Intertidal percolation through beach sands as a source of 224,223 Ra to Long Island Sound, New York, and Connecticut, United States

Along tidal coasts, seawater circulated through the intertidal beach contributes to submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and its associated geochemical signature. The short-lived radium isotopes, 223Ra (half-life = 11.4 d) and 224Ra (half-life = 3.66 d), were used to quantify this component of SGD in a large estuary, Long Island Sound (LIS), New York, United States. The tide is semidiurnal with a range of approximately 2 m. Concentrations in beach pore waters ranged from 97 to 678 disintegrations per minute (dpm) 224Ra 100 L–1, whereas concentrations in open coastal waters ranged from approximately 12 to 69 dpm 224Ra 100 L–1. A simple model based on ingrowth of 224Ra in the pore water of the beach sands was used to determine residence times of 0.6 to 2.5 d for water in the intertidal beach. Both 223Ra and 224Ra showed decreasing gradients and concentration in an offshore transect away from the beach face in Smithtown Bay, whereas the long-lived radium isotopes, 228Ra (half-life = 5.75 y) and 226Ra (half-life = 1,600 y), showed no significant gradients. Based on the 224Ra gradient, the flux across the LIS shoreline was estimated to be 1.79 × 108 dpm m–1 y–1. The 224Ra inventories in two zones, 0–50 m and 0–100 m offshore, were used to estimate total SGD fluxes of 3.1 × 1010 to 6.6 × 1010 m3 y–1 of intertidal seawater to the nearshore of LIS. Comparison of this estimate with hydrodynamic models of fresh groundwater flow in the adjacent coastal aquifer suggests that less than 1% of the SGD is freshwater

Radium mass balance sensitivity analysis for submarine groundwater discharge estimation in semi-enclosed basins: the case study of Long Island Sound

© The Author(s), 2020. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Tamborski, J., Cochran, J. K., Bokuniewicz, H., Heilbrun, C., Garcia-Orellana, J., Rodellas, V., & Wilson, R. Radium mass balance sensitivity analysis for submarine groundwater discharge estimation in semi-enclosed basins: the case study of Long Island Sound. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 8, (2020): 108, doi:10.3389/fenvs.2020.00108.Estimation of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to semi-enclosed basins by Ra isotope mass balance is herein assessed. We evaluate 224Ra, 226Ra, and 228Ra distributions in surface and bottom waters of Long Island Sound (CT-NY, United States) collected during spring 2009 and summer 2010. Surface water and bottom water Ra activities display an apparent seasonality, with greater activities during the summer. Long-lived Ra isotope mass balances are highly sensitive to boundary fluxes (water flux and Ra activity). Variation (50%) in the 224Ra, 226Ra, and 228Ra offshore seawater activity results in a 63–74% change in the basin-wide 226Ra SGD flux and a 58–60% change in the 228Ra SGD flux, but only a 4–9% change in the 224Ra SGD flux. This highlights the need to accurately constrain long-lived Ra activities in the inflowing and outflowing water, as well as water fluxes across boundaries. Short-lived Ra isotope mass balances are sensitive to internal Ra fluxes, including desorption from resuspended particles and inputs from sediment diffusion and bioturbation. A 50% increase in the sediment diffusive flux of 224Ra, 226Ra, and 228Ra results in a ∼30% decrease in the 224Ra SGD flux, but only a ∼6–10% decrease in the 226Ra and 228Ra SGD flux. When boundary mixing is uncertain, 224Ra is the preferred tracer of SGD if sediment contributions are adequately constrained. When boundary mixing is well-constrained, 226Ra and 228Ra are the preferred tracers of SGD, as sediment contributions become less important. A three-dimensional numerical model is used to constrain boundary mixing in Long Island Sound (LIS), with mean SGD fluxes of 1.2 ± 0.9 × 1013 L y–1 during spring 2009 and 3.3 ± 0.7 × 1013 L y–1 during summer 2010. The SGD flux to LIS during summer 2010 was one order of magnitude greater than the freshwater inflow from the Connecticut River. The maximum marine SGD-driven N flux is 14 ± 11 × 108 mol N y–1 and rivals the N load of the Connecticut River.This project has been funded by New York Sea Grant projects (R/CCP-16 and R/CMC-12). This research is contributing to the ICTA-UAB Unit of Excellence “María de Maeztu” (MDM-2015-0552) and MERS (2017 SGR – 1588, Generalitat de Catalunya). VR acknowledges financial support from the Beatriu de Pinós postdoctoral program of the Catalan Government (2017-BP-00334)

