A history of wind erosion prediction models in the United States Department of Agriculture: The Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS)

Science.gov (United States)

Development of the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) was officially inaugurated in 1985 by United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) scientists in response to customer requests, particularly those coming from the USDA Soil Conservation Service (SCS), for im...

USDA research and honey bee health

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA - Agricultural Research Service Bee Research Laboratory (BRL) is comprised of nine full-time federal employees and a team of 20+ students and collaborators from the U.S., England, Thailand, Spain, and China. The mission of the BRL is to provide innovative tools and insights for building and...

Rifkin takes aim at USDA animal research.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Jeffrey L

1984-10-19

Jeremy Rifkin has filed a lawsuit to block U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) experiments involving the transfer of human growth hormone genes into sheep and pigs, which he rejects on environmental, economic, and ethical grounds. His real target is the Department's animal breeding program; his ultimate aim is "to establish the principle that there should be no crossing of species barriers in animals." USDA officials have not yet responded to the lawsuit but they intend to continue the experiments, which they consider crucial to the progress of research, until told to stop.

Developing a low cortisol responsive line of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

Science.gov (United States)

Nagaraj G. Chatakondi and Brian C. Peterson USDA ARS Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit, 141 Experiment Station Road, Stoneville, MS 38776. nagaraj.chatakondi@ars.usda.gov Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus is the most important farm-raised aquacultured species in the USA. Stressors in aquacultu...

Research and development portfolio of the sustainability science team national sustainable operations USDA Forest Service

Science.gov (United States)

Trista Patterson; David Nicholls; Jonathan Long

2015-01-01

The Sustainability Science Team (SST) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Sustainable Operations Initiative is a 18-member virtual research and development team, located across five regions and four research stations of the USDA Forest Service. The team provides research, publication, systems analysis, and decision support to the Sustainable...

Association analysis using USDA diverse rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm collections to identify loci influencing grain quality traits

Science.gov (United States)

he USDA rice (Oryza sativa L.) core subset (RCS) was assembled to represent the genetic diversity of the entire USDA-ARS National Small Grains Collection and consists of 1,794 accessions from 114 countries. The USDA rice mini-core (MC) is a subset of 217 accessions from the RCS and was selected to ...

Development of a new USDA plant hardiness zone map for the United States

Science.gov (United States)

C. Daly; M.P. Widrlechner; M.D. Halbleib; J.I. Smith; W.P. Gibson

2012-01-01

In many regions of the world, the extremes of winter cold are a major determinant of the geographic distribution of perennial plant species and of their successful cultivation. In the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) is the primary reference for defining geospatial patterns of extreme winter cold for the...

Outcomes from the USDA/ARS area-wide project for management of the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus

Science.gov (United States)

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, became established in the continental US in 1985 and now infests 30 states. In 2007 the USDA Agricultural Research Service funded an “area-wide” project focused on the management of this species. The project was a unique federal, state, local collaborati...

USDA-EPA Collaborative Ammonia Research

Science.gov (United States)

In 2014, a work group was formed between USDA and EPA to facilitate information exchange on ammonia emissions from agriculture, air quality impacts and emission mitigation options and to identify opportunities for collaboration. This document provides background on the work grou...

7 CFR 1945.18 - United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Agriculture Council (FAC).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 13 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Agriculture Council (FAC). 1945.18 Section 1945.18 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) RURAL HOUSING SERVICE, RURAL BUSINESS-COOPERATIVE SERVICE, RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE...

Introduction to HACCP.

Science.gov (United States)

Introduction to HACCP Deana R. Jones, Ph.D. Egg Safety and Quality Research Unit USDA-Agricultural Research Service Russell Research Center Athens, GA Deana.Jones@ars.usda.gov HACCP is an acronym for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point and was initially developed by the Pillsbury Company a...

Emerging crops in the USDA arid lands germplasm collection

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA National Plant Germplasm System maintains collections of several emerging crops for arid lands at the National Arid Land Plant Genetic Resources Unit in Parlier, CA (NALPGRU). The guayule, jojoba, and prickly pear collections are most active in terms of current research and crop development...

ARS irrigation research priorities and projects-An update

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA Agricultural Research Service focuses on six areas of research that are crucial to safe and effective use of all water resources for agricultural production: 1) Irrigation Scheduling Technologies for Water Productivity; 2) Water Productivity (WP) at Multiple Scales; 3) Irrigation Applicatio...

Breaking the salmonella/chicken connection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinzel, B.

1990-01-01

The use of gamma radiation of poultry to reduce the risk of foodborne salmonellosis is discussed with reference to surveys carried out by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service and research carried out at the USDA-ARS Food Safety Research Unit at the Eastern Region Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Biological and Cultural Control of Olive Fruit Fly in California---Utilization of Parasitoids from USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Guatemala

Science.gov (United States)

The parasitoid Psytallia cf. concolor (Szépligeti) was reared on sterile Mediterranean fruit fly larvae at the USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Petapa Quarantine Laboratory in Guatemala and shipped to the USDA-ARS, Parlier, for wide-spread release and biological control of olive fruit fly in California. As many as 3...

Program review of the USDA Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA-ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology (CMAVE) has a history that starts in 1932 in Orlando to develop methods to control mosquitoes, including malaria vectors under conditions simulating those of the south Pacific jungles, and other insects affecting man and animals...

A flavor of 40Ar-39Ar geochronology research at lIT Bombay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pande, Kanchan

2017-01-01

Geochronology based on radiogenic isotopes has become an invaluable tool in earth sciences. Several radioactive parent-daughter systems of varying half-lives such as Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, K-Ar have been traditionally used by researchers for determining the timing of geological and planetary processes. 40 Ar- 39 Ar dating, a variant of the K-Ar system, is a well-established and versatile method of determining the eruptive ages of volcanic rocks and the ∼150-500° C thermal histories of a variety of more slowly cooled igneous and metamorphic rocks. In the 40 Ar- 39 Ar method the sample is irradiated by fast neutrons in a nuclear reactor to convert some of 39 K into 39 Ar. The fixed natural ratio 39 K/ 40 K provides estimate for the parent 40 K by measuring 39 Ar. In order to know the conversion factor of 39 K to 39 Ar and to take care of other nuclear interfering reactions a sample of known K-Ar age is irradiated along with the unknown. The age of the unknown is then derived by comparison with the monitor sample of known age

Biological and Cultural Control of Olive Fruit Fly in California---Utilization of Parasitoids from USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Guatemala and Cultural Control Methods

Science.gov (United States)

The parasitoid Psytallia humilis = P. cf. concolor (Szépligeti) was reared on sterile Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), larvae at the USDA, APHIS, PPQ, Moscamed biological control laboratory in San Miguel Petapa, Guatemala and shipped to the USDA, ARS, Parlier, for biological ...

USDA food and nutrient databases provide the infrastructure for food and nutrition research, policy, and practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahuja, Jaspreet K C; Moshfegh, Alanna J; Holden, Joanne M; Harris, Ellen

2013-02-01

The USDA food and nutrient databases provide the basic infrastructure for food and nutrition research, nutrition monitoring, policy, and dietary practice. They have had a long history that goes back to 1892 and are unique, as they are the only databases available in the public domain that perform these functions. There are 4 major food and nutrient databases released by the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC), part of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. These include the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, the Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database, the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies, and the USDA Food Patterns Equivalents Database. The users of the databases are diverse and include federal agencies, the food industry, health professionals, restaurants, software application developers, academia and research organizations, international organizations, and foreign governments, among others. Many of these users have partnered with BHNRC to leverage funds and/or scientific expertise to work toward common goals. The use of the databases has increased tremendously in the past few years, especially the breadth of uses. These new uses of the data are bound to increase with the increased availability of technology and public health emphasis on diet-related measures such as sodium and energy reduction. Hence, continued improvement of the databases is important, so that they can better address these challenges and provide reliable and accurate data.

Long term agro-ecosystem research: The Southern Plains partnership

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is coordinating ten well-established research sites as a Long Term Agro-ecosystem Research (LTAR) Network. The goal of the LTAR is to sustain a land-based infrastructure for research, environmental management testing, and education, that enables understan...

Forest service access to and use of the Germplasm Information Network (GRIN-Global) database and security backup at the National Laboratory for Genetic Resource Preservation

Science.gov (United States)

B. Loth; R.P. Karrfalt

2017-01-01

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USDA FS) National Seed Laboratory (NSL) began long term seed storage for genetic conservation, in 2005, for USDA FS units and cooperators. This program requires secure storage of both seeds and the data documenting the identification of the seeds. The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has provided both of these...

Maximizing industry benefit through cooperation between federal, state and private-sector floricultural research efforts

Science.gov (United States)

he USDA-ARS Greenhouse Production Research Group was established to provide a federally funded research emphasis on greenhouse crop production. It has focused on broad production issues (nutrition, water management, and energy conservation) by coordinating research between in-house researchers, Uni...

Current, Short Term, Future and Star Wars Research Projects for Ornamental Crops

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA-ARS Greenhouse Production Research Group is involved in fundamental and developmental plant research aimed at developing tools for early stress detection and efficient agrochemical utilization for protected horticulture crops. The group conducts basic plant biology research with the goal o...

An Overview of Hydrologic Studies at Center for Forested Wetlands Research, USDA Forest Service

Science.gov (United States)

Devendra M. Amatya; Carl C. Trettin; R. Wayne Skaggs; Timothy J. Callahan; Ge Sun; Masato Miwa; John E. Parsons

2004-01-01

Managing forested wetland landscapes for water quality improvement and productivity requires a detailed understanding of functional linkages between ecohydrological processes and management practices. Studies are being conducted at Center for Forested Wetlands Research (CFWR), USDA Forest Service to understand the fundamental hydrologic and biogeochemical processes...

Evolution of soil, ecosystem, and critical zone research at the USDA FS Calhoun Experimental Forest

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel deB. Richter; Allan R. Bacon; Sharon A. Billings; Dan Binkley; Marilyn Buford; Mac Callaham; Amy E. Curry; Ryan L. Fimmen; A. Stuart Grandy; Paul R. Heine; Michael Hofmockel; Jason A. Jackson; Elisabeth LeMaster; Jianwei Li; Daniel Markewitz; Megan L. Mobley; Mary W. Morrison; Michael S. Strickland; Thomas Waldrop; Carol G. Wells

2015-01-01

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Calhoun Experimental Forest was organized in 1947 on the southern Piedmont to engage in research that today is called restoration ecology, to improve soils, forests, and watersheds in a region that had been severely degraded by nearly 150 years farming. Today, this 2,050-ha research forest is managed by the Sumter...

77 FR 17001 - USDA Public Stakeholder Meeting: Match Making in the Biofuels Value Chain

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-23

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE USDA Public Stakeholder Meeting: Match Making in the Biofuels Value... and representatives from the participating stakeholders will respond with short formal presentations... through USDA's security clearance. ADDRESSES: Patio, United States Department of Agriculture Whitten...

75 FR 11936 - Unit Structures LLC, Magnolia, AR; Notice of Termination of Investigation

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-12

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-70,367] Unit Structures LLC, Magnolia, AR; Notice of Termination of Investigation Pursuant to Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as... Arkansas Rapid Response Coordinator on behalf of workers of Unit Structures LLC, Magnolia, Arkansas. The...

Limited irrigation research and infrared thermometry for detecting water stress

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA-ARS Limited Irrigation Research Farm, located outside of Greeley Colorado, is an experiment evaluating management perspectives of limited irrigation water. An overview of the farm systems is shown, including drip irrigation systems, water budgeting, and experimental design, as well as preli...

Joint USDA/DOE meeting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-07-01

This documents contains the details from the USDA/USDOE meeting on April 11--12, 1994. Topics discussed include: genetic research, environmental research, renewable energy sources, food supply, improved fertilizers, new pesticides, research programs combining the efforts of the two agencies to develop new products for use in the agriculture industry, environmentally safe products, getting more with less money, and various other subjects dealing with how cooperation among these agencies can improve the agriculture industry.

Long term acroecosystem research in the Southern Plains

Science.gov (United States)

Jean L. Steiner; Patrick J. Starks; Jurgen Garbrecht; Daniel Moriasi; Paul Bartholomew; Jim Neel; Kenneth E. Turner; Brian Northup

2016-01-01

The Southern Plains (SP) site of the Long Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network is headquartered at the USDA-ARS Grazinglands Research Laboratory (GRL) in El Reno, Oklahoma. The GRL was established in 1948. A long-term watershed and climate research program was established in the Little Washita River Experimental Watershed (LWREW) in 1961 and in the Fort Cobb...

USDA Mosquito Control Product Research for the US Military

Science.gov (United States)

New techniques that were developed at the USDA to protect deployed military troops from the threat of vector-borne diseases and are also applicable for use by civilian mosquito control program use are described. Techniques to be illustrated include: (1) novel military personal protection methods, (2...

USDA Flax fiber utilization research

Science.gov (United States)

The United States is pursuing natural fibers as sustainable, environmentally friendly sources for a variety of industrial applications. Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) fiber offers many possibilities towards this goal. Research on flax fiber production, processing, and standards development is urgen...

Long-term Agroecosystem Research in the Northern Great Plains.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmer, M.; Sanderson, M.; Liebig, M. A.; Wienhold, B.; Awada, T.; Papiernik, S.; Osborne, S.; Kemp, W.; Okalebo, J. A.; Riedall, W.

2015-12-01

The Northern Great Plains is the bread basket of the United States, accounting for a substantial portion of U.S. agricultural production. This region faces critical challenges regarding balancing food needs, resource conservation (e.g Ogallala aquifer), environmental concerns, and rural economy development. Developing transformative, multifunctional systems will require equally imaginative and efficient tools to help farmers manage complex agroecosystems in a rapidly changing climate. The Northern Plains long-term agroecosystem research (LTAR) site at Mandan, ND and the Platte River High Plains LTAR (ARS/University of Nebraska-Lincoln) at Lincoln, NE in collaboration with USDA-ARS research units in Brookings, SD and Fargo, ND are collaborating to address the grand challenge of providing and sustaining multiple service provisions from Northern Great Plains agroecosystems. We propose to attain these goals through sustainable intensification based on the adoption of conservation agriculture principles including reduced soil disturbance, livestock integration, and greater complexity and diversity in the cropping system. Here, we summarize new concepts these locations have pioneered in dynamic cropping systems, resource use efficiency, and agricultural management technologies. As part of the LTAR network, we will conduct long-term cross-site research to design and assess new agricultural practices and systems aimed at improving our understanding of decision making processes and outcomes across an array of agricultural systems.

Improving World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates by Integrating NASA Remote Sensing Soil Moisture Data into USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board Decision Making Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Teng, W. L.; de Jeu, R. A.; Doraiswamy, P. C.; Kempler, S. J.; Shannon, H. D.

2009-12-01

A primary goal of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is to expand markets for U.S. agricultural products and support global economic development. The USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) supports this goal by developing monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) for the U.S. and major foreign producing countries. Because weather has a significant impact on crop progress, conditions, and production, WAOB prepares frequent agricultural weather assessments, in a GIS-based, Global Agricultural Decision Support Environment (GLADSE). The main objective of this project, thus, is to improve WAOB's estimates by integrating NASA remote sensing soil moisture observations and research results into GLADSE. Soil moisture is a primary data gap at WAOB. Soil moisture data, generated by the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM, developed by NASA GSFC and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) and customized to WAOB's requirements, will be directly integrated into GLADSE, as well as indirectly by first being integrated into USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)'s Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) crop model. The LPRM-enhanced EPIC will be validated using three major agricultural regions important to WAOB and then integrated into GLADSE. Project benchmarking will be based on retrospective analyses of WAOB's analog year comparisons. The latter are between a given year and historical years with similar weather patterns. WAOB is the focal point for economic intelligence within the USDA. Thus, improving WAOB's agricultural estimates by integrating NASA satellite observations and model outputs will visibly demonstrate the value of NASA resources and maximize the societal benefits of NASA investments.

The American cranberry crowned jewel of the bog at the 2014 U.S.A. Science & Engineering Festival

Science.gov (United States)

For researchers in Dr. Juan Zalapa’s Cranberry Genetics and Genomics Lab, part of the USDA-ARS Vegetable Crops Research Unit, cranberries are more than a side dish on their Thanksgiving tables, they are the main course in their daily studies. The majority of these little red super-fruits come from t...

The role of chemistry in poisonous plant research: Current status and future prospects

Science.gov (United States)

Poisonous plants are a major cause of economic loss to livestock producers in many parts of the world. Losses include deaths, abortions, birth defects, reduced production and lost forage value. The USDA-ARS-Poisonous Plant Research Lab in collaboration with the Inner Mongolia Agricultural Univers...

Microwave bale moisture sensing: Field trial continued

Science.gov (United States)

A microwave moisture measurement technique was developed at the USDA, ARS Cotton Production and Processing Research Unit for moisture sensing of cotton bales after the bale press. The technique measures the propagation delay of a microwave signal that is transmitted through the cotton bale. This res...

Synchronous production of conidial powder of several fungal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-08-04

Aug 4, 2009 ... of sufficient quantities of good quality inoculum becomes ... search project aiming to build up a quick and simple eva- ... USDA-ARS Plant Protection Research Unit, U.S. Plant, Soil and ... diameter PVC pipes for synchronous production. ... moisture generator containing 3.5 liter distilled water was slowly.

Coordinated effort to advance genomes-to-phenomes through the integration of bioinformatics with aquaculture research

Science.gov (United States)

Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production system in the world. The research program at the USDA-ARS-SNARC strives to improve the efficiency and sustainability of warmwater U.S. aquaculture. SNARC scientists have impacted the catfish (#1 U.S. aquaculture industry), tilapia (#3) and hybrid st...

40Ar/39Ar stratigraphy of pyroclastic units from the Cañadas Volcanic Edifice (Tenerife, Canary Islands) and their bearing on the structural evolution

OpenAIRE

Huertas Coronel, María José; Arnaud, N.; Ancochea Soto, Eumenio; Cantagrel, Jean Marie; Fúster Casas, José María

2002-01-01

Many felsic pyroclastic units of various types are exposed in different sectors of Tenerife. New 40Ar/39Ar determinations allow them to be placed more precisely in the general volcano-stratigraphic succession. According to geographic distribution, stratigraphic position and isotopic ages, four main pyroclastic phases may be identified. The first, San Juan de la Rambla phase (2.1 Ma), is only known in the north of Tenerife in the Tigaiga massif. The second, Adeje phase (1.8–1.5 Ma), is most co...

USDA Snack Policy Implementation: Best Practices From the Front Lines, United States, 2013-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Asada, Yuka; Chriqui, Jamie; Chavez, Noel; Odoms-Young, Angela; Handler, Arden

2016-06-16

The Smart Snacks in Schools interim final rule was promulgated by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) as authorized by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (PL 111-296) and implementation commenced beginning July 1, 2014; however, in the years leading up to this deadline, national studies suggested that most schools were far from meeting the USDA standards. Evidence to guide successful implementation of the standards is needed. This study examined snack policy implementation in exemplary high schools to learn best practices for implementation. Guided by a multiple case study approach, school professionals (n = 37) from 9 high schools across 8 states were recruited to be interviewed about perceptions of school snack implementation; schools were selected using criterion sampling on the basis of the HealthierUS Schools Challenge: Smarter Lunchrooms (HUSSC: SL) database. Interview transcripts and internal documents were organized and coded in ATLAS.Ti v7; 2 researchers coded and analyzed data using a constant comparative analysis method to identify best practice themes. Best practices for snack policy implementation included incorporating the HUSSC: SL award's comprehensive wellness approach; leveraging state laws or district policies to reinforce snack reform initiatives; creating strong internal and external partnerships; and crafting positive and strategic communications. Implementation of snack policies requires evidence of successful experiences from those on the front lines. As federal, state, and local technical assistance entities work to ensure implementation of the Smart Snacks standards, these best practices provide strategies to facilitate the process.

76 FR 9641 - Delegation of Authority to Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-22

... Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA. ACTION: Final rule... Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics for requests for the United States Department of... for Research, Education, and Economics as USDA's authorized signatory for requests for all 2-year...

First-principles calibration of 40Ar/39Ar mineral standards and complete extraction of 40Ar* from sanidine

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, L. E.; Kuiper, K.; Mark, D.; Postma, O.; Villa, I. M.; Wijbrans, J. R.

2010-12-01

40Ar/39Ar geochronology relies on comparing argon isotopic data for unknowns to those for knowns. Mineral standards used as neutron fluence monitors must be dated by the K-Ar method (or at least referenced to a mineral of known K-Ar age). The commonly used age of 28.02 ± 0.28 Ma for the Fish Canyon sanidine (FCs) (Renne et al., 1998) is based upon measurements of radiogenic 40Ar in GA1550 biotite (McDougall and Roksandic, 1974), but underlying full data were not published (these measurements were never intended for use as an international standard), so uncertainties are difficult to assess. Recent developments by Kuiper et al. (2008) and Renne et al. (2010) are limited by their reliance on the accuracy of other systems. Modern technology should allow for more precise and accurate calibration of primary K-Ar and 40Ar/39Ar standards. From the ideal gas law, the number of moles of 40Ar in a system can be calculated from measurements of pressure, volume, and temperature. Thus we have designed and are proceeding to build a pipette system to introduce well-determined amounts of 40Ar into noble gas extraction lines and mass spectrometers. This system relies on components with calibrations traceable to SI unit prototypes, including a diaphragm pressure gauge (MKS Instruments), thermocouples, and a “slug” of an accurately determined volume to be inserted into the reservoir for volume determinations of the reservoir and pipette. The system will be renewable, with a lifetime of ca. 1 month for gas in the reservoir, and portable, to permit interlaboratory calibrations. The quantitative extraction of 40Ar* from the mineral standard is of highest importance; for sanidine standards this is complicated by high melt viscosity during heating. Experiments adding basaltic “zero age glass” (ZAG) to decrease melt viscosity are underway. This has previously been explored by McDowell (1983) with a resistance furnace, but has not been quantitatively addressed with laser heating

Spectroanalytical investigations on inductively coupled N2/Ar and Ar/Ar high frequency plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malinowski, P.; Mazurkiewicz, M.; Nickel, H.

1981-03-01

In order to improve the detection limits of trace elements in corrosion products of metallic materials, the inductively coupled plasma excitation source (ICP) was applied for spectroscopic analysis. Besides optimizing the working conditions for the mentioned materials, the fundamental research clearing the excitation processes in ICP was carried out. Basicly, two plasma systems were investigated: the nitrogen cooled N 2 /Ar- and pure Ar/Ar-plasma. The computed detection limits for 8 chosen elements are between 0.1 and 50 μg ml -1 in both plasmas. The advantage of ion lines was clearly present; in N 2 /Ar-plasma it was larger than in Ar/Ar-plasma. The excitation temperatures measured with help of ArI, FeI and ZnI lines rise with increasing power and decreasing distance from the induction coil. The distribution of Zn excitation temperature in N 2 /Ar-plasma as well as the measured N + 2 rotational and CN vibrational temperatures indicate, that the toroidal structure of Ar/Ar-plasma is not analogue to the N 2 /Ar-plasma. The values of the various excitation temperatures (Ar, Fe, Zn) and the differences between the excitation, vibration, rotation and ionization temperatures (Tsub(i) > Tsub(n) = Tsub(vib) > Tsub(rot)) indicate an absence of thermal equilibrium in the concerned system. (orig.)

Rocky Mountain Research Station: 2010 Research Accomplishments

Science.gov (United States)

Rick Fletcher

2010-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Research Station is one of seven regional units that make up the USDA Forest Service Research and Development organization ­ the most extensive natural resources research organization in the world. We maintain 12 field laboratories throughout a 12-state territory encompassing the Great Basin, Southwest, Rocky Mountains, and parts of the Great Plains...

An update on USDA swine gene banking

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Animal Germplasm Program (NAGP) collects, preserves, evaluates and utilizes germplasm (semen, eggs, embryos, DNA) from all of the agricultural species in the US in order to create a secure collection. The material can be released for any of a number...

The social sciences, philosophy, and the cultural turn in the 1930s USDA.

Science.gov (United States)

Jewett, Andrew

2013-01-01

One of the more unusual attempts by the American state to mobilize academic expertise unfolded in the late 1930s, when the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) hired scholars in the "culture and personality" fields and philosophy to aid its efforts to promote economic, social, and cultural change in the countryside. USDA progressives also reached out to disciplinary scholars in other ways as they sought to institute a deliberative mode of planning in local communities and to remake the curricula of the land-grant colleges in support of that project. These USDA initiatives and scholars' responses reveal that scientific knowledge was mobilized in the 1930s not just for the instrumental purpose of regulating economic behavior but also to explain and legitimate federal programs and to inform ambitious projects for cultural change. At the USDA, as at many other sites between the wars, scientific thinkers turned to the social sciences and philosophy in order to understand and then change the public mind. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

7 CFR 3406.6 - USDA agency cooperator requirement.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 3406.6 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 1890 INSTITUTION CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS... other USDA employees serving on the campuses of the 1890 colleges and universities, may assist with...

7 CFR 996.21 - USDA laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements... laboratory. USDA laboratory means laboratories of the Science and Technology Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, which chemically analyze peanuts for aflatoxin content. ...

On Tour... Primary Hardwood Processing, Products and Recycling Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Philip A. Araman; Daniel L. Schmoldt

1995-01-01

Housed within the Department of Wood Science and Forest Products at Virginia Polytechnic Institute is a three-person USDA Forest Service research work unit (with one vacancy) devoted to hardwood processing and recycling research. Phil Araman is the project leader of this truly unique and productive unit, titled ãPrimary Hardwood Processing, Products and Recycling.ä The...

The 40Ar/39Ar and K/Ar dating of lavas from the Hilo 1-km core hole, Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project

Science.gov (United States)

Sharp, W.D.; Turrin, B.D.; Renne, P.R.; Lanphere, M.A.

1996-01-01

Mauna Kea lava flows cored in the HilIo hole range in age from <200 ka to about 400 ka based on 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating and K-Ar analyses of 16 groundmass samples and one coexisting plagioclase. The lavas, all subaerially deposited, include a lower section consisting only of tholeiitic basalts and an upper section of interbedded alkalic, transitional tholeiitic, and tholeiitic basalts. The lower section has yielded predominantly complex, discordant 40Ar/39Ar age spectra that result from mobility of 40Ar and perhaps K, the presence of excess 40Ar, and redistribution of 39Ar by recoil. Comparison of K-Ar ages with 40Ar/39Ar integrated ages indicates that some of these samples have also lost 39Ar. Nevertheless, two plateau ages of 391 ?? 40 and 400 ?? 26 ka from deep in the hole, combined with data from the upper section, show that the tholeiitic section accumulated at an average rate of about 7 to 8 m/kyr and has an mean recurrence interval of 0.5 kyr/flow unit. Samples from the upper section yield relatively precise 40Ar/39Ar plateau and isotope correlation ages of 326 ?? 23, 241 ?? 5, 232 ?? 4, and 199 ?? 9 ka for depths of -415.7 m to -299.2 m. Within their uncertainty, these ages define a linear relationship with depth, with an average accumulation rate of 0.9 m/kyr and an average recurrence interval of 4.8 kyr/flow unit. The top of the Mauna Kea sequence at -280 m must be older than the plateau age of 132 ?? 32 ka, obtained for the basal Mauna Loa flow in the corehole. The upward decrease in lava accumulation rate is a consequence of the decreasing magma supply available to Mauna Kea as it rode the Pacific plate away from its magma source, the Hawaiian mantle plume. The age-depth relation in the core hole may be used to test and refine models that relate the growth of Mauna Kea to the thermal and compositional structure of the mantle plume.

EnviroAtlas - Acres of USDA Farm Service Agency Conservation Reserve Program land by 12-Digit HUC for the Conterminous United States.

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This EnviroAtlas dataset shows the acres of land enrolled in the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The CRP is administered by...

Assessing the effects of USDA conservation programs on ecosystem services provided by wetlands

Science.gov (United States)

The Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) is led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in an effort to quantify the environmental effects of conservation programs and practices on privately owned agricultural landscapes across the United States. CEAP’s approach includes application ...

Southern Research Station Global Change Research Strategy 2011-2019

Science.gov (United States)

Kier Klepzig; Zoe Hoyle; Stevin Westcott; Emrys Treasure

2012-01-01

In keeping with the goals of the Research and Development agenda of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Southern Research Station (SRS) provides the information and technology needed to develop best management practices for the forest lands of the Southern United States, where science-guided actions are needed to sustain ecosystem health,...

7 CFR 1250.509 - USDA costs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false USDA costs. 1250.509 Section 1250.509 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS... Regulations General § 1250.509 USDA costs. Pursuant to § 1250.347 of the Order, the Board shall pay those...

7 CFR 1207.508 - USDA costs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false USDA costs. 1207.508 Section 1207.508 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS... Rules and Regulations General § 1207.508 USDA costs. Pursuant to § 1207.341 of the Plan the Board shall...

Essential Oils of Echinophora lamondiana (Apiales: Umbelliferae): A Relationship Between Chemical Profile and Biting Deterrence and Larvicidal Activity Against Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae)

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Science and Letters, Gazi Univer- sity, 06500 Ankara, Turkey. 5 USDA-ARS, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Ento- mology, Gainesville, FL... Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, 11451 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 8 Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University of...Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service (USDA- ARS), Gainesville, FL. For biting deterrence

Ar-Ar_Redux: rigorous error propagation of 40Ar/39Ar data, including covariances

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeesch, P.

2015-12-01

Rigorous data reduction and error propagation algorithms are needed to realise Earthtime's objective to improve the interlaboratory accuracy of 40Ar/39Ar dating to better than 1% and thereby facilitate the comparison and combination of the K-Ar and U-Pb chronometers. Ar-Ar_Redux is a new data reduction protocol and software program for 40Ar/39Ar geochronology which takes into account two previously underappreciated aspects of the method: 1. 40Ar/39Ar measurements are compositional dataIn its simplest form, the 40Ar/39Ar age equation can be written as: t = log(1+J [40Ar/39Ar-298.5636Ar/39Ar])/λ = log(1 + JR)/λ Where λ is the 40K decay constant and J is the irradiation parameter. The age t does not depend on the absolute abundances of the three argon isotopes but only on their relative ratios. Thus, the 36Ar, 39Ar and 40Ar abundances can be normalised to unity and plotted on a ternary diagram or 'simplex'. Argon isotopic data are therefore subject to the peculiar mathematics of 'compositional data', sensu Aitchison (1986, The Statistical Analysis of Compositional Data, Chapman & Hall). 2. Correlated errors are pervasive throughout the 40Ar/39Ar methodCurrent data reduction protocols for 40Ar/39Ar geochronology propagate the age uncertainty as follows: σ2(t) = [J2 σ2(R) + R2 σ2(J)] / [λ2 (1 + R J)], which implies zero covariance between R and J. In reality, however, significant error correlations are found in every step of the 40Ar/39Ar data acquisition and processing, in both single and multi collector instruments, during blank, interference and decay corrections, age calculation etc. Ar-Ar_Redux revisits every aspect of the 40Ar/39Ar method by casting the raw mass spectrometer data into a contingency table of logratios, which automatically keeps track of all covariances in a compositional context. Application of the method to real data reveals strong correlations (r2 of up to 0.9) between age measurements within a single irradiation batch. Propertly taking

Operational Use of Remote Sensing within USDA

Science.gov (United States)

Bethel, Glenn R.

2007-01-01

A viewgraph presentation of remote sensing imagery within the USDA is shown. USDA Aerial Photography, Digital Sensors, Hurricane imagery, Remote Sensing Sources, Satellites used by Foreign Agricultural Service, Landsat Acquisitions, and Aerial Acquisitions are also shown.

A Refined Astronomically Calibrated 40Ar/39Ar Age for Fish Canyon Sanidine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rivera, Tiffany; Storey, Michael; Zeeden, Christian

2011-01-01

Intercalibration between the astronomical and radio-isotopic dating methods provides a means to improving accuracy and reducing uncertainty of an integrated, multi-chronometer geologic timescale. Here we report a high-precision 40Ar/39Ar age for the Fish Canyon sanidine (FCs) neutron fluence...... sanidine age of 0.7674±0.0022 Ma (2σ, external errors) is indistinguishable from the ID-TIMS U/Pb zircon age (0.7671±0.0019 Ma). The consistency between the astronomically calibrated 40Ar/39Ar sanidine age and U/Pb zircon age for this Quaternary unit suggests that agreement between these two radio-isotopic...... dating techniques is now achievable at better than±0.3% (2σ) in the youngest part of geologic time (

The 40Ar/39Ar and U/Pb dating of young rhyolites in the Kos-Nisyros volcanic complex, Eastern Aegean Arc, Greece: Age discordance due to excess 40Ar in biotite

Science.gov (United States)

Bachmann, O.; Schoene, B.; Schnyder, C.; Spikings, R.

2010-08-01

High-precision dating of Quaternary silicic magmas in the active Kos-Nisyros volcanic center (Aegean Arc, Greece) by both 40Ar/39Ar on biotite and U/Pb on zircon reveals a complex geochronological story. U/Pb ID-TIMS multi and single-grain zircon analyses from 3 different units (Agios Mammas and Zini domes, Kefalos Serie pyroclasts) range in age from 0.3 to 0.5 to 10-20 Ma. The youngest dates provide the maximum eruption age, while the oldest zircons indicate inheritance from local continental crust (Miocene and older). Step-heating 40Ar/39Ar experiments on 1-3 crystals of fresh biotite yielded highly disturbed Ar-release patterns with plateau ages typically older than most U/Pb ages. These old plateau ages are probably not a consequence of inheritance from xenocrystic biotites because Ar diffuses extremely fast at magmatic temperatures and ratios are reset within a few days. On the basis of (1) elevated and/or imprecise 40Ar/36Ar ratios, (2) shapes of the Ar release spectra, and (3) a high mantle 3He flux in the Kos-Nisyros area, we suggest that biotite crystals retained some mantle 40Ar that led to the observed, anomalously old ages. In contrast, sanidine crystals from the only sanidine-bearing unit in the Kos-Nisyros volcanic center (the caldera-forming Kos Plateau Tuff) do not appear to store any excess 40Ar relative to atmospheric composition. The eastern edge of the Aegean Arc is tectonically complex, undergoing rapid extension and located close to a major structural boundary. In such regions, which are characterized by high fluxes of mantle volatiles, 40Ar/39Ar geochronology on biotite can lead to erroneous results due to the presence of excess 40Ar and should be checked either against 40Ar/39Ar sanidine or U/Pb zircon ages.

GRACEnet: addressing policy needs through coordinated cross-location research

Science.gov (United States)

Jawson, Michael D.; Walthall, Charles W.; Shafer, Steven R.; Liebig, Mark; Franzluebbers, Alan J.; Follett, Ronald F.

2012-01-01

GRACEnet (Greenhouse gas Reduction through Agricultural Carbon Enhancement network) was conceived to build upon ongoing USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) research to improve soil productivity, while addressing the challenges and opportunities of interest in C sequestration from a climate change perspective. The vision for GRACEnet was and remains: Knowledge and information used to implement scientifically based agricultural management practices from the field to national policy scales on C sequestration, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and environmental benefits. The national focus of GRACEnet uses a standardized approach by ARS laboratories and university and land manager (e.g. farmer and rancher) cooperators to assess C sequestration and GHG emission from different crop and grassland systems. Since 2002, GRACEnet has significantly expanded GHG mitigation science and delivered usable information to agricultural research and policy organizations. Recent developments suggest GRACEnet will have international impact by contributing leadership and technical guidance for the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.

7 CFR 996.22 - USDA-approved laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

..., Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, that chemically analyze peanuts for aflatoxin content. Quality and... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false USDA-approved laboratory. 996.22 Section 996.22 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing...

Powdery mildew reaction of hop cultivars and USDA germplasm, 2015

Science.gov (United States)

This research was conducted to identify possible sources of resistance to the disease powdery mildew in publicly-available hop germplasm and cultivars. Germplasm with the highest levels of downy mildew resistance in the USDA collection and various cultivars of interest were screened for their reac...

77 FR 6772 - United States Standards for Grades of Okra

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-09

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Document No. AMS-FV-11-0054] United States Standards for Grades of Okra AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), prior to undertaking research and other work associated with...

Rice diversity panels available through the genetic stocks oryza collection

Science.gov (United States)

The Genetic Stocks Oryza (GSOR) Collection was established in 2004 at the USDA-ARS, Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center (DBNRRC) located in Stuttgart, AR. The mission of GSOR is to provide unique genetic resources to the rice research community for genetic and genomics related research. GSOR ...

Seed collection success and failure in fraxinus gene conservation efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph D. Zeleznik; Andrew J. David

2017-01-01

National seed collection and gene conservation programs have expanded in recent years, especially in response to pressure from non-native pests such as the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis). Since 2008, we have been working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) and USDA Forest Service (USDA FS) leading seed collection...

Building America Case Study: Rehabilitation of USDA Multifamily Homes, Georgia (Climate Zones 2-4)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2016-04-01

Rea Ventures Group, LLC, (Rea Ventures) partnered with Southface Energy Institute (Southface) on the rehabilitation of 418 low-income rental multifamily apartments located at 14 different properties in Georgia (Climate Zones 2-4). These 22-year old, individually-metered units were arranged in rowhouse or townhouse style units. Rehabilitation plans were developed using a process prescribed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development program, who partially funded the building upgrades. The USDA is responsible for building, upgrading, and subsidizing housing in rural areas nationwide. In 2012, over $100 million was allocated in grants and loans. Due to the unique financing mechanism as well as long-term ownership requirements, property owners are especially motivated to invest in upgrades that will increase durability and tenant retention. These buildings represent a large stock of rural affordable housing that have the potential for significant energy and cost savings for property owners and tenants. Southface analyzed the energy upgrade potential of one stereotypical property in the Rea Ventures portfolio. This study will provide insight into the most cost-effective, implementable energy efficiency and durability upgrades for this age multifamily housing, having an enormous impact not only on the portfolio of Rea Ventures but on the vast USDA and larger Federal portfolio. Additionally, Southface will identify gaps in the current capital needs assessment process, examine available audit and simulation tools and protocols, and evaluate additional auditor training or certification needs.

Feldspar 40Ar/39Ar dating of ICDP PALEOVAN cores

Science.gov (United States)

Engelhardt, Jonathan Franz; Sudo, Masafumi; Stockhecke, Mona; Oberhänsli, Roland

2017-11-01

Volcaniclastic fall deposits in ICDP drilling cores from Lake Van, Turkey, contain sodium-rich sanidine and calcium-rich anorthoclase, which both comprise a variety of textural zoning and inclusions. An age model records the lake's history and is based on climate-stratigraphic correlations, tephrostratigraphy, paleomagnetics, and earlier 40Ar/39Ar analyses (Stockhecke et al., 2014b). Results from total fusion and stepwise heating 40Ar/39Ar analyses presented in this study allow for the comparison of radiometric constraints from texturally diversified feldspar and the multi-proxy lacustrine age model and vice versa. This study has investigated several grain-size fractions of feldspar from 13 volcaniclastic units. The feldspars show textural features that are visible in cathodoluminescence (CL) or back-scattered electron (BSE) images and can be subdivided into three dominant zoning-types: (1) compositional zoning, (2) round pseudo-oscillatory zoning and (3) resorbed and patchy zoning (Ginibre et al., 2004). Round pseudo-oscillatory zoning records a sensitive alternation of Fe and Ca that also reflects resorption processes. This is only visible in CL images. Compositional zoning reflects anticorrelated anorthite and orthoclase contents and is visible in BSE. Eleven inverse isochron ages from total fusion and three from stepwise heating analyses fit the age model. Four experiments resulted in older inverse isochron ages that do not concur with the model within 2σ uncertainties and that deviate from 1 ka to 17 ka minimum. C- and R-type zoning are interpreted as representing growth in magma chamber cupolas, as wall mushes, or in narrow conduits. Persistent compositions of PO-type crystals and abundant surfaces recording dissolution features correspond to formation within a magma chamber. C-type zoning and R-type zoning have revealed an irregular incorporation of melt and fluid inclusions. These two types of zoning in feldspar are interpreted as preferentially

Direct 40Ar/39Ar age determination of fluid inclusions using in-vacuo¬ stepwise crushing - Example of garnet from the Cycladic Blueschist Unit on Syros

Science.gov (United States)

Uunk, Bertram; Postma, Onno; Wijbrans, Jan; Brouwer, Fraukje

2017-04-01

Metamorphic minerals and veins commonly trap attending hydrous fluids in fluid inclusions, which yield a wealth of information on the history of the hosting metamorphic system. When these fluids are sufficiently saline, the KCl in the inclusions can be used as a K/Ar geochronologic system, potentially dating inclusion incorporation. Whilst primary fluid inclusions (PFIs) can date fluid incorporation during mineral or vein growth, secondary fluid inclusion trails (SFIs) can provide age constraints on later fluid flow events. At VU Amsterdam, a new in-vacuo crushing apparatus has been designed to extract fluid inclusions from minerals for 40Ar/39Ar analysis. Separates are crushed inside a crusher tube connected to a purification line and a quadrupole mass spectrometer. In-vacuo crushing is achieved by lifting and dropping a steel pestle using an externally controlled magnetic field. As the gas can be analyzed between different crushing steps, the setup permits stepwise crushing experiments. Additionally, crushed powder can be heated by inserting the crusher tube in an externally controlled furnace. Dating by 40Ar/39Ar stepwise crushing has the added advantage that, during neutron irradiation to produce 39Ar from 39K, 38Ar and 37Ar are also produced from 38Cl and 40Ca, respectively. Simultaneous analysis of these argon isotopes permits constraining the chemistry of the argon source sampled during the experiment. This allows a distinction between different fluid or crystal lattice sources. Garnet from three samples of the HP metamorphic Cycladic Blueschist Unit on Syros, Greece was stepwise crushed to obtain fluid inclusion ages. Initial steps for all three experiments yield significant components of excess argon, which are interpreted to originate from grain boundary fluids and secondary fluid inclusions trails. During subsequent steps, age results stabilize to a plateau age. One garnet from North Syros yields an unusually old 80 Ma plateau age. However, isochrons

School Nutrition Professionals' Usage and Perceptions of USDA Recipes and the Impact of Student Enrollment

Science.gov (United States)

Rushing, Keith; Johnson, J. T.

2015-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the frequency of usage of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Recipes for Schools and investigate factors influencing their usage. The relationship between these variables and school district size (student enrollment) was also investigated. Methods: An expert panel…

USDA soil classification system dictates site surface management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowmer, W.J.

1985-01-01

Success or failure of site surface management practices greatly affects long-term site stability. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) soil classification system best documents those parameters which control the success of installed practices for managing both erosion and surface drainage. The USDA system concentrates on soil characteristics in the upper three meters of the surface that support the associated flora both physically and physiologically. The USDA soil survey first identifies soil series based on detailed characteristics that are related to production potential. Using the production potential, land use capability classes are developed. Capability classes reveal the highest and best agronomic use for the site. Lower number classes are considered arable while higher number classes are best suited for grazing agriculture. Application of ecological principles based on the USDA soil survey reveals the current state of the site relative to its ecological potential. To assure success, site management practices must be chosen that are compatible with both production capability and current state of the site

7 CFR 170.4 - Who may participate in the USDA Farmers Market?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Who may participate in the USDA Farmers Market? 170.4... MARKETING PRACTICES UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING ACT OF 1946 USDA FARMERS MARKET § 170.4 Who may participate in the USDA Farmers Market? Members of three groups may participate in the USDA Farmers Markets...

Rocky Mountain Research Station: 2012-2013 Annual Report

Science.gov (United States)

Cass Cairns

2013-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Research Station is one of seven regional units that make up the USDA Forest Service Research and Development organization - the most extensive natural resources research organization in the world. We maintain 12 field laboratories throughout a 12-state territory encompassing the Great Basin, Southwest, Rocky Mountains, and parts of the...

Rocky Mountain Research Station: 2011 Annual Accomplishments

Science.gov (United States)

Rick Fletcher

2011-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Research Station is one of seven regional units that make up the USDA Forest Service Research and Development organization ­ the most extensive natural resources research organization in the world. We maintain 12 field laboratories throughout a 12-state territory encompassing the Great Basin, Southwest, Rocky Mountains, and parts of the Great Plains...

Call for Development of New Mineral Standards for 40Ar/39Ar Dating

Science.gov (United States)

Deino, A. L.; Turrin, B. D.; Renne, P. R.; Hemming, S. R.

