A Rainfall Simulator for Laboratory Use in Acidic Precipitation Studies

A rainfall simulator, developed on the principle of droplet formation from needle tips, is described. The simulator is designed for laboratory experimentation to examine the effects of acidic precipitation on terrestrial plants. Droplet diameter can be varied from 2.5 to 3.4 mm with different gauge needles, and rainfall intensities from 0.50 to 1.25 cm h^-1 can be attained by a variable speed peristaltic pump. Uniform distribution of rainfall was achieved by rotating the target area and by spacing needles, using an empirical cumulative probability distribution function, along eight radial tubular arms. Variation in rainfall distribution across a 1.2 m diameter circular target area was < 5 % . Integrity of solution chemistry was maintained upon passage through the simulator with variations in cation concentrations <10%, anion concentrations <5 % and pH <0.2. The system offers sufficient flexibility to simulate a range of rainfall characteristics by varying needle diameter, changing pump speed and/or altering the number of radial arms on each unit.     

Enhanced degradation of chlorinated ethylenes in groundwater from a paint contaminated site by two-stage fluidized-bed reactor

Groundwater, used in this study, contaminated predominantly with aromatic compounds, was biologically treated in a fluidized-bed reactor (FBR) with immobilized cells. The aromatics were completely decomposed, while cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-DCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) were decomposed only approximately 20% and 5%, respectively. In these studies a significant improvement of the decomposition efficiency for chlorinated ethylenes was achieved by utilizing cometabolism. Methanol (MeOH) and toluene were used as the substrate in the case of one-stage reactor (Single Reactor). MeOH (187 mg l(-1)) increased the decomposition efficiency up to 40% and 60% for cis-DCE and TCE, respectively, while toluene (20 mg l(-1)) increased the decomposition efficiency of cis-DCE to 92% and the decomposition efficiency of TCE to 76%. In the case of two-stage reactor system (Reactor 1 and Reactor 2), MeOH and methane (CH4) were used as the substrate. In this system, cells grown on MeOH or CH4 in the Reactor 1 were continuously fed into Reactor 2 and groundwater was fed into Reactor 2 only. When MeOH (384 mg l(-1) d(-1)) was used as substrate the decomposition efficiency of cis-DCE and TCE were 60% and 70%, respectively. Similar decomposition efficiency was observed for a small amount of CH4 (19.3 mg l(-1) d(-1)).     

Metallothionein induction, antioxidative responses, glycogen and growth changes in Tubifex tubifex (Oligochaete) exposed to the fungicide, fenhexamid

Laboratory studies were conducted to determine the effects of different concentrations of fenhexamid (0.1, 1, and 10 mg L(-1)) on growth, oxidative stress, protein, glycogen, and metallothionein (MT) contents in Tubifex tubifex after an exposure of 2, 4, and 7 days. In addition, residues of the fungicide were followed in water and in the worms. In water, fenhexamid concentration decreased slowly (maximum -2 +/- 0.03% after 2 days for 1 mg L(-1)). In the worms, it increased after 4 days and decreased thereafter, confirming that the worms were exposed to the fungicide and not to a degradation product. LC50 values were between 95.22 +/- 5.36 and 32.11 +/- 1.8 mg L(-1) depending on exposure time. Exposure to fenhexamid had a negative effect on T. tubifex growth (maximum effect -12.2 +/- 0.8% after 7 days with 10 mg L(-1)) demonstrating the toxic effect of the pesticide. This growth rate decrease was accompanied by a reduction in protein and glycogen contents. The activity of catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GR) increased in response to the fungicide demonstrating an oxidative stress in the worms. In contrast glutathion-S-transferase activity (GST) decreased. Exposure to fenhexamid also induced synthesis of MT (maximum +78 +/- 8% after 2 days for 10 mg L(-1)). The specificity of MT concentration increase in response to metals is discussed.     

Identification and expression analysis of the HvENOD93 gene family in barley北大核心CSCD

早期结瘤素93(ENOD93)蛋白在植物根瘤形成初期扮演着重要的角色.基于大麦基因组信息鉴定大麦ENOD93基因家族成员,分析其理化特性、进化关系、基因结构、蛋白质结构和启动子顺式作用元件;并分析ENOD93家族在不同组织和不同基因型(籽粒大小)的表达情况.结果显示,大麦ENOD93基因家族有16个成员,均含有ENOD93基因家族特有的保守结构域;编码区长度在207-627 bp之间,外显子数量有1-4个,平均2.75个,且大部分位于细胞膜上;进化树结果表明与水稻、小麦和玉米等禾本科植物ENOD93基因的亲缘关系较近;启动子顺式元件主要有植物生长发育响应元件、胁迫响应元件以及激素响应元件;大部分HvENOD93基因在灌浆期籽粒和大粒材料中表达量较高.推测大麦HvENOD93基因在籽粒大小形成中起关键性作用;另外,结合其他物种相关基因研究结果,共筛选出3个同源基因.(图4表2参45)     

