The silicon active sites driven by oxygen vacancies in iron silicate for activating peroxymonosulfate.

Most metal sites and some non-metallic sites such as carbon and nitrogen are usually considered to be traditional active sites during peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. However, as an important non-metallic element, the actual role of silicon (Si) in PMS activation still remains unclear. In this work, taking iron silicate (FeSi) as an example, the role of the Si region in PMS activation was clearly revealed. The experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculation results showed that besides the traditional Fe sites, the Si also played a non-negligible role during PMS activation. In FeSi containing oxygen vacancies (Ovac), Fe-Si was the active site instead of Fe-Fe. The Bard charge results implied that the presence of Ovac tuned the electronic properties of FeSi, making the Si participate in PMS activation. This work deepened understanding of the role of Si in silicates for PMS activation and provided a theoretical basis for the development of excellent Si-based catalysts.

Various Strategies of Transsphenoidal Pseudocapsule-Based Extracapsular Resection in Noninvasive Functional Pituitary Adenomas and their Effectiveness and Safety.

INTRODUCTION: Increasing attention has been paid to the pseudocapsule-based extracapsular resection in transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas. Prior reports focused more on Cushing disease or nonfunctional pituitary adenomas. In this study we present systematic research, especially concerning all kinds of noninvasive functional pituitary adenomas (NIFPAs) adopting various strategies of extracapsular resection, in order to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of these surgical methods for NIFPAs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 2008 to November 2014, 116 patients suffering from NIFPAs underwent pseudocapsule-based extracapsular resection (ER) with different surgical strategies; that is, by a microscope or endoscope via the endonasal transsphenoidal approach. During the same period, 90 patients suffering NIFPAs also underwent traditional transsphenoidal intracapsular resection (IR). In different postoperative periods, we re-examined the endocrine series and recorded the complications. Enhanced magnetic resonance imaging examination was also performed three months later. RESULTS: In the ER and IR group, the tumors were completely removed in 97 (83.7%) and 62 (68.9%) cases, whereas the endocrine disorders were remitted in 89 (76.7%) and 53 (58.9%) cases, respectively. Statistical analyses to compare the overall complete resection rates and the overall endocrine remission rates in both groups showed significant differences (P = 0.028 and 0.006, respectively). Intraoperative rhinorrhea occurred in 26.7% patients of the ER group and 13.3% of the IR group, showing a significant difference (P = 0.019). Transient diabetes insipidus occurred in 73.3% patients of the ER group and 63.3% of the IR group, with no difference between groups (P = 0.126). There was no case with intracranial hematoma or pituitary crisis in both the groups. CONCLUSION: With our various surgical strategies of ER, the patients can achieve content imaging resection, high and sustained endocrine remission, which are effective and safe for NIFPAs.

Disappearance of the blood supply to a giant uterine myoma due to childbirth: A CARE-compliant article.

RATIONALE: Giant uterine myomas may be life-threatening due to pressure effects on the lungs and other contiguous organs. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 32-year-old pregnant Asian woman was admitted to our hospital early in her pregnancy with a pre-pregnancy history of multiple uterine myomas. DIAGNOSIS: She was diagnosed with multiple giant uterine myomas in pregnancy. INTERVENTIONS: No intervention was performed on the woman. OUTCOMES: A reduction in tumor size and disappearance of tumor blood supply were seen on conventional and contrast-enhanced ultrasounds (CEUS) on postpartum day 34. Mass volume gradually decreased and no blood flow signals were seen on CEUS during postpartum follow-up. LESSONS: Childbirth can block the blood supply of giant uterine myomas and reduce mass size. In such cases, childbirth may be considered therapeutic.

Role of Lung Ultrasound in Adjusting Ultrafiltration Volume in Hemodialysis Patients.

