Assessment of thermal stress adaptation by monitoring Hsp70 and MnSOD in the freshwater gastropod,Bellamya bengalensis (Lamark 1882)

Expression of the stress biomarkers 70-kDa heat shock proteins (Hsp70) and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) was measured as the molecular basis of adaptive response against increased experimental temperatures (32–40 °C for a span of 24–72 h) on the fresh water molluscan species, Bellamya bengalensis (Lamark 1882). The experimental snail specimens were collected during summer and winter seasons from two contrasting wetlands: an ecorestored (free from human interference) site (SI) and other experiencing anthropogenic stresses (SII). The mortality rate of the B. bengalensis and the immunoblotting of MnSOD and Hsp70 of their digestive glands were performed at regular intervals during the period of heat stress. The SI provided a lower stress environment based on physicochemical parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and alkalinity for the survival of test species, although both sites experienced mortality due to thermal stresses. The parity in protein expressions displayed a uniform mode of adaptive impact to temperature elevations in both field and laboratory exposure. The Hsp70 expression was minimal at lower thermal stress, but increased with a rise in temperature. It is very likely that higher Hsp70 levels are not directly related to survival or adaptation. In contrast, MnSOD levels appeared to be an indicator of adaptive responses vis-a-vis survival of the animals. So, the expression levels of a universal free radical scavenger like MnSOD are recognized as a potential biomarker in a bioindicator species like Bellamya.     

A preliminary investigation of pollution in the River Yamuna,Delhi, India: Metal concentrations in river bank soils and plants

A preliminary study of inorganic elements in the river bank soil and plants from the River Yamuna in Delhi has been carried out. Soil at Okhla, near the Water Works plant has a high zinc content (1,215 g g^–1 and this is reflected in the high concentration of zinc (2,029 g g^–1) in Eichhornia plants growing in the river at this point. Although in general the aluminium content of the soils is low in comparison with the world mean, soil near the effluent from the ash settling basins of the Indraprathsa Power Station contains elevated aluminium.Eichhornia plants growing near this effluent are stunted and unhealthy, and is suggested that, taking into account the high pH, possible causes are toxicity from aluminium or boron.     

Who's not driving among U.S. high school seniors: A closer look at race/ethnicity,socioeconomic factors,and driving status

Objectives: We examined associations among race/ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, and driving status in a nationally representative sample of >26,000 U.S. high school seniors.

Methods: Weighted data from the 2012 and 2013 Monitoring the Future surveys were combined and analyzed. We imputed missing values using fully conditional specification multiple imputation methods. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was conducted to explore associations among race/ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, and driving status, while accounting for selected student behaviors and location. Lastly, odds ratios were converted to prevalence ratios.

Results: 23% of high school seniors did not drive during an average week; 14% of white students were nondrivers compared to 40% of black students. Multivariate analysis revealed that minority students were 1.8 to 2.5 times more likely to be nondrivers than their white counterparts, and students who had no earned income were 2.8 times more likely to be nondrivers than those earning an average of ≥$36 a week. Driving status also varied considerably by student academic performance, number of parents in the household, parental education, census region, and urbanicity.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that resources—both financial and time—influence when or whether a teen will learn to drive. Many young people from minority or lower socioeconomic families who learn to drive may be doing so after their 18th birthday and therefore would not take advantage of the safety benefits provided by graduated driver licensing. Innovative approaches may be needed to improve safety for these young novice drivers.     

Household disposables as breeding habitats of dengue vectors: Linking wastes and public health

An assessment of the household wastes as larval habitats of the dengue vectors was made considering Kolkata, India, as geographical area. Wastes of four major categories, namely, earthen, porcelain, plastic and coconut shells were monitored for positive with immature of either Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus. Twenty six types of wastes with varying size and shape, resembling containers, were identified that hosted mosquito immature. The number of waste containers positive for Aedes immature varied significantly (P < 0.05) with respect to location, type and month. The relative density of Aedes immature in the waste containers varied significantly (P < 0.05) with the types and months. The significant interaction between the month, waste container types and density of Aedes immature suggest that the household wastes are important contributors to the maintenance of the population of Aedes mosquito in the city. Based on the relative density of mosquito immature in the wastes, cluster analysis allowed segregation and classification of the wastes and their importance as mosquito larval habitats. Apparently, the containers that are most frequently disposed off contributed largely to the sustenance of Aedes mosquito population in the city. This calls for a strict legislation towards disposal as well as enhanced management of the household wastes. A link between the wastes disposed and subsequent conversion to the mosquito larval habitats cautions for continuance of Aedes population and possibility of dengue epidemics if the existing management practices are not improved.     

