Effects of Coastal Lighting on Foraging Behaviorof Beach Mice

Abstract:  Introduction of artificial light into wildlife habitat represents a rapidly expanding form of human encroachment, particularly in coastal systems. Light pollution alters the behavior of sea turtles during nesting; therefore, long-wavelength lights—low-pressure sodium vapor and bug lights—that minimize impacts on turtles are required for beach lighting in Florida (U.S.A.). We investigated the effects of these two kinds of lights on the foraging behavior of Santa Rosa beach mice (  Peromyscus polionotus leucocephalus ). We compared patch use and giving-up densities of mice for experimental food patches established along a gradient of artificial light in the field. Mice exploited fewer food patches near both types of artificial light than in areas with little light and harvested fewer seeds within patches near bug lights. Our results show that artificial light affects the behavior of terrestrial species in coastal areas and that light pollution deserves greater consideration in conservation planning.     

Prenatal diagnosis of a 45,X male with a SRY-bearing chromosome 21

Male phenotype associated with a 45,X karyotype is an infrequent finding. We present a case diagnosed prenatally on amniocentesis performed for maternal age. The male phenotype was associated with a translocation of a distal part of Yp including the pseudoautosomal SHOX gene and SRY gene on the short arm of a chromosome 21. By DNA analysis we could show that the X chromosome was of maternal origin and that the breakpoint was in interval 3 of the Y chromosome. Mechanisms and genetic counselling are discussed based on a review of published cases of 45,X and XX males. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

LIPID PEROXIDATION AND ANTIOXIDANT ENZYME ACTIVITY IN DIFFERENT ORGANS OF MICE EXPOSED TO LOW LEVEL OF MERCURY

The effects of mercuric chloride (Hg) on lipid peroxidation (LPO), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) levels in different organs of mice (CD-1) were evaluated. Mice were exposed (2 days/week) to 0.0 (control), 0.8 (low) and 8.0 (mid) and 80.0 (high) gHg/kg/day for 2 weeks. The high dose group was excluded from the study due to high mortality. LPO levels in kidney, testis and epididymus at low and mid doses; GR and GPx levels in testis at mid dose; SOD levels in brain and testis at both doses, liver and epididymus at mid dose; GSH levels in testis at both doses were significantly increased compared to their controls. However, the GR levels in kidney at both doses and in epididymus at mid dose; GPx levels in kidney and epididymus and SOD levels in kidney at both the doses; GSH levels in epididymus at mid dose were significantly decreased compared to their control. Body weight gain and food efficiency were significantly reduced (<0.05) in mid dose. These results indicated that Hg treatment enhanced LPO in all tissues, but showed significant enhancement only in kidney, testis and epididymus suggesting that these organs were more susceptible to Hg toxicity. The increase in antioxidant enzyme levels in testis could be a mechanism protecting the cells against reactive oxygen species.     

Macrophage activity and histopathology of the lymphohematopoietic organs in male Wistar rats orally exposed to single or mixed pesticides

The noxious effects of low or effective dose exposure to single or mixed pesticides on macrophage activity and the lymphohematopoietic organs were investigated. Male Wistar rats were orally exposed to dichlorvos, dicofol, endosulfan, dieldrin and permethrin, either as single or combined mixtures during a 28-day study containing eight groups: one group received a semipurified diet (non-treated); two groups received a semipurified diet containing low dose mixture (dieldrin 0.025 mg/kg, endosulfan, 0.6 mg/kg, dicofol 0.22 mg/kg, dichlorvos 0.23 mg/kg, permethrin 5 mg/kg) or an effective dose mixture (dichlorvos 2.3 mg/kg, dicofol 2.5 mg/kg, endosulfan 2.9 mg/kg, dieldrin 0.05 mg/kg and permethrin 25.0 mg/kg), respectively; the other five groups received a semipurified diet containing each single pesticide in effective doses. At sacrifice, the thymus, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, Payer's patches and bone marrow were removed for histological analysis. Peritoneal macrophages were obtained to determine the phagocytosis and spreading indexes and tumoral necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), nitric oxide (NO) and H₂O₂ production. Exposure to pesticide mixtures did not alter the percentage of macrophage phagocytosis and spreading, TNF-α production or the NO and H₂O₂ release when compared to the non-treated group. Neither was there any apparent evidence that a pesticide mixture at low or effective doses altered the histological structure of the lymphohematopoietic organs. The findings indicate that short-term treatment with pesticide mixtures did not induce an apparent immunotoxic effect in male Wistar rats.     

Influence of hypothyroidism on oxidative stress,c-Fos expression,cell cycle,and apoptosis in rats testes

The molecular basis of male reproduction for cross-regulation between androgen and thyroid hormone axes is still rudimentary. This study aims to define a possible mechanism of hypothyroidism-induced reproductive influence with respect to sex hormone, mineral, sperm motility, oxidative stress, c-Fos expression, cell cycle, and apoptosis in rat testes. The Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group (NS) and hypothyroidism group [1 ml/100g BW/day, 0.1% propylthiouracil (PTU)] by intragastric gavage for 60 days. Blood samples were collected to measure the serum levels. The epididymis was excised to measure sperm motility and testes were excised to measure mineral, oxidative stress, c-Fos expression, cell cycle, and apoptosis. After 60 days, body weight, relative testes weight, triiodothyronine, and total thyroxine were all significantly decreased, whereas thyroid stimulating hormone was increased in the hypothyroidism group. A significant increase in sex hormone level of estradiol (E2) and significant decreases in testosterone (T) and T/E2 ratio were observed following PTU treatment. And sperm quality was also significantly changed. There were significant decreases in the contents of calcium (Ca²⁺) and zinc (Zn²⁺). On the other hand, malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide contents significantly increased, whereas the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and nitric oxide synthase and nitric oxide content significantly decreased in hypothyroid rats. The mRNA and protein expressions of c-Fos decreased significantly. The cell percentage in G0/G1 phase increased significantly, whereas decreased significantly in S and G2/M phases. Also, a significant increase in testicular cell apoptosis was observed in hypothyroid-treated rats. These results suggested that hypothyroidism could affect reproductive function in the form of changed sex hormone levels, sperm motility and testicular Ca²⁺ and Zn²⁺, and enhanced oxidative stress leading to c-Fos abnormal expression and increased apoptosis.     

