Recovery of Precious Metals: A Promising Process Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide and CO2-Soluble Complexing Polymers for Palladium Extraction from Supported Catalysts.

Precious metals such as palladium (Pd) have many applications, ranging from automotive catalysts to fine chemistry. Platinum group metals are, thus, in massive demand for industrial applications, even though they are relatively rare and belong to the list of critical materials for many countries. The result is an explosion of their price. The recovery of Pd from spent catalysts and, more generally, the development of a circular economy process around Pd, becomes essential for both economic and environmental reasons. To this aim, we propose a sustainable process based on the use of supercritical CO2 (i.e., a green solvent) operated in mild conditions of pressure and temperature (p = 25 MPa, T = 313 K). Note that the range of CO2 pressures commonly used for extraction is going from 15 to 100 MPa, while temperatures typically vary from 308 to 423 K. A pressure of 25 MPa and a temperature of 313 K can, therefore, be viewed as mild conditions. CO2-soluble copolymers bearing complexing groups, such as pyridine, triphenylphosphine, or acetylacetate, were added to the supercritical fluid to extract the Pd from the catalyst. Two supported catalysts were tested: a pristine aluminosilicate-supported catalyst (Cat D) and a spent alumina supported-catalyst (Cat A). An extraction conversion of up to more than 70% was achieved in the presence of the pyridine-containing copolymer. The recovery of the Pd from the polymer was possible after extraction, and the technological and economical assessment of the process was considered.

Synergistic disinfection of aerosolized bacteria and bacteriophage by far-UVC (222-nm) and negative air ions.

Air ionizers and 222-nm krypton-chlorine (KrCl) excilamp have proven to be effective disinfection apparatus for bacteria and viruses with limited health risks. We determined inactivation efficiencies by operating them individually and in combined modules. Gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, non-enveloped dsDNA virus, and enveloped dsRNA virus were examined in a designed air disinfection system. Our results showed that the bioaerosols were inactivated efficiently by negative ionizers and far-UVC (222-nm), either used individually or in combination. Among which the combined modules of negative ionizers and KrCl excilamp had the best disinfection performance for the bacteria. The aerosolized virus P22 and Phi 6 were more susceptible to 222-nm emitted by KrCl excilamp than negative air ions. Significant greater inactivation of bacterial bioaerosols were identified after treated by combined treatment of negative air ion and far-UVC for 2 minutes (Escherichia coli, 6.25 natural log (ln) reduction; Staphylococcus epidermidis, 3.66 ln reduction), as compared to the mean sum value of inactivation results by respective individual treatment of negative ionizers and KrCl excilamp (Escherichia coli, 4.34 ln; Staphylococcus epidermidis, 1.75 ln), indicating a synergistic inactivation effect. The findings provide important baseline data to support the design and development of safe and high-efficient disinfection systems.

Biobased Composites by Photoinduced Polymerization of Cardanol Methacrylate with Microfibrillated Cellulose.

Biobased monomers and green processes are key to producing sustainable materials. Cardanol, an aromatic compound obtained from cashew nut shells, may be conveniently functionalized, e.g., with epoxy or (meth)acrylate groups, to replace petroleum-based monomers. Photoinduced polymerization is recognized as a sustainable process, less energy intensive than thermal curing; however, cardanol-based UV-cured polymers have relatively low thermomechanical properties, making them mostly suitable as reactive diluents or in non-structural applications such as coatings. It is therefore convenient to combine them with biobased reinforcements, such as microfibrillated cellulose (MFC), to obtain composites with good mechanical properties. In this work a cardanol-based methacrylate monomer was photopolymerized in the presence of MFC to yield self-standing, flexible, and relatively transparent films with high thermal stability. The polymerization process was completed within few minutes even in the presence of filler, and the cellulosic filler was not affected by the photopolymerization process.

