Analysis of Water Quality and Flow Data for the Addington Catchment (2015-2016)

Addington Brook is a stormwater-influenced Christchurch waterway. Substantial instream surface water quality monitoring has shown elevated solids, metal and nutrient concentrations along the brook, which is thought to be a major contributor of these pollutants to the Avon River/Ōtākaro system and downstream estuary. Longitudinal and spatial patterns of water quality within the catchment were investigated from four wet weather events sampled in the spring-summer of 2015-2016. Analysis included assessment of treatment performance of the KiwiRail Stormwater Ponds (Matipo Street ponds) at the top of the catchment. Sites throughout the catchment responded in similar magnitudes to rainfall, with higher water levels measured from stormwater runoff shortly after rainfall was recorded. Similar inflow and outflow water levels in the Matipo ponds indicate that the detention system is mitigating peak inflows to some extent. Large amounts of TSS enter Addington Brook downstream just before it converges with the Avon River/Ōtākaro so targeting pollutant mitigation at this point could substantially reduce the amount of solids entering the Avon River/Ōtākaro. Dissolved zinc is consistently and highly elevated above the relevant Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP) in-stream guideline, despite the pond’s ability to retain large portions of it and should be targeted at the Deans Ave location where its concentration is consistently highest. Dissolved copper was effectively removed within the pond system and is not an apparent cause for concern further down-stream in this catchment. More metals were removed in the ponds, in all sampling years, when concentrations were greatest indicating that the capacity of the system does not appear to be exhausted. Given the ubiquitous nature of dissolved zinc in Christchurch urban waterways, it would be wise to implement source-control of this highly bioavailable metal, especially given dissolved fractions are much more difficult to remove than particulate fractions. Concentrations of TN (predominantly TKN) and of TP (predominantly particulate) between sampling locations are generally similar. Some nutrients are retained within the Matipo pond system although inorganic nitrate/nitrate concentrations in the outflow were higher during larger rainfall durations and depths, suggesting that nitrogen in the pond was converted from organic to inorganic fractions. TN and nitrate removal efficiencies seem to have decreased compared to estimates in 2008. Despite the ability of the ponds to significantly reduce net phosphorus overall, DRP concentrations consistently exceeded the LWRP guideline. Although solids concentrations were often very high in the stormwater, the ponds were quite effective at reducing these concentrations, which is most likely attributed to adequate settling potential within the ponds. Dissolved metal loads for the downstream site at Riccarton Ave measured during the four sampled events, were very similar to modelled loads. Overall, 2.3-2.8 kg dissolved Zn/event originate from impermeable surfaces (which comprise 79% roofs, 12% carparks, 9% roads) within the catchment while 45-84 g dissolved Cu/event originate from impermeable surfaces (39% carparks, 30% roads, 31% roofs)

In search of subsurface oceans within the Uranian moons

The Galileo mission to Jupiter discovered magnetic signatures associated with hidden sub-surface oceans at the moons Europa and Callisto using the phenomenon of magnetic induction. These induced magnetic fields originate from electrically conductive layers within the moons and are driven by Jupiter’s strong time-varying magnetic field. The ice giants and their moons are also ideal laboratories for magnetic induction studies. Both Uranus and Neptune have a strongly tilted magnetic axis with respect to their spin axis, creating a dynamic and strongly variable magnetic field environment at the orbits of their major moons. Although Voyager-2 visited the ice giants in the 1980s, it did not pass close enough to any of the moons to detect magnetic induction signatures. However, Voyager-2 revealed that some of these moons exhibit surface features that hint at recent geologically activity, possibly associated with sub-surface oceans. Future missions to the ice giants may therefore be capable of discovering sub-surface oceans, thereby adding to the family of known “ocean worlds” in our solar system. Here, we assess magnetic induction as a technique for investigating sub-surface oceans within the major moons of Uranus. Furthermore, we establish the ability to distinguish induction responses created by different interior characteristics that tie into the induction response: ocean thickness, conductivity, and depth, and ionospheric conductance. The results reported here demonstrate the possibility of single-pass ocean detection and constrained characterization within the moons of Miranda, Ariel, and Umbriel, and provide guidance for magnetometer selection and trajectory design for future missions to Uranus

