Metagenomic insights into the abundance and composition of resistance genes in aquatic environments:Influence of stratification and geography

A global survey was performed with 122 aquatic metagenomic DNA datasets (92 lake water and 30 seawater) obtained from the Sequence Read Archive (SRA). Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and metal resistance genes (MRGs) were derived from the dataset sequences via bioinformatic analysis. The relative abundances of ARGs and MRGs in lake samples were in the ranges ND (not detected)-1.34x10(0) and 1.22x10(-3) -1.98x10(-1) copies per 16S rRNA, which were higher than those in seawater samples. Among ARGs, multidrug resistance genes and bacitracin resistance genes had high relative abundances in both lake and sea water samples. Multimetal resistance genes, mercury resistance genes and copper resistance genes had the greatest relative abundance for MRGs. No significant difference was found between epilimnion and hypolimnion in abundance or the Shannon diversity index for ARGs and MRGs. Principal coordinates analysis and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) test showed that stratification and geography had significant influence on the composition of ARGs and MRGs in lakes (p < 0.05, PERMANOVA). Coastal seawater samples had significantly greater relative abundance and a higher Shannon index for both ARGs and MRGs than deep ocean and Antarctic seawater samples (p < 0.05, Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA), suggesting that human activity may exert more selective pressure on ARGs and MRGs in coastal areas than those in deep ocean and Antarctic seawater

Co-Disposal of Coal Gangue and Red Mud for Prevention of Acid Mine Drainage Generation from Self-Heating Gangue Dumps

The seepage and diffusion of acid mine drainage (AMD) generated from self-heating coal gangue tailings caused acid pollution to the surrounding soil and groundwater. Red mud derived from the alumina smelting process has a high alkali content. To explore the feasibility of co-disposal of coal gangue and red mud for prevention of AMD, coal gangue and red mud were sampled from Yangquan (Shanxi Province, China), and dynamic leaching tests were carried out through the automatic temperature-controlled leaching system under the conditions of different temperatures, mass ratios, and storage methods. Our findings indicated that the heating temperature had a significant effect on the release characteristics of acidic pollutants derived from coal gangue, and that the fastest rate of acid production corresponding to temperature was 150 &deg;C. The co-disposal dynamic leaching tests indicated that red mud not only significantly alleviated the release of AMD but also that it had a long-term effect on the treatment of acid pollution. The mass ratio and stacking method were selected to be 12:1 (coal gangue: red mud) and one layer was alternated (coal gangue covered with red mud), respectively, to ensure that the acid-base pollution indices of leachate reached the WHO drinking-water quality for long-term discharge. The results of this study provided a theoretical basis and data support for the industrial field application of solid waste co-treatment

The accurate algorithm of new surface area of single particle comminution, incorporating particle shape and roughness

Energy efficiency can be obtained by measuring accurate new surface energy in the crushing process. For the calculation of new surface energy, most researchers only pay attention to particle size distribution and ignore the influence of particle shape and roughness on the surface area. In this paper, the image processing technology was used to calculate the shape parameters and surface fractal dimension of the crushed granite sample. According to the different combinations of particle shape and roughness, the new surface area corresponding to the four basic models was calculated. For the surface area of a single particle, the calculation result of the rough model considering the surface fractal dimension is higher than that of the smooth model. Moreover, the ratio of the calculation results of the rough model and the smooth model increases significantly as the particle size increases. For 0.1 mm particles, the area ratio of the two models is 8, but for 25 mm particles, the area ratio reaches 130. In contrast, the particle shape is a secondary factor that affects the surface area calculation. The ellipsoidal model considering the particle shape has a surface area 30% larger than the spherical model. If the roughness and particle shape are considered when calculating the surface area, the energy efficiency of crushing is higher

Experimental research on the strength distribution of brittle spheres under compression

The strength of a particle is one of the most crucial characteristics within a comminution process due to the mechanical stresses experienced by each particle. In this study, the K9 glass spheres and ceramic spheres were subjected to a breakage test. The test includes the breakage of up to 240 particles under compression to obtain the distribution of the breakage probability depending on the crushing force and breakage energy. The breakage test was conducted for five particle size fractions from each individual material. Thus obtained 10 crushing force distributions and corresponding 10 breakage energy distributions were fitted with lognormal distribution function. The parameters in the lognormal were analyzed including the effect of the material and particle size. Following this, the relationship between the crushing force and breakage energy was analyzed based on the Hertzian elastic contacts model and Tomas’s elastic-plastic contact model, respectively. Additionally, particle strength in terms of crushing force and breakage energy were compared and found to be size dependent. Finally, a simple transformation algorithm of distributions is developed. According to this algorithm the crushing force distribution can be transformed into breakage energy distribution and vice versa. The findings facilitate a better understanding of the particle strength distribution under compression and will help to improve the comminution process design, control and optimization

Kinetic Energy Calculation in Granite Particles Comminution Considering Movement Characteristics and Spatial Distribution

Profound knowledge of the movement characteristics and spatial distribution of the particles under compression during the crushing of rocks and ores is essential to further understanding kinetic energy release law. Various experimental methods such as high-speed camera technology, the coordinate method, and the color tracking method were adopted to improve the understanding of particles’ movement characteristics and spatial distribution in rock comminution. The average horizontal velocities of the four size particles α, β, γ, and δ are statistically calculated. The descending order of the particles’ average velocity is γ, β, α, and δ. In comparison, the descending order of the particles’ kinetic energy is α, β, γ, and δ. Moreover, the contribution of α particles to the total kinetic energy exceeds 70%. The spatial distribution characteristics of coarse and fine particles show different results. The probability of fine particles appearing in the range closer to the center area is greater, while the position of large particles appears to be more random. The color tracking results show that super-large particles generated by crushing are on the specimen’s surface, while small particles are generally produced from inside. The above results indicate a connection between the particle generation mechanism, movement characteristics, and spatial distribution in the comminution process

