Climate change impacts on asphalt road pavement construction and maintenance: An economic life cycle assessment of adaptation measures in the State of Virginia,United States

Pavement design and management practices must be adapted in response to future climate change. While many studies have attempted to identify different methods to adapt pavements to future climate conditions, the potential economic impacts of the adaptations still remain largely unquantified. This study presents the results of a comprehensive life‐cycle cost analysis (LCCA) aimed at quantifying the potential economic impacts of a climate adaptation method, in which an upgraded asphalt binder (Performance Grade PG 76‐22) is used in the construction and maintenance of flexible pavement sections in lieu of the original binder (PG 70‐22) for improved resistance against high temperatures. For each of three major Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) districts with different climates, three case studies consisting of typical interstate, primary, and secondary pavement sections were considered. The LCCA accounted for the costs incurred during the mixture's production, maintenance, and use phases of the pavement life cycle by explicitly considering future climate projections, pavement life‐cycle performance, maintenance effects, and work zone user delays. The study concludes that pavements using the upgraded binder not only perform better over time but are also economically advantageous compared to those with the original binder under the conditions of the anticipated future climate conditions (2020–2039).     

Ethinylestradiol and its effects on the macrophages in the prostate of adult and senile gerbils

Prenatal and neonatal exposure to estrogenic compounds, such as ethinylestradiol (EE), promotes a variety of developmental disorders, including malformations and alterations in the morphology of glands, such as the prostate gland. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological effects of neonatal exposure to EE on prostatic tissue and on the identification and quantification of gerbil gland macrophages in adult and senile Mongolian gerbils. The animals were exposed to EE (10 μg/kg/day) and to the vehicle, mineral oil (100 μL) (control group) during the first 10 days of postnatal life (lactation period). Adult gerbils were euthanized at 120 days and senile gerbils at 12 months of age. Our findings permitted verification of the presence of areas with proliferative foci in the prostate glandular portions in the adult and senile animals exposed to EE. There was also an increase in macrophages in the prostate tissue of adult and senile gerbils; these cell types alter the stromal microenvironment and possibly modify the interactions between the epithelium and stroma. Neonatal exposure to EE changes the pattern of prostatic development, leading to alterations in the arrangement of cells, including macrophages, and may be related to the onset of proliferative disorders in the prostate of adult gerbils and during aging.     

Postnatal exposure to finasteride causes different effects on the prostate of male and female gerbils

The development and maintenance of prostate function depend on a fine balance between oestrogen and androgen levels. Finasteride inhibits 5α‐reductase, which is responsible for the conversion of testosterone into its most active form, dihydrotestosterone. Enzymes that metabolize these hormones have a highly relevant role in both the normal prostate metabolism and in the occurrence of pathological conditions. There are few studies on the impact of finasteride on male prostate development and fewer studies on the female prostate and possible intersexual differences. Therefore, we treated male and female gerbils from 7 to 14 days in postnatal life with a high dose of finasteride (500 μg/kg/day); the prostate complexes were then removed and submitted to immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and three‐dimensional reconstruction. In addition, hormonal serum dosages were administered. Treatment with finasteride resulted in an increased thickness of the periductal smooth musculature in the prostate of both male and female gerbils, such as well as a reduction in the thickness of developing prostate alveoli in both sexes. In addition, intersexual differences were observed as increased epithelial proliferation and decreases in the number of developing alveoli in females. Together, the data indicate that postnatal exposure to finasteride causes greater changes in the female gerbil prostate than in the male.     

Metals and arsenic in marine fish commercialized in the NE Brazil: Risk to human health

Abstract

Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in fish is the result of long-term biomagnification in the food chain and is of public concern, due to the toxicity they engender. The objective of this research was to determine the concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in 13 species of marine fish broadly commercialized in Aracaju, SE, Brazil and to evaluate the risks of fish consumption associated with these trace elements, using the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ). As, Cd, and Pb levels were measured with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and mercury was analyzed via cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. The results indicate a large variability in concentrations for arsenic (0.07–2.03?mg kg^–1) and mercury (0.01–1.44?mg kg^–1), associated with the animal dietary category. Cadmium (0.04–0.19?mg kg^–1) and lead (<0.01–0.45?mg kg^–1), on the other hand showed a mild variability. None of the evaluated specimens had As, Cd, and Pb THQ values higher than 1. The THQ values for mercury were higher but indicated no consumption risk, except for amberjack, and snook fish. Overall THQ indicates lower risk of consumption in fish that are at the base of the food chain, than in those that are top predators.     

The Galactose-Binding Lectin Isolated from Vatairea macrocarpa Seeds Enhances the Effect of Antibiotics Against Staphylococcus aureus–Resistant Strain

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - The use of natural products together with standard antimicrobial drugs has recently received more attention as a strategy to combat infectious diseases...     

