Hematology and Some Biochemical Parameters of Wild Rodents in Pistachio Gardens of Kerman Province, Southeast Iran

Wild rodents were collected using live snap traps in pistachio gardens of Kerman Province, Southeast Iran from 2007 to 2009, then some physiological parameters of them were measured. The samples were identified as follow: Nesokia indica, Meriones persicus, Meriones lybicus and Tatera indica. Blood samples were obtained from the heart, then the blood parameters (glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, HDL, red and white blood cell number) in wild species of rodents and laboratory rat were compared. The results showed that there were no significant differences in serum glucose, triglyceride, HDL and total protein levels among different experimental groups. The concentration of cholesterol in T. indica was more than that in N. indica (P < 0.01). The total numbers of red blood cells also showed significant difference between wild garden rodent species and laboratory rat (P < 0.01), while the numbers of white blood cells showed no significant difference.     

EXPERIMENTAL DREDGING TO CONVERT LAKE BOTTOM FROM ABIOTIC MUCK TO PRODUCTIVE SAND1

ABSTRACT: Conversion of muck to sand bottom was tested to increase benthic production in two eutrophic Florida lakes, and preliminary results indicate that benthos will be increased in areas converted to sand. Muck removal with a specially designed dredge, or “Mudcat,” was tested in Trout Lake. The Mudcat removed 41,650 cu. yds. of muck and exposed 17 acres of sand bottom, but 10 of those acres developed thin layers of muck, which proved too soft to be picked up by the Mudcat. Consequently, only 7 acres were satisfactorily converted. Bottom redistribution with a suction-type dredge was tested in Lake Carlton, and 14 acres were converted from muck to sand. Sand covered with muck was pumped from midlake areas to more peripheral areas of the lake where water depths were 11 to 13 feet and muck layer about 1.5 feet deep. The bottom was built up to an elevation above the previous muck elevation. Several methods for depositing the sand were tested. Level areas of sand fill developed accumulations of muck from fallout following dredging activity. Piles or dunes provided the best cost-return ratio. The bottom in filled areas changed very little during a 1½ year period following filling.     

Effects of calcium,strontium, and magnesium on the coccolithophorid Cricosphaera (Hymenomonas) carterae. II. Cell division

The effects of calcium-deficiency, magnesium-deficiency and strontium enrichment on cell division in the alga Cricosphaera (Hymenomonas) carterae have been studied. Cell growth was reduced at 10^-3 M Ca and was absent at 5x10^-4 M Ca and lower concentrations. The addition of Sr to Ca-deficient media enabled cells to divide, the effect increasing with Sr concentration. When 4.6x10^-4 M Sr was added to media containing 10^-4 M Ca, the rate of division and the final cell concentration were comparable to the control (10^-2 M Ca). Strontium was 20 times more effective than Ca. The rate of growth was also examined at various Mg concentrations. Cell division was absent, or nearly so, in Mg concentrations below 4.2x10^-5 M. Cell size increased progressively as the Mg concentration decreased; however, the lowest protein concentration was found in the absence of Mg. In media lacking Mg, cells exhibited changes in ultrastructure including rounding-up and apparent fragmentation of chloroplasts and an increase in vacuole size. Also, the number of mitochondria per cell section increased 2.9 times in the absence of Mg while the total cross-sectional area remained the same, indicating fragmentation.     

Shell repair in Nautilus macromphalus

The shell of Nautilus macromphalus, like that of N. pompilius, consists of an outer spherulitic-prismatic layer, a middle nacreous layer, and an inner semiprismatic layer. No periostracum was observed. When an area of shell 2 cmx2 cm over the living chamber was removed experimentally, it was replaced by shell of normal structure. Regeneration required 45 days. Observations of regenerated shell made with a scanning electron microscope showed that the spherulitic portion of the spherulitic-prismatic layer was formed from crystal grains that developed into spherulites. The nacreous layer was formed by the deposition of stacks of hexagonal crystals which, through lateral growth, made contact with crystals in adjoining stacks and formed continuous layers 1 crystal in thickness. The deposition of all the shell layers during regeneration was probably accomplished by a single mantle region rather than by different mantle regions as in normal shell growth.     

Six interaction profiles for simple mixtures

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has a program for chemical mixtures that encompasses research on chemical mixtures toxicity, health risk assessment, and development of innovative computational methods. ATSDR prepared a guidance document that instructs users on how to conduct health risk assessment on chemical mixtures (Guidance Manual for the Assessment of Joint Toxic Action of Chemical Mixtures). ATSDR also developed six interaction profiles for chemical mixtures. Two profiles were developed for persistent environmental chemicals that are often found in contaminated fish and also can be detected in human breast milk. The mixture included chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, hexachlorobenzene, dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethane, methyl mercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls. Two profiles each were developed for mixtures of metals and mixtures of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) that are frequently found at hazardous waste sites. The two metal profiles dealt with (a) lead, manganese, zinc, and copper; and (b) arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead; the two VOCs mixtures dealt with (a) 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene; and (b) benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTEX). Weight-of-evidence methodology was used to assess the joint toxic action for most of the mixtures. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling was used for BTEX. In most cases, a target-organ toxicity dose modification of the hazard index approach is recommended for conducting exposure-based assessments of noncancer health hazards.     

