The effects of several commercial wood coatings on the deterioration of biological pigments in wood exposed to UV light

This research subjected four wood species pigmented with the red stain of Scytalidium cuboideum and Acer negundo wood pigmented with the tree’s naturally occurring red stain to natural and artificial UV light. Several commercially available coatings were applied to determine the effect of coating on the degradation of both red stains over time. The red stain of Acer negundo was found to be significantly less stable in UV light than the red pigment produced by S. cuboideum on any wood species, even A. negundo. None of the tested coatings significantly increased the pigment retention time of the red stain produced by A. negundo. The red stain of S. cuboideum was significantly affected by both coating and wood species; Populus tremuloides retained pigment significantly longer than Fagus grandifolia or Acer saccharum, and the Danish oil coating retained pigment significantly longer than the lacquer, water-based polyurethane with UV inhibitors, or the uncoated samples. Overall, lacquer increased the degradation rate of the red pigment produced by S. cuboideum, with the most pronounced increase occurring on F. grandifolia. These results indicate that the red-pigmented wood produced by A. negundo may not be appropriate for applications involving UV exposure, regardless of coating utilized. However, P. tremuloides wood pigmented with S. cuboideum may be appropriate for such applications, especially if Danish oil is applied as a coating.     

Seaweed-Based Compounds and Products for Sustainable Protection against Plant Pathogens

Sustainable agricultural practices increasingly demand novel, environmentally friendly compounds which induce plant immunity against pathogens. Stimulating plant immunity using seaweed extracts is a highly viable strategy, as these formulations contain many bio-elicitors (phyco-elicitors) which can significantly boost natural plant immunity. Certain bioactive elicitors present in a multitude of extracts of seaweeds (both commercially available and bench-scale laboratory formulations) activate pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) due to their structural similarity (i.e., analogous structure) with pathogen-derived molecules. This is achieved via the priming and/or elicitation of the defense responses of the induced systemic resistance (ISR) and systemic acquired resistance (SAR) pathways. Knowledge accumulated over the past few decades is reviewed here, aiming to explain why certain seaweed-derived bioactives have such tremendous potential to elicit plant defense responses with considerable economic significance, particularly with increasing biotic stress impacts due to climate change and the concomitant move to sustainable agriculture and away from synthetic chemistry and environmental damage. Various extracts of seaweeds display remarkably different modes of action(s) which can manipulate the plant defense responses when applied. This review focuses on both the similarities and differences amongst the modes of actions of several different seaweed extracts, as well as their individual components. Novel biotechnological approaches for the development of new commercial products for crop protection, in a sustainable manner, are also suggested.     

Autologistic models with interpretable parameters

Ecologists are interested in characterizing succession processes, in particular monitoring the spread of invasive species and their effect on resident species. In situations for which binary response variables representing presence or absence of plants are observed over a spatial lattice, it may be desirable to use a model that accounts for the statistical dependence in the data, as well as the effect of potential covariates. One such model is the autologistic regression model. We show that the typical parameterization of the autologistic model presents difficulties in interpreting model parameters across varying levels of statistical dependence, and propose an alternative (centered) parameterization that overcomes this difficulty.We use the centered autologistic model to study the dynamics over time of two species, Rumex acetosella and Lonicera japonica, in an abandoned agricultural field in New Jersey, and compare the results to those obtained from using the traditional autologistic parameterization.     

A controlled randomized clinical trial to assess postoperative analgesia after thiopental–isoflurane anaesthesia or total intravenous anaesthesia with alfaxalone in dogs

Alfaxalone, a synthetic neuroactive steroid, has been attributed with properties including sedation, anaesthesia and analgesia. The clinical relevance of any analgesic properties of alfaxalone has not been demonstrated. This study was a prospective, blinded, randomized, negative control clinical trial in 65 healthy dogs presented for ovariohysterectomy. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained, for Group 1 (TIVA) dogs (n = 30) with intravenous alfaxalone alone and for Group 2 dogs (n = 35) with thiopental followed by isoflurane in 100% oxygen inhalation. After ovariohysterectomy, quantitative measures of pain or nociception were recorded at 15 min intervals for 4 hr using three independent scoring systems, a composite measure pain scale (CMPS), von Frey threshold testing and measures of fentanyl rescue analgesia. The mean CMPS scores of Group 2 (THIO/ISO) dogs remained higher than Group 1 (TIVA) dogs from 15 to 135 min post‐surgery but this difference was not statistically significant. There were no significant differences between groups in the proportions of dogs requiring rescue fentanyl analgesia, the total fentanyl dose used or the time to first fentanyl dose. The Von Frey threshold testing was found to be unsuitable for measurement of pain in this experimental model. When administered as total intravenous anaesthesia, alfaxalone did not provide analgesia in the postoperative period.     

Sediment imbalances and flooding risk in European deltas and estuaries

Purpose

We analysed the status of current water and sediment management practices in six deltas and estuaries, which were part of the European DELTANET, INTERREG-funded network.

