Adsorption Recycling and High-Value Reutilization of Heavy-Metal Ions from Wastewater: As a High-Performance Anode Lithium Battery.

The dazzling adsorbent products make people overlook the harm of heavy metals adsorbed on them. Hazardous waste adsorbents cause secondary pollution. In this study, waste lignocellulose was dissolved by alkaline urea solvent and high-intensity ultrasound, then cross-linked by epichlorohydrin to make hydrogel, which was utilized to adsorb toxic heavy-metal wastewater. In situ deposition and high-temperature carbonization turn the gel that has absorbed heavy metals into carbon aerogel-loaded metal oxide energy storage materials that may be employed as anodes in lithium-ion batteries with excellent electrochemical performance. The best reversible capacity was 435.86 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 0.2C, indicating that the hazardous solid waste generated by the removal of heavy metals using biomass-based adsorbent has potential lithium battery applications. Thus, we provide a fresh perspective on the efficient recycling of heavy metals as well as an environmentally friendly, high-value conservation strategy for lowering the danger of heavy-metal hazardous wastes.

Vacuum Steam Treatment of Metrosideros polymorpha Logs for Eradication of Ceratocystis huliohia and C. lukuohia.

A new and devastating disease, rapid ohia death (ROD), in Hawaii led to a state quarantine that regulates interisland transport of ohia wood and plant material to prevent spread of the causal pathogens. Heat treatments of ohia logs in commercial trade were considered for phytosanitary treatment. Vacuum steam (VS) was evaluated for its ability to eradicate the pathogens, Ceratocystis lukuohia and C. huliohia, in main stem logs from ROD-affected forest trees. Replicate loads of three debarked logs (24 to 43 cm in diameter, 1.7 to 2.0 m long) were VS treated at 56°C for 30 min (five loads) or 60°C for 60 min (four loads) at a sapwood depth equal to 70% of log radius. Percentage isolation of Ceratocystis from VS and ambient temperature logs before treatment and summarized by source tree ranged from 12 to 66% and 6 to 31% based on carrot baiting assays of tissue taken from outer and inner sapwood, respectively. No viable Ceratocystis was detected in sapwood locations for the 60°C/60 min schedule or inner locations for the 56°C/30 min schedule after treatment. Only one subsample (0.48%, n = 208) of the latter schedule treatment yielded Ceratocystis. Time needed for treatment ranged from 7.4 to 15 h for the 56°C/30 min schedule and from 8.6 to 19.2 h for the 60°C/60 min schedule. These results demonstrate that VS is an effective and efficient method for treating large-diameter ohia logs that mill owners and regulatory plant pathologists may consider for use in Hawaii.

Role of Natural Compounds and Target Enzymes in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurological condition. The rising prevalence of AD necessitates the rapid development of efficient therapy options. Despite substantial study, only a few medications are capable of delaying the disease. Several substances with pharmacological activity, derived from plants, have been shown to have positive benefits for the treatment of AD by targeting various enzymes, such as acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), ß-secretase, γ-secretase, and monoamine oxidases (MAOs), which are discussed as potential targets. Medicinal plants have already contributed a number of lead molecules to medicine development, with many of them currently undergoing clinical trials. A variety of medicinal plants have been shown to diminish the degenerative symptoms associated with AD, either in their raw form or as isolated compounds. The aim of this review was to provide a brief summary of AD and its current therapies, followed by a discussion of the natural compounds examined as therapeutic agents and the processes underlying the positive effects, particularly the management of AD.

In Vitro Activity of Ceftazidime-Avibactam against Isolates from Respiratory and Blood Specimens from Patients with Nosocomial Pneumonia, Including Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia, in a Phase 3 Clinical Trial.

