Use of sensitive methods for detection of DNA damage on human lymphocytes exposed to p,p′-DDT: Comet assay and new criteria for scoring micronucleus test

Wide distribution, stability and long persistence in the environment of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), probably the best-known and most useful insecticide in the world, imposes the need for further examination of the effect of this chemical on human health and especially on the human genome. In this study, peripheral blood human lymphocytes from a healthy donor were exposed to 0.025 mg/L concentration of p,p′-DDT at different time periods (1, 2, 24 and 48 h). For the assessment of genotoxic effect, the new criteria for scoring micronucleus test and alkaline comet assay were used. Both methods showed that p,p′-DDT induces DNA damage in low concentration used in this research. Results of micronucleus test showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) genotoxic effect of p,p′-DDT on human lymphocytes compared with corresponding control and a different exposure time. A comet assay also showed increased DNA damage caused in p,p′-DDT-exposed human lymphocytes than in corresponding control cells for the tail length. Results obtained by measuring the level of DNA migration and incidence of micronuclei (MN), nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) and nuclear buds (NBUDs) indicate the sensitivity of these tests and their application in detection of primary genome damage after long-term exposure to establish the effect of p,p′-DDT on human genome.     

生态文明建设与再生资源产业

党的十八大将生态文明建设提升到五位一体总体布局的战略高度,要求把生态文明建设放在突出地位,融入经济建设、政治建设、文化建设、社会建设各方面和全过程。从人类文明转型的高度,分析了推进生态文明建设的历史必然性,探寻了再生资源产业与生态文明建设间的内在联系,剖析了再生资源产业的典型特征,并对生态文明建设与再生资源产业的未来发展进行了展望.     

Coupling Socioeconomic and Lake Systems for Sustainability: A Conceptual Analysis Using Lake St. Clair Region as a Case Study

Applying sustainability at an operational level requires understanding the linkages between socioeconomic and natural systems. We identified linkages in a case study of the Lake St. Clair (LSC) region, part of the Laurentian Great Lakes system. Our research phases included: (1) investigating and revising existing coupled human and natural systems frameworks to develop a framework for this case study; (2) testing and refining the framework by hosting a 1-day stakeholder workshop and (3) creating a causal loop diagram (CLD) to illustrate the relationships among the systems’ key components. With stakeholder assistance, we identified four interrelated pathways that include water use and discharge, land use, tourism and shipping that impact the ecological condition of LSC. The interrelationships between the pathways of water use and tourism are further illustrated by a CLD with several feedback loops. We suggest that this holistic approach can be applied to other case studies and inspire the development of dynamic models capable of informing decision making for sustainability.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-013-0432-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Silica nanoparticles and silver-doped silica nanoparticles induce endoplasmatic reticulum stress response and alter cytochrome P4501A activity

Engineered silica nanoparticles (SiO₂-NPs) find widespread application and may lead to exposure of humans and the environment. Here we compare the effects of SiO₂-NPs and SiO₂-NPs doped with silver (SiO₂-Ag-NPs) on survival and cellular function of human liver cells (Huh7) and Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) fibroblast cells (FMH). In Huh7 cells we investigate effects on the endoplasmatic reticulum (ER), including ER stress, and interactions of nanoparticles (NPs) with metabolizing enzymes and efflux transporters. The NPs formed agglomerates/aggregates in cell culture media as revealed by SEM and TEM. SiO₂ and SiO₂-1% Ag-NPs were taken up into cells as demonstrated by agglomerates occurring in vesicular-like structures or freely dispersed in the cytosol. Cytotoxicity was more pronounced in Huh7 than in FMH cells, and increased with silver content in silver-doped NPs. Dissolved silver was the most significant factor for cytotoxicity. At toxic and non-cytotoxic concentrations SiO₂-NPs and SiO₂-1% Ag-NPs induced perturbations in the function of ER. In Huh7 cells NPs induced the unfolded protein response (UPR), or ER stress response, as demonstrated in induced expression of BiP and splicing of XBP1 mRNA, two selective markers of ER stress. Additionally, SiO₂-1% Ag-NPs and AgNO₃ induced reactive oxygen species. Pre-treatment of Huh7 cells with SiO₂-1% Ag-NPs followed by exposure to the inducer benzo(a)pyrene caused a significant reduced induction of CYP1A activity. NPs did not alter the activity of ABC transporters. These data demonstrate for the first time that SiO₂-NPs and SiO₂-1% Ag-NPs result in perturbations of the ER leading to the ER stress response. This represents a novel and significant cellular signalling pathway contributing to the cytotoxicity of NPs.     

Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate and mono(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate in media for in vitro fertilization

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of the most important treatments of infertility to provide a chance of conceiving. In IVF treatment, sperm are washed and motile sperm are isolated with sperm washing media (SWM) for the purpose of fertilization; fertilized ova are then incubated for a maximum of 5 or 6 d in media for IVF (IVFM). The exposure of fertilized ova to chemicals via such media has not been studied. We determined the concentrations of two contaminants; di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) and its hydrolyzed product mono(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (MEHP) in IVFM, SWM, and protein sources (PS: human serum albumin or serum substitute) for IVFM and SWM. The DEHP and MEHP in these media were extracted by a liquid-liquid extraction method and their concentrations determined by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Fifteen IVFM, nine SWM, and six PS obtained in Japan were examined. The concentrations of DEHP and MEHP in IVFM and SWM were <10-114 and <2.0-263 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. The concentrations of both DEHP and MEHP were higher in the media containing PS than in those without PS. Either MEHP alone or both DEHP and MEHP were detected in PS. The concentrations of DEHP and MEHP in PS were <10-982 and 47.0-1840 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. The DEHP and MEHP detected in these media were derived from PS. This is the first study on the chemical contamination of IVFM, SWM, and PS.     

