Hippuris vulgaris could replace Myriophyllum aquaticum for efficiently removing water phosphorus under low temperature conditions in China.

Phytoremediation is widely used for the restoration of aquatic environments. However, the phytoremediation effects and mechanisms of special submerged species of native aquatic plants, especially under low-temperature conditions, are not yet clear. In this study, two typical submerged plants, Myriophyllum aquaticum (M. aquaticum; an exotic species) and Hippuris vulgaris (H. vulgaris; a native species), in China were investigated for their phosphorus (P) removal efficiencies (REp) and the related mechanisms of phytophysiology and microorganisms in a low-temperature incubator (10 °C during the day and 2 °C at night). At an initial P level of 0.5 mg L-1, the two plants exhibited similar REp, with the highest values (73.5%-92.1%) observed on days 3-6. After 18 days, the residual P concentration in the water was less than the Grade III limit value (0.2 mg L-1; GB 3838-2002). However, M. aquaticum had a faster REp velocity than H. vulgaris at an initial P level of 3.0 mg L-1, which was attributed to the mechanisms of plant and its interactions with microorganisms. Compared to the control group, the superoxide dismutase activity of H. vulgaris was significantly increased and its catalase activity was decreased, whereas for that of M. aquaticum was the opposite. Micro region X-ray fluorescence analysis revealed that there may be synergic absorption effects between P, S, and K, and antagonistic absorption action between P and Mn in H. vulgaris. In addition, Acinetobacter, Novosphingobium and Pseudomonas were enriched at 3.0 mg L-1 P level with these two plants, but Chlorophyta only accumulated with H. vulgaris, respectively. Overall, the native species, H. vulgaris, could replace the exotic M. aquaticum to efficiently remove P from polluted water at low temperatures. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for submerged plants P removal capabilities, and the protection of local ecosystem diversity at low temperatures.

Field ponding water exacerbates the dissemination of manure-derived antibiotic resistance genes from paddy soil to surrounding waterbodies.

Farmlands fertilized with livestock manure-derived amendments have become a hot topic in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Field ponding water connects rice paddies with surrounding water bodies, such as reservoirs, rivers, and lakes. However, there is a knowledge gap in understanding whether and how manure-borne ARGs can be transferred from paddy soil into field ponding water. Our studies suggest that the manure-derived ARGs aadA1, bla1, catA1, cmlA1-01, cmx(A), ermB, mepA and tetPB-01 can easily be transferred into field ponding water from paddy soil. The bacterial phyla Crenarchaeota, Verrucomicrobia, Cyanobacteria, Choloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria are potential hosts of ARGs. Opportunistic pathogens detected in both paddy soil and field ponding water showed robust correlations with ARGs. Network co-occurrence analysis showed that mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were strongly correlated with ARGs. Our findings highlight that manure-borne ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in paddy fields can conveniently disseminate to the surrounding waterbodies through field ponding water, posing a threat to public health. This study provides a new perspective for comprehensively assessing the risk posed by ARGs in paddy ecosystems.

Analyzing the efficiency of Chinese primary healthcare institutions using the Malmquist-DEA approach: Evidence from urban and rural areas.

Background: China has been increasing the investment in Primary Health Care Institutions (PHCIs) since the launch of the New Health Care System Reform in 2009. It is a crucial concern whether the PHCIs can meet residents' need both in urban and rural with the limited government finance, especially encountering the challenge of the COVID-19. This study aimed to reveal the trend of the primary health service efficiency in the past decade, compare the urban-rural differences, and explore relevant factors. Methods: DEA and Malmquist models were applied to calculate the health service efficiency of PHCIs among 28 provinces in China, with the input variables including the number of institutions, number of beds, number of health technicians, and the outputs variables including the number of outpatients and emergency visits, number of discharged patients. And the Tobit model was used to analyze the factors on the efficiency in urban and rural. A sensitivity analysis for model validations was also carried out. Results: The average technical efficiency (TE) of urban PHCIs fluctuated from 63.3% to 67.1%, which was lower than that in rural (75.8-82.2%) from 2009 to 2019. In terms of dynamic efficiency, the urban PHCIs performed better than the rural, and the trends in the total factor productivity change were associated with favorable technology advancement. The population density and dependency ratio were the key factors on TE in both of the urban and rural PHCIs, and these two factors were positively correlated to TE. In terms of TE, it was negatively correlated with the proportion of total health expenditure as a percentage of GDP in urban PHCIs, while in rural it was positively correlated with the urbanization rate and negatively correlated with GDP per capita. Besides, the tests of Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis H indicated the internal validity and robustness of the chosen DEA and Malmquist models. Conclusions: It needs to reduce the health resource wastes and increase service provision in urban PHCIs. Meanwhile, it is necessary to strengthen medical technology and gaining greater efficiency in rural PHCIs by technology renovation.

