Ethyl mercury induces Ca2+ uptake through the P2×7 receptor in a mouse cerebellar microglia cell line

Many observations are reported that organic mercury compounds are involved in increasing intracellular Ca²⁺ levels. However, the issue of which substances on the cell membrane participate in the Ca²⁺ uptake that is induced by ethyl mercury is unclear. The findings of this study suggest that the P2X receptor participates in this process. The uptake of Ca²⁺ by C8-B4 cells was induced in the presence of ethyl mercury. Ca channels in the cell membrane were not affected in this process. In contrast, pretreatment with suramin, an antagonist of the P2X receptor, inhibited the Ca²⁺ uptake induced by ethyl mercury, and also brilliant blue G, a nonselective antagonist of P2×4, P2×5, and P2×7 receptors. In addition, A438079 and A740003, selective antagonists of P2×7 receptor, reduced Ca²⁺ uptake, while 5-BDBD, a selective antagonist of P2×4 receptor, did not. Furthermore, the mRNAs of both the P2×4 and P2×7 receptors were expressed in the presence of ethyl mercury, but the P2×5 receptor mRNA was not. These findings suggest that ethyl mercury may induce Ca²⁺ uptake through the P2×7 receptor of the cell membrane.     

Molecular level toxicological evaluation of a dental composite implanted in albino rats

Dental composite (DC) resins are synthetic resins which are used as restorative material or adhesives in dentistry. Monomers and other components released into the oral environment from the DC material even after polymerization might affect the surrounding tissues and even the whole body gradually. Biocompatibility of DC has to be stringently evaluated since the fillings are in close contact with mucosa, tooth, and pulp. Common difficulties with various current dental materials include allergies, chemical leakage from the material, and pulpal irritation which are due to the byproducts of chemical reactions during different stages of material hardening. Dental Products Laboratory of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology developed a new BIS-GMA-based DC. In this study the oxidative stress induced by this DC material in vivo was tested for a period of 1, 4, 8, 26, or 52 weeks in albino rats. Dental materials were implanted intramuscularly into the gluteus muscle and oxidative biomarkers such as lipid peroxidation, 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) concentration, and total glutathione content analyzed. Data showed no significant changes in antioxidant defense system and 8-OHdG levels in nuclear DNA of the tissue. Serum biochemical results confirmed that animals were in normal functioning physiological state.     

太湖背角无齿蚌组织中8-羟基脱氧鸟苷的含量及在水体污染评价中的初步应用

对2003—2008年间采集自太湖不同水域的9个背角无齿蚌(Anodonta woodiana)样品组织中的DNA损伤产物—8-羟基脱氧鸟苷(8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine,8-OHdG)的水平进行了分析,同时研究了蚌体组织中重金属Cd2+和有机污染物PCBs的蓄积残留量,以探明水体污染和DNA损伤的相关性。研究结果显示,9个样本中的8-OHdG的含量在1.021～8.886ng·g-1之间,尤其以无锡三山岛和宜兴大浦这2个水域的样本最为突出,差异显著,表明上述水域已受到较严重的污染。PCBs在9个样本中有7个检出,但含量无明显差异(P0.05),表明PCBs并非引起背角无齿蚌体内DNA损伤的主要污染因素。而背角无齿蚌组织中的Cd2+残留量与8-OHdG水平间存在显著的剂量—效应关系,呈正相关。这一结果与实验室内的模拟试验相吻合,提示重金属Cd2+是引起水体中背角无齿蚌DNA受损的主要污染因素。研究显示,背角无齿蚌机体组织中的8-OHdG具有稳定性强、测定方法简单快速、在一定的范围内具有显著的剂量—效应关系、实验室与野外分析相吻合等特点,因此可作为分子生物标志物来评价生物体受水环境持久性污染物污染而导致的DNA损伤效应。     

Management of prenatally detected trisomy 8 mosaicism

We report on ten pregnancies with trisomy 8 mosaicism. Nine cases were prenatally detected in chorionic villi (n=6), amniotic fluid (AF) cells (n=2) or fetal blood (FB) lymphocytes (n=1). Follow-up laboratory investigations showed confined placental mosaicism (CPM) or pseudomosaicism in eight cases. In one case with ultrasound abnormalities, trisomy 8 mosaicism was detected in FB cells although cultured AF cells showed normal cells only. Another case of mosaic trisomy 8 was prenatally missed; cytogenetic analysis of short-term cultured villi revealed a normal male karyotype, while postnatally, trisomy 8 mosaicism was detected in peripheral blood lymphocytes and skin fibroblasts of the affected child. These findings indicate the difficulties in the prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 8 mosaicism. When found in chorionic villi, it mostly represented CPM, while in a case of true fetal trisomy 8 mosaicism, the cytotrophoblast cells showed a normal karyotype. So, the cytotrophoblast compartment of chorionic villi is a poor indicator of the presence or absence of fetal trisomy 8 mosaicism. Follow-up investigations including amniocentesis and especially fetal blood sampling are required to come to a definite prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 8 mosaicism. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Toxic effects of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium bromide on the wheat seedlings

The toxic effects of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium bromide ([C8mim]Br) on wheat seedlings were evaluated. Wheat seedlings were cultivated in aqueous solution with [C8mim]Br at di erent concentrations (0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 mg/L). The contents of photosynthetic pigment and proline, peroxidation of membrane lipid, and activities of antioxidation enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase) in leaves were measured on day 7 after treatment with [C8mim]Br. The results showed that [C8mim]Br significantly decreased the contents of photosynthetic pigments, activities of antioxidant enzymes in the wheat leaves and in dry weight of seedlings, while increased the proline content and membrane lipid peroxidation. The results suggested that [C8mim]Br can inhibit photosynthesis and lead to oxidative stress to wheat seedlings.     

