Individualized Structural Perturbations on Normative Brain Connectome Restrict Deep Brain Stimulation Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) respond to deep brain stimulation (DBS) variably. However, how brain substrates restrict DBS outcomes remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: In this article, we aim to identify prognostic brain signatures for explaining the response variability. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated a cohort of patients with PD (n = 141) between 2017 and 2022, and defined DBS outcomes as the improvement ratio of clinical motor scores. We used a deviation index to quantify individual perturbations on a reference structural covariance network acquired with preoperative T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The neurobiological perturbations of patients were represented as z scored indices based on the chronological perturbations measured on a group of normal aging adults. RESULTS: After applying stringent statistical tests (z > 2.5) and correcting for false discoveries (P < 0.01), we found that accelerated deviations mainly affected the prefrontal cortex, motor strip, limbic system, and cerebellum in PD. Particularly, a negative network within the accelerated deviations, expressed as "more preoperative deviations, less postoperative improvements," could predict DBS outcomes (mean absolute error = 0.09, R2 = 0.15). Moreover, a fusion of personal brain predictors and medical responses significantly improved traditional evaluations of DBS outcomes. Notably, the most important brain predictor, a pathway connecting the cognitive unit (prefrontal cortex) and motor control unit (cerebellum and motor strip), partially mediates DBS outcomes with the age at surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that individual structural perturbations on the cognitive motor control circuit are critical for modulating DBS outcomes. Interventions toward the circuit have the potential for additional clinical improvements. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Fabrication of Low-Temperature Fast Gelation ß-Cyclodextrin-Based Hydrogel-Loaded Medicine for Wound Dressings.

ß-Cyclodextrin (ß-CD) is often used as a drug carrier for biomedical materials due to its unique cavity structure. Herein, ß-CD was modified by acryloyl chloride and further copolymerized with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and acrylic acid (AA) to obtain PNIPAM-co-ß-CD-AC. The results showed that the critical phase transition temperature of PNIPAM/ß-CD-AC could be controlled at 19 °C, and the fast sol-gel phase transition was realized in 2-10 s. The hydrophobic drug carried in this hydrogel can constantly be released for more than 6 days at pH values (pH 5.5-8), and the duration may match the recovery of the wound. As a dressing hydrogel, its rapid gel formation and inversion as well as shear-thinning behavior prevent secondary wound damage. The ß-CD-based hydrogel also has good biocompatibility and antioxidant properties, which provide a good potential choice for wound dressings, especially for exposed wounds in winter.

Long-term Efficacy of Bilateral Globus Pallidus Stimulation in the Treatment of Meige Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the long-term efficacy and prognosis of bilateral globus pallidus internus (GPi) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients with benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) and complete Meige syndrome, and to search for the best therapeutic subregion within the GPi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected for 36 patients with Meige syndrome who underwent bilateral GPi-DBS surgery at our hospital between March 2014 and February 2022. Using the Burk-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS)-Movement (BFMDRS-M) and BFMDRS-Disability (BFMDRS-D), the severity of the symptoms of patients with complete Meige syndrome was evaluated before surgery and at specific time points after surgery. Patients with BEB were clinically evaluated for the severity of blepharospasm using BFMDRS-M, the Blepharospasm Disability Index (BDI), and Jankovic Rating Scale (JRS). Three-dimensional reconstruction of the GPi-electrode was performed in some patients using the lead-DBS software, and the correlation between GPi subregion volume of tissue activated (VTA) and symptom improvement was analyzed in patients six months after surgery. The follow-up duration ranged from six to 99 months. RESULTS: Compared with preoperative scores, the results of all patients at six months after surgery and final follow-up showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the mean BFMDRS-M score. Among them, the average BFMDRS-M improvement rates in patients with BEB at six months after surgery and final follow-up were 60.3% and 69.7%, respectively, whereas those in patients with complete Meige syndrome were 54.5% and 58.3%, respectively. The average JRS and BDI scores of patients with BEB also decreased significantly (p < 0.05) at six months after surgery and at the final follow-up (JRS improvement: 38.6% and 49.1%, respectively; BDI improvement: 42.6% and 57.4%, respectively). We were unable to identify significantly correlated prognostic factors. There was a significant correlation between GPi occipital VTA and symptom improvement in patients at six months after surgery (r = 0.34, p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that bilateral GPi-DBS is an effective treatment for Meige syndrome, with no serious postoperative complications. The VTA in the GPi subregion may be related to the movement score improvement. In addition, further research is needed to predict patients with poor surgical outcomes.

