scholarly journals Long-Term Monitoring of Waterborne Pathogens and Microbial Source Tracking Markers in Paired Agricultural Watersheds under Controlled and Conventional Tile Drainage Management

2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (12) ◽  
pp. 3708-3720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Wilkes ◽  
Julie Brassard ◽  
Thomas A. Edge ◽  
Victor Gannon ◽  
Natalie Gottschall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Source Tracking ◽  
Tile Drainage ◽  
Source Tracking ◽  
Agricultural Watersheds ◽  
Viral Pathogens ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Norovirus Gii ◽  
Term Monitoring ◽  
Hobby Farm

ABSTRACTSurface waters from paired agricultural watersheds under controlled tile drainage (CTD) and uncontrolled tile drainage (UCTD) were monitored over 7 years in order to determine if there was an effect of CTD (imposed during the growing season) on occurrences and loadings of bacterial and viral pathogens, coliphages, and microbial source tracking markers. There were significantly lower occurrences of human, ruminant, and livestock (ruminant plus pig)Bacteroidalesmarkers in the CTD watershed in relation to the UCTD watershed. As for pathogens, there were significantly lower occurrences ofSalmonellaspp. andArcobacterspp. in the CTD watershed. There were no instances where there were significantly higher quantitative loadings of any microbial target in the CTD watershed, except for F-specific DNA (F-DNA) and F-RNA coliphages, perhaps as a result of fecal inputs from a hobby farm independent of the drainage practice treatments. There was lower loading of the ruminant marker in the CTD watershed in relation to the UCTD system, and results were significant at the levelP= 0.06. The odds ofSalmonellaspp. occurring increased when a ruminant marker was present relative to when the ruminant marker was absent, yet forArcobacterspp., the odds of this pathogen occurring significantly decreased when a ruminant marker was present relative to when the ruminant marker was absent (but increased when a wildlife marker was present relative to when the wildlife marker was absent). Interestingly, the odds of norovirus GII (associated with human and swine) occurring in water increased significantly when a ruminant marker was present relative to when a ruminant marker was absent. Overall, this study suggests that fecal pollution from tile-drained fields to stream could be reduced by CTD utilization.

Long-Term Observations of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Export in Paired-Agricultural Watersheds under Controlled and Conventional Tile Drainage

2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 1589-1604 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Sunohara ◽  
N. Gottschall ◽  
G. Wilkes ◽  
E. Craiovan ◽  
E. Topp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tile Drainage ◽  
Agricultural Watersheds ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Phosphorus Export

scholarly journals Computerizing Trail Making Test for long-term cognitive self-assessment

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiwei Zeng ◽  
Chunyan Miao ◽  
Cyril Leung ◽  
Zhiqi Shen
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Practice Effects ◽  
Trail Making Test ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Test Application ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
Test Retest Reliability ◽  
Term Monitoring

Purpose This paper aims to adapt and computerize the Trail Making Test (TMT) to support long-term self-assessment of cognitive abilities. Design/methodology/approach The authors propose a divide-and-combine (DAC) approach for generating different instances of TMT that can be used in repeated assessments with nearly no discernible practice effects. In the DAC approach, partial trails are generated separately in different layers and then combined to form a complete TMT trail. Findings The proposed approach was implemented in a computerized test application called iTMT. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate iTMT. The results show that the instances of TMT generated by the DAC approach had an adequate level of difficulty. iTMT also achieved a stronger construct validity, higher test–retest reliability and significantly reduced practice effects than existing computerized tests. Originality/value The preliminary results suggest that iTMT is suitable for long-term monitoring of cognitive abilities. By supporting self-assessment, iTMT also can help to crowdsource the assessment processes, which need to be administered by healthcare professionals conventionally, to the patients themselves.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Bovine Feces-Associated Microbial Source Tracking Markers and Their Correlations with Fecal Indicators and Zoonotic Pathogens in a Brisbane, Australia, Reservoir

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (8) ◽  
pp. 2682-2691 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Ahmed ◽  
T. Sritharan ◽  
A. Palmer ◽  
J. P. S. Sidhu ◽  
S. Toze
Keyword(s):  
Host Specificity ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Microbial Source Tracking ◽  
Fecal Pollution ◽  
Decay Rates ◽  
Source Tracking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Zoonotic Pathogens ◽  
Maximum Value ◽  
Bovine Feces

