Corynebacterium glutamicum as an indicator for environmental cobalt and silver stress–A proteome analysis

Cobalt and silver are toxic for cells, but mechanisms of this toxicity are largely unknown. Analysis of Corynebacterium glutamicum proteome from cells grown in control and cobalt or silver enriched media was performed by two dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) followed by mass spectrometry. Our results indicate that the cell adapted to cobalt stress by inducing five defense mechanisms: Scavenging of free radicals, promotion of the generation of energy, reparation of DNA, reparation and biogenesis of Fe-S cluster proteins and supporting and reparation of cell wall. In response to the detoxification of Ag⁺ many proteins were up-regulated, which involved reparation of damaged DNA, minimizing the toxic effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and energy generation. Overexpression of proteins involved in cell wall biosynthesis (1,4-alpha-glucan branching enzyme and nucleoside-diphosphate-sugar epimerase) upon cobalt stress and induction of proteins involved in energy metabolism (2-methylcitrate dehydratase and 1, 2-methylcitrate synthase) upon silver demonstrate the potential of these enzymes as biomarkers of sub-lethal Ag⁺ and Co toxicity.     

Long-Term Changes in Game Species Over a Long Period of Transformation in the Iberian Mediterranean Landscape

Agricultural change has transformed large areas of traditional farming landscapes, leading to important changes in the species community assemblages in most European countries. We suspect that the drastic changes in land-use that have occurred in Andalusia (southern Spain) over recent decades, may have affected the distribution and abundance of game species in this region. This article compares the distribution of the main game species in Andalusia during the 1960s and 1990s, using data from maps available from the Mainland Spanish Fish, Game and National Parks Service and from recent datasets on hunting yield distributions, respectively. Big-game and small-game species were significantly segregated in southern Spain during the 1990s, as two clearly independent chorotypes (groups of species whose abundances are similarly distributed) were obtained from the classification analysis. In contrast, big-game and small-game species were not significantly segregated several decades ago, when there was only one chorotype consisting of small-game species and wild boar. The other three ungulates did not constitute a significant chorotype, as they showed positive correlations with some species in the group mentioned above. These changes seem to be a consequence of the transformations that have occurred in the Iberian Mediterranean landscape over the last few decades. The abandoning of traditional activities, and the consequent formation of dense scrubland and woodland, has led to an expansion of big-game species, and a decrease of small-game species in mountain areas. Moreover, agricultural intensification has apparently depleted small-game species populations in some agricultural areas. On the other hand, the increasingly intensive hunting management could be artificially boosting this segregation between small-game and big-game species. Our results suggest that the conservation and regeneration of traditional agricultural landscapes (like those predominating in the 1960s) should be a priority for the conservation of small-game species.     

Biochemical biomarkers in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) after short-term exposure to diesel oil, pure biodiesel and biodiesel blends

Fossil fuels such as diesel are being gradually replaced by biodiesel, a renewable energy source, cheaper and less polluting. However, little is known about the toxic effects of this new energy source on aquatic organisms. Thus, we evaluated biochemical biomarkers related to oxidative stress in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) after two and seven exposure days to diesel and pure biodiesel (B100) and blends B5 and B20 at concentrations of 0.01 and 0.1 mL L⁻¹. The hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity was highly induced in all groups, except for those animals exposed to B100. There was an increase in lipid peroxidation in liver and gills in the group exposed to the higher concentration of B5. All treatments caused a significant increase in the levels of 1-hydroxypyrene excreted in the bile after 2 and 7 d, except for those fish exposed to B100. The hepatic glutathione-S-transferase increased after 7 d in animals exposed to the higher concentration of diesel and in the gill of fish exposed to the higher concentration of pure diesel and B5, but decreased for the two tested concentrations of B100. Superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase also presented significant changes according to the treatments for all groups, including B100. Biodiesel B20 in the conditions tested had fewer adverse effects than diesel and B5 for the Nile tilapia, and can be suggested as a less harmful fuel in substitution to diesel. However, even B100 could activate biochemical responses in fish, at the experimental conditions tested, indicating that this fuel can also represent a risk to the aquatic biota.     

