bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tillage and Manure Effects on Soil and Aggregate‐Associated Carbon and Nitrogen
Authors: Mikha Maysoon M. , Rice Charles W.
Published: January 2014

In agricultural systems, maintenance of soil organic matter (SOM) has long been recognized as a strategy to reduce soil degradation. No‐tillage and manure amendments are management practices that can increase SOM content and improve soil aggregation. We investigated the effects of 10‐yr of different tillage systems and N sources on soil aggregate‐size distribution and aggregate‐associated C and N. The study was a split‐plot design replicated four times. The main plot treatment was tillage (no‐tillage, NT; conventional tillage, CT) and the subplot treatment was N source (manure, M; NH4NO3 fertilizer, F). The experiment was established in 1990 on a moderately well‐drained Kennebec silt loam (Fine‐silty, mixed, superactive mesic Cumulic Hapludoll) with continuous corn (Zea mays L.). In 1999, soil samples were collected (0‐ to 5‐cm depth) from the field treatments and separated into four aggregate‐size classes (>2000, 250–2000, 53–250, and 20–53 μm) by wet sieving. Labile C and N content of all aggregate‐size fractions were measured using 28‐d laboratory incubations of intact and crushed aggregates. No‐tillage and M treatments significantly increased total C and N and the formation of macroaggregates. Conventional tillage in comparison with NT significantly reduced macroaggregates with a significant redistribution of aggregates into microaggregates. Aggregate protected labile C and N were significantly greater for macroaggregates, (>2000 and 250–2000 μm) than microaggregates (53–250 and 20–53 μm) and greater for M than F indicating physical protection of labile C within macroaggregates. No‐tillage and M a lone each significantly increased soil aggregation and aggregate‐associated C and N; however, NT and M together further improved soil aggregation and aggregate‐protected C and N.
Forest Soil Productivity of Mined Land in the Midwestern and Eastern Coalfield Regions
Authors: Rodrigue J. A. , Burger J. A.
Published: January 2014

Our goal was to determine the effects of surface mining on forest land productivity in the eastern coalfields of the USA before the passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), and to determine the extent to which selected mine soil properties influenced forest productivity. The site productivity of 14 mined and eight nonmined sites in the eastern and midwestern coalfields were compared. Results show that site productivity of nonmined sites and 12 of the 14 mined sites was similar. Sites with low productivity were shallow, had high coarse fragment contents, and had lower fertility. Regression analysis identified five influential soil properties affecting site quality, which included soil profile base saturation (BS), total coarse fragments, total available water, C horizon total porosity, and soil profile electrical conductivity (EC). These five properties explained 52% of the variation in tree growth. Forests on most prelaw mined sites were just as productive as the forests on unmined adjacent sites and can be used as a benchmark to assess the impacts of current reclamation on mine soil quality and forest productivity.
Turnover of Nitrogen‐15‐Labeled Fertilizer in Old Grassland
Authors: Jenkinson D. S. , Poulton P. R. , Johnston A. E. , Powlson D. S.
Published: January 2014

In this paper we follow the fate of single applications of 15N‐labeled fertilizer to old grassland, over a period of nearly 20 yr. In 1980 and 1981, 15N‐labeled N was applied to two of the treatments on the Park Grass Continuous Hay Experiment at Rothamsted, started in 1856. The labeled N was applied at the same rate (nominally 96 kg ha−1 yr−1) and in the same chemical form (NH4 or NO3) as the unlabeled N normally applied as fertilizer to the selected treatments. After 19 yr, 69.6% of the N applied in 1980 as 15NH4 had been harvested in successive cuts of herbage, with a further 16.5% remaining in the soil. For 15NO3, 64.3% had been harvested and 13.8% remained in the soil. The 15N data were then used to calculate annual inputs of nonfertilizer N, annual losses of N and N turnover times in old grassland, assuming that the selected treatments were under steady‐state conditions. The annual input of N from nonfertilizer sources (rain, dry deposition, N fixation by leguminous components of the herbage, etc.) was large: 39 kg N ha−1 yr−1 for the NH4 treatment and 31 kg for the NO3 treatment. Leguminous plants made up <2% of the herbage in both the NH4 and NO3 treatments. The annual loss from the NH4 treatment was 19 kg N ha−1 yr−1 and 24 from the NO3 treatment. The gross turnover time of N in the root compartment (which included plant crowns) was 1.41 yr for the NH4 treatment and 0.42 yr for NO3 The gross turnover time of soil microbial N was 2.13 yr (NH4) and 1.83 yr (NO3): for humus N (i.e., soil N not in roots or microbial biomass) it was 181 yr (NH4) and 116 yr (NO3).
Microclimate and Pedogenic Implications in a 50‐Year‐Old Chaparral and Pine Biosequence
Authors: Johnson-Maynard J. L. , Shouse P. J. , Graham R. C. , Castiglione P. , Quideau S. A.
Published: January 2014

