A citizen's guide to radon : the guide to protecting yourself and your family from radon.

Mode of access: Internet.

Home buyer's and seller's guide to radon /

"6609-J."

A review of radon emanation and mobilization in minerals and rocks /

"September 1987."

A Cost-effectiveness analysis of public education and incentive programs for controlling radon in the home : final report /

Principal investigators: Thomas J. Bierma, Daniel Swartzman.

Morgan horses : a premium essay on the origin, history, and characteristics of this remarkable American breed of horses; tracing the pedigree from the original Justin Morgan, through the most noted of his progeny, down to the present time. With numerous portraits, to which are added hints for breeding, breaking, and general use and management of horses, with practical directions for training them for exhibition at agricultural fairs /

Publisher's advertisement at end.

Paracompact Spaces and Radon Spaces

We prove that if E is a subset of a Banach space whose density is of measure zero and such that (E, weak) is a paracompact space, then (E, weak) is a Radon space of type (F ) under very general conditions.

Radon 222 and Radium 226 measured on water bottle samples during POLARSTERN cruise ARK-XXVI/3 (TransArc)

Air-sea gas exchange plays a key role in the cycling of greenhouse and other biogeochemically important gases. Although air-sea gas transfer is expected to change as a consequence of the rapid decline in summer Arctic sea ice cover, little is known about the effect of sea ice cover on gas exchange fluxes, especially in the marginal ice zone. During the Polarstern expedition ARK-XXVI/3 (TransArc, August/September 2011) to the central Arctic Ocean, we compared 222Rn/226Ra ratios in the upper 50 m of 14 ice-covered and 4 ice-free stations. At three of the ice-free stations, we find 222Rn-based gas transfer coefficients in good agreement with expectation based on published relationships between gas transfer and wind speed over open water when accounting for wind history from wind reanalysis data. We hypothesize that the low gas transfer rate at the fourth station results from reduced fetch due to the proximity of the ice edge, or lateral exchange across the front at the ice edge by restratification. No significant radon deficit could be observed at the ice-covered stations. At these stations, the average gas transfer velocity was less than 0.1 m/d (97.5% confidence), compared to 0.5-2.2 m/d expected for open water. Our results show that air-sea gas exchange in an ice-covered ocean is reduced by at least an order of magnitude compared to open water. In contrast to previous studies, we show that in partially ice-covered regions, gas exchange is lower than expected based on a linear scaling to percent ice cover.

Influencing effect of heat-treatment on radon emanation and exhalation characteristic of red mud

The reuse of industrial by-products is important for members of numerous industrial sectors. However, though the benefits of reuse are evident from an economical point of view, some compounds in these materials can have a negative effect on users' health.In this study, the radon emanation and exhalation features of red mud were surveyed using heat-treatment (100-1200 °C). As a result of the 1200°C-treated samples, massic radon exhalation capacity reduced from 75 ± 10 mBq kg^-1 h^-1 to 7 ± 4 mBq kg^-1 h^-1, approximately 10% of the initial exhalation rate.To find an explanation for internal structural changes, the porosity features of the heat-treated samples were also investigated. It was found that the cumulative pore volume reduced significantly in less than 100 nm, which can explain the reduced massic exhalation capacity in the high temperature treated range mentioned above.SEM snapshots were taken of the surfaces of the samples as visual evidence for superficial morphological changes. It was found that the surface of the high temperature treated samples had changed, proving the decrement of open pores on the surface.

RESPONSE OF LOCALLY ADAPTED PEARL MILLET POPULATIONS TO S1 PROGENY RECURRENT SELECTION FOR GRAIN YIELD AND RESISTANCE TO RUST