2015-12-01

Age determination via the 40Ar/39Ar dating method relies on the intercomparison of measured 40Ar*/39ArK ratios of geological unknowns with those of co-irradiated mineral standards. Good analytical procedure dictates that these ratios (and the evolution of the Ar ion beams underpinning them) be as similar as practical for the greatest accuracy. Unfortunately, throughout several intervals of the geological time scale this 'best practice' cannot be achieved with existing widely used standards. Only two internationally utilized sanidine standards are available for the middle to late Cenozoic: the Alder Creek Rhyolite sanidine (ACs), at ~1.2 Ma (Turrin et al., 1994; Nomade et al., 2005), and the Fish Canyon Tuff sanidine (FCs) at ~28.2 Ma (e.g., Kuiper et al., 2008; Renne et al, 2011). The situation is even worse throughout much of the rest of the Phanerozoic, as the next oldest standard in common use is the Hb3gr hornblende standard with an age of ~1.1 Ga (Turner, 1971; Jourdan et al., 2006). We propose, as a community effort, the development a set of standards covering the entire target range of high-precision 40Ar/39Ar dating, i.e. the Phanerozoic. Their ages would be stepped in a regular fashion with no more than approximately a factor of 3 between standards, such that in the worse case the 40Ar*/39Ar ratios of standards and unknown need differ by no more than a factor of two. While somewhat arbitrary, an approximately 3 X age progression allows the entire time scale to be covered by a manageable number of standards. Anchoring the progression in the widely used ACs, FCs, and Hb3gr (in bold, below) yields the following set of suggested standard ages: 0.4, 1.2, 3.3, 9.4, 28.2, 95, 320, and 1100 Ma. A suitable standard should be highly reproducible in age at the grain-to-grain and sub-grain levels, and highly radiogenic. The mineral should be abundant and easily separated from the host rock. These criteria may be most easily achieved by focusing on sanidine phenocrysts

Final work plan : investigation of potential contamination at the former USDA facility in Powhattan, Kansas.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, L. M.; Environmental Science Division

2007-02-02

This Work Plan outlines the scope of work to be conducted to investigate the subsurface contaminant conditions at the property formerly leased by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) in Powhattan, Kansas (Figure 1.1). Data obtained during this event will be used to (1) evaluate potential contaminant source areas on the property; (2) determine the vertical and horizontal extent of potential contamination; and (3) provide recommendations for future action, with the ultimate goal of assigning this site No Further Action status. The planned investigation includes groundwater monitoring requested by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in accordance with Section V of the Intergovernmental Agreement between the KDHE and the Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The work is being performed on behalf of the CCC/USDA by the Environmental Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory. A nonprofit, multidisciplinary research center operated by the University of Chicago for the U.S. Department of Energy, Argonne provides technical assistance to the CCC/USDA with environmental site characterization and remediation at former CCC/USDA grain storage facilities. Argonne issued a Master Work Plan (Argonne 2002) that has been approved by the KDHE. The Master Work Plan describes the general scope of all investigations at former CCC/USDA facilities in Kansas and provides guidance for these investigations. It should be consulted for the complete details of plans for work associated with the former CCC/USDA facility at Powhattan.

40Ar/39Ar dating and zircon chronochemistry for the Izu-Bonin rear arc, IODP site U1437

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, A. K.; Konrad, K.; Andrews, G. D.; Horie, K.; Brown, S. R.; Koppers, A. A. P.; Busby, C.; Tamura, Y.

2016-12-01

The scientific objective of IODP Expedition 350 drilling at Site U1437 (31°47.390'N, 139°01.580'E) was to reveal the "missing half of the subduction factory": the rear arc of a long-lived intraoceanic subduction zone. Site U1437 lies in a 50 km long and 20 km wide volcano-bounded basin, 90 km west of the Izu arc front, and is the only IODP site drilled in the rear arc. The Izu rear arc is dominated by Miocene basaltic to dacitic seamount chains, which strike at a high angle to the arc front. Radiometric dating targeted a single igneous unit (1390 mbsf), and fine to coarse volcaniclastic units for which we present zircon and 40Ar/39Ar (hornblende, plagioclase, and groundmass) age determinations. All zircons analyzed as grain separates were screened for contamination from drill-mud (Andrews et al., 2016) by analyzing trace elements and, where material was available, O and Hf isotope compositions. Igneous Unit 1 is a rhyolite sheet and yielded concordant in-situ and crystal separate U-Pb zircon ages (13.7±0.3 Ma; MSWD = 1.3; n = 40 spots), whereas the 40Ar/39Ar hornblende plateau age (12.9±0.3; MSWD = 1.1; n = 9 steps) is slightly younger, possibly reflecting pre-eruptive zircon crystallization, or alteration of hornblende. U-Pb zircon and 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages from samples above igneous Unit 1 are concordant with biostratigraphic and paleomagnetic ages (available to 1300 mbsf), but plagioclase and groundmass samples below 1300 m become younger with depth, hinting at post-depositional alteration. A single zircon from 1600 mbsf yielded a U-Pb age of 15.4±1.8 Ma; its trace element composition resembles other igneous zircons from U1437, and is tentatively interpreted as a Middle Miocene age for the lowermost lithostratigraphic unit VII. Oxygen and Hf isotopic values of igneous zircon indicate mantle origins, with some influence of assimilation of hydrothermally altered oceanic crust evident in sub-mantle oxygen isotopic compositions. Lessons from site U1437 are

Safety analysis report: A comparison of incidents from Safety Years 2006 through 2010, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station Inventory and Monitoring Program

Science.gov (United States)

Devon Donahue

2012-01-01

This paper is an analysis of 5 years of accident data for the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) Inventory and Monitoring (IM) Program that identifies past trends, allows for standardized self-comparison, and increases our understanding of the true costs of injuries and accidents. Measuring safety is a difficult task. While most agree that...

Small angle Ar2+ + Ar collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, J.J.

1983-01-01

Electron capture in Ar 2+ + Ar is studied at low keV energies. Using Ar 2+ + He collisions as a calibration, it is shown that the dominant single electron capture process is endothermic and of the type Ar 2+ ( 3 P) + Ar → Ar + ( 2 P) + Ar + (3s 2 3p 4 nI), with nI primarily being 3d and 4p. Weaker exothermic processes are also found and are due mainly to the existence of long-lived highly-excited states in the incident Ar 2+ beam. The direct scattering and double electron capture processes are also studied. Direct scattering occurs with no target excitation. Differential cross sections are presented for the collision processes. The single electron capture results are interpreted using a simple model in which a strongly attractive intermediate state couples with incident and outgoing channels

75 FR 43142 - United States Standards for Grades of Refried Beans

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-23

...] United States Standards for Grades of Refried Beans AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION... comments on the possible establishment of voluntary United States Standards for Grades of Refried Beans... industry requested that USDA develop grade standards for canned refried beans to be used by the industry...

Dioxin, furan, PCB, and PBDE levels in U.S. foods: Survey trends and consumer exposure

Science.gov (United States)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) have conducted statistical surveys for dioxins (PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers every 5 years since the mid-1990s (mid-1990s, 2002-3, 2007-8). I...

Identification of excess 40Ar by the 40Ar/39Ar age spectrum technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanphere, M.A.; Dalrymple, G.B.

1976-01-01

40 Ar/ 39 Ar incremental heating experiments on igneous plagioclase, biotite, and pyroxene that contain known amounts of excess 40 Ar indicate that saddle-shaped age spectra are diagnostic of excess 40 Ar in igneous minerals as well as in igneous rocks. The minima in the age spectra approach but do not reach the crystallization age. Neither the age spectrum diagram nor the 40 Ar/ 36 Ar versus 39 Ar/ 36 Ar isochron diagram reliably reveal the crystallization age in such samples. (Auth.)

USDA snack food and beverage standards: how big of a stretch for the states?

Science.gov (United States)

Chriqui, Jamie F; Piekarz, Elizabeth; Chaloupka, Frank J

2014-06-01

The USDA snack food and beverage standards take effect in school year (SY) 2014-2015. Although the USDA standards will provide nationwide requirements, concerns exist about compliance. This study examined whether existing state laws are aligned with the USDA standards to determine whether some states may be better positioned to facilitate compliance. Codified state statutory and regulatory laws effective for SY 2012-2013 for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia were identified through Boolean keyword searches using the Westlaw and LexisNexis databases. Laws were analyzed for alignment with 18 snack food and beverage provisions contained within the USDA standards. Thirty-eight states had snack food and beverage standards; 33 states' laws exceeded restrictions on foods of minimal nutritional value. Of the 33 states, no states' laws fully met the USDA's standards, 16 states' laws fully met and 10 states' laws partially met at least one USDA provision, and seven states' laws met no USDA provisions. One state's law met 9 of 18 provisions. On average, states met 4 of 18 provisions. States were more likely to meet individual USDA beverage than snack provisions. Implementation and compliance with the USDA standards may be facilitated in states with laws already containing provisions aligned with the USDA standards and may be more difficult in states with fewer or no provisions in alignment, suggesting possible geographic areas for the USDA to target with technical assistance and training efforts and for advocates to work in to facilitate compliance.

Single-crystal 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating reveals bimodal sanidine ages in the Bishop Tuff

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, N. L.; Jicha, B. R.; Singer, B. S.

2015-12-01

The 650 km3 Bishop Tuff (BT) is among the most studied volcanic deposits because it is an extensive marker bed deposited just after the Matuyama-Brunhes boundary. Reconstructions of the vast BT magma reservoir from which high-silica rhyolite erupted have long influenced thinking about how large silicic magma systems are assembled, crystallized, and mixed. Yet, the longevity of the high silica rhyolitic melt and exact timing of the eruption remain controversial due to recent conflicting 40Ar/39Ar sanidine vs. SIMS and ID-TIMS U-Pb zircon dates. We have undertaken 21 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating ages on 2 mm BT sanidine crystals from pumice in 3 widely separated outcrops of early-erupted fall and flow units. Plateau ages yield a bimodal distribution: a younger group has a mean of 766 ka and an older group gives a range between 772 and 782 ka. The younger population is concordant with the youngest ID-TIMS and SIMS U-Pb zircon ages recently published, as well as the astronomical age of BT in marine sediment. Of 21 crystals, 17 yield older, non-plateau, steps likely affected by excess Ar that would bias traditional 40Ar/39Ar total crystal fusion ages. The small spread in older sanidine ages, together with 25+ kyr of pre-eruptive zircon growth, suggest that the older sanidines are not partially outgassed xenocrysts. A bimodal 40Ar/39Ar age distribution implies that some fraction of rhyolitic melt cooled below the Ar closure temperature at least 10 ky prior to eruption. We propose that rapid "thawing" of a crystalline mush layer released older crystals into rhyolitic melt from which sanidine also nucleated and grew immediately prior to the eruption. High precision 40Ar/39Ar dating can thus provide essential information on thermo-physical processes at the millenial time scale that are critical to interpreting U-Pb zircon age distributions that are complicated by large uncertainties associated with zircon-melt U-Th systematics.

Agricultural programs for energy: High margin coproducts strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villet, R.H.

1993-01-01

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the in-house research arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The research program bias is toward crop production, the historical focus of agricultural research. There is, however, an existing realization that, in order to maintain and strengthen the competitiveness of the United States in global agriculture, new uses must be found, developed, and commercialized for raw bulk agricultural commodities such as maize (corn), soybeans, and wheat. Biofuels such as ethanol from cornstarch, and biodiesel from soybean oil are being promoted strongly as a way of utilizing agricultural commodities more profitably to the farmer. Over the years, ARS has maintained a bioenergy program which has had fluctuating support, and thus a variation in dimensions. At present, there is strong political and departmental backing; in fact there is a fruitful collaboration being developed between the USDA and the U.S. Department of Energy through a Memorandum of Understanding. Ethanol from starch and other less tractable forms of biomass have been subjected to a barrage of economic evaluations, not exactly overoptimistic. In these studies, the large contribution by feedstock cost to the overall cost of production is pointed out. This has led to research programs on biomass production and also attempts at lowering costs of ethanol production by improved pretreatment, conversion, and product recovery. Progress toward lowering production costs has been undeniable, but slow

Final work plan : investigation of potential contamination at the former CCC/USDA grain storage facility in Hanover, Kansas.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, L. M.; Environmental Science Division

2008-11-19

Division of Argonne National Laboratory. Argonne is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary research center operated by UChicago Argonne, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The CCC/USDA has entered into an interagency agreement with DOE, under which Argonne provides technical assistance to the CCC/USDA with environmental site characterization and remediation at its former grain storage facilities. Seven technical objectives have been proposed for the Hanover investigation. They are as follows: (1) Identify the sources and extent of soil contamination beneath the former CCC/USDA facility; (2) Characterize groundwater contamination beneath the former CCC/USDA facility; (3) Determine groundwater flow patterns; (4) Define the vertical and lateral extent of the groundwater plume outside the former CCC/USDA facility; (5) Evaluate the aquifer and monitor the groundwater system; (6) Identify any other potential sources of contamination that are not related to activities of the CCC/USDA; and (7) Determine whether there is a vapor intrusion problem at the site attributable to the former CCC/USDA facility. The technical objectives will be accomplished in a phased approached. Data collected during each phase will be evaluated to determine whether the subsequent phase is necessary. The KDHE project manager and the CCC/USDA will be contacted during each phase and kept apprised of the results. Whether implementation of each phase of work is necessary will be discussed and mutually agreed upon by the CCC/USDA and KDHE project managers.

Kinetics of Ar isotopes during neutron irradiation: 39Ar loss from minerals as a source of error in 40Ar/39Ar dating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hess, J.C.; Lippolt, H.J.

1986-01-01

The loss of 39 Ar from minerals in the course of neutron activation for 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating is studied by directly measuring the loss rates in vacuum-sealed ampoules. Biotite shows 39 Ar losses between 0.1% and 16%. These losses are predominantly due to diffusion processes from K-poor alteration-phase intergrowths in the biotites at the elevated temperatures during the irradiation. Estimates for the irradiation temperatures range from 150 0 to 180 0 C. Direct 39 Ar recoil loss from biotite seems to be minor compared to difussion loss of recoil-implanted 39 Ar. Precise 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating of biotites therefore requires the measurement of the 39 Ar losses during irradiation. Glauconite loses not only neutron-induced Ar isotopes ( 39 Ar: 20-22%, 37 Ar: 17-19%) but also radiogenic 40 Ar(∼9%). Slight 39 Ar losses are also observed for light micas (0.2% and 0.35%), hornblendes (0.1%) and sanidines (200 and 700 ppm). 25 refs.; 4 figs.; 6 tabs

78 FR 69363 - Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, California, Heavenly Mountain Resort Epic Discovery Project

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-19

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, California, Heavenly Mountain Resort Epic Discovery Project AGENCY: Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Forest Service, USDA...: The Epic Discovery Project is intended to enhance summer activities in response to the USDA Forest...

Influences of atom Ar on Ar at C60 + Ar at C60 collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Qiang; Zhou Hongyu; Zhang Fengshou

2007-01-01

A semi-emperical molecular dynamics model was developed. The central collisions of C 60 + C 60 and Ar at C 60 + Ar at C 60 at the same incident energy were investigated within this model. The fullerene dimers could be formed by a self-assembly of C 60 fullerene, and the new fullerene structure like 'peanut' could be formed by a self-assembly of Ar at C 60 . It was found that atom Ar had a great effect on the collision of Ar at C 60 + Ar at C 60 . (authors)

Seed rescue from photoperiod sensitive American Joint Vetch (Aeschynomene americana L.) accessions using hydroponic cloning and aeroponics

Science.gov (United States)

American joint vetch, Aeschynomene Americana L. is a self-pollinated tropical pasture legume and the USDA, ARS, PGRCU curates 137 accessions from the United States, S. America, Mexico, Central America, and Zambia. Many accessions in this collection are photoperiod sensitive due to their typical flow...

The good and the bad of poisonous plants: an introduction to the USDA-ARS Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, Kevin D; Panter, Kip E; Gardner, Dale R; Stegelmeier, Bryan L

2012-06-01

This article provides an overview of the Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory (PPRL), about the unique services and activities of the PPRL and the potential assistance that they can provide to plant poisoning incidences. The PPRL is a federal research laboratory. It is part of the Agricultural Research Service, the in-house research arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The mission of the PPRL is to identify toxic plants and their toxic compounds, determine how the plants poison animals, and develop diagnostic and prognostic procedures for poisoned animals. Furthermore, the PPRL's mission is to identify the conditions under which poisoning occurs and develop management strategies and treatments to reduce losses. Information obtained through research efforts at the PPRL is mostly used by the livestock industry, natural resource managers, veterinarians, chemists, plant and animal scientists, extension personnel, and other state and federal agencies. PPRL currently has 9 scientists and 17 support staff, representing various disciplines consisting of toxicology, reproductive toxicology, veterinary medicine, chemistry, animal science, range science, and plant physiology. This team of scientists provides an interdisciplinary approach to applied and basic research to develop solutions to plant intoxications. While the mission of the PPRL primarily impacts the livestock industry, spinoff benefits such as development of animal models, isolation and characterization of novel compounds, elucidation of biological and molecular mechanisms of action, national and international collaborations, and outreach efforts are significant to biomedical researchers. The staff at the PPRL has extensive knowledge regarding a number of poisonous plants. Although the focus of their knowledge is on plants that affect livestock, oftentimes, these plants are also poisonous to humans, and thus, similar principles could apply for cases of human poisonings. Consequently, the information provided

Exporting Rambutan to United States: One Reality?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad Zainuri Mohd Dzomir; Zainon Othman; Mohd Sidek Othman

2011-01-01

Rambutan is a one of commodity that are passed by United States of America authority to be market in that states. The main condition for the approval is the exporter must use irradiation technology as quarantine treatment to monitor the insects in there. United States of America's Agriculture Department (USDA-APHIS) has make early survey to the facilities involved in exporting process chain to overview Malaysia preparedness for this purpose. This paper work will discussed the possibility of this exporting implemented based on conditions rule by the USDA. (author)

7 CFR 900.26 - Requesting USDA data for use at an amendatory hearing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Marketing Agreements and Marketing Orders § 900.26 Requesting USDA data for use at an amendatory hearing. Requests for preparation of USDA data to be used at a Federal milk marketing agreement or order amendatory... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Requesting USDA data for use at an amendatory hearing...

Landscape complexity and soil moisture variation in south Georgia, USA, for remote sensing applications

Science.gov (United States)

Giraldo, Mario A.; Bosch, David; Madden, Marguerite; Usery, Lynn; Kvien, Craig

2008-08-01

SummaryThis research addressed the temporal and spatial variation of soil moisture (SM) in a heterogeneous landscape. The research objective was to investigate soil moisture variation in eight homogeneous 30 by 30 m plots, similar to the pixel size of a Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) or Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM+) image. The plots were adjacent to eight stations of an in situ soil moisture network operated by the United States Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service USDA-ARS in Tifton, GA. We also studied five adjacent agricultural fields to examine the effect of different landuses/land covers (LULC) (grass, orchard, peanuts, cotton and bare soil) on the temporal and spatial variation of soil moisture. Soil moisture field data were collected on eight occasions throughout 2005 and January 2006 to establish comparisons within and among eight homogeneous plots. Consistently throughout time, analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed high variation in the soil moisture behavior among the plots and high homogeneity in the soil moisture behavior within them. A precipitation analysis for the eight sampling dates throughout the year 2005 showed similar rainfall conditions for the eight study plots. Therefore, soil moisture variation among locations was explained by in situ local conditions. Temporal stability geostatistical analysis showed that soil moisture has high temporal stability within the small plots and that a single point reading can be used to monitor soil moisture status for the plot within a maximum 3% volume/volume (v/v) soil moisture variation. Similarly, t-statistic analysis showed that soil moisture status in the upper soil layer changes within 24 h. We found statistical differences in the soil moisture between the different LULC in the agricultural fields as well as statistical differences between these fields and the adjacent 30 by 30 m plots. From this analysis, it was demonstrated that spatial proximity is not enough to produce similar

Efficient Solutions for Existing Homes Case Study: Rehabilitations of USDA Multifamily Homes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2016-04-01

Rea Ventures Group, LLC, partnered with Southface Energy Institute (Southface), a member of the U.S. Department of Energy's Partnership for Home Innovation Building America research team, to develop a prescriptive approach for rehabilitating a portfolio of rural multifamily rental properties in Georgia, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Editorial - Special Issue on the Ninth International Conference on Aeolian Research - ICAR IX (Coastal Dune Processes and Aeolian Transport)

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva, Graziela Miot

2018-04-01

This special issue combines some of the papers related to coastal dune processes and aeolian sediment transport that were presented at the Ninth International Conference on Aeolian Research - ICAR IX. The conference was held between 4 and 8 of July 2016 in Mildura, Australia, organized by the International Society for Aeolian Research (ISAR) and convened by Adrian Chappell (Cardiff University), Craig Strong (Australian National University), Stephen Cattle (University of Sydney), Patrick Hesp (Flinders University), John Leys (New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage), Lynda Petherick (University of Wellington) and Nick Webb (USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range).

Prehistoric spatial patterning and subsistence studies: Archaeological investigations at Sample Unit U19arP4, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, W.G.; DuBarton, A.; Edwards, S.; Drollinger, H.

1992-01-01

This report documents the methods and results of archaeological investigations at Sample Unit U19arP4 on Pahute Mesa at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Eight sites were located there: four lithic artifact scatters (26NY1370, 26NY1372, 26NY3666 and 26NY3667), two temporary camps (26NY3665 and 26NY5418), one artifact locality (26NY5419), and one quarry (26NY3664). One of the lithic scatters, 26NY3667, incorporated a previously recorded rock ring, 26NY1371, that could not be relocated during subsequent investigations. Surface artifacts were collected from all but two of the sites, 26NY1370 and 26NY1372. The data retrieved from these investigations include over one thousand artifacts, such as projectile points, bifaces, debitage, groundstone, and pottery. The temporally diagnostic materials indicate periodic use of Sample Unit U19arP4 from the Middle Archaic to the Shoshonean period

7 CFR 170.2 - Is the USDA Farmers Market a producer-only market?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Is the USDA Farmers Market a producer-only market? 170...) MISCELLANEOUS MARKETING PRACTICES UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING ACT OF 1946 USDA FARMERS MARKET § 170.2 Is the USDA Farmers Market a producer-only market? Yes. A producer-only market is one that does not offer...

USDA-ASCS 1936-1939 Air Photos

Data.gov (United States)

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — This data set is a digital version of aerial photographs taken during the 1936-1939 time frame for the USDA-ASCS. These photos were originally recorded at a scale of...

Structural Evaluation of the Second Oldest Glued-Laminated Structure in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas R. Rammer; Jorge de Melo Moura

2013-01-01

The second glued-laminated structure built in the United States was constructed at the USDA Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in 1934 to demonstrate the performance of wooden arch buildings. After decades of use the structure was decommissioned in 2010. Shortly after construction, researchers structurally evaluated the glued-laminated arch structure for uniform loading...

Irradiation of ready-to-eat foods at USDA'S Eastern Regional Reasearch Center-2003 update

Science.gov (United States)

Sommers, Christopher; Fan, Xuetong; Niemira, Brendan; Rajkowski, Kathleen

2004-09-01

Ionizing radiation is a safe and effective method for eliminating bacterial pathogens from food products and disinfestation of fruits and vegetables. Since 1980 research has been conducted at USDA's Eastern Regional Research Center pertaining to the elimination of food-borne pathogens from meat, poultry, fruit and vegetable products. Recent work has focused on elimination of pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes from ready-to-eat (RTE) food products including hot dogs, bologna, lettuce, cilantro, sprouts and seeds, and frozen vegetables. The ionizing radiation dose required to eliminate those pathogens from RTE foods has been found to be commodity, formulation and temperature dependent. The need to eliminate bacterial pathogens from RTE food products must always be balanced with the maintenance of product quality. In addition to determining the effective ionizing radiation doses required for pathogen elimination the effects of irradiation on product chemistry, nutritional value and organoleptic quality have also been determined. A review of the studies conducted at USDA's Eastern Regional Research Center in 2002 and 2003 is presented in this article.

Irradiation of ready-to-eat foods at USDA'S Eastern Regional Reasearch Center - 2003 update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sommers, Christopher; Fan Xuetong; Niemira, Brendan; Rajkowski, Kathleen

2004-01-01

Ionizing radiation is a safe and effective method for eliminating bacterial pathogens from food products and disinfestation of fruits and vegetables. Since 1980 research has been conducted at USDA's Eastern Regional Research Center pertaining to the elimination of food-borne pathogens from meat, poultry, fruit and vegetable products. Recent work has focused on elimination of pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes from ready-to-eat (RTE) food products including hot dogs, bologna, lettuce, cilantro, sprouts and seeds, and frozen vegetables. The ionizing radiation dose required to eliminate those pathogens from RTE foods has been found to be commodity, formulation and temperature dependent. The need to eliminate bacterial pathogens from RTE food products must always be balanced with the maintenance of product quality. In addition to determining the effective ionizing radiation doses required for pathogen elimination the effects of irradiation on product chemistry, nutritional value and organoleptic quality have also been determined. A review of the studies conducted at USDA's Eastern Regional Research Center in 2002 and 2003 is presented in this article

Simultaneous measurement of the 37Ar and 39Ar activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisenko, A.V.

1978-01-01

A method for simultaneous measurement of 37 Ar and 39 Ar activities, based on the different radiation penetrabilities of these isotopes is described. Two versions are realized. In the first case, a two-section detector is used whose partition partially transmits 39 Ar β-radiation and fully absorbs 37 Ar Auger electrons. A mixture of 37 Ar and 39 Ar is introduced into an internal counter operating at anticoincidences with an external counter. In the second version, a scintillation detector is used as an external counter, while the 37 Ar- 39 Ar mixture is introduced into a gas counter with a thin cathode. The rated detection efficiency of 37 Ar radiation in both versions is 80%. When measurement duration is 500 h, the sensitivity is approximately 10 -14 and 6x10 -15 Ci for 39 Ar and 37 Ar respectively

Determination of Ar metastable atom densities in Ar and Ar/H2 inductively coupled low-temperature plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fox-Lyon, N; Knoll, A J; Oehrlein, G S; Franek, J; Demidov, V; Koepke, M; Godyak, V

2013-01-01

Ar metastable atoms are important energy carriers and surface interacting species in low-temperature plasmas that are difficult to quantify. Ar metastable atom densities (N Ar,m ) in inductively coupled Ar and Ar/H 2 plasmas were obtained using a model combining electrical probe measurements of electron density (N e ) and temperature (T e ), with analysis of spectrally resolved Ar plasma optical emission based on 3p → 1s optical emission ratios of the 419.8 nm line to the 420.1 nm line. We present the variation of N Ar,m as the Ar pressure and the addition of H 2 to Ar are changed comparatively to recent adsorption spectroscopy measurements. (paper)

7 CFR 900.40 - Written testimony and USDA data request requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... and Nut Marketing Agreements and Marketing Orders § 900.40 Written testimony and USDA data request... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Written testimony and USDA data request requirements...) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF...

40Ar/39Ar geochronology of terrestrial pyroxene

Science.gov (United States)

Ware, Bryant; Jourdan, Fred

2018-06-01

Geochronological techniques such as U/Pb in zircon and baddeleyite and 40Ar/39Ar on a vast range of minerals, including sanidine, plagioclase, and biotite, provide means to date an array of different geologic processes. Many of these minerals, however, are not always present in a given rock, or can be altered by secondary processes (e.g. plagioclase in mafic rocks) limiting our ability to derive an isotopic age. Pyroxene is a primary rock forming mineral for both mafic and ultramafic rocks and is resistant to alteration process but attempts to date this phase with 40Ar/39Ar has been met with little success so far. In this study, we analyzed pyroxene crystals from two different Large Igneous Provinces using a multi-collector noble gas mass spectrometer (ARGUS VI) since those machines have been shown to significantly improve analytical precision compared to the previous single-collector instruments. We obtain geologically meaningful and relatively precise 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages ranging from 184.6 ± 3.9 to 182.4 ± 0.8 Ma (2σ uncertainties of ±1.8-0.4%) and 506.3 ± 3.4 Ma for Tasmanian and Kalkarindji dolerites, respectively. Those data are indistinguishable from new and/or published U-Pb and 40Ar/39Ar plagioclase ages showing that 40Ar/39Ar dating of pyroxene is a suitable geochronological tool. Scrutinizing the analytical results of the pyroxene analyses as well as comparing them to the analytical result from plagioclase of the same samples indicate pure pyroxene was dated. Numerical models of argon diffusion in plagioclase and pyroxene support these observations. However, we found that the viability of 40Ar/39Ar dating approach of pyroxene can be affected by irradiation-induced recoil redistribution between thin pyroxene exsolution lamellae and the main pyroxene crystal, hence requiring careful petrographic observations before analysis. Finally, diffusion modeling show that 40Ar/39Ar of pyroxene can be used as a powerful tool to date the formation age of mafic

Sustainability and productivity of southern pine ecosystems: A thematic framework for integrating research and building partnerships

Science.gov (United States)

Charles K. McMahon; James P. Barnett

2000-01-01

In 1997, the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) published a Strategic Plan that formed a framework for addressing the Sustainability of Southern Forest Ecosystems. Six crosscutting themes were identified to facilitate research integration and partnership building among the widely dispersed SRS research work units. The Sustainability and Productivity of...

Structural Performance of the Second Oldest Glued-Laminated Structure in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas R. Rammer; Jorge de Melo Moura; Robert J. Ross

2014-01-01

The second glued-laminated structure built in the United States was constructed at the USDA Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in 1934 to demonstrate the performance of wooden arch buildings. After 75 years of use the structure was decommissioned in 2010. Shortly after construction, researchers structurally evaluated the glued-laminated arch structure for uniform loading...

Prostate Cancer Cells Express More Androgen Receptor (AR) Following Androgen Deprivation, Improving Recognition by AR-Specific T Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, Brian M; Gamat, Melissa; Seliski, Joseph; Sawicki, Thomas; Jeffery, Justin; Ellis, Leigh; Drake, Charles G; Weichert, Jamey; McNeel, Douglas G

2017-12-01

Androgen deprivation is the primary therapy for recurrent prostate cancer, and agents targeting the androgen receptor (AR) pathway continue to be developed. Because androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) has immmunostimulatory effects as well as direct antitumor effects, AR-targeted therapies have been combined with other anticancer therapies, including immunotherapies. Here, we sought to study whether an antigen-specific mechanism of resistance to ADT (overexpression of the AR) may result in enhanced AR-specific T-cell immune recognition, and whether this might be strategically combined with an antitumor vaccine targeting the AR. Androgen deprivation increased AR expression in human and murine prostate tumor cells in vitro and in vivo The increased expression persisted over time. Increased AR expression was associated with recognition and cytolytic activity by AR-specific T cells. Furthermore, ADT combined with vaccination, specifically a DNA vaccine encoding the ligand-binding domain of the AR, led to improved antitumor responses as measured by tumor volumes and delays in the emergence of castrate-resistant prostate tumors in two murine prostate cancer models (Myc-CaP and prostate-specific PTEN-deficient mice). Together, these data suggest that ADT combined with AR-directed immunotherapy targets a major mechanism of resistance, overexpression of the AR. This combination may be more effective than ADT combined with other immunotherapeutic approaches. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(12); 1074-85. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Geochronological 40Ar/39Ar data on the submarine fault-scarps in the Sardinia channel (western mediterranean)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouillin, J.P.; Tricart, P.; Mascle, G.; Monie, P.; Rolfo, F.; Torelli, L.

1999-01-01

Granite and gneiss have been sampled on the submarine fault scarps of the Sardinia Channel and have been dated using the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar method. The majority of rocks partially preserve Hercynian ages. Some of them display Lower Cretaceous ages. In addition, Upper Eocene-Oligocene argon resetting is recorded only in rocks from the southeast sector of the Channel. We thus propose that the basement of the Sardinia Channel occupied a shallow position within the stack of the Alpine tectonic units, behind the more deformed front of the internal zones of the Maghrebide Chain. (authors)

Nitrous oxide emissions from soil amended with low-phosphorus broiler litter

Science.gov (United States)

Regions of the United States with a high concentration of poultry farms have soils with excess nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) far beyond the agronomic requirement of crops because of recurrent land application of broiler litter. A new waste treatment technology developed by USDA-ARS, called “Quick ...

Contributions of USDA-ARS Livestock Entomology Research to Meet Food Security Challenge

Science.gov (United States)

The world population is over 7 billion and food insecurity threatens at least 1 billion people globally. Food demand is expected to increase two- to threefold by 2050. Of the world’s additional food needs, 70% can be produced with new and existing agricultural technologies. The U.S. industry produci...

Ag Data Commons: Adding Value to Open Agricultural Research Data

Science.gov (United States)

Public access to results of federally-funded research is a new mandate for large departments of the United States government. Public access to scholarly literature from U.S. investments is straightforward, with policies and systems like PubMed Central and PubAg (http://pubag.nal.usda.gov) already im...

40Ar/39Ar studies of deep sea igneous rocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidemann, D.

1978-01-01

An attempt to date deep-sea igneous rocks reliably was made using the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating technique. It was determined that the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar incremental release technique could not be used to eliminate the effects of excess radiogenic 40 Ar in deep-sea basalts. Excess 40 Ar is released throughout the extraction temperature range and cannot be distinguished from 40 Ar generated by in situ 40 K decay. The problem of the reduction of K-Ar dates associated with sea water alteration of deep-sea igneous rocks could not be resolved using the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar technique. Irradiation induced 39 Ar loss and/or redistribution in fine-grained and altered igneous rocks results in age spectra that are artifacts of the experimental procedure and only partly reflect the geologic history of the sample. Therefore, caution must be used in attributing significance to age spectra of fine grained and altered deep-sea igneous rocks. Effects of 39 Ar recoil are not important for either medium-grained (or coarser) deep-sea rocks or glasses because only a small fraction of the 39 Ar recoils to channels of easy diffusion, such as intergranular boundaries or cracks, during the irradiation. (author)

Geological Dating by 40 Ar - 39 Ar method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vollbert Romero, M.E.

1992-01-01

The isotope 40 K is radioactive, it decays to 40 Ar stable. The number of 40 Ar atoms produced from 40 K, permits to calculate the date of rocks and minerals. This dating technique is named 'Conventional K-Ar Dating Method'. The 40 Ar - 39 Ar dating method permits to calculate the age of rocks and minerals eliminating the limitation of the K-Ar method by calculating potassium and argon concentrations in a single measurement of the ratio of argon isotopes. In this work, the irradiation of the sample with fast neutrons in the nuclear reactor was established. 39 Ar is obtained from the induced reaction 39 K (n,p) 39 Ar. Thus the ration of 40 Ar - 39 Ar allows to obtain the date of rocks and minerals. This ratio was measured in a mass spectrometer. If the measurement of argon concentration in the sample is carried out at different increasing temperature values, it is possible to get information of paleotemperatures. The number of atoms 39 Ar is a function of the number 39 K atoms, irradiation time, neutrons flux, its energy E and the capture cross section σ of 39 K. These parameters are calculate indirectly by obtaining the so called 'J value ' by using a standard mineral with known age (HD-BI y Biot-133), this mineral is irradiated together with the unknown age sample. The values of 'J' obtained are in the interval of 2.85 a 3.03 (x 10 - 3)J/h. Rocks from 'Tres Virgenes' were dated by the method described in this work, showing an agreement with previous values of different authors. The age of this rocks are from Cenozoico era, mainly in the miocene period. (Author)

Illite K-Ar dating of fault breccia samples from ONKALO underground research facility, Olkiluoto, Eurajoki, SW Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maenttaeri, I.; Mattila, J.; Zwingmann, H.; Todd, A.J.

2007-08-01

Illite K-Ar age determinations were done on five fault breccia samples from the ONKALO underground research facility, Olkiluoto, Eurajoki, S-W Finland. The XRD, SEM, and TEM studies and K-Ar analyses were done in John deLaeter Center in Mass Spectrometry at Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia. The <2 micron grain size fractions contain illite, chlorite, dickite, and quartz. All fractions had minor contamination phases comprising mainly of quartz but traces of K-feldspar contamination could be identified in all samples. The authigenic illite shows variable K concentrations. The illite contents of the ONK-PL68 and ONK-PL87 samples are the smallest. The K-Ar ages for the <2 micron fractions vary from ∼0.55 Ga to 1.38 Ga. The sample ONKPL68 yields a K-Ar age of 912 ± 18 Ma corresponding to a Neoproterozoic-Tonian age. This age can be roughly temporally linked with late events related to Sveconorwegian orogeny. Sample ONK-PL87 has a K-Ar age of 550 ± 11 Ma corresponding to a Neoproterozoic - Lower Cambrian age. The samples ONK-PL522 and ONK-PL901 sampled from the storage hall fault show identical K-Ar ages of 1385 ± 27 Ma and 1373 ± 27 Ma, respectively. These correspond to a Mesoproterozoic-Ectasian age related to Subjotnian or Postjotnian events. ONK-PL960 yields a K-Ar age of 1225 ± 24 Ma corresponding to a Mesoproterozoic-Ectasian age. This age agrees well with the ages from Postjotnian diabase dykes in W Finland. The 2-3 % detrital K-feldspar contamination in clay fractions increases the age. Especially for the youngest sample ONK-PL87, the effect may be geologically meaningful as after the correction the age clearly indicates Caledonian events. Moreover, the age for the low K sample ONKPL901 shifts to indicate Postjotnian diabase age. (orig.)

Measurements and calculations for determination of discharge of 41Ar from IFEs research reactor JEEP II at Kjeller, Norway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raaum, A.; Straelberg, E.

2003-01-01

41 Ar is formed by neutron irradiation of 40 Ar, which occurs naturally in air with a concentration of 9300 ppm. The discharge of 41 Ar from IFEs research reactor Jeep II is yearly reported to the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA). Until year 2000 the reported values were based on theoretical calculations of produced 41 Ar per operating hour of 6.8 GBq/h. During 2000 and 2001 the reactor was upgraded to increase the irradiation capacity and to meet the markets demand for irradiation of 5'Si-crystalls. After the upgrading, measurements and calculations were initiated to determine the new discharge rate for 41 Ar. During reactor operation an approximately constant discharge of 41 Ar is expected, mainly due to irradiation of air in open beam channels. In addition 41 Ar is released from irradiation pockets when they are opened to transfer samples in and out during reactor stop. The new value for discharge rate was determined from measurements of air samples from the discharge channel during operation and theoretical calculations of the release from the irradiation pockets. The new discharge rate was determined to 5.9 ± 0.5 GBq/h, which is a small reduction compared to the former value of 6.8 GBq/h. A small reduction in discharge rate was expected because the number of air-filled irradiation pockets was reduced after the upgrading. In a normal year the discharge of 41 Ar will be about 2 % of the Institutes discharge permission. (orig.)

K-Ar and Ar-Ar dating of the Palaeozoic metamorphic complex from the Mid-Bosnian Schist Mts., Central Dinarides, Bosnia and Hercegovina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pamic, J.; Balogh, K.; Hrvatovic, H.; Balen, D.; Palinkas, L.; Jurkovic, I.

2004-01-01

K-Ar and Ar-Ar whole rock and mineral ages are presented for 25 samples of metamorphic rocks from the Mid-Bosnian Schist Mts., representing one of the largest allochthonous Palaeozoic terranes incorporated within the Internal Dinarides. Four main age groups can be distinguished: 1) Variscan (∼ 343 Ma), 2) post-Variscan (288-238 Ma), 3) Early Cretaceous (mainly 121-92 Ma), and 4) Eocene (59--35 Ma) ages. Apart from this, an Oligocene (31 Ma) age was obtained on Alpine vein hyalophane. The radiometric dating indicates a polyphase metamorphic evolution of the Palaeozoic formations and suggests a pre-Carboniferous age of the volcano-sedimentary protoliths, an Early Carboniferous age of Variscan metamorphism and deformation, post-Variscan volcanism, an Early Cretaceous metamorphic overprint related to out-of-sequence thrusting of the Palaeozoic complex, and an Eocene and Oligocene metamorphic overprint related to the main Alpine compressional deformation and subsequent strike-slip faulting, and uplift of the metamorphic core. Accordingly, the Mid-Bosnian Schist Mts. can be correlated in its multistage geodynamic evolution with some Palaeozoic tectonostratigraphic units from the Austroalpine domain in the Eastern Alps. (author)

7 CFR 170.3 - What products may be sold at the USDA Farmers Market?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false What products may be sold at the USDA Farmers Market...) MISCELLANEOUS MARKETING PRACTICES UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING ACT OF 1946 USDA FARMERS MARKET § 170.3 What products may be sold at the USDA Farmers Market? Products that may be sold at the market include, but are...

Positron Annihilation Ratio Spectroscopy (PsARS) Applied to Positronium Formation Studies

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-01

Positron Annihilation Ratio Spectroscopy (PsARS). These experimental techniques have been used for a variety of military and civilian applications ... POSITRON ANNIHILATION RATIO SPECTROSCOPY (PsARS) APPLIED TO POSITRONIUM FORMATION STUDIES THESIS...of Defense, or the United States Government. AFIT/GNE/ENP/10-M07 POSITRON ANNIHILATION RATIO SPECTROSCOPY

Standardization of 40Ar-39Ar dating facility at KDMIPE, ONGC, Dehradun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rathore, S.S.; Singh, M.P.; Vijan, A.R.; Bansal, M.; Prabhu, B.N.; Misra, K.N.

2003-01-01

In the pursuit of acquiring state of the art technology, efforts were being made for last more than two years to establish 40 Ar- 39 Ar dating facility at KDMIPE. The 40 Ar- 39 Ar dating technique is an analytical conversion of the conventional K-Ar dating method. In this method, the sample to be dated is first irradiated in a nuclear reactor to transform a portion of 39 K to 39 Ar by the fast neutron reaction i.e. 39 K(n, p) 39 Ar. After irradiation, the sample is placed in an ultra-high vacuum system and the argon extracted from it by fusion is purified and analyzed isotopically in a mass spectrometer. The relative abundances of 40 Ar, 39 Ar, 37 Ar and 36 Ar are measured. The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar K is determined, where 40 Ar is the radiogenic argon, and 39 Ar K is the 39 Ar produced from 39 K during the irradiation. The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar K ratio is proportional to the 40 Ar/ 40 K ratio in the sample and, therefore, is proportional to age

Androgen Receptor Variant AR-V9 Is Coexpressed with AR-V7 in Prostate Cancer Metastases and Predicts Abiraterone Resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Kohli, Manish; Ho, Yeung; Hillman, David W; Van Etten, Jamie L; Henzler, Christine; Yang, Rendong; Sperger, Jamie M; Li, Yingming; Tseng, Elizabeth; Hon, Ting; Clark, Tyson; Tan, Winston; Carlson, Rachel E; Wang, Liguo; Sicotte, Hugues; Thai, Ho; Jimenez, Rafael; Huang, Haojie; Vedell, Peter T; Eckloff, Bruce W; Quevedo, Jorge F; Pitot, Henry C; Costello, Brian A; Jen, Jin; Wieben, Eric D; Silverstein, Kevin A T; Lang, Joshua M; Wang, Liewei; Dehm, Scott M

2017-08-15

Purpose: Androgen receptor (AR) variant AR-V7 is a ligand-independent transcription factor that promotes prostate cancer resistance to AR-targeted therapies. Accordingly, efforts are under way to develop strategies for monitoring and inhibiting AR-V7 in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The purpose of this study was to understand whether other AR variants may be coexpressed with AR-V7 and promote resistance to AR-targeted therapies. Experimental Design: We utilized complementary short- and long-read sequencing of intact AR mRNA isoforms to characterize AR expression in CRPC models. Coexpression of AR-V7 and AR-V9 mRNA in CRPC metastases and circulating tumor cells was assessed by RNA-seq and RT-PCR, respectively. Expression of AR-V9 protein in CRPC models was evaluated with polyclonal antisera. Multivariate analysis was performed to test whether AR variant mRNA expression in metastatic tissues was associated with a 12-week progression-free survival endpoint in a prospective clinical trial of 78 CRPC-stage patients initiating therapy with the androgen synthesis inhibitor, abiraterone acetate. Results: AR-V9 was frequently coexpressed with AR-V7. Both AR variant species were found to share a common 3' terminal cryptic exon, which rendered AR-V9 susceptible to experimental manipulations that were previously thought to target AR-V7 uniquely. AR-V9 promoted ligand-independent growth of prostate cancer cells. High AR-V9 mRNA expression in CRPC metastases was predictive of primary resistance to abiraterone acetate (HR = 4.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.31-12.2; P = 0.02). Conclusions: AR-V9 may be an important component of therapeutic resistance in CRPC. Clin Cancer Res; 23(16); 4704-15. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Temperature and pressure effects on 40Ar-39Ar systematics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozima, M.; Kaneoka, I.; Yanagisawa, M.

1979-01-01

The effects of thermal and compressional treatment on 40 Ar- 39 Ar systematics have been investigated on three artificially heated biotite samples (heated for 1 hour at 700 0 C and 860 0 C in air and 700 0 C in vacuum respectively) and uniaxially compressed granite (p=1400 bar) and basalt samples (p=1660 bar). The 40 Ar- 39 Ar results for the disturbed samples are compared with those for undisturbed samples. Except for the vacuum-heating case, the effects of the disturbances may be interpreted as the combined effect of a partial loss of radiogenic 40 Ar from the sample and an incorporation of air Ar into the sample. Common diagnostic effects are (1) reduction of the total fusion age, (2) distortion of the age spectrum and, if the degree of the partial Ar loss is small (3) approximate preservation of the isochron age, and (4) reduction of the intercept value ( 40 Ar/ 36 Ar) in the isochron plot. The features observed in the age spectra of artificially disturbed samples are rather common in geologically disturbed samples, suggesting that the artificial disturbances simulate the effects of geological disturbances on 40 Ar- 39 Ar systematics. (Auth.)

