Objective:To identify the prevalence of Acanthamoeba in drinking water treatment plants during the course of the purification processes.Methods:Samples were taken from two drinking water purification plants and monito...Objective:To identify the prevalence of Acanthamoeba in drinking water treatment plants during the course of the purification processes.Methods:Samples were taken from two drinking water purification plants and monitored for the presence of Acanthamoeba in order to estimate the removal capacity of treatment methods employed. Water samples were collected at each step in the purification,during the one year survey,and analysed for the presence of Acanthamoeba spp.by plating on bacterial-seeded plates.Results:The results showed that amoebae were present in surface raw waters in 100%of the samples tested.Acanthamoeba spp.were isolated from 71%and 57%of the water samples collected from post flat-bottom clarifier 1 and post-sedimentation plant respectively.Considering the outflow drinking waters,the removal capacity was 100%in both purification plants monitored.The occurrence of Acanthamoeba was not associated with seasonality.Conclusion: These findings confirm that water purification plants employing methods of flocculation,sedimentation,and filtration in combination with activated charcoal filtration,ozonisation and chlorination exhibited sufficient Acanthamoeba removal capacity and the presence of amoebae in the tap water may be due to older plumbing,water storage tanks,tap water hygiene,and/or environmental settings.展开更多
Jute mallow is a nutritious leafy vegetable. The leaves are rich in proteins, vitamins and essential amino acids. Molecular characterization of Jute mallow with focus on improvement of leaf yield is scarcely reported....Jute mallow is a nutritious leafy vegetable. The leaves are rich in proteins, vitamins and essential amino acids. Molecular characterization of Jute mallow with focus on improvement of leaf yield is scarcely reported. In the present study, inter sequence simple repeats (ISSR) molecular markers were employed to assess genetic diversity and relationships of 83 accessions of Jute mallow from different parts of Africa and Asia conserved at the World Vegetable Center East and Southern Africa. A total of 89 bands were amplified by 8 ISSR primers. Number of polymorphic bands per primer ranged from 2 to 6 with an average of 2.75 bands per primer. Polymorphic information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.390 to 0.760 with average of 0.53. Average Nei’s gene diversity (h) and Shannon’s information index (I) were 0.335 and 0.494 respectively. The highest pairwise genetic distance was 0.431 observed in a population from East Africa accessions. PC1 and PC2 axis explained 21.69% and 11.66% of the total variation respectively. UPGMA cluster analysis grouped the accessions into six main clusters at genetic similarity coefficient of 0.53 as standard value for classification. These results have important implications for jute mallow breeding and conservation.展开更多
Understan ding the mechanism of harmful algal bloom formation is vital for effectively preventing algal bloom outbreaks in coastal environments.Karenia spp.blooms in the East China Sea show a significant correlation w...Understan ding the mechanism of harmful algal bloom formation is vital for effectively preventing algal bloom outbreaks in coastal environments.Karenia spp.blooms in the East China Sea show a significant correlation with nutrient regimes.However,the impact of key components of nutrients,especially dissolved organic nitrogen(DON),on the blooms of Karenia spp.is not clear.Quantitative research is still lacking.In this study,the cruise observations,field mesocosm-flask culture experiments,and a multinitrogen-tri-phytoplankton-detritus model(NTPD) are combined to reveal the quantitative influence of nutrient regimes on the shift of Prorocentrum donghaiense and Karenia spp.in the East China Sea.It has a synchronism rhythm of diatom-P.donghaienseKarenia spp.-diatom loop in the field culture experiment,which is consistent with the results of the cruise observation.The results showed that the processes of terrigenous DON(TeDON) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN:NO_(3)^(-)-N,NH_(4)^(+)-N) absorption promoted P.donghaiense to become the dominant algae in the community;whereas the processes of DON from P.donghaiense absorption promoted Karenia spp.to become the dominant algae in ambient DIN exhaustion.In addition,the three-dimensional fluorescence components of humus C,tyrosine and fulvic acid can indicate the processes of growth and extinction of P.donghaiense and Karenia spp.,respectively.This study infers that P.donghaiense and Karenia spp.regime shift mechanism associated with the nutrient regime in coastal waters,which provides a scientific basis for the environmental management of coastal eco system health.展开更多
Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) is one of the most important fruits classified as exotic fruits imported into Cameroon. To have an inventory of its cultivation in Cameroon, a survey study was carried out among eight farms ...Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) is one of the most important fruits classified as exotic fruits imported into Cameroon. To have an inventory of its cultivation in Cameroon, a survey study was carried out among eight farms of Fragaria spp. from January 2021 to February 2022. The plant was introduced in Cameroon in 2018. There are 13 varieties of Fragaria spp. currently cultivated. Among these 13 varieties, eleven are hybrids of Fragaria x ananassa (“Amiga”, “Amine”, “Camarosa”, “Chandler”, “Charlotte”, “Elsanta”, “Gariguette”, “Madame Moutot”, “Ostara”, “Ruby gem” and “San Andreas”), and two of the hybrids of Fragaria vesca (“Maestro” and “Mara des bois”). The cropping system, irrigation system, and type of fertilizers applied differ from one strawberry farm to another. Biofertilizers (such as mycorrhizal), inorganic and organic fertilizers are actually used to improve production. The potential annual production of strawberries from January 2021 to February 2022, estimated based on the survey data, was 21.216 tons for all growers. Among these eight production farms, the Lolodorf BIO Farm presents 6000 kg (six tons) of strawberries and 100,000 stolons (seedlings) produced, from seven varieties of Fragaria spp. cultivated, with 6 varieties which are hybrids variety Fragaria x ananassa (“Amiga”, “Amine”, “Chandler”, “Gariguette”, “Madame Moutot”, and “Ruby gem”), and one which is a hybrid of Fragaria vesca (“Mara des bois”). Certain diseases were also observed and recorded depending on the growing areas.展开更多
BACKGROUND Neuropathic pain(NP)is the primary symptom of various neurological condi-tions.Patients with NP often experience mood disorders,particularly depression and anxiety,that can severely affect their normal live...BACKGROUND Neuropathic pain(NP)is the primary symptom of various neurological condi-tions.Patients with NP often experience mood disorders,particularly depression and anxiety,that can severely affect their normal lives.Microglial cells are as-sociated with NP.Excessive inflammatory responses,especially the secretion of large amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines,ultimately lead to neuroinflam-mation.Microglial pyroptosis is a newly discovered form of inflammatory cell death associated with immune responses and inflammation-related diseases of the central nervous system.METHODS Two models,an in vitro lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-stimulated microglial cell model and a selective nerve injury model using BTX-A and SPP1 knockdown treatments,were used.Key proteins in the pyroptosis signaling pathway,NLRP3-GSDMD,were assessed using western blotting,real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction,and immunofluorescence.Inflammatory factors[interleukin(IL)-6,IL-1β,and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α]were assessed using enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay.We also evaluated microglial cell proliferation and apoptosis.Furthermore,we measured pain sensation by assessing the delayed hind paw withdrawal latency using thermal stimulation.RESULTS The expression levels of ACS and GSDMD-N and the mRNA expression of TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-1βwere enhanced in LPS-treated microglia.Furthermore,SPP1 expression was also induced in LPS-treated microglia.Notably,BTX-A inhibited SPP1 mRNA and protein expression in the LPS-treated microglia.Additionally,depletion of SPP1 or BTX-A inhibited cell viability and induced apoptosis in LPS-treated microglia,whereas co-treatment with BTX-A enhanced the effect of SPP1 short hairpin(sh)RNA in LPS-treated microglia.Finally,SPP1 depletion or BTX-A treatment reduced the levels of GSDMD-N,NLPRP3,and ASC and suppressed the production of inflammatory factors.CONCLUSION Notably,BTX-A therapy and SPP1 shRNA enhance microglial proliferation and apoptosis and inhibit microglial death.It improves pain perception and inhibits microglial activation in rats with selective nerve pain.展开更多
