Long-lasting developmental effects in rat offspring after maternal exposure to acetamiprid in the drinking water during gestation

Neonicotinoids (NNTs) are a class of insecticides proposed to be safe for pest control in urban, suburban, and agricultural applications. However, little is known about their developmental effects after repeated low-dose exposures during gestation. Here, we tested a dose considered subthreshold for maternal toxicity in rats (6 mg/kg/day) by assessing several morphological, biochemical, and neurobehavioral features in preterm fetuses and developing pups after maternal administration of the NTT acetamiprid (ACP) dissolved in the drinking water during gestational days (GD) 2-19. The exploratory evaluation included monitoring maternal body weight gain, fetal viability, body weight and sex ratio, cephalic length, neonatal body weight and sex ratio, metabolic enzymes in the placenta, maternal blood and fetal liver, and anogenital distance and surface righting response during infancy. We also used the circling training test to study the integrity of the associative-spatial-motor response in adolescence. Results showed no consistent findings indicating maternal, reproductive or developmental toxicity. However, we found ACP effects on maternal body weight gain, placental butyrylcholinesterase activity, and neurobehavioral responses, suggestive of a mild toxic action. Thus, our study showed a trend for developmental susceptibility at a dose so far considered subtoxic. Although the ACP concentration in environmental samples of surface water and groundwater has been mostly reported to be much lower than that used in our study, our results suggest that the ACP point of departure used in current guidelines aimed to prevent developmental effects may need to be verified by complementary sensitive multiple-endpoint testing in the offspring.

Multiscale seascape habitat of necto-benthic littoral species, application to the study of the dusky grouper habitat shift throughout ontogeny

Describing the spatial patterns of benthic coastal habitats and investigating how those patterns affect the ecology of inhabiting species is a main objective of seascape ecology. Within this emerging discipline spatial scale is a principal topic. Different spatial scales inform on different characteristics of the habitat and therefore the relation between species and their habitats would be better defined when observed at multiple levels of spatial scale. Here we apply a multiscale seascape approach to investigate the habitat preferences of juvenile and adult individuals of dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) in a Mediterranean marine protected area. Results show that the information obtained at different spatial scales is complementary, improving our capability to identify the preferred habitats and how it changes throughout ontogeny. These results show the relevance of implementing multiscale seascape ecology approaches to investigate the species-habitat relationships and to improve management and conservation of necto-benthic endangered top predators.

Performance of the neoBona test: a new paired-end massively parallel shotgun sequencing approach for cell-free DNA-based aneuploidy screening

OBJECTIVE

To assess the performance of screening for fetal trisomies 21, 18 and 13 by cell-free (cf) DNA analysis of maternal blood using a new method based on paired-end massively parallel shotgun sequencing (MPSS).

METHODS

This was a blinded study of plasma samples (1mL) obtained from 1000 women undergoing screening for fetal trisomies 21, 18 and 13 at 11-13 weeks' gestation. The study included 50 cases with confirmed fetal trisomy 21, 30 with trisomy 18, 10 with trisomy 13 and 910 unaffected pregnancies. Paired-end MPSS with the neoBona® test allowed simultaneous assessment of fetal fraction, cfDNA fragment size distribution and chromosome counting, which were integrated into a new analysis algorithm to calculate trisomy likelihood ratios (t-score) for each chromosome of interest. Each sample was classified as trisomic or unaffected using chromosome-specific cut-offs set at t-score values of 1.5 for trisomy 21 and 3.0 for trisomies 18 and 13.

RESULTS

Valid results were provided for 988 (98.8%) cases; 12 (1.2%) samples, from nine euploid and three trisomy 21 pregnancies, did not pass quality-control criteria and were excluded from further analysis. All 47 cases of trisomy 21, all 10 of trisomy 13, 29 of 30 with trisomy 18 and all 901 unaffected cases were classified correctly. Median fetal fraction was 10.5% (range, 0.3-33.8%) and trisomic and unaffected cases with low fetal fractions of < 1% were identified correctly.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel method for cfDNA analysis of maternal plasma, which utilizes paired-end MPSS, can provide accurate prediction of fetal trisomies. Use of a new multicomponent t-score removes the need to reject samples with fetal fraction < 4%, which potentially extends the benefits of non-invasive prenatal cfDNA analysis to a larger proportion of pregnancies. © 2016 Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Cellulose nanocrystals/polyurethane nanocomposites. Study from the viewpoint of microphase separated structure

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) successfully obtained from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) were dispersed in a thermoplastic polyurethane as matrix. Nanocomposites containing 1.5, 5, 10 and 30 wt% CNC were prepared by solvent casting procedure and properties of the resulting films were evaluated from the viewpoint of polyurethane microphase separated structure, soft and hard domains. CNC were effectively dispersed in the segmented thermoplastic elastomeric polyurethane (STPUE) matrix due to the favorable matrix-nanocrystals interactions through hydrogen bonding. Cellulose nanocrystals interacted with both soft and hard segments, enhancing stiffness and stability versus temperature of the nanocomposites. Thermal and mechanical properties of STPUE/CNC nanocomposites have been associated to the generated morphologies investigated by AFM images.

Laser in situ Keratomileusis for Hyperopia and Hyperopic Astigmatism With the Nidek EC-5000 Excimer Laser

PURPOSE

We evaluated the efficacy, predictability, stability, and safety of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for hyperopia and hyperopic astigmatism.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed for 92 eyes of 62 consecutive patients to evaluate uncorrected (UCVA) and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) and manifest refraction before and 3 and 6 months after LASIK (Moria LSK-ONE microkeratome, Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser). Eyes were divided into groups: Group 1 (low hyperopia) for spherical correction of +1.00 to +3.00 D (22 eyes), Group 2 (low hyperopic astigmatism) for toric correction with spherical equivalent refraction of +1.00 to +3.00 D (18 eyes), Group 3 (moderate hyperopia) for spherical correction of +3.25 to +6.00 D (10 eyes), and Group 4 (moderate hyperopic astigmatism) for toric correction with spherical equivalent refraction between +3.25 and +6.00 D (18 eyes).

RESULTS

At 3 and 6 months after LASIK, 68 eyes (73.9%) were available for follow-up examination. Percentage of eyes with a spherical equivalent refraction within +/-0.50 D of emmetropia for Group 1 was 54.5% (12 eyes); Group 2, 50% (9 eyes); Group 3, 40% (4 eyes), and Group 4, 38.8% (7 eyes). UCVA > or =20/20 in Group 1 was 14% and in Groups 2, 3, and 4, 0%. One eye (5.5%) lost two lines of BSCVA.

CONCLUSION

LASIK with the Moria LSK-ONE microkeratome and the Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser reduced low and moderate hyperopia and was within +/-0.50 D of target outcome in approximately 50% of eyes. Undercorrection was evident in all groups. The procedure was safe.