Photoelectrocatalytic Materials for Solar Water Splitting

Photoelectrocatalytic water splitting offers a promising approach to convert sunlight into sustainable hydrogen energy. A thorough understanding of the relationships between the properties and functions of photoelectrocatalytic materials plays a crucial role in the design and fabrication of efficient photoelectrochemical systems for water splitting. This review presents the advances in the development of efficient photoelectrocatalytic materials. First, the fundamentals involved in the photoelectrocatalytic water splitting are elaborated. Then, the critical properties of photoelectrocatalytic materials are classified and discussed according to the associated photoelectrochemical processes, including light absorption, charge separation, charge transportation, and photoelectrocatalytic reactions. The importance of heterointerfaces in photoelectrodes is also mentioned in conjunction with the illustration of some functional interlayer materials. Finally, some strategies that can be employed in material screening and optimization for the construction of highly efficient photoelectrochemical devices for water splitting are also discussed.     

紫外光源及太阳UV-B辐射的模拟实验

介绍了用于UV-B生物学效应研究的几种常见光源,对如何利用选择性薄膜获得理想的UV-B波段的光谱,进而能较真实模拟平流层O3耗损所导致的近地表面太阳UV-B辐射的增强,以及在野外进行UV-B模拟研究时,紫外荧光灯管的排列方式等进行了分析讨论。介绍并讨论了当前UV-B辐射实验的各种方法,并就各实验设计的注意事项和安全操作等提出了建议。     

两种不同聚焦超声源对生物媒质加热作用的比较

计算了凹球面自聚焦超声源和聚焦高斯超声源在生物媒质中产生的声场及温度场,并对其主要特征进行了分析。比较了不同条件下此两种聚焦超声源用于热疗时的有效治疗区及声焦点处的升温快慢,揭示了它们对生物组织加热作用的差异,证实最大温升主要取决于最大声吸收率。     

Phenotypic and Molecular Typing of Salmonella Strains Reveals Different Contamination Sources in Two Commercial Pig Slaughterhouses

This study aimed to define the origin of Salmonella contamination on swine carcasses and the distribution of Salmonella serotypes in two commercial slaughterhouses during normal activity. Salmonellae were isolated from carcasses, from colons and mesenteric lymph nodes of individual pigs, and from the slaughterhouse environment. All strains were serotyped; Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium and Salmonella enterica serotype Derby isolates were additionally typed beyond the serotype level by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and antibiotic resistance profiling (ARP); and a subset of 31 serotype Typhimurium strains were additionally phage typed. PFGE and ARP had the same discriminative possibility. Phage typing in combination with PFGE could give extra information for some strains. In one slaughterhouse, 21% of the carcasses were contaminated, reflecting a correlation with the delivery of infected pigs. Carcass contamination did not result only from infection of the corresponding pig; only 25% of the positive carcasses were contaminated with the same serotype or genotype found in the corresponding feces or mesenteric lymph nodes. In the other slaughterhouse, 70% of the carcasses were contaminated, and only in 4% was the same genotype or serotype detected as in the feces of the corresponding pigs. The other positive carcasses in both slaughterhouses were contaminated by genotypes present in the feces or lymph nodes of pigs slaughtered earlier that day or from dispersed sources in the environment. In slaughterhouses, complex contamination cycles may be present, resulting in the isolation of many different genotypes circulating in the environment due to the supply of positive animals and in the contamination of carcasses, probably through aerosols.     

不同水分处理对日光温室黄瓜叶片光合特性的影响

研究了不同土壤含水量对不同栽培茬口 (冬春茬、秋冬茬 )的日光温室黄瓜叶片的光合速率、气孔阻力、气孔结构特性及叶绿体超微结构的影响。结果表明 :随着土壤含水量的降低 ,单位黄瓜叶片面积气孔密度增加 ,气孔阻力上升 ,光合速率下降 ;叶绿体超微结构观察表明 :土壤含水量的减少明显地降低叶片细胞的叶绿体数目及每个叶绿休内的淀粉粒数。不同茬口的黄瓜其上述特性变化规律相似。     

不同水分处理对日光温室黄瓜叶片光合特性的影响

研究了不同土壤含水量对不同栽培茬口（冬春茬、秋冬茬）的日光温室黄瓜叶片的光合速率、气孔阻力、气孔结构特性及叶绿体超微结构的影响。结果表明：随着土壤含水量的降低,单位黄瓜叶片面积气孔密度增加,气孔阻力上升,光合速率下降;叶绿体超微结构观察表明：土壤含水量的减少明显地降低叶片细胞的叶绿体数目及每个叶绿休内的淀粉粒数。不同茬口的黄瓜其上述特性变化规律相似。     

