Antimicrobial Prescription Practices and Stewardship in Washington State Small and Mixed Animal Veterinary Medicine.

Introduction: Judicious antimicrobial use is essential for the continued treatment of infections in small and mixed animal veterinary medicine. To better support Washington (WA) State veterinarians in antimicrobial stewardship, we surveyed licensed small and mixed animal veterinarians and led group conversations regarding antimicrobial prescription practices.

Methods: Survey questions included demographic information, factors influencing prescription practices and clinical cases.

Protein-protein interactions in solutions of monoclonal antibodies probed by the dependence of the high-frequency viscosity on temperature and concentration.

Using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), the complex high-frequency viscosity, = η' - η'', of concentrated solutions of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) was studied with respect to its dependence on temperature, , and concentration, . Lysozyme and bovine serum albumin (BSA) served as reference materials. Viscoelasticity was found for the mAb solution, while the reference materials behaved like Newtonian liquids.

Contrasting endolithic habitats for cyanobacteria in spring calcites of the European Alps.

It is often difficult to decide which cyanobacteria found in endolithic habitats of calcite spring-tufa deposits are present as ephemeral components of the biota or are persistent, structural elements. To answer this question, we repeatedly studied two microhabitats of contrasting calcareous tufa springs in the European Alps. Pigment extracts, fluorescence probe measurements of samples and traditional microscopy confirmed the dominance of cyanobacteria over eukaryotic algae and their viability in both microhabitats.

Recovery of Ammonium Sulfate Solution by Regeneration of Loaded Clinoptilolite.

The zeolite clinoptilolite (CLI) is known to be a very good ion exchanger, as it consists of a three-dimensional structure formed of AlO and SiO tetrahedral, which are connected by a common oxygen atom. The micropores formed by this structure (with free diameters in the range of 0.40 nm and 0.

Sorption of recalcitrant phosphonates in reverse osmosis concentrates and wastewater effluents - influence of metal ions.

Magnetic microparticles functionalized with tailored ZnFeZr oxyhydroxide adsorbent were used for the reversible sorption of orthophosphate and recalcitrant organo-phosphonates from wastewater. The loaded particles were harvested magnetically from water, regenerated in an alkaline solution and reused numerous times. The applicability of the technology to treat brackish water reverse osmosis concentrates was tested under controlled synthetic conditions by investigating the influence of typical metals (Ca, Pb, Cu) on the removal of common phosphonates (HEDP, NTMP, EDTMP), and vice versa.

Application of Natural Clinoptilolite for Ammonium Removal from Sludge Water.

Sludge water (SW) arising from the dewatering of anaerobic digested sludge causes high back loads of ammonium, leading to high stress (inhibition of the activity of microorganisms by an oversupply of nitrogen compounds (substrate inhibition)) for wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). On the other hand, ammonium is a valuable resource to substitute ammonia from the energy intensive Haber-Bosch process for fertilizer production. Within this work, it was investigated to what extent and under which conditions Carpathian clinoptilolite powder (CCP 20) can be used to remove ammonium from SW and to recover it.

Batch Studies of Phosphonate and Phosphate Adsorption on Granular Ferric Hydroxide (GFH) with Membrane Concentrate and Its Synthetic Replicas.

Phosphonates are widely used as antiscalants for softening processes in drinking water treatment. To prevent eutrophication and accumulation in the sediment, it is desirable to remove them from the membrane concentrate before they are discharged into receiving water bodies. This study describes batch experiments with synthetic solutions and real membrane concentrate, both in the presence of and absence of granular ferric hydroxide (GFH), to better understand the influence of ions on phosphonate and phosphate adsorption.

Batch studies of phosphonate adsorption on granular ferric hydroxides.

Phosphonates are widely used in various industries. It is desirable to remove them before discharging phosphonate-containing wastewater. This study describes a large number of batch experiments with adsorbents that are likely suitable for the removal of phosphonates.

Trace-level determination of phosphonates in liquid and solid phase of wastewater and environmental samples by IC-ESI-MS/MS.

Phosphonates are increasingly used as water-softening agents in detergents, care products, and industrial processes. Despite poor biodegradability, high removal rates during wastewater treatment (WWT) have been observed, owing to strong adsorption affinity to activated sludge and mineral surfaces. Due to phosphonates representing challenging analytes, no method for the compound-specific quantification of phosphonates from solid samples has hitherto been published.

