The temperate marine Peruvian Province: How history accounts for its unusual biota.

The Peruvian Province, from 6° S in Peru to 42° S in Chile, is a highly productive coastal marine region whose biology and fossil record have long been studied separately but never integrated. To understand how past events and conditions affected today's species composition and interactions, we examined the role of extinction, colonization, geologic changes to explain previously unrecognized peculiar features of the biota and to compare the Peruvian Province's history to that of other climatically similar temperate coasts. We synthesized all available data on the benthic (or benthically feeding) biota, with emphasis on fossilizable taxa, for the interval from the Miocene (23-5.

Half-century trends of radioactivity in fish from Danish areas of the North Sea, Kattegat, and Baltic Sea.

This work reports comprehensive time-series datasets over the past 50 years for natural (Po) and anthropogenic (Cs and Cs) radionuclides in three fish species (cod, herring and plaice) from Danish marine areas covering the North Sea, Kattegat, and Baltic Sea. Impact from the global fallout of atmospheric nuclear weapons testing, radioactive discharges from the European nuclear reprocessing plants and release from Chernobyl accident are clearly detected in the fish samples. While Po concentrations in each fish species demonstrated comparable levels across the three regions without notable temporal trends, significantly higher median Po concentration was observed in the lower trophic level fish, namely herring and plaice, compared to cod.

High-Resolution Tritium Profile in an Ice Core from Camp Century, Greenland.

We measure H in an ice core from Camp Century. The temporal distribution of H concentration in the ice core corresponds generally well with the historical record of explosive yields of atmospheric nuclear weapons tests. Maximum H values observed in 1962-1963 are comparable to those in ice core or precipitation in many other locations in the Northern Hemisphere.

A 40-year marine record of Cs and Tc transported into the Danish Straits: Significance for oceanic tracer studies.

This work reports comprehensive time-series datasets for Cs and Tc in marine samples from the Danish Straits over the past 40 years, where dynamic inputs from the two European nuclear reprocessing plants Sellafield (SF) and La Hague (LH) and Chernobyl accident are clearly archived. Distinct seasonal variations between Cs and Tc are observed in Fucus vesiculosus (F. vesiculosus), which needs to be taken into account when using F.

Background reduction at DTU Nutech surface gamma laboratory.

Sources of background and background variation in a BEGe type HPGe detector located in a surface laboratory were identified. Different strategies for background reduction were applied. A cosmic veto was installed, and optimised using a digital acquisition system in list-mode with time-stamped data.

Correction: Diversification dynamics, species sorting, and changes in the functional diversity of marine benthic gastropods during the Pliocene-Quaternary at temperate western South America.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Diversification dynamics, species sorting, and changes in the functional diversity of marine benthic gastropods during the Pliocene-Quaternary at temperate western South America.

Functional diversity based on species traits is a powerful tool to investigate how changes in species richness and composition affect ecosystem functioning. However, studies aimed at understanding changes in functional diversity over large temporal and spatial scales are still scant. Here we evaluate the combined effect of diversification and species sorting on functional diversity of fossil marine gastropods during the Pliocene-Quaternary transition in the Pacific coast of South America.

Anthropogenic U in Danish Seawater: Global Fallout versus Reprocessing Discharge.

This work focuses on the occurrence of U in seawater along Danish coasts, which is the sole water-exchange region between the North Sea-Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea. Seawater collected in 2013 and 2014 were analyzed for U (as well as U and Cs). Our results indicate that U concentrations in Danish seawater are distributed within a relatively narrow range of (3.

Digital gamma-gamma coincidence HPGe system for environmental analysis.

The performance of a new gamma-gamma coincidence spectrometer system for environmental samples analysis at the Center for Nuclear Technologies of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) is reported. Nutech Coincidence Low Energy Germanium Sandwich (NUCLeGeS) system consists of two HPGe detectors in a surface laboratory with a digital acquisition system used to collect the data in time-stamped list mode with 10ns time resolution. The spectrometer is used in both anticoincidence and coincidence modes.

Method for (236)U Determination in Seawater Using Flow Injection Extraction Chromatography and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry.

An automated analytical method implemented in a flow injection (FI) system was developed for rapid determination of (236)U in 10 L seawater samples. (238)U was used as a chemical yield tracer for the whole procedure, in which extraction chromatography (UTEVA) was exploited to purify uranium, after an effective iron hydroxide coprecipitation. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) was applied for quantifying the (236)U/(238)U ratio, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) was used to determine the absolute concentration of (238)U; thus, the concentration of (236)U can be calculated.

The evolution of seabirds in the Humboldt Current: new clues from the Pliocene of Central Chile.

Background: During the last decade, new Neogene fossil assemblages from South America have revealed important clues about the evolution of seabird faunas in one of the major upwelling systems of the world: the Humboldt Current. However, most of this record comes from arid Northern Chile and Southern Peru and, in consequence, our knowledge of the evolutionary history of seabirds in the temperate transitional zone is negligible. A new Late Pliocene assemblage of fossil birds from the coastal locality of Horcon in Central Chile offers a unique opportunity to fill this gap.

