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Cobalt monoxide is a low–valence compound with a face–centered cubic structure and has been deemed as a promising electrode material for energy storage, such as batteries and supercapacitors (SC). In this work, the recent progress of CoO and its composites for SC application is briefly reviewed. The preparation methods for CoO are summarized at first. With the development of nanotechnologies, various CoO nanostructures are thus synthesized for SC, but most architectures grown on conductive substrates show higher specific capacitance than the corresponding power materials. If integrated with some typical guest materials, such as transition metal oxides, hydroxides, sulfides, and carbon materials (including carbon nanotubes, graphene and porous carbon) as well as conductive polymers, the CoO composites usually deliver promoted electrochemical performances. Thus, much attention is focused on the composites of CoO. An outlook for future work is finally put forward.

BackgroundPrevious studies have found that elevated copper levels induce oxidation, which correlates with the occurrence of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the mechanism of abnormal cerebral metabolism of MDD patients remains ambiguous. The main function of the enzyme ATPase copper-transporting alpha (ATP7A) is to transport copper across the membrane to retain copper homeostasis, which is closely associated with the onset of mental disorders and cognitive impairment. However, less is known regarding the association of ATP7A expression in MDD patients.MethodsA total of 31 MDD patients and 21 healthy controls were recruited in the present study. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to assess the concentration levels of N-acetylaspartate, choline (Cho), and creatine (Cr) in brain regions of interest, including prefrontal white matter (PWM), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), thalamus, lentiform nucleus, and cerebellum. The mRNA expression levels of ATP7A were measured using polymerase chain reaction (SYBR Green method). The correlations between mRNA expression levels of ATP7A and/or ceruloplasmin levels and neuronal biochemical metabolite ratio in the brain regions of interest were evaluated.ResultsThe decline in the mRNA expression levels of ATP7A and the increase in ceruloplasmin levels exhibited a significant correlation in MDD patients. In addition, negative correlations were noted between the decline in mRNA expression levels of ATP7A and the increased Cho/Cr ratios of the left PWM, right PWM, and right ACC in MDD patients. A positive correlation between elevated ceruloplasmin levels and increased Cho/Cr ratio of the left PWM was noted in MDD patients.ConclusionsThe findings suggested that the decline in the mRNA expression levels of ATP7A and the elevated ceruloplasmin levels induced oxidation that led to the disturbance of neuronal metabolism in the brain, which played important roles in the pathophysiology of MDD. The decline in the mRNA expression levels of ATP7A and the elevated ceruloplasmin levels affected neuronal membrane metabolic impairment in the left PWM, right PWM, and right ACC of MDD patients.

The α7-human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is associated with poor prognosis. We compared the genomic profiles of this disease in a cohort corresponding to the 2001–2014 period with various responses to radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiation through microRNA (miR) profiling involving miR 4.0 array and human transcriptome array 2.0 analyses. A real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was then conducted to identify the predictive biomarkers. A significantly lower expression of miR143-3p in recurrent tumors (p = 0.0309) relative to that in nonrecurrent tumors was observed. The miR143-3p targeted the mRNA expression of the baculoviral inhibitor of the apoptosis protein (IAP) repeat-containing 2 (BIRC2, p = 0.0261). The BIRC2 protein levels (p = 0.0023) were significantly higher in recurrent tumors than in nonrecurrent tumors. Moreover, the miR-143-3p sensitized the response of α7-HPV-related cervical SCC to chemotherapy by targeting BIRC2. A combination of BIRC2-inhibitor LCL161 and topotecan exerted synergistic effects on cancer cells and animal tumor models. In a pooled cohort of α7-HPV-related cervical SCC (including mixed infections with non-α7-HPV) treated between 1993 and 2014, high BIRC2 expression was associated with significantly worse outcomes (cancer-specific survival, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.42, p = 0.008, progression-free survival, HR = 1.64, p = 0.005). Summarily, BIRC2 constitutes a novel prognostic factor and therapeutic target for α7-HPV-related cervical SCC.

Background Excessive hepatic lipid accumulation can lead to the occurrence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Previous study showed that upregulation of lncRNA HOTAIR significantly increased total cholesterol and triglyceride. However, the function of HOTAIR in lipid accumulation during the progression NAFLD remains unclear. Methods High fat diet was used to mimic NAFLD in vivo, and free fatty acid was used to establish in vitro model of NAFLD. Oil red O staining was applied to test the lipid accumulation. The pathological changes in mice were observed by H&E staining. Western blot and qRT-PCR were applied to assess protein and mRNA levels, respectively. RIP assay was used to explore the relationship among HOTAIR, miR-130b-3p and ROCK1. Results The level of HOTAIR was upregulated in NAFLD. Downregulation of HOTAIR reversed lipid accumulation in FFA-treated HepG2 cells and primary hepatocytes. Meanwhile, HOTAIR bound with miR-130b-3p, and ROCK1 was identified to be the direct target of miR-130b-3p. Moreover, miR-130b-3p mimics-caused lipid accumulation decrease was reversed by pcDNA3.1-ROCK1. Furthermore, the effect of miR-130b-3p mimics on p-AMPK2α and ROCK1 level was partially reversed by ROCK1 overexpression. Conclusion Knockdown of HOTAIR significantly inhibited the progression of NAFLD through mediation of miR-130b-3p/ROCK1 axis. Our study might shed new lights on exploring new methods against NAFLD.

