Existing agricultural ecosystem in China leads to environmental pollution: an econometric approach

Abstract

Sustainable agriculture ensures food security and prevents starvation. However, the need to meet the increasing food demands of the growing population has led to poor and unsustainable agricultural practices, which promote environmental degradation. Given the contributions of agricultural ecosystems to environmental pollution, we investigated the impact of the agricultural ecosystem on environmental pollution in China using time series data from 1960 to 2014. We employed several methods for econometric analysis including the unit root test, Johansen test of cointegration, Granger causality test, and vector error correction model. Evidence based on the long-run elasticity indicates that a 1% increase in the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent to nitrous oxide from synthetic fertilizers will increase the emissions of CO₂ by 1.52% in the long run. Similarly, a 1% increase in the area of harvested rice paddy, cereal production, biomass of burned crop residues, and agricultural GDP will increase the carbon dioxide emissions by 0.85, 0.63, 0.37, and 0.22%, respectively. The estimated results indicate that there are long-term equilibrium relationships among the selected variables considered for the agricultural ecosystem and carbon dioxide emissions. In particular, we identified bidirectional causal associations between CO₂ emissions, biomass of burned crop residues, and cereal production.

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A network analysis of indirect carbon emission flows among different industries in China

Abstract

Indirect carbon emissions account for a large ratio of the total carbon emissions in processes to make the final products, and this implies indirect carbon emission flow across industries. Understanding these flows is crucial for allocating a carbon allowance for each industry. By combining input–output analysis and complex network theory, this study establishes an indirect carbon emission flow network (ICEFN) for 41 industries from 2005 to 2014 to investigate the interrelationships among different industries. The results show that the ICEFN was consistent with a small-world nature based on an analysis of the average path lengths and the clustering coefficients. Moreover, key industries in the ICEFN were identified using complex network theory on the basis of degree centrality and betweenness centrality. Furthermore, the 41 industries of the ICEFN were divided into four industrial subgroups that are related closely to one another. Finally, possible policy implications were provided based on the knowledge of the structure of the ICEFN and its trend.

Estimation of marginal abatement costs of CO 2 in Chinese provinces under 2020 carbon emission rights allocation: 2005–2020

Abstract

The calculation of marginal abatement costs of CO₂ plays a vital role in meeting China's 2020 emission reduction targets by providing reference for determining carbon tax and carbon trading pricing. However, most existing researches only used one method to discuss regional and industrial marginal abatement costs, and almost no studies predicted future marginal abatement costs from the perspective of CO₂ emission efficiency. To make up for the gaps, this paper first estimates marginal abatement costs of CO₂ in three major industries of 30 provinces in China from 2005 to 2015 based on three assumptions. Second, based on the principle of fairness and efficiency, China's 2020 emission reduction targets are decomposed by province. Based on the ZSG-C-DDF model, the marginal abatement costs of CO₂ in all provinces in China in 2020 are estimated and compared with the marginal abatement costs of 2005 to 2015. The results show that (1) from 2005 to 2015, marginal abatement costs of CO₂ in all provinces show a fluctuating upward trend; (2) compared with the marginal abatement costs of primary industry or tertiary industry, most provinces have lower marginal abatement costs for secondary industry; and (3) the average marginal abatement costs of CO₂ for China in 2020 are 2766.882 Yuan/tonne for the 40% carbon intensity reduction target and 3334.836 Yuan/tonne for the 45% target, showing that the higher the emission reduction target, the higher the marginal abatement costs of CO₂. (4) Overall, the average marginal abatement costs of CO₂ in China by 2020 are higher than those in 2005–2015. The empirical analysis in this paper can provide multiple references for environmental policy makers.

Effect of polymorphisms in IL‐12B p40, IL‐17A and IL‐23 A/G genes on the response of psoriatic patients to narrowband UVB

Photodermatology, Photoimmunology &Photomedicine, EarlyView.

Prevalence of ALK gene alterations among the spectrum of plexiform spitzoid lesions

ALK gene rearrangements have been described in spitzoid lesions with plexiform growth pattern., ALK alterations characterize a significant subset of Spitz nevi and atypical Spitz tumors and can coexist with BRAF gene mutations., ALK immunohistochemistry represents a simple and relatively inexpensive ancillary technique to classify lesions with ALK gene alterations.