Vegetation, which is generally considered a co‐variable controlled by climate in studies of pedogenesis, can itself alter the balance of soil‐forming processes by modifying the microclimate. The chaparral and pine biosequence at the San Dimas Experimental Forest (SDEF) in southern California offers an opportunity to determine the effect of individual species on soil microclimate and related soil properties. Soil temperature and moisture were monitored under pure stands of Coulter pine (Pinus coulteri B. Don), chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum Hook. and Arn.), and scrub oak (Quercus dumosa Nutt.). Despite the appreciable differences in soil morphology that have evolved under pine compared with oak, the microclimates created by the dense canopies and thick litter layers (7–10 cm) of these two vegetation types were similar. Average monthly soil temperatures within the top 65 cm ranged from about 8 to 20°C under pine and 7 to 18°C under oak. Average monthly water contents ranged from 8 to 32% (by volume) under pine and 6 to 32% under oak. In contrast, average monthly soil temperatures within the top 65 cm under chamise ranged from 6 to 23°C and average monthly water contents were 6 to 36%. Diurnal variation in soil surface temperature under chamise was much more pronounced than under oak and pine because of the relatively open canopy and thin litter layer. Microclimate created by chamise may play an important role in the decomposition rate of litter, but appears to have little influence on soil processes occurring within the mineral soil. Soil macrofaunal communities appear to have a greater effect than microclimate in causing the divergent soil morphologies under oak and pine.
Spatial Distribution of Soil Carbon in Southern New England Hardwood Forest Landscapes
Authors: Davis Aletta A. , Stolt Mark H. , Compton Jana E.
Published: January 2014

Understanding soil organic C (SOC) spatial variability is critical when developing C budgets, explaining the cause and effects of climate change, and for basic ecosystem characterization. We investigated delineations of four soil series to elucidate the factors that affect the size, distribution, and variability of SOC pools from horizon to landscape scales. These soils, classified as Udipsamments, Dystrudepts, Endoaquepts, and Haplosaprists, were sampled along random transects to a depth of 1 m. In very poorly and poorly drained soils 75 and 45% of total SOC was found below 30 cm, respectively. In contrast, only 30% of the total SOC could be accounted for below 30 cm in the well and excessively drained soils. Soils formed in outwash and young alluvium sequestered a greater portion of total SOC within the subsoil, while soils formed in loess held approximately 70% of the SOC within O and A horizons. Total SOC contents among the four soil types differed significantly (p < 0.001), with the wetter soils having greater accumulations of C. Soil C pools ranged from 110 Mg C ha−1 in the excessively drained Psamments (double the mean national value) to 586 Mg C ha−1 in the very poorly drained Saprists (30–60% lower than the mean national value). The two‐fold differences between our data and the national averages support the need for regional assessments of soil C pools. Based on the coefficient of variation (CV) values, there appears to be nearly as much variability in the SOC pool within a delineation (CVs ranged 9 to 30%) as among delineations (CVs ranged from 15 to 31%) for the same soil type. Since significant differences were found for total SOC among delineations of the same soil type, we concluded that sampling from a significant number of delineations of the same series will provide a more accurate representation of SOC for scaling to the landscape or region than sampling at multiple locations within a single representative delineation.
Variation of Surface Soil Quality Parameters by Intensive Donkey‐Drawn Tillage on Steep Slope
Authors: Li Y. , Tian G. , Lindstrom M. J. , Bork H. R.
Published: January 2014

Few direct measurements are made to quantify the erosion from upslope to lower field boundaries by intensive tillage. We conducted 50 plowing operations over a 5‐d period using a donkey‐drawn moldboard‐plow on steep backslope in the Chinese Loess Plateau. Topographic changes at different slope positions were quantified using differential global positioning system (DGPS). Soil organic matter (SOM), extractable P and N, and soil bulk density were measured along a downslope transect after each 10‐tillage series. Fifty operations resulted in a decrease in maximum soil surface level (SSL) of 1.25 m in the upper slope position and an increase of 1.33 m at the bottom of the slope. Slope gradients decreased from 37 to 14° at the upper position and from 18 to 0° at the lower position. Surface soil bulk density increased from 1.14 to 1.28 Mg m−3in the upper slope and decreased from 1.10 to 1.03 Mg m−3in the middle slope. Mean SOM concentrations in the upper and middle positions of the slope decreased from 8.3 to 3.6 g kg−1, mineral N from 43.4 to 17.4 mg kg−1, and Olsen‐P from 4.5 to 1.0 mg kg−1Intensive tillage resulted in a short‐term increase in SOM and available nutrients in the lower portion during the tillage operations. Geomorphologic evolution and landscape variability of dissected hillslopes are attributable to soil movement and resulting physical and fertility degradation induced by intensive tillage.
Assessing the Reliability of Permanganate‐Oxidizable Carbon as an Index of Soil Labile Carbon
Authors: Tirol-Padre A. , Ladha J. K.
Published: January 2014

Soil C oxidized by neutral KMnO4, or permanganate‐oxidizable C (POC), has been used as an index of labile C by several workers, although the nature of organic C (OC) oxidized has not been well elucidated. This study aimed to determine the reactivity of diverse organic compounds found in the soil with KMnO4 to judge the reliability of POC as an index of labile C. Sugars, amino acids, and other organic acids reacted slowly with 33 mM KMnO4 (2–45% C oxidized in 1 h), while compounds containing glycol groups (e.g., ascorbic acid and pyrogallol) were oxidized quickly by KMnO4 (25% C oxidized in 1 min). Permanganate did not oxidize cellulose, which is decomposed by soil microbial enzymes. The POC of organic manures and plant residues was positively correlated with lignin content. The rates of oxidation of SOM with KMnO4 varied among different rice (Oryza sativa L.) soils and were highly correlated with total soil C. The clay + silt/OC ratio negatively affected POC rendering physical protection for oxidizable C groups. In the soil, KMnO4 more rapidly oxidized less readily available organic compounds than the water‐soluble carbohydrates, indicating that it did not discriminate the nonlabile from labile C. Soil POC was better correlated with total C (P < 0.01) than with water‐soluble C (WSC) (P < 0.05) and was not correlated with microbial biomass C (MBC). Carbon oxidized by KMnO4 is not a reliable measure of labile C and should be referred to as POC when used as a parameter for characterizing soil C.
The Soil Mineralogy of Lead at Horace's Villa
Authors: Essington M. E. , Foss J. E. , Roh Y.
Published: January 2014

Lead pipe buried by calcareous alluvium at Horace's Villa near Licenza, Italy, for more than a millennium were excavated, along with soil from around and within the lead pipe, to identify the stable corrosion products and Pb‐bearing soil minerals. The corrosion crust of the pipe, soil from inside the pipe, and soil from around the pipe were characterized by chemical means and by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDX). The chemical and thermal conditions necessary to produce the identified Pb mineral assemblage was investigated through the development of activity and predominance diagrams. Analysis of total soil Pb concentrations indicates that the lateral movement of Pb from the pipe in the pH >8 soil has exceeded 9 cm. However, background soil Pb concentrations are observed at a lateral distance of 50 cm. The corrosion crust of the lead pipe is composed of litharge [α–PbO(s)], cerussite [PbCO3(s)], and hydrocerussite [Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2(s)]. Similarly, soil inside the pipe and in the 0‐ to 1‐cm zone around the pipe contains cerussite and hydrocerussite. A detailed thermochemical analysis indicates that the formation of hydrocerussite is favored, relative to cerussite, when the CO2 partial pressure is approximately atmospheric (10−3.5 atm or 10−4.5 MPa) or less, or when the soil temperature is approximately 25°C or greater. The formation of stable lead phosphates has not occurred in these alkaline environments, even though apatite is present and thermochemical analysis predicts the formation of chloropyromorphite [Pb5(PO4)3Cl(s)]. If chloropyromorphite is removed from consideration, hydroxypyromorphite [Pb5(PO4)3OH(s)] is not predicted to form in the presence of apatite.
Organic Matter Oxidation Potential Determination in a Periodically Flooded Histosol under Sugarcane
Authors: Morris D. R. , Glaz B. , Daroub S. H.
Published: January 2014

Histosols of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) are subsiding primarily from aerobic microbial oxidation. An experiment was conducted in a Histosol to evaluate methods [14C‐benzoate oxidation (BO), soil respiration (CO2 evolution; RESP), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC)] of determining short‐term organic matter (OM) oxidation potential under alternate flood and drain management. Sugarcane (interspecific hybrids of Saccharum species) was grown in field lysimeters containing Pahokee muck soil (euic, hyperthermic Lithic Haplosaprist). Soils were flooded for 7 d followed by drainage to three depths (16, 33, and 50 cm) for 14 d. A continuously drained control treatment was also included. Thus, soils under four flood and drain cycles were sampled during the drain period. Increased water table levels after flooding reduced BO, tended to increase MBC, and had little effect on RESP. Consequently, BO was not correlated with either MBC or RESP, which suggests that microbes responsible for OM oxidation are a small portion of the total microbial population. Alternate flooding and draining increased BO compared with the drain control. Soil moisture (SM) and soluble organic carbon (SOC) were both negatively correlated with BO, but not with either MBC or RESP. Soil moisture and SOC may provide alternate indicators for OM oxidation potential. Since BO responded according to soil OM oxidation on the basis of field measurements previously reported, BO was the best of the three methods for predicting short‐term effects of water table management on soil OM oxidation potential.
A molecular imprinted polymer based sensor for measuring phosphate in wastewater samples
Authors: Warwick Christopher , Guerreiro Antonio , Wood Elizabeth , Kitson James , Robinson James , Soares Ana
Published: January 2014

Phosphate detection in water samples is still completed using colorimetric standard methods, which have a number of disadvantages, to such as being time consuming, requiring filtration, a number of different reagents, frequent calibration and proper disposal of waste chemicals generated. Hence, a simple cost effective analytical method and instrumentation is highly desirable to aid the optimisation of treatment processes and assist the water industry in their efforts to comply with stringent regulations such as the EU's Water Framework Directive. A sensor based on molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) and a conductance transducer was developed for direct and label-free detection of phosphate in water. The sensor was able to measure the presence of phosphate in wastewater samples with good reproducibility, a linear range of 0.66–8 mg P L−1 and a lower detection limit of 0.16 mg P L−1. The sensor was further tested to measure phosphate concentrations in unfiltered field samples such as domestic wastewater treatment influent and river water and demonstrated a close correlation with reference measurements. The phosphate MIP sensor offers a way forward as either a handheld sensor for use in the field, or as a potential solution for remote, continuous monitoring of phosphate.
Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofuran concentrations in Xingyun Lake sediment close to the pulp mill region of Jiangchuan (China): a typical case study
Authors: Zhou Xue-Fei
Published: January 2014

