Mid–trimester hyperechogenic bowel in a fetus of Japanese origin carrying a new mutation of CFTR gene (L548Q)

We present a case of a fetus with hyperechogenic bowel, in which the L548Q mutation was detected in the mother of Japanese origin and the ΔF508 mutation in the father of Caucasian origin. The fetus proved to be compound heterozygous. Research into cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mutations in this case was triggered by the fact that the fetus had a characteristic hyperechogenic bowel image with normal karyotype and no indications of intrauterine infections. Hyperechogenic bowel is highly indicative of a CFTR gene mutation. The incidence of cystic fibrosis (CF) in fetuses with mid-trimester hyperechogenic bowel is 5%, but once the most frequent mutations have been accounted for, rarer mutations must be investigated. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of phenylpropanoid volatiles in male rectal pheromone gland after methyl eugenol consumption, and molecular phylogenetic relationship of four global pest fruit fly species: Bactrocera invadens, B. dorsalis, B. correcta and B. zonata

Males of many tephritid fruit fly species of the genus Bactrocera show a very strong affinity to methyl eugenol (ME). An attracted male compulsively ingests ME, which is then biotransformed before its metabolites are accumulated into the rectal gland. The glandular organ is known to serve as a reservoir for sex pheromone in some species. Upon ME-feeding, males of the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, selectively accumulated two metabolites, 2-allyl-4,5-dimethoxyphenol (DMP) and (E)-coniferyl alcohol (E-CF), in the rectal pheromone gland. We compared the profiles of phenylpropanoid metabolites accumulated by three other species of very high economic and quarantine importance—Bactrocera invadens, Bactrocera zonata and Bactrocera correcta, with that of B. dorsalis. Males of each species were fed artificially on ME and the metabolites stored in the rectal glands were examined by means of chromatography and spectroscopy. Similar to B. dorsalis, males of laboratory-raised B. invadens accumulated DMP and E-CF, in almost equal quantities, in the rectal sac. The sum of DMP and E-CF increased gradually with time after ME consumption and reached as high as 150 μg/male 2 days post ME-feeding. Wild males of B. invadens captured in Kenya also possessed both the compounds in varying quantities. In contrast, males of B. zonata accumulated DMP and (Z)-coniferyl alcohol (Z-CF) in an approximate ratio of 1:1; whereas B. correcta is known to convert ME to (Z)-3,4-dimethoxycinnamyl alcohol (Z-DMC) and Z-CF also in an approximately 1:1 ratio. Thus, there are three types of binary combinations of rectal phenylpropanoid volatiles (i.e. DMP + E-CF; DMP + Z-CF; Z-CF + Z-DMC) utilized among the four Bactrocera species. Such differences in phenylpropanoid ingredients may play a critical role in differentiating these species if encountered in the natural habitat. In this context, the two putative sibling species—B. invadens and B. dorsalis, possess the identical subset of rectal volatiles (DMP and E-CF) in a similar proportion. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analyses of the four Bactrocera species by comparing nucleotide sequences in the mitochondrial genes showed that B. invadens clearly belonged to the same clade as B. dorsalis species. Therefore, we consider the two as the same biological species, and certainly not distinct.     

Reaction mechanism and pathway for the hydrothermal electrolysis of organic compounds

In this study, hydrothermal electrolysis experiments using glucose (a biorelated substance) as a starting material were carried out using a specially designed autoclave at 250°C. We could understand the fundamental reaction behavior of glucose under these conditions through various kinds of experiments and product analyses. Another series of experiments using pressurized CO₂ as an electrolyte was conducted to discover whether it is possible to use CO₂ as an alternative electrolyte to the conventional KCl electrolyte, with a view to lowering the environmental impact of the process. It was found that pressurized CO₂ was useful as an environmentally friendly electrolyte, although there were still some problems in terms of the reaction efficiency.     

Facile Preparation of Chitin/Cellulose Composite Films Using Ionic Liquids

In this study, we performed the facile preparation of chitin/cellulose composite films using two ionic liquids, 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (AMIMBr) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl); the former dissolves chitin and the latter dissolves cellulose. First, solutions of chitin in AMIMBr and cellulose in BMIMCl were individually prepared by heating each mixture at 100 °C for 24 h. Then, the homogeneous mixture of the two solutions was thinly casted on a glass plate, followed by standing at room temperature for 2 h. After the material was subjected to successive Soxhlet extractions with ethanol for 12 h and with water for 12 h, the residue was dried at room temperature to give a composite film. The crystalline structures of the polysaccharides were evaluated by the X-ray diffraction measurement. Furthermore, the thermal stability and mechanical property of the resulting composite film were estimated by the thermal gravimetric analysis measurement and tensile testing, respectively.     

