Prehydrated Electrons Activated by Continuous Electron Transfer Stemmed from Peracetic Acid Homolysis Mediated by Diamond Surface Defects for Enhanced PFOA Destruction.

Research on the use of peracetic acid (PAA) activated by nonmetal solid catalysts for the removal of dissolved refractory organic compounds has gained attention recently due to its improved efficiency and suitability for advanced water treatment (AWT). Among these catalysts, nanocarbon (NC) stands out as an exceptional example. In the NC-based peroxide AWT studies, the focus on the mechanism involving multimedia coordination on the NC surface (reactive species (RS) path, electron reduction non-RS pathway, and singlet oxygen non-RS path) has been confined to the one-step electron reaction, leaving the mechanisms of multichannel or continuous electron transfer paths unexplored. Moreover, there are very few studies that have identified the nonfree radical pathway initiated by electron transfer within PAA AWT. In this study, the complete decomposition (kobs = 0.1995) and significant defluorination of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, deF% = 72%) through PAA/NC has been confirmed. Through the use of multiple electrochemical monitors and the exploration of current diffusion effects, the process of electron reception and conduction stimulated by PAA activation was examined, leading to the discovery of the dynamic process from the PAA molecule → NC solid surface → target object. The vital role of prehydrated electrons (epre-) before the entry of resolvable electrons into the aqueous phase was also detailed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first instance of identifying the nonradical mechanism of continuous electron transfer in PAA-based AWT, which deviates from the previously identified mechanisms of singlet oxygen, single-electron, or double-electron single-path transfer. The pathway, along with the strong reducibility of epre- initiated by this pathway, has been proven to be essential in reducing the need for catalysts and chemicals in AWT.

A qualitative study exploring partner involvement in the management of gestational diabetes mellitus: The experiences of women and partners.

AIMS: The aims of the study were to explore the experiences of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and their partners and examine the factors influencing partner involvement in GDM management, seeking to inform a targeted couple-based intervention. DESIGN: A descriptive qualitative study. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 women with GDM and their partners. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling from a tertiary hospital in Xi'an, China. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three themes and 12 subthemes were identified. Theme I: Women's expectations of their partner's involvement in GDM management-practical support and emotional support. Theme II: Partner involvement in GDM management-constructive involvement, unhelpful involvement with good intentions and insufficient involvement. Theme III: Factors that influence partner involvement in GDM-knowledge of GDM, GDM risk perception, health consciousness, attitudes towards the treatment plan, couple communication regarding GDM management, family roles and appraisal of GDM management responsibility. CONCLUSION: Women desired practical and emotional support from partners. The types of partner involvement in GDM management varied. Some partners provided constructive support, while some partners' involvement was limited, non-existent or actively unhelpful. By combining these results with the factors influencing partner involvement, our findings may help healthcare professionals develop strategies to involve partners in GDM care and enhance women's ability to manage GDM. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND PATIENT CARE: Partner involvement in GDM care may help them understand and better attend to women's needs, thus improving their experience and potential outcomes. This study highlights novel factors that need to be considered in developing couple-based interventions for this population. REPORTING METHOD: The reporting follows the COREQ checklist. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Some patients were involved in data interpretation. There is no public contribution.

Deciphering the role of micro/nano-hydroxyapatite in aerobic granular sludge system: Effects on treatment performance and enhancement mechanism.

