[Seasonal Variation Characteristics and Pollution Assessment of Heavy Metals in Water and Sediment of Taipu River].

Taipu River is a river spanning two provinces and one city in a demonstration area in the Yangtze River Delta on an ecologically friendly developmentand an important water source in the upper reaches of the Huangpu River in Shanghai. To understand the multi-media distribution characteristics, pollution status, and ecological risk of heavy metals in the Taipu River, the contents of heavy metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Zn) in the sediments of Taipu River were analyzed, and the pollution status and potential ecological risk were evaluated using the Nemerow comprehensive pollution index, geo-accumulation index, and potential ecological risk index methods. In addition, the health risk assessment model was used to assess the health risk of heavy metals in surface water of Taipu River. The results showed that the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Mn, and Ni in the surface water of Taipu River exceeded the class Ⅲ water limit at the upstream point in spring; the concentrations of Sb exceeded the class Ⅲ water limit at all points in winter; the average value of As exceeded the class Ⅲ water limit in overlying water during the wet season; and the average values of As and Cd exceeded the class Ⅲ water limit in pore water during the wet season. The health risk assessment of surface water implied that both adults and children had higher health risk in spring and lower health risk in other seasons. The health risk of children was significantly higher than that of adults, and it mainly came from chemical carcinogenic heavy metal elements As, Cd, and Cr. The average contents of Co, Mn, Sb, and Zn in Taipu River sediments in the four seasons all exceeded the Shanghai soil baseline; the average contents of As, Cr, and Cu in summer, autumn, and winter exceeded the Shanghai soil baseline; and the average contents of Cd, Ni, and Pb in summer and winter exceeded the Shanghai soil baseline. The evaluation results of the Nemerow comprehensive pollution index and geo-accumulation index showed that the pollution degree of the middle reaches of Taipu River was higher than that of the upper and lower reaches, and the Sb pollution was more serious. The potential ecological risk index method revealed that the Taipu River sediment was at a low risk. Cd had a high contribution in both the wet and dry seasons and could be regarded as the main heavy metal of potential ecological risk in the Taipu River sediment.

Seasonal heavy metal speciation in sediment and source tracking via Cu isotopic composition in Huangpu River, Shanghai, China.

The present study systematically analyzed and evaluated the variations in chemical speciation, pollution assessment, and source identification of heavy metals in sediments of Huangpu River. The methods employed included heavy metal concentration, chemical speciation and Cu isotopic compositions analysis. Results showed that the chemical speciation of sediment-bound heavy metals, characterized by significant seasonal variation, shifted from non-residual fractions dominating in spring and summer to residual fractions dominating in autumn and winter. Precipitation was identified as an important factor influencing the chemical speciation of sediment-bound heavy metals. Furthermore, ratio of the secondary phase to the primary phase, RSP (=Cnon-residual/Cresidual) values in Huangpu River sediments were higher than 1 in spring and summer, indicating that sediment-bound heavy metals in Huangpu River were mainly composed of non-residual fractions and could potentially be released into the river water. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that navigation, traffic, agricultural, and industrial activities could be the potential sources of heavy metal pollution. Notably, the δ65Cu values in Huangpu River sediments were observed to be isotopically lighter (from -0.37 to +0.18 ‰), suggesting that navigation might be the primary pollution source. These results will not only provide guidance in reducing heavy metal concentrations, but also serve as a crucial basis for policy making regarding heavy metal control.

[Distribution Characteristics, Source Analysis, and Pollution Evaluation of Organic Matter in Surface Sediments of Qingpu District, Yangtze River Delta Integration Demonstration Area].

