Prenatal detection of a de novo duplication of the long arm of chromosome 7

Amniocentesis was performed for maternal age and subsequent cytogenetic studies revealed a male fetus with a mosaic karyotype, one cell line having a duplication for the long arm of chromosome 7. The pregnancy was terminated and the two cell lines confirmed in varying proportions in the fetal tissues. External examination of the fetus revealed only growth retardation and a high forehead. The lack of phenotypic defects and the possible aetiology of the de novo rearrangement are considered.     

Development of GC capillary column for isomer-specific separation of toxic isomer of PCDDs and PCDFs in environmental samples

Analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) has been performed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Analysis of the most toxic isomers, in particular, 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/PCDF in the presence of other isomers requires a special isomer specific capillary column or high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fractionation prior to GC-MS analysis. Commercially available long (>50 m) polar columns can separate 2,3,7,8-TCDD from other tetra isomers. However, those columns are not satisfactory for the analyses of total PCDD/PCDF in the environmental samples. Gas chromatography -high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) and GC-MS/MS techniques are not helpful in the analysis of 2,3,7,8-TCDD unless it is separated from the other tetra isomers. The analysis of 2,3,7,8-TCDD and total PCDD and PCDF in a single GC-MS run can ease the laborious techniques presently used. In this study we have developed a new stationary phase for the GC capillary column. The capillary column developed using this new stationary phase showed unsurpassed selectivity for the separation of 2,3,7,8-TCDD from other tetra isomers. There are several advantages of the newly developed GC capillary column.     

Prenatal diagnosis of a fetus with partial monosomy 7(q34→qter) and partial trisomy 18(q21→qter)

Ultrasound examination of a 31-year-old woman at 27 weeks' gestation revealed fetal growth retardation, a bilateral cleft lip and palate, and the absence of median cerebral structures. Chromosome analysis after cordocentesis showed an abnormal karyotype with a structural abnormality of the long arm of chromosome 7: 46,XX,—7,+der(7), t(7;18) (q34;q21.3)mat. The pregnancy was terminated at week 29. The ultrasound findings were confirmed by post-mortem examination, which also revealed a semilobar holoprosencephaly.     

Further studies on the influence of zeolite type A on metal transfer in the activated sludge process

Investigations were carried out to determine the effect of zeolite type A on metal removal by activated sludge using laboratory activated sludge simulations. They were operated at constant aerator sludge age and settler surface loading. Different concentrations of raw zeolite and zeolite extracted from washing powder (0, 15, 30, 60, 120 mgl^?1) were introduced into the simulations. The zeolite was added at two degrees of calcium exchanged for sodium, 25 and 75% of the maximum exchange capacity. Metals were added at concentrations typical of mixed domestic-industrial waste waters. The results show that there was no adverse effect on metal removal by the laboratory activated sludge simulations in the presence of zeolite type A.     

Perceived barriers to and drivers of community participation in protected‐area governance

Protected areas (PAs) are a frequently used conservation strategy, yet their socioeconomic impacts on local communities remain contentious. A shift toward increased participation by local communities in PA governance seeks to deliver benefits for human well‐being and biodiversity. Although participation is considered critical to the success of PAs, few researchers have investigated individuals’ decisions to participate and what this means for how local people experience the costs and benefits of conservation. We explored who participates in PA governance associations and why; the perceived benefits and costs to participation; and how costs and benefits are distributed within and between communities. Methods included 3 focus groups, 37 interviews, and 217 questionnaire surveys conducted in 3 communities and other stakeholders (e.g., employees of a nongovernmental organization and government officials) in PA governance in Madagascar. Our study design was grounded in the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the most commonly applied behavior model in social psychology. Participation in PA governance was limited by miscommunication and lack of knowledge about who could get involved and how. Respondents perceived limited benefits and high costs and uneven distribution of these within and between communities. Men, poorer households, and people in remote villages reported the highest costs. Our findings illustrate challenges related to comanagement of PAs: understanding the heterogeneous nature of communities; ensuring all households are represented in governance participation; understanding differences in the meaning of forest protection; and targeting interventions to reach households most in need to avoid elite capture.     

A spatial approach to combatting wildlife crime

Poaching can have devastating impacts on animal and plant numbers, and in many countries has reached crisis levels, with illegal hunters employing increasingly sophisticated techniques. We used data from an 8‐year study in Savé Valley Conservancy, Zimbabwe, to show how geographic profiling—a mathematical technique originally developed in criminology and recently applied to animal foraging and epidemiology—can be adapted for use in investigations of wildlife crime. The data set contained information on over 10,000 incidents of illegal hunting and the deaths of 6,454 wild animals. We used a subset of data for which the illegal hunters’ identities were known. Our model identified the illegal hunters’ home villages based on the spatial locations of the hunting incidences (e.g., snares). Identification of the villages was improved by manipulating the probability surface inside the conservancy to reflect the fact that although the illegal hunters mostly live outside the conservancy, the majority of hunting occurs inside the conservancy (in criminology terms, commuter crime). These results combined with rigorous simulations showed for the first time how geographic profiling can be combined with GIS data and applied to situations with more complex spatial patterns, for example, where landscape heterogeneity means some parts of the study area are less likely to be used (e.g., aquatic areas for terrestrial animals) or where landscape permeability differs (e.g., forest bats tend not to fly over open areas). More broadly, these results show how geographic profiling can be used to target antipoaching interventions more effectively and more efficiently and to develop management strategies and conservation plans in a range of conservation scenarios.     

