Profiling of miRNAs in neonatal cloned bovines with collapsed lungs and respiratory distress.

Neonatal respiratory distress is a major mortality factor in cloned animals; however, the pathogenesis of this disease has rarely been investigated. Previous studies have shown that miRNAs regulate critical genes related to lung development, cell differentiation, surfactant synthesis, secretion and lung disease. This study aimed to examine differentially expressed miRNAs in collapsed lungs of cloned bovine neonates and normal lungs in order to identify key pathways and functions that might be related to the pathogenesis of neonatal respiratory distress. In this study, miRNA transcriptomes of collapsed lungs of neonatal cloned bovines and normal lungs were analysed by next-generation sequencing and the results were validated using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). A total of 177 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in the two groups (fold change > 2, RPM ≥ 5), some of which were associated with type II cell differentiation, for example, mmu-miR-29a-5p_L-2R+1, hsa-miR-200c-5p_L-1R+1 and mmu-miR-18a-3p_R+1. The differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted to 6,031 target genes. By Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopeida of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) DATA base, 133 significant GO terms (p < .05) and 13 significant KEGG pathways (p < .05) were obtained. Many of them were associated with lung development and surfactant homoeostasis, such as lipid biosynthetic processes, protein transport, endocytosis, lysosome, endosome, Golgi apparatus and membrane. Our results of miRNAs express profiles may partially explain the respiratory distress and lung collapse in neonatal bovine clones and could provide novel insights into roles of miRNAs in regulation of lung collapse and neonatal respiratory distress in cloned farm animals.

Degradation of carbamazepine by Fe(II)-activated persulfate process.

Experimental studies were conducted to investigate the oxidative degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ), one of the most frequently detected pharmaceuticals in various waters, by Fe(II)-activated persulfate process. Results show that the Fe(2+)/S2O8(2-) process is very effective for the elimination of CBZ and characterized by a two-stage kinetics (a rapid initial decay followed by a retardation stage). CBZ degradation reaction was observed to be pH dependent and the optimum pH is 3.0 in the range of 2.00-7.87. The concentration of Fe(2+) and S2O8(2-) exhibited a noticeable influence on CBZ removal efficiency, where [S2O8(2-)] exerted more significant effects than that of [Fe(2+)]. The optimal molar ratio of CBZ, Fe(2+), and S2O8(2-) is found to be 1:5:40. The effect of various inorganic anions on CBZ removal was also evaluated under the optimal conditions. The anions NO3(-), SO4(2-) and H2PO4(-)caused a negative effect on the performance of this process, while Cl(-) interestingly accelerated CBZ degradation. The higher the Cl(-) concentration, the faster the CBZ decay rate. The intermediates were identified during CBZ degradation with and without the presence of Cl(-). The evolution of intermediates for these two scenarios was compared. The decay pathways of CBZ were proposed accordingly.

Photocatalytic oxidation of monuron in the suspension of WO3 under the irradiation of UV-visible light.

A comprehensive study of the degradation of monuron, one of the phenylurea herbicides, was conducted by UV-Vis/WO(3) process. It was found that hydroxyl radicals played a major role in the decay of monuron while other radicals (e.g. superoxide) and hole might also contribute to the decomposition of monuron. The oxidation path likely plays a major role in the generation of hydroxyl radicals. The effects of initial pH level, initial concentration of monuron, and inorganic oxidants on the performance of UV-Vis/WO(3) process were also investigated and optimized. Comparison between monuron decay pathways by UV-Vis/WO(3) and UV/TiO(2) was conducted. The decay mechanisms, including N-terminus demethylation, dechlorination and direct hydroxylation on benzene ring, were observed to be involved in the oxidation of monuron in these two processes. Sixteen intermediates were identified during the photodegradation of monuron and degradation pathways were proposed accordingly.

Heterogeneous lollipop-like V2O5/ZnO array: a promising composite nanostructure for visible light photocatalysis.