Nosocomial pneumonia (NP), including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), is increasingly associated with multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. This study describes the in vitro activity of ceftazidime-avibactam, ceftazidime, and relevant comparator agents against bacterial pathogens isolated from patients with NP, including VAP, enrolled in a ceftazidime-avibactam phase 3 trial. Gram-positive pathogens were included if coisolated with a Gram-negative pathogen. In vitro susceptibility was determined at a central laboratory using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute broth microdilution methods. Of 817 randomized patients, 457 (55.9%) had ≥1 Gram-negative bacterial pathogen(s) isolated at baseline, and 149 (18.2%) had ≥1 Gram-positive pathogen(s) coisolated. The most common isolated pathogens were Klebsiella pneumoniae (18.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15.8%), and Staphylococcus aureus (11.5%). Ceftazidime-avibactam was highly active in vitro against 370 isolates of Enterobacteriaceae, with 98.6% susceptible (MIC90, 0.5 µg/ml) compared with 73.2% susceptible for ceftazidime (MIC90, >64 µg/ml). The percent susceptibility values for ceftazidime-avibactam and ceftazidime against 129 P. aeruginosa isolates were 88.4% and 72.9% (MIC90 values of 16 µg/ml and 64 µg/ml), respectively. Among ceftazidime-nonsusceptible Gram-negative isolates, ceftazidime-avibactam percent susceptibility values were 94.9% for 99 Enterobacteriaceae and 60.0% for 35 P. aeruginosa MIC90 values for linezolid and vancomycin (permitted per protocol for Gram-positive coverage) were within their respective MIC susceptibility breakpoints against the Gram-positive pathogens isolated. This analysis demonstrates that ceftazidime-avibactam was active in vitro against the majority of Enterobacteriaceae and P. aeruginosa isolates from patients with NP, including VAP, in a phase 3 trial. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT01808092.).

Vacuum Steam Treatment Eradicates Viable Bretziella fagacearum from Logs Cut from Wilted Quercus rubra.

Methyl bromide (MB) fumigation is required for U.S. Quercus log exports due to concern over unintentional spread of Bretziella fagacearum. MB alternatives are needed due to the chemical's ability to damage the earth's ozone layer. Vacuum steam (VS) is an environmentally friendly method that was evaluated for its ability to eradicate B. fagacearum in logs (24 to 61 cm diameter; 1.7 to 1.9 m long) obtained from Q. rubra that had wilted following natural infection (NI) or artificial inoculation (AI). Five replicate loads of two NI and one AI logs were VS-treated at 56°C for 30 min and 60°C for 60 min (at 5.0 cm sapwood depth). Mean frequencies of pretreatment fungus colonization ranged from 12.5 to 24.4% in NI and 29.4 to 45.6% in AI logs based on isolation from wood chips of inner and outer sapwood, respectively, of two disks per log. Frequencies of pathogen DNA detection were similar to those for isolation. No viable pathogen or its DNA were detected in posttreatment logs. Treatment times ranged from 5 to 9 h for the 56°C/30 min schedule and from 8 to 10 h for the 60°C/60 min schedule. Based on these results, VS is worthy of further development as a MB alternative.

Clinical activity of ceftazidime/avibactam against MDR Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa: pooled data from the ceftazidime/avibactam Phase III clinical trial programme.

Objectives: This analysis evaluated the clinical activity of ceftazidime/avibactam against MDR Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates pooled from the adult Phase III clinical trials in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI), complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI) or nosocomial pneumonia (NP) including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Methods: Baseline isolates from five Phase III randomized controlled trials of ceftazidime/avibactam versus predominantly carbapenem comparators in patients with cIAI (RECLAIM 1 and 2; NCT01499290 and RECLAIM 3; NCT01726023), cUTI (RECAPTURE 1 and 2; NCT01595438 and NCT01599806), NP including VAP (REPROVE; NCT01808092) and cIAI or cUTI caused by ceftazidime-non-susceptible Gram-negative pathogens (REPRISE; NCT01644643) were tested for MDR status and susceptibility to ceftazidime/avibactam and carbapenem-based comparators using CLSI broth microdilution methodology. Microbiological and clinical responses for patients with ≥1 MDR Enterobacteriaceae or P. aeruginosa isolate were assessed at the test-of-cure (TOC) visit. Results: In the pooled microbiologically modified ITT population, 1051 patients with MDR Enterobacteriaceae and 95 patients with MDR P. aeruginosa isolates were identified. Favourable microbiological response rates at TOC for all MDR Enterobacteriaceae and MDR P. aeruginosa were 78.4% and 57.1%, respectively, for ceftazidime/avibactam and 71.6% and 53.8%, respectively, for comparators. The proportions of patients with ≥1 MDR isolate who were clinically cured at TOC were similar in the ceftazidime/avibactam (85.4%) and comparator (87.9%) arms. Conclusions: Ceftazidime/avibactam demonstrated similar clinical efficacy to predominantly carbapenem comparators against MDR Enterobacteriaceae and P. aeruginosa, and may be a suitable alternative to carbapenem-based therapies for cIAI, cUTI and NP/VAP caused by MDR Gram-negative pathogens.

