Effect of the molecular weight of DOM on the indirect photodegradation of fluoroquinolone antibiotics.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is ubiquitous and widespread in natural water and influences the transformation and removal of antibiotics. Nevertheless, the influence of DOM molecular weight (MW) on the indirect photodegradation of antibiotics has rarely been reported. This study attempted to explore the influence of the molecular weight of DOM on the indirect photodegradation of two fluoroquinolone antibiotics (FQs), ofloxacin (OFL) and norfloxacin (NOR), by using UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results showed that indirect photodegradation was considered the main photodegradation pathway of FQs in DOM fractions. Triplet-state excited organic matter (3DOM*) and singlet oxygen (1O2) were the main reactive intermediates (RIs) that affected the indirect photodegradation of FQs. The indirect photodegradation rate of FQs was significantly promoted in DOM fractions, especially in the low molecular weight DOM fractions (L-MW DOM, MW < 10 kDa). The results of excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy combined with parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) showed that terrestrial humic-like substances had a higher humification degree and fluorophore content in L- MW DOM fractions, which could produce more 3DOM* and 1O2 to promote the indirect photodegradation of FQs. This study provided new insight into the effects of DOM at the molecular weight level on the indirect photodegradation of antibiotics in natural water.

A Low-Cost Electrochemical Method for the Determination of Sulfadiazine in Aquaculture Wastewater.

As the concept of green development spreads worldwide, environmental protection awareness for production and life has been continuously strengthened. Antibiotic residues in aquaculture wastewaters aggravate environmental pollution and threaten human health. Therefore, the detection of residual antibiotics in wastewater is crucial. In this paper, a new, simple, and low-cost method based on the glassy carbon electrode electrochemical sensor for the detection of sulfadiazine in aquaculture wastewater was developed without using complex materials to modify the electrode surface, to detect sulfadiazine which electrochemically oxidizes directly. The electrochemical performance of the sensor was studied and optimized with differential pulse voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry in the three-electrode system. The optimal electrolyte was acetic acid-sodium acetate buffer, and the optimal pH was 4.0. Finally, based on the optimized conditions, the newly established method showed satisfactory results for detecting sulfadiazine in aquaculture wastewater. The concentration of sulfadiazine and the peak current intensity showed a linear relationship in the range of 20 to 300 µmol/L, and the limit of detection was 6.14 µmol/L, the recovery rate of standard addition was 87-95%, with satisfactory reproducibility and low interference.

Graphene Oxide Molecularly Imprinted Polymers as Novel Adsorbents for Solid-Phase Microextraction for Selective Determination of Norfloxacin in the Marine Environment.

In this study, a novel sample pretreatment strategy of solid-phase microextraction using graphene oxide molecularly imprinted polymers as adsorbents coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography was developed to detect norfloxacin in the marine environment. As a carrier, the imprinted polymers were synthesized by precipitation polymerization with graphene oxide. Compared with graphene oxide non-imprinted polymers, the graphene oxide molecularly imprinted polymers exhibited higher adsorption capacity towards norfloxacin. The synthesized polymeric materials were packed into a molecularly imprinted solid-phase microextraction cartridge, and critical parameters affecting the extraction process were optimized. Under the optimized molecular imprinted solid-phase microextraction condition, the proposed method was applied to the analysis of norfloxacin for seawater and fish with satisfactory recovery (90.1-102.7%) and low relative standard deviation (2.06-5.29%, n = 3). The limit of detection was 0.15 µg L-1 and 0.10 µg kg-1 for seawater and fish, respectively. The study revealed that the proposed molecularly imprinted solid-phase microextraction represents an attractive sample pretreatment strategy for the analysis of norfloxacin in the marine environment.

Novel electrochemical sensor modified with molecularly imprinted polymers for determination of enrofloxacin in marine environment.

Molecularly imprinted polymers were synthesized by gel-sol method with multi-walled carbon nanotubes as support and enrofloxacin as a template and further modified on the surface of glassy carbon electrode to construct a molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor. The performance of the imprinted electrochemical sensor was thoroughly investigated by using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The influence of imprinted polymers amount, electrolyte pH, and incubation time on the sensor performance was investigated for the detection of enrofloxacin. Under the optimal experimental conditions in a three-electrode system with the modified electrode as the working electrode the differential pulse voltammetry response current of the sensor had a good linear relationship at 0.2 V (vs. saturated calomel reference electrode) with the enrofloxacin concentration within 2.8 pM-28 µM and the limit of detection of the method was 0.9 pM. The competitive interference experiment showed that the imprinted electrochemical sensor could selectively recognize enrofloxacin. The method was applied to analyze spiked natural seawater, fish, and shrimp samples. The recovery was 96.4%-102%, and RSD was less than 4.3% (n = 3), indicating that the proposed imprinted electrochemical sensor was suitable for the determination of trace enrofloxacin in marine environment samples.

