Dual inhibitors of DNMT and HDAC induce viral mimicry to induce antitumour immunity in breast cancer.

The existing conventional treatments for breast cancer, including immune checkpoint blockade, exhibit limited effects in some cancers, particularly triple-negative breast cancer. Epigenetic alterations, specifically DNMT and HDAC alterations, are implicated in breast cancer pathogenesis. We demonstrated that DNMTs and HDACs are overexpressed and positively correlated in breast cancer. The combination of DNMT and HDAC inhibitors has shown synergistic antitumour effects, and our previously designed dual DNMT and HDAC inhibitor (termed DNMT/HDACi) 15a potently inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and induces apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, 15a induces a viral mimicry response by promoting the expression of endogenous retroviral elements in breast cancer cells, thus increasing the intracellular level of double-stranded RNA to activate the RIG-I-MAVS pathway. This in turn promotes the production of interferons and chemokines and augments the expression of interferon-stimulated genes and PD-L1. The combination of 15a and an anti-PD-L1 antibody had an additive effect in vivo. These findings indicate that this DNMT/HDACi has immunomodulatory functions and enhances the effectiveness of immune checkpoint blockade therapy. A novel dual DNMT and HDAC inhibitor induces viral mimicry, which induces the accumulation of dsRNA to activate tumoral IFN signalling and cytokine production to enhance the immune response in breast cancer.

Magnetorheological Damper With Variable Displacement Permanent Magnet for Assisting the Transfer of Load in Lower Limb Exoskeleton.

Magnetorheological (MR) fluid exhibits the ability to modulate its shear state through variations in magnetic field intensity, and is widely used for applications requiring damping. Traditional MR dampers use the current in the coil to adjust the magnetic field strength, but the accumulated heat can cause the magnetic field strength to decay if it works for a long time. In order to deal with this shortcoming, a novel MR damper is proposed in this paper, which is based on a variable displacement permanent magnet to adjust the output resistance torque and applied to an exoskeleton joint for human load transfer assistance. A finite element model is used to determine the size parameters of the magnet and separator, so that the maximum output torque is optimal and the torque is uniformly distributed with the magnet displacement. The MR damper was characterized and calibrated on the experimental bench to make it controllable. The novel design enables the torque mass density of the MR damper to reach 8.83Nmm/g, the torque volume density to reach 48.7N/mm2, and has stability for long-term operation. Based on the torque control method proposed, a preliminary human experiment is conducted. The ground reaction force (GRF) data of the subjects is analyzed here, which represents the effect of load transfer to the exoskeleton. Compared with no exoskeleton, the GRF with exoskeleton is significantly reduced: the peak GRF in early stance phase is reduced by 24.14%, and in late stance phase is reduced by 19.77%. Based on our net load benefit (NLB) and net force benefit (NFB) evaluation indicators, the effectiveness of the proposed MR damper exoskeleton for human weight bearing assistance is established.

Comprehensive evaluation of antibiotics pollution the Yangtze River basin, China: Emission, multimedia fate and risk assessment.

Antibiotics have attracted global attention because of their potential ecological and health risks. The emission, multimedia fate and risk of 18 selected antibiotics in the entire Yangtze River basin were evaluated by using a level Ⅳ fugacity model. High antibiotic emissions were found in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin. The total antibiotic emissions in the Yangtze River basin exceeded 1600 tons per year between 2013 and 2021. The spatial distribution of antibiotics concentration was the upper Yangtze River > middle Yangtze River > lower Yangtze River, which is positively correlated with animal husbandry size in the basin. Temperature and precipitation increases may decrease the antibiotic concentrations in the environment. Transfer fluxes showed that source emission inputs, advection processes, and degradation fluxes contributed more to the total input and output. High ecological risks in the water environment were found in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. The comprehensive health risk assessment through drinking water and fish consumption routes showed that a small part of the Yangtze River basin is at medium risk, and children have a relatively high degree of health risk. This study provides a scientific basis for the pollution control of antibiotics at the basin scale.

[Seasonal Variation Characteristics and Pollution Assessment of Heavy Metals in Water and Sediment of Taipu River].

