Impact Evaluation of Wet-Weather Events on Influent Flow and Loadings of a Water Resource Recovery Facility

Since the introduction of environmental legislation and directives in Europe, the impact of combined sewer overflows (CSO) on receiving water bodies has become a priority concern in water and wastewater treatment industry. Time-consuming and expensive local sampling and monitoring campaigns have been carried out to estimate the characteristic flow and pollutant concentrations of CSO water. This study focused on estimating the frequency and duration of wet-weather events and their impacts on influent flow and wastewater characteristics of the largest Italian water resource recovery facility (WRRF) in Castiglione Torinese. Eight years (viz. 2009–2016) of routinely collected influent data in addition to the arithmetic mean daily precipitation rates (PI) of the plant catchment area, were elaborated. Relationships between PI and volumetric influent flow rate (Qin), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium concentration (N-NH4) and total suspended solids (TSS) are investigated. Time series data mining (TSDM) method is implemented for segmentation of time series by use of sliding window algorithm to partition the available records associated with wet and dry weather events based on the daily variation of PI time series. Appling the methodology in conjunction with results obtained from data reduction techniques, a wet-weather definition is proposed for the plant. The results confirm that applied methodology on routinely collected plant data can be considered as a good substitute for time-consuming and expensive sampling campaigns and plant monitoring programs usually conducted for accurate emergency response and long-term preparedness for extreme climate conditions

Aluminum Ingestion Promotes Colorectal Hypersensitivity in Rodents

Background & Aims: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a multifactorial disease arising from a complex interplay between genetic predisposition and environmental influences. To date, environmental triggers are not well known. Aluminum is commonly present in food, notably by its use as food additive. We investigated the effects of aluminum ingestion in rodent models of visceral hypersensitivity, and the mechanisms involved. Methods: Visceral hypersensitivity was recorded by colorectal distension in rats administered with oral low doses of aluminum. Inflammation was analyzed in the colon of aluminum-treated rats by quantitative PCR for cytokine expression and by immunohistochemistry for immune cells quantification. Involvement of mast cells in the aluminum-induced hypersensitivity was determined by cromoglycate administration of rats and in mast cell-deficient mice (Kit). Proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) activation in response to aluminum was evaluated and its implication in aluminum-induced hypersensitivity was assessed in PAR2 knockout mice. Results: Orally administered low-dose aluminum induced visceral hypersensitivity in rats and mice. Visceral pain induced by aluminum persisted over time even after cessation of treatment, reappeared and was amplified when treatment resumed. As observed in humans, female animals were more sensitive than males. Major mediators of nociception were up-regulated in the colon by aluminum. Activation of mast cells and PAR2 were required for aluminum-induced hypersensitivity. Conclusions: These findings indicate that oral exposure to aluminum at human dietary level reproduces clinical and molecular features of IBS, highlighting a new pathway of prevention and treatment of visceral pain in some susceptible patients

Comparative effectiveness of Anti-IL5 and Anti-IgE biologic classes in patients with severe asthma eligible for both.

BACKGROUND: Patients with severe asthma may present with characteristics representing overlapping phenotypes, making them eligible for more than one class of biologic. Our aim was to describe the profile of adult patients with severe asthma eligible for both anti-IgE and anti-IL5/5R and to compare the effectiveness of both classes of treatment in real life. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study that included adult patients with severe asthma from 22 countries enrolled into the International Severe Asthma registry (ISAR) who were eligible for both anti-IgE and anti-IL5/5R. The effectiveness of anti-IgE and anti-IL5/5R was compared in a 1:1 matched cohort. Exacerbation rate was the primary effectiveness endpoint. Secondary endpoints included long-term-oral corticosteroid (LTOCS) use, asthma-related emergency room (ER) attendance, and hospital admissions. RESULTS: In the matched analysis (n = 350/group), the mean annualized exacerbation rate decreased by 47.1% in the anti-IL5/5R group and 38.7% in the anti-IgE group. Patients treated with anti-IL5/5R were less likely to experience a future exacerbation (adjusted IRR 0.76; 95% CI 0.64, 0.89; p < 0.001) and experienced a greater reduction in mean LTOCS dose than those treated with anti-IgE (37.44% vs. 20.55% reduction; p = 0.023). There was some evidence to suggest that patients treated with anti-IL5/5R experienced fewer asthma-related hospitalizations (IRR 0.64; 95% CI 0.38, 1.08), but not ER visits (IRR 0.94, 95% CI 0.61, 1.43). CONCLUSIONS: In real life, both anti-IgE and anti-IL5/5R improve asthma outcomes in patients eligible for both biologic classes; however, anti-IL5/5R was superior in terms of reducing asthma exacerbations and LTOCS use

Chromatin accessibility in the liver and circulating immune cells of pigs, goats and chickens.

Chromatin accessibility in the liver and circulating immune cells of pigs, goats and chickens. 35. Conference of the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG