[Effects of activated coke on soil properties and growth of two plant species in saline alkali soil in northern Shanxi Province, China.] / 活性焦对晋北盐碱地土壤性质和两种植物生长的影响.

Solid waste-based improver is one of the effective means to improve properties of saline-alkali soil. As a kind of porous waste, activated coke is expected to improve soil properties and alleviate salt-alkali stress. In order to understand the improvement effect of activated coke on saline alkali land in northern Shanxi Province, we examined the effects of different addition rates of activated coke (CK, 0 g·kg-1; A10, 10 g·kg-1; A20, 20 g·kg-1; A50, 50 g·kg-1) on the properties of saline alkali soil and the growth of two plant species. The results showed that activated coke addition could increase the content of water soluble soil aggregates, reduce soil salt content, soil pH, and the electrical conductivity (EC). Compared with CK, the mean weight diameters of the aggregates for the saline-alkali soils grown with Puccinellia distans and maize were increased by 5.1%-32.2%, soil pH was decreased by 0.4%-4.1%, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) was decreased by 4.8%-18.7%, and the EC was decreased by 7.4%-8.2%. Applying appropriate amount of activated coke could promote plant growth through reducing the plasma membrane damage of plant cells, increasing plant chlorophyll and Ca2+ contents. The biomass of Puccinellia distans and maize both reached the maximum under the A20 treatment. It suggested that the application of 20 g·kg-1 activated coke (A20) in saline alkali soil could improve soil quality in the rhizosphere soil, increase plant selective Ca2+ absorption, thereby reducing salt damage to plant cells and promote plant growth in saline-alkali habitat.

Effect of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4, 5-b] pyridine on oxidative stress and gene expression of c-fos, c-jun, p16 and Rb in rat colons and protective role of seabuckthorn seed oil.

Exposure to 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4, 5-b] pyridine (PhIP), a typical example of heterocyclic amine compounds, increases colon cancer risk. Seabuckthorn (SBT) seed oil is a biologically active substance extracted from seeds of wild Hippophae rhamnoides L. Here, we sought to investigate the toxicological mechanisms underlying oxidative stress and cancer-related gene expression in the rat colons as well as the protective effect of SBT seed oil against colonic oxidative damage. Our results showed that PhIP significantly decreased the anti-oxidative enzyme activities whereas increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, protein carbonyl (PCO) levels and DNA-protein cross-links (DPC) coefficients in the rat colons compared with the solvent-control group. Moreover, PhIP activated expression of c-fos and c-jun and inhibited p16 and Rb expression. Additionally, SBT seed oil plus PhIP significantly improved antioxidant markers and reduced the levels of MDA, PCO and DPC compared to those in rats exposed to PhIP alone. These data indicated that PhIP could induce oxidative stress and abnormal alterations of cancer-related gene expression in the rat colons while SBT seed oil may be beneficial because of its ability to alleviate the PhIP-induced oxidative damage to the rats.

[Algae removal of high algae raw water by coagulation enhanced by ozonation].

Apparent molecular weight distribution (AMWD) and resin fractionation were used to characterize organic matters of the raw water. Removal of algae, change and removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), disinfection by products (DBPs) control during the preozonation enhanced coagulation treatments in the jar-scale and pilot-scale experiment were studied. Algae activity (AA) was measured and used to elucidate the mechanisms of algae removal by above treatments. Results show that algae removal can be improved distinctively by proper preozonation, as the ozone dose 1.0 mg x L(-1), for instance. Algae removal could be increased from 55%-85% by traditional coagulation to 95% by enhanced coagulation after preozonation; and the best removal achieved 99.3% with ozone 1.0 mg x L(-1) and PACl 3.0 mg x L(-1); the residual THMFP (Trihalomethanes formation potential) was lowered from 117 microg x L(-1) by traditional coagulation to 46 microg x L(-1). But higher dose of ozone (as > or = 2.0 mg x L(-1)) impairs organic matter removal, although it decreases algae activity further. Significant differences were found in algae removal by AA detection between ozonation and traditional coagulation. Traditional coagulation had little effect on AA no matter the different PAC1 doses; while AA decreased clearly after ozonation. AA was lowered below 12 under 0.5-2.0 mg x L(-1) ozonation; and it kept decreasing with increase of ozone dosage. During the following coagulation, coagulant or some of its hydrolysised components enhanced the AA decrease by ozonation. Compared to the method of normal microscopy counting, AA test expresses the influence of algae living state by water treatment processes more clearly; which would provide treatment process designer with more distinct information about algae removal mechanisms and how to arrange the treatment processes to improve algae removal.

Fluorescence study on the interaction of human serum albumin with bromsulphalein.

The binding of bromsulphalein (BSP) with human serum albumin was investigated at different temperatures, 298 and 308 K, by the fluorescence spectroscopy at pH 7.24. The binding constant was determined by Stern-Volmer equation based on the quenching of the fluorescence HSA in the presence of bromsulphalein. The effect of various metal ions on the binding constants of BSP with HSA was investigated. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated according to the dependence of enthalpy change on the temperature as follows: DeltaH and DeltaS possess small negative (9.3 kJ mol(-1)) and positive values (22.3 J K(-l)mol(-l)), respectively. The experimental results revealed that BSP has a strong ability to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of HSA through a static quenching procedure. The binding constants between BSP to HSA were remarkable and independent on temperature. The binding constants between HSA and BSP decreased in the presence of various ions, commonly decreased by 30-55%. The hydrophobic force played a major role in the interaction of BSP with HSA. All these experimental results and theoretical data clarified that BSP could bind to HSA and be effectively transported and eliminated in body, which could be a useful guideline for further drug design.