Quartz sand surface morphology of granitic tafoni at Laoshan, China

43-48In this study, a SEM method was used to analyze the surface morphology of the quartz sand granitic tafoni at Laoshan, for the purpose of exploring the weathering process of this tafoni. Present study showed that granitic tafoni at Laoshan, the quartz sand roundness was dominated by angular and sub-angular morphologies. Massive Hydrodynamic features had been developed on the quartz sand surfaces, as well as wind and chemistry forms, which were more developed. It was determined that granitic tafoni at Laoshan, the quartz sand had suffered long-term rainy and windy mechanical erosion, as well as chemical dissolution from residual pit water. These findings differed from the earlier views that the tafone was formed by the glacial melt water

Characteristics and health impacts of bioaerosols in animal barns: A comprehensive study

Bioaerosols produced during animal production have potential adverse effects on the health of workers and animals. Our objective was to investigate characteristics, antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs), and health risks of bioaerosols in various animal barns. Poultry and swine barns had high concentrations of airborne bacteria (11156 and 10917 CFU/m3, respectively). Acinetobacter, Clostridium sensu stricto, Corynebacterium, Pseudomonas, Psychrobacter, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus were dominant pathogenic bacteria in animal barns, with Firmicutes being the most abundant bacterial phylum. Based on linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), there were more discriminative biomarkers in cattle barns than in poultry or swine barns, although the latter had the highest abundance of bacterial pathogens and high abundances of ARGs (including tetM, tetO, tetQ, tetW sul1, sul2, ermA, ermB) and intI1). Based on network analyses, there were higher co-occurrence patterns between bacteria and ARGs in bioaerosol from swine barns. Furthermore, in these barns, relative abundance of bacteria in bioaerosol samples was greatly affected by environmental factors, mainly temperature, relative humidity, and concentrations of CO2, NH3, and PM2.5. This study provided novel data regarding airborne bio-contaminants in animal enclosures and an impetus to improve management to reduce potential health impacts on humans and animals

Surveillance of Hepatitis E Virus Contamination in Shellfish in China

Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been confirmed to be a zoonotic virus of worldwide distribution. HEV contamination in the water environment has not been well examined in China. The objective of this study was to evaluate HEV contamination in shellfish in a coastal area of China. Such contamination would be significant for evaluating public health risks. Methods: samples of three species shellfish were collected from thirteen points of estuarine tidal flats around the Bohai Gulf and screened for HEV RNA using an in-house nested RT-PCR assay. The detected HEV-positive samples were further verified by gene cloning and sequencing analysis. Results: the overall HEV-positive detection rate is approximately 17.5% per kilogram of shellfish.  HEV was more common among S. subcrenata (28.2%), followed by A. granosa (14.3%) and R. philippinarum (11.5%). The phylogenetic analysis of the 13 HEV strains detected revealed that gene fragments fell into two known 4 sub-genotypes (4b/4d) groups and another unknown group. Conclusions: 13 different sub-genotype 4 HEVs were found in contaminated shellfish in the Bohai Gulf rim. The findings suggest that a health risk may exist for users of waters in the Bonhai area and to consumers of shellfish.  Further research is needed to assess the sources and infectivity of HEV in these settings, and to evaluate additional shellfish harvesting areas

Lysinibacillus sp. GG242 from Cattle Slurries Degrades 17β-Estradiol and Possible 2 Transformation Routes

Environmental estrogen pollution has long been a concern due to adverse effects on organisms and ecosystems. Biodegradation is a vital way to remove estrogen, a strain of Lysinibacillus sp. was isolated, numbered strain GG242. The degradation rate of 100 mg·L−1 17β-estradiol (E2)) > 95% in one week, and compared with extracellular enzymes, intracellular enzymes have stronger degradation ability. Strain GG242 can maintain a stable E2 degradation ability under different conditions (20–35 °C, pH 5–11, salinity 0–40 g·L−1). Under appropriate conditions (30 °C, pH 8, 1 g·L−1 NaCl), the degradation rate increased by 32.32% in one week. Based on the analysis of transformation products, inferred E2 was converted via two distinct routes. Together, this research indicates the degradation potential of strain GG242 and provides new insights into the biotransformation of E2

Construction of Magnetic Composite Bacterial Carrier and Application in 17<i>β</i>-Estradiol Degradation