Photoinduced Metal-Free Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization for the Modification of Cellulose with Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) to Create Thermo-Responsive Injectable Hydrogels.

Photoinduced metal-free ATRP has been successfully applied to fabricate thermo-responsive cellulose graft copolymer (PNIPAM-g-Cell) using 2-bromoisobuturyl bromide-modified cellulose as the macroinitiator. The polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) from cellulose was efficiently activated and deactivated with UV irradiation in the presence of an organic-based photo-redox catalyst. Both FTIR and 13C NMR analysis confirmed the structural similarity between the obtained PNIPAM-g-Cell and that synthesized via traditional ATRP methods. When the concentration of the PNIPAM-g-Cell is over 5% in water, it forms an injectable thermos-responsive hydrogel composed of micelles at 37 °C. Since organic photocatalysis is a metal-free ATRP, it overcomes the challenge of transition-metal catalysts remaining in polymer products, making this cellulose-based graft copolymer suitable for biomedical applications. In vitro release studies demonstrated that the hydrogel can continuously release DOX for up to 10 days, and its cytotoxicity indicates that it is highly biocompatible. Based on these findings, this cellulose-based injectable, thermo-responsive drug-loaded hydrogel is suitable for intelligent drug delivery systems.

Motor cortex stimulation for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia after brainstem infarction: A case report. / 运动皮层电刺激治疗脑干梗死后三叉神经痛1例.

Secondary trigeminal neuralgia after brainstem infarction is rare and rarely reported. A patient with secondary trigeminal neuralgia after brainstem infarction was admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University. The patient was a 44 years old male who underwent motor cortex stimulation treatment after admission. The effect was satisfactory in the first week after surgery, but the effect was not satisfactory after one week. This disease is relatively rare and the choice of clinical treatment still requires long-term observation.

Design and Preparation of Multiple Function-Integrated Lignin/Tannin/ZnONP Composite Coatings for Paper-Based Green Packaging.

Lignin/tannin/ZnONP composite coatings were designed for paper-based green packaging. Multiple functions, such as high strength, moisture resistance, low air permeance, heat endurance, UV aging resistance, and antibacterial/mold properties, were successfully integrated into one biobased coating. Prepolymerization improved the physical properties of coatings at high lignin contents. The best ingredient ratio was: 40% lignin, 15% tannin, and 10% ZnONPs (based on tannin weight), and the as-prepared biocoating was labeled LTZn-10. After coated with LTZn-10, the tensile strength and bursting strength of the packaging were efficiently enhanced by more than 3 times and were dramatically increased by 51.6 and 5.6 times at the wet state, respectively, which reveals that the packaging has favorable moisture resistance and it can be used in high humidity environments. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) proved that most of the pores on the paper were blocked by the coatings, which helped to decrease the air permeance by 10.3 times. Meanwhile, ZnONPs were evenly spread on the coatings, which endowed the packaging with excellent antibacterial/mold performance. No colony or mycelium was found in the test against Gram-negative/positive bacteria and eight common molds. Besides, antibacterial activity is only available while the bacteria come in contact with the coating and no active substances were released into the culture medium, which is a good property that can keep the cargo from contamination of antibacterial agents. In addition, the coated paper presented an improved Tg and thermal degradation temperature, indicating that the coated package has favorable thermostability and can maintain its outstanding physical properties in a wider temperature range. Lignin and tannin promoted the UV stability and service life of the coated paper, as a rare physical decrease was observed after UV aging for 72 h. The function-integrated biobased coating with favorable sustainability is a good candidate to be widely used in paper-based green packaging fields.

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Inhibitory Binding of Alkylimidazolium Ionic Liquids to Laccase.

