Performance of two laboratory‐scale horizontal wetlands under varying influent loads treating artificial sewage

The performance of two laboratory‐scale horizontal subsurface‐flow constructed wetlands(CWs) treating artificial sewage in response to varying influent components and loads was investigated. Acidification with a pH of 3.0 was detected under an organic carbon load of 100 mg/day, which further inhibited the activity of the denitrification process. With an increase in the carbon load to 240 mg/day, the pH was significantly elevated to 6.0. However, a negative effect of sulphide as a product of sulphate reduction was observed on the removal of ammonium, the plants (Juncus effusus), and the organic carbon degradation. With a produced sulphide concentration of about 3.5 mg/L, the ammonium removal decreased from 100% to 30% under an inflow load of 100 mg/day, and the number of healthy stalks of J. effuses was reduced from about 14 000/m² to less than 6000/m². The removal of organic carbon decreased from 94% to 68% under an influent load of 240 mg/day, when the sulphide concentrations reached up to about 8–10 mg/L. The production of sulphide was not immediately controlled by stopping the inflow sulphate load to remove the negative effect of the sulphide toxicity, thus indicating an immobilization of the deposited reduced sulphur compounds. Moreover, the effect of a nitrate dosage on the sulphide control was also examined, but was shown to be only evident under the conditions of a low organic carbon input.     

Matrix remodeling associated 7 promotes differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells toward osteoblasts

The matrix remodeling associated 7 (MXRA7) gene had been ill-studied and its biology remained to be discovered. Inspired by our previous findings and public datasets concerning MXRA7, we hypothesized that the MXRA7 gene might be involved in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) functions related to bone formation, which was checked by utilizing in vivo or in vitro methodologies. Micro-computed tomography of MXRA7-deficient mice demonstrated retarded osteogenesis, which was reflected by shorter femurs, lower bone mass in both trabecular and cortical bones compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Histology confirmed the osteopenia-like feature including thinner growth plates in MXRA7-deficient femurs. Immunofluorescence revealed less osteoblasts in MXRA7-deficient femurs. Polymerase chain reaction or western blot analysis showed that when WT BMSCs were induced to differentiate toward osteoblasts or adipocytes in culture, MXRA7 messenger RNA or protein levels were significantly increased alongside osteoblasts induction, but decreased upon adipocytes induction. Cultured MXRA7-deficient BMSCs showed decreased osteogenesis upon osteogenic differentiation induction as reflected by decreased calcium deposition or lower expression of genes responsible for osteogenesis. When recombinant MXRA7 proteins were supplemented in a culture of MXRA7-deficient BMSCs, osteogenesis or gene expression was fully restored. Upon osteoblast induction, the level of active β-catenin or phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase in MXRA7-deficient BMSCs was decreased compared with that in WT BMSCs, and these impairments could be rescued by recombinant MXRA7 proteins. In adipogenesis induction settings, the potency of MXRA7-deficient BMSCs to differentiate into adipocytes was increased over the WT ones. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that MXRA7 influences bone formation via regulating the balance between osteogenesis and adipogenesis in BMSCs.     

Inhibition of USP14 suppresses the formation of foam cell by promoting CD36 degradation

Atherosclerosis is regarded as a chronic progressive inflammatory disease and is a basic pathophysiological process in coronary artery disease which is life threatening in clinic. The formation of foam cell plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. OxLDL is a significant factor in progression of coronary artery disease. Our studies have demonstrated that USP14 promotes cancer development and mediates progression of cardiac hypertrophy and LPS-induced inflammation. However, the underlying mechanism of USP14 is unknown. In this study, we found that the inhibition of USP14 significantly suppressed the oxLDL uptake, subsequently decreased the foam cell formation. Surprisingly, USP14 has an effect on the expression of CD36 but not SR-A, ABCA1, Lox-1, ABCG1 and SR-Bl. Furthermore, USP14 stabilizes CD36 protein via cleaving the ubiquitin chain on CD36. Blocking CD36 activation using antibody-dependent blocking assay remarkably attenuated the function of USP14 on the formation of foam cell. In summary, our results suggested that the inhibition of USP14 decreases foam cell formation by down-regulating CD36-mediated lipid uptake and provides a potential therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.     

Alpha 1E subunit of the R-type calcium channel is associated with myelinogenesis

During myelinogenesis, we found an exceedingly strong, transient expression of the α_1E gene for the R-type voltage-gated calcium channel in CNS white matter. This immunoreactivity appeared in glial cells along specific pathways of the brainstem, cerebellum, and telencephalon. The reactivity followed a wave that progressed from the brainstem at P5, to the cerebellar peduncles by P8, the arbor vitae by P14, and the granular layer by P17. The reactivity-peaked about 3–4 days later and decreased gradually to become negligible in all areas before adulthood. Ultrastructural analysis confirmed that α_1E immunoreactivity was located in oligodendroglial somata, their projections, paranodal wraps and loose myelin sheaths. There was a distinct association of the channel protein reactivity on oligodendroglial membranes in contact with the axon. We propose that glial projections, contacting axons, sense axonal firing through small K⁺ currents and open the high voltage R-type calcium channels to signal myelination.     