Taipu River is a river spanning two provinces and one city in a demonstration area in the Yangtze River Delta on an ecologically friendly developmentand an important water source in the upper reaches of the Huangpu River in Shanghai. To understand the multi-media distribution characteristics, pollution status, and ecological risk of heavy metals in the Taipu River, the contents of heavy metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Zn) in the sediments of Taipu River were analyzed, and the pollution status and potential ecological risk were evaluated using the Nemerow comprehensive pollution index, geo-accumulation index, and potential ecological risk index methods. In addition, the health risk assessment model was used to assess the health risk of heavy metals in surface water of Taipu River. The results showed that the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Mn, and Ni in the surface water of Taipu River exceeded the class Ⅲ water limit at the upstream point in spring; the concentrations of Sb exceeded the class Ⅲ water limit at all points in winter; the average value of As exceeded the class Ⅲ water limit in overlying water during the wet season; and the average values of As and Cd exceeded the class Ⅲ water limit in pore water during the wet season. The health risk assessment of surface water implied that both adults and children had higher health risk in spring and lower health risk in other seasons. The health risk of children was significantly higher than that of adults, and it mainly came from chemical carcinogenic heavy metal elements As, Cd, and Cr. The average contents of Co, Mn, Sb, and Zn in Taipu River sediments in the four seasons all exceeded the Shanghai soil baseline; the average contents of As, Cr, and Cu in summer, autumn, and winter exceeded the Shanghai soil baseline; and the average contents of Cd, Ni, and Pb in summer and winter exceeded the Shanghai soil baseline. The evaluation results of the Nemerow comprehensive pollution index and geo-accumulation index showed that the pollution degree of the middle reaches of Taipu River was higher than that of the upper and lower reaches, and the Sb pollution was more serious. The potential ecological risk index method revealed that the Taipu River sediment was at a low risk. Cd had a high contribution in both the wet and dry seasons and could be regarded as the main heavy metal of potential ecological risk in the Taipu River sediment.

Seasonal heavy metal speciation in sediment and source tracking via Cu isotopic composition in Huangpu River, Shanghai, China.

The present study systematically analyzed and evaluated the variations in chemical speciation, pollution assessment, and source identification of heavy metals in sediments of Huangpu River. The methods employed included heavy metal concentration, chemical speciation and Cu isotopic compositions analysis. Results showed that the chemical speciation of sediment-bound heavy metals, characterized by significant seasonal variation, shifted from non-residual fractions dominating in spring and summer to residual fractions dominating in autumn and winter. Precipitation was identified as an important factor influencing the chemical speciation of sediment-bound heavy metals. Furthermore, ratio of the secondary phase to the primary phase, RSP (=Cnon-residual/Cresidual) values in Huangpu River sediments were higher than 1 in spring and summer, indicating that sediment-bound heavy metals in Huangpu River were mainly composed of non-residual fractions and could potentially be released into the river water. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that navigation, traffic, agricultural, and industrial activities could be the potential sources of heavy metal pollution. Notably, the δ65Cu values in Huangpu River sediments were observed to be isotopically lighter (from -0.37 to +0.18 ‰), suggesting that navigation might be the primary pollution source. These results will not only provide guidance in reducing heavy metal concentrations, but also serve as a crucial basis for policy making regarding heavy metal control.

Studies of Mercaptosuccinic Acid-Crosslinked Chitosan Hydrogel with Grafted Cinnamaldehyde and Silver Nanoparticles for Antibacterial Biomedical Application.

For the effective clinical antibacterial application of biomaterials, such as for wound management and tissue repair, the biomaterials need to show proper antibacterial capability as well as non-cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the material needs to have suitable mechanical characteristics for further medical use. Chitosan hydrogel is a potential candidate for various antibacterial biomedical applications due to its amine functionalities that lead to antimicrobial characteristics. Nevertheless, its antimicrobial capability is dependent upon the degree of protonation of amine groups caused by the pH value. Moreover, its mechanical compressive strength may not be high enough for clinical use if not chemically or physically crosslinked. This study utilized a novel chemical crosslinker, mercaptosuccinic acid, to improve its mechanical characteristics. The natural antibacterial agent, cinnamaldehyde, was grafted onto the crosslinked chitosan to improve its antimicrobial capability. Meanwhile, to take advantage of the thiol functionality in the mercaptosuccinic acid, the bactericidal silver nanoparticles were incorporated through silver-thiol covalent bounding. NMR analyses indicated the chitosan was successfully mercaptosuccinic acid-crosslinked and grafted with cinnamaldehyde at different ratios. Combined the results from the mechanical assessment, swelling experiments, antimicrobial assessment, and cytotoxicity assay, the chitosan hydrogel with the highest crosslinked degree and grafted with cinnamaldehyde and silver nanoparticles is of great promise for further clinical uses.

