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Objective: Conservation and recovery efforts for depressed populations of wild Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha are improved by detailed classifications of basic natural history traits for juveniles across habitats. The Skagit River system in northern Puget Sound provides a unique opportunity to study the estuarine ecology of Chinook Salmon since it is home to the healthiest remaining natural‐origin Puget Sound Chinook Salmon spawning populations, and despite major anthropogenic habitat changes, the system still has extensive areas of estuarine habitat. Methods: We evaluated density and length of juvenile natural‐ and hatchery‐origin Chinook Salmon across tidal delta, shallow intertidal, intertidal–subtidal, and neritic habitats in the Skagit River estuary from February to November 2002. Result: Juvenile Chinook Salmon were captured in all habitats and months sampled, and clear seasonal transitions through habitats were observed, as were habitat and seasonal differences in fish density, length, and relative abundance of hatchery‐origin versus natural‐origin fish. Natural‐origin fish showed a protracted seasonal distribution across all habitats, and the relative abundance of hatchery‐origin fish was lowest in the tidal delta and highest in the neritic zone. Mean fork length increased as fish moved downstream and offshore, and hatchery‐origin fish were consistently larger than natural‐origin fish in all habitats and months. Hatchery‐origin fish from multiple source populations were recovered in Skagit Bay, but only individuals from the Skagit River were captured in tidal delta and shallow intertidal habitats, and the likelihood of capture in Skagit Bay was inversely related to the distance from the basin of origin. Conclusion: These results confirm that an extensive and diverse range of estuarine habitats is used by juvenile Chinook Salmon through much of the year. Contrasts between hatchery‐ and natural‐origin fish suggest that estuaries—especially shallow fringing habitats in the tidal delta and along marine shorelines—are differentially important for natural‐origin fish and that the potential for interactions between hatchery‐ and natural‐origin fish differs depending on the habitat and time of year. Impact statementNatural‐ and hatchery‐origin Chinook Salmon differ considerably in their use of estuarine and nearshore marine habitats, providing important context for restoration and recovery evaluation and assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water quality is a fundamental aspect of public health and environmental sustainability. In rural areas, the physicochemical and microbiological quality of drinking water depends not only on hydrogeological conditions but also on anthropogenic activities carried out on the surface of the basin. This study aimed to identify natural and anthropogenic influences related to the quality of drinking water in rural areas of southern Chile. In order to perform this, six rural drinking water systems were evaluated. A total of two types of catchment sources (groundwater and surface water) that were located in a longitudinal gradient were used, where coverage and sequences of rocks and soils could be differentiated. The results show that the water delivered by the majority of rural drinking water systems studied was of good quality, meeting the standards of Chilean and international regulations. No fecal coliforms or Escherichia coli were recorded. In addition, we recorded that turbidity, color, pH, concentration of total dissolved solids and fecal coliforms showed significant differences between groundwater and surface water. We also recorded that in two groundwater systems, iron and manganese levels slightly exceeded the regulations, endangering the acceptability of the water. These increases can be related to the natural origins of the metals, linked to the presence of oxides in Andisol- and Utisol-type volcanic soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review delves into the contemporary advancements and research on anti-obesity agents sourced from natural origins. Obesity, a pressing global health concern, necessitates effective interventions due to its association with various comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes. Scientific data gathered from databases including PubMed and Scopus, as well as search engines such as Google and Google Scholar, focused on keywords such as "anti-obesity agents," "herbal anti-obesity agents," and "mechanism of action of anti-obesity agents." The review highlights the escalating research efforts toward formulating safe and efficient dosage forms to combat obesity, with synthetic agents often linked to adverse effects. Natural compounds emerge as promising anti-obesity agents due to their minimal side effects, garnering significant interest from researchers. Bioactive compounds and their mechanisms of action in weight reduction are explored, alongside insights into commercialized herbal products and recent advancements in drug delivery systems. Ultimately, the review underscores the potential of natural anti-obesity agents and commercialized herbal products in addressing this pervasive health disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eradication of bacterial biofilms remains a persistent challenge in medicine, particularly because an increasing number of biofilms exhibit resistance to conventional antibiotics. This underscores the importance of searching for novel compounds that present antibacterial and biofilm inhibition activity. Various types of honey and essential oil were proven to be effective against a number of biofilm-forming bacterial strains. The current study demonstrated the effectiveness of the relatively unexplored fennel honey (FH), fennel essential oil (FEO), and their combination against biofilm-forming bacterial strains Pseudomonas aeruginosa, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli, with a series of in vitro experiments. The authenticity of FH and FEO was checked with light microscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined using the microdilution method, and antibiofilm activity was assessed with crystal violet assay. Structural changes in bacterial cells and biofilms, induced by the treatments, were monitored with scanning electron microscopy. FEO and FH inhibited the biofilm formation of each bacterial strain, with FEO being more effective compared to FH. Their combination was the most effective, with inhibitory rates ranging between 87 and 92%, depending on the bacterial strain. The most sensitive bacterium was E. coli, while P. aeruginosa was the most resistant. These results provide justification for the combined use of honey and essential oil to suppress bacterial biofilms and can serve as a starting point to develop an effective surface disinfectant with natural ingredients.