Materials and methods

These systems—the Danube, Ebro and Vistula deltas and the Elbe, Minho and Severn estuaries—represent different geographic regions of Europe. This enables comparison between the sites’ approaches to common coastal issues, notably those associated with sediment budgets, contamination and flood risk. Based on documentary analysis, workshop events and expert discussion, we employ a simple classification scheme to distinguish between levels of risk from these aspects.

Results

We suggest that flood risk is the most significant risk, followed by upstream sediment retention and sediment aggradation. Chemical contamination, though less severe, is not unimportant. Key management issues include a lack of environmental quality standards for sediment and suspended particulate matter, as well as the limited deployment of monitoring programmes, regular sediment sampling and associated chemical analyses.

Conclusions

These include both general and specific recommendations. Within these, the limited scope of integrated plans that aim for sustainability of the respective systems is highlighted. It is suggested that these do not challenge traditional, classical engineering approaches sufficiently. Nor do they address the origin of many environmental problems, especially those which are closely linked to short-term political and economic priorities.     

The potential of school green areas to improve urban green connectivity and multifunctionality

Urban green infrastructure supports resilience in cities and promotes sustainable resource management. Small green areas, including school green areas (SGAs), are an important component of urban green infrastructure, playing a key role in supplying cities with educational services. This article describes how SGAs can amplify an urban green area's connectivity and multifunctionality. The analysis was performed in Bucharest as a case study. A survey based on questionnaires was used to obtain data regarding green spaces within public schools. A total of 411 administrators from 461 public schools participated in the survey for a response rate of 89.1%. Information from the questionnaires was augmented with spatial data of SGAs and public green spaces, i.e., parks and city gardens. Using parametric and nonparametric statistical analysis, we first identified the variables that determine an SGA's presence and size. Potential connectivity assessment results showed that most of the schools that lack or have small-sized SGAs have the possibility to cover their green space deficit by developing activities within nearby public green spaces. A structural connectivity assessment of SGAs toward other public urban green areas revealed that SGAs are an important element of the urban environment by serving as stepping stones to species flow. The multifunctionality of the SGAs was emphasized through the educational services they provide, being involved in pupils’ daily activities. The increased connectivity and multifunctionality of urban green infrastructure through small, specialized green areas, such as SGAs, is an indicator of the fact that such areas can be used to ameliorate the deficit of green space in major urban areas.     

Distinct modes of signal recognition particle interaction with the ribosome

Signal recognition particle (SRP), together with its receptor (SR), mediates the targeting of ribosome-nascent chain complexes to the endoplasmic reticulum. Using protein cross-linking, we detected distinct modes in the binding of SRP to the ribosome. During signal peptide recognition, SRP54 is positioned at the exit site close to ribosomal proteins L23a and L35. When SRP54 contacts SR, SRP54 is rearranged such that it is no longer close to L23a. This repositioning may allow the translocon to dock with the ribosome, leading to insertion of the signal peptide into the translocation channel.     

Promoting fungal pigment formation in wood by utilizing a modified decay jar method

The role of test block placement within a modified decay jar system for promotion of fungal pigments was investigated. Beech and sugar maple blocks were inoculated with common pigment producing fungi and incubated for 10?weeks. Blocks were placed either below the vermiculite or resting on its surface; no feeder strips were utilized. Amount of pigmentation differed with block placement with Arthrographis cuboidea (on sugar maple and beech) and Xylaria polymorpha (only on sugar maple) producing more pigment when placed on the surface of the vermiculite. The differences in pigmentation, however, were not necessarily due to moisture content differences within test blocks, as moisture content did not vary significantly by block placement with A. cuboidea. Results indicate that placement of wood above vermiculite may increase pigmentation; however, reasons for the increase appear to differ among fungi.     

Changes in performance,blood parameters,humoral and cellular immune responses in weanling piglets exposed to low doses of aflatoxin

A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of aflatoxin (AF)-contaminated diets on growth and hematological and immunological parameters. Low doses of aflatoxins (140 and 280 ppb) were included in a corn-soybean diet provided for ad libitum consumption to 36 weanling piglets for a period of 4 wk. A "dose-related" decrease in weight gain was observed in treated animals. This effect was significant (P < 0.05) in the 280 ppb-treated group compared to the control group. Ingestion of AF-contaminated feed at either level had no effect on total red blood cell numbers or on their relative number of lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, basophils, and eosinophils in blood. Likewise, AF did not alter globulin, albumins, or total protein concentrations in serum, nor did AF alter the expression of regulatory cytokines produced by either Th1 (IL-2) or Th2 (IL-4) lymphocyte subsets in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated blood samples. By contrast, AF had a biphasic effect on total white blood cell number; the low dose of AF (140 ppb) decreased the total number of white blood cells, whereas the high dose (280 ppb) had the opposite effect. Consumption of AF also increased the concentration of gamma-globulin in the serum. A reduced immune response induced by Mycoplasma agalactiae in the 280-ppb-treated group was also observed. Cytokine mRNA expression in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated blood cells indicated that AF decreased proinflammatory (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha) and increased anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokine mRNA expression. These results demonstrate that low doses of AF depress growth and alter many aspects of humoral and cellular immunity in pigs.