Investigation of bioremediation potential of zymogenous bacteria and fungi for crude oil degradation

Bioremediation potential of bacteria and fungi isolated from sludge samples has been investigated (Danube alluvium, Pančevo, Serbia). Total isolated microorganisms were divided into three parts. One part was added with actidione antifungicide. The second part was added with streptomycin antibiotic. The third part was without additives. Paraffinic type of crude oil was a substrate for assessment of bioremediation potential. The simulated oil biodegradation lasted 30, 60 and 90 days. Parallel with that, the experiments with blind trial were conducted. Extracts were isolated from the samples with chloroform in a separate funnel. They were assayed for the group composition (alkanes, aromatics, alcohols and fatty acids) by column chromatography. Alkane fraction was analysed by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The most intense oil degradation was achieved in the experiments with bacteria, somewhat weaker with consortium of fungi and bacteria, and the weakest bioremediation potential in these experiments was shown by fungi.     

Do salmon farms increase the concentrations of mercury and other elements in wild fish?

Earlier assessments have suggested that salmon farms may act as a source of mercury (Hg) and other elements in local marine environments. In this study, we measured 30 elements in the livers of demersal Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and pelagic saithe (Pollachius virens) caught in association with salmon farms (farm associated [FA]; n = 75) or at reference locations (control; n = 80) in three regions throughout the latitudinal extent of Norway (59-70° N). Concentrations of most elements (24 of 30) were higher (20-70%) in cod compared to saithe. In particular, Hg was 6.8 times higher in cod than saithe. Nine elements were significantly different between FA saithe and control saithe, but only four (Hg, U, Cr and Mn) were highest in FA saithe, and this pattern was only detected consistently across all locations for Hg. Thirteen elements differed in concentration between FA cod and control cod, but only three elements (U, Al and Ba) were higher in FA cod than controls, and this pattern was only detected consistently across all locations for Al. After controlling for a set of potentially confounding variables, the estimated concentrations of Hg in saithe livers were ～80% higher in FA fish compared to controls. In contrast, Hg concentrations were ～40% higher in control cod compared to FA cod. Our results do not support the notion that salmon farms in general increase the concentrations of potentially harmful elements in wild fish, and the distribution of Hg and other elements in cod and saithe in Norwegian coastal waters may be more influenced by habitat use, diet, geochemical conditions and water chemistry.     

How prepared is prepared enough?

Decisions about disaster preparedness are rarely informed by cost‐benefit analyses. This paper presents an economic model to address the thorny question, ‘how prepared is prepared enough?’ Difficulties related to the use of cost‐benefit analysis in the field of disaster management concern the tension between the large number of high‐probability events that can be handled by a single emergency response unit and the small number of low‐probability events that must be handled by a large number of them. A further special feature of disaster management concerns the opportunity for cooperation between different emergency response units. To account for these issues, we introduce a portfolio approach. Our analysis shows that it would be useful to define disaster preparedness not in terms of capacities, but in terms of the frequency with which response capacity is expected to fall short.     

Agri-Environmental Policy Measures in Israel: The Potential of Using Market-Oriented Instruments

This paper examines the possibilities of developing agri-environmental policy measures in Israel, focusing on market-oriented instruments. A conceptual framework for developing agri-environmental policy measures is presented, first in very broad lines (mandatory regulations, economic instruments and advisory measures) and subsequently focusing on economic instruments, and specifically, on market-oriented ones. Two criteria of choice between the measures are suggested: their contribution to improving the effectiveness of the policy; and the feasibility of their implementation. This is the framework used for analyzing agri-environmental measures in Israel. Israel currently implements a mix of mandatory regulations, economic instruments and advisory measures to promote the agri-environment. The use of additional economic instruments may improve the effectiveness of the policy. When comparing the effectiveness of various economic measures, we found that the feasibility of implementation of market-oriented instruments is greater, due to the Israeli public’s preference for strengthening market orientation in the agricultural sector. Four market-oriented instruments were practiced in a pilot project conducted in an Israeli rural area. We found that in this case study, the institutional feasibility and acceptance by stakeholders were the major parameters influencing the implementation of the market-oriented instruments, whereas the instruments’ contribution to enhancing the ecological or economic effectiveness were hardly considered by the stakeholders as arguments in favor of their use.     

Post-ejection nest-desertion of common cuckoo hosts: a second defense mechanism or avoiding reduced reproductive success?

Hosts of the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), an avian brood parasite, develop antiparasite defense mechanisms to increase their reproductive success. Ejection of the parasite egg and desertion of the parasitized nest are the most typical adaptations in response to brood parasitism, but nest desertion may also occur in response to partial clutch reduction, independently from parasitism. Some great reed warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) showed both mechanisms in the same incidence of cuckoo parasitism: in 18% of successful ejections of the parasite eggs, they deserted their nests. We studied if such cases of post-ejection nest-desertion are caused by brood parasitism or reduced clutch value. We experimentally parasitized clutches consisting of five or three host eggs with two painted conspecific eggs to mimic parasitic eggs, as multiple parasitism is frequent in the area. Although hosts ejected these parasitic eggs in both clutch categories (100% and 67% for the larger and smaller inital clutch sizes, respectively), we found that after manipulation, post-ejection nest-desertion frequently occurred at small (3-egg) clutches (40%), but rarely at large (5-egg) clutches (17%). The same phenomenon also occurred when unparasitized 3-egg clutches were reduced by two eggs, but not when 5-egg clutches were reduced in the same way. A logistic regression model revealed that only initial clutch size affected nest desertion of parasitized nests in our experiments. Therefore, we conclude that post-ejection nest-desertion is not a second antiparasite mechanism, which might serve as a redundant antiparasite defense, but a reaction to typically small and further decreased clutch size.     

