Anaerobic biodegradation enables zero liquid discharge of two-stage nanofiltration system for microelectronic wastewater treatment.

Nanofiltration (NF) is a promising technology in the treatment of microelectronic wastewater. However, the treatment of concentrate derived from NF system remains a substantial technical challenge, impeding the achievement of the zero liquid discharge (ZLD) goal in microelectronic wastewater industries. Herein, a ZLD system, coupling a two-stage NF technology with anaerobic biotechnology was proposed for the treatment of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH)-contained microelectronic wastewater. The two-stage NF system exhibited favorable efficacy in the removal of conductivity (96 %), total organic carbon (TOC, 90 %), and TMAH (96 %) from microelectronic wastewater. The membrane fouling of this system was dominated by organic fouling, with the second stage NF membrane experiencing a more serious fouling compared to the first stage membrane. The anaerobic biotechnology achieved a near-complete removal of TMAH and an 80 % reduction in TOC for the first stage NF concentrate. Methyloversatilis was the key genus involved in the anaerobic treatment of the microelectronic wastewater concentrate. Specific genes, including dmd-tmd, mtbA, mttB and mttC were identified as significant players in mediating the dehydrogenase and methyl transfer pathways during the process of TMAH biodegradation. This study highlights the potential of anaerobic biodegradation to achieve ZLD in the treatment of TMAH-contained microelectronic wastewater by NF system.

Anaerobic hydrolysis of recalcitrant tetramethylammonium from semiconductor wastewater: Performance and mechanisms.

The treatment of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH)-bearing wastewater, generated in the electronic and semiconductor industries, raises significant concerns due to the neurotoxic, recalcitrant, and bio-inhibiting effects of TMAH. In this study, we proposed the use of an anaerobic hydrolysis bioreactor (AHBR) for TMAH removal, achieving a high removal efficiency of approximately 85%, which greatly surpassed the performance of widely-used advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Density functional theory calculations indicated that the unexpectedly poor efficiency (5.8-8.0%) of selected AOPs can be attributed to the electrostatic repulsion between oxidants and the tightly bound electrons of TMAH. Metagenomic analyses of the AHBR revealed that Proteobacteria and Euryarchaeota played a dominant role in the transformation of TMAH through processes such as methyl transfer, methanogenesis, and acetyl-coenzyme A synthesis, utilizing methyl-tetrahydromethanopterin as a substrate. Moreover, several potential functional genes (e.g., mprF, basS, bcrB, sugE) related to TMAH resistance have been identified. Molecular docking studies between five selected proteins and tetramethylammonium further provided evidence supporting the roles of these potential functional genes. This study demonstrates the superiority of AHBR as a pretreatment technology compared to several widely-researched AOPs, paving the way for the proper design of treatment processes to abate TMAH in semiconductor wastewater.

The ginsenoside Rh2 protects porcine oocytes against aging and oxidative stress by regulating SIRT1 expression and mitochondrial activity.

Post-ovulatory aging, a major problem faced by oocytes cultured in vitro, causes oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction in oocytes. The ginsenoside Rh2 is one of the main monomeric components of ginseng, but its effects on porcine oocytes are unknown. In the present study, in vitro aging (IVA) and accelerated induction of aging using H2O2 resulted in DNA damage and an increased incidence of abnormal spindle formation in porcine oocytes. Rh2 supplementation increased the antioxidant capacity, reduced the occurrence of early apoptosis, and improved the development of in vitro fertilized blastocysts. It also rescued the abnormal aggregation of mitochondria and the decrease of the mitochondrial membrane potential under mitochondrial dysfunction. Meanwhile, Rh2 enhanced mRNA expression of the anti-aging and mitochondrial biogenesis-related genes silent information regulator of transcription 1 (SIRT1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor coactivator 1-α (PGC-1α), and the antioxidant gene superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). The protection of porcine oocytes against aging and oxidative stress by Rh2 was confirmed using the SIRT1-specific inhibitor EX-527. Our results reveal that Rh2 upregulates SIRT1/PGC-1α to enhance mitochondrial function in porcine oocytes and improve their quality. Our study indicates that Rh2 can be used to prevent mitochondrial dysfunction in oocytes.

