Influences of winery–distillery waste compost stability and soil type on soil carbon dynamics in amended soils

The application of organic materials to replenish soil organic matter and improve soil structure and fertility has become a common agronomic practice. This research deals with the effects of soil amendment with winery and distillery waste composts on organic carbon (C) mineralisation in two arable soils. A sandy-loam and clay-loam soil were treated and incubated with a number organic materials obtained from the co-composting of different proportions of grape stalk, grape marc, exhausted grape marc and vinasse, with sewage sludge or animal manure. Moreover, the effect of compost stability on C mineralisation dynamics was studied by applying organic materials from different stages of the composting process. The results obtained showed that the addition of exogenous organic matter stimulated microbial growth, enhanced soil respiration and increased water-extractable C contents in both soils, particularly in the days immediately following amendment. The initial composition of the different organic materials used, especially for the mature samples, and the texture of the receiving soil did not influence significantly the C mineralisation final values, with around 11–20% of the added organic C being mineralised over the first 140 days. However, the contribution of organic amendment to the labile organic C pool, maximum rates of soil respiration, as well as the extent of initial disturbance of the soil microbiota were all found to be related to the degree of organic matter stability. Moreover, irrespective of the type and stability of the organic amendment, the mineralogical composition of the receiving soil was found to significantly influence its resilience in such systems.     

Study of Graft Copolymerization of Soy Protein-Methyl Methacrylate: Preparation and Characterization of Grafted Films

Hybrid materials represent the family of compounds comprising mixtures of natural and synthetic materials. The study of this field is in a marked expansion since their preparation represents a valid methodology for optimizing the insufficient properties exhibited by materials integrally formed from naturally-occurring sources. In the present work, we describe soy protein modification by grafting reaction with methyl methacrylate. The reaction was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Analysis and Carbon Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. In addition, films were prepared with the material by heat compression. Films were physically and mechanically characterized by determining contact angle with water, total soluble matter, moisture content, swelling in water, water vapor permeability, tensile strength, elongation at break and Young’s modulus. These measurements suggest that the material increased its hydrophobic character as compared with that of the control film since marked reductions in water vapor permeability, swelling and water solubility were determined. Moreover, their mechanical properties were improved by obtaining a more rigid material. These results represent an interesting advance in the preparation of hybrid biocomposites.     

Hygienic quality of faeces treated in urine diverting vermicomposting toilets

On-site sanitation solutions have gained much interest in recent years. One such solution is the urine diverting vermicomposting toilet (UDVT). This study evaluated the hygienic quality of the composted material in six UDVTs in operation in France. Samples were taken from three sampling positions in each toilet, with increasing distance from the fresh material. The concentration of Salmonella spp., Enterococcus spp., thermotolarent coliforms and coliphages were analysed and plotted against a number of variables. The variables found to have the greatest impact was the pH (for Enterococcus spp. and thermotolarent coliforms (TTC)) and time since last maintenance (coliphages). The pH was found to correlate with the material maturity. The current practise of maintenance can cause recontamination of the stabilised material and increase the risk of regrowth of pathogenic microorganisms. A modification in the maintenance procedure, in which a fourth maturation point is introduced, would eliminate this risk. UDVTs were found to be a good on-site sanitation option as the maintenance requirement is small and the system effectively reduced odour and concentration of pathogen and indicator organisms in human waste while keeping the accumulation of material down to a minimum. If the vermicompost is to be used for crops consumed raw, an additional sanitisation step is recommended.     

Environmental pollutants: genetic damage and epigenetic changes in male germ cells

About a quarter of the human diseases occurs for exposure to air pollution. The male reproductive system, and especially spermatogenesis, seems to be particularly sensitive. As result, male infertility is increasing in industrial countries becoming a top priority for public health. In addition to psychological distress and economic constraints, poorer semen quality may have trans-generational effects including congenital malformations in the offspring and predispose to later onset adult diseases. Genetic and epigenetic alterations are involved in the failure of spermatogenesis. In this paper, we reviewed the major evidences of the effects of air pollutants on male infertility as well as the role of sperm DNA damage and epigenetic changes in affecting spermatogenesis. A better knowledge on the effects of air contaminants on the molecular mechanisms leading to infertility is of huge importance to help clinicians in identifying the cause of infertility but above all, in defining preventive and therapeutic protocols.     

Seasonal changes of locomotor activity patterns in ruin lizards Podarcis sicula

The daily pattern of locomotor activity of the ruin lizard Podarcis sicula in its natural environment changes from unimodal in spring (with only one activity peak per day) to bimodal in summer (with two well-separated activity peaks per day) and it becomes unimodal again in autumn. In order to establish whether such seasonal changes in pattern might be at least in part controlled by endogenous temporal programs, lizards were collected at different times of the year and immediately after capture their locomotor behavior was tested in the laboratory under constant temperature (29°C) and in darkness. For some individuals tested in the laboratory the locomotor pattern previously expressed in the field was known. Seasonal differences in pattern have been unequivocally found to have an endogenous component, as most lizards in constant conditions retained the locomotor pattern shown in the field during the same season. Besides, in the bimodal lizards the freerunning period of locomotor rhythms () was significantly shorter and circadian activity time (a) longer than in the unimodal ones. Altogether the data are compatible with the idea that both the interdependent changes of and a and the changes in locomotor pattern occurring seasonally in the circadian activity rhythms of P. sicula would depend on changes in the phase relationship between mutually coupled oscillators which drive these rhythms. Correspondence to: A. Foà     

