonatite is scarce and is composed of medium-coarse-grained calcite carbonatite containing zircons with a U-Pb age of 132.9 ± 6.7 Ma. It is similar to magmatic carbonatite in other carbonatite complexes at Chilwa Island and Tundulu in the Chilwa Alkaline Province and others worldwide. The fine-grained calcite carbonatite (C2) is the most abundant stage at Songwe Hill, followed by a more REE- and Sr-rich ferroan calcite carbonatite (C3). Both stages C2 and C3 display evidence of extensive (carbo)-hydrothermal overprinting that has produced apatite enriched in HREE (<2000 ppm Y) and, in C3, synchysite-(Ce). The final stages comprise HREE-rich apatite fluorite veins and Mn-Fe-rich veins. Widespread brecciation and incorporation of fenite into carbonatite, brittle fracturing, rounded clasts and a fenite carapace at the top of the hill indicate a shallow level of emplacement into the crust. This shallow intrusion level acted as a reservoir for multiple stages of carbonatite-derived fluid and HREE-enriched apatite mineralisation as well as LREE-enriched synchysite-(Ce). The close proximity and similar age of the large Mauze nepheline syenite suggests it may have acted as a heat source driving a hydrothermal system that has differentiated Songwe Hill from other Chilwa carbonatites.

The AMBRE project: Constraining the lithium evolution in the Milky Way

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guiglion, G.; de Laverny, P.; Recio-Blanco, A.; Worley, C. C.; De Pascale, M.; Masseron, T.; Prantzos, N.; Mikolaitis, Š.

2016-10-01

Context. The chemical evolution of lithium in the Milky Way represents a major problem in modern astrophysics. Indeed, lithium is, on the one hand, easily destroyed in stellar interiors, and, on the other hand, produced at some specific stellar evolutionary stages that are still not well constrained. Aims: The goal of this paper is to investigate the lithium stellar content of Milky Way stars in order to put constraints on the lithium chemical enrichment in our Galaxy, in particular in both the thin and thick discs. Methods: Thanks to high-resolution spectra from the ESO archive and high quality atmospheric parameters, we were able to build a massive and homogeneous catalogue of lithium abundances for 7300 stars derived with an automatic method coupling, a synthetic spectra grid, and a Gauss-Newton algorithm. We validated these lithium abundances with literature values, including those of the Gaia benchmark stars. Results: In terms of lithium galactic evolution, we show that the interstellar lithium abundance increases with metallicity by 1 dex from [M/H] = -1 dex to + 0.0 dex. Moreover, we find that this lithium ISM abundance decreases by about 0.5 dex at super-solar metalllicity. Based on a chemical separation, we also observed that the stellar lithium content in the thick disc increases rather slightly with metallicity, while the thin disc shows a steeper increase. The lithium abundance distribution of α-rich, metal-rich stars has a peak at ALi ~ 3 dex. Conclusions: We conclude that the thick disc stars suffered of a low lithium chemical enrichment, showing lithium abundances rather close to the Spite plateau while the thin disc stars clearly show an increasing lithium chemical enrichment with the metallicity, probably thanks to the contribution of low-mass stars. Full Table 2 is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/595/A18

Water content in the SW USA mantle lithosphere: FTIR analysis of Dish Hill and Kilbourne Hole pyroxenites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibler, R.; Peslier, A. H.; Schaffer, L. A.; Brandon, A. D.