Objective: A goal of many segregated salmonid hatchery programs is to minimize potential interbreeding between hatchery‐ and natural‐origin fish. Our objective was to assess this on the Klickitat River, Washington, USA. Methods: We used radiotelemetry to evaluate spatiotemporal spawning overlap between hatchery‐ and natural‐origin steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss and spring Chinook Salmon O. tshawytscha. We estimated percentages of tagged fish that spawned naturally in the Klickitat River subbasin, emigrated from the Klickitat River, or died before spawning. A kernel density analysis was used to estimate probability of spatiotemporal overlap between hatchery‐ and natural‐origin spawners. Result: For steelhead, 12% of hatchery‐origin and 50% of natural‐origin fish spawned naturally. For spring Chinook Salmon, 18% of hatchery‐origin and 44% of natural‐origin fish spawned naturally. Tag loss may result in underestimates in these percentages. Most hatchery‐origin steelhead (90%) spawned downstream of river kilometer (rkm) 32, and 75% spawned from November to mid‐March. The majority of natural‐origin steelhead (64%) spawned upstream of rkm 32, and 75% spawned from mid‐March to late May. Spawn timing of hatchery‐origin Chinook Salmon (early August to mid‐September) overlapped with that of natural‐origin Chinook Salmon (late July to late September), and fish of both origins spawned in the same 30‐km reach of the river. We estimated the percentage of hatchery‐origin spawners (pHOS) on the natural spawning grounds to be 12% for steelhead and 40% for spring Chinook Salmon across all study years. For steelhead, we estimated the overlap probability to be 25% (95% CI = 22.5–28%). For spring Chinook Salmon, tight spatial clustering of hatchery‐origin fish resulted in a lower overlap estimate of 21% (13–31%). Conclusion: We suggest adjusting pHOS estimates using these overlap estimates or similar spatiotemporal data on actual spawner proximity and possible interactions, and that these types of analyses be used in conjunction with gene flow analysis to accurately evaluate effects of individual hatchery programs. Impact statementPacific Salmon and steelhead hatchery programs provide important fishery and conservation benefits. We monitored interactions between hatchery and wild populations by tracking radio‐tagged fish and their degree of actual physical overlap in space and time to better inform management and recovery of this critical resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, several studies have significantly changed our knowledge concerning the use of birds by Neanderthals. However, what remains to be clarified is the geographical and chronological variability of this human behaviour. The present case study provides new information on this topic/debate. The Grotte Vaufrey was discovered during the 1930s and was excavated during different periods. Work carried out by J.-P. Rigaud during the 1980s motivated many multidisciplinary studies in the cave, but accurate studies were not focused on avian remains. In this work, we provide new data on the bird remains from layer VIII (MIS 7), which is the richest among all the sequences and which has an important Mousterian component. Corvids are predominant in the assemblage and are associated with medium-sized birds and small Passeriformes, among others. Most of the remains present modern fractures, which hinder taphonomic interpretation. However, some alterations associated with raptor or mammalian carnivore activities, together with the anatomical representation and age profile, suggest a non-human accumulation of the majority of the bird remains, especially in the case of corvids that naturally died in the cave. However, at least some bones show evidence of anthropic activity, suggesting the occasional use of large- and medium-sized birds by human populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable polymers have been developing rapidly in the last years and are widely used today in the fields of pharmacy, clinical biomedicine, cosmetic, medical, and packing industries, tissue engineering, agriculture and other areas. The interest in biodegradable polymers has been increasing, mainly due to rising oil prices, which is the basic feedstock of plastic derived from petroleum, and also due to the problem of the removal of waste plastics that accumulate in the environment. Biodegradable polymers have many advantages in contrast to synthetic polymers and can be decomposed in the environment to non-hazardous substances. Biodegradable polymers are classified into two classes based on their synthesis, i.e., synthetic and natural polymers. They are derived either from petroleum resources or from biological resources. The following review presents an overview of the different biodegradable polymers and their properties, current scientific research, applications, global production of bioplastic and replacement of conventional plastic.