Tipping Toward Sustainability: Emerging Pathways of Transformation

This article explores the links between agency, institutions, and innovation in navigating shifts and large-scale transformations toward global sustainability. Our central question is whether social and technical innovations can reverse the trends that are challenging critical thresholds and creating tipping points in the earth system, and if not, what conditions are necessary to escape the current lock-in. Large-scale transformations in information technology, nano- and biotechnology, and new energy systems have the potential to significantly improve our lives; but if, in framing them, our globalized society fails to consider the capacity of the biosphere, there is a risk that unsustainable development pathways may be reinforced. Current institutional arrangements, including the lack of incentives for the private sector to innovate for sustainability, and the lags inherent in the path dependent nature of innovation, contribute to lock-in, as does our incapacity to easily grasp the interactions implicit in complex problems, referred to here as the ingenuity gap. Nonetheless, promising social and technical innovations with potential to change unsustainable trajectories need to be nurtured and connected to broad institutional resources and responses. In parallel, institutional entrepreneurs can work to reduce the resilience of dominant institutional systems and position viable shadow alternatives and niche regimes.     

Assessment of basin-scale hydrologic impacts of CO2 sequestration,Illinois basin

Idealized, basin-scale sharp-interface models of CO₂ injection were constructed for the Illinois basin. Porosity and permeability were decreased with depth within the Mount Simon Formation. Eau Claire confining unit porosity and permeability were kept fixed. We used 726 injection wells located near 42 power plants to deliver 80 million metric tons of CO₂/year. After 100 years of continuous injection, deviatoric fluid pressures varied between 5.6 and 18 MPa across central and southern part of the Illinois basin. Maximum deviatoric pressure reached about 50% of lithostatic levels to the south. The pressure disturbance (>0.03 MPa) propagated 10–25 km away from the injection wells resulting in significant well–well pressure interference. These findings are consistent with single-phase analytical solutions of injection. The radial footprint of the CO₂ plume at each well was only 0.5–2 km after 100 years of injection. Net lateral brine displacement was insignificant due to increasing radial distance from injection well and leakage across the Eau Claire confining unit. On geologic time scales CO₂ would migrate northward at a rate of about 6 m/1000 years. Because of paleo-seismic events in this region (M5.5–M7.5), care should be taken to avoid high pore pressures in the southern Illinois basin.     

Bioefficacy, dissipation kinetics and safety evaluation of selected insecticides in Allium cepa L

This paper reports the bioefficacy of selected insecticides against thrips and their pre-harvest intervals (PHI) in onion pertaining to their recommended application rates and maximum residue limits. Profenophos, methomyl and imidacloprid showed comparatively higher bioefficacy against thrips. GC-MS and LC-MS/MS-based residue analysis methods in onion bulbs and composite matrix of bulbs+leaves were thoroughly validated. The residue data for bulb+leaves was assessed with reference to the EU-MRLs applicable for spring onion. Dimethoate was the most stable chemical with PHI of 52.5 days, followed by monocrotophos (24 days) and carbofuran (20.5 days). The PHIs of profenophos, chlorpyrifos, methomyl and cypermethrin were similar and within the range of 10-13 days. Imidacloprid and λ-cyhalothrin had similar PHI of 4.5 days. Spinosad was the fastest-degrading chemical with PHI of 2 days. The combined bioefficacy and residue dynamics information will support label-claim of these insecticides for the management of thrips in onion, help in scheduling their applications in pest management program as per relative PHIs and minimize the residue accumulations at harvest. The dietary exposure was less than the maximum permissible intake for most of the insecticides on all sampling days except for dimethoate and monocrotophos.     

