Prenatal diagnosis of primary anophthalmia with a 3q27 interstitial deletion involving SOX2

We report an interstitial deletion of chromosome 3q26-q28 in a fetus in which anophthalmia had been detected prenatally. FISH analysis, using BAC clones encompassing the SOX2 locus, showed that SOX2 gene was involved in the chromosomal breakpoint of the deletion. This case confirms that haploinsufficiency for SOX2 plays a crucial role in human eye development and emphasizes the necessity of careful chromosomal analysis, including FISH analysis of the 3q region, in case of prenatal discovery of anophthalmia. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new report of mesomelic camptomelia,polydactyly and Dandy–Walker complex in siblings

Two male siblings with several malformations are reported. The anomalies detected in both fetuses were mesomelic camptomelia, postaxial hexadactyly and Dandy–Walker complex. There was only one similar previous report in the literature. This combination could represent a specific pattern of malformation or a new syndrome, with different variants. The parents' consanguinity and the recurrence in a subsequent pregnancy suggest an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Oil dependency,political institutions,and urban–rural disparities in access to electricity in Africa

In line with the resource curse literature, this paper examines the effect of oil dependency on the disparities in access to electricity between urban and rural areas in Africa, conditional on the quality of political institutions. Based on data from 36 African countries over the period 2000–2017, our investigation suggests that oil rents (% of GDP) increase urban–rural disparities in access to electricity. However, the quality of institutions shapes the effect of oil dependency on these disparities. Specifically, a 10% increase in the institutional quality score reduces the adverse effects of oil rent on electricity access disparity by around 19%, and the negative impact of oil dependency on urban–rural disparities is reversed when institutional quality reaches a score of 52% on a scale from 0 to 100. The robustness tests support these results and call for strengthening the quality of institutions to overcome the resource curse in Africa.     

Dynamic pressure induced by a methane–air explosion in a coal mine

The hazardous effect of dynamic pressure and strong gas flows induced by a methane–air mixture explosion in underground coal mines is studied. The dynamic pressure effect of a methane–air explosion was analyzed by numerical simulation, in a duct and tunnel. Compared to the overpressure generated by an explosion that can act on a body, the dynamic pressure caused by the high-speed flow of the gaseous combustion products can cause serious damage as well. At the structural opening of a coal mine, the destruction caused by the dynamic pressure induced by a methane–air explosion is more serious than the overpressure. For a tube or tunnel partially filled by a methane–air mixture, the dynamic pressure is lower than the overpressure in the region occupied by the flammable mixture. Beyond the premixed region, the dynamic pressure is of the same order of magnitude as the overpressure.     

A strategy for wildlife management in depopulating rural areas of Japan

Former ranges of wild animals have been reestablished in many developed countries. However, this reestablishment has led to increasing human–wildlife conflict in agroforest ecosystems. In Japan, human–wildlife conflict, such as crop raiding by and ecological impacts of wild ungulates and primates, is a serious problem in depopulated rural areas due to these animal range expansions and increased abundances. Japan's human population is predicted to decline by 24% by 2050, and approximately 20% of agricultural settlements will become completely depopulated. In this scenario, anthropogenic pressures on wildlife (e.g., hunting and habitat alteration) will continue to decrease and human–wildlife conflict will increase due to increasing wildlife recovery. Japan's local governments plan to slow range recovery, prevent species reestablishment, or remove recolonizing large mammals through lethal control. This strategy, however, is not cost-effective, and workforce shortages in depopulated communities make it infeasible. Moreover, the suppression of wildlife prevents the recovery of ecological functions and thus would degrade regional biodiversity. The declining pressure on wildlife that accompanies human depopulation will prevent the restoration of any past states of human–wildlife interaction. We suggest human-used areas in rural landscapes be aggregated in compact cities and that in transition zones between human settlements and depopulated lands that land-sharing approaches be applied. Concentrating management efforts in compact cities may effectively decrease human–wildlife conflict, rather than intensifying human pressures. Reforestation of depopulated lands may lead to recovery of wildlife habitats, their ecosystem functions, and regional biodiversity due to minimization of negative anthropogenic effects (land-sparing approach). Balancing resolution of human–wildlife conflict and ecological rewilding could become a new, challenging task for regional wildlife managers.     

