Analysis of cases with co-infection of COVID-19 and pulmonary aspergillosis.

The objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors and diagnosis measure of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA). This study included 201 COVID-19 patients from December 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023; 7 (3.5%) were diagnosed with CAPA. The main risk factors were age, MV, ICU admission and COPD, and the presence of comorbidities such as ARDS and hypoproteinemia in COVID-19 patients, more susceptible to Aspergillus infection. In addition to specimen culture in the lower respiratory tract, the 1,3-ß-D-glucan antigen test can serve as an important screening indicator for early CAPA diagnosis in non-granulocytopenia patients.

[Pollution Characteristics of Microplastics in Sediments of Xiamen Bay Beach].

Microplastics widely exist in various environmental media and have become a global environmental problem. To investigate the pollution characteristics, deposition patterns, and influencing factors of microplastics in the sediments of bay beach, five typical beaches were selected in Xiamen Bay. According to the tidal variation, 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-30 cm sediment column samples were collected in layers at the high tide line, middle tide line, and low tide line at the same time, and the characteristics of the horizontal and vertical distribution of microplastics in the beach sediments were studied. The results showed that the abundance of microplastics in 45 sediment samples in Xiamen Bay beach ranged from 39 to 260 n·kg-1, with an average abundance of (114±26) n·kg-1. The shapes of microplastics were mainly fibers, fragments, granules, and foams, with fibers making up the largest proportion. The main components were polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cellophane, and polyethylene (PE). The colors of microplastics included transparent, yellow, blue, black, white, etc. The average abundance of microplastics showed a certain pattern depending on the beach location, intertidal zone, and sampling depth. Moreover, the abundance and distribution of microplastics on the beach were affected by various natural and human factors such as waves, tides, shoreline shape, the number of tourists, and the cleaning of marine floating debris. These results aid the understanding of the distribution characteristics and sources of microplastics in beach sediments, provide a basis for the transport of microplastics from land to sea, and provide data support for the collection of sea floating garbage and shoreline garbage.

A Nonlinear Magnetoelastic Energy Model and Its Application in Domain Wall Velocity Prediction.

In this letter, we propose a nonlinear Magnetoelastic Energy (ME) with a material parameter related to electron interactions. An attenuating term is contained in the formula of the proposed nonlinear ME, which can predict the variation in the anisotropic magneto-crystalline constants induced by external stress more accurately than the classical linear ME. The domain wall velocity under stress and magnetic field can be predicted accurately based on the nonlinear ME. The proposed nonlinear ME model is concise and easy to use. It is important in sensor analysis and production, magneto-acoustic coupling motivation, magnetoelastic excitation, etc.

Qualitative analysis and quantitative simulation on Yin-Huang water salinization mechanism in Bei-Da-Gang Reservoir.

Yellow River water transfer for Tianjin is important in solving the water shortage in Tianjin, which facilitate economic development and social progress for many years. Fresh water drawn from Yellow River (i.e., Yin-Huang water) becomes saltier and saltier when being stored in the Bei-Da-Gang reservoir. We qualitatively analyze the water salinization mechanism based on mass transfer theory. The main factors are salinity transfer of saline soil, evaporation concentrating, and the agitation of wind. A simulative experimental pond and an evaporation pond were built beside the Bei-Da-Gang reservoir to quantitatively investigate the water salinization based on water and solute balance in the simulative pond. 80% of increased [Cl-] is due to the salinity transfer of the saline soil and the other 20% is due to evaporation concentrating, so the former is the most important factor. We found that the salinization of Yin-Huang water can be described with a zero-dimension linear model.

Slurry-phase biological treatment of nitrophenol using bioaugmentation technique.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the performance of soil-slurry bioreactor used for remediating contaminated soil with 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). METHODS: The slurry bioreactor was used to degrade different concentrations of 4-nitrophenol with or without inoculating the acclimated activated sludge. HPLC system (Hewlett-Packard model 5050 with a UV detector) was used for the quantification of 4-nitrophenol. RESULTS: The indigenous microorganisms exhibited a little activity for simulated soil with 50 mg 4-NP/kg soil. However, at the concentration of 10 mg 4-NPkg soil, a considerable degradation occurred within two weeks. It appeared that high concentrations of 4-nitrophenol apparently produced an inhibitory effect on microbial activity. For system receiving 50 mg 4-NP/kg soil, the maximum rate of 4-NP degradation measured in the reactor inoculated with 25 g sludge/kg soil was approximately 10 times higher than the uninoculated reactor, suggesting that the degradation rate of 4-nitrophenol could be enhanced greatly by means of inoculating acclimated sludge. CONCLUSION: The addition of sludge capable of degrading 4-nitrophenol can result in enhance the degradation rate of 4-nitrophenol.

Wastewater treatment in a hybrid biological reactor (HBR): nitrification characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the nitrifying characteristics of both suspended- and attached-biomass in a hybrid bioreactor. METHODS: The hybrid biological reactor was developed by introducing porous ceramic particles into the reactor to provide the surface for biomass attachment. Microorganisms immobilized on the ceramics were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All chemical analyses were performed in accordance with standard methods. RESULTS: The suspended- and attached-biomass had approximately the same nitrification activity. The nitrifying kinetic was independent of the initial biomass concentration, and the attached-biomass had a stronger ability to resist the nitrification inhibitor. CONCLUSION: The attached biomass is superior to suspended-biomass for nitrifying wastewater, especially that containing toxic organic compounds. The hybrid biological reactor consisting of suspended- and attached-biomass is advantageous in such cases.