Electrocoagulation coupled with electrooxidation for the simultaneous treatment of multiple pollutants in contaminated sediments.

In situ and simultaneous remediation of a variety of pollutants in sediments remains a challenge. In this study, we report that the combination of electrocoagulation (EC) and electrooxidation (EO) is efficient in the immobilization of phosphorus and heavy metals and in the oxidation of ammonium and toxic organic matter. The integrated mixed metal oxide (MMO)/Fe anode system allowed the facile removal of ammonium and phosphorus in the overlying water (99% of 10 mg/L NH4+-N and 95% of 10 mg/L P disappeared in 15 and 30 min, respectively). Compared with the controls of the single Fe anode and single MMO anode systems, the dual MMO/Fe anode system significantly improved the removal of phenanthrene and promoted the transition of Pb and Cu from the mobile species to the immobile species. The concentrations of Pb and Cu in the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure extracts were reduced by 99% and 97% after an 8 hr operation. Further tests with four real polluted samples indicated that substantial proportions of acid-soluble fraction Pb and Cu were reduced (30%-31% for Pb and 16%-23% for Cu), and the amounts of total organic carbon and NH4+-N decreased by 56%-71% and 32%-63%, respectively. It was proposed that the in situ electrogenerated Fe(II) at the Fe anode and the active oxygen/chlorine species at the MMO anode are conducive to outstanding performance in the co-treatment of multiple pollutants. The results suggest that the EC/EO method is a powerful technology for the in situ remediation of sediments contaminated with different pollutants.

Update of the mechanism and characteristics of tuberculosis in chronic kidney disease : Review article.

The risk of tuberculosis (TB) is significantly increased in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is closely related to hyperparathyroidism, malnutrition and oxidative stress as well as immune deficiency in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Vitamin D deficiency and gender bias are independent risk factors. In the TB screening and diagnosis test of CKD, interferon-gamma release assays (IGRA), including T­SPOT.TB test (T-SPOT) and QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) have been available. Many studies have found that they are more sensitive and specific than tuberculin skin test (TST). At present, IGRA has been used to study various types of immunocompromised patients. For CKD patients with TB, the choice and dosage of anti-TB drugs need to be reconsidered. Weekly treatment with rifapentin (RFT) and isoniazid (INH) for 3 months is an effective treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Therefore, in this review we discuss CKD and TB, its pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment advancements.

Long-Acting Metformin Vs. Metformin Immediate Release in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review.

Background: Metformin, a commonly used antidiabetic medication, is available in both an immediate-release (IR) formulation and a long-acting formulation (metformin extended-release; XR). Objective: We performed a systematic review to compare the effectiveness, safety, and patient compliance and satisfaction between the metformin IR and XR formulations. Method: We searched for randomized control trials (RCTs) and observational studies comparing the effectiveness, safety, or patient compliance and satisfaction of metformin XR with metformin IR using the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. Following report screening, data collection, and risk of bias assessment, we separately pooled data from RCTs and observational studies using the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach to rate the quality of evidence. Result: We included five RCTs, comprising a total of 1,662 patients, and one observational study, comprising 10,909 patients. In the meta-analyses, no differences were identified in outcomes of effectiveness and safety between the two forms of metformin (including change in HbA1c: mean difference (MD), 0.04%, 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.05-0.13%, fasting blood glucose: MD, -0.03 mmol/L, 95% CI, -0.22-0.15 mmol/L, postprandial blood glucose: MD, 0.50 mmol/L, 95% CI, -0.71-1.72 mmol/L, adverse events of abdominal pain: relative risk (RR), 1.15, 95% CI, 0.57-2.33, all-cause death (RR, 3.02, 95% CI 0.12-73.85), any adverse events (RR, 1.14, 95% CI 0.97-1.34), any adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation: RR, 1.51, 95% CI, 0.82-2.8, any gastrointestinal adverse events: RR, 1.09, 95% CI, 0.93-1.29, diarrhea: RR, 0.82, 95% CI, 0.53-1.27, flatulence: RR, 0.43, 95% CI, 0.15-1.23, nausea: RR, 0.97, 95% CI, 0.64-1.47, severe adverse events: RR, 0.64, 95% CI, 0.28-1.42, and vomiting: RR, 1.46, 95% CI, 0.6-3.56). Data from both the RCTs and the observational study indicate mildly superior patient compliance with metformin XR use compared with metformin IR use; this result was attributable to the preference for once-daily administration with metformin XR. Conclusion: Our systematic review indicates that metformin XR and IR formulations have similar effectiveness and safety, but that metformin XR is associated with improved compliance to treatment.

Systemic Bioinformatic Analyses of Nuclear-Encoded Mitochondrial Genes in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an autosomal dominant disease and mitochondria plays a key role in the progression in HCM. Here, we analyzed the expression pattern of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes (NMGenes) in HCM and found that the expression of NMGenes was significantly changed. A total of 316 differentially expressed NMGenes (DE-NMGenes) were identified. Pathway enrichment analyses showed that energy metabolism-related pathways such as "pyruvate metabolism" and "fatty acid degradation" were dysregulated, which highlighted the importance of energy metabolism in HCM. Next, we constructed a protein-protein interaction network based on 316 DE-NMGenes and identified thirteen hubs. Then, a total of 17 TFs (transcription factors) were predicted to potentially regulate the expression of 316 DE-NMGenes according to iRegulon, among which 8 TFs were already found involved in pathological hypertrophy. The remaining TFs (like GATA1, GATA5, and NFYA) were good candidates for further experimental verification. Finally, a mouse model of transverse aortic constriction (TAC) was established to validate the genes and results showed that DDIT4, TKT, CLIC1, DDOST, and SNCA were all upregulated in TAC mice. The present study represents the first effort to evaluate the global expression pattern of NMGenes in HCM and provides innovative insight into the molecular mechanism of HCM.