Hydroxyapatite (HAP), a mineral nucleus identified within aerobic granular sludge (AGS), plays a vital role in enhancing the AGS systems. However, the microscopic mechanism underlying their roles remains largely unexplored. Herein, a systematic investigation was carried out to elucidate the impact and enhanced mechanisms associated with HAP of different sizes, i.e. micro-HAP (mHAP) and nano-HAP (nHAP), on the aerobic granulation, nutrient removal and microbial diversity of AGS. Results showed that the presence of nHAP and mHAP significantly shortened the granulation process to 15 and 20 days, respectively. This might be ascribed to the fact that the large specific surface area of nHAP aggregates was conducive to microbial adhesion, biomass accumulation and sludge granulation. Compared with mHAP, the granules with nHAP showed better settlement performance, mechanical strength and larger diameter. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectrometer analysis confirmed the presence of HAP within the granules, which was found to stimulate the secretion of extracellular polymeric substance, improve the compactness of granule structure and suppress the growth of filamentous bacteria, thereby contributing to a stable AGS system. The presence of HAP, especially nHAP, effectively enriched the functional microorganisms, such as nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria (e.g. Candidatus_Competibacter) and phosphorus accumulating organisms (e.g. Flavobacterium), leading to the improved nutrient removal efficiencies (COD > 96%, TN > 76%, and TP > 74%). Further analysis revealed the up-regulation of functional enzymes (e.g. nitrite oxidoreductase and polyphosphate kinase) involved in nutrient metabolism, underlying the inherent mechanisms for the excellent nutrient removal. This study deepens the understanding of granulation mechanisms from the perspective of mineral cores, and proposes an economically feasible strategy for rapid initiation and stabilization of AGS reactors.

A scale for measuring nursing digital application skills: a development and psychometric testing study.

BACKGROUND: The adoption of digitization has emerged as a new trend in the advancement of healthcare systems. To ensure high-quality care, nurses should possess sufficient skills to assist in the digital transformation of healthcare practices. Suitable tools have seldom been developed to assess nurses' skills in digital applications. This study aimed to develop the Nursing Digital Application Skill Scale (NDASS) and test its psychometric properties. METHODS: The Nursing Digital Application Skill Scale was developed in three phases. In Phase 1, an item pool was developed based on previous literature and the actual situation of nursing work. Phase 2 included 14 experts' assessment of content validity and a focus group interview with 30 nurses to pretest the scale. In phase 3, 429 registered nurses were selected from March to June 2023, and item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were used to refine the number of items and explore the factor structure of the scale. Additionally, reliability was determined by internal consistency and test-retest reliability. RESULTS: The final version of the NDASS consisted of 12 items. The content validity index of NDASS reached 0.975 at an acceptable level. The convergent validity test showed that the average variance extracted value was 0.694 (> 0.5) and the composite reliability value was 0.964 (> 0.7), both of which met the requirements. The principal component analysis resulted in a single-factor structure explaining 74.794% of the total variance. All the fitting indices satisfied the standard based upon confirmatory factor analyses, indicating that the single-factor structure contributed to an ideal model fit. The internal consistency appeared high for the NDASS, reaching a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.968. The test-retest reliability was 0.740, and the split-half coefficient was 0.935. CONCLUSION: The final version of the NDASS, which possesses adequate psychometric properties, is a reliable and effective instrument for nurses to self-assess digital skills in nursing work and for nursing managers in designing nursing digital skill training.

The female germ unit is essential for pollen tube funicular guidance in Arabidopsis thaliana.

In angiosperm, two immotile sperm cells are delivered to the female gametes for fertilization by a pollen tube, which perceives guidance cues from ovules at least at two critical sites, micropyle for short-distance guidance and funiculus for comparably longer distance guidance. Compared with the great progress in understanding pollen tube micropylar guidance, little is known about the signaling for funicular guidance. Here, we show that funiculus plays an important role in pollen tube guidance and report that female gametophyte (FG) plays a critical role in funicular guidance by analysis of a 3-dehydroquinate synthase (DHQS) mutant. Loss function of DHQS in FG interrupts pollen tube funicular guidance, suggesting that the guiding signal is generated from FG. We show the evidence that the capacity of funicular guidance is established during FG functional specification after the establishment of cell identity. Specific expression of DHQS in the synergid cells, central cells, or egg cells can rescue funicular guidance defect in dhqs/+, indicating all the female germ unit cells are involved in the funicular guidance. The finding reveals that the attracting signal of pollen tube funicular guidance was generated at a site and stage manner and provides novel clue to locate and search for the signal.

