HKUST-1 derived carbon adsorbents for tetracycline removal with excellent adsorption performance.

As the abuse of antibiotics has led to increasingly serious environmental pollution problems, studies have found that the adsorption method can be used to efficiently and quickly remove residual antibiotics in water with low cost and high efficiency. Metal-organic frameworks and their derived porous carbons have received widespread attention as a new type of adsorption material. In this study, HKUST-1 was synthesized by a hydrothermal method and carbonized to HDC-350 at 350 °C under an oxygen-free atmosphere. Through adsorption experiments, HDC-350 is found to show a superior adsorption effect for tetracycline (TC), with an adsorption capacity that reaches 136.88 mg g-1. The TC adsorption mechanism was studied through characterization and analysis of HDC-350. The adsorption of TC by HDC-350 mainly relies on electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, metal-organic complexation, and intermolecular interactions. This study shows that HKUST-1-derived porous carbon can be used to improve the water stability of HKUST-1, and, at the same time, can effectively adsorb TC in solution, which provides good conditions for practical research applications in the future.

Depth effects on bacterial community altitudinal patterns and assembly processes in the warm-temperate montane forests of China.

Soil bacterial communities are essential for ecosystem function, yet their response along altitudinal gradients in different soil strata remains unclear. Understanding bacterial community co-occurrence networks and assembly patterns in mountain ecosystems is crucial for comprehending microbial ecosystem functions. We utilized Illumina MiSeq sequencing to study bacterial diversity and assembly patterns of surface and subsurface soils across a range of elevations (700 to 2100 m) on Dongling Mountain. Our results showed significant altitudinal distribution patterns concerning bacterial diversity and structure in the surface soil. The bacterial diversity exhibited a consistent decrease, while specific taxa demonstrated unique patterns along the altitudinal gradient. However, no altitudinal dependence was observed for bacterial diversity and community structure in the subsurface soil. Additionally, a shift in bacterial ecological groups is evident with changing soil depth. Copiotrophic taxa thrive in surface soils characterized by higher carbon and nutrient content, while oligotrophic taxa dominate in subsurface soils with more limited resources. Bacterial community characteristics exhibited strong correlations with soil organic carbon in both soil layers, followed by pH in the surface soil and soil moisture in the subsurface soil. With increasing depth, there is an observable increase in taxa-taxa interaction complexity and network structure within bacterial communities. The surface soil exhibits greater sensitivity to environmental perturbations, leading to increased modularity and an abundance of positive relationships in its community networks compared to the subsurface soil. Furthermore, the bacterial community at different depths was influenced by combining deterministic and stochastic processes, with stochasticity (homogenizing dispersal and undominated) decreasing and determinism (heterogeneous selection) increasing with soil depth.

The vertical distribution and control factor of microbial biomass and bacterial community at macroecological scales.

Microorganisms exist throughout the soil profile and those microorganisms living in deeper soil horizons likely play key roles in regulating biogeochemical processes. However, the vertical differentiations of microbes along soil depth and their global biogeographical patterns remain poorly understood. Herein, we conducted a global meta-analysis to clarify the vertical changes of microbial biomass, diversity, and microbial relative abundance across the soil profiles. Data was collected from 43 peer-reviewed articles of 110 soil profiles (467 observations in total) from around the world. We found soil microbial biomass and bacterial diversity decreased with depth in soils. Among examined edaphic factors, the depth variation in soil pH exhibited significant negative associations with the depth change in microbial biomass and bacterial Shannon index, while soil total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) exhibited significant positive associations. For the major bacteria phyla, the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes decreased with soil depth, while Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes, and Nitrospirae increased. We found both parallels and differences in the biogeographical patterns of microbial attribute of topsoil vs. subsoil. Microbial biomass was significantly controlled by the soil nutrient concentrations in both topsoil and subsoil compared with climatic factors, while bacterial Shannon index was significantly controlled by the edaphic factors and across latitudes or climatic factors. Moreover, mean annual precipitation can also be used as a predictor of microbial biomass in subsoil which is different from topsoil. Collectively, our results provide a novel integrative view of how microbial biomass and bacterial community response to soil depth change and clarify the controlling factors of the global distribution patterns of microbial biomass and diversity, which are critical to enhance ecosystem simulation models and for formulating sustainable ecosystem management and conservation policies.

The Impact and Determinants of Mountainous Topographical Factors on Soil Microbial Community Characteristics.

