Free and Modified Mycotoxins in Organic and Conventional Oats (Avena sativa L.) Grown in Scotland.

Small grain cereals are frequently infected with mycotoxigenic Fusarium fungi. Oats have a particularly high risk of contamination with type A trichothecene mycotoxins; their glucoside conjugates have also been reported. Agronomy practices, cereal variety and weather conditions have been suggested to play a role in Fusarium infection in oats. The current study investigates concentrations of free and conjugated Fusarium mycotoxins in organic and conventional oats grown in Scotland. In 2019, 33 milling oat samples (12 organic, 21 conventional) were collected from farmers across Scotland, together with sample questionnaires. Samples were analysed for 12 mycotoxins (type A trichothecenes T-2-toxin, HT-2-toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol; type B trichothecenes deoxynivalenol, nivalenol; zearalenone and their respective glucosides) using LC-MS/MS. The prevalence of type A trichothecenes T-2/HT-2 was very high (100% of conventional oats, 83% of organic oats), whereas type B trichothecenes were less prevalent, and zearalenone was rarely found. T-2-glucoside and deoxynivalenol-glucoside were the most prevalent conjugated mycotoxins (36 and 33%), and co-occurrence between type A and B trichothecenes were frequently observed (66% of samples). Organic oats were contaminated at significantly lower average concentrations than conventional oats, whereas the effect of weather parameters were not statistically significant. Our results clearly indicate that free and conjugated T-2- and HT-2-toxins pose a major risk to Scottish oat production and that organic production and crop rotation offer potential mitigation strategies.

Changing Agendas on Sleep, Treatment and Learning in Epilepsy (CASTLE) Sleep-E: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial comparing an online behavioural sleep intervention with standard care in children with Rolandic epilepsy.

INTRODUCTION: Sleep and epilepsy have an established bidirectional relationship yet only one randomised controlled clinical trial has assessed the effectiveness of behavioural sleep interventions for children with epilepsy. The intervention was successful, but was delivered via face-to-face educational sessions with parents, which are costly and non-scalable to population level. The Changing Agendas on Sleep, Treatment and Learning in Epilepsy (CASTLE) Sleep-E trial addresses this problem by comparing clinical and cost-effectiveness in children with Rolandic epilepsy between standard care (SC) and SC augmented with a novel, tailored parent-led CASTLE Online Sleep Intervention (COSI) that incorporates evidence-based behavioural components. METHODS AND ANALYSES: CASTLE Sleep-E is a UK-based, multicentre, open-label, active concurrent control, randomised, parallel-group, pragmatic superiority trial. A total of 110 children with Rolandic epilepsy will be recruited in outpatient clinics and allocated 1:1 to SC or SC augmented with COSI (SC+COSI). Primary clinical outcome is parent-reported sleep problem score (Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire). Primary health economic outcome is the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (National Health Service and Personal Social Services perspective, Child Health Utility 9D Instrument). Parents and children (≥7 years) can opt into qualitative interviews and activities to share their experiences and perceptions of trial participation and managing sleep with Rolandic epilepsy. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The CASTLE Sleep-E protocol was approved by the Health Research Authority East Midlands (HRA)-Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee (reference: 21/EM/0205). Trial results will be disseminated to scientific audiences, families, professional groups, managers, commissioners and policymakers. Pseudo-anonymised individual patient data will be made available after dissemination on reasonable request. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN13202325.