Adapting the bioblitz to meet conservation needs

When conservation strategies require new, field‐based information, practitioners must find the best ways to rapidly deliver high‐quality survey data. To address this challenge, several rapid‐assessment approaches have been developed since the early 1990s. These typically involve large areas, take many months to complete, and are not appropriate when conservation‐relevant survey data are urgently needed for a specific locale. In contrast, bioblitzes are designed for quick collection of site‐specific survey data. Although bioblitzes are commonly used to achieve educational or public‐engagement goals, conservation practitioners are increasingly using a modified bioblitz approach to generate conservation‐relevant data while simultaneously enhancing research capacity and building working partnerships focused on conservation concerns. We term these modified events expert bioblitzes. Several expert bioblitzes have taken place on lands of conservation concern in Southern California and have involved collaborative efforts of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, botanic gardens, museums, and universities. The results of expert bioblitzes directly informed on‐the‐ground conservation and decision‐making; increased capacity for rapid deployment of expert bioblitzes in the future; and fostered collaboration and communication among taxonomically and institutionally diverse experts. As research and conservation funding becomes increasingly scarce, expert bioblitzes can play an increasingly important role in biodiversity conservation.     

生物样品中含PBDEs在内的复合污染组分的抗雌激素效应

为初步探讨电子废物拆解导致的多溴二苯醚(PBDEs)及其类似物构成的复合污染的潜在生态/健康风险,从电子废物拆解区的三黄鸡血液和肝脏样品中提取了包含PBDEs在内的复合污染组分,分别体外暴露乳腺癌MCF-7细胞和MDA-MB-231细胞6d,检测细胞增殖和雌激素靶基因pS2的mRNA表达.结果表明,包含多种PBDEs在内的复合污染组分在不产生细胞毒性的前提下,可显著抑制MCF-7细胞增殖和雌激素靶基因pS2的mRNA表达,表现出抗雌激素活性.此结果提示由电子废物拆解造成的复合污染对生物体和人体可能存在潜在的生态/健康风险.     

Time-dependent metabolomics uncover dynamic metabolic adaptions in MCF-7 cells exposed to bisphenol A

● Metabolomic temporal profiling of cells exposed to xenobiotics. ● Global metabolome dysregulation patterns with time-resolved landscapes. ● Synchronized regulation behavior and specific dysregulation sensitivity. ● Temporal metabolic adaptions indicated cellular emphasis transition. The biochemical consequences induced by xenobiotic stress are featured in dose-response and time-resolved landscapes. Understanding the dynamic process of cellular adaptations is crucial in conducting the risk assessment for chemical exposure. As one of the most phenotype-related omics, metabolome in response to environmental stress can vary from seconds to days. Up to now, very few dynamic metabolomics studies have been conducted to provide time-dependent mechanistic interpretations in understanding xenobiotics-induced cellular adaptations. This study aims to explore the time-resolved metabolite dysregulation manner and dynamically perturbed biological functions in MCF-7 cells exposed to bisphenol A (BPA), a well-known endocrine-disrupting chemical. By sampling at 11 time points from several minutes to hours, thirty seven significantly dysregulated metabolites were identified, ranging from amino acids, fatty acids, carboxylic acids and nucleoside phosphate compounds. The metabolites in different pathways basically showed distinct time-resolved changing patterns, while those within the common class or same pathways showed similar and synchronized dysregulation behaviors. The pathway enrichment analysis suggested that purine metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis as well as glutamine/glutamate (GABA) metabolism pathways were heavily disturbed. As exposure event continued, MCF-7 cells went through multiple sequential metabolic adaptations from cell proliferation to energy metabolism, which indicated an enhancing cellular requirement for elevated energy homeostasis, oxidative stress response and ER-α mediated cell growth. We further focused on the time-dependent metabolite dysregulation behavior in purine and pyrimidine metabolism, and identified the impaired glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation by redox imbalance. Lastly, we established a restricted cubic spline-based model to fit and predict metabolite’s full range dysregulation cartography, with metabolite’ sensitivity comparisons retrieved and novel biomarkers suggested. Overall, the results indicated that 8 h BPA exposure leaded to global dynamic metabolome adaptions including amino acid, nucleoside and sugar metabolism disorders, and the dysregulated metabolites with interfered pathways at different stages are of significant temporal distinctions.     

自然老化对FOX-7基双元混合物相容性的影响

目的 掌握自然老化如何影响1,1-二氨基-2,2-二硝基乙烷(FOX-7)基双元混合物的相容性,揭示老化过程对其相容性的潜在影响。方法 采用热分析技术(差示扫描量热法,DSC)和非热分析技术(傅里叶变换红外光谱,FTIR),对老化前后FOX-7基双元混合物的热分解特性和分子结构特征进行评估。利用DSC测得混合物和单质FOX-7的DSC初始分解峰温,对FOX-7与8种含能材料和4种惰性材料的相容性进行评估,再结合FTIR的测试结果辅助说明混合物分子结构的变化。结果 DSC热流曲线显示,除FOX-7/RDX混合物外,其他研究对象在老化前后均展现出良好的相容性。然而,以FOX-7/CL-20为代表的混合物在老化后的最大放热峰温出现明显变化,表明老化对这些混合物的相容性产生了影响。在FTIR光谱分析中观察到的官能团变化进一步表明,FOX-7与RDX、CL-20、AP、HTPB、DOS或WAX等组成的双元体系在老化过程中发生了化学反应。结论 本研究的发现对理解和评估老化过程对FOX-7基双元混合物相容性的影响具有重要意义,可用于指导FOX-7基含能材料长期储存和使用中的安全设计。