湿法烟气脱硫反应过程的实验研究

在石灰石/石膏湿法烟气脱硫中试台上,系统开展了浆液pH值、飞灰浓度、液气比、入口SO2浓度、烟气速度和氧化方式等对脱硫反应过程影响的实验研究。实验表明,脱硫效率随着石膏浆液pH值、液气比的升高而增加,且入口SO2浓度越高,液气比越低,影响效应越明显;脱硫效率随着烟气速度、烟气温度和入口SO2浓度的增加而下降;石膏浆液中飞灰含量对系统脱硫效率具有一定的促进作用:pH值>5.6,飞灰浸出液中Fe3+含量相对较低,Fe3+对脱硫反应过渡态催化氧化影响程度较轻,不同工况脱硫效率差别不大。pH值<5.6,飞灰浸出液中Fe3+含量随pH值降低而增大,增效效果逐渐显著;氧化方式对脱硫反应过程有明显的影响,强制氧化工艺的脱硫效率比自然氧化的高5%左右。     

基于产业化发展的农业人才“回流”问题研究

农业产业化发展需要人才支持,但长期城乡二元经济体制、偏向城市的工业优先发展战略等,造成农业农村人才大量流失,出现人才"空心化"、产业化人才匮乏等问题。随着农业生产链条的不断延伸及分工与合作的逐步深化,满足产业化需求的人才结构也逐步细化,许多关键领域的人才缺口较大,如:推动产业化扩张和规模化发展的规划管理人才,提升产业科技水平和产业链延伸交融程度的农业技术人才,促进产业链顺利延伸和产业集群发展的综合服务人才等。当农业农村现有人才存量无法满足产业化发展需求时,在地方政府指导下,合理引导掌握一技之长的农民工、农村籍大学生以及非农籍社会人才回流农业,是确保农业产业化持续、快速、健康发展的重要措施。相应的,实现人才顺利回流农业,需通过日益延伸的农业产业链内部市场的利益联结机制,鼓励并引导产业化紧缺人才组成专业型或互补型人力资本团队并积极参与产业化过程。     

中国人力资本、人力资本结构与产业结构升级

人力资本及其结构作为推动产业结构转型和升级的重要因素,长期以来没能得到学术界的重视.中国改革开放以来人力资本及其结构水平迅速提升,但各地区间的人力资本及结构水平差异颇大,这可能也是导致中国各地区间经济增长和产业结构水平存在很大差异的原因.中国独特的社会经济环境,为本文直接研究人力资本在产业结构升级中的作用提供了极为理想的样本.文章在增长回归框架下,以中国各省份1978-2008年动态面板数据为基础,从国家和区域层面考察了人力资本及其结构对产业结构升级的影响.结果发现:人力资本对我国及东部地区的产业结构升级有显著促进作用;人力资本分布结构不利于产业结构升级且效应显著;人力资本内部结构与产业结构的显著性相关得到东部地区数据的支持,而在我国及中西部地区的效应不够明显,这主要是由我国投入导向的增长模式和劳动力质量水平不高所决定的.结论表明,人力资本水平提升及结构优化将会加速我国产业结构转型与升级,形成未来我国持续、稳定发展的强大动力.     

人的全面发展评价模型及实证分析

根据科学发展观的内涵,通过社会发展环境、生活质量及人口素质等六个评价准则构建了人的全面发展评价指标体系。在客观赋权法和主观赋权法赋权的基础上,通过相对熵优化理论对四种权重进行组合赋权的方式确定最优权重,建立了人的全面发展综合评价模型,并对中国典型的10个副省级城市进行实证分析。     

原煤及富碳沉积物对疏水性有机污染物吸附解吸研究进展

疏水性有机污染物（HOCs）是环境中具有较大的辛醇/水分配系数(〖WTBX〗Kow〖WTBZ〗)的一类持久性有机污染物（POPs）,吸附解吸过程是环境中HOCs迁移转化的重要途径之一。煤是近年来发现的在土壤及沉积物中非线性吸附特征的重要吸附剂之一,通过阐述原煤及富碳沉积物对HOCs吸附解吸机理,并重点分析影响原煤及富碳沉积物对HOCs吸附解吸过程的因素,包括吸附剂和吸附质本身,pH值、盐度和离子强度等环境因子,试途探究煤对HOCs吸附解吸的本质。由于煤的有机质含量、有机碳组成和空间结构等物理化学性质都明显不同于天然土壤和沉积物,因而对HOCs的吸附解吸过程也具有特殊性（如吸附过程一般为非线性,解吸过程的滞后性）。有关煤对HOCs的吸附解吸机理在微观分子角度的探讨、煤与吸附解吸过程中其他影响因子对反应体系的影响、煤对HOCs降解的环境风险评价等的研究还较少,今后需加强对这些方面的研究