THE EFFECT OF TREATED WASTE WATER (TWW) ON THE RHIZOSPHERE MICROBIOMES AND THEIR IMPACT ON ARUGULA

Qatar needs to achieve water and food security in an arid climate and maintain its fossil-fuel energy exporting status. Treated wastewater (TWW) can be an alternative source for vegetable crops irrigation in Qatar; however, no studies have been undertaken in Qatar to study the effect of local TWW on vegetable irrigation and soil microbiome. Arugula (Eruca sativa) was chosen for this study due to its economic importance and profitability, fast maturation, and growing popularity as a salad green. A pinch of Arugula seeds were sprinkled uniformly in pots containing different soil mixtures (natural soil, peatmoss, sterilized peatmoss, and mixed soils), placed on counters inside of the Qatar University greenhouse at 25°C, with 10 hrs daylight, 14 hrs dark for 41 days. The plant samples were watered with either tap water (FW) or TWW throughout the study period. At days 0, 21, and 41, soil samples were analyzed for cations, anions, trace metals, total N, C, H, and S as well as for microbial growth. Arugula seeds failed to germinate in natural soil and mixed soils due to high salinity in natural soil, making it unsuitable for agricultural purposes. The Microfauna in both natural soil and peatmoss exhibited changes in structure and abundance after irrigation with either FW or TWW. Changes in structure and abundance were due to time of sampling, soil type, competition and interaction between the different microbiota naturally present in the soil. Results also showed a significant positive correlation in soil between aerobic mesophilic bacteria and plant growth (p=0.0255). The growth of Pseudomonas spp, the Streptococcus spp., and nitrogen-fixing bacteria was significantly (p≤0.05) different in soil samples treated with TWW compared to FW. Total coliform counts were not significantly impacted by soil type, water regimen, or time (p=0.0845). Further research should be undertaken to isolate and identify different species cultured and look into their activity to discern whether the TWW application improves the soil health by increasing the beneficial strains or increases the pathogenic ones. Microbial soil activity is another field that could also be investigated and its changes according to the irrigation method as another indicator of soil health

Real-Time PCR Quantification of Metallothionein Gene Expression in Sprague–Dawley Rats Chronically Exposed to Cd

Toxicologic impact of Cd leads to multiple human pathologic conditions, and its effect on humans and animals has been extensively studied. Physiologic function of metallothionein (MT1) is not completely understood, but it is mainly associated with detoxification of Cd and Hg. Elevated synthesis of MT1 exposed to metals has been observed but data on quantitation in various tissues is limited. We measured MT1 levels in peripheral blood and tissue samples of rats exposed to CdCl2. The objective is to investigate the effect of chronic exposure of Cd on peripheral blood and tissue-specific expression of MT1. This will provide information of MT1 gene transcription regulation and its impact on the heavy metal detoxification process. Rats raised in our animal facility were assigned to 8 experimental groups. Daily dose of 15 mg/ kg body weight CdCl2 in drinking water was administered for 8 wk. The control group received tap water free of Cd. Peripheral blood samples collected at 4 occasions (week 2, 4, 6, and 8) in EDTA tubes by retroorbital bleeding procedure. Liver and kidney tissue samples were collected and weighed. Total RNA/cDNA was prepared and quantified according to manufacturer’s protocol. Premade MT1 gene expression assay was used while β-actin gene was the endogeneous control. Results from week 2 and 4 showed the trend of upregulation of MT1 gene (fold increase) while the sample from all the other occasions showed downregulated response of MT1. Week 4 sample showed the fold increase of 1.11 times compared to week 2 increase of 1.04. Though the recorded 1.1-fold difference in the gene expression is not high, it gives an indication that there was an induction of MT1 gene. The downregulated pattern of MT1 gene might be due to the overaccumulation of repressor apothionein protein which stops MT1 transcription. When the metal binds to the promoter region of the MT1 gene-repressor protein, it becomes inactive and increases the MT1 transcription, but at the same time accumulation of repressor protein downregulates MT1 gene. Our observations suggest that chronic Cd exposure elicits an elevated MT1 gene expression which in turn leads to detoxification. More elaborative study is warranted for further understanding of MT1 gene expression

