Perspectives of a large scale environmental survey for chlorinated dioxins: overview and soil data

On November 5, 1984, The Dow Chemical Company issued a report entitled: “Point Sources and Environmental Levels of 2378-TCDD on the Midland Plant Site of The Dow Chemical Company and in the City of Midland, Michigan.” This report is based upon the efforts of a 22-person task force who dedicated approx. 21 months of effort to the generation and analysis of over 6000 analytical data points regarding specific CDD/CDF concentrations in the four basic environmental elements of air, earth, fire (incineration), and water. A summarization of this study will be presented which includes methodology, analytical QA-QC criteria, and representative soil analyses, as they pertain to the survey conclusions.     

Use of pheromone traps to suppress populations of Scolytus multistriatus (Marsham) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in three isolated communities of elms

The technique of mass trapping as a pest management tool was evaluated for its potential in reducing populations of Scolytus multistriatus. More than two million beetles were caught on traps baited with a synthetic attractant composed of both aggregation pheromones and host tree volatiles. Trends in trap catches over a period of 4 years (1976–1979) in three small isolated towns of similar size and with a similar number of elms, suggest that there was little or no reduction of the beetle population. Patterns in the number of beetles captured and the dispersion of trap catches indicate that pheromonebaited traps may be deployed to help identify local infestations and to focus sanitation efforts.     

The enkephalins

Two penta-peptides with morphine-like properties have recently been found in the nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. These peptides known as enkephalins are unevenly distributed in the brain, the highest concentration being in the globus pallidus. The enkephalins are found to have analgesic properties and are also anti-tussive, anti-diarrheal and able to stimulate release of prolactin and growth hormone. Synthetic analogues of the enkephalins containing specific D-amino acid substitutions have been developed and show a wide spectrum of activities.     

Discordant findings in chorionic villus direct preparation and long term culture—mosaicism in the fetus

Prenatal cytogenetic study of chorionic villi showed a discrepancy between a normal female karyotype 46,XX in the direct preparation after short-term incubation, and a 45,X karyotype in the long-term culture. The subsequent amniocentesis revealed a normal karyotype in three cultures and a 45,X/46,XX mosaicism in one culture. Cytogenetic analysis of chorionic villi after termination of the pregnancy showed a normal karyotype in the direct preparation and a 45,X/46,XX mosaicism in the long-term culture. Fetal lymphocytes showed normal karyotypes, whereas fibroblast cultures revealed a 45,X/46,XX mosaicism.     

An infant with trisomy 9 mosaicism presenting as a complete trisomy 9 by amniocentesis

We present a case in which amniocentesis performed at 33 weeks' gestation because of symmetrical intrauterine growth retardation and decreased amniotic fluid volume led to the prenatal diagnosis of a fetus with a karyotype of 47,XX,+9, t(1;20)(q42;p11.2) pat, i.e., with an extra chromosome 9 and a balanced translocation between chromosomes 1 and 20. At delivery, the baby showed clinical features of trisomy 9, yet chromosome analysis of the cord blood revealed no trisomy 9 cells, a finding confirmed by neonatal blood karyotyping. The balanced translocation was present in all cells. A skin biopsy confirmed trisomy 9 mosaicism with 10 per cent trisomy 9 cells. The baby died at 6 weeks and an autopsy was obtained. Chromosome analysis of different organs demonstrated different frequencies of the mosaicism of trisomy 9. The possible underlying mechanism for the discrepancy between the karyotype results by amniocentesis and those of other tissues is discussed.     

Seasonality of spawning by tropical anguillid eels around Sulawesi Island, Indonesia

Remarkably little is known about the life histories of the many tropical anguillid eels distributed across the Indo-Pacific region, and since the Danish expedition to study eels in the region in 1928 and 1929, research on these eels has only begun again in recent years. Sampling for anguillid leptocephali in the Indonesian Seas has been carried out recently to learn about the spawning ecology and larval distributions of tropical eels there. The leptocephali of Anguilla marmorata, Anguilla bicolor pacifica, Anguilla borneensis, Anguilla interioris, and Anguilla celebesensis were collected around Sulawesi Island both in May 2001 and October of 2002. The development of genetic identification techniques has enabled these leptocephali to be identified to species, and their distributions and sizes during different seasons indicated that there are differing life history patterns among sympatric species in the region. A. celebesensis was found to have been spawning in Tomini Bay of northeastern Sulawesi Island in March and April 2001, but apparently, no spawning had occurred in the late summer and fall of 2002. Studies on anguillid glass eels have suggested that tropical anguillids may spawn throughout much of year, but our research on leptocephali in Tomini Bay and data on the downstream migration of tropical anguillids in the major tributary to Tomini Bay indicate that A. celebesensis may have a distinct seasonal pattern of spawning possibly related to the regional monsoon cycles. This is the first evidence of seasonality of spawning in tropical anguillid eels whose life histories are only just beginning to be revealed.