Biosensors for pathogen surveillance

Biologists, chemists, and physicists are collaborating to develop highly sensitive and specific biosensors for pathogen detection in the food, healthcare, and environmental sectors. Those novel biosensors allow quick detection and are thus expected to solve the issues of the emergence of highly virulent or antibiotic-resistant pathogens. This article reviews different types of biosensors used for pathogen detection, classified based on the type of transducer used. Optical biosensors integrate labeled means, e.g., fluorophores, quantum dots, and carbon dots to overcome photobleaching. Surface plasmon resonance is also used for enhanced sensitivity. Mechanical biosensors with piezoelectric crystals and cantilevers are adapted for the detection of food pathogens without sample preparation or labels. Conventional methods using electrodes for the measurement of electrochemical changes with differential pulse voltammetry or impedance spectroscopy are fast and highly sensitive. Immunosensors are developed for pathogen detection at trace levels using sample enrichment, signal amplification, and new visual detection techniques.     

Preparation of montmorillonite grafted polyacrylic acid composite and study on its adsorption properties of lanthanum ions from aqueous solution

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Montmorillonite grafted polyacrylic acid composite (GNM) was prepared by using ultraviolet radiation grafting method in this work. The synthesized...     

典型电子废物处置场地表层土壤中的德克隆阻燃剂研究

以我国广东省汕头市贵屿镇典型电子废物处置场地为研究区域,对其表层土中的德克隆(DP)阻燃剂的污染水平及分布模式进行了研究.结果表明,DP在全部23个表层土样品中均被检出,浓度范围为0.308~209ng/g,东南部地区的污染水平显著高于西北部地区,各区域的污染水平也存在一定差异.DP浓度最高点(209ng/g)和次高点(46.2ng/g)均位于主要从事电子废物手工拆解及物理破碎的片区.表层土样品中anti-DP质量分数(fanti)的变化范围为0.444~0.754 (平均值:0.652±0.064),同DP工业品中的fanti值(0.65)不存在显著性差异,表明在表层土中不存在明显的异构体选择性降解.不同的电子废物处置方式对各片区表层土中DP的分布模式影响不明显.     

Performance and validation of a coupled parallel ADCIRC–SWAN model for THANE cyclone in the Bay of Bengal

An accurate prediction of near-shore sea-state is imperative during extreme events such as cyclones required in an operational centre. The mutual interaction between physical processes such as tides, waves and currents determine the physical environment for any coastal region, and hence the need of a parallelized coupled wave and hydrodynamic model. The present study is an application of various state-of-art models such as WRF, WAM, SWAN and ADCIRC used to couple and simulate a severe cyclonic storm Thane that developed in the Bay of Bengal during December 2011. The coupled model (ADCIRC–SWAN) was run in a parallel mode on a flexible unstructured mesh. Thane had its landfall on 30 December, 2011 between Cuddalore and Pondicherry where in-situ observations were available to validate model performance. Comprehensive experiment on the impact of meteorological forcing parameters with two forecasted tracks derived from WRF model, and JTWC best track on the overall performance of coupled model was assessed. Further an extensive validation experiment was performed for significant wave heights and surface currents during Thane event. The significant wave heights measured along satellite tracks by three satellites viz; ENVISAT, JASON-1 and JASON-2, as well in-situ near-shore buoy observation off Pondicherry was used for comparison with model results. In addition, qualitative validation was performed for model computed currents with HF Radar Observation off Cuddalore during Thane event. The importance of WRF atmospheric model during cyclones and its robustness in the coupled model performance is highlighted. This study signifies the importance of coupled parallel ADCIRC–SWAN model for operational needs during extreme events in the North Indian Ocean.     

Effects of riparian land use on water quality and fish communities in the headwater stream of the Taizi River in China

Riparian land use remains one of the most significant impacts on stream ecosystems. This study focuses on the relationship between stream ecosystems and riparian land use in headwater regions. Four riparian land types including forest, grassland, farmland, and residential land were examined to reveal the correlation between stream water and fish communities in headwater streams of the Taizi River in north-eastern China. Four land types along riparian of 3 km in length were evaluated at 25, 50, 100, 200 and 500 m widths, respectively. Generally, the results found a significant relationship between riparian land uses and stream water quality. Grassland was positively correlated with water quality parameters (conductivity and total dissolved solids) at scales from 100 to 500 m riparian width. Farmland and residential land was negatively correlated with water quality parameters at scales from 25 to 500 m and from 50 to 200 m riparian widths, respectively. Although the riparian forest is important for maintaining habitat diversity and fish communities, the results found that only fish communities were significantly correlated with the proportion of riparian farmland. Farmland had a positive correlation with individual fish abundance within a riparian corridor of 25 to 50 m, but a negative correlation with fish diversity metrics from 25 to 100 m. This study indicates that effective riparian management can improve water quality and fish communities in headwater streams.     

