内分泌干扰物对机体脂质代谢的影响及其机制研究进展

近年来许多动物实验研究表明,内分泌干扰物(endocrine disrupting chemicals,EDCs)暴露除了会损伤生殖、免疫和神经系统等,还能够干扰脂质代谢,增加肥胖、非酒精性脂肪肝和高脂血症等疾病的发病风险.笔者总结了多种EDCs对不同动物模型(哺乳动物、硬骨鱼类、两栖动物)脂质代谢的影响,主要包括促进哺乳动物脂肪细胞分化、脂质蓄积和促进肥胖的表观遗传跨代继承,促进硬骨鱼类脂肪从头合成和脂质蓄积,破坏两栖动物的脂质平衡;并从4个方面综述了EDCs影响脂质代谢的作用机制,包括(1)影响转录因子的表达,从而影响脂质代谢相关酶和蛋白的表达水平;(2)影响调控昼夜节律的时钟基因的活性继而诱导脂质蓄积;(3)影响内源性大麻素和大麻素受体的表达从而改变瘦素或脂肪肝信号神经肽Y的表达;(4)影响表观遗传修饰继而影响脂质代谢相关酶、转录因子和脂肪细胞因子的表达.最后,提出今后研究需关注新型EDCs对脂质代谢的影响,同时应深入研究昼夜节律、内源性大麻素系统和表观遗传修饰等不同途径之间的交叉作用,以更好地了解EDCs通过以上机制影响脂质代谢的过程.     

典型四环素类抗生素的预测无效应浓度和风险评估

四环素类抗生素是一类广谱抗生素,对生态环境存在潜在风险.本研究以四环素和土霉素为研究对象,根据欧盟现有化学物质风险评价技术指导文件(TGD),推导不同环境介质中四环素和土霉素的预测无效应浓度(PNEC),并采用风险商值(RQ)法对我国部分地区水质、淡水沉积物和土壤的暴露风险进行评估.结果 表明,我国水质、淡水沉积物及土壤中四环素的PNEC值分别为0.115 μg·L-1、423 μg·kg-1(湿质量)和57 μg· kg-1(湿质量);土霉素的PNEC值分别为4.93μg·L-1、1.78x104 μg·kg1(湿质量)和3.16×103μg·kg-1(湿质量).淡水沉积物风险区域主要集中在海河,土壤风险区域主要集中在山东省、四川省彭州市、辽宁省沈阳市等,部分区域点位存在潜在的生态风险.研究结论可为四环素类抗生素的生态环境风险评价提供科学依据.     

基于习性和食物网的白洋淀大型底栖动物群落恢复研究

白洋淀由于长期受人类活动影响,部分区域内源污染严重.针对该类区域,"十三五"水专项开展了生态清淤试点工程以实现内源治理.在清淤过程中底栖生物容易遭到严重破坏,与之密切联系的食物网受到影响.在沉水植物补种成功后,如何科学地恢复底栖动物群落并维持长效稳定,急需寻求解决方案.本研究于2018年对白洋淀大型底栖动物群落进行调查,根据调研结果、习性特征和食物网模型,提出了受损后大型底栖动物群落恢复方案.研究发现,春季优势种为螺类软体动物和虾类甲壳类动物,夏季和秋季为螺类软体动物和昆虫类摇蚊幼虫.全年主要优势种为中华圆田螺、中国圆田螺、羽摇蚊和大红德永摇蚊.通过食物网模型计算,确定了软体动物是2010年和2018年的关键功能组.因此,综合优势种和关键种,底栖动物群落恢复物种主要选择虾类、螺类和摇蚊幼虫.根据底栖动物的习性,确定甲壳动物和摇蚊幼虫以自然恢复为主,螺类以人工恢复为主的恢复方式.针对螺类关键物种,根据2018年调研生物量、工程经验值和生态容量综合确定其恢复投加量合理范围.通过以上研究,建立了基于食物网成熟度和稳定性的底栖动物群落恢复优化调控方案,为受损底栖动物群落的恢复提供借鉴.     

