Enhanced removal of pesticide micropollutant and bacteria using solar light-assisted Ag-doped TiO2: prospects for environmental and health impacts.

Pesticide micropollutants like 4-chlorophenol (4CP) and E. coli bacteria represent a substantial hazard, impacting both the environment and human health. This study delves into the effectiveness of Ag-doped TiO2 (Ag@TiO2) in removing both 4CP and E. coli. Ag@TiO2 has demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in removing 4CP under both solar and visible light conditions, earning degradation efficiencies of 91.3% and 72.8%, respectively. Additionally, it demonstrates outstanding photodegradation efficiency for 4CP (98.8%) at an initial concentration of 1 mg L-1. Moreover, Ag@TiO2 exhibited substantially higher removal performance for 4CP (81.6%) compared to TiO2 (27.6%) in wastewater. Analysis of the radicals present during the photodegradation process revealed that ·O2- primarily drives the decomposition of 4CP, with h+ and ·OH also playing significant roles in the oxidation reactions of the pollutant. Interestingly, even under dark conditions, Ag@TiO2 exhibited the capability to eliminate approximately 20% of E. coli, a percentage that increased to over 96% under solar light. In addition, the prospects for environmental and health impacts of utilizing Ag@TiO2 for pesticide micropollutant removal and bacteria were discussed.

Fabrication of superior laccase-mimicking enzyme with catalytic oxidative and photothermal properties for anti-bacterial and dual-mode glutathione S-transferase monitoring.

A novel laccase mimic enzyme Cu-Mn with excellent photothermal properties was firstly prepared via a combination of hydrothermal and in situ synthesis. Cu-Mn nanozymes could catalyze the typical laccase substrate 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DP) to generate the red quinone imine. Further, loading the MnO2 nanosheets with photothermal properties, Cu-Mn nanozymes possessed not only excellent laccase catalytic activity, but also high photothermal conversion efficiency. The presence of glutathione S-transferase (GST) recovered the glutathione (GSH)-induced weakness of the laccase activity and photothermal properties of Cu-Mn. Hence, a GST enzyme-regulated dual-mode sensing strategy was established based on Cu-Mn nanozymes. The detection limits of GST monitoring based on colorimetric and photothermal methods were 0.092 and 0.087 U/L with response times of 20 min and 8 min, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed method enabled the measuring of GST levels in human serum and was successfully employed in the primary evaluation of hepatitis patients. Another attraction, the impressive photothermal behavior also endowed the Cu-Mn nanozymes with promising antimicrobial properties, which exhibited significant antimicrobial effects against Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus). Unsurprisingly, multifunctional Cu-Mn nanozymes certainly explore new paths in biochemical analysis and antimicrobial applications.

An effective and rapidly degradable disinfectant from disinfection byproducts.

Chloroxylenol is a worldwide commonly used disinfectant. The massive consumption and relatively high chemical stability of chloroxylenol have caused eco-toxicological threats in receiving waters. We noticed that chloroxylenol has a chemical structure similar to numerous halo-phenolic disinfection byproducts. Solar detoxification of some halo-phenolic disinfection byproducts intrigued us to select a rapidly degradable chloroxylenol alternative from them. In investigating antimicrobial activities of disinfection byproducts, we found that 2,6-dichlorobenzoquinone was 9.0-22 times more efficient than chloroxylenol in inactivating the tested bacteria, fungi and viruses. Also, the developmental toxicity of 2,6-dichlorobenzoquinone to marine polychaete embryos decreased rapidly due to its rapid degradation via hydrolysis in receiving seawater, even without sunlight. Our work shows that 2,6-dichlorobenzoquinone is a promising disinfectant that well addresses human biosecurity and environmental sustainability. More importantly, our work may enlighten scientists to exploit the slightly alkaline nature of seawater and develop other industrial products that can degrade rapidly via hydrolysis in seawater.

Enhanced removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol by a novel biotic-abiotic hybrid system based on zeolitic imidazolate framework-8.

