The foraging ecology of Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) during open water (July–August) in Allen Bay, Arctic Canada

Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) is a schooling fish providing a critical link between lower and upper trophic levels in the Arctic. This study examined foraging of Arctic cod collected from Allen Bay, Cornwallis Island, Canada (~75 N 95 W), during summer 2010 using temporal indicators of diet including stomach content, and carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) stable isotopes of liver and muscle. Foraging at the time of capture reflected sympagic and epi-benthic habitats indicated by the prevalence of cyclopoid and harpacticoid copepods in stomachs, whereas stable isotope data, which provide an estimate of feeding over a longer period, indicated pelagic prey as important. Prey selection of juveniles differed from adults based on stable isotopes, while large adults showed the most separation based on stomach contents, suggesting size-related diet shifts. Compared to studies near Resolute in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, growth and pre-spawning gonadal conditions of Arctic cod have not changed.     

Sorptive behavior of sorgoleone in ultisol in two solvent systems and determination of its lipophilicity

Sorgoleone (SGL) exuded by sorghum roots inhibits the development of some weeds. Due to its high hydrophobicity, it is expected that SGL presents low soil mobility and limited allelopathic activity in the field. This work aims to evaluate the sorptivity of sorgoleone in octanol-water and in soil under two solvent systems. The two solvent systems were methanol:water (60:40) (MeOH:H2O) and pure methanol (MeOH). These two solvent systems promote different conditions for SGL solubility. Treatments were arranged in a 2 x 6 factorial (solvent systems x equilibrium concentrations in the solution (EC)). For each solvent, the sorption was achieved by shaking 500 mg of soil with 10 ml of 0, 5, 10, 15, 25, 40, and 60 mg L-1 of SGL solution, during 24 h. After centrifugation, the supernatant was filtered and the SGL concentration was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Data of sorbed amount of SGL were submitted to variance analysis, using a hierarchic factorial model. The data of sorbed amount (x/m) and equilibrium concentration (C) were fitted to the linear (x/m = a + KdC) and to the Freundlich (x/m = KfC1/n) models. The isotherm obtained for the MeOH:H2O system presented linear shape, whereas for the MeOH system a two subsequent linear isotherm was fitted. Sorgoleone is a highly hydrophobic compound, presenting a log Kow of 6.1. The sorption of sorgoleone to the soil was very high. The organic environment stimulated the sorgoleone sorption to the soil.     

Perioperative fetal hemodynamic changes in twin-twin transfusion syndrome and neurodevelopmental outcome at two years of age

Objective

To investigate whether perioperative fetal hemodynamic changes in twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) are associated with neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) at two years.

Methods

Doppler parameters of three sonograms (day before, first day after and 1 week after laser surgery for TTTS) were assessed for correlation with neurodevelopmental outcome at two years (2008-2016). NDI was defined as: cerebral palsy, deafness, blindness, and/or a Bayley-III cognitive/motor developmental test-score > 2SD below the mean.

Results

Long-term outcome was assessed in 492 TTTS survivors. NDI was present in 5% (24/492). After adjustment for severe cerebral injury (present in 4%), associated with NDI were: middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity (MCA-PSV) >1.5 multiples of the median (MoM) 1 day after surgery (odds ratio [OR] 4.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-21.05, P = .03), a change from normal umbilical artery pulsatility index (UA-PI) presurgery to UA-PI >p95 postsurgery (OR 4.19; 95% CI: 1.04-16.87, P = .04), a change from normal to MCA-PSV >1.5MoM (OR 4.75; 95% CI: 1.43-15.77, P = .01).

Conclusion

Perioperative fetal hemodynamic changes in TTTS pregnancies treated with laser are associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcome. Prospective research on the cerebrovascular response to altered hemodynamic conditions is necessary to further understand the cerebral autoregulatory capacity of the fetus in relation to neurodevelopmental outcome.     

