Characterization of wood mulch and leachate/runoff from three wood recycling facilities.

Large-scale open storage of wood mulch is common practice at wood recycling facilities. During rain and snow melt, leachate with soluble compounds and suspended particles is released from mulch stockpiles. The objective of this study was to determine the quality of leachate/runoff from wood recycling facilities to evaluate its potential to contaminate receiving waterbodies. Wood mulch (n = 30) and leachate/runoff (n = 26) samples were collected over 1.5 years from three wood recycling facilities in New Jersey, USA. Differences by site were found (p < 0.05) for most of the 21 constituents tested in the solid wood mulch samples. Biochemical oxygen demand (range <20-3000 mg/L), chemical oxygen demand (134-6000 mg/L) and total suspended solids (69-401 mg/L) median concentrations of the leachate/runoff samples were comparable to those of untreated domestic wastewater. Total Kjeldahl N, total P and fecal coliform median values were slightly lower than typical wastewater values. Dose-response studies with leachate/runoff samples using zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos showed that mortality and developmental defects typically did not occur even at the highest concentration tested, indicating low toxicity, although delayed development did occur. Based on this study, leachate/runoff from wood recycling facilities should not be released to surface waters as it is a potential source of organic contamination and low levels of nutrients. A study in which runoff from a controlled drainage area containing wood mulch of known properties is monitored would allow for better assessment of the potential impact of stormwater runoff from wood recycling facilities.

Prospective study of breast cancer in relation to coffee, tea and caffeine in Sweden.

Studies of coffee and tea consumption and caffeine intake as risk factors for breast cancer are inconclusive. We assessed coffee and tea consumption, caffeine intake, and possible confounding factors among 42,099 women from the Swedish Women's Lifestyle and Health study, the participants of which were aged 30-49 years at enrollment in 1991-1992. Complete follow-up for breast cancer incidence was performed through 2012 via linkage to national registries. Poisson regression models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for breast cancer. During follow-up 1,395 breast cancers were diagnosed. The RR was 0.97 (95% CI 0.94-0.99) for a 1-unit increase in cups of coffee/day, 1.14 (95% CI 1.05-1.24) for a 1-unit increase in cups of tea/day, and 0.97 (95% CI 0.95-1.00) for a 100 mg/day increase in caffeine intake. Although the RR for no consumption (RR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.69-1.08), a group with a relatively small number of women, was not statistically significant, women with higher consumption had a decreased breast cancer risk (3-4 cups/day: RR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.76-1.00; ≥5 cups/day: RR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.70-0.94) compared to women consuming 1-2 cups of coffee/day. Compared to no consumption, women consuming >1 cups tea/day showed an increased breast cancer risk (RR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.00-1.42). Similar patterns of estimates were observed for breast cancer risk overall, during pre- and postmenopausal years, and for ER+ or PR+ breast cancer, but not for ER- and PR- breast cancer. Our findings suggest that coffee consumption and caffeine intake is negatively associated with the risk of overall and ER+/PR- breast cancer, and tea consumption is positively associated with the risk of overall and ER+/PR+ breast cancer.

Discovery and characterization of AZD9272 and AZD6538-Two novel mGluR5 negative allosteric modulators selected for clinical development.

AZD9272 and AZD6538 are two novel mGluR5 negative allosteric modulators selected for further clinical development. An initial high-throughput screening revealed leads with promising profiles, which were further optimized by minor, yet indispensable, structural modifications to bring forth these drug candidates. Advantageously, both compounds may be synthesized in as little as one step. Both are highly potent and selective for the human as well as the rat mGluR5 where they interact at the same binding site than MPEP. They are orally available, allow for long interval administration due to a high metabolic stability and long half-lives in rats and permeate the blood brain barrier to a high extent. AZD9272 has progressed into phase I clinical studies.

Application of computational fluid dynamics to closed-loop bioreactors: II. Simulation of biological phosphorus removal using computational fluid dynamics.

Based on the International Water Association's (London) Activated Sludge Model No. 2 (ASM2), biochemistry rate expressions for general heterotrophs and phosphorus-accumulating organisms (PAOs) were introduced to a previously developed, three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) activated sludge model that characterized the mixing pattern within the outer channel of a full-scale, closed-loop bioreactor. Using acetate as the sole carbon and energy source, CFD simulations for general heterotrophs or PAOs individually agreed well with those of ASM2 for a chemostat with the same operating conditions. Competition between and selection of heterotrophs and PAOs was verified using conventional completely mixed and tanks-in-series models. Then, competition was studied in the CFD model. These results demonstrated that PAOs and heterotrophs can theoretically coexist in a single bioreactor when the oxygen input is appropriate to allow sufficient low-dissolved-oxygen zones to develop.

Simultaneous biological nutrient removal: evaluation of autotrophic denitrification, heterotrophic nitrification, and biological phosphorus removal in full-scale systems.

Simultaneous biological nutrient removal (SBNR) is the biological removal of nitrogen and phosphorus in excess of that required for biomass synthesis in a biological wastewater treatment system without defined anaerobic or anoxic zones. Evidence is growing that significant SBNR can occur in many systems, including the aerobic zone of systems already configured for biological nutrient removal. Although SBNR systems offer several potential advantages, they cannot be fully realized until the mechanisms responsible for SBNR are better understood. Consequently, a research program was initiated with the basic hypothesis that three mechanisms might be responsible for SBNR: the reactor macroenvironment, the floc microenvironment, and novel microorganisms. Previously, the nutrient removal capabilities of seven full-scale, staged, closed-loop bioreactors known as Orbal oxidation ditches were evaluated. Chemical analysis and microbiological observations suggested that SBNR occurred in these systems. Three of these plants were further examined in this research to evaluate the importance of novel microorganisms, especially for nitrogen removal. A screening tool was developed to determine the relative significance of the activities of microorganisms capable of autotrophic denitrification and heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification in biological nutrient removal systems. The results indicated that novel microorganisms were not substantial contributors to SBNR in the plants studied. Phosphorus metabolism (anaerobic release, aerobic uptake) was also tested in one of the plants. Activity within the mixed liquor that was consistent with current theories for phosphorus-accumulating organisms (PAOs) was observed. Along with other observations, this suggests the presence of PAOs in the facilities studied.