100 years of pheromone research

Dedicated to Prof. H. Autrum on the occasion of his 85th birthday.     

Trace element speciation in selected smelter-contaminated soils in Anaconda and Deer Lodge Valley, Montana, USA

Long-term copper smelting in the Anaconda and Deer Lodge Valley area of Montana has resulted in an extensive area of trace element contamination. Aerial extent of contamination is generally established, but total analysis of soils does not correlate to relative degree of impact on vegetation growth. Three pedons (Beaverell, Cetrack and Judco) were analyzed by routine soil characterization methods, aqua regia microwave digestion, sequential chemical extraction, and X-ray diffraction analysis with the objective of providing a better understanding of chemical forms and potential reactivity of selected trace elements (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, P, Pb). Surface horizons of soils are more acidic than subsoils, with pH for all horizons ranging from 4.0 to 8.7. Beaverell is the most contaminated in the upper 20 cm with the sum of total extractable (SUM_TE) trace elements by microwave digestion ranging from 1836 to 3605 mg kg⁻¹, largest H₂O-soluble (WS) and exchangeable (EX) fractions (e.g. 1.6 and 9.3%, respectively), and smallest residual (RES) fraction (e.g. 14.3%). Cetrack has greater SUM_TE elements than Judco, though a lower WS+EX fraction due to the effects of alkaline pH, carbonates and high P. Oxide (OX), organic matter/sulfide (OM/S), and RES fractions predominate over WS, EX, and specially-sorbed/carbonate-bound fractions (SS/CAR) for all horizons. Copper, Zn, Pb and Cd are elevated in surface over subsurface horizons in these latter fractions, indicating these elements were anthropogenic additions. X-ray data indicate that Pb, Cu, Cr and Cd partially exists as both OX and sulfide mineral forms.     

Rapid detection of numerical aberrations of chromosomes 13, 18 and 21 in chorionic mesenchymal cells

We have devised and evaluated a rapid screening method for the detection of numerical aberrations of chromosomes13, 18 and 21 in chorionic villus cells. We used non-radioactive in situ hybridization (ISH) with three chromosome-specific probes on overnight-attached mesenchymal cells from chorionic villi. A blind study was performed of 47 karyotypically normal samples, one triploid sample, two samples trisomic for chromosome 21, and two samples from a fetus with putative mosaicism (46/47, +21). All samples were hybridized with the chromosome 18- and 21-specific probes. Thirty samples were additionally hybridized with the chromosome 13-specific probe. The test could be completed within 3-4 days of sampling. In samples disomic with respect to the probed chromosomes, an average of 2 per cent (range 0-9 per cent) had three hybridization signals. By contrast, in the samples trisomic for the probed chromosome(s), 57 per cent (chromosome 13), 51 per cent (chromosome 18), and an average of 74 per cent (55-86 per cent) (chromosome 21) of the nuclei exhibited three signals. In the putative mosaic samples, the number of nuclei with three chromosome 21-specific signals ranged from 41 to 69 per cent. We conclude that this technique rapidly and clearly distinguishes between normal and trisomic/triploid samples, and consequently may be of use in future prenatal diagnosis.