Factors a ecting trace element content in periurban market garden subsoil in Yunnan Province, China

Field investigations were conducted to measure subsoil trace element content and factors influencing content in an intensive periurban market garden in Chenggong County, Yunnan Province, South-West China. The area was divided into three di erent geomorphological units: specifically, mountain (M), transition (T) and lacustrine (L). Mean trace element content in subsoil were determined for Pb (58.2 mg/kg), Cd (0.89 mg/kg), Cu (129.2 mg/kg), and Zn (97.0 mg/kg). Strong significant relationships between trace element content in topsoil and subsoil were observed. Both Pb and Zn were accumulated in topsoil (RTS (ratio of mean trace element in topsoil to subsoil) of Pb and Zn >1.0) and Cd and Cu in subsoil (RTS of Cd and Cu 61.0). Subsoil trace element content was related to relief, stoniness, soil color, clay content, and cation exchange capacity. Except for 7.5 YR (yellow-red) color, trace element content increased with color intensity from brown to reddish brown. Significant positive relationships were observed between Fe content and that of Pb and Cu. Trace element content in mountain unit subsoil was higher than in transition and lacustrine units (M > T > L), except for Cu (T > M > L). Mean trace element content in calcareous subsoil was higher than in sandstone and shale. Mean trace element content in clay texture subsoil was higher than in sandy and sandy loam subsoil, and higher Cu and Zn content in subsoil with few mottles. It is possible to model Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn distribution in subsoil physico-chemical characteristics to help improve agricultural practice.     

In vitro thyroid disrupting e ects of organic extracts from WWTPs in Beijing

It is generally known that there are many endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the e uents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Most research has focused on the occurrence of estrogenic or androgenic activities, while ignoring that there are environmental chemicals disrupting thyroid system, which is essential for growth and development in both humans and animals. In the present work, a two-hybrid yeast assay was conducted to evaluate the removal e ciencies of agonistic or antagonistic thyroid receptor (TR) mediated e ects in di erent treatment processes of three WWTPs located in Beijing. We found no TR agonistic, but TR antagonistic activities in all processes from the WWTPs. The TR antagonistic activities in organic extracts of water samples were then calibrated regarding to a known TR-inhibitor, amiodarone hydrochloride (AH). The observed concentration of TR disrupting substances ranged from 2.35 10??8 to 6.19 10??7 mol/L AH in Gaobeidian WWTP, 3.76 10??8 to 8.75 10??8 mol/L AH in Lugouqiao WWTP, and 4.80 10??9 to 2.55 10??8 mol/L AH in Beixiaohe WWTP. Of the three WWTPs, the removal rates were 92.7%, 42.2%, and 23.1% respectively. Industrial sewage may contain more TR disrupting substances compared with domestic sewage. The recipient waters were found to contain considerable concentrations of TR disrupting substances that may cause adverse e ects on the exposed organisms.     

In vitro thyroid disrupting effects of organic extracts from WWTPs in Beijing

It is generally known that there are many endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Most research has focused on the occurrence of estrogenic or androgenic activities, while ignoring that there are environmental chemicals disrupting thyroid system, which is essential for growth and development in both humans and animals. In the present work, a two-hybrid yeast assay was conducted to evaluate the removal efficiencies of agonistic or antagonistic thyroid receptor (TR) mediated effects in different treatment processes of three WWTPs located in Beijing. We found no TR agonistic, but TR antagonistic activities in all processes from the WWTPs. The TR antagonistic activities in organic extracts of water samples were then calibrated regarding to a known TR-inhibitor, amiodarone hydrochloride (AH). The observed concentration of TR disrupting substances ranged from 2.35 × 10-8 to 6.19 × 10-7 mol/L AH in Gaobeidian WWTP, 3.76 × 10-s to 8.75 x 10-s mol/L AH in Lugouqiao WWTP,and 4.80 × 10-9 to 2.55 × 10-s mol/L AH in Beixiaohe WWTP. Of the three WWTPs, the removal rates were 92.7%, 42.2%, and 23.1% respectively. Industrial sewage may contain more TR disrupting substances compared with domestic sewage. The recipient waters were found to contain considerable concentrations of TR disrupting substances that may cause adverse effects on the exposed organisms.     