Cu(II) removal using green adsorbents: kinetic modeling and plant scale-up design

Cu(II) adsorption in continuous column using green adsorbents like peanut and almond shell was investigated. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Brunaer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Point of Zero charge (pH_pzc) determination have been used for characterization of the adsorbents. Experiments were conducted at various operating conditions to calculate the adsorption capacity of the adsorbents. Adsorption studies signify that both the adsorbents have good adsorptive capacity for Cu(II) ion. Equilibrium of adsorption was described using Langmuir isotherm and the highest q_max value for both the adsorbent were obtained at an operating condition of 20 ml/min flow rate, 15 mg/L influent Cu(II) concentration, and 7 cm bed depth. Regeneration of both the adsorbents suggests that these adsorbents can be used several times for Cu(II) removal. Seven different kinetic models were tested among which the modified dose response model was fitted well for peanut shell and the Thomas model was fitted well for almond shell. These fitted models were further used for scale-up design. Regeneration studies show that peanut shell and almond shell are useful up to the fifth adsorption cycle. Application of these adsorbents with industrial effluent was also reported. This study reveals that peanut and almond shells can be used for Cu(II) removal for industrial wastewater.

     

Organochlorine pesticide residues in maternal blood,cord blood,placenta, and breastmilk and their relation to birth size

There is a growing concern that persistent organic pollutants like organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) can impair fetal growth and affect birth size. However, currently available epidemiological evidence is inconclusive. In this case-control study, we examined the association between exposure to hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and its isomers (α-HCH, β-HCH and γ-HCH), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and birth size. We recruited 60 infant-mother pairs, comprising of 30 term, small for gestational age babies with their mothers (Case group), and another 30 term, appropriate for gestational age babies with their mothers (Control group). This study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Delhi, India, between March, 2009 and February 2010. Organochlorine pesticides were estimated in maternal blood, cord blood, placenta and breastmilk samples, using gas–liquid chromatography. Transplacental and transmammary transfer of OCPs was assessed by correlating the maternal blood OCP levels with those in cord blood and breastmilk by simple linear regression. The birthweight, crown heel length, head circumference, mid-arm circumference and ponderal index of the neonates was correlated with OCP levels in the maternal blood, cord blood, placenta and breastmilk. The OCP estimates were compared between samples of the case and control group. There was a significant (P < 0.001) transplacental transfer of all OCPs, however the transmammary transfer was insignificant for most OCPs except α-HCH. The OCP levels in the case group were higher than the control group; these were significantly more for t-HCH in cord blood and breastmilk; β-HCH in maternal blood, cord blood and breastmilk; DDE in placenta and DDT in breastmilk. There was a significant negative correlation between birthweight and t-HCH levels in maternal blood (P = 0.022), cord blood (P < 0.001), placenta (P = 0.008) and breastmilk (P = 0.005); β-HCH in cord blood (P < 0.001) and placenta (P = 0.020); γ-HCH in placenta (P = 0.045); and DDT (P = 0.009). Length at birth had a significant negative correlation with t-HCH in cord blood (P = 0.014) and breastmilk (P < 0.001); β-HCH in cord blood (P = 0.016) and breastmilk (P = 0.012); DDE in placenta (P = 0.016); and DDT in breastmilk (P = 0.006). Similarly, OCP levels were also found to be negatively correlated with head circumference, ponderal index and chest circumference in neonates. We conclude that prenatal exposure to some OCPs could impair the anthropometric development of the fetus, reducing the birthweight, length, head circumference, chest circumference and ponderal index.     

Implications for biological invasion of non-native plants for sale in the world's largest online market

Internet trade is increasingly recognized as a dispersal pathway of non-native plant species that is difficult to monitor. We sought to identify non-native flora present in the Chinese online market, the largest e-commerce market globally, and to decipher the effect of existing trade regulations, among other variables, on e-trading patterns and to inform policy. We used a comprehensive list of 811 non-native plant species in China present in 1 of the 3 phases of the invasion continuum (i.e., introduced, naturalized, and invasive). The price, propagule types, and quantities of the species offered for sale were retrieved from 9 online stores, including 2 of the largest platforms. Over 30% of the non-native species were offered for sale in the online marketplaces; invasive non-native species dominated the list (45.53%). No significant price difference was observed across the non-native species of the 3 invasion categories. Among the 5 propagule types, a significantly higher number of non-native species were offered for sale as seeds. The regression models and path analyses consistently revealed a direct positive effect of the number of uses and species’ minimum residence time and an indirect effect of biogeography on the pattern of trade in non-native plant species when minimal phylogenetic signal was detected. A review of the existing phytosanitary regulations in China revealed their inadequacy in managing e-trading of non-native plant species. To address the problem, we propose integration of a standardized risk assessment framework that considers perceptions of stakeholders and is adaptable based on continuous surveillance of the trade network. If implemented successfully, the measures could provide a template for other countries to strengthen trading regulations for non-native plant species and take proactive management measures.