Impact of p-cresol on hydrogen sulfide and ammonia treatment by biotrickling filter and the production of nitrous oxide.

Biotrickling filter (BTF) is often used for purification of waste gas from swine houses, with vital information still needed regarding interaction effects among multiple gas pollutants removal and also the formation of byproducts especially nitrous oxide (N2O, a strong greenhouse gas) due to the relative high NH3 concentration level compared to other gases. In this study, gas removal and N2O production were compared between two BTFs, where the inlet gas of BTF-1 contained NH3 and H2S while p-cresol was additionally supplied to BTF-2. At inlet load (IL) between 3.67 and 18.91 g m-3 h-1, removal efficiencies of NH3 exceeded 95% for both BTFs. As alternative strategy, adding thiosulfate improved H2S removal. Interestingly, presence of p-cresol to some extent promoted H2S removal at IL of 0.56 g m-3 h-1possibly due to effect on pH value of circulating solution. Similar to NH3, removal efficiencies of p-cresol were higher than 95% at an average IL of 2.98 g m-3 h-1. Gas residence time, pH of circulating solution and inlet loading were identified as key factors affecting BTF performance, but the response of individual gas compound to these factors was not consistent. Overall, p-cresol enhanced N2O generation although the effects were not always significant. High-throughput sequencing results showed that Proteobacteria accounted for the largest proportion of relative abundance and BTF-2 had much richer microbial diversity compared to BTF-1. Thermomonas, Comamonas, Rhodanobacter and other bacterial genus capable of denitrification were detected in both BTFs, and their corresponding abundances in BTF-2 (10.9%, 8.7% and 5.2%) were all greater than those in BTF-1 (0.4%, 0.3% and 2.0%), indicating that more denitrification may occur within BTF-2 and higher N2O could have been generated. This study provided evidence that organic gas components, served as carbon source, may increase the N2O production from BTF when treating waste gases containing NH3.

Y4 RNA fragments from cardiosphere-derived cells ameliorate diabetic myocardial ischemia‒reperfusion injury by inhibiting protein kinase C ß-mediated macrophage polarization.

The specific pathophysiological pathways through which diabetes exacerbates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remain unclear; however, dysregulation of immune and inflammatory cells, potentially driven by abnormalities in their number and function due to diabetes, may play a significant role. In the present investigation, we simulated myocardial I/R injury by inducing ischemia through ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in mice for 40 min, followed by reperfusion for 24 h. Previous studies have indicated that protein kinase Cß (PKCß) is upregulated under hyperglycemic conditions and is implicated in the development of various diabetic complications. The Y4 RNA fragment is identified as the predominant small RNA component present in the extracellular vesicles of cardio sphere-derived cells (CDCs), exhibiting notable anti-inflammatory properties in the contexts of myocardial infarction and cardiac hypertrophy. Our investigation revealed that the administration of Y4 RNA into the ventricular cavity of db/db mice following myocardial I/R injury markedly enhanced cardiac function. Furthermore, Y4 RNA was observed to facilitate M2 macrophage polarization and interleukin-10 secretion through the suppression of PKCß activation. The mechanism by which Y4 RNA affects PKCß by regulating macrophage activation within the inflammatory environment involves the inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation In our study, the role of PKCß in regulating macrophage polarization during myocardial I/R injury was investigated through the use of PKCß knockout mice. Our findings indicate that PKCß plays a crucial role in modulating the inflammatory response associated with macrophage activation in db/db mice experiencing myocardial I/R, with a notable exacerbation of this response observed upon significant upregulation of PKCß expression. In vitro studies further elucidated the protective mechanism by which Y4 RNA modulates the PKCß/ERK1/2 signaling pathway to induce M2 macrophage activation. Overall, our findings suggest that Y4 RNA plays an anti-inflammatory role in diabetic I/R injury, suggesting a novel therapeutic approach for managing myocardial I/R injury in diabetic individuals.

