Effects of More Frequent and Prolonged El Niño Events on Life-History Parameters of the Degu, a Long-Lived and Slow-Reproducing Rodent

Abstract:  Global climate change (GCC) can have profound effects on species whose ecology is governed primarily by climatic factors. The ecology of small mammals inhabiting semiarid Chile is strongly affected by the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). During La Niña events in this area, dry conditions prevail and species may disappear from the thorn-scrub habitat. Conversely, El Niño events bring high rainfall, and associated pulses of food trigger small-mammal population increases. We used capture–mark–recapture to study responses of the degu ( Octodon degus ), a dominant small mammal, to variation in rainfall over 18 years. In response to a recent trend toward wetter conditions, degus reached record-high densities and maintained more stable numbers in the area. Underlying mechanisms involved variation in adult survival, juvenile persistence, and fecundity linked to rainfall changes during consecutive years (i.e., rainfall phases). During prolonged droughts, degus had low survival and produced fewer offspring, with low persistence. Following high rainfall, these parameters reversed; consecutive wet years resulted in further increases. Weak declines in fecundity and adult survival and high persistence of juveniles explained delayed responses to deteriorating conditions in initial dry years. If GCC leads to increased frequency of El Niño events, we anticipate greater numerical dominance of degus in semiarid Chile and possible range expansion. Furthermore, degus have strong impacts on other small mammal and some plant species, are important prey species, and are agricultural pests and disease reservoirs. Hence, GCC has the potential to dramatically influence their ecology in northern Chile and to have cascading effects on other components of this system.     

保存温度及时间对厌氧氨氧化污泥活性的影响

通过改变保存温度和时间,研究了厌氧氨氧化污泥活性的变化规律以及污泥活性恢复能力.结果表明,保存温度、时间对厌氧氨氧化污泥活性影响显著.常温(15±2)℃、低温(5±2)℃对厌氧氨氧化污泥活性影响较小,而中温(30±2)℃、冷冻(-20±2)℃都会使其活性大幅降低,甚至消失.在保存的前30d厌氧氨氧化污泥活性迅速下降,然后趋于缓慢.根据衰减指数模型推出常温状态下衰减指数为0.0324,相对于其他温度最小.并根据保存温度、时间对其影响的特点提出了合适的保存方法,使得厌氧氨氧化污泥的活性能够在较短时间内得到恢复.     

神经网络法应用于酚类化合物对青海弧菌毒性的预测

青海弧菌对有毒酚类化合物具有强烈的敏感性,为建立酚类衍生物对青海弧菌毒性的定量结构-活性相关性(QSAR)模型,分析了16种酚类衍生物的分子结构与对青海弧菌毒性之间的相关关系,计算了酚类衍生物的分子连接性指数和分子形状指数,并优化筛选了分子连接性指数的1阶路径指数(~1χ)和分子形状指数的2阶特征指数(K_2)及1阶和2阶指数乘积值(K_4),用这3种指数与对青海弧菌的毒性进行多元回归分析,多元回归方程的决定系数R~2=0.971。为进一步提高预测精度,将这3种分子结构参数作为神经网络的输入变量,毒性值作为输出变量,采用3:2:1的网络结构,通过反向传播(BP)神经网络法获得满意的QSAR预测模型,总的相关系数r为0.996,计算得到的毒性预测值与实验值较为吻合,平均相对误差仅为1.98%,结果表明该模型具有良好的预测酚类衍生物毒性的能力,可以看出神经网络方法对酚类化合物发光菌毒性预测比多元线性回归方法的统计学意义更加明显。     

长江中下游环境激素效应的污染特征及生态风险

生活污水和养殖废水排放导致受纳水环境中激素类物质的污染,对水生生物产生不利影响。分别利用嵌入雌激素受体和雄激素受体的基因重组酵母菌测定了长江中下游流域不同时期水体和沉积物中4种环境激素效应,即雌激素效应、抗雌激素效应、雄激素效应和抗雄激素效应。结果表明,雌激素效应污染最为普遍,在地表水和沉积物中检出率均超过50%,水体和沉积物的最高浓度分别为2.05 ng·L~(-1)雌二醇当量(EEQ)和0.43 ng EEQ·g~(-1)。其他3种激素效应在水体和沉积物介质中的检出率均低于雌激素效应,按总体检出率来看:抗雄激素效应雄激素效应抗雌激素效应,3种激素效应在水体中最大检出浓度分别为144μg·L~(-1)氟他胺当量(FEQ)、37.9 ng·L~(-1)二氢睾酮当量(DEQ)和103μg·L~(-1)他莫西芬当量(TEQ),在沉积物中分别为53.6μg FEQ·g~(-1)、12.0 ng DEQ·g-1和51.5μg TEQ·g~(-1)。环境激素效应的浓度分布在水体中均呈现季节性的差异,雌激素效应的区域性高值位于武汉段、鄱阳湖口和芜湖-南京段,其他3种激素效应没有明显的高污染区域。环境激素效应与当地人口数量、有机质、氨氮等呈现一定相关性,表明环境激素效应与人类活动排放密切相关。雌激素效应仅在鄱阳湖口点位具有高风险,其他区域为中等风险,雄激素效应无高风险区域。研究结果有助于认识长江中下游区域的环境激素效应污染态势,为相关污染控制提供基础数据。     