Inflammatory bowel disease events after exposure to the IL-17 inhibitors, secukinumab and ixekizumab: A post-marketing analysis from the RADAR (Research on Adverse Drug events And Reports) Program

Clinical and Histopathological Features of Paraneoplastic Granuloma Annulare in Association with Solid Organ Malignancies: Case Control Study

Granuloma annulare (GA) is a granulomatous skin eruption rarely reported in association with solid organ, lymphoid, and blood malignancies., The clinical and histopathological features of paraneoplastic GA associated with solid organ malignancies are similar to classic GA., Cancer screening should be considered for patients with GA who display signs or symptoms concerning for underlying malignancy.

Alternative Uses of Dermatoscopy In Daily Clinical Practice: An Update

Dermatoscopy is mainly used for the diagnosis of pigmented and non-pigmented skin tumours, The use of dermatoscopy beyond skin tumours is constantly increasing, Dermatoscopy may enhance the clinical diagnosis of various skin disorders, narrowing down the differential diagnosis and avoiding, in selected cases, unnecessary skin biopsy

2-methoxymethyl-para-phenylenediamine containing hair dye as a less allergenic alternative for para-phenylenediamine allergic individuals

The Use of QuikClot Combat Gauze During Mohs Stages for Intra-Operative Hemostasis

Increased Risks of Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases in Patients with Psoriasis: A Nationwide Population-based Study

Onychodystrophy in Sézary syndrome

Differences of Cd uptake and expression of OAS and IRT genes in two varieties of ryegrasses

Abstract

Pot experiment was conducted to study the difference of cadmium uptake and OAS and IRT genes' expression between the two ryegrass varieties under cadmium stress. The results showed that with the increase of cadmium levels, the dry weights of roots of the two ryegrass varieties, and the dry weights of shoots and plants of Abbott first increased and then decreased. When exposed to 75 mg kg⁻¹ Cd, the dry weights of shoot and plant of Abbott reached the maximum, which increased by 11.13 and 10.67% compared with the control. At 75 mg kg⁻¹ Cd, cadmium concentrations in shoot of the two ryegrass varieties were higher than the critical value of Cd hyperaccumulator (100 mg kg⁻¹), 111.19 mg kg⁻¹ (Bond), and 133.69 mg kg⁻¹ (Abbott), respectively. The OAS gene expression in the leaves of the two ryegrass varieties showed a unimodal curve, which was up to the highest at the cadmium level of 150 mg kg⁻¹, but fell back at high cadmium levels of 300 and 600 mg kg⁻¹. The OAS gene expression in Bond and Abbott roots showed a bimodal curve. The OAS gene expression in Bond root and Abbott stem mainly showed a unimodal curve. The expression of IRT genes family in the leaves of ryegrass varieties was basically in line with the characteristics of unimodal curve, which was up to the highest at cadmium level of 75 or 150 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The IRT expression in the ryegrass stems showed characteristics of bimodal and unimodal curves, while that in the roots was mainly unimodal. The expression of OAS and IRT genes was higher in Bond than that in Abbott due to genotype difference between the two varieties. The expression of OAS and IRT was greater in leaves than that in roots and stems. Ryegrass tolerance to cadmium can be increased by increasing the expression of OAS and IRT genes in roots and stems, and transfer of cadmium from roots and stems to the leaves can be enhanced by increasing expression OAS and IRT in leaves.

Intermittent micro-aeration control of methane emissions from an integrated vertical-flow constructed wetland during agricultural domestic wastewater treatment

Abstract

It is very important to control methane emissions to mitigate global warming. An intermittent micro-aeration control system was used to control methane emissions from an integrated vertical-flow constructed wetland (IVCW) to treat agricultural domestic wastewater pollution in this study. The optimized intermittent micro-aeration conditions were a 20-min aeration time and 340-min non-aeration time, 3.9 m³ h⁻¹ aeration intensity, evenly distributed micro-aeration diffusers at the tank bottom, and an aeration period of every 6 h. Methane flux emission by intermittent micro-aeration was decreased by 60.7% under the optimized conditions. The average oxygen transfer efficiency was 26.73%. The control of CH₄ emission from IVCWs was most strongly influenced by the intermittent micro-aeration diffuser distribution, followed by aeration intensity, aeration time, and water depth. Scaling up of IVCWs is feasible in rural areas by using intermittent micro-aeration control as a mitigation measure for methane gas emissions for climate change.

