Insights into the changes of amino acids,microbial community,and enzymatic activities related with the nutrient quality of product during the composting of food waste

● The highest seed germination index was achieved at 0.3 g/g total solids of food waste. ● Proline was identified as the key amino acid related with the composting process. ● Amino acid metabolism sequences predominated during the whole composting process. This study systematically investigated the changes of amino acids as the composting process of food waste proceeded. It is found that the addition of 0.3 g/g total solids of food waste achieved the highest seed germination index of the product (268 %). The microbial community results indicated that the abundance of amino acid metabolism sequences remained at high levels during the whole composting process. Proline was identified as the key amino acid related with the nutrient quality of product during the composting of food waste. Further plant germination and hydroponic experiments found, that compared with those without the addition of proline, the addition of 50 mg/L proline increased seed germination rate by 20 %, increased shoot length by 3 %, increased root biomass of seedlings by 82 %, and increased leaf biomass of seedlings by 76 %, respectively. Firmicutes, γ-Pseudomonadota, Chloroflexi and Planctomycetes were the key identified bacteria related with the increase of proline during the composting of food waste. Meanwhile, the enzymatic tests of the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and malondialdehyde indicated that proline did not cause oxidative damage on the growth of plants. This study provided novel insights into the changes of amino acids, microbial community, and enzymatic activities related with the nutrient quality of product during the composting of food waste.     

In vitro effects of lead on fatty acid composition,oxidative stress biomarkers and quality of ram spermatozoa

The sperm quality and several parameters associated with oxidative stress were evaluated in ram (Ovis aries) spermatozoa suspensions incubated with 0, 50 or 500 ng/mL Pb during 0, 1, 3 or 6 h. The presence of Pb during incubation, reduced the integrity of the acrosome, % sperm motility and integrity, and the functionality of membrane. On the contrary, % polyunsaturated fatty acids and the activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in the spermatozoa suspensions were not affected by Pb. Moreover, glutathione peroxidase activity was decreased and the fatty acid composition changed due to the relative increase in % stearic acid during the incubation time independently on Pb presence. Data showed that several effects of Pb on sperm quality usually observed in vivo also occurred in vitro, but without any relationship with oxidative stress biomarkers.     

The effects of license plate-based driving restrictions on air quality: Theory and empirical evidence

A typical driving restriction prohibits drivers from using their vehicles on given weekdays, based on the last digits of their vehicles’ license plates. A number of cities in developing countries have used license plate-based driving restrictions as a policy for reducing urban air pollution and traffic congestion. This paper develops a theoretical model of the effects of license plate-based driving restrictions on air quality that combines an economic model with information about the sources and atmospheric chemistry of different air pollutants. We then draw upon suggestive empirical evidence from license plate-based driving restrictions implemented in Bogotá, Colombia. Consistent with our theory model, we find suggestive empirical evidence that under certain circumstances, due to substitution, the purchase of a second car, the use of alternative modes of transportation, and/or atmospheric chemistry, it is possible for license plate-based driving restrictions to increase air pollution. Also consistent with our theory, we find that license plate-based driving restrictions may have different effects on different air pollutants, reflecting heterogeneity in the sources and atmospheric chemistry of the pollutants. In particular, owing to atmospheric chemistry, it is possible for a license plate-based driving restriction to cause a significant decrease in NO and a significant increase in NO₂, NO_x, and O₃.     

