PPCPs in Karst Groundwater in Southwestern Illinois

In May 2014, Wei Zheng, along with collaborators Walt Kelly (Illinois State Water Survey), Steve Taylor (Illinois Natural History Survey), and Sam Panno (Illinois State Geological Survey), received a one-year grant for a project titled “Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in Karst Groundwater in Southwestern Illinois,” allowed them to continue their work on groundwater contamination in karst regions of the state and expand to look at veterinary hormones.Prairie Research Institute’s Matching Research Awards ProgramOpe

A Numerical Method to Compute Brain Injury Associated to Concussion

This research proposes a new a numerical method to compute brain injury associated with concussion using the Peak Virtual Power method, using the THUMS 4.02 head model. The results indicate that mild and severe concussions could be prevented for lateral collisions and frontal impacts with PVP values lower than 0.928mW and 9.405mW, respectively, and no concussion would happen in the head vertical direction for a PVP value less than 1.184mW. This innovative method proposes a new paradigm to improve helmet designs, assess sports injuries and improve people's wellbeing.Comment: 12 page

A Numerical Method to Compute Brain Injury Associated to Concussion

This research proposes a new a numerical method to compute brain injury associated with concussion using the Peak Virtual Power method, using the THUMS 4.02 head model. The results indicate that mild and severe concussions could be prevented for lateral collisions and frontal impacts with PVP values lower than 0.928mW and 9.405mW, respectively, and no concussion would happen in the head vertical direction for a PVP value less than 1.184mW. This innovative method proposes a new paradigm to improve helmet designs, assess sports injuries and improve people's wellbeing.Comment: 12 page

The Relationship of Immune Status to the Efficacy of Immunotherapy in Preventing Tumour Recurrence in Mice

The immunotherapeutic value of tumour extracts or B.C.G. in preventing either the occurrence of primary tumours or the recurrence of tumours in surgically resected animals has been examined. A transplantable methylcholanthrene induced tumour in DBA/2J mice was used. Neither tumour extract nor chemically modified extract was effective in preventing tumour growth in immunized animals, even though the mice demonstrated measurable levels of cell mediated tumour immunity at the time of tumour challenge. The frequency of tumour recurrence after resection of small tumours (about 1·0 g) was significantly lowered by treatment of the mice with a combination of B.C.G. and either modified or unmodified tumour extract. The frequency of recurrence after resection of large tumours (about 2·5 g) was not affected by any form of immunotherapy although the survival time of treated animals was significantly prolonged. The immunological status of animals with small and large tumours was examined and it was shown that mice with 1·0 g tumours have unimpaired mitogen responsiveness and measurable tumour specific immunity, whereas mice bearing large tumours (2·5 g) have a markedly impaired immune system

In-Field LAMP Detection of Flavescence Dorée Phytoplasma in Crude Extracts of the Scaphoideus titanus Vector

One of the most destructive diseases affecting grapevine in Europe is caused by Flavescence Dorée phytoplasma (FDp), which belongs to the 16Sr-V group and is a European Union quarantine pathogen. Although many molecular techniques such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) are widely used for the rapid detection of FDp in infected grapevine plants, there is no developed isothermal amplification assay for FDp detection in the insect vectors that are fundamental for the spread of the disease. For this reason, a simple in-field real-time LAMP protocol was optimized and developed for the specific detection of FDp in the insect vector Scaphoideus titanus. The LAMP assay was optimized to work with crude insect extracts obtained by manually shaking a single insect in a buffer for 5 min. Such a simple, sensitive, specific, economic, and user-friendly LAMP assay allowed the detection of FDp in S. titanus in less than half an hour, directly in the field. The developed insect tissue preparation procedure, combined with the LAMP protocol, promptly revealed the presence of FDp in infected S. titanus directly in the vineyards, allowing for monitoring of the spread of the pathogen in the field and to apply timely strategies required for the mandatory control of this pathogen

