Full-scale comparative evaluation of two slow sand filter cleaning methods

Slow sand filters are an established treatment method for water with low turbidity. They usually are effective for the removal of turbidity, microorganisms (including cysts of Giardia and Cryptosporidium), and particles, but they require significant periods of time for cleaning. In the 1950\u27s, West Hartford, CT developed a harrowing process to reduce the time and labor required for cleaning at that plant. A 1988 study observed those filters had higher removal rates for non-particulate dissolved organic carbon and UV absorbing materials, surrogates for trihalomethane formation, than did filters at two other plants cleaned by the conventional scraping method. This study was planned to compare the effectiveness of the two cleaning methods and their effects on performance of full-scale filters on a side-by-side basis using a new plant at Gorham, NH. Headlosses through those filters developed very slowly, and the study was transferred to a similar plant at Newport, NH where operations were studied through the initial ripening phase and one cycle of cleaning by each cleaning method. This information was supplemented with data collected from separate plants which had been using the two methods since the 1950\u27s and from pilot scale filters. The effects of filter application rates, source water, and filter media characteristics were studied with laboratory scale columns. Removal performance of the full scale filters were compared for temperature, turbidity, particles, nonpurgeable dissolved organic carbon, and UV absorbing materials. The upper 30 cm of filter media at each of the plants was sampled over the study. Concentrations of volatile solids, protein, carbohydrates, bacteria, iron, manganese, calcium, and aluminum were compared and related to performance. The differences between filter cleaning methods were compared in relation to labor and time required, wastes generated, and resultant media characteristics. Overall performance of the slow sand filters was influenced by water temperature, sand media age, filter biomass content, source water quality, filtration rate, and empty bed contact time. Some removal trends suggested filter harrowing resulted in higher removals of organic carbon and UV absorbing materials but the conclusion must be qualified because the trend was not consistent and was dependent on other confounding factors, e.g. water source, temperature, and sand age

Economic considerations in the treatment of invasive aspergillosis: a review of voriconazole pharmacoeconomic studies

Invasive aspergillosis is a life-threatening fungal infection predominately affecting immunocompromised individuals. The incidence of inpatient-treated aspergillosis cases in the US is estimated to be between 3.02 and 3.80 per 10,000 hospitalized patients. The estimated difference in hospital costs of patients with an aspergillosis infection is US$36,867 to US$59,356 higher than those of patients without the infection. Voriconazole is a synthetic, broad spectrum triazole antifungal agent, with FDA-approved indications for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis, esophageal candidiasis, candidemia in nonneutropenic patients, invasive candidiasis, and infections due to Scedosporium apiospermum and Fusarium species in patients refractory to or intolerant of other therapy. Eight cost-effectiveness analyses, one cost-minimization analysis, and one cost analysis were identified from a Medline search. The 10 pharmacoeconomic analyses were conducted in six different countries comparing voriconazole to conventional amphotericin B, liposomal amphotericin B, itraconazole, and caspofungin. All the cost-effectiveness and cost-minimization analyses identified voriconazole as the most cost-effective therapy. The cost analysis demonstrated voriconazole cost-savings. While the acquisition costs of voriconazole are higher than those of conventional amphotericin B, the toxicity profile and rate of treatment success associated with voriconazole result in lower total treatment costs per successfully treated patient

Rethinking norms in educational practices to promote appreciation of variation: Lessons from human anatomy

Across disciplines, teaching approaches and educational resources that are based on norms prevail—a norm is defined as a standard or typical practice, convention, or procedure. Although norms often have a historical basis and may be used to simplify complex content, their frequent use in education often disregards and disvalues variation. Variation can present valuable learning opportunities for students, promoting the development of problem solving and critical thinking skills, and humanizing their learning. An example of norms and variation in the discipline of gross anatomy is the frequent use of the “standard human body” in teaching. This idealized view typically does not account for anatomical variations despite their prevalence across the human population. This practice can contribute to alienation within gross anatomy classrooms, with students not feeling represented in the images and terms that they are exposed to. The main aim of this study is to investigate the impact of anatomical variations in gross anatomy courses to inform the creation of updated educational resources. A scoping review was conducted to explore teaching approaches for, and student outcomes of, including anatomical variations in undergraduate, graduate, and professional gross anatomy courses. Scoping reviews are a valuable approach in educational research to systematically explore available evidence related to a problem, elucidate knowledge gaps, and inform updated inclusive practices. Awareness of the norms present in one’s discipline can inform the intentional inclusion of variations in educational approaches and resources, contributing to the inclusion and appreciation of diversity within and across fields of study