The effects of shoe temperature on the kinetics and kinematics of running

The aim of the current investigation was to examine the effects of cooled footwear on the kinetics and kinematics of running in comparison to footwear at normal temperature. Twelve participants ran at 4.0 m/s ± 5% in both cooled and normal temperature footwear conditions over a force platform. Two identical footwear were worn, one of which was cooled for 30 min. Lower extremity kinematics were obtained using a motion capture system and tibial accelerations were measured using a triaxial accelerometer. Differences between cooled and normal footwear temperatures were contrasted using paired samples t-tests. The results showed that midsole temperature (cooled = 4.21 °C and normal = 23.25 °C) and maximal midsole deformation during stance (cooled = 12.85 mm and normal = 14.52 mm) were significantly reduced in the cooled footwear. In addition, instantaneous loading rate (cooled = 186.21 B.W/s and normal = 167.08 B W/s), peak tibial acceleration (cooled = 12.75 g and normal = 10.70 g) and tibial acceleration slope (cooled = 478.69 g/s and normal = 327.48 g/s) were significantly greater in the cooled footwear. Finally, peak eversion (cooled = −10.57 ° and normal = −7.83°) and tibial internal rotation (cooled = 10.67 ° and normal = 7.77°) were also shown to be significantly larger in the cooled footwear condition. This study indicates that running in cooled footwear may place runners at increased risk from the biomechanical parameters linked to the aetiology of injuries

A Finite Element Analysis of foot with hammer toe deformity during walking

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the International Society of Biomechanics via the link in this recordA three-dimensional finite element model of a diabetic neuropathic foot with hammer toe deformity was constructed. The geometry of the FE model was formed based on segmentation and reconstruction of MRI images. A multi-body musculoskeletal simulation based on 3D gait analysis was carried out for predicting six muscle forces. Validation of the derived muscle forces were performed using EMG. FE simulations were run at five stages of stance phase of gait. The derived muscle forces and measured GRFs during gait were added to the model as boundary conditions. The validation of FE results indicated a good agreement between simulated plantar pressures (PP) against the measured values from pressure plate. The analyses showed that the presence of hammer toe causes stress concentration on metatarsals. However, the stress concentration seems to shift from the 5th metatarsal to the 3rd metatarsal as the gait progresses from early stance to toe-off

Rocker outsole shoes and margin of stability during walking: a preliminary study

Rocker outsole shoes are commonly prescribed to diabetic patients to redistribute peak plantar pressures at high risk areas such as forefoot thereby decreasing risks of plantar ulceration. However, there are evidences of postural destabilizing effect of the rocker outsole shoes. Patients with diabetes, particularly those suffering from neuropathy, are at a higher risk of falling. Then, beside primary role of rocker outsole in offloading, it is essential to explore the effect of the rocker outsole on postural stability of these patients. The smaller base of support (BOS) of the rocker outsoles due to their specific geometry has been previously mentioned as a threat to postural stability. Margin of stability (MOS) appeared to be an appropriate method for measuring postural stability during walking by considering the dynamicity of BOS in its equation. MOS is defined as the distance between the velocity adjusted position of the centre of mass (COM) and the boundaries of the BOS which constantly changes during walking. Then, this study proposes how we can use MOS concept to investigate the impact of the rocker outsoles on dynamic stability. In this study the kinematic data from a single subject with diabetic neuropathy was used to explain the efficiency of the methodology. Conclusive results are expected after carrying out systematic tests using a statistically representative sample size.This project is funded by Iran University of Medical Sciences (IR.IUMS.REC. 1395.9211503202).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An investigation of the ankle contact forces in a foot with hammer toe deformity. A comparison of patient-specific approaches using finite element modeling and musculoskeletal simulation

The internal forces and stresses in the tissue are important as they are linked to the risk of mechanical trauma and injuries. Despite their value, the internal stresses and forces cannot be directly measured in-vivo. A previously validated 3D finite element model (FEM) was constructed using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of a person with diabetes and hammer toe deformity. The foot model simulated at five different instances during the stance phase of gait. The internal stress distribution on the talus that was obtained using the FEM simulation, was used to calculate the joint reaction force at the ankle joint. In addition, the musculoskeletal model (MSM) of the participant with hammer toe foot was developed based on the gait analysis and was used to determine the muscle forces and joint reactions. The result showed that the vertical reaction forces obtained from the FEM and MSM follow a similar trend through the stance phase of gait cycle and are significantly correlated ( R=0.99 ). The joint reaction forces obtained through the two methods do not differ for the first 25% of the gait cycle, while the maximum difference was ∼0.7 Body weight that was observed at 50% of the stance phase. Clinical Relevance: Finite element modeling and musculoskeletal simulation can shed light on the internal forces at the ankle in pathological conditions such as hammer toe. The similarities and differences observed in the joint reaction forces calculated from the two methods can have implications in assessing the effect of clinical interventions

