Prenatal diagnosis of an isochromosome 5p in a fetus with increased nuchal translucency thickness and pulmonary atresia with hypoplastic right heart at 14 weeks

We report on a fetus presenting with increased nuchal translucency at 11 weeks' gestation, suggesting cystic hygroma. Chorion villous sampling was performed, and cytogenetic analysis revealed a supernumerary isochromosome 5p leading to tetrasomy 5p: 47,XX,+ i(5p)[7]/46,XX[5] after short-term culture and 47,XX,+ i(5p)[20] after long-term culture. Subsequent targeted sonographic follow-up at 12 and 14 weeks revealed further increase of the NT to 6.4 mm and the additional presence of a congenital heart defect (pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum). Termination of pregnancy was performed, and the heart defect was confirmed. Isochromosome 5p was found in varying proportions in all examined organs. Only a few cases of mosaic tetrasomy 5p have been reported in the literature, and recent reports on prenatally detected isochromosome 5p showed a possible relationship to increased nuchal translucency in some cases and also a possible role of confined mosaicism in others. Whereas cases with confined mosaicism did not show suspicious signs on ultrasound, true mosaicism conversely showed increased nuchal thickness as well as structural abnormalities. This is the first report on the association of a cardiac defect with this chromosome aberration. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Achievements,challenges and global implications of China’s carbon neutral pledge

China has been committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. China’s pledge of carbon neutrality will play an essential role in galvanising global climate action, which has been largely deferred by the Covid-19 pandemic. China’s carbon neutrality could reduce global warming by approximately 0.2–0.3 °C and save around 1.8 million people from premature death due to air pollution. Along with domestic benefits, China’s pledge of carbon neutrality is a “game-changer” for global climate action and can inspire other large carbon emitters to contribute actively to mitigate carbon emissions, particularly countries along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) routes. In order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, it is necessary to decarbonise all sectors in China, including energy, industry, transportation, construction, and agriculture. However, this transition will be very challenging, because major technological breakthroughs and large-scale investments are required. Strong policies and implementation plans are essential, including sustainable demand, decarbonizing electricity, electrification, fuel switching, and negative emissions. In particular, if China can peak carbon emissions earlier, it can lower the costs of the carbon neutral transition and make it easier to do so over a longer time horizon. China’s pledge of carbon neutrality by 2060 and recent pledges at the 26^th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) are significant contributions and critical steps for global climate action. However, countries worldwide need to achieve carbon neutrality to keep the global temperature from growing beyond the level that will cause catastrophic damages globally.     

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 multifunctional pygidial gland secretion of the Steninae (Coleoptera: staphylinidae): ecological significance and evolution

The pygidial gland secretion of the rove beetle genera Stenus Latreille and Dianous Leach is composed of pyridine and piperidine-derived alkaloids and several terpene compounds. Two-choice bioassays with ants and fish, as well as agar diffusion assays, revealed that the secretion compounds are capable of deterring predators and protecting the beetles from infestation with microorganisms. In addition, the beetles use the secretion for rapid movements on the water surface, a process called skimming. Thus, originally developed to chemically defend the sensitive unprotected abdomen from predator attacks, the secretion of recent Steninae can be designated as multifunctional. Four of the alkaloid compounds occur as different configurational isomers in the secretion. Two-choice tests showed that ants discriminate between stereoisomers of stenusine, while there was no effect visible on bacteria in agar diffusion assays. Furthermore, there are evolutionary trends within the Steninae concerning the secretion composition, as some of the alkaloids primarily occur in phylogenetically basal species, while others are mainly restricted to derived species.     

Understanding the major drivers for implementation of municipal sustainable policies in underground space

Because of the expanding population in our cities with its demands for more diversified services, we cannot afford a piecemeal type of urban underground growth. Utilization of the urban street system for buried utilities has a serious adverse effect on other street functions because of the continuing necessity to perform excavations for the repair of existing lines and the installation of new ones. The excavations not only are a serious cause of traffic delay and congestion but also create noise and aesthetic disturbances, and result in excessive street maintenance requirements and in shortened overall street life. Consider the enhancing effects in quietness on abutting properties and users of the street, and the benefits become very great. Unfortunately, the lack of data and the difficulty in quantifying the intangibles have made it impossible to arrive at a reasonably accurate figure of overall negative impact on the urban environment of street cuts. However, if drivers are sufficiently strong to merit the use of utility tunnels, then sustainable municipal policies improving living quality will be implemented.     

