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Manmade detention ponds have historically been impacted by anthropogenic activities such as rainwater runoff, car emissions, and drainage from infrastructures, which can lead to complications for pond ecosystems. Sediment samples collected from the northern, southern, western, and eastern regions of a small pond on a suburban high school campus on Long Island, NY, were analyzed for potential chemical changes resulting from an inundation of water by a broken water main. Incorporating synchrotron X-ray techniques, sediment was analyzed using Submicron Resolution Spectroscopy, Tender Energy X-ray Spectroscopy, and X-ray Powder Diffraction to examine heavy metals, light elements, and minerals. Results include a Zn:Cu ratio increase from 4:1 to 10:1 in the eastern zone and a higher heavy metal presence in the western zone for all elements examined, with greater distribution throughout the pond post-inundation. Lighter elements appear to remain relatively unchanged. The appearance of diopside in the eastern zone post-inundation samples suggests contamination from the water main break, while the presence of carbonate minerals in the western zone is consistent with erosion of asphalt material from the adjacent parking lot.

A thesis on the light design of \"Waiting for Godot\" done by the Theatre Department at Tulane University.

Pandemic H1N1 influenza A (H1N1pdm) is currently a dominant circulating influenza strain worldwide. Severe cases of H1N1pdm infection are characterized by prolonged activation of the immune response, yet the specific role of inflammatory mediators in disease is poorly understood. The inflammatory cytokine IL-6 has been implicated in both seasonal and severe pandemic H1N1 influenza A (H1N1pdm) infection. Here, we investigated the role of IL-6 in severe H1N1pdm infection. We found IL-6 to be an important feature of the host response in both humans and mice infected with H1N1pdm. Elevated levels of IL-6 were associated with severe disease in patients hospitalized with H1N1pdm infection. Notably, serum IL-6 levels associated strongly with the requirement of critical care admission and were predictive of fatal outcome. In C57BL/6J, BALB/cJ, and B6129SF2/J mice, infection with A/Mexico/4108/2009 (H1N1pdm) consistently triggered severe disease and increased IL-6 levels in both lung and serum. Furthermore, in our lethal C57BL/6J mouse model of H1N1pdm infection, global gene expression analysis indicated a pronounced IL-6 associated inflammatory response. Subsequently, we examined disease and outcome in IL-6 deficient mice infected with H1N1pdm. No significant differences in survival, weight loss, viral load, or pathology were observed between IL-6 deficient and wild-type mice following infection. Taken together, our findings suggest IL-6 may be a potential disease severity biomarker, but may not be a suitable therapeutic target in cases of severe H1N1pdm infection due to our mouse data.

Cover crop growing periods in the western U.S. Corn Belt could be extended by planting earlier. We evaluated both pre‐harvest broadcast interseeding and post‐harvest drilling of the following cover crops: (a) cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) [RYE]; (b) a mix of rye + legumes + brassicas [MIX1], (c) a mix of rye + oat [Avena sativa L.] + legumes + brassicas (MIX2), (d) legumes [LEGU]) and (e) a no cover crop control. These were tested in continuous corn (Zea mays L.) [corn–corn] and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]–corn systems [soybean–corn] at three sites in Nebraska for their effect on cover crop productivity, soil nutrients, and subsequent corn performance. At the sites with wet fall weather, pre‐harvest broadcasting increased cover crop biomass by 90%, to 1.29 Mg ha−1 for RYE and 0.87 Mg ha−1 for MIX1 in soybean–corn, and to 0.56 Mg ha−1 and 0.39 Mg ha−1 in corn–corn, respectively. At the drier site, post‐harvest drilling increased biomass of RYE and MIX1 by 95% to 0.80 Mg ha−1 in soybean–corn. Biomass N uptake was highest in pre‐harvest RYE and MIX1 at two sites in soybean–corn (35 kg ha−1). RYE and sometimes mixes reduced soil N, but effects on P, K, and soil organic C were inconsistent. In soybean–corn, corn yields decreased by 4% after RYE, and in corn–corn, by 4% after pre‐harvest cover crops. Site‐specific selection of cover crops and planting practices can increase their performance while minimizing impacts on corn. Core Ideas Pre‐harvest broadcast cover crops had greatest productivity in sites with wetter fall weather. Cereal rye was the most productive cover crop, followed by mixes. Cereal rye and sometimes mixes lowered soil N. Cover crop effects on soil P, soil K, and soil C were small. Cover crops reduced corn yields by 4% or less.

