Purification Efficiency of Three Combinations of Native Aquatic Macrophytes in Artificial Wastewater in Autumn.

Water pollution caused by excessive nutrient and biological invasion is increasingly widespread in China, which can lead to problems with drinking water as well as serious damage to the ecosystem if not be properly treated. Aquatic plant restoration (phytoremediation) has become a promising and increasingly popular solution. In this study, eight native species of low-temperature-tolerant aquatic macrophytes were chosen to construct three combinations of aquatic macrophytes to study their purification efficiency on eutrophic water in large open tanks during autumn in Guangzhou City. The total nitrogen (TN) removal rates of group A (Vallisneria natans + Ludwigia adscendens + Monochoria vaginalis + Saururus chinensis), group B (V. natans + Ipomoea aquatica + Acorus calamus + Typha orientalis), and group C (V. natans + L. adscendens + Schoenoplectus juncoides + T. orientalis) were 79.10%, 46.39%, and 67.46%, respectively. The total phosphorus (TP) removal rates were 89.39%, 88.37%, and 91.96% in groups A, B, and C, respectively, while the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rates were 93.91%, 96.48%, and 92.78%, respectively. In the control group (CK), the removal rates of TN, TP, and COD were 70.42%, 86.59%, and 87.94%, respectively. The overall removal rates of TN, TP, and COD in the plant groups were only slightly higher than that in CK group, which did not show a significant advantage. This may be related to the leaf decay of some aquatic plants during the experiment, whereby the decay of V. natans was the most obvious. The results suggest that a proper amount of plant residue will not lead to a significant deterioration of water quality.

Assessment of the Nutrient Removal Potential of Floating Native and Exotic Aquatic Macrophytes Cultured in Swine Manure Wastewater.

Although eutrophication and biological invasion have caused serious harm to aquatic ecosystems, exotic and even invasive plants have been used extensively in phytoremediation water systems in China. To identify native aquatic plants with excellent water restoration potential, two representative native floating aquatic plants from Guangdong Province, namely Ludwigia adscendens (PL) and Trapa natans (PT), were selected, with Eichhornia crassipes as a control, to study their growth status, adaptability, and nutrient removal potentials in swine manure wastewater. The results demonstrated that the two native plants offered greater advantages than E. crassipes in water restoration. Within 60 days, PL and PT exhibited excellent growth statuses, and their net biomass growth rates were 539.8% and 385.9%, respectively, but the E. crassipes decayed and died with an increasing HRT (hydraulic retention time). The PL and PT could adjust the pH of the wastewater, improve the dissolved oxygen and oxidation-reduction potential, and reduce the electrical conductivity value. The removal rates of NH4+-N, NO3--N, NO2--N, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and Chl-a in the PL group reached 98.67%, 64.83%, 26.35%, 79.30%, 95.90%, 69.62%, and 92.23%, respectively; those in the PT group reached 99.47%, 95.83%, 85.17%, 83.73%, 88.72%, 75.06%, and 91.55%, respectively. The absorption contribution rates of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in the PL group were 40.6% and 43.5%, respectively, while those in the PT group were 36.9% and 34.5%, respectively. The results indicated that L. adscendens and T. natans are both promising aquatic plants for application to the restoration of swine manure wastewater in subtropical areas.

Removal of Total Nitrogen and Phosphorus Using Single or Combinations of Aquatic Plants.

Phytoremediation is a potentially suitable technology for taking up large amounts of N and P during plant growth and the removal of plant material, thereby avoiding eutrophication. We compared the capacity of nine different aquatic plant species for removing total P (TP), total N (TN), and NH4+-N from raw domestic sewage wastewater collected from a living area located in Guangzhou city, China, and different concentrations of artificial wastewater. The experiments were performed in two stages, namely screening and modification. In the screening stage, four plant species were identified from the nine grown in raw domestic sewage water for 36 days. In the modification stage, the TN and TP removal ability of different plant combinations were determined in artificial wastewater at different N/P concentrations. After having been grown in monocultures for 46 days, Ipomoea aquatica (90.6% and 8.8%) and Salvinia natans (67.3% and 14.2%) obtained the highest TP removal efficiency in lightly and highly polluted wastewater, respectively. The combination of S.natans and Eleocharis plantagineiformis effectively removed TP and TN from lightly polluted water, suggesting that this combination is suitable for phytoremediation of eutrophic wastewater.