Application of PCR-RFLP for quick identification of MSTN mutants in MSTN mutant pig breeding.

Knockout of the MSTN gene is linked to the enlarged tongue, and it causes suckling difficulty in animals. The suckling difficulty has a severe effect on animal mortality. Thus, special care was required to ensure their survivability. Here, it is critical to promptly ascertain the genotype of all pigs after birth. The main objective of the present study was to develop the restriction enzyme-mediated PCR-RFLP assay for MSTN mutant pig genotyping. To accomplish this, conserved oligonucleotide primer and restriction site were deduced according to the mutated sequence of the MSTN mutant pigs. PCR amplification yielded a 176 bp band for all homozygous MSTN mutant (MSTN-/-), heterozygous MSTN mutant (MSTN+/-) and wild-type (WT) pigs. However, MSTN+/- samples produced two fragments with 176 and 87 bp, and WT samples produced one fragment with 87 bp after being digested by BstNI. MSTN-/- samples were not digested by BstNI and yielded a 176 bp band. Thus, we were able to determine the genotype of all pigs using BstNI restriction enzyme-mediated PCR-RFLP method. Overall, the present study reported a simple and fast PCR-RFLP genotyping method for MSTN mutant pig breeding. The present study may contribute to the establishment of commercial breeding systems and the production of double muscle pigs.

Harnessing Nickel Phthalocyanine-Based Electrochemical CNT Sponges for Ammonia Synthesis from Nitrate in Contaminated Water.

Electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia is of great interest in water treatment with regard to the conversion of contaminants to value-added products, which requires the development of advanced electrodes to achieve high selectivity, stability, and Faradaic efficiency (FE). Herein, nickel phthalocyanine was homogeneously doped into the fiber of a carbon nanotube (CNT) sponge, enabling the production of an electrode with high electrochemical double-layer capacitance (CDL) and a large electrochemically active surface area (ECSA). The as-prepared NiPc-CNT sponge could achieve 97.6% nitrate removal, 88.4% ammonia selectivity, and 86.8% FE at a nitrate concentration of 50 mg-N L-1 under an optimized potential of -1.2 V (vs Ag/AgCl). Meanwhile, the ammonia selectivity could be further improved at the high nitrate concentration. Density functional theory calculations showed that the exposure of Ni-N4 active sites could effectively suppress the hydrogen evolution reaction and dinitrogen generation, enhancing the ammonia selectivity and Faradaic efficiency. Overall, this work sheds light on the conversion of nitrate to ammonia on the metal phthalocyanine-based electrode, offering a novel strategy for managing nitrate in wastewater.

Effect of myostatin gene mutation on erythrocyte osmotic fragility, hematological parameters and fatty acid composition of serum and erythrocyte membranes in piglets.

Fatty acid composition of serum and erythrocyte membrane, erythrocyte osmotic fragility and hematological parameters were estimated with the objective of determining effects of the gene mutation in one-week-old MSTN homozygous mutant (KO, MSTN-/-), heterozygous mutant (MSTN-/+) and wild type (WT, MSTN+/+) piglets (n = 4 each). Erythrocyte osmotic fragility, complete blood count (CBC), and fatty acid composition of serum and erythrocyte membrane were determined by flow cytometric analysis, automated hematology analyzer system, and liquid chromatography, respectively. Mean of median corpuscular fragility (MCF) was lower (P < 0.05, 0.001) in KO than MSTN-/+ and WT piglets. KO piglets had decreased (P < 0.05) white blood cell (WBC) count, lymphocyte (LYM) count, platelet (PLT) count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), red cell distribution width-standard deviation (RDW-SD), red cell distribution width-coefficient volume (RDW-CV), plateletcrit (PCT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR), and an increased red blood cell (RBC) count when compared with MSTN-/+ and WT piglets. The ratios of unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) to saturated fatty acid (SFA) concentrations in serum and erythrocyte membranes of MSTN KO piglets were 2-fold and 4-fold higher compared to WT piglets (P < 0.001), respectively. In conclusion, MSTN KO piglets had a decreased erythrocyte osmotic fragility, and altered hematological profile and fatty acid composition of serum and erythrocyte membranes, as characteristic phenotype.