Public perceptions of forests across Italy: An exploratory national survey

In a context of progressive expansion of the Italian forest area, we present the results of a national survey exploring public perception of forests across different geographical scales in Italy. Perceptions of forests are assessed in rela-tion to popular beliefs on relevant environmental issues such as countering climate change, protecting biodiversity, and promoting social cohesion and environmental education. Participants (N = 1059) living in five different regions of Northern (Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Piemonte), Central (Lazio, Molise) and Southern Italy (Puglia), were recruited in the survey and completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. Survey questions regarded the estimated percentage of forest cover, the perceived importance of different environmental issues and of different material and non-material forest products, as well as partici-pants’ perceptions regarding connectedness to nature. Results revealed a gen-eralized tendency to overestimate the extension of forest surface area in the participants’ region, in Italy, and in the European Union. Results also showed high scores for participants’ perceived importance of environmental issues, such as climate change and biodiversity protection, and in their belief that forests could play a positive role in addressing these issues and providing im-portant outcomes and benefits for the quality of human life, such as health and well-being or social cohesion

Evaluation of biocides in oilfield environments using fluorescent <i>in-situ</i> hybridization

Microbiologically influenced corrosion and souring of oilfield reservoirs are process frequently provoked by the sulphate-reducing bacteria. The most common method applied in the industry for preventing or controlling the deleterious effect caused by the presence of microorganisms is the addition of chemical agents (biocides) aimed at killing the microorganisms or inhibiting the microbial growth. Traditionally, biocide selection and testing are based on NACE standard TM0194 which implies the use of culturing for enumerating the bacteria surviving the treatment. To overcome culturing limitations, we used Fluorescent in-situ Hybridization to assist in the evaluation of biocides applied in water production treatment plants. Biocides were based on THPS (40% (B1); 75% (B2)) and 40% of a mixture (1/1, v/v) of THPS and benzalkonium chloride (B3) applied at two concentrations: 50 and 400 mg/L. The relation between the number of cells visualized with the fluorescent probes Eub338 and SRB385 (for eubacteria and SRB populations respectively) and the DAPI-stained cells (PR%) was used as an indication of the biocide efficiency. B1 and B3 gave a high PR% indicating that the chemical induced the metabolic cell activity. Only the highest B2 concentration showed effectiveness on eubacteria and SRB populations. Thus, through the application of FISH we were able to distinguish concentration effects of the THPS, discriminating sublethal from net inhibitory effects. The possibility of including FISH into the protocols for the control of the biocides in water treatment plants could improve the biocide selection and the adjustment of their concentration in order to maintain the water system with a low density of metabolically active cells. This would avoid the misuse of chemicals with their consequent economic and ecological impacts.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones IndustrialesCentro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología de Pintura

Evaluation of biocides in oilfield environments using fluorescent <i>in-situ</i> hybridization

Microbiologically influenced corrosion and souring of oilfield reservoirs are process frequently provoked by the sulphate-reducing bacteria. The most common method applied in the industry for preventing or controlling the deleterious effect caused by the presence of microorganisms is the addition of chemical agents (biocides) aimed at killing the microorganisms or inhibiting the microbial growth. Traditionally, biocide selection and testing are based on NACE standard TM0194 which implies the use of culturing for enumerating the bacteria surviving the treatment. To overcome culturing limitations, we used Fluorescent in-situ Hybridization to assist in the evaluation of biocides applied in water production treatment plants. Biocides were based on THPS (40% (B1); 75% (B2)) and 40% of a mixture (1/1, v/v) of THPS and benzalkonium chloride (B3) applied at two concentrations: 50 and 400 mg/L. The relation between the number of cells visualized with the fluorescent probes Eub338 and SRB385 (for eubacteria and SRB populations respectively) and the DAPI-stained cells (PR%) was used as an indication of the biocide efficiency. B1 and B3 gave a high PR% indicating that the chemical induced the metabolic cell activity. Only the highest B2 concentration showed effectiveness on eubacteria and SRB populations. Thus, through the application of FISH we were able to distinguish concentration effects of the THPS, discriminating sublethal from net inhibitory effects. The possibility of including FISH into the protocols for the control of the biocides in water treatment plants could improve the biocide selection and the adjustment of their concentration in order to maintain the water system with a low density of metabolically active cells. This would avoid the misuse of chemicals with their consequent economic and ecological impacts.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones IndustrialesCentro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología de Pintura