Biochemical properties of beryllium potentially relevant to its carcinogenicity†

The carcinogenicity of beryllium to several animal species is well established and evidence exists which strongly suggests that this is the case in human exposure. In this review several biochemical properties of the metallocarcinogen are considered including, the causation of cell transformation, and infidelity of DNA synthesis, inhibition of cell division and enzyme induction, and interference with regulatory mechanisms controlling gene expression. These effects are discussed in relation to beryllium chemistry, cellular accumulation mechanisms and distribution to subcellular organdies and molecular targets. It is suggested that the ultimate location and interactions of the metal ion in cell nuclei and its selective inhibition of certain protein phosphorylation reactions in particular are the biochemical effects potentially most relevant to induction of beryllium carcinogenesis.     

Bioaccumulation and toxic effects of copper on growth and oxygen consumption by the postlarvae of Penaeus indicus

The aim of this study was to assess the toxic impact of copper on postlarvae (PL) of the penaeid shrimp Penaeus indicus. Tolerance, growth, oxygen consumption and metal accumulation were investigated in these PL on exposure to copper. Tolerance studies were conducted for 96 h to assess the tolerance limits of P. indicus PL exposed to different concentrations of copper using static renewal bioassay tests. Using the Probit method, the regression equation was calculated as Y=0.4899+2.3562 X, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9707. The 96 h LC₅₀ was 0.8204 ppm. The effect of sublethal (one-fifth of 96 h LC₅₀) copper on PL for short- and long-term exposures revealed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the rate of oxygen consumption, metabolic rate, mean length, wet and dry weight of the exposed PL over their respective controls which can be attributed to a gradual and time-dependent accumulation of the metal, as noticed in the exposed PL through accumulation studies. Overall, the data suggest that on chronic exposure even sublethal concentrations of copper can reduce the metabolic rate and growth in P. indicus PL. This is perhaps the first attempt to use the wild P. indicus PL as a bioindicator of copper toxicity.     

大气高CO2浓度对油菜氮素同化累积与植株生长的影响

为了指导高CO2浓度条件下甘蓝型油菜Brassica napus L.合理施氮、创建油菜高产高效以及进一步探明油菜氮代谢的调节机制提供理论依据,本研究采用微区试验,研究2个油菜品种（沪油15-33号和742-2）在2个CO2浓度水平（自然CO2摩尔分数400μmol·mol-1和高CO2摩尔分数（800±20）μmol·mol-1）和2个氮素水平（施氮与不施氮）条件下,氮素同化酶（NR和GS）活性和可溶性蛋白含量的变化,以及油菜地上部干物质量和氮素累积量的响应。试验结果表明,高CO2浓度会提高NR和GS活性;在氮素处理的影响方面,NR活性的变化与油菜的品种和生育时期不同有关：在高CO2浓度条件下,品种A在各时期的施氮处理的酶活性高于不施氮处理;品种B只在抽薹期的施氮处理低于不施氮处理,其他时期则升高;对于GS酶活性,在自然CO2浓度条件下施氮会提高GS酶活性,高CO2浓度条件下施氮则降低其活性（苗期除外）。CO2浓度升高会降低叶片中可溶性蛋白含量（盛花期除外）;在正常CO2浓度下,增施氮肥会提高叶片中可溶性蛋白含量,而在高CO2浓度下,增施氮肥会降低叶片中可溶性蛋白含量。CO2浓度升高和增施氮肥都会提高油菜地上部干物质量与氮素累积量,油菜干物质量与氮素累积量总体上与上述测定指标呈极显著相关。     

猪粪、木屑混合物蚯蚓堆制处理中蚓体Cu、Zn富集的影响因素

采用室内接种法,以赤子爱胜蚓（Eisenia fetida）构建生物反应器,研究猪粪、木屑混合物的蚯蚓堆制处理中,蚓体的生长状况及影响其Cu、Zn富集的主要因素。结果表明,接种密度为40 mg.g-1、湿度为75%同时有利于蚯蚓生长和基质消耗;温度为15℃对蚓体质量增加最有利,而温度为20℃最利于基质消耗;m（猪粪）∶m（木屑）为6∶4可同时利于蚓体质量增加和基质消耗。适宜的接种密度（48 mg.g-1）、湿度（70%）、温度（15℃）及较高比例的碳源辅料〔m（猪粪）∶m（木屑）为6∶4〕有利于蚓体对Cu的吸收和富集;低接种密度和高比例碳源辅料有利于蚓体对Zn的吸收,湿度和温度对蚓体Zn含量无显著影响,但蚓体Zn富集量分别在接种密度48 mg.g-1、m（猪粪）∶m（木屑）为6∶4、湿度75%和温度15℃条件下达最大。     

