Classification, characteristics, harmless treatment and safety assessment of antibiotic pharmaceutical wastewater (APWW): a comprehensive review.

The issues related to the spread of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have garnered significant attention from researchers and governments. The production of antibiotics can lead to the emission of high-concentration pharmaceutical wastewater, which contains antibiotic residues and various other pollutants. This review compiles the classification and characteristics of antibiotic pharmaceutical wastewater (APWW), offers an overview of the development, advantages, and disadvantages of diverse harmless treatment processes, and presents a strategy for selecting appropriate treatment approaches. Biological treatment remains the predominant approach for treating APWW. In addition, several alternative methods can be employed to address the challenges associated with APWW treatment. On the other hand, the present safety assessment of the effluent resulting from APWW treatment is inadequate, necessitating more comprehensive research in this domain. It is recommended that researches in this area consider the issue of toxicity and antibiotic resistance as well. The PNECR model (similar to ecotoxicological PNECs but used to specifically refer to endpoints related to antimicrobial resistance) (Murray et al., 2024) is an emerging tool used for evaluating the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) issue. This model is , characterized by its simplicity and effectiveness, is a promising tool for assessing the safety of treated APWW.

Metal-organic frameworks with two different-sized aromatic ring-confined nanotraps for benchmark natural gas upgrade.

Recovery of light alkanes from natural gas is of great significance in petrochemical production. Herein, a promising strategy utilizing two types of size-complementary aromatic ring-confined nanotraps (called bi-nanotraps here) is proposed to efficiently trap ethane (C2H6) and propane (C3H8) selectively at their respective sites. Two isostructural metal-organic frameworks (MOFs, SNNU-185/186), each containing bi-nanotraps decorated with six aromatic rings, are selected to demonstrate the feasibility of this method. The smaller nanotrap acts as adsorption sites tailored for C2H6 while the larger one is optimized in size for C3H8. The separation is further facilitated by the large channels, which serve as mass transfer pathways. These advanced features give rise to multiple C-H⋯π interactions and size/shape-selective interaction sites, enabling SNNU-185/186 to achieve high C2H6 adsorption enthalpy (43.5/48.8 kJ mol-1) and a very large thermodynamic interaction difference between C2H6 and CH4. Benefiting from the bi-nanotrap effect, SNNU-185/186 exhibits benchmark experimental natural gas upgrade performance with top-level CH4 productivity (6.85/6.10 mmol g-1), ultra-high purity and first-class capture capacity for C2H6 (1.23/0.90 mmol g-1) and C3H8 (2.33/2.15 mmol g-1).

A Self-Driven Ga2O3 Memristor Synapse for Humanoid Robot Learning.

In recent years, the rapid development of brain-inspired neuromorphic systems has created an imperative demand for artificial photonic synapses that operate with low power consumption. In this study, a self-driven memristor synapse based on gallium oxide (Ga2O3) nanowires is proposed and demonstrated successfully. This memristor synapse is capable of emulating a range of functionalities of biological synapses when exposed to 255 nm light stimulation. These functionalities encompass peak time-dependent plasticity, pulse facilitation, and memory learning capabilities. It exhibits an ultrahigh paired-pulse facilitation index of 158, indicating exceptional learning performance. The transition from short-term memory to long-term memory can be attributed to the remarkable relearning capabilities. Furthermore, the potential applications of the memristor synapse is showcased through the successful manipulation of a humanoid intelligent robot. Upon establishing artificial intelligence (AI) systems, the control commands originating from the synaptic device can drive the humanoid robot to perform various actions. Based on the memristor synapses, the autonomous feedback system of the humanoid robot facilitates a good collaboration between robotic actions and bio-inspired light perception. Therefore, this research opens up an effective way to advance the development of neuromorphic computing technologies, AI systems, and intelligent robots that demand ultra-low energy consumption.

Hyperspectral reflectance imaging for visualizing reducing sugar content, moisture, and hollow rate in red ginseng.

