镉诱导长江华溪蟹肝胰腺细胞凋亡研究

应用显微与亚显微技术和琼脂糖凝胶电泳方法,研究了不同浓度Cd2+(0、7.25、14.50、29.00、58.00和116.00mg·L-1)处理不同时间(24、48、72和96h)对长江华溪蟹(Sinopotamon yangtsekiense)肝胰腺细胞凋亡的影响.结果显示,29.00mg·L-1Cd2+处理48h,光镜下肝胰腺细胞凋亡主要表现为染色质不规则凝聚、固缩和边集;58.00mg·L-1Cd2+处理72h,细胞核碎裂,形成凋亡小体;116mg·L-1Cd2+处理96h,出现坏死细胞;电镜下48h和72h处理组肝胰腺细胞呈现典型的细胞凋亡特征,与光镜检测结果一致,具体表现为核边集、核膜折叠、核裂解形成凋亡小体.琼脂糖凝胶电泳图谱中48和72h处理组出现凋亡细胞所特有的DNA梯状条带,58.00mg·L-1Cd2+处理72h后条带尤为清晰.随着Cd2+浓度的增加和处理时间的延长,肝胰腺中凋亡细胞所占比例呈现先升后降的趋势,凋亡指数的变化表现出显著的剂量和时间效应关系.研究表明,镉能够诱导长江华溪蟹肝胰腺出现细胞凋亡.细胞凋亡的检测及凋亡指数的变化能够灵敏地反映出镉对水生动物的胁迫程度及毒性大小,可作为水生态环境镉污染的生物评估指标.     

Factors associated with multiple-pass procedures during chorionic villus sampling: A video analysis

Multiple placental passes during chorionic villus sampling (CVS) increase the risk of fetal loss; however, specific factors that predispose to repeat aspiration have not been delineated. To identify anatomic and technical variables associated with multiple-pass procedures, a detailed review of 205 videotaped CVS procedures (single pass = 163; multiple pass = 42) was performed, blinded to pregnancy outcome. The route of sampling did not influence the need for multiple aspiration attempts (transabdominal—30/ 135; transcervical—12/70), nor was placental location alone discriminatory. However, the combination of a posterior placenta and uterine retroversion was observed more frequently in the multiple-pass cohort (8/42 vs. 9/163; p<0.05). In transabdominal cases, suboptimal needle placement (e.g., perpendicular to the placental long axis) was more common in the initial aspiration of a multiple-pass procedure (21/30 vs. 38/105;p<0.01), while limited penetration of the catheter tip (e.g., just inside the placental edge) characterized a majority of multiple-pass cases in the transcervical subset (7/12 vs. 3/58; p<0.0001). A case-control cohort was constructed to evaluate the impact of these technical variables on sampling efficacy, independent of the influence of uterine position and placental site. In that analysis, suboptimal location and/or orientation of the sampling device remained characteristic of multiple-pass cases. We conclude that further reduction in the frequency of multiple-pass procedures might be achieved by consistent placement of the device tip in the central placental mass. Unlike amniocentesis, where any point of amnion entry will suffice, this technical nuance should be emphasized with CVS to maximize the single-pass success rate.     

Vegetation changes in Conservation Reserve Program lands in interior Alaska

Over 14 million hectares of erosion prone cropland in the United States has been converted into grasslands through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, however, studies of the effects of CRP enrollment on plant communities and subsequent plant succession are largely lacking. In Delta Junction, Alaska plant communities in CRP fields are transitioning from grasslands to shrub dominated plant communities, which are resulting in compliance problems with program regulations that state “fields must be maintained in a condition that permits easy conversion to cropland”. To determine plant succession and how previous land management and soils might influence the transition, we measured plant populations in 20 CRP fields throughout Delta Junction using modified-Whittaker plots. These data were combined with data on current management practices, previous farming history, soils, soil properties, diversity indices, and time since land was cleared and analyzed with nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination to determine factors that influence plant succession. Time in the CRP was the only factor consistently influencing plant succession. As time in the CRP increased, the planted introduced grasses brome grass (Bromus inermis) and red fescue (Festuca rubra) and the native pteridophyte (Equisetum arvense) decreased, whereas a native grass (Calamigrostis canadensis), five native forb, two native shrub, and three native tree species increased. Plant diversity increased at a rate of more than 2 species per 1000 m² per year. Regression analyses of plant species and plant groups using time in the CRP as the dependent variable resulted in the identification of outlier CRP fields with significantly more or less than expected covers of vegetation. All fields with these outliers had reasonable explanations for the differences in cover that were unrelated to the overall rate of plant succession. Current management practices will result in incompliant fields and different management practices that result in woody vegetation control is key to maintaining CRP fields in compliance.     

Challenges to achieving a successful transition to a low carbon economy in South Africa: examples from poor urban communities

South Africa faces several development challenges including those linked to climate change. Energy usage in South Africa, for example, is already constrained because of a range of development challenges (the dependence on cheap coal as a heating source; energy availability; access; affordability of alternative energy sources; and a range of health impacts, including air pollution). Notwithstanding calls for a transition to a low carbon economy, there have been few, recent assessments in South Africa of the costs associated with such a transition, particularly the social and economic costs for the poor who use energy in a variety of ways. In this paper we focus on trying to unravel some of the complex energy-use behaviour including understanding what drives consumers in resource-poor areas to choose and use persistently risky energy options. Analysis of qualitative data in two township areas, Doornkop and Kwaguqa, shows that township households, whether electrified or not, continue to burn coal. In both study areas, an estimated 80% of electrified households burn coal for space heating and cooking and also make use of multiple fuel sources for a range of activities. Although the major obstacles preventing people from discontinuing domestic coal combustion are poverty, the ready availability and social acceptability of coal together with other social customs cannot be underrated. This paper therefore highlights some of the persistent challenges associated with sustainable energy transitions in South Africa including implications for improved mitigation and adaptation for the energy sector in wider climate change efforts.     

Optimization of Methods for Detecting Hepatitis A Virus in Food

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is currently recognized as an important human food borne pathogen, and it is one of the most resistant enteric RNA viruses, is highly infectious, and may lead to widespread outbreaks. The aim of this study was to optimize the methods to detect HAV from artificially contaminated food. To this end, strawberry and lettuce were experimentally contaminated with HAV suspension containing 6 × 10⁶ copies/ml. After contamination, HAV persistence and washing procedure were evaluated at 0, 1, 3, 7, and 9 days of storage. Five elution buffers (PBS (pH 7.4)/0.1% Tween80; 50 mM glycine/3% (wt/vol) beef extract (pH 9.5); PBS (pH 7, 4); 25 mM glycine/0.1 Tween80; and 1 M sodium bicarbonate) were used to elute the virus, and qualitative and quantitative PCR were used for HAV detection. HAV was detected by qualitative and quantitative PCR using any of the five elution buffers, but PBS was the most effective. Even after washing, HAV was detected up to 9 days after contamination by quantitative PCR. Quantitative PCR was more sensitive than qualitative PCR since samples containing viral load lower than 1.4 × 10³ copies/ml could not be detected by qualitative PCR. Quantitative PCR can be used for rapid detection of food borne viruses and will help in the monitoring and control of food borne disease.