Heavy metal availability, bioaccessibility, and leachability in contaminated soil: effects of pig manure and earthworms.

A pot experiment and a leaching experiment were conducted to investigate the effects of earthworms and pig manure on heavy metals (Cd, Pb, and Zn) immobility, in vitro bioaccessibility and leachability under simulated acid rain (SAR). Results showed manure significantly increased soil organic carbon (SOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), available phosphorus (AP), total N, total P and pH, and decreased CaCl2-extractable metals and total heavy metals in water and SAR leachate. The addition of earthworms significantly increased AP (from 0.38 to 1.7 mg kg-1), and a downward trend in CaCl2-extractable and total leaching loss of heavy metals were observed. The combined earthworm and manure treatment decreased CaCl2-extractable Zn, Cd, and Pb. For Na4P2O7-extractable metals, Cd and Pb were decreased with increasing manure application rate. Application of earthworm alone did not contribute to the remediation of heavy metal polluted soils. Considering the effects on heavy metal immobilization and cost, the application of 6% manure was an alternative approach for treating contaminated soils. These findings provide valuable information for risk management during immobilization of heavy metals in contaminated soils.

Synergistic improvement of crop physiological status by combination of cadmium immobilization and micronutrient fertilization.

Wollastonite application in cadmium-contaminated soils can reduce cadmium concentrations in plant, while the side effect is the synchronous immobilization of micronutrients, which reduces micronutrient uptake in plant, inducing micronutrient deficient symptoms. Accordingly, we investigated whether the supplement of Zn and Mn fertilizers after the wollastonite addition could promote the growth and photosynthesis in amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.). In this study, plants were cultivated in cadmium-contaminated soil under micronutrient fertilization alone, wollastonite addition, and combination of wollastonite and micronutrient fertilization treatments. Then, plant biomass; photosynthesis parameters; and total Cd, Zn, and Mn concentrations were investigated. Moreover, chemical extractions were performed on soil samples. The results show that application of wollastonite decreased Cd, Zn, and Mn concentrations in plant and availability in soil and it increased the gas exchange ability of plants. But, it reduced the chlorophyll content in leaves and had no positive influence on plant biomass. In comparison, Zn and Mn fertilization after wollastonite application greatly increased plant biomass and photosynthetic ability. It also reduced Cd phytoavailability more efficiently. Therefore, synergistic improvement of physiological status of farmland crop by sequential treatment with first wollastonite for cadmium immobilization, and then micronutrient fertilization to avoid micronutrient deficiency, was demonstrated.

[Preliminary assessment of habitat of juvenile Collichthys lucidus in the Yangtze estuary].

To evaluate the choice preference of fish habitat in the Yangtze estuary, juvenile Collichthys lucidus which is the dominant species in spring was selected. The 4 indicator factors, including abundance of Pseudograpsus albus, salinity, substrate type and water depth, were selected from 19 environmental factors. Then, the indices of the habitat suitability curves of the 4 indicator factors were established, and the HSI of juvenile C. lucidus at each site was calculated. The results indicated that HSI was almost more than 0.5 in North Branch, and less than 0.2 in South Branch. It showed that the North Branch of Yangtze estuary was the main nursery area of C. lucidus. The most suitable growth sector was the area with salinity more than 14, mean grain size of substrate less than 29 µm and water depth 2 to 5 m, which was consistent with the distribution of HSI. The study demonstrated that biological factors could be characterized by the response of juvenile C. lucidus to the environment. Chemical oxygen demand, ammonium nitrogen, total phosphorus and volatile phenol did not have significant correlation with the fish abundance, with which nitrite nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen and total nitrogen had significant positive correlation. It suggested that the eutrophication of the survey area had not damaged the habitat of C. lucidus. However, copper ion and cadmium ion had significant negative correlation with the fish abundance, which indicated that the heavy metal pollution had harmed the growth and distribution of juvenile C. lucidus. It was inferred that the heavy metal pollution was the restrictive factor influencing the fish habitat in Yangtze estuary.

Extractability and bioavailability of Pb and As in historically contaminated orchard soil: effects of compost amendments.

