RBM3 is associated with acute lung injury in septic mice and patients via the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.

Sepsis refers to host response disorders caused by infection, leading to life-threatening organ dysfunction. RNA-binding motif protein 3 (RBM3) is an important cold-shock protein that is upregulated in response to mild hypothermia or hypoxia. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether RBM3 is involved in sepsis-associated acute lung injury (ALI). Intraperitoneal injection of LPS (10 mg/kg) was performed in wild type (WT) and RBM3 knockout (KO, RBM3-/-) mice to establish an in vivo sepsis model. An NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor, MCC950 (50 mg/kg), was injected intraperitoneally 30 min before LPS treatment. Serum, lung tissues, and BALF were collected 24 h later for further analysis. In addition, we also collected serum from sepsis patients and healthy volunteers to detect their RBM3 expression. The results showed that the expression of RBM3 in the lung tissues of LPS-induced sepsis mice and the serum of patients with sepsis was significantly increased and positively correlated with disease severity. In addition, RBM3 knockout (KO) mice had a low survival rate, and RBM3 KO mice had more severe lung damage, inflammation, lung cell apoptosis, and oxidative stress than WT mice. LPS treatment significantly increased the levels of nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain-like receptor family 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes and mononuclear cell nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the lung tissues of RBM3 KO mice. However, these levels were only slightly elevated in WT mice. Interestingly, MCC950 improved LPS-induced acute lung injury in WT and RBM3 KO mice but inhibited the expression of NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL-1ß. In conclusion, RBM3 was overexpressed in sepsis patients and LPS-induced mice. RBM3 gene deficiency aggravated sepsis-associated ALI through the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.

Near-Infrared Light-Induced Self-Powered Aptasensing Platform for Aflatoxin B1 Based on Upconversion Nanoparticles-Doped Bi2S3 Nanorods.

A light source plays a pivotal role in a photofuel cell (PFC)-based self-powered biosensor. Although a visible light source has been extensively employed to drive a PFC, it still has some drawbacks for biosensing due to its relatively high energy. Herein we constructed a PFC-based aptasensor using near-infrared (NIR) light as the irradiation source. To achieve an efficient absorption of the NIR light, NaYF4:Yb,Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) that could convert low-energy incident light into high-energy radiation were combined with Bi2S3 nanorods (UCNPs/Bi2S3) to serve as the photoactive materials. The PFC was comprised of a UCNPs/Bi2S3 photoanode and a Pt cathode, which could generate electrical output under NIR light irradiation to provide the self-powered sensing signal without the supply from an external power source. The aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) binding aptamer was immobilized on the photoanode to serve as the recognition element. The detection of AFB1 was based on the competition between the interaction of aptamer with AFB1 analyte and the hybridization of aptamer with Au nanoparticles-labeled DNA sequence (AuNPs-cDNA). Under optimum conditions, the proposed aptasensor presented good sensitivity and high specificity for AFB1 detection in the concentration range from 0.01 to 100 ng·mL-1, with a detection limit of 7.9 pg·mL-1. Moreover, the developed sensor was applied to an assay of AFB1 in flour samples with a desirable accuracy and precision.

Ratiometric Self-Powered Sensor for 17ß-Estradiol Detection Based on a Dual-Channel Photocatalytic Fuel Cell.

The photocatalytic fuel cell (PFC) provides an elegant approach for the construction of a light-induced self-powered sensing platform. Nevertheless, the quantification of a target with a single output signal in an ordinary PFC-based sensor is easily affected by variation of the light intensity and other environmental factors. Herein we propose a ratiometric self-powered aptasensor for highly selective detection of 17ß-estradiol (E2) based on a dual-channel PFC constructed with two photoanodes which could effectively avoid the fluctuation of the light intensity. Taking the advantage of the inhibited output performance of PFC by E2 which was captured by aptamer immobilized on the photoanodes, E2 was quantified via the ratio of output power density values from dual photoanodes. Under optimum conditions, the ratiometric self-powered sensing signal was linearly related to the logarithm of E2 concentration in the range of 1 to 500 nM, with a detection limit (3S/N) of 0.12 nM. Thus, a new type of self-powered aptasensor with high accuracy and specificity was successfully developed based on PFC in cooperation with a ratiometric assay and a spatial-resolution technique.

