Impact of anodophilic biofilm bioelectroactivity on the denitrification behavior of air-cathode microbial fuel cells

Generally, high bioelectroactivity of anodophilic biofilm favors high power generation of microbial fuel cell (MFC); however, it is not clear whether it can promote denitrification of MFC synchronously. In this study, we studied the impact of anodophilic biofilm bioelectroactivity on the denitrification behavior of air-cathode MFC (AC-MFC) in steady state and found that high bioelectroactivity of anodophilic biofilm not only favored high power generation of the AC-MFC, but also promoted the growth of denitrifers at the anodes and strengthened denitrification. Anodophilic biofilms of AC-MFC with various bioelectroactivity were acclimated at conditions of open circuit (OC), R_ext of 1000 Ω and 20 Ω (denoted as AC-MFC-OC, AC-MFC-1000Ω, and AC-MFC-20Ω, respectively) and performed for over 100 days. Electrochemical tests and microbial analysis results showed that the anode of the AC-MFC-20Ω delivered higher current response of both oxidation and denitrification and had higher abundance of electroactive bacteria than the AC-MFC-OC, AC-MFC-1000Ω, demonstrating a higher bioelectroactivity of the anodophilic biofilms. Moreover, these electroactive bacteria favored the accumulation of denitrifers, like Thauera and Alicycliphilus, probably by consuming trace oxygen through catalyzing oxygen reduction. The AC-MFC-20Ω not only delivered a 61.7% higher power than the AC-MFC-1000Ω, but also achieved a stable and high denitrification rate constant (k_DN) of 1.9 h^?1, which was 50% and 40% higher than that of the AC-MFC-OC and AC-MFC-1000Ω, respectively. It could be concluded that the high bioelectroactivity of the anodophilic biofilms not only favored high power generation of the AC-MFC, but also promoted the enrichment of denitrifers at the anodes and strengthened denitrification. This study provided an effective method for enhancing power generation and denitrification performance of the AC-MFC synchronously.     

Effect of external resistance on bacterial diversity and metabolism in cellulose-fed microbial fuel cells

External resistance affects the performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) by controlling the flow of electrons from the anode to the cathode. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of external resistance on bacterial diversity and metabolism in MFCs. Four external resistances (20, 249, 480, and 1000 Ω) were tested by operating parallel MFCs independently at constant circuit loads for 10 weeks. A maximum power density of 66 mW m⁻² was achieved by the 20 Ω MFCs, while the MFCs with 249, 480, and 1000 Ω external resistances produced 57.5, 27, and 47 mW m⁻², respectively. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of partial 16S rRNA genes showed clear differences between the planktonic and anode-attached populations at various external resistances. Concentrations of short chain fatty acids were higher in MFCs with larger circuit loads, suggesting that fermentative metabolism dominated over anaerobic respiration using the anode as the final electron acceptor.     

Effects of addition of varying levels of copper,as oxide or phosphate,on nitrogen mineralisation and nitrification during incubation of a slightly calcareous soil receiving dried blood

Summary The addition of 100, 1000 and 10,000 ppm copper, as oxide or hydrogen phosphate, stimulated nitrogen mineralisation and nitrification during incubation of a sandy loam (0.5% calcium carbonate) treated with 200 ppm N as dried blood. The maximum effects occurred with 1000 ppm added copper and were similar with both sources of added copper. EDTA-extractable copper was higher where copper hydrogen phosphate than where copper oxide had been added.     

Construction of Flower-specific Chimeric Promoters and Analysis of Their Activities in Transgenic Torenia

Flower-specific promoters can enable transgenic enhancement of valuable ornamental traits, including flower shape and color. However, the identification of strong, tissue-specific promoters remains a limiting factor. To obtain enhanced flower-specific promoters, we constructed four chimeric promoters (p35S-PCHS-Ω, p35S-LCHS-Ω, pOCS-PCHS-Ω and pOCS-LCHS-Ω) combining the 35S or OCS enhancer fused to a 302 bp CHSA core promoter fragment from petunia (PCHS) or a 307 bp CHS core promoter fragment from lily (LCHS), and also containing an omega element (Ω). Each promoter was fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene, and we examined the levels and tissue specificity of GUS expression in transgenic Torenia fournieri. p35S-PCHS-Ω and p35S-LCHS-Ω drove strong, constitutive GUS expression in all tissues, especially in colored corollas (p35S-PCHS-Ω) or in colored corollas and roots (p35S-LCHS-Ω). pOCS-PCHS-Ω drove stronger GUS expression in colored corollas than in other tissues but expression was weaker than that of p35S-PCHS-Ω. pOCS-LCHS-Ω drove GUS in colored corollas but also in roots. Among the four chimeric promoters, pOCS-PCHS-Ω exhibited stronger activity only in colored corollas, making it useful for transgenic enhancement of floral traits, such as expressing ‘blue genes’ in lily to produce new lines with blue flowers.     