Soil bacterial and fungal community communities play significant ecological functions in mountain ecosystems. However, it is not clear how topographic factors and soil physicochemical properties influence changes in microbial community structure and diversity. This study aims to investigate how altitude and slope orientation affect soil physicochemical properties, soil microbial communities, and their contributing factors. The assessment was conducted using Illumina MiSeq sequencing in various altitude gradients and on slopes with different aspects (shady slopes and sunny slopes) in the subalpine meadow of Dongling Mountain, Beijing. Topographical factors had a significant effect on soil physicochemical properties: the primary factors determining the structure of microbial communities are total potassium (TK), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N), and soil organic carbon (SOC). There was no significant change in the diversity of the bacterial community, whereas the diversity of the fungal community displayed a single-peaked trend. The effect of slope orientation on microbial communities was not as significant as the effect of elevation on them. The number of bacterial communities with significant differences showed a unimodal trend, while the number of fungal communities showed a decreasing trend. The co-occurrence network of fungal communities exhibits greater intricacy than that of bacterial communities, and bacterial communities are more complex in soils with sunny slopes compared to soils with shady slopes, and the opposite is true for fungal communities. The identification of the main factors that control soil microbial diversity and composition in this study, provided the groundwork for investigating the soil microbial response and adaptation to environmental changes in subalpine meadows.

Rare-earth metal oxide nanoparticles decouple the linkage between soil bacterial community structure and function by selectively influencing potential keystone taxa.

Excessive production and application of rare-earth metal oxide nanoparticles warrants assessment of their environmental risks. Little is known about the impact of these nanoparticles on soil bacterial communities. We quantified the effects of nano-Gd2O3 and nano-La2O3, at the different concentrations and exposure regimes, on soil bacterial community structure and function as well as the structure-function relationship. Further, we constructed and analyzed a co-occurrence network to identify and characterize potential keystone taxa that were related to the enzyme activities and responded to the increasing concentrations of nanoparticles. Both nano-Gd2O3 and nano-La2O3 significantly altered the bacterial community structure and function in a concentration-dependent manner; however, these negative effects were observed on day 1 or day 7 but not on day 60, indicating that these effects were transient and the bacterial communities can mitigate the effect of these nanoparticles over time. Interestingly, the nanoparticle exposure decoupled the relationship between the structure and function of the soil bacterial communities. The decoupling was due to changes in the composition and relative abundances of potential keystone taxa related to bacterial community functions. Altogether, we provide insights into the interactions between the rare-earth metal oxide nanoparticles and soil bacterial communities. Our results facilitate the environmental risk assessment and safe usage of rare-earth metal oxide nanoparticles.

The effect of black coral extraction on acute lung inflammation induced by cigarette smoke in mice.

Short-term exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) introduces an abundance of free radicals into the lungs, causing oxidative stress and inflammation. CS is an important risk factor related to the pathogenesis of several pulmonary diseases, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Black coral (BC) is a marine biomaterial commonly used for cigarette holders in southeast China. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the in vivo bioactivity of BC extract (BCE). Groups of mice (male Kunming) were subjected to ultrasonic atomizing inhalation of BCE (0.3, 1.5, and 3 mg/mL) before being exposed to CS (10 cigarettes per day for 4 days). The control group and the CS group were administered normal saline rather than BCE prior to CS exposure. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels were measured in lung homogenates. Histologic and morphologic studies of the right upper lung were performed. SOD activity increased 1.32 times in the CS+BCE (3 mg/mL) group (P < .001) compared with the CS group. The MDA content increased 4% (P < .001) in the CS+BCE (3 mg/mL) group compared with the control group. MPO was reduced 40% in the CS+BCE (3 mg/mL) group compared with the CS group (P < .001). Histologic analysis revealed decreased inflammation in the BCE group compared with the CS group. These results suggest that BCE has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in vivo. BCE may protect against lung injury in smokers.

Volatile constituents, inorganic elements and primary screening of bioactivity of black coral cigarette holders.

Black corals (BC) have been used for a long time in Chinese medicine, and may have some pharmaceutical functions when used as material for cigarette holders in southeast China. This study is aimed to investigate the bioactivities of volatile constituents in BC and to explore the folklore behind the use of BC cigarette holders (BCCHs). We extracted the volatile constituents of BC by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with carbon dioxide (CO2-SFE), then identified and analyzed the constituents by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In total, 15 components were reliably identified in BC and found to be biologically active. These included triethyl phosphate, butylated hydroxytoluene, cedrol, n-hexadecanoic acid, squalene, and cholesterol. Meanwhile 13 inorganic elements (P, Ca, Mg, S, B, Si, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ba, etc.) were determined by inductively coupled plasma spectrometer (ICPS). In the bioactivity tests, the BC extract (BCE) showed a scavenging activity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radicals and hydroxyl radicals by phenanthroline-Fe (II) oxidation and moderate inhibition of Gram-positive microorganisms. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of BC, which are related to the active chemical composition, may explain the perceived benefit for cigarette smokers who use BCCHs.

