A Review of Volatile Organic Compound Contamination in Post-Industrial Urban Centers: Reproductive Health Implications Using a Detroit Lens

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a group of aromatic or chlorinated organic chemicals commonly found in manufactured products that have high vapor pressure, and thus vaporize readily at room temperature. While airshed VOCs are well studied and have provided insights into public health issues, we suggest that belowground VOCs and the related vapor intrusion process could be equally or even more relevant to public health. The persistence, movement, remediation, and human health implications of subsurface VOCs in urban landscapes remain relatively understudied despite evidence of widespread contamination. This review explores the state of the science of subsurface movement and remediation of VOCs through groundwater and soils, the linkages between these poorly understood contaminant exposure pathways and health outcomes based on research in various animal models, and describes the role of these contaminants in human health, focusing on birth outcomes, notably low birth weight and preterm birth. Finally, this review provides recommendations for future research to address knowledge gaps that are essential for not only tackling health disparities and environmental injustice in post-industrial cities, but also protecting and preserving critical freshwater resources

Intraoperative Language Mapping Guided by Real-Time Visualization of Gamma Band Modulation Electrocorticograms: Case Report and Proof of Concept

BACKGROUND: Electrocorticography (ECoG) language mapping is often performed extraoperatively, frequently involves offline processing, and relationships with direct cortical stimulation (DCS) remain variable. We sought to determine the feasibility and preliminary utility of an intraoperative language mapping approach guided by real-time visualization of electrocorticograms. METHODS: A patient with astrocytoma underwent awake craniotomy with intraoperative language mapping, utilizing a dual iPad stimulus presentation system coupled to a real-time neural signal processing platform capable of both ECoG recording and delivery of DCS. Gamma band modulations in response to 4 language tasks at each electrode were visualized in real-time. Next, DCS was conducted for each neighboring electrode pair during language tasks. RESULTS: All language tasks resulted in strongest heat map activation at an electrode pair in the anterior to mid superior temporal gyrus. Consistent speech arrest during DCS was observed for Object and Action naming tasks at these same electrodes, indicating good correspondence with ECoG heat map recordings. This region corresponded well with posterior language representation via preoperative functional MRI. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative real-time visualization of language task-based ECoG gamma band modulation is feasible and may help identify targets for DCS. If validated, this may improve the efficiency and accuracy of intraoperative language mapping

Baseline characteristics of patients in the reduction of events with darbepoetin alfa in heart failure trial (RED-HF)

<p>Aims: This report describes the baseline characteristics of patients in the Reduction of Events with Darbepoetin alfa in Heart Failure trial (RED-HF) which is testing the hypothesis that anaemia correction with darbepoetin alfa will reduce the composite endpoint of death from any cause or hospital admission for worsening heart failure, and improve other outcomes.</p> <p>Methods and results: Key demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings, along with baseline treatment, are reported and compared with those of patients in other recent clinical trials in heart failure. Compared with other recent trials, RED-HF enrolled more elderly [mean age 70 (SD 11.4) years], female (41%), and black (9%) patients. RED-HF patients more often had diabetes (46%) and renal impairment (72% had an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2). Patients in RED-HF had heart failure of longer duration [5.3 (5.4) years], worse NYHA class (35% II, 63% III, and 2% IV), and more signs of congestion. Mean EF was 30% (6.8%). RED-HF patients were well treated at randomization, and pharmacological therapy at baseline was broadly similar to that of other recent trials, taking account of study-specific inclusion/exclusion criteria. Median (interquartile range) haemoglobin at baseline was 112 (106–117) g/L.</p> <p>Conclusion: The anaemic patients enrolled in RED-HF were older, moderately to markedly symptomatic, and had extensive co-morbidity.</p&gt

A Review of Volatile Organic Compound Contamination in Post-Industrial Urban Centers: Reproductive Health Implications Using a Detroit Lens

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a group of aromatic or chlorinated organic chemicals commonly found in manufactured products that have high vapor pressure, and thus vaporize readily at room temperature. While airshed VOCs are well studied and have provided insights into public health issues, we suggest that belowground VOCs and the related vapor intrusion process could be equally or even more relevant to public health. The persistence, movement, remediation, and human health implications of subsurface VOCs in urban landscapes remain relatively understudied despite evidence of widespread contamination. This review explores the state of the science of subsurface movement and remediation of VOCs through groundwater and soils, the linkages between these poorly understood contaminant exposure pathways and health outcomes based on research in various animal models, and describes the role of these contaminants in human health, focusing on birth outcomes, notably low birth weight and preterm birth. Finally, this review provides recommendations for future research to address knowledge gaps that are essential for not only tackling health disparities and environmental injustice in post-industrial cities, but also protecting and preserving critical freshwater resources

Green chemistry: water and its treatment Green chemical processing ;, vol. 7./ edited by Mark Anthony Benvenuto and Heinz Plaumann.