水库疏浚底泥农用对芥菜生长和品质的影响

疏浚底泥重金属污染是限制底泥农用的主要因素。采用土培盆栽试验,研究了底泥与土壤按不同质量比混合,对芥菜生物量、重金属、硝酸盐、维生素C（Vc）、以及可溶性糖含量的影响;并研究了m（底泥）：m（土壤）=2：1时,施加20mg·kg-1的碳酸钙对土壤有效态重金属含量影响,以及对芥菜生物量和品质的影响。结果表明：加入水库底泥可以显著促进芥菜的生长,随着底泥加入比例的增加,芥菜地上部生物量表现出先上升后降低的趋势,以m（底泥）：m（土壤）=2：1芥菜地上部生物量最高,是对照的1.71倍。底泥处理均能显著地增加芥菜地上部重金属含量,其中以全底泥处理芥菜地上部鲜质量Zn、Cd质量分数最高,分别是53.3、0.595mg·kg-1,是食品卫生标准的2.67、2.98倍。施用底泥可以提高芥菜地上部Vc、降低其硝酸盐含量。在m（底泥）：m（土壤）=2：1的土壤上,施入20mg·kg-1的碳酸钙处理可以显著降低土壤有效态重金属质量分数,有效态Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd质量分数分别下降到对照的58.7%、75.4%、59.8%、44.0%,从而有效地降低了芥菜对重金属的吸收积累,施加碳酸钙处理后,芥菜地上部Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd分别下降66.1%、83.2%、70.5%、53.1%。施加碳酸钙处理不仅可以促进芥菜生长还可以提高芥菜品质,与对照相比施加20mg·kg-1的碳酸钙处理后,芥菜生物量、可溶性糖质量分数、Vc质量分数分别增加了3.2%、6.0%、27.5%,而地上部硝酸盐质量分数降低了24.4%。     

Effect of food location and quality on recruitment sounds and success in two stingless bees,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Melipona mandacaia</Emphasis> and<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Melipona bicolor</Emphasis>

It is unclear whether stingless bees in the genus Melipona (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) can reliably encode the distance to a food source through recruitment sounds produced inside the nest, in part because the sound features correlated with distance also vary with food quality. We therefore trained marked foragers of two species, Melipona mandacaia and M. bicolor, to feeders at different distances and to different sucrose concentrations at the same distance. In both species, foragers successfully recruited to a rich 2.5-m food source and produced pulsed recruitment sounds in which pulse duration was significantly and positively correlated with distance to the rich food source. When returning from poorer food sources (0.6–1.5 m), foragers of both species decreased sound production, producing shorter sound pulses and longer sound interpulses than they did for 2.5 m food located at the same distance. Thus the temporal structure of M. mandacaia and M. bicolor recruitment sounds varies with distance and food quality. However, nestmates were not recruited by performances for poorer food sources (0.6–1.5 m), whose sucrose concentration was sufficiently low to affect recruitment sounds. Surprisingly, the interphase (the time between behavioral phases that communicate location) also increases with decreasing food quality in the closely related honeybees (Apis), suggesting a potential homology in the effect of food quality on the recruitment systems of Apis and Melipona. We explore the evolutionary implications of these similarities.Communicated by M. Giurfa     

The effects of catchment land use on water quality and macroinvertebrate assemblages in Otara Creek,New Zealand

The effect of catchment land use on water quality and macroinvertebrate communities was examined by using data gathered during a 2004 reconnaissance of nine sites in the Otara Creek, New Zealand. Data collected included macroinvertebrate, water chemistry and sediments characteristics. Macroinvertebrate data were used in metric and index calculations. A total of 61 macroinvertebrate taxa, with 3032 total individuals, were identified from the macroinvertebrates samples collected from nine sites in Otara Creek. The greatest number of macroinvertebrate taxa was recorded within bush sites (mean>25), while the urban sites had the least number of taxa (mean=10). Pasture sites were intermediate with the mean>17. Taxa number differed significantly across land use. Mean macroinvertebrates abundance varied across the sites and land uses. The highest macroinvertebrates mean abundance was recorded in urban and pasture sites, while bush sites had significantly lower mean abundance. Physico-chemical parameters decreased from bush toward urban streams. Biotic indices were sensitive to changes in macroinvertebrates community structure across land uses with mean scores decreasing from bush to urban and pasture streams. Ordination of biological data showed a clear separation of bush from urban and pastures streams. Analysis of similarities revealed significant differences in macroinvertebrates between both stream groups and land-use groups. The observed macroinvertebrate assemblage pattern was best correlated with a single variable, conductivity, temperature, turbidity, nitrate and dissolved oxygen. The combination of these environmental variables best explained the changes in the macroinvertebrate assemblages between sites. This study demonstrates that catchment land use may significantly affect the water quality and macroinvertebrate communities in an ecosystem.