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Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important food legume worldwide, providing a source of high-quality protein. Fifteen chickpea samples showing leaf yellowing and root rot were obtained from sout...

Bystander effects in biological systems are the responses shown by nontargeted neighboring cells, and critical to the bio-nano interface interactions. In addition to direct effects, bystander effects also determine the design, applications and safety of nanomaterials, although the related information of nanomaterial-induced bystander effects remain largely unknown. A coculture system of A549 and THP-1 was established to mimic the lung microenvironment to study the bystander effects of WS2 nanosheets (representative transition-metal dichalcogenide nanosheets) on microenvironment macrophages during the inhalation exposure or the nanomaterial biomedical application in the lung. Lung cells exposed to WS2 nanosheet resulted in an increase in reactive oxygen species and the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential in neighboring macrophages. Bystander exposure also induced macrophage polarization toward the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype, which is adverse to disease therapy. Metabolomics showed that WS2 nanosheets disturbed the energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism of macrophages, consistent with the metabolic characteristics of M2 macrophages. Nitric oxide-transforming growth factor-β1 played an important mediator in the bystander effects. Importantly, WS2 nanosheet bystander exposure affected macrophage phagocytosis and migration and altered the macrophage immune response to endotoxin. This study improves the current understanding of bio-nano interactions and highlights the importance of neighboring cell responses, allowing us to use the maximum benefits of nanomaterials while limiting their adverse bystander effects.

Polycyclic musks (PCMs) are widely used in daily chemical products, so their mass production and wide use enable them to enter the environment in various ways. Their lipophilicity and persi...

As an abundant and biologically active element, sulfur has been applied in various fields. Through the nanotechnology method, nanosulfur is synthesized with the merits of size effects. Differentiat...

In Canada, Verticillium wilt of canola (Brassica napus L.), caused by Verticillium longisporum, was first confirmed in Manitoba in 2014. Verticillium dahliae, however, has not been reported to cause this disease. In 2016, a field survey in Alberta revealed canola plants with vascular wilt symptoms. Symptomatic plants were collected and infected stem tissue was cultured on agar medium, with one isolate designated A1-SS05 identified as a putative Verticillium spp. based on its colony characteristics. The colony was off-white in colour with a felt-like surface. On potato dextrose agar, the underside of the colony was dark only in the central area with radiating ridges. On Howell’s medium, only the test isolate exhibited polyphenol oxidase activity. The isolate formed conidiophores with 4–5 verticillate phialides. Mean conidial length was 5.96 µm (range of 4.65–6.64 µm) and mean width was 2.37 µm (range of 1.71–2.79 µm). The isolate also produced irregularly elongated chain-like microsclerotia of vari...

Single-layer molybdenum disulfide (SLMoS2) is a novel kind of 2D nanosheet that has attracted great attention regarding its use in biosensors, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and therapy. However, our results demonstrated that SLMoS2 accelerated proliferation and promoted myogenic differentiation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELFs). The abnormal proliferation and differentiation of HELFs contribute to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Specifically, SLMoS2 significantly stimulated the expression of myofibroblast- and mesenchymal-associated genes and proteins. The Akt-mTOR-p70S6K signaling pathway plays a critical role in the acceleration of proliferation and promotion of myogenic differentiation and EMT in HELFs induced by SLMoS2. After cell uptake, SLMoS2 was primarily located in the cytoplasm and the perinuclear region and activated Akt-dependent signaling due to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, bovine serum albumin (BSA) binding markedly inhibited the cellular uptake of SLMoS2 and the production of intracellular ROS due to an increased thickness and reduced adhesion of HELFs. BSA binding also mitigated the SLMoS2-activated phosphorylation of Akt-dependent signaling pathways. This study is the first to illustrate the induction of cellular proliferation and differentiation by SLMoS2 and the related mediation by proteins through Akt-mTOR-p70S6K signaling pathway.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the surface urban soils of Shenyang in Northeastern China were investigated. The total concentration of the PAHs ranged from 0.09 to 8.35 mg kg−1, with an average value of 1.51 ± 1.64 mg kg−1. 3–5-ring PAHs accounted for 90% of total PAHs. The functional areas, such as the industrial regions (4.95 mg kg−1) and main roads (1.56 mg kg−1), as well as the administrative divisions, including the districts of Shenhe (1.49 mg kg−1), Heping (2.08 mg kg−1), and Tiexi (2.14 mg kg−1), were heavily polluted by PAHs. The diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis (PCA) for PAHs indicate that the pollutants probably originated primarily from coal combustion and petroleum sources. The Nemerow composite index, used to assess environmental quality, shows that the soil samples were heavily polluted with PAHs, and although 52.8% of the soil sampling sites were safe, 47.2% of the soil sampling sites registered different grades of PAH pollution. The PAH contamination in Sheny...