Aurein1.2 is a 13-residue antimicrobial peptide secreted by the Australian tree frog Litoria aurea. In order to improve its stabilities, the helical contents and corresponding biological activities of Aurein1.2 (a series of stapled analogues) were synthesized, and their potential antifungal activities were evaluated. Not surprisingly, the stapled Aurein1.2 peptides showed higher proteolytic stability and helicity than the linear counterpart. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ten stapled peptides against six strains of common pathogenic fungi was determined by the microscale broth dilution method recommended by CLSI. Of them, Sau-1, Sau-2, Sau-5, and Sau-9 exhibited better inhibitory effects on the fungi than the linear peptide. These stapled Aurein1.2 peptides may serve as the leading compounds for further optimization and antifungal therapy.

This study presents a field trial of ex-situ solidification/stabilization of heavy metal contaminated soils using a new hydroxyapatite based binder SPC (superphosphate and calcium oxide). The field performance including electrical conductivity (EC), heavy metal and chemical oxygen demand (COD) leachability, and penetration resistance of stabilized soils up to 256 days after treatment is investigated. Moreover, acid neutralization capacity (ANC), metal speciation, and soil mineralogy analyses are performed to elucidate the heavy metal immobilization mechanisms. The results indicate that the stabilized soils have lower EC values than untreated soils, indicating the lower soluble salt contents in stabilized soils. Ex-situ treatment can significantly reduce acid soluble fraction contents and leachability of lead, zinc and cadmium in soils as a consequence. Decrease in COD leachability is observed during the curing period up to 256 days. Additionally, SPC stabilized soils give superior mechanical properties as indicated by their higher penetration resistance values as compared to the untreated soils. The improvement in ANC and reduction in acid soluble fraction resulting from the formation of phosphate-based precipitates are mainly responsible for the reduced heavy metal leachability of stabilized soils. Additionally, ex-situ SPC treatment is found to be effective in improving soil spatial homogeneity.

Objective The first Poly (adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) polymerase inhibitor, olaparib, was approved by Taiwan Food and Drug Administration in June 2018, which was available under a compassionate use program since 2015. This study aims to report the early experience of the effectiveness and adverse effects of olaparib in recurrent ovarian cancer patients in Taiwan. Materials and methods This retrospective study enrolled patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian and peritoneal cancer who received olaparib as maintenance therapy or salvage therapy between December, 2015 and October, 2019. We observed response rates in the salvage therapy group, and progression-free interval (PFI) in both groups. Results A total of 20 patients (10 in maintenance and 10 in salvage groups) were enrolled. BRCA status was checked in 18 patients by blood or tumor samples, and 83.3% were mutated (n = 15), including pathological/probable pathological variants in BRCA1 (n = 11), BRCA2 (n = 2), or both BRCA1/BRCA2 (n = 2). In the salvage group, there were two partial responses and two stable diseases, adding up to a clinical benefit rate at 40%. In the maintenance group, median PFI was 20.1 months (range, 1.0–33.1). The median PFI of those with chemotherapy-free interval >12 months was not reached, which was significantly better than those ≤12 months, with median PFI 3.1 months (p = 0.022). The most common grade 3/4 adverse effects in patient with olaparib as monotherapy were neutropenia (30.8%) and fatigue (7.7%). Anemia of grade 1/2 was noted in 76.9%. Conclusion This real-world experience of olaparib for recurrent ovarian cancer in Taiwan showed efficacy and safety similar to the results of previous clinical trial.

Background: Cyclophosphamide is a common tumor chemotherapy drug used to treat various cancers. However, the resulting immunosuppression leads to leukopenia, which is a serious limiting factor in clinical application. Therefore, the introduction of immunomodulators as adjuvant therapy may help to reduce the hematological side effects of cyclophosphamide. Lvjiaobuxue granule has been widely used in the clinical treatment of gynecological diseases such as anemia and irregular menstruation. Recently, it has been found to increase the function of white blood cells, but its mechanism of action is still unclear. We aimed to reveal the mechanisms of Lvjiaobuxue granule against acute leukopenia by an integrated strategy combining metabolomics with network pharmacology.Methods: Subcutaneously inoculated 4T1 breast cancer cells to prepare tumor-bearing mice, intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide to establish a 4T1 tumor-bearing mice leukopenia animal model, using pharmacodynamic indicators, metabolomics, network pharmacology and molecular biology and other technical methods. To comprehensively and systematically elucidate the effect and mechanism of Lvjiaobuxue granule in improving cyclophosphamide-induced leukopenia in 4T1 tumor-bearing mice.Results: Lvjiaobuxue granule can improve the blood routine parameters and organ index levels of the leukopenia model of 4T1 tumor-bearing mice. Metabolomics studies revealed that 15 endogenous metabolites in the spleen of mice were considered as potential biomarkers of Lvjiaobuxue granule for their protective effect. Metabonomics and network pharmacology integrated analysis indicated that Lvjiaobuxue granule exerted the leukocyte elevation activity by inhibiting the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) degradation pathway and increasing the levels of valine, leucine and isoleucine. The results of molecular biology also showed that Lvjiaobuxue granule can significantly regulate the key enzymes in the catabolism of BCAAs, which further illustrates the importance of BCAAs in improving leukopenia.Conclusion: Lvjiaobuxue granule exerts obvious pharmacological effects on the leukopenia model of 4T1 tumor-bearing mice induced by cyclophosphamide, which could be mediated by regulating the branched-chain amino acid degradation pathway and the levels of valine, leucine and isoleucine.

