Search

Compound-specific isotope analysis has been used extensively to investigate the biodegradation of various organic pollutants. To date, little isotope fractionation information is available for the biodegradation of quinolinic compounds. In this study, we report on the carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation during quinoline and 3-methylquinoline aerobic microbial degradation by a Comamonas sp. strain Q10. Degradation of quinoline and 3-methylquinoline was accompanied by isotope fractionation. Large hydrogen and small carbon isotope fractionation was observed for quinoline while minor carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation effects occurred for 3-methylquinoline. Bulk carbon and hydrogen enrichment factors ( ε ) for quinoline biodegradation were −1.2 ± 0.1 and −38 ± 1‰, respectively, while −0.7 ± 0.1 and −5 ± 1‰ for 3-methylquinoline, respectively. This reveals a potential advantage for employing quinoline as the model compound and hydrogen isotope analysis for assessing aerobic biodegradation of quinolinic compounds. The apparent kinetic isotope effects (AKIE) values of carbon were 1.008 ± 0.0005 for quinoline and 1.0048 ± 0.0005 for 3-methylquinoline while AKIE values of hydrogen of 1.264 ± 0.011 for quinoline and 1.0356 ± 0.0103 for 3-methylquinoline were obtained. The combined evaluation of carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation yields Λ values (Λ = ΔδH/ΔδC ≈ εH/εC) of 29 ± 2 for quinoline and 8 ± 2 for 3-methylquinoline. The results indicate that the substrate specificity may have a significant influence on the isotope fractionation for the biodegradation of quinolinic compounds. The substrate-specific isotope enrichment factors would be important for assessing the behavior and fate of quinolinic compounds in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating aquaculture platform is expected to be a sustainable way for offshore aquaculture, which is attracting worldwide attention. The flow field (e.g., velocity magnitude, traveling distance) deserves investigation to evaluate the fish-friendliness from the view of the hydrodynamics. The statistical analysis methods are employed to quantify the probabilities of hydrodynamic parameters. In this paper, the platform is subject to the oscillation of roll and pitch. The influence of oscillating angle and radius on the hydrodynamic parameters is explored with Computational Fluid Dynamics. The spatial characteristics of flow fields are quite different between the pitching scenario and the rolling scenario. The average traveling distance of water increases linearly with time. In the spectral domain of flow fields, multi-mode characteristics are observed in asymmetric oscillating scenarios. The probability-based accumulated hydrodynamic parameters are not sensitive to the oscillating radius in pitching scenarios. While in the rolling scenarios, the parameters increase significantly with the rolling angles. Considering the sensitivity of the hydrodynamics parameters on motion parameters, it is a reasonable way to satisfy a suitable velocity field by adjusting the rolling condition to alleviate sloshing. • Statistical method and FFT analysis are employed to study the flow characteristics. • Temporal mass-averaged mean kinetic energy exhibits multi-frequency responses. • Velocity magnitude and water traveling distance are statistically analyzed. • Oscillating angle evidently affect the velocity magnitude and water traveling distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fritillariae Thunbergii Flos (FTF) included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (1977 Edition) is a Chinese medicinal herb traditionally used to treat bronchitis. In recent years, it has been applied in the treatment of lung cancer. However, the molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. The screening of bioactive compounds, acquisition of drug targets, network construction, and experimental validation in vivo were combined to explored the mechanism of FTF in the treatment of lung carcinoma with regards to systems pharmacology. The network Lung Cancer Pathway consisted of 114 nodes (44 compounds and 70 potential targets) and 361 edges, as well as modules that included inflammatory response, angiogenesis, negative regulation of the apoptotic process, and positive regulation of cell proliferation and migration. It was examined by conducting experiments that involved the administration of ethanol-based extracts of FTF in Lewis lung carcinoma mice. The extracts exerted excellent anti-lung cancer effects in vivo by significantly inhibiting tumor proliferation, thereby extending the survival period of tumor-bearing mice. Moreover, FTF induced the downregulation of PIK3CG, Bcl-2, eNOS, VEGF, p-STAT3, and STAT3 genes in tumor-bearing mice. The findings of the present study verify the therapeutic effects and mechanism of FTF on lung cancer and provide a theoretical basis to support the comprehensive utilization of FTF resources. Image 1 • Systems Pharmacology revealed 44 important compounds and 70 potential targets of Fritillariae Thunbergii Flos. • The possible mechanism of Fritillariae Thunbergii Flos in lung cancer treatment involved inflammatory response, angiogenesis, apoptotic process, and cell proliferation and migration. • PIK3CG, Bcl-2, eNOS, VEGF, p-STAT3, and STAT3 genes in tumor-bearing mice could be the key targets of Fritillariae Thunbergii Flos in lung cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peimine (also known as verticine) is the major bioactive and