California’s Feather River Hatchery (FRH) propagates two runs of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): spring run and fall run. Loss of spawning habitat and historical hatchery practices have led to introgression of these runs. Recent efforts to reform hatchery operations at the FRH are focused on reducing introgression and increasing the proportion of natural-origin spawners in the broodstock. Implementing these reforms, however, requires a means of distinguishing FRH fish from natural-origin fish, and FRH spring-run fish from FRH fall-run fish. Coded-wire tagging and parentage-based genetic tagging can be used for this purpose, but are labor-intensive and expensive. Otolith thermal marking (OTM) is a 100% marking technique widely used in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Russia that can be effective and relatively inexpensive. We initiated an OTM program at the FRH in 2005 to determine its viability as a 100% marking tool for a hatchery with an annual production goal of 10 million smolts. Our analysis of otoliths collected from returning adults at the FRH demonstrated that OTM could be successfully applied to identify the origin (FRH or natural) and, for FRH fish, the run type (spring run or fall run). Otoliths collected between 2009 and 2011 show run-type mixing between 12% to 20% in both spring-run and fall-run FRH broodstock. Additionally, results suggest natural-spawner contribution to hatchery broodstock is very low (

Copyright of Freie Assoziation is the property of Psychosozial-Verlag and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In recent years, several studies have significantly changed our knowledge concerning the use of birds by Neanderthals. However, what remains to be clarified is the geographical and chronological variability of this human behaviour. The present case study provides new information on this topic/debate. The Grotte Vaufrey was discovered during the 1930s and was excavated during different periods. Work carried out by J.-P. Rigaud during the 1980s motivated many multidisciplinary studies in the cave, but accurate studies were not focused on avian remains. In this work, we provide new data on the bird remains from layer VIII (MIS 7), which is the richest among all the sequences and which has an important Mousterian component. Corvids are predominant in the assemblage and are associated with medium-sized birds and small Passeriformes, among others. Most of the remains present modern fractures, which hinder taphonomic interpretation. However, some alterations associated with raptor or mammalian carnivore activities, together with the anatomical representation and age profile, suggest a non-human accumulation of the majority of the bird remains, especially in the case of corvids that naturally died in the cave. However, at least some bones show evidence of anthropic activity, suggesting the occasional use of large- and medium-sized birds by human populations.

This study developed the 2-step extraction method which eluted the Pb adsorbing on the surface of sediments in the first solution by aqua regia and extracted the Pb absorbed inside particles into the second solution by mixed acid of nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid and hydrogen peroxide solution. We applied the method to sediments in the enclosed water area and found out that the isotope ratios of Pb in the second solution represented those of natural origin. This advantage of the method makes it possible to distinguish the Pb between natural origin and anthropogenic source on the basis of the isotope ratios. The results showed that the method was useful to discuss the Pb sources and that anthropogenic Pb in the sediment samples analysed was mainly derived from China because of transboundary air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug-resistant bacteria pose a serious threat to human health worldwide. Current antibiotics are losing efficacy and new antimicrobial agents are urgently needed. Living organisms are an invaluable source of antimicrobial compounds. The antimicrobial activity of the most representative natural products of animal, bacterial, fungal and plant origin are reviewed in this paper. Their activity against drug-resistant bacteria, their mechanisms of action, the possible development of resistance against them, their role in current medicine and their future perspectives are discussed. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus and ScienceDirect were used to search scientific contributions until September 2020, using relevant keywords. Natural compounds of heterogeneous origins have been shown to possess antimicrobial capabilities, including against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The most commonly found mechanisms of antimicrobial action are related to protein biosynthesis and alteration of cell walls and membranes. Various natural compounds, especially phytochemicals, have shown synergistic capacity with antibiotics. There is little literature on the development of specific resistance mechanisms against natural antimicrobial compounds. New technologies such as -omics, network pharmacology and informatics have the potential to identify and characterize new natural antimicrobial compounds in the future. This knowledge may be useful for the development of future therapeutic strategies.