ABSTRACTThis study was aimed at evaluating the host specificity and host sensitivity of two bovine feces-associated bacterial (BacCow-UCD and cowM3) and one viral [bovine adenovirus (B-AVs)] microbial source tracking (MST) markers by screening 130 fecal and wastewater samples from 10 target and nontarget host groups in southeast Queensland, Australia. In addition, 36 water samples were collected from a reservoir and tested for the occurrence of all three bovine feces-associated markers along with fecal indicator bacteria (FIB),Campylobacterspp.,Escherichia coliO157, andSalmonellaspp. The overall host specificity values of the BacCow-UCD, cowM3, and B-AVs markers to differentiate between bovine and other nontarget host groups were 0.66, 0.88, and 1.00, respectively (maximum value of 1.00). The overall host sensitivity values of these markers, however, in composite bovine wastewater and individual bovine fecal DNA samples were 0.93, 0.90, and 0.60, respectively (maximum value of 1.00). Among the 36 water samples tested, 56%, 22%, and 6% samples were PCR positive for the BacCow-UCD, cowM3, and B-AVs markers, respectively. Among the 36 samples tested, 50% and 14% samples were PCR positive for theCampylobacter16S rRNA andE. coliO157rfbEgenes, respectively. Based on the results, we recommend that multiple bovine feces-associated markers be used if possible for bovine fecal pollution tracking. Nonetheless, the presence of the multiple bovine feces-associated markers along with the presence of potential zoonotic pathogens indicates bovine fecal pollution in the reservoir water samples. Further research is required to understand the decay rates of these markers in relation to FIB and zoonotic pathogens.

scholarly journals Use of Bacteroidales Microbial Source Tracking To Monitor Fecal Contamination in Fresh Produce Production

2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 612-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kruti Ravaliya ◽  
Jennifer Gentry-Shields ◽  
Santos Garcia ◽  
Norma Heredia ◽  
Anna Fabiszewski de Aceituno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Fecal Contamination ◽  
Microbial Source Tracking ◽  
Source Tracking ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Specific Marker ◽  
Production Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Borne

ABSTRACTIn recent decades, fresh and minimally processed produce items have been associated with an increasing proportion of food-borne illnesses. Most pathogens associated with fresh produce are enteric (fecal) in origin, and contamination can occur anywhere along the farm-to-fork chain. Microbial source tracking (MST) is a tool developed in the environmental microbiology field to identify and quantify the dominant source(s) of fecal contamination. This study investigated the utility of an MST method based onBacteroidales16S rRNA gene sequences as a means of identifying potential fecal contamination, and its source, in the fresh produce production environment. The method was applied to rinses of fresh produce, source and irrigation waters, and harvester hand rinses collected over the course of 1 year from nine farms (growing tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, and cantaloupe) in Northern Mexico. Of 174 samples, 39% were positive for a universalBacteroidalesmarker (AllBac), including 66% of samples from cantaloupe farms (3.6 log10genome equivalence copies [GEC]/100 ml), 31% of samples from tomato farms (1.7 log10GEC/100 ml), and 18% of samples from jalapeño farms (1.5 log10GEC/100 ml). Of 68 AllBac-positive samples, 46% were positive for one of three human-specific markers, and none were positive for a bovine-specific marker. There was no statistically significant correlation betweenBacteroidalesand genericEscherichia coliacross all samples. This study provides evidence thatBacteroidalesmarkers may serve as alternative indicators for fecal contamination in fresh produce production, allowing for determination of both general contamination and that derived from the human host.

Long-term testing of an intracranial pressure monitoring device

2000 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 852-858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey S. Kroin ◽  
Robert J. McCarthy ◽  
Lee Stylos ◽  
Keith Miesel ◽  
Anthony D. Ivankovich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intracranial Pressure ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Tissue Reaction ◽  
Capacitive Transducer ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Csf Pressure ◽  
Long Term Monitoring ◽  
Term Monitoring ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Long-term monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) is limited by the lack of an implantable sensor with low drift. The goal of this study was to demonstrate that a new capacitive transducer system will produce accurate and stable ICP records over extended periods.Methods. Intracranial pressure sensors were implanted into the frontal white matter of four dogs. In addition, a fluid-filled catheter was placed in the cisterna magna (CM) to measure cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure. The animals were tested using standard physiological maneuvers such as jugular vein compression, head elevation, and CSF withdrawal from and saline injection into the CM to verify that the ICP sensor precisely matched CSF pressure changes. The mean ICP pressure and CM pressure were compared for months to demonstrate that the transducer system produced minimal drift over time.The change in the ICP sensor record closely duplicated that of the CSF waveform in the CM in response to well-known physiological stimuli. More important, mean ICP pressure remained within 3 mm Hg of CM pressure for months, with a mean difference of less than 0.3 mm Hg. Histological examination of the dog brains revealed only minimal tissue reaction to the presence of the sensor.Conclusions. The authors demonstrate a new implantable solid-state sensor that reliably measures ICP for months, with minimal drift. The clinical application of this sensor and its telemetry is for long-term monitoring of patients with head injury, mass lesions, and hydrocephalus.

