Status,source identification,and health risks of potentially toxic element concentrations in road dust in a medium-sized city in a developing country

This study aims to determine the status of potentially toxic element concentrations of road dust in a medium-sized city (Rawang, Malaysia). This study adopts source identification via enrichment factor, Pearson correlation analysis, and Fourier spectral analysis to identify sources of potentially toxic element concentrations in road dust in Rawang City, Malaysia. Health risk assessment was conducted to determine potential health risks (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks) among adults and children via multiple pathways (i.e., ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation). Mean of potentially toxic element concentrations were found in the order of Pb > Zn > Cr(IV) > Cu > Ni > Cd > As > Co. Source identification revealed that Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Ni, and Cr(IV) are associated with anthropogenic sources in industrial and highly populated areas in northern and southern Rawang, cement factories in southern Rawang, as well as the rapid development and population growth in northwestern Rawang, which have resulted in high traffic congestion. Cobalt, Fe, and As are related to geological background and lithologies in Rawang. Pathway orders for both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks are ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation, involving adults and children. Non-carcinogenic health risks in adults were attributed to Cr(IV), Pb, and Cd, whereas Cu, Cd, Cr(IV), Pb, and Zn were found to have non-carcinogenic health risks for children. Cd, Cr(IV), Pb, and As may induce carcinogenic risks in adults and children, and the total lifetime cancer risk values exceeded incremental lifetime.     

Changes in CO2 flux for different recovery processes of desertification in the alpine meadows of Northwest Sichuan北大核心CSCD

Desertification has emerged as a serious threat to the alpine meadows of Northwest Sichuan in recent decades. Artificial vegetation had certain effects on desertification recovery, while how the CO2 flux changed and its reasons are still unclear. During the growing season in 2016 (i.e., from July to September), we selected the desertified alpine meadows with different recovery degrees, including the early stage of restoration, the middle stage of restoration, the late stage of restoration, and control (the unrecovered desertification meadow) as four transects. CO2 flux was measured by the instrument LI-8100, and the microenvironment factors that affected CO2 flux changes were analyzed. The results showed that the carbon sequestration function of desertified alpine meadows gradually increased with the degree of recovery. Net ecosystem exchange (NEE) were -1.61, -3.55, and -4.38 μmol m-2 s-1 in the early, mid-term, and late transects, respectively, and the most dramatic changes occurred from the early stage to mid-term stage, increasing by 120.50%. Both ecosystem respiration (ER) and soil respiration (SR) were enhanced significantly with restoration (P < 0.05). In mid or late July, NEE, ER, and SR reached their maximum values, and thereafter, the indicators varied to near zero (P < 0.05). During the whole growing season, the daily dynamic in CO2 flux for the control alpine meadow was mild and retained the trend of continuous release all day, but that in the desertified alpine meadow was a single peak pattern. Moreover, with restoration process, the peak of CO2 flux increased and reached a peak in the late stage of the recovery process. The regression analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between CO2 flux and vegetation coverage, aboveground biomass, and soil moisture (0-5 cm) (P < 0.01), and a weak correlation with 0-5-cm soil temperature (P < 0.01). This indicates that topsoil moisture (5 cm) is a more significant factor for CO2 flux than topsoil temperature during the growing season in the restoration of desertified alpine meadows in Northwest Sichuan. In general, the vegetation recovery significantly improved the carbon-sequestration ability of the desertified alpine meadows during the growing season in Northwest Sichuan, and at the middle stage of restoration, the carbon-sequestration ability improved significantly due to vegetation restoration and increase in topsoil (0-5 cm) moisture. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Research progress in microbial cytochrome P450 and xenobiotic metabolism北大核心CSCD

Cytochrome P450 (CYP450s) is a type of heme-mercaptide protein superfamily, which is distributed widely in animals, plants, and microorganisms. CYP450s can oxidize and degrade many exogenous compounds such as drugs, herbicides, pesticides, some persistent organic pollutants, and so on. Based on recent researches, this paper reviews the nomenclature, classification, structure, and catalytic mechanism of P450 enzymes, and summarizes the research progresses in the metabolism and biodegradation of xenobiotics using P450 enzymes from microorganisms. The nomenclature and classification of the P450 gene superfamily mainly rely on the similarities of amino acid sequences. Although the structures of P450 are conserved, their recognition sites towards to the substrates are variable. This is also the structural basis for the catalytic diversities of P450 enzymes. Few P450 enzymes from bacteria and fungi can metabolize and degrade xenobiotics such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, herbicides, and so on. However, these P450 enzymes are less likely be used in practical applications because of their low catalytic activities. In the future, more P450 enzymes with high degradable efficiencies towards xenobiotics are needed to be obtained using multiple omics tools or modifying the existing P450 enzymes, to achieve the bioremediation of the environment. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Community structure and biotic integrity of aquatic plants along the North Canal in Beijing北大核心CSCD

