A Triazine Membrane for Sustainable Acquisition of Au(III) from Wastewater.

The recovery of Au(III) from solution using adsorbents in the form of granules or powders is challenging due to issues such as instability during the recovery process or mass loss caused by small particle size. This study introduces a PEI-TCT/PVDF composite membrane designed to intercept and capture Au(III) in wastewater. Experimental results demonstrated that the PEI-TCT/PVDF membrane exhibits a broad pH range (1-8) and a high retention efficiency for Au(III) of 97.8%, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 294.5 mg/g. The mechanism of Au(III) adsorption on the PEI-TCT/PVDF membrane was mainly through electrostatic adsorption, which caused AuCl4- to aggregate on the surface of the membrane and gradually reduced to Au0 and Au+. Furthermore, the membrane can be entirely regenerated within 20 min and maintains its performance in subsequent adsorption cycles. This study highlights the potential of PEI-TCT/PVDF membranes for the recovery of precious Au(III).

An N-Rich Polymer for the Selective Recovery of Gold from Wastewater.

The recovery of valuable gold from wastewater is of great interest because of the widespread use of the precious metal in various fields and the pollution generated by gold-containing wastes in water. In this paper, a water-insoluble cross-linked adsorbent material (TE) based on cyanuric chloride (TCT) and ethylenediamine (EDA) was designed and used for the adsorption of Au(III) from wastewater. It was found that TE showed extremely high selectivity (D = 49,213.46) and adsorption capacity (256.19 mg/g) for Au(III) under acidic conditions. The adsorption rate remained above 90% eVen after five adsorption-desorption cycles. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-first-order kinetic model and the Freundlich isotherm model, suggesting that physical adsorption with a multilayer molecular overlay dominates. Meanwhile, the adsorption mechanism was obtained by DFT calculation and XPS analysis, and the adsorption mechanism was mainly the electrostatic interaction and electron transfer between the protonated N atoms in the adsorbent (TE) and AuCl4-, which resulted in the redox reaction. The whole adsorption process was the result of the simultaneous action of physical and chemical adsorption. In conclusion, the adsorbent material TE shows great potential for gold adsorption and recovery.

Effect of hysteroscopic septum resection on subsequent in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes in cases of primary infertility.

OBJECTIVE: Women with septate uteri are at risk for subfertility, recurrent miscarriage, and preterm birth. It is not clear if hysteroscopic septum resection is beneficial to subsequent in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection o (IVF/ICSI) outcomes in women with primary infertility. STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed all 278 women with uterine septum and primary infertility between January 2011 and January 2019. In this retrospective cohort study, the patients were divided into a surgery group and an expectant (non-surgery) group. RESULTS: Among them, 87 had a complete and 191 a partial septate uterus. The IVF-ET characteristics of the two groups showed no significant differences in the patients' age, body mass index, or basal follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and estradiol levels (P>0.05). The miscarriage rate in those who underwent hysteroscopic septum resection, however, was significantly reduced (5.1% vs. 12.9%, P = 0.035). In contrast, the live birth rate between the two groups revealed no significant difference (51.4% vs. 43.6%, P = 0.1771), nor did the obstetric and neonatal outcomes (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Hysteroscopic septum resection can be recommended prior to IVF/ICSI.

[Prognostic analysis of 77 cases of rectal cancer with synchronous liver metastases].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the prognostic factors for rectal cancer patients with synchronous liver metastases. METHODS: Data from a total of 77 cases of rectal cancer with synchronous liver metastases treated in our center from January 2002 to December 2008 were collected and reviewed. The total survival rate was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. Log-rank test and Cox regression model with SPSS 17.0 software were used to analyze 13 factors including clinicopathological factors and treatment choices. RESULTS: The median survival time of the 77 cases was 12 months. The 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 47.7%, 28.0%, 13.1%, and 1.5%, respectively. Univariate analysis with Kaplan-Meier method revealed that the differentiation of the primary tumor, T-stage, N status, the distribution, number and size of liver metastases, extrahepatic disease, serum CEA level at diagnosis and treatment modality were prognostic factors (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the differentiation of the primary tumor (P = 0.007), T-stage (P = 0.027), the size of liver metastases (P = 0.003), serum CEA value at diagnosis (P = 0.000) were independent prognostic factors for rectal cancer patients with synchronous liver metastases. CONCLUSION: The factors affecting the prognosis for rectal cancer patients with synchronous liver metastases are the differentiation of the primary tumor, T-stage, N status, the distribution, number and size of liver metastases, extrahepatic disease, serum CEA level at diagnosis and treatment modality. The differentiation of the primary tumor, T-stage, the size of liver metastases, and serum CEA value at diagnosis are independent prognostic factors.