Ultrasonography for classifying lymphatic sclerosis types and deciding optimal sites of lymphatic-venous anastomosis in lymphoedema patients

Publication date: Available online 15 June 2018
Source:Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery
Author(s): Makoto Mihara, Hisako Hara, Yoshihisa Kawakami
We have previously categorised the degree of degeneration of the collecting lymphatic vessels into four types: normal, ectasis, contraction and sclerosis type (NECST classification). Here, we evaluated the collective lymphatic vessels in lymphoedema-affected limbs using ultrasonography. In step 1, we investigated 110 lymphatic vessels from 25 patients with lymphoedema, who underwent lymphatic-venous anastomosis (LVA) following preoperative ultrasonography. We classified the lymphatic vessels using the NECST classification via intraoperative microscopic observation. Postoperatively, we evaluated the preoperative ultrasonographic images and identified the lymphatic vessels. In step 2, we investigated 79 lymphatic vessels from 17 patients. We performed ultrasonography and detected the lymphatic vessels preoperatively and compared the results with the intraoperative findings. This study is not blinded. In step 1, normal-type lymphatic vessels were observed as spicular and flat hypo-echoic lesions on ultrasonography. Ectasis type appeared as a rounded hypo-echoic region and coloured on Doppler imaging once in 20 to 30 s. Contraction type indicated small hypo-echoic region in the centre of the hyper-echoic ellipse. Sclerosis type demonstrated a hyper-echoic ellipse without lumen, similar to fibrotic tissues. In step 2, among 79 lymphatic vessels found intraoperatively, 65 (82.3%) were detected on ultrasonography and 37 (46.8%) were accurately diagnosed according to the NECST classification criteria preoperatively. All lymphatic vessels detected on ultrasonography were found intraoperatively. Collecting lymphatic vessels could be observed with ultrasonography in lymphoedema-affected limbs. Depending on the degree of collective lymphatic vessel sclerosis—corresponding to the NECST classification—various findings such as spicular, rounded, hyper-echoic and the like were presented. Moreover, we can decide optimal sites of LVA preoperatively.

Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus strains and evidence for the involvement of non-classical enterotoxin genes in food poisoning outbreaks

Abstract

To an increasing extent, molecular and genetic characterization is now used to investigate foodborne outbreaks. The aim of this study was to seek molecular links among coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) isolated from three recent food poisoning outbreaks in Romania using polymerase chain reaction and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis techniques. The 19 CPS isolates were identified as Staphylococcus aureus by detection of the 23S rDNA gene. Among them, 15 carried at least one staphylococcal enterotoxin-encoding gene. The Calaraşi outbreak strains grouped in pulsotype 2 and were sed/sej/ser-positive, whereas the Arad outbreak strains clustered in pulsotype 17 and were either sed/seg/sei/sej/ser- or seg/sei-positive. The Piteşti outbreak strains clustered in pulsotype 1 and, surprisingly, possessed only one enterotoxin gene, i.e. seh. Similar to other European countries, the seh gene has been identified with increasing frequency in Romanian outbreaks; this highlights the importance of considering the application of methods recommended for staphylococcal enterotoxin regulation in Europe.

Scale-up of industrial microbial processes

Abstract

Scaling up industrial microbial processes for commercial production is a high-stakes endeavor, requiring time and investment often exceeding that for laboratory microbe and process development. Omissions, oversights and errors can be costly, even fatal to the program. Approached properly, scale-up can be executed successfully. Three guiding principles are provided as a basis: begin with the end in mind; be diligent in the details; prepare for the unexpected. A detailed roadmap builds on these principles. There is a special emphasis on the fermentation step, which is usually the costliest and also impacts downstream processing. Examples of common scale-up mistakes and the recommended approaches are given. It is advised that engineering resources skilled in integrated process development and scale-up be engaged from the very beginning of microbe and process development to guide ongoing R&D, thus ensuring a smooth and profitable path to the large-scale commercial end.

mRNA transcript distribution bias between Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria and their outer membrane vesicles

Abstract

Borrelia burgdorferi, a bacterium in the spirochete phylum, is the causative agent of Lyme disease. Borrelia burgdorferi has a linear chromosome with a number of circular and linear plasmids. Bacteria, including B. burgdorferi, release spherical outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) that are known to carry secretory products including metabolites, nucleic acids and proteins. Herein, we provide the first comparative transcriptomic analysis of the vesicles released from B. burgdorferi. We identified a total of ∼1200 unique transcripts with at least one mapped read from the bacterial cell and its OMVs. We compared the spectrum of transcripts between bacterial cell and its OMVs, and found a biased distribution based on the source of transcripts, i.e. plasmid-encoded transcripts are more likely to be enriched in the OMVs. We validated the distribution for some of the transcripts by qPCR. This analysis provides the first evidence that some of the B. burgdorferi transcripts are preferentially packaged in OMV, which further suggest that the bacteria might use its OMVs for bacteria–bacteria or bacteria–host communications. This report also suggests a possible involvement of Borrelia-derived OMVs in the development of Lyme disease in both early and post disease syndromes.

