Environmental Analysis of the Caddo River and its Tributaries: Comparison of Water Quality During 1992 with 1974-75

Environmental data related to water quality of the Caddo River and its tributaries were collected from March - October, 1992, and compared with data from August, 1974 - May, 1975. Bacterial, chemical and physical parameters were investigated at six river locations and thirteen tributary sites. Ammonia, nitrates, soluble phosphorus, turbidity and fecal coliform were significantly lower, and sodium and potassium were significantly higher in 1992 than during the previous study. Bacterial loading exceeded EPA criteria at some locations during both studies

Rapid decomposition of traditionally produced biochar in an Oxisol under savannah in Northeastern Brazil.

Soil amendment with biochar has been claimed as an option for carbon (C) sequestration in agricultural soils. Most studies on biochar/soil organic carbon (SOC) interactions were executed under laboratory conditions. Here we tested the stability of biochar produced in a traditional kiln and its effects on the stocks of native SOC under field conditions

Geochemical Processes and Controls Affecting Water Quality of the Karst Area of Big Creek near Mt. Judea, Arkansas

Karst regions typically are considered to be vulnerable with respect to various land-use activities, owing to the intimate association of surface and groundwater and lack of contaminant attenuation provided by most karst aquifers. Inasmuch as the soluble rocks of the karst landscape can be dissolved to create large, rapid-flow zones that compete successfully with surface streams, groundwater and subsurface flow represent a much larger component of the hydrologic budget in karst regions than in areas where non-soluble rocks predominate. Karst areas typically are distinguished by being unique, but some general approaches can be applied to characterize the hydrology of the area. These approaches include an evaluation of the degree of karstification, the hydrologic attributes of the groundwater flow system, the baseline water quality, the time-of-travel through the karst flow system, and the general flux moving through the system. The nature of potential contaminants and their total mass and range of concentrations are critical to understanding the potential environmental risk. This study describes the characterization of the baseline water quality of the shallow karst Boone aquifer and surface streams and springs to determine major processes and controls affecting water quality in the region, and to assess 2 years of waste spreading. Parameters evaluated include major constituents, contaminants and their breakdown products from the industrial operation of a concentrated animal-feeding operation (CAFO) on Big Creek, the indicator pathogen, E. coli, dissolved oxygen, selected trace metals, and other ancillary water-quality attributes that are directly observable in the environment. Determination of pre-CAFO water quality was accomplished by sampling approximately 40 sites that included wells, springs, and streams

IL-13-induced airway mucus production is attenuated by MAPK13 inhibition

Increased mucus production is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in inflammatory airway diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cystic fibrosis. However, the precise molecular mechanisms for pathogenic mucus production are largely undetermined. Accordingly, there are no specific and effective anti-mucus therapeutics. Here, we define a signaling pathway from chloride channel calcium-activated 1 (CLCA1) to MAPK13 that is responsible for IL-13–driven mucus production in human airway epithelial cells. The same pathway was also highly activated in the lungs of humans with excess mucus production due to COPD. We further validated the pathway by using structure-based drug design to develop a series of novel MAPK13 inhibitors with nanomolar potency that effectively reduced mucus production in human airway epithelial cells. These results uncover and validate a new pathway for regulating mucus production as well as a corresponding therapeutic approach to mucus overproduction in inflammatory airway diseases