75 FR 16424 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Census Coverage Measurement Final Housing Unit...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-01

... unit is a block cluster, which consists of one or more geographically contiguous census blocks. As in... a number of distinct processes, ranging from forming block clusters, selecting the block clusters... sample of block clusters, while the E Sample is the census of housing units and enumerations in the same...

Description of core samples returned by Apollo 12

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindsay, J. F.; Fryxell, R.

1971-01-01

Three core samples were collected by the Apollo 12 astronauts. Two are single cores, one of which (sample 12026) was collected close to the lunar module during the first extravehicular activity period and is 19.3 centimeters long. The second core (sample 12027) was collected at Sharp Crater during the second extravehicular activity period and is 17.4 centimeters long. The third sample is a double core (samples 12025 and 12028), which was collected near Halo Crater during the second extravehicular activity period. Unlike the other cores, the double-drive-tube core sample has complex layering with at least 10 clearly defined stratigraphic units. This core sample is approximately 41 centimeters long.

Variability of pesticide residues in cauliflower units collected from a field trial and market places in Greece.

PubMed

Prodhan, M D H; Papadakis, Emmanouil-N; Papadopoulou-Mourkidou, Euphemia

2016-09-01

To estimate the variability of pesticide residue levels present in cauliflower units, a total of 142 samples were collected from a field trial of a cooperative farmer, and 120 samples were collected from different market places in Thessaloniki, Greece. The collected samples were extracted using the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction technique, and the residues were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The developed method was validated by evaluating the accuracy, precision, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). The average recoveries for all the analytes, derived from the data of control samples fortified at 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 mg/kg, ranged from 74 to 110% with a relative standard deviation of ≤8%. The correlation coefficient (R(2)) was ≥0.997 for all the analytes using matrix-matched calibration standards. The LOD values ranged from 0.001 to 0.003 mg/kg, and the LOQ was determined at 0.01 mg/kg for all the sought analytes. The matrix effect was found to be at a considerable level, especially for cypermethrin and deltamethrin, amounting to +90% and +145%, respectively. For the field samples, the unit-to-unit variability factors (VFs) calculated for cypermethrin and deltamethrin were 2.38 and 2.32, respectively, while the average VF for the market basket samples was 5.11. In the market basket samples, residues of cypermethrin, deltamethrin, chlorpyrifos, and indoxacarb were found at levels ≥LOQ and their respective VFs were 7.12, 5.67, 5.28, and 2.40.

Vascular Blood Collection protocol samples into MELFI

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-18

iss029e028495 (10/18/2011) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Satoshi Furukawa,Expedition 29 flight engineer,prepares to put samples from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency) Vascular Blood Collection protocol into the MELFI-1 (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS 1) unit.

Guidelines for the processing and quality assurance of benthic invertebrate samples collected as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cuffney, T.F.; Gurtz, M.E.; Meador, M.R.

1993-01-01

Benthic invertebrate samples are collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. This is a perennial, multidisciplinary program that integrates biological, physical, and chemical indicators of water quality to evaluate status and trends and to develop an understanding of the factors controlling observed water quality. The Program examines water quality in 60 study units (coupled ground- and surface-water systems) that encompass most of the conterminous United States and parts of Alaska and Hawaii. Study-unit teams collect and process qualitative and semi-quantitative invertebrate samples according to standardized procedures. These samples are processed (elutriated and subsampled) in the field to produce as many as four sample components: large-rare, main-body, elutriate, and split. Each sample component is preserved in 10-percent formalin, and two components, large-rare and main-body, are sent to contract laboratories for further processing. The large-rare component is composed of large invertebrates that are removed from the sample matrix during field processing and placed in one or more containers. The main-body sample component consists of the remaining sample materials (sediment, detritus, and invertebrates) and is subsampled in the field to achieve a volume of 750 milliliters or less. The remaining two sample components, elutriate and split, are used for quality-assurance and quality-control purposes. Contract laboratories are used to identify and quantify invertebrates from the large-rare and main-body sample components according to the procedures and guidelines specified within this document. These guidelines allow the use of subsampling techniques to reduce the volume of sample material processed and to facilitate identifications. These processing procedures and techniques may be modified if the modifications provide equal or greater levels of accuracy and precision. The intent of sample processing is to determine the quantity of each taxon present in the semi-quantitative samples or to list the taxa present in qualitative samples. The processing guidelines provide standardized laboratory forms, sample labels, detailed sample processing flow charts, standardized format for electronic data, quality-assurance procedures and checks, sample tracking standards, and target levels for taxonomic determinations. The contract laboratory (1) is responsible for identifications and quantifications, (2) constructs reference collections, (3) provides data in hard copy and electronic forms, (4) follows specified quality-assurance and quality-control procedures, and (5) returns all processed and unprocessed portions of the samples. The U.S. Geological Survey's Quality Management Group maintains a Biological Quality-Assurance Unit, located at the National Water-Quality Laboratory, Arvada, Colorado, to oversee the use of contract laboratories and ensure the quality of data obtained from these laboratories according to the guidelines established in this document. This unit establishes contract specifications, reviews contractor performance (timeliness, accuracy, and consistency), enters data into the National Water Information System-II data base, maintains in-house reference collections, deposits voucher specimens in outside museums, and interacts with taxonomic experts within and outside the U.S. Geological Survey. This unit also modifies the existing sample processing and quality-assurance guidelines, establishes criteria and testing procedures for qualifying potential contract laboratories, identifies qualified taxonomic experts, and establishes voucher collections.

Occurrence, distribution, and concentrations of selected contaminants in streambed- and suspended-sediment samples collected in Bexar County, Texas, 2007-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Jennifer T.

2011-01-01

High concentrations of sediment-associated contaminants are typically associated with urban areas such as San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County, the seventh most populous city in the United States. U.S. Geological Survey personnel periodically collected surficial streambed-sediment samples during 2007-09 and collected suspended-sediment samples from selected streams after storms during 2008 and 2009. All sediment samples were analyzed for major and trace elements, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Legionella spp. in dental unit waterlines.

PubMed

Sedlata Juraskova, E; Sedlackova, H; Janska, J; Holy, O; Lalova, I; Matouskova, I

2017-01-01

To determine the current presence of Legionella spp. in the output water of dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) and examine its mitigation by disinfection at the Institute of Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc. The first stage of our survey involved collecting samples of DUWL output water from 50 dental chair units (DCUs), and 2 samples of the incoming potable water. In October 2015, a one-time disinfection (1 % Stabimed) of DUWLs was conducted. This was followed by collecting 10 control samples (survey stage 2). From the total of 50 samples (survey stage 1), 18 samples (36.0 %) tested positive for Legionella spp. Following the disinfection, nine of the ten samples no longer showed any presence of Legionella. Based on culture results, the one-time disinfection (1 % Stabimed) was effective. We are unable to comment on the duration of positive effect of disinfection on the occurrence of Legionella spp. in the outlet water. It was a one-time survey (Tab. 2, Ref. 32).

Demonstration/Validation of Incremental Sampling at Two Diverse Military Ranges and Development of an Incremental Sampling Tool

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

Sampling (MIS)? • Technique of combining many increments of soil from a number of points within exposure area • Developed by Enviro Stat (Trademarked...Demonstrating a reliable soil sampling strategy to accurately characterize contaminant concentrations in spatially extreme and heterogeneous...into a set of decision (exposure) units • One or several discrete or small- scale composite soil samples collected to represent each decision unit

Urban contributions of glyphosate and its degradate AMPA to streams in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kolpin, D.W.; Thurman, E.M.; Lee, E.A.; Meyer, M.T.; Furlong, E.T.; Glassmeyer, S.T.

2006-01-01

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world, being routinely applied to control weeds in both agricultural and urban settings. Microbial degradation of glyphosate produces aminomethyl phosphonic acid (AMPA). The high polarity and water-solubility of glyphosate and AMPA has, until recently, made their analysis in water samples problematic. Thus, compared to other herbicides (e.g. atrazine) there are relatively few studies on the environmental occurrence of glyphosate and AMPA. In 2002, treated effluent samples were collected from 10 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to study the occurrence of glyphosate and AMPA. Stream samples were collected upstream and downstream of the 10 WWTPs. Two reference streams were also sampled. The results document the apparent contribution of WWTP effluent to stream concentrations of glyphosate and AMPA, with roughly a two-fold increase in their frequencies of detection between stream samples collected upstream and those collected downstream of the WWTPs. Thus, urban use of glyphosate contributes to glyphosate and AMPA concentrations in streams in the United States. Overall, AMPA was detected much more frequently (67.5%) compared to glyphosate (17.5%).

Ground-Water Quality of the Northern High Plains Aquifer, 1997, 2002-04

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanton, Jennifer S.; Qi, Sharon L.

2007-01-01

An assessment of ground-water quality in the northern High Plains aquifer was completed during 1997 and 2002-04. Ground-water samples were collected at 192 low-capacity, primarily domestic wells in four major hydrogeologic units of the northern High Plains aquifer-Ogallala Formation, Eastern Nebraska, Sand Hills, and Platte River Valley. Each well was sampled once, and water samples were analyzed for physical properties and concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, pesticides and pesticide degradates, dissolved solids, major ions, trace elements, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), radon, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Tritium and microbiology were analyzed at selected sites. The results of this assessment were used to determine the current water-quality conditions in this subregion of the High Plains aquifer and to relate ground-water quality to natural and human factors affecting water quality. Water-quality analyses indicated that water samples rarely exceeded established U.S. Environmental Protection Agency public drinking-water standards for those constituents sampled; 13 of the constituents measured or analyzed exceeded their respective standards in at least one sample. The constituents that most often failed to meet drinking-water standards were dissolved solids (13 percent of samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation) and arsenic (8 percent of samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level). Nitrate, uranium, iron, and manganese concentrations were larger than drinking-water standards in 6 percent of the samples. Ground-water chemistry varied among hydrogeologic units. Wells sampled in the Platte River Valley and Eastern Nebraska units exceeded water-quality standards more often than the Ogallala Formation and Sand Hills units. Thirty-one percent of the samples collected in the Platte River Valley unit had nitrate concentrations greater than the standard, 22 percent exceeded the manganese standard, 19 percent exceeded the sulfate standard, 26 percent exceeded the uranium standard, and 38 percent exceeded the dissolved-solids standard. In addition, 78 percent of samples had at least one detectable pesticide and 22 percent of samples had at least one detectable VOC. In the Eastern Nebraska unit, 30 percent of the samples collected had dissolved-solids concentrations larger than the standard, 23 percent exceeded the iron standard, 13 percent exceeded the manganese standard, 10 percent exceeded the arsenic standard, 7 percent exceeded the sulfate standard, 7 percent exceeded the uranium standard, and 7 percent exceeded the selenium standard. No samples exceeded the nitrate standard. Thirty percent of samples had at least one detectable pesticide compound and 10 percent of samples had at least one detectable VOC. In contrast, the Sand Hills and Ogallala Formation units had fewer detections of anthropogenic compounds and drinking-water exceedances. In the Sand Hills unit, 15 percent of the samples exceeded the arsenic standard, 4 percent exceeded the nitrate standard, 4 percent exceeded the uranium standard, 4 percent exceeded the iron standard, and 4 percent exceeded the dissolved-solids standard. Fifteen percent of samples had at least one pesticide compound detected and 4 percent had at least one VOC detected. In the Ogallala Formation unit, 6 percent of water samples exceeded the arsenic standard, 4 percent exceeded the dissolved-solids standard, 3 percent exceeded the nitrate standard, 2 percent exceeded the manganese standard, 1 percent exceeded the iron standard, 1 percent exceeded the sulfate standard, and 1 percent exceeded the uranium standard. Eight percent of samples collected in the Ogallala Formation unit had at least one pesticide detected and 6 percent had at least one VOC detected. Differences in ground-water chemistry among the hydrogeologic units were attributed to variable depth to water, depth of the well screen below the water table, reduction-oxidation conditions, ground-water residence time, interactions with surface water, composition of aquifer sediments, extent of cropland, extent of irrigated land, and fertilizer application rates.

A guide to soil samplng and analysis on the National Forests of the Inland Northwest United States

Treesearch

Deb Page-Dumroese; Al Harvey; Marty Jurgensen

1995-01-01

This guide details soil collection methods, sample analysis, and data translation. It outlines what field soil scientists need to make accurate interpretations of site information. Included are instructions for sampling typical Andisols found on National Forests of the Inland Northwest United States.

77 FR 32138 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Extension of a Currently Approved Collection; Comments...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-31

... Activities: Extension of a Currently Approved Collection; Comments Requested National Crime Victimization... collection. (2) Title of the Form/Collection: National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). (3) Agency form... NCVS sampled households located throughout the United States. The National Crime Victimization Survey...

Analysis of Samples Collected from the Surface of Interim Storage Canisters at Calvert Cliffs in June 2017: Revision 01.

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

Bryan, Charles R.; Schindelholz, Eric John

In June 2017, dust and salt samples were collected from the surface of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) dry storage canisters at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. The samples were delivered to Sandia National laboratories for analysis. Two types of samples were collected: filter-backed Scotch-Brite TM pads were used to collect dry dust samples for characterization of salt and dust morphologies and distributions; and Saltsmart TM test strips were used to collect soluble salts for determining salt surface loadings per unit area. After collection, the samples were sealed into plastic sleeves for shipping. Condensation within the sleeves containing the Scotch-Britemore » TM samples remobilized the salts, rendering them ineffective for the intended purpose, and also led to mold growth, further compromising the samples; for these reasons, the samples were not analyzed. The SaltSmart TM samples were unaffected and were analyzed by ion chromatography for major anions and cations. The results of those analyses are presented here.« less

Collecting Research-Grade Data With Volunteers: A Case Study from Montana's Wilderness to the Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kautz, M.

2016-12-01

Collecting Research-Grade Data With Volunteers: A Case Study from Montana's Wilderness Waterways to the SeaKautz, M (1), Barrows, A (2)(1) Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation. Bozeman, Montana, United States - mike@adventureandscience.org(2) College of the Atlantic. Bar Harbor, Maine, United States - abby.barrows@coa.eduSince World War II, global plastic production and consumption has increased dramatically. Plastics released into the environment may break down into smaller pieces through physical, biological and chemical processes. These small particles, referred to as microplastics, are less than 5mm in size and are a pollutant of emerging concern in both marine and freshwater environments. Since 2013, researcher Abigail Barrows and ASC have been conducting a global survey of microplastic distribution by utilizing the outdoor skills of adventurers. ASC recruits, trains and manages volunteers with specialized skills (surfers, long-distance open-ocean rowers, sailors, hikers, mountaineers, kayakers and others) to collect marine and freshwater samples from remote environments. Of the nearly 1500 samples collected worldwide to date (from areas as remote as the edge of Antarctica and the wilderness of Alaska) 90% contain microplastic, with an average of 8 pieces/1L of water. Samples are also in preparation for micro-Raman spectroscopy to determine source materials. In 2016 and 2017 the survey is focusing on freshwater around the globe. In the United States samples are being collected from the length of the 4th longest river system in the world, the Missouri-Mississippi. ASC has adventurous citizen scientists sampling in the mountain headwaters near Yellowstone National Park to the delta of the Mississippi River near New Orleans. This citizen-driven observation allows research at a geographic scale simply not possible through traditional methods. ASC works closely with Barrows and other researchers to develop water sampling protocols that allow volunteers to collect research grade data. This includes the use of POV cameras to review volunteers' sample collection methods, incorporating self-assessment into data collection, online training and refreshers, and app-based field data recording.

Geochemical results from stream-water and stream-sediment samples collected in Colorado and New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hageman, Philip L.; Todd, Andrew S.; Smith, Kathleen S.; DeWitt, Ed; Zeigler, Mathew P.

2013-01-01

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey are studying the relationship between watershed lithology and stream-water chemistry. As part of this effort, 60 stream-water samples and 43 corresponding stream-sediment samples were collected in 2010 and 2011 from locations in Colorado and New Mexico. Sample sites were selected from small to midsize watersheds composed of a high percentage of one rock type or geologic unit. Stream-water and stream-sediment samples were collected, processed, preserved, and analyzed in a consistent manner. This report releases geochemical data for this phase of the study.

Multichannel microscale system for high throughput preparative separation with comprehensive collection and analysis

DOEpatents

Karger, Barry L.; Kotler, Lev; Foret, Frantisek; Minarik, Marek; Kleparnik, Karel

2003-12-09

A modular multiple lane or capillary electrophoresis (chromatography) system that permits automated parallel separation and comprehensive collection of all fractions from samples in all lanes or columns, with the option of further on-line automated sample fraction analysis, is disclosed. Preferably, fractions are collected in a multi-well fraction collection unit, or plate (40). The multi-well collection plate (40) is preferably made of a solvent permeable gel, most preferably a hydrophilic, polymeric gel such as agarose or cross-linked polyacrylamide.

Ground sample data for the Conterminous U.S. Land Cover Characteristics Database

Treesearch

Robert Burgan; Colin Hardy; Donald Ohlen; Gene Fosnight; Robert Treder

1999-01-01

Ground sample data were collected for a land cover database and raster map that portray 159 vegetation classes at 1 km2 resolution for the conterminous United States. Locations for 3,500 1 km2 ground sample plots were selected randomly across the United States. The number of plots representing each vegetation class was weighted by the proportionate coverage of each...

Widespread Rotavirus H in Commercially Raised Pigs, United States

PubMed Central

Rossow, Kurt; Culhane, Marie; Goyal, Sagar; Collins, Jim; Matthijnssens, Jelle; Nelson, Martha; Ciarlet, Max

2014-01-01

We investigated the presence in US pigs of rotavirus H (RVH), identified in pigs in Japan and Brazil. From 204 samples collected during 2006–2009, we identified RVH in 15% of fecal samples from 10 US states, suggesting that RVH has circulated in the United States since 2002, but probably longer. PMID:24960190

Role of intraocular Leptospira infections in the pathogenesis of Equine Recurrent Uveitis in the Southern United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To investigate the role of intraocular leptospiral infections in horses with Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) in the southern United States, blood and ocular fluid samples were collected from horses with a history and ocular findings consistent with ERU. Samples were also obtained from control horses ...

Pesticide-sampling equipment, sample-collection and processing procedures, and water-quality data at Chicod Creek, North Carolina, 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manning, T.K.; Smith, K.E.; Wood, C.D.; Williams, J.B.

1994-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected from Chicod Creek in the Coastal Plain Province of North Carolina during the summer of 1992 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Chicod Creek is in the Albemarle-Pamlico drainage area, one of four study units designated to test equipment and procedures for collecting and processing samples for the solid-phase extraction of selected pesticides, The equipment and procedures were used to isolate 47 pesticides, including organonitrogen, carbamate, organochlorine, organophosphate, and other compounds, targeted to be analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Sample-collection and processing equipment equipment cleaning and set-up procedures, methods pertaining to collecting, splitting, and solid-phase extraction of samples, and water-quality data resulting from the field test are presented in this report Most problems encountered during this intensive sampling exercise were operational difficulties relating to equipment used to process samples.

40 CFR Appendix E to Part 63 - Monitoring Procedure for Nonthoroughly Mixed Open Biological Treatment Systems at Kraft Pulp...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... two separate components. The first data collection component demonstrates that the open biological... each zone of the open biological treatment unit. After the first two components of data collection are... determined using actual sampling data from the open biological treatment unit. This is done during the...

40 CFR Appendix E to Part 63 - Monitoring Procedure for Nonthoroughly Mixed Open Biological Treatment Systems at Kraft Pulp...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... two separate components. The first data collection component demonstrates that the open biological... each zone of the open biological treatment unit. After the first two components of data collection are... determined using actual sampling data from the open biological treatment unit. This is done during the...

Groundwater conditions and studies in the Augusta–Richmond County area, Georgia, 2008–2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gonthier, Gerard; Lawrence, Stephen J.; Peck, Michael F.; Holloway, O. Gary

2011-01-01

Groundwater studies and monitoring efforts conducted during 2008–2009, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Cooperative Water Program with the City of Augusta in Richmond County, Georgia, provided data for the effective management of local water resources. During 2008–2009 the USGS completed: (1) installation of three monitoring wells and the collection of lithologic and geophysical logging data to determine the extent of hydrogeologic units, (2) collection of continuous groundwater-level data from wells near Well Fields 2 and 3, (3) collection of synoptic groundwater-level measurements and construction of potentiometric-surface maps in Richmond County to establish flow gradients and groundwater-flow directions in the Dublin and Midville aquifer systems, (4) completion of a 24-hour aquifer test to determine hydraulic characteristics of the lower Dublin aquifer, and upper and lower Midville aquifers in Well Field 2, and (5) collection of groundwater samples from selected wells in Well Field 2 for laboratory analysis of volatile organic compounds and groundwater tracers to assess groundwater quality and estimate the time of groundwater recharge. Potentiometric-surface maps of the Dublin and Midville aquifer systems for 2008–2009 indicate that the general groundwater flow direction within Richmond County is eastward toward the Savannah River, with the exception of the area around Well Field 2, where pumping interrupts the eastward flow of water toward the Savannah River and causes flow lines to bend toward the center of pumping. Results from a 24-hour aquifer test conducted in 2009 within the upper and lower Midville aquifers at Well Field 2 indicated a transmissivity and storativity for the upper and lower Midville aquifers, combined, of 4,000 feet-squared per day and 2x10-4, respectively. The upper and lower Midville aquifers and the middle lower Midville confining unit, which is 85-feet thick in this area, yielded horizontal hydraulic conductivity and specific storage values of about 45 feet per day and 2x10-6 ft-1, respectively. Results from the 24-hour aquifer test also indicate a low horizontal hydraulic conductivity for the lower Dublin aquifer of less than 1 foot per day. Of the 35 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analyzed in 23 groundwater samples during 2008–2009, only six were detected above laboratory reporting limits in samples from eight wells. No concentration in groundwater samples collected during 2008–2009 exceeded drinking water standards. Trichloroethene had the maximum VOC concentration (1.9 micrograms per liter) collected from a water sample during 2008–2009. Water-quality sampling of several wells near Well Field 2 indicate that, while in operation, the northernmost production well might have diverted groundwater, containing low levels of trichloroethene from at least two other production wells. Analysis of sulfur hexafluoride data indicate the average year of recharge ranges between 1981 and 1984 for water samples from five wells open to the upper and lower Midville aquifers, and 1991 for a water sample from one shallow well open to the lower Dublin aquifer. All of these ages suggest a short flow path and nearby source of contamination. The actual source of low levels of VOCs at Well Field 2 remains unknown. Three newly installed monitoring wells indicate that hydrogeologic units beneath Well Fields 2 and 3 are composed of sand and clay layers. Hydrogeologic units, encountered at Well Field 2, in order of increasing depth are the lower Dublin confining unit, lower Dublin aquifer, upper Midville confining unit, upper Midville aquifer, lower Midville confining unit, and lower Midville aquifer. West of Well Field 3, hydrogeologic units, in order of increasing depth are the Upper Three Runs aquifer, Gordon confining unit, Gordon aquifer, lower Dublin confining unit, lower Dublin aquifer, upper Midville confining unit, upper Midville aquifer, lower Midville confining unit, and lower Midville aquifer.

Salmonella Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility from the National Animal Health Monitoring System Sheep 2011 Study.

PubMed

Dargatz, David A; Marshall, Katherine L; Fedorka-Cray, Paula J; Erdman, Matthew M; Kopral, Christine A

2015-12-01

Salmonella is a major cause of foodborne illness and can cause clinical disease in animals. Understanding the on-farm ecology of Salmonella will be helpful in decreasing the risk of foodborne transmission. An objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Salmonella among fecal samples collected on sheep operations in the United States. Another objective was to compare the use of composite fecal samples with fecal samples collected from individual sheep as a tool for screening sheep flocks for Salmonella. Sheep fecal samples (individual and composite) were collected on operations in 22 states. Salmonella isolates were characterized with regard to species, serotype, and antimicrobial susceptibility profile. Most operations (72.1%) had at least one positive sample and overall 26.9% of samples were positive. The percentage of positive samples varied by animal age class. Composite and individual samples gave similar results. The majority of the isolates (94%) were Salmonella enterica subspecies diarizonae serotype 61:-:1,5,7. Nearly all of the isolates (91.2%) tested for antimicrobial susceptibility were susceptible to all antimicrobials in the panel. The findings suggest that salmonellae typically associated with foodborne disease transmission are infrequently found on sheep operations in the United States.

Spatial and Temporal Variations in CHLORINE-36 Deposition in the Northern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hainsworth, Laura J.

Chlorine-36, a cosmogenic radioisotope, has been developed for use as a tracer in hydrological systems. The deposition of atmospheric ^{36} Cl, although of primary importance to hydrological applications, has not been well studied. To begin to address this problem, ^{36}Cl has been measured in monthly, wet-only, precipitation samples collected from February, 1991, to January, 1993, at the Elms Environmental Education Center in St. Mary's County, Maryland. In addition, bulk deposition samples were collected over a 1 y period at seven sites across the Northern United States and analyzed for ^{36} Cl. The mean, wet-only ^{36} Cl/Cl ratio for the 2 y sampling period is 68 +/- 19 (x10^{-15} ) and the mean ^{36}Cl concentration is 1.2 +/- 0.1 (x10 ^6) atoms/L. The ^ {36}Cl wet deposition flux data reveal a distinct seasonal deposition pattern, with peaks occurring in March and April. This pattern is attributed to stratospheric/tropospheric exchange. The mean ^{36}Cl wet deposition flux is 38.2 +/- 5 atoms/m^2s. Comparison between wet-only and bulk deposition samples indicates that the difference accounts for approximately 25% of the total ^{36}Cl deposition flux at the Elms site. A new model, using ^{90} Sr to predict the ^{36} Cl deposition pattern, is developed to predict ^{36}Cl/Cl ratios across the United States. Chlorine-36/Cl ratios in bulk deposition samples collected across the northern United States agree well with the model predictions. A mean global ^{36}Cl production rate of approximately 28 to 38 atoms/m^2s is indicated by these samples. A comparison between ^{36 }Cl concentrations in the Aquia and Magothy aquifers in southern Maryland and bulk deposition samples collected at the Elms, MD, site indicated that modern precipitation can account for the ^{36}Cl content in the youngest water in these aquifers. Surface water samples from the Susquehanna River basin reveal ^{36}Cl and stable chloride concentrations an order of magnitude higher than in bulk deposition samples collected at State College, PA. The source of excess ^{36}Cl in the Susquehanna is not known. Possible explanations include 'bomb-pulse' ^{36}Cl and in-situ ^{36}Cl production in surface rocks.

76 FR 50758 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested-Reinstatement...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-16

... Approved Collection for Which Approval Has Expired, Identity Theft Supplement (ITS) to the National Crime... Form/Collection: Identity Theft Supplement (ITS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey. (3) Agency... administered to persons 16 years or older in NCVS sampled households in the United States. The Identity Theft...

Counselors' Collective Self-Esteem Mediates Job Dissatisfaction and Client Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Kumlan; Lee, Sang-Hee; Lee, Sang Min

2007-01-01

Given the central role of professional identity (i.e., collective self-esteem in this study), the authors examined whether collective self-esteem mediated or moderated relations between job dissatisfaction and client relationships in a sample of 132 professional counselors in the United States. Results indicated that collective self-esteem…

The Use of Handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Technology in Unraveling the Eruptive History of the San Francisco Volcanic Field, Arizona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Kelsey E.; Evans, C. A.; Hodges, K. V.

2012-01-01

While traditional geologic mapping includes the examination of structural relationships between rock units in the field, more advanced technology now enables us to simultaneously collect and combine analytical datasets with field observations. Information about tectonomagmatic processes can be gleaned from these combined data products. Historically, construction of multi-layered field maps that include sample data has been accomplished serially (first map and collect samples, analyze samples, combine data, and finally, readjust maps and conclusions about geologic history based on combined data sets). New instruments that can be used in the field, such as a handheld xray fluorescence (XRF) unit, are now available. Targeted use of such instruments enables geologists to collect preliminary geochemical data while in the field so that they can optimize scientific data return from each field traverse. Our study tests the application of this technology and projects the benefits gained by real-time geochemical data in the field. The integrated data set produces a richer geologic map and facilitates a stronger contextual picture for field geologists when collecting field observations and samples for future laboratory work. Real-time geochemical data on samples also provide valuable insight regarding sampling decisions by the field geologist

Conodont and Radiolarian Data from the De Long Mountains Quadrangle and Adjacent Areas, Northern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dumoulin, Julie A.; Harris, Anita G.; Blome, Charles D.; Young, Lorne E.

2006-01-01

INTRODUCTION This report presents biostratigraphic data from 289 collections at 189 localities in the De Long Mountains, Misheguk Mountain, and Noatak quadrangles (fig. 1); most of these data have never been previously published. The collections were made during studies of the Red Dog massive sulfide deposit in 1998?2004 and in support of regional mapping projects in 1979, 1981, 1983, and 1997?98. The collections?mostly conodonts and some radiolarians?tightly constrain the age of many stratigraphic units of Devonian through Triassic age exposed within the study area, and provide additional data on the depositional environments and thermal history of these rocks. The data are presented in a series of tables, organized by fossil type, stratigraphic unit, and location. Tables 1?12 contain conodont data, mostly from the De Long Mountains quadrangle. All of these collections were initially examined, or were reevaluated, from 1997 through 2004, and complete faunal lists are given for all samples. Table 13 lists ages and conodont color alteration indices (CAIs) of 27 collections from 24 localities in the Noatak quadrangle; updated faunal lists were not prepared for these samples. Radiolarian data?all from the De Long Mountains quadrangle?are given in table 14; these collections were analyzed between 1998 and 2003. Collection localities are shown in four maps (sheets 1, 2). Map 1 (sheet 1) shows all outcrop samples from the De Long Mountains and western Misheguk Mountain quadrangle (locs. 1-121). Maps 2?4 (sheets 1, 2) show all drill hole sample localities; samples come from the Su-Lik deposit and in and around the Anarraaq deposit (map 2, locs. 122?135), in and adjacent to the Red Dog deposits (Paalaaq, Aqqaluk, Main, and Qanaiyaq) (map 3, locs. 136?158), and from drill holes along the Port Road in the Noatak quadrangle (map 4, locs. 159?160). Map 4 (sheet 2) also shows all outcrop samples from the Noatak quadrangle (locs. 161?189). The text summarizes the lithofacies, age, and biofacies of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic stratigraphic units that produced the fossil collections presented in the tables. Many of the data for the Lisburne Group are taken from Dumoulin and others (2004). Plates 1?4 illustrate important conodonts from the collections listed herein, as well as from coeval collections in the Howard Pass quadrangle; information about the Howard Pass conodonts is given in Table 15.

Microbial quality of water in dental unit waterlines.

PubMed

Nikaeen, Mahnaz; Hatamzadeh, Maryam; Sabzevari, Zohre; Zareh, Omolbanin

2009-09-01

Dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) are ideal environment for development of microbial biofilms. Microbial contamination of water in DUWLs is thought to be the result of biofilm formation as it could serves as a haven for pathogens. The aim of this study was to assess microbial quality of water in dental unit waterlines of dental units located at the dental school of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Water samples were collected from air/water syringe and high-speed handpiece. Generally, 100-200 ml water samples were collected aseptically in sterile containers with sodium thiosulfate at the beginning of the day after a 2 minute purge. Samples were transferred to the laboratory in insulated box with cooling packs and examined for total viable heterotrophic bacteria and fungi. The heterotrophic plate count levels were significantly exceeded the American Dental Association recommendations for DUWL water quality (< 200 CFU/ml), in both air/water syringe (84%, CFU/ml: 500-20000) and high-speed handpiece (96%, CFU/ml: 710-36800) samples. However, there was no significant difference between the level of contamination in the air/water syringe and high-speed handpiece. Fungi were found in 28% and 36% of air/water syringe and high-speed handpiece samples, respectively; and filamentous fungi were the most frequently isolated fungi. DUWLs should be subjected to routine microbial monitoring and to a decontamination protocol in order to minimize the risk of exposure to potential pathogens from dental units.

Riboflavin and ultraviolet light reduce the infectivity of Babesia microti in whole blood.

PubMed

Tonnetti, Laura; Thorp, Aaron M; Reddy, Heather L; Keil, Shawn D; Goodrich, Raymond P; Leiby, David A

2013-04-01

Babesia microti is the parasite most frequently transmitted by blood transfusion in the United States. Previous work demonstrated the efficacy of riboflavin (RB) and ultraviolet (UV) light to inactivate B.microti in apheresis plasma and platelet units. In this study we investigated the effectiveness of RB and UV light to reduce the levels of B.microti in whole blood (WB). WB units were spiked with B. microti-infected hamster blood. Spearman-Karber methods were used to calculate infectivity of each sample in terms of hamster infectious dose 50% (HID50 ) value. After RB addition, the units were illuminated with 80 J/mLRBC UV light. Two samples were collected: one before illumination and one after illumination. The samples were serially diluted and dilutions injected into a group of five naive hamsters. Four weeks postinoculation (PI), blood was collected from the animals and evaluated by microscopic observation. One pilot study showed a good dose response in the animals and demonstrated that sample infectivity could be calculated in terms of an HID50 . Three additional replicates were performed in the same manner as the pilot study, but with fewer dilutions. Infectivity values were consistent between the experiments and were used to calculate log reduction. The posttreatment reduction of B. microti for all the experiments was more than 5 log. The data collected indicate that use of RB and UV is able to decrease the parasite load in WB units thus reducing the risk of transfusion-transmitted B. microti from blood components containing B. microti-infected RBCs. © 2012 American Association of Blood Banks.

Data on dissolved pesticides and volatile organic compounds in surface and ground waters in the San Joaquin-Tulare basins, California, water years 1992-1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kinsey, Willie B.; Johnson, Mark V.; Gronberg, JoAnn M.

2005-01-01

This report contains pesticide, volatile organic compound, major ion, nutrient, tritium, stable isotope, organic carbon, and trace-metal data collected from 149 ground-water wells, and pesticide data collected from 39 surface-water stream sites in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Included with the ground-water data are field measurements of pH, specific conductance, alkalinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. This report describes data collection procedures, analytical methods, quality assurance, and quality controls used by the National Water-Quality Assessment Program to ensure data reliability. Data contained in this report were collected during a four year period by the San Joaquin?Tulare Basins Study Unit of the United States Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Surface-water-quality data collection began in April 1992, with sampling done three times a week at three sites as part of a pilot study conducted to provide background information for the surface-water-study design. Monthly samples were collected at 10 sites for major ions and nutrients from January 1993 to March 1995. Additional samples were collected at four of these sites, from January to December 1993, to study spatial and temporal variability in dissolved pesticide concentrations. Samples for several synoptic studies were collected from 1993 to 1995. Ground-water-quality data collection was restricted to the eastern alluvial fans subarea of the San Joaquin Valley. Data collection began in 1993 with the sampling of 21 wells in vineyard land-use settings. In 1994, 29 wells were sampled in almond land-use settings and 9 in vineyard land-use settings; an additional 11 wells were sampled along a flow path in the eastern Fresno County vineyard land-use area. Among the 79 wells sampled in 1995, 30 wells were in the corn, alfalfa, and vegetable land-use setting, and 1 well was in the vineyard land-use setting; an additional 20 were flow-path wells. Also sampled in 1995 were 28 wells used for a regional assessment of ground-water quality in the eastern San Joaquin Valley.

MAP3S precipitation chemistry network. Third periodic summary report, July 1978-December 1979

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

Not Available

1980-05-01

The MAP3S Precipitation Chemistry Network consists of eight collection sites in the northeastern United States. Precipitation event samples are collected by cooperating site operators, using specially developed sampling equipment. In this, the third periodic summary report, are listed field and concentration data for the period July 1, 1978 to December 31, 1979. Over three years' samples have been collected at most of the sites, which went into operation between September 1976 and October 1978. Samples are chemically analyzed at a central laboratory for 13 pollutant species. Weekly samples in addition to event samples were collected over a 1 1/2 yearmore » period at three sites. Analysis of one year's results indicates that there is little difference between the concentrations collected by the two methods in terms of seasonal precipitation-weighted means for all species except dissolved SO/sub 2/. Event samples tend to average about 25% higher in SO/sub 2/ than weekly samples.« less

Contextual Influences on Women's Health Concerns and Attitudes toward Menopause

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strauss, Judy R.

2011-01-01

Social factors that affect women's attitudes toward menopause were examined in a sample of 1,037 baby boomer women who took part in two waves of the Midlife in the United States survey. Survey data were collected in 1996 and 2005 from a nationally representative sample of women born between 1946 and 1964 residing in the United States. Women's…

Air sampling unit for breath analyzers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabra, Dariusz; Prokopiuk, Artur; Mikołajczyk, Janusz; Ligor, Tomasz; Buszewski, Bogusław; Bielecki, Zbigniew

2017-11-01

The paper presents a portable breath sampling unit (BSU) for human breath analyzers. The developed unit can be used to probe air from the upper airway and alveolar for clinical and science studies. The BSU is able to operate as a patient interface device for most types of breath analyzers. Its main task is to separate and to collect the selected phases of the exhaled air. To monitor the so-called I, II, or III phase and to identify the airflow from the upper and lower parts of the human respiratory system, the unit performs measurements of the exhaled CO2 (ECO2) in the concentration range of 0%-20% (0-150 mm Hg). It can work in both on-line and off-line modes according to American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society standards. A Tedlar bag with a volume of 5 dm3 is mounted as a BSU sample container. This volume allows us to collect ca. 1-25 selected breath phases. At the user panel, each step of the unit operation is visualized by LED indicators. This helps us to regulate the natural breathing cycle of the patient. There is also an operator's panel to ensure monitoring and configuration setup of the unit parameters. The operation of the breath sampling unit was preliminarily verified using the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) laboratory setup. At this setup, volatile organic compounds were extracted by solid phase microextraction. The tests were performed by the comparison of GC/MS signals from both exhaled nitric oxide and isoprene analyses for three breath phases. The functionality of the unit was proven because there was an observed increase in the signal level in the case of the III phase (approximately 40%). The described work made it possible to construct a prototype of a very efficient breath sampling unit dedicated to breath sample analyzers.

Astronaut John Young collecting samples at North Ray crater during EVA

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-04-23

AS16-117-18825 (23 April 1972) --- Astronaut John W. Young, Apollo 16 commander, with a sample bag in his left hand, moves toward the bottom part of the gnomon (center) while collecting samples at the North Ray Crater geological site. Note how soiled Young's Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) is during this the third and final Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA). The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) is parked at upper left.

Major- and trace-element concentrations in soils from two continental-scale transects of the United States and Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, David B.; Cannon, William F.; Woodruff, Laurel G.; Garrett, Robert G.; Klassen, Rodney; Kilburn, James E.; Horton, John D.; King, Harley D.; Goldhaber, Martin B.; Morrison, Jean M.

2005-01-01

This report contains major- and trace-element concentration data for soil samples collected from 265 sites along two continental-scale transects in North America. One of the transects extends from northern Manitoba to the United States-Mexico border near El Paso, Tex. and consists of 105 sites. The other transect approximately follows the 38th parallel from the Pacific coast of the United States near San Francisco, Calif., to the Atlantic coast along the Maryland shore and consists of 160 sites. Sampling sites were defined by first dividing each transect into approximately 40-km segments. For each segment, a 1-km-wide latitudinal strip was randomly selected; within each strip, a potential sample site was selected from the most representative landscape within the most common soil type. At one in four sites, duplicate samples were collected 10 meters apart to estimate local spatial variability. At each site, up to four separate soil samples were collected as follows: (1) material from 0-5 cm depth; (2) O horizon, if present; (3) a composite of the A horizon; and (4) C horizon. Each sample collected was analyzed for total major- and trace-element composition by the following methods: (1) inductively coupled plasmamass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICPAES) for aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, bismuth, cadmium, calcium, cerium, cesium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, indium, iron, lanthanum, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, phosphorus, potassium, rubidium, scandium, silver, sodium, strontium, sulfur, tellurium, thallium, thorium, tin, titanium, tungsten, uranium, vanadium, yttrium, and zinc; (2) cold vapor- atomic absorption spectrometry for mercury; (3) hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry for antimony and selenium; (4) coulometric titration for carbonate carbon; and (5) combustion for total carbon and total sulfur.

Desert soil collection at the JPL soil science laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blank, G. B.; Cameron, R. E.

1969-01-01

Collection contains desert soils and other geologic materials collected from sites in the United States and foreign countries. Soils are useful for test purposes in research related to extraterrestrial life detection, sampling, harsh environmental studies, and determining suitable areas for training astronauts for lunar exploration.

Evaluation of microbial profile in dental unit waterlines and assessment of antimicrobial efficacy of two treating agents.

PubMed

Mungara, J; Dilna, N C; Joseph, E; Reddy, N

2013-01-01

The quality of water in a dental unit used for cooling and flushing the high and low speed handpiece, air/water syringes and the scalers is of considerable importance. The present study was carried out to enumerate and identify the microorganisms present in water samples collected from dental unit waterlines of different dental specialty clinics and to find out the efficacy of two treating agents in disinfecting dental unit waterlines. Sample included 70 dental unit waterlines from different speciality dental clinics which were checked for microbial contamination. From these dental units 40 units were randomly selected and divided into two groups of 20 each. Group A, treatment was done in 20 dental units with 0.2% Chlorhexidine gluconate solution and Group B, treatment was done in 20 dental units with 10% Povidone iodine solution and the reduction in the microbial levels were assessed. Five dental units were randomly selected and checked the microbial contamination using mineral water sterile distilled water fresh tap water as a water source in the dental unit reservoir bottles. Also from the test group, five from each group were checked for the duration of efficacy of treating agent for one week by analyzing the water samples collected on 3,5 and 7 day intervals. Most of the identified microorganisms are Gram negative and pseudomonas predominating up to 98.59% of the total isolates. Usage of disinfectants 0.2% Chlorhexidine and 10% Povidone Iodine were found to be very effective in reducing the microbial contamination and 10% Povidone iodine was found to be more efficient (97.13%) and active for a period of 3 days and gradually loosing its efficacy by 7th day. No significant difference were found in microbial contamination of water samples collected from different water outlets such as handpiece outlets, air water syringe outlets, scaler lines. To continue maintaining the sterility of the Dental unit waterlines and to complete the infection control measures adopted in the dental clinics, suitable disinfectants like 0.2% Chlorhexidine on daily basis or 10% Povidone iodine on every 3rd day basis intermittently maintain the sterility of dental unit waterlines it is essential to have a good water source and an effective disinfectant.

eDNAoccupancy: An R package for multi-scale occupancy modeling of environmental DNA data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dorazio, Robert; Erickson, Richard A.

2017-01-01

In this article we describe eDNAoccupancy, an R package for fitting Bayesian, multi-scale occupancy models. These models are appropriate for occupancy surveys that include three, nested levels of sampling: primary sample units within a study area, secondary sample units collected from each primary unit, and replicates of each secondary sample unit. This design is commonly used in occupancy surveys of environmental DNA (eDNA). eDNAoccupancy allows users to specify and fit multi-scale occupancy models with or without covariates, to estimate posterior summaries of occurrence and detection probabilities, and to compare different models using Bayesian model-selection criteria. We illustrate these features by analyzing two published data sets: eDNA surveys of a fungal pathogen of amphibians and eDNA surveys of an endangered fish species.

Similar patterns of change in stemwood calcium concentration in red spruce and Siberian fir

Treesearch

W.C. Shortle; K.T. Smith; R. Minocha; V.A. Alexeyev

1995-01-01

Changes in stemwood calcium concentration ([Ca]) for the last 120 years occurred in a common pattern for two sample collections of red spruce (n = 33 and 20) from the northeastern United States and for one sample collection of Siberian fir (n = 20) from southcentral Siberia, Russia. The [Ca]was measured for wood formed during the...

Observations of radiation fog chemistry in the Eastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straub, D.; Hutchings, J.; Herckes, P.

2010-07-01

The chemical composition of radiation fog in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States has been the focus of an ongoing field campaign based in Selinsgrove, PA. This field study was established to provide a long term record that can be used to identify the effects of meteorology and air mass source regions on fog composition and to shed light on the role that fog can play in the production of secondary inorganic and organic aerosol mass. In the United States, studies that focus on radiation fog have been relatively rare. For the most part, they have been limited geographically to the Central Valley of California, though individual studies have also been conducted in the Central United States and along the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast. Sample collection for the current study began during the fall of 2007. Through 2009, samples from 25 radiation fog events have been obtained. A Caltech Heated Rod Cloudwater Collector (CHRCC) having a Dp50 of approximately 8 microns was used to collect one fog sample per event. Samples were typically collected between 2:00 AM and 7:00 AM under conditions of light winds, clear skies, and recent rainfall. Sample volumes ranged from 2.9 ml to 150 ml. Following collection, samples were analyzed for pH and then one of the following: major inorganic ions, dissolved total organic carbon, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), metals, or organic speciation. Through 2009, sample pH varied between 4.28 and 6.86 and averaged 5.03 based on H+ concentration. Ammonium and sulfate were found to be the most abundant ionic species in the fog samples. Sufficient ammonium was detected in nearly every sample to fully neutralize nitrate and sulfate. The concentrations of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium observed in this study were lower than values reported in the literature for most other cloud and fog studies conducted in the US. Due to significant ammonium input, pH in the current study was higher than most other studies. Concentrations of total organic carbon averaged 7.22 mgC/L, which is lower than other radiation fogs studies but similar to that for many cloud studies. NDMA concentrations in two analyzed samples were considered high, but not outside the range that could be expected through equilibrium with potential gas phase concentrations.

Residents Living in Residential Care Facilities: United States, 2010

MedlinePlus

... NSRCF used a stratified two-stage probability sample design. The first stage was the selection of RCFs ... was 99%. A detailed description of NSRCF sampling design, data collection, and procedures is provided both in ...

Integrated global background monitoring network. Preliminary results from Torres del Paine and Olympic National Parks

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

Wiersma, G.B.; Kohler, A.; Boelcke, C.

1985-10-01

During 1984, a pilot project was initiated for monitoring pollution at Torres del Paine National Park in southern Chile and Olympic National Park in the United States. These are two of three initial sites that are to be established as part of an integrated global backgound monitoring network. Eventually, the plan is to establish a world-wide system of such sites. We collected and analyzed samples of the soil, water, air, and two species of plants (moss and lichen). We also collected and analyzed samples of the forest litter. We compared the samples of soil and vegetation against reference samples. Wemore » also compared samples of soil, vegetation, and of organic material from Torres del Paine against similar samples from Olympic and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks in the United States. Although the data is preliminary, it is in agreement with out initial hypothesis that Torres del Paine and Olympic National Parks are not a polluted sites.« less

Residues of organochlorine compounds in starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), 1979

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cain, B.W.; Bunck, C.M.

1983-01-01

Starlings were collected for the National Pesticides Monitoring Program from 112 sites throughout the contiguous United States and analyzed for organochlorine compounds. Starling samples from 14 sites had greater than 1.0 ppm DDE residues with the highest DDE level being 15.8 ppm in a sample taken near Roswell, New Mexico. The occurrence of PCBs and chlordane isomers increased since the 1976 collection, but DDT, and dieldrin occurrences decreased. DDE and dieldrin levels decreased since the 1976 collection, but the level of PCBs has increased

An unmanned mission to Mars with sample collection and in-situ resource utilization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The design for the Mars Analysis and Return Vehicle with In-Situ Resource Utilization (MARVIN) project is outlined. The MARVIN mission is designed to collect samples of the Martian environment; to produce fuel from local Martian resources; and to use the fuel produced to return the samples to earth. It uses only existing technologies. Exploratory Technologies' mission-design efforts have focused on methods of orbit determination, sample collection, fuel production, power, communications, control, and structural design. Lambert Targeting provided Delta-V's, launch dates, and travel times. The landing site is the Tharsis Plateau, to the southeast of Olympus Mons, chosen for its substantial scientific value. Samples of soil, dust, and atmosphere are collected with lander-based collection devices: the soil sample, with a robotic arm similar to those used in the Viking missions; the atmospheric sample, from a bleed line to the compressor in the fuel-production facility; a dust sample, from the dust-collection container in the fuel-production facility; and a redundant dust sample, with a with a passive filter system, which relies upon neither a power source nor other collection methods. The sample-return capsule (SRC) houses these samples, which are triply contained to prevent contamination. Proven technology can be used to produce methane and oxygen for fuel with relative ease at the landing site: the Sabatier reactor produces methane and water by combining carbon dioxide and hydrogen (brought from earth); the Reverse Water-Gas Shift unit combines carbon dioxide and hydrogen to form carbon monoxide and water; a water-electrolysis unit splits the water into hydrogen and oxygen. The Mars-lander vehicle (MLV) transports the equipment from earth to Mars. The Mars-ascent vehicle (MAV) contains the SRC and the engine, which is the same for both the MLV and the MAV. All equipment that is unnecessary for the Mars-Earth trajectory remains on Mars. This report presents detailed sizing information, for which a spreadsheet has been developed. The trends suggest possibilities for expansion, and suggestions for future work in these areas are offered.

An unmanned mission to Mars with sample collection and in-situ resource utilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1994-05-01

The design for the Mars Analysis and Return Vehicle with In-Situ Resource Utilization (MARVIN) project is outlined. The MARVIN mission is designed to collect samples of the Martian environment; to produce fuel from local Martian resources; and to use the fuel produced to return the samples to earth. It uses only existing technologies. Exploratory Technologies' mission-design efforts have focused on methods of orbit determination, sample collection, fuel production, power, communications, control, and structural design. Lambert Targeting provided Delta-V's, launch dates, and travel times. The landing site is the Tharsis Plateau, to the southeast of Olympus Mons, chosen for its substantial scientific value. Samples of soil, dust, and atmosphere are collected with lander-based collection devices: the soil sample, with a robotic arm similar to those used in the Viking missions; the atmospheric sample, from a bleed line to the compressor in the fuel-production facility; a dust sample, from the dust-collection container in the fuel-production facility; and a redundant dust sample, with a with a passive filter system, which relies upon neither a power source nor other collection methods. The sample-return capsule (SRC) houses these samples, which are triply contained to prevent contamination. Proven technology can be used to produce methane and oxygen for fuel with relative ease at the landing site: the Sabatier reactor produces methane and water by combining carbon dioxide and hydrogen (brought from earth); the Reverse Water-Gas Shift unit combines carbon dioxide and hydrogen to form carbon monoxide and water; a water-electrolysis unit splits the water into hydrogen and oxygen. The Mars-lander vehicle (MLV) transports the equipment from earth to Mars. The Mars-ascent vehicle (MAV) contains the SRC and the engine, which is the same for both the MLV and the MAV. All equipment that is unnecessary for the Mars-Earth trajectory remains on Mars. This report presents detailed sizing information, for which a spreadsheet has been developed. The trends suggest possibilities for expansion, and suggestions for future work in these areas are offered.

Flagging versus dragging as sampling methods for nymphal Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rulison, Eric L.; Kuczaj, Isis; Pang, Genevieve; Hickling, Graham J.; Tsao, Jean I.; Ginsberg, Howard S.

2013-01-01

The nymphal stage of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae), is responsible for most transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, to humans in North America. From 2010 to fall of 2012, we compared two commonly used techniques, flagging and dragging, as sampling methods for nymphal I. scapularis at three sites, each with multiple sampling arrays (grids), in the eastern and central United States. Flagging and dragging collected comparable numbers of nymphs, with no consistent differences between methods. Dragging collected more nymphs than flagging in some samples, but these differences were not consistent among sites or sampling years. The ratio of nymphs collected by flagging vs dragging was not significantly related to shrub density, so habitat type did not have a strong effect on the relative efficacy of these methods. Therefore, although dragging collected more ticks in a few cases, the numbers collected by each method were so variable that neither technique had a clear advantage for sampling nymphal I. scapularis.

Comparing Soil Carbon of Short Rotation Poplar Plantations with Agricultural Crops and Woodlots in North Central United States

Treesearch

Mark D. Coleman; J.G. Isebrands; David N. Tolsted; Virginia R. Tolbert

2004-01-01

We collected soil samples from 27 study sites across North Central United States to compare the soil carbon of short rotation poplar plantations to adjacent agricultural crops and woodlots. Soil organic carbon (SOC) ranged from 20 to more than 160 Mg/ha across the sampled sites. Lowest SOC levels were found in uplands and highest levels in riparian soils. We attributed...

Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS)

EIA Publications

2028-01-01

EIA administers the Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) to a nationally representative sample of housing units. Traditionally, specially trained interviewers collect energy characteristics on the housing unit, usage patterns, and household demographics. Data include energy costs and usage for heating, cooling, appliances and other end uses.

Development and Flight Testing of an Adaptable Vehicle Health-Monitoring Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodard, Stanley E.; Coffey, Neil C.; Gonzalez, Guillermo A.; Woodman, Keith L.; Weathered, Brenton W.; Rollins, Courtney H.; Taylor, B. Douglas; Brett, Rube R.

2003-01-01

Development and testing of an adaptable wireless health-monitoring architecture for a vehicle fleet is presented. It has three operational levels: one or more remote data acquisition units located throughout the vehicle; a command and control unit located within the vehicle; and a terminal collection unit to collect analysis results from all vehicles. Each level is capable of performing autonomous analysis with a trained adaptable expert system. The remote data acquisition unit has an eight channel programmable digital interface that allows the user discretion for choosing type of sensors; number of sensors, sensor sampling rate, and sampling duration for each sensor. The architecture provides framework for a tributary analysis. All measurements at the lowest operational level are reduced to provide analysis results necessary to gauge changes from established baselines. These are then collected at the next level to identify any global trends or common features from the prior level. This process is repeated until the results are reduced at the highest operational level. In the framework, only analysis results are forwarded to the next level to reduce telemetry congestion. The system's remote data acquisition hardware and non-analysis software have been flight tested on the NASA Langley B757's main landing gear.

Acetochlor in the hydrologic system in the midwestern United States, 1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kolpin, D.W.; Nations, B.K.; Goolsby, D.A.; Thurman, E.M.

1996-01-01

The herbicide acetochlor [2-chloro-N-(ethoxymethyl)-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)acetamide] was given conditional registration in the United States by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in March 1994. This registration provided a rare opportunity to investigate the occurrence of a pesticide during its first season of extensive use in the midwestern United States. Water samples collected and analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey during 1994 documented the distribution of acetochlor in the hydrologic system; it was detected in 29% of the rain samples from four sites in Iowa, 17% of the stream samples from 51 sites across nine states, and 0% of the groundwater samples from 38 wells across eight states. Acetochlor exhibited concentration increases in rain and streams following its application to corn in the midwestern United States, with 75% of the rainwater and 35% of the stream samples having acetochlor detected during this time period. Acetochlor concentrations in rain decreased as the growing season progressed. Based on the limited data collected for this study, it is anticipated that acetochlor concentrations will have a seasonal pattern in rain and streams similar to those of other acetanilide herbicides examined. Possible explanations for the absence of acetochlor in groundwater for this study include the rapid degradation of acetochlor in the soil zone, insufficient time for this first extensive use of acetochlor to have reached the aquifers sampled, and the possible lack of acetochlor use in the recharge areas for the wells examined.

Groundwater-Quality Data in the South Coast Range-Coastal Study Unit, 2008: Results from the California GAMA Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mathany, Timothy M.; Burton, Carmen A.; Land, Michael; Belitz, Kenneth

2010-01-01

Groundwater quality in the approximately 766-square-mile South Coast Range-Coastal (SCRC) study unit was investigated from May to December 2008, as part of the Priority Basins Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basins Project was developed in response to legislative mandates (Supplemental Report of the 1999 Budget Act 1999-00 Fiscal Year; and, the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 [Sections 10780-10782.3 of the California Water Code, Assembly Bill 599]) to assess and monitor the quality of groundwater in California, and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The SCRC study unit was the 25th study unit to be sampled as part of the GAMA Priority Basins Project. The SCRC study unit was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of untreated groundwater quality in the primary aquifer systems and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of untreated groundwater quality throughout California. The primary aquifer systems (hereinafter referred to as primary aquifers) were defined as that part of the aquifer corresponding to the perforation interval of wells listed in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database for the SCRC study unit. The quality of groundwater in shallow or deep water-bearing zones may differ from the quality of groundwater in the primary aquifers; shallow groundwater may be more vulnerable to surficial contamination. In the SCRC study unit, groundwater samples were collected from 70 wells in two study areas (Basins and Uplands) in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Fifty-five of the wells were selected using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study unit (grid wells), and 15 wells were selected to aid in evaluation of specific water-quality issues (understanding wells). In addition to the 70 wells sampled, 3 surface-water samples were collected in streams near 2 of the sampled wells in order to better comprehend the interaction between groundwater and surface water in the area. The groundwater samples were analyzed for organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOC], pesticides and pesticide degradates, polar pesticides and metabolites, and pharmaceutical compounds), constituents of special interest (perchlorate, N-nitrosodimethylamine [NDMA], and 1,2,3-TCP), naturally occurring inorganic constituents (trace elements, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon [DOC], major and minor ions, silica, total dissolved solids [TDS], and alkalinity), and radioactive constituents (gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity). Naturally occurring isotopes (stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water, stable isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen in dissolved nitrate, stable isotopes of sulfur in dissolved sulfate, stable isotopes of carbon in dissolved inorganic carbon, activities of tritium, and carbon-14 abundance), and dissolved gases (including noble gases) also were measured to help identify the sources and ages of the sampled groundwater. In total, 298 constituents and field water-quality indicators were investigated. Three types of quality-control samples (blanks, replicates, and matrix-spikes) were collected at approximately 3 to 12 percent of the wells in the SCRC study unit, and the results for these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data for the groundwater samples. Field blanks rarely contained detectable concentrations of any constituent, suggesting that contamination from sample collection procedures was not a significant source of bias in the data for the groundwater samples. Differences between replicate samples generally were less than 10 percent relative and/or standard deviation, indicating acceptable analytical reproducibility. Matrix-spike recoveries were within the acceptable range (70 to 130 percent) for approximately 84

A MORE COST-EFFECTIVE EMAP-ESTUARIES BENTHIC MACROFAUNAL SAMPLING PROTOCOL

EPA Science Inventory

The standard benthic macrofaunal sampling protocol in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Pacific Coast Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) is to collect a minimum of 30 random benthic samples per reporting unit (e.g., estuary) using a 0.1 m2 grab and to...

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

Adams, Wade C.

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) personnel visited the United Nuclear Corporation (UNC) Naval Products site on three separate occasions during the months of October and November 2011. The purpose of these visits was to conduct confirmatory surveys of soils associated with the Argyle Street sewer line that was being removed. Soil samples were collected from six different, judgmentally determined locations in the Argyle Street sewer trench. In addition to the six soil samples collected by ORISE, four replicate soil samples were collected by Cabrera Services, Inc. (CSI) for analysis by the ORISE laboratory. Replicate samples S0010 andmore » S0011 were final status survey (FSS) bias samples; S0012 was an FSS systematic sample; and S0015 was a waste characterization sample. Six soil samples were also collected for background determination. Uranium-235 and uranium-238 concentrations were determined via gamma spectroscopy; the spectra were also reviewed for other identifiable photopeaks. Radionuclide concentrations for these soil samples are provided. In addition to the replicate samples and the samples collected by ORISE, CSI submitted three soil samples for inter-laboratory comparison analyses. One sample was from the background reference area, one was from waste characterization efforts (material inside the sewer line), and one was a FSS sample. The inter-laboratory comparison analyses results between ORISE and CSI were in agreement, except for one sample collected in the reference area. Smear results For Argyle Street sewer pipes are tabulated.« less

One-year monthly quantitative survey of noroviruses, enteroviruses, and adenoviruses in wastewater collected from six plants in Japan.

PubMed

Katayama, Hiroyuki; Haramoto, Eiji; Oguma, Kumiko; Yamashita, Hiromasa; Tajima, Atsushi; Nakajima, Hideichiro; Ohgaki, Shinichiro

2008-03-01

Sewerage systems are important nodes to monitor human enteric pathogens transmitted via water. A quantitative virus survey was performed once a month for a year to understand the seasonal profiles of noroviruses genotype 1 and genotype 2, enteroviruses, and adenoviruses in sewerage systems. A total of 72 samples of influent, secondary-treated wastewater before chlorination and effluent were collected from six wastewater treatment plants in Japan. Viruses were successfully recovered from 100ml of influent and 1000ml of the secondary-treated wastewater and effluent using the acid rinse method. Viruses were determined by the RT-PCR or PCR method to obtain the most probable number for each sample. All the samples were also assayed for fecal coliforms (FCs) by a double-layer method. The seasonal profiles of noroviruses genotype 1 and genotype 2 in influent were very similar, i.e. they were abundant in winter (from November to March) at a geometric mean value of 190 and 200 RT-PCR units/ml, respectively, and less frequent in summer (from June to September), at 4.9 and 9.1 RT-PCR units/ml, respectively. The concentrations of enteroviruses and adenoviruses were mostly constant all the year round, 17 RT-PCR units/ml and 320 PCR units/ml in influent, and 0.044 RT-PCR units/ml and 7.0 PCR units/ml in effluent, respectively.

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

PubMed

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

2017-12-01

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

Summary of data from onsite and laboratory analyses of surface water and marsh porewater from South Florida Water Management District Water Conservation Areas, the Everglades, South Florida, March 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reddy, Michael M.; Gunther, Charmaine D.

2012-01-01

This report presents results of chemical analysis for samples collected during March, 1995, as part of a study to quantify the interaction of aquatic organic material (referred to here as dissolved organic carbon with dissolved metal ions). The work was done in conjunction with the South Florida Water Management District, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey South Florida Ecosystems Initiative, and the South Florida National Water Quality Assessment Study Unit. Samples were collected from surface canals and from marsh sites. Results are based on onsite and laboratory measurements for 27 samples collected at 10 locations. The data file contains sample description, dissolved organic carbon concentration and specific ultraviolet absorbance, and additional analytical data for samples collected at several sites in the Water Conservation Areas, the Everglades, south Florida.

Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) Program Protocols, Version 1

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-01

The Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) Program is a long-term research effort to collect scientific performance data from a representative sample of bridges in the United States. Data will be collected for in-service bridges using a variety of techn...

Effect of 0.2% chlorhexidine on microbial and fungal contamination of dental unit waterlines

PubMed Central

Agahi, Raha Habib; Hashemipour, Maryam Alsadat; Kalantari, Mahsa; Ayatollah-Mosavi, Amin; Aghassi, Hossein; Nassab, Amir Hossein Gandjalikhan

2014-01-01

Background: It is known that dental unit waterline can be a source of infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a mouthwash, chlorhexidine, in controlling microbial and fungal contamination of dental unit waterlines. Materials and Methods: In the present experimental study, the water in high-speed handpieces and air/water syringes of 35 dental units in a dental school was investigated microbiologically. Five of the units and one tap water served as controls; 100-200-mL water samples were collected aseptically in sterile containers in the morning after a 2-min purge. Water reservoir bottles were emptied and 50 mL of 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash was introduced into the tank. Then the water syringe was used to flush the waterline until the pink-colored chlorhexidine was observed to flow from the water syringe. Before the next day's session and before the students used the unit, two water samples from the water syringe and water turbine was collected. The samples were transferred to the laboratory. After 48 h at 37°C, the microbial colonies were counted. The number of these colonies was evaluated using colony forming unit CFU. Data were analyzed with Mann — Whitney U test and SPSS 13.5 statistical program. The statistical significance was defined at P ≤ 0.05. Results: All 35 units were contaminated before chlorhexidine use; no contamination was detected after adding chlorhexidine to the waterlines of the units. After week 1, 28 of the 30 treated dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) had values of CFU/mL less than 200. Conclusion: The present study showed that the use of chlorhexidine could reduce microbial counts in dental unit waterlines. PMID:25097645

Effect of 0.2% chlorhexidine on microbial and fungal contamination of dental unit waterlines.

PubMed

Agahi, Raha Habib; Hashemipour, Maryam Alsadat; Kalantari, Mahsa; Ayatollah-Mosavi, Amin; Aghassi, Hossein; Nassab, Amir Hossein Gandjalikhan

2014-05-01

It is known that dental unit waterline can be a source of infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a mouthwash, chlorhexidine, in controlling microbial and fungal contamination of dental unit waterlines. In the present experimental study, the water in high-speed handpieces and air/water syringes of 35 dental units in a dental school was investigated microbiologically. Five of the units and one tap water served as controls; 100-200-mL water samples were collected aseptically in sterile containers in the morning after a 2-min purge. Water reservoir bottles were emptied and 50 mL of 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash was introduced into the tank. Then the water syringe was used to flush the waterline until the pink-colored chlorhexidine was observed to flow from the water syringe. Before the next day's session and before the students used the unit, two water samples from the water syringe and water turbine was collected. The samples were transferred to the laboratory. After 48 h at 37°C, the microbial colonies were counted. The number of these colonies was evaluated using colony forming unit CFU. Data were analyzed with Mann - Whitney U test and SPSS 13.5 statistical program. The statistical significance was defined at P ≤ 0.05. All 35 units were contaminated before chlorhexidine use; no contamination was detected after adding chlorhexidine to the waterlines of the units. After week 1, 28 of the 30 treated dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) had values of CFU/mL less than 200. The present study showed that the use of chlorhexidine could reduce microbial counts in dental unit waterlines.

Determining timing of Alaska Range exhumation and glaciation through cosmogenic nuclide burial dating.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sortor, R. N.; Goehring, B. M.; Bemis, S. P.; Ruleman, C.; Nichols, K. A.; Ward, D. J.; Frothingham, M.

2017-12-01

The Alaska Range is a transpressional orogen with modern exhumation initiating 6 Ma. The stratigraphic record of unroofing and uplift of the foreland basin is largely preserved along the northern flank of the Alaska Range in the Pliocene-Pleistocene aged Nenana Gravel, an extensive alluvial fan and braidplain deposit. Chronometric control on the Nenana Gravel is largely lacking, with the limited available age control based on a single Ar-Ar tephra date in an underlying unit and via stratigraphic inferences for the upper portions. Higher-resolution dating of the Nenana Gravel unit is imperative in order to quantify deposition rates and the timing of uplift and deformation of the foreland basin. Furthermore, a glacial unit has been found to lie unconformably on top of the unit at Suntrana Creek and may represent the initiation of glacial advances in the Alaska Range. We present a suite of 26Al/10Be cosmogenic nuclide burial ages collected from the lower, middle, and upper sections of the Nenana Gravel at Suntrana Creek, as well as the overlying glacial unit. Three samples from the lower Nenana Gravel yield an isochron burial age of 4.42+0.67/-0.13 Ma, which represents initiation of Nenana Gravel deposition and may equate to early unroofing of the Alaska Range. Two samples collected from the middle of the Nenana Gravel unit produced an average simple burial age of 2.25+/-0.45 Ma, with a single sample stratigraphically above dating to 0.99 +/-1.60. Two samples from the upper-most portion of the Nenana Gravel yielded an average simple burial age of 1.27+/-0.22 Ma, and one sample from the glacial unit overlying the Nenana Gravel was dated to 0.97+/-0.06 Ma, representing one of the earliest glacial advances in the region. In addition, the age of the glacial unit provides a minimum age for inception of foreland basin uplift and abandonment of the Nenana Gravel in this region.

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mize, Scott V.; Deacon, Jeffrey R.

2001-01-01

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

Prolonged Outbreak of Mycobacterium chimaera Infection After Open-Chest Heart Surgery.

PubMed

Sax, Hugo; Bloemberg, Guido; Hasse, Barbara; Sommerstein, Rami; Kohler, Philipp; Achermann, Yvonne; Rössle, Matthias; Falk, Volkmar; Kuster, Stefan P; Böttger, Erik C; Weber, Rainer

2015-07-01

Invasive Mycobacterium chimaera infections were diagnosed in 2012 in 2 heart surgery patients on extracorporeal circulation. We launched an outbreak investigation to identify the source and extent of the potential outbreak and to implement preventive measures. We collected water samples from operating theaters, intensive care units, and wards, including air samples from operating theaters. Mycobacterium chimaera strains were characterized by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR). Case detection was performed based on archived histopathology samples and M. chimaera isolates since 2006, and the patient population at risk was prospectively surveyed. We identified 6 male patients aged between 49 and 64 years with prosthetic valve endocarditis or vascular graft infection due to M. chimaera, which became clinically manifest with a latency of between 1.5 and 3.6 years after surgery. Mycobacterium chimaera was isolated from cardiac tissue specimens, blood cultures, or other biopsy specimens. We were able also to culture M. chimaera from water circuits of heater-cooler units connected to the cardiopulmonary bypass, and air samples collected when the units were in use. RAPD-PCR demonstrated identical patterns among M. chimaera strains from heater-cooler unit water circuits and air samples, and strains in 2 patient clusters. The epidemiological and microbiological features of this prolonged outbreak provided evidence for the airborne transmission of M. chimaera from contaminated heater-cooler unit water tanks to patients during open-heart surgery. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of bacterial contamination of dental unit waterlines and use of a newly designed measurement device to assess retraction of a dental chair unit.

PubMed

Ji, Xue-Yue; Fei, Chun-Nan; Zhang, Ying; Zhang, Wei; Liu, Jun; Dong, Jie

2016-08-01

Dental unit waterline (DUWL) output water is delivered through instruments of a dental chair unit (DCU) to irrigate and cool teeth. However, these waterlines can be heavily contaminated with bacteria. The purpose of the present study was to assess retraction and investigate the contamination level and prevalence of bacteria in DUWL output water. Fifty-eight DCUs were randomly selected from 30 hospitals in 10 districts of Tianjin, one of the four special municipalities of China. A unique sampling connector was used in place of the dental handpiece to collect water samples. Evaluation of retraction was accomplished using a retraction measurement device designed in accordance with the International Standard ISO 7494-2:2015(E). A total of 263 water samples were collected, and the highest concentration of bacteria [1.8 × 10(6) colony-forming units (CFU)/mL] was found in the handpiece group. Thirty (51.72%) water samples in the handpiece group and 21 (36.21%) in the air/water syringe groups were cultured, yielding colony counts of > 500 CFU/mL. Potential infectious agents, such as Bacillus cereus, Kocuria kristinae and Pseudomonas fluorescens, were isolated from the water samples. Thirty (51.72%) DCUs failed the retraction evaluation. There was a significant, positive correlation (P < 0.05) between the concentration of bacteria in the water sample and the retracted volume. It is of paramount importance to increase compliance with the standards for controlling DUWL contamination. Routine microbial monitoring and evaluation of retraction are necessary to provide high-quality water for use in dental treatment. © 2016 FDI World Dental Federation.