The impact of parent treatment preference and other factors on recruitment: lessons learned from a paediatric epilepsy randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In paediatric epilepsy, the evidence of effectiveness of antiseizure treatment is inconclusive for some types of epilepsy. As with other paediatric clinical trials, researchers undertaking paediatric epilepsy clinical trials face a range of challenges that may compromise external validity MAIN BODY: In this paper, we critically reflect upon the factors which impacted recruitment to the pilot phase of a phase IV unblinded, randomised controlled 3×2 factorial trial examining the effectiveness of two antiseizure medications (ASMs) and a sleep behaviour intervention in children with Rolandic epilepsy. We consider the processes established to support recruitment, public and patient involvement and engagement (PPIE), site induction, our oversight of recruitment targets and figures, and the actions we took to help us understand why we failed to recruit sufficient children to continue to the substantive trial phase. The key lessons learned were about parent preference, children's involvement and collaboration in decision-making, potential and alternative trial designs, and elicitation of stated preferences pre-trial design. Despite pre-funding PPIE during the trial design phase, we failed to anticipate the scale of parental treatment preference for or against antiseizure medication (ASMs) and consequent unwillingness to be randomised. Future studies should ensure more detailed and in-depth consultation to ascertain parent and/or patient preferences. More intense engagement with parents and children exploring their ideas about treatment preferences could, perhaps, have helped predict some recruitment issues. Infrequent seizures or screening children close to natural remission were possible explanations for non-consent. It is possible some clinicians were unintentionally unable to convey clinical equipoise influencing parental decision against participation. We wanted children to be involved in decisions about trial participation. However, despite having tailored written and video information to explain the trial to children we do not know whether these materials were viewed in each consent conversation or how much input children had towards parents' decisions to participate. Novel methods such as parent/patient preference trials and/or discrete choice experiments may be the way forward. CONCLUSION: The importance of diligent consultation, the consideration of novel methods such as parent/patient preference trials and/or discrete choice experiments in studies examining the effectiveness of ASMs versus no-ASMs cannot be overemphasised even in the presence of widespread clinician equipoise.

A comparison of reactor configuration using a fruit waste fed two-stage anaerobic up-flow leachate reactor microbial fuel cell and a single-stage microbial fuel cell.

Food waste generation and its consequent environmental impacts are increasing due to rapid urbanization, the global population, and associated food demand. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a sustainable technology through which this food waste can be treated and used to produce bioelectricity. This study used two MFC configurations, a two-stage anaerobic up-flow leachate reactor MFC and a single-stage MFC, comparing the potential to treat solid fruit waste and fruit waste leachate. The two-stage MFC showed a higher potential to remove substrate at a shorter time compared to single-stage MFC. In 30 days, the two-stage anaerobic up-flow leachate reactor had a power density of 221 mW/m2. It was able to remove more total solids (by 95 %), volatile solids (by 70 %), total chemical oxygen demand (by 83 %), soluble chemical oxygen demand (by 87 %), and carbohydrates (by 33 %) compared to the single-stage MFC. However, the single-stage MFC showed higher coulombic efficiency (by 86.7 %) compared to the two-stage MFC. The efficiency of single-stage MFC improved by adding buffer and maintaining a neutral pH level of the substrate. The results of this study emphasize the importance of reactor design and demonstrate that MFC can be a viable technology to generate bioenergy from food waste.

Examination of the COVID-19 Pandemic's Impact on Mental Health From Three Perspectives: Global, Social, and Individual.

The extent of the deleterious effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health is recognized ubiquitously. However, these effects are subject to many modulatory factors from a plethora of domains of examination. It is important to understand the intersection of societal and individual levels for global stressors compared with local phenomena and physical-health outcomes. Here, we consider three perspectives: international/cultural, social, and individual. Both the enduring threat of COVID-19 infection and the protective measures to contain contagion have important consequences on individual mental health. These consequences, together with possible remedial interventions, are the focus of this article. We hope this work will stimulate more research and will suggest factors that need to be considered in the coordination of responses to a global threat, allowing for better preparation in the future.

Synthesis and study of CuNiTiO3 as an ORR electrocatalyst to enhance microbial fuel cell efficiency.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have the capability of simultaneous sewage treatment and electricity generation. Modifying the cathode electrode enhances their efficiency. In this study, NiTiO3 and CuNiTiO3 were synthesized for practical application as cathode catalysts in a dual-chamber MFC and the performance of the modified cathodes was evaluated against a bare graphite electrode. SEM images showed that the particle sizes were mostly in the range of 40-120 and 20-80 nm for NiTiO3 and CuNiTiO3, respectively. According to AFM results, CuNiTiO3 presented a higher surface roughness than NiTiO3. MFC using CuNiTiO3/G electrode with a reduction potential value of -0.27 V (vs. SCE) and a power density of 62.18 mW m-2 showed better oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity compared with NiTiO3/G and the bare graphite. MFC using CuNiTiO3 cathode also showed the highest values in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal (75%) and the calculated coulombic efficiency (CE, 10%). The results obtained in this study, introduce CuNiTiO3 as a promising electrocatalyst for further improvement of the cathodic reactions in MFC applications.