Sediment cores from Xingyun Lake close to the pulp mill region of Jiangchuan (China), earlier found to be highly contaminated by pulping at least from the 1990s, were analyzed by HRGC/HRMS for the concentrations of 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). Regarding the contribution of individual congeners, PCDD/F levels ranged from ND (non-detectable) to 82.05 pg g-1 dw (from ND to 0.16 pg WHO-TEQ g−1 dw) in 0–20 cm of sediment and from ND to 45.61 pg g-1 dw (from ND to 0.67 WHO-TEQ g−1 dw) in 20–40 cm of sediment for 17 PCDD/Fs (WHO-TEQ: WHO-endorsed toxic equivalents). Major PCDD/Fs identified and confirmed were high-chlorinated congeners including OCDD/Fs and HpCDD/Fs in the two depths. For high-chlorinated PCDD/Fs such as O, Hp-CDD/Fs across the depth of sediment, sediment had a higher proportion in 0–20 cm than that in 20–40 cm. On the contrary, for low-chlorinated PCDD/Fs such as T, Pe, Hx-CDD/Fs, the lower proportion was found in 0–20 cm. The results demonstrated that PCDD/Fs loads in the sediment of Xingyun Lake were very low compared to loads in the other regions about 8 years after closedown of a majority of pulp production with chlorine, which indicated that pulp production was an important emission source of dioxins.
Assessment of the effects of greywater reuse on gross solids movement in sewer systems
Authors: Penn R. , Schütze M. , Friedler E.
Published: January 2014

Onsite greywater reuse (GWR) and installation of water-efficient toilets (WETs) reduce urban freshwater demand and thus enhance urban water use sustainability. Research on GWR and WETs has generally overlooked their potential effects on municipal sewer systems: GWR and WETs affect the flow regime in sewers, and consequently also influence gross solids transport. To asses these impacts, a gross solids transport model was developed. The model is based on approaches found in the literature. Hydrodynamic calculations of sewage flow were performed using the SIMBA6 simulator and then used for the gross solid movement models. Flow characteristics in the up- and downstream sections of the sewer network differ. Therefore different approaches were used to model solids movement in each of these two parts. Each model determines whether a solid moves as a result of a momentary sewage flow, and if it moves, calculation of its velocity is possible. The paper shows the adoption and implementation of two gross solids transport models using SIMBA6 and depicts the results of the effects of various GWR and WET scenarios on gross solids movement in sewers for a real case study in Israel.
Toluene in sewage and sludge in wastewater treatment plants
Authors: Mrowiec Bozena
Published: January 2014

Toluene is a compound that often occurs in municipal wastewater ranging from detectable levels up to 237 μg/L. Before the year 2000, the presence of the aromatic hydrocarbons was assigned only to external sources. The Enhanced Biological Nutrients Removal Processes (EBNRP) work according to many different schemes and technologies. For high-efficiency biological denitrification and dephosphatation processes, the presence of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in sewage is required. VFAs are the main product of organic matter hydrolysis from sewage sludge. However, no attention has been given to other products of the process. It has been found that in parallel to VFA production, toluene formation occurred. The formation of toluene in municipal anaerobic sludge digestion processes was investigated. Experiments were performed on a laboratory scale using sludge from primary and secondary settling tanks of municipal treatment plants. The concentration of toluene in the digested sludge from primary settling tanks was found to be about 42,000 μg/L. The digested sludge supernatant liquor returned to the biological dephosphatation and denitrification processes for sewage enrichment can contain up to 16,500 μg/L of toluene.
Acclimation of the trichloroethylene-degrading anaerobic granular sludge and the degradation characteristics in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor
Authors: Zhang Ying , Liu Yang , Hu Miao , Jiang Zhao
Published: January 2014

The granulation process was examined in an 8 L laboratory upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor using synthetic wastewater contained trichloroethylene (TCE). Glucose and lactate were used as primary substrates. The anaerobic bacteria biomass were acclimated and granulated by increasing the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and TCE loadings. Anaerobic sludge was acclimated successfully in 120 days in the anaerobic sludge acclimation appliance. Since start-up, the UASB was operated as a continuous-flow reactor under the following operation conditions: temperature of (35 ± 1)°C, pH ≈ 7.2, hydraulic retention time of 10 h, COD of 2.5 g L−1 and TCE loading rate from 50.5 to 252.3 mg · (L d)−1. The UASB reactor was started successfully. The sludge volume index was 13 mL g−1. The maximum specific methanogenic activity was 1.42 gCOD · (gVSS.d)−1. After 90 days, 85% of COD and 85% of TCE removal efficiencies were achieved. The TCE degrading granular sludge had an average diameter of 2.7 mm and total suspended solid of 52 g L−1. Anaerobic sludge adsorption of TCE reached adsorption equilibrium in 0.5 h, and in 1 h reached desorption equilibrium. Furthermore, cis-dichloroethylene and vinyl chloride were detected, which showed that the removal of TCE was caused by both adsorption and biodegradation but mainly by biodegradation.
Reduction of organic trace compounds and fresh water consumption by recovery of advanced oxidation processes treated industrial wastewater
Authors: Bierbaum S. , Öller H.-J. , Kersten A. , Klemenčič A. Krivograd
Published: January 2014

