X-ray diffraction reveals blunt-force loading threshold for nanoscopic structural change in ex vivo neuronal tissues.

An ex vivo blunt-force loading experiment is reported that may, in the future, provide insight into the molecular structural changes occurring in load-induced conditions such as traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI appears to manifest in changes in multiple structures and elements within the brain and nervous system. Individuals with a TBI may suffer from cognitive and/or behavioral impairments which can adversely affect their quality of life. Information on the injury threshold of tissue loading for mammalian neurons is critical in the development of a quantified neuronal-level dose-response model. Such a model could aid in the discovery of enhanced methods for TBI detection, treatment and prevention. Currently, thresholds of mechanical load leading to direct force-coupled nanostructural changes in neurons are unknown. In this study, we make use of the fact that changes in the structure and periodicity of myelin may indicate neurological damage and can be detected with X-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD allows access to a nanoscopic resolution range not readily achieved by alternative methods, nor does the experimental methodology require chemical sample fixation. In this study, XRD was used to evaluate the affects of controlled mechanical loading on myelin packing structure in ex vivo optic nerve samples. By using a series of crush tests on isolated optic nerves a quantified baseline for mechanical load was found to induce changes in the packing structure of myelin. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of its kind.

Do Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Improve when Patients Receive Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Co-morbid Anxiety Disorders in a Primary Care Psychological Therapy (IAPT) Service?

BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common co-morbid condition with anxiety disorders, and patients often report a fear of incontinence in public places. This type of bowel control anxiety (BCA) can be conceptualized as a phobic syndrome. Yet little evidence exists on the prevalence or outcomes of these co-morbidities in routine primary care psychological therapy (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, IAPT) services. AIMS: To examine the prevalence and outcomes of IBS and BCA patients treated with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders within a routine IAPT service. METHOD: An observational cohort study screened 2322 referrals to an IAPT service over 12 months for the presence of IBS. Patients with co-morbid anxiety disorders and IBS were grouped into those with, and without BCA. Patients completed the IBS symptom severity scale and the IAPT minimum data set. Diagnoses and outcomes were examined for all groups up to 6 months follow-up. RESULTS: A greater proportion of BCA patients had a primary diagnosis of phobic disorder. After receiving CBT, patients made clinically significant improvement in both anxiety and IBS symptoms at 6 months follow-up. Patients with BCA made greater improvement in phobia scales and IBS symptoms than non-BCA patients. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety disorders with co-morbid IBS improved significantly in a routine IAPT service. A significant proportion of co-morbid IBS sufferers had a fear of incontinence in public places (BCA). Directly addressing and modifying these fears with CBT appeared to enhance improvement in both phobic anxiety and IBS symptoms.

Increased Energy Drink Use as a Predictor of Illicit Prescription Stimulant Use.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine energy drink usage patterns and to investigate the relationship between energy drink use and illicit use of prescription stimulants among college students. METHODS: A sample of 605 undergraduate and graduate students (mean age±SD: 21.96±4.216) from a large midwestern university voluntarily participated in the study. RESULTS: Of the participants, 48.9% (n=296) reported using energy drinks in the past 30 days, whereas 25.3% (n=153) reported using prescription stimulant drugs in the past 30 days. Among prescription stimulant users without a valid medical prescription, Mann-Whitney U tests and logistic regression analysis revealed that the frequency of energy drink consumption was a significant predictor of illicit prescription stimulant use, with the odds for use increasing by 14% with each additional day of energy drink use (odds ratio for using=1.143, P≤.001). Analyses revealed statistically significant differences (P<.05) between prescription stimulant users and nonusers for all energy drink use variables, with the strongest predictors of prescription stimulant use being the number of days using energy drinks in the past 30 days and number of energy drink binges in the past 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that the frequency of energy drink use was a significant predictor of the illicit use of prescription stimulants.

Effectiveness of community mental health nurses in an integrated primary care service: An observational cohort study.

