Exposure to radiation from global system for mobile communications at 1,800 MHz significantly changes gene expression in rat hippocampus and cortex

We have earlier shown that radio frequency electromagnetic fields can cause significant leakage of albumin through the blood–brain barrier of exposed rats as compared to non-exposed rats, and also significant neuronal damage in rat brains several weeks after a 2 h exposure to a mobile phone, at 915 MHz with a global system for mobile communications (GSM) frequency modulation, at whole-body specific absorption rate values (SAR) of 200, 20, 2, and 0.2 mW/kg. We have now studied whether 6 h of exposure to the radiation from a GSM mobile test phone at 1,800 MHz (at a whole-body SAR-value of 13 mW/kg, corresponding to a brain SAR-value of 30 mW/kg) has an effect upon the gene expression pattern in rat brain cortex and hippocampus—areas where we have observed albumin leakage from capillaries into neurons and neuronal damage. Microarray analysis of 31,099 rat genes, including splicing variants, was performed in cortex and hippocampus of 8 Fischer 344 rats, 4 animals exposed to global system for mobile communications electromagnetic fields for 6 h in an anechoic chamber, one rat at a time, and 4 controls kept as long in the same anechoic chamber without exposure, also in this case one rat at a time. Gene ontology analysis (using the gene ontology categories biological processes, molecular functions, and cell components) of the differentially expressed genes of the exposed animals versus the control group revealed the following highly significant altered gene categories in both cortex and hippocampus: extracellular region, signal transducer activity, intrinsic to membrane, and integral to membrane. The fact that most of these categories are connected with membrane functions may have a relation to our earlier observation of albumin transport through brain capillaries.     

四环素胁迫对Shigella flexneri细菌四环素抗性基因抗性表达的影响过程

四环素(TC)抗生素在不同环境介质中已被广泛检出,为研究其对四环素抗性基因(TC-ARGs)丰度变化及表达水平的影响过程,以从活性污泥中筛选和纯化分离获得的弗氏志贺氏菌(Shigella flexneri)为研究对象,考察了不同浓度TC对其生长过程的作用影响,采用荧光定量PCR和逆转录PCR方法定量检测了不同抗性机制TC-ARGs,包括tetC、tetO和tetX基因的丰度变化及表达水平,并探讨了TC浓度与TC-ARGs丰度及其表达水平之间的相关关系.结果表明,在培养周期内(24 h),TC胁迫对Shigella flexneri细菌的生长具有抑制作用,细菌细胞浓度增长速率随TC暴露浓度的升高而降低,但对TC-ARGs丰度变化影响较小.TC胁迫能够促进Shigella flexneri细菌TC-ARGs的转录表达,tetC、tetO和tetX基因表达水平在整个培养周期内均先升高后降低.由相关性分析可知,TC浓度与TC-ARGs丰度及其表达水平之间相关关系不显著,但tetC和tetO基因丰度与其转录表达水平之间存在显著的正相关关系,表明其基因丰度一定程度上可用来衡量和评价其抗性表达水平.     

监测分析中结果的表达─兼谈环境监测标准化

对环境监测中的数据、统计、有效数字、修约，以及计量单位、结果表达、原始数据的记录等既平常又十分重要易被忽略的重要问题作了概述，这些问题的解决才能保证监测结果的准确性和可靠性．     

Formation and Emission of N2O and CH4 from Compost Heaps of Organic Household Waster

Composting can be a source of N₂O andCH₄ production. In this investigation, differentcompost heaps of organic household waste weremonitored with the focus on potential formation ofCH₄ and N₂O in the heaps and emission ofthese gases from the heaps. The studied compost heapshad different compost ages, turning intervals andcompost sizes. The analysed compost gases containedbetween 1–3421 L of N₂O-N L^-1 and 0–470 mL of CH₄ L^-1. The emission rates ofN₂O and CH₄ from the compost heaps werebetween 1–1464 mg N₂O m^-2 day^-1 and0–119 000 mg CH₄ m^-2 day^-1. These verylarge differences in compost gas composition andemission indicate the importance of compostmanagement. The results also give an understanding ofwhere in the composting process an increasing emissionof N₂O and CH₄ can occur.     

华南玄武岩红土化过程中微量元素地球化学

广东、海南的玄武岩．在强烈的红土化过程中．元素在红土剖面中发生迁移和残留、贫化和富集。根据红土化过程中元素的地球化学性状，将元素划分为活泼元素和不活泼元素两大类。并首次采用了元素它集因子这个概念来探讨红土化过程中微量元素的地球化学行为。最后讨论了红土化过程小金的表生富集作用。     

泔脚与秸杆混合发酵法生产蛋白饲料的新工艺流程

利用多菌种混合发酵同时处理泔脚和秸杆2种废弃物,提出了一种生产高蛋白饲料的新工艺流程,并且对该流程初步进行了经济估算。结果表明,在泔脚和稻草秸杆粉按3:1、温度150℃、高压锅中高温湿热酸处理的条件下,经过初步双菌混合发酵试验所得的饲料产品质量为粗蛋白≥25％,粗纤维≤18％,水分≤ 10％,说明新工艺能很好地同时处理泔脚和秸杆2种废弃物,并且大大地提高了秸秆饲料的蛋白含量。处理新工艺流程简单、技术可行,是一种很好的饲料制备方法。     