Microbial response to heavy metal-polluted soils: community analysis from phospholipid-linked fatty acids and ester-linked fatty acids extracts

Heavy metal pollution of soil is of concern for human health and ecosystem function. The soil microbial community should be a sensitive indicator of metal contamination effects on bioavailability and biogeochemical processes. Simple methods are needed to determine the degree of in situ pollution and effectiveness of remediating metal-contaminated soils. Currently, phospholipid-linked fatty acids (PLFAs) are preferred for microbial profiling but this method is time consuming, whereas direct soil extraction and transesterification of total ester-linked fatty acids (ELFAs) is attractive because of its simplicity. The 1998 mining acid-metal spill of >4000 ha in the Guadiamar watershed (southwestern Spain) provided a unique opportunity to study these two microbial lipid profiling methods. Replicated treatments were set up as nonpolluted, heavy metal polluted and reclaimed, and polluted soils. Inferences from whole community-diversity analysis and correlations of individual fatty acids with metals suggested Cu, Cd, and Zn were the most important in affecting microbial community structure, along with pH. The microbial stress marker, monounsaturated fatty acids, was significantly lower for reclaimed and polluted soil over nonpolluted soils for both PLFA and ELFA extraction. Another stress marker, the monounsaturated to saturated fatty acids ratio, only showed this for the PLFA. The general fungal marker (18:2omega6c), the arbuscule mycorrhizae marker (16:1omega5c), and iso- and anteiso-branched PLFAs (gram positive bacteria) were suppressed with increasing pollution whereas 17:0cy (gram negative bacteria) increased with metal pollution. For both extraction methods, richness and diversity were greater in nonpolluted soils and lowest in polluted soils. The ELFA method was sensitive for reflecting metal pollution on microbial communities and could be suitable for routine use in ecological monitoring and risk assessment programs because of its simplicity and reproducibility.     

The effects of transition stress: a relocation study

Survey participants (N=175) were drawn from six branches of a major British supermarket chain. Employees from three branches, who had been selected for transfer to new stores, were surveyed before and after relocation to examine the impact of this transition on individual well‐being. A comparison sample of employees, drawn from similar stores but not involved in relocation, was also surveyed. Cross‐sectional multiple regression analyses found that psychological distress was related to both work demands and personal characteristics (gender, neuroticism, locus of control, and social desirability response). Furthermore, path analysis revealed that after controlling for prior symptom levels, distress during the relocation period was predicted independently by the relocation and by work demands. Although in the present study it was not possible to account for differences in outcomes between new and comparison store employees in terms of changes in measured work characteristics, the negative impact of relocation was found to be buffered by perceptions of control and social support. Additionally, the impact of high work demands was buffered by Type B personal characteristics. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ten years later: The progress and future of integrating sustainable principles,practices, and metrics into remediation projects

In 2009, the Sustainable Remediation Forum released a white paper entitled “Integrating sustainable principles, practices, and metrics into remediation projects” (Ellis & Hadley, 2009, Remediation, 19, pp. 5–114). Sustainable remediation was a relatively new concept, and the white paper explored a range of approaches on how sustainability could be integrated into traditional remediation projects. This paper revisits the 2009 white paper, providing an overview of the early days of the evolving sustainable remediation practice and an assessment of the progress of sustainable remediation over the last 10 years with a primary focus on the United States. The current state of the sustainable remediation practice includes published literature, current practices and resources, applications, room for improvement, international progress, the virtuous cycle that applying sustainable remediation creates, and the status of the objectives cited in the 2009 white paper. Over the last decade, several sustainable remediation frontiers have emerged that will likely be a focus in advancing the practice. These frontiers include climate change and resiliency, weighting and valuation to help better consolidate different sustainable remediation metrics, programmatic implementation, and better integration of the societal impacts of sustainable remediation. Finally, as was the case for the 2009 white paper, this paper explores how sustainable remediation may evolve over the next 10 years and focuses on the events and drivers that can be significant in the pace of further development of the practice. The events and drivers include transformation impacts, societal influences, and the continued development of new technologies, approaches, and tools by remediation practitioners. The remediation industry has made significant progress in developing the practice of sustainable remediation and has implemented it successfully into hundreds of projects. While progress has been significant, an opportunity exists to implement the tenets of sustainable remediation on many more projects and explore new frontiers to help improve the communication, integration, and derived benefits from implementing sustainable remediation into future remediation projects.