Resistant bacteria can be transmitted to humans through feces or contaminated meat from local chickens. Bacterial strains were isolated from the intestinal contents of 400 local chicken samples from various sales site...Resistant bacteria can be transmitted to humans through feces or contaminated meat from local chickens. Bacterial strains were isolated from the intestinal contents of 400 local chicken samples from various sales sites. These strains were then characterized using bacteriological and biochemical methods to identify resistant strains. In a study conducted in Ouagadougou, we systematically collected chicken fecal samples from 20 locations across the city, followed by isolation and identification of Salmonella spp. using specific enrichment and culture methods, as well as Escherichia coli. Bacterial strains were characterized using antibiotic resistance profiles were determined through agar diffusion tests, revealing sensitivity or resistance to a range of antibiotics based on established scientific criteria. The results showed that out of the 400 samples collected, 81.25% and 63.5% were contaminated by Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp., respectively. Among these, 86.15% of identified Escherichia coli and 50.78% of Salmonella spp. displayed resistance to at least one tested antibiotic. Among 280 Escherichia coli isolates identified resistant to at least one antibiotic, 31.07% were resistant to cefotaxime (CTX), 20.35% to ceftazidime (CAZ), 21.07% to ceftriaxone (CTR), 75% to amoxicillin clavulanic acid (AMC), 23.57% aztreoname (ATM) and 27.14% were resistant to imipenem (IMP). In the case of the 129 Salmonella spp. isolates resistant to at least one tested antibiotic, 34.88% were resistant to CTX;41.08% to CAZ;35.65% to CTR, 92% to AMC, 39.53% to ATM and finally 47.28% were resistant to IMP. Our study revealed high prevalence of resistance in bacterial strains isolated from local chickens sold outdoors in Ouagadougou. These findings raise significant public health concerns, due to the possible transmission of these resistant strains to humans through the consumption of contaminated meat, thus complicating the treatment of bacterial infections.展开更多
伪距单点定位(Pseudo-range Single Point Positioning,SPP)应用较早且广泛。随着GNSS相关技术的不断进步,伪距观测值与广播星历的精度也在不断提高,多GNSS系统还带来了更多的伪距观测值,SPP依然值得关注。RTKLIB作为一款广为接受的多功...伪距单点定位(Pseudo-range Single Point Positioning,SPP)应用较早且广泛。随着GNSS相关技术的不断进步,伪距观测值与广播星历的精度也在不断提高,多GNSS系统还带来了更多的伪距观测值,SPP依然值得关注。RTKLIB作为一款广为接受的多功能GNSS数据处理开源软件,是实现二次开发的良好平台,为此,本文对新版本RTKLIB(b34)SPP数据处理进行了解析,给出了其处理流程,分析了其平差求解、结果检验、异常检测的原理,指出了其优缺点,为今后借鉴或改进提供了参考。展开更多
基金support provided by Three Valleys Water,UKVeolia Water, UK.funded by the Life Sciences Research Grant,University of London
文摘Objective:To identify the prevalence of Acanthamoeba in drinking water treatment plants during the course of the purification processes.Methods:Samples were taken from two drinking water purification plants and monitored for the presence of Acanthamoeba in order to estimate the removal capacity of treatment methods employed. Water samples were collected at each step in the purification,during the one year survey,and analysed for the presence of Acanthamoeba spp.by plating on bacterial-seeded plates.Results:The results showed that amoebae were present in surface raw waters in 100%of the samples tested.Acanthamoeba spp.were isolated from 71%and 57%of the water samples collected from post flat-bottom clarifier 1 and post-sedimentation plant respectively.Considering the outflow drinking waters,the removal capacity was 100%in both purification plants monitored.The occurrence of Acanthamoeba was not associated with seasonality.Conclusion: These findings confirm that water purification plants employing methods of flocculation,sedimentation,and filtration in combination with activated charcoal filtration,ozonisation and chlorination exhibited sufficient Acanthamoeba removal capacity and the presence of amoebae in the tap water may be due to older plumbing,water storage tanks,tap water hygiene,and/or environmental settings.
