scholarly journals Need for Seismic Hydrology Research with a Geomicrobiological Focus

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8704
Author(s):  
Heejung Kim

Earthquakes cause deformation in previously stable groundwater environments, resulting in changes to the hydrogeological characteristics. The changes to hydrological processes following large-scale earthquakes have been investigated through many physicochemical studies, but understanding of the associated geomicrobiological responses remains limited. To complement the understanding of earthquakes gathered using hydrogeochemical approaches, studies on the effects of the Earth’s deep crustal fluids on microbial community structures can be applied. These studies could help establish the degree of resilience and sustainability of the underground ecosystem following an earthquake. Furthermore, investigations on changes in the microbial community structure of the Earth’s deep crustal fluids before and after an earthquake can be used to predict an earthquake. The results derived from studies that merge hydrogeochemical and geomicrobiological changes in the deep crustal fluids due to the effect of stress on rock characteristics within a fault zone can be used to correlate these factors with earthquake occurrences. In addition, an earthquake risk evaluation method may be developed based on the observable characteristics of fault-zone aquifers.

1997 ◽  
Vol 78 (04) ◽  
pp. 1202-1208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne Kjalke ◽  
Julie A Oliver ◽  
Dougald M Monroe ◽  
Maureane Hoffman ◽  
Mirella Ezban ◽  
...  

SummaryActive site-inactivated factor VIIa has potential as an antithrombotic agent. The effects of D-Phe-L-Phe-L-Arg-chloromethyl ketone-treated factor VIla (FFR-FVIIa) were evaluated in a cell-based system mimicking in vivo initiation of coagulation. FFR-FVIIa inhibited platelet activation (as measured by expression of P-selectin) and subsequent large-scale thrombin generation in a dose-dependent manner with IC50 values of 1.4 ± 0.8 nM (n = 8) and 0.9 ± 0.7 nM (n = 7), respectively. Kd for factor VIIa binding to monocytes ki for FFR-FVIIa competing with factor VIIa were similar (11.4 ± 0.8 pM and 10.6 ± 1.1 pM, respectively), showing that FFR-FVIIa binds to tissue factor in the tenase complex with the same affinity as factor VIIa. Using platelets from volunteers before and after ingestion of aspirin (1.3 g), there were no significant differences in the IC50 values of FFR-FVIIa [after aspirin ingestion, the IC50 values were 1.7 ± 0.9 nM (n = 8) for P-selectin expression, p = 0.37, and 1.4 ± 1.3 nM (n = 7) for thrombin generation, p = 0.38]. This shows that aspirin treatment of platelets does not influence the inhibition of tissue factor-initiated coagulation by FFR-FVIIa, probably because thrombin activation of platelets is not entirely dependent upon expression of thromboxane A2.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 566.1-566
Author(s):  
S. Afilal ◽  
H. Rkain ◽  
B. Berchane ◽  
J. Moulay Berkchi ◽  
S. Fellous ◽  
...  

Background:Methotrexate is a gold standard for treatment of RA. In our context, RA patients prefer to be injected by paramedics rather than self-injecting. This can be explained by patients’ bad perceptions of self-injection or lack of information. Appropriate self-injection education can therefore be an important element in overcoming these obstacles and improving disease self-management.Objectives:Compare the RA patients’ perceptions on methotrexate self-injection before and after a patient education session.Methods:Prospective pilot study that included 27 consecutive patients (81.5% female, mean age 44.4 years, illiteracy rate 40.7%) with RA (median duration of progression of 4 years, mean delay in referral for specialist of 6 months, median duration of methotrexate use of 1 year). The patients benefited from an individual patient education session to learn how to self-inject with methotrexate subcutaneously. The patient education session was supervised by a nurse and a rheumatologist with a control a week later. Perceptions of the reluctance to self-inject and the difficulties encountered by patients were assessed before the patient education session, after the 1st and 2nd self-injection of methotrexate using a 10 mm visual analog scale. Patients also reported their level of satisfaction (10 mm VAS) after the 1st and 2nd self-injection.Results:The mean duration of patient education session is 13 min.Table I compares the evolution of the degrees of reluctance to self-injection, the difficulties encountered, and the satisfaction experienced by the patients.Table 1.Evolution of RA patients’ perceptions on the methotrexate self-injection. (N = 27)BeforeAfter the 1stself-injectionAfter the 2end self-injectionpVAS reluctance (0-10mm)6,5 ± 3,62,2 ± 2,91,0 ± 2,3<0,0001VAS difficulty (0-10mm)7,5 ± 2,62,5 ± 2,71,0 ± 1,9<0,0001VAS satisfaction (0-10mm)-8,9 ± 1,89,5 ± 1,50,002Conclusion:This study suggests the effectiveness of a methotrexate self-injection patient education session in RA patients. It also highlights the value of patient education in rheumatologic care. A large-scale study is necessary to better interpret and complete these preliminary results from this pilot study.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lichun Ma ◽  
Kai Wang ◽  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Qingfeng Tang ◽  
Hui Yan

