How efficiently does a metabolically enhanced system with denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidizing microorganisms remove antibiotics?

In this work, the novel N-damo (Nitrite dependent anaerobic methane oxidation) process was investigated at high biomass activities for its potential to remove simultaneously nitrite and methane, as well as selected antibiotics commonly found in sewage in trace amounts. For this purpose, two MBRs were operated at three high nitrite loading rates (NLRs), namely 76 ± 9.9, 161.5 ± 11.4 and 215.2 ± 24.2 mg N-NO⁻2 L-1 d-1, at long-term operation. The MBRs performance achieved a significantly high nitrite removal activity for an N-damo process (specific denitrifying activity of up to 540 mg N-NO⁻2 g-1 VSS d-1), even comparable to heterotrophic denitrification values. In this study, we have implemented a novel operational strategy that sets our work apart from previous studies with similar bioreactors. Specifically, we have introduced Cerium as a trace element in the feeding medium, which serves as a key differentiating factor. It allowed maintaining a stable reactor operation at high NLRs. Microbial community composition evidenced that both MBRs were dominated with N-damo bacteria (67-87% relative abundance in period III and I, respectively). However, a decrease in functional N-damo bacteria (Candidatus Methylomirabilis) abundance was observed during the increase in biomass activity and concentration, concomitantly with an increase of the other minor families (Hypomicrobiaceae and Xanthobacteraceae). Most of the selected antibiotics showed high biotransformation such as sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, cefalexin and azithromycin, whereas others such as roxithromycin and clarithromycin were only partially degraded (20-35%). On the contrary, ciprofloxacin showed almost no removal. Despite the metabolic enhancement, no apparent increase on the antibiotic removal was observed throughout the operation, suggesting that microbiological composition was of greater influence than its primary metabolic activity on the removal of antibiotics.

Cometabolic removal of organic micropollutants by enriched nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidizing cultures.

The innovative and recently discovered n-damo process, based on anaerobic methane oxidation with nitrite, was developed in a membrane-based bioreactor and evaluated in terms of organic micropollutants (OMPs) removal. The main singularity of this study consisted in the evaluation of organic micropollutants (OMPs) removal in the biological reactor. A strategy consisting on progressively increasing the nitrogen loading rate in order to increase the specific denitrification activity was followed to check if the selected OMPs were co-metabolically biotransformed. Significant nitrite removal rate (24.1 mg N L-1 d-1) was achieved after only 30 days of operation. A maximum specific removal of 186.3 mg N gVSS-1 d-1 was obtained at the end of the operation, which is one of the highest previously reported. A successfully n-damo bacteria enrichment was achieved, being Candidatus Methylomirabilis the predominant bacteria during the whole operation attaining a maximum relative abundance of about 40 %. The natural hormones (E1 and E2) were completely removed in the bioreactor. The specific removal rates of erythromycin (ERY), fluoxetine (FLX), roxithromycin (ROX) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) were successfully correlated with the specific nitrite removal rates, suggesting a co-metabolic biotransformation.

Reaching Consensus in Polarized Moral Debates.

The group polarization phenomenon is a widespread human bias with no apparent geographical or cultural boundaries [1]. Although the conditions that breed extremism have been extensively studied [2-5], comparably little research has examined how to depolarize attitudes in people who already embrace extreme beliefs. Previous studies have shown that deliberating groups may shift toward more moderate opinions [6], but why deliberation is sometimes effective although other times it fails at eliciting consensus remains largely unknown. To investigate this, we performed a large-scale behavioral experiment with live crowds from two countries. Participants (N = 3,288 in study 1 and N = 582 in study 2) were presented with a set of moral scenarios and asked to judge the acceptability of a controversial action. Then they organized in groups of three and discussed their opinions to see whether they agreed on common values of acceptability. We found that groups succeeding at reaching consensus frequently had extreme participants with low confidence and a participant with a moderate view but high confidence. Quantitative analyses showed that these "confident grays" exerted the greatest weight on group judgements and suggest that consensus was driven by a mediation process [7, 8]. Overall, these findings shed light on the elements that allow human groups to resolve moral disagreement.

A massive experiment on choice blindness in political decisions: Confidence, confabulation, and unconscious detection of self-deception.

We implemented a Choice Blindness Paradigm containing political statements in Argentina to reveal the existence of categorical ranges of introspective reports, identified by confidence and agreement levels, separating easy from very hard to manipulate decisions. CBP was implemented in both live and web-based forms. Importantly, and contrary to what was observed in Sweden, we did not observe changes in voting intentions. Also, confidence levels in the manipulated replies where significantly lower than in non-manipulated cases even in undetected manipulations. We name this phenomenon unconscious detection of self-deception. Results also show that females are more difficult to manipulate than men.

