Orbital malignant schwannoma and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in rats caused by leakage of locally injected nickel subsulfide to the orbit

Nickel subsulfide (Ni₃S₂) is known to induce intraocular neoplasms when injected intravitreally into the eyes of rats. Here, we found two extraocular orbital neoplasms in two different rat strains, presumably due to the leakage of locally injected Ni₃S₂ to the extraocular orbital tissues. In the F344/DuCrlCrlj rat, an orbital mass arose at 30 weeks after injection, and invaded into the cranium. Histologically, the orbital mass was composed of areas arranged in parallel bundles formed by densely packed elongated or spindle-shaped cells with indistinct cytoplasmic borders, and of areas of hypocellular arrangement consisting of round cells in eosinophilic myxoid-like substances. Metastases were observed in the right submandibular and cervical lymph nodes. The neoplastic cells were immunopositive for S-100 protein and vimentin. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the neoplastic cells had cellular processes and pericytoplasmic basal laminae. In the RccHan^TM:WIST rat, an orbital mass arose at 36 weeks after injection. Histologically, the mass consisted of rhabdoid-like large round cells with proliferation of small round-to-polygonal cells, and these neoplastic cells infiltrated into the extraocular muscles. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were positive for desmin and vimentin. Transmission electron microscopy detected immature myofibrils with Z-band structures in the cytoplasm of these neoplastic cells. Consequently, the tumors were diagnosed as an orbital malignant schwannoma in an F344/DuCrlCrlj rat and an orbital embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in a RccHan^TM:WIST rat. The results of this case report suggest that leakage of Ni₃S₂ to the orbit caused the induction of orbital malignant schwannoma or rhabdomyosarcoma in rats.     

植物的镍素营养

本文从分析土壤中镍的来源着手,探讨镍营养对植物生长发育的影响和镍污染及其危害,提出实践中不能盲目提倡依靠增施镍肥来促进作物生长发育,提高产量。     

Evaluation of certain Ni soil tests for an initial estimation of Ni sufficiency critical levels

Although Ni is officially recognized as an essential micronutrient for all higher plants, the majority of the published research on soil availability of Ni focuses on its hazardous role as a heavy metal. The objective of the study was to evaluate certain Ni soil tests in uncontaminated soils for an initial estimation of its sufficiency critical levels. Nickel was extracted from 30 cultivated soils employing the following extraction methods: DTPA, AB‐DTPA, AAAc‐EDTA, Mehlich‐3, 0.1 M HCl, and 0.1 M HNO₃. Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was grown in pots containing the soils, harvested five times, certain plant parameters were determined, and the Cate–Nelson procedures were used for Ni critical levels determination. Among the six methods, HCl was the least reliable extractant for the evaluation of soil available Ni, whereas the most significant (p ≤ 5%) relationships between Ni concentration or Ni uptake by ryegrass and Ni soil tests were consistently obtained for AAAc‐EDTA or Mehlich‐3 extractable Ni. In many cases, > 80% of the variability of Ni concentration or uptake by ryegrass was explained by these two soil tests without the inclusion of other soil properties that affect Ni bioavailability. Sufficiency critical levels of Ni in soil were ≈ 2 mg kg^–1 for both methods. Consequently, as an initial approach, concentrations of AAAc‐EDTA or Mehlich‐3 extractable Ni < 2 mg kg^–1 are probably a good guide to indicate soils that will respond to Ni fertilization.     

酚-镍污染下玉米幼苗中镍含量与酚类浓度、Kow的相关分析

以砂培玉米幼苗为材料，研究了Ｎｉ污染下，不同浓度的酚、２－氯酚、２，４－二氯酚、２，４，６－三氯酚一次性污灌对玉米幼苗根、叶组织中镍含量的影响。结果表明：在５０—２５０ｍｇ／Ｌ范围内，随着酚类化合物浓度的增高，幼苗根、叶组织中Ｎｉ含量增加；对于不同的酚类化合物，随着其Ｋｏｗ值的升高，对幼苗中Ｎｉ含量增加的影响越大。在上述酚类化合物浓度范围内，玉米幼苗根、叶中Ｎｉ的浓度与酚类化合物的Ｋｏｗ与浓度之间的关系可用下式表示：Ｙ１（根Ｎｉ，ｍｇ／ｋｇ·ＤＷ）＝１９２．３７＋５２．９５Ｘ１＋１．６４Ｘ２Ｙ２（叶Ｎｉ，ｍｇ／ｋｇ·ＤＷ）＝５３．０５＋２８．３２Ｘ１＋０．４８１８Ｘ２     

乙酰水杨酸对镍胁迫下水稻幼苗中O_2~ -水平和膜脂过氧化的影响

采用室内培养及生理指标测定方法，研究了乙酰水杨酸对镍胁迫下水稻幼苗中部分生理指标的影响。结果表明， 10μ mol· L－ 1和 30μ mol· L－ 1的镍胁迫下，稻苗叶片中 SOD活性明显降低，质外体中的 NADH氧化酶活性显著上升；同时，细胞中总O_2~1和质外体中产生明显加快，从而导致叶片组织中 MDA含量和质膜透性亦明显增加。同样胁迫条件下，加入 0.05％ ASA， SOD活性回升，产生速率回落， MDA含量和质膜透性增加的程度亦减小，但乙酰水杨酸 (ASA)对质外体中 NADH氧化酶活性无明显影响。这些结果提示产生与积累导致的膜脂过氧化作用介导了镍对稻苗的毒害； ASA能降低产生速率，减轻膜脂过氧化损伤程度，因而缓解了镍胁迫对稻苗的毒害。     

