MRI versus Dual-Energy CT in Local-Regional Staging of Gastric Cancer.

Background Preoperative local-regional tumor staging of gastric cancer (GC) is critical for appropriate treatment planning. The comparative accuracy of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) versus dual-energy CT (DECT) for staging of GC is not known. Purpose To compare the diagnostic accuracy of personalized mpMRI with that of DECT for local-regional T and N staging in patients with GC receiving curative surgical intervention. Materials and Methods Patients with GC who underwent gastric mpMRI and DECT before gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy were eligible for this single-center prospective noninferiority study between November 2021 and September 2022. mpMRI comprised T2-weighted imaging, multiorientational zoomed diffusion-weighted imaging, and extradimensional volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. Dual-phase DECT images were reconstructed at 40 keV and standard 120 kVp-like images. Using gastrectomy specimens as the reference standard, the diagnostic accuracy of mpMRI and DECT for T and N staging was compared by six radiologists in a pairwise blinded manner. Interreader agreement was assessed using the weighted κ and Kendall W statistics. The McNemar test was used for head-to-head accuracy comparisons between DECT and mpMRI. Results This study included 202 participants (mean age, 62 years ± 11 [SD]; 145 male). The interreader agreement of the six readers for T and N staging of GC was excellent for both mpMRI (κ = 0.89 and 0.85, respectively) and DECT (κ = 0.86 and 0.84, respectively). Regardless of reader experience, higher accuracy was achieved with mpMRI than with DECT for both T (61%-77% vs 50%-64%; all P < .05) and N (54%-68% vs 51%-58%; P = .497-.005) staging, specifically T1 (83% vs 65%) and T4a (78% vs 68%) tumors and N1 (41% vs 24%) and N3 (64% vs 45%) nodules (all P < .05). Conclusion Personalized mpMRI was superior in T staging and noninferior or superior in N staging compared with DECT for patients with GC. Clinical trial registration no. NCT05508126 © RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Méndez and Martín-Garre in this issue.

High Hydrophilic and Antibacterial Efficient UV-Curable Silicone-Containing Choline Chloride Quaternary Ammonium Salts Functionalized Materials.

Antibacterial materials with high hydrophobicity have drawbacks such as protein adsorption, bacterial contamination, and biofilm formation, which are responsible for some serious adverse health events. Therefore, antibacterial materials with high hydrophilicity are highly desired. In this paper, UV-curable antibacterial materials are prepared from silicone-containing Choline chloride (ChCl) functionalized hyperbranched quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) and tri-hydroxylethyl acrylate phosphate (TAEP). The materials show high hydrophilic performance because their water contact angle is as low as 19.3°. The materials also exhibit quite high antibacterial efficiency against S. aureus over 95.6%, fairly high transmittance over 90%, and good mechanical performance with tensile strength as high as 6.5 MPa. It reveals that it is a feasible strategy to develop antibacterial materials with low hydrophobicity from silicone-modified ChCl-functionalized hyperbranched QAS.

Genotoxicity evaluation of food additive titanium dioxide using a battery of standard in vivo tests.

The increasing use of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) has raised concern about the safety of food additive TiO2. TiO2 has been considered no longer safe by EFSA due to concerns over genotoxicity, however, there are conflicting opinions upon the safety of TiO2 as a food additive, and the number of in vivo genotoxicity studies conducted on food additive TiO2 was limited. In order to investigate the potential genotoxicity of food additive TiO2, we evaluated the genotoxicity of a commercial food additive TiO2 (average size of 135.54 ± 41.01 nm, range from 60.83 to 230.16 nm, NPs account for 30% by number) using a battery of standard in vivo tests, including mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test, mammalian bone marrow chromosomal aberration test and in vivo mammalian alkaline comet test. After 15 days of consecutive intragastric administration at doses of 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kgBW, food additive TiO2 neither increased the frequencies of bone marrow micronuclei or chromosomal aberration in mice, nor induced DNA strand breakage in rat liver cells. These results indicate that under the condition of this study, food additive TiO2 does not have genotoxic potential although it contains a fraction of NPs.