Identification of ADA as a Biomarker for Atypical Epstein Barr Virus Infection in Children.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the ability of adenosine deaminase (ADA) to discriminate atypical Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infection in children from acute febrile illness. METHODS: All children admitted to the Children's Hospital of Soochow University between 2018 and 2019, who were acute febrile patients and subjected to the plasma EBV-DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) assay for EBV-specific antibodies assays. The diagnostic value of each detection index was compared by the area under the ROC curve. RESULTS: In children with atypical Epstein Barr virus infection, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and Youden index were 62.87%, 100.00%,100.00%, 61.73% and 0.63 for EBV-DNA PCR assay, 80.84%, 100.00%, 100.00%, 75.76% and 0.81 for VCA-IgG avidity and 89.22%, 87.00%, 91.98%, 82.86% and 0.76 for ADA. VCA-IgG avidity (AUC=0.904, P<0.01) and ADA (AUC=0.881, P<0.01) assays had the great diagnostic efficiency. In addition, the sensitivity, specificity and AUC were 92.75%,91.43% and 0.921(95%CI: 0.856-0.985) for ADA in the course≤3 days group, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: ADA has a good diagnostic value in the early stage of atypical EBV infection, and is not affected by primary EBV infection and reactivation. SCHLüSSELWöRTER: Adenosine deaminase, Epstein -Barr virus, Biomarker, children.

Adaptation and validation of the Evidence-based Practice Profile Questionnaire (EBP2Q) for clinical postgraduates in a Chinese context.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is an essential approach of optimizing patient outcomes and driving progress in clinical practice. As an important reserve talent of medical staff and researchers, the clinical postgraduates are expected to become the backbones of supporting the implementation of EBP in clinical units after graduation. The assessment of their EBP learning outcomes is an important issue, yet few tools have been developed specifically in Mainland China. The purpose of this study is to adapt the Evidence-Based Practice Profile Questionnaire (EBP2Q) to Mainland China's cultural context and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese EBP2Q in clinical postgraduates. METHODS: Cross-cultural modification, including translating the original EBP2Q into Chinese was implemented according to established guidelines. A pilot study was carried out in Mainland China among 30 clinical postgraduates. A subsequent validation study was conducted among 633 clinical postgraduates majoring in clinical medicine, stomatology and nursing from Mainland China. Construct validity was assessed by exploratory factor analysis (n = 313), together with confirmatory factor analysis (n = 320). Reliability was determined by internal consistency and test-retest reliability. RESULTS: The Chinese EBP2Q consisted of 40 items. The content validity index of the Chinese EBP2Q achieved 0.938 at an acceptable level. Principal component analysis resulted in a four-factor structure explaining 61.586% of the total variance. All fitting indices satisfied the standard based upon confirmatory factor analyses, indicating that the four-factor structure contributed to an ideal model fit. The internal consistency appeared high for the Chinese EBP2Q, reaching a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.926. Test-retest reliability was 0.868 and the split-half coefficient was 0.925. CONCLUSION: Chinese version of EBP2Q possesses adequate validity, test-retest reliability and internal consistency. It is a promising questionnaire to be adopted by Chinese medical educators in designing their course and curriculum, or by clinical postgraduates for self-assessment of EBP learning.

Effect of "timing it right" on comprehensive unmet needs and psychological pain in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: We assessed the effectiveness of "timing it right" (TIR) applications in patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer through a carefully designed TIR intervention program. The assessment in this study emphasized the impact of the TIR intervention on the unmet needs and psychological pain of patients with head and neck cancer at different stages of radiotherapy. METHODS: In total, 140 radiotherapy patients were randomly recruited into two study groups: (1) the TIR intervention group received routine nursing follow-up and comprehensive nursing intervention based on TIR, and (2) the control group received routine nursing care. Assessments were conducted at baseline, before discharge, and 3 months and 6 months after discharge. The comprehensive needs and psychological pain of patients with radiotherapy were measured using the Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool in Cancer for Patients (CNAT) and the Distress Thermometer (DT), respectively. A linear mixed model was applied to analyze the effects. RESULTS: A total of 137 patients completed the study. Compared to the control group, the TIR group showed significant improvements in information needs, health and psychological problems, healthcare staff, physical symptoms, health facilities and services, religious/spiritual support, and psychological pain (F=8.503, p=0.004; F=1.896, p=0.003; F=12.422, p<0.001; F=9.634, p=0.001; F=7.310, p=0.006; F=1.684, p=0.009; F=1.692, p=0.041). In addition to practical support, the remaining indicators differed significantly by time point, group, and group-time interaction. CONCLUSIONS: The patient support application based on TIR can effectively address unmet needs and improve psychological pain, supporting TIR as an effective psychological management and intervention strategy for radiotherapy patients in the early stage of long-term rehabilitation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chictr.org.cn Chi CTR2100047960.