Meta-analysis of operational performance and response metrics of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) fed with complex food waste.

This study reports on a meta-analysis covering the impact of design and operating factors on published MFC performance data to inform MFC research and implementations. Factors of substrate composition, operating phase, electrode material, configuration, and pre-treatments employed were considered. The meta-analysis results indicate that dual-chamber MFCs overall achieve 18% higher COD removal and 73% higher coulombic efficiencies over that of single-chamber MFCs. MFCs using a solid operating phase achieved ˃38% higher coulombic efficiencies than those using a liquid operating phase. Statistical analyses comparing brush vs flat surface anodes revealed that brush anodes can achieve 130% higher power density than flat surface anodes. The use of a platinum catalyst was found to improve power density, as opposed to catalyst-free cathodes. However, coulombic efficiency is less likely to be influenced by the catalyst used and more likely to be dependent on the inclusion of a membrane separator. The meta-analysis results indicate that even in the presence of expensive catalysts like platinum, membrane separators are of prime importance to maintain a stable MFC operation on a long-term basis and achieve high coulombic efficiency in an MFC. Results presented in this paper outline the impact of MFC design choices on performance and can be used to guide future MFC research. These findings can be beneficial for municipalities as it provides a pathway for future MFC design and optimization by analyzing critical associations between MFC response parameters and multiple varying factors.

Understanding the economic barriers to the adoption of agroforestry: A Real Options analysis.

Agroforestry has a potentially important role in helping agriculture address both the climate and biodiversity crises. It provides a means of producing additional marketable goods from agricultural land and enhancing biodiversity at the same time as increasing carbon sequestration and, in silvo-pastural systems, reducing carbon emissions if livestock stocking rates are reduced. However, the uptake of agroforestry in the UK has been limited. This paper adopts Real Options techniques to explore how the decision to adopt agroforestry is influenced by the relative levels of returns from agriculture, forestry and the price of carbon under the scenario where there are financial penalties from livestock Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, financial benefits from carbon sequestration in trees and reversibility in land use decisions. The results are compared to the equivalent findings from a Land Equivalent Value capital budgeting approach to agroforestry adoption. Analysis is based on data from a case study upland livestock farm in Scotland, comparing the impacts of introducing agroforestry into the hill sheep enterprise or the low ground cattle and sheep enterprise. The results suggest that the adoption of agroforestry is far less likely than would be suggested by standard budgeting approaches, especially in more extensive upland enterprises (hill area) where sequestration benefits are low relative to more productive farmland areas (low ground area). Upfront support payments are shown to increase the likelihood of agroforestry adoption. They also have the effect of reducing the rotation length of forestry in such systems.

The elephant in the room.

ABSTRACT: Nurses of color refrain from speaking up when facing racism in their nursing practice from patients, White peers, coworkers, and higher-ups. Racism is the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about. This article examines the barriers that may prevent nurses of color from speaking openly about racism and encourages all nurses to speak up and out against racism in nursing.

Antibacterial efficiency assessment of polymer-nanoparticle composites using a high-throughput microfluidic platform.

Over the past decades, inorganic nanoparticles (NPs), particularly metal oxide NPs, have attracted great attention due to their strong bactericidal effects. Researchers have used NPs to fabricate nanocomposite materials which have innate antibacterial capability. Herein, we present a straightforward method to fabricate antibacterial nanocomposites. Ag, TiO2, and ZnO NPs were dispersed within liquid silicone rubber (LSR) structure in four concentrations. Three different methods were used to evaluate the antibacterial efficiency of the NPs forming the nanocomposite materials: (I) the diffusion method, (II) agar counting plate, and (III) a live/dead assay of E. coli. The mechanical properties and hydrophobicity of the nanocomposites were characterized and correlated to the antibacterial efficiency of the NPs. In order to test the antibacterial efficiency in a high-throughput, cost-effective and efficient manner, a microfluidic device fabricated by 3D printing and soft-lithography methods was used. The LSR-15 wt% TiO2 nanocomposites showed the best antibacterial efficiency. In addition, TiO2 NPs formed the stiffest nanocomposites with very fine, even surface which increased the hydrophobicity of the surface where bacteria attach to grow, preventing bacteria from further growth.

