Sustained CaMKII activity mediates transient oxidative stress-induced long-term facilitation of L-type Ca(2+) current in cardiomyocytes

Oxidative stress remodels Ca²⁺ signaling in cardiomyocytes, which promotes altered heart function in various heart diseases. Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) was shown to be activated by oxidation, but whether and how CaMKII links oxidative stress to pathophysiological long-term changes in Ca²⁺ signaling remain unknown. Here, we present evidence demonstrating the role of CaMKII in transient oxidative stress-induced long-term facilitation (LTF) of L-type Ca²⁺ current (I_Ca,L) in rat cardiomyocytes. A 5-min exposure of 1 mM H₂O₂ induced an increase in I_Ca,L, and this increase was sustained for ~ 1 h. The CaMKII inhibitor KN-93 fully reversed H₂O₂-induced LTF of I_Ca,L, indicating that sustained CaMKII activity underlies this oxidative stress-induced memory. Simultaneous inhibition of oxidation and autophosphorylation of CaMKII prevented the maintenance of LTF, suggesting that both mechanisms contribute to sustained CaMKII activity. We further found that sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ release and mitochondrial ROS generation have critical roles in sustaining CaMKII activity via autophosphorylation- and oxidation-dependent mechanisms. Finally, we show that long-term remodeling of the cardiac action potential is induced by H₂O₂ via CaMKII. In conclusion, CaMKII and mitochondria confer oxidative stress-induced pathological cellular memory that leads to cardiac arrhythmia.     

A process-orientated design and performance assessment methodology for passive mine water treatment systems

The aim of this paper is the development of a methodology for assessing the iron removal efficiency of passive mine water treatment settling lagoons and reed beds. Previous work in the design and sizing of coal mine drainage lagoons and wetlands has focussed on the use of standard hydraulic residence times or using the 10 g m⁻² d⁻¹ metric, these criteria have been applied without regard to the fundamental physical and chemical processes controlling iron removal in the system, namely the pH dependent rates of Fe(II) oxidation and physical settling of the particulate Fe(III). In this study field water quality data have been collected from lagoons and reed beds. These data are examined alongside data from the UK Coal Authority database and combined with simple mathematical formulations to provide a framework through which to understand passive treatment schemes from a process-orientated perspective. It is demonstrated that for the sites studied reed beds are more efficient for iron removal. This paper recommends that judgements of iron removal performance should be based on a derived treatment efficiency index (?) and that the modelling approach espoused in this paper should be used when designing passive mine water treatment schemes.     

Prediction model of DnBP degradation based on BP neural network in AAO system

A laboratory-scale anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (AAO) system was established to investigate the fate of DnBP. A removal kinetic model including sorption and biodegradation was formulated, and kinetic parameters were evaluated with batch experiments under anaerobic, anoxic, oxic conditions. However, it is highly complex and is difficult to confirm the kinetic parameters using conventional mathematical modeling. To correlate the experimental data with available models or some modified empirical equations, an artificial neural network model based on multilayered partial recurrent back propagation (BP) algorithm was applied for the biodegradation of DnBP from the water quality characteristic parameters. Compared to the kinetic model, the performance of the network for modeling DnBP is found to be more impressive. The results showed that the biggest relative error of BP network prediction model was 9.95%, while the kinetic model was 14.52%, which illustrates BP model predicting effluent DnBP more accurately than kinetic model forecasting.     

The influence of fundamental design parameters on ciliates community structure in Irish activated sludge systems

The protozoan community in eleven activated sludge wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the greater Dublin area has been investigated and correlated with key physio-chemical operational and effluent quality parameters. The plants represented various designs, including conventional and biological nutrient removal (BNR) systems. The aim of the study was to identify differences in ciliate community due to key design parameters including anoxic/anaerobic stages and to identify suitable bioindicator species for performance evaluation. BNR systems supported significantly different protozoan communities compared to conventional systems. Total protozoan abundance was reduced in plants with incorporated anoxic and anaerobic stages, whereas species diversity was either unaffected or increased. Plagiocampa rouxi and Holophrya discolor were tolerant to anoxic/anaerobic conditions and associated with high denitrification. Apart from process design, influent wastewater characteristics affect protozoan community structure. Aspidisca cicada was associated with low dissolved oxygen and low nitrate concentrations, while Trochilia minuta was indicative of good nitrifying conditions and good sludge settleability. Trithigmostoma cucullulus was sensitive to ammonia and phosphate and could be useful as an indicator of high effluent quality. The association rating assessment procedure of Curds and Cockburn failed to predict final effluent biological oxygen demand (BOD₅) indicating the method might not be applicable to treatment systems of different designs.     

Novel 4-azasteroidal N-glycoside analogues bearing sugar-like D ring: synthesis and anticancer activities

A series of novel N-glycoside analogues with 4-azasteroid moiety bearing sugar-like D ring were conveniently synthesized by constructing the core dihydropyran ring embedded in 4-azasteroidal skeleton which was prepared from 4-aza-5α-androst-3,17-dione 1 in four steps. The structure of 6b were unambiguously proved by the appropriate X-ray structural analysis. Anticancer activity was found for all of the analogues with purinyl moiety against breast cancer (MCF-7), human neuroblastoma (SK-N-SH), cervical cancer cell (HeLa) and prostatic cancer (PC-3), while the analogue 7 containing 1,2,4-triazole heterocycle as the nucleobase was inactive against all of the tested cancer cell lines. The biology results showed the purinyl moiety attached to the pyran ring of 6a-d, substituent at 6'-position of purine base and introduction of a halogen atom at 2'-position of 6'-chloropurine had obviously effect on the evaluated anticancer activity.     

