Distribution of POPs,pesticides and antibiotic residues in organic honeys from different production areas

Demand for honey is increasing, especially if it is organic and if its nutritional properties are linked to untreated environments in order to guarantee quality for health. Sources of contamination of honey can be divided into environmental and apicultural. Therefore, the distribution of persistent organic pollutants, pesticides and antibiotic residues from geographical areas with different contamination sources (high anthropic impact, intensive farming, husbandry and low anthropic impact) was investigated in order to confirm the potential transfer of xenobiotics into the supply chain and to give beekeepers tools for the selection of areas dedicated to organic production. The presence of polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ether and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was confirmed, not only in proximity to highly urbanised centres, where the concentrations were higher, but in all environment contexts, confirming their ubiquity. No antibiotics or neonicotinoids were detected in 95 organic honeys, demonstrating the absence of apicultural treatments and consequently the good quality of honey of different areas. These results are important due to the undefined regulatory European situation on honey antibiotic limits.     

The Activity of Small Urea-γ-AApeptides Toward Gram-Positive Bacteria

Host Defense Peptides (HDPs) have gained considerable interest due to the omnipresent threat of bacterial infection as a serious public health concern. However, development of HDPs is impeded by several drawbacks, such as poor selectivity, susceptibility to proteolytic degradation, low-to-moderate activity and requiring complex syntheses. Herein we report a class of lipo-linear α/urea-γ-AApeptides with a hybrid backbone and low molecular weight. The heterogeneous backbone not only enhances chemodiversity, but also shows effective antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria and is capable of disrupting bacterial membranes and killing bacteria rapidly. Given their low molecular weight and ease of access via facile synthesis, they could be practical antibiotic agents.     

A test method for evaluating the thermal environment of underground coal mine refuge alternatives

Since 2009, the Mine Safety and Health Administration(MSHA) has required mines to install refuge alternatives(RAs) in underground coal mines. One of the biggest concerns with occupied RAs is the possible severity of the resulting thermal environment. In 30 CFR 7.504, the maximum allowable apparent temperature(AT) for an occupied RA is specified as 35 °C(95 °F). Manufacturers must conduct heat/humidity tests to demonstrate that their RAs meet the 35 °C(95 °F) AT limit. For these tests, heat input devices are used to input the metabolic heat of actual miners. A wide variety of test methods, sensors, and heat input devices could be used when conducting such tests. Since 2012, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) has conducted over thirty 96-hour heat/humidity tests on four different RAs. This paper discusses the test equipment and procedures used during these investigations. This information is useful for RA manufacturers conducting RA heat/humidity tests, for other researchers investigating RA heat/humidity buildup, and for those who need to assess the thermal environment of any confined space where people may be trapped or are seeking refuge.     

Discovery of the Tiancilactone Antibiotics by Genome Mining of Atypical Bacterial Type II Diterpene Synthases

Although genome mining has advanced the identification, discovery, and study of microbial natural products, the discovery of bacterial diterpenoids continues to lag behind. Herein, we report the identification of 66 putative producers of novel bacterial diterpenoids, and the discovery of the tiancilactone (TNL) family of antibiotics, by genome mining of type II diterpene synthases that do not possess the canonical DXDD motif. The TNLs, which are broad‐spectrum antibiotics with moderate activities, are produced by both Streptomyces sp. CB03234 and Streptomyces sp. CB03238 and feature a highly functionalized diterpenoid skeleton that is further decorated with chloroanthranilate and γ‐butyrolactone moieties. Genetic manipulation of the tnl gene cluster resulted in TNL congeners, which provided insights into their biosynthesis and structure–activity relationships. This work highlights the biosynthetic potential that bacteria possess to produce diterpenoids and should inspire continued efforts to discover terpenoid natural products from bacteria.     

Identification of Sortilin Alternatively Spliced Variants in Mouse 3T3L1 Adipocytes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder defined by systemic insulin resistance. Insulin resistance in adipocytes, an important regulator of glucose metabolism, results in impaired glucose uptake. The trafficking protein, sortilin, regulates major glucose transporter 4 (Glut4) movement, thereby promoting glucose uptake in adipocytes. Here, we demonstrate the presence of an alternatively spliced sortilin variant (Sort^17b), whose levels increase with insulin resistance in mouse 3T3L1 adipocytes. Using a splicing minigene, we show that inclusion of alternative exon 17b results in the expression of Sort^17b splice variant. Bioinformatic analysis indicated a novel intrinsic disorder region (IDR) encoded by exon 17b of Sort^17b. Root mean square deviation (RMSD) and root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) measurements using molecular dynamics demonstrated increased flexibility of the protein backbone within the IDR. Using protein–protein docking and co-immunoprecipitation assays, we show robust binding of Glut4 to Sort^17b. Further, results demonstrate that over-expression of Sort^17b correlates with reduced Glut4 translocation and decreased glucose uptake in adipocytes. The study demonstrates that insulin resistance in 3T3L1 adipocytes promotes expression of a novel sortilin splice variant with thus far unknown implications in glucose metabolism. This knowledge may be used to develop therapeutics targeting sortilin variants in the management of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.     

交变磁场对聚合硫酸铁水解产物的影响

电镜扫描分析,交变磁场下聚合硫酸铁晶体颗粒尺寸明显比非磁化PFS要大,应该是由于磁结晶效应。采用红外光谱、X射线衍射,确定了磁化作用并没有使PFS形成新羟基键化合物,排除其结构上的差异。而通过紫外光谱分析发现,磁化作用使Fe(c)含量减小,推断在交变磁场作用下,使得Fe3+水合离子化合物的束缚力增强,抑制Fe3+进一步生成Fe(c)这类高聚态化合物,从而使Fe(a)、Fe(b)这类低聚态铁离子水合化合物含量增多。     

海盐污秽下悬式绝缘子闪络电压特性试验

通过涂污的XP-70型绝缘子在盐雾条件下的人工污秽试验,研究在粉尘污染源较少且靠近海的地区海盐污秽单独对表面洁净绝缘子闪络特性的影响,以及在粉尘污染源较多且靠近海的地区粉尘污秽和海盐污秽共同对绝缘子闪络特性的影响。试验结果表明:盐雾电导率越大,绝缘子的闪络电压越低;绝缘子表面等值附盐密度越大,其闪络电压越低。针对沿海地区环境情况,对海盐污染地区绝缘子选型提出建议:粉尘污源较少地区选用钟罩型玻璃绝缘子;粉尘污源较多地区选用复合绝缘子,但应综合考虑其老化特性。     

电能替代的市场推广策略及实施

国网重庆市区供电分公司构建了"四全"市场推广策略,即资源整合全方位、机遇把握全掌控、数据支撑全过程和业务办理全快速。通过整合公司内部和外部资源,开展热泵热水锅炉、电窑炉、商用电磁灶等技术推广工作。在推广过程中依托科学的样本数据、已实施项目运行数据和政府补贴政策,说服客户快速锁定电能替代项目,最终实现用户能源费用的节约和售电市场的增长。