Removal of zinc from surface runoff by using recycled mussel shell waste as treatment media, with and without heat treatment

Stormwater control measures (SCMs) are essential to manage runoff in urban areas. Mussel shell waste has been recently proposed as sustainable treatment media in SCM to remove metals from runoff. In this study, a group of laboratory-scale column experiments were conducted to investigate the use of crushed mussel shell waste to remove dissolved zinc from actual roof runoff during different filtration flow rates (1, 3, 5, 10 L/min). Heat-treated mussel shells (TMS) and untreated mussel shells (UTMS) were utilized as treatment media with two column depths (1.0 m and 0.8 m). The microstructures and chemical characteristics of TMS and UTMS were examined by using a group of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) tests before and after the filtration process, and water samples were analyzed by using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) instrument. TMS and UTMS showed consistent high removal efficiency for dissolved zinc with (>98%) efficiency during 1 L/min filtration rate. The average removal performance was estimated at >94% and >82% for the 1.0 m and 0.8 m column depths of TMS media, and >92% and >72% for the 1.0 m and 0.8 m depths of UTMS media, respectively. The heat treatment improved the removal of zinc with significant statistical difference (i.e. p 5 L/min). Mussel shell waste showed potential benefits as a sustainable and cost-effective filtration media for removal of dissolved zinc in future stormwater systems

Stormwater Contaminant Load Monitoring (2016) and Modelling of the Heathcote Catchment and Six Representative Subcatchments