Unveiling significance of Ca2+ ion for start-up of aerobic granular sludge reactor by distinguishing its effects on physicochemical property and bioactivity of sludge.

Almost all of the aerobic granular sludge (AGS) reactors were fed on certain amounts of Ca2+ ion, but whether and why it was necessary for reactor start-up remain unknown. Herein, this study conducted a set of comparative experiments in three AGS reactors, which were operated in parallel with Ca2+ addition in R3, hydroxyapatite (HAP) addition in R1, and without any forms of Ca addition in R2. Results showed that R3 not only achieved the complete granulation of sludge, but exhibited superior performance of COD and nutrient removal. In contrast, R1 had a slightly quicker granulation rate than R3 (R1: 0.07 day-1; R3: 0.06 day-1), but the formed granules could not efficiently degrade pollutants. In R2, both sludge granulation and pollutants removal did not proceed normally. Further investigations found that the Ca2+ ion acted in three ways: (1) it increased inorganic composition of sludge to promote granulation; (2) the transformed HAP strengthened stability of granular structure; (3) it ensured bioactivity of granules by driving enrichment of functional microbes and synthesis of metabolism enzymes. Overall, this study systemically proved significance of Ca2+ ion for the start-up of AGS reactors and its influencing mechanisms on different properties of granules.

Exploring the feasibility of sewage treatment by algal-bacterial consortia.

Current biological wastewater treatment is energy intensive. The application of algal-bacterial consortia to treat wastewater has recently attracted considerable attention because mechanical aeration is unnecessary. Therefore, algal-bacterial bioreactors are emerging as alternatives to activated sludge-based bioprocesses. Most studies have used a plate substratum to support the growth of algal-bacterial biofilms, which results in low reactor efficiencies. Usually, 2-10 days are required for targeted pollutant removal effects. Substratum structures can significantly influence reactor efficiencies. Indeed, substratum-free biofilms (granules) generally achieve high reactor efficiencies that rapidly form. 7-12 h are sufficient for a high-level pollutant removal efficiency. However, granule stability must be validated during long-term experiments (>1 year) involving real wastewater. In addition, the application of algal-bacterial membrane bioreactors represents a novel treatment approach. In membrane bioreactors, good reactor efficiencies and stabilities can be achieved. However, the maximum capacity of algal-bacterial membrane bioreactors requires further investigation. In addition, an accurate model for pollutant removal kinetics in algal-bacterial reactors is not yet available but is necessary for reactor control and up-scaling. The microbial and physical structures of algal-bacterial biofilms require more studies to clarify the system. Finally, the operational costs of algal-bacterial systems must be kept low in order to enhance their potential for sewage treatment at large scales. Good illumination control and recycling biomass for biodiesel or methane production could be applied to reducing the operation cost.

Significant acceleration of Fe2+/ peroxydisulfate oxidation towards sulfisoxazole by addition of MoS2.

Activation of peroxydisulfate (PDS) by Fe2+ has been considered as an effective activation method to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the process is limited for the low production yield of ROS owing to the inefficient Fe3+/Fe2+ cycle. Herein, we demonstrated that Fe2+/PDS system in the presence of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) was significantly efficient for the degradation of sulfisoxazole (SIX). As a co-catalyst in the Fe2+/PDS system, MoS2 could greatly enhance the Fe3+/Fe2+ cycle by the exposed Mo4+ active sites, which could also improve the PDS decomposition efficiency. As a result, the degradation efficiency of SIX in the MoS2/Fe2+/PDS system could reach to as high as 97.1% within 40 min, which was in distinct comparison with the 45.5% achieved by Fe2+/PDS system without MoS2. Besides, effects of various reaction conditions on SIX degradation were also evaluated during the experiments, including the dosages of MoS2, Fe2+, PDS and initial solution pH and the coexisting inorganic anions. In addition, both of sulfate radicals and hydroxyl radicals were identified as the dominant active species for SIX degradation by the radical scavenging experiments and verified by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). This study provides a promising idea for the degradation of organic contaminants in water treatment based on Fe2+/PDS process.

