Association of RASGRP1 polymorphism with vascular complications in Chinese diabetic patients with glycemic control and antihypertensive treatment.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that RASGRP1 was potently associated with the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and RASGRP1 rs7403531 was significantly correlated with islet function in T2DM patients. However, the effect of RASGRP1 polymorphism on blood glucose and blood pressure in T2DM patients after continuous treatment has yet to be fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between RASGRP1 genetic polymorphism and cardiovascular complications in T2DM patients, so as to provide more evidence for the individualized treatment of T2DM patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a large-scale multicenter drug clinical study cohort that based on a 2 × 2 factorial (glucose control axis and blood pressure lowering axis) randomized controlled design, with follow-up for 5 years. The major vascular endpoint events included cardiovascular death, non-fatal stroke, coronary heart disease, new-onset or worsening renal disease, and diabetic retinopathy. RASGRP1 rs12593201, rs56254815 and rs7403531 were finally selected as candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms. Mixed linear model and Cox hazard ratio (HR) model were used for data analysis with IBM SPSS (version 20.0 for windows; Chicago, IL). RESULTS: Our study enrolled 1357 patients with high-risk diabetes, with a mean follow-up duration of 4.8 years. RASGRP1 rs7403531 was associated with vascular events in hypoglycemic and antihypertensive therapy. Specifically, compared with CC carriers, patients with CT/TT genotype had fewer major microvascular events (HR = 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21-0.80, P = 0.009), and reduced the risk of major eye disease events (HR = 0.44, 95% CI 0.20-0.94, P = 0.03). For glucose lowering axis, CT/TT carriers had a lower risk of secondary nephropathy (HR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.25-0.92, P = 0.03) in patients with standard glycemic control. For blood pressure lowering axis, all cerebrovascular events (HR = 2.24, 95% CI 1.11-4.51, P = 0.025) and stroke events (HR = 2.07, 95% CI 1.03-4.15, P = 0.04) were increased in patients with CC genotype compared to those with CT/TT genotype in the placebo group, respectively. Furthermore, patients with CC genotype showed a reduced risk of major cerebrovascular events in antihypertensive group (HR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.15-0.86, P = 0.021). For RASGRP1 rs56254815, compared with the AA genotype carriers, the systolic blood pressure of AG/GG carriers in the antihypertensive group decreased by 1.5mmhg on average (P = 0.04). In the placebo group, the blood pressure of AG/GG carriers was 1.7mmHg higher than that of AA carriers (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: We found that patients with G allele of RASGRP1 (rs56254815) showed a better antihypertensive therapy efficacy in T2DM patients. The rs7403531 T allele could reduce the risk of major microvascular events and major eye diseases in T2DM patients receiving either hypoglycemic or antihypertensive therapy. Our findings suggest that RASGRP1 genetic polymorphism might predict the cardiovascular complications in T2DM patients.

The Association between Circadian Syndrome and Frailty in US adults: a cross-sectional study of NHANES Data from 2007 to 2018.

PURPOSE: Frailty and Circadian Syndrome (CircS) are prevalent among the elderly, yet the link between them remains underexplored. This study aims to examine the association between CircS and frailty, particularly focusing on the impact of various CircS components on frailty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2007 to 2018. The 49-item Frailty Index (FI) was employed to assess frailty. To understand the prevalence of CircS in relation to frailty, we applied three multivariate logistic regression models. Additionally, subgroup and interaction analyses were performed to investigate potential modifying factors. RESULTS: The study included 8,569 participants. In fully adjusted models, individuals with CircS showed a significantly higher risk of frailty compared to those without CircS (Odds Ratio [OR] = 2.18, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.91-2.49, p < 0.001). A trend of increasing frailty risk with greater CircS component was observed (trend test p < 0.001). Age (p = 0.01) and race (p = 0.02) interactions notably influenced this association, although the direction of effect was consistent across subgroups. Sensitivity analysis further confirmed the strength of this relationship. CONCLUSION: This study identifies a strong positive correlation between CircS and frailty in the elderly. The risk of frailty escalates with an increasing number of CircS components. These findings highlight the intricate interplay between circadian syndrome and frailty in older adults, offering valuable insights for developing targeted prevention and intervention strategies.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells in cancer: therapeutic targets to overcome tumor immune evasion.

