Feasibility and safety study of advanced prostate biopsy robot system based on MR-TRUS Image flexible fusion technology in animal experiments.

The advanced prostate biopsy robot system has broad application prospects in clinical practice, but due to the deformation and distortion between MR-TRUS (magnetic resonance transrectal ultrasound) images, it poses challenges in biopsy accuracy and safety. The study utilized an advanced prostate biopsy robot system based on MR-TRUS image flexible registration technology and conducted experiments on animal models. Retrospective analysis of the puncture accuracy of 12 animal experiments undergoing prostate puncture using MR-TRUS flexible registration technology from May 2022 to October 2023, and observation of intraoperative and 7-day postoperative complications. The study obtained MR-TRUS images and utilized image processing algorithms for registration to reduce image deformation and distortion. Then, precise positioning and operation are carried out through the robot system to execute the prostate biopsy program. The experimental results indicate that the advanced prostate biopsy robot system based on MR-TRUS image flexible registration technology has demonstrated good feasibility and safety in animal experiments. Image registration technology has successfully reduced image distortion and deformation, improving biopsy accuracy. The precise positioning and operation of robot systems play a crucial role in the biopsy process, reducing the occurrence of complications.

Assessment on compatibility and safety of labels for pharmaceutical packaging.

Although the secondary packing materials do not directly contact the finished drug products, compound migration may still happen between them. To ensure drug quality and safety, extractables and leachables of the packing materials should be analyzed. In this study, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT) was first found in the labels for pharmaceutical packaging. For the identification of the compound, a strategy combining high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was utilized. Afterwards, a effective and sensitive HPLC method for quantification of BHT was developed and validated. Finally, a toxicological risk assessment of BHT was performed to ensure the safety of drugs.

Identification and quantification of extractables and leachables in laminated film and pouches for pharmaceutical packaging.

Extractables and leachables from pharmaceutical packaging material can potentially be detrimental, which may affect the safety of the drug products. In this study, two compounds were found to be the possible extractables from the secondary packaging material. A strategy combining high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was utilized for identification of the two compounds. Afterwards, a simple and sensitive HPLC method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of both. The results indicated that this method was suitable for quantificating the two extractables in the pharmaceutical packaging material.

Redevelopment of urban brownfield sites in China: Motivation, history, policies and improved management.

Rapid urbanisation in China has resulted in an increased demand for land in towns and cities. To upgrade and modernise, China has also moved many major industries from urban centres to less populated areas. With the high economic value of urban land, the transformation and utilisation of brownfield areas have become important economically and socially. The Chinese government has recognised the need for strong frameworks to safeguard soil and groundwater quality, with brownfield sites a key category for management. Strong scientific, regulatory and decision-making frameworks are needed and being adopted to ensure practical, careful and wise use of central and localised government resources, to manage the reuse and regeneration of these brownfield sites. This paper reviews the context, policies and management procedures of developing brownfield sites in countries with a history of brownfield management and discusses China's current situation and priorities for brownfield governance and redevelopment. These include (1) clarification of brownfield site soil contamination risk control standards and risk assessment procedures, (2) the responsibilities of different national and local agencies, (3) the establishment of a national expert committee to advise on best practices, policy and process, (4) the use of registered brownfield databases at national, provincial, municipal and county levels, and (5) the set up of soil pollution prevention fund at the provincial level.

Synthesis of magnetic multiwall carbon nanotubes for enantioseparation of three pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables by chiral liquid chromatography.

In this study, magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MMWCNTs) were synthesized and used as adsorbent for preconcentration of chiral pesticide residues (including epoxiconazole, tebuconazole, and metalaxyl) in lettuce, cabbage, and apple. Several parameters affecting the treatment efficiency were investigated, including extraction solvent and absorption solvent. Under the optimal conditions, all three chiral pesticides showed decent enantiomeric separation (Rs > 1.48). The linearity of each target was good with the correlation coefficient (r2 ) being greater than 0.9923. The average recoveries of the three spiked levels were 73.4% to 110.9% with repeatability (RSDr ) less than 7.6%, and the limit of quantification of the method was 0.10 to 0.25 mg·kg-1 . The results indicated that MMWCNTs had a good purifying effect, which can be applied as an effective pretreatment tool for the determination of residual chiral pesticides in fruits and vegetables.

