Synergistically homogeneous-heterogeneous Fenton catalysis of trace copper ion and g-C3N4 for degradation of organic pollutants.

Using the bulk g-C3N4 as a precursor, four g-C3N4 nanosheets were further prepared by ultrasonic, thermal, acid, and alkali exfoliation. The structures of these materials were characterized by various techniques such as X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The synergistical Fenton catalysis of these materials with Cu2+ was evaluated by using rhodamine B as a simulated organic pollutant. The results showed that there existed a significant synergistical Fenton catalysis between Cu2+ and g-C3N4. This synergistic effect can be observed even when the concentration of Cu2+ was as low as 0.064 mg L-1. The properties of g-C3N4 strongly influenced the catalytic activity of the Cu2+/g-C3N4 system. The coexistent of Cu2+ and the alkali exfoliated g-C3N4 showed the best catalytic activity. Hydroxyl radicals as oxidizing species were confirmed in the Cu2+/g-C3N4 system by electron paramagnetic resonance spectra. The synergistic catalysis may be attributed to the easier reduction of Cu2+ adsorbed on the g-C3N4. This study provided an excellent Fenton catalytic system, and partly solved the rapid deactivation of heterogeneous Fenton catalysts caused by the leaching of metal ions.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) as an efficient metal-free Fenton-like catalyst for degrading organic pollutants: the overlooked non-photocatalytic activity.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has attracted a large amount of research, mainly being used as a photocatalyst, but its Fenton-like catalytic performance has been overlooked. In this paper, the dark Fenton-like catalytic performance of g-C3N4 was evaluated by degrading rhodamine B over a wide pH range. The results showed that the g-C3N4, which was synthesized by conventional urea pyrolysis without any modification, was an efficient metal-free heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst. The highest activity occurred under a weakly alkaline condition of about pH 10. The experiment of catalyst recycling indicated that g-C3N4 had long-term stability. The reactive oxidizing species of HO·, generated by the g-C3N4 activating H2O2, was identified by EPR and further supported by a scavenging experiment of HO· using isopropanol as the scavenger. The HNO3 oxidation of g-C3N4 resulted in catalytic deactivation, implying the catalytic activity originated from the surface reduced groups of g-C3N4. The structure of synthesized g-C3N4 before and after the HNO3 oxidation was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and a possible catalytic mechanism was proposed.

[Bone cement dry prosthetic with internal fixation treat senile osteoporotic femoral fractures].

Objective: To explore the treatment of senile osteoporotic femoral fractures after using internal fixation of bone cement dry prosthetic. Methods: Twelve patients aged from 74 to 94 years with mean age of (84.0±2.5) years with internal fixation of bone cement dry prosthetic surgery who were treated at Department of Orthopaedics in Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi Second Hospital between May 2013 and May 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 8 male and 4 female, 10 cases of tumble and 2 cases of traffic injury. The fracture types with AO type included 1 case of A1 type, 5 cases of A2 type, 3 cases of A3 type, 1 case of B1 type, 2 cases of B2 type. The steel plate internal fixation with bone cement dry prosthetic method was chosen to treat senile severe femoral fracture. Postoperative observation of postoperative pain assessment, hip joint activity and walking ability were evaluated. Paired simple t test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used to compare the differences of pain score and the ability to walk. Results: Twelve cases received an average of (16.0±3.6) months follow-up. The average hospitalization days are (9.0±1.4) days and average of intraoperative time was (68.0±10.6) minutes. Intraoperative blood loss compared to normal was (106.0±24.2) ml. Patients began walking load and activities in two weeks. The gait and joint activities gradually restored and there were no obvious deformity and no loose internal fixation. All of the patients didn't have fracture shift with breaking plates or screws deformation and have no bone cement reaction. The walking ability was (4.1±0.9) points, the hip joint activities were 98.5°±7.7° and pain scores were 1.22±0.58 by Holden grading standards. The differences of walking ability (Z=-3.126, P<0.05) and pain scores (t=23.047, P<0.001) between pre- and post-operative were statistically significant. One patient had contralateral hip pain, 2 patients had lateral thigh pain, 10 patients returned to preoperative level of activity. Postoperative function recovered satisfactorily, there were statistically differences. Conclusion: The treatment of severe osteoporosis fractures by internal fixation with bone cement dry prosthetic is a new and effective method, making patients less pain, improving joint function and walking ability.

Red mud (RM)-Induced enhancement of iron plaque formation reduces arsenic and metal accumulation in two wetland plant species.