Integrated Front End Circuitry for Microultrasound Capsule Endoscopy

Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) was originally developed to address the limitation of conventional endoscopy in accessing the small bowel as a remote part of the gastrointestinal tract. To further enhance the diagnostic ability of VCE, microultrasound capsule endoscopy is under development for identification of disease at an earlier stage and visualisation of subsurface tissue features. This paper presents an evaluation of two approaches to improve signal to noise ratio (SNR) in rapid prototyped capsule endoscopes. First, noise reduction techniques are applied to the integrated front-end circuits in the prototype capsules. Secondly, multiple types of coded excitation transmission are tested and benchmarked with respect to non-coded transmission. Results are presented for both bench top phantom imaging and in vivo translational trial imaging

Glacial controls on redox-sensitive trace element cycling in Arctic fjord sediments (Spitsbergen, Svalbard)

Glacial meltwater is an important source of bioessential trace elements to high latitude oceans. Upon delivery to coastal waters, glacially sourced particulate trace elements are processed during early diagenesis in sediments and may be sequestered or recycled back to the water column depending on local biogeochemical conditions. In the glaciated fjords of Svalbard, large amounts of reactive Fe and Mn (oxyhydr)oxides are delivered to the sediment by glacial discharge, resulting in pronounced Fe and Mn cycling concurrent with microbial sulfate reduction. In order to investigate the diagenetic cycling of selected trace elements (As, Co, Cu, Mo, Ni, and U) in this system, we collected sediment cores from two Svalbard fjords, Van Keulenfjorden and Van Mijenfjorden, in a transect along the head-to-mouth fjord axis and analyzed aqueous and solid phase geochemistry with respect to trace elements, sulfur, and carbon along with sulfate reduction rates. We found that Co and Ni associate with Fe and Mn (oxyhydr)oxides and enter the pore water upon reductive metal oxide dissolution. Copper is enriched in the solid phase where sulfate reduction rates are high, likely due to reactions with H2S and the formation of sulfide minerals. Uranium accumulates in the solid phase likely following reduction by both Fe- and sulfate-reducing bacteria, while Mo adsorbs to Fe and Mn (oxyhydr)oxides in the surface sediment and is removed from the pore water at depth where sulfidization makes it particle-reactive. Arsenic is tightly coupled to Fe redox cycling and its partitioning between solid and dissolved phases is influenced by competition with FeS for adsorption sites on crystalline Fe oxides. Differences in trace element cycling between the two fjords suggest delivery of varying amount and composition of tidewater glacier (Van Keulenfjorden) and meltwater stream (Van Mijenfjorden) material, likely related to oxidative processes occurring in meltwater streams. This processing produces a partially weathered, more reactive sediment that is subject to stronger redox cycling of Fe, Mn, S, and associated trace elements upon delivery to Van Mijenfjorden. With climate warming, the patterns of trace element cycling observed in Van Mijenfjorden may also become more prevalent in other Svalbard fjords as tidewater glaciers retreat into meltwater stream valleys

Temporal variability of lagoon–sea water exchange and seawater circulation through a Mediterranean barrier beach

The subterranean flow of water through sand barriers between coastal lagoons and the sea, driven by a positive hydraulic gradient, is a net new pathway for solute transfer to the sea. On the sea side of sand barriers, seawater circulation in the swash-zone generates a flux of recycled and new solutes. The significance and temporal variability of these vectors to the French Mediterranean Sea is unknown, despite lagoons constituting ~ 50% of the coastline. A one-dimensional 224Raex/223Ra reactive-transport model was used to quantify water flow between a coastal lagoon (La Palme) and the sea over a 6-month period. Horizontal flow between the lagoon and sea decreased from ~ 85 cm d−1 during May 2017 (0.3 m3 d−1 m−1 of shoreline) to ~ 20 cm d−1 in July and was negligible in the summer months thereafter due to a decreasing hydraulic gradient. Seawater circulation in the swash-zone varied from 10 to 52 cm d−1 (0.4–2.1 m3 d−1 m−1), driven by short-term changes in the prevailing wind and wave regimes. Both flow paths supply minor dissolved silica fluxes on the order of ~ 3–10 mmol Si d−1 m−1. Lagoon–sea water exchange supplies a net dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) flux (320–1100 mmol C d−1 m−1) two orders of magnitude greater than seawater circulation and may impact coastal ocean acidification. The subterranean flow of water through sand barriers represents a significant source of new DIC, and potentially other solutes, to the Mediterranean Sea during high lagoon water-level periods and should be considered in seasonal element budgets

