Prenatal diagnosis of Juberg–Hayward syndrome

Juberg–Hayward syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive syndrome characterised by the association of growth retardation, microcephaly, cleft lip and palate, and thumb and radial ray abnormalities. To date, no prenatal cases have been reported. Here, we report on the first prenatal case of Juberg–Hayward syndrome. The diagnosis was established following fetopathological study. Besides the cardinal features of the syndrome, this prenatal case was remarkable for the severity of the short arm malformation and by the finding of big toe agenesis and cerebral abnormalities including hydrocephalus, agenesis of corpus callosum, and cerebellar hypoplasia. We conclude that the diagnosis of Juberg–Hayward syndrome can be discussed prenatally following ultrasound diagnosis of the association of intrauterine growth restriction, microcephaly, thumb/radial anomalies, and cleft lip/palate. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Site characteristics,growth and nutrition of natural red pine stands in newfoundland

Red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) is rare (< 15 000 mature trees) in Newfoundland and is known from only 22 locations in the central region. Red pine occupies 3 major site types in Newfoundland: 1) red pine on medium-textured sands (RP1), 2) red pine on coarse-textured glaciofluvial deposits (RP2), and 3) red pine on Folisols over bedrock (RP3). The succession of red pine site types after cutting is from red pine to Kalmia-black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) for RP1, and to Cladonia-Kalmia-black spruce for types RP2 and RP3. Succession after fire is usually to the pre-fire type, but this depends on the severity of the fire.Although occupying a relatively poor site, red pine at 60–70 years reaches heights in excess of 18 m, dbh in excess of 40 cm, and individual tree volumes greater than 1 m³ were recorded in 75 stemanalyzed fire-killed trees. Black spruce on that same site produces less than one-third that volume in 60 years. Merchantable volume of 140–280 m³ ha^-1 were recorded i.e., Canada Land Inventory (CLI) forest capability class 5 and class 4 ratings. This raises the CLI rating two capability classes if red pine were occupying these poor quality sites over black spruce. In terms of nutrition, even the best growing red pine are nitrogen (N) deficient as shown by foliar analysis. All natural stands have foliar N concentrations below 1.3% which is the critically low level shown in the literature. Immediately after fire, foliar concentrations reach this level but are usually about 1% or less. Most other nutrients are low but are within the generally reported adequate levels in testing for P, K, Ca and Mg.Fire influences soil nutrient availability as pH increases in the RP1 type. Burning temperature also affects soil pH and the understory vegetation. The RP2 type loses more N in hotter burns on this site type and more N is tied up in these ortstein hardpan soils. The pattern of regeneration following wildfire is related to slope, density, age and species mixture of the stand as well as the thickness and composition of the duff layer.     

Effects of high temperature on larval development and metamorphosis of Arachnoides placenta (Echinodermata: Echinoidea)

Adults of the sea urchin Arachnoides placenta (L.) were induced to spawn, and eggs were fertilized at 28°C in September 1989. After 5 min, eggs were transferred to 28, 31, 34, or 37°C and reared to metamorphosis. Embryos were observed at 20-min intervals during the first 2 h; larvae were observed daily. The cleavage was higher at higher temperatures. Embryos reared at 28°C were still at the 4th cleavage (16-cell stage) after 100 min, while those at 34°C had reached the 5th cleavage (32-cell stage). All embryos reared at 37°C died on the second day. Incidence of abnormality was 20 to 30% at 28 and 31°C, 48% at 34°C, and 77% at 37°C. The 8-arm stage was reached after 4 d at 28°C, 3 d at 31°C and 2 d at 34°C. Larvae displayed decreasing body length and arm length with increasing temperature. Larvae at 31°C have relatively long arms, as a result of a decrease in body length, not because of increased arm length. Incidence of metamorphosis was 43.9±1.7% (mean/plusmn;SD) at 28°C, 24.5±1.9% at 31°C, and 5.3% at 34°C. The size of metamorphosed juveniles was significantly larger at 28°C than at 31 and 34°C. Temperatures of 31°C negatively affect larvae and juveniles of the sand dollar.     

