OVERCOMING THE NATION'S BEST LANDSCAPED SEWER: RECREATORS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER1

ABSTRACT: Once referred to as America's “best landscaped sewer,” the Connecticut has undergone a dramatic transformation in the last three decades. During this time, a number of public agencies and private organizations have worked diligently to implement policies and measures aimed at improving the river's quality. Ample data collected over the years indicate that the actual water quality conditions of the Connecticut River, as measured by empirical parameters, have improved. However, prior to this study, no data existed regarding the public's perceptions of these changes. This paper will address this issue by presenting the results of a multiyear survey designed to assess the public's perceptions regarding the Connecticut's current quality, and its suitability in supporting various recreational activities. The results suggest that the majority of individuals perceive the Connecticut's water quality to be high enough to support a wide range of recreational activities including those involving physical contact with the water. Additionally, this research concludes that the vast majority of individuals who have recreated on the river for 20 years or more do perceive a significant improvement in the river's overall quality. Thus, it appears that policies and actions taken to improve the Connecticut's quality have been successful in the public's eye.     

SARS-CoV-2 in the context of past coronaviruses epidemics: Consideration for prenatal care

Since December 2019, the novel SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has resulted in millions of cases and more than 200 000 deaths worldwide. The clinical course among nonpregnant women has been described, but data about potential risks for women and their fetus remain scarce. The SARS and MERS epidemics were responsible for miscarriages, adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes, and maternal deaths. For COVID-19 infection, only nine cases of maternal death have been reported as of 22 April 2020, and pregnant women seem to develop the same clinical presentation as the general population. However, severe maternal cases, as well as prematurity, fetal distress, and stillbirth among newborns have been reported. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic greatly impacts prenatal management and surveillance and raise the need for clear unanimous guidelines. In this narrative review, we describe the current knowledge about coronaviruses (SARS, MERS, and SARS-CoV-2) risks and consequences on pregnancies, and we summarize available current candidate therapeutic options for pregnant women. Finally, we compare current guidance proposed by The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the World Health Organization to give an overview of prenatal management which should be utilized until future data appear.     

等应变速率拉伸测m值的方法

此文介绍了一种应变速率恒定条件下测应变速率敏感指数m值的方法,其特点是严格、直观、准确.     

Toxic effects of the ingestion of water-soluble elements found in soil under the atmospheric influence of an industrial complex

In this study, we investigated the toxic effects of water-soluble elements from a contaminated soil via gavage in a single dose, simulating a geophagy event. The contaminated soil was collected in a field located in an industrial complex, and the control soil was collected in a reference area. Metabolic and behavioral parameters in Wistar male rats were measured after 24 and 96 h of gavage. After 96 h, the major organs were weighed, blood was collected to check hematological parameters, the bone marrow was taken for the micronucleus test, and the liver was used for evaluating the total antioxidant capacity, lipoperoxidation and protein carbonylation. Animals exposed to contaminated soil presented a few significant alterations by comparison with control animals: TBARS and protein carbonyl levels increased, the relative weight of the kidneys increased, metabolic parameters (body weight gain, food intake, water consumption, urine and feces production) depressed and there was behavioral alteration. These findings suggest that soils impacted by atmospheric contaminants can affect the organism physiological status jeopardizing the health of populations living in industrial areas. Finally, this study reassures that ingestion of potentially contaminated soils, even for short periods of time, can cause health risks.     

Effects of lead exposure on salivary glands of rats: insights into the oxidative biochemistry and glandular morphology

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study aimed to investigate the effects of lead (Pb) exposure on parotid and submandibular glands through morphological aspects as well as the...     

Effects of development of wind energy and associated changes in land use on bird densities in upland areas

Wind energy development is the most recent of many pressures on upland bird communities and their habitats. Studies of birds in relation to wind energy development have focused on effects of direct mortality, but the importance of indirect effects (e.g., displacement, habitat loss) on avian community diversity and stability is increasingly being recognized. We used a control-impact study in combination with a gradient design to assess the effects of wind farms on upland bird densities and on bird species grouped by habitat association (forest and open-habitat species). We conducted 506 point count surveys at 12 wind-farm and 12 control sites in Ireland during 2 breeding seasons (2012 and 2013). Total bird densities were lower at wind farms than at control sites, and the greatest differences occurred close to turbines. Densities of forest species were significantly lower within 100 m of turbines than at greater distances, and this difference was mediated by habitat modifications associated with wind-farm development. In particular, reductions in forest cover adjacent to turbines was linked to the observed decrease in densities of forest species. Open-habitat species’ densities were lower at wind farms but were not related to distance from turbines and were negatively related to size of the wind farm. This suggests that, for these species, wind-farm effects may occur at a landscape scale. Our findings indicate that the scale and intensity of the displacement effects of wind farms on upland birds depends on bird species’ habitat associations and that the observed effects are mediated by changes in land use associated with wind-farm construction. This highlights the importance of construction effects and siting of turbines, tracks, and other infrastructure in understanding the impacts of wind farms on biodiversity.     

Trophic and reproductive biochemistry of a deep-sea gelatinous octopus, Opisthoteuthis calypso

The present study provides a comprehensive analysis of the biochemical composition (proximate composition, amino acids and fatty acids in gonad, digestive gland and muscle) of the cirrate octopod, Opisthoteuthis calypso, collected off the coast of Portugal. Protein and energy contents of O. calypso were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those observed for coastal octopods, suggesting that the gelatinous musculature of the cirrate octopus may not be a direct consequence of food limitation, but rather associated with reduced selective pressure for strong swimming ability in the deep sea. Moreover, principal component analyses of fatty acid (FA) data clearly separated coastal octopods from O. calypso. Saturated FA biomarkers (namely 16:0, 17:0, 18:0) and monounsaturated FA 22:1 suggest a higher phytodetrital influence on diet of O. calypso. A clear separation between groups was also observed with amino acid (AA) data. However, essential AA and non-essential AA designations (based on the flow of carbon through biochemical systems) do not necessarily provide an accurate picture of the origins of amino nitrogen in the deep-sea environment. Consequently, the interpretation of the present data is a challenging task but opens a new window of opportunity to unravel new trophic biomarkers in the deep sea.     

Toxicological effects of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine on electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) acetylcholinesterase and human serum butyrylcholinesterase

This study examined the adverse effects of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED) on electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and human serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Data show that TEMED inhibited AChE in electric eel as well as human serum BChE. Kinetic studies indicated that the inhibition produced by TEMED in both sources was of mixed type, i.e. K_m increased and V _max decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. K_I (constant of ChE–substrate–TEMED complex into ChE–substrate complex and TEMED) was estimated to be 0.674 mM for electric eel and 0.024 mM for human serum BChE. The γK_m (dissociation constant of ChE–substrate–TEMED complex into ChE–TEMED complex and substrate) was 0.083 and 0.2 mM for electric eel AChE and human serum BChE, respectively. The IC₅₀ for electric eel and for human serum ChE was 1.57 and 0.043 mM, respectively. The present results suggest that TEMED produced adverse effects on electric eel and human serum via inhibition of ChE.