Electrochemical oxidation of Florfenicol in aqueous solution with mixed metal oxide electrode: Operational factors, reaction by-products and toxicity evaluation.

Veterinary antibiotics have become an emerging pollutant in water and wastewater sources due to excess usage, toxicity and resistance to traditional water and wastewater treatment. The present study explored the degradation of a model antibiotic- Florfenicol (FF) using electrochemical oxidation (EO) with Ti-RuO2/IrO2 anode. The anode material was characterized using SEM-EDS studies expressing stable structure and optimal interaction of the neighboring metal oxides with each other. The EDS results showed the presence of Ru, Ir, Ti, O and C elements with 6.44%, 2.57%, 9.61%, 52.74% and 28.64% atomic weight percentages, respectively. Optimization studies revealed pH 5, 30 mA cm-2 current density and 0.05 M Na2SO4 for 5 mg L-1 FF achieved 90% TOC removal within 360 min treatment time. The degradation followed pseudo-first order kinetics. LC-Q-TOF-MS studies revealed six predominant byproducts illustrating hydroxylation, deflourination, and dechlorination to be the major degradation mechanisms during the electrochemical oxidation of FF. Ion chromatography studies revealed an increase in Cl-, F- and NO3- ions as treatment time progressed with Cl- decreasing after the initial phase of the treatment. Toxicity studies using Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo showed the treated sample to be toxic inducing developmental disorders such as pericardial edema, yolk sac edema, spinal curvature and tail malformation at 96 h post fertilization (hpf). Compared to control, delayed hatching and coagulation were observed in treated embryos. Overall, this study sets the stage for understanding the effect of mixed metal oxide (MMO) anodes on the degradation of veterinary antibiotic-polluted water and wastewater sources using electrochemical oxidation.

Simultaneous removal of ammonia and sulfur odorants in biotrickling filters and N2O production.

Research on the stability evaluation of biotrickling filters (BTFs) under harsh conditions and the bacterial adaptation process still needs to be improved. Herein, BTFs with polypropylene plastic (PP) and ceramic raschig rings (CRR) were investigated for a better understanding of the biodegradation of ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and dimethyl sulfide (DMS). The results showed an excellent performance in removal efficiency (RE) for NH3 (91.6 %-99.9 %), H2S (RE: 55.3 %-99.5 %), and DMS (RE: 10.6 %-99.9 %). It was found that a more apparent positive correlation between N2O emission and pressure drop in CRR BTF (R2 = 0.92) than in PP BTF (R2 = 0.79) (P < 0.01). Low temperature promotes an increase in the abundance ofComamonasandBacillus. The polysaccharides in PP and CRR reactors decreased by 78.6 % and 68.1 % when temperature reduced from 25℃ to 8℃. This work provides a novel insight into understanding bacterial survival under harsh BTF environments.

In situ synthesis of porous metal-organic frameworks NH2-UiO-66 on tea stem biochar and application in odours adsorption.

Multiple odour nuisance in livestock farming is a notorious problem that has a significant impact on the living environment of surrounding communities. Adsorbents based on metal-organic framework (MOF) materials show great promise for controlling odour pollution, as they offer a high specific surface area, a controllable structure and an abundance of active sites. However, the MOF formation process is prone to problems such as pore clogging or collapse and reduced porosity, which limits its further application. In this study, a series of odour adsorbents were prepared by in situ growth of NH2-UiO-66 on tea stem biochar (TSBC) using a hydrothermal method and named UiO (Zr)-TSBCx. The physical and chemical properties and composition of UiO (Zr)-TSBCx have been systematically characterized using SEM, TEM, XRD, FT-IR, N2 adsorption-desorption and XPS. The release of odours from the pig farm effluent was monitored using in-situ continuous Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS), and the obtained primary compositions were tested for further adsorption. In dynamic adsorption experiments focused on butyric acid, UiO (Zr)-TSBC2 showed a high adsorption capacity of 3.99 × 105 µg/g and exceptional structural stability. UiO (Zr)-TSBC2 showed variable adsorption efficiencies for different odorous gases, with the best performance for the removal of ammonia, toluene and butyric acid. It also demonstrated the ability to rapidly mitigate instantaneous high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methanethiol and toluene resulting from agitation. Additionally, based on the relationship between the adsorption amount and the structural characteristics of the adsorbent as well as the nature of the odours, a possible adsorption mechanism of UiO (Zr)-TSBC2 for a variety of odours released from pig farm effluent was proposed. This work demonstrates a novel approach to promote deodorization applications in livestock and poultry farming environments by the in-situ growth of NH2-UiO-66 on biochar prepared from tea stem.

