Oestrogen, testosterone, cytotoxin and cholinesterase inhibitor removal during reclamation of sewage to drinking water

Namibia is the driest sub-Saharan country in Africa. Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, reclaims sewage water for domestic use at the Goreangab Water Reclamation Plant (GWRP). Risks associated with sewage effluent and reclaimed sewage should be closely monitored; therefore water at the Gammams Sewage Treatment Plant (GSTP) inlet and outlet, as well as reclaimed water from the GWRP, were assayed using selected bioassays. Samples collected were analysed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent-assays and chromogenic tests for steroid hormones, neurotoxicity, cytotoxicity and inflammatory activity. Estradiol level at the sewage treatment inlet was 78 pg/mℓ and the treated sewage level showed an 83% to 95% reduction in this, while after reclamation the level was below detection limit. Estrone concentrations at the sewage treatment inlet ranged from 10 to 161 pg/mℓ. Sewage treatment reduced estrone by between 85% and 92%. After reclamation the level of estrone was below detection limit. Testosterone ranged between 162 and 405 pg/mℓ at the sewage plant inlet. Sewage treatment removed 96% of the initial testosterone. The residual testosterone was effectively removed by processes in GWRP and after reclamation no testosterone was detected in water. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition at the sewage treatment inlet was 50% while it was only 27% after sewage treatment. After reclamation AChE inhibition was not detected. Only water at the sewage inlet in March and February showed cytotoxicity. High inflammatory activity was detected at the sewage plant inlet. Sewage treatment reduced inflammatory activity by 64%. After reclamation low inflammatory activity was induced. Treated sewage used for reclamation tested positive for most of the biomarkers and can pose a risk to human health. However, reclamation successfully removed these contaminants. Due to the presence of contaminants in the intake water at the reclamation plant, it is essential to routinely monitor the water produced by the reclamation plant for potential residues that can adversely affect human health.Web of Scienc

Analysis of potential for supplemental irrigation in southern Illinois

The aim of this study is to determine the potential for supplemental crop irrigation of the tight subsoil area of Southern Illinois with surface water impounded in small catchment reservoirs. The geographic area of the tight soils (mainly the southern 1/3 of Illinois includes almost 25 percent of the state. Random statistical sampling was used to select topographic quadrangles in this area for investigation of reservoir sites. Costs and water volume were then computed for sites with potential for reservoir siting. The results of the survey of potential reservoirs and cost analysis indicate about 1.2 million acres of land in the claypan area of Southern Illinois can be irrigated under current cost conditions depending on the price of corn and soybeans. From inspection of the best potential reservoir sites, watersheds, and irrigation areas, a specific site was selected for detailed analysis. Site analysis showed the most profitable management practice to be a corn-soybean rotation with reduced tillage, up-and-down slopes plowing, and irrigation. Further analysis was performed concerning the effect of sedimentation on reservoir capacity and, optimal land use. The results indicate that, over a thirty-year period, sedimentation will not have any appreciable effect on reservoir capacity and on land use practice. Finally, the supplemental irrigation system was analysed to determine its overall economic feasibility. A supply curve for irrigation from reservoirs was developed.U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological SurveyOpe

Effect of soaking and misting on respiration rate, body surface temperature, and body temperature of heat stressed dairy cattle

Reducing heat stress is a key issue for dairy producers. Use of feedline soaking and supplemental airflow effectively reduces heat stress and increases milk production and profitability. High-pressure misting allows water to evaporate in the air, reduces air temperature, and increases relative humidity. Misting also soaks the skin of cattle, resulting in additional cooling as water evaporates from skin surfaces, similar to the cooling effect of feedline soaking. Impact of soaking frequency (5-, 10-, or 15-minute intervals) was compared to continuous high-pressure misting. Cows cooled with either system had lower respiration rates, body surface temperatures, and internal body temperatures than controls. Soaking cattle every 5 minutes or 5-minute soaking plus high-pressure misting produced similar body temperatures, but lower (P\u3c0.01) than those when soaking occurred every 10 or 15 minutes. Skin surface temperatures from the thurl, shoulder, and rear udder were less when cattle were cooled with high-pressure misting. Cattle cooled with high-pressure misting became soaked, thus the cooling effect is the combination of cooler air and water evaporation from the skin. These results indicate that either frequent soaking (every 5 minutes) or continuous high-pressure misting that soaks the skin could be equally effective in reducing heat stress in dairy cattle.; Dairy Day, 2003, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 2003

Dental caries and the associated factors influencing it in tribal, suburban and urban school children of Tamil Nadu, India: a cross sectional study

