Nematomorph parasites drive energy flow through a riparian ecosystem

Parasites are ubiquitous in natural systems and ecosystem-level effects should be proportional to the amount of biomass or energy flow altered by the parasites. Here we quantified the extent to which a manipulative parasite altered the flow of energy through a forest-stream ecosystem. In a Japanese headwater stream, camel crickets and grasshoppers (Orthoptera) were 20 times more likely to enter a stream if infected by a nematomorph parasite (Gordionus spp.), corroborating evidence that nematomorphs manipulate their hosts to seek water where the parasites emerge as free-living adults. Endangered Japanese trout (Salvelinus leucomaenis japonicus) readily ate these infected orthopterans, which due to their abundance, accounted for 60% of the annual energy intake of the trout population. Trout grew fastest in the fall, when nematomorphs were driving energy-rich orthopterans into the stream. When infected orthopterans were available, trout did not eat benthic invertebrates in proportion to their abundance, leading to the potential for cascading, indirect effects through the forest-stream ecosystem. These results provide the first quantitative evidence that a manipulative parasite can dramatically alter the flow of energy through and across ecosystems.     

Sensitive voltammetric and amperometric responses of respiratory toxins at hemin-adsorbed carbon-felt

A hemin [iron-Fe(III) protoporphyrin IX chloride] was adsorbed onto a carbon-felt (CF), which is a microelectrode ensemble of micro carbon fiber (ca. 7 μm diameter). The resulting hemin-adsorbed-CF (hemin-CF) showed a well-defined redox wave based on the hemin-Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox process with the formal potential of -0.225 V vs. Ag/AgCl in deoxygenated phosphate/citrate buffer solution (0.1 mol/L, pH 5.0). The apparent heterogenous electron transfer rate constant was estimated to be 8.6 sec^-1. In air-saturated electrolyte solution, the hemin-CF exhibited an excellent electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of dioxygen (O₂). This activity was reversibly inhibited by respiratory toxins such as cyanide and azide, which bind sixth coordination position of iron active center of hemin. The electrocatalytic O₂ reduction current at the hemin-CF was modulated by the toxins in a concentration-depending manner. Based on the relationship between the inhibition and the toxin concentration, apparent inhibition constants of cyanide and azide were evaluated to be 4.52 and 1.98 μmol/L, respectively. When the hemin-CF was used as a working electrode unit of the CF-based electrochemical flow-through detector with air-saturated carrier, the injection of the azide induced peak-shape current responses, which allowed rapid and continuous flow-amperometric determination of azide with high sensitivity.     

Assays of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds in actually contaminated soils using transgenic tobacco plants carrying a recombinant mouse aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated β-glucuronidase reporter gene expression system

This article has been retracted.     

Burrowing behaviour inferred from feeding traces of the opheliid polychaete <Emphasis Type="Italic">Euzonus</Emphasis> sp. as response to beach morphodynamics

The distribution of the opheliid polychate Euzonus sp. and the orientation of its feeding traces were examined in a wave-dominated Pacific sandy beach of central Japan by periodical sampling from June to December 2006. This species occurred constantly within sediments at mid-intertidal level, although its horizontal distributions were variable depending on changes of the beach profiles. These facts indicate that Euzonus sp. moved horizontally seaward or landward within the substratum in response to the shifting beach face due to changes of wave conditions from the ocean. By analysing the orientation of feeding traces, the adaptive burrowing behaviour of this species in response to beach topographical changes was revealed: Euzonus worms burrowed horizontally to various directions in a relatively stable condition of beach topography, whereas they moved preferentially landward under a heavy erosion of the beach face by a storm. These findings indicate that the burrowing behaviour prevents Euzonus sp. from excessive burial and washing out due to the beach morphodynamics.     

Implementation of the semi-aerobic landfill system (Fukuoka method) in developing countries: a Malaysia cost analysis

Most of the existing solid waste landfill sites in developing countries are practicing either open dumping or controlled dumping. Proper sanitary landfill concepts are not fully implemented due to technological and financial constraints. Implementation of a fully engineered sanitary landfill is necessary and a more economically feasible landfill design is crucial, particularly for developing countries. This study was carried out by focusing on the economics from the development of a new landfill site within a natural clay area with no cost of synthetic liner up to 10 years after its closure by using the Fukuoka method semi-aerobic landfill system. The findings of the study show that for the development of a 15-ha landfill site in Malaysia with an estimated volume of 2,000,000 m(3), the capital investment required was about US 1,312,895 dollars, or about US 0.84 dollars/tonne of waste. Assuming that the lifespan of the landfill is 20 years, the total cost of operation was about US 11,132,536 dollars or US 7.15 dollars/tonne of waste. The closure cost of the landfill was estimated to be US 1,385,526 dollars or US 0.89 dollars/tonne of waste. Therefore, the total cost required to dispose of a tonne of waste at the semi-aerobic landfill was estimated to be US 8.89 dollars. By considering an average tipping fee of about US 7.89 dollars/tonne of waste in Malaysia in the first year, and an annual increase of 3% to about US 13.84 dollars in year-20, the overall system recorded a positive revenue of US 1,734,749 dollars. This is important information for the effort of privatisation of landfill sites in Malaysia, as well as in other developing countries, in order to secure efficient and effective landfill development and management.     