近红外长余辉纳米颗粒经小鼠眼部暴露后体内分布和代谢情况

为了研究纳米颗粒通过眼部暴露后进入体内的路径及在体内的分布和代谢情况,实验采用近红外长余辉纳米探针作为示踪剂,对小鼠进行眼部暴露,随后利用活体成像技术观察其进入小鼠体内的过程及分布情况,于暴露第4天收集代谢产物,第7天取重要脏器和血液,并检测纳米探针的存在情况.结果显示纳米探针可由眼经口腔进入胃肠道中,并且纳米颗粒暴露4天后在小鼠的粪便中检测到强荧光信号,而尿液中的荧光信号较弱,暴露7 d后在小鼠的眼睑结膜、胃及眼球中检测到强荧光信号,而其余器官的荧光信号较弱.这表明通过眼部暴露后,纳米颗粒主要分布在眼和消化系统中,最后大部分经消化系统代谢.     

An integrative analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression in the brains of Alzheimer's disease transgenic mice after real-world PM2.5 exposure

Fine particulatematter (PM2.5) is associated with increased risks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD),yet the toxicologicalmechanisms of PM2.5 promoting AD remain unclear. In this study,wildtype and APP/PS1 transgenic mice (AD mice) were exposed to either filtered air (FA) or PM2.5 for eight weeks with a real-world exposure system in Taiyuan, China (mean PM2.5 concentration in the cage was 61 μg/m3). We found that PM2.5 exposure could remarkably aggravate AD mice’s ethological and brain ultrastructural damage, along with the elevation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), Aβ-42 and AChE levels and the decline of ChAT levels in the brains. Based on high-throughput sequencing results, some differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs and DE miRNAs in the brains of AD mice after PM2.5 exposure were screened.Using RT-qPCR, seven DEmiRNAs (mmu-miR-193b-5p, 122b-5p, 466h-3p, 10b-5p, 1895, 384–5p, and 6412) and six genes (Pcdhgb8, Unc13b, Robo3, Prph, Pter, and Tbata) were evidenced the and verified. Two miRNA-target gene pairs (miR-125b-Pcdhgb8 pair and miR-466h-3p-IL-17Rα/TGF-βR2/Aβ-42/AChE pairs) were demonstrated that they were more related to PM2.5-induced brain injury. Results of Gene Ontology (GO) pathways and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways predicted that synaptic and postsynaptic regulation, axon guidance, Wnt, MAPK, and mTOR pathways might be the possible regulatory mechanisms associated with pathological response. These revealed that PM2.5- elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and PM2.5-altered neurotransmitter levels in AD mice could be the important causes of brain damage and proposed the promising miRNA andmRNA biomarkers and potentialmiRNA-mRNA interaction networks of PM2.5-promoted AD.     

砷暴露诱导小鼠空肠结构损伤和免疫紊乱

以C57BL/6雄性小鼠为受试动物,研究慢性饮水型砷(As)暴露对肠道的损伤效应及作用机制.小鼠饮用含5 mg·L~(-1)或50 mg·L~(-1) As的亚砷酸钠(NaAsO_2)水溶液6个月后,检测空肠组织的氧化应激指标、病理学改变、免疫相关基因表达及黏膜杯状细胞数量.结果发现,As组小鼠空肠组织的超氧化物歧化酶活性和总抗氧化能力显著下降,脂质过氧化产物丙二醛含量显著升高;空肠黏膜受到侵蚀,上皮吸收细胞排列紊乱,部分肠绒毛脱落.氧化应激指标及病理学改变呈现剂量依赖性.5 mg·L~(-1) As组免疫相关基因TNF-α、IFN-γ、IL-4、IL-5和IL-13的mRNA水平显著升高,黏膜杯状细胞数量显著增加;50 mg·L~(-1)As组TNF-α、IFN-γ和IL-4显著下调表达,IL-5和IL-13的表达水平及黏膜杯状细胞数量无显著变化.结果表明,慢性饮水型As暴露诱导小鼠空肠氧化损伤及组织结构改变的同时可能诱发了肠道免疫紊乱.As暴露引起的黏膜损伤可能与As诱导空肠的氧化损伤相关.     

Geographic Variation in the Seasonal Reproductive Strategy of the Mite Varroa jacobsoni in the Honeybee Nest

Variation in the reproduction of Varroa jacobsoni mite was studied in relation to the expansion of the range of its parasitism on the honeybee. Geographic differences in the seasonal dynamics of mite reproduction in the nests of bee families were revealed. Variation in the sex ratio of mites and the factors inhibiting their reproduction at the northern boundary of the honeybee range are considered. The forms of parthenogenetic reproduction in V. jacobsoni are discussed.