Calmodulin as a modulator of NaCl transport in the posterior salt-transporting gills of the Chinese crab Eriocheir sinensis

The possible involvement of calmodulin-dependent processes in the control of Na⁺ and Cl^- transport pathways has been investigated on isolated, perfused preparations of salt-transporting posterior gills of the euryhaline Chinese crab Eriocheir sinensis (collected near Emden, Germany in autumn 1990). The anti-calmodulin phenothiazine drugs Chlorpromazine and Trifluoperazine induced depolarization of the transepithelial potential only when added to the serosal bathing saline (socalled in). This effect is best interpreted by assuming a disturbance of the conductive Cl^- pathways located at the baso-lateral side of the epithelium. In agreement with that conclusion is the fact that Trifluoperazine inhibits the Cl^- transepithelial influx. Trifluoperazine also induces inhibition of the Na⁺ influx when added either to the incubation (out) or to the perfusion (in) medium. These results indicate inhibitory effects of the anticalmodulin drug on both the Na⁺/K⁺ pump and leak system located at the serosal side and on the Na⁺/H⁺ exchange located at the apical side of the epithelium.     

The effect of selenium on fluoride — clay interactions: Possible environmental health implications

Previous epidemiological studies have shown that dental fluorosis is endemic in the lowland, dry zone of Sri Lanka, which is considered to be an area in which excessive quantities of fluorides are present in the drinking water supplies. It has been found that kaolinitic clay forms a suitable raw material in the defluoridation of water.It is shown that there is a noticeable effect of selenium and media pH on the reactions involved in the interaction of fluoride with clay. In this study, 1 mM fluoride solutions containing SeO ₃ ^2– (selenite) concentrations of 0 mM, 0.1 mM, 0.5 mM and 1 mM were used in the reactions with kaolinitic clay. The effect of pH was monitored in the range 4 to 8. It was observed that fluoride adsorption was maximum at a pH of 5.6 without either SeO ₃ ^2– or SeO ₄ ^2– , the adsorption capacity being 15.2 mol F^– g^–1 clay. However, when the SeO ₃ ^2– concentration was increased up to 0.5 mM at this optimum pH, the adsorption capacity reduced to 12.8 mol F^– g^–1 clay. Monitoring of the effect of SeO ₄ ^2– and media pH on fluoride adsorption showed that when the SeO ₄ ^2– concentration increases from zero to 0.1 mM, there is a reduction of fluoride adsorption capacity. However, when the SeO ₄ ^2– concentration is further increased from 0.1 mM to 1.0 mM, there was an increase in the fluoride adsorption capacity, indicating a more consistent effect of SeO ₃ ^2– on fluoride-kaolinitic clay interaction than SeO ₄ ^2– .Fluoride concentrations in drinking water supplies have a marked effect on dental health and the geochemistry of selenium appears to play an important role in the geochemical mobility of fluoride ions.     

Orientation ofRhizophagus grandis (Coleoptera: Rhizophagidae) to oxygenated monoterpenes in a species-specific predator-prey relationship

Summary The predator,Rhizophagus grandis, is linked to its specific prey,Dendroctonus micans, by semiochemical signals regulating oviposition and long range orientation. A mixture of simple oxygenated monoterpenes [(–)—fenchone, (–)—pinocamphone, rac. camphor, terpinene-4-ol, borneol, fenchol and verbenone], identified from the frass ofD. micans has been found to be extremely active in a flight windtunnel as a long—range attractant for the predator. The mixture elicited 84 % of the response to larval frass of the prey. Excluding pinocamphone from the mixture did not influence its activity. Also, changing the absolute configurations of some of the components (fenchol, terpinene-4-ol and borneol) did not influence the predators' response. However, the addition of (–)—-terpineol increased the attractivity of the synthetic blend to almost that of larval frass of the prey. Ecological implications of the identified semiochemicals and their use in pest management are discussed.     