Adsorption of iron(III), cobalt(II), and nickel(II) on activated carbon derived from Xanthoceras Sorbifolia Bunge hull: mechanisms, kinetics and influencing parameters.

Xanthoceras Sorbifolia Bunge hull activated carbon (XSA) was prepared and characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The ability of XSA as an adsorbent was investigated for the removal of the iron group ions Fe(III), Co(II), and Ni(II) from aqueous solution. Optimum adsorption parameters were determined based on the initial concentrations of the iron group ions, pH, adsorption temperature, and adsorption time in adsorption studies. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacities were 241.13 mg/g for Fe(III), 126.05 mg/g for Co(II), and 187.96 mg/g for Ni(II), respectively. Adsorption kinetics and isotherms showed that the adsorption process best fitted the nonlinear pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models, and the affinity of the ions for XSA decreased as follows: Fe(III) > Ni(II) > Co(II). Regeneration studies indicated that XSA could be used after several consecutive adsorption/desorption cycles using HNO3. Fourier transform infrared and EDX spectra revealed the chemical adsorption value of XSA as an adsorbent for removing iron group ions from aqueous solutions.

In Situ Construction of CdS/g-C3N4 Heterojunctions in Spent Thiolation@Wood-Aerogel for Efficient Excitation Peroxymonosulfate to Degradation Tetracycline.

Pollutant treatment, hazardous solid waste conversion, and biomass resource utilization are significant topics in environmental pollution control, and simultaneously achieving them is challenging. Herein, we developed a "from waste absorbent to effective photocatalyst" upcycle strategy for nontoxic conversion of Cd(II) adsorbed on thiolation@wood-aerogel (TWA) into CdS/g-C3N4 heterojunctions through the in situ chemical deposition high-temperature carbonization combined conversion method to overcome the above problems simultaneously. We used Schiff base reaction to graft l-cysteine into dialdehyde@wood-aerogel to prepare TWA with a high Cd(II) adsorption capacity (600 mg/L, 294.66 mg/g). Subsequently, the spent Cd(II)-loaded-TWA was used as a substrate for in situ construction of Cd(II) into CdS/g-C3N4 heterojunction for activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) under simulated sunlight [simulated solar light (SSL)], achieving efficient tetracycline (TC) degradation (20 mg/L, 95.32%). The Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models indicate single-layer chemical adsorption of Cd(II) on the TWA adsorption process. In the PMS/SSL system, CdS/g-C3N4@TWA efficiently and rapidly degraded TC via an adsorption-photocatalytic synergistic degradation mechanism. The used CdS/g-C3N4@TWA has a good biocompatibility. This study proposed design and preparation of a new type of wood aerogel absorbent and provided a novel upcycling strategy for innovative use of the spent waste adsorbent.

