Endangered species and nature conservation: science issues and challenges.

The issues and challenges facing us in ensuring the survival of as many species and ecosystems as possible call for a renewed research focus to address how to improve management strategies and policy making now and into the future. The key issues to be addressed by activities of the International Union of Forest Research Organization's (IUFRO) Task Force on Endangered Species and Nature Conservation include such issues as: (i) preventing species from being listed by maintaining species populations at sufficient levels that they do not require listing; (ii) recovering threatened and endangered species; (iii) developing management practices and strategies; (iv) balancing actions affecting suites of threatened or endangered species; (v) developing conservation strategies for species without definitive taxonomic treatments; (vi) dealing with global change; (vii) dealing with invasive species; and (viii) restoring critical habitats.

Genetic effects of air pollution on forest tree species of the Carpathian Mountains.

The effects of air pollution on the genetic structure of Norway spruce, European silver fir and European beech were studied at four polluted sites in Slovakia, Romania and Czech Republic. In order to reduce potential effects of site heterogeneity on the health condition, pair-wise sampling of pollution-tolerant and sensitive trees was applied. Genotypes of sampled trees were determined at 21 isozyme gene loci of spruce, 18 loci of fir and 15 loci of beech.

New international long-term ecological research on air pollution effects on the Carpathian Mountain forests, Central Europe.

An international cooperative project on distribution of ozone in the Carpathian Mountains, Central Europe was conducted from 1997 to 1999. Results of that project indicated that in large parts of the Carpathian Mountains, concentrations of ozone were elevated and potentially phytotoxic to forest vegetation. That study led to the establishment of new long-term studies on ecological changes in forests and other ecosystems caused by air pollution in the Retezat Mountains, Southern Carpathians, Romania and in the Tatra Mountains, Western Carpathians on the Polish-Slovak border.

Selection effects of air pollution on gene pools of Norway spruce, European silver fir and European beech.

The effects of industrial pollution on allelic and genotypic structures of Norway spruce. European silver fir and European beech were investigated by means of isozyme analysis. In a mixed Norway spruce-silver fir forest stand in an area heavily polluted by sulphur dioxide and heavy metals in the region of Spis (eastern Slovakia), pairs of neighbouring damaged and apparently healthy trees were selected in two replicates (44 and 69 pairs in a heavily and moderately damaged stand, respectively).

Human cervical cancer-associated nuclear matrix proteins.

The nuclear matrix is the nonchromatin protein structural component of the nucleus that governs nuclear shape and also exerts regulatory control over higher order gene organization. Recent studies have documented the presence of tumor-associated nuclear matrix proteins in several human cancers. We used high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to compare nuclear matrix protein patterns in cervical carcinomas with those from normal cervical tissue.

Preliminary immunohistochemical characterization of a monoclonal antibody (PRO:4-216) prepared from human prostate cancer nuclear matrix proteins.

Objectives: A nuclear matrix protein (PC-1) was previously identified and reported to be present only in human prostate cancer but absent in tissue from the same prostate containing either benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or normal prostate tissue. The PC-1 protein was identified by high resolution two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and exhibited a molecular mass of 56 kDa and an isoelectric point of 6.58.

Nuclear matrix proteins in human colon cancer.

The nuclear matrix is the nonchromatin scaffolding of the nucleus. This structure confers nuclear shape, organizes chromatin, and appears to contain important regulatory proteins. Tissue specific nuclear matrix proteins have been found in the rat, mouse, and human.

Effects of chronic ingestion of No. 2 fuel oil on mallard ducklings.

No. 2 fuel oil was fed to mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) ducklings in concentrations of 0.5 and 5.

Effects of chronic ingestion of south Louisiana crude oil on mallard ducklings.

South Louisiana crude oil was fed to duckling mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) in concentrations of 0.025, 0.25, 2.

An analysis of the role of IgE in intolerance to aspirin and tartrazine.

Total serum IgE and eosinophil count were determined for 30 patients with intolerance to aspirin. Total IgE levels in the aspirin intolerant patients were similar to those expected in a non-atopic population. In contrast, total eosinophil count (TEC) tended to be elevated in the aspirin intolerant group.

A galactosidase immunosorbent test for human immunoglobulin E.

We report here the development of a galactosidase-immunosorbent test (GIST) for immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in which the amount of galactosidase adsorbed to a cellulose disc is a single valued function of IgE concentration in human serum. Rabbit anti-IgE immunoglobulin insolubilized on cellulose discs is incubated sequentially with human serum, sheep anti-IgE serum, and a covalent conjugate of rabbit antisheep immunoglobulin with the enzyme beta-D-galactoside galactohydrolase (E.C.

A galactosidase immunosorbent test for carcinoembryonic antigen.

A galactosidase immunosorbent test for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is described in which the amount of galactosidase adsorbed to a cellulose disc is a hyperbolic function of CEA concentration. Thus, molecules with CEA-like activity can be characterized by mathematical analysis of data obtained from the galactosidase immunosorbent test. By such analysis, CEA-reactive molecules in normal human plasma were distinguished from normal cross-reacting antigen and from authentic CEA.