Health Considerations Regarding Horizontal Transfer of Microbial Transgenes Present in Genetically Modified Crops

The potential effects of horizontal gene transfer on human health are an important item in the safety assessment of genetically modified organisms. Horizontal gene transfer from genetically modified crops to gut microflora most likely occurs with transgenes of microbial origin. The characteristics of microbial transgenes other than antibiotic-resistance genes in market-approved genetically modified crops are reviewed. These characteristics include the microbial source, natural function, function in genetically modified crops, natural prevalence, geographical distribution, similarity to other microbial genes, known horizontal transfer activity, selective conditions and environments for horizontally transferred genes, and potential contribution to pathogenicity and virulence in humans and animals. The assessment of this set of data for each of the microbial genes reviewed does not give rise to health concerns. We recommend including the above-mentioned items into the premarket safety assessment of genetically modified crops carrying transgenes other than those reviewed in the present study

Синкретизм квантитативних конструювань (на матеріалі числівників англійської мови)

У статті осмислюється явище синкретизму на матеріалі англійських квантитативних слів, нумеральних і денумеральних словосполучень. Мають місце порівняння з димензіональною лексико. Синкрети розглядаються на матеріалі синкретсемії. Актуальність теми мотивується зростаючим інтересом учених до нової наукової парадигми – синергетики.Объектом исследования является феномен синкретизма на материале квантитативных единиц в модусах языка, речи и речевого поведения (предмет исследования). Цель исследования состоит в осмыслении упомянутой парадигмы, ее идей, процессов самоорганизации и саморазвития. В работе верифицируются гипотезы: - номинативные единицы являются билатеральными и синкретичными; - их системная организация и эволюция интегрируется триадой материала, энергии, информации; - основным методологическим механизмом является онтогносиологический подход к исследуемым референтам. Ценным вкладом в синергетику представляется дальнейшая разработка основных положений и понятий новой научной парадигмы – лингвосинергетики.The article in question deals with the English quantitative units, i.e. numerals, numeric words, on the one hand, and dimension units – words of weight and measure, on the other hand. This object is dealt with in the endozones of language, speech and speech behaviour. The aim of investigation consists in identification of the markers of systematic arrangement of the paradigm – its selforganization and evolution: - verification of hypotheses that: - bilateral and syncretic; - aspects of words go together; - incorporated subject mater, energy and information of syncretas make the triad go; - ontognosiological method is at work. Topicality of the theme is objectivized by the growing interest to the problem by scientists of this country and abroad. This is a new scientific paradigm (synergetics), let alone many a lacunar items within its domain. Valour scenes remain undiscovered yet and await their solution in terms of mayor ideas and categories. Lacunarity is indebted to the process of cognition, cognized and non-cognized phenomenas. The choise of complex ontognosiological approach is determined by the nature of referents. Missing items come into being due to the problem of nothingness. The syncretas come archaic due to losses in the vocabulary or fall out of concepts. Some words are prohibited by taboo. Some syncretas work in the speech behaviour (silence, hesitation, pauses)

Feasibility of a liver transcriptomics approach to assess bovine treatment with the prohormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Within the European Union the use of growth promoting agents in animal production is prohibited. Illegal use of natural prohormones like dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is hard to prove since prohormones are strongly metabolized <it>in vivo</it>. In the present study, we investigated the feasibility of a novel effect-based approach for monitoring abuse of DHEA. Changes in gene expression profiles were studied in livers of bull calves treated orally (PO) or intramuscularly (IM) with 1000 mg DHEA versus two control groups, using bovine 44K DNA microarrays. In contrast to controlled genomics studies, this work involved bovines purchased at the local market on three different occasions with ages ranging from 6 to 14 months, thereby reflecting the real life inter-animal variability due to differences in age, individual physiology, season and diet.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As determined by principal component analysis (PCA), large differences in liver gene expression profiles were observed between treated and control animals as well as between the two control groups. When comparing the gene expression profiles of PO and IM treated animals to that of all control animals, the number of significantly regulated genes (p-value <0.05 and a fold change >1.5) was 23 and 37 respectively. For IM and PO treated calves, gene sets were generated of genes that were significantly regulated compared to one control group and validated versus the other control group using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). This cross validation, showed that 6 out of the 8 gene sets were significantly enriched in DHEA treated animals when compared to an 'independent' control group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study showed that identification and application of genomic biomarkers for screening of (pro)hormone abuse in livestock production is substantially hampered by biological variation. On the other hand, it is demonstrated that comparison of pre-defined gene sets versus the whole genome expression profile of an animal allows to distinguish DHEA treatment effects from variations in gene expression due to inherent biological variation. Therefore, DNA-microarray expression profiling together with statistical tools like GSEA represent a promising approach to screen for (pro)hormone abuse in livestock production. However, a better insight in the genomic variability of the control population is a prerequisite in order to define growth promoter specific gene sets that can be used as robust biomarkers in daily practice.</p

Exploring uptake and biodistribution of polystyrene (nano)particles in zebrafish embryos at different developmental stages

Conservation Biolog

Implementing the current knowledge of uptake and effects of nanoparticles in an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework

Unlike most other environmental pollution issues, safety assessments of nanoparticles (NPs) were meant to be the prime example on how to foresee and tackle predicted environmental concerns. For once, research efforts were ahead of mass production and potential release into environments. NPs' safety research focuses on the central question of whether the unique properties of NPs cause fundamentally different effects as compared to their larger counterparts. This chapter gives an overview of the present understanding of NP toxicity in aquatic organism. Briefly, state-of-the-art techniques to detect NPs in tissues are summarized and the present understanding of cellular and organismal NP uptake routes given. The location of NPs in tissues bears several challenges but is the first step in identifying target organs or cells and, thus, is important in the search for mechanisms of action. The evaluation of our current knowledge of cellular and organismal responses when exposed to NPs, ultimately, allows for the identification of key knowledge gaps and foresees research directions and the need to develop Adverse Outcome Pathways for NPs.Conservation Biolog