Rural revival: Navigating environmental engineering and technology.

The necessity for global engineering and technological solutions to address rural environmental challenges is paramount, particularly in improving rural waste treatment and infrastructure. This study presents a comprehensive quantitative analysis of 3901 SCI/SSCI and 3818 Chinese CSCD papers, spanning from 1989 to 2021, using tools like Derwent Data Analyzer and VOSviewer. Our key findings reveal a significant evolution in research focus, including a 716.67% increase in global publications from 1995 to 2008 and a 154.76% surge from 2015 to 2021, highlighting a growing research interest with technological hotspots in rural revitalization engineering and agricultural waste recycling. China and the USA are pivotal, contributing 784 and 714 publications respectively. Prominent institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences play a crucial role, particularly in fecal waste treatment technology. These insights advocate for enhanced policy development and practical implementations to foster inclusive and sustainable rural environments globally.

Effects of predictive nursing interventions on pressure ulcer in elderly bedridden patients.

The study explores the impact of predictive nursing interventions on pressure ulcers (PUs) in elderly bedridden patients. A total of 120 elderly bedridden patients from the Central Hospital of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture between August 2019 and August 2023 were selected as the subjects of the study and were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group using a random number table method. The control group received conventional nursing care, while the observation group received predictive nursing interventions. The study compared the incidence of PUs, Braden scale scores, the onset time of PUs, self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) scores, self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores, and nursing satisfaction between the two groups. In elderly bedridden patients, the application of predictive nursing interventions significantly reduced the incidence of PUs (p < 0.001), significantly lowered the SAS and SDS scores (p < 0.001), and also significantly increased Braden scale scores (p < 0.001) and delayed the onset time of PUs (p < 0.001). Additionally, it improved patients' nursing satisfaction (p = 0.008). Predictive nursing interventions in elderly bedridden patients have good application effects, reducing the occurrence of PUs, delaying the time of onset in patients, improving patients' negative emotions and enhancing nursing satisfaction rates. It is worthy of widespread use.

Mitigating Tetracycline antibiotic contamination in chicken manure using ex situ fermentation system.

Excessive use of tetracycline antibiotics in poultry farming results in significant concentrations of these drugs and tetracycline resistance genes (TRGs) in chicken manure, impacting both environmental and human health. Our research represents the first investigation into the removal dynamics of chlortetracycline (CTC) and TRGs in different layers of an ex situ fermentation system (EFS) for chicken waste treatment. By pinpointing and analyzing dominant TRGs-harboring bacteria and their interactions with environmental variables, we've closed an existing knowledge gap. Findings revealed that CTC's degradation half-lives spanned 3.3-5.8 days across different EFS layers, and TRG removal efficiency ranged between 86.82% and 99.52%. Network analysis highlighted Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria's essential roles in TRGs elimination, whereas Chloroflexi broadened the potential TRG hosts in the lower layer. Physical and chemical conditions within the EFS influenced microbial community diversity, subsequently impacting TRGs and integrons. Importantly, our study reports that the middle EFS layer exhibited superior performance in eliminating CTC and key TRGs (tetW, tetG, and tetX) as well as intI2. Our work transcends immediate health and environmental remediation by offering insights that encourage sustainable agriculture practices.