scholarly journals Use of viral pathogens and indicators to differentiate between human and non-human fecal contamination in a microbial source tracking comparison study

2003 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 195-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel T. Noble ◽  
Steven M. Allen ◽  
Angelia D. Blackwood ◽  
Weiping Chu ◽  
Sunny C. Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fecal Contamination ◽  
Human Adenovirus ◽  
Microbial Source Tracking ◽  
Human Enterovirus ◽  
Source Tracking ◽  
Comparison Study ◽  
Viral Pathogens ◽  
Methods Comparison ◽  
General Ability ◽  
Negative Results

Assays for the detection and typing of adenoviruses, enteroviruses and F+ specific coliphages were performed on samples created as part of a national microbial source tracking methods comparison study. The samples were created blind to the researchers, and were inoculated with a variety of types of fecal contamination source (human, sewage, dog, seagull and cow) and mixtures of sources. Viral tracer and pathogen assays demonstrated a general ability to discriminate human from non-human fecal contamination. For example, samples inoculated with sewage were correctly identified as containing human fecal contamination because they contained human adenovirus or human enterovirus. In samples containing fecal material from individual humans, human pathogen analysis yielded negative results probably because the stool samples were taken from healthy individuals. False positive rates for the virus-based methods (0–8%) were among the lowest observed during the methods comparison study. It is suggested that virus-based source tracking methods are useful for identification of sewage contamination, and that these methods may also be useful as an indication of the public health risk associated with viral pathogens. Overall, virus-based source tracking methods are an important approach to include in the microbial source tracking ‘toolbox’.

scholarly journals Automated Sampling Procedures Supported by High Persistence of Bacterial Fecal Indicators and Bacteroidetes Genetic Microbial Source Tracking Markers in Municipal Wastewater during Short-Term Storage at 5°C

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (15) ◽  
pp. 5134-5143 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Mayer ◽  
J. Vierheilig ◽  
L. Egle ◽  
G. H. Reischer ◽  
E. Saracevic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Storage Conditions ◽  
Microbial Source Tracking ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Source Tracking ◽  
Fecal Indicators ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Automated Sampling ◽  
Sampling Procedures

ABSTRACTBecause of high diurnal water quality fluctuations in raw municipal wastewater, the use of proportional autosampling over a period of 24 h at municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to evaluate carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus removal has become a standard in many countries. Microbial removal or load estimation at municipal WWTPs, however, is still based on manually recovered grab samples. The goal of this study was to establish basic knowledge regarding the persistence of standard bacterial fecal indicators andBacteroidetesgenetic microbial source tracking markers in municipal wastewater in order to evaluate their suitability for automated sampling, as the potential lack of persistence is the main argument against such procedures. Raw and secondary treated wastewater of municipal origin from representative and well-characterized biological WWTPs without disinfection (organic carbon and nutrient removal) was investigated in microcosm experiments at 5 and 21°C with a total storage time of 32 h (including a 24-h autosampling component and an 8-h postsampling phase). VegetativeEscherichia coliand enterococci, as well asClostridium perfringensspores, were selected as indicators for cultivation-based standard enumeration. Molecular analysis focused on total (AllBac) and human-associated geneticBacteroidetes(BacHum-UCD, HF183 TaqMan) markers by using quantitative PCR, as well as 16S rRNA gene-based next-generation sequencing. The microbial parameters showed high persistence in both raw and treated wastewater at 5°C under the storage conditions used. Surprisingly, and in contrast to results obtained with treated wastewater, persistence of the microbial markers in raw wastewater was also high at 21°C. On the basis of our results, 24-h autosampling procedures with 5°C storage conditions can be recommended for the investigation of fecal indicators orBacteroidetesgenetic markers at municipal WWTPs. Such autosampling procedures will contribute to better understanding and monitoring of municipal WWTPs as sources of fecal pollution in water resources.