The availability of Pb and As in an historically contaminated orchard soil, after amendment with compost and aging in the field, was determined by single-step chemical extraction with 1.0 M ammonium acetate at pH 4.8, sequential extraction using the modified BCR test, and a redworm bioassay in the laboratory. The efficiency of soil Pb extraction by ammonium acetate was greater at higher total soil Pb but was reduced by compost amendment. Conversely, the extraction efficiency of total soil As increased with compost amendment, but was not sensitive to total soil As. The redworm bioassay indicated Pb (but not As) bioavailability to be reduced by soil amendment with compost, a result consistent with the ammonium acetate extraction test but not reflected in modified BCR test. Electron microprobe studies of the orchard soil revealed Pb and As to be spatially associated in discrete particles along with phosphorus and iron.

Subthalamic deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease: correlation between locations of oscillatory activity and optimal site of stimulation.

Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) is an effective surgical treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD). Recent studies demonstrated that pathological oscillations are seen largely within the dorsolateral portion of the STN, which is the same location that predicts optimal therapeutic benefit with DBS; however, the precise nature of the relationship between these two phenomena remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore localization of oscillatory activity in relation to the optimal contacts of DBS which results in the best motor improvement. We studied 23 PD patients who underwent electrode implantation into the STN for motor symptoms. Microelectrode recordings were taken from the STN during surgery and neuronal activity was analyzed offline. Spectral characteristics were calculated. Clinical outcomes were evaluated pre- and post-STN DBS implantation using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS III). The position of optimal electrode contacts was assessed by postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and was compared to the location of oscillatory activity within the STN as well as its dorsal margin (where STN neuronal activity was first detected). Of the total 188 neurons obtained, 51 (27.1%) neurons showed significant oscillatory activity. Of those, 47 (92.2%) were localized in the dorsal portion of the STN. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the averaged coordinates of the position of 40 optimal contacts and the coordinates of the dorsal margin of the STN. The data indicate that the positions of the best contacts correlate with the locations of the oscillatory neurons supporting the prediction that stimulation of the dorsolateral oscillatory region leads to an effective clinical outcome for STN DBS surgery.

Identification of a new potential Cd-hyperaccumulator Solanum photeinocarpum by soil seed bank-metal concentration gradient method.

A new method, soil seed bank-metal concentration gradient method was used to screen for heavy metal hyperaccumulators, and Solanum photeinocarpum was found to be a potential Cd-hyperaccumulator. The chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate of S. photeinocarpum were not affected by Cd pollution, while leaf stomas and transpiration rate were significantly decreased by more than 60 mg kg(-1) Cd, and leaf water use efficiency and shoot water content were significantly increased by more than 60 or 100 mg kg(-1) Cd, respectively. In the seed bank-Cd concentration gradient experiment, the shoot biomass of S. photeinocarpum showed no significant reduction with soil Cd treatment as high as 100 mg kg(-1), but the root biomass was significantly reduced by more than 60 mg kg(-1) Cd contamination. Plant tissues accumulated 544, 132 and 158 mg kg(-1) Cd in roots, stems and leaves, respectively, and extracted 157 and 195 µg Cd plant(-1) in roots and shoots at 100 mg kg(-1) Cd in soil, respectively. In the transplanting-Cd concentration gradient experiment, plant shoot biomass and root biomass were unaffected by soil Cd as high as 60 mg kg(-1). Plant tissues accumulated 473, 215 and 251 mg kg(-1) Cd in roots, stems and leaves, respectively, and extracted 176 and 787 µg Cd plant(-1) in roots and shoots at 60 mg kg(-1) soil Cd, respectively. Soil seed bank-metal concentration gradient method could be an effective method for the screening of hyperaccumulators.

Neuronal activity in the basal ganglia and thalamus in patients with dystonia.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of abnormal neuronal activity in the basal ganglia and thalamus in the generation of dystonia. METHODS: Microelectrode recording was performed in the globus pallidus internus (GPi), ventral thalamic nuclear group ventral oral posterior/ventral intermediate, Vop/Vim) and subthalamic nucleus (STN) in patients with primary dystonia (n=11) or secondary dystonia (n=9) during surgery. Electromyogram (EMG) was simultaneously recorded in selected muscle groups. Single unit analysis and cross-correlations were carried out. RESULTS: Three hundred and sixty-seven neurons were obtained from 29 trajectories (GPi: 13; Vop/Vim: 12; STN: 4), 87% exhibited altered neuronal activity including grouped discharges in GPi (n=79) and STN (n=37), long-lasting neuronal activity (n=70) and rapid neuronal discharge (n=86) in Vop/Vim. There were neurons in Vop, GPi and STN firing at the same frequency as EMG during dystonia (mean: 0.39 Hz, range 0.12-0.84 Hz). Significant correlations between neuronal activity and EMG at the frequency of dystonia were obtained (GPi: r2=0.7 (n=31), Vop/Vim: r2=0.64 (n=18) and STN: r2=0.86 (n=17)). CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with previous findings of abnormalities observed in Vop/VIM and GPi in relation to dystonia, the present data further show that the altered activity in GPi, specifically in dorsal subregions of GPi, Vop/Vim and STN is likely to be directly involved in the production of dystonic movement. Dystonia-related neuronal activity observed in motor thalamus and basal ganglia nuclei of GPi and STN indicates a critical role of their interactions affecting both indirect and direct pathways in the development of either generalized or focal dystonia. SIGNIFICANCE: These data support a central role of the basal ganglia in producing dystonic movements.

