Using Viruses to Examine Soil Treatment of Septic Tank Effluent

Viral contamination of drinking water supplies due to inadequate renovation of septic tank effluent (STE) is a public health concern. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the use of a bacteriophage to evaluate virus movement in a soil treatment system. Viruses - MS2 bacteriophage - were injected into a wastewater treatment system with soil absorption trenches and drainage tiles, and the drain tile effluent was collected and assayed for the phage. The virus suspension was assayed and a measured amount of STE and virus suspension was pumped into the system allowing for calculation of the influent virus titer. Results of the virus assays showed that the wastewater treatment system generally achieves a 99.0 (2 log) to 99.9% (3 log) reduction in the concentration of viable bacteriophage after moving through one meter of silt loam soil. This paper illustrates the procedures to utilize and assay for bacteriophage in the harsh environment of a working onsite wastewater treatment system

What predicts a successful smoking cessation attempt?

Quit date abstinence (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, based on low-quality randomized controlled trial [RCT] of healthy subjects) and refraining from tobacco products within the first 2 weeks after an attempt (SOR: A, based on 2 RCTs) predict long-term abstinence from smoking. Inconsistent studies variously identify being married, a diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) within the past 2 years, a higher education level, advanced age, and social status (such as being a homeowner) as factors correlated with successful smoking cessation (SOR: C, based on prospective cohort studies with conflicting results)

Dose-related beneficial long-term hemodynamic and clinical efficacy of irbesartan in heart failure

AbstractOBJECTIVESThe primary purpose of this study was to determine the acute and long-term hemodynamic and clinical effects of irbesartan in patients with heart failure.BACKGROUNDInhibition of angiotensin II production by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors reduces morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure. Irbesartan is an orally active antagonist of the angiotensin II AT1receptor subtype with potential efficacy in heart failure.METHODSTwo hundred eighteen patients with symptomatic heart failure (New York Heart Association [NYHA] class II–IV) and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% participated in the study. Serial hemodynamic measurements were made over 24 h following randomization to irbesartan 12.5 mg, 37.5 mg, 75 mg, 150 mg or placebo. After the first dose of study medication, patients receiving placebo were reallocated to one of the four irbesartan doses, treatment was continued for 12 weeks and hemodynamic measurements were repeated.RESULTSIrbesartan induced significant dose-related decreases in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (average change −5.9 ± 0.9 mm Hg and −5.3 ± 0.9 mm Hg for irbesartan 75 mg and 150 mg, respectively) after 12 weeks of therapy without causing reflex tachycardia and without increasing plasma norepinephrine. The neurohormonal effects of irbesartan were highly variable and none of the changes was statistically significant. There was a significant dose-related decrease in the percentage of patients discontinuing study medication because of worsening heart failure. Irbesartan was well tolerated without evidence of dose-related cough or azotemia.CONCLUSIONSIrbesartan, at once-daily doses of 75 mg and 150 mg, induced sustained hemodynamic improvement and prevented worsening heart failure

Chasing the Elderly: Can State and Local Governments Attract Recent Retirees?

Recruiting recent retirees to relocate from elsewhere has become an important economic development strategy in an increasing number of states. State governments have planned or enacted a variety of tax and fee incentives to lure retirees. The objective of this paper is to determine whether states can, in fact, influence the retirement destination of elder households using fiscal tools. To estimate the determinants of retiree location decisions we have developed an extensive data set on county attributes, and a methodology for estimating an individual-level discrete-choice model for a very large number of potential locations. Using 1990 county-to-county migration data, we estimate the effects of an array of tax and expenditures variables on the probability that a retiree locates in that county. We find that changes in tax burdens and service levels can affect location decisions. Of the fiscal variables, inheritance taxes, income taxes, and property taxes have the largest relative effects. However, very large tax reductions would be required to attract even one more retiree to the average county. Unless these tax breaks could be narrowly targeted to the group of retirees most likely to consider migrating, the revenue losses from such a program are likely to significantly outweigh the economic and fiscal benefits. Our results suggest that states should focus on marketing their amenities, rather than using fiscal policy to recruit retirees

PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorders Predict the Pace of Cellular Aging

Advanced epigenetic age is associated with psychopathology and may help to explain the link between psychopathology and physical health morbidity and mortality. Using a longitudinal sample of 171 trauma-exposed Veterans, we modeled the rate of change in epigenetic age across two time points (averaging 5.58 years apart) using two epigenetic age algorithms (GrimAge and Horvath) and tested associations with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use disorder (AUD), and depression. Results showed that PTSD (β = .199) and AUD (β = .186) were associated with a quickened pace of epigenetic aging over time (ps \u3c .021). Results replicate and extend prior work and offer foundational support for identifying interventions that slow the pace of biological aging among those with psychopathology

