Measurement of environmental radiation exposure rates from Vernita, Hanford Reach, and Richland area shores. Addendum 1

Environmental radiation exposure rate measurements are taken on and around the Hanford Site for Pacific Northwest Laboratory`s Hanford Site Surface Environmental Surveillance Project. In 1992, environmental radiation exposure rate measurements were taken from shoreline and island areas ranging from Vernita, along the Hanford Reach, down to the Richland Pumphouse. Measurements were taken primarily at locations known or expected to have elevated exposure rates as determined by examination of aerial photographs depicting radiation exposure measurements. Results from the 1992 survey indicated radiation exposure rates taken from the Hanford Reach area were elevated in comparison to the measurements taken from the Vernita area with ranges of 8 to 28 {mu}R/hr and 4 to 11 {mu}R/hr, respectively. In January 1994, additional shoreline radiation exposure rate measurements were taken from the Vernita, Hanford Reach, and Richland areas to determine the relationship of radiation exposure rates along the Richland area shores when compared to Vernita and Hanford Reach area exposure rates (measurements along the Richland area were not collected during the 1992 survey). This report discusses the 1994 results and is an addendum to the report that discussed the 1992 survey. An analysis of variance indicated a significant location interaction at a p-value of 0.0014. To determine differences between paried locations a post-hoc comparison of location means was performed on log transformed data using the Scheff{acute e}`s F-test. This test indicated a significant difference between Hanford Reach and Richland area means with a mean difference of 0.075 /{mu}R/hr and a p-value of 0.0014. No significant difference was found between Hanford Reach and Vernita area means: The mean difference was 0.031 {mu}R/hr and the p-value was 0.3138. No significant difference was found between Vernita and Richland area means with a mean difference of 0.044 {mu}R/hr and a p-value of 0.1155

Phonon Dispersion Relations in PrBa2Cu3O6+x (x ~ 0.2)

We report measurements of the phonon dispersion relations in non-superconducting, oxygen-deficient PrBa2Cu3O6+x (x ~ 0.2) by inelastic neutron scattering. The data are compared with a model of the lattice dynamics based on a common interaction potential. Good agreement is achieved for all but two phonon branches, which are significantly softer than predicted. These modes are found to arise predominantly from motion of the oxygen ions in the CuO2 planes. Analogous modes in YBa2Cu3O6 are well described by the common interaction potential model.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Minor changes following referees' comment

Changing white into brite adipocytes. Focus on >BMP4 and BMP7 induce the white-to-brown transition of primary human adipose stem cells>

Editorial.This review was supported by Grants S2010/BMD-2423 from Comunidad de Madrid and SAF2012-32491 from MINECO (Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad), Spain (to M.-J. Obregon).Peer Reviewe

Reactive organoallyl species generated from aryl halides and allene: allylation of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes and cyclic ketones employing Pd/In transmetallation processes

Allylation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and cyclic ketones promoted by Pd/In transmetallation processes has been studied. The unsaturated aldehydes underwent regioselective 1,2-addition to afford secondary homoally alcohols. The reactions have been performed using Pd(OAc)2/PPh3 as catalytic system and metallic indium affording the products in good yields. The same transformation with unsaturated ketones proved to be less efficient, while saturated cyclic ketones delivered generally excellent yields in the presence of CuI. In these latter processes the presence of a distal heteroatom influences the reaction rate

Expression of 24,426 human alternative splicing events and predicted cis regulation in 48 tissues and cell lines

partially because of the limited scale at which the expression of specific splicing events has been measured. We generated the first genome-scale expression compendium of human alternative splicing events using custom whole-transcript microarrays monitoring expression of 24,426 alternative splicing events in 48 diverse human samples. Over 11,700 genes and 9,500 splicing events were differentially expressed, providing a rich resource for studying splicing regulation. An unbiased, systematic screen of 21,760 4-mer to 7-mer words for cis-regulatory motifs identified 143 RNA 'words' enriched near regulated cassette exons, including six clusters of motifs represented by UCUCU, UGCAUG, UGCU, UGUGU, UUUU and AGGG, which map to trans-acting regulators PTB, Fox, Muscleblind, CELF/CUG-BP, TIA-1 and hnRNP F/H, respectively. Each cluster showed a distinct pattern of genomic location and tissue specificity. For example, UCUCU occurs 110 to 35 nucleotides preceding cassette exons upregulated in brain and striated muscle but depleted in other tissues. UCUCU and UGCAUG seem to have similar function but independent action, occurring 5' and 3', respectively, of 33% of the cassette exons upregulated in skeletal muscle but co-occurring for only 2%

Competing English, Spanish, and French alabaster trade in Europe over five centuries as evidenced by isotope fingerprinting

