Gamma aminobutyric acid radioreceptor‐assay a possible biomarker for human exposure to certain agrochemicals

Abstract

Cyclodiene insecticides, hexachlorocyclohexanes, pyrethroids, bicyclophosphates, the bicycloorthocarboxylate insecticides and some of their metabolites and environmental degradation products are central nervous system toxicants with high specific binding affinity to the chloride channel of the γ‐ aminobutyric acid (GABA)_A receptor‐ionophore sites. [³⁵S] tertiary‐butylbicyclophosphorothionate (TBPS) with specific activity higher than 60 Ci/mmole has a high binding affinity to the same sites and is now commercially available and can be used to label the GABA_A receptor for the development of a radioreceptor assay technique. The GABA receptor was prepared by ultra centnfugation and dialysis of brain homogenates of either cow, goat, rat or catfish. The receptor was then labeled with [³⁵S] TBPS and the assay was conducted by measuring the displacement of radioactivity following incubation with samples containing the analytes. A radioreceptor assay protocol was developed to measure the amount of the α‐endosulfan in blood samples. The assay was extremely sensitive, and can detect 0.2 nM of endosulfan at a level equivalent to 0.08 ppb or 8x10^‐11 gm of endosulfan in each ml of the blood samples.     

Effects of two organophosphorus insecticides on some biochemical constituents in the nervous system and liver of rabbits

Abstract

Male Baladi rabbits were acutely and sub‐chronically intoxicated with cyanofenphos and profenophos. The levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, B‐lipoproteins and total proteins were determined in the serum, brain, spinal cord and sciatic nerve of rabbits. Moreover, the activities of alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase and glutamic‐pyruvic transaminase were determined in the liver of the animals. The whole Studie revealed that the biochemical constituents were highly affected by the tested insecticides. Also, the liver function suffered from adverse effects of the tested insecticides.     

Ecological‐Niche Modeling and Prioritization of Conservation‐Area Networks for Mexican Herpetofauna

Abstract: One of the most important tools in conservation biology is information on the geographic distribution of species and the variables determining those patterns. We used maximum‐entropy niche modeling to run distribution models for 222 amphibian and 371 reptile species (49% endemics and 27% threatened) for which we had 34,619 single geographic records. The planning region is in southeastern Mexico, is 20% of the country's area, includes 80% of the country's herpetofauna, and lacks an adequate protected‐area system. We used probabilistic data to build distribution models of herpetofauna for use in prioritizing conservation areas for three target groups (all species and threatened and endemic species). The accuracy of species‐distribution models was better for endemic and threatened species than it was for all species. Forty‐seven percent of the region has been deforested and additional conservation areas with 13.7% to 88.6% more native vegetation (76% to 96% of the areas are outside the current protected‐area system) are needed. There was overlap in 26 of the main selected areas in the conservation‐area network prioritized to preserve the target groups, and for all three target groups the proportion of vegetation types needed for their conservation was constant: 30% pine and oak forests, 22% tropical evergreen forest, 17% low deciduous forest, and 8% montane cloud forests. The fact that different groups of species require the same proportion of habitat types suggests that the pine and oak forests support the highest proportion of endemic and threatened species and should therefore be given priority over other types of vegetation for inclusion in the protected areas of southeastern Mexico.     

Ability of Matrix Models to Explain the Past and Predict the Future of Plant Populations

Uncertainty associated with ecological forecasts has long been recognized, but forecast accuracy is rarely quantified. We evaluated how well data on 82 populations of 20 species of plants spanning 3 continents explained and predicted plant population dynamics. We parameterized stage‐based matrix models with demographic data from individually marked plants and determined how well these models forecast population sizes observed at least 5 years into the future. Simple demographic models forecasted population dynamics poorly; only 40% of observed population sizes fell within our forecasts’ 95% confidence limits. However, these models explained population dynamics during the years in which data were collected; observed changes in population size during the data‐collection period were strongly positively correlated with population growth rate. Thus, these models are at least a sound way to quantify population status. Poor forecasts were not associated with the number of individual plants or years of data. We tested whether vital rates were density dependent and found both positive and negative density dependence. However, density dependence was not associated with forecast error. Forecast error was significantly associated with environmental differences between the data collection and forecast periods. To forecast population fates, more detailed models, such as those that project how environments are likely to change and how these changes will affect population dynamics, may be needed. Such detailed models are not always feasible. Thus, it may be wiser to make risk‐averse decisions than to expect precise forecasts from models. Habilidad de los Modelos Matriciales para Explicar el Pasado y Predecir el Futuro de las Poblaciones de Plantas     

Effects of cadmium and chlordane on cellular apoptosis in ecotoxicological test species

Cadmium and chlordane are compounds chosen for a preliminary study on the impact of environmental contaminants on apoptosis in different representative species. These two potentially toxic substances decrease in vitro apoptosis of Daphnia magna cells. This appears to be related to the chemical concentrations and the time exposure. Cadmium was also directly introduced to the cell culture medium of Syrian hamster embryos (SHE) or indirectly via daphnids, which had firstly consumed algae contaminated with cadmium. A very sharp transfer of cadmium toxicity from algae to daphnids is noted and an inhibition of the apoptosis in SHE cells can be observed.     

