Antibiotic resistance genes in treated wastewater and in the receiving water bodies: a pan-European survey of urban settings

There is increasing public concern regarding the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during wastewater treatment, their persistence during the treatment process and their potential impacts on the receiving water bodies. In this study, we used quantitative PCR (qPCR) to determine the abundance of nine ARGs and a class 1 integron associated integrase gene in 16 wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents from ten different European countries. In order to assess the impact on the receiving water bodies, gene abundances in the latter were also analysed. Six out of the nine ARGs analysed were detected in all effluent and river water samples. Among the quantified genes, intI1 and sul1 were the most abundant. Our results demonstrate that European WWTP contribute to the enrichment of the resistome in the receiving water bodies with the particular impact being dependent on the effluent load and local hydrological conditions. The ARGs concentrations in WWTP effluents were found to be inversely correlated to the number of implemented biological treatment steps, indicating a possible option for WWTP management. Furthermore, this study has identified bla as a possible resistance gene for future studies investigating the impact of WWTPs on their receiving water. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A cross-national mixed-method study of reality pedagogy

This mixed-methods cross-national study investigated the effectiveness of reality pedagogy (an approach in which teachers become part of students’ activities, practices and rituals) in terms of changes in student perceptions of their learning environment and attitudes towards science. A questionnaire was administered to 142 students in grades 8–10 in the Bronx, New York City and Dresden, Germany. The questionnaire combines learning environment scales from the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey and the What Is Happening In this Class? Questionnaire with attitude scales from the Test of Science-Related Attitudes. Student interviews were used to support questionnaire findings. Quantitative data analyses revealed that reality pedagogy had a greater impact on students in the Bronx than in Dresden, with qualitative data clarifying differences in how reality pedagogy was enacted in each geographic area. Overall, our findings add to the body of evidence concerning the effectiveness of reality pedagogy as an approach to teaching and learning science across a variety of contexts. © 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrech

nonwovens to improve sound absorption ability

Composite structures with various stacking sequences were formed by combining electrospun polyurethane (PU) nanofibers with needle-punched recycled nonwovens from polyester textile wastes and bottles as a new sound absorption material in order to contribute to the solution of noise control and waste generation. PU solutions of 12, 13, 14 and 15 wt % concentrations were prepared for nanofiber optimization studies. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed that the bead free nanofibers were obtained with diameters 296.5 and 509.9 nm from 13 and 15 wt % PU concentrations, respectively. In order to evaluate the potential of nanofibers and nanofiber-recycled nonwoven composites as noise reduction materials; sound absorption coefficients (SACs) were measured and noise reduction coefficients (NRCs) were calculated. The most ideal sample was regarded as the 3.24 mm thick sandwich structure (recycled nonwoven-nanofiber-recycled nonwoven), coded with A250-1320-A250 with a 0.504 NRC value. When the two nanofiber diameters were compared, finer nanofibers (296.5 nm) and finer nanofiber enhanced nonwovens had better NRCs than the thickers (509.9 nm) of the same. The developed composite materials can be regarded as promising sound absorbers.C1 [Ozkal, Ayse] Pamukkale Univ, Text Engn Dept, Denizli, Turkey.[Callioglu, Funda Cengiz] Suleyman Demirel Univ, Text Engn Dept, Isparta, Turkey.[Akduman, Cigdem] Pamukkale Univ, Denizli Vocat Sch Tech Sci, Text Technol Dept, Denizli, Turkey

Repair of cartilage defects with periosteal grafts.

Alternative sources for repair of cartilage defects are limited and donor sites are associated with morbidity. It is known that cartilage development from periosteal grafts is possible. Various factors have been found positively to affect this process in experimental settings. However, all of these studies were limited to joint cartilage

Association of macrophages, mast cells and eosinophil leukocytes with angiogenesis and tumor stage in non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC).

The association between inflammatory cells, including tumor associated macrophage (TAM), mast cell (MC) and eosinophil Leucocyte (EL) densities and angiogenesis, as well as the relation of TAM, MC and EL densities and angiogenesis to tumor stage were investigated in specimens of 63 non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Fifteen cases were in stage I, 12 were in stage II, 33 were in stage III and 3 were in stage IV. ELs and MCs were identified by hematoxilen-eosin and toluidine-blue histochemical stains, respectively. TAMs were shown by immunohistochemistry for CD68. Microvessets demonstrated by immunohistochemistry for CD31 were quantified by a stereotogical method and vascular surface density (VSD) and microvessel number (NVES) were calculated. There was not any statistically significant correlation between tumor's stage and VSD, TAM and EL counts. MC count and NVES were found to be higher, in early stages. VSD and NVES were not associated with EL, MC and TAM counts. The lack of consistent correlation of angiogenesis to the stage of disease in this study supports the view that tumor angiogenesis is not a significant prognostic factor in NSCLCs. The absence of correlation between MCs, ELs and TAM counts and angiogenesis and absence of any relation between ELs and TAMs and tumor stage are discordant with the results of some of the previous studies in NSCLCs and in other tumors. The differing results may be due to wide variations in methodologies which were used for demonstration of inflammatory cells and vessels and variations in the degree of activation and complexity of functions of these cells. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Effects of trimetazidine on acetic acid-induced colitis in female Swiss rats

WOS: 000180646700004PubMed ID: 12653021Induction of colitis by acetic acid (AA) in the rat is widely used experimental model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and ulcerations. AA as an irritant induces colitis involving infiltration of colonic mucosa with neutrophils and increased production of inflammatory mediators, such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitric oxide (NO), myeloperoxiclase activity (MPO), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha). Trimetazidine (TMZ), an antianginal compound, was administered to investigate if its cytoprotective features in cardiac tissue are also effective in AA colitis where ischemic injury contributes to colitis. Administration of TMZ intraperitoneally improved the macroscopic and microscopic score alterations produced by AA, AA administration significantly elevated colonic MPO activity; however, treatment with TMZ significantly lowered this enzyme activity compared to AA. AA administration significantly enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, except for A/A + TMZ given rectally, TMZ treatment significantly, lowered nitrate levels, but AA increased these levels. AA administration markedly lowered TNF-alpha levels, but TMZ treatment elevated these levels to control. These findings indicate that overproduction of NO may be involved in the immunosuppression observed during acute AA-induced rat colitis, In conclusion, TMZ treatment was more effective via the intraperitoneal than rectal route, and may be beneficial in therapy of colitis

Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) is a rare disease occurring in childhood. Recently, it has been shown that heritable mutations in Fas or Fas ligand genes, which regulate lymphocyte survival by triggering apoptosis of lymphocytes, are the most frequent cause of ALPS. Patients with ALPS frequently have lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly, especially at young ages. A positive result of the Direct Coomb's test, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura are the most common features of autoimmunity in patients with ALPS. Elevated numbers and percentages (>1%) of double-negative (CD4(-)CD8(-)) T cells, and characteristic pathologic findings in lymph nodes or spleen are other important diagnostic features. In this report, we present the clinical, immunologic, and pathologic features of two children who were diagnosed with ALPS. The early recognition of ALPS in children with enlarged lymph nodes, hepatosplenomegaly, and autoimmune hematologic features has important diagnostic and prognostic value in avoiding expensive and time-consuming studies and unnecessary treatments. The ratio of CD4(-)CD8(-) T cells, immunoglobulin levels and the histopathologic features of lymph nodes should be rapidly determined in these patients in order to establish an early diagnosis and treatment