Paradoxically, tumor development and progression can be inhibited and promoted by the immune system. After three stages of immune editing, namely, elimination, homeostasis and escape, tumor cells are no longer restricted by immune surveillance and thus develop into clinical tumors. The mechanisms of immune escape include abnormalities in antitumor-associated immune cells, selection for immune resistance to tumor cells, impaired transport of T cells, and the formation of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. A population of distinct immature myeloid cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), mediate immune escape primarily by exerting immunosuppressive effects and participating in the constitution of an immunosuppressive microtumor environment. Clinical trials have found that the levels of MDSCs in the peripheral blood of cancer patients are strongly correlated with tumor stage, metastasis and prognosis. Moreover, animal experiments have confirmed that elimination of MDSCs inhibits tumor growth and metastasis to some extent. Therefore, MDSCs may become the target of immunotherapy for many cancers, and eliminating MDSCs can help improve the response rate to cancer treatment and patient survival. However, a clear definition of MDSCs and the specific mechanism involved in immune escape are lacking. In this paper, we review the role of the MDSCs population in tumor development and the mechanisms involved in immune escape in different tumor contexts. In addition, we discuss the use of these cells as targets for tumor immunotherapy. This review not only contributes to a systematic and comprehensive understanding of the essential role of MDSCs in immune system reactions against tumors but also provides information to guide the development of cancer therapies targeting MDSCs.

Performance and micro-pacing in sprint cross-country skiing: A comparison of individual time-trial and head-to-head race formats.

This study compared performance strategies and sub-technique selection in cross-country skate skiing sprint races, specifically individual time-trial (ITT) and head-to-head (H2H) formats. Fourteen male cross-country skiers from the Chinese national team participated in the FIS-sanctioned sprint race day. GNSS and heart rate sensors recorded positioning, skiing speeds, heart rate, sub-technique usage, and skiing kinematics. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was used to determine the course positions (clusters) where instantaneous skiing speed was significantly associated with section time. One-way analyses of variance were used to examine differences between the ITT and H2H. H2H race speeds were 2.4 ± 0.2% faster than the ITT race (p < 0.05).Variations in sub-technique and skiing kinematics were observed between race formats, indicating different strategies and tactics employed by athletes. SPM identified specific clusters (primarily uphill) where the fastest athlete gained significant time over the slowest. The greatest time gains were associated with higher G3 sub-technique usage and longer G3 cycle length on steep uphill terrain (9-13% gradients). Integrating SPM analyses and sub-technique assessments can help optimise performance and tactics in sprint races. This study enhances our understanding of cross-country skiing dynamics and performance variations among elite competitors.

A combined pre- and intra-operative nomogram in evaluation of degrees of liver cirrhosis predicts post-hepatectomy liver failure: a multicenter prospective study.

Background: Adequate evaluation of degrees of liver cirrhosis is essential in surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. The impact of the degrees of cirrhosis on prediction of post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) remains poorly defined. This study aimed to construct and validate a combined pre- and intra-operative nomogram based on the degrees of cirrhosis in predicting PHLF in HCC patients using prospective multi-center's data. Methods: Consecutive HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy between May 18, 2019 and Dec 19, 2020 were enrolled at five tertiary hospitals. Preoperative cirrhotic severity scoring (CSS) and intra-operative direct liver stiffness measurement (DSM) were performed to correlate with the Laennec histopathological grading system. The performances of the pre-operative nomogram and combined pre- and intra-operative nomogram in predicting PHLF were compared with conventional predictive models of PHLF. Results: For 327 patients in this study, histopathological studies showed the rates of HCC patients with no, mild, moderate, and severe cirrhosis were 41.9%, 29.1%, 22.9%, and 6.1%, respectively. Either CSS or DSM was closely correlated with histopathological stages of cirrhosis. Thirty-three (10.1%) patients developed PHLF. The 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 0.9%. Multivariate regression analysis showed four pre-operative variables [HBV-DNA level, ICG-R15, prothrombin time (PT), and CSS], and one intra-operative variable (DSM) to be independent risk factors of PHLF. The pre-operative nomogram was constructed based on these four pre-operative variables together with total bilirubin. The combined pre- and intra-operative nomogram was constructed by adding the intra-operative DSM. The pre-operative nomogram was better than the conventional models in predicting PHLF. The prediction was further improved with the combined pre- and intra-operative nomogram. Conclusions: The combined pre- and intra-operative nomogram further improved prediction of PHLF when compared with the pre-operative nomogram. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT04076631.

