Nitrification performance of high rate nitrifying trickling filters at low ammonia concentrations: does the aspect ratio matter?

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Nitrifying trickling filters (NTFs) are often introduced to pre-treat waters before chlorination process, to reduce the ammonia-driven chlorine...     

Diclofenac photodegradation with the Perovskites BaFeyTi1-yO3 as catalysts

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Perovskite oxides BaFeyTi1-yO3, with y = 0, 0.6, 0.8 and 1, were prepared by ceramic (CM) and complex polymerization methods (CPM) and utilized in...     

COVID-19: the impact of a global crisis on sustainable development teaching

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global crisis, one which also influences the ways sustainability is being taught at universities. This paper...     

Changes in maternal blood concentrations of selected essential and toxic elements during and after pregnancy

The objective of this study was to investigate changes in the levels of toxic and essential elements in maternal blood during pregnancy and subsequently. A subset of 211 pregnant women from the North Norwegian Mother-and-Child Study was included. Blood samples were collected during the 2(nd) trimester (P1) and postpartum (day 3, P2; and 6 weeks, P3) in different regions of northern Norway, and were analyzed for a suite of 10 selected elements. The latter feature three general but distinct concentration patterns across the three collection periods, namely: progressive increase [Group 1: As, Cd (non-smokers only), Mn, Pb and Zn]; V-shaped, with a minimum at P2 [Group 2: Cd (smokers), Hg, Mo and Se]; and downward V, with a maximum at P2 [Group 3: Co and Cu]. These trends are interpreted in the context of underlying metabolic, hematological and physiological changes that occur in mothers, as well the biochemistry and accumulation preferences of these elements within the whole blood compartment and breast milk. Implications for biomonitoring strategies are discussed. In a multivariable analysis of the P1 data, fish consumption was a robust positive predictor for Hg (p < 0.02), As (p < 0.01) and Se (p ≤ 0.001) blood concentrations, multivitamin intake for Se (p < 0.001), and parity for Co (p < 0.002); age reached significance only for Hg (p < 0.001). An inverse association was observed between parity and Hg (p < 0.05). For the other elements, predictor patterns were not evident.     

中国水资源利用效率评估及区域差异研究

水资源危机、水环境恶化已成为我国所面临的严峻挑战,对我国的水资源利用效率进行科学合理的评价,并且讨论造成区域差异的影响因素显得尤为迫切。在全要素生产框架下,将环境要素纳入到效率分析中,利用数据包络分析模型,采用省级层面统计数据,以资本、劳动力和水资源使用量为投入,以国内生产总值与废水排放量为产出,计算我国2000~2011年区域水资源利用效率。研究发现,在时间序列上,我国各省份之间的用水效率差距逐年增大;在空间上,我国的水资源利用效率存在明显的东、中、西部区域差异。进一步研究发现,产业结构、经济发展水平、水资源禀赋、水的基础设施投入对区域水资源利用效率均有显著影响,而水价并没有对水资源利用效率产生显著影响。     

Isolation of single circulating trophoblasts from maternal circulation for noninvasive fetal copy number variant profiling

Objective

To develop a multi-step workflow for the isolation of circulating extravillous trophoblasts (cEVTs) by describing the key steps enabling a semi-automated process, including a proprietary algorithm for fetal cell origin genetic confirmation and copy number variant (CNV) detection.

Methods

Determination of the limit of detection (LoD) for submicroscopic CNV was performed by serial experiments with genomic DNA and single cells from Coriell cell line biobank with known imbalances of different sizes. A pregnancy population of 372 women was prospectively enrolled and blindly analyzed to evaluate the current workflow.

Results

An LoD of 800 Kb was demonstrated with Coriell cell lines. This level of resolution was confirmed in the clinical cohort with the identification of a pathogenic CNV of 800 Kb, also detected by chromosomal microarray. The mean number of recovered cEVTs was 3.5 cells per sample with a significant reverse linear trend between gestational age and cEVT recovery rate and number of recovered cEVTs. In twin pregnanices, evaluation of zygosity, fetal sex and copy number profiling was performed in each individual cell.

Conclusion

Our semi-automated methodology for the isolation and single-cell analysis of cEVTS supports the feasibility of a cell-based noninvasive prenatal test for fetal genomic profiling.     

Impact of simulated acid rain on the growth of three species Brassica integrifolia,Brassica rapa,Brassica juncea in Hanoi,Vietnam

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Over the past decade, the extent and magnitude of acid rain in Vietnam and other Asian countries have become more apparent. In this study, the effect...     

Particulate matter–bound organic compounds: levels,mutagenicity, and health risks

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Increased industrialization and consumption of fossil fuels in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP), Brazil, have caused a growth of the...     

Bio-intervention phyto-based material for raw goatskin preservation: a cleaner-sustainable approach

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The regular practice of using sodium chloride to preserve raw animal skin triggers increasing salinity and total dissolved solids (TDS) in the surface...