Characterizing noninvasively conservation status of historical wet collections using spatially offset Raman spectroscopy.

The Non-Arthropod Wet Type Collection consists of approximately 1660 lots of specimens spread across 13 phyla. The collection covers a range of taxa including Annelida (earthworms, leeches, bristle worms); Echinodermata (sea stars, brittle stars, sea cucumbers); Mollusca (snails, octopus, squid, cuttlefish); Porifera (sponges); Cnidaria (anemones, hydroids). The majority of specimens in the collection are preserved in 70% ethanol or 10% formalin. Being a collection of zoological type specimens, this collection is considered to be of high scientific value and is irreplaceable. Concerns over possible deterioration and a lack of documented history of preservation, led the Museums Victoria Marine Invertebrate Section and Conservation Department to undertake an audit to assess and document the current state of the collection. The aim of the assessment was to: establish baseline data covering the physical condition of specimens, jars and seals. assess the chemical properties of the preservation fluid. where required, undertake appropriate preventative and remedial treatment. data gathered from the audit will be loaded onto the museum’s database (EMu). As part of the audit, implementation of a storage location management system using Museums Victoria Wireless Input System for EMu (MVWISE) was incorporated into the project. Storage location management using MVWISE ensures that object and container records have their current Location updated in EMu when they are physically moved. Implementing object barcoding in a collection that is preserved in fluid where specimens are tiny and stored in vials is problematic. We report on the strategy used to overcome these issues without compromising the best practice for fluid preserved specimens. Advantages of barcoding the fluid preserved specimens of the Invertebrate Type Collection at Museums Victoria include the ability to easily audit the collection even when the taxonomic nomenclature has changed.

Oscillations of two superposed fluids in an open and flexible container

<p>The use of hydromulches in agriculture is being investigated nowdays by different research groups in their search for harmless materials which mainly exert a reasonable weed control and allow saving crop water consumption by reducing soil evaporation, both in open field as in container nurseries. To achieve these goals, these materials would avoid, or at least reduce, the use of chemical herbicides or plastic mulches derived of non-renewable sources, with the environmental, economy and energy effect it implies, aspects clearly appreciated in organic farming. However, one of the most important problems associated to the hydromulches is their degradation process and their useful life, because, due to their organic origin, may disappear early and therefore not fulfil their function.</p><p>For this reason, in both an intensive almond crop planted in the open field and in young olive trees grown in big containers, we evaluated the evolution and disintegration process of different mixtures based on by-products derived from the agricultural sector (barley straw, rice husk, rests from mushroom production, pruning wood chips), mixed with a binder and recycled paper paste and applied in liquid form on the ground with subsequent solidification (hydromulch). For that, we focused on the evolution of the continuous formation of cracks (shape and size), thickness, puncture resistance and ground cover by the material.</p><p>In summary, and a basis for future tests, the main conclusion derived from the results is the importance of keeping the hydromulch materials as dry as possible. We have been able to verify that, when the material gets wet (either by irrigation water, or by rain or fog), it softens, thus losing its puncture resistance and disappearing early. In addition, when the material becomes wet, the attack of the fauna (rabbits, wild boars, birds, etc.) intensifies, accelerating the process of deterioration of the hydromulch installed on the field. In relation to the materials tested, the hydromulches based on rests from mushroom production undergoes strong and early disintegration, integrating completely into the soil, especially in field conditions. The best results in terms of permanence and stability throughout the trials were obtained in rice husk and pruning wood chips, which would position these mixtures as interesting alternatives especially in container crops, important for nursery crops.</p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: hydromulches, deterioration, puncture resistance, organic farming.</p><p><strong>Acknowledgements</strong>: Project RTA2015-00047-C05-03 - INIA (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness).</p>

With the expansion of molecular techniques, the historical collections have become widely used. The last boom started with using next- and second-generation sequencing in which massive parallel sequencing replaced targeted sequencing and third-generation technology involves single molecule technology. Studying plant DNA using these modern molecular techniques plays an important role in understanding evolutionary relationships, identification through DNA barcoding, conservation status, and many other aspects of plant biology. Enormous herbarium collections are an important source of material especially for taxonomic long-standing issues, specimens from areas difficult to access or from taxa that are now extinct. The ability to utilize these specimens greatly enhances the research. However, the process of extracting DNA from herbarium specimens is often fraught with difficulty related to such variables as plant chemistry, drying method of the specimen, and chemical treatment of the specimen. The result of these applications is often fragmented DNA. The reason new sequencing approaches have been so successful is that the template DNA needs to be fragmented for proper library building, and herbarium DNA is exactly that. Although many methods have been developed for extraction of DNA from herbarium specimens, the most frequently used are modified CTAB and DNeasy Plant Mini Kit protocols. Nine selected protocols in this chapter have been successfully used for high-quality DNA extraction from different kinds of plant herbarium tissues. These methods differ primarily with respect to their requirements for input material (from algae to vascular plants), type of the plant tissue (leaves with incrustations, sclerenchyma strands, mucilaginous tissues, needles, seeds), and further possible applications (PCR-based methods, microsatellites, AFLP or next-generation sequencing).