Red ginseng (RG) has been traditionally valued in Northeast Asia for its health-enhancing properties. Recent advancements in hyperspectral imaging (HSI) offer a non-destructive, efficient, and reliable method to assess critical quality indicators of RG, such as reducing sugar content (RSC), water content (WC), and hollow rate (HR). This study developed predictive models using HSI technology to monitor these quality indicators over the spectral range of 400-1700 nm. Image features were enhanced using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF), followed by classification through Spectral Angle Mapping (SAM). The best-performing model for RSC achieved an R2 value of 0.6198 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.013. For WC, the optimal model obtained an R2 value of 0.6555 and an RMSE of 0.014. The spatial distribution of RSC, WC, and HR was effectively visualized, demonstrating the potential of HSI for on-site quality control of RG. This study provides a foundation for real-time, non-invasive monitoring of RG quality, addressing industry needs for rapid and reliable assessment methods.

Anti-Biofouling Polyzwitterion-Poly(amidoxime) Composite Hydrogel for Highly Enhanced Uranium Extraction from Seawater.

Amidoxime-functionalized hydrogels are one of most promising adsorbents for high-efficiency uranium (U) extraction from seawater, but bioadhesion on their surface seriously decreases their adsorption efficiency and largely shortens their service life. Herein, a semi-interpenetrating zwitterion-poly(amidoxime) (ZW-PAO) hydrogel was explored through introducing a PAO polymer into a poly [3-(dimethyl 4-vinylbenzyl amino) propyl sulfonate] (PDVBAP) polyzwitterionic (PZW) network via ultraviolet (UV) polymerization. Owing to the anti-polyelectrolyte effect of the PZW network, this ZW-PAO hydrogel can provide excellent super-hydrophilicity in seawater for high-efficiency U-adsorption from seawater. Furthermore, the ZW-PAO hydrogel had outstanding anti-biofouling performance for both highly enhanced U-adsorption and a relatively long working life in natural seawater. As a result, during only 25 days in seawater (without filtering bacteria), the U-uptake amount of this ZW-PAO hydrogel can reach 9.38 mg/g and its average rate can reach 0.375 mg/(g∙day), which is excellent among reported adsorbents. This work has explored a promising hydrogel for high-efficiency U-recovery from natural seawater and will inspire new strategy for U-adsorbing materials.

Molecular understanding of speciation transformation of phosphorus and sulfur in food waste digestate during hydrothermal treatment.

Recovering phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) from biowaste is a key strategy to address the current P resources shortage and soil S deficiency. Food waste digestate (FWD) contains high contents of P and S, while its direct application is severely limited by available nutrient leaching loss and pollutant exposure. Hydrothermal treatment (HT) is an effective technique for biowaste disposal, enabling detoxification and resource recovery. The study systematically investigated the speciation transformation of P and S in FWD during HT, using chemical extraction and in-situ X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The results revealed that up to 98% of P in FWD was enriched in the solid product (hydrochar) after HT, with organic P and labile P being converted into stable Ca-bound forms, predominantly hydroxyapatite. This transformation reduced the risk of P leakage loss compared to untreated FWD. Interestingly, the S speciation evolution exhibited more complexity. The highest S proportion in hydrochar of 73.6% was observed at 140 °C under HT. As the temperature increased from 140 °C to 180 °C, S in the hydrochar gradually dissolved into the liquid phase, attributed to unstable aliphatic compounds (mercaptan) and the sulfides oxidizing to sulfates. Above 180 °C, intermediate oxidation states and sulfates were reduced and formed metal sulfides. These findings have important implications for understanding the viability of HT for FWD disposal and the value-added utilization of FWD.

Analysis of Variable Frequency Stimulation Sacral Neuromodulation for Different Genders: A Chinese Multicentric Prospective Clinical Study.

AIM: Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is widely recognized as the essential treatment modality for patients suffering from various lower urinary tract disorders, particularly overactive bladder (OAB). This prospective study recruited patients who underwent variable frequency SNM treatment at six Chinese medical centers, aiming to evaluate the gender-specific effects of this intervention and provide precise guidance on its application for clinical management. METHODS: This prospective study was managed by Beijing Hospital, and six Chinese medical centers participated in this prospective research. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were established to screen patients based on the indication for SNM. During the research, all patients were required to record 72-h voiding diaries, urgency scores, and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores to reflect their disease symptoms. Additionally, subjective questionnaire surveys such as OAB symptom score (OABSS) and quality-of-life (Qol) score were recorded to reflect the patients' quality of life and treatment satisfaction. RESULTS: In this study, 52 patients (male patients: 25; female patients: 27) with OAB symptoms agreed to undergo variable frequency stimulation SNM therapy and finally convert to Stage II. Regarding the baseline outcomes, no significant differences were observed between the male and female groups. In terms of postoperative indicators, male patients showed a greater improvement in Qol scores compared to their female counterparts (20.06 ± 13.12 vs. 40.83 ± 26.06, p = 0.005). The results from VAS scores indicated that pain remission was more pronounced in male patients than in female patients (0.31 ± 0.87 vs. 1.67 ± 2.16, p = 0.02). Importantly, there was a statistically significant disparity in urinary urgency between males and females (male patients: 1.19 ± 1.56; female patients: 2.17 ± 1.52, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, we found that variable frequency SNM treatment yielded sex-specific differences in therapeutic effects, with male patients having a better outcome in some metrics. This suggests that a patient's sex may influence when variable frequency SNM is used, and in the patient's follow-up. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: ChiCTR2000036677.