S-100 protein and neuron-specific enolase in amniotic fluid as markers of abdominal wall and neural tube defects in the fetus

The aim of this study was to determine whether there is increased leakage of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S-100 protein into amniotic fluid in pregnancies with neural tube defects, since both these proteins are produced by neural tissue, and to compare the value of these substances for detecting such defects with that of the more conventional techniques of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) gel electrophoresis. Amniotic samples from 25 mid-pregnancies (15–17 weeks' gestation) with neural tube defects (14 with open spina bifida and 11 with anencephaly) and from seven mid-pregnancies with abdominal wall defects were compared with a control material consisting of 80 amniotic fluid samples from 80 consecutive mid-pregnancy amniocenteses, with normal karyotypes and AFP concentrations. All of the above cases of abnormalities were primarily detected through increased AFP levels in the amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid samples from 13 pregnancies with fetuses with autosomal chromosomal abnormalities and seven amniotic fluid samples contaminated with blood were also included in the investigation. It is concluded from the results that the conventional AFP assay combined with AChE gel electrophoresis is the best method for screening amniotic fluid for neural tube defects and defects of the abdominal wall. Neither NSE nor S-100 assay alone proved to be superior for the detection of these cases in mid-trimester amniotic fluid. The S-100 assay, however, could give additional information in cases where AChE gel electrophoresis is not decisive; for example, in samples contaminated with blood.     

镉铅对小麦醇脱氢酶(ADH)基因表达影响的初步研究

经过镉，铅４５ｈ污染处理，运用Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｉｎ斑点杂分析和酶活性测定的方法探测萌发期小麦ＡＤＨ酶基因的表达情况。实验结果表明，ＡＤＨ基因表达在ＲＮＡ和酶活性两个层次均有变化，并且呈现相似的变化趋势，反映得金属的影响是来源于基因转录水平。     

Driving while impaired by alcohol: An analysis of drink-drivers involved in UK collisions

Objective: Drink-driving represents a critical issue on international organizations’ agendas as one of the key behavioral risk factors in road traffic safety, alongside speed and nonuse of motorcycle helmets, seat belts, and child restraints. Changing road user behaviors regarding these 5 factors is a critical component in reducing road traffic injuries and casualties. The objective of this study is the identification of drivers who are more likely to contribute to crashes in the UK while impaired by alcohol to design targeted drink drive compliance campaigns.

Method: To profile drivers with the factor “impaired by alcohol” assigned in collisions, an extensive data set is used, including all reported injury collisions between 2011 and 2015 in the UK (police records), merged with the Experian Mosaic Database. A multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression is conducted, utilizing the hierarchical nature of the data (drivers within Mosaic types).

Results: Using multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression analysis, the finding is that some driver profiles are more likely to contribute to crashes and are assigned the contributory factor “impaired by alcohol.” Drink-related crashes are more common in some circumstances or for some crash-involved driver groups than others. For instance, alcohol-related crashes are more likely to occur on single carriageways and among males and 25- to 35-year-olds. Drink-drive-related crashes are found to be strongly associated with dark lighting conditions and, more specifically, with late night hours (the interval between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. accounts for a third of the drink-drive-related collisions). Using the Experian Mosaic Database which divides the UK population into 66 types based on demographic, lifestyle, and behavior characteristics, the finding is that, among crash-involved drivers, some Mosaic types are significantly more likely (e.g., pocket pensions, dependent greys, streetwise singles) and others are significantly less likely (e.g., crowded kaleidoscope, cultural comfort, penthouse chic) to contribute to a drink-related crash.

Conclusions: The outcome is a more nuanced understanding of drivers contributing to drink-related crashes in the UK. The study concludes by discussing the implications for governments and other interested bodies for better targeting and delivery of public education campaigns and interventions.     

Optimization of micro-aeration intensity in acidogenic reactor of a two-phase anaerobic digester treating food waste

Micro-aeration is known to promote the activities of hydrolytic exo-enzymes and used as a strategy to improve the hydrolysis of particulate substrate. The effect of different micro-aeration rates, 0, 129, 258, and 387 L-air/kg TS/d (denoted as LBR-AN, LBR-6h, LBR-3h and LBR-2h, respectively) on the solubilization of food waste was evaluated at 35 °C in four leach bed reactors (LBR) coupled with methanogenic upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. Results indicate that the intensity of micro-aeration influenced the hydrolysis and methane yield. Adequate micro-aeration intensity in LBR-3h and LBR-2h significantly enhanced the carbohydrate and protein hydrolysis by 21–27% and 38–64% respectively. Due to the accelerated acidogenesis, more than 3-fold of acetic acid and butyric acid were produced in LBR-3h as compared to the anaerobic treatment LBR-AN resulting in the maximum methane yield of 0.27 L CH₄/g VS_added in the UASB. The performance of LBR-6h with inadequate aeration was similar to that of LBR-AN with a comparable hydrolysis degree. Nevertheless, higher aeration intensity in LBR-2h was also unfavorable for methane yield due to significant biomass generation and CO₂ respiration of up to 18.5% and 32.8% of the total soluble hydrolysate, respectively. To conclude, appropriate micro-aeration rate can promote the hydrolysis of solid organic waste and methane yield without undesirable carbon loss and an aeration intensity of 258 L-air/kg TS/d is recommended for acidogenic LBR treating food waste.