USDA/FSA Imagery Programs - Public Map Gallery

Data.gov (United States)

Farm Service Agency, Department of Agriculture — Imagery programs are an important part of maintaining, creating and updating geospatial data at the USDA Farm Service Agency. Imagery acquisition is provided by the...

Hydroponic production of Chinese water chestnut corms for potential use as a functional vegetable

Science.gov (United States)

Chinese water chestnut is used as a canned or raw vegetable worldwide. The accessions in the USDA, ARS, Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit do not produce very many or healthy corms when grown in plastic pots containing flooded sand in Griffin, GA. This study was conducted to use a drip irriga...

USDA's Systematic Entomology Laboratory (SEL): Global leadership and innovation in insect systematics

Science.gov (United States)

A longstanding agreement between the USDA and the Smithsonian Institution created the National Insect Collection, one of the premiere entomological resources on the planet. Since its inception, USDA scientists associated with the National Insect Collection have been at the forefront of documenting i...

School Nutrition Directors' Perspectives on Preparing for and Implementing USDA's New School Meal Regulations

Science.gov (United States)

Yon, Bethany A.; Amin, Sarah A.; Taylor, Jennifer C.; Johnson, Rachel K.

2016-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) new school meals regulations went into effect in July 2012. The purpose of this research was to explore school nutrition director's (SNDs) perspectives and attitudes about the new regulations and to identify strategies used to prepare for and subsequently implement the regulations.…

Complete Genome Sequence of the Soybean Symbiont Bradyrhizobium japonicum Strain USDA6T

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nobukazu Uchiike

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of the soybean symbiont Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain USDA6T was determined. The genome of USDA6T is a single circular chromosome of 9,207,384 bp. The genome size is similar to that of the genome of another soybean symbiont, B. japonicum USDA110 (9,105,828 bp. Comparison of the whole-genome sequences of USDA6T and USDA110 showed colinearity of major regions in the two genomes, although a large inversion exists between them. A significantly high level of sequence conservation was detected in three regions on each genome. The gene constitution and nucleotide sequence features in these three regions indicate that they may have been derived from a symbiosis island. An ancestral, large symbiosis island, approximately 860 kb in total size, appears to have been split into these three regions by unknown large-scale genome rearrangements. The two integration events responsible for this appear to have taken place independently, but through comparable mechanisms, in both genomes.

Innovation - A view from the Lab

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA Ag Lab in Peoria helps bridge the gap between agricultural producers and commercial manufacturers. In 2015, the Ag Lab, officially known as the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR), is celebrating 75 years of research in Peoria. T...

39Ar/Ar measurements using ultra-low background proportional counters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, Jeter; Aalseth, Craig E.; Bonicalzi, Ricco M.; Brandenberger, Jill M.; Day, Anthony R.; Humble, Paul H.; Mace, Emily K.; Panisko, Mark E.; Seifert, Allen

2016-01-01

Age-dating groundwater and seawater using the 39 Ar/Ar ratio is an important tool to understand water mass-flow rates and mean residence time. Low-background proportional counters developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory use mixtures of argon and methane as counting gas. We demonstrate sensitivity to 39 Ar by comparing geological (ancient) argon recovered from a carbon dioxide gas well and commercial argon. The demonstrated sensitivity to the 39 Ar/Ar ratio is sufficient to date water masses as old as 1000 years. - Highlights: • 39 Ar/Ar age dating is important for understanding environmental water migration. • Ultra low background proportional counters have been developed. • 39 Ar is detected in atmospheric argon at a rate of 70.3 counts per day. The demonstrated background is 166 counts per day. • Age dating is possible for water with underground residence time of up to 1000 years.

Geochronological {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar data on the submarine fault-scarps in the Sardinia channel (western mediterranean); Donnees geochronologiques {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar sur les socles sarde et kabylo-peloritain submerges dans le canal de Sardaigne (mediterranee occidentale)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bouillin, J.P.; Tricart, P.; Mascle, G. [Grenoble-1 Univ., 38 - Grenoble (France). Laboratoire de Geodynamique des Chaines Alpines, CNRS UPRES-A5025; Monie, P. [Montpellier-2 Univ., 34 (France). Laboratoire de Geochronologie, Geochimie et de petrologie, UMR 5567; Rolfo, F. [Universita Torino, (Italy). Dipt. di Scienze Mineralogiche et Petrologiche; Torelli, L. [Parma Univ. (Italy). Ditp. di Scienze della Terra

1999-04-01

Granite and gneiss have been sampled on the submarine fault scarps of the Sardinia Channel and have been dated using the {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar method. The majority of rocks partially preserve Hercynian ages. Some of them display Lower Cretaceous ages. In addition, Upper Eocene-Oligocene argon resetting is recorded only in rocks from the southeast sector of the Channel. We thus propose that the basement of the Sardinia Channel occupied a shallow position within the stack of the Alpine tectonic units, behind the more deformed front of the internal zones of the Maghrebide Chain. (authors) 20 refs.

40Ar/39Ar age calibration against counted annuallayers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Storey, Michael; Stecher, Ole

2008-01-01

The 40Ar/39Ar method, based on the decay of the naturally occurring radioactive isotope 40K, is capable of producing ages with precision better than ± 0.1 %. However, accuracy is limited to no better than 1 % mainly due to the relatively large uncertainty in the 40K decay constants. One approach...... worth exploring for an improved absolute age basis for the 40Ar/39Ar system is through cross-calibration with counted annual layers (e.g. tree rings, varves and ice cores). North Atlantic Ash Zone (NAAZ) II is found within the dated part of the annual Greenland ice core record. NAAZ II has been...... correlated to the Icelandic peralkaline rhyolitic Thorsmörk ignimbrite. We will present preliminary 40Ar/39Ar results on the age of this eruption...

7 CFR 170.5 - Is there a fee to participate in the USDA Farmers Market?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Is there a fee to participate in the USDA Farmers... (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS MARKETING PRACTICES UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING ACT OF 1946 USDA FARMERS MARKET § 170.5 Is there a fee to participate in the USDA Farmers Market? No, there are no fees charged to...

40Ar/39Ar and K-Ar dating of altered glassy volcanic rocks: the Dabi Volcanics, P.N.G

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, D.A.; McDougall, I.

1982-01-01

K-Ar and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages have been determined for altered submarine tholeiitic and boninite (high-Mg andesite) lavas from the Dabi Volcanics, Cape Vogel Peninsula, Papua New Guinea. 40 Ar/ 39 Ar whole rock total fusion and plateau ages identify a Late Paleocene age for the tholeiitic lavas (58.9 +- 1.1 Ma), and also for the boninitic lavas (58.8 +- 0.8 Ma). Apparent K-Ar ages for the same samples range from 27.2 +- 0.7 to 63.9 +- 4.5 Ma, and young K-Ar ages for glassy boninites are probably due to variable radiogenic 40 Ar( 40 Ar*) loss. These new ages effectively reconcile previously ambiguous age data for the Dabi Volcanics, and indicate contemporaneous tholeiitic and boninitic volcanism occurring in southeast PNG during the Late Paleocene. Smectites, developed as alteration products after glass in oceanic lavas commonly do not retain 39 Ar during or subsequent to irradiation, but in some cases may contain 40 Ar*. The results are discussed. (author)

News Release: USDA Joins Fair Food Network, State and Local Partners to

Science.gov (United States)

vitamin C, calcium, and iron. The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan in Flint is distributing those USDA Foods Joins Fair Food Network, State and Local Partners to Promote Nutrition Resources for Lead-Affected Flint Residents News Release: USDA Joins Fair Food Network, State and Local Partners to Promote Nutrition

40Ar-39Ar stepheating studies of clay concentrates from Irish orebodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halliday, A.N.

1978-01-01

40 Ar- 39 Ar step heating analyses of clay concentrates from the Gortdrum and Tynagh orebodies (Ireland) previously dated by conventional K-Ar, indicate major losses of 39 Ar (32 to 45%) and rad. 40 Ar (25 to 35%) during the irradiation. The proportion of rad. 40 Ar loss, unlike that of 39 Ar, increases with J-value. The difference between 39 Ar and rad. 40 Ar proportion losses is related to the mineralogy and grain intimacy. These also affect the stepwise release patterns - the Gortdrum concentrates yield age spectra very consistent with 39 Ar recoil predictions, whereas the Tynagh concentrates in which the grains are intimately intergrown, show no clear evidence for 39 Ar recoil depletion in the K-rich phases. The difference is resolvable if illite argon release is not a simple volume diffusion type process under vacuum conditions. (author)

Phase II Investigation at the Former CCC/USDA Grain Storage Facility in Savannah, Missouri

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, Lorraine M. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Environmental Science Division. Applied Geosciences and Environmental Management Section

2012-05-01

From approximately 1949 until 1970, the Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) operated a grain storage facility on federally owned property approximately 0.25 mi northwest of Savannah, Missouri. During this time, commercial grain fumigants containing carbon tetrachloride were commonly used by the CCC/USDA and the private grain storage industry to preserve grain in their facilities. In November 1998, carbon tetrachloride was detected in a private well (Morgan) roughly 50 ft south of the former CCC/USDA facility, as a result of statewide screening of private wells near former CCC/USDA facilities, conducted in Missouri by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA 1999). The 1998 and subsequent investigations by the EPA and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) confirmed the presence of carbon tetrachloride in the Morgan well, as well as in a second well on property currently owned by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), directly east of the former CCC/USDA facility. The identified concentrations in these two wells were above the EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) and the Missouri risk-based corrective action default target level (DTL) values of 5.0 μg/L for carbon tetrachloride in water used for domestic purposes (EPA 1999; MDNR 2000a,b, 2006). Because the observed contamination in the Morgan and MoDOT wells might be linked to the past use of carbon tetrachloride-based fumigants at its former grain storage facility, the CCC/USDA is conducting an investigation to (1) characterize the source(s), extent, and factors controlling the subsurface distribution and movement of carbon tetrachloride and (2) evaluate the potential risks to human health, public welfare, and the environment posed by the contamination. This work is being performed in accord with an Intergovernmental Agreement established in 2007 between the Farm Service Agency of the USDA and the MDNR, to address carbon tetrachloride

Aerial Photography and Imagery, Uncorrected - CROPS_2006_USDA_IN: Crops in Indiana for 2006, Derived from National Agricultural Statistics Service (United States Department of Agriculture, 1:100,000, 56-Meter TIFF Image)

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC State | GIS Inventory — The following is excerpted from the metadata provided by NASS (USDA) for the source data set CDL_AWIFS_R_IN_2006.tif: "The USDA-NASS 2006 Indiana Cropland Data Layer...

Microstructural finite strain analysis and 40Ar/39Ar evidence for the origin of the Mizil gneiss dome, eastern Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Saleh, Ahmad M.; Kassem, Osama M. K.

2012-07-01

The Mizil antiform is a gneiss-cored culmination situated near the northern end of the Ar Rayn island arc terrane, which is the easternmost exposed tectonic unit of the Arabian Shield. This domal structure has a mantle of metamorphosed volcanosedimentary rocks belonging to the Al-Amar Group, and an igneous interior made up of foliated granodiorite-tonalite with adakitic affinity. The gneissic core has a SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of 689 ± 10 Ma making it the oldest rock unit in the Ar Rayn terrane. An adakite diapir, formed by the melting of the subducted crust of a young marginal basin, and rising through the volcanosedimentary succession of the Ar Rayn island arc is thought to have caused the observed doming. Relatively uniform strain throughout the dome combined with strong vertical shortening and the roughly radial pattern of stretching lineation is consistent with diapirism; the absence of strain localization rules out detachment faulting as a causative mechanism. Amphibolites from the metamorphic envelope have an 40Ar/39Ar age of 615 ± 2 Ma; the age gap between core and cover is thought to reflect the resetting of metamorphic ages during the final suturing event, a phenomenon that is often observed throughout the eastern shield. Aeromagnetic anomalies beneath the Phanerozoic sedimentary cover indicate the presence of a collage of accreted terranes east of the Ar Rayn terrane that were probably amalgamated onto the Arabian margin during the latest stages of the closure of the Mozambique ocean; culminant orogeny is believed to have taken place between 620 and 600 Ma as these terrane collided with a major continental mass to the east referred to here as the eastern Arabian block (EAB). The Mizil gneiss dome is therefore considered to have formed in a convergent contractional setting rather than being the outcome of extensional post-orogenic collapse.

Gasification advanced research and technology development (AR and TD) cross-cut meeting and review. [US DOE supported

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-01-01

The US Department of Energy gasification advanced research and technology development (AR and TD) cross-cut meeting and review was held June 24 to 26, 1981, at Germantown, Maryland. Forty-eight papers from the proceedings have been entered individually into EDB and ERA. (LTN)

Influence of residual Ar+ in Ar cluster ion beam for DLC film formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitagawa, Teruyuki; Miyauchi, Kazuya; Toyoda, Noriaki; Kanda, Kazuhiro; Ikeda, Tokumi; Tsubakino, Harushige; Matsuo, Jiro; Matsui, Shinji; Yamada, Isao

2003-01-01

In order to study the influences of residual Ar monomer ion (Ar + ) on sp 2 content and hardness of diamond like carbon (DLC) films formed by Ar cluster ion beam assisted deposition, Ar cluster ion, Ar + and their mixed ions (Ar cluster ion and Ar + ) bombardments were performed during evaporation of C 60 . From near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) and Raman spectroscopy measurements, lower sp 2 content in the carbon films was obtained with Ar cluster ion bombardment than that with Ar + and mixed ion. Furthermore higher hardness and smooth surface were shown with Ar cluster ion bombardments. Therefore it was important to reduce Ar + in Ar cluster ion beams to obtain hard DLC films with flat surface

Effects of shock pressure on 40Ar-39Ar radiometric age determinations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, P.K.

1977-01-01

The relation of shock to the drop in the 40 *Ar/ 39 *Ar ratio seen at high release temperatures in some neutron-irradiated lunar samples is investigated through measurements of the 40 *Ar/ 39 *Ar ratio in gas samples released by stepwise heating of rock samples previously subjected to shock, either in the laboratory or in nature. Explosives were used to shock solid pieces and powder of a basalt from a diabase dike in Liberia to calculated pressures of 65, 150 and 270 kbar. These, an unshocked sample of the powder, two naturally shocked samples from the Brent impact crater in Canada, one unshocked sample from near the crater, and appropriate monitors were irradiated. Ar from stepwise heating was analyzed. The unshocked basalt shows a good 40 *Ar/ 39 *Ar plateau at age 198 +-9 m.y. in agreement with a previous result of 186 +- 2 m.y. The shocked samples contain varying amounts of implanted atmospheric Ar, the isotopes of which have experienced mass fractionation. This effect is small enough in four samples so that the linearity of their graphs of 39 *Ar/ 40 Ar vs 36 Ar/ 40 Ar is evidence of a plateau. The ages of these samples are then 201 +- 10, 205 +- 12 and 201 +-9 m.y. It appears that the shock has had little effect on the 40 Ar- 39 Ar age spectrum, although the release patterns of the 39 *Ar are shifted downward by the order of 200 0 C. Shock implantation of Ar was at lower shock pressure, in the presence of less Ar, and into a less porous material than previously demonstrated. The Brent Crater samples do not all show good plateaus, but do indicate an age of 420 m.y. for the crater event and 795 +- 24 m.y. for the rock formation, in agreement with previous results. None of the 40 *Ar/ 39 *Ar profiles shows a drop at high temperature, but a possible role of shock implantation of Ar is indicated in the production of this effect. Further experiments are suggested. (author)

37Ar monitoring techniques and on-site inspection system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duan Rongliang; Chen Yinliang; Li Wei; Wang Hongxia; Hao Fanhua

2001-01-01

37 Ar is separated, purified and extracted from air sample with a low temperature gas-solid chromatographic purifying method, prepared into a radioactive measurement source and its radioactivity is measured with a proportional counter. Based on the monitoring result, a judgement can be made if an nuclear explosion event has happened recently in a spectabilis area. A series of element techniques that are associated the monitoring of the trace element 37 Ar have been investigated and developed. Those techniques include leaked gas sampling, 37 Ar separation and purification, 37 Ar radioactivity measurement and the on-site inspection of 37 Ar. An advanced 37 Ar monitoring method has been developed, with which 200 liters of air can be treated in 2 hours with sensitivity of 0.01 Bq/L for 37 Ar radioactivity measurement. A practical 37 Ar On-site Inspection system has been developed. This research work may provide technical and equipment support for the verification protection, verification supervision and CTBT verification

7 CFR 205.311 - USDA Seal.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

...) On a white background with a brown outer circle and with the term, “USDA,” in green overlaying a... (2) On a white or transparent background with black outer circle and black “USDA” on a white or transparent upper half of the circle with a contrasting white or transparent “organic” on the black lower half...

The tropical fruit and nut collections and research activities at the USDA-ARS Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Tropical Plant Genetic Resource and Disease Research unit

Science.gov (United States)

In Hawaii, consistency and reliability are important factors determining the success of a crop, for example, longan generated the highest income return for the farmers among the Sapindaceae (lychee, longan and rambutan) group in 2006 because of the use of potassium chlorate for off-season production...

Development of a Control and Vision Interface for an AR.Drone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheema Prasad

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The AR.Drone is a remote controlled quadcopter which is low cost, and readily available for consumers. Therefore it represents a simple test-bed on which control and vision research may be conducted. However, interfacing with the AR.Drone can be a challenge for new researchers as the AR.Drone's application programming interface (API is built on low-level, bit-wise, C instructions. Therefore, this paper will demonstrate the use of an additional layer of abstraction on the AR.Drone’s API via the Robot Operating System (ROS. Using ROS, the construction of a high-level graphical user interface (GUI will be demonstrated, with the explicit aim of assisting new researchers in developing simple control and vision algorithms to interface with the AR.Drone. The GUI, formally known as the Control and Vision Interface (CVI is currently used to research and develop computer vision, simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM, and path planning algorithms by a number of postgraduate and undergraduate students at the school of Aeronautical, Mechanical, and Mechatronics Engineering (AMME in The University of Sydney.

Electron scattering from 36Ar and 40Ar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finn, J.M.

1975-01-01

The argon isotopes, 36 Ar and 40 Ar, have been investigated using electron scattering at the high-resolution Linac facilities of the National Bureau of Standards. Both elastic scattering and scattering to low-lying states have been observed. A high-pressure, low-volume gas target cell was designed and developed for this experiment. The cell features a transmission geometry and has resolution comparable to solid targets. Spectra were obtained at incident beam energies ranging from 65 to 115 MeV at scattering angles of 92.5 0 and 110 0 . Values obtained for the rms charge radii are 3.327 +- 0.015 and 3.393 +- 0.015 fm for 36 Ar and 40 Ar respectively. A sensitive measurement was made of the difference in the two radii yielding a value of Δ r = 0.079 +- 0.006 fm. The inelastic levels observed are the 1.97 (2 + ) and 4.18 MeV (3 - ) levels in 36 Ar, and the 1.46 (2 + ), 2.52 (2 + ), 3.21 (2 + ), and 3.68 MeV (3 - ) levels in 40 Ar. A Tassie model analysis was made of the inelastic transitions in the DWBA approximation and transition strengths of these levels were extracted

Strategies for Preserving Owner Privacy in the National Information Management System of the USDA Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew Lister; Charles Scott; Susan King; Michael Hoppus; Brett Butler; Douglas Griffith

2005-01-01

The Food Security Act of 1985 prohibits the disclosure of any information collected by the USDA Forest Service's FIA program that would link individual landowners to inventory plot information. To address this, we developed a technique based on a "swapping" procedure in which plots with similar characteristics are exchanged, and on a ...

Baicalein suppresses the androgen receptor (AR)-mediated prostate cancer progression via inhibiting the AR N-C dimerization and AR-coactivators interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Defeng; Chen, Qiulu; Liu, Yalin; Wen, Xingqiao

2017-12-01

Androgen receptor (AR) plays a critical role in prostate cancer (PCa) development and progression. Androgen deprivation therapy with antiandrogens to reduce androgen biosynthesis or prevent androgens from binding to AR are widely used to suppress AR-mediated PCa growth. However, most of ADT may eventually fail with development of the castration resistance after 12-24 months. Here we found that a natural product baicalein can effectively suppress the PCa progression via targeting the androgen-induced AR transactivation with little effect to AR protein expression. PCa cells including LNCaP, CWR22Rv1, C4-2, PC-3, and DU145, were treated with baicalein and luciferase assay was used to evaluate their effect on the AR transactivation. Cell growth and IC 50 were determined by MTT assay after 48 hrs treatment. RT-PCR was used to evaluate the mRNA levels of AR target genes including PSA, TMPRSS2, and TMEPA1. Western blot was used to determine AR and PSA protein expression. The natural product of baicalein can selectively inhibit AR transactivation with little effect on the other nuclear receptors, including ERα, and GR. At a low concentration, 2.5 μM of baicalein effectively suppresses the growth of AR-positive PCa cells, and has little effect on AR-negative PCa cells. Mechanism dissection suggest that baicalein can suppress AR target genes (PSA, TMPRSS2, and TMEPA1) expression in both androgen responsive LNCaP cells and castration resistant CWR22Rv1 cells, that may involve the inhibiting the AR N/C dimerization and AR-coactivators interaction. Baicalein may be developed as an effective anti-AR therapy via its ability to inhibit AR transactivation and AR-mediated PCa cell growth.

/sup 40/Ar//sup 39/Ar and K-Ar dating of altered glassy volcanic rocks: the Dabi Volcanics, P. N. G

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walker, D.A. (Australian National Univ., Canberra. Dept. of Geology); McDougall, I. (Australian National Univ., Canberra. Research School of Earth Sciences)

1982-11-01

K-Ar and /sup 40/Ar//sup 39/Ar ages have been determined for altered submarine tholeiitic and boninite (high-Mg andesite) lavas from the Dabi Volcanics, Cape Vogel Peninsula, Papua New Guinea. /sup 40/Ar//sup 39/Ar whole rock total fusion and plateau ages identify a Late Paleocene age for the tholeiitic lavas (58.9 +- 1.1 Ma), and also for the boninitic lavas (58.8 +- 0.8 Ma). Apparent K-Ar ages for the same samples range from 27.2 +- 0.7 to 63.9 +- 4.5 Ma, and young K-Ar ages for glassy boninites are probably due to variable radiogenic /sup 40/Ar(/sup 40/Ar*) loss. These new ages effectively reconcile previously ambiguous age data for the Dabi Volcanics, and indicate contemporaneous tholeiitic and boninitic volcanism occurring in southeast PNG during the Late Paleocene. Smectites, developed as alteration products after glass in oceanic lavas commonly do not retain /sup 39/Ar during or subsequent to irradiation, but in some cases may contain /sup 40/Ar*. The results are discussed.

Pengaruh Strategi Pengembangan Mutu Dan Kompensasi Terhadap Kinerja Guru Di SMK MVP ARS Internasional Bandung

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suryana Suryana

2016-11-01

  The Influence of Quality Development Strategy and Compensation on Teachers’ Performance at SMK MVP ARS International Bandung, is  a research to get to know the result of teacher’ quality development strategy, the compensastion for the teachers, the performance of teachers and the influence of the tachers’ development strategy and compensastion on teachers’ performance at SMK MVP ARS Internasional Bandung. The methods used in this research is qualitative methods where the analysis unit is population of teaching staff without sampling because all the teachers filled out the questionaires.Based on the result of research indicates that teachers’ quality development strategy at SMK MVP ARS International Bandung is correlated to the compensation received by the teachers. So it has positive effect on the teacher’s performance, techer’s quality development strategy and compensastion simultinuously influence on the teacher’s development. And partially compensation has larger influence on teahers’ performance than quality development.By using SPSS software, it is resulted; partially, the influence of teacher’s developement program on performance is 0,010 or 1% and compensation on teachers’ performance is 0,572 atau 57,20%, the value of influence in simultant between techers’ development and, compensation on teacher’s performance is0,329 or 32,90%, but the correlation between quality development strategy and compensation is  0,148%.   Key Words : Quality Development, Compensation and Performance

Single electron capture by state-prepared Ar2+ projectiles in Ar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puerta, J.; Huber, B.A.

1985-03-01

Electron capture by state-selected Ar 2+ projectiles in Ar has been studied at low collision energies ( 2+ ions are measured explaining existing discrepancies of partial and total cross sections in the Ar 2+ /Ar collision system. Although highly excited metastable ions ( 5 D 4 0 , 3 F 4 0 ) represent a minor contamination of a non-prepared Ar 2+ beam (proportional1%), their contributions are found to dominate the capture process due to cross section values larger than 10 -15 cm 2 . (orig.)

Irradiation of ready-to-eat foods at USDA'S Eastern Regional Reasearch Center - 2003 update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sommers, Christopher; Fan Xuetong; Niemira, Brendan; Rajkowski, Kathleen

2004-10-01

Ionizing radiation is a safe and effective method for eliminating bacterial pathogens from food products and disinfestation of fruits and vegetables. Since 1980 research has been conducted at USDA's Eastern Regional Research Center pertaining to the elimination of food-borne pathogens from meat, poultry, fruit and vegetable products. Recent work has focused on elimination of pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes from ready-to-eat (RTE) food products including hot dogs, bologna, lettuce, cilantro, sprouts and seeds, and frozen vegetables. The ionizing radiation dose required to eliminate those pathogens from RTE foods has been found to be commodity, formulation and temperature dependent. The need to eliminate bacterial pathogens from RTE food products must always be balanced with the maintenance of product quality. In addition to determining the effective ionizing radiation doses required for pathogen elimination the effects of irradiation on product chemistry, nutritional value and organoleptic quality have also been determined. A review of the studies conducted at USDA's Eastern Regional Research Center in 2002 and 2003 is presented in this article.

Responsibilities of the USDA-Food and Nutrition Service in Nutrition Assistance Response to Natural Disasters.

Science.gov (United States)

Abernathy, Toni

2015-01-01

USDA makes sure that nutritious USDA Foods are made available to States, Indian Tribal Organizations and Emergency Feeding Organizations to help feed survivors of natural disasters and other emergencies when needed.

75 FR 22551 - United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Blueberries

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-29

...] United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Blueberries AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA... United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Blueberries. After considering the comments received... . The United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Blueberries are available by accessing the AMS Web...

On mechanism of Ar(3p54p) states excitation in low-energy Ar-Ar collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurskov, S Y; Kashuba, A S

2009-01-01

The present work is devoted to study of Ar(3p 5 4p) states excitation in binary low-energy Ar-Ar collisions. The results of the experimental investigation of excitation cross sections of Ar I 4p'[l/2] 1 , 4p'[3/2] 1 , 4p'[3/2] 2 and 4p[3/2] 2 levels in the collision energy range from threshold up to 500 eV (cm) and degree of polarization for 4s[3/2] 2 0 -4p'[l/2] 1 and 4s[3/2] 2 0 -4p[3/2] 2 transitions in this energy range are represented.

7 CFR 1466.11 - Technical services provided by qualified personnel not affiliated with USDA.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... not affiliated with USDA. 1466.11 Section 1466.11 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of... OPERATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM Contracts and Payments § 1466.11 Technical services provided by qualified personnel not affiliated with USDA. (a) NRCS may use the services of qualified TSPs...

Structural, K-Ar and 40Ar-39Ar age studies of adularia K-feldspars from the Lizard Complex, England

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halliday, A.N.; Mitchell, J.G.

1976-01-01

Conventional K-Ar analyses of fifteen adularia feldspars from the Lizard Complex yield ages between 181+-2 Ma and 220+-3 Ma (with one exception from Holseer Cove yielding an age of 156+-3 Ma). The feldspars are dominantly monoclinic but most contain a minor but constant proportion of triclinic material with variable triclinicity. An inverse correlation exists between triclinicity and K-Ar age interpreted as representing argon loss related to the structural state. Extrapolation of the data to zero triclinicity indicates a true age of 210-220 Ma. 40 Ar- 39 Ar stepwise degassing analyses yield plateau ages related to the K-Ar ages and not the crystallization age. The results can be explained in terms of postcrystallization Al-Si ordering resulting in argon loss from lattice sites which under normal diffusion conditions requires a range of activation energies. The Holseer Cove sample is monoclinic and an 40 Ar- 39 Ar stepheating analysis suggests a later crystallization at 160-170 Ma. Neither primary crystallization nor spontaneous ordering through time explain the origin of the triclinic adularia. It is suggested that ordering has been induced by the passage of low-temperature alkaline solutions at a subsequent point in geological time. Argon loss by ordering could explain the low ages found using both K-Ar and 40 Ar- 39 Ar stepheating methods when applied to feldspars in general. The 210-220 Ma, and 160-170 Ma hydrothermal events affected much of southwest England and are probably related to major geotectonic movements in western Europe. (Auth.)

Research Activities in Support of High-Resolution Land Cover Mapping in the North Central United States

Science.gov (United States)

Dacia M. Meneguzzo; Greg C. Liknes

2015-01-01

The USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework and the 2014 Farm Bill call for inventory and monitoring of agroforestry practices; however, collecting such data over very large non-forested areas is costly. The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program at the Northern Research Station has addressed this challenge by forming a targeted task team whose primary purpose is to...

Bushland Reference ET Calculator with QA/QC capabilities and iPhone/iPad application

Science.gov (United States)

Accurate daily reference evapotranspiration (ET) values are needed to estimate crop water demand for irrigation management and hydrologic modeling purposes. The USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory at Bushland, Texas developed the Bushland Reference ET (BET) Calculator for calcul...

7 CFR 636.18 - Technical services provided by qualified personnel not affiliated with USDA.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... HABITAT INCENTIVES PROGRAM § 636.18 Technical services provided by qualified personnel not affiliated with... affiliated with USDA. 636.18 Section 636.18 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture... provided by qualified personnel not affiliated with USDA may include, but is not limited to: Conservation...

From Action Research to Practice Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Goran Goldkuhl

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Action research (AR has gained more acceptance as an approach to qualitative research in information systems (IS. The complexities of organisational and technical change makes this approach a suitable one in IS research. There are, however, still some controversies and confusions about the relation between “action” and “research”. The many types of AR and similar approaches (not labelled as AR that have emerged demands further conceptual clarification of AR. A conceptual inquiry of AR, presented in the paper, has led to the identification of several unresolved issues concerning intervention research like AR. An alternative research approach is presented: practice research. This research approach is well founded in pragmatism and it builds on the two premises: 1 to contribute to general practice through abstract and useful knowledge and 2 to study the empirical field as interconnected practices. Several important concepts of practice research are described as: local practice contribution vs. general practice contribution; theorizing vs. situational inquiry. Practice research is seen as a broader notion encompassing AR and other research approaches as e.g. design research and evaluation research. Two case examples of practice research are briefly presented and compared: one AR-based study in the social welfare sector and one evaluation study of a taxation e-service.

Research of Houjiayao Unit in North China

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Y.

2012-12-01

"Houjiayao Group" is the standard stratigraphic unit of late Pleistocene in northern China, which was created by Jia Lanpo and Wei Qi during their research on Houjiayao site. Based on the mammal, ancient human fossils and Paleolithic features, "Houjiayao Group" was thought as late Pleistocene sediments. "Houjiayao Group" was defined as late Pleistocene stratigraphic units. However, the problems of the age of "Houjiayao Group", stratigraphic division and other issues, have not yet been well resolved. These issues include: the differences of age-dating results, the unclear comparison between stratigraphic units and regional contrast, the uncertain relationship between "Houjiayao Group" and "Nihewan Layer ", and so on. Houjiayao site which located in the southeast of Houjiayao village in Dongjingji town Yangyuan County, Hebei province of China, is a very important paleolithic site. But some researches show that Houjiayao site is located at the 3th terrace of Liyigou valley and there are many opinions about the age of Houjiayao site, which varies from 20-500 thousand years. Combined with former research results and many research methods, our study was mainly focused on the key problems existing in the study of "Houjiayao Group". Through the use of sequence stratigraphy, chronostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and other theoretical methods, stratigraphic section was studied in the late Pleistocene stratigraphy and sedimentary environment. Through environmental indicators and the age-dating tests, the evolution of ancient geography and environment were identified elementarily. After analyzing informations of this area, geomorphologic investigation and stratum comparation in and around Houjiayao site were done. Houjiayao site is located on the west bank of Liyigou river, which has a tributary named Black Stone River. Two or three layers of volcanic materials were found in this area, those sediments are from a buried paleovolcano in upstream of Black Stone River. The volcanic

Geochronology and thermochronology by the 40Ar/39Ar method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDougall, I.; Harrison, T.M.

1988-01-01

This work is a response to the authors' belief that there is a need for a monograph on 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating to provide concise knowledge concerning the application of this method to geological studies. They aim to provide a reasonably comprehensive but by no means exhaustive coverage of the principles and practices of 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating, with emphasis on interpretation of results. In attempting to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge, they commonly cite examples from the available literature. They draw rather heavily upon their own work, because they feel comfortable with their own examples. (author)

R2 Water Quality Portal Monitoring Stations

Science.gov (United States)

The Water Quality Data Portal (WQP) provides an easy way to access data stored in various large water quality databases. The WQP provides various input parameters on the form including location, site, sampling, and date parameters to filter and customize the returned results. The The Water Quality Portal (WQP) is a cooperative service sponsored by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Water Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC) that integrates publicly available water quality data from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) the EPA STOrage and RETrieval (STORET) Data Warehouse, and the USDA ARS Sustaining The Earth??s Watersheds - Agricultural Research Database System (STEWARDS).

What's New in USDA's Food Distribution Program for Schools? School Programs USDA Foods Update. Volume 14, Issue 1

Science.gov (United States)

US Department of Agriculture, 2009

2009-01-01

This paper provides an update on all the new products and projects that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has been working on, in its effort to help schools meet the nutritional needs of the students and to help in the President's challenge to End Childhood Hunger by 2015. This issue includes: (1) Back to…

New 40Ar/39Ar age of the Bishop Tuff from multiple sites and sediment rate calibration for the Matuyama-Brunhes boundary

Science.gov (United States)

Sarna-Wojcicki, A. M.; Pringle, M.S.; Wijbrans, J.

2000-01-01

Precise dating of sanidine from proximal ash flow Bishop Tuff and air fall Bishop pumice and ash, California, can be used to derive an absolute age of the Matuyama Reversed-Brunhes Normal (M-B) paleomagnetic transition, identified stratigraphically close beneath the Bishop Tuff and ash at many sites in the western United States. An average age of 758.9 ?? 1.8 ka, standard error of the mean (SEM), was obtained for individual sanidine crystals or groups of several crystals, determined from ???70 individual analyses of sanidine separates from 11 sample groups obtained at five localities. The basal air fall pumice (757.7 ?? 1.8 ka) and overlying ash flow tuff (762.2 ?? 4.7 ka) from near the source yield essentially the same dates within errors of analysis, suggesting that the two units were emplaced close in time. A date on distal Bishop air fall ash bed at Friant, California, ???100 km to the west of the source area, is younger, 750.1 ?? 4.3 ka, but not significantly different within analytical error (??1 standard deviation). Previous dates of the Bishop Tuff, obtained by others using conventional K-Ar and the fission track method on zircons, ranged from ???650 ka to ???1.0 Ma. The most recent, generally accepted date by the K-Ar method on sanidine was 738 ?? 3 ka. We infer, as others before, that many K-Ar dates on sanidine feldspar are too young owing to incomplete degassing of radiogenic Ar during fusion in the K-Ar technique and that many older K-Ar dates are too old owing to detrital or xenocrystic contamination in the larger samples that are necessary for the technique. The new dates are similar to recent 40Ar/39Ar ages of the Bishop Tuff determined on individual samples by others but are derived from a larger proximal sample population and from multiple analysis of each sample. The results provide a definitive and precise age calibration of this widespread chronostratigraphic marker in the western United States and northeastern Pacific Ocean. We calculated the

Vector analyzing power and cross section for the reactions 40Ar(d(pol),p)41Ar and 40Ar(d(pol),t)39Ar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sen, S.; Darden, S.E.; Yoh, W.A.; Berners, E.D.

1975-01-01

Angular distributions of vector analyzing power and cross section for the reactions 40 Ar(d,p) 41 Ar and 40 Ar(d,t) 39 Ar have been measured at an incident deuteron energy of 14.83 MeV. The bound-state data in the (d,p) reaction and the (d,t) data are compared to DWBA calculations. The data for the neutron-unbound states are analyzed in the framework of the DWBA using (i) a form factor for weakly bound neutron and (ii) a resonance form factor, following the approach of Vincent and Fortune. The j-dependence of the (d,p) vector analyzing power permits definite spin-parity assignments to be made for 19 neutron-bound and 4 neutron unbound states in 41 Ar with excitation energy up to 6.57 MeV. Tentative Jsup(π) assignments have been made for 3 states. The l-value for the 5.62 MeV states has been determined. Data for the observed unbound states are found to be equally well reproduced by the type (i) calculations as by the type (ii) calculations. The (d,t) vector cnalyzing power data show definite J-dependence although not as strongly as in the (d,p) reaction. For relatively weakly excited states a pre-knowledge of the l-value of the transition is desirable for an unambiguous spin assignment. In general, the J-dependence in the (d,t) vector analyzing power can be utilized for definitive Jsup(π) assignments. On this basis, Jsub(π) values have been assigned for seven states in 39 Ar with excitation energies up to 4.47MeV excitation. Possible spin values for three other states are suggested. Spectroscopic factors fo the states in 41 Ar and 39 Ar have been extracted and are in fair agreement with those obtained by other workers. (Auth.)

Spectroscopic analysis of visible and near UV light emitted by Ar7+ and Ar6+ ions produced in Ar8+-He and Ar8+-H2 collisions at 120 keV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boduch, P.; Chantepie, M.; Hennecart, D.; Husson, X.; Kucal, H.; Lecler, D.; Stolterfoht, N.; Druetta, M.; Fawcett, B.; Wilson, M.

1992-01-01

A spectroscopic analysis of light emitted in the 2000-6000A wavelength range by Ar 7+ and Ar 6+ ions produced in Ar 8+ -He and Ar 8+ -H 2 collisions at 120 keV is performed. Well resolved fine structure components of 5s-5p and 5p-5d transitions in Ar VIII following single electron capture are precisely measured. Predominant lines due to double electron capture are observed. In particular, strong lines observed both in Ar 8+ -He and Ar 8+ -H 2 collisions are attributed to Ryberg transitions 3snl-3sn'l' in Ar VII. Attempts at identifications are made for the transition 3dnl-3dn'l' (n=4, 5) with the help of ab initio calculations. Photon emission cross sections for individual lines are determined from the measured data. (orig.)

40Ar/39Ar geochronology at the Instituto de Geociências, USP: instrumentation, analytical procedures, and calibration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PAULO M. VASCONCELOS

2002-06-01

Full Text Available Laser heating 40Ar/39Ar geochronology provides high analytical precision and accuracy, mum-scale spatial resolution, and statistically significant data sets for the study of geological and planetary processes. A newly commissioned 40Ar/39Ar laboratory at CPGeo/USP, São Paulo, Brazil, equips the Brazilian scientific community with a new powerful tool applicable to the study of geological and cosmochemical processes. Detailed information about laboratory layout, environmental conditions, and instrumentation provides the necessary parameters for the evaluation of the CPGeo/USP 40Ar/39Ar suitability to a diverse range of applications. Details about analytical procedures, including mineral separation, irradiation at the IPEN/CNEN reactor at USP, and mass spectrometric analysis enable potential researchers to design the necessary sampling and sample preparation program suitable to the objectives of their study. Finally, the results of calibration tests using Ca and K salts and glasses, international mineral standards, and in-house mineral standards show that the accuracy and precision obtained at the 40Ar/39Ar laboratory at CPGeo/USP are comparable to results obtained in the most respected laboratories internationally. The extensive calibration and standardization procedures undertaken ensure that the results of analytical studies carried out in our laboratories will gain immediate international credibility, enabling Brazilian students and scientists to conduct forefront research in earth and planetary sciences.A geocronologia de 40Ar/39Ar por aquecimento a laser permite alta precisão e acurácia analítica, tem resolução espacial em escala micrométrica, e fornece um número de dados estatisticamente significantes para o estudo de processos geológicos e planetários. Um recém construído laboratório de 40Ar/39Ar no CPGeo/USP, São Paulo, Brazil, mune a sociedade científica brasileira com uma técnica eficaz aplicável aos estudos geol

Data quality assurance in pressure transducer-based automatic water level monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Submersible pressure transducers integrated with data loggers have become relatively common water-level measuring devices used in flow or well water elevation measurements. However, drift, linearity, hysteresis and other problems can lead to erroneous data. Researchers at the USDA-ARS in Watkinsvill...

The effects of natural and induced short-term floods on four sugarcane accessions

Science.gov (United States)

A study was initiated at the USDA/ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, Miami, FL to evaluate the potential for flood tolerance in several accessions from Saccharum barberi (Jeswiet) and S. sinense (Roxb. Amend. Jeswiet) sugarcane genera. The experimental design included 4 accessions, Kewal...

Factors affecting transmission rates of 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' by Asian citrus psyllid

Science.gov (United States)

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri, is an important pest because it transmits a bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas) responsible for a serious disease of citrus known as Asiatic huanglongbing (citrus greening disease). USDA-ARS researchers recently established a program...

Final work plan : supplemental upward vapor intrusion investigation at the former CCC/USDA grain storage facility in Hanover, Kansas.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, L. M.; Environmental Science Division

2008-12-15

chloroform into four homes located on or adjacent to the former CCC/USDA facility. The technical objective will be accomplished by collecting sub-slab vapor samples. The preliminary data collected during the July 2007 investigation did not fully address the source of or migration pathway for the carbon tetrachloride detected in the four homes. The scope of work proposed here will generate additional data needed to help evaluate whether the source of the detected carbon tetrachloride is vapor intrusion attributable to activities of the CCC/USDA. The additional vapor sampling at Hanover will be performed, on behalf of the CCC/USDA, by the Environmental Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory and H&P Mobile Geochemistry of San Diego (http://www.handpmg.com). Argonne is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary research center operated by UChicago Argonne, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The CCC/USDA has entered into an interagency agreement with DOE, under which Argonne provides technical assistance to the CCC/USDA with environmental site characterization and remediation at its former grain storage facilities. The professional staff members of H&P Mobile Geochemistry are nationally leading experts in soil gas sampling and vapor intrusion investigations.

ARABIC LIGHT STEMMER (ARS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ASMA AL-OMARI

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Stemming is a main step used to process textual data. It is usually used in several types of applications such as: text mining, information retrieval (IR, and natural language processing (NLP. A major task in stemming is to standardize words; which can be achieved by reducing each word to its base (root or stem. Arabic stemming is not an easy task. Unlike other languages, Arabic language is a highly inflected language, since it uses many inflectional forms. Researchers are divided on the benefit of using stemming in fields of IR, NLP...etc., since in Arabic the morphological variants of a certain word are not always semantically related. The aim of this paper is to design and implement a new Arabic light stemmer (ARS which is not based on Arabic root patterns. Instead, it depends on well defined mathematical rules and several relations between letters. A series of tests were conducted on ARS stemmer to compare its effectiveness with the effectiveness of two other Arabic stemmers. Test shows clearly the effectiveness superiority of ARS compared to effectiveness of these two Arabic stemmers.

Final work plan : Phase I investigation of potential contamination at the former CCC/USDA grain storage facility in Savannah, Missouri.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, L. M.; Environmental Science Division

2007-10-12

. This work will be performed in accord with the Intergovernmental Agreement established between the Farm Service Agency of the USDA and MoDNR, to address carbon tetrachloride contamination potentially associated with a number of former CCC/USDA grain storage facilities in Missouri. The investigative activities at Savannah will be conducted on behalf of the CCC/USDA by the Environmental Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory. Argonne is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary research center operated by UChicago Argonne, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The CCC/USDA has entered into an agreement with the DOE, under which Argonne provides technical assistance to the CCC/USDA with environmental site characterization and remediation at its former grain storage facilities. The site characterization at Savannah will take place in phases. This approach is recommended by the CCC/USDA and Argonne, so that information obtained and interpretations developed during each incremental stage of the investigation can be used most effectively to guide subsequent phases of the program. This site-specific Work Plan outlines the specific technical objectives and scope of work proposed for Phase I of the Savannah investigation. This Work Plan also includes the community relations plan to be followed throughout the CCC/USDA program at the Savannah site. Argonne is developing a Master Work Plan specific to operations in the state of Missouri. In the meantime, Argonne will issue a Provisional Master Work Plan (PMWP; Argonne 2007) that will be submitted to the MoDNR for review and approval. The agency has already reviewed and approved (with minor changes) the present Master Work Plan (Argonne 2002) under which Argonne currently operates in Kansas. The PMWP (Argonne 2007) will provide detailed information and guidance on the investigative technologies, analytical methodologies, quality assurance-quality control measures, and general health and safety policies to be employed by

40Ar/39Ar dating of pyrite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

York, D.; Masliwec, A.; Kuybida, P.; Hanes, J.A.; Hall, C.M.; Kenyon, W.J.; Spooner, E.T.C.; Scott, S.D.

1982-01-01

To overcome difficulties encountered in the customary method of determining the age of mineralization of sulphide ore deposits by analysing silicate material, the sulphide minerals themselves have been examined to see if they contained sufficient potassium and argon for 40 Ar/ 39 Ar age determination. Initial results indicate that this is the case for pyrite from the Geco ore body in northwestern Ontario, Canada. (U.K.)

