Application of bipolar membrane electrodialysis for simultaneous recovery of high-value acid/alkali from saline wastewater: An in-depth review.

With the development of comprehensive utilization of high-salinity wastewater, salt resources regeneration has been considered as the fundamental requirement for process sustainability and economic benefits. As one of the potential candidates, bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED) was rapidly developed in recent years for the treatment of saline wastewater. Different from other methods directly obtaining salts or condensed wastewater, BMED could utilize and convert the dissolved waste salt into higher-value acid and alkali simultaneously, which has various advantages including outstanding environmental effects and economic benefits. In this review, the recent applications of BMED for waste salt recovery and high-value acid/alkali generation from saline wastewater were systematically outlined. Based on the summary above, the economy analysis of BMED was further reviewed from the roles of desalination and resources recovery. In addition, the BMED-based processes integrated with in-situ utilization of the generated acid/alkali resources were discussed. Furthermore, the influence of operating factors on BMED performance were outlined. Finally, the strategies for improving BMED performance were concluded. Furthermore, the future application and prospects of BMED was presented. This work would provide guidance for the applications of bipolar membrane electrodialysis in saline wastewater treatment and the high-value conversion of salt resources into acids and alkalis.

Intravenous Thrombolysis After Reversal of Dabigatran With Idarucizumab in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Case Report.

Background: As there is a growing concern about the cerebral embolism events secondary to non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), novel oral anticoagulant (NOAC) has been more and more widely used as an anticoagulation treatment for the prevention of stroke. However, in the face of life-threatening bleeding or emergency surgery/treatment, NOAC-related antagonists such as idarucizumab need to be urgently used to reverse the NOAC. Using recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke requires a time window of 4.5 h. This case reports rt-PA intravenous thrombolysis after reversal of dabigatran anticoagulation with idarucizumab in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Case Presentation: We report the case of 62-year-old Chinese female with NVAF treated with dabigatran 110 mg twice daily, and missed a dose on the eve of the stroke. The patient presented with acute ischemic stroke causing the angle of mouth deviated to right side and left limb weakness in the early morning of the next day. However, the last dosing time of dabigatran was between 24 and 48 h, the patients were given rt-PA intravenous thrombolysis after reversal of dabigatran anticoagulation with idarucizumab, while any potential relative contraindication had been excluded by means of laboratory test and CT scan in the hospitalization services. National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) score was reduced from 4 to 1, and the patient was discharged after 2 weeks. Conclusion: Our case report adds to the evidence that idarucizumab administration is safe and effective in the setting of patients with atrial fibrillation treated with dabigatran who develop acute ischemic stroke requiring rt-PA intravenous thrombolysis.

SIRT2-knockdown rescues GARS-induced Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is the most common inherited peripheral neuropathy. Dominant mutations in the glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GARS) gene cause peripheral nerve degeneration and lead to CMT disease type 2D. The underlying mechanisms of mutations in GARS (GARSCMT2D ) in disease pathogenesis are not fully understood. In this study, we report that wild-type GARS binds the NAD+ -dependent deacetylase SIRT2 and inhibits its deacetylation activity, resulting in the acetylated α-tubulin, the major substrate of SIRT2. The catalytic domain of GARS tightly interacts with SIRT2, which is the most CMT2D mutation localization. However, CMT2D mutations in GARS cannot inhibit SIRT2 deacetylation, which leads to a decrease of acetylated α-tubulin. Genetic reduction of SIRT2 in the Drosophila model rescues the GARS-induced axonal CMT neuropathy and extends the life span. Our findings demonstrate the pathogenic role of SIRT2-dependent α-tubulin deacetylation in mutant GARS-induced neuropathies and provide new perspectives for targeting SIRT2 as a potential therapy against hereditary axonopathies.

Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation analyses of urea with ammoniated and ammoxidized lignin.