Rhizoma Coptidis is a popular phytomedicine for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Asia, but its effective dose for diabetes treatment remains confused because of diverse origins. This study aimed to investigate the dose-response effects of Rhizoma Coptidis extract granules (RCEG), produced with standardized quality control, on hypoglycemic effects in patients with type 2 diabetes. We conducted a retrospective analysis of Chang Gung Research Database from January 01, 2008 to November 30, 2017. Outpatients visiting traditional Chinese medicine clinics and receiving RCEG for type 2 diabetes treatment were included. Plasma glucose, lipid, and other parameters were analyzed from 93 patients with a total of 737 visits within 60 weeks. Scatter plots with the LOESS analysis were used to explore the association between RCEG dose and hypoglycemic effect. The minimal effective dose was chosen to divide the study population into the high-dose and low-dose RCEG groups. Non-parametric tests were used for between-group and within-group comparisons. The multivariate nonlinear mixed-effects model was applied to access the effect of treatment length and groups simultaneously on the change of HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose. The “arule” package in R was used to present the network diagram of RCEG and other co-prescriptions. We first discovered a significant relationship between RCEG dose and HbA1c reduction when the dose reached 0.08 g/kg/day or higher. We thus defined 0.08 g/kg/day of RCEG as the minimum effective dose, and a threshold to separate patients into the high-dose (≥0.08 g/kg/d) and low-dose (

To investigate outcomes and morbidity of patients undergoing secondary cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in recurrent ovarian cancer.Between April 2014 and January 2019, a total of 51 recurrent ovarian cancer patients receiving secondary CRS and HIPEC were retrospectively reviewed.Among the 51 patients, median peritoneal cancer index score was 13 (range 3-34), and completeness of cytoreduction (CC) score of 0/1 was achieved in 41 patients (78.8%). Regimen of HIPEC included cisplatin and paclitaxel in 39 (75%) cases. The median follow-up duration of survivors was 20.2 months. Sixteen (30.8%) patients remained free of recurrence after HIPEC. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 11.8 months and 34.5 months respectively. Multivariate analysis showed previous chemotherapylt;2 lines (HR 0.24, 0.11-0.52; p = 0.001), chemotherapy-free interval ≥6 months (HR 0.19, 0.09-0.37; p lt; 0.001) and CA125 lt; 35 U/mL before HIPEC (HR 0.133, 0.021-0.0832; p = 0.031) were good prognostic factors for PFS. CC0/1 was not significant in multivariate analysis. The most common grade 3/4 toxicity was anemia (17.3%), pleural effusion (11.5%) and renal insufficiency (5.7%). Patients with age ≥50, peritoneal carcinomatosis index (PCI) ≥ 11, operation time ≥10 h and diaphragm surgery had significantly higher incidence of pleural effusion.The current study showed adding HIPEC to secondary CRS might prolong PFS especially in patients with previous chemotherapylt;2 lines, chemotherapy-free interval ≥6 months and CA125 lt; 35 U/mL before HIPEC.

ObjectivesTo determine whether there is serum vitamin D deficiency and the low levels of serum vitamin D are correlated with serological and immunological indexes in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM).MethodsA total of 63 newly diagnosed patients with IIM, and 55 age- and sex- matched healthy controls were enrolled. Serum levels of 25-(OH)-D were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlations of 25-(OH)-D levels with disease indicators and T cell subsets were analyzed.ResultThe levels of serum 25-(OH)-D in IIM were significantly lower than those in healthy controls (9.36 ± 5.56 vs 26.56 ± 5.37 ng/ml, pConclusionsVitamin D deficiency existed in IIM patients, which was significantly correlated with muscle enzyme, presence of anti-Jo-1 and anti-Mi-2 antibody, and the absolute numbers of total T and Treg cells in IIM. It is suggested that vitamin D may play an important role in the immunological pathogenesis of IIM.