The surface sediments were collected from 25 sampling points in the Qingpu District of the Yangtze River Delta integration demonstration area, and the total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), organic carbon isotope (δ13C), and nitrogen isotope (δ15N) content in the samples were analyzed. The distribution characteristics and potential sources of organic matter in the surface sediments were discussed in detail, and the organic pollution index was also evaluated. The results showed that the ω(TOC) in the surface sediments of 31 sampling points in Qingpu District was 0.21%-3.55%, with an average value of 1.18%; ω(TN) ranged from 0.02% to 0.23%, with an average value of 0.09%. The δ13C ranged from -28.04‰ to -10.80 ‰, with an average of -22.28‰, and the δ15N ranged from 2.28‰ to 11.19‰, with an average of 5.76‰. The TOC content was significantly correlated with the TN content. Source analysis showed that the organic matter in the surface sediments of the study area was mainly affected by soil organic matter, sewage organic matter, and terrestrial plants. The calculation results of the contribution rate based on IsoSource software showed that the relative contribution rate of soil organic matter was relatively high (0.3%-96.8%), and domestic sewage had a certain contribution to the organic matter source of most sampling points. In addition, the selected end-member substances had certain differences in the contribution of organic matter sources in samples of different land use types. The evaluation index of organic pollution in the surface sediments of the study area ranged from 0.006-0.745, with an average value of 0.163, indicating that the organic pollution of the study area was considered lightly polluted. Among them, the pollution of sampling points around the Jinze Reservoir was more serious than that in other areas, indicating that there was a potential risk of eutrophication in this area, which requires certain attention.

Adsorptive behavior of thallium using Fe3O4-kaolin composite synthesized by a room temperature ferrite process.

Thallium (Tl) contaminants pose serious threats to the ecological environment and human health due to its acute/chronic poisoning on the health of most organisms even at low concentrations. To find a rapid and efficient technology in removing Tl from waters thus becomes a crucial issue. A magnetic Fe3O4-kaolin composite (denoted by FKC) with high specific surface area (133.7 m2/g) was successfully synthesized via a simple and low-cost technique for Tl(I) removing from various water media. The HRTEM images confirmed the existence of lattice fingers Fe3O4 and displayed that a large number of Fe3O4 nanoparticles dispersed on the surface of kaolin sheets. Compared with kaolin or Fe3O4 alone, FKC enhanced obviously the adsorption rate and capacity of Tl(I) over a wide pH range (4.5-9.0). The maximum adsorption capacity of FKC for Tl(I) was 19,347 mg/kg (calculated by Langmuir model), which was almost one hundred times and two times higher than those of kaolin and Fe3O4, respectively. Importantly, FKC was observed to have a great potential in removing Tl(I) from surface water, groundwater, and tap water in more alkaline conditions. By applying the external magnetic field, FKC could be recovered efficiently (99%) and rapidly (20 s). Moreover, Tl L3-edge XANES spectra revealed that Tl(I) was adsorbed on the FKC and would not be converted to more toxic Tl(III). The cations (CaCl2, NaCl, and KCl) and the ionic strength with concentrations of 0.001-1.0 mol/L showed a great influence on the adsorption of Tl(I) by FKC, implying that this adsorption was dominated by outer-sphere surface complexation at investigated pH values. The information provided is essential for designing a rapid and effective scavenger for removing Tl in various natural waters.

[Multimedia Distribution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of 22 PPCPs in the Water Environment of Qingpu District, Yangtze River Delta Demonstration Area].

In this study, 50 surface water and sediment samples were collected from 25 sampling points in Qingpu District (including Taipu River basin, Jinze Reservoir, and Qingxi country park) in the Yangtze River Delta integration demonstration area, and 22 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS-MS). The distribution characteristics, sources, and influencing factors of targeted PPCPs in the study area were studied in detail. The ecological and health risks of the target PPCPs were evaluated using the quotients method. The results showed that a total of 19 PPCPs were detected in the surface water and sediment samples from 25 sampling points in Qingpu District, with total concentrations ranging from 0.06 to 178.67 ng·L-1 and 0.07 to 37.68 ng·g-1, respectively. The average value of sulfachloropyridazine (SCP) in the surface water was the highest with a concentration of 129.54 ng·L-1, whereas the average value of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in the sediment was the highest with a concentration of 70.62 ng·g-1. The spatial distribution of the total amount of PPCPs showed a trend of Qingxi country park > Jinze Reservoir > Taipu River basin. Principal component analysis showed that the main sources of pollution were animal antibiotics used in aquaculture and the discharge of domestic sewage. There was a significant correlation between lg Koc and lg Kd (P<0.05), indicating that the organic carbon plays an important role in the distribution of the target PPCPs in water and sediments. The ecological risk assessment results revealed that the fungicides (TCC and TCS) in the surface waters showed a moderate risk to aquatic organisms of different trophic levels. The Qingxi country park and Jinze Reservoir were the regions with the highest ecological risks of PPCPs in surface water and sediment. The health risk entropy (HQ) of people of all age groups exposed through drinking was less than 1; however, with the continuous emission and accumulation of PPCPs, the pollution control of PPCPs in the environment still requires further attention.