Predictive modeling of cultural resources in the Theban necropolis, Luxor, Egypt

The Egyptian Government created the Egyptian Antiquities Information System (EAIS) and a Comprehensive Development Plan to help protect cultural resources in the Theban Necropolis, Luxor, Egypt. By creating a cognitive predictive model and assessing its utility in locating tombs, researchers could be aided in the understanding of why these locations were preferred by the ancient Egyptians. The cognitive evaluations used include tomb location relative to geology, slope, elevation, fractures, and religious/burial practices. A set of sensitivity surfaces was created using Geographical Information System (GIS) / statistical analysis of measured and derived environmental and cultural attributes. Analysis of fifteen sensitivity surfaces produced two viable models which could be combined with the EAIS database to help show which areas should be avoided or studied further. The most important information generated from this research is the fact that there is a lack of focus in the archaeological world concerning why tomb locations were chosen

Evidence for Distinct Components of the Galactic Stellar Halo from 838 RR Lyrae Stars Discovered in the LONEOS-I Survey

We present 838 ab-type RR Lyrae stars from the Lowell Observatory Near Earth Objects Survey Phase I (LONEOS-I). These objects cover 1430 deg^2 and span distances ranging from 3-30 kpc from the Galactic Center. Object selection is based on phased, photometric data with 28-50 epochs. We use this large sample to explore the bulk properties of the stellar halo, including the spatial distribution. The period-amplitude distribution of this sample shows that the majority of these RR Lyrae stars resemble Oosterhoff type I, but there is a significant fraction (26 %) which have longer periods and appear to be Oosterhoff type II. We find that the radial distributions of these two populations have significantly different profiles (rho_{OoI} ~ R^(-2.26 +- 0.07) and rho_{OoII} ~ R^(-2.88 +- 0.11). This suggests that the stellar halo was formed by at least two distinct accretion processes and supports dual-halo models.Comment: 18 pages, 28 figures, apjemulated, minor corrections and clarifications. Accepted to ApJ on Jan 21, 200

Влияние прикатывания почвы на урожайность зерновых культур в лесостепи Западной Сибири

Soil compaction after sowing reduces overall porosity, increases thermal conductivity and heating of the upper layer, which increases the contact of seeds with the soil, accelerates water consumption, swelling and germination of seedlings of crops. Currently, the most part of drills, including seeding systems, press the soil by the rolls of different modifications simultaneously with sowing. After sowing crops, the upper (0-10 cm) soil layer has insufficient compaction (less than 1.00-1.05 g/cm3) and increased non-capillary porosity (more than 50%), which leads to moisture losses from the upper layer. The researchers found out that rolling-up contributes to increasing of the top layer clumpiness on 5.8% on average and reduces erodability of the field surface on14.4% with weak soil response to deflation (less than 50 g). The experimental results on effectiveness of additional pressrolling after sowing SKP-2.1 on the fall variants of the steam field treatment to a depth of 20-22 cm showed that seed germination was increased on 11.3%, and grain increase was 0.09-0.15 t/ha or 4.2-7.2%. On minimal steam treatment, (depth of 10-12 cm) additional soil press rolling was not sufficiently effective. On the black-earth soils of the forest-steppe of Western Siberia, press-rolling of the soil after sowing SKP-2,1 contributes to additional grain yield of winter rye and durum wheat to 0,14-0,23 t/ha (6,1-11,0 %). Additional rolling after sowing by SKP-2,1 and John Deere 1820 with pointed tines for autumn backgrounds increases grain yield in the second wheat after steam from 2.52 to 2.74 t/ha, or 8.7%.Прикатывание почвы после посева снижает общую пористость, повышает теплопроводность и прогревание верхнего слоя, что усиливает контакт семян с почвой, ускоряет водопотребление, набухание и прорастание всходов культурных растений. В настоящее время большинство сеялок, в том числе и посевные комплексы, прикатывают почву катками различных модификаций одновременно с посевом. После посева зерновых культур верхний (0–10 см) слой почвы имеет недостаточное уплотнение (менее 1,00– 1,05 г/см 3) и повышенную некапиллярную пористость (более 50 %), что приводит к потерям влаги из верхнего слоя. Выявлено, что прикатывание способствует повышению комковатости верхнего слоя в среднем на 5,8 % и снижает эродируемость поверхности поля на 14,4 % при слабой податливости почвы к дефляции (менее 50 г). Результаты проведенных исследований по эффективности дополнительного прикатывания после посева СКП-2,1 в зяблевых вариантах обработки парового поля до глубины 20–22 см показали, что всхожесть семян повышалась на 11,3 %, а прибавка зерна составила 0,09–0,15 т/га, или 4,2–7,2 %. На минимальных обработках пара (до глубины 10–12 см) дополнительное прикатывание почвы было недостаточно эффективным. На черноземных почвах лесостепи Западной Сибири прикатывание почвы после посева СКП-2,1 обеспечивает на зяблевых обработках прибавку урожая зерна озимой ржи и твердой пшеницы до 0,14–0,23 т/га (6,1–11,0 %). Дополнительное прикатывание после посева комплексами СКП-2,1 и John Deere-1820 со стрельчатыми сошниками на зяблевых фонах повышает урожайность зерна на второй пшенице после пара с 2,52 до 2,74 т/га, или на 8,7 %