[Neuroelectrophysiological basis and surgical treatment of essential tremor].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between limb tremor and neuronal firing in thalamus (Vim) and retrospectively review the clinical effects and safety of the surgical treatment of essential tremor (ET). METHODS: Forty-two ET patients received microelectrode-guided thalamotomy and 11 cases were quantitatively evaluated with FAHN rating scales pre- and post-operatively. RESULTS: There were electrophysiological tremor-related neurons in ventrolateral part of thalamus. Lesioning of those neurons abolished contralateral limb tremor in all of the patients. No permanent contralateral weakness, dysarthria and hemorrhage were observed. CONCLUSION: "Tremor cell" in thalamus plays a key role in the symptom of ET patients. Destruction of those cells may completely and permanently abolish tremor symptom.

Synthesis and characterization of site-specific and stereoisomeric fjord dibenzo[a,l]pyrene diol epoxide-N(6)-adenine adducts: unusual thermal stabilization of modified DNA duplexes.

The fjord polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compound dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P) is significantly more tumorigenic than the bay region benzo[a]pyrene in animal model systems. The molecular origins of the unusually strong genotoxic properties of DB[a,l]P and its fjord region diol epoxide metabolites are of great interest and are believed to be related to the structural characteristics of the DNA adducts formed. Site-specifically modified oligonucleotides were prepared by reacting the single adenine residue in 5'-d(CTCTCACTTCC) (I) with the racemic fjord diol epoxide r11,t12-dihydrodiol-t13,14-epoxide-11,12,13,14-tetrahydrodibenzo[a,l]pyrene (anti-DB[a,l]PDE) in aqueous solutions. Four different oligonucleotides I with the single adenosine residues involving a covalent bond between the C14 position of DB[a,l]PDE and N(6)-dA are identified and purified. The CD spectra of the mononucleotide adducts are similar to those of Li et al. [Li et al. (1999) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 12, 758] who characterized DB[a,l]PDE-N(6)-dA adducts by a combination of CD and NMR methods. The stereochemical properties of each of the four DB[a,l]PDE-modified oligonucleotides were assigned on the basis of a combination of empirical CD rules and other approaches and differ from those of Li et al. The thermal melting points, T(m), of the unmodified duplex of I with its complementary strand (IC), T(m) = 43.8 +/- 0.5 degrees C, were compared with the same duplexes containing stereoisomeric anti-DB[a,l]PDE-N(6)-dA lesions. The T(m) of duplexes I.IC containing lesions with R absolute configurations at C14 of the DB[a,l]PDE residues are greater by 6-8 degrees C, while those with S configuration are lower by 6-10 degrees C. Similar effects are observed with adducts in the same sequence context derived from the fjord PAH anti-diol epoxides of benzo[g]chrysene, while duplexes containing lesions derived from benzo[c]phenanthrene diol epoxides with 1R and 1S configurations exhibit unchanged T(m) values. In contrast, the T(m) values of duplexes with lesions derived from the bay region benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxides (B[a]PDE) in the same sequence are lower by 12 degrees (10R adducts) and by 19 degrees (10S adducts). The greater thermal stabilities of duplexes with fjord PAH-N(6)-dA lesions relative to those with bay region B[a]PDE-N(6)-dA adducts, are correlated with lower susceptibilities of excision by human nucleotide excision repair enzymes [Buterin et al. (2000) Cancer Res. 60, 1849]. The implications of these relationships are discussed in terms of present knowledge of the conformations of fjord and bay region PAH diol epoxide-N(6)-dA lesions in double stranded DNA.