Chronic fluid over-hydration is common in dialysis patients. It is associated with mortality and cardiovascular events. Optimal methods for adjusting fluid volume status and ideal dry weight remain uncertain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of ultrasound in quantifying body water. In 35 hemodialysis patients, we performed ultrasound of the chest, pre-tibial skin tissue thickness (TT), heart and inferior vena cava (IVC) before and after dialysis. We compared B-line scores of lungs, IVC diameters and cardiac functions in pre-dialysis and post-dialysis groups. We then estimated the correlations between ultrasound parameters and ultrafiltration volumes. Ultrafiltration parameters were adjusted prospectively for subsequent dialysis. As a result, both extravascular and intravascular water decreased during ultrafiltration. The median numbers of B-line scores (10 [0-42] vs. 4 [0-30]; p < 0.001); mitral valve blood flow velocities E (0.83 ± 0.23 m/s vs. 0.70 ± 0.20 m/s; p < 0.001), A (0.93 ± 0.28 vs. 0.89 ± 0.23 m/s; p < 0.001) and E/e' (12.47 ± 4.92 vs. 10.37 ± 4.0; p < 0.001); IVC diameters at end-expiration (17.51 ± 3.33 mm vs. 14.26 ± 3.45 mm; p < 0.001); and right pre-tibial TT (2.86 ± 1.36 mm vs. 2.43 ± 1.24 mm; p < 0.001) decreased during dialysis. Ultrafiltration volume was most associated with B-line score (adjusting for age and sex) (ß = -3.340; p = 0.003). In addition, the B-line score after dialysis was significantly associated with left ventricular ejection fraction (r = -0.393; p = 0.019) and TT (r = -0.447; p = 0.007). Ultrafiltration volume was prospectively increased then if the B-line score was >6 in the previous dialysis. All patients tolerated the protocol well without any symptoms. Ultrafiltration volume was most associated with lung water, reflected by variation in B-line score. It was not associated with cardiac function, IVC diameter, IVC collapse rate or TT. Lung ultrasound is a useful imaging tool for dialysis patients.

Characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in PM2.5 emitted from different cooking activities in China.

Nineteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in PM2.5 emitted from five different cooking activities were characterized, and their influencing factors were determined. The total quantified particle-bounded PAH concentrations (ΣPAHs) in the airs from the cooking activities were 4.2-36.5-fold higher than those in corresponding backgrounds. The highest ΣPAHs were seen in cafeteria frying (783 ± 499 ng/m3), followed by meat roasting (420 ± 191 ng/m3), fish roasting (210 ± 105 ng/m3), snack-street boiling (202 ± 230 ng/m3), and cafeteria boiling (150 ± 65 ng/m3). The main influencing factors on the PAH emissions were cooking methods, fat contents in raw materials, and oil consumptions. Four- to six-ringed PAHs had the highest contributions to the ΣPAHs (avg. 87.5%). Diagnostic ratios of individual PAH were similar between the two charbroiling and other three conventional Chinese cooking methods, respectively, demonstrating the dominance of cooking methods in the PAH emissions. Remarkably high benzo(b)fluoranthene/benzo(k)fluoranthene (BbF/BkF) ratio (8.31) was seen in the snack-street boiling, attributed to the coal combustion as cooking fuel. Both fluoranthene/(fluoranthene + pyrene) [FLT/(FLT + PYR)] and benzo(a)anthracene/(benzo(a)anthracene + chrysene) [BaA/(BaA + CHR)] ratios were higher for the oil-based cooking than those from the water-based ones. In addition, two ratios of indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene/(indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene + benzo(g,h,i)perylene) [IPY/(IPY + BPE)] and benzo(a)pyrene/(benzo(a)pyrene + benzo(g,h,i)perylene) [BaP/(BaP + BPE)] were higher for two charbroiling than the three conventional Chinese cooking methods. The characterization work in this study is particularly important since cooking is a potential contributor of atmospheric PAHs in urban China. Carcinogenic potencies of PAHs were assessed by comparison with the air quality guideline and health risk estimation. The BaP and BaP equivalent were higher for the oil-based than the water-based cooking activities.

Chemical characteristics of rainwater in Sichuan basin, a case study of Ya'an.