By the summer of 2015 Naturalis Biodiversity Center had come to the end of a five-year digitization programme that aimed at digitally disclosing the entire collection of, at the time, 38 million objects. The result was a vast amount of collections data being made available to researchers, collection managers and the public. In order to utilize these data to their full extent, Naturalis has in the past few years been developing the Netherlands Biodiversity Data Services (NBDS). These services “speak” not only to our digitized collection, but to other sources of information as well and lets us query and use these data in a centralized manner. While the NBDS open up a lot of possibilities for i.e. communication, exhibition, education, policy making, etc., a very important field for its application is collection management. Instead of managing (at this point) 41 million individual objects, the NBDS could provide insight into custom aggregations of data to further professionalize decision making. Not only detailed information about taxonomy, gathering events and collection history can be provided, one can also think about quantifying use, conservation status, change in collection-size over time, etc. Some examples of application for collections management will be given during the presentation and illustrated with a collections dashboard. Even though we have made great progress in digitization, certain parts of our collection are not digitized to specimen-level and to various degrees of completeness, parts of the physical collection are not identified to species level, not all data are consistent or properly validated, etc. But instead of this limiting the applicability of the NBDS, the data service can be used as a tool to pinpoint these areas for improvement and to allow collection management to properly address and prioritize them. This presentation ultimately deals with the potential the NBDSNBA has for managing collections, both physical as digital, and enhancing their quality and value.

Yuzammi. 2018. The diversity of aroids (Araceae) in Bogor Botanic Gardens, Indonesia: Collection, conservation and utilization. Biodiversitas 19: 140-152. Bogor Botanic Gardens is an ex-situ conservation centre, covering an area of 87 ha, with 12,376 plant specimens, collected from Indonesia and other tropical countries throughout the world. One of the richest collections in the Gardens comprises members of the aroid family (Araceae). The aroids are planted in several garden beds as well as in the nursery. They have been collected from the time of the Dutch era until now. These collections were obtained from botanical explorations throughout the forests of Indonesia and through seed exchange with botanic gardens around the world. Several of the Bogor aroid collections represent ‘living types’, such as Scindapsus splendidus Alderw., Scindapsus mamilliferus Alderw. and Epipremnum falcifolium Engl. These have survived in the garden from the time of their collection up until the present day. There are many aroid collections in the Gardens that have potentialities not widely recognised. The aim of this study is to reveal the diversity of aroids species in the Bogor Botanic Gardens, their scientific value, their conservation status, and their potential as ornamental plants, medicinal plants and food. The methods of the research include direct observation in the garden and nursery collections, analysis of the Gardens’ long-term registration database, as well as herbarium studies in both the Herbarium Bogoriense and the Gardens’own herbarium. A total of 130 species of aroids belonging to 36 genera have been cultivated in the Bogor Botanic Gardens. It is estimated that the gardens has 29% of the total number of genera in the world (21 genera are native to Indonesia). The aroid collection consists of terrestrial plants, aquatic plants and climbing plants (61 species, 12 species and 57 species, respectively). Amorphophallus paeoniifolius has developed further as a food plant. Genera such as Aglaonema, Alocasia, Apoballis, Rhaphidophora and Scindapsus have long been used as ornamental plants. Futhermore, some Homalomena species can be extracted for essential oils, while Epipremnum pinnatum has application in the treatment of cancer. Descriptions of some endemic, rare and high value species are discussed in this paper.

Copper(II), nickel(II) and zinc(II) complexes of various peptide fragments of tau protein were studied by potentiometric and spectroscopic techniques. All peptides contained one histidyl residue and represented the sequences of tau(91–97) (Ac-AQPHTEI-NH2), tau(385–390) (Ac-KTDHGA-NH2) and tau(404–409) (Ac-SPRHLS-NH2). Imidazole-N donors of histidine were the primary metal binding sites for all peptides and all metal ions, but in the case of copper(II) and nickel(II), the deprotonated amide groups were also involved in metal binding by increasing pH. The most stable complexes were formed with copper(II) ions, but the presence of prolyl residues resulted in significant changes in the thermodynamic stability and speciation of the systems. It was also demonstrated that nickel(II) and especially zinc(II) complexes have relatively low thermodynamic stability with these peptides. The copper(II)-catalyzed oxidation of the peptides was also studied. In the presence of H2O2, the fragmentation of peptides was detected in all cases. In the simultaneous presence of H2O2 and ascorbic acid, the fragmentation of the peptide is less preferred, and the formation of 2-oxo-histidine also occurs.

