The constitutively active Ah receptor (CA-AhR) mouse as a model for dioxin exposure - effects in reproductive organs

The dioxin/aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediates most toxic effects of dioxins. In utero/lactational exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) impairs fetal/neonatal development and the developing male reproductive tract are among the most sensitive tissues. TCDD causes antiestrogenic responses in rodent mammary gland and uterus and in human breast cancer cell lines in the presence of estrogen. Also, more recently an estrogen-like effect of TCDD/AhR has been suggested in the absence of estrogen. A transgenic mouse expressing a constitutively active AhR (CA-AhR) was developed as a model mimicking a situation of constant exposure to AhR agonists. Male and female reproductive tissues of CA-AhR mice were characterized for some of the effects commonly seen after dioxin exposure. Sexually mature CA-AhR female mice showed decreased uterus weight, while an uterotrophic assay in immature CA-AhR mice resulted in increased uterus weight. In immature mice, both TCDD-exposure and CA-AhR increased the expression of the estrogen receptor target gene Cathepsin D. When co-treated with 17β-estradiol no increase in Cathepsin D levels occurred in either TCDD-exposed or CA-AhR mice. In sexually mature male CA-AhR mice the weights of testis and ventral prostate were decreased and the epididymal sperm reserve was reduced. The results of the present study are in accordance with previous studies on dioxin-exposed rodents in that an activated AhR (here CA-AhR) leads to antiestrogenic effects in the presence of estrogen, but to estrogenic effects in the absence of estrogen. These results suggest the CA-AhR mouse model as a useful tool for studies of continuous low activity of the AhR from early development, resembling the human exposure situation.     

类酶联免疫分析法可行性的研究

多环芳烃作为持久性高毒性的有机污染物,一直受到广泛关注。酶联免疫分析技术因特异性强、快速、便捷等优点而广泛使用。建立了芳香烃受体介导的类酶联免疫竞争方法(类ELISA),用于检测环境中多环芳烃类物质的含量。在实验室条件下,分别检测了5种多环芳烃萘、苊、菲、荧蒽和芘,同时比较与高效液相色谱法(HPLC)和气相色谱-质谱联用法(GC/MS)在灵敏度、准确性和重现性等标的差异。HPLC检出限为2.70~10.71 ng/mL;GC/MS的检出限为2.60~24.40 ng/mL;类ELISA的检出限在1.24~3.10ng/mL。HPLC的加标回收率为58.03%~106.69%;GC/MS的加标回收率为88.16%~154.83%;类ELISA的加标回收率为74.67%~121.84%。HPLC的变异系数为4.26~9.03;GC/MS的变异系数为1.44~5.82;类ELISA的变异系数为2.56~8.16。结果表明,类ELISA方法灵敏度较好,准确性较高;而GC/MS方法重现性较好,检测更为稳定。     

Source resolution and risk apportionment to augment the Bubble Policy: Application to a steel plant “bubble”

Source resolution and risk apportionment of emission source categories for risk reduction purposes can be used to enhance the Bubble Policy of the Clean Air Act. This is performed by incorporating receptor modeling techniques of factor analysis and chemical mass balances to assess noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic inhalation risks to a target population for certain pollutants coming from major emission source categories in a steel plant air shed. Source resolution, using factor analysis, statistically interprets a “source” from ambient data. By subsequently quantifying risks from identified metal emission sources using chemical mass balances and risk apportionment, a total additive risk from main source contributors in the steel plant is estimated. From this methodology, the Bubble Policy can be enhanced by targeting only main risk sources or by “risk-trading” with minor impact sources to reduce the total risk (if deemed significant) without arbitrarily reducing risk for all sources in an industrial source complex’s “bubble.”     

基于硝酸盐缓释-功能微生物协同的污染底泥原位修复技术研究

重污染底泥原位修复常需外加大量电子受体,但大量实践表明电子受体直接投加存在作用时效短、微生物利用效率低等问题.针对该问题,开发了电子受体缓释-功能微生物协同的复合环境功能材料,并探讨了功能材料对底泥原位修复效果.结果表明:①复合功能材料〔以Ca（NO₃）₂计,下同〕仅投加5.7 g/kg时,底泥中ORP（氧化还原电位）提升了60.17%~73.96%,AVS（酸可挥发性硫化物）去除率高达90%,是其他传统原位修复材料的1倍.②相较于单独投加Ca（NO₃）₂的修复方式,复合功能材料最大可去除上覆水中33.78%的ρ（TN）,而且ρ（NH₄+-N）也降低了27.90%.③复合功能材料同时促进上覆水中TP和COD_Cr的去除,其去除率分别在78%和30%以上.④从经济成本和对环境影响的角度出发,在工程应用上宜用电子受体:固定剂:促凝剂:发泡剂:塑形剂:复合微生物菌剂:水的质量比为1:5:0.5:0.5:0.1:1:1的复合功能材料.研究显示,硝酸盐缓释-功能微生物复合材料是一种高效的重污染底泥原位修复材料,能显著提升底泥和上覆水中污染物去除效率,降低ρ（NH₄+-N）、ρ（COD_Cr）,避免上覆水体受到二次污染.      