This study was designed to evaluate the learning curve of applying Seprafilm (modified hyaluronic acid and carboxymethylcellulose; Genzyme, Cambridge, MA, USA) during laparoscopic hysterectomy or subtotal hysterectomy with or without adnexectomy. In this retrospective cohort study, 35 patients who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy or subtotal hysterectomy with or without adnexectomy were enrolled. The Seprafilm was cut into 4 pieces, rolled up with a trimmed plastic sleeve and delivered through an incision wound made for the 5-mm ancillary trocar. The membrane was unrolled and placed on the rough surface after hysterectomy or subtotal hysterectomy with or without adnexectomy. The time from the insertion of the first piece of membrane into the abdominal cavity to the complete removal of the trimmed plastic sleeve was recorded. The median time for Seprafilm placement was 3 min. The learning curve was analyzed using the power-law method and suggested that 10 cases were required to achieve proficiency in the procedure. The presence of adnexectomy was significantly associated with the time required for Seprafilm placement (P

In the course of optimizing GPI biosynthesis inhibitors, we designed and synthetized a 2-aminonicotinamide derivative named 11g. After evaluating the antifungal activity of compound 11g in vitro, we investigated the influences of 11g on fungi immunogenicity. In addition, we also took advantage of murine systemic candidiasis model to investigate the protective effects of 11g in vivo. Results show that 11g exhibited potent antifungal activity both in vitro and in vivo. Further study shows that 11g caused the unmasking of fungi β-glucan layer, leading to stronger immune responses in macrophages through Dectin-1. These results suggest that 11g is a very promising antifungal candidate, which assists in eliciting stronger immune responses to help host immune system disposing pathogens. The discovery of 11g might expand the toolbox of fungal infection treatment.

The microbial fungus Candida albicans can undergo a change from commensal colonization to virulence that is strongly correlated with its ability to switch from yeast-form growth to hyphal growth. Cells initiating this process become adherent to surfaces as well as to each other, with the resulting development of a biofilm colony. This commonly occurs not only on mucosal tissue surfaces in yeast infections, but also on medical implants such as catheters. It is well known that biofilm cells are resistant to antifungal drugs, and that cells that shed from the biofilm can lead to dangerous systemic infections. Biofilms range from heavily translucent to opaque due to refractive heterogeneity. Therefore, fungal biofilms are difficult to study by optical microscopy. To visualize internal structural, cellular, and subcellular features, we clarify fixed intact biofilms by stepwise solvent exchange to a point of optimal refractive index matching. For C. albicans biofilms, sufficient clarification is attained with methyl salicylate (n = 1.537) to enable confocal microscopy from apex to base in 600 µm biofilms with little attenuation. In this visualization protocol we outline phase contrast refractometry, the growth of laboratory biofilms, fixation, staining, solvent exchange, the setup for confocal fluorescence microscopy, and representative results.

Background.Chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) is a serious complication among patients with gynecological malignancies, yet management options are limited. This study aimed at reporting the potential of the Chang Gung platelet elevating formula (CGPEF), a prescription with a fixed proportion of Chinese herbs, for improving CIT among gynecologic cancer patients.Materials.From 1/1/2007 to 31/12/2009, a total of 23 patients with two consecutive CIT episodes (≤ 100×103/μL) (last cycle: C0; index cycle: C1) received the CGPEF from the nadir of platelet count of C1 and through the subsequent chemotherapy cycles (C2 and beyond). The CGPEF was taken orally four times a day. The evolution of platelet counts of 18 patients after administration of CGPEF was analyzed (2 patients had different chemotherapy regimens after CGPEF, two patients discontinued CGPEF due to the flavor and the amount of CGPEF, and one patient had no further chemotherapy).Results.Most of the patients had recurrent ovarian cancer (11/18, 61%) with a median of 2.5 previous chemotherapy regimens, and carboplatin-based regimens were the most commonly used for these patients (13/18, 72%). The trend of successive CIT could be reversed after taking CGPEF. Also, the platelet nadir was higher after CGPEF treatment (16.5×103/μL versus 32×103/μL, before and after CGPEF treatment, resp.,p= 0.002). Moreover, the chemotherapy interval decreased from 30.5 days to 24 days. No thrombocytosis, clinical bleeding, thromboembolism, or other adverse events were found among these patients.Conclusions.The CGPEF is worthy of further large-scale, well-designed clinical trials for CIT among gynecological cancer patients.

In this study, a high-temperature hardness tester was developed, and its basic structure, main performance and advantages were introduced. The high-temperature hardness tester has three main advantages: it significantly prevents the oxidation of the sample and the indenter; it does not affect the stiffness of the bearing platform; and ensures the accurate measurement of the relevant image at high temperatures. Then, the Vickers indentation test was carried out using the developed hardness tester. The contact surface of the indenter and the sample was found to be a curved surface, and the height of the middle of the indentation edge was found to be higher than the height of the indentation corner. Therefore, a three-dimensional model of indentation morphology was established, and hardness values at different temperatures were corrected. It was found that the hardness of CTS18D cemented carbide decreased with increasing temperature, and the value decreased by approximately 35% from room temperature to 1000 °C. In addition, at the same temperature, the corrected hardness value was smaller than the measured hardness value. Moreover, the difference value between the measured hardness and the corrected hardness decreased from 3.9% to 3.2% with an increase in temperature from 26 °C to 1000 °C.