A lack of written sources is a serious obstacle in the reconstruction of the medieval trade of art and art materials, and in the identification of artists, workshop locations, and trade routes. We use the isotopes of sulfur, oxygen, and strontium (S, O, Sr) present in gypsum alabaster to unambiguously link ancient European source quarries and areas to alabaster artworks produced over five centuries (12th–17th) held by the Louvre museum in Paris and other European and American collections. Three principal alabaster production areas are identified, in central England, northern Spain, and a major, long-lived but little-documented alabaster trade radiating from the French Alps. The related trade routes are mostly fluvial, although terrestrial transport crossing the major river basin borders is also confirmed by historical sources. Our study also identifies recent artwork restoration using Italian alabaster and provides a robust geochemical framework for provenancing, including recognition of restoration and forgeries

Mucin binding reduces colistin antimicrobial activity

Colistin has found increasing use in treating drug-resistant bacterial lung infections, but potential interactions with pulmonary biomolecules have not been investigated. We postulated that colistin, like aminoglycoside antibiotics, may bind to secretory mucin in sputum or epithelial mucin that lines airways, reducing free drug levels. To test this hypothesis, we measured binding of colistin and other antibiotics to porcine mucin, a family of densely glycosylated proteins used as a surrogate for human sputum and airway mucin. Antibiotics were incubated in dialysis tubing with or without mucin, and concentrations of unbound antibiotics able to penetrate the dialysis tubing were measured over time using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The percentage of antibiotic measured in the dialysate after 4 h in the presence of mucin, relative to the amount without mucin, was 15% for colistin, 16% for polymyxin B, 19% for tobramycin, 52% for ciprofloxacin, and 78% for daptomycin. Antibiotics with the strongest mucin binding had an overall polybasic positive charge, whereas those with comparatively little binding were less basic. When comparing MICs measured with or without added mucin, colistin and polymyxin B showed >100-fold increases in MICs for multiple Gram-negative bacteria. Preclinical evaluation of mucin binding should become a standard procedure when considering the potential pulmonary use of new or existing antibiotics, particularly those with a polybasic overall charge. In the airways, mucin binding may reduce the antibacterial efficacy of inhaled or intravenously administered colistin, and the presence of sub-MIC effective antibiotic concentrations could result in the development of antibiotic resistance

Preliminary measurements of turbulence and environmental parameters in a sub-tropical estuary of Eastern Australia

In natural systems, mixing is driven by turbulence, but current knowledge is very limited in estuarine zones where predictions of contaminant dispersion are often inaccurate. A series of detailed field studies was conducted in a small subtropical creek in eastern Australia. Hydrodynamic, physio-chemical and ecological measurements were conducted simultaneously to assess the complexity of the estuarine zone and the interactions between turbulence and environment. The measurements were typically performed at high frequency over a tidal cycle. The results provide an original data set to complement long-term monitoring and the basis for a more detailed study of mixing in sub-tropical systems. Unlike many long-term observations, velocity and water quality scalars were measured herein with sufficient spatial and temporal resolutions to determine quantities of interest in the study of turbulence, while ecological indicators were sampled systematically and simultaneously. In particular the results yielded contrasted outcomes, and the finding impacts on the selection process for key water quality indicators

Determinants of the maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D response to vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy

Context: Current approaches to antenatal vitamin D supplementation do not account for interindividual differences in 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) response.Objective: We assessed which maternal and environmental characteristics were associated with 25(OH)D after supplementation with cholecalciferol.Design: Within-randomization-group analysis of participants in the Maternal Vitamin D Osteoporosis Study trial of vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy.Setting: Hospital antenatal clinics.Participants: A total of 829 pregnant women (422 placebo, 407 cholecalciferol). At 14 and 34 weeks of gestation, maternal anthropometry, health, and lifestyle were assessed and 25(OH)D measured. Compliance was determined using pill counts at 19 and 34 weeks.Interventions: 1000 IU/d of cholecalciferol or matched placebo from 14 weeks of gestation until delivery.Main Outcome Measure: 25(OH)D at 34 weeks, measured in a single batch (Diasorin Liaison).Results: 25(OH)D at 34 weeks of gestation was higher in the women randomized to vitamin D (mean [SD], 67.7 [21.3] nmol/L) compared with placebo (43.1 [22.5] nmol/L; P &lt; .001). In women randomized to cholecalciferol, higher pregnancy weight gain from 14 to 34 weeks of gestation (kg) (? = ?0.81 [95% confidence interval ?1.39, ?0.22]), lower compliance with study medication (%) (? = ?0.28 [?0.072, ?0.48]), lower early pregnancy 25(OH)D (nmol/L) (? = 0.28 [0.16, 0.40]), and delivery in the winter vs the summer (? = ?10.5 [?6.4, ?14.6]) were independently associated with lower 25(OH)D at 34 weeks of gestation.Conclusions: Women who gained more weight during pregnancy had lower 25(OH)D in early pregnancy and delivered in winter achieved a lower 25(OH)D in late pregnancy when supplemented with 1000 IU/d cholecalciferol. Future studies should aim to determine appropriate doses to enable consistent repletion of 25(OH)D during pregnancy.<br/