Removal of p-toluenesulfonic acid from wastewater using a filtration-enhanced electro-Fenton reactor.

Rapid global industrialization accompanies the discharge of industrial wastewater. p-Toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA), a kind of aromatic sulfonate that belongs to the refractory organic pollutant, is one of the most widely used chemicals in pharmaceutical, dye, petrochemical and plastic industries. In this study, we developed a filtration-enhanced electro-Fenton (FEEF) reactor to remove PTSA from synthetic wastewater. A filtration-enhanced stainless-steel mesh (FESSM) was used as the cathode. Under the optimal operating conditions of applied voltage 2.5 V, pH = 3.0, addition of 0.2 mM Fe2+ and 1.0 mM H2O2 for 120 min, the removal efficiency of PTSA (initial concentration of 100 mg L-1) could reach 92.6%. Compared with the control anodic oxidation and conventional Fenton system, the FEEF system showed higher ˙OH yield and PTSA removal efficiency, with a lower effluent biological toxicity and operating cost. The enhanced mass transfer rate by the filtration in the FEEF system accelerated the regeneration of catalyst Fe2+ and further promoted the heterogeneous reactions. The Fe species on the surface of FESSM cathode possessed a gradient distribution, the inner layer was dominated by Fe and the outer layer was Fe3+. The degradation pathways of PTSA were proposed, including methyl hydroxylation, sulfonyl hydroxylation, ß-hydrogen hydroxylation, and ring-opening reaction. These results demonstrate that the novel FEEF system is a promising technology for the removal of refractory organic pollutants from industrial wastewater.

Silencing myostatin increases area fraction of smooth muscle in the corpus cavernosum of pigs.

Myostatin (MSTN), an inhibitor of skeletal muscle growth, is also expressed in penile smooth muscle; however, it is unclear whether MSTN plays an inhibitory role in penile smooth muscle growth. We investigated the role of MSTN in the smooth muscle of the penile corpus cavernosum of pigs using MSTN homozygous mutant knockout (KO) and wild type (WT) pigs (n = 4 in each group). The mean of area fraction (%) of smooth muscle in the penile corpus cavernosum was 65.9 % ± 1.79 in the KO and approximately 41.7 % ± 5.39 in the WT (P < 0.001). KO pigs showed significantly increased expression of smooth muscle-specific genes, including smooth muscle protein 22 (TAGLN) (6.62-fold), smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (MYH11) (2.41-fold), myocardin (MYOCD) (3.05-fold), and serum response factor (SRF) (4.95-fold), and decreased expression of vimentin (VIM) (1.36-fold). Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting showed smooth muscle-specific expression of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) and calponin was higher in KO pigs (P < 0.05) than in WT pigs. KO pigs had less fat deposition inside the corpus cavernosum, and showed downregulation of adiponectin (ADIPOQ) and fatty acid synthase (FASN) (2.5-fold and 1.9-fold loss, respectively). In vitro experiments showed MSTN interference promoted corporal smooth muscle cell growth and expression of smooth muscle-specific markers, whereas it downregulated the expression of fat-specific genes, ADIPOQ and FASN. MSTN inhibition could promote smooth muscle growth and decrease fat deposition in the corpus cavernosum. MSTN, thus, could be a possible target for the treatment of smooth muscle dystrophy-related disorders such as erectile dysfunction.

Efficient removal of neonicotinoid by singlet oxygen dominated MoSx/ceramic membrane-integrated Fenton-like process.

