Effect of floating treatment wetland coverage ratio and operating parameters on nitrogen removal: toward design optimization.

Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) have the potential to improve the quality of wastewater discharges, yet design basics are unavailable to size these systems. This study investigates the effect of FTWs' coverage ratio and hydraulic retention time on agri-food wastewater treatment. This was studied in a pilot-scale experiment comprising four lagoons (6.5 m3 each) fed with real effluent from an existing tertiary treatment lagoon. An evaluation of FTW of different sizes (L24, L48, and L72 representing 24, 48, and 72% of pilot lagoons surface areas) and a control, L0 (without FTW), was performed over 16 months. Overall, L72 and L48 moderately improved total nitrogen (TN) mass removal compared to L0 (p < 0.05), while L24 exhibited similar TN mass removal (p = 0.196). The highest improvement was observed for L72, exhibiting up to 55% (mean of 13%) greater N mass removal than the control. The net increase in TN removal by FTWs was mainly related to denitrification, promoted by decreasing dissolved oxygen for increasing FTW coverage ratio. Residence time, temperature, and dissolved oxygen were the main parameters driving TN removal by FTWs. Retrofitting existing lagoons with FTW can facilitate N retrieval through plant harvesting, thereby reducing N remobilization from sediment (common in conventional lagoons).

A whole-animal platform to advance a clinical kinase inhibitor into new disease space.

Synthetic tailoring of approved drugs for new indications is often difficult, as the most appropriate targets may not be readily apparent, and therefore few roadmaps exist to guide chemistry. Here, we report a multidisciplinary approach for accessing novel target and chemical space starting from an FDA-approved kinase inhibitor. By combining chemical and genetic modifier screening with computational modeling, we identify distinct kinases that strongly enhance ('pro-targets') or limit ('anti-targets') whole-animal activity of the clinical kinase inhibitor sorafenib in a Drosophila medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) model. We demonstrate that RAF-the original intended sorafenib target-and MKNK kinases function as pharmacological liabilities because of inhibitor-induced transactivation and negative feedback, respectively. Through progressive synthetic refinement, we report a new class of 'tumor calibrated inhibitors' with unique polypharmacology and strongly improved therapeutic index in fly and human MTC xenograft models. This platform provides a rational approach to creating new high-efficacy and low-toxicity drugs.

Quantification of the fungal fraction released from various preloaded fibrous filters during a simulated ventilation restart.

This study aimed to demonstrate that particles, especially those associated with fungi, could be released from fibrous filters used in the air-handling unit (AHU) of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems during ventilation restarts. Quantification of the water retention capacity and SEM pictures of the filters was used to show the potential for fungal proliferation in unused or preloaded filters. Five fibrous filters with various particle collection efficiencies were studied: classes G4, M5, M6, F7, and combined F7 according to European standard EN779:2012. Filters were clogged with micronized rice particles containing the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum and then incubated for three weeks at 25°C and 90% relative humidity. The results indicated that the five clogged tested filters had various fungal growth capacities depending on their water retention capacity. Preloaded filters were subjected to a simulated ventilation restart in a controlled filtration device to quantify that the fraction of particles released was around 1% for the G4, 0.1% for the M5 and the M6, and 0.001% for the F7 and the combined F7 filter. The results indicate that the likelihood of fungal particle release by low efficiency filters is significantly higher than by high efficiency filters.

NH3 biofiltration of piggery air.