Effects of nickel and PGPBs on growth indices and phytoremediation capability of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

The effect of bacteria inoculation was studied on sunflower growth and phytoremediation capacity in soils contaminated by different levels of nickel. The experimental treatments consisted of four levels of bacteria inoculation – non-inoculated, inoculated by Bacillus safensis, inoculated by Kocuria rosea, and co-inoculated by B. safensis + K. rosea – and four levels of nickel concentrations in the soil – Ni0, Ni150, Ni300, and Ni450 (0, 150, 300, and 450 mg Ni per kg soil, respectively). The treatments were arranged as factorial structure based on a completely randomized design. Results have shown that growth indices, photosynthetic pigments, shoot Fe concentration, root and shoot Zn concentration, and translocation factor decreased as the Ni concentration in soil increased. Shoot and root Ni concentration were higher at Ni450, whereas, the highest Ni uptake by the plant was observed at Ni300 when the sunflower seed was co-inoculated by B. safensis + K. rosea bacteria. Bacteria inoculation significantly increased the plant growth, photosynthetic pigments, and Ni uptake. By B. safensis inoculation, the Fe concentration significantly increased in shoot, while it decreased in root.     

Cleaning heavy metal contaminated soil with soluble humic substances instead of synthetic polycarboxylic acids

Abstract

Soils contaminated with heavy metals constitute a serious and widespread ecological problem but to clean such soils requires strong chemicals such as polycarboxylates; frequently ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and nitrilotriacetic acid are used. However, these compounds are synthetic and toxic and their replacement by natural products such as soluble humic substances as washing agents for cleaning heavy metal polluted soils would be environmentally very attractive. In fact, such a replacement seems possible at least on cadmium and copper contaminated soil inasmuch as humic substances, depending on the concentration, were found to extract up to 45% and 54% of total cadmium and copper from a highly contaminated calcareous soil. Even though higher amounts of the two metals were extracted by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and nitrilotriacetic acid, the humic substances undoubtedly extracted the most reactive fractions. However, the humic substances extracted only 4% of total lead and 17% of total nickel, whereas the percentages for the synthetic polycarboxylates were about 30% for nickel and lead. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and nitrilotriacetic acid may therefore be replaced by humic substances as washing agents for cadmium, copper and maybe nickel contaminated soils, whereas they seem unsuited for cleaning lead contaminated soils, at least if the soils are as calcareous as the soil tested.     

Effect of Field Aging on Nickel Concentration in Soil Solutions

Abstract

The effect of field aging on nickel (Ni) concentration in soil solutions was studied on three soils, with pH 4.5, 6.1, and 7.6, that were spiked with Ni and aged outdoors for 5, 10, and 15 months. Field aging resulted in a minor decrease in total Ni content and a dramatic decrease in Ni concentration in soil solution. Nickel release isotherms in field‐aged soils differ from those in freshly spiked ones. The decrease in soluble Ni in noncalcareous soils at Ni loadings from 25 to 4800 mg kg^?1 followed a first‐order kinetic equation. In calcareous soil the observed relationships imply that soluble Ni may be controlled by dissolution of a surface precipitate either on the surface of soil carbonates [NiCO₃ or NiCO₃ · 2Ni(OH)₂] or on the surface of clay minerals (Ni‐aluminum double‐layer hydroxide).     

Petroleum Coke Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion Product as a Sulfur Source for Alfalfa

Abstract: Petroleum coke circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustion product is created when petroleum coke is combusted with limestone in a circulating fluidized bed boiler. The CFB product contains high concentrations of sulfur (S), nickel (Ni), and vanadium (V). Using it as a S source is encouraged, but little information is available related to plant responses and environmental impact. The CFB product was applied at rates of 0, 11, 33, and 110 kg S ha^?1 to two agricultural soils (Canfield silt loam and Wooster silt loam). Dry weight of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and S in plant tissue was increased by the S treatments. Concentrations in alfalfa of V were increased but did not reach environmental concern levels. Concentrations in alfalfa of Ni were not increased. In the soils, only total S and plant available S were increased by these materials. No soil contamination problems were observed when CFB product was used as an S source.     

Tolerance of rice plants to trace metals

Abstract

The tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa L. C.V. Earlirose) to various trace metal excesses was tested to determine if high levels of the trace metals found in some field‐grown plants were at toxicity levels. In one experiment, levels of 2200 μg Zn/g dry weight, 44 μg Cu/g dry weight, 4400 μg Mn/g dry weight, and 32 μg Pb/g dry weight in shoots of young plants had no adverse effects on vegetative yields. A level of 3160μgZn/ g dry weight decreased yields about 40% (P = . 05). In another test 51 μg Cu/g dry weight or 94 μg Pb/g dry weight did not decrease vegetative yields. Boron supplied at 10^‐3 MH₃BO₃ not only caused no toxicity but resulted in only 144 μg B/g dry weight in shoots. Root levels of Zn were about equal to those in shoots; Mn levels were lower in roots than in shoots (1/4 to 1/10); B levels were generally low in both shoots and roots with roots 1/10 that of shoots; Cu levels were higher in roots than in shoots. Rice was tolerant of a high level of Cr. The tolerance of rice to high levels of some trace metals in these experiments may be related to high P levels in plants.