Can Biochar and Phytoextractors Be Jointly Used for Cadmium Remediation?

Phytoremediation of soils contaminated with cadmium was tested after liming (CaO) or biochar addition, using red amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) as test plant species. Two biochars with contrasting characteristics were prepared from two feedstocks and added to the soil at a rate of 3% (w:w): Eucalyptus pyrolysed at 600°C (EB) and poultry litter at 400°C (PLB). Liming was carried out in two treatments (CaO1) and (CaO2) to the same pH as the treatments EB and PLB respectively. Total plant mass increased in soils amended with PLB and with a mixture of PLB and EB; however this was not sufficient to increase the efficiency of phytoextraction. Bioavailable and mobile fractions of Cd diminished after liming or biochar addition. Our study infers that, both the amount of Cd immobilized and the main mechanism responsible for this immobilization varies according to biochar properties.     

Should the WHO Growth Charts Be Used in France?

Background

Growth charts are an essential clinical tool for evaluating a child''s health and development. The current French reference curves, published in 1979, have recently been challenged by the 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts.

Objective

To evaluate and compare the growth of French children who were born between 1981 and 2007, with the WHO growth charts and the French reference curves currently used.

Design

Anthropometric measurements from French children, who participated in 12 studies, were analyzed: 82,151 measurements were available for 27,257 children in different age groups, from birth to 18 years. We calculated and graphically compared mean z-scores based on the WHO and French curves, for height, weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) according to age and sex. The prevalence of overweight using the WHO, the French and International Obesity Task Force definitions were compared.

Results

Our population of children was on average 0.5 standard deviations taller than the French reference population, from the first month of life until puberty age. Mean z-scores for height, weight and BMI were closer to zero based on the WHO growth charts than on the French references from infancy until late adolescence, except during the first six months. These differences not related to breastfeeding rates. As expected, the prevalence of overweight depended on the reference used, and differences varied according to age.

Conclusion

The WHO growth charts may be appropriate for monitoring growth of French children, as the growth patterns in our large population of French children were closer to the WHO growth charts than to the French reference curves, from 6 months onwards. However, there were some limitations in the use of these WHO growth charts, and further investigation is needed.     

Can Serum Testosterone Be Used as a Marker of Overall Health?

Low serum testosterone has been associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and atherosclerosis. Individuals with these comorbidities are at increased risk of premature death and other adverse health effects. Clinical data portend low testosterone as a risk factor for developing these conditions which are supported by the hypogonadal-obesity-adipocytokine hypothesis. The authors support comprehensive evaluation for these comorbid conditions in men found to have low serum testosterone.Key words: Androgen deficiency, Aging male, Comorbidities, Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseaseTestosterone is a male sex hormone that affects sexual development and function and enhances muscle strength and bone density.¹ Low testosterone levels have been associated with a variety of comorbid conditions, such as metabolic syndrome (MetS), obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and cardiovascular disease (CVD).^1–3 Each of these comorbid conditions is a strong risk factor that contributes to an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events.¹ In addition, low serum testosterone is inversely associated with increased mortality.^4,5This review explores the association between low serum testosterone and diseases that portend poor health, such as MetS, obesity, T2D, and CVD, and reviews current clinical studies and proposed mechanisms by which low testosterone is associated with these diseases.     

Can the Red-Green Duochrome Test Be Used Prior to Correcting the Refractive Cylinder Component?

Purpose

A primary task of the eye care professional is determining the refraction, or optical correction, of a patient. The duochrome red-green test is a standard tool for verification of the final refraction. Traditionally, it is recommended for use both prior to and subsequent to determining the cylindrical or astigmatic component of the refraction. In order for it to be effective when used before correcting the cylinder it is necessary that the COLC (Circle of Least Confusion) be on the retina. This study examined whether it is necessarily true that the duochrome response in uncorrected astigmatism will be as trust-worthy as it is with corrected cylinders.

Methods

The red-green examination was performed monocularly under the following three conditions: a. fully corrected refraction for the subgroup of eyes that had spherical refractions and for the subgroup of eyes with sphero-cylindrical refractions. b. best sphere-only correction without cylinder correction in sphero-cylindrical eyes c. an induced cylinder error in spherical eyes. The interval between the last “red” response and the first “green” response for the right eyes as a group and separately for the physiological cylinder and induced cylinder correction sub-groups was calculated and compared using a paired, two-tailed t-test.

Results

The intervals between “red” and “green” responses were not significantly different in the population as a whole and in the uncorrected physiological cylinder and induced cylinder subgroups examined.