Distinction of two subtypes of human leukocyte interferon (IFN-alpha) on B cell activation. B cell proliferation by two subtypes of IFN-alpha

We examined the effect of interferon (IFN), with particular emphasis on the effects of the two subtypes of IFN-alpha (IFN-alpha A and IFN-alpha B) on the B cell proliferation induced by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I bacterium (SpA Col). An increase of SpA Col-induced proliferation was observed in the presence of 100 to 1000 U/ml of IFN-alpha, but a decrease of SpA Col-induced proliferation was observed in the presence of 1000 to 10,000 U/ml of IFN-beta. The two subtypes of IFN-alpha had different effects on cell proliferation; a significant enhancement was shown in the presence of 1000 to 10,000 U/ml of IFN-alpha A, but inhibition was shown in the presence of 1000 to 10,000 U/ml of IFN-alpha B. In the reconstitution test of the two subtypes of IFN-alpha, the boundary between enhancement and inhibition of SpA Col-induced proliferation was revealed when the proportion of IFN-alpha A and IFN-alpha B (IFN-alpha A:IFN-alpha B) ranged between 8:2 and 9:1. Toward the SpA Col-induced responses, the above IFN were all found to act on B cells directly, independent of the presence of T cells. Proliferative responses by IFN-alpha and IFN-alpha A, however, were shown to be slightly dependent on the presence of monocytes. The lymphocyte proliferation induced by other mitogens (phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen, and protein A of S. aureus) were all inhibited by the above IFN.     

The effects of cellular glutathione elevation on the oxygen enhancement ratio

The radiation responses at various oxygen tensions were evaluated in V79 Chinese hamster cells under conditions where their nonprotein thiols, primarily glutathione (GSH), were elevated by 2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylate (OTZ). OTZ, when cleaved by intracellular oxoprolinase, provides the cell with cysteine which stimulates GSH synthesis. A 2-hr pretreatment with 10 mM OTZ elevated GSH to 200% of controls. This elevation in GSH offered no protection to aerated cells; however, for O2 tensions less than or equal to 40,000 ppm modest protection was observed as evidenced by an increase in oxygen enhancement ratio. GSH elevation afforded maximal protection between 1000 and 10,000 ppm O2; however, the extent of protection was relatively small (protection factor = 1.3).     

Cell Adhesion and Proliferation on Sulfonated and Non-Modified Chitosan Films

Three types of chitosan-based films have been prepared and evaluated: a non-modified chitosan film bearing cationizable aliphatic amines and two films made of N-sulfopropyl chitosan derivatives bearing both aliphatic amines and negative sulfonate groups at different ratios. Cell adhesion and proliferation on chitosan films of C2C12 pre-myoblastic cells and B16 cells as tumoral model have been tested. A differential cell behavior has been observed on chitosan films due to their different surface modification. B16 cells have shown lower vinculin expression when cultured on sulfonated chitosan films. This study shows how the interaction among cells and material surface can be modulated by physicochemical characteristics of the biomaterial surface, altering tumoral cell adhesion and proliferation processes.     

Anhydrous lanthanide chlorides doped rare-earth polyacetylene

Lanthanide chlorides (LnCl₃) of all fifteen rare- earth elements, except Pm, have been used as new dopants for the chemical doping of rare-earth polyacetylene (PA) films. The doping reaction takes place in a saturated tetrahydrofuran solution of LnCl₃. The doped PA films exhibit an increase of 1–3 orders in conductivity as compared with the undoped one and, moreover, can be used as good substrates for the redoping with FeCl₃ or I₂ to prepare films having high and more stable conductivity. Characterizations using techniques of infrared spectrophotometry, electron spin resonance, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction have also been performed for the resuttant PA. It is demonstrated by the physical characterizations that the dopant species are partially coordinated to the PA chains but have no significant influence on the PA structure.     

Membrane bending modulus and adhesion energy of wild-type and mutant cells of Dictyostelium lacking talin or cortexillins.

