Capacity building in stakeholders around Detroit River fish consumption advisory issues

Abstract The Detroit River is an international water body that has several fish consumption advisories for contaminants that affect human health and economic revenue for the USA and Canada. Despite the importance of these advisories, little progress has been made in developing effective management strategies or coordinating monitoring, research, and policy efforts between the 2 nations. We engaged 44 stakeholder organizations to increase community capacity on these issues for the Detroit River. We assessed capacity with key informant interviews and a network survey. Our analysis identified weak ties in information sharing and collaboration between countries. We used this information to improve stakeholder capacity, which included forming working groups that focused on system analysis, identification of priority issues, and definitions of organizational roles. Outcomes included outreach materials addressing environmental-justice issues and risk-analysis models of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) body burdens in fish. Our assessment of workshop participants with a longitudinal survey indicated that we increased network capacity and issue awareness in our stakeholders by providing new ways for them to work together. The engagement of stakeholders also improved research outcomes. By identifying stakeholder concerns related to scientific questions about consumption advisories early in the process, researchers were able to direct their efforts to generating translational research that better addressed stakeholder needs

Evaluation of the influence of light-curing units on the degree of conversion in depth of a bulk-fill resin

It is known that bulk-fill have been widely studied and used by dentists in the clinic. However, the use of light-curing units that do not have the ability to adequately light-cure these materials at the appropriate depth can affect their clinical perfor

Aplicação de bicarbonato de sódio por meio da aerossolterapia no tratamento de doenças respiratórias: revisão sistemática / Application of sodium bicarbonate through aerosol therapy in the treatment of respiratory diseases: systematic review

INTRODUÇÃO:  As infecções respiratórias agudas e crônicas são um grande problema de saúde pública a nível mundial. Um dos componentes utilizados para tratamento das doenças respiratórias é o bicarbonato de sódio (NaHCO3), sendo uma opção para tratamento da COVID-19. A associação entre a COVID-19 e o tratamento do trato respiratório ainda é pouco documentada, bem como as suas possíveis consequências. METODOLOGIA: Foi conduzida uma revisão sistemática da literatura. As buscas foram realizadas a partir do mês de agosto de 2020, na base de dados National Library of Medicine (Medline), Scielo e Pubmed.  Os descritores    utilizados    foram: “Doença Respiratória” e “Bicarbonato de sódio”.  Inicialmente foram encontrados 315 artigos e, após a análise dos resumos e da aplicação dos critérios de inclusão e exclusão, 63 artigos foram selecionados. Por fim, os estudos foram submetidos à análise quantitativa e qualitativa, resultando em 24 artigos que estão incluídos nesta revisão sistemática. A escala de sistematização PRISMA foi utilizada a fim de aprimorar os resultados desta revisão. RESULTADOS: Os estudos demonstraram que a ocorrência de manifestações respiratórias inclui complicações do trato respiratório superior e inferior podem ser tratados com bicarbonato de sódio.  Entretanto, diversos estudos apresentam limitações como dificuldade na aplicação, obtenção de dados, escassez de recursos e curto tempo de acompanhamento

Aquatic toxicity, ecological risks, and risk tradeoff analysis of biocide treatment for unballasted vessels.

The release of nonindigenous species through ballast water is one of the greatest threats to aquatic biodiversity worldwide. Using chemical biocides to reduce the number of organisms transported by ballast water is one treatment option under consideration; acceptance of this approach, however, will depend on both effectiveness and environmental acceptability. This dissertation characterizes the potential efficacy and environmental impacts of using the biocide glutaraldehyde to treat unballasted vessels trading in the Great Lakes. With respect to efficacy, the results from laboratory studies indicate that glutaraldehyde is toxic to a range of aquatic organisms, although interspecific differences in sensitivity may require higher treatment concentrations (Chapter 2). In addition, efficacy in laboratory experiments against benthic organisms diminished in the presence of sediments, which apparently afford physical protection. With respect to potential environmental impacts, results from chronic toxicity bioassays indicate that algal species are particularly sensitive to glutaraldehyde, with effect-level concentrations occurring at less than 1 mg L-1 glutaraldehyde after 96-hr exposures (Chapter 3). To predict in situ efficacy and potential release concentrations, a biocide decay model was developed to simulate changes in glutaraldehyde concentrations associated with temperature variations during vessel transits (Chapter 4). These simulations indicate that glutaraldehyde treatment concentrations can likely be maintained during a trans-Atlantic journey lasting approximately 10 days. The release concentrations at a Great Lakes port are predicted to vary temporally, with higher release concentrations predicted in the early spring and late fall. The potential ecological impacts of release concentrations were evaluated with an ecosystem simulation model (Chapter 5). Results suggest that ecological risks of glutaraldehyde are small, declining rapidly with small decreases in glutaraldehyde concentrations; however, certain populations of organisms may incur greater risks during the spring months, when glutaraldehyde concentrations are projected to be higher. Finally, the potential ecological impacts of glutaraldeyde are compared with those of established nonindigenous species in the Great Lakes using a risk-tradeoff analysis framework (Chapter 6). Results indicate that although some elements of these ecological risks may be qualitatively similar, the spatial and temporal scale of impacts of invaders is much greater than any potential ecological effects due to glutaraldehyde release.Ph.D.Biological SciencesEcologyEnvironmental scienceHealth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/125492/2/3192770.pd

Capacity building in stakeholders around Detroit Riverfish consumption advisory issues