An aboveground pilot-scale biofilter filled with wood chips was tested to treat ammonia emissions from a piggery located in Brittany (France). Two long-term tests ("summer" and "autumn" experiments) were carried out to improve biofilter applications for agriculture. The influence of climatic conditions on biofilter performance was taken into account. During summer 2012, the biofilter was operated for 74 days at different empty bed residence times (EBRTs) from 6 to 15 s. Inlet NH3 concentrations were relatively constant (around 15 mg m(-3)). Significant NH3 reductions were achieved at EBRT = 12 s (removal efficiencies, RE, ranged between 90 and 100% for loading rates, LR, of around 4 g m(-3) h(-1)). At a lower EBRT (6 s), RE dropped to roughly 30-50%. This was due to the dramatic increase in the loading rate (LR up to 12 g m(-3) h(-1)) but the results showed that the change in atmospheric conditions (temperature and relative humidity) also had a significant influence on biofilter performance. It was evidenced that the use of a humidifier upstream of the biofilter must be taken into account for large-scale biofilter design, but only for specific conditions (the spraying of the biofilter having to be carried out exceptionally). During autumn 2012, the biofilter was operated for 116 days at EBRT = 12 s. RE were around 80% for LR of around 3 g m(-3) h(-1). In such autumnal atmospheric conditions, a demister system should be installed upstream of the biofilter in order to avoid water accumulation in the bed material. Although biofiltration was suitable for NH3 treatment of piggery air, the need to control accurately the medium moisture content implies that biofilters would not be easily managed by a pig farmer.

Signal transduction in receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE): solution structure of C-terminal rage (ctRAGE) and its binding to mDia1.

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a multiligand cell surface macromolecule that plays a central role in the etiology of diabetes complications, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. The cytoplasmic domain of RAGE (C-terminal RAGE; ctRAGE) is critical for RAGE-dependent signal transduction. As the most membrane-proximal event, mDia1 binds to ctRAGE, and it is essential for RAGE ligand-stimulated phosphorylation of AKT and cell proliferation/migration. We show that ctRAGE contains an unusual α-turn that mediates the mDia1-ctRAGE interaction and is required for RAGE-dependent signaling. The results establish a novel mechanism through which an extracellular signal initiated by RAGE ligands regulates RAGE signaling in a manner requiring mDia1.

Effects of a saturated layer and recirculation on nitrogen treatment performances of a single stage Vertical Flow Constructed Wetland (VFCW).

Upgrades to enhance nitrogen removal were tested in a 2 year old pilot vertical flow constructed wetland in spring and summer periods. The effects of a saturated layer and of recirculation were tested in particular. Two pilots (L = 2 m, W = 1.25 m, H = 1.2 m), filled with expanded schist (Mayennite(®)), were designed with hydraulic saturated layers of 20 and 40 cm at the bottom. Each pilot was fed with raw domestic wastewater under field conditions according to a hydraulic load of 15-38 cm d(-1) (i.e. 158-401 g COD (chemical oxygen demand) m(-2) d(-1)) and to recirculation rates ranging from 0% up to 150%. The initial load during the first 2 years of operation resulted in an incomplete mineralized accumulated sludge leading to total suspended solids (TSS), COD and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) release. A 40 cm hydraulic saturated layer enabled an increase of 5-10% total nitrogen (TN) removal compared to a 20 cm saturated layer. Recirculation allowed the dilution of raw wastewater and enhanced nitrification in a single stage. A design of 1.8 m² pe(-1) (48 cm d(-1), 191 g COD m(-2) d(-1)) with a 40 cm saturated layer and 100% recirculation enabled the French standard D4 (35 mg TSS L(-1), 125 mg COD L(-1), 25 mg BOD5 L(-1)), nitrogen concentrations below 20 mg TKN (total Kjeldahl nitrogen) L(-1) and 50 mg TN L(-1), to be met.

Evolution of microbial aerosol behaviour in heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems--quantification of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Penicillium oxalicum viability.

The aim of this study was to develop an experimental set-up and a methodology to uniformly contaminate several filter samples with high concentrations of cultivable bacteria and fungi. An experimental set-up allows contaminating simultaneously up to four filters for range of velocities representative of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems. The test aerosol was composed of a microbial consortium of one bacterium (Staphylococcus epidermidis) and one fungus (Penicillium oxalicum) and aerosol generation was performed in wet conditions. Firstly, the experimental set-up was validated in regards to homogeneity of the air flows. The bioaerosol was also characterized in terms of number and particle size distribution using two particle counters: optical particle counter Grimm 1.109 (optical diameters) and TSI APS 3321 (aerodynamic diameters). Moreover, stabilities of the number of particles generated were measured. Finally, concentrations of cultivable microorganisms were measured with BioSamplers (SKC) downstream of the four filters.