Multimedia fate model and risk assessment of typical antibiotics in the integrated demonstration zone of the Yangtze River Delta, China.

Due to the widespread consumption of antibiotics by humans and animals, antibiotic residues from human and animal excrements are released into the environment through domestic sewage and breeding wastewater, which ultimately affect the ecological environment and human health. In this study, the concentrations of 10 antibiotics in the air, water, soil, and sediment from 2013 to 2019 in Qingpu District of the integrated demonstration zone of the Yangtze River Delta were predicated by developing a dynamic Level IV fugacity model. The influence of seasonal environmental factors (e.g., temperature, rainfall) on the distribution and migration of antibiotics in multi-media was also explored. The simulation results show that the 10 antibiotics mainly existed in water and sediment. The concentrations of antibiotics in air, water, soil, and sediment were 0-7.629 × 10-14 ng/L, 1.187 × 10-10-16.793 ng/L, 1.042 × 10-14-3.500 × 10-11 ng/g and 8.015 × 10-12-14.188 ng/g, respectively. It was also found that the increase in temperature and rainfall can reduce the migration rate of some antibiotics into the water and sediment phases. The flux analysis of the cross-media migration and transformation of antibiotics in Qingpu District shows that advection was the prime input and output paths of antibiotics in the water. Moreover, the prime input and output paths of antibiotics in sediment were sedimentation from water to sediment and degradation. Sensitivity analysis shows that the characteristics of antibiotic emission, degradation rate, and Koc were the most influential parameters for target chemicals. The results of risk assessment based on Monte Carlo method reveal that the overall risk level of antibiotics in sediment was relatively risk-free, and the risk of antibiotics in water decreased in the order of tetracyclines > ß-lactams > fluoroquinolones > macrolides > sulfonamides.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Decoctions Significantly Reduce the Mortality in Severe and Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a new infectious disease associated with high mortality, and traditional Chinese medicine decoctions (TCMDs) have been widely used for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 in China; however, the impact of these decoctions on severe and critical COVID-19-related mortality has not been evaluated. Therefore, we aimed to address this gap. In this retrospective cohort study, we included inpatients diagnosed with severe/critical COVID-19 at the Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University and grouped them depending on the recipience of TCMDs (TCMD and non-TCMD groups). We conducted a propensity score-matched analysis to adjust the imbalanced variables and treatments and used logistic regression methods to explore the risk factors associated with in-hospital death. Among 282 patients with COVID-19 who were discharged or died, 186 patients (66.0%) received TCMD treatment (TCMD cohort) and 96 (34.0%) did not (non-TCMD cohort). After propensity score matching at a 1:1 ratio, 94 TCMD users were matched to 94 non-users, and there were no significant differences in baseline clinical variables between the two groups of patients. The all-cause mortality was significantly lower in the TCMD group than in the non-TCMD group, and this trend remained valid even after matching (21.3% [20/94] vs. 39.4% [37/94]). Multivariable logistic regression model showed that disease severity (odds ratio: 0.010; 95% CI: 0.003, 0.037; [Formula: see text]¡ 0.001) was associated with increased odds of death and that TCMD treatment significantly decreased the odds of in-hospital death (odds ratio: 0.115; 95% CI: 0.035, 0.383; [Formula: see text]¡ 0.001), which was related to the duration of TCMD treatment. Our findings show that TCMD treatment may reduce the mortality in patients with severe/critical COVID-19.