The molecular organization of differentially curved caveolae indicates bendable structural units at the plasma membrane

Caveolae are small coated plasma membrane invaginations with diverse functions. Caveolae undergo curvature changes. Yet, it is unclear which proteins regulate this process. To address this gap, we develop a correlative stimulated emission depletion (STED) fluorescence and platinum replica electron microscopy imaging (CLEM) method to image proteins at single caveolae. Caveolins and cavins are found at all caveolae, independent of curvature. EHD2 is detected at both low and highly curved caveolae. Pacsin2 associates with low curved caveolae and EHBP1 with mostly highly curved caveolae. Dynamin is absent from caveolae. Cells lacking dynamin show no substantial changes to caveolae, suggesting that dynamin is not directly involved in caveolae curvature. We propose a model where caveolins, cavins, and EHD2 assemble as a cohesive structural unit regulated by intermittent associations with pacsin2 and EHBP1. These coats can flatten and curve to enable lipid traffic, signaling, and changes to the surface area of the cell

The neutron electric dipole form factor in the perturbative chiral quark model

We calculate the electric dipole form factor of the neutron in a perturbative chiral quark model, parameterizing CP-violation of generic origin by means of effective electric dipole moments of the constituent quarks and their CP-violating couplings to the chiral fields. We discuss the relation of these effective parameters to more fundamental ones such as the intrinsic electric and chromoelectric dipole moments of quarks and the Weinberg parameter. From the existing experimental upper limits on the neutron EDM we derive constraints on these CP-violating parameters.Comment: 20 pages, 3 figure

Ротационная борона для грядовых обработок посадок картофеля

It was established that quality pre-emergence cultivation of potato ridges depends on possibility of surface copying by working tools of a rotary harrow because of their vibrations. Rotary harrow design having damping devices and V-shaped spike tooth was suggested. Energy consumption evaluation depending on its speed, soil drag, operating modes and design parameters of working tools were researched. The optimal chain changing tension range was founded (100-120 H). Thus, the specific traction resistance of the newly developed harrow equaled 200-210 H/m, or 20 percent lower than that of a serial one. Data of field experiments characterizing influence of a harrow on quality of ridge cultivation and yield of potatoes were presented. It was showed that it is possible to create more favorable conditions for development and growth of potato due to use new harrow. As result potatoes yield increased by 1.2 -1.5 t/ha, or 4-6 percent. Fuel savings amounted to 12 percent.Установили, что качество довсходовой обработки гряд зависит от возможности копирования поверхности рабочими органами ротационной бороны вследствие создания ими поперечных колебаний. Предложили конструкцию ротационной бороны с демпфирующими устройствами и зубом V-образной формы. Исследовали зависимость энергоемкости бороны от скорости ее движения, сопротивления почвы, режимов работы и конструктивных параметров рабочих органов. Выявили оптимальный диапазон натяжения цепи бороны (100-120 Н). При этом удельное тяговое сопротивление разработанной бороны составило 200-210 Н/м, или на 20 процентов ниже, чем у серийной. Привели данные полевых опытов, характеризующие влияние бороны на качество обработки гряды и урожайность картофеля. Показали возможность создания более благоприятных условий для развития и роста картофеля с помощью использования новой бороны, что повысило урожайность, в сравнении с серийной бороной, на 1,2-1,5 т/га, или на 4-6 процентов. Экономия топлива составила 12 процентов