摇蚊幼虫对活性污泥沉降性能的影响及机理

为了利用摇蚊幼虫改善活性污泥的沉降性能,以摇蚊幼虫为研究对象,考查其对污泥沉降性能改善作用的影响因素并探究改善机理.结果表明:投加摇蚊幼虫可以在短时间内明显改善污泥的沉降性能.在投加幼虫密度为每克干污泥中含0.2~1.2 g湿质量摇蚊幼虫时,污泥沉降性能改善效果随虫密度增加而增加.在相同虫密度(每克干污泥中含1.0 g湿质量摇蚊幼虫)的情况下,摇蚊幼虫对污泥质量浓度为5 g/L的活性污泥改善效果最佳.而摇蚊幼虫对污泥沉降性的改善作用与投加摇蚊幼虫后活性污泥2种主要胞外聚合物(蛋白质、多糖)含量以及蛋白质与多糖比值的降低有关.另外,长期试验证实,向污水处理反应器中连续回流摇蚊幼虫培养装置上清液可以使污泥容积指数由120 mL/g降至60 mg/L.     

藻细胞内外有机物氯消毒后典型消毒副产物的生成潜能

为探究藻细胞内外有机物氯化后典型消毒副产物的生成潜能,选取小球藻为研究对象,采用加氯消毒法研究了在不同生长时期及不同氯投加量下典型含碳类消毒副产物(THMs)和含氮类卤代消毒副产物(TCNM)的生成规律,并对二者的生成势进行了对比.结果表明:细胞外有机物(EOM)和细胞内有机物(IOM)提取液的总有机碳(TOC)和有机氮(DON)较高,而芳香结构和不饱和双键的有机质质量浓度很低;从对数生长期到衰亡期,EOM经氯化后TCNM的生成量逐渐增加,IOM的TCNM生成量则呈现先增加后降低的趋势;THMs的生成规律与TCNM相似,但其生成量明显高于TCNM.增加氯投量,EOM的TCNM生成量逐渐升高,IOM的TCNM生成量则先升高后下降;在氯投量为30 mg/L时,IOM的TCNM生成量最高;稳定生长期小球藻细胞的EOM和IOM在氯投量由20 mg/L升高到30 mg/L时,THMs的生成量稳定增加,当氯投量超过30 mg/L时,THMs的生成势显著升高,且三氯甲烷为THMs的主导物种.     

Proteomics of plaques and novel sources of potential biomarkers for atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and loss of productive life years in the world. The underlying syndrome of CVD, atherosclerosis, is a complex disease process, which involves lipid metabolism, inflammation, innate and adaptive immunity, and many other pathophysiological aspects. Furthermore, CVD is influenced by genetic as well as environmental factors. Early detection of CVD and identification of patients at risk are crucial to reduce the burden of disease and to allow personalized treatment. As established risk factors fail to accurately predict which part of the population is likely to suffer from the disease, novel biomarkers are urgently needed. Proteomics can play a significant role in identifying these biomarkers. In this review, we describe the progress made in proteome profiling of the atherosclerotic plaque and several novel sources of potential biomarkers, including circulating cells and plasma extracellular vesicles. The importance of longitudinal biobanking in biomarker discovery is highlighted and exemplified by several plaque proteins identified in the biobank study Athero-Express. Finally, we discuss the PTMs of proteins that are involved in atherosclerosis, which may become one of the foci in the ongoing quest for biomarkers through proteomics of plaque and other matrices relevant to the progression of atherosclerosis.     

Relaxation of the mouse pubic symphysis during late pregnancy is not accompanied by the influx of granulocytes

In some animals, such as mice and guinea pigs, a hormonally controlled mechanism increases the flexibility of the pubic symphysis and enhances the cervical remodeling necessary for safe delivery. Cervical ripening during pregnancy is associated with a paradoxical influx of leukocytes. However, the changes in cell metabolism during relaxation of the mouse pubic symphysis for delivery have not been extensively studied. In this work, we used light microscopy and transmission and scanning electron microcopy, as well as immunohistochemistry and Western blotting for MMP-8, to investigate the involvement of granulocytes or resident stromal cells in the relaxation of the virgin pubic symphysis during late pregnancy (days 18 and 19, before delivery) in vivo and in explanted joints. MMP-8 was studied because this collagenase is a hallmark for cervical ripening associated with the influx of granulocytes during late pregnancy. Extensive dissolution and disorganization of the extracellular matrix was seen around fibroblastic-like cells in late pregnancy. In contrast to the cervix (positive control), morphological and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that there was no characteristic cellular inflammatory response in the interpubic tissue. Staining for MMP-8 was observed in chondroid and fibroblastic-like cells of virgin and relaxed interpubic ligament, respectively. However, no granulocytes were seen during the extensive remodeling of the pubic joint in late pregnancy. These results indicate that constitutive stromal cells may have an important role in tissue relaxation during remodeling of the pubic symphysis in pregnancy.     