Synthesis of a CdS-decorated Eu-MOF nanocomposite for the construction of a self-powered photoelectrochemical aptasensor.

A composite of CdS nanoparticles and a europium metal organic framework (Eu-MOF) (CdS/Eu-MOF) was synthesized. The unique properties of MOFs help to improve the photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of CdS by reducing charge carrier recombination and utilizing a broader spectrum for light harvesting. Under visible light illumination, the photocurrent of the CdS/Eu-MOF composite modified electrode was about 2.5-fold higher than that of the CdS modified electrode. When an ampicillin (AMP)-binding aptamer was immobilized on the CdS/Eu-MOF modified electrode as a recognition element, a self-powered PEC aptasensor exhibiting a specific photocurrent response to AMP was constructed. Several experimental conditions such as the ratio of CdS to MOF, the coating amount of the CdS/Eu-MOF suspension and the concentration of the aptamer were studied. Under optimum conditions, the photocurrent of the developed sensor was linearly related to the logarithm AMP concentration in the range of 1 × 10-10 to 2 × 10-7 M, with a detection limit (3S/N) of 9.3 × 10-11 M. Moreover, this sensor exhibited excellent selectivity, good repeatability and desirable stability. It was successfully applied to the detection of AMP in lake water and milk samples.

Recent advances in nanomaterial-based electrochemical and optical sensing platforms for microRNA assays.

MicroRNA (MiRNA) plays a crucial role in biological cells to enable assessment of a cancer's development stage. Increasing evidence has shown that the accurate and sensitive detection of miRNA holds the key toward correct disease diagnosis. However, some characteristics of miRNAs, such as their short chains, low concentration, and similar sequences, make it difficult to detect miRNA in biological samples. Nanomaterials usually have good optical, electronic, and mechanical properties and therefore provide new possibilities for improving the performance of miRNA assays. Many different sorts of nanomaterials, including metal nanomaterials, carbon nanomaterials, quantum dots, and transition-metal dichalcogenides, have been used to construct optical and electrochemical assays for miRNA and have shown attractive results. This review describes recent efforts in the application of nanomaterials as sensing elements in electrochemical and optical miRNA assays. The analytical figures of merit of various methods for the detection of miRNA are compared in the present article. The current capabilities, limitations, and future challenges in miRNA detection and analysis based on nanomaterials are also addressed.

An electrochemical microRNA sensing platform based on tungsten diselenide nanosheets and competitive RNA-RNA hybridization.

In this work, we report an ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensor for microRNA-21 (miRNA-21) detection by using a competitive RNA-RNA hybridization configuration. A biotinylated miRNA of the self-same sequence with the target miRNA is mixed with the samples, and allowed competition with the target miRNA for a thiolated RNA probe immobilized onto a tungsten diselenide (WSe2) nanosheet modified electrode. Thereafter the current response is obtained by forming the hybridized biotinylated miRNA with streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugates to catalyze the H2O2 + hydroquinone (HQ) system. Benefiting from the high specific surface area of WSe2 nanosheets, the competitive hybridization configuration and the signal amplification of the H2O2 + HQ detection system, the proposed assay exhibits a wide linear range of 0.0001-100 pM towards target miRNA with a detection limit of 0.06 fM (S/N = 3), and shows excellent discrimination ability for base-mismatched miRNA sequences. Therefore, the designed platform has promising prospects for the detection of miRNA in biomedical research and early clinical diagnosis.

A pair of chiral flavonolignans as novel anti-cyanobacterial allelochemicals derived from barley straw (Hordeum vulgare): characterization and comparison of their anti-cyanobacterial activities.