[Distribution Characteristics, Source Analysis, and Pollution Evaluation of Organic Matter in Surface Sediments of Qingpu District, Yangtze River Delta Integration Demonstration Area].

The surface sediments were collected from 25 sampling points in the Qingpu District of the Yangtze River Delta integration demonstration area, and the total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), organic carbon isotope (δ13C), and nitrogen isotope (δ15N) content in the samples were analyzed. The distribution characteristics and potential sources of organic matter in the surface sediments were discussed in detail, and the organic pollution index was also evaluated. The results showed that the ω(TOC) in the surface sediments of 31 sampling points in Qingpu District was 0.21%-3.55%, with an average value of 1.18%; ω(TN) ranged from 0.02% to 0.23%, with an average value of 0.09%. The δ13C ranged from -28.04‰ to -10.80 ‰, with an average of -22.28‰, and the δ15N ranged from 2.28‰ to 11.19‰, with an average of 5.76‰. The TOC content was significantly correlated with the TN content. Source analysis showed that the organic matter in the surface sediments of the study area was mainly affected by soil organic matter, sewage organic matter, and terrestrial plants. The calculation results of the contribution rate based on IsoSource software showed that the relative contribution rate of soil organic matter was relatively high (0.3%-96.8%), and domestic sewage had a certain contribution to the organic matter source of most sampling points. In addition, the selected end-member substances had certain differences in the contribution of organic matter sources in samples of different land use types. The evaluation index of organic pollution in the surface sediments of the study area ranged from 0.006-0.745, with an average value of 0.163, indicating that the organic pollution of the study area was considered lightly polluted. Among them, the pollution of sampling points around the Jinze Reservoir was more serious than that in other areas, indicating that there was a potential risk of eutrophication in this area, which requires certain attention.

Comparison of the efficacy and safety of transurethral laser versus open prostatectomy for patients with large-sized benign prostatic hyperplasia: A meta-analysis of comparative trials.

PURPOSE: The selection of open prostatectomy (OP) over transurethral laser surgery is controversial for large volume prostates. Thus, we aim to compare the efficacy and safety of transurethral laser versus OP, and provide the latest evidence of clinical practice for large-sized benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This meta-analysis used Review Manager V5.3 software and the systematic literature search of Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science datasets was performed for citations published from 2000 to 2020 that compared transurethral laser with OP for the treatment of large BPH. Variables of interest assessing the two techniques included clinical characteristics, and the perioperation-, effectiveness-, and complication-related outcomes. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included twelve studies containing 1,514 patients, with 792 laser and 722 OP. The transurethral laser group was associated with shorter hospital stay and catheterization duration, and less hemoglobin decreased in the perioperative variables. There was no significant difference in the international prostate symptom score, post-void residual urine volume, maximum flow rate, and quality of life score. Transurethral laser group had a significantly lower incidence of blood transfusion than OP group (odds ratio, 0.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.05 to 0.19; p<0.001; I²=8%), and no statistical differences were found with respect to the other complications. CONCLUSIONS: Both OP and transurethral laser prostatectomy are effective and safe treatments for large prostate adenomas. With these advantages of less blood loss and transfusion, and shorter catheterization time and hospital stay, laser may be a better choice for large BPH.

Adsorptive behavior of thallium using Fe3O4-kaolin composite synthesized by a room temperature ferrite process.