ZnO/V(2)O(5) core-shell nanostructures have been prepared by a two-step synthesis route through combined hydrothermal growth and magnetron sputtering. After annealing under oxygen ambience, a ZnO/V(2)O(5) heterogeneous lollipop-like nanoarray formed. The microstructure and crystal orientation of those nanolollipops were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), which show single crystal structure. The optical properties were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy and showed quite different absorption curves for the as-deposited and annealed samples. The ZnO/V(2)O(5) nanolollipops demonstrated excellent photocatalytic activity in terms of decomposing 2,6-dichlorophenol (2,6-DCP) under visible light, indicating their promising potential as catalysts for industrial wastewater and soil pollution treatments.

Degradation of linuron by UV, ozonation, and UV/O(3) processes--effect of anions and reaction mechanism.

A comprehensive study of the degradation of linuron, one of the phenylurea herbicides, was conducted by using different treatment processes including UV, ozonation and UV/O(3). The effect of various anions on the performance of ozonation has been examined. N-terminus demethoxylation, photohydrolysis with or without dechlorination, and N-terminus demethylation have been found to be the major mechanisms in the linuron decay under the irradiation of UV at 254 nm while N-terminus demethoxylation, dechlorination and hydroxylation on benzene ring was observed to be involved in the ozonation process. Eight new intermediates were identified in UV process in this study compared with previous studies. Different decay pathways were proposed based on the identified intermediates in the three studied processes. UV/O(3) has demonstrated the best performance among these three processes in terms of LNR decay, mineralization, dechlorination and de-nitrogenation.

Reaction mechanism of linuron degradation in TiO2 suspension under visible light irradiation with the assistance of H2O2.

The application of TiO2/H2O/Vis (visible light) process for the aqueous degradation of linuron (LNR) has been investigated. The performance of TiO/H2O2/Vis process has been compared with other processes such as TiO2/H2O2 in the dark, TiO2/Vis, and H2O2 is in terms of LNR decay. The result showed that more than 70% LNR could be decomposed in the TiO2/H2O2/Vis. The degradation mechanism of LNR by TiO2/H2O2/Vis process has been verified through investigation of the effects of various radical scavengers on the performance of this system, monitoring the generation of photocurrent, and comparing the intermediates and decay pathways of LNR by UV-TiO2 and TiO2/ H2O2/Vis processes with 16 and 17 intermediates identified, respectively. It has been revealed that demethoxylation and demethylation through alkylic-oxidation is the major mechanism of LNR degradation while dechlorination (hydroxylation at the chlorine site) and direct hydroxylation on the benzene ring is minor in both processes. Mineralization and release of chlorine and nitrogen have been also studied.

A new approach to quantify the degradation kinetics of linuron with UV, ozonation and UV/O3 processes.

The degradation of linuron, one of phenylurea herbicides, was investigated for its reaction kinetics by different treatment processes including ultraviolet irradiation (UV), ozonation (O3), and UV/O3. The decay rate of linuron by UV/O3 process was found to be around 3.5 times and 2.5 times faster than sole-UV and ozone-alone, respectively. Experimental results also indicate overall rate constants increased exponentially with pH above 9.0 while the increase of rate constants with pH below 9 is insignificant in O3 system. All dominant parameters involved in the three processes were determined in the assistant of proposed linear models in this study. The approach was found useful in predicting the process performances through the quantification of quantum yield (Phi(LNR)) (rate constant for the formation of free radical HOO(.-) from ozone decomposition at high pH), rate constant of linuron with ozone ((k(O3,LNR)), rate constant of linuron with hydroxyl radical (k(OH,LNR)), and alpha (the ratio of the production rate of OH() and the decay rate of ozone in UV/O3 system).

Reductimetric determination of peroxydisulphate, hydrogen peroxide, sodium perborate, nitrate and nitrite in concentrated phosphoric acid medium with iron(II).

A direct reductimetric method for the determination of peroxydisulphate, hydrogen peroxide, sodium perborate, nitrate and nitrite in fairly concentrated phosphoric acid medium with iron(II) has been developed, with both potentiometric and visual end-point detection. Cacotheline, Methylene Blue, thionine, Azure A, Azure B, Azure C, Toluidine Blue, new Methylene Blue, ferroin, N-phenylanthranilic acid, p-ethoxychrysoidine and barium diphenylaminesulphonate are used as indicators. The method is useful in the analysis of binary mixtures of peroxydisulphate and peroxide or perborate and in the estimation of the nitrate content of fertilizers.