Versatile Hypoxic Extracellular Vesicles Laden in an Injectable and Bioactive Hydrogel for Accelerated Bone Regeneration

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as an appealing alternative to cell therapy in regenerative medicine. Unlike bone marrow MSCs (BMSCs) cultured in vitro with normoxia, bone marrow in vivo is exposed to a hypoxic environment. To date, it remains unclear whether hypoxia preconditioning can improve the function of BMSC-derived EVs and be more conducive to bone repair. Herein, it is found that hypoxia preconditioned BMSCs secrete more biglycan (Bgn)-rich EVs via proteomics analysis, and these hypoxic EVs (Hypo-EVs) significantly promote osteoblast proliferation, migration, differentiation, and mineralization by activating the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway. Subsequently, an injectable bioactive hydrogel composed of poly(ethylene glycol)/polypeptide copolymers is developed to improve the stability and retention of Hypo-EVs in vivo. The Hypo-EVs-laden hydrogel shows continuous liberation of Hypo-EVs for 3 weeks and substantially accelerates bone regeneration in 5-mm rat cranial defects. Finally, it is confirmed that Bgn in EVs is a pivotal protein regulating osteoblast differentiation and mineralization and exerts its effects through paracrine mechanisms. Therefore, this study shows that hypoxia stimulation is an effective approach to optimize the therapeutic effects of BMSC-derived EVs and that injectable hydrogel-based EVs delivery is a promising strategy for tissue regeneration.     

Biological cardio-micro-pumps for microbioreactors and analytical micro-systems

Bio-hybrid microsystems actuated by living cells, as micro-bio-actuators and micro-bio-pumps have been developed recently. In these devices biological cells may be powered without external energy sources and the movement or the contraction of muscle cells trigger off the flow of fluid (i.e. culture medium or blood) through microchannels in micro-multi-bioreactor systems. Isolated and in vitro cultured cardiomyocytes (cardiac cells) are the most promising bio-material, which can be used to design a micro-bio-pump/actuator. These spontaneously contracting cells are autonomously powered with glucose as an energy source without any external power supply or stimulus, unlike conventional micro-actuators/micro-pumps. Cardio-micro-bio-pumps/actuators are using collective, synchronous contracting forces of cardiac cells or cardiac cell sheets to drive the flow of fluid. The feasibility of building such actuators was demonstrated in a few examples of bio-hybrid microsystems actuated by single or sheeted cardiomyocytes.     

具有细胞识别信号的组织工程支架材料的研究

组织工程是一门新兴的交叉性学科,寻找理想的具有细胞识别信号的细胞外基质替代材料是目前研究的热点之一.综述了天然聚合物材料、新兴的α-氨基酸类聚合材料等具有细胞识别信号的材料的研究和发展概况.     

Comparison of isolation methods using commercially available kits for obtaining extracellular vesicles from cow milk

Extracellular vesicles (EV) are important for delivering biologically active substances to facilitate cell-to-cell communication. Milk-derived EV are widely known because of their potential for immune enhancement. However, procedures for isolating milk-derived EV have not been fully established. To obtain pure milk-derived EV and accurately reveal their function, such procedures must be established. The aim of the present study was to compare methods using commercially available kits for isolating milk-derived EV. Initially, we investigated procedures to remove casein, which is the major obstacle in determining milk-derived EV purity. We separated whey using centrifugation only, acetic acid precipitation, and EDTA precipitation. Then, we isolated milk-derived EV by ultracentrifugation, membrane affinity column, size exclusion chromatography (SEC), polymer-based isolation, or phosphatidylserine-affinity isolation. Using EV count per milligram of protein, which is a good indicator of purity, we determined that acetic acid precipitation was the best method for removing casein. Using nanoparticle tracking analysis, protein quantity analysis, and RNA quantity analysis, we comprehensively compared each isolation method for its purity and yield. We found that SEC-based qEV column (Izon Science) could collect purer milk-derived EV at higher quantities. Thus, a combination of acetic acid precipitation and qEV can effectively isolate high amounts of pure extracellular vesicles from bovine milk.