17α-甲基睾酮对稀有鮈鲫肝脏脂质代谢的影响

环境内分泌干扰物对环境影响十分严重,绝大部分进入水环境,危害水生生物健康,进而影响人类健康.17α-甲基睾酮(17α-methyltestosterone,MT)是一种常见的环境雄激素,但在鱼体内的作用机制尚不明确.为了探究MT对鱼类肝脏脂质代谢的影响,采用不同浓度的MT(0、25、50和100 ng·L-1)处理864尾稀有鮈鲫(Gobiocypris rarus),分别在7、14和21 d取肝脏样品.用石蜡组织切片(H-E染色)研究MT对稀有鮈鲫肝脏组织的影响;用RT-qPCR检测4个内参基因的稳定性及5个脂质代谢相关基因(acaca、acacb、fasn、gpat1和cpt1α)的mRNA表达;用ELISA法测定肝脏中甘油三酯的含量.结果 表明,MT会对稀有鮈鲫肝脏造成一定程度的影响,50 ng·L-1 MT处理14 d,肝脏组织损伤最明显.25 ng·L-1和50 ng·L-1 MT处理14 d,相关基因的表达均显著变化(P＜0.05).mRNA表达与组织学结果均表明50 ng·L-1 MT对稀有鮈鲫肝脏影响最为显著.100ng·L-1 MT处理21 d,acaca、cpt1α和gpat1基因表达量显著下降(P＜0.05).MT对雌鱼肝脏甘油三酯影响较雄鱼大.综上,MT通过影响肝脏脂质代谢相关基因mRNA的表达,干扰了稀有鮈鲫肝脏脂质代谢过程,进而对肝脏产生不同程度的损伤.由于MT在不同性别鱼体内的代谢途径不同,推测MT在稀有觞鲫体内可能被芳香化为雌激素(ME),从而发挥部分雌激素作用.     

双酚B对斑马鱼性别分化的影响及作用机制

双酚A(bisphenol A,BPA)是一种典型的内分泌干扰物,双酚B(bisphenol B,BPA)作为其替代物,使用量逐渐增多.一些研究表明,BPB也具有内分泌干扰效应,但是其对鱼类性别分化的影响尚无报道.本文将斑马鱼胚胎暴露于不同浓度的BPB中至受精后60 d(days post fertilization,dpf),研究BPB对斑马鱼性别分化的影响及可能的分子机制.结果表明,10、100和1000μg·L-1的BPB暴露导致斑马鱼性别比例向雌鱼偏离,雄鱼的精巢中发育出初级卵母细胞,并导致斑马鱼体内17β-雌二醇(17β-estradiol,E2)水平升高,睾酮(testosterone,T)水平降低,表明BPB对斑马鱼具有雌激素效应.从基因水平探讨这2种物质导致斑马鱼雌性化的原因,发现BPB使卵巢分化相关基因foxl2的表达水平上升,精巢分化相关基因dmrt1、amh和sox9a表达水平降低,并进一步提高了芳香化酶基因cyp19a1a的转录水平,促进E2的合成,导致斑马鱼的性别分化过程发生异常.     

Sewage sludge ditch for recovering heavy metals can improve crop yield and soil environmental quality

• Indirect use of sludge in ditches alongside plants was tested in field experiments. • The dried and stabilized sludge in ditches was recovered with heavy metals. • Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in the planted soil were all in a safe range. • The indirect use of sludge increased plant yield, soil N content and C storage. The treatment and disposal of municipal sewage sludge (MSS) is an urgent problem to be resolved in many countries. Safely using the nutrients within MSS to increase crop yield and enhance the fertility of poor soil could contribute to achieving sustainable development. An indirect use of MSS in ditches alongside Pennisetum hybridum plants was studied in field plots for 30 months and the contents of heavy metals and macronutrients were monitored in soil, sludge and plant samples. We found that the yield of P. hybridum was significantly increased by 2.39 to 2.80 times and the treated plants had higher N content compared with no sludge. In addition, the organic matter (OM) and N contents in the planted soil increased significantly compared with the initial soil. The OM content in the planted soil of the MSS treatment was 2.9 to 5.2 times higher than that with no sludge, and N increased by 2.0 to 3.8 times. However, MSS had no significant effect on the N, P and K contents in the soil at the bottom of the MSS ditch, and the content of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn) were also within the safe range. Moreover, the moisture content and phytotoxicity of MSS after this indirect use were reduced and the heavy metal contents changed little, which is favorable to the further disposal of recovered MSS. Therefore, this indirect use of MSS is beneficial to agricultural production, soil quality and environmental sustainability.     