洪湖水环境现状及主导因子分析

利用2003年夏季在洪湖采集的20个水体样本的测定结果分析了洪湖目前的水体化学性质。根据分析洪湖夏季为Ⅲ类水,则其他季节的水质等级很有可能在Ⅲ类以下。洪湖水体的理化性质各方面状况有利于水生生物的生长和繁殖。运用模糊数学方法得到的结果表明2003年水质状况以Ⅲ类水为主,表明洪湖近年来的水质呈现下降的趋势,这与人类对洪湖水生资源的过度开发有直接的联系;通过主成分分析方法,得到了目前洪湖水质的三个主要控制因素。洪湖水质主要受到氮盐营养元素和生物活动的控制,其次是悬浮物和水体的离子属性,第三是水体的磷化合物。尽管磷是大多数湖泊水体富营养化的关键物质,但它对洪湖湖水而言,并不是最重要的控制因素,所以洪湖富营养化不是水质变化的主要原因。     

Modification of ecological footprint evaluation method to include non-renewable resource consumption using thermodynamic approach

This study is to modify the ecological footprint methodology by incorporating non-renewable or abiotic resources as an additional category. The use of abiotic resources can be quantified as global hectare by using thermodynamic approaches. A detailed case study on various countries including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Japan, USA, and Vietnam shows the advantage of using the new modified ecological footprint (EF) as an indicator for sustainable development. The modified EF includes not only biotic resources, but also the abiotic resources. The case study indicates that the modified EF differs from the traditional EF up to 123% in the case of Belgium, and 90% in the case of Australia. For developing countries such as Brazil and Vietnam, the differences are relatively smaller (21% for Brazil and 9.4% for Vietnam). The estimated total ecological footprint of the world using the new method implies more serious problems associated with over consumption than using results from the original ecological footprint method.     

Transportation of organic matter to the sea floor by carrion falls of the giant jellyfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nemopilema nomurai</Emphasis> in the Sea of Japan

The fate of the giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai after death was examined in the southwest Sea of Japan. The density of dead jellyfish was greater than that of live animals. The dead animals are heavier than the Japan Sea Proper Water which occurs deeper than 200 m, suggesting that dead jellyfish sink to the sea floor. The sea floor survey, conducted with a towed video tape recorder (VTR) monitoring system between mid September and mid October, observed a total of 138 jellyfish during 28 of 29 operations. The density of carrion ranged between 0.2 and 5.1 individuals/1,000 m² (mean ± SE = 1.1 ± 0.2). Ophiuroids occurred abundantly at 23 jellyfish carcasses and a sea anemone was observed attached to five carcasses. The VTR surveys confirmed that carrion sinks to the sea floor not only during the winter, the normal end of life for medusae, but also during the fall. A trap survey baited with medusae was also employed, and four different species were sampled with the traps: the snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio), a shrimp (Pandalopsis japonica), the ivory shell (Buccinum striatissimum) and an ophiuroid (Ophiura sarsii). Much of the trap bait remained (49–68% weight-mean = 60.3%) during the 23 h soak-time, and the reduction in weight was greater than that observed by bacterial decomposition, suggesting benthic animals consume dead organisms. The present study indicates that dead N. nomurai sink to the sea floor continuously and were subsequently consumed by benthic scavengers.     

Characterizing emissions from open burning of military food waste and ration packaging compositions

Emissions from open burning of military food waste and ration packaging compositions were characterized in response to health concerns from open burning disposal of waste, such as at military forward operating bases. Emissions from current and prototype Meals, Ready-to-Eat (MREs), and material options for their associated fiberboard packaging were quantified to assess contributions of the individual components. MREs account for 67–100% of the particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (PCDDs/PCDFs) emissions when burned in unison with the current fiberboard container and liner. The majority of the particles emitted from these burns are of median diameter 2.5 µm (PM_2.5). Metal emission factors were similar regardless of waste composition. Measurements of VOCs and PAHs indicate that targeted replacement of MRE components may be more effective in reducing emissions than variation of fiberboard-packaging types. Despite MRE composition variation, equivalent emission factors for PM, PAH, VOC, and PCDD/PCDF were seen. Similarly, for fiberboard packaging, composition variations exhibited essentially equivalent PM, PAH, VOC, and PCDD/PCDF emission factors amongst themselves. This study demonstrated a composition-specific analysis of waste burn emissions, assessing the impact of waste component substitution using military rations.     

Evaluation of thermally treated asbestos based on fiber number concentration determined by transmission electron microscopy

Appropriate treatment of asbestos waste is a significant problem. In Japan, inertization of asbestos-containing waste by novel techniques approved by the Ministry of the Environment is now promoted. A quantitative method of testing with high sensitivity to the asbestos levels present in the inertization products is required for the approval process, but many testing methods are only qualitative. Thus, we have developed an evaluation method for asbestos in inertized products, consisting of the extraction of fibers from inertized products and determination of fiber number concentration by transmission electron microscopy. We adopted this testing method to evaluate thermally treated asbestos. It was found that fiber number concentrations of thermally treated asbestos decreased with increased treatment temperature, and were below the environmental level (10² Mf/g) at more than 1000 °C for chrysotile and crocidolite and more than 1400 °C for amosite and other amphibole forms of asbestos.