Biofilm engineering: linking biofilm development at different length and time scales

Biofilms are heterogeneous and dynamic systems. Evaluation of biofilm structure and function at the microscale has been greatly advanced through the application of multidimensional imaging, in-situ identification of the microbial community composition, function, and genetic regulation. Biofilm reactors are being applied for advanced biological treatment processes and their overall (macroscale) operation is well understood and controlled. What is missing is the link between micro and macroscale. In this horizon paper we suggest how understanding the overall biofilm ecosystem will require an integrated evaluation of the different length and time scale

Brexit and Irish Consumers. Quarterly Economic Commentary Special Article, Spring 2018.

Concerns about the impact of Brexit on the Irish economy have tended to focus on the challenges to exporting firms. However, as the UK is a significant source of imports into the Irish economy and there is considerable integration of the retail sectors in both countries, the imposition of tariffs or other increases in trading costs could pass through to increased prices for Irish consumers. This paper examines the contribution of UK imports to overall household expenditure in Ireland and their exposure to tariffs and other cost increases from possible restrictions on trade. Our approach generates an estimate of potential increases in the level of CPI of between 2 per cent and 3.1 per cent. In the estimated scenarios, these increases are the equivalent of between €892 (increase in non-tariff trade costs) and €1,360 (tariffs plus other trade cost increases) in the annual cost of its consumption basket for the average household. This assumes that there is no switching or changes in expenditure patterns in response to the cost increases so gives an upper bound to the cost increase effects. We also find that these effects are very unevenly distributed across households. Households with lower income levels would face considerably higher percentage increases as they tend to consume a higher share of products that would be most affected by increases in tariffs and trade costs

Sensor setpoints that ensure compliance with microbial water quality targets for membrane bioreactor and chlorination treatment in on-site water reuse systems

Widespread implementation of on-site water reuse systems is hindered by the limited ability to ensure the level of treatment and protection of human health during operation. In this study, we tested the ability of five commercially available online sensors (free chlorine (FC), oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), pH, turbidity, UV absorbance at 254 nm) to predict the microbial water quality in membrane bioreactors followed by chlorination using logistic regression-based and mechanism-based models. The microbial water quality was assessed in terms of removal of enteric bacteria from the wastewater, removal of enteric viruses, and regrowth of bacteria in the treated water. We found that FC and ORP alone could predict the microbial water quality well, with ORP-based models generally performing better. We further observed that prediction accuracy did not increase when data from multiple sensors were integrated. We propose a methodology to link online sensor measurements to risk-based water quality targets, providing operation setpoints protective of human health for specific combinations of wastewaters and reuse applications. For instance, we recommend a minimum ORP of 705 mV to ensure a virus log-removal of 5, and an ORP of 765 mV for a log-removal of 6. These setpoints were selected to ensure that the percentage of events where the water is predicted to meet the quality target but it does not remains below 5%. Such a systematic approach to set sensor setpoints could be used in the development of water reuse guidelines and regulations that aim to cover a range of reuse applications with differential risks to human health. © 2022 The Author(s

Microscopic nanomechanical dissipation in gallium arsenide resonators

We report on a systematic study of nanomechanical dissipation in high-frequency (approximatively 300 MHz) gallium arsenide optomechanical disk resonators, in conditions where clamping and fluidic losses are negligible. Phonon-phonon interactions are shown to contribute with a loss background fading away at cryogenic temperatures (3 K). Atomic layer deposition of alumina at the surface modifies the quality factor of resonators, pointing towards the importance of surface dissipation. The temperature evolution is accurately fitted by two-level systems models, showing that nanomechanical dissipation in gallium arsenide resonators directly connects to their microscopic properties. Two-level systems, notably at surfaces, appear to rule the damping and fluctuations of such high-quality crystalline nanomechanical devices, at all temperatures from 3 to 300K

Model evaluation and optimisation of nutrient removal potential for sequencing batch reactors

Performance of sequencing batch reactors for simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal is evaluated by means of model simulation, using the activated sludge model, ASM2d, involving anoxic phosphorus uptake, recently proposed by the IAWQ Task group. The evaluation includes all major process configurations with different aerobic, anoxic, anaerobic sequences, and fill conditions. Basic relationships between modelling and design based on overall process stoichiometry are established for the interpretation of nutrient profiles associated with different operation modes. A similar approach is also used for the assessment of the effect of major operating parameters on system performance. WaterSA Vol.28(4) 2002: 423-43