Previous studies by our group have shown that albumin is metabolized in rodents during renal passage and excreted in the urine as a mixture of intact protein and albumin-derived fragments. The aim of this study was to examine whether albumin is metabolized during renal passage in nondiabetic volunteers and in type 1 diabetic patients with varying levels of albuminuria. Nine nondiabetic normoalbuminuric volunteers and 11 type 1 diabetic patients with albumin excretion rates varying from normoalbuminuria to macroalbuminuria were studied. Each subject received an intravenous injection of tritium-labeled albumin ([3H]-albumin). Urine was collected at 4 h and 24 h after injection and analyzed by size exclusion chromatography. The amount of intact and fragmented albumin was quantified, and each fraction was analyzed by radioimmunoassay (RIA) for albumin. [3H]-albumin in nondiabetic volunteers was metabolized during renal passage to small peptide fragments not detectable by conventional RIA (only 0.05-3.8% of the total urinary radioactivity was associated with intact albumin). The process responsible for albumin fragmentation was similar in diabetic patients with normoalbuminuria (intact albumin represented 0.01-4.0% of total urinary radioactivity). However, there was a reduction in the fragmentation ratio (fragmented:intact) in diabetic patients with micro- or macroalbuminuria (intact albumin represented 2.7-55.5%, P = 0.048). This change in the fragmentation ratio was directly related to the degree of albuminuria. These results have important implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying albuminuria in nondiabetic volunteers and type 1 diabetic patients. In nondiabetic volunteers, the renal processing of albumin involves a relatively rapid and comprehensive degradation of albumin to small fragments (range 1-15 kDa). The degradation process is inhibited in diabetic nephropathy in proportion to the level of albuminuria detected by RIA.

The elm family (Ulmaceae) is a woody plant group with important scientific, societal, and economic value. We aim to present the first biogeographic synthesis investigating the global diversity, distribution, ecological preferences, and the conservation status of Ulmaceae. A literature review was performed to explore the available data for all extant species. Our study made it possible to map the actual global distribution of Ulmaceae with high precision, and to elucidate the centers of diversity, located mainly in China and in the southeastern USA. A detailed comparative analysis of the macroclimatic niche for each species was produced, which shows the general biogeographic pattern of the family and pinpoints the outlier species. The results corroborate recent molecular analyses and support the division of Ulmaceae into two taxonomically, biogeographically, and ecologically well-differentiated groups: the so-called temperate clade with 4 genera and 43 species and the tropical clade with 3 genera and 13 species. The elm family is often described as a typical temperate plant group, however the diversity peak of all Ulmaceae is located in the subtropical zone, and a non-negligible part of the family is exclusively distributed in the tropics. We also noticed that a high proportion of Ulmaceae is linked to humid macro- or microhabitats. Finally, we highlighted that nearly 25% of all Ulmaceae are threatened. Fieldwork, conservation efforts, and research activities are still necessary for this family, particularly for the tropical members and the most endangered species.

A sealed container for the geological disposal of spent nuclear fuel and vitrified high-level waste is the only component of a deep geological repository that provides complete containment of radionuclides. As such, attention is focused on its lifetime. The lifetime of the container is influenced by material degradation processes during disposal and is typically of the order of several millennia and, for some container materials, up to one million years. Designing, manufacturing, and predicting the performance of containers over such long periods requires an in-depth understanding of their material properties, fabrication processes, and degradation mechanisms. Scientific and technological progress can improve both the performance of containers and the robustness of lifetime predictions. Optimization of these aspects is of primary importance for many national radioactive waste disposal programs. In this article, the state of the art of complex coupled degradation processes, as well as the optimization potential of novel container materials, is presented. Furthermore, the existing tools allowing the prediction of long-term barrier integrity are discussed.