Background: The movement of community mental health nurses into primary care is important for the delivery of primary care integrated teams. There is little evidence or guidance on how integration should be implemented, or on the effectiveness of mental health nurses in primary care. Objectives: 1. Examine one method of integrating community mental health nurses in a primary care mental health service to identify factors that both facilitated and hindered integration. 2. Report on the outcomes of community mental health nurses in delivering problem-specific evidence-based psychological interventions in primary care. Design: A naturalistic observational cohort study. Setting: An integrated primary care mental health service in the UK North Midlands. Participants: 1,582 referrals from 1st April 2019 - 31st March 2022. Method: Anonymised patient records from routine treatment with community mental health nurses in an integrated primary care service were extracted and analysed to identify patient characteristics, content of treatment and outcomes. Features of service design were also examined to report on aids and barriers to primary care integration. Results: Large and clinically significant pre to post treatment effect sizes of between 0.5 and 0.8 were observed in symptom reduction and functional improvement for patients treated by community mental health nurses for a range of mental health problems. Aids to integration were: A single line of clinical management and governance; shared training across all roles; a shared IT system/electronic appointment diary. Barriers to integration were: Different contract management structures, and different clinical IT systems across primary and secondary care. Conclusions: Integrating community mental health nurses into one primary care mental health service comprising different mental health professionals provided a single point of access to different mental health treatments. Primary care community mental health nurses delivered effective evidence-based psychological interventions in a stepped-care model that reduced demands on secondary care services.

Effect of water seal on reducing 1,3-dichloropropene emissions from different soil textures.

Soil physical conditions can affect diffusion, environmental fate, and efficacy of fumigants in soil disinfestation treatments. Water seals (applying water using sprinklers to soil following fumigation) can effectively reduce fumigant emissions from sandy loam soils. Soil column studies compared the effectiveness of water seals in reducing cis-1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) emissions from three different textured soils (loamy sand, sandy loam, and loam). Treatments included an untreated control, an initial water seal (9 mm water applied immediately before fumigant injection), and intermittent water seals (initial 9 mm water seal followed by 3 mm at 12 and 24 h). For the loamy sand, instead of the initial water seal treatment, a reduced-amount intermittent water seal (initial 3 mm water followed by 1 mm at 12 and 24 h) treatment was tested. Overall emission loss of 1,3-D from the control over 2 wk was 56% for the loamy sand, 51% for the sandy loam, and 43% for the loam. The initial water seal reduced total 1,3-D emissions to 46% in the sandy loam and 31% in the loam. The intermittent water seals reduced emission loss to 26% for the loamy sand, 41% for the sandy loam, and 21% for the loam. The reduced-amount intermittent water seal for loamy sand had little effect. Low emission loss was associated with high surface soil water content. None of the water applications reduced gaseous fumigant concentrations. Results indicate that water seal techniques may be able to effectively reduce emissions for different soil textures without reducing fumigant concentration in the soil.

Field tests of surface seals and soil treatments to reduce fumigant emissions from shank injection of Telone C35.

A mixture of 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) and chloropicrin (CP) (Telone C35) is an increasingly used fumigant product for pre-plant soil fumigation in California, USA. Atmospheric emissions of volatile organic compounds, including these important pesticides, is more heavily regulated in an effort to improve air-quality. Research has identified various methods of reducing fumigant emissions but effective and economically feasible field methods are still needed. The objective of this field study was to determine the effectiveness of several surface seal and soil treatment methods on emissions of 1,3-D and CP from shank-injected Telone C35. Treatments included control (bare surface), pre-irrigation (irrigation prior to fumigation), post-fumigation water seals with or without potassium thiosulfate (KTS) amendment, and standard high density polyethylene (HDPE) tarp over soils amended with either KTS or composted manure. The two KTS treatments resulted in the lowest fumigant emissions; but the soil surface in the treatments developed a reddish-orange color and an unpleasant odor that lasted for a few months. The pre-irrigation reduced emissions more than post-application water seals. An application of composted manure at 12.4 Mg ha(- 1) spread over the soil surface followed by HDPE tarp did not reduce 1,3-D emissions compared to the bare soils in this trial, indicating that a better understanding of processes is required in order to effectively use organic amendments for minimizing fumigant emissions. Chloropicrin emissions were generally lower than 1,3-D for all treatments.