Removal of neonicotinoids (NEOs) from contaminated water is of great importance for both ecological environment and human health. However, conventional Fenton process might be insufficient for NEOs removal due to short lifetime for generated HO• and limited Fe3+/Fe2+ redox cycle. Advancing Fenton process to produce singlet oxygen can be an effective route to improve its efficacy for NEOs removal. Herein, we developed a molybdenum sulfide modified ceramic membrane-integrated Fenton-like system to achieve efficient catalytic removal of NEOs. The reduced Mo0 and Mo4+ could promote the reduction process of Fe3+ to Fe2+, improving the activation efficiency of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the generation of superoxide radical (O2•-). Consequently, the coexisting Mo6+ reacted with O2•- to generate 1O2. The membrane enabled the pollutants to adequately contact oxidants due to the enhanced convective mass transfer. The functionalized membrane exhibited stable catalytic performance for clothianidin (CLO, a kind of NEOs, 10 mg/L) removal (degradation efficiency > 85%). The presence of 1O2 enabled the dechlorination and hydroxylation of CLO and thus reduced the toxicity of wastewater. Our work sheds light on the use of functionalized ceramic membrane integrated catalytic Fenton system for effective environmental remediation.

Myostatin deficiency decreases cardiac extracellular matrix in pigs.

Myostatin (MSTN), a member of the TGF-ß superfamily, negatively regulates muscle growth. MSTN inhibition has been known to cause a double-muscled phenotype in skeletal muscle and fibrosis reduction in the heart. However, the role of MSTN in the cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) needs more studies in various species of animal models to draw more objective conclusions. The main objective of the present study was to investigate whether loss of MSTN affects the cardiac extracellular matrix in pigs. Three MSTN knockouts (MSTN-/-) and three wild type (WT) male pigs were generated by crossing MSTN ± heterozygous gilts and boars. Cardiac ECM and underlying mechanisms were determined post-mortem. The role of MSTN on collagen expression was investigated by treating cardiac fibroblasts with active MSTN protein in vitro. MSTN protein was detected in WT hearts, while no expression was detected in MSTN-/- hearts. The heart-to-body weight ratio was significantly decreased in MSTN-/- pigs. The morphometric analyses, including picrosirius red staining, immunofluorescent staining, and ultra-structural thickness examination of the endomysium, revealed a significant reduction of connective tissue content in MSTN-/- hearts compared to WT. Hydroxyproline, type I collagen (Col1A), and p-Smad3/Smad3 levels were significantly lower in MSTN-/- hearts in vivo. On the contrary, cardiac fibroblasts treated with exogenous MSTN protein overexpressed Col1A and activated Smad and AKT signaling pathways in vitro. The present study suggests that inhibition of MSTN decreases cardiac extracellular matrix.

Positive growth of smooth muscle in uterine horns of myostatin homozygous mutant gilt.

Current studies on myostatin (MSTN), a well-known negative regulator of skeletal muscle, studies mainly focus on the its effects on skeletal muscle.However, its effects on smooth muscle are less studied, especially in the uterine horns. To identify the role of MSTN in uterine horn smooth muscle, this study used 6-8-month-old homozygous MSTN mutant (MSTN-/-) gilts in anoestrum as animal models. Histochemical and immunofluorescence staining, western blotting, and RT-qPCR were performed. The results showed that the uteri of the MSTN-/- gilts were morphologically normal, and the uterine horn smooth muscle content was increased (MSTN-/-: 75.19%, Wild type: 51.52%, P < 0.01). In vivo immunofluorescence staining showed that the expression of the uterine horn smooth muscle-specific marker proteins, namely α-smooth muscle actin (ACTA2) and calponin, increased after MSTN knockout (1.41- and 1.21-fold, respectively, P < 0.05). Increased gene expression was also seen in MSTN-/- gilts in vivo for ACTA2 (approximately 2-fold), smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (7.14-fold), myocardin (9.32-fold), and serum response factor (2.17-fold). Protein expression of smooth muscle-specific markers was increased (1.51-fold for ACTA2, 1.57-fold for calponin, P<0.05). MSTN knockout promoted proliferation of the smooth muscle cell and the gene expression of c-kit, a peristaltic marker (2.43-fold, P < 0.05). The results of the in vitro experiments were consistent with those of the in vivo experiments. The present study indicates that MSTN knockout can increase the smooth muscle content of uterine horns, thus providing potential therapeutic targets for pregnancy disorders caused by increased smooth muscle content.