The inhibitory effect of barley straw (Hordeum vulgare) on cyanobacteria has been observed in many field and laboratory studies for over 30 years, although the compounds responsible for this anti-cyanobacterial effect have remained unknown. In this study, a pair of chiral flavonolignans were isolated from barley straw extract using a bioassay-guided isolation procedure against Microcystis sp. The structures of the allelopathic compounds were elucidated by NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) and HPLC-MS (high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry), and turned out to be salcolin A and B. The enantiomers differ in their anti-cyanobacterial abilities. Both enantiomers exhibited inhibitory effects on Microcystis sp., and the EC50 (concentration for 50% of maximal effect) of salcolin A and B were 6.02 × 10(-5) and 9.60 × 10(-5 ) mol l(-1) , respectively. Furthermore, the modes of actions of the enantiomers were investigated and compared at a single cell level by flow cytometry. Salcolin A was found to induce an increase on cyanobacterial intracellular ROS (reactive oxygen species) levels and to inhibit esterase activity, whereas salcolin B caused leakages of cyanobacterial cytoplasms. Thus, salcolin A was more 'algistatic', and salcolin B was more 'algicidal'. This study suggests that salcolin is the key allelochemical in barley straw's inhibitory effect on cyanobacteria and could be used as an agent in the future control of cyanobacterial harmful algae blooms.

Chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency and limited factors study of aminosilicone polymers in a water emulsion by iron-carbon micro-electrolysis.

Micro-electrolysis was applied in the present study to investigate the effect of pH, iron-carbon mass ratio, contact time, and treatment batch on the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) within an aminosilicone emulsion. The results exhibited that the removal efficiency of COD decreased linearly with the batch increase, and this tendency was consistent under the various conditions. The adsorption of activated carbons contributes a large portion to the elimination of COD within the aminosilicone emulsion. The oxidation action of iron-carbon micro-electrolysis was proven and the aminosilicone emulsion's COD removal contribution was approximately 16%. Aminosilicone polymers were adsorbed on the surface of activated carbons and iron chips, which contributes to the decline of COD removal efficiency and limits the contribution of oxidation action.

Controllable construction of ZIF-derived Co9S8 hollow polyporous polyhedrons with Ru-doping for enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction.

Ru-doped Co9S8 hollow porous polyhedrons (Ru-Co9S8 HPPs) derived from zeolitic-imidazolate-frameworks were synthesized through hydrothermal coprecipitation and thermal decomposition methods. The results indicate that Ru-Co9S8-500 HPPs possess a strong Ru-Co synergistic effect, large electrochemical surface area, and sufficient active sites, endowing them with excellent hydrogen evolution reaction performance.

Ecotoxicological analysis of fly ash and rice-straw black carbon on Microcystis aeruginosa using flow cytometry.

Black carbon (BC) has a strong affinity for hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs), and it is a potential material to control HOCs pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Here, flow cytometry (FCM) was used to evaluate the ecotoxicological effect of fly ash, rice-straw ash, and their acid-demineralised products on the growth of Microcystis aeruginosa. It was found that the BCs had little negative effect on cyanobacteria, when the content of BCs was not above 1mgml(-1). However, higher doses of BCs (>2mgml(-1)) had an obvious negative effect on cell density and esterase activity, especially for BCs with acid treatment, which greatly inhibited cell density caused by its high adsorptivity for cyanobacteria. The BCs had little impact on the fluorescence intensity, only with a slight stimulation in later period, so the fluorescence intensity was a less sensitive indicator than cell density and esterase activity. Considering ecotoxicological effect of BCs on the algae, the application concentration of BCs for HOCs pollution control as in situ remediation material would better not exceed 1mgml(-1).

A battery of bioassays for the evaluation of phenanthrene biotoxicity in soil.

