Techno-economic assessment of a novel algal-membrane system versus conventional wastewater treatment and advanced potable reuse processes: Part II.

This study developed a comprehensive techno-economic assessment (TEA) framework to evaluate an innovative algae resource recovery and near zero-liquid discharge potable reuse system (i.e., the main system) in comparison with a conventional potable water reuse system (i.e., the benchmark system). The TEA study aims to estimate the levelized costs of water of individual units and integrated processes including secondary wastewater treatment, advanced water purification for potable reuse, and sludge treatment. This would provide decision-makers valuable information regarding the capital and operational costs of the innovative main system versus a typical potable water reuse treatment train, along with possible routes of cost optimization and improvements for the design of full-scale facilities. The main system consists of (i) a novel algal-based wastewater treatment coupled with a dual forward osmosis and seawater reverse osmosis (Algal FO-SWRO) membranes system for potable water reuse and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) to produce bioenergy and subsequent nutrients extraction from the harvested algal biomass. The benchmark system includes (ii) an advanced water purification facility (AWPF) that consists of a conventional activated sludge biological treatment (CAS), microfiltration (MF), brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO), ultraviolet/advanced oxidation process (UV-AOP), and granular activated carbon (GAC), with anaerobic digestion for sludge treatment. Capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operational expenditures (OPEX) were calculated for each unit of both systems (i.e., sub-systems). Based on a 76% overall water recovery designed for the benchmark system, the water cost was estimated at $2.03/m3. The highest costs in the benchmark system were found on the CAS and the anaerobic digester, with the UV-AOP combined with GAC for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) quenching as the driving factor in the increased costs of the system. The cost of the main system, based on an overall 88% water recovery, was estimated to be $1.97/m3, with costs mostly driven by the FO and SWRO membranes. With further cost reduction and optimization for FO membranes such as membrane cost, water recovery, and flux, the main system can provide a much more economically viable alternative in its application than a typical benchmark system.

Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity of valproic acid-pyrazole conjugates as a potential agent against periodontitis.

Periodontitis is a serious global concern. Therefore, in the present study, we intend to synthesize novel valproic-acid pyrazole conjugates as a novel agent against periodontitis. The molecules were developed in a facile synthetic route and obtained in excellent yields. The entire set of molecules were screened for antibacterial activity against a battery of micro-organisms responsible for periodontitis such as P. gingivalis, P. intermedia, F. nucleatum, and E. coli, where they exhibit considerable inhibitory activity. The most potent compound among the tested series, compound 7c showed bactericidal activity in the time-kill curve against E. coli. Compound 7c also showed inhibition of NF-ĸB transcriptional activity in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells with IC50 of 19.23 µM. The effect of compound 7c was also investigated in experimentally induced periodontitis in rats on various indices of oxidative stress (MDA, SOD, and GSH), inflammation (TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6), and apoptosis. It has been found that compound 7c significantly inhibits oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Compound 7c also inhibits the expression of COX-2 and iNOS as shown by western blot analysis.

Impacts of seasonality and operating conditions on algal-dual osmosis membrane system for potable water reuse: Part 2.

This study investigated the impact of seasonal variation and operating conditions on recovery of potable quality water from municipal wastewater effluent using an integrated algal treatment process with a dual forward osmosis (FO)-reverse osmosis (RO) membrane system. Pilot study of the algal process treating primary effluent validated the technical viability and seasonal performance during warm weather (May to October, 25-55 °C) using an extremophilic algal strain Galdieria sulphuraria, and during cold weather (November to April, 4-17 °C) using polyculture strains of algae and bacteria. Algal effluents from both seasons were used as the feed solution for the laboratory FO-RO study. In addition, pilot-scale FO-RO experiments were conducted to compare the system performance during treatment of algal effluent and secondary effluent from the conventional treatment facility. At 90% water recovery, the FO-RO achieved over 90% overall rejection of major ions and organic matter using the bench-scale system and over 99% rejection of all contaminants in pilot-scale studies. Detailed water quality analysis indicated that the product water from the integrated system met both the primary and secondary drinking water standards. This study demonstrated that the FO-RO system can be engineered as a viable alternative to treat algal effluent and secondary effluent for potable water reuse independent of seasonal variations and operating conditions.