Intravitreal conbercept as an adjuvant in vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal conbercept (IVC) in pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). METHODS: A meta-analysis of randomized control trials (RCTs) using online databases was performed. The intraoperative outcome measures were the incidence of intraoperative bleeding and endodiathermy application, and the mean surgical time. The postoperative outcome measures were mean change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline, postoperative vitreous clear-up time and incidence of recurrent vitreous hemorrhage (VH). RESULTS: Eight RCTs were selected for meta-analysis. They included 409 eyes (215 eyes in IVC group and 194 eyes in no conbercept group). Preoperative IVC application was associated with less intraoperative bleeding and endodiathermy applications (RR = 0.34, 95% CI, 0.23-0.50, P < 0.00001, and RR = 0.26, 95% CI, 0.12-0.56, P = 0.0005) compared to no conbercept. It also shortened surgical time (WMD = -15.87, 95% CI, -22.04 to -9.69, P < 0.00001). In addition, preoperative or intraoperative IVC achieved better BCVA outcome (WMD = -0.37, 95% CI, -0.62 to -0.13, P = 0.003), shorter vitreous clear-up time postoperatively (WMD = -5.44, 95% CI, -6.31 to -4.57, P < 0.00001) and a lower rate of VH recurrence (RR = 0.45, 95% CI, 0.22-0.91, P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: IVC is an effective adjuvant in PPV for PDR, with better intraoperative and postoperative outcomes.

Upregulation of miR-142-5p induced by lipopolysaccharide contributes to apoptosis of hepatocytes and hepatic failure.

OBJECTIVE: This study was probed to uncover the mechanism of miR-142-5p in septic liver injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, in-vitro and in-vivo models of sepsis were used. For in-vitro sepsis model, hepatocyte cell line (L02 cells) was treated with LPS (lipopolysaccharide). Whereas for in-vivo sepsis model, cecal ligation and puncture were performed in mice. Mice were assigned into three groups: control, CLP (Cecal Ligation Puncture), CLP + miR-142-5p inhibitor group. Liver injury was assessed via H&E staining. IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß expressions were assayed through ELISA kits. C-caspase-9, C-caspase-3, ERK, p65, and IκBα expressions were determined via western blot and RT-qPCR. Apoptosis in LPS-induced L02 cells was detected by TUNEL staining. RESULTS: Our results show that miR-142-5p exhibited perspicuous upregulation in CLP mice tissues and LPS-induced L02 cells. On the other hand, inhibition of miR-142-5p could promote LPS-induced L02 cell activity and reduce apoptosis and inflammation. In terms of molecular mechanism, downregulation of miR-142-5p could abate sepsis-mediated acute hepatic injury by targeting SOCS1, through ERK and NF-κB pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Overall our results demonstrate that miR-142-5p inhibitors can mitigate septic liver injury by downregulating the inflammation and apoptosis via targeting SOCS1. Thus, miR-142-5p can serve a potential therapeutic target for sepsis mediated acute hepatic injury.

Supercritical CO2 Extraction of Palladium Oxide from an Aluminosilicate-Supported Catalyst Enhanced by a Combination of Complexing Polymers and Piperidine.

Precious metals, in particular Pd, have a wide range of applications in industry. Due to their scarcity, precious metals have to be recycled, preferably with green and energy-saving recycling processes. In this article, palladium extraction from an aluminosilicate-supported catalyst, containing about 2 wt% (weight%) of Pd (100% PdO), with supercritical CO2 (scCO2) assisted by complexing polymers is described. Two polymers, p(FDA)SH homopolymer and p(FDA-co-DPPS) copolymer (FDA: 1,1,2,2-tetrahydroperfluorodecyl acrylate; DPPS: 4-(diphenylphosphino)styrene), were tested with regards to their ability to extract palladium. Both polymers showed relatively low extraction conversions of approximately 18% and 30%, respectively. However, the addition of piperidine as activator for p(FDA-co-DPPS) allowed for an increase in the extraction conversion of up to 60%.