2014-12-01

Kilbourne Hole (NM, USA) and Dish Hill (CA, USA) mantle xenoliths sample continental mantle in two different tectonic settings. Kilbourne Hole (KH) is located in the Rio Grande rift. Dish Hill (DH) is located in the southern Mojave province, an area potentially affected by subduction of the Farallon plate beneath North America [1]. FTIR analyses were obtained on well characterized pyroxenite, dunite and wehrlite xenoliths, thought to represent crystallized melts at mantle depths. PUM normalized REE patterns of the KH bulk-rocks are slightly LREE enriched and consistent with those of liquids generated by < 5% melting of a spinel peridotite source [2]. Clinopyroxenes contain from 272 to 313 ppm weight H2O similar to the lower limit of KH peridotite clinopyroxenes (250-530 ppm H2O, [3]). This is unexpected as crystallized melts like pyroxenites should concentrate water more than residual mantle-like peridotites, given that H is incompatible. PUM normalized bulk REE of the DH pyroxenites are characterized by flat to LREE depleted REE profiles consistent with > 6% melting of a spinel peridotite source. Pyroxenite pyroxenes have no detectable water but one DH wehrlite, which bulk-rock is LREE enriched, has 4 ppm H2O in orthopyroxene and <1ppm in clinopyroxene. The DH pyroxenites may thus come from a dry mantle source, potentially unaffected by the subduction of the Farallon plate. These water-poor melts either originated from shallow oceanic lithosphere overlaying the Farallon slab [4] or from continental mantle formed > 2 Ga [5]. The Farallon subduction appears to have enriched in water the southwestern United States lithospheric mantle further east than DH, beneath the Colorado plateau [6]. [1] Atwater, 1970 Tectonophysics 31, 145-165. [2] Shaw, 2000 CM 38, 1041-1064. [3] Schaffer et al, 2013 AGU Fall Meeting. [4] Luffi et al, 2009 JGR 114, 1-36. [5] Armytage et al, 2013 GCA 137, 113-133. [6] Li et al, 2008 JGR 113, 1-22.

Achnanthidium minutissimum (Bacillariophyta) valve deformities as indicators of metal enrichment in diverse widely-distributed freshwater habitats.

PubMed

Cantonati, Marco; Angeli, Nicola; Virtanen, Laura; Wojtal, Agata Z; Gabrieli, Jacopo; Falasco, Elisa; Lavoie, Isabelle; Morin, Soizic; Marchetto, Aldo; Fortin, Claude; Smirnova, Svetlana

2014-03-15

In the presence of different environmental stressors, diatoms can produce frustules presenting different types of deformities. Metals and trace elements are among the most common causes of these teratological forms. Metal enrichment in water bodies can be attributed to the geological setting of the area or to pollution. The widespread benthic diatom Achnanthidium minutissimum (ADMI) is one of the most metal-tolerant species. In the present study, ADMI teratologies were defined from samples taken from eight very diverse, widely-distributed inland-water habitats: streams affected by active and abandoned mining areas, a metal-contaminated stream, a spring in an old chalcopyrite mine, a mineral-water fountain, and a sediment core taken from a lake affected by metal contamination in the past. Deformed frustules of ADMI were characterised mainly by one (sometimes two) more or less bent off ending, conferring to the specimens a cymbelloid outline (cymbelliclinum-like teratology, CLT). Marked teratologies were distinguished from slight deformities. Hydrochemical analyses, including metals and trace elements, were carried out and enrichment factors (EF) relative to average crustal composition were calculated. To improve our knowledge on the potential of different metals and trace elements to trigger the occurrence of ADMI CLT, we carefully selected 15 springs out of 110 (CRENODAT dataset) where both ADMI and above-average metal or metalloid concentrations occurred, and re-analysed these samples. The results from the eight widely-distributed core sites as well as from the 15 selected CRENODAT springs led to the hypothesis that two metals (copper and zinc) and a metalloid (antimony) were the most likely triggers of ADMI CLT formation. From a quantitative point of view, it is worth noting that the lowest concentrations triggering ADMI CLT can be fairly low, particularly in the case of copper contamination. The antimony-rich site was characterised by a marked-teratology variant where both ends of ADMI were bent off. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fractionations of rare earth elements in plants and their conceptive model.

PubMed

Ding, ShiMing; Liang, Tao; Yan, JunCai; Zhang, ZiLi; Huang, ZeChun; Xie, YaNing

2007-02-01

Fractionations of rare earth elements (REEs) and their mechanisms in soybean were studied through application of exogenous mixed REEs under hydroponic conditions. Significant enrichment of middle REEs (MREEs) and heavy REEs (HREEs) was observed in plant roots and leaves respectively, with slight fractionation between light REEs (LREEs) and HREEs in stems. Moreover, the tetrad effect was observed in these organs. Investigations into REE speciation in roots and in the xylem sap using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and nanometer-sized TiO2 adsorption techniques, associated with other controlled experiments, demonstrated that REE fractionations should be dominated by fixation mechanism in roots caused by cell wall absorption and phosphate precipitation, and by the combined effects of fixation mechanism and transport mechanism in aboveground parts caused by solution complexation by intrinsic organic ligands. A conceptive model was established for REE fractionations in plants based on the above studies.

