Drill cuttings in the environment: possible ways to improve their properties

Journal of Soils and Sediments - The disposal of drill cuttings (DCs) in landfills is one of the major impacts of oil extraction on the environment. The DC composition is predetermined by the type...     

Phosphorus and base cation accumulation and release patterns in decomposing Scots pine,Norway spruce and silver birch stumps

Tree stumps are integral constituents of managed forest ecosystems, but their role in nutrient cycling is poorly understood. We studied phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) dynamics in decomposing Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Norway spruce (Picea abies), and silver birch (Betula pendula) stumps in southern Finland in a chronosequence of 0-, 5-, 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-year-old clear-cut areas. Along with the decomposition of pine and spruce stumps, the amount of P in stumps increased, but K and Ca were released, and the amount of Mg initially decreased and then increased. All nutrients, except K, accumulated in birch stumps during the first ten years, but were released thereafter. After 40 years of decomposition, pine and spruce stumps contained 180% and 202% of their initial amounts of P, respectively. In addition, the amounts of Mg were larger than the initial amounts in 40-year decomposed pine (126%) and spruce (202%) stumps. In contrast, birch stumps lost 64% and 75%, respectively, of their initial amounts of P and Mg over a 40-year period. The stumps of all the species were found to release K and Ca. Pine, spruce and birch stumps lost 48%, 64% and 87% of their initial amount of K, and 49%, 35% and 42% of their initial amount of Ca, respectively, during the 40-year period. The results indicate that decomposing stumps of the major tree species in Fennoscandian forests are long-term nutrient pools and they serve as P sinks, thus potentially reducing P leaching after clear-cutting.     

Protein kinase A activity and NO are involved in the regulation of crucian carp (Carassius carassius) red blood cell osmotic fragility

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry - Activation of the cAMP pathway by β-adrenergic stimulation and cGMP pathway by activation of guanylate cyclase substantially affects red blood cell (RBC)...     

Retrotransposon-based sequence-specific amplified polymorphism markers for the analysis of genetic diversity and phylogeny in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Malus</Emphasis> Mill. (Rosaceae)

Sequence-Specific Amplified Polymorphism (S-SAP)-analysis of 131 accessions of different species from five sections of the genus Malus was carried out to study genetic diversity, and to clarify phylogenetic and taxonomic issues. S-SAP-markers, based on long terminal repeat (LTR)-retrotransposons TRIM2 and dem1, were developed, which identified 679 polymorphic fragments in the studied Malus species. S-SAP technique proved to be effective for taxonomic studies in Malus. The obtained results generally support the existing sectional taxonomy in the genus Malus and allowed to determine the taxonomic status of some Russian landraces. The genetic diversity and taxonomic status of the Russian apple Antonovka landraces, widely used in breeding programs for their increased adaptation to abiotic stress and scab resistance, were clarified. All of them belong to M. domestica, section Malus. However, Antonovka Olginskaya might have a hybrid origin with some contribution from Gymnomeles species according to PCO analysis data. The taxonomic status was resolved for another Russian landrace, Yakutskaya, which exhibits increased winter hardiness and drought resistance; it belongs to section Gymnomeles, with a high resemblance to M. baccata.     

Pharmacokinetics of Marine-Derived Drugs

Marine organisms represent an excellent source of innovative compounds that have the potential for the development of new drugs. The pharmacokinetics of marine drugs has attracted increasing interest in recent decades due to its effective and potential contribution to the selection of rational dosage recommendations and the optimal use of the therapeutic arsenal. In general, pharmacokinetics studies how drugs change after administration via the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). This review provides a summary of the pharmacokinetics studies of marine-derived active compounds, with a particular focus on their ADME. The pharmacokinetics of compounds derived from algae, crustaceans, sea cucumber, fungus, sea urchins, sponges, mollusks, tunicate, and bryozoan is discussed, and the pharmacokinetics data in human experiments are analyzed. In-depth characterization using pharmacokinetics is useful for obtaining information for understanding the molecular basis of pharmacological activity, for correct doses and treatment schemes selection, and for more effective drug application. Thus, an increase in pharmacokinetic research on marine-derived compounds is expected in the near future.     

Differential effects of lichens and mosses on soil enzyme activity and litter decomposition

In the New Jersey Pinelands, canopy gaps in the pine-dominated forest support patches of lichens, mosses, and caespitose grasses. We tested the hypotheses that non-vascular plants and lichens can affect nutrient cycling processes and that mosses and lichens would differ from each other. We predicted that (1) lichen tissues would decompose more slowly than pine or moss tissues, (2) all plant materials would decompose more slowly beneath lichens than beneath mosses, and (3) soil enzyme activities would be higher under lichens than under mosses or grasses, reflecting greater nutrient limitation. We compared rates of decomposition of the litter of Pinus rigida and moss and lichen tissues, and measured soil enzyme activities responsible for nutrient mineralization from litter (acid and alkaline phosphatases, chitinase, β-glucosidase, aminopeptidase, and phenol oxidase) under three types of groundcover (lichens, mosses, and grasses) and unvegetated soil at two sites. While groundcover affected enzyme activities, the patterns of enzyme activities differed markedly between the two sites. In general, the enzyme activities were uniformly low. Decomposition rates were more strongly affected by the groundcover than by litter materials. While all litters tended to decompose more slowly under lichens than under mosses, supporting one of our initial hypotheses, the rates of decomposition were markedly different between the two sites. These results suggest that while mosses and lichens create patches of different soil function in both sites, the differences between the sites in unknown factors cause the enzyme activities and decomposition rates to differ.     

Influence of systemic antibiotics on the treatment of dogs with generalized demodicosis

Canine generalized demodicosis (CGD) is a skin disease with distinct breed predispositions. Secondary bacterial infections are common. Dogs typically receive miticidal therapy in combination with antibacterial treatment. Whether antibiotics influence the duration of acaricidal therapy is unknown at the moment. There is also debate over how common short-tailed Demodex mites occur in demodicosis. This study evaluated the influence of systemic antibiotics on the course of CGD, the occurrence of short-tailed Demodex mites in demodectic dogs and the influence of furunculosis on treatment outcome. Breed predispositions for CGD in Moscow were identified. Fifty-eight dogs were randomly distributed in two groups. Both were treated with ivermectin 600 mcg/kg q24h orally and benzoyl peroxide shampoo weekly. The dogs in one group (AB) were additionally treated with systemic antibiotics for at least 1 month, dogs in the other group (NAB) were not. Monthly examinations, skin scrapings and impression smears were performed. Prior to the study there was no difference in clinical severity, presence of pyoderma and mite numbers between groups. There was no significant difference in duration until first negative skin scrapings and resolution of bacterial infection. In dogs with furunculosis the number of the mites was significantly higher than in dogs without furunculosis but the duration until microscopic remission albeit longer, was not significantly different. Short-tailed Demodex mites were found in 25% of the cases. Pugs and English Bulldogs were predisposed. Based on these results, systemic antibiotics may not impact as much as previously thought on the actual success of CGD treatment.