Ar-40/Ar-39 Studies of Martian Meteorite RBT 04262 and Terrestrial Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Park, J.; Herzog, G. F.; Turrin, B.; Lindsay, F. N.; Delaney, J. S.; Swisher, C. C., III; Nagao, K.; Nyquist, L. E.

2014-01-01

Park et al. recently presented an Ar-40/Ar-39 dating study of maskelynite separated from the Martian meteorite RBT 04262. Here we report an additional study of Ar-40/Ar-39 patterns for smaller samples, each consisting of only a few maskelynite grains. Considered as a material for Ar-40/Ar-39 dating, the shock-produced glass maskelynite has both an important strength (relatively high K concentration compared to other mineral phases) and some potentially problematic weaknesses. At Rutgers, we have been analyzing small grains consisting of a single phase to explore local effects that might be averaged and remain hidden in larger samples. Thus, to assess the homogeneity of the RBT maskelynite and for comparison with the results of, we analyzed six approx. 30 microgram samples of the same maskelynite separate they studied. Furthermore, because most Ar-40/Ar-39 are calculated relative to the age of a standard, we present new Ar-40/Ar-39 age data for six standards. Among the most widely used standards are sanidine from Fish Canyon (FCs) and various hornblendes (hb3gr, MMhb-1, NL- 25), which are taken as primary standards because their ages have been determined by independent, direct measurements of K and A-40.

ASAS Centennial Paper: Future needs of research and extension in forage utilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Rouquette, F M; Redmon, L A; Aiken, G E; Hill, G M; Sollenberger, L E; Andrae, J

2009-01-01

Forage-animal production agriculture is implementing infrastructure changes and management strategies to adjust to increased energy-related costs of fuel, feed grains, fertilizers, and seeds. The primary objectives of this position paper are to assess future research and extension scientific needs in forage utilization, financial support for the discipline, and changing status and number of scientists. A survey questionnaire returned from 25 land-grant universities in the eastern half of the United States rated the top 4 research needs as 1) pasture systems and efficiency of production; 2) interfacing with energy concerns; 3) forage cultivar evaluations and persistence; and 4) environment impacts. Plant-animal future research needs at 11 USDA-ARS regional locations are targeted at sustainable management and improved livestock performance, ecophysiology and ecology of grasslands, environment impacts, and improved technologies for nutritive value assessments. Extension scientists from 17 southern and northeastern states listed the top 3 needs as forage persistence, soil fertility and nutrient management, and pasture systems and efficiency of production. Grant funds currently provide more than 40% of land-grant university research and extension efforts in forage utilization, and scientists estimate that this support base will increase to 55 to 60% of the funding total by 2013. Reduced allocation of state and federal funding has contributed to a reduction in the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) scientists engaged in forage utilization research and extension activities. The current 25 state FTE conducting research number about 2.8 per state. This includes 10 states with >3, 11 states with research Extension programming, and technology transfer methods will change to accommodate reduced funding but with increasing numbers of novice, recreation-oriented landowners.

Remote sensing-based characterization of rainfall during atmospheric rivers over the central United States

Science.gov (United States)

Nayak, Munir A.; Villarini, Gabriele

2018-01-01

Atmospheric rivers (ARs) play a central role in the hydrology and hydroclimatology of the central United States. More than 25% of the annual rainfall is associated with ARs over much of this region, with many large flood events tied to their occurrence. Despite the relevance of these storms for flood hydrology and water budget, the characteristics of rainfall associated with ARs over the central United has not been investigated thus far. This study fills this major scientific gap by describing the rainfall during ARs over the central United States using five remote sensing-based precipitation products over a 12-year study period. The products we consider are: Stage IV, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission - Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA, both real-time and research version); Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN); the CPC MORPHing Technique (CMORPH). As part of the study, we evaluate these products against a rain gauge-based dataset using both graphical- and metrics-based diagnostics. Based on our analyses, Stage IV is found to better reproduce the reference data. Hence, we use it for the characterization of rainfall in ARs. Most of the AR-rainfall is located in a narrow region within ∼150 km on both sides of the AR major axis. In this region, rainfall has a pronounced positive relationship with the magnitude of the water vapor transport. Moreover, we have also identified a consistent increase in rainfall intensity with duration (or persistence) of AR conditions. However, there is not a strong indication of diurnal variability in AR rainfall. These results can be directly used in developing flood protection strategies during ARs. Further, weather prediction agencies can benefit from the results of this study to achieve higher skill of resolving precipitation processes in their models.

37Ar and 39Ar in meteorites and the spatial cosmic ray gradient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heusser, G.; Schaeffer, O.A.

1977-01-01

Cosmic-ray-produced 37 Ar (tsub(1/2) = 35 days), and 39 Ar (tsub(1/2) = 269 years) in the Fe-Ni phase of meteorites have been studied in connection with their implications for the radial gradient of cosmic ray particles. For the chondrite, Canon City, which fell on October 27, 1973, 20.1 +- 1.5 dpm/kg FeNi of 37 Ar and 22.5 +- 1.4 dpm/kg FeNi of 39 Ar was found. Usually, the 37 Ar/ 39 Ar ratio is used to deduce a spatial gradient. However, 37 Ar data reported in the literature are inconsistent. They fluctuate much more than could be accounted for by different orbits and the anticipated correlation with the cosmic ray neutron registrations is rather weak. Consequently, the 37 Ar/ 39 Ar-derived gradient has a low confidence level. On the other hand, 39 Ar activities group close to a mean value of 22.5 dpm/kg FeNi and appear to be almost independent of the different meteoroid orbits. A comparison of measured 39 Ar activities in meteorites with those calculated for orbits obtained from fireball data shows that a gradient of 10%/Au or less is reconcilable with the experimental findings. The average gradient (E > 200 MeV) during the last 500 years was probably not much larger than that measured presently by the Pioneer 10 and 11, and Helios spacecrafts. (Auth.)

Photoionization study of HgAr

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linn, S.H.; Brom, J.M. Jr.; Tzeng, W.; Ng, C.Y.

1985-01-01

Photoionization efficiency data for HgAr + have been obtained in the region of 680--1240 A. The ionization energy of HgAr was determined to be 10.217 +- 0.012 eV. This value allows the calculation of the dissociation energy of HgAr + to be 0.228 +- 0.017 eV. The relative probabilities for the formation of HgAr + via the reactions Ar* x Hg or Hg* x Ar→ HgAr + +e - with Ar* and Hg* prepared in high Rydberg states in the energy range of 10.22--15.79 eV were estimated. Although the radii for the 3d and 5s Rydberg ortitals of Ar have similar values, the probabilities for the formation of HgAr + from Hg x Ar* with Ar* in the 5s[3/2] 0 1 and 5s'[1/2] 0 1 Rydberg states are substantially greater than those when the Ar* excited atoms are in the 3d[1/2] 0 1 , 3s[3/2] 0 1 , and 3d'[3/2] 0 1 Rydberg levels. The ratio for the cross sections for the formation of HgAr + from Hg x Ar* with Ar* formed in the 3d[1/2] 0 1 and 4d[1/2] 0 1 states, as well as that with Ar* prepared in the 5d[1/2] 0 1 and 6d[1/2] 0 1 states, were found to be consistent with the predictions of the previous impact parameter calculations

Action Research as Professional Development: Its Role in Education Reform in the United Arab Emirates

Science.gov (United States)

Hathorn, Conley; Dillon, Anna Marie

2018-01-01

This paper is concerned with exploring the microsystem of teachers' experiences with education reform within the action research (AR) model for professional development (PD). Within the macrosystem of current major education reform in the UAE, it is timely to explore teachers' experiences of AR as PD to improve pedagogy. The process of engaging in…

Electron transfer from H2 and Ar to stored multiply charged argon ions produced by synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kravis, S.D.; Church, D.A.; Johnson, B.M.; Meron, M.; Jones, K.W.; Levin, J.C.; Sellin, I.A.; Azuma, Y.; Berrah-Mansour, N.; Berry, H.G.; Druetta, M.

1992-01-01

The rate coefficients for electron transfer from Ar and H 2 to Ar q+ ions (3≤q≤6) have been measured using an ion-storage technique in a Penning ion trap. The ions were produced in the trap by K-shell photoionization of Ar atoms, using broadband synchrotron x-ray radiation. K-electron removal resulted in vacancy cascading, yielding a distribution of argon-ion charge states peaked near Ar 4+ . The stored ion gas had an initial temperature near 480 K. The basic data determining the rate coefficients k(Ar q+ ) are the storage time constants of each charge state in the trap, in the presence of a measured pressure of target gas. The results of the measurements (in units of 10 -9 cm 3 s -1 ) are k(Ar 3+ ,H 2 )=4.3(0.7), k(Ar 3+ ,Ar)=1.6(0.2), k(Ar 4+ ,H 2 )=5.2(0.6), k(Ar 4+ ,Ar)=2.5(0.3), k(Ar 5+ ,H 2 )=5.9(0.7), k(Ar 5+ ,Ar)=2.9(0.3), k(Ar 6+ ,H 2 )=8.5(1.2), and k(Ar 6+ ,Ar)=2.5(0.3)

Emergency preparedness with Ar-41 measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunst, Juan J.; Rodriguez, Monica; Ugarte, Ricardo; Vigile, Sebastian; Boutet, Luis; Jordan, Osvaldo; Hernandez, Daniel

2008-01-01

Full text: The Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN) of Argentina is training their intervention group in the forecast of radiological consequences in case of a radiological or nuclear accident. In this context it has begun the measurement of Ar-41 near the research reactor RA3. It is well known the Ar-41 production inside research reactor, and it has been studied like a good mean to validate atmosphere dispersion model occurrence, or to develop method to improve the estimation of the characteristic of the emission. The measurements were made in two laboratories of ARN, Gamma measurement Laboratory, and CTC (Total Body Counter) Laboratory near the research reactor RA3. The emission of Ar-41 were determined by Measurements Group of Environmental Control Division inside the research reactor. The laboratories are at SE and ESE direction from the reactor. After the passage of a cold front, the wind flown from SE, in this situation and if the reactor is operating we could detect the presence of Ar-41 in the environment. This meteorological situation can be forecast by information submitted by National Meteorological Service of Argentina (SMN) in a meteograma. To correlate and evaluate the concentration in this laboratory, first it was determined the direction and persistence of wind in the site using the forecast of the National Meteorological Service (SMN) of Argentina to establish when the detectors were irradiated, during the radiological measurements, the real time wind direction an velocities measurement were did, with a site meteorological tower. With this information and cloudiness we determined de stability class and concentration. To determine concentration we used the code Hotspot and our code SEDA developed in ARN. In this paper are present the calibration of GeH detectors, and the location of them. We present several measurements did in this experience. We analyze the capacity developed by our teams to predict changes in wind direction and concentrations

Age measurements of potassium-bearing sulfide minerals by the 40Ar/39Ar technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czamanske, G.K.; Lanphere, M.A.; Erd, R.C.; Blake, M.C. Jr.

1978-01-01

K-Ar ages have been determined for sulfide minerals for the first time. The occurrence of adequate amounts of potassium-bearing sulfides with ideal compositions K 3 Fe 10 S 14 (approximately 10 wt.% K) and KFe 2 S 3 (approximately 16 wt.% K) in samples from a mafic alkalic diatreme at Coyote Peak, California, prompted an attempt to date these materials. K 3 Fe 10 S 14 , a massive mineral with conchoidal fracture, gives an age of 29.4 +- 0.5 m.y. ( 40 Ar/ 39 Ar), indistinguishable from the 28.3 +- 0.4 m.y. ( 40 Ar/ 39 Ar) and 30.2 +- 1.0 m.y. (conventional K-Ar) ages obtained for associated phlogopite (8.7 wt.% K). KFe 2 S 3 , a bladed, fibrous sulfide, gives a younger age, 26.5 +- 0.5 m.y. ( 40 Ar/ 39 Ar), presumably owing to Ar loss. (Auth.)

Institutional, Individual, and Socio-Cultural Domains of Partnerships: A Typology of USDA Forest Service Recreation Partners

Science.gov (United States)

Seekamp, Erin; Cerveny, Lee K.; McCreary, Allie

2011-09-01

Federal land management agencies, such as the USDA Forest Service, have expanded the role of recreation partners reflecting constrained growth in appropriations and broader societal trends towards civic environmental governance. Partnerships with individual volunteers, service groups, commercial outfitters, and other government agencies provide the USDA Forest Service with the resources necessary to complete projects and meet goals under fiscal constraints. Existing partnership typologies typically focus on collaborative or strategic alliances and highlight organizational dimensions (e.g., structure and process) defined by researchers. This paper presents a partner typology constructed from USDA Forest Service partnership practitioners' conceptualizations of 35 common partner types. Multidimensional scaling of data from unconstrained pile sorts identified 3 distinct cultural dimensions of recreation partners—specifically, partnership character, partner impact, and partner motivations—that represent institutional, individual, and socio-cultural cognitive domains. A hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis provides further insight into the various domains of agency personnel's conceptualizations. While three dimensions with high reliability (RSQ = 0.83) and corresponding hierarchical clusters illustrate commonality between agency personnel's partnership suppositions, this study also reveals variance in personnel's familiarity and affinity for specific partnership types. This real-world perspective on partner types highlights that agency practitioners not only make strategic choices when selecting and cultivating partnerships to accomplish critical task, but also elect to work with partners for the primary purpose of providing public service and fostering land stewardship.

Ar-Ar dating techniques for terrestrial meteorite impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Kelley, S. P.

2003-04-01

The ages of the largest (>100 km) known impacts on Earth are now well characterised. However the ages of many intermediate sized craters (20-100 km) are still poorly known, often the only constraints are stratigraphic - the difference between the target rock age and the age of crater filling sediments. The largest impacts result in significant melt bodies which cool to form igneous rocks and can be dated using conventional radiometric techniques. Smaller impacts give rise to thin bands of melted rock or melt clasts intimately mixed with country rock clasts in breccia deposits, and present much more of a challenge to dating. The Ar-Ar dating technique can address a wide variety of complex and heterogeneous samples associated with meteorite impacts and obtain reasonable ages. Ar-Ar results will be presented from a series of terrestrial meteorite impact craters including Boltysh (65.17±0.64 Ma, Strangways (646±42 Ma), and St Martin (220±32 Ma) and a Late Triassic spherule bed, possibly representing distal deposits from Manicouagan (214±1 Ma) crater. Samples from the Boltysh and Strangways craters demonstrate the importance of rapid cooling upon the retention of old ages in glassy impact rocks. A Late Triassic spherule bed in SW England is cemented by both carbonate and K-feldspar cements allowing Ar-Ar dating of fine grained cement to place a mimimum age upon the age of the associated impact. An age of 214.7±2.5 Ma places the deposit with errors of the age of the Manicouagan impact, raising the possibility that it may represent a distal deposit (the deposit lay around 2000 km away from the site of the Manicouagan crater during the Late Triassic). Finally the limits of the technique will be demonstrated using an attempt to date melt rocks from the St Martin Crater in Canada.

Aquatic Plant Control Research Program. Moneoecious hydrilla in the Potomac River.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-08-01

K. Van USDA/ARS 3205 SW College Avenue Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314 Dr. Howard E. Westerdahl * US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station ATTN: WESES-A...PO Box 631 Vicksburg, MS 39180-0631 * Dr. Westerdahl was primarily responsible for the development of this chapter and should be used as a point of...composition of the water system ( Westerdahl 1981). The literature is often contradictory in regard to these effects. Walker (1963) found increases in the

ScattAR

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baldwin, Alex Dempster; Serafin, Stefania; Erkut, Cumhur

2017-01-01

We present an augmented reality (AR) audio application where scattering delay networks efficiently generate and organize a reverberator, based on room geometry scanned by an AR device. The application allows for real-time processing and updating of reflection path geometry. It provides a proof...

Ar-39/Ar-40 systematics of Allende inclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herzog, G.F.; Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ); Bence, A.E.

1980-01-01

A laser microprobe was used to measure the Ar isotopic contents of individual mineral grains in four neutron-irradiated Allende samples: two coarse-grained Ca-Al-rich inclusions, one fine-grained Ca-Al-rich inclusion, and one sample with matrix and miscellaneous chondrules. The following K-Ar ages (G.y.) were obtained after degassing low Ar retentive sites by preheating the samples for one hour at 675 C: matrix, 3.5 + or - 0.2 three miscellaneous chondrules, 4.4 + or - 0.1, 4.0 + or - 0.1, and 4.4 + or - 0.1 and the fine-grained inclusion, 4.5 + or - 0.2. The minerals in the coarse-grained Ca-Al-rich inclusions have ubiquitous chlorine, less than 10 ppm K and apparent ages ranging upwards from 4.6 G.y. to well over 10 G.y. Possible explanations for these apparent ages are atmospheric contamination, the decay of K-40 prior to the formation of the solar system, and the trapping of radiogenic Ar-40 lost by the matrix

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service research in application technology for pest management.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, L A; Thomson, S J

2003-01-01

A research summary is presented that emphasizes ARS achievements in application technology over the past 2-3 years. Research focused on the improvement of agricultural pesticide application is important from the standpoint of crop protection as well as environmental safety. Application technology research is being actively pursued within the ARS, with a primary focus on application system development, drift management, efficacy enhancement and remote sensing. Research on application systems has included sensor-controlled hooded sprayers, new approaches to direct chemical injection, and aerial electrostatic sprayers. For aerial application, great improvements in on-board flow controllers permit accurate field application of chemicals. Aircraft parameters such as boom position and spray release height are being altered to determine their effect on drift. Other drift management research has focused on testing of low-drift nozzles, evaluation of pulsed spray technologies and evaluation of drift control adjuvants. Research on the use of air curtain sprayers in orchards, air-assist sprayers for row crops and vegetables, and air deflectors on aircraft has documented improvements in application efficacy. Research has shown that the fate of applied chemicals is influenced by soil properties, and this has implications for herbicide efficacy and dissipation in the environment. Remote sensing systems are being used to target areas in the field where pests are present so that spray can be directed to only those areas. Soil and crop conditions influence propensity for weeds and insects to proliferate in any given field area. Research has indicated distinct field patterns favorable for weed growth and insect concentration, which can provide further assistance for targeted spraying.

Resources for blueberry growers

Science.gov (United States)

Local extension agents and USDA-ARS research scientists are excellent resources for various aspects of blueberry production, but several print and web-based resources are also available to help commercial blueberry growers. Growers are encouraged to consider the source for all web-based information....

Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment Tool (AGWA) Poster Presentation

Science.gov (United States)

The Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment tool (AGWA, see: www.tucson.ars.ag.gov/agwa or http://www.epa.gov/esd/land-sci/agwa/) is a GIS interface jointly developed by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the University of Arizona...

AGWA: The Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment Tool

Science.gov (United States)

The Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment Tool (AGWA, see: www.tucson.ars.ag.gov/agwa or http://www.epa.gov/esd/land-sci/agwa/) is a GIS interface jointly developed by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the University of Arizona...

Spatial Modeling for Resources Framework (SMRF)

Science.gov (United States)

Spatial Modeling for Resources Framework (SMRF) was developed by Dr. Scott Havens at the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Boise, ID. SMRF was designed to increase the flexibility of taking measured weather data and distributing the point measurements across a watershed. SMRF was developed...

Notice of release of Syn1 Tall Fescue

Science.gov (United States)

The Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture announces the release of Syn1 tall fescue [Festuca arundinacea (syn., Lolium arundinaceum Darbyshire; Schedonorus phoenix (Scop.) Holub)] (PI xxxx, PI xxxx) germplasm developed by Dr. Bryan K. Kindiger at the USDA-ARS Grazinglands Res...

Targeting AR Variant-Coactivator Interactions to Exploit Prostate Cancer Vulnerabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Magani, Fiorella; Peacock, Stephanie O; Rice, Meghan A; Martinez, Maria J; Greene, Ann M; Magani, Pablo S; Lyles, Rolando; Weitz, Jonathan R; Burnstein, Kerry L

2017-11-01

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) progresses rapidly and is incurable. Constitutively active androgen receptor splice variants (AR-Vs) represent a well-established mechanism of therapeutic resistance and disease progression. These variants lack the AR ligand-binding domain and, as such, are not inhibited by androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which is the standard systemic approach for advanced prostate cancer. Signaling by AR-Vs, including the clinically relevant AR-V7, is augmented by Vav3, an established AR coactivator in CRPC. Using mutational and biochemical studies, we demonstrated that the Vav3 Diffuse B-cell lymphoma homology (DH) domain interacted with the N-terminal region of AR-V7 (and full length AR). Expression of the Vav3 DH domain disrupted Vav3 interaction with and enhancement of AR-V7 activity. The Vav3 DH domain also disrupted AR-V7 interaction with other AR coactivators: Src1 and Vav2, which are overexpressed in PC. This Vav3 domain was used in proof-of-concept studies to evaluate the effects of disrupting the interaction between AR-V7 and its coactivators on CRPC cells. This disruption decreased CRPC cell proliferation and anchorage-independent growth, caused increased apoptosis, decreased migration, and resulted in the acquisition of morphological changes associated with a less aggressive phenotype. While disrupting the interaction between FL-AR and its coactivators decreased N-C terminal interaction, disrupting the interaction of AR-V7 with its coactivators decreased AR-V7 nuclear levels. Implications: This study demonstrates the potential therapeutic utility of inhibiting constitutively active AR-V signaling by disrupting coactivator binding. Such an approach is significant, as AR-Vs are emerging as important drivers of CRPC that are particularly recalcitrant to current therapies. Mol Cancer Res; 15(11); 1469-80. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

40Ar/ 39Ar and paleomagnetic results from Liberia and the Precambrian APW data base for the West African Shield

Science.gov (United States)

Onstott, T. C.; Dorbor, J.

Lower amphibolite to granulite facies metamorphic rocks in Nimba County, Liberia have yielded 2.2-2.9 Ga RbSr whole rock ages, indicating that they are part of the Archean Liberian age province. We report a 2040 Ma 4040Ar/ 39Ar plateau date on hornblende from an amphibolite in this region, and suggest that these rocks were also severelyreworked during the Eburnean (˜2.0 Ga) metamorphic episode. 40Ar/ 39Ar analyses of biotite and feldspars from neighboring schists also indicate the presence of two mild thermal events, at 1.5 Ga and 0.6 Ga. Paleomagnetic analyses of samples from these same metamorphic rocks reveal three components of magnetization. The predominant and most stable component (273°E, 21°N) is considered to have been acquired as a result of pos Eburnean uplift and cooling at ˜ 2.0 Ga, whereas the two less stable components with poles at 235°E, 43°N and 16°E, 36°N, probably correlate with the 1.5 Ga and 0.6 Ga thermal pulses, respectively. Rock units from southern Liberia also yield two secondary magnetizations, one at 247°E, 37°N and the other at 104°E, 5°N, and a 1.5 Ga 40Ar/ 39Ar date on plagioclase. Comparison of the paleomagnetic poles corresponding to the ˜2.0 Ga Eburnean component with published paleomagnetic data for West Africa is not consistent with prior interpretations of the polar wander path for West Africa. Our paleomagnetic data, when compared to poles of comparable age from the Kalahari Shield, still suggest that some form of displacement has occurred between the Kalahari and West African Shields since 2.0 Ga.

AR copy number and AR signaling-directed therapies in castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvi, Samanta; Conteduca, Vincenza; Lolli, Cristian; Testoni, Sara; Casadio, Valentina; Zaccheroni, Andrea; Rossi, Lorena; Burgio, Salvatore Luca; Menna, Cecilia; Schepisi, Giuseppe; De Giorgi, Ugo

2017-11-22

Adaptive upregulation of androgen receptor (AR) is the most common event involved in the progression from hormone sensitive to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). AR signaling remains the main target of new AR signalling-directed therapies such as abiraterone and enzalutamide in CRPC patients. In this review, we discuss general mechanisms of resistance to AR-targeted therapies, with a focus on the role of AR copy number (CN). We reported methods and clinical applications of AR CN evaluation in tissue and liquid biopsy, thus to have a complete information regarding its role as predictive and prognostic biomarker. Outcomes of CRPC patients are reported to be highly variable as consequence of tumor heterogeneity. AR CN could contribute to patient selection and tumor monitoring in CRPC treated with new anti-cancer treatment as abiraterone and enzalutamide. Further studies to investigate AR CN effect to these agents and its potential combination with other prognostic or predictive clinical factors are necessary in the context of harmonized clinical trial design. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

AR4VI: AR as an Accessibility Tool for People with Visual Impairments.

Science.gov (United States)

Coughlan, James M; Miele, Joshua

2017-10-01

Although AR technology has been largely dominated by visual media, a number of AR tools using both visual and auditory feedback have been developed specifically to assist people with low vision or blindness - an application domain that we term Augmented Reality for Visual Impairment (AR4VI). We describe two AR4VI tools developed at Smith-Kettlewell, as well as a number of pre-existing examples. We emphasize that AR4VI is a powerful tool with the potential to remove or significantly reduce a range of accessibility barriers. Rather than being restricted to use by people with visual impairments, AR4VI is a compelling universal design approach offering benefits for mainstream applications as well.

40Ar/39Ar age spectra from the KBS Tuff, Koobi Fora Formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDougall, I.

1981-01-01

40 Ar/ 39 Ar age spectra on anorthoclase phenocrysts from three pumice clasts in the KBS Tuff yield nearly ideal flat patterns, providing good evidence that the samples have remained undisturbed since crystallization. The ages are concordant at 1.88 = 0.02 Myr, and confirm that the KBS Tuff, a key marker bed in the Koobi Fora Formation, northern Kenya, is now very well dated. These results resolve the conflict between earlier 40 Ar/ 39 Ar and conventional K-Ar dating measurements on the KBS Tuff. (author)

40Ar/39Ar age spectra from the KBS Tuff, Koobi Fora Formation.

Science.gov (United States)

McDougall, Ian

1981-11-12

40 Ar/ 39 Ar age spectra on anorthoclase phenocrysts from three pumice clasts in the KBS Tuff yield nearly ideal flat patterns, providing good evidence that the samples have remained undisturbed since crystallization. The ages are concordant at 1.88±0.02 Myr, and confirm that the KBS Tuff, a key marker bed in the Koobi Fora Formation, northern Kenya, is now very well dated. These results resolve the conflict between earlier 40 Ar/ 39 Ar and conventional K-Ar dating measurements on the KBS Tuff.

MonitAR, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — We propose to develop MonitAR, an Augmented Reality (AR) system that provides procedure completion guidance to astronauts. MonitAR will replace guidance from mission...

75 FR 51978 - United States Standards for Grades of Pineapple Juice

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-24

...-327] United States Standards for Grades of Pineapple Juice AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice; correction. SUMMARY: The United States Standards for Grades of Pineapple Juice... e-mail [email protected] . Corrected copies of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Pineapple...

AR4VI: AR as an Accessibility Tool for People with Visual Impairments

OpenAIRE

Coughlan, James M.; Miele, Joshua

2017-01-01

Although AR technology has been largely dominated by visual media, a number of AR tools using both visual and auditory feedback have been developed specifically to assist people with low vision or blindness – an application domain that we term Augmented Reality for Visual Impairment (AR4VI). We describe two AR4VI tools developed at Smith-Kettlewell, as well as a number of pre-existing examples. We emphasize that AR4VI is a powerful tool with the potential to remove or significantly reduce a r...

Reevaluation of the Solar Wind 36Ar/38Ar Ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, R. H.; Schlutter, D. J.; Rider, P. E.; Pepin, R. O.

1996-03-01

The isotopic composition of solar wind (SW) argon is an important parameter in the modeling of the evolution of the terrestrial planet atmospheres. Anders and Grevesse assumed a 36Ar/38Ar ratio for SW of 5.31, essentially equal to that of air. Considerable evidence has since developed which indicates that this ratio is too low. Benkert et al. have reported their best estimate for the recent SW as 5.48 +/- 0.05, determined from measurements of lunar soil 71501. Based on Ar data obtained from surface oxidation of a metal separate from the Weston meteorite and from an uncontrolled etch of lunar sample 67701, reported by our group previously, we consider even this value to be too low. Since values of 5.75 to 5.85 were reported by Black for initial low temperature (fairly high SW 36Ar/38Ar ratio (in the range of ~5.6 to ~5.7), we decided to analyze Kapoeta for its light solar wind gases using the acid-etching techniques developed in our laboratory based on the CSSE procedure of Benkert et al.

40Ar/39Ar laser-probe dating of diamond inclusions from the Premier kimberlite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, D.; Onstott, T.C.; Harris, J.W.; Strathclyde Univ., Glasgow

1989-01-01

Inclusions encapsulated by diamonds at the time of their formation provide a means for determining diamond crystallization ages and the chemistry of the surrounding upper mantle at that time. Sm-Nd studies of peridotitic inclusions, from Cretaceous-age kimberlites in southern Africa, suggest that the diamonds formed 3.3 Gyr ago. By contrast, eclogite-suite inclusions generally yield younger ages, sometimes approaching the time of kimberlite eruption. Here we report the results of 40 Ar/ 39 Ar laser-probe analyses of individual eclogitic clinopyroxene inclusions from Premier diamonds, which yield a mean age of 1,198±14 Myr. This age agrees well with Sm-Nd and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar analyses on similar Premier inclusions, and is indistinguishable from the inferred time of emplacement of the host kimberlite (1,150-1,230 Myr), which implies that diamond formation was essentially synchronous with kimberlite generation. The extrapolated non-radiogenic 40 Ar/ 36 Ar ratio of 334±102 is similar to the present-day atmospheric composition. This value is inconsistent with Sr and Nd isotopic signatures from Premier eclogite inclusions, which suggest a depleted mantle source ( 40 Ar/ 36 Ar>20,000). Pre-entrapment equilibration of the inclusions with an 36 Ar-rich fluid is the most probable explanation for the low non-radiogenic ( 40 Ar/ 36 Ar) composition. (author)

USDA updates nutrient values for fast food pizza

Science.gov (United States)

Consumption of quick service pizza has increased as Americans are spending more on food away from home. Pizza is consistently a primary Key Food in the USDA National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP) because it is a contributor of more than 14 nutrients of public health significance to the...

Ars disyecta Ars disyecta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandra Castillo

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Bajo la nominación Ars Disyecta se busca exponer el vínculo entre artes visuales, feminismo y metamorfosis. Las prácticas artísticas feministas aquí presentadas se proponen perturbar el espacio metafórico heredado de la diferencia sexual (pensemos, por ejemplo, en las palabras engendramiento, matriz, vida, compenetración o invaginamiento. En este sentido, la nominación Ars disyecta pone en escena un conjunto de prácticas e intervenciones que intentan interrumpir la matriz de la diferencia, desestabilizando lo femenino desde aquellas figuras que se resisten a la lógica de la totalidad y de un tiempo propio. Buscando seguir la huella de un arte disyecto es que interrogaré en este ensayo aquellas autorías feministas que en el arte contemporáneo trafican con las huellas del contagio, la mutación y la alteridad.This article aims to present the relation between visual arts, feminism I and metamorphosis. The feminist artistic practices portrayed in this article attempt to question categories inherited from the metaphor of sexual difference such as engendering, matrix and life. From this perspective, Ars disyecta will establish a set of artistic practices and interventions that intend to interrupt the proper idea of «feminine difference». Following this line of argument, I will discuss in this article a few contemporary feminist works of art that could be defined by words such as contagious, mutation and otherness.

40Ar-39Ar method for age estimation: principles, technique and application in orogenic regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dalmejer, R.

1984-01-01

A variety of the K-Ar method for age estimation by 40 Ar/ 39 Ar recently developed is described. This method doesn't require direct analysis of potassium, its content is calculated as a function of 39 Ar, which is formed from 39 K under neutron activation. Errors resulted from interactions between potassium and calcium nuclei with neutrons are considered. The attention is paid to the technique of gradual heating, used in 40 Ar- 39 Ar method, and of obtaining age spectrum. Aplicabilities of isochronous diagram is discussed for the case of presence of excessive argon in a sample. Examples of 40 Ar- 39 Ar method application for dating events in orogenic regions are presented

Evidence of interatomic Coulombic decay in ArKr after Ar 2p Auger decay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morishita, Y; Saito, N; Suzuki, I H; Fukuzawa, H; Liu, X-J; Sakai, K; Pruemper, G; Ueda, K; Iwayama, H; Nagaya, K; Yao, M; Kreidi, K; Schoeffler, M; Jahnke, T; Schoessler, S; Doerner, R; Weber, T; Harries, J; Tamenori, Y

2008-01-01

We have identified interatomic Coulombic decay (ICD) processes in the ArKr dimer following Ar 2p Auger decay, using momentum-resolved electron-ion-ion coincidence spectroscopy and simultaneously determining the kinetic energy of the ICD electron and the KER between Ar 2+ and Kr + . We find that the spin-conserved ICD processes in which Ar 2+ (3p -3 3d) 1 P and 3 P decay to Ar 2+ (3p -2 ) 1 D and 3 P, respectively, ionizing the Kr atom, are significantly stronger than the spin-flip ICD processes in which Ar 2+ (3p -3 3d) 1 P and 3 P decay to Ar 2+ (3p -2 ) 3 P and 1 D, respectively

The USDA Cranberry Entomology Lab: Highlights from 2011-2017

Science.gov (United States)

Biological, chemical, and cultural control methods have been investigated as part of the cranberry crop protection program pursued in the USDA Cranberry Entomology Laboratory. Surveys of native entomopathogenic nematodes in Wisconsin have produced a new bio-insecticide agent (Oscheius onirici subsp....

Photodissociation dynamics of Ar2(+) and Ar3(+) excited by 527 nm photons.

Science.gov (United States)

Lepère, V; Picard, Y J; Barat, M; Fayeton, J A; Lucas, B; Béroff, K

2009-05-21

The photofragmentation dynamics of Ar(2)(+) and Ar(3)(+) clusters has been investigated at a 527 nm wavelength (2.35 eV) using a setup that allows simultaneous detection of the ionic and neutral fragments in a coincidence experiment. Measurement of positions and times of flight enables in principle a complete description of the fragmentation dynamics. The photofragmentation dynamics of Ar(3)(+) clusters is similar to that of Ar(2)(+) with, in addition, the ejection of a third fragment that can be neutral or ionized via a resonant electron capture. This is attributed to the triangular geometry of the Ar(3)(+) ion.

ONC201 Targets AR and AR-V7 Signaling, Reduces PSA, and Synergizes with Everolimus in Prostate Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Lev, Avital; Lulla, Amriti R; Ross, Brian C; Ralff, Marie D; Makhov, Petr B; Dicker, David T; El-Deiry, Wafik S

2018-05-01

Androgen receptor (AR) signaling plays a key role in prostate cancer progression, and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a mainstay clinical treatment regimen for patients with advanced disease. Unfortunately, most prostate cancers eventually become androgen-independent and resistant to ADT with patients progressing to metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Constitutively activated AR variants (AR-V) have emerged as mediators of resistance to AR-targeted therapy and the progression of mCRPC, and they represent an important therapeutic target. Out of at least 15 AR-Vs described thus far, AR-V7 is the most abundant, and its expression correlates with ADT resistance. ONC201/TIC10 is the founding member of the imipridone class of small molecules and has shown anticancer activity in a broad range of tumor types. ONC201 is currently being tested in phase I/II clinical trials for advanced solid tumors, including mCRPC, and hematologic malignancies. There has been promising activity observed in patients in early clinical testing. This study demonstrates preclinical single-agent efficacy of ONC201 using in vitro and in vivo models of prostate cancer. ONC201 has potent antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects in both castration-resistant and -sensitive prostate cancer cells. Furthermore, the data demonstrate that ONC201 downregulates the expression of key drivers of prostate cancer such as AR-V7 and downstream target genes including the clinically used biomarker PSA (KLK3). Finally, the data also provide a preclinical rationale for combination of ONC201 with approved therapeutics for prostate cancer such as enzalutamide, everolimus (mTOR inhibitor), or docetaxel. Implications: The preclinical efficacy of ONC201 as a single agent or in combination, in hormone-sensitive or castration-resistant prostate cancer, suggests the potential for immediate clinical translation. Mol Cancer Res; 16(5); 754-66. ©2018 AACR . ©2018 American Association for Cancer

Performance of a small wind powered water pumping system

Science.gov (United States)

Lorentz helical pumps (Henstedt-Ulzburg, Germany) have been powered by solar energy for remote water pumping applications for many years, but from October 2005 to March 2008 a Lorentz helical pump was powered by wind energy at the USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory (CPRL) near ...

‘Baby Blues’ highbush blueberry

Science.gov (United States)

‘Baby Blues’ is a new highbush blueberry from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) breeding program in Corvallis, OR, released in cooperation with Oregon State University’s Agricultural Experiment Station. ‘Baby Blues’ is a vigorous, high-yielding, very small-f...

Azadirachtin powder for control of root-knot nematodes in tomato

Science.gov (United States)

USDA ARS Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, 64 Nowelo St., Hilo, HI 96720. Root-knot nematodes cause root galling and yield reductions in many vegetable crops, including tomato. Three organic treatments to improve root growth and reduce nematode infestation were eval...

Monitoring sodium in commercially processed foods from stores and restaurants

Science.gov (United States)

Most of the sodium we eat comes from commercially processed foods from stores and restaurants. Sodium reduction in these foods is a key component of several recent public health efforts. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of USDA, CDC and FDA have launched a collaborative program to monitor sodium ...

76 FR 40677 - Notice of Intent To Grant Exclusive License

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-11

... Research Service, intends to grant to P & M Plastics, Inc. of Mountainair, New Mexico, an exclusive license..., 2011. ADDRESSES: Send comments to: USDA, ARS, Office of Technology Transfer, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Rm... of Technology Transfer at the Beltsville address given above; telephone: 301-504-5989. SUPPLEMENTARY...

76 FR 38108 - Notice of Intent to Grant Exclusive License

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-29

... Research Service, intends to grant to P & M Signs, Inc. of Mountainair, New Mexico, an exclusive license to... July 29, 2011. ADDRESSES: Send comments to: USDA, ARS, Office of Technology Transfer, 5601 Sunnyside... Office of Technology Transfer at the Beltsville address given above; telephone: 301-504-5989...

Maize Genetic Resources Collections – Utilizing a Treasure Trove

Science.gov (United States)

The maize genetic resource collection managed by the USDA-ARS's National Plant Germplasm System is heavily utilized by researchers and educators. A collection of landraces, inbred lines from public and private sector sources, synthetics and key populations, it serves both as a living snapshot of th...

Agricultural, Runoff, Erosion and Salinity (ARES) Database to Better Evaluate Rangeland State and Sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Rangelands comprise approximately 40% of the earth’s surface and are the largest land cover type in the world. Degradation from mismanagement, desertification, and drought impact more than 50% of rangelands across the globe. The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has been evaluating means of r...

Pneumatic transport devices based on the ARS equipment set for activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanov, I.V.; Ivanets, V.N.; Rogachev, V.M.; Zakharov, E.A.

1978-01-01

The AGIDEL and ARS-28G facilities manufactured on the basis of a set of standardized and aggregated products for activation analysis are described. The AGIDEL is designed for automatic activation analysis of relatively homogeneous samples from oil boreholes. The ARS-28G is designed for transporting the test samples during activation analysis, using a fast-neutron generator. Structurally, the ARS-28 is based on a pneumatic transportation system with two independenhat transport cnnels and a two-channel rotating irradiation unit. The analyzed samples are transported in polyethylene containers, which are moved by compressed air. The facility has been successfully tested and is used in an automated system for multielement activation analysis

Multimodal actions of the phytochemical sulforaphane suppress both AR and AR-V7 in 22Rv1 cells: Advocating a potent pharmaceutical combination against castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Khurana, Namrata; Kim, Hogyoung; Chandra, Partha K; Talwar, Sudha; Sharma, Pankaj; Abdel-Mageed, Asim B; Sikka, Suresh C; Mondal, Debasis

2017-11-01

Prostate cancer (PCa) cells expressing full-length androgen receptor (AR-FL) are susceptible to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). However, outgrowth of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) can occur due to the expression of constitutively active (ligand-independent) AR splice variants, particularly AR-V7. We previously demonstrated that sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate phytochemical, can decrease AR-FL levels in the PCa cell lines, LNCaP and C4-2B. Here, we examined the efficacy of SFN in targeting both AR-FL and AR-V7 in the CRPC cell line, CWR22Rv1 (22Rv1). MTT cell viability, wound-heal assay, and colony forming unit (CFU) measurements revealed that 22Rv1 cells are resistant to the anti-androgen, enzalutamide (ENZ). However, co-exposure to SFN sensitized these cells to the potent anticancer effects of ENZ (PAR-FL and AR-V7 levels, and immunofluorescence microscopy (IFM) depicted decreased AR in both cytoplasm and nucleus with SFN treatment. SFN increased both ubiquitination and proteasomal activity in 22Rv1 cells. Studies using a protein synthesis inhibitor (cycloheximide) or a proteasomal inhibitor (MG132) indicated that SFN increases both ubiquitin-mediated aggregation and subsequent proteasomal-degradation of AR proteins. Previous studies reported that SFN inhibits the chaperone activity of heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and induces the nuclear factor erythroid-2-like 2 (Nrf2) transcription factor. Therefore, we investigated whether the Hsp90 inhibitor, ganetespib (G) or the Nrf2 activator, bardoxolone methyl (BM) can similarly suppress AR levels in 22Rv1 cells. Low doses of G and BM, alone or in combination, decreased both AR-FL and AR-V7 levels, and combined exposure to G+BM sensitized 22Rv1 cells to ENZ. Therefore, adjunct treatment with the phytochemical SFN or a safe pharmaceutical combination of G+BM may be effective against CRPC cells, especially those expressing AR-V7.

The effects of acid treatment and sample preparation on 40Ar/39Ar ages

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, L. E.; Davidheiser, B.; Kuiper, K.; Wijbrans, J. R.

2011-12-01

Practitioners of K-Ar and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology regularly use dilute acids (typically 5-10% hydrofluoric acid (HF)) to clean mineral grains prior to irradiation (in the case of 40Ar/39Ar), and analysis (e.g. Evernden and Curtis, 1965; Dalrymple, 1967). This treatment has been shown to reduce contamination from atmospheric Ar, which consists largely of 40Ar and thus must be differentiated from radiogenic 40Ar* (Evernden and Curtis, 1965). Acid treatments can also remove fine grained material attached to mineral grains, such as glass shards or devitrified glass, which can affect analyses and is difficult to remove by other means (Evernden and Curtis, 1965). Such treatments were originally examined for their efficacy in reducing atmospheric argon contamination (Dalrymple, 1967) but were not assessed for the possibility of leaching Ar* or K differentially, which would affect both K-Ar and 40Ar/39Ar ages. Indeed, Evernden and Curtis (1965) state that they are simply removing the "outer portions of the crystals" and apparently do not account for the potential for leaching of 40Ar* or K from the mass of their host mineral. Moreover, the capabilities of the K-Ar system in the 1960s was limited to a precision of ca. 3-4% on samples of 1-3 Ma (Cox and Dalrymple, 1967). Effects of smaller magnitude could not have been detected at the time. As the developments of the 40Ar/39Ar system and modern mass spectrometer technology have allowed for precision to approach 0.1%, the potential effects of acid treatment during sample preparation warrant revisiting. Additionally, the use of Calgon for sample disintegration has not previously been quantitatively assessed but is used extensively in some laboratories. Here we present a series of experiments from co-irradiated Fish Canyon sanidine (FCs) and Mes-4 (Kuiper et al., 2008). FCs is used as the mineral standard following standard procedures. Mes-4 splits were treated with H2O (10 minutes, ultrasonic), Calgon (10%, overnight at 50�

Consumer assessment of beef tenderloin steaks from various USDA quality grades at 3 degrees of doneness.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Quinn, Travis G; Brooks, J Chance; Miller, Markus F

2015-02-01

A consumer study was conducted to determine palatability ratings of beef tenderloin steaks from USDA Choice, USDA Select, and USDA Select with marbling scores from Slight 50 to 100 (USDA High Select) cooked to various degrees of doneness. Steaks were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 degree of doneness categories: very-rare, medium-rare, or well-done. Consumers (N = 315) were screened for preference of degree of doneness and fed 4 samples of their preferred doneness (a warm-up and one from each USDA quality grade treatment in a random order). Consumers evaluated steaks on an 8-point verbally anchored hedonic scale for tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and overall like as well as rated steaks as acceptable or unacceptable for all palatability traits. Quality grade had no effect (P > 0.05) on consumer ratings for tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and overall like scores, with all traits averaging above a 7 ("like very much") on the 8-point scale. In addition, no differences (P > 0.05) were found in the percentage of samples rated as acceptable for all palatability traits, with more than 94% of samples rated acceptable for each trait in all quality grades evaluated. Steaks cooked to well-done had lower (P Choice and Select quality grades. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

40Ar/36Ar in MORB glasses: Constraints on atmosphere and mantle evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarda, P.; Staudacher, T.; Allegre, C.J.; Paris-7 Univ., 75

1985-01-01

Argon isotopic composition measurements of MORB glassy samples from the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans are performed. There is a very large scatter in the 40 Ar/ 36 Ar ratio, from 980 up to 24,400 for bulk rock analyses, which is mainly due to atmospheric contamination: Using the stepwise heating technique, very high ratios are obtained, from 15,000 up to 25,250 which is the highest 40 Ar/ 36 Ar ratio ever measured in MORB. We establish a negative correlation between the highest 40 Ar/ 36 Ar results from stepwise heating and 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios, which is perfectly consistent with a two-layered mantle structure. From both 40 Ar and 129 Xe MORB systematics a model is proposed for the kinetics of degassing: a very early and extensive burst, with a time constant of approx.= 4 My, is followed by a slower process of present day type, with a time constant of approx.= 0.5 Gy. The mean age of the atmosphere is so determined to be around 4.4 Gy. (orig./WB)

Adherence to the USDA Food Guide, DASH Eating Plan, and Mediterranean dietary pattern reduces risk of colorectal adenoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Dixon, L Beth; Subar, Amy F; Peters, Ulrike; Weissfeld, Joel L; Bresalier, Robert S; Risch, Adam; Schatzkin, Arthur; Hayes, Richard B

2007-11-01

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include quantitative recommendations for 2 eating patterns, the USDA Food Guide and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Eating Plan, to promote optimal health and reduce disease risk. A Mediterranean dietary pattern has also been promoted for health benefits. Our objective was to determine whether adherence to the USDA Food Guide recommendations, the DASH Eating Plan, or a Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with reduced risk of distal colorectal adenoma. In the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, men and women aged 55-74 y were screened for colorectal cancer by sigmoidoscopy at 10 centers in the U.S. After adjusting for potential confounders, men who most complied with the USDA Food Guide recommendations had a 26% reduced risk of colorectal adenoma compared with men who least complied with the recommendations (OR USDA score >or= 5 vs. dietary pattern. Women who most complied with the USDA Food Guide recommendations had an 18% reduced risk for colorectal adenoma, but subgroup analyses revealed protective associations only for current smokers (OR USDA score >or= 5 vs. or= 5 vs. dietary recommendations or a Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with reduced risk of colorectal adenoma, especially in men.