Protein quality control through endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation maintains haematopoietic stem cell identity and niche interactions.

Stem cells need to be protected from genotoxic and proteotoxic stress to maintain a healthy pool throughout life1-3. Little is known about the proteostasis mechanism that safeguards stem cells. Here we report endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) as a protein quality checkpoint that controls the haematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-niche interaction and determines the fate of HSCs. The SEL1L-HRD1 complex, the most conserved branch of ERAD4, is highly expressed in HSCs. Deletion of Sel1l led to niche displacement of HSCs and a complete loss of HSC identity, and allowed highly efficient donor-HSC engraftment without irradiation. Mechanistic studies identified MPL, the master regulator of HSC identity5, as a bona fide ERAD substrate that became aggregated in the endoplasmic reticulum following ERAD deficiency. Restoration of MPL signalling with an agonist partially rescued the number and reconstitution capacity of Sel1l-deficient HSCs. Our study defines ERAD as an essential proteostasis mechanism to safeguard a healthy stem cell pool by regulating the stem cell-niche interaction.

CT Scanning in Identification of Sheep Cystic Echinococcosis.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to determine the efficiency of CT in identification of cystic echinococcosis in sheep. METHODS: Fifty-three sheep with liver cysts confirmed by ultrasonography were subject to CT scan to evaluate the number, size, and type of the cysts in liver and lung, confirmed using necropsy. The correlation of numbers between liver cysts and lung cysts was calculated using Pearson analysis. RESULTS: Necropsy indicated a 98% consensus on size, location, number, and activity compared with CT scan. The viable cysts were 53.1% and 50.6% in the liver and lung, respectively. Among the cysts in liver, 35.5%, 9.5%, 5.7%, 10.2%, and 39.1% were Types CE1, CE2, CE3, CE4, and CE5, respectively. The cysts in the lungs, 17.4%, 26.9%, 12.1%, 11.6%, and 32.1%, were Types CE1, CE2, CE3, CE4, and CE5, respectively. A significant correlation was noticed between the number of cysts in liver and those in lung (R = 0.770, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: CT scan is a suitable tool in determining the size and type of cystic hydatid cysts in both liver and lung of sheep. A significant correlation was noticed between the numbers in liver and lung, indicating that lung infection was likely due to the expansion of liver cyst burden pressure.

Efficacy of radiotherapy for the treatment of cystic echinococcosis in naturally infected sheep.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy is commonly used to treat cancers. To date, there has been no study focusing on the effects of radiotherapy on hydatid disease in large animals. In this study, we aim to investigate the efficiency and safety of radiotherapy for treating hydatid disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus in naturally infected sheep. METHODS: Ultrasound was used to screen naturally infected sheep in an echinococcosis endemic area in Xinjiang, China. A computer tomography (CT) scan confirmed the presence of hydatid cysts. Twenty sheep naturally infected with E. granulosus in the liver and/or lungs were randomly assigned into four groups receiving no irradiation, or X-ray irradiation of low (30 Gy), medium (45 Gy), and high dose (60 Gy), respectively. After three months of radiotherapy, a CT scan was performed to measure the changes in the cysts. The hepatic parasite cysts and host tissues were collected for histology and gene expression analysis. RESULTS: In the animals subject to irradiation, no significant differences were observed in their appetite, daily activities, and weight before and after radiotherapy. Severe calcification was noticed in the cysts subject to a high dose of radiation compared with the groups subject to low and medium doses. Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that irradiation contributed to the damage of the cyst structure and nucleus in the germinal layers. Quantitative PCR demonstrated that expression of TPX and HSP70 significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The expression of the EPC1 decreased in the medium- and high-dose groups compared with the low-dose group (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the expression of radiation-related apoptosis genes caspase-3 and Gadd45 decreased with an increase in the irradiation dose. CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy is an option with satisfactory efficiency and safety for treating cystic echinococcosis in sheep with partial response or stable disease at month 3. In future, inhibition of cystic activity using radiotherapy may serve as a new regimen for treating hydatid disease.