Effect of plastic tarps over raised-beds and potassium thiosulfate in furrows on chloropicrin emissions from drip fumigated fields.

Plastic tarps are commonly used in raised bed strawberry production to minimize emissions of preplant soil fumigants and are left in place throughout the growing season as part of the standard cultural practices. Soil amendments with chemicals such as thiosulfate (S2O3(2-)) can reduce fumigant emissions. A field study was conducted near Santa Maria, CA to determine the effects of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and virtually impermeable film (VIF) over raised-beds and applying potassium thiosulfate (KTS) in furrows on reducing chloropicrin (CP) emissions from a strawberry field. Four fields (or treatments) were tested with 224 kg ha(-1) CP drip-applied threecm under the soil surface. The CP flux from bed tops and furrows and gas-phase concentrations under the tarps were monitored for five d. The CP emission flux and concentration under tarp were highest immediately following application. Diurnal temperature change affected CP concentration and emission fluxes (higher values during the day and lower at night). Slightly higher CP cumulative emission occurred using LDPE tarp (19%) compared to VIF (17%). Normalized flux (CP emission flux from the beds divided by CP concentration under the tarp) being estimated from field measurement was slightly higher for LDPE than VIF indicating different tarp permeability in the field. Because of extremely low emissions from the furrows (<0.2% of total emission loss), KTS application to furrow treatments did not show further emission reductions than non-KTS treatments. This indicates that emission reduction should focus on the tarp above raised-beds when fumigant was drip-applied near bed-surface.

Effect of drip application of ammonium thiosulfate on fumigant degradation in soil columns.

Low permeability tarps can effectively minimize fumigant emissions while improving fumigation efficacy by retaining fumigants under the tarp. However, when planting holes are cut through the tarps, high-concentration fumigants may be released and result in environmental and worker safety hazards. In a 11-day column study, we explored the effect of drip irrigation application of ammonium thiosulfate (ATS) on 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) and chloropicrin (CP) degradation in soil. Decrease of 1,3-D and CP concentrations in soil-gas phase followed a three-parameter logistic equation for all treatments. It was slowest in the control with a half-life ( t 1/2) of 86.0 h for 1,3-D and of 16.3 h for CP and most rapid when ATS was applied at 4:1 ATS/fumigant molar ratio with a half-life of 9.5 h for 1,3-D and of 5.5 h for CP. Our results indicate that applying ATS via the drip-irrigation systems to soil can accelerate fumigant degradation in soil and thus reduce emissions. This technical solution may be applicable in raised-bed strawberry production where drip-application of fumigants under tarps has become common.

Enhanced uranium sorption on aluminum oxide pretreated with arsenate. Part II: Spectroscopic studies.

In a companion study, we demonstrated that pretreatment of gamma-alumina surface with arsenate enhances uranyl uptake under acidic conditions, where uranyl otherwise sorbs poorly. Here, we examine the local structure and long-range order of the sorption products by using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Arsenate was chosen for the pretreatment because of its high affinity for binding with uranyl and alumina, and because it is an analog for environmentally abundant and commercially accessible phosphate. It also facilitates characterization of sorption products using As K-edge XAS, which complements U LIII-edge XAS. Fitting results suggest the formation of U-As precipitates with structures similar to UO2HAsO4 x 4H2O (trögerite) and likely U polymeric species at high U concentrations. The ratios among surface-sorbed uranyl, U-As precipitates, and uranyl polymeric species are dependent on the [As]initial/[U]initial ratio and absolute initial U concentration. XRD suggests the precipitates are likely to be highly disordered and poorly crystalline. Current findings evaluate the mechanism by which the pretreatment results in enhanced U uptake and stability and provides a conceptual basis for designing other pretreatment technologies for uranium remediation.

