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Environmental Research Jul 2024The widespread application of rare earth elements (REEs) in contemporary industries and agriculture, has caused emerging contaminant accumulation in aquatic...
The widespread application of rare earth elements (REEs) in contemporary industries and agriculture, has caused emerging contaminant accumulation in aquatic environments. However, there is a limited scope of risk assessments, particularly in relation to human health associated with REEs. This study investigated the provenance, and contamination levels of REEs, further evaluating their environmental and human health risks in river sediments from an agricultural basin. The concentrations of REEs ranged from 30.5 to 347.7 mg/kg, with showing an upward trend from headwater to downstream. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model identified natural and anthropogenic input, especially from agricultural activities, as the primary source of REEs in Mun River sediments. The contamination assessment by the geoaccumulation index (I-geo) and pollution load index (PLI) confirmed that almost individual REEs in the samples were slightly to moderately polluted. The potential ecological risk index (PERI) showed mild to moderate risks in Mun River sediment. Regular fertilization poses pollution and ecological risks to agricultural areas, manifesting as an enrichment of light REEs in river sediments. Nevertheless, Monte Carlo simulations estimated the average daily doses of total REEs from sediments to be 0.24 μg/kg/day for adults and 0.95 μg/kg/day for children, comfortably below established human health thresholds. However, the risk of REE exposure appears to be higher in children, and sensitivity analyses suggested that REE concentration contributed more to health risks, whether the adults or children. Thus, concerns regarding REE contamination and risks should be raised considering the wide distribution of agricultural regions, and further attention is warranted to assess the health risks associated with other routes of REE exposure.
Topics: Metals, Rare Earth; Rivers; Thailand; Humans; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Geologic Sediments; Risk Assessment; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Exposure
PubMed: 38643820
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118968 -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... May 2024The knowledge of major sources, sinks, and the burial fate of various pollutants added to modern aquatic ecosystems under changing environmental conditions is limited...
The knowledge of major sources, sinks, and the burial fate of various pollutants added to modern aquatic ecosystems under changing environmental conditions is limited but crucial for our sustainability. In this context, the spatial distributions and causative factors of organic matter (OM) and heavy metal accumulations have been explored in modern lacustrine sediments of a large urbanized and protected wetland (ULB: Upper Lake Bhopal) in Central India. For this purpose, geochemical properties, in particular, stable isotopes (δC and δN) were measured in the ULB surficial sediments (core depth ∼0-1 cm; n = 19), and additionally collected riverbed sediments (n = 2) and atmospheric free-fall dust samples (n = 3) from the lake periphery. The major and trace element data indicate widespread mafic sediment provenance and nearly dysoxic lacustrine conditions. The riverine supply of soil OM from cropped lands and the lake productivity (algae, largely sustained by nutrients from sewage and agricultural runoff) are the major OM sources to the western and eastern lake portions, respectively. The fractional contribution from autochthonous TOC (∼0.19-0.95, mean ∼0.62) predominates that of allochthonous TOC (∼0.05-0.81, mean ∼0.38). Whereas, atmospheric dust deposition is a primary anthropogenic source of heavy metals (Pb and Zn). The lake productivity rather than soil OM or any mineral sorbent is found responsible for the anthropogenic enrichments of Pb and Zn in the ULB surficial sediments, especially on the eastern ULB portion under high anthropogenic pressure. Therefore, the settled OM (primarily autochthonous) being oxidizable acts as a temporary but major sink of anthropogenic heavy metals in modern lacustrine sediments, which are vulnerable to heavy metal efflux to the water column by sediment diagenesis.
Topics: Geologic Sediments; Metals, Heavy; Environmental Monitoring; Lakes; Water Pollutants, Chemical; India; Wetlands; Carbon Isotopes; Nitrogen Isotopes
PubMed: 38631445
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123964 -
Scientific Reports Apr 2024Understanding the physiological and biochemical responses of tree seedlings under extreme drought stress, along with recovery during rewatering, and potential...
