Development and Evaluation of a Multiplexed Real-Time TaqMan RT-PCR Assay with a Sample Process Control for Detection of F-specific RNA Coliphage Genogroups I and IV

There are increasing concerns of zoonotic transmission of some animal enteric viruses, such as calicivirus, hepatitis E virus, and rotavirus, which are closely related to human pathogenic strains. Most enteric viruses are detected by molecular techniques because they cannot be cultured. Surrogates such as F-RNA coliphages are cultivable but few molecular methods exist. Individual real-time TaqMan RT-PCR assays for the replicase gene of F-RNA coliphage genogroups I and IV were developed and multiplexed with a real-time TaqMan RT-PCR assay for feline calicivirus as a sample process control for the simultaneous detection and enumeration of genogroup I and IV F-RNA coliphages. Genogroup IV were successfully detected with the multiplexed assay in 80% of fecal samples that contained F-RNA coliphage levels ≥3.2 log plaque forming units (pfu). F-RNA coliphage were at or below the limit of detection in most fecal samples when levels were ≤4 log pfu/g.     

Assessing a Transition to 100% Renewable Power Generation in a Non-interconnected Area: A Case Study for La Réunion Island

Environmental Modeling & Assessment - In this paper, we present a comprehensive, multi-timescale approach to evaluate energy transition policies aiming at fully renewable generation in power...     

Load Acceleration and Footstep Strategies in Asymmetrical Lifting and Lowering

Accelerated execution effects for lifting and lowering a 12-kg box using two footstep strategies associated with experienced workers were studied. Eight healthy male participants performed a normal and an accelerated execution of a lifting task and a lowering task, using a minimal feet displacement strategy (oblique-step) and a strategy with a step (crossed-step). It was hypothesized that the accelerated executions, as compared to the normal executions, would have a different effect on L5/S1 resultant moment, body posture, and other kinematic variables. A tridimensional dynamic rigid body model was used to compute L5/S1 resultant moments. Results showed that the accelerated condition did not reduce body asymmetry of posture, but it reduced the length of the path of the global center of gravity and the duration of the supporting phase of the box, and it did not significantly affect L5/S1 maximal resultant moments for lifting but increased them for lowering. These results indicate that the net work production for accelerated strategies might be smaller, which may represent an economy of energy. Furthermore, the results showed that the use of an accelerated strategy for lowering should be avoided.     

Nest site selection and induced response in a dominant arboreal ant species

It is well known that arboreal ants, both territorially dominant species and plant ants (e.g., species associated with myrmecophytes or plants housing them in hollow structures), protect their host trees from defoliators. Nevertheless, the presence of an induced defense, suggested by the fact that the workers discovering a leaf wound recruit nestmates, is only known for plant ants. Based on the results from a field study, we show here (1) that colonies of Azteca chartifex, a territorially dominant, neotropical arboreal ant species, mostly selected Goupia glabra (Goupiaceae) trees in which to build their principal carton nests and (2) that plant signals induced workers to recruit nestmates, which patrol the leaves, likely providing the plant with a biotic defense. Furthermore, the number of recruited workers was clearly higher on G. glabra, their most frequently selected host tree species, than on other tree species. These results show that contrary to what was previously believed, induced responses are also found in territorially dominant arboreal ants and so are not limited to the specific associations between myrmecophytes and plant ants.     

Mantophasmatodea now in the Jurassic

The Mantophasmatodea is the most recently discovered insect order. The fossil records of all other ‘polyneopteran’ orders extend far in the past, but the current absence of pre-Cenozoic fossils of the Mantophasmatodea contradicts a long evolutionary history, which has to be assumed from the morphological distinctness of the group. In this paper, we report the first Mesozoic evidence of a mantophasmatodean from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. Furthermore, the new fossil shares apomorphic characters with Cenozoic and recent Mantophasmatodea, suggesting a longer evolutionary history of this order.     

