Processes involved in uptake and release of nitrogen dioxide from soil and building stones into the atmosphere

Atmospheric NO₂ was taken up by samples of various soils and building stones. The NO₂ uptake rate constants were highest in soil samples taken during the summer months. However, the NO₂ uptake rate constants of the soils and building stones were not significantly correlated with any of the following variables: moisture, pH, ammonium, nitrite, or nitrate. NO₂ uptake by soil and stone was not abolished by autoclaving indicating a chemical uptake process. NO₂ uptake by acidic and air-dry soils and stones resulted in nearly stoichiometric reduction of NO₂ to NO. This reduction was enhanced by the addition of ferrous iron and was further enhanced by incubation under 1 ppmv SO₂. The results suggest that NO₂ reduction may be coupled to oxidation of ferrous to ferric iron which may be reduced again by atmospheric SO₂ thus regenerating the ferrous iron content of the soil or stone. Conversion of NO₂ to NO was not observed in neutral or/and moist soils and stones. NO₂ was also taken up by purified and sterilized quartz sand moistend with water. This uptake was enhanced by addition of humic material but not by addition of bacteria which both had been extracted from genuine soil. Under most conditions, only uptake but no release of NO₂ was observed. However, NO₂ was released in air-dry soils that were heated to 45–65°C, or in ammonium-fertilized soil or stone that was drying up at room temperature. Under the latter conditions mimicking field practice, the NO₂ release reached rates that were similar to the NO release rates.     

Sublittoral epifaunal communities at Signy Island,Antarctica. I. The ice-foot zone

Photographs were taken every 0.5 m along three transects of 5.5 m length on shallow rock faces at Signy Island, Antarctica, during the austral summer of 1991/1992. The percentage cover of substratum ranged from 0 to 100% and the colonising communities included representatives of ten phyla. The zone from mean low-water neap level to 1.5 m depth was mostly devoid of organisms as a result of the seasonal formation of the encrusting ice foot. Coralline and macroalgae dominated from 2 to 3 m, and animal groups from 3.5 to 5.5 m. Bryozoans, and to a lesser extent sponges, were the most abundant animal phyla. Within the bryozoans a succession of colonisation of different species was observed, the most abundant two of which occupied >80% of substratum in places. Substratum type seemed to be the main factor influencing community development in the shallow sublittoral at Signy Island, although ice impact prevents community development in the top 1.5 m and limits it over the rest of the transect down to 5.5 m. Depth and profile of substratum also influenced communities within this depth range (particularly taxonomic composition).     

Seasonal fluctuations in sand temperature: effects on the incubation period and mortality of loggerhead sea turtle (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Caretta</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">caretta</Emphasis>) pre-emergent hatchlings in Minabe,Japan

Incubation period, hatching success, and emergence percentage in loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nests were quantified during the 1993 and 1995 nesting seasons and following incubation seasons in Minabe, Wakayama, Japan. Sand and nest temperatures were also monitored. Over the seasons, daily mean sand temperature at nest depth fluctuated between 18.0°C and 33.3°C, with a steep increase in the second week of July and a peak in late August. Temperatures inside the nest chambers were a few degrees above those of the surrounding sand at the end of incubation. The incubation period ranged from 46 to 82 days. A significant negative correlation was found between mean sand temperature and incubation period. The relationship conformed to the day-degree concept. There was no significant seasonal trend in hatching success, but many pre-emergent hatchlings were found dead in most of the clutches during the warmest part of the season. Emergence percentage was correlated with mean sand temperature calculated for 4 days before emergence, suggesting that mortality may be due to heat. This heat-related mortality is considered to be a common phenomenon at our study site, because the peak in emergences coincides with the peak in high temperatures. These temperature effects on hatchling mortality must be taken into account in estimates of hatchling sex ratios. Because sand temperatures already exceed the optimal thermal range for incubation, this population is vulnerable to even small temperature increases resulting from global warming.     

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis of the fragile X syndrome by use of linked polymorphic markers

Fragile X syndrome is the most common cause of familial mental retardation. The most common mutation is expansion of a triplet (CGG)_n repeat in the 5′ untranslated region of the FMR1 gene on Xq27.3. The expansion is refractory to PCR due to preferential amplification of the smaller allele in heterozygous cells and the high GC content of the repeat and surrounding sequences. Direct detection of the normal parental alleles in preimplantation embryos has been used for preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of this disorder. However, this approach is only suitable for approximately 63% of couples due to the heterozygosity of the repeat in the normal population. As an alternative we investigated the use of polymorphic markers flanking the mutation to track the normal and premutation carrying maternal chromosomes in preimplantation embryos. Using a panel of 11 polymorphisms, six (CA)_n repeats and five single nucleotide polymorphisms, diagnosis was developed for 90% of referred couples. Multiplex amplification of informative markers was tested in 300 single buccal cells from interested couples with efficiency and allele drop out (ADO) rates ranging from 69% to 96% and 6% to 18%, respectively. Use of this approach is accurate and applicable to a larger number of patients at risk of transmitting fragile X to their offspring. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The influence of lindane and lindane metabolites on microsomal and mitochondrial ATPase in vitro

In vitro investigations of the influence of lindane and its metabolites were performed on microsomal and mitochondrial ATPases from liver, kidney and brain of rat and mouse. The microsomal Na+-K+-ATPases in rat liver were inhibited by the tested substances. An increase of activity was observed only with 2.5 X 10(-5) M gamma-HCH. Effects on the microsomal Na+-K+-ATPase from kidney and brain of rat were also indicated. The mitochondrial enzyme in rat liver was stimulated by all the compounds tested at concentrations of 10(-4) M - 10(-2) M. The effects on mitochondrial enzymes from kidney and brain varied in dependence on the tested substances. In the microsomes and mitochondria of mouse an influence on the Na+-K+-ATPases similar to the effects on the preparations from organs of rat was evident.     

Prenatal diagnosis of mosaicism for triploidy and trisomy 13

Mosaicism for trisomy 13 and triploidy was detected by amniocentesis performed at 18 weeks' gestation because of fetal anomalies. Pregnancy continued and a live-born male was delivered vaginally at 37 weeks. The infant had features common to both trisomy 13 and triploidy: intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), small abnormal ears, cleft palate, and a small jaw. In addition, he had complete cutaneous syndactyly of fingers 3 and 4 and partial syndactyly of the toes, as seen in triploidy. Mixoploidy for trisomy 13 and triploidy was confirmed postnatally in blood, skin, and placenta. Examination of chromosome heteromorphisms and DNA markers suggested the presence of two maternal contributions in the triploid cell line. In addition, the extra chromosome 13 in the trisomic cell line was derived from the mother. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.