Transgenerational Effects of Di(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate on Anogenital Distance,Sperm Functions and DNA Methylation in Rat Offspring

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is widely used as a plasticizer in the manufacture of polyvinylchloride plastics and has been associated with concerns regarding male reproductive toxicity. In this study, we hypothesized that maternal exposure to DEHP induces transgenerational inheritance of adult-onset adverse reproductive outcomes through the male germline in the F1, F2, and F3 generations of male offspring. Pregnant rats were treated with 5 or 500 mg of DEHP/kg/day through gavage from gestation day 0 to birth. The offspring body weight, anogenital distance (AGD), anogenital index (AGI), sperm count, motility, and DNA fragmentation index (DFI) were measured for all generations. Methyl-CpG binding domain sequencing was performed to analyze sperm DNA methylation status in the F3. DEHP exposure at 500 mg/kg affected AGD, AGI, sperm count, mean DFI, and %DFI in the F1; AGD, sperm count, and mean DFI in the F2; and AGD, AGI, mean DFI, and %DFI in the F3. DEHP exposure at 5 mg/kg affected AGD, AGI, sperm count, and %DFI in the F1; sperm count in the F2; and AGD and AGI in F3. Compared with the control group, 15 and 45 differentially hypermethylated genes were identified in the groups administered 5 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg DEHP, respectively. Moreover, 130 and 6 differentially hypomethylated genes were observed in the groups administered 5 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg DEHP. Overall, these results demonstrated that prenatal exposure to DEHP caused transgenerational epigenetic effects, which may explain the observed phenotypic changes in the male reproductive system.     

Simultaneous bioelectricity generation and pollutants removal of sediment microbial fuel cell combined with submerged macrophyte

A submerged macrophyte sediment microbial fuel cell (SP-SMFC) was constructed in this study. Ceratophyllum demersum L., Vallisneria natans, Hydrilla verticillate were chosen as the submerged plants to form cer-SMFC, val-SMFC, hyd-SMFC systems. Plant groups showed the advantage of bioelectricity generation and pollutants removal compared with the unplanted system. The cer-SMFC group stood out with the maximum power density as 24.56 mW m^?2 and the average pollutants removal in overlying water (COD: 81.16%, TN: 65.27%, TP: 79.10%) and in sediments (TN: 26.40%, TP: 21.79%). The determination of root exudates and radial oxygen loss (ROL) demonstrated that C. demersum L. was superior to other studied submerged macrophytes. More root exudates may contribute to an increase in available substrates for electrochemically active bacteria and other microorganisms. Higher enzyme activities were obtained in three SP-SMFCs (especially in cer-SMFC). ATPase and APA activities in cer-SMFC group were increased by over 40% compared with the control. The results indicated that the presence of plants enhanced the microorganism activities, thereby improving bioelectricity generation and pollutants removal. This study will facilitate the application of SP-SMFC technology as an alternative for in situ remediation of polluted sediments.     

Methanobactin-Mediated Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles Supported over Al2O3 toward an Efficient Catalyst for Glucose Oxidation

Methanobactin (Mb) is a copper-binding peptide that appears to function as an agent for copper sequestration and uptake in methanotrophs. Mb can also bind and reduce Au(III) to Au(0). In this paper, Au/Al₂O₃ catalysts prepared by a novel incipient wetness-Mb-mediated bioreduction method were used for glucose oxidation. The catalysts were characterized, and the analysis revealed that very small gold nanoparticles with a particle size <4 nm were prepared by the incipient wetness-Mb-mediated bioreduction method, even at 1.0% Au loading (w/w). The influence of Au loading, calcination temperature and calcination time on the specific activity of Au/Al₂O₃ catalysts was systematically investigated. Experimental results showed that decomposing the Mb molecules properly by calcinations can enhance the specific activity of Au/Al₂O₃ catalysts, though they acted as reductant and protective agents during the catalyst preparation. Au/Al₂O₃ catalysts synthesized by the method exhibited optimum specific activity under operational synthesis conditions of Au loading of 1.0 wt % and calcined at 450 °C for 2 h. The catalysts were reused eight times, without a significant decrease in specific activity. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt at the preparation of Au/Al₂O₃ catalysts by Mb-mediated in situ synthesis of gold nanoparticles.     

(?)-Epicatechin-3-O-β-d-allopyranoside from Davallia formosana,Prevents Diabetes and Hyperlipidemia by Regulation of Glucose Transporter 4 and AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphorylation in High-Fat-Fed Mice

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the antidiabetic and lipid-lowering effects of (−)-epicatechin-3-O-β-d-allopyranoside (BB) from the roots and stems of Davallia formosana in mice. Animal treatment was induced by high-fat diet (HFD) or low-fat diet (control diet, CD). After eight weeks of HFD or CD exposure, the HFD mice were treating with BB or rosiglitazone (Rosi) or fenofibrate (Feno) or water through gavage for another four weeks. However, at 12 weeks, the HFD-fed group had enhanced blood levels of glucose, triglyceride (TG), and insulin. BB treatment significantly decreased blood glucose, TG, and insulin levels. Moreover, visceral fat weights were enhanced in HFD-fed mice, accompanied by increased blood leptin concentrations and decreased adiponectin levels, which were reversed by treatment with BB. Muscular membrane protein levels of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) were reduced in HFD-fed mice and significantly enhanced upon administration of BB, Rosi, and Feno. Moreover, BB treatment markedly increased hepatic and skeletal muscular expression levels of phosphorylation of AMP-activated (adenosine monophosphate) protein kinase (phospho-AMPK). BB also decreased hepatic mRNA levels of phosphenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), which are associated with a decrease in hepatic glucose production. BB-exerted hypotriglyceridemic activity may be partly associated with increased mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α (PPARα), and with reduced hepatic glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) mRNA levels in the liver, which decreased triacylglycerol synthesis. Nevertheless, we demonstrated BB was a useful approach for the management of type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia in this animal model.     

