Development of a saprophytic fungal inoculum for the biodegradation of sub-bituminous coal

The rhizospheres of the weeds Ageratum conyzoides, Axonopus compressus, Emilia coccinea, Synedrella nodiflora, Urena lobata and Sida acuta from a sub-bituminous coal mining site and a control site, without coal discards, were screened for new fungi with ability to degrade sub-bituminous coal in the laboratory. The isolates were identified by cultural and molecular methods. Seventeen out of the sixty-one fungal isolates tested could utilize sub-bituminous coal as an energy source. Upon further evaluation, only seven of these were promising candidates for coal biodegradation, and they were assayed for their biosolubilization and depolymerization activities to determine their mechanisms of coal biodegradation. Based on the accumulation of humic acid (HA), which is the marker for biosolubilization, Mucor circinelloides and Aspergillus tubingensis were the most active. On the other hand, Cunninghamella bertholletiae, Simplicillium subtropicum, Penicillium daleae and Trichoderma koningiopsis were the highest producers of fulvic acid (FA), the indicator of depolymerization. Purpureocillium lilacinum produced the lowest yields of both HA and FA compared to the other six coal-degrading candidates. The presence of laccase in Trichoderma koningiopsis, Penicillium daleae and Simplicillium subtropicum suggests a role for this enzyme in the enhancement of the coal biodegradation process. However, the inability to amplify the laccase gene in Cunninghamella bertholletiae indicates that another enzyme probably aids its coal bioconversion. The current investigation highlights the potentials of these strains in harnessing biotechnological processes of sub-bituminous coal conversion into value-added products, which could be extended to the bioremediation of coal-polluted soils. The fungi with the highest coal bioconversion capabilities belonged to Ascomycota and Zygomycota and were found in the rhizospheres of the weeds Emilia coccinea, Ageratum conyzoides and Axonopus compressus.

Bee diversity in fragmented areas of Volcano Etna (Sicily, Italy) at different degrees of anthropic disturbance (Hymenoptera: Apoidea, Anthophila)

The present three-year study traces the diversity of four bee communities in fragmented pedemontane areas of Volcano Etna (Catania province, Sicily) near the Metropolitan City of Catania, under different land management regimes. The selected areas comprise two different urban parks within Catania (Parco Gioeni and Parco degli Ulivi), a Nature Reserve (Complesso Immacolatelle e Micio Conti, San Gregorio di Catania), and an agroecosystem (a citrus orchard, Aci Catena). Previous data obtained from a well-investigated area (Leucatia, north of Catania) have been used as a control for bee diversity for this study. The results include an outline of bee species richness, data on the composition of bee communities, and seasonal patterns, using several diversity indexes. The study of bee diversity shows a total of 163 species, arranged in five families. The four investigated locations include 104 species arranged in four families: Andrenidae (20 species), Halictidae (15 species), Megachilidae (31 species), and Apidae (38 species); with a similar number of species (102) recorded in the control site (Leucatia). The study highlights strong seasonal variations of bee communities in all investigated sites, with differentiated seasonal patterns, whose compositions are affected mainly by forage sources, suitable nesting sites, as well as human activities. The data obtained provide a rough but basilar framework to assess management strategies to maintain adequate levels of bee diversity, especially for those areas with moderate to high environmental fragmentation. Our findings highlight the importance of season-long sampling of bee population factors if used as indicators in ecological studies.

Episodic Memory Precision and Reality Monitoring Following Stimulation of Angular Gyrus

The qualities of remembered experiences are often used to inform “reality monitoring” judgments, our ability to distinguish real and imagined events [Johnson, M. K., & Raye, C. L. Reality monitoring. Psychological Review, 88, 67–85, 1981]. Previous experiments have tended to investigate only whether reality monitoring decisions are accurate or not, providing little insight into the extent to which reality monitoring may be affected by qualities of the underlying mnemonic representations. We used a continuous-response memory precision task to measure the quality of remembered experiences that underlie two different types of reality monitoring decisions: self/experimenter decisions that distinguish actions performed by participants and the experimenter and imagined/perceived decisions that distinguish imagined and perceived experiences. The data revealed memory precision to be associated with higher accuracy in both self/experimenter and imagined/perceived reality monitoring decisions, with lower precision linked with a tendency to misattribute self-generated experiences to external sources. We then sought to investigate the possible neurocognitive basis of these observed associations by applying brain stimulation to a region that has been implicated in precise recollection of personal events, the left angular gyrus. Stimulation of angular gyrus selectively reduced the association between memory precision and self-referential reality monitoring decisions, relative to control site stimulation. The angular gyrus may, therefore, be important for the mnemonic processes involved in representing remembered experiences that give rise to a sense of self-agency, a key component of “autonoetic consciousness” that characterizes episodic memory [Tulving, E. Elements of episodic memory. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 1985].