Copyright of Obnovljeni zivot is the property of University of Zagreb, Society of Jesus and Faculty of Philosophy & Religious Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study provides a survey on potential Cr(VI) exposure attributed to drinking water in Greece. For this reason, a wide sampling and chemical analysis of tap waters from around 600 sites, supplied by groundwater resources, was conducted focusing on areas in which the geological substrate is predominated by ultramafic minerals. Results indicate that although violations of the current chromium regulation limit in tap water are very rare, 25% of cases showed Cr(VI) concentrations above 10 μg/L, whereas Cr(VI) was detectable in 70% of the samples (>2 μg/L). Mineralogy and conditions of groundwater reservoirs were correlated to suggest a possible Cr(VI) leaching mechanism. Higher Cr(VI) values are observed in aquifers in alluvial and neogene sediments of serpentine and amphibolite, originating from the erosion of ophiolithic and metamorphic rocks. In contrast, Cr(VI) concentration in samples from ophiolithic and metamorphic rocks was always below 10 μg/L due to both low contact time and surface area, as verified by low conductivity and salt concentration values. These findings indicate that under specific conditions, pollution of water by Cr(VI) is favorable by a slow MnO 2 -catalyzed oxidation of soluble Cr(III) to Cr(VI) in which manganese products [Mn(III)/Mn(II)] are probably re-oxidized by oxygen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) were determined in sediment samples from Can Gio, South Vietnam, and Osaka, Japan. Can Gio is known for the defoliation of its mangrove forests by aerial spraying with Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, whereas Osaka is renowned for a PCDD/PCDF pollution accident at a municipal solid-waste incinerator. For comparison, we also analyzed PCDD/PCDFs and DL-PCBs in sediment samples from Hue and Hanoi, Vietnam. The toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) values in Can Gio were as high as those in Hue, Hanoi, and suburban areas of Osaka, but much lower than those in urban areas of Osaka. The proportion of the World Health Organization (WHO)-TEQ value contributed by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in Can Gio was approximately 30%, higher than the values in the other sample areas. These data suggest that residual sedimentary TCDD that originated from aerial spraying of Agent Orange occur in only low concentrations in Can Gio. The main contributors to WHO-TEQ values in Can Gio are natural sources, as in Hue. In contrast, commercial PCBs are the dominant contributors to WHO-TEQ values in Hanoi. In Osaka, agrochemicals used in rice cultivation, the incineration of solid waste, and commercial PCBs equally contributed to WHO-TEQ values at suburban locations. The dumping of incinerator-related materials and/or the inadequate management of commercial PCBs have resulted in significantly elevated WHO-TEQ values of 240–370ngkg–1 dw at urban locations in Osaka. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this report, we have examined the mechanism of action of Inmunoferon®, a patented glycoconjugate (GC) of natural origin with immunomodulatory properties, in the regulation of TNF-α expression induced by LPS challenge in a rodent model. GC was found to be dependent on a normal HPA response to exert its regulatory effect on TNF-α expression. Adrenalectomized mice were unresponsive to the drug in terms of TNF-α levels after LPS challenge, whereas control mice showed lower serum TNF-α levels when treated with GC than vehicle-treated animals. GC treatment also induced the expression of acute phase proteins but it did not alter the normal metabolism or viability of hepatic cells. These data suggested the employment of GC as a novel adjuvant during antibacterial treatment without disadvantages such as side effects in the metabolism of the liver, thus, acting as an enhancer of the host response against infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Piperine is a key bioactive alkaloid found in plants of piperaceae family. The compound possesses various medicinal and pharmacological activities (cholesterol-lowering, anti-cancer, Alzheimer's disease etc.). Owing to its various target receptors (TRPV1, P-gp, CYP3A4 etc.) and several mechanisms, piperine has been studied as bio-enhancer for other drugs and its role has been evidenced in the literature. When administered with other drugs, it increases the absorption of other drugs, thereby reducing the dose and dose-related toxic potential. There are various mechanisms of piperine as a bio-enhancer and