Search

Research was conducted to determine the effects of feedlot surfacing materials (soil/unpaved vs. fly-ash paved), partial composting and/or storage in windrow or greenhouse, and wet year (2005) vs. dry year (2006) feedlot conditions on cattle feedlot biomass (FB) characteristics pertinent to combustion or gasification processes involving reburn or co-firing with coal or lignite as described elsewhere. Bulk quantities of FB were harvested from 12 fly-ash paved pens and six soil surfaced pens in a 400-head research cattle feedlot near Bushland, Texas. FB was windrow-composted, and samples were analyzed using proximate, ultimate, and elemental ash analyses. Higher heating value (HHV) before composting (termed raw manure, RM) was significantly higher for FB harvested from paved pens (termed low ash, or LA-FB) vs. soil-surfaced pens (termed high ash, or HA-FB) on a dry basis and dry ash-free (DAF) basis for both study years. Ash content (dry matter basis) was significantly lower and volatile matter (VM), carbon (fixed and total), and hydrogen were significantly higher for LA-FB (paved pens) vs. HA-FB (unpaved pens) for both years of the study. As-harvested HHV averaged 6,304 and 8,190 kJ kg-1 w.b. (2,710 and 3,521 BTU lb-1 w.b.) for HA-FB for the wet and dry years, respectively, and as-harvested HHV for LA-FB averaged 13,407 and 13,224 kJ kg-1 w.b. (5, 764 and 5,685 BTU lb-1 w.b.) for the wet and dry years. Partial composting (PC) in windrows (for 51 to 55 days in 2005 or 91 days in 2006) reduced HHV w.b. by an average (both years) of 11.4% for the resulting HA-FB-PC and 14.8%for the resulting LA-FB-PC. The LA-FB-PC was significantly different from HA-FB-PC for all proximate and ultimate analysis parameters for both 2005 and 2006 manure, with the exception of 2006 wet-basis HHV. Heating value on a DAF basis averaged 20,984 kJ kg-1 (9,022 BTU lb-1) for LA-FB-PC and 18,941 kJ kg-1 (8,143 BTU lb-1) for HA-FB-PC. Greenhouse storage for 9 to 12 months of the 2005 harvested LA-FB-RM and LA-FB-PC preserved fuel quality better than did continuous storage of LA-FB-PC in a windrow, probably because lower moisture conditions were maintained under greenhouse storage conditions (7. 7% to 13.4% w.b. final range) compared with uncovered windrow storage (17.4% final moisture content). Elemental analysis of ash from LA-FB was higher than from HA-FB for Ca, P, Cl, K, Mg, Na, and S, but was lower for Si, A1, Ti, and Fe without or with partial composting. Metal contents were similar for both high-ash and low-ash FB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visible and near-infrared (VisNIR, 350-2500 nm) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is increasingly being used to quantify constituents of organic matter both in the lab and in situ. However, it is unknown if DRS can be utilized as a tool for determining crude ash content of solid cattle manure. Ash content is a significant contributor to the suitability and value of manure for use both as a biofuel and soil fertilizer, but conventional ash analysis is time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this study, we explored the feasibility of VisNIR-DRS for the rapid prediction of ash content in solid manure from beef feedyards in the southern High Plains. Proportionally mixed samples of soil and manure (n = 201) were evaluated for ash content by conventional analysis and then used to calibrate a statistical model for prediction of ash content by VisNIR-DRS based on multivariate partial-least squares regression and random test-set validation. Two thirds of the samples were randomly selected to build a calibration model, and the remaining third was used for validation. The coefficient of determination (r²), root mean squared deviation (RMSD), and ratio of prediction to standard deviation (RPD) were calculated to assess the prediction model The prediction model had an r² of 0.94, an RMSD of 5% ash (d.b.), and an RPD of 4. The VisNIR-DRS model successfully predicted crude ash content within ±5% of the observed ash content (d.b.) as determined by dry oxidation using the accepted ASTM standard E1755-01. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep has strong inflammatory underpinnings and diet is one of the primary determinants of systemic inflammation. A systematic literature review was conducted to synthesize current research associating dietary inflammatory potential, as measured by the dietary inflammatory index (DII®) or the energy-adjusted DII (E-DII™) and sleep quality and duration. The National Library of Medicine (Medline), Web of Science, and PsycInfo databases were searched through March 2023. Studies must have used the DII/E-DII as the independent variable and sleep outcomes as dependent variables. Study characteristics, based on STROBE guidelines, were scored based on the presence of the recommendation. Out of the initial 14 studies identified, a total of 12 studies were included for data synthesis. In all 12 studies, more anti-inflammatory diets (i.e., low DII/E-DII scores) were associated with better sleep in at least one sleep domain (most often sleep efficiency and wake-after-sleep-onset). Among those studies with more rigorous diet and sleep measurements, such as dietary recalls and actigraphy, associations between DII/E-DII and sleep outcomes were stronger and more consistent compared to studies using primarily subjective assessments. More rigorous measurement of diet and sleep, especially those relating to sleep stage structure, should be considered in future studies with prospective designs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Dr. James Hébert owns controlling interest in Connecting Health Innovations LLC (CHI), a company licensing the right to his invention of the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) from the University of South Carolina in order to develop computer and smart phone applications for patient counseling and dietary intervention in clinical settings., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The COVID-19 pandemic forced unprecedented challenges for emergency department operations during the spring of 2020. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, psychiatric boarding in emergency departments required a substantial amount of staffing and administrative resources. This case study describes one state's efforts to rapidly decrease psychiatric boarding by 93% in 2 weeks with a multipronged approach, and simultaneously minimal effects observed on outcome measures of psychiatric hospital readmissions and suicide rates. Lessons learned are discussed regarding workflow adaptations and leadership implications.