Development of a Specific Anti-capsid Antibody- and Magnetic Bead-Based Immunoassay to Detect Human Norovirus Particles in Stool Samples and Spiked Mussels via Flow Cytometry

Food and Environmental Virology - Human noroviruses impose a considerable health burden globally. Here, a flow cytometry approach designed for their detection in biological waste and food samples...     

(Z)-Dodec-3-en-1-ol, a common major component of the trail-following pheromone in the termites Kalotermitidae

(Z)-Dodec-3-en-1-ol has been identified as the major component of the trail-following pheromone of nine species of Kalotermitidae belonging to six different genera, suggesting that this compound represents a common signal in this family of termites. The homogeneous nature of trail-following pheromones of Kalotermitidae well agrees with the monophyly of this family. It also supports the postulated position of this family as a sister group of the Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae, which also secrete C12-alcohols as trail-following pheromones. The significance of a trail pheromone in termites of the ‘one-piece’ life type, which spend their whole life within the same piece of wood, is discussed.     

Use of thermal analysis techniques (TG-DSC) for the characterization of diverse organic municipal waste streams to predict biological stability prior to land application

The use of organic municipal wastes as soil amendments is an increasing practice that can divert significant amounts of waste from landfill, and provides a potential source of nutrients and organic matter to ameliorate degraded soils. Due to the high heterogeneity of organic municipal waste streams, it is difficult to rapidly and cost-effectively establish their suitability as soil amendments using a single method. Thermal analysis has been proposed as an evolving technique to assess the stability and composition of the organic matter present in these wastes. In this study, three different organic municipal waste streams (i.e., a municipal waste compost (MC), a composted sewage sludge (CS) and a thermally dried sewage sludge (TS)) were characterized using conventional and thermal methods. The conventional methods used to test organic matter stability included laboratory incubation with measurement of respired C, and spectroscopic methods to characterize chemical composition. Carbon mineralization was measured during a 90-day incubation, and samples before and after incubation were analyzed by chemical (elemental analysis) and spectroscopic (infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance) methods. Results were compared with those obtained by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. Total amounts of CO₂ respired indicated that the organic matter in the TS was the least stable, while that in the CS was the most stable. This was confirmed by changes detected with the spectroscopic methods in the composition of the organic wastes due to C mineralization. Differences were especially pronounced for TS, which showed a remarkable loss of aliphatic and proteinaceous compounds during the incubation process. TG, and especially DSC analysis, clearly reflected these differences between the three organic wastes before and after the incubation. Furthermore, the calculated energy density, which represents the energy available per unit of organic matter, showed a strong correlation with cumulative respiration. Results obtained support the hypothesis of a potential link between the thermal and biological stability of the studied organic materials, and consequently the ability of thermal analysis to characterize the maturity of municipal organic wastes and composts.     

Comparative Biodegradation Study of Starch- and Polylactic Acid-Based Materials

The degradation of starch- and polylactic acid-based plastic films by microorganisms extracted from compost was studied in a liquid medium. The various degradation products produced were measured throughout the duration of the experiment, and total carbon balances were estimated. For an easily biodegradable material, the evolution of the way carbon repartitioned between different degradation products was quite similar whatever the experimental condition or the type of substrate. On the other hand, for a resistant material exposed to these microorganisms, the nature of the biodegradation depended strongly on the experimental conditions. In the latter case, a differential scanning calorimetry analysis confirmed the importance of the applied norm on the state of the residual material. The consequences for improved methods of estimation of biodegradability of these materials are discussed.     

Economic and Ecological Consequences of the Disappearance of Traditional Practices Related to Chestnut Groves

Based on an interdisciplinary study of nine localities, the authors analyse the role of human and local factors involved in the disappearance of chestnut groves. This analysis enables us to understand the significant elements involved, causes, restricting factors, potentialities which explain today's situation, and to hypothesise upon the evolution of the chestnut groves and the Southern Cevennes in the years to come. These hypotheses emphasise the necessary changes in attitudes and the extra research required to lead a positive future action in order to manage this territory in a rational way.