A battery of bioassays was used to assess the ecotoxicological risk of soil spiked with a range of phenanthrene levels (0.95, 6.29, 38.5, 58.7, 122, and 303 µg g(-1) dry soil) and aged for 69 days. Multiple species (viz. Brassica rapa, Eisenia feotida, Vibrio fischeri), representing different trophic levels, were used as bioindicator organisms. Among acute toxicity assays tested, the V. fischeri luminescence inhibition assay was the most sensitive indicator of phenanthrene biotoxicity. More than 15 % light inhibition was found at the lowest phenanthrene level (0.95 µg g(-1)). Furthermore, comet assay using E. fetida was applied to assess genotoxicity of phenanthrene. The strong correlation (r (2) ≥ 0.94) between phenanthrene concentration and DNA damage indicated that comet assay is appropriate for testing the genotoxic effects of phenanthrene-contaminated soil. In the light of these results, we conclude that the Microtox test and comet assay are robust and sensitive bioassays to be employed for the risk evaluation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated soil.

The interaction of CuS and Halothiobacillus HT1 biofilm in microscale using synchrotron radiation-based techniques.

In order to investigate the microbe-mineral interaction in the micro scale, spatial distribution and speciation of Cu and S in Halothiobacillus HT1 biofilm formed on a CuS surface was examined using synchrotron-based X-ray techniques. Confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) results indicated that Halothiobacillus HT1 biofilm formation gave rise to distinct chemical and redox gradients, leading to diverse niches in the biofilm. Live cells were distributed at the air-biofilm and membrane-biofilm interface. CuS was oxidized by Halothiobacillus HT1 biofilm, and copper penetrated into the biofilm. Sulfide was oxidized to cysteine (77.3%), sulfite (3.8%) and sulfonate (18.9%). Cu-cysteine-like species were involved in the copper homeostasis. These results significantly improve our understanding of the interfacial properties of the biofilm-mineral interface.

A preliminary study on the occurrence and dissipation of estrogen in livestock wastewater.

Livestock wastewater has high estrogen activity because animal excreta contain estrogen. In the past, when biological technologies were applied to treat livestock wastewater, the removal efficiency of estrogen pollutants was always ignored. Therefore, the efficiency of estrogen removal by anaerobic/aerobic (A/O) treatment and by up flow anaerobic sludge blanket and step-fed sequencing batch reactor (UASB-SFSBR) treatment was investigated in the present study. The results showed that the A/O treatment had no significant estrogenic removal ability, whereas the removal rates of estrogen after UASB-SFSBR treatment reached approximately 78 %, as measured by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. The estrogen concentration decreased from 31.5 ng/L to an undetectable level according to the yeast estrogen screen analysis. We found differences between the estrogen removal rates measured by the chemical assay and those measured using the bioassay. More attention must be paid to the removal of estrogen pollutants in livestock wastewater to reduce the environmental risk.

Removal of nitrogen from wastewater with perennial ryegrass/artificial aquatic mats biofilm combined system.

To develop a cost-effective combined phytoremediation and biological process, a combined perennial ryegrass/artificial aquatic mat biofilm reactor was used to treat synthetic wastewater. Influent ammonium loading, reflux ratio, hydraulic retention time (HRT) and temperature all had significant effects on the treatment efficiency. The results indicated that the effluent concentration of ammonium increased with increasing influent ammonium loading. The reactor temperature played an important role in the nitrification process. The ammonium removal efficiency significantly decreased from 80% to 30%-50% when the reactor temperature dropped to below 10 degrees C. In addition, the optimal nitrogen removal condition was a reflux ratio of 2. The nitrate and ammonium concentration of the effluent were consistent with the HRT of the combined system. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency was at a high level during the whole experiment, being almost 80% after the start-up, and then mostly above 90%. The direct uptake of N by the perennial ryegrass accounted for 18.17% of the total N removal by the whole system. The perennial ryegrass absorption was a significant contributor to nitrogen removal in the combined system. The result illustrated that the combined perennial ryegrass/artificial aquatic mat biofilm reactor demonstrated good performance in ammonium, total N and COD removal.

A ratiometric self-powered aptasensor for simultaneous detection of cortisol and progesterone based on spatially resolved tri-channel photofuel cell.