Kupffer cells dictate hepatic responses to the atherogenic dyslipidemic insult.

Apolipoprotein-B (APOB)-containing lipoproteins cause atherosclerosis. Whether the vasculature is the initially responding site or if atherogenic dyslipidemia affects other organs simultaneously is unknown. Here we show that the liver responds to a dyslipidemic insult based on inducible models of familial hypercholesterolemia and APOB tracing. An acute transition to atherogenic APOB lipoprotein levels resulted in uptake by Kupffer cells and rapid accumulation of triglycerides and cholesterol in the liver. Bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing revealed a Kupffer-cell-specific transcriptional program that was not activated by a high-fat diet alone or detected in standard liver function or pathological assays, even in the presence of fulminant atherosclerosis. Depletion of Kupffer cells altered the dynamic of plasma and liver lipid concentrations, indicating that these liver macrophages help restrain and buffer atherogenic lipoproteins while simultaneously secreting atherosclerosis-modulating factors into plasma. Our results place Kupffer cells as key sentinels in organizing systemic responses to lipoproteins at the initiation of atherosclerosis.

An insoluble cellulose nanofiber with robust expansion capacity protects against obesity.

An imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure predisposes obesity and its related metabolic diseases. Soluble dietary fiber has been shown to improve metabolic homeostasis mainly via microbiota reshaping. However, the application and metabolic effects of insoluble fiber are less understood. Herein, we employed nanotechnology to design citric acid-crosslinked carboxymethyl cellulose nanofibers (CL-CNF) with a robust capacity of expansion upon swelling. Supplementation with CL-CNF reduced food intake and delayed digestion rate in mice by occupying stomach. Besides, CL-CNF treatment mitigated diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in mice with enhanced energy expenditure, as well as ameliorated inflammation in adipose tissue, intestine and liver and reduced hepatic steatosis, without any discernible signs of toxicity. Additionally, CL-CNF supplementation resulted in enrichment of probiotics such as Bifidobacterium and decreased in the relative abundances of deleterious microbiota expressing bile salt hydrolase, which led to increased levels of conjugated bile acids and inhibited intestinal FXR signaling to stimulate the release of GLP-1. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that CL-CNF administration protects mice from diet-induced obesity and metabolic dysfunction by reducing food intake, enhancing energy expenditure and remodeling gut microbiota, making it a potential therapeutic strategy against metabolic diseases.

Robot-assisted transosseous repair of triangular fibrocartilage complex: a cadaver study.

The feasibility and accuracy of robot-assisted bone tunnel construction in the transosseous repair of the triangular fibrocartilaginous complex (TFCC) were compared with those of freehand arthroscopic repair. A total of 20 cadaveric specimens were randomized into robotic-assisted and arthroscopy-guided groups. Three bone tunnels were constructed in the ulnar foveal region in each specimen. The discrepancy between the planned and actual tunnel exits was determined in the robot-assisted group by merging images. The success rate of tunnel construction, time consumption and number of drilling attempts were compared between groups. The median planned/actual exit discrepancy was 0.8 mm in the robot-assisted group, with 90% of tunnel exits successfully placed in the footprint region, compared to 63.3% in the arthroscopy-guided group. The robot-assisted group spent less time and required fewer drilling attempts to construct bone tunnels. These results indicated that the robot-assisted technique can accurately construct multiple bone tunnels in the foveal region and reduce the difficulty of TFCC transosseous repair.Level of evidence: III.

Potato: from functional genomics to genetic improvement.