40Ar/39Ar geochronology of the El Teniente porphyry copper deposit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maksaev, V; Munizaga, F; McWilliams, M; Thiele, K; Arevalo, A; Zuniga, P; Floody, R

2001-01-01

breccias. Phyllic alteration primarily occurs as quartz-sericite haloes of quartz-sulfide-sulfate veinlets within the perimeter of the orebody, and slightly overprints potassic alteration. Propylitic alteration occurs largely peripheral to ore-grade rock. The relatively restricted development of phyllic alteration and the occurrence of the central breccia conflict with the classic porphyry copper model of Lowell and Gilbert (1970), but El Teniente may be regarded as a 'variation on a theme' of the classic model, as suggested by Gustafson and Hunt (1975). The exceedingly large size of the El Teniente deposit, coupled with its apparently young mineralization age prompted us to initiate a systematic 40 Ar/ 39 Ar study whose goals are to determine the age(s) of the hydrothermal event(s) that produced such a remarkable copper concentration and ultimately to estimate the duration of the hydrothermal activity at El Teniente. This is particularly relevant to an understanding of the processes that formed super-giant high-grade copper deposits in the Chilean Andes and elsewhere. We report here 32 total fusion 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages from sericite and biotite from different lithologic units of El Teniente and five step-heating 40 Ar- 39 Ar ages of samples previously dated using conventional K-Ar methods (Cuadra, 1986) (au)

Final work plan : phase I investigation of potential contamination at the former CCC/USDA grain storage facility in Montgomery City, Missouri.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, L. M.; Environmental Science Division

2010-08-16

former grain storage facility, the CCC/USDA will conduct investigations to (1) characterize the source(s), extent, and factors controlling the possible subsurface distribution and movement of carbon tetrachloride at the Montgomery City site and (2) evaluate the health and environmental threats potentially represented by the contamination. This work will be performed in accord with the Intergovernmental Agreement established between the Farm Service Agency of the USDA and the MoDNR, to address carbon tetrachloride contamination potentially associated with a number of former CCC/USDA grain storage facilities in Missouri. The investigations at Montgomery City will be conducted on behalf of the CCC/USDA by the Environmental Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory. Argonne is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary research center operated by UChicago Argonne, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The CCC/USDA has entered into an agreement with DOE, under which Argonne provides technical assistance to the CCC/USDA with environmental site characterization and remediation at its former grain storage facilities. The site characterization at Montgomery City will take place in phases. This approach is recommended by the CCC/USDA and Argonne, so that information obtained and interpretations developed during each incremental stage of the investigation can be used most effectively to guide subsequent phases of the program. This site-specific Work Plan outlines the specific technical objectives and scope of work proposed for Phase I of the Montgomery City investigation. This Work Plan also includes the community relations plan to be followed throughout the CCC/USDA program at the Montgomery City site. Argonne is developing a Master Work Plan specific to operations in the state of Missouri. In the meantime, Argonne has issued a Provisional Master Work Plan (PMWP; Argonne 2007) that has been reviewed and approved by the MoDNR for current use. The PMWP (Argonne 2007) provides

Institutional, individual, and socio-cultural domains of partnerships: a typology of USDA Forest Service recreation partners

Science.gov (United States)

Erin Seekamp; Lee K. Cerveny; Allie. McCreary

2011-01-01

Federal land management agencies, such as the USDA Forest Service, have expanded the role of recreation partners reflecting constrained growth in appropriations and broader societal trends towards civic environmental governance. Partnerships with individual volunteers, service groups, commercial outfitters, and other government agencies provide the USDA Forest Service...

AR Expression in Breast Cancer CTCs Associates with Bone Metastases.

Science.gov (United States)

Aceto, Nicola; Bardia, Aditya; Wittner, Ben S; Donaldson, Maria C; O'Keefe, Ryan; Engstrom, Amanda; Bersani, Francesca; Zheng, Yu; Comaills, Valentine; Niederhoffer, Kira; Zhu, Huili; Mackenzie, Olivia; Shioda, Toshi; Sgroi, Dennis; Kapur, Ravi; Ting, David T; Moy, Beverly; Ramaswamy, Sridhar; Toner, Mehmet; Haber, Daniel A; Maheswaran, Shyamala

2018-04-01

Molecular drivers underlying bone metastases in human cancer are not well understood, in part due to constraints in bone tissue sampling. Here, RNA sequencing was performed of circulating tumor cells (CTC) isolated from blood samples of women with metastatic estrogen receptor (ER) + breast cancer, comparing cases with progression in bone versus visceral organs. Among the activated cellular pathways in CTCs from bone-predominant breast cancer is androgen receptor (AR) signaling. AR gene expression is evident, as is its constitutively active splice variant AR-v7. AR expression within CTCs is correlated with the duration of treatment with aromatase inhibitors, suggesting that it contributes to acquired resistance to endocrine therapy. In an established breast cancer xenograft model, a bone-tropic derivative displays increased AR expression, whose genetic or pharmacologic suppression reduces metastases to bone but not to lungs. Together, these observations identify AR signaling in CTCs from women with bone-predominant ER + breast cancer, and provide a rationale for testing androgen inhibitors in this subset of patients. Implications: This study highlights a role for the AR in breast cancer bone metastasis, and suggests that therapeutic targeting of the AR may benefit patients with metastatic breast cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 16(4); 720-7. ©2018 AACR . ©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.

Legacy K/Ar and 40Ar/39Ar geochronologic data from the Alaska-Aleutian Range batholith of south-central Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Koeneman, Lisa L.; Wilson, Frederic H.

2018-04-06

Sample descriptions and analytical data for more than 200 K/Ar and 40Ar/39Ar analyses from rocks of the Alaska-Aleutian Range batholith of south-central Alaska are reported here. Samples were collected over a period of 20 years by Bruce R. Reed and Marvin A. Lanphere (both U.S. Geological Survey) as part of their studies of the batholith.

A brief review of some pathology research supported by the Georgia Commodity Commission for Pecans at the USDA-ARS, Byron

Science.gov (United States)

With the changes currently taking place nationally in the pecan industry, and the production issues faced specifically by growers in Georgia and elsewhere in the southeastern region, the pathology research projects funded by the Georgia Commodity Commission for Pecans (CC) are reviewed. The results ...

Novel USDA Mosquito Control Techniques for the US Military

Science.gov (United States)

Novel techniques that we developed at the USDA to protect deployed military troops from the threat of vector-borne diseases are described. Some of the methods developed included (1) novel military personal protection methods, (2) barrier treatments of artificial materials and natural vegetation, and...

On the doubly ionized states of Ar2 and their intra- and interatomic decay to Ar23+

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoychev, Spas D.; Kuleff, Alexander I.; Tarantelli, Francesco; Cederbaum, Lorenz S.

2008-01-01

Potential energy curves of the Auger state Ar + (2p -1 )-Ar, the different one- and two-site dicationic states Ar 2 ++ (with energies in the range of 32-77 eV), and the lowest two-site tricationic states Ar ++ -Ar + (with energies in the range of 64-76 eV) computed using elaborated ab initio methods are reported. The accessible relaxation channels of the electronic states of Ar ++ -Ar populated by Auger decay are studied. In particular, we study in detail the interatomic Coulombic decay following the population of one-site satellite states of Ar ++ (3s -1 3p -1 )-Ar recently observed experimentally. Other relaxation pathways of Ar ++ -Ar, including radiative charge transfer, nuclear dynamics through curve crossing, and intra-atomic decay processes are also investigated

40Ar-39Ar age determinations on the Owyhee basalt of the Columbia plateau

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bottomley, R.J.; York, D.

1976-01-01

40 Ar/ 39 Ar step-heating analyses have been performed on 11 samples of basalt from sites near Owyhee Reservoir of southeastern Oregon, U.S.A. These rocks were extruded during the great flood basalt episode of the Pacific Northwest. The whole-rock points are highly correlated on a plot of 40 Ar/ 36 Ar versus 39 Ar/ 36 Ar, corresponding to a common age of the samples of 14.3+-0.3 m.y. Inspite of this, individual 'plateau' plots of the age versus fraction of 39 Ar released do not give good plateaux. These age spectra exhibit to varying degrees a common structure in which lower age values are found at higher temperatures. This pattern may result from a closed-system redistribution of the argon isotopes. The usefulness of grinding the basalts in removing a loosely held atmospheric argon component is confirmed. (Auth.)

40Ar/39Ar age and thermal history of the Kirin chondrite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.; McDougall, I.; Tetley, N.; Harrison, T.M.

1980-01-01

The Kirin meteorite, a large (> 2800 kg) H5 chondrite, fell in Kirin Province, China in 1976. A sample from each of the two largest fragments (K-1. K-2) yield 40 Ar/ 39 Ar total fusion ages of 3.63 +- 0.02 b.y. and 2.78 +- 0.02 b.y. respectively. 40 Ar/ 40 Ar age spectra show typical diffusional argon loss profiles. Maximum apparent ages of 4.36 b.y. (K-1) and approx. 4.0 b.y. (K-2) are interpreted as possible minimum estimates for the age of crystallization of the parent body. (orig./ME)

Technical justification for a request to reclassify the former CCC/USDA facility at Canada, Kansas.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, L. M.; Environmental Science Division

2007-12-21

Contamination in groundwater at Canada, Kansas, was discovered in 1997, during limited private well sampling near former grain storage facilities of the Commodity Credit Corporation, U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA). Subsequent investigations by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) confirmed carbon tetrachloride and nitrate concentrations in groundwater above the respective maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) of 5.0 {micro}g/L and 10.0 mg/L. The KDHE investigations identified both the former CCC/USDA grain storage facility and a private grain storage facility as likely sources for the carbon tetrachloride contamination. The CCC/USDA funded extension of a rural water district line to provide a permanent alternate water supply, and the KDHE has conducted long-term monitoring under the State Water Plan. This document presents an analysis of the available information for the Canada site, acquired in previous investigations and the long-term KDHE monitoring. This analysis forms the technical justification for a request to reclassify the former CCC/USDA grain storage facility at Canada as a site requiring no further action under the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the KDHE and the USDA's Farm Service Agency. The KDHE's long-term water level monitoring results indicate a consistent groundwater flow direction to the east-southeast. Consequently, the wells with the highest overall concentrations of carbon tetrachloride are downgradient from the private grain storage facility but not downgradient from the former CCC/USDA facility. The KDHE criterion for reclassification of a site is that contamination there should not pose an unacceptable risk, on the basis of analytical results for four consecutive, equally timed, sequenced sampling episodes over a period of no less than two years. In seven KDHE sampling events over a period of six years (2001-2007), the concentrations of carbon tetrachloride in the monitoring well on the former

Expanding the utility of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) process bleaching

Science.gov (United States)

The ARS Process for bleaching, biopolishing, and shrinkproofing wool is a novel alternative to chlorination and conventional bleaching. Consumer acceptance of domestic machine-washable, comfortable wool which can be worn next to the skin will lead to niche-market- potential and competitive, increas...

Soil water sensing for climate change studies; Applicability of COSMOS and local sensor networks

Science.gov (United States)

Soil water sensors are used to characterize water content in the near-surface, the root zone and below for agricultural and ecosystem management, but only a few are capable of sensing soil volumes larger than a few hundred liters. Scientists with the USDA-ARS Conservation & Production Research Labor...

Flooding in ephemeral streams: incorporating transmission losses

Science.gov (United States)

Stream flow in semiarid lands commonly occurs as a form of flash floods in dry ephemeral stream beds. The goal of this research is to couple hydrological and hydraulic models treats channel transmission losses and test the methodology in the USDA-ARS Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (WGEW). For h...

Augmented reality (AR and virtual reality (VR applied in dentistry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ta-Ko Huang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The OSCE is a reliable evaluation method to estimate the preclinical examination of dental students. The most ideal assessment for OSCE is used the augmented reality simulator to evaluate. This literature review investigated a recently developed in virtual reality (VR and augmented reality (AR starting of the dental history to the progress of the dental skill. As result of the lacking of technology, it needs to depend on other device increasing the success rate and decreasing the risk of the surgery. The development of tracking unit changed the surgical and educational way. Clinical surgery is based on mature education. VR and AR simultaneously affected the skill of the training lesson and navigation system. Widely, the VR and AR not only applied in the dental training lesson and surgery, but also improved all field in our life. Keywords: OSCE, Dental simulator, Augmented reality, Virtual reality, Dentistry

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applied in dentistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Ta-Ko; Yang, Chi-Hsun; Hsieh, Yu-Hsin; Wang, Jen-Chyan; Hung, Chun-Cheng

2018-04-01

The OSCE is a reliable evaluation method to estimate the preclinical examination of dental students. The most ideal assessment for OSCE is used the augmented reality simulator to evaluate. This literature review investigated a recently developed in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) starting of the dental history to the progress of the dental skill. As result of the lacking of technology, it needs to depend on other device increasing the success rate and decreasing the risk of the surgery. The development of tracking unit changed the surgical and educational way. Clinical surgery is based on mature education. VR and AR simultaneously affected the skill of the training lesson and navigation system. Widely, the VR and AR not only applied in the dental training lesson and surgery, but also improved all field in our life. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

The effects of retrograde reactions and of diffusion on 39Ar-40Ar ages of micas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Allaz, Julien; Engi, Martin; Berger, Alfons

2011-01-01

Effects of metamorphic reactions occurring during decompression were explored to understand their influence on 39Ar-40Ar ages of micas. Monometamorphic metasediments from the Lepontine Alps (Switzerland) were studied. Collected samples reached lower amphibolite facies during the Barrovian....... XRD-data indicated that some mineral separates prepared for Ar-Ar stepwise heating analysis were monomineralic, whereas others were composed of two white micas (muscovite with paragonite or margarite), or biotite and chlorite. In monomineralic samples 37Ar/39Ar and 38Ar/39Ar (proportional to Ca....../K and Cl/K ratios) did not change and the resulting ages can be interpreted unambiguously. In mineral separates containing two white micas, Ca/K and Cl/K ratios were variable, reflecting non-simultaneous laboratory degassing of the two heterochemical Ar-reservoirs. These ratios were used to identify each...

75 FR 49357 - United States Department of Agriculture Research Misconduct Regulations for Extramural Research

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-13

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Office of the Chief Financial Officer 7 CFR Part 3022 RIN 0524-AA34...: Office of the Chief Financial Officer, USDA. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The Office of the Chief.... Holladay, Acting Chief Financial Officer. Thomas J. Vilsack, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture. [FR...

Climate programs update: USDA Southwest Regional Climate Hub update

Science.gov (United States)

PROGRAM OVERVIEW: The overarching goal of the USDA SW Climate Hub is to assist farmers, ranchers and foresters in addressing the effects of climate change including prolonged drought, increased insect outbreaks and severe wildfires. In the first year of operations, the SW Climate Hub (est. Februa...

77 FR 49774 - Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection; USDA Registration...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-17

...Authentication Service (eAuth), located at http://www.eauth.egov.usda.gov . The USDA eAuth service provides the... Electronic Access Code. OMB Number: 0503-0014. Expiration Date of Approval: August 31, 2013. Type of Request... eAuth as a management and technical process that addresses user authentication and authorization...

Geochronology and thermochronology by the sup 40 Ar/ sup 39 Ar method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McDougall, I. (Australian National Univ., Canberra (Australia)); Harrison, T.M. (State Univ. of New York, Albany, NY (USA))

1988-01-01

This work is a response to the authors' belief that there is a need for a monograph on {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar dating to provide concise knowledge concerning the application of this method to geological studies. They aim to provide a reasonably comprehensive but by no means exhaustive coverage of the principles and practices of {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar dating, with emphasis on interpretation of results. In attempting to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge, they commonly cite examples from the available literature. They draw rather heavily upon their own work, because they feel comfortable with their own examples. (author).

Information Security: USDA Needs to Implement Its Departmentwide Information Security Plan

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2000-01-01

USDA has taken positive steps to begin improving its information security by developing its August 1999 Action Plan with recommendations to strengthen department-wide information security and hiring...

Patterns of research utilization on patient care units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lander Janice

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Organizational context plays a central role in shaping the use of research by healthcare professionals. The largest group of professionals employed in healthcare organizations is nurses, putting them in a position to influence patient and system outcomes significantly. However, investigators have often limited their study on the determinants of research use to individual factors over organizational or contextual factors. Methods The purpose of this study was to examine the determinants of research use among nurses working in acute care hospitals, with an emphasis on identifying contextual determinants of research use. A comparative ethnographic case study design was used to examine seven patient care units (two adult and five pediatric units in four hospitals in two Canadian provinces (Ontario and Alberta. Data were collected over a six-month period by means of quantitative and qualitative approaches using an array of instruments and extensive fieldwork. The patient care unit was the unit of analysis. Drawing on the quantitative data and using correspondence analysis, relationships between various factors were mapped using the coefficient of variation. Results Units with the highest mean research utilization scores clustered together on factors such as nurse critical thinking dispositions, unit culture (as measured by work creativity, work efficiency, questioning behavior, co-worker support, and the importance nurses place on access to continuing education, environmental complexity (as measured by changing patient acuity and re-sequencing of work, and nurses' attitudes towards research. Units with moderate research utilization clustered on organizational support, belief suspension, and intent to use research. Higher nursing workloads and lack of people support clustered more closely to units with the lowest research utilization scores. Conclusion Modifiable characteristics of organizational context at the patient care unit

USDA's National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP) produces high-quality data for USDA food composition databases: Two decades of collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Haytowitz, David B; Pehrsson, Pamela R

2018-01-01

For nearly 20years, the National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP) has expanded and improved the quantity and quality of data in US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) food composition databases (FCDB) through the collection and analysis of nationally representative food samples. NFNAP employs statistically valid sampling plans, the Key Foods approach to identify and prioritize foods and nutrients, comprehensive quality control protocols, and analytical oversight to generate new and updated analytical data for food components. NFNAP has allowed the Nutrient Data Laboratory to keep up with the dynamic US food supply and emerging scientific research. Recently generated results for nationally representative food samples show marked changes compared to previous database values for selected nutrients. Monitoring changes in the composition of foods is critical in keeping FCDB up-to-date, so that they remain a vital tool in assessing the nutrient intake of national populations, as well as for providing dietary advice. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Exploring Challenges and Opportunities of Coproduction: USDA Climate Hub Efforts to Integrate Coproduction with Applied Research and Decision Support Tool Development in the Northwest

Science.gov (United States)

Roesch-McNally, G.; Prendeville, H. R.

2017-12-01

A lack of coproduction, the joint production of new technologies or knowledge among technical experts and other groups, is arguably one of the reasons why much scientific information and resulting decision support systems are not very usable. Increasingly, public agencies and academic institutions are emphasizing the importance of coproduction of scientific knowledge and decision support systems in order to facilitate greater engagement between the scientific community and key stakeholder groups. Coproduction has been embraced as a way for the scientific community to develop actionable scientific information that will assist end users in solving real-world problems. Increasing the level of engagement and stakeholder buy-in to the scientific process is increasingly necessary, particularly in the context of growing politicization of science and the scientific process. Coproduction can be an effective way to build trust and can build-on and integrate local and traditional knowledge. Employing coproduction strategies may enable the development of more relevant and useful information and decision support tools that address stakeholder challenges at relevant scales. The USDA Northwest Climate Hub has increasingly sought ways to integrate coproduction in the development of both applied research projects and the development of decision support systems. Integrating coproduction, however, within existing institutions is not always simple, given that coproduction is often more focused on process than products and products are, for better or worse, often the primary focus of applied research and tool development projects. The USDA Northwest Climate Hub sought to integrate coproduction into our FY2017 call for proposal process. As a result we have a set of proposals and fledgling projects that fall along the engagement continuum (see Figure 1- attached). We will share the challenges and opportunities that emerged from this purposeful integration of coproduction into the work

40Ar/39Ar and K-Ar age constraints on the timing of regional deformation, south coast of New South Wales, Lachlan Fold Belt: problems and implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fergusson, C.L.; Phillips, D.

2001-01-01

Four slate samples from subduction complex rocks exposed on the south coast of New South Wales, south of Batemans Bay, were analysed by K-Ar and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar step-heating methods, One sample contains relatively abundant detrital muscovite flakes that are locally oblique to the regional cleavage in the rock, whereas the remaining samples appear to contain sparse detrital muscovite. Separates of detrital muscovite yielded plateau ages of 505 + 3 Ma and 513 + 3 Ma indicating that inheritance has not been eliminated by metamorphism and recrystallisation. Step-heating analyses of whole-rock chips from all four slate samples produced discordant apparent age spectra with 'saddle shapes' following young apparent ages at the lowest temperature increments. Elevated apparent ages associated with the highest temperature steps are attributed to the presence of variable quantities of detrital muscovite ( 40 Ar/ 39 Ar integrated ages of ca 455Ma, which are some 15-30 million years older than K-Ar ages for the same samples. These discrepancies suggest that the slates have also been affected by recoil loss/redistribution of 39 Ar, Ieading to anomalously old 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages. Two other samples, from slaty tectonic melange and intensely cleaved slate, yielded average 40 Ar/ 39 Ar integrated ages of ca 424Ma, which are closer to associated mean K-Ar ages of 423 + 4Ma and 409 + 16Ma, respectively. Taking into account the potential influences of recoil loss/redistribution of 39 Ar and inheritance, the results from the latter samples suggest a maximum age of ca 440 Ma for deformation/metamorphism. The current results indicate that recoil and inheritance problems may also have affected whole-rock 40 Ar/ 39 Ar data reported from other regions of the Lachlan Fold Belt. Therefore, until these effects are adequately quantified, models for the evolution of the Lachlan Fold Belt, that are based on such whole-rock 40 Ar/ 39 Ar data, should be treated with caution. Copyright (2001) Geological

Alignment and orientation of Ar+ in He+-Ar collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moudry, B.W.; Yenen, O.; Jaecks, D.H.

1994-01-01

We have measured the alignment and orientation parameters of the 2 F 7/2 0 and 2 F 5/2 0 states of Ar + formed in the two-electron process; He + +Ar→He(1s 2 )+Ar + (3p 4 4p'). These have been measured at a collision energy of 0.25 keV/amu and for scattering angles ranging from 0.94 to 3.75 . First, by comparing the orientation prameter for the Ar + [(3p 4 [ 1 D]4p' 2 F 7/2 0 ] and the Ar + [(3p 4 [ 1 D]4p' 2 F 5/2 0 ] states, we have experimentally determined the importance of the spin-dependent interactions for the present collision system, by testing the Percival-Seaton hypothesis of spin independence. If the Percival-Seaton hypothesis holds for this system, the orientation parameter should be J-independent. Secondly, the magnitude of the orientation prameter can be interpreted as resulting from the collective circulation of the unexcited 3p 4 electrons and the excited 4p electron. The direction of this collective circulation is compared to the propensity rule for colliding di-atom systems. (orig.)

Final Corrective Action Study for the Former CCC/USDA Facility in Hanover, Kansas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, Lorraine M. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2013-11-01

Low concentrations of carbon tetrachloride in groundwater and vapor intrusion into a limited number of residences (attributable to the contaminant concentrations in groundwater) have been identified in Hanover, Kansas, at and near a grain storage facility formerly leased and operated by the Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA). At the request of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE 2009h), the CCC/USDA has prepared this Corrective Action Study (CAS) for the facility. The CAS examines corrective actions to address the contamination in groundwater and soil vapor.

Registration of ‘CP 09-1430’ Sugarcane

Science.gov (United States)

‘CP 09-1430’ (Reg. No. ; PI 686940 sugarcane (a complex hybrid of Saccharum spp.) was developed and released (6 Jun. 2016) through cooperative research conducted by the USDA-ARS Sugarcane Field Station , Canal Point, the University of Florida, and the Florida Sugar Cane League, Inc. for use on ...

Pinpointing the weed sources of potato psyllid in Washington

Science.gov (United States)

A major challenge in controlling zebra chip disease of potatoes is our inability to predict what potato fields are likely to be colonized by potato psyllid, the vector of the pathogen that causes zebra chip. Researchers at the USDA-ARS laboratory in Wapato, WA developed a novel method to identify w...

Genome sequencing of Deutsch strain of cattle ticks, Rhipicephalus microplus: Raw Pac Bio reads.

Science.gov (United States)

Pac Bio RS II whole genome shotgun sequencing technology was used to sequence the genome of the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus. The DNA was derived from 14 day old eggs from the Deutsch Texas outbreak strain reared at the USDA-ARS Cattle Fever Tick Research Laboratory, Edinburg, TX. Each corre...

3 to 15 keV Ar+ induced Auger electron emission from Si and Ar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kempf, J.; Kaus, G.

1977-01-01

Ar + induced Auger electrons from Si and Ar were investigated at bombardment energies between 3-15 keV and target currents of a few μA. The Auger electron yields were compared with secondary ion yields of Si and Ar by simultaneous SIMS-AES measurements. In the ion induced Auger spectra of Si five Auger peaks and in the Ar spectra three Auger peaks were observed. The ion induced Auger electron yield of Si and Ar were found to be strongly dependent upon the primary ion energy. 'Bulk like' and 'atomic like' Auger transitions of ion induced Auger electrons of Si were observed. (orig.) [de

Retrospective Analog Year Analyses Using NASA Satellite Precipitation and Soil Moisture Data to Improve USDA's World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates

Science.gov (United States)

Teng, William; Shannon, Harlan; Mladenova, Iliana; Fang, Fan

2010-01-01

A primary goal of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is to expand markets for U.S. agricultural products and support global economic development. The USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) supports this goal by coordinating monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) for the U.S. and major foreign producing countries. Because weather has a significant impact on crop progress, conditions, and production, WAOB prepares frequent agricultural weather assessments, in a GIS-based, Global Agricultural Decision Support Environment (GLADSE). The main goal of this project, thus, is to improve WAOB's estimates by integrating NASA remote sensing soil moisture observations and research results into GLADSE (See diagram below). Soil moisture is currently a primary data gap at WAOB.

Multi-viewpoint Smartphone AR-based Learning System for Solar Movement Observations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ke Tian

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Understanding solar movement (e.g., solar diurnal motion is difficult for those are beginning to learn about astronomy. Previous research has revealed that observation-based learning can help make astronomical phenomena clearer to understand for such learners. In this research, Smartphone Augmented Reality (AR technology and 3D content were used to develop a multi-viewpoint Smartphone AR-based learning system (M-VSARLS for solar movement observations that can be used in the real-world environment. The goal of this research is to assess the usefulness of the system, usability of the AR function and 3D content, and the overall effect of the system on the learner’s motivation through task-based experiments with follow-up questionnaires. The results show that the M-VSARL system is effective in improving the observational skills and learning ability of learners, and in enhancing their motivation to learn about solar movement.

Androgen Receptor-Mediated Growth Suppression of HPr-1AR and PC3-Lenti-AR Prostate Epithelial Cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Young-Chae Kim

Full Text Available The androgen receptor (AR mediates the developmental, physiologic, and pathologic effects of androgens including 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT. However, the mechanisms whereby AR regulates growth suppression and differentiation of luminal epithelial cells in the prostate gland and proliferation of malignant versions of these cells are not well understood, though they are central to prostate development, homeostasis, and neoplasia. Here, we identify androgen-responsive genes that restrain cell cycle progression and proliferation of human prostate epithelial cell lines (HPr-1AR and PC3-Lenti-AR, and we investigate the mechanisms through which AR regulates their expression. DHT inhibited proliferation of HPr-1AR and PC3-Lenti-AR, and cell cycle analysis revealed a prolonged G1 interval. In the cell cycle, the G1/S-phase transition is initiated by the activity of cyclin D and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK complexes, which relieve growth suppression. In HPr-1AR, cyclin D1/2 and CDK4/6 mRNAs were androgen-repressed, whereas CDK inhibitor, CDKN1A, mRNA was androgen-induced. The regulation of these transcripts was AR-dependent, and involved multiple mechanisms. Similar AR-mediated down-regulation of CDK4/6 mRNAs and up-regulation of CDKN1A mRNA occurred in PC3-Lenti-AR. Further, CDK4/6 overexpression suppressed DHT-inhibited cell cycle progression and proliferation of HPr-1AR and PC3-Lenti-AR, whereas CDKN1A overexpression induced cell cycle arrest. We therefore propose that AR-mediated growth suppression of HPr-1AR involves cyclin D1 mRNA decay, transcriptional repression of cyclin D2 and CDK4/6, and transcriptional activation of CDKN1A, which serve to decrease CDK4/6 activity. AR-mediated inhibition of PC3-Lenti-AR proliferation occurs through a similar mechanism, albeit without down-regulation of cyclin D. Our findings provide insight into AR-mediated regulation of prostate epithelial cell proliferation.

Analysis list: Ar [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available Ar Gonad,Kidney,Prostate + mm9 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/targe...t/Ar.1.tsv http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/target/Ar.5.tsv http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/...kyushu-u/mm9/target/Ar.10.tsv http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/colo/Ar.Gonad.tsv,http://dbarchive.bioscience...dbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/colo/Ar.Kidney.tsv,http://dbarchive.bioscienced...bc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/colo/Ar.Prostate.tsv http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/colo/Gonad.gml,http://dbarchive.bioscience

Ramon Llull's Ars Magna

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Thessa

2017-01-01

might be a viable and valuable approach to understand some of the challenges and possibilities found in computer science and ethics. Vita Llull was born in 1232 in Palma de Mallorca, a melting pot for different cul-tures and religions at the time. Being educated at the king’s court, Llull learned...... of belief, life, and God as such. Computer Science? Llull was an inspiration for later scientists, most notably Giordano Bruno, Athanasius Kirchner, Agrippa of Nettesheim and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, whose dissertation De Arte Combinatoria begins with a discussion of Llull’s Ars Magna. Umberto Eco also......-ple of Mallorca have since tried to have Llull canonised as a saint. Ars Magna A few years before his death Llull began to write the most thorough and final version of his Ars Magna, the Ars Generalis Ultima [3]. The books explain the different figures of the Ars, its principles, questions, descriptions...

Environmental impact assessment of Ar-41 released by the normal operation of TRIGA-Mark 2 research reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qassoud, D.; Soufi, I.; Ziagos, J.; Demir, Z

2007-01-01

Full text: In accordance with the international regulation of nuclear safety and radiological protection of the environment applicable to the basic nuclear installations, category in which the Triga-Mark 2 research reactor is considered, an assesment of the impact in to the environment of the Ar-41 radioelement is accomplished. This radioelement is released by the normal operation of this reactor. The assessment is based on the characteristics of a Moroccan site (where the reactor is installed). It is carried out using CEA Gaussian models and mathematical models developed in LLNL. Considering the assumptions of impact assessments of the radioactivity in the atmosphere, the most important exposure is relatively corresponding to 1 Km from the reactor. This exposure is approximately 0,07% of the lawful limit. Beyond this locality, the exposure becomes lower than 0,02% of this limit. Beyond 5 Km, it becomes lower than ten nono-Sivert. In the basis of the site radiological baseline, the environmental impact of Ar-41 released in normal operation of the reactor is negligible in the studied case. [fr

The ChArMEx database

Science.gov (United States)

Ferré, Hélène; Belmahfoud, Nizar; Boichard, Jean-Luc; Brissebrat, Guillaume; Cloché, Sophie; Descloitres, Jacques; Fleury, Laurence; Focsa, Loredana; Henriot, Nicolas; Mière, Arnaud; Ramage, Karim; Vermeulen, Anne; Boulanger, Damien

2015-04-01

The Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment (ChArMEx, http://charmex.lsce.ipsl.fr/) aims at a scientific assessment of the present and future state of the atmospheric environment in the Mediterranean Basin, and of its impacts on the regional climate, air quality, and marine biogeochemistry. The project includes long term monitoring of environmental parameters , intensive field campaigns, use of satellite data and modelling studies. Therefore ChARMEx scientists produce and need to access a wide diversity of data. In this context, the objective of the database task is to organize data management, distribution system and services, such as facilitating the exchange of information and stimulating the collaboration between researchers within the ChArMEx community, and beyond. The database relies on a strong collaboration between ICARE, IPSL and OMP data centers and has been set up in the framework of the Mediterranean Integrated Studies at Regional And Locals Scales (MISTRALS) program data portal. ChArMEx data, either produced or used by the project, are documented and accessible through the database website: http://mistrals.sedoo.fr/ChArMEx. The website offers the usual but user-friendly functionalities: data catalog, user registration procedure, search tool to select and access data... The metadata (data description) are standardized, and comply with international standards (ISO 19115-19139; INSPIRE European Directive; Global Change Master Directory Thesaurus). A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) assignement procedure allows to automatically register the datasets, in order to make them easier to access, cite, reuse and verify. At present, the ChArMEx database contains about 120 datasets, including more than 80 in situ datasets (2012, 2013 and 2014 summer campaigns, background monitoring station of Ersa...), 25 model output sets (dust model intercomparison, MEDCORDEX scenarios...), a high resolution emission inventory over the Mediterranean... Many in situ datasets

Ar-41 measurements and nuclear emergency preparedness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunst, J.J.; Rodriguez, M.; Ugarte, R.; Vigile, R.S.; Boutet, L.I.; Jordan, O.D.; Hernandez, D.G.

2010-01-01

During the early phase of an emergency is necessary to confirm the release of radioactivity predictions made by the operator of the nuclear plant. In this context, it has begun measuring Ar-41 in the vicinity of a research reactor. Since the Ar-41 is produced in the reactor, it has been studied as a good way to validate the air dispersion model used in nuclear emergencies and to develop a method to improve the characterization of the release. For this latter purpose a pilot experiment was conducted to determine computational and experimental methods, the flux of 1.29 MeV of Ar-41 and compared to evaluate the accuracy of the assessments made. This paper describes meteorological forecasting systems used in the experiment, the estimate of the stability class and the concentration of nuclides using a calculation code developed by the ARN, as well as the methodology and equipment used for measurement in the field. (authors) [es

USDA Northeast climate hub greenhouse gas mitigation workshop technical report

Science.gov (United States)

In April 2015, USDA Secretary Vilsack announced the Greenhouse Gas Building Blocks for Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase carbon sequestration, and expand renewable energy production in the agricultural and forestry sectors. This initiati...

Proceedings of the Department of Defense (DoD) Symposium. DoD Entomology: Global, Diverse, and Improving Public Health

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-14

for both the USDA-ARS and competitive grant recipients is on the AFPMB web site at http://www.afpmb.org/pubs/dwfp/publicatio ns.htm. Competitive...including USAMRU-K studies on the ecology of highland malaria vectors, Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit publications, and Web -based mosquito identification...XI de Población y VI de Vivienda, Sistema de Consulta de Resultados Censales, Cuadros Estadísticos. Available at: http://desa.inei.gob.pe

How Does “Hunger” Level Impact Grazing Behavior?

Science.gov (United States)

Grazing behavior can be influenced through feeding and grazing management decisions. Research at our USDA-ARS lab showed that ruminal fill, or how ‘hungry’ the cow is, can affect grazing behavior. Cows that had less ruminal fill took a bigger bite that was shallow and wide, compared to a ‘full’ cow ...

Registration of 'CP 09-2392' Sugarcane

Science.gov (United States)

CP 09-2392’ (Reg. No.____; PI _____) sugarcane, a complex hybrid of Saccharum spp, was developed through cooperative research conducted by the USDA-ARS, the University of Florida, and the Florida Sugar Cane League, Inc., and was released to growers in June 2016. ‘CP 09-2392’ was selected from a cro...

nalyses of rhizoctonia screening nursery results over 15 selected years from 1980 to 2015

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA-ARS has had a research program at Fort Collins focused on breeding for resistance to Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (Rcrr) since the late 1950s. By 1980, current resistant and susceptible checks were in use. All individual roots from each plot were lifted and rated on a disease index (DI)...

The celecoxib derivatives AR-12 and AR-14 induce autophagy and clear prion-infected cells from prions.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdulrahman, Basant A; Abdelaziz, Dalia; Thapa, Simrika; Lu, Li; Jain, Shubha; Gilch, Sabine; Proniuk, Stefan; Zukiwski, Alexander; Schatzl, Hermann M

2017-12-14

Prion diseases are fatal infectious neurodegenerative disorders that affect both humans and animals. The autocatalytic conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrP C ) into the pathologic isoform PrP Sc is a key feature in prion pathogenesis. AR-12 is an IND-approved derivative of celecoxib that demonstrated preclinical activity against several microbial diseases. Recently, AR-12 has been shown to facilitate clearance of misfolded proteins. The latter proposes AR-12 to be a potential therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we investigated the role of AR-12 and its derivatives in controlling prion infection. We tested AR-12 in prion infected neuronal and non-neuronal cell lines. Immunoblotting and confocal microscopy results showed that AR-12 and its analogue AR-14 reduced PrP Sc levels after only 72 hours of treatment. Furthermore, infected cells were cured of PrP Sc after exposure of AR-12 or AR-14 for only two weeks. We partially attribute the influence of the AR compounds on prion propagation to autophagy stimulation, in line with our previous findings that drug-induced stimulation of autophagy has anti-prion effects in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, this study demonstrates that AR-12 and the AR-14 analogue are potential new therapeutic agents for prion diseases and possibly protein misfolding disorders involving prion-like mechanisms.

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service overview for operational monitoring of current crop conditions and production forecasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Crutchfield, J.

2016-12-01

The presentation will discuss the current status of the International Production Assessment Division of the USDA ForeignAgricultural Service for operational monitoring and forecasting of current crop conditions, and anticipated productionchanges to produce monthly, multi-source consensus reports on global crop conditions including the use of Earthobservations (EO) from satellite and in situ sources.United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) International Production AssessmentDivision (IPAD) deals exclusively with global crop production forecasting and agricultural analysis in support of the USDAWorld Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) lockup process and contributions to the World Agricultural Supply DemandEstimates (WASE) report. Analysts are responsible for discrete regions or countries and conduct in-depth long-termresearch into national agricultural statistics, farming systems, climatic, environmental, and economic factors affectingcrop production. IPAD analysts become highly valued cross-commodity specialists over time, and are routinely soughtout for specialized analyses to support governmental studies. IPAD is responsible for grain, oilseed, and cotton analysison a global basis. IPAD is unique in the tools it uses to analyze crop conditions around the world, including customweather analysis software and databases, satellite imagery and value-added image interpretation products. It alsoincorporates all traditional agricultural intelligence resources into its forecasting program, to make the fullest use ofavailable information in its operational commodity forecasts and analysis. International travel and training play animportant role in learning about foreign agricultural production systems and in developing analyst knowledge andcapabilities.

A Partnership for Public Health: USDA Branded Food Products Database

Science.gov (United States)

The importance of comprehensive food composition databases is more critical than ever in helping to address global food security. The USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference is the “gold standard” for food composition databases. The presentation will include new developments in stren...

The Uranium Chemistry Research Unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1983-01-01

The article discusses the research work done at the Uranium Chemistry Research Unit of the University of Port Elizabeth. The initial research programme dealt with fundamental aspects of uranium chemistry. New uranium compounds were synthesized and their chemical properties were studied. Research was also done to assist the mining industry, as well as on nuclear medicine. Special mentioning is made of the use of technetium for medical diagnosis and therapy

Contribution of the 40Ar/39Ar method to improve Middle-Pleistocene archaeological/palaeontological sites from the Italian Peninsula

Science.gov (United States)

Nomade, Sebastien, ,, Dr.; Pereira, MSc. Alison; voinchet, Pierre, ,, Dr.; Bahain, Jean-Jacques, ,, Dr.; Aureli, Daniele, ,, Dr.; Arzarello, Marta, ,, Dr.; Anzidei, Anna-Paola, ,, Dr.; Biddittu, Italo, ,, Dr.; Bulgarelli, Maria-Grazia, ,, Dr.; Falguères, Christophe, ,, Dr.; Giaccio, Biagio, ,, Dr.; Guillou, Hervé, ,, Dr.; Manzi, Gorgio, ,, Dr.; Moncel, Marie-Hélène, ,, Dr.; Nicoud, Elisa, ,, Dr.; Pagli, Maria, ,, Dr.; Parenti, Fabio, ,, Dr.; Peretto, Carlo, ,, Dr.; Piperno, Marcello, ,, Dr.; Rocca, Roxane, ,, Dr.

2017-04-01

European Middle-Pleistocene archaeological and/or paleontological sites lack a unified and precise chronological framework. Despite recent efforts mostly focused on methods such as OSL, ESR/U-series or cosmogenic nuclides, the age of numerous sites from this period fundamentally still relies on qualitative and speculative palaeoenvironmental and/or palaeontological/palaeoanthropological considerations. The lack of robust chronologies, along with the scarcity of human fossils, prevent coherent correlations between European sites which in turn limits our understanding of human diffusion dynamics, understand techno-cultural evolution or correlate archaeological sites with palaeoclimatic and environmental records. With the goal of providing an accurate and precise chronological framework based on a multi-method approach, a research network including geochronologists, archaeologist and paleoanthropologists from various French and Italian institutions launched in 2010 a wide study of Middle-Pleistocene archaeological sites of central and southern Italy. This study combining the 39Ar/40Ar method with palaeo-dosimetric methods applied to European sites in the age range of 700 ka to 300 ka is unprecedented. In parallel, a large effort has been done to improve the regional Middle-Pleistocene tephrostratigraphic database through a massive application of both high-precision 40Ar/39Ar geochronological and geochemical investigations. We illustrate our approach and results in addressing several key-sites such as Notarchirico, Valle Giumentina; Ceprano-Campogrande and La Polledrara di Cecanibbio. The accurate and precise chronological framework we built permits us to replace all the investigated archaeological and palaeontological records into a coherent climatic and environmental context. Furthermore, our work provides the opportunity to compare lithic industries from a technical and evolutionary point of view within a homogeneous temporal frame. These preliminary results border

High-resolution Auger spectroscopy on 79 MeV Ar5+, 89 MeV Ar6+, and 136 MeV Ar7+ ions after excitation by helium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, T.

1988-01-01

In this thesis the atomic structure of highly excited Ar 6+ and Ar 7+ ions was studied. For this 79 MeV Ar 5+ , 89 MeV Ar 6+ , and 136 MeV Ar 7+ ions of a heavy ion accelerator were excited by a He gas target to autoionizing states and the Auger electrons emitted in the decay were measured in highly-resolving state. The spectra were taken under an observational angle of zero degree relative to the beam axis in order to minimize the kinematical broadening of the Auger lines. (orig./HSI) [de

A content analysis of USDA Forest Service recreation partnerships

Science.gov (United States)

Steve Selin

1995-01-01

The USDA Forest Service has been implementing a partnership initiative for 6 years as part of the National Recreation Strategy. Several internal efforts have been undertaken to evaluate the progress made in this initiative as well as to make adjustments in the initiative for the future. These evaluation efforts are extended to present a content analysis of recreation...

ArControl: An Arduino-Based Comprehensive Behavioral Platform with Real-Time Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xinfeng; Li, Haohong

2017-01-01

Studying animal behavior in the lab requires reliable delivering stimulations and monitoring responses. We constructed a comprehensive behavioral platform (ArControl: Arduino Control Platform) that was an affordable, easy-to-use, high-performance solution combined software and hardware components. The hardware component was consisted of an Arduino UNO board and a simple drive circuit. As for software, the ArControl provided a stand-alone and intuitive GUI (graphical user interface) application that did not require users to master scripts. The experiment data were automatically recorded with the built in DAQ (data acquisition) function. The ArControl also allowed the behavioral schedule to be entirely stored in and operated on the Arduino chip. This made the ArControl a genuine, real-time system with high temporal resolution (<1 ms). We tested the ArControl, based on strict performance measurements and two mice behavioral experiments. The results showed that the ArControl was an adaptive and reliable system suitable for behavioral research.