Rejection of trace organic compounds by forward osmosis membranes: a literature review.

To meet surging water demands, water reuse is being sought as an alternative to traditional water resources. However, contamination of water resources by trace organic compounds (TOrCs), including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, disinfection byproducts, and industrial chemicals is of increasing concern. These compounds are not readily removed by conventional water treatment processes and require new treatment technologies to enable potable water reuse. Forward osmosis (FO) has been recognized in recent years as a robust process suitable for the treatment of highly impaired streams and a good barrier to TOrCs. To date, at least 14 studies have been published that investigated the rejection of various TOrCs by FO membranes under a variety of experimental conditions. In this paper, TOrC rejection by FO has been critically reviewed, evaluating the effects of membrane characteristics and orientation, experimental scale and duration, membrane fouling, feed solution chemistry, draw solution composition and concentration, and transmembrane temperature on process performance. Although it is important to continue to investigate the removal of diverse TOrCs by FO, and especially with new FO membranes, it is critically important to adhere to standard testing conditions to enable comparison of results between studies. Likewise, feed concentration of TOrCs during FO testing must be environmentally relevant (most commonly 10-100 ng/L range for most wastewaters) and not excessively high, and in addition to testing TOrC rejection in clean feedwater, the effects of real water matrix and membrane fouling on TOrC rejection must be evaluated.

Improving flame retardant and electromagnetic interference shielding properties of poly(lactic acid)/poly(ε-caprolactone) composites using catalytic imidazolium modified CNTs and ammonium polyphosphate.

The flame retardants and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance were enhanced by using imidazolium-functionalized polyurethane (IPU) modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP) for polylactic acid (PLA)/polycaprolactone (PCL) composites. The PLA/PCL/10APP/8CNT/1.6IPU composite containing 10 wt% APP and 8 wt% imidazolium modified CNTs reached the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of 30.3 % and passed the V-0 rating in UL-94 tests. Moreover, the peak of the heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release (THR) for this composite reached around 302 kW/m2 and 64 KJ/m2, which were decreased by 39.1 % and 15.8 % compared with that of PLA/PCL/10APP composite. The improved flame retardancy was attributed to the interplay of catalytic, barrier, and condensed char forming of imidazolium-modified CNTs and APP. IPU catalyzed the charring effect of the polymer matrix during combustion and regulated the migration of more CNTs to disperse at the two-phase interface. The dispersion of imidazolium-modified CNTs and co-continuous phase structure of the composites can establish continuous conductive pathways. The PLA/PCL/APP/CNT/IPU composite obtained a higher conductivity compared to the PLA/PCL/APP/CNT composite and whose EMI SE reached 33.9 dB, which is a promising candidate for next-generation sustainable and protective plastics.

Effects of transmembrane hydraulic pressure on performance of forward osmosis membranes.

Forward osmosis (FO) is an emerging membrane separation process that continues to be tested and implemented in various industrial water and wastewater treatment applications. The growing interests in the technology have prompted laboratories and manufacturers to adopt standard testing methods to ensure accurate comparison of membrane performance under laboratory-controlled conditions; however, standardized methods might not capture specific operating conditions unique to industrial applications. Experiments with cellulose triacetate (CTA) and polyamide thin-film composite (TFC) FO membranes demonstrated that hydraulic transmembrane pressure (TMP), common in industrial operation of FO membrane elements, could affect membrane performance. Experiments were conducted with three FO membranes and with increasing TMP up to a maximum of 50 psi (3.45 bar). The feed solution was a mixture of salts and the draw solution was either a NaCl solution or concentrated seawater at similar osmotic pressure. Results revealed that TMP minimally affected water flux, reverse salt flux (RSF), and solute rejection of the CTA membrane. However, water flux through TFC membranes might slightly increase with increasing TMP, and RSF substantially declines with increasing TMP. It was observed that rejection of feed constituents was influenced by TMP and RSF.

[Comparison of rheologic properties between Ca-alginate hydrogel microspheres suspension and whole blood].