Nitrate reductase for nitrate analysis in water

Nitrate analysis in water is one of the most frequently applied methods in environmental chemistry. Current methods for nitrate are generally based on toxic substances. Here, we show that a viable alternative method is to use the enzyme nitrate reductase. The key to applying this Green Chemistry solution for nitrate analysis is plentiful, inexpensive, analytical grade enzyme. We demonstrate that recombinant Arabidopsis nitrate reductase, expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris, is a highly effective catalyst for nitrate analysis at 37°C. Recombinant production of enzyme ensures consistent quality and provides means to meet the needs of environmental chemistry.     

微波消解-电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)法同时测定塑料中的铅、镉、汞、铬、砷

建立了微波消解-电感耦合等离子体质谱同时测定各种塑料中的铅、镉、汞、铬、砷等元素的方法.对仪器的参数设置、进样系统的选择、测试稳定性等方面进行了系统研究,并对塑料标准样品中上述元素分析的前处理条件如消解体系、酸用量、消解温度及时间等进行了优化.方法检出限为0.7-6.5 ng·g-1,加标回收率为89.8%-103.5%,相对标准偏差为0.8%-11.3%.     

Biofilm cue for larval settlement in Hydroides elegans (Polychaeta): is contact necessary?

Larvae of many sessile marine invertebrates settle in response to surface microbial communities (biofilms), but the effects of soluble compounds from biofilms in affecting larval behavior prior to settlement, attachment, and metamorphosis have been little studied. This question was addressed by videotaping the behavior of competent larvae of the serpulid, Hydroides elegans, above settlement-inducing biofilms. Adult worms were collected in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, USA in November 2012 and spawned almost immediately. Six-day old larvae were placed in five replicated treatments in small cups: (1) with a natural biofilm; (2) with a natural biofilm on an 8-µm screen, 1 mm above the bottom of a clean cup; (3) with a natural biofilm beneath a clean screen; (4) in a clean cup; and (5) in a clean cup with a clean screen. Using the videotapes, larval swimming speeds and trajectories were quantified within 5 min of the larvae being placed in a treatment. Only larvae that touched a biofilm, i.e., in treatments (1) and (2), slowed their swimming speed and increased the amount of time spent crawling rather than swimming. This shows that under these conditions, any soluble cues emanating from a biofilm do not affect settlement behavior. Furthermore, after 24 h close to 100 % of larva in the two accessible biofilm treatments had metamorphosed and <15 % in treatments that included a biofilm under a clean screen and no biofilm at all, strongly suggesting that soluble cues for settlement were not produced by the biofilms over the longer time period.     

Effects of calcium,strontium, and magnesium on the coccolithophorid Cricosphaera (Hymenomonas) carterae. I. Calcification

The present investigation concerns the effects of calcium, strontium, and magnesium on calcification and mineralogy of the calcified bodies (coccoliths) of the coccolithophorid Cricosphaera (Hymenomonas) carterae. The capacity of cells to calcify in various concentrations of these ions was examined following preliminary decalcification in CO₂. At a concentration of 10^-2 M Ca, 75% of the cells formed coccoliths within 24 h and almost all cells were recalcified after 2 days. At 10^-3 or 10^-4 M Ca no recalcification occurred. However, with the addition of Sr to the Ca-deficient media, calcification took place as shown by observations of coccoliths and by analysis of Ca. The percentage of calcified cells increased with increasing concentrations of Sr. Strontium added to a Ca-deficient media was much more effective than an equivalent concentration of Ca. No Sr was deposited in the coccoliths. X-ray analysis demonstrated that calcite was deposited by cells in all concentrations of Ca and Sr at which calcification took place. At concentrations of Mg in the media from O. O to 4.2×10^-2 M, the cells retained their ability to calcify, although calcification was markedly reduced in the absence of Mg. In low Mg concentrations (1.3×10^-4 and 4.2×10^-6 M), the coccoliths were 60% calcite and 40% aragonite, and in teh absence of Mg, only calcite was formed.     

Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene sequences support an Asian origin for the Portuguese oyster Crassostrea angulata

The Portuguese oyster Crassostrea angulata (Lamarck, 1819) was long assumed to be native to the northeastern Atlantic, however, a number of lines of evidence now indicate that it is a close relative, or identical, to the Asian Pacific oyster C. gigas (Thunberg, 1793). Three hypotheses have been proposed to explain how this strikingly disjunct geographic distribution may have come about: ancient vicariance events, recent anthropogenic introduction to Asia and recent anthropogenic introduction to Europe. We have performed a molecular phylogenetic analysis of C. angulata based on mitochondrial DNA sequence data for a 579-nucleotide fragment of cytochrome oxidase I. Our results show that Portuguese oyster haplotypes cluster robustly within a clade of Asian congeners and are closely related, but not identical, to C. gigas from Japan. The mitochondrial data are the first to show that Portuguese oysters are genetically distinct from geographically representative samples of Japanese Pacific oysters. Our phylogenetic analyses are consistent with a recent introduction of C. angulata to Europe either from a non-Japanese Asian source population or from a subsequently displaced Japanese source population. Genetic characterization of Pacific oysters throughout their Asian range is necessary to fully reveal the phylogenetic relationships among Portuguese and Pacific oysters. Received: 15 April 1997 / Accepted: 12 February 1998