Effects of dietary mulberry leaves on growth, production performance, gut microbiota, and immunological parameters in poultry and livestock: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the effects of dietary mulberry leaves on the growth, production performance, gut microbiota, and immunological parameters of poultry and livestock. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases were systematically analyzed to identify pertinent studies up to December 2022. The effects of mulberry leaf diet was assessed using the weighted mean difference, and the 95% confidence interval was calculated using a random-effects model. RESULTS: In total, 18 studies that sampled 2,335 poultry and livestock were selected for analysis. Mulberry leaves improved the average daily gain and reduced the feed/meat ratio in finishing pigs, and the average daily gain and average daily feed intake in chicken. In production performance, mulberry leaves lowered the half carcass weight, slaughter rate, and loin eye area in pigs, and the slaughter rate in chickens. Regarding meat quality in pigs, mulberry leaves reduced the cooked meat percentage, shear force, crude protein, and crude ash, and increased the 24 h pH and water content. In chickens, it increased the drip loss, shear force, 45 min and 24 h pH, crude protein, and crude ash. Mulberry leaves also affect the abundances of gut microbiota, including Bacteroides, Prevotella, Megamonas, Escherichia-Shigella, Butyricicoccus, unclassified Ruminococcaceae, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Escherichia coli in poultry and livestock. Mulberry leaves at different doses were associated with changes in antioxidant capacity in chickens, and immune organ indexes in pigs. With respect to egg quality, mulberry leaves at different doses improved the shell strength, yolk color, eggshell thickness, and eggshell weight. However, moderate doses diminished the egg yolk ratio and the egg yolk moisture content. CONCLUSION: In general, dietary mulberry leaves improved the growth, production performance, and immunological parameters in poultry and livestock, although the effects varied at different doses.

The Effects of Exogenous 2,4-Epibrassinolide on the Germination of Cucumber Seeds under NaHCO3 Stress.

This investigation focused on the suppressive impact of varying NaHCO3 concentrations on cucumber seed germination and the ameliorative effects of 2,4-Epibrassinolide (EBR). The findings revealed a negative correlation between NaHCO3 concentration and cucumber seed germination, with increased NaHCO3 concentrations leading to a notable decline in germination. Crucially, the application of exogenous EBR significantly counteracted this inhibition, effectively enhancing germination rates and seed vigor. Exogenous EBR was observed to substantially elevate the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD), thereby mitigating oxidative damage triggered under NaHCO3 stress conditions. Additionally, EBR improved enzyme activity under alkaline stress conditions and reduced starch content in the seeds. Pertinently, EBR upregulated genes that were associated with gibberellin (GA) synthesis (GA20ox and GA3ox), and downregulated genes that were linked to abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis (NCED1 and NCED2). This led to an elevation in GA3 concentration and a reduction in ABA concentration within the cucumber seeds. Therefore, this study elucidates that alleviating oxidative stress, promoting starch catabolism, and regulating the GA and ABA balance are key mechanisms through which exogenous EBR mitigates the suppression of cucumber seed germination resulting from alkaline stress.

Insight into mixed chlorine/chloramines conversion and associated water quality variability in drinking water distribution systems.

Mixed chlorine/chloramines are common in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs); however, their transformation and impact on chemical and microbial characteristics are not well understood. We systematically investigated water quality parameters associated with mixed chlorine/chloramine species conversion in 192 samples (including raw, finished, and tap water) collected throughout the year in a city in East China. Various chlorine/chloramine species (free chlorine, monochloramine [NH2Cl], dichloramine [NHCl2], and organic chloramines [OC]) were detected in both chlorinated and chloraminated DWDSs. NHCl2 + OC increased with transport distance along the pipeline network. The maximum proportion of NHCl2 + OC in over total chlorine in tap water reached 66 % and 38 % from chlorinated and chloraminated DWDSs, respectively. Both free chlorine and NH2Cl showed a rapid decay in the water pipe systems, but NHCl2 and OC were more persistent. Correlations between chlorine/chloramine species and physicochemical parameters were established. Models for predicting the sum of chloroform/TCM, bromodichloromethane/BDCM, chlorodibromomethane/CBDM, and bromoform/TBM (THM4) (R2 = 0.56) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) (R2 = 0.65) exhibited greater accuracy based on machine learning tuned with chlorine/chloramine species, particularly NHCl2 + OC. The predominant bacterial communities in mixed chlorine/chloramine systems were those resistant to chlorine or chloramine such as proteobacteria. NH2Cl was the most significant explanatory factor (28.1 %) for the variation in microbial community assemblage in chloraminated DWDSs. Although residual free chlorine and NHCl2 + OC, accounted for a smaller proportion of chlorine species in chloraminated DWDSs, they played an essential role (12.4 % and 9.1 %, respectively) in the microbial community structure.

