Use of whole-body and subcellular Cu residues of Lumbriculus variegatus to predict waterborne Cu toxicity to both L. variegatus and Chironomus riparius in fresh water

We tested the use of whole-body and subcellular Cu residues (biologically-active (BAM) and inactive compartments (BIM)), of the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus to predict Cu toxicity in fresh water. The critical whole-body residue associated with 50% mortality (CBR₅₀) was constant (38.2-55.6 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt.) across water hardness (38-117 mg L⁻¹ as CaCO₃) and exposure times during the chronic exposure. The critical subcellular residue (CSR₅₀) in metal-rich granules (part of BIM) associated with 50% mortality was approximately 5 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt., indicating that Cu bioavailability is correlated with toxicity:subcellular residue is a better predictor of Cu toxicity than whole-body residue. There was a strong correlation between the whole-body residue of L. variegatus (biomonitor) and survival of Chironomus riparius (relatively sensitive species) in a hard water Cu co-exposure. The CBR₅₀ in L. variegatus for predicting mortality of C. riparius was 29.1-45.7 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt., which was consistent within the experimental period; therefore use of Cu residue in an accumulator species to predict bioavailability of Cu to a sensitive species is a promising approach.     

Eichhornia crassipes capability to remove naphthalene from wastewater in the absence of bacteria

The aim of the current study was to investigate the potential of an aquatic plant, the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) devoid rhizospheric bacteria, to reduce naphthalene (a polyaromatic hydrocarbon) present in wastewater and wetlands.The capability of sterile water hyacinth plants to remove naphthalene from water and wastewater was studied in batch systems. Water hyacinths enhance the removal of pollutants through their consumption as nutrients and also through microbial activity of their rhizospheric bacteria.Experimental kinetics of naphthalene removal by water hyacinth coupled with natural rhizospheric bacteria was 100% after 9 d. Plants, decoupled of rhizospheric bacteria, reduced naphthalene concentration up to 45% during 7 d. Additionally, naphthalene uptake by water hyacinth revealed a biphasic behavior: a rapid first phase completed after 2.5 h, and a second, considerably slower rate, phase (2.5-225 h). In conclusion, water hyacinth devoid rhizospheric bacteria reduced significantly naphthalene concentration in water, revealing a considerable plant contribution in the biodegradation process of this pollutant.     

Assessment of waters and sediments impacted by drainage at the Young Dong coal mine site, South Korea

Introduction  

This study focused on the assessment of the geochemistry and hydrology of the Imgok Creek–Young Dong tributary for the design of a field coal mine drainage treatment system.     

First-trimester prenatal diagnosis in quintuplets: A practical approach using step-by-step embryo reduction

A multiple pregnancy of high rank may occur in a couple at risk for a Mendelian disorder. Prenatal diagnosis is hampered by the difficulty of (1) obtaining chorionic villi from each zygote arid (2) unequivocally relating each sample to the corresponding embryo. The calculation of the genetic risk according to the number of zygotes led us to propose a diagnostic strategy based on embryo reduction, a technique initially designed to improve the perinatal outcome of multiple pregnancies with normal embryos. We report a case in which this approach allowed rational use of first-trimester chorionic villus sampling in a quintuplet pregnancy at risk for non-ketotic hyperglycinaemia, resulting in the selective birth of unaffected twins.     

An approach to preimplantation diagnosis of β-thalassaemia

Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), it was possible to amplify a single copy fragment of the β-globin gene from 2–32 human embryonic cells obtained from arrested preimplantation embryos. For the detection of β-thalassaemia mutations, allele specific priming of the PCR using nested primers was employed using approximately 10 pg of DN A from individuals known to carry these mutations. This approach was successful in detecting the presence or absence of five Asian Indian β-thalassaemia mutations that were selected for this study. In spite of meticulous precautions against contamination, false-positive amplification was observed, a problem that will have to be overcome before this approach can be used in clinical practice.     

Trophoblast-like cells sorted from peripheral maternal blood using flow cytometry: A multiparametric study involving transmission electron microscopy and fetal dna amplification

Three monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against trophoblast (GB17, GB21, and GB25) and flow cytometry were used to sort trophoblast-like cells (TLCs) from peripheral blood of pregnant women. Sorted TLCs were processed for electron microscopy and fetal DNA amplification of the Y-specific sequences from mothers carrying male fetuses. At the ultra-structural level, most of the nucleated cells had the morphology of leucocytes, suggesting maternal contaminants, and we did not find the characteristic features of the free inter-villous trophoblast cells. Nevertheless, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis showed an amplification of Y-specific sequences in two out of three samples of sorted TLCs. These results suggest that besides the maternal leucocytes, sufficient trophoblast nucleated fetal cells can be obtained using cell enrichment by sorting. This sensitive method holds promise for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of fetal sex and if sufficient Y(positive) nuclei are found, for the diagnosis of selected numerical chromosome abnormalities.     

Identifying water resources management strategies in adaptation to climate change under uncertainty

In this study, an integrated simulation-based allocation modeling system (ISAMS) is developed for identifying water resources management strategies in response to climate change. The ISAMS incorporates global climate models (GCMs), a semi-distributed land use-based runoff process (SLURP) model, and a multistage interval-stochastic programming (MISP) approach within a general framework. The ISAMS can not only handle uncertainties expressed as probability distributions and interval values but also reveal climate change impacts on water resources allocation under different projections of GCMs. The ISAMS is then applied to the Kaidu-kongque watershed with cold arid characteristics in the Tarim River Basin (the largest inland watershed basin in China) for demonstrating its efficiency. Results reveal that different climate change models corresponding to various projections (e.g., precipitation and temperature) would lead to changed water resources allocation patterns. Variations in water availability and demand due to uncertainties could result in different water allocation targets and shortages. A variety of decision alternatives about water allocations adaptive to climate change are generated under combinations of different global climate models and ecological water release plans. These findings indicate that understanding the uncertainties in water resources system, building adaptive methods for generating sustainable water allocation patterns, and taking actions for mitigating water shortage problems are key adaptation strategies responding to climate change.