Influence of 1,2,4,5-tetrazine derivatives on growth of bacterial consortium isolated from soil

This article presents the results of laboratory studies of the influence of tetrazine derivatives on the growth kinetic parameters of soil bacteria. 3,6-Dihydrazinotetrazine (DHTz), 3,6- bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-dihydro-1,2,4,5-tetrazine (DMPDHT) and N,N′-bis(1,2,4,5-tetrazine-6-(3,5-dimethylpirazylo))hydrazine (BDMPT) were applied. 3,6-Dihydrazinetetrazine had the largest influence on the growth of bacteria, reflected in a significant lengthening of the lag-phase and a decrease in the specific growth rate. Dehydrogenase activity was also determined in bacterial cultures exposed to tetrazine derivatives. Dehydrogenases remained active even at DHTz concentrations of 80 mg · L^?1, which completely inhibited bacterial growth. The compounds studied variously influence the kinetics of growth in the bacterial consortium; at the same time, they undergo biodegradation in soil by autochthonous microflora.     

In vitro microbiological evaluation of novel 2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carbaldehyde containing 1,3,4-thiadiazole moiety

4-(5-(Methylthio)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylamino)-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carbaldehyde (3) and 4-(5-(ethylthio)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylamino)-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carbaldehyde (4) were prepared. The structures of the newly synthesized compounds were characterized by infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral data and elemental analysis. The synthesized compounds were screened in vitro for their antibacterial activities. The synthesized compounds demonstrated moderate antimicrobial activity.     

Behavioral and histological characterization of the effects of cigarette smoke inhalation and withdrawal in rats

Abstract

The aims of the study are to assess some effects of smoking for 3?months and of withdrawal of male weaned rats on anxiety, locomotor activity, and depression using common behavioral tests such as the marble burying, open field, and forced swim tests. Somatic signs of abstinence and histological effects were also studied. The rats present changes of the aforementioned behaviors as well as histological alterations of the lungs.     

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor activities of hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in recombinant yeast cells

Hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAH) with less than four rings are frequently found in the environment, whereas the toxicities associated with these compounds remain unclear. In this study, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)–ligand binding activities of OH-PAH were investigated by using a recombinant yeast assay system. The majority of the OH-PAH tested showed AhR–ligand binding activities, especially, when the hydroxylated derivatives of naphthalene were incubated with recombinant yeast. The structure–activity relationship between AhR activity and molecular weight or the octanol–water partition coefficient value of OH-PAH displayed significant correlations. These findings indicate that the site and number of hydroxy-groups substituted on PAH skeleton apparently influenced the AhR – ligand binding activity in the recombinant yeast assay.     

Ecotoxicity of silver nanoparticles on earthworm Eisenia fetida: responses of the antioxidant system,acid phosphatase and ATPase

Ecotoxicity of nanoparticles has received growing attention in recent years. This study investigated the influence of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NP) on earthworm Eisenia fetida. The experiment was performed with five test groups: control (without Ag-NP), 10?nm Ag-NP groups (20, 100 or 500?mg?kg^?1) and positive control (787?mg?kg^?1 AgNO₃). After 14-day acute exposure, activities of various enzymes, including glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), acid phosphatase (AP), and Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase were determined. Effects of Ag-NP with different sizes (10 and 80?nm) were also tested. Data showed that the activity of GR was significantly lower at 500?mg?kg^?1. The activities of AP and Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase were inhibited following the increase of Ag-NP concentration. When treated with Ag-NP with different sizes, activities of AP and Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase of the 10?nm group were significantly lower than the control group, but those of the 80?nm group were similar to the control group. Data indicate that Ag-NP may be harmful to the earthworm E. fetida at 500?mg?kg^?1, and the toxicity of Ag-NP with 10?nm size is greater than 80?nm. In addition, AP and Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase are sensitive biomakers to the effects of Ag-NP.     

Enzymatic and cellular level effects of nickel∗

The effects of Ni on hepatic enzymes of tilapia, viz. acid‐ and alkaline phosphatases, catalase and glucose‐6‐phosphatase, both under in vivo and in vitro conditions reflected the following tendencies. In vivo conditions indicated maximal increase in activity for acid phosphatase at 3.00 ppm, equivalent to 28.5%, followed by a slight decrease and increase thereafter. As for alkaline phosphatase, gradual increase in activity was observed with maximal activity at 9 ppm of Ni, equivalent to 16.8%. Catalase demonstrated similar tendencies with maximal activity at 9.0 ppm, equivalent to 101.2%. In the case of glucose‐6‐phosphatase, the tendency was the reverse with maximal inhibition at 9.00 ppm, i.e. 41.9%. In contrast to in vivo conditions, in vitro systems indicated that all investigated enzymes were inhibited in the region of 4–10% except for catalase which demonstrated a slight increase by 5–6% in activity between concentrations of 10–15 ppm of Ni but thereafter continuous inhibitory effects prevailed.

At cellular level, exposure of tilapia to a lethal dose of 9 ppm of Ni indicated not much of an adverse effect except for a slight depletion in fat and glycogen content. In the case of mitochondria, they were normal and a few large secondary lysosomes were observed. In relation to the cell membrane no dramatic change was detected.