Associating ground magnetometer observations with current or voltage generators

A circuit analogy for magnetosphere‐ionosphere current systems has two extremes for drivers of ionospheric currents: ionospheric electric fields/voltages constant while current/conductivity vary—the “voltage generator”—and current constant while electric field/conductivity vary—the “current generator.” Statistical studies of ground magnetometer observations associated with dayside Transient High Latitude Current Systems (THLCS) driven by similar mechanisms find contradictory results using this paradigm: some studies associate THLCS with voltage generators, others with current generators. We argue that most of this contradiction arises from two assumptions used to interpret ground magnetometer observations: (1) measurements made at fixed position relative to the THLCS field‐aligned current and (2) negligible auroral precipitation contributions to ionospheric conductivity. We use observations and simulations to illustrate how these two assumptions substantially alter expectations for magnetic perturbations associated with either a current or a voltage generator. Our results demonstrate that before interpreting ground magnetometer observations of THLCS in the context of current/voltage generators, the location of a ground magnetometer station relative to the THLCS field‐aligned current and the location of any auroral zone conductivity enhancements need to be taken into account.Key PointsConductivity and location assumptions used to interpret ground magnetic perturbations yield conflicting resultsHigh‐latitude currents associated with voltage generators may instead be associated with current generators, and vice versaWithout better constraints on conductivity/station location relative to currents, conflicts will not be resolvedPeer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138366/1/jgra53632.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138366/2/jgra53632_am.pd

Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations (cAVMs): What Is New?

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (cAVMs) are rare congenital anomalies of cerebral blood vessels that result from maldevelopment of the capillary bed, permitting direct communication between cerebral arteries and veins. It usually occurs in the supratentorial area of the brain; however, it can occur anywhere in the brain and spinal cord. Most of the patients with cAVMs present with a variety of complaints such as seizures, intracerebral hemorrhage, headache, and progressive focal neurological deficit. Imaging such as CT, MRI, and angiography plays a vital role in diagnosis, grading, risk assessment, and posttherapeutic follow-up. The multidisciplinary team use three therapeutic modalities in the treatment of cAVMs. This chapter reviews the clinical presentations, diagnosis, classification, and treatment of cAVMs

Prevalence, awareness and risk factors of hypertension in a large cohort of Iranian adult population

Background: There is considerable variation in hypertension prevalence and awareness, and their correlates, across different geographic locations and ethnic groups. We performed this cross-sectional analysis on data from the Golestan Cohort Study (GCS). Methods: Enrollment in this study occurred in 2004-2008, and included 50 045 healthy individuals from Golestan Province in northeastern Iran. Hypertension was defined as a SBP at least 140 mmHg, a DBP at least 90 mmHg, a prior diagnosis of hypertension, or the use of antihypertensive drugs. Potential correlates of hypertension and its awareness were analyzed by logistic regression adjusted for sex, age, BMI, place of residence, literacy, ethnicity, physical activity, smoking, black and green tea consumption and wealth score. Results: Of the total cohort participants, 21 350 (42.7) were hypertensive. Age-standardized prevalence of hypertension, using the 2001 WHO standard world population, was 41.8 (95 confidence interval: 38.3-45.2). Hypertension was directly associated with female sex, increased BMI, Turkmen ethnicity, and lack of physical activity, and inversely associated with drinking black tea and wealth score. Among hypertensive patients, 46.2 were aware of their disease, 17.6 were receiving antihypertensive medication, and 32.1 of the treated patients had controlled hypertension. Hypertension awareness was greater among women, the elderly, overweight and obese patients, and those with a higher wealth score. Conclusion: Hypertension is highly prevalent in rural Iran, many of the affected individuals are unaware of their disease, and the rate of control by antihypertensive medications is low. Increasing hypertension awareness and access to health services, especially among less privileged residents are recommended. © Lippincott Williams and Wilkins