bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrating the Social Dimension in Remediation Decision‐Making: State of the Practice and Way Forward
Authors: Harclerode Melissa , Ridsdale Debora Reanne , Darmendrail Dominique , Bardos Paul , Alexandrescu Filip , Nathanail Paul , Pizzol Lisa , Rizzo Erika
Published: December 2015

Sustainable remediation guidance, frameworks, and case studies have been published at an international level illustrating established sustainability assessment methodologies and successful implementation. Though the terminology and indicators evaluated may differ, one common theme among international organizations and regulatory bodies is more comprehensive and transparent methods are needed to evaluate the social sphere of sustainable remediation. Based on a literature review and stakeholder input, this paper focused on three main areas: (1) status quo of how the social element of sustainable remediation is assessed among various countries and organizations; (2) methodologies to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate societal impacts; and (3) findings from this research, including challenges, obstacles, and a path forward. In conclusion, several existing social impact assessment techniques are readily available for use by the remediation community, including rating and scoring system evaluations, enhanced cost benefit analysis, surveys/interviews, social network analysis, and multicriteria decision analysis. In addition, a list of 10 main social indicator categories were developed: health and safety, economic stimulation, stakeholder collaboration, benefits community at large, alleviate undesirable community impacts, equality issues, value of ecosystem services and natural resources, risk‐based land management and remedial solutions, regional and global societal impacts, and contributions to other policies. Evaluation of the social element of remedial activities is not without challenges and knowledge gaps. Identification of obstacles and gaps during the project planning process is essential to defining sustainability objectives and choosing the appropriate tool and methodology to conduct an assessment. Challenges identified include meaningful stakeholder engagement, risk perception of stakeholders, and trade‐offs among the various triple bottom line dimensions. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparison of LLW Disposal Facilities at Major Department of Energy Sites
Authors: Rustick Joseph H. , Kosson David S. , Krahn Steven L. , Ryan Michael T. , Benson Craig H. , Clarke James H.
Published: December 2015

Near surface disposal facility design and management are examined and compared using a systems approach that defines facility performance as a function of three components (or subsystems): the disposal facility design (cover systems and bottom liners); the properties of the waste (waste composition, waste form and waste package); and the site‐specific environmental features (climate, geology, and hydrology). We report an evaluation of five DOE near surface disposal facility case studies, selected to provide a “representative” sample that included disposal sites with a range of waste and environmental characteristics across the DOE. The facilities selected were the Savannah River E‐Area Engineered Trenches, Hanford Integrated Disposal Facility, Idaho Radioactive Waste Management Complex, Oak Ridge Environmental Management Waste Management Facility, and Nevada National Security Site Area 5. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nitrate Remediation: The Importance of the Advanced Nitrogen Cycle in Remedy Selection
Authors: Vance David , Neary Leigh , Sueker Julie , Nelson Denice
Published: December 2015

Nitrate has become an increased regulatory concern due to gradual deterioration of surface and groundwater quality primarily related to widespread fertilizer use. Remediation of nitrate is a relatively straightforward process; however, nitrate impacts to groundwater are often a symptom of a sustained source from another nitrogen form (e.g., ammonia, ammonium nitrate, urea), analogous to how nonaqueous phase liquid can serve as a long‐term source of volatile organic compounds in groundwater. Understanding the various nitrogen transformation reactions when selecting, implementing, or documenting a remedy associated with nitrate is therefore critical to successfully reaching remedial endpoints. Case studies are presented that highlight in situ remedial successes with nitrogen‐impacted groundwater and discuss the key considerations that should be factored into remedy application. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biodegradable DNA Nanoparticles that Provide Widespread Gene Delivery in the Brain
Authors: Mastorakos Panagiotis , Song Eric , Zhang Clark , Berry Sneha , Park Hee Won , Kim Young Eun , Park Jong Sung , Lee Seulki , Suk Jung Soo , Hanes Justin
Published: December 2015

Successful gene therapy of neurological disorders is predicated on achieving widespread and uniform transgene expression throughout the affected disease area in the brain. However, conventional gene vectors preferentially travel through low‐resistance perivascular spaces and/or are confined to the administration site even with the aid of a pressure‐driven flow provided by convection‐enhanced delivery. Biodegradable DNA nanoparticles offer a safe gene delivery platform devoid of adverse effects associated with virus‐based or synthetic nonbiodegradable systems. Using a state‐of‐the‐art biodegradable polymer, poly(β‐amino ester), colloidally stable sub‐100 nm DNA nanoparticles are engineered with a nonadhesive polyethylene glycol corona that are able to avoid the adhesive and steric hindrances imposed by the extracellular matrix. Following convection enhanced delivery, these brain‐penetrating nanoparticles are able to homogeneously distribute throughout the rodent striatum and mediate widespread and high‐level transgene expression. These nanoparticles provide a biodegradable DNA nanoparticle platform enabling uniform transgene expression patterns in vivo and hold promise for the treatment of neurological diseases.
Role of Acid Sphingomyelinase in Shifting the Balance Between Proinflammatory and Reparative Bone Marrow Cells in Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Chakravarthy Harshini , Navitskaya Svetlana , O'Reilly Sandra , Gallimore Jacob , Mize Hannah , Beli Eleni , Wang Qi , Kady Nermin , Huang Chao , Blanchard Gary J. , Grant Maria B. , Busik Julia V.
Published: December 2015