A Label-Free, Non-Intrusive, and Rapid Monitoring of Bacterial Growth on Solid Medium Using Microwave Biosensor.

Microwave resonator sensors are attractive for their contactless and label-free capability of monitoring bacterial growth in liquid media. This paper outlines a new label-free microwave biosensor based on a pair of planar split ring resonators for non-invasive monitoring of bacterial growth on a solid agar media. The sensor is comprised of two split ring resonators with slightly different resonant frequencies for differential operation. The transmission coefficient (S21) of the sensor is considered as the sensor's response with a designed and measured quality factor above 200 to ensure a high-resolution operation of the biosensor. Two resonant frequencies of 1.95 and 2.11 GHz represent the sensing signal and the reference signal, respectively. The developed sensor demonstrates high performance in monitoring the growth dynamics of Escherichia coli (E. coli) on Luria-Bertani (LB) agar with 4 mm thickness. The sensor's resonant amplitude response demonstrated 0.5 dB variation corresponding to the bacterial growth over 48 hours when bacteria were spread on LB agar starting with initial OD600 = 1.5. Moreover, 0.6 dB change in the sensor's response was observed over 96 hours of bacterial growth starting with an initial OD600 = 1.17 spotted on LB agar. The measured results fit well to the curves created using Richards' bacterial growth model, showing the strength of the sensor as a potential candidate for use in predictive food microbiology systems.

Core Health Outcomes in Childhood Epilepsy (CHOICE): Development of a core outcome set using systematic review methods and a Delphi survey consensus.

OBJECTIVE: Establishing a core set of outcomes to be evaluated and reported in intervention trials aims to improve the usefulness of health research. There is no established core outcome set (COS) for childhood epilepsies. The aim of this study was to select a COS to be used in evaluative research of interventions for children with rolandic epilepsy (RE). METHODS: We followed guidance from the COMET (Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials) Initiative. First, we identified outcomes that had been measured in research through a systematic review. Second, young people with RE, parents, and professionals were invited to take part in a Delphi survey in which participants rated the importance of candidate outcomes. Last, a face-to-face meeting was convened to seek consensus on which outcomes were critical to include and to ratify the final COS. RESULTS: From 37 eligible papers in the review, we identified and included 48 candidate outcomes in the survey. We sent invitations to 165 people registered to take part in the survey; of these, 102 (62%) completed Round 1, and 80 (78%) completed Round 2 (three young people, 16 parents, 61 professionals). In Round 2 we included four additional outcomes suggested by participants in Round 1. The consensus meeting included two young people, four parents, and nine professionals who were eligible to vote and ratified the COS as 39 outcomes across 10 domains. SIGNIFICANCE: Our methodology was a proportionate and pragmatic approach toward producing a COS for evaluating research on interventions aiming to improve the health of children with RE.

A systematic review of barriers and enablers to South Asian women's attendance for asymptomatic screening of breast and cervical cancers in emigrant countries.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review was to identify the cultural, social, structural and behavioural factors that influence asymptomatic breast and cervical cancer screening attendance in South Asian populations, in order to improve uptake and propose priorities for further research. DESIGN: A systematic review of the literature for inductive, comparative, prospective and intervention studies. We searched the following databases: MEDLINE/In-Process, Web of Science, EMBASE, SCOPUS, CENTRAL, CDSR, CINAHL, PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES from database inception to 23 January 2018. The review included studies on the cultural, social, structural and behavioural factors that influence asymptomatic breast and cervical cancer screening attendance and cervical smear testing (Papanicolaou test) in South Asian populations and those published in the English language. The framework analysis method was used and themes were drawn out following the thematic analysis method. SETTINGS: Asymptomatic breast or cervical screening. PARTICIPANTS: South Asian women, including Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bhutanese, Maldivian and Nepali populations. RESULTS: 51 included studies were published between 1991 and 2018. Sample sizes ranged from 25 to 38 733 and participants had a mean age of 18 to 83 years. Our review showed that South Asian women generally had lower screening rates than host country women. South Asian women had poorer knowledge of cancer and cancer prevention and experienced more barriers to screening. Cultural practices and assumptions influenced understandings of cancer and prevention, emphasising the importance of host country cultures and healthcare systems. CONCLUSIONS: High-quality research on screening attendance is required using prospective designs, where objectively validated attendance is predicted from cultural understandings, beliefs, norms and practices, thus informing policy on targeting relevant public health messages to the South Asian communities about screening for cancer. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CSD 42015025284.

