Occurrence of steroid sex hormones in the Cache la Poudre River: and pathways for the removal in the environment

November 2009.Includes bibliographical references.Some chemicals have the apparent ability to disrupt normal endocrine system functions after exposure to concentrations so small that they are difficult to detect in the environment. In recent years, these so-called "endocrine disruptors" have become the subject of intensive scientific research. In wildlife, most of the evidence for endocrine disruption has come from studies on species living in, or closely associated with, aquatic environments. Reported effects of endocrine disruption include abnormal blood hormone levels, masculinization of females, feminization of males, altered sex ratios, intersexuality, and reduced fertility and fecundity. Among suspected endocrine disruptors, exogenous steroid sex hormones generally have the highest potencies for disrupting normal steroid sex hormone functions. In a national reconnaissance study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from 1999 to 2000, steroid sex hormones were detected at varying concentrations and frequencies in water samples from 139 stream sites located in 30 states. Other studies have detected steroid sex hormones in surface waters throughout the world, including Colorado. Potential sources of steroid sex hormones in the environment include sewage treatment plants, septic systems, animal feeding operations, rangeland grazing, paper mills, aquaculture, and agricultural operations where manure and biosolids are applied as fertilizers. The objectives of this study were to investigate the presence of steroid sex hormones in northern Colorado's Cache la Poudre River, to determine the potential for steroid sex hormone biodegradation and photodegradation under natural conditions, and to characterize the mobility of selected steroid sex hormones in agricultural fields using a rainfall simulator. The study determined that steroid sex hormones are present in the Cache la Poudre River, at concentrations ranging from 0.6 ng L−1 (epitestosterone) to 22.6 ng L−1 (estrone). The study also determined that testosterone, progesterone, and 17β-estradiol can be degraded by manure-borne bacteria, and that testosterone degradation is faster under aerobic conditions and at higher temperatures (i.e., 37°C vs. 22°C), but little affected by changes in pH (from 6 to 7.5) or glucose amendments. In ultraviolet light λ > 340 nm, the study observed direct photodegradation of testosterone and progesterone, and indirect photodegradation of testosterone and 17β-estradiol in the presence of Elliot soil humic acid. On the other hand, in ultraviolet light λ > 310 nm, direct photodegradation of androstenedione was substantially faster than direct photodegradation of testosterone in ultraviolet light λ > 310 nm, and no indirect photodegradation observed. The study detected and identified three testosterone biodegradation products (dehydrotestosterone, androstenedione, and androstadienedione), and detected several products of testosterone and androstenedione photodegradation which appear to retain their steroid structure, and possibly their endocrine disrupting potential. Finally, the study generally observed that androgen runoff concentrations follow runoff rates and decrease after successive rainfall events, while runoff concentrations of other analytes (e.g., estrone) peak after the maximum runoff rate and first rainfall event. Sample and data analysis from the study are continuing, and comprehensive finding and recommendations are expected after the date of this report.Financed in part by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Geological Survey, through the Colorado Water Institute

Facters Affecting Arsenic Retetion Under Anaerobic Conditions

Stanford UniversityColorado State UniversityPromoting Environmental Pesearch in Pan-Japan Sea Area : Young Researchers\u27 Network, Schedule: March 8-10,2006,Kanazawa Excel Hotel Tokyu, Japan, Organized by: Kanazawa University 21st-Century COE Program, Environmental Monitoring and Prediction of Long- & Short- Term Dynamics of Pan-Japan Sea Area ; IICRC(Ishikawa International Cooperation Research Centre), Sponsors : Japan Sea Research ; UNU-IAS(United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies)+Ishikawa Prefecture Government ; City of Kanazaw

Max-Min optimization problem for Variable Annuities pricing

International audienceWe study the valuation of variable annuities for an insurer. We concentrate on two types of these contracts that are the guaranteed minimum death benefits and the guaranteed minimum living benefits ones and that allow the insured to withdraw money from the associated account. As for many insurance contracts, the price of variable annuities consists in a fee, fixed at the beginning of the contract, that is continuously taken from the associated account. We use a utility indifference approach to determine this fee and, in particular, we consider the indifference fee rate in the worst case for the insurer i.e. when the insured makes the withdrawals that minimize the expected utility of the insurer. To compute this indifference fee rate, we link the utility maximization in the worst case for the insurer to a sequence of maximization and minimization problems that can be computed recursively. This allows to provide an optimal investment strategy for the insurer when the insured follows the worst withdrawals strategy and to compute the indifference fee. We finally explain how to approximate these quantities via the previous results and give numerical illustrations of parameter sensibility

