Responses of oxidative stress,genotoxicity and immunotoxicity as biomarkers in Theba pisana snails dietary exposed to silver nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are now being of a great interest by ecotoxicological researchers. Their potential hazards to humans and other non-target organisms had led to crucial concerns. In this research, white radish leaf extract was used for the green synthesis of AgNPs. UV–Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) have been utilised to characterise the biosynthesised AgNPs. Furthermore, the present study aimed to investigate the ecotoxicological effects of 1?mM biosynthesised AgNPs on the land snail, Theba pisana after two weeks of exposure and one week recovery with respect to oxidative stress parameters; lipid peroxidation (LPO), reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), cytogenetic parameters; DNA content and micronucleus test, as well as immunological parameters; cell death, phagocytosis, lysosomal membrane stability (LMS), lectins, superoxide anion (O₂^?) generation, phenoloxidase (PO), peroxidase (POD) and haemocyanin (Hc) were examined. AgNPs have been biosynthesised successfully; the UV–vis spectrum exhibited a single and broad absorption band located between 375 and 415?nm, TEM image shows AgNPs formed were nearly spherical in shape with a mean size of 2.18–19.87?nm and the crystalline nature of nanoparticles was confirmed by XRD. After two weeks exposure, the result showed that AgNPs significantly increased LPO level as well as CAT and GST activities, cell death, cell abnormalities and Hc level, whereas, significant decline was found in DNA and GSH contents, phagocytic activity, LMS, lectins, O₂^? generation, POD and PO activities compared to the controls. After a week of recovery, most of the tested biomarkers in AgNP-exposed snails did not completely return to the control levels. The multiple measured parameters could be effectively used as sensitive biomarkers in the risk assessment of contaminants in the terrestrial ecosystem.     

汞胁迫对齿肋赤藓生物结皮细胞超微结构的影响

细胞器结构是生物细胞功能的基础,而重金属会对细胞器结构产生毒害效应,进而破坏生物的组织器官完整性及生理代谢功能,汞对生物结皮细胞器超微结构的影响尚未见报道。为探究汞胁迫对齿肋赤藓生物结皮叶肉细胞超微结构的影响,将叶肉细胞暴露于不同浓度的汞溶液中(0、10、20、30、40、50和60 mmol·L~(-1)),连续培养7 d,采用透射电镜技术观察叶肉细胞的变化。与对照组相比,汞浓度在20～60 mmol·L~(-1)时,齿肋赤藓生物结皮的细胞器超微结构随汞浓度增加逐渐发生变化,细胞壁逐渐模糊,出现质壁分离现象,液泡出现一定的空泡化,叶绿体膜破损,类囊体、基粒及基质片层消失,细胞核解体及核仁消失。综上所述,齿肋赤藓生物结皮在低汞浓度时可维持有机体免受毒害,表明齿肋赤藓生物结皮有一定的重金属胁迫耐性,但超过阈值(20 mmol·L~(-1))时,出现汞胁迫伤害,且随汞浓度增加,胁迫毒害效应加剧。本研究结果可为干旱区非维管植物(齿肋赤藓)适应重金属胁迫环境理论及抗性物种培养提供参考。     

THE STATE OF LOUISIANA SUPERPORT AUTHORITY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN – OIL AND OYSTERS1

ABSTRACT: The State of Louisiana created in 1972 the Deep Draft Harbor and Terminal Authority (commonly called Superport Authority) to plan, promote, and develop a deepwater (crude oil) terminal off the coast of Louisiana, and empowered it to establish an Authority development program to promote the economic and social welfare of its citizens. Simultaneously, the Authority was also charged with developing an environmental protection plan to preserve the environmental values of Louisiana's unique coastal marshland while permitting beneficial industrial and economic development. Consequently, in January 1974, an Environmental Protection Plan was promulgated, consisting of a series of regulations, design standards, and operating procedures aimed specifically at protecting the fragile estuarine environment of coastal Louisiana during the construction and ultimate operation of the superport. The paper describes the development of the Superport Authority's Environmental Protection Plan and the current status of the superport project.     

实用修辞与课堂教学

文章分析了"实用修辞课"的教学现状,关键在于观念的转变、认识到位。对"实用修辞课"教学的认识定位要从"可有可无"转向"大有可用";针对大学实用汉语修辞课的教学目的、内容和方法提出了理论和实用的依据。     

Effect of La3+ on the activities of antioxidant enzymes in wheat seedlings under lead stress in solution culture

In order to improve the plant ability to resist lead stress, effect of 0.05 mg/l La(NO₃)₃ on the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in wheat seedlings under lead stress was studied. The effect of La³⁺ on plant growth, chlorophyll content in wheat seedlings after adding 0, 50, 100 mg/l Pb(NO₃)₃ to the nutrient solution for 12 days was observed. The plants were grown in nutrient solution in a strictly controlled climate growth room. Effects of La³⁺ (with La treatment) compared with check groups was evidently observed. The activities of SOD and CAT in root were enhanced 0.45–1.69 times and 33.20–77.77% respectively and MDA content was reduced 11.05–27.49% in root after treatments from the second day till the end of the experiment. The activities of SOD and CAT was found to be increased slightly (P<0.05) and MDA content decreased in shoot and root of wheat seedlings by La³⁺ under lead stress within five days after treatments compared with Pb1 and Pb2 groups. It was assumed that antioxidant enzymes was found to be increased by La(NO₃)₃, the antioxidant potential of the wheat seedlings to resist lead stress enhanced. It is suggested that La³⁺ could be used to resist lead stress at the beginning under stress while the stress was not so serious.     