波罗的海生态系统的概念化模型:用于环境决策的跨学科研究工具

为解决波罗的海地区与水体富营养化有关的环境和社会问题,加强该区域的跨学科研究的呼声越来越高.开展自然科学、社会经济学,以及管理学领域专家之间的合作是有必要的.解决不同领域专家之间相互交流的一个途径是建立一个内容广泛的概念模型,对富营养化进行综合性描述,并以可视化的方法将富营养化的起因、影响及多重关系连结起来.在现有的概念模型中,富营养化过程被分为1)起因;2)主要影响;3)次要影响;以及4)社会经济响应4个部分.对每一部分分别进行描述和讨论,并与其它层次和内容连结起来.通过模型可以看出从自然科学到人类社会间的可能途径,从而引出管理选项.作为例子,本文列举了对波罗的海富营养化的原因和影响进行观测与研究的关键文献,并对其提出的结论进行了讨论.     

Isolation and characterization of biarylic structure-degrading yeasts: hydroxylation potential of dibenzofuran

Yeast communities from heavily polluted sediments that received the discharge from oil refineries and other industries were studied. Yeast species were isolated from these sediments and their ability to degrade dibenzofuran were determined. Twenty-four different yeast strains were isolated and cultured on aromatic medium; two Candida krusei strains. Candida tenuis, Candida tropicalis, two Pichia anomala strains, Pichia haplophila, two Rhodotorula glutinis strains, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, two Trichosporon pullulans strains and Yarrowia lipolytica were able to hydroxylate dibenzofuran. Three metabolites were identified by HPLC analysis: 3-hydroxydibenzofuran was in all the cases the most abundant isomer, and while 4-hydroxydibenzofuran was also common, 2-hydroxydibenzofuran was detected in very small quantities and with few species. In the R. glutinis and Y. lipolytica cultures a ring cleavage product was also found. While in the R. gluttinis assays the hydroxydibenzofuran was detected earlier, at 2 days' incubation time, in the other yeast experiments they were observed at the 4-5th incubation days with the maximum amounts at the 7th day. Our results confirmed the ability of autochthonous yeast species to hydroxylate dibenzofuran and to cleave the rings, and it is the first report for C. krusei, C. tenuis, P. anomala, P. haplophila and R. mucilaginosa. The ecological relevance of this study is based on the fact that dibenzofuran is a xenobiotic not easily transformed, so the catabolic activities observed in authochonous yeasts contribute to broadening the biodegradable substrate spectrum.     

Assessment of Bilateral Thoracic Loading on the Near-Side Occupant Due to Occupant-to-Occupant Interaction in Vehicle Crash Tests

Objective: This study aims, by means of the WorldSID 50th percentile male, to evaluate thoracic loading and injury risk to the near-side occupant due to occupant-to-occupant interaction in combination with loading from an intruding structure.

Method: Nine vehicle crash tests were performed with a 50th percentile WorldSID male dummy in the near-side (adjacent to the intruding structure) seat and a THOR or ES2 dummy in the far-side (opposite the intruding structure) seat. The near-side seated WorldSID was equipped with 6 + 6 IR-Traccs (LH and RH) in the thorax/abdomen enabling measurement of bilateral deflection. To differentiate deflection caused by the intrusion, and the deflection caused by the neighboring occupant, time history curves were analyzed. The crash tests were performed with different modern vehicles, equipped with thorax side airbags and inflatable curtains, ranging from a compact car to a large sedan, and in different loading conditions such as car-to-car, barrier, and pole tests. Lateral delta V based on vehicle tunnel acceleration and maximum residual intrusion at occupant position were used as a measurement of crash severity to compare injury measurements.

Result: In the 9 vehicle crash tests, thoracic loading, induced by the intruding structure as well as from the far-side occupant, varied due to the size and structural performance of the car as well as the severity of the crash. Peak deflection on the thoracic outboard side occurred during the first 50 ms of the event. Between 70 to 150 ms loading induced by the neighboring occupant occurred and resulted in an inboard-side peak deflection and viscous criterion. In the tests where the target vehicle lateral delta V was below 30 km/h and intrusion less than 200 mm, deflections were low on both the outboard (20–40 mm) and inboard side (10–15 mm). At higher crash severities, delta V 35 km/h and above as well as intrusions larger than 350 mm, the inboard deflections (caused by interaction to the far-side occupant) were of the same magnitude or even higher (30–70 mm) than the outboard deflections (30–50 mm).

Conclusion: A WorldSID 50th percentile male equipped with bilateral IR-Traccs can detect loading to the thorax from a neighboring occupant making injury risk assessment feasible for this type of loading. At crash severities resulting in a delta V above 35 km/h and intrusions larger than 350 mm, both the inboard deflection and VC resulted in high risks of Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 3+ injury, especially for a senior occupant.