Thallium (Tl) contaminants pose serious threats to the ecological environment and human health due to its acute/chronic poisoning on the health of most organisms even at low concentrations. To find a rapid and efficient technology in removing Tl from waters thus becomes a crucial issue. A magnetic Fe3O4-kaolin composite (denoted by FKC) with high specific surface area (133.7 m2/g) was successfully synthesized via a simple and low-cost technique for Tl(I) removing from various water media. The HRTEM images confirmed the existence of lattice fingers Fe3O4 and displayed that a large number of Fe3O4 nanoparticles dispersed on the surface of kaolin sheets. Compared with kaolin or Fe3O4 alone, FKC enhanced obviously the adsorption rate and capacity of Tl(I) over a wide pH range (4.5-9.0). The maximum adsorption capacity of FKC for Tl(I) was 19,347 mg/kg (calculated by Langmuir model), which was almost one hundred times and two times higher than those of kaolin and Fe3O4, respectively. Importantly, FKC was observed to have a great potential in removing Tl(I) from surface water, groundwater, and tap water in more alkaline conditions. By applying the external magnetic field, FKC could be recovered efficiently (99%) and rapidly (20 s). Moreover, Tl L3-edge XANES spectra revealed that Tl(I) was adsorbed on the FKC and would not be converted to more toxic Tl(III). The cations (CaCl2, NaCl, and KCl) and the ionic strength with concentrations of 0.001-1.0 mol/L showed a great influence on the adsorption of Tl(I) by FKC, implying that this adsorption was dominated by outer-sphere surface complexation at investigated pH values. The information provided is essential for designing a rapid and effective scavenger for removing Tl in various natural waters.

[Multimedia Distribution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of 22 PPCPs in the Water Environment of Qingpu District, Yangtze River Delta Demonstration Area].

In this study, 50 surface water and sediment samples were collected from 25 sampling points in Qingpu District (including Taipu River basin, Jinze Reservoir, and Qingxi country park) in the Yangtze River Delta integration demonstration area, and 22 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS-MS). The distribution characteristics, sources, and influencing factors of targeted PPCPs in the study area were studied in detail. The ecological and health risks of the target PPCPs were evaluated using the quotients method. The results showed that a total of 19 PPCPs were detected in the surface water and sediment samples from 25 sampling points in Qingpu District, with total concentrations ranging from 0.06 to 178.67 ng·L-1 and 0.07 to 37.68 ng·g-1, respectively. The average value of sulfachloropyridazine (SCP) in the surface water was the highest with a concentration of 129.54 ng·L-1, whereas the average value of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in the sediment was the highest with a concentration of 70.62 ng·g-1. The spatial distribution of the total amount of PPCPs showed a trend of Qingxi country park > Jinze Reservoir > Taipu River basin. Principal component analysis showed that the main sources of pollution were animal antibiotics used in aquaculture and the discharge of domestic sewage. There was a significant correlation between lg Koc and lg Kd (P<0.05), indicating that the organic carbon plays an important role in the distribution of the target PPCPs in water and sediments. The ecological risk assessment results revealed that the fungicides (TCC and TCS) in the surface waters showed a moderate risk to aquatic organisms of different trophic levels. The Qingxi country park and Jinze Reservoir were the regions with the highest ecological risks of PPCPs in surface water and sediment. The health risk entropy (HQ) of people of all age groups exposed through drinking was less than 1; however, with the continuous emission and accumulation of PPCPs, the pollution control of PPCPs in the environment still requires further attention.

Design and Experimental Evaluation of a Lower-Limb Exoskeleton for Assisting Workers With Motorized Tuning of Squat Heights.

This paper presents the E-LEG, a novel semi-passive lower-limb exoskeleton for worker squatting assistance, with motorized tuning of the assistive squatting height. Compared with other passive industrial exoskeletons for the lower-limbs, the E-LEG presents novel design features namely inertial sensor for measuring the tilt angle of thigh and the novel electromagnetic switch for adjusting squat height. These features could enhance the effectiveness of the system. In addition to the introduction to exoskeleton design, this paper also reports the systematic experimental evaluation of human subjects. With the assistance of different conditions, the variability of muscular activity was evaluated in long-term static squatting task. The set of metrics to evaluate the effect of the device included leg muscle activity, plantar pressure fluctuation, plantar pressure center fluctuation and gait angles. Results show that the exoskeleton can reduce the muscular activity of the user during squatting, and it will have little affect the normal gait of the user during walking. In this study, we found that the E-LEG exoskeleton has potential effectiveness in reducing the muscular strain on long-term continuous squatting activities.

