Treatment of H2S using a horizontal biotrickling filter based on biological activated carbon: reactor setup and performance evaluation

Biological treatment is an emerging and prevalent technology for treating off-gases from wastewater treatment plants. The most commonly reported odorous compound in off-gases is hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), which has a very low odor threshold. A self-designed, bench-scale, cross-flow horizontal biotrickling filter (HBF) operated with bacteria immobilized activated carbon (termed biological activated carbon—BAC), was applied for the treatment of H₂S. A mixed culture of sulfide-oxidizing bacteria dominated by Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans acclimated from activated sludge was used as bacterial seed and the biofilm was developed by culturing the bacteria in the presence of carbon pellets in mineral medium. HBF performance was evaluated systematically over 120 days, depending on a series of changing factors including inlet H₂S concentration, gas retention time (GRT), pH of recirculation solution, upset and recovery, sulfate accumulation, pressure drop, gas-liquid ratio, and shock loading. The biotrickling filter system can operate at high efficiency from the first day of operation. At a volumetric loading of 900 m³ m^–3 h^–1 (at 92 ppmv H₂S inlet concentration), the BAC exhibited maximum elimination capacity (113 g H₂S/m^–3 h^–1) and a removal efficiency of 96% was observed. If the inlet concentration was kept at around 20 ppmv, high H₂S removal (over 98%) was achieved at a GRT of 4 s, a value comparable with those currently reported for biotrickling filters. The bacterial population in the acidic biofilter demonstrated capacity for removal of H₂S over a broad pH range (pH 1–7). A preliminary investigation into the different effects of bacterial biodegradation and carbon adsorption on system performance was also conducted. This study shows the HBF to be a feasible and economic alternative to physical and chemical treatments for the removal of H₂S.     

白细胞介素及其受体研究进展

已被发现和命名的白介素有19种,其相应的受体大多也已被克隆及鉴定。白介素及其受体的结构特征决定了其信号转导和功能效应的共性和特性。许多白介素及可溶性受体在临床疾病的治疗中可能起重要作用,同时这也带动了对白介素及其受体的基因工程研究。随着基因组计划的日趋完成和一些新的分子生物学技术方法的建立,对白介素及其受体的研究在许多方面都面临着新的机遇和挑战。     

NIRF, a novel ubiquitin ligase, interacts with hepatitis B virus core protein and promotes its degradation

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein (HBc) is a major component of viral nucleocapsid and a multifunctional protein involved in viral maturation and release. It is unstable and present in cells at low level because of K96 lysine residue, which is a ubiquitin acceptor site. Np95/ICBP90-like RING finger protein (NIRF) has auto-ubiquitination activity which is the hallmark of a ubiquitin ligase. In the present study, ubiquitin ligase, NIRF, binds to HBc and leads to the proteasome-mediated degradation of HBc in vivo. NIRF down-regulates HBc protein level, resulting in the decrease of the amount of HBV particles in supernatant of HepG2.2.15 cells. However knockdown of NIRF significantly increases endogenous HBc protein level, leading to HBV release. The results reveal that NIRF interacts with HBc and promotes the degradation of HBc in vivo. The pathway of NIRF-mediated ubiquitin–proteasome affects the release of HBV particles by controlling the amounts of HBc. It indicates that NIRF may participate in the maturation of HBV.     

中华蟾蜍消化道6种酶的组织化学定位

目的研究中华蟾蜍消化道酸性磷酸酶(ACP)、碱性磷酸酶(ALP)、腺苷三磷酸酶(ATPase)、非特异性酯酶(NSE)、过氧化物酶(POX)和琥珀酸脱氢酶(SDH)等6种酶的分布。方法在消化道的8个部位取材,采用冰冻切片技术、石蜡切片技术、酶的组织化学方法和光密度定量分析。结果 ACP主要分布于胃贲门中贲门腺部,十二指肠和回肠中酶反应呈弱阳性。ALP主要分布于食管、十二指肠至回肠的粘膜上皮,十二指肠酶活性最高。ATPase在消化道各部位均有分布,胃中胃腺部和回肠粘膜上皮酶活性显著较高(P0.05)。NSE和POX在整个消化道粘膜上皮和粘膜固有层均有分布,胃各部位酶活性显著较低(P0.05)。SDH除在食管和直肠酶活性显著较低外,其它部位均有大量分布,十二指肠和回肠酶活性显著较高(P0.05)。结论中华蟾蜍消化道粘膜6种酶的分布同其它动物有相似之处,也有其自身特点。6种酶在消化道中的分布与消化道各部位的生理机能密切相关。     

牛凝乳酶基因在毕赤酵母中的重组表达

通过PCR技术从克隆载体pMD18T-Prochy上扩增牛凝乳酶原基因,双酶切后定向插入到酵母表达载体pPICZaA中,构建表达质粒pPICZaA-Prochy,线性化后电转化毕赤酵母GS115,经PCR和测序鉴定凝乳酶原基因成功插入到毕赤酵母的基因组中。在甲醇诱导下进行凝乳酶的表达,SDS-PAGE分析证明重组凝乳酶的分子量约为37 kD,培养基上清液中凝乳酶的活性为12.2 SU/mL。本研究首次应用毕赤酵母表达牛凝乳酶,在培养基中获得分泌表达的重组凝乳酶,为干酪工业提供了新型及优良的凝乳酶来源。