Ammoniated lignin, prepared through the Mannich reaction of lignin, has more advantages as a slow-release carrier of urea molecules than ammoxidized lignin and lignin. The advantages of the ammoniated lignin include its amine groups added and its high molecular mass kept as similar as that of lignin. Three organic molecules including guaiacyl, 2-hydroxybenzylamine and 5-carbamoylpentanoic acid are monomers respectively in lignin, ammoniated lignin and ammoxidized lignin. We studied the difference between the interactions of lignin, ammoniated lignin and ammoxidized lignin with respect to urea, based on radial distribution functions (RDFs) results from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Glass transition temperature (Tg) and solubility parameter (δ) of ammoniated and ammoxidized lignin have been calculated by MD simulations in the constant-temperature and constant-pressure ensemble (NPT). Molecular docking results showed the interaction sites of the urea onto the ammoniated and ammoxidized lignin and three different interaction modes were identified. Root mean square deviation (RMSD) values could indicate the mobilities of the urea molecule affected by the three different interaction modes. A series of MD simulations in the constant-temperature and constant-volume ensemble (NVT) helped us to calculate the diffusivity of urea which was affected by the content of urea in ammoniated and ammoxidized lignin.

Synthesis, self-assembly and characterization of a new glucoside-type hydrogel having a Schiff base on the aglycon.

A new hydrogel based on a substituted phenyl glucoside with a Schiff base in the aglycon was synthesized, and the self-assembling characteristics was studied. FTIR spectra, UV-vis absorption spectra and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that pi-pi interactions between the Schiff base moieties, hydrogen bonds, and the interdigitated interactions between hydrophobic chains had effects on the formation of the self-assembling hydrogel. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) observation showed that the three-dimensional hydrogel network was constructed from nanotubes with inner diameters of ca. 75 nm and wall of ca. 20 nm.

Quantitative assessment of late lumen loss after biodegradable polymer and permanent polymer sirolimus-eluting stents implantation.

BACKGROUND: Sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) are reported to be associated with reduced late lumen loss (LLL), resulting in less frequent restenosis when compared to bare-metal stent. The current study aimed to assess the difference in LLL between SES with biodegradable and with permanent polymer. METHODS: From March 2010 to June 2011, 300 consecutive patients having only biodegradable polymers or permanent polymer SES for all diseased vessels were included. Serial quantitative coronary analysis was performed on both the "in-stent" and "segment" area, including the stented segment, as well as both five mm margins proximal and distal to the stent. The primary endpoint was the LLL defined as the minimal lumen diameter (MLD) post-stenting minus the MLD at nine-month after the indexed procedure. RESULTS: LLL was comparable between the two stents. Importantly, LLL for the distal segment (median 0.05 mm, interquartile 0 to 0.09 mm) was less severe compared with in-stent (median 0.13 mm, interquartile 0.08 to 0.18 mm) and proximal segment LLL (median 0.12 mm, interquartile 0.06 to 0.14 mm, all P < 0.001). In general, the LLL was associated with the post-procedure MLD (b = 0.28, P = 0.002), hyperlipidemia (b = 0.14, P = 0.021), and calcified lesions (b = 0.58, P = 0.001). The R(2) and Radj of the multiple regression model were 0.651 and 0.625, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: SES with either biodegradable or permanent polymer had lower value of LLL. The small amount of LLL at the distal segment possibly contributed to the less distal edge stenosis.

Nanosheet-based titania microspheres with hollow core-shell structure encapsulating horseradish peroxidase for a mediator-free biosensor.

Nanosheet-based titania (TiO(2)) microspheres with a hollow core-shell structure have been synthesized and employed to immobilize horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in order to fabricate a mediator-free biosensor. The morphology and structure of the TiO(2) microspheres were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electronic microscopy. A possible growth mechanism has been proposed. Spectroscopic and electrochemical measurements revealed that the TiO(2) microspheres are an immobilization support with biocompatibility for enzymes, affording good enzyme stability and bioactivity. Due to the nanosheet-based hollow core-shell structure of the TiO(2) microspheres, the direct electron transfer of HRP is facilitated and the resulting biosensor displayed good performance for the detection of H(2)O(2), with both a low detection limit of 0.05 µM and a wide linear range of 0.4-140 µM, as well as a fast response and excellent long-term stability. The nanosheet-based TiO(2) microspheres with hollow core-shell structure, can be used for the efficient entrapment of other redox-active proteins and have wide potential applications in biosensors, biocatalysis, biomedical devices and bioelectronics.