the common ones are i) prevention of efflux of drug molecules out of the cells; ii) decreased metabolism of drugs, thereby prolonging the halflife of drugs resulting in reduced urinary excretion. The detailed mechanism indicating the bio-enhancing role of piperine along with various target receptors has not been comprehensively summarised to date., Methods: Literature related to the molecular, enzymatic and receptor targets of piperine were studied, and database was collected using various search engines such as j-gate, google scholar, scihub, pubmed, sciencedirect, etc. The literature related to therapeutic activities of piperine and its bio-enhancer role for other drugs has been thoroughly studied and compiled in brief., Results: A detailed summary of piperine targets, along with related mechanisms, has been stated. A brief therapeutic profile of piperine alone has been produced with supporting literature. Piperine role as a potential bio-enhancer for other drugs has been summarized., Conclusion: Piperine is a fascinating molecule of natural origin with several modes of its action, not only possesses its own therapeutic activity but also enhances the therapeutic efficacy of other synthetic and natural drug molecules. Combination dosage forms of various API incorporating piperine as a bio-enhancer can be a potential area of thrust for upcoming drug design and development., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Drug-resistant bacteria pose a serious threat to human health worldwide. Current antibiotics are losing efficacy and new antimicrobial agents are urgently needed. Living organisms are an invaluable source of antimicrobial compounds. The antimicrobial activity of the most representative natural products of animal, bacterial, fungal and plant origin are reviewed in this paper. Their activity against drug-resistant bacteria, their mechanisms of action, the possible development of resistance against them, their role in current medicine and their future perspectives are discussed. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus and ScienceDirect were used to search scientific contributions until September 2020, using relevant keywords. Natural compounds of heterogeneous origins have been shown to possess antimicrobial capabilities, including against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The most commonly found mechanisms of antimicrobial action are related to protein biosynthesis and alteration of cell walls and membranes. Various natural compounds, especially phytochemicals, have shown synergistic capacity with antibiotics. There is little literature on the development of specific resistance mechanisms against natural antimicrobial compounds. New technologies such as -omics, network pharmacology and informatics have the potential to identify and characterize new natural antimicrobial compounds in the future. This knowledge may be useful for the development of future therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipids are a very heterogeneous class of biomolecules with distinct structures and functions. Total lipids (TLs) obtained from natural sources are regularly further separated into lipid subclasses, with the two major ones being the polar lipids (PLs) and neutral lipids (NLs). Traditional analytical methods for fractionating TLs into NLs, PLs, and their subclasses, usually comprise difficult, costly and time-consuming steps. Instead, several benefits and applications are derived by implementing a novel one-step semi-preparative and reversed-phase HPLC-analysis for separating TLs into all kinds of lipid subclasses. This method allows a one-step separation/fractionation of several subclasses of bio-functional PLs (i.e. phospholipids, glycolipids, phenolic compounds, N-acyl-homoserine-lactones, etc.) and NLs (i.e. triacylglycerols, fatty acids, esters, etc.) from TL-extracts of a natural source, prior to further testing them for their bio-functionality (i.e. in bioassays/cell models) and structure-activity relationships (i.e. LC-MS/GC-MS).•This method can be applied in several natural sources, such as animal and marine sources, plants, microorganisms of biotechnological and agricultural interest, foods, beverages and related products, and by-products.•This method can also be applied for separating specific bio-functional lipids from complex medical and pharmaceutical samples (i.e. cells, tissues, blood, plasma, liposomes, etc.), either for evaluating their role in diseases (i.e. PAF/PAF-like molecules) or by elucidating their protective roles (i.e. PLs rich in ω3 PUFA) for supplements and nutraceuticals' applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.)