We utilized Amplicon-Rescue Multiplex PCR (ARM-PCR) and microarray hybridization to develop and validate the iC-GPC Assay, a multiplexed, in vitro diagnostic test that identifies five of the most common gram positive bacteria and three clinically relevant resistance markers associated with bloodstream infections (BSI). The iC-GPC Assay is designed for use with the iC-System™, which automates sample preparation, ARM-PCR, and microarray detection within a closed cassette. Herein, we determined the limit of detection for each of the iC-GPC Assay targets to be between 3.0 × 10 5 -1.7 × 10 7 CFU/mL, well below clinically relevant bacterial levels for positive blood cultures. Additionally, we tested 106 strains for assay inclusivity and observed a target performance of 99.4%. 95 of 96 non-target organisms tested negative for cross-reactivity, thereby assuring a high level of assay specificity. Overall performance above 99% was observed for iC-GPC Assay reproducibility studies across multiple sites, operators and cassette lots. In conclusion, the iC-GPC Assay is capable of accurately and rapidly identifying bacterial species and resistance determinants present in blood cultures containing gram positive bacteria. Utilizing molecular diagnostics like the iC-GPC Assay will decrease time to treatment, healthcare costs, and BSI-related mortality.

Bacimethrin (4-amino-5-hydroxymethyl-2-methoxypyrimidine), a natural product isolated from some bacteria, has been implicated as an inhibitor of bacterial and yeast growth, as well as in inhibition of thiamin biosynthesis. Given that thiamin biosynthetic enzymes could convert bacimethrin to 2'-methoxythiamin diphosphate (MeOThDP), it is important to evaluate the effect of this coenzyme analogue on thiamin diphosphate (ThDP)-dependent enzymes. The potential functions of MeOThDP were explored on five ThDP-dependent enzymes: the human and Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes (PDHc-h and PDHc-ec, respectively), the E. coli 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXPS), and the human and E. coli 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complexes (OGDHc-h and OGDHc-ec, respectively). Using several mechanistic tools (fluorescence, circular dichroism, kinetics, and mass spectrometry), it was demonstrated that MeOThDP binds in the active centers of ThDP-dependent enzymes, however, with a binding mode different from that of ThDP. While modest activities resulted from addition of MeOThDP to E. coli PDHc (6-11%) and DXPS (9-14%), suggesting that MeOThDP-derived covalent intermediates are converted to the corresponding products (albeit with rates slower than that with ThDP), remarkably strong activity (up to 75%) resulted upon addition of the coenzyme analogue to PDHc-h. With PDHc-ec and PDHc-h, the coenzyme analogue could support all reactions, including communication between components in the complex. No functional substitution of MeOThDP for ThDP was in evidence with either OGDH-h or OGDH-ec, shown to be due to tight binding of ThDP.

The reaction of uranyl nitrate with 1,3-bis(salicylideneamino)-2-propanol (H(3)L1) and 1,3-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylideneamino)-2-propanol (H(3)L2) in the presence of triethylamine (Et(3)N) yielded hydroxy- and alkoxy-bridged dinuclear complexes; [(UO(2))(2)(L1)(OH)(MeOH)(2)].(MeOH)(2) (.(MeOH)(2)) and [(UO(2))(2)(L2)(OH)(MeOH)(2)].(MeOH)(2) (.(MeOH)(2)). The crystal structures of .(DMF)(2) and .(DMF)(2) exhibit an unsymmetrical central U(2)O(2) core involving bridging alkoxy- and hydroxy-oxygen atoms. The geometry around the uranium center in .(DMF)(2) and .(DMF)(2) is that of a distorted pentagonal bipyramid with the solvent molecule occupying the fifth coordination site. The flexible nature of the ligand backbone is more pronounced in .(DMF)(2) compared to .(DMF)(2), yielding two molecules per unit cell in different conformations. Under similar reaction conditions, using ethylenediamine as a base, the respective Salen-based uranyl compounds, [UO(2)(Salen)(MeOH)] () and [UO(2)(Bu(t)(2)-Salen)(MeOH)] () are obtained due to transamination of the ligand backbone. Complexes .(MeOH)(2) and .(MeOH)(2) when reacted with an excess of ethylenediamine failed to yield the respective Salen-based complexes, and , respectively. The new compounds have been characterized using solution (NMR and UV-Vis) and solid-state (IR, X-ray crystallography) techniques. Hydrolysis of .(MeOH)(2) and .(MeOH)(2) in the pH range 1-14 was studied using UV-Vis spectroscopy and compared with the hydrolysis of and [UO(2)(Salophen)(MeOH)] (). A two-phase extraction study suggests quantitative removal of uranyl ions from the aqueous phase at higher pH conditions.