STUDIES TO SUPPORT DEPLOYMENT OF EDIBLE OILS AS THE FINAL CVOC REMEDIATION IN T AREA SUMMARY REPORT

The purpose of these studies was to determine the feasibility of using edible oils for remediation of the low but persistent chlorinated solvent (cVOC) groundwater contamination at the SRS T-Area. The following studies were completed: (1) Review of cVOC degradation processes and edible oil delivery for enhanced bioremediation. (2) Column studies to investigate placing neat oil on top of the water table to increase oil saturation and sequestration. (3) Analysis of T-Area groundwater geochemistry to determine the applicability of edible oils for remediation at this site. (4) Microcosm studies to evaluate biotic and abiotic processes for the T-Area groundwater system and evaluation of the existing microbial community with and with out soybean oil amendments. (5) Monitoring of a surrogate vadose zone site undergoing edible oil remediation at the SRS to understand partitioning and biotransformation products of the soybean oil. (6) Design of a delivery system for neat and emulsified edible oil deployment for the T-Area groundwater plume. A corresponding white paper is available for each of the studies listed. This paper provides a summary and overview of the studies completed for the remediation of the T-Area groundwater plume using edible oils. This report begins with a summary of the results and a brief description of the preliminary oil deployment design followed by brief descriptions of T-Area and current groundwater conditions as related to edible oil deployment. This is followed by a review of the remediation processes using edible oils and specific results from modeling, field and laboratory studies. Finally, a description of the preliminary design for full scale oil deployment is presented

The potential utility of B cell-directed biologic therapy in autoimmune diseases

Increasing awareness of the importance of aberrant B cell regulation in autoimmunity has driven the clinical development of novel B cell-directed biologic therapies with the potential to treat a range of autoimmune disorders. The first of these drugs—rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody against the B cell-specific surface marker CD20—was recently approved for treating rheumatoid arthritis in patients with an inadequate response to other biologic therapies. The aim of this review is to discuss the potential use of rituximab in the management of other autoimmune disorders. Results from early phase clinical trials indicate that rituximab may provide clinical benefit in systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren’s syndrome, vasculitis, and thrombocytopenic purpura. Numerous case reports and several small pilot studies have also been published reporting the use of rituximab in conditions such as myositis, antiphospholipid syndrome, Still’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. In general, the results from these preliminary studies encourage further testing of rituximab therapy in formalized clinical trials. Based on results published to date, it is concluded that rituximab, together with other B cell-directed therapies currently under clinical development, is likely to provide an important new treatment option for a number of these difficult-to-treat autoimmune disorders

HAWC+/SOFIA Multiwavelength Polarimetric Observations of OMC-1

We report new polarimetric and photometric maps of the massive star-forming region OMC-1 using the HAWC+ instrument on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. We present continuum polarimetric and photometric measurements of this region at 53, 89, 154, and 214 μm at angular resolutions of 5'', 8'', 14'', and 19'' for the four bands, respectively. The photometric maps enable the computation of improved spectral energy distributions for the region. We find that at the longer wavelengths, the inferred magnetic field configuration matches the "hourglass" configuration seen in previous studies, indicating magnetically regulated star formation. The field morphology differs at the shorter wavelengths. The magnetic field inferred at these wavelengths traces the bipolar structure of the explosive Becklin–Neugebauer/Kleinman–Low outflow emerging from OMC-1 behind the Orion Nebula. Using statistical methods to estimate the field strength in the region, we find that the explosion dominates the magnetic field near the center of the feature. Farther out, the magnetic field is close to energetic equilibrium with the ejecta and may be providing confinement to the explosion. The correlation between polarization fraction and the local polarization angle dispersion indicates that the depolarization as a function of unpolarized intensity is a result of intrinsic field geometry as opposed to decreases in grain alignment efficiency in denser regions

Environmental Stewardship at the Savannah River Site: Generations of Success -13212

ABSTRACT Approximately sixty years ago, the Savannah River Site (SRS) was built to produce nuclear materials. SRS production operations impacted air, soil, groundwater, ecology, and the local environment. Throughout its history, SRS has addressed these contamination issues directly and has maintained a commitment to environmental stewardship. The Site boasts many environmental firsts. Notably, SRS was the first major Department of Energy (DOE) facility to perform a baseline ecological assessment. This pioneering effort, by Ruth Patrick and the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences, was performed during SRS planning and construction in the early 1950s. This unique early generation of work set the stage for subsequent efforts. Since that time, the scientists and engineers at SRS proactively identified environmental problems and developed and implemented effective and efficient environmental management and remediation solutions. This second generation, spanning the 1980s through the 2000s, is exemplified by numerous large and small cleanup actions to address metals and radionuclides, solvents and hydrocarbons, facility and area decommissioning, and ecological restoration. Recently, a third generation of environmental management was initiated as part of Enterprise SRS. This initiative to "Develop and Deploy Next Generation Cleanup Technologies" formalizes and organizes the major technology matching, development, and implementation processes associated with historical SRS cleanup success as a resource to support future environmental management missions throughout DOE. The four elements of the current, third generation, effort relate to: 1) transition from active to passive cleanup, 2) in situ decommissioning of large nuclear facilities, 3) new long term monitoring paradigms, and 4) a major case study related to support for recovery and restoration of the Japanese Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant and surrounding environment

CD97 promotes spleen dendritic cell homeostasis through the mechanosensing of red blood cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial for initiating adaptive immune responses. However, the factors that control DC positioning and homeostasis are incompletely understood. We found that type-2 conventional DCs (cDC2s) in the spleen depend on Gα13 and adhesion G protein-coupled receptor family member-E5 (Adgre5, or CD97) for positioning in blood-exposed locations. CD97 function required its autoproteolytic cleavage. CD55 is a CD97 ligand, and cDC2 interaction with CD55-expressing red blood cells (RBCs) under shear stress conditions caused extraction of the regulatory CD97 N-terminal fragment. Deficiency in CD55-CD97 signaling led to loss of splenic cDC2s into the circulation and defective lymphocyte responses to blood-borne antigens. Thus, CD97 mechanosensing of RBCs establishes a migration and gene expression program that optimizes the antigen capture and presentation functions of splenic cDC2s

CHARACTERIZATION AND MONITORING OF NATURAL ATTENUATION OF CHLORINATED SOLVENTS IN GROUNDWATER: A SYSTEMS APPROACH

The objective of this document is to examine the use of a phased approach to characterizing and monitoring (C&M) natural attenuation processes and enhanced attenuation processes and to identify promising tools and techniques by which to accomplish the C&M. We will investigate developing techniques, such as molecular-based assessment tools, and existing tools that traditionally have not been used for monitoring the performance of environmental remediation technologies. Case studies will be used to provide examples of how non-traditional methods are being employed as characterization and monitoring tools to support MNA and EA. The document is not focused on a specific group of readers but rather is broadly directed with the intent that readers may gain information useful to their purposes. Thus, regulators may see some future characterization and monitoring techniques; end users may find novel ways to make MNA or EA more effective or efficient at their site; researchers may identify new areas for development or new and better combinations of existing methods. One consequence of this broad approach is that some readers may find certain sections either too rudimentary or too advanced for their needs. Hopefully, all will be able to use at least some of the document