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The Science of the Total Environment Jun 2024This study exposed a microalgal consortium formed by Auxenochlorella protothecoides, Tetradesmus obliquus, and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to six mixed wastewater media...
This study exposed a microalgal consortium formed by Auxenochlorella protothecoides, Tetradesmus obliquus, and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to six mixed wastewater media containing different proportions of primary (P) or secondary (S) effluents diluted in centrate (C). Algae could grow at centrate concentrations up to 50 %, showing no significant differences between effluents. After acclimation, microalgae cultivated in 50%P-50%C and 50%S-50%C grew at a rate similar to that of control cultures (0.59-0.66 d). These results suggest that the consortium acclimated to both sewage streams by modulating the proportion of the species and their metabolism. Acclimation also altered the photosynthetic activity of wastewater-grown samples compared to the control, probably due to partial photoinhibition, changes in consortium composition, and changes in metabolic activity. No major differences were observed between the two streams with respect to biochemical composition, biomass yield, or bioremediation capacity of the cultivated algae but algae grown in the secondary effluent showed qualitatively higher exopolysaccharides (EPS) production than algae grown in primary. Regarding wastewater remediation, microalgae grown in both WW media showed proficient nutrient removal efficiencies (close to 100 %); however, the final pH value (close to 11) would be controversial if the system were upscaled as it is over the legal limit and would cause phosphorus precipitation, so that CO addition would be required. The theoretical scale-up of the microalgae system could achieve water treatment costs of 0.109 €·m, which was significantly lower than the costs of typical activated sludge systems.
PubMed: 38901581
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174056 -
CEN Case Reports Jun 2024A 62-year-old man visited his primary care physician with the complaints of loss of appetite and fatigue. He was admitted to our hospital based on a diagnosis of acute...
A 62-year-old man visited his primary care physician with the complaints of loss of appetite and fatigue. He was admitted to our hospital based on a diagnosis of acute kidney injury, Fanconi syndrome as indicated by hypokalemia, hypouricemia, hypophosphatemia, elevated glucose levels in urine, and aminoaciduria. He had been taking multiple supplements, including Red Yeast Rice Cholesterol Help®, for one and a half years. After admission, all the supplements were stopped. Blood samples were collected; however, the samples were negative for diseases that could cause Fanconi syndrome. Renal biopsy revealed renal proximal tubular damage, mainly characterized by simplification of the proximal tubular epithelium. The mycotoxin, citrinin, which is reported to be produced by the mold used for producing red yeast rice, but not the mold Monascus pilosus used for Red Yeast Rice Cholesterol Help, reportedly causes proximal tubular damage. However, although the causative agent has not been identified, it was thought that a substance similar to citrinin, produced by the mold used for Red Yeast Rice Cholesterol Help®, caused proximal tubular damage, leading to acute kidney injury and Fanconi syndrome. Hence, all supplements were stopped, and the patient was treated with oral potassium and phosphorus preparations, leading to gradual recovery of his kidney function. We herein report the first case of acute kidney injury and Fanconi syndrome in a patient taking multiple health supplements, including Red Yeast Rice Cholesterol Help®. Early discontinuation of the oral supplements was probably useful in improving the patient's kidney function.
PubMed: 38900361
DOI: 10.1007/s13730-024-00903-0 -
Kidney International Reports Jun 2024QT interval prolongation is a risk factor for fatal arrhythmias and other cardiovascular complications. QT interval prolongation in patients on hemodialysis (HD) is not...
INTRODUCTION
QT interval prolongation is a risk factor for fatal arrhythmias and other cardiovascular complications. QT interval prolongation in patients on hemodialysis (HD) is not well understood. Hypocalcemia is a suspected, but poorly verified etiology in these patients, and the association between serum phosphorus levels and QT interval prolongation is unknown. We sought to determine the prevalence of QT interval prolongation in patients on HD and to verify the association between predialysis serum calcium (Ca) and phosphate (P) levels and QT interval prolongation.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted on adult patients on maintenance HD who were enrolled in the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy and Renal Data Registry 2019. After assessing patient characteristics, linear regression analysis was performed with predialysis serum Ca and P levels as exposures and a rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval as the outcome.
