Ceramic Water Filter for Point-Of-Use Water Treatment in Developing Countries: Principles, Challenges and Opportunities

Drinking water source contamination poses a great threat to human health in developing countries. Point-of-use (POU) water treatment techniques, which improve drinking water quality at the household level, offer an affordable and convenient way to obtain safe drinking water and thus can reduce the outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Ceramic water filters (CWFs), fabricated from locally sourced materials and manufactured by local labor, are one of the most socially acceptable POU water treatment technologies because of their effectiveness, low-cost and ease of use. This review concisely summarizes the critical factors that influence the performance of CWFs, including (1) CWF manufacturing process (raw material selection, firing process, silver impregnation), and (2) source water quality. Then, an in-depth discussion is presented with emphasis on key research efforts to address two major challenges of conventional CWFs, including (1) simultaneous increase of filter flow rate and bacterial removal efficiency, and (2) removal of various concerning pollutants, such as viruses and metal(loid)s. To promote the application of CWFs, future research directions can focus on: (1) investigation of pore size distribution and pore structure to achieve higher flow rates and effective pathogen removal by elucidating pathogen transport in porous ceramic and adjusting manufacture parameters; and (2) exploration of new surface modification approaches with enhanced interaction between a variety of contaminants and ceramic surfaces

Mammalian Otolin: A Multimeric Glycoprotein Specific to the Inner Ear that Interacts with Otoconial Matrix Protein Otoconin-90 and Cerebellin-1

The mammalian otoconial membrane is a dense extracellular matrix containing bio-mineralized otoconia. This structure provides the mechanical stimulus necessary for hair cells of the vestibular maculae to respond to linear accelerations and gravity. In teleosts, Otolin is required for the proper anchoring of otolith crystals to the sensory maculae. Otoconia detachment and subsequent entrapment in the semicircular canals can result in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), a common form of vertigo for which the molecular basis is unknown. Several cDNAs encoding protein components of the mammalian otoconia and otoconial membrane have recently been identified, and mutations in these genes result in abnormal otoconia formation and balance deficits.Here we describe the cloning and characterization of mammalian Otolin, a protein constituent of otoconia and the otoconial membrane. Otolin is a secreted glycoprotein of ∼70 kDa, with a C-terminal globular domain that is homologous to the immune complement C1q, and contains extensive posttranslational modifications including hydroxylated prolines and glycosylated lysines. Like all C1q/TNF family members, Otolin multimerizes into higher order oligomeric complexes. The expression of otolin mRNA is restricted to the inner ear, and immunohistochemical analysis identified Otolin protein in support cells of the vestibular maculae and semi-circular canal cristae. Additionally, Otolin forms protein complexes with Cerebellin-1 and Otoconin-90, two protein constituents of the otoconia, when expressed in vitro. Otolin was also found in subsets of support cells and non-sensory cells of the cochlea, suggesting that Otolin is also a component of the tectorial membrane.Given the importance of Otolin in lower organisms, the molecular cloning and biochemical characterization of the mammalian Otolin protein may lead to a better understanding of otoconial development and vestibular dysfunction

The impact of deleterious passenger mutations on cancer progression

Cancer progression is driven by a small number of genetic alterations accumulating in a neoplasm. These few driver alterations reside in a cancer genome alongside tens of thousands of other mutations that are widely believed to have no role in cancer and termed passengers. Many passengers, however, fall within protein coding genes and other functional elements and can possibly have deleterious effects on cancer cells. Here we investigate a potential of mildly deleterious passengers to accumulate and alter the course of neoplastic progression. Our approach combines evolutionary simulations of cancer progression with the analysis of cancer sequencing data. In our simulations, individual cells stochastically divide, acquire advantageous driver and deleterious passenger mutations, or die. Surprisingly, despite selection against them, passengers accumulate and largely evade selection during progression. Although individually weak, the collective burden of passengers alters the course of progression leading to several phenomena observed in oncology that cannot be explained by a traditional driver-centric view. We tested predictions of the model using cancer genomic data. We find that many passenger mutations are likely to be damaging and that, in agreement with the model, they have largely evaded purifying selection. Finally, we used our model to explore cancer treatments that exploit the load of passengers by either 1) increasing the mutation rate; or 2) exacerbating their deleterious effects. While both approaches lead to cancer regression, the later leads to less frequent relapse. Our results suggest a new framework for understanding cancer progression as a balance of driver and passenger mutations.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures and Supplemental Informatio

Subjective tinnitus, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and serotonin modulation of neural plasticity: causal or casual triad?

Tinnitus and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD) are among the most common complaints encountered by physicians. Though the relationship between tinnitus and TMJD has attracted great interest during the past several years, theories attempting to explain this association are still few and inconsistent. Conceivably, TMJD could irritate auricolo-temporal nerve (ATN), triggering a somatosensory pathway-induced disinhibition of dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) activity in the auditory pathway. In genetically-predisposed TMJD patients, signals from cronically stimulated DCNs activating specific cortical neuronal networks, could yield plastic neural changes resulting in tinnitus. Based on current evidence of serotoninergic modulation of neural activity and plasticity in sensory pathways, reduced serotoninergic tone could promote plastic changes underlying tinnitus through diminished filtering of incoming signals. Therefore, the early establishment of specific treatments aimed at improving TMJD and/or boosting serotoninergic activity may be required to prevent the creation of 'tinnitus memory circuits'

The effects of logon versus click on vestibular evoked myogenic potentials

Conclusion. Logon is superior to click to trigger larger and more consistent vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs). Objectives. To record and compare the parameters of VEMPs evoked by bone- and air-conducted logon (l-VEMPs) and click (c-VEMPs). Subjects and methods. Air- and bone-conducted l-VEMPs and c-VEMPs were recorded in 28 normal ears with an Amplaid MK12 (Amplaid, Milan) equipment. Results. VEMPs response rate was 100% with both air-conducted logon and click, while l-VEMPs showed a higher response rate (79%) in comparison with c-VEMPs (21%) with bone-conducted stimuli. A significant (p<0.05) increase of P1, N1 and P1-N1 amplitude and augmented P1 and N1 latencies were noticed in l-VEMPs with respect to c-VEMPs

Atypical chronic head and neck pain: don't forget Eagle's syndrome

We report a case of an adult woman with an Eagle's Syndrome (ES) treated with medical therapy. ES is characterized by an aspecific orofacial pain secondary to calcification of the stylohyoid ligament or elongated styloid process. In about 4% of general population an elongated styloid process occurs, while only about 4% of these patients are symptomatic. We report a case of a 49-year-old lady with a 1-year history of oro-pharyngeal foreign body sensation localized at the left tonsillar fossa, associated with a dull intermittent pain. A bony projection was palpable with bimanual transoral exploration. A lateral radiograph and a computed tomography scan of head and neck showed an elongated styloid process of 57 mm on the left side and 48 mm on the right one. The patient refused surgical treatment as first choice. She underwent a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory local treatment, with progressive disappearance of symptoms. After 6 months she had no recurrence of symptoms. In conclusion, a precise differential diagnosis is crucial in order to choose the most adequate treatment, which can be either surgical or non surgical. Medical treatment represents the first choice, followed by surgical styloid process resection, in the case of persistence or ingravescence of the complaint