Biotic-abiotic hybrid systems have recently emerged as a potential technique for stable and efficient removal of persistent contaminants due to coupling of microbial catabolic with abiotic adsorption/redox processes. In this study, Burkholderia vietnamensis C09V (B.V.C09V) was successfully integrated with a Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) to construct a state-of-art biotic-abiotic system using polyvinyl alcohol/ sodium alginate (PVA/SA) as media. The biotic-abiotic system (PVA/SA-ZIF-8 @B.V.C09V) was able to remove 99.0 % of 2,4-DCP within 168 h, which was much higher than either PVA/SA, PVA/SA-ZIF-8 or PVA/SA@B.V.C09V (53.8 %, 72.6 % and 67.2 %, respectively). Electrochemical techniques demonstrated that the carrier effect of PVA/SA and the driving effect of ZIF-8 collectively accelerated electron transfer processes associated with enzymatic reactions. In addition, quantitative-PCR (Q-PCR) revealed that ZIF-8 stimulated B.V.C09V to up-regulate expression of tfdB, tfdC, catA, and catC genes (2.40-, 1.68-, 1.58-, and 1.23-fold, respectively), which encoded the metabolism of related enzymes. Furthermore, the effect of key physical, chemical, and biological properties of PVA/SA-ZIF-8 @B.V.C09V on 2,4-DCP removal were statistically investigated by Spearman correlation analysis to identify the key factors that promoted synergistic removal of 2,4-DCP. Overall, this study has created an innovative new strategy for the sustainable remediation of 2,4-DCP in aquatic environments.

Electrochemical sensors based on molecularly imprinted polymers for the detection of chlorophenols as emergent distributing chemicals (EDCs): a review.

Environmental pollutants like chlorophenol chemicals and their derivatives are commonplace. These compounds serve as building blocks in the production of medicines, biocides, dyes, and agricultural chemicals. Chlorophenols enter the environment through several different pathways, including the breakdown of complex chlorinated hydrocarbons, industrial waste, herbicides, and insecticides. Chlorophenols are destroyed thermally and chemically, creating dangerous chemicals that pose a threat to public health. Water in particular is affected, and thorough monitoring is required to find this source of pollution because it can pose a major hazard to both human and environmental health. For the detection of chlorophenols, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been incorporated into a variety of electrochemical sensing systems and assay formats. Due to their long-term chemical and physical stability as well as their simple and affordable synthesis process, MIPs have become intriguing synthetic alternatives over the past few decades. In this review, we concentrate on the commercial potential of the MIP technology. Additionally, we want to outline the most recent advancements in their incorporation into electrochemical sensors with a high commercial potential for detecting chlorophenols.

Enhanced water stability and catalytic activity of Fe-based metal-organic frameworks with co-ligands for 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation.

Fe-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have good photocatalytic performance, environmental friendliness, low cost, and abundance. However, their applications are limited by low water stability, particularly in the presence of light irradiation and oxidizing agents. In this study, we present a MIL-53(Fe)-based MOF using 1,4-naphthalene dicarboxylic (1,4-NDC) and 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic (H2BDC) acid co-ligands, denoted MIL-53(Fe)-Nx, where Nx represents the ratio of 1,4-NDC. This MOF exhibits high water stability and good photocatalytic activity because of the hydrophobicity of naphthalene. The removal and mineralization rates for 100 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenol reached 100% and 22%, respectively, within 60 min. After three cycles of use, the Fe leached into the solution from the catalysts was significantly lower than the maximum permissible limit indicated in the European Union standard. Of note, 1,4-NDC can be used to make a rigid MOF, thereby improving the crystallinity, porosity, and hydrophobicity of the resultant materials. It also significantly reduced the bandgap energy and improved the charge separation efficiency of the catalysts. This study provides a route to enhance the water stability of Fe-based MOFs via a mixed-ligand strategy to expand their applications in pollutant control.

Improvement strategy of citrate and biochar assisted nano-palladium/iron composite for effective dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenol.

