Anthropogenic organic micro-pollutants and pathogens in the urban water cycle: assessment, barriers and risk communication (ASKURIS)

In urban areas, water often flows along a partially closed water cycle in which treated municipal wastewater is discharged into surface waters which are one source of raw waters used for drinking water supply. A number of organic micro-pollutants (OMP) can be found in different water compartments. In the near future, climatic and demographic changes will probably contribute to an increase of OMP and antibiotic-resistant pathogens in aquatic ecosystems. The occurrence of OMP, possible adverse effects on aquatic organisms and human health and the public perception must be carefully assessed to properly manage and communicate potentially associated risks and to implement appropriate advanced treatment options at the optimum location within the water cycle. Therefore, the interdisciplinary research project ASKURIS focuses on identification and quantification, toxicological assessment and removal of organic micro-pollutants and antibiotic-resistant pathogens in the Berlin water cycle, life cycle-based economic and environmental assessment, public perception and management of potential risks

Tai Chi for treating knee osteoarthritis: Designing a long-term follow up randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA) is a major cause of pain and functional impairment among elders. Currently, there are neither feasible preventive intervention strategies nor effective medical remedies for the management of KOA. Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese mind-body exercise that is reported to enhance muscle function, balance and flexibility, and to reduce pain, depression and anxiety, may safely and effectively be used to treat KOA. However, current evidence is inconclusive. Our study examines the effects of a 12-week Tai Chi program compared with an attention control (wellness education and stretching) on pain, functional capacity, psychosocial variables, joint proprioception and health status in elderly people with KOA. The study will be completed by July 2009.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>Forty eligible patients, age > 55 yr, BMI ≤ 40 kg/m²with tibiofemoral osteoarthritis (American College of Rheumatology criteria) are identified and randomly allocated to either Tai Chi (10 modified forms from classical Yang style Tai Chi) or attention control (wellness education and stretching). The 60-minute intervention sessions take place twice weekly for 12 weeks. The study is conducted at an urban tertiary medical center in Boston, Massachusetts. The primary outcome measure is the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) pain subscale at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes include weekly WOMAC pain, function and stiffness scores, patient and physician global assessments, lower-extremity function, knee proprioception, depression, self-efficacy, social support, health-related quality of life, adherence and occurrence of adverse events after 12, 24 and 48 weeks.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>In this article, we present the challenges of designing a randomized controlled trial with long-term follow up. The challenges encountered in this design are: strategies for recruitment, avoidance of selection bias, the actual practice of Tai Chi, and the maximization of adherence/follow-up while conducting the clinical trial for the evaluation of the effectiveness of Tai Chi on KOA.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00362453</p

Molecular mechanisms of cell death: recommendations of the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death 2018.

Over the past decade, the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death (NCCD) has formulated guidelines for the definition and interpretation of cell death from morphological, biochemical, and functional perspectives. Since the field continues to expand and novel mechanisms that orchestrate multiple cell death pathways are unveiled, we propose an updated classification of cell death subroutines focusing on mechanistic and essential (as opposed to correlative and dispensable) aspects of the process. As we provide molecularly oriented definitions of terms including intrinsic apoptosis, extrinsic apoptosis, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT)-driven necrosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, parthanatos, entotic cell death, NETotic cell death, lysosome-dependent cell death, autophagy-dependent cell death, immunogenic cell death, cellular senescence, and mitotic catastrophe, we discuss the utility of neologisms that refer to highly specialized instances of these processes. The mission of the NCCD is to provide a widely accepted nomenclature on cell death in support of the continued development of the field

Development and application of UHPLC-MS methods for organic micropollutants to evaluate the safety of the raw water resources of Berlin waterworks