NASA/BLM APT, phase 2. Volume 2: Technology demonstration. [Arizona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Techniques described include: (1) steps in the preprocessing of LANDSAT data; (2) the training of a classifier; (3) maximum likelihood classification and precision; (4) geometric correction; (5) class description; (6) digitizing; (7) digital terrain data; (8) an overview of sample design; (9) allocation and selection of primary sample units; (10) interpretation of secondary sample units; (11) data collection ground plots; (12) data reductions; (13) analysis for productivity estimation and map verification; (14) cost analysis; and (150) LANDSAT digital products. The evaluation of the pre-inventory planning for P.J. is included.

Portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometer for environmental monitoring of inorganic pollutants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, III, Benton C. (Inventor); Thornton, Michael G. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometer has a portable sensor unit containing a battery, a high voltage power supply, an x-ray tube which produces a beam x-ray radiation directed toward a target sample, and a detector for fluorescent x-rays produced by the sample. If a silicon-lithium detector is used, the sensor unit also contains either a thermoelectric or thermochemical cooler, or a small dewar flask containing liquid nitrogen to cool the detector. A pulse height analyzer (PHA) generates a spectrum of data for each sample consisting of the number of fluorescent x-rays detected as a function of their energy level. The PHA can also store spectrum data for a number of samples in the field. A processing unit can be attached to the pulse height analyzer to upload and analyze the stored spectrum data for each sample. The processing unit provides a graphic display of the spectrum data for each sample, and provides qualitative and/or quantitative analysis of the elemental composition of the sample by comparing the peaks in the sample spectrum against known x-ray energies for various chemical elements. An optional filtration enclosure can be used to filter particles from a sample suspension, either in the form of a natural suspension or a chemically created precipitate. The sensor unit is then temporarily attached to the filtration unit to analyze the particles collected by the filter medium.

Study of the efficiency of some water treatment unit that present in houses in Erbil city-Iraq

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toma, Janan. Jabbar.; Hanna, Aveen. Matti.

2017-09-01

Many people in Erbil city started more than two decade to put special treatment units in their houses to purified water to become safer for drinking uses. The aim of this study was determine the efficiency of six kind water treatment units which include (two replicate of Crystal Water Purifier, So-Safe Water Filter, R O Water Purifier, Kontec Water Purified and Al-Kawther Purified Water). Water samples were collected in two sites one before and other after treatment unit. Each sample was collect with three replication during May to October-2016. Analyzed for Major cations concentration (calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium), anions concentration (nitrate and chloride) and hydrogen ion concentration (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), alkalinity and total hardness by using standard methods. The water quality index values for all raw water sample befor and after treatment was good and excellent respectively for drinking purposes. Efficiency of So-Safe Water Filter was 66.32% it means was more efficiency than others special water treatment units while in RO Water Purifier was 27.14%, means less efficiency than other water purifier water under this study. Values for major cations, anions and others chemicals characteristics in the water samples after treatment became lower concentrations than befor treatment, likely an indication that these were removed by treatment. According to guideline of world health organization all of variables except total hardness befor treatment are safe and suitable for drinking purposes.

Water quality monitoring and data collection in the Mississippi sound

USGS Publications Warehouse

Runner, Michael S.; Creswell, R.

2002-01-01

The United States Geological Survey and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources are collecting data on the quality of the water in the Mississippi Sound of the Gulf of Mexico, and streamflow data for its tributaries. The U.S. Geological Survey is collecting continuous water-level data, continuous and discrete water-temperature data, continuous and discrete specific-conductance data, as well as chloride and salinity samples at two locations in the Mississippi Sound and three Corps of Engineers tidal gages. Continuous-discharge data are also being collected at two additional stations on tributaries. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources collects water samples at 169 locations in the Gulf of Mexico. Between 1800 and 2000 samples are collected annually which are analyzed for turbidity and fecal coliform bacteria. The continuous data are made available real-time through the internet and are being used in conjunction with streamflow data, weather data, and sampling data for the monitoring and management of the oyster reefs, the shrimp fishery and other marine species and their habitats.

Prevalence of internal parasites in beef cows in the United States: Results of the National Animal Health Monitoring System's (NAHMS) beef study, 2007-2008.

PubMed

Stromberg, Bert E; Gasbarre, Louis C; Ballweber, Lora R; Dargatz, David A; Rodriguez, Judith M; Kopral, Christine A; Zarlenga, Dante S

2015-10-01

During the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Animal Health Monitoring System's (NAHMS) 2007-2008 beef study, 567 producers from 24 US States were offered the opportunity to collect fecal samples from weaned beef calves and have them evaluated for the presence of parasite eggs (Phase 1). Participating producers were provided with instructions and materials for sample collection. Up to 20 fresh fecal samples were collected from each of the 99 participating operations. Fresh fecal samples were submitted to one of 3 randomly assigned laboratories for evaluation. Upon arrival at the laboratories, all samples were processed for the enumeration of strongyle, Nematodirus, and Trichuris eggs using the modified Wisconsin technique. The presence or absence of coccidian oocysts and tapeworm eggs was also noted. In submissions where the strongyle eggs per gram exceeded 30, aliquots from 2 to 6 animals were pooled for DNA extraction. Extracted DNA was subjected to genus level polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identification for the presence of Ostertagia, Cooperia, Haemonchus, Oesophagostomum, and Trichostrongylus. In this study, 85.6% of the samples had strongyle type, Nematodirus, and Trichuris eggs. Among the samples evaluated, 91% had Cooperia, 79% Ostertagia, 53% Haemonchus, 38% Oesophagostomum, 18% Nematodirus, 7% Trichuris, and 3% Trichostrongylus. The prevalence of coccidia and tapeworm eggs was 59.9% and 13.7%, respectively.

Prevalence of internal parasites in beef cows in the United States: Results of the National Animal Health Monitoring System’s (NAHMS) beef study, 2007–2008

PubMed Central

Stromberg, Bert E.; Gasbarre, Louis C.; Ballweber, Lora R.; Dargatz, David A.; Rodriguez, Judith M.; Kopral, Christine A.; Zarlenga, Dante S.

2015-01-01

During the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Animal Health Monitoring System’s (NAHMS) 2007–2008 beef study, 567 producers from 24 US States were offered the opportunity to collect fecal samples from weaned beef calves and have them evaluated for the presence of parasite eggs (Phase 1). Participating producers were provided with instructions and materials for sample collection. Up to 20 fresh fecal samples were collected from each of the 99 participating operations. Fresh fecal samples were submitted to one of 3 randomly assigned laboratories for evaluation. Upon arrival at the laboratories, all samples were processed for the enumeration of strongyle, Nematodirus, and Trichuris eggs using the modified Wisconsin technique. The presence or absence of coccidian oocysts and tapeworm eggs was also noted. In submissions where the strongyle eggs per gram exceeded 30, aliquots from 2 to 6 animals were pooled for DNA extraction. Extracted DNA was subjected to genus level polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identification for the presence of Ostertagia, Cooperia, Haemonchus, Oesophagostomum, and Trichostrongylus. In this study, 85.6% of the samples had strongyle type, Nematodirus, and Trichuris eggs. Among the samples evaluated, 91% had Cooperia, 79% Ostertagia, 53% Haemonchus, 38% Oesophagostomum, 18% Nematodirus, 7% Trichuris, and 3% Trichostrongylus. The prevalence of coccidia and tapeworm eggs was 59.9% and 13.7%, respectively. PMID:26424909

DEVELOPMENT OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE INDEX FOR MEASURING THE CONDITION OF STREAMS AT A REGIONAL SCALE

EPA Science Inventory

A multimetric macroinvertebrate index of stream condition was developed for the Mid-Atlantic Highlands Region of the United States. Benthic macroinvertebrate samples were collected from 562 first through third order streams between 1993 and 1995. Macroinvertebrates were collect...

Development of a standard operating procedure for the collection of pyrethroids in water and sediment matrices

EPA Science Inventory

Through a Regional Applied Research Effort grant to the United States Geological Survey, Region 9 collaborated with ORD on this project to develop a standard operating procedure for collection of water and sediment samples for pyrethroid analysis.

Dementia Special Care Units in Residential Care Communities: United States, 2010

MedlinePlus

... of selection) of 81%. More details about sampling design and data collection are available elsewhere ( 4 ). Differences between communities with ... AJ, Harris-Kojetin LD, Sengupta M, et al. Design and operation of the 2010 National Survey of Residential Care Facilities. National Center for Health ...

Map of distribution of six forest ownership types in the conterminous United States

Treesearch

Jaketon H. Hewes; Brett J. Butler; Greg C. Liknes; Mark D. Nelson; Stephanie A. Snyder

2014-01-01

This map depicts the spatial distribution of ownership types across forest land in the conterminous United States circa 2009. The distribution is derived, in part, from Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data that are collected at a sample intensity of approximately one plot per 2400 ha across the United States (U.S. Forest Service 2012). Ownership categories were...

Sulfur and ash reduction potential and selected chemical and physical properties of United States coals. [Contains glossary

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

Cavallaro, J.A.; Deurbrouck, A.W.; Killmeyer, R.P.

1991-02-01

This report presents the washability and comprehensive characterization results of 184 raw coal channel samples, including anthracite, bituminous and lignite coals, collected from the Central Region of the United States. This is the second of a three volume report on the coals of the United States. All the data are presented in six appendices. Statistical techniques and definitions are presented in Appendix A, and a glossary of terms is presented in Appendix B. The complete washability data and an in-depth characterization of each sample are presented alphabetically by state in Appendix C. In Appendix D, a statistical evaluation is givenmore » for the composited washability data, selected chemical and physical properties and washability data interpolated at various levels of Btu recovery. This presentation is shown by state, section, and region where four or more samples were collected. Appendix E presents coalbed codes and names for the Central Region coals. Graphical summations are presented by state, section and region showing the effects of crushing on impurity reductions, and the distribution of raw and clean coal samples meeting various levels of SO{sub 2} emissions. 35 figs., 5 tabs.« less

Gaps in Survey Data on Cancer in American Indian and Alaska Native Populations: Examination of US Population Surveys, 1960–2010

PubMed Central

Duran, Tinka; Stimpson, Jim P.; Smith, Corey

2013-01-01

Introduction Population-based data are essential for quantifying the problems and measuring the progress made by comprehensive cancer control programs. However, cancer information specific to the American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population is not readily available. We identified major population-based surveys conducted in the United States that contain questions related to cancer, documented the AI/AN sample size in these surveys, and identified gaps in the types of cancer-related information these surveys collect. Methods We conducted an Internet query of US Department of Health and Human Services agency websites and a Medline search to identify population-based surveys conducted in the United States from 1960 through 2010 that contained information about cancer. We used a data extraction form to collect information about the purpose, sample size, data collection methods, and type of information covered in the surveys. Results Seventeen survey sources met the inclusion criteria. Information on access to and use of cancer treatment, follow-up care, and barriers to receiving timely and quality care was not consistently collected. Estimates specific to the AI/AN population were often lacking because of inadequate AI/AN sample size. For example, 9 national surveys reviewed reported an AI/AN sample size smaller than 500, and 10 had an AI/AN sample percentage less than 1.5%. Conclusion Continued efforts are needed to increase the overall number of AI/AN participants in these surveys, improve the quality of information on racial/ethnic background, and collect more information on treatment and survivorship. PMID:23517582

Concentrations of selected organochlorine compounds in fish tissue in the Mississippi Embayment Study Unit : Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee, 1995-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Femmer, Suzanne R.; Coupe, Richard H.; Justus, B.G.; Kleiss, Barbara A.

2004-01-01

Whole fish were collected at 52 sites during 1995-99 to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of selected organochlorine compounds in the Mississippi Embayment Study Unit. Samples were collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Program. From 5 to 8 fish were collected at each site; the fish were composited, and an aliquot of the tissue was analyzed for 28 organo-chlorine compounds, which included pesticides, pesticide degradates, and polychlorinated biphenyls. The use of these organochlorine compounds has been discontinued or severely restricted within the United States, but the continued detection of these compounds or their degradates in the air, water, soil, and biota in national surveys, coupled with known environmental problems associated with these compounds (such as a long half-life and the propensity to accumulate in living tissue), is cause for continued interest in their environmental fate. At least one organochlorine compound was detected in every fish-tissue sample, and as many as 15 different compounds were detected in some. The most frequently detected com-pounds were the degradates of p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichlo-roethane (p,p'-DDT); p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) was detected in every sample above the method reporting limit, and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (p,p'-DDD), was detected in 94 percent of the samples. Polychlorinated biphenyl compounds and dieldrin were detected in 83 and 78 percent of fish-tissue samples, respectively. Because these were whole fish samples, the results are not directly comparable to human health standards, which are based on fish fillets. Comparison of these results, however, to the guidelines for the protection of fish-eating wildlife indicates that concentrations of the p,p'-DDT degradates and toxaphene continue to be of environmental concern.

Evaluation of vacuum filter sock surface sample collection method for Bacillus spores from porous and non-porous surfaces.

PubMed

Brown, Gary S; Betty, Rita G; Brockmann, John E; Lucero, Daniel A; Souza, Caroline A; Walsh, Kathryn S; Boucher, Raymond M; Tezak, Matthew S; Wilson, Mollye C

2007-07-01

Vacuum filter socks were evaluated for recovery efficiency of powdered Bacillus atrophaeus spores from two non-porous surfaces, stainless steel and painted wallboard and two porous surfaces, carpet and bare concrete. Two surface coupons were positioned side-by-side and seeded with aerosolized Bacillus atrophaeus spores. One of the surfaces, a stainless steel reference coupon, was sized to fit into a sample vial for direct spore removal, while the other surface, a sample surface coupon, was sized for a vacuum collection application. Deposited spore material was directly removed from the reference coupon surface and cultured for enumeration of colony forming units (CFU), while deposited spore material was collected from the sample coupon using the vacuum filter sock method, extracted by sonication and cultured for enumeration. Recovery efficiency, which is a measure of overall transfer effectiveness from the surface to culture, was calculated as the number of CFU enumerated from the filter sock sample per unit area relative to the number of CFU enumerated from the co-located reference coupon per unit area. The observed mean filter sock recovery efficiency from stainless steel was 0.29 (SD = 0.14, n = 36), from painted wallboard was 0.25 (SD = 0.15, n = 36), from carpet was 0.28 (SD = 0.13, n = 40) and from bare concrete was 0.19 (SD = 0.14, n = 44). Vacuum filter sock recovery quantitative limits of detection were estimated at 105 CFU m(-2) from stainless steel and carpet, 120 CFU m(-2) from painted wallboard and 160 CFU m(-2) from bare concrete. The method recovery efficiency and limits of detection established in this work provide useful guidance for the planning of incident response environmental sampling for biological agents such as Bacillus anthracis.

Investigating the complex viral community of the turkey gut: an update from the laboratory and the field

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Periodic monitoring of poultry flocks in the United States via molecular diagnostic methods has revealed a number of potential enteric viral pathogens in continuous circulation in turkeys and chickens. Recently, numerous enteric samples collected from turkey flocks in the southeastern United States ...

CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIVIDUAL PARTICLES AT A RURAL SITE IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

To determine the nature of aerosol particles in a rural area of the eastern United States, aerosol samples were collected at Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, on various substrates and analyzed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). SEM ana...

Sulfur and ash reduction potential and selected chemical and physical properties of United States coals. [Contains glossary

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

Cavallaro, J.A.; Deurbrouck, A.W.; Killmeyer, R.P.

1991-06-01

This report presents the washability and comprehensive characterization results of 247 raw coal channel samples, including anthracite, bituminous and lignite coals, collected from the Western Region of the United States. Although the Western Region includes Alaska, coal data from this state will often be cited apart from the Western Region data from the lower United States. This is the third of a three volume report on the coals of the United States. All the data are presented in six appendices. Statistical techniques and definitions are presented in Appendix A, and a glossary of terms is presented in Appendix B. Themore » complete washability data and an in-depth characterization of each sample are presented alphabetically by state in Appendix C. In Appendix D, a statistical evaluation is given for the composited washability data, selected chemical and physical properties, and washability data interpolated at various levels of Btu recovery. This presentation is shown by state, section, and region where four or more samples were collected. Appendix E presents coalbed codes and names for the Western Region coals. Graphical summations are presented by state, rank, and region showing the effects of crushing on impurity reductions, and the distribution of raw and clean coal samples meeting various levels of SO{sub 2} emissions. 35 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Drilling on the Moon and Mars: Developing the Science Approach for Subsurface Exploration with Human Crews

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoker, C. R.; Zavaleta, J.; Bell, M.; Direto, S.; Foing, B.; Blake, D.; Kim, S.

2010-01-01

DOMEX (Drilling on the Moon and Mars in Human Exploration) is using analog missions to develop the approach for using human crews to perform science activities on the Moon and Mars involving exploration and sampling of the subsurface. Subsurface science is an important activity that may be uniquely enabled by human crews. DOMEX provides an opportunity to plan and execute planetary mission science activities without the expense and overhead of a planetary mission. Objectives: The objective of this first in a series of DOMEX missions were to 1) explore the regional area to understand the geologic context and determine stratigraphy and geologic history of various geologic units in the area. 2) Explore for and characterize sites for deploying a deep (10 m depth) drilling system in a subsequent field season. 3) Perform GPR on candidate drill sites. 4) Select sites that represent different geological units deposited in different epochs and collect soil cores using sterile procedures for mineralogical, organic and biological analysis. 5) Operate the MUM in 3 different sites representing different geological units and soil characteristics. 6) Collect rock and soil samples of sites visited and analyze them at the habitat. Results: At mission start the crew performed a regional survey to identify major geologic units that were correlated to recognized stratigraphy and regional geologic maps. Several candidate drill sites were identified. During the rest of the mission, successful GPR surveys were conducted in four locations. Soil cores were collected in 5 locations representing soils from 4 different geologic units, to depths up to 1m. Soil cores from two locations were analyzed with PCR in the laboratory. The remainder were reserved for subsequent analysis. XRD analysis was performed in the habitat and in the field on 39 samples, to assist with sample characterization, conservation, and archiving. MUM was deployed at 3 field locations and 1 test location (outside the habitat) where it operated autonomously for 2-4 hours at each site. Depths achieved ranged from 15 to 70 cm depending on the soil compressive strength and the presence and depth of subsurface indurated layers. Subsurface samples weighing 0.5 to 1 g were collected at the deepest depth encountered at each of the sites using the MUM automated sample collection system, and subsequently analyzed with XRD. Downhole inspection of holes produced by MUM with the Raman spectrometer was acquired on two of the holes and spectral features associated with selenite were identified in specific soil layers. Previously unreported fossilized remains of vertebrate fauna from the Jurassic era were discovered during our mission. Analysis of mineral biomarkers associated with this discovery are underway.

Comparison of Health Examination Survey Methods in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, England, Scotland, and the United States.

PubMed

Mindell, Jennifer S; Moody, Alison; Vecino-Ortiz, Andres I; Alfaro, Tania; Frenz, Patricia; Scholes, Shaun; Gonzalez, Silvia A; Margozzini, Paula; de Oliveira, Cesar; Sanchez Romero, Luz Maria; Alvarado, Andres; Cabrera, Sebastián; Sarmiento, Olga L; Triana, Camilo A; Barquera, Simón

2017-09-15

Comparability of population surveys across countries is key to appraising trends in population health. Achieving this requires deep understanding of the methods used in these surveys to examine the extent to which the measurements are comparable. In this study, we obtained detailed protocols of 8 nationally representative surveys from 2007-2013 from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the United Kingdom (England and Scotland), and the United States-countries that that differ in economic and inequity indicators. Data were collected on sampling frame, sample selection procedures, recruitment, data collection methods, content of interview and examination modules, and measurement protocols. We also assessed their adherence to the World Health Organization's "STEPwise Approach to Surveillance" framework for population health surveys. The surveys, which included half a million participants, were highly comparable on sampling methodology, survey questions, and anthropometric measurements. Heterogeneity was found for physical activity questionnaires and biological samples collection. The common age range included by the surveys was adults aged 18-64 years. The methods used in these surveys were similar enough to enable comparative analyses of the data across the 7 countries. This comparability is crucial in assessing and comparing national and subgroup population health, and to assisting the transfer of research and policy knowledge across countries. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Changes in sample collection and analytical techniques and effects on retrospective comparability of low-level concentrations of trace elements in ground water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ivahnenko, T.; Szabo, Z.; Gibs, J.

2001-01-01

Ground-water sampling techniques were modified to reduce random low-level contamination during collection of filtered water samples for determination of trace-element concentrations. The modified sampling techniques were first used in New Jersey by the US Geological Survey in 1994 along with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis to determine the concentrations of 18 trace elements at the one microgram-per-liter (μg/L) level in the oxic water of the unconfined sand and gravel Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system. The revised technique tested included a combination of the following: collection of samples (1) with flow rates of about 2L per minute, (2) through acid-washed single-use disposable tubing and (3) a single-use disposable 0.45-μm pore size capsule filter, (4) contained within portable glove boxes, (5) in a dedicated clean sampling van, (6) only after turbidity stabilized at values less than 2 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), when possible. Quality-assurance data, obtained from equipment blanks and split samples, indicated that trace element concentrations, with the exception of iron, chromium, aluminum, and zinc, measured in the samples collected in 1994 were not subject to random contamination at 1μg/L.Results from samples collected in 1994 were compared to those from samples collected in 1991 from the same 12 PVC-cased observation wells using the available sampling and analytical techniques at that time. Concentrations of copper, lead, manganese and zinc were statistically significantly lower in samples collected in 1994 than in 1991. Sampling techniques used in 1994 likely provided trace-element data that represented concentrations in the aquifer with less bias than data from 1991 when samples were collected without the same degree of attention to sample handling.

The Perils of Paul: Near Disasters in Airborne Radiochemical Sampling

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

Meade, Roger Allen

Beginning with the Trinity test in July 1945, Laboratory radiochemists have collected debris from nuclear tests by various means. At Trinity, two United States Army Sherman tanks were used. Beginning with Operation Crossroads and continuing throughout atmospheric testing, aircraft were used to fly in and around mushroom clouds to collect debris. Paul Guthals, the LASL project leader for sampling operations, flew on many of the B-57 sampling missions. Two such missions, one flown over the Nevada Test and one in the skies near Johnston Atoll, again proved the dangers involved in collecting airborne test debris. The events of these twomore » missions are briefly recounted.« less

Site Environmental Report for 2009, Volume 2

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

Xu, Suying

2010-08-19

Volume II of the Site Environmental Report for 2009 is provided by Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a supplemental appendix to Volume I, which contains the body of the report. Volume II contains the environmental monitoring and sampling data used to generate summary results of routine and nonroutine sampling at the Laboratory, except for groundwater sampling data, which may be found in the reports referred to in Chapter 4 of Volume I. The results from sample collections are more comprehensive in Volume II than in Volume I: for completeness, all results from sample collections that began or endedmore » in calendar year (CY) 2009 are included in this volume. However, the samples representing CY 2008 data have not been used in the summary results that are reported in Volume I. (For example, although ambient air samples collected on January 6, 2009, are presented in Volume II, they represent December 2008 data and are not included in Table 4-2 in Volume I.) When appropriate, sampling results are reported in both conventional and International System (SI) units. For some results, the rounding procedure used in data reporting may result in apparent differences between the numbers reported in SI and conventional units. (For example, stack air tritium results reported as < 1.5 Bq/m3 are shown variously as < 39 and < 41 pCi/m3. Both of these results are rounded correctly to two significant digits.)« less

Marine Curators Gather

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCoy, Floyd W.

1977-01-01

Reports on a recent meeting of marine curators in which data dissemination, standardization of marine curating techniques and methods, responsibilities of curators, funding problems, and sampling equipment were the main areas of discussion. A listing of the major deep sea sample collections in the United States is also provided. (CP)

California GAMA Program: Ground-Water Quality Data in the Northern San Joaquin Basin Study Unit, 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bennett, George L.; Belitz, Kenneth; Milby Dawson, Barbara J.

2006-01-01

Growing concern over the closure of public-supply wells because of ground-water contamination has led the State Water Board to establish the Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. With the aid of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the program goals are to enhance understanding and provide a current assessment of ground-water quality in areas where ground water is an important source of drinking water. The Northern San Joaquin Basin GAMA study unit covers an area of approximately 2,079 square miles (mi2) across four hydrologic study areas in the San Joaquin Valley. The four study areas are the California Department of Water Resources (CADWR) defined Tracy subbasin, the CADWR-defined Eastern San Joaquin subbasin, the CADWR-defined Cosumnes subbasin, and the sedimentologically distinct USGS-defined Uplands study area, which includes portions of both the Cosumnes and Eastern San Joaquin subbasins. Seventy ground-water samples were collected from 64 public-supply, irrigation, domestic, and monitoring wells within the Northern San Joaquin Basin GAMA study unit. Thirty-two of these samples were collected in the Eastern San Joaquin Basin study area, 17 in the Tracy Basin study area, 10 in the Cosumnes Basin study area, and 11 in the Uplands Basin study area. Of the 32 samples collected in the Eastern San Joaquin Basin, 6 were collected using a depth-dependent sampling pump. This pump allows for the collection of samples from discrete depths within the pumping well. Two wells were chosen for depth-dependent sampling and three samples were collected at varying depths within each well. Over 350 water-quality field parameters, chemical constituents, and microbial constituents were analyzed and are reported as concentrations and as detection frequencies, by compound classification as well as for individual constituents, for the Northern San Joaquin Basin study unit as a whole and for each individual study area. Results are presented in a descending order based on detection frequencies (most frequently detected compound listed first), or alphabetically when a detection frequency could not be calculated. Only certain wells were measured for all constituents and water-quality parameters. The results of all of the analyses were compared with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and California Department of Health Services (CADHS) Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs), USEPA lifetime health advisories (HA-Ls), the risk-specific dose at a cancer risk level equal to 1 in 100,000 or 10E-5 (RSD5), and CADHS notification levels (NLs). When USEPA and CADHS MCLs are the same, detection levels were compared with the USEPA standard; however, in some cases, the CADHS MCL may be lower. In those cases, the data were compared with the CADHS MCL. Constituents listed by CADHS as 'unregulated chemicals for which monitoring is required' were compared with the CADHS 'detection level for the purposes of reporting' (DLR). DLRs unlike MCLs are not health based standards. Instead, they are levels at which current laboratory detection capabilities allow eighty percent of qualified laboratories to achieve measurements within thirty percent of the true concentration. Twenty-three volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and seven gasoline oxygenates were detected in ground-water samples collected in the Northern San Joaquin Basin GAMA study unit. Additionally, 13 tentatively identified compounds were detected. VOCs were most frequently detected in the Eastern San Joaquin Basin study area and least frequently detected in samples collected in the Cosumnes Basin study area. Dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12), a CADHS 'unregulated chemical for which monitoring is required,' was detected in two wells at concentrations greater than the DLR. Trihalomethanes were the most frequently detected class of VOC constituents. Chloroform (trichloromethane) was the m

The working lives of nurse teachers in mainland China and the United Kingdom: a questionnaire survey.

PubMed

Gui, Li; Gu, Shen; Barriball, K Louise; While, Alison E; Chen, Guoliang

2014-05-01

Nurse education has undergone considerable changes creating new opportunities and challenges for nurse teachers. Limited comparative research of the working lives of nurse teachers has been reported, thus similarities and differences that may exist are unidentified. This paper reports a study of the working lives of nurse teachers in mainland China and the United Kingdom. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Census sample of nurse teachers working in four nursing schools in mainland China (n=3) and the United Kingdom (n=1). The overall response rate was 56.8% (China=61, 61.0%, UK=60, 53.1%). Completion of questionnaire specifically developed for the study but comprising six validated tools to collecting data on: job satisfaction, sense of coherence, role conflict and role ambiguity, work empowerment and professional identification. Data on self-reported roles and personal details were also collected. Data were collected between September 2008 and January 2009. Both samples were satisfied with their jobs overall but reported low levels of satisfaction with promotion. Chinese nurse teachers working full-time reported the lowest level for sense of coherence and professional identification. Nurse teachers working full-time in the United Kingdom reported the highest role conflict score. Sense of coherence and work empowerment were significantly and positively correlated to job satisfaction. Role conflict and role ambiguity were negatively correlated (but not always significantly) to job satisfaction and its facets. For respondents in mainland China, professional identification was significantly and positively correlated with overall job satisfaction and its facets. Strategies to improve job satisfaction with promotion opportunities for both samples are indicated. Respondents working full-time in both mainland China and the United Kingdom experienced greater challenges at work than their part-time colleagues. © 2013.

Survey of natural helium occurrences

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

Hinnah, D.W.; Hamak, J.E.

1993-01-01

Since 1917, gas samples from oil and gas wells and natural gas pipelines throughout the United States and other countries worldwide have been collected by the USBM in a continuing search for helium occurrences. Analyses of 15,583 of the samples, which were collected from 40 States and 26 foreign countries, are available from the USBM. The USBM is charged with the responsibility of ensuring a continuing supply of helium to meet essential Government needs, and this survey of the world's natural gas fields is made in connection with this responsibility. Most of these analyses have been published in USBM publications.more » The first of this series of publications was Bulletin 486 and was followed by two more bulletins. These three publications contained data on analyses of 5,218 gas samples collected from the beginning of the survey through 1960. Data on gas analyses since 1961 have been published on an annual basis, and 35 Information Circulars have presented the analyses of 10,365 gas samples collected through 1991. These analyses are also available on magnetic tape and 3.5-inch diskettes from the National Technical Information Service. The helium survey program is conducted by soliciting natural gas samples throughout the United States and from other countries with free market economies. Without the assistance of the oil and gas industry, State and National agencies, and many individuals engaged in oil and gas exploration and production, the present scope of the helium survey would have been impossible. 39 refs., 3 tabs.« less

Groundwater-quality data in 12 GAMA study units: Results from the 2006–10 initial sampling period and the 2008–13 trend sampling period, California GAMA Priority Basin Project

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mathany, Timothy M.

2017-03-09

The Priority Basin Project (PBP) of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) program was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board. From 2004 through 2012, the GAMA-PBP collected samples and assessed the quality of groundwater resources that supply public drinking water in 35 study units across the State. Selected sites in each study unit were sampled again approximately 3 years after initial sampling as part of an assessment of temporal trends in water quality by the GAMA-PBP. Twelve of the study units, initially sampled during 2006–11 (initial sampling period) and sampled a second time during 2008–13 (trend sampling period) to assess temporal trends, are the subject of this report.The initial sampling was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of untreated groundwater used for public water supplies in the 12 study units. In these study units, 550 sampling sites were selected by using a spatially distributed, randomized, grid-based method to provide spatially unbiased representation of the areas assessed (grid sites, also called “status sites”). After the initial sampling period, 76 of the previously sampled status sites (approximately 10 percent in each study unit) were randomly selected for trend sampling (“trend sites”). The 12 study units sampled both during the initial sampling and during the trend sampling period were distributed among 6 hydrogeologic provinces: Coastal (Northern and Southern), Transverse Ranges and Selected Peninsular Ranges, Klamath, Modoc Plateau and Cascades, and Sierra Nevada Hydrogeologic Provinces. For the purposes of this trend report, the six hydrogeologic provinces were grouped into two hydrogeologic regions based on location: Coastal and Mountain.The groundwater samples were analyzed for a number of synthetic organic constituents (volatile organic compounds, pesticides, and pesticide degradates), constituents of special interest (perchlorate and 1,2,3-trichloropropane), and natural inorganic constituents (nutrients, major and minor ions, and trace elements). Isotopic tracers (tritium, carbon-14, and stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water) also were measured to help identify processes affecting groundwater quality and the sources and ages of the sampled groundwater. More than 200 constituents and water-quality indicators were measured during the trend sampling period.Quality-control samples (blanks, replicates, matrix-spikes, and surrogate compounds) were collected at about one-third of the trend sites, and the results for these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data for the groundwater samples. On the basis of detections in laboratory and field blank samples collected by GAMA-PBP study units, including the 12 study units presented here, reporting levels for some groundwater results were adjusted in this report. Differences between replicate samples were mostly within acceptable ranges, indicating low variability in analytical results. Matrix-spike recoveries were largely within the acceptable range (70 to 130 percent).This study did not attempt to evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers. After withdrawal, groundwater used for drinking water typically is treated, disinfected, and blended with other waters to achieve acceptable water quality. The comparison benchmarks used in this report apply to treated water that is served to the consumer, not to untreated groundwater. To provide some context for the results, however, concentrations of constituents measured in these groundwater samples were compared with benchmarks established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of California. Comparisons between data collected for this study and benchmarks for drinking water are for illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of compliance or non-compliance with those benchmarks.Most organic constituents that were detected in groundwater samples from the trend sites were found at concentrations less than health-based benchmarks. One volatile organic compound—perchloroethene—was detected at a concentration greater than the health-based benchmark in samples from one trend site during the initial and trend sampling periods. Chloroform was detected in at least 10 percent of the samples at trend sites in both sampling periods. Methyl tert-butyl ether was detected in samples from more than 10 percent of the trend sites during the initial sampling period. No pesticide or pesticide degradate was detected in greater than 10 percent of the samples from trend sites or at concentrations greater than their health-based benchmarks during either sampling period. Nutrients were not detected at concentrations greater than their health-based benchmarks during either sampling period.Most detections of major ions and trace elements in samples from trend sites were less than health-based benchmarks during both sampling periods. Arsenic and boron each were detected at concentrations greater than the health-based benchmark in samples from four trend sites during the initial and trend sampling periods. Molybdenum was detected in samples from four trend sites at concentrations greater than the health-based benchmark during both sampling periods. Samples from two of these trend sites had similar molybdenum concentrations, and two had substantially different concentrations during the initial and trend sampling periods. Uranium was detected at a concentration greater than the health-based benchmark only at two trend sites.

Introduction of sample tubes with sodium azide as a preservative for ethyl glucuronide in urine.

PubMed

Luginbühl, Marc; Weinmann, Wolfgang; Al-Ahmad, Ali

2017-09-01

Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a direct alcohol marker, which is widely used for clinical and forensic applications, mainly for abstinence control. However, the instability of EtG in urine against bacterial degradation or the post-collectional synthesis of EtG in contaminated samples may cause false interpretation of EtG results in urine samples. This study evaluates the potential of sodium azide in tubes used for urine collection to hinder degradation of ethyl glucuronide by bacterial metabolism taking place during growth of bacterial colonies. The tubes are part of a commercial oral fluid collection device. The sampling system was tested with different gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial species previously observed in urinary tract infections, such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterecoccus faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Inhibition of bacterial growth by sodium azide, resulting in lower numbers of colony forming units compared to control samples, was observed for all tested bacterial species. To test the prevention of EtG degradation by the predominant pathogen in urinary tract infection, sterile-filtered urine and deficient medium were spiked with EtG, and inoculated with E. coli prior to incubation for 4 days at 37 °C in tubes with and without sodium azide. Samples were collected every 24 hours, during four consecutive days, whereby the colony forming units (CFU) were counted on Columbia blood agar plates, and EtG was analyzed by LC-MS/MS. As expected, EtG degradation was observed when standard polypropylene tubes were used for the storage of contaminated samples. However, urine specimens collected in sodium azide tubes showed no or very limited bacterial growth and no EtG degradation. As a conclusion, sodium azide is useful to reduce bacterial growth of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. It inhibits the degradation of EtG by E. coli and can be used for the stabilization of EtG in urine samples.

Targeted surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza in migratory waterfowl across the conterminous United States: chapter 12

USGS Publications Warehouse

Farnsworth, Matthew L.; Kendall, William L.; Doherty, Paul F.; Miller, Ryan S.; White, Gary C.; Nichols, James D.; Burnham, Kenneth P.; Franklin, Alan B.; Majumdar, S.; Brenner, F.J.; Huffman, J.E.; McLean, R.G.; Panah, A.I.; Pietrobon, P.J.; Keeler, S.P.; Shive, S.

2011-01-01

Introduction of Asian strain H5N1 Highly Pathogenic avian influenca via waterfowl migration is one potential route of entry into the United States. In conjunction with state, tribe, and laboratory partners, the United States Department of Agriculture collected and tested 124,603 wild bird samples in 2006 as part of a national surveillance effort. A sampling plan was devised to increase the probability fo detecting Asian strain H5N1 at a national scale. Band recovery data were used to identify and prioritize sampling for wild migratory waterfowl, resulting in spatially targeted sampling recommendations focused on reads with high numbers of recoveries. We also compared the spatial and temporal distribution of the 2006 cloacal and fecal waterfowl sampling effort to the bird banding recovery data and found concordance between the two .Finally, we present improvements made to the 2007 fecal sampling component of the surveillance plan and suggest further improvements for future sampling.

[Aspergillus species in hospital environments with pediatric patients in critical condition].

PubMed

Fernández, Mariana; Cattana, María; Rojas, Florencia; Sosa, María de Los Ángeles; Aguirre, Clarisa; Vergara, Marta; Giusiano, Gustavo

2014-01-01

Aspergillus is a group of opportunistic fungi that cause infections, with high morbimortality in immunosuppressed patients. Aspergillus fumigatus is the most frequent species in these infections, although the incidence of other species has increased in the last few years. To evaluate the air fungal load and the diversity of Aspergillus species in hospitals with pediatric patients in critical condition. The Intensive Care Unit and Burns Unit of a pediatric hospital were sampled every 15 days during the autumn and spring seasons. The air samples were collected with SAS Super 100(®) and the surface samples were collected by swab method. The UFC/m(3) counts found exceeded the acceptable levels. The UFC/m(3) and the diversity of Aspergillus species found in the Intensive Care Unit were higher than those found in the Burns Unit. The fungal load and the diversity of species within the units were higher than those in control environments. The use of both methods -SAS and swab- allowed the detection of a higher diversity of species, with 96 strains of Aspergillus being isolated and 12 species identified. The outstanding findings were Aspergillus sydowii, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus parasiticus, due to their high frequency. Aspergillus fumigatus, considered unacceptable in indoor environments, was isolated in both units. Aspergillus was present with high frequency in these units. Several species are of interest in public health for being potential pathogenic agents. Air control and monitoring are essential in the prevention of these infections. Copyright © 2013 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

LUNAR SAMPLES - APOLLO XVI - JSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1975-03-18

S75-23543 (April 1972) --- This Apollo 16 lunar sample (moon rock) was collected by astronaut John W. Young, commander of the mission, about 15 meters southwest of the landing site. This rock weighs 128 grams when returned to Earth. The sample is a polymict breccia. This rock, like all lunar highland breccias, is very old, about 3,900,000,000 years older than 99.99% of all Earth surface rocks, according to scientists. Scientific research is being conducted on the balance of this sample at NASA's Johnson Space Center and at other research centers in the United States and certain foreign nations under a continuing program of investigation involving lunar samples collected during the Apollo program.

77 FR 54614 - Proposed Collection, Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-05

... private sectors for current information on consumer spending. In the Quarterly Interview Survey, each consumer unit (CU) in the sample is interviewed every three months over five calendar quarters. The sample for each quarter is divided into three panels, with CUs being interviewed every three months in the...

Groundwater-quality data for the Sierra Nevada study unit, 2008: Results from the California GAMA program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shelton, Jennifer L.; Fram, Miranda S.; Munday, Cathy M.; Belitz, Kenneth

2010-01-01

Groundwater quality in the approximately 25,500-square-mile Sierra Nevada study unit was investigated in June through October 2008, as part of the Priority Basin Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basin Project is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The Sierra Nevada study was designed to provide statistically robust assessments of untreated groundwater quality within the primary aquifer systems in the study unit, and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of groundwater quality throughout California. The primary aquifer systems (hereinafter, primary aquifers) are defined by the depth of the screened or open intervals of the wells listed in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database of wells used for public and community drinking-water supplies. The quality of groundwater in shallower or deeper water-bearing zones may differ from that in the primary aquifers; shallow groundwater may be more vulnerable to contamination from the surface. In the Sierra Nevada study unit, groundwater samples were collected from 84 wells (and springs) in Lassen, Plumas, Butte, Sierra, Yuba, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Alpine, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Madera, Mariposa, Fresno, Inyo, Tulare, and Kern Counties. The wells were selected on two overlapping networks by using a spatially-distributed, randomized, grid-based approach. The primary grid-well network consisted of 30 wells, one well per grid cell in the study unit, and was designed to provide statistical representation of groundwater quality throughout the entire study unit. The lithologic grid-well network is a secondary grid that consisted of the wells in the primary grid-well network plus 53 additional wells and was designed to provide statistical representation of groundwater quality in each of the four major lithologic units in the Sierra Nevada study unit: granitic, metamorphic, sedimentary, and volcanic rocks. One natural spring that is not used for drinking water was sampled for comparison with a nearby primary grid well in the same cell. Groundwater samples were analyzed for organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOC], pesticides and pesticide degradates, and pharmaceutical compounds), constituents of special interest (N-nitrosodimethylamine [NDMA] and perchlorate), naturally occurring inorganic constituents (nutrients, major ions, total dissolved solids, and trace elements), and radioactive constituents (radium isotopes, radon-222, gross alpha and gross beta particle activities, and uranium isotopes). Naturally occurring isotopes and geochemical tracers (stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water, stable isotopes of carbon, carbon-14, strontium isotopes, and tritium), and dissolved noble gases also were measured to help identify the sources and ages of the sampled groundwater. Three types of quality-control samples (blanks, replicates, and samples for matrix spikes) each were collected at approximately 10 percent of the wells sampled for each analysis, and the results for these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data for the groundwater samples. Field blanks rarely contained detectable concentrations of any constituent, suggesting that contamination from sample collection, handling, and analytical procedures was not a significant source of bias in the data for the groundwater samples. Differences between replicate samples were within acceptable ranges, with few exceptions. Matrix-spike recoveries were within acceptable ranges for most compounds. This study did not attempt to evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers; after withdrawal from the ground, groundwater typically is treated, disinfected, or blended with other waters to maintain water quality. Regulatory benchmarks apply to finished drinking water that is served to the consumer, not to untre

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2012-01-01

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

Sexual Health Among Male College Students in the United States and the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodge, Brian; Sandfort, Theo G. M.; Yarber, William L.; de Wit, John

2005-01-01

Objectives: To assess differences in sexual health behaviors, outcomes, and potential sociocultural determinants among male college students in the United States and the Netherlands. Methods: Survey data were collected from random samples of students from both national cultures. Results: American men were more likely to report inadequate…

Professional Development Activities and Support among Physical Education Teachers in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardina, Catherine E.; DeNysschen, Carol

2018-01-01

Purpose: This study described professional development (PD) among public school physical education (PE) teachers and compared PE teachers to teachers of other subjects. Method: Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of public school teachers in the United States. Descriptive statistics were used to describe teachers' support…

ASSESSMENT OF NUTRIENTS AND SELECTED ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS IN SMALL STREAMS IN THE MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES, 2004

EPA Science Inventory

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), collected water samples from 120 small streams (watersheds less than 200 square kilometers) across the Midwestern United States during the summer and fall of 2004. This stu...

Microbial pathogens in source and treated waters from drinking water treatment plants in the United States and implications for human health

EPA Science Inventory

An occurrence survey was conducted on selected pathogens in source and treated drinking water collected from 25 drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in the United States. Water samples were analyzed for the protozoa Giardia and Cryptosporidium (EPA Method 1623); the fungi Aspe...

Linking on-farm dairy management practices to storm-flow fecal coliform loading for California coastal watersheds.

PubMed

Lewis, D J; Atwill, E R; Lennox, M S; Hou, L; Karle, B; Tate, K W

2005-08-01

How and where to improve water quality within an agricultural watershed requires data at a spatial scale that corresponds with individual management decision units on an agricultural operation. This is particularly true in the context of water quality regulations, such as Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), that identify agriculture as one source of non-point source pollution through larger tributary watershed scale and above and below water quality investigations. We have conducted a systems approach study of 10 coastal dairies and ranches to document fecal coliform concentration and loading to surface waters at the management decision unit scale. Water quality samples were collected on a storm event basis from loading units that included: manure management systems; gutters; storm drains; pastures; and corrals and lots. In addition, in-stream samples were collected above and below the dairy facilities and from a control watershed, managed for light grazing and without a dairy facility or human residence and corresponding septic system. Samples were analyzed for fecal coliform concentration by membrane filtration. Instantaneous discharge was measured for each collected sample. Storm runoff was also calculated using the curve number method (SCS, 1985). Results for a representative dairy as well as the entire 10 dairy data set are presented. Fecal coliform concentrations demonstrate high variability both within and between loading units. Fecal coliform concentrations for pastures range from 206 to 2,288,888 cfu/100 ml and for lots from 1,933 to 166,105,000 cfu/100 ml. Mean concentrations for pastures and lots are 121,298 (SE = 62,222) and 3,155,584 (SE = 1,902,713) cfu/100 ml, respectively. Fecal coliform load from units of concentrated animals and manure are significantly more than units such as pastures while storm flow amounts were significantly less. Compared with results from earlier tributary scale studies in the watershed, this systems approach has generated water quality data that is beneficial for management decisions because of its scale and representation of current management activities. These results are facilitating on-farm changes through the cooperative efforts of dairy managers, regulatory agency staff, and sources of technical and financial assistance.

Continued decline in blood collection and transfusion in the United States–2015

PubMed Central

Ellingson, Katherine D.; Sapiano, Mathew R. P.; Haass, Kathryn A.; Savinkina, Alexandra A.; Baker, Misha L.; Chung, Koo-Whang; Henry, Richard A.; Berger, James J.; Kuehnert, Matthew J.; Basavaraju, Sridhar V.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND In 2011 and 2013, the National Blood Collection and Utilization Survey (NBCUS) revealed declines in blood collection and transfusion in the United States. The objective of this study was to describe blood services in 2015. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS The 2015 NBCUS was distributed to all US blood collection centers, all hospitals performing at least 1000 surgeries annually, and a 40% random sample of hospitals performing 100 to 999 surgeries annually. Weighting and imputation were used to generate national estimates for units of blood and components collected, deferred, distributed, transfused, and outdated. RESULTS Response rates for the 2015 NBCUS were 78.4% for blood collection centers and 73.9% for transfusing hospitals. In 2015, 12,591,000 units of red blood cells (RBCs) (95% confidence interval [CI], 11,985,000–13,197,000 units of RBCs) were collected, and 11,349,000 (95% CI, 10,592,000–11,747,000) were transfused, representing declines since 2013 of 11.6% and 13.9%, respectively. Total platelet units distributed (2,436,000; 95% CI, 2,230,000–2,642,000) and transfused (1,983,000; 95% CI, 1,816,000=2,151,000) declined by 0.5% and 13.1%, respectively, since 2013. Plasma distributions (3,714,000; 95% CI, 3,306,000–4,121,000) and transfusions (2,727,000; 95% CI, 2,594,000–2,859,000) in 2015 declined since 2013. The median price paid per unit in 2015—$211 for leukocyte-reduced RBCs, $524 for apheresis platelets, and $54 for fresh frozen plasma—was less for all components than in 2013. CONCLUSIONS The 2015 NBCUS findings suggest that continued declines in demand for blood products resulted in fewer units collected and distributed Maintaining a blood inventory sufficient to meet routine and emergent demands will require further monitoring and understanding of these trends. PMID:28591469

First reports of ectoparasites collected from wild-caught exotic reptiles in Florida.

PubMed

Corn, Joseph L; Mertins, James W; Hanson, Britta; Snow, Skip

2011-01-01

We collected ectoparasites from 27 of 51 wild-caught, free-ranging exotic reptiles examined in Florida from 2003 to 2008. Sampled animals represented eight species, five of which yielded ectoparasites. Reported new parasite distribution records for the United States include the following: the first collection of the African tick Amblyomma latum (Koch) from a wild-caught animal [ball python, Python regius (Shaw)] in the United States; the first collection of the lizard scale mite Hirstiella stamii (Jack) from any wild-caught animal [green iguana, Iguana iguana (L.)]; and the first collection of the lizard scale mite Geckobia hemidactyli (Lawrence) in the continental United States from a wild-caught tropical house gecko, Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau de Jonnès). We also report the first collections of the Neotropical ticks Amblyomma rotundatum (Koch) and Amblyomma dissimile (Koch) from wild-caught Burmese pythons, Python molurus bivittatus (Kuhl); the first collections of A. dissimile from a wild-caught African savannah monitor, Varanus exanthematicus (Bosc); and from wild-caught green iguanas in the United States; and the first collections of the native chiggers Eutrombicula splendens (Ewing) and Eutrombicula cinnabaris (Ewing) from wild-caught Burmese pythons. These reports may only suggest the diversity of reptile ectoparasites introduced and established in Florida and the new host-parasite relationships that have developed among exotic and native ectoparasites and established exotic reptiles.

Bacteriological survey of frozen meat and gravy produced at establishments under federal inspection.

PubMed

Surkiewicz, B F; Harris, M E; Johnston, R W

1973-10-01

During visits to 34 federally inspected establishments producing frozen meat and gravy, 541 production line samples and 535 finished product units were collected for bacteriological analyses. It was found that more than 70% of the sets of finished product (10 units/set) produced under good manufacturing practices had: (i) four or fewer coliform-positive units, (ii) two or fewer Escherichia coli-positive units, (iii) three or fewer Staphylococcus aureus-positive units, and (iv) an aerobic plate count of fewer than 50,000/g (geometric mean of 10 units). All finished product units were negative for salmonellae.

Bacteriological Survey of Frozen Meat and Gravy Produced at Establishments Under Federal Inspection

PubMed Central

Surkiewicz, Bernard F.; Harris, Marshall E.; Johnston, Ralph W.

1973-01-01

During visits to 34 federally inspected establishments producing frozen meat and gravy, 541 production line samples and 535 finished product units were collected for bacteriological analyses. It was found that more than 70% of the sets of finished product (10 units/set) produced under good manufacturing practices had: (i) four or fewer coliform-positive units, (ii) two or fewer Escherichia coli-positive units, (iii) three or fewer Staphylococcus aureus-positive units, and (iv) an aerobic plate count of fewer than 50,000/g (geometric mean of 10 units). All finished product units were negative for salmonellae. PMID:4584595

Disposable collection kit for rapid and reliable collection of saliva.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Masaki; Tezuka, Yuki; Takeda, Kazunori; Shetty, Vivek

2015-01-01

To describe and evaluate disposable saliva collection kit for rapid, reliable, and reproducible collection of saliva samples. The saliva collection kit comprised of a saliva absorbent swab and an extractor unit was used to retrieve whole saliva samples from 10 subjects. The accuracy and precision of the extracted volumes (3, 10, and 30 μl) were compared to similar volumes drawn from control samples obtained by passive drool. Additionally, the impact of kit collection method on subsequent immunoassay results was verified by assessing salivary cortisol levels in the samples and comparing them to controls. The recovered volumes for the whole saliva samples were 3.85 ± 0.28, 10.79 ± 0.95, and 31.18 ± 1.72 μl, respectively (CV = 8.76%) and 2.91 ± 0.19, 9.75 ± 0.43, and 29.64 ± 0.91 μl, respectively, (CV = 6.36%) for the controls. There was a close correspondence between the salivary cortisol levels from the saliva samples obtained by the collection kit and the controls (R(2)  > 0.96). The disposable saliva collection kit allows accurate and repeatable collection of fixed amounts of whole saliva and does not interfere with subsequent measurements of salivary cortisol. The simple collection process, lack of elaborate specimen recovery steps, and the short turnaround time (<3 min) should render the kit attractive to test subjects and researchers alike. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analytical results from an environmental investigation of six sites on Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1993-94

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilcox, Ralph

1995-01-01

The six sites investigated include silver recovery units; a buried caustic drain line; a neutralization pit; an evaporation/infiltration pond; the Manzano fire training area; and a waste oil underground storage tank. Environmental samples of soil, pond sediment, soil gas, and water and gas in floor drains were collected and analyzed. Field quality-control samples were also collected and analyzed in association with the environmental samples. The six sites were investigated because past or current activities could have resulted in contamination of soil, pond sediment, or water and sediment in drains.

Assessment of water-quality data from Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota--2008 through 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tangen, Brian A.; Finocchiaro, Raymond G.; Gleason, Robert A.; Rabenberg, Michael J.; Dahl, Charles F.; Ell, Mike J.

2013-01-01

ong Lake National Wildlife Refuge, located in south-central North Dakota, is an important habitat for numerous migratory birds and waterfowl, including several threatened or endangered species. The refuge is distinguished by Long Lake, which is approximately 65 square kilometers and consists of four primary water management units. Water levels in the Long Lake units are maintained by low-level dikes and water-control structures, which after construction during the 1930s increased the water-storage capacity of Long Lake and reduced the frequency and volume of flushing flows downstream. The altered water regime, along with the negative precipitation:evaporation ratio of the region, may be contributing to the accumulation of water-borne chemical constituents such as salts, trace metals, and other constituents, which at certain threshold concentrations may impair aquatic plant, invertebrate, and bird communities of the refuge. The refuge’s comprehensive conservation planning process identified the need for water-quality monitoring to assess current (2013) conditions, establish comparative baselines, evaluate changes over time (trends), and support adaptive management of the wetland units. In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and North Dakota Department of Health began a water-quality monitoring program at Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge to address these needs. Biweekly water-quality samples were collected for ions, trace metals, and nutrients; and in situ sensors and data loggers were installed for the continuous measurement of specific conductance and water depth. Long Lake was characterized primarily by sodium, bicarbonate, and sulfate ions. Overall results for total alkalinity and hardness were 580 and 329 milligrams per liter, respectively; thus, Long Lake is considered alkaline and classified as very hard. The mean pH and sodium adsorption ratio for Long Lake were 8.8 and 10, respectively. Total dissolved solids concentrations averaged approximately 1,750 milligrams per liter, and ranged from 117 to 39,700 milligrams per liter. Twelve of the 14 trace metals detected in the water samples had established North Dakota water-quality standards for aquatic life, and only aluminum and copper consistently exceeded these criteria. Aluminum is considered harmful to aquatic biota in acidic (pH less than 5.5) systems and most of the copper standard exceedances were collected from highly concentrated waters because of evaporation and seasonally low water levels. Concentrations for various forms of nitrogen and phosphorus generally were similar to reported regional values. Specific conductance of Long Lake varied seasonally and annually both within and among management units, with values ranging from less than 500 to nearly 40,000 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius. Long Lake was characterized by consistent seasonal patterns of increasing specific conductance from spring (March and April) to fall (September and October), with levels stabilizing through the end of the sampling season (November). These seasonal patterns in specific conductance were associated with decreasing water levels throughout the summer due primarily to evaporation and continuous water releases through the Unit 1 outlet structure, which resulted in the concentration of salts. Specific conductance of each unit, along with water levels, also varied among years. Overall, specific conductance levels were greatest during the drier year of 2008 when water levels were low. Specific conductance levels were lowest during the spring of 2009 following above-average volumes of fresh water from snowmelt runoff. Comparisons of specific conductance among sample sites that were spatially distributed within each management unit suggested that spatial variability within units was low except for areas associated with local inflows. Data collected during this study revealed consistent seasonal patterns and low within-unit spatial variability of specific conductance. Based on these data results, future sample collection efforts may be reduced, as well as the number of sample locations, to limit sampling costs. Water-quality samples collected monthly or seasonally during the growing season (spring, summer, and fall) from a single representative location within each water-management unit should provide sufficient data to assess seasonal changes in water-quality over time and provide information for Long Lake management decisions.

A thermal desorption mass spectrometer for freshly nucleated secondary aerosol particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Held, A.; Gonser, S. G.

2012-04-01

Secondary aerosol formation in the atmosphere is observed in a large variety of locations worldwide, introducing new particles to the atmosphere which can grow to sizes relevant for health and climate effects of aerosols. The chemical reactions leading to atmospheric secondary aerosol formation are not yet fully understood. At the same time, analyzing the chemical composition of freshly nucleated particles is still a challenging task. We are currently finishing the development of a field portable aerosol mass spectrometer for nucleation particles with diameters smaller than 30 nm. This instrument consists of a custom-built aerosol sizing and collection unit coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS). The aerosol sizing and collection unit is composed of three major parts: (1) a unipolar corona aerosol charger, (2) a radial differential mobility analyzer (rDMA) for aerosol size separation, and (3) an electrostatic precipitator for aerosol collection. After collection, the aerosol sample is thermally desorbed, and the resulting gas sample is transferred to the TOF-MS for chemical analysis. The unipolar charger is based on corona discharge from carbon fibres (e.g. Han et al., 2008). This design allows efficient charging at voltages below 2 kV, thus eliminating the potential for ozone production which would interfere with the collected aerosol. With the current configuration the extrinsic charging efficiency for 20 nm particles is 32 %. The compact radial DMA similar to the design of Zhang et al. (1995) is optimized for a diameter range from 1 nm to 100 nm. Preliminary tests show that monodisperse aerosol samples (geometric standard deviation of 1.09) at 10 nm, 20 nm, and 30 nm can easily be separated from the ambient polydisperse aerosol population. Finally, the size-segregated aerosol sample is collected on a high-voltage biased metal filament. The collected sample is protected from contamination using a He sheath counterflow. Resistive heating of the filament allows temperature-controlled desorption of compounds of different volatility. We will present preliminary characterization experiments of the aerosol sizing and collection unit coupled to the mass spectrometer. Funding by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under grant DFG HE5214/3-1 is gratefully acknowledged. Han, B., Kim, H.J., Kim, Y.J., and Sioutas, C. (2008) Unipolar charging of ultrafine particles using carbon fiber ionizers. Aerosol Sci. Technol, 42, 793-800. Zhang, S.-H., Akutsu, Y., Russell, L.M., Flagan, R.C., and Seinfeld, J.H. (1995) Radial Differential Mobility Analyzer. Aerosol Sci. Technol, 23, 357-372.

Propellant Residues Deposition from Firing of 40-mm Grenades

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

the snow surface downrange of the firing positions in three sampling units on each pad. Samples were analyzed and results compo- sited to derive an...Processing and Analysis ..................................................................... 10 3.1 Snow samples...mm howitzers, propel- lant residues containing DNT were collected from the snow -covered area in front of one of the guns (Walsh, M.E. et al. 2004

77 FR 58383 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-20

...) The Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) is the only all-payer inpatient care database for children in the United States. The KID was specifically designed to permit researchers to study a broad range of conditions and procedures related to child health issues. The KID contains a sample of over 3 million...

An improved method for collecting and monitoring pine oleoresin

Treesearch

Dick Karsky; Brian Strom; Harold Thistle

2004-01-01

A new method for collecting and monitoring pine oleoresin has been developed through a cooperative project involving the Missoula Technology Development Center (MTDC), Southern Research Station (Brian Strom, research entomologist), and the Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. The new sampling unit (figure 1) is cast from rugged plastic. It provides a closed system...

Metal concentrations in schoolyard soils from New Orleans, Louisiana before and after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Presley, Steven M; Abel, Michael T; Austin, Galen P; Rainwater, Thomas R; Brown, Ray W; McDaniel, Les N; Marsland, Eric J; Fornerette, Ashley M; Dillard, Melvin L; Rigdon, Richard W; Kendall, Ronald J; Cobb, George P

2010-06-01

The long-term environmental impact and potential human health hazards resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita throughout much of the United States Gulf Coast, particularly in the New Orleans, Louisiana, USA area are still being assessed and realized after more than four years. Numerous government agencies and private entities have collected environmental samples from throughout New Orleans and found concentrations of contaminants exceeding human health screening values as established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for air, soil, and water. To further assess risks of exposure to toxic concentrations of soil contaminants for citizens, particularly children, returning to live in New Orleans following the storms, soils collected from schoolyards prior to Hurricane Katrina and after Hurricane Rita were screened for 26 metals. Concentrations exceeding USEPA Regional Screening Levels (USEPA-RSL), total exposure, non-cancer endpoints, for residential soils for arsenic (As), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), and thallium (Tl) were detected in soil samples collected from schoolyards both prior to Hurricane Katrina and after Hurricane Rita. Approximately 43% (9/21) of schoolyard soils collected prior to Hurricane Katrina contained Pb concentrations greater than 400mgkg(-1), and samples from four schoolyards collected after Hurricane Rita contained detectable Pb concentrations, with two exceeding 1700mgkg(-1). Thallium concentrations exceeded USEPA-RSL in samples collected from five schoolyards after Hurricane Rita. Based upon these findings and the known increased susceptibility of children to the effects of Pb exposure, a more extensive assessment of the soils in schoolyards, public parks and other residential areas of New Orleans for metal contaminants is warranted. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of allflex conservation buffer in illumina genotyping.

PubMed

de Groot, M; Ras, T; van Haeringen, W A

2016-12-01

This experiment was designed to study if liquid conservation buffer used in the novel Tissue Sampling Technology (TST) from Allflex can be used for Illumina BeadChip genotyping. Ear punches were collected from 6 bovine samples, using both the Tissue Sampling Unit (TSU) as well as the Total Tagger Universal (TTU) collection system. The stability of the liquid conservation buffer was tested by genotyping samples on Illumina BeadChips, incubated at 0, 3, 15, 24, 48, 72, 168, 336, 720 h after sample collection. Additionally, a replenishment study was designed to test how often the liquid conservation buffer could be completely replenished before a significant call rate drop could be observed. Results from the stability study showed an average call rate of 0.993 for samples collected with the TSU system and 0.953 for samples collected with the TTU system, both exceeding the inclusion threshold call rate of 0.85. As an additional control, the identity of the individual animals was confirmed using the International Society of Animal Genetics (ISAG) recommended SNP panel. The replenishment study revealed a slight drop in the sample call rate after replenishing the conservation buffer for the fourth time for the TSU as well as the TTU samples. In routine analysis, this application allows for multiple experiments to be performed on the liquid conservation buffer, while maintaining the tissue samples for future use. The data collected in this study shows that the liquid conservation buffer used in the TST system can be used for Illumina BeadChip genotyping applications.

Guidelines for quality assurance and quality control of fish taxonomic data collected as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walsh, Stephen Joseph; Meador, Michael R.

1998-01-01

Fish community structure is characterized by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program as part of a perennial, multidisciplinary approach to evaluating the physical, chemical, and biological conditions of the Nation's water resources. The objective of quality assurance and quality control of fish taxonomic data that are collected as part of the NAWQA Program is to establish uniform guidelines and protocols for the identification, processing, and archiving of fish specimens to ensure that accurate and reliable data are collected. Study unit biologists, collaborating with regional biologists and fish taxonomic specialists, prepare a pre-sampling study plan that includes a preliminary faunal list and identification of an ichthyological curation center for receiving preserved fish specimens. Problematic taxonomic issues and protected taxa also are identified in the study plan, and collecting permits are obtained in advance of sampling activities. Taxonomic specialists are selected to identify fish specimens in the field and to assist in determining what fish specimens should be sacrificed, fixed, and preserved for laboratory identification, independent taxonomic verification, and long-term storage in reference or voucher collections. Quantitative and qualitative sampling of fishes follows standard methods previously established for the NAWQA Program. Common ichthyological techniques are used to process samples in the field and prepare fish specimens to be returned to the laboratory or sent to an institutional repository. Taxonomic identifications are reported by using a standardized list of scientific names that provides nomenclatural consistency and uniformity across study units.

Potency Determination of Antidandruff Shampoos in Nystatin International Unit Equivalents

PubMed Central

Anusha Hewage, D. B. G.; Pathirana, W.; Pinnawela, Amara

2008-01-01

A convenient standard microbiological potency determination test for the antidandruff shampoos was developed by adopting the pharmacopoeial microbiological assay procedure of the drug nystatin. A standard curve was drawn consisting of the inhibition zone diameters vs. logarithm of nystatin concentrations in international units using the fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) strain National Collection of Type Culture (NCTC) 1071606 as the test organism. From the standard curve the yeast inhibitory potencies of the shampoos in nystatin international unit equivalents were determined from the respective inhibition zones of the test samples of the shampoos. Under test conditions four shampoo samples showed remarkable fungal inhibitory potencies of 10227, 10731, 12396 and 18211 nystatin international unit equivalents/ml while two shampoo samples had extremely feeble inhibitory potencies 4.07 and 4.37 nystatin international unit equivalents/ml although the latter two products claimed antifungal activity. The potency determination method could be applied to any antidandruff shampoo with any one or a combination of active ingredients. PMID:21394271

Evaluation of adenosine triphosphate test for cleaning assessment of gastroscopes and the effect on workload in a busy endoscopy center.

PubMed

Schmitt, Cristiane; Pires Maciel, Amanda Luiz; Boszczowski, Icaro; da Silva, Thaís Pereira; Neves, Eliane Aparecida Job; Rossini, Giulio Fabio; Rizek, Camila; Costa, Silvia Figueiredo; Lourenço, Rogério Ferreira; Alfa, Michelle J

2018-05-18

Using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) tests to assess manual cleaning of gastroscopes and to determine the associated workload in a busy endoscopy unit. Patient-used gastroscopes were sampled before and after cleaning to assess ATP levels, bioburden, and protein. Samples were collected by flushing 20 mL of sterile water through the biopsy port to the distal end. Time spent for reprocessing and performing the ATP test was recorded. Twenty-four samples were collected from 10 gastroscopes. After manual cleaning, 14/24 (58.3%) samples had no microbial growth (mean, 21 colony-forming units/cm 2 ), and in 22/24 (91.7%) samples the protein was undetectable (mean, 0.04 µg/cm 2 ). ATP test was above the cutoff (200 relative light units [RLU]) in 17/24 (70.8%) samples (mean, 498 RLU). After the second cleaning, 11/17 (64.7%) gastroscopes still failed the ATP test (mean, 321.2 RLU). The mean time spent to perform manual cleaning and ATP tests was 16 and 8 minutes, respectively. Hence, each test increased the length of time for cleaning plus testing cleanliness by 50%. Further studies regarding the optimal cutoff for ATP tests are needed. ATP tests for cleaning monitoring are easy to perform and provide immediate feedback to the team. However, the increased workload needs to be considered. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular techniques to distinguish morphologically similar Hydrilla verticillata, Egeria densa, Elodea nuttallii, and Elodea canadensis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rybicki, Nancy B.; Kirshtein, Julie D.; Voytek, Mary A.

2013-01-01

The four submerged aquatic species, hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata [monoecious and dioecious]), Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa), Canadian waterweed (Elodea canadensis), and western waterweed (Elodea nuttallii), are difficult to positively identify because of their morphological similarity to each other, resulting in possible misidentification. This limits our ability to understand their past and present distribution, which is important in aquatic plant management. We investigated a molecular technique to identify these species, which are problematic because of their invasive nature on multiple continents. Approximately 100 samples of these species, ranging in age from 40-yr-old herbarium samples to recently collected plants, were collected from regions across the United States. The distribution and range of the samples collected in this research were compared to those reported in the literature. We confirmed information on the current wide distribution of both hydrilla biotypes in the United States and discovered that hydrilla had actually invaded the waterways near Washington, DC 6 yr earlier than originally reported. In addition, we found evidence of the confusion, dating back to the 1980s, between Canadian waterweed and western waterweed in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Canadian waterweed was previously reported as common and western waterweed as rare; however, our samples indicate the opposite is true. This information indicates there is a need for investigators to anticipate the spread of hydrilla populations to northern U.S. waterways, where it will compete with existing plant species, including Canadian and western waterweeds. Our ability to confirm distribution and pace of spread of invasive and noninvasive species will improve with increased application of molecular techniques.

Pneumatic System for Concentration of Micrometer-Size Lunar Soil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKay, David; Cooper, Bonnie

2012-01-01

A report describes a size-sorting method to separate and concentrate micrometer- size dust from a broad size range of particles without using sieves, fluids, or other processes that may modify the composition or the surface properties of the dust. The system consists of four processing units connected in series by tubing. Samples of dry particulates such as lunar soil are introduced into the first unit, a fluidized bed. The flow of introduced nitrogen fluidizes the particulates and preferentially moves the finer grain sizes on to the next unit, a flat plate impactor, followed by a cyclone separator, followed by a Nuclepore polycarbonate filter to collect the dust. By varying the gas flow rate and the sizes of various orifices in the system, the size of the final and intermediate particles can be varied to provide the desired products. The dust can be collected from the filter. In addition, electron microscope grids can be placed on the Nuclepore filter for direct sampling followed by electron microscope characterization of the dust without further handling.

Occurrence of fungicides and other pesticides in surface water, groundwater, and sediment from three targeted-use areas in the United States, 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orlando, James L.; Smalling, Kelly L.; Reilly, Timothy J.; Boehlke, Adam; Meyer, Michael T.; Kuivila, Kathryn

2013-01-01

Surface-water, groundwater, and suspended- and bedsediment samples were collected in three targeted-use areas in the United States where potatoes were grown during 2009 and analyzed for an extensive suite of fungicides and other pesticides by gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Fungicides were detected in all environmental matrices sampled during the study. The most frequently detected fungicides were azoxystrobin, boscalid, chlorothalonil, and pyraclostrobin. Other pesticides that were detected frequently included amino phosphonic acid (AMPA), atrazine, metolaclor, and the organochlorine insecticide p,p’-DDT and its degradates p,p’-DDD and p,p’-DDE. A greater number of pesticides were detected in surface water relative to the other environmental matrices sampled, and at least one pesticide was detected in 62 of the 63 surfacewater samples. The greatest numbers of pesticides and the maximum observed concentrations for most pesticides were measured in surface-water samples from Idaho. In eight surface- water samples (six from Idaho and two from Wisconsin), concentrations of bifenthrin, metolachlor, or malathion exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency freshwater aquatic-life benchmarks for chronic toxicity to invertebrates. Thirteen pesticides, including seven fungicides, were detected in groundwater samples. Shallow groundwater samples collected beneath recently harvested potato fields contained more pesticides and had higher concentrations of pesticides than samples collected from other groundwater sources sampled during the study. Generally, pesticide concentrations were lower in groundwater samples than in surfacewater or sediment samples, with the exception of the fungicide boscalid, which was found to have its highest concentration in a shallow groundwater sample collected in Wisconsin. Thirteen pesticides, including four fungicides, were detected in suspended-sediment samples. The most frequently detected compounds were the fungicides boscalid, pyraclostrobin, and zoxamide, and the degradates p,p’-DDD and p,p’-DDE. Twenty pesticides, including six fungicides, were detected in bed-sediment samples. The most frequently detected compounds were pyraclostrobin, p,p’-DDT, p,p’-DDD, and p,p’-DDE.

