Activated Sludge Acclimation for Hydrophobic VOC Removal in a Two-Phase Partitioning Reactor

The effect of activated sludge acclimation on the biodegradation of toluene and dimethyldisulphide (DMDS) in the presence of a non-aqueous phase liquid, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor was characterized. The influence of the presence of PDMS, at a ratio of 25% (v/v), and acclimation of activated sludge on two hydrophobic VOC biodegradation was studied. Activated sludge were acclimated to each VOC and in the presence of the non-aqueous phase liquid, namely in the emulsion of PDMS in water. Using acclimated cells, 97.9% and 108.7% improvement of the mean biodegradation rates were recorded for toluene and DMDS, respectively, if compared to the values recorded in the absence of acclimation. While and in agreement with the lower solubility in water of DMDS if compared to toluene, a most significant effect of PDMS addition on the rate of DMDS removal was recorded, 87.0% and 153.6% for toluene and DMDS, respectively. In addition and if both biomass acclimation and PDMS addition were considered, overall improvements of the removal rates were 204% and 338% for toluene and DMDS.     

Proportional mortality: A study of 152 goats submitted for necropsy from 13 goat herds in Quebec,with a special focus on caseous lymphadenitis

The objectives of this study were to determine the main causes of mortality, with a special focus on caseous lymphadenits as a cause of death or wasting in caprine herds from Quebec. Goats (n = 152) from 13 herds were submitted for necropsy; the cause of mortality, and the presence, location, and cause of abscesses (if present) were recorded. Proportional mortalities were distributed as: Clostridium perfringens type D enterotoxemia (17.1%), pneumonia (13.8%), paratuberculosis (10.5%), listeriosis (6.6%), pregnancy toxemia (5.3%), caprine arthritis-encephalitis (4.6%), and caseous lymphadenitis (3.9%). Caseous lymphadenitis was diagnosed in 24.3% of the submitted goats, but was not a major cause of wasting or mortality. Abscesses were localized internally in 54.1% of the cases. Paratuberculosis was diagnosed in 29 goats (16 as cause of death) and was considered a major cause of wasting and/or mortality.     

Insect growth regulators as potential insecticides to control olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae Rossi): insect toxicity bioassays and molecular docking approach

BACKGROUND: Olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), is a key pest in olive orchards, causing serious economic damage. To date, the pest has already developed resistance to the insecticides commonly applied to control it. Thus, in searching for new products for an accurate resistance management programme, targeting the ecdysone receptor (EcR) might provide alternative compounds for use in such programmes. RESULTS: Residual contact and oral exposure in the laboratory of B. oleae adults to the dibenzoylhydrazine‐based compounds methoxyfenozide, tebufenozide and RH‐5849 showed different results. Methoxyfenozide and tebufenozide did not provoke any negative effects on the adults, but RH‐5849 killed 98‐100% of the treated insects 15 days after treatment. The ligand‐binding domain (LBD) of the EcR of B. oleae (BoEcR‐LBD) was sequenced, and a homology protein model was constructed. Owing to a restricted extent of the ligand‐binding cavity of the BoEcR‐LBD, docking experiments with the three tested insecticides showed a severe steric clash in the case of methoxyfenozide and tebufenozide, while this was not the case with RH‐5849. CONCLUSION: IGR molecules similar to the RH‐5849 molecule, and different from methoxyfenozide and tebufenozide, might have potential in controlling this pest. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Fungicide resistance status in French populations of the wheat eyespot fungi Oculimacula acuformis and Oculimacula yallundae

