Evaluation of developmental toxicity and apoptotic induction of the aqueous extract of Millettia pachycarpa using zebrafish as model organism

Extensive and indiscriminate use of synthetic compounds and natural compounds obtained from plant sources have resulted in serious threats to the aquatic ecosystem and human health. Aqueous extract of the root of the plant, Milletia pachycarpa Benth, is currently used for killing fish in the state of Manipur, India. Moreover, this plant is also used as traditional medicine in this region. Although it is widely used in traditional medicine, there is limited information available regarding the adverse effects and mechanism underlying its toxicity. This study examined the effects of exposure to aqueous extract of M. pachycarpa (AEMP) on early embryonic development of zebrafish embryos and mechanisms underlying toxicity. Zebrafish embryos treated with different concentrations of the AEMP produced embryonic lethality and developmental defects. The 96-hr-LC₅₀ of AEMP was found to be 4.276 µg/mL. Further, multiple developmental abnormalities such as pericardial edema, yolk sac edema, spinal curvature, swim bladder deflation, decreased heart rate, and delayed hatching were also observed in a dose-dependent manner. Zebrafish embryo showing moderate-to-severe developmental defects following AEMP exposure cannot swim properly. Further, this study examined oxidative stress and apoptosis in embryos exposed to AEMP. Enhanced production of ROS and apoptosis was found in brain, trunk, and tail of zebrafish embryos treated with AEMP. Data suggest that oxidative stress and apoptosis are associated with AEMP-induced embryonic lethality and developmental toxicity in zebrafish embryos.     

东北平原西部沙地的气候变异与土地荒漠化

东北平原西部沙地位于欧亚大陆中纬度巨型沙带的东部边缘 ,为我国荒漠化土地的东缘。随着经济的发展 ,生态环境遭到严重破坏 ,荒漠化景观日益明显 ,前景令人堪忧。气候因素是荒漠化发展的一个基本因素 ,东北平原西部沙地是我国北方气候条件最好的沙区 ,但目前对于区域荒漠化驱动因子的气候因素影响方面的研究未开展系统的工作。论文系统分析了东北平原西部沙地影响荒漠化的现代气候因素特点 ,探讨了在较好气候条件下气候变异、人类活动与荒漠化之间的关系 ,并根据气候发展趋势预测了未来在自然因素作用下沙地的可能发展趋势。     

我国高专与高职教育的比较及发展趋势研究

从历史沿革和培养目标两方面对普通高等专科教育和高等职业教育进行了比较研究,发现二者没有本质的区别,目前还呈一体化、快速、规范化的发展趋势     

电力系统抗震可靠性研究与分析综述

地震是最可能造成电力系统遭受严重破坏的自然灾害。对电力系统的震害特点进行了一些研究和介绍,针对这些特点提出了提高电力系统抗震可靠性的措施和建议,并对电力系统抗震可靠性研究现状及发展趋势作了综述。     

黔西南喀斯特地区国土空间规划“双评价”技术与实践:以义龙新区为例

国土空间规划是落实主体功能区战略、绘制未来“美丽国土一张蓝图”的重要抓手,资源环境承载能力和国土空间开发适宜性评价是国土空间规划编制的前提和基础.以贵州省黔西南布依族苗族自治州义龙新区为研究对象,围绕生态保护、农业生产、城镇建设功能特征,以定量方法为主、定性方法为辅,依次开展了资源环境要素单项评价、资源环境承载能力集成评价、国土空间开发适宜性评价,并与现状土地利用进行对比,识别其国土空间开发问题和潜力.结果表明:①义龙新区生态保护极重要区面积占比为36.93%,农业生产适宜区面积占比为24.84%,城镇建设适宜区面积占比为25.08%,三者可分别作为重点生态功能区、农产品主产区、城市化发展区.②生态保护极重要区中基本农田面积为23.60 km2、一般农用地面积为15.21 km2,农业生产不适宜区中基本农田面积为72.17 km2、一般农用地面积为27.63 km2,地块功能指向重叠性较大,建议结合城市发展意向,明确不同区域功能指向的侧重.③后备耕地面积为131.87 km2,后备建设用地面积为114.85 km2,与实地核查结果相符.研究显示,构建的喀斯特地区“双评价”方法体系可以很好地应用于区域国土空间规划,实现了格网单元地域功能优化分区.      

Sustainable development—Food security—Agroecology

Basic scenarios of sustainable development for the world community and approaches to the problem of ensuring food security are discussed. The conservation of agricultural resources is the key element of food security. The structure and main objectives of agroecology are characterized in brief.     