Evolution of microbial aerosol behaviour in heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems--quantification of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Penicillium oxalicum viability.

The aim of this study was to develop an experimental set-up and a methodology to uniformly contaminate several filter samples with high concentrations of cultivable bacteria and fungi. An experimental set-up allows contaminating simultaneously up to four filters for range of velocities representative of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems. The test aerosol was composed of a microbial consortium of one bacterium (Staphylococcus epidermidis) and one fungus (Penicillium oxalicum) and aerosol generation was performed in wet conditions. Firstly, the experimental set-up was validated in regards to homogeneity of the air flows. The bioaerosol was also characterized in terms of the number and particle size distribution using two particle counters: optical particle counter Grimm 1.109 (optical diameters) and TSI APS 3321 (aerodynamic diameters). Moreover, stabilities of the number of particles generated were measured. Finally, concentrations of cultivable microorganisms were measured with BioSamplers SKC downstream of the four filters.

Anaerobic digestion of urban wastes: integration and benefits of a small-scale system.

This work presents an integrated approach of anaerobic digestion (AD) at the urban scale, based on on-site collected wastes, experimentation in a pilot reactor, and model approach. To cope with urban waste limitations (season inflow, organic matter decrease, limited area), it was proposed a settlement of wastewater (WW), a drying of food waste (FW), and silage of green waste (GW). The results obtained highlight the performance of these pretreatments to concentrate and/or preserve the organic matter over time. Co-digestion in a 30-liter reactor was then successfully carried out, resulting in an 83% of volatile solids reduction and stable methane production of 321 ml CH4/g VSadd, in 35 days. Finally, we developed a standard neighbourhood model with AD based on these experimental results. It appears that 66% of the primary sludge (PS) and 28% of the FWs produced daily could be treated by the proposal process. 14% of the annual production of GW could thus be processed daily. From an energetic point of view, the process generates a surplus of respectively, 2500 MJ/year and 38,000 MJ/year in terms of electricity and heat. The generation of 15 times more heat energy than electricity, supports an installation of anaerobic digestion, close to homes. Moreover, if these results are encouraging, we suggest different scenarios of co-digestion ratios and operational parameters for their optimization.

Phenotype-Based Screens with Conformation-Specific Inhibitors Reveal p38 Gamma and Delta as Targets for HCC Polypharmacology.

The approved kinase inhibitors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not matched to specific mutations within tumors. This has presented a daunting challenge; without a clear target or mechanism, no straightforward path has existed to guide the development of improved therapies for HCC. Here, we combine phenotypic screens with a class of conformation-specific kinase inhibitors termed type II to identify a multikinase inhibitor, AD80, with antitumoral activity across a variety of HCC preclinical models, including mouse xenografts. Mass spectrometry profiling found a number of kinases as putative targets for AD80, including several receptor and cytoplasmic protein kinases. Among these, we found p38 gamma and delta as direct targets of AD80. Notably, a closely related analog of AD80 lacking p38δ/γ activity, but retaining several other off-target kinases, lost significant activity in several HCC models. Moreover, forced and sustained MKK6 → p38→ATF2 signaling led to a significant reduction of AD80 activity within HCC cell lines. Together with HCC survival data in The Cancer Genome Atlas and RNA-seq analysis, we suggest p38 delta and gamma as therapeutic targets in HCC and an "AD80 inhibition signature" as identifying those patients with best clinical outcomes.

Biodegradation of endocrine disrupters: case of 17beta-estradiol and bisphenol A.