Core Health Outcomes In Childhood Epilepsy (CHOICE): protocol for the selection of a core outcome set.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing recognition that establishing a core set of outcomes to be evaluated and reported in trials of interventions for particular conditions will improve the usefulness of health research. There is no established core outcome set for childhood epilepsy. The aim of this work is to select a core outcome set to be used in evaluative research of interventions for children with rolandic epilepsy, as an exemplar of common childhood epilepsy syndromes. METHODS: First we will identify what outcomes should be measured; then we will decide how to measure those outcomes. We will engage relevant UK charities and health professional societies as partners, and convene advisory panels for young people with epilepsy and parents of children with epilepsy. We will identify candidate outcomes from a search for trials of interventions for childhood epilepsy, statutory guidance and consultation with our advisory panels. Families, charities and health, education and neuropsychology professionals will be invited to participate in a Delphi survey following recommended practices in the development of core outcome sets. Participants will be able to recommend additional outcome domains. Over three rounds of Delphi survey participants will rate the importance of candidate outcome domains and state the rationale for their decisions. Over the three rounds we will seek consensus across and between families and health professionals on the more important outcomes. A face-to-face meeting will be convened to ratify the core outcome set. We will then review and recommend ways to measure the shortlisted outcomes using clinical assessment and/or patient-reported outcome measures. DISCUSSION: Our methodology is a proportionate and pragmatic approach to expediently produce a core outcome set for evaluative research of interventions aiming to improve the health of children with epilepsy. A number of decisions have to be made when designing a study to develop a core outcome set including defining the scope, choosing which stakeholders to engage, most effective ways to elicit their views, especially children and a potential role for qualitative research.

Draft Genome Sequence of Marinobacter vinifirmus Type Strain FB1.

The gammaproteobacterium Marinobacter vinifirmus is associated with moderately saline environments and is often found in marine ecosystems. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of M. vinifirmus type strain FB1 (3.8 Mbp, 3,588 predicted genes). The presented sequence will improve our understanding of the taxonomy and evolution of the genus Marinobacter.

The CLOSED trial; CLOnidine compared with midazolam for SEDation of paediatric patients in the intensive care unit: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Sedation is an essential part of paediatric critical care. Midazolam, often in combination with opioids, is the current gold standard drug. However, as it is a far-from-ideal agent, clonidine is increasingly being used in children. This drug is prescribed off-label for this indication, as many drugs in paediatrics are. Therefore, the CLOSED trial aims to provide data on the pharmacokinetics, safety and efficacy of clonidine for the sedation of mechanically ventilated patients in order to obtain a paediatric-use marketing authorisation. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The CLOSED study is a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, active-controlled non-inferiority trial with a 1:1 randomisation between clonidine and midazolam. Both treatment groups are stratified according to age in three groups with the same size: <28 days (n=100), 28 days to <2 years (n=100) and 2-18 years (n=100). The primary end point is defined as the occurrence of sedation failure within the study period. Secondary end points include a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship, pharmacogenetics, occurrence of delirium and withdrawal syndrome, opioid consumption and neurodevelopment in the neonatal age group. Logistic regression will be used for the primary end point, appropriate statistics will be used for the secondary end points. ETHICS: Written informed consent will be obtained from the parents/caregivers. Verbal or deferred consent will be used in the sites where national legislation allows. The study has institutional review board approval at recruiting sites. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and shared with the worldwide medical community. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT: 2014-003582-24; Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02509273; pre-results.

Enriching acid rock drainage related microbial communities from surface-deposited oil sands tailings.