Gegenstand der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Erstellung eines Untersuchungsprogramms zur Bewertung der Rohwasserressourcen der Berliner Wasserwerke. Zu diesem Zweck wurden geeignete UHPLC-MS Verfahren für die Target und Non-Target Analytik entwickelt. Für die Target Analytik wurde eine UHPLC-MS/MS Multimethode erstellt, die sich als sensitives, schnelles und kostengünstiges Verfahren erwiesen hat. Das Verfahren beruhte auf Direktinjektion im multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-Modus. Auch ohne Probenaufarbeitung wurden Bestimmungsgrenzen im unteren ng/L Bereich erreicht. Bei der Methodenvalidierung für die Matrizes Grundwasser, Oberflächenwasser und gereinigtes Abwasser (Klarwasser) traten lediglich bei letzterem Matrixeffekte auf. Diese ließen sich aber durch Verdünnung der Probe minimieren. Zusätzlich zur Target Analytik wurde die Non-Target Analytik eingeführt, um ein größeres Substanzspektrum abzudecken. So konnten auch Substanzen erfasst werden, die bisher nicht im Berliner Wasserkreislauf detektiert wurden. Für die Non-Target Analytik wurde eine Screening Methode mittels UHPLC-HRMS erarbeitet. Die Datenauswertung erfolgte in zwei verschiedenen Ansätzen, Suspect Screening und Non-Target Screening. Das Suspect Screening erfolgte über eine selbst erstellte Suspect Datenbank mit mehr als 2000 Verbindungen mit potentieller Relevanz für den Wasserkreislauf. Das Verfahren basierte auf der Suche nach Datenbanktreffern, genannt Suspects, die über die exakte Masse ermittelt und anschließend über Isotopenmuster und Fragmentionen bestätigt wurden. Für das Non-Target Screening wurden online Datenbanken wie ChemSpider und STOFF-IDENT verwendet, die ein größeres Stoffspektrum umfassen. Hierdurch konnten mehr „unbekannte“ Stoffe wie auch Transformationsprodukte erfasst werden. Das Non-Target Screening ist aufgrund einer größeren Anzahl an falsch-negativen jedoch sehr zeitintensiv. Als Untersuchungsstandorte wurden die Wasserwerkseinzugsgebiete Johannisthal (JOH) und Tegel ausgewählt. JOH ist ein ehemaliger Industriestandort mit entsprechender Beeinträchtigung durch Altlasten. Neben bisher nicht im Monitoring enthaltenen Spurenstoffen wurden dort auch Verbindungen wie z.B. Sulfamerazin (Handelsname Berlocombin®) nachgewiesen, die heute nicht mehr eingesetzt werden, aber im nahe gelegenen Werk Berlin-Chemie in den 1980er Jahren synthetisiert wurden. Der Standort Tegel wurde ausgewählt, da dessen Uferfiltrat durch abwasserbürtige Verbindungen geprägt ist. Aus diesem Grund wurde das Verhalten von Spurenstoffen während der Uferfiltration entlang der Transekte Tegel untersucht. Hierbei wurden sowohl frühere Studien verifiziert als auch neue Erkenntnisse gewonnen. Der Großteil der detektierten Verbindungen waren Arzneimittelwirkstoffe, die über die Vorflut der Klärwerke in die Oberflächengewässer gelangt sind. Einige der mit dem Suspect Screening neu detektierten Verbindungen waren während der Uferfiltration persistent, was in Hinblick auf die Gefährdung der Trinkwasserressourcen von großer Bedeutung ist. Es konnte für die Blutdrucksenker Candesartan und Olmesartan ein redoxabhängiges Abbauverhalten nachgewiesen werden: Sie verhielten sich im Aeroben persistent, während im Anaeroben ein Abbau stattfand. Das Antiepileptikum Gabapentin und der Metabolit Valsartansäure verhielten sich dagegen unabhängig vom Redoxmilieu persistent, während Verbindungen wie das Analgetikum Tramadol und das Diuretikum Hydrochlorothiazid in allen Redoxmilieus Abbau zeigten. Im Non-Target Screening wurden außerdem mit Hilfe des Biotransformationsvorhersagesystems EAWAG-BBD potentielle Transformationsprodukte beschrieben. Obwohl entsprechende Standards für die Bestätigung solche Transformationsprodukte oft nicht zur Verfügung stehen, war es möglich das Gabapentin Lactam mit einem Standard als Umwandlungsprodukt des Gabapentins zu verifizieren. Der Einsatz der Screening Verfahren in Kombination mit Quantifizierung zeigte sich als hervorragende Untersuchungsstrategie für die Bewertung von Rohwasserressourcen. Insgesamt deckt diese umfassende Spurenstoffanalytik eine große Zahl an potentiellen Wasserkontaminanten und Transformationsprodukten ab. Zukünftig könnte diese Vorgehensweise sowohl im Rahmen geplanter Investitionsentscheidungen, als auch im Rahmen von Rohwasseruntersuchungsprogrammen von Wasserversorgern genutzt werden.The aim of the present work was to create a monitoring program to evaluate the raw water resources of Berlin waterworks. An efficient approach of target and non-target analysis using ultra highperformance liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) is presented. An UHPLC-MS/MS multi-residue method was developed for the target analysis, which proved sensitive, quick and cost-effective. The analytical method was based on direct injection using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Even without sample preparation, it was possible to reach limits of quantification in the ng/L range. Groundwater, surface water and treated wastewater were used as matrices for method validation. Matrix effects were only observed for treated wastewater. However, dilution of the samples effectively minimized the matrix effects. In addition to the quantitative target analysis a non-target approach was introduced to cover a wider range of substances. In this way, new micropollutants could be detected which were until now neglected in the Berlin water cycle. For the non-target approach a screening method was developed using UHPLC-HRMS. The data analysis was carried out in two different approaches called suspect screening and non-target screening. For the suspect screening, a home-built database with more than 2000 entries with potential relevance in the aquatic environment was applied. Isotope pattern and fragment matching was used for the verification of suspects. Online databases like Chemspider and STOFF-IDENT with a significantly greater number of entries were applied for micropollutant identification in the non-target screening approach. Thereby, more “unknown” compounds as well as transformation products were contained, but a larger number of false negative suspects made this method more time consuming. The water catchment areas Johannisthal (JOH) and Tegel were selected as study sites. The former industrial site JOH was affected by heritage contamination. Besides compounds monitored by the multiresidue method, further micropollutants were detected by the screening methods. Some detected pharmaceuticals like sulfamerazine (trade name Berlocombin®) are no longer used but have been synthesized in the nearby chemical plant Berlin-Chemie in the 1980s. The site Tegel was selected because its bank filtrate is influenced by treated wastewater. For this reason, the behavior of micropollutants during bank filtration was investigated along a transect. The results verified previous studies, but also revealed new insights. Most of the detected compounds were pharmaceuticals, which reach surface waters via a discharge from wastewater treatment plants. Some of the compounds detected in the suspect screening were persistent through the process of bank filtration, which has to be considered a potential source of drinking water resources contamination. Candesartan and olmesartan, drugs used for blood pressure treatment, showed redox dependent degradation behavior. They were persistent under aerobic conditions, while they were degraded under anaerobic conditions. In contrast, compounds like gabapentin and valsartan acid were persistent independent of redox conditions, while compounds such as the analgesic tramadol and the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide showed degradation under all redox conditions. In Addition, potential transformation products were detected using the biodegradation database EAWAG-BBD in the non-target screening approach. For the confirmation of such transformation products, analytical standards are often not available. However, it was possible to verify gabapentin lactame as a transformation product of gabapentin by using a reference standard. The combined screening quantification approach proved an excellent analytical tool for the evaluation of raw water resources. Altogether, this comprehensive analytical approach covers a large number of potential aquatic micropollutants and transformation products. In the future, it could be useful for investment decisions as well as for raw water monitoring programs

