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[Display omitted] • Ag/PPy/BiVO 4 nanocomposites are synthesized by surface self–deposition processes. • The Z-Scheme charge transfer channel retains valuable electrons and holes. • Improved photoactivity is mainly attributed to synergistic effects. • Ag nanoparticles favor charge separation and further be useful for CO 2 reduction. • CO 2 is reduced into CO and CH 4 via the ·COOH and ·CH 3 O intermediates. Photocatalytic reduction of CO 2 to hydrocarbons (e.g., CH 4) or CO under mild conditions, providing a feasible and promising method for the environmental remediation and utilization of carbon resources. However, since CO 2 -to-CO is a two–electron process, and even CO 2 -to-CH 4 is an eight-electron reaction, it is a challenging task to achieve CO 2 activation with an extremely short effective charge lifetime. In this paper, a synergistic effect strategy is used to prepare Ag nanoparticles modified PPy/BiVO 4 Z-Scheme composites for synergizing the charge separation and surface catalytic processes in CO 2 reduction reaction. With the joint efforts of synergy, the optimal photocatalyst achieves an efficient CO 2 reduction yield (5.92 μmol·g−1·h−1) with an exceptionally high CO selectivity of 85.8% and the corresponding O 2 evolution. Based on the result analysis, it can be clearly proved that the excellent CO 2 reduction performance relies on the Z–Scheme charge transfer mechanism between PPy/BiVO 4 composites interface and the strong catalytic effect of Ag nanoparticles on CO 2. Furthermore, the detailed processes of deoxygenation and proton acquisition during CO 2 reduction is revealed by in-situ DRIFTS and NAP-XPS. This paper demonstrates a strategy for designing efficient photocatalysts toward reduction of CO 2 to higher value-added chemicals, and highlights the importance of catalysis and charge separation to the synergy of key steps in catalytic reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Health-related quality of life and utility scores of patients with breast cancer and precancerous lesions are sparse in China. This study aimed to derive utility scores of patients with breast cancer and precancer in China. Material and methods An interviewer-administered cross-sectional survey was conducted in 12 provinces across China from 2013 to 2014. The three-level EuroQol-5-Dimension instrument was used to evaluate quality of life, and utility scores were generated using the Chinese value set. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore the determinants of utility scores. Results In total, 2626 breast cancer and 471 precancer patients were included. Mean age was 49.1 for breast cancer and 41.4 years for precancer (p < 0.001). Among the five dimensions, pain/discomfort was the most reported problem, 53.9% in breast cancer and 29.3% in precancer patients. Mean (95% CI) utility scores for breast cancer and precancer patients were estimated as 0.887 (0.875–0.899) and 0.781 (0.774–0.788), and the scores of breast cancer at stage-I, stage-II, stage-III and stage-IV were 0.789 (0.774–0.805), 0.793 (0.783–0.802), 0.774 (0.759–0.788) and 0.686 (0.654–0.717), respectively. Mean (95% CI) visual analogue scale scores for breast cancer and precancer were 75.6 (74.0–77.3) and 72.8 (72.3–73.3). Multiple regression showed advanced clinical stage, lower educational level, lower household income, surgery treatment, and undergoing treatment were independently associated with lower utility scores for breast cancer patients. Conclusion The utility scores deteriorate with the severity of breast neoplasms. Detailed utility scores of breast cancer and precancer are fundamental for further cost-utility analysis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The landfill-derived POM comprised protein-, fulvic-, and humic-like substances. • The POM contains hydroxyl, carboxyl and quinone functional groups. • The EDC of the landfill POM was higher than its EAC. • The intermediate and old POM promoted dechlorination of PCP more effectively. Particulate organic matter (POM) includes humin and non-degradable residues, and the knowledge about its composition, evolution and environmental behavior is limited. The composition, evolution and its influence on dechlorination of the POM in landfill was studied. The results show that POM accounts for 27 %–57 % of the organic matter in landfill cell, which is mainly composed of protein-, fulvic- and humic-like components. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the main microorganisms driving the compositional evolution of POM during the landfilling process. The electron acceptance capacities (EAC) and electron donating capacities (EDC) of POM were in the range of 0.05–0.51 μmol/gC−1 and 0.13–0.66 μmol/gC−1, respectively, and the average EAC and EDC of POM in the intermediate and old stage of landfill were higher than those in the initial stage. The combined action of MR-1 and POM increased the degradation rate of PCP by 20 %–40 %, which was ascribed to the reduction capacities and electron transfer process of POM. POM derived from the intermediate and old stages promoted PCP dechlorination more effectively when compared with the initial stage due to its high electron transfer capacities (ETC), which are of great significance for soil in-situ bioremediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • VOC and SVOC data were collected from 72 landfills in 20 countries. • Aromatic and halogenated compounds are the major sources of carcinogenic risks. • The risks posed by ethyl acetate in landfill gas also deserve attention. • Landfill gas health risk was influenced by meteorological conditions. Gas emitted from landfills contains a large quantity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), some of which are carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic, thereby posing a serious threat to the health of landfill workers and nearby residents. However, the global hazards of VOCs and SVOCs in landfill gas to human health remain unclear. To quantify the global risk distributions of these pollutants, we collected the composition and concentration data of VOCs and SVOCs from 72 landfills in 20 countries from the core database of Web of Science and assessed their human health risks as well as analyzed their influencing factors. Organic compounds in landfill gas were found to primarily result from the biodegradation of natural organic waste or the emissions and volatilization of chemical products, with the concentration range of 1 × 10-1–1 × 106 μg/m3. The respiratory system, in particular, lung was the major target organ of VOCs and SVOCs, with additional adverse health impacts ranging from headache and allergies to lung cancer. Aromatic and halogenated compounds were the primary sources of health risk, while ethyl acetate and acetone from the biodegradation of natural organic waste also exceeded the acceptable levels for human health. Overall, VOCs and SVOCs affected residents within 1,000 m of landfills. Air temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, wind direction, and wind speed were the major factors that influenced the health risks of VOCs and SVOCs. Currently, landfill risk assessments of VOCs and SVOCs are primarily based on respiratory inhalation, with health risks due to other exposure routes remaining poorly elucidated. In addition, potential health risks due to the transport and transformation of landfill gas emitted into the atmosphere should be further studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) diagnosis is generally poor due to the lack of convenient and noninvasive tools. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and the long non-coding RNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) are non-coding RNAs, that have attracted increased attention for their use as NSCLC tumor diagnostic markers. Main methods: We constructed a serum miRNA and MALAT1 non-coding RNA panel and tested its diagnostic performance as an NSCLC biomarker. We tested the expression of 11 candidate miRNAs and MALAT1 in a training set (36 NSCLCs vs. 36 controls) by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions. The serum non-coding RNA panel's diagnostic efficiency was tested and validated in a second validation sample set (120 NSCLCs and 71 controls) by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. Key findings In the training set, the expression of the four non-coding RNAs (miR-1254, miR-485-5p, miR-574-5p, and MALAT1) was obviously different between the NSCLC patients and healthy controls. Risk score analysis revealed that the four non-coding RNA panel can distinguish NSCLC patient samples from controls. The ROC curve results revealed areas under the curves (AUCs) of 0.861 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.771–0.952) and 0.844 (95% CI0.778–0.910) for the training set and validation set, respectively. Significance The four non-coding RNA risk scores were also associated with NSCLC progression, and its diagnostic efficiency was relatively high for stages I/II/III. In conclusion, these data indicate that the four non-coding RNA panel can serve as a convenient tool for early NSCLC diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combined process comprised of ex-situ nitrification in an aged refuse bioreactor (designated as A bioreactor) and in-situ denitrification in a fresh refuse bioreactor (designated as F bioreactor) was constructed for investigating N 2 O emission during the stabilization of municipal solid waste (MSW). The results showed that N 2 O concentration in the F bioreactor varied from undetectable to about 130 ppm, while it was much higher in the A bioreactor with the concentration varying from undetectable to about 900 ppm. The greatly differences of continuous monitoring of N 2 O emission after leachate cross recirculation in each period were primarily attributed to the stabilization degree of MSW. Moreover, the variation of N 2 O concentration was closely related to the leachate quality in both bioreactors and it was mainly affected by the COD and COD/TN ratio of leachate from the F bioreactor, as well as the DO, ORP, and NO 3 − -N of leachate from the A bioreactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]