基于在线监测的南京仙林PM2.5组分特征与来源解析

为了研究南京市PM_2.5的污染特征及来源贡献,于2018年3月至2019年2月在南京仙林地区进行PM_2.5组分的在线监测,运用PMF和CMB受体模型,开展PM_2.5的来源解析.结果表明,观测期间南京市PM_2.5平均质量浓度为54.3μg/m³,其中冬季平均浓度76.4μg/m³.PM_2.5的主要组分为NO₃^-（21.3%～30.8%）、SO₄^2-（18.9%～23.5%）、NH₄⁺（14.3%～16.2%）.从全年平均来看,PMF模型得到的PM_2.5解析结果为:二次无机气溶胶（54.9%）、燃煤源（17.4%）、二次有机气溶胶（7.4%）、机动车排放源（7.1%）、工业源（4.9%）、扬尘源（4.8%）、其他源（3.4%）;CMB模型得到的PM_2.5解析结果为:硝酸盐（33.0%）、硫酸盐（24.0%）、燃煤源（16.4%）、机动车排放源（8.4%）、二次有机气溶胶（7.1%）、扬尘源（5.7%）、其他源（2.9%）、工业源（2.4%）.不同季节PM_2.5来源有所差异,夏冬季二次无机气溶胶占比大于春秋季,春冬季燃煤占比最大,二次有机气溶胶在秋季占比最大.结合2017年南京市大气污染源排放清单,对二次气溶胶贡献进行再解析,得到南京仙林地区PM_2.5主要贡献来自燃煤源（PMF:34.14%,CMB:33.82%）,机动车排放源（PMF:27.33%,CMB:29.33%）以及工业源（PMF:26.76%,CMB:24.77%）.可见,影响南京仙林地区PM_2.5的污染源主要来自燃煤源、机动车排放源和工业源,基于在线组分监测、利用PMF和CMB模型得到的PM_2.5源解析结果具有较好的一致性.     

雌激素的3D-QSAR模型构建及其在饲料与鸡肉中含量的测定以及对人体的影响

雌激素对人体有显著的内分泌干扰效应。本文以雌激素受体相对亲和力(relative binding affinity, RBA)作为生物活性,对雌激素进行了三维定量构效关系(3D-QSAR)计算,得到具有较好预测能力的CoMFA(交叉验证相关系数q²=0.721,非交叉验证相关系数r²=0.925)和CoMSIA(q²=0.824,r²=0.961)模型。并对国内各地区鸡肉进行了雌激素含量检测与雌激素效应评估。植物雌激素在鸡饲料和鸡肉中检出率为69%和84%;天然雌激素在鸡饲料和鸡肉中检出率为53%和50%。检测及评估结果显示绝大部分鸡肉可以安全食用,但鸡肉中含有的己烯雌酚、17α-乙炔雌二醇以及香芹酚所具有的雌激素效应值得引起重视。     

氨基脲诱导的大鼠神经行为毒性及其生化机制

为探究氨基脲（SEM）染毒对SD大鼠的神经行为毒性及其作用机制,将44只SPF级SD雄性大鼠随机分为4组：对照组,SEM低、中、高剂量组,每组11只,分别以0,7.5,15,30mg/（kg·bw）SEM的剂量连续灌胃染毒28d.染毒前后分别通过旷场实验和高架十字迷宫实验测试神经行为.采用液相色谱法测定γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）和谷氨酸（GLU）,ELISA法测定5-羟色胺（5-HT）、去甲肾上腺素（NE）、多巴胺（DA）、单胺氧化酶（MAO）以及N-甲基-D-天氡氨酸受体（NMDAR）含量.结果显示,高剂量染毒组大鼠在旷场实验中运动总距离和中央区域距离显著低于对照组（P<0.05）,各剂量组大鼠在高架十字迷宫实验中进入开臂时间百分比和进入开臂次数百分比均显著低于对照组（P<0.05或P<0.01）.与对照组相比,各染毒组大鼠脑组织中GABA含量和MAO活性均有不同程度降低,而GLU,NMDAR,5-HT,NE和DA水平均有不同程度上升.SEM诱导大鼠神经行为毒性的机制与破坏GABA和GLU的相互转化、增加NMDAR含量以及抑制MAO活性导致单胺类神经递质水平上升3个途径有关.     

Prenatal analysis of the insulin receptor gene in a family with leprechaunism

We report on the prenatal diagnosis of a fetus at risk of leprechaunism. We had previously determined the nature of the causative mutation in the insulin receptor gene in this family. The mutation removes a restriction site for the enzyme Mbo II. Genomic DNA was extracted from a chorionic villus sample and the 3′ half of exon 2 was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction digest. Using this method, we correctly predicted an unaffected child.