AbstractThe Quaternary Lop Nor playa is the largest production base of potassium sulfate in the world. It has a mining history of more than 10 years, and its share in the Chinese potassium sulfate market is about 50% to-date. In this basin, the high-salinity potassium-rich brines are mainly contained in Middle Pleistocene–Holocene glauberite strata. Based on the monitoring of the underground brine table and geochemical analysis, this study reveals variations in the underground brine table and potassium-bearing grade before and after large-scale mining in the Lop Nor potash deposit. The results showed that the underground brine table and potassium sulfate grade decreased by varying degrees over sub-mineral areas after large-scale mining. The underground brine table declined by 8.5 m, on average, in the Luobei depression, by 6.4 m in the Tenglong platform and by 1.9 m in the Xinqing platform. However, the potassium-bearing grade showed the different trend. The Tenglong platform had the largest decline with average decreases in layers W1, W2 and W3 of 18.2%, 13.0% and 24.8%, respectively. In the Xinqing platform, the average decrease in layersW2 and W3 were 17.4% and 16.0% respectively. The Luobei depression decreases were relatively small (W1, W2 and W3 decreased 4.3%, 4.2% and 3.1%, respectively). This research provides a theoretical basis for the rational development and sustainable use of the potassium-rich brines in the Lop Nor basin.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Y. Song ◽  
H. Chun

AbstractVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) are secondary pollutant precursors having adverse impacts on the environment and human health. Although VOC emissions, their sources, and impacts have been investigated, the focus has been on large-scale industrial sources or indoor environments; studies on relatively small-scale enterprises (e.g., auto-repair workshops) are lacking. Here, we performed field VOC measurements for an auto-repair painting facility in Korea and analyzed the characteristics of VOCs emitted from the main painting workshop (top coat). The total VOC concentration was 5069–8058 ppb, and 24–35 species were detected. The VOCs were mainly identified as butyl acetate, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene compounds. VOC characteristics differed depending on the paint type. Butyl acetate had the highest concentration in both water- and oil-based paints; however, its concentration and proportion were higher in the former (3256 ppb, 65.5%) than in the latter (2449 ppb, 31.1%). Comparing VOC concentration before and after passing through adsorption systems, concentrations of most VOCs were lower at the outlets than the inlets of the adsorption systems, but were found to be high at the outlets in some workshops. These results provide a theoretical basis for developing effective VOC control systems and managing VOC emissions from auto-repair painting workshops.


GigaScience ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra J Lee ◽  
YoSon Park ◽  
Georgia Doing ◽  
Deborah A Hogan ◽  
Casey S Greene

Abstract Motivation In the past two decades, scientists in different laboratories have assayed gene expression from millions of samples. These experiments can be combined into compendia and analyzed collectively to extract novel biological patterns. Technical variability, or "batch effects," may result from combining samples collected and processed at different times and in different settings. Such variability may distort our ability to extract true underlying biological patterns. As more integrative analysis methods arise and data collections get bigger, we must determine how technical variability affects our ability to detect desired patterns when many experiments are combined. Objective We sought to determine the extent to which an underlying signal was masked by technical variability by simulating compendia comprising data aggregated across multiple experiments. Method We developed a generative multi-layer neural network to simulate compendia of gene expression experiments from large-scale microbial and human datasets. We compared simulated compendia before and after introducing varying numbers of sources of undesired variability. Results The signal from a baseline compendium was obscured when the number of added sources of variability was small. Applying statistical correction methods rescued the underlying signal in these cases. However, as the number of sources of variability increased, it became easier to detect the original signal even without correction. In fact, statistical correction reduced our power to detect the underlying signal. Conclusion When combining a modest number of experiments, it is best to correct for experiment-specific noise. However, when many experiments are combined, statistical correction reduces our ability to extract underlying patterns.


1999 ◽  
Vol 65 (8) ◽  
pp. 3566-3574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah J. MacNaughton ◽  
John R. Stephen ◽  
Albert D. Venosa ◽  
Gregory A. Davis ◽  
Yun-Juan Chang ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Three crude oil bioremediation techniques were applied in a randomized block field experiment simulating a coastal oil spill. Four treatments (no oil control, oil alone, oil plus nutrients, and oil plus nutrients plus an indigenous inoculum) were applied. In situ microbial community structures were monitored by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and 16S rDNA PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to (i) identify the bacterial community members responsible for the decontamination of the site and (ii) define an end point for the removal of the hydrocarbon substrate. The results of PLFA analysis demonstrated a community shift in all plots from primarily eukaryotic biomass to gram-negative bacterial biomass with time. PLFA profiles from the oiled plots suggested increased gram-negative biomass and adaptation to metabolic stress compared to unoiled controls. DGGE analysis of untreated control plots revealed a simple, dynamic dominant population structure throughout the experiment. This banding pattern disappeared in all oiled plots, indicating that the structure and diversity of the dominant bacterial community changed substantially. No consistent differences were detected between nutrient-amended and indigenous inoculum-treated plots, but both differed from the oil-only plots. Prominent bands were excised for sequence analysis and indicated that oil treatment encouraged the growth of gram-negative microorganisms within the α-proteobacteria andFlexibacter-Cytophaga-Bacteroides phylum. α-Proteobacteria were never detected in unoiled controls. PLFA analysis indicated that by week 14 the microbial community structures of the oiled plots were becoming similar to those of the unoiled controls from the same time point, but DGGE analysis suggested that major differences in the bacterial communities remained.


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