RESULTS
A total of 204,530 patients were analyzed with a mean QTc of 451.2 (standard deviation, 36.9) ms. After multivariable analysis, estimated change in QTc (coefficients; 95% confidence interval) per 1 mg/dl increase in serum Ca and P was -2.02 (-3.00 to -1.04) and 5.50 (3.92-7.09), respectively. In the restricted cubic spline curve, estimated change in QTc increased with lower values of serum Ca. The correlation between serum P and QTc showed a U-shaped curve.
CONCLUSION
Decreased serum Ca levels and decreased and increased serum P levels may be associated with QT interval prolongation in patients on maintenance HD.
PubMed: 38899225
DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2024.03.007 -
IMeta Jun 2024The role of diverse soil microbiota in restoring erosion-induced degraded lands is well recognized. Yet, the facilitative interactions among symbiotic arbuscular...
The role of diverse soil microbiota in restoring erosion-induced degraded lands is well recognized. Yet, the facilitative interactions among symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, rhizobia, and heterotrophic bacteria, which underpin multiple functions in eroded ecosystems, remain unclear. Here, we utilized quantitative microbiota profiling and ecological network analyses to explore the interplay between the diversity and biotic associations of root-associated microbiota and multifunctionality across an eroded slope of a plantation on the Loess Plateau. We found explicit variations in slope multifunctionality across different slope positions, associated with shifts in limiting resources, including soil phosphorus (P) and moisture. To cope with P limitation, AM fungi were recruited by , assuming pivotal roles as keystones and connectors within cross-kingdom networks. Furthermore, AM fungi facilitated the assembly and composition of bacterial and rhizobial communities, collectively driving slope multifunctionality. The symbiotic association among , AM fungi, and rhizobia promoted slope multifunctionality through enhanced decomposition of recalcitrant compounds, improved P mineralization potential, and optimized microbial metabolism. Overall, our findings highlight the crucial role of AM fungal-centered microbiota associated with in functional delivery within eroded landscapes, providing valuable insights for the sustainable restoration of degraded ecosystems in erosion-prone regions.
PubMed: 38898982
DOI: 10.1002/imt2.187 -
IMeta Jun 2024Wastewater biotreatment systems harbor a rich diversity of microorganisms, and the effectiveness of biotreatment systems largely depends on the activity of these...
A panoramic view of the virosphere in three wastewater treatment plants by integrating viral-like particle-concentrated and traditional non-concentrated metagenomic approaches.
Wastewater biotreatment systems harbor a rich diversity of microorganisms, and the effectiveness of biotreatment systems largely depends on the activity of these microorganisms. Specifically, viruses play a crucial role in altering microbial behavior and metabolic processes throughout their infection phases, an aspect that has recently attracted considerable interest. Two metagenomic approaches, viral-like particle-concentrated (VPC, representing free viral-like particles) and non-concentrated (NC, representing the cellular fraction), were employed to assess their efficacy in revealing virome characteristics, including taxonomy, diversity, host interactions, lifestyle, dynamics, and functional genes across processing units of three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Our findings indicate that each approach offers unique insights into the viral community and functional composition. Their combined use proved effective in elucidating WWTP viromes. We identified nearly 50,000 viral contigs, with Cressdnaviricota and Uroviricota being the predominant phyla in the VPC and NC fractions, respectively. Notably, two pathogenic viral families, Asfarviridae and Adenoviridae, were commonly found in these WWTPs. We also observed significant differences in the viromes of WWTPs processing different types of wastewater. Additionally, various phage-derived auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) were active at the RNA level, contributing to the metabolism of the microbial community, particularly in carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus cycling. Moreover, we identified 29 virus-carried antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) with potential for host transfer, highlighting the role of viruses in spreading ARGs in the environment. Overall, this study provides a detailed and integrated view of the virosphere in three WWTPs through the application of VPC and NC metagenomic approaches. Our findings enhance the understanding of viral communities, offering valuable insights for optimizing the operation and regulation of wastewater treatment systems.