Rapid passivation and aggregation of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) seriously limit its performance in the remediation of different contaminants from wastewater. To overcome such issues, in the present study, nano-palladium/iron (nPd/Fe) was simultaneously improved by biochar (BC) prepared from discarded peanut shells and green complexing agent sodium citrate (SC). For this purpose, a composite (SC-nPd/Fe@BC) was successfully synthesized to remove 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) from wastewater. In the SC-nPd/Fe@BC, BC acts as a carrier with dispersed nPd/Fe particles to effectively prevent its agglomeration, and increased the specific surface area of the composite, thereby improving the reactivity and stability of nPd/Fe. Characterization results demonstrated that the SC-nPd/Fe@BC composites were well dispersed, and the agglomeration was weakened. The formation of the passivation layer on the surface of the particles was inhibited, and the mechanism of SC and BC improving the reactivity of nPd/Fe was clarified. Different factors were found to influence the reductive dichlorination of 2,4-DCP, including Pd loading, Fe:C, SC addition, temperature, initial pH, and initial pollutant concentration. The dechlorination results revealed that the synergistic effect of the BC and SC made the removal efficiency and dechlorination rate of 2,4-DCP by SC-nPd/Fe@BC reached to 96.0 and 95.6%, respectively, which was better than that of nPd/Fe (removal: 46.2%, dechlorination: 45.3%). Kinetic studies explained that the dechlorination reaction of 2,4-DCP and the data were better represented by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The reaction rate constants followed the order of SC-nPd/Fe@BC (0.0264 min-1) > nPd/Fe@BC (0.0089 min-1) > SC-nPd/Fe (0.0081 min-1) > nPd/Fe (0.0043 min-1). Thus, SC-nPd/Fe@BC was capable of efficiently reducing 2,4-DCP and the dechlorination efficiency of BC and SC synergistically assisted composite on 2,4-DCP was much better than that of SC-nPd/Fe, nPd/Fe@BC and nPd/Fe. Findings suggested that SC-nPd/Fe@BC can be promising for efficient treatment of chlorinated pollutants.

Graphite-N reinforced sludge biochar electrode: A experimental and DFT theoretical analysis of efficient evolution and in-situ utilization of H2O2.

Rational reuse of municipal sludge to produce electro-Fenton electrode can not only save resources, but also produce superior peroxide and degradation pollutants simultaneously. Herein, a novel electro-Fenton electrode derived from sludge biochar loaded on Ni foam (SBC@Ni) was constructed via high temperature pyrolysis and chemical coating for efficient H2O2 evolution and pollutant degradation. Systematic experiments and density functional theory calculations (DFT calculation) explained that the production of graphite C and graphite N during high-temperature pyrolysis of municipal sludge can greatly enhance the oxygen reduction reaction of SBC@Ni electrode and promote the evolution of H2O2. And the hybrid heterojunctions, such as FeP, also played a key role in electrocatalytic processes. Notably, the electrode still exhibited excellent performance after 1000 linear scans and 12 h of continuous current stimulation, which demonstrated the excellent stability of the electrode. Moreover, SBC@Ni electrode can not only effectively oxidize 4-chlorophenol through the electro-Fenton effect, but also fully mineralize organic matter, indicating promising environmental application. The free radical quenching experiment also revealed that the ·OH is the main active species for 4-CP degradation in SBC@Ni electro-Fenton system.

Oxidation of chromium(â ¢): A potential risk of using chemical oxidation processes for the remediation of 2-chlorophenol contaminated soils.