Arithmetic on Your Phone: A Large Scale Investigation of Simple Additions and Multiplications.

We present the results of a gamified mobile device arithmetic application which allowed us to collect vast amount of data in simple arithmetic operations. Our results confirm and replicate, on a large sample, six of the main principles derived in a long tradition of investigation: size effect, tie effect, size-tie interaction effect, five-effect, RTs and error rates correlation effect, and most common error effect. Our dataset allowed us to perform a robust analysis of order effects for each individual problem, for which there is controversy both in experimental findings and in the predictions of theoretical models. For addition problems, the order effect was dominated by a max-then-min structure (i.e 7+4 is easier than 4+7). This result is predicted by models in which additions are performed as a translation starting from the first addend, with a distance given by the second addend. In multiplication, we observed a dominance of two effects: (1) a max-then-min pattern that can be accounted by the fact that it is easier to perform fewer additions of the largest number (i.e. 8x3 is easier to compute as 8+8+8 than as 3+3+…+3) and (2) a phonological effect by which problems for which there is a rhyme (i.e. "seis por cuatro es veinticuatro") are performed faster. Above and beyond these results, our study bares an important practical conclusion, as proof of concept, that participants can be motivated to perform substantial arithmetic training simply by presenting it in a gamified format.

Precipitação química de estruvita: Recuperação de nutrientes em reator cônico de leito fluidizado utilizando magnésia industrial de baixo custo / Chemical precipitation of struvite: Nutrients recovery in conic fluidized bed reactor using a low-cost industrial magnesia compound

O processo físico-químico da precipitação de estruvita é uma técnica que apresenta elevado potencial na remoção de nutrientes, a partir de diferentes tipologias de efluentes. O presente estudo teve por objetivo a avaliação de um composto industrial com elevado teor de magnésia e baixo custo como fonte reagente alternativa de magnésio e alcalinidade necessários ao processo de precipitação, tornando-o economicamente viável com a redução de gastos despendidos com químicos. Suspensões de Mg(OH)2 foram obtidas e tiveram desempenho avaliado em função da remoção de nutrientes, a partir de um efluente sintético rico em N-NH4+ e P-PO43-, e qualidade dos cristais gerados, com a identificação do mineral de interesse - estruvita. O experimento foi realizado em escala laboratorial utilizando reator cônico de leito fluidizado operado em semi-contínuo. O adequado controle operacional do pH (8,0-8,5) pela adição automatizada da suspensão de Mg(OH)2 possibilitou uma considerável remoção de P-PO43-, que atingiu valor médio igual a 93,5%. Os sólidos recuperados no processo apresentaram pureza de, aproximadamente, 84% de estruvita.

The physico-chemical process of struvite precipitation is a technique that demonstrates a high potential in nutrients recovery from different kinds of wastewaters. This study aimed to evaluate the use of a low cost industrial compound with high magnesia content as alternative reagent source of magnesium ions and alkalinity required for precipitation. It was a strategy to turn the process economically viable and reduce the chemical costs. Mg(OH)2slurries were obtained and evaluated regarding the nutrients recovery from a synthetic wastewater rich in NH4+-N and PO43--P and the quality of the generated crystals with the identification of the mineral of interest - the struvite. The experiment was performed in laboratory scale using a conic fluidized bed reactor in a semi-continuous operation. The proper pH control (8.0-8.5) by the automated addition of Mg(OH)2slurry allowed considerable PO43--P removal equal to 93.5%. The recovered solids from the process showed purity of approximately 84% of struvite.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness in preventing influenza A(H3N2)-related hospitalizations in adults targeted for vaccination by type of vaccine: a hospital-based test-negative study, 2011-2012 A(H3N2) predominant influenza season, Valencia, Spain.

