Fine sediment reduces vertical migrations of Gammarus pulex (Crustacea: Amphipoda) in response to surface water loss

Surface and subsurface sediments in river ecosystems are recognized as refuges that may promote invertebrate survival during disturbances such as floods and streambed drying. Refuge use is spatiotemporally variable, with environmental factors including substrate composition, in particular the proportion of fine sediment (FS), affecting the ability of organisms to move through interstitial spaces. We conducted a laboratory experiment to examine the effects of FS on the movement of Gammarus pulex Linnaeus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) into subsurface sediments in response to surface water loss. We hypothesized that increasing volumes of FS would impede and ultimately prevent individuals from migrating into the sediments. To test this hypothesis, the proportion of FS (1–2 mm diameter) present within an open gravel matrix (4–16 mm diameter) was varied from 10 to 20% by volume in 2.5% increments. Under control conditions (0% FS), 93% of individuals moved into subsurface sediments as the water level was reduced. The proportion of individuals moving into the subsurface decreased to 74% at 10% FS, and at 20% FS no individuals entered the sediments, supporting our hypothesis. These results demonstrate the importance of reducing FS inputs into river ecosystems and restoring FS-clogged riverbeds, to promote refuge use during increasingly common instream disturbances

Aflatoxin Toxicity Reduction in Feed by Enhanced Binding to Surface-Modified Clay Additives

Animal feeding studies have demonstrated that clay additives, such as bentonites, can bind aflatoxins in ingested feed and reduce or eliminate the toxicity. Bentonite deposits are found throughout the world and mostly consist of expandable smectite minerals, such as montmorillonite. The surfaces of smectite minerals can be treated with organic compounds to create surface-modified clays that more readily bind some contaminants than the untreated clay. Montmorillonites treated with organic cations, such as hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA) and phenyltrimethylammonium (PTMA), more effectively remove organic contaminants, such as benzene and toluene, from water than untreated clay. Similarly, montmorillonite treated with PTMA (Kd = 24,100) retained more aflatoxin B1 (AfB1) from aqueous corn flour than untreated montmorillonite (Kd = 944). Feed additives that reduced aflatoxin toxicity in animal feeding studies adsorbed more AfB1 from aqueous corn flour than feed additives that were less effective. The organic cations HDTMA and PTMA are considered toxic and would not be suitable for clay additives used in feed or food, but other non-toxic or nutrient compounds can be used to prepare surface-modified clays. Montmorillonite (SWy) treated with choline (Kd = 13,800) and carnitine (Kd = 3960) adsorbed much more AfB1 from aqueous corn flour than the untreated clay (Kd = 944). A choline-treated clay prepared from a reduced-charge, high-charge montmorillonite (Kd = 20,100) adsorbed more AfB1 than the choline-treated high-charge montmorillonite (Kd = 1340) or the untreated montmorillonite (Kd = 293). Surface-modified clay additives prepared using low-charge smectites and nutrient or non-toxic organic compounds might be used to more effectively bind aflatoxins in contaminated feed or food and prevent toxicity

Essential oil from eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage reduces nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-induced murine peritoneal macrophages

Few studies are concerned about the essential oil extracted from leaves of Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage that shows high content of α-pinene. The goal of this paper was to investigate the in vitro effect of the essential oil of E. benthamii and α-pinene on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Macrophages were harvested by washing with phosphate buffered saline and cultured with 10 μg/mL LPS. Three concentrations (5, 10, and 20 μg/mL) of the essential oil of E. benthamii and α-pinene were investigated. Nitrite levels were measured based on the Griess reaction, an indirect assay for NO production. The essential oil of E. benthamii significantly suppressed NO production in murine peritoneal macrophages at 10 and 20 μg/mL. In contrast, α-pinene did not inhibit NO production.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

LEED Holography applied to a complex superstructure: a direct view of the adatom cluster on SiC(111)-(3x3)

For the example of the SiC(111)-(3x3) reconstruction we show that a holographic interpretation of discrete Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) spot intensities arising from ordered, large unit cell superstructures can give direct access to the local geometry of a cluster around an elevated atom, provided there is only one such prominent atom per surface unit cell. By comparing the holographic images obtained from experimental and calculated data we illuminate validity, current limits and possible shortcomings of the method. In particular, we show that periodic vacancies such as cornerholes may inhibit the correct detection of the atomic positions. By contrast, the extra diffraction intensity due to slight substrate reconstructions, as for example buckling, seems to have negligible influence on the images. Due to the spatial information depth of the method the stacking of the cluster can be imaged down to the fourth layer. Finally, it is demonstrated how this structural knowledge of the adcluster geometry can be used to guide the dynamical intensity analysis subsequent to the holographic reconstruction and necessary to retrieve the full unit cell structure.Comment: 11 pages RevTex, 6 figures, Phys. Rev. B in pres