IMPACT OF THARTHAR ARM WATER ON COMPOSITION AND DIVERSITY OF COPEPODA IN TIGRIS RIVER, NORTH OF BAGHDAD CITY, IRAQ

This study is considered to be the first on this sector of Tigris River after 2003, to evaluate the effect of Tharthar Arm on the composition and diversity of Copepoda in Tigris River. Six sampling sites were selected; two on the Tharthar Arm and four sites along the Tigris River, one before the confluence as a control site and the others downstream the confluence; thirty-five copepod taxa were recorded, 34 taxa in the Tigris River and 25 taxa in the Tharthar Arm. The highest density of Copepoda was 265584.2 Ind./m3 in the site 2 at Tharthar Arm lead to an increasing in Copepoda density in the Tigris River from 63878.2 Ind./m3 in site 1 before the confluence to 127198.3 Ind./m3 in site 4 immediately downstream the confluence. Also, the mean values of richness index and diversity index increased from 1.71 and 0.98 bit/Ind. in site 1 before the confluence to 2.08 and 1.00 bit/Ind. in site 4 below the confluence, respectively. Moreover, the highest similarity percentage was between sites 3 and 4 reached 87.83% while, the lowest percentage was between the sites 1 and 2 recorded 65.41%. For constancy index the highest value was 9 at the site 6 whereas the lowest value was 2 at site3.

Impact of the Front-of-Pack Label Nutri-Score on the Nutritional Quality of Food Choices in a Quasi-Experimental Trial in Catering

The front-of-pack labelling Nutri-Score has recently been implemented as a policy measure to improve the healthiness of food choices. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the Nutri-Score label in catering. A quasi-experimental trial was conducted in France between 16 December 2019 and 13 March 2020 in two staff restaurants (one intervention and one control site) from the same company. After a control period of seven weeks, the Nutri-Score label was affixed on all proposed products in the intervention site. Overall effects of the intervention were investigated using a difference in difference approach with generalised linear models. Over the 13 weeks of the study, 2063 participants who frequented the restaurant cafeteria at least once were included (1268 and 795 in the intervention and control site, respectively), representing 36,114 meals. Overall, the intervention led to a significant improvement in the nutritional quality of meals (p = 0.008) and a significant reduction in the intake of calories, sugars and saturated fat (p < 0.0001). Mixed effects models showed a qualitative improvement of food choices initially, and an adaptation of the quantities consumed over time, suggesting for the first time longer-term effects of the label on dietary behaviour.

Assessing Entomological and Epidemiological Efficacy of Pyriproxyfen-treated Ovitraps Using Saliva Samples

Our study assessed the impact of using ovitraps with pyriproxyfen on mosquito populations and the feasibility of using human saliva samples to test for seroconversion to dengue virus (DENV). We used a quasi-experimental research design by forming the intervention (n=220) and the control (n=223) groups in neighboring Taguig City, Philippines, over four months. Socio-demographic data, entomological indices, and IgG antibodies against DENV were measured. Associations between the implementation of ovitraps dosed with pyriproxyfen and mosquito densities (percentage positive ovitraps and container indices) and DENV seroconversion were calculated post-intervention in Months 2, 3, and 4. Among participants recruited at baseline, 17 and 13 were seropositive for dengue (DENV) in the intervention and control groups, respectively. Both entomological indices were lower in the treated area than the control site at months two, three, and four post-interventions but not earlier. Dengue seroconversions rates did decrease in the treated population but not significantly so. In conclusion, the use of PPF-treated ovitraps impacted the mosquito population but not the seroconversion rates. Compliance to provide saliva samples and the ability to detect IgG antibodies within these samples were encouraging and suggested that further studies on a larger population and longer duration are warranted.

A Comparative Evaluation between the Efficacy of Scaling & Root Planing (SRP) with Local Delivery of Chlorhexidine Gluconate and SRP Alone in Periodontal Pocket Reduction Therapy

Aim: The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of locally delivered chlorhexidine as an adjunct to scaling and root planning (SRP) & SRP alone in bringing reduction of pocket depth in the treatment of moderate to severe periodontitis patients. Materials and Methods: A total number of 15 patients both males and females in the age group of 30-55 years were selected with total number of 30 sites with periodontal probing pocket depth measuring 5-8mm in different quadrant of the mouth. A randomized, double blind, controlled clinical trial design was followed for the study. On one side scaling and root planning was done and on the other side scaling and root planning was done along with local delivery of chlorhexidine glugocate then the patient was examined after 0, 45, and 60 days using The clinical parameters the Plaque Index (PI), gingival index (GI), Bleeding on probing (BOP), Clinical attachment level (CAL) and Probing pocket depth (PPD). Statistical Analysis: Student paired T-test has been carried out for this present study. Results: The mean reduction of Plaque Index score between 0-45 day between control site and test site was 1.58±0.11 and the mean reduction of Plaque Index score between 0-60 day between control site and test site was 2.42±0.34 which is found not significant. At the Control site the mean plaque index score on 0 day was 2.2, on 45th day was 1.88 and on 60th day was 1.82. At the test site the mean plaque index score on 0 day was 2.6, on 45th day was 1.82 and on 60thday was 1.59. There was change from the base line values of mean plaque index between the control sites and test sites but was not significant. Conclusion: There was improvement in all the clinical parameters of the test sites in comparison to the control sites from base line to 60 days, but the adjunctive use of chlorhexidine showed a significant improvement only on the clinical attachment level.

