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Across the United States, road palliatives are applied to roads for maintenance operations that improve road safety. In the winter, solid rock salts and brine solutions are used to reduce the accumulation of snow and ice, while in the summer, dust suppressants are used to minimize fugitive dust emissions. Many of these products are chloride-based salts that have been linked to freshwater salinization, toxicity to aquatic organisms, and damage to infrastructure. To minimize these impacts, organic products have been gaining attention, though their widespread adoption has been limited due to their higher cost. In some states, using produced water from conventionally drilled oil and gas wells (OGPWs) on roads is permitted as a cost-effective alternative to commercial products, despite its typically elevated concentrations of heavy metals, radioactivity, and organic micropollutants. In this study, 17 road palliatives used for winter and summer road maintenance were collected and their chemical composition and potential human toxicity were characterized. Results from this study demonstrated that liquid brine solutions had elevated levels of trace metals (Zn, Cu, Sr, Li) that could pose risks to human and environmental health. The radium activity of liquid calcium chloride products was comparable to the activity of OGPWs and could be a significant source of radium to the environment. The organic fractions of evaluated OGPWs and chloride-based products posed little risk to human health. However, organic-based dust suppressants regulated toxicity pathways related to xenobiotic metabolism, lipid metabolism, endocrine disruption, and oxidative stress, indicating their use could lead to environmental harm and health risks to operators handing these products and residents living near treated roads. [Display omitted] • Road palliatives are used to improve road surfaces during winter & summer months. • Chloride-based brines had elevated levels of trace metals. • Calcium chloride brines had similar radium activity as oil & gas produced water. • Organic fraction of brines, oil & gas wastewater pose little risk to human health. • Organic-based dust suppressants strongly activated 4 toxicity pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical features of familial lupus, and determine its influence on damage accrual and survival using data from LUMINA, a longitudinal multiethnic US cohort. Familial lupus was defined as patients with a first-degree relative with systemic lupus erythematosus. Relative risks were estimated by logistic regression; odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were the measure of association for familial lupus. Hazard ratios were calculated using Cox proportional hazards adjusted for potential confounders for damage and survival. Of 644 patients, 32 had familial and 612 had sporadic lupus; both groups were of comparable age (~36 years). Patients with familial lupus were, in decreasing order of frequency, siblings, parents and children. In multivariable analyses, mucosal ulcers (OR=1.92, 95% CI 0.65-5.70), mitral valve prolapse (OR=1.74, 95% CI 0.50-6.10), cerebrovascular disease (OR=4.18, 95% CI 0.98-17.76) and oral contraceptive use (ever/never; OR=2.51, 95% CI 0.88-7.19) were more likely in familial lupus, but a history of low platelet count (<150,000/mm3; OR=0.31, 95% CI 0.08-1.17) and pulmonary disease activity (OR=0.39, 95% CI 0.14-1.20) were less likely. However, none of these associations reached statistical significance. Familial lupus was not significantly associated with a shorter time to either damage accrual or death (HR=0.77, 95% CI 0.37-1.59, p=0.4746 and HR=0.20, 95% CI 0.03-1.47, p=0.2020, respectively). We conclude that although some clinical differences were observed between patients with familial and sporadic lupus, familial lupus was not associated with a significantly greater disease burden (damage, survival) than sporadic lupus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Weedy rice, specifically red rice (Oryza sativa L.), is a major weed in rice which causes up to 80% yield loss and reduction of grain quality. Red rice accessions from Arkansas, U.S.A., were characterized to classify red rice accessions into certain phenotypic groups relevant to weedy rice management. The red rice accessions were 70% strawhull, 22% blackhull, 7% brownhull and <1% goldhull. Generally, blackhull red rice was the tallest (139cm) and strawhull the shortest (133cm) among all accessions. Blackhull red rice had more tillers (102/plant), smaller flag leaves (13cm wide, 34cm long), and flowered later (1225 heat units) than strawhull red rice which had 85 tillers/plant, 15cm-wide and 34cm-long flag leaves, and flowered after accumulating 1195 heat units. Morphological differences between accessions within each hull type were highly significant, showing great diversity within a hull color group as indicated by large ranges in traits. For example, blackhulls were 75–190cm tall with 18–69cm long flag leaves, 21–188 tillers and produced 40–949g seed. Strawhulls were 46–189cm tall with 18–66cm flag leaf length, 16–172 tillers and produced 100–608g seed. Some traits, such as seed production, differed widely between accessions within each hull color group such that the average seed production/accession for blackhull did not differ from that of strawhull weedy rice (196 vs. 192g/plant). The onset of flowering among all accessions ranged from 56 to 126d after planting. Red rice accessions formed six phenotypic clusters generally segregated by plant size or flowering time. Each morphotype would have different competitive abilities; thus, weedy rice management could be geared toward plant types. Highly competitive plant types would require intensive control measures to minimize yield losses and reduce the soil seed bank. Flowering dates impact stewardship strategies for herbicide-resistant or any genetically modified rice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Herbicide-resistant Clearfield™ rice technology allows the use of ALS inhibitors to control weedy rice. Weedy rice plants have differential tolerance to imazethapyr, perhaps due to ALS polymorphisms. We aimed to assess ALS polymorphisms in weedy rice accessions from Arkansas, USA, with differential tolerance to imazethapyr in seedling growth bioassays. Six base changes were identified in the ALS of 14 weedy rice accessions. Three of these nucleotide changes resulted in amino acid substitutions — Pro93Thr, Glu630Asp, and Val669Met — in four accessions: Ark-4, Ark-9, Poi-1 and Poi-6. The GR50 values and inhibition of root and shoot growth (%) of these accessions differed. The Glu630Asp substitution occurs in the herbicide binding domain B and Val669Met occurs at the C-terminal tail where the co-factor binds. Variability in weedy rice ALS exists, but polymorphism patterns did not relate to tolerance levels. The observed mutations presented the possibility that sustained selection pressure will eventually lead to selection of a herbicide-tolerant individual that will be the progenitor of a resistant population. Concomitantly, pollen-mediated gene flow from Clearfield™ rice to weedy rice will lead to the evolution of ALS-resistant weedy rice populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the importance for literary educators to keep independent and self-selected reading at the center of the language arts curriculum for the middle school students. It cites the complexities of the teaching process which adopt the curricula, instructional strategies, and assessment techniques that weaken their ability to conduct authentic and engaging activities. It notes that a literacy-rich classroom environment can engage learners and make them lifelong readers when instruction is grounded in student-centered pedagogy.

The article examines the factors associated with peripheral vascular damage in systemic lupus erythematosus patients and its impact on survival from Lupus in Minorities, Nature versus Nurture (LUMINA), a large multi-ethnic U.S. cohort. It is examined through logistic regression models and a Cox multi-variable regression. Age, the presence of damage in other organs and some medications were found to be associated with the disease. It was also independently associated with a diminished survival

The article discusses the author's view about the implication of problematization in the U.S. contemporary education. She criticizes the similarity between globalization and neoliberalism. She mentions that her recent thematization on globalization has several issues including cultural interconnectedness, military conflicts, and environmental anxiety. She stresses that her interest in globalization is identifying migrant formation and cultural, linguistic, and labor skills which are learned by migration. Moreover, she notes that symbolic character movement, multidirectional character, and theoretical dispositives activate intellectual devices that revise education approach.

Deals with the advancements in policies and practices concerning source water protection. Adoption of several drinking water standards; Effect of the passage of the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act on source water protection; Formation of the Source Water Protection Committee by the American Water Works Association in 1997. INSET: Mueller Company.