Relation of hepatic EROD activity and CYP1A level in Sebastiscus marmoratus exposed to benzo[a]pyrene

This study was designed to investigate the in vivo effects of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) on hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity and its correlation with cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) protein levels in Sebastiscus marmoratus, which were exposed through a water column to BaP (10, 100, 1000 ng/L, respectively) or were treated with intraperitoneal injections of BaP (0.5, 1, 5, 10 mg/kg, respectively) every 7 d. The results showed that after 25 d of waterborne exposure to 1000 ng/L BaP, fish hepatic CYP1A levels and EROD activity were significantly induced. In contrast, EROD activity was not altered 7 d after second ip injections, whereas, CYP1A protein levels were increased. Dose-dependent increase of biliary BaP metabolites demonstrated that the catalytic activity of CYP1A was induced by treatment with BaP. The lowest observable effect concentration with regard to biliary BaP metabolites (100 ng/L) was much lower than that with reference to EROD activity (1000 ng/L). The results suggest that biliary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites were shown to better reflect the contamination gradients of PAHs than EROD activity. It appeared to be necessary to measure CYP1A protein levels to complement the EROD activity in relevant toxicological assessments.     

Bioassays and selected chemical analysis of biocide-free antifouling coatings

Over the years several types of biocide-free antifouling paints have entered the market. The prohibition of biocidal antifouling paints in special areas of some European countries such as Sweden, Denmark and Germany has favoured the introduction of these paints to the market.

Several types of biocide-free antifouling paints were subjected to bioassays and selected chemical analysis of leachate and incorporated substances. Both non-eroding coatings (silicones, fibre coats, epoxies, polyurethane, polyvinyl) and eroding coatings (SPCs, ablative) were tested to exclude the presence of active biocides and dangerous compounds. The paints were subjected to the luminescent bacteria test and the cypris larvae settlement assay, the latter delivering information on toxicity as well as on efficacy.

The following chemical analyses of selected compounds of dry-film were performed:

• leaching-rate of organotin compounds from silicones and of nonylphenol and bisphenol A from epoxy and vinyl based coatings,

• concentration and leaching rate of selected organic compounds in polyurethane,

• concentration of heavy metals in eroding coatings.

The results of the bioassays indicated that none of the coatings analysed contained leachable biocides. Nevertheless, some products contained or leached dangerous compounds. The analyses revealed leaching of nonylphenol (up to 74.7 ng/cm²/d after 48 h) and bisphenol A (up to 2.77 ng/cm²/d after 24 h) from epoxy resins used as substitutes for antifouling paints. The heavy metal, zinc, was measured in dry paint film in quantities up to 576 000 ppm in erodable coatings, not incorporated as a biocide but to control the rate of erosion. Values for TBT in silicone elutriates were mostly below the detection limit of 0.005 mg/kg. Values for DBT ranged between <0.005 and 6.28 mg/kg, deriving from catalysts used as curing agents. Some biocide-free paints contained leachable, toxic and dangerous compounds in the dry film, some of which may act as substitutes for biocides or are incorporated as plasticizers or catalysts. Implications to environmental requirements and legislation are discussed.     

Diverging meanings of development among architects and three other professional groups

Previous research has shown that designers' and architects' evaluations of visual stimuli, and of urban and rural environments are not necessarily shared by non-designers and non-architects. Such conclusions may be biased by instrumentation and methodological problems, namely, previous instruments often require verbal responses about stimuli. Hence, non-designers and non-architects may be less capable in expressing themselves, but perceive the same things as the professionals. Another problem stems from professionals who have a narrow range of traits being compared with a general population that has a broader range of traits and therefore has greater within-group variance. This study presents an instrument and a methodology for dealing with these problems in addition to examining the perceptual orientations of architects in comparison to three other professions. Results indicate that architects varied from the other professional groups in their quantitative judgments of the habitats studied but not from all groups in their qualitative judgments. Hence, architects may be a distinct professional culture for some design variables only.     

不同粒径的大气细颗粒物对A549细胞的毒性研究

研究了不同粒径的大气细颗粒物对人肺癌上皮细胞A549的生物学效应,探讨了大气中细颗粒物粒径与细胞毒性的关系。采集杭州市大气中不同粒径的细颗粒物,制备成不同粒径的颗粒物总悬浮液,将A549细胞暴露于该制备液24 h后,测定细胞活力(MTT法)和培养液上清液中的LDH含量;并选择最佳浓度为后续暴露剂量,测定ROS生成量,评价不同粒径大气细颗粒物对细胞损伤效应。此外,还采用RTPCR测定凋亡基因P50、BAX、BCL-2表达情况。不同粒径的细颗粒物均显著抑制A549细胞活力,LDH显著增多,并存在剂量-效应关系;最佳染毒质量浓度为10μg/m L;ROS的生成量和各个凋亡基因的mRNA表达量均高于对照组。大气中不同粒径的细颗粒物均能对A549细胞产生毒性,并且随粒径增加,颗粒物对细胞的毒性呈降低趋势。     

甲型流感的流行与防控分析及其对新冠肺炎疫情的启示

目前新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）疫情在全球流行,对人类生命健康造成威胁.对甲型流感这一常见传染病进行流行特征、影响因素和防控措施分析,回顾总结全球为防控甲型流感做出的努力及相关科学研究成果,为新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情提供防控经验和研究思路.结果表明:①甲型流感呈季节性流行,受气候、社会、政治和文化等多因素影响,在低温低湿、人口密集的环境中表现出强流行性.②甲型流感防控研究工作主要包括季节性流感病毒监测、流感病毒的生态学研究、广谱中和抗体及通用疫苗的研究、应对流感大流行的病原学风险评估四方面,其中季节性流感病毒监测是制定公共卫生政策及后续研究的核心防控措施.③与甲型流感类似,新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情流行受温度等气候因素影响,同时社会、政治、文化等因素也影响其传播,亟需借鉴较成熟的甲型流感的防控经验、技术和平台.建议在加强病毒监测的同时,深入开展病毒生态学研究、病原学风险评估和药物开发,对完善疫情防控工作和预警预测未来可能出现的二次暴发及传播至关重要.研究结果将为新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情和未来传染病疫情的防控及预测预警提供参考和研究思路.      