Neonatal biliary atresia combined with preduodenal portal vein: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Congenital biliary atresia is a type of obstruction of the bile ducts inside and outside the liver, which can lead to cholestatic liver cirrhosis and eventually liver failure. The preduodenal portal vein (PD-PV) is a rare developmental malformation of the PV. The PV courses in front of the duodenum. However, very few cases of neonatal biliary atresia combined with PD-PV have been reported in the scientific literature. CASE SUMMARY: A 1-mo-and-4-d-old child was admitted to the hospital in January because of yellowish skin. After surgical consultation, surgical intervention was recommended. The child underwent Hilar-jejunal anastomosis, duodenal rhomboid anastomosis, and abdominal drainage under general anesthesia. During the operation, the PV was located at the anterior edge of the duodenum. CONCLUSION: Diagnoses: (1) Congenital biliary atresia; (2) PD-PV; and (3) Congenital cardiovascular malformations. Outcomes: Recommendation for liver transplantation. Lessons: The choice of treatment options for neonatal biliary atresia combined with PD-PV.

Exportin-T: A Novel Prognostic Predictor and Potential Therapeutic Target for Neuroblastoma.

Exportins as the key mediators of nucleocytoplasmic transport have been identified as the controllers of the passage of numerous types of crucial cancer-related proteins. Targeting exportins in cancer cells might represent an emerging strategy in cancer intervention with the potential to affect clinical outcomes. Here, we focused on the prognostic and therapeutic values of Exportin-T (XPOT) in neuroblastoma. The correlation between the expression and prognostic values of XPOT in patients with neuroblastoma was investigated based on both published transcriptome data and our clinical data. Then, decision curve analysis (DCA) was implemented to identify a XPOT risk prediction model. In addition, RNA inference was performed to silence the expression of XPOT to further investigate the specific roles of XPOT in the progression of neuroblastoma in vitro. Overexpression of XPOT mRNA was associated with poor clinical characteristics, such as age at diagnosis more than 18 months, amplification of MYCN, and advanced International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) stage, and XPOT expression was identified as an independent poor prognosis factor for neuroblastoma using Cox proportional hazards model (P < .001). DCA suggested that neuroblastoma patients could benefit from XPOT risk prediction model-guided interventions (status of MYCN + INSS stage + XPOT). Experimentally, knockdown of XPOT by small interfering RNA inhibited the proliferation and migration in neuroblastoma cells. XPOT is identified as a novel prognostic predictor and potential therapeutic target for neuroblastoma patients. Further investigation should focus on the profound molecular mechanism underlying the tumor inhibition activity of XPOT inhibitors.

Laparoscopic resection of ileocaecal duplication in children (report of 15 cases).

BACKGROUND: Enteric duplication is a congenital anomaly with varied clinical presentation that requires surgical resection for definitive treatment. Ileocaecal (IC) duplications are duplications located at the IC junction, not clearly identified in all the published series. The reported treatment is IC resection and ileocolic anastomosis. The purpose of our study was to present our experience in successfully resection of IC duplication by laparoscope, thus avoiding bowel resection in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of medical records of 15 patients with diagnosis of IC duplication, treated in the Department of Paediatric Surgery of our hospital, within the period from November 2013 to September 2018. RESULTS: Laparoscopic resection of IC duplication was successfully performed in all children without bowel resection. The operation time was 50-90 min (55 ΁ 10 min), and the post-operative hospitalization time was 5-7 days (average, 6 days). The 15 patients were followed up for 6-12 months (average, 10 months). No recurrence was found by abdominal ultrasound examination. The wound had small scars with good appearance of umbilicus. CONCLUSIONS: The laparoscopic approach allows for confirming the diagnosis and accurately defining the exact site of duplication, as well as for effective and safe treatment. Laparoscopic excision of IC duplication without bowel resection is a safe option and is worth promoting.