Estrogen contamination is widespread and microbial degradation is a promising removal method; however, unfavorable environments can hinder microbial function. In this study, a natural estrogen 17β-estradiol (E2) was introduced as a degradation target, and a new combination of bacterial carrier was investigated. We found the best combination of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and sodium alginate (SA) was 4% total concentration, PVA:SA = 5:5, with nano-Fe3O4 at 2%, and maltose and glycine added to promote degradation, for which the optimal concentrations were 5 g·L−1 and 10 g·L−1, respectively. Based on the above exploration, the bacterial carrier was made, and the degradation efficiency of the immobilized bacteria reached 92.3% in 5 days. The immobilized bacteria were reused for three cycles, and the degradation efficiency of each round could exceed 94%. Immobilization showed advantages at pH 5, pH 11, 10 °C, 40 °C, and 40 g·L−1 NaCl, and the degradation efficiency of the immobilized bacteria was higher than 90%. In the wastewater, the immobilized bacteria could degrade E2 to about 1 mg·L−1 on the 5th day. This study constructed a bacterial immobilization carrier using a new combination, explored the application potential of the carrier, and provided a new choice of bacterial immobilization carrier

Measuring selected PPCPs in wastewater to estimate the population in different cities in China

Sampling and analysis of wastewater from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has become a useful tool for understanding exposure to chemicals. Both wastewater based studies and management and planning of the catchment require information on catchment population in the time of monitoring. Recently, a model has been developed and calibrated using selected pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) measured in influent wastewater for estimating population in different catchments in Australia. The present study aimed at evaluating the feasibility of utilizing this population estimation approach in China. Twenty-four hour composite influent samples were collected from 31 WWTPs in 17 cities with catchment sizes from 200,000–3,450,000 people representing all seven regions of China. The samples were analyzed for 19 PPCPs using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry in direct injection mode. Eight chemicals were detected in more than 50% of the samples. Significant positive correlations were found between individual PPCP mass loads and population estimates provided by WWTP operators. Using the PPCP mass load modeling approach calibrated with WWTP operator data, we estimated the population size of each catchment with good agreement with WWTP operator values (between 50–200% for all sites and 75–125% for 23 of the 31 sites). Overall, despite much lower detection and relatively high heterogeneity in PPCP consumption across China the model provided a good estimate of the population contributing to a given wastewater sample. Wastewater analysis could also provide objective PPCP consumption status in China

Poly (I:C)-Induced microRNA-30b-5p Negatively Regulates the JAK/STAT Signaling Pathway to Mediate the Antiviral Immune Response in Silver Carp (<i>Hypophthalmichthys molitrix</i>) via Targeting CRFB5

In aquaculture, viral diseases pose a significant threat and can lead to substantial economic losses. The primary defense against viral invasion is the innate immune system, with interferons (IFNs) playing a crucial role in mediating the immune response. With advancements in molecular biology, the role of non-coding RNA (ncRNA), particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), in gene expression has gained increasing attention. While the function of miRNAs in regulating the host immune response has been extensively studied, research on their immunomodulatory effects in teleost fish, including silver carp (Hyphthalmichthys molitrix), is limited. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory role of microRNA-30b-5p (miR-30b-5p) in the antiviral immune response of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) by targeting cytokine receptor family B5 (CRFB5) via the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. In this study, silver carp were stimulated with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly (I:C)), resulting in the identification of an up-regulated miRNA (miR-30b-5p). Through a dual luciferase assay, it was demonstrated that CRFB5, a receptor shared by fish type I interferon, is a novel target of miR-30b-5p. Furthermore, it was found that miR-30b-5p can suppress post-transcriptional CRFB5 expression. Importantly, this study revealed for the first time that miR-30b-5p negatively regulates the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, thereby mediating the antiviral immune response in silver carp by targeting CRFB5 and maintaining immune system stability. These findings not only contribute to the understanding of how miRNAs act as negative feedback regulators in teleost fish antiviral immunity but also suggest their potential therapeutic measures to prevent an excessive immune response

Using wastewater-based epidemiology to estimate consumption of alcohol and nicotine in major cities of China in 2014 and 2016

Monitoring the use of alcohol and tobacco in the population is important for public health planning and evaluating the efficacy of intervention strategies. The aim of this study was to use wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to estimate alcohol and tobacco consumption in a number of major cities across China and compare WBE estimates with other data sources. Daily composite influent wastewater samples were collected from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across China in 2014 (n = 53) and 2016 (n = 45). The population-normalized daily consumption estimated by WBE were compared with other data sources where available. The average consumption of alcohol was 8.1 ± 7.0 mL ethanol/person aged 15+/day (EPD) in the investigated cities of 2016 while those involved in 2014 had an average consumption of 4.7 ± 3.0 EPD. The average tobacco consumption was estimated to be 3.7 ± 2.2 cigarettes/person aged 15+/day (CPD) in 2016 and 3.1 ± 1.9 CPD in 2014. The changes in the average consumption in those cities from 2014 to 2016 were supported by the results from a limited number of WWTPs where samples were collected in both years. Consumption of alcohol and tobacco in urban China is at a medium level compared with other countries on a per capita basis. WBE estimates of tobacco consumption were relatively comparable with results of traditional surveys and sales statistics. WBE estimates of alcohol consumption were lower than WHO survey results, probably due to EtS degradation and uncertainty in the EtS excretion factor