Adsorption Mechanism of Oil-in-Water on a TiO2/Al2O3-Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) Ultrafiltration Membrane.

For the sake of gaining a clear idea of the adsorption mechanism involved with an oil emulsion-membrane system, Daqing crude oil emulsion and two types of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membranes made in our laboratory were used as the objects to pursue the adsorption characteristics in this system. Several isotherm and kinetics models were used here to simulate the adsorption process; the effect of variables such as time, initial concentration, temperature, as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra were investigated to assist in understanding the mechanism. The results show that the Redlich-Peterson model and the pseudo-first-order kinetic model are the best fitting models, with all of the models exhibiting correlation coefficient ( R2) values of >0.98, suggesting an endothermic adsorption process that involves a combination of chemical and physical mechanisms. Moreover, the thermodynamic parameters, such as Δr Gmθ, Δr Hmθ, and Δr Smθ were also calculated from the temperature dependence, indicating a nonspontaneous process, and increases in temperature had a negative effect on the oil-in-water (o/w) adsorption. Ultimately, further evidence is obtained from the microstructural and infrared spectral analyses.

Dual-Bioinspired Design for Constructing Membranes with Superhydrophobicity for Direct Contact Membrane Distillation.

Water flux and durability are the two critical parameters that are closely associated with the practical application of membrane distillation (MD). Herein, we report a facile approach to fabricate superhydrophobic polyimide nanofibrous membranes (PI NFMs) with hierarchical structures, interconnected pores, and high porosity, which was derived from the electrospinning, dual-bioinspired design, and fluorination processes. Bioinspired adhesive based on polydopamine /polyethylenimine (PDA/PEI) composite was first linked onto membrane substrates and then assembled lotus leaf hierarchical structure by binding the negatively charged silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) via electrostatic attraction. The resultant superhydrophobic PI NFMs exhibit a water contact angle of 152°, robust hot water resistance of 85 °C, and high water entry pressure of 42 kPa. Moreover, the membrane with omniphobicity presents high water flux over 31 L m-2 h-1 and high salts rejection of ∼100% as well as robust durability for treating high salinity wastewater containing typical low surface tension and dissolved contaminants (Δ T = 40 °C). Significantly, the novel dual-bioinspired method can be used as a universal tool to modify various materials with hierarchical structures, which is expected to provide more effective alternative membranes for MD and even for other selective wetting separation fields.

The attachment potential and N-acyl-homoserine lactone-based quorum sensing in aerobic granular sludge and algal-bacterial granular sludge.

Bacteria and algae often coexist in the aerobic granular sludge (AGS) system in a photo-bioreactor, forming algal-bacterial granular sludge. In this study, the physicochemical characteristics and microbial attachment potential of the AGS and algal-bacterial granular sludge were comparatively analyzed. Results clearly showed that the larger and denser algal-bacterial granular sludge had stronger attachment potential compared to the AGS (as the control). A bioassay with Agrobacterium tumefaciens KYC55 indicated that N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) existed in both sludge types, but further investigations revealed that the relative AHL content of the algal-bacterial granular sludge obviously increased and slightly decreased during phases II and III, respectively, but was consistently higher than the AGS. Based on the EPS measurements and 3D-excitation-emission matrix (3D-EEM) fluorescence spectra analysis, the enhancement of AHL-based QS favored the hydrophobic protein production of algal-bacterial granular sludge, contributing to a good development of the granular sludge. In addition, it was also found that inhibition of AHLs resulted in the reduction of the protein content and attachment potential in algal-bacterial granular sludge, which was unfavorable to the structural stability of the granules. High-throughput sequencing analysis showed that the microbial community of AGS was different from the algal-bacterial granular sludge; specifically, algal-bacterial granulation facilitated the abundance of AHLs and EPS producers, such as the genera Acinetobacter, Chryseobacterium, and Flavobacterium.