Anthocyanin metabolism in Nelumbo: translational and post-translational regulation control transcription.

BACKGROUND: Lotus (Nelumbo Adans.) is used as an herbal medicine and the flowers are a source of natural flavonoids. 'Da Sajin', which was firstly found in the plateau area, is a natural mutant in flower color with red streamers dyeing around white petals. RESULTS: The LC-MS-MS results showed that eight anthocyanin compounds, including cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-galactoside, malvidin 3-O-galactoside, and malvidin 3-O-glucoside, were differentially enriched in red-pigmented tissues of the petals, whereas most of these metabolites were undetected in white tissues of the petals. Transcriptome profiling indicated that the relative high expression levels of structural genes, such as NnPAL, NnF3H, and NnANS, was inconsistent with the low anthocyanin concentration in white tissues. Members of the NnMYB and NnbHLH transcription factor families were presumed to play a role in the metabolic flux in the anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin biosynthetic pathway. The expression model of translational initiation factor, ribosomal proteins and SKP1-CUL1-F-box protein complex related genes suggested an important role for translational and post-translational network in anthocyanin biosynthesis. In addition, pathway analysis indicated that light reaction or photo destruction might be an important external cause for floral color determination in lotus. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it is supposed that the natural lotus mutant 'Da Sajin' may have originated from a red-flowered ancestor. Partial loss of anthocyanin pigments in petals may result from metabolic disorder caused by light destruction. This disorder is mainly regulated at post translation and translation level, resulting in a non-inherited phenotype. These results contribute to an improved understanding of anthocyanin metabolism in lotus, and indicate that the translational and post-translational regulatory network determines the metabolic flux of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins under specific environmental conditions.

Improving earthworm quality and complex metal removal from water by adding aquatic plant residues to cattle manure.

Vermicomposting is an economical and environmentally friendly process. However, related knowledge of vermicomposting aquatic plant residues (APRs), earthworm quality, and mechanisms for metal removal from water is still lacking. Nelumbo and Oenanthe javanica residues and their mixture were treated with Eisenia foetida and cattle manure for 45 days. Compared with the control comprising only cattle manure, addition of the APR mixture improved earthworm quality, mainly for low crude ash, high alkaloid compounds and different fat compositions in the Nelumbo residue and the balanced protein proportion of the APR mixture. All the vermicompost especial O. javanica residue added (VO) played efficient roles in removing metals from water initially containing 2.0 mg Cu L-1 and 8.0 mg Zn L-1. There were higher removal efficiencies (Ers) at the dosage of 4 g L-1 with a small microbial contribution. VO significantly increased Ers, which could be from the decrease of phylum Firmicutes (especial Bacteroides) abundance, stronger CH2, C = O, and CH, the addition of COOH groups, and higher organic matter and total phosphorus contents. The combination of VO and Hippuris vulgaris was optimized as an ecological and economical method for treating complex-metal polluted water. Moreover, our study widened the route for APR reuse.

Removal effects of aquatic plants on high-concentration phosphorus in wastewater during summer.