HMGB1-RAGE axis contributes to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury via regulation of cardiomyocyte autophagy and apoptosis in diabetic mice.

Patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated with diabetes are more likely to develop myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury (MI/RI) during reperfusion therapy. Both HMGB1 and RAGE play important roles in MI/RI. However, the specific mechanisms of HMGB1 associated with RAGE are not fully clarified in diabetic MI/RI. This study aimed to investigate whether the HMGB1-RAGE axis induces diabetic MI/RI via regulating autophagy and apoptosis. A db/db mouse model of MI/RI was established, where anti-HMGB1 antibody and RAGE inhibitor (FPS-ZM1) were respectively injected after 10 min of reperfusion. The results showed that treatment with anti-HMGB1 significantly reduced the infarct size, serum LDH, and CK-MB level. Similar situations also occurred in mice administrated with FPS-ZM1, though the HMGB1 level was unchanged. Then, we found that treatment with anti-HMGB1 or FPS-ZM1 performed the same effects in suppressing the autophagy and apoptosis, as reflected by the results of lower LAMP2 and LC3B levels, increased Bcl-2 level, reduced BAX and caspase-3 levels. Moreover, the Pink1/Parkin levels were also inhibited at the same time. Collectively, this study indicates that the HMGB1-RAGE axis aggravated diabetic MI/RI via apoptosis and Pink1/Parkin mediated autophagy pathways, and inhibition of HMGB1 or RAGE contributes to alleviating those adverse situations.

Mediating effect of body fat percentage in the association between ambient particulate matter exposure and hypertension: a subset analysis of China hypertension survey.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension caused by air pollution exposure is a growing concern in China. The association between air pollutant exposure and hypertension has been found to be potentiated by obesity, however, little is known about the processes mediating this association. This study investigated the association between fine particulate matter (aerodynamic equivalent diameter ≤ 2.5 microns, PM2.5) exposure and the prevalence of hypertension in a representative population in southern China and tested whether obesity mediated this association. METHODS: A total of 14,308 adults from 48 communities/villages in southern China were selected from January 2015 to December 2015 using a stratified multistage random sampling method. Hourly PM2.5 measurements were collected from the China National Environmental Monitoring Centre. Restricted cubic splines were used to analyze the nonlinear dose-response relationship between PM2.5 exposure and hypertension risk. The mediating effect mechanism of obesity on PM2.5-associated hypertension was tested in a causal inference framework following the approach proposed by Imai and Keele. RESULTS: A total of 20.7% (2966/14,308) of participants in the present study were diagnosed with hypertension. Nonlinear exposure-response analysis revealed that exposure to an annual mean PM2.5 concentration above 41.8 µg/m3 was associated with increased hypertension risk at an incremental gradient. 9.1% of the hypertension burden could be attributed to exposure to elevated annual average concentrations of PM2.5. It is noteworthy that an increased body fat percentage positively mediated 59.3% of the association between PM2.5 exposure and hypertension risk, whereas body mass index mediated 34.3% of this association. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that a significant portion of the estimated effect of exposure to PM2.5 on the risk of hypertension appears to be attributed to its effect on alterations in body composition and the development of obesity. These findings could inform intersectoral actions in future studies to protect populations with excessive fine particle exposure from developing hypertension.