全耦合活性污泥模型(FCASM3)在A+A2/O工艺污水处理厂中的数值模拟应用

基于FCASM3建立了杭州市某污水厂A+A~2/O工艺模型.首先测定该污水处理厂的进水水质组分,以及不同阶段污染物浓度的变化和活性污泥中微生物动力学参数;然后,利用该厂2017年上半年的运行数据对模型进行校核.校核结果显示,该模型能够很好地模拟出系统中各物质的转化情况.最后,利用校核完成的工艺模型对该污水厂的主要工艺参数,包括溶解氧、污泥回流比和混合液回流比,进行多因素正交模拟试验.试验结果表明,该污水处理厂的最佳运行工况为:当A+A~2/O系统的好氧池氧传输速率(Oxygen Transfer Coefficient,KLa)、污泥回流比和混合液回流比分别控制在2 h-1、75%及250%时,好氧池TN出水浓度下降1.28 mg·L~(-1),脱氮效率提高了15.91%,同时该厂污水处理能耗降低.     

Effective adsorption of sulfamethoxazole, bisphenol A and methyl orange on nanoporous carbon derived from metal-organic frameworks

Nanoporous carbons(NPCs) derived from metal–organic frameworks(MOFs) are attracting increasing attention in many areas by virtue of their high specific surface area, large pore volume and unique porosity. The present work reports the preparation of an NPC with high surface area(1731 m~2/g) and pore volume(1.68 cm~3/g) by direct carbonization of MOF-5. We examined the adsorption of three typical contaminants from aqueous solutions, i.e., sulfamethoxazole(SMX),bisphenol A(BPA) and methyl orange(MO), by using the as-prepared NPC. The results demonstrated that NPC could adsorb the contaminants effectively, with adsorption capacity(qm) of 625 mg/g(SMX), 757 mg/g(BPA) and 872 mg/g(MO), respectively. These values were approximately 1.0-3.2 times higher than those obtained for single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs) and commercial powder active carbon(PAC) under the same conditions. With its high surface area and unique meso/macropore structure, the enhanced adsorption of NPC most likely originates from the cooperative interaction of a pore-filling mechanism, electrostatic interaction,and hydrogen bonding. In particular, the p H value has a crucial impact on adsorption, suggesting the significant contribution of electrostatic interaction between NPC and the contaminants. This study provides a proof-of-concept demonstration of MOF-derived nanoporous carbons as effective adsorbents of contaminants for water treatment.     

双酚A对斑马鱼不同发育阶段的毒性及机理

对双酚A(BPA)暴露下的斑马鱼胚胎、仔鱼和成鱼三个发育阶段进行对比研究,并从代谢和DNA损伤两个角度对其致毒机理进行初步探讨.结果显示: 斑马鱼成鱼24h的LC50(8.00-10.00mg·l-1)比胚胎(16.4±0.40mg·l-1)低,表明斑马鱼成鱼更适用于急性毒性试验,而胚胎更能体现出亚急性效应和遗传效应;在5.00mg·l-1 的BPA中连续暴露48h后,胚胎和成鱼体内的BPA含量分别为373.57±39.76μg·g-1和155.78±17.97μg·g-1,即胚胎在5.00mg·l-1 BPA溶液中的蓄积能力大约是成鱼的两倍; DNA断裂检测表明BPA对斑马鱼胚胎的DNA造成了一定程度的损伤.     

双酚A对鲤鱼急性和亚急性毒性的研究

以8月龄至1年龄的鲤鱼为实验对象,研究双酚A(BPA)对鲤鱼(CommonCarp)的急性毒性和双酚A在1/2LD50,1/3LD50,1/4LD50,1/6LD50亚急性浓度下,对鲤鱼肝、肾、鳃中过氧化氢酶(CAT)和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)的影响.结果表明:双酚A24h,48h,96h的LC50值分别为4.46mg·l-1,4.30mg·l-1,4.25mg·l-1;亚急性毒性指标CAT和SOD对双酚A比较敏感,可作为双酚A污染环境的生物标志物.     

Effects of bisphenol A on energy balance and accumulation in brown adipose tissue in rats

Some environmental contaminants have the potential to affect humans or animals by mimicking the effects of hormones. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a weak estrogen agonist when tested using in vitro or in vivo bioassays. In addition to the well documented effects of estrogens on reproductive functions, ovarian hormones also have salient effects on mammalian energy balance and feeding behavior. In this study, we investigated the effects of BPA on body weight and food intake of ovariectomized adult female rats. Treatment with doses of 4 or 5 mg/day for 15 days resulted in a significant reduction of body weight gain with no reduction in food intake. A dose of 1 mg/day did not affect feeding or weight gain. BPA was detected in the blood, brain and adipose tissues of the BPA-treated animals but not in the vehicle control group. There was a preferential concentration of BPA in brown adipose tissue. These results indicate that BPA can affect energy balance and that brown adipose tissue may be a primary tissue into which BPA accumulates in mammals.