Siting a Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility in Texas Volume Four- Geologic and Hydrologic Investigations of State of Texas and University of Texas Lands

The Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin, conducted preliminary investigations of the geology and hydrology of 5 areas in Culberson and Hudspeth Counties, Texas, selected by the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority as potential sites for a low-level radioactive waste repository. This report discusses the results of those studies. Two areas in Culberson County, Texas, Site S-15 and Block 46 and adjacent regions, were investigated. The Permian Castile Formation underlies all of Site S-15 and the eastern half of Block 46. The Castile Formation displays evidence of extensive solution and local collapse and appears to contain a complex system of karst features and underground solution channels. The western half of Block 46 is underlain by the Permian Bell Canyon Formation, consisting of interbeds of sandstone and limestone. Both the Castile and subjacent Bell Canyon Formations contain prominent joint systems and local areas of normal faults. Surficial deposits are commonly composed of detritus derived from local formations and appear to be both porous and permeable. The groundwater flow in both areas is governed by karst dissolution and collapse features. The chemical and isotopic composition of groundwater indicates active recharge through the thin unsaturated zone combined with older water flowing from the west. Residence time of groundwater in the aquifers is relatively short, and numerous springs discharge from the shallow groundwater table.Bureau of Economic Geolog

Validation of the PILL-5: A 5-Item Patient Reported Outcome Measure for Pill Dysphagia.

Objectives: Pill dysphagia is common and costly with a significant risk of pill retention, caustic injury, and poor medication compliance. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the validity and reliability of the PILL-5, a self-administered patient reported outcome measure (PROM) to quantify the degree of pill (tablet and capsule) dysphagia. The PILL-5 is a 5-item questionnaire with a maximum symptom score of 20. Methods: The PILL-5 was administered to 190 patients with dysphagia referred for videofluoroscopic esophagography (VFE). Construct validity was assessed by comparing PILL-5 composite scores to delayed barium tablet transit on VFE. Normative data was obtained by administering the instrument to a cohort of healthy community based volunteers. Internal consistency was assessed with the Cronbach alpha. Test/retest reliability was determined by administering the instrument to the same cohort of patients at two time points. Results: The mean PILL-5 was 5.6 (±4.9) for persons with dysphagia and 1.6 (±2.7) for healthy volunteers (p < 0.001). The internal consistency of the instrument was high (Cronbach alpha = 0.85). The mean PILL-5 was 4.3 (±4.1) for patients with normal transit and 7.6 (±5.3) for patients with delayed barium tablet transit on esophagography, indicating excellent criterion based validity (p < 0.001). Reproducibility was high with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.83 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Healthy individuals report some degree of swallowing difficulty with pills. Normative data suggest that a PILL-5 > 6 is abnormal (mean + 2 SD). The instrument demonstrated excellent criterion based validity and reliability. The PILL-5 is the first validated patient reported outcome measure for pill dysphagia

Recurrent refractory Kawasaki disease

Background: Kawasaki disease is a common childhood vasculitis. Unrelenting fever after treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) occurs in 10-15% of patients and is associated with a greater risk of developing coronary aneurysms. Aim: Describe a very unique case of recurrent and refractory Kawasaki disease. Case report: A 3 year old boy presented with 3 days of fever, rash, pharyngeal and gingival erythema, and swollen extremities. Laboratory investigations revealed leukocytosis, C–reactive protein 25.8 mg/dl, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate 100 mm/hr. Echocardiography disclosed diffuse dilatation of all proximal coronary arteries. The child received IVIG (2g/kg) and aspirin (100 mg/kg/d) with no response. IVIG was repeated, followed by methylprednisolone 30 mg/kg for 3 days, but the child remained febrile. Infliximab (5 mg/kg) was thereupon employed with prompt defervescence. Low-dose aspirin was continued, as well as clopidogrel. Echocardiographic findings remained stable. Six months after the initial episode, the child again presented with fever, irritability, sore throat and nuchal rigidity. Physical examination revealed cracked, swollen lips, oropharyngeal erythema, posterior cervical lymphadenopathy, and rash. Desquamation of the distal extremities was observed some days later. Aneurysms were detected, involving the left and right main coronary arteries, as well as the left anterior descending coronary. Magnetic resonance angiography of the chest and abdomen revealed no other involved vessels. The child again received IVIG, pulse methylprednisolone, and infliximab, but remained febrile and developed significant arthritis, requiring daily prednisolone. He is now asymptomatic. Conclusions: Currently, recurrent and refractory Kawasaki disease still represents a therapeutic challenge