Exploring Radiomics Features Based on H&E Images as Potential Biomarkers for Evaluating Muscle Atrophy: A Preliminary Study.

Radiomics features have been widely used as novel biomarkers in the diagnosis of various diseases, but whether radiomics features derived from hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) images can evaluate muscle atrophy has not been studied. Therefore, this study aims to establish a new biomarker based on H&E images using radiomics methods to quantitatively analyze H&E images, which is crucial for improving the accuracy of muscle atrophy assessment. Firstly, a weightless muscle atrophy model was established by laying macaques in bed, and H&E images of the shank muscle fibers of the control and bed rest (BR) macaques were collected. Muscle fibers were accurately segmented by designing a semi-supervised segmentation framework based on contrastive learning. Then, 77 radiomics features were extracted from the segmented muscle fibers, and a stable subset of features was selected through the LASSO method. Finally, the correlation between radiomics features and muscle atrophy was analyzed using a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. The semi-supervised segmentation results show that the proposed method had an average Spearman's and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) of 88% and 86% compared to manually extracted features, respectively. Radiomics analysis showed that the AUC of the muscle atrophy evaluation model based on H&E images was 96.87%. For individual features, GLSZM_SZE outperformed other features in terms of AUC (91.5%) and ACC (84.4%). In summary, the feature extraction based on the semi-supervised segmentation method is feasible and reliable for subsequent radiomics research. Texture features have greater advantages in evaluating muscle atrophy compared to other features. This study provides important biomarkers for accurate diagnosis of muscle atrophy.

Human skeletal muscle aging atlas.

Skeletal muscle aging is a key contributor to age-related frailty and sarcopenia with substantial implications for global health. Here we profiled 90,902 single cells and 92,259 single nuclei from 17 donors to map the aging process in the adult human intercostal muscle, identifying cellular changes in each muscle compartment. We found that distinct subsets of muscle stem cells exhibit decreased ribosome biogenesis genes and increased CCL2 expression, causing different aging phenotypes. Our atlas also highlights an expansion of nuclei associated with the neuromuscular junction, which may reflect re-innervation, and outlines how the loss of fast-twitch myofibers is mitigated through regeneration and upregulation of fast-type markers in slow-twitch myofibers with age. Furthermore, we document the function of aging muscle microenvironment in immune cell attraction. Overall, we present a comprehensive human skeletal muscle aging resource ( https://www.muscleageingcellatlas.org/ ) together with an in-house mouse muscle atlas to study common features of muscle aging across species.

GLI1 polymorphisms influence remission rate and prognosis of young de novo acute myeloid leukemia patients treated with cytarabine-based chemotherapy.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogeneous hematological malignancy. Cytarabine (Ara-C)-based chemotherapy is the primary treatment for AML, but currently known prognostic risk stratification factors cannot fully explain the individual differences in outcome of patients. In this article, we reported that patients with homozygous GLI1 rs2228224 mutation (AA genotype) had a significantly lower complete remission rate than those with GG wild type (54.17% vs.76.02%, OR = 1.993, 95% CI: 1.062-3.504, P = 0.031). GLI1 rs2229300 T allele carriers had remarkably shorter overall survival (513 vs. 645 days, P = 0.004) and disease-free survival (342 vs. 456 days, P = 0.033) than rs2229300 GG carriers. Rs2229300 G > T variation increased the transcriptional activity of GLI1. CCND1, CD44 and PROM1 were potential target genes differentially regulated by GLI1 rs2229300. Our results demonstrated for the first time that GLI1 polymorphisms influence chemosensitivity and prognosis of young de novo AML patients treated with Ara-C.

TGF-ß downstream of Smad3 and MAPK signaling antagonistically regulate the viability and partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition of liver progenitor cells.

