Microplastics have become emerging contaminants, causing widespread concern about their potential toxic effects. In this study, the uptake and tissue accumulation of polystyrene microplastics ...(PS-MPs) in zebrafish were detected, and the toxic effects in liver were investigated. The results showed that after 7 days of exposure, 5 μm diameter MPs accumulated in fish gills, liver, and gut, while 20 μm diameter MPs accumulated only in fish gills and gut. Histopathological analysis showed that both 5 μm and 70 nm PS-MPs caused inflammation and lipid accumulation in fish liver. PS-MPs also induced significantly increased activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, indicating that oxidative stress was induced after treatment with MPs. In addition, metabolomic analysis suggested that exposure to MPs induced alterations of metabolic profiles in fish liver and disturbed the lipid and energy metabolism. These findings provide new insights into the toxic effects of MPs on fish.
The cross efficiency (CE) model has been accepted as an alternative approach for evaluating carbon emission efficiency in data envelopment analysis (DEA). However, the current studies can't examine ...the time effect of economic and energy inputs on regional productivity. This paper proposes a novel method combing CE model with Malmquist productivity index (CE-MPI) to discover a dynamic change of carbon emission efficiencies of China's 30 provinces. The results indicate that Eastern Zone is the most advanced in carbon emission efficiency as well as productivity capacity but the efficiency gap between Inter-mediate and Western Zone is less than 5.7 percent point. The technology progress drives the improvement of the CE-MPI. But the efficiency change pulls down the level of productivity for most zones. Based on the efficiency change and the technical change, China's 30 provinces are divided into four classification and given different recommendations for improving carbon emission efficiency.
Bile acids(BAs) are not only digestive surfactants but also important cell signaling molecules,which stimulate several signaling pathways to regulate some important biological processes. The ...bileacid-activated nuclear receptor, farnesoid X receptor(FXR), plays a pivotal role in regulating bile acid,lipid and glucose homeostasis as well as in regulating the inflammatory responses, barrier function and prevention of bacterial translocation in the intestinal tract. As expected, FXR is involved in the pathophysiology of a wide range of diseases of gastrointestinal tract, including inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes. In this review, we discuss current knowledge of the roles of FXR in physiology of the digestive system and the related diseases. Better understanding of the roles ofFXR in digestive system will accelerate the development of FXR ligands/modulators for the treatment of digestive system diseases.
Serotonin, also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a signaling mediator that regulates emotion, behavior, and cognition. Previous studies have focused more on the roles of 5-HT in the central ...nervous system (CNS). However, 5-HT also shares a strong relationship with the pathological cases of tumor, inflammation, and pathogen infection. 5-HT participates in tumor cell migration, metastatic dissemination, and angiogenesis. In addition, 5-HT affects immune regulation via different 5-HT receptors (5-HTRs) expressed immune cells, including both innate and adaptive immune system. Recently, drugs targeting at 5-HT signaling were tested to be beneficial in mouse models and clinical trials of multiple sclerosis (MS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Thus, it is reasonable to assume that 5-HT participates in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. However, the underlying mechanism by 5-HT modulates the development of autoimmune diseases has not been fully understood. Based on our previous studies and pertinent literature, we provide circumstantial evidence for an essential role of 5-HT, especially the regulation of 5-HT on immune cells in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, which may provide a new point cut for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
This study investigated the reduction of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), intI1 and 16S rRNA genes, by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), namely Fenton oxidation (Fe2+/H2O2) and UV/H2O2 process. ...The ARGs include sul1, tetX, and tetG from municipal wastewater effluent. The results indicated that the Fenton oxidation and UV/H2O2 process could reduce selected ARGs effectively. Oxidation by the Fenton process was slightly better than that of the UV/H2O2 method. Particularly, for the Fenton oxidation, under the optimal condition wherein Fe2+/H2O2 had a molar ratio of 0.1 and a H2O2 concentration of 0.01molL−1 with a pH of 3.0 and reaction time of 2h, 2.58–3.79 logs of target genes were removed. Under the initial effluent pH condition (pH=7.0), the removal was 2.26–3.35 logs. For the UV/H2O2 process, when the pH was 3.5 with a H2O2 concentration of 0.01molL−1 accompanied by 30min of UV irradiation, all ARGs could achieve a reduction of 2.8–3.5 logs, and 1.55–2.32 logs at a pH of 7.0. The Fenton oxidation and UV/H2O2 process followed the first-order reaction kinetic model. The removal of target genes was affected by many parameters, including initial Fe2+/H2O2 molar ratios, H2O2 concentration, solution pH, and reaction time. Among these factors, reagent concentrations and pH values are the most important factors during AOPs.
