Dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes through fecal sewage treatment facilities to the ecosystem in rural area.

Infection of antibiotic-resistant pathogens mostly occurs in rural areas. In this paper, the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) through fecal sewage treatment facilities to the ecosystem in a typical rural area is investigated. Household three-chamber septic tanks (TCs), household biogas digesters (BDs), wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), vegetable plots, water ponds, etc. Are taken into account. The relative abundance of ARGs in fecal sewage can be reduced by BDs and WWTPs by 80% and 60%, respectively. While TCs show no reduction ability for ARGs. Fast expectation-maximization microbial source tracking (FEAST) analysis revealed that TCs and BDs contribute a considerable percentage (15-22%) of ARGs to the surface water bodies (water ponds) in the rural area. Most ARGs tend to precipitate in the sediments of water bodies and stop moving downstream. Meanwhile, the immigration of microorganisms is more active than that of ARGs. The results provide scientific basic data for the management of fecal sewage and the controlling of ARGs in rural areas.

Size-Dependent Effect of Titania Nanotubes on Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress to Re-establish Diabetic Macrophages Homeostasis.

In patients with diabetes, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is a crucial disrupting factor of macrophage homeostasis surrounding implants, which remains an obstacle to oral implantation success. Notably, the ERS might be modulated by the implant surface morphology. Titania nanotubes (TNTs) may enhance diabetic osseointegration. However, a consensus has not been achieved regarding the tube-size-dependent effect and the underlying mechanism of TNTs on diabetic macrophage ERS. We manufactured TNTs with small (30 nm) and large diameters (100 nm). Next, we assessed how the different titanium surfaces affected diabetic macrophages and regulated ERS and Ca2+ homeostasis. TNTs alleviated the inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and ERS in diabetic macrophages. Furthermore, TNT30 was superior to TNT100. Inhibiting ERS abolished the positive effect of TNT30. Mechanistically, topography-induced extracellular Ca2+ influx might mitigate excessive ERS in macrophages by alleviating ER Ca2+ depletion and IP3R activation. Furthermore, TNT30 attenuated the peri-implant inflammatory response and promoted osseointegration in diabetic rats. TNTs with small nanodiameters attenuated ERS and re-established diabetic macrophage hemostasis by inhibiting IP3R-induced ER Ca2+ depletion.

Integrated correlation analysis of the thickness of buccal bone and gingiva of maxillary incisors.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to validate the integrated correlation between the buccal bone and gingival thickness of the anterior maxilla, and to gain insight into the reference plane selection when measuring these two tissues before treatment with implants. METHODOLOGY: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and model scans of 350 human subjects were registered in the coDiagnostiX software to obtain sagittal maxillary incisor sections. The buccal bone thickness was measured at the coronal (2, 4, and 6 mm apical to the cementoenamel junction [CEJ]) and apical (0, 2, and 4 mm coronal to the apex plane) regions. The buccal gingival thickness was measured at the supra-CEJ (0, 1mm coronal to the CEJ) and sub-CEJ regions (1, 2, 4, and 6 mm apical to the CEJ). Canonical correlation analysis was performed for intergroup correlation analysis and investigation of key parameters. RESULTS: The mean thicknesses of the buccal bone and gingiva at different levels were 0.64~1.88 mm and 0.66~1.37 mm, respectively. There was a strong intergroup canonical correlation between the thickness of the buccal bone and that of the gingiva (r=0.837). The thickness of the buccal bone and gingiva at 2 mm apical to the CEJ are the most important indices with the highest canonical correlation coefficient and loadings. The most and least prevalent subgroups were the thin bone and thick gingiva group (accounting for 47.6%) and the thick bone and thick gingiva group (accounting for 8.6%). CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this retrospective study, the thickness of the buccal bone is significantly correlated with that of the buccal gingiva, and the 2 mm region apical to the CEJ is a vital plane for quantifying the thickness of these two tissues.

Characterization of the quantitative trait locus OilA1 for oil content in Brassica napus.

Increasing seed oil content has become one of the most important breeding criteria in rapeseed (Brassica napus). However, oil content is a complex quantitative trait. QTL mapping in a double haploid population (SG population) emerging from a cross between a German (Sollux) and Chinese (Gaoyou) cultivars revealed one QTL for oil content on linkage group A1 (OilA1), which was mapped to a 17 cM genetic interval. To further validate and characterize the OilA1, we constructed a high-resolution map using B. rapa sequence resources and developed a set of near-isogenic lines (NILs) by employing a DH line SG-DH267 as donor and Chinese parent Gaoyou as recurrent background. The results showed highly conserved synteny order between B. rapa and B. napus within the linkage group A1 and revealed a possible centromere region between two markers ZAASA1-38 and NTP3 (2.5 cM). OilA1 was firstly validated by 250 BC5F2 plants and was confirmed in a 10.6 cM interval between the markers ZAASA1-47 and ZAASA1-77. Further substitution mapping was conducted by using two generations of QTL-NILs, 283 lines from eight BC5F3:4 families and 428 plants from six BC5F4 sub-NILs and thus narrowed the OilA1 interval to 6.9 cM and 4.3 cM (1.4 Mb), respectively. Field investigations with two replications using homozygous BC5F3:4 sister sub-NILs indicated that NILs, which carry a Sollux chromosome segment across the target region showed significant higher oil content (1.26 %, p < 0.001) than their sister NILs containing Gaoyou chromosome. The OilA1 locus is of particular interest for breeding purpose in China because 80 % of Chinese cultivars do not carry this desirable allele.