In the semi-arid zones of Uganda, pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) is mainly grown for food and income; but rust (Puccinia substriata var indica (L.) R. Br.) is the main foliar constraint lowering yield. The objective of the study was to genetically improve grain yield and rust resistance of two locally adapted populations (Lam and Omoda), through two cycles of modified phenotypic S1 progeny recurrent selection. Treatments included three cycles of two locally adapted pearl millet populations, evaluated at three locations. Significant net genetic gain for grain yield (72 and 36%) were achieved in Lam and Omoda populations, respectively. This led to grain yield of 1,047 from 611 kg ha-1 in Lam population and 943 from 693 kg ha-1 in Omoda population. Significant improvement in rust resistance was achieved in the two populations, with a net genetic gain of -55 and -71% in Lam and Omoda populations, respectively. Rust severity reduced from 30 to 14% in Lam population and from 57 to 17% in Omoda population. Net positive genetic gains of 68 and 8% were also achieved for 1000-grain weight in Lam and Omoda, respectively. Traits with a net negative genetic gain in both populations were days to 50% flowering, days to 50% anthesis, days to 50% physiological maturity, flower-anthesis interval, plant height and leaf area.

Assessing land–ocean connectivity via submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in the Ria Formosa Lagoon (Portugal): combining radon measurements and stable isotope hydrology

Natural radioactive tracer-based assessments of basin-scale submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) are well developed. However, SGD takes place in different modes and the flow and discharge mechanisms involved occur over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Quantifying SGD while discriminating its source functions therefore remains a major challenge. However, correctly identifying both the fluid source and composition is critical. When multiple sources of the tracer of interest are present, failure to adequately discriminate between them leads to inaccurate attribution and the resulting uncertainties will affect the reliability of SGD solute loading estimates. This lack of reliability then extends to the closure of local biogeochemical budgets, confusing measures aiming to mitigate pollution. Here, we report a multi-tracer study to identify the sources of SGD, distinguish its component parts and elucidate the mechanisms of their dispersion throughout the Ria Formosa – a seasonally hypersaline lagoon in Portugal. We combine radon budgets that determine the total SGD (meteoric + recirculated seawater) in the system with stable isotopes in water (δ2H, δ18O), to specifically identify SGD source functions and characterize active hydrological pathways in the catchment. Using this approach, SGD in the Ria Formosa could be separated into two modes, a net meteoric water input and another involving no net water transfer, i.e., originating in lagoon water re-circulated through permeable sediments. The former SGD mode is present occasionally on a multi-annual timescale, while the latter is a dominant feature of the system. In the absence of meteoric SGD inputs, seawater recirculation through beach sediments occurs at a rate of  ∼  1.4  ×  106 m3 day−1. This implies that the entire tidal-averaged volume of the lagoon is filtered through local sandy sediments within 100 days ( ∼  3.5 times a year), driving an estimated nitrogen (N) load of  ∼  350 Ton N yr−1 into the system as NO3−. Land-borne SGD could add a further  ∼  61 Ton N yr−1 to the lagoon. The former source is autochthonous, continuous and responsible for a large fraction (59 %) of the estimated total N inputs into the system via non-point sources, while the latter is an occasional allochthonous source capable of driving new production in the system.

EPA Radon Risk Assessment Table for Smokers and Non-Smokers

This chart gives the long term effects of radon on smokers and non-smokers.

Change and Aging Senescence as an Adaptation

Understanding why we age is a long-lived open problem in evolutionary biology. Aging is prejudicial to the individual, and evolutionary forces should prevent it, but many species show signs of senescence as individuals age. Here, I will propose a model for aging based on assumptions that are compatible with evolutionary theory: i) competition is between individuals; ii) there is some degree of locality, so quite often competition will be between parents and their progeny; iii) optimal conditions are not stationary, and mutation helps each species to keep competitive. When conditions change, a senescent species can drive immortal competitors to extinction. This counter-intuitive result arises from the pruning caused by the death of elder individuals. When there is change and mutation, each generation is slightly better adapted to the new conditions, but some older individuals survive by chance. Senescence can eliminate those from the genetic pool. Even though individual selection forces can sometimes win over group selection ones, it is not exactly the individual that is selected but its lineage. While senescence damages the individuals and has an evolutionary cost, it has a benefit of its own. It allows each lineage to adapt faster to changing conditions. We age because the world changes.

