A field study from the Oderbruch, Germany

The behavior of organophosphates and ethers during riverbank filtration and groundwater flow was assessed to determine their suitability as organic tracers. Four sampling campaigns were conducted at the Oderbruch polder, Germany to establish the presence of chlorinated flame retardants (TCEP, TCPP, TDCP), non-chlorinated plasticizers (TBEP, TiBP, TnBP), and hydrophilic ethers (1,4-dioxane, monoglyme, diglyme, triglyme, tetraglyme) in the Oder River, main drainage ditch, and anoxic aquifer. Selected parameters were measured in order to determine the hydro-chemical composition of both, river water and groundwater. The results of the study confirm that organophosphates (OPs) are more readily attenuated during bank filtration compared to ethers. Both in the river and the groundwater, TCPP was the most abundant OP with concentrations in the main drainage ditch ranging between 105 and 958 ng L−1. 1,4-dioxane, triglyme, and tetraglyme demonstrated persistent behavior during bank filtration and in the anoxic groundwater. In the drainage ditch concentrations of 1,4-dioxane, triglyme, and tetraglyme ranged between 1090 and 1467 ng L− 1, 37 and 149 ng L− 1, and 496 and 1403 ng L− 1, respectively. A positive correlation was found for the inorganic tracer chloride with 1,4-dioxane and tetraglyme. These results confirm the possible application of these ethers as environmental organic tracers. Both inorganic and organic compounds showed temporal variability in the surface- and groundwater. Discharge of the river water, concentrations of analytes at the time of infiltration and attenuation were identified as factors influencing the variable amounts of the analytes in the surface and groundwater. These findings are also of great importance for the production of drinking water via bank filtration and natural and artificial groundwater recharge as the physicochemical properties of ethers create challenges in their removal

Workshop 1: Surveillance issues of pandemic influenza

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Population genetic analysis of Bartonella bacilliformis isolates from areas of Peru where Carrion\u27s disease is endemic and epidemic

Carrion's disease is caused by infection with the α-proteobacterium Bartonella bacilliformis. Distribution of the disease is considered coincident with the distribution of its known vector, the sand fly Lutzomyia verrucarum. Recent epidemics of B. bacilliformis infections associated with atypical symptomatology in nonendemic regions have raised questions regarding the historic and present distribution of this bacterium and the scope of disease that infection causes. Phylogenetic relationships and genomic diversity of 18 B. bacilliformis isolates (10 isolates from a region where Carrion's disease is epidemic, Cuzco, Peru, and 8 isolates from a region where Carrion's disease is endemic, Caraz, Peru) were assessed using genomic data generated by infrequent restriction site PCR and gene sequence analysis of the flagellin gltA and ialB genes. A population genetic analysis of the genomic diversity suggests that what was once considered an epidemic region of Peru did not result from the recent introduction of B. bacilliformis

Reviewing, indicating, and counting books for modern research evaluation systems

In this chapter, we focus on the specialists who have helped to improve the conditions for book assessments in research evaluation exercises, with empirically based data and insights supporting their greater integration. Our review highlights the research carried out by four types of expert communities, referred to as the monitors, the subject classifiers, the indexers and the indicator constructionists. Many challenges lie ahead for scholars affiliated with these communities, particularly the latter three. By acknowledging their unique, yet interrelated roles, we show where the greatest potential is for both quantitative and qualitative indicator advancements in book-inclusive evaluation systems.Comment: Forthcoming in Glanzel, W., Moed, H.F., Schmoch U., Thelwall, M. (2018). Springer Handbook of Science and Technology Indicators. Springer Some corrections made in subsection 'Publisher prestige or quality

The Impact of Teacher Identity on Curriculum Design

The iterative process of identity building that educators experience in the broader expanse of their lives directly impacts their pedagogical decisions and preferences. In addition, educators\u27 relationship to place can be a significant factor in curriculum design in how they make connections between the classroom and the spaces their lives inhabit. A review of the literature looks at limits to the current educational system, transformative practices being implemented, as well as how natural and human systems function in an educational context. Qualitative research was conducted using phenomenological interviews to better understand the multiple factors that influence teacher identity. Teacher identities extend beyond the role they play in the classroom to encompass the larger breadth of their lives, and include such influences as prior careers, motherhood, mentors, and the places they have inhabited. The concept of a school being an example of a human system is explored. Findings include the existence of intersectional identities, influence of place, both as location and in relation to others, on identity formation, and the significance of human systems towards sustainable educational reform