A compilation of 40Ar-39 and K-Ar ages: report 25

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunt, P.A.; Roddick, J.C.

1996-01-01

Twenty-three 40 Ar- 39 Ar age determinations (including two potassium-argon analyses) carried out by the Geological Survey of Canada are reported. Each age determination is accompanied by a description of the rock and mineral concentrate used; brief interpretative comments regarding the geological significance of each age are also provided where possible. The experimental procedures employed are described in outline. An index of all Geological Survey of Canada K-Ar age determinations published in this format has been prepared using NTS quadrangles as the primary reference. (author). 6 refs., 2 tabs., 1 fig

Cross Sections of the 36Ar(d,α)34mCl, 40Ar(d,α)38Cl and 40Ar(d,p)41Ar Nuclear Reactions below 8.4 MeV

Science.gov (United States)

Engle, J W; Severin, G W; Barnhart, T E; Knutson, L D; Nickles, R J

2011-01-01

We have measured the cross section for production of the medically interesting isotope 34mCl, along with 38Cl and 41Ar, using deuteron bombardments of 36Ar and 40Ar below 8.4 MeV. ALICE/ASH analytical codes were employed to determine the shape of nuclear excitation functions, and experiments were performed using the University of Wisconsin tandem electrostatic accelerator to irradiate thin targets of argon gas. PMID:22041299

Phase I Investigations at the Former CCC/USDA Grain Storage Facility in Montgomery City, Missouri, in 2010-2011

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, Lorraine M. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Environmental Science Division. Applied Geoscience and Environmental Restoration Program

2012-11-01

This report presents the technical findings of Phase I of Argonne’s studies. The Phase I field investigation was initiated on October 18, 2010. The work was conducted in accord with (1) the final site-specific Phase I Work Plan for Montgomery City (Argonne 2010; approved by the MDNR [2010]); (2) applicable Missouri regulations; and (3) the standard operating procedures, quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) measures, and general health and safety policies outlined in the Master Work Plan (Argonne 2002) for operations in Kansas, which was reviewed by the MDNR and accepted for current use. A draft master plan specific to work in Missouri and a set of draft standard operating procedures are in review with the MDNR. The site-specific Work Plan for Montgomery City (Argonne 2010) (1) summarizes the pre-existing knowledge base for the Montgomery City investigation site compiled by Argonne and (2) describes the site-specific technical objectives and the intended scope of work developed for the first phase of the investigation. Three primary technical objectives were identified for the Phase I studies, as follows: 1. Update the presently identified inventory and status of private and public drinking water wells in the immediate vicinity of the former CCC/USDA grain storage facility, and sample the identified wells for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and geochemical analyses. In conjunction with this effort, determine the present sources(s) of drinking water for all residents in an approximate 0.5-mi radius of the former CCC/USDA facility. 2. Investigate for possible evidence of a soil source of carbon tetrachloride contamination in the unconsolidated sediments beneath the former CCC/USDA facility that might affect the underlying bedrock aquifer units. 3. Obtain preliminary information on the site-specific lithologic and hydrologic characteristics of the unconsolidated sediments overlying bedrock at the former CCC/USDA grain storage location. Section 2 of this report

Histone demethylase JMJD1A promotes alternative splicing of AR variant 7 (AR-V7) in prostate cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Lingling; Zhang, Fengbo; Xu, Songhui; Cui, Xiaolu; Hussain, Arif; Fazli, Ladan; Gleave, Martin; Dong, Xuesen; Qi, Jianfei

2018-05-15

Formation of the androgen receptor splicing variant 7 (AR-V7) is one of the major mechanisms by which resistance of prostate cancer to androgen deprivation therapy occurs. The histone demethylase JMJD1A (Jumonji domain containing 1A) functions as a key coactivator for AR by epigenetic regulation of H3K9 methylation marks. Here, we describe a role for JMJD1A in AR-V7 expression. While JMJD1A knockdown had no effect on full-length AR (AR-FL), it reduced AR-V7 levels in prostate cancer cells. Reexpression of AR-V7 in the JMJD1A-knockdown cells elevated expression of select AR targets and partially rescued prostate cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. The AR-V7 protein level correlated positively with JMJD1A in a subset of human prostate cancer specimens. Mechanistically, we found that JMJD1A promoted alternative splicing of AR-V7 through heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein F (HNRNPF), a splicing factor known to regulate exon inclusion. Knockdown of JMJD1A or HNRNPF inhibited splicing of AR-V7, but not AR-FL, in a minigene reporter assay. JMJD1A was found to interact with and promote the recruitment of HNRNPF to a cryptic exon 3b on AR pre-mRNA for the generation of AR-V7. Taken together, the role of JMJD1A in AR-FL coactivation and AR-V7 alternative splicing highlights JMJD1A as a potentially promising target for prostate cancer therapy.

Regional climate services: A regional partnership between NOAA and USDA

Science.gov (United States)

Climate services in the Midwest and Northern Plains regions have been enhanced by a recent addition of the USDA Climate Hubs to NOAA’s existing network of partners. This new partnership stems from the intrinsic variability of intra and inter-annual climatic conditions, which makes decision-making fo...

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service research programs on microbes for management of plant-parasitic nematodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Susan L F

2003-01-01

Restrictions on the use of conventional nematicides have increased the need for new methods of managing plant-parasitic nematodes. Consequently, nematode-antagonistic microbes, and active compounds produced by such organisms, are being explored as potential additions to management practices. Programs in this area at the USDA Agricultural Research Service investigate applied biocontrol agents, naturally occurring beneficial soil microbes and natural compounds. Specific research topics include use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and cultural practices for management of root-knot and ring nematodes, determination of management strategies that enhance activity of naturally occurring Pasteuria species (bacterial obligate parasites of nematodes), studies on interactions between biocontrol bacteria and bacterial-feeding nematodes, and screening of microbes for compounds active against plant-parasitic nematodes. Some studies involve biocontrol agents that are active against nematodes and soil-borne plant-pathogenic fungi, or combinations of beneficial bacteria and fungi, to manage a spectrum of plant diseases or to increase efficacy over a broader range of environmental conditions. Effective methods or agents identified in the research programs are investigated as additions to existing management systems for plant-parasitic nematodes.

Optical characteristics of a RF DBD plasma jet in various {Ar}/ {O}_{2}Ar/O2 mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Falahat, A.; Ganjovi, A.; Taraz, M.; Ravari, M. N. Rostami; Shahedi, A.

2018-02-01

In this paper, using the optical emission spectroscopy (OES) technique, the optical characteristics of a radiofrequency (RF) plasma jet are examined. The Ar/O2 mixture is taken as the operational gas and, the Ar percentage in the Ar/O2 mixture is varied from 70% to 95%. Using the optical emission spectrum analysis of the RF plasma jet, the excitation temperature is determined based on the Boltzmann plot method. The electron density in the plasma medium of the RF plasma jet is obtained by the Stark broadening of the hydrogen Balmer H_{β }. It is mostly seen that, the radiation intensity of Ar 4p→ 4s transitions at higher argon contributions in Ar/O2 mixture is higher. It is found that, at higher Ar percentages, the emission intensities from atomic oxygen (O) are higher and, the line intensities from the argon atoms and ions including O atoms linearly increase. It is observed that the quenching of Ar^{*} with O2 results in higher O species with respect to O2 molecules. In addition, at higher percentages of Ar in the Ar/O2 mixture, while the excitation temperature is decreased, the electron density is increased.

Cross sections of the 36Ar(d,α)34mCl, 40Ar(d,α)38Cl, and 40Ar(d,p)41Ar nuclear reactions below 8.4 MeV.

Science.gov (United States)

Engle, J W; Severin, G W; Barnhart, T E; Knutson, L D; Nickles, R J

2012-02-01

We have measured the cross section for production of the medically interesting isotope (34m)Cl, along with (38)Cl and (41)Ar, using deuteron bombardments of (36)Ar and (40)Ar below 8.4 MeV. ALICE/ASH analytical codes were employed to determine the shape of nuclear excitation functions, and experiments were performed using the University of Wisconsin tandem electrostatic accelerator to irradiate thin targets of argon gas. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Classical treatment of Li2++Ar and He2++Ar collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jorge, A; Illescas, Clara; Pons, B

2015-01-01

Classical Trajectory Monte Carlo calculations are carried out for Li 2+ +Ar and He 2+ +Ar collisions, motivated by recent experiments on these systems. Cross sections for electron capture, projectile electron loss and target multiple ionization processes are evaluated and compared to the experimental values in the 75-500 keV/amy impact energy range. (paper)

78 FR 283 - United States Standards for Grades of Eggplant

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-03

... that permitting mixed colors and/or type packs will facilitate the marketing of eggplant by providing... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Doc. Number FV-11-0052] United States Standards for Grades of Eggplant AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Final notice. SUMMARY...

An Ecohydrological Approach to Managing Intermittent and Ephemeral Streams on Department of Defense Lands in the Southwestern United States

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-30

USDA: United States Department of Agriculture, http://www.usda.gov USLE : Universal Soil Loss Equation, http://topsoil.nserl.purdue.edu/ usle / ix...Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (Qi et al., 1994) NCDC: National Climatic Data Center NDVI: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index NEXRAD-MPE...www.rapideye.net/ RENDVI: Red Edge Normalized Difference Vegetation Index RS: Remote sensing RSI: Rainfall Seasonality Index SAVI: Soil Adjusted Vegetation

Aurora Kinase A Promotes AR Degradation via the E3 Ligase CHIP.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Sukumar; Brautigan, David L; Larner, James M

2017-08-01

Reducing the levels of the androgen receptor (AR) is one of the most viable approaches to combat castration-resistant prostate cancer. Previously, we observed that proteasomal-dependent degradation of AR in response to 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME) depends primarily on the E3 ligase C-terminus of HSP70-interacting protein (STUB1/CHIP). Here, 2-ME stimulation activates CHIP by phosphorylation via Aurora kinase A (AURKA). Aurora A kinase inhibitors and RNAi knockdown of Aurora A transcript selectively blocked CHIP phosphorylation and AR degradation. Aurora A kinase is activated by 2-ME in the S-phase as well as during mitosis, and phosphorylates CHIP at S273. Prostate cancer cells expressing an S273A mutant of CHIP have attenuated AR degradation upon 2-ME treatment compared with cells expressing wild-type CHIP, supporting the idea that CHIP phosphorylation by Aurora A activates its E3 ligase activity for the AR. These results reveal a novel 2-ME→Aurora A→CHIP→AR pathway that promotes AR degradation via the proteasome that may offer novel therapeutic opportunities for prostate cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 15(8); 1063-72. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Examining USDA Forest Service recreation partnerships: institutional and relational interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Erin Seekamp; Lee K. Cerveny

2010-01-01

Since the 1980s, the USDA Forest Service budget has experienced limited growth. Downsizing and outsourcing characterize the agency's response to constrained appropriations. The agency increasingly works with partners to meet targets that otherwise could not be achieved. Partnerships may take many structural forms (e.g., memorandums of understanding, joint venture...

The Medical Research Council (UK)/Uganda Virus Research Institute Uganda Research Unit on AIDS--'25 years of research through partnerships'.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaleebu, P; Kamali, A; Seeley, J; Elliott, A M; Katongole-Mbidde, E

2015-02-01

For the past 25 years, the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute Uganda Research Unit on AIDS has conducted research on HIV-1, coinfections and, more recently, on non-communicable diseases. Working with various partners, the research findings of the Unit have contributed to the understanding and control of the HIV epidemic both in Uganda and globally, and informed the future development of biomedical HIV interventions, health policy and practice. In this report, as we celebrate our silver jubilee, we describe some of these achievements and the Unit's multidisciplinary approach to research. We also discuss the future direction of the Unit; an exemplar of a partnership that has been largely funded from the north but led in the south. © 2014 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Thermal significance of potassium feldspar K-Ar ages inferred from /sup 40/Ar//sup 39/Ar age spectrum results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harrison, T.M.; McDougall, I. (Australian National Univ., Canberra. Research School of Earth Sciences)

1982-10-01

/sup 40/Ar//sup 39/Ar age spectrum analyses of three microcline separates from the Separation Point Batholith, northwest Nelson, New Zealand, which cooled slowly through the temperature zone of partial radiogenic /sup 40/Ar accumulation are characterized by a linear age increase over the first 65 percent of gas release with the lowest ages corresponding to the time that the samples cooled below about 100/sup 0/C. The last 35 percent of /sup 39/Ar released from the microclines yields plateau ages which reflect the different bulk mineral ages, and correspond to cooling temperatures between about 130 to 160/sup 0/C. Theoretical calculations confirm the likelihood of diffusion gradients in feldspars cooling at rates =< 5/sup 0/C-Ma/sup -1/. Diffusion parameters calculated from the /sup 39/Ar release yield an activation energy, E = 28.8 +- 1.9 kcal-mol/sup -1/, and a frequency factor/grain size parameter, D/sub 0//l/sup 2/ = 5.6sub(-3.9)sup(+14) sec/sup -1/. This Arrhenius relationship corresponds to a closure temperature of 132 +- 13/sup 0/C which is very similar to the independently estimated temperature. From the observed diffusion compensation correlation, this D/sub 0//l/sup 2/ implies an average diffusion half-width of about 3 ..mu..m, similar to the half-width of the perthite lamellae in the feldspars. The results are discussed.

40Ar-39Ar dating of hornfels dredged near the Japan trench

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takigami, Yutaka; Fujioka, Kantaro

1989-01-01

During the KH 81-3 Cruise of the R/V Hakuho-Maru, biotite-bearing hornfelses were dredged from the landward slope of the Japan Trench. Bulk sample and separated biotite were dated by the 40 Ar- 39 Ar method and they showed 40 Ar- 39 Ar ages of 28.9±1.4 Ma and 28.5±1.4 Ma, respectively. This would indicate that biotite was formed at about 29 Ma by the thermal metamorphism which might have related with some magmatic activity. In this magmatic activity was caused by the subducting oceanic plate in the similar conditions at present, it seems to have occurred at a place too close to the present trench axis. This discrepancy could be explained by such processes as the change of the angle of the subducting plate, the moving of the trench axis by tectonic erosion and so on. However, more age data are required to solve this discrepancy. (author)

40Ar/39Ar and K/Ar whole rock age constraints on the timing of regional deformation, South Coast of New South Wales, Lachlan Fold Belt, Southeastern Australia: problems and implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, D.; Fergusson, C.L.

1999-01-01

Full text: Subduction complex rocks are well exposed on the south coast of New South Wales around Batemans Bay. Farther south in the Narooma and Bermagui region, Offier et al (1998) have determined two 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages of 450 ± 3 Ma and 445 ± 2 Ma. They argued that these ages constrain the timing of intense underplating-related deformation and we have undertaken farther work, from an area south of Batemans Bay, to test this suggestion. The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar method applied to fine-grained, low temperature metamorphic rocks, such as slates, is beset by the problem of recoil loss and/or redistribution of 39 Ar during the irradiation process. Another problem is the difficulty of distinguishing between the contributions to 40 Ar/ 39 Ar spectra from illite/muscovite grown during the cleavage-producing deformation and detrital muscovite/illite. In the current study, four slate samples, with variable contents of detrital white mica, were analysed by both the K-Ar and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar step-heating methods. A separate of detrital white mica from one slate sample yields a plateau age of 500 ± 2 Ma. This result indicates that inheritance has not been eliminated by metamorphism as is commonly assumed and that the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages provide only a maximum estimate for the timing of deformation. 40 Ar/ 39 Ar analyses of state chips yield discordant, saddle-shaped age spectra, with minimum, within-saddle' ages of ca. 420 Ma. Two slate samples give identical 40 Ar/ 39 Ar integrated ages of 455 ± 2 Ma. One sample contains relatively abundant detrital bedding-parallel mica flakes that are locally oblique to the regional cleavage in the rock. The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages are some 20 Ma older than K-Ar ages for these same samples, suggesting that recoil loss of 39 Ar may also have affected these slates. Both recoil loss of 39 Ar and inherited white micas will yield elevated apparent ages, thus providing only maximum ages for the cleavage-producing deformation. Two other samples from slaty tectonic

Androgen Receptor (AR) Physiological Roles in Male and Female Reproductive Systems: Lessons Learned from AR-Knockout Mice Lacking AR in Selective Cells1

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chawnshang; Lee, Soo Ok; Wang, Ruey-Sheng; Yeh, Shuyuan; Chang, Ta-Min

2013-01-01

ABSTRACT Androgens/androgen receptor (AR) signaling is involved primarily in the development of male-specific phenotypes during embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, sexual behavior, and fertility during adult life. However, this signaling has also been shown to play an important role in development of female reproductive organs and their functions, such as ovarian folliculogenesis, embryonic implantation, and uterine and breast development. The establishment of the testicular feminization (Tfm) mouse model exploiting the X-linked Tfm mutation in mice has been a good in vivo tool for studying the human complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, but this mouse may not be the perfect in vivo model. Mouse models with various cell-specific AR knockout (ARKO) might allow us to study AR roles in individual types of cells in these male and female reproductive systems, although discrepancies are found in results between labs, probably due to using various Cre mice and/or knocking out AR in different AR domains. Nevertheless, no doubt exists that the continuous development of these ARKO mouse models and careful studies will provide information useful for understanding AR roles in reproductive systems of humans and may help us to develop more effective and more specific therapeutic approaches for reproductive system-related diseases. PMID:23782840

Accurate and precise 40Ar/39Ar dating by high-resolution, multi-collection, mass spectrometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Storey, Michael; Rivera, Tiffany; Flude, Stephanie

New generation, high resolution, multi-collector noble gas mass spectrometers equipped with ion-counting electron multipliers provide opportunities for improved accuracy and precision in 40Ar/39Ar dating. Here we report analytical protocols and age cross-calibration studies using a NU-Instruments......New generation, high resolution, multi-collector noble gas mass spectrometers equipped with ion-counting electron multipliers provide opportunities for improved accuracy and precision in 40Ar/39Ar dating. Here we report analytical protocols and age cross-calibration studies using a NU......-Instruments multi-collector Noblesse noble gas mass spectrometer configured with a faraday detector and three ion-counting electron multipliers. The instrument has the capability to measure several noble gas isotopes simultaneously and to change measurement configurations instantaneously by the use of QUAD lenses...... (zoom optics). The Noblesse offer several advantages over previous generation noble gas mass spectrometers and is particularly suited for single crystal 40Ar/39Ar dating because of: (i) improved source sensitivity (ii) ion-counting electron multipliers, which have much lower signal to noise ratios than...

Human dimensions in ecosystem management: a USDA Forest Service perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Deborah S. Carr

1995-01-01

For many decades, the natural resource profession has approached the management of public lands as exclusively a natural science endeavor requiring purely technical solutions. With the adoption of an ecosystem management philosophy, the USDA Forest Service has acknowledged the centrality of people in land management policy and decision-making. This paper explores the...

40Ar/ 39Ar ages and paleomagnetism of São Miguel lavas, Azores

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Catherine L.; Wijbrans, Jan R.; Constable, Catherine G.; Gee, Jeff; Staudigel, Hubert; Tauxe, Lisa; Forjaz, Victor-H.; Salgueiro, Mário

1998-08-01

We present new 40Ar/ 39Ar ages and paleomagnetic data for São Miguel island, Azores. Paleomagnetic samples were obtained for 34 flows and one dike; successful mean paleomagnetic directions were obtained for 28 of these 35 sites. 40Ar/ 39Ar age determinations on 12 flows from the Nordeste complex were attempted successfully: ages obtained are between 0.78 Ma and 0.88 Ma, in contrast to published K-Ar ages of 1 Ma to 4 Ma. Our radiometric ages are consistent with the reverse polarity paleomagnetic field directions, and indicate that the entire exposed part of the Nordeste complex is of a late Matuyama age. The duration of volcanism across São Miguel is significantly less than previously believed, which has important implications for regional melt generation processes, and temporal sampling of the geomagnetic field. Observed stable isotope and trace element trends across the island can be explained, at least in part, by communication between different magma source regions at depth. The 40Ar/ 39Ar ages indicate that our normal polarity paleomagnetic data sample at least 0.1 Myr (0-0.1 Ma) and up to 0.78 Myr (0-0.78 Ma) of paleosecular variation and our reverse polarity data sample approximately 0.1 Myr (0.78-0.88 Ma) of paleosecular variation. Our results demonstrate that precise radiometric dating of numerous flows sampled is essential to accurate inferences of long-term geomagnetic field behavior. Negative inclination anomalies are observed for both the normal and reverse polarity time-averaged field. Within the data uncertainties, normal and reverse polarity field directions are antipodal, but the reverse polarity field shows a significant deviation from a geocentric axial dipole direction.

Application of quadrupole mass spectrometer to the 40Ar-39Ar geochronological study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takigami, Yutaka; Nishijima, Tadashi; Koike, Toshio; Okuma, Kouichi.

1984-01-01

A Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (QMS) has commonly been used for qualitative analyses of gases in organic chemistry or for monitoring the vacuum conditions in industrial machines. No attempt has been made, however, to apply it to geochronological studies because of its disadvantages such as the difficulty in obtaining precise isotope ratios due to triangular peak shapes and poor reproducibility. On the other hand, there are advantages that a QMS is relatively inexpensive and gives a shorter scanning time for analysis compared with a sector type mass spectrometer. The latter characteristics is useful for 40 Ar/ 39 Ar geochronological studies, since it gives a lower background in the QMS and the possibility to obtain many more data from one sample in a limited time. In this study, we have tried to improve a commercial QMS at many parts, such as rf-generator, quadrupole, ionization chamber, source magnet, and so on, in order to meet the requirements to use it for geochronological studies. With the use of the improved QMS equipped with an on-line microcomputer, we could obtain Ar isotope data which are sufficiently precise for the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar geochronological studies. (author)

The ChArMEx database

Science.gov (United States)

Ferré, Hélène; Descloitres, Jacques; Fleury, Laurence; Boichard, Jean-Luc; Brissebrat, Guillaume; Focsa, Loredana; Henriot, Nicolas; Mastrorillo, Laurence; Mière, Arnaud; Vermeulen, Anne

2013-04-01

The Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment (ChArMEx, http://charmex.lsce.ipsl.fr/) aims at a scientific assessment of the present and future state of the atmospheric environment in the Mediterranean Basin, and of its impacts on the regional climate, air quality, and marine biogeochemistry. The project includes long term monitoring of environmental parameters, intensive field campaigns, use of satellite data and modelling studies. Therefore ChARMEx scientists produce and need to access a wide diversity of data. In this context, the objective of the database task is to organize data management, distribution system and services such as facilitating the exchange of information and stimulating the collaboration between researchers within the ChArMEx community, and beyond. The database relies on a strong collaboration between OMP and ICARE data centres and falls within the scope of the Mediterranean Integrated Studies at Regional And Locals Scales (MISTRALS) program data portal. All the data produced by or of interest for the ChArMEx community will be documented in the data catalogue and accessible through the database website: http://mistrals.sedoo.fr/ChArMEx. The database website offers different tools: - A registration procedure which enables any scientist to accept the data policy and apply for a user database account. - Forms to document observations or products that will be provided to the database in compliance with metadata international standards (ISO 19115-19139; INSPIRE; Global Change Master Directory Thesaurus). - A search tool to browse the catalogue using thematic, geographic and/or temporal criteria. - Sorted lists of the datasets by thematic keywords, by measured parameters, by instruments or by platform type. - A shopping-cart web interface to order in situ data files. At present datasets from the background monitoring station of Ersa, Cape Corsica and from the 2012 ChArMEx pre-campaign are available. - A user-friendly access to satellite products

Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Beef Cattle Production in the Southern Great Plains

Science.gov (United States)

Kannan, N.; Niraula, R.; Saleh, A.; Osei, E.; Cole, A.; Todd, R.; Waldrip, H.; Aljoe, H.

2017-12-01

A five-year USDA-funded study titled "Resilience and vulnerability of beef cattle production in the Southern Great Plains under changing climate, land use, and markets" was initiated as a multi-institutional collaboration involving Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research (TIAER)—Tarleton State University, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)—Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in El Reno, Oklahoma, USDA—ARS in Bushland, Texas, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, University of Oklahoma, and the Noble Research Institute in Ardmore, Oklahoma. The project goal is to safeguard and promote regional beef production while mitigating its environmental footprint. Conducting a full Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is one of the major objectives of the study, in addition to field experiments, extension, outreach, and education. Estimation of all the resource use and greenhouse gas emissions are parts of the LCA. A computer model titled Animal Production Life Cycle Analysis Tool (APLCAT) is developed and applied to conduct the LCA on beef cattle production in the study region. The model estimates water use, energy requirements, and emissions of enteric methane, manure methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide. Also included in the LCA analysis are land-atmospheric exchanges of methane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and the global warming potential. Our study is focused on the cow-calf and stocker phases of beef cattle production. The animal production system in the study region is predominantly forage based with protein and energy supplements when needed. Spring calving typical to the study region. In the cow-calf phase animals typically graze native prairie although introduced pasture grazing is also prevalent. Stockers use winter pasture as the major feed. The results of greenhouse gas emissions summarized per kg of hot carcass weight or animal fed will be presented.

Work Plan: Phase II Investigation at the Former CCC/USDA Grain Storage Facility in Montgomery City, Missouri

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, Lorraine M [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2012-05-01

From September 1949 until September 1966, the Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) leased property at the southeastern end of Montgomery City, Missouri, for the operation of a grain storage facility. During this time, commercial grain fumigants containing carbon tetrachloride were commonly used by the CCC/USDA and the private grain storage industry to preserve grain in their facilities.

Assessing human health risk in the USDA forest service

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamel, D.R. [Department of Agriculture-Forest Service, Washington, DC (United States)

1990-12-31

This paper identifies the kinds of risk assessments being done by or for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. Summaries of data sources currently in use and the pesticide risk assessments completed by the agency or its contractors are discussed. An overview is provided of the agency`s standard operating procedures for the conduct of toxicological, ecological, environmental fate, and human health risk assessments.

ARS-Media for excel instruction manual

Science.gov (United States)

ARS-Media for Excel Instruction Manual is the instruction manual that explains how to use the Excel spreadsheet ARS-Media for Excel application. ARS-Media for Excel Instruction Manual is provided as a pdf file....

The thermal history of the Lhasa Block, South Tibetan Plateau based on FTD and Ar-Ar dating

CERN Document Server

Yang, T F; Lo Chong Huah; Chung, S L; Tien, R L; Xu, R; Deng, W

1999-01-01

Twelve basement samples were collected from South Tibet Plateau for FTD and Ar-Ar analysis to demonstrate their uplifting history since Cenozoic era. The preliminary results from different minerals with different closure temperatures, including apatite and zircon for fission-track dating, and K-feldspar, biotite for Ar-Ar dating, show that at least four stages of thermal history can be recognized in the studied area.

The thermal history of the Lhasa Block, South Tibetan Plateau based on FTD and Ar-Ar dating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, T.F.; Wang, J.R.; Lo, C.H.; Chung, S.L.; Tien, R.L.; Xu, R.; Deng, W.

1999-01-01

Twelve basement samples were collected from South Tibet Plateau for FTD and Ar-Ar analysis to demonstrate their uplifting history since Cenozoic era. The preliminary results from different minerals with different closure temperatures, including apatite and zircon for fission-track dating, and K-feldspar, biotite for Ar-Ar dating, show that at least four stages of thermal history can be recognized in the studied area

Compendium of fruit fly host information (CoFFHI), edition 3.0

Science.gov (United States)

The Compendium of Fruit Fly Host Information (CoFFHI), edition 3.0 (available at: https://coffhi.cphst.org/), developed through collaborative efforts of scientists in USDA-APHIS, USDA-ARS, and the Center for Integrated Pest Management (CIPM) of North Carolina State University (NCSU), provides centra...

Final corrective action study for the former CCC/USDA facility in Ramona, Kansas.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, L. M. (Environmental Science Division)

2011-04-20

Past operations at a grain storage facility formerly leased and operated by the Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) in Ramona, Kansas, resulted in low concentrations of carbon tetrachloride in groundwater that slightly exceed the regulatory standard in only one location. As requested by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the CCC/USDA has prepared a Corrective Action Study (CAS) for the facility. The CAS examines corrective actions to address groundwater impacted by the former CCC/USDA facility but not releases caused by other potential groundwater contamination sources in Ramona. Four remedial alternatives were considered in the CAS. The recommended remedial alternative in the CAS consists of Environmental Use Control to prevent the inadvertent use of groundwater as a water supply source, coupled with groundwater monitoring to verify the continued natural improvement in groundwater quality. The Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) has directed Argonne National Laboratory to prepare a Corrective Action Study (CAS), consistent with guidance from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE 2001a), for the CCC/USDA grain storage facility formerly located in Ramona, Kansas. This effort is pursuant to a KDHE (2007a) request. Although carbon tetrachloride levels at the Ramona site are low, they remain above the Kansas Tier 2 risk-based screening level (RBSL) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 5 {micro}g/L (Kansas 2003, 2004). In its request for the CAS, the KDHE (2007a) stated that, because of these levels, risk is associated with potential future exposure to contaminated groundwater. The KDHE therefore determined that additional measures are warranted to limit future use of the property and/or exposure to contaminated media as part of site closure. The KDHE further requested comparison of at least two corrective

78 FR 2946 - United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Vegetables

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-15

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Document Number AMS-FV-09-0028, FV-11-327] United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Vegetables AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the...

78 FR 52131 - United States Standards for Grades of Creole Onions

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-22

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Doc. Number AMS-FV-13-0018] United States Standards for Grades of Creole Onions AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice..., which were issued under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS...

Performance of a 10 kilowatt wind-electric water pumping system for irrigating crops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vick, B.D.; Clark, R.N. [Conservation and Production Research Lab., Bushland, TX (United States); Molla, S. [Texas A& M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

1997-12-31

A 10 kW wind-electric water pumping system was tested for field crop irrigation at pumping depths from 50 to 120 m. The wind turbine for this system used a permanent magnet alternator that powered off-the-shelf submersible motors and pumps without the use of an inverter. Pumping performance was determined at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Wind Energy Laboratory in Bushland, TX for the 10 kW wind turbine using a pressure valve and a pressure tank to simulate different pumping depths. Pumping performance was measured for two 10 kW wind turbines of the same type at farms near the cities of Garden City, TX and Stiles, TX. The pumping performance data collected at these actual wells compared favorably with the data collected at the USDA-ARS, Wind Energy Laboratory. If utility generated electricity was accessible, payback on the wind turbine depended on the cost of utility generated electricity and the transmission line extension cost.

Expectations for methodology and translation of animal research: a survey of health care workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Joffe, Ari R; Bara, Meredith; Anton, Natalie; Nobis, Nathan

2015-05-07

Health care workers (HCW) often perform, promote, and advocate use of public funds for animal research (AR); therefore, an awareness of the empirical costs and benefits of animal research is an important issue for HCW. We aim to determine what health-care-workers consider should be acceptable standards of AR methodology and translation rate to humans. After development and validation, an e-mail survey was sent to all pediatricians and pediatric intensive care unit nurses and respiratory-therapists (RTs) affiliated with a Canadian University. We presented questions about demographics, methodology of AR, and expectations from AR. Responses of pediatricians and nurses/RTs were compared using Chi-square, with P methodological quality, most respondents expect that: AR is done to high quality; costs and difficulty are not acceptable justifications for low quality; findings should be reproducible between laboratories and strains of the same species; and guidelines for AR funded with public money should be consistent with these expectations. Asked about benefits of AR, most thought that there are sometimes/often large benefits to humans from AR, and disagreed that "AR rarely produces benefit to humans." Asked about expectations of translation to humans (of toxicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, and treatment findings), most: expect translation >40% of the time; thought that misleading AR results should occur methodological quality of, and the translation rate to humans of findings from AR. These expectations are higher than the empirical data show having been achieved. Unless these areas of AR significantly improve, HCW support of AR may be tenuous.

Identification of thermotectonics events by 40Ar/39Ar methodology, in Jauru, Pontes e Lacerda and Rio Alegre Terrane - southwest portion of Amazon Craton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paulo, Valeria Guimaraes de

2005-01-01

The southwest portion of Amazon Craton, subject of these work, correspond to the southwest region of Mato Grosso State and is inserted on Rio Negro-Juruena, Rondoniana-San Ignacio and Sunsas-Aguapei geochronologic Provinces. This region is surrounded by three big terranes: Jauru, Pontes e Lacerda and Rio Alegre. The main aim of this study is to use the ages of termochronologic events obtained by 40 Ar/ 39 Ar methodology, including data of literature, to contribute with the study of the geotectonic evolution on this region. Twenty samples were analyzed and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages found for the Jauru Terrane vary of 1539 ± 3 Ma to 1338 ± 3 Ma, for the Pontes e Lacerda Terrane the interval obtained was of 946,1 ± 0,8 Ma to 890 ± 2 Ma and for Rio Alegre Terrane the ages are between 1407 ± 3 Ma to 1321 ± 2 Ma. U/Pb, Rb/Sr and Sm/Nd data from previous works, together with 40 Ar/ 39 Ar results allowed to obtain cooling average rates to each terrane. The Jauru Terrane units cooling age is equivalent to 1,52 Ga. The cooling average rates found to Alto Jauru Greenstone belt rocks is 2,4 deg C - 1,0 Ma and to Magmatic Arc Cachoeirinha is 10,8 deg C - 1,0 Ma. Stabilization age obtained for Pontes and Lacerda Terrane is about 900 Ma coherent with the cooling age of the Sunsas Aguapei Event (1,0 - 0,9 Ga) and cooling average rates calculate were the lower, equivalent to 1,0 deg C - 1,0 Ma. Cooling age found in Rio Alegre Terrane was 1,35 Ga, possibility correspond to collision age these terrane with Amazonian protoCraton and cooling average rates of 5,0 deg C - 1,0 Ma. Finally, younger age found of 900 Ma, coherent to the Sunsas - Aguapei Event, probably represent the last regional event that affected these rocks, characterizing the stabilization period of the southwest portion of Amazon Craton. (author)

77 FR 6774 - United States Standards for Grades of Eggplant

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-09

... that mixing colors and/or types of eggplant in a specialty pack is a current marketing practice. The U... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Doc. AMS-FV-11-0052] United States Standards for Grades of Eggplant AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The...

High-resolution 40Ar/39Ar chronology of multiple intrusion igneous complexes

Science.gov (United States)

Foland, K. A.; Chen, J.-F.; Linder, J. S.; Henderson, C. M. B.; Whillans, I. M.

1989-06-01

The Mount Brome complex of the Monteregian province of southern Quebec, Canada, consits of several major intrusions ranging compositionally from gabbro to syenite. The relative ages of these intrusives have been investigated with high-resolution 40Ar/39Ar analyses, including a specially designed irradiation configuration to cancel the effects of fluence gradients. Small yet distinct apparent age differences are observed. While a number of analytical and geological factors could be proposed to explain the small variations, evaluation of these suggests the age differences reflect those in emplacement times. The gabbro and nepheline diorite were emplaced within a short span 123.1 Ma ago. Generally more evolved lithologies (biotite monzodiorite, pulaskite, nordmarkite) appear to have been emplaced within a restricted interval 1.4±0.3 Ma later. Whole-rock Rb-Sr systematics do not give acceptable isochrons because of significant scatter interpreted to reflect initial 87Sr/86Sr heterogeneities resulting from crustal contamination. Considering the variations in initial ratio, the Rb-Sr data are consistent with the 40Ar/39Ar age.

Study of the impact of atmospheric emissions (41AR) during operation of a nuclear reactor research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves, Simone F.; Barreto, Alberto A.; Jacomino, Vanusa Maria F.; Rodrigues, Paulo Cesar H.

2013-01-01

The knowledge of the atmosphere dispersion of radionuclides, resulting from a nuclear reactor emissions during normal operation, is an important step in the process of nuclear licensing and environmental. This step requires a study to evaluate the radiological environmental impact. The results of this study are used by radiation protection agents to control the exposure of public to radiation during the operation of nuclear facilities. The elaboration of environmental impact assessment due to atmospheric emissions is based on a study of atmospheric dispersion. The aim of this study is estimate the concentrations of radionuclides in different compartments of the ecosystem and calculate the dose received by man as a result of radiation exposure in different scenarios of interest. This paper deals with the case study of the impact of atmospheric emissions of 41 Ar during operation of a nuclear research reactor. This study was accomplished with the application of the dispersion model ARTM (Radionuclide Transport Atmospheric Model), along with the geoprocessing resources. Among the results are: the spatial distribution of population by age; topography of the region, local wind rose, atmospheric stability and the estimate of the concentration of radionuclide 41 Ar and of dose. The results indicate that the dose, by external irradiation due to immersion in the cloud, was below the limits established by regulatory agencies. (author)

Emailing Drones: From Design to Test Range to ARS Offices and into the Field

Science.gov (United States)

Fuka, D. R.; Singer, S.; Rodriguez, R., III; Collick, A.; Cunningham, A.; Kleinman, P. J. A.; Manoukis, N. C.; Matthews, B.; Ralston, T.; Easton, Z. M.

2017-12-01

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or `drones') are one of the newest tools available for collecting geo- and biological-science data in the field, though today's commercial drones only come in a small range of options. While scientific research has benefitted from the enhanced topographic and surface characterization data that UAVs can provide through traditional image based remote sensing techniques, drones have significantly greater mission-specific potential than are currently utilized. The reasons for this under-utilization are twofold, 1) because with their broad capabilities comes the need to be careful in implementation, and as such, FAA and other regulatory agencies around the world have blanket regulations that can inhibit new designs from being implemented, and 2) current multi-mission-multi-payload commercial drones have to be over-designed to compensate for the fact that they are very difficult to stabilize for multiple payloads, leading to a much higher cost than necessary. For this project, we explore and demonstrate a workflow to optimize the design, testing, approval, and implementation of embarrassingly inexpensive mission specific drones, with two use cases. The first will follow the process from design (at VTech and UH Hilo) to field implementation (by USDA-ARS in PA and Extension in VA) of several custom water quality monitoring drones, printed on demand at ARS and Extension offices after testing at the Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex (PPUTRC). This type of customized drone can allow for an increased understanding in the transition from non-point source to point source agri-chemical and pollutant transport in watershed systems. The second use case will follow the same process, resulting in customized drones with pest specific traps built into the design. This class of customized drone can facilitate IPM pest monitoring programs nationwide, decreasing the intensive and costly quarantine and population elimination measures that currently exist

Developing a chronostratigraphic tool for climatic archives: absolute dating (K/Ar and 40Ar/39Ar) and paleo-magnetism applied to lavas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasco, Romain

2015-01-01

The understanding of climatic mechanisms and rapid climate changes requires a high-resolution, robust, and precise timescale which allows long-distance and multi-archives correlations.An appropriate tool to construct such a timescale is provided by the Earth magnetic field (EMF). The EMF is independent from climatic variations and its past evolution, global at the surface of the Earth, is recorded by most of the geological/climatic archives. Sedimentary sequences provide continuous records of relative intensities of the EMF on timescales usually based on ice core age models or orbital tuning. Lavas, though discontinuously emitted through time, record the absolute intensity of the EMF during their cooling at the surface of the Earth. Lavas are dated using 2 complementary methods: 40 Ar/ 39 Ar and K-Ar, both independent from climatic parameters. Lavas have therefore the potential to deliver tie-points (age - paleo-intensity couples) enabling the time calibration of sedimentary sequences and their transfer onto absolute intensity scale and chronological time scale. This timescale can then be transferred to other climatic archives. The present study focusses on the last 200 ka with lavas sampled from young volcanoes of Ardeche (South Massif Central, France) and recent phases of volcanism in the Canary Islands. Lava flows from Ardeche provided un-exploitable paleo-intensity results and ages with large uncertainties. Therefore, they failed to provide suitable tie-points. However, our geochronological results evidence how crucial the combination of both the K-Ar and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar methods is to test the accuracy and geological meaning of the ages. Ardeche lavas have abundant mantellic and crustal xenoliths, potential carriers of excess 40 Ar*. Our study suggests that the argon excess is located in sites that decrepitate at low temperature (≤600 C). Because 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages are not affected by excess 40 Ar*, they provide reliable results. The new age dataset indicates

AR, HEA and AAS in Rural Development Projects--Benchmarking towards the Best Processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Westermarck, Harri

In most countries, agricultural research (AR), institutions of higher education in agriculture (HEA), and agricultural advisory services (AAS) function as separate agencies. So far, in most countries, AR, HEA, and AAS have not had a common vision for rural development. In Finland, domination of agricultural production in Finland has led to a lack…

A refined astronomically calibrated 40Ar/39Ar age for Fish Canyon sanidine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rivera, T.A.; Storey, M.; Zeeden, C.; Hilgen, F.J.; Kuiper, K.

2011-01-01

Intercalibration between the astronomical and radio-isotopic dating methods provides a means to improving accuracy and reducing uncertainty of an integrated, multi-chronometer geologic timescale. Here we report a high-precision 40Ar/39Ar age for the FishCanyon sanidine (FCs) neutron fluence monitor,

Associating mapping of stigma characteristics using the USDA rice core collection

Science.gov (United States)

A mini-core from the USDA rice core collection was phenotyped for nine traits of stigma and spikelet and genotyped with 109 DNA markers. Marker-trait association mapping was used to identify the regions associated with the nine traits. Resulting associations were adjusted using false discovery rate ...

The ARS Culture Collection and Developments in Biotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

The ARS Culture Collection (NRRL) has played a prominent role in the development of biotechnology since its founding in 1940 when the Northern Regional Research Laboratory opened. Early discoveries included selection of production strains for penicillin, dextran blood extender, xanthan gum and the v...

United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service 1996 annual report wetlands research related to the Pen Branch restoration effort on the Savannah River site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nelson, E.A. [Westinghouse Savannah River Company, Aiken, SC (United States); Kolka, R.K. [USDA Forest Service, Charleston, SC (United States); Trettin, C.C. [USDA Forest Service, Charleston, SC (United States)

1997-01-01

This report documents the role of the USDA Forest Service and their collaborators (SRTC, SREL, and several universities) in wetlands monitoring and research on the Savannah River Site. This report describes the rationales, methods, and results (when available) of these studies and summarizes and integrates the available information through 1996.

Spectroscopic and electric dipole properties of Sr+Ar and SrAr systems including high excited states

Science.gov (United States)

Hamdi, Rafika; Abdessalem, Kawther; Dardouri, Riadh; Al-Ghamdi, Attieh A.; Oujia, Brahim; Gadéa, Florent Xavier

2018-01-01

The spectroscopic properties of the fundamental and several excited states of Sr+Ar and SrAr, Van der Waals systems are investigated by employing an ab initio method in a pseudo-potential approach. The potential energy curves and the spectroscopic parameters are displayed for the 1-10 2Σ+, 1-6 2Π and 1-3 2Δ electronic states of the Sr+Ar molecule and for the 1-6 1Σ+, 1-4 3Σ+, 1-3 1,3Π and 1-3 1,3Δ states of the neutral molecule SrAr. In addition, from these curves, the vibrational levels and their energy spacing are deduced for Σ+, Π and Δ symmetries. The spectra of the permanent and transition dipole moments are studied for the 1,3Σ+ states of SrAr, which are considered to be two-electron systems and 2Σ+ states of the single electron Sr+Ar ion. The spectroscopic parameters obtained for each molecular system are compared with previous theoretical and experimental works. A significant correlation revealed the accuracy of our results.

Skolotāju uztvertā stresa saistība ar apmierinātību ar darbu

OpenAIRE

Dejus, Ilze

2014-01-01

Pētījuma „Skolotāju uztvertā stresa saistība ar apmierinātību ar darbu” mērķis, pamatojoties uz teorētisko analīzi, pētīt skolotāju uztvertā stresa saistību ar apmierinātību ar darbu. Pētījuma jautājumi: 1.Vai pastāv statistiski nozīmīga saistība starp skolotāju uztvertā stresa līmeni un apmierinātību ar darbu? 2.Vai pastāv statistiski nozīmīgas atšķirības starp Liepājas 15.vidusskolas un Grobiņas novada skolotāju uztvertā stresa līmeni un apmierinātību ar darbu? Aptaujāti 113 skolot...

USDA forest service southern region – It’s all about GRITS

Science.gov (United States)

Barbara S. Crane; Kevin M. Potter

2017-01-01

Genetic resource management programs across the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USDA FS) play a key role in supporting successful land management activities. The programs are responsible for developing and providing plant material for revegetation, seed management guidelines, emergency fire recovery assistance, genetic conservation strategies, climate...

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the ArsM arsenic(III) S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marapakala, Kavitha; Ajees, A. Abdul; Qin, Jie; Sankaran, Banumathi; Rosen, Barry P.