Effect of nickel on some aspects of protein metabolism in the gill and kidney of the freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio L

Nickel has an adverse effect on some aspects of protein metabolism of the freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio. The main changes observed were: (a) Decrease in soluble, structural and total proteins, AlAT and AAT activities with an increase in the levels of free amino acids, protease and GDH activities and ammonia in the gill and kidney at 1, 2, 3, and 4 days of exposure to a lethal concentration, 40 mg litre(-1) of nickel; (b) Increase in soluble, structural and total proteins, free amino acids and the activities of protease, AlAT, AAT and GDH with a decrease in ammonia and urea in these organs at 1, 5, 10 and 15 days of exposure to sublethal concentration, 8 mg litre(-1); (c) The magnitude in these changes increased over time with both concentrations of the metal, and was more marked in gill than in kidney.     

Impact of atrazine-bearing agricultural tile drainage discharge on planktonic drift of a natural stream

Preliminary results are reported from a co-operative study between Agriculture Canada and Environment Canada on environmental impacts of atrazine measured in a field stream receiving agricultural drainage. Systematically, tile drained plots of known crop rotation, area, flow and pesticides use were used in the study. A maximum tile drainage concentration of 13.9 microg liter(-1) atrazine was measured while the maximum measured stream concentration was 1.89 microg liter(-1). Phytoplankton and zooplankton samples were collected on a bi-monthly basis during the growing season. The study indicated possible negative impacts of low concentrations of atrazine on planktonic drift populations, when natural stream flow was reduced, resulting in a lower dilution capacity. A 20 m section of the stream was affected by the tile drainage waters as measured by the resident biological community. Both atrazine and ambient environmental conditions were felt to be contributing to the measured results. No negative impacts on planktonic drift populations were evident beyond 50 m downstream of the tile drainage and stream confluence.     

Deposition of atmospheric ammonia to moorlands

Micrometeorological methods were applied to measure fluxes of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) to moorlands. Measurements were made in a wide variety of surface conditions and included both Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull and Eriophorum vaginatum L. dominated sites. NH3 was found to deposit rapidly to all the sites investigated, providing large deposition velocities (Vd, typically 10-40 mm s(-1)) and usually minimal surface resistances (rc). A small number of measurements were made in frozen conditions and suggest a possible exception to this pattern with mean rc of 50-200 s m(-1). The effect of vegetation drying was also investigated and a possible increase in rc observed, though this was small (< 10 s m(-1)). The results are interpreted in terms of the processes controlling exchange; it is shown that NH3 deposition is predominantly to the leaf surfaces and that the net NH3 compensation point approaches zero. Annual estimates show that dry deposition of NH3 is a major source of atmospheric nitrogen to moorland ecosystems. For two typical UK sites subject to background air concentrations, NH3 dry deposition is of similar magnitude to equivalent NH4+ inputs in wet deposition. In the vicinity of emission sources, NH3 dry deposition is expected to dominate inputs of atmospheric nitrogen.     

Effects of clearfelling on stream and soil water aluminium chemistry in three UK forests

Data are presented demonstrating how clearfelling has changed soil and stream water aluminium chemistry. For soil waters, a strong empirical relationship was observed between inorganic aluminium (Al(inorg)) and total inorganic anion (TIA) concentrations. Before felling, chloride and sulphate accounted for the largest proportion of the TIA concentration. After felling, in soils where nitrification was active, nitrate became increasingly important. Where this led to an increase in TIA, Al(inorg) concentrations increased. Over five years, nitrate concentrations have fallen, along with TIA, resulting in a sympathetic decline in Al(inorg). Streams draining clearfelled areas initially became more acid, although chloride and sulphate concentrations decreased. Stream water nitrate concentrations increased soon after felling and remained higher than controls for up to four years. While nitrate concentrations were high, Al(inorg) remained unchanged. Subsequently, as nitrate and TIA decreased, Al(inorg) also declined to concentrations below those in the control stream. Clearfelling upland forests will not necessarily result in immediate improvements in water quality, although long-term benefits may be seen before canopy-closure of the next crop.