Critical flux investigation in treating o/w emulsion by TiO2/Al2O3-PVDF UF membrane.

A standard transmembrane pressure (TMP) step method has been used in membrane fouling assessment in tube ultrafiltration (UF) membrane system treating oil water (o/w) emulsion operated at constant TMP. Three flux reduction curve with different o/w concentration based on TMP variation were concluded by experiment, then, to describe fouling behavior and identify the occurrence of fouling in the so-called critical flux. Furthermore, sub-critical and super-critical flux experiment with a long time was determined, and zero rate of flux reduction (dF/dt) was never found during the whole trial period, indicating that critical flux in o/w UF process with its strict definition could not be defined in this paper. However, quasi-critical flux exists, under which the pollution rate was very slow. Moreover, a high-efficiency four steps cleaning method: mechanic scraping, pure water wash, pure water reverse wash, and dosing cleaning, was explored. It concluded that critical flux in real o/w UF system determined by TMP-step method can be used to predict long-term critical behavior with useful data on fouling propensity.

The impact of anionic polyacrylamide (APAM) on ultrafiltration efficiency in flocculation-ultrafiltration process.

With the purpose of improving the ultrafiltration (UF) efficiency, anionic polyacrylamide (APAM) has been used as a coagulant aid in the flocculation-UF process. In this study, the impact of APAM on UF efficiency has been investigated with regard to membrane fouling, membrane cleaning and effluent quality. The results indicated that the optimal dosage of APAM had positive impacts on membrane fouling control, membrane cleaning and effluent quality. According to the flux decline curve, scanning electron microscopy and contact angle characterization, the optimal dosage of APAM was determined to be 0.1 mg/L coupled with 2 mg/L (as Al3+) poly-aluminium chloride. Under this optimal condition, membrane fouling can be mitigated because of the formation of a porous and hydrophilic fouling layer. APAM in the fouling layer can improve the chemical cleaning efficiency of 0.5% NaOH due to the disintegration of the fouling layer when APAM is dissolved under strong alkaline conditions. Furthermore, with the addition of APAM in the flocculation-UF process, more active adsorption sites can be formed in the flocs as well as the membrane fouling layer, thus more antipyrine molecules in the raw water can be adsorbed and removed in the flocculation-UF process.

Evaluation of drinking water treatment combined filter backwash water recycling technology based on comet and micronucleus assay.

Based on the fact that recycling of combined filter backwash water (CFBW) directly to drinking water treatment plants (WTP) is considered to be a feasible method to enhance pollutant removal efficiency, we were motivated to evaluate the genotoxicity of water samples from two pilot-scale drinking water treatment systems, one with recycling of combined backwash water, the other one with a conventional process. An integrated approach of the comet and micronucleus (MN) assays was used with zebrafish (Danio rerio) to investigate the water genotoxicity in this study. The total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP), of the recycling process were lower than that of the conventional process. All the results showed that there was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) between the conventional and recycling processes, and indicated that the genotoxicity of water samples from the recycling process did not accumulate in 15 day continuous recycling trial. It was worth noting that there was correlation between the concentrations of TOC, DOC, UV254, and THMFPs in water and the DNA damage score, with corresponding R(2) values of 0.68, 0.63, 0.28, and 0.64. Nevertheless, both DNA strand breaks and MN frequency of all water samples after disinfection were higher than that of water samples from the two treatment units, which meant that the disinfection by-products (DBPs) formed by disinfection could increase the DNA damage. Both the comet and MN tests suggest that the recycling process did not increase the genotoxicity risk, compared to the traditional process.

The occurrence and removal of selected fluoroquinolones in urban drinking water treatment plants.