Aquatic plants are widely used in depth treatment of wastewater; however, the phosphorus (P) removal mechanisms of aquatic plants at high temperatures in summer are not well understood. Eight aquatic plants, including two floating species (Ludwigia peploides and Hydrocharis dubia) and six emergent species (Lythrum salicaria, Sagittaria sagittifolia, Canna indica, Sparganium stoloniferum, Rotala rotundifolia, and Ludwigia ovalis), were treated with five P solutions (3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.5 mg L-1) for 5 weeks in a greenhouse during summer at air temperatures ranging from 25 to 35 °C. H. dubia, L. peploides, L. salicaria, and S. sagittifolia showed high water P removal efficiencies (exceeded 95%). Furthermore, their corresponding residual P concentrations in water were almost lower than the limit value of 0.2 mg L-1 of Grade III in the Chinese Environmental Quality Atandards for Surface Water (GB3838-2002). Plants have different water P removal paths. For example, H. dubia enriched more P with water P concentration increasing significantly. As the culture time increased, the water pH fluctuated significantly in the fall, and then H. dubia used the produced H+ enrich P. L. peploides did not enrich P, but proliferated rapidly, to remove P from water by increasing its fresh weight (FW). L. salicaria and S. sagittifolia showed two paths of enrich-P and FW increase. During the growth process of L. salicaria, the stem diameter and leaf length increased with an increase in P concentration in water or plant or both; however, the height and root length of L. peploides were reduced. Moreover, SOD and CAT activities responded to high P concentrations in water or high temperatures or both, which protected against oxidative damage. These findings could offer theoretical foundation and practical guidance for selection of aquatic plant species in depth treatment of wastewater during summer.

Comparison of Phototactic Behavior between Two Migratory Pests, Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera frugiperda.

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an important migratory pest, causing great losses to agricultural production. Light trapping is a pesticide-free method for pest control and is influenced by many factors, especially wavelength and light intensity. In this study, a series of phototactic behavioral assays were carried out and the physical parameters were included to identify phototactic responses of S. frugiperda, with Helicoverpa armigera as control. It was found that S. frugiperda showed the highest average phototactic rate to blue light among five different LED lights. The phototactic rates of the two moths increased gradually with light intensity and were not obviously influenced by sex. In addition, the phototactic rate of S. frugiperda was significantly lower under a low light intensity of UV light than that of H. armigera, further confirmed by the indoor simulation experiment and EC50. According to the obtained parameters, the trapping distance of S. frugiperda to blue light was smaller than that of H. armigera to UV light. Therefore, we summarized a proposal of using blue light for light traps to control S. frugiperda, with a maximum distance of no more than 108 m. These results provide an experimental and theoretical basis for improving light-trapping techniques for managing S. frugiperda.

Identification of sex-biased and neurodevelopment genes via brain transcriptome in Ostrinia furnacalis.

Insect brains play important roles in the regulation of sex-biased behaviors such as mating and oviposition. The neural structure and function of brain differences between males and females have been identified, in which the antenna lobes (AL) showed the most discrepancy, however, the whole repertoire of the genes expressed in the brains and the molecular mechanism of neural signaling and structural development are still unclear. In this study, high-throughput transcriptome analysis of male and female brains was carried on in the Asia corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis, and a total of 39.23 Gb data and 34,092 unigenes were obtained. Among them, 276 genes displayed sex-biased expression by DEG analysis, of which 125 genes were highly expressed in the males and 151 genes were highly expressed in the females. Besides, by homology analysis against genes that have been confirmed to be related to brain neurodevelopment, a total of 24 candidate genes were identified in O. furnacalis. In addition, to further screen the core genes that may be important for sex-biased nerve signaling and neurodevelopment, protein-protein interaction networks were constructed for the sex-biased genes and neurodevelopment genes. We identified 10 (Mhc, Mlc1, Mlc2, Prm, Mf, wupA, TpnC25D, fln, l(2)efl, and Act5C), 11 (PPO2, GNBP3, Spn77Ba, Ppn, yellow-d2, PGRP-LB, PGRP-SD, PGRP-SC2, Hml, Cg25C, and vkg) and 8 (dac, wg, hh, ci, run, Lim1, Rbp9, and Bx) core hub genes that may be related to brain neural development from male-biased, female-biased, and neurodevelopment gene groups. Our results provide a reference for further analysis of the dimorphism of male and female brain structures in agricultural pests.

The Safety of Consuming Water Dropwort Used to Purify Livestock Wastewater Considering Accumulated Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance Genes.