Ozone (O3) has been used successfully in advanced wastewater treatment in paper mills, other sectors and municipalities. To solve the water problems of regions lacking fresh water, wastewater treated by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) can substitute fresh water in highly water-consuming industries. Results of this study have shown that paper strength properties are not impaired and whiteness is slightly impaired only when reusing paper mill wastewater. Furthermore, organic trace compounds are becoming an issue in the German paper industry. The results of this study have shown that AOPs are capable of improving wastewater quality by reducing organic load, colour and organic trace compounds.
Studies of Pb2+ adsorption by Moringa oleifera Lam. seeds from an aqueous medium in a batch system
Authors: Meneghel Ana Paula , Gonçalves Affonso Celso , Tarley César Ricardo Teixeira , Stangarlin José Renato , Rubio Fernanda , Nacke Herbert
Published: January 2014

The efficiency of Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) seeds for removing lead ions (Pb2+) from water was evaluated. Parameters such as solution pH, adsorbent mass, contact time between solution and adsorbent, isotherms, thermodynamic, kinetics, and desorption were evaluated. The maximum adsorption capacity of the biosorbent was found to be 12.24 mg g−1. In order to verify the effectiveness of this material, comparative studies were performed with activated carbon under the same optimal conditions for the construction of isotherms and the desorption process. Average desorption rate values led to the assumption that a strong interaction took place between the adsorbents and the metal ions. Thus, it has been concluded that the biosorbent studied herein can be considered very effective and feasible for remediating Pb2+-contaminated solutions, since this material is itself an untreated and low-cost byproduct.
Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production from sludge and municipal wastewater treatment
Authors: Morgan-Sagastume F. , Valentino F. , Hjort M. , Cirne D. , Karabegovic L. , Gerardin F. , Johansson P. , Karlsson A. , Magnusson P. , Alexandersson T. , Bengtsson S. , Majone M. , Werker A.
Published: January 2014

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable polyesters with comparable properties to some petroleum-based polyolefins. PHA production can be achieved in open, mixed microbial cultures and thereby coupled to wastewater and solid residual treatment. In this context, waste organic matter is utilised as a carbon source in activated sludge biological treatment for biopolymer synthesis. Within the EU project Routes, the feasibility of PHA production has been evaluated in processes for sludge treatment and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production and municipal wastewater treatment. This PHA production process is being investigated in four units: (i) wastewater treatment with enrichment and production of a functional biomass sustaining PHA storage capacity, (ii) acidogenic fermentation of sludge for VFA production, (iii) PHA accumulation from VFA-rich streams, and (iv) PHA recovery and characterisation. Laboratory- and pilot-scale studies demonstrated the feasibility of municipal wastewater and solid waste treatment alongside production of PHA-rich biomass. The PHA storage capacity of biomass selected under feast–famine with municipal wastewater has been increased up to 34% (g PHA g VSS−1) in batch accumulations with acetate during 20 h. VFAs obtained from waste activated sludge fermentation were found to be a suitable feedstock for PHA production.
Membrane filtration of agro-industrial wastewaters and isolation of organic compounds with high added values
Authors: Zagklis Dimitris P. , Paraskeva Christakis A.
Published: January 2014

The aim of the current study was the exploitation of agro-industrial wastes or by-products such as olive mill wastewater (OMW) and defective wines. A cost-effective system for their maximum exploitation is suggested, using a combined process of membrane filtration and other physicochemical processes. Wastewaters are first treated in a membrane system (prefiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis) where pure water and other organic fractions (by-products) are obtained. Organic fractions, called hereafter byproducts and not wastes, are further treated for the separation of organic compounds and isolation of high added value products. Experiments were performed with OMW and defective wines as characteristic agro-industrial wastewaters. Profit from the exploitation of agro-industrial wastewaters can readily help the depreciation of the indeed high cost process of membrane filtration. The simple phenolic fraction of the OMW was successfully isolated from the rest of the waste, and problems occurring during winemaking, such as high volatile acidity and odours, were tackled.
Activating HSP72 in Rodent Skeletal Muscle Increases Mitochondrial Number and Oxidative Capacity and Decreases Insulin Resistance
Authors: Henstridge Darren C. , Bruce Clinton R. , Drew Brian G. , Tory Kálmán , Kolonics Attila , Estevez Emma , Chung Jason , Watson Nadine , Gardner Timothy , Lee-Young Robert S. , Connor Timothy , Watt Matthew J. , Carpenter Kevin , Hargreaves Mark , McGee Sean L. , Hevener Andrea L. , Febbraio Mark A.
Published: January 2014

Induction of heat shock protein (HSP)72 protects against obesity-induced insulin resistance, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here, we show that HSP72 plays a pivotal role in increasing skeletal muscle mitochondrial number and oxidative metabolism. Mice overexpressing HSP72 in skeletal muscle (HSP72Tg) and control wild-type (WT) mice were fed either a chow or high-fat diet (HFD). Despite a similar energy intake when HSP72Tg mice were compared with WT mice, the HFD increased body weight, intramuscular lipid accumulation (triacylglycerol and diacylglycerol but not ceramide), and severe glucose intolerance in WT mice alone. Whole-body VO2, fatty acid oxidation, and endurance running capacity were markedly increased in HSP72Tg mice. Moreover, HSP72Tg mice exhibited an increase in mitochondrial number. In addition, the HSP72 coinducer BGP-15, currently in human clinical trials for type 2 diabetes, also increased mitochondrial number and insulin sensitivity in a rat model of type 2 diabetes. Together, these data identify a novel role for activation of HSP72 in skeletal muscle. Thus, the increased oxidative metabolism associated with activation of HSP72 has potential clinical implications not only for type 2 diabetes but also for other disorders where mitochondrial function is compromised.
Low HERV-K(C4) Copy Number Is Associated With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Mason Mike J. , Speake Cate , Gersuk Vivian H. , Nguyen Quynh-Anh , O’Brien Kimberly K. , Odegard Jared M. , Buckner Jane H. , Greenbaum Carla J. , Chaussabel Damien , Nepom Gerald T.
Published: January 2014