Microwave-Assisted Rapid Synthesis of MOF-Based Single-Atom Ni Catalyst for CO2 Electroreduction at Ampere-Level Current.

Carbon-based single-atom catalysts (SACs) have attracted tremendous interest in heterogeneous catalysis. However, the common electric heating techniques to produce carbon-based SACs usually suffer from prolonged heating time and tedious operations. Herein, a general and facile microwave-assisted rapid pyrolysis method is developed to afford carbon-based SACs within 3 min without inert gas protection. The obtained carbon-based SACs present high porosity and comparable carbonization degree to those obtained by electric heating techniques. Specifically, the single-atom Ni implanted N-doped carbon (Ni1 -N-C) derived from a Ni-doped metal-organic framework (Ni-ZIF-8) exhibits remarkable CO Faradaic efficiency (96 %) with a substantial CO partial current density (jCO ) up to 1.06 A/cm2 in CO2 electroreduction, far superior to the counterpart obtained by traditional pyrolysis with electric heating. Mechanism investigations reveal that the resulting Ni1 -N-C presents abundant defective sites and mesoporous structure, greatly facilitating CO2 adsorption and mass transfer. This work establishes a versatile approach to rapid and large-scale synthesis of SACs as well as other carbon-based materials for efficient catalysis.

Safety assessment of phytase transgenic maize 11TPY050 in Sprague-Dawley rats by 90-day feeding study.

The present study aimed to evaluate the subchronic toxicity of feeding with phytase-transgenic maize line 11TPY050 in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Rats (n = 10/sex/group) were fed with 12.5%, 25% or 50% (w/w) transgenic maize diet, 12.5%, 25% or 50% (w/w) non-transgenic isoline OSL940 maize diet, or 50% (w/w) commercially available Zhengdan958 maize diet for 90 days. Daily clinical observations and weekly measurements of body weights and food consumption were conducted. Blood samples were collected on day 46 and day 91 for hematology and clinical chemistry evaluations. At the end of the study, macroscopic and microscopic examinations were performed. No effects on body weight and food consumption were observed. The results of hematology, clinical chemistry, and absolute and relative organ weights in the transgenic maize group were comparable to those in the parental maize group. Several statistical differences were not dose-related and were not considered to be biologically significant. Furthermore, the terminal necropsy and histopathological examination showed no treatment-related changes among the groups. The results from the present 90-day feeding study of phytase-transgenic maize 11TPY050 indicated no unexpected adverse effects in SD rats. The phytase transgenic maize 11TPY050 has substantial equivalence with non-transgenic maize.

Post-synthetic modification of porous organic cages.