Water-Quality Data for Selected National Park Units within the Southern Colorado Plateau Network, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, Water Years 2005 and 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Macy, Jamie P.; Monroe, Stephen A.

2006-01-01

The National Park Service initiated a Level 1 Water-Quality Inventory program to provide water-quality data to park managers so informed natural resource management decisions could be made. Level 1 water-quality data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey Arizona Water Science Center at 57 sites in 13 National Park units located in the Southern Colorado Plateau Inventory and Monitoring network in water years 2005 and 2006. These data describe the current water-quality at selected sites within the park units and provide information for monitoring future trends. Water samples were collected three times at each type of site including wells, springs, seeps, tinajas, rivers, a lake, and an irrigation ditch. Field measurements were taken at each site and they included pH, specific conductance, temperature, barometric pressure, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, turbidity, and discharge rates where applicable. Water samples collected were sent to the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory and analyzed for major ions, trace elements, and nutrients. The National Water Quality Laboratory also analyzed selected samples for mercury and petroleum hydrocarbons. Additional samples at selected sites were collected and analyzed for cyanide, radiochemistry, and suspended sediment by U.S. Geological Survey contract labs. Fecal-indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli) were sampled for at selected sites as another indicator of water quality. Quality control for this study was achieved through proper training of field personnel, use of standard U.S. Geological Survey field and laboratory protocols, collection of sample blanks and replicates, and a thorough review of the water-quality analyses. Measured field pH ranged from 6.0 to 8.8, within normal range for springs and rivers, at most sites. Concentrations of dissolved solids ranged from 48 to 8,680 mg/L and the majority of samples had concentrations of dissolved solids below 900 mg/L. Trace-element concentrations at most sites were at or near the laboratory reporting levels. The highest overall trace-element concentrations were found at U.S. Highway 160 Spring near Park Entrance to Mesa Verde National Park. Concentrations of uranium in samples at all sites ranged from below the detection limit to 55.7 ?g/L. Water samples from selected sites were analyzed for total petroleum hydrocarbons and concentrations of total petroleum hydrocarbons were at or above the laboratory detection limit in samples at six National Park units. Ten sites were sampled for Escherichia coli and positive counts were found at 9 out of the ten sites, the highest colony counts were found at Chinle Creek at Chinle, AZ in Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Measured concentrations of dissolved ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate were at or near laboratory reporting levels at most sites; nitrate concentrations ranged from below the reporting limit (0.047 mg/L) to 9.77 mg/L. Samples that were analyzed for mercury had concentrations below or at the laboratory reporting level. Concentrations of cyanide were less than the laboratory reporting level for all samples except two, Spruce Tree House Spring in Mesa Verde National Park and Pine Tree Canyon Tinaja in Canyon de Chelly National Monument, which had average concentrations of .042 and .011 ?g/L respectively. Gross alpha/beta radioactivity counts were below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level except for samples from Casa Chiquita Well Middle at Chaco Culture National Historical Park which averaged 35 pCi/L. Suspended-sediment concentrations were variable and ranged from 10 to 150,000 mg/L.

Aerosol sampling system for collection of Capstone depleted uranium particles in a high-energy environment.

PubMed

Holmes, Thomas D; Guilmette, Raymond A; Cheng, Yung Sung; Parkhurst, Mary Ann; Hoover, Mark D

2009-03-01

The Capstone Depleted Uranium (DU) Aerosol Study was undertaken to obtain aerosol samples resulting from a large-caliber DU penetrator striking an Abrams or Bradley test vehicle. The sampling strategy was designed to (1) optimize the performance of the samplers and maintain their integrity in the extreme environment created during perforation of an armored vehicle by a DU penetrator, (2) collect aerosols as a function of time post perforation, and (3) obtain size-classified samples for analysis of chemical composition, particle morphology, and solubility in lung fluid. This paper describes the experimental setup and sampling methodologies used to achieve these objectives. Custom-designed arrays of sampling heads were secured to the inside of the target in locations approximating the breathing zones of the crew locations in the test vehicles. Each array was designed to support nine filter cassettes and nine cascade impactors mounted with quick-disconnect fittings. Shielding and sampler placement strategies were used to minimize sampler loss caused by the penetrator impact and the resulting fragments of eroded penetrator and perforated armor. A cyclone train was used to collect larger quantities of DU aerosol for measurement of chemical composition and solubility. A moving filter sample was used to obtain semicontinuous samples for DU concentration determination. Control for the air samplers was provided by five remotely located valve control and pressure monitoring units located inside and around the test vehicle. These units were connected to a computer interface chassis and controlled using a customized LabVIEW engineering computer control program. The aerosol sampling arrays and control systems for the Capstone study provided the needed aerosol samples for physicochemical analysis, and the resultant data were used for risk assessment of exposure to DU aerosol.

Aerosol Sampling System for Collection of Capstone Depleted Uranium Particles in a High-Energy Environment

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

Holmes, Thomas D.; Guilmette, Raymond A.; Cheng, Yung-Sung

2009-03-01

The Capstone Depleted Uranium Aerosol Study was undertaken to obtain aerosol samples resulting from a kinetic-energy cartridge with a large-caliber depleted uranium (DU) penetrator striking an Abrams or Bradley test vehicle. The sampling strategy was designed to (1) optimize the performance of the samplers and maintain their integrity in the extreme environment created during perforation of an armored vehicle by a DU penetrator, (2) collect aerosols as a function of time post-impact, and (3) obtain size-classified samples for analysis of chemical composition, particle morphology, and solubility in lung fluid. This paper describes the experimental setup and sampling methodologies used tomore » achieve these objectives. Custom-designed arrays of sampling heads were secured to the inside of the target in locations approximating the breathing zones of the vehicle commander, loader, gunner, and driver. Each array was designed to support nine filter cassettes and nine cascade impactors mounted with quick-disconnect fittings. Shielding and sampler placement strategies were used to minimize sampler loss caused by the penetrator impact and the resulting fragments of eroded penetrator and perforated armor. A cyclone train was used to collect larger quantities of DU aerosol for chemical composition and solubility. A moving filter sample was used to obtain semicontinuous samples for depleted uranium concentration determination. Control for the air samplers was provided by five remotely located valve control and pressure monitoring units located inside and around the test vehicle. These units were connected to a computer interface chassis and controlled using a customized LabVIEW engineering computer control program. The aerosol sampling arrays and control systems for the Capstone study provided the needed aerosol samples for physicochemical analysis, and the resultant data were used for risk assessment of exposure to DU aerosol.« less

77 FR 58979 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Direct Investment Surveys: BE-15, Annual Survey...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-25

... Request; Direct Investment Surveys: BE-15, Annual Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States... to David H. Galler, Chief, Direct Investment Division (BE- 50), Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S... Investment in the United States (Form BE-15) obtains sample data on the financial structure and operations of...

Science, Engineering, and Humanities Doctorates in the United States: 1981 Profile.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxfield, Betty; And Others

This report provides information on the demographic characteristics and employment status of recipients of doctoral degrees granted from June 1980 to January 1983 (who were residing in the United States in February 1981). Information was collected on 39,547 of the 63,022 individuals in the survey sample, yielding a response rate of 63 percent.…

Prevalence and genotypes of enterocytozoon bieneusi in weaned beef calves on cow-calf operations in the United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To determine the prevalence and genotype distribution of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in weaned beef calves in the United States, fecal samples were collected from 819 calves (6-18 months of age) from 49 operations. Feces were sieved and subjected to density gradient centrifugation to remove fecal debri...

Agriculture for Little People. Publication No. 0004.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gasior, Albert G.

The document is a collection of teacher guides to sample units introducing agriculture at the primary level; part or all of the units can be used along with the regular curriculum during the school year. Intended to acquaint K-3 students with agriculture's important role, the purpose of the course is to impart basic knowledge of materials, tools,…

Enclosed versus open nursing stations in adult acute care psychiatric settings: does the design affect the therapeutic milieu?

PubMed

Southard, Kelly; Jarrell, Ashley; Shattell, Mona M; McCoy, Thomas P; Bartlett, Robin; Judge, Christine A

2012-05-01

Specific efforts by hospital accreditation organizations encourage renovation of nursing stations, so nurses can better see, attend, and care for their patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of nursing station design on the therapeutic milieu in an adult acute care psychiatric unit. A repeated cross-sectional, pretest-posttest design was used. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 81 patients and 25 nursing staff members who completed the Ward Atmosphere Scale. Pretest data were collected when the unit had an enclosed nursing station, and posttest data were collected after renovations to the unit created an open nursing station. No statistically significant differences were found in patient or staff perceptions of the therapeutic milieu. No increase in aggression toward staff was found, given patients' ease of access to the nursing station. More research is needed about the impact of unit design in acute care psychiatric settings. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

History and evaluation of national-scale geochemical data sets for the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, David B.; Smith, Steven M.; Horton, John D.

2013-01-01

Six national-scale, or near national-scale, geochemical data sets for soils or stream sediments exist for the United States. The earliest of these, here termed the ‘Shacklette’ data set, was generated by a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) project conducted from 1961 to 1975. This project used soil collected from a depth of about 20 cm as the sampling medium at 1323 sites throughout the conterminous U.S. The National Uranium Resource Evaluation Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (NURE-HSSR) Program of the U.S. Department of Energy was conducted from 1975 to 1984 and collected either stream sediments, lake sediments, or soils at more than 378,000 sites in both the conterminous U.S. and Alaska. The sampled area represented about 65% of the nation. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), from 1978 to 1982, collected samples from multiple soil horizons at sites within the major crop-growing regions of the conterminous U.S. This data set contains analyses of more than 3000 samples. The National Geochemical Survey, a USGS project conducted from 1997 to 2009, used a subset of the NURE-HSSR archival samples as its starting point and then collected primarily stream sediments, with occasional soils, in the parts of the U.S. not covered by the NURE-HSSR Program. This data set contains chemical analyses for more than 70,000 samples. The USGS, in collaboration with the Mexican Geological Survey and the Geological Survey of Canada, initiated soil sampling for the North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project in 2007. Sampling of three horizons or depths at more than 4800 sites in the U.S. was completed in 2010, and chemical analyses are currently ongoing. The NRCS initiated a project in the 1990s to analyze the various soil horizons from selected pedons throughout the U.S. This data set currently contains data from more than 1400 sites. This paper (1) discusses each data set in terms of its purpose, sample collection protocols, and analytical methods; and (2) evaluates each data set in terms of its appropriateness as a national-scale geochemical database and its usefulness for national-scale geochemical mapping.

Antifungal efficacy of hydrogen peroxide in dental unit waterline disinfection.

PubMed

Szymańska, Jolanta

2006-01-01

The concentration and composition of fungal flora in dental unit waterlines (DUWL) were evaluated. For this purpose, water samples from unit reservoirs and high-speed handpieces, and biofilm samples from the waterline walls from units were collected. Subsequently, analogous samples from DUWL were taken before and after disinfection using agent containing hydrogen peroxide. In the examined samples, the yeast-like fungi Candida albicans and Candida curvata were found. The following species of mould were also identified: Aspergillus amstelodami, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus glaucus group, Aspergillus (=Eurotium herbariorum) repens, Citromyces spp., Geotrichum candidum, Penicillium (glabrum) frequentans, Penicillium pusillum, Penicillium turolense and Sclerotium sclerotiorum (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum). Before disinfection, Candida curvata and Candida albicans constituted the greatest proportion of the total fungi in the reservoirs water; in the water of handpieces--Candida albicans and Aspergillus glaucus group; and in the biofilm samples--Aspergillus glaucus group and Candida albicans. After disinfection, in all 3 kinds of samples, Candida albicans prevailed, constituting from 31.2-85.7 % of the total fungi. The application of agent containing hydrogen peroxide caused a significant decrease both in the number of total fungi and individual fungal species, which confirms the product effectiveness in fungal decontamination of DUWL.

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

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

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

1980-06-01

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

Microencapsulated sorbic acid and pure botanicals affect Salmonella Typhimurium shedding in pigs: a close-up look from weaning to slaughter in controlled and field conditions.

PubMed

Grilli, Ester; Foresti, Fabio; Tugnoli, Benedetta; Fustini, Mattia; Zanoni, Maria G; Pasquali, Paolo; Callaway, Todd R; Piva, Andrea; Alborali, Giovanni L

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a combination of sorbic acid, thymol, and carvacrol in reducing the prevalence and shedding level of Salmonella Typhimurium in pigs either in a controlled challenge environment or in a production setting. In the first study, 24 weaned piglets were separated in 4 isolation units (6 piglets/isolation unit). Each unit received either a basal diet (no treatment) or a microencapsulated mixture of sorbic acid, thymol, and carvacrol at 1, 2, or 5 g/kg of feed. After 21 d, pigs were orally challenged with 6 log10 colony-forming units of Salmonella Typhimurium. Blood samples and feces from rectal ampullae were collected every week. On d56 of the study, pigs were euthanized and necropsied to collect intestinal contents (jejunum through colon) and ileocecal lymph nodes. Samples were analyzed for Salmonella Typhimurium and serological analysis was also conducted. In the second study, an all-in-all-out multisite pig farm that was positive for monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium was followed throughout a production cycle from weaning to slaughter. Pigs received either a basal diet or the basal diet including 5 g/kg of the microencapsulated additive. Environmental, fecal, and blood samples were collected monthly, and cecal contents and ileocecal lymph nodes were collected at slaughter to isolate and enumerate Salmonella. The results indicate that the additive at 5 g/kg tended to reduce Salmonella fecal prevalence in both a controlled challenge (p=0.07) and in production conditions (p=0.03). Nevertheless, the additive did not reduce the number of pigs seropositive for Salmonella, nor it reduced the Salmonella prevalence at slaughter. The data indicate that these additives are not effective alone but must be used in conjunction with appropriate containment measures at lairage in order to prevent reinfection in pigs and to reduce the number of pigs carrying Salmonella entering the food chain.

Sampling scheme on genetic structure of tree species in fragmented tropical dry forest: an evaluation from landscape genetic simulations

Treesearch

Yessica Rico; Marie-Stephanie Samain

2017-01-01

Investigating how genetic variation is distributed across the landscape is fundamental to inform forest conservation and restoration. Detecting spatial genetic discontinuities has value for defining management units, germplasm collection, and target sites for reforestation; however, inappropriate sampling schemes can misidentify patterns of genetic structure....

EPA'S COASTAL 2000 MONITORING PROGRAM IN THE NORTHEAST U.S.: CONSISTENCY IN METHODS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

EPA Science Inventory

As part of EPA's national Coastal 2000 effort to estimate the ecological condition of our Nation's estuarine resources, sampling of the estuaries of the northeast United States (Delaware to Maine) began in the summer of 2000. Samples and data were collected to determine water qua...

Genetic variability of spined soldier bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) sampled from distinct field sites and laboratory colonies in the United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say), is an important biological control agent for agricultural and forest pests that preys on eggs and larvae of lepidopteran and coleopteran species. Genetic variability among field collected samples from Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, and Florida, ...

77 FR 6057 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-07

... the United States, which is conducted every five years. The data are used in the preparation of the U... Parent (BE-605) is a sample survey that collects data on transactions and positions between foreign-owned... foreign affiliates of their foreign parents). The sample data are used to derive universe estimates in...

Physiological and morphological characterization of basalt milkvetch (Astragalus filipes): Basis for plant improvement

Treesearch

Kishor Bhattarai; Douglas A. Johnson; Thomas A. Jones; Kevin J. Connors; Dale R. Gardner

2008-01-01

Astragalus filipes Torr. ex A. Gray (basalt milkvetch or threadstalk milkvetch) is a legume that is widely distributed in western North America andholds promise for revegetation and restoration programs in the western United States. Seed of 67 accessions was collected in 2003 from Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, California, and Washington. Field-collected forage samples...

Diversity captured in the USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System apple core collection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Core collections have been used widely in genetic resources to provide a representative and compact sample to use in breeding evaluation. In the 1990s a core set was developed by the USDA-ARS Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU) in Geneva, NY. Using data available at the time, a core set was develo...

77 FR 38292 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-27

... purchase from the HCUP Central Distributor for data years beginning in 1988. (2) The Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) is the only all-payer inpatient care database for children in the United States. The KID was... child health issues. The KID contains a sample of over 3 million discharges for children age 20 and...

Disposable Collection Kit for Rapid and Reliable Collection of Saliva

PubMed Central

Yamaguchi, Masaki; Tezuka, Yuki; Takeda, Kazunori; Shetty, Vivek

2015-01-01

Objectives To describe and evaluate disposable saliva collection kit for rapid, reliable, and reproducible collection of saliva samples. Methods The saliva collection kit comprised of a saliva absorbent swab and an extractor unit was used to retrieve whole saliva samples from 10 subjects. The accuracy and precision of the extracted volumes (3, 10, and 30 μl) were compared to similar volumes drawn from control samples obtained by passive drool. Additionally, the impact of kit collection method on subsequent immunoassay results was verified by assessing salivary cortisol levels in the samples and comparing them to controls. Results The recovered volumes for the whole saliva samples were 3.85 ± 0.28, 10.79 ± 0.95, and 31.18 ± 1.72 μl, respectively (CV = 8.76%) and 2.91 ± 0.19, 9.75 ± 0.43, and 29.64 ± 0.91 μl, respectively, (CV = 6.36%) for the controls. There was a close correspondence between the salivary cortisol levels from the saliva samples obtained by the collection kit and the controls (R2 > 0.96). Conclusions The disposable saliva collection kit allows accurate and repeatable collection of fixed amounts of whole saliva and does not interfere with subsequent measurements of salivary cortisol. The simple collection process, lack of elaborate specimen recovery steps, and the short turnaround time (<3 min) should render the kit attractive to test subjects and researchers alike. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 27:720–723, 2015. © 2015 The Authors American Journal of Human Biology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:25754371

Nationwide outbreak of multidrug-resistant Salmonella Heidelberg infections associated with ground turkey: United States, 2011.

PubMed

Routh, J A; Pringle, J; Mohr, M; Bidol, S; Arends, K; Adams-Cameron, M; Hancock, W T; Kissler, B; Rickert, R; Folster, J; Tolar, B; Bosch, S; Barton Behravesh, C; Williams, I T; Gieraltowski, L

2015-11-01

On 23 May 2011, CDC identified a multistate cluster of Salmonella Heidelberg infections and two multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates from ground turkey retail samples with indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns. We defined cases as isolation of outbreak strains in persons with illness onset between 27 February 2011 and 10 November 2011. Investigators collected hypothesis-generating questionnaires and shopper-card information. Food samples from homes and retail outlets were collected and cultured. We identified 136 cases of S. Heidelberg infection in 34 states. Shopper-card information, leftover ground turkey from a patient's home containing the outbreak strain and identical antimicrobial resistance profiles of clinical and retail samples pointed to plant A as the source. On 3 August, plant A recalled 36 million pounds of ground turkey. This outbreak increased consumer interest in MDR Salmonella infections acquired through United States-produced poultry and played a vital role in strengthening food safety policies related to Salmonella and raw ground poultry.

Trace-element concentrations in streambed sediment across the conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rice, Karen C.

1999-01-01

Trace-element concentrations in 541 streambed-sediment samples collected from 20 study areas across the conterminous United States were examined as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. Sediment samples were sieved and the <63-μm fraction was retained for determination of total concentrations of trace elements. Aluminum, iron, titanium, and organic carbon were weakly or not at all correlated with the nine trace elements examined:  arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc. Four different methods of accounting for background/baseline concentrations were examined; however, normalization was not required because field sieving removed most of the background differences between samples. The sum of concentrations of trace elements characteristic of urban settings - copper, mercury, lead, and zinc - was well correlated with population density, nationwide. Median concentrations of seven trace elements (all nine examined except arsenic and selenium) were enriched in samples collected from urban settings relative to agricultural or forested settings. Forty-nine percent of the sites sampled in urban settings had concentrations of one or more trace elements that exceeded levels at which adverse biological effects could occur in aquatic biota.

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

Schwantes, Jon M.

Kelly Fitzgerald Kelly Fitzgerald assisted with laboratory testing for an ongoing R&D project known as Electrochemically Modulated Separation (EMS) for on-line rapid preseparations of actinides prior to mass spectrometry analysis. Ryne Burgess Ryne Burgess used SCALE 5.1 ORIGEN-ARP to predict isotope libraries for the Units 1, 2 and 3 reactors and Unit 4 spent fuel pool for comparing against measurements of environmental sampled collected at the site in order to identify the source terms of the accident. Comparison of the cesium 134/137 and cesium 136/137 ratios observed in environmental samples and ORIGEN-ARP predictions indicated that the Unit 4 Spent Fuelmore » Pool did not significantly contribute to radionuclide release during the Fukushima Daiichi accident.« less

Data file, Continental Margin Program, Atlantic Coast of the United States: vol. 2 sample collection and analytical data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hathaway, John C.

1971-01-01

The purpose of the data file presented below is twofold: the first purpose is to make available in printed form the basic data relating to the samples collected as part of the joint U.S. Geological Survey - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution program of study of the Atlantic continental margin of the United States; the second purpose is to maintain these data in a form that is easily retrievable by modern computer methods. With the data in such form, repeate manual transcription for statistical or similar mathematical treatment becomes unnecessary. Manual plotting of information or derivatives from the information may also be eliminated. Not only is handling of data by the computer considerably faster than manual techniques, but a fruitful source of errors, transcription mistakes, is eliminated.

Organochlorine compounds and trace elements in fish tissue and ancillary data for the Connecticut, Housatonic, and Thames river basins study unit, 1992-94

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coles, J.F.

1996-01-01

Concentrations of organochlorine compounds and trace elements were assayed in fish tissue collected from the Connecticut, Housatonic, and Thames River Basins Study Unit, 1992-94. These data were collected to determine the occurrence and distribution of organochlorine compounds and trace elements in the study unit. Ancillary data included are land-use categories by percentage of the sampling-site basins and the size, gender, and age of the individual fish collected for this study. Concentrations of 28 organochlorine compounds in composited whole fish samples were measured at 32 sites, and concentrations of 22 trace elements in composited fish liver samples were measured at 14 of the 32 sites. Most frequently detected organochlorines were DDT related compounds at 31 sites, total PCBs at 28 sites, and chlordane related compounds at 25 sites. Concentrations of total PCBs in fish tissue were generally higher at the large river sites than at the smaller tributary sites. Concentrations of chlordane-related compounds in fish tissue were higher at sites from more urbanized basins than at sites from predominately agriculture and forested basins. Concentrations of the DDT related compounds were undifferentiated among sites comprising different land uses. Trace elements detected at all 14 sites included boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc. Trace elements detected at 10 or more sites included arsenic, mercury, silver, strontium, and vanadium. Antimony, beryllium, and uranium were not detected at any site.

Fecal-indicator bacteria and Escherichia coli pathogen data collected near a novel sub-irrigation water-treatment system in Lenawee County, Michigan, June-November 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duris, Joseph W.; Beeler, Stephanie

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Lenawee County Conservation District in Lenawee County, Mich., conducted a sampling effort over a single growing season (June to November 2007) to evaluate the microbiological water quality around a novel livestock reservoir wetland sub-irrigation system. Samples were collected and analyzed for fecal coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, and six genes from pathogenic strains of E. coli.A total of 73 water-quality samples were collected on nine occasions from June to November 2007. These samples were collected within the surface water, shallow ground water, and the manure-treatment system near Bakerlads Farm near Clayton in Lenawee County, Mich. Fecal coliform bacteria concentrations ranged from 10 to 1.26 million colony forming units per 100 milliliters (CFU/100 mL). E. coli bacteria concentrations ranged from 8 to 540,000 CFU/100 mL. Data from the E. coli pathogen analysis showed that 73 percent of samples contained the eaeA gene, 1 percent of samples contained the stx2 gene, 37 percent of samples contained the stx1 gene, 21 percent of samples contained the rfbO157 gene, and 64 percent of samples contained the LTIIa gene.

An evaluation of potential occupational exposure to asbestiform amphiboles near a former vermiculite mine.

PubMed

Hart, Julie F; Spear, Terry M; Ward, Tony J; Baldwin, Caitlan E; Salo, Marissa N; Elashheb, Mohamed I

2009-01-01

Amphibole asbestos (AA) has been detected on the surface of tree bark in forests neighboring an abandoned vermiculite mine near Libby, Montana. In the present study, simulations were performed to assess potential AA exposure associated with United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service (FS) occupational activities. Bark samples were collected prior, and personal breathing zone (PBZ) and Tyvek clothing wipe samples were collected during and immediately after trials that simulated FS activities. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses revealed AA bark concentrations up to 15 million structures per square centimeter (s/cm(2)). AA was detected in 25% of the PBZ TEM samples. AA was detected on wipe samples collected from all activities evaluated. This research demonstrates the potential for airborne exposure and transport of AA in the Kootenai National Forest. These findings are especially relevant to those that work in the area and to the general public who may conduct recreational activities.

We the People: Women and Men in the United States. Census 2000 Special Reports. CENSR-20.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spraggins, Renee E.

2005-01-01

This report provides a portrait of women in the United States and highlights comparisons with men at the national level. It is part of the Census 2000 Special Reports series that presents several demographic, social, and economic characteristics collected from Census 2000. The data contained in this report are based on the samples of households…

Communities of Practice for the Development of Adolescent Civic Engagement: An Empirical Study of Their Correlates in Australia and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Homana, Gary A.

2009-01-01

The relationships between a multidimensional model of school community and civic engagement were examined using survey data collected for the 1999 IEA Civic Education Study from large, nationally representative samples of adolescents in Australia and the United States. This study extends previous research by considering the extent to which…

Evaluation of the reference unit method for herbaceous biomass estimation in native grasslands of southwestern South Dakota

Treesearch

Eric D. Boyda

2013-01-01

The high costs associated with physically harvesting plant biomass may prevent sufficient data collection, which is necessary to account for the natural variability of vegetation at a landscape scale. A biomass estimation technique was previously developed using representative samples or "reference units", which eliminated the need to harvest biomass from all...

Cyanotoxins in inland lakes of the continental United States: Photic Zone Occurrence and potential recreational health risks in the 2007 Survey of the Nation's lakes

EPA Science Inventory

The largest spatial survey of cylindrospermosins, microcystins, and saxitoxins in the United States was conducted as part of the 2007 U.S. Survey of the Nation’s Lakes. Integrated photic zone samples were collected from 1,161 lakes during May-September 2007. Cyanotoxin, cya...

Definition of sampling units begets conclusions in ecology: the case of habitats for plant communities.

PubMed

Mörsdorf, Martin A; Ravolainen, Virve T; Støvern, Leif Einar; Yoccoz, Nigel G; Jónsdóttir, Ingibjörg Svala; Bråthen, Kari Anne

2015-01-01

In ecology, expert knowledge on habitat characteristics is often used to define sampling units such as study sites. Ecologists are especially prone to such approaches when prior sampling frames are not accessible. Here we ask to what extent can different approaches to the definition of sampling units influence the conclusions that are drawn from an ecological study? We do this by comparing a formal versus a subjective definition of sampling units within a study design which is based on well-articulated objectives and proper methodology. Both approaches are applied to tundra plant communities in mesic and snowbed habitats. For the formal approach, sampling units were first defined for each habitat in concave terrain of suitable slope using GIS. In the field, these units were only accepted as the targeted habitats if additional criteria for vegetation cover were fulfilled. For the subjective approach, sampling units were defined visually in the field, based on typical plant communities of mesic and snowbed habitats. For each approach, we collected information about plant community characteristics within a total of 11 mesic and seven snowbed units distributed between two herding districts of contrasting reindeer density. Results from the two approaches differed significantly in several plant community characteristics in both mesic and snowbed habitats. Furthermore, differences between the two approaches were not consistent because their magnitude and direction differed both between the two habitats and the two reindeer herding districts. Consequently, we could draw different conclusions on how plant diversity and relative abundance of functional groups are differentiated between the two habitats depending on the approach used. We therefore challenge ecologists to formalize the expert knowledge applied to define sampling units through a set of well-articulated rules, rather than applying it subjectively. We see this as instrumental for progress in ecology as only rules based on expert knowledge are transparent and lead to results reproducible by other ecologists.

Fishes of Missouri River, chute, and flood plain habitats: Chapter 4 in Initial biotic survey of Lisbon Bottom, Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grady, Joanne; Milligan, Jim; Chapman, Duane C.; Ehrhardt, Ellen A.; Dieterman, Douglas J.; Galat, David L.; Hooker, John; Kubisiak, John; DeLonay, Aaron; Little, Edward E.; Robinson, Jack; Tibbs, John

1999-01-01

The Lisbon Bottom Unit of the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) is approximately 2,200 acres and is the first complete unit of the Refuge. Primary objectives of the Refuge are to create and restore diverse riverine aquatic habitats and reconnect the Missouri River to its flood plain where feasible. Management seeks to accomplish these objectives by encouraging natural processes of erosion, deposition, and succession to the greatest extent possible.One of the most salient aquatic features of the Lisbon Bottom Unit is a newly created 2-mile-long free-flowing chute, or side channel (Fig. 1). This chute began forming as a levee breech scour hole during the Great Flood of 1993. The chute continued to develop during the 1995 flood and finally cut through to a flowing side channel during the 1996 flood. Extensive erosion and bank sluffing continued during 1997 due to sustained high flows that occurred throughout most of the year. The chute has progressively become wider and deeper with a developing meander pattern and channel bars have begun to form. Lisbon Bottom also contains several seasonal and permanent wetlands and is subject to periodic flooding at high Missouri River stages.Eight studies have been completed or are ongoing to evaluate Missouri River fishes associated with various habitat components of Lisbon Bottom and adjacent Missouri River reaches (Table 1). Several are part of much larger investigations to evaluate fish use of flood-created habitat features, basinwide fish assessment, and endangered or candidate species concerns.At the Lisbon Bottom Unit or in the Missouri River adjacent to the unit 54 fish species were collected (Table 2). Eight of these species have either a protected status under State or Federal laws or biologists consider them to potentially qualify for protected status. The status of the following fish is listed in Table 2: pallid sturgeon x shovelnose sturgeon hybrid, paddlefish, northern pike, sturgeon chub, sicklefin chub, ghost shiner, western silvery minnow, plains minnow, and blue sucker. Equally important to note are fish species that were not collected. The flathead chub, currently listed as State endangered and proposed for Federal listing, were not collected in any of the studies.Common fish species, collected in all seven sampling studies, included gizzard shad, common carp, river carpsucker, and freshwater drum. Paddlefish, skipjack herring, silver carp, white sucker, redfin shiner, western silvery minnow, bullhead minnow, and black bullhead were each collected in only one of the seven studies.Pflieger (1971) developed a guild system for the fishes of Missouri based on distribution patterns and centers of abundance. Fish were assigned to one of four primary faunal groups: Ozark, Big River, Lowland, and Prairie. Two secondary groups (Ozark-prairie and Ozark-lowland) were defined for species equally abundant and distributed in two of the primary areas. Two Ozark-prairie species, shorthead redhorse and white sucker, were collected on or near the Lisbon Bottom Unit.Big River species are found primarily in the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The environmental factors controlling fish distribution in these rivers appear to be substrate, current velocity, and turbidity. On or near the Lisbon Bottom Unit 18 Big River species were collected (Table 2).Lowland species are intolerant of siltation and high turbidity. They inhabit standing or slow-moving water with sand, fine gravel, and organic debris substrates. Two Lowland species, bullhead minnow and mosquitofish, were collected in connected scours on the Lisbon Bottom Unit.Prairie species have broader ecological tolerances than the Ozark and Lowland species. They are largely absent in high gradient streams and cool, clear waters. Prairie species make up a significant proportion of Missouri and Mississippi River fishes. Seven Prairie species were collected on or near the Lisbon Bottom Unit (Table 2).The last group, Wide-ranging, was defined as the species more widespread than the other faunal groups with broader environmental tolerances. Most Wide-ranging species occur at least occasionally in all sections of the state. Nineteen Wide-ranging species were collected on or near the Lisbon Bottom Unit (Table 2).Kubisiak (1997) found that isolated scours in the Lower Missouri River were dominated by Wide-ranging species. Connected scours also held Wideranging species but they contained Prairie species and were dominated by Big River species. Faunal group diversity and species richness were compared between isolated (Study l) and connected (Studies 4, 5, 7, and 8) scours of the Lisbon Bottom Unit. Species richness was similar with 22 species collected in isolated scours and an average of 24.8 species collected in connected scours. Isolated scour fish catches were dominated by Wide-ranging fish (59%) with 14% Big River fishes and 14% Prairie fishes. Connected scours had a larger percentage of Big River fish (32%) and fewer Wide-ranging (36%) and Prairie (13%) species than the isolated scours. In the combined studies, Wide-ranging fish dominated the connected scours.A similar comparison was made of fish from chute habitats and the Missouri River. Chute habitats include the Lisbon Bottom Chute, the chute between the right bank and island located at river mile 219, and a shallow channel running between a large sandbar complex and the channel border adjacent to Lisbon Bottom. Species richness in the chutes (35 species) was greater than that of the adjacent river (23 species). Big River species (40%) dominated the chute samples, followed by Wide-ranging at 31% Cand Prairie Cut 14%.The river samples contained equal numbers of Wide-ranging species (35%) and Big River species (35%) with 17% Prairie species. Differences in fish guild diversity and species richness may be due to numerous factors including sampling effort and sampling season. River samples were collected only in Study 3 in October; chute samples were collected in July, August, and October. Fish may have been using the chute in July and August to spawn, feed, or escape high river levels.The Lisbon Bottom Chute is a truly unique feature of the Lower Missouri River. It is the first naturally created side channel to develop since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers tamed the river. The Corps eliminated 89% of the islands in the Missouri River between 1879 and 1954 (Funk and Robinson 1974). The chutes between the islands and the shore were shallower with less current than the main channel. These areas provided diversity to the Missouri River fish habitat, serving as nursery and feeding areas. The Lisbon Bottom Unit of the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge will continue to be studied in an effort to understand the complex role these areas play in river systems.

Large genetic differentiation and low variation in vector competence for dengue and yellow fever viruses of Aedes albopictus from Brazil, the United States, and the Cayman Islands.

PubMed

Lourenço de Oliveira, Ricardo; Vazeille, Marie; de Filippis, Ana Maria Bispo; Failloux, Anna-Bella

2003-07-01

We conducted a population genetic analysis of Aedes albopictus collected from 20 sites in Brazil, the United States (Florida, Georgia, and Illinois), and the Cayman Islands. Using isoenzyme analysis, we examined genetic diversity and patterns of gene flow. High genetic differentiation was found among Brazilian samples, and between them and North American samples. Regression analysis of genetic differentiation according to geographic distances indicated that Ae. albopictus samples from Florida were genetically isolated by distance. Infection rates with dengue and yellow fever viruses showed greater differences between two Brazilian samples than between the two North American samples or between a Brazilian sample and a North American sample. Introductions and establishments of new Ae. albopictus populations in the Americas are still in progress, shaping population genetic composition and potentially modifying both dengue and yellow fever transmission patterns.

Chemical contamination of soils in the New York City area following Hurricane Sandy.

PubMed

Mandigo, Amy C; DiScenza, Dana J; Keimowitz, Alison R; Fitzgerald, Neil

2016-10-01

This paper presents a unique data set of lead, arsenic, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in soil samples collected from the metropolitan New York City area in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Initial samples were collected by citizen scientists recruited via social media, a relatively unusual approach for a sample collection project. Participants in the affected areas collected 63 usable samples from basements, gardens, roads, and beaches. Results indicate high levels of arsenic, lead, PCBs, and PAHs in an area approximately 800 feet south of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Superfund site at Newtown Creek. A location adjacent to the Gowanus Canal, another Superfund site, was found to have high PCB concentrations. Areas of high PAH contamination tended to be near high traffic areas or next to sites of known contamination. While contamination as a direct result of Hurricane Sandy cannot be demonstrated conclusively, the presence of high levels of contamination close to known contamination sites, evidence for co-contamination, and decrease in number of samples containing measureable amounts of semi-volatile compounds from samples collected at similar locations 9 months after the storm suggest that contaminated particles may have migrated to residential areas as a result of flooding.

Urban land-use study plan for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Squillace, P.J.; Price, C.V.

1996-01-01

This study plan is for Urban Land-Use Studies initiated as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. There are two Urban Land-Use Study objectives: (1) Define the water quality in recharge areas of shallow aquifers underlying areas of new residential and commercial land use in large metropolitan areas, and (2) determine which natural and human factors most strongly affect the occurrence of contaminants in these shallow aquifers. To meet objective 1, each NAWQA Study Unit will install and collect water samples from at least 30 randomly located monitoring wells in a metropolitan area. To meet objective 2, aquifer characteristics and land-use information will be documented. This includes particle-size analysis of each major lithologic unit both in the unsaturated zone and in the aquifer near the water table. The percentage of organic carbon also will be determined for each lithologic unit. Geographic information system coverages will be created that document existing land use around the wells. These data will aid NAWQA personnel in relating natural and human factors to the occurrence of contaminants. Water samples for age dating also will be collected from all monitoring wells, but the samples will be stored until the occurrence of contaminants has been determined. Age-date analysis will be done only on those samples that have no detectable concentrations of anthropogenic contaminants.

Design, development, and field demonstration of a remotely deployable water quality monitoring system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, J. W.; Lovelady, R. W.; Ferguson, R. L.

1981-01-01

A prototype water quality monitoring system is described which offers almost continuous in situ monitoring. The two-man portable system features: (1) a microprocessor controlled central processing unit which allows preprogrammed sampling schedules and reprogramming in situ; (2) a subsurface unit for multiple depth capability and security from vandalism; (3) an acoustic data link for communications between the subsurface unit and the surface control unit; (4) eight water quality parameter sensors; (5) a nonvolatile magnetic bubble memory which prevents data loss in the event of power interruption; (6) a rechargeable power supply sufficient for 2 weeks of unattended operation; (7) a water sampler which can collect samples for laboratory analysis; (8) data output in direct engineering units on printed tape or through a computer compatible link; (9) internal electronic calibration eliminating external sensor adjustment; and (10) acoustic location and recovery systems. Data obtained in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron are tabulated.

The Sampling and Analysis Plan, Galena Airport and Kalakaket Creek Radio Relay Station, Alaska. Addendum

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-09-08

information deactivated during 1993. Currently, approximately 30 required in a QAPP per the U.S. Environmental caretakers are present at the facility...the total analytical cost. A subset of those Galena Airport-The current environmental samples collected and screened will be sent to an investigative...sampling report United States Environmental Protection Agency (US preparation. EPA), USAF, state, and local requirements. Ms. Sandy Smith is

Field sampling and data analysis methods for development of ecological land classifications: an application on the Manistee National Forest.

Treesearch

George E. Host; Carl W. Ramm; Eunice A. Padley; Kurt S. Pregitzer; James B. Hart; David T. Cleland

1992-01-01

Presents technical documentation for development of an Ecological Classification System for the Manistee National Forest in northwest Lower Michigan, and suggests procedures applicable to other ecological land classification projects. Includes discussion of sampling design, field data collection, data summarization and analyses, development of classification units,...

Patterns of streamwater acidity in Lye Brook Wilderness, Vermont, USA

Treesearch

John L. Campbell; Christopher Eagar; William H. McDowell

2002-01-01

Under the United States Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977, a class I designation safeguards wilderness areas from the negative effects of new sources of air pollution. We monitored streamwater chemistry in the class I Lye Brook Wilderness in southwestern Vermont from May 1994 through August 1995. Stream samples were collected biweekly at nine sampling locations...

Perceptions of Nursing Education Administrators Regarding the Relationship of Admission Criteria to Student Graduation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cline, Joy F.

2013-01-01

This research investigated admission criteria of baccalaureate nursing students related to their success in a multi-state sample of peer universities in the United States. The researcher used mixed methods to collect data that were analyzed using descriptive and phenomenological approaches. The sample of the study was chairpersons from peer…

Differentiation of the two major species of Echinacea (E. augustifolia and E. purpurea) using a flow injection mass spectrometric (FIMS) fingerprinting method and chemometric analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A rapid, simple, and reliable flow-injection mass spectrometric (FIMS) method was developed to discriminate two major Echinacea species (E. purpurea and E. angustifolia) samples. Fifty-eight Echinacea samples collected from United States were analyzed using FIMS. Principle component analysis (PCA) a...

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR FIELD USE OF THE PARTICULATE SAMPLER (UA-F-3.1)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to describe the in-field use of the particulate sampling system (pumping, control unit, and size selective inlet impactors) for collecting samples of particulate matter from the air during a predetermined time period during the Arizona NHEXAS project an...

Development and testing of a portable wind sensitive directional air sampler

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deyo, J.; Toma, J.; King, R. B.

1975-01-01

A portable wind sensitive directional air sampler was developed as part of an air pollution source identification system. The system is designed to identify sources of air pollution based on the directional collection of field air samples and their analysis for TSP and trace element characteristics. Sources can be identified by analyzing the data on the basis of pattern recognition concepts. The unit, designated Air Scout, receives wind direction signals from an associated wind vane. Air samples are collected on filter slides using a standard high volume air sampler drawing air through a porting arrangement which tracks the wind direction and permits collection of discrete samples. A preset timer controls the length of time each filter is in the sampling position. At the conclusion of the sampling period a new filter is automatically moved into sampling position displacing the previous filter to a storage compartment. Thus the Air Scout may be set up at a field location, loaded with up to 12 filter slides, and left to acquire air samples automatically, according to the wind, at any timer interval desired from 1 to 30 hours.

A "Dual-acceptor Channel" Membraneless Gas-diffusion Unit for Simultaneous Determination of Ethanol and Acetaldehyde in Liquors Using Reverse Flow Injection.

PubMed

Choengchan, Nathawut; Poontong, Bangerdsuk; Mathaweesansurn, Arjnarong; Maneerat, Noppadol; Motomizu, Shoji; Ratanawimarnwong, Nuanlaor; Nacapricha, Duangjai

2018-01-01

A new design of membraneless gas-diffusion unit with dual acceptor channels for separation, collection and simultaneous determination of two volatile analytes in liquid sample is presented. The unit is comprised of three parallel channels in a closed module. A sample is aspirated into the central channel and two kinds of reagents are introduced into the other two channels. Two analytes are isolated from the sample matrix by diffusion into head-space and absorbed into the specific reagents. Non-absorbed vapor is released by opening the programmable controlled lid. The unit was applied to liquors for measurement of ethanol and acetaldehyde using reverse flow injection. Dichromate and nitroprusside were exploited as reagents for colorimetric detection of ethanol and acetaldehyde, respectively. Good linearity ranges (r 2 >0.99) with high precision (RSD <2%) and high accuracy (recovery: 90 - 105%) were achieved. The results were compared to the results by GC-FID and no significant difference was observed by paired t-test (95% confidence).

Mitochondrial DNA diversity of honey bees (Apis mellifera) from unmanaged colonies and swarms in the United States.

PubMed

Magnus, Roxane M; Tripodi, Amber D; Szalanski, Allen L

2014-06-01

To study the genetic diversity of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) from unmanaged colonies in the United States, we sequenced a portion of the mitochondrial DNA COI-COII region. From the 530 to 1,230 bp amplicon, we observed 23 haplotypes from 247 samples collected from 12 states, representing three of the four A. mellifera lineages known to have been imported into the United States (C, M, and O). Six of the 13 C lineage haplotypes were not found in previous queen breeder studies in the United States. The O lineage accounted for 9% of unmanaged colonies which have not yet been reported in queen breeder studies. The M lineage accounted for a larger portion of unmanaged samples (7%) than queen breeder samples (3%). Based on our mitochondrial DNA data, the genetic diversity of unmanaged honey bees in the United States differs significantly from that of queen breeder populations (p < 0.00001). The detection of genetically distinct maternal lineages of unmanaged honey bees suggests that these haplotypes may have existed outside the managed honey bee population for a long period.

Preservation of REE and Fe isotopes in altered stromatolites and the paleo-environmental record

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nies, S. M.; Shapiro, R. S.; Lalonde, S.

2015-12-01

Geochemical proxies are increasingly being used to unravel ancient ecosystems and environmental perturbations back to the earliest rock record on Earth. Along with more traditional fossils (stromatolites) and other biosignatures (e.g., lipids), the geochemical record is used specifically to evaluate biogenecity and to understand oxygenation of the atmosphere and ocean in the Archean and Paleoproterozoic. However, the effects of diagenesis, metamorphism, and other modes of secondary alteration are still poorly constrained, particularly as technological advances allow us to expand farther across the periodic table. Our study focused on the robustness and preservation of rare earth element (REE) and Fe isotope compositions of two stromatolitic units that have undergone contact and regional metamorphism. 18 samples were collected from cores, open pit mines, and field locations in Minnesota and Ontario from silicified iron formation (Biwabik-Gunflint formations). The samples were carefully constrained to one of two meter-scale stromatolitic units. Metamorphic grade ranged from essentially unmetamorphosed through prehnite-pumpellyite up to amphibolite (fayalite+hypersthene). Samples were also collected that represented deep secondary weathering, likely related to Cretaceous climatic extremes. Polished samples were first analyzed by electron microprobe and selected samples were further analyzed via laser ablation HR-ICP-MS to constrain trace element (n=13) and Fe isotopic variations (n=8). Preliminary results indicate that transition metal concentrations are surprisingly resilient to high-temperature metamorphic recrystallization. REE concentrations were analyzed in individual iron oxide grains, with full resolution (La to Lu) achieved for some samples and partial resolution (La to Nd) achieved for all samples. Core samples exhibited a relatively stable positive Ce anomaly occurring from low to extremely high alteration. Outcrop and mine samples indicate a shift from a negative Ce anomaly in less altered samples, to a positive Ce anomaly in highly altered samples. Collectively, our results imply that caution is warranted when making paleo-environmental inferences from samples with significantly different alteration histories.

Development and Flight Testing of an Autonomous Landing Gear Health-Monitoring System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodard, Stanley E.; Coffey, Neil C.; Gonzalez, Guillermo A.; Taylor, B. Douglas; Brett, Rube R.; Woodman, Keith L.; Weathered, Brenton W.; Rollins, Courtney H.

2003-01-01

Development and testing of an adaptable vehicle health-monitoring architecture is presented. The architecture is being developed for a fleet of vehicles. It has three operational levels: one or more remote data acquisition units located throughout the vehicle; a command and control unit located within the vehicle; and, a terminal collection unit to collect analysis results from all vehicles. Each level is capable of performing autonomous analysis with a trained expert system. Communication between all levels is done with wireless radio frequency interfaces. The remote data acquisition unit has an eight channel programmable digital interface that allows the user discretion for choosing type of sensors; number of sensors, sensor sampling rate and sampling duration for each sensor. The architecture provides framework for a tributary analysis. All measurements at the lowest operational level are reduced to provide analysis results necessary to gauge changes from established baselines. These are then collected at the next level to identify any global trends or common features from the prior level. This process is repeated until the results are reduced at the highest operational level. In the framework, only analysis results are forwarded to the next level to reduce telemetry congestion. The system's remote data acquisition hardware and non-analysis software have been flight tested on the NASA Langley B757's main landing gear. The flight tests were performed to validate the following: the wireless radio frequency communication capabilities of the system, the hardware design, command and control; software operation; and, data acquisition, storage and retrieval.

Effect of mobile laminar airflow units on airborne bacterial contamination during neurosurgical procedures.

PubMed

von Vogelsang, A-C; Förander, P; Arvidsson, M; Löwenhielm, P

2018-03-24

Surgical site infections (SSIs) after neurosurgery are potentially life-threatening and entail great costs. SSIs may occur from airborne bacteria in the operating room, and ultraclean air is desired during infection-prone cleaning procedures. Door openings and the number of persons present in the operating room affect the air quality. Mobile laminar airflow (MLAF) units, with horizontal laminar airflow, have previously been shown to reduce airborne bacterial contamination. To assess the effect of MLAF units on airborne bacterial contamination during neurosurgical procedures. In a quasi-experimental design, bacteria-carrying particles (colony-forming units: cfu) during neurosurgical procedures were measured with active air-sampling in operating rooms with conventional turbulent ventilation, and with additional MLAF units. The MLAF units were shifted between operating rooms monthly. Colony-forming unit count and bacterial species detection were conducted after incubation. Data was collected for a period of 18 months. A total of 233 samples were collected during 45 neurosurgical procedures. The use of MLAF units significantly reduced the numbers of cfu in the surgical site area (P < 0.001) and above the instrument table (P < 0.001). Logistic regression showed that the only significant predictor affecting cfu count was the use of MLAF units (odds ratio: 41.6; 95% confidence interval: 11.3-152.8; P < 0.001). The most frequently detected bacteria were coagulase-negative staphylococci. MLAF successfully reduces cfu during neurosurgery to ultraclean air levels. MLAF units are valuable when the main operating room ventilation system is unable to produce ultraclean air in infection-prone clean neurosurgery. Copyright © 2018 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Odor Sampling: Techniques and Strategies for the Estimation of Odor Emission Rates from Different Source Types

PubMed Central

Capelli, Laura; Sironi, Selena; Rosso, Renato Del

2013-01-01

Sampling is one of the main issues pertaining to odor characterization and measurement. The aim of sampling is to obtain representative information on the typical characteristics of an odor source by means of the collection of a suitable volume fraction of the effluent. The most important information about an emission source for odor impact assessment is the so-called Odor Emission Rate (OER), which represents the quantity of odor emitted per unit of time, and is expressed in odor units per second (ou·s−1). This paper reviews the different odor sampling strategies adopted depending on source type. The review includes an overview of odor sampling regulations and a detailed discussion of the equipment to be used as well as the mathematical considerations to be applied to obtain the OER in relation to the sampled source typology. PMID:23322098

Odor sampling: techniques and strategies for the estimation of odor emission rates from different source types.

PubMed

Capelli, Laura; Sironi, Selena; Del Rosso, Renato

2013-01-15

Sampling is one of the main issues pertaining to odor characterization and measurement. The aim of sampling is to obtain representative information on the typical characteristics of an odor source by means of the collection of a suitable volume fraction of the effluent. The most important information about an emission source for odor impact assessment is the so-called Odor Emission Rate (OER), which represents the quantity of odor emitted per unit of time, and is expressed in odor units per second (ou∙s-1). This paper reviews the different odor sampling strategies adopted depending on source type. The review includes an overview of odor sampling regulations and a detailed discussion of the equipment to be used as well as the mathematical considerations to be applied to obtain the OER in relation to the sampled source typology.

Mercury contamination in bats from the central United States.

PubMed

Korstian, Jennifer M; Chumchal, Matthew M; Bennett, Victoria J; Hale, Amanda M

2018-01-01

Mercury (Hg) is a highly toxic metal that has detrimental effects on wildlife. We surveyed Hg concentrations in 10 species of bats collected at wind farms in the central United States and found contamination in all species. Mercury concentration in fur was highly variable both within and between species (range: 1.08-10.52 µg/g). Despite the distance between sites (up to 1200 km), only 2 of the 5 species sampled at multiple locations had fur Hg concentrations that differed between sites. Mercury concentrations observed in the present study all fell within the previously reported ranges for bats collected from the northeastern United States and Canada, although many of the bats we sampled had lower maximum Hg concentrations. Juvenile bats had lower concentrations of Hg in fur compared with adult bats, and we found no significant effect of sex on Hg concentrations in fur. For a subset of 2 species, we also measured Hg concentration in muscle tissue; concentrations were much higher in fur than in muscle, and Hg concentrations in the 2 tissue types were weakly correlated. Abundant wind farms and ongoing postconstruction fatality surveys offer an underutilized opportunity to obtain tissue samples that can be used to assess Hg contamination in bats. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:160-165. © 2018 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Volume equations for the Northern Research Station's Forest Inventory and Analysis Program as of 2010

Treesearch

Patrick D. Miles; Andrew D. Hill

2010-01-01

The U.S. Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program collects sample plot data on all forest ownerships across the United States. This report documents the methodology used to estimate live-tree gross, net, and sound volume for the 24 States inventoried by the Northern Research Station's (NRS) FIA unit. Sound volume is of particular interest...

Geokinetic Environment Investigations.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-31

geoceivers. Small DC solenoids had to be incorporated on each tiltmeter to overcome the Y tilt component stiction after geosensor azimuth slews... tiltmeter data during the sample period. Devel- opment of a LSI-11 executable multiple regression program was also initiated. Several runs of the ALS units...understanding of tilt and temperature data in- side the STM units, tilt and temperature data were collected at various locations on the tiltmeter and its

The distribution of mercury in a forest floor transect across the central United States

Treesearch

Charles H. (Hobie) Perry; Michael C. Amacher; William Cannon; Randall K. Kolka; Laurel Woodruff

2009-01-01

Mercury (Hg) stored in soil organic matter may be released when the forest floor is consumed by fire. Our objective is to document the spatial distribution of forest floor Hg for a transect crossing the central United States. Samples collected by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Inventory and Analysis Soil Quality Indicator were tested...

Variation in aluminum, iron, and particle concentrations in oxic groundwater samples collected by use of tangential-flow ultrafiltration with low-flow sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabo, Zoltan; Oden, Jeannette H.; Gibs, Jacob; Rice, Donald E.; Ding, Yuan

2002-02-01

Particulates that move with ground water and those that are artificially mobilized during well purging could be incorporated into water samples during collection and could cause trace-element concentrations to vary in unfiltered samples, and possibly in filtered samples (typically 0.45-um (micron) pore size) as well, depending on the particle-size fractions present. Therefore, measured concentrations may not be representative of those in the aquifer. Ground water may contain particles of various sizes and shapes that are broadly classified as colloids, which do not settle from water, and particulates, which do. In order to investigate variations in trace-element concentrations in ground-water samples as a function of particle concentrations and particle-size fractions, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, collected samples from five wells completed in the unconfined, oxic Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system of the New Jersey Coastal Plain. Samples were collected by purging with a portable pump at low flow (0.2-0.5 liters per minute and minimal drawdown, ideally less than 0.5 foot). Unfiltered samples were collected in the following sequence: (1) within the first few minutes of pumping, (2) after initial turbidity declined and about one to two casing volumes of water had been purged, and (3) after turbidity values had stabilized at less than 1 to 5 Nephelometric Turbidity Units. Filtered samples were split concurrently through (1) a 0.45-um pore size capsule filter, (2) a 0.45-um pore size capsule filter and a 0.0029-um pore size tangential-flow filter in sequence, and (3), in selected cases, a 0.45-um and a 0.05-um pore size capsule filter in sequence. Filtered samples were collected concurrently with the unfiltered sample that was collected when turbidity values stabilized. Quality-assurance samples consisted of sequential duplicates (about 25 percent) and equipment blanks. Concentrations of particles were determined by light scattering.

Chemistry Testing on Plasma Versus Serum Samples in Dialysis Patients: Clinical and Quality Improvement Implications.

PubMed

Carey, Roger Neill; Jani, Chinu; Johnson, Curtis; Pearce, Jim; Hui-Ng, Patricia; Lacson, Eduardo

2016-09-07

Plasma samples collected in tubes containing separator gels have replaced serum samples for most chemistry tests in many hospital and commercial laboratories. Use of plasma samples for blood tests in the dialysis population eliminates delays in sample processing while waiting for clotting to complete, laboratory technical issues associated with fibrin formation, repeat sample collection, and patient care issues caused by delay of results because of incompletely clotted specimens. Additionally, a larger volume of plasma is produced than serum for the same amount of blood collected. Plasma samples are also acceptable for most chemical tests involved in the care of patients with ESRD. This information becomes very important when United States regulatory requirements for ESRD inadvertently limit the type of sample that can be used for government reporting, quality assessment, and value-based payment initiatives. In this narrative, we summarize the renal community experience and how the subsequent resolution of the acceptability of phosphorus levels measured from serum and plasma samples may have significant implications in the country's continued development of a value-based Medicare ESRD Quality Incentive Program. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Abstracting ICU Nursing Care Quality Data From the Electronic Health Record.

PubMed

Seaman, Jennifer B; Evans, Anna C; Sciulli, Andrea M; Barnato, Amber E; Sereika, Susan M; Happ, Mary Beth

2017-09-01

The electronic health record is a potentially rich source of data for clinical research in the intensive care unit setting. We describe the iterative, multi-step process used to develop and test a data abstraction tool, used for collection of nursing care quality indicators from the electronic health record, for a pragmatic trial. We computed Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ) to assess interrater agreement or reliability of data abstracted using preliminary and finalized tools. In assessing the reliability of study data ( n = 1,440 cases) using the finalized tool, 108 randomly selected cases (10% of first half sample; 5% of last half sample) were independently abstracted by a second rater. We demonstrated mean κ values ranging from 0.61 to 0.99 for all indicators. Nursing care quality data can be accurately and reliably abstracted from the electronic health records of intensive care unit patients using a well-developed data collection tool and detailed training.

Ground-Water Quality Data in the Coachella Valley Study Unit, 2007: Results from the California GAMA Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goldrath, Dara A.; Wright, Michael T.; Belitz, Kenneth

2009-01-01

Ground-water quality in the approximately 820 square-mile Coachella Valley Study Unit (COA) was investigated during February and March 2007 as part of the Priority Basin Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basin Project was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001, and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of raw ground water used for public-water supplies within the Coachella Valley, and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of ground-water quality throughout California. Samples were collected from 35 wells in Riverside County. Nineteen of the wells were selected using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study unit (grid wells). Sixteen additional wells were sampled to evaluate changes in water chemistry along selected ground-water flow paths, examine land use effects on ground-water quality, and to collect water-quality data in areas where little exists. These wells were referred to as 'understanding wells'. The ground-water samples were analyzed for a large number of organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOC], pesticides and pesticide degradates, pharmaceutical compounds, and potential wastewater-indicator compounds), constituents of special interest (perchlorate and 1,2,3-trichloropropane [1,2,3-TCP]), naturally occurring inorganic constituents (nutrients, major and minor ions, and trace elements), radioactive constituents, and microbial indicators. Naturally occurring isotopes (uranium, tritium, carbon-14, and stable isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, and boron), and dissolved noble gases (the last in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) also were measured to help identify the source and age of the sampled ground water. A quality-control sample (blank, replicate, or matrix spike) was collected at approximately one quarter of the wells, and the results for these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data for the ground-water samples. Assessment of the quality-control information resulted in V-coding less than 0.1 percent of the data collected. This study did not attempt to evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers; after withdrawal from the ground, water typically is treated, disinfected, and (or) blended with other waters to maintain acceptable water quality. Regulatory thresholds apply to treated water that is supplied to the consumer, not to raw ground water. However, to provide some context for the results, concentrations of constituents measured in the raw ground water were compared with health-based thresholds established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and thresholds established for aesthetic purposes (secondary maximum contaminant levels, SMCL-CA) by CDPH. Most constituents detected in ground-water samples were at concentrations below drinking-water thresholds. Volatile organic compounds, pesticides, and pesticide degradates were detected in less than one-third of the grid well samples collected. All VOC and pesticide concentrations measured were below health-based thresholds. Potential waste-water indicators were detected in less than half of the wells sampled, and no detections were above health-based thresholds. Perchlorate was detected in seven grid wells; concentrations from two wells were above the CDPH maximum contaminant level (MCL-CA). Most detections of trace elements in samples collected from COA Study Unit wells were below water-quality thresholds. Exceptions include five samples of arsenic that were above the USEPA maximum contaminant level (MCL-US), two detections of boron above the CDPH notification level (NL-CA), and two detections of mol

An approach for addressing hard-to-detect hot spots.

PubMed

Abelquist, Eric W; King, David A; Miller, Laurence F; Viars, James A

2013-05-01

The Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) survey approach is comprised of systematic random sampling coupled with radiation scanning to assess acceptability of potential hot spots. Hot spot identification for some radionuclides may not be possible due to the very weak gamma or x-ray radiation they emit-these hard-to-detect nuclides are unlikely to be identified by field scans. Similarly, scanning technology is not yet available for chemical contamination. For both hard-to-detect nuclides and chemical contamination, hot spots are only identified via volumetric sampling. The remedial investigation and cleanup of sites under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act typically includes the collection of samples over relatively large exposure units, and concentration limits are applied assuming the contamination is more or less uniformly distributed. However, data collected from contaminated sites demonstrate contamination is often highly localized. These highly localized areas, or hot spots, will only be identified if sample densities are high or if the environmental characterization program happens to sample directly from the hot spot footprint. This paper describes a Bayesian approach for addressing hard-to-detect nuclides and chemical hot spots. The approach begins using available data (e.g., as collected using the standard approach) to predict the probability that an unacceptable hot spot is present somewhere in the exposure unit. This Bayesian approach may even be coupled with the graded sampling approach to optimize hot spot characterization. Once the investigator concludes that the presence of hot spots is likely, then the surveyor should use the data quality objectives process to generate an appropriate sample campaign that optimizes the identification of risk-relevant hot spots.

Distribution of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) biotypes in North America after the Q invasion.

PubMed

McKenzie, Cindy L; Bethke, James A; Byrne, Frank J; Chamberlin, Joseph R; Dennehy, Timothy J; Dickey, Aaron M; Gilrein, Dan; Hall, Paula M; Ludwig, Scott; Oetting, Ronald D; Osborne, Lance S; Schmale, Lin; Shatters, Robert G

2012-06-01

After the 2004 discovery of the Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera Aleyrodidae) Q biotype in the United States, there was a vital need to determine the geographical and host distribution as well as its interaction with the resident B biotype because of its innate ability to rapidly develop high-level insecticide resistance that persists in the absence of exposure. As part of a coordinated country-wide effort, an extensive survey of B. tabaci biotypes was conducted in North America, with the cooperation of growers, industry, local, state, and federal agencies, to monitor the introduction and distribution of the Q biotype. The biotype status of submitted B. tabaci samples was determined either by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of a mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I small subunit gene fragment and characterization of two biotype discriminating nuclear microsatellite markers or esterase zymogram analysis. Two hundred and eighty collections were sampled from the United States, Bermuda, Canada, and Mexico during January 2005 through December 2011. Host plants were split between ornamental plant and culinary herb (67%) and vegetable and field crop (33%) commodities. The New World biotype was detected on field-grown tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in Mexico (two) and in commercial greenhouses in Texas (three) and represented 100% of these five collections. To our knowledge, the latter identification represents the first report of the New World biotype in the United States since its rapid displacement in the late 1980s after the introduction of biotype B. Seventy-one percent of all collections contained at least one biotype B individual, and 53% of all collections contained only biotype B whiteflies. Biotype Q was detected in 23 states in the United States, Canada (British Columbia and Ontario territories), Bermuda, and Mexico. Forty-five percent of all collections were found to contain biotype Q in samples from ornamentals, herbs and a single collection from tomato transplants located in protected commercial horticultural greenhouses, but there were no Q detections in outdoor agriculture (vegetable or field crops). Ten of the 15 collections (67%) from Canada and a single collection from Bermuda contained biotype Q, representing the first reports of biotype Q for both countries. Three distinct mitochondrial haplotypes of B. tabaci biotype Q whiteflies were detected in North America Our data are consistent with the inference of independent invasions from at least three different locations. Of the 4,641 individuals analyzed from 517 collections that include data from our previous work, only 16 individuals contained genetic or zymogram evidence of possible hybridization of the Q and B biotypes, and there was no evidence that rare hybrid B-Q marker co-occurrences persisted in any populations.

Conceptual hydrogeologic framework of the shallow aquifer system at Virginia Beach, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Barry S.; Harlow, George E.

2002-01-01

The hydrogeologic framework of the shallow aquifer system at Virginia Beach was revised to provide a better understanding of the distribution of fresh ground water, its potential use, and its susceptibility to contamination. The revised conceptual framework is based primarily on analyses of continuous cores and downhole geophysical logs collected at 7 sites to depths of approximately 200 ft.The shallow aquifer system at Virginia Beach is composed of the Columbia aquifer, the Yorktown confining unit, and the Yorktown-East-over aquifer. The shallow aquifer system is separated from deeper units by the continuous St. Marys confining unit.The Columbia aquifer is defined as the predominantly sandy surficial deposits above the Yorktown confining unit. The Yorktown confining unit is composed of a series of very fine sandy to silty clay units of various colors at or near the top of the Yorktown Formation. The Yorktown confining unit varies in thickness and in composition, but on a regional scale is a leaky confining unit. The Yorktown-Eastover aquifer is defined as the predominantly sandy deposits of the Yorktown Formation and the upper part of the Eastover Formation above the confining clays of the St. Marys Formation. The limited areal extent of highly permeable deposits containing freshwater in the Yorktown-Eastover aquifer precludes the installation of highly productive freshwater wells over most of the city. Some deposits of biofragmental sand or shell hashes in the Yorktown-Eastover aquifer can support high-capacity wells.A water sample was collected from each of 10 wells installed at 5 of the 7 core sites to determine the basic chemistry of the aquifer system. One shallow well and one deep well was installed at each site. Concentrations of chloride were higher in the water from the deeper well at each site. Concentrations of dissolved iron in all of the water samples were higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Drinking Water Regulations. Concentrations of manganese and chloride were higher than the Secondary Drinking Water Regulations in samples from some wells.In the humid climate of Virginia Beach, the periodic recharge of freshwater through the sand units of the shallow aquifer system occurs often enough to create a dynamic equilibrium whereby freshwater flows continually down and away from the center of the ridges to mix with and sweep brackish water and saltwater back toward the tidal rivers, bays, salt marshes, and the Atlantic Ocean.The aquifers and confining units of the shallow aquifer system at Virginia Beach are heterogeneous, discontinuous, and without exact marker beds, which makes correlations in the study area difficult. Investigations using well cuttings, spot cores, or split-spoon samples with geophysical logs are not as definitive as continuous cores for determining or correlating hydrogeologic units. Future investigations of the shallow aquifer system would benefit by collecting continuous cores.

Forestry inventory based on multistage sampling with probability proportional to size

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, D. C. L.; Hernandez, P., Jr.; Shimabukuro, Y. E.

1983-01-01

A multistage sampling technique, with probability proportional to size, is developed for a forest volume inventory using remote sensing data. The LANDSAT data, Panchromatic aerial photographs, and field data are collected. Based on age and homogeneity, pine and eucalyptus classes are identified. Selection of tertiary sampling units is made through aerial photographs to minimize field work. The sampling errors for eucalyptus and pine ranged from 8.34 to 21.89 percent and from 7.18 to 8.60 percent, respectively.

Aeromagnetic map and interpretation of geophysical data from the Condrey Mountain Roadless Area, Siskiyou County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jachens, R.C.; Elder, W.P.

1983-01-01

The western Paleozoic and Triassic belt that nearly surrounds the Condrey Mountain Schist is a melange of sedimentary, volcanic, and ultramafic rocks metamorphosed to amphibolite facies (Coleman and others, 1983). Only two samples of the metamorphic melange were collected near the Condrcy Mountain Road less Area, but extensive sampling of this unit southwest of the roadless area yielded an average sample density of 2.86±0.15 g/cm3 (112 samples) (Jachens and others, 1983).

Palynology and age of some Cretaceous nonmarine deposits in Mongolia and China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichols, D.J.; Matsukawa, M.; Ito, M.

2006-01-01

To provide biostratigraphic and paleoecologic data for a major international project studying dinosaur trackways in eastern Asia, samples were collected for palynological analysis from the Choyr Basin of southeastern Mongolia and the Yanji Basin, Jilin Province, northeastern China. Palynologically productive samples from the Choyr Basin are from strata previously identified as either the Shinekhudag Formation or the Zuunbayan Formation but recently renamed the Khuren Dukh Formation; productive samples from the Yanji Basin are from the Tongfosi Formation. The biostratigraphically most important palynomorphs from both units are angiosperm pollen. The Khuren Dukh Formation is determined to be middle to late Albian in age. The Tongfosi Formation is determined to be early Cenomanian in age. These results conflict with some previously published interpretations of the ages of these units. Lacustrine depositional environments are indicated for both units by the presence of freshwater algae in both deposits. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Archaeological investigations at Sample Unit U19aq, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

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

Jones, R.C.; DuBarton, A.; Holz, B.A.

1992-12-31

This report documents the methods and results of archaeological investigations at sample unit U19aq on Pahute Mesa. Seven sites were studied: two lithic artifact scatters (26NY4577 and 26NY4584), two temporary camps (26NY4585 and 26NY4588), two rock rings (26NY4592 and 26NY4593), and two flakes (26NY7855). Surface artifacts were collected from all seven sites. Excavations were confined to one test pit at 26NY4584 and two test pits at 26NY4585. The data retrieved from these investigations include over eight thousand artifacts, such as projectile points, bifaces, debitage, groundstone, pottery and beads. The temporally diagnostic materials indicate periodic use of sample unit U19aq frommore » 3250 B.P. to historic times. Most of the cultural remains reflect the specialized activities of hunters and gatherers occupying temporary camps.« less

Archaeological investigations at Sample Unit U19aq, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

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

Jones, R.C.; DuBarton, A.; Holz, B.A.

1992-01-01

This report documents the methods and results of archaeological investigations at sample unit U19aq on Pahute Mesa. Seven sites were studied: two lithic artifact scatters (26NY4577 and 26NY4584), two temporary camps (26NY4585 and 26NY4588), two rock rings (26NY4592 and 26NY4593), and two flakes (26NY7855). Surface artifacts were collected from all seven sites. Excavations were confined to one test pit at 26NY4584 and two test pits at 26NY4585. The data retrieved from these investigations include over eight thousand artifacts, such as projectile points, bifaces, debitage, groundstone, pottery and beads. The temporally diagnostic materials indicate periodic use of sample unit U19aq frommore » 3250 B.P. to historic times. Most of the cultural remains reflect the specialized activities of hunters and gatherers occupying temporary camps.« less

gbpA as a Novel qPCR Target for the Species-Specific Detection of Vibrio cholerae O1, O139, Non-O1/Non-O139 in Environmental, Stool, and Historical Continuous Plankton Recorder Samples

PubMed Central

Vezzulli, Luigi; Stauder, Monica; Grande, Chiara; Pezzati, Elisabetta; Verheye, Hans M.; Owens, Nicholas J. P.; Pruzzo, Carla

2015-01-01

The Vibrio cholerae N-acetyl glucosamine-binding protein A (GbpA) is a chitin-binding protein involved in V. cholerae attachment to environmental chitin surfaces and human intestinal cells. We previously investigated the distribution and genetic variations of gbpA in a large collection of V. cholerae strains and found that the gene is consistently present and highly conserved in this species. Primers and probe were designed from the gbpA sequence of V. cholerae and a new Taq-based qPCR protocol was developed for diagnostic detection and quantification of the bacterium in environmental and stool samples. In addition, the positions of primers targeting the gbpA gene region were selected to obtain a short amplified fragment of 206 bp and the protocol was optimized for the analysis of formalin-fixed samples, such as historical Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) samples. Overall, the method is sensitive (50 gene copies), highly specific for V. cholerae and failed to amplify strains of the closely-related species Vibrio mimicus. The sensitivity of the assay applied to environmental and stool samples spiked with V. cholerae ATCC 39315 was comparable to that of pure cultures and was of 102 genomic units/l for drinking and seawater samples, 101 genomic units/g for sediment and 102 genomic units/g for bivalve and stool samples. The method also performs well when tested on artificially formalin-fixed and degraded genomic samples and was able to amplify V. cholerae DNA in historical CPR samples, the earliest of which date back to August 1966. The detection of V. cholerae in CPR samples collected in cholera endemic areas such as the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) is of particular significance and represents a proof of concept for the possible use of the CPR technology and the developed qPCR assay in cholera studies. PMID:25915771

gbpA as a Novel qPCR Target for the Species-Specific Detection of Vibrio cholerae O1, O139, Non-O1/Non-O139 in Environmental, Stool, and Historical Continuous Plankton Recorder Samples.