Chemical and microbial storage stability studies and shelf life determinations of commercial Brazilian biodiesels stored in carbon steel containers in subtropical conditions

BackgroundThis study examines the destiny of macromolecules in different full-scale biogas processes. From previous studies it is clear that the residual organic matter in outgoing digestates can have significant biogas potential, but the factors dictating the size and composition of this residual fraction and how they correlate with the residual methane potential (RMP) are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to generate additional knowledge of the composition of residual digestate fractions and to understand how they correlate with various operational and chemical parameters. The organic composition of both the substrates and digestates from nine biogas plants operating on food waste, sewage sludge, or agricultural waste was characterized and the residual organic fractions were linked to substrate type, trace metal content, ammonia concentration, operational parameters, RMP, and enzyme activity.ResultsCarbohydrates represented the largest fraction of the total VS (32–68%) in most substrates. However, in the digestates protein was instead the most abundant residual macromolecule in almost all plants (3–21 g/kg). The degradation efficiency of proteins generally lower (28–79%) compared to carbohydrates (67–94%) and fats (86–91%). High residual protein content was coupled to recalcitrant protein fractions and microbial biomass, either from the substrate or formed in the degradation process. Co-digesting sewage sludge with fat increased the protein degradation efficiency with 18%, possibly through a priming mechanism where addition of easily degradable substrates also triggers the degradation of more complex fractions. In this study, high residual methane production (> 140 L CH4/kg VS) was firstly coupled to operation at unstable process conditions caused mainly by ammonia inhibition (0.74 mg NH3-N/kg) and/or trace element deficiency and, secondly, to short hydraulic retention time (HRT) (55 days) relative to the slow digestion of agricultural waste and manure.ConclusionsOperation at unstable conditions was one reason for the high residual macromolecule content and high RMP. The outgoing protein content was relatively high in all digesters and improving the degradation of proteins represents one important way to increase the VS reduction and methane production in biogas plants. Post-treatment or post-digestion of digestates, targeting microbial biomass or recalcitrant protein fractions, is a potential way to achieve increased protein degradation.

Water pollution is reaching alarming levels recently and there is no longer any option to neglect developing an efficient wastewater treatment to protect our sustainable life. Among the harmful water pollutants, removal of synthetic dyes in textile wastewater is the most difficult process due to the high thermal and chemical stability of synthetic dyes. The high stability of synthetic dyes is a very serious issue because the degradation process is time-consuming. Furthermore, the high chemical stability of synthetic dyes also heightens the possibility of synthetic dyes spreading into a wider ecosystem and reaching the food chain. Because of the potential dangers, effort in the removal of synthetic dyes must be carefully considered. We summarized the recently published research on calixarenes and carbon nanotubes as promising aromatic-based synthetic macromolecules for synthetic dyes adsorption from both artificial and real textile wastewater samples through a commonly-used adsorption process. The adsorption process, well-known as the simplest removal technique, offers an easy operation and regeneration process. Furthermore, aromatic-based synthetic macromolecules, such as calixarenes and carbon nanotubes, exhibit high chemical and thermal stability as well as remarkable adsorption capability for synthetic dyes in textile wastewater treatment. Therefore, the aromatic-based synthetic macromolecules are potential candidates for textile wastewater treatment in the real-world applications.KeywordsDyesAdsorptionAdsorbentMaterialCalixareneCarbon nanotubeSupramoleculeAromaticSynthetic macromoleculesTextile wastewater

The presented study aimed at the evaluation of the chemical stability properties of cilazapril during isothermal kinetic tests, subsequent identification of the degradation product and proposition of a probable mechanism of cilazapril degradation. Identification analyses gave undeniable evidence that cilazapril degrades in course of deesterification reaction forming cilazaprilat. This transformation has negative implications, since cilazaprilat, although biologically active, is not capable of being absorbed from gastrointestinal tract. Thermal analyses pointed out that the kinetic model of cilazapril degradation in solid state depends on the presence of moisture in the surrounding environment. Under the conditions of increased relative humidity levels, changes in cilazapril concentration during the degradation process can be expressed by the Prout–Tompkins relationship. The decomposition process occurs more rapidly, while increasing both the relative humidity (lnk = (0.036 ± 0.006) RH - (13.53 ± 0.23)) and the temperature (lnk = (−20025.3 ± 2500.3) 1/T + (44.21 ± 7.19)). On the other hand, the lack of moisture in air generates a change in the kinetic model of reaction. In the absence of humidity, a different reaction model is suggested with two reaction stages. Here the increase of temperature also affects both stages of the reaction in linear semi-logarithmic way (lnk1 = (−10394.4 ± 1976.8) 1/T + (15.15 ± 5.18) and lnk2 = (−13255.9 ± 2679.2) 1/T + (20.82 ± 7.02)). The obtained results enabled a comparison with other angiotensin enzyme inhibitors similar in structure, which showed that cilazapril in the solid state is characterized by the best chemical stability (Ea = 166.50 ± 20.79 kJ mol−1).

Sugarcane juice mediated eco-friendly synthesis of visible light active zinc ferrite nanoparticles: Application to degradation of mixed dyes and antibacterial activities