Porous organic cages (POCs) represent an emerging class of organic materials with intrinsic porosity. They have found various applications in supramolecular chemistry, materials science, and many other related disciplines, which stem from their molecular host-guest interactions, intrinsic and inter-cage porosity in solid state as well as the diversity of functionalities. Post-synthetic modification (PSM) has emerged as a highly viable strategy for broadening the functions and applications of POCs. Intricate structures, enhanced stability, tunable porosity and guest binding selectivity and sensitivity have been realized through PSM of POCs, which cannot be directly achieved via the predesign and bottom-up assembly from small molecule building blocks. For example, an unstable imine-linked POC can be transformed into a more stable amine-linked cage, whose cavity size can be further tuned by selective binding of some amine groups, offering unusual gas adsorption selectivity for noble gases (e.g., preferred uptake of Xe over Kr). Such improvement of the chemical stability and gas separation properties through the consolidation of linkage and adjustment of porosity is challenging to achieve otherwise. In this tutorial review, we highlight the importance and impact of PSM in engineering the properties of POC molecules, their frameworks, and composites going beyond the direct predesign synthetic strategy. The primary PSM strategies for exploring new compositions, functions and applications as well as their structure-property relationship have been summarized, including cage-to-cage transformation at the molecular level, covalent or noncovalent assembly of POCs into frameworks, and formation of composites with guest species or other additives encapsulated.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI histogram parameters predict progression-free survival in patients with advanced esophageal squamous carcinoma receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: There is increased interest in dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) for predicting the outcomes of patients with advanced esophageal cancer. PURPOSE: To explore whether DCE-MRI histogram parameters can predict 12-month progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced esophageal squamous carcinoma receiving concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CRT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 134 patients with advanced esophageal squamous carcinoma who were receiving CRT. The pre-CRT DCE-MRI histogram parameters (median, mean, SD, skewness, kurtosis, and 10th and 90th percentiles) of Ktrans, Kep, and Ve were collected. PFS analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank tests to compute the survival curves. The significant prognostic predictors among the data characteristics and DCE-MRI parameters were determined using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. RESULTS: There were 65 good responders (PFS ≥ 12 months) and 69 poor responders (PFS < 12 months). The median and mean values of Ktrans were higher, and the kurtosis value of Ktrans was lower in good responders. The median, mean, and 10th and 90th percentile values of Ktrans were higher, and the kurtosis values of Ktrans and Ve were lower in good responders. The PFS of patients aged ≥60 years, a CR effect, or a 10th percentile value of Ktrans ≥0.13 was increased (P < 0.001, <0.001, and 0.014, respectively). CONCLUSION: DCE-MRI histogram parameters can be used to evaluate the response to CRT in patients with advanced esophageal squamous carcinoma. The 10th percentile value of Ktrans has significant prognostic value for 12-month PFS.

Histogram analysis of DCE-MRI for chemoradiotherapy response evaluation in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

AIMS: The aim of the study was to predict and assess treatment response by histogram analysis of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) to patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving chemoradiotherapy (CRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-two patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent DCE-MRI before and after chemoradiotherapy were enrolled and divided into the complete response (CR) group and the non-CR group based on RECIST. The histogram parameters (10th percentile, 90th percentile, median, mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis) of pre-CRT and post-CRT were compared using a paired Student's t test in the CR and non-CR groups, respectively. The histogram parameter differences between the CR and the non-CR groups were compared using an unpaired Student's t test. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance. RESULTS: The histogram parameters of Ktrans values were observed to have significantly decreased after chemoradiotherapy in the CR group. The CR responders showed significantly higher median, mean, and 10th and 90th percentile of pre-Ktrans values than those of the non-CR group. The histogram analysis indicated the decreased heterogeneity in the CR group after CRT. Esophageal cancer with higher pre-Ktrans and lower post-Ktrans values indicated a good treatment response to CRT. Pre-Ktrans-10th showed the best diagnostic performance in predicting the chemoradiotherapy response. CONCLUSIONS: The histogram parameters of Ktrans are useful in the assessment and prediction of the chemoradiotherapy response in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. DCE-MRI could serve as an adjunctive imaging technique for treatment planning.

Multifunctional Tubular Organic Cage-Supported Ultrafine Palladium Nanoparticles for Sequential Catalysis.

The imine condensation reaction of 5,5'-(benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl)diisophthalaldehyde with cyclohexanediamine resulted in a shape-persistent multifunctional tubular organic cage (MTC1). It exhibits selective fluorescence sensing towards divalent Pd ions with a very low detection limit (38 ppb), suggesting effective complexation between these two species. Subsequent reduction of MTC1 and Pd(OAc)2 with NaBH4 afforded a cage-supported catalyst with well-dispersed ultrafine Pd nanoparticles (NPs) in a narrow size distribution (1.9±0.4 nm), denoted as Pd@MTC1-1/5. Such ultrafine Pd NPs in Pd@MTC1-1/5, in cooperation with photocatalytically active MTC1, enable efficient sequential reactions involving visible light-induced aerobic hydroxylation of 4-nitrophenylboronic acid to 4-nitrophenol and the following hydride reduction with NaBH4 . This is the first example of a multifunctional organic cage capable of sensing, directing nanoparticle growth, and catalyzing sequential reactions.

Angiotensin-(1-7) Attenuated Cigarette Smoking-related Pulmonary Fibrosis via Improving the Impaired Autophagy Caused by Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Reduced Oxidase 4-Dependent Reactive Oxygen Species.