Diverse tick-borne microorganisms identified in free-living ungulates in Slovakia

Background: Free-living ungulates are hosts of ixodid ticks and reservoirs of tick-borne microorganisms in central Europe and many regions around the world. Tissue samples and engorged ticks were obtained from roe deer, red deer, fallow deer, mouflon, and wild boar hunted in deciduous forests of south-western Slovakia. DNA isolated from these samples was screened for the presence of tick-borne microorganisms by PCR-based methods. Results: Ticks were found to infest all examined ungulate species. The principal infesting tick was Ixodes ricinus, identified on 90.4% of wildlife, and included all developmental stages. Larvae and nymphs of Haemaphysalis concinna were feeding on 9.6% of wildlife. Two specimens of Dermacentor reticulatus were also identified. Ungulates were positive for A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was found to infect 96.1% of cervids, 88.9% of mouflon, and 28.2% of wild boar, whereas Theileria spp. was detected only in cervids (94.6%). Importantly, a high rate of cervids (89%) showed mixed infections with both these microorganisms. In addition to A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp., Rickettsia helvetica, R. monacensis, unidentified Rickettsia sp., Coxiella burnetii, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis", Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) and Babesia venatorum were identified in engorged I. ricinus. Furthermore, A. phagocytophilum, Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. were detected in engorged H. concinna. Analysis of 16S rRNA and groEL gene sequences revealed the presence of five and two A. phagocytophilum variants, respectively, among which sequences identified in wild boar showed identity to the sequence of the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). Phylogenetic analysis of Theileria 18S rRNA gene sequences amplified from cervids and engorged I. ricinus ticks segregated jointly with sequences of T. capreoli isolates into a moderately supported monophyletic clade. Conclusions: The findings indicate that free-living ungulates are reservoirs for A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. and engorged ixodid ticks attached to ungulates are good sentinels for the presence of agents of public and veterinary concern. Further analyses of the A. phagocytophilum genetic variants and Theileria species and their associations with vector ticks and free-living ungulates are required.Fil: Kazimírová, Mária. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology; EslovaquiaFil: Hamšíková, Zuzana. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology; EslovaquiaFil: Spitalská, Eva. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Virology. Biomedical Research Center,; EslovaquiaFil: Minichová, Lenka. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Virology. Biomedical Research Center,; EslovaquiaFil: Mahríková, Lenka. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology; EslovaquiaFil: Caban, Radoslav. Široká ; EslovaquiaFil: Sprong, Hein. National Institute for Public Health and Environment.Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology; Países BajosFil: Fonville, Manoj. National Institute for Public Health and Environment.Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology; Países BajosFil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Patobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Kocianová, Elena. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Virology. Biomedical Research Center,; Eslovaqui

Organophosphate in Niederschlag, stehenden Oberflächengewässern und Grundwasser städtischer sowie abgelegener Gebiete