BACKGROUND: Most evidence of the effectiveness of influenza vaccines comes from studies conducted in primary care, but less is known about their effectiveness in preventing serious complications. Here, we examined the influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) against hospitalization with PCR-confirmed influenza in the predominant A(H3N2) 2011-2012 influenza season. METHODS: A hospital-based, test-negative study was conducted in nine hospitals in Valencia, Spain. All emergency admissions with a predefined subset of symptoms were eligible. We enrolled consenting adults age 18 and over, targeted for influenza vaccination because of comorbidity, with symptoms of influenza-like-illness within seven days of admission. We estimated IVE as (1-adjusted vaccination odds ratio)*100 after accounting for major confounders, calendar time and recruitment hospital. RESULTS: The subjects included 544 positive for influenza A(H3N2) and 1,370 negative for influenza admissions. Age was an IVE modifying factor. Regardless of vaccine administration, IVE was 72% (38 to 88%) in subjects aged under 65 and 21% (-5% to 40%) in subjects aged 65 and over. By type of vaccine, the IVE of classical intramuscular split-influenza vaccine, used in subjects 18 to 64, was 68% (12% to 88%). The IVE for intradermal and virosomal influenza vaccines, used in subjects aged 65 and over, was 39% (11% to 58%) and 16% (-39% to 49%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The split-influenza vaccine was effective in preventing influenza-associated hospitalizations in adults aged under 65. The intradermal vaccine was moderately effective in those aged 65 and over.

Efecto de la restricción segmentaria en los test de salto vertical CMJ / Effect of segmental restriction in the vertical jump test CMJ

En esta investigación se han pretendido tres objetivos: a) evaluarla contribución segmentaria en la altura alcanzada por el Centro de Masas (CM) en el salto vertical contramovimiento, b) proponer ecuaciones que nos permitan predecir la altura del salto a partir del protocolo propuesto en el test de Bosco CMJ y c) Investigar los efectos de diferentes métodos para el cálculo de la altura del salto vertical. Han participado 29 deportistas con experiencia en el salto vertical. Las fuerzas de reacción se obtuvieron a través de una plataforma de fuerza Dinascam/IBV a una frecuencia de 500 Hz, sincronizada temporalmente a una cámara de alta velocidad que registraba el plano sagital de los saltos realizados sobre la plataforma. Los sujetos realizaron dos tipos de saltos verticales máximos: con acción de brazos (CMJ+b) y usando el protocolo del test Bosco (CMJ). Los registros de las componentes rectangulares de la velocidad y la posición del CM, se determinaron mediante integración, a partir de las respectivas componentes de la fuerza de reacción. Los resultados han puesto de manifiesto que con acción de brazos, la altura alcanzada por el CM se incrementa un 12%.El 39% de este incremento se debió a la posición del CM en el despegue y el 61% restante al desplazamiento vertical del CM. El desplazamiento vertical del CM se debió al tiempo de impulso y no al incremento de la fuerza media. Cuando se incrementa el desplazamiento vertical del CM para los saltos sin acción de brazos, también se incrementa para los saltos realizados con acción de brazos (r =0.79; p<0.001). No se han encontrado diferencias entre los dos sistemas de registro para los saltos CMJ+ b, mientras que cuando se utiliza el "test de Bosco" (CMJ) han existido claras diferencias (p<0.001) (AU)

This research had three main goals: a) to assess the segmental contribution to the reached height by the center of mass (CM) during countermovement vertical jump, b) to propose equations that allow us to predict the height of the jump from the proposed protocol Bosco in the CMJ test and c) to investigate the effects of different methods to calculate vertical jump height. Twenty-nine athletes with experience in vertical jump took part on the study. Ground reaction forces were obtained from a Dinascam/IBV force platform at a sampling rate of 500 Hz, a time-synchronized to a high speed camera that recorded the sagittal plane of the jumps performed on the platform. The subjects performed maximum vertical jumps with arm action (CMJ + b) and using the test protocol Bosco (CMJ). The records of the rectangular components of the velocity and position of the CM were determined by integration, from the respective components of the reaction force. The results have shown that action of the arms, the height reached by the CM is increased by 12%. This increased was 39% due to the position of the CM at takeoff and 61% because of the vertical displacement of CM. The increase of the vertical displacement was due to the pulse time and the increase in average strength. When the vertical displacement of CM for action jumps without arms was increased, it was also increased for the action jumps performed with arms (r =0.79, p <0.001). No differences were found between the registration systems for jumps CMJ + b, whereas when there was used "test of Bosco" (CMJ) there were found clear differences (p <0.001) (AU)

Paratuberculosis in free-ranging fallow deer in Spain.

Paratuberculosis was diagnosed in a population of approximately 1,000 free-ranging fallow deer (Dama dama) sampled from 1997-98 in the Regional Hunting Reserve of El Sueve (Asturias, Spain). Five of eight animals observed with diarrhea were diagnosed as having paratuberculosis on the basis of gross lesions at postmortem examination and histopathology. In two deer, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis was cultured and identified by polymerase chain reaction. Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunodiffusion tests were used to evaluate sera from 33 adult deer from this population. All fallow deer tested were seronegative.