Mussel eggs as indicators of mutagen exposure in coastal and estuarine environments

The aim of this study was to develop a short-term genotoxicity assay for monitoring the marine environment for mutagens. Based on the developing eggs and embryos of the marine mussel Mytilus edulis, an important pollution indicator species, the test employs the sensitive sister chromatid exchange (SCE) technique as its end-point, and exploits the potential of mussel eggs to accumulate mutagenic pollutants from the surrounding sea water. Mussel eggs take up to 6 months to develop while in the gonad, which provides scope for DNA damage to be accumulated over an extended time interval; chromosome damage is subsequently visualised as SCEs in 2-cell-stage embryos after these have been spawned in the laboratory. Methods which measure biological responses to pollutant exposure are able to integrate all the factors (internal and external) which contribute to the exposure. The new cytogenetic assay allows the effects of adult exposure to be interpreted in cells destined to become part of the next generation

The Influence of Age and Sex on Genetic Associations with Adult Body Size and Shape : A Large-Scale Genome-Wide Interaction Study

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 100 genetic variants contributing to BMI, a measure of body size, or waist-to-hip ratio (adjusted for BMI, WHRadjBMI), a measure of body shape. Body size and shape change as people grow older and these changes differ substantially between men and women. To systematically screen for age-and/or sex-specific effects of genetic variants on BMI and WHRadjBMI, we performed meta-analyses of 114 studies (up to 320,485 individuals of European descent) with genome-wide chip and/or Metabochip data by the Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits (GIANT) Consortium. Each study tested the association of up to similar to 2.8M SNPs with BMI and WHRadjBMI in four strata (men 50y, women 50y) and summary statistics were combined in stratum-specific meta-analyses. We then screened for variants that showed age-specific effects (G x AGE), sex-specific effects (G x SEX) or age-specific effects that differed between men and women (G x AGE x SEX). For BMI, we identified 15 loci (11 previously established for main effects, four novel) that showed significant (FDR= 50y). No sex-dependent effects were identified for BMI. For WHRadjBMI, we identified 44 loci (27 previously established for main effects, 17 novel) with sex-specific effects, of which 28 showed larger effects in women than in men, five showed larger effects in men than in women, and 11 showed opposite effects between sexes. No age-dependent effects were identified for WHRadjBMI. This is the first genome-wide interaction meta-analysis to report convincing evidence of age-dependent genetic effects on BMI. In addition, we confirm the sex-specificity of genetic effects on WHRadjBMI. These results may providefurther insights into the biology that underlies weight change with age or the sexually dimorphism of body shape.Peer reviewe

The Influence of an Electric Light on the Capture of Oceanic Cephalopods by a Midwater Trawl

A total of 57 comparative hauls using a rectangular midwater trawl with a fishing mouth area of 50 m 2 (RMT 50) were carried out along the sides of an imaginary triangle south of Madeira in 1986. A total of 1258 cephalopods were caught, giving a mean of 22 per haul with a range from 0 to 67. The nets were used with a diver's light on the top bar which was either switched off or was operated with a 20, 70 or 150 W bulb, powered by a car battery. A significantly greater number of individuals per haul was caught with lights on than without lights, increasing from a mean of 13·5–25·1, a factor of 1·8. Similarly, the number of species caught was increased from a mean of 7 to 10·4, a factor of 1·5 and the volume of cephalopods was increased from a mean of 41·1–162·3ml, a factor of 3·9. Similar comparisons made for catches during day or night separately and on the three courses separately also showed marked increases with the lights. Samples show that increase in power of the lights increased the total number of cephalopod individuals caught. In the 12 species with more than ten individuals, in 33 of the 36 comparisons (of number of individuals, species and volumes) there is an increase with the light. The most influenced species was Taonius pavo which increased in numbers by a mean factor of 3·9 times with 20W, 4·0 times with 70W and 6·1 times with 150W when compared with the numbers caught with no light

Variation of karyotype composition and genome size in some muricid gastropods from the Northern Hemisphere

Members of the Muricidae in the Northern Hemisphere show striking variation in chromosome number. The majority of the species examined to date have chromosome numbers in the range 2n &equals 60-70, while the Atlantic dog-whelk, Nucella lapillus is unique in having a Robertsonian polymorphism with 2n values in the range 26–36, and Ocinebrina aciculata; is newly recorded here as 2n = 86. The karyotype composition and genome size of eight muricid species from the N Atlantic and NE Pacific are described and compared. These results are discussed with reference to the evolution and biogeography of the family, and differences in the proportions of heterochromatin and packing ratios of the metaphase chromosomes. Evolution in N. lapillus, the derived form within the group, appears to have involved a reduction in chromosome number and haploid chromosome length, but an increase in both genome size and packing ratio

Variation of karyotype composition and genome size in some muricid gastropods from the Northern Hemisphere

Members of the Muricidae in the Northern Hemisphere show striking variation in chromosome number. The majority of the species examined to date have chromosome numbers in the range 2n &equals 60-70, while the Atlantic dog-whelk, Nucella lapillus is unique in having a Robertsonian polymorphism with 2n values in the range 26–36, and Ocinebrina aciculata; is newly recorded here as 2n = 86. The karyotype composition and genome size of eight muricid species from the N Atlantic and NE Pacific are described and compared. These results are discussed with reference to the evolution and biogeography of the family, and differences in the proportions of heterochromatin and packing ratios of the metaphase chromosomes. Evolution in N. lapillus, the derived form within the group, appears to have involved a reduction in chromosome number and haploid chromosome length, but an increase in both genome size and packing ratio

Reconciling Security with Sustainability: The Challenge for Eco-Homes

The importance of sustainable development is clear. The United Kingdom needs more homes, yet the impact on the environment must be minimized. Planning policy has begun to reflect this challenge, and the Code for Sustainable Homes (albeit voluntary) sets standards to improve the sustainability of new homes and offers a tool for developers to differentiate themselves within the market, based on their green credentials. Although there is no doubting the importance of sustainable development, it is essential to ensure that a step forward for the green agenda does not present a step back for crime prevention and designing out crime. This paper presents the findings from a recent project to establish the extent to which security and sustainability criteria might conflict. Through a detailed analysis of both planning and crime prevention policy, as well as a review of existing eco-homes throughout the United Kingdom, conflicts are identified and recommendations are made for aligning the two agendas