Understanding the physiological and biochemical responses of tree seedlings under extreme drought stress, along with recovery during rewatering, and potential intra-species differences, will allow us to more accurately predict forest responses under future climate change. Here, we selected seedlings from four provenances (AH (Anhui), JX (Jiangxi), HN (Hunan) and GX (Guangxi)) of Schima superba and carried out a simulated drought-rewatering experiment in a field-based rain-out shelter. Seedlings were progressively dried until they reached 50% and 88% loss of xylem hydraulic conductivity (PLC) (i.e. P and P), respectively, before they were rehydrated and maintained at field capacity for 30 days. Leaf photosynthesis (A), water status, activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and proline (Pro) concentration were monitored and their associations were determined. Increasing drought significantly reduced A, relative water content (RWC) and SOD activity in all provenances, and Pro concentration was increased to improve water retention; all four provenances exhibited similar response patterns, associated with similar leaf ultrastructure at pre-drought. Upon rewatering, physiological and biochemical traits were restored to well-watered control values in P-stressed seedlings. In P-stressed seedlings, Pro was restored to control values, while SOD was not fully recovered. The recovery pattern differed partially among provenances. There was a progression of recovery following watering, with RWC firstly recovered, followed by SOD and Pro, and then A, but with significant associations among these traits. Collectively, the intra-specific differences of S. superba seedlings in recovery of physiology and biochemistry following rewatering highlight the need to consider variations within a given tree species coping with future more frequent drought stress.
Topics: Droughts; Superoxide Dismutase; Proline; China; Plant Leaves; Photosynthesis; Seedlings; Trees; Water
PubMed: 38627563
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59467-9 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Apr 2024
Topics: Humans; Prognosis; Models, Statistical; Decision Support Techniques; Checklist
PubMed: 38626949
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.q824 -
IEEE Transactions on Visualization and... Jun 2024The study of cultural artifact provenance, tracing ownership and preservation, holds significant importance in archaeology and art history. Modern technology has...
The study of cultural artifact provenance, tracing ownership and preservation, holds significant importance in archaeology and art history. Modern technology has advanced this field, yet challenges persist, including recognizing evidence from diverse sources, integrating sociocultural context, and enhancing interactive automation for comprehensive provenance analysis. In collaboration with art historians, we examined the handscroll, a traditional Chinese painting form that provides a rich source of historical data and a unique opportunity to explore history through cultural artifacts. We present a three-tiered methodology encompassing artifact, contextual, and provenance levels, designed to create a "Biography" for handscroll. Our approach incorporates the application of image processing techniques and language models to extract, validate, and augment elements within handscroll using various cultural heritage databases. To facilitate efficient analysis of non-contiguous extracted elements, we have developed a distinctive layout. Additionally, we introduce ScrollTimes, a visual analysis system tailored to support the three-tiered analysis of handscroll, allowing art historians to interactively create biographies tailored to their interests. Validated through case studies and expert interviews, our approach offers a window into history, fostering a holistic understanding of handscroll provenance and historical significance.
PubMed: 38625782
DOI: 10.1109/TVCG.2024.3388523 -
Data in Brief Jun 2024To identify potential heavy minerals in the Mbiame floodplain in the Northwestern region of Cameroon, geochemical and petrographical data from alluvial deposits were...
