Mercury Increases in Lake Tanganyika since ~1850

A series of three sediment cores were collected in Lake Tanganyika, Africa, and were analyzed for mercury concentrations. For all three cores, a decrease in mercury (Hg) levels was observed from the 1600’s (appx. 20 ng/g) until concentrations reached a minimum during the mid-1800’s (appx. 10 ng/g). The mid-1800’s marked a change from decreasing mercury levels to an increase over the following century. The core tops (circa 2006) have concentrations greater than 70 ng/g. The onset of the rise in mercury concentrations coincides with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the mid to late 18th century. Relationships between previously analyzed d13C values in carbonates and Hg concentrations suggest that the mercury levels in this system are dominated by fossil fuel combustion rather than other anthropogenic impacts

The Lawrence clay of Lawrence County

In cooperation with The Ohio State University Engineering Experiment Station and the Ironton Chamber of Commerce.Published also as Bulletin 67 of the Engineering Experiment Station, The Ohio State University

CRAF phase 1, a framework to identify coastal hotspots to storm impacts

Low-frequency high-impact storms can cause flood and erosion over large coastal areas, which in turn can lead to a significant risk to coastal occupation, producing devastation and immobilising cities and even countries. It is therefore paramount to evaluate risk along the coast at a regional scale through the identification of storm impact hotspots. The Coastal Risk Assessment Framework Phase 1 (CRAF1) is a screening process based on a coastal-index approach that assesses the potential exposure of every kilometre along the coast to previously identified hazards. CRAF1 integrates both hazard (e.g. overwash, erosion) and exposure indicators to create a final Coastal Index (CI). The application of CRAF1 at two contrasting case studies (Ria Formosa, Portugal and the Belgian coast), validated against existing information, demonstrates the utility and reliability of this framework on the identification of hotspots. CRAF1 represents a powerful and useful instrument for coastal managers and/or end-users to identify and rank potential hotspot areas in order to define priorities and support disaster reduction plans

Salvage Brachytherapy for Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer Following Primary Brachytherapy

Purpose. In this study, we evaluated our experience with salvage brachytherapy after discovery of biochemical recurrence after a prior brachytherapy procedure. Methods and Materials. From 2001 through 2012 twenty-one patients treated by brachytherapy within University of Kentucky or from outside centers developed biochemical failure and had no evidence of metastases. Computed tomography (CT) scans were evaluated; patients who had an underseeded portion of their prostate were considered for reimplantation. Results. The majority of the patients in this study (61.9%) were low risk and median presalvage PSA was 3.49 (range 17.41–1.68). Mean follow-up was 61 months. At last follow-up after reseeding, 11/21 (52.4%) were free of biochemical recurrence. There was a trend towards decreased freedom from biochemical recurrence in low risk patients (p = 0.12). International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS) increased at 3-month follow-up visits but decreased and were equivalent to baseline scores at 18 months. Conclusions. Salvage brachytherapy after primary brachytherapy is possible; however, in our experience the side-effect profile after the second brachytherapy procedure was higher than after the first brachytherapy procedure. In this cohort of patients we demonstrate that approximately 50% oncologic control, low risk patients appear to have better outcomes than others

A constant and similar assembly defect of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I allows rapid identification of NDUFS4 mutations in patients with Leigh syndrome

AbstractIsolated complex I deficiency is a frequent cause of respiratory chain defects in childhood. In this study, we report our systematic approach with blue native PAGE (BN-PAGE) to study mitochondrial respiratory chain assembly in skin fibroblasts from patients with Leigh syndrome and CI deficiency. We describe five new NDUFS4 patients with a similar and constant abnormal BN-PAGE profile and present a meta-analysis of the literature. All NDUFS4 mutations that have been tested with BN-PAGE result in a constant and similar abnormal assembly profile with a complete loss of the fully assembled complex I usually due to a truncated protein and the loss of its canonical cAMP dependent protein kinase phosphorylation consensus site. We also report the association of abnormal brain MRI images with this characteristic BN-PAGE profile as the hallmarks of NDUFS4 mutations and the first founder NDUFS4 mutations in the North-African population

The commodification of human reproductive materials.

This essay develops a framework for thinking about the moral basis for the commnodification of human reproductive nmaterials. It argues that selling and buyinlg gametes and genes is morally acceptable although there should not be a market for zygotes, embryos, or genomes. Also a market in gametes and genes shouild be regutlated in order to address concerns about the adverse social consequences of conmmodification. Originally published Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol. 24, No. 6, Dec 199

Salvage Brachytherapy for Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer following Primary Brachytherapy

. Purpose. In this study, we evaluated our experience with salvage brachytherapy after discovery of biochemical recurrence after a prior brachytherapy procedure. Methods and Materials. From 2001 through 2012 twenty-one patients treated by brachytherapy within University of Kentucky or from outside centers developed biochemical failure and had no evidence of metastases. Computed tomography (CT) scans were evaluated; patients who had an underseeded portion of their prostate were considered for reimplantation. Results. The majority of the patients in this study (61.9%) were low risk and median presalvage PSA was 3.49 (range 17.41-1.68). Mean follow-up was 61 months. At last follow-up after reseeding, 11/21 (52.4%) were free of biochemical recurrence. There was a trend towards decreased freedom from biochemical recurrence in low risk patients ( = 0.12). International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS) increased at 3-month follow-up visits but decreased and were equivalent to baseline scores at 18 months. Conclusions. Salvage brachytherapy after primary brachytherapy is possible; however, in our experience the side-effect profile after the second brachytherapy procedure was higher than after the first brachytherapy procedure. In this cohort of patients we demonstrate that approximately 50% oncologic control, low risk patients appear to have better outcomes than others