Cigarette smoking is acknowledged as the major risk factor of pulmonary fibrosis. Angiotensin (Ang) II has been reported to aggravate smoking-induced lung fibrosis, whereas the effect of Ang-(1-7) on smoking-related lung fibrosis remains unknown. The autophagy, being activated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), is identified as a novel mechanism of pulmonary fibrosis. However, whether autophagy is involved in regulation of smoking-induced lung fibrosis still needs investigation. Here, we aim to investigate the effect of Ang-(1-7) on smoking-related lung fibrosis by the regulation of autophagy and ROS. In vivo, Ang-(1-7) was constantly infused into passive smoking rats for 8 weeks. In vitro, primary lung fibroblasts were pretreated with antioxidant, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate reduced oxidase (NOX) 4 siRNA, or light chain (LC) 3B siRNA before exposure to cigarette smoke extract (CSE). GFP-mCherry red fluorescent protein-LC3 advenovirus was introduced to evaluate the autophagic flux in cells. We found that Ang-(1-7) reduced hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration, protein levels of NOX4, and autophagy impairment, as well as improving lung fibrosis induced by smoking stimulation in vivo. In vitro, CSE treatment elevated NOX4 protein expression and ROS production, resulting in the accumulation of impaired autophagosomes in fibroblasts. LC3B depletion enhanced CSE-induced collagen synthesis. Treatment with antioxidants or NOX4 siRNA inhibited CSE-induced insufficient autophagic flux and collagen production. In contrast, the action of Ang-(1-7) opposed the effects of CSE. In conclusion, Ang-(1-7) improves smoking-induced pulmonary fibrosis via attenuating the impaired autophagy caused by NOX4-dependent ROS in vivo and in vitro.

A fluorescent probe based on a Tb3+/Cu2+ co-functionalized MOF for urinary sarcosine detection.

A novel luminescent probe based on a Tb3+/Cu2+ heterometallic metal-organic framework (MOF) was first designed for beamed monitoring of urinary sarcosine, a differential metabolite that can indicate the progression of prostate cancer (PCa). The fluorescent probe presented high selectivity towards sarcosine in urine. It also displayed good sensitivity with a comparatively low detection limit and a fast response to sarcosine within 5 min. Moreover, such high selectivity and sensitivity towards sarcosine is not subject to interference from other coexisting species in urine. At the same time, this fluorescent material also demonstrated the possibility for recycling. The excellent sensing performance of this Ln-MOF (lanthanide MOF) enables it to be further employed as a serviceable tool for PCa diagnosis and monitoring.

Genome-Wide Gene Expression Analysis Identifies the Proto-oncogene Tyrosine-Protein Kinase Src as a Crucial Virulence Determinant of Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus in Chicken Cells.

UNLABELLED: Given the side effects of vaccination against infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT), novel strategies for ILT control and therapy are urgently needed. The modulation of host-virus interactions is a promising strategy to combat the virus; however, the interactions between the host and avian ILT herpesvirus (ILTV) are unclear. Using genome-wide transcriptome studies in combination with a bioinformatic analysis, we identified proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src (Src) to be an important modulator of ILTV infection. Src controls the virulence of ILTV and is phosphorylated upon ILTV infection. Functional studies revealed that Src prolongs the survival of host cells by increasing the threshold of virus-induced cell death. Therefore, Src is essential for viral replication in vitro and in ovo but is not required for ILTV-induced cell death. Furthermore, our results identify a positive-feedback loop between Src and the tyrosine kinase focal adhesion kinase (FAK), which is necessary for the phosphorylation of either Src or FAK and is required for Src to modulate ILTV infection. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to identify a key host regulator controlling host-ILTV interactions. We believe that our findings have revealed a new potential therapeutic target for ILT control and therapy. IMPORTANCE: Despite the extensive administration of live attenuated vaccines starting from the mid-20th century and the administration of recombinant vaccines in recent years, infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) outbreaks due to avian ILT herpesvirus (ILTV) occur worldwide annually. Presently, there are no drugs or control strategies that effectively treat ILT. Targeting of host-virus interactions is considered to be a promising strategy for controlling ILTV infections. However, little is known about the mechanisms governing host-ILTV interactions. The results from our study advance our understanding of host-ILTV interactions on a molecular level and provide experimental evidence that it is possible to control ILT via the manipulation of host-virus interactions.