© 2017, Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India). Biofortification of crops with exogenous iodine is a novel strategy to control iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). The bioaccessibility of iodine (BI) in the biofortified vegetables in the course of soaking, cooking and digestion, were examined. Under hydroponics, the concentration of iodine in leafstalks of the celery and pakchoi increased with increasing exogenous iodine concentration, 54.8–63.9% of the iodine absorbed by pakchoi was stored in the soluble cellular substance. Being soaked in water within 8 h, the iodine loss rate of the biofortified celery was 3.5–10.4% only. More than 80% of the iodine in the biofortified celery was retained after cooking under high temperature. The highest BI of the biofortified vegetables after digestion in simulated gastric and intestinal juice amounted to 74.08 and 68.28%, respectively. Factors influencing BI included pH, digestion duration, and liquid-to-solid ratio. The high BI of the biofortified vegetables provided a sound reference for the promotion of iodine biofortification as a tool to eliminate the IDD.

5540 Background: The objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of adding bevacizumab to dose-dense adjuvant chemotherapy with bevacizumab maintenance after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and interval debulking surgery (IDS) for stage III/IV ovarian, tubal, and primary peritoneal cancer. Methods: This phase II clinical trial using Simon's minimax two-stage design was conducted. At the first stage, 13 subjects were enrolled, and the trial would proceed to second stage if ≤3 subjects discontinued treatment for study-defined significant adverse events (AEs). Patients with stage III/IV ovarian, tubal, and primary peritoneal cancer deemed not feasible for primary cytoreductive surgery were enrolled after 3 to 4 cycles of NAC and IDS without disease progression. NAC could be either weekly paclitaxel (80mg/m2) (dose-dense) plus 3-weekly carboplatin (AUC5-6) or 3-weekly conventional schedule. After IDS, postoperative dose-dense adjuvant chemotherapy for 3 cycles at least (best to 6 cycles), and 3-weekly bevacizumab 15mg/kg was given since postoperative cycle 2. Further 3-weekly maintenance bevacizumab 15mg/kg was given intravenously for 17 cycles. Results: Of the 22 enrolled subjects, 13 (59.1%) had no gross lesion after IDS. Of the 13 subjects enrolled on the 1st stage, one study-defined significant AE occurred, therefore the trial proceeded to the 2nd stage (n = 9). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 22.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.7 – 30.5), and the median overall survival (OS) was 49.2 months (95% CI, 33.8 – 64.6). Peritoneal Cancer Index score at entering abdomen during IDS was significant for PFS (>12 vs ≤ 12: p = 0.003). One of the 22 subjects did not receive any study treatment. In the safety analysis (n = 21), grade 3/4 AEs included thrombocytopenia of 38.1%, neutropenia 71.4%, and anemia 28.6%. Study-defined significant AEs of bowel perforation, poor-healing wound, and hypertension were found in 1 case each, respectively. Conclusions: This phase II trial demonstrated adding bevacizumab to dose-dense adjuvant chemotherapy with bevacizumab maintenance after NAC was feasible with tolerable toxicity and comparable PFS/OS as compared to other studies using bevacizumab in the NAC phase or dose-dense scheduling throughout. Clinical trial information: NCT02022917.

Synthesis of poly (1, 4-phenylene sulfide) (PPS) through oxidative polymerization seems promising to us. Comparing with current commercial method to poly (1, 4-phenylene sulfide) from 1, 4-phenylene sulfide and sodium sulfide (Phillips’ Method), there are many advantages of the oxidative polymerization method. For example, it can synthesize PPS at normal temperature and pressure; the yield of reaction is very high; it provides pure PPS without salt contamination. However, several years have passed away; synthesis of poly (1, 4-phenylene sulfide) through oxidative polymerization has not so far been adopted as the industrial process. Many of us are puzzled, why? Through studying all kinds of reported preparation route to poly (1, 4-phenylene sulfide) through oxidative polymerization compared to Phillips’ Method, a generic polymerization mechanism is achieved for most of them excepting two with obvious shortcomings. We suddenly realize that synthesis of poly (1, 4-phenylene sulfide) through oxidative polymerization seems unsuitable to be used in industrial production recently because of its own limits.