The biodegradation of 17 beta-estradiol (E2) and bisphenol A (BPA) was compared to that of a reference pollutant, sodium benzoate (SB), known for its high biodegradability. The biodegradation was measured using the Sturm test (ISO 9439 modified Sturm test). The susceptibility of the target pollutants to be degraded by microorganisms of activated sludge from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was evaluated by the production of carbon dioxide (CO2). Sorption experiments onto inactivated sludge were carried out to assess the contribution of sorption in E2 and BPA removal during biological treatment in a WWTP. E2 was more adsorbed than BPA onto inactivated sludge, probably making it less accessible to assimilation by microorganisms. In fact, E2 was less biodegradable than BPA with 66% and 74% of theoretical CO2 formation (Th(co2)) in 28 days, respectively. However, E2 showed faster biodegradation than BPA due to the shorter adaptation time of the microorganisms to start the assimilation. Final concentrations were measured and revealed that, under Sturm test conditions, E2 was totally removed from the aqueous phase while some traces of BPA were detected. This result could be explained by the lower adsorbability of BPA observed in adsorption experiments onto inactivated sludge. To investigate competition in a bi-component solution, Sturm tests were carried out with BPA/SB and E2/SB. Moreover, the biodegradation curves obtained did not indicate a toxicity of the target compounds towards microorganisms, which rapidly degraded SB. In the case of BPA/SB, an inflection in the curve confirmed the adaptation time of 4-5 days for BPA to be degraded.

Dickkopf 1 protein circulating levels as a possible biomarker of functional disability and chronic damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease characterized by joint destruction, deformity, lower functionality, and decrease in life expectancy. Wingless signaling pathway (Wnt) has been recently involved in bone homeostasis. Studies suggest that overexpression of the pathway inhibitors, like the Dickkopf 1 protein (DKK1), has been implicated in bone destruction. The objective of this study is to compare circulating levels of DKK1 in different groups of patients with disease activity (remission, low, moderate, high activity,) and functionality status. Three hundred seventy-nine patients with RA were evaluated between March 2015 and November 2016. Disease activity was evaluated by disease activity score 28 with C-reactive protein (DAS28CPR), simplified and clinical disease activity scores (SDAI, CDAI), routine assessment of patient index data 3 (RAPID3), functional status using Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MD-HAQ), and the Steinbrocker functional classification. DKK1 levels were measured by ELISA. The mean age was 60.7 ± 13.9 years. Disease duration was 13.2 ± 10.9 years. Higher levels of DKK1 were not associated with disease activity by CDAI (p = 0.70), SDAI (p = 0.84), DAS28CRP (p = 0.80), or RAPID3 (p = 0.70). Interestingly higher levels of DKK1 were significantly associated to lower functional status evaluating by the Steinbrocker classification (p = 0,013), severe disability by MD-HAQ (p = 0,004), and variables associated with joint destruction like osteoporosis, higher titles of rheumatoid factor, smoking, and increased hospital admissions related to RA. Higher levels of DKK1 were found in patients with lower functional status. This association was not found in patients with greater disease activity by CDAI, SDAI, DAS28, and RAPID3. This could be explained by more structural damage; DKK1 could be used as a biomarker of joint destruction in RA.

Antibacterial effects of chitosan powder: mechanisms of action.

Chitosan, the deacetylated derivative of chitin, is a natural D-glucosamine polymer that can be extracted from the shells of seafood such as prawns crabs and lobsters. It can be used as a flocculent, plant disease resistant promoter, anti-cancer agent, wound healing promotion agent and antimicrobial agent. The aim of this paper is the study of the interaction between chitosan powder and various kinds of pathogen microorganisms potentially present in water. First of all, physico-chemical characterisations of chitin and chitosan powder were performed. The deacetylation yields were 35%, 60% and 80 +/- 10%. The experimental studies focused on the measurements of the mortality constant rate for various bacterial strains, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. An explanation of the antibacterial mechanisms is proposed involving the cell wall disruption due to free amino groups present in chitosan.

Sustainable conversion of agriculture wastes into activated carbons: energy balance and arsenic removal from water.

The aims of this study are to investigate the production of activated carbons (AC) from Senegal agricultural wastes such as cashew shells, millet stalks and rice husks and to implement them in adsorption processes devoted to arsenic (V) removal. AC were produced by a direct physical activation with water steam without other chemicals. This production of AC has also led to co-products (gas and bio-oil) which have been characterized in terms of physical, chemical and thermodynamical properties for energy recovery. Considering the arsenic adsorption results and the energy balance for the three studied biomasses, the first results have shown that the millet stalks seem to be more interesting for arsenate removal from natural water and an energy recovery with a GEEelec of 18.9%. Cashew shells, which have shown the best energy recovery (34.3%), are not suitable for arsenate removal. This global approach is original and contributes to a recycling of biowastes with a joint recovery of energy and material.

