ORGANIC POLLUTION INDEX IN THE EVALUATION OF THE QUALITY OF LAKE DOHOU, A SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER SUPPLY IN THE CITY OF DUEKOUE (WEST COTE DIVOIRE)

The abiotic typology of the different sampling stations based on physico-chemical parameters and the assessment of the nutrient load and the relative contributions of the different nutrient sources to this surface water were analysed. Five physical and chemical parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, transparency, pH and conductivity) were measured in situ at each sampling campaign in Lake Dohou over a period of one year, once a month at seven (7) selected stations. Water samples were taken for subsequent determination of dissolved solids, biological oxygen demand for 5 days and nutrient salts (nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, ammonium).Thephysico-chemical characterisation revealed weakly mineralised water with average conductivities varying from 12.38 ±16.33 µS.cm-1 to 39.63 ±45.28 µS.cm-1 with high temperatures in the dry season. A hierarchical ascending classification (HAC) was used to group the stations into 3 groups. Group I (stations 6), due to its exposure to domestic discharges and leaching from agricultural land, is heavily loaded with organic matter and nutrients. The values of the pollution index express a high organic pollution at all the sampling stations. The water of Lake Dohou is highly loaded with organic matter and receives a very high amount of pollutant from the environment.

Nitrosative Stress Molecules in Multiple Sclerosis: A Meta-Analysis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system of unknown etiology. As it is still a diagnosis of exclusion, there is an urgent need for biomarkers supporting its diagnosis. Increasing evidence suggests that nitrosative stress may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of MS. However, previous reports supporting the role of nitrosative stress molecules as disease biomarkers are inconsistent overall. We therefore systematically analyzed the existing literature to compare the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of nitrite/nitrate in MS patients with those in patients with noninflammatory other neurological diseases (NIOND) and healthy controls (HC), respectively. We searched the PubMed database and included original articles investigating nitrite/nitrate levels in MS patients and NIOND patients or HC based on predefined selection criteria. Effect sizes were estimated by the standardized mean difference using a random effects model. Our results suggest that MS is associated with higher nitrite/nitrate levels within the CSF compared with patients with NIOND (SMD of 1.51; 95% CI: 0.72, 2.30; p = 0.0008). Likewise, nitrite/nitrate in the CSF of MS patients trends towards increased levels compared with those of HC but does not reach statistical significance (SMD of 3.35; 95% CI: −0.48, 7.19; p = 0.07). Measurement of nitrite/nitrate in the CSF might be a valuable tool facilitating the differentiation of MS and NIOND. Further studies with more homogeneous study criteria are needed to corroborate this hypothesis.

Effect of salinity changes on growth, survival and biochemical parameters of freshwater fish Gibelion catla (Hamilton, 1822)

Aim: The present investigation was conducted to access the effect of salinity stress on growth performance, survival and biochemical parameters of Gibelion catla under different salinity conditions with an idea to assess the potentiality of this species in inland saline affected areas. Methodology: A 30-day-experiment was conducted in 1000 l (n=10) FRP tanks to study the effect of different salinity levels on the growth and biochemical parameters of catla species. A total of 120 fish (10.4 g) was randomly distributed into four treatments (0, 3, 6 and 9 ppt) with three replicates. The water quality parameters such as pH, temperature, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, alkalinity and dissolved oxygen were recorded for each treatment on weekly basis, whereas fish sampling was carried out at 0th and 30th day of the experimental period to ascertain survival, weight gain, specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio of the fishes from each treatment. Results: The highest growth rate was found in control subsequently in 3 and 6 ppt and the survival rate was 96.67, 83.33, 76.67 and 0% against 0, 3, 6 and 9 ppt, respectively. The red blood cells (3.65×106 μl) and haemoglobin concentration, (8.17 gm dl-1) were also higher in control fish, followed by 3 and 6 ppt. However, white blood cells (24.40×106 μl) and glucose level (123.23 mg dl-1) were higher at 6 ppt, compared to control. Plasma protein level of fish at control (0 ppt salinity) was significantly higher than those of fish exposed to 3 and 6 ppt salinities. Interpretation: The present investigation revealed that an increase in salinity level had a significant impact on the growth and physiology of Gibelion catla. However, this species can be reared in low saline areas for some time which will not only help in the utilization of salt affected areas but will also help in the generation of employment and income.

