Analysing and optimizing the electrolysis efficiency of a lithium cell based on the electrochemical and multiphase model.

Based on an electrochemical multiphysical simulation, a method for analysing electrolysis efficiency has been presented that considers the energy consumption required to produce a single kilogram of lithium and for the production of lithium, rather than the voltage in various parts. By adopting them as the criteria for analysing electrolysis efficiency in the lithium cell, several structural parameters have been optimized, such as the anode radius and anode-cathode distance. These parameters strongly affect the cell voltage and the velocity field distribution, which has a significant impact on the concentration distribution. By integrating the concentration distribution, the lithium production and energy consumption per kilogram, lithium is computed. By appointing the minimum of the chlorine and lithium concentration as the secondary reaction intensity, it is clear where the secondary reaction intensity is strong in the cell. The structure of a lithium electrolysis cell has been optimized by applying an orthogonal design approach, with the energy consumption notably decreasing from 35.0 to 28.3 kWh (kg Li)-1 and the lithium production successfully increasing by 0.17 mol.

[Current progress in research of circulating tumor cells].

OBJECTIVE: Circulating tumor cells are tumor cells that spontaneously or, following operations, migrate into the peripheral blood circulation from the primary tumor or metastatic tumor. As diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers in many types of cancers including breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and colorectal cancer, circulating tumor cells contribute to the early diagnosis of cancers, drug resistance monitoring, prognostic assessment, survival analysis, detection of tumor recurrence and evaluation of drug efficacy to assist in treatment decision?making and adjustment of treatment plans. However, the current approaches to the detection of circulating tumor cells still have limitations, and the development of new detection methods with higher sensitivity and specificity will be helpful for better use of these cells. Herein the authors review the research progress in circulating tumor cells in terms of the detection techniques, clinical applications of circulating tumor cells, and their prospects in future clinical practice.

Paeoniflorin suppresses TGF-ß mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pulmonary fibrosis through a Smad-dependent pathway.

AIM: Paeoniflorin has shown to attenuate bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF) in mice. Because the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in type 2 lung endothelial cells contributes to excessive fibroblasts and myofibroblasts during multiple fibrosis of tissues, we investigated the effects of paeoniflorin on TGF-ß mediated pulmonary EMT in bleomycin-induced PF mice. METHODS: PF was induced in mice by intratracheal instillation of bleomycin (5 mg/kg). The mice were orally treated with paeoniflorin or prednisone for 21 d. After the mice were sacrificed, lung tissues were collected for analysis. An in vitro EMT model was established in alveolar epithelial cells (A549 cells) incubated with TGF-ß1 (2 ng/mL). EMT identification and the expression of related proteins were performed using immunohistochemistry, transwell assay, ELISA, Western blot and RT-qPCR. RESULTS: In PF mice, paeoniflorin (50, 100 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) or prednisone (6 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) significantly decreased the expression of FSP-1 and α-SMA, and increased the expression of E-cadherin in lung tissues. In A549 cells, TGF-ß1 stimulation induced EMT, as shown by the changes in cell morphology, the increased cell migration, and the increased vimentin and α-SMA expression as well as type I and type III collagen levels, and by the decreased E-cadherin expression. In contrast, effects of paeoniflorin on EMT disappeared when the A549 cells were pretreated with TGF-ß1 for 24 h. TGF-ß1 stimulation markedly increased the expression of Snail and activated Smad2/3, Akt, ERK, JNK and p38 MAPK in A549 cells. Co-incubation with paeoniflorin (1-30 µmol/L) dose-dependently attenuated TGF-ß1-induced expression of Snail and activation of Smad2/3, but slightly affected TGF-ß1-induced activation of Akt, ERK, JNK and p38 MAPK. Moreover, paeoniflorin markedly increased Smad7 level, and decreased ALK5 level in A549 cells. CONCLUSION: Paeoniflorin suppresses the early stages of TGF-ß mediated EMT in alveolar epithelial cells, likely by decreasing the expression of the transcription factors Snail via a Smad-dependent pathway involving the up-regulation of Smad7.

Re-examination of the genotoxic activity of water taken from the Songhua River in P. R. China.

The Songhua River, in northeast China, has heavy organic contamination due to domestic sewage and industrial wastewater. Thus, it is important to further determine its genotoxic activity, which is a potential hazard for human health. Short-term genotoxic bioassays using Salmonella, the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay, and mouse liver cell comet assay were employed to further examine the genotoxic activity of diethyl ether extracts of water samples taken from the Songhua River. Ames test results showed that there were still frame-shift mutagens, both direct and indirect, in water samples at doses of 5.0 or 7.0 L water equivalent/plate. The mutagenicity seems to be less when compared with the results from 2002 to 2003. A dose-response relationship was also obtained between DNA damage in mouse liver cells by comet assay and micronuclei formation by CBMN assay. These results indicate that the water samples showed genotoxic activity with a mutagenic potency. 88 and 104 compounds, respectively, were identified in summer and winter water sample extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Four priority pollutants listed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and six priority pollutants listed by the Chinese Environment Protection Agency were found in summer or winter water samples, respectively. The results indicate that the diethyl ether extracts of surface water samples taken from the Songhua River still show genotoxic activity (≥3.0 L water). The risks of potential carcinogenicity for human health in the Songhua River should be studied further.