Chemically Enhanced Treatment Wetland to Improve Water Quality and Mitigate Land Subsidence in the Sacramento‒San Joaquin Delta: Cost and Design Considerations

Water quality impairment and land surface subsidence threaten the viability of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Delta), a critical component of California’s water conveyance system. Current-day irrigation drainage through Delta island peat soils affects drinking water treatment and is linked to mercury transport, potentially posing both ecological and public health concerns. To cost-effectively treat agricultural drainage water from subsided Delta islands to reduce the export of drinking Water Quality Constituents of Concern and mitigate land subsidence through accretion, we studied hybrid coagulation-treatment wetland systems, termed Chemically Enhanced Treatment Wetlands (CETWs). We provide cost estimates and design recommendations to aid broader implementation of this technology. Over a 20-year horizon using a Total Annualized Cost analysis, we estimate treatment costs of $602 to$747 per acre-foot (ac‑ft) water treated, and $36 to$70 per kg dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removed, depending upon source water DOC concentrations for a small 3-acre CETW system. For larger CETW systems scaled for island sizes of 3,500 to 14,000 acres, costs decrease to $108 to$239 per ac-ft water treated, and $11 to$14 per kg DOC removed. We estimated the footprints of CETW systems to be approximately 3% of the area being treated for 4-day hydraulic retention time (HRT) systems, but they would decrease to less than 1% for 1-day HRT systems. CETWs ultimately address several of the Delta’s key internal issues while keeping water treatment costs competitive with other currently available treatment technologies at similar scales on a per-carbon-removed basis. CETWs offer a reliable system to reduce out-going DOC and mercury loads, and they provide the additional benefit of sediment accretion. System costs and treatment efficacy depend significantly on inflow source water conditions, land availability, and other practical matters. To keep costs low and removal efficacy high, wetland design features will need site-specific evaluation

Economic costs of minor depression: a population-based study

Objective: Although the clinical relevance of minor depression has been demonstrated in many studies, the economic costs are not well explored. In this study, we examine the economic costs of minor depression. Method: In a large-scale, population-based study in the Netherlands (n ¼ 5504) the costs of minor depression were compared with the costs of major depression and dysthymia. Excess costs, i.e. the costs of a disorder over and above the costs attributable to other illnesses, were estimated with help of regression analysis. The direct medical costs, the direct non-medical costs and the indirect non-medical costs were calculated. The year 2003 was used as the reference year. Results: The annual per capita excess costs of minor depression were US$2141 (95$ 1023, while the costs of major depression were US$ 3313 (95% CI ¼ 1234–5390) higher than the base rate. The costs of minor depression per 1 million inhabitants were 160 million dollars per year, which is somewhat less than the costs of major depression (192 million dollars per year). Conclusion: The economic costs associated with minor depression are considerable and approach those of major depression

