Dissolved inorganic nitrogen as an overlooked precursor of nitrogenous disinfection byproducts - A critical review.

Aquatic nitrogenous compounds can be classified as dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), including ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and inorganic chloramines. The occurrence of nitrogenous disinfection byproducts (N-DBPs) in water, such as haloacetonitriles (HANs), halonitromethanes (HNMs), haloacaetamides (HAcAms), and nitrosamines (NAs), has attracted considerable attention due to their higher toxicity than regulated carbonaceous analogues. While numerous studies have investigated the contributions of DON to N-DBP formation, relatively fewer studies have explored DIN as N-DBP precursors, although DINs are sometimes evaluated as influencing factors.

Deep-sea ecosystems of the Indian Ocean >1000 m.

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceans, accounting for ~20 % of the global marine realm. It is geomorphologically complex, hosting a wide variety of ecosystems across basins, trenches, seamounts, ridges, and fracture zones. While modern exploration has contributed significantly to our knowledge of its coastal ecosystems, deeper waters (>1000 m) remain relatively unknown despite accounting for over 90 % of its total area.

Gradient columns to measure the density of microplastics.

Density gradient columns are an established industrial method for measuring the density of plastics, but have rarely been applied to environmental plastics. In this study 14 density gradient columns were used to measure the density of 150 environmental plastics particles from an urban beach, plus 100 microplastics of known identity, representing what is believed to be the most extensive density dataset for environmental plastic debris available in scientific literature. In total, 92 % of investigated particles had their density measured, with the remainder falling outside of the range of the density columns: 800-1418 kg·m.

Hard X-ray imaging and tomography at the Biomedical Imaging and Therapy beamlines of Canadian Light Source.

The Biomedical Imaging and Therapy facility of the Canadian Light Source comprises two beamlines, which together cover a wide X-ray energy range from 13 keV up to 140 keV. The beamlines were designed with a focus on synchrotron applications in preclinical imaging and veterinary science as well as microbeam radiation therapy. While these remain a major part of the activities of both beamlines, a number of recent upgrades have enhanced the versatility and performance of the beamlines, particularly for high-resolution microtomography experiments.

Developmental Trajectories of Cyber-Aggression among Early Adolescents in Canada: The Impact of Aggression, Gender, and Time Spent Online.

The objective of the present study was to examine developmental trajectories of cyber-aggression in early adolescence, as well as their relationship with predictive factors related to cyber-aggression (e.g., overt aggression, gender, and time spent online).

Temporal drivers of tryptophan-like fluorescent dissolved organic matter along a river continuum.

Tryptophan-like fluorescence (TLF) is used to indicate anthropogenic inputs of dissolved organic matter (DOM), typically from wastewater, in rivers. We hypothesised that other sources of DOM, such as groundwater and planktonic microbial biomass can also be important drivers of riverine TLF dynamics. We sampled 19 contrasting sites of the River Thames, UK, and its tributaries.

Overview of the Engagement Process to Develop the Future of Cancer Impact (FOCI) Report in Alberta: The Power of Collective Action.

This commentary provides a detailed overview of the extensive stakeholder engagement efforts critical to the development of the Future of Cancer Impact (FOCI) in Alberta report. The overarching aim of the FOCI report was to support informed and strategic discussions and actions that will help key stakeholders in the province prepare for a future with increasing cancer incidence and survival. Employing a comprehensive approach and a diverse range of engagement activities, insights from a wide spectrum of stakeholders were gathered and subsequently used to shape the content of the report.

Indoor Air Sources of Outdoor Air Pollution: Health Consequences, Policy, and Recommendations: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report.

Indoor sources of air pollution worsen indoor and outdoor air quality. Thus, identifying and reducing indoor pollutant sources would decrease both indoor and outdoor air pollution, benefit public health, and help address the climate crisis. As outdoor sources come under regulatory control, unregulated indoor sources become a rising percentage of the problem.

Real-Time Tracking of Carbon Dioxide Concentration Using an Optical Microsphere Resonator Sensor.

Whispering gallery mode resonator sensors are nondisruptive optical sensors that can detect and monitor perturbations in a gaseous environment. Through its resonant properties of peak wavelength, amplitude, and quality factor (Q factor), changes in concentration can be quantified within seconds and monitored over days with great stability. In addition, the small footprint, low cost, and high sensitivity are ideal properties for a disposable sensor that can be utilized in extreme environments.

Integrating multiple lines of evidence to assess the effects of maternal BMI on pregnancy and perinatal outcomes.

Background: Higher maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) is associated with adverse pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. However, whether these associations are causal remains unclear.