Novel perspective for urban water resource management: 5R generation

• 5R (Recover, Reduce, Recycle, Resource and Reuse) approaches to manage urban water. • 5R harvests storm water, gray water and black water in several forms. • 5R offers promise for moving solutions for urban water scarcity in practice. Demand for water is expanding with increases in population, particularly in urban areas in developing countries. Additionally, urban water system needs a novel perspective for upgradation with urbanization. This perspective presents a novel 5R approach for managing urban water resources: Recover (storm water), Reduce (toilet flushing water), Recycle (gray water), Resource (black water), and Reuse (advanced-treated wastewater). The 5R generation incorporates the latest ideas for harvesting storm water, gray water, and black water in its several forms. This paper has briefly demonstrated each R of 5R generation for water treatment and reuse. China has the chance to upgrade its urban water systems according to 5R principles. Already, a demonstration project of 5R generation has been installed in Qingdao International Horticultural Exposition, and Dalian International Convention Center (China) has applied 5R, achieving over 70% water saving. The 5R offers promise for moving solutions for urban water scarcity from “hoped for in the future” to “realistic today”.     

An integrated method for the rapid dewatering and solidification/stabilization of dredged contaminated sediment with a high water content

• An integrated method, called PHDVPSS, was proposed for treating DCS. • The PHDVPSS method showed superior performance compared to conventional method. • Using the method, water content (%) of DCS decreased from 300 to<150 in 3 days. • The 56-day UCS from this method is 12‒17 times higher than conventional method. • Relative to PC, GGBS-MgO binder yielded greater reduction in the leachability. To more efficiently treat the dredged contaminated sediment (DCS) with a high water content, this study proposes an integrated method (called PHDVPSS) that uses the solidifying/stabilizing (S/S) agents and prefabricated horizontal drain (PHD) assisted by vacuum pressure (VP). Using this method, dewatering and solidification/stabilization can be carried out simultaneously such that the treatment time can be significantly shortened and the treatment efficacy can be significantly improved. A series of model tests was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Experimental results indicated that the proposed PHDVPSS method showed superior performance compared to the conventional S/S method that uses Portland cement (PC) directly without prior dewatering. The 56-day unconfined compressive strength of DCS treated by the proposed method with GGBS-MgO as the binder is 12‒17 times higher than that by the conventional S/S method. DCS treated by the PHDVPSS method exhibited continuous decrease in leaching concentration of Zn with increasing curing age. The reduction of Zn leachability is more obvious when using GGBS-MgO as the binder than when using PC, because GGBS-MgO increased the residual fraction and decreased the acid soluble fraction of Zn. The microstructure analysis reveals the formation of hydrotalcite in GGBS-MgO binder, which resulted in higher mechanical strength and higher Zn stabilization efficiency.     

The size distribution of airborne bacteria and human pathogenic bacteria in a commercial composting plant

•Bacterial concentrations from eight stages were 10⁴–10⁵copies/m³. •Diameter influenced clustering of bacterial and HPB lineages. •Dg of 8 HPB ranged from 2.42 to 5.09 μm in composting areas. •Dg of 8 HPB ranged from 3.70 to 8.96 μm in packaging areas. •HPB had high concentrations and small sizes in composting areas. Composting plants are regarded as one of the important sources of environmental bioaerosols. However, limitations in the size distribution of airborne bacteria have prevented our comprehensive understanding of their risk to human health and their dispersal behavior. In this study, different sizes of airborne bacteria were collected using an eight-stage impactor from a full-scale composting facility. Size-related abundance and communities of airborne bacteria as well as human pathogenic bacteria (HPB) were investigated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing coupled with droplet digital PCR. Our results indicate that the bacterial concentrations from the eight stages were approximately 10⁴–10⁵copies/m³. Although no statistical correlation was detected between the particle size and the Shannon index, the influence of size on bacterial lineages was observed in both composting and packaging areas. For airborne bacteria from different stages, the dominant phyla were Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria, and the dominant genera was Bacillus. Seven out of eight HPB with a small geometric mean aerodynamic diameter had a high concentration in composting areas. Based on diameters of 2.42 to 5.09 μm, most HPB in the composting areas were expected to be deposited on the bronchus and secondary bronchus. However, in the packaging areas, the deposition of HPB (diameters 3.70 to 8.96 μm) occurred in the upper part of the respiratory tract. Our results on the size distribution, abundance, and diversity of these bacteria offer important information for the systematic evaluation of bacterial pathogenicity and the potential health impacts on workers in composting plants and the surrounding residents.     

Can we migrate COVID-19 spreading risk?

It is well recognized that Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus could be spread through touch and large droplets. However, we may have under-estimated the disease transmission by small droplets or aerosols that contain SARS-CoV-2 virus. Social distancing in public transport vehicles, such as airplanes, is not feasible. It is also not possible to wear masks in restaurant. This paper recommended wearing masks in airplanes and use partition screens in the middle of a table in a restaurant to reduce the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus. Advanced ventilation systems, such as personalized ventilation and displacement ventilation, are strongly recommended for transport vehicles and buildings.