Macroscopic and spectroscopic characterization of selenate, selenite, and chromate adsorption at the solid-water interface of gamma-Al(2)O(3).

The interaction of selenate, selenite, and chromate with the hydrated surface of gamma-Al(2)O(3) was studied using a combination of macroscopic pH edge data, electrophoretic mobility measurements, and X-ray absorption spectroscopic analyses. The pH edge data show generally increased oxyanion adsorption with decreasing pH, and indicate ionic strength-(in)dependent adsorption of chromate and selenate across the pH range 4-9, and ionic strength-(in)dependent adsorption of selenite in this pH range. The adsorption of chromate peaks at pH 5.0, whereas for selenate and selenite no pH adsorption maxima are observed. Electrophoretic mobility measurements show that all three oxyanions decrease the zeta potential of gamma-Al(2)O(3) upon adsorption; however, only selenite decreased the pH(PZC) of the gamma-Al(2)O(3) sorbent. EXAFS data indicate that selenite ions are coordinated in a bridging bidentate fashion to surface AlO(6) octahedra, whereas no second-neighbor Al scattering was observed for adsorbed selenate ions. Combined, the results presented here show that pH is a major factor in determining the extent of adsorption of selenate, selenite, and chromate on hydrated gamma-Al(2)O(3). The results point to substantial differences between these anions as to the mode of adsorption at the hydrated gamma-Al(2)O(3) surface, with selenate adsorbing as nonprotonated outer-sphere complexes, chromate forming a mixture of monoprotonated and nonprotonated outer-sphere adsorption complexes, and selenite coordinating as inner-sphere surface complexes in bridging configuration.

Thiosulfate and manure amendment with water application and tarp on 1,3-dichloropropene emission reductions.

Reducing fumigant emissions is required for minimizing bystander risk and environmental impact. Effective and economic field management methods including commonly used surface sealing technique and soil amendments are needed for achieving emission reductions. This research determined the effectiveness of ammonium thiosulfate (ATS) and composted manure amendments to surface soil in combination with water application or high density polyethylene (HDPE) tarp on reducing emissions of 1,3-D from soil columns. Surface treatments included an untreated control, water seal (single water application at time of fumigant injection), ATS amendments at 1:1 and 2:1 molar ratio of ATS:fumigant, composted steer manure at 3.5 kg m(-2), and HDPE tarp over 1:1 ATS or the manure amendment. Cumulative 1,3-D emission loss over two weeks was greatest for the control (52% of applied). The HDPE tarp over ATS and manure treatments had the lowest 1,3-D emissions at 24 and 16%, respectively. Treatments with ATS or manure alone reduced 1,3-D emissions (29-39%) more effectively than water seal (43%) and further benefit was gained with the addition of HDPE tarp. Amendment of surface soil with organic materials shows greater potential in minimizing fumigant emissions than with chemicals with the need for a better understanding of the organic-fumigant reaction mechanism.

Design and Development of a THOR Based Small Female Crash Test Dummy.

This paper describes the design and development of a small female crash test dummy, results of biofidelity tests, and preliminary results from full scale 3 point belt and airbag type sled tests. The small female THOR was designed using the anthropometric data developed by Robbins for the 5(th) percentile female and biomechanical requirements derived from scaling the responses of the 50(th) percentile male. While many of the mechanical components of the NHTSA THOR 50(th) percentile male dummy were scaled according to the appropriate anthropometric data, a number of improved design features have been introduced in the new female THOR. These include; improved neck design, new designs for the head and neck skins: and new designs for the upper and lower abdomen. The lower leg, ankle and foot, known as THOR-FLx, were developed in an earlier effort and have been included as a standard part of the new female dummy. The instrumentation on the dummy is generally the same as in the male THOR-Alpha dummy. A few sensors, which were thought to be of secondary importance, were eliminated because of the limited volume within the female dummy. Scaled versions of the biofidelity tests defined for the male THOR were used to test the response of the new dummy.