Unraveling microbial characteristics of simultaneous nitrification, denitrification and phosphorus removal in a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor.

This study describes the simultaneous removal of carbon, ammonium, and phosphate from domestic wastewater by a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) which was operated for 360 days. During the operation, the maximum removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) reached 93.1%, 83.98%, and 96.41%, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that the MABR could potentially treat wastewater with a high ammonium concentration and a relatively low C/N ratio. Dissolved oxygen and multiple pollutants, including ammonium, carbon, phosphate, and sulfate, shaped the structure of the microbial community in the MABR. High throughput sequencing uncovered the crucial microbiome in ammonium transformation in MABR. Phylogenetic analysis of the ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) genes revealed an important role for comammox Nitrospira in the nitrification process. Diverse novel phosphate-accumulating organisms (Thauera, Bacillus, and Pseudomonas) and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (Thiobacillus, Thiothrix and Sulfurimonas) were potentially involved in denitrification in MABR. The results from this study suggested that MABR could be a feasible system for the simultaneous removal of nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur from sewage water.

PILRA is associated with immune cells infiltration in atrial fibrillation based on bioinformatics and experiment validation.

Background and aims: inflammation plays an important role in atrial fibrillation (AF). In this study, we investigated the significance of immune cell infiltration in AF and identified the potential Hub genes involved in the regulation of immune cell infiltration in AF. Methods: we obtained AF datasets from the GEO database and analyzed them for obtaining differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by R software. Then, we performed GO, KEGG, and GSEA enrichment analyses of DEGs. The Hub genes of AF were determined by least absolute shrinkage selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Their validation was verified by using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in the AF rat model. Finally, we used a single sample GSEA (ssGSEA) to analyze immune cell infiltration and its relationship with hub genes. Results: We obtained 298 DGEs from the heatmap and found that DGEs were closely related to inflammation, immunity, and cytokine interactions by enrichment analyses. We obtained 10 co-expression modules by WGCNA. Among them, the module including CLEC4A, COTL1, EVI2B, FCER1G, GAPT, HCST, NCF2, PILRA, TLR8, and TYROBP had the highest correlation with AF. Four Hub genes (PILRA, NCF2, EVI2B, GAPT) were obtained further by LASSO analysis. The results suggested that the expression level of PILRA was significantly elevated in the rats with AF by qPCR, compared to the rats without AF. The results revealed that the infiltration of neutrophils, macrophages, monocytes, mast cells, immature B cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC), dendritic cell, and T cells and their partial subpopulations were closely related to AF by ssGSEA analysis, and PILRA was positively correlated with immature B cell, monocyte, macrophage, mast cell, dendritic cell, and T cells and their partial subpopulations by Spearman correlation analysis. Conclusions: PILRA was closely related to multiple types of immune cell infiltration, which may be associated with AF. PILRA may be a novel target of intervention for AF.

Enhanced aquaculture wastewater treatment in a biofilm reactor filled with sponge/ferrous oxalate/biochar composite (Sponge-C2FeO4@NBC) biocarriers: Performance and mechanism.

Fabricating low-cost and efficient biofilm carriers for moving bed biofilm reactors in wastewater treatment is crucial for achieving environmental sustainability. Herein, a novel sponge biocarrier doped with NaOH-loaded biochar and nano ferrous oxalate (sponge-C2FeO4@NBC) was prepared and evaluated for nitrogenous compounds removal from recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) wastewater by stepwise increasing ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) loading rates. The prepared NBC, sponge-C2FeO4@NBC, and matured biofilms were characterized using SEM, FTIR, BET, and N2 adsorption-desorption techniques. The results reveal that the highest removal rates of NH4+-N reached 99.28 ± 1.3% was yielded by the bioreactor filled with sponge-C2FeO4@NBC, with no obvious nitrite (NO2--N) accumulation in the final phase. The reactor packed with sponge-C2FeO4@NBC biocarrier had the highest relative abundance of functional microorganisms responsible for nitrogen metabolism than in the control reactor, confirmed from 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. Our study provides new insights into the newly developed biocarriers for enhancing RAS biofilters treatment performance in keeping water quality within the acceptable level for the rearing of aquatic species.