Potato is the most widely grown non-grain crop and ranks as the third most significant global food crop following rice and wheat. Despite its long history of cultivation over vast areas, slow breeding progress and environmental stress have led to a scarcity of high-yielding potato varieties. Enhancing the quality and yield of potato tubers remains the ultimate objective of potato breeding. However, conventional breeding has faced challenges due to tetrasomic inheritance, high genomic heterozygosity, and inbreeding depression. Recent advancements in molecular biology and functional genomic studies of potato have provided valuable insights into the regulatory network of physiological processes and facilitated trait improvement. In this review, we present a summary of identified factors and genes governing potato growth and development, along with progress in potato genomics and the adoption of new breeding technologies for improvement. Additionally, we explore the opportunities and challenges in potato improvement, offering insights into future avenues for potato research.

Electrochemical performance of Cu6Sn5 alloy anode materials for lithium-ion batteries fabricated by controlled electrodeposition.

Combining electrodeposition and heat treatment is an effective method to successfully fabricate Cu6Sn5 alloy materials, in which the S2 alloy electrode is electrodeposited at 1.2 A dm-2 current density with uniform and compact morphology. The characterization results show that monoclinic η'-Cu6Sn5 and hexagonal η-Cu6Sn5 phases fabricated at the appropriate current density exhibit excellent electrochemical performance. The optimal Cu6Sn5 alloy anode material boasts not just a significantly high discharge specific capacity of 890.2 mA h g-1 with an initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 73.96%, but also achieves an adequate discharge specific capacity of 287.1 after 50 cycles at 100 mA h g-1. Moreover, the electrodeposited Cu6Sn5 alloy materials also possessed a lower transfer resistance of 42.45 Ω and an improved lithium-ion diffusion coefficient of 2.665 × 10-15 cm2 s-1 at the current density of 1.2 A dm-2. Therefore, preparing the Cu6Sn5 alloy thin-film electrode could be a cost-effective and straightforward method by electrodeposition from cyanide-free plating baths to develop anode components suitable for lithium-ion battery applications.

Is Pyrolysis Treatment a Viable Solution to Detoxify Metal(loid)s in Sewage Sludge toward Land Application? Case Studies of Chromium and Zinc.

Metal(loid)s in sewage sludge (SS) are effectively immobilized after pyrolysis. However, the bioavailability and fate of the immobilized metal(loid)s in SS-derived biochar (SSB) following land application remain largely unknown. Here, the speciation and bioavailability evolution of SSB-borne Cr and Zn in soil were systematically investigated by combining pot and field trials and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Results showed that approximately 58% of Cr existing as Cr(III)-humic complex in SS were transformed into Fe (hydr)oxide-bound Cr(III), while nano-ZnS in SS was transformed into stable ZnS and ferrihydrite-bound species (accounting for over 90% of Zn in SSB) during pyrolysis. All immobilized metal(loid)s, including Cr and Zn, in SSB tended to be slowly remobilized during aging in soil. This study highlighted that SSB acted as a dual role of source and sink of metal(loid)s in soil and posed potential risks by serving a greater role of a metal(loid) source than a sink when applied to uncontaminated soils. Nevertheless, SSB could impede the translocation of metal(loid)s from soil to crop compared to SS, where coexisting elements, including Fe, P, and Zn, played critical roles. These findings provide new insights for understanding the fate of SSB-borne metal(loid)s in soil and assessing the viability of pyrolyzing SS for land application.

Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in Cattle in Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China.

Crytosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi are important diarrheal pathogens with a global distribution that threatens the health of humans and animals. Despite cattle being potential transmission hosts of these protozoans, the associated risks to public health have been neglected. In the present study, a total of 1155 cattle fecal samples were collected from 13 administrative regions of Heilongjiang Province. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp., G. duodenalis, and E. bieneusi were 5.5% (64/1155; 95% CI: 4.2-6.9), 3.8% (44/1155; 95% CI: 2.7-4.9), and 6.5% (75/1155; 95% CI: 5.1-7.9), respectively. Among these positive fecal samples, five Cryptosporidium species (C. andersoni, C. bovis, C. ryanae, C. parvum, and C. occultus), two G. duodenalis assemblages (E and A), and eight E. bieneusi genotypes (BEB4, BEB6, BEB8, J, I, CHS7, CHS8, and COS-I) were identified. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all eight genotypes of E. bieneusi identified in the present study belonged to group 2. It is worth noting that some species/genotypes of these intestinal protozoans are zoonotic, suggesting a risk of zoonotic disease transmission in endemic areas. The findings expanded our understanding of the genetic composition and zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium spp., G. duodenalis, and E. bieneusi in cattle in Heilongjiang Province.

