Coupled Effects of Electrical Stimulation and Antibiotics on Microbial Community in Three-Dimensional Biofilm-Electrode Reactors

Antibiotics are often misused or overused, resulting in large residue inputs in the environment. Electricity and antibiotics were regarded as potentially important factors, which impact on the microbial community during treatment of antibiotics in three-dimensional biofilm-electrode reactors (3D-BERs). Unfortunately, only a few studies have been reported yet. Four 3D-BERs and one 3D-BR (reactor with biological sludge and no voltage) were designed to assess the effect of low current, sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and tetracycline (TC) on microbial populations. The 3D-BERs achieved excellent removal efficiencies of 72.20–93.52 and 82.61–95.80% for SMX and TC, respectively. Microorganisms were classified into 58 phyla, 125 classes, 166 orders, 187 families, and 220 genera. Proteobacteria held the overwhelming predominance, followed by Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Firmicutes, and Acidobacteria. The 3D-BERs achieved higher richness of microbial composition compared with the 3D-BR. Microbial communities and relative abundance at the phyla level were affected by low current. The microbial communities in the 3D-BERs were similar at the genus level, even with different antibiotic concentrations. However, the relative abundances and compositions of the microbial communities decreased during the treatment of antibiotics. To increase the performance of 3D-BERs, the function of microorganisms should be investigated in future studies.     

Effectiveness of Natural Compounds on DNA Damage in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coris julis</Emphasis> (Linneaus 1758) from a Polluted Marine Area

The evaluation of DNA damage in aquatic organisms represents one of the most widely used biomarkers in the assessment and monitoring of marine pollution. Our previous research highlighted the presence of DNA damage in hepatic nuclei and blood cells of Coris julis specimens collected from Augusta harbor (Syracuse, Italy), a site highly polluted. In this work, we investigated on the ability of different natural compounds with antioxidant and immunostimulating properties, such as resveratrol (50 μM, 100 μM), amygdalin (100 μM, 200 μM), and Urtica dioica roots extract (50 and/or 100 μg/ml), in reducing DNA damage of C. julis. Blood cells were analyzed by atypical cellular comet assay. The results confirmed that Augusta specimens are the most damaged and showed that resveratrol, followed by amygdalin and U. dioica roots extract, drastically reduced DNA damage. This finding evidences the effectiveness of three natural compounds for DNA protection suggesting the possible use of feed enriched with antioxidant compounds in aquaculture practices for organisms damaged by natural and anthropic insults.     

Improving Estimates of Fried’s Index from Mating Competitiveness Experiments

Sterile insect technique (SIT) and incompatible insect technique (IIT) are current methods for biological control of insect populations. Critical to the successful implementation of these biocontrol programs is quantifying the competitiveness of sterile/incompatible male insects for female mates relative to wildtype males. Traditionally, entomologists measure this mating competitiveness through a quantity known as Fried’s Index. We establish that Fried’s Index is mathematically equivalent to the mating competitiveness coefficient that features in many population models used in SIT/IIT programs. Using this insight, we propose a new approach for estimating Fried’s Index from mating competitiveness experiments. We show that this approach offers greater precision and accuracy than the traditional approach that is currently used in many studies. This is demonstrated using both simulation experiments and by analysing real experimental data. To facilitate uptake of the proposed method, we also provide an R package that can be used to easily analyse data from mating competitiveness experiments.     

Photocatalytic Removal of the Antibiotic Cefotaxime on TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and ZnO Suspensions Under Simulated Sunlight Radiation

This study presents the main results about the removal of the antibiotic cefotaxime (CTX) under simulated sunlight radiation using heterogeneous photocatalysis with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and zinc oxide (ZnO) in aqueous solutions. The effects of pH and catalyst initial load on pollutant removal were assessed considering the response surface methodology and a central composite circumscribed experimental design, which allowed to determine the optimized conditions that lead to a higher substrate elimination. Experimental results indicated that evaluated parameters have a significant effect on antibiotic removal in both TiO₂ and ZnO suspensions. In addition, the role of photogenerated holes, hydroxyl, and superoxide anion radicals on CTX degradation was evaluated to clarify the reaction mechanism. Finally, analysis of the dissolved organic carbon content in solutions and the antibacterial activity of treated samples showed that photocatalytic treatments were able to reduce a considerable portion of the organic matter present in the systems and its antimicrobial activity.     