In this work, a self-powered sensor was proposed for simultaneous detection of two typical steroid hormones, namely cortisol (COR) and progesterone (P4). A tri-channel photofuel cell (PFC) consisting of three spatially resolved SnS2@SnO2 photoanodes and one Pt cathode was designed to generate the electricity to drive the sensing process under the control of a multiplex switch. Among three photoanodes, one served as the control, while the other two were modified with COR-binding or P4-binding aptamer to respond specifically to the COR or P4 target. The ratios of the inhibited PFC output from aptamer-immobilized photoanodes to the reference signal from the control photoanode were utilized for simultaneous detection of COR and P4. The results showed that the developed self-powered sensor exhibited broad concentration ranges toward targets, with COR concentration ranging from 1 nM to 1000 nM and P4 concentration ranging from 1 nM to 500 nM. The detection limits for COR and P4 were calculated to be 0.88 nM and 0.52 nM, respectively. Moreover, the proposed sensing platform demonstrated high selectivity, good reproducibility, and high stability. Finally, the sensor was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of COR and P4 in a human female serum sample.

Morphological alterations of Vero cell exposed to coplanar PCB 126 and noncoplanar PCB 153.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are widespread, persistent environmental contaminants that display a complex spectrum of toxicological properties. Exposure to PCBs has been associated with morphological anomalies in cell cultures. However, most mechanistic studies of PCBs' toxic activity have been focused on coplanar congeners. It is of importance to determine whether PCB treatment would influence cell configuration and whether these changes would depend on the structural characteristics of PCBs. In this study, we investigated cell morphological alteration in Vero cell cultures after exposure to coplanar PCB 126 and noncoplanar PCB 153. The survival of Vero cells was measured through the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) test. Cytotoxicity results suggested that PCB congeners had a toxic, antiproliferative effect on Vero cells. Morphological studies described structural modifications and provided evidence that apoptosis might be the main cell death pathway in PCB 153-treated cells. The comparison between PCB 126 and PCB 153 indicated that the cell death mechanisms involved in coplanar or noncoplanar PCB congener exposure were different in Vero cells.

Development of a novel solid-phase extraction element for the detection of nonylphenol in the surface water of Hangzhou.

Nonylphenol (NP) is a representative environmental endocrine-disrupting chemical and persistent toxic pollutant. Previous studies have shown that the average concentration of NP in environmental waters was approximately tens to hundreds of ng L(-1) and it could even reach up to tens of µg L(-1). A simple, fast and accurate method employing a novel solid-phase extraction element named "Magic Chemisorber" (MC) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a fluorescence detector (FLD) was used for detecting NP. The most important parameters that affect the extraction process, including extraction time, desorption time, desorption solvent and repeatability, were optimized. The MC-HPLC method showed good linearity with concentrations of NP from 10 to 200 µg L(-1), a correlation coefficient of 0.9995 and the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of this method was 0.44 and 1.47 µg L(-1), respectively. Compared to commercial polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) glass fiber, MC had both higher capacity and recovery and it could be used repeatedly. Using the MC-HPLC method we found that the concentration of NP in river water from Hangzhou city ranged from 8.54 ± 1.23 µg L(-1) (Qiantang River) to 65.77 ± 3.69 µg L(-1) (Tiesha River), which was similar to that of international regions heavily polluted with NP and higher than that of Bohai Bay, the Yellow River and the Pearl River Delta in China. This level of NP pollution is possibly related to the rapid development of the textile, printing and paper industries of Zhejiang province.

Biotoxicity assessment of pyrene in soil using a battery of biological assays.