Characteristics of accumulation and tolerance of lead (Pb) in Quamolit pennata, Antirrhinum majus L. and Celosia cristata pyramidalis were investigated to identify Pb-accumulating plants. In this study, pot culture experiment was conducted to assess whether these plants are Pb-hyperaccumulators or accumulators. The results indicated that the Pb enrichment factor (concentration in plant/soil) and Pb translocation factor (concentration in shoot/root) of these plants were principally

Water quality criteria for aquatic environments are numerical concentrations or narrative statements to support and protect designated water uses, based on data quantifying the response of aquatic organisms to toxic pollutants in laboratory tests. In general, the main process being used around the world for establishing criteria for the protection of freshwater aquatic environment can be summarized as the following: (a) selecting the most sensitive species and testing toxicity to them and (b) application of evaluation methods to obtain the water quality criteria. The data requirement, tested organisms and three calculation methodologies were discussed in detail. In China, establishing appropriate and effective water quality criteria for protecting aquatic environment is an urgent task and national strategy. The systematic and feasible experience from other countries and international organizations can be a valuable guide for the Chinese Environmental Protection Departments. This review put forward researc...

The heavy use of organophosphorus pesticides in northeastern China strongly affects the ecological functions and the quality of the soil environment. In this work, a 30-day soil incubation experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of using soil available P and the activities of soil dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase as indicators of the application of methamidophos and glyphosate. Two kinds of unpolluted soils, phaiozem and burozem, were selected as the test soils. The higher application rate of organophosphorus pesticide to the two soils caused more release of PO4 3− which finally entered the soil available P pool, suggesting that soil available P is one of the effective chemical markers for biodegradation of organophosphorus pesticides. Methamidophos exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on the activity of soil dehydrogenase. The extent of enzyme inhibition was almost positively correlated with the insecticide concentration, and the enzyme activity was gradually restored after day 15. Howe...

Pyrite cinders are the main industrial waste generated from the process of sulphuric acid production using pyrite ores. The pyrite cinders may have utilization value in preparing a new polyferric chloride (PFC) coagulant. In order to attain this objective, a preparation method for PFC products from pyrite cinders was studied by a Taguchi orthogonal array experiment. On the basis of the successful preparation, the morphologies and coagulation characteristics of three PFC products, with different basicities, were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and examined by jar tests, respectively. The results showed that the molar ratio of NaOH to Fe should be in a range between 0.75:1 and 1:1, the molar ratio of stabilizer NaH2PO4 to Fe should be in a range between 0.12:1 and 0.15:1, the curing time should be 2 h, the curing temperature can be 60 degrees C and the molar ratio of NaHCO3 to Fe can be determined according to the basicity required in order to get the optimal stability of PFC products and the best flocculation efficiency. Although the degree of aggregation of the PFC products became larger with the increase in the basicity, the coagulation efficiency could be only improved with an increase in the basicity within a certain range. When the basicity exceeded a certain value, the coagulation efficiency started to decrease. In this study, PFC2 (B = 11.16%) had better coagulation characteristics than either PFCl (B = 6.08%), PFC2 (B = 11.16%), PFC3 (B = 15.92%) or polyaluminium chloride (PAC).

A rapid and efficient protocol for the extraction of genomic DNA from plant pathogenic fungi was developed. Key features of the protocol include the SDS-assisted lysis of fungal mycelium with inclusion of a glass bead to help break hyphal walls, followed by isopropanol precipitation of the DNA. The protocol was used to extract genomic DNA from a collection of 26 fungal species, representing many important plant pathogens. Yield of DNA ranged from 2.1–4.9 μg per 20 mg of mycelium or 0.4–0.6 μg per 20 mg of spores. The DNA was of sufficient purity to be digested by restriction enzymes, to serve as a template in the PCR-amplification of genomic fragments as large as 4.9 kb, and to be used in dot-blot hybridization for the detection of multiple- and single-copy genes.

Narrow-leaved lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) is a potentially important crop in Canada. During the summers of 2003, 2004, and 2007, a total of 78 isolates of Rhizoctonia solani were isolates from diseased lupin plants and various other crops in Alberta, Canada. When the isolates were assigned to anastomosis groups (AGs) according to anastomosis behaviour, 33 (42.3%) of the isolates were identified as AG-4, 21 (26.9%) were AG-2-1, 20 (25.6%) were AG-2-2, and 4 isolates were not determined. Isolates belonging to AG-4 produced typical symptoms of stem rot and root rot on lupin seedlings and showed greater virulence compared with AG-2-1 and AG-2-2 isolates. The genetic variability among these isolates was evaluated by phylogenetic analysis based on the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. For the ITS sequence analysis, a neighbour-joining tree, which was constructed using the PAUP program, clustered the R. solani isolates into three grou...