Separation and detection of trace atrazine from seawater using dummy-template molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A novel sample pretreatment strategy for separation and detection of atrazine from seawater was established with molecular imprinting solid-phase extraction (MISPE). Cyromazine was used as dummy-template based on computational analysis to synthesize dummy-template molecularly imprinted polymers (DMIPs) as sorbent of MISPE for atrazine analysis. The DMIPs were irregular loose porous layered structure characterized by scanning electron microscopy and showed higher binding capacity than non-imprinted polymers through adsorption experiments. An offline MISPE procedure using DMIPs as sorbent coupled with high-performance liquid chromatograph was developed for separation and purification of atrazine from seawater samples. The recoveries of atrazine in the spiked seawater samples ranged from 86.7% to 98.6%, and the relative standard deviation was less than 4.07% (n = 3) under optimal conditions indicating that the proposed method was suitable for the detection of trace residual atrazine in seawater. In addition, no atrazine was detected in three seawater samples from Jiaozhou bay, China.

Highly selective separation and detection of cyromazine from seawater using graphene oxide based molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction.

A novel molecularly imprinted polymer based on graphene oxide was prepared as a solid-phase extraction adsorbent for the selective adsorption and extraction of cyromazine from seawater samples. The obtained graphene oxide molecularly imprinted polymer and non-imprinted polymer were nanoparticles and characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The imprinted polymer showed higher adsorption capacity and better selectivity than non-imprinted polymer, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 14.5 mg/g. The optimal washing and elution solvents for molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction procedure were 2 mL of acetonitrile/water (80:20, v/v) and methanol/acetic acid (70:30, v/v), respectively. The recoveries of cyromazine in the spiked seawater samples were in the range of 90.3-104.1%, and the relative standard deviation was <5% (n = 3) under the optimal procedure and detection conditions. The limit of detection of the proposed method was 0.7 µg/L, and the limit of quantitation was 2.3 µg/L. Moreover, the imprinted polymer could keep high adsorption capacity for cyromazine after being reused six times at least. Finally, the synthesized graphene oxide molecularly imprinted polymer was successfully used as a satisfied sorbent for high selectivity separation and detection of cyromazine from seawater coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography.

Neonatal giant hepatic hemangioma: A case report.

RATIONALE: Hepatic hemangioma is the third most common pediatric tumor, and it is rare in the neonatal period. This case study presents a rare case of hepatic hemangioma found in a neonate. PATIENT CONCERNS: A girl who was 18 days of age with the emergence of jaundice and an abdominal mass was admitted for physical examination in the local department. DIAGNOSES: An ultrasound showed that the hepatic left lobe was about 9 cm × 7 cm × 7 cm in size. A CT scan indicated a giant hemangioma in the hepatic left lobe. MRI detected a lesion measuring about 92 mm × 71 mm × 68 mm. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was treated with propranolol 3.5 mg PO bid (body weight 3.8 kg) after 1 week of admission for 4 weeks, but the mass did not appear to regress. Surgery was then performed successfully. OUTCOMES: The patient recovered well without recurrence beyond one year. LESSONS: Imaging strategies and prenatal diagnosis are vital for the diagnosis of infantile hepatic hemangioma. Propranolol is effective in both cutaneous and hepatic multifocal and diffuse hemangioma. Adequate treatment time is necessary to cure the disease. The role of propranolol in massive hepatic hemangioma remains uncertain and needs further investigation.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of microRNAs in cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Several dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA); however, small sample sizes and invariable research designs are limitations, hindering a thorough analysis of miRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic tools for CCA. This study aimed to systematically summarize the clinical value of miRNAs in human CCA both for all available miRNAs and single miRNA with multiple researches. METHODS: Pooled parameters included the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and hazard ratios (HRs) to separately determine overall diagnostic and prognostic performance. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed only in the event of heterogeneity. Thirty-four studies including 12 diagnostic studies and 22 prognostic studies were eligible for inclusion in this meta-analysis. RESULTS: We observed that miR-21, miR-26, miR-483, miR-106a, miR-150, miR-192, and miR-194 were employed for distinguishing patients with CCA from healthy controls. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77-0.86), 0.83 (95% CI 0.75-0.89), and 0.88 (95% CI 0.85-0.91), respectively. Abnormal expression of miR-21, miR-26a, miR-192, miR-200c, miR-221, miR-29a, miR-191, miR-181c, miR-34a, miR-106a, miR-203, and miR-373 in patients was confirmed to associate with poor survival rate. Pooled HRs and 95% CIs were calculated using STATA, resulting in the pooled HR of 1.47 (95% CI 0.91-2.37) for overall survival (OS), 0.67 (95% CI 0.16-2.81) for disease-free survival (DFS), 2.31 (95% CI 1.59-3.36) for progression-free survival (PFS), and 2.68 (95% CI 0.88-8.15) for relapse-free survival (RFS). Thus, CCA patients with dysregulated miRNA expression were confirmed to have shorter OS, DFS, PFS, and RFS. Data regarding the diagnostic and prognostic roles of miR-21 suggested pooled diagnostic results of miR-21 for sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 0.85 (95% CI 0.76-0.91), 0.92 (95% CI 0.81-0.97), and 0.93 (95% CI 0.91-0.95), respectively, suggesting better diagnostic performance of miR-21 compared with other miRNAs. Meanwhile, pooled prognostic result of miR-21 for HR was 1.88 (95% CI 1.41-2.51), indicating miR-21 could more appropriately predict shorter OS in patients with CCA. CONCLUSION: miRNAs may provide a new approach for clinical application, and miR-21 may be a promising biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of CCA.