Multimedia fate model and risk assessment of typical antibiotics in the integrated demonstration zone of the Yangtze River Delta, China.

Due to the widespread consumption of antibiotics by humans and animals, antibiotic residues from human and animal excrements are released into the environment through domestic sewage and breeding wastewater, which ultimately affect the ecological environment and human health. In this study, the concentrations of 10 antibiotics in the air, water, soil, and sediment from 2013 to 2019 in Qingpu District of the integrated demonstration zone of the Yangtze River Delta were predicated by developing a dynamic Level IV fugacity model. The influence of seasonal environmental factors (e.g., temperature, rainfall) on the distribution and migration of antibiotics in multi-media was also explored. The simulation results show that the 10 antibiotics mainly existed in water and sediment. The concentrations of antibiotics in air, water, soil, and sediment were 0-7.629 × 10-14 ng/L, 1.187 × 10-10-16.793 ng/L, 1.042 × 10-14-3.500 × 10-11 ng/g and 8.015 × 10-12-14.188 ng/g, respectively. It was also found that the increase in temperature and rainfall can reduce the migration rate of some antibiotics into the water and sediment phases. The flux analysis of the cross-media migration and transformation of antibiotics in Qingpu District shows that advection was the prime input and output paths of antibiotics in the water. Moreover, the prime input and output paths of antibiotics in sediment were sedimentation from water to sediment and degradation. Sensitivity analysis shows that the characteristics of antibiotic emission, degradation rate, and Koc were the most influential parameters for target chemicals. The results of risk assessment based on Monte Carlo method reveal that the overall risk level of antibiotics in sediment was relatively risk-free, and the risk of antibiotics in water decreased in the order of tetracyclines > ß-lactams > fluoroquinolones > macrolides > sulfonamides.

Synthesis and evaluation of Fe3O4-impregnated activated carbon for dioxin removal.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (PCDD/PCDFs) are highly toxic organic pollutants in soils and sediments which persist over timescales that extend from decades to centuries. There is a growing need to develop effective technologies for remediating PCDD/Fs-contaminated soils and sediments to protect human and ecosystem health. The use of sorbent amendments to sequester PCDD/Fs has emerged as one promising technology. A synthesis method is described here to create a magnetic activated carbon composite (AC-Fe3O4) for dioxin removal and sampling that could be recovered from soils using magnetic separation. Six AC-Fe3O4 composites were evaluated (five granular ACs (GACs) and one fine-textured powder AC(PAC)) for their magnetization and ability to sequester dibenzo-p-dioxin (DD). Both GAC/PAC and GAC/PAC-Fe3O4 composites effectively removed DD from aqueous solution. The sorption affinity of DD for GAC-Fe3O4 was slightly reduced compared to GAC alone, which is attributed to the blocking of sorption sites. The magnetization of a GAC-Fe3O4 composite reached 5.38 emu/g based on SQUID results, allowing the adsorbent to be easily separated from aqueous solution using an external magnetic field. Similarly, a fine-textured PAC-Fe3O4 composite was synthesized with a magnetization of 9.3 emu/g.

Acceptor Engineering for Optimized ROS Generation Facilitates Reprogramming Macrophages to M1 Phenotype in Photodynamic Immunotherapy.

Reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages to an antitumor M1 phenotype by photodynamic therapy is a promising strategy to overcome the immunosuppression of tumor microenvironment for boosted immunotherapy. However, it remains unclear how the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from type I and II mechanisms, relate to the macrophage polarization efficacy. Herein, we design and synthesize three donor-acceptor structured photosensitizers with varied ROS-generating efficiencies. Surprisingly, we discovered that the extracellular ROS generated from type I mechanism are mainly responsible for reprogramming the macrophages from a pro-tumor type (M2) to an anti-tumor state (M1). In vivo experiments prove that the photosensitizer can trigger photodynamic immunotherapy for effective suppression of the tumor growth, while the therapeutic outcome is abolished with depleted macrophages. Overall, our strategy highlights the designing guideline of macrophage-activatable photosensitizers.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in a drinking water resource of Yangtze River Delta Ecology and Greenery Integration Development Demonstration Zone in China: Occurrence and human health risk assessment.