Quantifying ERK activity in response to inhibition of the BRAFV600E-MEK-ERK cascade using mathematical modelling

Funding: UK Medical Research Council (Grant Number(s): MR/R017506/1).Background Simultaneous inhibition of multiple components of the BRAF-MEK-ERK cascade (vertical inhibition) has become a standard of care for treating BRAF-mutant melanoma. However, the molecular mechanism of how vertical inhibition synergistically suppresses intracellular ERK activity, and consequently cell proliferation, are yet to be fully elucidated. Methods We develop a mechanistic mathematical model that describes how the mutant BRAF inhibitor, dabrafenib, and the MEK inhibitor, trametinib, affect BRAFV600E-MEK-ERK signalling. The model is based on a system of chemical reactions that describes cascade signalling dynamics. Using mass action kinetics, the chemical reactions are re-expressed as ordinary differential equations that are parameterised by in vitro data and solved numerically to obtain the temporal evolution of cascade component concentrations. Results The model provides a quantitative method to compute how dabrafenib and trametinib can be used in combination to synergistically inhibit ERK activity in BRAFV600E-mutant melanoma cells. The model elucidates molecular mechanisms of vertical inhibition of the BRAFV600E-MEK-ERK cascade and delineates how elevated BRAF concentrations generate drug resistance to dabrafenib and trametinib. The computational simulations further suggest that elevated ATP levels could be a factor in drug resistance to dabrafenib. Conclusions The model can be used to systematically motivate which dabrafenib–trametinib dose combinations, for treating BRAFV600E-mutated melanoma, warrant experimental investigation.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Failure of hydrogenation in protecting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from fragmentation

A recent study of soft X-ray absorption in native and hydrogenated coronene cations, C$_{24}$H$_{12+m}^+$ $m=0-7$, led to the conclusion that additional hydrogen atoms protect (interstellar) Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules from fragmentation [Reitsma et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 053002 (2014)]. The present experiment with collisions between fast (30-200 eV) He atoms and pyrene (C$_{16}$H$_{10+m}^+$, $m=0$, 6, and 16) and simulations without reference to the excitation method suggests the opposite. We find that the absolute carbon-backbone fragmentation cross section does not decrease but increases with the degree of hydrogenation for pyrene molecules.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Further Examination of the Geographic Range of Eriogonum corymbosum var. nilesii (Polygonaceae, Eriogoneae)

The wild buckwheat Eriogonum corymbosum is widely distributed throughout the southwestern United States, forming a complex of eight varieties. E. corymbosum var. nilesii is a predominantly yellow-flowered variant reported primarily from Clark Co., Nevada. A previous genetic study by our research group found that var. nilesii is genetically distinct from other E. corymbosum varieties, based on a limited number of populations. Here, we assess genetic variation in 14 newly sampled yellow-flowered populations from southern Nevada, southern Utah, and northern Arizona, and compare them to genetic variation in six populations of previously determined E. corymbosum varieties. Of the new populations, we identified four as var. nilesii, four as var. aureum, three as var. glutinosum, two as apparent hybrids involving vars. aureum and nilesii, and one as a more distantly related admixture involving E. thompsoniae. Our results extend the range and area of E. corymbosum var. nilesii considerably from that traditionally stated in the literature. However, this extended range is confined to the Mojave Desert region of southern Nevada, and the number of known populations remains limited

Die Brüder Grimm. Pioniere deutscher Sprachkultur des 21. Jahrhunderts

Die bekanntesten Märchenerzähler der Deutschen - und doch reicht die Wirkung der weltberühmten Brüder viel weiter: Tatsächlich zählen Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm zu den produktivsten Sprachforschern ihres Jahrhunderts. Sie kamen der Entstehung der germanischen Sprachen auf die Spur, und sie schufen mit dem »Deutschen Wörterbuch« das umfangreichste Nachschlagewerk zur deutschen Sprache überhaupt. Wissenschaft verstanden sie dabei als Dienst an der Gesellschaft: In all ihren Arbeiten war immer auch der Gedanke an Aufklärung, Sprachkultur und Volksbildung lebendig. Die Brüder Grimm - Pioniere deutscher Sprachkultur des 21. Jahrhunderts gibt einen aufschlussreichen Überblick über das Wirken der Grimms, vermittelt Einblicke in zwei außergewöhnliche Forscherleben und zeigt, wie ihre Ideen und Konzepte bis heute aktuell geblieben sind