Chemical oxidation processes are widely used for the remediation of organically contaminated soils, but their potential impact on variable-valence and toxic metals such as chromium (Cr) is often overlooked. In this study, we investigated the risk of Cr(Ⅲ) oxidation in soils during the remediation of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) contaminated soils using four different processes: Potassium permanganate (KMnO4), Modified Fenton (Fe2+/H2O2), Alkali-activated persulfate (S2O82-/OH-), and Fe2+-activated persulfate (S2O82-/Fe2+). Our results indicated that the KMnO4, Fe2+/H2O2, and S2O82-/Fe2+ processes progressively oxidized Cr(III) to Cr(Ⅵ) during the 2-CP degradation. The KMnO4 process likely involved direct electron transfer, while the Fe2+/H2O2 and S2O82-/Fe2+ processes primarily relied on HO• and/or SO4•- for the Cr(III) oxidation. Notably, after 4 h of 2-CP degradation, the Cr(VI) content in the KMnO4 process surpassed China's 3.0 mg kg-1 risk screening threshold for Class I construction sites, and further exceeded the 5.7 mg kg-1 limit for Class II construction sites after 8 h. Conversely, the S2O82-/OH- process exhibited negligible oxidation of Cr(III), maintaining a low oxidation ratio of 0.13%, as highly alkaline conditions induced Cr(III) precipitation, reducing its exposure to free radicals. Cr(III) oxidation ratio was directly proportional to oxidant dosage, whereas the Fe2+/H2O2 process showed a different trend, influenced by the concentration of reductants. This study provides insights into the selection and optimization of chemical oxidation processes for soil remediation, emphasizing the imperative for thorough risk evaluation of Cr(III) oxidation before their application.

Identification of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) isoforms involved in the metabolism of Chlorophenols (CPs).

Chlorophenols (CPs) are a group of pollutants that pose a great threat to the environment, they are widely used in industrial and agricultural wastes, pesticides, herbicides, textiles, pharmaceuticals and plastics. Among CPs, pentachlorophenol was listed as one of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) by the Stockholm convention. This study aims to identify the UDP-glucosyltransferase (UGT) isoforms involved in the metabolic elimination of CPs. CPs' mono-glucuronide was detected in the human liver microsomes (HLMs) incubation mixture with co-factor uridine-diphosphate glucuronic acid (UDPGA). HLMs-catalyzed glucuronidation metabolism reaction equations followed Michaelis-Menten or substrate inhibition type. Recombinant enzymes and chemical reagents inhibition experiments were utilized to phenotype the main UGT isoforms involved in the glucuronidation of CPs. UGT1A6 might be the major enzyme in the glucuronidation of mono-chlorophenol isomer. UGT1A1, UGT1A6, UGT1A9, UGT2B4 and UGT2B7 were the most important five UGT isoforms for metabolizing the di-chlorophenol and tri-chlorophenol isomers. UGT1A1 and UGT1A3 were the most important UGT isoforms in the catalysis of tetra-chlorophenol and pentachlorophenol isomers. Species differences were investigated using rat liver microsomes (RLMs), pig liver microsomes (PLMs), dog liver microsomes (DLMs), and monkey liver microsomes (MyLMs). All these results were helpful for elucidating the metabolic elimination and toxicity of CPs.

Cu-chelated polydopamine nanozymes with laccase-like activity for photothermal catalytic degradation of dyes.

The industrial applications of enzymes are usually hindered by the high production cost, intricate reusability, and low stability in terms of thermal, pH, salt, and storage. Therefore, the de novo design of nanozymes that possess the enzyme mimicking biocatalytic functions sheds new light on this field. Here, we propose a facile one-pot synthesis approach to construct Cu-chelated polydopamine nanozymes (PDA-Cu NPs) that can not only catalyze the chromogenic reaction of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DP) and 4-aminoantipyrine (4-AP), but also present enhanced photothermal catalytic degradation for typical textile dyes. Compared with natural laccase, the designed mimic has higher affinity to the substrate of 2,4-DP with Km of 0.13 mM. Interestingly, PDA-Cu nanoparticles are stable under extreme conditions (temperature, ionic strength, storage), are reusable for 6 cycles with 97 % activity, and exhibit superior substrate universality. Furthermore, PDA-Cu nanozymes show a remarkable acceleration of the catalytic degradation of dyes, malachite green (MG) and methylene blue (MB), under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. These findings offer a promising paradigm on developing novel nanozymes for biomedicine, catalysis, and environmental engineering.

Construction of biochar-based organohalide-respiring bacterial agent for remediation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol contaminated soil.

