Antenatal manifestation of congenital pancreatoblastoma in a fetus with Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome

An Erratum has been published for this article in Prenatal Diagnosis 23(9) 2003, 771 Antenatal detection of an isolated abdominal cyst was found to be a pancreatoblastoma in a female fetus with Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome. Prenatal and post-natal features and management of this very rare tumour are discussed. Molecular investigation disclosed a mosaic paternal 11p15 uniparental disomy in the tumoral cells. The prognosis of a congenital pancreatoblastoma is good if complete surgical excision is achieved. However, the association with Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome requires a prolonged follow-up because of the increased risk of developing malignant tumours. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Octanoic acid confers to royal jelly varroa-repellent properties

The mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman is a parasite of the honeybee Apis mellifera L. and represents a major threat for apiculture in the Western world. Reproduction takes place only inside bee brood cells that are invaded just before sealing; drone cells are preferred over worker cells, whereas queen cells are not normally invaded. Lower incidence of mites in queen cells is at least partly due to the deterrent activity of royal jelly. In this study, the repellent properties of royal jelly were investigated using a lab bioassay. Chemical analysis showed that octanoic acid is a major volatile component of royal jelly; by contrast, the concentration is much lower in drone and worker larval food. Bioassays, carried out under lab conditions, demonstrated that octanoic acid is repellent to the mite. Field studies in bee colonies confirmed that the compound may interfere with the process of cell invasion by the mite.     

Positive long-term effect of mulching on species and functional trait diversity in a nutrient-poor mountain meadow in Central Europe

Oligotrophic mountain meadows are threatened biodiversity hotspots throughout Europe. The traditional summer hay-making followed by autumn grazing is no longer economic and question is whether alternative managements can maintain both plant species and functional diversity typical of these habitats. In the Bohemian Forest Mts., we applied three treatments (mowing once a year - i.e., cutting and removing the biomass, mulching once a year - cutting and leaving the crushed biomass to decompose in situ, fallowing - no cutting) in order to assess temporal changes in meadow vegetation, plant trait composition and biomass production in a 13-year experiment. We recorded for each species twenty-five traits as to be most informative of plant strategies related to growth, resource acquisition and carbon-water economy. We compared different components of trait composition (community averages that mostly reflect traits of dominant species vs. the Rao index of functional diversity that reflects trait dissimilarity among species) and their impact on biomass production. We show that mulching promotes species and functional diversity by facilitating heliophilous forbs and legumes with more acquisitive strategies in resource use and release, e.g., higher foliar N and P content. This occurs at the expense of tall grasses (with resource-retentive strategies, e.g., high leaf dry matter content) which dominate the mown and fallow plots. The divergence in most quantitative traits indicates that niche complementarity is the dominant assembly process in mulched plots, which can prevent competitive exclusion and enable species coexistence. The divergent development was detected only after 5-6 years. This slow floristic and functional response is caused by acidity of soil and severe mountain climate that preclude rapid responses of vegetation to land-use changes. We conclude that mulching represents a good compromise maintaining both plant species and functional diversity as well as a relatively high biomass production. Mowing without grazing leads to gradual nutrient loss and thus reduces the productivity and diversity in these oligotrophic ecosystems. Fallowing causes gradual loss in diversity by increased grass competition and litter accumulation.     

CSR codes and the principal-agent problem in supply chains: four case studies

The benefits of corporate social responsibility (CSR) affect the entire supply chains a firm participates in. However, not every firm is in a position to force the implementation of CSR in its supply chains as some, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), lack the necessary power. Chain directors can implement it acting as a principal, whereas the other chain members can act as agents.In the principal-agent framework, two main problems occur due to information asymmetry: adverse selection and moral hazard. This paper examines how a code of conduct (i.e. Social Accountability 8000) can help address the principal-agent problem, for SMEs, between chain directors and partners. The research method involves four case studies on CSR practices as implemented by Italian and Dutch SMEs within their supply chains.     

Using historical spy satellite photographs and recent remote sensing data to identify high-conservation-value forests

High-conservation-value forests (HCVFs) are critically important for biodiversity and ecosystem service provisioning, but they face many threats. Where systematic HCVF inventories are missing, such as in parts of Eastern Europe, these forests remain largely unacknowledged and therefore often unprotected. We devised a novel, transferable approach for detecting HCVFs based on integrating historical spy satellite images, contemporary remote sensing data (Landsat), and information on current potential anthropogenic pressures (e.g., road infrastructure, population density, demand for fire wood, terrain). We applied the method to the Romanian Carpathians, for which we mapped forest continuity (1955–2019), canopy structural complexity, and anthropogenic pressures. We identified 738,000 ha of HCVF. More than half of this area was identified as susceptible to current anthropogenic pressures and lacked formal protection. By providing a framework for broad-scale HCVF monitoring, our approach facilitates integration of HCVF into forest conservation and management. This is urgently needed to achieve the goals of the European Union's Biodiversity Strategy to maintain valuable forest ecosystems.     

