Protective effect of gamma-oryzanol against manganese-induced toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Manganese (Mn) is an essential element that, in excess, seems to be involved in the development of different neurodegenerative conditions....     

Unlikely lead-bearing phases in river and estuary sediments near an ancient mine (Huelgoat,Brittany, France)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Anthropocene mineral diversity is the result of the purification of metals naturally combined with other chemical elements in natural environment....     

Selective sorptive removal of Methyl Red from individual and binary component solutions by mesoporous organosilicas of MCM-41 type

Organosilicas with chemically immobilized 3-aminopropyl and Methyl Red-containing surface groups were prepared by sol-gel condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane in the presence of dye as part of the mixed micelles or dye-containing silane as silica source. The hexagonally arranged mesoporous structure of synthesized materials was confirmed by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption-desorption, x-ray diffraction, and TEM studies. Chemical composition of MCM-41-type organosilicas was established by FT-IR spectroscopy and chemical analysis of surface layer. Sorption of Methyl Red by organosilicas was studied from diluted phosphate buffer solutions in dependence of medium pH, duration of contact, and equilibrium concentration of dye. It was found that effective removal of Methyl Red takes place at pH values within a range of 2.5?5. Kinetic curves of Methyl Red sorption on organosilicas were analyzed by the Lagergren, Ho-McKey, and Weber-Morris kinetic models. It was found that the pseudo-second-order model fits the kinetics of Methyl Red sorption on all synthesized materials and the intraparticle diffusion is not the only one mechanism controlling the rate of Methyl Red sorptive removal. The parameters of equilibrium sorption of Methyl Red on organosilicas of MCM-41 type were calculated using Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller models. Sorption of acid dyes with geometry similar or substantially different from Methyl Red on mesoporous silicas was studied from single and binary component mixtures in aqueous solutions with pH 4.8 and 5.5. It was found that selective sorption process is highly dependent on the structural characteristics and protolytic state of silica surface as well as acid dye.     

Deflective effect and the effect of prey detectability on anti-predator function of eyespots

Eyespots (patterns of roughly concentric rings) are often thought to have an anti-predator function. Previous experiments have lent support for the intimidation hypothesis by demonstrating a deterring effect of eyespots, but so far there is little evidence for the deflective effect (direction of attacks toward less vital body parts). We studied predators’ responses towards large and small eyespots and towards prey with no, one, or a pair of eyespots and if this response is influenced by whether or not prey blend into background. In two experiments, we used artificial, triangular prey items and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) as predators. In experiment 1, we found evidence for the deflective effect of small but not large eyespots, independent of whether the prey was presented on a concealing or exposing background. In experiment 2, we found that predators avoided the prey with a pair of small eyespots more than the prey without eyespots, but interestingly, we only found this deterring effect on the concealing background. There was no difference in attacks between the prey with one large and two small or one large and no eyespots. We conclude that deflective function may select for eyespots, and background may influence the deterring function of eyespots.     

Mercury and methyl mercury in higher fungi and their relation with the substrata in a cinnabar mining area

195 specimens of higher fungi and their substrata collected in the Hg mining area of M.Amiata and around Siena (Central Italy), were analyzed for their total Hg content. Whereas wood decomposers and many species of mycorrhizal fungi accumulated the metal at a very low rate, some mycorrhizal species and all the humus decomposers may accumulate up to 100 μg.g^?1d.w. of Hg and in the least contaminated sites, up to 63 times as much Hg as the substratum. Instead in mineralized areas the concentration factor rarely exceeded 1. The methyl mercury content of 35 species (almost all edible), ranged between 0.01 and 3.7 μg.g^?1 d.w..The possible significance of these findings and the toxicologic implications for local co$\text{n}$ sumers are considered.     