不同浓度甲醛致大鼠肝细胞DNA氧化损伤作用

为了探讨外源性化合物暴露致内脏细胞DNA氧化损伤程度的定量检测方法,尝试以8\|羟基脱氧鸟苷（8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, 8-OHdG）为分子生物标志物,以甲醛为模式外源性化合物,以丙二醛（malondialdehyde, MDA）为参考指标,应用大鼠肝细胞悬液进行体外染毒实验研究.同时,实验设置甲醛染毒的终浓度分别为0、5、15、45μmol· L-1,在大鼠肝细胞悬液染毒1h后,分别测量了肝细胞悬液中的8-羟基脱氧鸟苷（8-OHdG）和丙二醛（MDA）含量.研究结果显示,随着甲醛浓度升高,大鼠肝细胞中8-OHdG和MDA含量均呈升高趋势（F=59.55,p<0.01;F=75.82,p<0.01）,高浓度组（45μmol·L-1）8-OHdG和MDA含量与对照组的差异均具有显著性（p<0.01）,中浓度组（15μmol·L-1）的这种差别也具有显著性（p<0.05, p<0.01）,低浓度组（5μmol·L-1）的这种差异没有显著性（p>0.05）.因此,8-OHdG不但可以用于血液和尿液样品的检测,而且采用本项研究摸索出的前处理方法可以很好地定量测定内脏细胞DNA氧化损伤的程度.     

介孔涂层SPME- HPLC联用测定水样中的多环芳烃

以辛基键合SBA- 15为固相微萃取(SPME)的吸附涂层,考察了吸附和解吸时间、萃取温度、搅拌速率对SPME效率的影响,该方法的线性范围分别为0.4-300μg/L、4.0-450μg/L,检出限为0.3μg/L、0.10μg/L,以此方法测定了环境水样中萘、蒽的含量.该方法具有灵敏度高和精密度好的特点.     

Social capital and food security in post-conflict rural Lira District,northern Uganda

While a strong relationship has been established between social capital and food security in the research literature, it is uncertain whether this holds in post-conflict situations. This study examines associations between social capital and food security in post-conflict Lira District, northern Uganda. Since factors affecting food security are complex, we explored the roles of households' characteristics in food security outcomes. Data were collected from March to July 2011 through face-to-face interviews with 221 heads of household in rural Lira. Using multinomial logistic regression, a strong positive association was identified between social capital and household food security. The study also found significant associations of food security with sex, education of household head, amount of cultivated land, and farm and home possessions. The results of this analysis can aid the design of food security programmes that empower poor people while targeting the most vulnerable groups, thereby promoting sustainable development in post-conflict communities.     

黄河口悬浮物浓度Landsat8 OLI多波段反演研究

黄河口海域悬浮物浓度,是研究黄河输沙和近岸水体生态环境的重要水质参数.之前的浓度反演模型主要采用一元二次函数或幂函数等单参数形式,利用2011年夏冬两季同步观测的遥感反射率和悬浮物浓度,本文给出了一种针对Landsat8 OLI传感器的两参数线性模型.该模型需两个输入参数,每个参数都是两个波段的光谱比值.结果表明:OLI传感器的近红外(波段5)光谱、以及它与蓝绿波段(波段1,2或3)的光谱比值,是黄河口海域悬浮物浓度反演的敏感波段,可用于建立单参数经验模型;除了敏感波段外,本研究的模型还用到红绿波段的光谱比值(波段4与波段3的比值),因而能够更好地表征光谱随悬浮物浓度的变化关系;其决定系数,均方根误差和平均相对误差分别为0.98,43.53mg·L~(-1)和20.97%,优于单参数经验模型,而且受误差影响小,因而更适合黄河口海域悬浮物浓度反演.     

2004~2015年北京市清洁点臭氧浓度变化特征

利用2004~2015年北京市自动监测网络O₃浓度数据,综合探讨了北京市清洁点定陵站O₃浓度的变化特征,结果表明,定陵站2004~2015年O₃1h浓度整体呈上升的趋势,年均浓度增长率为4.40 μg·m^-3,定陵站O₃8h浓度整体呈下降的趋势,年均浓度增长率为-1.0 μg·m^-3,5~9月O₃8h平均浓度增长率为-1.5 μg·m^-3. 近3年来定陵站O₃8h重度污染天数增加明显,O₃污染形势严峻. 定陵站每年6月左右O₃浓度达到一年中的峰值,日变化上15：00~18：00左右出现小时浓度峰值且O₃日峰值浓度是中心城区的1.01~1.56倍;不同年份5~9月定陵站O₃日峰值浓度与城区站明显存在1 h滞后的现象,定陵站峰值浓度与城区峰值浓度之差近年来明显缩小,这可能一方面与O₃区域污染输送有关,另一方面可能与北京市城镇化扩张有关.