Hydraulic characterization and start-up of a novel circulating flow bio-carriers.

High-quality biofilm carriers are crucial for the formation of biofilm, but problems such as slow biofilm growth on the carrier surface have been troubling a large number of researchers. The addition of a carrier changes the flow state in the reactor, which in turn affects the microbial attachment and the quantity of microorganisms. Also, aerobic microorganisms need to use dissolved oxygen in the water to remove water pollutants. In this paper, a novel recirculating flow carrier with a hollow cylinder structure is proposed, with a certain number of hollow inverted circular plates placed at equal distances inside. In this paper, the hydraulic residence time, aeration volume, and the spacing of the inflow plates of the recirculating flow biofilm carrier, which are three important factors affecting the hydraulic characteristics of the reactor, are first investigated. At the same time, it was compared with the common combined carrier to find the optimal operating conditions for the hydraulic characteristics. Secondly, a reactor start-up study was carried out to confirm that the new recirculating flow biofilm carrier could accelerate the biofilm growth by changing the hydraulic characteristics. The results showed that under the same conditions, the hydraulic properties of the reactor were better with the addition of the recirculating flow carrier, with an effective volume ratio of 98% and a significant reduction in short flows and dead zones. The stabilized removal of COD, NH3-N, and TN in the reactor with the addition of the recirculating flow carrier reached about 94%, 99%, and 91% respectively, at the beginning of the 15th day, which effectively proved the feasibility of the recirculating flow carrier.

Research progress of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) process based on integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS).

The integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) process is considered one of the cutting-edge solutions to the traditional wastewater treatment challenges, allowing suspended sludge and attached biofilm to grow in the same system. In addition, the coupling of IFAS with anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) can further improve the efficiency of biological denitrification. This paper summarises the research progress of IFAS coupled with the anammox process, including partial nitrification anammox, simultaneous partial nitrification anammox and denitrification, and partial denitrification anammox technologies, and describes the factors that limit the development of related processes. The effects of dissolved oxygen, influent carbon source, sludge retention time, temperature, microbial community, and nitrite-oxidising bacteria inhibition methods on the anammox of IFAS are presented. At the same time, this paper gives an outlook on future research focus and engineering practice direction of the process.

MiR-217-5p inhibits smog (PM2.5)-induced inflammation and oxidative stress response of mouse lung tissues and macrophages through targeting STAT1.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the roles of macrophages' miR-217-5p in the process of PM2.5 induced acute lung injury. METHODS: GEO database and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis as well as GSEA were used to predicted the miRNA and associated target signals. And then mice and RAW246.7 macrophages treated with PM2.5 to imitate PM2.5 induced acute lung injury environment and then transfected with miR-217-5p NC or miR-217-5p mimic. The levels of inflammatory factors TNF-α and anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 of mice serum were tested by ELISA. And the pathological changes and ROS level of mouse lung tissues were stained by HE and DHE staining. The proteins expression of phosphorylated-STAT1, total-STAT1, TNF-α, IFN-γ as well as p47, gp91, NOX4 in mice or RAW264.7 cells were tested by western blot or immunofluorescence of RAW264.7 cell slides. RESULTS: The results of bioinformatics analysis indicated the miR-217 as well as STAT1 were involved PM2.5 associated lung injury. After exposure to PM2.5, the decreased levels of serum TNF-α but not IL-10, consistent with reduced macrophages' accumulation as well as decreased ROS levels in lung tissues in miR-217-5p mimic group vs miR-217-5p NC group mice, and moreover, the protein expression levels of phosphorylated--STAT1, total-STAT1, TNF-α, IFN-γ, p47, gp91 and NOX4 in mouse lung tissues and RTAW246.7 macrophages cells were all significantly reduced with miR-217-5p mimic administration. The above phenomena were reversed by specific STAT1-inhibitor HY-N8107. CONCLUSIONS: miR-217-5p suppressed the activated STAT1-signal induced inflammation and oxidative stress trigged by PM2.5 in macrophages and resulted in the decreased lung injure caused by PM2.5.

