黔中山地喀斯特森林的水文学过程和养分动态

采用不同林分类型固定样地的定位研究方法,研究了黔中山地喀斯特森林对降水量的分配和随降水流动的主要离子的影响。结果表明,林内外年降水量的变化趋势为:空旷地>林隙>乔木层>灌草层>地表和壤中流量>树干径流量。年降水在林内不同层次分配量的变化趋势为:林地蒸发等量>灌草层降水截留总量>林冠层降水截留总量。相关水量的月动态趋势以夏季较高,冬季较低。森林最大持水量的变化趋势为土壤层>植被层。植被层最大持水量的变化趋势为乔木层>枯落物层>灌木层>草本层。喀斯特原生林植被层地上部分最大持水量为28.20 mm,是喀斯特次生林的194.48%。喀斯特原生林土壤层最大持水量加权值为19.24 mm,是喀斯特次生林的187.89%。喀斯特原生林冠层降水截留总量、灌草层降水截留总量、地表蒸发等量总值占空旷地降水量的比例为97.93%,喀斯特次生林的相应值为97.89%。喀斯特原生林的调水能力大于喀斯特次生林。土壤层最大持水量占植被-土壤系统的95.88%~96.11%,保土可增加蓄水。合理调整森林植被层结构既可防治土壤侵蚀,又可提高森林的最大持水潜力。随降水流动的 \mathrm{S} {\mathrm{O}}_4^{2-} 、Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺、 \mathrm{N} {\mathrm{H}}_4^{+} 、K⁺、 \mathrm{N} {\mathrm{O}}_3^{-} 、Cl^-、Na⁺ 月均浓度在不同喀斯特森林类型的林隙、林内和树干径流中的年变化规律明显,夏季浓度较低,冬季浓度较高。固定样地集水区溪流中相关离子月均浓度变化趋势与林隙、林内和树干径流中的不同。喀斯特原生林年随降水输入的相关离子量为430.951 kg·hm^-2·a^-1,随地表径流和90 cm壤中流的输出量为49.789 kg·hm^-2·a^-1,年随降水净增的相关离子量为381.162 kg·hm^-2·a^-1;而喀斯特次生林的相应值为304.101、39.216和264.885 kg·hm^-2·a^-1。喀斯特原生林N^3-、K⁺、Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺储量高于喀斯特次生林,土壤层储量>植被层储量,植被层储量中乔木层>枯落物层>灌木层>草本层。年随降水输入喀斯特森林的相关离子量占植被-土壤系统的总量较小、有效性较高,对森林的生长和养分循环有重要的生态学意义。     

Chemomodulatory effects of Terminalia chebula against nickel chloride induced oxidative stress and tumor promotion response in male Wistar rats

Nickel, a major environmental pollutant is a known potent nephrotoxic agent. In this communication we report the chemopreventive effect of Terminalia chebula on nickel chloride (NiCl₂) induced renal oxidative stress, toxicity and cell proliferation response in male Wistar rats. Administration of NiCl₂ (250 μmoL Ni/kg body weight) to male Wistar rats resulted in an increase in the reduced renal glutathione content (GSH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), lipid peroxidation (LPO), H₂O₂ generation, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine with a concomitant decrease in the activity of glutathione peroxidase (p<0.001). Nickel chloride (NiCl₂) treatment also induced tumor promotion markers, viz., ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and thymidine [³H] incorporation into renal DNA (p<0.001). Prophylactic treatment of rats with T. chebula (25 mg/kg body weight and 50 mg/kg body weight) daily for one week resulted in the diminution of NiCl₂ mediated damage as evident from the down regulation of glutathione content, GST, GR, LPO, H₂O₂ generation, BUN, serum creatinine, DNA synthesis (p<0.001) and ODC activity (p<0.01) with concomitant restoration of GPx activity. Thus, the present investigation suggests that T. chebula extract could be used as therapeutic agent for cancer prevention as evident from this study where it blocks or suppresses the events associated with chemical carcinogenesis.     