Life history theory predicts fish assemblage response to hydrologic regimes

The hydrologic regime is regarded as the primary driver of freshwater ecosystems, structuring the physical habitat template, providing connectivity, framing biotic interactions, and ultimately selecting for specific life histories of aquatic organisms. In the present study, we tested ecological theory predicting directional relationships between major dimensions of the flow regime and life history composition of fish assemblages in perennial free-flowing rivers throughout the continental United States. Using long-term discharge records and fish trait and survey data for 109 stream locations, we found that 11 out of 18 relationships (61%) tested between the three life history strategies (opportunistic, periodic, and equilibrium) and six hydrologic metrics (two each describing flow variability, predictability, and seasonality) were statistically significant (P < or = 0.05) according to quantile regression. Our results largely support a priori hypotheses of relationships between specific flow indices and relative prevalence of fish life history strategies, with 82% of all significant relationships observed supporting predictions from life history theory. Specifically, we found that (1) opportunistic strategists were positively related to measures of flow variability and negatively related to predictability and seasonality, (2) periodic strategists were positively related to high flow seasonality and negatively related to variability, and (3) the equilibrium strategists were negatively related to flow variability and positively related to predictability. Our study provides important empirical evidence illustrating the value of using life history theory to understand both the patterns and processes by which fish assemblage structure is shaped by adaptation to natural regimes of variability, predictability, and seasonality of critical flow events over broad biogeographic scales.     

植物表面蜡质对植食性昆虫的影响研究进展

植物表面蜡质的最初角色是防止植株体内水分的散失和外界水分的进入,其分布的部位、化学成分和结构的复杂性与复杂的生态角色相对应.植物表面蜡质的物理化学特性能够抵抗各种各样生物与非生物侵害,这些侵害包括真菌病害、植食性昆虫、太阳射线、冻结温度等.植物表面蜡质还是植物、植食性昆虫及其捕食者和寄生者相互作用的竞技场,其特有的化学成分和形态学特征赋予它特有的生态机能,这些机能之一便是植物与植食性昆虫之间相互作用的媒介.植物表面蜡质的物理结构和数量能够影响植食性昆虫的附着和移动.表面蜡质可通过影响天敌对植食性害虫的捕食,从而间接影响植食性害虫的行为.表面蜡质提取物和单一的蜡质成分能够刺激或者抑制植食性昆虫产卵、活动和取食.烷烃、蜡酯、游离脂肪醇和酸等脂肪族化合物是表面蜡质的主要成分,在植食性昆虫选择寄主植物中,长链脂肪族化合物起着尤为重要的作用;芳香族化合物也影响昆虫对寄主植物的选择.植食性昆虫较少在光滑蜡质少表现型的作物上取食,在光滑蜡质少表现型的作物上,表面蜡质的数量少,化学组分和形态学特征也不同.研究光滑蜡质少作物抗虫的分子生物学机制,有助于阐明植物表面蜡质在植物与昆虫之间所起的作用.表面蜡质的理化特性能够改变害虫与寄主植物间的相互作用,具有重要的农业影响,已成为一个活跃的研究领域.     

Predicting employee aggression against coworkers,subordinates and supervisors: the roles of person behaviors and perceived workplace factors

Predictors of employee aggression against coworkers, subordinates, and supervisors were studied in a sample of 136 men employed full‐time. Person behaviors (history of aggression, amount of alcohol consumed) predicted aggression against a coworker. In contrast, aggression against a supervisor was predicted by two perceived workplace factors (procedural justice, workplace surveillance). However, neither person behaviors nor perceived workplace factors predicted aggression against a subordinate. In addition, person behaviors and perceived workplace factors interacted to predict aggression. First, procedural justice interacted with amount of alcohol consumed in predicting both aggression against a coworker and aggression against a subordinate. Secondly, both job security and procedural justice interacted with history of aggression in predicting aggression against a subordinate. Finally, job security and amount of alcohol consumed interacted to predict aggression against a subordinate. Results suggest that both the understanding and prediction of employee aggression will be enhanced by taking into account the target of employee aggression, and by including both perceived workplace factors and person behaviors as predictor variables. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.