Starting from the form of red blood cells and the hematocrit (Hct, about 45 vol% of whole blood), we tried to prepare a kind of microspheres suspension to imitate non-Newtonian fluid property of whole blood, exploring its potentiality to be applied in blood viscosity quality control substance. In our study, we produced Ca-alginate hydrogel microspheres using emulsion polymerization, then we suspended the microspheres in 0.9 wt% NaCl solution to obtain a kind of liquid sample with the microspheres taking 45% volume. Then we used two types of viscometers to measure and analyse the changes of sample viscosity at different shear rate. We observed the forms of Ca-alginate hydrogel microspheres with microscope, and found them to be relatively complete, and their diameters to be normally distributed. Diameters of about 90% of the microspheres were distributed in a range from 6 to 22 micron. The samples were examined with viscometer FASCO-3010 and LG-R-80c respectively, both of which have shown a shear-thinning effect. After 5-week stability test, the CV of viscosity results corresponding to the two instruments were 7.3% to 13.8% and 8.9% to 14.2%, respectively. Although some differences existed among the results under the same shear rate, the general variation trends of the corresponding results were consistent, so the sample had the potentiality to be widely used in calibrating a different type of blood viscometer.

Interfacial distribution and compatibilization of imidazolium functionalized CNTs in poly(lactic acid)/polycaprolactone composites with excellent EMI shielding and mechanical properties.

Imidazolium-functionalized polyurethane (IPU) functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was used to control interfacial distribution and compatibilization of CNTs, and enhance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and mechanical properties of poly(lactic acid)/polycaprolactone (PLA/PCL) based composites. IPU facilitated the uniformly dispersion of CNTs and induced the selectively location of CNTs at the interface and PCL phase, which is beneficial to build more effective three-dimensional network structure at the co-continuous interphase. The EMI shielding properties for the PLA/PCL/8CNT/0.8IPU composites have been evidently increased to 35.6 dB. Meanwhile, the elongation at break and the notched impact strength of the PLA/PCL/8CNT/0.8IPU composite reached 307.8 % and 51.3 kJ/m2, respectively, which are increased by 27 and 53 % of PLA/PCL/8CNT because of the compatibilization effect of IPU and the distribution of CNTs. This work presented a promising prospect of polymer-based composites with satisfactory EMI shielding and mechanical properties.

Fabricating super tough polylactic acid based composites by interfacial compatibilization of imidazolium polyurethane modified carbon nanotubes.

The interfacial compatibilization and dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in incompatible poly(lactic acid)/poly(butylene terephthalate adipate) (PLA/PBAT) composites are key points for evaluating the performance of the composites. To address this, a novel compatibilizer, sulfonate imidazolium polyurethane (IPU) containing PLA and poly(1,4-butylene adipate) segments modified CNTs, employed in conjunction with multi-component epoxy chain extender (ADR) to toughen synergistically PLA/PBAT composites. The thermal stability, rheological behavior, morphology, and mechanical properties of PLA/PBAT composites were performed by TGA, DSC, dynamic rheometer, SEM, tensile, and notched Izod impact measure. Moreover, the elongation at break and notched Izod impact strength of PLA5/PBAT5/4C/0.4I composites achieved 341 % and 61.8 kJ/m2 respectively, whose tensile strength was 33.7 MPa. The interfacial compatibilization and adhesion were enhanced because of the interface reaction catalyzed by IPU and the refined co-continuous phase structure. The CNTs non-covalently modified by IPU that bridged at the PBAT phase and interface transferred the stress into the matrix, prevented the development of microcracks, and absorbed impact fracture energy in the form of pull-out of the matrix, inducing shear yielding and plastic deformation. This new type of compatibilizer with modified CNTs is of great significance for realizing the high performance of PLA/PBAT composites.

Genome-wide analysis of the SMXL gene family in common bean and identification of karrikin-responsive PvSMXL2 as a negative regulator of PEG-induced drought stress.