Exploring Beneficial/Virulence Properties of Two Dairy-Related Strains of Streptococcus infantarius subsp. infantarius

The genus Streptococcus includes various species, remarkably different in their behavior, applications, virulence, and safety. Taxonomically Streptococcus infantarius subsp. infantarius belonging to the Streptococcus bovis group, which includes several pathogen species, however, has been found as predominant species in some African dairy products that are widely consumed and considered to be safe. Streptococcus infantarius subsp. infantarius’ safety may be questioned due to the association of this species with clinical cases. In this study, isolates from dairy origin were selected based on their bacteriocinogenic potential and differentiated by their RAPD-PCR profiles. Two strains were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as St. infantarius subsp. infantarius and investigated regarding their potential beneficial properties and factors related to virulence and safety. A series of in vitro tests included properties related to survival in the gastrointestinal tract and beneficial intestinal activities. Production of bacteriocin/s, detection of related genes, and partial characterization of expressed antimicrobial protein were evaluated. Genes related to folate biosynthesis were detected in both studied strains. Evaluation of physiological tests related to strains virulence, adhesion, and resistance to antibiotics and detections of virulence and biogenic amines production-related genes were also investigated. Taking in consideration all the aspects of the specific nature of St. infantarius subsp. infantarius K1–4 and K5–1 (beneficial properties and virulence characteristics), both strains cannot be considered safe for human or other animals application, even though they have been isolated from dairy products. This study is highlighting the importance of evaluation for presence of potential virulence factors in newly characterized strains in order to be confident in their safety.

     

Characterization,Toxicity, and Optimization for the Growth and Production of Bacteriocin-like Substances by Lactobacillus curvatus

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - This study aimed to characterize, evaluate toxicity and optimize the conditions for the growth and production of bacteriocin-like substances by Lactobacillus...     

Survival of Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei LBC 81 in Fermented Milk Enriched with Green Banana Pulp Under Acid Stress and in the Presence of Bile Salts

This study evaluated the in vitro effect of 3.0, 6.0, and 9.0% of green banana pulp (GBP) incorporation in fermented milk on the survival of Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei LBC 81 subjected to acid stress conditions and in the presence of bile salts. Tolerance to acid stress in pH 2.0 and in the presence of 0.30% of bile salts was evaluated right after the incorporation of the fermented milk in each of these conditions, and also during 3 and 4 h of exposure, respectively. The addition of GBP (3.0%) gives a protective effect on L. paracasei LBC 81 when exposed to stress conditions evaluated, while of 9.0% there is a marked decrease of L. paracasei LBC 81. In the absence of GBP, a decrease of L. paracasei LBC 81 is observed, but lower in the presence of GBP (9.0%).

     

A standardized assessment of forest mammal communities reveals consistent functional composition and vulnerability across the tropics

The understanding of global diversity patterns has benefitted from a focus on functional traits and how they relate to variation in environmental conditions among assemblages. Distant communities in similar environments often share characteristics, and for tropical forest mammals, this functional trait convergence has been demonstrated at coarse scales (110–200 km resolution), but less is known about how these patterns manifest at fine scales, where local processes (e.g. habitat features and anthropogenic activities) and biotic interactions occur. Here, we used standardized camera trapping data and a novel analytical method that accounts for imperfect detection to assess how the functional composition of terrestrial mammal communities for two traits – trophic guild and body mass – varies across 16 protected areas in tropical forests and three continents, in relation to the extent of protected habitat and anthropogenic pressures. We found that despite their taxonomic differences, communities generally have a consistent trophic guild composition, and respond similarly to these factors. Insectivores were found to be sensitive to the size of protected habitat and surrounding human population density. Body mass distribution varied little among communities both in terms of central tendency and spread, and interestingly, community average body mass declined with proximity to human settlements. Results indicate predicted trait convergence among assemblages at the coarse scale reflects consistent functional composition among communities at the local scale, suggesting that broadly similar habitats and selective pressures shaped communities with similar trophic strategies and responses to drivers of change. These similarities provide a foundation for assessing assemblages under anthropogenic threats and sharing conservation measures.     

Temporal and spatial dynamics of grapevine anthracnose and its relationship to pathogen survival

Anthracnose, caused by Elsinoë ampelina, is an economically important grapevine disease in south and southeast Brazil. Control is achieved by lime sulphur application during grapevine dormancy and foliar fungicide sprays until the berries are half-grown. This study assessed the temporal and spatial progress of grapevine anthracnose under field conditions in order to describe the disease dynamics and its relationship to pathogen survival. The experiment was carried out in a vineyard of table grape Vitis labrusca in Brazil, during the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons. The incidence of vines with diseased leaves, stems and berries and the disease severity on leaves were recorded from bud break to veraison. Monomolecular, logistic and Gompertz models were fitted by non-linear regression to the incidence and severity data over time to characterize the temporal progress. Ordinary runs, dispersion index, modified Taylor's power law and spatial hierarchy analyses were used to characterize the spatial pattern of diseased plants. The monomolecular model showed the best fit for the incidence progress, with disease progress rates ranging from 0.051 to 0.136 per day. In both seasons, the incidence of diseased plants reached 100% 1 month after bud break. However, the incidence of diseased leaves per plant was around 60% and leaf disease severity was lower than 5% for both years. Ordinary runs and dispersion index analyses revealed that diseased grapevines were distributed randomly on the majority of the assessment dates. Meanwhile, a slight aggregation of diseased vines was observed in the modified Taylor's power law analysis. Our results suggested that the progress of anthracnose incidence and severity over time was governed mainly by the income of the primary inoculum, which survived in the vineyard. Therefore, anthracnose control measures in Brazilian vineyards should be focused on the reduction in inoculum within the vineyard.