Study on accelerated microbial corrosion of concrete by artificially intensified sewage

In this study, the artificially intensified sewage with different levels of chemical oxygen demand (COD) were prepared, and the changes in weight and strength, as well as the micro morphology, mineral compositions and pore structure of concrete specimens immersed in the artificially intensified sewage and water were investigated in comparison. In parallel, the COD, pH, H2S and O2 values, as well as the microbial species and contents of sewage were monitored in the corrosion process. Furthermore, the microbial structure and activities within biofilm developed on concrete surface were also analyzed. The results indicated that the increase of COD concentration of sewage from 300 to 9000 mg/L led to the decline of sewage pH from 6.4 to 2.3 and increase of biofilm thickness from 300 to 800 μm, as well as the substantial growth of dominant microorganisms (Bacteroidete, Proteobacteria, etc.). The drop of pH level and O2 concentration within biofilm also indicated the high activities of sulfate-reducing and sulfur-oxidizing reaction. Correspondingly, after 150 days of immersion both the mass loss and strength decline rate of concrete increased from 0.32% to 1.78% and from 10.6% to 31.7%, respectively. Furthermore, the microstructure of the specimens in sewage became loose and porous. The CH content of specimens in sewage was significant lower than that of specimens in water, and both the cumulative mercury quantity and harmful macropore proportion of specimens in intensified sewage were significantly larger than that of specimens in water, which indicated the chemical reaction between CH and some acid substance. Overall, the sewage concentration increased by 30 times can triple the corrosion rate of concrete. The results obtained are expected to explore a fast and realistic method to simulate the concrete corrosion in full flow sewer pipes

Could changes in the agricultural landscape of northeastern China have influenced the long-distance transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5Nx viruses?

In the last few years, several reassortant subtypes of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAI H5Nx) have emerged in East Asia. These new viruses, mostly of subtype H5N1, H5N2, H5N6, and H5N8 belonging to clade 2.3.4.4, have been found in several Asian countries and have caused outbreaks in poultry in China, South Korea, and Vietnam. HPAI H5Nx also have spread over considerable distances with the introduction of viruses belonging to the same 2.3.4.4 clade in the U.S. (2014-2015) and in Europe (2014-2015 and 2016-2017). In this paper, we examine the emergence and spread of these new viruses in Asia in relation to published datasets on HPAI H5Nx distribution, movement of migratory waterfowl, avian influenza risk models, and land-use change analyses. More specifically, we show that between 2000 and 2015, vast areas of northeast China have been newly planted with rice paddy fields (3.21 million ha in Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning) in areas connected to other parts of Asia through migratory pathways of wild waterfowl. We hypothesize that recent land use changes in northeast China have affected the spatial distribution of wild waterfowl, their stopover areas, and the wild-domestic interface, thereby altering transmission dynamics of avian influenza viruses across flyways. Detailed studies of the habitat use by wild migratory birds, of the extent of the wild-domestic interface, and of the circulation of avian influenza viruses in those new planted areas may help to shed more light on this hypothesis, and on the possible impact of those changes on the long-distance patterns of avian influenza transmission

Sinteza i biološko vrednovanje novih derivata 2-fenil-benzimidazol-1-acetamida kao potencijalnih anthelmintika