Adverse effects from sediment and heavy metals have been observed in the Heathcote catchment, which is diverse in its land use activities. Stormwater management improvements are planned for the catchment through the Heathcote Stormwater Management Plan. Contaminant load monitoring and modelling for subcatchments in the Heathcote were undertaken to help inform the stormwater management policies and planning. The UC’s event-based contaminant load model, MEDUSA (Modelled Estimates of Discharges for Urban Stormwater Assessments), that predicts the amount of total suspended solids (TSS), and total and dissolved copper and zinc generated by individual roof, road and carpark surfaces, was employed for the modelling. Stormwater monitoring of key impermeable surfaces was used to calibrate the model and also quantify the chemical speciation of the contaminants (i.e. particulate or dissolved form), important for assessing appropriate future treatment or mitigation strategies. Stormwater runoff monitoring and predictive modelling (using MEDUSA) was previously conducted in the Okeover and Addington subcatchments of the Avon Catchment. In those studies, four roof types, three road types and three carpark classifications were monitored and modelled. In this study, stormwater runoff quality was monitored from eight different impermeable surfaces in the Heathcote catchment over 9 rainfall events from July to November 2016. These sites represented typical surfaces in the catchment: a new Coloursteel® roof, an older Coloursteel® roof, a concrete roof, a galvanized painted roof, three roads (local, collector, minor arterial) and a commercial/light industrial carpark. First flush (first 1 L of runoff) and steady state samples were analysed for TSS and total and dissolved zinc and copper. Data from the monitoring campaign was analyzed and then used to refine MEDUSA to Heathcote conditions. The model was applied to estimate zinc loads from roofs for the Heathcote catchment as a whole, as well as from six individual subcatchments representing industrial areas (Curries and Jardens Drains; Awatea), mixed use areas (Curletts Drain; Waltham) and mostly residential areas (Jacksons Creek; Wilderness Drain). Predictions of contaminant loads were obtained for each rainfall event sampled in 2016. Additionally, predictive simulations were conducted for all events for years between 2011-2016 to ascertain differences as a function of variable weather conditions. The galvanized roof surfaces produced significantly more zinc than other surfaces. Coloursteel® Old and Galvanised Painted first flush runoff contributed some of the highest zinc concentrations measured in recent Christchurch untreated stormwater sampling. First flush concentrations from the new Coloursteel® roof were consistently lower than the steady state concentrations from the old Coloursteel® roof. Similarly, zinc concentrations from the galvanised painted roof were higher than the new Coloursteel® roof, but lower than the old Coloursteel® roof. The data also clearly show that the majority of zinc from the four roof types is in the dissolved form, substantiating previous monitored data in Christchurch. These data confirm that the key mechanism for zinc generation from roofs is direct dissolution of the roof material, enhanced and sustained by the exposure and breakdown of the galvanizing layer through weathering. Zinc measured in concrete roof runoff is believed to originate from galvanised components in the guttering and downpipes rather than from atmospheric deposition alone. Therefore, while concrete and other non-metallic roofs may not contribute large zinc loads to stormwater runoff, some zinc is dissolved from their galvanised drainage components, which may be something to consider in management decisions about roof replacements along with roof condition. Because zinc was defined as the focus of the study, total zinc loads were predicted using MEDUSA. Modelling results revealed that there is a clear difference in the rate at which total zinc is derived from each roof type, with concrete and Coloursteel® roofs yielding the least amount of zinc (per area) in roof runoff. Zincalume® and painted Galvanised roofs released more than double the amount (per area) of concrete and Coloursteel® roofs, but not as much as unpainted galvanised roofs. The data highlight the availability of zinc from roofs (with metallic surfaces) to stormwater runoff and the positive effect of painting these surfaces to immobilize some of the zinc. The yearly scenario results reveal the influence of variable wet weather conditions (including rainfall pH, antecedent dry days, rainfall intensity and duration) on zinc runoff from roofs. Despite the relatively low proportion (7 %) of roofs within the Heathcote Catchment that are defined as poorly painted or unpainted, they consistently contribute more than 30 % of the total zinc load from roofs in each year. Waltham (mixed landuse) roofs, which make up 29 % of the catchment and comprise the highest proportion (16 ha) of unpainted galvanized roofs, contribute between 2.2 and 7.6 net kg TZn/event to stormwater runoff. Similarly, Wilderness Drain (residential landuse) roofs, which make up 26 % of the catchment and comprise 12 ha of unpainted galvanized roofs, 34 ha of painted galvanized roofs and 27 ha of Coloursteel® roofs, produces nearly the same net zinc loads (2.0 -7.9 TZn kg) per rain event as Waltham. These disaggregated data are important because they highlight that the proportional area of specific roof types (e.g. unpainted galvanized) is a clear determinant of how much total zinc can be expected in roof runoff rather than assuming greater contributions from a more industrial/commercial area alone. Furthermore, depending on the condition of that roof material, a range of lower or higher zinc loads can be expected from roof runoff during rain events. Changes (as modelled scenarios) in proportional roof areas from the current status would result in significant reductions of total zinc runoff from roofs in the Heathcote subcatchments across all the modelled years, with some variability between years due to the influence of rainfall parameters. This reduction is more pronounced at the higher ranges for each scenario. A change in proportional zinc loads in different subcatchments results from the change in their proportional areas (and condition), highlighting the value in examining specific subcatchment responses to variable modelling scenarios

Schizophrenia trials in China: a survey

OBJECTIVE: China's biomedical research activity is increasing and this literature is becoming more accessible online. Our aim was to survey all randomized control schizophrenia trials (RCTs) in one Chinese bibliographic database. METHOD: Chinese Academic Journals was electronically searched for RCTs and all relevant citations were also sought on PubMed to ascertain global accessibility. RESULTS: The search identified 3275 records, of which 982 were RCTs relevant to schizophrenia. A total of 71% (699) could be found by using English phrases. All the main body of text of the 982 papers was in Mandarin. On average, these trials involved about 100 people, with interventions and outcome measures familiar to schizophrenia trialists worldwide. Four of the 982 records (<1%) were identified on PubMed. CONCLUSION: Those undertaking systematic reviews should search the Chinese literature for relevant material. Failing to do this will leave the results of systematic reviews prone to random error or bias, or both

STING pathway expression in low-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary: an unexpected therapeutic opportunity?