Complement component C4 (C4) is a highly variable complement pathway gene situated ∼500 kb from DRB1 and DQB1, the genes most strongly associated with many autoimmune diseases. Variations in C4 copy number (CN), length, and isotype create a highly diverse gene cluster in which insertion of an endogenous retrovirus in the ninth intron of C4, termed HERV-K(C4), is a notable component. We investigated the relationship between C4 variation/CN and type 1 diabetes. We found that individuals with type 1 diabetes have significantly fewer copies of HERV-K(C4) and that this effect is not solely due to linkage with known major histocompatibility complex class II susceptibility alleles. We show that HERV-K(C4) is a novel marker of type 1 diabetes that accounts for the disease association previously attributed to some key HLA-DQB1 alleles, raising the possibility that this retroviral insertion element contributes to functional protection against type 1 diabetes.
Exercise Prevents Maternal High-Fat Diet–Induced Hypermethylation of the Pgc-1α Gene and Age-Dependent Metabolic Dysfunction in the Offspring
Authors: Laker Rhianna C. , Lillard Travis S. , Okutsu Mitsuharu , Zhang Mei , Hoehn Kyle L. , Connelly Jessica J. , Yan Zhen
Published: January 2014

Abnormal conditions during early development adversely affect later health. We investigated whether maternal exercise could protect offspring from adverse effects of a maternal high-fat diet (HFD) with a focus on the metabolic outcomes and epigenetic regulation of the metabolic master regulator, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (Pgc-1α). Female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to normal chow, an HFD, or an HFD with voluntary wheel exercise for 6 weeks before and throughout pregnancy. Methylation of the Pgc-1α promoter at CpG site −260 and expression of Pgc-1α mRNA were assessed in skeletal muscle from neonatal and 12-month-old offspring, and glucose and insulin tolerance tests were performed in the female offspring at 6, 9, and 12 months. Hypermethylation of the Pgc-1α promoter caused by a maternal HFD was detected at birth and was maintained until 12 months of age with a trend of reduced expression of Pgc-1α mRNA (P = 0.065) and its target genes. Maternal exercise prevented maternal HFD-induced Pgc-1α hypermethylation and enhanced Pgc-1α and its target gene expression, concurrent with amelioration of age-associated metabolic dysfunction at 9 months of age in the offspring. Therefore, maternal exercise is a powerful lifestyle intervention for preventing maternal HFD-induced epigenetic and metabolic dysregulation in the offspring.
Older Adults' Perceived Challenges With Health Care Providers Treating Their Type 2 Diabetes and Comorbid Conditions
Authors: Beverly Elizabeth A. , Wray Linda A. , Chiu Ching-Ju , LaCoe Cynthia L.
Published: January 2014

IN BRIEF

Type 2 diabetes and comorbidity represent serious health problems to the aging population. This qualitative study aimed to describe older adults' perceived challenges with providers treating their type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions. Older adults perceived a general unwillingness from their providers to treat their multiple health conditions and address their individual preferences for care. Older adults may require more in-depth communication with their providers in addition to individualized treatment plans that address their preferences for comorbidity management.
A Comparative Study of 14C Dating on Charcoal and Charred Seeds from Late Neolithic and Bronze Age Sites in Gansu and Qinghai Provinces, NW China
Authors: Dong Guang-Hui , Wang Zong-Li , Ren Le-Le , Matuzeviciute Giedre Motuzaite , Wang Hui , Ren Xiaoyan , Chen Fahu
Published: January 2014

The chronology of the Neolithic and Bronze Age cultures in Gansu and Qinghai provinces, northwest China, is mainly based on conventional radiocarbon dates from unidentified charcoal, which may be inaccurate in view of the possible “old wood” problem of 14C dating. To discuss the reliability of the chronology of those prehistoric cultures, accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dates of short-lived charred seeds were compared to conventional 14C dates of unidentified charcoal from the same flotation samples in 15 Late Neolithic and Bronze Age sites in the area. The results show that 14C dates of unidentified charcoal are obviously older than those of charred seeds in 5 of the 15 flotation samples. This work suggests that the old-wood problem of 14C dating might be related to human subsistence strategies and local vegetation variation during different prehistoric cultural periods in Gansu and Qinghai provinces, which should be discussed before establishing the chronology of Neolithic and Bronze Age cultures in the area.
Feasibility of depopulation of a large feedlot during a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak
Authors: McReynolds Sara W. , Sanderson Michael W.
Published: January 2014

Objective—To examine the feasibility of depopulation of a large feedlot during a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the United States.

Design—Delphi survey followed by facilitated discussion.

Sample—27 experts, including veterinary toxicologists and pharmacologists, animal welfare experts, feedlot managers, and consulting veterinarians.