Within the present study the occurrence and fate of the organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) phosphate (TCPP), tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCP), tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP), tri-iso-butyl phosphate (TiBP), and tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP) in precipitation, lake water, surface runoff and groundwater from urban and remote areas in Germany was investigated between June 2007 and October 2009. 255 samples of precipitation, 210 samples of lentic surface water and 72 samples of groundwater were analyzed for the six organophosphates (OPs) by solid phase extraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The research focused on aspects concerning (1) the atmospheric washout of OPs by precipitation, (2) the temporal variation of OP concentrations in precipitation and in lentic surface waters as well as (3) the pollution of groundwater by OPs. The results of the study emphasize the importance of precipitation as an all-season entry-pathway for OPs in the aquatic environment, particularly in densely populated urban environments with high traffic volume and abundant usage of flame-protected products. No seasonal trends were observed for all analytes in precipitation at the urban sampling site. TCPP dominated in all precipitation and storm water holding tank (SWHT) water samples with maximum levels exceeding 1 µg/L. An accumulation of OPs deposited in SWHTs was observed with concentrations often exceeding those observed in wet precipitation. Median concentrations of TCPP (880 ng/L), TDCP (13 ng/L), and TBEP (77 ng/L) at the urban SWHT were more than twice as high as those measured at the urban precipitation sampling site (403 ng/L, 5 ng/L, 21 ng/L) located close to the SWHT. OP levels in more remote lakes were often below or close to the limits of quantitation (LOQ). Nevertheless, TCPP was the substance with the highest median concentration in rural volcanic lakes (7–18 ng/L) indicating an atmospheric transport of the compound. At urban lakes the median OP concentrations were in the range of 23–61 ng/L (TCEP), 85–126 ng/L (TCPP), 0.1 µg/L) were determined in groundwater polluted by percolating leachate from contaminated sites or groundwater recharged via bank filtration of OP-loaded recipients. Concentrations of TCEP, TCPP, TiBP and TnBP in groundwater decreased rapidly (89–97%) during bank filtration with increasing distance from the recipient due to adsorption processes and/or biotransformation. Although TCEP and TCPP are stable within the aquifer, they are not suitable as conservative organic tracers in groundwater.Die chlorierten und unchlorierten Organophosphate Tris(2-chlorethyl)phosphat (TCEP), Tris(1-chlor-2-propyl)phosphat (TCPP), Tris(1,3-dichlor-2-propyl)phosphat (TDCP), Tri-iso-butylphosphat (TiBP), Tri-n-butylphosphat (TnBP) und Tris(2-butoxyethyl)phosphat (TBEP) gehören zu den dominierenden Fremdstoffen in Oberflächengewässern. Bisher wurde ihr Vorkommen in Oberflächengewässern und im Grundwasser hauptsächlich der Einleitung geklärter Abwässer zugeschrieben. Allerdings ist der Eintrag von Organophosphaten durch nasse und trockene Deposition als weitere Quelle für das Vorkommen dieser Substanzen in Oberflächengewässern in Betracht zu ziehen. Ausgehend von den Hauptemittenten Ballungsraum und Straßenverkehr wird ein Transport dieser Substanzen über die Atmosphäre diskutiert. Vor diesem Hintergrund bestand die Zielsetzung in der Klärung der noch offenen Frage, in welchem Ausmaß chlorierte und unchlorierte Organophosphate über die Atmosphäre transportiert und in stehende Oberflächengewässer durch Niederschläge eingetragen werden. Des Weiteren sollte geklärt werden, ob photochemischer Abbau der Organophosphate in den Gewässern als Eliminationspfad relevant ist und inwieweit Grundwasser bei der natürlichen Grundwasserneubildung bzw. Grundwasseranreicherung durch organophosphat-belastete Niederschläge und Oberflächengewässer beeinflusst wird. Dazu wurden von Juni 2007 bis Oktober 2009 insgesamt 255 Regen- und Schneeproben, 210 Oberflächenwasserproben und 72 Grundwasserproben aus städtischen sowie abgelegenen Gebieten in Deutschland gesammelt. Die Analyse der Wasserproben erfolgte mittels Festphasenextraktion und anschließender Gaschromatographie-Massenspektroskopie. Die Ergebnisse belegen, dass in urbanen Gebieten, aber auch in abgelegenen Höhenlagen, der Niederschlag ganzjährig als ein wichtiger Eintragspfad von Organophosphaten in Oberflächengewässer angesehen werden muss. TCPP wurde am Häufigsten im städtischen Regen und Regenwasserabfluss (Frankfurt/Main) mit Konzentrationen deutlich über 1 µg/L nachgewiesen. Generell lagen die in den Regenwasserrückhaltebecken gemessenen Konzentrationen signifikant über den in den Niederschlägen gemessenen Konzentrationen. Obwohl einige der Substanzen starken Konzentrationsschwankungen im Niederschlag unterlagen, konnten keine saisonalen Trends an der städtischen Messstelle beobachtet werden. TiBP und TnBP zeigten jedoch in den Sommermonaten eine Konzentrationsabnahme in den Regenproben der ländlichen Messstelle. Es wurde gefolgert, dass atmosphärische Photooxidation insbesondere in Sommermonaten mit höherer Globalstrahlung die Konzentration an unchlorierten Organophosphaten während des Transports von urbanen zu abgelegenen Gebieten reduziert. Die unchlorierten Organophosphate wurden in Laborversuchen mit dotierten Seewasserproben unter natürlicher Sonneneinstrahlung photochemisch abgebaut. TiBP und TnBP zeigten in den Sommermonaten eine Konzentrationsabnahme im Oberflächenwasser des städtischen Regenwasserrückhaltebeckens. In beiden städtischen Seen konnten für die unchlorierten Organophosphate aber keine signifikanten Trends beobachtet werden. Saisonale Trends wurden bei den chlorierten Organophosphaten nicht beobachtet. In den Seen der abgelegenen Gebiete lagen die Konzentrationen der Organophosphate oftmals unterhalb oder nahe der Bestimmungsgrenze. TCPP wurde in den drei abgelegenen vulkanischen Seen mit den höchsten Median-Konzentrationen (7–18 ng/L) gemessen. TCEP, TCPP und TnBP wurden des Weiteren in Trinkwassertalsperren nachgewiesen. Das Vorkommen der Organophosphate in diesen abgelegenen Seen und Talsperren bestätigt die Annahme, dass diese Substanzen über die Atmosphäre transportiert und durch nasse und trockene Deposition in die Oberflächengewässer eingetragen werden. Das Vorkommen der Organophosphate im Grundwasser ist vom anthropogenen Einfluss während der Grundwasserneubildung bzw. -anreicherung abhängig. Die Infiltration von Niederschlag stellte in ländlichen Gebieten keinen bedeutenden Eintragspfad für Organophosphate ins Grundwasser dar. Dennoch ist in städtischen Gebieten aufgrund deutlich stärker belasteter Niederschläge und Oberflächenabflüsse von einem Eintrag dieser Substanzen ins Grundwasser auszugehen. Höchste Konzentrationen an Organophosphaten (>0,1 µg/L) wurden in mit Deponie-Sickerwasser belastetem Grundwasser sowie in durch Uferfiltration beeinflusstem Grundwasser gemessen. Im Oderbruch nahmen die im Fluss Oder gemessenen Konzentrationen von TCEP, TCPP, TiBP und TnBP während der Uferfiltration in den Grundwasserproben nach dreijähriger Passage im Aquifer um 89–97% ab. Dass TCEP und TCPP mit Konzentrationen im Bereich 4–9 ng/L in Proben von Messstellen mit einem Grundwasseralter zwischen 20 und 45 Jahren gemessen wurden, bestätigt ihre Stabilität im Grundwasserleiter unter anaeroben Bedingungen