Should the Endangered Status of the Giant Panda Really Be Reduced? The Case of Giant Panda Conservation in Sichuan, China.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reduced the threat status of the giant panda from “endangered” to “vulnerable” in September 2016. In this study, we analyzed current practices for giant panda conservation at regional and local environmental scales, based on recent reports of giant panda protection efforts in Sichuan Province, China, combined with the survey results from 927 households within and adjacent to the giant panda reserves in this area. The results showed that household attitudes were very positive regarding giant panda protection efforts. Over the last 10 years, farmers’ dependence on the natural resources provided by giant panda reserves significantly decreased. However, socio-economic development increased resource consumption, and led to climate change, habitat fragmentation, environmental pollution, and other issues that placed increased pressure on giant panda populations. This difference between local and regional scales must be considered when evaluating the IUCN status of giant pandas. While the status of this species has improved in the short-term due to positive local attitudes, large-scale socio-economic development pressure could have long-term negative impacts. Consequently, the IUCN assessment leading to the classification of giant panda as “vulnerable” instead of “endangered”, should not affect its conservation intensity and effort, as such actions could negatively impact population recovery efforts, leading to the extinction of this charismatic species.

Simultaneous enantiomeric analysis of eight pesticides in soils and river sediments by chiral liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A rapid and sensitive multi-residue method was developed for the simultaneous quantification of eight chiral pesticides (including diniconazole, metalaxyl, paclobutrazol, epoxiconazole, myclobutanil, hexaconazole, napropamide and isocarbophos) at enantiomeric levels in environmental soils and sediments using chiral liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry based on a combined pretreatment of matrix solid-phase dispersion and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (MSPD-DLLME). Under optimized conditions, 0.1 g of solid sample was dispersed with 0.4 g of C18-bonded silica sorbent, and 3 mL of methanol was used for eluting the analytes. The collected eluant was dried and then further purified by DLLME with 550 µL of dichloromethane and 960 µL of acetonitrile as extraction and disperser solvent, respectively. The established method was validated and found to be linear, precise, and accurate over the concentration range of 2-500 ng g-1 for epoxiconazole, paclobutrazol and metalaxyl and 4-500 ng g-1 for isocarbophos, hexaconazole, myclobutanil, diniconazole and napropamide. Recoveries of sixteen enantiomers varied from 87.0 to 104.1% and the relative standard deviations (RSD) were less than 10.1%. Method detection and quantification limits (MDLs and MQLs) varied from 0.22 to 1.54 ng g-1 and from 0.91 to 4.00 ng g-1, respectively. Finally, the method was successfully applied to analyze the enantiomeric composition of the eight chiral pesticides in environmental solid matrices, which will help better understand the behavior of individual enantiomer and make accurate risk assessment on the ecosystem.

Simultaneous enantioselective determination of six pesticides in aqueous environmental samples by chiral liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

A robust and sensitive method was developed for the enantiomeric analysis of six chiral pesticides (including metalaxyl, epoxiconazole, myclobutanil, hexaconazole, napropamide, and isocarbophos) in aquatic environmental samples. The optimized chromatographic conditions for the quantification of all the 12 enantiomers were performed with Chiralcel OD-RH column using mobile phase consisting of 0.1% aqueous formic acid and acetonitrile operated under reversed-phase conditions and then analyzed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Twelve enantiomers were detected in multiple reaction monitoring mode. Solid-phase extraction and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction were employed in this study. Response surface methodology was applied to assist in the dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction optimization. Under the optimum conditions, recoveries of pesticides enantiomers varied from 83.0 to 103.2% at two spiked levels with relative standard deviation less than 11.5%. The concentration factors were up to 1000 times. Method detection and quantification limits varied from 0.11 to 0.48 ng/L and from 0.46 to 1.49 ng/L, respectively. Finally, this method was used to determination of the enantiomers composition of the six pesticides in environmental aqueous matrices, which will help better understand the behavior of individual enantiomer and make accurate risk assessment to ecosystems.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for determination of ß-propiolactone in human inactivated rabies vaccine and its hydrolysis analysis.

A simple method was established for the determination of ß-propiolactone (BPL) in human inactivated rabies vaccine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The determination was performed on an Agilent HP-INNOWAX (30 m × 0.32 mm i.d., 0.25 µm) capillary column at the temperature of 80 °C. Electrospray ionization (ESI) was used by selective ion detection at m/z 42. The temperature for ESI source and inlet was set at 230 °C and 200 °C, respectively. Helium was used as the carrier gas at a flow rate of 25.1 mL/min. The total run time was 8 min. Acetonitrile and other components in the sample did not interfere with the determination of BPL. The results showed good linearity of BPL in the range of 0.50-10.01 µg/mL, with the limit of detection and the limit of quantification of 0.015 µg/mL and 0.050 µg/mL, respectively. Satisfactory precision was achieved for the current developed method. The method was applied to detect 6 batches of vaccine samples, and the results indicated that the target analyte BPL was present in three batches of unpurified samples, but was not detected in the purified samples, indicating the test samples were qualified. The established method was proved to be simple, versatile and sensitive, which can meet the requirements of quality control of BPL in human inactivated rabies vaccine.