PubMed

Vezzulli, Luigi; Stauder, Monica; Grande, Chiara; Pezzati, Elisabetta; Verheye, Hans M; Owens, Nicholas J P; Pruzzo, Carla

2015-01-01

The Vibrio cholerae N-acetyl glucosamine-binding protein A (GbpA) is a chitin-binding protein involved in V. cholerae attachment to environmental chitin surfaces and human intestinal cells. We previously investigated the distribution and genetic variations of gbpA in a large collection of V. cholerae strains and found that the gene is consistently present and highly conserved in this species. Primers and probe were designed from the gbpA sequence of V. cholerae and a new Taq-based qPCR protocol was developed for diagnostic detection and quantification of the bacterium in environmental and stool samples. In addition, the positions of primers targeting the gbpA gene region were selected to obtain a short amplified fragment of 206 bp and the protocol was optimized for the analysis of formalin-fixed samples, such as historical Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) samples. Overall, the method is sensitive (50 gene copies), highly specific for V. cholerae and failed to amplify strains of the closely-related species Vibrio mimicus. The sensitivity of the assay applied to environmental and stool samples spiked with V. cholerae ATCC 39315 was comparable to that of pure cultures and was of 102 genomic units/l for drinking and seawater samples, 101 genomic units/g for sediment and 102 genomic units/g for bivalve and stool samples. The method also performs well when tested on artificially formalin-fixed and degraded genomic samples and was able to amplify V. cholerae DNA in historical CPR samples, the earliest of which date back to August 1966. The detection of V. cholerae in CPR samples collected in cholera endemic areas such as the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) is of particular significance and represents a proof of concept for the possible use of the CPR technology and the developed qPCR assay in cholera studies.

A simple web-based tool to compare freshwater fish data collected using AFS standard methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bonar, Scott A.; Mercado-Silva, Norman; Rahr, Matt; Torrey, Yuta T.; Cate, Averill

2016-01-01

The American Fisheries Society (AFS) recently published Standard Methods for Sampling North American Freshwater Fishes. Enlisting the expertise of 284 scientists from 107 organizations throughout Canada, Mexico, and the United States, this text was developed to facilitate comparisons of fish data across regions or time. Here we describe a user-friendly web tool that automates among-sample comparisons in individual fish condition, population length-frequency distributions, and catch per unit effort (CPUE) data collected using AFS standard methods. Currently, the web tool (1) provides instantaneous summaries of almost 4,000 data sets of condition, length frequency, and CPUE of common freshwater fishes collected using standard gears in 43 states and provinces; (2) is easily appended with new standardized field data to update subsequent queries and summaries; (3) compares fish data from a particular water body with continent, ecoregion, and state data summaries; and (4) provides additional information about AFS standard fish sampling including benefits, ongoing validation studies, and opportunities to comment on specific methods. The web tool—programmed in a PHP-based Drupal framework—was supported by several AFS Sections, agencies, and universities and is freely available from the AFS website and fisheriesstandardsampling.org. With widespread use, the online tool could become an important resource for fisheries biologists.

Trace samples of human blood in mosquitoes as a forensic investigation tool.

PubMed

Rabêlo, K C N; Albuquerque, C M R; Tavares, V B; Santos, S M; Souza, C A; Oliveira, T C; Oliveira, N C L; Crovella, S

2015-11-23

Investigations of any type of crime invariably starts at the crime scene by collecting evidence. Thus, the purpose of this research was to collect and analyze an entomological trace from an environment that is similar to those of indoor crime scenes. Hematophagous mosquitoes were collected from two residential units; saliva of volunteers that were residents in the units was also collected for genetic analysis as reference samples. We examined the allele frequencies of 15 short tandem repeat loci (D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818, and FGA) and amelogenin. A total of 26 female hematophagous mosquitoes were identified as Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Culex quinquefasciatus; we were able to obtain 11 forensically valid genetic profiles, with a minimum of 0.028203 ng/μL of human DNA. Thus, the results of this study showed that it was possible to correlate human genetic information from mosquitoes with the volunteer reference samples, which validates the use of this information as forensic evidence. Furthermore, we observed mixed genetic profiles from one mosquito. Therefore, it is clearly important to collect these insects indoors where crimes were committed, because it may be possible to find intact genetic profiles of suspects in the blood found in the digestive tract of hematophagous mosquitoes for later comparison to identify an offender and/or exclude suspects.

Microfossils from the Local Marine Environment. A Learning Experience for Coastal and Oceanic Awareness Studies, No. 219. [Project COAST].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delaware Univ., Newark. Coll. of Education.

This unit on fossils is designed for junior high school students. Students collect a sediment sample, process the sample, and examine it for microfossils. The scientific classification and naming of microfossils is not stressed. Included in the materials are evaluation items, background materials for teachers, lists of needed materials, vocabulary…

Longitudinal Weight Calibration with Estimated Control Totals for Cross Sectional Survey Data: Theory and Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qing, Siyu

2014-01-01

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR) collects information on a sample of individuals in the United States with PhD degrees. A significant portion of the sampled individuals appear in multiple survey years and can be linked across time. Survey weights in each year are created and adjusted for oversampling and…

Hate Crimes and Stigma-Related Experiences among Sexual Minority Adults in the United States: Prevalence Estimates from a National Probability Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herek, Gregory M.

2009-01-01

Using survey responses collected via the Internet from a U.S. national probability sample of gay, lesbian, and bisexual adults (N = 662), this article reports prevalence estimates of criminal victimization and related experiences based on the target's sexual orientation. Approximately 20% of respondents reported having experienced a person or…

U.S. Geological Survey Catskill/Delaware Water-Quality Network: Water-Quality Report Water Year 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

McHale, Michael R.; Siemion, Jason

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey operates a 60-station streamgaging network in the New York City Catskill/Delaware Water Supply System. Water-quality samples were collected at 13 of the stations in the Catskill/Delaware streamgaging network to provide resource managers with water-quality and water-quantity data from the water-supply system that supplies about 85 percent of the water needed by the more than 9 million residents of New York City. This report summarizes water-quality data collected at those 13 stations plus one additional station operated as a part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Regional Long-Term Monitoring Network for the 2006 water year (October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006). An average of 62 water-quality samples were collected at each station during the 2006 water year, including grab samples collected every other week and storm samples collected with automated samplers. On average, 8 storms were sampled at each station during the 2006 water year. The 2006 calendar year was the second warmest on record and the summer of 2006 was the wettest on record for the northeastern United States. A large storm on June 26-28, 2006, caused extensive flooding in the western part of the network where record peak flows were measured at several watersheds.

Tritium in water vapor in the shallow unsaturated zone at the Amargosa Desert Research Site

USGS Publications Warehouse

Healy, Richard W.; Striegl, Robert G.; Michel, Robert L.; Prudic, David E.; Andraski, Brian J.; Morganwalp, David W.; Buxton, Herbert T.

1999-01-01

Samples of water vapor in soil gas were obtained at the U.S. Geological Survey's Amargosa Desert Research Site in 1997 and 1998 from a depth of 1.5 m (meters) within a 300 m by 300 m grid that lies immediately to the south and west of a low-level radioactive-waste disposal site. The gas samples were analyzed for tritium. Fifty-eight samples were collected in May 1997; 61 samples were collected in June 1998. Measured tritium concentrations ranged from 16 ± 9 TU (tritium units) to 36,900 ± 300 TU in 1997, and from 6 ± 6 TU to 37,360 ± 450 TU in 1998. Concentrations decreased from northeast to southwest across the grid. In general, there was very little difference in tritium concentrations between the two sampling periods.

Relation of Shallow Water Quality in the Central Oklahoma Aquifer to Geology, Soils, and Land Use

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rea, Alan H.; Christenson, Scott C.; Andrews, William J.

2001-01-01

The purpose of this report is to identify, describe, and explain relations between natural and land-use factors and ground-water quality in the Central Oklahoma aquifer NAWQA study unit. Natural factors compared to water quality included the geologic unit in which the sampled wells were completed and the properties of soils in the areas surrounding the wells. Land-use factors included types of land use and population densities surrounding sampled wells. Ground-water quality was characterized by concentrations of inorganic constituents, and by frequencies of detection of volatile organic compounds and pesticides. Water-quality data were from samples collected from wells 91 meters (300 feet) or less in depth as part of Permian and Quaternary geologic unit survey networks and from an urban survey network. Concentrations of many inorganic constituents were significantly related to geology. In addition, concentrations of many inorganic constituents were greater in water from wells from the Oklahoma City urban sampling network than in water from wells from low-density survey networks designed to evaluate ambient water quality in the Central Oklahoma aquifer study unit. However, sampling bias may have been induced by differences in hydrogeologic factors between sampling networks, limiting the ability to determine land-use effects on concentrations of inorganic constituents. Frequencies of detection of pesticide and volatile organic compounds (VOC's) in ground-water samples were related to land use and population density, with these compounds being more frequently detected in densely-populated areas. Geology and soil properties were not significantly correlated to pesticide or VOC occurrence in ground water. Lesser frequencies of detection of pesticides in water from wells in rural areas may be due to low to moderate use of those compounds on agricultural lands in the study unit, with livestock production being the primary agricultural activity. There are many possible sources of pesticides and VOC's in the urban areas of Central Oklahoma. Because only existing water-supply wells were sampled, it is not clear from the data collected whether pesticides and VOC's: (1) occur in low concentrations throughout upper portions of the aquifer in urban areas, or (2) are present in ground water only in the immediate vicinity of the wells due to back-flow of those chemicals into the wells or to inflow around cement seals and through gravel packs surrounding well casings of surface runoff containing those compounds.

Characteristics of Private Schools in the United States: Results from the 2011-12 Private School Universe Survey. First Look. NCES 2013-316

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broughman, Stephen P.; Swaim, Nancy L.

2013-01-01

In 1988, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) developed a private school data collection that improved on the sporadic collection of private school data dating back to 1890 by developing an alternative to commercially available private school sampling frames. Since 1989, the U.S. Bureau of the Census has conducted the biennial…

COMPACT CASCADE IMPACTS

DOEpatents

Lippmann, M.

1964-04-01

A cascade particle impactor capable of collecting particles and distributing them according to size is described. In addition the device is capable of collecting on a pair of slides a series of different samples so that less time is required for the changing of slides. Other features of the device are its compactness and its ruggedness making it useful under field conditions. Essentially the unit consists of a main body with a series of transverse jets discharging on a pair of parallel, spaced glass plates. The plates are capable of being moved incremental in steps to obtain the multiple samples. (AEC)

10 CFR 51.22 - Criterion for categorical exclusion; identification of licensing and regulatory actions eligible...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... United States, to fund scholarships, fellowships, and stipends for the study of science, engineering, or...-harmful techniques such as taking water or soil samples or collecting non-protected species of flora and...

10 CFR 51.22 - Criterion for categorical exclusion; identification of licensing and regulatory actions eligible...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... United States, to fund scholarships, fellowships, and stipends for the study of science, engineering, or...-harmful techniques such as taking water or soil samples or collecting non-protected species of flora and...

10 CFR 51.22 - Criterion for categorical exclusion; identification of licensing and regulatory actions eligible...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... United States, to fund scholarships, fellowships, and stipends for the study of science, engineering, or...-harmful techniques such as taking water or soil samples or collecting non-protected species of flora and...

10 CFR 51.22 - Criterion for categorical exclusion; identification of licensing and regulatory actions eligible...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... United States, to fund scholarships, fellowships, and stipends for the study of science, engineering, or...-harmful techniques such as taking water or soil samples or collecting non-protected species of flora and...

ANALYSIS OF GEOTHERMAL WASTES FOR HAZARDOUS COMPONENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Regulations governing the disposal of hazardous wastes led to an assessment for geothermal solid wastes for potentially hazardous properties. Samples were collected from three active geothermal sites in the western United States: The Geysers, Imperial Valley, and northwestern Nev...

77 FR 54889 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Report of Building or Zoning Permits Issued for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-06

... housing units started, completed, and sold, if single-family, and to select samples for the Census Bureau... resources to local areas. Policymakers, planners, businessmen/women, and others also use the detailed...

Concentration data for anthropogenic organic compounds in ground water, surface water, and finished water of selected community water systems in the United States, 2002-05

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carter, Janet M.; Delzer, Gregory C.; Kingsbury, James A.; Hopple, Jessica A.

2007-01-01

The National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey began implementing Source Water-Quality Assessments (SWQAs) in 2001 that focus on characterizing the quality of source water and finished water of aquifers and major rivers used by some of the larger community water systems (CWSs) in the United States. As used for SWQA studies, source water is the raw (ambient) water collected at the supply well prior to water treatment (for ground water) or the raw (ambient) water collected from the river near the intake (for surface water), and finished water is the water that is treated and ready to be delivered to consumers. Finished water is collected before entering the distribution system. SWQA studies are conducted in two phases, and the objectives of SWQA studies are twofold: (1) to determine the occurrence and, for rivers, seasonal changes in concentrations of a broad list of anthropogenic organic compounds (AOCs) in aquifers and rivers that have some of the largest withdrawals for drinking-water supply (phase 1), and (2) for those AOCs found to occur most frequently in source water, characterize the extent to which these compounds are present in finished water (phase 2). These objectives were met for SWQA studies by collecting ground-water and surface-water (source) samples and analyzing these samples for 258 AOCs during phase 1. Samples from a subset of wells and surface-water sites located in areas with substantial agricultural production in the watershed were analyzed for 19 additional AOCs, for a total of 277 compounds analyzed for SWQA studies. The 277 compounds were classified according to the following 13 primary use or source groups: (1) disinfection by-products; (2) fumigant-related compounds; (3) fungicides; (4) gasoline hydrocarbons, oxygenates, and oxygenate degradates; (5) herbicides and herbicide degradates; (6) insecticides and insecticide degradates; (7) manufacturing additives; (8) organic synthesis compounds; (9) pavement- and combustion-derived compounds; (10) personal care and domestic use products; (11) plant- or animal-derived biochemicals; (12) refrigerants and propellants; and (13) solvents. Source and finished water samples were collected during phase 2 and analyzed for constituents that were detected frequently during phase 1. This report presents concentration data for AOCs in ground water, surface water, and finished water of CWSs sampled for SWQA studies during 2002-05. Specifically, this report presents the analytical results of samples collected during phase 1 including (1) samples from 221 wells that were analyzed for 258 AOCs; (2) monthly samples from 9 surface-water sites that were analyzed for 258 AOCs during phase 1; and (3) samples from a subset of the wells and surface-water sites located in areas with substantial agricultural production that were analyzed for 3 additional pesticides and 16 pesticide degradates. Samples collected during phase 2 were analyzed for selected AOCs that were detected most frequently in source water during phase 1 sampling; analytical results for phase 2 are presented for (1) samples of source water and finished water from 94 wells; and (2) samples of source water and finished water samples that were collected monthly and during selected flow conditions at 8 surface-water sites. Results of quality-assurance/quality-control samples collected for SWQA studies during 2002-05 also are presented.

Samples in applied psychology: over a decade of research in review.

PubMed

Shen, Winny; Kiger, Thomas B; Davies, Stacy E; Rasch, Rena L; Simon, Kara M; Ones, Deniz S

2011-09-01

This study examines sample characteristics of articles published in Journal of Applied Psychology (JAP) from 1995 to 2008. At the individual level, the overall median sample size over the period examined was approximately 173, which is generally adequate for detecting the average magnitude of effects of primary interest to researchers who publish in JAP. Samples using higher units of analyses (e.g., teams, departments/work units, and organizations) had lower median sample sizes (Mdn ≈ 65), yet were arguably robust given typical multilevel design choices of JAP authors despite the practical constraints of collecting data at higher units of analysis. A substantial proportion of studies used student samples (~40%); surprisingly, median sample sizes for student samples were smaller than working adult samples. Samples were more commonly occupationally homogeneous (~70%) than occupationally heterogeneous. U.S. and English-speaking participants made up the vast majority of samples, whereas Middle Eastern, African, and Latin American samples were largely unrepresented. On the basis of study results, recommendations are provided for authors, editors, and readers, which converge on 3 themes: (a) appropriateness and match between sample characteristics and research questions, (b) careful consideration of statistical power, and (c) the increased popularity of quantitative synthesis. Implications are discussed in terms of theory building, generalizability of research findings, and statistical power to detect effects. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved

Use of Body-Mounted Cameras to Enhance Data Collection: An Evaluation of Two Arthropod Sampling Techniques.

PubMed

Hagler, James R; Thompson, Alison L; Stefanek, Melissa A; Machtley, Scott A

2018-03-01

A study was conducted that compared the effectiveness of a sweepnet versus a vacuum suction device for collecting arthropods in cotton. The study differs from previous research in that body-mounted action cameras (B-MACs) were used to record the activity of the person conducting the arthropod collections. The videos produced by the B-MACs were then analyzed with behavioral event recording software to quantify various aspects of the sampling process. The sampler's speed and the number of sampling sweeps or vacuum suctions taken over a fixed distance (12.2 m) of cotton were two of the more significant sampling characteristics quantified for each method. The arthropod counts obtained, combined with the analyses of the videos, enabled us to estimate arthropod sampling efficiency for each technique based on fixed distance, time, and sample unit measurements. Data revealed that the vacuuming was the most precise method for collecting arthropods in the relatively small cotton research plots. However, data also indicates that the sweepnet method would be more efficient for collecting most of the cotton-dwelling arthropod taxa, especially if the sampler could continuously sweep for at least 1 min or ≥80 m (e.g., in larger research plots). The B-MACs are inexpensive and non-cumbersome, the video images generated are outstanding, and they can be archived to provide permanent documentation of a research project. The methods described here could be useful for other types of field-based research to enhance data collection efficiency.

Study design and percent recoveries of anthropogenic organic compounds with and without the addition of ascorbic acid to preserve water samples containing free chlorine, 2004-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Valder, Joshua F.; Delzer, Gregory C.; Price, Curtis V.; Sandstrom, Mark W.

2008-01-01

The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began implementing Source Water-Quality Assessments (SWQAs) in 2002 that focus on characterizing the quality of source water and finished water of aquifers and major rivers used by some of the larger community water systems in the United States. As used for SWQA studies, source water is the raw (ambient) water collected at the supply well prior to water treatment (for ground water) or the raw (ambient) water collected from the river near the intake (for surface water). Finished water is the water that is treated, which typically involves, in part, the addition of chlorine or other disinfection chemicals to remove pathogens, and is ready to be delivered to consumers. Finished water is collected before the water enters the distribution system. This report describes the study design and percent recoveries of anthropogenic organic compounds (AOCs) with and without the addition of ascorbic acid to preserve water samples containing free chlorine. The percent recoveries were determined by using analytical results from a laboratory study conducted in 2004 by the USGS's National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) and from data collected during 2004-06 for a field study currently (2008) being conducted by the USGS's NAWQA Program. The laboratory study was designed to determine if preserving samples with ascorbic acid (quenching samples) adversely affects analytical performance under controlled conditions. During the laboratory study, eight samples of reagent water were spiked for each of five analytical schedules evaluated. Percent recoveries from these samples were then compared in two ways: (1) four quenched reagent spiked samples analyzed on day 0 were compared with four quenched reagent spiked samples analyzed on day 7 or 14, and (2) the combined eight quenched reagent spiked samples analyzed on day 0, 7, or 14 were compared with eight laboratory reagent spikes (LRSs). Percent recoveries from the quenched reagent spiked samples that were analyzed at two different times (day 0 and day 7 or 14) can be used to determine the stability of the quenched samples held for an amount of time representative of the normal amount of time between sample collection and analysis. The comparison between the quenched reagent spiked samples and the LRSs can be used to determine if quenching samples adversely affects the analytical performance under controlled conditions. The field study began in 2004 and is continuing today (February 2008) to characterize the effect of quenching on field-matrix spike recoveries and to better understand the potential oxidation and transformation of 277 AOCs. Three types of samples were collected from 11 NAWQA Study Units across the Nation: (1) quenched finished-water samples (not spiked), (2) quenched finished-water spiked samples, and (3) nonquenched finished-water spiked samples. Percent recoveries of AOCs in quenched and nonquenched finished-water spiked samples collected during 2004-06 are presented. Comparisons of percent recoveries between quenched and nonquenched spiked samples can be used to show how quenching affects finished-water samples. A maximum of 6 surface-water and 7 ground-water quenched finished-water spiked samples paired with nonquenched finished-water spiked samples were analyzed. Analytical results for the field study are presented in two ways: (1) by surface-water supplies or ground-water supplies, and (2) by use (or source) group category for surface-water and ground-water supplies. Graphical representations of percent recoveries for the quenched and nonquenched finished-water spiked samples also are presented.

Groundwater-quality data in the Klamath Mountains study unit, 2010: results from the California GAMA Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mathany, Timothy M.; Belitz, Kenneth

2014-01-01

Groundwater quality in the 8,806-square-mile Klamath Mountains (KLAM) study unit was investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from October to December 2010, as part of the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program’s Priority Basin Project (PBP). The GAMA-PBP was developed in response to the California Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted in collaboration with the SWRCB and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The KLAM study unit was the thirty-third study unit to be sampled as part of the GAMA-PBP. The GAMA Klamath Mountains study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of untreated-groundwater quality in the primary aquifer system and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of untreated-groundwater quality throughout California. The primary aquifer system is defined by the perforation intervals of wells listed in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database for the KLAM study unit. Groundwater quality in the primary aquifer system may differ from the quality in the shallower or deeper water-bearing zones; shallower groundwater may be more vulnerable to surficial contamination. In the KLAM study unit, groundwater samples were collected from sites in Del Norte, Siskiyou, Humboldt, Trinity, Tehama, and Shasta Counties, California. Of the 39 sites sampled, 38 were selected by using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the primary aquifer system in the study unit (grid sites), and the remaining site was non-randomized (understanding site). The groundwater samples were analyzed for basic field parameters, organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOCs] and pesticides and pesticide degradates), inorganic constituents (trace elements, nutrients, major and minor ions, total dissolved solids [TDS]), radon-222, gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity, and microbial indicators (total coliform and Escherichia coli [E. coli]). Isotopic tracers (stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water, isotopic ratios of dissolved strontium in water, and stable isotopes of carbon in dissolved inorganic carbon), dissolved noble gases, and age-dating tracers (tritium and carbon-14) were measured to help identify sources and ages of sampled groundwater. Quality-control samples (field blanks, replicate sample pairs, and matrix spikes) were collected at 13 percent of the sites in the KLAM study unit, and the results were used to evaluate the quality of the data from the groundwater samples. Field blank samples rarely contained detectable concentrations of any constituent, indicating that contamination from sample collection or analysis was not a significant source of bias in the data for the groundwater samples. More than 99 percent of the replicate pair samples were within acceptable limits of variability. Matrix-spike sample recoveries were within the acceptable range (70 to 130 percent) for approximately 91 percent of the compounds. This study did not evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers. After withdrawal, groundwater typically is treated, disinfected, and (or) blended with other waters to maintain water quality. Regulatory benchmarks apply to water that is delivered to the consumer, not to untreated groundwater. However, to provide some context for the results, concentrations of constituents measured in the untreated groundwater were compared with regulatory and non-regulatory health-based benchmarks established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and CDPH, and to non-health-based benchmarks established for aesthetic concerns by the CDPH. Comparisons between data collected for this study and benchmarks for drinking water are for illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of compliance or non-compliance with those benchmarks. All concentrations of organic constituents from grid sites sampled in the KLAM study unit were less than health-based benchmarks. In total, VOCs were detected in 16 of the 38 grid sites sampled (approximately 42 percent), pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected in 8 grid sites (about 21 percent), and microbial indicators were detected in 14 grid sites (approximately 37 percent). Inorganic constituents (trace elements, major and minor ions, nutrients, and uranium and other radioactive constituents) and microbial indicators were sampled for at 38 grid sites, and all concentrations were less than health-based benchmarks, with the exception of one detection of boron greater than the CDPH notification level of 1,000 micrograms per liter (μg/L). Generally, concentrations of inorganic constituents with non-health-based benchmarks (iron, manganese, chloride, and TDS) were less than the CDPH secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL-CA). Exceptions include three detections of iron greater than the SMCL-CA of 300 μg/L, four detections of manganese greater than the SMCL-CA of 50 μg/L, one detection of chloride greater than the recommended SMCL-CA of 250 μg/L, and one detection of TDS greater than the recommended SMCL-CA of 500 μg/L.

Riparian Land Use/Land Cover Data for Three Study Units in Group II of the Nutrient Enrichment Effects Topical Study of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Michaela R.; Clark, Jimmy M.; Dickinson, Ross G.; Sanocki, Chris A.; Tranmer, Andrew W.

2009-01-01

This data set was developed as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program, Nutrient Enrichment Effects Topical (NEET) study. This report is concerned with three of the eight NEET study units distributed across the United States: Ozark Plateaus, Upper Mississippi River Basin, and Upper Snake River Basin, collectively known as Group II of the NEET study. Ninety stream reaches were investigated during 2006-08 in these three study units. Stream segments, with lengths equal to the base-10 logarithm of the basin area, were delineated upstream from the stream reaches through the use of digital orthophoto quarter-quadrangle (DOQQ) imagery. The analysis area for each stream segment was defined by a streamside buffer extending laterally to 250 meters from the stream segment. Delineation of landuse and land-cover (LULC) map units within stream-segment buffers was completed using on-screen digitizing of riparian LULC classes interpreted from the DOQQ. LULC units were classified using a strategy consisting of nine classes. National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) data were used to aid in wetland classification. Longitudinal riparian transects (lines offset from the stream segments) were generated digitally, used to sample the LULC maps, and partitioned in accord with the intersected LULC map-unit types. These longitudinal samples yielded the relative linear extent and sequence of each LULC type within the riparian zone at the segment scale. The resulting areal and linear estimates of LULC extent filled in the spatial-scale gap between the 30-meter resolution of the 1990s National Land Cover Dataset and the reach-level habitat assessment data collected onsite routinely for NAWQA ecological sampling. The resulting data consisted of 12 geospatial data sets: LULC within 25 meters of the stream reach (polygon); LULC within 50 meters of the stream reach (polygon); LULC within 50 meters of the stream segment (polygon); LULC within 100 meters of the stream segment (polygon); LULC within 150 meters of the stream segment (polygon); LULC within 250 meters of the stream segment (polygon); frequency of gaps in woody vegetation at the reach scale (arc); stream reaches (arc); longitudinal LULC transect sample at the reach scale (arc); frequency of gaps in woody vegetation at the segment scale (arc); stream segments (arc); and longitudinal LULC transect sample at the segment scale (arc).

Reconstructing an Explosive Basaltic Eruption in the Pinacate Volcanic Field, NW Sonora, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zawacki, E. E.; Clarke, A. B.; Arrowsmith, R.; Lynch, D. J.

2017-12-01

Tephra deposits from explosive volcanic eruptions provide a means to reconstruct eruption characteristics, such as column height and erupted volume. Parameters like these are essential in assessing the explosivity of past eruptions and associated volcanic hazards. We applied such methods to a basaltic tephra deposit from one of the youngest eruptions in the Pinacate volcanic field (NW Sonora, Mexico). This roughly circular tephra blanket extends 13 km E-W and 13 km N-S, and covers an area of at least 135 km2. The source vent of this eruption is hypothesized to be the Tecolote volcano (lat 31.877, long -113.362), which is dated to 27 ± 6 ka (40Ar/39Ar). Fifty-three pits were dug across the extent of the tephra deposit to measure its thickness, record stratigraphy, characterize grain size distribution, and determine maximum clast size. Isopleth and isopach maps were created from these data to determine the column height (>9 km), estimate mass eruption rate (>2.1x106 kg/s), and calculate the erupted volume (>4.2x10-2 km3). Stratigraphic descriptions support two distinct episodes of tephra production. Unit A is dispersed in an approximately circular pattern ( 6.5 km radius) with its center shifted to the east of the vent. The distribution of Unit B is oblate ( 9.5 km major axis, 4.5 km minor axis) and trends to the southeast of the vent. Lava samples were collected from each of the seven Tecolote flows for XRF and ICP-MS geochemical analyses. These samples were compared to geochemical signatures from a Tecolote bomb, tephra from Units A and B, and cinder from the La Laja cone, which is the youngest dated cone in the field at 12 ± 4 ka (40Ar/39Ar). The La Laja sample is geochemically distinct from all Tecolote samples, confirming that it did not contribute to the two tephra units. Tephra from Unit A and Unit B have distinct signatures and fit within the geochemical evolution of the Tecolote lavas, supporting two explosive episodes from the Tecolote volcano, which has two cones. To provide a stronger age constraint on the eruption, samples for optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating were collected from the sandy silt unit below the tephra in two pits. Data for these dates are being analyzed.

Stocking, Forest Type, and Stand Size Class - The Southern Forest Inventory and Analysis Unit's Calculation of Three Important Stand Descriptors

Treesearch

Dennis M. May

1990-01-01

The procedures by which the Southern Forest Inventory and Analysis unit calculates stocking from tree data collected on inventory sample plots are described in this report. Stocking is then used to ascertain two other important stand descriptors: forest type and stand size class. Inventory data for three plots from the recently completed 1989 Tennessee survey are used...

Water Quality Management Studies. Postimpoundment Study of R.E. ’Bob’ Woodruff Lake, Alabama River, Alabama.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-08-01

8 3. Water-quality, sediment, and biological parameters, associated units, EPA STORET codes, container type, 0 preservative and methods used for...Section III.B). Water samples were collected and preserved according to * _ approved EPA (1974) or American Public Health Association (APHA) (1975...procedures. Water-quality parameters tested, associated units, EPA STORET codes, test procedures, and preservation tech- niques used throughout the

Effects of prescribed fire on the buried seed bank in mixed-hardwood forests of the southern Appalachian Mountains

Treesearch

Tara L. Keyser; Tracy L. Roof; Jacquelyne L. Adams; Dean Simon; Gordon Warburton

2012-01-01

This study characterizes the seed bank prior to and immediately following dormant-season prescribed fire in mature, mixed-Quercus spp. (oak) forests in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Thirty samples from the litter/duff (LD) and the top 5 cm of the mineral soil (MS) were collected from five 5-ha burn units (6 plots per experimental unit) before...

Assessment of the Microbiological Safety of Precut Fruit from Retail and Catering Premises in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Willis, Caroline; McLauchlin, Jim; Amar, Corinne; Sadler-Reeves, Lorraine; Elviss, Nicola; Aird, Heather; Fox, Andrew; Kaye, Moira

2016-04-01

Fresh fruit has been associated with a number of foodborne outbreaks in recent years. In particular, a large outbreak of listeriosis in the United States in 2011 was associated with consumption of cantaloupe melon, and an outbreak of Salmonella Newport in the United Kingdom and Europe (also in 2011) was linked to watermelon consumption. A study of precut fruit products from catering and retail premises in the United Kingdom was, therefore, carried out to assess their microbiological safety. Between January and March 2012, samples (1,188) of ready-to-eat precut fruit were collected from retail and catering premises in the United Kingdom, and 99% were of satisfactory microbiological quality. However, four samples (0.3%) were of an unsatisfactory quality (one with 800 CFU/g Listeria monocytogenes and three with >100 CFU/g Escherichia coli), and five samples (0.4%) were of a borderline quality owing to the presence of E. coli (two samples with a level of 20 CFU/g), Staphylococcus aureus (two samples with levels of >50 CFU/g), or L. monocytogenes (one sample with a level of 80 CFU/g). L. monocytogenes or other Listeria species were detected in a further 54 samples (4.5%) at levels below the threshold considered to be borderline or unsatisfactory. A significantly larger proportion of samples from one national supermarket chain was contaminated with L. monocytogenes than other supermarkets, and two types were, in this study, unique to this supermarket. This study shows that overall, the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat precut fruit was good. However, the presence of Listeria species in 5% of samples highlights the need for good hygiene during preparation and satisfactory temperature and time control during storage of these food products.

Comparison of the Immunomagnetic Separation/Adenosine Triphosphate Rapid Method and the Modified mTEC Membrane-Filtration Method for Enumeration of Escherichia coli

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brady, Amie M.G.; Bushon, Rebecca N.; Bertke, Erin E.

2009-01-01

Water quality at beaches is monitored for fecal indicator bacteria by traditional, culture-based methods that can take 18 to 24 hours to obtain results. A rapid detection method that provides estimated concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria within 1 hour from the start of sample processing would allow beach managers to post advisories or close the beach when the conditions are actually considered unsafe instead of a day later, when conditions may have changed. A rapid method that couples immunomagnetic separation with adenosine triphosphate detection (IMS/ATP rapid method) was evaluated through monitoring of Escherichia coli (E. coli) at three Lake Erie beaches in Ohio (Edgewater and Villa Angela in Cleveland and Huntington in Bay Village). Beach water samples were collected between 4 and 5 days per week during the recreational seasons (May through September) of 2006 and 2007. Composite samples were created in the lab from two point samples collected at each beach and were shown to be comparable substitutes for analysis of two individual samples. E. coli concentrations in composite samples, as determined by the culture-based method, ranged from 4 to 24,000 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters during this study across all beaches. Turbidity also was measured for each sample and ranged from 0.8 to 260 neophelometric turbidity ratio units. Environmental variables were noted at the time of sampling, including number of birds at the beach and wave height. Rainfall amounts were measured at National Weather Service stations at local airports. Turbidity, rainfall, and wave height were significantly related to the culture-based method results each year and for both years combined at each beach. The number of birds at the beach was significantly related to the culture-based method results only at Edgewater during 2006 and during both years combined. Results of the IMS/ATP method were compared to results of the culture-based method for samples by year for each beach. The IMS/ATP method underwent several changes and refinements during the first year, including changes in reagents and antibodies and alterations to the method protocol. Because of the changes in the method, results from the two years of study could not be combined. Kendall's tau correlation coefficients for relations between the IMS/ATP and culture-based methods were significant except for samples collected during 2006 at Edgewater and for samples collected during 2007 at Villa Angela. Further, relations were stronger for samples collected in 2006 than for those collected in 2007, except at Edgewater where the reverse was observed. The 2007 dataset was examined to identify possible reasons for the observed difference in significance of relations by year. By dividing the 2007 data set into groups as a function of sampling date, relations (Kendall's tau) between methods were observed to be stronger for samples collected earlier in the season than for those collected later in the season. At Edgewater and Villa Angela, there were more birds at the beach at time of sampling later in the season compared to earlier in the season. (The number of birds was not examined at Huntington.) Also, more wet days (when rainfall during the 24 hours prior to sampling was greater than 0.05 inch) were sampled later in the season compared to earlier in the season. Differences in the dominant fecal source may explain the change in the relations between the culture-based and IMS/ATP methods.

Water-quality assessment of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system in the northern Midwest, United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, John T.

2012-01-01

This report provides a regional assessment of groundwater quality of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system, based primarily on raw water samples collected by the NAWQA Program during 1995 through 2007. The NAWQA Program has published findings in local study-unit reports encompassing parts of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system. Data collected from the aquifer system were used in national synthesis reports on selected topics such as specific water-quality constituent classes, well type, or aquifer material; however, a synthesis of groundwater quality at the principal aquifer scale has not been completed and is therefore the major purpose of this report. Water samples collected by the NAWQA Program were analyzed for various classes of characteristics including physical properties, major ions, trace elements, nutrients and dissolved organic carbon, radionuclides (tritium, radon, and radium), pesticides, and volatile organic compounds. Subsequent sections of this report provide discussions on these classes of characteristics. The assessment objectives of this report are to (1) summarize constituent concentrations and compare them to human-health benchmarks and non-health guidelines; (2) determine the geographic distribution of constituent concentrations and relate them to various factors such as confining conditions, well type, land use, and groundwater age; and (3) evaluate near-decadal-scale changes in nitrate concentrations and pesticide detections. The most recent sample collected from each well by the NAWQA Program was used for most analyses. Near-decadal-scale changes in nitrate concentrations and pesticide detections were evaluated for selected well networks by using the most recent sample from each well and comparing it to the results from a sample collected 7 or 11 years earlier. Because some of the NAWQA well networks provide a limited areal coverage of the aquifer system, data for raw water samples from other USGS sources and state agencies were included to expand the data coverage into areas between the NAWQA well networks and into northeastern Missouri. Many of the maps in this report that show concentrations of selected constituents include data from other sources to expand on the geographic area covered by the NAWQA data.

Collective identity and intergroup prejudice among Jewish and Arab students in the United States.

PubMed

Ruttenberg, J; Zea, M C; Sigelman, C K

1996-04-01

Relationships between indicators of collective identity (collective self-esteem, religious involvement, and involvement in ethnic organizations) and prejudice toward the other-group were examined in a sample of Jewish and Arab students in the United States. Contrary to expectations, collective identity variables were largely unrelated to prejudice among the Jewish students, although the Jewish students who expressed the least amount of anti-Arab sentiment were those who were the most religious. As expected, the Arab students who (a) had low public collective self-esteem and (b) were highly involved in religious and ethnic organizations tended to be the most prejudiced. The findings for Arab students, in particular, contradict findings obtained in the laboratory, using the minimal intergroup paradigm, and suggest that individuals who are highly involved in in-group activities but believe their group is not viewed favorably by others may derogate the members of a salient out-group in an attempt to acquire a more positive social identity.

Isolation of animal viruses from farm livestock waste, soil and water.

PubMed Central

Derbyshire, J. B.; Brown, E. G.

1978-01-01

Ten porcine enteroviruses, 2 porcine adenoviruses and 1 coronavirus were isolated directly from 32 samples of slurry collected from a pig fattening house. Concentration of the same samples by adsorption with the polyelectrolyte PE-60 yielded 24 porcine enteroviruses and 3 porcine adenoviruses. A porcine enterovirus was isolated, following PE-60 concentration, from 1 to 6 slurry samples from a sow farrowing house. No virus was isolated from 12 samples of slurry from dairy cows nor from 6 slurry samples from a calf-rearing unit. A porcine enterovirus was isolated from soil samples, after concentration with PE-60, collected 1, 2 and 8 days after pig slurry was spread on hay stubble. Two porcine enteroviruses were isolated by membrane filtration from 26 samples of surface run-off from land on which pig slurry was routinely spread, and 2 bovine enteroviruses were isolated from cattle feedlot run-off after adsorption to layers of talc and celite followed by hydroextraction. A porcine enterovirus was also isolated from 1 of 33 samples of surface water collected on farms on which pig slurry was routinely spread on the land, but no virus was isolated from 36 samples of ground water from the same farms. The surface water and ground water samples were concentrated by talc-celite adsorption and hydroextraction. PMID:100551

LOOP marine and estuarine monitoring program, 1978-95 : volume 6 : sediment quality.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) facilities in coastal Louisiana provide the United States with the country's only Superport for off-loading deep draft tankers. Sediment samples were collected quarterly from 1970 through 1995 at designated stat...

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

Wells, D.

The SRS Interim Sanitary Landfill opened in Mid-1992 and operated until 1998 under Domestic Waste Permit No. 025500-1120. Several contaminants have been detected in the groundwater beneath the unit.The well sampling and analyses were conducted in accordance with Procedure 3Q5, Hydrogeologic Data Collection.

Electronic gaming machines and gambling disorder: a cross-cultural comparison between Brazil and the United States

PubMed Central

Medeiros, Gustavo Costa; Leppink, Eric W.; Yaemi, Ana; Mariani, Mirella; Tavares, Hermano; Grant, Jon E.

2015-01-01

Aims The objective of this paper is to perform a cross-cultural comparison of gambling disorder (GD) due to electronic gaming machines (EGM), a form of gambling that may have a high addictive potential. Our goal is to investigate two treatment-seeking samples of adults collected in Brazil and the United States, countries with different socio-cultural backgrounds. This comparison may lead to a better understanding of cultural influences on GD. Methods The total studied sample involved 733 treatment-seeking subjects: 353 men and 380 women (average age = 45.80, standard deviation ±10.9). The Brazilian sample had 517 individuals and the American sample 216. Subjects were recruited by analogous strategies. Results We found that the Brazilian sample was younger, predominantly male, less likely to be Caucasian, more likely to be partnered, had a faster progression from recreational gambling to GD, and were more likely to endorse chasing losses. Conclusion This study demonstrated that there are significant differences between treatment-seeking samples of adults presenting GD due to EGM in Brazil and in the United States. These findings suggest that cultural aspects may have a relevant role in GD due to EGM. PMID:26474662

Marsh wrens as bioindicators of mercury in wetlands of Great Salt Lake: do blood and feathers reflect site-specific exposure risk to bird reproduction?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hartman, C. Alex; Ackerman, Joshua T.; Herring, Garth; Isanhart, John; Herzog, Mark P.

2013-01-01

Nonlethal sampling of bird blood and feathers are among the more common ways of estimating the risk of mercury exposure to songbird reproduction. The implicit assumption is that mercury concentrations in blood or feathers of individuals captured in a given area are correlated with mercury concentrations in eggs from the same area. Yet, this assumption is rarely tested. We evaluated mercury concentrations in blood, feathers, and eggs of marsh wrens in wetlands of Great Salt Lake, Utah, and, at two spatial scales, specifically tested the assumption that mercury concentrations in blood and feather samples from birds captured in a defined area were predictive of mercury concentrations in eggs collected in the same area. Mercury concentrations in blood were not correlated with mercury concentrations in eggs collected within the same wetland unit, and were poorly correlated with mercury concentrations in eggs collected at the smaller home range spatial scale of analysis. Moreover, mercury exposure risk, as estimated via tissue concentrations, differed among wetland units depending upon whether blood or egg mercury concentrations were sampled. Mercury concentrations in feathers also were uncorrelated with mercury concentrations in eggs, and were poorly correlated with mercury concentrations in blood. These results demonstrate the potential for contrasting management actions that may be implemented based solely on the specific avian tissue that is sampled, and highlight the importance of developing avian tissues as biomonitoring tools for assessing local risk of mercury exposure to bird reproduction.

U.S. Geological Survey laboratory method for methyl tert-Butyl ether and other fuel oxygenates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Raese, Jon W.; Rose, Donna L.; Sandstrom, Mark W.

1995-01-01

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) was found in shallow ground-water samples in a study of 8 urban and 20 agricultural areas throughout the United States in 1993 and 1994 (Squillace and others, 1995, p. 1). The compound is added to gasoline either seasonally or year round in many parts of the United States to increase the octane level and to reduce carbon monoxide and ozone levels in the air. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL), near Denver, uses state-of-the-art technology to analyze samples for MTBE as part of the USGS water-quality studies. In addition, the NWQL offers custom analyses to determine two other fuel oxygenates--ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) and tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME). The NWQL was not able to obtain a reference standard for tert-amyl ethyl ether (TAEE), another possible fuel oxygenate (Shelley and Fouhy, 1994, p. 63). The shallow ground-water samples were collected as part of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program. These samples were collected from 211 urban wells or springs and 562 agricultural wells sampled by the USGS in 1993 and 1994. The wells were keyed to specific land-use areas to assess the effects of different uses on ground-water quality (Squillace and others, 1995, p. 2). Ground-water samples were preserved on site to pH less than or equal to 2 with a solution of 1:1 hydrochloric acid. All samples were analyzed at the NWQL within 2 weeks after collection. The purpose of this fact sheet is to explain briefly the analytical method implemented by the USGS for determining MTBE and other fuel oxygenates. The scope is necessarily limited to an overview of the analytical method (instrumentation, sample preparation, calibration and quantitation, identification, and preservation of samples) and method performance (reagent blanks, accuracy, and precision).

GeoLab 2011: New Instruments and Operations Tested at Desert RATS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Cindy A.; Calaway, M. J.; Bell, M. S.

2012-01-01

GeoLab is a geological laboratory and testbed designed for supporting geoscience activities during NASA's analog demonstrations. Scientists at NASA's Johnson Space Center built GeoLab as part of a technology project to aid the development of science operational concepts for future planetary surface missions [1, 2, 3]. It is integrated into NASA's Habitat Demonstration Unit, a first generation exploration habitat test article. As a prototype workstation, GeoLab provides a high fidelity working space for analog mission crewmembers to perform in-situ characterization of geologic samples and communicate their findings with supporting scientists. GeoLab analog operations can provide valuable data for assessing the operational and scientific considerations of surface-based geologic analyses such as preliminary examination of samples collected by astronaut crews [4, 5]. Our analog tests also feed into sample handling and advanced curation operational concepts and procedures that will, ultimately, help ensure that the most critical samples are collected during future exploration on a planetary surface, and aid decisions about sample prioritization, sample handling and return. Data from GeoLab operations also supports science planning during a mission by providing additional detailed geologic information to supporting scientists, helping them make informed decisions about strategies for subsequent sample collection opportunities.

Data Validation Package - June 2015 Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling at the Green River, Utah, Disposal Site

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

Linard, Joshua; Price, Jeffrey

2015-08-01

Groundwater samples were collected during the 2015 sampling event from point-of-compliance (POC) wells 0171, 0173, 0176, 0179, 0181, and 0813 to monitor the disposition of contaminants in the middle sandstone unit of the Cedar Mountain Formation. Groundwater samples also were collected from alluvium monitoring wells 0188, 0189, 0192, 0194, and 0707, and basal sandstone monitoring wells 0182, 0184, 0185, and 0588 as a best management practice. Surface locations 0846 and 0847 were sampled to monitor for degradation of water quality in the backwater area of Brown’s Wash and in the Green River immediately downstream of Brown’s Wash. The Green Rivermore » location 0801 is upstream from the site and is sampled to determine background-threshold values (BTVs). Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated, http://energy.gov/lm/downloads/sampling-and- analysis-plan-us-department-energy-office-legacy-management-sites). Water levels were measured at each sampled well. The analytical data and associated qualifiers can be viewed in environmental database reports and are also available for viewing with dynamic mapping via the GEMS (Geospatial Environmental Mapping System) website at http://gems.lm.doe.gov/#. All six POC wells are completed in the middle sandstone unit of the Cedar Mountain Formation and are monitored to measure contaminant concentrations for comparison to proposed alternate concentration limits (ACLs), as provided in Table 1. Contaminant concentrations in the POC wells remain below their respective ACLs.« less

1995 Toxic Hazards Research Unit Annual Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-07-01

cabinet, the bile duct is cannulated using PE-10 tubing, the portal vein and inferior vena cava (above the diaphragm) are both cannulated with 16...homogenate in saline. Rats used to determine partition coefficients were euthanatized with C02. Blood was collected from the posterior vena cava ...sampled for histopathologic examination. Blood was sampled via the vena cava for clinical chemistry evaluations and whole livers were weighed at

GREAT III Erosion and Sediment Inventory (Saverton, Missouri to Cairo, Illinois).

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-06-01

Berkas (Don Coffin) (Horace Jeffery) Illinois Tim Lazaro (Doug Glysson) University of Missouri at Rolla, 140 (Dr. Glendon Stevens) Dr. Charles Morris...sediment sampling began with periodic particle size samples of suspended material, bedload, and bad material. All data collection at this station has been... Berkas , W.D., Personal Communication, Hydrologist, Water Resources * Division, Missouri, United States Geological Survey, Rolla, Missouri, 1981. 3

Characteristics of Private Schools in the United States: Results from the 2015-16 Private School Universe Survey. First Look. NCES 2017-073

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broughman, Stephen P.; Rettig, Adam; Peterson, Jennifer

2017-01-01

In 1988, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) developed a private school data collection that improved on the sporadic collection of private school data dating back to 1890 and at the same time developed an alternative to commercially available private school sampling frames. Since 1989, the U.S. Bureau of the Census has conducted…

STRONTIUM-90 IN THE TOTAL DIET

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

None

Food, milk, and drinking water representative of the total diet of a hungry teen-ager were collected in 24 cities throughout the United States and one in Canada. The diets were analyzed for strontium-90 content. Results are compared with the strontium-90 levels in milk samples collected in the same cities. Results indicate that milk furnished only slightly more than half of the strontium-90 consumed in the total diet. (C.H.)

Characteristics of Private Schools in the United States: Results from the 2009-10 Private School Universe Survey. First Look. NCES 2011-339

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broughman, Stephen P.; Swaim, Nancy L.; Hryczaniuk, Cassie A.

2011-01-01

In 1988, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) introduced a proposal to develop a private school data collection that would improve on the sporadic collection of private school data dating back to 1890 and improve on commercially available private school sampling frames. Since 1989, the U.S. Bureau of the Census has conducted the…

Characteristics of Private Schools in the United States: Results from the 2013-14 Private School Universe Survey. First Look. NCES 2016-243

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broughman, Stephen P.; Swaim, Nancy L.

2016-01-01

In 1988, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) developed a private school data collection that improved on the sporadic collection of private school data dating back to 1890 and at the same time developed an alternative to commercially available private school sampling frames. Since 1989, the U.S. Bureau of the Census has conducted…

"Street Life" as a Site of Resiliency: How Street Life-Oriented Black Men Frame Opportunity in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arafat Payne, Yasser

2008-01-01

This study organized a participatory action research team of four street life-oriented Black men to examine attitudes toward opportunity in a community sample of street life-oriented Black men ranging between the ages of 16 and 65. Data were collected in the form of 371 surveys and two group interviews. Most of the data collection took place…

Assessment of changes in plasma hemoglobin and potassium levels in red cell units during processing and storage.

PubMed

Saini, Nishant; Basu, Sabita; Kaur, Ravneet; Kaur, Jasbinder

2015-06-01

Red cell units undergo changes during storage and processing. The study was planned to assess plasma potassium, plasma hemoglobin, percentage hemolysis during storage and to determine the effects of outdoor blood collection and processing on those parameters. Blood collection in three types of blood storage bags was done - single CPDA bag (40 outdoor and 40 in-house collection), triple CPD + SAGM bag (40 in-house collection) and quadruple CPD + SAGM bag with integral leukoreduction filter (40 in-house collection). All bags were sampled on day 0 (day of collection), day 1 (after processing), day 7, day 14 and day 28 for measurement of percentage hemolysis and potassium levels in the plasma of bag contents. There was significant increase in percentage hemolysis, plasma hemoglobin and plasma potassium level in all the groups during storage (p < 0.001). No significant difference was found between any parameter analyzed for outdoor and in-house collected single CPDA red cell units. There was significant lower percentage hemolysis (p < 0.001) and potassium (day 7 to day 14 - p < 0.05 and day 14 to day 28 - p < 0.001) in red cell units from day 7 onward until day 28 of storage in the leukoreduced quadruple bag as compared to the triple bag. The in-house single CPDA red cell units showed significantly more hemolysis (p < 0.001) as compared to the triple bags with SAGM additive solution after 28 days of storage. There is gradual increase in plasma hemoglobin and plasma potassium levels during the storage of red blood cells. Blood collection can be safely undertaken in outdoor blood donation camps even in hot summer months in monitored blood transport boxes. SAGM additive solution decreases the red cell hemolysis and allows extended storage of red cells. Prestorage leukoreduction decreases the red cell hemolysis and improves the quality of blood. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of improvement in performance and design parameters for enhancing resolution in an atmospheric scanning electron microscope.

PubMed

Yoon, Yeo Hun; Kim, Seung Jae; Kim, Dong Hwan

2015-12-01

The scanning electron microscope is used in various fields to go beyond diffraction limits of the optical microscope. However, the electron pathway should be conducted in a vacuum so as not to scatter electrons. The pretreatment of the sample is needed for use in the vacuum. To directly observe large and fully hydrophilic samples without pretreatment, the atmospheric scanning electron microscope (ASEM) is needed. We developed an electron filter unit and an electron detector unit for implementation of the ASEM. The key of the electron filter unit is that electrons are transmitted while air molecules remain untransmitted through the unit. The electron detector unit collected the backscattered electrons. We conducted experiments using the selected materials with Havar foil, carbon film and SiN film. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evidence of Hybridization between Common Gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) and Butler’s Gartersnakes (Thamnophis butleri) in Wisconsin (USA).

USGS Publications Warehouse

Joshua M. Kapfer,; Sloss, Brian L.; Gregor W. Schuurman,; Paloski, Rori A.; Jeffrey M. Lorch,

2013-01-01

Snakes within the genus Thamnophis (Gartersnakes and Ribbonsnakes) are often found in sympatry throughout their geographic distributions. Past work has indicated that some sympatric species within this genus may hybridize, but research of this nature is limited. We attempted to determine whether hybridization occurs between two Thamnophis species native to the upper midwestern United States: Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) and the Butler's Gartersnake (Thamnophis butleri). We sampled snakes (n = 411) across 26 locations in Wisconsin, including sites where both species coexist and sites where only Common Gartersnakes are found. We conducted genetic analyses on tissue collected from individuals field-identified as Common Gartersnakes or Butler's Gartersnakes. To verify the results of our field-collected data, we analyzed tissues from juvenile snakes (n = 4) suspected to be the offspring of a Common Gartersnake and a Butler's Gartersnake that were housed together in a captive situation. Of the field-collected snakes analyzed, eight snakes were consistent with expected Common × Butler's Gartersnake hybrids. All four of the captive offspring analyzed resolved as putative hybrids, corresponding with our field-collected samples. Butler's Gartersnake is a globally rare species, endemic only to the upper midwestern United States. Studies involving the potential for hybridization between common and uncommon species are useful from a conservation perspective. The low incidence of hybridization we observed would indicate that hybridization between these species is uncommon. Further research investigating rates of hybridization would help assess any potential threat posed by outbreeding between common and rare gartersnakes in this region of the United States.

Presence of Fungicides Used to Control Asian Soybean Rust in Streams in Agricultural Areas in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandstrom, M. W.; Battaglin, W. A.

2007-05-01

Concentrations of 11 fungicides were measured in stream samples during 2 years in agricultural areas in the United States that grow predominantly corn and soybean. The fungicides are registered for control of Asian Soybean Rust (ASR), which entered the United States in 2004. Many of these fungicides were registered under an emergency exemption because evaluation of environmental risks related to their widespread use on soybeans had not been completed. Some of these fungicides are considered moderately to highly toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates. We developed a solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method for determining the fungicides at low concentrations (ng/L). Stream samples were collected 2 to 4 times at study areas during the late spring through fall season when fungicides are applied. Six fungicides registered for control of ASR (Phakospora pachyrhizi) in 2005 were measured in streams in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Mississippi during August-November, 2005. One or more fungicides were detected in 8 of the 12 streams sampled. Azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, propiconazole, tebuconazole, and myclobutanil were found in at least one of the 40 samples collected, while chlorothalonil was not found. Azoxystrobin was detected most frequently, in 35 percent of the samples. In 2006, five additional fungicides registered for use in control of ASR were included in the analytical method. One or more of the fungicides (azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, trifloxystrobin, metconazole, propiconazole, tebuconazole, tetraconazole, myclobutanil) were detected in 12 of the 16 streams sampled from areas in the South and Midwest during May-September, 2006. Azoxystrobin was detected most frequently (40 percent of the samples) and the highest concentration was 1.1 μg/L in a small predominantly cotton and soybean watershed. The highest concentrations of azoxystrobin were measured prior to the spread of ASR in 2006, and the detections in streams might be related to use on other crops. Concentrations of the fungicides measured were about 100 times lower than aquatic toxicity levels. These results show that ASR fungicides were found in streams before extensive spread of ASR in the United States.

Transcutaneous blood glucose monitoring system based on an ISFET glucose sensor and studies on diabetic patients.

PubMed

Ito, N; Saito, A; Kayashima, S; Kimura, J; Kuriyama, T; Nagata, N; Arai, T; Kikuchi, M

1995-01-01

A transcutaneous blood glucose monitoring system consists of an ion-sensitive field-effect transistor (ISFET) glucose sensor unit and a suction effusion fluid (SEF) collecting unit. The SEF is directly collected by a weak suction (400 mmHg absolute pressure) through the skin from which the corneum layer of the epidermis has been previously removed. An ISFET glucose sensor unit is able to measure glucose concentrations in a microliter order sampling volume. The system was applied to three diabetic patients during a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test for monitoring blood glucose levels. During the experiments, glucose changes in the SEF followed actual blood glucose levels with 10 min delays. Results suggest the feasibility of utilizing quasi-continuous, transcutaneous blood glucose monitoring for individual patients with various diabetic histories or diabetic complications.

Hydrogeology and ground-water quality of northern Bucks County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sloto, Ronald A.; Schreffler, Curtis L.

1994-01-01

Water from wells in the crystalline rocks has the lowest median pH (5.8), the lowest median specific conductance (139 microsiemens per centimeter), the lowest median alkalinity [16 mg/L (milligrams per liter) as CaCOg], and the highest dissolved oxygen concentration (9.0 mg/L) of the hydrogeologic units. Water from wells in carbonate rocks has the highest median pH (7.8) and the highest median alkalinity (195 mg/L as CaCO3) of the hydrogeologic units. Water from wells in the Lockatong Formation has the highest median specific conductance (428 microsiemens per centimeter) and the lowest dissolved oxygen concentration (0.8 mg/L) of the hydrogeologic units. Water from wells in crystalline rocks contains the lowest concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS) of the hydrogeologic units. Water from the Lockatong Formation contains the highest concentration of TDS of the hydrogeologic units. Water from only 1 of 83 wells sampled exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) for TDS; the well is in the Lockatong Formation. Five of 86 samples (6 percent) and 6 of 75 samples (8 percent) exceed the USEPA SMCL for iron and manganese, respectively. Nitrate is the most prevalent nitrogen species in ground water. The median nitrate concentration for all hydrogeologic units is 2.3 mg/L. Of 71 water samples from wells, no concentrations of nitrate exceed the USEPA maximum contaminant level. The median dissolved radon-222 activity was highest for water samples from wells in crystalline rock [3,600 pCi/L (picocuries per liter)] and lowest for water samples from wells in the Lockatong Formation (340 pCi/L) and diabase (350 pCi/L). Water samples for analysis for volatile organic compounds (VOC's) were collected from 34 wells in areas where the potential existed for the presence of VOC's in ground water. VOC's were detected in 23 percent of the 34 wells sampled. The most commonly detected compound was trichloroethylene (13 percent of sampled wells).

Fixation filter, device for the rapid in situ preservation of particulate samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, C. D.; Edgcomb, V. P.; Doherty, K. W.; Engstrom, I.; Shanahan, T.; Pachiadaki, M. G.; Molyneaux, S. J.; Honjo, S.

2015-02-01

Niskin bottle rosettes have for years been the workhorse technology for collection of water samples used in biological and chemical oceanography. Studies of marine microbiology and biogeochemical cycling that aim to analyze labile organic molecules including messenger RNA, must take into account factors associated with sampling methodology that obscure an accurate picture of in situ activities/processes. With Niskin sampling, the large and often variable times between sample collection and preservation on deck of a ship, and the sometimes significant physico-chemical changes (e.g., changes in pressure, light, temperature, redox state, etc.) that water samples and organisms are exposed to, are likely to introduce artifacts. These concerns are likely more significant when working with phototrophs, deep-sea microbes, and/or organisms inhabiting low-oxygen or anoxic environments. We report here the development of a new technology for the in situ collection and chemical preservation of particulate microbial samples for a variety of downstream analyses depending on preservative choice by the user. The Fixation Filter Unit, version 3 (FF3) permits filtration of water sample through 47 mm diameter filters of the user's choice and upon completion of filtration, chemically preserves the retained sample within 10's of seconds. The stand-alone devices can be adapted to hydrocasting or mooring-based platforms.

Water-quality assessment of the Ozark Plateaus study unit, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma- summary of information on pesticides, 1970-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bell, Richard W.; Joseph, Robert L.; Freiwald, David A.

1996-01-01

Historical pesticide data from 1970-90 were compiled for 140 surface-water, 92 ground-water, 55 streambed-sediment, and 120 biological-tissue sampling sites within the Ozark Plateaus National Water-Quality Assessment Program study unit. Surface-water, bed-sediment, and biological-tissue sites have drainage basins predominantly in the Springfield and Salem Plateaus; ground-water sites are predominantly located in the Osage Plains and Mississippi Alluvial Plain. Many sites were sampled only once or twice during this period. A large percentage of the samples were collected in the mid-1970's and early 1980's for surface water, 1990 for ground water, the late 1980's for surface water, 1990 for ground water, the late 1980's for bed sediment, and the early 1980's for biological tissue. Pesticide use was approximately 4.2 million pounds per year of active ingredients from 1982-85 in the study unit and was generally greatest in the Springfield and Salem Plateaus pasturelands and in the Osage Plains and Mississippi Alluvial Plain cropland areas. The most frequently applied pesticide in the study unit was 2,4-D. Alachlor was the second most applied pesticide. Corn, pasture, rice, sorghum, and soybeans received approximately 90 percent of the pesticides applied within the study unit. The highest pesticide application rate per acre occurred on these crops in the Osage Plains and Mississippi Alluvial Plain. Pastureland was the predominant crop type in 50 of the 94 counties in the study unit. Toxaphene, the pesticide having the most number of detections in surface water, was found in 17 of 866 samples from 5 of 112 sites. Concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 6.0 micrograms per liter. Six other pesticides or pesticide metabolites were detected in 12 or more surface-water samples: DDE, dieldrin, DDT, aldrin, 2,4-D, and lindane. The maximum concentration for these pesticides was less than 1.0 micrograms per liter. Atrazine, the pesticide having the most number of detections in ground water, was found in 15 of 95 samples from 15 of 79 wells with concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 8.2 micrograms per liter. Metolachlor, alachlor, and prometon were detected more than once with maximum concentrations less than 1.0 micrograms per liter, except for prometon (2.4 micrograms per liter). Chlordane was the pesticide having the most number of detections in bed sediment and biological tissue. Chlordane was detected in 12 of 73 samples from 10 of 45 bed-sediment sites with concentrations ranging from 2.0 to 240 micrograms per kilogram. In biological tissue, chlordane was found in 93 of 151 samples from 39 of 53 sites with concentrations ranging from 0.009 to 8.6 milligrams per kilogram. Other pesticides or pesticide metabolites detected more than once in bed sediment include DDT, DDD, p,p'-DDE, DDE, and hexachlorobenzene and in biological tissue include DDT, p,p'-DDE, and hexachlorobenzene. Quality criteria or standards have been established for 15 of the pesticides detected in the study unit. For surface-water samples, the drinking water maximum contaminant level for alachlor was exceeded in one sample from one site in 1982. For ground-water samples, the drinking water maximum contaminant level for atrazine was exceeded in four samples from four wells in 1990. For biological-tissue samples collected during the years 1982-89, the fish tissue action levels for chlordane (19 sites; 26 samples), heptachlor epoxide (3 sites; 3 samples), p,p'-DDE (2 sites; 2 samples), dieldrin (2 sites, 2 samples), and mirex (1 site; 1 sample) were exceeded. For bed-sediment samples, quality criteria or standards were not exceeded for any pesticide. Pesticides do not pose any widespread or persistent problems in the study unit, based on the limited number of samples that exceeded quality criteria and standards.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Levels among U.S. Youth Aged 12-15 Years: United States, 1999-2004 and 2012

MedlinePlus

... use a complex, stratified, multistage probability cluster sampling design. NHANES data collection is based on a nationally ... conjunction with the 2012 NHANES and the survey design was based on the design for NHANES, with ...

Feasibility of online nutrition education in the workplace: Working Toward Healthy Lifestyles

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objective: Determination of feasibility of online nutrition education in the federal workplace. Design: Pre-test/post-test pilot study with data collection occurring from September to December 2016. Setting: Two United States Department of Agriculture workplaces. Participants: Convenience sample ...

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMBIENT PM IN THE MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

Ambient PM^2.5 samples were collected in five Midwestern US cities throughout 2004: East St. Louis, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Cincinnati, Ohio; Bondville, Illinois; and Northbrook, Illinois. Monthly composites were analyzed using chemical derivatization coupled with ...

A Social Approach to Environmental Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Kevin

1973-01-01

Describes an instructional unit designed to increase student awareness of environmental pollution and the difficulties involved in correcting the situation. Seventh grade science students collected local water samples, tested them, and reported significant pollution to state and federal authorities. Simulation game Dirty Water'' increased student…

Red cell storage in E-Sol 5 and Adsol additive solutions: paired comparison using mixed and non-mixed study designs.

PubMed

Radwanski, K; Thill, M; Min, K

2014-05-01

If transfusion of older stored red cells is found to negatively affect clinical outcome, one possible alternative to shortened outdate is the use of new additive solutions (AS) that ameliorate the storage lesion. Erythro-Sol (E-Sol), a previously developed next-generation AS, has been reformulated into E-Sol 5, which is compatible with current anticoagulants and AS volumes. The effect of E-Sol 5 on red cells during storage compared to current AS has not been reported. Paired, ABO-matched whole-blood units were collected into CPD anticoagulant, pooled, split and processed into plasma and red cell units with either 110 ml of Adsol or 105 ml of E-Sol 5 within 8 h of collection. In Study 1, paired units in E-Sol 5 and Adsol were sampled on Day 0 and every 7 days up to Day 42 (n = 10). In Study 2, paired units in E-Sol 5 and Adsol were sampled only on Day 0 and Day 42 (n = 10). In Study 1, 2,3 DPG levels were maintained until Day 28 in E-Sol 5 units and Day 14 in Adsol units. ATP levels were higher in E-Sol 5 units until Day 21, after which they were comparable between the two groups. In both studies, metabolic activity was greater in E-Sol 5 units with respect to glucose consumption and lactate production. Morphology scores were higher, and haemolysis and microparticles generated were lower in E-Sol 5 vs. Adsol units. Weekly mixing of units lowered haemolysis and microparticle levels and increased potassium content on Day 42 in both additive solutions. Regardless of whether units are mixed weekly or are stored non-mixed, E-Sol 5 slows the progression of the red cell storage lesion and improves the overall in vitro quality of RBC throughout storage. © 2013 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

Evaluation of rayon swab surface sample collection method for Bacillus spores from nonporous surfaces.

PubMed

Brown, G S; Betty, R G; Brockmann, J E; Lucero, D A; Souza, C A; Walsh, K S; Boucher, R M; Tezak, M S; Wilson, M C; Rudolph, T; Lindquist, H D A; Martinez, K F

2007-10-01

To evaluate US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended swab surface sample collection method for recovery efficiency and limit of detection for powdered Bacillus spores from nonporous surfaces. Stainless steel and painted wallboard surface coupons were seeded with dry aerosolized Bacillus atrophaeus spores and surface concentrations determined. The observed mean rayon swab recovery efficiency from stainless steel was 0.41 with a standard deviation (SD) of +/-0.17 and for painted wallboard was 0.41 with an SD of +/-0.23. Evaluation of a sonication extraction method for the rayon swabs produced a mean extraction efficiency of 0.76 with an SD of +/-0.12. Swab recovery quantitative limits of detection were estimated at 25 colony forming units (CFU) per sample area for both stainless steel and painted wallboard. The swab sample collection method may be appropriate for small area sampling (10 -25 cm2) with a high agent concentration, but has limited value for large surface areas with a low agent concentration. The results of this study provide information necessary for the interpretation of swab environmental sample collection data, that is, positive swab samples are indicative of high surface concentrations and may imply a potential for exposure, whereas negative swab samples do not assure that organisms are absent from the surfaces sampled and may not assure the absence of the potential for exposure. It is critical from a public health perspective that the information obtained is accurate and reproducible. The consequence of an inappropriate public health response founded on information gathered using an ineffective or unreliable sample collection method has the potential for undesired social and economic impact.

Off-Site Radiation Exposure Review Project: Phase 2 soils program

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

McArthur, R.D.; Miller, F.L. Jr.

1989-12-01

To help estimate population doses of radiation from fallout originating at the Nevada Test Site, soil samples were collected throughout the western United States. Each sample was prepared by drying and ball-milling, then analyzed by gamma-spectrometry to determine the amount of {sup 137}Cs it contained. Most samples were also analyzed by chemical separation and alpha-spectrometry to determine {sup 239 + 240}Pu and by isotope mass spectroscopy to determine the ratios of {sup 240}Pu to {sup 239}Pu and {sup 241}Pu to {sup 239}Pu. The total inventories of cesium and plutonium at 171 sites were computed from the results. This report describesmore » the sample collection, processing, and analysis, presents the analytical results, and assesses the quality of the data. 10 refs., 9 figs., 12 tabs.« less

Phylogenetic analysis of bacterial isolates from man-made high-pH, high-salt environments and identification of gene-cassette-associated open reading frames.

PubMed

Ghauri, Muhammad A; Khalid, Ahmad M; Grant, Susan; Grant, William D; Heaphy, Shaun

2006-06-01

Environmental samples were collected from high-pH sites in Pakistan, including a uranium heap set up for carbonate leaching, the lime unit of a tannery, and the Khewra salt mine. Another sample was collected from a hot spring on the shore of the soda lake, Magadi, in Kenya. Microbial cultures were enriched from Pakistani samples. Phylogenetic analysis of isolates was carried out by sequencing 16S rRNA genes. Genomic DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction using integron gene-cassette-specific primers. Different gene-cassette-linked genes were recovered from the cultured strains related to Halomonas magadiensis, Virgibacillus halodenitrificans, and Yania flava and from the uncultured environmental DNA sample. The usefulness of this technique as a tool for gene mining is indicated.