Effects of pectin liquid on gastroesophageal reflux disease in children with cerebral palsy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The use of thickeners is a standard therapy for decreasing episodes of regurgitation or vomiting in infants. However, it remains to be investigated whether thickener is effective for vomiting and/or chronic respiratory symptoms in children with cerebral palsy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We enrolled 18 neurologically impaired children caused by cerebral palsy, with gastroesophageal reflux disease. In the first part of this study (pH monitoring), subjects were randomly allocated to two groups: fed with a high-pectin diet [enteral formula: pectin liquid = 2:1 (v/v)], or a low-pectin diet [enteral formula: pectin liquid = 3:1 (v/v)]. Two-channel esophageal pH monitoring was performed over 48 h. In the second part (clinical trial), subjects were fed a high- or low-pectin diet and non-pectin diet for 4 weeks in a crossover manner. Nurses recorded the feeding volume, number of episodes of vomiting, volume of gastric residue, episodes of cough and wheeze, frequency of using oxygen for dyspnea, and the day when the child could return to school. Cough and wheeze were recorded as a cough-score.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median value for the % time pH < 4 at the lower and upper esophagus was significantly decreased with a high-pectin diet [9.2% (6.2–22.6) vs. 5.0% (3.1–13.1); P < 0.01, 3.8% (2.9–11.2) vs. 1.6% (0.9–8.9); P < 0.01 (interquartile range), non-pectin and high-pectin, respectively]. The number of reflux episodes per day and duration of longest reflux were decreased significantly with a high-pectin, but not with a low-pectin diet. The median number of episodes of vomiting decreased significantly with a high-pectin diet [2.5/week (1.0–5.0) vs. 1.0 (1.0–1.5), P < 0.05]. The median cough-score was significantly decreased by both concentrations of pectin [8.5/week (1.0–11.5) vs. 2.0/week (0.0–3.0), fed with a high-pectin diet; 7.0/week (1.0–14.5) vs. 1.0/w (0.0–5.0), fed with a low-pectin diet, P < 0.05].</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Pectin liquid partially decreased gastroesophageal reflux as measured by eshophageal pH monitoring, and might improve vomiting and respiratory symptoms in children with cerebral palsy.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ISRCTN19787793</p

Chemically Enhanced Treatment Wetland to Improve Water Quality and Mitigate Land Subsidence in the Sacramento‒San&nbsp;Joaquin Delta: Cost and Design Considerations

Water quality impairment and land surface subsidence threaten the viability of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Delta), a critical component of California’s water conveyance system. Current-day irrigation drainage through Delta island peat soils affects drinking water treatment and is linked to mercury transport, potentially posing both ecological and public health concerns. To cost-effectively treat agricultural drainage water from subsided Delta islands to reduce the export of drinking Water Quality Constituents of Concern and mitigate land subsidence through accretion, we studied hybrid coagulation-treatment wetland systems, termed Chemically Enhanced Treatment Wetlands (CETWs). We provide cost estimates and design recommendations to aid broader implementation of this technology. Over a 20-year horizon using a Total Annualized Cost analysis, we estimate treatment costs of $602 to$747 per acre-foot (ac‑ft) water treated, and $36 to$70 per kg dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removed, depending upon source water DOC concentrations for a small 3-acre CETW system. For larger CETW systems scaled for island sizes of 3,500 to 14,000 acres, costs decrease to $108 to$239 per ac-ft water treated, and $11 to$14 per kg DOC removed. We estimated the footprints of CETW systems to be approximately 3% of the area being treated for 4-day hydraulic retention time (HRT) systems, but they would decrease to less than 1% for 1-day HRT systems. CETWs ultimately address several of the Delta’s key internal issues while keeping water treatment costs competitive with other currently available treatment technologies at similar scales on a per-carbon-removed basis. CETWs offer a reliable system to reduce out-going DOC and mercury loads, and they provide the additional benefit of sediment accretion. System costs and treatment efficacy depend significantly on inflow source water conditions, land availability, and other practical matters. To keep costs low and removal efficacy high, wetland design features will need site-specific evaluation

Antimicrobial activity of selected synbiotics targeted for the elderly against pathogenic Escherichia coli strains.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of two synbiotic combinations, Lactobacillus fermentum with short-chain fructooligosaccharides (FOS-LF) and Bifidobacterium longum with isomaltooligosaccharides (IMO-BL), against enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 and enteropathogenic E. coli O86. Antimicrobial activity was determined (1) by co-culturing the synbiotics and pathogens in batch cultures, and (2) with the three-stage continuous culture system (gut model), inoculated with faecal slurry from an elderly donor. In the co-culture experiments, IMO-BL was significantly inhibitory to both E. coli strains, while FOS-LF was slightly inhibitory or not inhibitory. Factors other than acid production appeared to play a role in the inhibition. In the gut models, both synbiotics effectively inhibited E. coli O157 in the first vessel, but not in vessels 2 and 3. E. coli O86 was not significantly inhibited