外源亚精胺对Hg2+胁迫下凤眼莲抗氧化系统的影响

通过Hoagland溶液培养实验,研究了外源亚精胺(Spd)(0.1 mmol?L-1)对Hg2+(0、10、20、30和40μmol?L-1)胁迫下凤眼莲叶片细胞内叶绿素、可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白含量及抗氧化系统的调节作用.结果显示,(1)随Hg2+处理浓度的升高,各处理凤眼莲叶片叶绿素a(Chl a)和叶绿素b(Chl b)含量均先升后降,并均在10μmol?L-1时达到最高值,但外源Spd处理组显著高于相应对照.(2)各处理凤眼莲叶片可溶性蛋白含量随Hg2+处理浓度的升高也呈先升后降趋势,而可溶性糖含量则呈持续上升趋势,但外源Spd处理亦明显高于相应对照.(3)随Hg2+处理浓度的升高,抗氧化物质AsA和GSH含量及抗氧化酶SOD、CAT、POD、APX及GR活性也均呈先升后降的变化趋势,而外源Spd处理植株的含量和活性均显著高于相应对照.(4)各处理凤眼莲叶片的H2O2、MDA含量及O2?-产生速率随Hg2+处理浓度的升高均持续上升,但在外源Spd处理后均比对照组下降.研究表明,Hg2+胁迫使凤眼莲生长受到严重伤害,外源Spd可大幅度地提高其抗氧化物质含量和保护酶活性,从而增强凤眼莲抗Hg2+胁迫的能力.     

Flow injection chemiluminescence determination of vitamin B12 using on-line UV-persulfate photooxidation and charge coupled device detection

A sensitive chemiluminescence method for vitamin B(12) using a charge-coupled device (CCD) photodetector combined with on-line UV-persulfate oxidation in a simple continuous flow system has been developed. The principle for the determination of vitamin B(12) is based on the enhancive effect of cobalt (II) on the chemiluminescence reaction between luminol and percarbonate in alkaline medium. In addition, percarbonate has been investigated and proposed as a powerful source of hydrogen peroxide as oxidant agent in this chemiluminescence reaction. The digestion of vitamin B(12) to release the cobalt (II) is reached by UV irradiation treatment in a persulfate medium. The CCD detector, directly connected to the flow cell, is used with the continuous flow manifold to obtain the full spectral characteristics of cobalt (II) catalyzed luminol-percarbonate reaction. The vitamin B(12) oxidation process and chemical conditions for the chemiluminescence reaction were investigated and optimized. The increment of the emission intensity was proportional to the concentration of vitamin B(12) , giving a second-order calibration graph over the cobalt (II) concentration range from 10 to 5000 μg L(-1)(r(2) = 0.9985) with a detection limit of 9.3 μg L(-1). The proposed method was applied to the determination of vitamin B(12) in different kinds of pharmaceuticals.     

Oxidative damage to DNA related to survivorship and carotenoid-based sexual ornamentation in the common yellowthroat

Carotenoid-based sexual ornaments are hypothesized to be reliable signals of male quality, based on an allocation trade-off between the use of carotenoids as pigments and their use in antioxidant defence against reactive oxygen species. Carotenoids appear to be poor antioxidants in vivo, however, and it is not clear whether variation in ornament expression is correlated with measures of oxidative stress (OXS) under natural conditions. We used single-cell gel electrophoresis to assay oxidative damage to erythrocyte DNA in the common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), a sexually dichromatic warbler in which sexual selection favours components of the males' yellow 'bib'. We found that the level of DNA damage sustained by males predicted their overwinter survivorship and was reflected in the quality of their plumage. Males with brighter yellow bibs showed lower levels of DNA damage, both during the year the plumage was sampled (such that yellow brightness signalled current OXS) and during the previous year (such that yellow brightness signalled past OXS). We suggest that carotenoid-based ornaments can convey information about OXS to prospective mates and that further work exploring the proximate mechanism(s) linking OXS to coloration is warranted.     

Response of methanotrophic communities to afforestation and reforestation in New Zealand

Methanotrophs use methane (CH₄) as a carbon source. They are particularly active in temperate forest soils. However, the rate of change of CH₄ oxidation in soil with afforestation or reforestation is poorly understood. Here, soil CH₄ oxidation was examined in New Zealand volcanic soils under regenerating native forests following burning, and in a mature native forest. Results were compared with data for pasture to pine land-use change at nearby sites. We show that following soil disturbance, as little as 47 years may be needed for development of a stable methanotrophic community similar to that in the undisturbed native forest soil. Corresponding soil CH₄-oxidation rates in the regenerating forest soil have the potential to reach those of the mature forest, but climo-edaphic fators appear limiting. The observed changes in CH₄-oxidation rate were directly linked to a prior shift in methanotrophic communities, which suggests microbial control of the terrestrial CH₄ flux and identifies the need to account for this response to afforestation and reforestation in global prediction of CH₄ emission.