Configurations and characteristics of boron and B36 clusters

We present an extensive study of the optical properties of Myrcia sylvatica essential oil with the goal of investigating the suitability of its material system for uses in organic photovoltaics. The methods of extraction, experimental analysis, and theoretical modeling are described in detail. The precise composition of the oil in our samples is determined via gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and X-ray scattering techniques. The measurements indicate that, indeed, the material system of Myrcia sylvatica essential oil may be successfully employed for the design of organic photovoltaic devices. The optical absorption of the molecules that compose the oil are calculated using time-dependent density functional theory and used to explain the measured UV-Vis spectra of the oil. We show that it is sufficient to consider the α-bisabolol/cadalene pair, two of the main constituents of the oil, to obtain the main features of the UV-Vis spectra. This finding is of importance for future works that aim to use Myrcia sylvatica essential oil as a photovoltaic material.

     

Abundance and diversity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea in a biological aerated filter process

Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) represent an important group of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms that are able to convert ammonia to nitrite, a function which is crucial for the removal of nitrogen from wastewater. In this study, we investigated the abundance and diversity of AOA in a full-scale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) which used a biological aerated filter (BAF) as the main processing mode. According to the quantitative PCR results, AOA clearly outnumbered ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) during the whole process. The abundance of AOA amoA genes in the filter layer of BAF was highest with the value varied from 6.32 × 10³ to 3.8 × 10⁴ copies/ng DNA. The highest abundance of AOB amoA genes was 1.32 × 10² copies/ng DNA, recorded in the effluent of the ACTIFLO® settling tank. The ratios of AOA/AOB in the WWTP were maintained at two or three orders of magnitude. Most AOA obtained from the WWTP fell within the Nitrosopumilus cluster. The abundance of AOA and AOB was significantly correlated with ammonium nitrogen concentrations and pH value. The community structure of AOA was significantly influenced by dissolved oxygen concentrations, pH value and chemical oxygen demand.     

Quinazoline-1-deoxynojirimycin hybrids as high active dual inhibitors of EGFR and α-glucosidase

A series of novel quinazoline-1-deoxynojirimycin hybrids were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activities against two drug target enzymes, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase and α-glucosidase. Some synthesized compounds exhibited significantly inhibitory activities against the tested enzymes. Comparing with reference compounds gefitinib and lapatinib, compounds 7d, 8d, 9b and 9d showed higher inhibitory activities against EGFR (IC₅₀: 1.79–10.71 nM). Meanwhile the inhibitory activities of 7d, 8d and 9c against α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ = 0.14, 0.09 and 0.25 µM, respectively) were obvious higher than that of miglitol (IC₅₀ = 2.43 µM), a clinical using α-glucosidase inhibitor. Interestingly, compound 9d as a dual inhibitor showed high inhibitory activity to EGFR^wt tyrosine kinase (IC₅₀ = 1.79 nM), also to α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ = 0.39 µM). The work could be very useful starting point for developing a new series of enzyme inhibitors targeting EGFR and/or α-glucosidase.     

Loss of Myomixer Results in Defective Myoblast Fusion,Impaired Muscle Growth,and Severe Myopathy in Zebrafish

Marine Biotechnology - The development and growth of fish skeletal muscles require myoblast fusion to generate multinucleated myofibers. While zebrafish fast-twitch muscle can fuse to generate...     

土地管理对植被变绿的潜在贡献——以中国东北农业区为例

植被变绿现象一般指绿度指标统计上呈现年际增加趋势。大尺度植被变绿现象及其归因与影响研究广泛开展中。其中,量化各种驱动因素的贡献仍然十分困难,特别是土地管理影响的研究尚显不足。选择了中国农业分布最广泛的东北农业区,尝试从植被变绿的年际变化和季节特征对土地管理因素的潜在贡献进行了推断分析,并选择增强植被指数EVI作为指标。在2000—2019年期间,EVI在农田和自然植被(林地和草地)的变化趋势分别为2.19×10^-3/a(P<0.05)和1.86×10^-3/a(P<0.05)(1.83×10^-3/a(P<0.05)和1.94×10^-3/a(P<0.05)),即处于相同量级。但是,农田EVI的增长主要集中在6—9月,增长率为4.99×10^-3/a(P<0.05),而同期自然植被的增长速率仅为2.30×10^-3/a(P<0.05)(林地和草地分别为1.79×10^-3/a(P<0.05)和3.71×1...