Synthesis of Diverse Nitrogen-Enriched Heterocyclic Scaffolds Using a Suite of Tunable One-Pot Multicomponent Reactions

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Five elegant and switchable three-component reactions which enable access to a new series of nitrogen-containing heterocycles are reported. A novel one-step addition of an isocyanide to a hydrazine derived Schiff base affords unique six-membered pyridotriazine scaffolds (A and E). With slight modification of reaction conditions and replacement of the nucleophilic isocyanide moiety with different electrophiles (i.e., isocyanates, isothiocyanates, cyclic anhydrides, and acyl chlorides) five-membered triazolopyridine scaffolds (B, D, F, G) are generated in a single step. Furthermore, the use of phenyl hydrazine enables access to dihydroindazole-carboxamides, devoid of a bridge-head nitrogen (C). All protocols are robust and tolerate a diverse collection of reactants, and as such, it is expected that the new scaffolds and associated chemistry will garner high interest from medicinal chemists involved in either file enhancement or specific target-related drug discovery campaigns. PMID:24788091

Composition variations in pulsed-laser-deposited Y-Ba-Cu-O thin films as a function of deposition parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foote, M. C.; Jones, B. B.; Hunt, B. D.; Barner, J. B.; Vasquez, R. P.; Bajuk, L. J.

1992-01-01

The composition of pulsed-ultraviolet-laser-deposited Y-Ba-Cu-O films was examined as a function of position across the substrate, laser fluence, laser spot size, substrate temperature, target conditioning, oxygen pressure and target-substrate distance. Laser fluence, laser spot size, and substrate temperature were found to have little effect on composition within the range investigated. Ablation from a fresh target surface results in films enriched in copper and barium, both of which decrease in concentration until a steady state condition is achieved. Oxygen pressure and target-substrate distance have a significant effect on film composition. In vacuum, copper and barium are slightly concentrated at the center of deposition. With the introduction of an oxygen background pressure, scattering results in copper and barium depletion in the deposition center, an effect which increases with increasing target-substrate distance. A balancing of these two effects results in stoichiometric deposition.

Monte Carlo analysis of TRX lattices with ENDF/B version 3 data

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

Hardy, J. Jr.

1975-03-01

Four TRX water-moderated lattices of slightly enriched uranium rods have been reanalyzed with consistent ENDF/B Version 3 data by means of the full-range Monte Carlo program RECAP. The following measured lattice parameters were studied: ratio of epithermal-to-thermal $sup 238$U capture, ratio of epithermal- to-thermal $sup 235$U fissions, ration of $sup 238$U captures to $sup 235$U fissions, ratio of $sup 238$U fissions to $sup 235$U fissions, and multiplication factor. In addition to the base calculations, some studies were done to find sensitivity of the TRX lattice parameters to selected variations of cross section data. Finally, additional experimental evidence is afforded bymore » effective $sup 238$U capture integrals for isolated rods. Shielded capture integrals were calculated for $sup 238$U metal and oxide rods. These are compared with other measurements. (auth)« less

Biofortification with Iron and Zinc Improves Nutritional and Nutraceutical Properties of Common Wheat Flour and Bread.

PubMed

Ciccolini, Valentina; Pellegrino, Elisa; Coccina, Antonio; Fiaschi, Anna Ida; Cerretani, Daniela; Sgherri, Cristina; Quartacci, Mike Frank; Ercoli, Laura

2017-07-12

The effect of field foliar Fe and Zn biofortification on concentration and potential bioavailability of Fe and Zn and health-promoting compounds was studied in wholemeal flour of two common wheat varieties (old vs modern). Moreover, the effect of milling and bread making was studied. Biofortification increased the concentration of Zn (+78%) and its bioavailability (+48%) in the flour of the old variety, whereas it was ineffective in increasing Fe concentration in both varieties. However, the old variety showed higher concentration (+41%) and bioavailability (+26%) of Fe than the modern one. As regard milling, wholemeal flour had higher Fe, Zn concentration and health-promoting compounds compared to white flour. Bread making slightly change Fe and Zn concentration but greatly increased their bioavailability (77 and 70%, respectively). All these results are of great support for developing a production chain of enriched functional bread having a protective role against chronic cardio-vascular diseases.