Ants can sort their brood without a gaseous template

A fundamental issue of collective intelligence is whether the collective pattern or process is based on environmental information that explicitly codes for it or arises through self-organization of the individuals. Sometimes, these alternatives occur together. Adaptive systems may also be capable of utilizing different types of mechanism under different conditions. Sendova-Franks et al. (Anim Behav 68:1095–1106, 2004) demonstrated evidence for a self-organization mechanism of brood sorting in the ant Temnothorax albipennis, where the brood are sorted in a series of bands or concentric annuli that increase in size with distance from the colony centre. The work by Cox and Blanchard (J Theor Biol 204:223-238, 2000) suggests an alternative or complementary mechanism whereby the brood pattern is specified by the template of a CO₂ gradient. Here, we test for a gaseous template as a necessary condition for brood sorting. Under the experimental condition, we pumped the air out of the nest continuously to prevent the accumulation of any gaseous substances. We compared the brood pattern between the experimental and control conditions according to four characteristics: mean distance from centre, mean nearest-neighbour distance, shape and area. Under the experimental condition, the order of brood types according to the first two characteristics was the same as in the control. The area of the brood pattern was smaller, and its shape elongated under the experimental condition. As expected on the basis of these differences, mean distance from centre was greater and mean nearest-neighbour distance was smaller under the experimental condition (although not statistically significantly) and by the expected amount. We found evidence that ants avoid placing brood in the strongest airflow stream. This could explain the reduced area and elongated shape of the brood pattern under the experimental condition. We conclude that a gaseous template is not a necessary condition for brood sorting. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Ant gardens: interspecific recognition in parabiotic ant species

 In French Guiana, parabiotic societies (natural mixed colonies) are frequently found in ant gardens. Crematogaster limata parabiotica (Myrmicinae), often associated with Camponotus femoratus (Formicinae), was found for the first time in parabiosis with ponerine ants: Pachycondyla goeldii and Odontomachus mayi. A detailed study of the relationships between Cr. l. parabiotica and O. mayi showed that each species is aggressive towards allospecific or conspecific individuals belonging to another colony, but tolerates allospecific individuals from the multi-species society. Studies of cuticular substances of the four ant species were made using gas chromatography. The results showed that each species, living alone or in parabiosis, possesses a specific chemical profile. Thus, the ants are able to recognise nestmate and non-nestmate individuals of the associated species, even though their cuticular profiles are different. The hypothesis that the nestmate allospecific profile is learned is suggested to explain this pattern of recognition. Received: 5 June 1996 / Accepted after revision: 17 October 1996     

Performance of a diesel engine with water emulsified diesel prepared with optimized process parameters

An attempt has been made to produce stable water–diesel emulsion with optimal formulation and process parameters and to evaluate the performance and emission characteristics of diesel engine using this stable water–diesel emulsion. A total of 54 samples were prepared with varying water/diesel ratio, surfactant amount and stirring speed and water separation was recorded after 24 and 48 hr of emulsification. The recorded data were used in artificial neural network (ANN)-particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique to find the optimal parameters to produce water–diesel emulsion for engine testing. The predicted optimal parameters were found as 20% water to diesel ratio, 0.9% surfactant and 2200 rpm of stirrer for a water separation of 14.33% in one day with a variation of 6.54% against the actual value of water separation. Water–diesel emulsion fuel exhibited similar fuel properties as base fuel. The peak cylinder gas pressure, peak pressure rise rate and peak heat release rate for water–diesel were found higher as compared to diesel at medium to full engine loads. The improved air-fuel mixing in water–diesel emulsion enhanced brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of engine. The absorption of heat by water droplets present in water–diesel emulsion led to reduced exhaust gas temperature (EGT). With water–diesel emulsion fuel, the mean carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbon and oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) emissions reduced by 8.80, 39.60, and 26.11%, respectively as compared to diesel.