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•AOPs including Fenton oxidation and UV/H2O2 process could reduce ARGs effectively.•Fenton oxidation is slightly more effective than UV/H2O2 process in ARG reduction.•Removal of ARGs by AOPs follows the first-order reaction kinetic model.•Selected ARGs and 16S rRNA genes exhibit similar change trends during AOPs.
This study investigated disinfection methods including chlorination, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and sequential UV/chlorination treatment on the inactivation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). ...ARGs including sul1, tetX, tetG, intI1, and 16S rRNA genes in municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWTP) effluent were examined. The results indicated a positive correlation between the removal of ARGs and chlorine dosage (p=0.007-0.014, n=6),as well as contact time (p=0.0001, n=10). Greater free chlorine (FC) dosage leads to higher removal for all the genes and the maximum removal (1.30-1.49 logs) could be achieved at FC dosage of 30 mg L(-1). The transformation kinetic data for ARGs removal (log C0/C) followed the second-order reaction kinetic model with FC dosage (R(2)=0.6829-0.9999) and contact time (R(2)=0.7353-8634), respectively. Higher ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration was found to lead to lower removal of ARGs at the same chlorine dosage. When the applied Cl2:NH3-N ratio was over 7.6:1, a significant reduction of ARGs (1.20-1.49 logs) was achieved. By using single UV irradiation, the log removal values of tetX and 16Ss rRNA genes were 0.58 and 0.60, respectively, while other genes were 0.36-0.40 at a fluence of 249.5 mJ cm(-2), which was observed to be less effective than chlorination. With sequential UV/chlorination treatment, 0.006 to 0.31 log synergy values of target genes were observed under different operation parameters.
This study investigated the inactivation of two antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)—sul1 and tetG, and the integrase gene of class 1 integrons—intI1 by chlorination, ultraviolet (UV), and ozonation ...disinfection. Inactivation of sul1, tetG, and intI1 underwent increased doses of three disinfectors, and chlorine disinfection achieved more inactivation of ARGs and intI1 genes (chlorine dose of 160 mg/L with contact time of 120 min for 2.98–3.24 log reductions of ARGs) than UV irradiation (UV dose of 12,477 mJ/cm²for 2.48–2.74 log reductions of ARGs) and ozonation disinfection (ozonation dose of 177.6 mg/L for 1.68–2.55 log reductions of ARGs). The 16S rDNA was more efficiently removed than ARGs by ozone disinfection. The relative abundance of selected genes (normalized to 16S rDNA) increased during ozonation and with low doses of UV and chlorine disinfection. Inactivation of sul1 and tetG showed strong positive correlations with the inactivation of intI1 genes (for sul1, R ² = 0.929 with p < 0.01; for tetG, R ² = 0.885 with p < 0.01). Compared to other technologies (ultraviolet disinfection, ozonation disinfection, Fenton oxidation, and coagulation), chlorination is an alternative method to remove ARGs from wastewater effluents. At a chlorine dose of 40 mg/L with 60 min contact time, the selected genes inactivation efficiency could reach 1.65–2.28 log, and the cost was estimated at 0.041 yuan/m³.