The occurrence, partition, and human health risk of thirteen pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been investigated in surface water, overlying water, pore water and sediment samples from Dianshan Lake of Yangtze River Delta Ecology and Greenery Integration Development Demonstration Zone in China. PPCPs were ubiquitous in aqueous phase and sediments from Dianshan Lake. Sulfamethazine (SMZ) was dominated in surface water and overlying water, while ketoprofen (KPF) was rich in sediment. The total concentration of PPCPs ranged from 0.38-85.27 ng/L, 24.26-130.03 ng/L and 5.39-149.84 µg/kg in surface water, overlying water and sediment, respectively, which were in middle levels compared with these reported in other aquatic environment in China. Naproxen (NPX), sulfadimethoxine (SDM), sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and sulfamethazine (SMZ) in surface water showed a relatively higher level in lake side than those in lake center suggesting that a mixed containment source of human- and animal-derived from the areas around lake. The significant season variations of most PPCPs were mainly attributed to their usage, water temperature and dilution effect. The partition behaviors of PPCPs in sediment-overlying water and sediment-pore water system were mainly affected by their logKow values, and showed weak correlation with total organic carbon (TOC) content in sediment and molecular weights of PPCPs. Preliminary results indicated that PPCPs in Dianshan Lake have not posed a high risk to human health by exposure to drinking water for all age groups. Nevertheless, their potential to cause the mixture toxicity and resistance genes cannot be neglected. This work will contribute to the clear picture of PPCPs contamination in drinking water source in the Demonstration Zone, and provide reliable and simple-to-use information to regulators on the exposure and risk levels of PPCPs, as well as recommendations for future research.

Source identification of Zn in Erren River, Taiwan: An application of Zn isotopes.

Source identification of environmental pollutants is critical for pollution prevention and controlling. In this work, Zn isotopic compositions and Zn spatial distribution from headwater to estuary of Erren River (ER) catchments (southern Taiwan) were systematically investigated as a potential source tracer for distinguishing natural weathering and anthropogenic activities. Industrial wastewaters/effluents including leather, printed circuit board (PCB), metal surface treatment (MST), semiconductor wafer (SCW), and electroplating (EP) industries were collected and analyzed as the potential sources of Zn isotopic database. Results implied that MST wastewaters/effluents had the lowest δ66Zn values (Zn isotopic composition) in the range of -0.40 to +0.04. Oppositely, high Zn isotopic composition was observed in leather (δ66Zn = +0.41 to +0.71) and EP wastewaters/effluents (δ66Zn = +0.54 to +1.84). Significantly, the plot of δ66Zn versus 1/Zn clearly indicates that riverine Zn isotope in the ER waters (-0.73 to 1.77‰) can be simply explained by at least three end-member mixing which contains EP, MST wastewaters, and natural component. Our data importantly proved that Zn isotopic composition is a powerful tracer for distinguishing different Zn sources of anthropogenic pollution in rivers.

Human Body Mixed Motion Pattern Recognition Method Based on Multi-Source Feature Parameter Fusion.

Aiming at the requirement of rapid recognition of the wearer's gait stage in the process of intelligent hybrid control of an exoskeleton, this paper studies the human body mixed motion pattern recognition technology based on multi-source feature parameters. We obtain information on human lower extremity acceleration and plantar analyze the relationship between these parameters and gait cycle studying the motion state recognition method based on feature evaluation and neural network. Based on the actual requirements of exoskeleton per use, 15 common gait patterns were determined. Using this, the studies were carried out on the time domain, frequency domain, and energy feature extraction of multi-source lower extremity motion information. The distance-based feature screening method was used to extract the optimal features. Finally, based on the multi-layer BP (back propagation) neural network, a nonlinear mapping model between feature quantity and motion state was established. The experimental results showed that the recognition accuracy in single motion mode can reach up to 98.28%, while the recognition accuracy of the two groups of experiments in mixed motion mode was found to be 92.7% and 97.4%, respectively. The feasibility and effectiveness of the model were verified.