2010-01-01

A common biotransformation of arsenic is methylation to monomethylated, dimethylated and trimethylated species, which is catalyzed by the ArsM (or AS3MT) arsenic(III) S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase. ArsM from the acidothermophilic alga Cyanidioschyzon sp. 5508 was expressed, purified and crystallized by the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method and diffraction data were collected to 1.76 Å resolution. Arsenic is the most ubiquitous environmental toxin and carcinogen and consequently ranks first on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Priority List of Hazardous Substances. It is introduced primarily from geochemical sources and is acted on biologically, creating an arsenic biogeocycle. A common biotransformation is methylation to monomethylated, dimethylated and trimethylated species. Methylation is catalyzed by the ArsM (or AS3MT) arsenic(III) S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase, an enzyme (EC 2.1.1.137) that is found in members of every kingdom from bacteria to humans. ArsM from the thermophilic alga Cyanidioschyzon sp. 5508 was expressed, purified and crystallized. Crystals were obtained by the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method. The crystals belonged to the monoclinic space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 84.85, b = 46.89, c = 100.35 Å, β = 114.25° and one molecule in the asymmetric unit. Diffraction data were collected at the Advanced Light Source and were processed to a resolution of 1.76 Å

Life cycle assessment and environmental building declaration for the design building at the University of Massachusetts

Science.gov (United States)

Hongmei Gu; Richard Bergman

2018-01-01

AbstractWith the world’s increasing focus on sustainability in the construction sector through green building systems, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been ac-tively engaged in green building advocacy in the United States through USDA Tall Wood Building competitions and follow-up research on use of mass timber for nonresi-dential buildings. The USDA...

CO2 Dynamics in winter wheat and canola under different management practices in the Southern Great Plains

Science.gov (United States)

Wagle, P.; Manjunatha, P.; Gowda, P. H.; Northup, B. K.; Neel, J. P. S.; Turner, K.; Steiner, J. L.

2017-12-01

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and increased air temperature and climatic variability concerns have prompted considerable interest regarding CO2 dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems in response to major climatic and biophysical factors. However, detailed information on CO2 dynamics in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and canola (Brassica napus L.) under different agricultural management practices is lacking. As a part of the GRL-FLUXNET, a cluster of eight eddy covariance (EC) systems was deployed on the 420-ha Grazinglands Research on agroEcosystems and the ENvironment (GREEN) Farm at the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), Grazinglands Research Laboratory (GRL), El Reno, OK. The GRL is also one of 18 USDA-ARS Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network sites in the United States. A 4-year crop rotation plan at the farm includes winter wheat for grain only, graze-grain, and graze-out, and canola under conventional till and no-till management conditions. Biometric measurements such as biomass, leaf area index (LAI), canopy cover %, canopy height, and chlorophyll content were collected approximately every 16 days to coincide with Landsat satellite overpass dates. As expected, biomass and LAI were highest in the grain only wheat fields followed by graze-grain and graze-out wheat fields, but they were similar for till and no-till wheat fields within the same grazing practice. Biomass and LAI were similar in till and no-till canola in fall 2016, but both were substantially lower in no-till compared to tilled canola during spring 2017 due to more severe winter damage. Because net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) is strongly regulated by vegetation cover, the magnitudes of NEE were highest in the grain only wheat fields due to more biomass and LAI, followed by graze-grain and graze-out wheat fields. Similarly, the magnitudes of NEE were also higher in tilled canola (i.e., higher biomass and LAI) than

The ChArMEx database

Science.gov (United States)

Ferré, Helene; Belmahfoud, Nizar; Boichard, Jean-Luc; Brissebrat, Guillaume; Descloitres, Jacques; Fleury, Laurence; Focsa, Loredana; Henriot, Nicolas; Mastrorillo, Laurence; Mière, Arnaud; Vermeulen, Anne

2014-05-01

The Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment (ChArMEx, http://charmex.lsce.ipsl.fr/) aims at a scientific assessment of the present and future state of the atmospheric environment in the Mediterranean Basin, and of its impacts on the regional climate, air quality, and marine biogeochemistry. The project includes long term monitoring of environmental parameters, intensive field campaigns, use of satellite data and modelling studies. Therefore ChARMEx scientists produce and need to access a wide diversity of data. In this context, the objective of the database task is to organize data management, distribution system and services, such as facilitating the exchange of information and stimulating the collaboration between researchers within the ChArMEx community, and beyond. The database relies on a strong collaboration between OMP and ICARE data centres and has been set up in the framework of the Mediterranean Integrated Studies at Regional And Locals Scales (MISTRALS) program data portal. All the data produced by or of interest for the ChArMEx community will be documented in the data catalogue and accessible through the database website: http://mistrals.sedoo.fr/ChArMEx. At present, the ChArMEx database contains about 75 datasets, including 50 in situ datasets (2012 and 2013 campaigns, Ersa background monitoring station), 25 model outputs (dust model intercomparison, MEDCORDEX scenarios), and a high resolution emission inventory over the Mediterranean. Many in situ datasets have been inserted in a relational database, in order to enable more accurate data selection and download of different datasets in a shared format. The database website offers different tools: - A registration procedure which enables any scientist to accept the data policy and apply for a user database account. - A data catalogue that complies with metadata international standards (ISO 19115-19139; INSPIRE European Directive; Global Change Master Directory Thesaurus). - Metadata forms to document

Combined U-Th/He and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of post-shield lavas from the Mauna Kea and Kohala volcanoes, Hawaii

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aciego, S.M.; Jourdan, F.; DePaolo, D.J.; Kennedy, B.M.; Renne, P.R.; Sims, K.W.W.

2009-10-01

Late Quaternary, post-shield lavas from the Mauna Kea and Kohala volcanoes on the Big Island of Hawaii have been dated using the {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar and U-Th/He methods. The objective of the study is to compare the recently demonstrated U-Th/He age method, which uses basaltic olivine phenocrysts, with {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar ages measured on groundmass from the same samples. As a corollary, the age data also increase the precision of the chronology of volcanism on the Big Island. For the U-Th/He ages, U, Th and He concentrations and isotopes were measured to account for U-series disequilibrium and initial He. Single analyses U-Th/He ages for Hamakua lavas from Mauna Kea are 87 {+-} 40 ka to 119 {+-} 23 ka (2{sigma} uncertainties), which are in general equal to or younger than {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar ages. Basalt from the Polulu sequence on Kohala gives a U-Th/He age of 354 {+-} 54 ka and a {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar age of 450 {+-} 40 ka. All of the U-Th/He ages, and all but one spurious {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar ages conform to the previously proposed stratigraphy and published {sup 14}C and K-Ar ages. The ages also compare favorably to U-Th whole rock-olivine ages calculated from {sup 238}U - {sup 230}Th disequilibria. The U-Th/He and {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar results agree best where there is a relatively large amount of radiogenic {sup 40}Ar (>10%), and where the {sup 40}Ar/{sup 36}Ar intercept calculated from the Ar isochron diagram is close to the atmospheric value. In two cases, it is not clear why U-Th/He and {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar ages do not agree within uncertainty. U-Th/He and {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar results diverge the most on a low-K transitional tholeiitic basalt with abundant olivine. For the most alkalic basalts with negligible olivine phenocrysts, U-Th/He ages were unattainable while {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar results provide good precision even on ages as low as 19 {+-} 4 ka. Hence, the strengths and weaknesses of the U-Th/He and {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar methods are

The mass of sup 3 sup 2 Ar and sup 3 sup 3 Ar for fundamental tests

CERN Document Server

Blaum, K; Beck, D; Bollen, G; Herfurth, F; Kellerbauer, A G; Kluge, H J; Sauvan, E; Schwarz, S

2003-01-01

Masses of the short-lived radionuclides sup 3 sup 2 Ar (T sub 1 sub / sub 2 = 98 ms) sup 3 sup 3 Ar (T sub 1 sub / sub 2 = 173 ms) have been determined with the Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP. Relative uncertainties of 6.0 x 10 sup - sup 8 (delta m = 1.8 keV) and 1.4 x 10 sup - sup 8 (delta m = 0.44 keV), respectively, have been achieved. At present, these new mass data serve as the most stringent test of the quadratic form of the isobaricmultiplet mass equation IMME. Furthermore, the improved accuracy for the mass of sup 3 sup 2 Ar yields a better constraint on scalar contributions to the weak interaction. New mass values have also been measured for sup 4 sup 4 Ar and sup 4 sup 5 Ar, and a 20 sigma deviation for sup 4 sup 4 Ar from the literature value was found and interpreted.

Revisions of K/Ar ages for the Hadar hominid site, Ethiopia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walter, R.C.; Aronson, J.L. (Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH (USA). Dept. of Geology)

1982-03-11

Conventional K/Ar age measurements are reported for two volcanic units from the hominid-bearing Hadar Formation. These ages represent revision of previously published ages for the BKT-2 tephra and the Kadada Moumou basalt. BKT-2 is revised from 2.65 to 2.9 Myr BP and the Kadada Moumou basalt is revised from 3.0 to 3.6 Myr BP.

USDA Forest Service goals and programs for monitoring neotropical migratory birds

Science.gov (United States)

Patricia Manley

1993-01-01

The USDA Forest Service (USFS) developed goals, objectives, and guidelines for monitoring neotropical migratory birds (NTMB) on National Forest System lands in response to the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Program Partners in Flight. A USFS task group developed a hierarchical monitoring framework designed to define priorities for type of monitoring data....

SURVEY FOR ORGANISMS ASSOCIATED WITH DYER’S WOAD, ISATIS TINCTORIA L. (BRASSICACEAE, IN CENTRAL ITALY, AND PRELIMINARY HOST SPECIFICITY TESTS FOR SOME POTENTIAL CONTROL AGENTS (INSECTA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaetano Campobasso

2008-04-01

Full Text Available A survey conducted in central Italy found 126 species of phytophagous insects from five orders and 25 families on dyer’s woad, Isatis tinctoria L., a biennial or short-lived perennial. About 75% of the species found attacking this weed were polyphagous, 20% were restricted to the family Brassicaceae, and only 5% were restricted to the genus Isatis. Four of the one hundred twenty six species recovered were specific enough to merit further research as candidates for biological control of I. tinctoria L. in the United States. Preliminary host range tests were conducted for the weevils Ceutorhynchus rusticus Gyllenhal, Ceutorhynchus peyerimoffi Hustache, Aulacobaris fallax (H. Brisout, and the fleabeetle Psylliodes isatidis Heikertinger. All tests were conducted at the USDA-ARS-EBCL Rome substation from 2003 to 2006 and are reported herein.

Quantum treatment of the Ar-HI photodissociation dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez-Lopez, Sergio; Prosmiti, Rita; Garcia-Vela, Alberto

2004-01-01

A wave packet simulation of the ultraviolet photolysis dynamics of Ar-HI(v=0) is reported. Cluster photodissociation is started from two different initial states, namely, the ground van der Waals (vdW) and the first excited vdW bending state, associated with the Ar-I-H and Ar-H-I isomeric forms of the system, respectively. Formation of Ar-I radical products is investigated over the energy range of the cluster absorption spectrum. It is found that the yield of bound Ar-I radical complexes is typically 90%-100% and 70%-80% for the initial states associated with the Ar-I-H and Ar-H-I isomers, respectively. This result is in agreement with the experimentally observed time-of-flight spectrum of the hydrogen fragment produced after Ar-HI photodissociation. The high Ar-I yield is explained mainly by the small amount of energy available for the radical that is converted into internal energy in the photofragmentation process, which enhances the Ar-I survival probability. Quantum interference effects manifest themselves in structures in the angular distribution of the hydrogen fragment, and in pronounced rainbow patterns in the rotational distributions of the Ar-I radical

Ars Baltica-verkoston puheenjohtajuus Suomeen Risto Ruohoselle

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

1999-01-01

1990. a. loodud võrgustiku Ars Baltica sekretariaat (Ars Baltica Contact Point & Communication Center) tuleb Kielist Tallinnasse Eesti kultuuriministeeriumi kuni aastani 2002 (Suur-Karja 23). Ars Baltica (ühendus)

[VR and AR Applications in Medical Practice and Education].

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Min-Chai; Lin, Yu-Hsuan

2017-12-01

As technology advances, mobile devices have gradually turned into wearable devices. Furthermore, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) are being increasingly applied in medical fields such as medical education and training, surgical simulation, neurological rehabilitation, psychotherapy, and telemedicine. Research results demonstrate the ability of VR, AR, and MR to ameliorate the inconveniences that are often associated with traditional medical care, reduce incidents of medical malpractice caused by unskilled operations, and reduce the cost of medical education and training. What is more, the application of these technologies has enhanced the effectiveness of medical education and training, raised the level of diagnosis and treatment, improved the doctor-patient relationship, and boosted the efficiency of medical execution. The present study introduces VR, AR, and MR applications in medical practice and education with the aim of helping health professionals better understand the applications and use these technologies to improve the quality of medical care.

Single grains, thermal histories, and the 40Ar/39Ar method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, Norrie

1989-01-01

A key part in unraveling the history of the physical evolution of the earth is knowledge of the earth's thermal history. 40 Ar/ 39 Ar step heating of mineral samples provides a means of defining a local thermal history. to do this accurately the challenge is to extract meaningful diffusion parameters from a mineral's Arrhenius plot. In the case of biotite single grains, where the laboratory release of argon is a complex process, this can be a difficult task. (12 refs., 5 figs.)

Action research in pharmacy practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørgaard, Lotte Stig; Sørensen, Ellen Westh

2015-01-01

Action research (AR) is based on a collaborative problem-solving relationship between researcher and client, and the aims of this research are to solve the problem and to generate new knowledge. The chapter describes and shows how several different methods might be used for data collection in an AR......-based study. Concepts related to AR are described; in addition, the multifaceted role of the action researcher is described, along with a set of data quality criteria for evaluating the quality of an AR-based study. Then follows a thorough description of a Danish AR-based pharmacy practice study. The chapter...

40Ar/39Ar ages of adularia from the Golden Cross, Neavesville, and Komata epithermal deposits, Hauraki Goldfield, New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mauk, J.L.; Hall, C.M.

2004-01-01

New 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages of adularia from three epithermal vein deposits in the Hauraki Goldfield constrain when these deposits formed. Adularia from veins at Neavesville has 40 Ar/ 39 Ar plateau and isochron ages of 6.89 ± 0.02 and 6.86 ± 0.02 Ma, respectively, similar to the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar plateau and isochron ages of adularia from veins at Golden Cross of 6.96 ± 0.04 and 6.93 ± 0.03 Ma, respectively. In contrast, Komata mineralisation formed at 5.99 ± 0.02 to 6.07 ± 0.03 Ma, based on the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar isochron and plateau ages of the adularia in these veins, similar to the previously reported 6.0 Ma age of mineralisation at Waihi/Favona. These preliminary data suggest that mineralisation in the Hauraki Goldfields occurred episodically. (author). 19 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

HDR-Aggregate Read Service (ARS)

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Veterans Affairs — ARS is a SOAP web service exposed over HTTPS that provides an aggregated (report) view of HTH Survey, DMP and Census data stored in the HDR DB. ARS is deployed in...

Ars Electronica tulekul / Rael Artel

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Artel, Rael, 1980-

2003-01-01

6.-11. IX toimub Austrias Linzis "Ars Electronica" festival, mille teema on "Code - The Language of Our Time". Festivali kavast, osalejatest, ava-performance'ist "Europe - A Symphonic Vision", näitusest "Cyberarts 2003. Prix Ars Electronica"

A compilation of {sup 40}Ar-{sup 39} and K-Ar ages: report 25

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hunt, P A [Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Roddick, J C

1997-12-31

Twenty-three {sup 40}Ar-{sup 39}Ar age determinations (including two potassium-argon analyses) carried out by the Geological Survey of Canada are reported. Each age determination is accompanied by a description of the rock and mineral concentrate used; brief interpretative comments regarding the geological significance of each age are also provided where possible. The experimental procedures employed are described in outline. An index of all Geological Survey of Canada K-Ar age determinations published in this format has been prepared using NTS quadrangles as the primary reference. (author). 6 refs., 2 tabs., 1 fig.

^<40>Ar-^<39>Ar Age Studies for Tectonics of the Gondwana Land

OpenAIRE

Takigami, Yutaka; Sugiura, Naoji

1997-01-01

^Ar-^Ar age studies have been performed for samples from Antarctica and India which were parts of the Gondwana land at Mesozoic and Paleozoic time in order to investigate their thermal history and tectonic movement. From the both areas, ages of about 500 Ma which have been considered to be the age of Pan-African Orogeny were obtained, which represents that this thermal event spread widely over the Gondwana land.

Constraints on the origin of gabbroic rocks from the Moldanubian-Moravian units boundary (Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic and Austria)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ulrych, Jaromír; Ackerman, Lukáš; Kachlík, V.; Hegner, E.; Balogh, K.; Langrová, Anna; Luna, J.; Fediuk, F.; Lang, M.; Filip, Jiří

2010-01-01

Roč. 61, č. 3 (2010), s. 175-191 ISSN 1335-0552 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA3013403; GA AV ČR IAA300130902 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : gabbroic rocks * geochemistry * Sr-Nd isotopes * K-Ar ages * Moravian Unit * Moldanubian Unit * Bohemian Massif Subject RIV: DD - Geochemistry Impact factor: 0.909, year: 2010

GPS-Based AR Games Development Potential

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregorius Alvin Raditya Santoso

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The application of new technologies in a game is not a new thing. One example is the application of Augmented Reality (AR technology in game. Many people do not know the application of AR technology in game, although the application of this technology is able to produce a game with unique gameplay. In addition, since AR game is GPS-based, it offers new gaming experience, that is, playing outdoors in which the real world becomes the game arena. This advantage gives the AR technology a huge potential to be developed into a game

75 FR 71415 - Notice of Decision To Issue Permits for the Importation of Wall Rocket Leaves From the United...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-23

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS-2010-0027] Notice of Decision To Issue Permits for the Importation of Wall Rocket Leaves From the United Kingdom Into the Continental United States AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION...

United Kingdom health research analyses and the benefits of shared data.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, James G; Sherbon, Beverley J; Viney, Ian S

2016-06-24

To allow research organisations to co-ordinate activity to the benefit of national and international funding strategies requires assessment of the funding landscape; this, in turn, relies on a consistent approach for comparing expenditure on research. Here, we discuss the impact and benefits of the United Kingdom's Health Research Classification System (HRCS) in national landscaping analysis of health research and the pros and cons of performing large-scale funding analyses. The first United Kingdom health research analysis (2004/2005) brought together the 11 largest public and charity funders of health research to develop the HRCS and use this categorisation to examine United Kingdom health research. The analysis was revisited in 2009/2010 and again in 2014. The most recent quinquennial analysis in 2014 compiled data from 64 United Kingdom research organisations, accounting for 91% of all public/charitable health research funding in the United Kingdom. The three analyses summarise the United Kingdom's health research expenditure in 2004/2005, 2009/2010 and 2014, and can be used to identify changes in research activity and disease focus over this 10 year period. The 2004/2005 analysis provided a baseline for future reporting and evidence for a United Kingdom Government review that recommended the co-ordination of United Kingdom health research should be strengthened to accelerate the translation of basic research into clinical and economic benefits. Through the second and third analyses, we observed strategic prioritisation of certain health research activities and disease areas, with a strong trend toward increased funding for more translational research, and increases in specific areas such as research on prevention. The use of HRCS in the United Kingdom to analyse the research landscape has provided benefit both to individual participatory funders and in coordinating initiatives at a national level. A modest amount of data for each project is sufficient for a

Acute radiation syndrome (ARS – treatment of the reduced host defense

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heslet L

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Lars Heslet1, Christiane Bay2, Steen Nepper-Christensen31Serendex ApS, Gentofte; 2University of Copenhagen, Medical Faculty, Copenhagen; 3Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, Køge University Hospital, Køge, DenmarkBackground: The current radiation threat from the Fukushima power plant accident has prompted rethinking of the contingency plan for prophylaxis and treatment of the acute radiation syndrome (ARS. The well-documented effect of the growth factors (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [G-CSF] and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF] in acute radiation injury has become standard treatment for ARS in the United States, based on the fact that growth factors increase number and functions of both macrophages and granulocytes.Methods: Review of the current literature.Results: The lungs have their own host defense system, based on alveolar macrophages. After radiation exposure to the lungs, resting macrophages can no longer be transformed, not even during systemic administration of growth factors because G-CSF/GM-CSF does not penetrate the alveoli. Under normal circumstances, locally-produced GM-CSF receptors transform resting macrophages into fully immunocompetent dendritic cells in the sealed-off pulmonary compartment. However, GM-CSF is not expressed in radiation injured tissue due to defervescence of the macrophages. In order to maintain the macrophage’s important role in host defense after radiation exposure, it is hypothesized that it is necessary to administer the drug exogenously in order to uphold the barrier against exogenous and endogenous infections and possibly prevent the potentially lethal systemic infection, which is the main cause of death in ARS.Recommendation: Preemptive treatment should be initiated after suspected exposure of a radiation dose of at least ~2 Gy by prompt dosing of 250–400 µg GM-CSF/m2 or 5 µg/kg G-CSF administered systemically and concomitant inhalation of

40Ar-39Ar age studies for tectonics of the Gondwana land

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takigami, Yutaka; Sugiura, Naoji.

1997-01-01

40 Ar- 39 Ar age studies have been performed for samples from Antarctica and India which were parts of the Gondwana land at Mesozoic and Paleozoic time in order to investigate their thermal history and tectonic movement. From the both areas, ages of about 500 Ma which have been considered to be the age of Pan-African Orogeny were obtained, which represents that this thermal event spread widely over the Gondwana land. (author)

Apmierinātības ar dzīvi saistība ar laika perspektīvu

OpenAIRE

Selga, Toms

2013-01-01

Pētījuma mērķis ir noskaidrot vai pastāv saistības starp apmierinātību ar dzīvi un laika perspektīvu. Tika sagaidīts, ka indivīdiem, kam izteiktākas pozitīvās pagātnes un tagadnes hedoniskā laika uztvere, apmierinātības ar dzīvi rezultāti būs augstāki, bet indivīdiem ar negatīvās pagātnes uztveri apmierinātības ar dzīvi rādītāji būs zemāki (Zhang & Howell, 2011). Lai to noskaidrotu, tika izmantota apmierinātības ar dzīvi aptauja (Satisfaction With Life Scale, SWLS, Diener, Emmons, Larsen,...

A test of the 40Ar/39Ar age spectrum technique on some terrestrial materials

Science.gov (United States)

Lanphere, M.A.; Brent, Dalrymple G.

1971-01-01

40Ar/39Ar age spectra were determined for 10 terrestrial rock and mineral samples whose geologic history is known from independent evidence. The spectra for six mineral and whole rock samples, including biotite, feldspar, hornblende, muscovite, and granodiorite, that have experienced post-crystallization heating did not reveal the age of crystallization in any obvious way. Minima in the spectra, however, give reasonable maximum ages for reheating and high-temperature maxima can be interpreted as minimum crystallization ages. High-temperature ages of microcline and albite that have not been reheated are approximately 10% younger than the known crystallization age. Apparently there are no domains in these feldspars that have retained radiogenic 40Ar quantitatively. Spectra from two diabase samples that contain significant quantities of excess argon might mistakenly be interpreted as spectra from reheated samples and do not give the age of emplacement. The 40Ar/39Ar age spectrum technique may be a potentially valuable tool for the study of geologic areas with complex histories, but the interpretation of age spectra from terrestrial samples seems to be more difficult than suggested by some previous studies. ?? 1971.

Environmental Assessment Newport Research Facility Irish Hill

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-12

Classification Symbol Burdett silt loam, 3 to 8 percent BuB Not Hydric Prime Farmland if Drained slopes Honeoye and Lansing silt loams, Hre Not...Part USDA - llap unit symbol BuB ~ CsB HrE HsD HIB HtC LnC LnD McB MIS ~ MoB I MoD NaB NaC NaD I 1R0 •ShF llap unit Mille Rating

244-AR Vault Interim Stabilization Project Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LANEY, T.

2000-01-01

The 244-AR Vault Facility, constructed between 1966 and 1968, was designed to provide lag storage and treatment for the Plutonium-Uranium Extraction Facility (PUREX) tank farm sludges. Tank farm personnel transferred the waste from the 244-AR Vault Facility to B Plant for recovery of cesium and strontium. B Plant personnel then transferred the treatment residuals back to the tank farms for storage of the sludge and liquids. The last process operations, which transferred waste supporting the cesium/strontium recovery mission, occurred in April 1978. After the final transfer in 1978, the 244-AR facility underwent a cleanout. However, 2,271 L (600 gal) of sludge were left in Tank 004AR from an earlier transfer from Tank 241-AX-104. When the cleanout was completed, the facility was placed in a standby status. The sludge had been transferred to Tank 004AR to support Pacific Northwest National Laboratory [PNNL] vitrification work. Documentation of waste transfers suggests that a portion of the sludge may have been moved from Tank 004AR to Tank 002AR in preparation for transfer back to the AX Tank Farm; however, quantities of the sludge that were moved to Tank 002AR from that transfer must be estimated

Dating method with /sup 39/Ar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loosli, H H [Bern Univ. (Switzerland). Physikalisches Inst.

1983-04-01

The principles of a dating method based on the cosmic-ray-produced radioisotope /sup 39/Ar are given. Technical requirements such as background and standard gas samples and gas proportional counting systems are described. With samples extracted from Greenland ice it can be demonstrated that /sup 39/Ar ages agree with ages obtained by other methods. First results on ocean water samples show that with this isotope valuable information on ocean mixing and circulation can be expected. /sup 39/Ar results on groundwater samples disagree for some aquifers with conventional /sup 14/C ages; possible explanations are discussed, especially underground production of /sup 39/Ar.

40Ar-39Ar dating of terrestrial and exterrestrial materials. Basalts from the Japan Sea floor, Deccan Plateau and meteorites from Antarctica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaneoka, Ichiro; Takigami, Yutaka.

1994-01-01

Through a series of 40 Ar- 39 Ar dating for terrestrial and exterrestrial samples, the results for basalts from the Japan Sea floor, Deccan Plateau and for meteorites from Antarctica give significant information concerning their formation histories. 40 Ar- 39 Ar ages of basalts from the Japan Sea floor give a constraint that the Japan Sea floor was formed at least 20 Ma. 40 Ar- 39 Ar ages for dyke samples from the Deccan Plateau indicate a possibility for the occurrence of a little younger ages than that of the main plateau formations by a few million years. Meteorites collected from Antarctica show some variable 40 Ar- 39 Ar ages reflecting their different thermal histories. (author)

Vitamin D3 Content of Fortified Yogurt and Milk as Determined for the USDA National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP)

Science.gov (United States)

In response to recent interest in vitamin D composition of foods, USDA-NDL is updating and expanding data in the National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. In 2007, the USDA sampled vitamin D3 fortified yogurt and milk from 12 and 24 supermarkets, respectively, selected from a nationwide sta...

Energy dependence of the reaction rate constants of Ar+, Ar++ and N2+ ions with Cl2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lukac, P.; Holubcik, L.; Morva, I.; Lindinger, W.

2002-01-01

Dry etching processes using low temperature plasmas in Cl 2 and in Cl 2 -noble gas or nitrogen mixtures are common in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, but their chemical mechanisms are often poorly understood. Results are given for the reaction rate constant measurements of Ar + , Ar ++ , N 2 + ions with chlorine as a function of mean relative kinetic energy. The experiments were performed by using the innsbruck flow drift tube (IFDT) apparatus. Measurements were done at various E/N values, where E is the electric field strength and N the buffer gas density in the drift section. The mean relative kinetic energy KE CM between the ions and the neutral chlorine Cl 2 was calculated using the Wanniers formula. It was found that The N 2 + , Ar + and Ar ++ positive ions react with chlorine Cl 2 very fast and the corresponding reaction rate coefficients depend on the mean relative kinetic energy. For the reaction of Ar - with Cl 2 , its reaction coefficient depends also on the buffer gas. It can imply the enhancement of Cl 2 + ions during etching of Si in the Ar/Cl 2 mixtures. (nevyjel)

Support for the Astronomically Calibrated 40Ar/39Ar Age of Fish Canyon Sanidine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rivera, Tiffany; Storey, Michael; Zeeden, Christian

2011-01-01

al. (2008) determined an astronomically calibrated 40Ar/39Ar age of 28.201 0.046 Ma (2), relative to the indirect astronomically tuned Moroccan Melilla Basin Messâdit section. Here, we provide independent verification for the Kuiper, et al. (2008) FCs age using sanidines extracted from the A1 tephra...

Microarea dating of mineral and rock. The application of technique by combining 40Ar/39Ar mass spectrometer with laser probe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Shiling; Dai Tongmo; Pu Zhiping

1998-01-01

The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating of probe technique by the continuous laser is successfully applied to determine the ages of microarea samples for mineral and whole rock, including the standard samples from internal and abroad, volcanical rock from westsouthern Antarctica and Green Pissolites of Guizhou. Isochron ages for volcanical rock to be excess or lost argon are accomplished by the whole fused, and for 'green Pisolites' not only by the whole fused, but also by the steps heat. All of which shows the significant geological ages. It would be exhibited the obvious advantage for dating some special samples to make the microarea 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating technique by laser probe as compare with conventional K-Ar and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar methods

40Ar/39Ar age of the Rotoiti Breccia and Rotoehu Ash, Okataina Volcanic Complex, New Zealand, and identification of heterogeneously distributed excess 40Ar in supercooled crystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flude, Stephanie; Storey, Michael

2016-01-01

Co-magmatic granitoid clasts erupted as part of the Rotoiti Ignimbrite (Rotoehu Tephra) contain euhedral K-feldspar and biotite crystals that protrude into miarolytic cavities and show textural evidence for growth in super-cooled conditions and are thus interpreted as growing during eruption. 40Ar...... that appear to be largely unaffected by excess 40Ar. This population gives a statistically robust weighted mean age of 47.4 ± 1.5 ka (1σ, n = 13) and an indistinguishable inverse isochron age of 50 ± 3 ka for this historically difficult to date eruption. The weighted mean age is significantly younger than...... previous age estimates of the Rotoiti eruption obtained by K/Ar and 40Ar/39Ar dating of bracketing lavas, but is indistinguishable from recent 14C and (U–Th)/He dates and estimates based on orbital tuning and sedimentation rates constrained by 14C ages....

Public and nonprofit funding for research on mental disorders in France, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Chevreul, Karine; McDaid, David; Farmer, Carrie M; Prigent, Amélie; Park, A-La; Leboyer, Marion; Kupfer, David J; Durand-Zaleski, Isabelle

2012-07-01

To document the investments made in research on mental disorders by both government and nonprofit nongovernmental organizations in France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. An exhaustive survey was conducted of primary sources of public and nonprofit organization funding for mental health research for the year 2007 in France and the United Kingdom and for fiscal year 2007-2008 in the United States, augmented with an examination of relevant Web sites and publications. In France, all universities and research institutions were identified using the Public Finance Act. In the United Kingdom, we scrutinized Web sites and hand searched annual reports and grant lists for the public sector and nonprofit charitable medical research awarding bodies. In the United States, we included the following sources: the National Institutes of Health, other administrative entities within the Department of Health and Human Services (eg, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the Department of Education, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the National Science Foundation and, for nonprofit funding, The Foundation Center. We included research on all mental disorders and substance-related disorders using the same keywords. We excluded research on mental retardation and dementia and on the promotion of mental well-being. We used the same algorithm in each country to obtain data for only mental health funding in situations in which funding had a broader scope. France spent $27.6 million (2%) of its health research budget on mental disorders, the United Kingdom spent $172.6 million (7%), and the United States spent $5.2 billion (16%). Nongovernmental funding ranged from 1% of total funding for mental health research in France and the United States to 14% in the United Kingdom. Funding for research on mental disorders accounts for low proportions of research budgets compared with funding levels for research on other major health problems, whereas

[General practice research units in Denmark: multidisciplinary research in support of practical work].

Science.gov (United States)

Reventlow, Susanne; Broholm, Katalin Alexa Király; Mäkelä, Marjukka

2014-01-01

In Denmark the general practice research units operating in connection with universities provide a home base, training and methodology support for researchers in the field from medical students to general practitioners carrying out practical work. Research issues frequently require a multidisciplinary approach and use of different kinds of materials. Problems arising from the practical work of general practitioners take priority in the wide selection of topics. The units have networked efficiently with organizations of general practitioners and medical education. The combination of research environments has created synergy benefiting everybody and increased the scientific productivity and visibility of the field.

Methodology for estimating soil carbon for the forest carbon budget model of the United States, 2001

Science.gov (United States)

L. S. Heath; R. A. Birdsey; D. W. Williams

2002-01-01

The largest carbon (C) pool in United States forests is the soil C pool. We present methodology and soil C pool estimates used in the FORCARB model, which estimates and projects forest carbon budgets for the United States. The methodology balances knowledge, uncertainties, and ease of use. The estimates are calculated using the USDA Natural Resources Conservation...

An industrial approach to design compelling VR and AR experience

Science.gov (United States)

Richir, Simon; Fuchs, Philippe; Lourdeaux, Domitile; Buche, Cédric; Querrec, Ronan

2013-03-01

The convergence of technologies currently observed in the field of VR, AR, robotics and consumer electronic reinforces the trend of new applications appearing every day. But when transferring knowledge acquired from research to businesses, research laboratories are often at a loss because of a lack of knowledge of the design and integration processes in creating an industrial scale product. In fact, the innovation approaches that take a good idea from the laboratory to a successful industrial product are often little known to researchers. The objective of this paper is to present the results of the work of several research teams that have finalized a working method for researchers and manufacturers that allow them to design virtual or augmented reality systems and enable their users to enjoy "a compelling VR experience". That approach, called "the I2I method", present 11 phases from "Establishing technological and competitive intelligence and industrial property" to "Improvements" through the "Definition of the Behavioral Interface, Virtual Environment and Behavioral Software Assistance". As a result of the experience gained by various research teams, this design approach benefits from contributions from current VR and AR research. Our objective is to validate and continuously move such multidisciplinary design team methods forward.

76 FR 18422 - Beef Promotion and Research; Reapportionment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-04

... in cattle inventories and cattle and beef imports that have occurred since the most recent Board... Farms, and Livestock Operations,'' USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) estimates that in 2009 the number of operations in the United States with cattle totaled approximately 950,000. The...

Wood fiber supply and demand in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenneth E. Skog; Peter J. Ince; Richard W. Haynes

1998-01-01

The USDA Forest Service is preparing a national assessment of supply and demand for wood fiber resources in the United States. Based in part on preliminary results of this assessment and partly on our 1993 Assessment, this paper outlines trends and gives an outlook for demand and trade for timber and fiber products, changes in technology, and wood fiber resource supply...

Fruit Fly Liquid Larval Diet Technology Transfer and Update

Science.gov (United States)

Since October 2006, USDA-ARS has been implementing a fruit fly liquid larval diet technology transfer, which has proceeded according to the following steps: (1) Recruitment of interested groups through request; (2) Establishment of the Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) with ARS; (3) Fruit fly liquid...

The Microcomputer in the Clinical Nursing Research Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Schwirian, Patricia M.; Byers, Sandra R.

1982-01-01

This paper discusses the microcomputer in clinical nursing research. There are six general areas in which computers have been useful to nurses: nursing notes and charting; patient care plans; automated monitoring of high-tech nursing units; HIS and MIS systems; personnel distribution systems; and education. Three alternative models for the conduct of clinical nursing research in a hospital are described. The first is a centralized model relying on the bureaucratic structure of the hospital. Second is a decentralized network of professional nurses and research support personnel woven together by a Clinical Nurse Researcher, and third is a dedicated clinical nursing research unit. Microcomputers have five characteristics which make them vital tools for nurse researchers: user-friendliness; environment friendliness; low cost; ease of interface with other information systems; and range and quality of software.

Comparative simulation analysis on the ignition threshold of atmospheric He and Ar dielectric barrier discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Congwei; Chang, Zhengshi; Chen, Sile; Ma, Hengchi; Mu, Haibao; Zhang, Guan-Jun

2017-09-01

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is widely applied in many fields, and the discharge characteristics of insert gas have been the research focus for years. In this paper, fluid models of atmospheric Ar and He DBDs driven by 22 kHz sinusoidal voltage are built to analyze their ignition processes. The contributions of different electron sources in ignition process are analyzed, including the direct ionization of ground state atom, stepwise ionization of metastable particles, and secondary electron emission from dielectric wall, and they play different roles in different discharge stages. The Townsend direct ionization coefficient of He is higher than Ar with the same electrical field intensity, which is the direct reason for the different ignition thresholds between He and Ar. Further, the electron energy loss per free electron produced in Ar and He DBDs is discussed. It is found that the total electron energy loss rate of Ar is higher than He when the same electrical field is applied. The excitation reaction of Ar consumes the major electron energy but cannot produce free electrons effectively, which is the essential reason for the higher ignition threshold of Ar. The computation results of He and Ar extinction voltages can be explained in the view of electron energy loss, as well as the experimental results of different extinction voltages between Ar/NH3 and He DBDs.

Dietary intake of children participating in the USDA Summer Food Service Program

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA summer food service program (SFSP) provides free lunches during the summer. This study examined the foods selected and consumed by participating children. Three hundred and two children were observed in 14 schools during a 4-week period in June, 2011; 50% were male; 75% were in elementary s...

The ArDM experiment

CERN Document Server

Haranczyk, M; Badertscher, A; Boccone, V; Bourgeois, N; Bueno, A; Carmona-Benitez, M C; Chorowski, M; Creus, W; Curioni, A; Daw, E; Degunda, U; Dell'Antone, A; Droge, M; Epprecht, L; Haller, C; Horikawa, S; Kaufmann, L; Kisiel, J; Knecht, L; Laffranchi, M; Lagoda, J; Lazzaro, C; Lightfoot, P; Lozano, J; Lussi, D; Maire, G; Mania, S; Marchionni, A; Mavrokoridis, K; Melgarejo, A; Mijakowski, P; Natterer, G; Navas-Concha, S; Otiougova, P; Piotrowska, A; Polinski, J; de Prado, M; Przewlocki, P; Ravat, S; Regenfus, C; Resnati, F; Robinson, M; Rochet, J; Romero, L; Rondio, E; Rubbia, A; Scotto-Lavina, L; Spooner, N; Viant, T; Trawinski, A; Ulbricht, J; Zalewska, A

2010-01-01

The aim of the ArDM project is the development and operation of a one ton double-phase liquid argon detector for direct Dark Matter searches. The detector measures both the scintillation light and the ionization charge from ionizing radiation using two independent readout systems. This paper briefly describes the detector concept and presents preliminary results from the ArDM R&D program, including a 3 l prototype developed to test the charge readout system.

The potential of AR-V7 as a therapeutic target.

Science.gov (United States)

Uo, Takuma; Plymate, Stephen R; Sprenger, Cynthia C

2018-03-01

The androgen receptor variant AR-V7 is gaining attention as a potential predictive marker for as well as one of the resistance mechanisms to the most current anti-androgen receptor (AR) therapies in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Accordingly, development of next-generation drugs that directly or indirectly target AR-V7 signaling is urgently needed. Areas covered: We review proposed mechanisms of drug resistance in relation to AR-V7 status, the mechanisms of generation of AR-V7, and its transcriptome, cistrome, and interactome. Pharmacological agents that interfere with these processes are being developed to counteract pan AR and AR-V7-specific signaling. Also, we address the current status of the preclinical and clinical studies targeting AR-V7 signaling. Expert opinion: AR-V7 is considered a true therapeutic target, however, it remains to be determined if AR-V7 is a principal driver or merely a bystander requiring heterodimerization with co-expressed full-length AR or other variants to drive CRPC progression. While untangling AR-V7 biology, multiple strategies are being developed to counteract drug resistance, including selective blockade of AR-V7 signaling as well as inhibition of pan-AR signaling. Ideally anti-AR therapies will be combined with agents preventing activation and enrichment of AR negative tumor cells that are otherwise depressed by AR activity axis.

Uranium chemistry research unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1978-01-01

The initial field of research of this Unit, established in 1973, was the basic co-ordination chemistry of uranium, thorium, copper, cobalt and nickel. Subsequently the interest of the Unit extended to extractive metallurgy relating to these metals. Under the term 'co-ordination chemistry' is understood the interaction of the central transition metal ion with surrounding atoms in its immediate vicinity (within bonding distance) and the influence they have on each other - for example, structural studies for determining the number and arrangement of co-ordinated atoms and spectrophotometric studies to establish how the f electron energy levels of uranium are influenced by the environment. New types of uranium compounds have been synthesized and studied, and the behaviour of uranium ions in non-aqueous systems has also received attention. This work can be applied to the development and study of extractants and new extractive processes for uranium

Argon defect complexes in low energy Ar irradiated molybdenum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veen, A. van; Buters, W.T.M.; Kolk, G.J. van der; Caspers, L.M.; Armstrong, T.R.

1982-01-01

Thermal desorption spectrometry has been used to study the defects created in Mo irradiated along the direction with Ar ions ranging in energy from 0.1 to 2 keV. In addition to monitoring the release of the implanted Ar, additional information has been obtained by decoration of the defects with low energy helium and subsequent monitoring of the helium release. The studies show evidence that the Ar can be trapped in both substitutional sites and in a configuration in which the Ar is associated with vacancies (ArVsub(n), n >= 2). Most of the Ar implanted at high energy is released at approx. equal to 1500 K by thermal vacancy assisted diffusion. Argon trapped closer to the surface is released at lower temperatures via at least three different surface related release mechanisms. Additional results are presented on the interaction of self interstitial atoms (introduced by 100 eV Xe bombardment) with the Ar defects. Substitutional Ar is found to convert to interstitial Ar which seems to be mobile at room temperature. The Ar-vacancy complexes are found to be reduced to substitutional Ar. The results of atomistic calculations of the release mechanisms will also be presented. (orig.)

Experimental system to measure excitation cross-sections by electron impact. Measurements for ArI and ArII

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanco, F.; Sanchez, J.A.; Aguilera, J.A.; Campos, J.

1989-01-01

An experimental set-up to measure excitation cross-section of atomic and molecular levels by electron impact based on the optical method is reported. We also present some measurements on the excitation cross-section for ArI 5p'(1/2)0 level, and for simultaneous ionization and excitation of Ar leading to ArII levels belonging to the 3p 4 4p and 3p 4 4d configurations. (Author)

Use of an A.E.I. MS 10 mass spectrometer for 40Ar-39Ar dating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baksi, A.K.

1979-01-01

The use of an AEI mass spectrometer for 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating could, in principle, be problematical due to its limited mass resolution and because of non-linear mass discrimination under certain operating conditions. These possible drawbacks have been investigated and are found to be easy to overcome. Tailing corrections are relatively small and can be applied precisely for 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ratios <= 300. By operating the instrument with a trap current of 50 μA and an ion repeller voltage of +1.0 w.r.t. cage, problems due to non-linear mass discrimination are eliminated. Using the incremental heating technique and total fusion studies on very small subsamples (10-25 mg.), the homogeneity of some well-known inter-laboratory standards has been investigated; the relative merits of these standards are discussed. (K.B.)

Mapping Investments and Published Outputs in Norovirus Research: A Systematic Analysis of Research Funded in the United States and United Kingdom During 1997-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Head, Michael G; Fitchett, Joseph R; Lichtman, Amos B; Soyode, Damilola T; Harris, Jennifer N; Atun, Rifat

2016-02-01

Norovirus accounts for a considerable portion of the global disease burden. Mapping national or international investments relating to norovirus research is limited. We analyzed the focus and type of norovirus research funding awarded to institutions in the United States and United Kingdom during 1997-2013. Data were obtained from key public and philanthropic funders across both countries, and norovirus-related research was identified from study titles and abstracts. Included studies were further categorized by the type of scientific investigation, and awards related to vaccine, diagnostic, and therapeutic research were identified. Norovirus publication trends are also described using data from Scopus. In total, US and United Kingdom funding investment for norovirus research was £97.6 million across 349 awards; 326 awards (amount, £84.9 million) were received by US institutions, and 23 awards (£12.6 million) were received by United Kingdom institutions. Combined, £81.2 million of the funding (83.2%) was for preclinical research, and £16.4 million (16.8%) was for translational science. Investments increased from £1.7 million in 1997 to £11.8 million in 2013. Publication trends showed a consistent temporal increase from 48 in 1997 to 182 in 2013. Despite increases over time, trends in US and United Kingdom funding for norovirus research clearly demonstrate insufficient translational research and limited investment in diagnostics, therapeutics, or vaccine research. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Projecting climate change in the United States: A technical document supporting the Forest Service RPA 2010 Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Linda A. Joyce; David T. Price; David P. Coulson; Daniel W. McKenney; R. Martin Siltanen; Pia Papadopol; Kevin. Lawrence

2014-01-01

A set of climate change projections for the United States was developed for use in the 2010 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment. These climate projections, along with projections for population dynamics, economic growth, and land use change in the United States, comprise the RPA scenarios and are used in the RPA Assessment to project future renewable resource conditions...

USDA Human Nutrition Research and Education Activities. A Report to Congress Covering the Period January-December 1992.

