A critical review of resistance and oxidation mechanisms of Sb-oxidizing bacteria for the bioremediation of Sb(Ⅲ) pollution

Antimony (Sb) is a priority pollutant in many countries and regions due to its chronic toxicity and potential carcinogenicity. Elevated concentrations of Sb in the environmental originating from mining and other anthropogenic sources are of particular global concern, so the prevention and control of the source of pollution and environment remediation are urgent. It is widely accepted that indigenous microbes play an important role in Sb speciation, mobility, bioavailability, and fate in the natural environment. Especially, antimony-oxidizing bacteria can promote the release of antimony from ore deposits to the wider environment. However, it can also oxidize the more toxic antimonite [Sb(III)] to the less-toxic antimonate [Sb(V)], which is considered as a potentially environmentally friendly and efficient remediation technology for Sb pollution. Therefore, understanding its biological oxidation mechanism has great practical significance to protect environment and human health. This paper reviews studies of the isolation, identification, diversity, Sb(III) resistance mechanisms, Sb(III) oxidation characteristics and mechanism and potential application of Sb-oxidizing bacteria. The aim is to provide a theoretical basis and reference for the diversity and metabolic mechanism of Sb-oxidizing bacteria, the prevention and control of Sb pollution sources, and the application of environment treatment for Sb pollution

Optimizing nitrogen application position to change root distribution in soil and regulate maize growth and yield formation in a wide–narrow row cropping system: pot and field experiments

The wide-and narrow-row cropping technology used for maize has the advantages of protecting cultivated soil and improving the population structure in maize fields. However, the relationship between nitrogen application position and root interactions has not been determined. Through pot and field experiments, we evaluated the effects of two nitrogen application positions ((narrow row nitrogen application (RC) and wide row nitrogen application (RN)) and two nitrogen application regimens ((high nitrogen(HN) and low nitrogen(LN)) on root growth and yield composition of wide-narrow row maize during the flowering and harvest stages. In field experiments, RC increased the biomass, length and surface area of competing roots (narrow-row roots, CR) at the flowering stage. The yield and agronomic efficiency of N(AEN) and partial factor productivity of N(PFPN) were increased by RN compared to RC under HN, However, the AEN under LN was significantly lower; There was no significant effect on maize growth and biomass allocation at the same level of application of N. At the flowering stage, the results of CR and non-competing roots (wide-row roots, NCR) was consistent under pot experiments and the field experiments, and the yield under RN was also higher than that under RC, although the difference was not significant. Furthermore, according to the principal component analysis and correlation analysis, the competing roots were the main factor influencing yield and AEN. In conclusion, our study showed that RN is a useful fertilization method to improve overall productivity. All in all, how roots coordinate neighbors and nitrogen spatial heterogeneity is a complex ecological process, and its trophic behavior deserves further study

Periplasmic biomineralization for semi-artificial photosynthesis

Semiconductor-based biointerfaces are typically established either on the surface of the plasma membrane or within the cytoplasm. In Gram-negative bacteria, the periplasmic space, characterized by its confinement and the presence of numerous enzymes and peptidoglycans, offers additional opportunities for biomineralization, allowing for nongenetic modulation interfaces. We demonstrate semiconductor nanocluster precipitation containing single- and multiple-metal elements within the periplasm, as observed through various electron- and x-ray-based imaging techniques. The periplasmic semiconductors are metastable and display defect-dominant fluorescent properties. Unexpectedly, the defect-rich (i.e., the low-grade) semiconductor nanoclusters produced in situ can still increase adenosine triphosphate levels and malate production when coupled with photosensitization. We expand the sustainability levels of the biohybrid system to include reducing heavy metals at the primary level, building living bioreactors at the secondary level, and creating semi-artificial photosynthesis at the tertiary level. The biomineralization-enabled periplasmic biohybrids have the potential to serve as defect-tolerant platforms for diverse sustainable applications

Adaptive position calibration technique for an optical micro-scanning thermal microscope imaging system

In order to improve the spatial resolution of an optical micro-scanning thermal microscope system, the micro-scanning position must be accurately calibrated. An adaptive calibration method based on image registration and plane coordinate system is proposed. The meaning of calibration is given, and the principle and method of point calibration are introduced in detail and experiments using the real system were done. Different reconstruction methods were applied to reconstruct the visible light image and the real thermal microscope image, and the evaluation scores are given. Results of simulation and real thermal imaging processing show that the method can successfully calibrate the micro-scanning position. The method can significantly improve the oversampled reconstructed image quality, thus enhancing the spatial resolution of the system. This method can also be used in other electro-optical imaging systems

24-hour movement behaviour profiles and their transition in children aged 5.5 and 8 years - findings from a prospective cohort study