The metabolism of neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam by soil enrichment cultures,and the bacterial diversity and plant growth‐promoting properties of the cultured isolates

A soil enrichment culture (SEC) rapidly degraded 96% of 200 mg L^?1 neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam (TMX) in MSM broth within 30 d; therefore, its metabolic pathway of TMX, bacterial diversity and plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) activities of the cultured isolates were studied. The SEC transformed TMX via the nitro reduction pathway to form nitrso, urea metabolites and via cleavage of the oxadiazine cycle to form a new metabolite, hydroxyl CLO‐tri. In addition, 16S rRNA gene‐denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis revealed that uncultured rhizobacteria are predominant in the SEC broth and that 77.8% of the identified bacteria belonged to uncultured bacteria. A total of 31 cultured bacterial strains including six genera (Achromobacter, Agromyces, Ensifer, Mesorhizobium, Microbacterium and Pseudoxanthomonas) were isolated from the SEC broth. The 12 strains of Ensifer adhaerens have the ability to degrade TMX. All six selected bacteria showed PGPR activities. E. adhaerens TMX‐23 and Agromyces mediolanus TMX‐25 produced indole‐3‐acetic acid, whereas E. adhaerens TMX‐23 and Mesorhizobium alhagi TMX‐36 are N₂‐fixing bacteria. The six‐isolated microbes were tolerant to 200 mg L^?1 TMX, and the growth of E. adhaerens was significantly enhanced by TMX, whereas that of Achromobacter sp. TMX‐5 and Microbacterium sp.TMX‐6 were enhanced slightly. The present study will help to explain the fate of TMX in the environment and its microbial degradation mechanism, as well as to facilitate future investigations of the mechanism through which TMX enhances plant vigor.     

Degradation and acute toxicity of Methidathion and Trichlorfon on Procambarus clarkii,in experimental conditions

Routine applications of organophosphate pesticides may adversely affect many nontarget organisms. Static toxicities in mature crayfish Procambarus clarkii were determined, in laboratory, for two organophosphate insecticides using 24, 48, 72 and 96‐h static tests. Three groups of 10 crayfish were exposed to 0.75 to 6 ppm for Trichlorfon and 0.2 to 0.9 ppm for Methidathion. The 24 to 96‐h LC50 values for Trichlorfon and Methidathion were from 5.14–0.99 ppm and 0.73–0.28 ppm respectively. Studies of degradation of Methidathion and Trichlorfon have been made using 1 ppm for Methidathion and 0.1 ppm for Trichlorfon. Both insecticides were degradated gradually until 96‐h. Results show that Methidathion is more toxic to P. clarkii in our medium and degradation of both pesticides is similar.     

Temporal variation of Tubularia indivisa (Cnidaria, Tubulariidae) and associated epizoites on artificial habitat communities in the North Sea

We have analyzed the composition, diversity, density and biomass of a temporal series of samples taken in a Tubularia indivisa community, which dominates a shipwreck in the North Sea waters (N 51°23′,730–E 02°29′,790, 17 nautical miles from the coast, 30 m depth). This shipwreck has structures emerging up to 8 m above the seabed. Water temperature ranged from 4.2°C in March to 20.3°C in August. Salinity showed few variations around 33.9 psu. Bottom tidal currents followed a semi-diurnal cycle and were preferentially NE oriented with 84% of them in the range 0.25–0.75 m s⁻¹. The mean value for total suspended matter was 6.2 mg l⁻¹ with large variations on a monthly scale. The species richness of samples varied from 15 in October to 42 in August with a mean value of 33 species. Diversity indices were higher during autumn and winter because of the strong dominance of a few crustacean species during the warmer months. The total density of individuals ranged from 6,500 ind m⁻² in October to 445,800 ind m⁻² in July, most of these individuals belonging to the amphipod species Jassa herdmani. The biomass of the T. indivisa community varied from 9 g AFDW m⁻² in October to 1,106 g AFDW m⁻² in July, with T. indivisa itself constituting between 59 and 82% of the total biomass. The biomass of T. indivisa was positively correlated with species richness and with the density of 23% of the species identified on this community, suggesting that T. indivisa plays an important structural role in this habitat. This was further confirmed by the number of species associated with T. indivisa which was generally superior to 55% of the sorted species. Multivariate analysis indicated strong differences between spring/summer−autumn/winter assemblages mostly but not solely due to the abundance patterns of species. These findings support the conclusion that shipwrecks in Belgian waters allow the development of assemblages dominated by a high biomass of T. indivisa which in turn provides shelter for high densities and biomass of epizoites. These assemblages will further show large monthly variations in densities and composition due to large variation in T. indivisa biomass under an apparent repetitive annual cycle. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.