BACKGROUND: Liver progenitor cells (LPCs) are a subpopulation of cells that contribute to liver regeneration, fibrosis and liver cancer initiation under different circumstances. RESULTS: By performing adenoviral-mediated transfection, CCK-8 analyses, F-actin staining, transwell analyses, luciferase reporter analyses and Western blotting, we observed that TGF-ß promoted cytostasis and partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in LPCs. In addition, we confirmed that TGF-ß activated the Smad and MAPK pathways, including the Erk, JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways, and revealed that TGFß-Smad signaling induced growth inhibition and partial EMT, whereas TGFß-MAPK signaling had the opposite effects on LPCs. We further found that the activity of Smad and MAPK signaling downstream of TGF-ß was mutually restricted in LPCs. Mechanistically, we found that TGF-ß activated Smad signaling through serine phosphorylation of both the C-terminal and linker regions of Smad2 and 3 in LPCs. Additionally, TGFß-MAPK signaling inhibited the phosphorylation of Smad3 but not Smad2 at the C-terminus, and it reinforced the linker phosphorylation of Smad3 at T179 and S213. We then found that overexpression of mutated Smad3 at linker phosphorylation sites intensifies TGF-ß-induced cytostasis and EMT, mimicking the effects of MAPK inhibition in LPCs, whereas mutation of Smad3 at the C-terminus caused LPCs to blunt TGF-ß-induced cytostasis and partial EMT. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that TGF-ß downstream of Smad3 and MAPK signaling were mutually antagonistic in regulating the viability and partial EMT of LPCs. This antagonism may help LPCs overcome the cytostatic effect of TGF-ß under fibrotic conditions and maintain partial EMT and progenitor phenotypes.

Highly Reactive Peroxide Species Promoted Soot Oxidation over an Ordered Macroporous Ce0.8Zr0.2O2 Integrated Catalyzed Diesel Particulate Filter.

Particulate matter, represented by soot particles, poses a significant global environmental threat, necessitating efficient control technology. Here, we innovatively designed and elaborately fabricated ordered hierarchical macroporous catalysts of Ce0.8Zr0.2O2 (OM CZO) integrated on a catalyzed diesel particulate filter (CDPF) using the self-assembly method. An oxygen-vacancy-enriched ordered macroporous Ce0.8Zr0.2O2 catalyst (VO-OM CZO) integrated CDPF was synthesized by subsequent NaBH4 reduction. The VO-OM CZO integrated CDPF exhibited a markedly enhanced soot oxidation activity compared to OM CZO and powder CZO coated CDPFs (T50: 430 vs 490 and 545 °C, respectively). The well-defined OM structure of the VO-OM CZO catalysts effectively improves the contact efficiency between soot and the catalysts. Meanwhile, oxygen vacancies trigger the formation of a large amount of highly reactive peroxide species (O22-) from molecular oxygen (O2) through electron abstraction from the three adjacent Ce3+ (3Ce3+ + Vö + O2 → 3Ce4+ + O22-), contributing to the efficient soot oxidation. This work demonstrates the fabrication of the ordered macroporous CZO integrated CDPF and reveals the importance of structure and surface engineering in soot oxidation, which sheds light on the design of highly efficient PM capture and removal devices.

Identification and validation of an anoikis-related genes signature for prognostic implication in papillary thyroid cancer.

Thyroid cancer, notably papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), is a global health concern with increasing incidence. Anoikis, a regulator of programmed cell death, is pivotal in normal physiology and, when dysregulated, can drive cancer progression and metastasis. This study explored the impact of anoikis on PTC prognosis. Analyzing data from GEO, TCGA, and GeneCards, we identified a prognostic signature consisting of six anoikis-related genes (ARGs): EZH2, PRKCQ, CD36, INHBB, TDGF1, and MMP9. This signature independently predicted patient outcomes, with high-risk scores associated with worse prognoses. A robust predictive ability was confirmed via ROC analysis, and a nomogram achieved a C-index of 0.712. Differences in immune infiltration levels were observed between high- and low-risk groups. Importantly, the high-risk group displayed reduced drug sensitivity and poor responses to immunotherapy. This research provides insights into anoikis in PTC, offering a novel ARG signature for predicting patient prognosis and guiding personalized treatment strategies.

Human papillomavirus and Epstein-Barr virus infection in benign thyroid lesions.