The incidence of thrombosis with co-occurring thrombocytopenia prior to the SARS-CoV2 pandemic: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) is a very rare prothrombotic disorder that is a safety concern for some COVID-19 vaccines. We aimed to devise a case definition to estimate the incidence of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia as a proxy for TTS in a national insurance claims database. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan over the three-year period prior to the SARS-COV-2 pandemic (2017-2019). Our case definition was all patients with newly diagnosed thrombosis co-occurring with a diagnosis of thrombocytopenia within seven days before or after the thrombosis diagnosis. Cases were identified using International Classification of Disease-10 codes. FINDINGS: We identified 2010 patients with newly diagnosed thrombosis co-occurring with thrombocytopenia during the study period. The mean age was 64.71 years; female:male ratio 1:1.45. The most frequent thrombotic events were coronary artery disease (18.81%), cerebral infarction (16.87%), and disseminated intravascular coagulation (13.13%). Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis was rare (<0.1%). The average annual incidence rate of co-occurring new diagnoses of thrombosis and thrombocytopenia was 2.84 per 100 000 population. Incidence rates were higher in men than women, except in 20-39 year-olds (higher in females). 20.6% of patients died within the first month after diagnosis. INTERPRETATION: We observed that the demographic and clinical characteristics of thrombosis with co-occurring thrombocytopenia using our case definition is different from that of TTS. Further research is needed to refine the case definition of TTS in the post-COVID-19 vaccination period.

Efficient production of high concentration monosaccharides and ethanol from poplar wood after delignification and deacetylation.

Efficient enzymatic hydrolysis is required for the production of high concentration monosaccharides and ethanol. The lignin and acetyl group in poplar can limit the enzymatic hydrolysis. However, the effect of delignification combined with deacetylation on the saccharification of poplar for high concentration monosaccharides was not clear. Herein, hydrogen peroxide-acetic acid (HPAA) was used for delignification and sodium hydroxide was used for deacetylation to enhance the hydrolyzability of poplar. Delignification with 60% HPAA at 80 °C could remove 81.9% lignin. Acetyl group was completely removed with 0.5% NaOH at 60 °C. After the saccharification, 318.1 g/L monosaccharides were obtained with a poplar loading of 35% (w/v). After simultaneous saccharification and fermentation, 114.9 g/L bioethanol was gained from delignified and deacetylated poplar. Those results showed the highest monosaccharides and ethanol concentrations in reported research. This developed strategy with a relatively low temperature could effectively improve the production of high concentration monosaccharide and ethanol from poplar.

A p-n Junction by Coupling Amine-Enriched Brookite-TiO2 Nanorods with CuxS Nanoparticles for Improved Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction.

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction is a promising technology for reaching the aim of "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality", and it is crucial to design efficient photocatalysts with a rational surface and interface tailoring. Considering that amine modification on the surface of the photocatalyst could offer a favorable impact on the adsorption and activation of CO2, in this work, amine-modified brookite TiO2 nanorods (NH2-B-TiO2) coupled with CuxS (NH2-B-TiO2-CuxS) were effectively fabricated via a facile refluxing method. The formation of a p-n junction at the interface between the NH2-B-TiO2 and the CuxS could facilitate the separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers. Consequently, under light irradiation for 4 h, when the CuxS content is 16%, the maximum performance for conversion of CO2 to CH4 reaches at a rate of 3.34 µmol g-1 h-1 in the NH2-B-TiO2-CuxS composite, which is approximately 4 times greater than that of pure NH2-B-TiO2. It is hoped that this work could deliver an approach to construct an amine-enriched p-n junction for efficient CO2 photoreduction.

Optimal scan strategy for mega-pixel and kilo-gray-level OLED-on-silicon microdisplay.

The digital pixel driving scheme makes the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) microdisplays more immune to the pixel luminance variations and simplifies the circuit architecture and design flow compared to the analog pixel driving scheme. Additionally, it is easily applied in full digital systems. However, the data bottleneck becomes a notable problem as the number of pixels and gray levels grow dramatically. This paper will discuss the digital driving ability to achieve kilogray-levels for megapixel displays. The optimal scan strategy is proposed for creating ultra high gray levels and increasing light efficiency and contrast ratio. Two correction schemes are discussed to improve the gray level linearity. A 1280×1024×3 OLED-on-silicon microdisplay, with 4096 gray levels, is designed based on the optimal scan strategy. The circuit driver is integrated in the silicon backplane chip in the 0.35 µm 3.3 V-6 V dual voltage one polysilicon layer, four metal layers (1P4M) complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process with custom top metal. The design aspects of the optimal scan controller are also discussed. The test results show the gray level linearity of the correction schemes for the optimal scan strategy is acceptable by the human eye.

