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Reconstructing the long-term Hg history in major emission countries is important for understanding the global Hg cycle and controlling Hg pollution. In this study, the atmospheric Hg history was reconstructed over the last three centuries based on three lacustrine sediment records from southeastern Inner Mongolia in North China, and its relationship with global and regional Hg emissions was revealed. These records show little Hg pollution in the 18th and 19th centuries. This implies a limited influence of Hg emitted from Europe and North America in this region, which is confirmed by their different Hg trends during the two World Wars and the post-1970s. Atmospheric Hg in the region had increased gradually since the 1900s, primarily contributed by emissions from the former Soviet Union in Lake Dalihu (DLH) and Lake Zhagesitai (ZGST) and from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in Lake Kulunnao (KLN). In the last century, two decreases in Hg fluxes occurred in the KLN core due to the economic recession in the 1960s-1970s and reduced energy consumption and industrial production in the 1990s. In the DLH and ZGST cores, only one decrease occurred, corresponded with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. Although atmospheric Hg emissions in China had stabilized or even decreased in the last decade, atmospheric Hg continued to increase, particularly in KLN, because of emissions from small cities in the region. This study can help understand Hg sources and control Hg pollution in North China and supplement the understanding of the global Hg cycling.Generally, Zn in stormwater runoff is considered as low toxicity, but in the senarios of roads and zinc-based materials roof runoff, the concentration of Zn becomes extremely high and cannot be ignored. Bioretention systems are used to remove heavy metals from stormwater runoff, while Zn adsorption is insufficient by conventional filler and is prone to secondary release when exposed to acid rain or high salinity runoff. This study integrated batch experiments and density functional theory calculation to investigate the mechanisms of how KOH-modified biochar (KBC) influences the removal and release of Zn in bioretention systems. The results revealed that KBC adsorbed 89.0-97.5% Zn in the influent, the main adsorption mechanism were complexation and precipitation, and precipitation is more important. In addition, 67% of Zn was immoblized as the residual form by KBC. In acidic and saline runoff, KBC reduced Zn secondary release by 43.6% and 37.08% compared to the results in the absence of KBC, which was attributed to the convertion of most dissolved Zn in acidic and saline runoff into residual Zn. Therefore, KBC has a considerable application potential not only to decontaminate the runoff of roads and Zn-containing roofs, but also to deal with secondary Zn release in acid rain or under the treatment of snow-melting agents.Information about the co-occurrence of halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) and organophosphate esters (OPEs) in the environment of informal waste processing areas is still limited, especially in emerging and developing countries. In this study, OPEs and HFRs including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs), and chlorinated flame retardants (CFRs) were determined in settled dust from Vietnamese e-waste recycling (WR) and vehicle processing (VP) workshops. Pollutant concentrations decreased in the order OPEs (median 1500; range 230-410,000 ng/g) ≈ PBDEs (1200; 58-250,000) > NBFRs (140; not detected - 250,000) > CFRs (13; 0.39-2200). HFR and OPE levels in the WR workshops for e-waste and obsolete plastic were significantly higher than in the VP workshops. Decabromodiphenyl ether and decabromodiphenyl ethane are major HFRs, accounting for 60 ± 26% and 25 ± 29% of total HFRs, respectively. Triphenyl phosphate, tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate, and tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate dominated the OPE profiles, accounting for 30 ± 25%, 25 ± 16%, and 24 ± 18% of total OPEs, respectively. The OPE profiles differed between WR and VP dust samples, implying different usage patterns of these substances in polymer materials for electric/electronic appliance and automotive industries. Human health risk related to dust-bound HFRs and OPEs in the study areas was low.

The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has reached epidemic proportions globally as a result of the rapid increase in obesity. However, there is no Food and Drug Administration-approved pharmacotherapy available for NAFLD. This study investigated the role of autotaxin, a secreted enzyme that hydrolyzes lysophosphatidylcholine to produce lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and to explore whether genetic or pharmacologic interventions targeting autotaxin ameliorate NAFLD.

The clinical association of autotaxin with the severity of NAFLD was analyzed in 125 liver biopsy-proven NAFLD patients. C57BL/6N mice or fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21)-null mice were fed a high-fat diet or a choline-deficient diet to investigate the role of the autotaxin-FGF21 axis in NAFLD development by hepatic knockdown and antibody neutralization. Huh7 cells were used to investigate the autocrine effects of autotaxin.

Serum autotaxin levels were associated positively with histologic scoor NAFLD.

Liver-secreted autotaxin acts in an autocrine manner to exacerbate NAFLD through LPA-induced suppression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α-FGF21 axis and is a promising therapeutic target for NAFLD.

During liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, the function and metabolic pathways governing transient lipid droplet accumulation in hepatocytes remain obscure. Mammalian target of rapamycin 2 (mTORC2) facilitates de novo synthesis of hepatic lipids. Under normal conditions and in tumorigenesis, decreased levels of triglyceride (TG) and fatty acids (FAs) are observed in the mTORC2-deficient liver. However, during liver regeneration, their levels increase in the absence of mTORC2.