In English.Includes bibliographical references and index.The "greening" of industry processes, i.e. making them more sustainable, is a popular and often lucrative trend in Chemical Engineering. The 7th volume of Green Chemical Processing considers the role of water in sustainable chemistry and highlights innovations in the field of water treatment. The American Chemical Society's 12 Principles of Green Chemistry are woven throughout this text as well as the series to which this book belongs.Mark A. Benvenuto and Heinz Plaumann -- John H. Hartig, Timothy Dekker-- R. Michael, L. McKay, George S. Bullerjahn, Katelynn Johnson, Tim Kearns, Kelli Paige, Bryan Stubbs, Edward M. Verhamme -- Luuk Peters -- Will Sarni -- Jeremy Wright, Jeremy Lytle, Hala Al Amine, Hitesh Doshi -- Heinz Plaumann -- Jacob Napieralski -- Anum Khan, Darko Joksimovic and Barry Orr -- Meisam Darabi, Yongli Zhang -- Audrey Stahrr, Mohammed Dardona, Chandra M. Tummala, Timothy M. Dittrich -- Vanessa Maldonado, Qi Hua Fan -- Kathryn Fahy -- Nick Krayacich, Ron Denham. Green chemistry and water: an introduction / Establishment of a water collaborative for Metropolitan Detroit, MI, USA / Binational cooperation toward a goal of Smart Great Lakes / Gray water system / The future of water: digital water technologies and localized water systems / Green roofs: 10 years after City of Toronto Green Roof Bylaw / From greenfield to chemical production and back to greenfield: a major environmental remediation success / Swimming in the desert: the environmental costs of residential pools in arid cities / Defining "flushability" for sewer use / Removal of microplastic pollution in water and wastewater treatment / Road dust: composition and effects on urban waterways / Destructive water treatment technologies for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) / HANWASH and its dream for Haiti / Rotary WASH and the role of the WASH rotary action group /1 online resource (x, 160 pages)

The "Woundosome" Concept and Its Impact on Procedural Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia

This editorial assembles endovascular specialists from diverse clinical backgrounds and nationalities with a global call to address key challenges to enhance revascularization in chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) patients.- Dedicated below-the-ankle (BTA) angiography and revascularization is underutilized in ischemic foot treatment. Existing guidelines do not address comprehensive BTA vessel analysis. CLTI trials also often lack data on in-line arterial flow to the ischemic lesion and BTA vessel evaluation, hindering outcome assessment.- Dedicated multi-planar angiographic evaluation of the distal microcirculation is key: Direct arterial flow or good-quality collaterals are crucial in influencing wound healing and need to be assessed diligently to the level of the distal ischemic wound territory, termed “woundosome.”- An important primary emphasis of future trials should be on validating technologies and strategies for assessing tissue perfusion before, during, and after revascularization undertaken to heal tissue loss in CLTI patients. This will allow determination of a potentially significant delta in tissue perfusion prior to and following intervention at the “woundosome” level. Once changes in arterial perfusion have been identified as positively correlated to wound healing, these could serve as a much-needed novel primary technical outcome measure for patients with tissue loss undergoing surgical, hybrid, or endovascular revascularization

A new route of magnetic biochar based polyaniline composites for supercapacitor electrode materials

In this paper, abundantly available durian's rind was opted as raw material to synthesize magnetic biochar in the presence of three different metallic salts by employing a novel vacuum condition in an electrical muffle furnace. Magnetic biochar was successfully produced with a maximum BET surface area value of 835 m2/g at the pyrolysis temperature and time of 800 °C and 25 min. This magnetic biochar was successfully employed to support and disperse polyaniline (PANI) particles for the application as supercapacitor electrode materials. The produced magnetic biochar - PANI composite exhibited an enhanced specific capacitance compared to the pure PANI and magnetic biochar. The highest specific capacitance of 615 F/g at 10 mV/s and energy density of 76.88 Wh/kg were demonstrated by the MBCA composite, which is considered favorably high compared to the existing PANI coated carbon composites. This magnetic biochar - PANI composites exhibits a good potential for future supercapacitor applications