The Detroit River is an international water body that has several fish consumption advisories for contaminants that affect human health and economic revenue for the USA and Canada. Despite the importance of these advisories, little progress has been made in developing effective management strategies or coordinating monitoring, research, and policy efforts between the 2 nations. We engaged 44 stakeholder organizations to in- crease community capacity on these issues for the Detroit River. We assessed capacity with key informant interviews and a network survey. Our analysis identified weak ties in information sharing and collaboration between countries. We used this information to improve stakeholder capacity, which included forming working groups that focused on system analysis, identification of priority issues, and definitions of organizational roles. Outcomes included outreach materials addressing environmental-justice issues and risk-analysis models of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) body burdens in fish. Our assessment of workshop participants with a longitudinal survey indicated that we increased network capacity and issue awareness in our stakeholders by providing new ways for them to work together. The engagement of stakeholders also improved research outcomes. By identifying stakeholder concerns related to scientific questions about consumption advisories early in the process, researchers were able to direct their efforts to generating translational research that better addressed stakeholder needs

What are the Causes, Consequences and Correctives of fish contamination in the Detroit River AOC that cause health consumption advisories? (Final Report, Michigan Sea Grant MICHU-T-10-001)

Using an Integrated Assessment (IA) framework, we consolidated and utilized existing data from the Detroit River to develop models that both identify possible drivers of elevated fish contaminant body burdens, and to facilitate a more risk-based approach of tissue trigger-levels for consumption advisories. This integrated assessment approach was particularly useful for consumption advisories as it provided the ability to integrate and organize complex data in a manner that can help inform management decisions. In addition, the IA framework explicitly fosters collaboration and participation of multiple interested groups. We have capitalized on this component of IAs, by seeking the active participation of different stakeholder groups in developing logic models that identify the goals of the scientific assessment and the connections between the science and management or policy outcomes. This science-policy connection was the focus of workshops designed to evaluate frameworks identifying the goals and desired outcomes from the scientific assessment component of the IA. We approached this IA with the following objectives: 1) Synthesize and summarize the status and trends of fish contaminant levels and advisories in the Detroit River, through an assessment of the trends in the data as well as documentation of the history of the fish advisory in the river Canadian and U.S. 2) Describe the abiotic, biotic, and human health causes and consequences of fish consumption advisories, with an emphasison model simulation and explanatory analyses. This effort will focus on the environmental conditions that contribute to fish consumption advisories in addition to other factors that may exacerbate human health risks. 3) Identify the key uncertainties regarding the drivers of consumption advisories for use in prioritizing future research and monitoring efforts and in helping guide management and policy directives. 4) Utilize information on the causes and consequences of consumption advisories for providing technical guidance in implementing policy and management options. This will include a focus on short-term measures that reduce direct threats to human health and longer-term objectives to reduce overall body burden of fish in the Detroit River relative to reference areas

Comparative Efficacy of Potential Chemical Disinfectants for Treating Unballasted Vessels

The release of ballast water from transoceanic vessels is a major vector for the introduction of nonindigenous species into the Laurentian Great Lakes. This study assessed the effectiveness of treating unballasted transoceanic vessels using three different biocides: glutaraldehyde plus a surfactant adjuvant (Disinfekt 1000®), sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), and SeaKleen™ (menadione and menadione metabisulfite 2:8). Efficacy against several classes of aquatic organisms was evaluated using 24 h acute toxicity experiments and 11 day ballast tank simulation experiments. The results indicate substantial, compound-specific variations in organism sensitivity. For water-only exposures, NaOCl and SeaKleen™ were most effective: NaOCl had the lowest LC90 (90% lethal concentration value) for the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus (1.0 mg L−1), while SeaKleen™ had the lowest LC90 for the amphipod Hyalella azteca (2.5 mg L−1). Sediments profoundly affected efficacy, particularly for NaOCl: At a 1:4 sediment-water ratio, the estimated LC90 for L. variegatus was > 2,000 mg L−1. Sediment quality also impacted efficacy: Sediments with higher organic carbon content typically required greater biocide concentrations to achieve comparable toxicity. Efficacy was further evaluated with 11 day bioassays using sediments from unballasted vessels. Results indicated that NaOCl and Disinfekt 1000® were more effective than predicted based on small scale sediment-water exposures. Overall, the data suggest that although NaOCl may be effective under water-only conditions, the higher concentrations required in the presence of sediments may cause corrosion problems for ballast tanks. Because of this, less reactive, non-oxidizing biocides such as SeaKleen™ and Disinfekt 1000® may be better candidates for treating sedimented tanks

Temporal Dynamics of the Hydropower Water Reservoirs of the Tocantins–Araguaia Basin, Brazil, Based on Remote Sensing and Hydrometeorological Station Datasets

The Tocantins–Araguaia Basin covers an extensive area of Brazilian territory and has a water reservoir system installed in a cascade that is very important for water storage and hydropower production. There is concern about the use of this resource because of the current tendency of surface water reduction in the reservoir systems. Sustainable management can help to guarantee the water supply and the hydropower supply. However, accurate data on the monitoring parameters are required. This study aims to analyze which factors most influence the changes in the areas of water reservoirs and, subsequently, the changes in the water availability. Trends, correlations, and principal component analyses (PCAs) were used to assess the association between the areas of water reservoirs and the liquid evaporation, discharge, precipitation, and land use and land cover (LULC) in the basin. We observed that the precipitation did not decrease significantly. On the other hand, changes in the LULC and the areas of reservoirs were highly correlated with each other. The PCA also showed a strong association between meteorological factors and the areas of reservoirs. In conclusion, this study showed that reductions in the areas of water reservoirs are mostly related to deforestation and reduced reservoir discharge rather than climate change. This paper provides a straightforward approach to monitoring reservoir changes based on the tendencies of some parameters that are strongly correlated with reservoir changes