INTRODUCTION: The objective was to investigate the correlation between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the development of benign thyroid lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 29 cases of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), 133 cases of thyroid adenoma, and 34 cases of HT with thyroid adenoma paraffin embedded tissue samples were used for EBV and HPV quantitative detection. RESULTS: None of the tissue samples carried HPV DNA. In HT tissue samples, the positive rate of EBV was 55.2% (16/29). In thyroid adenoma tissue samples, the positive rate was 37.6% (50/133). In HT combined with thyroid adenoma tissue samples, the positive rate of EBV was 67.6% (23/34). There was no correlation between EBV infection and clinical features such as age and gender. CONCLUSION: The occurrence and development of benign thyroid lesions are closely related to EBV infection. HT combined with thyroid adenoma may be more susceptible to EBV infection than simple HT and thyroid adenoma, which provides a new idea for the diagnosis and treatment of benign thyroid lesions.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase IIa, clinical study on investigating the efficacy and safety of SPH3127 tablet in patients with essential hypertension.

Around 70% of patients diagnosed with hypertension exhibit increased levels of renin. SPH3127, an inventive renin inhibitor, has shown favorable tolerability and sustained pharmacodynamic inhibitory impact on plasma renin activity (PRA) during previous phase I trials. This phase II study was conducted to investigate the efficacy and safety of SPH3127 in patients with essential hypertension. This study was conducted in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension, utilizing a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. The patients were administered either tablet of SPH3127 at doses of 50 mg, 100 mg, or 200 mg, or a placebo. A total of 122 patients were included in the study, with 121 patients included in the full analysis set. Among these patients, there were 30 individuals in each subgroup receiving different dosage regimens of SPH3127, and 31 patients in the placebo group. The reductions in mean sitting diastolic blood pressure (msDBP) after 8 weeks compared to baseline were 5.7 ± 9.5, 8.6 ± 8.8, and 3.8 ± 10.6 mmHg in the SPH3127 50-, 100-, and 200 mg groups, respectively. In the placebo group, the reduction was 3.1 ± 8.4 mmHg. The corresponding reductions in mean sitting systolic blood pressure (msSBP) were 11.8 ± 13.0, 13.8 ± 11.2, 11.1 ± 13.1, and 7.7 ± 9.7 mmHg in each respective group. SPH3127 is a promising drug for the treatment of patients with essential hypertension. The recommended dosage is 100 mg daily.Clinical trial registration: This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03756103).

6-O-endosulfatases in tumor metastasis: heparan sulfate proteoglycans modification and potential therapeutic targets.

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality. Although advances in the targeted treatment and immunotherapy have improved the management of some cancers, the prognosis of metastatic cancers remains unsatisfied. Therefore, the specific mechanisms in tumor metastasis need further investigation. 6-O-endosulfatases (SULFs), comprising sulfatase1 (SULF1) and sulfatase 2 (SULF2), play pivotal roles in the post-synthetic modifications of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Consequently, these extracellular enzymes can regulate a variety of downstream pathways by modulating HSPGs function. During the past decades, researchers have detected the expression of SULF1 and SULF2 in most cancers and revealed their roles in tumor progression and metastasis. Herein we reviewed the metastasis steps which SULFs participated in, elucidated the specific roles and mechanisms of SULFs in metastasis process, and discussed the effects of SULFs in different types of cancers. Moreover, we summarized the role of targeting SULFs in combination therapy to treat metastatic cancers, which provided some novel strategies for cancer therapy.

Association of cardiometabolic and triglyceride-glucose index with left ventricular diastolic function in asymptomatic individuals.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Obesity and insulin resistance are associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) and increased risk of heart failure. Cardiometabolic index (CMI) and triglyceride glucose (TyG) are new indexes to assess visceral obesity and insulin resistance, respectively. The study aimed to investigate the clinical usefulness of these indexes for identifying LVDD individuals. METHODS AND RESULTS: Overall, 1898 asymptomatic individuals were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants underwent anthropometrics, serum biochemical evaluation, and echocardiography. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that both indexes were independent determinants of diastolic parameters among females; while for males, CMI and TyG were not associated with A velocity. In the multivariate logistic analysis, the proportion of LVDD in the third and fourth quartiles of CMI remained significantly greater than that in the lowest quartile in females (Q3 vs. Q1: odds ratio (OR) = 2.032, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.181-3.496; Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 2.393, 95% CI: 1.347-4.249); while in males, the incidence of LVDD was significantly greater only in the fourth quartile. For TyG, the presence of LVDD in the fourth quartile was significantly greater in both genders. The discriminant values between the CMI (AUC: 0.704, 95% CI: 0.668-0.739) and TyG (AUC: 0.717, 95% CI: 0.682-0.752) were similar in females. Both indexes performed better in females than in males to identify LVDD. CONCLUSION: The CMI and TyG might both serve as effective tools to identify LVDD in routine health check-ups in primary care, mainly in females. With simpler parameters, the CMI could be utilized in medically resource-limited areas.

