A novel dual functional composite (MOFL-TpBD) was prepared through solvothermal methods, with excellent Pb2+ ions separation and stable 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol (TNP) fluorescence detection performance. MOFL-TpBD was characterized by FTIR, XRD, XPS, SEM and TGA et al. The prepared material was used to extract Pb2+ ions, with an adsorption capacity of 21.74 mg g-1 calculated by Langmuir isotherm model. The limit of detection was 0.32 μg L-1, along with a linear range from 0.7 to 12 μg L-1 and a precision of 5.4% (1 μg L-1, n = 9), respectively, where MOFL-TpBD was adopted as adsorbent for Pb2+ ions preconcentration. The practical samples and reference water sample were measured by the provided method, with the satisfactory recoveries (91-110%) and reliable analytical results. MOFL-TpBD was capable of fluorescent sensing of TNP, with a linear range from 0.01 to 1 mM and a limit of detection of 3.52 μM, respectively, and a precision of 3.29% was obtained (0.2 mM, n = 11). Meanwhile, the recoveries ranged from 91% to 108% in analysis of TNP for the practical samples. The designed material provided a potential candidate material for the detection of heavy metal ions and explosives in environmental water samples.Plastic wastes accumulation in marine environments is becoming a crucial issue; while the toxicity to biota is quite well explored, a gap of knowledge still exists on the role that plastics play in shaping bacterial community structures in marine conditions and their possible transmission to humans. The present study intended first to profile bacterial community structure in floating plastic particles (FP) biofilms and seawater from four Tunisian coastal areas using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of 16S rDNA. Subsequently, mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) as filter feeding organisms were exposed to the FP to broaden the knowledge on the potential role played by environmental plastic particles in shaping bacterial community structures and on their possibility to act as vehicles of bacteria through the food web. The mussels' microbiota was microbiologically analyzed through HTS, and the Histidine Rich Glycoprotein (HRG) gene expression level was investigated as the main immune response. Our results clearly showed a great variation in the composition of bacterial communities of FP and seawater from different geographical areas. Moreover, the gills of mussels exposed to sterilized seawater and native FP from each site exhibited a wider bacterial biodiversity. The gene expression level of HRG was found to be significantly higher in animals exposed to native FP when compared to sterilized FP. Our results should be carefully considered in view of the Trojan horse effects of FP toward bacteria and its potential toxicity.Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) may inhibit denitrification in biological wastewater treatment systems, and the inhibited denitrification process is difficult to recover in a short time. This study explored Cr(VI) cascade impact (20-125 mg L-1) on denitrification and developed one nontoxic biological accelerant (combination of L-cysteine, flavin adenine dinucleotide, biotin and cytokinin) for denitrification recovery. The results showed that NO3--N removal efficiency decreased from 75.7% to 21.5% when Cr(VI) concentration increased from 80 to 125 mg L-1. Addition of accelerant could effectively promote the removal of NO3--N, and observably reduce the recovery time (42 T) compared with natural recovery (63 T). Furthermore, the main site of Cr(VI) reduction and Cr(III) immobilization was located in the intercellular compartment of the biofilm. Microbes produced more tightly bound extracellular polymeric substances (TB-EPS) to protect them from toxicity under the low Cr(VI) concentrations, while low EPS was secreted when Cr(VI) concentration was higher than 60 mg L-1. Compared to natural recovery system, bio-accelerant addition was beneficial to the recovery of denitrifiers activities, especially for the bacteria containing nirS gene. The results facilitated an understanding of Cr(VI) impact on denitrification, and the proposed bio-accelerant can be potentially applied to heavy metal shock-loading emergency situations.Improved knowledge about reproductive patterns and potential in male wolves (i.e., testicular development and size relative to age, pubertal age, and seasonal effects) is needed for evaluation and monitoring of reproductive outcomes in populations. Reproductive organs from 215 male wolves, culled as a result of licensed hunting, protective culling or from carcasses found were examined. The testes and epididymis were weighed and measured. There were biopsy samples collected from the testes and the cauda epididymis for histological determinations if there were spermatozoa in tissues collected. There were reproductive tissue analyses of 197 males while there were separate evaluations of tissues from ten cryptorchid animals. Juvenile wolves (2 years, n = 79) males. Season also affected testicular characteristics of structures evaluated with subadult and adult males having a lesser mass during summer months (May-August). Of the 197 males, 70 % had spermatozoa in the seminiferous tubules and the cauda epididymis and were classified as being 'potentially fertile' when tissues were collected, while 22 % were classified as being non-fertile (no spermatozoa, including males that were pre-pubertal) and tissues of 8% could not be evaluated. When testes mass was greater, there was a greater likelihood that spermatozoa were present. There were seven of the ten cryptorchid males of the unilateral type. These testicular and epididymal findings will be useful for evaluating the reproductive potential and management of wolves in Scandinavia.Large percentages