Prognostic potentials of miRNA-19a-3p and PDCD5 in nasopharynx carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine expressions of MicroRNA-19a-3p (miRNA-19a-3p) and PDCD5 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissues, and their prognostic potentials in NPC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Expressions of miRNA-19a-3p and PDCD5 in NPC tissues and controls were determined by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The correlation between expressions of miRNA-19a-3p and PDCD5 in NPC was evaluated by Pearson correlation test. Furthermore, potential influences of miRNA-19a-3p and PDCD5 on clinical features of NPC patients were assessed. Through 5-year follow-up, survival analysis in NPC patients was conducted by Kaplan-Meier method. Finally, factors influencing prognosis of NPC were determined using the Cox regression model. RESULTS: MiRNA-19a-3p was upregulated and PDCD5 was downregulated in NPC tissues. Pearson correlation test uncovered a negative correlation between expression levels of miRNA-19a-3p and PDCD5 in NPC tissues. MiRNA-19a-3p level was correlated with N classification and clinical stage in NPC patients, while PDCD5 level was correlated with T classification, pathological grade and clinical stage. Survival analysis showed poor prognosis in NPC patients expressing high level of miRNA-19a-3p or low level of PDCD5. Cox regression analysis illustrated that N2+3 classification, clinical stage III+IV, high level of miRNA-19a-3p and low level of PDCD5 were independent risk factors for the prognosis of NPC. CONCLUSIONS: MiRNA-19a-3p is upregulated and PDCD5 is downregulated in NPC tissues. High level of miRNA-19a-3p and low level of PDCD5 are unfavorable for the prognosis of NPC.

Radical Aqueous Emulsion Copolymerization of Eugenol-Derived Monomers for Adhesive Applications.

Biobased monomers derived from eugenol were copolymerized by emulsion polymerization to produce latexes for adhesive applications. Stable latexes containing ethoxy dihydroeugenyl methacrylate and ethoxy eugenyl methacrylate with high total solids content of 50 wt % were obtained and characterized. Latexes synthesis was carried out using a semibatch process, and latexes with particle diameters in the range of 159-178 nm were successfully obtained. Glass transition temperature values of the resulting polymers ranged between -32 and -28 °C. Furthermore, tack and peel measurements confirmed the possibility to use these latexes in adhesive applications.

[Risk factors for multiple debridements of the patients with deep incisional surgical site infection after spinal surgery].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors that contribute to multiple debridements in patients suffering from deep incisional surgical site infection after spinal surgery and advise medical personnel to pay special attention to these risk factors. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 84 patients who got deep incisional surgical site infection after spinal surgery from Jan. 2012 to Dec. 2017. The infections occurred within 30 days after the surgery, and the identification met the criteria of deep incisional surgical site infection of Centers of Disease Control (CDC). Early debridement with first stage closure of the wound and a continuous inflow-outflow irrigation system was used, and reasonable antibiotics were chosen according to the bacterial culture results. During the treatment, the vital signs, clinical manifestations, blood test results, drainage fluid colour and bacterial culture results were acquired. If the infection failed to be controlled or relapsed, a second debridement was performed. Of the 84 cases, 60 undergwent single debridement which included 36 male cases and 24 female cases, and the age ranged from 36 to 77 years, with a mean of 57.2 years. Twenty four had multiple debridements (twice in 14 cases, three times in 6 cases, four times in 1 case, five times in 2 cases, six times in 1 cases) which included 17 male cases and 7 female cases, and the age ranged from 21 to 70 years, with a mean of 49.5 years. Risk factors that predispose patients to multiple debridements were identified using univariate analysis. Risk factors with P values less than 0.05 in univariate analysis were included together in a multivariate Logistic regression model using back-forward method. RESULTS: Multiple debridements were performed in 28.6% of all cases. The hospital stay of multiple debridements group was (82.4±46.3) days compared with (40.4±31.5) days in single debridement group (P=0.018). Instrumentation was removed in 6 cases in multiple debridements group and 4 cases in single debridement group (P=0.049). Flap transplantation was performed in 7 cased in multiple debridements group while none in single debridement group (P < 0.001). Diabetes, primary operation duration longer than 3 hours, primary operation blood loss more than 400 mL, bacteriology examination results, distant site infection were significantly different between the two groups in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, primary operation duration longer than 3 hours (OR=3.60, 95%CI: 1.12-11.62), diabetes (OR=3.74, 95%CI: 1.06-13.22), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infected (OR=16.87, 95%CI: 2.59-109.73) were the most important risk factors related to multiple debridements in the patients with deep incisional surgical site infection after spinal surgery. CONCLUSION: Diabetes, primary operation duration more than 3 hours, MRSA infected are independent risk factors for multiple debridements in patients suffering from deep incisional surgical site infection after spinal surgery. Special caution and prophylaxis interventions are suggested for these factors.