Construction of an efficient bio-reductive dechlorination system remains challenging due to the narrow ecological niche and low-growth rate of organohalide-respiring bacteria during field remediation. In this study, a biochar-based organohalide-respiring bacterial agent was obtained, and its performance and effects on indigenous microbial composition, diversity, and inter-relationship in soil were investigated. A well-performing material, Triton X-100 modified biochar (BC600-TX100), was found to have the superior average pore size, specific surface area and hydrophicity, compared to other materials. Interestingly, Pseudomonas aeruginosa CP-1, which is capable of 2,4,6-TCP dechlorination, showed a 348 times higher colonization cell number on BC600-TX100 than that of BC600 after 7 d. Meanwhile, the dechlorination rate in soil showed the highest (0.732 d-1) in the BC600-TX100 bacterial agent than in the other agents. The long-term performance of the BC600-TX100 OHRB agent was also verified, with a stable dechlorination activity over six cycles. Soil microbial community analysis found the addition of the BC600-TX100 OHRB agent significantly increased the relative abundance of genus Pseudomonas from 1.53 % to 11.2 %, and Pseudomonas formed a close interaction relationship with indigenous microorganisms, creating a micro-ecological environment conducive to reductive dechlorination. This study provides a feasible bacterial agent for the in-situ bioremediation of soil contaminated organohalides. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Halogenated organic compounds are a type of toxic, refractory, and bio-accumulative persistent compounds widely existed in environment, widely detected in the air, water, and soil. In this study, we provide a feasible bacterial agent for the in-situ bioremediation of soil contaminated halogenated organic compounds. The application of biochar provides new insights for "Turning waste into treasure", which meets with the concept of green chemistry.

A comparison of cenobamate with other newer antiseizure medications for adjunctive treatment of focal-onset seizures: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of cenobamate with other newer anti-seizure medications (ASMs) including brivaracetam, eslicarbazepine, lacosamide, perampanel, and zonisamide, approved for adjunctive treatment of drug-resistant focal-onset seizures (FOS) in adults with epilepsy. METHODS: A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to obtain relevant efficacy, safety, and tolerability data for ASMs for the treatment of drug-resistant FOS. All studies were thoroughly assessed for potential sources of heterogeneity and analysed via Bayesian network meta-analyses (NMAs). Efficacy outcomes were ≥50 % responder rate and seizure freedom during the maintenance period, which were modelled simultaneously using a multinomial Bayesian NMA. Safety and tolerability outcomes were the proportion of patients who experienced at least one treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE) and the proportion who experienced at least one TEAE leading to discontinuation. RESULTS: The SLR identified 76 studies, of which 23 were included in the Bayesian NMAs. Cenobamate was associated with statistically significant higher rates for the ≥50 % responder rate and seizure freedom outcomes compared with all ASMs analysed. The point estimates indicated that cenobamate was associated with higher rates of experiencing at least one TEAE and at least one TEAE leading to discontinuation compared with brivaracetam, lacosamide, and zonisamide; however, no results were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Cenobamate was associated with increased efficacy compared with all ASMs analysed. There were no statistically significant differences in the safety and tolerability outcomes. The results presented corroborate the conclusions drawn from previous published NMAs, which also highlight the notable efficacy of cenobamate in comparison with other ASMs.