To identify potential heavy minerals in the Mbiame floodplain in the Northwestern region of Cameroon, geochemical and petrographical data from alluvial deposits were utilized. The grains are mixed with inclusions of zircon and ilmenite, and the megacrysts come from felsic to intermediate igneous rocks like old basalt-andesite and magmatic gneiss. The Mbiame region lies between latitudes 6° 8' and 6° 24' N and longitudes 10° 39' and 10° 57' E, East of Mount Oku. One of the principal volcanic massifs on the Cameroon Volcanic Line (CVL), Mt. Oku is situated over a basement composed of migmatites, biotite diorites, and Pan-African granite-gneisses that date back to 600 Ma. The Mbiame Floodplain is located in the Pan African Fold Belt, which is made up of the Benin-Nigeria belt, which is a component of the Central African Fold Belt, and the Trans-Saharan belt. Between the Congo and West African cratons is a heavily eroded and deformed combination of Neoproterozoic plutonic and volcanic arcs and Paleoproterozoic micro-continents. The Central Cameroon Shear Zone serves as the primary lineament for the Pan African Orogeny, which is structurally separated into the Northwestern Cameroon Domain (NWC), the Adamawa-Yade Domain (AYD), and the Yaounde Domain (YD) in Cameroon. The field work was carried out during the dry season. During the field campaign, numerous bulk sediments were sampled from three (03) pits of vertical lithological succession along the left terrace of the Mbiame plain and twelve (12) were selected for laboratory analyses. The criteria for sample collection were based on texture (grain size) and color parameters. To identify the heavy minerals in the sediments and to understand the source of the sediments, the selected 12 bulk samples from the different layer of the pits were dried and sieved for heavy mineral determination. Heavy mineral separation was performed on about 2 g of the concentrate using bromoform liquid and the retained heavy minerals were mounted and observed under a petrographic microscope for optical properties identification. Twelve (12) bulk sediment samples weighing 100 g each were ground up in a mild steel pulverizer before being examined for major and trace elements. At Acme Analytical Laboratories Ltd., Vancouver, Canada, the geochemical study was carried out utilizing a combination of mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for trace elements and inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-ES) for significant oxides. Lithium metaborate/tetraborate (LiBO/LiBO) flux was combined with 0.2 g of sample in crucibles, and the mixture was fused in a furnace. After the beads cooled, they were digested in ACS-grade nitric acid and then subjected to ICP-MS analysis. To calculate loss on ignition (LOI), a sample split at 1000 °C was ignited, and the weight loss was then measured. Data of this paper are further presented and discussed in Etutu et al. [1].
PubMed: 38617021
DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110383 -
The Science of the Total Environment Jun 2024Determining whether and to what extent the relative abundance of heavy minerals in original detrital assemblage has been modified by mechanical transport is beneficial...
Determining whether and to what extent the relative abundance of heavy minerals in original detrital assemblage has been modified by mechanical transport is beneficial for understanding regional historical climate changes and acquiring modern sediment provenance information. Utilizing the frequency of surface mechanical optical textures of heavy minerals may be an effective approach to address this question. However, the connection between the frequency surface mechanical optical textures of heavy minerals and the variations in the relative abundance of these minerals remains uncertain. In this study, 12 modern aeolian sand samples were collected from the Badain Jaran Desert in hyper arid region of northwestern China, characterized by weak weathering to analyze their relative contents of five major heavy minerals. Then, 3796 transparent heavy mineral grains were photographed under the parallel light of a polarizing microscope, and the frequency of 13 surface mechanical optical textures were calculated. The results reveal that the variations in the relative abundance of heavy minerals are substantially influenced by mechanical transport. The decrease in the relative abundance of heavy minerals with weak mechanical stability primarily attributed to mechanical collision. Conversely, the variations in the relative abundance of heavy minerals with strong mechanical stability are primarily influenced by mechanical abrasion. Therefore, mechanical transport impact on the relative abundance of heavy minerals in regions with weak chemical weathering. Establishing heavy mineral characteristic indices for provenance studies using the relative abundance of mechanically unstable minerals may not directly indicate transport distance but rather the strength of wind forces, which have significant potential in palaeo wind regime studies. This study expands the research field of sediment surface micromorphology and has potential applications in inferring past climate changes and determining modern sediment provenance.
PubMed: 38614347
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172364 -
Plant Methods Apr 2024BACKGROUND QUERCUS: seeds that are recalcitrant to desiccation and freezing temperatures cannot be stored in gene banks under conventional conditions. However, the...