Y\u27all Like Ike: Tennessee, the Solid South, and the 1952 Presidential Election

This thesis examines the changing nature of politics in the American South, specifically through the 1952 presidential election in the state of Tennessee. For much of the South’s history, the region was dominated by the Democratic party, earning it the nickname the “Solid South”. Following the Civil War and Reconstruction, the South became an aggressively one-party region in which the Republican party found little electoral success and the Democratic party reigned supreme. This partisanship began showing signs of fracturing in 1948 when southern Democrats began to leave the party over racial issues. The presidency of Harry S. Truman (1945-1953) further widened a growing intraparty divide that would greatly affect the 1952 election. In said election, Republican candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower was able to carry four southern states, including Tennessee, effectively tapping into the Solid South voting bloc. While historians generally attribute the 1964 presidential election to the end of the Solid South, Eisenhower’s victory in 1952 nonetheless showcased a newfound political competitiveness in the region and laid the groundwork for a new age of southern politics

A Content Analysis of Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Instruction: Seeing What Our Children See

This capstone was a content analysis of a commonly-used reading instruction program in the United States. A systematic analysis of character representations of gender, race/ethnicity, and disability was completed to examine the diversity within the Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention program. The results of this analysis found that one of the most commonly-used instructional reading programs does not accurately or proportionally portray the diversity in today’s classrooms. Data was collected about the character representations of gender, race/ethnicity, and disability. The analysis of the data suggested that there was a lack of representation in some of these populations when compared to United States statistics