Coexistence of nitrifiers, denitrifiers and Anammox bacteria in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor as revealed by PCR-DGGE

Aims:  The bacterial diversity in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) treating landfill leachate was studied to explain the mechanism of nitrogen removal.
Methods and Results:  The total microbial DNA was extracted from samples collected from landfill leachate and biofilm of the reactor with the removal efficiencies of NH₄⁺-N higher than 97% and that of chemical oxygen demand (determined by K₂Cr₂O₇, COD_Cr) higher than 86%. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprints based on total community 16S rRNA genes were analyzed with statistical methods, and excised DNA bands were sequenced. The results of phylogenetic analyses revealed high diversity within the SBBR biofilm community, and DGGE banding patterns showed that the community structure in the biofilm remained stable during the running period.
Conclusions:  A coexistence of nitrifiers, including ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, denitrifiers, including aerobic or anaerobic denitrifying bacteria and Anammox bacteria were detected, which might be the real matter of high removal efficiencies of NH₄⁺-N and COD_Cr in the reactor.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  The findings in this study indicated that PCR-DGGE analysis could be used for microbial community detection as prior method, and the SBBR technique could provide preferable growing environment for bacteria with N removal function.     

进水碳氮比对CANON型人工湿地脱氮性能的影响

通过逐步提高进水中的有机碳源浓度,探讨进水碳氮比(C/N)对基于亚硝化的全程自养脱氮(CANON)型潮汐流人工湿地(TFCW)脱氮效能及其微生物特性的影响.结果表明: 进水C/N可显著影响CANON型TFCW中脱氮功能微生物的数量与活性,进而影响其氮素转化速率.当进水C/N由0.0增至6.0时,TFCW中反硝化功能基因的丰度随之增加,系统反硝化性能提高,TFCW中逐渐形成同步亚硝化、厌氧氨氧化与反硝化(SNAD)耦合反应体系,其脱氮效果得以强化.当进水C/N＞6.0时,好氧氨氧化菌活性受到抑制,数量逐渐减少,TFCW中的厌氧氨氧化作用与反硝化作用受阻,系统脱氮性能恶化.当进水C/N为6.0时,TFCW中的SNAD作用可得到最大限度的强化,其总氮(TN)去除率和去除负荷分别达(93.3±2.3)%和(149.30±8.00) mg·L^-1·d^-1,高于CANON系统中TN去除率的理论值.     

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical dose–response trial of an extract of Baptisia, Echinacea and Thuja for the treatment of patients with common cold

The aim of this study was to verify the efficacy and safety of an herbal medication containing an extract of a mixture of Baptisiae tinctoriae radix, Echinaceae pallidae/purpureae radix and Thujae occidentalis herba (SB-TOX) in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections (URIs), and to test whether SB-TOX's clinical efficacy is dose dependent. A total of 91 adults (mean age 42.1±13.0 years) were randomised to receive 19.2 mg of SB-TOX (n=31), 9.6 mg SB-TOX (n=29) or placebo (n=31) three times daily for 3–12 days. Since a “running nose” is the main symptom of a common cold, the total number of facial tissues used throughout the clinical duration of their cold was the primary efficacy parameter. In the intention-to-treat analysis, this total number of tissues decreased with increasing extract dose. The slope across groups according to the Jonckheere test was significant (p=0.0259). In the high-dose group, the standardised effect size Δ/SD was 0.46 compared with placebo. Time to relevant improvement in cold symptoms (measured as the time until less than 30 tissues per day were used) was 1.1 days (95% CI 0.52; 1.67), 0.76 days (95% CI 0.28; 1.24) and 0.52 days (95% CI 0.22; 0.82) in the placebo, low-dose and high-dose groups, respectively (p_LogRank=0.0175). No adverse events were reported. This study demonstrates the efficacy and safety of SB-TOX in the treatment of URIs, and that its efficacy is dose dependent.     

Spatial fiber type distribution in normal human muscle: Histochemical and tensiomyographical evaluation

The variability of fiber type distribution in nine limb muscles was examined with histochemical and tensiomyographical (TMG) methods in two groups of 15 men aged between 17 and 40 years. The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which the relative occurrence of different fiber types and subtypes varies within human limb muscles in function to depth and to predict fiber type proportions with a non-invasive TMG method.