Eyespot, caused by Oculimacula acuformis and Oculimacula yallundae, is the major foot disease of winter wheat in several European countries, including France. It can be controlled by chemical treatment between tillering and the second node stage. The fungicides used include antimicrotubule toxicants (benzimidazoles), inhibitors of sterol 14α‐demethylation (DMIs) or of succinate dehydrogenase (SDHIs), the anilinopyrimidines cyprodinil and the benzophenone metrafenone. Since the early 1980s, a long‐term survey has been set up in France to monitor changes in the sensitivity of eyespot populations to fungicides. Resistance to benzimidazoles has become generalised since the early 1990s, in spite of the withdrawal of this class of fungicides. In the DMI group, resistance to triazoles is generalised, whereas no resistance to the triazolinethione prothioconazole has yet developed. Resistance to the imidazole prochloraz evolved successively in O. acuformis and O. yallundae and is now well established. Specific resistance to cyprodinil has also been detected, but its frequency has generally remained low. Finally, since the early 2000s, a few strains of O. yallundae displaying multidrug resistance (MDR) have been detected. These strains display low levels of resistance to prothioconazole and SDHIs, such as boscalid. Knowledge of the spatiotemporal distribution in France of O. acuformis and O. yallundae field strains resistant to fungicides allows resistance management strategies for eyespot fungi in winter wheat to be proposed.© 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Structural Characterization and Rheological and Antioxidant Properties of Novel Polysaccharide from Calcareous Red Seaweed

A novel sulfated xylogalactan (JASX) was extracted and purified from the rhodophyceae Jania adhaerens. JASX was characterized by chromatography (GC/MS-EI and SEC/MALLS) and spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR and ¹H/¹³C NMR) techniques. Results showed that JASX was constituted by repeating units of (→3)-β-d-Galp-(1,4)-3,6-α-l-AnGalp-(1→)_n and (→3)-β-d-Galp-(1,4)-α-l-Galp-(1→)_n substituted on O-2 and O-3 of the α-(1,4)-l-Galp units by methoxy and/or sulfate groups but also on O-6 of the β-(1,3)-d-Galp mainly by β-xylosyl side chains and less by methoxy and/or sulfate groups. The M_w, M_n, Đ, [η] and C* of JASX were respectively 600 and 160 kDa, 3.7, 102 mL.g⁻¹ and 7.0 g.L⁻¹. JASX exhibited pseudoplastic behavior influenced by temperature and monovalent salts and highly correlated to the power-law model and the Arrhenius relationship. JASX presented thixotropic characteristics, a gel-like viscoelastic behavior and a great viscoelasticity character. JASX showed important antioxidant activities, outlining its potential as a natural additive to produce functional foods.     

Additional Indications for the Low Allergenic Properties of the Apple Cultivars Santana and Elise

Patients with Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) to fresh apple may tolerate low allergenic apple cultivars. We aimed to investigate if the low allergenic properties of Elise and Santana, as previously identified in a Dutch population, could be generalised within North West Europe within the birch pollen region with regard to both the prevalence and degree of sensitization. Prick-to-prick tests (PTP) were performed in eighty-five adult patients with OAS to fresh apple in Great Britain, Switzerland and Northern Italy, before the birch pollen season, using the putatively low allergenic apple cultivars Elise, Santana, Granny Smith, Modi and Mcintosh, as well as the putatively high allergenic apple cultivars Golden Delicious and Kanzi. No significant differences in percentages of negative responses of PTPs were found between the three countries. Negative responses did not differ from negative responses to the different apple cultivars we previously found in 2006/2007 in the Netherlands. The size of the PTPs of all apple cultivars tested were correlated to the size of the skin prick tests with birch pollen. These results add to the indications for the low allergenic properties of the low allergenic apple cultivars Santana and Elise, as the number of negative responses were reproducible in three countries within the birch pollen region and were similar to previous results in the Netherlands. These results justify oral challenge studies with Elise and Santana within the birch pollen region, to establish the low allergenic properties for the benefit for apple allergic consumers for definite conclusions.     

Assessment of Opportunities for Burundian Small-Scale Potato Farmers to Increase Productivity and Income

