River Bank Inducement Influence on a Shallow Groundwater Microbial Community and Its Effects on Aquifer Reactivity

Placing groundwater wells next to riverbanks to draw in surface water, known as riverbank inducement (RBI), is common and proposed as a promising and sustainable practice for municipal and public water production across the globe. However, these systems require further investigation to determine risks associated with river infiltration especially with rivers containing wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. Since microbes drive biogeochemical transformations in groundwater and largely affect water quality, it is important to understand how the microbial communities in drinking water wells are affected by river infiltration. This study investigated if, and to what extent, the microbial community in a shallow groundwater aquifer in southeastern Wisconsin is affected by river infiltration. The study area includes an active RBI well, a previously active RBI well, a pristine background well, and the Fox River in Waukesha, WI. After targeting both DNA and RNA for V4 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the results show the microbial community compositions of the groundwater sites significantly differ from each other and from the Fox River. Microbial community compositions correlated with Total Dissolved Phosphorus (TDP) and Total Nitrogen (TN). Amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) associated with river bacteria were found in all groundwater wells, however, these taxa were always more abundant in the active RBI well with similar distribution patterns to the river. The aquifer microbial community composition was over 50% Unclassified organisms. Some ASVs showed evidence of intron splicing in the 16S rRNA gene, a rarely recorded feature in bacteria. The aquifer microbial communities also contained common subsurface organisms and recently discovered CPR and DPANN superphyla organisms. The taxa affiliations suggest heterotrophic, fermentative, and symbiotic lifestyles, and suggest anaerobic metabolisms related to nitrate and sulfate reduction. Microbial affiliation results are consistent with free energy flux predictions for the groundwater wells. Lab experiments indicated the water itself may be C limited and that additional nitrate from river infiltration may initially accumulate in the system, which could impact required water treatment processes

A Follow- Up Study Of The Graduates And Drop Outs Of The Hooks Colored High School, Hooks, Texas, 1939-1949

With the growing interest and activity in secondary school curriculum revision programs in many parts of the United States, the need for evaluation of the present educational program grows proportionately. Increasing concern for the help secondary-school students receive in making adjustments while in school and in later life is a fundamental part of present-day curriculum planning. During the past few years, educators of this country have become aware that boys and girls who were leaving school without finishing their formal education were creating a problem in the social and economic life of their communities. Every year it is becoming increasingly difficult for a young man or woman to secure a position upon leaving school. Even after high school graduation, a youth is often refused employment, because he lacks those traits which a high school graduate might be expected to possess. Business establishments that were formerly* contented to use graduates from eighth grade, today will not consider a junior high school graduate unless he is exceptional in Kiaturity of judgment and social adequacy

Isothiourea-catalysed enantioselective pyrrolizine synthesis : synthetic and computational studies

We thank Syngenta and the EPSRC (grant code EP/K503162/1) (DGS), and the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Critical Resource Catalysis (CRITICAT, grant code EP/L016419/1) (ERG,SFM, RWFK) for funding. The European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) ERC Grant Agreement No. 279850 is also acknowledged (JET). ADS thanks the Royal Society for a Wolfson Research Merit Award.The catalytic enantioselective synthesis of a range of cis-pyrrolizine carboxylate derivatives with outstanding stereocontrol (14 examples,>95:5 dr, >98:2 er) through an isothiourea-catalyzed intramolecular Michael addition-lactonisation and ring opening approach from the corresponding enone acid is reported. An optimised and straightforward three-step synthetic route to the enone acid starting materials from readily available pyrrole-2-carboxaldehydes is delineated, with benzotetramisole (5 mol%) proving the optimal catalyst for the enantioselective process. Ring-opening of the pyrrolizine dihydropyranone products with either MeOH or a range of amines leads to the desired products in excellent yield and enantioselectivity. Computation has been used to probe the factors leading to high stereocontrol, with the formation of the observed cis-steroisomer predicted to be kinetically and thermodynamically favoured.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Mindfulness Intervention for Child Abuse Survivors: A 2.5-Year Follow-Up

