Chemical Mixing Study for the Hanford TWRS Supporting Facilities (U)

This Engineering Calculation addresses consequences of mixing any two hazardous chemicals contained in the same section of TWRS supporting facilities, as screened in accordance with `Westinghouse Savannah River Company Engineering and Construction Services Division Guidelines and Methods.

Biotic controls on solute distribution and transport in headwater catchments

Solute concentrations in stream water vary with discharge in patterns that record complex feedbacks between hydrologic and biogeochemical processes. In a comparison of headwater catchments underlain by shale in Pennsylvania, USA (Shale Hills) 5 and Wales, UK (Plynlimon), dissimilar concentration-discharge behaviors are best explained by contrasting landscape distributions of soil solution chemistry – especially dissolved organic carbon (DOC) – that have been established by patterns of vegetation. Specifically, elements that are concentrated in organic-rich soils due to biotic cycling (Mn, Ca, K) or that form strong complexes with DOC (Fe, Al) are spatially heteroge- 10 neous in pore waters because organic matter is heterogeneously distributed across the catchments. These solutes exhibit non-chemostatic “bioactive” behavior in the streams, and solute concentrations either decrease (Shale Hills) or increase (Plynlimon) with increasing discharge. In contrast, solutes that are concentrated in soil minerals and form only weak complexes with DOC (Na, Mg, Si) are spatially homogeneous in pore waters 15 across each catchment. These solutes are chemostatic in that their stream concentrations vary little with stream discharge, likely because these solutes are released quickly from exchange sites in the soils during rainfall events. Differences in the hydrologic connectivity of organic-rich soils to the stream drive differences in concentration behavior between catchments. As such, in catchments where soil organic matter (SOM) is dom- 20 inantly in lowlands (e.g., Shale Hills), bioactive elements are released to the stream early during rainfall events, whereas in catchments where SOM is dominantly in uplands (e.g., Plynlimon), bioactive elements are released later during rainfall events. The distribution of vegetation and SOM across the landscape is thus a key component for predictive models of solute transport in headwater catchments

NF-κB Mediates FGF Signal Regulation of msx-1 Expression

AbstractThe nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) family of transcription factors is involved in proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis in a stage- and cell-dependent manner. Recent evidence has shown that NF-κB activity is necessary for both chicken and mouse limb development. We report here that the NF-κB family member c-rel and the homeodomain gene msx-1 have partially overlapping expression patterns in the developing chick limb. In addition, inhibition of NF-κB activity resulted in a decrease in msx-1 mRNA expression. Sequence analysis of the msx-1 promoter revealed three potential κB-binding sites similar to the interferon-γ (IFN-γ) κB-binding site. These sites bound to c-Rel, as shown by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Furthermore, inhibition of NF-κB activity significantly reduced transactivation of the msx-1 promoter in response to FGF-2/-4, known stimulators of msx-1 expression. These results suggest that NF-κB mediates the FGF-2/-4 signal regulation of msx-1 gene expression

Surface plasmon resonance modulation in nanopatterned Au gratings by the insulator-metal transition in vanadium dioxide films

Correlated experimental and simulation studies on the modulation of Surface Plasmon Polaritons (SPP) in Au/VO2 bilayers are presented. The modification of the SPP wave vector by the thermallyinduced insulator-to-metal phase transition (IMT) in VO2 was investigated by measuring the optical reflectivity of the sample. Reflectivity changes are observed for VO2 when transitioning between the insulating and metallic states, enabling modulation of the SPP in the Au layer by the thermally induced IMT in the VO2 layer. Since the IMT can also be optically induced using ultrafast laser pulses, we postulate the viability of SPP ultrafast modulation for sensing or control. (C)2015 Optical Society of Americ

Eph receptors in breast cancer: roles in tumor promotion and tumor suppression

Eph receptor tyrosine kinase signaling regulates cancer initiation and metastatic progression through multiple mechanisms. Studies of tumor-cell-autonomous effects of Eph receptors demonstrate their dual roles in tumor suppression and tumor promotion. In addition, Eph molecules function in the tumor microenvironment, such as in vascular endothelial cells, influencing the ability of these molecules to promote carcinoma progression and metastasis. The complex nature of Eph receptor signaling and crosstalk with other receptor tyrosine kinases presents a unique challenge and an opportunity to develop therapeutic intervention strategies for targeting breast cancer

Eph/Ephrin Profiling in Human Breast Cancer Reveals Significant Associations between Expression Level and Clinical Outcome