Procedures—4 veterinary pharmacologists, 5 veterinary toxicologists, 4 animal welfare experts, 26 consulting veterinarians, and 8 feedlot managers were invited to participate in a Delphi survey to identify methods for depopulation of a large feedlot during an FMD outbreak. A facilitated discussion that included 1 pharmacologist, 1 toxicologist, 1 animal welfare expert, 2 consulting veterinarians, and 2 feedlot managers was held to review the survey results.

Results—27 of 47 invited experts participated in the Delphi survey. Survey consensus was that, although several toxic agents would effectively cause acute death in a large number of animals, all of them had substantial animal welfare concerns. Pentobarbital sodium administered IV was considered the most effective pharmacological agent for euthanasia, and xylazine was considered the most effective sedative. Animal welfare concerns following administration of a euthanasia solution IV or a penetrating captive bolt were minimal; however, both veterinarians and feedlot managers felt that use of a captive bolt would be inefficient for depopulation. Veterinarians were extremely concerned about public perception, human safety, and timely depopulation of a large feedlot during an FMD outbreak.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Depopulation of a large feedlot during an FMD outbreak would be difficult to complete in a humane and timely fashion.
Evaluation of the risk and age of onset of cancer and behavioral disorders in gonadectomized Vizslas
Authors: Zink M. Christine , Farhoody Parvene , Elser Samra E. , Ruffini Lynda D. , Gibbons Tom A. , Rieger Randall H.
Published: January 2014

Objective—To investigate associations between age at gonadectomy and estimated risk or age at diagnosis of neoplastic and behavioral disorders in Vizslas.

Design—Retrospective cohort study.

Animals—2,505 Vizslas born between 1992 and 2008.

Procedures—Data on demographics, gonadectomy status, and age at diagnosis of disease or disorder were obtained with an anonymous online survey and analyzed.

Results—Dogs gonadectomized at ≤ 6 months, between 7 and 12 months, or at > 12 months of age had significantly increased odds of developing mast cell cancer, lymphoma, all other cancers, all cancers combined, and fear of storms, compared with the odds for sexually intact dogs. Females gonadectomized at ≤ 12 months of age and males and females gonadectomized at > 12 months of age had significantly increased odds of developing hemangiosarcoma, compared with the odds for sexually intact dogs. Dogs gonadectomized at ≤ 6 months of age had significantly increased odds of developing a behavioral disorder. The younger the age at gonadectomy, the earlier the mean age at diagnosis of mast cell cancer, cancers other than mast cell, hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, all cancers combined, a behavioral disorder, or fear of storms.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Additional studies are needed on the biological effects of removing gonadal hormones and on methods to render dogs infertile that do not involve gonadectomy. Veterinarians should discuss the benefits and possible adverse effects of gonadectomy with clients, giving consideration to the breed of dog, the owner's circumstances, and the anticipated use of the dog.
Use of pooled protozoal cultures of preputial scraping samples obtained from bulls for the detection of Tritrichomonas foetus by means of a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay
Authors: Guerra Alvaro García , Hill Janet E. , Campbell John , Waldner Cheryl L. , Hendrick Steven H.
Published: January 2014

Objective—To determine the sensitivity of a real-time PCR assay for the detection of Tritrichomonas foetus in protozoal cultures of preputial scraping samples pooled from up to 25 bulls and to determine the specificity of that assay for detection of T foetus in cultures for individual animals.

Design—Cross-sectional study.

Animals—188 bulls and 150 steers.

Procedures—Preputial scraping samples were collected, placed in a culture kit, and incubated at 37°C for 7 days. Cultures for individual animals were tested for T foetus by means of a real-time PCR assay. Pools of protozoal cultures were made by including fixed aliquots of samples with known positive and negative results in ratios of 1:2, 1:3, 1:5, 1:10, 1:15, 1:20, and 1:25. Specificities of the real-time PCR assay and culture for detection of T foetus in samples obtained from individual animals and sensitivity of real-time PCR assay for each evaluated pool ratio were determined.

Results—Specificity estimates for culture and the real-time PCR assay for detection of T foetus in preputial scraping samples for individual animals were not significantly different (98.8% and 100%, respectively). Sensitivities of the real-time PCR assay for the various pooled samples with known positive and negative T foetus results were not significantly different; overall sensitivity of the assay was 94%.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated the evaluated real-time PCR assay had high specificity and good sensitivity for the detection of T foetus in pooled protozoal cultures of preputial scraping samples obtained from up to 25 animals.
Effects of dissolved metal chlorides on the behavior of silica nanoparticles in aqueous media
Authors: Gun’ko Vladimir , Andriyko Lyudmyla , Zarko Vladimir , Marynin Andrij , Olishevskyi Valentyn , Janusz Wladyslaw
Published: January 2014

Effects of chlorides of univalent (LiCl, NaCl, KCl), bivalent (MgCl2, BaCl2) and trivalent (AlCl3) metals at different concentration (0.001–0.1 M) on the behavior of nanosilica A-200 (0.5–5 wt.%) in aqueous media are analyzed using photon correlation spectroscopy (particle size distribution, PSD), electrophoresis (zeta potential ζ), potentiometric titration (surface charge density), and estimation of screening length of primary particles and their aggregates. The zeta potential and the PSD are affected by silica content, pH, and concentration and type of dissolved salts. Smaller but more strongly hydrated Li+ cations caused stronger nonlinear dependences of the zeta potential on pH and salt content than Na+ or K+. This nonlinearity is much stronger at a lower content of silica (0.5–1 wt.%) than at C
A-200 = 2.5 or 5 wt.%. At a high concentration of nanosilica (5 wt.%) the effect of K+ ions causes stronger diminution of the negative value of the zeta potential due to better adsorption of larger cations. Therefore, the influence of K+ on increasing screening length is stronger than that of Na+ for both primary nanoparticles and their aggregates. A similar difference in the ζ values is observed for different in size cations Ba2+ and Mg2+.
Integration over homogeneous spaces for classical Lie groups using iterated residues at infinity
Authors: Zielenkiewicz Magdalena
Published: January 2014