Background. The study was planned to assess the prevalence of dental caries among tribal, suburban and urban children of Tiruchengode and Erode of Tamil Nadu state, India. The objective of the study was to assess the association of dental caries with family background, dental service availability, transportation and knowledge on preventive dental measures among these three groups. Design and methods. Cross-sectional study. A total of 1028 school children in the age range of 9-12 years from various government schools located in Palamalai and Kolli Hills (tribal), Tiruchengode (suburban) and Erode (urban), Tamil Nadu, were included in the study. Decayed, filled, and missing teeth (DMFT), decayed and filled teeth (dft) and Significant Caries Index were recorded. A specially prepared questionnaire was used to record all the data regarding oral hygiene practices, socioeconomic background, dental treatment availability, parent’s education level were used for the study. ANOVA t-test and post hoc test were used for comparing quantitative variables between the 3 subgroups. Results. The tribal school children had 89.3% caries prevalence, where as it was 77% in suburban and 55% in urban school children. The mean DMFT score among tribal, suburban and urban school children were statistically significant different (P=0.001) between the three groups. There was a highly significant difference (P=0.001) in the mean DMFT score based on brushing frequency. There was a statistically significant difference (P=0.018) in the mean DMFT scores in the urban group based on the mothers education status. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean DMFT scores based on the presence or absence of television in their house and the parents’ income. Conclusions. Oral hygiene practices, dietary habits and access to dental care services played an important role in prevalence of dental caries. It was observed that the socioeconomic status, parents’ educational status and mass media influenced the oral health of these children but without a significant contribution

Remote information concentration by GHZ state and by bound entangled state

We compare remote information concentration by a maximally entangled GHZ state with by an unlockable bound entangled state. We find that the bound entangled state is as useful as the GHZ state, even do better than the GHZ state in the context of communication security.Comment: 4 pages,1 figur

Incidence of hypoglycaemia among insulin-treated patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus: South African cohort of International Operations Hypoglycaemia Assessment Tool (IO HAT) study

Objectives: To assess the incidence and rates of hypoglycaemia in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the South African cohort of the International Operations Hypoglycaemia  Assessment Tool (IO HAT) study.Methods: Patients diagnosed with either T1DM or T2DM, aged ≥ 18 years and treated with insulin for > 12 months, completed selfassessmentquestionnaires to record demography, treatment information and  hypoglycaemia during a 6-month retrospective and 4-week prospective periods (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02306681).Results: In T1DM 76.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 69.1%, 82.3%) of patients reported hypoglycaemia in the retrospective period and 98.2% (95% CI 94.7%, 99.6%) in the prospective period. The corresponding figures for patients with T2DM were 52.2% (95% CI 48.6%, 55.9%) and 90.1% (95% CI 87.7%, 92.3%), respectively. Rates of any and severe hypoglycaemia, respectively were T1DM 90.7 events per patient year (PPY) (95% CI 85.5, 96.1) and 8.8 events PPY (95% CI 7.2, 10.6) and T2DM 45.7 events PPY (95% CI 43.9, 47.5) and 8.9 events PPY (95% CI 8.1, 9.8) during the prospective period. The rates of hypoglycaemia were  independent of glycated haemoglobin levels.Conclusions: This is the first patient dataset of self-reported hypoglycaemia in South Africa; results showed that hypoglycaemia is under-reported.Keywords: diabetes, hypoglycaemia, hypoglycaemic, insulin, South Afric

Investigating how faculty social networks and peer influence relate to knowledge and use of evidence-based teaching practices

Background: Calls for science education reform have been made for decades in the USA. The recent call to produce one million new science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) graduates over 10 years highlights the need to employ evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs) in undergraduate STEM classes to create engaging and effective learning environments. EBIPs are teaching strategies that have been empirically demonstrated to positively impact student learning, attitudes, and achievement in STEM disciplines. However, the mechanisms and processes by which faculty learn about and choose to implement EBIPs remain unclear. To explore this problem area, we used social network analysis to examine how an instructor’s knowledge and use of EBIPs may be influenced by their peers within a STEM department. We investigated teaching discussion networks in biology and chemistry departments at three public universities. Results: We report that tie strength and tie diversity vary between departments, but that mean indegree is not correlated with organizational rank or tenure status. We also describe that teaching discussion ties can often be characterized as strong ties based on two measures of tie strength. Further, we compare peer influence models and find consistent evidence that peer influence in these departments follows a network disturbances model. Conclusions: Our findings with respect to tie strength and tie diversity indicate that the social network structures in these departments vary in how conducive they might be to change. The correlation in teaching practice between discussion partner and peer influence models suggest that change agents should consider local social network characteristics when developing change strategies. In particular, change agents can expect that faculty may serve as opinion leaders regardless of their academic rank and that faculty can increase their use of EBIPs even if those they speak to about teaching use EBIPs comparatively less

Spatial patterns of natural regeneration in stands of English yew (Taxus baccata L.); Negative neighbourhood effects

Understanding the mechanisms underlying spatial patterns of regeneration of tree species can improve the effectiveness of forest management and restoration activities. English yew (Taxus baccata L.) stands have declined across their native range and yew dominated woodlands have priority status under the EU Habitats Directive. Several conservation and restoration programmes for this species have been established. We investigated population structure and spatial distribution of natural regeneration of yew at six woodlands in the south and west of Ireland. Specifically, the influence of adult conspecific neighbourhood density, canopy cover and distance from seed source on regeneration was explored. Within each site, canopy openness, soil and vegetation characteristics were established. Weiner spatial analysis revealed that the density of conspecific adults was negatively related to the recruitment of yew juveniles. In addition, a significant negative relationship between presence of conspecific canopy cover and regeneration density was evident. Although seedlings and saplings were scarce directly beneath conspecifics, regeneration was highest in nearby areas suggesting that intermediate dispersal distance maximises recruitment probability. Yew regeneration was correlated with a number of habitat characteristics, particularly percentage cover of woody shrubs. Management operations should focus on regeneration around the edges of populations to conserve existing yew stand