LncRNA CCAT1 promotes cell proliferation and differentiation via negative modulation of miRNA-218 in human DPSCs.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) CCAT1 and potential functions in promoting cell proliferation and differentiation, via miRNA-218 in human adult Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: CCAT1 expressions in Periodontal Ligament Cells (PDLCs), DPSCs, differentiated main population (MP) cells and stem-cell-enriched Side Population (SP) cells in DPSCs were detected by qRT-PCR. MTT assay and ELISA assay were performed to evaluate the DPSCs cell proliferation and differentiation. The correlation between miR-218 and CCAT1 was detected by statistical analysis. The bioinformatics and luciferase assay were performed to explore the interaction and binding site of CCAT1 and miR-218. RESULTS: Results showed the CCAT1 expression was up-regulated in DPSCs cells. And the expression level in MP cell was higher than SP cell. MTT assay and showed overexpression CCAT1 significantly increased cell proliferation of DPSCs. ELISA assay showed the expressions of collagen I, Osteopontin (OPN) and Osteocalcin (OCN) were significantly increased in DPSCs compared with control (p<0.05). The bioinformatics and luciferase assay showed that the CCAT1 directly interacted with miR-218. In addition, miR-218 expression was negatively correlated with CCAT1 expression in DPSCs CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, we found that lncRNA-CCAT1 was upregulated in DPSCs, which could promote cell proliferation and differentiation by repressing the expression of miR-218.

Iatrogenic retinal breaks and postoperative retinal detachments in microincision vitrectomy surgery compared with conventional 20-gauge vitrectomy: a meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To assess the incidence of iatrogenic retinal breaks (IRBs) and postoperative retinal detachments (RDs) in microincision vitrectomy surgery (MIVS) compared with 20-gauge (20 G) vitrectomy. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed to find relevant studies and a meta-analysis of the IRBs and postoperative RDs rates after 20 G vitrectomy versus MIVS was conducted. RESULTS: Thirty-two studies were selected, including 14,373 eyes (6932 eyes in the 20 G group, 7441 eyes in the MIVS group). The meta-analysis demonstrated that the incidence of IRBs was significantly higher in 20 G vitrectomy vs. MIVS (OR = 2.22, 95% CI, 1.93-2.57, P < 0.00001) and in a subanalysis vs. 23 G MIVS (OR = 2.19, 95% CI, 1.87-2.56, P < 0.00001) and vs. 25 G MIVS (OR = 2.27, 95% CI, 1.62-3.18, P < 0.00001). Similar result was obtained in a subanalysis for macular surgery (OR = 2.44, 95% CI, 1.99-2.99, P < 0.00001), and also for sclerotomy-related IRBs (OR = 3.73, 95% CI, 2.55-5.44, P < 0.00001), but not for surgically induced posterior vitreous detachment-related IRBs (OR = 1.59, 95% CI, 0.89-2.84, P = 0.12). The incidence of postoperative RDs in 20 G vitrectomy was significantly higher compared to MIVS (OR = 1.72, 95% CI, 1.21-2.46, P = 0.003) and in a subanalysis vs. 23 G MIVS (OR = 2.45, 95% CI, 1.50-4.00, P = 0.0003), but not for 25 G MIVS (OR = 1.01, 95% CI, 0.63-1.64, P = 0.96). Similar result was obtained in a subanalysis for macular surgery (OR = 1.89, 95% CI, 1.26-2.85, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis demonstrated that MIVS is associated with a lower risk of IRBs and postoperative RDs compared to 20 G vitrectomy.