Analysis of meat color, meat tenderness and fatty acid composition of meat in second filial hybrid offspring of MSTN mutant pigs.

The objective of this study was to assess the meat quality in second filial hybrid offspring of MSTN-/- cloning boars × Chinese Bama sows with initial mean body weight of 90.52 ± 0.68 kg. Compared with wild-type pigs, the feed utilization rate of MSTN-/- pigs showed an increasing trend (adjusted P = 0.06), loin eye area of MSTN-/- and MSTN+/- pigs increased (adjusted P < 0.01) and thickness of subcutaneous fat decreased (adjusted P < 0.01), the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids in meat of MSTN-/- pigs increased (adjusted P < 0.05). By means of histochemical staining, immunofluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, qRT-PCR and WB technologies, it was verified that the decreased meat color score of MSTN-/- pigs was related to the increase of type IIB muscle fiber, and the increased pork tenderness was related to the decrease of collagen content. Overall, this research provides reference for the further utilization of MSTN gene mutant pigs.

Efficient removal of micropollutants from low-conductance surface water using an electrochemical Janus ceramic membrane filtration system.

Electrochemical membrane filtration (EMF) technology is effective to remove the micropollutant in the wastewater but its efficacy is drastically compromised in treating the surface water having a typically low conductivity. In this work, a Janus Fe-Pt electrochemical ceramic membrane (ECM) was fabricated by depositing a thin Fe layer on the side of a ceramic membrane facing feed (cathode) and Pt layer on the other side facing permeate (anode). The low Fe-Pt electrode distance (∼1 mm) ensured a decent conductance of the EMF system even in the low-salinity surface water and thereby maintained the removal efficiency of the micropollutant. It was identified that hydroxyl radicals (•OH) generated via anodic water oxidation and cathodic heterogenous Fenton process on bilateral sides of ECM were the dominant reactive oxygen species. The EMF system not only achieved 74% removal of atrazine (ATZ) from the low-conductance synthetic surface water with a low energy consumption (3.6 Wh per gATZ or 7.2 Wh m - 3), but also realized a stable removal of ATZ from real surface water over a continuous filtration experiment of 168 h. The theoretical computations and experimental analysis identified the degradation pathway, i.e., the dechlorination and dealkylation of ATZ in the EMF system. This study highlights the great potential of the Janus ECM in removing micropollutants from low-conductance surface water and wastewater.

Altered fibrinogen level and fibrin clot structure in myostatin homozygous mutant pig.

Obesity is associated with increased serum fibrinogen level. Myostatin (MSTN), a strong inhibitor of skeletal muscle growth, is recognized as a potential target for obesity. However, the effect of MSTN inhibition on fibrinogen is not largely known. The objective of the present study was to explore fibrinogen levels after MSTN inhibition. Fibrinogen levels and the fibrin clot structure of MSTN homozygous knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) pigs (n = 4 in each group) were investigated. The protein expression of fibrinogen in the serum and liver of KO pigs decreased greatly (1.6-fold loss for serum and 2.5-fold loss for liver). KO pigs showed significantly decreased gene expression of fibrinogen chains: FGA (fibrinogen-α; 11-fold), FGB (fibrinogen-ß; 8-fold) and FGG (fibrinogen-γ; 7.4-fold). The basal transcriptional regulators of fibrinogen, HNF1 (hepatocyte nuclear factor 1) and CEBP-α (CCAAT/Enhancing-binding protein-alpha) were remarkably down-regulated after interruption of MSTN expression by siRNA (small interfering RNA) in cultured hepatocytes (about 2- and 4-fold, respectively). Compared with WT pigs, KO pigs displayed altered fibrin clot structure with thinner fibers, decreased turbidity and increased permeability. The findings indicate that the inhibition of MSTN could affect fibrinogen levels and the fibrin clot structure.

