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Today, metal nanoparticles are being incorporated into soil through several routes, where they could alter the sorption behavior of other contaminants such as pesticides. Therefore, a short assay was carried out through sorption isotherms to evaluate the effect of copper nanoparticles (NCu) and copper sulfate (as the bulk form) at 50, 100, and 200 mg kg −1 on the sorption capacity of two commonly applied fungicides (carbendazim and iprodione) onto two agricultural soils, contrasting in organic matter content (2% and 14%) and texture (sandy and loamy) respectively. The isotherms were well described using the Freundlich model ( R 2  > 0.95). Interestingly, at low organic matter, the pesticide sorption was notoriously increased in the presence of copper. However, NCu caused a minimal dose-dependent effect compared with their bulk form. Conversely, at high organic matter, the sorption was slightly altered by the presence of NCu. These findings constitute the first evidence that copper nanoparticles applied to agricultural soils can modify the sorption behavior of fungicides, which might increase their permanence in the environment. However, more detailed studies should be carried out in order to understand the interaction mechanisms between NCu/pesticides/soil and consequently their potential environmental risks. Graphical Abstracts \".\"

Background The dynamics of phosphorus (P) in the environment is important for regulating nutrient cycles in natural and managed ecosystems and an integral part in assessing biological resilience against environmental change. Organic P (Po) compounds play key roles in biological and ecosystems function in the terrestrial environment being critical to cell function, growth and reproduction. Scope We asked a group of experts to consider the global issues associated with Po in the terrestrial environment, methodological strengths and weaknesses, benefits to be gained from understanding the Po cycle, and to set priorities for Po research. Conclusions We identified seven key opportunities for Po research including: the need for integrated, quality controlled and functionally based methodologies; assessment of stoichiometry with other elements in organic matter; understanding the dynamics of Po in natural and managed systems; the role of microorganisms in controlling Po cycles; the implications of nanoparticles in the environment and the need for better modelling and communication of the research. Each priority is discussed and a statement of intent for the Po research community is made that highlights there are key contributions to be made toward understanding biogeochemical cycles, dynamics and function of natural ecosystems and the management of agricultural systems.

The Valparaiso Region is characterized by the presence of air sheds that modulate the general atmospheric circulation with local winds. The ozone concentration in the region increases from the west coast toward the mountainous area, where the concentrations of ozone precursors are lower. In this study, surface ozone (O 3 ), nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide (NO x ), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured at four sites, including two upwind urban sites (Viña del Mar (VM) and Villa Alemana (VA)), an upwind suburban site (Quillota (QU)) and a downwind semirural site (Los Andes (LA)) during 01 March–07 April 2010. The purpose of this study is to improve our understanding of the photochemistry of ozone in urban and semirural areas of the Valparaiso Region and the transport of ozone pollution in downwind rural areas. The results show that, in the VM and VA sites, higher concentrations of ozone precursors, NO x , and VOCs, are observed in the early morning hours, which is related to emissions from vehicle traffic, while comparatively lower ozone precursor concentrations are observed in QU and LA. In contrast, higher ozone concentrations are found in LA and QU, and lower concentrations are found in VM and VA. VOC analysis was performed by gas chromatography, and the results show that the VOC composition in the studied sites is similar to and coincident with vehicle emissions. An ozone formation regime limited by VOCs is found in the area. The leading contributors to the ozone-forming potential were ethene, propene, xylene, and toluene, which are also anthropogenic species and account for more than 70 % of O 3 formation. Thus, benzenes–toluene–xylenes played the most important role in O 3 formation, followed by alkenes, alkanes, aromatic, biogenic, and alkynes during the study periods. The m -, p -xylene/ethylbenzene relation confirms the reception of aged air masses in LA. The results of the present study demonstrate that ozone pollution is a regional problem and that O 3 regional transport is associated with such pollution. Finally, the results indicate the need to adopt mitigating measures for ozone pollution that consider the reactivity characteristics of VOCs.