Conclusion

Based on the finding that the interval of red-green equality with fully corrected cylinder and without the cylindrical correction are not significantly different, the red-green duochrome test can indeed be used both before and after cylindrical correction.     

Assessment of Heavy Metals Pollution in Sediments of the Korbevačka River in Southeastern Serbia

The Korbeva?ka River is located in the southeastern part of Serbia. This river is a main recipient of all kinds of pollutants from the Pb?Zn mine “Grot.” Sediments from the Korbeva?ka River were studied to determine the distribution of the metals along the river, assess the quality of sediment, and find the degree of contamination. The concentration of iron, manganese, nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium, lead, mercury, arsenic, chromium, and barium were determined. River sediments were collected and analyzed for heavy metal concentration using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The degree of pollution in the sediments of the Korbeva?ka River has been evaluated based on Canadian sediment quality guidelines, enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (I_geo) and pollution load index (PLI). Inter-metal associations have been evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficients (r). The results indicated that: (1) sediments have been polluted with Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu and have high anthropogenic influences; (2) the calculation of geo-accumulation index suggests that the Korbeva?ka River sediments have background concentrations of Fe, Cr, and Ni (I_geo < 1); (3) the co-precipitation (inclusion, occlusion, and adsorption) of heavy metals (except As and Ba) with Mn and Fe geochemical phases.     

The Combined Effect of Shungite and Heavy Metals on the Growth of Microalgae Роpulation

The combined effect of 3 mg/L potassium dichromate, 1.5 mg/L cadmium sulfate, and 100 g/L shungite on the growth of chlorococcales green microalgae culture Scenedesmus quadricauda (Turp.) Bréb. is studied. The toxic effect of potassium dichromate and cadmium sulfate on S. quadricauda is estimated by calculating the share of living and dead cells and physiological parameters. The toxic effect of heavy metals does not manifest itself under the combined action of potassium dichromate or cadmium sulfate and shungite on S. quadricauda. The best growth of the algae culture occurred only when only shungite was added to the culture medium. Shungite can be used to neutralize the toxic effect of heavy metals.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Lipophilicity Study of Brucella abortus’ Immunogenic Peptide Sequence That Can Be Used in the Future Vaccination Studies

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Brucellosis is primarily a zoonotic disease caused by members of the Brucella genus which consists of 11 recognized species based on...     

Can Volatile Organic Metabolites Be Used to Simultaneously Assess Microbial and Mite Contamination Level in Cereal Grains and Coffee Beans?

A novel approach based on headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC–ToFMS) was developed for the simultaneous screening of microbial and mite contamination level in cereals and coffee beans. The proposed approach emerges as a powerful tool for the rapid assessment of the microbial contamination level (ca. 70 min versus ca. 72 to 120 h for bacteria and fungi, respectively, using conventional plate counts), and mite contamination (ca. 70 min versus ca. 24 h). A full-factorial design was performed for optimization of the SPME experimental parameters. The methodology was applied to three types of rice (rough, brown, and white rice), oat, wheat, and green and roasted coffee beans. Simultaneously, microbiological analysis of the samples (total aerobic microorganisms, moulds, and yeasts) was performed by conventional plate counts. A set of 54 volatile markers was selected among all the compounds detected by GC×GC–ToFMS. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied in order to establish a relationship between potential volatile markers and the level of microbial contamination. Methylbenzene, 3-octanone, 2-nonanone, 2-methyl-3-pentanol, 1-octen-3-ol, and 2-hexanone were associated to samples with higher microbial contamination level, especially in rough rice. Moreover, oat exhibited a high GC peak area of 2-hydroxy-6-methylbenzaldehyde, a sexual and alarm pheromone for adult mites, which in the other matrices appeared as a trace component. The number of mites detected in oat grains was correlated to the GC peak area of the pheromone. The HS-SPME/GC×GC–ToFMS methodology can be regarded as the basis for the development of a rapid and versatile method that can be applied in industry to the simultaneous assessment the level of microbiological contamination and for detection of mites in cereals grains and coffee beans.     

Can Evidence from Genome-Wide Association Studies and Positive Natural Selection Surveys Be Used to Evaluate the Thrifty Gene Hypothesis in East Asians?