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a major legume crop worldwide, but its growth and development frequently face challenges due to abiotic stresses, particularly drought. Proper supplement of copper could mitigate the adverse effects of drought, but excessive accumulation of this metal in plants can be harmful. The suppressor of MAX2 1-like (SMXL) gene family, which plays important roles in various plant processes, including stress responses, remains poorly understood in common bean. In this study, we identified nine orthologues of SMXL genes in common bean, which are located on six chromosomes and classified into four subgroups. Basic molecular properties, including theoretical isoelectric point (PI), molecular weight (MW), grand average of hydropathicity (GVIO), gene structure, and conserved motifs were characterized, and numerous cis-elements in promoters were predicted. The expression patterns of PvSMXL genes were found to be distinct under 10% polyethylene glycol (PEG)-induced drought stress and 200 µM Cu treatments. Most PvSMXLs showed reduced expression in response to Cu treatment, whereas nearly half PvSMXLs exhibited inducible expression under drought stress. PvSMXL2, which exhibited a rapid response to karrikin 1 (KAR1), an active form of the plant growth regulators newly found in the smoke of burning plant material, was down-regulated by both PEG-induced drought and Cu stresses. Transient silencing of PvSMXL2 resulted in enhanced drought stress tolerance without conferring Cu tolerance. These findings provide valuable insights into the functions of SMXL genes in common bean under abiotic stress conditions.

Development of highly stable ICG-polymeric nanoparticles with ultra-high entrapment efficiency using supercritical antisolvent (SAS)-combined solution casting process.

Indocyanine green (ICG), a water-soluble near-infrared (NIR) photosensitizer, has been enormously regarded in tumor diagnosis and phototherapy. Although tremendous progress in establishing the nanocarrier-based delivery systems has been explored, several limitations of low ICG encapsulation and sophisticated fabrication process remain significant challenges in producing nanoplatforms, limiting the theranostic outcomes of ICG. According to the unique advantages of the supercritical antisolvent (SAS) process and solution casting method, a novel combination approach to obtain the ICG-loaded nanoparticles (ICG-PLO NPs) is demonstrated, in which SAS assisted-ICG nanoparticles (ICG NPs) are coated with polypeptide poly-l-ornithine (PLO) using solution casting approach. This unique nanoplatform with ultra-high drug encapsulation efficiency remarkably improved the aqueous and photothermal stability of ICG. Notably, the coating of PLO could improve the internalization level in cells and anticancer effect in vivo, comprehensively augmenting the cancer phototherapy effect of ICG. Together, the findings of novel particle formation by integrated strategy would certainly broaden the applications of supercritical fluid (SCF) technology, potentiating the design of nano-formulations of ICG for clinical translation.

Ecological risk assessment of marine microplastics using the analytic hierarchy process: A case study in the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent marine areas.

Microplastic (MP) pollution is ubiquitous in the terrestrial and marine environments, even in the air. However, ecological risk assessment studies of microplastics are scarce. In the present study, an ecological risk assessment model was built to evaluate the risks of microplastics in the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent marine areas. A basic index database of the impacts of MP pollution on the ecosystem was constructed around three types of indices, namely, the pressure, status, and response indices. While the expert scoring method was used to determine the weights of these indices, in view of the complexity of the ecosystem in the Yangtze River Estuary, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was used to evaluate its ecological risk. According to the model, microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent marine areas was within a lower risk state, indicating that its risks for the marine ecosystem were still within a controllable range.

Effect of hydroxyl and carboxyl-functionalized carbon nanotubes on phase morphology, mechanical and dielectric properties of poly(lactide)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) composites.

A series of poly(lactide)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA/PBAT) composites containing different types of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) such as hydroxyl and carboxyl-functionalized CNTs were fabricated using the melt blending method. The multifunctional epoxy oligomer (ADR) was selected as a chain extender in order to enhance the compatibility between PBAT and PLA. It was revealed that the addition of ADR could induce CNTs-OH to locate at the PLA/PBAT interface. But the inhibition effect of CNTs-COOH on chain extension reaction in PLA/PBAT blend system led to a decrease in the interaction force between PLA and PBAT owing to the high efficiency of the reaction between CNTs-COOH and ADR. The ε' of PLA/PBAT/4CNTs-OH composite was greater than that of PLA/PBAT/4CNTs-COOH composite because of the strong interaction between fillers and polymer matrix in PLA/PBAT/4CNTs-OH composite. The PLA/PBAT/4CNTs-OH composite showed a high ε' (24.9) and a low tan δ (0.23), respectively. The adjacent CNTs-OH could act as assemble microcapacitors electrodes and the polymer acted as a dielectric to, which greatly increased the interfacial polarization. The PLA/PBAT/4CNTs-OH composite has excellent mechanical and dielectric properties.

Mechanically robust and flame-retardant poly(lactide)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) composites based on carbon nanotubes and ammonium polyphosphate.