Efficacy and safety of adjunctive cenobamate based on patient etiology: Post-hoc analysis of YKP3089C017 randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Adjunctive cenobamate was effective and safe for the treatment of uncontrolled focal onset seizures in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 study (YKP3089C017; NCT01866111). This post-hoc analysis assessed the efficacy of adjunctive cenobamate in the treatment of patients with different epileptic etiologies during the study. METHODS: Adult patients with uncontrolled focal seizures who previously received 1 to 3 antiseizure medications (ASMs) were randomly assigned in a ratio of 1:1:1:1 to receive placebo or cenobamate 100, 200 or 400 mg/day. Patients were further stratified based on their etiologic causes as genetic/presumed genetic, unknown cause, structural cause, and not reported (NR) groups. The frequency per 28 days for an 18-week double-blind treatment period, responder rates (≥50 %, ≥75 %, ≥90 %, and 100 %) during the maintenance phase (12 weeks), and safety were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 394 patients were categorized into the genetic/presumed genetic (n = 9; 2.28 %), unknown cause (n = 199; 50.51 %), structural cause (n = 177; 44.92 %), and NR (n = 13; 3.30 %) groups, with 4 patients were classified into either of the two etiological causes each. The baseline characteristics were comparable. The percentage of reduction in seizure frequency per 28 days was significantly higher in the cenobamate-treated structural (p = 0.01) and unknown cause (p = 0.0003) groups compared with the placebo group. Responder rates of ≥50 %, ≥75 %, ≥90 %, and 100 % were also higher with cenobamate therapy. Notably, no serious treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were observed in the genetic/presumed genetic group treated with cenobamate. The most common TEAEs (≥10 %) occurring in patients treated with cenobamate were nervous system disorders by system organ class, and somnolence was the most commonly reported TEAE. CONCLUSION: Cenobamate reduces seizures in adult patients previously treated with ASMs, with high responder rates and acceptable safety, regardless of underlying causes.

Bioremediation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol by extracellular enzymes of white rot fungi immobilized with sodium alginate/hydroxyapatite/chitosan microspheres.

Hydroxyapatite, a calcium phosphate biomass material known for its excellent biocompatibility, holds promising applications in water, soil, and air treatment. Sodium alginate/hydroxyapatite/chitosan (SA-HA-CS) microspheres were synthesized by cross-linking sodium alginate with calcium chloride. These microspheres were carriers for immobilizing extracellular crude enzymes from white rot fungi through adsorption, facilitating the degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) in water and soil. At 50 °C, the immobilized enzyme retained 87.2% of its maximum activity, while the free enzyme activity dropped to 68.86%. Furthermore, the immobilized enzyme maintained 68.09% of its maximum activity at pH 7, surpassing the 51.16% observed for the free enzyme. Under optimal conditions (pH 5, 24 h), the immobilized enzymes demonstrated a remarkable 94.7% removal rate for 160 mg/L 2,4,6-TCP, outperforming the 62.1% achieved by free crude enzymes. The degradation of 2,4,6-TCP by immobilized and free enzymes adhered to quasi-first-order degradation kinetics. Based on LC-MS, the plausible biodegradation mechanism and reaction pathway of 2,4,6-TCP were proposed, with the primary degradation product identified as 1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene. The immobilized enzyme effectively removed 72.9% of 2,4,6-TCP from the soil within 24 h. The degradation efficiency of the immobilized enzyme varied among different soil types, exhibiting a negative correlation with soil organic matter content. These findings offer valuable insights for advancing the application of immobilized extracellular crude enzymes in 2,4,6-TCP remediation.

Spanish consensus on the management of concomitant antiseizure medications when using cenobamate in adults with drug-resistant focal seizures.