Human activities have resulted in arsenic (As) and heavy metals accumulation in paddy soils in China. Phytoremediation has been suggested as an effective and low-cost method to clean up contaminated soils. A combined soil-sand pot experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of red mud (RM) supply on iron plaque formation and As and heavy metal accumulation in two wetland plant species (Cyperus alternifolius Rottb., Echinodorus amazonicus Rataj), using As and heavy metals polluted paddy soil combined with three rates of RM application (0, 2%, 5%). The results showed that RM supply significantly decreased As and heavy metals accumulation in shoots of the two plants due to the decrease of As and heavy metal availability and the enhancement of the formation of iron plaque on the root surface and in the rhizosphere. Both wetland plants supplied with RM tended to have more Fe plaque, higher As and heavy metals on roots and in their rhizospheres, and were more tolerant of As and heavy metal toxicity. The results suggest that RM-induced enhancement of the formation of iron plaque on the root surface and in the rhizosphere of wetland plants may be significant for remediation of soils contaminated with As and heavy metals.

[Research on osteogenesis metabolism of transgenic zebrafish by hepcidin green fluorescent protein].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of hepcidin downregulation on the osteogenesis metabolism and involved mechanism based on the construction of hepcidin green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the transgenic zebrafish. METHODS: The eggs of zebrafish were transfected by hepcidin GFP plasmid by microinjection in half an hour after fertilization. The expression of hepcidin in the zebrafish was checked every 6 hours for 120 hours.Iron staining change was done in the larvae of zebrafish transfected by ATG morpholine and GFP plasmid compared with wild type in 4 days in the same conditions.Alizarin red staining of bone and cartilage was performed in 9 days and the expression of bone metabolic cDNA differences was analysed with real-time PCR on 4th day. RESULTS: Hepcidin expressed begin on 72 hours and strongest in 96 hours on GFP transgenic zebrafish.Iron staining was significantly darker than the GFP-control type on 4th day. Alizarin red staining became shallow and ribs and caudal fin did not change furthermore in zebrafish transfected by ATG morpholine. PCR related metabolic gene expression was expressed down in zebrafish transfected by ATG morpholine. CONCLUSION: Hepcidin expressed strongest on GFP transgenic zebrafish on 96 hours. The inhibition of hepcidin caused iron accumulation and lowered the osteogenesis led to retardation and reduction of bone in zebrafish.

[Analysis of the results of patch test in 192 patients with hand eczema].

Objective: To investigate the common allergens in the patients with hand eczema. Methods: From November 2014 to March 2016, the patients with hand eczema were tested by the patch test kit of daily life series. Results: The results of the patch test of 192 patients with hand eczema were collected. Allergens were detected in 178 (92.71%) cases. The top 5 allergens were nickel chloride (23.96%) , cobalt chloride (18.75%) , aromatic compounds (17.19%) , nickel sulfate (16.67%) and thimerosal (13.54%). The positive rates of kappa mixture, aromatic compounds, tertiary butyl phenolic resin in males were 16.88% , 14.29% , 11.69% , respectively, which were higher than those (5.22% , 4.35% , 3.48%) in females. Conclusion: Nickel chloride, cobalt chloride, aromatic compounds, nickel sulfate and thimerosal are common allergens in patients with hand eczema.

Distribution of H-FABP and ACSL4 gene polymorphisms and their associations with intramuscular fat content and backfat thickness in different pig populations.

Here, we analyzed the distribution of H-FABP/(HinfI, MspI, and HaeIII) and ACSL4/RsaI polymorphisms, and the associations of these 4 polymorphic loci with intramuscular fat (IMF) content and backfat thickness (BFT) in Yanan, Jinhua, Duroc, Landrace, Yorkshire, and Duroc x (Landrace x Yorkshire) (DLY) pigs. H-FABP/HinfI polymorphisms were present in all the 6 populations. At the ACSL4/RsaI locus, sows had 3 genotypes, whereas boars only had haplotype A or G, in Duroc, Landrace, Yorkshire, and DLY pigs. H-FABP/(MspI and HaeIII) and ACSL4/RsaI polymorphisms were absent in Yanan and Jinhua pigs. Linkage disequilibrium analysis indicated that the 3 loci (HinfI, MspI, and HaeIII) were separated. Association analysis showed that the H-FABP/HinfI locus significantly affected IMF content in DLY (P < 0.05) and Yanan (P < 0.001) pigs. The highest IMF content was recorded in the adH haplotype of the 3 H-FABP polymorphic loci (2.59%, P < 0.05) in DLY pigs. At the ACSL4/RsaI locus, higher IMF content was recorded for sows with a GG genotype or boars with a G haplotype compared to those with an AA genotype (2.53 vs 2.10%, P < 0.05) or A haplotype (2.48 vs 1.73%, P < 0.01) in DLY pigs. Significant differences were not obtained among these 4 polymorphic loci and BFT (P > 0.05). The results indicate that H-FABP and ACSL4 genes might serve as markers to improve IMF content (but not BFT) in the pig breeding system.