Liver fluke granulin promote extracellular vesicle-mediated crosstalk and cellular microenvironment conducive to cholangiocarcinoma

Crosstalk between malignant and neighboring cells contributes to tumor growth. In East Asia, infection with the liver fluke is a major risk factor for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). The liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini secretes a growth factor termed liver fluke granulin, a homologue of the human progranulin, which contributes significantly to biliary tract fibrosis and morbidity. Here, extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated transfer of mRNAs from human cholangiocytes to naïve recipient cells was investigated following exposure to liver fluke granulin. To minimize the influence of endogenous progranulin, its cognate gene was inactivated using CRISPR/Cas9-based gene knock-out. Several progranulin-depleted cell lines, termed ΔhuPGRN-H69, were established. These lines exhibited >80% reductions in levels of specific transcript and progranulin, both in gene-edited cells and within EVs released by these cells. Profiles of extracellular vesicle RNAs (evRNA) from ΔhuPGRN-H69 for CCA-associated characteristics revealed a paucity of transcripts for estrogen- and Wnt-signaling pathways, peptidase inhibitors and tyrosine phosphatase related to cellular processes including oncogenic transformation. Several CCA-specific evRNAs including MAPK/AKT pathway members were induced by exposure to liver fluke granulin. By comparison, estrogen, Wnt/PI3K and TGF signaling and other CCA pathway mRNAs were upregulated in wild type H69 cells exposed to liver fluke granulin. Of these, CCA-associated evRNAs modified the CCA microenvironment in naïve cells co-cultured with EVs from ΔhuPGRN-H69 cells exposed to liver fluke granulin, and induced translation of MAPK phosphorylation related-protein in naïve recipient cells in comparison with control recipient cells. Exosome-mediated crosstalk in response to liver fluke granulin promoted a CCA-specific program through MAPK pathway which, in turn, established a CCA-conducive disposition

Programmed genome editing of the omega-1 ribonuclease of the blood fluke, Schistosoma mansoni

Host-parasite interactio

Randomised controlled trial of a psychiatric consultation model for treatment of common mental disorder in the occupational health setting

BACKGROUND: Common mental disorders are the most prevalent of all mental disorders, with the highest burden in terms of work absenteeism and utilization of health care services. Evidence-based treatments are available, but recognition and treatment could be improved, especially in the occupational health setting. The situation in this setting has recently changed in the Netherlands because of new legislation, which has resulted in reduced sickness absence. Severe mental disorder has now become one of the main causes of work absenteeism. Occupational physicians (OPs) are expected to take an active role in diagnosis and treatment, and seem to be in need of support for a new approach to handle cases of more complex mental disorders. Psychiatric consultation can be a collaborative care model to achieve this. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a two-armed cluster-randomized clinical trial, with randomization among OPs. Forty OPs in two big companies providing medical care for multiple companies will be randomized to either the intervention group, i.e. psychiatric consultation embedded in a training programme, or the control group, i.e. only training aimed at recognition and providing Care As Usual. 60 patients will be included who have been absent from work for 6–52 weeks and who, after screening and a MINI interview, are diagnosed with depressive disorder, anxiety disorder or somatoform disorder based on DSM-IV criteria. Baseline measurements and follow up measurements (at 3 months and 6 months) will be assessed with questionnaires and an interview. The primary outcome measure is level of general functioning according to the SF-20. Secondary measures are severity of the mental disorder according to the PHQ and the SCL-90, quality of life (EQ-D5), measures of Return To Work and cost-effectiveness of the treatment assessed with the TiC-P. Process measures will be adherence to the treatment plan and assessment of the treatment provided by the Psychiatric Consultant (PC) in both groups. DISCUSSION: In the current study, a psychiatric consultation model that has already proved to be effective in the primary care setting, and aimed to enhance evidence-based care for patients with work absenteeism and common mental disorder will be evaluated for its efficacy and cost-effectiveness in the occupational health setting

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements