The effects of a full-scale anaerobic side-stream reactor on sludge decay and biomass activity.

Abstract A full-scale anaerobic side-stream reactor (ASSR) for sludge reduction was monitored in terms of sludge production and compared with the previous conventional activated sludge configuration (CAS). A detailed solid mass balance was calculated on the whole full-scale plant to estimate the sludge reduction associated with the ASSR. The activity of the biomass, which undergoes alternation of aerobic and anaerobic conditions, was investigated by the respirometric test. The ASSR promoted a reduction of heterotrophic biomass activity and the substrate consumption rate in the activated sludge implemented with ASSR (AS + ASSR) was 36% smaller than in the CAS period. The solid mass balance indicated a sludge reduction of 28%. During the 270-day operation, the observed sludge yield passed from 0.438 kgTSS/kgCOD in the CAS to 0.315 in the AS + ASSR configuration. The solubilization of chemical oxygen demand (COD), NH4+-N and orthophosphate were verified under anaerobic conditions. The results suggest that the possible mechanisms of sludge reduction were the increase of the system sludge retention time (SRT) by ASSR addition, and the reduction in heterotrophic biomass activity added to the organic compounds' hydrolysis

Ablaçao de Via Acessória Lateral Esquerda Oculta Durante o Encarrilhamento de Taquicardia Atrioventricular Ortodrômica: Um Modo de Manter a Estabilidade do Cateter de Ablaçao Durante Aplicaçao de Radiofreqüência

A ablaçao por radiofreqüência de via acessória lateral esquerda é freqüentemente realizada durante a taquicardia ortodrômica. O término da taquicardia durante a aplicaçao de radiofreqüência pode causar instabilidade do cateter de ablaçao. A aplicaçao da radiofreqüência durante o encarrilhamento da taquicardia mantém a freqüência ventricular constante, conferindo maior estabilidade ao cateter e maior eficácia ao procedimento

Ablaçao de Via Acessória Lateral Esquerda Oculta Durante o Encarrilhamento de Taquicardia Atrioventricular Ortodrômica: Um Modo de Manter a Estabilidade do Cateter de Ablaçao Durante Aplicaçao de Radiofreqüência

A ablaçao por radiofreqüência de via acessória lateral esquerda é freqüentemente realizada durante a taquicardia ortodrômica. O término da taquicardia durante a aplicaçao de radiofreqüência pode causar instabilidade do cateter de ablaçao. A aplicaçao da radiofreqüência durante o encarrilhamento da taquicardia mantém a freqüência ventricular constante, conferindo maior estabilidade ao cateter e maior eficácia ao procedimento

Multifrequency monitoring of the blazar 0716+714 during the GASP-WEBT-AGILE campaign of 2007

Since the CGRO operation in 1991-2000, one of the primary unresolved questions about the blazar gamma-ray emission has been its possible correlation with the low-energy (in particular optical) emission. To help answer this problem, the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) consortium has organized the GLAST-AGILE Support Program (GASP) to provide the optical-to-radio monitoring data to be compared with the gamma-ray detections by the AGILE and GLAST satellites. This new WEBT project started in early September 2007, just before a strong gamma-ray detection of 0716+714 by AGILE. We present the GASP-WEBT optical and radio light curves of this blazar obtained in July-November 2007, about various AGILE pointings at the source. We construct NIR-to-UV spectral energy distributions (SEDs), by assembling GASP-WEBT data together with UV data from the Swift ToO observations of late October. We observe a contemporaneous optical-radio outburst, which is a rare and interesting phenomenon in blazars. The shape of the SEDs during the outburst appears peculiarly wavy because of an optical excess and a UV drop-and-rise. The optical light curve is well sampled during the AGILE pointings, showing prominent and sharp flares. A future cross-correlation analysis of the optical and AGILE data will shed light on the expected relationship between these flares and the gamma-ray events.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, to be published in A&A (Letters); revised to match the final version (changes in Fig. 5 and related text

A highly endemic area of Echinococcus multilocularis identified through a comparative re-assessment of prevalence in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), Alto Adige (Italy: 2019-2020)

Surveillance of Echinococcus multilocularis at the edge of its range is hindered by fragmented distributional patterns and low prevalence in definitive hosts. Thus, tests with adequate levels of sensitivity are especially important for discriminating between infected and non-infected areas. In this study we reassessed the prevalence of E. multilocularis at the southern border of its distribution in Province of Bolzano (Alto Adige, northeastern Alps, Italy), to improve surveillance in wildlife and provide more accurate estimates of exposure risk. We compared the diagnostic test currently implemented for surveillance based on coproscopy and multiplex PCR (CMPCR) to a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) in 235 fox faeces collected in 2019 and 2020. The performances of the two tests were estimated using a scraping technique (SFCT) applied to the small intestines of a subsample (n = 123) of the same foxes as the reference standard. True prevalence was calculated and the sample size required by each faecal test for the detection of the parasite was then estimated. True prevalence of E. multilocularis in foxes (14.3%) was markedly higher than reported in the last decade, which was never more than 5% from 2012 to 2018 in the same area. In addition, qPCR showed a much higher sensitivity (83%) compared to CMPCR (21%) and agreement with the reference standard was far higher for qPCR (0.816) than CMPCR (0.298) meaning that for the latter protocol, a smaller sample size would be required to detect the disease. Alto Adige should be considered a highly endemic area. Routine surveillance on definitive hosts at the edges of the E. multilocularis distribution should be applied to smaller geographic areas, and rapid, sensitive diagnostic tools using directly host faeces, such as qPCR, should be adopted

C3aR-initiated signaling is a critical mechanism of podocyte injury in membranous nephropathy

: The deposition of anti-podocyte auto-antibodies in the glomerular subepithelial space induces primary membranous nephropathy (MN), the leading cause of nephrotic syndrome worldwide. Taking advantage of the glomerulus-on-a-chip system, we modeled human primary MN induced by anti-PLA2R antibodies. Here we show that exposure of primary human podocytes expressing PLA2R to MN serum results in IgG deposition and complement activation on their surface, leading to loss of the chip permselectivity to albumin. C3a receptor (C3aR) antagonists as well as C3AR gene silencing in podocytes reduced oxidative stress induced by MN serum and prevented albumin leakage. In contrast, inhibition of the formation of the membrane-attack-complex (MAC), previously thought to play a major role in MN pathogenesis, did not affect permselectivity to albumin. In addition, treatment with a C3aR antagonist effectively prevented proteinuria in a mouse model of MN, substantiating the chip findings. In conclusion, using a combination of pathophysiologically relevant in vitro and in vivo models, we established that C3a/C3aR signaling plays a critical role in complement-mediated MN pathogenesis, indicating an alternative therapeutic target for MN

Multiwavelength observations of 3C 454.3. III. Eighteen months of AGILE monitoring of the "Crazy Diamond"

We report on 18 months of multiwavelength observations of the blazar 3C 454.3 (Crazy Diamond) carried out in July 2007-January 2009. We show the results of the AGILE campaigns which took place on May-June 2008, July-August 2008, and October 2008-January 2009. During the May 2008-January 2009 period, the source average flux was highly variable, from an average gamma-ray flux F(E>100MeV) > 200E-8 ph/cm2/s in May-June 2008, to F(E>100MeV)~80E-8 ph/cm2/s in October 2008-January 2009. The average gamma-ray spectrum between 100 MeV and 1 GeV can be fit by a simple power law (Gamma_GRID ~ 2.0 to 2.2). Only 3-sigma upper limits can be derived in the 20-60 keV energy band with Super-AGILE. During July-August 2007 and May-June 2008, RXTE measured a flux of F(3-20 keV)= 8.4E-11 erg/cm2/s, and F(3-20 keV)=4.5E-11 erg/cm2/s, respectively and a constant photon index Gamma_PCA=1.65. Swift/XRT observations were carried out during all AGILE campaigns, obtaining a F(2-10 keV)=(0.9-7.5)E-11 erg/cm2/s and a photon index Gamma_XRT=1.33-2.04. BAT measured an average flux of ~5 mCrab. GASP-WEBT monitored 3C 454.3 during the whole 2007-2008 period from the radio to the optical. A correlation analysis between the optical and the gamma-ray fluxes shows a time lag of tau=-0.4 days. An analysis of 15 GHz and 43 GHz VLBI core radio flux observations shows an increasing trend of the core radio flux, anti- correlated with the higher frequency data. The modeling SEDs, and the behavior of the long-term light curves in different energy bands, allow us to compare the jet properties during different emission states, and to study the geometrical properties of the jet on a time-span longer than one year.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. Adapted Abstract. 17 pages, 19 Figures, 5 Table

A change in the optical polarization associated with a gamma-ray flare in the blazar 3C 279

It is widely accepted that strong and variable radiation detected over all accessible energy bands in a number of active galaxies arises from a relativistic, Doppler-boosted jet pointing close to our line of sight. The size of the emitting zone and the location of this region relative to the central supermassive black hole are, however, poorly known, with estimates ranging from light-hours to a light-year or more. Here we report the coincidence of a gamma-ray flare with a dramatic change of optical polarization angle. This provides evidence for co-spatiality of optical and gamma-ray emission regions and indicates a highly ordered jet magnetic field. The results also require a non-axisymmetric structure of the emission zone, implying a curved trajectory for the emitting material within the jet, with the dissipation region located at a considerable distance from the black hole, at about 10^5 gravitational radii.Comment: Published in Nature issued on 18 February 2010. Corresponding authors: Masaaki Hayashida and Greg Madejsk