Recent investigations have revealed significant fractionation of 238U/235U between organic-rich sediments of anoxic marginal seas and seawater, indicating redox-dependent U isotope fractionation. ...This study explores the conditions controlling U isotope fractionation in selected modern anoxic basins (Baltic Sea: Landsort and Gotland Deeps and the Kyllaren fjord in Norway) and compares U with Mo isotope fractionation. Therefore, the concentrations and isotope compositions of dissolved U and Mo from the water column and organic-rich sediments from three currently anoxic basins have been analysed.
The water column samples from the Kyllaren fjord display a moderate depletion of U and a strong depletion of Mo with increasing depth. These variations are associated with a decrease in δ238U and an increase in δ98Mo with depth, from −0.35 ‰ to −0.70 ‰ and from 2.4 ‰ to 2.6 ‰, respectively. From the U isotope composition of the deep euxinic water column of the Kyllaren fjord, a minimum value of Δ238Ured≈0.7 ‰ for the U isotope fractionation during reduction is inferred. Due to the high sedimentation rate in the Kyllaren fjord, surface sediment samples are only moderately enriched in U and Mo (~4μg/g and 6μg/g to 37μg/g, respectively) and display δ238U and δ98Mo averages of −0.26 ‰±0.10 ‰ and 2.18 ‰±0.21 ‰, respectively.
Water column samples from the Baltic Sea display a minor decrease in the U and Mo concentrations and only negligible U and Mo isotope fractionation compared to open seawater. The sediment layers from the Baltic Sea (Landsort Deep), which were deposited under mostly anoxic conditions, are moderately enriched in U (up to 8μg/g) and highly enriched in Mo (up to 222μg/g). However, U and Mo isotopic compositions are significantly lighter (with δ238U of −0.36 ‰±0.08 ‰ and δ98Mo of −0.04 ‰±0.11 ‰) than those of typical organic-rich sediments from anoxic basins.
These findings reveal that compared to Mo, the U isotopic composition of sediments in restricted and strongly euxinic basins like the Kyllaren fjord is significantly more dependent on (1) the extent of U removal from the water column, which is lower than that of Mo, and on (2) the sedimentation rate (i.e., the fraction of authigenic U relative to detrital U in the sediment), which is also lower compared to that of Mo. In more open and only temporarily euxinic basins such as the investigated basins of the Baltic Sea, strong Mo is coupled with weak U isotope fractionation between water and sediment. These signatures were likely the result of isotope fractionation under weakly sulfidic conditions and the generation of isotopically light Mo during frequently occurring flushing events with oxygen-rich water from the open sea. This implies that Mo and U isotope signatures of sediments only record paleo-water column redox conditions of restricted basins if the water column was permanently stratified.
•Dissolved uranium of restricted anoxic basins is isotopically lighter than open ocean U.•Uranium of restricted anoxic basins is isotopically lighter than their respected sedimentary U′.•Uranium isotope fractionation in restricted anoxic basins depends on the extent of U removal from the water column.•The sedimentation rate in those restricted anoxic basins strongly affects the U isotope composition of the sediments.
Havana in the 1550s was a small coastal village with a very limited population that was vulnerable to attack. By 1610, however, under Spanish rule it had become one of the best-fortified port cities ...in the world and an Atlantic center of shipping, commerce, and shipbuilding. Using all available local Cuban sources, Alejandro de la Fuente provides the first examination of the transformation of Havana into a vibrant Atlantic port city and the fastest-growing urban center in the Americas in the late sixteenth century. He shows how local ambitions took advantage of the imperial design and situates Havana within the slavery and economic systems of the colonial Atlantic.
Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales constitute a serious public health threat; however, information on the oxacilinasa (OXA-48)-type is limited. The objective of the study was to evaluate the ...risk factors associated with 14-day mortality for patients with bacteremia due to OXA-48 carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae.We conducted a retrospective, single-center observational study of adult patients with K. pneumoniae bacteremia, classifying the strains as carbapenem-susceptible K. pneumoniae (CSKp) and carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKp). All of the CRKp strains were the OXA-48-type.The study included 202 cases of bacteremia: 114 due to CSKp and 88 due to CRKp. The clinical cure rate was higher for the patients with CSKp (85% vs 69% for CSKp and CRKp, respectively; P = .010), while the 14-day mortality rate was lower (13% vs 30%, P = .005). An INCREMENT-CPE score ≥7 (HR 3.05, 95% CI 1.50-6.25, P = .002) was the only independent factor associated with 14-day mortality for the patients with Klebsiella spp. bacteremia. Other factors related to 14-day mortality were a rapidly fatal prognosis (McCabe) (HR 7.1, 95% CI 2.75-18.37, P < .001), dementia (HR 5.9, 95% CI 2.0-7.43, P = .001), and a high-risk source of infection (HR 2.7, 95% CI 1.06-6.82, P = .038).The most important factors associated with 14-day mortality for the patients with K. pneumoniae bacteremia was an INCREMENT-CPE score ≥7, dementia, a McCabe score indicating a rapidly fatal prognosis and a high-risk source of infection. We found no relationship between a poorer outcome and CRKp isolation or inadequate antibiotic therapy.