Prenatal diagnosis of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease: detection of proteolipid protein gene duplication by quantitative fluorescent multiplex PCR

A prenatal diagnosis of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD) resulting from proteolipid protein gene (PLP) duplication was performed by a quantitative fluorescent multiplex PCR method. PLP gene copy number was determined in the proband, the pregnant mother, the male fetus and two aunts. Small amounts of genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood and from chorionic villi were used. The fetus, in common with the proband, was identified as PMD-affected being a carrier of the PLP gene duplication, inherited from the mother, while the two aunts were non-carriers. The data obtained were confirmed by segregation analysis of a PLP-associated dinucleotide-repeat polymorphism amplified by the same multiplex PCR. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tire debris organic extract affects Xenopus development

Tire debris (TD) and its organic components were identified as a main source of PM10 atmospheric and water pollution. Because few data are available on the embryotoxic effects of TD organic components, the lethal and teratogenic potential of tire debris organic extract (TDOE) was evaluated using the frog embryo teratogenesis assay-Xenopus (FETAX), coupled with a histopathological screening of the survived larvae. From stage 8 to stage 47, Xenopus laevis embryos were exposed to TDOE at concentrations of 50, 80, 100, 120 and 140 mg/L. The results showed 50 mg/L TDOE to be the non-observable effect concentration (NOEC). TDOE mortality at 80 mg/L was significantly higher than the control, but did not increase further with higher concentrations. A good concentration-response was observed for percentages of malformed larva and from 80 mg/L on these percentages were significantly higher than the control. Therefore, probit analysis gave a 144.6 mg/L TC50. At 120 and 140 mg/L, many larvae were plurimalformed. The most frequent alterations observed were abnormal gut coiling, microphthalmia, monolateral anophthalmia, and narrowing eyes. The histological screening mainly revealed ocular malformations such as double retina, retina nervous cell layer coiling, and altered lens. Moreover severe vacuolisation and necrosis were scored in liver and axial musculature. These results strongly support the assumption that TDOE is a powerful teratogen for X. laevis.     

Nitrate leaching under vegetable field above a shallow aquifer in Slovenia

In the search for new technologies that would ensure optimum yield and environmental sustainability, various irrigation, nitrogen and cropping system management strategies for the production of vegetables with a shorter growing period were assessed at a benchmark site in Slovenia for the years 2006 and 2007. In the studied years four irrigation and fertilization treatments were applied: (1) 50% drip irrigation of plants water requirements ET_crop and the farmer's practice of fertilisation (broadcasting), (2) fertilisation and 100% drip irrigation (fertigation), (3) the farmer's practice of irrigation (sprinkler irrigation using water stored in plastic tanks) and fertilisation, and (4) control (the farmer's practice of irrigation but no fertilisation). An equivalent of 80, 80 and 200 kg ha⁻¹ of nitrogen (N), 50, 50 and 80 kg ha⁻¹ of phosphorous (P) and 120, 120 and 300 kg ha⁻¹ of potassium (K) was added for iceberg lettuce, endive and cabbage, respectively. Nitrogen (N) labelled fertilizer (¹⁵N) was applied to trace the movement of the applied N fertiliser. The tested irrigation and fertilisation techniques for the production of vegetables with a shorter growing period in the Slovenian climate showed that environmentally sustainable practices (split application of nutrients compared to broadcast incorporating fertilisation) should be a practice of choice in water protection zones. The results confirm that fertigation and improved irrigation scheduling can be an effective way of minimizing nitrate leaching, and should be considered for vegetable production in or close to groundwater protection zones.     

Is aridity restricting deforestation and land uses in the South American Dry Chaco?

In this paper, we explored how aridity influences the regional deforestation and land-use patterns (i.e. crops/pastures) in South American Dry Chaco. To do this, we contrasted land use during last decade (2001–2012) with a spatially explicit aridity index, which we complemented with a crop water balance model. Land-use classifications were performed by considering the temporal variability of NDVI from MODIS satellites, showing that 40 and 60% of deforested land was assigned to crops and pastures, respectively. Results indicate that although the regional deforestation pattern was not associated with the aridity gradient, with drier areas similarly deforested as wetter areas, contrasting differences were observed in the use of this land, with crops mostly located (90%) in wetter areas and pastures evenly distributed across the whole aridity gradient. This research highlighted the strong effect of water limitations on the land-use option after deforestation and may help to set the basis for future land-use planning policies.