Have the results of the TOTAL-trials changed the attitude and practice of maternal-fetal medicine specialists?

Objective

To explore the views and practices of maternal-fetal medicine specialists on offering fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO) for left- and right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (LCDH, RCDH) in the post Tracheal Occlusion To Accelerate Lung growth (TOTAL)-trial era.

Method

Cross-sectional knowledge, attitude and practice survey was conducted among 105 attendees of the 19th World Congress of Fetal Medicine.

Results

On average, respondents were knowledgeable about CDH, involved in research, and provided antenatal treatment options. Four out of five (82%) agreed that neonatal survival in LCDH can be reliably predicted in the prenatal period. Few respondents considered the exact risks and benefits of FETO for severe LCDH as being unclear (16%), yet half were uncertain about this for moderate LCDH (57%) and severe RCDH (45%). Most respondents offer FETO for severe LCDH (97%) and RCDH (79%), but only 59% offer it for moderate LCDH. However, half of respondents (58%) stated that not offering FETO for moderate LCDH would be a psychological burden for parents.

Conclusion

Respondents consider the risk-benefit ratio of FETO for severe LCDH clear and consistently offer FETO, but not for moderate LDCH and severe RCDH. However, not offering the option of FETO to parents was considered a psychological burden.     

Can green trade save the environment? Introducing the Green (Trade) Openness Index

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Environmental degradation is one of the main drivers of climate change. One of the most broadly accepted tools to minimize environmental degradation...     

Tracking the legacy of early industrial activity in sediments of Lake Zurich,Switzerland: using a novel multi-proxy approach to find the source of extensive metal contamination

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Historical industrial activities at the Horn Richterwil, on the shore of Lake Zurich (Switzerland), caused widespread metal contamination on land and...     

Sperm storage and mating in the deep-sea squid Taningia danae Joubin, 1931 (Oegopsida: Octopoteuthidae)

Spermatangium implantation is reported in the large oceanic squid Taningia danae, based on ten mated females from the stomachs of sperm whales. Implanted spermatangia were located in the mantle, head and neck (on both sides) or above the nuchal cartilage, under the neck collar and were often associated with incisions. These cuts ranged from 30 to 65 mm in length and were probably made by males, using the beak or arm hooks. This is the first time wounds facilitating spermatangium storage have been observed in the internal muscle layers (rather than external, as observed in some other species of squid). The implications of these observations for the mating behavior of the rarely encountered squid T. danae are discussed.     

The diagnostic performance of cytogenetic investigation in amniotic fluid cells and chorionic villi

First-trimester chorionic villus sampling has not reached the popularity of second-trimester amniocentesis in prenatal cytogenetic diagnosis, in contrast to initial expectations. We investigated whether a difference inthe diagnostic performances of cytogenetic investigation in amniotic fluid (AF) cells and chorionic villi in favour of AF-cells might justify this. Diagnostic performance was measured as laboratory failure rate, karyotype quality (G-band score, rate of follow-up samples, rate of wrong diagnoses), and karyotype representativity (rate of follow-up samples, rate of wrong diagnoses). From 1993–1999, 11 883 AF-samples were investigated (AF-cells). In chorionic villi, short term culture preparations solely were karyotyped from 1993–1996 (n=3499) (STC-villi), short and long-term culture preparations simultaneously provided a sufficient amount of tissue being available from 1997 onwards (n=1829) ((STC+LTC)-villi). Laboratory failure rates were the same after amniocentesis (0.40%) and chorionic villus sampling (0.50%). G-band scores (mean±SD) were equal in AF-cells (373±38.1) and LTC-villi (364±32.6) but significantly lower in STC-villi (311±34.6) (p=0.001). Follow-up sampling rates because of quality reasons were the same in AF-cells (0.14%), STC- villi (0.13%) and (STC+LTC)-villi (0.11%). Two wrong diagnoses turned up among AF-cells. Follow-up sampling rates because of representativity reasons differed significantly between AF-cells (0.10%), (STC+LTC)-villi (1.31%), and STC-villi (1.99%) (p<0.001). However, the ratios of the total numbers of follow-up samples and uncertain or abnormal cytogenetic results in STC, and (STC+LTC)-villi at cytogenetic risks ⩾3% (0.132 and 0.160, respectively) were equal to that in AF-cells at risks <3% (0.155). Two wrong diagnoses were made in STC-villi. Diagnostic performance improved in the rank order of STC-villi, (STC+LTC)-villi and AF-cells. At cytogenetic risks ⩾3%, (STC+LTC)-villi showed a diagnostic performance equal to that in AF-cells. This might justify a selective use of chorionic villus sampling. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.