In vitro antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of seaweed extracts against acne inducing bacteria, Propionibacterium acnes

This study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of common seaweeds from the coast of South Korea against the etiologic agents of acne vulgaris. Fifty-seven species of seaweed were screened for potential antimicrobial activity. Methanol extracts of 13 species (22.8%) showed inhibitory effects against Propionibacterium acnes. The aqueous extracts of only two species (3.5%) showed antimicrobial activity. When tested with the agar disk diffusion method, Ecklonia cava, E. kurome, Ishige sinicola, and Symphyocladia latiuscula had the strongest inhibitory effects. However, these four seaweed extracts showed no antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis at 5 mg disk-1. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of E. cava and E. kurome were both 0.31 mg ml-1 and the MIC values of l. sinicola and S. latiuscula were 0.26 and 0.21 mg ml-1, respectively. Among whole plants of E. cava and E. kurome, extracts of the pinnate blade had the highest inhibitory activity on bacterial growth. In cytotoxicity assays, methanol extracts of E. cava, E. kurome, and I. sinicola showed no effect on cell viability at concentrations of 200 microg ml-1. However, the methanol extracts of S. latiuscula reduced cell viability rates to 50% at the same concentration. Additionally, methanol extracts of E. cava, E. kurome, and I. sinicola potently inhibited the in vitro production of nitric oxide. These results suggest that the methanol extracts from these three species may be useful in the development of therapeutic agents for acne vulgaris. Further investigations to determine the bioactive compound are in progress.     

强降雨在滑坡发育中的关键控制机理及典型实例分析

通过构建水动力作用模型,对降雨的激发控制作用进行分析,得出水动力控制机理的结论:强降雨控制滑坡发育,集中表现在改变土体的静水压力、动水压力与浮托力的作用三方面.选取重庆市黔江流水湾滑坡为典型实例,对强降雨的激发控制作用进行验证,强降雨的水动力作用过程分为坡体剪切、滑动开始、剧烈滑动三个不同阶段.最后,提出久旱过后强降雨...     

Evaluating the PM damage cost due to urban air pollution and vehicle emissions in Seoul, Korea

This study evaluated the prospective damage costs of PM(2.5) inhalation. We performed a health risk assessment based on an exposure-response function to estimate the annual population risk in the Seoul metropolitan city, Korea. Also, we estimated a willingness-to-pay (WTP) amount for reducing the mortality rate in order to evaluate a statistical life value. We combined the annual population risk and the value-of-statistical-life to calculate the damage cost estimate. In the health risk assessment, we applied the PM(2.5) relative risk to evaluate the annual population risk. We targeted an exposure population of 5,401,369 persons who were over the age of 30. Using a Monte-Carlo simulation for uncertainty analysis, we estimated that the population risk of PM(2.5) inhalation during a year in Seoul is 2181 premature deaths for acute exposure and 18,510 premature deaths for chronic exposure. The monthly average WTP for 5/1000 mortality reduction over ten years is $20.20 USD (95% C.I: $16.60-24.50) and the implied value-of-statistical-life (VSL) is $485,000 USD (95% C.I: $398,000-588,000). The damage cost estimate due to risk from PM(2.5) inhalation in Seoul is about $1057 million USD per year for acute exposure, and $8972 million USD per year for chronic exposure. It is important to note that this cost estimate does not reflect all health damage cost estimates in this urban area. This recommendation is a model for evaluating a mortality risk reduction and as such we must re-evaluate an integrated application of morbidity risk.     

Reductive dechlorination of activated carbon-adsorbed trichloroethylene by zero-valent iron: carbon as electron shuttle

Sequestration of organic contaminants in carbonaceous materials can significantly affect contaminant fate and transport. We investigated the reductive dechlorination of granular-activated carbon (GAC)-adsorbed trichloroethylene (TCE) by nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) to understand the effect of sequestration on abiotic reactivity of organic contaminants. Significant reduction of TCE sequestered in GAC micropores was observed, even though direct contact with nZVI was unlikely. Reduction of sequestered TCE by reactive Fe(II) species or molecular hydrogen was ruled out as the reaction mechanisms. We propose that GAC served as the conductor for the transfer of electrons or atomic hydrogen from nZVI to the micropores, wherein adsorbed TCE molecules were reduced. An important implication for environmental remediation is that carbonaceous adsorbents not only function as a superb sink for organic contaminants but also allow them to be slowly degraded while being trapped.     

河北省应对水危机加快发展海水淡化的探讨

21世纪水危机严重威胁河北省经济社会发展。海水淡化是解决水危机问题的重要措施,具有良好的综合效益和发展前景。河北省海水淡化条件较好,基础比较雄厚,为此建议尽快编制河北省海水淡化规划,加快建设海水淡化工程,积极发展海水淡化装备制造业,并开展沿海热电厂非采暖季节利用气热淡化海水的实验研究。     

基于ZigBee技术的电力环境监测系统设计

为了解决电力环境监测中的数据传输问题,提出了基于ZigBee技术的电力环境监测系统设计方案。该系统通过ZigBee节点采集各种电力环境数据,并将ZigBee网络和GPRS相结合实现远程监测。方案采用TI公司CC2430芯片设计传感器节点电路,在ZigBee协议栈的基础上设计了协调控制器节点,提高了系统的可扩展性,确保了数据传输的实时性和可靠性。     