Efficient Adsorption-Assisted Photocatalysis Degradation of Congo Red through Loading ZIF-8 on KI-Doped TiO2.

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) was evenly loaded on the surface of TiO2 doped with KI, using a solvent synthesis method, in order to produce a ZIF-8@TiO2 (KI) adsorption photocatalyst with good adsorption and photocatalytic properties. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX, XPS, BET and UV-Vis. The photocatalytic efficiency of the material was obtained by photocatalytic tests. The results indicate that the doping with I inhibited the grain growth and reduced the crystallite size of TiO2, reduced the band gap width and improved the utilization rate for light. TiO2 (KI) was a single crystal of anatase titanium dioxide. The combination of ZIF-8 and TiO2 (KI) improved the specific surface area and increased the reaction site. The ZIF-8@TiO2 (KI) for Congo red was investigated to validate its photocatalytic performance. The optimal concentration of Congo red solution was 30 mg/L, and the amount of catalyst was proportional to the degradation efficiency. The degradation efficiency of ZIF-8@TiO2 (5%KI) was 76.42%, after being recycled four times.

Facile synthesis of magnesium-based metal-organic framework with tailored nanostructure for effective volatile organic compounds adsorption.

A novel Mg(II) metal-organic framework (Mg-MOF) was synthesized based on the ligand of 2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid. Single-crystal X-ray structural analysis confirmed that three-dimensional-nanostructure Mg-MOFs formed a monoclinic system with a channel size of 15.733 Å × 23.736 Å. N2 adsorption isotherm, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy were performed to characterize the thermal stability and purity of the Mg-MOFs. The adsorption studies on four typical volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted during wood drying showed that Mg-MOFs have noteworthy adsorption capacities, especially for benzene and ß-pinene with adsorptions of 182.26 mg g-1 and 144.42 mg g-1, respectively. In addition, the adsorption of Mg-MOFs mainly occurred via natural adsorption, specifically, multi-layer physical adsorption, accompanied by chemical forces, which occurred in the pores where the VOCs molecules combined with active sites. As an adsorbent, Mg-MOFs exhibit versatile behaviour for toxic gas accumulation.

Vacuum Steam Treatment Effectiveness for Eradication of the Thousand Cankers Disease Vector and Pathogen in Logs From Diseased Walnut Trees.

Logs of high-value eastern black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) are commonly exported from the United States for production of veneer and lumber. Veneer logs are not debarked to minimize degradation of wood quality and reduce moisture loss. Thousand cankers disease (TCD) is caused by the walnut twig beetle (Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman) and the fungal pathogen, Geosmithia morbida M. Kolarik, E. Freeland, C. Utley and N. Tisserat sp. nov., which colonize the inner bark of Juglans species. Effective eradication of these organisms by heat or chemical fumigation treatment is required for walnut logs prior to export. Because vacuum steam is an effective and efficient means of heating round wood, its use in eliminating the TCD causal agents was evaluated using Juglans logs (12- to 44-cm small end diameter and 1.7- to 1.9-m length) from TCD-symptomatic trees in Oregon and Washington State. Five replicate trials with three logs per load were conducted in a portable vacuum chamber to test two treatment schedules: 60°C for 60 min and 56°C for 30 min. Complete elimination of P. juglandis and G. morbida was achieved when using a minimum of 56°C at 5-cm targeted depth from bottom of bark furrow into the sapwood and held for 30 min. Treatment cycle time ranged from 298 to 576 min depending on log diameter and initial log temperature. Artificial inoculation of J. nigra trees with G. morbida within the TCD range in Pennsylvania was minimally successful in producing adequately colonized logs for experimental trials.