The production of functional activated carbon materials starting from cheap natural precursors using environmentally friendly processes is a highly attractive subject in material chemistry today. ...Recently, much attention has been focused on the use of plant biomass to produce functional carbonaceous materials, encompassing economic, environmental and social issues. Besides the classical route to produce activated carbons from fossil materials, rice husk shows clear advantages in that it can generate a variety of cheap and sustainable carbonaceous materials with attractive nanostructure and functional patterns for a wide range of applications. From a comprehensive literature review, it was found that porous carbon that derived from rice husks, in addition to having wide availability, has fast kinetics and appreciable adsorption capacities too. Porous carbon materials also play a significant role in new applications such as catalytic supports, battery electrodes, capacitors, and gas storage. In this review, an extensive list of rice husks literature has been compiled. Conclusions have been drawn from the literature reviewed, and suggestions for future research are proposed.
Schematic illustration of the preparation and application that activated carbon derived from rice husk. (A) carbonization (B) activation (C) gas adsorption (D) catalytic supports (E) wastewater treatment (F) hydrogen storage (G) battery electrodes or capacitors.
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► In this review, the mechanism for the preparation of functional activated carbon materials by using cheap natural precursors rice husks and various applications has be discussed. ► From this comprehensive literature review, it was found that porous carbon that derived from rice husks, in addition to having wide availability, have fast kinetics and appreciable adsorption capacities too. Porous carbon materials also play a significant role in new applications such as catalytic supports, battery electrodes, capacitors, and gas storage. ► Moreover, this review also presents some recommendations that regards to future work.
Obesity is a strong risk factor for many diseases, with controversy regarding the cause(s) of tuberculosis (TB) reflected by contradictory findings. Therefore, a larger sample population is required ...to determine the relationship between obesity and TB, which may further inform treatment.
Obesity-related indicators and TB mutation data were obtained from a genome-wide association study database, while representative instrumental variables (IVs) were obtained by screening and merging. Causal relationships between exposure factors and outcomes were determined using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Three tests were used to determine the representativeness and stability of the IVs, supported by sensitivity analysis.
Initially, 191 single nucleotide polymorphisms were designated as IVs by screening, followed by two-sample MR analysis, which revealed the causal relationship between waist circumference odds ratio (OR): 2.13 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19-3.80); p = 0.011 and TB. Sensitivity analysis verified the credibility of the IVs, none of which were heterogeneous or horizontally pleiotropic.
The present study determined the causal effect between waist circumference and TB by two-sample MR analysis and found both to be likely to be potential risk factors.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Ammonium nitrogen removal from wastewater has been of considerable concern for several decades. In the present research, we examined chemical precipitation recycle technology (CPRT) for ammonium ...nitrogen removal from coking wastewater. The pyrolysate resulting from magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) pyrogenation in sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution was recycled for ammonium nitrogen removal from coking wastewater. The objective of this study was to investigate the conditions for MAP pyrogenation and to characterize of MAP pyrolysate for its feasibility in recycling. Furthermore, MAP pyrolysate was characterized by scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) as well as X-ray diffraction (XRD). The MAP pyrolysate could be produced at the optimal condition of a hydroxyl (OH
−) to ammonium molar ratio of 2:1, a heating temperature of 110
°C, and a heating time of 3
h. Surface characterization analysis indicated that the main component of the pyrolysate was amorphous magnesium sodium phosphate (MgNaPO
4). The pyrolysate could be recycled as a magnesium and phosphate source at an optimum pH of 9.5. When the recycle times were increased, the ammonium nitrogen removal ratio gradually decreased if the pyrolysate was used without supplementation. When the recycle times were increased, the ammonium nitrogen removal efficiency was not decreased if the added pyrolysate was supplemented with MgCl
2·6H
2O plus Na
2HPO
4·12H
2O during treatment. A high ammonium nitrogen removal ratio was obtained by using pre-formed MAP as seeding material.
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