Hierarchical composite films grown on current collectors are popularly reported to be directly used as electrodes for supercapacitors. Highly dense and conductive NiCo2O4 nanowires are ideal backbones to support guest materials. In this work, low crystalline MnO2 nanoflakes are electrodeposited onto the surface of NiCo2O4 nanowire films pre-coated on nickel foam. Each building block in the composite films is a NiCo2O4&ndash, MnO2 core&ndash, shell nanowire on conductive nickel foam. Due to the co-presence of MnO2 and NiCo2O4, the MnO2@NiCo2O4@Ni electrode exhibits higher specific capacitance and larger working voltage than the NiCo2O4@Ni electrode. It can have a high specific capacitance of 1186 F&middot, g&minus, 1 at 1 A&middot, 1. When the core&ndash, shell NiCo2O4&ndash, MnO2 composite and activated carbon are assembled as a hybrid capacitor, it has the highest energy density of 29.6 Wh&middot, kg&minus, 1 at a power density of 425 W&middot, 1 with an operating voltage of 1.7 V. This work shows readers an easy method to synthesize composite films for energy storage.

Candida albicans is the most common opportunistic fungal pathogen which can cause life-threatening bloodstream infections known as candidaemia. It is very important to discover new drugs and targets for the treatment of candidaemia. In this study, we first investigated the combination antifungal effects of the small molecule ENOblock and fluconazole (FLC) against FLC-resistant C. albicans. A checkerboard microdilution assay showed that ENOblock has a significant synergistic effect in combination with FLC against FLC-resistant C. albicans. The time-kill curve further confirmed the synergism of this compound with FLC against FLC-resistant C. albicans. Moreover, we demonstrated the significant inhibitory effects of ENOblock alone and in combination with FLC against C. albicans hypha and biofilm formation. Furthermore, the XTT assay showed that ENOblock has relatively low toxicity to human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The in vivo antifungal efficacy of ENOblock was further assessed in a murine model of systemic C. albicans infection. Although ENOblock alone was not sufficient to treat C. albicans infection, the combination of FLC and ENOblock showed significant in vivo activity against FLC-resistant C. albicans. Finally, using surface plasmon resonance analysis as well as an inhibition assay, we determined that ENOblock directly interacted with CaEno1 and significantly inhibited the transglutaminase activity of this enzyme, which is involved in the growth and morphogenesis of C. albicans. In summary, these results demonstrate the synergistic effects of FLC and ENOblock against FLC-resistant C. albicans, and indicate that inhibition of the transglutaminase activity of CaEno1 by ENOblock might confer an advantage for the synergism of FLC and ENOblock, suggesting the potential of ENOblock as a new antifungal candidate.

This report describes a simple technique using conventional instrumentation for the placement of Seprafilm, a sodium hyaluronate or carboxymethylcellulose absorbable barrier for adhesion prevention. A total of 378 women with uterine myomas undergoing laparoscopic myomectomies had 737 Seprafilm pieces placed. Seprafilm sheet was softened through exposure to room air for 5 minutes, cut into 4 pieces (length, 5-10 mm), rolled up alongside a plastic sheet cut from a camera drape cover, and gently placed at the right paracolic gutter. The Seprafilm pieces unfolded semiautomatically on release and were then placed on the uterus. The median time to apply per Seprafilm piece was 1 (range: 0.8-3.5) minute. We failed to place 16 pieces (16 of 737, 2.2%) in 11 patients. Virginal status, myoma weight, and the number of removed myomas were the risk factors of failed placement. Our technique for Seprafilm placement during laparoscopic myomectomy is simple and safe.

Loureirin A is a major active component of Draconis sanguis, a traditional Chinese medicine. This work aimed to investigate the activity of loureirin A against Candida albicans biofilms. 2, 3-Bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT)reduction assay and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate the anti-biofilm effect. Minimal inhibitory concentration testing and time-kill curve assay were used to evaluate fungicidal activity. Cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) assay and hyphal formation experiment were respectively carried out to investigate adhesion and morphological transition, two virulence traits of C. albicans. Real-time RT-PCR was used to investigate gene expression. Galleria mellonella-C. albicans and Caenorhabditis elegans-C. albicans infection models were used to evaluate the in-vivo antifungal effect. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells and C. elegans nematodes were used to evaluate the toxicity ofloureirin A. Our data indicated that loureirin A had a significant effect on inhibiting C. albicans biofilms, decreasing CSH, and suppressing hyphal formation. Consistently, loureirin A down-regulated the expression of some adhesion-related genes and hypha/biofilm-related genes. Moreover, loureirin A prolonged the survival of Galleria mellonella and Caenorhabditis elegans in C. albicans infection models and exhibited low toxicity. Collectively, loureirin A inhibits fungal biofilms, and this effect may be associated with the suppression of pathogenic traits, adhesion and hyphal formation.

CYP51 (Erg11) belongs to the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP) superfamily and mediates a crucial step of the synthesis of ergosterol, which is a fungal-specific sterol. It is also the target of azole drugs in clinical practice. In recent years, researches on fungal CYP51 have stepped into a new stage attributing to the discovery of crystal structures of the homologs in Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus. This review summarizes the functions, structures of fungal CYP51 proteins, and the inhibitors targeting these homologs. In particular, several drug-resistant mechanisms associated with the fungal CYP51s are introduced. The sequences and crystal structures of CYP51 proteins in different fungal species are also compared. These will provide new insights for the advancement of research on antifungal agents.