NLRP12 promotes host resistance against Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis inflammatory responses through the negative regulation of NF-κB signaling.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of NLRP12 in regulating Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) keratitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Real-Time-PCR and Western blot were performed to measure the NLRP12 level in corneas and bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) of C57BL/6 (B6) mice. B6 mice received a subconjunctival injection of lentivirus expressing active NLRP12 (NLRP12-lentivirus) or Ctl-lentivirus (as control), followed by infection of P. aeruginosa. The clinical score, slit lamp and bacterial plate count of mice were evaluated. In addition, myeloperoxidase (MPO) was detected to assess the infiltration of polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN). Cytokine levels were measured by Real Time-PCR and ELISA. Meanwhile, the bacterial burden was also evaluated. The activation of NF-κB signaling was determined by pIκBα/IκBα levels based on Western blot and NF-κB-dependent Luciferase activity on the basis of Luciferase assays using 293T cells. RESULTS: NLRP12 mRNA and protein levels were decreased in B6 corneas and BMDMs after P. aeruginosa infection. The over-expression of NLRP12 in B6 corneas significantly ameliorated the severity of corneal disease, bacterial burden, PMN infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. In vitro analysis demonstrated that the up-regulation of NLRP12 suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine production and enhanced bacterial clearance in RAW264.7 cells. The protein levels of pIκBα and IκBα were significantly decreased after NLRP12-lentivirus treatment compared with that of Ctl-lentivirus. NF-κB-dependent Luciferase activity was potently inhibited by NLRP12 infected with P. aeruginosa or cotransfected with the downstream signaling molecules including IKKα and IKKß in 293T cells. CONCLUSIONS: NLRP12 decreases the severity of P. aeruginosa keratitis, reduces corneal inflammation and bacterial burden through the down-regulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway.

The expressions and significance of APN, D-D, IL-17 and hs-CRP in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE: Inflammatory reactions and imbalance of oxidant/antioxidant and protease/anti-protease are the major causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Based on the information mentioned, the expressions and significance of adiponectin (APN), D-dimer (DD), Interleukin (IL)-17, and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were investigated in this study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 70 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were enrolled and divided into stable group (group A, 28 cases) and acute exacerbation group (group B, 42 cases). Thirty-five healthy volunteers were included in the control group (group C, 35 cases). The levels of serum APN, IL- 17, D-D, and hs-CRP were tested and compared RESULTS: Levels of APN from Group B were significantly lower than that of Group A or Group C, while levels of APN of Group A were also significantly lower than that of Group C, (p < 0.05). Levels of IL-17, D-D, and Hs-CRP of group b were significantly increased compared to that of Group A or Group C, and levels of IL-17, D-D, and Hs-CRP of Group A were significantly elevated compared to that of Group C (p < 0.05). A negative statistical correlation was found between APN and IL-17, D-D, and Hs-CRP (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Levels of APN were downregulated in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The expression levels of APN, IL-17, D-D, and Hs-CRP were closely correlated with clinical stages and can be used as parameters for the evaluation of the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

[Clinical research progress of gene therapy for Leber hereditary optic neuropathy].

Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a mitochondria hereditary eye disease that involves with retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) resulting eventually in degeneration and atrophy of optic nerve. The three mitochondrial DNA mutations (ND4 G11778A, ND1G3460A, ND6T14484C) have been recognized as the primary mutation locus of LHON. Currently there is no effective therapy for LHON. The result of a clinical trial launched in 2007 indicated that intraocular injection of the recombination of adeno-associated virus and target gene is an effective and safe cure for Leber's Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), which brings hope of treating other hereditary eye diseases with gene therapy. Since LHON mainly involves with RGCs, the target gene can be delivered directly to RGCs with the means of injecting the recombination into vitreous cavity, therefore resulting in less damage to retina as compared to other gene therapy for LCA which require the drug to be injected under the retina. This article summarizes the research progress of the clinical trial relevant to gene therapy for LHON. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2018, 54: 636-640).

A pilot study on the disinfection efficacy of localized UV on the flushing-generated spread of pathogens.

The process of toilet-flushing can generate flushing-associated water droplets which can potentially expose humans to pathogen-laden aerosols. Very little is known about such aerosol dissemination or the means for minimizing exposure to these aerosols. This study has evaluated the efficacy of ultraviolet waveband C (UV-C) for disinfection of flushing-generated pathogen-laden aerosols through tests with localized disinfection systems for airborne and surface contaminations. Three types of bacteria were chosen for investigation: Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhimurium. Tests were conducted with UV-C tubes of 5 W and 10 W. High levels of disinfection efficacies were observed, ranging from 76% to 97% for bacteria-laden aerosols at sources of emission, and efficiencies of 53% to 79% for surface samples in localized systems. The results from the localized systems were further compared with those obtained with an upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system. As it is important to note, the UV-C doses and ozone emissions for the localized systems were found well below the limits recommended in current guidelines. This research has shown that the disinfection of flushing-generated pathogen-laden aerosols in proximity to the source of emission was more effective than at the more distant sites where aerosols may be dispersed to the environment.

MiRNA regulates OCT4 expression in breast cancer cells.

OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer cell infiltration, migration, and proliferation significantly affect its curative effect. Stemness gene octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4) upregulated in breast cancer tissue compared with normal control. MiRNA exhibits regulatory role in gene expression. This study adopted bioinformatics to predict the miRNA to regulate OCT4 gene and investigated its impact on breast cancer cell infiltration, migration, and proliferation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MirBase database was analyzed to explore the potential miRNA in regulating OCT4 based on human OCT4 gene sequence. MiRNA mimics and inhibitor were synthetized and transfected to BS524 cells. qRT-PCR was applied to test miRNA and OCT4 mRNA expressions in cells at 12 h, 24 h, and 48 h after transfection. Western blot was selected to detect OCT4 protein expression. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was selected to determine cell proliferation. Scratch assay was adopted to evaluate cell migration. Transwell assay was used to analyze cell infiltration. RESULTS: MiR-145 may regulate OCT4 gene with score 82. OCT4 mRNA and protein increased at 12 h after transfection (p > 0.05). OCR4 gene significantly upregulated, cell proliferation, migration, and infiltration enhanced by miR-145 transfection compared with control (p < 0.05). OCT4 gene downregulated, while cell proliferation, infiltration, and migration markedly weakened in miR-145 inhibitor group compared with control (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MiR-145 affects breast cancer BS524 cell proliferation, infiltration, and migration via positively regulating OCT4 gene expression.

Effect of vitrification solutions on survival rate of cryopreserved Epinephelus moara embryos.