Еволюція рослинного світу в природному і культигенному середовищі

У ході засідань Міжнародної наукової конференції “Еволюція рослинного світу в природному і культигенному середовищі”, присвяченої 200-річчю від Дня народження Чарльза Дарвіна, обговорено актуальні питання еволюційної теорії, ботаніки, фізіології рослин, інтродукції, генетики й селекції, екології, збереження і примноження глобального та локального біорізноманіття, лісових культур і фітомеліорації та інших біологічних наук.В ходе заседаний Международной научной конференции “Эволюция растительного мира в естественной и культигенной среде”, посвященной 200-летию со дня рождения Чарльза Дарвина, обсуждены актуальные вопросы эволюционной теории, ботаники, физиологии растений, интродукции, генетики и селекции, экологии, сохранения и приумножения глобального и локального биоразнообразия, лесных культур и фитомелиорации и других биологических наук.During meetings of the International scientific conference “Evolution of the natural and cultivated plants” to devoted a 200-year from the day of birth of Charles Darwin topical problems of the evolutional theory are discussed, including botany, physiology of plants, introduction of plants, genetics and breeding of plants, ecology, preventing the loss of global and loca biodiversity, arboriculture, forest-growing and other biological sciences

Limiting global warming to 1.5 °C will lower increases in inequalities of four hazard indicators of climate change

Clarifying characteristics of hazards and risks of climate change at 2 °C and 1.5 °C global warming is important for understanding the implications of the Paris Agreement. We perform and analyze large ensembles of 2 °C and 1.5 °C warming simulations. In the 2 °C runs, we find substantial increases in extreme hot days, heavy rainfalls, high streamflow and labor capacity reduction related to heat stress. For example, about half of the world's population is projected to experience a present day 1-in-10 year hot day event every other year at 2 °C warming. The regions with relatively large increases of these four hazard indicators coincide with countries characterized by small CO2 emissions, low-income and high vulnerability. Limiting global warming to 1.5 °C, compared to 2 °C, is projected to lower increases in the four hazard indicators especially in those regions

Human impact parameterizations in global hydrological models improves estimates of monthly discharges and hydrological extremes: a multi-model validation study

Human activities have a profound influence on river discharge, hydrological extremes, and water-related hazards. In this study, we compare the results of five state-of-the-art global hydrological models (GHMs) with observations to examine the role of human impact parameterizations (HIP) in the simulation of the mean, high, and low flows. The analysis is performed for 471 gauging stations across the globe and for the period 1971-2010. We find that the inclusion of HIP improves the performance of GHMs, both in managed and near-natural catchments. For near-natural catchments, the improvement in performance results from improvements in incoming discharges from upstream managed catchments. This finding is robust across GHMs, although the level of improvement and reasons for improvement vary greatly by GHM. The inclusion of HIP leads to a significant decrease in the bias of long-term mean monthly discharge in 36-73% of the studied catchments, and an improvement in modelled hydrological variability in 31-74% of the studied catchments. Including HIP in the GHMs also leads to an improvement in the simulation of hydrological extremes, compared to when HIP is excluded. Whilst the inclusion of HIP leads to decreases in simulated high-flows, it can lead to either increases or decreases in low-flows. This is due to the relative importance of the timing of return flows and reservoir operations and their associated uncertainties. Even with the inclusion of HIP, we find that model performance still not optimal. This highlights the need for further research linking the human management and hydrological domains, especially in those areas with a dominant human impact. The large variation in performance between GHMs, regions, and performance indicators, calls for a careful selection of GHMs, model components, and evaluation metrics in future model applications

In vitro assessment of adsorbents aiming to prevent deoxynivalenol and zearalenone mycotoxicoses

The high prevalence of the Fusarium mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON) in animal feeds in mild climatic zones of Europe and North America results in considerable economic losses, as these toxins affect health and productivity particularly of pigs from all age groups. The use of mycotoxin adsorbents as feed additives is one of the most prominent approaches to reduce the risk for mycotoxicoses in farm animals, and to minimise carry-over of mycotoxins from contaminated feeds into foods of animal origin. Successful aflatoxin adsorption by means of different substances (phyllosilicate minerals, zeolites, activated charcoal, synthetic resins or yeast cell-wall-derived products) has been demonstrated in vivo and in vitro. However, attempts to adsorb DON and ZON have been less encouraging. Here we describe the adsorption capacity of a variety of potential binders, including compounds that have not been evaluated before, such as humic acids. All compounds were tested at realistic inclusion levels for their capacity to bind ZON and DON, using an in vitro method that resembles the different pH conditions in the gastro-intestinal tract of pigs. Mycotoxin adsorption was assessed by chemical methods and distinct bioassays, using specific markers of toxicity as endpoints of toxicity in cytological assays. Whereas none of the tested substances was able to bind DON in an appreciable percentage, some of the selected smectite clays, humic substances and yeast-wall derived products efficiently adsorbed ZON (>70%). Binding efficiency was indirectly confirmed by the reduction of toxicity in the in vitro bioassays. In conclusion, the presented test protocol allows the rapid screening of potential mycotoxin binders. Like other in vitro assays, the presented protocol combining chemical and biological assays cannot completely simulate the conditions of the gastro-intestinal tract, and hence in vivo experiments remain mandatory to assess the efficacy of mycotoxin binders under practical conditions