Ammonia production and kinetic properties of glutamate dehydrogenase in the sipinculid Phascolosoma arcuatum exposed to anoxia

The amounts of total NH ₄ ⁺ detected in the external media in which Phascolosoma arcuatum had been exposed to various periods of anoxia were significantly greater than those in which the worms were exposed to normoxia for a similar period. The increased NH ₄ ⁺ production by P. arcuatum during anoxic exposure was unlikely to be due to an increased catabolism of adenine nucleotides or urea. In contrast, there were significant decreases in the concentrations of several free amino acids in the coelomic plasma and body tissues of individuals during the 48 h of anoxic exposure. The amount of NH ₄ ⁺ produced by the anoxic P. arcuatum could be accounted for by the decreases in the concentrations of aspartate or glycine. Increases in the catabolism of free amino acids (FAA), leading to the increased production of NH ₄ ⁺ , in P. arcuatum during anoxia were supported by the detection of significant changes in the kinetic properties of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), in the deaminating direction, from worms exposed to anoxia for 48 h. The apparent increase in the affinity of GDH from the anoxic worm to glutamate would bring about a greater deaminating activity at physiological concentrations of ths substrate. P. arcuatum used in these experiments were collected from the mangrove swamp at Mandai, Singapore between 1990 and 1993.     

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.     

Study on Assessing Economic Vulnerability of Small Island Regions

The main purpose of this study is to assess economic vulnerability of small island development regions as part of their sustainability constraints. By combining economic and environmental time series data, we assessed a composite index of economic vulnerability which is constructed from three exogenous variables, namely economic exposure, economic remoteness, and economic impact of environmental and natural disasters. We used the Amami Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan as the case studies for this paper.The results indicated that using a gross island products based valuation index, Kikaijima is the most vulnerable island in the Amami Islands with a composite economic vulnerability index (CEVI) value of 0.678, while by using a per capita based index, Okinoerabujima is considered the most vulnerable island with a CEVI value of 0.680. From the results we also revealed that smaller islands have relative higher vulnerability than the bigger one, which also confirms some previous country-level vulnerability studies.However, it is matter of fact that some islands that have relatively high vulnerability also have good economic performance as shown by their per capita income. In this regard, it can be argued that the success of these small islands could have been achieved in spite of and not because of their inherent vulnerability conditions as an indicator of sustainability constraint. Regarding these findings, we also examined a comparison between vulnerability results and the preliminary concept of an island's resilience in order to capture another perspective on sustainability assessment in a small island region.     

Dandy – Walker syndrome and corpus callosum agenesis in 5p deletion

5p deletion syndrome commonly known as cri du chat is well described in affected neonates with catlike cry and hypotonia. Karyotyping will usually show a deletion of the short arm of one chromosome 5 with variable breakpoints. Only a few cases have been reported prenatally, and the fetal form of the syndrome has not been clearly individualised. We report a new case of 5p deletion syndrome diagnosed prenatally in association with Dandy–Walker syndrome and agenesis of the corpus callosum. Other brain anomalies have been reported previously, but this unusual association suggests the use of a specific probe in the investigation of these malformations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

典型西南工业城市柳州市核心区大气污染物时空分布与气象因素研究

为研究柳州市核心区大气污染物浓度时空变化规律与气象因素之间的关系,统计分析了2018年全年研究区内6个自动监测站点PM_(2.5)、PM_(10)、SO_2、NO_2、O_3和CO的浓度监测数据和气象站气象数据,并对28次超标日污染物来源进行了解析.结果显示:①核心区颗粒污染物污染较为严重,且以PM_(2.5)为主的细颗粒污染物仍为柳州市主要的大气污染物;各污染物月均浓度季节差异显著,除NO_2外柳州大气污染物浓度下降明显,指示柳州市多项节能减排综合整治措施成效显著;PM_(2.5)、PM_(10)、CO受早晚高峰期影响,浓度日变化均呈双峰型;NO_2在不同季节峰型不同,作为O_3前体物其浓度日变化与O_3相反,呈现"早峰午谷"的变化趋势.②通过对污染物浓度插值发现,由于核心区主要工商业区位于西部且处于主导风向下风向,故PM_(2.5)和SO_2浓度西北高、东南低,PM_(10)、NO_2和CO浓度西南高、东北低;核心区东部的山区为O_3生成带来大量前体物,使O_3浓度东南高、西北低.③由于气候特征,核心区春、夏季主要气象因素均为降水量;秋季的主要气象因素是风速,风速与污染物的负相关关系表明了风的扩散效应;冬季大部分污染物与气象因素的相关性不显著,表明人为因素对污染物的影响大于气象因素;核心区大气污染物主要来源于局地排放和区域传输,且南北主导风向对大气污染影响最大.④HYSPLIT模型结果指示柳州超标日大气污染物主要来自于珠三角地区,且陆源颗粒物浓度普遍比海洋源高,来自南部的远距离输送气流颗粒物含量最低,表明远距离输送为影响颗粒物传播的主要原因.