Biogenic non-crystalline U (IV) revealed as major component in uranium ore deposits

Historically, it is believed that crystalline uraninite, produced via the abiotic reduction of hexavalent uranium (U (VI)) is the dominant reduced U species formed in low-temperature uranium roll-front ore deposits. Here we show that non-crystalline U (IV) generated through biologically mediated U (VI) reduction is the predominant U (IV) species in an undisturbed U roll-front ore deposit in Wyoming, USA. Characterization of U species revealed that the majority (-1/458-89%) of U is bound as U (IV) to C-containing organic functional groups or inorganic carbonate, while uraninite and U (VI) represent only minor components. The uranium deposit exhibited mostly 238 U-enriched isotope signatures, consistent with largely biotic reduction of U (VI) to U (IV). This finding implies that biogenic processes are more important to uranium ore genesis than previously understood. The predominance of a relatively labile form of U (IV) also provides an opportunity for a more economical and environmentally benign mining process, as well as the design of more effective post-mining restoration strategies and human health-risk assessment.University of Wyomin

Iron mineral dissolution releases iron and associated organic carbon during permafrost thaw

It has been shown that reactive soil minerals, specifically iron(III) (oxyhydr)oxides, can trap organic carbon in soils overlying intact permafrost, and may limit carbon mobilization and degradation as it is observed in other environments. However, the use of iron(III)-bearing minerals as terminal electron acceptors in permafrost environments and thus their stability and capacity to prevent carbon mobilization during permafrost thaw is poorly understood. We have followed the dynamic interactions between iron and carbon, using a space for time-approach, across a thaw gradient in Abisko (Sweden), where wetlands are expanding rapidly due to permafrost thaw. We show through bulk (selective extractions, EXAFS) and nanoscale analysis (correlative SEM and nanoSIMS) that organic carbon is bound to reactive Fe primarily in the transition between organic and mineral horizons in palsa underlain by intact permafrost (41.8 ± 10.8 mg carbon per g soil, 9.9 to 14.8% of total soil organic carbon). During permafrost thaw, water-logging and O2 limitation lead to reducing conditions and an increase in abundance of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria which favor mineral dissolution and drive mobilization of both iron and carbon along the thaw gradient. By providing a terminal electron acceptor, this rusty carbon sink is effectively destroyed along the thaw gradient and cannot prevent carbon release with thaw

Safety and Technical Feasibility of Sustainable Reuse of Shale Gas Flowback and Produced Water after Advanced Treatment Aimed at Wheat Irrigation

Treatment and reuse of flowback and produced water (FPW) from shale gas extraction for agricultural irrigation has often been proposed as a sustainable alternative to disposal via deep-well injection. Here, we investigate the effects of FPW on the germination period, macroscopic growth, element enrichment, and grain gene expression of wheat upon dilution and advanced membrane treatment of the liquid stream. Compared to tap water, irrigation with treated FPW shortened the germination time, slightly improved the seed vigor index, and ensured a similar germination rate. On the other hand, the biomass and grain yield of mature wheat irrigated with treated FPW and with FPW diluted to 5% groups decreased compared to tests using tap water. After a whole growth cycle of wheat, higher concentrations of nutrients, such as K, Ca, and Mg were enriched in mature wheat tissue irrigated with treated FPW. However, the Pb and Cr contents of mature wheat grains treated with three types of irrigation waters exceeded the standard to varying degrees. A total of 1973 differentially expressed genes were mainly related to binding, catalytic activity, cellular process, metabolic process, and cell part, more than half of which were upregulated and induced by irrigation with treated FPW. These findings provide critical guidance for the reuse of treated shale gas FPW for agricultural application from the perspective of plant uptake of toxic elements, as well as crop and human health risks

DTU Synthetic Promoter Library Standard

The purpose of this RFC is to outline a method for generating a BioBrick compatible Synthetic Promoter Library (SPL) within bacteria in order to fine-tune the expression of BioBrick parts and devices