六道沟流域2种典型灌木不同季节水分来源及利用效率

该试验以黄土高原风蚀水蚀区的典型代表六道沟流域为研究区,选取了2种典型灌木柠条(Caragana korshinskii)和沙柳(Salix psammophila)为研究对象,测定其茎秆水和不同层次土壤水分的δD值及叶片的δ~(13) C值,利用IsoSource模型分析2种植物对不同层次土壤水分的利用比例,并同步测定叶片水势、气孔导度、光合速率和蒸腾速率等生理生态因子,分析2种灌木在不同季节的水分来源及生理生态适应机制。结果表明:(1)柠条和沙柳的水分利用策略随季节波动,在不同季节对不同土层水分的利用比例存在差异。(2)旱季柠条和沙柳主要利用40~80cm土层的土壤水,利用比例分别为48.1%和49%。(3)雨季柠条主要利用表层0~10cm和浅层10~40cm的土壤水分,利用率约为57.5%;雨季沙柳主要利用浅层10~40cm的土壤水,利用比例达76%。(4)旱季柠条和沙柳的水分亏缺严重,其叶片水势、气孔导度、光合速率和蒸腾速率均小于雨季,而水分利用效率均大于雨季。研究发现,柠条和沙柳在旱季均主要利用深层土壤水分,雨季更倾向于利用浅层土壤水分;柠条和沙柳均能够通过降低气孔导度减小水分损失来获得较高的碳同化速率,维持较高的水分利用效率以适应干旱环境,均表现出较强的适应能力。     

Cross-Checking Different Sources of Mobility Information

The pervasive use of new mobile devices has allowed a better characterization in space and time of human concentrations and mobility in general. Besides its theoretical interest, describing mobility is of great importance for a number of practical applications ranging from the forecast of disease spreading to the design of new spaces in urban environments. While classical data sources, such as surveys or census, have a limited level of geographical resolution (e.g., districts, municipalities, counties are typically used) or are restricted to generic workdays or weekends, the data coming from mobile devices can be precisely located both in time and space. Most previous works have used a single data source to study human mobility patterns. Here we perform instead a cross-check analysis by comparing results obtained with data collected from three different sources: Twitter, census, and cell phones. The analysis is focused on the urban areas of Barcelona and Madrid, for which data of the three types is available. We assess the correlation between the datasets on different aspects: the spatial distribution of people concentration, the temporal evolution of people density, and the mobility patterns of individuals. Our results show that the three data sources are providing comparable information. Even though the representativeness of Twitter geolocated data is lower than that of mobile phone and census data, the correlations between the population density profiles and mobility patterns detected by the three datasets are close to one in a grid with cells of 2×2 and 1×1 square kilometers. This level of correlation supports the feasibility of interchanging the three data sources at the spatio-temporal scales considered.     

Laboratory Drop Towers for the Experimental Simulation of Dust-aggregate Collisions in the Early Solar System

For the purpose of investigating the evolution of dust aggregates in the early Solar System, we developed two vacuum drop towers in which fragile dust aggregates with sizes up to ~10 cm and porosities up to 70% can be collided. One of the drop towers is primarily used for very low impact speeds down to below 0.01 m/sec and makes use of a double release mechanism. Collisions are recorded in stereo-view by two high-speed cameras, which fall along the glass vacuum tube in the center-of-mass frame of the two dust aggregates. The other free-fall tower makes use of an electromagnetic accelerator that is capable of gently accelerating dust aggregates to up to 5 m/sec. In combination with the release of another dust aggregate to free fall, collision speeds up to ~10 m/sec can be achieved. Here, two fixed high-speed cameras record the collision events. In both drop towers, the dust aggregates are in free fall during the collision so that they are weightless and match the conditions in the early Solar System.     

A Model for the Early Identification of Sources of Airborne Pathogens in an Outdoor Environment

Background

Source identification in areas with outbreaks of airborne pathogens is often time-consuming and expensive. We developed a model to identify the most likely location of sources of airborne pathogens.

Methods

As a case study, we retrospectively analyzed three Q fever outbreaks in the Netherlands in 2009, each with suspected exposure from a single large dairy goat farm. Model input consisted only of case residential addresses, day of first clinical symptoms, and human population density data. We defined a spatial grid and fitted an exponentially declining function to the incidence-distance data of each grid point. For any grid point with a fit significant at the 95% confidence level, we calculated a measure of risk. For validation, we used results from abortion notifications, voluntary (2008) and mandatory (2009) bulk tank milk sampling at large (i.e. >50 goats and/or sheep) dairy farms, and non-systematic vaginal swab sampling at large and small dairy and non-dairy goat/sheep farms. In addition, we performed a two-source simulation study.