Assessing citizen contributions to butterfly monitoring in two large cities

Citizen science may be especially effective in urban landscapes due to the large pool of potential volunteers. However, there have been few evaluations of the contributions of citizen scientists to knowledge of biological communities in and around cities. To assess the effectiveness of citizen scientists' monitoring of species in urban areas, we compared butterfly data collected over 10 years in Chicago, Illinois (U.S.A.), and New York City, New York (U.S.A.). The dates, locations, and methods of data collection in Chicago were standardized, whereas data from New York were collected at any location at any time. For each city, we evaluated whether the number of observers, observation days (days on which observations were reported), and sampling locations were associated with the reported proportion of the estimated regional pool of butterfly species. We also compared the number of volunteers, duration of volunteer involvement, and consistency of sampling efforts at individual locations within each city over time. From 2001 to 2010, there were 73 volunteers in Chicago and 89 in New York. During this period, volunteers observed 86% and 89% of the estimated number of butterfly species present in Chicago and New York, respectively. Volunteers in New York reported a greater proportion of the estimated pool of butterfly species per year. In addition, more species were observed per volunteer and observation day in New York, largely due to the unrestricted sampling season in New York. Chicago volunteers were active for more years and monitored individual locations more consistently over time than volunteers in New York. Differences in monitoring protocol--especially length of sampling season and selection protocol for monitoring locations--influenced the relationship between species accrual and sampling effort, which suggests these factors are important in volunteer-based species-monitoring programs.     

Cu~（2＋）胁迫对单齿螺的毒性影响

以海生单齿螺（Monodonta labio）为受试生物,研究不同浓度Cu2＋胁迫下,Cu2＋对单齿螺的急性毒性、单齿螺对Cu2＋的富集性以及Cu2＋对单齿螺体内过氧化氢酶（CAT）和超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性的影响。结果表明,Cu2＋对单齿螺的96和72 h的半致死浓度〔ρ（LC50）〕分别为19.36和38.49 mg.L-1,安全浓度（ρs）为1.936 mg.L-1。单齿螺对Cu2＋的富集性随ρ（Cu2＋）的增加而增强,具有明显的剂量效应。当ρ（Cu2＋）为4.00 mg.L-1时,单齿螺对Cu2＋的累积量随处理时间的增加而增加,具有较明显的时间效应。各Cu2＋处理组单齿螺肝胰腺CAT活性均比对照（海水）组高,而且大多数处理组与对照组间差异均达显著水平（P〈0.05）或极显著水平（P〈0.01或P〈0.001）。但部分Cu2＋处理组单齿螺肝胰腺SOD活性低于对照组。     

稻米来源镉对生长期猪的生长特性及不同脏器组织镉蓄积的影响

环境中的镉污染对动植物及人类都带来了极大的危害。目前,多数镉毒理研究关注其无机状态,而来源于稻米的有机态镉的毒害作用报道较少。为评估稻米来源镉对生长期猪的毒性作用,选用初始体重为30 kg左右的健康生长猪28头,随机分为体重无明显差异的2组,即对照组与稻米来源镉组(试验组),研究稻米来源镉对生长期猪(生长及育肥全阶段)的生长特性及不同脏器组织镉蓄积的影响。结果表明,在生长及育肥阶段,试验组与对照组相比:1)生长特性无显著差异(P0.05);2)育肥期组织游离氨基酸含量,除肌肉中的赖氨酸显著降低外(P0.05),血浆、肝脏、肾脏及肌肉中其他游离氨基酸水平均无显著差异(P0.05);3)心脏、肝脏、脾脏、肾脏、肺脏、胃、小肠、大肠、骨骼中镉蓄积量显著增高(P0.05),而肌肉、血液中无显著差异(P0.05),脂肪、皮中未检出镉。日粮使用大比例镉超标稻米后镉在各脏器和组织中的蓄积规律为肾脏肝脏小肠脾肺大肠胃血液骨头心腿肌背肌脂肪、皮。由此可见,镉超标稻米对生长期猪的生长特性未产生显著的影响,稻米来源镉主要蓄积于肝脏和肾脏,而主流食用组织肌肉和血液中镉的蓄积量较少。     