Rainwater chemistry was investigated at a semi-rural site in Ya'an, Sichuan basin with rain samples collected from May 2013 to July 2014. The rainwater pH values ranged from 3.25 to 6.86, with an annual volume-weighted mean (VWM) of 4.38, and the acid rain frequency was 74 %. Such severe acidification, 15 % of the total events showed a pH below 4.0, attributed to the deficiency of Ca(2+), significant anthropogenic pollution contribution, and rainy pattern to this area. The annual VWM of total ions concentration was 477.19 µeq/L. NH4 (+) was the most abundant ionic species, followed by SO4 (2-), NO3 (-), Ca(2+), Cl(-), Na(+), K(+), Mg(2+), and F(-) in a descending order. The total ionic concentrations presented a seasonal trend of lower values in autumn and summer but higher ones in winter and spring. Based on enrichment factor, correlation analysis and principle component analysis, three factors were identified: factor 1 (NH4 (+), SO4 (2-), NO3 (-), K(+), and Cl(-), 47.45 % of the total variance) related to anthropogenic sources (coal/fuel combustion, biomass burning and agriculture), factor 2 (Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Na(+), and Cl(-), 34.01 % of the total variance) associated with natural sources, and factor 3 (H(+), 11.78 % of the total variance) related to free acidity. Back trajectory analysis indicates that the rainwater chemistry in Ya'an was mainly affected by regional air masses from Sichuan basin. Long-range transported air masses from southwest with heavy anthropogenic pollution increased the total ion concentration and acidity of rainwater. Considering its special topography, anthropogenic emissions from regional and long-range transport (especially from southwest) must be controlled effectively to improve the acid rain condition of non-urban areas in Sichuan basin.

BSA-stabilized Au clusters as peroxidase mimetics for use in xanthine detection.

In this paper, we demonstrated that bovine serum albumin (BSA) stabilized Au clusters exhibited highly intrinsic peroxidase-like activity. Unlike nature enzymes, the BSA-Au clusters have strong robustness and can be used over a wide range of pH and temperature. Because of ultra-small size, good stability and high biocompatibility in water solution compare with other kinds of nanoparticles as peroxidase mimetics, such as Fe(3)O(4), FeS or graphene oxide, it is more competent for bioanalysis. Furthermore, we make use of the novel properties of BSA-Au clusters as peroxidase mimetics to detect H(2)O(2). The as-prepared BSA-Au clusters were used to catalyze the oxidation of a peroxidase substrate 3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by H(2)O(2) to the oxidized colored product, and which provides a colorimetric detection of H(2)O(2). As low as 2.0 × 10(-8)M H(2)O(2) could be detected with a linear range from 5.0 × 10(-7) to 2.0 × 10(-5)M via this method. More importantly, a sensitive and selective method for xanthine detection was developed using xanthine oxidase (XOD) and the as-prepared BSA-Au clusters. The detection limit of this assay for xanthine was 5 × 10(-7)M and the proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of xanthine in urine and human serum sample.

[Analysis of long-term treatment outcome and related factors in 95 chronic myeloid leukemia patients treated with imatinib].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of imatinib in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and analyse the treatment outcome and related factors. METHODS: Ninety five CML patients were treated with imatinib in our hospital from May 2002 to May 2006. The outcomes and related factors were analysed. RESULTS: (1) One year after therapy, there were 95.5% of chronic phase (CP) patients achieved complete hematologic response (CHR). Fifty-two patients with complete cytogenetic dates were divided into primary-therapy group (n = 19) and secondary-therapy group (n = 33). The major cytogenetic responses (MCyR) at 6-, 12-, 18-, 24- and 30-months after therapy for the former group were 84.2%, 84.2%, 89.5%, 89.5% and 94.7%, and for the latter group were 36.4%, 39.4%, 39.4%, 39.4% and 39.4%, respectively (P < 0.01). The expected survival at 12-, 24-, 36- and 50-month after imatinib treatment for CP group was (98.1 +/-1.9)%, (87.8 +/- 7.1)%, (81.9 +/- 8.7)% and (81.9 +/- 8.7)%, respectively. (2) Twelve month after therapy, there are 70% of accelerated phase (AP) patients achieve CHR and 10% get MCyR. The expected survival at 12-, 24- and 36-month after imatinib treatment for AP group was (63.0 +/- 17.7)%, (15.8 +/- 14.3)% and (15.8 +/- 14.3)%, respectively. (3) Six month after therapy, 57.9% of blast crisis (BC) patients achieve CHR, with the expected survival at 12- and 24-month of (40.6 +/- 12.3)% and 0, respectively. (4) COX analysis CP group indicated that imatinib therapy administered for previously untreated was an independent favorable prognostic factor. Conclusion (1) Imatinib as a primary treatment for CP CML can significantly improve the survival time as compared with that AP or BC patients or with that used in previously treated patients. (2) Imatinib could induce hematologic, even cytogenetic response to a certain extent, in CP or BC patients and prolong the survival time.