Risk Management of Sediment Stress: A Framework for Sediment Risk Management Research

Research related to the ecological risk management of sediment stress in watersheds is placed under a common conceptual framework in order to help promote the timely advance of decision support methods for aquatic resource managers and watershed-level planning. The proposed risk management research program relies heavily on model development and verification, and should be applied under an adaptive management approach. The framework is centered on using best management practices (BMPs), including eco-restoration. It is designed to encourage the development of numerical representations of the performance of these management options, the integration of this information into sediment transport simulation models that account for uncertainty in both input and output, and would use strategic environmental monitoring to guide sediment-related risk management decisions for mixed land use watersheds. The goal of this project was to provide a sound scientific framework based on recent state of the practice in sediment-related risk assessment and management for research and regulatory activities. As a result, shortcomings in the extant data and measurement and modeling tools were identified that can help determine future research direction. The compilation of information is beneficial to the coordination of related work being conducted within and across entities responsible for managing watershed-scale risks to aquatic ecosystems.     

REGIONAL HYDROLOGIC RESPONSE OF LOBLOLLY PINE TO AIR TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION CHANGES1

ABSTRACT: Large deviations in average annual air temperatures and total annual precipitation were observed across the southern United States during the last 50 years, and these fluctuations could become even larger during the next century. We used PnET-IIS, a monthly time-step forest process model that uses soil, vegetation, and climate inputs to assess the influence of changing climate on southern U.S. pine forest water use. After model predictions of historic drainage were validated, the potential influences of climate change on loblolly pine forest water use was assessed across the region using historic (1951 to 1984) monthly precipitation and air temperature which were modified by two general circulation models (GCMs). The GCMs predicted a 3.2°C to 7.2°C increase in average monthly air temperature, a -24 percent to + 31 percent change in monthly precipitation and a -1 percent to + 3 percent change in annual precipitation. As a comparison to the GCMs, a minimum climate change scenario using a constant 2°C increase in monthly air temperature and a 20 percent increase in monthly precipitation was run in conjunction with historic climate data. Predicted changes in forest water drainage were highly dependent on the GCM used. PnET-IIS predicted that along the northern range of loblolly pine, water yield would decrease with increasing leaf area, total evapotranspiration and soil water stress. However, across most of the southern U.S., PnET-IIS predicted decreased leaf area, total evapotranspiration, and soil water stress with an associated increase in water yield. Depending on the GCM and geographic location, predicted leaf area decreased to a point which would no longer sustain loblolly pine forests, and thus indicated a decrease in the southern most range of the species within the region. These results should be evaluated in relation to other changing environmental factors (i.e., CO₂ and O₃) which are not present in the current model.     

ANALYSIS OF ROCK STRESS AROUND A LIQUID WASTE INJECTION SYSTEM IN ILLINOIS1

: The danger to the environment associated with the injection of liquid industrial wastes into a deep, confined, subsurface rock formation may arise from the transport of the waste laterally or vertically in the formation. The pattern of lateral transport, which can take place as a result of convection as well as dispersion and diffusion, can be determined by an approximate analytical solution to the mass transport equation. Vertical transport may take place through both natural fractures and fractures created by hydrostatic stresses generated around the well during injection. To determine the stresses, we used the finite element method to get a numerical solution of the flow equation. We applied a solution of the flow equation to calculate the stress buildup and decay for the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation's injection well near Hennepin in Putnam County, Illinois. According to our computations, the stress buildup due to injection is about 0.16 pounds per square inch per foot - psi - (0.362 Newton per square centimeter per meter), which, added to normal pressure, makes an estimated total stress of 0.60 psi/ft (1.36 Newton/cm²/m). That pressure is insufficient to cause fracturing of the Cambrian Eau Claire aquitard, the confining bed for the disposal zone.     

RESPONSE FUNCTIONS OF CROPS YIELD TO SOIL MOISTURE STRESS1

: A methodology for determining an optimal irrigation policy to obtain maximum economic yield of crops is presented. The method is based on an empirical response function, relating crop yield to soil moisture stress in different stages of plant growth. The function was developed from data obtained in field experiments on several crops and may be useful in determining when and how much to irrigate. Additionally, a mathematical expression is derived from that function which estimates the economic loss if irrigation is not applied in the opportune moment.     

FOOD QUALITY OF AUFWUCHS FROM ARTIFICIAL STREAMS RECEIVING LOW LEVELS OF PERTURBATIONS1

ABSTRACT: Protein, carbohydrate, and organic content of Aufwuchs samples from artificial streams dosed separately With chlorine, copper, or dextrose were altered by changes in the taxonomic composition or physiological condition of the community. Protein content increased as community composition shifted toward a dominance. by blue-green algae or heterotrophs. Bluegreens or cyanobacteria were dominant most often in Aufwuchs developing under copper or chlorine treatments and when water temperatures approached the seasonal maximum (22.8 C-25.8 0, while heterotrophs proliferated in the dextrose-enriched stream. Due to the associated extracellular mucilage, carbohydrate content also tended to be higher when blue-green algae or bacteria were abundant. However, carbohydrate content decreased in communities developing under chlorine or copper treatments at low or moderate temperatures (3 C-22.8 C), indicating a utilization of stored photosynthetic products to adapt to the stress. The organic content of Aufwuchs was related to the extent of mucilage production and the tendency of the community to accumulate detritus and suspended inorganic sediment. Protein and carbohydrate estimates were significantly correlated with dry weight and ash-free dry weight, a result of the copious extracellular mucilage associated with rapidly growing blue greens and other bacteria. Estimates of Aufwuchs food quality are important in evaluating the impact of pollutants on higher trophic levels; however, the tendency of change with both taxonomic shifts and physiological adaptations tends to confound interpretations for water quality assessment.