The metabolic insults associated with diabetes lead to low-grade chronic inflammation, retinal endothelial cell damage, and inadequate vascular repair. This is partly due to the increased activation of bone marrow (BM)-derived proinflammatory monocytes infiltrating the retina, and the compromised function of BM-derived reparative circulating angiogenic cells (CACs), which home to sites of endothelial injury and foster vascular repair. We now propose that a metabolic link leading to activated monocytes and dysfunctional CACs in diabetes involves upregulation of a central enzyme of sphingolipid signaling, acid sphingomyelinase (ASM). Selective inhibition of ASM in the BM prevented diabetes-induced activation of BM-derived microglia-like cells and normalized proinflammatory cytokine levels in the retina. ASM upregulation in diabetic CACs caused accumulation of ceramide on their cell membrane, thereby reducing membrane fluidity and impairing CAC migration. Replacing sphingomyelin with ceramide in synthetic membrane vesicles caused a similar decrease in membrane fluidity. Inhibition of ASM in diabetic CACs improved membrane fluidity and homing of these cells to damaged retinal vessels. Collectively, these findings indicate that selective modulation of sphingolipid metabolism in BM-derived cell populations in diabetes normalizes the reparative/proinflammatory cell balance and can be explored as a novel therapeutic strategy for treating diabetic retinopathy.
Concise Review: Balancing Stem Cell Self-Renewal and Differentiation with PLZF
Authors: Liu Tong Ming , Lee Eng Hin , Lim Bing , Shyh-Chang Ng
Published: December 2015

In recent years, the highly conserved promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF, also known as ZBTB16, ZNF145) has attracted attention as a multifunctional transcription factor involved in major biological processes during development. As a transcription factor, PLZF shows tight regulation in its cell-type-specific and stage-specific expression patterns. Emerging evidence shows that PLZF regulates the balance of self-renewal and differentiation in stem cells. However, the gene regulatory network of PLZF is only beginning to be understood. In this review, we discuss the diverse functions of PLZF, in particular its role in self-renewal versus differentiation of stem cells. We also discuss the current state of knowledge on the gene regulatory network of PLZF, in conjunction with its upstream factors, post-translational modifications and binding cofactors for multiprotein complexes. This review aims to provide the reader with an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying PLZF and the potential applications in tissue regeneration.
Trends in dementia incidence: Evolution over a 10‐year period in France
Authors: Grasset Leslie , Brayne Carol , Joly Pierre , Jacqmin‐Gadda Hélène , Peres Karine , Foubert‐Samier Alexandra , Dartigues Jean‐François , Helmer Catherine
Published: December 2015

Introduction

Few recent studies have suggested declining trends in dementia frequency. French cohorts with long follow‐up allowed us to explore incidence evolution trends.

Methods

Two different populations of subjects aged ≥65 years included in 1988–1989 (n = 1469) and 1999–2000 (n = 2104) were followed up over 10 years, with systematic assessment for cognition and dementia. Multistates illness‐death models were used to compare dementia incidence using both clinical and algorithmic diagnoses.

Results

Using the algorithmic diagnosis, incidence declined significantly overall and for women (age‐adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.62; confidence interval (CI) = 0.48–0.80 for women between the two populations). Differences in education, vascular factors, and depression accounted only to some extent for this reduction (women full‐adjusted HR = 0.73; CI = 0.57–0.95). No significant decreasing trends were found for men or when using the clinical diagnosis for either sex.

Discussion

Our study provides further support for a decrease in dementia incidence in women using algorithmic diagnosis. Changes in diagnostic boundaries mask this reduction.
Modeling the gain of inner-shell X-ray laser transitions in neon, argon, and copper driven by X-ray free electron laser radiation using photo-ionization and photo-excitation processes
Authors: Nilsen Joseph
Published: December 2015

Using an X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) at 960 eV to photo-ionize the 1s electron in neutral neon followed by lasing on the 2p-1s transition in singly-ionized neon, an inner-shell X-ray laser was demonstrated at 849 eV in singly-ionized neon gas several years ago. It took decades to demonstrate this scheme, because it required a very strong X-ray source that could photo-ionize the 1s (K shell) electron in neon on a timescale comparable to the intrinsic Auger lifetime in neon of 2 fs. In this paper, we model the neon inner shell X-ray laser under similar conditions to those used in the XFEL experiments at the SLAC Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), and show how we can improve the efficiency of the neon laser and reduce the drive requirements by tuning the XFEL to the 1s-3p transition in neutral neon in order to create gain on the 2p-1s line in neutral neon. We also show how the XFEL could be used to photo-ionize L-shell electrons to drive gain on n = 3–2 transitions in singly-ionized Ar and Cu plasmas. These bright, coherent, and monochromatic X-ray lasers may prove very useful for doing high-resolution spectroscopy and for studying non-linear process in the X-ray regime.