有机磷农药对海洋扁藻毒性构效关系的密度泛涵理论研究

采用密度泛函理论方法,在B3LYP/6-311G**水平上,计算了11个有机磷农药化合物的结构参数,将结构参数作为理论描述符,导出了有机磷类化合物的分子结构参数与2种盐度(S=20,S=30)下扁藻毒性(-lgEC50)的定量关系式(式(3)和(6)),并用交叉验证法验证,相关系数R分别为0.923 2和0.893 3,交叉验证相关系数q2分别为0.527 0和0.540 5.在此基础上,预测了11种有机磷农药的毒性.研究表明,所得预测方程有较好的稳定性和较强的预测能力.可用于有机磷化合物的-lgEC50预测.     

利用唐鱼雌激素受体构建环境雌激素重组酵母测评系统的研究

利用唐鱼雌激素受体基因片段构建重组酵母,用以筛选环境雌激素类化学物质.实验先将唐鱼雌激素受体terα基因片段插入载体pGADT7中构建表达质粒p GADT7/TERα,同时将雌激素效应元件(ere)片段插入pMP206载体中构建报告质粒pMP206/ERE-Lac Z;然后把表达质粒和报告质粒共转化到酵母AH109中,经筛选成功构建了由唐鱼雌激素受体调控的表达lac Z基因的重组酵母AHpTERα/ERE.结果表明,所构建的重组酵母AHpTERα/ERE在不同浓度17β-雌二醇(E2)的诱导下,β-半乳糖苷酶的活性呈现出明显的剂量-效应关系,其EC50为(0.521±0.700)nmol·L-1.与DMSO对照组相比,重组酵母在17β-雌二醇诱导下有明显的β-半乳糖苷酶活性增强的现象.在不同浓度17α-乙炔基雌二醇(EE2)、壬基酚(NP)及其混合物、双酚A(BPA)、17β-雌二醇(E2)(阳性对照)的诱导下,重组酵母均呈现出剂量-效应关系,且灵敏度大小为E2EE2NPBPA.结果表明,本研究成功构建了重组基因酵母测评系统,初步判定该重组酵母可应用于环境雌激素的筛选.     

现代受体模式评述

传统的数学受体模式可概括地分为两大类,即化学质量平衡法(CMB)和多元技术(MVT),CMB由于要求已知所求源的成分谱。从而在应用中受到限制。MVT以因子模式为中心,由于因子模式的本征向量解法求解不唯一或称误差太大,使得MVT给人一种人造数据的印象。近年来,元素示踪体系将受体模式的应用范围从城市尺度扩展到区域尺度,由于该体系经验性太强,未能得到广泛的应用。本文针对现代受体模式中存在的一些关键性问题作了系统的评述。      

安徽涡河流域水化学与同位素特征及水体转化关系

以安徽涡河流域为研究区域,通过采集涡河地表水、浅层地下水和中深层地下水样品,运用Gibbs图、离子比例和MixSIAR模型等方法对各类水体的水化学参数和氢氧同位素进行分析,揭示并量化了各类水体之间的转化关系.结果表明,研究区地表水和地下水主要呈现中性至弱碱性,地表水的水化学类型以Cl·SO₄ ·HCO₃ -Na和Cl·SO₄ -Na型为主,浅层地下水以HCO₃ -Ca·Mg和HCO₃ -Mg·Na型为主,中深层地下水主要为Cl·HCO₃ -Na型.各类水体的水化学特征受到岩石风化、蒸发浓缩及正向阳离子交换等多重因素共同影响.地表水和地下水的δ¹⁸O和δ²H分布特征表明大气降水是该区域水体的主要补给来源,且地下水δ¹⁸O和δ²H值与K⁺、Na⁺、Cl^-、SO₄ ^2-和NO 3^-浓度存在显著相关性.根据MixSIAR模型分析结果,地表水接受大气降水和浅层地下水的贡献率分别为46.5 %和53.5 %;浅层地下水的补给来源分别为大气降水（57.4 %）和地表水（42.6 %）;中深层地下水的补给主要来自上游地下水的侧向径流补给.     