A test battery, composed of a range of biological assays, was applied to evaluate the ecological health of soil aged for 69 days and spiked with a range of pyrene levels (1.04, 8.99, 41.5, 72.6, 136, and 399 µg g(-1) dry soil; Soxhlet-extracted concentrations after 69 days of aging). Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa), earthworm (Eisenia fetida), and bacteria (Vibrio fischeri) were used as test organisms to represent different trophic levels. Among the acute ecotoxicity bioassays used, the V. fischeri luminescence inhibition assay was the most sensitive indicator of pyrene toxicity. We observed >8 % light inhibition at the lowest concentration (1.04 µg g(-1)) pyrene, and this inhibition increased to 60 % at 72.6 µg g(-1). The sensitivity ranking for toxicity of the pyrene-contaminated soil in the present study was in the following decreasing order: root elongation of Chinese cabbage < earthworm mortality (14 days) < earthworm mortality (28 days) < luminescence inhibition (15 min) < luminescence inhibition (5 min). In addition, genotoxic effects of pyrene were also evaluated by using comet assay in E. fetida. The strong relationship between DNA damage and soil pyrene levels showed that comet assay is suitable for testing the genotoxicity of pyrene-polluted soil. In addition, tail moment was well correlated with soil pyrene levels (r (2) = 0.99). Thus, tail moment may be the most informative DNA-damage parameter representing the results of comet assay. Based on these results, the earthworm DNA damage assay and Microtox test are rapid and sensitive bioassays and can be used to assess the risk of soil with low to high levels of hydrocarbon pollution. Furthermore, an analysis of the toxic effects at several trophic levels is essential for a more comprehensive understanding of the damage caused by highly contaminated soil.

Assessment of phenanthrene bioavailability in aged and unaged soils by mild extraction.

It has become apparent that the threat of an organic pollutant in soil is directly related to its bioavailable fraction and that the use of total contaminant concentrations as a measure of potential contaminant exposure to plants or soil organisms is inappropriate. In light of this, non-exhaustive extraction techniques are being investigated to assess their appropriateness in determining bioavailability. To find a suitable and rapid extraction method to predict phenanthrene bioavailability, multiple extraction techniques (i.e., mild hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HPCD) and organic solvents extraction) were investigated in soil spiked to a range of phenanthrene levels (i.e., 1.12, 8.52, 73, 136, and 335 µg g( - 1) dry soil). The bioaccumulation of phenanthrene in earthworm (Eisenia fetida) was used as the reference system for bioavailability. Correlation results for phenanthrene suggested that mild HPCD extraction was a better method to predict bioavailability of phenanthrene in soil compared with organic solvents extraction. Aged (i.e., 150 days) and fresh (i.e., 0 day) soil samples were used to evaluate the extraction efficiency and the effect of soil contact time on the availability of phenanthrene. The percentage of phenanthrene accumulated by earthworms and percent recoveries by mild extractants changed significantly with aging time. Thus, aging significantly reduced the earthworm uptake and chemical extractability of phenanthrene. In general, among organic extractants, methanol showed recoveries comparable to those of mild HPCD for both aged and unaged soil matrices. Hence, this extractant can be suitable after HPCD to evaluate risk of contaminated soils.

Impacts upon soil quality and plant growth of bamboo charcoal addition to composted sludge.

In this research, the effects of bamboo charcoal on soil contaminant accumulation, soil fertility and plant growth were investigated. The results indicated that sludge composted with bamboo charcoal (BCS) significantly increased plant growth and decreased the mobility of Zn, Cu and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), compared with the composted sludge without bamboo charcoal (CS), with lower absorption and less accumulation of contaminants by the plants. Concentrations of Cu in turfgrass treated with CS were 11.7-23.4% higher than those of turfgrass treated with BCS. Concentrations of Zn in turfgrass treated with CS were 14.2-25.9% higher than those of turfgrass treated with BCS. The concentration of sigma 16PAHs (total contents of 16 PAHs that are listed by USEPA as priority pollutants for remediation based on their persistence and carcinogenic potential) in ryegrass grown in yellow loamy soil amended with CS was 680 microg kg(-1)) and was higher than that of ryegrass treated with BCS (only 439 microg kg(-1)). The biomass of fescue in BCS-treated soils increased by 13-16% compared with that of fescue in CS-treated soil. The biomass of ryegrass in BCS-treated soil was 20-27% higher than that in CS-treated soil. Chlorophyll content in turfgrass grown in CS-treated soil was lower than that in grass grown in BCS-treated soil. Compared with the control, chlorophyll contents in plants grown in soil with CS increased by about 13-22%, whereas those in plants grown in soil with BCS increased by about 20-32%.