Research is lacking on the health risks of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in water dropwort grown in livestock wastewater. Our results showed that antibiotics from livestock wastewater were absorbed and bioaccumulated by water dropwort. The concentration of antibiotics was higher in the roots than in the stems and leaves. The health-risk coefficients of antibiotics in water dropwort were below the threshold (<0.1), indicating that in this case study, the consumption of water dropwort used to purify livestock wastewater was safe for humans considering accumulated antibiotics. ARGs were closely correlated between livestock wastewater and water dropwort, with the results showing that all 13 ARGs detected in the livestock wastewater were also found in the water dropwort. Tetracycline resistance genes were more abundant than the other ARGs in both the livestock wastewater and water dropwort. The estimated daily intake of ARGs in water dropwort for humans ranged from 2.06 × 106 to 7.75 × 1012 copies g−1, suggesting the potential risk of intaking ARGs in water dropwort cannot be ignored. Although the safety of consuming water dropwort used to purify livestock wastewater, considering accumulated antibiotics and ARGs, was assessed in this study, more studies should be conducted to ensure we fully understand the health risks.

Phytoremediation performance of three traditional ornamental hydrophytes and the structure of their rhizosphere microorganism populations.

The use of phytoremediation technology in urban and rural landscapes can permit both aesthetic and water purification functions to be achieved sustainably. Here, the ability of three ornamental aquatic plant species (Lythrum salicaria L., Sagittaria trifolia L., and Typha orientalis C. Presl) to remove nutrients from simulated contaminated water over 35 days and the structure of their rhizosphere microorganism populations were evaluated to examine their potential to be used for landscape phytoremediation as well as determine the mechanism of nutrient removal. L. salicaria had the highest nutrient removal ability (86.91-96.96% removal efficiency of total nitrogen and 46.04-66.70% removal efficiency of total phosphorus). The population structure of rhizosphere microorganisms was mainly affected by plant species and not the nutrient level of the water body according to principal coordinates analysis and non-metric multi-dimensional scaling. Betaproteobacteriales and Chitinophagales were highly correlated with the content of nutrients in water according to redundancy analysis. The accumulation of the two orders by L. salicaria and higher biomass might explain the stronger removal ability of L. salicaria. The findings of this study indicate that these plants could enhance urban and rural water landscape design; our results also shed new light on the mechanism of phytoremediation by rhizosphere microorganisms.

Trends and Causes of Raw Water Quality Indicators in the Five Most Famous Lakes of Jiangsu Province, China.

Due to pollutants from industrial and agricultural activities, the lakes in China are faced with ecological and environmental problems. The five most famous lakes of Jiangsu Province, Taihu Lake, Gehu Lake, Gaobaoshaobo Lake, Hongze Lake, and Luoma Lake, have long-term fixed monitoring points for water body-related indicators. Over a five-year period, the monitoring showed that Gehu Lake had the highest average total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations among all lakes which were close to the Grade V critical value of the China's Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water (CEQSW). The NH3-N concentrations in all lakes were Grade IV according to the China's Water Quality Standard for Drinking Water Sources (CWQSDWS) and Grade II according to the CEQSW. In addition, although TP concentrations in Taihu Lake did not exceed Grade V in the CEQSW, TP removal was the main factor controlling eutrophication. It was also found that the petroleum concentrations in all lakes were lower than the Grade I according to the CEQSW. Despite this relatively low petroleum pollution, the concentration of petroleum was negatively correlated with the phytoplankton densities in all lakes. This indicated that phytoplankton density was very sensitive to petroleum concentration. For heavy metals, the concentrations of Pb, Cu, As, and Cd in all lakes were significantly lower than Grade I (CEQSW) from 2013 to 2017. However, the accumulated heavy metals in sediments will remain an important pollution source affecting water quality and aquatic products in the future. The comprehensive pollution index analysis showed that the five lakes were often moderately polluted, indicating that the protection of lake resources in China should not be relaxed for a long time in the future.

Removal effects of a biomass bottom ash composite on tailwater phosphate and its application in a rural sewage treatment plant.