Water-miscible alkylimidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) are "green" co-solvents for laccase catalysis, but generally inhibit enzyme activity. Here, we present novel insights into inhibition mechanisms by a combination of enzyme kinetics analysis and molecular simulation. Alkylimidazolium cations competitively bound to the TI Cu active pocket in the laccase through hydrophobic interactions. Cations with shorter alkyl chains (C2~C6) entered the channel inside the pocket, exhibiting a high compatibility with laccase (competitive inhibition constant Kic = 3.36~3.83 mM). Under the same conditions, [Omim]Cl (Kic = 2.15 mM) and [Dmim]Cl (Kic = 0.18 mM) with longer alkyl chains bound with Leu296 or Leu297 near the pocket edge and Leu429 around TI Cu, which resulted in stronger inhibition. Complexation with alkylimidazolium cations shifted the pH optima of laccase to the right by 0.5 unit, and might, thereby, lead to invalidation of the Hofmeister series of anions. EtSO4- showed higher biocompatibility than did Ac- or Cl-, probably due to its binding near the TI Cu and its hindering the entry of alkylimidazolium cations. In addition, all tested ILs accelerated the scavenging of 2, 2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radicals, which, however, did not play a determining role in the inhibition of laccase.

Ferrocene-Functionalized Hydrophobically Modified Ethoxylated Urethane: Redox-Responsive Controlled Self-Assembly and Rheological Behavior in Aqueous Solution.

In this work, we present a novel redox-responsive ferrocene-functionalized hydrophobically modified ethoxylated urethane (Fc-HEUR) model polymer. The effects of a redox-induced hydrophobicity change of ferrocenyl hydrophobes on the self-assembly and rheological properties of Fc-HEUR in aqueous solution were investigated. In view of the redox-induced change in the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance of polymers, the Fc-HEUR polymer in aqueous solution can reversibly self-assemble into spherical micelles and larger micellar aggregates of different nanoscales and also disassemble by redox reactions immediately. Moreover, we have demonstrated that a rearrangement of micellar junctions takes place through a bridge-loop or loop-bridge transition in the concentrated polymer solution followed by redox reactions, which induces a great change in the rheological properties of the polymer solution: a viscoelastic liquid for the reduction state Fc-HEUR and a viscous liquid for the oxidation state Fc+-HEUR, owing to their different relaxation behaviors. Particularly, the associative structures and rheological properties of the Fc-HEUR aqueous solution can be reversibly controlled by redox reactions. This work will be useful not only for understanding of the thickening mechanism of stimuli-responsive HEURs but also for the development of reversible self-assembly and controlled rheological fluids, which may have some special application in drug delivery systems, catalyst supports, sensors, and microfluidic devices.

Voltage-responsive reversible self-assembly and controlled drug release of ferrocene-containing polymeric superamphiphiles.

A new type of voltage-responsive comb-like superamphiphilic block polymer PEG113-b-PAA30/FTMA was prepared by the electrostatic interactions of an ionic ferrocenyl surfactant (FTMA) and an oppositely charged double-hydrophilic block polyelectrolyte poly-(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(acrylic acid) (PEG113-b-PAA30) in aqueous solution. An in situ electrochemical redox system was designed to research its electrochemical activity in aqueous solution. The polymeric superamphiphile PEG113-b-PAA30/FTMA could reversibly aggregate to form spherical micelles of 20-30 nm diameter in aqueous solution, and also disaggregate into irregular fragments by an electrochemical redox reaction when its concentration is in the range of the critical aggregation concentration (cacred) of the reduction state to its cacox of the oxidation state. Interestingly, above cacox, the superamphiphile can aggregate into spherical micelles of 20-30 nm diameter, which can be transformed into larger spherical micelles of 40-120 nm diameter after electrochemical oxidation, and reversibly recover initial sizes after electrochemical reduction. Moreover, this reversible self-assembly process can be electrochemically controlled just by changing its electrochemical redox extent without adding any other chemical reagent. Further, rhodamine 6G (R6G)-loaded polymeric superamphiphile aggregates have been successfully used for the voltage-controlled release of loaded molecules based on their voltage-responsive self-assembly, and the release rate of R6G could be mediated by changing electrochemical redox potentials and the concentrations of polymeric superamphiphiles. Our observations witness a new strategy to construct a voltage-responsive reversible self-assembly system.

Polymerization topochemistry of cellulose nanocrystals: a function of surface dehydration control.