Mortality and other determinants of bird divorce rate

Pair bonds can end in two different ways: either death of the partner or divorce, where the frequency of divorce varies enormously among bird species, from 0% to 100%. To better understand this variation, we created and analyzed the largest dataset so far, consisting of 158 species and 20 variables that quantify the species’ body size, life history, diet, and other characteristics. Our results suggest that species with a high divorce rate have a high mortality rate, tend to be ornamented and sexually dichromatic, live colonially, and form part-time rather than continuous partnerships. Traits quantifying body size or life history are often nonlinearly related with divorce rate. These nonlinearities might (partly) be caused by nonlinear relationships of the same traits with mortality rate which is, in turn, linearly related with divorce rate. In contrast to what has been found previously, mortality rate appears as a key factor for divorce rate in our study. This makes sense, as the likelihood that a partner survives from one year to the next decreases with increasing mortality rate, diminishing the likely success of a partner that attempts to locate its previous partner. We also found taxonomic differences in divorce rate. Specifically, Anseriformes have an exceptionally low divorce rate, which, however, can be explained by the generally important determinants of divorce rate: They also have a lower mortality rate, lower degree of ornamentation and coloniality, and more continuous partnerships than members of other orders. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

镉、汞、锌3种重金属的雌激素样作用（Estrogenic Activity of Cadmium, Mercury, and Zinc）

为探讨镉、汞、锌3种重金属的雌激素样作用,采用双杂交酵母法测定了醋酸镉、氯化汞、醋酸锌单独作用时对重组基因酵母β-半乳糖苷酶诱导活性的EC50值.实验结果表明,醋酸镉浓度为1.0×10-5mol·L-(1实验浓度范围10-7~10-2mol·L-1),氯化汞浓度为5.0×10-7mol·L-(1实验浓度范围10-9~10-5mol·L-1),醋酸锌浓度为1.0×10-4mol·L-(1实验浓度范围10-9~10-2mol·L-1)时对酵母β-半乳糖苷酶诱导活性最大,分别达到1.3、0.95和1.1U.不能求出镉、汞、锌单独作用时对β-半乳糖苷酶诱导活性的EC50值.一味计算EC50值不仅难以评价重金属的雌激素活性,而且限制重组受体基因酵母法的普遍运用.一些重金属通过MCF-7细胞法(E-screen)呈阳性,通过重组hERα酵母法YES检测呈阴性,有可能是重金属通过与ERβ作用而产生效应.若构建出含ERβ基因的双杂交酵母菌株,与现有的方法互补将能完善环境雌激素的体外测评系统.     

Evaluation of the fish short term reproduction assay for detecting endocrine disrupters

In a fish testing strategy, positive results of the fish short term reproduction assay (FSTR), often trigger a definitive test like the fish sexual development test (FSDT) or the fish full life cycle test (FFLC), entailing ethical and economic problems. This study analysed 137 studies encompassing 35 chemicals with different modes of actions (MOAs). Variability is quantified for MOA endpoints vitellogenin (VTG) and secondary sex characteristics (SSCs) as well as for apical endpoints. Two MOA endpoints could indicate estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, androgenic, anti-androgenic and steroidogenesis activities. Great variability, however, has been observed for chemicals with anti-androgenic and steroidogenesis activities, suggesting that TG229/230 may not be sensitive enough to detect these types of chemicals and may produce false negatives. Changes in apical endpoints like fecundity are not limited to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Non-EDCs could induce the similar effects on these apical endpoints. If elucidating MOA is needed, targeted in vitro MOA tests are suggested. Positive in vitro MOA results trigger a definitive test, which could be used for confirmation of the MOA in vivo and for deriving a no observed effect concentration (NOEC). Based on positive MOA results of TG229, a definitive test such as the FSDT or the FFLC is still needed, because the current TG229 has limitation on the derivation of a NOEC. An extended TG229 with more power to detect reproduction effects, as recently proposed in the OECD test guideline program, would improve the possibility to derive a NOEC and increase its usefulness in risk assessment.