Variance in heavy metal leachability of Pb-, Ni-, and Cr-contaminated soils through red brick sintering procedure.

The technology for remediating heavy metal-contaminated soil is considerably limited because heavy metals do not undergo decomposition. Off-site reuse has emerged as the main technique for treating heavy metal-contaminated soil. Soil is the primary material in red brick making; and in the sintering procedure, heavy metals could solidify and stabilize within bricks. In this study, lead-, nickel-, and chromium-contaminated soils were collected from multiple agricultural fields. The sintering process was performed using a kiln that was for making red bricks. The sintering temperature was approximately 1000 °C. Soil and brick samples, before and after sintering, were analyzed for metal extraction concentration and binding form distribution. After sintering, the concentrations of Pb, Ni, and Cr determined through X-ray fluorescence approximated the concentrations in the soil. However, in the bricks, the bioavailability concentration of Pb, Ni, and Cr is less than 1% of that in the soil; the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) leaching concentration of Pb in the bricks was only 4% of that in the soil, and the leaching concentrations of Ni and Cr were lower than the detectable concentration. For the aqua regia extraction method, in the bricks, the Pb, Ni, and Cr were extracted and the concentrations accounted for 4.6%, 8.8%, and 9.4% of the concentrations in the soil, respectively. After sintering, more than 95% of Ni and Cr in the bricks were in residual fractions. The sintering process has the ability to stabilize the heavy metals in the contaminated soil.

Recycling of neodymium enhanced by functionalized magnetic ferrite.

This study systematically evaluates Neodymium (Nd) recovery from actual seawaters and wastewater using functionalized magnetic ferrite (3-mercaptopropionic acid-tetraethyl orthosilicate ferrite, MPA-TEOS-ferrite). The recovery of Nd by MPA-TEOS-ferrite displayed an L-shaped nonlinear isotherm, suggesting limiting binding sites on the adsorbent surface. At room temperature, a significant recovery of Nd by MPA-TEOS-ferrite increased from 8.99% to 99.99% with increasing pH (2.89-8.16) and an enhanced maxima Nd recovery capacity was observed on MPA-TEOS-ferrite (25.58 mg/g) when compared with pure ferrite (22.27 mg/g). The L3-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra for the adsorbents collected after Nd recovery indicated that Nd(III) was still the predominant oxidation species on the surface of MPA-TEOS-ferrite. Only slightly change in the oxidation state or electronic structure around the Nd ions could be found during the adsorption process. Importantly, no significant change was found on Nd recovery while the NaCl ionic strength increased from 0.01 to 0.5 N. Furthermore, the results also displayed that the synthesized MPA-TEOS-ferrite has a great potential in efficient and rapid recovery of Nd from seawaters and wastewater.

Mutation allele frequency threshold does not affect prognostic analysis using next-generation sequencing in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: With the development of sequencing technologies, there may be some disputes on sequencing analysis. The aim of this study was to investigate different allele frequency thresholds of mutations in targeted genes on prognostic analyses using a panel of cancer associated gene exons (CAGE) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS: Forty-six patients were included in this study. Twelve genes were sequenced and analyzed using next-generation sequencing from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. Allele frequency thresholds of 10, 5, and 3% were used for prognostic analyses. RESULTS: With a mean sequence depth of 3199-fold, 99% of CAGE were represented by at least 10 reads. Ninety-four non-synonymous (missense [70.2%], nonsense [11.7%], splice site [10.6%], and insertion/deletion [7.5%]) mutations were detected in 40 OSCC patients with an allele frequency threshold of 10%. TP53 (78.3%), NOTCH1 (30.4%), CASP8 (13.0%), CDKN2A (10.9%), and CDH1 (6.5%) were the most frequently mutated genes. Using allele frequency thresholds of 10, 5, and 3%, there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between patients with non-synonymous mutations and wild type genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: TP53, NOTCH1, CASP8, CDKN2A, and CDH1 are the most frequently mutated genes in OSCC patients. The allele frequency threshold used in this study does not affect the results of clinical outcome analysis.