of abnormal sperm, termed teratospermia, are associated with poor fertility in cats, many of which are threatened with extinction from their natural habitats. Even normal appearing spermatozoa from felids with teratospermia may have a compromised capacity for motility and fertilization indicating there are factors affecting the fertilization capacity of all sperm regardless of morphology. There was a comparative study conducted using the RNA-Seq approach to identify differentially expressed genes between morphologically normal and abnormal sperm from domestic cates with normospermia and teratospermia to elucidate genes and pathways associated with abnormal sperm function. Normal sperm from cats with teratospermia have a gene expression profile similar to abnormal sperm from males with teratospermia. There was also downregulation of cGMP pathways which may be associated with a lesser sperm motility in ejaculates from males with teratospermia. Kinase phosphorylation pathways also were downregulated in normal spermatozoa from ejaculates of males with teratospermia. Results indicate that analysis of sperm gene expression provides for a more precise assessment of sperm function in semen of cats with teratospermia and facilitates identification of molecular abnormalities that may lead to compromised fertilization capacity.Effects of amount of anechoic intrauterine fluid (IUF) and size of largest follicle at insemination on proportion of cows pregnant as a result of AI (P/AI percentage), as well as factors associated with amount of IUF and size of the follicle were investigated. Follicle size was determined, and amount of IUF in the largest uterine segment was categorized as containing no fluid, ≤10, >10-20, and >20 mm using the ultrasonic monitor grid in 735 cows at time of insemination. Multivariable regression models were constructed to evaluate effects of different variables on P/AI percentage, and variables associated with the IUF score and follicle size. On day 30 post-insemination, the P/AI percentage was greater in cows that had >10 to 20 mm IUF than cows with no IUF (OR = 1.9, P = 0.01), but on day 70 post-insemination, the P/AI percentage was similar in cows with different amounts of IUF. Follicle size was not associated with P/AI percentage on days 30 and 70 post-insemination. Cows in spontaneous estrus, multiparous cows, cows with a cystic structure and a typically functional follicle, and Holstein cows had a greater likelihood for a larger IUF value. Primiparous cows, cows on which there was imposing of a hormonal-ovulation-synchronization regimen, and crossbred cows were more likely to have smaller follicles. In conclusion, amount of IUF at the time of insemination and size of the follicle were not associated with P/AI percentage, and several variables were associated with amount of IUF or follicle size.The present study aimed to investigate the effects of death receptor adapter proteins, namely, TNF receptor-associated death domain (TRADD) and Fas-associated death domain (FADD) proteins, on Eimeria tenella-induced host cell apoptosis. Gene silencing, culture technique for primary chick embryo cecal epithelial cells, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Hoechst-Annexin V/PI apoptosis staining, fluorescence quantitative PCR, and flow cytometry were used to detect the E. tenella host cell apoptotic rate, RIP1 and FADD protein expression levels, and caspase-8 activity of the TRADD siRNA-treated and FADD siRNA-treated groups. Results showed that the apoptotic rate in the TRADD siRNA group was significantly higher than that in the NC siRNA group at 4 h post-infection with E. tenella (P less then 0.05). The RIP1 protein expression level in the TRADD siRNA group was significantly lower than that in the NC siRNA group at 4-24 h (P less then 0.05). The FADD expression and apoptotic rates in the TRADD siRNA group were significantly lower than those in the NC siRNA group at 24-120 h (P less then 0.05). The caspase-8 activity and apoptotic rates in the FADD siRNA group were significantly lower than those in the NC siRNA group (P less then 0.05) at 24-120 h. These findings indicated that E. tenella inhibited the host cell apoptosis through the TRADD-RIP1 pathway at the early developmental stage and promoted host cell apoptosis via the TRADD-FADD-caspase-8 apoptotic pathway at the middle and late developmental stages.Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. The present review summarizes worldwide information on the prevalence of clinical and subclinical infections, epidemiology, diagnosis, and genetic diversity of T. gondii in wild canids and other carnivores for the past decade. Seroprevalence estimates of T. gondii worldwide were tabulated for each host. Seroprevalence in wild foxes was very high compared with farmed Arctic foxes. Economic and public health aspects of some of the carnivore species raised for fur and meat (raccoon dogs, mink) are discussed. Diagnostic efficacies of different serological methods and PCR methods are discussed. Clinical toxoplasmosis was observed mainly in carnivores concurrently infected with immunosuppressive Canine Distemper Virus infection. Abortion and blindness were noted in mink. Genetic diversity of isolates using DNA derived from 162 (89 viable T. gondii isolates and 73 DNA extracted from tissues) of wild carnivores from several countries is discussed. However, 69 of the 162 T. gondii isolates were strains from USA and these were genetically diverse with predominance of ToxoDB genotypes #4 and #5 (haplogroup 12). Only limited information is available concerning genotyping of T. gondii isolates from other countries; none of the 93 T. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/namodenoson-cf-102.html gondii isolates from other countries (Brazil, China, France, Grenada) were haplogroup 12.