BACKGROUND QUERCUS: seeds that are recalcitrant to desiccation and freezing temperatures cannot be stored in gene banks under conventional conditions. However, the germplasm of some recalcitrant seeded species can be stored in liquid nitrogen (-196 °C). Unfortunately, for many species, among them for almost the whole genus Quercus, an effective cryostorage method is still unknown. In this study, we propose a successful cryostorage protocol for Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. germplasm using plumules (a shoot apical meristem of an embryo) frozen on aluminium cryo-plates. RESULTS: The plumules isolated from the acorns of ten provenances were prestored in 0.5 M sucrose solution (for 18 h). To form alginate beads (one plumule per bead), the plumules were placed in the wells of a cryo-plate and embedded in calcium alginate gel. For cryoprotection, the encapsulated plumules were immersed in cryoprotectant solution containing 2.0 M glycerol and different concentrations of sucrose (0.8-1.2 M) for 40 min at 25 °C and desiccated under a laminar flow cabinet for 1.0-4.0 h. Cryo-plates with plumules were directly immersed in liquid nitrogen and then cryostored for 30 min. For rewarming, cryo-plates with plumules were immersed in 1.0 M sucrose solution and rehydrated for 15 min at 25 °C. Survival rates varied from 25.8 to 83.4 were achieved after cryoprotection in 1.0 M sucrose solution and the drying of plumules for 2 h. The in vitro regrowth rate of cryopreserved plumules varied among provenances and was 26-77%. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents, for the first time, a successful, simple and effective protocol for the cryopreservation of Q. petraea germplasm that could be used in gene banks. The experiment was successfully repeated on seeds from various provenances, each yielding similar, good results. However, seed quality and storage time after harvesting are important factors in plumule regrowth after cryopreservation.
PubMed: 38610046
DOI: 10.1186/s13007-024-01161-y -
Progress in Brain Research 2024The chapter reviews certain topics in outline. It starts with a brief account of the nature of surgery. This is followed by a short account of modern management of...
The chapter reviews certain topics in outline. It starts with a brief account of the nature of surgery. This is followed by a short account of modern management of cranial trauma including the evolution of notions of anatomy and pathophysiology. It is emphasized that these principles are and must be irrelevant to the management of cranial trauma in the period covered in this book from Hippocrates to the end of the 18th century. Historical errors arising from assuming modern principles applied in historical practice are mentioned. Finally, the risks inherent in accepting images without questioning their authorship and provenance is also mentioned.
Topics: Humans; Craniocerebral Trauma
PubMed: 38609288
DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2024.02.001 -
Frontiers in Genetics 2024is one of the most important species for short-fiber pulp production in regions where other species of the genus are affected by poor soil and climatic conditions. In...
is one of the most important species for short-fiber pulp production in regions where other species of the genus are affected by poor soil and climatic conditions. In this context, holds promise as a resource to address and adapt to the challenges of climate change. Despite its rapid growth and favorable wood properties for solid wood products, the advancement of its improvement remains in its early stages. In this work, we evaluated the performance of two single nucleotide polymorphism, (SNP), genotyping methods for population genetics analysis and Genomic Selection in . Double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) was compared with the EUChip60K array in 308 individuals from a provenance-progeny trial. The compared SNP set included 8,011 and 19,008 informative SNPs distributed along the 11 chromosomes, respectively. Although the two datasets differed in the percentage of missing data, genome coverage, minor allele frequency and estimated genetic diversity parameters, they revealed a similar genetic structure, showing two subpopulations with little differentiation between them, and low linkage disequilibrium. GS analyses were performed for eleven traits using Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (GBLUP) and a conventional pedigree-based model (ABLUP). Regardless of the SNP dataset, the predictive ability (PA) of GBLUP was better than that of ABLUP for six traits (Cellulose content, Total and Ethanolic extractives, Total and Klason lignin content and Syringyl and Guaiacyl lignin monomer ratio). When contrasting the SNP datasets used to estimate PAs, the GBLUP-EUChip60K model gave higher and significant PA values for six traits, meanwhile, the values estimated using ddRADseq gave higher values for three other traits. The PAs correlated positively with narrow sense heritabilities, with the highest correlations shown by the ABLUP and GBLUP-EUChip60K. The two genotyping methods, ddRADseq and EUChip60K, are generally comparable for population genetics and genomic prediction, demonstrating the utility of the former when subjected to rigorous SNP filtering. The results of this study provide a basis for future whole-genome studies using ddRADseq in non-model forest species for which SNP arrays have not yet been developed.
PubMed: 38606359
DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1361418