In order to synchronously improve mechanical and flame retardant properties of polylactide/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA/PBAT) composites, a series of multifunctional composites containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and a commercial multifunctional epoxy oligomer (MEO) as chain extender were prepared via melt blending. The results show that the optimal flame retardant properties of PLA5-PBAT5/10A/6C composite containing 6 % CNTs and 10 wt% APP, presented the limited oxygen index reached 28.3 % and exhibited a decrease in peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release (THR) to 368 kJ/m2 and 72 MJ/m2, respectively because of the co-continuous phase, CNTs network and condensed effect of APP. Meanwhile, the construction of co-continuous phases endows PLA5-PBAT5 with better mechanical compared to PLA8-PBAT2 composites. The elongation at break reaches (245.9 %) and notched impact strength (16.5 kJ/m2) of PLA5-PBAT5/10A/6C were higher than the PLA8-PBAT2/10A/6C by 16.0 and 283.7 %.

Danzhi Jiangtang capsule alleviate hyperglycemia and periodontitis via Wnt/ß-catenin signaling in diabetic rat.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate whether Danzhi Jiangtang capsule (, DJC) has treatment effects on diabetic periodontitis and the potential mechanism. METHODS: One week after the induction of diabetes by streptozotocin (STZ), 60 male Wistar rats were ligated by orthodontic ligation thread in cervical portion of bilateral maxillary first molar to induce diabetic periodontitis. Periodontitis was exanimated by tooth tissue morphology after 4 weeks. And then all rats were divided into 5 groups: diabetic periodontitis group (DP, n = 20), periodontal basic treatment group (DP + BT, n = 20), periodontal basic treatment +DJC treatment group (DP + BT + DJC, n = 20) and additional Wnt/ß-catenin inhibitor group (DP + BT + DJC + WIKI4/21H7, n = 20). Eight weeks after different interventions, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), C-peptide and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAlc) of rats were measured and then all rats were sacrificed. The paraffin sections of periodontal tissue were executed hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemical examination. The mRNA and protein levels of inflammatory cytokines were evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) and Western blot- ting (WB). The protein levels of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling molecules were measured by WB. RESULTS: The blood glucose and C-peptide concentrations in DP, DP + BT and DP + BT + DJC groups were gradually reduced, with gradually decreased distance of CEJ-A and the percentage of periodontal ligament (PDL), as well as gradually increased HbAlc. The number of monocytes and leukocytes in the junctional epithelium and periodontal connective tissue was markedly decreased in DP + BT+ DJC group (P < 0.05), which was slightly reduced in DP+BT group comparing to DP group. The protein levels of Wnt1 and ß-catenin were obviously up-regulated with DJC treatment, while the SOST and DDK1 were markedly down-regulated with DJC treatment. The expression levels of BGP were lowest in DP group and highest in DP + BT + DJC group, while the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), in- terferon-γ (IFN-γ) and metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) were highest in DP group and lowest in DP + BT + DJC group. All these changes could be reversed by Wnt/ß-catenin inhibitor. CONCLUSION: DJC can improve the hyperglycemia and both distal alveolar bone loss and alveolar bone loss in furcation area of diabetic periodontitis rats by reducing the inflammation of gingival tissue and regulating the expressions of BGP, TNF-α, IFN-γ and MMP-3 potentially through Wnt/ß-catenin signaling.

Advances in Indocyanine Green-Based Codelivery Nanoplatforms for Combinatorial Therapy.

Indocyanine green (ICG), a near-infrared (NIR) agent with an excellent imaging performance, has captivated enormous interest from researchers owing to its excellent therapeutic and imaging abilities. Although various nanoplatforms-based drug delivery systems (DDS) with the ability to overcome the clinical limitations of ICG has been reported, ICG-medicated conventional cancer diagnosis and photorelated therapies still lack in exhibiting the therapeutic efficacy, resulting in incomplete or partly tumor elimination. In the view of addressing these concerns, various DDSs have been engineered for the efficient codelivery of combined therapeutic agents with ICG, aiming to achieve promising therapeutic results due to multifunctional imaging-guided synergistic antitumor effects. In this article, we will systematically review currently available nanoplatforms based on polymers, inorganic, proteins, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), among others, for codelivery of ICG along with other therapeutic agents, providing a foundation for future clinical development of ICG. In addition, codelivery systems for ICG and different mechanism-based therapeutic agents will be illustrated. In summary, we conclude the review with the challenges and perspectives of ICG-based versatile nanoplatforms in detail.