Recent advances in membrane biofilm reactor for micropollutants removal: Fundamentals, performance and microbial communities.

The occurrence of micropollutants (MPs) in water and wastewater imposes potential risks on ecological security and human health. Membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR), as an emerging technology, has attracted much attention for MPs removal from water and wastewater. The review aims to consolidate the recent advances in membrane biofilm reactor for MPs removal from the standpoint of fundamentals, removal performance and microbial communities. First, the configuration and working principles of MBfRs are reviewed prior to the discussion of the current status of the system. Thereafter, a comprehensive review of the MBfR performance for MPs elimination based on literature database is presented. Key information on the microbial communities that are of great significance for the removal performance is then synthesized. Perspectives on the future research needs are also provided in this review to ensure the development of MBfRs for more cost-effective elimination of MPs from water and wastewater.

Efficacy of a novel electrochemical membrane-aerated biofilm reactor for removal of antibiotics from micro-polluted surface water and suppression of antibiotic resistance genes.

An electrochemical membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (EMABR) was developed for removing sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP) from contaminated water. The exertion of electric field greatly enhanced the degradation of SMX and TMP in the EMABR (~60%) compared to membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR, < 10%), due to the synergistic effects of the electro-oxidation (the generation of reactive oxygen species) and biological degradation. Microbial community analyses demonstrated that the EMABR enriched the genus of Xanthobacter, which was potentially capable of degrading aromatic intermediates. Moreover, the EMABR had a lower relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) (0.23) compared to the MABR (0.56), suggesting the suppression of ARGs in the EMABR. Further, the SMX and TMP degradation pathways were proposed based on the detection of key intermediate products. This study demonstrated the potential of EMABR as an effective technology for removing antibiotics from micro-polluted surface water and suppressing the development of ARGs.

Association of myostatin deficiency with collagen related disease-umbilical hernia and tippy toe standing in pigs.

Herein, we investigate the high incidence of umbilical hernia and tippy-toe standing and their underlying changes in gene expression and proliferation in myostatin knockout (MSTN-/-) pigs. Thirty-six male MSTN-/- pigs were generated by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). These pigs presented a considerably high incidence of tippy-toe standing and umbilical hernia (69.4% and 61.1%, respectively). The tendon to body weight ratio was significantly lower than wild-type pigs (0.202 ± 0.017 vs 0.250 ± 0.004, respectively). The crimp length of the MSTN-/- tendon was significantly longer than that of wild-type pigs. The expression of MSTN and the activin type IIB (ACVR2B) was detected in the tendon and linea alba of MSTN-/- pigs. MSTN treatment significantly increased the phosphorylation of Smad2/3 in both tendon and linea alba fibroblasts. Type I collagen (Col1A) and Scleraxis (Scx) expression levels in the tendon and linea alba of MSTN-/- pigs were significantly lower than those in wild-type in vivo, whereas and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 (p21) expression levels were higher. Treatment of tendon and linea alba fibroblasts with recombinant MSTN increased Col1A and Scx and decreased p21 expression in vivo. Moreover, there was a significant increase in fibroblast proliferation after treatment. The results indicated that MSTN regulates collagen expression and proliferation in tendon and linea alba fibroblasts; thus, MSTN deficiency causes collagen-related pathological features in MSTN-/- pigs. Hence, MSTN could be used as a therapeutic target for treating UH and tendon abnormalities.

Ginsenoside Rb1 protects porcine oocytes against methylglyoxal damage thus it improves the quality of parthenogenetic activation and in vitro fertilization embryos.