Science.gov (United States)

Dupont, Jacqueline; And Others

This document is the sixth annual, legislatively mandated report on the human nutrition research and education activities of the United States Department of Agriculture for fiscal year 1992 in which directions and highlights are emphasized. The report contains six sections. Section 1 is an introduction. Section 2 covers human nutrition research…

MEIS1 functions as a potential AR negative regulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cui, Liang [Department of Urology, Chinese PLA Medical School/Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853 (China); Department of Urology, Civil Aviation General Hospital/Civil Aviation Medical College of Peking University, Beijing 100123 (China); Li, Mingyang [Department of Gastroenterology, Nan Lou Division, Chinese PLA Medical School/Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853 (China); Feng, Fan [Department of Pharmacy, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Command, Shenyang 110016 (China); Yang, Yutao [Beijing Institute for Neuroscience, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069 (China); Hang, Xingyi [National Scientific Data Sharing Platform for Population and Health, Beijing 100730 (China); Cui, Jiajun, E-mail: cuijn@ucmail.uc.edu [Department of Cancer and Cell Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267 (United States); Gao, Jiangping, E-mail: jpgao@163.com [Department of Urology, Chinese PLA Medical School/Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853 (China)

2014-10-15

The androgen receptor (AR) plays critical roles in human prostate carcinoma progression and transformation. However, the activation of AR is regulated by co-regulators. MEIS1 protein, the homeodomain transcription factor, exhibited a decreased level in poor-prognosis prostate tumors. In this study, we investigated a potential interaction between MEIS1 and AR. We found that overexpression of MEIS1 inhibited the AR transcriptional activity and reduced the expression of AR target gene. A potential protein–protein interaction between AR and MEIS1 was identified by the immunoprecipitation and GST pull-down assays. Furthermore, MEIS1 modulated AR cytoplasm/nucleus translocation and the recruitment to androgen response element in prostate specific antigen (PSA) gene promoter sequences. In addition, MEIS1 promoted the recruitment of NCoR and SMRT in the presence of R1881. Finally, MEIS1 inhibited the proliferation and anchor-independent growth of LNCaP cells. Taken together, our data suggests that MEIS1 functions as a novel AR co-repressor. - Highlights: • A potential interaction was identified between MEIS1 and AR signaling. • Overexpression of MEIS1 reduced the expression of AR target gene. • MEIS1 modulated AR cytoplasm/nucleus translocation. • MEIS1 inhibited the proliferation and anchor-independent growth of LNCaP cells.

MEIS1 functions as a potential AR negative regulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Liang; Li, Mingyang; Feng, Fan; Yang, Yutao; Hang, Xingyi; Cui, Jiajun; Gao, Jiangping

2014-01-01

The androgen receptor (AR) plays critical roles in human prostate carcinoma progression and transformation. However, the activation of AR is regulated by co-regulators. MEIS1 protein, the homeodomain transcription factor, exhibited a decreased level in poor-prognosis prostate tumors. In this study, we investigated a potential interaction between MEIS1 and AR. We found that overexpression of MEIS1 inhibited the AR transcriptional activity and reduced the expression of AR target gene. A potential protein–protein interaction between AR and MEIS1 was identified by the immunoprecipitation and GST pull-down assays. Furthermore, MEIS1 modulated AR cytoplasm/nucleus translocation and the recruitment to androgen response element in prostate specific antigen (PSA) gene promoter sequences. In addition, MEIS1 promoted the recruitment of NCoR and SMRT in the presence of R1881. Finally, MEIS1 inhibited the proliferation and anchor-independent growth of LNCaP cells. Taken together, our data suggests that MEIS1 functions as a novel AR co-repressor. - Highlights: • A potential interaction was identified between MEIS1 and AR signaling. • Overexpression of MEIS1 reduced the expression of AR target gene. • MEIS1 modulated AR cytoplasm/nucleus translocation. • MEIS1 inhibited the proliferation and anchor-independent growth of LNCaP cells

Microbiologia do ar : monitorização do ar em ambiente hospitalar

OpenAIRE

Santos, Ana Carina Marques dos

2008-01-01

O complexo ambiente hospitalar requer atenção especial, para assegurar uma saudável qualidade do ar interior, protegendo assim os profissionais de saúde e utentes de infecções nosocomiais e de doenças ocupacionais. Embora seja amplamente reconhecido que a contaminação de um bloco operatório seja a principal responsável pela complicação de uma cirurgia, em Portugal, estudos sobre microbiologia do ar a nível hospitalar são escassos. O objectivo deste estudo é investigar a vari...

USDA-ARS Southeast Watershed Laboratory at Tifton, GA:Index Site Design for the Suwannee Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Bosch, D.; Strickland, T.; Sheridan, J.; Lowrance, R.; Truman, C.; Hubbard, R.; Potter, T.; Wauchope, D.; Vellidis, G.; Thomas, D.

2001-12-01

The Southeast Watershed Hydrology Research Center (SEWHRC) was established in 1966 by order of the U.S. Senate "to identify and characterize those elements that control the flow of water from watersheds in the southeast". A 129 sq.mi. area within the headwaters of Little River Watershed (LRW) in central south Georgia was instrumented to provide data for evaluating and characterizing Coastal Plain hydrologic processes and for development and testing of prediction methodologies for use in ungaged watersheds in regions of low topographic relief. Pesticide analytical capabilities were added in 1976, and inorganic chemistry and sediment transport research were expanded. In 1980, the Center was renamed as the Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory (SEWRL), and laboratories were constructed for nutrient analysis and soil physics. A pesticide analysis laboratory was constructed in 1987. In the early 1990s, a hydraulics laboratory was established for sediment and chemical transport studies, and research on riparian buffers was expanded. The SEWRL research program continues to focus on hydrologic and environmental concerns. Major components of the program are hydrology, pesticides behavior, buffer systems, animal waste management, erosion, remote sensing of watershed condition, and relationships between site-specific agricultural management (BMPs) and small-to-large watershed response. SEWRL's program will be expanded over the next five years to include two additional watersheds comparable in size and instrumentation to the LRW; nesting the LRW within the full Little River drainage and subsequently...all three watersheds within the full Suwannee Basin; and mapping and quantifying irrigation water removals within the Suwannee Basin. We will instrument the three intensive study watersheds and the full Suwannee Basin to provide real-time characterization of precipitation, soil moisture, hydrologic flow, and water quality at a range of spatial and temporal scales. We will

40Ar/39Ar dating of the Mumbai tholeiites and Panvel flexure: intense 62.5 Ma onshore-offshore Deccan magmatism during India-Laxmi Ridge-Seychelles breakup

Science.gov (United States)

Pande, Kanchan; Yatheesh, Vadakkeyakath; Sheth, Hetu

2017-08-01

Mumbai, located on the western Indian continental margin, exposes Danian-age Deccan magmatic units of diverse compositions, dipping seaward due to the Panvel flexure. The Ghatkopar-Powai tholeiitic sequence contains seaward-dipping (thus pre-flexure) flows and subvertical (thus post-flexure) dykes. We present new 40Ar/39Ar ages of 62.4 ± 0.7 and 62.4 ± 0.3 Ma (2σ) on two flows, and 62.2 ± 0.3, 62.8 ± 0.3 and 61.8 ± 0.2 Ma on three dykes, showing that this sequence is much younger than the main 66-65 Ma Deccan sequence in the Western Ghats escarpment. The mutually indistinguishable ages of the Ghatkopar-Powai tholeiites overlap with available 40Ar/39Ar ages of 62.6 ± 0.6 and 62.9 ± 0.2 Ma for the seaward-dipping Dongri rhyolite flow and 62.2 ± 0.6 Ma for the Saki Naka trachyte intrusion, both from the uppermost Mumbai stratigraphy. The weighted mean of these eight 40Ar/39Ar ages is 62.4 ± 0.1 Ma (2 SEM), relative to an MMhb-1 monitor age of 523.1 ± 2.6 Ma (2σ), and indicates essentially contemporaneous volcanism, intrusion and tectonic flexure. This age also coincides with the rift-to-drift transition of the Seychelles and Laxmi Ridge-India breakup and the emplacement of the Raman-Panikkar-Wadia seamount chain in the axial part of the Laxmi Basin. Pre-rift magmatism is seen in the 64.55 Ma Jogeshwari basalt in Mumbai and 63.5-63.0 Ma intrusions in the Seychelles. Post-rift magmatism is seen in the 60.8-60.9 Ma Manori trachyte and Gilbert Hill basalt intrusions in Mumbai and 60-61 Ma syenitic intrusions in the Seychelles. The Mumbai area thus preserves the pre-, syn- and post-rift onshore tectonomagmatic record of the breakup between the Seychelles and the Laxmi Ridge-India. Voluminous submarine volcanism forming the Raman, Panikkar and Wadia seamounts in the Laxmi Basin represents the offshore syn-rift magmatism.

Progress on using deuteron-deuteron fusion generated neutrons for 40Ar/39Ar sample irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Rutte, Daniel; Renne, Paul R.; Becker, Tim; Waltz, Cory; Ayllon Unzueta, Mauricio; Zimmerman, Susan; Hidy, Alan; Finkel, Robert; Bauer, Joseph D.; Bernstein, Lee; van Bibber, Karl

2017-04-01

We present progress on the development and proof of concept of a deuteron-deuteron fusion based neutron generator for 40Ar/39Ar sample irradiation. Irradiation with deuteron-deuteron fusion neutrons is anticipated to reduce Ar recoil and Ar production from interfering reactions. This will allow dating of smaller grains and increase accuracy and precision of the method. The instrument currently achieves neutron fluxes of ˜9×107 cm-2s-1 as determined by irradiation of indium foils and use of the activation reaction 115In(n,n')115mIn. Multiple foils and simulations were used to determine flux gradients in the sample chamber. A first experiment quantifying the loss of 39Ar is underway and will likely be available at the time of the presentation of this abstract. In ancillary experiments via irradiation of K salts and subsequent mass spectrometric analysis we determined the cross-sections of the 39K(n,p)39Ar reaction at ˜2.8 MeV to be 160 ± 35 mb (1σ). This result is in good agreement with bracketing cross-section data of ˜96 mb at ˜2.45 MeV and ˜270 mb at ˜4 MeV [Johnson et al., 1967; Dixon and Aitken, 1961 and Bass et al. 1964]. Our data disfavor a much lower value of ˜45 mb at 2.59 MeV [Lindström & Neuer, 1958]. In another ancillary experiment the cross section for 39K(n,α)36Cl at ˜2.8 MeV was determined as 11.7 ± 0.5 mb (1σ), which is significant for 40Ar/39Ar geochronology due to subsequent decay to 36Ar as well as for the determination of production rates of cosmogenic 36Cl. Additional experiments resolving the cross section functions on 39K between 1.5 and 3.6 MeV are on their way using the LICORNE neutron source of the IPN Orsay tandem accelerator. Results will likely be available at the time of the presentation of this abstract. While the neutron generator is designed for fluxes of ˜109 cm-2s-1, arcing in the sample chamber currently limits the power—straightforwardly correlated to the neutron flux—the generator can safely be run at. Further

Adipokinetic hormones provide inference for the phylogeny of Odonata

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Gäde, G.; Šimek, Petr; Fescemyer, H. W.

2011-01-01

Roč. 57, č. 1 (2011), s. 174-178 ISSN 0022-1910 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/09/2014 Grant - others:University of Cape Town for a Block grant(ZA) IFR 2008071500048; National Research Foundation, Pretoria(ZA) FA 2007021300002; USDA, ARS Specific Cooperative Agreement(US) 58-6402-5-066; US National Science Foundation(US) EF-0412651 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50070508 Keywords : phylogeny of Odonata * Libellulidae * Corduliidae Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 2.236, year: 2011

Sodium content of popular commercially processed and restaurant foods in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Nutrient Data Laboratory (NDL) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in close collaboration with U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring the sodium content of commercially processed and restaurant foods in the United States. The main purpose of this manuscript is to prov...

AR-13, a Celecoxib Derivative, Directly Kills Francisella In Vitro and Aids Clearance and Mouse Survival In Vivo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ky V. Hoang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Francisella tularensis (F. tularensis is the causative agent of tularemia and is classified as a Tier 1 select agent. No licensed vaccine is currently available in the United States and treatment of tularemia is confined to few antibiotics. In this study, we demonstrate that AR-13, a derivative of the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib, exhibits direct in vitro bactericidal killing activity against Francisella including a type A strain of F. tularensis (SchuS4 and the live vaccine strain (LVS, as well as toward the intracellular proliferation of LVS in macrophages, without causing significant host cell toxicity. Identification of an AR-13-resistant isolate indicates that this compound has an intracellular target(s and that efflux pumps can mediate AR-13 resistance. In the mouse model of tularemia, AR-13 treatment protected 50% of the mice from lethal LVS infection and prolonged survival time from a lethal dose of F. tularensis SchuS4. Combination of AR-13 with a sub-optimal dose of gentamicin protected 60% of F. tularensis SchuS4-infected mice from death. Taken together, these data support the translational potential of AR-13 as a lead compound for the further development of new anti-Francisella agents.

Assessing the Impact of Maneuver Training on NPS Pollution and Water Quality

Science.gov (United States)

2008-12-01

erosion. The Universal Soil Loss Equation ( USLE ), published in ARS Special Report 22-66 (1961), was based upon six contributing factors: A = R...the publication of USDA Agricultural Handbook 282 (Wischmeier and Smith 1965), the USLE has become the most widely used soil erosion model, and...Batholic 2001, Jones et al., 1996). 14 In 1987, the USLE was revised to improve the soil loss estimation by incorporating additional research and

New K-Ar ages of the Martel Inlet Group, king George Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soliani Junior, E.; Kawashita, K.

1986-01-01

This paper presents twelve new K-Ar whole rocks ages of the Martel Inlet Group that crops out in the Keller Peninsula region, in the Admiralty Bay, King George Island. That lithostratigraphic unit has been considered the oldest one know in the area and it is the result of several volcanic and volcanoclastic episodes occurred probably during the Upper Jurassic. As the group is mainly represented by lithologies that show low-grade metamorphic changes and metasomatic evidences, as well as other alteration processes, it has been difficult to obtain that expected age, specially using the K-Ar method. A significant number of time values concentrated between 40 and 50 Ma, independently of the unit's position in the strategraphic context, could be suggesting an important tectono-thermal event that affected the area setting the isotopic results by re-heating and/or by chemical processes. (author) [pt

AUTONOMOUS DETECTION AND TRACKING OF AN OBJECT AUTONOMOUSLY USING AR.DRONE QUADCOPTER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Futuhal Arifin

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Nowadays, there are many robotic applications being developed to do tasks autonomously without any interactions or commands from human. Therefore, developing a system which enables a robot to do surveillance such as detection and tracking of a moving object will lead us to more advanced tasks carried out by robots in the future. AR.Drone is a flying robot platform that is able to take role as UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Usage of computer vision algorithm such as Hough Transform makes it possible for such system to be implemented on AR.Drone. In this research, the developed algorithm is able to detect and track an object with certain shape and color. Then the algorithm is successfully implemented on AR.Drone quadcopter for detection and tracking.

Ar + NO microwave plasmas for Escherichia coli sterilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hueso, Jose L; Rico, Victor J; Cotrino, Jose; Gonzalez-Elipe, Agustin R; Frias, Jose E

2008-01-01

Ar + NO microwave discharges are used for sterilization and the results are compared with additional experiments with Ar, O 2 and N 2 -O 2 plasma mixtures. The NO * species produced in the Ar-NO mixtures remain up to long distances from the source, thus improving the sterilization efficiency of the process. E. coli individuals exposed to the Ar + NO plasma undergo morphological damage and cell lysis. Combined effects of etching (by O * and Ar * species) and UV radiation (from deactivation of NO * species) are responsible for the higher activity found for this plasma mixture. (fast track communication)

Tibetan tectonics from 40Ar/39Ar analysis of a single K-feldspar sample

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richter, F.M.; Lovera, O.M.; Harrison, T.M.; Copeland, P.

1991-01-01

40 Ar/ 39 Ar data on an alkali feldspar sample from the Quxu pluton, Gangdese batholith, southern Tibet, allow a detailed assessment of unroofing and uplift history between 35 and 18 Ma. The 39 Ar Arrhenius plot for this sample shows departures from a linear relationship between the effective diffusion parameter, log(D/r 2 ), and reciprocal temperature, which we interpret to be the result of a distribution of distinct diffusion-domain sizes. We use an alternative way of plotting the Arrhenius data that exhibits domain size versus cumulative % 39 Ar released during step heating. The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar age spectrum of the sample has features, such as local age plateaus, that are most easily explained in terms of the distinctive closure age of particular domains. The fact that the same distribution of diffusion-domain sizes explains both the Arrhenius data and the age spectrum is an indication that the diffusion properties operating in the laboratory are those of the sample while it was in its natural environment. Modelling of the age spectrum with a distribution of domain sizes results in the recovery of a continuous cooling-history segment rather than a single time-temperature datum. We demonstrate the robustness of the cooling-curve determination by showing the large misfits to the age spectrum that arise from relatively small changes in the cooling history. The best-fit cooling curve for the Quxu sample shows a decreasing rate of cooling in the time interval 35-18 Ma, followed by a very rapid cooling beginning at about 18 Ma. We have used a thermal model for the conductive cooling of an unroofing pluton to estimate the rate of unroofing required to explain the Quxu cooling curve, and find that in the 35-20 Ma time interval, the primary control of the thermal evolution is the conductive loss of magmatic heat with little or no unroofing (unroofing rates of approximately 0.05 mm/yr) followed by a brief period (<5 Ma) of very rapid unroofing with rates of order 2 mm

In Situ Detection and Quantification of AR-V7, AR-FL, PSA, and KRAS Point Mutations in Circulating Tumor Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Heliebi, Amin; Hille, Claudia; Laxman, Navya; Svedlund, Jessica; Haudum, Christoph; Ercan, Erkan; Kroneis, Thomas; Chen, Shukun; Smolle, Maria; Rossmann, Christopher; Krzywkowski, Tomasz; Ahlford, Annika; Darai, Evangelia; von Amsberg, Gunhild; Alsdorf, Winfried; König, Frank; Löhr, Matthias; de Kruijff, Inge; Riethdorf, Sabine; Gorges, Tobias M; Pantel, Klaus; Bauernhofer, Thomas; Nilsson, Mats; Sedlmayr, Peter

2018-03-01

Liquid biopsies can be used in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) to detect androgen receptor splice variant 7 (AR-V7), a splicing product of the androgen receptor. Patients with AR-V7-positive circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have greater benefit of taxane chemotherapy compared with novel hormonal therapies, indicating a treatment-selection biomarker. Likewise, in those with pancreatic cancer (PaCa), KRAS mutations act as prognostic biomarkers. Thus, there is an urgent need for technology investigating the expression and mutation status of CTCs. Here, we report an approach that adds AR-V7 or KRAS status to CTC enumeration, compatible with multiple CTC-isolation platforms. We studied 3 independent CTC-isolation devices (CellCollector, Parsortix, CellSearch) for the evaluation of AR-V7 or KRAS status of CTCs with in situ padlock probe technology. Padlock probes allow highly specific detection and visualization of transcripts on a cellular level. We applied padlock probes for detecting AR-V7, androgen receptor full length (AR-FL), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in CRPC and KRAS wild-type (wt) and mutant (mut) transcripts in PaCa in CTCs from 46 patients. In situ analysis showed that 71% (22 of 31) of CRPC patients had detectable AR-V7 expression ranging from low to high expression [1-76 rolling circle products (RCPs)/CTC]. In PaCa patients, 40% (6 of 15) had KRAS mut expressing CTCs with 1 to 8 RCPs/CTC. In situ padlock probe analysis revealed CTCs with no detectable cytokeratin expression but positivity for AR-V7 or KRAS mut transcripts. Padlock probe technology enables quantification of AR-V7, AR-FL, PSA, and KRAS mut/wt transcripts in CTCs. The technology is easily applicable in routine laboratories and compatible with multiple CTC-isolation devices. © 2017 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

7 CFR 170.13 - What are the operating guidelines for the USDA Farmers Market?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... farmers or vendors. (g) Farm/Business Visits. Market management may visit farm/business locations to...) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS MARKETING PRACTICES UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING ACT OF 1946 USDA FARMERS...

Long-term changes in fusiform rust incidence in the southeastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

KaDonna C. Randolph; Ellis B. Cowling; Dale A. Starkey

2015-01-01

Fusiform rust is the most devastating disease of slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) in the southeastern United States. Since the 1970s, the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program has assessed fusiform rust incidence on its network of ground plots in 13 states across the...

Production of 41Ar and 79Kr gaseous radiotracers for industrial applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yelgaonkar, V.N.; Jagadeesan, K.C.; Shivarudrappa, V.; Sharma, V.K.; Chitra, S.

2007-01-01

Radiotracers are extensively used in many industries for trouble shooting and optimization of process parameters leading to considerable savings in time and huge economic benefits. In chemical and petrochemical industries different gases and vapours flowing in the conversion reactors play a major role in the final production. Gaseous radiotracers are ideal to study hydrodynamics of gas phases in process vessels. 41 Ar and 79 Kr are the preferred gaseous radiotracers for such studies. Owing to the increase in demand from Indian industries for gas phase radiotracers, efforts have been made to produce 41 Ar and 79 Kr indigenously by irradiation of 40 Ar and enriched 78 Kr gaseous targets in research reactors. Prequalification of the containers used, safety aspects concerning accidental rupture and mandatory tests necessary for irradiation of gaseous targets in the reactors have been studied. The paper describes some of the important safety aspects involved and the results of trial irradiations on the production of 41 Ar and 79 Kr radiotracers. Standardization of suitable assay protocols for their regular production and supply for applications in industries is also described. (author)

Information technology research and development critical trends and issues

CERN Document Server

1985-01-01

Information Technology Research and Development: Critical Trends and Issues is a report of the Office of Technology Assessment of the United States Government on the research and development in the area of information technology. The report discusses information technology research and development - its goals, nature, issues, and strategies; environment and its changes; the roles of the participants; and the health of its field. The book then goes on to four selected case studies in information technology: advanced computer architecture; fiber optic communications; software engineering; and ar

Registration Combining Wide and Narrow Baseline Feature Tracking Techniques for Markerless AR Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Yang

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Augmented reality (AR is a field of computer research which deals with the combination of real world and computer generated data. Registration is one of the most difficult problems currently limiting the usability of AR systems. In this paper, we propose a novel natural feature tracking based registration method for AR applications. The proposed method has following advantages: (1 it is simple and efficient, as no man-made markers are needed for both indoor and outdoor AR applications; moreover, it can work with arbitrary geometric shapes including planar, near planar and non planar structures which really enhance the usability of AR systems. (2 Thanks to the reduced SIFT based augmented optical flow tracker, the virtual scene can still be augmented on the specified areas even under the circumstances of occlusion and large changes in viewpoint during the entire process. (3 It is easy to use, because the adaptive classification tree based matching strategy can give us fast and accurate initialization, even when the initial camera is different from the reference image to a large degree. Experimental evaluations validate the performance of the proposed method for online pose tracking and augmentation.

Use of an audience response system (ARS) in a dual-campus classroom environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Melissa S; Medina, Patrick J; Wanzer, Donald S; Wilson, Jane E; Er, Nelson; Britton, Mark L

2008-04-15

To implement an audience response system in a dual-campus classroom that aggregated data during graded (attendance and quizzes) and non-graded classroom activities (formative quizzes, case discussions, examination reviews, and team activities) and explore its strengths, weaknesses, and impact on active learning. After extensive research, an appropriate audience response system was selected and implemented in a dual-classroom setting for a third-year required PharmD course. Students were assigned a clicker and training and policies regarding clicker use were reviewed. Activities involving clicker use were carefully planned to simultaneously engage students in both classrooms in real time. Focus groups were conducted with students to gather outcomes data. Students and faculty members felt that the immediate feedback the automated response system (ARS) provided was most beneficial during non-graded activities. Student anxiety increased with use of ARS during graded activities due to fears regarding technology failure, user error, and academic integrity. ARS is a viable tool for increasing active learning in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program, especially when used for non-graded class activities. Faculty members should proceed cautiously with using ARS for graded classroom activities and develop detailed and documented policies for ARS use.

7 CFR 1.213 - Appearance as a witness on behalf of the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Appearance of USDA Employees as Witnesses in Judicial or Administrative Proceedings § 1.213 Appearance as a... United States in any judicial or administrative proceeding without the issuance of a summons, subpoena, or other compulsory process. Employees should obtain permission for such an appearance from their...

Online evaluation of a commercial video image analysis system (Computer Vision System) to predict beef carcass red meat yield and for augmenting the assignment of USDA yield grades. United States Department of Agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Cannell, R C; Belk, K E; Tatum, J D; Wise, J W; Chapman, P L; Scanga, J A; Smith, G C

2002-05-01

Objective quantification of differences in wholesale cut yields of beef carcasses at plant chain speeds is important for the application of value-based marketing. This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of a commercial video image analysis system, the Computer Vision System (CVS) to 1) predict commercially fabricated beef subprimal yield and 2) augment USDA yield grading, in order to improve accuracy of grade assessment. The CVS was evaluated as a fully installed production system, operating on a full-time basis at chain speeds. Steer and heifer carcasses (n = 296) were evaluated using CVS, as well as by USDA expert and online graders, before the fabrication of carcasses into industry-standard subprimal cuts. Expert yield grade (YG), online YG, CVS estimated carcass yield, and CVS measured ribeye area in conjunction with expert grader estimates of the remaining YG factors (adjusted fat thickness, percentage of kidney-pelvic-heart fat, hot carcass weight) accounted for 67, 39, 64, and 65% of the observed variation in fabricated yields of closely trimmed subprimals. The dual component CVS predicted wholesale cut yields more accurately than current online yield grading, and, in an augmentation system, CVS ribeye measurement replaced estimated ribeye area in determination of USDA yield grade, and the accuracy of cutability prediction was improved, under packing plant conditions and speeds, to a level close to that of expert graders applying grades at a comfortable rate of speed offline.

Ar + NO microwave plasmas for Escherichia coli sterilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hueso, Jose L; Rico, Victor J; Cotrino, Jose; Gonzalez-Elipe, Agustin R [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla, Centro Mixto CSIC-Universidad de Sevilla, Centro de Investigaciones Cientificas Isla de la Cartuja, Avda. Americo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla (Spain); Frias, Jose E [Instituto de BioquImica Vegetal y FotosIntesis (IBVF-CSIC). Centro de Investigaciones CientIficas Isla de la Cartuja. Avda Americo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Sevilla (Spain)], E-mail: jhueso@icmse.csic.es

2008-05-07

Ar + NO microwave discharges are used for sterilization and the results are compared with additional experiments with Ar, O{sub 2} and N{sub 2}-O{sub 2} plasma mixtures. The NO{sup *} species produced in the Ar-NO mixtures remain up to long distances from the source, thus improving the sterilization efficiency of the process. E. coli individuals exposed to the Ar + NO plasma undergo morphological damage and cell lysis. Combined effects of etching (by O{sup *} and Ar{sup *} species) and UV radiation (from deactivation of NO{sup *} species) are responsible for the higher activity found for this plasma mixture. (fast track communication)

Clinical Epidemiology Unit - overview of research areas

Science.gov (United States)

Clinical Epidemiology Unit (CEU) conducts etiologic research with potential clinical and public health applications, and leads studies evaluating population-based early detection and cancer prevention strategies

7 CFR 170.14 - What circumstances will prevent participation in the USDA Farmers Market?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS MARKETING PRACTICES UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING ACT OF 1946 USDA...) Efforts will be made to accommodate all who apply to participate in the market. However, market management...

Identification of an IL-1-induced gene expression pattern in AR+ PCa cells that mimics the molecular phenotype of AR- PCa cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas-Jardin, Shayna E; Kanchwala, Mohammed S; Jacob, Joan; Merchant, Sana; Meade, Rachel K; Gahnim, Nagham M; Nawas, Afshan F; Xing, Chao; Delk, Nikki A

2018-06-01

In immunosurveillance, bone-derived immune cells infiltrate the tumor and secrete inflammatory cytokines to destroy cancer cells. However, cancer cells have evolved mechanisms to usurp inflammatory cytokines to promote tumor progression. In particular, the inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1 (IL-1), is elevated in prostate cancer (PCa) patient tissue and serum, and promotes PCa bone metastasis. IL-1 also represses androgen receptor (AR) accumulation and activity in PCa cells, yet the cells remain viable and tumorigenic; suggesting that IL-1 may also contribute to AR-targeted therapy resistance. Furthermore, IL-1 and AR protein levels negatively correlate in PCa tumor cells. Taken together, we hypothesize that IL-1 reprograms AR positive (AR + ) PCa cells into AR negative (AR - ) PCa cells that co-opt IL-1 signaling to ensure AR-independent survival and tumor progression in the inflammatory tumor microenvironment. LNCaP and PC3 PCa cells were treated with IL-1β or HS-5 bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) conditioned medium and analyzed by RNA sequencing and RT-QPCR. To verify genes identified by RNA sequencing, LNCaP, MDA-PCa-2b, PC3, and DU145 PCa cell lines were treated with the IL-1 family members, IL-1α or IL-1β, or exposed to HS-5 BMSC in the presence or absence of Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist (IL-1RA). Treated cells were analyzed by western blot and/or RT-QPCR. Comparative analysis of sequencing data from the AR + LNCaP PCa cell line versus the AR - PC3 PCa cell line reveals an IL-1-conferred gene suite in LNCaP cells that is constitutive in PC3 cells. Bioinformatics analysis of the IL-1 regulated gene suite revealed that inflammatory and immune response pathways are primarily elicited; likely facilitating PCa cell survival and tumorigenicity in an inflammatory tumor microenvironment. Our data supports that IL-1 reprograms AR + PCa cells to mimic AR - PCa gene expression patterns that favor AR-targeted treatment resistance and cell survival. © 2018 Wiley

75 FR 12165 - Class E Airspace; Batesville, AR

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-15

...-1177; Airspace Docket No. 09-ASW-34] Class E Airspace; Batesville, AR AGENCY: Federal Aviation... Class E airspace at Batesville, AR. Decommissioning of the Independence County non-directional beacon... for standard instrument approach procedures at Batesville Regional Airport, Batesville, AR. Airspace...

Formation of doubly charged argon ions, Ar2+, from long-lived highly excited argon ions, Arsup(+*), colliding with Ar and N2 gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okuno, Kazuhiko

1976-01-01

Formation of Ar 2+ from long-lived highly excited Ar + * colliding with Ar and N 2 gases is studied by means of a tandem mass spectrometer. The tandem mass spectrometer used consists of two mass analyzers connected in series and a collision chamber located in between. The collision chamber is electrically floated and can be set at a desired potential, so that one can identify the fast ions (resulting from the primary ions) and the slow ions (secondary ions) in the mass spectra taken by the second mass analyzer. When the first mass analyzer is tuned to Ar + , peaks corresponding Ar 2+ appear in the second mass spectra. From the analysis of variation of mass positions and heights of these peaks with the change of the potential and pressure of the collision chamber, the Ar 2+ is concluded to result from the primary Ar + in collision with gas molecules and wall surface. From the threshold behavior of the product Ar 2+ with the electron energy in the ion source, three sets of long-lived highly excited Ar + * states (Rydberg states) are found to be responsible for this process. They are 3s 2 3p 4 ( 3 P)nl, 3s 2 3p 4 ( 1 D 2 )n'l and 3s 2 3p 4 ( 1 S 0 )n''l converging to Ar 2+3 Psub(2.1.0) (43.38, 43.51, 43.57 eV), 1 D 2 (45.11 eV) and 1 S 0 (47.50 eV), respectively. Their fractional ratio in the primary Ar + beam is determined as 3.0:1.0:1.2 which is close to that of multiplicities of the states concerned. The autoionization mechanism reported by other investigators to be responsible for the formation of Ar 2+ in Aston band or tandem mass spectra is found to be negligible. The cross sections of formation of Ar 2+ from Ar + * colliding with Ar and N 2 increase in proportion to the 1.15th power of the collision energy in the range from 750 eV to 2.5 keV. At the collision energy of 1.0 keV, they are 2.0x10 -20 /F cm 2 for Ar target and 6.6x10 -20 /F cm 2 for N 2 target, where the fractional density of Ar + * is estimated to be 0.7x10 -4 -4 . (auth.)

I-Xe and 40Ar-39Ar analyses of silicate from the Eagle Station pallasite and the anomalous iron meteorite Enon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemeyer, S.

1983-01-01

Silicate from two unusual iron-rich meteorites were analyzed by the I-Xe and 40 Ar- 39 Ar techniques. Enon, an anomalous iron meteorite with chondritic silicate, shows no loss of radiogenic 40 Ar at low temperature, and gives a plateau age of 4.59 +- 0.03 Ga. Although the Xe data fail to define an I-Xe correlation the inferred Pu/U ratio is more than 2 σ above the chondritic value, and the Pu abundance derived from the concentration of Pu-fission Xe is 6 times greater than the abundance inferred for CI meteorites. These findings for Enon, coupled with data for IAB iron meteorites, suggest that presence of chondritic silicate in an iron-rich meteorite is diagnostic of an old radiometric age with little subsequent thermal disturbance. The Eagle Station pallasite, the most 16 O-rich meteorite known, gives a complex 40 Ar- 39 Ar age pattern which suggests a recent severe thermal disturbance. The absence of excess 129 Xe, and the low trapped Ar and Xe contents, are consistent with this interpretation. The similarity between 40 Ar- 39 Ar data for Eagle Station and for the olivine-rich meteorite Chassigny lends credence to the previous suggestion of a connection between Chassigny and pallasites. (author)

Near thermal charge transfer between Ar+2 and N2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holzscheiter, H.M.; Church, D.A.

1981-01-01

The near thermal charge transfer reaction of Ar +2 with N 2 has been studied at total pressures below 10 -7 Torr using a stored ion technique. Ar +2 ions produced by electron impact double ionization of Ar gas were selectively stored for times the order of seconds in a split-ring Penning-type ion trap. The decay with time of the initial ion sample number in a mixture of Ar and N 2 gases was fit to the sum of two exponentials, corresponding to different reaction rates for the 3 P and 1 D low-lying Ar +2 levels. The observed Ar +2 number decrease is attributed to the double-charge transfer process Ar +2 +N 2 →Ar+N 2 +2 →Ar+N + +N + in accord with recent flow-tube measurements. A rate constant for the metastable Ar +2 ( 1 D) level reaction with a value k( 1 D)=1.4 x 10 -9 cm 3 /sec is obtained, using the previously measured rate constant for the Ar +2 ( 3 P) state

U-Pb and K-Ar geochronology from the Cerro Empexa Formation, 1st and 2nd Regions, Precordillera, northern Chile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomlinson, A.J; Martin, M.W; Blanco, N.; Perez de Arce, C

2001-01-01

The Cerro Empexa Formation (Galli, 1957) is a regionally distributed andesitic volcanic and continental sedimentary unit exposed in the Precordillera of the 1st and 2nd Regions of northern Chile. The formation has generally been considered to lie within the Lower or 'mid' Cretaceous, however, this assignment is based on scant, unreliable geochronologic data. Furthermore, there are conflicting interpretations as to whether the unit predates or postdates the first major Mesozoic shortening event affecting northern Chile. Because of the formation's presumed mid-Cretaceous age and its stratigraphic position over older back-arc sedimentary successions, the unit has been interpreted to represent products of the first eastward jump in the Andean magmatic arc from the arc's initial position in the Cordillera de la Costa (Scheuber and Reutter, 1992). In this paper we present the results of mapping and field observations that indicate exposures previously assigned to the Cerro Empexa Formation include two andesitic volcanic units separated by a major unconformity. The Cerro Empexa Formation proper lies above this unconformity. We also present U-Pb zircon and K-Ar geochronology that indicate the Cerro Empexa Formation is latest Cretaceous in its lower levels, and integrate our data with previously reported 40 Ar/ 39 Ar and fission-track data in the Cerros de Montecristo area (Maksaev, 1990; Maksaev and Zentilli, 1999) to show that 1800±600 m of rocks were deposited within ca. 2.5 m.y (au)

Laser-fusion 40Ar/39Ar Ages of Darwin Impact Glass

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Ching-Hua; Howard, Kieren T.; Chung, Sun-Lin; Meffre, Sebastien

2002-11-01

Three samples of Darwin Glass, an impact glass found in Tasmania, Australia at the edge of the Australasian tektite strewn field were dated using the 40Ar/39Ar single-grain laser fusion technique, yielding isochron ages of 796-815 ka with an overall weighted mean of 816 ± 7 ka. These data are statistically indistinguishable from those recently reported for the Australasian tektites from Southeast Asia and Australia (761-816 ka; with a mean weighted age of 803 ± 3 ka). However, considering the compositional and textural differences and the disparity from the presumed impact crater area for Australasian tektites, Darwin Glass is more likely to have resulted from a distinct impact during the same period of time.

Ar-37 in the Atmospheric and Sub-Soil Gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purtschert, R.; Raghoo, L.S.

2015-01-01

On-site inspection of the radioactive noble gas isotope 37Ar is a definitive and unambiguous indicator of an underground nuclear explosion. 37Ar is produced underground by neutron activation of calcium by the reaction 40Ca(n,α)37Ar. In the atmosphere, 37Ar is produced by the spallation reaction 40Ar(n,4n)37Ar. Periodic measurements over the last six years on air collected in Bern revealed a background level in the order of 1-5 mBq/m 3 air in agreement with former findings and theoretical calculations. Those calculations also indicated that the intrusion of stratospheric air masses may lead to elevated tropospheric 37Ar concentrations up to 8-10 mBq/m 3 air. Selected samples taken up to now in the vicinity of nuclear power plants revealed no significant deviation from the natural background. In order to distinguish between natural and artificially elevated 37Ar the location-specific 37Ar activity range in soils, rocks and the atmosphere were identified. From CARIBIC flights, a passenger aircraft with a special air freight container filled with scientific equipment in the cargo compartment, tropospheric air samples were analyzed for 37Ar and 85Kr. The natural 37Ar production in soils and the rock basement underlying the alluvium is investigated by means of in situ measurements of different isotopes, theoretical calculations and irradiation experiments on selected rock samples. This will help resolve the temporal evolution and/or constancy of the natural 37Ar background and allow for an interpretation in terms of the identification of clandestine nuclear explosions. (author)

75 FR 12162 - Class E Airspace; Manila, AR

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-15

...-1184; Airspace Docket No. 09-ASW-39] Class E Airspace; Manila, AR AGENCY: Federal Aviation... Class E airspace at Manila, AR. Decommissioning of the Manila non-directional beacon (NDB) at Manila... instrument approach procedures at Manila Municipal Airport, Manila, AR. Airspace reconfiguration is necessary...

Action research methodology in clinical pharmacy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørgaard, Lotte Stig; Sørensen, Ellen Westh

2016-01-01

Introduction The focus in clinical pharmacy practice is and has for the last 30-35 years been on changing the role of pharmacy staff into service orientation and patient counselling. One way of doing this is by involving staff in change process and as a researcher to take part in the change process...... by establishing partnerships with staff. On the background of the authors' widespread action research (AR)-based experiences, recommendations and comments for how to conduct an AR-study is described, and one of their AR-based studies illustrate the methodology and the research methods used. Methodology AR...... is defined as an approach to research which is based on a problem-solving relationship between researchers and clients, which aims at both solving a problem and at collaboratively generating new knowledge. Research questions relevant in AR-studies are: what was the working process in this change oriented...

Effects of lamellae size distributions from 40Ar/39Ar on sedimentary thermo-chronology in the San Joaquin Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jepsen, A.-M.; Lerche, I.; Thomsen, R.O.

1990-01-01

A model description is provided for the release of 40 Ar/ 39 Ar from detrital microclines which specifically includes the effects of grain size distributions, thus allowing smaller grains to release argon faster than the more retentive larger grains. The model also includes the effects of sedimentary thermal history after burial influencing the pre-depositional 40 Ar/ 30 Ar ratio. Application of the model to the measured age spectra from six depths in the Tejon Block and four in the Basin Block of the San Joaquin Basin demonstrates that the grain size distribution effect plays a major role in masking the extraction of thermal history information from the observed age spectra. In addition, the grain size effect is not systematic with depth, and other competing effects, such as isotopic fractionation of diffusion coefficients, multi-provenance depositional supply, and variable concentrations of 40 Ar and 39 K per microcline at burial deposition time, make the extraction of thermal history information even more difficult. (author)

Timing of Secondary Hydrothermal Alteration of the Luobusa Chromitites Constrained by Ar/Ar Dating of Chrome Chlorites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Guo

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Chrome chlorites are usually found as secondary phases formed by hydrothermal alteration of chromite deposits and associated mafic/ultramafic rocks. Here, we report the 40Ar/39Ar age of chrome chlorites separated from the Luobusa massive chromitites which have undergone secondary alteration by CO2-rich hydrothermal fluids. The dating results reveal that the intermediate heating steps (from 4 to 10 of sample L7 generate an age plateau of 29.88 ± 0.42 Ma (MSWD = 0.12, plateau 39Ar = 74.6%, and the plateau data points define a concordant inverse isochron age of 30.15 ± 1.05 Ma (MSWD = 0.08, initial 40Ar/36Ar = 295.8 ± 9.7. The Ar release pattern shows no evidence of later degassing or inherited radiogenic component indicated by an atmospheric intercept, thus representing the age of the hydrothermal activity. Based on the agreement of this hydrothermal age with the ~30 Ma adakitic plutons exposed in nearby regions (the Zedong area, tens of kilometers west Luobusa and the extensive late Oligocene plutonism distributed along the southeastern Gangdese magmatic belt, it is suggested that the hydrothermal fluids are likely related to the ~30 Ma magmatism. The hydrothermal fluid circulation could be launched either by remote plutons (such as the Sangri granodiorite, the nearest ~30 Ma pluton west Luobusa or by a similar coeval pluton in the local Luobusa area (inferred, not found or reported so far. Our results provide important clues for when the listwanites in Luobusa were formed.

Developing a clinical trial unit to advance research in an academic institution.

Science.gov (United States)

Croghan, Ivana T; Viker, Steven D; Limper, Andrew H; Evans, Tamara K; Cornell, Alissa R; Ebbert, Jon O; Gertz, Morie A

2015-11-01

Research, clinical care, and education are the three cornerstones of academic health centers in the United States. The research climate has always been riddled with ebbs and flows, depending on funding availability. During a time of reduced funding, the number and scope of research studies have been reduced, and in some instances, a field of study has been eliminated. Recent reductions in the research funding landscape have led institutions to explore new ways to continue supporting research. Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN has developed a clinical trial unit within the Department of Medicine, which provides shared resources for many researchers and serves as a solution for training and mentoring new investigators and study teams. By building on existing infrastructure and providing supplemental resources to existing research, the Department of Medicine clinical trial unit has evolved into an effective mechanism for conducting research. This article discusses the creation of a central unit to provide research support in clinical trials and presents the advantages, disadvantages, and required building blocks for such a unit. Copyright © 2015 Mayo Clinic. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

USDA Climate Hubs - delivering usable information and tools to farmers, ranchers and forest land managers - Communication insights from the Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, R.; Steele, R.

2016-12-01

The USDA Climate Hubs were established in 2014 to develop and deliver science-based, region-specific information and technologies, with USDA agencies and partners, to agricultural and natural resource managers to enable climate-informed decision-making. In the two and half years of existence, our regional leads have gained insights into communicating with the agricultural and forestry communities throughout the different regions of the country. Perspectives differ somewhat among regions and sectors. This talk will share those various insights.

Spatial repellents and attractants as components of a "push-pull" management strategy

Science.gov (United States)

This presentation was an overview of research efforts being conducted by the Mosquito and Fly Research Unit (MFRU) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Center for Medical and Veterinary Entomology (CMAVE) located in Gainesville, Florida, to develop innovative population management...

An 40 Ar- 39 Ar study of the Cape Verde hot spot

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Paul Martin; Grandvuinet, Tanja; Wilson, James Richard

2008-01-01

The 40Ar-39Ar analyses of 28 groundmass separates from volcanic rocks from the islands of Santiago, Sal, and São Vicente, Cape Verde archipelago, are presented. The new age data record the volcanic evolution for Santiago from 4.6 to 0.7 Ma, for Sal from around 15 to 1.1 Ma, and for São Vicente from...... Cretaceous age for limestones deposited on the seafloor and later uplifted. The Cape Verde Rise is indicated to have fully formed in the early Miocene around 22 Ma, accompanied by the initial alkaline volcanism. Considerable volcanism on Sal, Boa Vista, and Maio took place in the Miocene and Pliocene...

Present status of research on efficacy of quarantine treatment for horticultural crops in the USA with special reference to the use of irradiation as a potential quarantine treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burditt, A.K. Jr.

1985-01-01

Research on efficacy of quarantine treatments for horticultural crops has been conducted in the United States of America by scientists of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and by scientists in various state research organizations for many years. ARS scientists have been investigating effectiveness of fumigation using volatile chemicals such as ethylene dibromide, methyl bromide, phosphine and others; physical methods including cold, heat, modified atmosphere and gamma irradiation; and biological methods such as host susceptibility and host inspection as treatments for commodities infested by fruit flies and other pests. ARS and state scientists are studying possible adverse effects of such treatments on the commodities. This research also involves cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy and its contractors, Sandia Laboratories, CH 2 M Hill, and Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories. (author)