The activation (dehydration) of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) toward surface "brush" polymerization is accomplished either by freeze drying or solvent exchange. However, the question of which one of these protocols to choose over the other is generally open-ended. The current study attempts to shed light on this question by installing a standard polymer, polycaprolactone (PCL), onto the surface of both freeze-dried and solvent-exchanged CNCs by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) and examining the differences in polymerization and final product properties. The work is the first to demonstrate that the efficiency of surface polymerization and final product properties are in fact influenced by the protocols. The differences between the two sample PCL-grafted CNCs were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), elemental analysis, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and contact-angle measurements. The freeze-dried samples had a significantly reduced PCL surface density. The crystallinity of the solvent-exchanged PCL-grafted CNCs (SECNC-g-PCL), however, was lower than that of either pure CNCs or freeze-dried PCL-grafted CNCs (FDCNC-g-PCL). It was determined that solvent exchange sufficiently modified the CNC surface to provide enhanced reactivity, an effect that was not as apparent for FDCNC-g-PCL. The solvent-exchanged CNCs tended to have more porous, nanotextured surfaces that were tended to be more responsive toward brush polymerization. In addition to the physical dissimilarities in surface morphology and surface accessibility contributing to topochemical differences between the two species, it was also found that the dispersibility, aggregation, and thermal stability were different.

Notch insensitive and self-healing PNIPAm-PAM-clay nanocomposite hydrogels.

In the present work, hydrophilic monomer acrylamide (AM) was copolymerized with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) in an aqueous hectorite clay suspension to prepare PNIPAm-PAM-clay nanocomposite hydrogels (NC gels). With increasing AM content, the elongation at break of the copolymerized NC gels increased but the strength as well as the hysteresis during the loading-unloading cycle decreased, showing faster relaxation due to the more hydrophilic copolymer chains with the AM segments. The elongation at break of the copolymerized NC gels was independent of the notch length and notch type, while the fracture energy was greatly increased to 3000-5000 J m(-2) from 700 J m(-2) for the pure PNIPAm NC gels. The copolymer chains resulted in this notch insensitivity by easily dispersing the stress concentration at the notch tip through disorientation of the copolymer chains and clay platelets. The copolymerized NC gels also exhibited excellent self-healing capability; the cut surfaces were connected together by simply keeping in contact for a period of time (about 4 days at 20 °C). This self-healing was accelerated by increasing the treatment temperature (about 4 h at 80 °C).

Improved hydrogen production in the microbial electrolysis cell by inhibiting methanogenesis using ultraviolet irradiation.

Methanogenesis inhibition is essential for the improvement of hydrogen (H2) yield and energy recovery in the microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). In this study, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation was proposed as an efficient method for methanogenesis control in a single chamber MEC. With 30 cycles of operation with UV irradiation in the MEC, high H2 concentrations (>91%) were maintained, while without UV irradiation, CH4 concentrations increased significantly and reached up to 94%. In the MEC, H2 yields ranged from 2.87 ± 0.03 to 3.70 ± 0.11 mol H2/mol acetate with UV irradiation and from 3.78 ± 0.12 to 0.03 ± 0.004 mol H2/mol acetate without UV irradiation. Average energy efficiencies from the UV-irradiated MEC were 1.5 times of those without UV irradiation. Energy production from the MEC without UV irradiation was a negative energy yield process because of large amount of CH4 produced over time, which was mainly attributable to cathodic hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis. Our results clearly showed that UV irradiation could effectively inhibit methanogenesis and improve MEC performance to produce H2.

[A rapid method for the determination of hydrogen peroxide concentration].

The present paper reported a spectrophotometry for the determination of hydrogen peroxide concentration. It is based on the reaction between ceric sulfate and hydrogen peroxide in an acidic medium, in which orange tetravalent cerium is converted to colorless trivalent cerium that causeds the change in absorbance. According to the quantitative relationship between ceric sulfate and hydrogen peroxide, the hydrogen peroxide concentration can be calculated. The selected conditions were as follows: detection wavelength of 480 nm, H2SO4 concentration of 0.5 mol x L(-1), and reaction time of 3.0 min. The results showed that the method has an excellent measurement precision (RSD = 0.31%) and accuracy (RSD < or = 0.91%) for the quantification of hydrogen peroxide. The present method is simple and rapid, with high detection sensitivity and low cost. It is suitable for use in rapid industrial analyses.

