P-aminobenzoic acid promotes retinal regeneration through activation of Ascl1a in zebrafish.

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202408000-00040/figure1/v/2023-12-16T180322Z/r/image-tiff The retina of zebrafish can regenerate completely after injury. Multiple studies have demonstrated that metabolic alterations occur during retinal damage; however to date no study has identified a link between metabolites and retinal regeneration of zebrafish. Here, we performed an unbiased metabolome sequencing in the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-damaged retinas of zebrafish to demonstrate the metabolomic mechanism of retinal regeneration. Among the differentially-expressed metabolites, we found a significant decrease in p-aminobenzoic acid in the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-damaged retinas of zebrafish. Then, we investigated the role of p-aminobenzoic acid in retinal regeneration in adult zebrafish. Importantly, p-aminobenzoic acid activated Achaetescute complex-like 1a expression, thereby promoting Müller glia reprogramming and division, as well as Müller glia-derived progenitor cell proliferation. Finally, we eliminated folic acid and inflammation as downstream effectors of PABA and demonstrated that PABA had little effect on Müller glia distribution. Taken together, these findings show that PABA contributes to retinal regeneration through activation of Achaetescute complex-like 1a expression in the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-damaged retinas of zebrafish.

Regional differences of the sclera in the ocular hypertensive rat model induced by circumlimbal suture.

PURPOSE: To describe the regional differences of the sclera in ocular hypertension (OHT) models with the inappropriate extension of the ocular axis. METHODS: To discover the regional differences of the sclera at the early stage, OHT models were established using circumlimbal suture (CS) or sclerosant injection (SI). Axial length (AL) was measured by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. The glaucoma-associated distinction was determined by intraocular pressure (IOP) and retrograde tracing of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The central thickness of the ganglion cell complex (GCC) was measured by optical coherence tomography. RGCs and collagen fibrils were detected using a transmission electron microscope, furthermore, anti-alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) was determined in the early stage after the operation. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the eyes in OHT models showed an increased IOP (P < 0.001 in the CS group, P = 0.001 in the SI group), growing AL (P = 0.026 in the CS group, P = 0.043 in the SI group), reduction of central RGCs (P < 0.001 in the CS group, P = 0.017 in the SI group), thinning central GCC (P < 0.001 in the CS group), and a distinctive expression of αSMA in the central sclera in the early 4-week stage after the operation (P = 0.002 in the CS group). Compared with the SI group, the eye in the CS group showed a significantly increased AL (7.1 ± 0.4 mm, P = 0.031), reduction of central RGCs (2121.1 ± 87.2 cells/mm2, P = 0.001), thinning central GCC (71.4 ± 0.8 pixels, P = 0.015), and a distinctive expression of αSMA (P = 0.005). Additionally, ultrastructural changes in RGCs, scleral collagen fibers, and collagen crimp were observed in the different regions. Increased collagen volume fraction in the posterior segment of the eyeball wall (30.2 ± 3.1%, P = 0.022) was observed by MASSON staining in the CS group. CONCLUSION: Regional differences of the sclera in the ocular hypertensive rat model induced by CS may provide a reference for further treatment of scleral-related eye disorders.

[Community Structure Characteristics of Diatom in Reservoirs Located in the South of Jiangsu Province, China and Its Control Factors].

In order to understand the community structure characteristics of Bacillariophyta and its controlling factors in reservoirs located in the Southeast, China, in the geographic background of hills landscape and humid climate, 18 reservoirs were investigated in June, 2015, during the period with high risk of diatom bloom, covering water quality, and the community structures of phytoplankton. The correlations between Bacillariophyta and other planktons with nutrients, water depth, storage capacity, etc. were analyzed. The results showed that, 10 reservoirs reached the light extent of diatom bloom ( density between 100 x 104-1,000 x 104 cells · L⁻¹ reservoirs in this area were generally in mesotrophic or eutrophic state with considerably high total nitrogen concentrations; total phosphorus and trophic level index were both closely correlated with Bacillariophyta biomass. Phormidium in Cyanophyta was the dominating generus among phytoplankton in terms of density; with respect to biomass, Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta and Cyanophyta were the top three phylum, and Bacillariophyta accounted for 46. 8% of the total phytoplankton biomass, becoming the most important one resulting in abnormal propagation of algae; Synedra (51.5%) and Cyclotella (21.4%) were the main dominating genera in Bacillariophyta, together with Achnanthes and Melosira. Deep water was favored by Bacillariophyta to dominate among different phyla. Larger ratio between catchment and reservoir storage capacity, on the other hand, caused the increase of trophic level and chlorophyll, and benefited the shift of dominating phytoplankton from Bacillariophyta to Chlorophyta and Cyanophyta, by which, the risk of algae bloom would be increased. It reveals that to alleviate the risk of algae bloom and protect drinking water resources, catchment management is crucial for the studied reservoirs. And the establishment of nutrient reduction strategies needs to consider the features of each individual reservoir, i. e. water depth, ratio between catchment and capacity.

Factors influencing antibiotics adsorption onto engineered adsorbents.