Cover crops (CC) in corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotations may prevent N loss and provide other ecosystem services but CC productivity in the western Corn Belt is limited by the short growing season. Our objective was to assess CC treatment and planting practice effects on CC biomass, spring soil nitrate concentrations, and soybean yield at two rainfed sites in eastern and one irrigated site in south‐central Nebraska over 4 yr. Cover crop treatments (cereal rye [Secale cereale L.] [RYE] and a mix of rye, legume, and brassica species [MIX]) were planted by broadcast interseeding into corn stands in September (pre‐harvest broadcast) or drilling after corn harvest (post‐harvest drilled) and terminated 2 wk before planting soybean. Cover crop biomass and N uptake varied between years, but generally at the eastern sites, pre‐harvest broadcasting produced more biomass than post‐harvest drilling (1.64 and 0.79 Mg ha−1, respectively) and had greater N uptake (37 and 24 kg ha−1, respectively). At the south‐central site, post‐harvest drilling produced more than pre‐harvest broadcasting (1.44 and 1.20 Mg ha−1, respectively). RYE had more biomass than MIX (1.41 and 1.09 Mg ha−1, respectively), but the same N uptake. Soil nitrate reductions after CC were small. In 3 of 12 site‐years, soybean yielded less after pre‐harvest CC. Yield reductions were not correlated to CC biomass, but were likely due to greater weed pressure. High CC productivity is necessary for high N uptake, and requires site‐specific selection of planting practice and CC treatments.

Core Ideas The effect of cover crops on soil water storage for primary crops was evaluated. Field research was performed at sub‐humid and semi‐arid locations across Nebraska. Results indicate negligible impact of cover crops on soil water storage. Cover crop biomass was practically zero in west‐central Nebraska. One perceived cost of integrating winter cover cropping in maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation systems is the potential negative impact on soil water storage available for primary crop production. The objective of this 3‐yr study was to evaluate the effects of winter cover crops on soil water storage and cover crop biomass production following no‐till maize and soybean rotations. Locations were near Brule (west‐central), Clay Center (south‐central), Concord (northeast), and Mead (east‐central), NE. Treatments included crop residue only (no cover crop) and a multi‐species cover crop mix, both broadcast‐seeded before primary crop harvest and drilled following harvest. Pre‐harvest broadcast‐seeded cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) was also included in the last year of the study because rye was observed to be the dominant component of the mix in spring biomass samples. Soil water content was monitored using neutron probe or gravimetric techniques. Mean aboveground cover crop biomass ranged from practically 0 to ∼3,200 kg ha−1 across locations and cover crop treatments. Differences in the change in soil water storage between autumn and spring among treatments occurred in 4 of 20 location–rotation phase–years for the top 0.3 m of soil and 3 of 20 location–rotation phase–years for the 1.2‐m soil profile. However, these differences were small (<11 mm for the top 0.3 m and <26 mm for the 1.2‐m profile). In conclusion, winter cover crops did not have an effect on soil water content that would impact maize and soybean crop production.

Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) and the GLP-1 analog exenatide activate different cardioprotective pathways and may have additive effects on infarct size (IS). Here, we aimed to assess the efficacy of RIC as compared with sham procedure, and of exenatide, as compared with placebo, and the interaction between both, to reduce IS in humans. We designed a two-by-two factorial, randomized controlled, blinded, multicenter, clinical trial. Patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction receiving primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) within 6 h of symptoms were randomized to RIC or sham procedure and exenatide or matching placebo. The primary outcome was IS measured by late gadolinium enhancement in cardiac magnetic resonance performed 3–7 days after PPCI. The secondary outcomes were myocardial salvage index, transmurality index, left ventricular ejection fraction and relative microvascular obstruction volume. A total of 378 patients were randomly allocated, and after applying exclusion criteria, 222 patients were available for analysis. There were no significant interactions between the two randomization factors on the primary or secondary outcomes. IS was similar between groups for the RIC (24 ± 11.8% in the RIC group vs 23.7 ± 10.9% in the sham group, P = 0.827) and the exenatide hypotheses (25.1 ± 11.5% in the exenatide group vs 22.5 ± 10.9% in the placebo group, P = 0.092). There were no effects with either RIC or exenatide on the secondary outcomes. Unexpected adverse events or side effects of RIC and exenatide were not observed. In conclusion, neither RIC nor exenatide, or its combination, were able to reduce IS in STEMI patients when administered as an adjunct to PPCI.

ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy of long-term treatment with risankizumab across the updated Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) domains and key related conditions of psoriatic arthritis (PsA).MethodsThis post hoc analysis primarily used data from the phase 3 KEEPsAKE 1 trial of adult patients with PsA, with data from KEEPsAKE 2 pooled for prespecified outcomes. Outcomes measuring risankizumab efficacy across key GRAPPA-recognised domains of PsA (peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, dactylitis, skin and nail psoriasis, axial disease) and PsA-related conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and uveitis were assessed over 100 weeks of treatment (~2 years). Statistical approaches included non-responder imputation (as-observed with imputation) for categorical variables and mixed-effect model for repeated measures for continuous variables including as-observed measurements at all visits. PsA-related conditions were evaluated via adverse events through 100 weeks.ResultsOverall, in KEEPsAKE 1 and KEEPsAKE 2, 412/483 (85.3%) and 181/224 (80.8%) of patients randomised to risankizumab completed treatment to week 100. Risankizumab demonstrated efficacy across all GRAPPA-defined domains through 100 weeks, including swollen and tender joint counts, enthesitis, dactylitis, skin and nail outcomes, and axial disease. In KEEPsAKE 1, 42.4% of patients had achieved a Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis measurement of low disease activity and 62.9% had reached a minimal clinically important difference in pain at week 100. Rates of new onset or flare of IBD and uveitis were low.ConclusionsTreatment with risankizumab provides durable improvement in the signs and symptoms of PsA across all GRAPPA disease domains and related conditions.

ME/CFS is a chronic, complex, multisystem disease that often limits the health and functioning of the affected patients. Diagnosing patients with ME/CFS is a challenge, and many different case definitions exist and are used in clinical practice and research. Even after diagnosis, medical treatment is very challenging. Symptom relief and coping may affect how patients live with their disease and their quality of life. There is no consensus on which diagnostic criteria should be used and which treatment strategies can be recommended for patients. The purpose of the current project was to map the landscape of the Euromene countries in respect of national guidelines and recommendations for case definition, diagnosis and clinical approaches for ME/CFS patients. A 23 items questionnaire was sent out by email to the members of Euromene. The form contained questions on existing guidelines for case definitions, treatment/management of the disease, tests and questionnaires applied, and the prioritization of information for data sampling in research. We obtained information from 17 countries. Five countries reported having national guidelines for diagnosis, and five countries reported having guidelines for clinical approaches. For diagnostic purposes, the Fukuda criteria were most often recommended, and also the Canadian Consensus criteria, the International Consensus Criteria and the Oxford criteria were used. A mix of diagnostic criteria was applied within those countries having no guidelines. Many different questionnaires and tests were used for symptom registration and diagnostic investigation. For symptom relief, pain and anti-depressive medication were most often recommended. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Graded Exercise treatment were often recommended as disease management and rehabilitative/palliative strategies. The lack of consistency in recommendations across European countries urges the development of regulations, guidance and standards. The results of this study will contribute to the harmonization of diagnostic criteria and treatment for ME/CFS in Europe.

Patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) display clinical, cognitive, and structural brain abnormalities at illness onset. Ventricular enlargement has been identified in schizophrenia since the initial development of neuroimaging techniques. Obstetric abnormalities have been associated with an increased risk of developing psychosis but also with cognitive impairment and brain structure abnormalities. Difficulties during delivery are associated with a higher risk of birth asphyxia leading to brain structural abnormalities, such as ventriculomegaly, which has been related to cognitive disturbances. We examined differences in ventricular size between 142 FEP patients and 123 healthy control participants using magnetic resonance imaging. Obstetric complications were evaluated using the Lewis-Murray scale. We examined the impact of obstetric difficulties during delivery on ventricle size as well as the possible relationship between ventricle size and cognitive impairment in both groups. FEP patients displayed significantly larger third ventricle size compared with healthy controls. Third ventricle enlargement was associated with diagnosis (higher volume in patients), with difficulties during delivery (higher volume in subjects with difficulties), and was highest in patients with difficulties during delivery. Verbal memory was significantly associated with third ventricle to brain ratio. Our results suggest that difficulties during delivery might be significant contributors to the ventricular enlargement historically described in schizophrenia. Thus, obstetric complications may contribute to the development of psychosis through changes in brain architecture.