Effects on the migration and speciation of heavy metals by combined capping and biochemical oxidation during sediment remediation.

Capping and oxidation by lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) and calcium nitrate (CN) has a dual effect of deep phosphorus (P)/arsenic (As) clearance and surface P/As blockade. However, little information is available on the effect of LMB and CN on heavy metals. In this study, we hypothesize that LMB and CN exerted the same synergistic effect on heavy metals as P and As. We verified this through Rhizon samplers, diffusive gradients in thin films technology (DGT) and planar optode (PO) methods. The results showed that individual and combined LMB and CN treatments temporarily decreased but eventually increased the dissolved oxygen of the sediment-water interface (SWI). DGT-labile sulfide in the surface 110 mm sediment, soluble Fe(II) and DGT-labile Fe(II) in the surface 80 mm sediment were eliminated within 30 days by CN and LMB + CN treatments. A temporary sharp increase in soluble Fe, Mn, Co, and DGT-labile Mn, Co, Cu, and Ni was observed in CN and LMB + CN groups probably due to sulfide oxidation and carbonate dissolution. LMB + CN group showed a less-intense increase in DGT-labile metals and less metal release than the CN group (inferred from the total metal content). This indicates that LMB and CN had a synergistic effect on heavy metals. When using the LMB + CN treatment, LMB partly adsorbed and blocked metal release in sulfide and carbonate bound forms and finally transformed them into Fe and Mn oxides and residual forms. We suggest that CN should be combined with capping agents (at an appropriate pH) to compact sediments and block metal exchange at the SWI.

Interaction mechanism of Cu+/Cu2+ on bovine serum albumin: Vitro simulation experiments by spectroscopic methods.

Copper (Cu) is an essential trace element for organisms, while excessive concentration of Cu is toxic. In order to assess the toxicity risk of copper in different valences, FTIR, fluorescence, and UV-vis absorption techniques were conducted to study the interactions between either Cu+ or Cu2+ and bovine serum albumin (BSA) under vitro simulated physiological condition. The spectroscopic analysis demonstrated that the intrinsic fluorescence emitted by BSA could be quenched by Cu+/Cu2+ via static quenching with binding sites 0.88 and 1.12 for Cu+ and Cu2+, respectively. On the other hand, the constants of Cu+ and Cu2+ are 1.14 × 103 L/mol and 2.08 × 104 L/mol respectively. ΔH is negative whereas ΔS is positive, showing that the interaction between BSA and Cu+/Cu2+ was mainly driven by electrostatic force. In accordance with Föster's energy transfer theory, the binding distance r showed that the transition of energy from BSA to Cu+/Cu2+ is highly likely to happen. BSA conformation analyses indicated that the interactions between Cu+/Cu2+ and BSA could alter the secondary structure of proteins. Current study provides more information of the interaction between Cu+/Cu2+ and BSA, and reveals the potential toxicological effect of different speciation of copper at molecular level.

Bacterial dynamics and functions driven by biomass wastes to promote rural toilet blackwater absorption and recycling in an ectopic fermentation system.

Due to high concentration of organic matter and the ease of disease transmission, blackwater pose a serious threat to both the environment and human health, especially in rural areas where wastewater treatment is dispersed. The reuse of biomass waste is also a difficult issue to be addressed urgently. In this study, an ectopic fermentation system (EFS) was used to treat toilet blackwater, and the effects of different biomass waste combinations on bacterial communities and functions during aerobic fermentation of blackwater were compared. The results showed that adding bran powder prolonged the high temperature period of 11 d, improved blackwater absorption capacity by 7.5% and was beneficial to microbial metabolic activities to enhance organic degradation. By contrast, the combination of corn straw and rice husk obtained abundant bacterial OTUs and diversity. Bacillus, Thermobifida and Thermopolyspora were the main microorganisms involved in the degradation of organic matter in EFS, and their abundance varied in different filler combinations. Bacterial communities were directly affected by environmental factors such as temperature, NH4+-N and organic carbon as well as biomass materials during fermentation. This study revealed the role of corn straw, rice husk and bran powder in EFSs, provided new technical support for blackwater treatment and a new direction for the resource utilization of agricultural biomass waste.