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are a widely prescribed group of antibiotics. They enter the aqueous environment, where they are frequently detected, and can lead to a threat to human health. Drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) play a key role in removing FQs from potable water. This study investigated the occurrence and removal of four selected FQs (norfloxacin (NOR), ciprofloxacin (CIP), enrofloxacin (ENR), and ofloxacin (OFL)) in three urban DWTPs in China. The treatment efficacy for each system was simultaneously evaluated. Two of the examined DWTPs used conventional treatment processes. The third used conventional processes followed by additional treatment processes (ozonation-biologically activated carbon (ozonation-BAC) and membrane technology). The average concentrations of the four FQs in the source water and the finished water ranged from 51 to 248 ng/L and from <5 to 46 ng/L, respectively. Based on residual concentrations, the conventional treatment system had a low removal of FQs. In contrast, the addition of advanced treatment processes such as the ozonation-BAC and membranes, substantially improved the removal of FQs. The finding of this study has important implications: even though coagulation-sedimentation and chlorination treatment processes can remove most target FQs, the typical practice of advanced treatment processes is necessary for the further removal.

Corilagin alleviates ferroptosis in diabetic retinopathy by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a prevalent complication of diabetes, with a rising global incidence, and can result in significant vision impairment and potential blindness in adults. Corilagin (COR) has been shown to regulate several pathological processes. However, the specific protective role and mechanism of action of COR in DR remain unknown. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The protective effects and mechanisms of COR in DR were examined using the ARPE-19 cell line and C57BL/6 mice. Intraretinal tissue damage and molecular markers were evaluated to investigate the impact of COR on oxidative stress and cell death pathways. KEY RESULTS: In vitro, COR significantly reduced the cytotoxic effects of high glucose (HG) on ARPE-19 cells. Furthermore, COR also effectively decreased HG-induced lipid peroxidation, iron deposition, and ferroptosis and reduced damage to retinal tight junction proteins. Similarly, an in vivo study of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DM mice showed that the daily gavage of COR for eight weeks notably alleviated DR. Mechanistically, COR activated the Nrf2 antioxidant signaling pathway both in vivo and in vitro, preventing HG-induced alterations in morphological and biochemical parameters. Notably, our study demonstrated that compared with controls, Nrf2 knockout mice and siNrf2-treated cells were more vulnerable to ferroptosis under HG conditions, and the protective effect of COR on DR was substantially diminished in these models. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These data indicate that COR has a protective effect against HG-induced retinal injury via a mechanism associated with the Nrf2-dependent antioxidant pathway and ferroptosis regulation.

Effects of dexmedetomidine on postoperative pain and early cognitive impairment in older male patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

The primary aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine (DEX) on postoperative pain and early cognitive impairment in old male patients, who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). A total of 97 old patients, subjected to LC at the 980 Hospital of the Joint Service Support Force of the People's Liberation Army of China, were randomly divided into two groups, namely the DEX and normal saline groups. Patients in the DEX group received an intravenous infusion of 0.8 µg/kg DEX within 10 min following general anesthesia, followed by a maintenance infusion of 0.5 µg/(kg/h). Furthermore, patients in the normal saline group were treated with an equivalent volume of normal saline. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tests at 6 h, 1, 2 and 3 days, postoperatively. The incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) and postoperative adverse events were recorded for both groups. In addition, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain score was utilized to assess the pain level of all patients, while the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) scale was employed to analyze the postoperative recovery results. Therefore, the MoCA score was higher in the DEX group compared with the normal saline group at 6 h and day 1 postoperatively. Additionally, the MMSE score was higher at 6 h postoperatively in the DEX group compared with the normal saline group. Correspondingly, the incidence of POCD was lower in the DEX group compared with the normal saline group at 6 h and day 1, after LC (P<0.05). VAS score in resting state for patients in the DEX group was significantly lower compared with the normal-saline group (P<0.05). Furthermore, the QoR-15 scale score in patients in the DEX group was notably increased compared with the normal saline group on the first and second days after the operation (P<0.05). Overall, the present study verified that the continuous infusion of DEX at a rate of 0.5 µg/(kg/h) during LC could effectively reduce the incidence of early POCD and alleviate postoperative pain in old male patients, thus facilitating postoperative recovery.