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The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of increasing sulfate concentrations on chromium removal, to evaluate the effect of the presence of Cr(VI) on sulfate removal by Streptomyces sp. MC1 and to analyze the differential protein expression profile in the presence of this metal for the identification of proteins repressed or overexpressed. In the presence of Cr(VI) but in the absence of sulfate ions, bacterial growth was negligible, showing the Cr(VI) toxicity for this bacterium. However, the sulfate presence stimulated bacterium growth and Cr(VI) removal, regardless of its concentrations. Streptomyces sp. MC1 showed ability to remove chromium and sulfate simultaneously. Also, the sulfate presence favored the decrease of total chromium concentration from supernatants reaching a decrease of 50% at 48 h. In presence of chromium, seven proteins were down‐expressed and showed homology to proteins involved in protein biosynthesis, energy production and free radicals detoxification while two proteins involved in oxidation‐reduction processes identified as dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase and S‐adenosyl‐l‐methionine synthase were overexpressed.

Research and clinical applications have demonstrated that the effects of tendon allografts are comparable to those of autografts when reconstructing injured tendons or ligaments, but allograft safety remains problematic. Sterilisation could eliminate or decrease the possibility of disease transmission, but current methods seldom achieve satisfactory sterilisation without affecting the mechanical properties of the tendon.Peracetic acid-ethanol in combination with low-dose gamma irradiation (PE-R) would inactivate potential deleterious microorganisms without affecting mechanical and biocompatible properties of tendon allograft.Controlled laboratory design.HIV, PPV, PRV and BVDV inactivation was evaluated. After verifying viral inactivation, the treated tendon allografts were characterised by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and tensile testing, and the cytocompatibility was assessed with an MTT assay and by subcutaneous implantation.Effective and efficient inactivation of HIV, PPV, PRV and BVDV was observed. Histological structure and ultrastructure were unchanged in the treated tendon allograft, which also exhibited comparable biomechanical properties and good biocompatibility.The preliminary results confirmed our hypothesis and demonstrated that the PE-R tendon allograft has significant potential as an alternative to ligament/tendon reconstruction.Tendon allografts have been extensively used in ligament reconstruction and tendon repair. However, current sterilisation methods have various shortcomings, so PE-R has been proposed. This study suggests that PE-R tendon allograft has great potential as an alternative for ligament/tendon reconstruction.Sterilisation has been a great concern for tendon allografts. However, most sterilisation methods cannot inactivate viruses and bacteria without impairing the mechanical properties of the tendon allograft.Peracetic acid/ethanol with gamma irradiation can effectively inactivate viruses and bacteria. Meanwhile, tendon allografts sterilised by this method maintain their physiological tendon structure, biomechanical integrity and good compatibility.

Since long ago, pelagic Sargassum mats have been known to be abundant in the Sargasso Sea, where they provide habitat to diverse organisms. However, over the last few years, massive amounts of pelagic Sargassum have reached the coast of several countries in the Caribbean and West Africa, causing economic and environmental problems. Aiming for lessening the impacts of the blooms, governments and private companies remove the seaweeds from the shore, but this process results expensive. The valorization of this abundant biomass can render Sargassum tides into an economic opportunity and concurrently solve their associated environmental problems. Despite the diverse fields where algae have found applications and the relevance of this recurrent situation, Sargassum biomass remains without large scale applications. Therefore, this review aims to present the potential uses of these algae, identifying the limitations that must be assessed to effectively valorize this bioresource. Due to the constraints identified for each of the presented applications, it is concluded that a biorefinery approach should be developed to effectively valorize this abundant biomass. However, there is an urgent need for investigations focusing on holopelagic Sargassum to be able to truly valorize this seaweed.

Both long-term and short-term alcohol consumption can cause internal homeostasis imbalance, and they have been proved to be related to the initiation and development of atrial fibrillation (AF). Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of non-apoptotic oxidative death which also regulate the cell death homeostasis, but whether it involves in AF induced by alcohol consumption remains unclear. Here, we report a study on the effect of ferroptosis on susceptibility to AF at different alcohol consumption frequencies. We divided the mice into single or frequent excessive alcohol consumption group which given sterile drinking water or alcohol by gavage at different frequencies. Meanwhile, the experimental group was given an intraperitoneal injection of ferroptosis inhibitor (Fer-1) before alcohol drinking. It was found that once exposure to 5 g/kg/d frequent excessive alcohol consumption, compared with the single excessive alcohol consumption group, the mice serum non-heme iron concentration, accumulation of iron and oxidative stress reaction in atrial tissues were increased, while the body weight, heart weight and heart weight to tibia length (HW/TL) ratio were decreased. In addition, the inducibility rate of AF increased, while RR interval, effective refractory periods (ERPs) and 90 % action potential duration (APD90) shortened, as well as QTc interval prolonged. Furthermore, the protein and mRNA expression levels of GPx4, FTL, FTH1, Kv1.5, Kv2.1, Kv4.3, Cav1.2, Serca2α, p-PLB were down-regulated, while PTGS2 was up-regulated. Most of the changes can be partially or completely reversed by Fer-1. These results suggest that frequent excessive alcohol consumption activates ferroptosis and increases the inducibility rate of AF. Nevertheless, inhibition of ferroptosis can balance iron overload disorders and reduce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), eventually decrease the susceptibility to AF. Our results highlight the importance of guidance and warnings for unhealthy alcohol-abuse lifestyle.