Inhibition of PTPRE suppresses tumor progression and improves sorafenib response in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis, and the efficacy of current therapeutic strategies is extremely limited in advanced diseases. Our previous study reported that protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor epsilon (PTPRE) is a promoting factor in HCC progression. In this study, our objective was to evaluate the treatment effect of PTPRE inhibitors in different HCC preclinical models. Our results indicated that the PTPRE inhibitory compound 63 (Cpd-63) inhibited tumor cell proliferation, migration, and HCC organoid growth. Mechanism research revealed that Cpd-63 could inhibit the expression of MYC and MYC targets by inhibiting the activation of SRC. Additionally, we found that Cpd-63 could improve the response of sorafenib in HCC cells. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the PTPRE inhibitors represented a potential therapeutic agent for HCC management.

Designed Synthesis of Fe/Zr Bimetallic Organic Framework to Enhance the Selective Conversion of H2S to Sulfur.

The development of stable and effective catalysts to convert toxic H2S into high value-added sulfur is essential for production safety and environmental protection. However, the inherent defects of traditional iron- and zirconium-based catalysts, such as poor activity, high oxygen consumption, and low sulfur selectivity, limit their further developments and applications. Herein, the Fe-Zr bimetallic organic framework FeUIO-66(x) with different cubic morphologies was synthesized via a facile solvothermal method. The results indicate that the introduction of Fe not only increases the specific surface area and weak L-sites of the catalyst without changing its crystal structure, which provides enough reaction space and more active sites for the adsorption and activation of H2S, but also reduces the activation energy of the reaction, significantly promoting the selective oxidation of H2S. As a result, the as-obtained FeUIO-66(1) catalyst exhibits the highest desulfurization activity and superior durability and water resistance stability, and its H2S conversion and sulfur selectivity within 50 h are 100 and 88%, respectively. More importantly, the structure of the catalyst after the desulfurization reaction is consistent with that of the fresh counterpart. The study offers new insights into the development of effective and stable bimetallic catalysts to eliminate H2S and recycle sulfur.

Iron­calcium dual crosslinked graphene oxide/alginate aerogel microspheres for extraordinary elimination of tetracycline in complex wastewater: Performance, mechanism, and applications.

Antibiotics have been considered as a group of emerging contaminants for their stable chemical structure, significant pseudo-persistence, and biological toxicity. Tetracycline (TC), as one of the typical antibiotics frequently detected in environmental media, can cause the dissemination and accumulation of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG), ultimately threatening human health and environmental safety. Herein, a novel iron­calcium di-crosslinked graphene oxide/alginate (GO/SA-Fe3+-Ca2+) aerogel was facilely synthesized for TC uptake. It was found that the introduction of GO nanosheets and Fe3+ sites into composite enormously enhanced TC removal. Specifically, TC can be stably and efficiently eliminated over the wide pH range of 5-8. The fitted maximum qe with Liu isotherm model at 308 K reached 1664.05 mg/g, surpassing almost all reported sorbents. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model with chemical sorption characteristics better fitted TC adsorption process, which was endothermic and spontaneous in nature. Multifarious adsorptive sites of GO/SA-Fe3+-Ca2+ synergically participated in TC uptake through multi-mechanisms (e.g., π-π EDA, cation-π bonding, H-bonding, Fe3+-coordination, and electrostatic attraction, etc.). The as-prepared composite showed satisfactory TC removal in several runs of adsorption-desorption operations, high salinity, and model aquaculture wastewater. Moreover, the packed-column could continuously run for >200 h until adsorption saturation was achieved with a dynamic adsorption capacity of 216.69 mg/g, manifesting its scale-up engineering applications. All above merits make as-constructed composite an alternative sorbent for eliminating TC from complex wastewater.