双酚A促进粪肠球菌中信息素调控质粒pCF10介导的耐药基因接合转移

粪肠球菌是一种在自然水体中广泛存在的革兰氏阳性细菌。信息素调控质粒介导的接合转移是造成粪肠球菌耐药基因快速扩散的重要方式。双酚A是一种内分泌干扰物,因其在工业中大量应用造成其在水环境中的广泛分布。本文以信息素调控质粒中比较有代表性的pCF10质粒作为研究对象,研究了双酚A对粪肠球菌中耐药基因接合转移的影响,证实了双酚A可以促进pCF10质粒介导的耐药基因接合转移,且这一结果同双酚A作用浓度和作用时间相关。双酚A影响耐药基因的扩散,是通过促进编码正调控信息素的ccfA基因表达实现的。本文旨在深入理解双酚A影响抗生素抗性基因扩散的环境行为,为耐药基因控制及双酚A环境效应的评估提供理论支持。     

Sulfur cycle as an electron mediator between carbon and nitrate in a constructed wetland microcosm

• Fe(III) accepted the most electrons from organics, followed by NO₃^‒, SO₄^2‒, and O₂. • The electrons accepted by SO₄^2‒ could be stored in the solid AVS, FeS₂-S, and S⁰. • The autotrophic denitrification driven by solid S had two-phase characteristics. • A conceptual model involving electron acceptance, storage, and donation was built. • S cycle transferred electrons between organics and NO₃^‒ with an efficiency of 15%. A constructed wetland microcosm was employed to investigate the sulfur cycle-mediated electron transfer between carbon and nitrate. Sulfate accepted electrons from organics at the average rate of 0.84 mol/(m³·d) through sulfate reduction, which accounted for 20.0% of the electron input rate. The remainder of the electrons derived from organics were accepted by dissolved oxygen (2.6%), nitrate (26.8%), and iron(III) (39.9%). The sulfide produced from sulfate reduction was transformed into acid-volatile sulfide, pyrite, and elemental sulfur, which were deposited in the substratum, storing electrons in the microcosm at the average rate of 0.52 mol/(m³·d). In the presence of nitrate, the acid-volatile and elemental sulfur were oxidized to sulfate, donating electrons at the average rate of 0.14 mol/(m³·d) and driving autotrophic denitrification at the average rate of 0.30 g N/(m³·d). The overall electron transfer efficiency of the sulfur cycle for autotrophic denitrification was 15.3%. A mass balance assessment indicated that approximately 50% of the input sulfur was discharged from the microcosm, and the remainder was removed through deposition (49%) and plant uptake (1%). Dominant sulfate-reducing (i.e., Desulfovirga, Desulforhopalus, Desulfatitalea, and Desulfatirhabdium) and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (i.e., Thiohalobacter, Thiobacillus, Sulfuritalea, and Sulfurisoma), which jointly fulfilled a sustainable sulfur cycle, were identified. These results improved understanding of electron transfers among carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles in constructed wetlands, and are of engineering significance.     

Locally enhanced electric field treatment (LEEFT) for water disinfection

• Nanowire-assisted LEEFT is applied for water disinfection with low voltages. • LEEFT inactivates bacteria by disrupting cell membrane through electroporation. • Multiple electrodes and device configurations have been developed for LEEFT. • The LEEFT is low-cost, highly efficient, and produces no DBPs. • The LEEFT can potentially be applicable for water disinfection at all scales. Water disinfection is a critical step in water and wastewater treatment. The most widely used chlorination suffers from the formation of carcinogenic disinfection by-products (DBPs) while alternative methods (e.g., UV, O₃, and membrane filtration) are limited by microbial regrowth, no residual disinfectant, and high operation cost. Here, a nanowire-enabled disinfection method, locally enhanced electric field treatment (LEEFT), is introduced with advantages of no chemical addition, no DBP formation, low energy consumption, and efficient microbial inactivation. Attributed to the lightning rod effect, the electric field near the tip area of the nanowires on the electrode is significantly enhanced to inactivate microbes, even though a small external voltage (usually<5 V) is applied. In this review, after emphasizing the significance of water disinfection, the theory of the LEEFT is explained. Subsequently, the recent development of the LEEFT technology on electrode materials and device configurations are summarized. The disinfection performance is analyzed, with respect to the operating parameters, universality against different microorganisms, electrode durability, and energy consumption. The studies on the inactivation mechanisms during the LEEFT are also reviewed. Lastly, the challenges and future research of LEEFT disinfection are discussed.     