Aquatic plants along the North Canal in Beijing were studied to identify the community structure of aquatic plants and vegetation index of biotic integrity (VIBI), and to provide scientific basis for the management and protection of urban rivers. Aquatic plants from 49 sampling sites along the North Canal were investigated during June 2015. Based on the field data, distributing range analysis, discriminatory power analysis, and correlation analysis were used stepwise to select core metrics from candidate metrics to establish the VIBI assessment system. The VIBI value of each sampling site was calculated as the average of the scaled values of all core metrics. Thirty-six aquatic plant species, including 14 hygrophytes, 13 emergent species, 6 submergent species, 2 floating-leaved species, and 1 floating species were collected. Species diversity was low in the North Canal, and no aquatic plants were recorded in 28 sampling sites, of which 9 sampling sites were dried up. Five sites were in excellent condition (VIBI > 0.60), 5 were good (0.60 > VIBI > 0.38), 7 were fair (0.38 > VIBI > 0.23), and 4 were poor (VIBI < 0.23). Based on the distribution of VIBI, Shahe River and Wenyu River upstream, and Fenghe River located in suburbs had a higher VIBI. Downstream tributaries, such as Qinghe River, Bahe River, and Liangshui River, had a lower VIBI. Correlation analysis showed that habitat quality, habitat complexity, and vegetation diversity along riparian zones were the important factors affecting VIBI along the North Canal, Beijing. Aquatic plants along the North Canal showed low species diversity owing to human disturbance. VIBI along tributaries with limited disturbance from human activities was higher; however, VIBI along tributaries disturbed by frequent human activities was lower. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

The interaction of heat shock proteins and some components of plant viruses北大核心CSCD

Considerable research has indicated that heat shock proteins (Hsp), as molecular chaperones, carry out many biological activities of plant viruses by folding, transporting, translocating, assembling, or degrading client proteins. It is fundamental to develop resistant plant varieties and novel anti-viral agents by determining the interaction mechanisms between plant viruses and hosts. In this study, we first reviewed the classification, gene and protein structure, and biological significances. We then analyzed the assembling mechanism of Hsp70 or Hsp90, plant host cofactors, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerases in a viral replicase complex, and the mechanism of interaction and subcellular localization between Hsp70 and some plant virus components. We highlighted the mechanism of interaction and movement between Hsp70 and some plant virus components and the effect of Hsp expression of plant hosts or viruses. The results indicated where the mechanism occurred, the participating factors, energy supply, and material conversion between Hsps and the plant virus components for the course of the intracellular movement, local movement between cells, and long-distance movement, and showed the Hsp type specificity and the law of dynamic Hsp expression in plant hosts infected by viruses. The studies mainly focused on the two Hsp factors and the plant viral components, indicating limited coordination mechanisms among many nucleic acids, proteins, and polysaccharides in macromolecular protein complexes (MRC). Future research should analyze the translocation mechanism between client proteins and Hsps, the coordination mechanism between Hsps and MRC components, and the relation between MRC and the plant tissue structure. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Cd~(2+)暴露对斑马鱼肝脏和卵巢抗氧化和免疫系统的影响及蓝LED光预暴露的保护作用