Repair of finger pulp defects using a free second toe pulp flap anastomosed with the palmar vein.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical utility of surgical reconstruction of finger pulp defects using a plantar flap derived from the toes, with vascular anastomosis of the toe-finger artery and the plantar-palmar vein of the finger. METHODS: Between April 2018 and November 2020, 29 patients with finger pulp defects underwent treatment via the transplantation of pulp tissue from the second toe, with the plantar vein of the toe and the palmar vein of the finger being anastomosed during this procedure. In addition, an anastomosis of the toe and finger artery and nerve was conducted, with a flap size of 1.0 cm * 0.8 cm-2.3 cm * 4.0 cm being used for such repair. Donor tissue sites were closed without introducing deformities or other complications. RESULTS: In all patients in the present study, flap tissues survived and did not exhibit evidence of vascular crisis over a mean 16.8-month follow-up period (range 8-24 months). After successful skin flap grafting, they exhibited good elasticity and a soft texture. At three months post-surgery, some patients reported partial recovery of touch sensation in the transplanted tissue, while pain recovery was evident in some patients at 4-6 months post-surgery. No deformities or other complications were observed at the donor site, and the ability of patients to walk normally was not impaired. CONCLUSION: The anastomosis of toe plantar flaps with the palmar vein can facilitate the repair of finger pulp injuries without the need to dissect the dorsal vein of the toe, allowing for the suturing of donor tissue sites without causing any deformities or other complications. This surgical approach can easily be conducted with satisfactory clinical outcomes.

Melatonin Attenuates Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Oxidative Stress by Activating Mitochondrial Fusion in Cardiomyocytes.

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury can stimulate mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production. Optic atrophy 1- (OPA1-) induced mitochondrial fusion is an endogenous antioxidative mechanism that preserves the mitochondrial function. In our study, we investigated whether melatonin augments OPA1-dependent mitochondrial fusion and thus maintains redox balance during myocardial I/R injury. In hypoxia/reoxygenation- (H/R-) treated H9C2 cardiomyocytes, melatonin treatment upregulated OPA1 mRNA and protein expression, thereby enhancing mitochondrial fusion. Melatonin also suppressed apoptosis in H/R-treated cardiomyocytes, as evidenced by increased cell viability, diminished caspase-3 activity, and reduced Troponin T secretion; however, silencing OPA1 abolished these effects. H/R treatment augmented mitochondrial ROS production and repressed antioxidative molecule levels, while melatonin reversed these changes in an OPA1-dependent manner. Melatonin also inhibited mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening and maintained the mitochondrial membrane potential, but OPA1 silencing prevented these outcomes. These results illustrate that melatonin administration alleviates cardiomyocyte I/R injury by activating OPA1-induced mitochondrial fusion and inhibiting mitochondrial oxidative stress.

Efficient Anion Fluoride-Doping Strategy to Enhance the Performance in Garnet-Type Solid Electrolyte Li7La3Zr2O12.

Garnet-type solid-state electrolyte Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) is expected to realize the next generation of high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. However, the severe dendrite penetration at the pores and grain boundaries inside the solid electrolyte hinders the practical application of LLZO. Here, it is reported that the desirable quality and dense garnet Li6.8Al0.2La3Zr2O11.80F0.20 can be obtained by fluoride anion doping, which can effectively facilitate grain nucleation and refine the grain; thereby, the ionic conductivity increased to 7.45 × 10-4 at 30 °C and the relative density reached to 95.4%. At the same time, we introduced a transition layer to build the Li6.8Al0.2La3Zr2O11.80F0.20-t electrolyte in order to supply a stable contact; as a result, the interface resistance of Li|Li6.8Al0.2La3Zr2O11.80F0.20-t decreases to 12.8 Ω cm2. The Li|Li6.8Al0.2La3Zr2O11.80F0.20-t|Li symmetric cell achieved a critical current density of 1.0 mA cm-2 at 25 °C, which could run stably for 1000 h without a short circuit at 0.3 mA cm-2 and 25 °C. Moreover, the Li|LiFePO4 battery exhibited a high Coulombic efficiency (>99.5%), an excellent rate capability, and a great capacity retention (123.7 mA h g-1, ≈80%) over 500 cycles at 0.3C and 25 °C. The Li|LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cell operated well at 0.2C and 25 °C and delivered a high initial discharge capacity of 151.4 mA h g-1 with a good capacity retention (70%) after 195 cycles. This work demonstrates that the anion doping in LLZO is an effective method to prepare a dense garnet ceramic for the high-performance lithium batteries.

MicroRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ levels in lung tissue and plasma are increased by the stimulation of particulate matter with a diameter of ≤2.5µm, and are associated with the poor prognosis of asthma induced pulmonary arterial hypertension patients.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the prognostic value of particulate matter with a diameter of ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)-related microRNA-206 combined with interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13 and interferon-γ (INF-γ) in asthma induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). METHODS: Fifty SPF BALB/c mice were divided into 5 groups: control group, asthma + PAH group, low-toxic asthma + PAH group, moderately-exposed asthma + PAH group, highly-exposed asthma + PAH group. Differences of microRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ expression in lung tissue and plasma were detected. A total of 98 patients with asthma induced PAH and 98 healthy persons were collected. Patients were followed up for 12 months. RESULTS: Based on microarray analyses, we found that microRNA-206 may be involved in asthma induced PAH stimulated by PM2.5. Compared with healthy people, plasma microRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ levels in asthma induced PAH patients were significantly higher (P< .05). Compared with survivors, plasma microRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ levels in non-survivors were significantly higher (P< .05). Survival analyses showed that compared with low microRNA-206, low IL-4, low IL-13 and low INF-γ groups, survival rate of patients in high microRNA-206 (χ2 = 4.864, P= .013), high IL-4 (χ2 = 3.774, P= .038), high IL-13 (χ2 = 8.375, P< .001) and high INF-γ groups (χ2 = 9.007, P< .001) were significantly reduced. Established prognostic evaluation model was built and the estimated probability was 0.473. Compared with estimated probability ≤ 0.473, survival rate of patients in estimated probability> 0.473 was significantly reduced (χ2 = 17.377, P< .001). CONCLUSION: Current model combining plasma microRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ has potential significance for prognosis of asthma induced PAH.

Lipomatous ganglioneuroma of the retroperitoneum.

Lipomatous ganglioneuroma (LG) is a rare variant of ganglioneuroma that is histologically characterized by a mature adipocytic component admixed with a conventional ganglioneuroma. We report the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of an LG in a 44-year-old Chinese male; additionally, we review the literature regarding this type of tumor. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a left paravertebral soft-tissue mass at the T11-L3 levels. Grossly, the encapsulated neoplasm had a white to yellowish cut surface and rubbery consistency. Microscopic evaluation revealed an encapsulated lesion that consisted of areas of ganglioneuroma admixed with areas of mature fat. By immunohistochemistry, the ganglion cells were positive for chromogranin and synaptophysin, whereas the Schwann cells were positive for vimentin, S-100 protein, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). This is the second known report of a retroperitoneal LG. The patient was well and without evidence of disease at 2 years' follow-up.

Comparison of the structural characterization and biological activity of acidic polysaccharides from Cordyceps militaris cultured with different media.

