Search

The chemical oxygen demand (COD) is a widely used parameter to evaluate the quality of water for industrial applications. Currently, the standardized method for COD analysis employs expensive and harmful reagents that require a special treatment for disposal upon use. The photoelectrocatalytic COD detection, based on the photocatalytic activity of a reduced TiO 2 nanotube array photoanode (Ti|NT-TiO 2) under supply of a low bias potential, represents a fast, cheap and eco-friendly alternative to the standard COD method (COD STD). Here, Ti|NT-TiO 2 was synthesized by the anodization method followed by heat treatment and electrochemical reduction. Potassium hydrogen phthalate, glucose and acetic acid were used as model organic compounds. The photoelectrocatalytic detection of COD (COD PEC) is based on the photoelectrocatalytic oxidation of target compounds on the surface of the reduced Ti|NT-TiO 2 under UV illumination. Photocurrent transients were recorded using chronocoulometry, and the net charge (Δ q) was plotted as a function of the theoretical COD (COD TH). A linear relationship was found between these two parameters regardless of the model compound. That relationship was used to determine the COD PEC for acetylsalicylic acid and Terasil Blue dye solutions at concentrations within the range of 0–15 mg L−1. A good agreement between COD PEC and COD STD was achieved. The limit of detection of the method was 3.6 mg L−1 COD, with the linear range established from 0 to 50 mg L−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 anodes was enhanced by synthesizing Ru-doped Ti|TiO 2 nanotube arrays. Such photoanodes were fabricated via Ti anodization followed by Ru impregnation and annealing. The X-ray diffractograms revealed that anatase was the main TiO 2 phase, while rutile was slightly present in all samples. Scanning electron microscopy evidenced a uniform morphology in all samples, with nanotube diameter ranging from 60 to 120 nm. The bias potential for the photoelectrochemical (PEC) treatment was selected from the electrochemical characterization of each electrode, made via linear sweep voltammetry. All the Ru-doped TiO 2 nanotube array photoanodes showed a peak photocurrent (PP) and a saturation photocurrent (SP) upon their illumination with UV or visible light. In contrast, the undoped TiO 2 nanotubes only showed the SP, which was higher than that reached with the Ru-doped photoanodes using UV light. An exception was the Ru(0.15 wt%)-doped TiO 2 , whose SP was comparable under visible light. Using that anode, the activity enhancement during the PEC treatment of a Terasil Blue dye solution at E bias (PP) was much higher than that attained at E bias (SP). The percentage of color removal at 120 min with the Ru(0.15 wt%)-doped TiO 2 was 98% and 55% in PEC with UV and visible light, respectively, being much greater than 82% and 28% achieved in photocatalysis. The moderate visible-light photoactivity of the Ru-doped TiO 2 nanotube arrays suggests their convenience to work under solar PEC conditions, aiming at using a large portion of the solar spectrum. • Synthesis, characterization and UV/Vis performance of Ru-doped TiO 2 photoanode arrays. • Photoelectrochemical (PEC) analysis: peak photocurrent (PP) and saturation photocurrent (SP). • Positive effect of Ru doping: E bias = E (PP) with UV/Vis light, or E bias = E (SP) with Vis light. • Effect of annealing temperature, pH and E bias on decolorization rate of Terasil Blue dye solutions. • 82% and 28% in UV- and visible-light PC; 98% and 55% in UV- and visible-light PEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive disease associated with very poor prognosis. Most patients are older than 60 years, and in this group only 5-15% of cases survive over 5 years. Therefore, it is urgent to develop more effective targeted therapies. Inactivation of protein phosphatase 2 A (PP2A) is a recurrent event in AML, and overexpression of its endogenous inhibitor SET is detected in ~30% of patients. The PP2A activating drug FTY720 has potent anti-leukemic effects; nevertheless, FTY720 induces cardiotoxicity at the anti-neoplastic dose. Here, we have developed a series of non-phosphorylable FTY720 analogues as a new therapeutic strategy for AML. Our results show that the lead compound CM-1231 re-activates PP2A by targeting SET-PP2A interaction, inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis in AML cell lines and primary patient samples. Notably, CM-1231 did not induce cardiac toxicity, unlike FTY720, in zebrafish models, and reduced the invasion and aggressiveness of AML cells more than FTY720 in zebrafish xenograft models. In conclusion, CM-1231 is safer and more effective than FTY720; therefore, this compound could represent a novel and promising approach for treating AML patients with SET overexpression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Waiting time to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was longer in acute myelogenous leukemia patients allocated to an unrelated donor when compared with patients assigned to a matched related donor. • Despite the delay associated to unrelated donor allocation, a similar proportion of patients failed to reach allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in both groups. • Transplantation outcomes were comparable among donor allocation groups. • No significant differences in clinical outcomes from the time of transplant approval were observed. Abstract Clinical outcomes after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) from unrelated donors (URDs) approach those of matched related donor (MRD) transplants in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Yet, available data fail to account for differences in pretransplantation outcomes between these donor selection strategies. In this regard, URD allo-HSCT is associated with longer waiting times to transplantation, potentially resulting in higher probabilities of failure to reach transplant. We retrospectively analyzed 108 AML patients accepted for first allo-HSCT from the time of approval to proceed to transplant. Fifty-eight (54%) patients were initially allocated to MRD, while URD search was initiated in 50 (46%) patients. Time to transplant was longer in patients allocated to a URD when compared with patients assigned to an MRD (median 142 days versus 100 days; p <.001). Forty-three of 58 (74%) patients in the MRD group and 35 of 50 (70%) patients in the URD group underwent transplantation (odds ratio [OR], 1.22; p =.63). Advanced disease status at the time of allo-HSCT approval was the only predictor of failure to reach transplantation in the multivariate analysis (OR, 4.78; p =.001). Disease progression was the most common cause of failure to reach allo-HSCT (66.7%) in both the MRD and URD groups. With a median follow-up from transplantation of 14.5 (interquartile range, 5 to 29) months, the 2-year estimate of overall survival (OS) from allo-HSCT was 46% in the MRD group and 57% in the URD group (p =.54). There were no differences in OS according to donor type allocation in the multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 1.01; p =.83). When including patients from the time of transplant approval, 2-year OS was 39% in the MRD group versus 42% in the URD group. Our study suggests that allocation of AML patients to URDs may result in comparable clinical outcomes to MRD assignment without a significant increase in the risk of failure to reach transplant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]