Tailwater phosphate from sewage treatment plants and biomass bottom ash (BA) from power plants has become a global concern for the sustainable environmental development and resource management. However, there are large gaps in the understanding of the removal mechanisms and application conditions of BA on tailwater phosphate. In this study, the removal effect and mechanism of BA and its composites were fully discussed using a series of experiments, including adsorption, desorption, characterization, and incubation experiments. It was found that the combination of BA and red soil at a rate of 4:1 (CBA) could remove 92.44% of phosphate from tailwater in 3-10 h. Its adsorption process was well fitted by the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm adsorption models. The mechanism of phosphate adsorption primarily included ligand exchange, physical adsorption, chemical precipitation, electrostatic attraction, and ion exchange. The CBA could be used as a better substrate for constructed wetlands because it was effective under wide application conditions, which varying pH values (4.0-8.0), initial concentrations of tailwater phosphate (0.5-5.0 mg L-1), and even extreme temperatures (heat and cold). Moreover, Hippuris vulgaris L. was optimized and combined with the CBA to deeply remove 57.45-76.06% of phosphate from a rural sewage treatment plant. The phosphate concentration after treatment could reach below the limit values of the Grade III or IV standard (GB 3838-2002), though the CBA contained and released phosphate. This study can help provide a recycling route for both BA and tailwater phosphate resources, extend the industrial chain of biomass power plants, and improve the surrounding water environment.

A case report of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome caused by ANCA-associated vasculitis case report and retrospective analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is a reversible syndrome clinically manifested by significant variations in neuroimaging. Early treatment is indispensable to achieve the reversibility, which requires the punctual alleviation of its inducing factors. PATIENT CONCERNS: Most symptoms of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) patients can be dispelled followed by a good prognosis after the inducement removal. The patient died due to the untimely diagnosis and treatment of the primary disease. Therefore, sufficient attention should be paid to the PRES induced by ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). DIAGNOSIS AND INTERVENTIONS: The patient is a middle-aged male, with acute onset, previous history of hypertension, cholecystectomy, intestinal obstruction, spontaneous renal rupture, etc. For this complaint, the manifestations are mainly blurred vision with convulsion and transient disturbance of consciousness. In 1 day of treatment, these symptoms were relieved, and he was diagnosed as PRES combined with the cranial imaging. The AAV of the patient was confirmed by spleen pathology. OUTCOMES: Despite the relief of most symptoms in 1 day of symptomatic treatment, it is highly likely that the patient eventually died of AAV, it is highly likely that the patient eventually died of AAV which will invade the vascular system due to the failure to treat the primary disease in time. LESSONS: For patients diagnosed as PRES, the punctual identification of cause should be performed, so as to diagnose and correct the cause and primary disease as soon as possible, accompanied with the dynamical observation of the relevant indicators for suspected patients to avoid systemic organ failure.

Abundant Allelochemicals and the Inhibitory Mechanism of the Phenolic Acids in Water Dropwort for the Control of Microcystis aeruginosa Blooms.

In recent years, with the frequent global occurrence of harmful algal blooms, the use of plant allelopathy to control algal blooms has attracted special and wide attention. This study validates the possibility of turning water dropwort into a biological resource to inhibit the growth of harmful Microcystis aeruginosa blooms via allelopathy. The results revealed that there were 33 types of allelopathic compounds in the water dropwort culture water, of which 15 were phenolic acids. Regarding water dropwort itself, 18 phenolic acids were discovered in all the organs of water dropwort via a targeted metabolomics analysis; they were found to be mainly synthesized in the leaves and then transported to the roots and then ultimately released into culture water where they inhibited M. aeruginosa growth. Next, three types of phenolic acids synthesized in water dropwort, i.e., benzoic, salicylic, and ferulic acids, were selected to clarify their inhibitory effects on the growth of M. aeruginosa and their mechanism(s) of action. It was found that the inhibitory effect of phenolic acids on the growth of M. aeruginosa increased with the increase of the exposure concentration, although the algae cells were more sensitive to benzoic acid than to salicylic and ferulic acids. Further study indicated that the inhibitory effects of the three phenolic acids on the growth of M. aeruginosa were largely due to the simultaneous action of reducing the number of cells, damaging the integrity of the cell membrane, inhibiting chlorophyll a (Chl-a) synthesis, decreasing the values of F0 and Fv/Fm, and increasing the activity of the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, and CAT) of M. aeruginosa. Thus, the results of this study indicate that both culture water including the rich allelochemicals in water dropwort and biological algae inhibitors made from water dropwort could be used to control the growth of noxious algae in the future.