From 2014 through 2016, on-farm experiments were carried out in three provinces surrounding Bujumbura town in Burundi to improve the low potato (Solanum tuberosum) yields, which currently stand at about 6 t ha^?1. It was hypothesised that in rain-fed conditions, improved varieties, healthier seed tubers, pre-sprouting in light, proper fertilisation and protection from late blight attack would improve yield and quality, such as tuber weight, tuber size and lower brown rot incidence. The treatments in the on-farm trials at five farms in each of three sites (15 replicates) were applied in two seasons, giving 30 replicates in 580 plots. The following treatments were compared with growers’ current practices: introduction of two new varieties, use of early generation seed from a rapid multiplication scheme, earlier harvesting of a seed crop, seed storage in a diffused light store, and research-based timing and dose rate of fertilisers and fungicides. Marginal rates of return on investments were calculated at farm level and current and tested alternative technologies were compared. Costs and benefits of applying such techniques were calculated. An improved variety contributed up to 20% yield increase and healthier seed 80%. Early harvesting reduced yield by 30% and reduced incidence of brown rot in the current season, but increased it (from 21 to 39%) in the following season when tubers were replanted. Diffused light storage, alternating contact and systemic fungicide application, and application of chemical fertilisers resulted in 30, 50 and 60% yield increases, respectively. It was shown that it is possible to double yields and economic returns (marginal rates of return) under the growing conditions in Burundi when growers plant healthy pre-sprouted seed of a new variety and apply chemical fertilisers and fungicides.     

Soil physico-chemical changes following application of municipal solid waste leachates to grasslands

Concerns about the use of residues from municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWI) in construction materials usually focus on the potential for heavy metals and organic chemicals to leach into drainage waters under the influence of rain. We hypothesised that high level of salts in the MSWI leachates may cause more of a problem, particularly on soil physico-chemical properties. Both bottom ash (BA) and Solidified Air Pollution Control residue (SAPCr) leachates were added to experimental grassland plots. The amounts of Na⁺ increased by up to 13% in soils supplemented with each leachate. A decrease of the soil total porosity (?14%) was evidence of a subsequent adverse physical effect of this strong salinity. The potential for the grass cover type (species composition or density) to limit this adverse effect was discussed. Laboratory tests allowed us to determine that undiluted SAPCr induced slaking of aggregates accompanied by a strong decrease of aggregate stability, to 49% of control values. Undiluted BA induced dispersion of clays and others fine particles, which are then dislodged and transported into pores, causing blockage and decreasing total porosity. Clay dispersion followed by aggregate collapse occurred when soil solution contaminated by SAPCr was diluted by rainwater. This work stressed the importance of accounting for mineral contaminants, such as salts, when conducting an assessment of waste reuse scenarios.     

Can enzymatic antioxidant defences in liver discriminate between wild and sea cage-reared Bluefin Tuna quality?

Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus L.) is a fish species of high nutritional and commercial value that is increasingly farmed in the Mediterranean basin. Oxidative stress research in aquaculture is particularly important in the assessment of both the health of farmed fish and seafood quality. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are able to start the lipid peroxidation process which is potentially dangerous in fish, since they contain a high percentage of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, in particular C20:5 n-3 and C22:6 n-3, which account for most of seafood's nutritional quality. The study of the antioxidant system and how the various components interact to delay post-harvest lipid peroxidation covers both the improvement of quality and the extension of shelf life of the fresh tuna product.In this study, hepatic antioxidant enzymes (catalase—CAT, superoxide dismutase—SOD and glutathione peroxidase—GPx) and lipid peroxidation levels (TBARS) of wild and sea cage-reared tunas were investigated. The aim was to examine the possible oxidative stress state of wild tunas killed by different fishing methods, compared with reared specimens exposed to different periods of confinement but killed by the same method.No significant differences between wild specimens were found in relation to catching techniques. A significant depletion was observed in liver SOD activity in reared tunas (5.00 U/mg protein) in comparison with wild specimens (5.90 U/mg protein). No differences in liver CAT activity between wild and reared tunas were found. In reared specimens we observed an oxidative stress state indicated by an increase in GPx activity (104.70 U/mg protein and 0.83 U/mg protein in reared and wild tunas, respectively). A significantly higher liver lipid content was observed in reared tunas, but no significant differences between wild and reared tunas in terms of TBA reactive substances content were found (2.03 vs 2.02 micromol TBARS/mg lipid). Our results suggest that the increased GPx activity leads to the suppression of lipid peroxidation in liver of reared tunas. This is the first time that antioxidant enzyme activities have been assayed in Bluefin Tuna and the stress state seems to be related to the diet of reared specimens rather than to their confinement, as indicated by the absence of differences in the antioxidant activities related to the period of confinement.