Activation of mGluR4 promotes proliferation of rat neural progenitor cells while mediating activation of ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) influence the proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the brain. They may play a major role in neurogenesis during embryonic development and in the adult brain. In this study, we investigated the expression of mGluR4 in NPCs and its possible role in the proliferation of rat embryonic NPCs in vitro, the expression of cyclin D1 and the activation of signaling pathways of mitogen—activated protein kinases (MAPKs). The results showed that mGluR4 protein was expressed in NPCs in vitro. mGluR4 selective agonist VU0155041 promoted the proliferation of NPCs by increasing cell activity, diameter of neurospheres and cell division. In addition, mGluR4 siRNA decreased the proliferation of NPCs. The protein expression of cyclin D1 increased with VU0155041 treatment and decreased after siRNA treatment. We also demonstrated that activation of ERK1/2 signaling pathways was involved in the proliferation of NPCs. VU0155041 increased phosphorylation of p—ERK1/2 levels, and mGluR4 siRNA decreased p—ERK1/2 levels. Furthermore, p—p38 expression was decreased by VU0155041 but was increased by mGluR4 siRNA. ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 attenuated the increase of proliferation and cyclin D1 induced by VU0155041. These findings indicate that mGluR4 promotes the proliferation of rat NPCs and cyclin D1 expression through activation of ERK1/2 signaling pathways in vitro, suggesting that mGluR4 may play an important role in brain development. This study will help to develop a new potential therapeutic agent for brain injury and for the prevention of neurodegenerative disorders.

Carcass and meat quality traits of four commercial pig crossbreeds in China.

We evaluated carcass and meat quality traits of two Chinese native crossbreeds Landrace x Meishan (LM) and Duroc x (Landrace x Meishan) (DLM) and two foreign crossbreeds Duroc x (Landrace x Yorkshire) (DLY) and PIC (an imported five-way crossbreed). One hundred and twenty weaned pigs (half castrated males and half females) were reared and slaughtered at a predestinated slaughter age. The general carcass and meat quality traits were measured and analyzed. The DLY and PIC crosses had significantly heavier live weights (93.39 and 96.33 kg, P < 0.01), significantly higher dressing percentages (80.65 and 79.39%, P < 0.05), significantly bigger loin areas (42.69 and 43.91 cm(2), P < 0.001), and significantly more lean carcasses (65.78 and 66.40%, P < 0.001) than LM and DLM. On the other hand, LM had a significantly lower live weight (70.29 kg, P < 0.01), significantly thicker back fat (3.54 cm, P < 0.001), significantly less lean carcasses (46.82%, P < 0.001), and significantly less ham and breech (26.53%, P < 0.05) than the other crossbreeds. Among meat quality parameters, LM had the highest intramuscular fat content (5.02%, P < 0.001) and the smallest fiber area (3126.45 µm(2), P < 0.01). However, PIC showed the lowest pH(1) (5.82, P < 0.01) and pH(2) (5.63, P < 0.01), the highest drip loss (2.89%, P < 0.01), and the lowest intramuscular fat (1.35%, P < 0.001). We concluded that LM and DLM had good meat quality traits but poorer carcass traits than DLY and PIC; DLY had good carcass and meat quality traits; PIC had good carcass traits, but it had less intramuscular fat, lower pH and higher drip loss.

[Prevention of closure point recanalization after uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis for radical resection of distal gastric cancer].

Uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis is widely used in gastrointestinal reconstruction procedure after radical gastrectomy for distal gastric cancer. However, the proximal jejunal closure point recanalization of the input loop is an important complication of postoperative patients with prolonged time, resulting in pancreatic juice or bile reflux, which can lead to inflammatory lesions of the remnant stomach or esophagus. Poor selection of the location of the closure point during anastomosis causes a large amount of food deposited in the blind loop to be pushed and impacted, resulting in loosened threads or failed U-shaped staples, which may cause recanalization complications. Most scholars believe that the shortening of the jejunal tube closure point to the optimal position of 2 to 3 cm from the residual gastrojejunostomy can significantly reduce food retention, decrease the pressure of the closure point and the incidence of recanalization. At present, the application of new anastomotic techniques and materials such as four-row and six-row U-shaped staples and 7# wire ligation under laparoscopy can prevent the occurrence of recanalization of the closure point. Uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis is safe and has few complications, and is expected to become one of the best ways of digestive tract reconstruction.