Interobserver Agreement in Magnetic Resonance of the Sacroiliac Joints in Patients with Spondyloarthritis.

Background. Clinical, laboratory, and radiologic parameters are used for diagnosis and classification of spondyloarthritis (SpA). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of sacroiliac (SI) joints is being increasingly used to detect early sacroiliitis. We decided to evaluate the interobserver agreement in MRI findings of SI joints of SpA patients between a local radiologist, a rheumatologist, and an expert radiologist in musculoskeletal diseases. Methods. 66 MRI images of the SI joints of patients with established diagnosis of SpA were evaluated. Agreement was expressed in Cohen's kappa. Results. Interobserver agreement between a local radiologist and an expert radiologist was fair (κ = 0.37). Only acute findings showed a moderate agreement (κ = 0.45), while chronic findings revealed 76.5% of disagreement (κ = 0.31). A fair agreement was observed in acute findings (κ = 0.38) as well as chronic findings (κ = 0.38) between a local radiologist and a rheumatologist. There was a substantial agreement between an expert radiologist and a rheumatologist (κ = 0.73). In acute findings, a 100% agreement was achieved. Also chronic and acute plus chronic findings showed high levels of agreement (κ = 0.73 and 0.62, resp.). Conclusions. Our study shows that rheumatologists may have similar MRI interpretations of SI joints in SpA patients as an expert radiologist.

Correlation between rapid-3, DAS28, CDAI and SDAI as a measure of disease activity in a cohort of Colombian patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The objective of this study is to correlate the patient-driven tool Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID-3) with other common tools used in daily practice to measure disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).One hundred nineteen RA patients according to 1987 American College of Rheumatology criteria who consecutively attended a RA outpatient clinic between August and December 2015 were evaluated. Data was stored in an electronic form that included demographic information, comorbidities, concomitant medication, and laboratory results. The disease activity was determined by tender and swollen joint count, pain and disease activity visual analog scales (VAS), disease activity score 28 (DAS28), Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI), and multidimensional health assessment questionnaire (MDHAQ). Correlations between RAPID-3 and other disease activity tools were assessed. Mean age was 61 ± 13.8 years with a median disease duration of 14 years (IQR 5-21), 77% were females. Median scores were MDHAQ 0.5 (IQR 0.1-1.2), DAS 28 3.8 (IQR 2.7-5.1), and RAPID-3 12.3 (IQR 6-19). A strong correlation was obtained between RAPID-3 and DAS 28 (r 0.719, p < 0.001), CDAI (r 0.752, p < 0.001), and SDAI (r 0.758, p < 0.001). RAPID-3 had a high correlation with tools regularly used for disease activity assessment of RA patients in daily practice. The ease of its application favors routine use as it does not require laboratory results and joint counts.

Wood bark as packing material in a biofilter used for air treatment.

Biotechnology has been applied to find green and low cost environmental processes. In the waste gas treatments (odours and volatile organic compounds VOC) one of the main biological systems used is biofilters. This technology works at normal operating conditions of temperature and pressure, and therefore it is relatively cheap with high efficiencies when the waste gas is characterized by high flow and low pollutant concentration. The aim of this work is to use wood barks (Pinus) as packing material in the biofilter. For this purpose, the influence of various parameters such as residence time of the gas and pollutant loads on removal efficiencies was studied for a biofilter pilot unit. Ethanol, methyl ethyl ketone, dichloromethane and toluene were used as pollutant compounds, because they are representative of both volatile organic compounds. Packing material stability and good biodegradation performances were found.

Microbial reduction of 99Tc in organic matter-rich soils.