Experimental research on energy-size distribution model of coal particle bed comminution

In order to accurately predict the particle size distribution (PSD) of coal particle bed comminution under different applied pressures, the tests of two kinds of coal with four size fractions under five different applied pressures were carried out by TAW-3000 hydraulic servo testing machine. The Gaudin-Schumann(G-S) distribution is extended by the fractal theory and the JK size-dependent breakage model is discussed. Two mathematical models for predicting PSD of crushing products in coal particle bed comminution are proposed. Results show that the relationship between the mass-specific energy and applied pressure is linear. Because of the protective effect of fine particles, the change of particle size modulus d0 in G-S distribution is not significant, while the distribution parameter α decreases logarithmically with the increase of mass-specific energy. With the decrease of size fraction, the crushability of coal particle bed decreases, and a master curve can be used to fit the comminution characteristics of coal particle bed with different size fractions. The extended G-S distribution model and the JK size-dependent breakage model have better fit the results of coal particle bed comminution. This research provides a useful reference for the mathematical modelling of coal particle bed comminution

Environmental Factors and Microbial Diversity and Abundance Jointly Regulate Soil Nitrogen and Carbon Biogeochemical Processes in Tibetan Wetlands

Wetlands have numerous critical ecological functions, some of which are regulated by several nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) biogeochemical processes, such as denitrification, organic matter decomposition, and methane emission. Until now, the underlying pathways of the effects of environmental and biological factors on wetland N and C cycling rates are still not fully understood. Here, we investigated soil potential/net nitrification, potential/unamended denitrification, methane production/oxidation rates in 36 riverine, lacustrine, and palustrine wetland sites on the Tibet Plateau. The results showed that all the measured N and C cycling rates did not differ significantly among the wetland types. Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that soil physicochemical properties (e.g., moisture, C and N concentration) explained a large amount of the variance in most of the N and C cycling rates. Microbial abundance and diversity were also important in controlling potential and unamended denitrification rates, respectively. Path analysis further revealed that soil moisture and N and C availability could impact wetland C and N processes both directly and indirectly. For instance, the indirect effect of soil moisture on methane production rates was mainly through the regulating the soil C content and methanogenic community structure. Our findings highlight that many N and C cycling processes in high-altitude and remote Tibetan wetlands are jointly regulated by soil environments and functional microorganisms. Soil properties affecting the N and C cycling rates in wetlands through altering their microbial diversity and abundance represent an important but previously underestimated indirect pathway

Discrepancy in Response of Complete Ammonia Oxidizers and Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria and Archaea in the Lhasa River to High-Elevation Conditions

Nitrogen cycle in rivers is significantly influenced by ammonia oxidation, which is driven by ammonia-oxidizing archaea/bacteria (AOA/AOB) and complete ammonia oxidizers (comammox). However, the performance of different ammonia oxidizers in high-elevation rivers is poorly documented. Activity, abundance, diversity, and community composition of ammonia oxidizers in the Lhasa River were investigated. Unamended nitrification rates (UNRs) greatly changed and showed remarkable seasonality and were significantly correlated with solar radiation, dissolved oxygen (DO), and ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N). AOB abundance and solar radiation had the strongest direct and indirect effects on UNR. Comammox amoA gene abundance exceeded that of AOA and AOB in 96% of the samples. Most comammox sequences were grouped into clade B, and dominant comammox species were strongly affected by latitude, water NH4+-N, and total organic carbon. Temperature and total suspended solids were key factors explaining the dominance of the AOA species. Nitrosospira and Nitrosovibrio clusters were found in large proportions in the AOB communities. The co-occurrence pattern of ammonia oxidizers in the Lhasa River was mainly attributed to interspecific symbiosis, even though more modules were found in AOB communities. This provides a comprehensive understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of ammonia oxidizers and their roles in the nitrogen cycle of plateau rivers under global climate warming

Valsartan Reduced Atrial Fibrillation Susceptibility by Inhibiting Atrial Parasympathetic Remodeling through MAPKs/Neurturin Pathway

Background/Aims: Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) have been proved to be effective in preventing atrial structural and electrical remodelinq in atrial fibrillation (AF). Previous studies have shown that parasympathetic remodeling plays an important role in AF. However, the effects of ARBs on atrial parasympathetic remodeling in AF and the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. Methods: Canines were divided into sham-operated, pacing and valsartan + pacing groups. Rats and HL-1 cardiomyocytes were divided into control, angiotensin II (Ang II) and Ang II + valsartan groups, respectively. Atrial parasympathetic remodeling was quantified by immunocytochemical staining with anti-choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) antibody. Western blot was used to analysis the protein expression of neurturin. Results: Both inducibility and duration were increased in chronic atrial rapid-pacing canine model, which was significantly inhibited by the treatment with valsartan. The density of ChAT-positive nerves and the protein level of neurturin in the atria of pacing canines were both increased than those in sham-operated canines. Ang II treatment not only induced atrial parasympathetic remodeling in rats, but also up-regulated the protein expression of neurturin. Valsartan significantly prevented atrial parasympathetic remodeling, and suppressed the protein expression of neurturin. Meanwhile, valsartan inhibited Ang II -induced up-regulation of neurturin and MAPKs in cultured cardiac myocytes. Inhibition of MAPKs dramatically attenuated neurturin up-regulation induced by Ang II. Conclusion: Parasympathetic remodeling was present in animals subjected to rapid pacing or Ang II infusion, which was mediated by MAPKs/neurturin pathway. Valsartan is able to prevent atrial parasympathetic remodeling and the occurrence of AF via inhibiting MAPKs/neurturin pathway