代森锰及其代谢物的神经毒性影响与机制研究

以SH-SY5Y和PC12细胞为实验模型,深入探讨了代森锰(Maneb)及其代谢产物对多巴胺能神经细胞的毒性影响与机制.结果表明,Maneb的有机部分和金属离子成分单独暴露不具有明显的毒性作用,联合暴露具有协同效应,且对细胞活性的抑制程度与同一浓度水平的Maneb相当,其原因与诱导活性氧自由基生成、细胞凋亡相关.此外,蛋白免疫印迹法发现,Maneb下调Bcl-2的表达、上调Bax、细胞色素C的水平,同时激活Caspase-3,提示线粒体凋亡途径在Maneb诱导多巴胺能神经细胞凋亡过程中的重要作用.     

基于可疑筛查技术研究有机磷阻燃剂V6转化规律

运用Orbitrap高分辨质谱仪,评估了人体肝微粒体(HLM)代谢V6的转化规律.除5种已被报道过的O-脱烷基、氧化性去磷酸化和氧化脱氯产物外,首次发现了6种新型产物.基于其MS/MS质谱图,该6种代谢产物被鉴定为醛基和羧基产物.其中,5种代谢物生成量随孵育时间呈线性增加趋势,具有累积性.此外,推导的代谢途径表明,脱烷基化和羟基化代谢物进一步转化为次级代谢物,即醛和羧基代谢物.     

过去两千年长江干流历史洪水事件的时空变化研究

理解极端洪水事件活动特征及其与气候变化、人类活动的相互关系一直是全球变化研究的热点问题。现代器测数据较短对洪水事件变化规律预测存在不足,而利用历史文献记录研究百年-千年尺度洪水事件的发生规律则成为一个较好的选择。洪水灾害是长江流域最为严重的自然灾害之一。本文以官方现存历史记载为依据,构建了过去2000年长江干流上、中、下游洪水事件序列,并将其与气候和人类活动代理指标进行对比。结果表明,1350年之前,长江干流洪水事件受东亚季风(EASM)、西南季风(ISM)、厄尔尼诺-南方涛动(ENSO)、热带辐合带(ITCZ)移动等多种气候因素驱动,且气候驱动机制在同期不同区、同区不同期存在显著差异。此外,1350年之后人类活动的增强可能明显加剧了长江干流洪水事件的频率和强度。     

长三角典型地区土壤环境中Se的空间变异特征及其与人类健康的关系

农业土壤环境中硒（Se）的缺乏或过量都会通过食物链最终影响人类健康。在203个土壤采样点的基础上,利用GIS和地统计学相结合的方法,对江苏省如皋市农田土壤环境中Se的空间变异特征及其影响因素进行分析,同时,对土壤中Se的空间分布与长寿人口的空间分布进行空间叠加分析。研究结果表明,如皋市土壤环境中总Se及水溶态Se的平均含量分别为0.13 mg/kg和2.16 μg/kg,研究区处在相对低Se的土壤环境中。总Se的空间变异性不大,其空间分布比较均一;但水溶态Se的空间变异性较大,主要受成土条件及土壤母质、土壤类型及地形地貌等结构性因子的影响。水溶态Se对土壤的理化性质也比较敏感,特别是速效磷、有机质及全钾含量与水溶态硒的相关性较显著,因此在有机质及土壤养分含量较高、土壤颗粒组成较细的东部及北部地区水溶态硒的含量也较高。土壤水溶态Se的空间分异与长寿人口比率的空间分异呈极显著的正相关关系(〖WTBX〗P〖WTBZ〗<001),相关系数达〖WTBX〗r〖WTBZ〗=0325,表明人类的健康长寿现象与环境中水溶态硒的含量有很大关系,但人类长寿的本质和真正机理仍需进一步研究验证。     

Gathering “wild” food in the city: rethinking the role of foraging in urban ecosystem planning and management

Recent “green” planning initiatives envision food production, including urban agriculture and livestock production, as desirable elements of sustainable cities. We use an integrated urban political ecology and human–plant geographies framework to explore how foraging for “wild” foods in cities, a subversive practice that challenges prevailing views about the roles of humans in urban green spaces, has potential to also support sustainability goals. Drawing on research from Baltimore, New York City, Philadelphia, and Seattle, we show that foraging is a vibrant and ongoing practice among diverse urban residents in the USA. At the same time, as reflected in regulations, planning practices, and attitudes of conservation practitioners, it is conceptualised as out of place in urban landscapes and an activity to be discouraged. We discuss how paying attention to urban foraging spaces and practices can strengthen green space planning and summarise opportunities for and challenges associated with including foragers and their concerns.     