The territorial dimension of environmental sustainability in Italy along the urban–rural continuum

Single territories contribute in different ways to the transition towards a more environmentally sustainable development (SD), according to their structural features. This study returns a multi-dimensional picture of the territorial divides of environmental sustainability across Italy, analysing how it correlates with rurality, with a focus on the urban–rural continuum. Italy represents an interesting case study because of its peculiar territorial urban–rural structure. We first assess the environmental sustainability targets across Italian NUTS 3 regions and their capital cities using two composite sustainability indexes, by referring to both standard values (i.e. conforming to legislation) and optimum values (i.e. desired values). Then, we investigate the relationship between environmental sustainability and rurality. Results suggest that a positive link between the two exists, being stronger at city level. Among major policy implications, the environmental dimensions of territorial cohesion should be integrated more strongly in key European policies to reach a more balanced SD.     

Pollution from polychlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxins and furans: The case of several foundry plants in the Lombardy region

In 1991 a co‐operation between Public Health Office (U.S.S.L.) n° 18 of Brescia and the Chemical Section Laboratories of U.S.S.L. n° 38 of Milan concerning the possible environmental impact of foundry industrial activities performing metallic scraps recovering, has been undertaken.

Soil and surfaces have been classified in conformity with the National Toxicological Consultative Commission (C.C.T.N.) recommendation dated 12/02/1988'; owing to the characteristics of the processed material, besides heavy metals, polychlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) have been looked for.

The particulate matter collected from the filters positioned over the arc furnaces in 14 foundry plants has been characterized and classified, according both to C.C.T.N.¹ and to the Interministerial Board regulation dated 27/07/1985 for the first application of the Republic President Decree Law (D.P.R.) n° 915/1982, concerning wastes classification, based, in this case, on these toxic chlorinated compounds concentrations. From the very beginning, high levels of PCDDs and PCDFs have been detected, corroborating the very few literature data from foundry plants². The results obtained on 14 different foundries allow us to draw already some information, acceptable from the point of view of the statistical validity, about the pollution produced by this industry.     

Comments on and implications of a steady-state in coastal marine ecosystems

Coastal ecosystems can be thought of as being established by a number of physico-geochemical drivers, e.g. geochemistry and bathymetry of the basins, climate, tidal and freshwater flows, natural and anthropogenic inputs of nutrients and toxins, all of which exert an influence on the resulting communities of organisms. Depending on the interactions among the major drivers, ecosystems may occur on both large and small scales and be basin-wide or within basins. For individual and separate ecosystems to exist with some permanence in time, e.g. reach a steady-state, they also have to be ‘defended’. Defences are mechanisms that counter changes to maintain the status quo. We argue, and present evidence to support the notion, that the defence mechanisms are inextricably tied to primary production and the biogeochemical cycling of organic matter and provide buffers that mitigate potentially adverse impacts by trace toxins. Colloid pumping, production of complexing ligands and sulfide formation are some of the mechanisms that control trace substances. Current methods for assessing ecosystems do not address the issue of steady-state, nor do they take account of defence activities, e.g. buffering. Therefore, they cannot assess the ‘robustness’ of ecosystems or their ability to resist change, for good or bad. Also, defence mechanisms may, for a time, mask future potentially serious impacts, suggesting that monitoring efforts with limited budgets should consider the measurement of the inputs into ecosystems as well as the immediate or short-term result of the inputs.     

Atypical homing or self-odour avoidance? Blue petrels (Halobaena caerulea) are attracted to their mate’s odour but avoid their own

Among procellariiform seabirds, many burrowing petrels show good olfactory abilities especially in recognising their nest. In particular, it has been reported that Antarctic prions (Pachyptila desolata) discriminate their own and their mate’s odours and, in Y-maze experiments, prefer the odour of a conspecific bird to their own. While traditionally examined from the perspective of homing mechanisms, these recent results have drawn attention to the possible use of chemical signals in birds’ social behaviours. Indeed, the life history of petrels suggests that a mate choice mediated by olfactory mechanisms may have evolved in this group to ensure genetic compatibility. This study was undertaken to validate and extend results obtained on petrels’ olfactory discrimination capabilities. Following the Y-maze experiment protocol, blue petrels (Halobaena caerulea) were offered three different choices: (1) mate versus conspecific’s odour, (2) own versus mate’s odour and (3) own versus conspecific’s odour. We discovered that birds prefer the odour of their mate not only when presented against conspecific’s odour but also against their own. We further verified that blue petrels also avoid their own odour when presented against conspecific’s odour. Our results confirm that olfactory discrimination in burrowing petrels goes beyond self-recognition and that self-odour avoidance may be widespread. We use two mutually non-exclusive behavioural frameworks for the interpretation of our results, homing and mate choice, and explain why homing mechanisms cannot account for all of our observations. This study opens the door to further research on olfactory mechanisms that, in petrels, might mediate individual recognition and mate choice.