Peroxi-Electrocoagulation for PFAS Mitigation: The Impact of Water Quality and Dissolved Organic Matter on Removal Pathways

The recent addition of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation per- has increased the need for research on PFAS treatment technologies for water and wastewater. Electrochemical treatment processes have been widely investigated for PFAS removal. Peroxi-electrocoagulation (electrocoagulation paired with hydrogen peroxide (EC:H2O2)) was evaluated as a novel water treatment process for PFAS mitigation due to the multimechanistic removal pathways that can proceed during treatment, including chemical degradation via oxidation, and physical separation pathways such as sorption to flocs, flotation layer accumulation, and foam fractionation. This work investigated the impacts of varying water quality conditions and dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition on PFAS mitigation efficacy and the corresponding removal pathways. Sources of DOM were an additional point of focus to provide insight into the role of DOM characteristics (i.e., aromaticity, molecular weight) on the fate of PFAS in EC:H2O2. This aim was studied by conducting EC:H2O2 with five different types of DOM (including humic acid, fulvic acid, oxalic acid, salicylic acid, and one natural river DOM). EC:H2O2 was effective as a PFAS mitigation technology using a bicarbonate electrolyte matrix and different types of DOM (including reference DOM and natural DOM). Generally, PFAS removal was higher at pH 3 compared to pH 6.3, ostensibly due to enhanced oxidant yield, interactions between iron and PFAS, and foam formation. At pH 3, oxidation was a key route of removal for the carboxylic acids including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and 5:3 fluorotelomer carboxylic acid (5:3 FTCA). A combination of chemical degradation and physical separation processes contributed to the removal of sulfonic acids including 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). However, in the presence of DOM, especially the \u3c 1 kDa low molecular weight and low aromatic autochthonous components, PFAS were more readily removed via physical sorption to the flotation layer, potentially due to the formation of DOM-iron-PFAS complexes. Regarding engineering applications, EC:H2O2 may have limited feasibility for PFAS mitigation in drinking water due to the highly acidic pH conditions needed and the release of metals during treatment. Accordingly, EC:H2O2 may better serve as a pretreatment and foam fractionation technology for higher strength wastewaters (such as membrane concentrates and industrial wastewaters) prior to more dedicated liquid-stream destructive technologies such as electrooxidation or supercritical water oxidation

Joe Rogan Experience #2255 - Mark Zuckerberg

https://epublications.marquette.edu/zuckerberg_files_videos/1455/thumbnail.jp

Role for Astrocytes in Complex Cognition: An Evolutionary, Behavioral and Computational Perspective

The human brain has more computational power than modern supercomputers by utilizing only a few signaling systems, rendering it the most efficient computational device ever created. Evolution, though not prospective, has iteratively constructed neural networks of increasing complexity that have ultimately endowed humans with extraordinary cognitive abilities. Through an evolutionary lens, there is a clear correlation between organismal sophistication and network signaling complexity Astrocytes, a non-neuronal cell that makes up approximately half the cells in the human brain, show dramatic increases in morphological and signaling complexity in higher-order species. This co-evolution is likely not coincidental but rather represents the development of sophisticated communication hubs that enhance network computation. Notably, system xc- (Sxc), a cystine-glutamate antiporter expressed predominantly on astrocytes, appears almost exclusively in vertebrate species. Additionally, the neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) signaling system experienced rapid functional enhancement in early mammals. These parallel evolutionary trends in signaling complexity warrant investigation into potential mechanistic connections between these network-enhancing developments. In this dissertation, I employ an interdisciplinary approach integrating molecular evolution, neuroscience, and computational engineering to uncover astrocytic involvement in higher-order cognition. I demonstrate that the neuropeptide PACAP attenuates drug-seeking behavior through pathway- and cell-specific mechanisms, revealing Sxc as a critical regulatory mediator for PACAP-induced recruitment of astrocytes within glutamate signaling networks. To understand the specific role that Sxc plays in controlling drug-seeking, I dissect this complex behavior into its constitutive parts, categorizing them as evolutionarily conserved and phylogenetic recent cognitive functions. These findings suggest that Sxc plays a discrete role in behaviors requisite of complex cognitive signaling and displays a temporal-specific reliance in learning acquisition but not maintenance. Based on these findings, I propose a novel hypothesis for cognitive evolution: coordinated co-evolution of molecular proteins within glutamate signaling networks drove the expansion of cognitive complexity. Collectively, this work introduces a paradigm-shifting approach for understanding network communication with transformative implications for both molecular medicine and artificial intelligence