Under laboratory conditions, ecotoxicological effects of chlorpromazine (CPZ) on freshwater goldfish (Carassius auratus) were examined using the toxic culture experiment. The results showed that the median lethal concentration (LC(50)) of CPZ toxic to Carassius auratus in 24, 48 and 96 h was 1.11, 0.43 and 0.32 mg/L, respectively. Thus, CPZ is an extreme toxicant to goldfish. Furthermore, there were significantly positive correlations between the ecotoxicological effects of CPZ and its concentrations, and the toxicity became higher as the exposure time increased. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in goldfish livers was significantly influenced by CPZ. At the same exposure time, the activity of SOD reduced first, and increased then, whereas the activity of CAT enhanced first and decreased then. At the same exposure levels of CPZ, the activity of SOD and CAT changed similarly, decreased first, then increased and decreased at last. Within the range of exposure concentrations, the changes in the activity of CAT can more easily reflect the oxidation stress in Carassius auratus by CPZ than those of SOD.

The cadmium (Cd) tolerance and metal-accumulation characteristics of 29 species (18 families) of weed were studied by using outdoor pot-culture experiments. The results of this screening showed that Bidens pilosa and Kalimeris integrifolia (both Asteraceae) expressed some properties that are characteristic of Cd hyperaccumulators. In 10 mg/kg Cd-spiked soil, they accumulated a good deal of Cd in shoots (28 and 25 mg/kg DW, respectively) with high Cd enrichment factors (EFs; concentration in plant/soil). Cd accumulations in shoots were greater than those in roots (translocation factor (TF) >1, concentration in shoot/root) and the shoot biomasses did not decreased significantly compared to the unspiked control. The other weed species showed little accumulation of Cd, Pb, Cu, or Zn. In a concentration-gradient experiment, the Cd accumulation potentials of B. pilosa and K. integrifolia were examined further. Cd concentrations in leaves of B. pilosa growing in soils spiked with 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg Cd were up to 145, 160, and 192 mg/kg, respectively, and the Cd content in stems in the 100 mg/kg Cd-spiked soil was 115 mg/kg, all greater than the 100 mg/kg notional criterion for Cd hyperaccumulation. The Cd EFs and TFs were all greater than 1. The shoot biomasses did not decrease significantly compared to the controls. B. pilosa was thus shown to have some characteristics of a true Cd hyperaccumulator plant.

This review article describes the factors affecting bioremediation processes including: goals of bioremediation and the optimal ecological conditions required; inoculation of microorganisms; co-metabolism; bioavailability and its improvement; biological evolution and its utilization; monitoring and control of bioremediation processes; identification of bioremediation effectiveness and ecological remediation and its key elements. The current progress in bioremediation techniques is summarized. The direction of future development, research and applications is also examined.

In order to promote the effective and economic remediation of soilscontaminated with single Cd and Cd combined with Pb, Cu and Zn, afield-screening study on weed hyperaccumulators was carried out on the basis of field pot-culture experiments used to determine characteristics of weed plants enduring and accumulating heavy metals. In this study, 54 weed species belonging to 20 families from agricultural fields of the Shengyang suburbs were tested. The results showed that Taraxacum mongolicum, Solanum nigrum and Conyza canadensis could strongly tolerate single Cd and Cd-Pb-Cu-Zncombined pollution, had high Cd-accumulative ability, and generally possessed basic characteristics of hyperaccumulators. Because there are synergic and antagonistic effects among Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn, single-factor pollution tests should be done as well as combined pollution tests during the identification of hyperaccumulators to ensure the efficiency of phytoremediation and the practical significance of hyperaccumulators ident...

Joint effects of Cd and other heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn and As) on the growth and development of rice plants and the uptake of these heavy metals by rice were studied using the pot-culture method co...

Based on the experiment on joint effects of Cr and phenol on soil‐rice systems and single‐factor pollution of Cr or phenol in soil‐rice systems using a pot‐culture method combined with chemical and statistical analyses, soil‐quality guidelines for Cr and phenol were tentatively suggested. Moreover, the decrease in yield of rice, bioaccumulation of Cr and phenol in rice, and deficiency of essential elements such as Fe for human health in rice due to the interaction between Cr and phenol in paddy soil were considered in this research on numerical soil‐environmental quality guidelines. The conclusions were that the threshold concentrations of Cr and phenol in the paddy soil were, respectively, 72.55–114.33 and 10.02 mg/kg under the condition of single‐factor soil pollution of Cr or phenol, and they were 77.88–96.40 and 1.57 mg/kg under the condition of chromium‐phenol combined pollution.