Background:Preterm newborns can be exposed early to significant perinatal stress, and this stress can increase the risk of altered socioemotional development. Sustained social withdrawal in infants is an early indicator of emotional distress which is expressed by low reactivity to the environment, and if persistent, is frequently associated with altered psychological development. Infants born prematurely have a higher probability of developing sustained social withdrawal (adjusted odds ratio 1.84, 95% CI 1.04-3.26) than infants born full term, and there is a correlation between weight at birth and sustained social withdrawal at 12 months of age.Objective:The aims of this study are to compare the effect of the interactive guidance intervention to that of routine pediatric care on sustained social withdrawal in infants born moderately or late preterm and to explore the relationship between sustained social withdrawal in these infants and factors such as neonatal intensive care unit hospitalization variables, parental depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms.Methods:This study is designed as a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Moderate and late preterm newborns and their parents were recruited and randomized (1:1 allocation ratio) to control and experimental groups. During neonatal intensive care unit hospitalization, daily duration of skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, and parental visits were recorded. Also, a daily score for neonatal pain and painful invasive procedures were recorded. After discharge from neonatal intensive care, for the duration of the study, both groups will attend follow-up consultations with neonatologists at 2, 6, and 12 months of age (corrected for gestational age) and will receive routine pediatric care. Every consultation will be recorded and assessed with the Alarm Distress Baby Scale to detect sustained social withdrawal (indicated by a score of 5 or higher). The neonatologists will perform an interactive guidance intervention if an infant in the intervention group exhibits sustained social withdrawal. In each follow-up consultation, parents will fill out the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the modified Perinatal Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Questionnaire, and the Impact of Event Scale–revised.Results:Recruitment for this trial started in September 2017. As of May 2020, we have completed enrollment (N=110 infants born moderately or late preterm). We aim to publish the results by mid-2021.Conclusions:This is the first randomized controlled trial with a sample of infants born moderately or late preterm infants who will attend pediatric follow-up consultations during their first year (corrected for gestational age at birth) with neonatologists trained in the Alarm Distress Baby Scale and who will receive this interactive guidance intervention. If successful, this early intervention will show significant potential to be implemented in both public and private health care, given its low cost of training staff and that the intervention takes place during routine pediatric follow-up.Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03212547; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03212547.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID):DERR1-10.2196/17943

Here, the dynamics of phosphorus (P) in the environment is important for regulating nutrient cycles in natural and managed ecosystems and an integral part in assessing biological resilience against environmental change. Organic P (Po) compounds play key roles in biological and ecosystems function in the terrestrial environment being critical to cell function, growth and reproduction. We asked a group of experts to consider the global issues associated with Po in the terrestrial environment, methodological strengths and weaknesses, benefits to be gained from understanding the Po cycle, and to set priorities for Po research. In conclusion, we identified seven key opportunities for Po research including: the need for integrated, quality controlled and functionally based methodologies; assessment of stoichiometry with other elements in organic matter; understanding the dynamics of Po in natural and managed systems; the role of microorganisms in controlling Po cycles; the implications of nanoparticles in the environment and the need for better modelling and communication of the research. Each priority is discussed and a statement of intent for the Po research community is made that highlights there are key contributions to be made toward understanding biogeochemical cycles, dynamics and function of natural ecosystems and the management of agricultural systems.

We sought to determine whether there was an association between specific neuropsychiatric deficits and autonomic dysfunction in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). We studied 20 patients and 20 age-matched control subjects with neuropsychiatric tests (Blessed, Cornell depression and NPI scores) and autonomic tests (Deep breath (HRdb), 30:15 ratio and orthostatic hypotension (Bpoh)). The 30:15 ratio was consistently reduced in AD patients as compared to control subjects (1.05+/-0.07 for patients and 1.18+/-0.1 for controls, p 0.001). Whereas there were no significant differences in the HRdb and presence of Bpoh. In AD patients with an abnormal 30:15 ratio, there were significant abnormalities in the Blessed score and in the apathy, delusions and aberrant motor behavior items of the NPI. The other autonomic tests did not correlate with any neuropsychiatric score. The relationship between abnormal cortical function and impaired 30:15 ratio suggested that a lack of cortical modulation of autonomic circuits may underlie cardiovascular instability in these patients.

Tropospheric ozone results from in situ chemical formation and stratosphere–troposphere exchange (STE), with the latter being more important in the middle and upper troposphere than in the lower troposphere. Ozone photochemical formation is nonlinear and results from the oxidation of methane and non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) in the presence of nitrogen oxide (NOx=NO+NO2). Previous studies showed that O3 short- and long-term trends are nonlinearly controlled by near-surface anthropogenic emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and nitrogen oxides, which may also be impacted by the long-range transport (LRT) of O3 and its precursors. In addition, several studies have demonstrated the important role of STE in enhancing ozone levels, especially in the midlatitudes. In this article, we investigate tropospheric ozone spatial variability and trends from 2005 to 2019 and relate those to ozone precursors on global and regional scales. We also investigate the spatiotemporal characteristics of the ozone formation regime in relation to ozone chemical sources and sinks. Our analysis is based on remote sensing products of the tropospheric column of ozone (TrC-O3) and its precursors, nitrogen dioxide (TrC-NO2), formaldehyde (TrC-HCHO), and total column CO (TC-CO), as well as ozonesonde data and model simulations. Our results indicate a complex relationship between tropospheric ozone column levels, surface ozone levels, and ozone precursors. While the increasing trends of near-surface ozone concentrations can largely be explained by variations in VOC and NOx concentration under different regimes, TrC-O3 may also be affected by other variables such as tropopause height and STE as well as LRT. Decreasing or increasing trends in TrC-NO2 have varying effects on TrC-O3, which is related to the different local chemistry in each region. We also shed light on the contribution of NOx lightning and soil NO and nitrous acid (HONO) emissions to trends of tropospheric ozone on regional and global scales.

