Association of generalized dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa with positive acetylcholinesterase and markedly elevated maternal serum and amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein

A case of fatal generalized dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa is described in a prematurely born female whose mother had strikingly elevated mid-trimester serum and amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein concentrations, a positive amniotic fluid acetylcholinesterase band, and negative serial ultrasound studies. This case lends further support to an association between autosomal recessive generalized dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa and increased levels of alpha-fetoprotein, positive amniotic fluid acetylcholines'terase, and normal ultrasound findings.     

Reasons for non-participation in a kerbside recycling scheme

In this article potential barriers to recycling are explored within a UK community of approximately 8000 households that are piloting a kerbside paper recycling scheme. All 1690 non-users of the scheme were surveyed for their decisions not to participate. A 43% response rate was generated from the survey and the reasons given by householders were coded into 12 categories. The main reasons for non-participation included insufficient paper and lack of space in which to locate the recycling bin. 62% of the non-participants reported that they were recycling paper using other facilities such as local bring schemes and charity collections. Strategies to increase participation in the kerbside scheme are suggested.     

Costa Rican Environmental Service Payments: The Use of a Financial Instrument in Participatory Forest Management

The core element of the Costa Rican forestry policy is a financial instrument called the environmental service payment. This instrument rewards forest owners for the environmental services (the mitigation of greenhouse gases, the protection of watersheds and scenic beauty, and the development of biodiversity) their forests provide. In this article, the experiences with this new instrument are analyzed by focusing on the way interests are represented and access is granted, the openness of information exchange, whether social learning occurred, and whether decision-making authority is shared. The analysis is based on a survey conducted in the Huetar Norte Region and on in-depth interviews with the major stakeholders. The Costa Rican case indicates that financial instruments can be used to share responsibilities and that stakeholders can successfully cooperate on forest issues. It also shows that such a participatory approach is only promising if certain cultural, economic, organizational, and political conditions are met.     

Collaborative environmental planning in river management: an application of multicriteria decision analysis in the White River Watershed in Vermont

Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) provides a well-established family of decision tools to aid stakeholder groups in arriving at collective decisions. MCDA can also function as a framework for the social learning process, serving as an educational aid in decision problems characterized by a high level of public participation. In this paper, the framework and results of a structured decision process using the outranking MCDA methodology preference ranking organization method of enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) are presented. PROMETHEE is used to frame multi-stakeholder discussions of river management alternatives for the Upper White River of Central Vermont, in the northeastern United States. Stakeholders met over 10 months to create a shared vision of an ideal river and its services to communities, develop a list of criteria by which to evaluate river management alternatives, and elicit preferences to rank and compare individual and group preferences. The MCDA procedure helped to frame a group process that made stakeholder preferences explicit and substantive discussions about long-term river management possible.     

Rock phosphate solubilizing and cellulolytic actinomycete isolates of earthworm casts

Four microbial isolates, OP2, OP3, OP6, and OP7, of earthworm casts ofPontoscolex corethrurus were found to be acid tolerant actinomycetes and efficient rock phosphate (RP) solubilizers that could grow fast on NH₄Cl-enriched or N-free carboxymethyl cellulose or glucose as sole carbon source. CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose) induced production of extracellular cellulase enzyme and the production of reducing sugar in all the isolates. RP solubilizing power was observed to be inversely related to glucose consumption. The most efficient RP solubilizer was found to consume the least glucose. Growth was faster on cellulose than on glucose media. N-free CMC induced greater glucose production than NH₄Cl-enriched CMC medium. Both CMC and glucose media were acidified by all the isolates, however, RP solubilizing power decreased with acidification. Solubilization power was greatest with isolate OP7, which also produced the greatest amount of reducing sugar per gram CMC. Both RP solubilizing power and the cellulolytic efficiency varied among isolates. A minimum of 631 μg P/0.1 g RP and a maximum of 951.4 μg P/0.1 g RP was recorded.     

Effects of two paralytic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellates on the pelagic harpacticoid copepod Euterpina acutifrons

The effects of two paralytic shellfish toxin (PST) producing dinoflagellates, Alexandrium minutum Halim (high and low toxin strains) and Gymnodinium catenatum Graham, on the pelagic harpacticoid copepod Euterpina acutifrons Dana were tested in a series of experiments run from October 1994 to May 1995. In small volumes (350 ml), both strains of A. minutum (300 to 350 cells ml^-1), and G. catenatum (175 cells ml^-1), strongly reduced naupliar activity (about 30 and 17% were inactive after 24 h, respectively). Activity is here defined as movement. In medium volumes (6 litre), 40% of nauplii incubated with the high toxin strain of A. minutum (1000 cells ml^-1) and 8% of nauplii incubated with cell-free filtrate of the same culture were inactive after 24 h; these values increased to 50 and 30% respectively after 3 d. In large volumes (20 litre), adult copepods incubated with A. minutum (1000 and 10000 cells ml^-1) for 5 d revealed only trace levels of PSP-toxins (paralytic shellfish poisoning) in the extracts analysed by HPLC. With both strains of A. minutum (1000 and 10000 cells ml^-1), 10 to 15% of the copepods were inactive after 1 to 2 d. It is suggested that E. acutifrons avoids feeding on the dinoflagellates after tasting a few cells, but that the dinoflagellates may exude toxins or other substances that affect the copepods. The inactivating effect of the toxic dinoflagellates on the nauplii was more rapid and stronger than on adult copepods, although strong inactivation and death were also observed in adults with time (up to 80% were inactive after 5 d of incubation with A. minutum). Still, in our experiments a considerable proportion of adult females incubated with the toxic dinoflagellates remained active and were able to produce viable eggs for several days.