| 1. |
- Farkas, Julia, et al.
(author)
-
Impact of TiO2 nanoparticles on freshwater bacteria from three Swedish lakes
- 2015
-
In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 535, s. 85-93
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Due to the rapidly rising production and usage of nano-enabled products, aquatic environments are increasingly exposed to engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), causing concerns about their potential negative effects. In this study we assessed the effects of uncoated titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO(2)NPs) on the growth and activity of bacterial communities of three Swedish lakes featuring different chemical characteristics such as dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, pH and elemental composition. TiO2NP exposure concentrations were 15, 100, and 1000 mu g L-1, and experiments were performed in situ under three light regimes: darkness, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and ambient sunlight including UV radiation (UVR). The nanoparticles were most stable in lake water with high DOC and low chemical element concentrations. At the highest exposure concentration (1000 mu g L-1 TiO2NP) the bacterial abundance was significantly reduced in all lake waters. In the medium and high DOC lake waters, exposure concentrations of 100 mu g L-1 TiO2NP caused significant reductions in bacterial abundance. The cell-specific bacterial activity was significantly enhanced at high TiO2NP exposure concentrations, indicating the loss of nanoparticle-sensitive bacteria and a subsequent increased activity by tolerant ones. No UV-induced phototoxic effect of TiO2NP was found in this study. We conclude that in freshwater lakes with high DOC and low chemical element concentrations, uncoated TiO(2)NPs show an enhanced stability and can significantly reduce bacterial abundance at relatively low exposure concentrations.
|
|
| 2. |
- Hayashi, Hisamitsu, et al.
(author)
-
Molecular organization and fine structure of the human tectorial membrane : is it replenished?
- 2015
-
In: Cell and Tissue Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0302-766X .- 1432-0878. ; 362:3, s. 513-527
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Auditory sensitivity and frequency resolution depend on the physical properties of the basilar membrane in combination with outer hair cell-based amplification in the cochlea. The physiological role of the tectorial membrane (TM) in hair cell transduction has been controversial for decades. New insights into the TM structure and function have been gained from studies of targeted gene disruption. Several missense mutations in genes regulating the human TM structure have been described with phenotypic expressions. Here, we portray the remarkable gradient structure and molecular organization of the human TM. Ultrastructural analysis and confocal immunohistochemistry were performed in freshly fixed human cochleae obtained during surgery. Based on these findings and recent literature, we discuss the role of human TMs in hair cell activation. Moreover, the outcome proposes that the α-tectorin-positive amorphous layer of the human TM is replenished and partly undergoes regeneration during life.
|
|