Intraperitoneal 5-Azacytidine Alleviates Nerve Injury-Induced Pain in Rats by Modulating DNA Methylation.

To investigate the role of DNA methylation in modulating chronic neuropathic pain (NPP), identify possible target genes of DNA methylation involved in this process, and preliminarily confirm the medicinal value of the DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) inhibitor 5-azacytidine (5-AZA) in NPP by targeting gene methylation. Two rat NPP models, chronic constriction injury (CCI) and spinal nerve ligation (SNL), were used. The DNA methylation profiles in the lumbar spinal cord were assayed using an Arraystar Rat RefSeq Promoter Array. The underlying genes with differential methylation were then identified and submitted to Gene Ontology and pathway analysis. Methyl-DNA immunoprecipitation quantitative PCR (MeDIP-qPCR) and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR) were used to confirm gene methylation and expression. The protective function of 5-AZA in NPP and gene expression were evaluated via behavioral assays and RT-qPCR, respectively. Analysis of the DNA methylation patterns in the lumbar spinal cord indicated that 1205 differentially methylated fragments in CCI rats were located within DNA promoter regions, including 638 hypermethylated fragments and 567 hypomethylated fragments. The methylation levels of Grm4, Htr4, Adrb2, Kcnf1, Gad2, and Pparg, which are associated with long-term potentiation (LTP) and glutamatergic synapse pathways, were increased with a corresponding decrease in their mRNA expression, in the spinal cords of CCI rats. Moreover, we found that the intraperitoneal injection of 5-AZA (4 mg/kg) attenuated CCI- or SNL-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. Finally, the mRNA expression of hypermethylated genes such as Grm4, Htr4, Adrb2, Kcnf1, and Gad2 was reversed after 5-AZA treatment. CCI induced widespread methylation changes in the DNA promoter regions in the lumbar spinal cord. Intraperitoneal 5-AZA alleviated hyperalgesia in CCI and SNL rats, an effect accompanied by the reversed expression of hypermethylated genes. Thus, DNA methylation inhibition represents a promising epigenetic strategy for protection against chronic NPP following nerve injury. Our study lays a theoretical foundation for 5-AZA to become a clinical targeted drug.

Culture media from hypoxia conditioned mast cells aggravates hypoxia and reoxygenation injury of human intestinal cells.

Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (II/R) injury is a common clinical and pathological change; however, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Previous studies have shown that the inflammatory response induced by mast cell degranulation may be involved in the mechanism underlying II/R injury in rats. In this study, we established a human intestinal epithelial adenocarcinoma cell (Caco-2) hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) model and transwell system to investigate the effects of culture media (CM) from hypoxia conditioned human mast cell (HMC-1) and HMC-1 H/R on hypoxia/reoxygenation injury in Caco-2 under H/R conditions. Moreover, we assessed the barrier function of Caco-2 by measuring the 4-kDa fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran (FD4) flux and the tight junction protein expression. The results concluded that Caco-2 exposed to H/R insult showed an increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, cell apoptosis index, cell permeability, Bax expression, phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) and p38, and a decrease in cell viability and expression of Bcl-2, ZO1, and occludin (all P < 0.05). Notably, preincubating Caco-2 with HMC-1CM resulted in an increase in cell injury (increased LDH levels and cell permeability, decreased cell viability), apoptosis index, p-JNK, and p-38 expression and a decrease in ZO1 and occludin expression by co-culture system (all P < 0.05). In conclusion, our results show that HMC-1 hypoxic and reoxygenated CM aggravates hypoxic and reoxygenated injury in Caco-2 by increasing the phosphorylation of JNK and p38 in vitro.

Effects of epidural analgesia exposure during parturition on autism spectrum disorder in newborns: A systematic review and meta-analysis based on cohort study.

Background: Labor epidural analgesia (LEA) is one of the most effective and widely used approaches for pain relief during parturition. we conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the association between LEA exposure during parturition and ASD in newborns. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and Web of Science database were searched from inception to January 2, 2022 to identify related articles. Literature screening was carried out strictly according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and data were extracted and imported into STATA 15.0 software for meta-analysis. Results: A total of 5 studies with 1763454 participants were included. A statistically significant correlation was observed between LEA and changed ASD (RR = 1.20, 95%CI (1.17, 1.24)), and the correlation between LEA and ASD were analyzed by univariate HR (ES = 1.34, 95%CI(1.27,1.40), P < 0.05) and Multivariate HR (ES = 1.13, 95%CI (1.05,1.21), P < 0.05). Limitation: First, few studies were included, and most patients were from the United States. Second, the included studies were observational cohort designs, which cannot avoid selection and measurement bias. Third, the results of the included studies were heterogeneous, and a more detailed subgroup analysis was not possible. Conclusion: There is a correlation between LEA during parturition and the risk of ASD in newborns. The Newborn whose mother received LEA during her birth-giving might be more likely to develop ASD.

Fermentation liquid as a carbon source for wastewater nitrogen removal reduced nitrogenous disinfection byproduct formation potentials of the effluent.

Sludge alkaline fermentation liquid (SAFL) is an alternative to sodium acetate (NaAc) in enhancing wastewater nitrogen removal. Upon SAFL addition, dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) can be externally introduced or biologically synthesized during nitrogen removal, which is an important precursor to toxic nitrogenous disinfection by-products (N-DBPs). This study aims to evaluate the effects of different carbon source addition on effluent DON concentration, composition, and N-DBP formation potentials. A lab-scale A2O system treating real municipal wastewater was operated with NaAc or SAFL as external carbon sources. DON molecules and potential N-DBP precursors were identified by Orbitrap mass spectrometry. Subsequently, major microorganisms contributing to DON biosynthesis were suggested based on metagenomics. It was found that effluent DON was higher with SAFL as the carbon source than NaAc (1.51 ± 0.24 v.s. 0.56 ± 0.08 mg N/L, p < 0.05). Nevertheless, dichloroacetonitrile and nitrosamine formation potentials (7.14 ± 1.02 and 1.57 ± 0.07 µg/mg DON-N, respectively) of the effluent with SAFL addition were 42.79 ± 2.42% and 54.89 ± 1.70% lower than those of NaAc. Protein- and lignin-like compounds were the most abundant DON molecules in the effluent, where alanine, glycine and tyrosine were important precursors to N-DBPs. Azonexus and Flavobacterium spp. were positively correlated with these precursors, and possessed key genes involved in precursor synthesis. SAFL is a promising carbon source, not only for achieving efficient inorganic nitrogen and DON removals, but also for reducing N-DBP formation potentials of chlorinated effluent.

Occurrence and risk assessment of trace organic contaminants and metals in anaerobically co-digested sludge.

Anaerobic co-digestion of sludge increases biogas production and maintains anaerobic digestion stability. However, it is unclear whether the addition of co-substrates may increase the concentration of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) and metals, limiting potential resource recovery opportunities when applied to agricultural land. This study explored the occurrence of 20 TrOCs and 18 metals in wastewater sludge anaerobically co-digested with beverage rejects (cola, beer and juice) and food wastes. TrOCs results showed that cola reject caused an accumulation of caffeine in final digestate. Bisphenol A also significantly increased in food waste co-digestion when compared with the mono-digestion (control). No significant difference in TrOCs was observed in the juice reject co-digestion. Analysis of the metal composition revealed a significant increase in Cr and Al in juice reject co-digested sludge. While restaurant food waste increased concentrations of K and Ca, both of which may be beneficial when applied to land. All metals in this study were below the maximum permissible concentrations specified for agricultural land use in Australia. Environmental risk assessment of sludge when used as soil fertiliser, showed that caffeine, diuron, triclocarban, triclosan, Cu and Zn exhibited high risks, with the largest risk quotient (RQ) posed by caffeine. Estrone and naproxen implied medium risks, and ibuprofen implied a high risk except for the co-digestion using cola reject (RQ = 0.9, medium risk). The results emphasise the importance for wastewater utility operators to understand the impact of co-substrate selection on the quality of sludge to minimise environmental risk from the use of biosolids on agricultural land.