Enhancing psychological assessment in Sub-Saharan Africa through participant consultation

There are few psychological tools developed and standardized for use in sub-Saharan Africa. Consulting with target populations provides a potentially powerful procedure to develop and adapt measures for this population. This review identifies and describes methods used to consult target populations in sub-Saharan Africa. Relevant studies were identified using PsycINFO and PubMed, supplemented by a review of relevant books. We further illustrate the role of participant consultation in psychological assessment with examples of our work in Kilifi (Kenya). Three major approaches are described: focus groups, individual interviews, and participant observation. Participants have been consulted to generate items, identify appropriate assessment procedures, clarify the language used, and define constructs. It is concluded that participant consultation has contributed to the enhancement of construct, content, and criterion validity of studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa.

Trace Organic Removal during River Bank Filtration for Two Types of Sediment

The process of bank filtration acts as a barrier against many anthropogenic micropollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and industrial products, leading to a substantial improvement of groundwater quality. The performance of this barrier is, however, affected by seasonal influences and subject to significant temporal changes, which have already been described in the literature. Much less is known about spatial differences when considering one field site. In order to investigate this issue, two undisturbed cores from a well-investigated bank filtration field site were sampled and operated in the course of a column study. The ultimate aim was the identification and quantification of heterogeneities with regard to the biodegradation of 14 wastewater derived micropollutants, amongst others acesulfame, gabapentin, metoprolol, oxypurinol, candesartan, and olmesartan. While six of the compounds entirely persisted, eight compounds were prone to degradation. For those compounds that were subject to degradation, degradation rate constants ranged between 0.2 day&minus;1 (gabapentin) and 31 day&minus;1 (valsartan acid). Further, the rate constants consistently diverged between the distinct cores. In case of the gabapentin metabolite gabapentin-lactam, observed removal rate constants differed by a factor of six between the cores. Experimental data were compared to values calculated according to two structure based prediction models