Objective: The present study reports on the long-term effects of a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Method: Of the study participants, 73% returned to the clinic for a single-session follow-up assessment of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and mindfulness at 2.5 years. Results: Repeated measures mixed regression analyses revealed significant long-term improvements in depression, PTSD, anxiety symptoms, and mindfulness scores. The magnitude of intervention effects at 128 weeks ranged from d = .5 to d = 1.1. Conclusion: MBSR may be an effective long-term treatment for adults who have experienced childhood sexual abuse. Further investigation of MBSR with this population is warranted given the durability of treatment effects described here

Tuning the Seebeck coefficient of naphthalenediimide by electrochemical gating and doping

We investigate the sign and magnitude of the single-molecule Seebeck coefficient of naphthalenediimide (NDI) under the influence of electrochemical gating and doping. The molecule consists of a NDI core with two alkyl chains in the bay-area position, connected to gold electrodes via benzothiophene (DBT) anchor groups. By switching between the neutral, radical and di-anion charge states, we are able to tune the molecular energy levels relative to the Fermi energy of the electrodes. The resulting single-molecule room-temperature Seebeck coefficents of the three charge states are -294.5 μV K(-1), 122 μV K(-1) and 144 μV K(-1) respectively and the room-temperature power factors are 4.4 × 10(-5) W m(-1) K(-2), 3 × 10(-5) W m(-1) K(-2) and 8.2 × 10(-4) W m(-1) K(-2). As a further strategy for optimising thermoelectric properties, we also investigate the effect on both phonon and electron transport of doping the NDI with either an electron donor (TTF) or an electron acceptor (TCNE). We find that doping by TTF increases the room-temperature Seebeck coefficient and power factor from -73.7 μV K(-1) and 2.6 × 10(-7) W m(-1) K(-2) for bare NDI to -105 μV K(-1) and 3.6 × 10(-4) W m(-1) K(-2) in presence of TTF. The low thermal conductance of NDI-TTF, combined with the higher Seebeck coefficient and higher electrical conductance lead to a maximum thermoelectric figure of merit of ZT = 1.2, which is higher than that of bare NDI in several orders of magnitude. This demonstrates that both the sign and magnitude of NDI Seebeck coefficient can be tuned reversibly by electrochemical gating and doping, suggesting that such redox active molecules are attractive materials for ultra-thin-film thermoelectric devices

Thermoelectric generator (TEG) technologies and applications

2021 The Author(s). Nowadays humans are facing difficult issues, such as increasing power costs, environmental pollution and global warming. In order to reduce their consequences, scientists are concentrating on improving power generators focused on energy harvesting. Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) have demonstrated their capacity to transform thermal energy directly into electric power through the Seebeck effect. Due to the unique advantages they present, thermoelectric systems have emerged during the last decade as a promising alternative among other technologies for green power production. In this regard, thermoelectric device output prediction is important both for determining the future use of this new technology and for specifying the key design parameters of thermoelectric generators and systems. Moreover, TEGs are environmentally safe, work quietly as they do not include mechanical mechanisms or rotating elements and can be manufactured on a broad variety of substrates such as silicon, polymers and ceramics. In addition, TEGs are position-independent, have a long working life and are ideal for bulk and compact applications. Furthermore, Thermoelectric generators have been found as a viable solution for direct generation of electricity from waste heat in industrial processes. This paper presents in-depth analysis of TEGs, beginning with a comprehensive overview of their working principles such as the Seebeck effect, the Peltier effect, the Thomson effect and Joule heating with their applications, materials used, Figure of Merit, improvement techniques including different thermoelectric material arrangements and technologies used and substrate types. Moreover, performance simulation examples such as COMSOL Multiphysics and ANSYS-Computational Fluid Dynamics are investigated