OBJECTIVE: Cenobamate is an antiseizure medication (ASM) associated with high rates of seizure freedom and acceptable tolerability in patients with focal seizures. To achieve the optimal cenobamate dose for maximal potential effectiveness while avoiding or minimizing drug-related adverse events (AEs), the administration of cenobamate with other ASMs must be managed through concomitant ASM load reduction. A panel of Spanish epilepsy experts aimed to provide a Spanish consensus on how to adjust the dose of concomitant ASMs in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) in order to improve the effectiveness and tolerability of adjunctive cenobamate. METHODS: A three-stage modified Delphi consensus process was undertaken, including six Spanish epileptologists with extensive experience using cenobamate. Based on current literature and their own expert opinion, the expert panel reached a consensus on when and how to adjust the dosage of concomitant ASMs during cenobamate titration. RESULTS: The expert panel agreed that tailored titration and close follow-up are required to achieve the best efficacy and tolerability when initiating cenobamate in patients receiving concomitant ASMs. When concomitant clobazam, phenytoin, phenobarbital, and sodium channel blockers are taken at high dosages, or when the patient is receiving two or more sodium channel blockers, dosages should be proactively lowered during the cenobamate titration period. Other concomitant ASMs should be reduced only if the patient reports a moderate/severe AE at any stage of the titration period. SIGNIFICANCE: Cenobamate is an effective ASM with a dose-dependent effect. To maximize effectiveness while maintaining the best tolerability profile, co-medication management is needed. The recommendations included herein provide practical guidance for proactive and reactive management of co-medication in cenobamate-treated patients with DRE and a high drug load. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Patients with epilepsy may continue to have seizures even after treatment with several different antiseizure medications (ASMs). Cenobamate is an ASM that can reduce seizures in these patients. In this study, six Spanish experts in epilepsy discussed the best way to use cenobamate in drug-resistant epilepsy. They provide practical guidance on when and how the dose of other ASMs might be adjusted to reduce side effects and optimize the use of cenobamate.

Effects of 2,4-dichlorophenol on non-specific immunity, histopathological lesions, and redox balance in African Catfish, clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822).

The toxic effects of 2, 4-dichlorophenol (2, 4-DCP) on aquatic organisms are well-established; however, the details regarding the mechanisms underlying the toxicity, especially immunotoxicity are poorly understood. Consequently, the aim of this study was to investigate the histopathologic, oxidative stress and immunotoxic effects attributed to exposure to sublethal concentrations of 2,4-DCP in the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus. Juvenile C. gariepinus were exposed to 0.4, 0.8, or 1.6 mg/L 2, 4-DCP for 28 days after which blood and head kidney were extracted for the determination of various nonspecific innate immune parameters while the liver was excised for histopathology examination and measurement of oxidative stress biomarkers. Control fish were maintained in water spiked 10 µL/L ethanol, representing the solvent control. A significant increase was noted in the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and superoxide dismutase as well as in levels of lipid peroxidation and DNA fragmentation in a dose-dependent manner, with higher adverse effects observed at the highest concentration tested (1.6 mg/L). The total white blood cells (WBC) count was significantly elevated in fish exposed to 2,4-DCP compared to control. Myeloperoxidase content was decreased significantly in fish exposed to 2,4-DCP especially at the highest concentration (1.6 mg/L) compared to controls. The respiratory burst activity did not differ markedly amongst groups. Histopathological lesions noted included edema, leucocyte infiltration, and depletion of hemopoietic tissue in the head kidney of exposed fish. There was significant upregulation in the mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70) but downregulation of major histocompatibility complex 2 (MHC 2) in exposed fish. Data demonstrated that exposure to 2,4-DCP resulted in histopathological lesions, oxidative stress, and compromised immune system in C. gariepinus.

Cholesterol mediates the effects of single and multiple environmental phenols in urine on obesity.

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are among the leading chronic diseases worldwide. Environmental phenols have been renowned as endocrine disruptors that contribute to weight changes; however, the effects of exposure to mixed phenols on obesity are not well established. METHODS: Using data from adults in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, this study examined the individual and combined effects of four phenols on obesity. A combination of traditional logistic regression and two mixed models (weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and Bayesian kernel-machine regression (BKMR)) were used together to assess the role of phenols in the development of obesity. The potential mediation of cholesterol on these effects was analyzed through a parallel mediation model. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that solitary phenols except triclosan were inversely associated with obesity (P-value < 0.05). The WQS index was also negatively correlated with general obesity (ß: 0.770, 95% CI: 0.644-0.919, P-value = 0.004) and abdominal obesity (ß: 0.781, 95% CI: 0.658-0.928, P-value = 0.004). Consistently, the BKMR model demonstrated the significant joint negative effects of phenols on obesity. The parallel mediation analysis revealed that high-density lipoprotein mediated the effects of all four single phenols on obesity, whereas low-density lipoprotein only mediated the association between benzophenol-3 and obesity. Moreover, Cholesterol acts as a mediator of the association between mixed phenols and obesity. Exposure to single and mixed phenols significantly and negatively correlated with obesity. Cholesterol mediated the association of single and mixed environmental phenols with obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Assessing the potential public health risks of mixed phenols helps to incorporate this information into practical health advice and guidance.