PubMed: 38898980
DOI: 10.1002/imt2.188 -
NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes Jun 2024As the central members of the microbiome networks, viruses regulate the composition of microbial communities and drive the nutrient cycles of ecosystems by lysing host...
As the central members of the microbiome networks, viruses regulate the composition of microbial communities and drive the nutrient cycles of ecosystems by lysing host cells. Therefore, uncovering the dynamic patterns and the underlying ecological mechanisms mediating the tiniest viral communities across space and through time in natural ecosystems is of crucial importance for better understanding the complex microbial world. Here, the temporal dynamics of intertidal viral communities were investigated via a time-series sampling effort. A total of 1911 viral operational taxonomic units were recovered from 36 bimonthly collected shotgun metagenomes. Functionally important auxiliary metabolic genes involved in carbohydrate, sulfur, and phosphorus metabolism were detected, some of which (e.g., cysH gene) were stably present within viral genomes over time. Over the sampling period, strong and comparable temporal turnovers were observed for intertidal viromes and their host microbes. Winter was determined as the pivotal point for the shifts in viral diversity patterns. Notably, the viral micro-diversity covaried with the macro-diversity, following similar temporal patterns. The relative abundances of viral taxa also covaried with their host prokaryotes. Meanwhile, the virus-host relationships at the whole community level were relatively stable. Further statistical analyses demonstrated that the dynamic patterns of viral communities were highly deterministic, for which temperature was the major driver. This study provided valuable mechanistic insights into the temporal turnover of viral communities in complex ecosystems such as intertidal wetlands.
Topics: Wetlands; Biodiversity; Viruses; Metagenome; Seasons; Microbiota; Genome, Viral; Metagenomics; Virome; Phylogeny
PubMed: 38898104
DOI: 10.1038/s41522-024-00522-8 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024The tailwater from wastewater treatment plants serves as an important water resource in arid regions, alleviating the conflict between supply and demand. However, the...
The tailwater from wastewater treatment plants serves as an important water resource in arid regions, alleviating the conflict between supply and demand. However, the effects of different tailwater discharge proportions on microbial community dynamics remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of different tailwater discharge proportions on the water quality and microbial community characteristics of sediments in receiving water bodies under controlled conditions (WF-1, WF-2, WF-3, WF-4, and WF-5, containing 0% tailwater + 100% natural water, 25% tailwater + 75% natural water, 50% tailwater + 50% natural water, 75% tailwater + 25% natural water, and 100% tailwater + 0% natural water, respectively). Microbial co-occurrence networks and structural equation model were used to unveil the relationship between microbial communities and their shaping factors. Results showed that distinct microbial community compositions were found in the sediments with low- (< 50%) and high- (> 50%) proportions of tailwater. Specifically, WCHB1-41 and g_4-29-1, which are involved in organic degradation-related functions, were the key genera in the high-proportion cluster. A total of 21 taxa were more abundant in the low-proportion (< 50%) cluster than that in high-proportion (> 50%). Moreover, higher modularity was observed in the low-proportion. Total phosphorus directly affected while ammonia nitrogen indirectly affected the microbial community structure. Our findings support the distinct heterogeneity of microbial communities driven by tailwater discharge in receiving water bodies, and further confirmed that high-proportion tailwater depletes sensitive microbial communities, which may be avoided through scientific management.
Topics: Geologic Sediments; Microbiota; Wastewater; Water Microbiology; Bacteria; Water Quality
PubMed: 38898074
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63859-2 -
Chemosphere Jun 2024Lead (Pb) is one of the most common heavy metal urban soil contaminants with well-known toxicity to humans. This incubation study (2-159 d) compared the ability of bone...
