Efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil in the treatment for IgA nephropathy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

AIM: IgA nephropathy is virtually known as the most common glomerulopathy to end-stage renal failure in the world. Mycophenolate mofetil is a selective immunosuppressant widely used in organ transplantation, yet its tolerance and effectiveness in IgAN is controversial. METHODS: This is a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis, searching PubMed, Embase, Te Cochrane Library, Science Citation Index, Ovid evidence-based medicine, Chinese Biomedical Literature and Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals. Screen out randomized controlled trials on patients with biopsy-proven IgA nephropathy and analysis mycophenolate mofetil treatment regimens used for therapy of IgA nephropathy. Complete remission and partial remission, doubling of creatinine level, proteinuria, incidence of end-stage kidney disease, infection, Cushing syndrome, diabetes, hepatic dysfunction or gastrointestinal symptoms, neurologic or visual ambiguity, acne, and alopecia were observed. RESULTS: Nine relevant trials were conducted with 587 patients enrolled. In Mycophenolate mofetil or plus medium/low-dose steroid comparing full-dose steroid alone or placebo, there was no significant difference. The risk of Cushing syndrome and diabetes had been significantly lowered with Mycophenolate mofetil-treated patients, while the risk of infection had been increased. CONCLUSIONS: Mycophenolate mofetil therapy did not differ in reducing proteinuria and Scr in patients with IgAN who had persistent proteinuria, while having fewer Cushing syndrome and diabetes risk and more infection risk. However, larger randomized studies are needed to reveal these results.

Electrically enhanced adsorption and green regeneration for fluoride removal using Ti(OH)4-loaded activated carbon electrodes.

An electrically enhanced fluoride removal method was developed that blended the merits of electrosorption and adsorbent adsorption. This method has the advantages of high adsorption selectivity and capacity for fluoride. The saturated adsorption capacity of Ti(OH)4 for fluoride in the electrode of Ti(OH)4-loaded activated carbon reached 115.2 mg/g when a voltage of +1.2 V was applied to the electrode. The electrode was easily and cleanly regenerated in a short time in aqueous solution with high fluoride concentrations when a voltage of -1.6 V was applied. The adsorption capacity of the Ti(OH)4-loaded electrode for fluoride did not decrease after multiple cycles of electrically enhanced adsorption and regeneration. Excellent adsorption selectivity for fluoride was achieved. The electrically enhanced adsorption method showed potential for fluoride removal.

Diffusion Performance of Fertilizer Nutrient through Polymer Latex Film.

Matching the nutrient release rate of coated fertilizer with the nutrient uptake rate of the crop is the best way to increase the utilization efficiency of nutrients and reduce environmental pollution from the fertilizer. The diffusion property and mechanism of nutrients through the film are the theoretical basis for the product pattern design of coated fertilizers. For the coated fertilizer with a single-component nutrient, an extended solution-diffusion model was used to describe the difference of nutrient release rate, and the release rate is proportional to the permeation coefficient and the solubility of the nutrient. For the double- and triple-component fertilizer of N-K, N-P, and N-P-K, because of the interaction among nutrient molecules and ions, the release rates of different nutrients were significantly affected by the components in the composite fertilizer. Coating the single-component fertilizer (i.e., nitrogen fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer, and potash fertilizer) first and subsequently bulk blending is expected to be a promising way to adjust flexibly the nutrient release rate to meet the nutrient uptake rate of the crop.

The adsorption and reaction of a titanate coupling reagent on the surfaces of different nanoparticles in supercritical CO2.

The adsorption and reaction in supercritical CO2 of the titanate coupling reagent NDZ-201 on the surfaces of seven metal oxide particles, SiO2, Al2O3, ZrO2, TiO2 (anatase), TiO2 (rutile), Fe2O3, and Fe3O4, was investigated. FTIR and TG analysis indicated that the adsorption and reaction were different on different particle surfaces. On SiO2 and Al2O3 particles, there was a chemical reaction of the titanate coupling reagent on the surfaces. On the surfaces of ZrO2 and TiO2 (anatase) particles, there were two kinds of adsorption, weak and strong adsorption. On the surfaces of TiO2 (rutile), Fe2O3, and Fe3O4 particles, there was only weak adsorption. The acidity or basicity of the OH groups on the particle surface was the key factor that determined if a surface reaction occurred. When the OH groups were acidic, the titanate coupling reagent reacted with these, but otherwise, there was no reaction. The surface density of OH groups on the original particles and the amount of titanate coupling reagent adsorbed and reacted were estimated from TG analysis. The reactivity of the surface OH groups of Al2O3 particles was higher than that of the SiO2 particles.