Carbon source utilization profiles as a method to identify sources of faecal pollution in water

AIMS: Carbon source utilization profiles as a phenotypic fingerprinting methodology for determining sources of faecal pollution in water were evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three hundred and sixty-five Enterococcus isolates were collected from known faecal sources in four different geographical regions and were identified to species with the commercial Biolog system. Discriminant analysis (DA) was used to identify the substrate-containing wells that best classified the 365 isolates by source. By using 30 of the 95 wells for the analysis, the average rate of correct classification (ARCC) by source was 92.7% for a human vs non-human two-way classification when isolates from all regions were combined into one library. Corresponding ARCCs for other classification schemes were 81.9% for a four-way classification of human vs livestock vs wildlife vs domestic pets, and 85.7% for a three-way classification without human isolates. When three individual libraries were made based on classification of sources within Enterococcus species, the ARCC was 95.3% for the Ent. faecalis library, 95.8% for the Ent. gallinarum library and 94.7% for the Ent. mundtii library. Thirty Enterococcus isolates (unknown sources) were obtained from each of three stream sites where a specific source of pollution was apparent; 90.0% of the isolates from a human-suspected source were classified as human, 86.6% were classified as livestock from a livestock-suspected site, and 93.3% were classified as wildlife from a wildlife-suspected site. CONCLUSIONS: Phenotypic fingerprinting with carbon source utilization profiles provided levels of correct classification by sources from an Enterococcus library that were in the upper range of those reported in the literature. ARCCs for three Enterococcus species-specific libraries were very high and may be the best approach for further developing this concept and methodology. SIGNIFICANCE ANC IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results, based on a modest Enterococcus library and a preliminary field validation test, demonstrated the potential for carbon source utilization profiles to be employed as a phenotypic method for determining sources of faecal pollution in water.     

云南迪庆州传统藏药雪莲资源的保护和可持续利用

对云南省迪庆藏族自治州传统藏药雪莲资源及其利用的状况进行了调查。通过调查发现该地区雪莲植物共有22种及1变种,市场上常当作商品出售的有5种。雪莲每年的贸易量达到55000kg,而且资源利用方式落后,已经造成雪莲特别是二年生的雪莲个体数明显减少,严重威胁了这些物种的生存。依据调查结果,建议提高人们的保护意识,控制雪莲的采集量、限制一年生雪莲采集的时间以及禁止多年生雪莲的采集。     

Regulation of glucose utilization and lipogenesis in adipose tissue of diabetic and fat fed animals: Effects of insulin and manganese

In order to evaluate the modulatory effects of manganese, high fat diet fed and alloxan diabetic rats were taken and the changes in the glucose oxidation, glycerol release and effects of manganese on these parameters were measured from adipose tissue. An insulin-mimetic effect of manganese was observed in the adipose tissue in the controls and an additive effect of insulin and manganese on glucose oxidation was seen when Mn²⁺ was addedin vitro. The flux of glucose through the pentose phosphate pathway and glycolysis was significantly decreased in high fat fed animals. Although thein vitro addition of Mn²⁺ was additive with insulin when¹⁴CO2 was measured from control animals, it was found neither in young diabetic animals (6–8 weeks old) nor in the old (16 weeks old). Both insulin and manganese caused an increased oxidation of carbon-1 of glucose and an increase of its incorporation into¹⁴C-lipids in the young control animals; the additive effect of insulin and manganese suggests separate site of action. This effect was decreased in fat fed animals, diabetic animals and old animals. Manganese alone was found to decrease glycerol in both the control and diabetic adipose tissue inin vitro incubations. The results of the effects of glucose oxidation, lipogenesis, and glycerol release in adipose tissue of control and diabetic animals of different ages are presented together with the effect of manganese on adipose tissue from high fat milk diet fed animals.     

Aerobic secondary utilization of a non-growth and inhibitory substrate 2,4,6-trichlorophenol by Sphingopyxis chilensis S37 and sphingopyxis-like strain S32

This paper reports 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (246TCP) degradation bySphingopyxis chilensis S37 and Sphingopyxis chilensis-like strain S32,which were unable to use 246TCP as the sole carbon and energy source. In R2A broth, the strainsdegraded 246TCP up to 0.5 mM. Results with mixtures of different 246TCP and glucose concentrations in mineral salt media demonstrated dependence on glucose to allow bacterial growth and degradation of 246TCP. Strain S32 degraded halophenol up to 0.2 mM when 5.33 mM glucose was simultaneously added, while strain S37 degraded the compound up to 0.1 mM when 1.33 mM glucose was added. These 246TCP concentrations were lethal for inocula in absence of glucose. Stoichiometricreleases of chloride and analysis by HPLC, GC-ECD and GC-MS indicated 246TCP mineralisation by both strains. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bacteriaable to mineralize a chlorophenol as a non-growth and inhibitory substrate. The concept of secondary utilization instead of cometabolism is proposed for this activity.     

