Dandy – Walker syndrome and corpus callosum agenesis in 5p deletion

5p deletion syndrome commonly known as cri du chat is well described in affected neonates with catlike cry and hypotonia. Karyotyping will usually show a deletion of the short arm of one chromosome 5 with variable breakpoints. Only a few cases have been reported prenatally, and the fetal form of the syndrome has not been clearly individualised. We report a new case of 5p deletion syndrome diagnosed prenatally in association with Dandy–Walker syndrome and agenesis of the corpus callosum. Other brain anomalies have been reported previously, but this unusual association suggests the use of a specific probe in the investigation of these malformations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impacts after four years of experimental trampling on alpine/sub-alpine environments in western Tasmania

Experimental trials were undertaken over four years to assess the impact of recreational trampling in undisturbed alpine and sub-alpine vegetation communities in the Western Arthur Range, western Tasmania. Data on 'pad' formation due to human trampling were collected using vegetation cover assessments, biomass estimates and detailed cross-sectional surface profiles. In sub-alpine buttongrass and alpine herbfield, prolonged and sustained damage may occur after 100 passes by walkers. The environmental threshold of the flat alpine herbfield site was breached after 200 passes. Plant morphology was one determinant of resistance and resilience, with upright woody shrubs and tall tussock graminoids most vulnerable to sustained trampling damage. Cushions are susceptible to trampling impacts at 500 passes. Loss of vegetation cover peaks 6-12 months after trampling. Our results show that pads formed with as few as 30-100 passes per annum and tracks form at between 100 and 500 passes per annum. Two years after the cessation of trampling, there is some small recovery in vegetation cover after 30 and 100 passes per annum applied for three years, but no evidence of recovery at the 500 pass treatments. The low trampling threshold and slow recovery rates in western Tasmania suggest that concentrating walkers on a minimal number of sites may be the best management option for these untracked alpine and sub-alpine environments.     

A new report of mesomelic camptomelia,polydactyly and Dandy–Walker complex in siblings

Two male siblings with several malformations are reported. The anomalies detected in both fetuses were mesomelic camptomelia, postaxial hexadactyly and Dandy–Walker complex. There was only one similar previous report in the literature. This combination could represent a specific pattern of malformation or a new syndrome, with different variants. The parents' consanguinity and the recurrence in a subsequent pregnancy suggest an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Metal pollution in relation to mass outbreaks of Dendrolimus punctatus Walker on Pinus massoniana Lamb.in China

Insects with their ecological superpower have enormous capacity to transform small pollution damage in forests to full scale calamities. Acid rain resulting from extensive coal burning is the chief pollutant in China. Acid rain activates from soil deposits toxic metals, which are transferred to trees and further to insects eating them. We studied the levels of the toxic Cd, its antagonists Zn and Cu, and acid rain indicators Fe and Mn in the forest pest moth Dendrolimus punctatus Walker (Lepidoptera:Lasiocampidae) in variously polluted Pinus massoniana Lamb forests in China. The highest density of D. punctatus, as well as the highest Cd levels developed in the moderately polluted forests. Possibly Cd had there broken down the pest resistance of the pines. The paradoxical coexistence of high Cd level and elevated population density of the pest seems to result from the high accumulation of Cd in its ichneumonid parasitoid. In the most heavily polluted forests the Cd level in needles was low, possibly because the strong acid rain had washed away most of the Cd deposit in the soil. It existed there no D.punctatus population. Absence of pest insects from the most heavily polluted areas is a common phenomenon.     

Metal pollution in relation to mass outbreaks of Dendrolimus punctatus Walker on Pinus massoniana Lamb. in China

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Mesomelic campomelia,polydactyly and Dandy–Walker cyst in siblings

The present report describes two fetuses, one female and one male, with thus far undescribed skeletal malformations. The mother was a gravida 2, para 0. Both pregnancies were terminated in the second trimester because of multiple congenital anomalies diagnosed ultrasonographically resembling a short rib-polydactyly syndrome. Both fetuses were found to have postaxial hexadactyly of the hands and feet, marked bilateral campomelia of the forearm and shank bones, and a Dandy–Walker cyst. In addition, the fourth ventricle was dilated in the first sibling and the second sibling had an inverse intestinal malrotation. A literature search failed to reveal similar observations. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.