Background: Time spent in movement behaviours, including physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB) and sleep, across the 24-h day may have distinct health consequences. We aimed to describe 24-h movement behaviour (24 h-MB) profiles in children and how profile membership changed from age 5.5 to 8 years. Methods: Children in the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort were asked to wear an accelerometer (ActiGraph-GT3X+) on their wrist for seven consecutive days at ages 5.5 and 8 years to measure 24 h-MB patterns. Time spent in night sleep, inactivity (proxy for SB), light PA, moderate PA (MPA), and vigorous PA (VPA) per day were calculated using the R-package GGIR 2.0. Using latent profile analyses (n = 442) we identified 24 h-MB profiles, which were given animal names to convey key characteristics. Latent transition analyses were used to describe the profile membership transition from ages 5.5 to 8 years. Associations with sex and ethnicity were examined. Results: We identified four profiles, "Rabbits" (very high-MPA/VPA, low-inactivity and average-night-sleep), "Chimpanzees" (high-MPA, low-inactivity and average-night-sleep), "Pandas" (low-PA, high-inactivity and high-night-sleep) and "Owls" (low-PA, high-inactivity and low-night-sleep), among children at both time points. At ages 5.5 and 8 years, the majority of children were classified into profiles of "Chimpanzees" (51 and 39%, respectively) and "Pandas" (24 and 37%). Half of the sample (49%), particularly "Rabbits", remained in the same profile at ages 5.5 and 8 years: among children who changed profile the predominant transitions occurred from "Chimpanzees" (27%) and "Owls" (56%) profiles to "Pandas". Sex, but not ethnicity, was associated with profile membership: compared to girls, boys were more likely to be in the "Rabbits" profile (adjusted OR [95% CI]: 3.6 [1.4, 9.7] and 4.5 [1.8, 10.9] at ages 5.5 and 8 years, respectively) and less likely to be in the "Pandas" profile (0.5 [0.3, 0.9] and 0.4 [0.2, 0.6]) at both ages. Conclusions: With increasing age about half the children stayed in the same of four 24 h-MB profiles, while the predominant transition for the remaining children was towards lower PA, higher inactivity and longer sleep duration. These findings can aid development and implementation of public health strategies to promote better health.Peer reviewe

Associations between early-life screen viewing and 24 hour movement behaviours : findings from a longitudinal birth cohort study

Background Screen viewing is a sedentary behaviour reported to interfere with sleep and physical activity. However, few longitudinal studies have assessed such associations in children of preschool age (0-6 years) and none have accounted for the compositional nature of these behaviours. We aimed to investigate the associations between total and device-specific screen viewing time at age 2-3 years and accelerometer-measured 24 h movement behaviours, including sleep, sedentary behaviour, light physical activity, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at age 5.5 years. Methods The Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) study is an ongoing longitudinal birth cohort study in Singapore, which began in June 2009. We recruited pregnant women during their first ultrasound scan visit at two major public maternity units in Singapore. At clinic visits done at age 2-3 years, we collected parent-reported information about children's daily total and device-specific screen viewing time (television, handheld devices, and computers). At 5.5 years, children's movement behaviours for 7 consecutive days were measured using wrist-worn accelerometers. We assessed the associations between screen viewing time and movement behaviours (sedentary behaviour, light physical activity, MVPA, and sleep) using Dirichlet regression, which accounts for the compositional nature of such behaviours. This study is active but not recruiting and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01174875. Findings Between June 1, 2009, and Oct 12, 2010, 1247 pregnant women enrolled and 1171 singleton births were enrolled. 987 children had parent-reported screen data at either 2 or 3 years, of whom 840 attended the clinic visit at age 5.5 years, and 577 wore an accelerometer. 552 children had at least 3 days of accelerometer data and were included in the analysis. Total screen viewing time at age 2-3 years had a significant negative association with sleep (p=0.008), light physical activity (p= 3 h screen viewing time]), and less light physical activity (384.6 vs 356.2 mins per day), and MVPA (76.2 vs 63.4 mins per day) at age 5.5 years. No significant differences in time spent sleeping were observed between the groups (539.5 vs 540.4 mins per day). Similar trends were observed for television viewing and handheld device viewing. Interpretation Longer screen viewing time in children aged 2-3 years was associated with more time spent engaged in sedentary behaviour and shorter time engaged in light physical activity and MVPA in later childhood. Our findings indicate that screen viewing might displace physical activity during early childhood, and suggest that reducing screen viewing time in early childhood might promote healthier behaviours and associated outcomes later in life. Copyright (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Global matrix 4.0 physical activity report card grades for children and adolescents : results and analyses from 57 countries

Background: The Global Matrix 4.0 on physical activity (PA) for children and adolescents was developed to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the global variation in children’s and adolescents’ (5–17 y) PA, related measures, and key sources of influence. The objectives of this article were (1) to summarize the findings from the Global Matrix 4.0 Report Cards, (2) to compare indicators across countries, and (3) to explore trends related to the Human Development Index and geo-cultural regions. Methods: A total of 57 Report Card teams followed a harmonized process to grade the 10 common PA indicators. An online survey was conducted to collect Report Card Leaders’ top 3 priorities for each PA indicator and their opinions on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted child and adolescent PA indicators in their country. Results: Overall Physical Activity was the indicator with the lowest global average grade (D), while School and Community and Environment were the indicators with the highest global average grade (C+). An overview of the global situation in terms of surveillance and prevalence is provided for all 10 common PA indicators, followed by priorities and examples to support the development of strategies and policies internationally. Conclusions: The Global Matrix 4.0 represents the largest compilation of children’s and adolescents’ PA indicators to date. While variation in data sources informing the grades across countries was observed, this initiative highlighted low PA levels in children and adolescents globally. Measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, local/international conflicts, climate change, and economic change threaten to worsen this situation