China is the largest fruit producer and consumer market in the world. Understanding the growing conditions responses to climate change is the key to predict future site suitability of main cultivation areas for certain deciduous fruit trees. In this study, we used dynamic and growing degree day models driven by downscaled daily temperatures from 22 global climate models to project the effects of climate change on growing conditions for deciduous fruit trees under two representative concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios over 2 future time periods (represented by central years 2050s and 2085s) in northern China. The results showed a general increase of available winter chill for all sites under RCP4.5 scenario, and the most dramatic increase in chill accumulation could reach up to 36.8% in northeast regions for RCP8.5. However, the forecasted chill will decrease by 6.4% in southeast stations under RCP8.5 by 2085s. Additionally, the increase rate of growing season heat showed spatially consistency, and the most pronounced increase was found in the RCP8.5 by 2085s. For the southwest station, median heat accumulation increased by 20.8% in the 2050s and 37.1% in the 2085s under RCP8.5. Similar increasing range could be found in the northeast station; the median growing season heat increased by 19.8% and 38.8% in the 2050s and 2085s under RCP8.5, respectively. Moreover, the date of last spring frost was expected to advance and the frequency of frost occurrences was projected to decline in the study area compared to the past. Overall, the present study improves understanding regarding site-specific characteristics of climatic suitability for deciduous fruit tree cultivation in main producing regions of northern China. The results could provide growers and decision-makers with theoretical evidence to take adaptive measure to ensure fruit production in future.

An energy-saving ethanol fermentation technology was developed using uncooked fresh sweet potato as raw material. A mutant strain of Aspergillus niger isolated from mildewed sweet potato was used to produce abundant raw starch saccharification enzymes for treating uncooked sweet potato storage roots. The viscosity of the fermentation paste of uncooked sweet potato roots was lower than that of the cooked roots. The ethanol fermentation was carried out by Zymomonas mobilis, and 14.4 g of ethanol (87.2% of the theoretical yield) was produced from 100g of fresh sweet potato storage roots. Based on this method, an energy-saving, high efficient and environment-friendly technology can be developed for large-scale production of fuel ethanol from sweet potato roots.

Abstract The effects of hCG (CR119) and ethanol (20% in saline, v/v) on the levels of gonadotropin receptor in mature rat testes are studied. The results indicate that 75 I.U. of hCG administered intraperitoneally is capable of depleting testicular tissue of all its gonadotropin binding sites within 24 hrs. after administration, and 11–14 days are required for these binding sites to be fully restored. The disappearance and reappearance patterns of testicular gonadotropin binding sites following in vivo ethanol administration are very similar to those seen after gonadotropin administration, the only difference being that ethanol is much less immediate in its effect. The level of hLH in the serum of these rats is unaffected by the ethanol administered which seems to indicate that reduction of the number of gonadotropin binding sites in testes brought about by ethanol is through membrane-mediated mechanism. For rats receiving gonadotropin injections, no correlation sseems to exist between the concentration of gonadotropin in serum and the level of detectable gonadotropin binding sites in the testis.

Structural and physiological changes that occur as trees grow taller are associated with increased hydraulic constraints on leaf gas exchange, yet it is unclear if leaf-level constraints influence whole-tree growth as trees approach their maximum size. We examined variation in leaf physiology, leaf area to sapwood area ratio (L/S), and annual aboveground growth across a range of tree heights in Eucalyptus regnans. Leaf photosynthetic capacity did not differ among upper crown leaves of individuals 61.1-92.4 m tall. Maximum daily and integrated diurnal stomatal conductance (g s) averaged 36 and 34% higher, respectively, in upper crown leaves of ~60-m-tall, 80-year-old trees than in ~90-m-tall, 300-year-old trees, with larger differences observed on days with a high vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Greater stomatal regulation in taller trees resulted in similar minimum daily leaf water potentials (Ψ L) in shorter and taller trees over a broad range of VPDs. The long-term stomatal limitation on photosynthesis, as inferred from leaf δ (13)C composition, was also greater in taller trees. The δ (13)C of wood indicated that the bulk of photosynthesis used to fuel wood production in the main trunk and branches occurred in the upper crown. L/S increased with tree height, especially after accounting for size-independent variation in crown structure across 27 trees up to 99.8 m tall. Despite greater stomatal limitation of leaf photosynthesis in taller trees, total L explained 95% of the variation in annual aboveground biomass growth among 15 trees measured for annual biomass growth increment in 2006. Our results support a theoretical model proposing that, in the face of increasing hydraulic constraints with height, whole-tree growth is maximized by a resource trade-off that increases L to maximize light capture rather than by reducing L/S to sustain g s.