Seasonal variations in dissolved neodymium isotope composition in the Bay of Bengal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Zhaojie; Colin, Christophe; Meynadier, Laure; Douville, Eric; Dapoigny, Arnaud; Reverdin, Gilles; Wu, Qiong; Wan, Shiming; Song, Lina; Xu, Zhaokai; Bassinot, Frank

2017-12-01

Constraining the dissolved neodymium (Nd) cycle in the ocean is paramount for using Nd isotopic composition (εNd) as a tracer to reconstruct deep-sea paleocirculations or continental weathering on different time scales. Dissolved εNd has been measured in seawater samples from six hydrological stations collected along ∼89°E North-South transect in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) in order to assess the impact of seasonal freshwater and sediment discharges from the continental river systems. Seawater samples collected in this study during June 2012 reveal more radiogenic εNd (a difference of ∼2 Epsilon units for the upper 2000 m, and ∼0.5 Epsilon unit below 2000 m) and ∼3-8 pmol/kg lower Nd concentrations than the reported values of nearby seawater samples collected in November 2008. These observations are most plausibly explained by a seasonal variations in dissolved Nd concentrations and εNd in the BoB, induced by seasonal variations in the freshwater and sediment discharges from the Ganges-Brahmaputra (G-B) river system. However, we cannot entirely exclude the possibility of spatial differences given that the water stations collected in this study are not exactly the same positions collected in November 2008. A two-box model suggests, (1) the particulate Nd inputs from the G-B river system mainly control the seasonal shift of εNd observed in the BoB seawater, and (2) a very rapid Nd exchange exists between lithogenic particles and seawater (at least on the scale of a few months). Seasonal changes in seawater εNd may also occur in other marginal seas and in the outflows of major rivers, and these need to be taken into account when using the εNd proxy in the ocean.

Water-quality assessment of the eastern Iowa basins- nitrogen, phosphorus, suspended sediment, and organic carbon in surface water, 1996-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becher, Kent D.; Kalkhoff, Stephen J.; Schnoebelen, Douglas J.; Barnes, Kimberlee K.; Miller, Von E.

2001-01-01

Synoptic samples collected during low and high base flow had nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic-carbon concentrations that varied spatially and seasonally. Comparisons of water-quality data from six basic-fixed sampling sites and 19 other synoptic sites suggest that the water-quality data from basic-fixed sampling sites were representative of the entire study unit during periods of low and high base flow when most streamflow originates from ground water.

PM2.5 aerosols collected in the Antarctic Peninsula with a solar powered sampler during austral summer periods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Préndez, M.; Wachter, J.; Vega, C.; Flocchini, R. G.; Wakayabashi, P.; Morales, J. R.

Collection of PM2.5 particles was carried out in Antarctica in the summer periods of years 2006 and 2007 using solar panels to operate the sampling unit. The unit was installed 2.5 km from the B. O'Higgins Chilean base to avoid possible air contamination from oil or gas burning electric power stations. The aerosols were analyzed by XRF identifying twenty elements between Na and Sr. Results showed the presence of elements of typical Earth crust and seawater origins. In addition, considerable amounts of non-sea sulfur together with traces of Pb and Se from probable long distant anthropogenic activities were observed.

Physical and Chemical Data from Eolian Sediment Collected Along a Transect from the Mojave Desert to the Colorado Plateau

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goldstein, Harland L.; Reynolds, Richard L.; Reheis, Marith C.; Yount, James C.; Lamothe, Paul J.

2007-01-01

This report presents data and describes the methodology for magnetic, geochemical, and textural measurements of sediment and bedrock samples collected along a transect across the Southwestern United States (fig. 1). The results presented here support a study that examines compositional variations of mineral dust deposited during the past few centuries in isolated natural traps spanning a region from the Mojave Desert of southern California to the central Colorado Plateau (Goldstein and others, in press; fig. 1). In particular, the study addresses the spatial and temporal variations in dust composition in the context of landscape geochemistry over a large area of the southwestern United States.

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

NONE

Under contract with the US Department of Energy (DE-AC22-92PCO0367), Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center, Radian Corporation has conducted a test program to collect and analyze size-fractionated stack gas particulate samples for selected inorganic hazardous air pollutants (HAPS). Specific goals of the program are (1) the collection of one-gram quantities of size-fractionated stack gas particulate matter for bulk (total) and surface chemical charactization, and (2) the determination of the relationship between particle size, bulk and surface (leachable) composition, and unit load. The information obtained from this program identifies the effects of unit load, particle size, and wet FGD system operation on themore » relative toxicological effects of exposure to particulate emissions.« less

Determination of methyl mercury in dental-unit wastewater.

PubMed

Stone, Mark E; Cohen, Mark E; Liang, Lian; Pang, Patrick

2003-11-01

The objective of this investigation was to establish whether monomethyl mercury (MMHg) is present in dental-unit wastewater and if present, to determine the concentration relative to total mercury. Wastewater samples were collected over an 18-month period from three locations: at the dental chair; at a 30-chair clinic, and at a 107-chair clinic. Total mercury determinations were completed using United States Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) method 1631. MMHg was measured utilizing modified USEPA method 1630. The total mercury levels were found to be: 45182.11 microg/l (n=13, SD=68562.42) for the chair-side samples, 5350.74 microg/l (n=12, SD=2672.94) for samples at the 30-chair clinic, and 13439.13 microg/l (n=13, SD=9898.91) for samples at the107-chair clinic. Monomethyl Hg levels averaged 0.90 microg/l (n=13, SD=0.87) for chair side samples, 8.26 (n=12, SD=7.74) for the 30-chair facility, and 26.77 microg/l (n=13, SD=34.50) for 107-chair facility. By way of comparison, the MMHg levels for the open ocean, lakes and rain are orders of magnitude lower than methyl mercury levels seen in dental wastewater (part per billion levels for dental wastewater samples compared to part per trillion levels for samples from the environment). Environmentally important levels of MMHg were found to be present in dental-unit wastewater at concentrations orders of magnitude higher than seen in natural settings.

The United States Polar Rock Repository: A geological resource for the Earth science community

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grunow, Annie M.; Elliot, David H.; Codispoti, Julie E.

2007-01-01

The United States Polar Rock Repository (USPRR) is a U. S. national facility designed for the permanent curatorial preservation of rock samples, along with associated materials such as field notes, annotated air photos and maps, raw analytic data, paleomagnetic cores, ground rock and mineral residues, thin sections, and microfossil mounts, microslides and residues from Polar areas. This facility was established by the Office of Polar Programs at the U. S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to minimize redundant sample collecting, and also because the extreme cold and hazardous field conditions make fieldwork costly and difficult. The repository provides, along with an on-line database of sample information, an essential resource for proposal preparation, pilot studies and other sample based research that should make fieldwork more efficient and effective. This latter aspect should reduce the environmental impact of conducting research in sensitive Polar Regions. The USPRR also provides samples for educational outreach. Rock samples may be borrowed for research or educational purposes as well as for museum exhibits.

Characterization of aerosolized bacteria and fungi from desert dust events in Mali, West Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kellogg, C.A.; Griffin, Dale W.; Garrison, V.H.; Peak, K.K.; Royall, N.; Smith, R.R.; Shinn, E.A.

2004-01-01

Millions of metric tons of African desert dust blow across the Atlantic Ocean each year, blanketing the Caribbean and southeastern United States. Previous work in the Caribbean has shown that atmospheric samples collected during dust events contain living microbes, including plant and opportunistic human pathogens. To better understand the potential downwind public health and ecosystem effects of the dust microbes, it is important to characterize the source population. We describe 19 genera of bacteria and 3 genera of fungi isolated from air samples collected in Mali, a known source region for dust storms, and over which large dust storms travel.

Astronaut John Young collecting samples at North Ray crater during EVA

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-04-23

AS16-117-18826 (23 April 1972) --- Astronaut John W. Young collects samples at the North Ray Crater geological site during the mission's third and final Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA). He has a rake in his hand, and the gnomon is near his foot. Note how soiled Young's Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) is. While astronauts Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

Chlorine-36 data at Yucca Mountain: Statistical tests of conceptual models for unsaturated-zone flow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell, K.; Wolfsberg, A.; Fabryka-Martin, J.; Sweetkind, D.

2003-01-01

An extensive set of chlorine-36 (36Cl) data has been collected in the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF), an 8-km-long tunnel at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, for the purpose of developing and testing conceptual models of flow and transport in the unsaturated zone (UZ) at this site. At several locations, the measured values of 36Cl/Cl ratios for salts leached from rock samples are high enough to provide strong evidence that at least a small component of bomb-pulse 36Cl, fallout from atmospheric testing of nuclear devices in the 1950s and 1960s, was measured, implying that some fraction of the water traveled from the ground surface through 200-300 m of unsaturated rock to the level of the ESF during the last 50 years. These data are analyzed here using a formal statistical approach based on log-linear models to evaluate alternative conceptual models for the distribution of such fast flow paths. The most significant determinant of the presence of bomb-pulse 36Cl in a sample from the welded Topopah Spring unit (TSw) is the structural setting from which the sample was collected. Our analysis generally supports the conceptual model that a fault that cuts through the nonwelded Paintbrush tuff unit (PTn) that overlies the TSw is required in order for bomb-pulse 36Cl to be transmitted to the sample depth in less than 50 years. Away from PTn-cutting faults, the ages of water samples at the ESF appear to be a strong function of the thickness of the nonwelded tuff between the ground surface and the ESF, due to slow matrix flow in that unit. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

U.S. Geological Survey nutrient preservation experiment; nutrient concentration data for surface-, ground-, and municipal-supply water samples and quality-assurance samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patton, Charles J.; Truitt, Earl P.

1995-01-01

This report is a compilation of analytical results from a study conducted at the U.S. Geological Survey, National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) in 1992 to assess the effectiveness of three field treatment protocols to stabilize nutrient concentra- tions in water samples stored for about 1 month at 4C. Field treatments tested were chilling, adjusting sample pH to less than 2 with sulfuric acid and chilling, and adding 52 milligrams of mercury (II) chloride per liter of sample and chilling. Field treatments of samples collected for determination of ammonium, nitrate plus nitrite, nitrite, dissolved Kjeldahl nitrogen, orthophosphate, and dissolved phosphorus included 0.45-micrometer membrane filtration. Only total Kjeldahl nitrogen and total phosphorus were determined in unfiltered samples. Data reported here pertain to water samples collected in April and May 1992 from 15 sites within the continental United States. Also included in this report are analytical results for nutrient concentrations in synthetic reference samples that were analyzed concurrently with real samples.

Breast Milk Collection and Storage in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Nurses' Knowledge, Practice, and Perceived Barriers.

PubMed

Gharaibeh, Huda Falah; Al-Sheyab, Nihaya; Malkawi, Shefa Yousef

2016-12-01

Temporary storage of human milk under appropriate conditions encourages prolonged breast-feeding. This study aimed to assess neonatal nurses' knowledge and practice, as well as barriers, related to breast milk collection and storage and to investigate the association between nurses' knowledge and practice and other variables. A cross-sectional design was used. Consecutive samplings of 75 nurses were recruited. The questions were based on a literature review of guidelines for collecting and storing breast milk from various sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. Nurses' knowledge and practice of breast milk collection and storage were adequate in general, but inadequate in relation to issues such as discarding breast milk, the thawing process, and storage temperatures. Poor practices related to absence of required equipment and unit policy. Barriers were increased workload, inappropriate milk room (i.e., a small room with uncomfortable chairs and no privacy), inactive policy, and inadequate time. Nurses should be orientated to the guidelines and a unit policy to enhance evidence-based practice. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2016;47(12):551-557. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Radon in ground water of the Lower Susqehanna and Potomac River basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindsey, Bruce D.; Ator, Scott W.

1996-01-01

Ground-water samples collected from 267 wells were analyzed for radon as part of a water-quality reconnaissance of subunits of the Lower Susquehanna and Potomac River Basins conducted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. Radon is a product of the radioactive decay of uranium. Airborne radon has been cited by the Surgeon General of the United States as the second-leading cause of lung cancer and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has identified ground-water supplies as possible contributing sources of indoor radon. Eighty percent of ground-water samples collected for this study were found to contain radon at activities greater than 300 pCi/L (picocuries per liter), the USEPA's proposed Maximum Contaminant Level for radon in drinking water, and 31 percent of samples contained radon at activities greater than 1,000 pCi/L. The 10 subunits where samples were collected were grouped into three classes - median ground-water radon activity less than 300 pCi/L, between 300 pCi/L and 1,000 pCi/L, and greater than 1,000 pCi/L. Subunits underlain by igneous and metamorphic rocks of the Piedmont Physiographic Province typically have the highest median ground-water radon activities (greater than 1,000 pCi/L); although there is a large variation in radon activities within most of the subunits. Lower median radon activities (between 300 pCi/L and 1,000 pCi/L) were found in ground water in subunits underlain by limestone and dolomite. Of three subunits underlain by sandstone and shale, one fell into each of the three radon-activity classes. The large variability within these subunits may be attributed to the fact that the uranium content of sandstone and shale is related to the uranium content of the sediments from which they formed.

Microbial communities associated with wet flue gas desulfurization systems

PubMed Central

Brown, Bryan P.; Brown, Shannon R.; Senko, John M.

2012-01-01

Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems are employed to remove SOx gasses that are produced by the combustion of coal for electric power generation, and consequently limit acid rain associated with these activities. Wet FGDs represent a physicochemically extreme environment due to the high operating temperatures and total dissolved solids (TDS) of fluids in the interior of the FGD units. Despite the potential importance of microbial activities in the performance and operation of FGD systems, the microbial communities associated with them have not been evaluated. Microbial communities associated with distinct process points of FGD systems at several coal-fired electricity generation facilities were evaluated using culture-dependent and -independent approaches. Due to the high solute concentrations and temperatures in the FGD absorber units, culturable halothermophilic/tolerant bacteria were more abundant in samples collected from within the absorber units than in samples collected from the makeup waters that are used to replenish fluids inside the absorber units. Evaluation of bacterial 16S rRNA genes recovered from scale deposits on the walls of absorber units revealed that the microbial communities associated with these deposits are primarily composed of thermophilic bacterial lineages. These findings suggest that unique microbial communities develop in FGD systems in response to physicochemical characteristics of the different process points within the systems. The activities of the thermophilic microbial communities that develop within scale deposits could play a role in the corrosion of steel structures in FGD systems. PMID:23226147

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

Marutzky, Sam; Farnham, Irene

The purpose of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Integrated Sampling Plan (referred to herein as the Plan) is to provide a comprehensive, integrated approach for collecting and analyzing groundwater samples to meet the needs and objectives of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) Underground Test Area (UGTA) Activity. Implementation of this Plan will provide high-quality data required by the UGTA Activity for ensuring public protection in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The Plan is designed to ensure compliance with the UGTA Quality Assurance Plan (QAP). The Plan’s scope comprises sample collectionmore » and analysis requirements relevant to assessing the extent of groundwater contamination from underground nuclear testing. This Plan identifies locations to be sampled by corrective action unit (CAU) and location type, sampling frequencies, sample collection methodologies, and the constituents to be analyzed. In addition, the Plan defines data collection criteria such as well-purging requirements, detection levels, and accuracy requirements; identifies reporting and data management requirements; and provides a process to ensure coordination between NNSS groundwater sampling programs for sampling of interest to UGTA. This Plan does not address compliance with requirements for wells that supply the NNSS public water system or wells involved in a permitted activity.« less

Mollecarbamates, Molleureas, and Molledihydroisoquinolone, o-Carboxyphenethylamide Metabolites of the Ascidian Didemnum molle Collected in Madagascar.

PubMed

Issac, Michal; Aknin, Maurice; Gauvin-Bialecki, Anne; Pond, Christopher D; Barrows, Louis R; Kashman, Yoel; Carmeli, Shmuel

2017-06-23

The extract of a sample of the tunicate Didemnum molle (MAY13-117) collected in Mayotte afforded eight new metabolites, mollecarbamates A-D (1-4) and molleureas B-E (5-8), along with the two known natural products, N,N'-diphenylethyl urea (10) and molleurea A (11). Another sample of D. molle (MAD11-BA065) collected in Baie des Assassins, Madagascar, afforded molledihydroisoquinolone (9). Mollecarbamates 1-4 are a family of compounds that possess repeating o-carboxyphenethylamide units and a carbamate moiety, while the molleureas 5-8 contain tetra- and penta-repeating carboxyphenethylamide units and a urea bridge in different positions. Molledihydroisoquinolone (9) is a cyclic form of o-carboxyphenethylamide. We propose that these unique natural products are most probably produced by an unprecedented biosynthetic pathway that contains a yet unknown chorismate mutase variant. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by interpretation of the data from 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS, and MS/MS analyses of the positive ESIMS experiments. Compounds 1-8 were tested against pathogenic bacteria and in a cytoprotective HIV cell based assay but did not show any significant effects in these assays.

Isolation and identification of environmental mycobacteria in the waters of a hemodialysis center.

PubMed

Sartori, Flávio Garcia; Leandro, Luís Fernando; Montanari, Lilian Bueno; de Souza, Maria Gorete Mendes; Pires, Regina Helena; Sato, Daisy Nakamura; Leite, Clarice Queico Fujimura; de Andrade Prince, Karina; Martins, Carlos Henrique Gomes

2013-07-01

The use of poorly treated water during hemodialysis may lead to contamination with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). This study aimed to isolate and identify NTM species in the water of a Brazilian hemodialysis center. We collected 210 samples of water from the hydric system of the unit (post-osmosis system, hemodialysis rooms, reuse system, and hemodialysis equipment) and from the municipal supply network; we isolated the NTM by a classic microbiological technique and identified them by the PCR restriction enzyme pattern of the hsp65 gene (PRA). Fifty-one (24.3 %) of the collected samples tested positive for NTM; both the municipal supply network (2 samples, 3.2 %) and the hydric system of the hemodialysis center (49 samples, 96.1 %) contained NTM. We isolated and identified potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Mycobacterium lentiflavum (59.0 %) and M. kansasii (5.0 %), as well as rarely pathogenic bacteria like M. gordonae (24.0 %), M. gastri (8.0 %), and M. szulgai (4.0 %). The ability of NTM to cause diseases is well documented in the literature. Therefore, the identification of NTM in the water of a Brazilian hemodialysis center calls for more effective water disinfection procedures in this unit.

Where's the dust? Characterizing locations of azinphos-methyl residues in house and vehicle dust among farmworkers with young children.

PubMed

Coronado, Gloria D; Griffith, William C; Vigoren, Eric M; Faustman, Elaine M; Thompson, Beti

2010-12-01

Organophosphate pesticides are commonly used in the United States, and farmworkers are at risk for chronic exposure. Using data from a community randomized trial to interrupt the take-home pathway of pesticide exposure, we examined the association between floor surface type (smooth floor, thin carpet, and thick carpet) and rooms in which dust samples were collected (living room vs. non-living room) and concentrations of azinphos-methyl residues in home environments. We also examined the association between vehicle type (truck, auto, or other) and footwell floor surfaces (carpeted, smooth surface, or no mat) and concentrations of azinphos-methyl in vehicle dust samples. Dust samples were collected from 203 and 179 households and vehicles, respectively. All households had at least one child aged 2-6. Vehicle dust samples were collected from footwells of the vehicle used for commuting to and from work. A total of 183 samples were collected from living rooms, and 20 were collected from other rooms in the home. Forty-two samples were collected from thick carpets, 130 from thin carpets, and 27 from smooth floor surfaces. Thick and thin carpets had a significantly greater dust mass than smooth floor surfaces (6.0 g/m(2) for thick carpets, 7.8 g/m(2) for thin carpets, and 1.5 g/m(2) for smooth surfaces). Of the 179 vehicle samples, 113 were from cars, 34 from trucks, and 32 from other vehicles. Vehicles with no mats had a significantly higher mass of dust (21.3 g) than those with hard mats (9.3 g) but did not differ from vehicles with plush mats (12.0 g). Further research is needed to characterize the environment in which children may be exposed to pesticides.

Where’s the Dust? Characterizing Locations of Azinphos-Methyl Residues in House and Vehicle Dust Among Farmworkers with Young Children

PubMed Central

Coronado, Gloria D.; Griffith, William C.; Vigoren, Eric M.; Faustman, Elaine M.; Thompson, Beti

2010-01-01

Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) are commonly used in the United States, and farm workers are at risk for chronic exposure. Using data from a community randomized trial to interrupt the take-home pathway of pesticide exposure, we examined the association between floor surface type (smooth floor, thin carpet, and thick carpet) and rooms in which dust samples were collected (living room vs. non-living room) and concentrations of azinphos-methyl residues in home environments. We also examined the association between vehicle type (truck, auto, or other) and footwell floor surfaces (carpeted, smooth surface, or no mat) and concentrations of azinphos-methyl in vehicle dust samples. Dust samples were collected from 203 and 179 households and vehicles, respectively. All households had at least one child aged 2–6. Vehicle dust samples were collected from footwells of the vehicle used for commuting to and from work. A total of 183 samples were collected from living rooms, and 20 were collected from other rooms in the home. Forty-two samples were collected from thick carpets, 130 from thin carpets, and 27 from smooth floor surfaces. Thick and thin carpets had a significantly greater dust mass than smooth floor surfaces (6.0 g/m2 for thick carpets, 7.8 g/m2 for thin carpets, and 1.5 g/m2 for smooth surfaces). Of the 179 vehicle samples, 113 were from cars, 34 from trucks, and 32 from other vehicles. Vehicles with no mats had a significantly higher mass of dust (21.3 g) than those with hard mats (9.3 g) but did not differ from vehicles with plush mats (12.0g). Further research is needed to characterize the environment in which children may be exposed to pesticides. PMID:20945243

Preanalytical quality in clinical chemistry laboratory.

PubMed

Ahmad, M Imteyaz; Ramesh, K L; Kumar, Ravi

2014-01-01

Haemolysis is usually caused by inadequate specimen collection or preanalytical handling and is suggested to be a suitable indicator of preanalytical quality. We investigated the prevalence of detectable haemolysis in all routine venous blood samples in OPDs and IPDs to identify differences in preanalytical quality. Haemolysis index (HI) values were obtained from a Vitros 5,1 in the routine clinical chemistry laboratory for samples collected in the outpatient department (OPD) collection centres, a hospital, and inpatient departments (IPD). Haemolysis was defined as a HI > or = 15 (detection limit). Samples from the OPD with the highest prevalence of haemolysis were 6.1 times (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.0 - 9.2) more often haemolysed compared to the center with the lowest prevalence. Of the samples collected in primary health care, 10.4% were haemolysed compared to 31.1% in the IPDs (p = 0.001). A notable difference in haemolysed samples was found between the IPDs section staffed by emergency medicine physicians and the section staffed by primary health care physicians (34.8% vs. 11.3%, p = 0.001). The significant variation in haemolysis indices among the investigated units is likely to reflect varying preanalytical conditions. The HI is a valuable tool for estimation and follow-up of preanalytical quality in the health care laboratory.

Contamination revealed by indicator microorganism levels during veal processing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has identified a higher percentage of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli positive samples collected from veal trimmings than from products produced from other cattle slaughter classes. During site ...

NATIONAL RESULTS FROM THE 2011 NATIONAL WETLAND CONDITION ASSESSMENT (NWCA) SOILS ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

In 2011, US Environmental Protection Agency conducted the first National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA). Field crews conducted one-day surveys of over 1000 wetlands across the contiguous United States. For every wetland sampled, soils were collected by layer (i.e., horizon)...

HOST GENE CELL RESEARCH FOR DETERMINING VIRULENCE OF AEROMONAS SPP. COLLECTED FROM ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES

EPA Science Inventory

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is interested in assessing health risks associated with emerging or potential waterborne pathogens. To this end, the Agency has established a Candidate Contaminant List (CCL) that includes Aeromonas hydrophila an...

Microbiota in Exhaled Breath Condensate and the Lung.

PubMed

Glendinning, Laura; Wright, Steven; Tennant, Peter; Gill, Andrew C; Collie, David; McLachlan, Gerry

2017-06-15

The lung microbiota is commonly sampled using relatively invasive bronchoscopic procedures. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) collection potentially offers a less invasive alternative for lung microbiota sampling. We compared lung microbiota samples retrieved by protected specimen brushings (PSB) and exhaled breath condensate collection. We also sought to assess whether aerosolized antibiotic treatment would influence the lung microbiota and whether this change could be detected in EBC. EBC was collected from 6 conscious sheep and then from the same anesthetized sheep during mechanical ventilation. Following the latter EBC collection, PSB samples were collected from separate sites within each sheep lung. On the subsequent day, each sheep was then treated with nebulized colistimethate sodium. Two days after nebulization, EBC and PSB samples were again collected. Bacterial DNA was quantified using 16S rRNA gene quantitative PCR. The V2-V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified by PCR and sequenced using Illumina MiSeq. Quality control and operational taxonomic unit (OTU) clustering were performed with mothur. The EBC samples contained significantly less bacterial DNA than the PSB samples. The EBC samples from anesthetized animals clustered separately by their bacterial community compositions in comparison to the PSB samples, and 37 bacterial OTUs were identified as differentially abundant between the two sample types. Despite only low concentrations of colistin being detected in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, PSB samples were found to differ by their bacterial compositions before and after colistimethate sodium treatment. Our findings indicate that microbiota in EBC samples and PSB samples are not equivalent. IMPORTANCE Sampling of the lung microbiota usually necessitates performing bronchoscopic procedures that involve a hospital visit for human participants and the use of trained staff. The inconvenience and perceived discomfort of participating in this kind of research may deter healthy volunteers and may not be a safe option for patients with advanced lung disease. This study set out to evaluate a less invasive method for collecting lung microbiota samples by comparing samples taken via protected specimen brushings (PSB) to those taken via exhaled breath condensate (EBC) collection. We found that there was less bacterial DNA in EBC samples compared with that in PSB samples and that there were differences between the bacterial communities in the two sample types. We conclude that while EBC and PSB samples do not produce equivalent microbiota samples, the study of the EBC microbiota may still be of interest. Copyright © 2017 Glendinning et al.

Thematic accuracy of the 1992 National Land-Cover Data for the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wickham, J.D.; Stehman, S.V.; Smith, J.H.; Yang, L.

2004-01-01

The MultiResolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) consortium sponsored production of the National Land Cover Data (NLCD) for the conterminous United States, using Landsat imagery collected on a target year of 1992 (1992 NLCD). Here we report the thematic accuracy of the 1992 NLCD for the six western mapping regions. Reference data were collected in each region for a probability sample of pixels stratified by map land-cover class. Results are reported for each of the six mapping regions with agreement defined as a match between the primary or alternate reference land-cover label and a mode class of the mapped 3×3 block of pixels centered on the sample pixel. Overall accuracy at Anderson Level II was low and variable across the regions, ranging from 38% for the Midwest to 70% for the Southwest. Overall accuracy at Anderson Level I was higher and more consistent across the regions, ranging from 82% to 85% for five of the six regions, but only 74% for the South-central region.

Groundwater-quality data in the Bear Valley and Selected Hard Rock Areas study unit, 2010: Results from the California GAMA Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mathany, Timothy M.; Belitz, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Groundwater quality in the 112-square-mile Bear Valley and Selected Hard Rock Areas (BEAR) study unit was investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from April to August 2010, as part of the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program’s Priority Basin Project (PBP). The GAMA-PBP was developed in response to the California Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted in collaboration with the SWRCB and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The BEAR study unit was the thirty-first study unit to be sampled as part of the GAMA-PBP. The GAMA Bear Valley and Selected Hard Rock Areas study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of untreated-groundwater quality in the primary aquifer system and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of untreated groundwater quality throughout California. The primary aquifer system is defined as the zones corresponding to the perforation intervals of wells listed in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database for the BEAR study unit. Groundwater quality in the primary aquifer system may differ from the quality in the shallow or deep water-bearing zones; shallow groundwater may be more vulnerable to surficial contamination. In the BEAR study unit, groundwater samples were collected from two study areas (Bear Valley and Selected Hard Rock Areas) in San Bernardino County. Of the 38 sampling sites, 27 were selected by using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the primary aquifer system in the study unit (grid sites), and the remaining 11 sites were selected to aid in the understanding of the potential groundwater-quality issues associated with septic tank use and with ski areas in the study unit (understanding sites). The groundwater samples were analyzed for organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOCs], pesticides and pesticide degradates, pharmaceutical compounds, and wastewater indicator compounds [WICs]), constituents of special interest (perchlorate, N-nitrosodimethylamine [NDMA], and 1,2,3-trichloropropane [1,2,3-TCP]), and inorganic constituents (trace elements, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon [DOC], major and minor ions, silica, total dissolved solids [TDS], alkalinity, and arsenic and iron species), and uranium and other radioactive constituents (radon-222 and activities of tritium and carbon-14). Isotopic tracers (of hydrogen and oxygen in water, of nitrogen and oxygen in dissolved nitrate, of dissolved boron, isotopic ratios of strontium in water, and of carbon in dissolved inorganic carbon) and dissolved noble gases (argon, helium-4, krypton, neon, and xenon) were measured to help identify the sources and ages of sampled groundwater. In total, groundwater samples were analyzed for 289 unique constituents and 8 water-quality indicators in the BEAR study unit. Quality-control samples (blanks, replicate pairs, or matrix spikes) were collected at 13 percent of the sites in the BEAR study unit, and the results for these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data from the groundwater samples. Blank samples rarely contained detectable concentrations of any constituent, indicating that contamination from sample collection or analysis was not a significant source of bias in the data for the groundwater samples. Replicate pair samples all were within acceptable limits of variability. Matrix-spike sample recoveries were within the acceptable range (70 to 130 percent) for approximately 84 percent of the compounds. This study did not evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers. After withdrawal, groundwater typically is treated, disinfected, and (or) blended with other waters to maintain water quality. Regulatory benchmarks apply to water that is delivered to the consumer, not to untreated groundwater. However, to provide some context for the results, concentrations of constituents measured in the untreated groundwater were compared with regulatory and non-regulatory health-based benchmarks established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and CDPH, and to non-health-based benchmarks established for aesthetic concerns by CDPH. Comparisons between data collected for this study and benchmarks for drinking water are for illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of compliance or non-compliance with those benchmarks. All concentrations of organic and special-interest constituents from grid sites sampled in the BEAR study unit were less than health-based benchmarks. In total, VOCs were detected in 17 of the 27 grid sites sampled (approximately 63 percent), pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected in 4 grid sites (approximately 15 percent), and perchlorate was detected in 21 grid sites (approximately 78 percent). Inorganic constituents (trace elements, major and minor ions, nutrients, and uranium and other radioactive constituents) were sampled for at 27 grid sites; most concentrations were less than health-based benchmarks. Exceptions include one detection of arsenic greater than the USEPA maximum contaminant level (MCL-US) of 10 micrograms per liter (μg/L), three detections of uranium greater than the MCL-US of 30 μg/L, nine detections of radon-222 greater than the proposed MCL-US of 4,000 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), and one detection of fluoride greater than the CDPH maximum contaminant level (MCL-CA) of 2 milligrams per liter. Concentrations of inorganic constituents with non-health-based benchmarks (iron, manganese, chloride, and TDS) were less than the CDPH secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL-CA) in most grid sites. Exceptions include two detections of iron greater than the SMCL-CA of 300 μg/L and one detection of manganese greater than the SMCL-CA of 50 μg/L.

Occurrence and characterisation of pathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from beef meat imported from South Africa and marketed in united Arab Emirates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dulaimi, Samar Abdulkareem Khalifa Al; Ibrahim, Nazlina

2018-04-01

This study is aimed at determining the presence of Escherichia coli and characterizing the availability of Shiga toxin gene in beef meat samples imported from South Africa. Meat samples (n=47) were randomly collected from meat sections at different supermarkets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from the beginning of August 2016 till the end of March 2017. Samples were diluted and inoculated on MacConkey agar and Eosin methylene blue agar (EMB), and the colony forming units (CFU) were recorded. API 20E identification kit was used for biochemical identification of E. coli. Detection of the 16S rRNA and shiga toxin genes by PCR amplification was done. Our results revealed that 14 (29.7%) out of the total 47 samples were positive for E. coli. The bacterial burden of E. coli as determined by colony growth showed variable level of contamination. From the PCR amplification, the shiga toxin gene carried by the E. coli is the Stx2 gene. This study revealed moderately high contamination levels of E. coli in beef samples imported from South Africa and marketed in UAE which mostly carries the shiga toxin gene Stx2.

Work plan for determining the occurrence of glyphosate, its transformation product AMPA, other herbicide compounds, and antibiotics in midwestern United States streams, 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Battaglin, W.A.; Thurman, E.M.; Kolpin, D.W.; Scribner, E.A.; Sandstrom, M.W.; Kuivila, K.M.

2003-01-01

The objective of this study is to determine the distribution of glyphosate and its primary transformation product aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in midwestern streams during post-application and harvest-season runoff events. Water samples will be collected in 2002 during two post-herbicide-application runoff events and one harvest-season runoff event from 53 sites on streams in the Midwestern United States. All samples will be analyzed at the U.S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory in Lawrence, Kansas, for glyphosate and 20 other herbicides. Samples will also be analyzed for a glyphosate transformation product (AMPA) and 26 other herbicide transformation products, using GC/MS or HPLC/MS. Selected samples will be analyzed for 36 antibiotics or antibiotic transformational products. Results from this study will represent the first broad-scale investigation of glyphosate and AMPA in U.S. water resources.

Database of the United States Coal Pellet Collection of the U.S. Geological Survey Organic Petrology Laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Deems, Nikolaus J.; Hackley, Paul C.

2012-01-01

The Organic Petrology Laboratory (OPL) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Eastern Energy Resources Science Center in Reston, Virginia, contains several thousand processed coal sample materials that were loosely organized in laboratory drawers for the past several decades. The majority of these were prepared as 1-inch-diameter particulate coal pellets (more than 6,000 pellets; one sample usually was prepared as two pellets, although some samples were prepared in as many as four pellets), which were polished and used in reflected light petrographic studies. These samples represent the work of many scientists from the 1970s to the present, most notably Ron Stanton, who managed the OPL until 2001 (see Warwick and Ruppert, 2005, for a comprehensive bibliography of Ron Stanton's work). The purpose of the project described herein was to organize and catalog the U.S. part of the petrographic sample collection into a comprehensive database (available with this report as a Microsoft Excel file) and to compile and list published studies associated with the various sample sets. Through this work, the extent of the collection is publicly documented as a resource and sample library available to other scientists and researchers working in U.S. coal basins previously studied by organic petrologists affiliated with the USGS. Other researchers may obtain samples in the OPL collection on loan at the discretion of the USGS authors listed in this report and its associated Web page.

Variations in trace element geochemistry in the Seine River Basin based on floodplain deposits and bed sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, A.J.; Meybeck, Michel; Idlafkih, Z.; Biger, E.

1999-01-01

Between 1990 and 1995 a series of bed sediment, suspended sediment and fresh floodplain samples were collected within the Seine River Basin, in France, to evaluate variations in trace element geochemistry. Average background trace element levels for the basin were determined from the collection and subsequent analyses of bed sediment samples from small rural watersheds and from a prehistoric (5000 BP) site in Paris. Concentrations are relatively low, and similar to those observed for fine-grained bed sediments from unaffected areas in the United States and Canada. However, the concentrations are somewhat higher than the reference levels presently adopted by French water authorities for areas north of the Seine Basin, which have similar bedrock lithologies. Downstream trace element variations were monitored in 1994 and 1995 using fresh surficial floodplain samples that were collected either as dried deposits a few days after peak discharge, or immediately after peak discharge (under ??? 30 cm of water). Chemical comparisons between fresh floodplain deposits, and actual suspended sediments collected during flood events, indicate that, with some caveats, the former can be used as surrogates for the latter. The floodplain sediment chemical data indicate that within the Seine Basin, from the relatively unaffected headwaters through heavily affected urban streams, trace element concentrations vary by as much as three orders of magnitude. These trace element changes appear to be the result of both increases in population as well as concomitant increases in industrial activity. This article is a US government work and is in the public domain in the United States.

Completion Report for Well ER-2-2 Corrective Action Unit 97: Yucca Flat/Climax Mine, Revision 1

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

Wurtz, Jeffrey

Well ER-2-2 was drilled for the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada National Security Administration Nevada Field Office in support of the Underground Test Area (UGTA) Activity. The well was drilled from January 17 to February 8, 2016, as part of the Corrective Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) for Corrective Action Unit 97: Yucca Flat/Climax Mine, Nevada Test Site, Nevada. The primary purpose of the well was to collect hydrogeologic data to evaluate uncertainty in the flow and transport conceptual model and its contamination boundary forecasts, and to detect radionuclides in groundwater from the CALABASH (U2av) underground test. Well ER-2-2 was notmore » completed as planned due to borehole stability problems. As completed, the well includes a piezometer (p1) to 582 meters (m) (1,909 feet [ft]) below ground surface (bgs) installed in the Timber Mountain lower vitric-tuff aquifer (TMLVTA) and a 12.25-inch (in.) diameter open borehole to 836 m (2,743 ft) bgs in the Lower tuff confining unit (LTCU). A 13.375-in. diameter carbon-steel casing is installed from the surface to a depth of 607 m (1,990 ft) bgs. Data collected during borehole construction include composite drill cutting samples collected every 3.0 m (10 ft), geophysical logs to a depth of 672.4 m (2,206 ft) bgs, water-quality measurements (including tritium), water-level measurements, and slug test data. The well penetrated 384.05 m (1,260 ft) of Quaternary alluvium, 541.93 m (1,778 ft) of Tertiary Volcanics (Tv) rocks, and 127.71 m (419 ft) of Paleozoic carbonates. The stratigraphy and lithology were generally as expected. However, several of the stratigraphic units were significantly thicker then predicted—principally, the Tunnel formation (Tn), which had been predicted to be 30 m (100 ft) thick; the actual thickness of this unit was 268.22 m (880 ft). Fluid depths were measured in the borehole during drilling as follows: (1) in the piezometer (p1) at 552.15 m (1,811.53 ft) bgs and (2) in the main casing (m1) at 551.69 m (1,810.01 ft) bgs. As expected, field measurements for tritium were above the Safe Drinking Water Act limit (20,000 picocuries per liter) for a portion of the Tertiary volcanic section near the water table. Tritium concentrations were at or near the field detection limit in the Lower carbonate aquifer (LCA) while drilling. During drilling, a sample was collected while circulating in the LCA. The sample was submitted for off-site laboratory analysis. The sample results indicated low but measurable tritium concentrations. All Fluid Management Plan requirements were met during drilling activities.« less

Monitoring of Microscopic Filamentous Fungi in Indoor Air of Transplant Unit.

PubMed

Holý, Ondřej; Matoušková, Ivanka; Kubátová, Alena; Hamal, Petr; Svobodová, Lucie; Jurásková, Eva; Raida, Luděk

2015-12-01

The aim of the study was to control the microbial contamination of indoor air monitored monthly at the Transplant Unit of the University Hospital Olomouc from August 2010 to July 2011. The unit is equipped with a three-stage air filtration system with HEPA filters. The MAS-100 air sampler (Merck, GER) was used. Twenty locations were singled out for the purposes of collecting a total of 720 samplings of the indoor air. Swabs of the HVAC diffusers at the sampling locations were always carried out after the sampling of the indoor air. In total, 480 samples of the indoor air were taken for Sabouraud chloramphenicol agar. In 11 cases (2.29%) the cultivation verified the presence of microscopic filamentous fungi. Only two cases involved the sanitary facilities of a patient isolation box; the other positive findings were from the facilities. The most frequent established genus was Aspergillus spp. (4x), followed by Trichoderma spp. (2x) and Penicillium spp. (2x), Paecilomyces spp., Eurotium spp., and Chrysonilia spp. (1x each). In 2 cases the cultivation established sterile aerial mycelium, unfortunately no further identification was possible. A total of 726 swabs of HVAC diffusers were collected (2 positive-0.28%). The study results demonstrated the efficacy of the HVAC equipment. With the continuing increase in the number of severely immunocompromised patients, hospitals are faced with the growing problem of invasive aspergillosis and other opportunistic infections. Preventive monitoring of microbial air contaminants is of major importance for the control of invasive aspergillosis. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2015.

Occurrence of pesticides in rain and air in urban and agricultural areas of Mississippi, April-September 1995.

PubMed

Coupe, R H; Manning, M A; Foreman, W T; Goolsby, D A; Majewski, M S

2000-04-05

In April 1995, the US Geological Survey began a study to determine the occurrence and temporal distribution of 49 pesticides and pesticide metabolites in air and rain samples from an urban and an agricultural sampling site in Mississippi. The study was a joint effort between the National Water-Quality Assessment and the Toxic Substances Programs and was part of a larger study examining the occurrence and temporal distribution of pesticides in air and rain in the Mississippi River basin. Concurrent high-volume air and wet-only deposition samples were collected weekly. The air samplers consisted of a glass-fiber filter to collect particles and tandem polyurethane foam plugs to collect gas-phase pesticides. Every rain and air sample collected from the urban and agricultural sites had detectable levels of multiple pesticides. The magnitude of the total concentration was 5-10 times higher at the agricultural site as compared to the urban site. The pesticide with the highest concentration in rain at both sites was methyl parathion. The pesticide with the highest concentration in the air samples from the agricultural site was also methyl parathion, but from the urban site the highest concentration was diazinon followed closely by chlorpyrifos. More than two decades since p,p'-DDT was banned from use in the United States, p,p'-DDE, a metabolite of p,p'-DDT, was detected in every air sample collected from the agricultural site and in more than half of the air samples from the urban site.

Occurrence of pesticides in rain and air in urban and agricultural areas of Mississippi, April-September 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coupe, R.H.; Manning, M.A.; Foreman, W.T.; Goolsby, D.A.; Majewski, M.S.

2000-01-01

In April 1995, the US Geological Survey began a study to determine the occurrence and temporal distribution of 49 pesticides and pesticide metabolites in air and rain samples from an urban and an agricultural sampling site in Mississippi. The study was a joint effort between the National Water-Quality Assessment and the Toxic Substances Programs and was part of a larger study examining the occurrence and temporal distribution of pesticides in air and rain in the Mississippi River basin. Concurrent high-volume air and wet-only deposition samples were collected weekly. The air samplers consisted of a glass-fiber filter to collect particles and tandem polyurethane foam plugs to collect gas-phase pesticides. Every rain and air sample collected from the urban and agricultural sites had detectable levels of multiple pesticides. The magnitude of the total concentration was 5-10 times higher at the agricultural site as compared to the urban site. The pesticide with the highest concentration in rain at both sites was methyl parathion. The pesticide with the highest concentration in the air samples from the agricultural site was also methyl parathion, but from the urban site the highest concentration was diazinon followed closely by chlorpyrifos. More than two decades since p,p'-DDT was banned from use in the United States, p,p'-DDE, a metabolite of p,p'-DDT, was detected in every air sample collected from the agricultural site and in more than half of the air samples from the urban site. Copyright (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.

A Small Diameter Rosette for Sampling Ice Covered Waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chayes, D. N.; Smethie, W. M.; Perry, R. S.; Schlosser, P.; Friedrich, R.

2011-12-01

A gas tight, small diameter, lightweight rosette, supporting equipment and an effective operational protocol has been developed for aircraft supported sampling of sea water across the Lincoln Sea. The system incorporates a commercial off the shelf CTD electronics (SBE19+ sensor package and SBE33 deck unit) to provide real-time measurement data at the surface. We designed and developed modular water sample units and custom electronics to decode the bottle firing commands and close the sample bottles. For a typical station, we land a ski-equipped deHaviland Twin Otter (DHC-6) aircraft on a suitable piece of sea-ice, drill a 12" diameter hole through the ice next to the cargo door and set up a tent to provide a reasonable working environment over the hole. A small winch with 0.1" diameter single conductor cable is mounted in the aircraft by the cargo door and a tripod supports a sheave above the hole. The CTD module is connected to the end of the wire and the water sampling modules are stacked on top as the system is lowered. For most stations, three sample modules are used to provide 12 four (4) liter sample bottles. Data collected during the down-cast is used to formulate the sampling plan which is executed on the up-cast. The system is powered by a 3,700 Watt, 120VAC gasoline generator. After collection, the sample modules are stored in passively temperature stabilized ice chests during the flight back to the logistics facility at Alert where a broad range of samples are drawn and stored for future analysis. The transport mechanism has a good track record of maintaining water samples within about two degrees of the original collection temperature which minimizes out-gassing. The system has been successfully deployed during a field program each spring starting in 2004 along a transect between the north end of Ellesmere Island (Alert, Nunavut) and the North Pole. During the eight field programs we have taken 48 stations with twelve bottles at most stations (eight at some shallow stations) and with a miss-fire rate within two percent of those achieved with traditional over-the-side CTD/rosette systems.

How Does EIA Estimate Energy Consumption and End Uses in U.S. Homes?

EIA Publications

2011-01-01

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) administers the Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) to a nationally representative sample of housing units. Specially trained interviewers collect energy characteristics on the housing unit, usage patterns, and household demographics. This information is combined with data from energy suppliers to these homes to estimate energy costs and usage for heating, cooling, appliances and other end uses information critical to meeting future energy demand and improving efficiency and building design.

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

NONE

A test program to collect and analyze size-fractionated stack gas particulate samples for selected inorganic hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) was conducted . Specific goals of the program are (1) the collection of one-gram quantities of size-fractionated stack gas particulate matter for bulk (total) and surface chemical characterization, and (2) the determination of the relationship between particle size, bulk and surface (leachable) composition, and unit load. The information obtained from this program identifies the effects of unit load, particle size, and wet FGD system operation on the relative toxicological effects of exposure to particulate emissions. Field testing was conducted in twomore » phases. The Phase I field program was performed over the period of August 24 through September 20, 1992, at the Tennessee Valley Authority Widows Creek Unit 8 Power Station, located near Stevenson (Jackson County), Alabama, on the Tennessee River. Sampling activities for Phase II were conducted from September 11 through October 14, 1993. Widows Creek Unit 8 is a 575-megawatt plant that uses bituminous coal averaging 3.7% sulfur and 13% ash. Downstream of the boiler, a venture wet scrubbing system is used for control of both sulfur dioxide and particulate emissions. There is no electrostatic precipitator (ESP) in this system. This system is atypical and represents only about 5% of the US utility industry. However, this site was chosen for this study because of the lack of information available for this particulate emission control system.« less

Use of physical restraints in adult critical care: a bicultural study.

PubMed

Martin, Beth; Mathisen, Lars

2005-03-01

Although controversial, physical restraints are commonly used in adult critical care units in the United States to prevent treatment interference and self-inflicted harm. Use of physical restraints in Norwegian hospitals is very limited. In the United States, an experimental design for research on use of restraints has not seemed feasible. However, international research provides an opportunity to compare and contrast practices. To describe the relationship between patients' characteristics, environment, and use of physical restraints in the United States and Norway. Observations of patients and chart data were collected from 2 intensive care units (n = 50 patients) in Norway and 3 (n = 50 patients) in the United States. Sedation was measured by using the Sedation-Agitation Scale. The Nine Equivalents of Nursing Manpower Use Score was used to indicate patients' acuity level. Restraints were in use in 39 of 100 observations in the United States and not at all in Norway (P = .001). Categories of patients were balanced. In the Norwegian sample, the median Nine Equivalents of Nursing Manpower Use Score was higher (37 vs 27 points, P < .001), patients were more sedated (P < .001), and nurse-to-patient ratios were higher (1.05:1 vs 0.65:1, P < .001). Seven incidents of unplanned device removal were reported in the US sample. Critical care units with similar technology and characteristics of patients vary between nations in restraint practices, levels of sedation, and nurse-to-patient ratios. Restraint-free care was, in this sample, safe in terms of treatment interference.

Environmental colonization and onward clonal transmission of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) in a medical intensive care unit: the case for environmental hygiene.

PubMed

Ng, Deborah H L; Marimuthu, Kalisvar; Lee, Jia Jun; Khong, Wei Xin; Ng, Oon Tek; Zhang, Wei; Poh, Bee Fong; Rao, Pooja; Raj, Maya Devi Rajinder; Ang, Brenda; De, Partha Pratim

2018-01-01

In May 2015, we noticed an increase in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) infections in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU). To investigate this, we studied the extent of environmental contamination and subsequent onward clonal transmission of CRAB. We conducted a one-day point prevalence screening (PPS) of the patients and environment in the MICU. We screened patients using endotracheal tube aspirates and swabs from nares, axillae, groin, rectum, wounds, and exit sites of drains. We collected environmental samples from patients' rooms and environment outside the patients' rooms. CRAB isolates from the PPS and clinical samples over the subsequent one month were studied for genetic relatedness by whole genome sequencing (WGS). We collected 34 samples from seven patients and 244 samples from the environment. On the day of PPS, we identified 8 CRAB carriers: 3 who screened positive and 5 previously known clinical infections. We detected environmental contamination in nearly two-thirds of the rooms housing patients with CRAB. WGS demonstrated genetic clustering of isolates within rooms but not across rooms. We analysed 4 CRAB isolates from clinical samples following the PPS. One genetically-related CRAB was identified in the respiratory sample of a patient with nosocomial pneumonia, who was admitted to the MICU five days after the PPS. The extensive environmental colonization of CRAB by patients highlights the importance of environmental hygiene. The transmission dynamics of CRAB needs further investigation.

Microbiological contamination in digital radiography: evaluation at the radiology clinic of an educational institution.

PubMed

Malta, Cristiana P; Damasceno, Naiana Nl; Ribeiro, Rosangela A; Silva, Carolina Sf; Devito, Karina L

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the contamination rate of intra and extraoral digital X ray equipment in a dental radiology clinic at a public educational institution. Samples were collected on three different days, at two times in the day: in the morning, before attending patients, and at the end of the day, after appointment hours and before cleaning and disinfection procedures. Samples were collected from the periapical X-ray machine (tube head, positioning device, control panel and activator button), the panoramic X- ray machine (temporal support, bite block, control panel and activator button), the intraoral digital system (sensor), and the digital system computers (keyboard and mouse). The samples were seeded in different culture media, incubated, and colony forming units (CFU/mL) counted. Biochemical tests were performed for suspected colonies of Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Gramnegative bacilli (GNB). Fungi were visually differentiated into filamentous fungi and yeasts. The results indicated the growth of fungi and Staphylococcus fromall sampling locations. GNB growth was observed from all sites sampled from the intraoral X-ray equipment. On the panoramic unit, GNB growth was observed in samples from activator button, keyboard and mouse. In general, a higher number of CFU/mL was present before use. It can be concluded that more stringent protocols are needed to control infection and prevent X-ray exams from acting as vehicle for cross contamination. Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Odontológica.

Collection, chemical analysis, and evaluation of coal samples in 1975

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swanson, Vernon Emanuel; Medlin, J.H.; Hatch, J.R.; Coleman, S.L.; Wood, G.H.; Woodruff, S.D.; Hildebrand, R.T.

1976-01-01

During 1975, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with other Federal and State agencies, university groups, and private companies, continued its program to augment and refine information on the composition of coal in the United States. This report includes all analytical data on 799 channel samples of coal beds from major operating mines and core holes in 28 States, collected mainly by State Geological Surveys under a cooperative program funded largely by the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration. For each sample, the U.S. Geological Survey has quantitatively determined the amounts of 24 major, minor, and trace elements (including AI, As, Cd, Cu, F, Hg, Mn, Na, Pb, Se, U, and Zn), and has semiquantitatively determined the concentrations of 15 to 20 additional trace elements (including B, Be, Cr, Ge, Mo, Ni, and V). In addition, the U.S. Bureau of Mines has provided proximate and ultimate analyses, and Btu and forms-of-sulfur determinations on 488 of the samples. Statistical summaries of the data are given for all coal samples in the United States, for coal divided by rank (53 anthracite, 509 bituminous coal, 183 subbituminous coal, and 54 lignite samples), and the arithmetic means, ranges, and geometric means and deviations are given for the coal in each of seven different major coal areas in the United States. For example, the average coal in the United States contains 11.3 percent ash, 10.0 percent moisture, 2.0 percent sulfur, and has 11,180 Btu per pound; of the 10 major oxides determined on the 525?C ash, the average SiO2 content is 38 percent, Al2O3 20 percent, and Na2O 0.67 percent; the average Cd content is 7.3 ppm, Pb 114 ppm, and Zn 151 ppm (range 1 ppm to 6.0 percent). As determined on the raw coal, the average Hg content is 0.18 ppm (range <0.01 to 63.0 ppm), the Se content 4.1 ppm (range <0.1 to 150 ppm), and the U content 1.8 ppm (range <0.2 to 42.9 ppm).

Microbial contamination of the Tzu-Chi Cord Blood Bank from 2005 to 2006.

PubMed

Chen, Shu-Huey; Zheng, Ya-Jun; Yang, Shang-Hsien; Yang, Kuo-Liang; Shyr, Ming-Hwang; Ho, Yu-Huai

2008-01-01

In total, 4502 units of cord blood (CB) were collected during a 2-year period from 2005 to 2006 by the Buddhist Tzu-Chi Stem Cells Center. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of microbial contamination and type of organism present in the cord blood. The clinical impact of microbial contamination on hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) grafts used for HPC transplantation is also discussed. First and second specimens were obtained for microbial assessment. These were collected in laboratory after cord blood collection and after cord blood unit manipulation, respectively. The samples were cultured and the results reviewed. The overall incidence of microbiological contamination was 1.8% (82/4502). Three CB units were contaminated with two different organisms. Infectious organisms comprised 9.4% (8/85) of total isolated microbes. These infectious microorganisms were beta-Streptococci group B, Candida tropicalis and Staphylococcus aureus which were isolated in 6, 1 and 1 of CB units respectively. Escherichia coli, Bacteroides fragilis, Lactobacillus spp., Enterococcus, beta-Streptococcus Group B, Bacteroides valgatus, Corynebacterium spp., Klebsiella pneumonia and Peptococcus spp. were the most frequently encountered microorganisms. A higher contamination rate of the CB units was noted after vaginal delivery (2.16%) compared to caesarian section (0.85%) (p < 0.01). Extensive training in CB collection, good procedures and good protocols can decrease the rate of microbial contamination. The use of a closed collecting system and an ex utero method have the advantage of a lower contamination rate. In our cord blood bank, we use a closed system but an in utero method. Similar to other studies, most of microorganisms reported here as contaminants are non-pathogenic.

The Effects of Science Models on Students' Understanding of Scientific Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berglin, Riki Susan

This action research study investigated how the use of science models affected fifth-grade students' ability to transfer their science curriculum to a deeper understanding of scientific processes. This study implemented a variety of science models into a chemistry unit throughout a 6-week study. The research question addressed was: In what ways do using models to learn and teach science help students transfer classroom knowledge to a deeper understanding of the scientific processes? Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through pre- and post-science interest inventories, observations field notes, student work samples, focus group interviews, and chemistry unit tests. These data collection tools assessed students' attitudes, engagement, and content knowledge throughout their chemistry unit. The results of the data indicate that the model-based instruction program helped with students' engagement in the lessons and understanding of chemistry content. The results also showed that students displayed positive attitudes toward using science models.

Development and Flight Testing of an Adaptive Vehicle Health-Monitoring Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodard, Stanley E.; Coffey, Neil C.; Gonzalez, Guillermo A.; Taylor, B. Douglas; Brett, Rube R.; Woodman, Keith L.; Weathered, Brenton W.; Rollins, Courtney H.

2002-01-01

On going development and testing of an adaptable vehicle health-monitoring architecture is presented. The architecture is being developed for a fleet of vehicles. It has three operational levels: one or more remote data acquisition units located throughout the vehicle; a command and control unit located within the vehicle, and, a terminal collection unit to collect analysis results from all vehicles. Each level is capable of performing autonomous analysis with a trained expert system. The expert system is parameterized, which makes it adaptable to be trained to both a user's subject reasoning and existing quantitative analytic tools. Communication between all levels is done with wireless radio frequency interfaces. The remote data acquisition unit has an eight channel programmable digital interface that allows the user discretion for choosing type of sensors; number of sensors, sensor sampling rate and sampling duration for each sensor. The architecture provides framework for a tributary analysis. All measurements at the lowest operational level are reduced to provide analysis results necessary to gauge changes from established baselines. These are then collected at the next level to identify any global trends or common features from the prior level. This process is repeated until the results are reduced at the highest operational level. In the framework, only analysis results are forwarded to the next level to reduce telemetry congestion. The system's remote data acquisition hardware and non-analysis software have been flight tested on the NASA Langley B757's main landing gear. The flight tests were performed to validate the following: the wireless radio frequency communication capabilities of the system, the hardware design, command and control; software operation and, data acquisition, storage and retrieval.

Tritium and radioactive carbon (14C) analyses of gas collected from unsaturated sediments next to a low-level radioactive-waste burial site south of Beatty, Nevada, April 1994 and July 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prudic, David E.; Striegl, Robert G.

1995-01-01

Tritium activities in water vapor and radioactive carbon (14C) activities in carbon dioxide were determined in gas samples pumped from small-diameter air ports installed in a test hole within the unsaturated sediments next to a commercial burial site for low-level radioactive waste south of Beatty, Nevada. In April 1994, gas samples were collected from test hole UZB-2, which was drilled about 350 feet south of the southwest corner of the fence enclosing the burial site. The test hole is part of a study to determine the depth to which atmospheric air circulates through the unsaturated sediments at the desert site. Laboratory results completed in May 1995 show activities of tritium and 14C were greater than expected, with measured tritium in the water vapor as high as 762 tritium units at a depth of 79 feet and measured 14C in carbon dioxide as high as 1,700 percent modern carbon at a depth of 18 feet.In July 1995, the uppermost five air ports in test hole UZB-2 were resampled. In addition, water vapor was collected for tritium analyses at a distant test hole, and water vapor for tritium analyses and carbon dioxide for 14C analyses were collected from three depths at the research shaft about 200 feet north of test hole UZB-2, and at two shallow probes (depth of 5.5 feet) next to the fence enclosing the burial site. Analyses of samples collected in the upper 112 feet from test hole UZB-2 in July 1995 show the same distribution of tritium and 14C as analyses of samples collected in April 1994, except that activities were somewhat greater in July. The greatest activities of tritium and 14C were measured from a shallow probe next to the fence with activities of 29,400 tritium units and 517,000 percent modern carbon, respectively.

15 CFR 1170.2 - Definition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Definition. 1170.2 Section 1170.2 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Commerce and Foreign Trade (Continued) TECHNOLOGY... measurement unit is a critical component of the activity, i.e., an agency rule/regulation to collect samples...

15 CFR 1170.2 - Definition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Definition. 1170.2 Section 1170.2 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Commerce and Foreign Trade (Continued) TECHNOLOGY... measurement unit is a critical component of the activity, i.e., an agency rule/regulation to collect samples...

15 CFR 1170.2 - Definition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Definition. 1170.2 Section 1170.2 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Commerce and Foreign Trade (Continued) TECHNOLOGY... measurement unit is a critical component of the activity, i.e., an agency rule/regulation to collect samples...

Genetic variability of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the Western Hemisphere

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) is a migratory and polyphagous pest of both cultivated and uncultivated plant species in the Western Hemisphere. We investigated the genetic diversity of FAW by collecting 31 representative samples from the United States, Argentina, Panama...

76 FR 71511 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2012 Company Organization Survey

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-18

..., multipurpose Business Register (BR) database. In particular, the COS supplies critical information on the... to identify all known United States business establishments and their parent companies. Further, the BR must accurately record basic business attributes needed to control sampling and enumeration. These...

78 FR 19190 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2013 Company Organization Survey

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-29

..., multipurpose Business Register (BR) database. In particular, the COS supplies critical information on the... to identify all known United States business establishments and their parent companies. Further, the BR must accurately record basic business attributes needed to control sampling and enumeration. These...

Electronic gaming machines and gambling disorder: A cross-cultural comparison between treatment-seeking subjects from Brazil and the United States.

PubMed

Medeiros, Gustavo C; Leppink, Eric W; Yaemi, Ana; Mariani, Mirella; Tavares, Hermano; Grant, Jon E

2015-12-15

The objective of this paper is to perform a cross-cultural comparison of gambling disorder (GD) due to electronic gaming machines (EGM), a form of gambling that may have a high addictive potential. Our goal is to investigate two treatment-seeking samples of adults collected in Brazil and the United States, countries with different socio-cultural backgrounds. This comparison may lead to a better understanding of cultural influences on GD. The total studied sample involved 733 treatment-seeking subjects: 353 men and 380 women (average age=45.80, standard deviation ±10.9). The Brazilian sample had 517 individuals and the American sample 216. Subjects were recruited by analogous strategies. We found that the Brazilian sample was younger, predominantly male, less likely to be Caucasian, more likely to be partnered, tended to have a faster progression from recreational gambling to GD, and were more likely to endorse chasing losses. This study demonstrated that there are significant differences between treatment-seeking samples of adults presenting GD due to EGM in Brazil and in the United States. These findings suggest that cultural aspects may have a relevant role in GD due to EGM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Service-Learning General Chemistry: Lead Paint Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kesner, Laya; Eyring, Edward M.

1999-07-01

Houses painted with lead-based paints are ubiquitous in the United States because the houses and the paint have not worn out two decades after federal regulations prohibited inclusion of lead in paint. Remodeling older homes thus poses a health threat for infants and small children living in those homes. In a service-learning general chemistry class, students disseminate information about this health threat in an older neighborhood. At some of the homes they collect paint samples that they analyze for lead both qualitatively and quantitatively. This service-learning experience generates enthusiasm for general chemistry through the process of working on a "real" problem. Sample collection familiarizes the students with the concept of "representative" sampling. The sample preparation for atomic absorption spectroscopic (AAS) analysis enhances their laboratory skills. The focus of this paper is on the mechanics of integrating this particular service project into the first-term of the normal general chemistry course.

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.

2008-01-01

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

Ground-penetrating radar and differential global positioning system data collected from Long Beach Island, New Jersey, April 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zaremba, Nicholas J.; Smith, Kathryn E.L.; Bishop, James M.; Smith, Christopher G.

2016-08-04

Scientists from the United States Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, and students from the University of Hawaii at Manoa collected sediment cores, sediment surface grab samples, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) data from within the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge–Holgate Unit located on the southern end of Long Beach Island, New Jersey, in April 2015 (FAN 2015-611-FA). The study’s objective was to identify washover deposits in the stratigraphic record to aid in understanding barrier island evolution. This report is an archive of GPR and DGPS data collected from Long Beach Island in 2015. Data products, including raw GPR and processed DGPS data, elevation corrected GPR profiles, and accompanying Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata can be downloaded from the Data Downloads page.

Genetic diversity of Hepatozoon spp. in coyotes from the south-central United States.

PubMed

Starkey, Lindsay A; Panciera, Roger J; Paras, Kelsey; Allen, Kelly E; Reiskind, Michael H; Reichard, Mason V; Johnson, Eileen M; Little, Susan E

2013-04-01

To better define the strains and species of Hepatozoon that infect coyotes in the south-central United States, whole blood and muscle samples were collected from 44 coyotes from 6 locations in Oklahoma and Texas. Samples were evaluated by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers amplifying a variable region of the apicomplexan 18S rRNA gene as well as histopathology (muscle only) for presence of tissue cysts. Hepatozoon spp. infections were identified in 79.5% (35/44) of coyotes tested including 27 of 44 (61.4%) whole blood samples and 17 of 44 (38.6%) muscle samples tested by PCR and 23 of 44 (52.3%) muscle samples evaluated by histological examination. Analysis revealed 19 distinct sequences comprising 3 major clusters of Hepatozoon spp., i.e., 1 most closely related to Hepatozoon americanum, another most closely related to Hepatozoon canis , and the third an intermediate between the 2 groups. The diversity of Hepatozoon spp. in wild canids appears greater than previously recognized and warrants further investigation.

1979 Reserve Force Studies Surveys: Survey Design, Sample Design and Administrative Procedures,

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

three factors: the need for a statistically significant number of usable questionnaires from different groups within the random sampls and from...Because of the multipurpose nature of these surveys and the large number of questions needed to fully address some of the topics covered, we...varies. Collection of data at the unit level is needed to accurately estimate actual reserve compensation and benefits and their possible role in both

United States Air Force Guide to Operational Surveillance of Medically Important Vectors and Pests Operational Entomology

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-15

Programs Section 3. Sampling Equipment Sampling Equipment Solid-State Army Miniature (SSAM) trap ABC style trap Encephalitis Vector Survey Trap CDC...Baseline Survey - these are conducted to determine the types of vectors and pests occurring in the area of operations, their respective breeding sites...or source habitat, and seasonal activity patterns. Operational Survey - data collected in an operational survey are used specifically to aid pest

Water resources of Lincoln County, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eddy-Miller, C. A.; Plafcan, Maria; Clark, M.L.

1996-01-01

Streamflow and ground-water quantity and quality data were collected and analyzed, 1993 through 1995, and historical data were compiled to summarize the water resources of Lincoln County.Deposits of Quaternary age, in the valleys of the Bear River and Salt River, had the most well development of any geologic unit in the county.The most productive alluvial aquifers were located in the Bear River Valley and Star Valley with pumping wells discharging up to 2,000 gallons perminute. The ground-water connection between the Overthrust Belt and the Green River Basin is restricted as a result of the folding and faulting that occurred during middle Mesozoic and early Cenozoic time. Total water use in Lincoln County during 1993 was estimated to be 405,000 million gallons. Surface water was the source for 98 percent of the water used in the county. Hydroelectric power generation and irrigation used the largest amounts of water. Dissolved-solids concentrations varied greatly for water samples collected from 35 geologic units inventoried. Dissolved-solids concentrations in all water samples from the LaneyMember of the Green River Formation were greater than the Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level of 500 milligrams per liter established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Statistical analysis of data collected from wells in the Star Valley monitoring study indicated there was no significant difference between data collected during different seasons, and no correlation between the nitrate concentrations and depth to ground water.

Collection and analysis of samples for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in dust and other solids related to sealed and unsealed pavement from 10 cities across the United States, 2005-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, Peter C.; Mahler, Barbara J.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Burbank, Teresa L.

2008-01-01

Parking lots and driveways are dominant features of the modern urban landscape, and in the United States, sealcoat is widely used on these surfaces. One of the most widely used types of sealcoat contains refined coal tar; coal-tar-based sealcoat products have a mean polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentration of about 5 percent. A previous study reported that parking lots in Austin, Texas, treated with coal-tar sealcoat were a major source of PAH compounds in streams. This report presents methods for and data from the analysis of concentrations of PAH compounds in dust from sealed and unsealed pavement from nine U.S. cities, and concentrations of PAH compounds in other related solid materials (sealcoat surface scrapings, nearby street dust, and nearby soil) from three of those same cities and a 10th city. Dust samples were collected by sweeping dust from areas of several square meters with a soft nylon brush into a dustpan. Some samples were from individual lots or driveways, and some samples consisted of approximately equal amounts of material from three lots. Samples were sieved to remove coarse sand and gravel and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Concentrations of PAHs vary greatly among samples with total PAH (sigmaPAH), the sum of 12 unsubstituted parent PAHs, ranging from nondetection for all 12 PAHs (several samples from Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington; sigmaPAH of less than 36,000 micrograms per kilogram) to 19,000,000 micrograms per kilogram for a sealcoat scraping sample (Milwaukee, Wisconsin). The largest PAH concentrations in dust are from a driveway sample from suburban Chicago, Illinois (sigmaPAH of 9,600,000 micrograms per kilogram).

Job satisfaction among British and American hospital staff nurses.

PubMed

Kelly, B

1991-01-01

The basic research design was descriptive, correlational, and non-experimental. Sampling was nonprobability; a convenience sample was obtained after subjects gave informed consent. A Likert-type attitude scale was used to collect data on job satisfaction. The population was full-time hospital staff nurses and a total sample of 146 participated in the project. The settings were four hospitals, two in the north of England and two in the midwest United States. The British study was done three years after the American. Data were collected by questionnaire, which was distributed by hand and collected personally. Results revealed British nurses were very dissatisfied with pay. If it were not for the pay component, the British nurses would have scored significantly higher than Americans on overall satisfaction. American nurses perceived greater satisfaction with their nursing colleagues than the British but were less satisfied with administration. However, British nurses perceived a more cooperative relationship with physicians. British nurses, despite their complete dissatisfaction with pay, would overwhelmingly choose nursing again.

Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for Waco NTMS quadrangle, Texas

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

Not Available

1981-07-31

Results of a reconnaissance geochemical survey of the Waco Quadrangle are reported. Field and laboratory data are presented for 218 groundwater and 614 stream sediment samples. Statistical and areal distribution of uranium and possible uranium-related variables are displayed. A generalized geologic map of the survey area is provided, and pertinent geologic factors which may be of significance in evaluating the potential for uranium mineralization are briefly discussed. Groundwater data indicate that uranium concentrations above the 85th percentile occur primarily in the Upper cretaceous units (Navarro, Taylor, and Woodbine Groups) and Lower Cretaceous carbonate units (Fredricksburg and Wilcox Groups). Saline watermore » trends are also prominent in these units. Stream sediment data indicate high uranium concentrations occur in the western portion of the quadrangle. Most of the samples with high uranium values are collected from the Upper and Lower Cretaceous and Tertiary units. Associated with the high uranium values are high concentrations of aluminum, chromium, iron, scandium, yttrium, zinc, and zirconium.« less

Rotavirus vaccine strain transmission by vaccinated infants in the foster home.

PubMed

Miura, Hiroki; Kawamura, Yoshiki; Sugata, Ken; Koshiyama, Nozomi; Yoshikawa, Akiko; Komoto, Satoshi; Taniguchi, Koki; Ihira, Masaru; Yoshikawa, Tetsushi

2017-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated the transmission of rotavirus vaccine strains from vaccinated children to nonvaccinated siblings. We sought to fully elucidate the safety of rotavirus (RV) vaccination in closed contact circumstance, such as the foster home for future assessment of the vaccine safety in an neonatal intensive care unit. Stool samples were collected from 4 RV vaccinated (160 samples) and 23 unvaccinated (766 samples) infants. RV viral RNA loads were measured using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RV vaccine strain RNA was persistently detected in stool samples collected from the four vaccine recipients and one unvaccinated infant, but not in the stool samples collected from the 22 other unvaccinated infants. The unvaccinated infant who tested positive for the RV vaccine strain was vaccinated prior to enrollment in this study. The quantitative real-time RT-PCR data revealed a peak viral RNA load 1 week after vaccination followed by a gradual decrease. The current study suggests that RV vaccination may be safe in a close contact environment because there was limited transmission from RV vaccinated to unvaccinated infants. J. Med. Virol. 89:79-84, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An audit improves the quality of water within the dental unit water lines of three separate facilities of a United Kingdom NHS Trust.