Enhanced hydrodechlorination of 4-chlorophenol through carboxymethylcellulose-modified Pd/Fe nanosuspension synthesized by one-step methods.

Palladized iron (Pd/Fe) represents one of the most common modification strategies for nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI). Most studies prepared Pd/Fe by reducing iron salts and depositing Pd species on the surface of pre-synthesized nZVI, which can be called the two-step method. In this study, we proposed a one-step method to obtain Pd/Fe by the concurrent formation of Fe0 and Pd0 and investigated the effects of these two methods on 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) removal, with carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) coated as a surface modifier. Results indicated that the one-step method, not only streamlined the synthesis process, but also Pd/Fe-CMCone-step, synthesized by it, exhibited a higher 4-CP removal rate (97.9%) compared to the two-step method material Pd/Fe-CMCtwo-step (82.4%). Electrochemical analyses revealed that the enhanced activity of Pd/Fe-CMCone-step was attributed to its higher electron transfer efficiency and more available reactive species, active adsorbed hydrogen species (Hads*). Detection of intermediate products demonstrated that, under the influence of Pd/Fe-CMCone-step, the main route of 4-CP was through hydrodechlorination (HDC) to form phenol and H* was the main active specie, supported by EPR tests, quenching experiments and product analysis. Additionally, the effects of initial 4-CP concentration, initial pH, O2 concentration, anions such as Cl-, SO42-, HCO3-, and humic acid (HA) were also investigated. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that Pd/Fe-CMCone-step, synthesized through the one-step method, is a convenient and efficient nZVI-modifying material suitable for the HDC of chlorinated organic compounds.

Associations of dichlorophenols, trichlorophenols, and ortho-phenylphenol with the risk and prognosis of diabetes and prediabetes: A population-based study.

2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,5-DCP, 2,4,5-trichlorophenol (2,4,5-TCP), 2,4,6-TCP, and ortho-phenylphenol (OPP) are widely present in the environment. However, their associations with risk and prognosis of diabetes and prediabetes remains unclear. We investigated the associations of these five phenols with the risk of diabetes and prediabetes, and with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, in adults with diabetes or prediabetes (n=6419). Information on diabetes and prediabetes indicators, and mortality data was collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Logistic and Cox regression models were used to explore the associations of the five phenols with risk and prognosis of diabetes and prediabetes. Participants in the highest urinary 2,4-DCP and 2,5-DCP tertiles had higher odds of diabetes [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.34, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.10, 1.62; aOR, 1.29, 95 % CI: 1.07, 1.56, respectively] than those in the lowest tertiles. Participants with urinary OPP concentrations above the limit of detection (LOD), but below median had an aOR of 1.25 (95 % CI: 1.08, 1.46) for prediabetes compared to those with concentrations below the LOD. In adults with diabetes, the highest 2,4-DCP and 2,5-DCP tertiles were associated with all-cause mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.49; 95 % CI: 1.08, 2.06; aHR, 1.49; 95 % CI: 1.08, 2.05, respectively] and CVD mortality (aHR, 2.58; 95 % CI: 1.33, 4.97; aHR, 1.96; 95 % CI: 1.06, 3.60, respectively) compared with the lowest tertiles. Compared with 2,4,5-TCP concentrations below the LOD, those above median were associated with all-cause mortality (aHR: 1.75; 95 % CI: 1.24, 2.48) and CVD mortality (aHR: 2.34; 95 % CI: 1.19, 4.63) in adults with prediabetes. Furthermore, the associations between these phenols and mortality were strengthened in some subgroups. Environmental exposure to 2,4-DCP, 2,5-DCP, 2,4,5-TCP, and OPP increases the risk or adverse prognosis of diabetes or prediabetes in adults in the US. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.