Rapid multisample analysis for simultaneous determination of anthropogenic radionuclides in marine environment.

An automated multisample processing flow injection (FI) system was developed for simultaneous determination of technetium, neptunium, plutonium, and uranium in large volume (200 L) seawater. Ferrous hydroxide coprecipitation was used for the preliminary sample treatment providing the merit of simultaneous preconcentration of all target radionuclides. Technetium was separated from the actinides via valence control of technetium (as Tc(VII)) in a ferric hydroxide coprecipitation.

Revision of deposition and weathering parameters for the ingestion dose module (ECOSYS) of the ARGOS and RODOS decision support systems.

The ECOSYS model is the ingestion dose model integrated in the ARGOS and RODOS decision support systems for nuclear emergency management. The parameters used in this model have however not been updated in recent years, where the level of knowledge on various environmental processes has increased considerably. A Nordic work group has carried out a series of evaluations of the general validity of current ECOSYS default parameters.

Effect of Nordic diets on ECOSYS model predictions of ingestion doses.

The ECOSYS model is used to estimate ingestion dose in the ARGOS and RODOS decision support systems for nuclear emergency management. It is recommended that nation-specific values for several parameters are used in the model. However, this is generally overlooked when the systems are used in practice.

Time series of 129I and 127I speciation in precipitation from Denmark.

Environmental 129I mainly released from reprocessing plants at La Hague (France) and Sellafield (U.K.) provides a unique atmospheric and environmental tracer.

Speciation of 129I and 127I in seawater and implications for sources and transport pathways in the North Sea.

Surface seawater samples collected from the North Sea and English Channel were analyzed for total 129I and 127I, as well as for iodide and iodate. Relatively high 129I concentrations (2-3 x 10(11) atoms/L) were observed in the northern part of the English Channel and in the southeastern North Sea. The atomic ratio of 129I/127I decreases from the eastern (1.

Determination of 36Cl in nuclear waste from reactor decommissioning.

An analytical method for the determination of 36Cl in nuclear waste such as graphite, heavy concrete, steel, aluminum, and lead was developed. Several methods were investigated for decomposing the samples. AgCl precipitation was used to separate 36Cl from the matrix elements, followed by ion-exchange chromatography to remove interfering radionuclides.

Use of (99m)Tc from a commercial (99)Mo/(99m)Tc generator as yield tracer for the determination of (99)Tc at low levels.

The concentrations of (99)Tc and impurity radionuclides in the (99m)Tc tracer solution obtained from a commercial (99)Mo/(99m)Tc generator were measured by gamma spectrometry and liquid scintillation counting. (99)Mo and (103)Ru were found in the (99m)Tc eluate. A simple separation using two extra alumina cartridges was investigated to purify the eluate to obtain a suitable (99m)Tc tracer with low (99)Tc concentration.

Allergy in bakers' apprentices and factors associated to non-participation in a cohort study of allergic sensitization.

Objective: To describe the prevalence of atopy and respiratory symptoms among baker apprentices at the start of the education and factors associated with non-participation in the study.

Methods: A total of 346 students, 22.1(0.

Bishop score and the outcome of labor induction with misoprostol.

Background: The aim of the study was to retrospectively identify possible factors for predicting the outcome of induction with misoprostol.

Methods: Fifty micrograms of misoprostol were administered intravaginally every 6 h during the first 2 days of induction, up to a maximum of 4 doses. The Bishop score, indication for induction, gestational length, maternal age, and parity were analyzed.

The effect of submaximal exercise on immuno- and bioassayable IGF-I activity in patients with GH-deficiency and healthy subjects.

Objective: Growth hormone (GH) increases during exercise, but the response of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system has not been as definitive. Therefore, we investigated the effect of the exercise-induced GH response on the circulating IGF-system in GH-deficient (GHD) and intact adults.

Design: Eight GHD adults were studied on 2 occasions, with (+GH) and without (-GH) GH administered (0.

Levels and trends of radioactive contaminants in the Greenland environment.

Levels of radioactive contaminants in various Greenland environments have been assessed during 1999-2001. The source of 137Cs, 90Sr and (239,240)Pu in terrestrial and fresh water environments is mainly global fallout. In addition, the Chernobyl accident gave a small contribution of 137Cs.

Acute exposure to GH during exercise stimulates the turnover of free fatty acids in GH-deficient men.

The secretion of growth hormone (GH) increases acutely during exercise, but whether this is associated with the concomitant alterations in substrate metabolism has not previously been studied. We examined the effects of acute GH administration on palmitate, glucose, and protein metabolism before, during, and after 45 min of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in eight GH-deficient men (mean age = 40.8 +/- 2.