改良多介质土壤层系统对污染河水的脱氮效果

针对多介质土壤层系统（MSL）反硝化不足导致总氮去除效果不明显的问题,采用非水溶性可生物降解多聚物PBS固相碳源,优化MSL系统空间结构（下部空间结构由砖砌改为层铺）,研究改良MSL系统对污染河水的脱氮效果。结果表明,与木屑作碳源的MSL系统相比,PBS颗粒碳源反硝化效果更好,对TN的去除率达64．3％,提高20．6百分点;优化MSL系统下部空间后,TN去除率由43．7％提高至71．7％,且运行期间系统未出现堵塞情况。添加PBS颗粒碳源和优化系统空间结构,对COD、NH3-N和TP去除效果影响不大。     

Airborne rice pollen and pollen allergen in an agricultural field: aerobiological and immunochemical evidence

Grass pollens are well known among the health hazardous bioaerosols causing respiratory allergy. Being an important member of the grass family, the rice plants contribute a huge pollen load in agricultural fields during flowering. This results in a seasonal trigger of hay fever and respiratory allergy in the field workers and people living in the vicinity. Studies on the monitoring of airborne rice pollen and the intensity of the released allergen in agricultural fields are largely lacking. The aims of the present study were: (1) daily and hourly monitoring of airborne rice pollen in an agricultural field during the flowering period of plants in a winter crop season by using the Burkard 7-Day Volumetric Sampler and (2) the measurement of hourly airborne allergen intensity in the field in a peak rice pollen period by the double-antibody and chemiluminescence techniques to find out its relationship with the airborne rice pollen concentration. The monthly average concentration of rice pollen was 95 pollen m(-3) and the range of daily average pollen concentration was 0 to 386 pollen m(-3). A bimodal diurnal periodicity showed that the airborne rice pollen concentrations remained high at two different times of the day: between 08:00 h to 12:00 h and 14:00 h to 16:00 h. Deposition of airborne rice pollen allergen showed darker intensities on the immunostained tapes from the Burkard Sampler at the same two positions corresponding to higher pollen counts. These observations provided direct evidence of the allergenicity of airborne rice pollen in field conditions.     

Volumetric assessment of airborne fungi in two sections of a rural indoor dairy cattle shed

There is increasing concern about the exposure to fungal aerosols in occupational environments and associated respiratory allergic diseases and asthma. A large number of people work in cattle sheds around the world, pulmonary function impairments and higher frequency of respiratory symptoms have been reported in dairy farmers; however, it appears that adequate information on the fungal aerosols from the cattle sheds are largely lacking. Volumetric assessment of airborne culturable and nonculturable fungal spores was performed in two sections of a large rural indoor cattle shed of West Bengal, India for 2 consecutive years. An Andersen Two Stage Viable Sampler was used for sampling culturable fungi and a Burkard Personal Slide Sampler was used to collect the total airborne fungal spores including both the culturable and nonculturable types. A total of 31 spore types and 35 types of viable colony-forming units were recorded. Average concentration range of total fungal spores was 233-2985/m(3) and concentration of viable colony-forming units ranged between 165 and 2225 CFU/m(3). Burkard Sampler showed higher frequencies of Aspergilli/Penicilli, Cladosporium, Alternaria, and smut spores. Andersen Sampler showed the prevalence of Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Cladosporium cladosporioides colonies. Some recorded fungi were earlier reported as allergenic, toxic, and pathogenic for occupational workers as well as cattle population. Higher concentration levels of airborne total and culturable fungal spores were recorded during the months of November through February (winter) and June through September (late summer and rainy season).     

Debris removal by head-pushing in A. florea Fabr. honeybees

 The nest of the dwarf honeybee A. florea Fabr. consists of a single comb attached to a tree branch. Recruitment dances take place on the upper surface of the comb that must therefore be kept clear of debris. We report here, for the first time, a behaviour that serves for removing leaves and other foreign objects from the surface of the comb. Individual workers crawl under the object and lift it with their heads, pushing it towards the rim where it eventually slides off the comb. Objects that are heavier or fixed at one end such as leaves are nevertheless lifted and kept away from the surface for up to several minutes. This "head-pushing" is frequently performed without the aid of mandibles, and individuals performing it maintain a distinctive posture, holding the forelegs at an angle without touching the object. Repeated involvement of particular individuals indicate that head-pushers might form a distinct task group. Received: 24 November 1999 / Accepted in revised form: 10 March 2000