Screening and characterization of extremophiles in spacecraft assembly environment北大核心CSCD

Spacecrafts need to strictly control microorganisms before entering space flight. The Spacecraft Assembly, Integration, and Test Center (AITC) is an important environmental source for spacecrafts to carry microorganisms. The assembly clean room has characteristics of ventilation, dryness, and lack of nutrients that are not conducive to the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, except for extremophiles. In this study, based on the internal air and surface environment of the AITC in China, 13 strains of bacteria were identified by plate culture and 16S sequence analysis, and their extreme environmental tolerance, antibiotic resistance, and film-forming ability were tested. All these bacteria belonged to the Firmicutes and Proteobacteria phyla, and nine strains belonged to the Bacillus genus. All 13 strains of bacteria were salt-tolerant, acid-tolerant, and alkali-tolerant, and 69.2% of the bacteria survived heat shock at 80 ℃. Among these, one strain of Sphingomonas sp. JCM7513 isolated from the surface environment was insensitive to all the tested antibiotics and had strong drug resistance, while the other 12 strains were sensitive to most β-lactam antibiotics but had strong resistance to tetracyclic antibiotics and erythromycin. Most of the isolated bacteria exhibited strong biofilm-forming abilities. The study showed that there are a certain number of extremophiles in the spacecraft assembly environment. To protect spacecrafts from biological corrosion and planetary protection forward pollution, more effective monitoring and elimination methods are needed. © 2022 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Identification and expression of the COI1 gene family in Camellia sinensis and its expression in oolong tea processing北大核心CSCD

茉莉酸受体蛋白COI1(coronatine insensitive 1)是茉莉酸信号转导途径的重要组成部分,为鉴定分析茶树茉莉酸受体COI1基因家族,预测其潜在的分子功能,了解茉莉酸受体COI1基因在乌龙茶加工中应答胁迫的分子机制,利用生物信息学方法对茶树茉莉酸受体COI1进行家族成员鉴定,氨基酸序列、结构域、基因结构、进化分析以及启动子顺式元件分析,结合实时荧光定量分析CsCOI1基因在乌龙茶加工中的表达.结果显示,茶树茉莉酸受体CsCOI1家族有两个成员,均含有F-box和富亮氨酸重复序列(LRRs)两个结构域;单子叶、双子叶的COI1蛋白各聚一支,且与蜜柑进化关系较近;茶树COI1基因家族两个成员均含有3个内含子,启动子顺势元件主要有胁迫响应元件、激素响应元件以及光响应元件;转录组数据说明茶树CsCOI1基因具有较强的组织表达差异性.实时荧光定量分析表明,CsCOI1a基因在室内萎凋后表达显著上调,且15 min、30 min日光萎凋后CsCOI1b基因的表达水平显著上调,同时茉莉酸含量发生显著变化.本研究推测CsCOI1基因可能通过茉莉酸信号转导途径参与乌龙茶加工中萎凋的胁迫响应过程,该结果可为乌龙茶加工品质调控奠定基础.(图8表2参30)     

A study on hexachromic ion selective electrode based on supported liquid membranes

An ion selective electrode (ISE) for determining Cr(VI) using supported liquid membranes (SLMs) containing trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) was investigated in this study. TOPO, as a carrier, had a high selectivity for Cr(VI) against interfering ions such as sulfate, nitrate, nitrite, and chloride. The composition of the SLM was optimized as 0.193 g TOPO/1 mL NPOE (o-nitrophenyl octyl ether)/0.5 g poly (vinyl chloride) for detection of Cr(VI). The Cr(VI) concentration was measured in the range of1 × 10^-3 to 1 × 10^-6 M with the SLM prepared in the study. It seemed that Cr(VI) was transported in the SLM as a triply charged ion indicated by the slope of the emf response. Selectivity coefficients and detection limits of Cr(VI) in the presence of interfering ions were determined experimentally using the fixed interference method.     

Surface ozone trends in Hong Kong in 1985-1995

Ozone trends in Hong Kong were assessed from the ozone data recorded at three urban stations and one station in the new development area. Three parameters were selected as the robust trend indicators in the study: monthly mean, monthly averaged daily 1-h maximum, and number of annual hours > 120 microg m(-3). As the ozone data displayed obvious seasonal variation, using deseasonalized monthly average parameters to estimate the ozone trends could smooth out the influence of seasonal fluctuations. The detection of an increase of more than 10% per year in ozone concentration at one station was particularly alarming. Effects of meteorological factors, control programmes of ozone precursors, and long-range transport on the ambient ozone level were examined in the study.