Little is known about the microbial communities native to surface-deposited pyritic oil sands tailings, an environment where acid rock drainage (ARD) could occur. The goal of this study was to enrich sulfur-oxidizing organisms from these tailings and determine whether different populations exist at pH levels 7, 4.5, and 2.5. Using growth-based methods provides model organisms for use in the future to predict potential activities and limitations of these organisms and to develop possible control methods. Thiosulfate-fed enrichment cultures were monitored for approximately 1 year. The results showed that the enrichments at pH 4.5 and 7 were established quicker than at pH 2.5. Different microbial community structures were found among the 3 pH environments. The sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms identified were most closely related to Halothiobacillus neapolitanus, Achromobacter spp., and Curtobacterium spp. While microorganisms related to Chitinophagaceae and Acidocella spp. were identified as the only possible iron-oxidizing and -reducing microbes. These results contribute to the general knowledge of the relatively understudied microbial communities that exist in pyritic oil sands tailings and indicate these communities may have a potential role in ARD generation, which may have implications for future tailings management.

Draft Genome Sequence of Marinobacter sp. Strain P4B1, an Electrogenic Perchlorate-Reducing Strain Isolated from a Long-Term Mixed Enrichment Culture of Marine Bacteria.

The perchlorate-reducing strain Marinobacter sp. strain P4B1 was isolated from a long-term perchlorate-degrading enrichment culture seeded with marine sediment. The draft genome of Marinobacter sp. P4B1 is comprised of the bacterial chromosome (3.60 Mbp, G+C 58.51%, 3,269 predicted genes) and its associated plasmid pMARS01 (0.14 Mbp, G+C 52.95%, 165 predicted genes).

Mathematical modelling and reactor design for multi-cycle bioregeneration of nitrate exhausted ion exchange resin.

Nitrate contamination is one of the largest issues facing communities worldwide. One of the most common methods for nitrate removal from water is ion exchange using nitrate selective resin. Although these resins have a great capacity for nitrate removal, they are considered non regenerable. The sustainability of nitrate-contaminated water treatment processes can be achieved by regenerating the exhausted resin several times rather than replacing and incineration of exhausted resin. The use of multi-cycle exhaustion/bioregeneration of resin enclosed in a membrane has been shown to be an effective and innovative regeneration method. In this research, the mechanisms for bioregeneration of resin were studied and a mathematical model which incorporated physical desorption process with biological removal kinetics was developed. Regardless of the salt concentration of the solution, this specific resin is a pore-diffusion controlled process (XδD ¯CDr0(5+2α)<<1). Also, Thiele modulus was calculated to be between 4 and 12 depending on the temperature and salt concentration. High Thiele modulus (>3) shows that the bioregeneration process is controlled by reaction kinetics and is governed by biological removal of nitrate. The model was validated by comparison to experimental data; the average of R-squared values for cycle 1 to 5 of regeneration was 0.94 ± 0.06 which shows that the developed model predicted the experimental results very well. The model sensitivity for different parameters was evaluated and a model bioreactor design for bioregeneration of highly selective resins was also presented.

Effect of temperature & salt concentration on salt tolerant nitrate-perchlorate reducing bacteria: Nitrate degradation kinetics.

The sustainability of nitrate-contaminated water treatment using ion-exchange processes can be achieved by regenerating the exhausted resin several times. Our previous study shows that the use of multi-cycle bioregeneration of resin enclosed in membrane is an effective and innovative regeneration method. In this research, the effects of two independent factors (temperature and salt concentration) on the biological denitrification rate were studied. The results of this research along with the experimental results of the previous study on the effect of the same factors on nitrate desorption rate from the resin allow the optimization of the bioregeneration process. The results of nitrate denitrification rate study show that the biodegradation rate at different temperature and salt concentration is independent of the initial nitrate concentration. At each specific salt concentration, the nitrate removal rate increased with increasing temperature with the average value of 0.001110 ± 0.0000647 mg-nitrate/mg-VSS.h.°C. However, the effect of different salt concentrations was dependent on the temperature; there is a significant interaction between salt concentration and temperature; within each group of temperatures, the nitrate degradation rate decreased with increasing the salt concentration. The temperature affected the tolerance to salinity and culture was less tolerant to high concentration of salt at low temperature. Evidenced by the difference between the minimum and maximum nitrate degradation rate being greater at lower temperature. At 35 °C, a 32% reduction in the nitrate degradation rate was observed while at 12 °C this reduction was 69%. This is the first published study to examine the interaction of salt concentration and temperature during biological denitrification.