文摘Jute mallow is a nutritious leafy vegetable. The leaves are rich in proteins, vitamins and essential amino acids. Molecular characterization of Jute mallow with focus on improvement of leaf yield is scarcely reported. In the present study, inter sequence simple repeats (ISSR) molecular markers were employed to assess genetic diversity and relationships of 83 accessions of Jute mallow from different parts of Africa and Asia conserved at the World Vegetable Center East and Southern Africa. A total of 89 bands were amplified by 8 ISSR primers. Number of polymorphic bands per primer ranged from 2 to 6 with an average of 2.75 bands per primer. Polymorphic information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.390 to 0.760 with average of 0.53. Average Nei’s gene diversity (h) and Shannon’s information index (I) were 0.335 and 0.494 respectively. The highest pairwise genetic distance was 0.431 observed in a population from East Africa accessions. PC1 and PC2 axis explained 21.69% and 11.66% of the total variation respectively. UPGMA cluster analysis grouped the accessions into six main clusters at genetic similarity coefficient of 0.53 as standard value for classification. These results have important implications for jute mallow breeding and conservation.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No.42130403the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities under contract No.202362003the National Key Research&Development Program of China under contract No.2017YFC1404300。
文摘Understan ding the mechanism of harmful algal bloom formation is vital for effectively preventing algal bloom outbreaks in coastal environments.Karenia spp.blooms in the East China Sea show a significant correlation with nutrient regimes.However,the impact of key components of nutrients,especially dissolved organic nitrogen(DON),on the blooms of Karenia spp.is not clear.Quantitative research is still lacking.In this study,the cruise observations,field mesocosm-flask culture experiments,and a multinitrogen-tri-phytoplankton-detritus model(NTPD) are combined to reveal the quantitative influence of nutrient regimes on the shift of Prorocentrum donghaiense and Karenia spp.in the East China Sea.It has a synchronism rhythm of diatom-P.donghaienseKarenia spp.-diatom loop in the field culture experiment,which is consistent with the results of the cruise observation.The results showed that the processes of terrigenous DON(TeDON) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN:NO_(3)^(-)-N,NH_(4)^(+)-N) absorption promoted P.donghaiense to become the dominant algae in the community;whereas the processes of DON from P.donghaiense absorption promoted Karenia spp.to become the dominant algae in ambient DIN exhaustion.In addition,the three-dimensional fluorescence components of humus C,tyrosine and fulvic acid can indicate the processes of growth and extinction of P.donghaiense and Karenia spp.,respectively.This study infers that P.donghaiense and Karenia spp.regime shift mechanism associated with the nutrient regime in coastal waters,which provides a scientific basis for the environmental management of coastal eco system health.
文摘Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) is one of the most important fruits classified as exotic fruits imported into Cameroon. To have an inventory of its cultivation in Cameroon, a survey study was carried out among eight farms of Fragaria spp. from January 2021 to February 2022. The plant was introduced in Cameroon in 2018. There are 13 varieties of Fragaria spp. currently cultivated. Among these 13 varieties, eleven are hybrids of Fragaria x ananassa (“Amiga”, “Amine”, “Camarosa”, “Chandler”, “Charlotte”, “Elsanta”, “Gariguette”, “Madame Moutot”, “Ostara”, “Ruby gem” and “San Andreas”), and two of the hybrids of Fragaria vesca (“Maestro” and “Mara des bois”). The cropping system, irrigation system, and type of fertilizers applied differ from one strawberry farm to another. Biofertilizers (such as mycorrhizal), inorganic and organic fertilizers are actually used to improve production. The potential annual production of strawberries from January 2021 to February 2022, estimated based on the survey data, was 21.216 tons for all growers. Among these eight production farms, the Lolodorf BIO Farm presents 6000 kg (six tons) of strawberries and 100,000 stolons (seedlings) produced, from seven varieties of Fragaria spp. cultivated, with 6 varieties which are hybrids variety Fragaria x ananassa (“Amiga”, “Amine”, “Chandler”, “Gariguette”, “Madame Moutot”, and “Ruby gem”), and one which is a hybrid of Fragaria vesca (“Mara des bois”). Certain diseases were also observed and recorded depending on the growing areas.