Efficacy of ImageJ in the assessment of apoptosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To verify the efficacy of ImageJ 1.43 n in determining the extent of apoptosis which is a complex and multistep process.</p> <p>Study Design</p> <p>Cisplatin in different concentrations was used to induce apoptosis in cultured Hep2 cells. Cell viability assay and nuclear image analysis of stained Hep2 cells were used to discriminate apoptotic cells and cells suspected to be undergoing apoptosis from control cells based on parameters such as nuclear area, circularity, perimeter and nuclear area factor (NAF), in association with visual morphology.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Image analysis revealed a progressive and highly significant decrease in nuclear area factor detected in apoptotic cells and in cells suspected of undergoing apoptosis compared to the control cells (P-values < 0.01). Some of the other studied parameters showed also the same trend. This decrease was assumed to indicate DNA loss. Image analysis results correlated positively and significantly with the results obtained by cell viability assay (R = 0.958, P-value = 0.042). NAF was the most reliable parameter in assessment of apoptosis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Nuclear area factor can be calculated using powerful free and open-source software. Consequently, a quantitative measure of apoptosis can be obtained that is linked to morphological changes. ImageJ 1.43 n may therefore provide a useful tool for the assessment and discrimination of apoptotic cells.</p> <p>Virtual slides</p> <p>The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here:</p> <p><url>http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/5929043086367338</url></p

Comment on "On the subtleties of searching for dark matter with liquid xenon detectors"

In a recent manuscript (arXiv:1208.5046) Peter Sorensen claims that XENON100's upper limits on spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross sections for WIMP masses below 10 GeV "may be understated by one order of magnitude or more". Having performed a similar, though more detailed analysis prior to the submission of our new result (arXiv:1207.5988), we do not confirm these findings. We point out the rationale for not considering the described effect in our final analysis and list several potential problems with his study.Comment: 3 pages, no figure

GeneCards Version 3: the human gene integrator

GeneCards (www.genecards.org) is a comprehensive, authoritative compendium of annotative information about human genes, widely used for nearly 15 years. Its gene-centric content is automatically mined and integrated from over 80 digital sources, resulting in a web-based deep-linked card for each of >73 000 human gene entries, encompassing the following categories: protein coding, pseudogene, RNA gene, genetic locus, cluster and uncategorized. We now introduce GeneCards Version 3, featuring a speedy and sophisticated search engine and a revamped, technologically enabling infrastructure, catering to the expanding needs of biomedical researchers. A key focus is on gene-set analyses, which leverage GeneCards’ unique wealth of combinatorial annotations. These include the GeneALaCart batch query facility, which tabulates user-selected annotations for multiple genes and GeneDecks, which identifies similar genes with shared annotations, and finds set-shared annotations by descriptor enrichment analysis. Such set-centric features address a host of applications, including microarray data analysis, cross-database annotation mapping and gene-disorder associations for drug targeting. We highlight the new Version 3 database architecture, its multi-faceted search engine, and its semi-automated quality assurance system. Data enhancements include an expanded visualization of gene expression patterns in normal and cancer tissues, an integrated alternative splicing pattern display, and augmented multi-source SNPs and pathways sections. GeneCards now provides direct links to gene-related research reagents such as antibodies, recombinant proteins, DNA clones and inhibitory RNAs and features gene-related drugs and compounds lists. We also portray the GeneCards Inferred Functionality Score annotation landscape tool for scoring a gene’s functional information status. Finally, we delineate examples of applications and collaborations that have benefited from the GeneCards suite

Coating mechanisms of single-walled carbon nanotube by linear polyether surfactants: insights from computer simulations

The noncovalent coating of carbon-based nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, has important applications in nanotechnology and nanomedicine. The molecular modeling of this process can clarify its mechanism and provide a tool for the design of novel materials. In this paper, the coating mechanism of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) in aqueous solutions by 1,2-dimethoxyethane oxide (DME), 1,2-dimethoxypropane oxide (DMP), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) pentamers, and L64 triblock copolymer chains have been studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results suggest a preferential binding to the SWCNT surface of the DMP molecules with respect to DME mainly driven by their difference in hydrophobicity. For the longer pentamers, it depends by the chain conformation. PPO isomers with radius of gyration larger than PEO pentamers bind more tightly than those with more compact conformation. In the case of the L64 triblock copolymer, the coating of the SWCNT surface produces a shell of PPO blocks with the PEO chains protruding into bulk water as expected from the so-called nonwrapping binding mechanism of SWCNT. In addition, the polymer coating, in qualitative agreement with experimental evidence on the poor capability of the L64 to disperse SWCNT, do not prevent the formation of CNT aggregates