Results

Hotspots – areas most likely to contain the actual source – were identified at early outbreak stages, based on the earliest 2–10% of the case notifications. Distances between the hotspots and suspected goat farms varied from 300–1500 m. In regional likelihood rankings including all large dairy farms, the suspected goat farms consistently ranked first. The two-source simulation study showed that detection of sources is most clear if the distance between the sources is either relatively small or relatively large.

Conclusions

Our model identifies the most likely location of sources in an airborne pathogen outbreak area, even at early stages. It can help to reduce the number of potential sources to be investigated by microbial testing and to allow rapid implementation of interventions to limit the number of human infections and to reduce the risk of source-to-source transmission.     

Terrestrial Sources Homogenize Bacterial Water Quality During Rainfall in Two Urbanized Watersheds in Santa Barbara, CA

Microbiological contamination from runoff is a human health concern in urbanized coastal environments, but the contamination sources are often unknown. This study quantified fecal indicator bacteria and compared the distributions of human-specific genetic markers and bacterial community composition during dry and wet weather in urban creeks draining two neighboring watersheds in Santa Barbara, CA. In a prior study conducted during exclusively dry weather, the creeks were contaminated with human waste as indicated by elevated numbers of the human-specific Bacteroidales marker HF183 (Sercu et al. in Environ Sci Technol 43:293-298, 2009). During the storm, fecal indicator bacterial numbers and loads increased orders of magnitude above dry weather conditions. Moreover, bacterial community composition drastically changed during rainfall and differed from dry weather flow by (1) increased bacterial diversity, (2) reduced spatial heterogeneity within and between watersheds, and (3) clone library sequences more related to terrestrial than freshwater taxa. Finally, the spatial patterns of human-associated genetic markers (HF183 and Methanobrevibacter smithii nifH gene) changed during wet weather, and the contribution of surface soils to M. smithii nifH gene detection was suspected. The increased fecal indicator bacteria numbers during wet weather were likely associated with terrestrial sources, instead of human waste sources that dominated during dry weather flow.     

见证调水源区冬季冰情

2007年1月底我们来到大渡河上的壤塘县杜柯河,气温在零下二十多度,寒意浓浓.海拔2800多米的河段出现了流冰和河面冰盖,成群的牛羊在河冰面上悠闲地走动,一位放牧的藏族妇女用惊奇的目光打量我们这一群对冰河感兴趣的人.夜晚到达壤塘县城,全城无电,笼罩在黑暗之中.经了解,电站因无水和冰冻发不出电,已经有两个多月了.     

Studies of Water Uptake from Multiple Sources

Water uptake in systems consisting of a potted plant and twoembedded reservoirs, which had been fitted with microporousbottoms, were monitored daily over test intervals that rangedfrom 1 to 3 years. When both reservoirs contained aqueous solutionsof the same chemical composition, plants took water from thealternate sources without bias, but when one reservoir containedtap water and the other a strong aqueous nutrient solution,an initially fluctuating bias developed. Eventually the systemre-stabilized at an equilibrium state in which total uptakeof water (in 1 day^–1) to nutrient salt (in g day^–1)was about 16 to 1 independent of the concentration in the nutrientsolution. This equilibrium ratio was altered sharply wheneverthe plant was damaged severely, or whenever the quality of thewater in one of the reservoirs was impaired by addition of atoxicant. The equilibrium state was re-established within 6months following plant damage, and within a few weeks followingelimination of the toxicant. The above results demonstrate thatmultireservoir systems, which can be assembled easily from inexpensivecomponents, provide a reliable means for studying water uptakeby a single plant from two or more independent sources, andthat these systems are very sensitive to changes that affectthe physiology of the plant. water uptake, selective uptake, potometry, membranes, permeability, root growth, split-root growth, hydroponic     

Effect of Water Stress on Photosynthesis in Two Mulberry Genotypes with Different drought Tolerance

Three-month-old mulberry (Morus alba L.) cultivars (drought tolerant S13 and drought sensitive S54) were subjected to water stress for 15 d. Water stress decreased the leaf water potential, net photosynthetic rate (PN), and stomatal conductance (gs) in both the cultivars. However, the magnitude of decline was comparatively greater in the sensitive cultivar (S54). Intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) was unaltered during mild stress, but significantly increased at severe stress in both cultivars. The photosystem 2 activity significantly declined only at a severe stress in both cultivars. The Ci/gs ratio representing the mesophyll efficiency was greater in the tolerant cultivar S13. Involvement of stomatal and/or non-stomatal components in declining PN depended on the severity and duration of stress. However, the degree of non-stomatal limitations was relatively less in the drought tolerant cultivar.     