Absence of metallothionein 3 expression in breast cancer is a rare but favorable marker that is under epigenetic control

Cadmium (Cd²⁺), a known carcinogen, mimics the effects of estrogen in the uterus and mammary gland suggesting its possible involvement in the development and progression of breast cancer. This lab showed through analysis of a small set of archival human diagnostic specimens that the third isoform of the classic Cd²⁺ binding protein metallothionein (MT-3) is not expressed in normal breast tissue, but is expressed in some breast cancers and that expression tends to correlate with a poor disease outcome. The goals of this study were to verify that overexpression of MT-3 in a large set of archival human diagnostic specimens tends to correlate with poor disease outcome and define the mechanism of MT-3 gene regulation in the normal breast epithelial cell. The results showed that MT-3 was expressed in approximately 90% of all breast cancers and was absent in normal breast epithelium. The lack of MT-3 staining in some cancers correlated with a favorable patient outcome. High frequency of MT-3 staining was also found for in situ breast cancer suggesting that MT-3 might be an early biomarker for breast cancer. The study also demonstrated that the MCF-10A cell line, an immortalized, non-tumorigenic model of human breast epithelial cells, displayed no basal expression of MT-3, nor was it induced by Cd²⁺. Treatment of the MCF-10A cells with the demethylation agent, 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine, or the histone deacetylase inhibitor, MS-275, restored MT-3 mRNA expression. It was also shown that the MT-3 metal regulatory elements are potentially active binders of protein factors following treatment with these inhibitors suggesting that MT-3 expression may be subject to epigenetic regulation.     

新烟碱类杀虫剂吡虫啉和啶虫脒对人神经母细胞瘤SK-N-SH细胞的毒性作用

吡虫啉和啶虫脒是目前使用较广的2种新烟碱类杀虫剂,它们在环境、食品和人体样品中的普遍残留,对人体健康构成威胁,但目前关于其对人的神经毒性仍知之甚少.本文以人神经母细胞瘤SK-N-SH细胞为模型,采用体外细胞实验,研究不同浓度吡虫啉和啶虫脒暴露对细胞活力、细胞形态、烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体(nAChRs)α7亚基的mRNA和蛋...     

沙湾荒漠区生态环境的植物监测

利用植物生态学常规方法进行了荒漠植被种群生物量和数量特证调查,以植物为监测对象,并就群落地上部分生物量,Shannon-Wiener多样性指数,群落均匀度,生态优势度等指标探讨了在荒漠生态环境监测和评价中的具体应用。     

大气细菌,霉菌数量与风速相关性初探

通过对大气细菌数量、霉菌数量与风速相关性的研究,得出齐市地区冬季气候寒冷,无相关性;春季气候干燥,风沙大,有相关性;雨后大气细菌数量与风速无相关性,大气霉菌数量与风速相关。     

水生金针菜对食品废水的净化

本文介绍了金针菜在水面上无土栽培技术和对食品废水的净化功能.试验结果证明,金针菜是净化食品废水的一种优良植物,其经济效益也很显著.     

GUS基因在诸葛菜子叶原生质体中的瞬间表达

本文以诸葛菜无菌苗子叶组织为材料，采用原生质体培养获得成功，建立了原生质体培养高频再生体系，植板率３％，植株再生频率１００％。在此基础上，本文首次研究了ＰＥＧ介导转化诸葛菜原生质体的影响因素，系统地试验了ＰＥＧ法转化子叶原生质体的过程，发现：最适质粒量为２５－３０μｇ；ＰＥＧ终浓度为１５％，ｐＨ８．０；另外，表达效率还与质粒的大小有关，较小的质粒具有相对较高的转化效率；而ＣＴ－ＤＮＡ以及热击处理未     

Lithium extraction from salt lake brines with high magnesium/lithium ratio: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The demand for lithium is growing rapidly with the increase in electric vehicles, batteries and electronic equipments. Lithium can be extracted from brines, yet...