PubMed

Chate, R A C

2006-11-11

To improve the quality of water emanating from dental unit waterlines (DUWLs). A prospective clinical audit. Three geographically separate district dental facilities of a United Kingdom NHS Trust, involving two community clinics and one hospital orthodontic department, which were evaluated between 2002 and 2004. Samples of water discharged from the DUWLs were collected prior to the start and midway through a morning session. These were tested microbiologically at a United Kingdom Accreditation Service testing laboratory within six hours of sampling. One of the clinics followed the contemporaneous BDA advice of flushing water through its DUWLs while the other two clinics used separate intermittent disinfection purging regimes instead. One of them used a two stage protocol of Ethylene Diamine Tetra-Acetic acid followed by hydrogen peroxide, while the other used Bio 2000 as a single agent, which was subsequently superseded by the continuous use of super-oxidised water (Sterilox). To assess whether the samples either met the American Dental Association's guideline on the quality of DUWL water, or the more stringent European Union standards for potable (drinking) water. The two units which used a disinfection regime both complied with the ADA guideline and the EU potable water standard. However, the unit which only flushed through its DUWLs without using a disinfectant failed to comply with either of them. After all three dental facilities subsequently standardised their DUWL disinfection regimes by using Bio 2000, the colony counts from all of the water samples thereafter remained well below the EU recommended level. The unit which progressed to using Sterilox as a continuous disinfectant achieved and maintained zero readings from its water samples. Clinical audit can result in the improvement of the quality of water that is discharged through DUWLs, thereby minimising both the risk of cross infection to vulnerable patients, as well as to dental staff chronically exposed to contaminated aerosols.

Distribution of living larger benthic foraminifera in littoral environments of the United Arab Emirates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiorini, Flavia; Lokier, Stephen W.

2015-04-01

The distribution of larger benthic foraminifera in Recent littoral environment of the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi and Western regions) was investigated with the aim of understanding the response of those foraminifera to an increase in water salinity. For this purpose, 100 sediment samples from nearshore shelf, beach-front, channel, lagoon, and intertidal environment were collected. Sampling was undertaken at a water depth shallower than 15 m in water with a temperature of 22 to 35˚C, a salinity ranging from 40 to 60‰ and a pH of 8. Samples were stained with rose Bengal at the moment of sample collection in order to identify living specimens. The most abundant epiphytic larger benthic foraminifera in the studied area were Peneroplis pertusus and P. planatus with less common Spirolina areatina, S. aciculate and Sorites marginalis. The living specimens of the above mentioned species with normal test growing were particularly abundant in the nearshore shelf and lagoonal samples collected on seaweed. Dead specimens were concentrated in the coarser sediments of the beach-front, probably transported from nearby environments. Shallow coastal ponds are located in the upper intertidal zone and have a maximum salinity of 60‰ and contain abundant detached seagrass. Samples collected from these ponds possess a living foraminifera assemblage dominated by Peneroplis pertusus and P. planatus. High percentages (up to 50% of the stained assemblage) of Peneroplis presented abnormality in test growth, such as the presence of multiple apertures with reduced size, deformation in the general shape of the test, irregular suture lines and abnormal coiling. The high percentage of abnormal tests reflects natural environmental stress mainly caused by high and variable salinity. The unique presence of living epiphytic species, suggests that epiphytic foraminifera may be transported into the pond together with seagrass and continued to live in the pond. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that all of the foraminifera with abnormal test growth were adults and exhibiting a normal proloculus and normal growth of the earlier chambers.

Inventory of Drug Samples in a Health Care Institution

PubMed Central

Soucy, Geneviève; Bussières, Jean-François; Tardif, Lyne; Bailey, Benoît

2009-01-01

Background: Few data exist on the presence of drug samples in health care facilities. Although the use of drug samples has potential benefits, this practice is also controversial, as it can contribute to non-optimal drug use. The objective of this study was to evaluate the inventory of drug samples in a health care institution and to determine compliance with existing policies and procedures. Methods: This descriptive observational study was conducted in a university hospital centre from October 18 to November 1, 2007. A standardized data collection form was used for a physical inventory, which was intended to identify all drug samples available in the institution. The following information was recorded: number of locations where drug samples were found, primary patient care activity performed at each location, number of storage areas in the location, type of storage, presence of a lock, location of the key (if a lock was present), medical specialty, number of physicians and nurses likely to use the samples, reasons given for handing out samples, presence of a designated person to manage the samples, physical inventory (i.e., various details for each distribution unit), and declaration of samples to the pharmacy department. The inventory was conducted by 2 research assistants during day shifts. Results: A total of 84 locations were included in the inventory, and drug samples were found in 21 locations (with a total of 31 storage areas). All of the locations were intended for ambulatory patients (outpatient clinics and day centres). No drug samples were found in inpatient care units. The drug samples, which came from 62 different pharmaceutical companies, represented a total of 159 generic entities and 266 different brands. Of the distribution units for drug samples that were identified during this inventory, 59% were not on the hospital’s local formulary. Furthermore, only 3.5% of the distribution units had been declared to the pharmacy department, in accordance with established policy. The sample distribution units, including expired units, totalled 78 955 doses, with a total value of Can$48 783 (based on unit prices in effect in October 2007). Conclusion: This study presents an inventory of drug samples in an urban health care institution and reports compliance with the institution’s policies and procedures regarding drug samples. Samples were found only in outpatient clinics and represented 2.4 times the hospital’s floor stock of medications. Most of the samples inventoried were not listed on the hospital’s formulary. It appears that the use of drug samples is underestimated in hospital settings. Further studies are needed to evaluate the importance of drug samples and the risks associated with their use. PMID:22478908

77 FR 21563 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-10

... OMB Review; Comment Request Title: Annual Survey of Refugees (Form ORR-9). OMB No.: 0970-0033. Description: The Annual Survey of Refugees collects information on the social and economic circumstances of a random sample of refugees, Amerasians, and entrants who arrived in the United States in the five years...

Microbial pathogens in source and treated waters from drinking water treatment plants in the US

EPA Science Inventory

An occurrence survey was conducted on selected pathogens in source and treated drinking water collected from 25 drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in the United States. Water samples were analyzed for the protozoa Giardia and Cryptosporidium (EPA Method 1623); the fungi Asp...

40 CFR 264.97 - General ground-water monitoring requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... collection of ground-water samples. The annular space (i.e., the space between the bore hole and well casing... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false General ground-water monitoring... FACILITIES Releases From Solid Waste Management Units § 264.97 General ground-water monitoring requirements...

Evaluation of Bacteroides fragilis GB-124 bacteriophages as novel human-associated faecal indicators in the United States

EPA Science Inventory

Phages infecting human-associated Bacteroides fragilis (GB-124 phages) have been employed in the European Union (EU) to identify human fecal pollution, but their utility for U.S. was unclear. Primary sewage effluent samples were collected seasonally from seven wastewater treatme...

PHOTOCHEMICALLY-INDUCED ALTERATION OF STABLE CARBON ISOTOPE RATIOS (DELTA C-13) IN TERRIGENOUS DISSOLVED ORGANIC CARBON

EPA Science Inventory

Exposure of riverine waters to natural sunlight initiated alterations in stable carbon isotope ratios (delta C-13) of the associated dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Water samples were collected from two compositionally distinct coastal river systems in the southeastern United Sta...

A Multi-State Study of Off-Farm Employment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wozniak, Patricia J.; And Others

1988-01-01

The scope, development, and implementation of a seven-state study on the impact of farm wives' employment on family functioning and economic productivity are described. The procedures used in questionnaire development, sampling, and data collection are reported, along with information on item and unit nonresponse. All the articles in this special…

A SURVEY OF THE MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF WATER USED IN DENTAL TREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

In recent years there has been a growing awareness of the microbiological quality of water used in dental water systems. The purpose of this study was to conduct a microbiological survey of dental water units within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Water samples were collected and ...

& Source apportionment of particulate matter in the United States and associations with lung inflammatory Markers

EPA Science Inventory

Size-fractionated particulate matter (PM) samples were collected from six U.S. cities and chemically analyzed as part of the Multiple Air Pollutant Study. Particles were administered to cultured lung cells and the production of three different proinflammatory markers was measured...

40 CFR 98.243 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) through (b)(3). (c) Mass balance for each petrochemical process unit. Calculate the emissions of CO2 from...). (3) Collect a sample of each feedstock and product at least once per month and determine the carbon... carbon content measurements are made during the monthly measurement period, average them arithmetically...

76 FR 23539 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Commodity Flow Survey

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-27

... planning organizations, and the business community. The Commodity Flow Survey is co-sponsored by the Bureau... Transportation. The survey provides data on the movement of commodities in the United States from their origin to... business establishments, requesting data on a limited sample of shipment records from each establishment...

Size-Differentiated Chemical Composition of Re-Suspended Soil Dust from the Desert Southwest United States

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the Desert Southwest Coarse Particulate Matter Study which characterized the composition of fine and coarse particulate matter in Pinal County, AZ, several source samples were collected from several different soil types to assist in source apportionment analysis of the...

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT - GREAT RIVER ECOSYSTEMS PROGRAM (EMAP-GRE) GREAT RIVER ECOSYSTEMS FIELD OPERATIONS MANUAL

EPA Science Inventory

This manual describes procedures for collecting samples and field measurements for biotic assemblages and abiotic characteristics of the Great Rivers of the Central Basin of the United States: the Missouri, Upper Mississippi, and Ohio Rivers. In addition to the technical and logi...

Online Support Service Quality, Online Learning Acceptance, and Student Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jung-Wan

2010-01-01

This paper examines potential differences between Korean and American students in terms of their perception levels regarding online education support service quality, online learning acceptance, and satisfaction. Eight hundred and seventy-two samples, which were collected from students in online classes in the United States and Korea, were…

Intimate Adult Relationships, Quality of Life and Psychological Adjusment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khaleque, Abdul

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess relations between adult intimacy, quality of life, and psychological adjustment. Data were collected in the United States from a sample of 64 college students. The measuring instruments used were Personal Information Sheet, Adult version of the Personality Assessment Questionnaire (Adult PAQ), Intimate…

CLASSIFICATION OF PAH-DEGRADING BACTERIA BY PAH UTILIZATION PATTERNS AND THE COMPARISON OF METABOLIC PRODUCTS

EPA Science Inventory

Bacterial strains capable of using either phenanthrene, fluoranthene, or pyrene as sole carbon and energy sources were isolated from 16 different soil samples collected from the United States, Germany, and Norway. Thirty one strains were isolated on fluoranthene and the other twe...

Biological effects of desert dust in respiratory epithelial cells and a murine model.

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract As a result of the challenge of recent dust storms to public health, we tested the postulate that desert dust collected in the southwestern United States could impact a biological effect in respiratory epithelial cells and an animal model. Two samples of surface sedime...

Methods for collection and analysis of aquatic biological and microbiological samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Britton, L.J.; Greeson, P.E.

1989-01-01

The series of chapters on techniques describes methods used by the U.S. Geological Survey for planning and conducting water-resources investigations. The material is arranged under major subject headings called books and is further subdivided into sections and chapters. Book 5 is on laboratory analysis. Section A is on water. The unit of publication, the chapter, is limited to a narrow field of subject matter. "Methods for Collection and Analysis of Aquatic Biological and Microbiological Samples" is the fourth chapter to be published under Section A of Book 5. The chapter number includes the letter of the section.This chapter was prepared by several aquatic biologists and microbiologists of the U.S. Geological Survey to provide accurate and precise methods for the collection and analysis of aquatic biological and microbiological samples.Use of brand, firm, and trade names in this chapter is for identification purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey.This chapter supersedes "Methods for Collection and Analysis of Aquatic Biological and Microbiological Samples" edited by P.E. Greeson, T.A. Ehlke, G.A. Irwin, B.W. Lium, and K.V. Slack (U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, Book 5, Chapter A4, 1977) and also supersedes "A Supplement to-Methods for Collection and Analysis of Aquatic Biological and Microbiological Samples" by P.E. Greeson (U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, Book 5, Chapter A4), Open-File Report 79-1279, 1979.

Widespread molecular detection of Legionella pneumophila Serogroup 1 in cold water taps across the United States.

PubMed

Donohue, Maura J; O'Connell, Katharine; Vesper, Stephen J; Mistry, Jatin H; King, Dawn; Kostich, Mitch; Pfaller, Stacy

2014-03-18

In the United States, 6,868 cases of legionellosis were reported to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2009-2010. Of these reports, it is estimated that 84% are caused by the microorganism Legionella pneumophila Serogroup (Sg) 1. Legionella spp. have been isolated and recovered from a variety of natural freshwater environments. Human exposure to L. pneumophila Sg1 may occur from aerosolization and subsequent inhalation of household and facility water. In this study, two primer/probe sets (one able to detect L. pneumophila and the other L. pneumophila Sg1) were determined to be highly sensitive and selective for their respective targets. Over 272 water samples, collected in 2009 and 2010 from 68 public and private water taps across the United States, were analyzed using the two qPCR assays to evaluate the incidence of L. pneumophila Sg1. Nearly half of the taps showed the presence of L. pneumophila Sg1 in one sampling event, and 16% of taps were positive in more than one sampling event. This study is the first United States survey to document the occurrence and colonization of L. pneumophila Sg1 in cold water delivered from point of use taps.

Report of sampling and analysis results, Addison Army housing units, Addison, Illinois. Final report

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

Not Available

1990-09-01

The objectives of this sampling and analysis effort include further characterization of environmental contamination identified in an enhanced preliminary assessment carried out in 1989. The specific activities performed at this site were identification, evaluation of the condition, and collection of samples from specific suspected asbestos-containing materials, including floor tiles, pipe run and pipe fitting insulation, dust in the ductwork, and exterior siding, where present. These evaluation were necessary to clarify potential environmental issues identified in the earlier report, prior to the sale or realignment of the property.

Optimization of sampling parameters for collection and preconcentration of alveolar air by needle traps.

PubMed

Filipiak, Wojciech; Filipiak, Anna; Ager, Clemens; Wiesenhofer, Helmut; Amann, Anton

2012-06-01

The approach for breath-VOCs' collection and preconcentration by applying needle traps was developed and optimized. The alveolar air was collected from only a few exhalations under visual control of expired CO(2) into a large gas-tight glass syringe and then warmed up to 45 °C for a short time to avoid condensation. Subsequently, a specially constructed sampling device equipped with Bronkhorst® electronic flow controllers was used for automated adsorption. This sampling device allows time-saving collection of expired/inspired air in parallel onto three different needle traps as well as improvement of sensitivity and reproducibility of NT-GC-MS analysis by collection of relatively large (up to 150 ml) volume of exhaled breath. It was shown that the collection of alveolar air derived from only a few exhalations into a large syringe followed by automated adsorption on needle traps yields better results than manual sorption by up/down cycles with a 1 ml syringe, mostly due to avoided condensation and electronically controlled stable sample flow rate. The optimal profile and composition of needle traps consists of 2 cm Carbopack X and 1 cm Carboxen 1000, allowing highly efficient VOCs' enrichment, while injection by a fast expansive flow technique requires no modifications in instrumentation and fully automated GC-MS analysis can be performed with a commercially available autosampler. This optimized analytical procedure considerably facilitates the collection and enrichment of alveolar air, and is therefore suitable for application at the bedside of critically ill patients in an intensive care unit. Due to its simplicity it can replace the time-consuming sampling of sufficient breath volume by numerous up/down cycles with a 1 ml syringe.

Surface sampling for endotoxin assessment using electrostatic wiping cloths.

PubMed

Thorne, Peter S; Metwali, Nervana; Avol, Ed; McConnell, Rob S

2005-07-01

Much of the cost of exposure assessment for studies of residential cohorts is in scheduling and travel time for field staff. One way to reduce costs is to simplify methods such that subjects can sample their own residence. Analysis of settled dust is being widely used for assessment of exposures to allergens, lead and pesticides and can also be used for endotoxins. While vacuum sampling is the most common surface sampling method, wipe sampling has the advantage that it can be readily performed by the resident when convenient and samples can then be mailed to researchers. Thus, we evaluated the feasibility of wipe sampling for endotoxin environmental assessment using electrostatic wipes with or without the use of disposable examination gloves. Multiple lots of six types of commercial wipes and eight types of gloves were extracted and analyzed for endotoxin content using the kinetic chromogenic Limulus amebocyte lysate assay. Wipes were compared across brands, between lots, within lots, between pairs depending on proximity to cardboard packaging, and in wipe tests with or without gloves. Collected dust samples of known concentration were also tested in spiking assays for endotoxin recovery. The most striking finding was the high variability of endotoxin contamination of both wipes and gloves across brands and between various lots. The content of endotoxin in unused gloves ranged from <1.5 to 5810 endotoxin units (EU). The range for unused wipes was 3.6-87.8 EU. Surfaces of equal loading and area were sampled using three types of cloths that had low initial endotoxin contamination. The cloths were very good at collecting dust and endotoxin could be assayed from aqueous extracts of the wipes. Samples collected using cloths with bare washed hands yielded higher endotoxin loading per mass of collected dust versus samples collected wearing endotoxin-free gloves. This demonstrated additional endotoxin loading from the subject's hand. This study shows that wipe sampling while wearing medical gloves can be an effective method for collecting and assessing endotoxin on surfaces, so long as each lot of wipes and gloves have been tested and determined to be low in endotoxin.

Geochemistry of soils and shallow ground water, with emphasis on arsenic and selenium, in part of the Garrison Diversion Unit, North Dakota, 1985-87

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goolsby, D.A.; Severson, R.C.; Wilson, S.A.; Webber, Kurt

1989-01-01

The Garrison Diversion Unit is being constructed to transfer water from the Missouri River (Lake Sakakawea) to areas in east-central and southeastern North Dakota for expanded irrigation of agricultural lands. During initial investigations of irrigation return flows in 1969-76, the potential effects of toxic elements were considered, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation concluded these elements would have no adverse effects on streams receiving return flows. After the development of problems associated with selenium in irrigation return flows in the western San Joaquin Valley, Calif., in 1985, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation initiated additional studies, including an investigation conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey, to assist in collecting and evaluating trace-element data. Also, in 1986, with the passage of the Garrison Diversion Unit Reformulation Act, Congress mandated that soil surveys be conducted to determine if there are "*** soil characteristics which might result in toxic or hazardous irrigation return flows."In order to address this issue, an investigation was conducted during 1995-87 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to determine the occurrence and distribution of arsenic, selenium, and other trace elements in the soils of six potential irrigation areas along the Garrison Diversion Unit route and in the James River basin. A total of 165 soil samples were collected and analyzed for total concentrations of as many as 42 elements, including arsenic and selenium. In addition, 81 of the samples were analyzed for water-extractable concentrations of 14 elements, including arsenic and selenium, to aid in determining the extent to which they might be mobilized by the irrigation water. In a detailed phase of the investigation, 376 water samples were collected in one of the six potential irrigation areas, the west Oakes irrigation area. Most of these samples were analyzed for arsenic, selenium, and as many as 28 other elements.Results of the investigation indicate that soils in the potential irrigation areas contain small concentrations of arsenic, selenium, and other trace elements. The geometric mean concentrations of total arsenic and selenium were 4.15 and 0.13 milligrams per kilogram, respectively, which are considerably smaller than those measured in the western San Joaquin Valley, Calif., and soils from other areas in the western United States. Water-extractable concentrations of arsenic and selenium, determined on 1:5 soil to water extractions, generally were less than 10 percent of the total concentrations. The geometric mean water-extractable concentrations for both elements were 0.02 milligram per kilogram or less.The median and maximum concentrations of all constituents and properties indicative of irrigation drainage were tens to hundreds of times smaller in the Oakes test area drains than in western San Joaquin Valley drains. The maximum arsenic concentration in ground-water samples was 44 micrograms per liter, and the median concentration was 4 micrograms per liter. The maximum concentration in drain samples was 11 micrograms per liter, and the median concentration was 3 micrograms per liter.Only 22 percent of the water samples collected from wells in the Oakes test area contained detectable concentrations (1 microgram per liter or more) of selenium. However, selenium was detected in 63 percent of the samples collected from sites on drains. The greater incidence of detection of selenium in the drain samples is interpreted as an effect of the more oxidizing environment of the drains, which are about 8 feet below land surface near the top of the water table. The median selenium concentration in the drain samples, however, was only 1 microgram per liter, and the maximum concentration in 63 drain samples was 4 micrograms per liter. For comparison, the median selenium concentrations reported for drains in the western San Joaquin Valley, Calif., ranged from 84 to 320 micrograms per liter. Mater from two observation wells had the largest selenium concentrations (8 and 9 micrograms per liter) measured during the investigation. These were the only two samples that exceeded any of the water-quality regulations, standards, or criteria for selenium. Mercury and boron were the only other trace elements that exceeded standards and criteria. The median concentration of mercury was less than 0.1 microgram per liter, and the maximum concentration was 0.8 microgram per liter. The chronic freshwater-aquatic-life criterion for mercury (0.012 microgram per liter) is about 10 times less than the laboratory detection limit and is derived from bioconcentration factors based on methylmercury. Two boron samples exceeded the irrigation criteria of 750 micrograms per liter. Comparisons with criteria and standards indicate that the concentrations of trace elements determined in samples from wells and drains in the Oakes test area during this investigation should not adversely affect human and aquatic life or irrigated crops. The data collected indicate that the soils and ground water in the Garrison Diversion Unit contain small concentrations of trace elements, including arsenic and selenium. Based on a detailed study of soils and ground water in the west Oakes irrigation area, however, there is no evidence that expanded irrigation will mobilize these elements in concentrations large enough to adversely affect aquatic life in the James River ecosystem, based on current regulations, standards, and criteria. Data are not currently available to make definitive statements about selenium concentrations in ground water in Garrison Diversion Unit irrigation areas other than the west Oakes Irrigation area. Data available on total and water-extractable selenium concentrations in soils t however, indicate that concentrations in ground water would be similar to those determined in the west Oakes irrigation area. Plans have been developed to sample ground water in the additional areas.

Development of fast wireless detection system for fixed offshore platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhigang; Yu, Yan; Jiao, Dong; Wang, Jie; Li, Zhirui; Ou, Jinping

2011-04-01

Offshore platforms' security is concerned since in 1950s and 1960s, and in the early 1980s some important specifications and standards are built, and all these provide technical basis of fixed platform design, construction, installation and evaluation. With the condition that more and more platforms are in serving over age, the research about the evaluation and detection technology of offshore platform has been a hotspot, especially underwater detection, and assessment method based on the finite element calculation. For fixed platform structure detection, conventional NDT methods, such as eddy current, magnetic powder, permeate, X-ray and ultrasonic, etc, are generally used. These techniques are more mature, intuitive, but underwater detection needs underwater robot, the necessary supporting tools of auxiliary equipment, and trained professional team, thus resources and cost used are considerable, installation time of test equipment is long. This project presents a new kind of fast wireless detection and damage diagnosis system for fixed offshore platform using wireless sensor networks, that is, wireless sensor nodes can be put quickly on the offshore platform, detect offshore platform structure global status by wireless communication, and then make diagnosis. This system is operated simply, suitable for offshore platform integrity states rapid assessment. The designed system consists in intelligence acquisition equipment and 8 wireless collection nodes, the whole system has 64 collection channels, namely every wireless collection node has eight 16-bit accuracy of A/D channels. Wireless collection node, integrated with vibration sensing unit, embedded low-power micro-processing unit, wireless transceiver unit, large-capacity power unit, and GPS time synchronization unit, can finish the functions such as vibration data collection, initial analysis, data storage, data wireless transmission. Intelligence acquisition equipment, integrated with high-performance computation unit, wireless transceiver unit, mobile power unit and embedded data analysis software, can totally control multi-wireless collection nodes, receive and analyze data, parameter identification. Data is transmitted at the 2.4GHz wireless communication channel, every sensing data channel in charge of data transmission is in a stable frequency band, control channel responsible for the control of power parameters is in a public frequency band. The test is initially conducted for the designed system, experimental results show that the system has good application prospects and practical value with fast arrangement, high sampling rate, high resolution, capacity of low frequency detection.

Status of personal health requirement for graduation at institutions of higher education in the United States.

PubMed

Henry, Dayna S; Aydt Klein, Nicole; Kempland, Monica; Rose Oswalt, Sarah; Rexilius, Molly A

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the proportion of higher education institutions in the United States that require a personal health course (PHC) for graduation and to describe the nature of such requirements. Participants: This study included a random sample of public and private institutions of higher education (IHE) with undergraduate programs within the United States (N = 310). Data were collected between September 2014 and May 2015. University catalogs were accessed from the institutions' public Web sites to determine whether a PHC was offered, and whether it was exclusively or optionally required for graduation. The majority (55.8%) of the sample offered at least 1 PHC, with only 10% exclusively requiring the course and an additional 10% optionally required the course. Although the utility of undergraduate students completing a PHC is clear, the majority of institutions do not require such a course for degree conferral.

The occurrence of volatile organic compounds in aquifers of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lapham, Wayne W.; Carter, Janet M.; Zogorski, John S.; Valder, Joshua F.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program recently completed a national assessment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground water (Zogorski and others, 2006). As part of this assessment, samples of ambient ground water collected from 3,498 wells during 1985-2002 were selected for characterizing the occurrence of 55 VOCs in 98 aquifer studies. The 55 VOCs were assigned to the following groups on the basis of their primary usage (or origin): (1) fumigants, (2) gasoline hydrocarbons, (3) gasoline oxygenates, (4) organic synthesis compounds, (5) refrigerants, (6) solvents, and (7) trihalo-methanes (chlorination by-products). The samples were collected throughout the conterminous United States as well as Alaska and Hawaii. The sampled wells had a variety of uses including domestic supply (61 percent), public supply (15 percent), monitoring (10 percent), other (13 percent), and unknown (1 percent). NAWQA aquifer studies are large-scale resource assessments of ground water that provide a general characterization of water-quality conditions in locally and regionally important aquifers or portions thereof. In general, the aquifers (or portions thereof) selected for study were some of the most intensively used aquifers for drinking water in greaterHawaiiOahuAlaskathe Nation. The 98 aquifer studies collectively provide an important national perspective on the current (1985-2002) extent of VOC contamination and regional patterns of VOC occurrence in ground water. More information about this national assessment of VOCs is available at a supporting Web site (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/vocs/national_assessment).

Water quality of hydrologic bench marks; an indicator of water quality in the natural environment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Biesecker, James E.; Leifeste, Donald K.

1974-01-01

Water-quality data, collected at 57 hydrologic bench-mark stations in 37 States, allow the definition of water quality in the 'natural' environment and the comparison of 'natural' water quality with water quality of major streams draining similar water-resources regions. Results indicate that water quality in the 'natural' environment is generally very good. Streams draining hydrologic bench-mark basins generally contain low concentrations of dissolved constituents. Water collected at the hydrologic bench-mark stations was analyzed for the following minor metals: arsenic, barium, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, silver, and zinc. Of 642 analyses, about 65 percent of the observed concentrations were zero. Only three samples contained metals in excess of U.S. Public Health Service recommended drinking-water standards--two selenium concentrations and one cadmium concentration. A total of 213 samples were analyzed for 11 pesticidal compounds. Widespread but very low-level occurrence of pesticide residues in the 'natural' environment was found--about 30 percent of all samples contained low-level concentrations of pesticidal compounds. The DDT family of pesticides occurred most commonly, accounting for 75 percent of the detected occurrences. The highest observed concentration of DDT was 0.06 microgram per litre, well below the recommended maximum permissible in drinking water. Nitrate concentrations in the 'natural' environment generally varied from 0.2 to 0.5 milligram per litre. The average concentration of nitrate in many major streams is as much as 10 times greater. The relationship between dissolved-solids concentration and discharge per unit area in the 'natural' environment for the various physical divisions in the United States has been shown to be an applicable tool for approximating 'natural' water quality. The relationship between dissolved-solids concentration and discharge per unit area is applicable in all the physical divisions of the United States, except the Central Lowland province of the Interior Plains, the Great Plains province of the Interior Plains, and the Basin and Ridge province of the Intermontane Plateaus. The relationship between dissolved-solids concentration and discharge per unit area is least variable in the New England province and Blue Ridge province of the Appalachian Highlands. The dissolved-solids concentration versus discharge per unit area in the Central Lowland province of the Interior Plains is highly variable. A sample collected from the hydrologic bench-mark station at Bear Den Creek near Mandaree, N. Dak., contained 3,420 milligrams per litre dissolved solids. This high concentration in the 'natural' environment indicates that natural processes can be principal agents in modifying the environment and can cause degradation. Average annual runoff and rock type can be used as predictive tools to determine the maximum dissolved-solids concentration expected in the 'natural' environment.

Groundwater-quality data in the Santa Barbara study unit, 2011: results from the California GAMA Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Tracy A.; Kulongoski, Justin T.; Belitz, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Groundwater quality in the 48-square-mile Santa Barbara study unit was investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from January to February 2011, as part of the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program’s Priority Basin Project (PBP). The GAMA-PBP was developed in response to the California Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted in collaboration with the SWRCB and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The Santa Barbara study unit was the thirty-fourth study unit to be sampled as part of the GAMA-PBP. The GAMA Santa Barbara study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of untreated-groundwater quality in the primary aquifer system, and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of untreated-groundwater quality throughout California. The primary aquifer system is defined as those parts of the aquifers corresponding to the perforation intervals of wells listed in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database for the Santa Barbara study unit. Groundwater quality in the primary aquifer system may differ from the quality in the shallower or deeper water-bearing zones; shallow groundwater may be more vulnerable to surficial contamination. In the Santa Barbara study unit located in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, groundwater samples were collected from 24 wells. Eighteen of the wells were selected by using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study unit (grid wells), and six wells were selected to aid in evaluation of water-quality issues (understanding wells). The groundwater samples were analyzed for organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOCs], pesticides and pesticide degradates, and pharmaceutical compounds); constituents of special interest (perchlorate and N-nitrosodimethylamine [NDMA]); naturally occurring inorganic constituents (trace elements, nutrients, major and minor ions, silica, total dissolved solids [TDS], alkalinity, and arsenic, chromium, and iron species); and radioactive constituents (radon-222 and gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity). Naturally occurring isotopes (stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water, stables isotopes of inorganic carbon and boron dissolved in water, isotope ratios of dissolved strontium, tritium activities, and carbon-14 abundances) and dissolved noble gases also were measured to help identify the sources and ages of the sampled groundwater. In total, 281 constituents and water-quality indicators were measured. Three types of quality-control samples (blanks, replicates, and matrix spikes) were collected at up to 12 percent of the wells in the Santa Barbara study unit, and the results for these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data for the groundwater samples. Blanks rarely contained detectable concentrations of any constituent, suggesting that contamination from sample collection procedures was not a significant source of bias in the data for the groundwater samples. Replicate samples generally were within the limits of acceptable analytical reproducibility. Matrix-spike recoveries were within the acceptable range (70 to 130 percent) for approximately 82 percent of the compounds. This study did not attempt to evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers; after withdrawal from the ground, untreated groundwater typically is treated, disinfected, and (or) blended with other waters to maintain water quality. Regulatory benchmarks apply to water that is served to the consumer, not to untreated groundwater. However, to provide some context for the results, concentrations of constituents measured in the untreated groundwater were compared with regulatory and non-regulatory health-based benchmarks established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and CDPH and to non-regulatory benchmarks established for aesthetic concerns by CDPH. Comparisons between data collected for this study and benchmarks for drinking water are for illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of compliance or non-compliance with those benchmarks. All organic constituents and most inorganic constituents that were detected in groundwater samples from the 18 grid wells in the Santa Barbara study unit were detected at concentrations less than drinking-water benchmarks. Of the 220 organic and special-interest constituents sampled for at the 18 grid wells, 13 were detected in groundwater samples; concentrations of all detected constituents were less than regulatory and non-regulatory health-based benchmarks. In total, VOCs were detected in 61 percent of the 18 grid wells sampled, pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected in 11 percent, and perchlorate was detected in 67 percent. Polar pesticides and their degradates, pharmaceutical compounds, and NDMA were not detected in any of the grid wells sampled in the Santa Barbara study unit. Eighteen grid wells were sampled for trace elements, major and minor ions, nutrients, and radioactive constituents; most detected concentrations were less than health-based benchmarks. Exceptions are one detection of boron greater than the CDPH notification level (NL-CA) of 1,000 micrograms per liter (μg/L) and one detection of fluoride greater than the CDPH maximum contaminant level (MCL-CA) of 2 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Results for constituents with non-regulatory benchmarks set for aesthetic concerns from the grid wells showed that iron concentrations greater than the CDPH secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL-CA) of 300 μg/L were detected in three grid wells. Manganese concentrations greater than the SMCL-CA of 50 μg/L were detected in seven grid wells. Chloride was detected at a concentration greater than the SMCL-CA recommended benchmark of 250 mg/L in four grid wells. Sulfate concentrations greater than the SMCL-CA recommended benchmark of 250 mg/L were measured in eight grid wells, and the concentration in one of these wells was also greater than the SMCL-CA upper benchmark of 500 mg/L. TDS concentrations greater than the SMCL-CA recommended benchmark of 500 mg/L were measured in 17 grid wells, and concentrations in six of these wells were also greater than the SMCL-CA upper benchmark of 1,000 mg/L.

Post-Closure Monitoring Report for Corrective Action Unit 339: Area 12 Fleet Operations Steam Cleaning Effluent Nevada Test Site, Nevada

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

K. B. Campbell

2002-09-01

The Area 12 Fleet Operations Steam Cleaning Effluent site is located in the southeastern portion of the Area 12 Camp at the Nevada Test Site. This site is identified in the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (1996) as Corrective Action Site (CAS) 12-19-01 and is the only CAS assigned to Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 339. Post-closure sampling and inspection of the site were completed on March 27, 2002. Post-closure monitoring activities were scheduled biennially (every two years) in the Post-Closure Monitoring Plan provided in the Closure Report for CAU 339: Area 12 Fleet Operations Steam Cleaning Effluent, Nevada Testmore » Site (U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office [DOEN], 1997). A baseline for the site was established by sampling in 1997. Based on the recommendations from the 1999 post-closure monitoring report (DOE/NV, 1999), samples were collected in 2000, earlier than originally proposed, because the 1999 sample results did not provide the expected decrease in total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations at the site. Sampling results from 2000 (DOE/NV, 2000) and 2001 (DOE/NV, 2001) revealed favorable conditions for natural degradation at the CAU 339 site, but because of differing sample methods and heterogeneity of the soil, data results from 2000 and later were not directly correlated with previous results. Post-closure monitoring activities for 2002 consisted of the following: (1) Soil sample collection from three undisturbed plots (Plots A, B, and C, Figure 2). (2) Sample analysis for TPH as oil and bio-characterization parameters (Comparative Enumeration Assay [CEA] and Standard Nutrient Panel [SNP]). (3) Site inspection to evaluate the condition of the fencing and signs. (4) Preparation and submittal of the Post-Closure Monitoring Report.« less

Geochemistry of Rock Samples Collected from the Iron Hill Carbonatite Complex, Gunnison County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Gosen, Bradley S.

2008-01-01

A study conducted in 2006 by the U.S. Geological Survey collected 57 surface rock samples from nine types of intrusive rock in the Iron Hill carbonatite complex. This intrusive complex, located in Gunnison County of southwestern Colorado, is known for its classic carbonatite-alkaline igneous geology and petrology. The Iron Hill complex is also noteworthy for its diverse mineral resources, including enrichments in titanium, rare earth elements, thorium, niobium (columbium), and vanadium. This study was performed to reexamine the chemistry and metallic content of the major rock units of the Iron Hill complex by using modern analytical techniques, while providing a broader suite of elements than the earlier published studies. The report contains the geochemical analyses of the samples in tabular and digital spreadsheet format, providing the analytical results for 55 major and trace elements.

GeoLab's First Field Trials, 2010 Desert RATS: Evaluating Tools for Early Sample Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Cindy A.; Bell, M. S.; Calaway, M. J.; Graff, Trevor; Young, Kelsey

2011-01-01

As part of an accelerated prototyping project to support science operations tests for future exploration missions, we designed and built a geological laboratory, GeoLab, that was integrated into NASA's first generation Habitat Demonstration Unit-1/Pressurized Excursion Module (HDU1-PEM). GeoLab includes a pressurized glovebox for transferring and handling samples collected on geological traverses, and a suite of instruments for collecting preliminary data to help characterize those samples. The GeoLab and the HDU1-PEM were tested for the first time as part of the 2010 Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS), NASA's analog field exercise for testing mission technologies. The HDU1- PEM and GeoLab participated in two weeks of joint operations in northern Arizona with two crewed rovers and the DRATS science team.

Radiochemical analyses of surface water from U.S. Geological Survey hydrologic bench-mark stations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Janzer, V.J.; Saindon, L.G.

1972-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's program for collecting and analyzing surface-water samples for radiochemical constituents at hydrologic bench-mark stations is described. Analytical methods used during the study are described briefly and data obtained from 55 of the network stations in the United States during the period from 1967 to 1971 are given in tabular form.Concentration values are reported for dissolved uranium, radium, gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity. Values are also given for suspended gross alpha radioactivity in terms of natural uranium. Suspended gross beta radioactivity is expressed both as the equilibrium mixture of strontium-90/yttrium-90 and as cesium-137.Other physical parameters reported which describe the samples include the concentrations of dissolved and suspended solids, the water temperature and stream discharge at the time of the sample collection.

[Bacteriological quality of air in a ward for sterile pharmaceutical preparations].

PubMed

Caorsi P, Beatriz; Sakurada Z, Andrea; Ulloa F, M Teresa; Pezzani V, Marcela; Latorre O, Paz

2011-02-01

An extremely clean area is required for preparation of sterile pharmaceutical compounds, in compliance with international standards, to minimize the probability of microbial contamination. To evaluate the bacteriological quality of the air in the Sterile Pharmaceutical Preparation Unit of the University of Chile's Clinical Hospital and to set up alerts and action levels of bacterial growth. We studied eight representative sites of our Unit on a daily basis from January to February 2005 and twice a week from June 2005 to February 2006. We collected 839 samples of air by impact in the Petri dish. 474 (56.5%) samples were positive; 17 (3.5%) of them had an inappropriate bacterial growth (2% of total samples). The samples from sites 1 and 2 (big and small biosafety cabinets) were negative. The countertop and transfer area occasionally exceeded the bacterial growth limits. The most frequently isolated bacteria were coagulase-negative staphylococci, Micrococcus spp and Corynebacterium spp, from skin microbiota, and Bacillus spp, an environmental bacteria. From a microbiological perspective, the air quality in our sterile preparation unit complied with international standards. Setting institutional alerts and action levels and appropriately identifying bacteria in sensitive areas permits quantification of the microbial load and application of preventive measures.

Household Coverage of Fortified Staple Food Commodities in Rajasthan, India.

PubMed

Aaron, Grant J; Sodani, Prahlad R; Sankar, Rajan; Fairhurst, John; Siling, Katja; Guevarra, Ernest; Norris, Alison; Myatt, Mark

2016-01-01

A spatially representative statewide survey was conducted in Rajasthan, India to assess household coverage of atta wheat flour, edible oil, and salt. An even distribution of primary sampling units were selected based on their proximity to centroids on a hexagonal grid laid over the survey area. A sample of n = 18 households from each of m = 252 primary sampling units PSUs was taken. Demographic data on all members of these households were collected, and a broader dataset was collected about a single caregiver and a child in the first 2 years of life. Data were collected on demographic and socioeconomic status; education; housing conditions; recent infant and child mortality; water, sanitation, and hygiene practices; food security; child health; infant and young child feeding practices; maternal dietary diversity; coverage of fortified staples; and maternal and child anthropometry. Data were collected from 4,627 households and the same number of caregiver/child pairs. Atta wheat flour was widely consumed across the state (83%); however, only about 7% of the atta wheat flour was classified as fortifiable, and only about 6% was actually fortified (mostly inadequately). For oil, almost 90% of edible oil consumed by households in the survey was classified as fortifiable, but only about 24% was fortified. For salt, coverage was high, with almost 85% of households using fortified salt and 66% of households using adequately fortified salt. Iodized salt coverage was also high; however, rural and poor population groups were less likely to be reached by the intervention. Voluntary fortification of atta wheat flour and edible oil lacked sufficient industry consolidation to cover significant portions of the population. It is crucial that appropriate delivery channels are utilized to effectively deliver essential micronutrients to at-risk population groups. Government distribution systems are likely the best means to accomplish this goal.

Mosquito Species (Diptera: Culicidae) Diversity from Ovitraps in a Mesoamerican Tropical Rainforest.

PubMed

Chaverri, Luis Guillermo; Dillenbeck, Claire; Lewis, Devon; Rivera, Cindy; Romero, Luis Mario; Chaves, Luis Fernando

2018-05-04

Mosquito sampling using efficient traps that can assess species diversity and/or presence of dominant vectors is important for understanding the entomological risk of mosquito-borne disease transmission. Here, we present results from a survey of mosquito species sampled with ovitraps in a neotropical rainforest of Costa Rica. We found the method to be an efficient sampling tool. With a total sampling effort of 29 traps, we collected 157 fourth-instar larvae and three pupae belonging to eight mosquito taxonomic units (seven species and individuals from a homogenous taxonomic unit identified to the genus level). In our samples, we found two medically important species, Sabethes chloropterus (Humboldt) and Trichoprosopon digitatum (Rondani). The former is a proven vector of Yellow Fever in sylvatic environments and the later has been found infected with several arboviruses. We also found that mosquito species abundance and diversity increased with canopy cover and in environments where leaf litter dominated the ground cover. Finally, our results suggest that ovitraps have a great potential for systematic sampling in longitudinal and cross-sectional ecological "semi-field" studies in neotropical settings.

Survey methods for assessing land cover map accuracy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nusser, S.M.; Klaas, E.E.

2003-01-01

The increasing availability of digital photographic materials has fueled efforts by agencies and organizations to generate land cover maps for states, regions, and the United States as a whole. Regardless of the information sources and classification methods used, land cover maps are subject to numerous sources of error. In order to understand the quality of the information contained in these maps, it is desirable to generate statistically valid estimates of accuracy rates describing misclassification errors. We explored a full sample survey framework for creating accuracy assessment study designs that balance statistical and operational considerations in relation to study objectives for a regional assessment of GAP land cover maps. We focused not only on appropriate sample designs and estimation approaches, but on aspects of the data collection process, such as gaining cooperation of land owners and using pixel clusters as an observation unit. The approach was tested in a pilot study to assess the accuracy of Iowa GAP land cover maps. A stratified two-stage cluster sampling design addressed sample size requirements for land covers and the need for geographic spread while minimizing operational effort. Recruitment methods used for private land owners yielded high response rates, minimizing a source of nonresponse error. Collecting data for a 9-pixel cluster centered on the sampled pixel was simple to implement, and provided better information on rarer vegetation classes as well as substantial gains in precision relative to observing data at a single-pixel.

Detection of testudinid herpesvirus type 4 in a leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis).

PubMed

Kolesnik, Ekaterina; Mittenzwei, Frank; Marschang, Rachel E

2016-08-17

Several animals from a mixed species collection of tortoises in Germany died unexpectedly. Some of the affected leopard tortoises (Stigmochelys pardalis) from this group showed respiratory signs. Samples were collected from one of the ill tortoises, and a Mycoplasma spp. and a herpesvirus were detected by PCR. Sequencing of a portion of the DNA polymerase gene of the herpesvirus showed 99% identity with testudinid herpesvirus 4, previously described only once in a bowsprit tortoise (Chersina angulata) in the United States.

Lithological Variation with Depth and Decoupling of Maturity Parameters in Apollo 16 Regolith Core 68001/2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korotev, Randy L.; Morris, Richard V.; Jolliff, Bradley L.; Schwarz, Carol

1997-01-01

Using FerroMagnetic Resonance (FMR) and Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA), we have determined the maturity (surface exposure) parameter I(sub s)/FeO and concentrations of twenty- five chemical elements on samples taken every half centimeter down the 61-cm length of the 68001/2 regolith core (double drive tube) collected at station 8 on the Apollo 16 mission to the Moon. Contrary to premission expectations, no ejecta or other influence from South Ray crater is evident in the core, although a small inflection in the I(sub s)/FeO profile at 3 cm depth may be related the South Ray crater impact. Regolith maturity generally decreases with depth, as in several previously studied cores. We recognize five compositionally distinct units in the core, which we designate A through E, although all are similar in composition to each other and to other soils from the Cayley plains at the Apollo 16 site. Unit A (0-33 cm) is mature to submature throughout (I(sub s)/FeO: 89-34 units) and is indistinguishable in composition from surface soils collected at station 8. Unit B (33-37 cm) is enriched slightly in a component of anorthositic norite composition. Unit D (42-53 cm) is compositionally equivalent to 80 wt% Unit-A soil plus 20 wt% Apollo-16-type dimict breccia consisting of subequal parts anorthosite and impact-melt breccia. Compared to Unit A, Unit E (53-61 cm) contains a small proportion (up to 4%) of some component compositionally similar to Apollo 14 sample 14321. Unit C (37-42 cm) is unusual. For lithophile and siderophile elements, it is similar to Units A and D. However, I(sub s)/FeO is low throughout the unit (less than 30 units) and in a bluish-gray zone at 41 cm depth I(sub s)/FeO drops to 1.6 units, the lowest value that we have observed in several hundred Apollo 16 soil samples. Samples from the bluish-gray zone also have low Zn concentrations, less than 10 micro g/g, compared to 20-30 micro g/g for the rest of the core. Although both values are consistent with fragmented rock material that has received virtually no surface exposure, the abundance of agglutinates in the bluish-gray soil of Unit C is moderately high, typical of a submature soil that would ordinarily have I(sub s)/FeO - 30. We believe that the anomalously low values of I(sub s)/FeO and Zn concentration result because the soil was heated to -800-1000 'C, probably during an impact. This temperature range is sufficient to volatize the surface-correlated Zn and agglomerate the nanophase metal giving rise to the FMR signal but is not great enough to sinter the soil. Alternatively, the unusual soil interval may represent a disaggregated or incipient regolith breccia, although there is no significant difference in the texture or clast-matrix relationships between Unit C and adjacent units.

Field portable low temperature porous layer open tubular cryoadsorption headspace sampling and analysis part II: Applications.

PubMed

Harries, Megan; Bukovsky-Reyes, Santiago; Bruno, Thomas J

2016-01-15

This paper details the sampling methods used with the field portable porous layer open tubular cryoadsorption (PLOT-cryo) approach, described in Part I of this two-part series, applied to several analytes of interest. We conducted tests with coumarin and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (two solutes that were used in initial development of PLOT-cryo technology), naphthalene, aviation turbine kerosene, and diesel fuel, on a variety of matrices and test beds. We demonstrated that these analytes can be easily detected and reliably identified using the portable unit for analyte collection. By leveraging efficiency-boosting temperature control and the high flow rate multiple capillary wafer, very short collection times (as low as 3s) yielded accurate detection. For diesel fuel spiked on glass beads, we determined a method detection limit below 1 ppm. We observed greater variability among separate samples analyzed with the portable unit than previously documented in work using the laboratory-based PLOT-cryo technology. We identify three likely sources that may help explain the additional variation: the use of a compressed air source to generate suction, matrix geometry, and variability in the local vapor concentration around the sampling probe as solute depletion occurs both locally around the probe and in the test bed as a whole. This field-portable adaptation of the PLOT-cryo approach has numerous and diverse potential applications. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Field Portable Low Temperature Porous Layer Open Tubular Cryoadsorption Headspace Sampling and Analysis Part II: Applications*

PubMed Central

Harries, Megan; Bukovsky-Reyes, Santiago; Bruno, Thomas J.

2016-01-01

This paper details the sampling methods used with the field portable porous layer open tubular cryoadsorption (PLOT-cryo) approach, described in Part I of this two-part series, applied to several analytes of interest. We conducted tests with coumarin and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (two solutes that were used in initial development of PLOT-cryo technology), naphthalene, aviation turbine kerosene, and diesel fuel, on a variety of matrices and test beds. We demonstrated that these analytes can be easily detected and reliably identified using the portable unit for analyte collection. By leveraging efficiency-boosting temperature control and the high flow rate multiple capillary wafer, very short collection times (as low as 3 s) yielded accurate detection. For diesel fuel spiked on glass beads, we determined a method detection limit below 1 ppm. We observed greater variability among separate samples analyzed with the portable unit than previously documented in work using the laboratory-based PLOT-cryo technology. We identify three likely sources that may help explain the additional variation: the use of a compressed air source to generate suction, matrix geometry, and variability in the local vapor concentration around the sampling probe as solute depletion occurs both locally around the probe and in the test bed as a whole. This field-portable adaptation of the PLOT-cryo approach has numerous and diverse potential applications. PMID:26726934

Priority-pollutant trace elements in streambed sediments of the Cook Inlet basin, Alaska, 1998-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frenzel, Steven A.

2002-01-01

Trace element concentrations in 48 streambed sediment samples collected at 47 sites in the Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska, were compared to concentrations from studies in the conterminous United States using identical methods and to Probable Effect Concentrations. Concentrations of arsenic, chromium, mercury, and nickel in the 0.063-mm size fraction of streambed sediments from the Cook Inlet Basin were elevated relative to reference sites in the conterminous United States. Concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc were highest at the most urbanized site in Anchorage and at two sites downstream from an ore body in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. At least 35 percent of the 48 samples collected in the Cook Inlet Basin exceeded the Probable Effect Concentration for arsenic, chromium, or nickel. More than 50 percent of the samples were considered to have low potential toxicity for cadmium, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc. A Probable Effect Concentration quotient that reflects the combined toxicity of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc was exceeded in 44 percent of the samples from the Cook Inlet Basin. The potential toxicity was high in the Denali and Lake Clark National Parks and Preserves where organic carbon concentrations in streambed sediments were low. However, potential toxicity results should be considered in context with the very small amounts of fine-grained sediment present in the streambed sediments of the Cook Inlet Basin.

Site characterization summary report for dry weather surface water sampling upper East Fork Poplar Creek characterization area Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

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

NONE

This report describes activities associated with conducting dry weather surface water sampling of Upper East Fork Poplar Creek (UEFPC) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This activity is a portion of the work to be performed at UEFPC Operable Unit (OU) 1 [now known as the UEFPC Characterization Area (CA)], as described in the RCRA Facility Investigation Plan for Group 4 at the Oak- Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee and in the Response to Comments and Recommendations on RCRA Facility Investigation Plan for Group 4 at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Volume 1,more » Operable Unit 1. Because these documents contained sensitive information, they were labeled as unclassified controlled nuclear information and as such are not readily available for public review. To address this issue the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published an unclassified, nonsensitive version of the initial plan, text and appendixes, of this Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Investigation (RFI) Plan in early 1994. These documents describe a program for collecting four rounds of wet weather and dry weather surface water samples and one round of sediment samples from UEFPC. They provide the strategy for the overall sample collection program including dry weather sampling, wet weather sampling, and sediment sampling. Figure 1.1 is a schematic flowchart of the overall sampling strategy and other associated activities. A Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPJP) was prepared to specifically address four rounds of dry weather surface water sampling and one round of sediment sampling. For a variety of reasons, sediment sampling has not been conducted and has been deferred to the UEFPC CA Remedial Investigation (RI), as has wet weather sampling.« less

Variation in aluminum, iron, and particle concentrations in oxic ground-water samples collected by use of tangential-flow ultrafiltration with low-flow sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Szabo, Z.; Oden, J.H.; Gibs, J.; Rice, D.E.; Ding, Y.; ,

2001-01-01

Particulates that move with ground water and those that are artificially mobilized during well purging could be incorporated into water samples during collection and could cause trace-element concentrations to vary in unfiltered samples, and possibly in filtered samples (typically 0.45-um (micron) pore size) as well, depending on the particle-size fractions present. Therefore, measured concentrations may not be representative of those in the aquifer. Ground water may contain particles of various sizes and shapes that are broadly classified as colloids, which do not settle from water, and particulates, which do. In order to investigate variations in trace-element concentrations in ground-water samples as a function of particle concentrations and particle-size fractions, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, collected samples from five wells completed in the unconfined, oxic Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system of the New Jersey Coastal Plain. Samples were collected by purging with a portable pump at low flow (0.2-0.5 liters per minute and minimal drawdown, ideally less than 0.5 foot). Unfiltered samples were collected in the following sequence: (1) within the first few minutes of pumping, (2) after initial turbidity declined and about one to two casing volumes of water had been purged, and (3) after turbidity values had stabilized at less than 1 to 5 Nephelometric Turbidity Units. Filtered samples were split concurrently through (1) a 0.45-um pore size capsule filter, (2) a 0.45-um pore size capsule filter and a 0.0029-um pore size tangential-flow filter in sequence, and (3), in selected cases, a 0.45-um and a 0.05-um pore size capsule filter in sequence. Filtered samples were collected concurrently with the unfiltered sample that was collected when turbidity values stabilized. Quality-assurance samples consisted of sequential duplicates (about 25 percent) and equipment blanks. Concentrations of particles were determined by light scattering. Variations in concentrations aluminum and iron (1 -74 and 1-199 ug/L (micrograms per liter), respectively), common indicators of the presence of particulate-borne trace elements, were greatest in sample sets from individual wells with the greatest variations in turbidity and particle concentration. Differences in trace-element concentrations in sequentially collected unfiltered samples with variable turbidity were 5 to 10 times as great as those in concurrently collected samples that were passed through various filters. These results indicate that turbidity must be both reduced and stabilized even when low-flow sample-collection techniques are used in order to obtain water samples that do not contain considerable particulate artifacts. Currently (2001) available techniques need to be refined to ensure that the measured trace-element concentrations are representative of those that are mobile in the aquifer water.

Multistage Magnetic Separator of Cells and Proteins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barton, Ken; Ainsworth, Mark; Daily, Bruce; Dunn, Scott; Metz, Bill; Vellinger, John; Taylor, Brock; Meador, Bruce

2005-01-01

The multistage electromagnetic separator for purifying cells and magnetic particles (MAGSEP) is a laboratory apparatus for separating and/or purifying particles (especially biological cells) on the basis of their magnetic susceptibility and magnetophoretic mobility. Whereas a typical prior apparatus based on similar principles offers only a single stage of separation, the MAGSEP, as its full name indicates, offers multiple stages of separation; this makes it possible to refine a sample population of particles to a higher level of purity or to categorize multiple portions of the sample on the basis of magnetic susceptibility and/or magnetophoretic mobility. The MAGSEP includes a processing unit and an electronic unit coupled to a personal computer. The processing unit includes upper and lower plates, a plate-rotation system, an electromagnet, an electromagnet-translation system, and a capture-magnet assembly. The plates are bolted together through a roller bearing that allows the plates to rotate with respect to each other. An interface between the plates acts as a seal for separating fluids. A lower cuvette can be aligned with as many as 15 upper cuvette stations for fraction collection during processing. A two-phase stepping motor drives the rotation system, causing the upper plate to rotate for the collection of each fraction of the sample material. The electromagnet generates a magnetic field across the lower cuvette, while the translation system translates the electromagnet upward along the lower cuvette. The current supplied to the electromagnet, and thus the magnetic flux density at the pole face of the electromagnet, can be set at a programmed value between 0 and 1,400 gauss (0.14 T). The rate of translation can be programmed between 5 and 2,000 m/s so as to align all sample particles in the same position in the cuvette. The capture magnet can be a permanent magnet. It is mounted on an arm connected to a stepping motor. The stepping motor rotates the arm to position the capture magnet above the upper cuvette into which a fraction of the sample is collected. The electronic unit includes a power switch, power-supply circuitry that accepts 110-Vac input power, an RS-232 interface, and status lights. The personal computer runs the MAGSEP software and controls the operation of the MAGSEP through the RS-232 interface. The status of the power, the translating electromagnet, the capture magnet, and the rotation of the upper plate are indicated in a graphical user interface on the computer screen.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Cortez NTMS Quadrangle, Colorado/Utah, including concentrations of forty-three additional elements

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

Warren, R.G.

1979-05-01

During the summers of 1976, 1977, and 1978, 598 water and 1657 sediment samples were collected from 1775 locations within the 19,600-km/sup 2/ area of the Cortez Quadrangle, Colorado and Utah. Water samples were collected from streams, springs, and wells; sediment samples were collected from stream channels (wet and dry) and from springs. Each water sample was analyzed for 13 elements, and each sediment sample was analyzed for 43 elements. Uranium concentrations in water samples range from below the detection limit of 0.02 to 241.47 ppB and have a median of 0.87 ppB and a mean of 3.80 ppB. Backgroundmore » uranium concentrations are 2 to 5 ppB in several nonmountainous regions but are much lower in mountainous areas, particularly in the northeastern portion of the quadrangle. Water samples containing high uranium concentrations (>20 ppB) generally are associated with high conductivities, high concentrations of other metallic elements, and geologic units, such as the Mancos shale, that are unfavorable for uranium mineralization. However, four ground-water samples exhibit high uranium concentrations without concomitant high conductivities or high concentrations of other metallic elements. Two of these samples were collected from sites in the Slick Rock U--V district, and two were collected in the Morrison formation in the southern portion of the quadrangle where large uranium deposits are not known. Water samples collected from the northwestern corner of the quadrangle uniformly exhibit background uranium values but generally contain high nickel concentrations. In this area, U--Cu (White Canyon-type) deposits are hosted primarily by the Shinarump member of the Chinle formation. Uranium concentrations in sediment samples range from 0.51 to 76.41 ppM and have a median of 2.76 ppM and a mean of 3.08 ppM. Background uranium and metallic element concentrations decrease to the southwest from the highest values in the northeastern portion of the quadrangle.« less

Distribution and environmental persistence of the causative agent of white-nose syndrome, Geomyces destructans, in bat hibernacula of the eastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lorch, Jeffrey M.; Muller, Laura K.; Russell, Robin E.; O'Connor, Michael; Lindner, Daniel L.; Blehert, David S.

2013-01-01

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging disease of hibernating bats caused by the recently described fungus Geomyces destructans. First isolated in 2008, the origins of this fungus in North America and its ability to persist in the environment remain undefined. To investigate the correlation between manifestation of WNS and distribution of G. destructans in the U.S., we analyzed sediment samples collected from 55 bat hibernacula (caves and mines) both within and outside the known range of WNS using a newly developed real-time PCR assay. Geomyces destructans was detected in 17 of 21 sites within the known range of WNS at the time the samples were collected; the fungus was not found in 28 sites beyond the known range of the disease at the time that environmental samples were collected. These data indicate that distribution of G. destructans is correlated with disease in hibernating bats and support the hypothesis that the fungus is likely an exotic species in North America. Additionally, we examined whether G. destructans persists in infested bat hibernacula when bats are absent. Sediment samples were collected from 14 WNS-positive hibernacula, and the samples were screened for viable fungus using a culture technique. Viable G. destructans was cultivated from 7 of the 14 sites sampled during late summer when bats were no longer in hibernation, suggesting the fungus can persist in the environment in the absence of bat hosts for long periods of time.

An Overview of Patient Safety Climate in the VA

PubMed Central

Hartmann, Christine W; Rosen, Amy K; Meterko, Mark; Shokeen, Priti; Zhao, Shibei; Singer, Sara; Falwell, Alyson; Gaba, David M

2008-01-01

Objective To assess variation in safety climate across VA hospitals nationally. Study Setting Data were collected from employees at 30 VA hospitals over a 6-month period using the Patient Safety Climate in Healthcare Organizations survey. Study Design We sampled 100 percent of senior managers and physicians and a random 10 percent of other employees. At 10 randomly selected hospitals, we sampled an additional 100 percent of employees working in units with intrinsically higher hazards (high-hazard units [HHUs]). Data Collection Data were collected using an anonymous survey design. Principal Findings We received 4,547 responses (49 percent response rate). The percent problematic response—lower percent reflecting higher levels of patient safety climate—ranged from 12.0–23.7 percent across hospitals (mean=17.5 percent). Differences in safety climate emerged by management level, clinician status, and workgroup. Supervisors and front-line staff reported lower levels of safety climate than senior managers; clinician responses reflected lower levels of safety climate than those of nonclinicians; and responses of employees in HHUs reflected lower levels of safety climate than those of workers in other areas. Conclusions This is the first systematic study of patient safety climate in VA hospitals. Findings indicate an overall positive safety climate across the VA, but there is room for improvement. PMID:18355257

Groundwater Quality Data for the Tahoe-Martis Study Unit, 2007: Results from the California GAMA Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fram, Miranda S.; Munday, Cathy; Belitz, Kenneth

2009-01-01

Groundwater quality in the approximately 460-square-mile Tahoe-Martis study unit was investigated in June through September 2007 as part of the Priority Basin Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basin Project was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of raw groundwater used for public water supplies within the Tahoe-Martis study unit (Tahoe-Martis) and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of groundwater quality throughout California. Samples were collected from 52 wells in El Dorado, Placer, and Nevada Counties. Forty-one of the wells were selected using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study area (grid wells), and 11 were selected to aid in evaluation of specific water-quality issues (understanding wells). The groundwater samples were analyzed for a large number of synthetic organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOC], pesticides and pesticide degradates, and pharmaceutical compounds), constituents of special interest (perchlorate and N-nitrosodimethylamine [NDMA]), naturally occurring inorganic constituents (nutrients, major and minor ions, and trace elements), radioactive constituents, and microbial indicators. Naturally occurring isotopes (tritium, carbon-14, strontium isotope ratio, and stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen of water), and dissolved noble gases also were measured to help identify the sources and ages of the sampled groundwater. In total, 240 constituents and water-quality indicators were investigated. Three types of quality-control samples (blanks, replicates, and samples for matrix spikes) each were collected at 12 percent of the wells, and the results obtained from these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data for the groundwater samples. Field blanks rarely contained detectable concentrations of any constituent, suggesting that data for the groundwater samples were not compromised by possible contamination during sample collection, handling or analysis. Differences between replicate samples were within acceptable ranges. Matrix spike recoveries were within acceptable ranges for most compounds. This study did not attempt to evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers; after withdrawal from the ground, raw water typically is treated, disinfected, or blended with other waters to maintain water quality. Regulatory thresholds apply to water that is served to the consumer, not to raw groundwater. However, to provide some context for the results, concentrations of constituents measured in the raw groundwater were compared with regulatory and nonregulatory health-based thresholds established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and with aesthetic and technical thresholds established by CDPH. Comparisons between data collected for this study and drinking-water thresholds are for illustrative purposes only and do not indicate of compliance or noncompliance with regulatory thresholds. The concentrations of most constituents detected in groundwater samples from the Tahoe-Martis wells were below drinking-water thresholds. Organic compounds (VOCs and pesticides) were detected in about 40 percent of the samples from grid wells, and most concentrations were less than 1/100th of regulatory and nonregulatory health-based thresholds, although the conentration of perchloroethene in one sample was above the USEPA maximum contaminant level (MCL-US). Concentrations of all trace elements and nutrients in samples from grid wells were below regulatory and nonregulatory health-based thresholds, with five exceptions. Concentra

Characterization and Distribution of Lunar Mare Basalt Types Using Remote Sensing Techniques. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pieters, C.

1977-01-01

The types of basal to be found on the moon were identified using reflectance spectra from a variety of lunar mare surfaces and craters as well as geochemical interpretations of laboratory measurements of reflectance from lunar, terrestrial, and meteoritic samples. Findings indicate that major basaltic units are not represented in lunar sample collections. The existence of late stage high titanium basalts is confirmed. All maria contain lateral variations of compositionally heterogenous basalts; some are vertically inhomogenous with distinctly different subsurface composition. Some basalt types are spectrally gradational, suggesting minor variations in composition. Mineral components of unsampled units can be defined if spectra are obtained with sufficient spectral coverage (.3 to 2.5 micron m) and spatial resolution (approximating .5 km).

Determination of Organic and Inorganic Percentages and Mass of Suspended Material at Four Sites in the Illinois River in Northwestern Arkansas and Northeastern Oklahoma, 2005-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galloway, Joel M.

2008-01-01

The Illinois River located in northwestern Arkansas and northeastern Oklahoma is influenced by point and nonpoint sources of nutrient enrichment. This has led to increased algal growth within the stream, reducing water clarity. Also, sediment runoff from fields, pastures, construction sites, and other disturbed areas, in addition to frequent streambank failure, has increased sedimentation within the stream and decreased water clarity. A study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize the increased turbidity by determining the organic and inorganic composition and mass of suspended material in the Illinois River from August 2005 through July 2007. Water-quality samples were collected at four sites on the Illinois River (listed in downstream order): near Viney Grove, Arkansas; at Savoy, Arkansas; south of Siloam Springs, Arkansas; and near Tahlequah, Oklahoma. In general, turbidity, total suspended solids, suspended-sediment concentration, organic material concentration (measured as volatile suspended solids and ash-free dry mass), and chlorophyll a concentration were the greatest in samples collected from the Illinois River at Savoy and the least in samples from the most upstream Illinois River site (near Viney Grove) and the most downstream site (near Tahlequah) from August 2005 through July 2007. For example, the suspended-sediment concentration at the Illinois River at Savoy had a median of 15 milligrams per liter, and the total suspended solids had a median of 12 milligrams per liter. The Illinois River near Tahlequah had the least suspended-sediment concentration with a median of 10 milligrams per liter and the least total suspended solids with a median of 6 milligrams per liter. The turbidity, total suspended solids, suspended-sediment concentration, organic material concentration, and chlorophyll a concentration in samples collected during high-flow events were greater than in samples collected during base-flow conditions at the Illinois River at Savoy, south of Siloam Springs, and near Tahlequah. For example, the median turbidity for the Illinois River at Savoy was 3 nephelometric turbidity ratio units during base-flow conditions and 52 nephelometric turbidity ratio units during high-flow conditions. Organic material in the Illinois River generally composed between 13 and 47 percent of the total suspended material in samples collected from August 2005 through July 2007. Therefore, most of the suspended material in samples collected from the sites was inorganic material. Overall, the highest percentage of organic material was found at the Illinois River near Viney Grove and at the Illinois River near Tahlequah. The Illinois River south of Siloam Springs had the lowest percentage of organic material among the four sites. In general, the percentage of organic material was greater in samples collected during base-flow conditions compared to samples collected during high-flow conditions. The mean seasonal concentrations and percentages of organic material were the least in the fall (September through November) in samples collected from August 2005 to July 2007 from the four Illinois River sites, while the greatest concentrations and percentages of organic material occurred at various times of the year depending on the site. The greatest concentrations of organic material occurred in the summer (June through August) in samples from sites on the Illinois River near Viney Grove, at Savoy and south of Siloam Springs, but in the spring (March through May) in samples from the Illinois River near Tahlequah. The greatest percentages of organic material (least percentages of inorganic material) occurred in the summer in samples from the site near Viney Grove, the winter and summer at the site at Savoy, in the spring, fall, and winter (December through February) at the site south of Siloam Springs, an

Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir Drainage Area, Rhode Island, water year 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Kirk P.

2018-05-11

Streamflow and concentrations of sodium and chloride estimated from records of specific conductance were used to calculate loads of sodium and chloride during water year (WY) 2015 (October 1, 2014, through September 30, 2015) for tributaries to the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island. Streamflow and water-quality data used in the study were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Providence Water Supply Board. Streamflow was measured or estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey following standard methods at 23 streamgages; 14 of these streamgages are equipped with instrumentation capable of continuously monitoring water level, specific conductance, and water temperature. Water-quality samples were collected at 36 sampling stations by the Providence Water Supply Board and at 14 continuous-record streamgages by the U.S. Geological Survey during WY 2015 as part of a long-term sampling program; all stations are in the Scituate Reservoir drainage area. Water-quality data collected by the Providence Water Supply Board are summarized by using values of central tendency and are used, in combination with measured (or estimated) streamflows, to calculate loads and yields (loads per unit area) of selected water-quality constituents for WY 2015.The largest tributary to the reservoir (the Ponaganset River, which was monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey) contributed a mean streamflow of 25 cubic feet per second to the reservoir during WY 2015. For the same time period, annual mean streamflows measured (or estimated) for the other monitoring stations in this study ranged from about 0.38 to about 14 cubic feet per second. Together, tributaries (equipped with instrumentation capable of continuously monitoring specific conductance) transported about 1,500,000 kilograms of sodium and 2,400,000 kilograms of chloride to the Scituate Reservoir during WY 2015; sodium and chloride yields for the tributaries ranged from 8,000 to 54,000 kilograms per square mile and from 12,000 to 91,000 kilograms per square mile, respectively.At the stations where water-quality samples were collected by the Providence Water Supply Board, the medians of the median concentrations were the following: for chloride, 29.5 milligrams per liter; for nitrite, 0.002 milligrams per liter as nitrogen; for nitrate, 0.05 milligrams per liter as nitrogen; for orthophosphate, 0.08 milligrams per liter as phosphate; and for total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli, 440 and 20 colony forming units per 100 milliliters, respectively. The medians of the median daily loads (and yields) of chloride, nitrite, nitrate, orthophosphate, and total coliform and Escherichia coli bacteria were 170 kilograms per day (79 kilograms per day per square mile), 14 grams per day (5.2 grams per day per square mile), 670 grams per day (190 grams per day per square mile), 640 grams per day (210 grams per day per square mile), 18,000 million colony forming units per day (7,600 million colony forming units per day per square mile), and 1,200 million colony forming units per day (810 million colony forming units per day per square mile), respectively.

Streamflow, water quality and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir drainage area, Rhode Island, water year 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Kirk P.