Anthropogenic organic micro-pollutants and pathogens in the urban water cycle : assessment, barriers and risk communication (ASKURIS)

Gedruckt erschienen im Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin, ISBN 978-3-7983-2814-3Im Forschungsprojekt ASKURIS wurden das Auftreten und die Entfernung organischer Spurenstoffe und resistenter Krankheitserreger in urbanen Wasserkreisläufen erforscht. Neueste analytische Methoden wurden eingesetzt, um entlang des Wasserkreislaufes bekannte Substanzen in kleinsten Konzentrationen zu quantifizieren und unbekannte Spurenstoffe zu identifizieren. Deren Entfernung durch bestehende und zusätzliche technische Barrieren (Aktivkohle und/oder Ozon) wurde an unterschiedlichen Stellen des Wasserkreislaufes untersucht. Für eine Bewertung der technischen Barrieren wurden Kosten und Auswirkungen auf die Umwelt bilanziert. Toxische Effekte auf Mensch und Umwelt wurden untersucht, um ein eventuelles Risiko abschätzen zu können. Mit empirischen, sozialwissenschaftlichen Methoden wurde die Wahrnehmung von Risiken in der Bevölkerung analysiert. Die Forschungsergebnisse aus ASKURIS wurden in das Risikomanagementsystem des größten deutschen Wasserver- und -entsorgers integriert.A partially closed water cycle may exist in urban areas, whereby treated municipal wastewater is discharged into surface waters used as a source for the drinking water supply. A number of organic micro-pollutants (OMP) can be found in the different water compartments. In the near future, climatic and demographic changes probably contribute to an increase of OMP in aquatic eco-systems. The occurrence of OMP, possible adverse effects on aquatic organisms and human health and the public perception must be carefully assessed to properly manage and communicate potential risks and to implement advanced treatment options (activated carbon or ozone) at the optimum point within the water cycle. Therefore, the interdisciplinary research project ASKURIS focused on the identification and quantification of OMP, on the toxicological assessment and removal of organic micro-pollutants and antibiotic-resistant pathogens in the Berlin water cycle, on life-cycle based economic and environmental assessments, the public perception and management of potential risks.BMBF, 02WRS1278, RiSKWa - Verbundprojekt ASKURIS: Anthropogene Spurenstoffe und Krankheitserreger im urbanen Wasserkreislauf: Bewertung, Barrieren und Risikokommunikatio

Starlikeness of Libera transformation (II) (Applications of Complex Function Theory to Differential Equations)

The GEOTRACES Intermediate Data Product 2017 (IDP2017) is the second publicly available data product of the international GEOTRACES programme, and contains data measured and quality controlled before the end of 2016. The IDP2017 includes data from the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, Southern and Indian oceans, with about twice the data volume of the previous IDP2014. For the first time, the IDP2017 contains data for a large suite of biogeochemical parameters as well as aerosol and rain data characterising atmospheric trace element and isotope (TEI) sources. The TEI data in the IDP2017 are quality controlled by careful assessment of intercalibration results and multi-laboratory data comparisons at crossover stations. The IDP2017 consists of two parts: (1) a compilation of digital data for more than 450 TEIs as well as standard hydrographic parameters, and (2) the eGEOTRACES Electronic Atlas providing an on-line atlas that includes more than 590 section plots and 130 animated 3D scenes. The digital data are provided in several formats, including ASCII, Excel spreadsheet, netCDF, and Ocean Data View collection. Users can download the full data packages or make their own custom selections with a new on-line data extraction service. In addition to the actual data values, the IDP2017 also contains data quality flags and 1-σ data error values where available. Quality flags and error values are useful for data filtering and for statistical analysis. Metadata about data originators, analytical methods and original publications related to the data are linked in an easily accessible way. The eGEOTRACES Electronic Atlas is the visual representation of the IDP2017 as section plots and rotating 3D scenes. The basin-wide 3D scenes combine data from many cruises and provide quick overviews of large-scale tracer distributions. These 3D scenes provide geographical and bathymetric context that is crucial for the interpretation and assessment of tracer plumes near ocean margins or along ridges. The IDP2017 is the result of a truly international effort involving 326 researchers from 25 countries. This publication provides the critical reference for unpublished data, as well as for studies that make use of a large cross-section of data from the IDP2017. This article is part of a special issue entitled: Conway GEOTRACES - edited by Tim M. Conway, Tristan Horner, Yves Plancherel, and Aridane G. González