Ciprofloxacin binding to GyrA causes global changes in the proteome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

Ciprofloxacin is one of the most widely-used antibiotics, and has proven especially effective at controlling infections associated with the opportunistic human pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this work, we show that sub-inhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin induce discrete changes in the intracellular proteome. Central metabolism and cell envelope-associated functions are particularly affected. In spite of the low magnitude of the intracellular proteomic changes, we found that sub-lethal concentrations of ciprofloxacin had substantial effects on motility and exoprotein secretion. Crucially, the proteomic and phenotypic modulations that we observed were absolutely dependent upon the presence of wild-type GyrA; an isogenic strain of P. aeruginosa carrying a ciprofloxacin-insensitive form of GyrA (a T83→I mutant) did not display ciprofloxacin-dependent changes unless complemented with wild-type gyrA in trans. These results show that the diverse effects of sub-inhibitory ciprofloxacin on the cell are routed through its primary target in the cell, DNA gyrase.

Antifungal activity of selected natural preservatives against the foodborne molds Penicillium verrucosum and Aspergillus westerdijkiae

Abstract

The present study examines the inhibitory effect of the essential oil (EO) of Origanum vulgare, its active components carvacrol and thymol, and a few active components of other EOs, namely, eugenol, trans-cinnamaldehyde and 1,8-cineole, against Penicillium verrucosum CBS 302.48, Aspergillus westerdijkiae CBS 112803 and Aspergillus westerdijkiae CBS 112804. Therefore, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by broth macrodilution of each antifungal agent. Regarding their antifungal activity, the following ranking in order of decreasing inhibitory action is: trans-cinnamaldehyde > carvacrol = thymol > O. vulgare EO > eugenol > 1,8-cineole. The combined effects of the natural preservatives were studied by checkerboard assay. The results are based on the fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICIs), which are interpreted as 'synergy', 'no interaction' or 'antagonism'. The indices ranging from 0.8 to 1.3 and thus show no interaction. In addition, the dependence of the natural inhibitors on different pH values (pH 7.0, 5.6, 4.5 and 3.5) and water activity (0.99, 0.92, 0.90 and 0.87 a_w) was investigated. All tested natural preservatives are tolerant to the different examined milieu conditions, with the lowest MICs recorded at pH 3.5 and 0.87 a_w.

Antimicrobial activity of fusidic acid in Escherichia coli is dependent on the relative levels of ribosome recycling factor and elongation factor G

Abstract

During protein synthesis, elongation factor G (EFG) participates at the steps of translocation and ribosome recycling. Fusidic acid (FA) is a bacteriostatic antibiotic, which traps EFG on ribosomes, stalling them on mRNAs. How the bacterial susceptibility to FA is determined, and which of the two functions of EFG (translocation or ribosome recycling) is more vulnerable, has remained debatable. The in vivo studies addressing these aspects of FA mediated inhibition of protein synthesis are lacking. Here, we used a system of Escherichia coli strains and their complementation/supplementation with the plasmid borne copies of the inducible versions of EFG and ribosome recycling factor (RRF) genes. Additionally, we investigated FA sensitivity in a strain with increased proportion of stalled ribosomes. We show that the cells with high EFG/RRF (or low RRF/EFG) ratios are more susceptible to FA than those with low EFG/RRF (or high RRF/EFG) ratios. Our in vivo observations are consistent with the recent in vitro reports of dependence of FA susceptibility on EFG/RRF ratios, and the notion that an overriding target of FA is the translocation function of EFG. An applied outcome of our in vivo study is that FA mediated growth inhibition could be facilitated by depletion or inactivation of cellular RRF.

Photoirradiated caffeic acid as an antimicrobial treatment for fresh produce

Abstract

The antimicrobial efficacy of 400 nm photoirradiated caffeic acid (CA, 5 mM) was evaluated against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria innocua. A stronger antimicrobial effect was observed on E. coli than on L. innocua where the combined treatment resulted in 4 and 1 log(CFU/mL) reductions, respectively. The treatment's effects on cellular metabolism (resazurin assay), uptake of CA (fluorescence technique) and membrane damage (propidium iodide assay) were studied in both species. CA uptake increased in both species, but membrane damage was only observed in E. coli O157:H7. The treatment had minimal impact on metabolic activity in both species. The treatment applied to the surface of spinach leaves was found to be effective against E. coli O157:H7. The novel treatment proposed in this study has the potential to improve the microbial food safety of fresh produce.

Involvement of the nuclear structural proteins in aging-related responses of human skin to the environmental stress