Using the Berline-Vergne integration formula for equivariant cohomology for torus actions, we prove that integrals over Grassmannians (classical, Lagrangian or orthogonal ones) of characteristic classes of the tautological bundle can be expressed as iterated residues at infinity of some holomorphic functions of several variables. The results obtained for these cases can be expressed as special cases of one formula involving the Weyl group action on the characters of the natural representation of the torus.
Rhetoric and Reality: “Protecting” Women in Canadian Public Policy on Assisted Human Reproduction
Authors: Cattapan Alana
Published: January 2014

In the 1989 Speech from the Throne, the Government of Canada announced the calling of a Royal Commission on New Reproductive Technologies. Tasked with studying and reporting on the implications of new reproductive technologies, the Royal Commission’s mandate also included an explicit statement that “women’s reproductive health and well-being” would be a primary area of concern. When the Assisted Human Reproduction Act was passed fifteen years later, its governing principles included the same commitment to women’s health. As of 2012, however, much of the Act has been overturned, the agency it established is being abolished, and the criminal provisions that remain are not enforced. In short, despite ongoing commitments to protect women through public policy on assisted reproductive technologies, the field remains unregulated.

This article explores the discourse of “protection” in public policy on assisted human reproduction in Canada, using the examples of the precarious position of egg donors, the high-cost of assisted reproductive services, and failures in implementing the Assisted Human Reproduction Act. Drawing on print media, parliamentary debates, academic research, and policy documents, it argues there is a significant gap between the rhetorical commitment to women’s welfare articulated in policy and the tenuous realities of women’s reproductive lives.
New Quality Evaluation Approaches for Lithium Ion Batteries Using the Interference Layer Metallography in Combination with Quantitative Structural Analysis
Authors: Weisenberger C. , Guth G. , Bernthaler T. , Knoblauch V.
Published: January 2014

The changing profile of requirements for lithium ion batteries entails ever increasing demands in terms of quality and safety. Quality evaluation techniques for electrode foil of lithium ion cells currently applied in the industry do not allow for statements on those microstructural features critical for the quality. Moreover, they are often characterized by an unsatisfying accuracy and spatial resolution. In this context, metallographic methods appear appropriate. However, the complex electrode microstructure requires an elaborate preparation as well as image editing and processing steps in order to provide for a differentiated display of the different components, prerequisites for an automated quantitative analysis with a statistical evaluation, such as is exemplified here by a 18650 round cell. It can be deployed in addition to already existing measurement methods to evaluate in detail the manufacturing quality of electrodes and cell windings.
Recent retreat of major outlet glaciers on Novaya Zemlya, Russian Arctic, influenced by fjord geometry and sea-ice conditions
Authors: Carr J. Rachel , Stokes Chris , Vieli Andreas
Published: January 2014

Substantial ice loss has occurred in the Russian High Arctic during the past decade, predominantly on Novaya Zemlya, yet the region has been studied relatively little. Consequently, the factors forcing mass loss and the relative contribution of ice dynamics versus surface melt are poorly understood. Here we evaluate the influence of atmospheric/oceanic forcing and variations in fjord width on the behaviour of 38 glaciers on the northern ice cap, Novaya Zemlya. We compare retreat rates on land- versus marine-terminating outlets and on the Kara versus Barents Sea coasts. Between 1992 and 2010, 90% of the study glaciers retreated and retreat rates were an order of magnitude higher for marine-terminating outlets (52.1 ma-1) than for land-terminating glaciers (4.8ma-1). We identify a post-2000 acceleration in marine-terminating glacier retreat, which corresponded closely to changes in sea-ice concentrations. Retreat rates were higher on the Barents Sea coast, which we partly attribute to lower sea-ice concentrations, but varied dramatically between individual glaciers. We use empirical data to categorize changes in along-flow fjord width, and demonstrate a significant relationship between fjord width variability and retreat rate. Results suggest that variations in fjord width exert a major influence on glacier retreat.
Angiosperm flora of sadar upazila of Munshiganj district, Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman M. Oliur , Begum Momtaz , Ullah Md. Wajib
Published: January 2014

Investigation to make inventory of the angiosperm species diversity in the local floraof Sadar Upazila of Munshiganj district has been made. A total of 240 taxa in 186 genera under 68 families are recognized, and enumerated citing each species with updated nomenclature, Bangla names, habit, habitat, phenology, potential value, status of occurrence in the area and voucher specimens. Of these 240 taxa, Magnoliopsida is represented by 195 taxa in 146 genera and 55 families, whereas Liliopsida by 45 taxa under 40 genera and 13 families. The local people of the area use over 50 medicinal plants as sources of medicine for their primary health care. Some species are assessed as rare to this local flora which need to be brought under conservation management for environmental sustainability of the area.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjpt.v20i2.17396Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 20(2): 213-231, 2013