The versatile,changing, and advancing roles of fish in sediment toxicity assessment—a review

Purpose  

Sediments serve as integral and dynamic parts of our aquatic systems. Within the last 15 to 20 years, however, the scientific community has begun noticing deterioration of sediment quality at an alarming rate worldwide. Sediments are now harboring hazardous pollutants that can directly influence water quality, thereby creating very stressful conditions for aquatic life. As a consequence, global efforts were initiated in the early 1970s, to find ways to assess sediment quality. Because of their obvious ecological and economic significance, fish have remained a major taxonomic group for appraising the general quality of aquatic systems. However, for sediment risk assessment, fish have lagged behind invertebrates due to their mobility and generally, pelagic lifestyle. To our knowledge, this is the first paper that comprehensively presents and reviews the versatile role of fish in assessing the state of health of aquatic sediments.     

Characteristics of Modern Triticale Quality: The Relationship Between Carbohydrate Properties, α‐Amylase Activity,and Falling Number

Triticale is a high‐yielding cereal crop with potential to increase grain production for human consumption over the coming decades. Minimal targeted selection has been conducted to produce cultivars with α‐amylase, amylose, and nonstarch polysaccharide (NSP) content appropriate for a milling market. Nevertheless, genotypic variability exists. Standard quality screening methods used for wheat, including pasting properties, falling number, and quantification of α‐amylase activity were employed to assess the environmental and genotypic variability among modern triticale cultivars and to investigate the suitability of these tests for triticale. Samples of 11 triticale lines from four environments were compared with five wheat cultivars bred for various end uses. Triticale exhibited a greater range than wheat for most tested variables, and the ranges usually overlapped. Triticale exhibited higher NSP content, generally equivalent pasting properties, higher α‐amylase activity, and lower falling number on average compared with wheat checks. However, low falling number was not indicative of high α‐amylase activity; the relationship with NSP level and other factors is discussed, and caution is recommended for interpretation of previous research. Three cultivars with equivalent α‐amylase activity to wheat and two with partially waxy starch were identified. These findings have great significance for research and the emerging triticale milling market.     

Estimating Distance Sampling Detection Functions When Distances Are Measured With Errors

Distance sampling methods assume that distances are known but in practice there are often errors in measuring them. These can have substantial impact on the bias and precision of distance sampling estimators. In this paper we develop methods that accommodate both systematic and stochastic measurement errors. We use the methods to estimate detection probability in two surveys with substantial measurement error. The first is a shipboard line transect survey in the North Sea in which information on measurement error comes from photographically measured distances to a subset of detections. The second is an aerial cue-counting survey off Iceland in which information on measurement error comes from pairs of independently estimated distances to a subset of detections. Different methods are required for measurement error estimation in the two cases. We investigate by simulation the properties of the new estimators and compare them to conventional estimators. They are found to perform better than conventional estimators in the presence of measurement error, more so in the case of cue-counting and point transect estimators than line transect estimators. An appendix on the asymptotic distributions of conditional and full likelihood estimators is available online.     

Freely dissolved PCDD/F concentrations in the Frierfjord,Norway: comparing equilibrium passive sampling with “active” water sampling

Introduction  

Equilibrium passive samplers consisting of 55-μm polyoxymethylene (POM) and 170-μm polydimethylsiloxane were tested for the analysis of polychlorinated dibenzodioxin/furan (PCDD/F) in the pore water and overlying water of the Frierfjord, a bay in southern Norway. This fjord is heavily polluted with PCDD/Fs due to emissions from a former Mg smelter.     

Genetic diversity and relationships between wild and cultivated olives (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Olea europaea</Emphasis> L.) in Sardinia as assessed by SSR markers

The genetic relationships within and between wild and cultivated olives were examined and clarified in an isolated and restricted area, such as the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. Wild (21 individuals) and cultivated olive trees (22 local cultivars from a germplasm collection and 35 ancient trees) were genotyped by means of 13 SSR loci. Five cases of synonymy were observed and nine distinct genotypes were identified in the collection. Five novel genotypes were also detected among the ancient trees. Differences on the allelic composition and heterozygosity levels were found between wild and cultivated trees. Model-based clustering method classified the olive trees into two major gene pools: (a) wild genotypes and (b) local cultivars from the collection and from heritage olives. Regarding the cultivated plant material, we observed that: (a) most of the Sardinian cultivars shared the same allelic profiles with the ancient cultivated trees and (b) the majority of these cultivars and all the novel genotypes were not related to any other cultivars included in this study. These findings as well as the detection of unique alleles and a certain wild genetic background at some cultivars revealed by the Bayesian analysis may indicate their autochthonous origin. The synonymy cases found between local cultivars and Italian mainland cultivars indicate interchange of genetic material among these growing areas, suggesting thus a possible allochthonous origin. The information obtained can assist in the management of an olive collection and sheds some light on the survival of true oleasters and the origin of Sardinian cultivars.