The Effect of Filtration with Natural Esker Sand on the Removal of Organic Carbon and Suspended Solids from the Effluent of Experimental Recirculating Aquaculture Systems

We studied the effect of sand filtration with natural esker material on the removal of total organic carbon (TOC), total suspended solids (TSS), and turbidity from the effluent of an experimental recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) farm. Separate experiments were performed with the same esker sand: (1) a soil column experiment in 2017 where the effluent (mean TOC 8.14 mg L−1) was percolated vertically through a 50-cm-thick sand column with the infiltration 1 m day−1; (2) a sand filtration experiment with watersaturated conditions in 2018 where the effluent from the woodchip denitrification (mean TOC 26.84 mg L−1) was infiltrated through a sand layer with the retention time of 1.2 days. In experiment 2, infiltration of 25 L day−1 through a 31-cm sand layer and 40 L day−1 through a 50-cm sand layer were studied. Both experiments were performed in association with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) grow-out trials. In sand filtration with vertical water flow through a soil column, the removal of TSS was 40%, while of TOC 6%, partly due to the small thickness of the soil column and coarse sand material. In water-saturated conditions, mean removal of TOC (3 mg L−1 1.2 day−1), TSS (1.2 mg L−1 1.2 day−1), and turbidity (0.4 FTU 1.2 day−1) reached 11% (TOC), 18% (TSS), and 15% (turbidity), even with the retention time of only 1.2 days. The removal of TOC in water-saturated conditions correlated with the removal of TSS and turbidity.202

In vivo screening reveals interactions between Drosophila Manf and genes involved in the mitochondria and the ubiquinone synthesis pathway

Background: Mesencephalic Astrocyte-derived Neurotrophic Factor (MANF) and Cerebral Dopamine Neurotrophic Factor (CDNF) form an evolutionarily conserved family of neurotrophic factors. Orthologues for MANF/CDNF are the only neurotrophic factors as yet identified in invertebrates with conserved amino acid sequence. Previous studies indicate that mammalian MANF and CDNF support and protect brain dopaminergic system in non-cell-autonomous manner. However, MANF has also been shown to function intracellularly in the endoplasmic reticulum. To date, the knowledge on the interacting partners of MANF/CDNF and signaling pathways they activate is rudimentary. Here, we have employed the Drosophila genetics to screen for potential interaction partners of Drosophila Manf (DmManf) in vivo. Results: We first show that DmManf plays a role in the development of Drosophila wing. We exploited this function by using Drosophila UAS-RNAi lines and discovered novel genetic interactions of DmManf with genes known to function in the mitochondria. We also found evidence of an interaction between DmManf and the Drosophila homologue encoding Ku70, the closest structural homologue of SAP domain of mammalian MANF. Conclusions: In addition to the previously known functions of MANF/CDNF protein family, DmManf also interacts with mitochondria-related genes. Our data supports the functional importance of these evolutionarily significant proteins and provides new insights for the future studies.Peer reviewe

Finnish botanists in the mires of Olonets region in Russian Karelia during the Second World War

In this article we compile wartime botanical information about mires in Olonets region (Russian Karelia) and compare it with new data collected as part of the Finnish-Russian cooperation in mire research. We also describe the historical background of both the local economy and the visits of Finnish botanists, which date back to the days of the Grand Duchy of Finland and the Russian Empire but were most active during the Second World War. For Finnish mire research, these excursions have allowed important comparisons between the mostly degraded rich fens of southern Finland and largely pristine examples in Olonets region. In the 2000s, 176 vascular plant and 53 moss species, corresponding to 40–50 % of the Karelian mire flora, have been recorded in this area; more than 20 different mire plant communities (associations) have been identified; and one site has been confirmed as the oldest studied mire in East Fennoscandia (12,700 years). The understanding arising from this research is especially important for nature conservation work in the Republic of Karelia