We have employed an interferometric technique for the local measurement of bending modulus, membrane tension, and adhesion energy of motile cells adhering to a substrate. Wild-type and mutant cells of Dictyostelium discoideum were incubated in a flow chamber. The flow-induced deformation of a cell near its adhesion area was determined by quantitative reflection interference contrast microscopy (RICM) and analyzed in terms of the elastic boundary conditions: equilibrium of tensions and bending moments at the contact line. This technique was employed to quantify changes caused by the lack of talin, a protein that couples the actin network to the plasma membrane, or by the lack of cortexillin I or II, two isoforms of the actin-bundling protein cortexillin. Cells lacking either cortexillin I or II exhibited reduced bending moduli of 95 and 160 k(B)T, respectively, as compared to 390 k(B)T, obtained for wild-type cells. No significant difference was found for the adhesion energies of wild-type and cortexillin mutant cells. In cells lacking talin, not only a strongly reduced bending modulus of 70 k(B)T, but also a low adhesion energy one-fourth of that in wild-type cells was measured.     

新疆传统发酵乳品中益生菌的益生特性

目的 以新疆传统发酵乳品中分离得到的14种发酵菌为研究对象,评价14种益生菌自聚集性能、表面疏水性、粘附性等益生特性;评价其抗生素耐药性的安全性能,并筛选对α-葡萄糖苷酶有一定抑制功能的益生菌。方法 首先对14种发酵菌α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制率进行检测,然后检测14种发酵菌自聚集性能、表面疏水性和对Caco-2细胞的粘附率,最后进行耐药性试验。结果 14种发酵菌株均有良好的自聚集性能,哈尔滨乳杆菌自聚集性能最好（87.60%±0.16%）;14种益生菌对乙酸乙酯有较高的表面疏水性,但对不同有机溶剂疏水性存在差异;乳酸菌中希氏乳杆菌对Caco-2细胞的粘附率最高（8.78%±0.65%）。酵母中乙醇假丝酵母对Caco-2细胞的粘附率最高（2.35%±0.04%）。14种发酵菌对Caco-2细胞的粘附性均大于1%;马乳酒样乳杆菌的α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制率最高（14.55%±0.74%）,且除了瑞士乳杆菌（1.87%±0.09%）,其他菌株抑制率都达到5%以上。戊糖乳杆菌和高加索乳杆菌对大多数抗生素表现出较高的敏感性,4种酵母对氟胞嘧啶和酮康唑均敏感。结论 10种乳酸菌和4种酵母都具有良好的益生特性,且未见对抗生素、抗真菌药物发生耐药。     

Unintentional Bulk Doping of Polymer‐Fullerene Blends from a Thin Interfacial Layer of MoO3

Charge selective interlayers are of critical importance in order for solar cells based on low mobility materials, such as polymer‐fullerene blends, to perform well. Commonly used anode interlayers consist of high work function transition metal oxides, with molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃) being arguably the most used. Here, it is shown that a thin interlayer of MoO₃ causes unintentional bulk doping in solar cells based on polymers and polymer‐fullerene blends. The doping concentrations determined from capacitance–voltage measurements are larger than 10¹⁶ cm^?3 and are seen to increase closer to the anode, reference devices without MoO₃ are undoped. Using time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy it is furthermore shown that molybdenum is present on the surface of all films with an interfacial layer of MoO₃ beneath the active layer. Doping concentrations of this magnitude are detrimental for device performance, especially for active layers >100 nm.     

The HCN Potential of Chinese Sorghum and Sudangrass Varieties and the Changes of HCN Potential During the Growth of Seedling

In this paper, we measured the HCN potential (HCN-p) of 148 sorghum (Sorghum hicolor (L.) Moench) and sudangrass (Sorghum sudanense) varieties and the changes of HCN-P during seedling growth. The results showed that most of the varieties had their HCN-p more than 1000 ppm (94:59%). Among them, 33.11% belonged to 1400–1600 ppm, 22.97% to 1200–1400 ppm, 17.57% to 1000–1200 ppm, and 14.86% to 1600–1800 ppm. The varieties which HCN-p were less than 1000 ppm or higher than 1800 ppm had a little proportion (11.44%). The varieties with the lowest HCN-p were “Xinliang 80” (672 ppm), “sudancao” (753 ppm), “Huangke Sudancao” (856 ppm), “Limuji” (860 ppm), and “MI03” (876 ppm). Those with the highest HCN-p were “Yuanxin lA” (1967 ppm), “Shisanjie” (1904 ppm), “Mi- bangz” (Da Lai (1900 ppm), “7503 A” (1889 ppm), and Mijia Honggaoliang (1883 ppm). Sudangrass had the lowest HCN-p (about 700 ppm), sweet sorghum had higher HCN-p (about 1500 ppm). with the seedling growth, HCN-p reached its highest value in 4-day-old seedling. The first leaf had the highest HCN-p content, the second leaf and sheath had lower and root had the lowest.     