Assessment of Effective Monitoring Sites in a Reservoir Watershed by Support Vector Machine Coupled with Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm for Sediment Flux Prediction during Typhoons

Water Resources Management - Effectively assessing crucial monitoring sites with suspended sediment concentration (SSC) is a vital challenge for achieving accurate prediction of sediment flux on...     

Morphological Stabilization by Supramolecular Perfluorophenyl‐C60 Interactions Leading to Efficient and Thermally Stable Organic Photovoltaics

A new PC₆₁BM‐based fullerene, [6,6]‐phenyl‐C₆₁ butyric acid pentafluorophenyl ester (PC₆₁BP^F) is designed and synthesized. This new n‐type material can replace PC₆₁BM to form a P3HT:PC₆₁BP^F binary blend or serve as an additive to form a P3HT:PC₆₁BM:PC₆₁BP^F ternary blend. Supramolecular attraction between the pentafluorophenyl group of PC₆₁BP^F and the C₆₀ cores of PC₆₁BP^F/PC₆₁BM can effectively suppress the PC₆₁BP^F/PC₆₁BM materials from severe aggregation. By doping only 8.3 wt% PC₆₁BP^F, device PC₆₁BP^F651 exhibits a PCE of 3.88% and decreases slightly to 3.68% after heating for 25 h, preserving 95% of its original value. When PC₆₁BP with non‐fluorinated phenyl group is used to substitute PC₆₁BP^F, the stabilizing ability disappears completely. The efficiencies of PC₆₁BP651 and PC₆₁BP321 devices significantly decay to 0.44% and 0.11%, respectively, after 25 h isothermal heating. Most significantly, this strategy is demonstrated to be effective for a blend system incorporating a low band‐gap polymer. By adding only 10 wt% PC₆₁BP^F, the PDTBCDTB: PC₇₁BM‐based device exhibits thermally stable morphology and device characteristics. These findings demonstrate that smart utilization of supramolecular interactions is an effective and practical strategy to control morphological evolution.     

Real-time Neural-network-based Ensemble Typhoon Flood Forecasting Model with Self-organizing Map Cluster Analysis: A Case Study on the Wu River Basin in Taiwan

Accurate hourly real-time flood forecasting is necessary for early flood warning systems, especially during typhoon periods. Artificial intelligence methods have been increasingly used for real-time flood forecasting. This study developed a real-time flood forecasting model by using back-propagation networks (BPNs) with a self-organizing map (SOM) to create ensemble forecasts. Random weights and biases were set for the BPNs to learn the characteristics of a catchment system. An unsupervised SOM network with a classification function was then used to cluster representative BPN weights and biases; clusters of BPNs with high accuracy were selected to act as experts for the ensemble models to forecast flow rates. The model was applied to flood events in the Wu River Basin of Taiwan. Most observed values were within the forecasting intervals of the BPN clusters in the calibration and validation phases, indicating that the models had acceptable accuracy. For the large flood events of typhoons Saola in the calibration phase and Soulik in the validation phase, the mean average error of the ensemble mean model for the cluster A was 143.1 and 327.4 m³/s, respectively; these values were lower than those for the best individual model within the cluster (194.3 and 917.9 m³/s). The ensemble model thus outperformed the individual models and can accurately forecast flood values and intervals. Therefore, the model can be used to accurately forecast floods.

     

E-auction web assessment model in China

Electronic auction (e-auction), a major e-commerce model, has enjoyed rapid growth in many countries. This study develops a web assessment model (EAWAM) from a consumer perspective that suggests that user intention to continue using an e-auction website is based on users’ satisfaction with the e-auction website, which is determined by perceived e-auction user friendliness, functionality and interactivity. Web trustworthiness serves as an important antecedent to perceived e-auction user friendliness and functionality. To validate this model, a survey was conducted using 191 users of Taobao.com from 15 cities in China. Partial Least Square analysis results provided strong support for this model and also yielded important implications and suggestions for further research.     

高产聚-β-羟基丁酸酯的甲烷氧化菌OB3b和光合菌共培养体系驯化

提高甲烷氧化菌Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b和光合菌共培养体系中聚-β-羟基丁酸酯（poly-β-hydroxybutyrate,PHB）的产量。方法 采用丰盛-饥饿间歇供料法对共生菌进行好氧开放式培养,以生长速度、PHB产量、特征性酶甲烷单加氧酶活性为主要指标,考察驯化过程中共培养体系PHB产量及甲烷氧化菌活性的变化。结果 经过四轮的丰盛-饥饿间歇供料驯化,丰盛期细胞密度可达1.2以上,饥饿期细胞密度下降速度显著降低,细胞存活率高,驯化作用明显,菌体内PHB含量从11.76%增加到37.34%（w/w）,传代稳定性良好。结论 通过丰盛－饥饿间歇供料模式驯化后的共培养体系PHB产量明显提高,得到了稳定的高产PHB甲烷氧化菌-光合菌共培养体系。