Biological conversion pathways of sulfate reduction ammonium oxidation in anammox consortia

• The SRAO phenomena tended to occur only under certain conditions. • High amount of biomass and non-anaerobic condition is requirement for SRAO. • Anammox bacteria cannot oxidize ammonium with sulfate as electron acceptor. • AOB and AnAOB are mainly responsible for ammonium conversion. • Heterotrophic sulfate reduction mainly contributed to sulfate conversion. For over two decades, sulfate reduction with ammonium oxidation (SRAO) had been reported from laboratory experiments. SRAO was considered an autotrophic process mediated by anammox bacteria, in which ammonium as electron donor was oxidized by the electron acceptor sulfate. This process had been attributed to observed transformations of nitrogenous and sulfurous compounds in natural environments. Results obtained differed largely for the conversion mole ratios (ammonium/sulfate), and even the intermediate and final products of sulfate reduction. Thus, the hypothesis of biological conversion pathways of ammonium and sulfate in anammox consortia is implausible. In this study, continuous reactor experiments (with working volume of 3.8L) and batch tests were conducted under normal anaerobic (0.2≤DO<0.5 mg/L) / strict anaerobic (DO<0.2 mg/L) conditions with different biomass proportions to verify the SRAO phenomena and identify possible pathways behind substrate conversion. Key findings were that SRAO occurred only in cases of high amounts of inoculant biomass under normal anaerobic condition, while absent under strict anaerobic conditions for same anammox consortia. Mass balance and stoichiometry were checked based on experimental results and the thermodynamics proposed by previous studies were critically discussed. Thus anammox bacteria do not possess the ability to oxidize ammonium with sulfate as electron acceptor and the assumed SRAO could, in fact, be a combination of aerobic ammonium oxidation, anammox and heterotrophic sulfate reduction processes.     

Effects of Topographical Heterogeneity and Dispersal Limitation on Species Turnover in a Temperate Mountane Ecosystem: a Case Study in the Henan Province,China

Species turnover patterns can be inconsistent due to differences in the dispersal ability of different growth forms. Here, species of trees, shrubs, herbs, and bryophytes in the Xiaoqinling National Nature Reserve in China were analyzed to determine patterns of species turnover along an elevation and spatial gradient. Variance partitioning was used to assess the relative contribution of topographic heterogeneity and dispersal limitation to species turnover. Our results suggest that the effect of dispersal limitation is more important than topographic heterogeneity on species turnover in temperate mountane ecosystems in the study area. Dispersal limitation has a greater effect on trees species turnover than on shrubs, herbs or bryophytes species turnover.     

Effects of T-2 toxin on histopathology,fatty acid and water distribution of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) muscle

T-2 toxin (T-2), one of the naturally occurring mycotoxins, often accumulates in aquatic animals from contaminated feed. Shrimp (n?=?30 per group) were fed with different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.5, 4.5 and 13.5?mg kg^?1) of T-2 for 20?days. Changes in histopathology, fatty acid and water distribution of shrimp muscle were analyzed. Histopathology of shrimp muscle showed dose-dependent marked degenerative and necrotic changes on exposure to dietary T-2. The T-2 significantly (P?<?0.05) affected the muscle fatty acid composition. ∑SFA, ∑MUFA and ∑PUFA initially decreased and then increased slowly in the high-dosed groups. C16:0, C18:1n-9 and C18:2n-6 were the main saturated fatty acid (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), respectively. Also, T-2 significantly affected water distribution in shrimp muscle. High doses of T-2 reduced free water content, resulting in a reduction in the water holding capacity and hence changes to the shrimp muscle quality. Collectively, these results illustrated that T-2 significantly affects the fatty acid and water distribution, and also muscle histopathology, all of which would result in a reduction in the quality and nutritional value of shrimp.     

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.     

The measurement of green finance index and the development forecast of green finance in China

This paper proposes a green finance index that may help policymakers and investors take more favorable actions based on the development of green finance. After analysis and organization of the development process of green finance and related green finance and index concepts, this paper uses the improved fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to construct a measurement model suitable for measuring the development level of green finance based on the principle of fuzzy mathematics. The index weight adopts the entropy method and improved Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) joint determination. At the same time, using the relevant statistical indicators of China's green credit from 2011 to 2019, and using the constructed model, the level of China's green finance development during this period was evaluated. Finally, the obtained data and classical gray model methods were used to predict China's green development level from 2020 to 2024. The research results show that: This model is a good measure of the level of development of green finance, and China's green finance index has generally shown a rapid growth trend over the past nine years, with the fastest growth rate between 2013 and 2014. From the perspective of the weight of each index affecting the green financial index, the weight of new energy, green transportation projects and new energy vehicles ranked in the top three, and the impact of these three indexes on China's green financial index is significant. In the future, China's green financial development level will continue to improve.

     

Designing a policy package for the promotion of servicising: A case study of vineyard crop protection in Galicia (Spain)

The servicising approach in vineyard protection is considered a valid alternative to achieve decoupling between the economic and environmental performance of viticulture. In this paper, a policy package is designed to promote the uptake of a servicised model of vineyard protection in an area of smallholding viticulture. In doing so, a specific methodology based on a step by step protocol has been followed that aims to come up with a package that is effective, implementable and socially as well as politically acceptable. The paper concludes on the importance of combining several policy instruments in a policy package to realise the political objective. The proposed viable policy package includes incentives that support the companies’ shift towards offering crop protection solutions, further development of IPM solutions and instruments that encourage farmers to reduce the use of pesticides and collectively hire crop protection services.     

张家港河凤凰段水质达标整治方案研究

张家港河凤凰段位于张家港市凤凰镇,受上游、支流水质以及区域生活污染源等影响,河道出入境断面水质达标率较低,主要超标因子为氨氮和总磷。本文通过水质现状分析和现场调研,总结了水质难达标的主要原因,提出了针对性较强的水质提升整治方案,对改善张家港河水环境具有非常重要的意义。     

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”.     

Dimensional analysis and scaling in mechanical mixing for fabrication of metal matrix nanocomposites

For a successful enhancement of mechanical properties of metal matrix nanocomposites, a homogeneous nanoparticle dispersion and distribution in the solidified metal is required. Mechanical mixing can be used for initial break-up of agglomerates, and its study can be simplified with dimensional analysis. Using this technique, mixing time and vortex height were assessed while varying fluid properties, impeller angle, and angular speed. Three relevant dimensionless numbers were recognized: the Reynolds (Re), Froude and Galilei (Ga) numbers. Based on blade and impeller shaft angles, a modified Froude number (Fr*) was defined. These parameters were calculated experimentally, varying angular speed from 200 to 1000 rpm for three different impeller angles: 0°, 15° and 30°. This procedure was performed with three fluids: water, and two aqueous glycerin solutions (25% and 50% by volume). Digital images were taken and processed to measure vortex height. Mixing time was measured for water at 0° impeller angle, angular speed ranging from 200 to 1200 rpm. Results showed an optimal dimensionless mixing time with respect to Re. A linear relationship was found between dimensionless vortex height and Fr*. The first had a second order polynomial relationship with the product ReFr*, regardless of impeller angle. This relationship, together with the Ga, specific for each fluid, allows scaling the results to other fluids such as molten pure aluminum. This study allows experimenting in simpler systems that involve transparent fluids, room temperature and low cost, to then elaborate a prediction of vortex height in fluids where measurements are difficult and costly, such as molten metals.