The distribution of different fiber types varied within the muscles, as a function of depth, with a predominance of type 2b fibers at the surface and type 1 fibers in deeper regions of the muscle. For all the analyzed muscles the contraction times measured at stimulus intensity 10% of supramaximal stimulus (10% MS) were significantly (p<0.05) shorter than the contraction times measured at 50% of supramaximal stimulus intensity (50% MS). The Pearson's correlation coefficient between percentage of type 1 muscle fibers measured at the surface of the muscle and contraction time at 10% MS, obtained by TMG was statistically significant (r=0.76,P<0.01). Also the Pearson's correlation coefficient between percentage of type 1 muscle fibers measured in the deep region of the muscle and contraction time at 50% MS obtained by TMG was also statistically significant (r=0.90,P<0.001).

These findings suggest that the contraction time obtained by TMG may be useful for non-invasive examining of muscle fiber types spatial distribution in humans.     

Treatment of old landfill leachate with high ammonium content using aerobic granular sludge

Background

Aerobic granular sludge has become an attractive alternative to the conventional activated sludge due to its high settling velocity, compact structure, and higher tolerance to toxic substances and adverse conditions. Aerobic granular sludge process has been studied intensively in the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater. However, information on leachate treatment using aerobic granular sludge is very limited.

Methods

This study investigated the treatment performance of old landfill leachate with different levels of ammonium using two aerobic sequencing batch reactors (SBR): an activated sludge SBR (ASBR) and a granular sludge SBR (GSBR). Aerobic granules were successfully developed using old leachate with low ammonium concentration (136 mg L^?1 NH₄ ⁺-N).

Results

The GSBR obtained a stable chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of 70% after 15 days of operation; while the ASBR required a start-up of at least 30 days and obtained unstable COD removal varying from 38 to 70%. Ammonium concentration was gradually increased in both reactors. Increasing influent ammonium concentration to 225 mg L^?1 N, the GSBR removed 73 ± 8% of COD; while COD removal of the ASBR was 59 ± 9%. The GSBR was also more efficient than the ASBR for nitrogen removal. The granular sludge could adapt to the increasing concentrations of ammonium, achieving 95 ± 7% removal efficiency at a maximum influent concentration of 465 mg L^?1 N. Ammonium removal of 96 ± 5% was obtained by the ASBR when it was fed with a maximum of 217 mg L^?1 NH₄ ⁺-N. However, the ASBR was partially inhibited by free-ammonia and nitrite accumulation rate increased up to 85%. Free-nitrous acid and the low biodegradability of organic carbon were likely the main factors affecting phosphorus removal.

Conclusion

The results from this research suggested that aerobic granular sludge have advantage over activated sludge in leachate treatment.

     

Efficacy of a Comfrey root extract ointment in comparison to a Diclo-fenac gel in the treatment of ankle distortions: Results of an observer-blind, randomized, multicenter study

In the treatment of minor blunt injuries several topical drugs are known to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. They represent, however, two fundamentally different major pharmacological therapy approaches: the “chemical-synthetical” and the “phytotherapeutical” approach. The main objective of this trial (CODEC_2004) was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of an ointment of Comfrey extract (Extr. Rad. Symphyti) with that of a Diclofenac gel in the treatment of acute unilateral ankle sprain (distortion). In a single-blind, controlled, randomized, parallel-group, multicenter and confirmatory clinical trial outpatients with acute unilateral ankle sprains (n=164, mean age 29.0 years, 47.6% female) received either a 6 cm long ointment layer of Kytta-Salbe^® f (Comfrey extract) (n=82) or of Diclofenac gel containing 1.16 g of diclofenac diethylamine salt (n=82) for 7±1 days, four times a day.

Primary variable was the area-under-the-curve (AUC) of the pain reaction to pressure on the injured area measured by a calibrated caliper (tonometer). Secondary variables were the circumference of the joint (swelling, figure-of-eight method), the individual spontaneous pain sensation at rest and at movement according to a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the judgment of impaired movements of the injured joint by the method of “neutral-zero”, consumption of rescue medication (paracetamol), as well as the global efficacy evaluation and the global assessment of tolerability (both by physician and patient, 4 ranks). In this study the primary variable was also to be validated prospectively.

It was confirmatorily shown that Comfrey extract is non-inferior to diclofenac. The 95% confidence interval for the AUC (Comfrey extract minus Diclofenac gel) was 19.01–103.09 h*N/cm² and was completely above the margin of non-inferiority. Moreover, the results of the primary and secondary variables indicate that Comfrey extract may be superior to Diclofenac gel.