Effects of Aquatic Plants on Nutrient Concentration in Water and Growth Performance of Fantail Goldfish in an Aquaculture System

The effects of two aquatic plants, duckweed (Lemna sp.) and azolla (Azolla sp.), on the growth performance of fantail goldfish (Carassius auratus) and dissolved nutrient concentrations were studied. The experiments were carried out in triplicate sets over a period of seven weeks. Eight specimens of fantail goldfish (length = 5.16 ± 0.06 cm; body weight = 2.30 ± 0.06 g) were released into each of the aquariums containing 40 L of water. Submerged sponge filters were used as the substrate (bed) for the nitrifying bacteria to facilitate nitrification. The fish were provided feed at the rate of 2% of their body weight twice daily. In situ and ex situ water parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, total suspended solids, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphate), body weight and length of the Fantail goldfish, and wet weight of aquatic plants were measured weekly. The results showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in any of the three aquariums in water temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen. Survival of the fish was 100%. The highest food conversion ratio and specific growth rate were observed in the aquarium stocked with duckweed, followed by the aquarium with azolla and the control set (p < 0.05). The concentrations of nutrients (ammonia and nitrate) were recorded lowest (p < 0.05) in the aquarium with azolla, followed by duckweed and the control. The results suggested that aquatic plants were effective in absorbing nutrients and can serve as biofilters to create better conditions for the growth of the fantail goldfish.

The nutrient-improvement bacteria selected by Agave lechuguilla T. and their role in the rhizosphere community

Agave lechuguilla has one of the widest distributions among other agaves species in the Chihuahuan desert. Their capacity to grow in poorly developed soils and harsh conditions has been related to its association with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. In this work, we explored how soil properties and plant growth stage influence the composition of the rhizobacterial communities, their interactions, and the enzymatic activity and abundance of nitrogen-fixing bacteria and organic phosphorus mineralizing bacteria in two subregions of the Chihuahuan desert. We found that mature plants of lechuguilla stimulated the activity and abundance of nutrient-improvement rhizobacteria, and these soil samples had a higher content of total organic carbon, ammonium (NH4), and nitrite + nitrate (NO2+NO3). Nutrient availability seems to be an essential driver of the bacterial community's structure since the genera with more connections (hubs) were those with known mechanisms related to the availability of nutrients, such as env OPS17 (Bacteroidetes), Gemmatimonadaceae Uncultured, S0134 terrestrial group, BD211 terrestrial group (Gemmatimonadetes), Chthoniobacteracea, and Candidatus Udaeobacter (Verrucomicrobia). This work shows that the late growth stages of lechuguilla recruit beneficial bacteria that favor its establishment and tolerance to harsh conditions of the arid lands.

Rivaroxaban Modulates TLR4/Myd88/NF-Kβ Signaling Pathway in a Dose-Dependent Manner With Suppression of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in an Experimental Model of Depression