[Content of seminal plasma plasticizer in the patients with idiopathic asthenozoospermia and its impact on male fertility].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between di-(2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and male infertility by detecting the concentration of DEHP in the seminal plasma of the patient with idiopathic asthenozoospermia (IAS). METHODS: This study included 45 infertile males with diagnosed IAS in the observation group and another 45 men with normal sperm parameters as controls. We obtained the general baseline data on the subjects, determined the concentration of DEHP in the seminal plasma, the ROS level and the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), and compared them between the two groups of males. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups of subjects in age, living habits and other general in baseline data (P > 0.05). The IAS patients, in comparison with the normal controls, showed significantly increased DEHP concentration in the seminal plasma (ï¼»0.45 ± 0.09ï¼½ vs ï¼»0.23 ± 0.05ï¼½ µg/ml, P < 0.05), ROS level (ï¼»569.4 ± 45.3ï¼½ vs ï¼»317.6 ± 27.8ï¼½ pmol/106 sperm, P < 0.05) and sperm DFI (ï¼»22.1 ± 8.3ï¼½% vs ï¼»10.5 ± 6.7ï¼½%, P < 0.05). The concentration of DEHP in the seminal plasma was correlated positively with the ROS level (r = 0.77, P < 0.05) and sperm DFI (r = 0.75, P < 0.05) but negatively with the percentage of progressively motile sperm (r = －0.81, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The DEHP level is escalated in the seminal plasma of the IAS patient, which may be responsible for the reduced sperm motility and increased DFI of the patient.

Identification of Six Potentially Long Noncoding RNAs as Biomarkers Involved Competitive Endogenous RNA in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common subtype of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), usually is representative of metastatic heterogeneous neoplasm that links with poor prognosis, but the pathogenesis of ccRCC remains unclear. Currently, numerous evidences prove that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are considered as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to participate in cellular processes of tumors. Therefore, to investigate the underlying mechanisms of ccRCC, the expression profiles of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. A total of 1526 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), 54 DEmiRNAs, and 2352 DEmRNAs were identified. To determine the connection of them, all DElncRNAs were input to the miRcode database. The results indicated that 85 DElncRNAs could connect with 9 DEmiRNAs in relation to our study. Then, databases of TargetScan and miRDB were used to search for targeted genes with reference to DEmiRNAs. The results showed that 203 out of 2352 targeted genes were identified in our TCGA set. Subsequently, ceRNA network was constructed according to Cytoscape and the targeted genes were functionally analyzed to elucidate the mechanisms of DEmRNAs. The results of survival analysis and regression analysis indicated that 6 DElncRNAs named COL18A1-AS1, WT1-AS, LINC00443, TCL6, AL356356.1, and SLC25A5-AS1 were significantly correlative with the clinical traits of ccRCC patients and could be served as predictors for ccRCC. Finally, these findings were validated by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Based on these discoveries, we believe that this identified ceRNA network will provide a novel perspective to elucidate ccRCC pathogenesis.

Identification of Tisp40 as an Essential Regulator of Renal Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis via TGF-ß/Smads Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Tisp40, a transcription factor of the CREB/CREM family, is involved in cell proliferation, differentiation and other biological functions, but its role in renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis is unknown. METHODS: In our study, we investigated the effects of Tisp40 on extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the underlying molecular mechanisms in transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß)-stimulated TCMK-1 cells by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence in vitro, and further explored the role of Tisp40 on renal fibrosis induced by ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) by qPCR, Western blot analysis, hydroxyproline analysis, Masson trichrome staining and immunohistochemistry staining in vivo. RESULTS: The data showed that Tisp40 was upregulated in a model of renal fibrosis induced by I/R injury (IRI). Upon IRI, Tisp40-deficient mice showed attenuated renal fibrosis compared with wild-type mice. Furthermore, the expression of α-smooth muscle actin, E-cadherin, fibronectin, and collagen I was suppressed. Tisp40 overexpression aggravated ECM accumulation and EMT in the TGF-ß-stimulated TCMK-1 cell line, whereas the opposite occurred in cells treated with small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting Tisp40. Importantly, it is changes in the Smad pathway that attenuate renal fibrosis. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that Tisp40 plays a critical role in the TGF-ß/ Smads pathway involved in this process. Hence, Tisp40 could be a useful therapeutic target in the fight against renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