Rictor liver-specific knockout and control mice underwent partial hepatectomy, followed by measurement of TG and FA contents during liver regeneration. FA metabolism was evaluated by analyzing the expression of FA metabolism-related genes and proteins. Intraperitoneal injection of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR-α) agonist, p53 inhibitor, and protein kinase B (AKT) activator was performed to verify the regulatory pathways involved. click here Lipid mass spectrometry was performed to identify the potential PPAR-αough the GluCer-PPAR-α pathway, thereby establishing a novel role for mTORC2 in lipid metabolism.

Whole genome and transcriptome analysis of 213 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates resistant to antipseudomonal β-lactams collected in 30 countries was performed to evaluate resistance mechanisms against these agents.

Isolates were susceptibility tested by reference broth microdilution. Whole genome and transcriptome sequencing were performed, and data were analysed using open-source tools. A statistical analysis of changes in the expression of >5500 genes was compared to the expression of PAO1.

The high-risk clones ST235 and ST111 were the most prevalent among >90 sequence types (STs). Metallo-β-lactamase (MBLs) genes were detected in 40 isolates. AmpC and MexXY were the most common genes overexpressed in approximately 50% of the 173 isolates that did not carry MBLs. Isolates overexpressing pmrA and pmrB, the norspermidine production genes speD2 and speE2, and the operon arnBCADTEF-ugd were noted among strains resistant to ceftolozane-tazobactam and ceftazidime-avibactam, despite the lack of polymyxin resistance often associated to increased expression of these genes. Overexpression of MuxABC-OpmB, OprG, and OprE proteins were associated with resistance to ceftolozane-tazobactam in addition to the usual genes involved in cephalosporin, monobactam, and carbapenem resistance. Statistical analysis identified discrete mutations in ArmZ, OprD, and AmpC that correlated to antipseudomonal β-lactam resistance.

P. aeruginosa resistance mechanisms are complex. This analysis suggests the role of multiple genes in resistance to antipseudomonal β-lactams, including some not commonly described.

P. aeruginosa resistance mechanisms are complex. This analysis suggests the role of multiple genes in resistance to antipseudomonal β-lactams, including some not commonly described.

The watershed line is widely accepted as the distal limit of the volar locking plate (VLP); however, the VLP placement could vary depending on the plate contour and morphology of the distal radius. The aim of this study was to investigate the morphology of the distal radius and VLP fitting using 3D images.

We hypothesized that attachment of the VLP would affect the contour of the volar prominence of the distal radius.

Variable-angle LCP two-column volar distal radius Plate 2.4 and 16 formalin-fixed cadavers were studied. The plate and forearm were scanned using a computed tomography scanner. The plate was fixed to the radial shaft in the most distal position without flexor pollicis longus tendon contact. Postero-antero and lateral radiographs were obtained using fluoroscopy. Postero-antero radiographs were superimposed on a 3D image of the distal radius. The virtual plate was attached to the distal radius in the computer simulations and the plate was adjusted in the sagittal plane. In the postero-antero radiographs, the distance between the plate and distal end of the radius (DPR) was measured. In the sagittal plane, the height of the volar lunate facet (VLF) and the plate-to-bone distance of each locking screw hole was measured. The volar cortical angle (VCA) was measured as the angle formed by a line drawn along the volar surface and a line drawn on the radial shaft on the sagittal plane at each locking screw plane.

A significant correlation was observed between the height of the VLF and the DPR and between the height of the VLF and the VCA. The plate-to-bone distance at the ulnar screw hole was significantly smaller than that of the other screw holes.

Our study revealed that the higher the VLF, the more proximal is the VLP. The plate fits on the bone surface at the ulnar side, whereas the radial side has more space between the plate and bone.

III, diagnostic Level.

III, diagnostic Level.Oleaginous fungi natively accumulate large amounts of triacylglycerides (TAG), widely used as precursors for sustainable biodiesel production. However, little attention has been paid to the diversity and roles of fungal mixed microbial cultures (MMCs) in sequencing batch reactors (SBR). In this study, a lipid-rich stream produced in the fish-canning industry was used as a substrate in two laboratory-scale SBRs operated under the feast/famine (F/F) regime to enrich microorganisms with high TAG-storage ability, under two different concentrations of NaCl (SBR-N 0.5 g/L; SBR-S 10 g/L). The size of the fungal community in the enriched activated sludge (EAS) was analyzed using 18S rRNA-based qPCR, and the fungal community structure was determined by Illumina sequencing. The different selective pressures (feeding strategy and control of pH) implemented in the enrichment SBRs throughout operation increased the abundance of total fungi. In general, there was an enrichment of genera previously identified as TAG-accumulating fungi (Apiotrichum, Candida, Cutaneotrichosporon, Geotrichum, Haglerozyma, Metarhizium, Mortierella, Saccharomycopsis, and Yarrowia) in both SBRs.