Potable-quality water recovery from primary effluent through a coupled algal-osmosis membrane system.

A coupled algal-osmosis membrane treatment system was studied for recovering potable-quality water from municipal primary effluent. The core components of the system included a mixotrophic algal process for removal of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and nutrients, followed by a hybrid forward osmosis (FO)-reverse osmosis (RO) system for separation of biomass from the algal effluent and production of potable-quality water. Field experiments demonstrated consistent performance of the algal system to meet surface discharge standards for BOD and nutrients within a fed-batch processing time of 2-3 days. The hybrid FO-RO system reached water productivity of 1.57 L/m2-h in FO using seawater as draw solution; and permeate flux of 3.50 L/m2-h in brackish water RO (BWRO) and 2.07 L/m2-h in seawater RO (SWRO) at 2068 KPa. The coupled algal-membrane system achieved complete removal of ammonia, fluoride, and phosphate; over 90% removal of calcium, sulfate, and organic carbon; and 86-89% removal of potassium and magnesium. Broadband characterization using high resolution mass spectrometry revealed extensive removal of organic compounds, particularly wastewater surfactants upon algal treatment. This study demonstrated long-term performance of the FO system at water recovery of 90% and with membrane cleaning by NaOH solution.

[Treatment of combined periodontal-pulpal lesions with periodontal therapy].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical effects of periodontal therapy for combined periodontal-pulpal lesions. METHODS: One hundred and nine patients with periodontal-pulpal lesions were included in this study, with total 120 teeth. All the teeth were treated by perfect root canal therapy, and than divided into group A and B. Group A was treated with periodontal therapy (60 teeth). After 2 weeks of root canal therapy, basic periodontal therapy was performed. After 6 weeks, patients with more than 5 mm periodontal pockets and bleeding after probe were treated with valvuloplasty. Group B underwent non-periodontal treatment (60 teeth), root canal therapy and supragingival scaling alone. The patients were followed up for 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after operation. SPSS 22.0 software package was used to analyze the indexes at initial diagnosis and 24 months after operation. RESULTS: In group A, the depth of periodontal pockets was significantly reduced before and after PD, from(5.966±1.877) mm to(5.133±1.935) mm. The periodontal pocket depth of group B was significantly increased before and after operation, from(5.533±1.856) mm to (6.167±1.927) mm. The degree of tooth mobility (TM) before operation was similar between the two groups (P>0.05). Two years after operation, the degree of TM in group A was significantly lower than that in group B (P<0.05). There was no significant change in alveolar bone resorption before and after operation in group A (P>0.05). The alveolar bone resorption in group B changed significantly before and after operation (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Root canal therapy combined with periodontal therapy for combined periodontal-pulpal lesions can achieve good results. It can be widely used in clinic.

[Cleidocranial dysplasia: a case report and gene mutation analysis].

Cleidocranial dysplasia is a rare autosomal dominant hereditary disease characterized by abnormal skeletal and dental development. In this work, a case of cleidocranial dysplasia is reported, and a new frameshift mutation is confirmed by gene detection.

Food-web transfer of microplastics between wild caught fish and crustaceans in East China Sea.

Plastic pollution, including microplastics (MPs), poses a global threat to environmental and human health. Studies on the transference of MPs along marine food webs are limited. In the present study, we investigated MP pollution in 11 wild fish species (193 individuals) and 8 wild crustacean species (136 individuals) captured from the Zhoushan fishing ground, off the East China Sea. The average abundance of MPs found in two main tissues, the gill and gastrointestinal (GI) tract, were 0.77 ±â€¯1.25 and 0.52 ±â€¯0.90 items/individual, respectively. The MPs we found were predominantly fiber-shaped, blue, and composed of polyester polymers. Our results suggest that MP pollution is ubiquitous in the East China Sea. We suggest that MPs are likely aggregated in the higher trophic level fish species throughout the marine food web. Furthermore, we suggest that marine organisms which occupy higher trophic levels might be suitable MP indicator species.