Bioturbation effect of artificial inoculation on the flavor metabolites and bacterial communities in the Chinese Mao-tofu fermentation.

A comparison between artificially inoculated Mao-tofu (CC) and naturally fermented Mao-tofu (MM) indicated that artificially adding Mucor plasmaticus to Mao-tofu dramatically enhanced the essential amino acid (EAA) content, as well as umami and sweet amino acids. Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) analysis revealed that phenol (3.226 µg/g), 1-octen-3-ol (5.031 µg/g), ethyl heptanoate (1.646 µg/g), and indole (3.422 µg/g) were the key flavor components in Mao-tofu. Unlike MM, CC displayed a substantial increase in esters and a considerable decrease in foul odor substances, including sulfur-containing compounds and indole. Lactococcus raffinolactis, Enterobacter sp. 638, and Streptococcus parauberis KCTC 11537 represented the key bacterial species altering the amino acids and flavor of Mao-tofu according to PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing and correlation analysis. This study presents the technical feasibility of artificially inoculating Mao-tofu to regulate the core bacterial communities and control the quality of fermented soybean products.

General anesthesia versus local anesthesia for deep brain stimulation targeting of STN in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is a viable therapeutic for advanced Parkinson's disease. However, the efficacy and safety of STN-DBS under local anesthesia (LA) versus general anesthesia (GA) remain controversial. This meta-analysis aims to compare them using an expanded sample size. METHODS: The databases of Embase, Cochrane Library and Medline were systematically searched for eligible cohort studies published between 1967 and 2023. Clinical efficacy was assessed using either Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) section III scores or levodopa equivalent dosage requirements. Subgroup analyses were performed to assess complications (adverse effects related to stimulation, general neurological and surgical complications, and hardware-related complications). RESULTS: Fifteen studies, comprising of 13 retrospective cohort studies and 2 prospective cohort studies, involving a total of 943 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The results indicate that there were no significant differences between the 2 groups with regards to improvement in UPDRS III score or postoperative levodopa equivalent dosage requirement. However, subgroup analysis revealed that patients who underwent GA with intraoperative imaging had higher UPDRS III score improvement compared to those who received LA with microelectrode recording (MER) (P = .03). No significant difference was found in the improvement of UPDRS III scores between the GA group and LA group with MER. Additionally, there were no notable differences in the incidence rates of complications between these 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis indicates that STN-DBS performed under GA or LA have similar clinical outcomes and complications. Therefore, GA may be a suitable option for patients with severe symptoms who cannot tolerate the procedure under LA. Additionally, the GA group with intraoperative imaging showed better clinical outcomes than the LA group with MER. A more compelling conclusion would require larger prospective cohort studies with a substantial patient population and extended long follow-up to validate.

Effect of the Caregivers-to-Caregivers Training Programme on informed caregivers of persons with mental disorders: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Many people with mental disorders are cared for by informed caregivers, but they usually have limited care-related training and lack caregiving capacity and support networks. In order to provide professional training and social support for informed caregivers, we designed the Caregivers-to-Caregivers Training Programme (C2C) and performed a pilot study to assess its effect. METHODS: Caregivers of persons with mental disorders who participated in the C2C were asked to participate in a quasi-experimental study to assess their knowledge and skills development, self-care ability, trainer engagement, and training content. A total of 800 participants completed self-designed evaluation questionnaires and two open-ended questions to gather suggestions and feedback. Assessments were carried out at pretest (baseline), post-test, and at 2-month follow-up. Results were analyzed using one-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and pairwise comparison method. RESULTS: At post-test, 667 assessments were considered valid and 515 were deemed valid at 2-month follow-up. One-way repeated-measures ANOVA showed that the main effect of the scores on knowledge and skills development and self-care ability from baseline to 2-month follow-up was significant (p < .001). Results of pairwise comparison method showed that the scores on each item of knowledge and skills development and self-care ability at post-test and at 2-month follow up were higher than those at baseline (p < .001). The scores on items of trainer engagement and training content were all above average (4/5). The open-ended questions resulted in 678 comments indicating that participants gained significant support from other caregivers and healthcare professionals in the alliance and wanted more and continuously updated material. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that C2C effectively improved the development of caregivers' knowledge, skills, and their self-care ability. Available social support for caregivers was better than average, including professional support and peer support.