characterized compound of Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus, a traditional Chinese medicine that is most frequently used to relieve a cough. Nevertheless, its molecular targets and mechanisms of action for cough are still not clear. In the present study, potential targets of peimine for cough were identified using computational target fishing combined with manual database mining. In addition, protein-protein interaction (PPI), gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using, GeneMANIA and Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) databases respectively. Finally, an interaction network of drug-targets-pathways was constructed using Cytoscape. The results identified 23 potential targets of peimine associated with cough, and suggested that MAPK1, AKT1 and PPKCB may be important targets of pemine for the treatment of cough. The functional annotations of protein targets were related to the regulation of immunological and neurological function through specific biological processes and related pathways. A visual representation of the multiple targets and pathways that form a network underlying the systematic actions of peimine was generated. In summary, peimine is predicted to exert its systemic pharmacological effects on cough by targeting a network composed of multiple proteins and pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water swirls in tanks with bottom drain(s), which is observed in aquaculture tanks. Numerical simulation of the swirling field with the general two-equation turbulence models fails to describe the swirling phenomenon and the investigating results are less convincing. This study simulates the swirling flow fields with four categories of turbulence models, they are the laminar model, the turbulent-viscosity model, the Reynolds stress model, and the Large Eddy Simulation model. Results show that the swirling phenomenon is successfully numerically reproduced except for the turbulent-viscosity model. Although the flow properties predicted with the turbulent-viscosity model are different from other turbulence models, the results are meaningful from the perspective of statistical items (mean, standard variation, uniformity, PDF, CFD). For cases with swirls, the flow field can be divided into a forced vortex and a free vortex, and their tangential velocity profiles can be described with a theoretical formula. Considering the numerical cost and the reproduction of experiments, the Reynolds stress turbulence model is preferable in studies of the flow properties of aquaculture tanks. • Flow properties are simulated with four different categories of turbulence models. • Turbulent-viscosity models are improper to simulate swirls in aquaculture tanks. • The Reynolds stress model and the LES model are recommended for swirls in aquacultures. • A mathematical model is developed to indicate the lifespan of water particles within aquaculture tanks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anaerobic digestion (AD) performance for breakfast, lunch, and dinner kitchen waste (KW) produced by the canteen at Guangzhou University was assessed by a batch experiment under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. The AD concentrations were 9.54 g VS/L, 20.12 g VS/L, and 39.99 g VS/L, respectively. The concentration of 20.12 g VS/L under thermophilic conditions had the best AD performance among all the KW. The maximum specific methane yield of 591 ± 30 mL/g VS was obtained from dinner KW (D-KW). Due to the differing organic composition, the specific methane yield of D-KW and lunch KW (L-KW) was 41.16% and 19.76% higher than that of breakfast KW (B-KW) under the optimal condition, respectively, whereas that of D-KW was 17.96% higher than that of L-KW. The specific methane yield was significantly correlated to the crude fat content. When the concentration was increased to 39.99 g VS/L, accumulation of toxic materials was observed and the AD process stopped. The potential biogas yield, based on production of 5904.43 tons of KW per year at the Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center (HEMC), is 1.08 million m 3 biogas, equivalent to 2.15 million KW h of electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the investment payback period of offshore wind farms, an offshore wind turbine can be combined with an aquaculture cage. This paper proposes a new concept of a floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel aquaculture cage named the FOWT-AC. The structural properties of the proposed integrated system are described in detail. The NREL 5-MW offshore baseline wind turbine is selected as a representative, and a steel aquaculture cage is designed to match the wind turbine. The performance of the integrated FOWT-AC system is examined by a fully coupled aero-hydro-elastic-servo-mooring model, which is established using the FAST and AQWA software. The simulation results obtained under combined turbulent wind and irregular wave conditions show that the designed pitch-torque control system can adjust the electrical power output well, ensuring that the integrated system operates normally. Finally, this study provides an idea of conceptual design, modeling, and simulation analysis for the integrated FOWT-AC system. • A concept of a floating wind turbine integrated with a steel aquaculture cage is proposed. • The hydrodynamic characteristics of the cage is analyzed in the frequency domain. • A coupled aero-hydro-elastic-servo-mooring model of the integrated system is established. • The dynamic responses of the integrated