Lignocellulose-Based Superabsorbent Polymer Gel Crosslinked with Magnesium Aluminum Silicate for Highly Removal of Zn (II) from Aqueous Solution.

Lignocellulose (LCE) was ultrasonically treated and intercalated into magnesium aluminum silicate (MOT) clay to prepare a nano-lignocellulose magnesium aluminum silicate polymer gel (nano-LCE-MOT) for the removal of Zn (II) from aqueous solution. The product was characterised using nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm measurements, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The conditions for the adsorption of Zn (II) on nano-LCE-MOT were screened, and adsorption kinetics and isotherm model analysis were carried out to explore the adsorption mechanism and achieve the optimal adsorption of Zn (II). Optimal adsorption was achieved at an initial Zn (II) concentration of 800 mg/L at 60 °C in 160 min at a pH of 4.52. The adsorption kinetics were explored using a pseudo-second-order model, with the isotherm adsorption equilibrium found to conform to the Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacity of the nano-LCE-MOT polymer gel toward Zn (II) is 513.48 mg/g. The materials with adsorbed Zn (II) were desorbed using different media, with HCl found to be the most ideal medium to desorb Zn (II). The optimal desorption of Zn (II) was achieved in 0.08 mol/L HCl solution at 65 °C in 60 min. Under these conditions, Zn (II) was almost completely desorbed from the adsorbents, with the adsorption effect after cycling being slightly different from that of the initial adsorption.

Eu-Doped Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 Modified Mixed-Crystal TiO2 for Efficient Removal of Basic Fuchsin from Effluent.

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) was doped with a rare-earth metal, Eu, using a solvent synthesis method evenly on the surface of a mixed-crystal TiO2(Mc-TiO2) structure in order to produce a core-shell structure composite ZIF-8(Eu)@Mc-TiO2 adsorption photocatalyst with good adsorption and photocatalytic properties. The characterisation of ZIF-8(Eu)@Mc-TiO2 was performed via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis (BET) and ultraviolet-visible light differential reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRs). The results indicated that Eu-doped ZIF-8 was formed evenly on the Mc-TiO2 surface, a core-shell structure formed and the light-response range was enhanced greatly. The ZIF-8(Eu)@Mc-TiO2 for basic fuchsin was investigated to validate its photocatalytic performance. The effect of the Eu doping amount, basic fuchsin concentration and photocatalyst dosage on the photocatalytic efficiency were investigated. The results revealed that, when 5%-Eu-doped ZIF-8(Eu)@Mc-TiO2 (20 mg) was combined with 30 mg/L basic fuchsin (100 mL) under UV irradiation for 1 h, the photocatalytic efficiency could reach 99%. Further, it exhibited a good recycling performance. Thus, it shows certain advantages in its degradation rate and repeatability compared with previously reported materials. All of these factors suggested that, in an aqueous medium, ZIF-8(Eu)@Mc-TiO2 is an eco-friendly, sustainable and efficient material for the photocatalytic degradation of basic fuchsin.

Efficacy and safety of tigecycline monotherapy vs. imipenem/cilastatin in Chinese patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Tigecycline, a first-in-class broad-spectrum glycylcycline antibiotic, has broad-spectrum in vitro activity against bacteria commonly encountered in complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs), including aerobic and facultative Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and anaerobic bacteria. In the current trial, tigecycline was evaluated for safety and efficacy vs. imipenem/cilastatin in hospitalized Chinese patients with cIAIs. METHODS: In this phase 3, multicenter, open-label study, patients were randomly assigned to receive IV tigecycline or imipenem/cilastatin for /=1 dose of study drug and comprised the modified intent-to-treat population. In the microbiologically evaluable population, 86.5% (45 of 52) of tigecycline- and 97.9% (47 of 48) of imipenem/cilastatin-treated patients were cured at the test-of-cure assessment (12-37 days after therapy); in the microbiologic modified intent-to-treat population, cure rates were 81.7% (49 of 60) and 90.9% (50 of 55), respectively. The overall incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events was 80.4% for tigecycline vs. 53.9% after imipenem/cilastatin therapy (P < 0.001), primarily due to gastrointestinal-related events, especially nausea (21.6% vs. 3.9%; P < 0.001) and vomiting (12.4% vs. 2.0%; P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical cure rates for tigecycline were consistent with those found in global cIAI studies. The overall safety profile was also consistent with that observed in global studies of tigecycline for treatment of cIAI, as well as that observed in analyses of Chinese patients in those studies; no novel trends were observed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00136201.