Recent Trends in Group 9–Catalyzed C−H Borylation Reactions: Different Strategies to Control Site-, Regio-, and Stereoselectivity

Organoboron compounds continue contributing substantially to advances in organic chemistry with their increasing role as both synthetic intermediates and target compounds for medicinal chemistry. Particularly attractive methods of their synthesis are based on the direct borylation of C−H bonds of available starting materials since no additional pre-functionalization steps are required. However, due to the high abundance of C−H bonds with similar reactivity in organic molecules, synthetically useful C−H borylation protocols demand sophisticated strategies to achieve high regio- and stereoselectivity. For this purpose, selective transition-metal-based catalysts have been developed, with group 9-centered catalysts being among the most commonly utilized. Recently, a multitude of diverse strategies has been developed to push the boundaries of C−H borylation reactions with respect to their regio- and enantioselectivity. Herein, we provide an overview of approaches for the C−H borylation of arenes, alkenes, and alkanes based on group 9-centered catalysts with a focus on the recent literature. Lastly, an outlook is given to assess the future potential of the field.

Application of pollution assessment models in soil contaminated by heavy metals in two steel rods markets, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Soil samples were collected at a depth of 0-30cm within two steel markets and a control site in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Nigeria to assess the level of heavy metals (Fe, Pb, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni and As) in the environment. Atomic Adsorption Spectrophotometer was used to analyze the samples for heavy metals. The concentrations of all the heavy metals in the steel rods markets exceeded that of the control. The results indicated that heavy metals concentrations in the sites were in the order; Mile III > Kala > RSU. The average levels of contamination of heavy metals recorded followed the order Fe > Cr > Cu > Pb > Ni > As > Cd in Mile III, Fe > Pb > Cu > Cr > Ni > As > Cd in Kala and Fe > Cu > Pb > Cr > Ni > As > Cd in RSU (control). Mean concentrations obtained for heavy metals within the months of investigation were; 1420.931±9.155, 7.753±0.184, 8.730±0.050, 2.843±0.124, 9.428±0.122, 7.433±0.047 and 3.732±0.047 mg/Kg for Fe, Pb, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni and As respectively at the mile III station, while the mean concentrations of heavy metals observed at the Kala station were; 1161.173±1.823, 9.425±0.054, 7.596±0.027, 1.425±0.020, 6.507±0.006, 5.455±0.033 and 1.901±0.010 mg/Kg for Fe, Pb, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni and As respectively. The mean values of heavy metals concentrations observed at the RSU station within the period were; 892.064±1.025,5.603±0.007, 5.841±0.051, 0.173±0.005, 3.389±0.009, 2.309±0.010 and 0.706±0.006 mg/Kg for Fe, Pb, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni and As respectively. Pollution assessment models used for assessing the anthropogenic input on the quality of the soil in the area using the control site as the basis of judgment were: contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI), contamination degree (CD), modified contamination degree (mCD), potential ecological risk coefficient (Eir), potential ecological risk index (RI), Geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and anthropogenicity. These indices revealed that the steel markets were contaminated and polluted and poses ecological risks by heavy metals, even though the values obtained were still below the WHO acceptable limits. The steel rods markets need to be adequately monitored and regulated to avoid further soil contamination by heavy metals to a degree that will be dangerous to human health.

Bioaccumulation of auto-mechanic wastes in the tissues of Pellonula Afzeliusi (Johnels, 1954) collected from Agba stream Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Hydrocarbons and heavy metals (HM) present in automobile wastes get into water bodies close to automobile mechanic villages. They deteriorate the physico-chemical qualities of such water bodies and exert toxic effects on fish and other aquatic fauna. They also pose risks to humans that consume fish from streams near such automechanic villages. There is paucity of information on the HM contents of Agba stream, Ilorin and no information on the bioaccumulation of HM in the tissues of Pellonula afzeliusi is currently available. The purpose of this study was to assess the physico-chemical qualities of water and bioaccumulation of HM in the tissues of Pellonula afzeliusi fish collected from Agba stream, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Water and samples of Pellonula afzeliusi were collected from the upstream (station A), midstream (station B) of Agba stream located close to an auto-mechanic village and Oyun dam (control site, station C) located within the University of Ilorin. Standard methods were used to analyse oil and grease (OG), total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) and HM in water samples. The concentrations of TPH and HM were analysed in the skin, bone, muscle, gills, gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidney of the fish. The order of water HM concentrations indicated Zn > Cd > Ba> Fe > Pb at station A; Cd > Zn > Fe > Ba > Pb at station B, and Zn > Ba > Pb > Fe >Cd at station C. TPH and HM bioaccumulated in the tissues of fish while lead was not detected in all tissues from station C. Bioaccumulation factor varied with the highest values t station C. The result of this study indicated heavy pollution burden in station B with lower pollution burden in station C (the control site). These call for attention of government in ensuring ecological restoration and prevention of further discharge of automobile wastes into the stream. Keywords: Automobile wastes, Heavy metals, Hydrocarbons, Bioaccumulation, Pellonula afzeliusi