生物膜系统中部分反硝化实现特性

以移动床生物膜反应器（moving-bed biofilm reactor,MBBR）为例,考察生物膜系统中部分反硝化NO₂^--N积累特性,并通过耦合厌氧氨氧化验证生物膜系统中部分反硝化耦合厌氧氨氧化（partial denitrification with anaerobic ammonium oxidation,PD+ANAMMOX）工艺的可行性.结果表明,在C/N为3.0,填充率为20%的条件下,经过40 d的富集培养,实现部分反硝化,NO₂^--N积累率达（69.38±3.53）%;接种生物膜NO₃^--N还原酶（nitrate reductase,NAR）活性为0.03 μmol·（min·mg）^-1,NO₂^--N还原酶（nitrite reductase,NIR）活性为0.18 μmol·（min·mg）^-1,富集培养后生物膜NAR活性增至0.45 μmol·（min·mg）^-1,NIR活性降至0.02 μmol·（min·mg）^-1,从酶学角度验证了部分反硝化实现;高通量测序结果显示,Thauera属从0.3%增加至37.27%,在微生物群落中占主导地位,该菌属被认为是部分反硝化过程的主要功能菌.随后与厌氧氨氧化耦合,出水总氮达（6.41±1.50） mg·L^-1,总氮去除率达（88.16±2.71）%,证明了生物膜系统中PD+ANAMMOX的可行性及稳定性.     

不同品种水稻对Cu积累分配的差异

以21个水稻品种（包括常规稻、二系杂交稻、三系杂交稻）为材料,通过室内盆栽试验探讨了Cu在不同品种水稻根-茎-叶-籽粒（糙米）中的积累分配的差异。结果表明,供试水稻品种根、茎、叶、籽粒中Cu含量的均值分别是67.35、16.24、8.29、11.62mg·kg-1,多数水稻品种Cu的含量顺序是根茎籽粒（糙米）叶,但也有少部分水稻品种Cu的含量顺序是根籽粒（糙米）茎叶。各器官的Cu含量在不同品种间存在显著差异,其中以根和籽粒Cu含量的差异最大,茎次之,叶最小。常规稻根部Cu含量显著低于杂交稻,而叶中Cu含量显著高于杂交稻,但两者的茎和籽粒中Cu含量没有明显的差异。三系杂交稻根、茎、籽粒Cu含量显著高于二系杂交稻,而叶的Cu含量两者差异不显著。不同遗传背景的水稻各器官对Cu积累也存在不同程度的差异。相关分析结果表明,不同品种水稻相邻器官（根与茎,茎与叶）的Cu含量呈极显著正相关,相间器官（根与叶、籽粒,茎与籽粒）的Cu含量呈显著正相关,地上部各器官Cu的转运系数相互之间呈极显著的正相关。     

两种喂食方式下微囊藻毒素-LR在罗非鱼肝脏和肌肉中动态变化的比较

试验以尼罗罗非鱼作为受试动物,通过直接投喂未经处理的新鲜藻细胞和喂食相同量经超声波破碎过的藻细胞,比较了罗非鱼在摄食完整蓝藻细胞与摄食破碎的蓝藻细胞时微囊藻毒素-LR(MC-LR)在其体内的动态变化规律及代谢差异.结果表明,无论是喂食破碎蓝藻细胞还是未破碎的蓝藻细胞均可在罗非鱼肝脏和肌肉中检出MC-LR,细胞破碎组肝脏和肌肉的富集能力高于未破碎组.富集第3d,即可在肝脏和肌肉中检出不同程度的MC-LR,肝脏中MC-LR的含量显著高于肌肉,随着富集时间的延长,MC-LR的含量总体呈上升趋势,破碎组肝脏和肌肉分别在染毒的16d和11d达到最大值(分别为2.021μg·g-1和0.071μg·g-1);未破碎组则分别在染毒的24d和21d达到最大值(分别为1.856μg·g-1和0.036μg·g-1).整个富集阶段破碎组肝脏MC-LR的平均值为1.171μg·g-1,略高于未破碎组的1.029μg·g-1;破碎组肌肉含量的平均值0.051μg·g-1,高于未破碎组的0.029μg·g-1.将细胞未破碎组的罗非鱼进行释放阶段的试验.结果表明,罗非鱼的肝脏能快速清除MC-LR,释放13d时达到释放阶段的最低值(为0.241μg·g-1),与肝脏相比,肌肉对毒素的清除要缓慢得多.