Two acidic polysaccharide fractions, CM-jd-CPS2 and CM-jd(Y)-CPS2, were isolated from the fruiting bodies of cultured Cordyceps militaris grown on solid rice medium and silkworm pupa, respectively, by hot-water extraction, ethanol precipitation and fractionation using ion-exchange column (DEAE-cellulose-52) and gel-filtration column (Sephadex G-100) chromatography. Their structural characterizations were performed by gas chromatography and fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Some differences existed between their structures, which indicated that culture media could influence the structure of polysaccharides of C. militaris. The antioxidant activities of CM-jd-CPS2 and CM-jd(Y)-CPS2 were evaluated by various methods in vitro. They had strong 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity and ferrous ion-chelating capacity, but moderate reducing power. The antioxidant activities of CM-jd(Y)-CPS2 were slightly higher than those of CM-jd-CPS2. These two acidic fractions were evaluated for proliferation of mouse splenocyte activity in vitro. They both possessed does-dependent mitogenic effects on mouse splenocytes, and could synergistically promote murine T- and B-lymphocytes induced by Con A and LPS. CM-jd(Y)-CPS2 exhibited stronger stimulatory activities upon immunomodulation than CM-jd-CPS2. These results are beneficial for the interpretation of the connection between polysaccharide structures and their biological activities.

Simultaneous determination of five active hydrolysis ingredients from Panax quinquefolium L. by HPLC-ELSD.

An effective method for simultaneous determination of five hydrolysis products of 20 (R)-dammarane-3ß,6α,12ß,20,25-pentol, 24(R)-ocotillol, 20(R)-protopanaxatriol, 20(S)-panaxatriol and 20(R)-dammarane-3ß,12ß,20,25-tetrol was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD). The hydrolysis products from Panax quinquefolium L. in the stems and leaves, berries, flower buds and roots components were successfully separated on a Kromasil C(18) column using methanol and water (83:17, v/v) as mobile phase in 18 min. The parameter for the ELSD was set to a probe temperature of 40°C and the nebulizer for nitrogen gas was adjusted to 3 L/min. All calibration curves showed good linear regression (r > 0.9975) within test ranges. The validation of the method included recovery, linearity, accuracy and precision (intra- and inter-day variation). The accuracy and precision were satisfactory, with the overall intra- and inter-day variation being less than 3.11%, and recoveries of this method were greater than 95.0%. This study developed an effective and rapid method for simultaneous determination of multiple hydrolysis components from Panax quinquefolium L.

[Two gene mutations in fibrillin 1 of Marfan syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To detect novel mutations in the fibrillin 1 (FBN1) and transforming growth factor beta receptor type II (TGFBR2) genes by screening the genes from 14 patients with Marfan syndrome. METHODS: Denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) was introduced to screen for FBN1 and TGFBR2 mutations exon-by-exon. The DNA amplification fragments which DHPLC elution profiles showed different from the corresponding normal elution profile were sequenced to identify the positions and types of mutations. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was employed to further prove the mutations when needed. RESULTS: Two gene mutations of the FBN1 were found in the patients with Marfan syndrome. They were a novel substitutional mutation (Intron29 +4A > T) of FBN1 and a recurrent nonsense mutation (8080C >T) of FBN1. CONCLUSION: Intron29 +4A > T and 8080C > T of FBN1 are possibly the pathogenesis of the MFS patients.

[Two novel mutations in fibrillin-1 gene of Marfan syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To detect novel mutations in the fibrillin-1(FBN1) gene by screening the gene from 9 patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS). METHODS: Denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) was used to screen for FBN1 mutation exon by exon. The DNA amplification fragments of which the DHPLC elution profiles showed difference in comparison with the corresponding normal elution profile were sequenced to identify the position and nature of mutation. The detected mutations were further proved by allele specific PCR or restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS: Two novel FBN1 gene mutations were found and identified in two Marfan patients respectively, one of which was a small insertion in exon 34 at nucleotide 4307-4308 (4307insTCGT) and the other a missense mutation in exon 43 at nucleotide 5309 (5309G>A). CONCLUSION: The findings suggested that the frameshift mutation (4307insTCGT) and point mutation (5309G>A) caused the corresponding patients to have MFS.