Removal of phosphonates from synthetic and industrial wastewater with reusable magnetic adsorbent particles.

This work proposes a technology for phosphonate removal from wastewater using magnetically separable microparticles modified with a tailored ZnFeZr-oxyhydroxide adsorbent material which proved to be highly efficient, reaching a maximum loading of ∼20 mg nitrilotrimethylphosphonic acid-P/g (215 μmol NTMP/g) at room temperature, pH 6 and 30 min contact time. The adsorption process at pH < 7 was fast, following the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. Furthermore, NTMP adsorption onto ZnFeZr-oxyhydroxide proved to be endothermic.

Influence of Ammonium Ions, Organic Load and Flow Rate on the UV/Chlorine AOP Applied to Effluent of a Wastewater Treatment Plant at Pilot Scale.

This work investigates the influence of ammonium ions and the organic load (chemical oxygen demand (COD)) on the UV/chlorine AOP regarding the maintenance of free available chlorine (FAC) and elimination of 16 emerging contaminants (ECs) from wastewater treatment plant effluent (WWTE) at pilot scale (UV chamber at 0.4 kW). COD inhibited the FAC maintenance in the UV chamber influent at a ratio of 0.

Optimized Procedure for Determining the Adsorption of Phosphonates onto Granular Ferric Hydroxide using a Miniaturized Phosphorus Determination Method.

This paper introduces a procedure to investigate the adsorption of phosphonates onto iron-containing filter materials, particularly granular ferric hydroxide (GFH), with little effort and high reliability. The phosphonate, e.g.

Organophosphonates: A review on environmental relevance, biodegradability and removal in wastewater treatment plants.

The worldwide increasing consumption of the phosphonates 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid [PBTC], 1-hydroxyethane 1,1-diphosphonic acid [HEDP], nitrilotris(methylene phosphonic acid) [NTMP], ethylenediamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid) [EDTMP] and diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid) [DTPMP] over the past decades put phosphonates into focus of environmental scientists and agencies, as they are increasingly discussed in the context of various environmental problems. The hitherto difficult analysis of phosphonates contributed to the fact that very little is known about their concentrations and behavior in the environment. This work critically reviews the existing literature up to the year 2016 on the potential environmental relevance of phosphonates, their biotic and abiotic degradability, and their removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs).

Removal of Emerging Contaminants and Estrogenic Activity from Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent with UV/Chlorine and UV/H₂O₂ Advanced Oxidation Treatment at Pilot Scale.

Effluent of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was treated on-site with the UV/chlorine (UV/HOCl) advanced oxidation process (AOP) using a pilot plant equipped with a medium pressure UV lamp with an adjustable performance of up to 1 kW. Results obtained from parallel experiments with the same pilot plant, where the state of the art UV/H₂O₂ AOP was applied, were compared regarding the removal of emerging contaminants (EC) and the formation of adsorbable organohalogens (AOX). Furthermore, the total estrogenic activity was measured in samples treated with the UV/chlorine AOP.

Single colony genetic analysis of epilithic stream algae of the genus spp.

In order to understand spp. evolution and ecological diversification, we investigated the phylogenetic differentiation of three morphospecies from field samples by means of single colony genetics. Individual colonies of three different morphospecies () were isolated from lotic gravel streams and their 16S rDNA nucleotide variability was analyzed.

Removal of phosphonates from industrial wastewater with UV/Fe, Fenton and UV/Fenton treatment.

Phosphonates are an important group of phosphorus-containing compounds due to their increasing industrial use and possible eutrophication potential. This study involves investigations into the methods UV/Fe, Fenton and UV/Fenton for their removal from a pure water matrix and industrial wastewaters. It could be shown that the degradability of phosphonates by UV/Fe (6 kWh/m) in pure water crucially depended on the pH and was higher the less phosphonate groups a phosphonate contains.

Ciliate community structure and interactions within the planktonic food web in two alpine lakes of contrasting transparency.

Climate warming is accelerating the retreat of glaciers and recently, many 'new' glacial turbid lakes have been created. In the course of time, the loss of the hydrological connectivity to a glacier causes, however, changes in their water turbidity and turns these ecosystems into clear ones.To understand potential differences in the food-web structure between glacier-fed turbid and clear alpine lakes, we sampled ciliates, phyto-, bacterio- and zooplankton in one clear and one glacial turbid alpine lake, and measured key physicochemical parameters.