Structural changes of hemicellulose during pulping process and its interaction with nanocellulose.

It is believed that hemicellulose plays a crucial role in binding cellulose and lignin in plant cells. It may provide significant implications through figuring out the interaction between hemicellulose and microfibers and gaining insights how the structure of hemicellulose affects its association with cellulose nanofibers. Herein, the hemicellulose and nanocellulose fractions from pulps obtained by controlling the H-factors of kraft pulping process were quantitatively evaluated for their adsorption behavior using QCM-D. The results showed that harsher cooking (corresponding to high H-factor) significantly affected the chemical composition of hemicellulose, leading to a decrease of its molecular weight and gradually turning it into a linear structure. Hemicellulose possesses a strong natural affinity for CNC-coated sensors. The hemicellulose from the pulp cooked by high H-factor process decreases its ability to adsorb onto nanocellulose, the adsorption rate also slows down, and the conformation of the adsorbed layer changes which makes the binding weak and reversible. In conclusion, the pulping process in high H-factor significantly changed the structure of hemicellulose, leading to a variation in the strength of its interaction with nanocellulose.

Hierarchical Bilayer Polyelectrolyte Ion Paper Conductor for Moisture-Induced Power Generation.

Harvesting energy from air water (atmospheric moisture) promises a sustainable self-powered system without any restrictions from specific environmental requirements (e.g., solar cells, hydroelectric, or thermoelectric devices). However, the present moisture-induced power devices traditionally generate intermittent or bursts of energy, especially for much lower current outputs (generally keeping at nA or µA levels) from the ambient environment, typically suffering from inferior ionic conductivity and poor hierarchical structure design for manipulating sustained air water and ion-charge transport. Here, we demonstrate a universal strategy to design a high-performance bilayer polyelectrolyte ion paper conductor for generating continuous electric power from ambient humidity. The generator can produce a continuous voltage of up to 0.74 V and also an exceptional current of 5.63 mA across a single 1.0 mm-thick ion paper conductor. We discover that the sandwiched LiCl-nanocellulose-engineered paper promises an ion-transport junction between the negatively and positively charged bilayer polyelectrolytes for application in MEGs with both high voltage and high current outputs. Moreover, we demonstrated the universality of this bilayer sandwich nanocellulose-salt engineering strategy with other anions and cations, exhibiting similar power generation ability, indicating that it could be the next generation of sustainable MEGs with low cost, easier operation, and high performance.

Cell-type-dependent enzymatic hydrolysis of palm residues: chemical and surface characterization of fibers and parenchyma cells.

Chemical and surface characteristics of sulfite-pretreated royal palm sheath (RPS) fibers and parenchyma cells were investigated in order to study cell-type-dependent biomass hydrolysis by cellulase. Size, chemical composition, cellulose crystallinity and the exposure of cellulose microfibrils in pretreated RPS biomass affected the enzymatic accessibility and digestibility of different cell-type substrates.

In situ growth of UiO-66-NH2 in wood-derived cellulose for iodine adsorption.

The capture of radioactive iodine is an inevitable requirement in nuclear industry for environmental protection. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a new generation of sorbents that have wide applications for iodine adsorption and recovery. Although the loading of MOFs on wood can avoid the drawbacks of the powder form of MOFs in implementation, the dense structure of wood results in the lower loading, even after delignification, which limits the adsorption capacity. Herein, a hierarchically porous UiO-66-NH2 @WCA composite was fabricated by in-situ synthesis of UiO-66-NH2 in wood-derived cellulose aerogel (WCA) that was further removed hemicellulose from delignified wood. UiO-66-NH2 @WCA exhibited a high loading (36 wt%) of UiO-66-NH2 crystals and a high adsorption capacity of 704 mg/g for iodine vapor and 248 mg/g for iodine aqueous solution. The adsorption behavior in iodine aqueous solution was well predicted by the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption capacity of UiO-66-NH2 @WCA was highest in solution when the pH was 6, while the ionic strength had little effect. The hydroxyl groups on the WCA matrix had a charge transfer effect with iodine, providing additional sites for iodine capture. Furthermore, a packed column system was applied to demonstrate the excellent recyclability and potential for practical application.