Insight into BDD electrochemical oxidation of florfenicol in water: Kinetics, reaction mechanism, and toxicity.

Antibiotics in the environment provoke serious consequences on living beings and can be effectively remediated by prominent advanced oxidation process. In this study, electrochemical advanced oxidation treatment in a lab-scale reactor for the degradation of florfenicol (FLO) was studied with the aid of boron-doped diamond anode (BDD). The results exhibited that the FLO degradation follows pseudo-first-order kinetics. As the current intensity rose from 60 mA to 250 mA, the FLO removal efficiency increased and the corresponding reaction rate constant increased from 0.0213 to 0.0343 min-1, which was likely due to the more efficient participation of free hydroxyl radical (•OH) generated at the BDD anode. Faster degradation and higher mineralization of electrolyzed FLO solution were achieved at higher current intensity as well as in higher SO42- concentration medium, as a consequence of catalytic participation of oxidants (free •OH as well as sulfate radical (SO4•-) and persulfate (S2O82-)). The increase in FLO concentration from 30 to 50 mg L-1 resulted in a reaction rate constant decrease (from 0.0235 to 0.0178 min-1). Eight transformation by-products (m/z = 372.99, 359.8, 338.0, 324.04, 199.00, 185.02, 168.99 and 78.989) and three inorganic ions (NO3-, Cl- and F-) were analyzed by UPLC‒Q‒TOF‒MS/MS and Ion‒chromatography, respectively. The Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition revealed an increase of toxicity during the electrochemical oxidation that could be attributed mostly to the generated organic chlorinated by-products (m/z = 372.99, 359.8) and inorganic species (ClO2- and ClO3-).

A new side-effect of sufentanil: increased monocyte-endothelial adhesion.

BACKGROUND: Opioids have been identified by the World Health Organization to be 'indispensable for the relief of pain and suffering'. Side-effects, such as nausea, vomiting, postoperative delirium, and effects on breathing, of opioids have been well investigated; however, the influence of opioids on monocyte-endothelial adherence has never been reported. Therefore, we explored the effects of representative opioids, fentanyl, sufentanil, and remifentanil, on monocyte-endothelial adherence and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: We built a cell adhesion model with U937 monocytes and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Two kinds of connexin43 (Cx43) channel inhibitors, 18-α-GA and Gap 27, were used to alter Cx43 channel function in U937 monocytes and HUVECs, respectively, to determine the effects of Cx43 channels on U937-HUVEC adhesion. Subsequently, the effects of fentanyl, sufentanil and remifentanil on Cx43 channel function and U937-HUVEC adhesion were explored. RESULTS: When fentanyl, sufentanil and remifentanil acted on monocytes or endothelial cells, their effects on monocyte-endothelial adherence differed. When acting on U937 monocytes, sufentanil significantly increased U937-HUVEC adhesion which was associated with reduced release of ATP from Cx43 channels, while fentanyl and remifentanil did not have these influences. Although sufentanil could also inhibit Cx43 channel function in HUVECs, it had no effect on ATP release from HUVECs or U937-HUVECs adhesion. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that sufentanil application increases monocyte-endothelial adherence which was associated with reduced release of ATP from Cx43 channels in monocytes. This side-effect of sufentanil should be considered seriously by clinicians.