Cornmeal-induced resistance to ciprofloxacin and erythromycin in enterococci

Triclosan is used as an antibacterial agent in household items and personal care products. Since this compound is found in maternal milk of humans and bodies of wild animals, there is growing concern among some consumer groups and scientific community that triclosan is adverse for humans and wild animals. In order to estimate adverse actions of triclosan, the effects of triclosan on intracellular Zn²⁺ concentration and cellular thiol content were studied in rat thymocytes by the use of flow cytometer with appropriate fluorescent probes. Triclosan at 1-3 μM (sublethal concentrations) increased the intensity of FluoZin-3 fluorescence (intracellular Zn²⁺ concentration) and decreased the intensity of 5-chloromethylfluorescein (5-CMF) fluorescence (cellular thiol content). Negative correlation (r = −0.985) between triclosan-induced changes in FluoZin-3 and 5-CMF fluorescences was found. Removal of external Zn²⁺ did not significantly affect the triclosan-induced augmentation of FluoZin-3 fluorescence, suggesting an intracellular Zn²⁺ release by triclosan. These actions of triclosan were similar to those of H₂O₂ and triclosan significantly potentiated the cytotoxicity of H₂O₂. Therefore, the results may suggest that triclosan at sublethal concentrations induces oxidative stress that decreases cellular thiol content, resulting in an increase in intracellular Zn²⁺ concentration by Zn²⁺ release from intracellular store(s). Since recent studies show many physiological roles of intracellular Zn²⁺ in cellular functions, the triclosan-induced disturbance of cellular Zn²⁺ homeostasis may induce adverse actions on the cells.     

A hybrid method for quasi-three-dimensional slope stability analysis in a municipal solid waste landfill

Limited space for accommodating the ever increasing mounds of municipal solid waste (MSW) demands the capacity of MSW landfill be maximized by building landfills to greater heights with steeper slopes. This situation has raised concerns regarding the stability of high MSW landfills. A hybrid method for quasi-three-dimensional slope stability analysis based on the finite element stress analysis was applied in a case study at a MSW landfill in north-east Spain. Potential slides can be assumed to be located within the waste mass due to the lack of weak foundation soils and geosynthetic membranes at the landfill base. The only triggering factor of deep-seated slope failure is the higher leachate level and the relatively high and steep slope in the front. The valley-shaped geometry and layered construction procedure at the site make three-dimensional slope stability analyses necessary for this landfill. In the finite element stress analysis, variations of leachate level during construction and continuous settlement of the landfill were taken into account. The "equivalent" three-dimensional factor of safety (FoS) was computed from the individual result of the two-dimensional analysis for a series of evenly spaced cross sections within the potential sliding body. Results indicate that the hybrid method for quasi-three-dimensional slope stability analysis adopted in this paper is capable of locating roughly the spatial position of the potential sliding mass. This easy to manipulate method can serve as an engineering tool in the preliminary estimate of the FoS as well as the approximate position and extent of the potential sliding mass. The result that FoS obtained from three-dimensional analysis increases as much as 50% compared to that from two-dimensional analysis implies the significance of the three-dimensional effect for this study-case. Influences of shear parameters, time elapse after landfill closure, leachate level as well as unit weight of waste on FoS were also investigated in this paper. These sensitivity analyses serve as the guidelines of construction practices and operating procedures for the MSW landfill under study.     

Seawater Intrusion and Sustainable Yield of Basal Aquifers1

Liu, Clark C.K. and John J. Dai, 2012. Seawater Intrusion and Sustainable Yield of Basal Aquifers. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(5): 861‐870. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2012.00659.x Abstract: Basal aquifers, in which freshwater floats on top of saltwater, are the major freshwater supply for the Hawaiian Islands, as well as many other coastal regions around the world. Under unexploited or natural conditions, freshwater and the underlying seawater are separated by a relatively sharp interface located below mean sea level at a depth of about 40 times the hydraulic head. With forced draft, the hydraulic head of a basal aquifer would decline and the sharp interface would move up. It is a serious problem of seawater intrusion as huge amounts of freshwater storage is replaced by saltwater. Also, with forced draft, the sharp interface is replaced by a transition zone in which the salinity increases downward from freshwater to saltwater. As pumping continues, the transition zone expands. The desirable source‐water salinity in Hawaii is about 2% of the seawater salinity. Therefore, the transition zone expansion is another serious problem of seawater intrusion. In this study, a robust analytical groundwater flow and salinity transport model (RAM2) was developed. RAM2 has a simple mathematical structure and its model parameters can be determined satisfactorily with the available field monitoring data. The usefulness of RAM2 as a viable management tool for coastal ground water management is demonstrated by applying it to determine the sustainable yield of the Pearl Harbor aquifer, a principal water supply source in Hawaii.     