Effects of Aluminum and Calcium on Acetyl-CoA Metabolism in Rat Brain Mitochondria

Abstract: Al complexes are known to accumulate in extra- and intracellular compartments of the brain in the course of different encephalopathies. In this study possible effects of Al accumulation in the cytoplasmic compartment on mitochondrial metabolism were investigated. Al, like Ca, inhibited pyruvate utilization as well as citrate and oxoglutarate accumulation by whole brain mitochondria. Potencies of Ca²⁺_total effects were 10–20 times stronger than those of Al. Al decreased mitochondrial acetyl-CoA content in a concentration-dependent manner, along with an equivalent rise of free CoA level, whereas Ca caused loss of both intermediates from mitochondria. In the absence of P_i in the medium, Ca had no effect on mitochondrial metabolism, whereas Al lost its ability to suppress pyruvate utilization and acetyl-CoA content in Ca-free conditions. Verapamil potentiated, whereas ruthenium red reversed, Ca-evoked suppression of mitochondrial metabolism. On the other hand, in Ca-supplemented medium, Al partially overcame the inhibitory influence of verapamil. Accordingly, verapamil increased mitochondrial Ca levels much more strongly than Al. However, Al partially reversed the verapamil-evoked rise of Ca²⁺_total level. These data indicate that Al accumulated in cytoplasm in the form of the Al(PO₄)OH⁻ complex may inhibit mitochondrial functions by an increase of intramitochondrial [Ca²⁺]_total resulting from the Al-evoked rise of cytoplasmic [Ca²⁺]_free, as well as from inhibitory interference with the verapamil binding site on the Na⁺/Ca²⁺ antiporter.     

Sewage-fed aquaculture: The Calcutta model

Wastes have been rightly referred to as resources out of place. Since household wastewater often intermixes with effluents from industries and agricultural runoff, multidimensional approaches have been made towards maximizing protein production through rational exploitation of available resources. Sewage-fed aquaculture is a unique system and has manifold advantages in developing tropical countries acting as a major source of nutrients for crop farming and aquaculture, economical for sustainable production and helps to combat environmental pollution. The use of municipal wastewater fed to fertilize ponds began in Calcutta in the 1930s; the city now has perhaps the largest wastewater-fed aquaculture system in the world. A large number of people derive their livelihood from the sewage-fed aquaculture using the principles of systems ecology and applying it through ecological engineering. The subject of sewage-fed aquaculture is reviewed in terms of source, chemical nature, diversity pattern, recycling practices, production potential of aquaculture, environmental issues and safety measures for ecofriendly sustainable environmental management strategies.     

The biology and use of the African brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus africanus, Gray, 1842)as a food animal. A review

The brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus africanus) is a hystricomorph rodent, which frequents the forests of West and Central Africa. With an average weight of 3 kg, it is a favourite source of meat for urban and rural populations of Gabon, Nigeria, Cameroon or Congo. Hunted in large quantities, its price is often higher than that of other game or domestic animals. Although its current productivity in captivity is limited to a single young per birth and two to three births per year per female, this species could be a good candidate for minilivestock programmes in African forest areas if its current reproductive potential in captivity could be improved. Further research should be encouraged on its biology and reproduction since the current level of hunting for this species is probably not sustainable. Captive breeding programmes could play a role in assessing a better knowledge of the species' biology, and in reducing the effects of intensive hunting in areas where this activi ty is no longer sustainable.     

中国花楸属植物的分布及研究现状

花楸属(Sorbus L.)植物冠形多态、花色秀美、果实缤纷、四季叶色各异，具有很高的园艺观赏价值，但因属下种间杂交、多倍化和无融合生殖的存在，所以花楸属也是分类学上比较困难的一个类群。该研究通过细致整理和分析国家标本资源库和全球数字化植物标本数据库中花楸属植物标本信息，了解中国花楸属物种采集位置和野生种质资源的分布中心，构建中国花楸属植物标本数据库，为全国第一次林草种质资源的普查与收集提供参考；在明晰花楸属植物资源分布位置和生境的基础上，发现中国花楸属植物资源居世界之首且花楸属物种多分布在高海拔区域，尤其是在中国西南部的山区，分布有一半以上的中国花楸属物种，在该区域花楸属物种多种倍性并存、杂交频繁发生。然而，这是否为该属植物物种多样性丰富的关键因素，把高海拔分布的花楸属物种引种到低海拔区域能否适应以及如何适应低海拔的夏季高温尚不清楚。基于此，作者就自己的专业领域进一步检索了花楸属植物在形态分类与系统发育、适应性进化和保护遗传学、植物资源利用等方面的研究现状，梳理出花楸属植物目前研究尚未解决的问题，并进一步指出未来研究需重点关注的方向。建议未来的研究重点关注以下问题：(1)在坚实的系统...     

Evaluating distributional shifts in home range estimates

A variety of methods are commonly used to quantify animal home ranges using location data acquired with telemetry. High‐volume location data from global positioning system (GPS) technology provide researchers the opportunity to identify various intensities of use within home ranges, typically quantified through utilization distributions (UDs). However, the wide range of variability evident within UDs constructed with modern home range estimators is often overlooked or ignored during home range comparisons, and challenges may arise when summarizing distributional shifts among multiple UDs. We describe an approach to gain additional insight into home range changes by comparing UDs across isopleths and summarizing comparisons into meaningful results. To demonstrate the efficacy of this approach, we used GPS location data from 16 bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) to identify distributional changes before and after habitat alterations, and we discuss advantages in its application when comparing home range size, overlap, and joint‐space use. We found a consistent increase in bighorn sheep home range size when measured across home range levels, but that home range overlap and similarity values decreased when examined at increasing core levels. Our results highlight the benefit of conducting multiscale assessments when comparing distributions, and we encourage researchers to expand comparative home range analyses to gain a more comprehensive evaluation of distributional changes and to evaluate comparisons across home range levels.