The present study describes synthesis of a series of 2-phenyl benzimidazole-1-acetamide derivatives and their evaluation for anthelmintic activity using Indian adult earthworms, Pheretima posthuma. The structure of the title compounds was elucidated by elemental analysis and spectral data. The compounds 4-({[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]acetyl}amino) benzoic acid (3a), N-ethyl-2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl] acetamide (3c), N-benzyl-2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl] acetamide (3d), N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl] acetamide (3f), 2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-N-phenylacetamide (3h), 2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-N\u27-phenylacetohydrazide (3k), 2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-N-(4-nitrophenyl) acetamide (3n) and 2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-N-phenylacetamide (3q) were better to paralyze worms whereas N-ethyl-2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl] acetamide (3c), N-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1yl] acetamide (3e), 4-({[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl] acetyl} amino) benzoic acid (3j), 2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-N-ethylacetamide (3l) and 2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-N-phenylacetamide (3q) were better to cause death of worms compared to the anthelmintic drug albendazole.U radu je opisana sinteza derivata 2-fenil-benzimidazol-1-acetamida i ispitivanje njihovog anthelmintičkog djelovanja na odrasle indijske gliste, Pheretima posthuma. Struktura sintetiziranih spojeva određena je elementarnom analizom i spektroskopskim metodama. Spojevi 4-({[2-(4-nitrofenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il]acetil}amino) benzojeva kiselina (3a), N-etil-2-[2-(4-nitrofenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il] acetamid (3c), N-benzil-2-[2-(4-nitrofenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il] acetamid (3d), N-(4-hidroksifenil)-2-[2-(4-nitrofenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il] acetamid (3f), 2-[2-(4-nitrofenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il]-N-fenilacetamid (3h), 2-[2-(4-klorfenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il]-N\u27-fenilacetohidrazid (3k), 2-[2-(4-klorfenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il]-N-(4-nitrofenil) acetamid (3n) i 2-[2-(4-klorfenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il]-N-fenilacetamid (3q) jače paraliziraju gliste, a N-etil-2-[2-(4-nitrofenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il] acetamid (3c), 2-[2-(4-nitrofenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il]-N-fenilacetamid (3h), 4-({[2-(4-klorfenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il]acetil}amino) benzojeva kiselina (3j), 2-[2-(4-klorfenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il]-N-etilacetamid (3l) i 2-[2-(4-klorfenil)-1H-benzimidazol-1-il]-N-fenilacetamid (3q) učinkovitije usmrćuju gliste nego anthelmintik albendazol

Intensification differentially affects the delivery of multiple ecosystem services in subtropical and temperate grasslands

Intensification, the process of intensifying land management to enhance agricultural goods, results in “intensive” pastures that are planted with productive grasses and fertilized. These intensive pastures provide essential ecosystem services, including forage production for livestock. Understanding the synergies and tradeoffs of pasture intensification on the delivery of services across climatic regions is crucial to shape policies and incentives for better management of natural resources. Here, we investigated how grassland intensification affects key components of provisioning (forage productivity and quality), supporting (plant diversity) and regulating services (CO2 and CH4 fluxes) by comparing these services between intensive versus extensive pastures in subtropical and temperate pastures in the USDA Long-term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network sites in Florida and Oklahoma, USA over multiple years. Our results suggest that grassland intensification led to a decrease in measured supporting and regulating services, but increased forage productivity in temperate pastures and forage digestibility in subtropical pastures. Intensification decreased the net CO2 sink of subtropical pastures while it did not affect the sink capacity of temperate pastures; and it also increased environmental CH4 emissions from subtropical pastures and reduced CH4 uptake in temperate pastures. Intensification enhanced the global warming potential associated with C fluxes of pastures in both ecoregions. Our study demonstrates that comparisons of agroecosystems in contrasting ecoregions can reveal important drivers of ecosystem services and general or region-specific opportunities and solutions to maintaining agricultural production and reducing environmental footprints. Further LTAR network-scale comparisons of multiple ecosystem services across croplands and grazinglands intensively vs extensively managed are warranted to inform the sustainable intensification of agriculture within US and beyond. Our results highlight that achieving both food security and environmental stewardship will involve the conservation of less intensively managed pastures while adopting sustainable strategies in intensively managed pastures

Waterfowl Spring Migratory Behavior and Avian Influenza Transmission Risk in the Changing Landscape of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway

Avian influenza has advanced from a regional concern to a global health issue with significant economic, trade, and public health implications. Wild birds, particularly waterfowl (Anseriformes), are known reservoirs for low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses (AIV) and recent studies have shown their potential in the spread of highly pathogenic forms of virus. East Asia remains an epicenter for the emergence of novel strains of AIV, however, information on movement ecology of waterfowl, and subsequently a clearer understanding of disease transmission risks in this region has been greatly lacking. To address this, we marked two species of wild waterfowl, northern pintail (Anas acuta) and Eurasian wigeon (Anas penelope), with satellite transmitters on their wintering grounds in Hong Kong, China to study the northward spring migration in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway in relation to disease transmission factors. Northern pintail were found to initiate migration 42 days earlier, travel 2,150 km farther, and perform 4.4 more stopovers than Eurasian wigeon. We found both species used similar stopover locations including areas along the Yangtze River near Shanghai, Bohai Bay and Korea Bay in rapidly developing regions of the Yellow Sea, and the Sea of Okhotsk where the species appeared to funnel through a migratory bottleneck. Both species appeared to exhibit strong habitat selection for rice paddies during migration stopovers, a habitat preference which has the potential to influence risks of AIV outbreaks as rapid land use and land cover changes occur throughout China. Both species had greatest association with H5N1 outbreaks during the early stages of migration when they were at lower latitudes. While Eurasian wigeon were not associated with outbreaks after the mean date of wintering ground departures, northern pintail were associated with outbreaks until the majority of individuals departed from the Yellow Sea, a migratory stopover location. Our results show species-level differences in migration timing and behavior for these common and widespread species, demonstrating the need to consider their unique temporal and spatial movement ecology when incorporating wild birds into AIV risk modeling and management

Genome-wide SNP identification by high-throughput sequencing and selective mapping allows sequence assembly positioning using a framework genetic linkage map

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Determining the position and order of contigs and scaffolds from a genome assembly within an organism's genome remains a technical challenge in a majority of sequencing projects. In order to exploit contemporary technologies for DNA sequencing, we developed a strategy for whole genome single nucleotide polymorphism sequencing allowing the positioning of sequence contigs onto a linkage map using the bin mapping method.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The strategy was tested on a draft genome of the fungal pathogen <it>Venturia inaequalis</it>, the causal agent of apple scab, and further validated using sequence contigs derived from the diploid plant genome <it>Fragaria vesca</it>. Using our novel method we were able to anchor 70% and 92% of sequences assemblies for <it>V. inaequalis </it>and <it>F. vesca</it>, respectively, to genetic linkage maps.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We demonstrated the utility of this approach by accurately determining the bin map positions of the majority of the large sequence contigs from each genome sequence and validated our method by mapping single sequence repeat markers derived from sequence contigs on a full mapping population.</p

Genomic activation of the EGFR and HER2-neu genes in a significant proportion of invasive epithelial ovarian cancers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The status of the EGFR and HER2-neu genes has not been fully defined in ovarian cancer. An integrated analysis of both genes could help define the proportion of patients that would potentially benefit from targeted therapies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We determined the tumour mutation status of the entire tyrosine kinase (TK) domain of the EGFR and HER2-neu genes in a cohort of 52 patients with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer as well as the gene copy number and protein expression of both genes in 31 of these patients by DGGE and direct sequecing, immunohistochemistry and Fluorescent in Situ Hybridisation (FISH).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The EGFR was expressed in 59% of the cases, with a 2+/3+ staining intensity in 38%. HER2-neu expression was found in 35%, with a 2/3+ staining in 18%. No mutations were found in exons 18–24 of the TK domains of EGFR and HER2-neu. High polysomy of the EGFR gene was observed in 13% of the invasive epthelial cancers and amplification of the HER2-neu gene was found in 10% and correlated with a high expression level by immunohistochemistry.</p> <p>Mutations within the tyrosine kinase domain were not found in the entire TK domain of both genes, but have been found in very rare cases by others.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Genomic alteration of the HER2-neu and EGFR genes is frequent (25%) in ovarian cancer. EGFR/HER2-neu targeted therapies should be investigated prospectively and specifically in that subset of patients.</p