A newborn patient with both annular pancreas and Meckel's diverticulum: A case report of an unusual association.

RATIONALE: Annular pancreas (AP) is recognized as a cause of duodenal obstruction in children, while children with Meckel's diverticulum (MD) are usually asymptomatic. Here we present a rare case with both AP and MD, which was identified by abdominal exploration during diamond-shaped duodenoduodenostomy. PATIENT CONCERNS: A "double-bubble" sign was found by ultrasound at 35 week of pregnancy. After 39 weeks of pregnancy, the male patient was transferred to the Department of General Surgery, Children's Hospital of Soochow University because of a suspected duodenal stenosis. DIAGNOSES: Preoperative abdominal X-ray examination indicated "double-bubble" sign. AP was confirmed by exploratory surgery, with an MD located 30 cm above the ileocecal valve. INTERVENTIONS: Diamond-shaped duodenoduodenostomy and a wedge resection of the intestine with end-to-end anastomosis were performed OUTCOMES:: The patient recovered and his appetite was good without vomiting. LESSONS: Our experience demonstrates that abdominal exploration is essential for children with gastrointestinal malformations.

Multipoint recognition of domoic acid from seawater by dummy template molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography.

Due to the high cost of domoic acid (DA), different carboxylic acid compounds including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), pyrrole-2-formic acid (PFA), pyridine-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride (PDA), trimesitinic acid (TA) and citric acid (CA) were investigated as dummy templates for the molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) for selective isolation and pre-concentration of an amnesic shellfish poison (ASP), DA. The highest binding amount of the polymers towards DA was obtained when CA was used as dummy template owing to its high hydrophilicity. In addition, the "four-point" recognition site constructed by three COOH groups and a OH group in CA was also speculated to be the reason for the high binding amount of CA-MIPs and the rebinding of DA can be depend on the three COOH groups and a NH group with conformational change in the recognition process. Finally, the CA-MISPE column was chosen for DA isolation and pre-concentration and effective result was obtained with recoveries higher than 90% and relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 5% (n=3). This new polymer can be effectively applied to the monitoring and predicting the existence of trace DA.

[Research advances in methyl bromide in the ocean].

Methyl bromide is an important atmospheric trace gas, which plays significant roles in the global warming and atmospheric chemistry. The ocean plays important and complex roles in the global biogeochemical cycles of methyl bromide, not only the source of atmospheric methyl bromide, but also the sink. Therefore, developing the chemical research of the soluble methyl bromide in the ocean, will not only have a certain guiding significance to the atmospheric ozone layer protection, but also provide a theoretical basis for estimating methyl bromide's contribution to the global environmental change on global scale. This paper reviewed the research advances on methyl bromide in the ocean, from the aspects of the biogeochemical cycle of methyl bromide in the ocean, the analysis and determination method, the concentration distribution, the sea-to-air flux and its sources and sinks in the atmosphere. Some deficiencies in the current studies were put forward, and the directions of the future studies were prospected.

[Expression of CAR in myocardial of viral myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy].

OBJECTIVE: In order to improve accuracy and reliability of forensic diagnosis of sudden cardiac death, pathogenesis and relationship between the viral myocarditis (VMC) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) were investigated. METHODS: Improved immunohistochemical technique was used to detect the expression of the CAR in myocardium samples, including 22 deceased with VMC, 20 deceased with DCM and 16 control deceased. RESULTS: The brown staining on the cell membrane of myocardium showed positive result. There was a prominent CAR expression in VMC group and DCM group, which were statistically significant difference compared with control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The CAR expression showed significantly higher in VMC and DCM groups. The viral infection can result in myocardial necrosis and impaired cardiac functions. These abnormalities can trigger a cascade of events that contributed to the progress of VMC to DCM.