scholarly journals Microbial Source Tracking Using Quantitative and Digital PCR To Identify Sources of Fecal Contamination in Stormwater, River Water, and Beach Water in a Great Lakes Area of Concern

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachery R. Staley ◽  
Rachel J. Boyd ◽  
Phoenix Shum ◽  
Thomas A. Edge
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Fecal Contamination ◽  
Digital Pcr ◽  
Microbial Source Tracking ◽  
Source Tracking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Areas Of Concern ◽  
Area Of Concern ◽  
The Individual

ABSTRACTAreas of concern (AOCs) around the Great Lakes are characterized by historic and ongoing problems with microbial water quality, leading to beneficial use impairments (BUIs) such as beach postings and closures. In this study, we assessed river and beach sites within the Rouge River watershed, associated stormwater outfalls, and at Rouge Beach. The concentrations ofEscherichia colias well as human- and gull-specific qPCR microbial source tracking (MST) markers were assessed at all sites. A preliminary comparison of digital PCR (dPCR) methodologies for both MST markers was conducted regarding sensitivity and specificity. Within the watershed, the outfalls were found to be a prominent source of human fecal contamination, with two outfalls particularly affected by sewage cross-connections. However, the occurrence of human fecal contamination along Rouge Beach and in the lower portions of the watershed was largely dependent on rain events. Gull fecal contamination was the predominant source of contamination at the beach, particularly during dry weather. The multiplex human/gull dPCR methodology used in this study tended to be more sensitive than the individual quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays, with only a slight decrease in specificity. Both dPCR and qPCR methodologies identified the same predominance of human and gull markers in stormwater and beach locations, respectively; however, the dPCR multiplex assay was more sensitive and capable of detecting fecal contamination that was undetected by qPCR assays. These results demonstrate the dPCR assay used in this study could be a viable tool for MST studies to increase the ability to identify low levels of fecal contamination.IMPORTANCEFecal contamination of recreational water poses a persistent and ongoing problem, particularly in areas of concern around the Great Lakes. The identification of the source(s) of fecal contamination is essential for safeguarding public health as well as guiding remediation efforts; however, fecal contamination may frequently be present at low levels and remain undetectable by certain methodologies. In this study, we utilized microbial source tracking techniques using both quantitative and digital PCR assays to identify sources of contamination. Our results indicated high levels of human fecal contamination within stormwater outfalls, while lower levels were observed throughout the watershed. Additionally, high levels of gull fecal contamination were detected at Rouge Beach, particularly during drier sampling events. Furthermore, our results indicated an increased sensitivity of the digital PCR assay to detect both human and gull contamination, suggesting it could be a viable tool for future microbial source tracking studies.

Human health monitoring using wearable sensor

Sensor Review ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 364-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Suganthi Evangeline ◽  
Ashmiya Lenin
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Health Monitoring ◽  
Mobile Communications ◽  
Prototype System ◽  
Detection Accuracy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Communication Module ◽  
Term Monitoring

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to design a human health monitoring system (HHMS) which helps in improving diagnostics at an earlier stage and monitoring after recoup. Design/methodology/approach The methodology involves a combination of three subsystems which monitors the human parameters such as temperature, heart rate, SpO2, fall and location of the person. Various sensors are used to extract the human parameters, and the data are analysed in a computer subsystem, through Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Internet of Things (IoT) subsystem; the parameters measured are communicated to the caregiver and doctor. Findings Results have successfully demonstrated monitoring human temperature human temperature, heart rate, SpO2 and fall and location continuously using the HHMS prototype. Reliability of the technique used for monitoring these parameters is assessed by Proteus Professional 8 and LabVIEW simulators. Practical implications The HHMS enables long-term monitoring without any sort of interference from regular activities and allows daily health monitoring, elderly monitoring and so on. Originality/value First, the proposed HHMS simultaneously monitors five human parameters. Second, unlike most monitoring systems which uses older communication module, the proposed system is made smart using IoT. The proposed method has been made into a prototype system as detailed in this paper. The proposed HHMS can achieve high detection accuracy. Therefore, this system can be reliably deployed into a consumer product for use as monitoring device with high accuracy.

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