Depression is a common mental illness leading to upset or anxiety, with a high incidence rate in the world. Depression can lead to suicidal thoughts and behavior. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the direct oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban (RVX), in the model of depression induced by chronic unpredicted mild stress (CUMS) in rats. Fifty-six male Wister rats were randomly divided into seven experimental groups (8 rats/group); Group 1: Control group given vehicle per oral (p.o.), Group 2: RVXL-control group (received rivaroxaban 20 mg/kg/day, p.o..), Group 3: RVXH-control group (received rivaroxaban 30 mg/kg/day, p.o.), Group 4: chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) group, Group 5: FLX-treated CUMS group (received fluoxetine 10 mg/kg/day, p.o..), Group 6: RVXL-treated CUMS group (received rivaroxaban 20 mg/kg/day, p.o.), and Group 7: RVXH-treated CUMS group (received rivaroxaban 30 mg/kg/day, p.o.). The rats received the drugs from the first day of the experiment and continued till 4 weeks—the duration of the study. The following were measured: monoamine neurotransmitters, malondialdehyde (MDA), total nitrite/nitrate (NOx), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). A forced swimming test (FST) was done. Furthermore, histological changes and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoexpression were evaluated. CUMS showed a significant decrease in hypothalamic neurotransmitters, hippocampal GSH, SOD, BNDF, and VEGF-A with a significant increase in hippocampal MDA, NOx, NF-kβ, Myd88, TLR4, TNF-α, and GFAP immunoexpression. RVX showed significant improvement in all parameters (p-value &lt; 0.0001). In conclusion, RVX in a dose-dependent manner possesses potent ameliorative effects against depression by reducing the oxidative stress and inflammatory process, through the regulation of the TLR4/Myd88/NF-kβ signaling pathway.

Effects of Ocean Currents in the Western Pacific Ocean on Net-Phytoplankton Community Compositions

Phytoplankton are known as important harbingers of climate change in aquatic ecosystems. This study investigated phytoplankton community structure in the western Pacific Ocean (WPO) in 2017 and revealed the spatial variability of phytoplankton in community composition and abundance, as well as their relationship to physical processes and environmental factors. The phytoplankton community was mainly composed of Dinophyta (221), followed by Bacillariophyta (105), Cyanophyta (4), and Chrysophyta (2). The cyanobacteria Trichodesmium were the dominants throughout the study period. Correlation analysis showed that dinoflagellates were mainly affected by temperature, while diatoms were significantly correlated with nutrients (silicate, phosphate, nitrite, nitrate). Phytoplankton was divided into five groups by cluster analysis, and the distribution of different groups was related to circulation and hydrological characteristics. In contrast, the highest abundance of diatoms and dinoflagellates was found in the New Guinea Coastal Current (NGCC) region, while the highest abundance of cyanobacteria was found in the Northern Equatorial Counter Current (NECC) region. Overall, we found that not only temperature and salinity, but also ocean currents and nutrients, influence the distribution of phytoplankton communities in the WPO.

FIRE SAFETY OF HEAT-TRANSFER AGENTS FOR HEAT GENERATORS

Рассмотрены свойства двух групп теплоносителей, используемых для понижения рабочей температуры и для повышения рабочей температуры. В первую группу теплоносителей включены: этиленгликоль, диэтиленгликоль, триэтиленгликоль, пропиленгликоль, глицерин. Вторую группу теплоносителей составляют: дифенильная смесь, масло АМТ-300, масло ТЛВ-330, мобильтерм-600, дикумилметан, дитолилметан, тетрахлордифенил, тетракрезилсиликат, нафталин, тройная нафталиновая смесь, нитрит-нитратная смесь. Приводятся физико-химические и пожароопасные свойства названных теплоносителей, а также перечень профилактических противопожарных мероприятий и средств пожаротушения. There are considered the properties of two groups of heat-transfer agents used to reduce the operating temperature and to increase the operating temperature. The following substances are included in the first group of heat-transfer agents: ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin. The following substances are included in the second group of heat-transfer agents: diphenyl mixture, AMT-300 oil, TLV-330 oil, mobileterm-600, dicumylmethane, ditolylmethane, tetrachlorodiphenyl, tetracresyl silicate, naphthalene, triple naphthalene mixture, nitrite-nitrate mixture. There are cited the physicochemical and fire hazardous properties of the mentioned heat-transfer agents, as well as the list of preventive fire-fighting measures and fire-extinguishing facilities.