Effect of Manure and Compost on the Phytostabilization Potential of Heavy Metals by the Halophytic Plant Wavy-Leaved Saltbush.

This study aimed to use organic fertilizers, e.g., compost and manures, and a halophytic plant [wavy-leaved saltbush (Atriplex undulata)] to remediate an agricultural soil polluted with toxic elements. Compost or manure (1% w/w) was added to a polluted soil in a pot trial. The application of the organic fertilizer, whether compost or manure, led to a significant improvement in the growth of the tested plant. From the physiological point of view, the application of organic fertilizers to polluted soil significantly increased the content of chlorophyll, carotenoid, and proline and, furthermore, led to a clear decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) in the plant leaves. The highest significant values of organic carbon in the polluted soil (SOC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were found for the soil amended by compost and planted with wavy-leaved saltbush. Manure significantly reduced the soil pH to 7.52. Compost significantly decreased Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb availability by 19, 8, 12, and 13%, respectively, compared to the control. On the other hand, manure increased Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb availability by 8, 15, 18, and 14%, respectively. Compost and manure reduced the bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF) of Cd and Pb. Compost was more effective in increasing the phytostabilization of toxic metals by wavy-leaved saltbush plants compared to manure. The results of the current study confirm that the application of non-decomposed organic fertilizers to polluted soils increases the risk of pollution of the ecosystem with toxic elements. The cultivation of contaminated soils with halophytic plants with the addition of aged organic materials, e. g., compost, is an effective strategy to reduce the spreading of toxic metals in the ecosystem, thus mitigating their introduction into the food chain.

A New Green Model for the Bioremediation and Resource Utilization of Livestock Wastewater.

The rapid growth of the livestock and poultry industries has resulted in the production of a large amount of wastewater, and the treatment of this wastewater requires sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches such as phytoremediation. A substrate-free floating wetland planted with water dropwort (Oenanthe javanica), a common vegetable in Southeast China, was constructed to purify a lagoon with anaerobically and aerobically treated swine wastewater in Suqian, China. The average removal rates of total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, and chemical oxygen demand were 79.96%, 95.04%, 86.14%, and 59.91%, respectively, after 40 days of treatment. A total of 98.18 g∙m-2 nitrogen and 19.84 g∙m-2 phosphorus were absorbed into plants per harvest through the rapid growth of water dropwort biomass, and the nitrogen accumulation ability was similar to that observed of other plants, such as water hyacinth. In addition, the edible part of water dropwort was shown to comply with the Chinese National Food Sanitation Standards and be safe for human consumption. Its low soluble sugar content also makes it a suitable addition to the daily diet. Overall, substrate-free floating constructed wetlands planted with water dropwort could be more widely used for livestock wastewater purification and could be integrated with plant-livestock production in China because of its high removal efficiency and recycling utilization of water dropwort biomass.

Removal effects of different emergent-aquatic-plant groups on Cu, Zn, and Cd compound pollution from simulated swine wastewater.

Aquatic plants play effective in removing heavy metal (HM) as a prominent factor of bioremediations, however, there are still knowledge gaps in species selection and configuration for high removal efficiency (RE) of compound HM and ornamental value. In this study, seven emergent-aquatic-plant species were configured into seven groups and planted in a simulated swine wastewater (SW) with Cu, Zn, and Cd for 75 days in summer. REs of Cu, Zn, and Cd were 45.06-86.93%, 42.40-87.22%, and 73.85-85.52% at day 75, respectively. Higher REs were observed from day 30-45 for Cu and Zn, whereas days 15-30 for Cd. The synergistic removal of Zn and Cu or Zn and Cd was almost observed (p < 0.05). The configuration of G5 (S. tabernaemontani, I. sibirica, and P. cordata) was generally efficient roles in the removal at day 45, with REs of 85.14%, 87.06%, and 83.56% for Cu, Zn, and Cd, respectively. The dry weight of roots, water NH4+-N, temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen acted on heavy-metal removal. During days 45-75, concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Cd in G5 were 0.52-0.66, 0.54-0.65, and 0.23-0.33 mg L-1. The former two were below the limits of Grade Ⅱ (1.0 mg L-1) and the latter was above the limits of Grade Ⅴ (0.1 mg L-1; GB3838-2002). Thus, G5 could be optimal for Cu and Zn removal from simulated SW, however, efficient Cd removal is required to ensure efficient SW recycling.