For safety assessment purposes, it is necessary to study the mobility of long-lived radionuclides in the geosphere and the biosphere. Within this framework, we studied the behaviour of (99)Tc in biologically active organic matter-rich soils. To simulate the redox conditions in soils, we stimulated the growth of aerobic and facultative denitrifying and anaerobic sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). In the presence of either a pure culture of denitrifiers (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) or a consortium of soil denitrifiers, the solubility of TcO(4)(-) was not affected. The nonsorption of TcO(4)(-) onto bacteria was confirmed in biosorption experiments with washed cells of P. aeruginosa regardless of the pH. At the end of denitrification with indigenous denitrifiers in soil/water batch experiments, the redox potential (E(H)) dropped and this was accompanied by an increase of Fe concentration in solution as a result of reduction of less soluble Fe(III) to Fe(II) from the soil particles. It is suggested that this is due to the growth of a consortium of anaerobic bacteria (e.g., Fe-reducing bacteria). The drop in E(H) was accompanied by a strong decrease in Tc concentration as a result of Tc(VII) reduction to Tc(IV). Thermodynamic calculations suggested the precipitation of TcO(2). The stimulation of the growth of indigenous sulphate-reducing bacteria in soil/water systems led to even lower E(H) with final Tc concentration of 10(-8) M. Experiments with glass columns filled with soil reproduced the results obtained with batch cultures. Sequential chemical extraction of precipitated Tc in soils showed that this radionuclide is strongly immobilised within soil particles under anaerobic conditions. More than 90% of Tc is released together with organic matter (60-66%) and Fe-oxyhydroxides (23-31%). The present work shows that ubiquitous indigenous anaerobic bacteria in soils play a major role in Tc immobilisation. In addition, organic matter plays a key role in the stability of the reduced Tc.

Study of the interaction between europium (III) and Bacillus subtilis: fixation sites, biosorption modeling and reversibility.

In order to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved in the biosorption of metal ions, potentiometric titrations, complexation studies, and time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) measurements were used to characterize the interaction between Eu(III) and Bacillus subtilis. The reversibility of the interaction between Eu(III) and Bacillus subtilis was studied by a cation-exchange technique using the Chelex resin. For complexation studies in the presence of 0.15 mol/l of NaCl, the metal ion, the biomass, concentrations and the pH were varied. The adsorption data were quantified by a surface complexation model without electrostatic term. The data on the Eu(III)/B.subtilis system at pH 5 were satisfactorily described by one site at which Eu(III) was bound through one carboxylic function of the bacteria. With increasing pH, another site should be considered, involving a phosphate-bound environment. This was partially confirmed by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. In addition to this, it was evidenced that the site availability was dependent on the nature of the cation, i.e., a proton or Eu(III). Finally, it was shown that, at pH 5, the Eu(III)/Bacillus subtilis equilibrium was reversible.

Fixed-bed study for lanthanide (La, Eu, Yb) ions removal from aqueous solutions by immobilized Pseudomonas aeruginosa: experimental data and modelization.

A fixed-bed study was carried out by using cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa immobilized in polyacrylamide gel as a biosorbent for the removal of lanthanide (La, Eu, Yb) ions from aqueous solutions. The effects of superficial liquid velocity based on empty column, particle size, influent concentration and bed depth on the lanthanum breakthrough curves were investigated. Immobilized biomass effectively removed lanthanum from a 6 mM solution with a maximum adsorption capacity of 342 micromolg(-1) (+/-10%) corresponding closely to that observed in earlier batch studies with free bacterial cells. The Bohart and Adams sorption model was employed to determine characteristic parameters useful for process design. Results indicated that the immobilized cells of P. aeruginosa enable removal of lanthanum, europium and ytterbium ions from aqueous effluents with significant and similar maximum adsorption capacities. Experiments with a mixed cation solution showed that the sequence of preferential biosorption was Eu3+ > or = Yb3+ > La3+. Around 96+/-4% of the bound lanthanum was desorbed from the column and concentrated by eluting with a 0.1 M EDTA solution. The feasibility of regenerating and reusing the biomass through three adsorption/desorption cycles was suggested. Neural networks were used to model breakthrough curves performed in the dynamic process. The ability of this statistical tool to predict the breakthrough times was discussed.