Embryo cryopreservation is important for long-term preservation of germplasm and assisted reproduction. However, it is still very difficult to obtain viable embryos from cryopreserved fish embryos. In this study, embryos of Epinephelus moara were used to investigate the effects of various cryopreservation methods. Embryos in stages 10 pairs somite (10S), 18 pairs somite (18S), 22 pairs somite (22S), tail-bud (TB), embryo twitching (ET) and pre-hatch (PH) were treated with five-step equilibrium penetration in 40% PMG3T vitrification solution, which contained 15.75% 1,2-propylene glycol, 10.50% Methanol, 8.75% Glycerol and 5.00% Trehalose. We found that 18S, 22S, TB and ET stage embryos had higher survival rates and were more tolerant to the vitrification solution. Five-step equilibrium treatments on the embryos at the tail-bud stage were performed using two vitrification solutions: 40% PMG3T and 40% PMG3S, which consisted of 15.75% 1,2-propylene glycol, 10.50% Methanol, 8.75% Glycerol and 5.00% Sucrose. The embryonic survival rate under PMG3S treatment (63.36%) was significantly higher than PMG3T treatment (43.93%) (P < 0.05). PMG3S and PMG3T with concentrations of 35%, 40% and 45% were tested on tail-bud stage embryos. Higher concentration of the vitrification solution led to significantly lower embryonic survival rate (P < 0.05). The survival rate was 36.79-72.05% in PMG3S, and 37.11-55.18% in PMG3T, and there were non-significant differences in embryonic development and malformation rates among the groups treated with different concentrations. The embryonic normal development rates in PMG3S and PMG3T were 21.27% and 11.04%, and the malformation rates were 36.13% and 31.04%, respectively. The optimum treatment condition was 40 min using 40% PMG3S on embryos at the tail-bud stage. Both PMG3S and PMG3T were used for cryopreserving embryos at 16 pairs somite, tail-bud and ET stage in liquid nitrogen, where we obtained 190 surviving embryos, and 44 fishes underwent normal development and hatched. The survival rate of cryopreserved embryos was 5.15%, the normal development rate was 1.31%, and the malformation rate was 3.66%. We found that PMG3S and PMG3T were effective for cryopreservation of Epinephelus moara embryos. The results provide a foundation for further explorations of fish embryo cryopreservation techniques.

Effect of foot progression angle adjustment on the knee adduction moment and knee joint contact force in runners with and without knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Knee adduction moment (KAM) is often used as a surrogate marker of knee contact force (KCF) during walking. Previous studies have reported potential benefits to reduce KAM in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) by foot progression angle adjustment. However, KAM is an external moment and it does not consider any muscle contribution to the joint loading, which should pose a greater influence in running than walking. RESEARCH QUESTION: This study used a computational model to compare KAM and KCF between runners with and without knee OA during running. In addition, we evaluated the KAM and KCF when runners adjusted to an out-toe running style. METHODS: Kinematic, kinetic, and lower limb EMG data were collected from 9 runners with knee OA and 10 healthy counterparts. They were asked to run at their usual speed with standard shoes on an instrumented treadmill. RESULTS: We found no significant difference in the KAM during running between OA and the healthy group (p > 0.376). However, runners with knee OA exhibited a greater total KCF than the healthy counterparts (p < 0.041). We did not observe any reduction in KAM after foot progression angle adjustment (p > 0.346). Surprisingly, an increase in the longitudinal KCF and total KCF were found with adjustment of foot progression angle (p < 0.046). SIGNIFICANCE: Unlike the findings reported by the previous walking trials, our findings do not support the notion that foot progression angle adjustment would lead to a lower joint loading during running.

Emission strength of airborne pathogens during toilet flushing.

The flushing of toilets generates contaminated aerosols, the transmission of which may cause the spread of disease, particularly in the immunocompromised or the elderly. This study investigated the emission strength of three types of airborne bacteria, namely Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas alcaligenes, during toilet flushing in a custom-built toilet under a controlled environment. Flushing was activated by a flushometer operated at two pressure levels, 400 kPa (high pressure [HP]) and 200 kPa (low pressure [LP]), and by a water cistern tank placed 95 cm (high tank [HT]) and 46 cm (low tank [LT]) above the toilet seat. The pathogens emitted by the first flush were calculated, with the correlations between airborne pathogen emissions and droplet concentration (HP, r=0.944, P<.001; LP, r=0.803, P<.001, HT, r=0.885, P<.05) and bacterial size (HP, r=-0.919, P<.001; LP, r=-0.936, P<.001; HT, r=-0.967, P<.05) in the different conditions then tested. The emission strength in the HP condition was statistically greater than that in the LP condition, whereas the cistern tank system produced less emissions than the flushometer system, and tank height was not found to be a sensitive parameter.