Body fat deposition and distribution differ between East Asians and Europeans, and for the same level of obesity, East Asians are at higher risks of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and other metabolic disorders. This observation has prompted the reclassifications of body mass index thresholds for the definitions of “overweight” and “obese” in East Asians. However, the question remains over what evolutionary mechanisms have driven the differences in adiposity morphology between two population groups that shared a common ancestor less than 80,000 years ago. The Thrifty Gene hypothesis has been suggested as a possible explanation, where genetic factors that allowed for efficient food-energy conversion and storage are evolutionarily favoured by conferring increased chances of survival and fertility. Here, we leveraged on the existing findings from genome-wide association studies and large-scale surveys of positive natural selection to evaluate whether there is currently any evidence to support the Thrifty Gene hypothesis. We first assess whether the existing genetic associations with obesity and T2D are located in genomic regions that are reported to be under positive selection, and if so, whether the risk alleles sit on the extended haplotype forms. In addition, we interrogate whether these risk alleles are the derived forms that differ from the ancestral alleles, and whether there is significant evidence of population differentiation at these SNPs between East Asian and European populations. Our systematic survey did not yield conclusive evidence to support the Thrifty Gene hypothesis as a possible explanation for the differences observed between East Asians and Europeans.     

Pattern of Statin Use in Southern Italian Primary Care: Can Prescription Databases Be Used for Monitoring Long-Term Adherence to the Treatment?

Objectives

We sought to evaluate the prescribing pattern of statins according to national and regional health policy interventions and to assess specifically the adherence to the therapy in outpatient setting in Southern Italy.

Methods

A population-based study was performed on persons ≥15 years old, living in the catchment area of Caserta (Southern Italy), and registered in Arianna database between 2004 and 2010. Prevalence and incidence of new treatments with statins were calculated for each year and stratified by drug. Adherence to therapy was measured by Medication Possession Ratio. Sub-analyses by individual compound and type of cardiovascular prevention were performed.

Results

From 2004 to 2010, the one-year prevalence of statin use increased from 44.9/1,000 inhabitants to 79.8/1,000, respectively, consistently with the incidence of new use from 16.2/1,000 to 19.5/1,000, except a slight decrease after criteria reimbursement revision on 2005 (13.3/1,000). The incidence of new treatments decreased for atorvastatin, and increased for simvastatin over the study years. Overall, 43% of new users were still highly adherent to the treatment (MPR≥80%) after six months, while 26% after 4-years of follow-up. As compared with highly adherent patients, the probability to be non-adherent (MPR≤25%) at 4-years of follow-up was 26% higher for women than for men (full adj. odds ratio: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.10–1.45), and 64% higher in patients who started on primary rather than on secondary prevention (1.64; 1.29–2.07).

Conclusions

Prevalence and incidence of statin use increased consistently with health policy interventions. Only one-fourth of patients who newly initiated a statin were adherent to the treatment after 4-year of follow-up. Since the benefits of statins in terms of cardiovascular outcome and costs are associated with their chronic use, the identification of patient-related predictors of non-adherence such as gender, primary prevention could be suitable for physicians to improve the patients'' compliance.     

Can Cereal Products Be an Essential Source of Ca,Mg and K in the Deficient Diets of Poles?

Biological Trace Element Research - The studies aimed to evaluate the significance of cereal products as an essential source of Ca, Mg and K in the diets of Poles. The study covered 226 groups of...     

Broadscale Specificity in a Bark Beetle–Fungal Symbiosis: a Spatio-temporal Analysis of the Mycangial Fungi of the Western Pine Beetle

Whether and how mutualisms are maintained through ecological and evolutionary time is a seldom studied aspect of bark beetle–fungal symbioses. All bark beetles are associated with fungi and some species have evolved structures for transporting their symbiotic partners. However, the fungal assemblages and specificity in these symbioses are not well known. To determine the distribution of fungi associated with the mycangia of the western pine beetle (Dendroctonus brevicomis), we collected beetles from across the insect’s geographic range including multiple genetically distinct populations. Two fungi, Entomocorticium sp. B and Ceratocystiopsis brevicomi, were isolated from the mycangia of beetles from all locations. Repeated sampling at two sites in Montana found that Entomocorticium sp. B was the most prevalent fungus throughout the beetle’s flight season, and that females carrying that fungus were on average larger than females carrying C. brevicomi. We present evidence that throughout the flight season, over broad geographic distances, and among genetically distinct populations of beetle, the western pine beetle is associated with the same two species of fungi. In addition, we provide evidence that one fungal species is associated with larger adult beetles and therefore might provide greater benefit during beetle development. The importance and maintenance of this bark beetle–fungus interaction is discussed.     