A global review on ambient Limestone-Precipitating Springs (LPS): Hydrogeological setting, ecology, and conservation.

Springs are biodiversity hotspots and unique habitats that are threatened, especially by water overdraft. Here we review knowledge on ambient-temperature (non-geothermal) freshwater springs that achieve sufficient oversaturation for CaCO3 -by physical CO2 degassing and activity of photoautotrophs- to deposit limestone, locally resulting in scenic carbonate structures: Limestone-Precipitating Springs (LPS). The most characteristic organisms in these springs are those that contribute to carbonate precipitation, e.

Altered moral decision-making in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Background: Moral decision-making essentially contributes to social conduct. Although patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) show deficits in (non-moral) decision making and related neuropsychological functions, i.e.

A comparison of ecological optima of soft-bodied benthic algae in Norwegian and Austrian rivers and consequences for river monitoring in Europe.

Alpine and Nordic rivers are often considered as being among the most pristine in Europe. Nevertheless, acidification and eutrophication impact surface waters in these regions. Soft-bodied, i.

Spatial variation of phytoplankton composition, biovolume, and resulting microcystin concentrations in the Nyanza Gulf (Lake Victoria, Kenya).

The Nyanza Gulf is a large shallow bay of Lake Victoria suffering from eutrophication by human activities. In order to characterize the harmful algal bloom formation as a consequence of eutrophication, both spatially and seasonally, environmental conditions, phytoplankton community composition, and microcystin (MC) concentrations were investigated monthly from Kisumu Bay, and bimonthly from the center of the gulf, as well as quarterly from the Rusinga Channel and the main basin of Lake Victoria between July 2008 to September 2009. The sites located in Kisumu Bay and the central gulf were most strongly affected by eutrophication, including increased nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton growth.

Cell morphology, ultrastructure, and calcification pattern of Oocardium stratum, a peculiar lotic desmid.

Cell morphology and ultrastructure of the desmid Oocardium stratum and its habitat conditions in two limestone-precipitating spring habitats in the Alps were studied. In spite of specific cell geometry, we found ultrastructural features (nucleus with nucleolus, Golgi apparatus, chloroplast structure, lipid bodies, cell wall texture) closely related to other desmids. The type of the mucilage pore apparatus perforating in high densities extended areas of the cell wall of Oocardium is of the Cosmarium type.

EAE in beta-2 microglobulin-deficient mice: axonal damage is not dependent on MHC-I restricted immune responses.

There is accumulating evidence that CD8-positive (CD8+) T-cells and MHC-I expression may also play a role in neurodegeneration associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated the role of MHC-I and CD8+ T-cells by studying experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in beta-2 microglobulin knockout mice induced by myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) peptide 35-55 or whole rat myelin basic protein (rMBP). For both encephalitogens and even after reconstitution of the immune system with MHC-I-positive bone marrow and transfer of mature CD8+ T-cells (iMHC-I+ CD8+ beta2m-/- mice), the disease course in beta2m-/- mice was significantly more severe with a 10-fold increased mortality in the beta2m-/- mice as compared to wild-type C57BL/6 mice.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and spina bifida: evaluation of level of defect and maternal genotypic risk in Hispanics.

The C677T and A1298C mutations in the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene are each associated with reduced MTHFR activity. The C677T mutation in the heterozygous and homozygous state correlates with increased enzyme thermolability, with homozygous mutant genotypes showing significantly elevated plasma homocysteine levels and decreased plasma folate levels. The A1298C mutation results in decreased MTHFR activity, but changes in neither homocysteine nor folate levels are associated with A1298C variant genotypes.

Is there a safe therapeutic window for delivery of chemotherapy prior to initiation of surgery and/or radiation-therapy for treatment of the primary tumor in children with rhabdomyosarcoma.

To avoid the delayed consequences of treatment with radiotherapy, an effort was made to determine if patients with rhabdomyosarcoma could be cured with chemotherapy as the sole form of treatment. Alternatively, if radiotherapy and/or surgery were required to reduce the severity and incidence of delayed sequelae, an effort was made to determine if there was an optimum safe period for delaying implementation of these definitive forms of treatment. In patients where primary (immediate) definitive non-mutilating surgical extirpation of tumor was not feasible, exclusive treatment with chemotherapy was implemented.