FBXO6-Mediated Ubiquitination and Degradation of Ero1L Inhibits Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Apoptosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: FBXO6 is the substrate recognition component of a Skp1-Cullin1-F-box protein (SCF) ubiquitin E3 ligase complex, recognizing the chitobiose in unfolded N-glycoprotein to target glycoproteins for polyubiquitination and degradation. Although how FBXO6 recognizes glycoprotein has been fully investigated, the ubiquitination substrates of FBXO6 remain largely unknown. Previously, we have systematically identified the glycoproteins that interact with FBXO6 in an N-glycan dependent manner by LC/MS spectrum and confirmed the interaction between FBXO6 and glycosylated Ero1L, a protein disulfide oxidase in endoplasmic reticulum (ER). METHODS: The relationship between endogenous Ero1L and exogenous Flag-FBXO6 were determined by Western blot. In vivo ubiquitination assay was used to detect the direct effect of FBXO6 in the regulation of Ero1L. Both CCK8 and FACS assays were used to determine the apoptosis ratio of cells after treatments. RESULTS: Ero1L is a ubiquitination substrate of FBXO6. FBXO6 mediates the degradation of Ero1L through a ubiquitylation-dependent pathway. Overexpression of FBXO6 increased the polyubiquitination and decreased the stability of Ero1L, whereas inhibition of FBXO6 prolonged the half-life of Ero1L. Functionally, we show that FBXO6 inhibits ER stress-induced apoptosis by modulating the protein level of Ero1L. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our results demonstrate FBXO6 as a functional E3 ubiquitin ligase for Ero1L that plays a critical role in inhibiting ER stress-induced apoptosis.

[Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (AM) on Tolerance of Cattail to Cd Stress in Aquatic Environment].

Hygrophytes are planted more and more in landscaping and greening in many cities, but they often encounter threat from environmental pollution. Arbuscular mycorrhiza ( AM ) have been confirmed to enhance the tolerance of terrestrial plants to environmental pollution in many previous studies, but it is unclear how they affect hygrophytes. In the present study, a hydroponic culture experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of AM fungi (Glomus etunicatum) inoculation on the tolerance of cattail (Typha latifolia) to different concentrations Cd2+ (0, 2.5, 5.0 mg x L(-1)). The aim was to provide reference for evaluating whether mycorrhizal technology can be used to enhance the tolerance of hygrophytes to environmental pollution. The results showed that symbiotic association was well established between AM fungi and cattail roots, and the mycorrhizal colonization rates (MCR) were beyond 30%. However, MCR presented downward trend one month after mycorrhizal cattails were transported to solution, and the maximal decrease was 25.5% (P < 0.05). AM increased pigment concentrations and peroxidase (POD) activity in cattail leaves, and also increased roots radial oxygen loss. However, AM only produced significant effect on increase of fresh weight in 5 mg x L(-1) Cd2+ solution. Although plant growth was inhibited by 5 mg x L(-1) Cd2+ and MCR was lower, AM increased Cd uptake of cattail at the two Cd2+ levels, and the maximal increments were 40.24% and 56.52% in aboveground and underground parts, respectively. This study indicates that AM has potential to enhance the tolerance of hygrophytes to environmental pollution and might be used to remedy heavy metal pollution.

L-arginine-glycine amidinotransferase, betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase, and neuropolypeptide H3 are diminished in renal clear cell carcinoma of humans.

OBJECTIVE: To identify renal clear cell carcinoma-associated marker proteins. METHODS: Twelve patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were collected and processed in the Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, China, between January 2008 and September 2009. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) were employed to investigate differentially expressed protein spots between RCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues, then reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot were employed to confirm the proteomic results. RESULTS: One protein spot was upregulated, 13 were downregulated, and 22 were absent in RCC tissues. Four of the absent proteins were L-arginine-glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT), Betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase (BHMT), Ketohexokinase (KHK), and Neuropolypeptide h3 (NPh3). The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated mRNA expression of AGAT, BHMT, and Nph3 was significantly decreased in 12 RCC tissues. In addition, Western blot analysis showed AGAT protein was absent in 11/12, BHMT in 9/12, and Nph3 in 5/12 RCC tissues. CONCLUSION: Absence of AGAT, BHMT, and Nph3 is common events in clear cell RCC; hence, it may be involved in the development of RCC; therefore, they have the potential to be tumor markers for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of RCC patients.