Lead (Pb) is one of the most common heavy metal urban soil contaminants with well-known toxicity to humans. This incubation study (2-159 d) compared the ability of bone meal (BM), potassium hydrogen phosphate (KP), and triple superphosphate (TSP), at phosphorus:lead (P:Pb) molar ratios of 7.5:1, 15:1, and 22.5:1, to reduce bioaccessible Pb in soil contaminated by Pb-based paint relative to control soil to which no P amendment was added. Soil pH and Mehlich 3 bioaccessible Pb and P were measured as a function of incubation time and amount and type of P amendment. XAS assessed Pb speciation after 30 and 159 d of incubation. The greatest reductions in bioaccessible Pb at 159 d were measured for TSP at the 7.5:1 and 15:1 P:Pb molar ratios. The 7.5:1 KP treatment was the only other treatment with significant reductions in bioaccessible Pb compared to the control soil. It is unclear why greater reductions of bioaccessible Pb occurred with lower P additions, but it strongly suggests that the amount of P added was not a controlling factor in reducing bioaccessible Pb. This was further supported because Pb-phosphates were not detected in any samples using XAS. The most notable difference in the effect of TSP versus other amendments was the reduction in pH. However, the relationship between increasing TSP additions, resulting in decreasing pH and decreasing Pb bioaccessibility was not consistent. The 22.5:1 P:Pb TSP treatment had the lowest pH but did not significantly reduce bioaccessible Pb compared to the control soil. The 7.5:1 and 15:1 P:Pb TSP treatments significantly reduced bioaccessible Pb relative to the control and had significantly higher pH than the 22.5:1 P:Pb treatment. Clearly, impacts of P additions and soil pH on Pb bioaccessibility require further investigation to decipher mechanisms governing Pb speciation in Pb-based paint contaminated soils.
PubMed: 38897327
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142645 -
Science Advances Jun 2024Nanoconfined catalysts enhance stabilization of reaction intermediates, facilitate electron transfer, and safeguard active centers, leading to superior electrocatalytic...
Nanoconfined catalysts enhance stabilization of reaction intermediates, facilitate electron transfer, and safeguard active centers, leading to superior electrocatalytic activity, particularly in CO reduction reactions (CORR). Despite their effectiveness, crafting nanoconfined catalysts is challenging due to unclear formation mechanisms. In this study, we introduce an electrochemical method to grow Pd clusters within the interlayers of two-dimensional black phosphorus, creating Pd cluster-intercalated black phosphorus (Pd-i-BP) as an electrocatalyst. Using in situ electrochemical liquid phase transmission electron microscopy (EC-TEM), we revealed the synthesis mechanism of Pd-i-BP, involving electrochemically driven Pd ion intercalation followed by reduction within the BP layers. The Pd-i-BP electrocatalyst exhibits exemplary CO-to-formate conversion, achieving 90% Faradaic efficiency for formate production, owing to its distinct nanoconfined structure that stabilizes intermediates and enhances electron transfer. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations underscore the structural benefits for enhancing intermediate adsorption and catalyzing the reaction. Our insights deepen understanding of nanoconfined material synthesis, promising advanced, high-efficiency catalysts.
PubMed: 38896618
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn2707 -
Clinical Medicine Insights. Pediatrics 2024Mutations in dental hypophosphatasia (HPP) have been reported less than those in other types of HPP because the symptoms are mild or the dental lesions are only partial...
Mutations in dental hypophosphatasia (HPP) have been reported less than those in other types of HPP because the symptoms are mild or the dental lesions are only partial manifestations of other types of HPP. In this case, we observe the clinical manifestation of dental hypoalkaline phosphatase by analyzing the genetic mutation and biochemical parameters in child. The clinical data of the child with odonto HPP were collected and analyzed. The blood samples of the child and his parents were sequenced and verified using Sanger through a specific probe capture and high-throughput second-generation sequencing technology. Major clinical manifestations in the patient were early loss of deciduous teeth, significantly lower serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, lower active vitamin D, and increased blood phosphorus, but no abnormality was observed in the oral X-ray. Two missense mutations-c.542C>T (p. ser181leu) and c.644 T> C (p.Ile215Thr)-were found in exon 6 of the gene from the father and mother, respectively. The clinical manifestations of odonto hypophosphatasia were early loss of deciduous teeth and significantly reduced serum ALP levels. Of 2 mutations-c.542C>T (p.ser181leu) and c.644 T> C (p.Ile215Thr)-in the gene, c.644 T> C (p.Ile215Thr) was a new mutation.
PubMed: 38895587
DOI: 10.1177/11795565241256615