Early life environment and developmental immunotoxicity in inflammatory dysfunction and disease

Components of the innate immune system such as macrophages and dendritic cells are instrumental in determining the fate of immune responses and are, also, among the most sensitive targets of early life environmental alterations including developmental immunotoxicity (DIT). DIT can impede innate immune cell maturation, disrupt tissue microenvironment, alter immune responses to infectious challenges, and disrupt regulatory responses. Dysregulation of inflammation, such as that observed with DIT, has been linked with an increased risk of chronic inflammatory diseases in both children and adults. In this review, we discuss the relationship between early-life risk factors for innate immune modulation and promotion of dysregulated inflammation associated with chronic inflammatory disease. The health risks from DIT-associated inflammation may extend beyond primary immune dysfunction to include an elevated risk of several later-life, inflammatory-mediated diseases that target a wide range of physiological systems and organs. For this reason, determination of innate immune status should be an integral part of drug and chemical safety evaluation.     

Review: Windows of exposure to pesticides for increased risk of childhood leukemia

Leukemia is the leading cause of cancer resulting in mortality of children, and there is some evidence suggesting the increased incidence rate increasing during the recent decades. Limited human evidence indicates an increased risk of developing leukemia in childhood as a result of pesticide exposure, with possible significance of exposure occurring during the developmental periods including preconception, pregnancy, and childhood. This review examines the results of relevant literature on the timing of pesticide exposure and leukemia diagnosed in childhood. Results suggest that the risk from pesticide exposure seems to be greater during pregnancy. Other findings indicate that maternal occupational exposure may be more of a greater concern than the paternal occupational exposure; and that the residential indoor use of pesticides tends to result in higher risk estimates than the residential outdoor use. Only limited data are available on particular pesticides, genetic factors, critical windows of exposure during development, and their association with different histological types of leukemia.     

六溴环十二烷对发育期大鼠脑单胺类神经递质质量比及单胺氧化酶活性的影响

通过研究发育期大鼠脑单胺类神经递质质量比及单胺氧化酶活性,探讨环境暴露水平的六溴环十二烷对发育期大鼠的神经毒性作用。选择10μg/kg、50μg/kg、100μg/kg、300μg/kg的剂量对新生3 d大鼠进行暴露,饲养42 d后断头取脑组织,测定多巴胺(DA)、去甲肾上腺素(NE)、5-羟色胺(5-HT)的质量比及单胺氧化酶(MAO)的活性。结果表明,在10~100μg/kg的暴露剂量范围,DA质量比随暴露剂量的升高而下降,NE质量比呈现上升趋势,5-HT质量比则极显著性升高(p<0.01);与此同时,MAO的活性随剂量增加而升高,在100μg/kg剂量出现显著性升高(p<0.05)。而300μg/kg的剂量作为较高暴露水平的参照,只对DA产生显著性影响(p<0.05)。DA、5-HT、NE的质量比及MAO活性的变化可能在大鼠的中枢神经系统的发育障碍中发挥了重要作用,并且环境暴露水平的HBCD对发育期大鼠脑具有低剂量高效应的毒性反应特征。     

基于代谢组学技术分析磷酸三苯酯诱导斑马鱼胚胎发育毒性的分子机制

磷酸三苯酯(TPhP)是广泛存在于环境介质和生物体内的一种典型有机磷阻燃剂。为探求TPhP诱发水生动物发育毒性的分子机制,本研究以斑马鱼为模式动物,将发育至2.5 hpf (hours post fertilization)的斑马鱼胚胎暴露于0.0025、0.1、1、10、100和1 000μg·L~(-1)TPhP溶液至7 dpf (days post fertilization),考察斑马鱼胚胎生长发育指标和线粒体功能的变化,通过代谢组学分析揭示相关分子机制。结果表明,环境相关浓度(0.0025、0.1和1μg·L~(-1)) TPhP对斑马鱼胚胎发育无显著影响,但是轻微干扰了斑马鱼的代谢过程。100和1 000μg·L~(-1)TPhP暴露引起斑马鱼心跳速率、孵化率和线粒体膜电位明显下调,畸形率分别增加6.8倍和12.5倍,死亡率分别增加7.2倍和16.5倍。代谢组学分析发现,10、100和1 000μg·L~(-1)TPhP显著抑制斑马鱼氨基酸代谢,降低缬氨酸、亮氨酸和异亮氨酸水平,抑制氨酰-tRNA生物合成过程;同时引起葡萄糖糖酵解过程和三羧酸循环发生障碍。氨基酸和糖代谢异常可能是TPhP引起斑马鱼发育畸形的主要原因,线粒体功能紊乱可能是TPhP诱发三羧酸循环障碍的原因。上述研究结果为TPhP发育毒性机制分析提供了新思路。