Additive genetic relationship of longevity with fertility and production traits in Nellore cattle based on bivariate models

Survival or longevity is an economically important trait in beef cattle. The main inconvenience for its inclusion in selection criteria is delayed recording of phenotypic data and the high computational demand for including survival in proportional hazard models. Thus, identification of a longevity-correlated trait that could be recorded early in life would be very useful for selection purposes. We estimated the genetic relationship of survival with productive and reproductive traits in Nellore cattle, including weaning weight (WW), post-weaning growth (PWG), muscularity (MUSC), scrotal circumference at 18 months (SC18), and heifer pregnancy (HP). Survival was measured in discrete time intervals and modeled through a sequential threshold model. Five independent bivariate Bayesian analyses were performed, accounting for cow survival and the five productive and reproductive traits. Posterior mean estimates for heritability (standard deviation in parentheses) were 0.55 (0.01) for WW, 0.25 (0.01) for PWG, 0.23 (0.01) for MUSC, and 0.48 (0.01) for SC18. The posterior mean estimates (95% confidence interval in parentheses) for the genetic correlation with survival were 0.16 (0.13-0.19), 0.30 (0.25-0.34), 0.31 (0.25-0.36), 0.07 (0.02-0.12), and 0.82 (0.78-0.86) for WW, PWG, MUSC, SC18, and HP, respectively. Based on the high genetic correlation and heritability (0.54) posterior mean estimates for HP, the expected progeny difference for HP can be used to select bulls for longevity, as well as for post-weaning gain and muscle score.

Molecular characterization of a miraculin-like gene differentially expressed during coffee development and coffee leaf miner infestation

The characterization of a coffee gene encoding a protein similar to miraculin-like proteins, which are members of the plant Kunitz serine trypsin inhibitor (STI) family of proteinase inhibitors (PIs), is described. PIs are important proteins in plant defence against insects and in the regulation of proteolysis during plant development. This gene has high identity with the Richadella dulcifica taste-modifying protein miraculin and with the tomato protein LeMir; and was named as CoMir (Coffea miraculin). Structural protein modelling indicated that CoMir had structural similarities with the Kunitz STI proteins, but suggested specific folding structures. CoMir was up-regulated after coffee leaf miner (Leucoptera coffella) oviposition in resistant plants of a progeny derived from crosses between C. racemosa (resistant) and C. arabica (susceptible). Interestingly, this gene was down-regulated during coffee leaf miner herbivory in susceptible plants. CoMir expression was up-regulated after abscisic acid application and wounding stress and was prominent during the early stages of flower and fruit development. In situ hybridization revealed that CoMir transcripts accumulated in the anther tissues that display programmed cell death (tapetum, endothecium and stomium) and in the metaxylem vessels of the petals, stigma and leaves. In addition, the recombinant protein CoMir shows inhibitory activity against trypsin. According to the present results CoMir may act in proteolytic regulation during coffee development and in the defence against L. coffeella. The similarity of CoMir with other Kunitz STI proteins and the role of CoMir in plant development and plant stress are discussed.

Progeny evaluation for resistance to Phaeosphaeria leaf spot in tropical maize

Maize breeding programmes in Brazil and elsewhere seek reliable methods to identify genotypes resistant to Phaeosphaeria leaf spot. The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) is an accurate method to evaluate the severity of foliar diseases. However, at least three data points are required to calculate the AUDPC, which is unfeasible when there are thousands of genotypes to be assessed. The aim of this work was to estimate the heritability of disease resistance, evaluate disease severity at different times using a nine-point scale in comparison to the AUDPC, and establish the most suitable phenological period for disease assessment. A repeated experiment was conducted in a 11 x 11 lattice experimental design with three replications. Disease assessments were carried out at flowering, 15 and 30 days post-anthesis for the parental lines DS95, DAS21, the F1 generation and 118 F2:3 progenies. Then, the AUDPC was obtained and results compared with the single-point evaluations used to calculate it. Individual and joint analyses of variance were conducted to obtain heritabiliy estimates. The assessments performed after the flowering stage gave higher estimates of heritability and correlation with AUDPC. We concluded that one assessment between the 15th and 30th day after flowering could provide enough information to distinguish maize genotypes for their resistance to Phaeosphaeria leaf spot under tropical conditions.