Effect of ingested titanium dioxide nanoparticles on the digestive gland cell membrane of terrestrial isopods

The aim of this study was to find out whether ingested titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO₂) cause cell membrane damage by direct contact or by lipid peroxidation. We assessed lipid peroxidation and digestive gland cell membrane stability of animals fed on food dosed with nano-TiO₂. Conventional toxicity measures were completed to determine if cellular effects are propagated to higher levels of biological complexity. An invertebrate model organism (Porcellio scaber, Isopoda, Crustacea) was fed with food containing nanosized TiO₂ and the result confirmed that at higher exposure concentrations after 3 d exposure, nano-TiO₂ destabilized cell membranes but lipid peroxidation was not detected. Oxidative stress as evidenced by lipid peroxidation was observed at longer exposure durations and high exposure doses. These data suggest that cell membranes are destabilized by direct interactions between nanoparticles and cell membrane, not solely via oxidative stress.     

铜、镉联合胁迫对羊角月牙藻的自由基氧化损伤影响研究

分析了铜和镉联合胁迫对羊角月牙藻(Selenastrum capricornutum)的影响,运用国内应用较少的新型技术——叶绿素荧光技术检测了胁迫下微藻的最大光能转化效率(Fv/Fm)受到的影响,并尝试通过膜脂过氧化损伤产物丙二醛(MDA)和其他指标在胁迫下的变化,对铜、镉联合胁迫机制进行初步探究。结果表明:(1)羊角月牙藻在铜、镉联合胁迫下生长受到抑制,表现出明显的浓度-效应关系。铜、镉的联合胁迫的相加指数为-1.63,表现为典型的拮抗作用。(2)通过叶绿素荧光技术的应用,探明Fv/Fm随毒性浓度的变化表现为浓度-效应关系,毒性浓度越大,羊角月牙藻的Fv/Fm越低,但在低毒性浓度刺激时随胁迫时间延长有回升迹象。(3)随毒性浓度的增加,羊角月牙藻的MDA增加,表现为显著的浓度-效应关系;可溶性蛋白质大体呈先升后降的趋势。(4)铜、镉联合胁迫下,MDA与羊角月牙藻生物量、Fv/Fm呈显著负相关。脂质过氧化是导致生物量下降和Fv/Fm受抑制的原因之一。(5)在微藻体内铜、镉发生拮抗作用的机制也可能与重金属的脂质过氧化作用由于拮抗受到抑制有关。     

原位臭氧氧化污泥减量工艺的运行效能

采用ASBR/SBR原位臭氧污泥减量工艺,重点研究了原位臭氧氧化对SBR段污泥产率和出水水质的影响。两个相同的ASBR/SBR组合工艺同时运行,每隔3个周期向臭氧投加组SBR的曝气阶段原位间歇投加臭氧,臭氧投加量为0.027 g O3/g MLSS,连续运行40 d;对照组不投加臭氧作为对比。结果表明,原位臭氧氧化实现污泥减量约43.9%,臭氧投加组SBR段平均污泥产率系数为0.1447 g SS/g SCOD,而对照组为0.2580 g SS/g SCOD,投加组没有惰性污泥的累积,并且污泥沉淀性能得到改善。原位臭氧氧化对出水水质影响不大,投加组与对照组相比,臭氧投加3周期后的出水COD、NH4+-N、TN和TP平均值分别为47.8、0.76、14.1和6.4 mg/L,去除率分别下降了4%、2%、3%和7.7%,其中COD、NH4+-N和TN均能达到《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》(GB18918-2002)一级A标准。     

两种不同的恒载升温方式下的钢材破坏机理分析

通过对我国建筑结构用钢在拉伸和压缩两种方式下的恒载升温试验,进行了5次受拉试件和2次受压试件的对比研究,根据试验中材料的各自变形规律,对其破坏机理进行了理论分析;从材料屈服的定义出发,给出了恒载升温拉伸试验中的参数(对应温度下的临界荷载水平),并与恒载升温压缩试验中的参数项进行了对比,指出受压构件和受拉构件的高温屈服强度是不同的,因此在钢结构建筑的耐火设计中应分别取不同的安全系数。