Methods: We explored the relation of maternal pre-/early-pregnancy BMI with 20 pregnancy and perinatal outcomes by integrating evidence from three different approaches (i.

In situ observation of a macrourid fish at 7259 m in the Japan Trench: swimbladder buoyancy at extreme depth.

A macrourid, Coryphaenoides yaquinae sp. inc., was observed to be attracted to bait and exhibiting normal foraging behaviour during a period of 80 min within view of a baited video camera on the sea floor at 7259 m - the deepest ever observation of a fish species with a swim bladder.

Indigenous Australians critically ill with sepsis: Characteristics, outcomes, and areas for improvement.

Background: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have amongst the highest incidence of sepsis globally.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics, short- and long-term outcomes of non-Indigenous, Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander Australians admitted with sepsis to an intensive care unit (ICU) to inform healthcare outcome improvement.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 500 consecutive sepsis admissions to the Cairns Hospital ICU compared clinical characteristics, short-term (before ICU discharge) and long-term (2000 days posthospital discharge) outcomes.

Developing expert scientific consensus on the environmental and societal effects of marine artificial structures prior to decommissioning.

Thousands of artificial ('human-made') structures are present in the marine environment, many at or approaching end-of-life and requiring urgent decisions regarding their decommissioning. No consensus has been reached on which decommissioning option(s) result in optimal environmental and societal outcomes, in part, owing to a paucity of evidence from real-world decommissioning case studies. To address this significant challenge, we asked a worldwide panel of scientists to provide their expert opinion.

Effects of the maternal and fetal proteome on birth weight: a Mendelian randomization analysis.

Fetal growth is an indicator of fetal survival, regulated by maternal and fetal factors, but little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. We used Mendelian randomization to explore the effects of maternal and fetal genetically-instrumented plasma proteins on birth weight using genome-wide association summary data (n=406,063 with maternal and/or fetal genotype), with independent replication (n=74,932 mothers and n=62,108 offspring), and colocalisation. Higher genetically-predicted maternal levels of PCSK1 increased birthweight (mean-difference: 9g (95% CI: 5g, 13g) per 1 standard deviation protein level).

Ranking the accelerated weathering of plastic polymers.

The timespans over which different plastics degrade in the environment are poorly understood. This study aimed to rank the degradation speed of five widespread plastic polymers-low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-in terms of their physicochemical properties. Five of the six samples were plastic films with identical dimensions, which allowed the influence of morphology to be excluded, with a polyethylene carrier bag (PEB) tested for comparison.

Stormwater discharge: An overlooked source of disinfection byproduct precursors.

Discharge from the stormwater system is as an important pathway for contaminant transport, impacting the quantity and characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in surface water, and thus the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) during downstream drinking water disinfection. In this study, DOM in stormwater pipes was characterized by size-exclusion chromatography, and the formation of 27 DBPs and halogen-specific total organic halogen (TOX) following chlorination was investigated. Overall, DOM in stormwater pipes was characterized by low molecular weight compounds and microbial-derived organics.

Fluorescence lifetime measurements using photon pair correlations generated via spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC).

We have used photon pair correlations generated via spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC) to measure the fluorescence lifetime of the organic dye rhodamine 6 G, demonstrating that fluorescence lifetime measurements can be achieved using a continuous wave (CW) laser, without pulsed or modulated lasers. Our entangled photon method, quantum fluorescence lifetime (Q-FL) measurements, uses one photon to excite fluorescence and the resulting fluorescence photon is timed and referenced to the arrival time of the other entangled photon. Thus, we can exploit the short timescale of photon pair correlations to conduct experiments that are typically carried out with pulsed lasers and we show that the inherent timing of the photons is fast enough to resolve the nanosecond scale fluorescence lifetime of the sample.

Leveraging National Data and Regional Innovations to Right-Size Tobacco Treatment Policy for Behavioral Health in a Midwestern State.

Background: People with mental health (MH) and substance use disorders (SUD) have high rates of tobacco use and tobacco-related mortality. They want to stop smoking and studies have shown they can quit, but few behavioral health facilities provide tobacco treatment. The purpose of this paper is to describe how a midwestern statewide behavioral health collaboration used regional data to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in tobacco treatment trends, identified policies in neighboring states that were associated with high rates of tobacco treatment, and worked with state leaders to implement these policies to enhance treatment.

Disinfection By-Products Formation from Chlor()ination of Algal Organic Matter of .

Eutrophication in water reservoirs releases algal organic matter (AOM), which is an important precursor of disinfection by-products (DBPs) formed during water treatment. is a microalgae which flourishes under conditions of high light intensity and temperature, thus its prevalence in algal blooms is expected to increase with climate change. However, AOM has not been previously investigated as a DBP precursor.