Event-Related Potential Evidence for Two Functionally Dissociable Sources of Semantic Effects in the Attentional Blink

Three target words (T1, T2, and T3) were embedded in a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) stream of non-word distractors, and participants were required to report the targets at the end of each RSVP stream. T2 and T3 were semantically related words in half of the RSVP streams, and semantically unrelated words in the other half of the RSVP streams. Using an identical design, a recent study reported distinct reflections of the T2–T3 semantic relationship on the P2 and N400 components of event-related potentials (ERPs) time-locked to T3, suggesting an early, automatic, source of P2 semantic effects and a late, controlled, source of N400 semantic effects. Here, P2 and N400 semantic effects were examined by manipulating list-wide context. Relative to participants performing in a semantically unbiased context, participants over-exposed to filler RSVP streams always including semantically related T2/T3 words reported a dilution of T3-locked P2 semantic effects and a magnification of T3-locked N400 semantic effects. Opposite effects on P2 and N400 ERP components of list-wide semantic context are discussed in relation to recent proposals on the representational status of RSVP targets at processing stages prior to consolidation in visual short-term memory.     

Enhancement of Solar Water Pasteurization with Reflectors

A simple and reliable method that could be used in developing countries to pasteurize milk and water with solar energy is described. A cardboard reflector directs sunshine onto a black jar, heating water to pasteurizing temperatures in several hours. A reusable water pasteurization indicator verifies that pasteurization temperatures have been reached.     

Potential of Olfactory Ensheathing Cells from Different Sources for Spinal Cord Repair

Spinal cord injury (SCI) induces a permanent disability in patients. To this day no curative treatment can be proposed to restore lost functions. Therefore, extensive experimental studies have been conducted to induce recovery after SCI. One of the most promising therapies is based on the use of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs). OECs can be obtained from either the olfactory bulbs (OB-OECs) or from olfactory mucosa (OM-OECs), involving a less invasive approach for autotransplantation. However the vast majority of experimental transplantations have been focusing on OB-OECs although the OM represents a more accessible source of OECs. Importantly, the ability of OM-OECs in comparison to OB-OECs to induce spinal cord recovery in the same lesion paradigm has never been described. We here present data using a multiparametric approach, based on electrophysiological, behavioral, histological and magnetic resonance imaging experiments on the repair potential of OB-OECs and OM-OECs from either primary or purified cultures after a severe model of SCI. Our data demonstrate that transplantation of OECs obtained from OB or OM induces electrophysiological and functional recovery, reduces astrocyte reactivity and glial scar formation and improves axonal regrowth. We also show that the purification step is essential for OM-OECs while not required for OB-OECs. Altogether, our study strongly indicates that transplantation of OECs from OM represents the best benefit/risk ratio according to the safety of access of OM and the results induced by transplantations of OM-OECs. Indeed, purified OM-OECs in addition to induce recovery can integrate and survive up to 60 days into the spinal cord. Therefore, our results provide strong support for these cells as a viable therapy for SCI.     

Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Clostridium difficile from Different Sources

A total of 79 Clostridium difficile strains from healthy young and elderly adults, elderly patients without gastrointestinal disease, elderly patients receiving antibiotics without gastrointestinal complications, and elderly patients with antibiotic-associated diarrhea or pseudomembranous colitis were tested for their susceptibilities to 24 antimicrobial agents. All of the 79 strains were inhibited by low concentrations of rifampicin, metronidazole, fusidic acid, vancomycin, ampicillin, and penicillin G. The strains were highly resistant to aminoglycosides, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, nalidixic acid, and cycloserine and often resistant to neomycin, cefoxitin, and cefalexin. Wide variations in the susceptibility of C. difficile strains to erythromycin, clindamycin, lincomycin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline were found. Strains resistant to erythromycin, clindamycin, and lincomycin were more frequently found among strains isolated from elderly adults than those isolated from young adults, with particularly high frequency among strains isolated from elderly patients receiving antibiotics. None of the 23 strains isolated from healthy young adults was resistant to chloramphenicol. All of the 14 strains resistant to erythromycin, clindamycin, lincomycin, and chloramphenicol were sensitive to tetracycline and all of the 15 strains resistant to erythromycin, clindamycin, lincomycin, and tetracycline were sensitive to chloramphenicol. Only one out of 19 tetracycline-resistant strains was highly toxigenic, whereas 42 (70%) of 60 sensitive strains were highly toxigenic.