OBJECTIVES An Asian Gynecologic Oncology Group phase III randomized trial was conducted to determine whether maintenance chemotherapy could improve progression-free survival (PFS) in stages III/IV ovarian cancer. METHODS Between 2007 and 2014, 45 newly-diagnosed ovarian cancer patients were enrolled after complete remission and randomized (1:1) to arm A (4-weekly carboplatin area under the curve 4 and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin [PLD] 30 mg/m², n=24) for 6 cycles or arm B (observation, n=21). The primary end-point was PFS. A post hoc translational study was conducted to deep sequence BRCA/homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) genes, because BRCA/HRD mutations (BRCA/HRDm) are known to be associated with better prognosis. RESULTS Enrollment was slow, accrual was closed when 7+ years had passed. With a median follow-up of 88.9 months, the median PFS was significantly better in arm A (55.5 months) than arm B (9.2 months) (hazard ratio [HR]=0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.19-0.87; p=0.020), yet the median overall survival was not significantly different in arm A (not reached) than arm B (95.1 months) (p=0.148). Overall grade 3/4 adverse events were more frequent in arm A than arm B (60.9% vs 0.0%) (p

The electrically conductive nanocomposites composing of different concentrations (0.05–1.5 wt%) of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) in the thermoplastic polyurethane/polypropylene (TPU/PP, 55/40) matrix with a fine co-continuous structure were fabricated by solution-flocculation and melt-mixing process using a micron twin-screw extruder. Both thermodynamic and kinetic theoretical analysis predicated the preferential location of RGO in the TPU rather than PP phase. Both optical microscope and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) observations verified this theoretical dispersion predication. The homogeneous dispersion of RGO in the TPU matrix is confirmed by wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) patterns and transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation. A very low percolation threshold of 0.054 wt% was achieved owing to high conductivity of RGO and favorable double percolation effect. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the composites with RGO content of only 0.5 wt% were improved by 341.9% and 354.3%, respectively. The present work provides a guideline for an efficient, facile fabrication technique of graphene based conductive polymer nanocomposites with high electrical conductivity and improved mechanical properties.

Sterols are the basal components of the membranes of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, and these membranes determine the susceptibility of C. albicans cells to a variety of stresses, such as ionic, osmotic and oxidative pressures, and treatment with antifungal drugs. The common antifungal azoles in clinical use are targeted to the biosynthesis of ergosterol. In the past years, the synthesis, storage and metabolism of ergosterol in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been characterized in some detail; however, these processes has not been as well investigated in the human opportunistic pathogen C. albicans. In this review, we summarize the genes involved in ergosterol synthesis and regulation in C. albicans. As well, genes in S. cerevisiae implicated in ergosterol storage and conversions with other lipids are noted, as these provide us clues and directions for the study of the homologous genes in C. albicans. In this report we have particularly focused on the essential roles of ergosterol in the dynamic process of cell biology and its fundamental status in the biological membrane system that includes lipid rafts, lipid droplets, vacuoles and mitochondria. We believe that a thorough understanding of this classic and essential pathway will give us new ideas about drug resistance and morphological switching in C. albicans.

Callicarpa nudiflora, belonging to the family Verbenaceae, is widely used to treat inflammation caused by bacterial infection.However, the underlying active substances of C. nudiflora against inflammation remains obscure. In this work, an ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was developed to characterize the ingredients in C. nudiflora, and a validated UHPLC coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry method was applied to quantify major components. As a result, a total of 96 chemical compounds were identified in C. nudiflora, and 26 compounds of them were further quantified in 34 batches of C. nudiflora. Based on the identified components from C. nudiflora, a compound-target network for the anti-inflammation effect was constructed by reverse docking target prediction, disease associated genes screening in DisGeNET and the protein-protein interaction from STRING. The compound-target network showed that C. nudiflora might exert anti-inflammation effect on the target of complement 3 and 5 in the pathway of cells and molecules involved in local acute inflammatory response, and 16 effective candidate compounds were found such as catalpol, acteoside, rutin, etc. This study provided an opportunity to deepen the understanding of the chemical composition and the potential anti-inflammatory mechanism of C. nudiflora.

Antifungal azole drugs inhibit the synthesis of ergosterol and cause the accumulation of sterols containing a 14α-methyl group, which is related to the properties of cell membrane. Due to the frequent recurrence of fungal infections and clinical long-term prophylaxis, azole resistance is increasing rapidly. In our research, Nsg2p, encoded by the ORF19.273 in Candida albicans, is found to be involved in the inhibition of 14α-methylated sterols and resistance to azoles. Under the action of fluconazole, nsg2Δ/Δ mutants are seriously damaged in the integrity and functions of cell membranes with a decrease of ergosterol ratio and an increase of both obtusifoliol and 14α-methylfecosterol ratio. The balance between ergosterol and 14α-methyl sterols mediated by NSG2 plays an important role in C. albicans responding to azoles in vitro as well as in vivo. These phenotypes are completely different from those of Nsg2p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is proved to increase the stability of HMG-CoA and resistance to lovastatin. Based on the evidence above, it is indicated that the decrease of 14α-methylated sterols is an azole-resistant mechanism in C. albicans, which may provide new strategies for overcoming the problems of azole resistance.