Performance exploration and microbial dynamics of urine diverting composting toilets in rural China.

The ongoing "toilet revolution" in China provides new opportunities to improve the rural living environment and sanitation, and the introduction of new sanitation facilities such as urine diverting composting toilets (UDCTs) is conducive to the effective treatment and resource utilization of feces. This study revealed the degradation performance and microbial community dynamics of UDCTs and clarified the influence mechanism of fecal volume in aerobic composting treatment. The results showed that UDCTs could effectively decompose human feces, with an organic matter degradation rate of 25%⁓30%. The temperature, water content, NH4+-N and nutrient accumulation were higher in the high fecal volume treatment than in the low fecal volume treatment. Bacterial community composition and structure in UDCTs varied with composting stage and fecal volume. The diversity and richness of bacterial community in compost were changed with different fecal volumes, but the dominant groups were similar. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that nitrogen and organic carbon were the main drivers of bacterial community changes during composting. Highly nutritious and non-phytotoxic compost products were suitable for agronomic uses. Based on these results, UDCTs can be an effective way to solve the problem of fecal pollution in rural areas, and fecal dosage is a potential influencing factor in the operation and maintenance of composting systems.

Integrating Ti3C2/MgIn2S4 heterojunction with a controlled release strategy for split-type photoelectrochemical sensing of miRNA-21.

The harsh operating conditions and time-consuming fabrication process of the photoelectrode modification process have limited the potential applications of photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensors. To overcome these drawbacks, this study introduced a unique split-type PEC biosensor for microRNA-21 (miRNA-21) detection. Specifically, a Ti3C2/MgIn2S4 heterojunction was adopted as the photosensitive material, and a target-controlled glucose release system, comprising a multifunctional porphyrin-based metal-organic framework (PCN-224), was used for signal amplification. The Ti3C2/MgIn2S4 heterojunction effectively separated the photogenerated electrons and holes, and improved the photoelectric conversion efficiency, offering a strong initial photocurrent signal during PEC biosensing. Meanwhile, the porous PCN-224 acted as a nimble nanocontainer that encapsulated glucose using a capture probe (CP). In the presence of miRNA-21, the CP formed a CP-miRNA-21 complex and then detached from PCN-224, controllably releasing the trapped glucose. The oxidization of glucose by glucose oxidase resulted in hydrogen peroxide generation, which acted as a scavenger for the holes generated on the surface of Ti3C2/MgIn2S4, and significantly enhanced the photocurrent response under visible light irradiation. Finally, the sensor exhibited good performance for miRNA-21 detection with a low detection limit (0.17 fM) and wide linearity range (0.5 fM-1.0 nM). Thus, the proposed Ti3C2/MgIn2S4-based split-type PEC sensor is a promising tool for sensitive and accurate detection of miRNA-21 and provides an innovative basis for the preparation of other high-performance sensors.

Influences of human waste-based ectopic fermentation bed fillers on the soil properties and growth of Chinese pakchoi.

The reuse of human wastes as biofertilizer resources offers a new option for meeting the growing demand for food and addressing poor soil productivity. Feces and black water are ubiquitous human wastes that usually require proper treatment, such as composting and anaerobic digestion, to remove potentially harmful substances before they can be applied as fertilizers. As an effective treatment technology for livestock farming wastes, the ectopic fermentation bed system (EFS) provides a new means of treating human waste and producing organic fertilizer from decomposed filler. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the nutrient content and fertilizer potential of decomposed fillers obtained after EFS treatment of human feces and black water under different application conditions. The results showed that the application of fillers increased the yield of pakchoi by 3.60⁓29.32% and nutrient uptake by 8.09⁓83.45% compared to the CK, which could effectively promote the growth of pakchoi. This approach also improved the quality of pakchoi and enhanced soil fertility, and differences were observed in the effects of different kinds and application amounts of fillers. Soil EC was the soil property that had the greatest effect on the growth characteristics of pakchoi in this study. These findings help to better clarify the agronomic value of human wastes, but the effects of long-term filler application need to be further explored.