Patterned graphene: An effective platform for adsorption, immobilization, and destruction of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro.

To address the ongoing challenges posed by the SARS-CoV-2 and potentially stronger viruses in the future, the development of effective methods to fabricate patterned graphene (PG) and other precisely functional products has become a new research frontier. Herein, we modeled the "checkerboard" graphene (CG) and stripped graphene (SG) as representatives of PG, and studied their interaction mechanism with the target protein (Mpro) by molecular dynamics simulation. The calculation results on the binding strength and the root mean square deviation values of the active pocket revealed that PG is an effective platform for adsorption, immobilization, and destruction of Mpro. Specifically, CG is found to promote disruption of the active pocket for Mpro, but the presence of "checkerboard" oxidized regions inhibits the adsorption of Mpro. Meanwhile, the SG can effectively confine Mpro within the non-oxidized strips and enhances their binding strength, but doesn't play well on disrupting the active pocket. Our work not only elucidates the biological effects of PGs, but also provides guidance for their targeted and precise utilization in combating the SARS-CoV-2.

Dissolving microarray patches loaded with a rotigotine nanosuspension: A potential alternative to Neupro® patch.

Parkinson's disease (PD), affecting about ten million people globally, presents a significant health challenge. Rotigotine (RTG), a dopamine agonist, is currently administered as a transdermal patch (Neupro®) for PD treatment, but the daily application can be burdensome and cause skin irritation. This study introduces a combinatorial approach of dissolving microarray patch (MAP) and nanosuspension (NS) for the transdermal delivery of RTG, offering an alternative to Neupro®. The RTG-NS was formulated using a miniaturized media milling method, resulting in a nano-formulation with a mean particle size of 274.09 ± 7.43 nm, a PDI of 0.17 ± 0.04 and a zeta potential of -15.24 ± 2.86 mV. The in vitro dissolution study revealed an enhanced dissolution rate of the RTG-NS in comparison to the coarse RTG powder, under sink condition. The RTG-NS MAPs, containing a drug layer and a 'drug-free' supporting baseplate, have a drug content of 3.06 ± 0.15 mg/0.5 cm2 and demonstrated greater amount of drug delivered per unit area (∼0.52 mg/0.5 cm2) than Neupro® (∼0.20 mg/1 cm2) in an ex vivo Franz cell study using full-thickness neonatal porcine skin. The in vivo pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that RTG-NS MAPs, though smaller (2 cm2 for dissolving MAPs and 6 cm2 for Neupro®), delivered drug levels comparable to Neupro®, indicating higher efficiency per unit area. This could potentially avoid unnecessarily high plasma levels after the next dose at 24 h, highlighting the benefits of dissolving MAPs over conventional transdermal patches in PD treatment.

The impact of matched and mismatched donor-recipient genotypes for MDR1 polymorphisms (G2677TA, C1236T and C3435T) on the outcomes of patients after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

In this study, we investigated whether matched and mismatched multidrug resistance gene (MDR1) genotypes (G2677TA, C1236T and C3435T) were associated with prognosis in patients after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). One hundred patients after transplantation and their donors were enrolled. Matched MDR1 G2677TA donor-recipient was associated with an increased risk of non-relapse mortality (NRM) (29.5% vs. 6.2%, p = 0.002), poor overall survival (OS) (51.7% vs. 63.8%, p = 0.024) and disease-free survival (DFS) (38.6% vs. 67%, p = 0.005). There were no differences in OS, DFS or NRM between MDR1 C1236T- and C3435T-matched and -mismatched groups. Subgroup analysis suggested that within the matched MDR1 G2677TA group, male gender, haematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index ≥1, serum creatinine >137.2 µmol/L and post-transplantation thrombocytopenia were associated with poor survival. Our results demonstrated that patients receiving matched MDR1 G2677TA allo-HSCT experienced a poorer prognosis compared with the mismatched group. The potential mechanism may involve increased expression of P-glycoprotein, leading to decreased accumulation of antimicrobial agents and ultimately contributing to the progression of inflammation. This identification of MDR1 G2677TA genotype compatibility holds promise as a valuable molecular tool for selecting donors for allo-HSCT.