This paper reports results of a 5-year trial study of a natural treatment system for wastewater (NTSW) on a livestock pig farm on Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain). The pilot plant consist of a ...rotary screen, a first-generation multi-chamber digester, and two horizontal subsurface flow treatment wetlands (HSFCW) with a pond installed between them. Results show that the removal efficiency of total chemical oxygen demand (CODt), total suspended solids (TSS), volatile solids (VS) and total dissolved solids (TDS) of the treatment were 91.77%, 95.99%, 82.62%, and 55.78%, respectively. Other removal values include 93.79% for total nitrogen (TN) and 93.05% for phosphorus (P2O5). The results demonstrate the suitability of NTSW solutions applied to livestock waste in pig farms and their potential application to other farms of similar size.
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•Application of natural treatment for pig farm waste-water.•Designed and operated full-scale plant: digester, constructed wetlands and pond.•High removal rates for COD, TSS and TN (91.77, 95.99 and 93.79%).•Native plants are used to treat livestock farm wastewater.
To propose a new test to evaluate the autonomic nervous system in patients with syncope: Multimodal Monitoring for Diagnosis of Dysautonomia (MMDD). We included 21 patients with syncope (16 female, 6 ...male, mean age 43.5 years) and 21 with no-syncope subjects (15 female, 7 male, mean age 45.1 years) to perform a test of nine 2-min stages: four while resting and four during active testing of autonomic response. Transcranial-Doppler, electrocardiogram, and photoplethysmography blood pressure pulse-to-pulse monitoring, allow registering six variables from the Middle Cerebral Artery and four from the Cardiovascular System. We analyze each variable's mean differences in each stage and its change when they pass from one stage to another with the T and Z tests. To understand the significance of the change, we use a logistic regression model for a certain subgroup of variables. Since we have a small dataset, we use the bootstrap technique to infer the general behavior that characterizes a syncope. Our data confirm differences between syncope and non-syncope patients during MMDD stress stages 2, 4, 6 and 8. Bootstrap and multivariate logistic regression allow us to identify which sets of variables in each of these stages of the MMDD are sufficiently sensitive to recognizing syncope. MMDD protocol can recognize a syncope patient with some confidence by detecting subtle changes in the autonomic nervous system. This protocol encourages us to continue to study the effectiveness of MMDD protocol allowing a new approach to future research.
We aimed to identify patients' clinical characteristics associated with respiratory viruses identified among patients presenting with influenza-like illness (ILI).
A sample of patients of all ages ...presenting with ILI was included by physicians of the French Sentinelles network during two seasons (2015/16 and 2016/17). Nasopharyngeal samples were tested for the presence of influenza virus (IV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human rhinovirus (HRV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV). Patients' characteristics associated with each of the four virus classes were studied using multivariate logistic regressions.
A total of 5859 individuals were included in the study: 48.0% tested positive for IV, 7.9% for HRV, 7.5% for RSV and 4.1% for HMPV. Cough was associated with IV (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.81–2.52) RSV (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.75–3.74) and HMPV detection (OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.40–3.45). Rhinorrhoea was associated mainly with HRV detection (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.34–2.32). Headache was associated with IV detection (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.34–2.32), whereas absence of headache was associated with RSV and HMPV detection. Dyspnoea was associated with RSV detection (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.73–3.12) and absence of dyspnoea with IV detection. Conjunctivitis was associated with IV detection (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.08–1.50). Some associations were observed only in children: dyspnoea and cough with RSV detection (age <5 years), conjunctivitis with IV detection (age <15 years). Period of onset of symptoms differed among aetiological diagnoses. Seasonal influenza vaccination decreased the risk of IV detection (OR, 0.67, 95% CI 0.51–0.86).
This study allowed the identification of symptoms associated with several viral aetiologies in patients with ILI. A proper knowledge and understanding of these clinical signs may improve the medical management of patients.
We present experiments conducted in a wind tunnel to characterize yaw angle effects on the drag force acting on the Ahmed body with slant angle of 25°. The main contribution of this experimental work ...is to create a reliable database of drag coefficients under yawed conditions. For zero yaw angle, we find a small variation in the drag coefficient, CD, for Reynolds number in the range 3×105−30×105, resulting in the known tendency of a drag coefficient decrement as the Reynolds number increases. This trend is in agreement with other experimental works but is 30% greater than the usual CD (Re) function. Secondly, the drag coefficient increases significantly with an increment in the yaw angle at a constant Reynolds number. Three distinctive regions for the drag coefficient as a function of the yaw angles are established from the experimental results: the drag coefficient increases for 0°≲β≲60°, remains constant in the range 60°≲β≲75° and finally, the drag coefficient grows again until β=90°.
•We perform accurate experimental measurements of the drag coefficient on the Ahmed's body for different yaw angles.•For null yaw angle, the results are far away from the usual trend, but they collapse with newer experimental results.•Finally, we measure the drag force for different yaw angles showing different regions.
The toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are operons involved in the formation of persistent cells and in stress situations in microorganism. TA systems are widely distributed in Mycobacterium tuberculosis ...(MTB). The objective of this study was to determine the distribution and variability of protein sequences of TA systems in seven MTB lineages. Protein prediction on 73 genomes of different lineage was made using Prodigal, and profile hidden Markov models (PHMMs) of 225 reference TA proteins were constructed with HMMER. An homology search was made comparing the predicted proteins to PHMMs. Consecutive proteins that matched PHMMs (forming an operon) were selected. Thereafter, clustering of orthologous genes was made for further mutation scanning through multiple alignments. All proteins found belong to TA types II and IV, and 45 proteins were found completely conserved. Six uncharacterized antitoxins homologous to VapB11, VapB5, VapB45, VapB13, ParD1 and RelB were found. Multiple alignments revealed differences among lineages with specific mutations suitable for genotyping. Significant changes in amino acid sequences caused by frameshift mutations were found in 46 TA proteins.
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