Nano-La2O3 Induces Honeybee (Apis mellifera) Death and Enriches for Pathogens in Honeybee Gut Bacterial Communities.

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) can be exposed via numerous potential pathways to ambient nanoparticles (NPs), including rare earth oxide (REO) NPs that are increasingly used and released into the environment. Gut microorganisms are pivotal in mediating honeybee health, but how REO NPs may affect honeybee health and gut microbiota remains poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, honeybees were fed pollen and sucrose syrup containing 0, 1, 10, 100, and 1000mgkg-1 of nano-La2O3 for 12days. Nano-La2O3 exerted detrimental effects on honeybee physiology, as reflected by dose-dependent adverse effects of nano-La2O3 on survival, pollen consumption, and body weight (p<0.05). Nano-La2O3 caused the dysbiosis of honeybee gut bacterial communities, as evidenced by the change of gut bacterial community composition, the enrichment of pathogenic Serratia and Frischella, and the alteration of digestion-related taxa Bombella (p<0.05). There were significant correlations between honeybee physiological parameters and the relative abundances of pathogenic Serratia and Frischella (p<0.05), underscoring linkages between honeybee health and gut bacterial communities. Taken together, this study demonstrates that nano-La2O3 can cause detrimental effects on honeybee health, potentially by disordering gut bacterial communities. This study thus reveals a previously overlooked effect of nano-La2O3 on the ecologically and economically important honeybee species Apis mellifera.

Adsorption behavior of organic pollutants and metals on micro/nanoplastics in the aquatic environment.

Plastic debris becomes currently a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and is susceptible to contamination by many other pollutants, including aqueous metals and organic matter. This review summarizes the effects of environmental factors on the properties and sorption behavior of microplastics, presents a further discussion on the fate of microplastics adsorption on contaminants, and critically discusses the mechanism of sorption behaviors between micro/nanoplastics and normal contaminants. Previous references indicated that the hydrophobicity and particle sizes of microplastics were the dominant influence factors for virgin plastic debris adsorption, whereas for aged microplastics, hydrogen bonding, hydrophilicity and increasing specific surface ratio affected the adsorption behavior. The effects of pH and salinity always influence the sorption conditions by changing the charge state of microplastics and contaminants and causing competing adsorption. In addition, the existence of microplastics affects biotoxicity, increases the dissolved organic matter in the environment, and influences carbon cycling. The knowledge is fundamental to the assessment of potential risks posed by microplastics to organisms from human beings to the entire environment.

Fluorescence enhancement of gold nanoclusters via Zn doping for biomedical applications.

Gold nanoclusters (NCs) have been widely used in bioimaging and cancer therapy due to their unique electronic structures and tunable luminescence. However, their weak fluorescence prevents potential biomedical application, and thus it is necessary to develop an effective route to enhance the fluorescence of gold NCs. In this work, we report the fluorescence enhancement of ultrasmall GSH-protected Au NCs by Zn atom doping. The fluorescence signal of Zn-doped Au NCs shows approximately 5-fold enhancement compared to pure Au NCs. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation shows that Zn doping can enhance the electronic states of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), leading to enhancement of visible optical transitions. In vitro experiments show that AuZn alloy NCs can enhance the cancer radiotherapy via producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and don't cause significant cytotoxicity. In vivo imaging indicates AuZn alloy NCs have significant passive targeting capability with high tumor uptake. Moreover, nearly 80% of GSH-protected AuZn alloy NCs can be rapidly eliminated via urine excretion.