Efficient synergism of V2O5 and Pd for alkaline methanol electrooxidation.

Efficient synergism of high valence state V and Pd nanoparticles imparted their high catalytic performance and anti-poisoning ability for alkaline methanol electrooxidation.

Removal effects of Myriophyllum aquaticum on combined pollutants of nutrients and heavy metals in simulated swine wastewater in summer.

Swine wastewater (SW) treatment by Myriophyllum aquaticum is an important biotechnology for its resource utilization. However, some knowledge gaps remain in compound-pollutant removal in SW, especially in practical applications. To clarify the responses of M. aquaticum to the compound pollutants as well as the related operational parameters in SW treatment, three initial doses (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 kg per pond in 150 L simulated SW) of M. aquaticum and a control (no plant; CK) were allocated to 12 ponds under a plastic roof in Nanjing city of Eastern China during 75 days in the summer of 2019. Results showed that M. aquaticum could be used as a pioneer plant to efficiently remove compounded pollutants of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and especially for heavy metals in simulated SW. Compared with CK, M. aquaticum assisted in improving the total N, NH4+-N, NO3--N, NO2--N, and dissolved organic N by 30.1%, 100%, 100%, 97.6%, 20.2%, 39.8% whereas Cu, Zn, and Cd by 50.4%, 36.4% and 47.9% on average during the 75-day experiment in summer, respectively. Moreover, concentrations of Cu and Cd at day 75 were in the ranges of 1.92-2.82 and 0.64-1.47 g kg-1 DW, respectively, exceeding the corresponding limits of the heavy-metal hyperaccumulator. For the operational parameters, the optimized initial dose was 1.0 kg per pond with M. aquaticum harvested after 45 summer days, respectively. Given that M. aquaticum has been widely used as animal feed in recent years and limit values for Cu and Zn in animal feed are not set in China, the toxicities of Cu and Zn should be assessed and the guideline of their limit values needs to be established for safe feed production. Interestingly, NH4+-N could dominate the removal of heavy metals especially Cd in the simulated SW, however, related mechanisms are needed for further study.

Brain activity alterations in patients with Parkinson's disease with cognitive impairment based on resting-state functional MRI.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the differences in regional homogeneity (ReHo) values in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with cognitive impairment (PD-CI) and thus explore the neuropathological mechanism of PD-CI. METHODS: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained from 36 patients with PD and 20 healthy controls (HCs) in this study. The PD group comprised 20 patients with PD-CI and 16 patients with PD with normal cognitive function (PD-NC). The data were analyzed using ReHo analysis to observe the changes in brain activity in patients with PD-CI and PD-NC. Statistical comparison was performed using covariance analysis and post hoc t tests. RESULTS: The patients in the PD-CI group were older than those in the PD-NC and HC groups. Compared with the HC group, the PD-CI group showed that the ReHo value decreased in the right supplementary motor area, left lingual gyrus, left thalamus, and left precuneus, but increased in the left fusiform gyrus. Compared with the HC group, the PD-NC group showed that the ReHo value decreased in the right cerebellum_6, but increased in the left inferior temporal gyrus, left orbital inferior frontal gyrus, and left precentral gyrus. Compared with the PD-NC group, the PD-CI group showed that the ReHo value decreased in the right precuneus, left triangular inferior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, right opercular inferior frontal gyrus, left orbital inferior frontal gyrus, left supramarginal gyrus, left angular gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus, and right cerebelum_7b, but increased in the left precentral gyrus and left fusiform gyrus. CONCLUSIONS: Age was a risk factor for cognitive decline in patients with PD. The ReHo value in the default mode network (DMN) was closely related to PD cognitive function, and the DMN was affected before CI and continuously deteriorated with disease progression. The disorder of visual conduction pathway was involved in CI in patients with PD, but these patients could recruit cognitive resources by improving visual-spatial ability. The cognitive function in such patients was related to the dopaminergic, cholinergic, and noradrenergic systems. The information transmission efficiency of the cerebellum-thalamus-cortex loop was reduced and involved in the cognitive decline process in patients with PD.