Mentoring program design and implementation in new medical schools

Purpose: Mentoring is considered a valuable component of undergraduate medical education with a variety of programs at established medical schools. This study presents how new medical schools have set up mentoring programs as they have developed their curricula. Methods: Administrators from 14 US medical schools established since 2006 were surveyed regarding the structure and implementation of their mentoring programs. Results: The majority of new medical schools had mentoring programs that varied in structure and implementation. Although the programs were viewed as valuable at each institution, challenges when creating and implementing mentoring programs in new medical schools included time constraints for faculty and students, and lack of financial and professional incentives for faculty. Conclusions: Similar to established medical schools, there was little uniformity among mentoring programs at new medical schools, likely reflecting differences in curriculum and program goals. Outcome measures are needed to determine whether a best practice for mentoring can be established

Microbial Iron Cycling in Acidic Geothermal Springs of Yellowstone National Park: Integrating Molecular Surveys, Geochemical Processes, and Isolation of Novel Fe-Active Microorganisms

Geochemical, molecular, and physiological analyses of microbial isolates were combined to study the geomicrobiology of acidic iron oxide mats in Yellowstone National Park. Nineteen sampling locations from 11 geothermal springs were studied ranging in temperature from 53 to 88°C and pH 2.4 to 3.6. All iron oxide mats exhibited high diversity of crenarchaeal sequences from the Sulfolobales, Thermoproteales, and Desulfurococcales. The predominant Sulfolobales sequences were highly similar to Metallosphaera yellowstonensis str. MK1, previously isolated from one of these sites. Other groups of archaea were consistently associated with different types of iron oxide mats, including undescribed members of the phyla Thaumarchaeota and Euryarchaeota. Bacterial sequences were dominated by relatives of Hydrogenobaculum spp. above 65–70°C, but increased in diversity below 60°C. Cultivation of relevant iron-oxidizing and iron-reducing microbial isolates included Sulfolobus str. MK3, Sulfobacillus str. MK2, Acidicaldus str. MK6, and a new candidate genus in the Sulfolobales referred to as Sulfolobales str. MK5. Strains MK3 and MK5 are capable of oxidizing ferrous iron autotrophically, while strain MK2 oxidizes iron mixotrophically. Similar rates of iron oxidation were measured for M. yellowstonensis str. MK1 and Sulfolobales str. MK5. Biomineralized phases of ferric iron varied among cultures and field sites, and included ferric oxyhydroxides, K-jarosite, goethite, hematite, and scorodite depending on geochemical conditions. Strains MK5 and MK6 are capable of reducing ferric iron under anaerobic conditions with complex carbon sources. The combination of geochemical and molecular data as well as physiological observations of isolates suggests that the community structure of acidic Fe mats is linked with Fe cycling across temperatures ranging from 53 to 88°C

The Type 2 Diabetes Associated Minor Allele of rs2237895 KCNQ1 Associates with Reduced Insulin Release Following an Oral Glucose Load

BACKGROUND: Polymorphisms in the potassium channel, voltage-gated, KQT-like subfamily, member 1 (KCNQ1) have recently been reported to associate with type 2 diabetes. The primary aim of the present study was to investigate the putative impact of these KCNQ1 polymorphisms (rs2283228, rs2237892, rs2237895, and rs2237897) on estimates of glucose stimulated insulin release. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Genotypes were examined for associations with serum insulin levels following an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in a population-based sample of 6,039 middle-aged and treatment-naïve individuals. Insulin release indices estimated from the OGTT and the interplay between insulin sensitivity and insulin release were investigated using linear regression and Hotelling T2 analyses. Applying an additive genetic model the minor C-allele of rs2237895 was associated with reduced serum insulin levels 30 min (mean+/-SD: (CC) 277+/-160 vs. (AC) 280+/-164 vs. (AA) 299+/-200 pmol/l, p = 0.008) after an oral glucose load, insulinogenic index (29.6+/-17.4 vs. 30.2+/-18.7vs. 32.2+/-22.1, p = 0.007), incremental area under the insulin curve (20,477+/-12,491 vs. 20,503+/-12,386 vs. 21,810+/-14,685, p = 0.02) among the 4,568 individuals who were glucose tolerant. Adjustment for the degree of insulin sensitivity had no effect on the measures of reduced insulin release. The rs2237895 genotype had a similar impact in the total sample of treatment-naïve individuals. No association with measures of insulin release were identified for the less common diabetes risk alleles of rs2237892, rs2237897, or rs2283228. CONCLUSION: The minor C-allele of rs2237895 of KCNQ1, which has a prevalence of about 42% among Caucasians was associated with reduced measures of insulin release following an oral glucose load suggesting that the increased risk of type 2 diabetes, previously reported for this variant, likely is mediated through an impaired beta cell function