[Effects of Earthworms/Biochar on Bacterial Diversity and Community in As-contaminated Red Soil].

Cerium-manganese modified biochar (MBC) combined with earthworms (Eisenia foetida) can immobilize arsenic (As) in red soils. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to explore the combined effects of MBC and E. foetida on bacterial diversity and community structure in As-contaminated red soils. The results showed that the single earthworm treatment had the highest diversity index, whereas the diversity index decreased in the single biochar or MBC treatment, indicating that earthworms can boost the growth of bacteria in the soil, and the addition of biochar/MBC all decreased the bacterial diversity of soils. When biochar/MBC was combined with earthworms, the diversity index increased to some degree. In terms of bacterial community structure, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes increased significantly in each treatment, especially for MBC-earthworm treated soil, in which the relative abundance was increased by 17.08% and 329.47% for Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, respectively, compared to that in the control (CK). Otherwise, those abundances were decreased by 19.18% and 48.76%, respectively, for Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi. Correlation analysis results showed that the soil water-soluble As (WSAs) was negatively correlated with the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Bacteroides (P<0.05) but was positively correlated with Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi (P<0.05), which indicated that with the decrease in WSAs in soils, the bacteria of Proteobacteria and Bacteroides reproduced rapidly, whereas the Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi were inhibited. Moreover, different treatments induced selective changes in the bacterial community, in which earthworms significantly promoted the proliferation of γ-Proteobacteria, Flavobacteriales, Aeromonadales, and Variovorax and earthworms improved the immobilization effect of As by promoting the growth of these bacteria.

Effective treatment of aquaculture wastewater with mussel/microalgae/bacteria complex ecosystem: a pilot study.

The discharge of aquaculture wastewater increased significantly in China. Especially, high content of nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater could destroy the receiving water environment. To reduce the pollution of aquaculture wastewater, farmed triangle sail mussel (Hyriopsis cumingii) was proposed to be cultivated in the river. This was the first time that bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis) and microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris) were also used and complemented ecosystem functions. The pollutants in wastewater were assimilated by Chlorella vulgaris biomass, which was then removed through continuous filter-feeding of Hyriopsis cumingii. While, Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis enhanced the digestive enzyme activities of mussel. It demonstrated that approximately 4 mussels/m3 was the optimal breeding density. Under such condition, orthogonal experiment indicated that the dose of Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, and Chlorella vulgaris should be 0.5, 1, and 2 mL respectively. Compared with mussel, mussel/microalgae, mussel/bacteria system, treatment ability of the mussel/microalgae/bacteria system in batch experiment was better, and 94.67% of NH3-N, 92.89% of TP and 77.78% of COD were reduced after reaction for 6 days. Finally, 90 thousand mussels per hectare of water were cultivated in Kulv river in China, and the field experiment showed that water quality was significantly improved. After about 35 days of operation, NH3-N, TN, TP and COD concentration were maintained around 0.3, 0.8, 0.3, and 30 mg/L respectively. Therefore, the mussel/microalgae /bacteria system in this study showed a sustainable and efficient characteristic of aquaculture wastewater bioremediation.

An enzyme-activated two-photon ratiometric fluorescent probe with lysosome targetability for imaging ß-glucuronidase in colon cancer cells and tissue.