Enhanced heavy metal removal from an aqueous environment using an eco-friendly and sustainable adsorbent.

Thiol-lignocellulose sodium bentonite (TLSB) nanocomposites can effectively remove heavy metals from aqueous solutions. TLSB was formed by using -SH group-modified lignocellulose as a raw material, which was intercalated into the interlayers of hierarchical sodium bentonite. Characterization of TLSB was then performed with BET, FTIR, XRD, TGA, PZC, SEM, and TEM analyses. The results indicated that thiol-lignocellulose molecules may have different influences on the physicochemical properties of sodium bentonite, and an intercalated-exfoliated structure was successfully formed. The TLSB nanocomposite was subsequently investigated to validate its adsorption and desorption capacities for the zinc subgroup ions Zn(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II). The optimum adsorption parameters were determined based on the TLSB nanocomposite dosage, concentration of zinc subgroup ions, solution pH, adsorption temperature and adsorption time. The results revealed that the maximum adsorption capacity onto TLSB was 357.29 mg/g for Zn(II), 458.32 mg/g for Cd(II) and 208.12 mg/g for Hg(II). The adsorption kinetics were explained by the pseudo-second-order model, and the adsorption isotherm conformed to the Langmuir model, implying that the dominant chemical adsorption mechanism on TLSB is monolayer coverage. Thermodynamic studies suggested that the adsorption is spontaneous and endothermic. Desorption and regeneration experiments revealed that TLSB could be desorbed with HCl to recover Zn(II) and Cd(II) and with HNO3 to recover Hg(II) after several consecutive adsorption/desorption cycles. The adsorption mechanism was investigated through FTIR, EDX and SEM, which demonstrated that the introduction of thiol groups improved the adsorption capacity. All of these results suggested that TLSB is an eco-friendly and sustainable adsorbent for the extraction of Zn(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) ions in aqueous media.

Realizing Mechanically Robust and Electrically Conductive Wood via Vacuum Pressure Impregnation.

Wood is highly regarded as the most sustainable resource that is widely used in structural applications. To extend its practicality in electrically conductive applications, it is necessary to confer electrical conductivity to the insulating wood. The most common strategy is to derive carbonized wood powder via an annealing process. Even though these carbonized wood powders are electrically conductive, they lost the ancestry characteristic of wood, that is, excellent mechanical properties. As such, it is of great importance to realize the concept of conductive wood while at the same time maintaining or even enhancing its mechanical properties further. By leveraging on the naturally formed transportation channels found in trees, conductive particles can be aligned along these ordered channels. To substitute active transport in living plants, a vacuum pressure impregnation process was used to infiltrate these conductive particles into the transportation channels. As a result, Cu/wood composite, denoted as Cu-SW, exhibited a minimum volume resistivity of 1.366 × 103 Ω cm, which was lower than those of conventional semiconductors. High Cu loading of ∼43.1 volume % of the final product, Cu-SW, was achieved with such technique, which clearly indicates the ability to achieve deep penetration of Cu nanoparticles into the bulk wood. Furthermore, an encouraging mechanical properties improvement of ∼50% was recorded for Cu-SW as compared to the wood matrix. With the enhancement in both conductivity and mechanical properties, Cu-SW could be used in load-bearing application that requires electrical conduction.