Chemical composition of HAL, an isotopically-unusual Allende inclusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, A. M.; Tanaka, T.; Grossman, L.; Lee, T.; Wasserburg, G. J.

1982-09-01

Samples of hibonite, black rim, and portions of friable rim from an unusual Allende inclusion, named HAL, were analyzed by INAA and RNAA for 37 major, minor, and trace elements. An unusually low amount of Ce was found in HAL, although it otherwise was highly enriched in REE compared to C1 chondrites. HAL is also depleted in Sr, Ba, U, V, Ru, Os, and Ir relative to other refractory elements. It is concluded that the distribution of REE between hibonite and rims was established when hibonite and other refractory minerals were removed at slightly different temperatures from a hot, oxidizing gas in which they previously coexisted as separate grains. Possible locations for the chemical and mass dependent isotopic fractionation are considered to be in ejecta from the low temperature helium-burning zone of a supernova and in the locally oxidizing environment generated by evaporation of interstellar grains of near-chondritic chemical composition.

Artificial neural network study on organ-targeting peptides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Eunkyoung; Kim, Junhyoung; Choi, Seung-Hoon; Kim, Minkyoung; Rhee, Hokyoung; Shin, Jae-Min; Choi, Kihang; Kang, Sang-Kee; Lee, Nam Kyung; Choi, Yun-Jaie; Jung, Dong Hyun

2010-01-01

We report a new approach to studying organ targeting of peptides on the basis of peptide sequence information. The positive control data sets consist of organ-targeting peptide sequences identified by the peroral phage-display technique for four organs, and the negative control data are prepared from random sequences. The capacity of our models to make appropriate predictions is validated by statistical indicators including sensitivity, specificity, enrichment curve, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (the ROC score). VHSE descriptor produces statistically significant training models and the models with simple neural network architectures show slightly greater predictive power than those with complex ones. The training and test set statistics indicate that our models could discriminate between organ-targeting and random sequences. We anticipate that our models will be applicable to the selection of organ-targeting peptides for generating peptide drugs or peptidomimetics.

Major wildfires at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilmour, Iain; Wolbach, Wendy S.; Anders, Edward

1989-01-01

K-T boundary (KTB) clays from five sites are enriched in soot and charcoal by factors of 100-1000 over Cretaceous levels, apparently due to a global fire. The soot profile nearly coincides with the Ir profile, implying that the fire was triggered by the impact. Much or all of the fuel was biomass, as indicated by the presence of retene and by the C isotopic composition. The amount of elemental C at the KTB (0.012 g/sq cm) is very large, and requires either that most of the Cretaceous biomass burned down or that the soot yield was higher than in small fires. At undisturbed sites, soot correlates tightly with Ir, As, Sb, and Zn. Apparently soot and Ir-bearing ejecta particles coagulated in the stratosphere and then scavenged additional chalcophiles from the hydrosphere. In view of this coagulation, the K-T fire would only slightly prolong the period of darkness and cold caused by impact ejecta.

Swept Away: Resuspension of Bacterial Mats Regulates Benthic-Pelagic Exchange of Sulfur

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grant, Jonathan; Bathmann, Ulrich V.

1987-06-01

Filaments and extracellular material from colorless sulfur bacteria (Beggiatoa spp.) form extensive white sulfur mats on surface sediments of coastal, oceanic, and even deep-sea environments. These chemoautotrophic bacteria oxidize soluble reduced sulfur compounds and deposit elemental sulfur, enriching the sulfur content of surface sediment fivefold over that of deeper sediments. Laboratory flume experiments with Beggiatoa mats from an intertidal sandflat (Nova Scotia) demonstrated that even slight erosion of sediment causes a flux of 160 millimoles of sulfur per square meter per hour, two orders of magnitude greater than the flux produced by sulfur transformations involving either sulfate reduction or sulfide oxidation by benthic bacteria. These experiments indicate that resuspension of sulfur bacterial mats by waves and currents is a rapid mechanism by which sediment sulfur is recycled to the water column. Benthic communities thus lose an important storage intermediate for reduced sulfur as well as a high-quality bacterial food source for benthic grazers.

