Drivers of Microbial Risk for Direct Potable Reuse and de Facto Reuse Treatment Schemes: The Impacts of Source Water Quality and Blending.

Although reclaimed water for potable applications has many potential benefits, it poses concerns for chemical and microbial risks to consumers. We present a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) Monte Carlo framework to compare a de facto water reuse scenario (treated wastewater-impacted surface water) with four hypothetical Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) scenarios for Norovirus, Cryptosporidium, and Salmonella. Consumer microbial risks of surface source water quality (impacted by 0-100% treated wastewater effluent) were assessed. Additionally, we assessed risks for different blending ratios (0-100% surface water blended into advanced-treated DPR water) when source surface water consisted of 50% wastewater effluent. De facto reuse risks exceeded the yearly 10-4 infections risk benchmark while all modeled DPR risks were significantly lower. Contamination with 1% or more wastewater effluent in the source water, and blending 1% or more wastewater-impacted surface water into the advanced-treated DPR water drove the risk closer to the 10-4 benchmark. We demonstrate that de facto reuse by itself, or as an input into DPR, drives microbial risks more so than the advanced-treated DPR water. When applied using location-specific inputs, this framework can contribute to project design and public awareness campaigns to build legitimacy for DPR

Mathematics Teachers’ Perspectives on Online Professional Development Modules

This study examines mathematics teachers’ perspectives regarding newly developed online professional learning for elementary mathematics teachers of multilingual learners. We examined the responses of 12 teachers on surveys that included both Likert scale and open response items to explore the learning, strengths and weaknesses of the modules. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential for online professional learning at the intersection of language and mathematics and suggests important ways for teacher learning across time to be supported

Fate of Allochthonous Dissolved Organic Carbon in Lakes: A Quantitative Approach

Inputs of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to lakes derived from the surrounding landscape can be stored, mineralized or passed to downstream ecosystems. The balance among these OC fates depends on a suite of physical, chemical, and biological processes within the lake, as well as the degree of recalcintrance of the allochthonous DOC load. The relative importance of these processes has not been well quantified due to the complex nature of lakes, as well as challenges in scaling DOC degradation experiments under controlled conditions to the whole lake scale. We used a coupled hydrodynamic-water quality model to simulate broad ranges in lake area and DOC, two characteristics important to processing allochthonous carbon through their influences on lake temperature, mixing depth and hydrology. We calibrated the model to four lakes from the North Temperate Lakes Long Term Ecological Research site, and simulated an additional 12 ‘hypothetical’ lakes to fill the gradients in lake size and DOC concentration. For each lake, we tested several mineralization rates (range: 0.001 d−1 to 0.010 d−1) representative of the range found in the literature. We found that mineralization rates at the ecosystem scale were roughly half the values from laboratory experiments, due to relatively cool water temperatures and other lake-specific factors that influence water temperature and hydrologic residence time. Results from simulations indicated that the fate of allochthonous DOC was controlled primarily by the mineralization rate and the hydrologic residence time. Lakes with residence times <1 year exported approximately 60% of the DOC, whereas lakes with residence times >6 years mineralized approximately 60% of the DOC. DOC fate in lakes can be determined with a few relatively easily measured factors, such as lake morphometry, residence time, and temperature, assuming we know the recalcitrance of the DOC

ICARES: a real-time automated detection tool for clusters of infectious diseases in the Netherlands.

Clusters of infectious diseases are frequently detected late. Real-time, detailed information about an evolving cluster and possible associated conditions is essential for local policy makers, travelers planning to visit the area, and the local population. This is currently illustrated in the Zika virus outbreak

Idd9.2 and Idd9.3 Protective Alleles Function in CD4+ T-Cells and Nonlymphoid Cells to Prevent Expansion of Pathogenic Islet-Specific CD8+ T-Cells

OBJECTIVE - Multiple type 1 diabetes susceptibility genes have now been identified in both humans and mice, yet mechanistic understanding of how they impact disease pathogenesis is still minimal. We have sought to dissect the cellular basis for how the highly protective mouse Idd9 region limits the expansion of autoreactive CD8 T-cells, a key cell type in destruction of the islets. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - We assess the endogenous CD8 T-cell repertoire for reactivity to the islet antigen glucose-6-phosphatase-related protein (IGRP). Through the use of adoptively transferred T-cells, bone marrow chimeras, and reconstituted severe combined immunodeficient mice, we identify the protective cell types involved. RESULTS - IGRP-specific CD8 T-cells are present at low frequency in the insulitic lesions of Idd9 mice and could not be recalled in the periphery by viral expansion. We show that Idd9 genes act extrinsically to the CD8 T-cell to prevent the massive expansion of pathogenic effectors near the time of disease onset that occurs in NOD mice. The subregions Idd9.2 and Idd9.3 mediated this effect. Interestingly, the Idd9.1 region, which provides significant protection from disease, did not prevent the expansion of autoreactive CD8 T-cells. Expression of Idd9 genes was required by both CD4 T-cells and a nonlymphoid cell to induce optimal tolerance. CONCLUSIONS - Idd9 protective alleles are associated with reduced expansion of IGRP-specific CD8 T-cells. Intrinsic expression of protective Idd9 alleles in CD4 T-cells and nonlymphoid cells is required to achieve an optimal level of tolerance. Protective alleles in the Idd9.2 congenic subregion are required for the maximal reduction of islet-specific CD8 T-cells

A Web-Based Respondent Driven Sampling Pilot Targeting Young People at Risk for Chlamydia Trachomatis in Social and Sexual Networks with Testing: A Use Evaluation

YesWith the aim of targeting high-risk hidden heterosexual young people for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) testing, an innovative web-based screening strategy using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) and home-based CT testing, was developed, piloted and evaluated. Two STI clinic nurses encouraged 37 CT positive heterosexual young people (aged 16-25 years), called index clients, to recruit peers from their social and sexual networks using the web-based screening strategy. Eligible peers (young, living in the study area) could request a home-based CT test and recruit other peers. Twelve (40%) index clients recruited 35 peers. Two of these peers recruited other peers (n = 7). In total, 35 recruited peers were eligible for participation; ten of them (29%) requested a test and eight tested. Seven tested for the first time and one (13%) was positive. Most peers were female friends (80%). Nurses were positive about using the strategy. The screening strategy is feasible for targeting the hidden social network. However, uptake among men and recruitment of sex-partners is low and RDS stopped early. Future studies are needed to explore the sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and impact of strategies that target people at risk who are not effectively reached by regular health care

Untitled (Bowers, Hamilton, Schwarz, Steinfeld) Show Card

Show card for exhibition Untitled. September 7 - October 3, 2001.https://digitalcommons.udallas.edu/untitled/1001/thumbnail.jp