Aquatic Resource Conservation. The first Yangtze finless porpoise successfully born in captivity (4 pp)

Background As the sole freshwater subspecies of finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides), the Yangtze finless porpoise (N. p. asiaeorientalis) lives only in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and its appended Poyang and Dongting Lakes. As a result of human activity on the river, including over and illegal fishing, pollution, transportation and dam construction, the population of Yangtze finless porpoises has been steadily and rapidly decreasing during the past several decades, which leads the animal to be endangered. Methods For saving this unique animal from extinction, three corresponding measures, in situ conservation, ex situ conservation, and intensifying breeding research in captivity, were proposed and have been implemented since the 1980s. Results After successfully rearing the animals in captivity for almost nine years, the first Yangtze finless porpoise was successfully born in captivity on July 5, 2005. The calf is male, with a body length of 69cm. This is the first freshwater cetacean ever born in captivity. Conclusion The successful birth of this calf confirms that it is possible to breed the Yangtze finless porpoise in captivity. Furthermore, this will greatly benefit the conservation efforts, and also greatly bolster our on-going efforts to study the reproductivebiology of these animals. Recommendation More studies and efforts are expected to establish a sustainable, captive colony of the Yangtze finless porpoise, which will not only greatly expand our knowledge about the reproduction biology of this animal, but also help to redeem the wild population through a careful yearly 'soft releasing' process.     

Leaf volatiles and polyphenols in pear trees infested byPsylla pyricola. Evidence of simultaneously induced responses

Summary Feeding by the homopteranPsylla pyricola on leaves of pear trees induces the production of volatile compounds, such as (E,E)--farnesene and methyl-salicylate, as well as the production of polyphenols. The inference on induction is based on GC-MS and HPLC chromatograms from the same samples ofPsylla infested leaves, leaves from the same pear tree beforePsylla infestation and uninfested leaves from other pear trees.Psylla infestation greatly enhanced the production of volatiles ((E,E)--farnesene, methyl-salicylate and others) and triggered the production of new polyphenols, characterized by much longer retention times.However, the responses to infestation depend critically on leaf age (defined by leaf distance to apex). With respect to the leaf volatiles it appears that infested, old leaves produce fewer compounds and lower amounts of the volatiles than infested, young leaves. Moreover, there seem to be differences in pattern. Relative to (E,E)--farnesene, methyl-salicylate was found in much lower amounts in heavily infested, old leaves. With respect to polyphenols it was found that infested old leaves collected in August have polyphenols with the same retention times, but more or less equal amounts as uninfested young leaves collected in May. This shows thatPsylla infestation causes the induced response mostly in young leaves.The induced leaf volatiles may act as synomones to heteropteran bugs. As shown elsewhere,Anthocoris nemoralis responds significantly to (E,E)--farnesene and methyl-salicylate when offered in pure form against clean air in a Y-tube olfactometer. The effect of polyphenols on the performance ofP. pyricola is not yet known. Hence, a role in direct defence is still to be investigated.     

BDE-47对人胚肾细胞HEK293的毒理效应及作用机制

2,2’,4,4’-四溴联苯醚(BDE-47)是生物体中含量最高且毒性最强的PBDEs之一,有关BDE-47对肾细胞的毒性及其作用机制的研究仍有待补充。选取3个剂量组(低:10-6mol·L-1、中:10-5mol·L-1、高:10-4mol·L-1)及溶剂对照组,研究了BDE-47对人胚肾细胞(HEK293)的细胞凋亡率及活性氧(ROS)水平的影响;并从分子水平对细胞氧化损伤、凋亡相关蛋白(APE1及p53)及凋亡相关基因m RNA(p53、Bax、Caspase 3、Caspase 8)的表达量进行测定。实验结果显示:与对照组相比,中、高剂量组细胞凋亡率显著增加(P0.05);ROS水平在中剂量组显著上升(P0.01);随BDE-47浓度的变化,APE1蛋白表达量与细胞ROS水平存在一致性;p53、Bax、Caspase 8 m RNA表达量与BDE-47的浓度间存在剂量-效应关系。结果表明,BDE-47可诱导HEK293细胞凋亡及氧化应激,APE1可能是细胞ROS升高与细胞凋亡间重要的中介因子;BDE-47可以通过影响Caspase 8及线粒体途径中p53及Bax的表达诱导细胞凋亡。