Embodied Empowerment: Somatic Approaches to Gender Violence and Trauma

This special issue brings together recent research on embodiment and practitioner-based somatic approaches to examine trauma and healing from violence. Contributors address the long-term somatic impact of oppression and the effects of structural inequalities enacted and perpetuated through bodies and in interaction with other bodies. Somatic practices and embodiment are addressed through the lens of intergenerational trauma, gendered, racialized, political, and colonial violence, and interpersonal and collective trauma. The introductory article contextualizes embodied empowerment, collective healing, and activist-research possibilities

Posttraumatic Growth Among Traumatic Injury Survivors

Following a traumatic injury, individuals are at higher risk for the development of psychological and physical health problems, such as posttraumatic stress, while the incidence and precipitating factors that lead to these negative outcomes continue to be a popular area of research. By contrast, an estimated two-thirds of survivors remain unaffected by these outcomes and are qualified as “resilient.” Despite its prevalence, significantly less is known about factors associated with resilience following traumatic injury, including the development of posttraumatic growth (PTG), a unique outcome associated with experiencing positive outcomes. Although prior reviews have documented the incidence and unique ways in which PTG manifests in other trauma samples, less is known about PTG in traumatic injury survivors. Here, a scoping review was conducted: four databases of peer-reviewed articles available in English were queried, and 31 articles describing PTG in traumatic injury samples were reviewed. This scoping review summarizes the incidence of PTG in traumatic injury survivors and describes its associated sociodemographic and injury factors, qualitative findings, relationship with psychopathology, quality of life, coping strategies, and treatment outcomes. In addition, we call attention to affective and cognitive processes associated with PTG as it manifests specifically to traumatic injury survivors. Implications for future research and clinical application are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved

Mitigation of Antibiotic Resistance Using Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diodes for Water Treatment

The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment is a growing issue, which has been exacerbated by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in health care and agricultural systems. One means of mitigating antibiotic resistance is through drinking water and wastewater treatment, specifically during disinfection processes. Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are an emerging disinfection technology featuring adjustable peak wavelength emissions. We assessed the use of UV-LED for treating waterborne ARB (Escherichia coli and Aeromonas hydrophila) and ARGs (intracellular and extracellular) compared to conventional low-pressure UV (LP-UV). Overall, less efficient reduction (bacterial inactivation and/or gene degradation) of ARGs was observed compared to the ARB, where the rates of reduction (Chick–Watson coefficients of specific lethality) determined for ARB were typically 2–3 orders of magnitude greater than those for ARG. Furthermore, intracellular ARGs were more difficult to treat than extracellular ARGs, possibly because of the protective cellular structures that encompass intracellular ARGs and/or cellular repair mechanisms. Differences in ARB/ARG absorbance at different UV wavelengths and the UV lamp output efficiency led to different relative efficiencies among the four different wavelengths tested. The electrical energy per order for the different wavelengths was generally best for LP-UV (\u3c 3.25 kWh/m3), followed by 265 and 285 nm (\u3c ≈130 kWh/m3), and 255 nm (\u3c ≈150 kWh/m3). Overall, UV-LEDs can successfully treat water/wastewater contaminated with ARB and ARGs; however, for UV-LEDs to become more competitive with LP-UV systems, improvements in energy efficiency are necessary