文摘BACKGROUND Neuropathic pain(NP)is the primary symptom of various neurological condi-tions.Patients with NP often experience mood disorders,particularly depression and anxiety,that can severely affect their normal lives.Microglial cells are as-sociated with NP.Excessive inflammatory responses,especially the secretion of large amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines,ultimately lead to neuroinflam-mation.Microglial pyroptosis is a newly discovered form of inflammatory cell death associated with immune responses and inflammation-related diseases of the central nervous system.METHODS Two models,an in vitro lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-stimulated microglial cell model and a selective nerve injury model using BTX-A and SPP1 knockdown treatments,were used.Key proteins in the pyroptosis signaling pathway,NLRP3-GSDMD,were assessed using western blotting,real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction,and immunofluorescence.Inflammatory factors[interleukin(IL)-6,IL-1β,and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α]were assessed using enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay.We also evaluated microglial cell proliferation and apoptosis.Furthermore,we measured pain sensation by assessing the delayed hind paw withdrawal latency using thermal stimulation.RESULTS The expression levels of ACS and GSDMD-N and the mRNA expression of TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-1βwere enhanced in LPS-treated microglia.Furthermore,SPP1 expression was also induced in LPS-treated microglia.Notably,BTX-A inhibited SPP1 mRNA and protein expression in the LPS-treated microglia.Additionally,depletion of SPP1 or BTX-A inhibited cell viability and induced apoptosis in LPS-treated microglia,whereas co-treatment with BTX-A enhanced the effect of SPP1 short hairpin(sh)RNA in LPS-treated microglia.Finally,SPP1 depletion or BTX-A treatment reduced the levels of GSDMD-N,NLPRP3,and ASC and suppressed the production of inflammatory factors.CONCLUSION Notably,BTX-A therapy and SPP1 shRNA enhance microglial proliferation and apoptosis and inhibit microglial death.It improves pain perception and inhibits microglial activation in rats with selective nerve pain.
文摘Resistant bacteria can be transmitted to humans through feces or contaminated meat from local chickens. Bacterial strains were isolated from the intestinal contents of 400 local chicken samples from various sales sites. These strains were then characterized using bacteriological and biochemical methods to identify resistant strains. In a study conducted in Ouagadougou, we systematically collected chicken fecal samples from 20 locations across the city, followed by isolation and identification of Salmonella spp. using specific enrichment and culture methods, as well as Escherichia coli. Bacterial strains were characterized using antibiotic resistance profiles were determined through agar diffusion tests, revealing sensitivity or resistance to a range of antibiotics based on established scientific criteria. The results showed that out of the 400 samples collected, 81.25% and 63.5% were contaminated by Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp., respectively. Among these, 86.15% of identified Escherichia coli and 50.78% of Salmonella spp. displayed resistance to at least one tested antibiotic. Among 280 Escherichia coli isolates identified resistant to at least one antibiotic, 31.07% were resistant to cefotaxime (CTX), 20.35% to ceftazidime (CAZ), 21.07% to ceftriaxone (CTR), 75% to amoxicillin clavulanic acid (AMC), 23.57% aztreoname (ATM) and 27.14% were resistant to imipenem (IMP). In the case of the 129 Salmonella spp. isolates resistant to at least one tested antibiotic, 34.88% were resistant to CTX;41.08% to CAZ;35.65% to CTR, 92% to AMC, 39.53% to ATM and finally 47.28% were resistant to IMP. Our study revealed high prevalence of resistance in bacterial strains isolated from local chickens sold outdoors in Ouagadougou. These findings raise significant public health concerns, due to the possible transmission of these resistant strains to humans through the consumption of contaminated meat, thus complicating the treatment of bacterial infections.
文摘伪距单点定位(Pseudo-range Single Point Positioning,SPP)应用较早且广泛。随着GNSS相关技术的不断进步,伪距观测值与广播星历的精度也在不断提高,多GNSS系统还带来了更多的伪距观测值,SPP依然值得关注。RTKLIB作为一款广为接受的多功能GNSS数据处理开源软件,是实现二次开发的良好平台,为此,本文对新版本RTKLIB(b34)SPP数据处理进行了解析,给出了其处理流程,分析了其平差求解、结果检验、异常检测的原理,指出了其优缺点,为今后借鉴或改进提供了参考。