2016-05-03

Streamflow and concentrations of sodium and chloride estimated from records of specific conductance were used to calculate loads of sodium and chloride during water year (WY) 2014 (October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014) for tributaries to the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island. Streamflow and water-quality data used in the study were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Providence Water Supply Board in the cooperative study. Streamflow was measured or estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey following standard methods at 23 streamgages; 14 of these streamgages are equipped with instrumentation capable of continuously monitoring water level, specific conductance, and water temperature. Water-quality samples were collected at 37 sampling stations by the Providence Water Supply Board and at 14 continuous-record streamgages by the U.S. Geological Survey during WY 2014 as part of a long-term sampling program; all stations are in the Scituate Reservoir drainage area. Water-quality data collected by the Providence Water Supply Board are summarized by using values of central tendency and are used, in combination with measured (or estimated) streamflows, to calculate loads and yields (loads per unit area) of selected water-quality constituents for WY 2014.The largest tributary to the reservoir (the Ponaganset River, which was monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey) contributed a mean streamflow of 23 cubic feet per second to the reservoir during WY 2014. For the same time period, annual mean streamflows measured (or estimated) for the other monitoring stations in this study ranged from about 0.35 to about 14 cubic feet per second. Together, tributaries (equipped with instrumentation capable of continuously monitoring specific conductance) transported about 1,200,000 kilograms of sodium and 2,100,000 kilograms of chloride to the Scituate Reservoir during WY 2014; sodium and chloride yields for the tributaries ranged from 7,700 to 45,000 kilograms per year per square mile and from 12,000 to 75,000 kilograms per year per square mile, respectively.At the stations where water-quality samples were collected by the Providence Water Supply Board, the median of the median chloride concentrations was 24 milligrams per liter, median nitrite concentration was 0.002 milligrams per liter as nitrogen (N), median nitrate concentration was 0.01 milligrams per liter as N, median orthophosphate concentration was 0.07 milligrams per liter as phosphate, and median concentrations of total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli were 320 and 20 colony forming units per 100 milliliters, respectively. The medians of the median daily loads (and yields) of chloride, nitrite, nitrate, orthophosphate, and total coliform and Escherichia coli bacteria were 62 kilograms per day (42 kilograms per day per square mile), 19 grams per day (6.1 grams per day per square mile), 79 grams per day (36 grams per day per square mile), 380 grams per day (150 grams per day per square mile), 13,000 million colony forming units per day (8,300 million colony forming units per day per square mile), and 1,000 million colony forming units per day (470 million colony forming units per day per square mile), respectively.

Protocol for determining bull trout presence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, James; Dunham, Jason B.; Howell, Philip; Thurow, Russell; Bonar, Scott

2002-01-01

The Western Division of the American Fisheries Society was requested to develop protocols for determining presence/absence and potential habitat suitability for bull trout. The general approach adopted is similar to the process for the marbled murrelet, whereby interim guidelines are initially used, and the protocols are subsequently refined as data are collected. Current data were considered inadequate to precisely identify suitable habitat but could be useful in stratifying sampling units for presence/absence surveys. The presence/absence protocol builds on previous approaches (Hillman and Platts 1993; Bonar et al. 1997), except it uses the variation in observed bull trout densities instead of a minimum threshold density and adjusts for measured differences in sampling efficiency due to gear types and habitat characteristics. The protocol consists of: 1. recommended sample sizes with 80% and 95% detection probabilities for juvenile and resident adult bull trout for day and night snorkeling and electrofishing adjusted for varying habitat characteristics for 50m and 100m sampling units, 2. sampling design considerations, including possible habitat characteristics for stratification, 3. habitat variables to be measured in the sampling units, and 3. guidelines for training sampling crews. Criteria for habitat strata consist of coarse, watershed-scale characteristics (e.g., mean annual air temperature) and fine-scale, reach and habitat-specific features (e.g., water temperature, channel width). The protocols will be revised in the future using data from ongoing presence/absence surveys, additional research on sampling efficiencies, and development of models of habitat/species occurrence.

Prehistoric spatial patterning and subsistence studies: Archaeological investigations at Sample Unit U19arP4, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

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

Johnson, W.G.; DuBarton, A.; Edwards, S.

1992-12-31

This report documents the methods and results of archaeological investigations at Sample Unit U19arP4 on Pahute Mesa at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Eight sites were located there: four lithic artifact scatters (26NY1370, 26NY1372, 26NY3666 and 26NY3667), two temporary camps (26NY3665 and 26NY5418), one artifact locality (26NY5419), and one quarry (26NY3664). One of the lithic scatters, 26NY3667, incorporated a previously recorded rock ring, 26NY1371, that could not be relocated during subsequent investigations. Surface artifacts were collected from all but two of the sites, 26NY1370 and 26NY1372. The data retrieved from these investigations include over one thousand artifacts, such as projectilemore » points, bifaces, debitage, groundstone, and pottery. The temporally diagnostic materials indicate periodic use of Sample Unit U19arP4 from the Middle Archaic to the Shoshonean period.« less

Legionella contamination in the water system of hospital dental settings.

PubMed

Veronesi, Licia; Capobianco, Emanuela; Affanni, Paola; Pizzi, Silvia; Vitali, Pietro; Tanzi, Maria Luisa

2007-08-01

Among hospital facilities the dental unit is an environment that is at major risk of Legionella due to equipment such as the air/water syringe, the turbine, the micromotor and the scaler which generate potentially harmful aerosols that may to be a source of exposure to Legionella spp. particularly in immunodeficient patients, and those affected by chronic diseases, and also in dental personnel. Therefore, an examination of the extent of Legionella spp. contamination in the dental chairs waterlines and the incoming water supply of some public dental units is the subject of the present study. From February 2002 to March 2004, a total of 208 water samples were collected: 160 samples from the water supply of 4 dental chair and 48 samples from the cold incoming tap water of 2 units. Legionella spp. was detected in 46 samples (22.1% ): 19 of them (41.3% of Legionella spp.; 9.1% of the total) were Legionella pneumophila; Pseudomonas aeruginosa was detected in 86 samples (41.4%) and both microorganisms were detected in 2 samples (0.96%). Our results show a microbiological condition in dental settings, that is not at all satisfactory due to the presence of Legionella in concentrations that are considered to be a health hazard (> or = 10(3)) in certain cases. Given the extent of the health risk in these surroundings, the difficulty in its assessment, and also considering the wide diffusion of general dental care, our investigation has confirmed the need to regularly monitor the microbiological condition of water in dental units.

Assessment of the Effects of Holding Time and Temperature on Escherichia coli Densities in Surface Water Samples

PubMed Central

Pope, Misty L.; Bussen, Michelle; Feige, Mary Ann; Shadix, Lois; Gonder, Sharon; Rodgers, Crystal; Chambers, Yildiz; Pulz, Jessica; Miller, Ken; Connell, Kevin; Standridge, Jon

2003-01-01

Escherichia coli is a routinely used microbiological indicator of water quality. To determine whether holding time and storage conditions had an effect on E. coli densities in surface water, studies were conducted in three phases, encompassing 24 sites across the United States and four commonly used monitoring methods. During all three phases of the study, E. coli samples were analyzed at time 0 and at 8, 24, 30, and 48 h after sample collection. During phase 1, when 4°C samples were evaluated by Colilert or by placing a membrane onto mFC medium followed by transfer to nutrient agar containing 4-methylumbelliferyl-β-d-glucuronide (mFC/NA-MUG), three of four sites showed no significant differences throughout the 48-h study. During phase 2, five of seven sites showed no significant difference between time 0 and 24 h by membrane filtration (mFC/NA-MUG). When evaluated by the Colilert method, five of seven sites showed no significant difference in E. coli density between time 0 and 48 h. During phase 3, 8 of 13 sites showed no significant differences in E. coli densities between time 0 and the 48-h holding time, regardless of method. Based on the results of these studies, it appears that if samples are held below 10°C and are not allowed to freeze, most surface water E. coli samples analyzed by commonly used methods beyond 8 h after sample collection can generate E. coli data comparable to those generated within 8 h of sample collection. Notwithstanding this conclusion, E. coli samples collected from surface waters should always be analyzed as soon as possible. PMID:14532081

A modern soil carbon stock baseline for the conterminous United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loecke, T.; Wills, S. A.; Teachman, G.; Sequeira, C.; West, L.; Wijewardane, N.; Ge, Y.

2016-12-01

The Rapid Carbon Assessment Project was undertaken to ascertain the soil carbon stocks across the conterminous US at one point in time. Sample locations were chosen randomly from the NRI (National Resource Inventory) sampling framework and cover all areas in CONUS with SSURGO certified maps as of Dec 2010. The project was regionalized into 17 areas for logistical reasons. Within each region, soils were grouped by official series description properties. Sites were selected by soil groups and land use/cover as indicated by NRI or NLCD (USGS National Land Cover Dataset) class so that more extensive soils groups and/or land use/covers received more points and less extensive fewer points (with a minimum of 5 sites). Each region had 375 - 400 sites, for a total of approximately 6,400 sites. At each site, basic information about land use, vegetation and management were collected as appropriate and available. Samples were collected from 5 pedons (a central and 4 satellites) per site to a depth of 1m, at 0 - 5cm and by genetic horizon. A volumetric sample was collected for horizons above 50 cm to determine bulk density. For horizons below 50cm (or when a volumetric sample could not be obtained) bulk density was modeled from morphological information. All samples were air dried and crushed to <2mm. The central pedon was analyzed for total and organic carbon at the Kellogg Soil Science Laboratory in Lincoln, NE. A visible near-infrared (VNIR) spectrophotometer was used to predict organic and inorganic carbon contents for all satellites samples. A Hierarchical Bayesian statistical approach was used to estimate C stocks, concentrations, and uncertainty for each sampling level (i.e., CONUS, region, soil group, landuse and site). Carbon concentration and stocks were summarized by surface horizon and depth increments for sites, soil groups, and land use/groups and mapped by linking the values to a raster of SSURGO (Jan 2012) that includes map unit and NLCD classification. This modern soil C stock baseline data set will be useful for many application in climate science and biogeochemistry.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance data from the area of the Shishmaref, Kotzebue, Selawik and Shungnak Quadrangles, northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity, Alaska

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

Warren, R.G.; Hill, D.E.; Sharp, R.R. Jr.

1978-05-01

During the summer of 1976, 1336 water and 1251 sediment samples were collected for Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) from 1356 streams and small lakes or ponds within Shishmaref, Kotzebue, Selawik, and western portion of Shungnak NTMS quadrangles in western Alaska. Both a water and sediment sample were generally obtained from each location at a nominal location density of 1/23 km/sup 2/. Total uranium was measured in waters by fluorometry and in sediments and a few waters by delayed neutron counting at LASL. Uranium concentrations in waters have a mean of 0.31 ppB and a maximum of 9.23 ppB, andmore » sediments exhibit a mean of 3.44 ppM and a maximum of 37.7 ppM. A large number of high-uranium concentrations occur in both water and sediment samples collected in the Selawik Hills. At least two locations within the Selawik Hills appear favorable for further investigation of possible uranium mineralization. A cluster of high-uranium sediments, seen in the Waring Mountains, are probably derived from a lower Cretaceous conglomerate unit which is assocated with known airborne radiometric anomalies. Apparently less favorable areas for further investigation of possible uranium mineralization are also located in the Waring Mountains and Kiana Hills. Additional samples were collected within the Shungnak quadrange to increase the sampling density used elsewhere in the area to about one location per 11 km/sup 2/ (double-density). Contoured plots of uranium concentrations for both waters and sediments were prepared for all double-density sample locations, and then for the even-numbered and odd-numbered locations separately. These plots indicate that the HSSR sampling density of 1/23 km/sup 2/ used in lowland areas of Alaska provide essentially the same definition of relative areal uranium distributions in waters and sediments as seen when the density is doubled. These plots indicate that regional distribution patterns for uranium are well defined without selective sampling of geologic units.« less

The Comparison of Detrital Zircon Ages to Point Count Provenance Analysis for the Pottsville Sandstone in the Northern Appalachian Foreland Basin Venango County, Pennsylvania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loveday, S.; Harris, D. B.; Schiappa, T.; Pecha, M.

2017-12-01

The specific sources of sediments deposited in the Appalachian basin prior to and immediately following the Alleghenian orogeny has long been a topic of debate. Recent advances in U-Pb dating of detrital zircons have greatly helped to determine some of the sources of these sediments. For this study, sandstone samples were collected from the Pottsville Formation in the northern Appalachian Foreland Basin, Venango County, Pennsylvania to provide supplementary data for previous work that sought to describe the provenance of the same sediments by point counts of thin sections of the same units. Results of this previous work established that the provenance for these units was transitional recycled orogenic, including multiple recycled sediments, and that a cratonic contribution was not able to be determined clearly. The previous results suggested that the paleoenvironment was a fluvial dominated delta prograding in the northern direction. However, no geochronologic data was found during this study to confirm this interpretation. We sought to verify these results by U-Pb analysis of detrital zircons. Samples were collected from the areas where the previous research took place. U-Pb ages were found from sample at the highest elevation and lowest elevation. In the first sample, sample 17SL01 (younger sample stratigraphically), the zircons yield U-Pb age range peaks at 442-468 ma and 1037-1081 ma. The probability density plot for this specific sample displays a complete age gap from 500 ma to 811 ma. In the second sample, sample 17SL03 (older rock stratigraphically), the zircons yield U-Pb ages range peaks of 424-616 ma and 975-1057 ma. This sample doesn't show any ages younger than 424 ma and it doesn't display the sample age gap as sample 17SL01 does. The ages of zircons are consistent with thin section point counting provenance results from previous research suggesting zircon transport from the northern direction.

Radiocarbon chronology of Black Sea sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Glenn A.; Gagnon, Alan R.

1994-03-01

Accelerator Mass Spectrometer (AMS) radiocarbon analyses have been made on 102 samples from 12 sediment cores and 23 samples from two water column profiles. These materials, collected during the first leg of the 1988 joint U.S.-Turkish Black Sea Expedition, provide the most comprehensive radiocarbon chronology of Black Sea sediments yet attempted. Radiocarbon analyses from carefully collected box cores and a mollusc shell collected live in 1931 suggest the prebomb surface waters had a Δ 14C value of -55% (460 years) and that the maximum detrital correction for radiocarbon ages of Unit I sediments is 580 years for the organic carbon and 260 years for the carbonate fractions. Evidence does not support the 1430-2000 years pre-bomb surface water and/or detrital corrections argued for in past studies. The best estimates for the age of the beginning of the final invasion of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi (Unit 1/2 boundary of Ross and DEGENS, 1974, The Black Sea—geology, chemistry and biology, pp. 183-199) and the age of the first invasion of E. huxeleyi (Unit I/II boundary of HAYet al., 1991, Deep-Sea Research, 38, S1211-S1235) are 1635 ± 60 and 2720 ± 160 years BP, respectively. Sapropel formation began at approximately 7540 ± 130 years BP at all depths in the basin, a pattern in disagreement with those predicted by existing time-evolution models of sapropel formation for this basin. Our data suggest that the oxic-anoxic interface has remained relatively stable throughout the Holocene, is controlled largely by the physical oceanography of the basin, and has not evolved as assumed by previous workers.

Vietnamese Amerasians: Practical Implications of Current Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felsman, J. Kirk.; And Others

This study was conducted to examine the experiences of Amerasians from Vietnam who resettled in the United States and to explore coping and adaptation among Vietnamese Amerasians over time. The initial data collection phase involved in-camp assessment of a randomly selected sample of Amerasian adolescents (N=259). The assessment is to be repeated…

Training Matters: Vocational Education and Training in the Retail Sector.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forrester, K. P.; And Others

Available vocational education and training in the United Kingdom's retail sector were examined in an employee-centered study during which data were collected primarily from two sources: questionnaires completed by 1,974 from a random sample of approximately 6,000 British retail employees who were surveyed, and semistructured face-to-face…

75 FR 9238 - Privacy Act of 1974; Department of Homeland Security United States Immigration Customs and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-01

... place of birth; passport and other travel document information; nationality; aliases; Alien Registration... date and time of a successful collection and confirmation from the FBI that the sample was able to be... alleged violations of criminal or immigration law (location, date, time, event category, types of criminal...

Student Management and Human Intelligence Skills Enhanced through Community Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Stefanie Denise

2012-01-01

Based on years of human intelligence research conducted by Howard Gardner and results from a quantitative research study supporting Gardner's research collected from a sample of 205 faculty within the United States, the researcher examined students that are actively engaged in community service experiences and their approaches to reframing their…

Borehole Data Package for One CY 2005 CERCLA Well 699-S20-E10, 300-FF-5 Operable Unit, Hanford Site, Washington

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

Williams, Bruce A.; Bjornstad, Bruce N.; Lanigan, David C.

2006-03-29

This report supplies the information obtained during drilling, characterization, and installation of the new groundwater monitoring well. This document also provides a compilation of hydrogeologic and well construction information obtained during drilling, well development, and sample collection/analysis activities.

Dioxin congener patterns in commercial catfish from the United States and the indication of mineral clays as the potential source

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Since 1991 the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has conducted annual surveys of pesticide residues in foods under the Agricultural Marketing Service’s Pesticide Data Program (PDP). To assess chemical residues in domestically marketed catfish products, 1479 catfish samples were collected during ...

Sexual Coercion, Verbal Aggression, and Condom Use Consistency among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fair, Cynthia D.; Vanyur, Jennifer

2011-01-01

Objective: The relationship between condom use and 2 less visible categories of intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual coercion and verbal aggression, was examined among college students. Methods: In March 2007 a random cross-sectional sample of undergraduates from the southeast region of the United States was taken to collect information about…

Preliminary Findings on Rural Homelessness in Ohio.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

First, Richard J.; And Others

This report is designed to present preliminary findings from the first comprehensive study of rural homelessness in the United States. The study was conducted during the first 6 months of 1990, and data were collected from interviews with 921 homeless adults in 21 randomly selected rural counties in Ohio. The sample counties represent 26% of the…

SEDIMENT MICROBIAL RESPIRATION IN A SYNOPTIC SURVEY OF MID-ATLANTIC REGION STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

l. The rate of microbial respiration on fine-grained stream sediments was measured at 196 first-to third-order sites in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.2. Sample collection took place between April and July in 1993, 1994 and 1995.3. Study streams were randomly sele...

Evaluation of the lake macroinvertebrate integrity index (LMII) and alternate indices for eastern U.S. lakes and reservoirs

EPA Science Inventory

We applied the Lake Macroinvertebrate Integrity Index (LMII) to 69 lakes and reservoirs across the eastern United States. Genus-level sub-littoral benthos samples, collected by EPA Regions 2 and 3 in 2007, were used to calcualte LMII scores for each lake. We investigated relation...

Tracking cotton fiber quality and foreign matter through a stripper harvester

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

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

Should electronic faucets be used in intensive care and hematology units?

PubMed

Merrer, Jacques; Girou, Emmanuelle; Ducellier, David; Clavreul, Nicole; Cizeau, Florence; Legrand, Patrick; Leneveu, Michel

2005-12-01

To compare bacterial contamination associated with electronic faucets and manual faucets in wards admitting patients highly susceptible to infection. Water samples from electronic faucets and manual faucets were taken according to the French recommendations on water surveillance in healthcare settings. Hematology and intensive care units (ICUs) of a 900-bed university hospital and a 500-bed general hospital. Overall 227 water samples were collected, 92 from electronic faucets and 135 from manual faucets. Thirty-six (39%) of the water samples from electronic faucets and 2 (1%) from manual faucets yielded pathogenic bacteria. In hematology wards 17 (30%) samples from electronic faucets and 2 (2%) from manual faucets were contaminated. In ICUs 19 (53%) samples from electronic faucets and none of 48 from manual faucets were contaminated. All samples were contaminated with various strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8 to >100 CFU/100 ml). Despite hyperchlorination the electronic faucets remained contaminated. Replacing the contaminated electronic faucets by manual faucets led to a complete and sustained elimination of bacterial contamination. Contamination was not associated with a particular brand of electronic faucets. Our findings demonstrate that electronic faucets are significantly more frequently contaminated than manual faucets and could be a major reservoir for P. aeruginosa. Wards admitting patients highly susceptible to infection and using electronic faucets should be aware of this potential threat. Moreover, units already equipped with these devices, should check water quality periodically.

Salivary buffer effect in relation to late pregnancy and postpartum.

PubMed

Laine, M; Pienihäkkinen, K

2000-02-01

We studied the salivary pH, buffer effect (BE), and flow rates of unstimulated and paraffin-stimulated saliva of 8 women in their late pregnancy and postpartum. Salivary samples were collected about 1 month prior to and about 2 months after delivery. In non-pregnant control women, two paraffin-stimulated salivary samples were collected 1 month apart. The salivary BE increased significantly from late pregnancy to postpartum without exception. The increase was 2.04 +/- 1.17 pH units (P < 0.001) on average. The BE increased from 4.79 +/- 1.64 (final pH) to 6.82 +/- 1.01 (final pH). This change was not due to variation in salivary flow rates, since both unstimulated and paraffin-stimulated flow rates remained unchanged. In control women the difference between the 2 BE measurements was only 0.13 +/- 0.47 pH units on average. We concluded that women with high postpartum BE values may have moderate or even low BE values in late pregnancy. In control women, individual variation was found to be low in all variables studied.

Prevalence and Level of Listeria monocytogenes in Ice Cream Linked to a Listeriosis Outbreak in the United States.

PubMed

Chen, Y I; Burall, Laurel S; Macarisin, Dumitru; Pouillot, Régis; Strain, Errol; DE Jesus, Antonio J; Laasri, Anna; Wang, Hua; Ali, Laila; Tatavarthy, Aparna; Zhang, Guodong; Hu, Lijun; Day, James; Kang, Jihun; Sahu, Surasri; Srinivasan, Devayani; Klontz, Karl; Parish, Mickey; Evans, Peter S; Brown, Eric W; Hammack, Thomas S; Zink, Donald L; Datta, Atin R

2016-11-01

A most-probable-number (MPN) method was used to enumerate Listeria monocytogenes in 2,320 commercial ice cream scoops manufactured on a production line that was implicated in a 2015 listeriosis outbreak in the United States. The analyzed samples were collected from seven lots produced in November 2014, December 2014, January 2015, and March 2015. L. monocytogenes was detected in 99% (2,307 of 2,320) of the tested samples (lower limit of detection, 0.03 MPN/g), 92% of which were contaminated at <20 MPN/g. The levels of L. monocytogenes in these samples had a geometric mean per lot of 0.15 to 7.1 MPN/g. The prevalence and enumeration data from an unprecedented large number of naturally contaminated ice cream products linked to a listeriosis outbreak provided a unique data set for further understanding the risk associated with L. monocytogenes contamination for highly susceptible populations.

Presence and Persistence of Zika Virus RNA in Semen, United Kingdom, 2016.

PubMed

Atkinson, Barry; Thorburn, Fiona; Petridou, Christina; Bailey, Daniel; Hewson, Roger; Simpson, Andrew J H; Brooks, Timothy J G; Aarons, Emma J

2017-04-01

Zika virus RNA has been detected in semen collected several months after onset of symptoms of infection. Given the potential for sexual transmission of Zika virus and for serious fetal abnormalities resulting from infection during pregnancy, information regarding the persistence of Zika virus in semen is critical for advancing our understanding of potential risks. We tested serial semen samples from symptomatic male patients in the United Kingdom who had a diagnosis of imported Zika virus infection. Among the initial semen samples from 23 patients, Zika virus RNA was detected at high levels in 13 (56.5%) and was not detected in 9 (39.1%); detection was indeterminate in 1 sample (4.4%). After symptomatic infection, a substantial proportion of men have detectable Zika virus RNA at high copy numbers in semen during early convalescence, suggesting high risk for sexual transmission. Viral RNA clearance times are not consistent and can be prolonged.

Sources and preparation of data for assessing trends in concentrations of pesticides in streams of the United States, 1992-2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martin, Jeffrey D.

2009-01-01

This report provides a water-quality data set of 44 commonly used pesticides and 8 pesticide degradates suitable for a national assessment of trends in pesticide concentrations in streams of the United States. Water-quality samples collected from January 1992 through August 2006 at stream-water sites of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program and the National Stream Quality Accounting Network Program were compiled, reviewed, selected, and prepared for trend analysis as described in this report. Samples analyzed at the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory by a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analytical method were the most extensive in time and space and were selected for national trend analysis. The selection criteria described in the report produced a trend data set of 16,869 pesticide samples at 201 stream and river sites.

Antiretroviral Drug Use in a Cohort of HIV-Uninfected Women in the United States: HIV Prevention Trials Network 064.

PubMed

Chen, Iris; Clarke, William; Ou, San-San; Marzinke, Mark A; Breaud, Autumn; Emel, Lynda M; Wang, Jing; Hughes, James P; Richardson, Paul; Haley, Danielle F; Lucas, Jonathan; Rompalo, Anne; Justman, Jessica E; Hodder, Sally L; Eshleman, Susan H

2015-01-01

Antiretroviral (ARV) drug use was analyzed in HIV-uninfected women in an observational cohort study conducted in 10 urban and periurban communities in the United States with high rates of poverty and HIV infection. Plasma samples collected in 2009-2010 were tested for the presence of 16 ARV drugs. ARV drugs were detected in samples from 39 (2%) of 1,806 participants: 27/181 (15%) in Baltimore, MD and 12/179 (7%) in Bronx, NY. The ARV drugs detected included different combinations of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors (1-4 drugs/sample). These data were analyzed in the context of self-reported data on ARV drug use. None of the 39 women who had ARV drugs detected reported ARV drug use at any study visit. Further research is needed to evaluate ARV drug use by HIV-uninfected individuals.

Antiretroviral Drug Use in a Cohort of HIV-Uninfected Women in the United States: HIV Prevention Trials Network 064

PubMed Central

Chen, Iris; Clarke, William; Ou, San-San; Marzinke, Mark A.; Breaud, Autumn; Emel, Lynda M.; Wang, Jing; Hughes, James P.; Richardson, Paul; Haley, Danielle F.; Lucas, Jonathan; Rompalo, Anne; Justman, Jessica E.; Hodder, Sally L.; Eshleman, Susan H.

2015-01-01

Antiretroviral (ARV) drug use was analyzed in HIV-uninfected women in an observational cohort study conducted in 10 urban and periurban communities in the United States with high rates of poverty and HIV infection. Plasma samples collected in 2009–2010 were tested for the presence of 16 ARV drugs. ARV drugs were detected in samples from 39 (2%) of 1,806 participants: 27/181 (15%) in Baltimore, MD and 12/179 (7%) in Bronx, NY. The ARV drugs detected included different combinations of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors (1–4 drugs/sample). These data were analyzed in the context of self-reported data on ARV drug use. None of the 39 women who had ARV drugs detected reported ARV drug use at any study visit. Further research is needed to evaluate ARV drug use by HIV-uninfected individuals. PMID:26445283

Data on Mercury in Water, Bed Sediment, and Fish from Streams Across the United States, 1998-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bauch, Nancy J.; Chasar, Lia C.; Scudder, Barbara C.; Moran, Patrick W.; Hitt, Kerie J.; Brigham, Mark E.; Lutz, Michelle A.; Wentz, Dennis A.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) and Toxic Substances Hydrology Programs conducted the National Mercury Pilot Study in 1998 to examine relations of mercury (Hg) in water, bed sediment and fish in streams across the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. Water and bed-sediment samples were analyzed for total Hg (THg), methylmercury (MeHg), and other constituents; fish were analyzed for THg. Similar sampling was conducted at additional streams across the country in 2002 and 2004-05. This report summarizes sample collection and processing protocols, analytical methods, environmental data, and quality-assurance data for stream water, bed sediment, and fish for these national studies. To extend the geographic coverage of the data, this report also includes four regional USGS Hg studies conducted during 1998-2001 and 2004. The environmental data for these national and regional Hg studies are provided in an electronic format.

Evaluation of the US Army Institute of Public Health Destination Monitoring Program, a food safety surveillance program.

PubMed

Rapp-Santos, Kamala; Havas, Karyn; Vest, Kelly

2015-01-01

The Destination Monitoring Program, operated by the US Army Public Health Command (APHC), is one component that supports the APHC Veterinary Service's mission to ensure safety and quality of food procured for the Department of Defense (DoD). This program relies on retail product testing to ensure compliance of production facilities and distributors that supply food to the DoD. This program was assessed to determine the validity and timeliness by specifically evaluating whether sample size of items collected was adequate, if food samples collected were representative of risk, and whether the program returns results in a timely manner. Data was collected from the US Army Veterinary Services Lotus Notes database, including all food samples collected and submitted from APHC Region-North for the purposes of destination monitoring from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013. For most food items, only one sample was submitted for testing. The ability to correctly identify a contaminated food lot may be limited by reliance on test results from only one sample, as the level of confidence in a negative test result is low. The food groups most frequently sampled by APHC correlated with the commodities that were implicated in foodborne illness in the United States. Food items to be submitted were equally distributed among districts and branches, but sections within large branches submitted relatively few food samples compared to sections within smaller branches and districts. Finally, laboratory results were not available for about half the food items prior to their respective expiration dates.

Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Fecal Coliform and Associated with Suspended Solids and Water within Five Northern California Estuaries.

PubMed

Lewis, David J; Atwill, Edward R; Pereira, Maria das Graças C; Bond, Ronald

2013-01-01

Fecal coliform and associated with suspended solids (SS) and water in five northern California estuaries were studied to document process influences and water quality monitoring biases affecting indicator bacteria concentrations. We collected and analyzed 2371 samples during 10 sampling events for the five studied estuaries. Concentrations during wet-season stormflow conditions were greater than during wet-season base flow and dry-season base flow conditions. Results also document concentration gradients across the length of the studied estuaries and with depth of sample collection. Highest concentrations were associated with shallow samples collected furthest inland. Corresponding decreases occurred the deeper and closer to the estuary mouth a sample was collected. Results also identify direct relationships of wind speed and discharge velocity and indirect relationship of tide stage to indicator bacteria concentrations. Bacteria associated with suspended solids (SS), after conversion to the same units of measurement (mass), were three orders of magnitude greater than in the water fraction. However, the mean proportion contributed by SS to composite water sample concentrations was 8% (SE 0.3) for fecal coliform and 7% (SE 0.3) for . Bacteria from the SS proportion is related to seasonality, tide stage, and discharge velocity that are consistent with mechanisms for entrainment, transport of SS, and reduced particle settling. These results are important for both managing and monitoring these systems by improving sample spatial and temporal context and corresponding bacteria concentration values across the freshwater-saltwater interface. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Extremophiles in Household Water Heaters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilpiszeski, R.; House, C. H.

2016-12-01

A significant fraction of Earth's microbial diversity comes from species living in extreme environments, but natural extreme environments can be difficult to access. Manmade systems like household water heaters serve as an effective proxy for thermophilic environments that are otherwise difficult to sample directly. As such, we are investigating the biogeography, taxonomic distribution, and evolution of thermophiles growing in domestic water heaters. Citizen scientists collected hot tap water culture- and filter- samples from 101 homes across the United States. We recovered a single species of thermophilic heterotroph from culture samples inoculated from water heaters across the United States, Thermus scotoductus. Whole-genome sequencing was conducted to better understand the distribution and evolution of this single species. We have also sequenced hyper-variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene from whole-community filter samples to identify the broad diversity and distribution of microbial cells captured from each water heater. These results shed light on the processes that shape thermophilic populations and genomes at a spatial resolution that is difficult to access in naturally occurring extreme ecosystems.

Evaluation of a Wipe Surface Sample Method for Collection of Bacillus Spores from Nonporous Surfaces▿

PubMed Central

Brown, Gary S.; Betty, Rita G.; Brockmann, John E.; Lucero, Daniel A.; Souza, Caroline A.; Walsh, Kathryn S.; Boucher, Raymond M.; Tezak, Mathew; Wilson, Mollye C.; Rudolph, Todd

2007-01-01

Polyester-rayon blend wipes were evaluated for efficiency of extraction and recovery of powdered Bacillus atrophaeus spores from stainless steel and painted wallboard surfaces. Method limits of detection were also estimated for both surfaces. The observed mean efficiency of polyester-rayon blend wipe recovery from stainless steel was 0.35 with a standard deviation of ±0.12, and for painted wallboard it was 0.29 with a standard deviation of ±0.15. Evaluation of a sonication extraction method for the polyester-rayon blend wipes produced a mean extraction efficiency of 0.93 with a standard deviation of ±0.09. Wipe recovery quantitative limits of detection were estimated at 90 CFU per unit of stainless steel sample area and 105 CFU per unit of painted wallboard sample area. The method recovery efficiency and limits of detection established in this work provide useful guidance for the planning of incident response environmental sampling following the release of a biological agent such as Bacillus anthracis. PMID:17122390

Evaluation of a wipe surface sample method for collection of Bacillus spores from nonporous surfaces.

PubMed

Brown, Gary S; Betty, Rita G; Brockmann, John E; Lucero, Daniel A; Souza, Caroline A; Walsh, Kathryn S; Boucher, Raymond M; Tezak, Mathew; Wilson, Mollye C; Rudolph, Todd

2007-02-01

Polyester-rayon blend wipes were evaluated for efficiency of extraction and recovery of powdered Bacillus atrophaeus spores from stainless steel and painted wallboard surfaces. Method limits of detection were also estimated for both surfaces. The observed mean efficiency of polyester-rayon blend wipe recovery from stainless steel was 0.35 with a standard deviation of +/-0.12, and for painted wallboard it was 0.29 with a standard deviation of +/-0.15. Evaluation of a sonication extraction method for the polyester-rayon blend wipes produced a mean extraction efficiency of 0.93 with a standard deviation of +/-0.09. Wipe recovery quantitative limits of detection were estimated at 90 CFU per unit of stainless steel sample area and 105 CFU per unit of painted wallboard sample area. The method recovery efficiency and limits of detection established in this work provide useful guidance for the planning of incident response environmental sampling following the release of a biological agent such as Bacillus anthracis.

Molecular characterization of viable Legionella spp. in cooling tower water samples by combined use of ethidium monoazide and PCR.

PubMed

Inoue, Hiroaki; Fujimura, Reiko; Agata, Kunio; Ohta, Hiroyuki

2015-01-01

Viable Legionella spp. in environmental water samples were characterized phylogenetically by a clone library analysis combining the use of ethidium monoazide and quantitative PCR. To examine the diversity of Legionella spp., six cooling tower water samples and three bath water samples were collected and analyzed. A total of 617 clones were analyzed for their 16S rRNA gene sequences and classified into 99 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The majority of OTUs were not clustered with currently described Legionella spp., suggesting the wide diversity of not-yet-cultured Legionella groups harbored in cooling tower water environments.

Molecular Characterization of Viable Legionella spp. in Cooling Tower Water Samples by Combined Use of Ethidium Monoazide and PCR

PubMed Central

Inoue, Hiroaki; Fujimura, Reiko; Agata, Kunio; Ohta, Hiroyuki

2015-01-01

Viable Legionella spp. in environmental water samples were characterized phylogenetically by a clone library analysis combining the use of ethidium monoazide and quantitative PCR. To examine the diversity of Legionella spp., six cooling tower water samples and three bath water samples were collected and analyzed. A total of 617 clones were analyzed for their 16S rRNA gene sequences and classified into 99 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The majority of OTUs were not clustered with currently described Legionella spp., suggesting the wide diversity of not-yet-cultured Legionella groups harbored in cooling tower water environments. PMID:25736979

Globally Averaged Atmospheric CFC-11 Concentrations: Monthly and Annual Data for the Period 1975-1992 (DB1010)

DOE Data Explorer

Khalil, M. A.K. [Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology Portland, Oregon (USA); Rasmussen, R. A. [Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology Portland, Oregon

1996-01-01

This data set presents globally averaged atmospheric concentrations of chlorofluorocarbon 11, known also as CFC-11 or F-11 (chemical name: trichlorofluoromethane; formula: CCl3F). The monthly global average data are derived from flask air samples collected at eight sites in six locations over the period August 1980-July 1992. The sites are Barrow (Alaska), Cape Meares (Oregon), Cape Kumukahi and Mauna Loa (Hawaii), Cape Matatula (American Samoa), Cape Grim (Tasmania), Palmer Station, and the South Pole (Antarctica). At each collection site, monthly averages were obtained from three flask samples collected every week. In addition to the monthly global averages available for 1980-992, this data set also contains annual global average data for 1975-1985. These annual global averages were derived from January measurements at the South Pole and in the Pacific Northwest of the United States (specifically, Washington state and the Oregon coast).

Geohydrology and ground-water resources of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paulachok, Gary N.

1991-01-01

The aquifers underlying the 134.6-square-mile city of Philadelphia are divided by the Fall Line into the unconsolidated aquifers (chiefly sand and gravel) of the Coastal Plain and the consolidated-rock aquifers (chiefly schist of the Wissahickon Formation) of the Piedmont. Ground water is present under confined and unconfined conditions. The principal units of the confined-aquifer system are the lower and middle sands of the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system. The lower sand unit is the most productive aquifer in Philadelphia. The median yield of wells screened in the lower sand unit is 275 gal/min (gallons per minute), and yields of some wells are as high as 1,350 gal/min. The median specific capacity is 16 (gal/min)/ft (gallons per minute per foot of drawdown). The principal units of the unconsolidated unconfined-aquifer system are the upper sand unit of the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system and the informally named Trenton gravel. The median yield of wells tapping these two undifferentiated units is 90 gal/min, and yields of some wells are as high as 1,370 gal/min. The median specific capacity is 12 (gal/min)/ft. The consolidated unconfined-aquifer system consists mainly of the Wissahickon Formation. The median yield of nondomestic wells that tap the Wissahickon Formation is 45 gal/min, and yields are as high as 350 gal/min. The median specific capacity is 0.5 (gal/min)/ft. Urbanization has considerably modified the hydrologic cycle in Philadelphia. Impervious surfaces have reduced recharge areas and evapotranspiration and have increased direct runoff. Leakage from the water-distribution system, which is supplied from the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, was about 60 to 72 Mgal/d (million gallons per day) in 1980. Groundwater infiltration to sewers is estimated to be as much as 135 Mgal/d when the water table is high. The potentiometric surface of the lower sand unit has been lowered substantially by pumping. By 1954, cones of depression were more than 50 ft (feet) below sea level at the U.S. Naval Base and more than 70 ft below sea level along the Delaware River northeast of the naval base. As a result of withdrawals, declining heads in the lower sand unit caused water to flow downward from the overlying unconsolidated deposits and the water table to decline below sea level along the Delaware River. Beginning in the mid1960's, ground-water withdrawals from the lower sand unit decreased, and, by 1979, water levels had risen 25 ft at the U.S. Naval Base and 45 ft farther north along the Delaware River. As of 1985, water levels in the lower sand unit were controlled largely by pumping in nearby parts of New Jersey. Urbanization also has caused substantial degradation of the quality of ground water in Philadelphia. By 1945, the quality of water in the unconfined aquifer system began to deteriorate as contaminants present at the land surface migrated down- ward. Withdrawal of water from the deeper confined aquifers caused a head decline that resulted in downward movement of contaminated water from the overlying unconfined aquifer system. Consequently, water in the confined aquifers deteriorated progressively in chemical quality so it resembles water in the unconfined aquifer system. The concentration of dissolved solids in water samples collected during 1979-80 ranged from 90 to 4,480 mg/L (milligrams per liter). The average concentration of 778 mg/L was 45 percent higher than that of samples collected during 1945-58. Water from the unconfined unconsolidated aquifers generally had the highest dissolved-solids concentration. The concentration of dissolved iron in water samples collected during 197980 ranged from 0 to 220 mg/L and exceeded 0.30 mg/L in 71 percent of the samples. The average concentration of 17 mg/L was nearly 30 percent higher than that of samples collected during 1945-58. Many wells have been abandoned because of elevated iron concentrations. The concentration of dissolved manganese in water

Groundwater-quality data in the Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau study unit, 2010-Results from the California GAMA Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shelton, Jennifer L.; Fram, Miranda S.; Belitz, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Groundwater quality in the 39,000-square-kilometer Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau (CAMP) study unit was investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from July through October 2010, as part of the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program’s Priority Basin Project (PBP). The GAMA PBP was developed in response to the California Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted in collaboration with the SWRCB and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The CAMP study unit is the thirty-second study unit to be sampled as part of the GAMA PBP. The GAMA CAMP study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of untreated-groundwater quality in the primary aquifer system and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of untreated-groundwater quality throughout California. The primary aquifer system is defined as that part of the aquifer corresponding to the open or screened intervals of wells listed in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database for the CAMP study unit. The quality of groundwater in shallow or deep water-bearing zones may differ from the quality of groundwater in the primary aquifer system; shallow groundwater may be more vulnerable to surficial contamination. In the CAMP study unit, groundwater samples were collected from 90 wells and springs in 6 study areas (Sacramento Valley Eastside, Honey Lake Valley, Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau Low Use Basins, Shasta Valley and Mount Shasta Volcanic Area, Quaternary Volcanic Areas, and Tertiary Volcanic Areas) in Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, and Tehama Counties. Wells and springs were selected by using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study unit (grid wells). Groundwater samples were analyzed for field water-quality indicators, organic constituents, perchlorate, inorganic constituents, radioactive constituents, and microbial indicators. Naturally occurring isotopes and dissolved noble gases also were measured to provide a dataset that will be used to help interpret the sources and ages of the sampled groundwater in subsequent reports. In total, 221 constituents were investigated for this study. Three types of quality-control samples (blanks, replicates, and matrix spikes) were collected at approximately 10 percent of the wells in the CAMP study unit, and the results for these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data for the groundwater samples. Blanks rarely contained detectable concentrations of any constituent, suggesting that contamination from sample collection procedures was not a significant source of bias in the data for the groundwater samples. Replicate samples generally were within the limits of acceptable analytical reproducibility. Matrix-spike recoveries were within the acceptable range (70 to 130 percent) for approximately 90 percent of the compounds. This study did not attempt to evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers; after withdrawal from the ground, untreated groundwater typically is treated, disinfected, and (or) blended with other waters to maintain water quality. Regulatory benchmarks apply to water that is served to the consumer, not to untreated groundwater. However, to provide some context for the results, concentrations of constituents measured in the untreated groundwater were compared with regulatory and non-regulatory health-based benchmarks established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and CDPH, and to non-regulatory benchmarks established for aesthetic concerns by CDPH. Comparisons between data collected for this study and benchmarks for drinking water are for illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of compliance or non-compliance with those benchmarks. All organic constituents and most inorganic constituents that were detected in groundwater samples from the 90 grid wells in the CAMP study unit were detected at concentrations less than drinking-water benchmarks. Of the 148 organic constituents analyzed, 27 were detected in groundwater samples; concentrations of all detected constituents were less than regulatory and nonregulatory health-based benchmarks, and all were less than 1/10 of benchmark levels. One or more organic constituents were detected in 52 percent of the grid wells in the CAMP study unit: VOCs were detected in 30 percent, and pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected in 31 percent. Trace elements, major ions, nutrients, and radioactive constituents were sampled for at 90 grid wells in the CAMP study unit, and most detected concentrations were less than health-based benchmarks. Exceptions include three detections of arsenic greater than the USEPA maximum contaminant level (MCL-US) of 10 micrograms per liter (µg/L), two detections of boron greater than the CDPH notification level (NL-CA) of 1,000 µg/L, two detections of molybdenum greater than the USEPA lifetime health advisory level (HAL-US) of 40 µg/L, two detections of vanadium greater than the CDPH notification level (NL-CA) of 50 µg/L, one detection of nitrate, as nitrogen, greater than the MCL-US of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L), two detections of uranium greater than the MCL-US of 30 µg/L and the MCL-CA of 20 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), one detection of radon-222 greater than the proposed MCL-US of 4,000 pCi/L, and two detections of gross alpha particle activity greater than the MCL-US of 15 pCi/L. Results for inorganic constituents with non-regulatory benchmarks set for aesthetic concerns showed that iron concentrations greater than the CDPH secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL-CA) of 300 µg/L were detected in four grid wells. Manganese concentrations greater than the SMCL-CA of 50 µg/L were detected in nine grid wells. Chloride and TDS were detected at concentrations greater than the upper SMCL-CA benchmarks of 500 mg/L and 1,000 mg/L, respectively, in one grid well. Microbial indicators (total coliform and Escherichia coli [E. coli]) were detected in 11 percent of the 83 grid wells sampled for these analyses in the CAMP study unit. The presence of total coliform was detected in nine grid wells, and the presence of E. coli was detected in one of these same grid wells.

Laboratory evaluation of the CIP 10 personal dust sampler.

PubMed

Gero, A; Tomb, T

1988-06-01

The "capteur individuel de poussiere" CIP 10 personal dust sampler--developed by the Centre d'Etudes et Recherches de Charbonnages de France (CERCHAR) research organization--is a small, quiet, lightweight unit which samples at a flow rate of 10 L/min. It is a three-stage sampler, using two stages to remove nonrespirable dust particles and one stage to collect the respirable fraction. Airflow through the sampler is induced by the third stage, which is a rotating collector cup that contains a fine grade sponge. Laboratory tests were conducted in a dust chamber using aerosols of Arizona road dust, coal dust and silica dust. Aerosol concentrations measured with the CIP 10 were compared to those measured with the coal mine dust personal sampler unit used in the United States. The results of this study showed that aerosol concentrations measured with the CIP 10 were linearly related to those obtained with the coal mine dust personal sampler. The relationship, however, was dependent on preselector configuration and aerosol characteristics. The collection medium allows some small particles (less than 3 microns) to pass through the sampler without being collected. As much as 13% (by weight) of the aerosol that penetrated through the preseparating stages was exhausted from the sampler.

X-231B technology demonstration for in situ treatment of contaminated soil: Contaminant characterization and three dimensional spatial modeling

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

West, O.R.; Siegrist, R.L.; Mitchell, T.J.

1993-11-01

Fine-textured soils and sediments contaminated by trichloroethylene (TCE) and other chlorinated organics present a serious environmental restoration challenge at US Department of Energy (DOE) sites. DOE and Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. initiated a research and demonstration project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The goal of the project was to demonstrate a process for closure and environmental restoration of the X-231B Solid Waste Management Unit at the DOE Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The X-231B Unit was used from 1976 to 1983 as a land disposal site for waste oils and solvents. Silt and clay deposits beneath the unit were contaminatedmore » with volatile organic compounds and low levels of radioactive substances. The shallow groundwater was also contaminated, and some contaminants were at levels well above drinking water standards. This document begins with a summary of the subsurface physical and contaminant characteristics obtained from investigative studies conducted at the X-231B Unit prior to January 1992 (Sect. 2). This is then followed by a description of the sample collection and analysis methods used during the baseline sampling conducted in January 1992 (Sect. 3). The results of this sampling event were used to develop spatial models for VOC contaminant distribution within the X-231B Unit.« less

Explaining Direct Care Resource Use of Nursing Home Residents: Findings from Time Studies in Four States

PubMed Central

Arling, Greg; Kane, Robert L; Mueller, Christine; Lewis, Teresa

2007-01-01

Objective To explain variation in direct care resource use (RU) of nursing home residents based on the Resource Utilization Groups III (RUG-III) classification system and other resident- and unit-level explanatory variables. Data Sources/Study Setting Primary data were collected on 5,314 nursing home residents in 156 nursing units in 105 facilities from four states (CO, IN, MN, MS) from 1998 to 2004. Study Design Nurses and other direct care staff recorded resident-specific and other time caring for all residents on sampled nursing units. Care time was linked to resident data from the Minimum Data Set assessment instrument. Major variables were: RUG-III group (34-group), other health and functional conditions, licensed and other professional minutes per day, unlicensed minutes per day, and direct care RU (wage-weighted minutes). Resident- and unit-level relationships were examined through hierarchical linear modeling. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Time study data were recorded with hand-held computers, verified for accuracy by project staff at the data collection sites and then merged into resident and unit-level data sets. Principal Findings Resident care time and RU varied between and within nursing units. RUG-III group was related to RU; variables such as length of stay and unit percentage of high acuity residents also were significantly related. Case-mix indices (CMIs) constructed from study data displayed much less variation across RUG-III groups than CMIs from earlier time studies. Conclusions Results from earlier time studies may not be representative of care patterns of Medicaid and private pay residents. New RUG-III CMIs should be developed to better reflect the relative costs of caring for these residents. PMID:17362220

PM2.5 Monitors in New England | Air Quality Planning Unit ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-04-10

The New England states are currently operating a network of 58 ambient PM2.5 air quality monitors that meet EPA's Federal Reference Method (FRM) for PM2.5, which is necessary in order for the resultant data to be used for attainment/non-attainment purposes. These monitors collect particles in the ambient air smaller than 2.5 microns in size on a filter, which is weighed prior and post sampling to produce a 24-hour sample concentration.

Thermal infrared spectral character of Hawaiian basaltic glasses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crisp, Joy; Kahle, Anne B.; Abbott, Elsa A.

1990-01-01

Thermal IR reflectance spectra of exposed surfaces of Hawaiian basalt samples from Mauna Loa and Kilauea show systematic changes with age. Spectra of fresh glass collected from active lava flows showed evidence of a strong degree of disorder. After a few weeks of exposure to the laboratory environment, spectra of the top surfaces of these samples began to exhibit spectral features suggestive of ordering into silicate chainlike ansd sheetlike units. With progressive aging, features of apparent sheetlike structures became the preferred mode.

Plagioclase mineralogy of olivine alkaline basalt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffer, J. M.

1973-01-01

A geological and mineralogical study of the Potrillo volcanics is reported. The investigation consisted first of field mapping to establish and identify the different rock types and volcanic features in order to determine the geological history. Next, samples were collected and analyzed petrographically to determine suitable rocks from the various stratigraphic units for study of plagioclase. Samples selected for further study were crushed and the plagioclase extracted for the determination of composition and structural state. These results were then related to the petrology and crystallization of the basalt.

Occurrence and hydrogeochemistry of radiochemical constituents in groundwater of Jefferson County and surrounding areas, southwestern Montana, 2007 through 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Caldwell, Rodney R.; Nimick, David A.; DeVaney, Rainie M.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Jefferson County and the Jefferson Valley Conservation District, sampled groundwater in southwestern Montana to evaluate the occurrence and concentration of naturally-occurring radioactive constituents and to identify geologic settings and environmental conditions in which elevated concentrations occur. A total of 168 samples were collected from 128 wells within Broadwater, Deer Lodge, Jefferson, Lewis and Clark, Madison, Powell, and Silver Bow Counties from 2007 through 2010. Most wells were used for domestic purposes and were primary sources of drinking water for individual households. Water-quality samples were collected from wells completed within six generalized geologic units, and analyzed for constituents including uranium, radon, gross alpha-particle activity, and gross beta-particle activity. Thirty-eight wells with elevated concentrations or activities were sampled a second time to examine variability in water quality throughout time. These water-quality samples were analyzed for an expanded list of radioactive constituents including the following: three isotopes of uranium (uranium-234, uranium-235, and uranium-238), three isotopes of radium (radium-224, radium-226, and radium-228), and polonium-210. Existing U.S. Geological Survey and Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology uranium and radon water-quality data collected as part of other investigations through 2011 from wells within the study area were compiled as part of this investigation. Water-quality data from this study were compared to data collected nationwide by the U.S. Geological Survey through 2011. Radionuclide samples for this study typically were analyzed within a few days after collection, and therefore data for this study may closely represent the concentrations and activities of water being consumed locally from domestic wells. Radioactive constituents were detected in water from every well sampled during this study regardless of location or geologic unit. Nearly 41 percent of sampled wells had at least one radioactive constituent concentration that exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards or screening levels. Uranium concentrations were higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 30 micrograms per liter in samples from 14 percent of the wells. Radon concentrations exceeded a proposed MCL of 4,000 picocuries per liter in 27 percent of the wells. Combined radium (radium-226 and radium-228) exceeded the MCL of 5 picocuries per liter in samples from 10 of 47 wells. About 40 percent (42 of 104 wells) of the wells had gross alpha-particle activities (72-hour count) at or greater than a screening level of 15 pCi/L. Gross beta-particle activity exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 50 picocuries per liter screening level in samples from 5 of 104 wells. Maximum radium-224 and polonium-210 activities in study wells were 16.1 and 3.08 picocuries per liter, respectively; these isotopes are constituents of human-health concern, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has not established MCLs for them. Radioactive constituent concentrations or activities exceeded at least one established drinking-water standard, proposed drinking-water standard, or screening level in groundwater samples from five of six generalized geologic units assessed during this study. Radioactive constituent concentrations or activities were variable not only within each geologic unit, but also among wells that were completed in the same geologic unit and in close proximity to one another. Established or proposed drinking-water standards were exceeded most frequently in water from wells completed in the generalized geologic unit that includes rocks of the Boulder batholith and other Tertiary through Cretaceous igneous intrusive rocks (commonly described as granite). Specifically, of the wells completed in the Boulder batholith and related rocks sampled as part of this study, 24 percent exceeded the MCL of 30 micrograms per liter for uranium, 50 percent exceeded the proposed alternative MCL of 4,000 picocuries per liter for radon, and 27 percent exceeded the MCL of 5 micrograms per liter for combined radium-226 and radium-228. Elevated radioactive constituent values were detected in samples representing a large range of field properties and water types. Correlations between radioactive constituents and pH, dissolved oxygen, and most major ions were not statistically significant (p-value > 0.05) or were weakly correlated with Spearman correlation coefficients (rho) ranging from -0.5 to 0.5. Moderate correlations did exist between gross beta-particle activity and potassium (rho = 0.72 to 0.82), likely because one potassium isotope (potassium-40) is a beta-particle emitter. Total dissolved solids and specific conductance also were moderately correlated (rho = 0.62 to 0.71) with gross alpha-particle and gross beta-particle activity, indicating that higher radioactivity values can be associated with higher total dissolved solids. Correlations were evaluated among radioactive constituents. Moderate to strong correlations occurred between gross alpha-particle and beta-particle activities (rho = 0.77 to 0.96) and radium isotopes (rho = 0.78 to 0.92). Correlations between gross alpha-particle activity (72-hour count) and all analyzed radioactive constituents were statistically significant (p-value Radiochemical results varied temporally in samples from several of the thirty-eight wells sampled at least twice during the study. The time between successive sampling events ranged from about 1 to 10 months for 29 wells to about 3 years for the other 9 wells. Radiochemical constituents that varied by greater than 30 percent between sampling events included uranium (29 percent of the resampled wells), and radon (11 percent of the resampled wells), gross alpha-particle activity (38 percent of the resampled wells), and gross beta-particle activity (15 percent of the resampled wells). Variability in uranium concentrations from two wells was sufficiently large that concentrations were less than the MCL in the first set of samples and greater than the MCL in the second. Sample holding times affect analytical results in this study. Gross alpha-particle and gross beta-particle activities were measured twice, 72 hours and 30 days after sample collection. Gross alpha-particle activity decreased an average of 37 percent between measurements, indicating the presence of short-lived alpha-emitting radionuclides in these samples. Gross beta-particle activity increased an average of 31 percent between measurements, indicating ingrowth of longer-lived beta-emitting radionuclides.

Residential scene classification for gridded population sampling in developing countries using deep convolutional neural networks on satellite imagery.

PubMed

Chew, Robert F; Amer, Safaa; Jones, Kasey; Unangst, Jennifer; Cajka, James; Allpress, Justine; Bruhn, Mark

2018-05-09

Conducting surveys in low- and middle-income countries is often challenging because many areas lack a complete sampling frame, have outdated census information, or have limited data available for designing and selecting a representative sample. Geosampling is a probability-based, gridded population sampling method that addresses some of these issues by using geographic information system (GIS) tools to create logistically manageable area units for sampling. GIS grid cells are overlaid to partition a country's existing administrative boundaries into area units that vary in size from 50 m × 50 m to 150 m × 150 m. To avoid sending interviewers to unoccupied areas, researchers manually classify grid cells as "residential" or "nonresidential" through visual inspection of aerial images. "Nonresidential" units are then excluded from sampling and data collection. This process of manually classifying sampling units has drawbacks since it is labor intensive, prone to human error, and creates the need for simplifying assumptions during calculation of design-based sampling weights. In this paper, we discuss the development of a deep learning classification model to predict whether aerial images are residential or nonresidential, thus reducing manual labor and eliminating the need for simplifying assumptions. On our test sets, the model performs comparable to a human-level baseline in both Nigeria (94.5% accuracy) and Guatemala (96.4% accuracy), and outperforms baseline machine learning models trained on crowdsourced or remote-sensed geospatial features. Additionally, our findings suggest that this approach can work well in new areas with relatively modest amounts of training data. Gridded population sampling methods like geosampling are becoming increasingly popular in countries with outdated or inaccurate census data because of their timeliness, flexibility, and cost. Using deep learning models directly on satellite images, we provide a novel method for sample frame construction that identifies residential gridded aerial units. In cases where manual classification of satellite images is used to (1) correct for errors in gridded population data sets or (2) classify grids where population estimates are unavailable, this methodology can help reduce annotation burden with comparable quality to human analysts.

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM FOR WET DEPOSITION SAMPLING AND CHEMICAL ANALYSES FOR THE NATIONAL TRENDS NETWORK.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schroder, LeRoy J.; Malo, Bernard A.; ,

1985-01-01

The purpose of the National Trends Network is to delineate the major inorganic constituents in the wet deposition in the United States. The approach chosen to monitor the Nation's wet deposition is to install approximately 150 automatic sampling devices with at least one collector in each state. Samples are collected at one week intervals, removed from collectors, and transported to an analytical laboratory for chemical analysis. The quality assurance program has divided wet deposition monitoring into 5 parts: (1) Sampling site selection, (2) sampling device, (3) sample container, (4) sample handling, and (5) laboratory analysis. Each of these five components is being examined using existing designs or new designs. Each existing or proposed sampling site is visited and a criteria audit is performed.

Are We Biologically Safe with Snow Precipitation? A Case Study in Beijing

PubMed Central

Shen, Fangxia; Yao, Maosheng

2013-01-01

In this study, the bacterial and fungal abundances, diversities, conductance levels as well as total organic carbon (TOC) were investigated in the snow samples collected from five different snow occurrences in Beijing between January and March, 2010. The collected snow samples were melted and cultured at three different temperatures (4, 26 and 37°C). The culturable bacterial concentrations were manually counted and the resulting colony forming units (CFUs) at 26°C were further studied using V3 region of 16 S rRNA gene-targeted polymerase chain reaction -denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). The clone library was constructed after the liquid culturing of snow samples at 26°C. And microscopic method was employed to investigate the fungal diversity in the samples. In addition, outdoor air samples were also collected using mixed cellulose ester (MCE) filters and compared with snow samples with respect to described characteristics. The results revealed that snow samples had bacterial concentrations as much as 16000 CFU/ml for those cultured at 26°C, and the conductance levels ranged from 5.6×10−6 to 2.4×10−5 S. PCR-DGGE, sequencing and microscopic analysis revealed remarkable bacterial and fungal diversity differences between the snow samples and the outdoor air samples. In addition, DGGE banding profiles for the snow samples collected were also shown distinctly different from one another. Absent from the outdoor air, certain human, plant, and insect fungal pathogens were found in the snow samples. By calculation, culturable bacteria accounted for an average of 3.38% (±1.96%) of TOC for the snow samples, and 0.01% for that of outdoor air samples. The results here suggest that snow precipitations are important sources of fungal pathogens and ice nucleators, thus could affect local climate, human health and agriculture security. PMID:23762327

Are we biologically safe with snow precipitation? A case study in beijing.

PubMed

Shen, Fangxia; Yao, Maosheng

2013-01-01

In this study, the bacterial and fungal abundances, diversities, conductance levels as well as total organic carbon (TOC) were investigated in the snow samples collected from five different snow occurrences in Beijing between January and March, 2010. The collected snow samples were melted and cultured at three different temperatures (4, 26 and 37°C). The culturable bacterial concentrations were manually counted and the resulting colony forming units (CFUs) at 26°C were further studied using V3 region of 16 S rRNA gene-targeted polymerase chain reaction -denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). The clone library was constructed after the liquid culturing of snow samples at 26°C. And microscopic method was employed to investigate the fungal diversity in the samples. In addition, outdoor air samples were also collected using mixed cellulose ester (MCE) filters and compared with snow samples with respect to described characteristics. The results revealed that snow samples had bacterial concentrations as much as 16000 CFU/ml for those cultured at 26°C, and the conductance levels ranged from 5.6×10(-6) to 2.4×10(-5) S. PCR-DGGE, sequencing and microscopic analysis revealed remarkable bacterial and fungal diversity differences between the snow samples and the outdoor air samples. In addition, DGGE banding profiles for the snow samples collected were also shown distinctly different from one another. Absent from the outdoor air, certain human, plant, and insect fungal pathogens were found in the snow samples. By calculation, culturable bacteria accounted for an average of 3.38% (±1.96%) of TOC for the snow samples, and 0.01% for that of outdoor air samples. The results here suggest that snow precipitations are important sources of fungal pathogens and ice nucleators, thus could affect local climate, human health and agriculture security.

A Multistate Outbreak of Human Salmonella Agona Infections Associated With Consumption of Fresh, Whole Papayas Imported From Mexico-United States, 2011.

PubMed

Mba-Jonas, Adamma; Culpepper, Wright; Hill, Thomas; Cantu, Venessa; Loera, Julie; Borders, Julie; Saathoff-Huber, Lori; Nsubuga, Johnson; Zambrana, Ingrid; Dalton, Shannon; Williams, Ian; Neil, Karen P

2018-05-17

Nontyphoidal Salmonella causes ~1 million food-borne infections annually in the United States. We began investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella serotype Agona infections in April 2011. A case was defined as infection with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Agona occurring between 1 January and 25 August 2011. We developed hypotheses through iterative interviews. Product distribution analyses and traceback investigations were conducted. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tested papayas from Mexico for Salmonella. We identified 106 case patients from 25 states. Their median age was 21 years (range, 1-91). Thirty-nine of 61 case patients (64%) reported Hispanic/Latino ethnicity; 11 of 65 (17%) travelled to Mexico before illness. Thirty-two of 56 case patients (57%) reported papaya consumption. Distribution analyses revealed that three firms, including Distributor A, distributed papaya to geographic areas that aligned with both the location and timing of illnesses. Traceback of papayas purchased by ill persons in four states identified Distributor A as the common supplier. FDA testing isolated the outbreak strain from a papaya sample collected at distributor A and from another sample collected at the US-Mexico border, destined for distributor A. FDA isolated Salmonella species from 62 of 388 papaya import samples (16%). The investigation led to a recall of fresh, whole papayas from Distributor A and an FDA import alert for all papayas from Mexico. This is the first reported Salmonella outbreak in the United States linked to fresh, whole papayas. The outbreak highlights important issues regarding the safety of imported produce.

Occurrence and persistence of fungicides in bed sediments and suspended solids from three targeted use areas in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smalling, Kelly L.; Reilly, Timothy J.; Sandstrom, Mark W.; Kuivila, Kathryn

2013-01-01

To document the environmental occurrence and persistence of fungicides, a robust and sensitive analytical method was used to measure 34 fungicides and an additional 57 current-use pesticides in bed sediments and suspended solids collected from areas of intense fungicide use within three geographic areas across the United States. Sampling sites were selected near or within agricultural research farms using prophylactic fungicides at rates and types typical of their geographic location. At least two fungicides were detected in 55% of the bed and 83% of the suspended solid samples and were detected in conjunction with herbicides and insecticides. Six fungicides were detected in all samples including pyraclostrobin (75%), boscalid (53%), chlorothalonil (41%) and zoxamide (22%). Pyraclostrobin, a strobilurin fungicide, used frequently in the United States on a variety of crops, was detected more frequently than p,p′-DDE, the primary degradate of p,p′-DDT, which is typically one of the most frequently occurring pesticides in sediments collected within highly agricultural areas. Maximum fungicide concentrations in bed sediments and suspended solids were 198 and 56.7 μg/kg dry weight, respectively. There is limited information on the occurrence, fate, and persistence of many fungicides in sediment and the environmental impacts are largely unknown. The results of this study indicate the importance of documenting the persistence of fungicides in the environment and the need for a better understanding of off-site transport mechanisms, particularly in areas where crops are grown that require frequent treatments to prevent fungal diseases.

Water Quality of Combined Sewer Overflows, Stormwater, and Streams, Omaha, Nebraska, 2006-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vogel, Jason R.; Frankforter, Jill D.; Rus, David L.; Hobza, Christopher M.; Moser, Matthew T.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Omaha, investigated the water quality of combined sewer overflows, stormwater, and streams in the Omaha, Nebraska, area by collecting and analyzing 1,175 water samples from August 2006 through October 2007. The study area included the drainage area of Papillion Creek at Capeheart Road near Bellevue, Nebraska, which encompasses the tributary drainages of the Big and Little Papillion Creeks and Cole Creek, along with the Missouri River reach that is adjacent to Omaha. Of the 101 constituents analyzed during the study, 100 were detected in at least 1 sample during the study. Spatial and seasonal comparisons were completed for environmental samples. Measured concentrations in stream samples were compared to water-quality criteria for pollutants of concern. Finally, the mass loads of water-quality constituents in the combined sewer overflow discharges, stormwater outfalls, and streams were computed and compared. The results of the study indicate that combined sewer overflow and stormwater discharges are affecting the water quality of the streams in the Omaha area. At the Papillion Creek Basin sites, Escherichia coli densities were greater than 126 units per 100 milliliters in 99 percent of the samples (212 of 213 samples analyzed for Escherichia coli) collected during the recreational-use season from May through September (in 2006 and 2007). Escherichia coli densities in 76 percent of Missouri River samples (39 of 51 samples) were greater than 126 units per 100 milliliters in samples collected from May through September (in 2006 and 2007). None of the constituents with human health criteria for consumption of water, fish, and other aquatic organisms were detected at levels greater than the criteria in any of the samples collected during this study. Total phosphorus concentrations in water samples collected in the Papillion Creek Basin were in excess of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposed criterion in all but four stream samples (266 of 270). Similarly, only 2 of 84 Missouri River samples had total phosphorus concentrations less than the proposed criterion. The proposed total nitrogen criterion for the Corn Belt and Northern Great Plains ecoregion was surpassed in 80 percent of the water samples collected from the stream sites. Samples with total nitrogen concentrations greater than the proposed criterion were most common at Papillion Creek and Big Papillion Creek sites, where the proposed criterion was surpassed in 90 and 96 percent of the samples collected, respectively. Elevated concentrations of total nitrogen were less common at the Missouri River sites, with 33 percent of the samples analyzed having concentrations that surpassed the proposed nutrient criterion for total nitrogen. The three constituents with measured concentrations greater than their respective health-based screening levels were nickel, zinc, and dichlorvos. Differences in water quality during the beginning, middle, and end of the combined sewer overflow discharge and the stream hydrograph rise, peak, and recession were investigated. Concentrations from the ending part of the combined sewer overflow hydrograph were significantly different than those from the beginning and middle parts for 3 and 11 constituents, respectively. No constituents were significantly different between the beginning and middle parts of the combined sewer overflow discharge hydrograph. For the stream site upstream from combined sewer overflow outfalls on Cole Creek, the constituents with geometric mean values for the hydrograph rise that were at least twice those for the values of the peak and recession were specific conductance, magnesium, nitrite, N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), methyl salicylate, p-cresol, and Escherichia coli. Similarly, the constituents where the hydrograph peak was at least twice that for the rise and recession at the upstream Cole Creek site were total suspended solids, silver, an

The Effect of Mother's Voice on Arterial Blood Sampling Induced Pain in Neonates Hospitalized in Neonate Intensive Care Unit.

PubMed

Azarmnejad, Elham; Sarhangi, Forogh; Javadi, Mahrooz; Rejeh, Nahid

2015-04-19

Due to devastating effects of pain in neonates, it is very important to ease it though safe and feasible methods. This study was to determine the effect of familiar auditory stimuli on the arterial blood sampling (ABS) induced pain in term neonates. This study was done on 30 newborns hospitalized in neonate intensive care unit (NICU) of a hospital in Tehran. Research samples were selected by using convenience sampling and randomly divided into two groups of control and test. In the test group, the recorded mothers' voices were played for the newborns before and after blood sampling procedure. Then, pain measures were recorded 10 minutes before, during and 10 minutes after blood collection based on Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS); then the pain level changes were reviewed and studied. The findings showed significant differences between the control and test groups that indicating the effect of mother's voice on reducing the pain of neonates during the ABS (p<0.005). Research findings demonstrate that mother's voice reduces ABS induced pain in the term neonates.

Shelf-life extension of vacuum-packaged meat from pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) by lactic acid treatment.

PubMed

Pfeifer, Agathe; Smulders, Frans J M; Paulsen, Peter

2014-07-01

We investigated the influence of lactic acid treatment of pheasant meat before vacuum-packaged storage of 3, 7, and 10 d at +6°C on microbiota and pH. Breast muscle samples were collected from carcasses of slaughtered as well as from hunted (shot) wild pheasants. Immersion of meat samples in 3% (wt/wt) lactic acid for 60 s effectuated a significant drop in pH of approximately 0.5 to 0.7 units, which remained during the entire storage period. In parallel, total aerobic counts of such treated and stored samples were on an average 1.5 to 1.7 log units lower than in non-acid-treated samples. Similar results were found for Enterobacteriaceae. A significant decrease in pH was measured at d 7 and 10 in the acid-treated samples in comparison with the untreated ones. In summary, the immersion of pheasant breast meat cuts in dilute lactic acid significantly reduced microbiota during vacuum-packed storage, even at slight temperature abuse conditions. © 2014 Poultry Science Association Inc.

What variables affect public perceptions for EMS meeting general community needs?

PubMed

Blau, Gary; Hochner, Arthur; Portwood, James

2012-01-01

In the fall, 2010, a phone survey of 928 respondents examined two research questions: does the general public perceive Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as meeting their community needs? And what factors or correlates help to explain EMS meeting community needs? To maximize geographical representation across the contiguous United States, a clustered stratified sampling strategy was used based upon zip codes across the 48 states. Results showed strong support by the sample for perceiving that EMS was meeting their general community needs. 17 percent of the variance in EMS meeting community needs was collectively explained by the demographic and perceptual variables in the regression model. Of the correlates tested, the strongest relationship was found between greater admiration for EMS professionals and higher perception of EMS meeting community needs. Study limitations included sampling households with only landline (no cell) phones, using a simulated emergency situation, and not collecting gender data.

2013 Annual Wastewater Reuse Report for the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Central Facilities Area Sewage Treatment Plant

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

Mike Lewis

2014-02-01

This report describes conditions, as required by the state of Idaho Wastewater Reuse Permit (#LA-000141-03), for the wastewater land application site at the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Central Facilities Area Sewage Treatment Plant from November 1, 2012, through October 31, 2013. The report contains, as applicable, the following information: • Site description • Facility and system description • Permit required monitoring data and loading rates • Status of compliance conditions and activities • Discussion of the facility’s environmental impacts. During the 2013 permit year, no wastewater was land-applied to the irrigation area of the Central Facilities Area Sewage Treatment Plantmore » and therefore, no effluent flow volumes or samples were collected from wastewater sampling point WW-014102. However, soil samples were collected in October from soil monitoring unit SU-014101.« less

Methods for collecting benthic invertebrate samples as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cuffney, Thomas F.; Gurtz, Martin E.; Meador, Michael R.