Amperometric hydrogen peroxide biosensor based on immobilization of DNA-Cu(II) in DNA/chitosan polyion complex membrane

DNA/chitosan polyion complex membrane was used as a support for immobilization of electrocatalytic species-copper ions, which specifically bound to dsDNA and catalyzed the hydrogen peroxide reduction. The polyion complex membrane consisted with DNA-Cu(II) complex and chitosan was prepared on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Electrochemical measurements of the DNA-Cu(II)/chitosan membrane-modified GCE revealed that the copper ion embedded in the DNA/chitosan layer exhibited good electrochemical behaviors. The DNA-Cu(II)/chitosan/GC electrode showed an excellent electrocatalytic activity for the H₂O₂ reduction. Even in the presence of dissolved oxygen, the sensor exhibited highly sensitive and rapid (response time, about 6 s) response to H₂O₂. The steady-state cathodic current responses of the sensor obtained at ?0.2 V versus Ag/AgCl in air-saturated 100 mmol/L phosphate buffer (pH 5.0) increased linearly up to 10 mmol/L with the detection limit of 3 μmol/L. Effects of applied potential and buffer pH upon the response currents of the sensor were investigated for an optimum analytical performance. Ascorbic acid and glucose almost have no interference to measurement of H₂O₂. In addition, the sensor exhibited good reproducibility.     

Assays of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds in actually contaminated soils using transgenic tobacco plants carrying a recombinant mouse aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated β-glucuronidase reporter gene expression system

The transgenic tobacco plant XD4V-26 carrying the recombinant mouse aryl hydrocarbon receptor XD4V-mediated β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene expression system was used for assay of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds consisting of polychlorinated dibenzeno-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs) in actually contaminated soils. The transgenic tobacco plant XD4V-26 showed a significant dose-dependent induced GUS activity when cultured on MS medium containing PCB126 [toxic equivalency factor (TEF) = 0.1]. In contrast, PCB169 and PCB180, which have 0.03 of TEF and unassigned TEF values, respectively, did not significantly induce GUS activity under the same conditions as with PCB126. When the tobacco plants were cultivated for up to 5 weeks on actually contaminated soils with dioxins and dioxin-like compounds collected from the periphery of an incinerator used for disposal of residential and industrial wastes, GUS activity in the leaves was dose-dependently increased. The plants clearly detected 360 pg-TEQ g(-1) of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds in this assay. There was a positive correlation between GUS activity and TEQ value of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds in the plants. This assay does not require any extraction and purification processes for the actually contaminated soil samples.     

Using remote sensing and GIS to detect and monitor land use and land cover change in Dhaka Metropolitan of Bangladesh during 1960–2005

This paper illustrates the result of land use/cover change in Dhaka Metropolitan of Bangladesh using topographic maps and multi-temporal remotely sensed data from 1960 to 2005. The Maximum likelihood supervised classification technique was used to extract information from satellite data, and post-classification change detection method was employed to detect and monitor land use/cover change. Derived land use/cover maps were further validated by using high resolution images such as SPOT, IRS, IKONOS and field data. The overall accuracy of land cover change maps, generated from Landsat and IRS-1D data, ranged from 85% to 90%. The analysis indicated that the urban expansion of Dhaka Metropolitan resulted in the considerable reduction of wetlands, cultivated land, vegetation and water bodies. The maps showed that between 1960 and 2005 built-up areas increased approximately 15,924 ha, while agricultural land decreased 7,614 ha, vegetation decreased 2,336 ha, wetland/lowland decreased 6,385 ha, and water bodies decreased about 864 ha. The amount of urban land increased from 11% (in 1960) to 344% in 2005. Similarly, the growth of landfill/bare soils category was about 256% in the same period. Much of the city's rapid growth in population has been accommodated in informal settlements with little attempt being made to limit the risk of environmental impairments. The study quantified the patterns of land use/cover change for the last 45 years for Dhaka Metropolitan that forms valuable resources for urban planners and decision makers to devise sustainable land use and environmental planning.     

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, -dibenzofurans, and biphenyls in domestic animal food stuff and their fat

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDFs) and dioxin-like coplanar PCBs and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (TEQs) were measured in domestic animal related samples such as feed ingredient, mixed feed and animal fat from Japan. The mean concentration of total PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs in fish oil was 17000pg g-1 lipid wt, which 9- to 30-fold greater than that from other animal originated ingredients. Mixed feed for chicken and chicken fat contained greater total PCDDs, PCDFs, coplanar PCBs concentrations (190 and 2100pg g-1 lipid wt) compared to those for pig (120 and 320pg g-1 lipid wt). WHO-TEQs were ranged 0.39-13, 0.15-0.22 and 0.73-2.8pg g-1 lipid wt for ingredients, mixed feeds and animal fats, respectively. Greater biomagnification factor was noticed for congeners 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD, 2,3,7,8-TCDF and 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDF in chicken and pig fat. Biomagnification factors for both mono- and non-ortho coplanar PCBs were greater in chicken fat compared to those in pig fat.