Biomarkers of Exposure and Effects for Assessing Toxicological Risk of Endocrine Disrupters in Top Predators of the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract. Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) have the potential to alter hormone pathways that regulate reproductive processes in wildlife and fisheries. In this research the unexplored hypothesis that Mediterranean top predator species (such as large pelagic fish and marine mammals) are potentially at risk due to EDCs is investigated. In the Mediterranean environment, top predators accumulate high concentrations of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs) and toxic metals, incurring high toxicological risk. Here we illustrate the need to develop sensitive biomarkers for evaluation of toxicological risk in top marine predators (Xiphias gladius, Thunnus thynnus thynnus) and non-lethal techniques, such as non-destructive biomarkers, for the hazard assessment of threatened species exposed to EDCs, such as marine mammals ( Stenella coeruleoalba, Tursiops truncatus, Delphinus delphis and Balaenoptera physalus ).     

Environmental variables related to wheat yields in the semiarid pampa region of Argentina

The current paper analyses various environmental parameters in relation to wheat yields in Bordenave, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The variables used are: precipitation (ppt), maximum (Tx) and minimum temperature (Tmi) as well as those obtained by applying the Palmer model. Decadic and phenological scales are used for data corresponding to the period 1977–2000. The stepwise method is used to obtain a multi-variate equation to calculate yield taking into account environmental variables only. For a five variates model the coefficient of determination, R² equals 95.79% and the standard error of estimation is 129.0 kg ha⁻¹. In the sample yields, the incidence of total variability for thermal variables is 42.7% and for hydrological variables, 53%. The value and sign of the correlation coefficients were analysed throughout the cultivation cycle. The α coefficient is mainly responsible for yield variance during tillering and stem elongation. There is good correlation with the values of Palmer's Drought Severity Index (PDSI) for the flowering and grain filling stages.     

河南省春季气候变化及其对小麦产量构成要素的影响

目前有关气候变化及其对农作物产量影响的研究较多,而对产量构成要素的影响研究相对较少。本文利用自然正交函数(EOF)分解、相关分析、趋势倾向率分析等方法对河南省近30多年的气候和近20多年的小麦产量构成三要素———穗数、粒数、粒重进行了时空变化特征分析,在此基础上分析了春季气候变化对小麦产量及其构成要素的影响。结果表明:全省春季平均气温、降水量、日照时数变化具有比较好的空间一致性,平均气温呈比较明显的上升趋势,降水呈不太明显的下降趋势,日照呈一定的下降趋势;小麦粒重和产量变化具有较好的空间一致性,而穗数、粒数则具有反位相空间变化特征,穗数、粒重及产量均呈明显的上升趋势,粒数呈抛物线变化趋势,其中1991年后呈明显上升趋势;平均气温的升温变化趋势有利于小麦粒重、穗数和最终产量的提高,但不利于粒数增加;降水变化趋势不利于粒重提高,对其他产量构成要素影响不明显;日照的变化对产量及各构成要素影响不明显。     

条斑紫菜酵母双杂交文库的构建及PyMAPK5互作蛋白的筛选

为进一步研究条斑紫菜促分裂原活化激酶家族PyMAPK5的下游互作蛋白,理解其生物学功能,本研究通过酵母双杂交的方法进行其相互作用蛋白的筛选。提取不同温度和失水逆境胁迫下的RNA,利用Invitrogen体系构建条斑紫菜酵母双杂交cDNA文库,其库容为1.44×107CFU,重组率为91.8%。以pGBKT7-PyMAPK5为诱饵蛋白载体,利用共转化方法,从文库中筛选得到26个与PyMAPK5互作的候选蛋白。候选蛋白集中在光系统II相关蛋白、捕光蛋白、微管蛋白、ATP酶、GTP结合蛋白及假设蛋白等。微管蛋白、捕光蛋白、光系统II蛋白一对一验证结果为阳性,表明在酵母体内存在互作。本研究为阐明条斑紫菜PyMAPK5与其互作蛋白的关系及解析PyMAPK5下游作用机制奠定了基础。     

气象条件对小麦中量元素和微量元素含量的可能影响

该文通过试验研究了气象条件 (CO₂浓度、温度、土壤湿度) 变化对小麦叶片、茎、籽粒中量元素 (Mg、Ca、S) 和微量元素 (Zn、Fe) 含量及产量的影响。结果表明:高CO₂浓度、土壤干旱胁迫对这5种元素含量积累有利; 高CO₂浓度伴随高温缩短了小麦生育期, 使籽粒产量明显下降, 综合中量元素和微量元素含量的有利影响和产量的不利影响, 要想获得正常气象条件下等量的5种元素, 小麦的供给量将会是短缺的。     

麦棉套作主要虫害发生与气象条件的关系

根据危害棉花最重的棉蚜、棉红蜘蛛、棉铃虫和棉盲蝽象4大害虫的生物学特性、发生时段的气候条件和麦棉套种棉田生态因素,分析了4大害虫大发生的原因及预测预报,并提出了防治措施。     

Expression of heat shock protein 70 in a permanent cell line (EPC) exposed to sediment extracts from the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Heat shock proteins 70 (hsp70) are known to be induced by a great variety of chemical stressors. The effects of different environmental contaminants, which were identified in sediments of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea as main contaminants or as contaminants of special toxicological interest, on the extent of expression of hsp70 in a permanent cell line Epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC) were investigated. Concentrations of the single contaminants leading to elevated hsp70 levels were compared to the respective concentrations of these contaminants encountered in the sediment extracts thus allowing an assessment of their contribution to the toxicity of these sediments. Analysis of hsp70 was performed using western blotting techniques with subsequent comparative quantification by densitometry. Eleven of thirteen contaminants have shown a dose-dependent increase in hsp70 levels. An expression of hsp70 was observed in most cases between 0.1 and 10 microg/mL test solution. Some of the investigated stressors led to extremely high hsp70 contents even at low concentrations. However, in most cases contaminant concentrations in sediments were too low to cause an effect. For this reason, effects of the tested sediments are attributed to other contaminants or rather to mixtures of stressors.     