Can Nocodazole,an Inhibitor of Microtubule Formation,Be Used to Synchronize Mammalian Cells?

Abstract Nocodazole, a temporary inhibitor of microtubule formation, has been used to partly synchronize Ehrlich ascites tumour cells growing in suspension. the gradual entry of cells into mitosis and into the next cell cycle without division during drug treatment has been studied by flow cytometric determination of mitotic cells, analysing red and green fluorescence after low pH treatment and acridine orange staining. Determination of the mitotic index (MI) by this method has been combined with DNA distribution analysis to measure cell-cycle phase durations in asynchronous populations growing in the presence of the drug. With synchronized cells, it was shown that in the concentration range 0.4–4.0 μg/l, cells could only be arrested in mitosis for about 7 hr and at 0.04 μg/ml, for about 5 hr. After these time intervals, the DNA content in nocodazole-blocked cells was found to be increased, and, in parallel, the ratio of red and green fluorescence was found to have changed, showing entry of cells into a next cell cycle without division (polyploidization). It was therefore only possible to partially synchronize an asynchronous population by nocodazole. However, a presynchronized population, e.g. selected G₁ cells or metabolically blocked G₁/S cells, were readily and without harmful effect resynchronized in M phase by a short treatment (0.4 μg/ml, 3–4 hr) with nocodazole; after removal of the drug, cells divided and progressed in a highly synchronized fashion through the next cell cycle.     

Spatial Targeting for Bovine Tuberculosis Control: Can the Locations of Infected Cattle Be Used to Find Infected Badgers?

Bovine tuberculosis is a disease of historical importance to human health in the UK that remains a major animal health and economic issue. Control of the disease in cattle is complicated by the presence of a reservoir species, the Eurasian badger. In spite of uncertainty in the degree to which cattle disease results from transmission from badgers, and opposition from environmental groups, culling of badgers has been licenced in two large areas in England. Methods to limit culls to smaller areas that target badgers infected with TB whilst minimising the number of uninfected badgers culled is therefore of considerable interest. Here, we use historical data from a large-scale field trial of badger culling to assess two alternative hypothetical methods of targeting TB-infected badgers based on the distribution of cattle TB incidents: (i) a simple circular ‘ring cull’; and (ii) geographic profiling, a novel technique for spatial targeting of infectious disease control that predicts the locations of sources of infection based on the distribution of linked cases. Our results showed that both methods required coverage of very large areas to ensure a substantial proportion of infected badgers were removed, and would result in many uninfected badgers being culled. Geographic profiling, which accounts for clustering of infections in badger and cattle populations, produced a small but non-significant increase in the proportion of setts with TB-infected compared to uninfected badgers included in a cull. It also provided no overall improvement at targeting setts with infected badgers compared to the ring cull. Cattle TB incidents in this study were therefore insufficiently clustered around TB-infected badger setts to design an efficient spatially targeted cull; and this analysis provided no evidence to support a move towards spatially targeted badger culling policies for bovine TB control.     

Can Sibling Sex Ratios Be Used as a Valid Test for the Prenatal Androgen Hypothesis of Autism Spectrum Disorders?

Background

Sibling sex ratios have been applied as an indirect test of a hypothesized association between prenatal testosterone levels and risk for autism, a developmental disorder disproportionately affecting males. Differences in sibling sex ratios between those with and without autism would provide evidence of a shared risk factor for autism and offspring sex. Conclusions related to prenatal testosterone, however, require additional assumptions. Here, we used directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) to clarify the elements required for a valid test of the hypothesis that sibling sex ratios differ between children with and without autism. We then conducted such a test using a large, population-based sample of children.

Methods

Over 1.1 million subjects, born in California from 1992–2007, and identified through birth records, were included. The association between autism diagnosis, determined using the administrative database of the California Department of Developmental Services, and the sex of the subsequent sibling was examined using generalized estimating equations. Sources of potential bias identified using DAGs were addressed.

Results

Among male children with autism, 52.2% of next-born siblings were brothers, versus 51.0% for unaffected males. For females with autism, 50.2% of following siblings were brothers versus 51.2% among control females. The relative risk of a subsequent male sibling associated with autism diagnosis was 1.02 (95% confidence interval: 0.99, 1.04).

Conclusions

In a large, population-based sample we failed to find evidence suggesting an excess of brothers among children with autism while controlling for several threats to validity. This test cannot rule out a role of any given exposure, including prenatal testosterone, in either risk of autism or offspring sex ratio, but suggests against a common cause of both.