Drying and rewetting (D/W) of soil have significant impacts on soil organic matter (SOM) turnover. We hypothesised that frequent D/W cycles would release the labile organic matter locked away in soil aggregates, increasing the priming effect (PE) (acceleration or retardation of SOM turnover after fresh substrate addition) due to preferential utilisation by microbes. 13C-labelled lignocellulose was added to the soil, and the effects of 0, 1, or 4 cycles of D/W were evaluated at 5 °C and 25 °C after a 27-day incubation of undisturbed soil cores from a temperate forest (Araucaria araucana). Following the incubation, macroaggregates (> 250 μm), microaggregates (250–53 μm), and silt + clay materials (< 53 μm) were separated. For each aggregate size class, three organic matter (OM) fractions (light (fPOM < 1.6 g cm−3), occluded (oPOM 1.6–2.0 g cm−3), and heavy (Hf > 2.0 g cm−3) were determined. D/W cycles caused macroaggregates to increase and a decrease in microaggregates (> 15%) at warm temperatures, and preferential use of the novel particulate organic matter (13C labelled), formerly protected fPOM. CO2 efflux was three times higher at 25 °C than at 5 °C. The D/W cycles at 25 °C had a strong negative impact on cumulative CO2 efflux, which decreased by approximately − 30%, induced by a negative PE of −50 mg C kg−1 soil with 1 D/W cycle and − 100 mg C kg−1 soil with 4 D/W cycles, relative to soil under constant soil moisture receiving 13C-labelled lignocellulose, but no cycles. Increasing the temperature and the number of D/W cycles caused a decrease in substrate use efficiency of particulate lignocellulose. In conclusion, D/W cycles at warm temperatures accelerated OM turnover due to preferential use from fPOM, increasing macroaggregates at the expense of microaggregates. A novel pathway of OM release and PE due to the D/W cycles is discussed.

The discharge of industrial water requires the removal of its pollutants, where biological wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are the most used systems. Biological WWTPs make use of activated sludge (AS), where bacteria are responsible for the removal of pollutants. However, our knowledge of the microbial communities of industrial plants is limited. Understanding the microbial population is essential to provide solutions to industrial problems such as bulking. The aim of this study was to identify at a high taxonomic resolution the bacterial population of 29 industrial WWTPs using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Our results revealed that the main functional groups were dominated by Thauera and Zoogloea within denitrifiers, Dechloromonas in phosphate-accumulating organisms, and Defluviicoccus in glycogen-accumulating organisms. The activated sludge characterization indicated that 59% of the industrial plants suffered from bulking sludge, with DSVI values of up to 448 mL g −1 . From the bulking cases, 72% corresponded to filamentous bulking with Thiothrix as the most abundant filament; meanwhile, the other 28% corresponded to viscous bulking sludge in which Zoogloea was the most abundant genus. Furthermore, the bacterial population did not share a core of taxa across all industrial plants. However, 20 genera were present in at least 50% of the plants comprising the general core, including Thauera , Ca. Competibacter , and several undescribed microorganisms. Moreover, statistical analysis revealed that wastewater salinity strongly affected the microbial richness of the industrial plants. The bacterial population across industrial plants differed considerably from each other, resulting in unique microbial communities that are attributed to the specificity of their wastewaters. Key points • The general core taxa of industrial plants were mostly made up of undescribed bacterial genera. • Filamentous bacteria constituted on average 4.1% read abundance of the industrial WWTPs. • Viscous bulking remains a significant type of bulking within industrial WWTPs.

About one third of the industrial activated sludge (AS) plants worldwide suffer from bad settling sludge, often caused by filamentous bulking phenomena. The present study investigated the effectiveness of a sludge granulation/densification strategy, based only on a metabolic selection mechanism, to eliminate sludge bulking in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treating real industrial wastewater. The wastewater originated from a tank truck cleaning company transporting chocolate and beer. The proposed strategy involved the introduction of a slow unaerated/anaerobic feeding step in the SBR operation. On lab-scale, the new feeding strategy resulted in (1) excellent settling with a sludge volume index (SVI) decreasing from more than 300 mL·g−1 to 100 mL·g−1 and lower, (2) the elimination of sludge bulking genera and (3) the significant enrichment of glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAO), mainly Defluviicoccus and Candidatus Competibacter, and this in less than 80 days. The feeding strategy was then applied to the full-scale installation, yielding similar results: a stable average SVI of 37 mL·g−1 was reached after approximately 150 days. Full granulation was however not reached, which warrants further optimization. The present study shows that the proposed strategy can easily be applied in existing SBR systems to solve the problem of sludge bulking.