Chemical composition of HAL, an isotopically-unusual Allende inclusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, A. M.; Tanaka, T.; Grossman, L.; Lee, T.; Wasserburg, G. J.

1982-01-01

Samples of hibonite, black rim, and portions of friable rim from an unusual Allende inclusion, named HAL, were analyzed by INAA and RNAA for 37 major, minor, and trace elements. An unusually low amount of Ce was found in HAL, although it otherwise was highly enriched in REE compared to C1 chondrites. HAL is also depleted in Sr, Ba, U, V, Ru, Os, and Ir relative to other refractory elements. It is concluded that the distribution of REE between hibonite and rims was established when hibonite and other refractory minerals were removed at slightly different temperatures from a hot, oxidizing gas in which they previously coexisted as separate grains. Possible locations for the chemical and mass dependent isotopic fractionation are considered to be in ejecta from the low temperature helium-burning zone of a supernova and in the locally oxidizing environment generated by evaporation of interstellar grains of near-chondritic chemical composition.

Mapping mutational effects along the evolutionary landscape of HIV envelope

PubMed Central

Hilton, Sarah K; Overbaugh, Julie

2018-01-01

The immediate evolutionary space accessible to HIV is largely determined by how single amino acid mutations affect fitness. These mutational effects can shift as the virus evolves. However, the prevalence of such shifts in mutational effects remains unclear. Here, we quantify the effects on viral growth of all amino acid mutations to two HIV envelope (Env) proteins that differ at >100 residues. Most mutations similarly affect both Envs, but the amino acid preferences of a minority of sites have clearly shifted. These shifted sites usually prefer a specific amino acid in one Env, but tolerate many amino acids in the other. Surprisingly, shifts are only slightly enriched at sites that have substituted between the Envs—and many occur at residues that do not even contact substitutions. Therefore, long-range epistasis can unpredictably shift Env’s mutational tolerance during HIV evolution, although the amino acid preferences of most sites are conserved between moderately diverged viral strains. PMID:29590010

Interactions between heavy metals and photosynthetic materials studied by optical techniques.

PubMed

Ventrella, Andrea; Catucci, Lucia; Piletska, Elena; Piletsky, Sergey; Agostiano, Angela

2009-11-01

In this work studies on rapid inhibitory interactions between heavy metals and photosynthetic materials at different organization levels were carried out by optical assay techniques, investigating the possibility of applications in the heavy metal detection field. Spinach chloroplasts, thylakoids and Photosystem II proteins were employed as biotools in combination with colorimetric assays based on dichlorophenol indophenole (DCIP) photoreduction and on fluorescence emission techniques. It was found that copper and mercury demonstrated a strong and rapid photosynthetic activity inhibition, that varied from proteins to membranes, while other metals like nickel, cobalt and manganese produced only slight inhibition effects on all tested photosynthetic materials. By emission measurements, only copper was found to rapidly influence the photosynthetic material signals. These findings give interesting information about the rapid effects of heavy metals on isolated photosynthetic samples, and are in addition to the literature data concerning the effects of growth in heavy metal enriched media.

Technical note: Vitamin D-fortified Cheddar type cheese produced from concentrated milk.

PubMed

Boivin-Piché, Jonathan; Vuillemard, Jean-Christophe; St-Gelais, Daniel

2016-06-01

The technological challenge related to cheese fortification with vitamin D is the loss of a large proportion of vitamin D during the wheying-off step. The use of ultrafiltration (UF) to concentrate the milk before vitamin D enrichment and cheese manufacturing could be a way to reduce the volume of whey and consequently the vitamin D losses in cheese whey. Control (1.0×) and concentrated milks (1.4× and 1.8×) were fortified with vitamin D at a concentration of 450 IU per gram of milk. The 1.8× cheese milk concentration reduced slightly the vitamin D loss during the draining step (19.8%) compared with the control cheese (25.5%) and vitamin D remained stable during Cheddar cheese processing and ripening. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.