本研究探讨了急性镉暴露(Cd~(2+))对斑马鱼抗氧化和免疫系统的影响及蓝LED光源(LDB)预暴露的缓解作用。斑马鱼均分为2组,分别用白炽灯和LDB处理4周(辐照度为0.9 W·m-2)。4周后每组再分为2个小组,分别在白炽灯下用0和0.97 mg·L~(-1)Cd~(2+)的水体处理4 d。结果表明:Cd~(2+)暴露导致肝脏和卵巢丙二醛(MDA)和一氧化氮(NO)含量的显著升高。在肝脏中,Cd~(2+)暴露下调了铜锌超氧化物歧化酶(Cu/Zn-SOD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)的酶活和m RNA表达水平,上调了环氧化酶2(COX-2)和诱导型一氧化氮合酶(i NOS)的表达和酶活。在卵巢中,Cd~(2+)导致Cu/Zn-SOD和CAT的表达,CAT、COX-2和i NOS的酶活显著升高。在卵巢中,LDB预暴露可显著缓解Cd~(2+)引起的MDA和NO含量、Cu/Zn-SOD的表达、CAT的表达和酶活、COX-2和i NOS的酶活的升高。在肝脏中,LDB预暴露不能影响Cd~(2+)引起的MDA和NO含量的升高,但是显著缓解了Cd~(2+)引起的Cu/Zn-SOD和CAT表达和酶活的下降和COX-2和i NOS表达的升高。在这些过程中,核转录相关因子2(Nrf2)和核转录因子-κB(NF-κB)与其目标基因的表达及其抑制因子Kelch样ECH联合蛋白1(Keap1a和Keap1b)和抑制蛋白激酶(IκBαa和IκBαb)显示了紧密的关联性。综上结果表明,斑马鱼急性Cd~(2+)暴露后,机体处于氧化应激状态,导致肝脏和卵巢氧化性损伤和炎症的产生,而LDB预暴露能够改善机体这种不利状态。这个过程可能分别涉及Nrf2和NF-κB诱导的抗氧化和免疫系统。     

低剂量丙烯酰胺多世代持续暴露对秀丽隐杆线虫的损伤作用

论文研究了丙烯酰胺(acrylamide,AA)低剂量多代持续暴露对模式生物秀丽隐杆线虫(Caenorhabditis elegans,C.elegans)的发育、生殖、寿命和捕食行为能力的影响。将线虫暴露于不同剂量水平的AA中,检测对当代线虫的发育周期、后代数量、寿命和捕食行为的影响,结果显示,1.0 mmol·L~(-1)AA水平可诱发当代线虫发育周期延长和后代数量减少(P 0.05),0.05mmol·L~(-1)和0.001 mmol·L~(-1)水平可分别诱发捕食行为能力下降和寿命缩短(P0.05)。进一步选取对当代线虫不产生明显损伤效应的AA剂量,将线虫进行多代持续暴露处理,结果显示,0.01 mmol·L~(-1)AA分别可在第2代g1和第3代g2诱发发育周期延长和后代数量减少(P0.05),0.005 mmol·L~(-1)AA可在第2代g1引起摄食行为能力下降,0.0001 mmol·L~(-1)(约7μg·L~(-1),低于推测人的平均AA暴露水平)的AA在第2代g1即可诱发寿命缩短(P0.05)。以上结果表明AA生物学毒性可以在后代间积累,极低剂量AA多代持续暴露仍可诱发生物学损伤。     

间距对上保护层开采保护效果影响的相似模拟实验研究

为研究上保护层开采保护效果随层间距的变化规律,以南桐矿区作为实验背景,保持保护层倾向工作面开挖长度、煤层埋深、倾角、岩层物理力学性质相同,将层间多层岩层处理为复合岩层,分别进行近距离、远距离和超远距离上保护层开采相似模拟实验。综合分析被保护层卸压规律及基于被保护层垂直于层面的膨胀变形保护准则所得保护范围可知:上保护层开采被保护层卸压曲线呈“凸形”,且“凸形”中心线偏向下山方向。随层间距增加,“凸形”底部被保护层小于原岩应力的卸压范围与“凸形”顶部卸压曲线顶部较大卸压的范围均呈减小趋势;两者中心位置均向下山方向转移,且后者转移度大于前者;被保护层卸压曲线中卸压范围的卸压程度及应力集中范围的应力集中程度均呈减弱趋势;以垂直层面的膨胀变形量3‰确定的上下边界膨胀变形保护角均小于《防治煤与瓦斯突出规定》中相应条件的卸压角,因此以该方法确定的保护范围相对《防治煤与瓦斯突出规定》偏于安全,且随层间距增加保护范围长度呈加速减小趋势。     

由一起厂内机动车事故引发的思考

本文对一起叉车安全事故的直接原因进行分析,并分别讨论了叉车本身缺陷导致事故发生的可能性、驾驶人员自身的不规范操作,以及使用单位在制度建设及实施方面存在的缺陷.