Pre-clinical studies provide compelling evidence that Eph family receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and ligands promote cancer growth, neovascularization, invasion, and metastasis. Tumor suppressive roles have also been reported for the receptors, however, creating a potential barrier for clinical application. Determining how these observations relate to clinical outcome is a crucial step for translating the biological and mechanistic data into new molecularly targeted therapies. We investigated eph and ephrin expression in human breast cancer relative to endpoints of overall and/or recurrence-free survival in large microarray datasets. We also investigated protein expression in commercial human breast tissue microarrays (TMA) and Stage I prognostic TMAs linked to recurrence outcome data. We found significant correlations between ephA2, ephA4, ephA7, ephB4, and ephB6 and overall and/or recurrence-free survival in large microarray datasets. Protein expression in TMAs supported these trends. While observed no correlation between ephrin ligand expression and clinical outcome in microarray datasets, ephrin-A1 and EphA2 protein co-expression was significantly associated with recurrence in Stage I prognostic breast cancer TMAs. Our data suggest that several Eph family members are clinically relevant and tractable targets for intervention in human breast cancer. Moreover, profiling Eph receptor expression patterns in the context of relevant ligands and in the context of stage may be valuable in terms of diagnostics and treatment

Mars Sample Return: The Value of Depth Profiles

Sample return from Mars offers the promise of data from Martian materials that have previously only been available from meteorites. Return of carefully selected samples may yield more information about the history of water and possible habitability through Martian history. Here we propose that samples collected from Mars should include depth profiles of material across the interface between weathered material on the surface of Mars into unweathered parent rock material. Such profiles have the potential to yield chemical kinetic data that can be used to estimate the duration of water and information about potential habitats on Mars

Amplification Dynamics of Platy-1 Retrotransposons in the Cebidae Platyrrhine Lineage

Platy-1 elements are Platyrrhine-specific, short interspersed elements (SINEs) originally discovered in the Callithrix jacchus (common marmoset) genome. To date, only the marmoset genome has been analyzed for Platy-1 repeat content. Here, we report full-length Platy-1 insertions in other New World monkey (NWM) genomes (Saimiri boliviensis, squirrel monkey; Cebus imitator, capuchin monkey; and Aotus nancymaae, owl monkey) and analyze the amplification dynamics of lineage-specific Platy-1 insertions. A relatively small number of full-length and lineage-specific Platy-1 elements were found in the squirrel, capuchin, and owl monkey genomes compared to the marmoset genome. In addition, only a few older Platy-1 subfamilies were recovered in this study, with no Platy-1 subfamilies younger than Platy-1-6. By contrast, 62 Platy-1 subfamilies were discovered in the marmoset genome. All of the lineage-specific insertions found in the squirrel and capuchin monkeys were fixed present. However, ∼15% of the lineage-specific Platy-1 loci in Aotus were polymorphic for insertion presence/absence. In addition, two new Platy-1 subfamilies were identified in the owl monkey genome with low nucleotide divergences compared to their respective consensus sequences, suggesting minimal ongoing retrotransposition in Aotus genus and no current activity in the Saimiri, Cebus and Sapajus genera. These comparative analyses highlight the finding that the high number of Platy-1 elements discovered in the marmoset genome is an exception among NWM analyzed thus far, rather than the rule. Future studies are needed to expand upon our knowledge of Platy-1 amplification in other NWM genomes

Conventional bitewing radiography

Accurate detection and diagnosis of carious lesions is the prerequisite for application of the most effective caries management approach. However, the accuracy of proximal caries detection using visual-tactile assessment is limited. Additional diagnostic measures should therefore be performed to increase the validity of the diagnosis. Amongst various caries detection aids available, bitewing radiographs remain the gold standard for detection of proximal caries lesions. Here we describe a method for caries diagnosis using standardized bitewing holders. With this method the bitewing holders can be placed more precisely and reproducibly in the oral cavity. This approach increases accuracy of bitewing radiographs, which, due to the reproducible placement of the x-ray film, allows for monitoring of carious lesions long term

Amplification dynamics of platy-1 retrotransposons in the cebidae platyrrhine lineage

© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. Platy-1 elements are Platyrrhine-specific, short interspersed elements originally discovered in the Callithrix jacchus (common marmoset) genome. To date,only themarmoset genomehas been analyzed for Platy-1 repeat content.Here,we report full-length Platy-1 insertions in other NewWorld monkey (NWM) genomes (Saimiri boliviensis, squirrel monkey; Cebus imitator, capuchin monkey; and Aotus nancymaae, owl monkey) and analyze the amplification dynamics of lineage-specific Platy-1 insertions. A relatively small number of full-length and lineage-specific Platy-1 elements were found in the squirrel, capuchin, and owl monkey genomes compared with the marmoset genome. In addition, only a few older Platy-1 subfamilies were recovered in this study, with no Platy-1 subfamilies younger than Platy-1-6. By contrast, 62 Platy-1 subfamilieswere discovered in themarmoset genome.All of the lineagespecific insertions found in the squirrel and capuchin monkeys were fixed present. However, 15%of the lineage-specific Platy-1 loci in Aotus were polymorphic for insertion presence/absence. In addition, two new Platy-1 subfamilies were identified in the owl monkey genome with low nucleotide divergences compared with their respective consensus sequences, suggesting minimal ongoing retrotransposition in the Aotus genus and no current activity in the Saimiri, Cebus, and Sapajus genera. These comparative analyses highlight the finding that the high number of Platy-1 elements discovered in themarmoset genome is an exception among NWManalyzed thus far, rather than the rule. Future studies are needed to expand upon our knowledge of Platy-1 amplification in other NWM genomes