Microbiological and chemical assessment of wastewater discharged by infiltration trenches in fractured and karstified limestone (Sca.re.s. project 2019–2020)

This study investigated the environmental contamination of groundwater as a consequence of the discharge of treated wastewater into the soil. The investigation focused on a wastewater treatment plant located in an area fractured by karst in the Salento peninsula (Apulia, Italy). Water samples were collected at four sites (raw wastewater, treated wastewater, infiltration trench, and monitoring well), monthly from May to December 2019 (with the exception of August), and were tested for (1) panel of bacteria; (2) enteric viruses; and (3) chemical substances. A gradual reduction in the concentration of bacteria, viruses and contaminants of emerging concern was observed across the profile of soil fissured by karst. All monitored bacteria were absent from the monitoring well, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pepper mild mottle virus and adenovirus were detected at all sampling sites. Personal care products and X-ray contrast media showed the greatest decrease in concentration from infiltration trench to the monitoring well, while the highest residual concentrations in the monitoring well were found for anticonvulsants (78.5%), antimicrobials (41.3%), and antipsychotic drugs (38.6%). Our results show that parameters provided by current law may not always be sufficient to evaluate the sanitary risk relating to the discharge of treated wastewater to the soil

Observational Constraints on the Common Envelope Phase

The common envelope phase was first proposed more than forty years ago to explain the origins of evolved, close binaries like cataclysmic variables. It is now believed that the phase plays a critical role in the formation of a wide variety of other phenomena ranging from type Ia supernovae through to binary black holes, while common envelope mergers are likely responsible for a range of enigmatic transients and supernova imposters. Yet, despite its clear importance, the common envelope phase is still rather poorly understood. Here, we outline some of the basic principles involved, the remaining questions as well as some of the recent observational hints from common envelope phenomena - namely planetary nebulae and luminous red novae - which may lead to answering these open questions.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures. To appear in the book "Reviews in Frontiers of Modern Astrophysics: From Space Debris to Cosmology" (eds. Kabath, Jones and Skarka; publisher Springer Nature) funded by the European Union Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership grant "Per Aspera Ad Astra Simul" 2017-1-CZ01-KA203-03556

Multinational Attitudes Toward AI in Health Care and Diagnostics Among Hospital Patients

IMPORTANCE The successful implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care depends on its acceptance by key stakeholders, particularly patients, who are the primary beneficiaries of AI-driven outcomes. OBJECTIVES To survey hospital patients to investigate their trust, concerns, and preferences toward the use of AI in health care and diagnostics and to assess the sociodemographic factors associated with patient attitudes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional study developed and implemented an anonymous quantitative survey between February 1 and November 1, 2023, using a nonprobability sample at 74 hospitals in 43 countries. Participants included hospital patients 18 years of age or older who agreed with voluntary participation in the survey presented in 1 of 26 languages. EXPOSURE Information sheets and paper surveys handed out by hospital staff and posted in conspicuous hospital locations. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was participant responses to a 26-item instrument containing a general data section (8 items) and 3 dimensions (trust in AI, AI and diagnosis, preferences and concerns toward AI) with 6 items each. Subgroup analyses used cumulative link mixed and binary mixed-effects models. RESULTS In total, 13 806 patients participated, including 8951 (64.8%) in the Global North and 4855 (35.2%) in the Global South. Their median (IQR) age was 48 (34-62) years, and 6973 (50.5%) were male. The survey results indicated a predominantly favorable general view of AI in health care, with 57.6% of respondents (7775 of 13 502) expressing a positive attitude. However, attitudes exhibited notable variation based on demographic characteristics, health status, and technological literacy. Female respondents (3511 of 6318 [55.6%]) exhibited fewer positive attitudes toward AI use in medicine than male respondents (4057 of 6864 [59.1%]), and participants with poorer health status exhibited fewer positive attitudes toward AI use in medicine (eg, 58 of 199 [29.2%] with rather negative views) than patients with very good health (eg, 134 of 2538 [5.3%] with rather negative views). Conversely, higher levels of AI knowledge and frequent use of technology devices were associated with more positive attitudes. Notably, fewer than half of the participants expressed positive attitudes regarding all items pertaining to trust in AI. The lowest level of trust was observed for the accuracy of AI in providing information regarding treatment responses (5637 of 13 480 respondents [41.8%] trusted AI). Patients preferred explainable AI (8816 of 12 563 [70.2%]) and physician-led decision-making (9222 of 12 652 [72.9%]), even if it meant slightly compromised accuracy. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this cross-sectional study of patient attitudes toward AI use in health care across 6 continents, findings indicated that tailored AI implementation strategies should take patient demographics, health status, and preferences for explainable AI and physician oversight into account

Integration of chemical and biological oxidation in a SBBR for tannery wastewater treatment

This paper reports the results of an investigation aimed at evaluating the laboratory-scale performance of an innovative process for treating tannery wastewater. In this process, biological degradation, carried out in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR), is combined with chemical oxidation by ozone. Tannery wastewater treatment was carried out, at laboratory scale, on a real primary effluent coming from a centralised plant treating wastewater produced by a large tannery district in Northern Italy. SBBR performance both without and with ozonation, was assessed with very satisfactory results. In particular, in the latter instance the recorded COD, TKN and TSS average removals, (96%), (92%) and (98%) respectively, allowed the maximum allowable concentration values fixed by the Italian regulation in force to be achieved without any additional polishing step. During the investigation biofilm properties (biofilm concentration and biofilm density) and flow dynamics aspects (head loss, shear stress, bed porosity) were also studied. A major feature of the process is that, with or without ozonation, it was characterised by very low specific sludge production (0.05 kgVSS/kgCODremoved) and high biofilm density (i.e. 87-122 gVSS/Lsludge) both contributing to a rather high biofilm concentration (i.e. 31-44 gTSS/Lfilter).</jats:p