Panax ginseng, a functional food, has been widely used as an edible nourishment and medicinal supplement. Ginsenoside Rb1 is a major bioactive ingredient of ginseng, which shows very specific anti-apoptosis and anti-oxidant activities. Methylglyoxal (MGO) is one of intermediate products of glucose metabolism, which is absorbed easily from high sugar foods or carbonated beverages. It may involve in a variety of detrimental processes in vivo. However, it has not been fully explored the effects of ginsenoside Rb1 on MGO-induced oocytes damage. This study found that MGO-induced DNA damage and mitochondrial dysfunction result in the failure of porcine oocytes maturation and low in vitro development capacity of parthenogenetic activation (PA) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos. Conversely, Rb1 supplementation recovered the rate of maturation, and improved in vitro development capacity of PA and IVF embryos. Rb1 also provided porcine oocytes a lower level of reactive oxygen species production, higher level of ATP content and mitochondrial membrane potential, and stimulated pluripotency gene expression in blastocysts. The findings of this study reveal ginsenoside Rb1 protects porcine oocyte from the cytotoxicity effects of methylglyoxal and provides novel perspectives for the protection of reproduction system by functional food of ginseng.

Reproduction traits of heterozygous myostatin knockout sows crossbred with homozygous myostatin knockout boars.

Few studies exist on homozygous myostatin gene mutant (MSTN-/- ) pigs, especially on their reproductive ability. We have previously shown that semen quality of homozygous MSTN-/- boars is comparable to that of wild type (WT). However, no data exist on the reproductive ability of heterozygous MSTN gene mutant (MSTN+/ - ) sows. The present study highlights showed that the heterozygous MSTN+/ - sows have delayed pubertal age than WT sows (255.80 ± 6.79 versus 191.10 ± 3.42, respectively). The number of services per pregnancy of heterozygous MSTN+/ - sows is significantly higher than that of WT sows (3.33 ± 0.43 versus 1.60 ± 0.25, respectively). Moreover, although heterozygous MSTN+/ - sows have natural reproduction ability, their litter size was significantly lower than that of WT sows (7.75 ± 0.44 versus 14.25 ± 0.60, respectively). Offsprings generated from heterozygous MSTN+/ - sow and homozygous MSTN-/- boar were genotyped with the PCR and sequencing method to detect myostatin mutation and to identify whether the piglets are homozygous MSTN-/- or heterozygous MSTN+/ - . The proportion of homozygous MSTN-/- piglets was significantly lower than that of heterozygous MSTN+/ - piglets (2.50 ± 0.35 versus 5.25 ± 0.60, respectively). Furthermore, none of the sows presented dystocia, and the phenotype of heterozygous MSTN+/ - piglets was normal. However, 10% homozygous MSTN-/- piglets died of dyspnoea within 2 hr after birth, 60% of homozygous MSTN-/- piglets showed large tongues, and 50% had umbilical hernias. In summary, this study for the first time reports the reproduction traits of heterozygous MSTN+/ - sows crossbred with homozygous MSTN-/- boars. This study will pave the way in a new direction for the breeding and development of super lean meat varieties in the future.

An electrochemical membrane biofilm reactor for removing sulfonamides from wastewater and suppressing antibiotic resistance development: Performance and mechanisms.

Sulfonamides, such as sulfadiazine (SDZ), are frequently detected in water and wastewater with their toxic and persistent nature arousing much concern. In this work, a novel electrochemical membrane biofilm reactor (EMBfR) was constructed for the removal of SDZ whilst suppressing the development of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Results showed that the EMBfR achieved 94.9% removal of SDZ, significantly higher than that of a control membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) without electric field applied (44.3%) or an electrolytic reactor without biofilm (77.3%). Moreover, the relative abundance of ARGs in the EMBfR was only 32.0% of that in MBfR, suggesting that the production of ARGs was significantly suppressed in the EMBfR. The underlying mechanisms relate to (i) the change of the microbial community structure in the presence of the electric field, leading to the enrichment of potential aromatic-degrading microorganisms (e.g., Rhodococcus accounting for 51.0% of the total in the EMBfR compared to 10.0% in the MBfR) and (ii) the unique degradation pathway of SDZ in the EMBfR attributed to the synergistic effect between the electrochemical and biological processes. Our study highlights the benefits of EMBfR in removing pharmaceuticals from contaminated waters and suppressing the development (and transfer) of ARGs in the environment.