Effect of some chemical insecticides on the germination and replication of commercial Bacillus thuringiensis

Experiments designed to determine the compatibility of commercial Bacillus thuringiensis and chemical insecticides showed that fenitrothion (2 ppm active ingredient), SBP 1382, and Gardona^® (1 ppm active ingredient) inhibited bacterial replication after 2 hr growth time in liquid broth culture. Spore germination and the size of the parasporal crystals were greatly reduced by high concentrations (1000 ppm) of these insecticide formulations most likely due to the presence of toxic emulsifiers and other additives in the emulsifiable concentrates. The commonly used emulsifiers, Atlox and Triton X-100, at 1000 ppm totally inhibited germination and reduced crystal size. Bacillus thuringiensis apparently metabolized fenitrothion and SBP 1382 during 2 hr of exposure in the cultures containing 10 and 100 ppm, respectively, of these insecticides.Orthene^® at 10,000 ppm for 2 hr had no significant inhibiting effect on the bacteria replication. Spore germination and crystal size were not affected by this concentration. Orthene is considered a potentially effective chemical insecticide in the integrated control of susceptible insect pests if used in concentrations low enough to spare natural control agents of the target species.     

Ovicidal activity of noviflumuron when fed to adult German cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae)

Ovicidal activity of the benzoylphenylurea noviflumuron was evaluated in the laboratory on three adult groups (virgin females, virgin males, and fertilized, nongravid females) of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), through ingestion of treated bait. Novifumuron caused significant ovicidal effects at concentrations ranging from 10 to 5000 ppm after 5-d feeding exposure to virgin and fertilized females. Untreated females produced little or no viable oothecae when mated with virgin males that had previously ingested bait (5-d exposure) with 1000 ppm or 5000 ppm noviflumuron. The highest tested concentration of noviflumuron (5000 ppm) caused 100% ovicidal activity through two ovarian cycles for all three adult groups. Noviflumuron seems to have broader ovicidal activity against B. germanica than reported for other benzoylphenylurea insecticides and can potentially impact cockroach populations through a combination of nymphal mortality and ovicidal activity.     

Dose-related effects of dichloromethane on rat brain in short-term inhalation exposure

Male Wistar rats were exposed to 500, 1000 or 100 ppm as time-weighted average (t.w.a.) concentrations of dichloromethane vapour. The 1000 (t.w.a.) ppm exposure consisted of two 1-h peak concentrations (2800 ppm) on a basal exposure of 100 ppm. All exposures lasted for 6 h, 5 days weekly and for 2 weeks. The solvent burdens were analyzed in the perirenal fat samples which showed a relation to the dose with the highest values in the 1000 (t.w.a.) ppm exposures. The solvent concentrations increased in the perirenal fat between the two weeks of exposure. Blood carbon monoxide concentrations did not accurately reflect the body solvent burdens. Neurochemical effects also displayed a dose relationship, and included decreased succinate dehydrogenase activity in the cerebellum at the two higher doses and increased acid proteinase activity at 1000 ppm in the cerebrum. Withdrawal of the animals for 7 days from the 2-week exposure showed that the biochemical changes were largely abolished with the exception of decreased succinate dehydrogenase activity at 1000 ppm (t.w.a.).     