Optimizing the combined soft tissue repair and osteogenesis using double surfaces of crosslinked collagen scaffolds.

Excessive tissue damage or loss has been solved by guided tissue regeneration and guided bone regeneration theories. However, the unfavorable degradation property of the resorbable collagen scaffold brings a big challenge to support soft tissue stabilization and time-consuming osteogenesis. The combined effect for soft tissue and bone of the collagen scaffold with better degradation pattern has not been clearly proven. This study determined whether the double surfaces of crosslinked collagen scaffolds could optimize the combined soft tissue repair and osteogenesis. In this study, we applied the chemically crosslinking treatment to the commercially available collagen scaffolds. Surface characterization, mechanical property and cell proliferation in vitro were evaluated. Combined bilateral skin and bone defects were established with the smooth surface of scaffold facing the skin defect and the rough surface facing the bone defect on the calvaria of rat. Micro-CT and histological evaluation were applied to determine the scaffold degradation pattern, soft tissue repair and osteogenesis. The crosslinked collagen scaffolds showed comparably favorable surface porosity, structure intactness, superhydrophilicity and mechanical properties. Compared to the native scaffolds, the crosslinked scaffolds could optimize the combined soft tissue repair and osteogenesis by preferably prolonged degradation time. Early pro-angiogenesis facilitated soft tissue repair and osteogenesis by upregulated soft tissue matrix degradation and balanced pro-osteogenesis with limited osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. Taken together, this study offers a promising repair strategy for the combined soft tissue and bone defects. Further, the possible mechanism of controllable scaffold degradation should be conducted.

Optimization of DNA-directed immobilization on mixed oligo(ethylene glycol) monolayers for immunodetection.

The development of protein chips has suffered from problems regarding long-term protein stability and activity. We present a protein sensor surface for immunodetection that is prepared by a DNA-directed protein immobilization method on a mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM). By this approach, an immobilized single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) surface can be transferred/modified into a protein chip by flowing in ssDNA-conjugated protein when the protein chip measurement is needed. Therefore, the long-term stability of the protein chip will not be a problem for various applications. We tried various compositions for the SAM layer, the length of the ssDNA spacer, the end-point nucleotide composition, and the processes of ssDNA immobilization of the SAM for an optimized condition for shifting the DNA chip to a protein chip. The evaluations were made by using surface plasmon resonance. Our results indicated that a 50:1 ratio of oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG)/COOH-terminated OEG and DNA sequences with 20mer are the best conditions found here for making a protein chip via a DNA-directed immobilization (DDI) method. The designed end-point nucleotide composition contains a few guanines or cytosines, and ssDNA immobilization of the SAM by dehybridizing immobilized double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) can improve the hybridization efficiency.

Food waste composting based on patented compost bins: Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions and the denitrifying community analysis.

Mature compost and rice bran were used as bulking agents to perform Food Waste Rapid Composting (FWRC) in a patented composting bin. The characteristics of CO2 and N2O emission and the denitrifying community were investigated. The release of CO2 and N2O concentrated in the early composting stage and reduced greatly after 28 h, and the N2O emission peak of the treatment with mature compost was 8.5 times higher than that of rice bran. The high N2O generation resulted from massive denitrifying bacteria and NOx--N in the composting material. The relative abundances of denitrifiers, correspondingly genes of narG and nirK were much higher in the treatment with mature compost, which contributed to the N2O emission. Moreover, the correlation matrices revealed that N2O fluxes correlated well with moisture, pH, temperature, and the abundances of nirK and nosZ genes during FWRC.

Integrated correlation analysis of the thickness of buccal bone and gingiva of maxillary incisors

Abstract Objective This study aimed to validate the integrated correlation between the buccal bone and gingival thickness of the anterior maxilla, and to gain insight into the reference plane selection when measuring these two tissues before treatment with implants. Methodology Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and model scans of 350 human subjects were registered in the coDiagnostiX software to obtain sagittal maxillary incisor sections. The buccal bone thickness was measured at the coronal (2, 4, and 6 mm apical to the cementoenamel junction [CEJ]) and apical (0, 2, and 4 mm coronal to the apex plane) regions. The buccal gingival thickness was measured at the supra-CEJ (0, 1mm coronal to the CEJ) and sub-CEJ regions (1, 2, 4, and 6 mm apical to the CEJ). Canonical correlation analysis was performed for intergroup correlation analysis and investigation of key parameters. Results The mean thicknesses of the buccal bone and gingiva at different levels were 0.64~1.88 mm and 0.66~1.37 mm, respectively. There was a strong intergroup canonical correlation between the thickness of the buccal bone and that of the gingiva (r=0.837). The thickness of the buccal bone and gingiva at 2 mm apical to the CEJ are the most important indices with the highest canonical correlation coefficient and loadings. The most and least prevalent subgroups were the thin bone and thick gingiva group (accounting for 47.6%) and the thick bone and thick gingiva group (accounting for 8.6%). Conclusion Within the limitations of this retrospective study, the thickness of the buccal bone is significantly correlated with that of the buccal gingiva, and the 2 mm region apical to the CEJ is a vital plane for quantifying the thickness of these two tissues