Analytical method development for tritium in tree transpirate from the little forest burial ground.

The Little Forest Burial Ground (LFBG) is a near-surface low-level nuclear waste repository located within the buffer zone surrounding the Lucas Heights Research Laboratories of ANSTO (Figure 1). Tritium (3H, ‘T’), as tritiated water (HTO), was one of the radioactive substances placed into the trenches located within the LFBG (Isaacs and Mears, 1977). This material will behave conservatively in regard to any seepage from the site of deposition. As such, it should be a good indicator of groundwater movement at the site. Water is a vital requirement of plants. Hence, it was proposed that samples from herbs and trees may be useful to assess the biologically available HTO and also provide an indication of a potential exposure for environmental dose assessment, not only for 3H but also for the other radionuclides potentially migrating with the water from the trenches. As part of the initial draft plan for a vegetation survey in the LFBG (Twining and Creighton, 2007) the following two null hypotheses were established: H0a that there is no significantly higher concentration of specific contaminants in foliage of trees growing over, or adjacent to, the pits than there is in the foliage of the same species growing away from the pits; H0b that there is no correlation between contaminant levels in the seepage plume and surface vegetation. These hypotheses are to be tested using the acquired data. However, as part of the process of applying HTO in transpirate as a monitoring tool, some method development has been required. This report covers all aspects of that development and provides a recommended approach to acquiring such data and recording the information

The Lantern Vol. 15, No. 1, Fall 1946

• Public, Speaking • Concept • The Storm • Yes Sir! • Messengers of Death • The Anonymous Letter • Best Trust the Happy Moments • Disillusionment • The Man With the Water-Brown Eyes • Poetry • Who Knows?https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1040/thumbnail.jp

Potential use of engineered nanoparticles in ocean fertilization for large-scale atmospheric carbon dioxide removal

Artificial ocean fertilization (AOF) aims to safely stimulate phytoplankton growth in the ocean and enhance carbon sequestration. AOF carbon sequestration efficiency appears lower than natural ocean fertilization processes due mainly to the low bioavailability of added nutrients, along with low export rates of AOF-produced biomass to the deep ocean. Here we explore the potential application of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) to overcome these issues. Data from 123 studies show that some ENPs may enhance phytoplankton growth at concentrations below those likely to be toxic in marine ecosystems. ENPs may also increase bloom lifetime, boost phytoplankton aggregation and carbon export, and address secondary limiting factors in AOF. Life-cycle assessment and cost analyses suggest that net CO2 capture is possible for iron, SiO2 and Al2O3 ENPs with costs of 2–5 times that of conventional AOF, whereas boosting AOF efficiency by ENPs should substantially enhance net CO2 capture and reduce these costs. Therefore, ENP-based AOF can be an important component of the mitigation strategy to limit global warming

The Lantern Vol. 13, No. 3, June 1945

• Night Shift • To John • The Challenge • My Native Land • Dear to My Heart • Plaint • Peace • Ode to a Soldier • Crossing • Alternative • Mankind\u27s Universal Disease • Chips • No Sensehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1036/thumbnail.jp

Dose modelling comparison for terrestrial biota: IAEA EMRAS II Biota Working Group's Little Forest Burial Ground scenario

Radiological doses to terrestrial biota have been examined in a model inter-comparison study that emphasised the identification of factors causing variability in dose estimation. Radiological dose rates were modelled for ten species representing a diverse range of terrestrial plant and animals with varying behavioural and physical attributes. Dose to these organisms may occur from a range of gamma (Co-60, Cs-137), beta (Sr-90) and alpha (Th-232, U-234 and U-238, Pu-238, Pu-239/240 and Am-241) emitting radionuclides. Whilst the study was based on a specific site - the Little Forest Burial Ground, New South Wales, and Australia - it was intended to be representative of conditions at sites throughout the world where low levels of radionuclides exist in soil due to waste disposal or similar activities

Final report on a field study of soil-to-plant transfer of radioactive caesium, strontium and zinc in tropical Northern Australia to the IAEA/FAO/IUR CRP on classification of soils systems on the basis of transfer factors of radionuclides from soil to reference plants.