The protective effect of the natural compound hesperetin against fulminant hepatitis in vivo and in vitro.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Liver diseases are mostly accompanied by inflammation and hepatocyte death. Therapeutic approaches targeting both hepatocyte injury and inflammation are not available. Natural compounds are considered as potential treatment for inflammatory liver diseases. Hesperetin, a flavonoid component of citrus fruits, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties of hesperetin both in vitro and in models of fulminant hepatitis. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Apoptotic cell death and inflammation were induced in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes by bile acids and cytokine mixture respectively. Apoptosis was quantified by caspase-3 activity and necrosis by LDH release. The concanavalin A (ConA) and D-galactosamine/LPS (D-GalN/LPS) were used as models of fulminant hepatitis. Liver injury was assessed by alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, liver histology and TUNEL assay and inflammation by inducible NOS (iNOS) expression. KEY RESULTS: Hesperetin blocked bile acid-induced apoptosis and cytokine-induced inflammation in rat hepatocytes. Moreover, hesperetin improved liver histology and protected against hepatocyte injury in ConA- and D-GalN/LPS-induced fulminant hepatitis, as assessed by TUNEL assay and serum AST and ALT levels. Hesperetin also reduced expression of the inflammatory marker iNOS and the expression and serum levels of TNFα and IFN-γ, the main mediators of cell toxicity in fulminant hepatitis. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Hesperetin has anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective actions in models of acute liver toxicity. Hesperetin therefore has therapeutic potential for the treatment of inflammatory liver diseases accompanied by extensive hepatocyte injury, such as fulminant hepatitis.

Black Phosphorus Quantum Dot Induced Oxidative Stress and Toxicity in Living Cells and Mice.

Black phosphorus (BP), as an emerging successor to layered two-dimensional materials, has attracted extensive interest in cancer therapy. Toxicological studies on BP are of great importance for potential biomedical applications, yet not systemically explored. Herein, toxicity and oxidative stress of BP quantum dots (BPQDs) at cellular, tissue, and whole-body levels are evaluated by performing the systemic in vivo and in vitro experiments. In vitro investigations show that BPQDs at high concentration (200 µg/mL) exhibit significant apoptotic effects on HeLa cells. In vivo investigations indicate that oxidative stress, including lipid peroxidation, reduction of catalase activity, DNA breaks, and bone marrow nucleated cells (BMNC) damage, can be induced by BPQDs transiently but recovered gradually to healthy levels. No apparent pathological damages are observed in all organs, especially in the spleen and kidneys, during the 30-day period. This work clearly shows that BPQDs can cause acute toxicities by oxidative stress responses, but the inflammatory reactions can be recovered gradually with time for up to 30 days. Thus, BPQDs do not give rise to long-term appreciable toxicological responses.

Ultrasmall WS2 Quantum Dots with Visible Fluorescence for Protection of Cells and Animal Models from Radiation-Induced Damages.

Two-dimensional WS2 materials have attracted wide attention in condensed physics and materials science due to its unique geometric and electronic structures. Particularly, WS2 shows extraordinary catalytic activities when its size decreases to ultrasmall, which provides potential opportunities for medical applications. In this work, WS2 quantum dots with strong catalytic properties were used for in vitro and in vivo protection from ionizing radiation induced cell damages. WS2 quantum dots possess unique optical properties of blue photoluminescence emission and excitation-wavelength dependent emission profiles. In vitro studies showed that cell viability can be considerably improved and cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be removed by WS2 quantum dots. In vivo studies showed WS2 quantum dots can effectively protect the hematopoietic system and DNA from damages caused by high-energy radiation through removing whole-body excessive ROS. Furthermore, WS2 quantum dots showed nearly 80% renal clearance within 24 h post injection and did not cause any obvious toxicities in up to 30 days after treatment.

Anti-inflammatory activity of N-butanol extract from Ipomoea stolonifera in vivo and in vitro.

Ipomoea stolonifera (I. stolonifera) has been used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases including rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis in Chinese traditional medicine. However, the anti-inflammatory activity of I. stolonifera has not been elucidated. For this reason, the anti-inflammatory activity of n-butanol extract of I. stolonifera (BE-IS) was evaluated in vivo by using acute models (croton oil-induced mouse ear edema, carrageenan-induced rat paw edema, and carrageenan-induced rat pleurisy) and chronic models (cotton pellet-induced rat granuloma, and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced rat arthritis). Results indicated that oral administration of BE-IS significantly attenuated croton oil-induced ear edema, decreased carrageenan-induced paw edema, reduced carrageenan-induced exudates and cellular migration, inhibited cotton pellet-induced granuloma formation and improved CFA-induced arthritis. Preliminary mechanism studies demonstrated that BE-IS decreased the levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA), increased the activity of anti-oxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) in vivo, and reduced the production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6 in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW264.7 macrophages in vitro. Results obtained in vivo and in vitro demonstrate that BE-IS has considerable anti-inflammatory potential, which provided experimental evidences for the traditional application of Ipomoea stolonifera in inflammatory diseases.