Ovarian carcinoma histotypes are distinct diseases with variable clinical outcomes and response to treatment. There is a need for new subtype-specific treatment modalities, especially for women with widespread and chemo-resistant disease. Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a part of the cGAS-STING pathway that mediates innate immune defence against infectious DNA-containing pathogens and also detects tumour-derived DNA and generates intrinsic antitumour immunity. The STING signalling pathway is suppressed by several mechanisms in a variety of malignant diseases and, in some cancers that may be a requirement for cellular transformation. The aim of this study was to use immunohistochemistry to evaluate STING protein expression across normal tissue, paratubal and ovarian cysts, and ovarian tumour histotypes including ovarian carcinomas. Herein, we show that the fallopian tube ciliated cells express STING protein, whereas the secretory cells are negative. STING expression differs among ovarian cancer histotypes; low-grade serous ovarian carcinomas and serous borderline tumours have uniform high STING expression, while high-grade serous and endometrioid carcinomas have heterogeneous expression, and clear cell and mucinous carcinomas show low expression. As low-grade serous carcinomas are known to be genomically stable and typically lack a prominent host immune response, the consistently high STING expression is unexpected. High STING expression may reflect pathway activation or histogenesis and the mechanisms may be different in different ovarian carcinoma histotypes. Further studies are needed to determine whether the STING signalling pathway is active and whether these tumours would be candidates for therapeutic interventions that trigger innate immunity activation

Using fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) to diagnose steroid-responsive disease and guide asthma management in routine care

Acknowledgements We thank Robin Taylor for his informative thinking and publications on FeNO, which have helped to influence and direct the thinking of the authors. Funding Extraction of the real-life dataset was funded by Research in Real Life Limited, the analysis of the dataset and the writing of this manuscript were co-funded (50:50) by Research in Real Life Limited and Aerocrine.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Lithic technological responses to Late Pleistocene glacial cycling at Pinnacle Point Site 5-6, South Africa

There are multiple hypotheses for human responses to glacial cycling in the Late Pleistocene, including changes in population size, interconnectedness, and mobility. Lithic technological analysis informs us of human responses to environmental change because lithic assemblage characteristics are a reflection of raw material transport, reduction, and discard behaviors that depend on hunter-gatherer social and economic decisions. Pinnacle Point Site 5-6 (PP5-6), Western Cape, South Africa is an ideal locality for examining the influence of glacial cycling on early modern human behaviors because it preserves a long sequence spanning marine isotope stages (MIS) 5, 4, and 3 and is associated with robust records of paleoenvironmental change. The analysis presented here addresses the question, what, if any, lithic assemblage traits at PP5-6 represent changing behavioral responses to the MIS 5-4-3 interglacial-glacial cycle? It statistically evaluates changes in 93 traits with no a priori assumptions about which traits may significantly associate with MIS. In contrast to other studies that claim that there is little relationship between broad-scale patterns of climate change and lithic technology, we identified the following characteristics that are associated with MIS 4: increased use of quartz, increased evidence for outcrop sources of quartzite and silcrete, increased evidence for earlier stages of reduction in silcrete, evidence for increased flaking efficiency in all raw material types, and changes in tool types and function for silcrete. Based on these results, we suggest that foragers responded to MIS 4 glacial environmental conditions at PP5-6 with increased population or group sizes, 'place provisioning', longer and/or more intense site occupations, and decreased residential mobility. Several other traits, including silcrete frequency, do not exhibit an association with MIS. Backed pieces, once they appear in the PP5-6 record during MIS 4, persist through MIS 3. Changing paleoenvironments explain some, but not all temporal technological variability at PP5-6.Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada; NORAM; American-Scandinavian Foundation; Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia [SFRH/BPD/73598/2010]; IGERT [DGE 0801634]; Hyde Family Foundations; Institute of Human Origins; National Science Foundation [BCS-9912465, BCS-0130713, BCS-0524087, BCS-1138073]; John Templeton Foundation to the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State Universit