Soil-to-plant radionuclide transfer factors for cesium (134Cs), strontium (85Sr) and zinc (65Zn) into sorghum and mung plants grown in tropical Australia have been determined over a four-year study period. The crops were grown on two types of red earth soils. Transfer factors for Cs and Sr are not substantially different from the expected values based on previous studies, reported in the general literature and compiled in the IUR database, mainly performed within temperate climates. In contrast, the values for zinc (Zn) are more than an order of magnitude greater than anticipated. Most of the radioactivity added to the soils has been retained in the top 5 cm of both soils. There has been a general decline in soil-to-plant transfer of Cs and Zn as time has increased

First Release Mar 1

ABSTRACT. Objective. To evaluate physician control of needle and syringe during aspiration-injection syringe procedures by comparing the new reciprocating procedure syringe to a traditional conventional syringe. Methods. Twenty-six physicians were tested for their individual ability to control the reciprocating and conventional syringes in typical aspiration-injection procedures using a novel quantitative needle-based displacement procedure model. Subsequently, the physicians performed 48 clinical aspiration-injection (arthrocentesis) procedures on 32 subjects randomized to the reciprocating or conventional syringes. Clinical outcomes included procedure time, patient pain, and operator satisfaction. Multivariate modeling methods were used to determine the experimental variables in the syringe control model most predictive of clinical outcome measures. Results. In the model system, the reciprocating syringe significantly improved physician control of the syringe and needle, with a 66% reduction in unintended forward penetration (p < 0.001) and a 68% reduction in unintended retraction (p < 0.001). In clinical arthrocentesis, improvements were also noted: 30% reduction in procedure time (p < 0.03), 57% reduction in patient pain (p < 0.001), and a 79% increase in physician satisfaction (p < 0.001). The variables in the experimental system -unintended forward penetration, unintended retraction, and operator satisfaction -independently predicted the outcomes of procedure time, patient pain, and physician satisfaction in the clinical study (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion. The reciprocating syringe reduces procedure time and patient pain and improves operator satisfaction with the procedure syringe. The reciprocating syringe improves physician performance in both the validated quantitative needle-based displacement model and in real aspiration-injection syringe procedures, including arthrocentesis

Stress-Induced Reinstatement of Drug Seeking: 20 Years of Progress

In human addicts, drug relapse and craving are often provoked by stress. Since 1995, this clinical scenario has been studied using a rat model of stress-induced reinstatement of drug seeking. Here, we first discuss the generality of stress-induced reinstatement to different drugs of abuse, different stressors, and different behavioral procedures. We also discuss neuropharmacological mechanisms, and brain areas and circuits controlling stress-induced reinstatement of drug seeking. We conclude by discussing results from translational human laboratory studies and clinical trials that were inspired by results from rat studies on stress-induced reinstatement. Our main conclusions are (1) The phenomenon of stress-induced reinstatement, first shown with an intermittent footshock stressor in rats trained to self-administer heroin, generalizes to other abused drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, nicotine, and alcohol, and is also observed in the conditioned place preference model in rats and mice. This phenomenon, however, is stressor specific and not all stressors induce reinstatement of drug seeking. (2) Neuropharmacological studies indicate the involvement of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), noradrenaline, dopamine, glutamate, kappa/dynorphin, and several other peptide and neurotransmitter systems in stress-induced reinstatement. Neuropharmacology and circuitry studies indicate the involvement of CRF and noradrenaline transmission in bed nucleus of stria terminalis and central amygdala, and dopamine, CRF, kappa/dynorphin, and glutamate transmission in other components of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system (ventral tegmental area, medial prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and nucleus accumbens). (3) Translational human laboratory studies and a recent clinical trial study show the efficacy of alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists in decreasing stress-induced drug craving and stress-induced initial heroin lapse

Applying Recent Argumentation Methods to Some Ancient Examples of Plausible Reasoning

Plausible (eikotic) reasoning known from ancient Greek (late Academic) skeptical philosophy is shown to be a clear notion that can be analyzed by argu- mentation methods, and that is important for argumentation studies. It is shown how there is a continuous thread running from the Sophists to the skeptical philosopher Carneades, through remarks of Locke and Bentham on the subject, to recent research in artificial intelligence. Eleven characteristics of plausible reasoning are specified by analyzing key examples of it recognized as important in ancient Greek skeptical philosophy using an artificial intelligence model called the Carneades Argumentation System (CAS). By applying CAS to ancient examples it is shown how plausible reasoning is especially useful for gaining a better understanding of evidential reasoning in law, and argued that it can also be applied to everyday argumentation. Our analysis of the snake and rope example of Carneades is also used to point out some ways CAS needs to be extended if it is to more fully model the views of this ancient philosopher on argumentation