Application of a protective sleeve is associated with decreased occupational anxiety during endotracheal intubation: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The high risk of cross-infection during tracheal intubation has caused excessive occupational anxiety for anaesthesiologists amid the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Currently, there is no effective way to attenuate their anxiety in clinical practice. We found that anaesthesiologist with better protective equipment might experience decreased levels of anxiety during intubation. METHODS: In this study, 60 patients who underwent intubation and extubation in the operating room were enrolled, and then randomized 1:1 to either wear protective sleeves (protective sleeve group) or not (control group). Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure the anxiety level of anaesthesiologists during intubation. The respiratory droplets of patients on the sleeve, and the anaesthesiologists' perception including the patient's oral malodour, exertion, satisfaction degree, waist discomfort and shoulder discomfort were recorded. The patients' anxiety, oppressed feelings and hypoxia and postoperative complications were all measured and recorded. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the anaesthesiologists in protective sleeve group achieved lower anxiety scores and better satisfaction degrees during the process of intubation and extubation (all P < 0.05). Respiratory droplets were observed only on the inner side, but not the external side, of the protective sleeves (P < 0.001). The incidence of the anaesthesiologists' perception of patients' oral malodour was significantly lower in the protective sleeve group (P = 0.02) and no patients developed hypoxemia or intubation-related complications in the protective sleeve group. CONCLUSION: Using protective devices for intubation might eliminate droplet transmission from patients to anaesthesiologists, while also decreasing their anxiety in a controlled operating room environment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial. no. ChiCTR2000030705 . Registry at www.chictr.org.cn on 10/03/2020.

Nutrient removal from domestic wastewater: A comprehensive review on conventional and advanced technologies.

Nitrogen and phosphorous are indispensable for growth and vitality of living beings, hence termed as nutrients. However, discharge of nutrient rich waste streams to aquatic ecosystems results in eutrophication. Therefore, nutrient removal from wastewater is crucial to meet the strict nutrient discharge standards. Similarly, nutrient recovery from waste streams is vital for the realization of a circular economy by avoiding the depletion of finite resources. This manuscript presents analysis of existing information on different conventional as well as advanced treatment technologies that are commonly practiced for the removal of nutrient from domestic wastewater. First, the information pertaining to the biological nutrient removal technologies are discussed. Second, onsite passive nutrient removal technologies are reviewed comprehensively. Third, advanced nutrient removal technologies are summarized briefly. The mechanisms, advantages, and disadvantages of these technologies along with their efficiencies and limitations are discussed. An integrated approach for simultaneous nutrient removal and recovery is recommended. The fifth section of the review highlights bottlenecks and potential solutions for successful implementation of the nutrient removal technologies. It is anticipated that the review will offer an instructive overview of the progress in nutrient removal and recovery technologies and will illustrate necessity of further investigations for development of efficient nutrient removal and recovery processes.

Enhancement of mariculture wastewater treatment using moving bed biofilm reactors filled with modified biocarriers: Characterisation, process performance and microbial community evaluation.

This research investigated two proposed modified biofilm carriers' performances in treating recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) wastewater under different salinities (12‰, 26‰, and 35‰) for about 92 days. Three moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs; R1, R2, and R3) were filled with unmodified novel sponge biocarriers (SB) served as a control, modified novel SB with ferrous oxalate (C2FeO4@SB), and modified novel SB with combined ferrous oxalate and activated carbon (C2FeO4-AC@SB), respectively. Under the highest saline condition, a significantly higher ammonia removal efficiency of 98.86 ± 0.7% (p ˃ 0.05) was obtained in R3, whereas R2 and R1 yielded 95.18 ± 2.8% and 91.66 ± 1.5%, respectively. Microbial analysis showed that Vibrio, Ruegeria, Formosa, Thalassospira, and Denitromonas were predominant genera, strictly halophilic heterotrophic nitrifying bacteria involved in nitrogen removal. In conclusion, the synergistic effects of novel sponge, C2FeO4 and AC accelerated biofilm formations and stability, subsequently enhanced the removal of ammonia from the mariculture RAS wastewater by the C2FeO4-AC@SB carriers in R3.