Colon cancer is a malignant neoplasm with high mortality that has seriously threatened human life. Accumulating evidence reveals that the ß-glucuronidase (GLU), a lysosomal exoglycosidase enzyme, plays important roles in the pathological progression of colon cancer. Unfortunately, understanding the pathological roles of GLU remains a challenge due to the lack of effective detection methods for visualization the fluctuations of GLU in tissues. In this paper, based on hydrolysis function of GLU, an enzyme-activated ratiometric two-photon (TP) fluorescent probe (RN-GLU) was designed. RN-GLU was synthesized by introducing a glucopyranuronic acid methyl ester as the recognition group and 1, 8-naphthalimide as a TP fluorophore. In the presence of GLU, the trigger group was removed made an ICT process occurred induced enhancement of fluorescence ratio (I553 nm/I441 nm, 214-fold). Probe RN-GLU displayed low detection limit (1.2 × 10-2 µg/L) and rapid detection to GLU in vitro through a ratiometric response mode. Meanwhile, RN-GLU exhibited high selectivity for GLU and showed nearly no response to other relevant biological species. The imaging results demonstrated that RN-GLU could be applied for ratiometric monitoring of endogenous GLU levels in HCT116 cells with good lysosome targetable ability. Due to its two-photon excitation, RN-GLU could monitor GLU in colon cancer tumor tissue with good penetration ability (imaging depth of 200 µm). RN-GLU could be developed as a potential method for evaluating and confirming the functions of GLU in colon cancer diagnosis and complex biosystem.

Control of maximum water age based on total chlorine decay in secondary water supply system.

97% of residential buildings are installed with secondary water supply system (SWSS) in China. In order to meet the water pressure demand, the SWSS has become a key solution to store and transport drinking water. The water age of the SWSS directly determines the quality of tap water, while total chlorine is a key indicator to evaluate the quality and safety of the water supply network. This study revealed the relationship between total chlorine and water age controlled by adjusting the liquid level of the secondary water supply tank. Models governing water age and the total chlorine concentration were developed based on the variation of the liquid level and the attenuation rate of the total chlorine in the SWSS. Furthermore, the validation was performed through case studies. The developed models can gain effective insights for determining the longest water age while guaranteeing the concentration of total chlorine meets the demand of the lower standard in SWSS. The secondary chlorine dosage would be quantified and added to the pipe network. The integration of the SWSS would be guided by water age in some old communities. The taste of tap water for direct drinking water could be improved by adjusting of water age using this model. The optimization method is easy to use for identifying efficient solutions for SWSS operation.

Feroxichthys panzhouensis sp. nov., a hump-backed colobodontid (Neopterygii, Actinopterygii) from the early Middle Triassic of Panzhou, Guizhou, China.

Neopterygii is a taxonomically diverse clade of ray-finned fishes, including Teleostei, Holostei and closely related fossil taxa. The Colobodontidae is a stem group of large-sized neopterygians with a durophagous feeding adaption from the Middle to Late Triassic marine ecosystems in Europe and South China. Here, we report the discovery of a new colobodontid, Feroxichthys panzhouensis sp. nov., based on a well-preserved specimen from the early Middle Triassic (Anisian) of Panzhou (formerly known as Panxian), Guizhou, China. The discovery extends the geographical distribution of Feroxichthys from eastern Yunnan into western Guizhou, and demonstrates a more rapid diversification of early colobodontids than previously thought. The new species possesses diagnostic features of Feroxichthys (e.g., a fused lacrimal-maxilla), but it is easily distinguished from the type species Feroxichthys yunnanensis and other colobodontids by some derived features on the skull and, especially, the relatively short and deep body with a prominent postcranial hump. This body form, previously unknown in colobodontids, implicates a morphological adaptation to structurally complex habitats in light of ecological studies of modern ray-finned fishes with a similar body form. In addition, the feeding apparatus suggests a more obligate durophagous diet for F. panzhouensis sp. nov. than other colobodontids. Results of a cladistic analysis recover the new species as a sister taxon of F. yunnanensis within the Colobodontidae, and suggest that a hump-backed body form has independently evolved multiple times in Triassic neopterygians. As such, the new finding provides an important addition for our understanding of the morphological and ecological diversity of neopterygian fishes from the Triassic marine ecosystems in South China.