Cu2+对普通小球藻的光合毒性：初始藻密度的影响

为了研究Cu2+对普通小球藻的光合毒性以及初始藻密度对Cu2+光合毒性的影响,将初始密度为107mL-1的普通小球藻暴露于Cu2+的6个浓度(0、5、10、20、30和40μmol.L-1)中进行96 h的毒性暴露实验,在2、48和96 h分别利用叶绿素荧光仪(MAXI-Imaging-PAM)测定各项叶绿素荧光参数,同时,针对3个不同初始密度的普通小球藻(2×106、5×106和2×107mL-1),测定并比较了其暴露于0、20和40μmol.L-1的Cu2+12 h后,叶绿素荧光参数的变化。不同初始藻密度的毒性实验结果显示,初始藻密度为2×106mL-1时,20和40μmol.L-1Cu2+可完全抑制普通小球藻的光合作用;当初始藻密度增加到5×106和2×107mL-1时,40μmol.L-1Cu2+对普通小球藻的实际光合作用效率仅有约75%和25%的抑制。这表明初始藻密度越大,Cu2+的光合毒性越弱。但随着初始藻密度的增加,初始藻密度的变化对Cu2+光合毒性的影响减弱。初始藻密度为107mL-1时的毒性实验结果显示,暴露于20~40μmol.L-1Cu2+2 h后,普通小球藻的光合作用即受到抑制,且该抑制程度随Cu2+浓度的增加而增强,并随着暴露时间的延长有所缓解。随着Cu2+浓度的增加,最大量子产量(Fv/Fm)、实际量子产量(Yield)、相对电子传递速率(ETR)和光化学淬灭系数(qP)逐渐降低,非光化学淬灭系数(NPQ/4)逐渐上升。研究结果表明,Cu2+对普通小球藻的光合作用有一定的抑制作用,其机理可能为通过引起PSII系统反应中心的部分失活,导致PSII系统反应中心的开放比例减少,引起电子传递速率降低以及ATP和NADPH的合成减慢,从而使光合作用速率下降;初始藻密度对Cu2+的光合毒性大小有较大的影响,故在进行藻类的毒性实验时,也应关注初始藻密度的影响。     

Phosphogypsum stabilization of bauxite residue: Conversion of its alkaline characteristics

Reduction of the high alkalinity of bauxite residue is a key problem to solve to make it suitable for plant growth and comprehensive utilization. In this study, phosphogypsum, a waste product from the phosphate fertilizer industry, was used to drive the alkaline transformation of the bauxite residue. Under optimal water washing conditions(liquid/solid ratio of 2 mL/g, 30°C, 24 hr), the impact of quantity added, reaction time and reaction mechanism during phosphogypsum application were investigated. Phosphogypsum addition effectively lowered p H levels and reduced the soluble alkalinity by 92.2%. It was found that the concentration of soluble Na and Ca ions in the supernatant increased gradually, whilst the exchangeable Na+and Ca~(2+)in solid phase changed 112 mg/kg and 259 mg/kg, respectively. Ca~(2+)became the dominant element in the solid phase(phosphogypsum addition of 2%, liquid/solid ratio of 2 mL/g, 30°C, 12 hr). X-ray diffraction data indicated that cancrinite and hydrogarnet were the primary alkaline minerals. SEM images suggested that phosphogypsum could promote the formation of stable macroaggregates, whilst the content of Ca~(2+)increased from 5.6% to 18.2% and Na reduced from 6.8% to 2.4%. Treatment with phosphogypsum could significantly promote the transformation of alkalinity cations by neutralization, precipitation and replacement reactions.This research provided a feasible method to promote soil formation of bauxite residue by phosphogypsum amendment.     

Microscale Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) for interstitial water of estuarine sediments affected by multiple sources of pollution

Estuaries in the world are affected by different contamination sources related to urbanisation and port/industrial activities. Identifying the substances responsible for the environmental toxicity in estuaries is challenging due to the multitude of stressors, both natural and anthropogenic. The Toxicity Identification and Evaluation (TIE) is a suitable way of determining causes of toxicity of sediments, but it poses difficulties since its application is labour intensive and time consuming. The aim of this study is to evaluate the diagnosis provided by a TIE based on microscale embryotoxicity tests with interstitial water (IW) to identify toxicants in estuarine sediments affected by multiple stressors. TIE showed toxicity due to different combinations of metals, apolar organic compounds, ammonia and sulphides, depending on the contamination source closest to the sampling station. The microscale TIE was able to discern different toxicants on sites subject to different contamination sources. There is good agreement between the results indicated in the TIE and the chemical analyses in whole sediment, although there are some disagreements, either due to the sensitivity of the test used, or due to the particularities of the use of interstitial water to assess the sediment toxicity. The improvement of TIE methods focused on identifying toxicants in multiple-stressed estuarine areas are crucial to discern contamination sources and subsidise management strategies.

     

矿用风筒的现状与发展

分析了国内矿用风筒的现状,并指出矿用风筒应当向高安全性、高强度、多品种、多功能等方向发展.