Correction: Ag+-induced photoluminescence enhancement in lanthanide post-functionalized MOFs and Ag+ sensing.

Correction for 'Ag+-induced photoluminescence enhancement in lanthanide post-functionalized MOFs and Ag+ sensing' by Nana Sun et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017, 19, 9174-9180.

Ag+-induced photoluminescence enhancement in lanthanide post-functionalized MOFs and Ag+ sensing.

The robust gallium carboxylate Ga(OH)(btec)·0.5H2O (MIL-61) is selected as a parent MOF to prepare Ln-MIL-61 by PSM. This work investigates the luminescence of Ln-doped MIL-61 (Ln = Eu3+, Tb3+, Sm3+, Dy3+) in the visible light region. Upon 314 nm excitation, the emission spectra of Eu-MIL-61, Tb-MIL-61 and Eu/Tb-MIL-61 all exhibit their respective strong sharp emission bands. However, Sm-MIL-61 and Dy-MIL-61 show very similar emission to MIL-61 and almost no luminescence of Sm3+ and Dy3+. In this work, the weak fluorescence of Sm3+ or Dy3+ doped MIL-61 is effectively sensitized by Ag+. Besides, single-phase white-light emitters based on the resulting 4d-4f heterometallic co-doped MOFs can be realized. Furthermore, Sm-MIL-61 shows more highly sensitive and selective sensing towards Ag+, and is a promising optical sensor for Ag+ detection in a few daily water samples.

A dual-channel detection of mercuric ions using a label free G-quadruplex-based DNAzyme molecule.

We have constructed a 'turn-off' and label free bio-sensor using a DNAzyme molecule. This facile bio-sensor is capable of selective detection of mercuric ions with a high sensitivity and satisfactory dynamic range. More importantly, it is able to generate both fluorescent and colourimetric signals for detection. This dual-channel bio-sensor is expected to afford high detection confidence and overcome false-positive readout especially when assaying complex biological samples.

[Regulation of α-tocopherol on NFκB and Nrf2 signaling pathway at early stage of N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine⁃induced human esophageal cell carcinogenesis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulation of α-Tocopherol on NFκB and Nrf2 signaling pathway at early stage of N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBzA)-induced human esophageal carcinogenesis. METHODS: Human normal esophageal HET-1A cells were treated with NMBzA at 50 µmol/L, 100 µmol/L for 24 h to intimate the initiation of esophageal carcinogenesis. For intervention groups, HET-1A cells were pre-treated with α-T at 25, 50, 100 µmol/L for 3 h and then co-treated with NMBzA (100 µmol/L) for 24 h. In comparison with HET-1A cells, human esophageal cancer EC109 cells were treated with α-T at corresponding concentrations. Cells treated with 0.1% DMSO were used as negative control. Immunofluorence staining was used for the determination of distribution and activation of NFκB p65 and Nrf2 in the cell. Real time PCR and Western blot were used to determine the expression levels of target genes including cyclinD1, KI67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclo-oxygen-ase 2 (COX2), 5LOX, HO-1, NQO1 and GCLC. Flow cytometry was utilized to analyze the reactive oxygen species contents in the cells. RESULTS: As compared to the control group (1.00 ± 0.08), the expression of CyclinD1 (2.99 ± 0.15), KI67 (2.35 ± 0.38) and PCNA (2.46 ± 0.25) in HET-1A were all markedly increased by NMBzA treatment (F values were 97.23, 65.28, 34.62, P < 0.001). Also, the proportion of cells with nucleus translocation of NFκB p65 (71.0%, 98/138) or Nrf2 (36.3%, 49/135) were significantly increased (χ² values were 194.71, 133.72, P < 0.001), and the expression of COX2 (3.22 ± 0.17), 5LOX (2.87 ± 0.12) as well as HO-1 (1.87 ± 0.22), NQO1 (2.14 ± 0.08), GCLC (2.63 ± 0.41) at protein levels were elevated (F values were 72.35, 43.87, 69.23, 71.34, 85.79, P values were 0.013, 0.015, 0.010, 0.011, 0.002). Under the treatment with 50 µmol/L α-T, comparing with the control group(59.1%,65/110),the nuclear translocation of NFκB p65 (77.7%, 8/104) was clearly inhibited (χ² = 148.1, P < 0.001), and protein expression levels of COX2 (0.74 ± 0.19) and 5LOX (0.42 ± 0.13) were decreased (F values were 56.31, 73.25, P values were 0.003, 0.001). However, no changes on Nrf2 signaling pathway were observed; α-T showed little impact on NFκB or Nrf2 pathway in EC109 cells. CONCLUSIONS: At the early stage of NMBz-induced esophageal cancer, α-T could block the initiation of carcinogenesis through suppressing the activation of NFκB signaling pathway. It might be the major mechanism by which α-T is potentially chemopreventive to esophageal cancer. During the progression of esophageal cancer, the cells may acquire the adaptive functions to accommodate oxidative stress via activating Nrf2 pathway.