随机森林机器算法在江苏省小麦赤霉病病穗率预测中的应用

基于2002—2018年江苏省13个市的小麦赤霉病病穗率资料与生育期观测资料、相应时段内的逐日气象数据,应用随机森林机器学习算法,分生育期、分区域定量评估影响病穗率的主要气象因子特征变量和贡献率,按不同起报时间建立预测模型并进行验证。结果表明,各生育期重要特征变量贡献率的排序为:抽穗扬花期>拔节期>越冬期。抽穗扬花期湿度、连续≥3 d的雨日和日照对赤霉病起主导作用,拔节期日照、降雨量、湿度和雨日与越冬期气温和降雪对赤霉病均具有前期影响,甄别出的重要特征变量排序结果符合赤霉病菌发育、释放、侵染和流行规律;基于随机森林算法建立的病穗率预测模型的精度与重要特征变量个数、赤霉病发生区域、M_try参数设定、生育期有关;最早可在3月初进行预测,预测时效近3个月,起报时间越接近乳熟期,输入的重要特征变量越多,则病穗率预测准确率越高,病穗率模拟值与实测值的波动趋势完全一致,对赤霉病"中等"和"偏重"等级模拟效果好,表明随机森林算法在赤霉病预测中有较高的可靠性和业务应用潜力。     

Metallothioneins and trace metals in the dogwhelk Nucella lapillus (L.) collected from Icelandic coasts

Different sizes of the dogwhelk Nucella lapillus were collected from eight locations along the southwest and north coasts of Iceland. Concentrations of total metallothioneins (MTs) and heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Zn) were analysed using the silver saturation method and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The level of tributyltin (TBT) contamination was also assessed using imposex indices, the vas deferens stage index (VDSI) and relative penis size index (RPSI). Gufunes N. lapillus presented the highest values of VDSI (4.0) and RPSI (11.1), followed by Grenivík individuals (VDSI = 3.0; RPSI = 0.9), while the Strandakirkja population showed the lowest VDSI (0.3) and zero RPSI. At a standardised size (0.25 g dry soft-body weight), Grenivík N. lapillus exhibited significantly higher concentrations of all metals whereas overall metal concentrations were significantly lower in individuals from Strandakirkja and Garðskagi compared to other study sites. Partial correlation analyses with size correction indicated that MT concentrations were better correlated with Cd and Cu concentrations than with other metals. At the standard size, the pattern of MT concentrations in N. lapillus from different sites was, however, very different from those of metal profiles. Such discrepancies between the patterns of MT and metals in N. lapillus might be explained by the fact that MT induction could be influenced by various factors such as temperature, dietary metal intake, growth rate and co-existence of other MT-inducing chemicals.     

全球1.5℃和2.0℃升温对中国小麦产量的影响研究

采用部门间影响模式比较计划（ISI-MIP）的气候模式,确定全球升温1.5℃和2.0℃出现的时间,并结合农业技术转移决策支持系统（DSSAT）模型模拟小麦的产量,最终选取4套数据对比研究中国小麦区温度和降水变化特征以及各区域小麦产量变化趋势,综合评价了不同升温情景对中国小麦产量的影响。结果表明：(1)在全球升温1.5℃和2.0℃背景下,我国小麦生育期内温度相对于工业革命前分别升高1.17℃和1.81℃。两种升温情景下我国春麦区升温幅度大于冬麦区升温幅度。春麦区中新疆春麦区升温幅度最大,西北春麦区升温幅度最小;冬麦区中温度变化最大和最小的麦区分别为西南冬麦区和黄淮冬麦区。(2)在全球升温1.5℃和2.0℃情景下,我国小麦生育期内降水相对于历史时段(1986—2005年)分别增加9.1%和11.3%。从各麦区来看,两种升温情景下春麦区降水增加幅度略大于冬麦区的增加幅度。所有麦区中只有新疆春麦区降水低于历史时段降水。春麦区降水增加幅度最大的麦区为北部春麦区。冬麦区中降水增加较大的麦区为北部冬麦区和黄淮冬麦区,降水增加较小的麦区为华南冬麦区和西南冬麦区。(3)两种升温情景下,我国小麦单产相对于历史时段(1986—2005年)平均减产分别为5.2%和4.6%,两种升温情景对中国小麦产量并没有显著的差异。在全球升温大背景下我国春小麦主要呈现增产趋势,冬小麦主要呈现减产趋势。减产幅度较大的麦区为华南冬麦区和青藏春麦区,增产幅度最大的麦区为西北春麦区。从各麦区产量减产面积比例上看,我国各麦区减产面积所占比例趋势为从北向南由多变少再变多,其中华南冬麦区减产面积所占比例最大,北部冬麦区最小。