Necrotic cell death: From reversible mitochondrial uncoupling to irreversible lysosomal permeabilization

Dictyostelium atg1− mutant cells provide an experimentally and genetically favorable model to study necrotic cell death (NCD) with no interference from apoptosis or autophagy. In such cells subjected to starvation and cAMP, induction by the differentiation-inducing factor DIF or by classical uncouplers led within minutes to mitochondrial uncoupling, which causally initiated NCD. We now report that (1) in this model, NCD included a mitochondrial-lysosomal cascade of events, (2) mitochondrial uncoupling and therefore initial stages of death showed reversibility for a surprisingly long time, (3) subsequent lysosomal permeabilization could be demonstrated using Lysosensor blue, acridin orange, Texas red-dextran and cathepsin B substrate, (4) this lysosomal permeabilization was irreversible, and (5) the presence of the uncoupler was required to maintain mitochondrial lesions but also to induce lysosomal lesions, suggesting that signaling from mitochondria to lysosomes must be sustained by the continuous presence of the uncoupler. These results further characterized the NCD pathway in this priviledged model, contributed to a definition of NCD at the lysosomal level, and suggested that in mammalian NCD even late reversibility attempts by removal of the inducer may be of therapeutic interest.     

miRNA-1和miRNA-133过表达对L6细胞增殖与分化的影响

目的观察大鼠微小RNA-1（miR-1）、微小RNA-133（miR-133）过表达对L6成肌细胞增殖分化的影响。方法分别构建miR-1、miR-133的重组慢病毒载体,并进行测序鉴定,稳定转染L6细胞后,用RT-PCR Taqman探针的方法检测miR-1、miR-133的表达水平;细胞计数实验（CCK-8试剂盒）评价miR-1、miR-133过表达后对L6细胞增殖的影响。诱导稳定转染后L6成肌细胞进行分化,观察miR-1、miR-133过表达后对L6细胞分化的影响。以Western blot法检测miR-1、miR-133过表达后,α肌动蛋白（skeletalα-actin）表达水平的变化。采用Kruskal-Wallis H检验、重复测量和单因素方差分析进行比较。结果miR-1慢病毒载体经酶切和测序鉴定序列准确,转染48 h后L6细胞miR-1组（4.292±0.50）比control组（0.231±0.86）、miR-133组（0.205±0.48）比control组（3.564±0.45）表达均显著上调（P〈0.001）;细胞计数和细胞分化实验显示,培养120 h后,过表达miR-1的L6细胞α肌动蛋白（skeletalα-actin）比对照组（0.415±0.02）表达显著升（0.676±0.02,F=222.144,P〈0.001）,分化明显加快,但增殖无明显变化;而过表达miR-133的L6细胞增殖明显加快,α肌动蛋白表达呈下降趋势（0.363±0.02,F=2385.643,P〈0.001）,分化受到抑制。结论 miR-1、miR-133慢病毒表达载体稳定转染L6成肌细胞后高效表达miR-1和miR-133,miR-1可促进L6细胞分化,miR-133能促进L6细胞增殖但抑制其分化。     

Effect of boron and cadmium on nitrogen fixation in soil.

The influence of different doses of boron (100, 500 and 1000 ppm) and cadmium (50, 100, 500, 1000 and 2000 ppm) on the activity of nitrogen fixation in the sandy and alluvial soil has been studied. Almost all doses of boron stimulated this process except 1000 ppm of B added to the sandy soil. All the doses of cadmium also exerted a positive effect on the nitrogen fixation, but only during the first 3 months of the experiment, later (after 12 months) Cd decreased the activity of this process. The most marked effect to the examined elements was pronounced in the sandy soil.     

Activation of mouse lymphocytes inhibits induction of rapid cell death by x-irradiation

A distinctive property of the resting lymphocyte is its ability to die rapidly in interphase after x-irradiation. Suspensions of thymocytes and peripheral lymphocytes from BALB/c mice were irradiated with doses ranging from 10 to 10,000 rad (0.1 to 100 Grays), and their viability was measured by eosin dye exclusion at intervals through 3 days of culture. After an initial latent period of a few hours, viability declined exponentially in a dose-dependent fashion. Doses as low as 20 rad caused some lymphocytes to die rapidly. After 1000 rad, 90% of the cells became nonviable in 15 to 20 hr and 99% in 25 to 35 hr. Peripheral lymphocytes showed a somewhat earlier loss of viability than did thymocytes, and were killed especially rapidly by 10,000 rad. Enriched T cells and B cells were killed by irradiation at equal rates, and medullary thymocytes were killed at the same rate as the whole thymocyte population. In contrast with resting cells, T and B lymphocytes activated by mitogens were not subject to such rapid induction of cell death. Irradiation with 1000 rad reduced the viability of activated cells by only 50% at a time when less than 1% of nonstimulated lymphocytes remained alive. Similarly, cloned lines of antigen-specific helper and cytotoxic T cells showed only a delayed and slow loss of viability after receiving 1000 rad. The state of activation can therefore be a significant determinant of the immunologic consequences of irradiation.