Congo red modulates ACh-induced Ca(2+) oscillations in single pancreatic acinar cells of mice.

AIM: Congo red, a secondary diazo dye, is usually used as an indicator for the presence of amyloid fibrils. Recent studies show that congo red exerts neuroprotective effects in a variety of models of neurodegenerative diseases. However, its pharmacological profile remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of congo red on ACh-induced Ca(2+) oscillations in mouse pancreatic acinar cells in vitro. METHODS: Acutely dissociated pancreatic acinar cells of mice were prepared. A U-tube drug application system was used to deliver drugs into the bath. Intracellular Ca(2+) oscillations were monitored by whole-cell recording of Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) currents and by using confocal Ca(2+) imaging. For intracellular drug application, the drug was added in pipette solution and diffused into cell after the whole-cell configuration was established. RESULTS: Bath application of ACh (10 nmol/L) induced typical Ca(2+) oscillations in dissociated pancreatic acinar cells. Addition of congo red (1, 10, 100 µmol/L) dose-dependently enhanced Ach-induced Ca(2+) oscillations, but congo red alone did not induce any detectable response. Furthermore, this enhancement depended on the concentrations of ACh: congo red markedly enhanced the Ca(2+) oscillations induced by ACh (10-30 nmol/L), but did not alter the Ca(2+) oscillations induced by ACh (100-10000 nmol/L). Congo red also enhanced the Ca(2+) oscillations induced by bath application of IP3 (30 µmol/L). Intracellular application of congo red failed to alter ACh-induced Ca(2+) oscillations. CONCLUSION: Congo red significantly modulates intracellular Ca(2+) signaling in pancreatic acinar cells, and this pharmacological effect should be fully considered when developing congo red as a novel therapeutic drug.

Study on the Effect of Polymer-Modified Magnetic Nanoparticles on Viscosity Reduction of Heavy Oil Emulsion.

To overcome the problems of large dosage, fast sedimentation, and the unsatisfactory emulsification effect of traditional magnetic nanoparticles, polymer-modified magnetic nanoparticle Co3O4@HPAM was synthesized as an emulsifier for heavy oil O/W emulsion by modifying the surface of Co3O4. The composition of Co3O4@HPAM was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. Then, the effects of the mass fraction of magnetic nanoparticles before and after modification on the stability and rheology of the emulsion were compared and analyzed. The experiments show that the degree of reduction of the water-separation rate under the action of Co3O4@HPAM was 13 times higher than that under the action of Co3O4 at the same mass fraction. By using Co3O4@HPAM, the water separation of the emulsion was only 6.74% at 4 h, while the viscosity reduction was greater than 97% at a mass fraction of 0.04%. Finally, combined with the test results of zeta potential, interfacial tension, contact angle, and oil droplet distribution, the effect mechanism of Co3O4@HPAM on the viscosity reduction of heavy oil emulsification was investigated. It is found that the polymer-modified magnetic nanoparticles have stronger negative electricity, a larger contact angle, and smaller interfacial tension, while the oil droplets under their action have a smaller radius and a more homogeneous distribution. The research in this paper provides a theoretical basis for the application of magnetic nanoparticles in heavy oil emulsification and viscosity reduction technology.

