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Extraction of natural gas by hydraulic fracturing of the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale, a major gas-bearing unit in the Appalachian Basin, results in significant quantities of produced water containing high total dissolved solids (TDS). We carried out a strontium (Sr) isotope investigation to determine the utility of Sr isotopes in identifying and quantifying the interaction of Marcellus Formation produced waters with other waters in the Appalachian Basin in the event of an accidental release, and to provide information about the source of the dissolved solids. Strontium isotopic ratios of Marcellus produced waters collected over a geographic range of ∼375 km from southwestern to northeastern Pennsylvania define a relatively narrow set of values (εSr SW = +13.8 to +41.6, where εSr SW is the deviation of the 87Sr/86Sr ratio from that of seawater in parts per 104); this isotopic range falls above that of Middle Devonian seawater, and is distinct from most western Pennsylvania acid mine drainage and Upper Devonian Venango Group oil and gas brines. The uniformity of the isotope ratios suggests a basin-wide source of dissolved solids with a component that is more radiogenic than seawater. Mixing models indicate that Sr isotope ratios can be used to sensitively differentiate …

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This work investigates the synthesis of smart functional coatings (SFC) using chemical solution deposition methods. Chemical solution deposition methods have recently received attention in the materials research community due to several unique advantages that include low temperature processing, high homogeneity of final products, the ability to fabricate materials with controlled surface properties and pore structures, and the ease of dopant incorporation in controlled concentrations. The optical properties of thin films were investigated using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Raman, SEM and EDS, with the aim of developing a protective transparent coating for a ceramic surface as a first line of defense for tamper indication. The signature produced by the addition of rare earth dopants will be employed as an additional tamper indicating feature. The integration of SFC's as part of a broader verification system such as an electronic seals can provide additional functionality and defense in depth. SFC's can improve the timeliness of detection by providing a robust, in-situ verifiable tamper indication framework.

Article describes experiment in which mature adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) were subjected to a swimming performance test that allowed separation into low swimming stamina or high swimming stamina groups in order to determine if inherited traits that support enhanced swimming stamina in offspring appear only in juveniles and/or adults, or if these traits actually appear earlier in the morphologically quite different larvae.

Article discussing research on cardiac and metabolic physiology of early larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) reflecting parental swimming stamina.

This article explores swimming stamina in fish. Mature adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) were subjected to a swimming performance test and then bred within performance groups to discover if enhanced swimming stamina in offspring appears only in juveniles/adults, or if these traits appear as early as larvae.