Amphiphilic copolymer fluorescent probe for mitochondrial viscosity detection and its application in living cells.

The mitochondrial viscosity measurement with the amphiphilic copolymer fluorescent probe (PP) has been successfully revealed for the first time. PP was synthesized, starting from a hydrophobic rhodamine derivative fluorophore and hydrophilic 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) by radical polymerization, which could be used to detect mitochondrial viscosity specifically. The systematic investigation demonstrated that the fluorescence emission of PP with a deep red emission increased about 9-fold when the medium is changed from methanol to 99% glycerol, indicating high viscosity dependence. Moreover, PP could self-assemble into nanospheres with the particle size of about 140 nm in water and the nano-structure enabled PP to enter living cells quickly. Cytotoxicity test showed that the cells survival rate remained above 70% at 70 µg·mL-1 of PP. Good biocompatibility and low cytotoxicity of PP are promising to provide a high contrast fluorescence imaging. Taken together, the results point the way to development of novel amphiphilic copolymer fluorescent probes-based the detection in solutions, physiology and pathology.

Enhanced control of sulfonamide resistance genes and host bacteria during thermophilic aerobic composting of cow manure.

Traditional composting has already shown a certain effect in eliminating antibiotic residues, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARBs), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). It is worth noting that the rebounding of ARGs and the succession of the bacterial community during conventional aerobic composting are still serious threats. Considering the probable risk, improved and adaptable technologies are urgently needed to control antibiotic resistance efficiently. This study monitored how thermophilic aerobic composting affected the ARGs, as well as the bacterial diversity during the composting of cow manure spiked with sulfamethoxazole (SMX) at different concentrations. Results showed that the degradation of SMX was enhanced during thermophilic aerobic composting (control > SMX25 > SMX50 > SMX100) and was no longer detected after 20 days of composting. High temperature or heat significantly stimulated the rebounding of certain genes. After 35 days, the abundance of detected genes (sul2, sulA, dfrA7, and dfrA1) significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in control and antibiotic-spiked treatments, except for sul1. The addition of three concentrations of SMX elicited a sharp effect on bacterial diversity, and microbial structure in SMX25 led to significant differences with others (p < 0.05). The network analysis revealed more rigorous interactions among ARGs and abundant genera, suggesting that the host of ARGs potentially increased at low concentrations of SMX. Especially, genera g_norank_f__Beggiatoaceae, Ruminiclostridium, Caldicoprobacter, g_norank_o_MBA03, Hydrogenispora, and Ruminiclostridium_1 were major potential hosts for sul1. In conclusion, the rebounding of ARGs could be intermitted partially, and more efficient control of antibiotic resistance could be achieved in the thermophilic composting compared to conventional methods.

Comprehensive analysis of environmental factors mediated microbial community succession in nitrogen conversion and utilization of ex situ fermentation system.

An ex situ fermentation system (EFS) can efficiently transform and utilize nitrogen in swine wastewater and reduce environmental pollution. High-throughput sequencing was used to study the relationship between the succession of total bacteria, fungi, and functional bacteria in a swine wastewater EFS, as well as nitrogen metabolism and environmental factors. During the fermentation process, inorganic nitrogen gradually accumulated and the pH changed rapidly from weakly acidic to alkaline. The dominant genera of bacteria, fungi and functional bacteria carrying amoA, nirK, and nosZ genes changed gradually, and Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Thermomyces, Nitrosomonas, Mesorhizobium, and Pseudomonas genera became the most abundant, which showed positive correlations with temperature, pH, and nitrogen levels. Other changed populations showed different correlations with environmental factors, and physical-chemical factors explained more variation of microorganisms than nitrogen resources. These findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of nitrogen metabolism in EFSs from a molecular micro-ecology perspective.