Biomechanics of Brain and Spinal-Cord Injury: Analysis of Neuropathologic and Neurophysiology Experiments

This study analyzes 46 brain and 48 spinal-cord impact experiments. The velocity of brain impact was 2.0-10.0 m/s and displacement, 0.75-5.0 mm (5.3-33% compression) using a controlled pneumatic impact. The velocity of spinal-cord impact was 1.5-6.0 m/s and displacement, 1.25-3.25 mm (25-65% compression). Brain injury varied from cortical contusion, diffuse axonal injury (DAI), to fatalities, and spinal-cord injury from temporary to complete loss of somatosensory-evoked potentials. Logist functions were determined for each injury severity and various biomechanical parameters, VC, C, V, and combinations. Brain and spinal-cord injury is most strongly correlated to VC, the viscous response. The goodness-of-fit was x² = 22.1, R-0.84 and p< 0.0000 for fatal brain injury, x² = 27.5, R = 0.96 and p< 0.0000 for cortical contusion, and x² = 17.7, R = 0.49 and p < 0.0001 for partial recovery of spinal-cord conduction. Neural tissue is viscoelastic, with a rate-dependent tolerance related to energy absorption. VC is a measure of energy absorption by impact deformation and is predictive of neural contusion, DAI, long-duration coma, spinal-cord dysfunction, and death. Tolerances for various severities of neural injury are presented. At the tissue level, VC is the product of strain and strain-rate, ε dε/dt. The research shows that strain is not a sufficient parameter of neural injury risk, and that the product of strain and strain-rate is a key biomechanical parameter for brain and spinal-cord injury.     

Motivations for Conserving Urban Biodiversity

Abstract: In a time of increasing urbanization, the fundamental value of conserving urban biodiversity remains controversial. How much of a fixed budget should be spent on conservation in urban versus nonurban landscapes? The answer should depend on the goals that drive our conservation actions, yet proponents of urban conservation often fail to specify the motivation for protecting urban biodiversity. This is an important shortcoming on several fronts, including a missed opportunity to make a stronger appeal to those who believe conservation biology should focus exclusively on more natural, wilder landscapes. We argue that urban areas do offer an important venue for conservation biology, but that we must become better at choosing and articulating our goals. We explored seven possible motivations for urban biodiversity conservation: preserving local biodiversity, creating stepping stones to nonurban habitat, understanding and facilitating responses to environmental change, conducting environmental education, providing ecosystem services, fulfilling ethical responsibilities, and improving human well‐being. To attain all these goals, challenges must be faced that are common to the urban environment, such as localized pollution, disruption of ecosystem structure, and limited availability of land. There are, however, also challenges specific only to particular goals, meaning that different goals will require different approaches and actions. This highlights the importance of specifying the motivations behind urban biodiversity conservation. If the goals are unknown, progress cannot be assessed.     

Mercuric chloride effects on adult rat oval cells-induced apoptosis

In the present investigation, the toxicity of mercuric chloride (HgCl₂) was evaluated in adult oval cells isolated from rat utilizing the 2-acetylaminofluorene/partial hepatectomy technique. Isolated oval cells were incubated with 5 μM of HgCl₂ for 8 hr to elucidate in vitro cytotoxic responses. Recently, autophagic cell death was found in rat hepatocytes in vitro within 30 min of incubation with 5 μM of mercury (Hg) which triggered apoptosis and necroptosis in a time-dependent manner. Nuclear degradation occurred within 30 min of incubation and progressed with time until 8 hr. Apoptosis evidenced by activation of caspase-dependent pathway between 30 min to 8 hr of incubation was mediated via interchange of death domain signaling pathways. Receptor-interacting protein played a positive role to modulate the death domain receptors in the scenario of apoptotic death of oval cells until 6 hr. Autophagic marker proteins ATG12 and LC3B exerted a significant role in triggering apoptosis in 5 μM Hg-treated oval cells. No apparent expression of apoptosis-inducing-factor (AIF) and HMGB1 indicated absence of caspase-independent apoptosis and necrosis in the rat oval cells between 30 min and 8 hr. Thus a low concentration of Hg modulates programmed cell death in adult rat oval cells by altering expression of proteins involved in the molecular mechanisms of cellular functions.     

An Adaptive‐Management Framework for Optimal Control of Hiking Near Golden Eagle Nests in Denali National Park

Abstract: Unintended effects of recreational activities in protected areas are of growing concern. We used an adaptive‐management framework to develop guidelines for optimally managing hiking activities to maintain desired levels of territory occupancy and reproductive success of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Denali National Park (Alaska, U.S.A.). The management decision was to restrict human access (hikers) to particular nesting territories to reduce disturbance. The management objective was to minimize restrictions on hikers while maintaining reproductive performance of eagles above some specified level. We based our decision analysis on predictive models of site occupancy of eagles developed using a combination of expert opinion and data collected from 93 eagle territories over 20 years. The best predictive model showed that restricting human access to eagle territories had little effect on occupancy dynamics. However, when considering important sources of uncertainty in the models, including environmental stochasticity, imperfect detection of hares on which eagles prey, and model uncertainty, restricting access of territories to hikers improved eagle reproduction substantially. An adaptive management framework such as ours may help reduce uncertainty of the effects of hiking activities on Golden Eagles.