Influence of deformation axis onto the length free path of screw dislocations in pure fcc materials

In this paper the influence of crystal's deformation axis orientation on formation of long, strong dislocation junctions which can be barriers that limit the shear zone has been studied. The probability of strong junctions formation has been obtained on the basis of interdislocation contact interactions model. The length of free path of screw dislocations has been defined for different orientations of crystal's deformation axis

Modulating medial prefrontal cortex activity using real-time fMRI neurofeedback: Effects on reality monitoring performance and associated functional connectivity

Neuroimaging studies have found ‘reality monitoring’, our ability to distinguish internally generated experiences from those derived from the external world, to be associated with activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of the brain. Here we probe the functional underpinning of this ability using real-time fMRI neurofeedback to investigate the involvement of mPFC in recollection of the source of self-generated information. Thirty-nine healthy individuals underwent neurofeedback training in a between groups study receiving either Active feedback derived from the paracingulate region of the mPFC (21 subjects) or Sham feedback based on a similar level of randomised signal (18 subjects). Compared to those in the Sham group, participants receiving Active signal showed increased mPFC activity over the course of three real-time neurofeedback training runs undertaken in a single scanning session. Analysis of resting state functional connectivity associated with changes in reality monitoring accuracy following Active neurofeedback revealed increased connectivity between dorsolateral frontal regions of the fronto-parietal network (FPN) and the mPFC region of the default mode network (DMN), together with reduced connectivity within ventral regions of the FPN itself. However, only a trend effect was observed in the interaction of the recollection of the source of Imagined information compared with recognition memory between participants receiving Active and Sham neurofeedback, pre- and post- scanning. As such, these findings demonstrate that neurofeedback can be used to modulate mPFC activity and increase cooperation between the FPN and DMN, but the effects on reality monitoring performance are less clear

Submesothelial deposition of carbon nanoparticles after toner exposition: Case report

Inhalation of carbon nanoparticles (CNP) from toner dust has been shown to have impact on the respiratory health of persons exposed. Office printers are known emitters of CNP. We report about a female open office worker who developed weight loss and diarrhoea. Laparoscopy done for suspected endometriosis surprisingly revealed black spots within the peritoneum. Submesothelial aggregates of CNP with a diameter of 31-67 nm were found by scanning and transmission electron microscopy in these tissue specimens. Colon biopsies showed inflammatory bowel disease with typically signs of Crohn disease, but no dust deposits. Transport of CNP via lymphatic and blood vessels after inhalation in the lungs has to be assumed. In this case respiratory symptoms were not reported, therefore no lung function tests were done. We have shown that workers with toner dust exposure from laser printers can develop submesothelial deposition of CNP in the peritoneum. Impact of toner dust exposure on the respiratory health of office workers, as suspected in other studies, has to be evaluated further

Safety and effectiveness of ataluren: comparison of results from the STRIDE Registry and CINRG DMD Natural History Study

Aim: Strategic Targeting of Registries and International Database of Excellence (STRIDE) is an ongoing, multicenter registry providing real-world evidence regarding ataluren use in patients with nonsense mutation Duchenne muscular dystrophy (nmDMD). We examined the effectiveness of ataluren + standard of care (SoC) in the registry versus SoC alone in the Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group (CINRG) Duchenne Natural History Study (DNHS), DMD genotype-phenotype/-ataluren benefit correlations and ataluren safety. Patients & methods: Propensity score matching was performed to identify STRIDE and CINRG DNHS patients who were comparable in established disease progression predictors (registry cut-off date, 9 July 2018). Results & conclusion: Kaplan-Meier analyses demonstrated that ataluren + SoC significantly delayed age at loss of ambulation and age at worsening performance in timed function tests versus SoC alone (p ≤ 0.05). There were no DMD genotype-phenotype/ataluren benefit correlations. Ataluren was well tolerated. These results indicate that ataluren + SoC delays functional milestones of DMD progression in patients with nmDMD in routine clinical practice. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02369731