system are analyzed under combined wind and waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mobile aquaculture vessel is expected to be a sustainable way for future nutritious food due to its mobility, potential production rates and environment preservation. The flow field in fish rearing tanks aboard the vessel is a prerequisite for fish welfare. In this paper, the flow field characteristics in an aquaculture tank was numerically investigated. The fish fitting guaranteed rate (FFGR) based on the statistical cumulative distribution probability is presented and used to analyze water flow. A typical rolling condition of an aquaculture tank from the analyses of response amplitude operator (RAO) was used for the flow field analysis. The wavelet and fast Fourier transformation on the mass averaged mean kinetic energy reveals a steady-state of the rolling flow condition after 100 oscillating periods. Statistical analysis on the water velocity indicates that the period-averaged FFGR increases with velocity. Based on the FFGR, the flow field of aquaculture vessel in rolling oscillations are evaluated for six fish species, including Atlantic salmon and Pseudosciaena crocea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fishing platform is expected to be a sustainable method for offshore aquaculture, which can avoid fish escapes by using tanks in harsher sea state and meanwhile make use of natural water. In this paper, the flow characteristics (residence time, velocity uniformity) in a force-rolling aquaculture tank are numerically investigated and analyzed by statistical methods. Through our simulations, we find that water inlet and drainage play a limited role in accelerating water velocity magnitude when being compared with the effect of the roll. Roll accelerates the velocity magnitude of water in the tank and shortens the circulation time. For cases with different rolling angles, the magnitude of water velocity in the tank is very sensitive to the rolling angle and increases with it; for cases with different rolling periods, velocity magnitude decreases as rolling periods increase. Moreover, if the rolling period exceeds a threshold, such as 10 s in this paper, the velocity increment is tiny. The residence time of water in the tank seems insensitive to both rolling angle and period. For all simulations, there is a low-velocity region along the rolling axis in the middle of the fishing tank. The water inlet slightly affects the volume of this low-velocity zone. • Flow characteristics were numerically investigated in a force-rolling sloshing tank. • The influence of rolling angles and periods were studied under typical sea states. • Statistical methods were employed to analyze water velocity and residence time for fish welfare in aquaculture. • Flow characteristics summarized in this paper are helpful to the application of the aquaculture platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A consensus is building that interleukin-10 (IL-10), as a multifunctional anti-inflammatory cytokine, has a critical influence in cancer development. A meta-analysis was carried out regarding the relationships among the -592 A/C, -1082 G/A, and -819 T/C IL-10 polymorphisms and their association with skin squamous cell carcinoma (sSCC), melanoma, and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Materials and Methods: A meta-analysis was carried out to study the inter-relationships among three IL-10 SNPs and their association with sSCC, melanoma, and BCC. Results: In this analysis, a total of 11 researches, involving 2149 controls and 2128 cases, were included. No association was found between skin cancer risk and any of the alleles of either the -592A/C SNP or the 1082T/C SNP. However, a moderately decreased skin cancer risk was found in the -819 TC versus CC model (odds ratio [OR] = 0.81 and 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.67–0.99, p = 0.04). From the subgroup analysis, a decreased risk was found between the studies of nonmelanoma skin cancers and IL-10-819T/C in the dominant model (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.43–0.85, p = 0.004 for TT+TC vs. CC). Egger's and Begg's tests demonstrated that there was no significant publication bias. Conclusion: This meta-analysis showed that there is an association between risk of non-melanoma skin cancers (BCC & sSCC) and the IL-10 -819T/C polymorphism, but that IL-10 -polymorphisms -592A/C and -1082G/A are unlikely to be risk factors for any of the evaluated skin cancers including melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new continuous flow three-dimensional electrode-packed bed photocatalytic reactor was developed to investigate the feasibility of an electrochemically assisted photocatalytic process in the degradation of reactive brilliant orange K-R dye in 0.5 mmol l−1 NaCl solution. It was found that the dye could be degraded more efficiently by this photoelectrochemical process than the degradation obtained by photocatalytic oxidation or by electrochemical oxidation alone, in terms of both decolorization and TOC removal. Various parameters, such as applied cell voltage, initial concentration of chloride ion and the dye, pH value and airflow were the major factors affecting the oxidation rate of the dye. It is interesting to find that an obvious enhancement effect rather than a scavenging effect on the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of the dye in a salt solution was obtained in the new-designed photoelectrocatalytic reactor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]