The study evaluated the adsorption of two antibiotics by four engineered adsorbents (hypercrosslinked resin MN-202, macroporous resin XAD-4, activated carbon F-400, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)) from aqueous solutions. The dynamic results demonstrated the dominant influence of pore size in adsorption. The adsorption amounts of antibiotics on XAD-4 were attributed to the hydrophobic effect, whereas steric hindrance or micropore-filling played a main role in the adsorption of antibiotics by F-400 because of its high microporosity. Aside from F-400, similar patterns of pH-dependent adsorption were observed, implying the importance of antibiotic molecular forms to the adsorption process for adsorbents. Increasing the ionic concentration with CaC12 produced particular adsorption characteristics on MWCNT at pH 2.0 and F-400 at pH 8.0, which were attributed to the highly available contact surfaces and molecular sieving, respectively. Its hybrid characteristics incorporating a considerable portion of mesopores and micropores made hypercross linked MN-202 a superior antibiotic adsorbent with high adsorption capacity. Furthermore, the adsorption capacity of MWCNT on the basis of surface area was more advantageous than that of the other adsorbents because MWCNT has a much more compact molecular arrangement.

Simulation and assessment of sludge concentration and rheology in the process of waste activated sludge treatment.

The process of using flat-sheet membrane for simultaneous sludge thickening and digestion (MSTD) was employed. The variations of sludge concentration and rheology were characterized and simulated. Based on mass balance analysis, mathematical models were developed and successfully used to predict and evaluate the variations of sludge concentration and the digestion efficiency in the MSTD process. The apparent viscosity of sludge could be modeled as functions of mixed liquor suspended solids and shear rates. The sludge in the MSTD process showed both shear-thinning and viscoplastic behaviour, and under various shear rates different rheological models could be chosen to predict their flow behaviour. It was also found that sludge concentration and viscosity had significant correlations with membrane fouling in the MSTD process.

[Adsorption of humic acid onto aminated HMS].

The adsorption of humic acid onto hexagonal mesoporous silica(HMS) and surface aminated HMS was investigated. The simulation results using Freundlich model indicated that the surface amination of HMS led to an increase of adsorption constant from 0.56 to 105, reflecting markedly enhanced adsorption of humic acid upon surface amination. In addition, humic acid adsorption under acidic conditions was favored. Adsorbed humic acid molecules were found to be located in the mesopores of aminated HMS and the mesopores with relatively larger pore diameters were preferentially occupied. The kinetics of humic acid adsorption onto the aminated HMS could be well described by second order kinetics and the adsorption rate was mainly dominated by intrapore diffusion process.

Adsorption equilibria and kinetics for phenol and cresol onto polymeric adsorbents: effects of adsorbents/adsorbates structure and interface.

Phenol and cresol (o-, m-, and p-) were selected as the adsorbates with different dipole moment (cresol>phenol, methyl being electron-drawing group) and solubility (phenol>cresol, methyl being hydrophobic group). Macropore polymers (NDA-1800 and XAD-4), hypercrosslinked polymers (NDA-100), and chemically modified adsorbents (NDA-150 and NDA-99), were comparatively used to investigate the adsorption properties including equilibria, thermodynamics and kinetics. First, all of the results about equilibria show that the adsorption data fit well to the Freundlich model. The adsorption capacity of NDA-99 and NDA-150 especially for phenol is larger in a certain extent than other three types of polymers. The hydrophobic interaction from large specific surface was mainly occurred, while the polar groups containing oxygen and amine markedly enhance the adsorption process via hydrogen interaction. Furthermore, the adsorption amount for NDA-99 and XAD-4 decrease linearly with the solubility of solutes tested. Then, the negative values of enthalpy demonstrate the predominantly exothermic and physical solid-extraction processes. Finally, the relatively more rapid adsorption process could be found onto NDA-150 than NDA-99, with the reason of the double larger pore size of the former. In conclusion, solubility of solute, together with surface area, pore size and modified groups, extremely exerts influences to the adsorption performances.

Performance of combined process of anoxic baffled reactor-biological contact oxidation treating printing and dyeing wastewater.

A study of the treatment of printing and dyeing wastewater was carried out using the combined process of anoxic baffled reactor-biological contact oxidation. The results showed the pH ascended continuously and the oxidation-reduction potential dropped gradually from compartment 1-6 in ABR. When hydraulic retention time was 12h, color removal efficiency was 92% and the color of effluent of ABR could satisfy the professional emission standard (grade-1) of textile and dyeing industry of China. The total COD removal efficiency of the combined process was 86.6% and the COD of effluent could satisfy the professional emission standard (grade-2) of textile and dyeing industry of China.

Determination of bulk mass transfer coefficient of biosorption on sludge granule based on liquid membrane mass transfer mechanism.

A bulk mass transfer coefficient (BMTC) equation was derived from the mechanism of mass transfer in surface liquid membrane in this study, which was based on the analysis of biosorption process, conservation of mass in sludge granule and the unification of the dimension. A biosorption experiment was carried out in which anoxic sludge from an anoxic baffled reactor for printing and dyeing wastewater treatment was used to adsorb Acid Red GR dye. The results showed that there was a linear regression curve between ln[qe/(qe-q)] (qe and q were the amount adsorbed at equilibrium and at time t, respectively.) and time t. There was also a good agreement between the adsorbate amount measured and that predicted by the equation of BMTC. The BMTC of Acid Red GR dye adsorbed by anoxic sludge was 6.816 kgm(-3)min(-1). Experimental results indicated that the BMTC determined by a simple adsorptive experiment using this equation was credible. It could be a feasible and effective way to determine BMTC of activated sludge for biosorption performance.