Using a New Fe3O4@CPAM Magnetic Flocculant and Microwave to Demulsify Heavy Oil-in-Water Emulsions.

In this study, cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM)-coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) Fe3O4@CPAM were synthesized for treating heavy O/W emulsions. This Fe3O4@CPAM was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) techniques, and its synergistic performances with microwaves were evaluated in detail with respect to the microwave radiation power, radiation time, and magnetic nanoparticle concentration. On this basis, the distribution of oil droplets and the wettability and chargeability of magnetic nanoparticles were measured without or with microwave radiation using biomicroscopy, contact angle measurement instrument, and a ζ-potential analyzer, thus revealing the synergistic demulsification mechanism between microwave and magnetic nanoparticles. The results showed that excessively high or low microwave radiation parameters had an inhibitory effect on the magnetic nanoparticle demulsification, and microwave promoted the magnetic nanoparticle demulsification only when the radiation parameters were in the optimal range. In addition, the water separation rate showed an increasing and then decreasing trend with the increase of magnetic nanoparticles concentration, with or without microwave action. As an example, the water separation rate of the emulsion for 1 h was 21.34% when the Fe3O4 concentration was 175 mg/L without microwave action, while it increased to 55.56% with microwave action. In contrast, when the concentration of Fe3O4@CPAM was 175 mg/L, the water separation rate was 42.86% without microwave radiation, while it was further increased to 77.38% under microwave radiation. These results indicate that magnetic nanoparticles and their complexes significantly affect the water separation process under different conditions. There is a more obvious coupling synergistic effect between Fe3O4@CPAM and microwave. This was due to the lower absolute potential of Fe3O4@CPAM and its higher hydrophobicity.

Research situation, hot spots, and global trends of melasma therapy: Bibliometric insights and visual analysis from 2000 to 2023.

BACKGROUND: Melasma is a prevalent pigmented disease, yet its pathogenesis remains unclear, posing challenges for effective treatment. Bibliometric analysis, a novel approach to literature research, offers the opportunity to evaluate research trends through qualitative and quantitative methods. This study utilizes bibliometric methods to analyze the existing literature on melasma treatment, examining influential publications, institutions, countries, and authors through statistical analysis. METHODS: In order to retrieve manuscripts related to the topic of melasma treatment, we conducted a search using the search formula: (TS = (melasma or Chloasma or "mask of pregnancy")) AND TS = (treatment or therapy). We searched through the Web of Science Core Collection database, covering publications from 2000 to 2023. VOSviewer, CiteSpace and the Bibliometric online site (https://bibliometric.com/app) were used to conduct this bibliometric analysis. Our analysis focused on various factors including publications, authors co-authorship, institutions, countries, citation analysis, keywords co-occurrence, references co-citation and journal co-citation. RESULTS: A total of 943 articles and 200 reviews were published between 2000 and 2023, accumulating a total of 8628 citations. The average number of citations per item was 18.85, and the average number of citations per year was 292.69. The most prolific author, Sungeun Chang, contributed a total of 9 articles. Cario University emerged as the top research institution. The United States led in terms of article publications with a count of 276. In the past 5 years, the research trends in this field have primarily focused on tranexamic acid and epidermal melasma, as indicated by the burst analysis of publications and keywords. CONCLUSIONS: The United States continues to lead in terms of institutions and research output. The current emphasis is on the meticulous implementation of tranexamic acid and laser therapy. It is crucial to foster enhanced collaboration among countries, institutions, and authors to facilitate improved research.