Late HIV Diagnosis and Determinants of Progression to AIDS or Death after HIV Diagnosis among Injection Drug Users, 33 US States, 1996–2004

BACKGROUND: The timeliness of HIV diagnosis and the initiation of antiretroviral treatment are major determinants of survival for HIV-infected people. Injection drug users (IDUs) are less likely than persons in other transmission categories to seek early HIV counseling, testing, and treatment. Our objective was to estimate the proportion of IDUs with a late HIV diagnosis (AIDS diagnosis within 12 months of HIV diagnosis) and determine the factors associated with disease progression after HIV diagnosis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using data from 33 states with confidential name-based HIV reporting, we determined the proportion of IDUs aged >or=13 years who received a late HIV diagnosis during 1996-2004. We used standardized Kaplan-Meier survival methods to determine differences in time of progression from HIV to AIDS and death, by race/ethnicity, sex, age group, CD4(+) T-cell count, metropolitan residence, and diagnosis year. We compared the survival of IDUs with the survival of persons in other transmission categories. During 1996-2004, 42.2% (11,635) of 27,572 IDUs were diagnosed late. For IDUs, the risk for progression from HIV to AIDS 3 years after HIV diagnosis was greater for nonwhites, males and older persons. Three-year survival after HIV diagnosis was lower for IDU males (87.3%, 95% confidence interval (CI), 87.1-87.4) compared with males exposed through male-to-male sexual contact (91.6%, 95% CI, 91.6-91.7) and males exposed through high-risk heterosexual contact (HRHC) (91.9%, 95% CI, 91.8-91.9). Survival was also lower for IDU females (89.5%, 95% CI, 89.4-89.6) compared to HRHC females (93.3%, 95% CI, 93.3-93.4). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: A substantial proportion of IDUs living with HIV received their HIV diagnosis late. To improve survival of IDUs, HIV prevention efforts must ensure early access to HIV testing and care, as well as encourage adherence to antiretroviral treatment to slow disease progression

Spatial Distribution and Risk Factors of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in China

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was first encountered in 1996 in Guangdong province (China) and started spreading throughout Asia and the western Palearctic in 2004–2006. Compared to several other countries where the HPAI H5N1 distribution has been studied in some detail, little is known about the environmental correlates of the HPAI H5N1 distribution in China. HPAI H5N1 clinical disease outbreaks, and HPAI virus (HPAIV) H5N1 isolated from active risk-based surveillance sampling of domestic poultry (referred to as HPAIV H5N1 surveillance positives in this manuscript) were modeled separately using seven risk variables: chicken, domestic waterfowl population density, proportion of land covered by rice or surface water, cropping intensity, elevation, and human population density. We used bootstrapped logistic regression and boosted regression trees (BRT) with cross-validation to identify the weight of each variable, to assess the predictive power of the models, and to map the distribution of HPAI H5N1 risk. HPAI H5N1 clinical disease outbreak occurrence in domestic poultry was mainly associated with chicken density, human population density, and elevation. In contrast, HPAIV H5N1 infection identified by risk-based surveillance was associated with domestic waterfowl density, human population density, and the proportion of land covered by surface water. Both models had a high explanatory power (mean AUC ranging from 0.864 to 0.967). The map of HPAIV H5N1 risk distribution based on active surveillance data emphasized areas south of the Yangtze River, while the distribution of reported outbreak risk extended further North, where the density of poultry and humans is higher. We quantified the statistical association between HPAI H5N1 outbreak, HPAIV distribution and post-vaccination levels of seropositivity (percentage of effective post-vaccination seroconversion in vaccinated birds) and found that provinces with either outbreaks or HPAIV H5N1 surveillance positives in 2007–2009 appeared to have had lower antibody response to vaccination. The distribution of HPAI H5N1 risk in China appears more limited geographically than previously assessed, offering prospects for better targeted surveillance and control interventions