1993-01-01

Benthic invertebrate communities are evaluated as part of the ecological survey component of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. These biological data are collected along with physical and chemical data to assess water-quality conditions and to develop an understanding of the factors that affect water-quality conditions locally, regionally, and nationally. The objectives of benthic invertebrate community characterizations are to (1) develop for each site a list of tax a within the associated stream reach and (2) determine the structure of benthic invertebrate communities within selected habitats of that reach. A nationally consistent approach is used to achieve these objectives. This approach provides guidance on site, reach, and habitat selection and methods and equipment for qualitative multihabitat sampling and semi-quantitative single habitat sampling. Appropriate quality-assurance and quality-control guidelines are used to maximize the ability to analyze data within and among study units.

Trends in the occurrence of MTBE in drinking water in the Northeast United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moran, M.J.

2007-01-01

Public water systems in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Rhode Island sampled treated drinking water from 1993-2006 and analyzed the samples for MTBE. The US Geological Survey examined trends in the occurrence of MTBE in drinking water derived from ground water in these States for two near-decadal time steps; 1993-1999 and 2000-2006. MTBE was detected in 14% of drinking water samples collected in all States from 1993-1999 and in 19% of drinking water samples collected from the same systems from 2000-2006 and this difference was statistically significant. Trends in the occurrence of MTBE in each State by individual year indicated significant positive trends in Maryland and New Hampshire. Significant, increasing trends in MTBE concentrations were observed in Maryland and Rhode Island by individual year. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 2007 Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water: Prevention, Assessment and Remediation Conference (Houston, TX 11/5-6/2007).

BioDry: An Inexpensive, Low-Power Method to Preserve Aquatic Microbial Biomass at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Tuorto, Steven J; Brown, Chris M; Bidle, Kay D; McGuinness, Lora R; Kerkhof, Lee J

2015-01-01

This report describes BioDry (patent pending), a method for reliably preserving the biomolecules associated with aquatic microbial biomass samples, without the need of hazardous materials (e.g. liquid nitrogen, preservatives, etc.), freezing, or bulky storage/sampling equipment. Gel electrophoresis analysis of nucleic acid extracts from samples treated in the lab with the BioDry method indicated that molecular integrity was protected in samples stored at room temperature for up to 30 days. Analysis of 16S/18S rRNA genes for presence/absence and relative abundance of microorganisms using both 454-pyrosequencing and TRFLP profiling revealed statistically indistinguishable communities from control samples that were frozen in liquid nitrogen immediately after collection. Seawater and river water biomass samples collected with a portable BioDry "field unit", constructed from off-the-shelf materials and a battery-operated pumping system, also displayed high levels of community rRNA preservation, despite a slight decrease in nucleic acid recovery over the course of storage for 30 days. Functional mRNA and protein pools from the field samples were also effectively conserved with BioDry, as assessed by respective RT-PCR amplification and western blot of ribulose-1-5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase. Collectively, these results demonstrate that BioDry can adequately preserve a suite of biomolecules from aquatic biomass at ambient temperatures for up to a month, giving it great potential for high resolution sampling in remote locations or on autonomous platforms where space and power are limited.

BioDry: An Inexpensive, Low-Power Method to Preserve Aquatic Microbial Biomass at Room Temperature

PubMed Central

Tuorto, Steven J.; Brown, Chris M.; Bidle, Kay D.; McGuinness, Lora R.; Kerkhof, Lee J.

2015-01-01

This report describes BioDry (patent pending), a method for reliably preserving the biomolecules associated with aquatic microbial biomass samples, without the need of hazardous materials (e.g. liquid nitrogen, preservatives, etc.), freezing, or bulky storage/sampling equipment. Gel electrophoresis analysis of nucleic acid extracts from samples treated in the lab with the BioDry method indicated that molecular integrity was protected in samples stored at room temperature for up to 30 days. Analysis of 16S/18S rRNA genes for presence/absence and relative abundance of microorganisms using both 454-pyrosequencing and TRFLP profiling revealed statistically indistinguishable communities from control samples that were frozen in liquid nitrogen immediately after collection. Seawater and river water biomass samples collected with a portable BioDry “field unit", constructed from off-the-shelf materials and a battery-operated pumping system, also displayed high levels of community rRNA preservation, despite a slight decrease in nucleic acid recovery over the course of storage for 30 days. Functional mRNA and protein pools from the field samples were also effectively conserved with BioDry, as assessed by respective RT-PCR amplification and western blot of ribulose-1-5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase. Collectively, these results demonstrate that BioDry can adequately preserve a suite of biomolecules from aquatic biomass at ambient temperatures for up to a month, giving it great potential for high resolution sampling in remote locations or on autonomous platforms where space and power are limited. PMID:26710122

Detection of oral streptococci in dental unit water lines after therapy with air turbine handpiece: biological fluid retraction more frequent than expected.

PubMed

Petti, Stefano; Moroni, Catia; Messano, Giuseppe Alessio; Polimeni, Antonella

2013-03-01

Oral streptococci detected in water from dental unit water lines (DUWLs) are a surrogate marker of patients' biological fluid retraction during therapy. We investigated oral streptococci detection rate in DUWLs in a representative sample of private offices in real-life conditions. Samples of nondisinfected water (100 ml) were collected from the DUWL designated for the air turbine handpiece in 81 dental units, immediately after dental treatment of patients with extensive air turbine handpiece use. Water was filtered and plated on a selective medium for oral streptococci and, morphologically, typical colonies of oral streptococci were counted. The lowest detection limit was 0.01 CFU/ml. The oral streptococci detection rate was 72% (95% CI: 62-81%), with a mean level of 0.7 CFU/ml. Oral streptococci detection was not affected by handpiece age or dental treatment type, but was associated with dental unit age. Biological fluid retraction into DUWLs during patient treatment and, possibly, the risk for patient-to-patient blood- or air-borne pathogen transmission are more frequent than expected.

Estimating occupancy dynamics for large-scale monitoring networks: amphibian breeding occupancy across protected areas in the northeast United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, David A.W.; Grant, Evan H. Campbell

2015-01-01

Regional monitoring strategies frequently employ a nested sampling design where a finite set of study areas from throughout a region are selected within which intensive sub-sampling occurs. This sampling protocol naturally lends itself to a hierarchical analysis to account for dependence among sub-samples. Implementing such an analysis within a classic likelihood framework is computationally prohibitive with species occurrence data when accounting for detection probabilities. Bayesian methods offer an alternative framework to make this analysis feasible. We demonstrate a general approach for estimating occupancy when data come from a nested sampling design. Using data from a regional monitoring program of wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) and spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) in vernal pools, we analyzed data using static and dynamic occupancy frameworks. We analyzed observations from 2004-2013collected within 14 protected areas located throughout the northeast United States . We use the data set to estimate trends in occupancy at both the regional and individual protected area level. We show that occupancy at the regional level was relatively stable for both species. Much more variation occurred within individual study areas, with some populations declining and some increasing for both species. We found some evidence for a latitudinal gradient in trends among protected areas. However, support for this pattern is overestimated when the hierarchical nature of the data collection is not controlled for in the analysis. For both species, occupancy appeared to be declining in the most southern areas, while occupancy was stable or increasing in more northern areas. These results shed light on the range-level population status of these pond-breeding amphibians and our approach provides a framework that can be used to examine drivers of change including among-year and among-site variation in occurrence dynamics, while properly accounting for nested structure of data collection.

Determination and comparison of microbial loads in atmospheres of two hospitals in Izmir, Turkey.

PubMed

Aydin Çakir, Nergüze; Uçar, Füsun Bahriye; Haliki Uztan, Alev; Corbaci, Cengiz; Akpinar, Onur

2013-01-01

Nosocomial infections, also known as hospital-acquired infections, has become one of the most important health problems in health care units worldwide. The presented study aims to determine the average amount of microorganism loads and to show that the atmospheres of the two hospitals can be a potential source regarding nosocomial infections. The effect of surface and floor disinfection processes in the two hospitals and the antibiotic susceptibility of the bacterial isolates were also evaluated. Microorganisms were isolated from air samples collected from different areas (patient wards, corridors, operating theatres and postoperative units) of the two hospitals in Izmir. Sampling was conducted between December 2006 - March 2007. During the 3-month sampling period, the average number of live microorganisms in the air samples collected from second-class environments in the hospital 1 and the hospital 2 was found to be 224.44 and 536.66 cfu/m(3) , respectively. The average number of microorganisms in hospital 2 collected before the disinfection process was higher than those after the disinfection process. However, because of the closure of the air-conditioning system and the hepa filters after the disinfection process, this was reversed in hospital 1. In total, 54 and 42 isolates were obtained from hospital 1 and hospital 2, respectively. 49 isolates from hospital 1 and 35 isolates from hospital 2 were identified as Staphylacoccus sp. The remaining isolates were identified as Aerococcus sp. and Enterococcus sp. Pseudomonas sp. was not determined in the air samples of the two hospitals. It was detected that the microbial loads in the atmospheres of the two hospitals studied varied greatly depending on the number of people in the environment. As the results indicate, the total number of microorganisms in the atmospheres of operating theatres in both hospitals does not pose a threat according to the Air Microbe Index.

National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program: Successes and Lessons Learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adrian, B. M.

2014-12-01

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is widely recognized in the earth science community as possessing extensive collections of geologic and geophysical materials gathered by its research personnel. Since the USGS was established in 1879, hundreds of thousands of samples have been gathered in collections that range from localized, geographically-based assemblages to ones that are national or international in scope. These materials include, but are not limited to, rock and mineral specimens; fossils; drill cores and cuttings; geochemical standards; and soil, sediment, and geochemical samples. The USGS National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program (NGGDPP) was established with the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Since its implementation, the USGS NGGDPP has taken an active role in providing opportunities to inventory, archive and preserve geologic and geophysical samples, and to make these samples and ancillary data discoverable on the Internet. Preserving endangered geoscience collections is more cost effective than recollecting this information. Preserving these collections, however, is only one part of the process - there also needs to be a means to facilitate open discovery and access to the physical objects and the ancillary digital records. The NGGDPP has celebrated successes such as the development of the USGS Geologic Collections Management System (GCMS), a master catalog and collections management plan, and the implementation and advancement of the National Digital Catalog, a digital inventory and catalog of geological and geophysical data and collections held by the USGS and State geological surveys. Over this period of time there has been many lessons learned. With the successes and lessons learned, NGGDPP is poised to take on challenges the future may bring.

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

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

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

1980-06-01

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

Escherichia coli Concentrations in the Mill Creek Watershed, Cleveland, Ohio, 2001-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brady, Amie M.G.

2007-01-01

Mill Creek in Cleveland, Ohio, receives discharges from combined-sewer overflows (CSOs) and other sanitary-sewage inputs. These discharges affect the water quality of the creek and that of its receiving stream, the Cuyahoga River. In an effort to mitigate this problem, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District implemented a project to eliminate or control (by reducing the number of overflows) all of the CSOs in the Mill Creek watershed. This study focused on monitoring the microbiological water quality of the creek before and during sewage-collection system modifications. Routine samples were collected semimonthly from August 2001 through September 2004 at a site near a U.S. Geological Survey stream gage near the mouth of Mill Creek. In addition, event samples were collected September 19 and 22, 2003, when rainfall accumulations were 0.5 inches (in.) or greater. Concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli) were determined and instantaneous discharges were calculated. Streamflow and water-quality characteristics were measured at the time of sampling, and precipitation data measured at a nearby precipitation gage were obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Concentrations of E. coli were greater than Ohio's single-sample maximum for primary-contact recreation (298 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters (CFU/100 mL)) in 84 percent of the routine samples collected. In all but one routine sample E. coli concentrations in samples collected when instantaneous streamflows were greater than 20 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) were greater than Ohio's single-sample maximum. When precipitation occurred in the 24-hour period before routine sample collection, concentrations were greater than the maximum in 89 percent of the samples as compared to 73 percent when rainfall was absent during the 24 hours prior to routine sample collection. Before modifications to the sewage-collection system in the watershed began, E. coli concentrations in Mill Creek ranged from 220 to 29,000 CFU/100 mL. After major modifications, E. coli concentrations ranged from 110 to 80,000 CFU/100 mL. The percentage of sample E. coli concentrations in the former group greater than Ohio's single-sample maximum was 88 percent, whereas 85 percent of sample concentrations was greater than the maximum after major modifications occurred. Instantaneous discharges of E. coli were calculated for each of the modification periods. No statistically significant difference was observed between the median instantaneous discharges of E. coli for the premodification and minor-modification periods (5.1 ? 106 and 3.6 ? 106 CFU per second, respectively). During rainfall events in September 2003, samples were collected every 15 to 30 minutes. E. coli concentrations in all of these samples (n = 34) were greater than Ohio's single-sample maximum for primary-contact recreation. On September 19, total accumulated rainfall was 1.7 in., and streamflow reached a peak of 1,040 ft3/s. Sample collection started after 0.8 in. of precipitation had fallen and continued throughout the remainder of the storm. For these samples, E. coli concentrations ranged from 32,000 to 140,000 CFU/100 mL. On September 22, total accumulated rainfall was 0.5 in., and streamflow reached a peak of 497 ft3/s. Sample collection began before the start of the rain and continued throughout the storm. E. coli concentrations ranged from 450 to 260,000 CFU/100 mL.

INTERIM REPORT ON THE EVOLUTION AND ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

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

A study of the level and dynamics of Eimeria populations in naturally infected, grazing beef cattle at various stages of production in the Mid-Atlantic USA.

PubMed

Lucas, Aaron S; Swecker, William S; Lindsay, David S; Scaglia, Guillermo; Neel, James P S; Elvinger, Francois C; Zajac, Anne M

2014-05-28

There is little information available on the species dynamics of eimerian parasites in grazing cattle in the central Appalachian region of the United States. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe the level of infection and species dynamics of Eimeria spp. in grazing beef cattle of various age groups over the course of a year in the central Appalachian region. Rectal fecal samples were collected from male and female calves (n=72) monthly from May through October 2005, heifers only (n=36) monthly from November 2005 to April 2006, and cows (n=72) in May, July, and September, 2005. Eimeria spp. oocysts were seen in 399 of 414 (96%) fecal samples collected from the calves from May through October. Fecal oocysts counts (FOC) in the calves were lower (P<0.05) in May than all other months and no significant differences were detected from June through September. Eimeria spp. oocysts were detected in 198 of 213 (92%) of fecal samples collected from the 36 replacement heifers monthly from November to April and monthly mean FOC did not differ during this time period. The prevalence of oocyst shedding increased to 100% in calves in September and remained near 100% in the replacement heifers during the sampling period. Eimeria spp. oocysts were also detected in 150 of 200 (75%) samples collected in May, July, and September from the cows and mean FOC did not differ significantly over the sampling period. Eimeria spp. composition was dominated by Eimeria bovis in fecal samples collected from calves, replacement heifers and cows. Mixed Eimeria spp. infections were, however, common in all groups and 13 Eimeria spp. oocysts were identified throughout the sampling period. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dissolved pesticide concentrations detected in storm-water runoff at selected sites in the San Joaquin River basin, California, 2000-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orlando, James L.; Kuivila, Kathryn; Whitehead, Andrew

2003-01-01

As part of a collaborative study involving the United States Geological Survey Toxics Substances Hydrology Project (Toxics Project) and the University of California, Davis, Bodega Marine Laboratory (BML), water samples were collected at three sites within the San Joaquin River Basin of California and analyzed for dissolved pesticides. Samples were collected during, and immediately after, the first significant rainfall (greater than 0.5 inch per day) following the local application of dormant spray, organophosphate insecticides during the winters of 2000 and 2001. All samples were collected in conjunction with fish-caging experiments conducted by BML researchers. Sites included two locations potentially affected by runoff of agricultural chemicals (San Joaquin River near Vernalis, California, and Orestimba Creek at River Road near Crows Landing, California, and one control site located upstream of pesticide input (Orestimba Creek at Orestimba Creek Road near Newman, California). During these experiments, fish were placed in cages and exposed to storm runoff for up to ten days. Following exposure, the fish were examined for acetylcholinesterase concentrations and overall genetic damage. Water samples were collected throughout the rising limb of the stream hydrograph at each site for later pesticide analysis. Concentrations of selected pesticides were measured in filtered water samples using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) at the U.S. Geological Survey organic chemistry laboratory in Sacramento, California. Results of these analyses are presented.

Enumeration of Somatic and F-RNA Phages as an Indicator of Fecal Contamination in Potable Water from Rural Areas of the North West Province.

PubMed

Nkwe, Keitumetse Idah; Ateba, Collins Njie; Sithebe, Nomathamsanqa Patricia; Bezuidenhout, Cornelius Carlos

2015-07-01

Bacteriophages are regarded as enteric viral indicators in faecally contaminated water systems and may indicate the presence of human viral pollution. They are relatively resistant to inactivation by natural and treatment processes. In this study, the presence of somatic coliphages and F-RNA coliphages was investigated in potable water from rural areas in the North West province. Water samples were aseptically collected from boreholes and tap water from some rural communities in the North West Province. Physical parameters of the water, such as the temperature, pH and turbidity, were measured before sample collection. Double-agar layer assay was performed using ISO, (1995, 2000) standard methods. Bottled water was used as a negative control and the strains фX174 and MS2 as positive controls. Of the 16 water samples collected, 15 were positive for somatic bacteriophages while F-RNA coliphages were detected in only two samples. Amongst the positive samples 189 and three plaque forming units were obtained for both somatic and F-RNA coliphages, respectively. No coliphage was detected in water from Masamane tap 1. The rest of the samples obtained from various rural areas were positive and did not comply with national and international standards for potable water. This was a cause for concern and should be further investigated.

Enumeration of Somatic and F-RNA Phages as an Indicator of Fecal Contamination in Potable Water from Rural Areas of the North West Province

PubMed Central

Nkwe, Keitumetse Idah; Ateba, Collins Njie; Sithebe, Nomathamsanqa Patricia; Bezuidenhout, Cornelius Carlos

2015-01-01

Bacteriophages are regarded as enteric viral indicators in faecally contaminated water systems and may indicate the presence of human viral pollution. They are relatively resistant to inactivation by natural and treatment processes. In this study, the presence of somatic coliphages and F-RNA coliphages was investigated in potable water from rural areas in the North West province. Water samples were aseptically collected from boreholes and tap water from some rural communities in the North West Province. Physical parameters of the water, such as the temperature, pH and turbidity, were measured before sample collection. Double-agar layer assay was performed using ISO, (1995, 2000) standard methods. Bottled water was used as a negative control and the strains фX174 and MS2 as positive controls. Of the 16 water samples collected, 15 were positive for somatic bacteriophages while F-RNA coliphages were detected in only two samples. Amongst the positive samples 189 and three plaque forming units were obtained for both somatic and F-RNA coliphages, respectively. No coliphage was detected in water from Masamane tap 1. The rest of the samples obtained from various rural areas were positive and did not comply with national and international standards for potable water. This was a cause for concern and should be further investigated. PMID:26140675

Compositional variation within thick (>10 m) flow units of Mauna Kea Volcano cored by the Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Shichun; Vollinger, Michael J.; Frey, Frederick A.; Rhodes, J. Michael; Zhang, Qun

2016-07-01

Geochemical analyses of stratigraphic sequences of lava flows are necessary to understand how a volcano works. Typically one sample from each lava flow is collected and studied with the assumption that this sample is representative of the flow composition. This assumption may not be valid. The thickness of flows ranges from <1 to >100 m. Geochemical heterogeneity in thin flows may be created by interaction with the surficial environment whereas magmatic processes occurring during emplacement may create geochemical heterogeneities in thick flows. The Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project (HSDP) cored ∼3.3 km of basalt erupted at Mauna Kea Volcano. In order to determine geochemical heterogeneities in a flow, multiple samples from four thick (9.3-98.4 m) HSDP flow units were analyzed for major and trace elements. We found that major element abundances in three submarine flow units are controlled by the varying proportion of olivine, the primary phenocryst phase in these samples. Post-magmatic alteration of a subaerial flow led to loss of SiO2, CaO, Na2O, K2O and P2O5, and as a consequence, contents of immobile elements, such as Fe2O3 and Al2O3, increase. The mobility of SiO2 is important because Mauma Kea shield lavas divide into two groups that differ in SiO2 content. Post-magmatic mobility of SiO2 adds complexity to determining if these groups reflect differences in source or process. The most mobile elements during post-magmatic subaerial and submarine alteration are K and Rb, and Ba, Sr and U were also mobile, but their abundances are not highly correlated with K and Rb. The Ba/Th ratio has been used to document an important role for a plagioclase-rich source component for basalt from the Galapagos, Iceland and Hawaii. Although Ba/Th is anomalously high in Hawaiian basalt, variation in Ba abundance within a single flow shows that it is not a reliable indicator of a deep source component. In contrast, ratios involving elements that are typically immobile, such as La/Nb, La/Th, Nb/Th, Ce/Pb, Sr/Nd, La/Sm, Sm/Yb, Nb/Zr, Nb/Y and La/Yb, are uniform within the units, and they can be used to constrain petrogenetic processes. Nevertheless all elements are mobile under some conditions. For example, a surprising result is that relative to other samples, the uppermost sample collected from subaerial flow Unit 70, less than 1 m below the flow surface, is depleted in P, HREE and Y relative to all other samples from this flow unit. This result is complementary to the P, REE and Y enrichment found in subaerial lava flows from several Hawaiian shields, e.g., Kahoolawe and Koolau Volcanoes. These enrichments require mobilization of REE and followed by deposition a P-rich mineral.

Validation of a Sampling Method to Collect Exposure Data for Central-Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections.

PubMed

Hammami, Naïma; Mertens, Karl; Overholser, Rosanna; Goetghebeur, Els; Catry, Boudewijn; Lambert, Marie-Laurence

2016-05-01

Surveillance of central-line-associated bloodstream infections requires the labor-intensive counting of central-line days (CLDs). This workload could be reduced by sampling. Our objective was to evaluate the accuracy of various sampling strategies in the estimation of CLDs in intensive care units (ICUs) and to establish a set of rules to identify optimal sampling strategies depending on ICU characteristics. Analyses of existing data collected according to the European protocol for patient-based surveillance of ICU-acquired infections in Belgium between 2004 and 2012. CLD data were reported by 56 ICUs in 39 hospitals during 364 trimesters. We compared estimated CLD data obtained from weekly and monthly sampling schemes with the observed exhaustive CLD data over the trimester by assessing the CLD percentage error (ie, observed CLDs - estimated CLDs/observed CLDs). We identified predictors of improved accuracy using linear mixed models. When sampling once per week or 3 times per month, 80% of ICU trimesters had a CLD percentage error within 10%. When sampling twice per week, this was >90% of ICU trimesters. Sampling on Tuesdays provided the best estimations. In the linear mixed model, the observed CLD count was the best predictor for a smaller percentage error. The following sampling strategies provided an estimate within 10% of the actual CLD for 97% of the ICU trimesters with 90% confidence: 3 times per month in an ICU with >650 CLDs per trimester or each Tuesday in an ICU with >480 CLDs per trimester. Sampling of CLDs provides an acceptable alternative to daily collection of CLD data.

Comparison. US P-61 and Delft sediment samplers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beverage, Joseph P.; Williams, David T.

1990-01-01

The Delft Bottle (DB) is a flow-through device designed by the Delft Hydraulic Laboratory (DHL), The Netherlands, to sample sand-sized sediment suspended in streams. The US P-61 sampler was designed by the Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project (FISP) at the St. Anthony Falls Hydraulic Laboratory, Minneapolis, Minnesota, to collect suspended sediment from deep, swift rivers. The results of two point-sampling tests in the United States, the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1983 and the Colorado River near Blythe, California, in 1984, are provided in this report. These studies compare sand-transport rates, rather than total sediment-transport rates, because fine material washes through the DB sampler. In the United States, the commonly used limits for sand-sized material are 0.062 mm to 2.00 mm (Vanoni 1975).

Attitudes toward Gay Men and Lesbian Women among Heterosexual Social Work Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chonody, Jill M.; Woodford, Michael R.; Brennan, David J.; Newman, Bernie; Wang, Donna

2014-01-01

This study reports results from a national Internet-based survey administered anonymously to a cross-section of social work faculty in the United States. Drawn from a sampling frame of 700 accredited or in candidacy schools, data were collected between November 2010 and March 2011. We investigate the role of sex, sexual orientation, race,…

From Hospital to Nursing Facility: Factors Influencing Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Susan E.; Auerbach, Charles; LaPorte, Heidi Heft

2009-01-01

This study addresses the factors influencing decisions to send medicine-surgical (med-surg) patients home or to nursing facilities (NFs). The sample (n = 7,852) was taken from a large, urban, teaching, med-surg unit where discharges were documented and data collected over a two-and-a-half-year period. Using logistical regression, the factors found…

Psychometrics of a Brief Measure of Emotional Self-Efficacy among Adolescents from the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valois, Robert F.; Zullig, Keith J.

2013-01-01

Background: Preliminary data were collected to evaluate the psychometric properties of an emotional self-efficacy (ESE) measure in a sample of 3836 public high school adolescents who completed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey in South Carolina. Methods: Principal axis factor analysis was followed by a…

Crown-condition classification: a guide to data collection and analysis

Treesearch

Michael E. Schomaker; Stanley J. Zarnoch; William A. Bechtold; David J. Latelle; William G. Burkman; Susan M. Cox

2007-01-01

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, conducts a national inventory of forests across the United States. A systematic subset of permanent inventory plots in 38 States is currently sampled every year for numerous forest health indicators. One of these indicators, crown-condition classification, is designed...

Teacher Education Budget Cuts in Romania and the US: Points of Contrast and Comparison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ives, B.; Alama, M.; Mosora, C. L.

2013-01-01

Background: Budgets for teacher education programmes have been substantially reduced as a result of the global economic crisis. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the teacher education budget cutting processes and procedures for universities in Romania versus one university in the United States. Sample: The data were collected from…

Environmental Fate and Impacts of Sulfometuron on Watersheds in the Southern United States

Treesearch

J.L. Michael

2003-01-01

Dissipation of sulfometuron (SM), methyl 2-[[[[(4,6-diiethyl-2-pyrimidinyl)amino]carbonyl]amino]sulfonyl] benzoate, in streamflow, sediment, plant tissue, litter, and soil following operational forestry applications at the target rate of 0.42 kg a.i. ha-1 was monitored. Streamflow samples were collected at a weir on the perimeter and 30...

The Status of the Business Communication Course at U.S. Colleges and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russ, Travis L.

2009-01-01

This study examines the current status of the introductory business communication course at colleges and universities across the United States. Using data collected during the spring of 2008 from a national sample of 505 instructors, this study reveals a number of pedagogical and programmatic insights about (1) major course sponsors; (2) academic…

Television in Inner-City Homes: Viewing Behavior of Young Boys.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, John P.

To determine whether watching violence on television instills aggressive behavior in a child, the television viewing of 27 5-and 6-year old black males from a sample of urban poor families was periodically observed and charted over a 1-year period. Data was collected on each child's family unit, home setting and available media. Longitudinal…

Chore to Champions: The Making of Better People Managers. IES Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tamkin, P.; Hirsh, W.; Tyers, C.

The process of making better people managers was examined. Data were collected through interviews with managers and staff at five case study organizations in the United Kingdom and through interviews with a sample of business schools and management developers. The study established that managers must be able to do the following things: (1) empower…

Prevalence of internal parasites in beef cows in the United States: results of the NAHMS Beef 2007-08 study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

During the USDA National Animal Health Monitoring System’s (NAHMS) Beef 2007-08 study, 567 producers from 24 states were offered the opportunity to collect fecal samples from weaned calves and have them evaluated for the presence of parasite eggs (Phase 1). Producers choosing to participate were pr...

40 CFR 75.15 - Special provisions for measuring Hg mass emissions using the excepted sorbent trap monitoring...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the excepted sorbent trap monitoring methodology. For an affected coal-fired unit under a State or...; (c) A certified flow monitoring system is required; (d) Correction for stack gas moisture content is... proportional to the stack gas volumetric flow rate. (f) At the beginning and end of each sample collection...

Timber resource statistics of south-central Alaska, 2003.

Treesearch

Willem W.S. van Hees

2005-01-01

Estimates of timber resources for south-central Alaska are presented. Data collection began in 2000 and was completed in 2003. All forest lands over all ownerships were considered for sampling. The inventory unit was, roughly, the region between Icy Bay to the east and Kodiak Island to the west. Forest lands within national forest wilderness study areas and recommended...

A Qualitative Phenomenological Study of Emotional and Cultural Intelligence of International Students in the United States of America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Rohan

2018-01-01

This phenomenological study examined the role of emotional and cultural intelligence in the social integration of international students. The study included nine participants who were selected using purposeful sampling. The researcher used five main interview questions to guide the data-collection process. The questions were designed to help…

Peer Group Self-Identification in Samples of Russian and U.S. Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sussman, Steve; Sun, Ping; Gunning, Melissa; Moran, Meghan B.; Pokhrel, Pallav; Rohrbach, Louise A.; Kniazev, Vadim; Masagutov, Radik

2010-01-01

Most peer group self-identification research has been conducted in the United States. This article examined the generalizability of self-identified group name research among teens in Ufa, a city in the Russian Federation. A cross-sectional, anonymous collection of data on group self-identification, drug use, addiction concern, sensation seeking,…

EFFECTS OF SUNLIGHT ON CARBOXYL CONTENT OF DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER IN THE SATILLA RIVER OF GEORGIA, UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

A study examined the effect of sunlight-initiated photo-degradation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on its carboxyl content, and the role of oxygen and iron in this process. Solar-simulated irradiations were performed on 0.2-mm filtered water samples collected from the highly c...

Proposed BioRepository platform solution for the ALS research community.

PubMed

Sherman, Alex; Bowser, Robert; Grasso, Daniela; Power, Breen; Milligan, Carol; Jaffa, Matthew; Cudkowicz, Merit

2011-01-01

ALS is a rare disorder whose cause and pathogenesis is largely unknown ( 1 ). There is a recognized need to develop biomarkers for ALS to better understand the disease, expedite diagnosis and to facilitate therapy development. Collaboration is essential to obtain a sufficient number of samples to allow statistically meaningful studies. The availability of high quality biological specimens for research purposes requires the development of standardized methods for collection, long-term storage, retrieval and distribution of specimens. The value of biological samples to scientists and clinicians correlates with the completeness and relevance of phenotypical and clinical information associated with the samples ( 2 , 3 ). While developing a secure Web-based system to manage an inventory of multi-site BioRepositories, algorithms were implemented to facilitate ad hoc parametric searches across heterogeneous data sources that contain data from clinical trials and research studies. A flexible schema for a barcode label was introduced to allow association of samples to these data. The ALSBank™ BioRepository platform solution for managing biological samples and associated data is currently deployed by the Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS). The NEALS Consortium and the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Neurology Clinical Trials Unit (NCTU) support a network of multiple BioBanks, thus allowing researchers to take advantage of a larger specimen collection than they might have at an individual institution. Standard operating procedures are utilized at all collection sites to promote common practices for biological sample integrity, quality control and associated clinical data. Utilizing this platform, we have created one of the largest virtual collections of ALS-related specimens available to investigators studying ALS.

Trace elements and organic compounds in sediment and fish tissue from the Great Salt Lake basins, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, 1998-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waddell, Kidd M.; Giddings, Elise M.

2004-01-01

A study to determine the occurrence and distribution of trace elements, organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and semivolatile organic compounds in sediment and in fish tissue was conducted in the Great Salt Lake Basins study unit of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program during 1998-99. Streambed-sediment and fish-tissue samples were collected concurrently at 11 sites and analyzed for trace-element concentration. An additional four sites were sampled for streambed sediment only and one site for fish tissue only. Organic compounds were analyzed from streambed-sediment and fish-tissue samples at 15 sites concurrently.Bed-sediment cores from lakes, reservoirs, and Farmington Bay collected by the NAWQA program in 1998 and by other researchers in 1982 were used to examine historical trends in trace-element concentration and to determine anthropogenic sources of contaminants. Cores collected in 1982 from Mirror Lake, a high-mountain reference location, showed an enrichment of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, tin, and zinc in the surface sediments relative to the deeper sediments, indicating that enrichment likely began after about 1900. This enrichment was attributed to atmospheric deposition during the period of metal-ore mining and smelting. A core from Echo Reservoir, in the Weber River Basin, however, showed a different pattern of trace-element concentration that was attributed to a local source. This site is located downstream from the Park City mining district, which is the most likely historical source of trace elements. Cores collected in 1998 from Farmington Bay show that the concentration of lead began to increase after 1842 and peaked during the mid-1980s and has been in decline since. Recent sediments deposited during 1996-98 indicate a 41- to 62-percent reduction since the peak in the mid-1980s.The concentration of trace elements in streambed sediment was greatest at sites that have been affected by historic mining, including sites on Little Cottonwood Creek in the Jordan River basin, Silver Creek in the Weber River basin, and the Weber River below the confluence with Silver Creek. There was significant correlation of lead concentrations in streambed sediment and fish tissue, but other trace elements did not correlate well. Streambed sediment and fish tissue collected from sites in the Bear River basin, which is predominantly rangeland and agriculture, generally had low concentrations of most elements.Sediment-quality guidelines were used to assess the relative toxicity of streambed-sediment sites to aquatic communities. Sites affected by mining exceeded the Probable Effect Concentration (PEC), the concentration at which it is likely there will be a negative effect on the aquatic community, for arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, silver, mercury, and zinc. Sites that were not affected by mining did not exceed these criteria. Concentrations of trace elements in samples collected from the Great Salt Lake Basins study unit (GRSL) are high compared to those of samples collected nationally with the NAWQA program. Nine of 15 streambed-sediment samples and 11 of 14 fish-tissue samples had concentrations of at least one trace element greater than the concentration of 90 percent of the samples collected nationally during 1993-2000.Organic compounds that were examined in streambed sediment and fish-tissue samples also were examined in bed-sediment cores. A bed-sediment core from Farmington Bay of Great Salt Lake showed an increase in total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations coincident with the increase in population in Salt Lake Valley, which drains into this bay. Analysis of streambed-sediment samples showed that the highest concentrations of PAHs were detected at urban sites, including two sites in the lower Jordan River (the Jordan River flows into Farmington Bay), the Weber River at Ogden Bay, and the Provo River near Provo. Other organic compounds detected in streambed sediment in the lower Jordan River were PCBs, DDT compounds, and chlordane compounds.Organic compounds were detected more frequently in fish tissue than in streambed sediment. Chlordane compounds and PCBs were detected more frequently at urban sites. DDT compounds were detected at 13 of 15 sites including urban and agricultural sites. Concentrations of total DDT in fish tissue exceeded the guideline for protection of fish-eating wildlife at two urban sites. The concentration of organic compounds in the GRSL study unit is low compared with that of samples collected nationally.

Groundwater-quality data in seven GAMA study units: results from initial sampling, 2004-2005, and resampling, 2007-2008, of wells: California GAMA Program Priority Basin Project

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kent, Robert; Belitz, Kenneth; Fram, Miranda S.

2014-01-01

The Priority Basin Project (PBP) of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The GAMA-PBP began sampling, primarily public supply wells in May 2004. By the end of February 2006, seven (of what would eventually be 35) study units had been sampled over a wide area of the State. Selected wells in these first seven study units were resampled for water quality from August 2007 to November 2008 as part of an assessment of temporal trends in water quality by the GAMA-PBP. The initial sampling was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of raw groundwater used for public water supplies within the seven study units. In the 7 study units, 462 wells were selected by using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study area. Wells selected this way are referred to as grid wells or status wells. Approximately 3 years after the initial sampling, 55 of these previously sampled status wells (approximately 10 percent in each study unit) were randomly selected for resampling. The seven resampled study units, the total number of status wells sampled for each study unit, and the number of these wells resampled for trends are as follows, in chronological order of sampling: San Diego Drainages (53 status wells, 7 trend wells), North San Francisco Bay (84, 10), Northern San Joaquin Basin (51, 5), Southern Sacramento Valley (67, 7), San Fernando–San Gabriel (35, 6), Monterey Bay and Salinas Valley Basins (91, 11), and Southeast San Joaquin Valley (83, 9). The groundwater samples were analyzed for a large number of synthetic organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOCs], pesticides, and pesticide degradates), constituents of special interest (perchlorate, N-nitrosodimethylamine [NDMA], and 1,2,3-trichloropropane [1,2,3-TCP]), and naturally-occurring inorganic constituents (nutrients, major and minor ions, and trace elements). Naturally-occurring isotopes (tritium, carbon-14, and stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water) also were measured to help identify processes affecting groundwater quality and the sources and ages of the sampled groundwater. Nearly 300 constituents and water-quality indicators were investigated. Quality-control samples (blanks, replicates, and samples for matrix spikes) were collected at 24 percent of the 55 status wells resampled for trends, and the results for these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data for the groundwater samples. Field blanks rarely contained detectable concentrations of any constituent, suggesting that contamination was not a noticeable source of bias in the data for the groundwater samples. Differences between replicate samples were mostly within acceptable ranges, indicating acceptably low variability in analytical results. Matrix-spike recoveries were within the acceptable range (70 to 130 percent) for 75 percent of the compounds for which matrix spikes were collected. This study did not attempt to evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers. After withdrawal, groundwater typically is treated, disinfected, and blended with other waters to maintain acceptable water quality. The benchmarks used in this report apply to treated water that is served to the consumer, not to untreated groundwater. To provide some context for the results, however, concentrations of constituents measured in these groundwater samples were compared with benchmarks established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Comparisons between data collected for this study and benchmarks for drinking water are for illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of compliance or non-compliance with those benchmarks. Most constituents that were detected in groundwater samples from the trend wells were found at concentrations less than drinking-water benchmarks. Four VOCs—trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, and methyl tert-butyl ether—were detected in one or more wells at concentrations greater than their health-based benchmarks, and six VOCs were detected in at least 10 percent of the samples during initial sampling or resampling of the trend wells. No pesticides were detected at concentrations near or greater than their health-based benchmarks. Three pesticide constituents—atrazine, deethylatrazine, and simazine—were detected in more than 10 percent of the trend-well samples during both sampling periods. Perchlorate, a constituent of special interest, was detected more frequently, and at greater concentrations during resampling than during initial sampling, but this may be due to a change in analytical method between the sampling periods, rather than to a change in groundwater quality. Another constituent of special interest, 1,2,3-TCP, was also detected more frequently during resampling than during initial sampling, but this pattern also may not reflect a change in groundwater quality. Samples from several of the wells where 1,2,3-TCP was detected by low-concentration-level analysis during resampling were not analyzed for 1,2,3-TCP using a low-level method during initial sampling. Most detections of nutrients and trace elements in samples from trend wells were less than health-based benchmarks during both sampling periods. Exceptions include nitrate, arsenic, boron, and vanadium, all detected at concentrations greater than their health-based benchmarks in at least one well during both sampling periods, and molybdenum, detected at concentrations greater than its health-based benchmark during resampling only. The isotopic ratios of oxygen and hydrogen in water and tritium and carbon-14 activities generally changed little between sampling periods, suggesting that the predominant sources and ages of groundwater in most trend wells were consistent between the sampling periods.

Children’s Exposures to Pyrethroid Insecticides at Home: A Review of Data Collected in Published Exposure Measurement Studies Conducted in the United States

PubMed Central

Morgan, Marsha K.

2012-01-01

Pyrethroid insecticides are frequently used to control insects in residential and agriculture settings in the United States and worldwide. As a result, children can be potentially exposed to pyrethroid residues in food and at home. This review summarizes data reported in 15 published articles from observational exposure measurement studies conducted from 1999 to present that examined children’s (5 months to 17 years of age) exposures to pyrethroids in media including floor wipes, floor dust, food, air, and/or urine collected at homes in the United States. At least seven different pyrethroids were detected in wipe, dust, solid food, and indoor air samples. Permethrin was the most frequently detected (>50%) pyrethroid in these media, followed by cypermethrin (wipes, dust, and food). 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), a urinary metabolite of several pyrethroids, was the most frequently (≥67%) detected pyrethroid biomarker. Results across studies indicate that these children were likely exposed to several pyrethroids, but primarily to permethrin and cypermethrin, from several sources including food, dust, and/or on surfaces at residences. Dietary ingestion followed by nondietary ingestion were the dominate exposure routes for these children, except in homes with frequent pesticide applications (dermal followed by dietary ingestion). Urinary 3-PBA concentration data confirm that the majority of the children sampled were exposed to one or more pyrethroids. PMID:23066409

Concentration data for anthropogenic organic compounds in groundwater, surface water, and finished water of selected community water systems in the United States, 2002-10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carter, Janet M.; Kingsbury, James A.; Hopple, Jessica A.; Delzer, Gregory C.

2010-01-01

The National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey began implementing Source Water-Quality Assessments (SWQAs) in 2001 that focus on characterizing the quality of source water and finished water of aquifers and major rivers used by some of the larger community water systems in the United States. As used in SWQA studies, source water is the raw (ambient) water collected at the supply well before water treatment (for groundwater) or the raw (ambient) water collected from the river near the intake (for surface water), and finished water is the water that has been treated and is ready to be delivered to consumers. Finished-water samples are collected before the water enters the distribution system. The primary objective of SWQAs is to determine the occurrence of more than 250 anthropogenic organic compounds in source water used by community water systems, many of which currently are unregulated in drinking water by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A secondary objective is to understand recurrence patterns in source water and determine if these patterns also occur in finished water before distribution. SWQA studies were conducted in two phases for most studies completed by 2005, and in one phase for most studies completed since 2005. Analytical results are reported for a total of 295 different anthropogenic organic compounds monitored in source-water and finished-water samples collected during 2002-10. The 295 compounds were classified according to the following 13 primary use or source groups: (1) disinfection by-products; (2) fumigant-related compounds; (3) fungicides; (4) gasoline hydrocarbons, oxygenates, and oxygenate degradates; (5) herbicides and herbicide degradates; (6) insecticides and insecticide degradates; (7) manufacturing additives; (8) organic synthesis compounds; (9) pavement- and combustion-derived compounds; (10) personal-care and domestic-use products; (11) plant- or animal-derived biochemicals; (12) refrigerants and propellants; and (13) solvents. This report presents the analytical results of source- water samples from 448 community water system wells and 21 surface-water sites. This report also presents the analytical results of finished-water samples from 285 wells and 20 surface-water sites from community water systems. Results of quality-assurance/quality-control samples also are presented including data for equipment blanks, field blanks, source solution blanks, and replicate samples.

The International Space Station Urine Monitoring System (UMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feeback, Daniel L.; Cibuzar, Branelle R.; Milstead, Jeffery R.; Pietrzyk,, Robert A.; Clark, Mark S.F.

2009-01-01

A device capable of making in-flight volume measurements of single void urine samples, the Urine Monitoring System (UMS), was developed and flown on seven U.S. Space Shuttle missions. This device provided volume data for each urine void from multiple crewmembers and allowed samples of each to be taken and returned to Earth for post-flight analysis. There were a number of design flaws in the original instrument including the presence of liquid carry-over producing invalid "actual" micturition volumes and cross-contamination between successive users from residual urine in "dead" spots". Additionally, high or low volume voids could not be accurately measured, the on-orbit calibration and nominal use sequence was time intensive, and the unit had to be returned and disassembled to retrieve the volume data. These problems have been resolved in a new version, the International Space Station (ISS) UMS, that has been designed to provide real-time in-flight volume data with accuracy and precision equivalent to measurements made on Earth and the ability to provide urine samples that are unadulterated by the device. Originally conceived to be interfaced with a U.S.-built Waste Collection System (WCS), the unit now has been modified to interface with the Russian-supplied Sanitary Hygiene Device (ASY). The ISS UMS provides significant advantages over the current method of collecting urine samples into Urine Collection Devices (UCDs), from which samples are removed and returned to Earth for analyses. A significant future advantage of the UMS is that it can provide an interface to analytical instrumentation that will allow real-time measurement of urine bioanalytes allowing monitoring of crewmember health status during flight and the ability to provide medical interventions based on the results of these measurements. Currently, the ISS UMS is scheduled to launch along with Node-3 on STS-130 (20A) in December 2009. UMS will be installed and scientific/functional verification completed prior to placing the instrument into operation. Samples collected during the verification sequence will be returned for analyses on STS-131 (19A) currently scheduled for launch in March 2010. The presence of a UMS on ISS will provide the capability to conduct additional collaborative human life science investigations among the ISS International Partners.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 204: Storage Bunkers, Nevada Test Site, Nevada (December 2002, Revision No.: 0), Including Record of Technical Change No. 1

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

NNSA /NSO

The Corrective Action Investigation Plan contains the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Operations Office's approach to collect the data necessary to evaluate corrective action alternatives appropriate for the closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 204 under the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order. Corrective Action Unit 204 is located on the Nevada Test Site approximately 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. This CAU is comprised of six Corrective Action Sites (CASs) which include: 01-34-01, Underground Instrument House Bunker; 02-34-01, Instrument Bunker; 03-34-01, Underground Bunker; 05-18-02, Chemical Explosives Storage; 05-33-01, Kay Blockhouse; 05-99-02, Explosive Storage Bunker.more » Based on site history, process knowledge, and previous field efforts, contaminants of potential concern for Corrective Action Unit 204 collectively include radionuclides, beryllium, high explosives, lead, polychlorinated biphenyls, total petroleum hydrocarbons, silver, warfarin, and zinc phosphide. The primary question for the investigation is: ''Are existing data sufficient to evaluate appropriate corrective actions?'' To address this question, resolution of two decision statements is required. Decision I is to ''Define the nature of contamination'' by identifying any contamination above preliminary action levels (PALs); Decision II is to ''Determine the extent of contamination identified above PALs. If PALs are not exceeded, the investigation is completed. If PALs are exceeded, then Decision II must be resolved. In addition, data will be obtained to support waste management decisions. Field activities will include radiological land area surveys, geophysical surveys to identify any subsurface metallic and nonmetallic debris, field screening for applicable contaminants of potential concern, collection and analysis of surface and subsurface soil samples from biased locations, and step-out sampling to define the extent of contamination, as necessary. The results of this field investigation will support a defensible evaluation of corrective action alternatives in the corrective action decision document.« less

Rapid Identification of a Cooling Tower-Associated Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak Supported by Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing of Environmental Samples, New York City, 2014-2015.

PubMed

Benowitz, Isaac; Fitzhenry, Robert; Boyd, Christopher; Dickinson, Michelle; Levy, Michael; Lin, Ying; Nazarian, Elizabeth; Ostrowsky, Belinda; Passaretti, Teresa; Rakeman, Jennifer; Saylors, Amy; Shamoonian, Elena; Smith, Terry-Ann; Balter, Sharon

2018-04-01

We investigated an outbreak of eight Legionnaires' disease cases among persons living in an urban residential community of 60,000 people. Possible environmental sources included two active cooling towers (air-conditioning units for large buildings) <1 km from patient residences, a market misting system, a community-wide water system used for heating and cooling, and potable water. To support a timely public health response, we used real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify Legionella DNA in environmental samples within hours of specimen collection. We detected L. pneumophila serogroup 1 DNA only at a power plant cooling tower, supporting the decision to order remediation before culture results were available. An isolate from a power plant cooling tower sample was indistinguishable from a patient isolate by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, suggesting the cooling tower was the outbreak source. PCR results were available <1 day after sample collection, and culture results were available as early as 5 days after plating. PCR is a valuable tool for identifying Legionella DNA in environmental samples in outbreak settings.

High Frequency of Human Blood in Triatoma dimidiata Captured Inside Dwellings in a Rural Community in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, but Low Antibody Seroprevalence and Electrocardiographic Findings Compatible with Chagas Disease in Humans

PubMed Central

Monteon, Victor; Alducin, César; Hernández, Jorge; Ramos-Ligonio, Angel; Lopez, Ruth

2013-01-01

We studied a small rural community of 411 inhabitants localized in the state of Campeche in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. In 44 collected triatomines captured inside the houses, human feeding source was revealed in 23 of 44 (52%) samples, and chicken feeding source was revealed in 16 of 44 (36%) samples. In a set of 29 triatomines, mouse was the feeding source in 13 (44%) samples, and dog was the feeding source in 7 (24%) samples. Infection index with Trypanosoma cruzi in collected triatomines was 38%, and all parasites belonged to discrete type unit I. Inhabitants referred high contact with triatomine's bite in 60 of 128 (47%) samples, but seroprevalence was 2.3% (3/128). Evidence of electrocardiographic alteration compatible with Chagas disease was observed only in one asymptomatic seropositive subject. In conclusion, Triatoma dimidiata in this region are preferentially infected with T. cruzi I and feed on human beings with relative high frequency, but seroprevalence and Chagas disease in humans is relatively low. PMID:23296447

Results of quality-control sampling of water, bed sediment, and tissue in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages study unit of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fitzgerald, S.A.

1997-01-01

This report contains the quality control results of the Western Lake Michigan Drainages study unit of the National Water Quality Assessment Program. Quality control samples were collected in the same manner and contemporaneously with environmental samples during the first highintensity study phase in the unit (1992 through 1995) and amounted to approximately 15 percent of all samples collected. The accuracy and precision of hundreds of chemical analyses of surface and ground-water, bed sediment, and tissue was determined through the collection and analysis of field blanks, field replicates and splits, matrix spikes, and surrogates. Despite the several detections of analytes in the field blanks, the concentrations of most constituents in the environmental samples will likely be an order of magnitude or higher than those in the blanks. However, frequent detections, and high concentrations, of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in several surface and ground-water blanks are probably significant with respect to commonly measured environmental concentrations, and the environmental data will have to be qualified accordingly. The precision of sampling of water on a percent basis, as determined from replicates and splits, was generally proportional to the concentration of the constituents, with constituents present in relatively high concentrations generally having less sampling variability than those with relatively low concentrations. In general, analytes with relatively high variability between replicates were present at concentrations near the reporting limit or were associated with relatively small absolute concentration differences, or both. Precision of replicates compared to that for splits in bed sediment samples was similar, thus eliminating sampling as a major source of variability in analyte concentrations. In the case the phthalates in bed sediment, contamination in either the field or laboratory could have caused the relatively large variability between replicate samples and between split samples.Variability of analyte concentrations in tissue samples was relatively low, being 29 percent or less for all constituents. Recoveries of most laboratory schedule 2001/2010 pesticide spike compounds in surfacewater samples were reasonably good. Low intrinsic method recovery resulted in relatively low recovery forp,p'-DDE, metribuzin, and propargite. In the case of propargite, decomposition with the environmental sample matrices was also indicated. Recoveries of two compounds, cyanazine and thiobencarb, might have been biased high due to interferences. The one laboratory schedule 2050/2051 field matrix pesticide spike indicated numerous operational problems with this method that biased recoveries either low or high. Recoveries of pesticides from both pesticide schedules in field spikes of ground-water samples generally were similar to those of field matrix spikes of surface- water samples. High maximum recoveries were noted for tebuthiuron, disulfoton, DCPA, and permethrin, which indicates the possible presence of interferents in the matrices for these compounds. Problems in the recoveries of pesticides on schedule 2050/2051 from ground-water samples generally were the same as those for surfacewater samples. Recoveries of VOCs in field matrix spikes were reasonable when consideration was given for the use of the micropipettor that delivered only about 80 percent on average of the nominal mass of spiked analytes. Finally, the recoveries of most surrogate compounds in surface and ground-water samples were reasonable. Problems in sample handling (for example, spillage) were likely not the cause of any of the low recoveries of spiked compounds.

Preliminary assessment of the occurrence and possible sources of MTBE in groundwater in the United States, 1993-1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Squillace, P.J.; Zogorski, J.S.; Wilber, W.G.; Price, C.V.

1996-01-01

The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments require fuel oxygenates to be added to gasoline used in some metropolitan areas to reduce atmospheric concentrations of carbon monoxide or ozone. Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is the most commonly used fuel oxygenate and is a relatively new gasoline additive. Nevertheless, out of 60 volatile organic chemicals analyzed, MTBE was the second most frequently detected chemical in samples of shallow ambient groundwater from urban areas that were collected during 1993-1994 aspart of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. Samples were collected from five drinking water wells, 12 springs, and 193 monitoring wells in urban areas. No MTBE was detected in drinking water wells. At a reporting level of 0.2 ??g/L, MTBE was detected most frequently in shallow groundwater from urban areas (27% of 210 wells and springs sampled in eight areas) as compared to shallow groundwater from agricultural areas (1.3% of 549 wells sampled in 21 areas) or deeper groundwater from major aquifers (1.0% of 412 wells sampled in nine areas). Only 3% of the shallow wells sampled in urban areas had concentrations of MTBE that exceed 20 ??g/L, which is the estimated lower limit of the United States Environmental Protection Agency draft drinking water health advisory. Because MTBE is persistent and mobile in groundwater, it can move from shallow to deeper aquifers with time. In shallow urban groundwater, MTBE generally was not found with benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, or xylene (BTEX) compounds, which commonly are associated with gasoline spills. This disassociation causes uncertainty as to the source of MTBE. Possible sources of MTBE in groundwater include point sources, such as leaking storage tanks, and non-point sources, such as recharge of precipitation and stormwater runoff.

Measurements of fog composition at a rural site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straub, Derek J.; Hutchings, James W.; Herckes, Pierre

2012-02-01

Studies that focus on fog chemistry in the United States have been limited to relatively few locations. Apart from measurements along the East and West coasts and extensive analysis of radiation fog in the Central Valley of California, fog composition has been characterized in only a handful of other locations. To complement and expand the existing fog chemistry data that are currently available, a new field campaign was established at a rural location in Central Pennsylvania to produce a unique, long term record of fog composition. From 2007 to 2010, 41 fog events were sampled with an automated Caltech Heated Rod Cloudwater Collector (CHRCC). The collected samples were analyzed primarily for pH and major inorganic ions. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and trace metals were analyzed in selected samples and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) was quantified in two samples. Sample composition varied widely during the study period. Sulfate concentrations ranged from 15 to 955 (median = 123) μN and pH varied between 3.08 and 7.41 (median = 5.77). In terms of volume weighted averages, ammonium was the most abundant ionic species followed by sulfate, calcium, and nitrate. For the subset of samples in which DOC was analyzed, concentrations ranged from 2.2 to 22.6 mgC l -1. Comparisons with regional precipitation chemistry measurements reveal the influence of local agricultural and soil sources on fog composition. The sum of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium measured in the present study is considerably lower than the majority of radiation, precipitation, and coastal fogs collected in the United States although the ammonium/(nitrate + sulfate) ratio is similar to those found in the Central Valley of California.

Bioaccumulation of chemical warfare agents, energetic materials, and metals in deep-sea shrimp from discarded military munitions sites off Pearl Harbor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koide, Shelby; Silva, Jeff A. K.; Dupra, Vilma; Edwards, Margo

2016-06-01

The bioaccumulation of munitions-related chemicals at former military deep-water disposal sites is poorly understood. This paper presents the results of human-food-item biota sampling to assess the potential for bioaccumulation of chemical warfare agents, energetic materials, arsenic, and additional munitions-related metals in deep-sea shrimp tissue samples collected during the Hawai'i Undersea Military Munitions Assessment (HUMMA) project to date. The HUMMA investigation area is located within a former munitions sea-disposal site located south of Pearl Harbor on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i, designated site Hawaii-05 (HI-05) by the United States Department of Defense. Indigenous deep-sea shrimp (Heterocarpus ensifer) were caught adjacent to discarded military munitions (DMM) and at control sites where munitions were absent. Tissue analysis results showed that chemical warfare agents and their degradation products were not present within the edible portions of these samples at detectable concentrations, and energetic materials and their degradation products were detected in only a few samples at concentrations below the laboratory reporting limits. Likewise, arsenic, copper, and lead concentrations were below the United States Food and Drug Administration's permitted concentrations of metals in marine biota tissue (if defined), and their presence within these samples could not be attributed to the presence of DMM within the study area based on a comparative analysis of munitions-adjacent and control samples collected. Based on this current dataset, it can be concluded that DMM existing within the HUMMA study area is not contributing to the bioaccumulation of munitions-related chemicals for the biota species investigated to date.

Hydrogeologic and water-quality data from well clusters near the wastewater-treatment plant, U.S. Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Murray, L.C.; Daniel, C. C.

1990-01-01

Hydrogeologic and ground-water quality data were collected near the wastewater-treatment plant and associated polishing lagoons at the Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina, in 1988. Between March and May 1988, two observation wells were installed upgradient and six wells were installed downgradient of the polishing lagoons and sampled for organic and inorganic U.S. Environmental Protection Agency priority pollutants. Placement of the well screens allowed sampling from both the upper and lower parts of the surficial aquifer. Natural gamma-ray geophysical logs were run in the four deepest wells. Lithologic logs were prepared from split-spoon samples collected during the drilling operations. Laboratory hydraulic conductivity tests were conducted on samples of fine-grained material recovered from the two confining units that separate the surficial aquifer and the drinking-water supply aquifer; values ranged from 0.011 to 0.014 foot per day (4x10-6 to 5x10-6 centimeters per second). Static water levels were recorded on April 25, 1988. Relatively low concentrations of purgeable organic compounds (up to 2.2 micrograms per liter for dichlorodifluoromethane), acid and base/neutral extractable compounds (up to 58 micrograms per liter for bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate), or pesticides (up to 0.03 micrograms per liter for diazinon and methyl parathion) were detected in water samples collected from all of the wells. Trace metals were detected in concentrations above minimum detectable limits in all of the wells and were found to be higher in water samples collected from the downgradient wells (up to 320 micrograms per liter for zinc) than in water samples from the upgradient wells.

Nonculturability Might Underestimate the Occurrence of Campylobacter in Broiler Litter.

PubMed

Kassem, Issmat I; Helmy, Yosra A; Kathayat, Dipak; Candelero-Rueda, Rosario A; Kumar, Anand; Deblais, Loic; Huang, Huang-Chi; Sahin, Orhan; Zhang, Qijing; Rajashekara, Gireesh

2017-08-01

We investigated the contribution of litter to the occurrence of Campylobacter on three broiler farms, which were known to have low (LO) and high (HI-A and HI-B) Campylobacter prevalence. For this purpose, we collected litter samples (n = 288) during and after two rearing cycles from each farm. We evaluated the occurrence of Campylobacter (using selective enrichment and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction [q-PCR] analysis) in the litter samples as well as the litter's pH and moisture content. Ceca from each flock (n = 144) were harvested at slaughter age and used to quantify Campylobacter colony-forming units (CFUs). Campylobacter was only retrieved from 7 litter samples that were collected from HI-A and HI-B during the growing period, but no Campylobacter was isolated from LO farms. The q-PCR analysis detected Campylobacter in pooled litter samples from all three farms. However, in litter collected during the same rotation, Campylobacter levels were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in HI-A and HI-B litter samples in comparison to those in LO. Cecal samples from HI-A and HI-B yielded relatively high numbers of Campylobacter CFUs, which were undetectable in LO samples. Litter's pH and moisture did not affect the overall occurrence of Campylobacter in litter and ceca on any of the farms. Our data suggest that Campylobacter was generally more abundant in litter that was collected from farms with highly colonized flocks. Therefore, better approaches for assessing the occurrence of Campylobacter in litter might be warranted in order to reduce the dissemination of these pathogens on and off poultry farms.

Ground-Water Quality Data in the Middle Sacramento Valley Study Unit, 2006 - Results from the California GAMA Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schmitt, Stephen J.; Fram, Miranda S.; Milby Dawson, Barbara J.; Belitz, Kenneth

2008-01-01

Ground-water quality in the approximately 3,340 square mile Middle Sacramento Valley study unit (MSACV) was investigated from June through September, 2006, as part of the California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) program. The GAMA Priority Basin Assessment project was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The Middle Sacramento Valley study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of raw ground-water quality within MSACV, as well as a statistically consistent basis for comparing water quality throughout California. Samples were collected from 108 wells in Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo, and Yuba Counties. Seventy-one wells were selected using a randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study unit (grid wells), 15 wells were selected to evaluate changes in water chemistry along ground-water flow paths (flow-path wells), and 22 were shallow monitoring wells selected to assess the effects of rice agriculture, a major land use in the study unit, on ground-water chemistry (RICE wells). The ground-water samples were analyzed for a large number of synthetic organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOCs], gasoline oxygenates and degradates, pesticides and pesticide degradates, and pharmaceutical compounds), constituents of special interest (perchlorate, N-nitrosodimethylamine [NDMA], and 1,2,3-trichloropropane [1,2,3-TCP]), inorganic constituents (nutrients, major and minor ions, and trace elements), radioactive constituents, and microbial indicators. Naturally occurring isotopes (tritium, and carbon-14, and stable isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon), and dissolved noble gases also were measured to help identify the sources and ages of the sampled ground water. Quality-control samples (blanks, replicates, laboratory matrix spikes) were collected at approximately 10 percent of the wells, and the results for these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data for the ground-water samples. Field blanks rarely contained detectable concentrations of any constituent, suggesting that contamination was not a noticeable source of bias in the data for the ground-water samples. Differences between replicate samples were within acceptable ranges, indicating acceptably low variability. Matrix spike recoveries were within acceptable ranges for most constituents. This study did not attempt to evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers; after withdrawal from the ground, water typically is treated, disinfected, or blended with other waters to maintain acceptable water quality. Regulatory thresholds apply to treated water that is served to the consumer, not to raw ground water. However, to provide some context for the results, concentrations of constituents measured in the raw ground water were compared with health-based thresholds established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and thresholds established for aesthetic concerns (secondary maximum contaminant levels, SMCL-CA) by CDPH. Comparisons between data collected for this study and drinking-water thresholds are for illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of compliance or noncompliance with regulatory thresholds. Most constituents that were detected in ground-water samples were found at concentrations below drinking-water thresholds. VOCs were detected in less than one-third and pesticides and pesticide degradates in just over one-half of the grid wells, and all detections of these constituents in samples from all wells of the MSACV study unit were below health-based thresholds. All detections of trace elements in samples from MSACV grid wells were below health-based thresholds, with the exceptions of arsenic and boro

Molecular analysis of infectious bursal disease virus from bursal tissues collected on FTA filter paper.

PubMed

Moscoso, Hugo; Alvarado, Ivan; Hofacre, Charles L

2006-09-01

We investigated the feasibility of using FTA filter cards for the storage of bursas of Fabricius containing infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) and for IBDV detection by reverse transcriptase (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and characterization by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) or nucleotide sequencing. The FTA card is a cotton-based cellulose membrane containing lyophilized chemicals that lyses many types of bacteria and viruses. IBDV was inactivated upon contact with the FTA as shown by the inability of the virus to be propagated in embryonating chicken eggs. Viral RNA in minced bursas or stamped bursas could be amplified by RT-PCR (VP2 gene fragment, 248 base pairs) after storage on FTA for at least 15 days at room temperature or 8 mo at -20 C. Analytical sensitivity of the test was between 0.5-5 ng of RNA template or 5 x 10(1) mean tissue culture infective dose (TCID50)/FTA spot. Detection rate of IBDV in domestic clinical samples collected on FTA or collected by the non-FTA standard procedure was 36.7% and 41.7%, respectively, which represents 88% agreement. Detection of IBDV from FTA cards inoculated with bursal tissues in the laboratory or in the field was 36.7% and 37.1%, respectively. Detection of IBDV from FTA samples when the cards were inoculated with bursal tissues and sent through customs into the United States was 32.9%. Analysis of the amplified products showed that molecular characterization of IBDV by RFLP or nucleotide sequencing is feasible in bursas stored on FTA at 25 C for 1-3 mo or at -20 C for at least 8 mo. The use of FTA for the collection of bursal tissues and simultaneous inactivation of IBDV allows the movement of specimens within the United States and also from outside the United States in compliance with federal regulations and in a manner adequate for molecular characterization.

Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge: Lake Lowell water based recreation data summary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schuster, Rudy M.

2012-01-01

Introduction: Established in 1909, Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge is one of the oldest refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. The Refuge has two units, Lake Lowell and the Snake River Islands. The Lake Lowell Unit is 10,636 acres and includes the almost 9,000-acre Lake Lowell and surrounding lands. The Refuge offers the six priority wildlife-dependent activities (fishing, hunting, wildlife observation, wildlife interpretation, wildlife photography and environmental education) as defined in The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act as amended by the Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 as well as other non-wildlife-dependent activities. The purpose of this study is to describe use characteristics of recreational boaters on Lake Lowell. This study does not address use in other parts of the Refuge or other recreational activities. The sampling and data collection consisted of observations of boat activity made from fixed vantage points on the west and east pools of Lake Lowell to develop vessels-at-one-time (VAOT) estimates for three areas: the West Pool, the Headquarters section of the East Pool, and the East section of the East Pool. A complete description of the sampling locations and a map are provided below Traffic counters were also used to collect data on the number of vehicles entering the parking lots. Data were collected between April 15 and September 30, 2011.

Testing of high-volume sampler inlets for the sampling of atmospheric radionuclides.

PubMed

Irshad, Hammad; Su, Wei-Chung; Cheng, Yung S; Medici, Fausto

2006-09-01

Sampling of air for radioactive particles is one of the most important techniques used to determine the nuclear debris from a nuclear weapon test in the Earth's atmosphere or those particles vented from underground or underwater tests. Massive-flow air samplers are used to sample air for any indication of radionuclides that are a signature of nuclear tests. The International Monitoring System of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization includes seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound, and gaseous xenon isotopes sampling technologies, in addition to radionuclide sampling, to monitor for any violation of the treaty. Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute has developed a large wind tunnel to test the outdoor radionuclide samplers for the International Monitoring System. The inlets for these samplers are tested for their collection efficiencies for different particle sizes at various wind speeds. This paper describes the results from the testing of two radionuclide sampling units used in the International Monitoring System. The possible areas of depositional wall losses are identified and the losses in these areas are determined. Sampling inlet type 1 was tested at 2.2 m s wind speed for 5, 10, and 20-microm aerodynamic diameter particles. The global collection efficiency was about 87.6% for 10-microm particles for sampling inlet type 1. Sampling inlet type 2 was tested for three wind speeds at 0.56, 2.2, and 6.6 m s for 5, 10, and 20-microm aerodynamic diameter particles in two different configurations (sampling head lowered and raised). The global collection efficiencies for these configurations for 10-microm particles at 2.2 m s wind speed were 77.4% and 82.5%, respectively. The sampling flow rate was 600 m h for both sampling inlets.

Modeling abundance effects in distance sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, J. Andrew; Dawson, D.K.; Bates, S.

2004-01-01

Distance-sampling methods are commonly used in studies of animal populations to estimate population density. A common objective of such studies is to evaluate the relationship between abundance or density and covariates that describe animal habitat or other environmental influences. However, little attention has been focused on methods of modeling abundance covariate effects in conventional distance-sampling models. In this paper we propose a distance-sampling model that accommodates covariate effects on abundance. The model is based on specification of the distance-sampling likelihood at the level of the sample unit in terms of local abundance (for each sampling unit). This model is augmented with a Poisson regression model for local abundance that is parameterized in terms of available covariates. Maximum-likelihood estimation of detection and density parameters is based on the integrated likelihood, wherein local abundance is removed from the likelihood by integration. We provide an example using avian point-transect data of Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapillus) collected using a distance-sampling protocol and two measures of habitat structure (understory cover and basal area of overstory trees). The model yields a sensible description (positive effect of understory cover, negative effect on basal area) of the relationship between habitat and Ovenbird density that can be used to evaluate the effects of habitat management on Ovenbird populations.

Characterizing mineral dusts and other aerosols from the Middle East--Part 2: grab samples and re-suspensions.

PubMed

Engelbrecht, Johann P; McDonald, Eric V; Gillies, John A; Jayanty, R K M Jay; Casuccio, Gary; Gertler, Alan W

2009-02-01

The purpose of the Enhanced Particulate Matter Surveillance Program was to provide scientifically founded information on the chemical and physical properties of dust collected during a period of approximately 1 year in Djibouti, Afghanistan (Bagram, Khowst), Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Iraq (Balad, Baghdad, Tallil, Tikrit, Taji, Al Asad), and Kuwait (northern, central, coastal, and southern regions). To fully understand mineral dusts, their chemical and physical properties, as well as mineralogical inter-relationships, were accurately established. In addition to the ambient samples, bulk soil samples were collected at each of the 15 sites. In each case, approximately 1 kg of soil from the top 10 mm at a previously undisturbed area near the aerosol sampling site was collected. The samples were air-dried and sample splits taken for soil analysis. Further sample splits were sieved to separate the < 38 micro m particle fractions for mineralogical analysis. Examples of major-element and trace-element chemistry, mineralogy, and other physical properties of the 15 grab samples are presented. The purpose of the trace-element analysis was to measure levels of potentially harmful metals while the major-element and ion-chemistry analyses provided an estimate of mineral components. X-ray diffractometry provided a measure of the mineral content of the dust. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy was used to analyze chemical composition of small individual particles. From similarities in the chemistry and mineralogy of re-suspended and ambient sample sets, it is evident that portions of the ambient dust are from local soils.

The effect of pre-storage cooling on 2,3-DPG levels in red cells stored in SAG-M.

PubMed

Llohn, Abid Hussain; Vetlesen, Annette; Fagerhol, Magne Kristoffer; Kjeldsen-Kragh, Jens

2005-10-01

The concentration of red cell 2,3-DPG (2,3-diphosphoglycerate) rapidly decreases during storage. A favourable effect on red cell 2,3-DPG has been demonstrated by rapid cooling of whole blood prior to storage. In our study we have investigated how different methods of cooling whole blood immediately after donation effect 2,3-DPG levels during storage. Thirty-six whole blood units (in 6 groups) of 450 ml were collected in 63 ml CPD. SAG-M was used as preservative solution for red cell concentrates (RCC). The units in one group were cooled down at ambient temperature, while units in the other groups were cooled down rapidly by different ways immediately after bleeding. Samples from the whole blood units were collected at various days during storage for 2,3-DPG measurements. The decline in 2,3-DPG during the first two weeks of storage was significantly slower in the groups which were cooled down rapidly to 17-18 degrees C within 1h after bleeding (all p