A novel method to prepare ion-imprinted nanofibers(IINFs), i.e., the electrospinning and ion imprinting technique is presented. The electrospinning solution was composed of the matrix polymer and the imprinting complex. The model fibrous ion-imprinted adsorbent[Cu(II)-IINF] was synthesized from poly(vinyl alcohol) as the matrix polymer and the complex of Cu(II) and L-histidine as the imprinting complex. The product was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry(FTIR) and the scanning electron microscopy(SEM), respectively. The adsorption of Cu(II)-IINF for Cu(II) was conducted by a batch of experiments. The adsorption capacity reached 114.75 mg/g at 45 °C and the selectivity coefficients of Cu(II)-IINF for Cu(II) relative to Pb(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) were 51.6, 54.4 and 66.3, respectively. In addition, Cu(II)-IINF also has good regeneration performance and the efficiency of adsorbing Cu2+ is about 88.3% of the initial adsorption capacity after five cycles. All these results demonstrate that the reported method for preparing fibrous ion-imprinted adsorbents is feasible, and Cu(II)-IINF is a promising adsorbent for the efficient removal and recovery of copper ions from the aqueous solution.

To search for novel anticancer agents, we designed and synthesized a series of new triazolyl berberine derivatives. The evaluation of all the synthesized compounds and their anticancer activities against a panel of four human cancer cell lines including MCF-7 (breast), MCF-7/ADR (breast), SW-1990 (pancreatic), SMMC-7721 (liver) and the non-cancer cell line HUVEC (human umbilical vein endothelial cell). The results showed that most of the compounds displayed better anticancer activities against MCF-7 and SMMC-7721 compared with berberine. Among these derivatives, compounds 5p and 5a exhibited the most potent inhibitory activities against the SMMC-7721 and SW-1990 cell lines with IC50 values of 14.861 ± 2.4 μM and 16.798 ± 3.4 μM. Furthermore, compounds 5p, 5a and 5n exhibited much better selectivity toward the normal cell line HUVEC than berberine.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the third most frequent type of cancer in adolescents and represents >56% of all bone tumors. In addition, metastatic OS frequently demonstrates resistance to conventional chemotherapy; thus, the development of novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of patients with metastatic OS is warranted. In the present study, the metabolic mechanisms underlying OS metastasis were investigated using a subpathway analysis method and lead to the identification of candidate drugs for the treatment of metastatic OS. Using the GSE14827 microarray dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, 546 differentially expressed genes were identified between samples from patients with OS who did or did not develop metastatic OS. Furthermore, nine significantly enriched metabolic subpathways were identified, which may be involved in OS metastasis. Finally, using an integrated analysis of metastatic OS-associated subpathways and drug-affected subpathways, 98 small molecule drug candidates capable of targeting the metastatic OS-associated subpathways were identified. This method identified existing anti-cancer drugs, including semustine, in addition to predicting potential drugs, such as lansoprazole, for the treatment of metastatic OS. Transwell and wound healing assays demonstrated that lansoprazole reduced the invasiveness and migration of U2OS cells. These small molecule drug candidates identified through a bioinformatics approach may provide insights into novel therapy options for the treatment of patients with metastatic OS.

Regulators of the WhiB-like (wbl) family are playing important role in the complex regulation of metabolic and morphological differentiation in Streptomyces. In this study, we investigated the role of wblI, a member of this family, in the regulation of secondary metabolite production in Streptomyces lividans. The over-expression of wblI was correlated with an enhanced biosynthesis of undecylprodigiosin and actinorhodin and with a reduction of the biosynthesis of yCPK and of the grey spore pigment encoded by the whiE locus. Five regulatory targets of WblI were identified using in vitro formaldehyde crosslinking and confirmed by EMSA and qRT-PCR. These included the promoter regions of wblI itself, two genes of the ACT cluster (actVA3 and the intergenic region between the divergently orientated genes actII-1 and actII-2) and that of wblA, another member of the Wbl family. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression of actVA3 encoding a protein of unknown function as well as that of actII-1, a TetR regulator repressing the expression of actII-2, encoding the ACT transporter, were down regulated in the WblI over-expressing strain. Consistently the expression of the transporter actII-2 was up-regulated. The expression of WblA, that is known to have a negative impact on ACT biosynthesis, was strongly down regulated in the WblI over-expressing strain. These data are consistent with the positive impact that WblI over-expression has on ACT biosynthesis. The latter might result from direct activation of ACT biosynthesis and export and from repression of the expression of WblA, a likely indirect, repressor of ACT biosynthesis.

This study was designed to investigate the antifungal activity of a hydroalcoholic extract fromFlos Rosae Chinensis(FRC) combined with fluconazole (FCZ) against clinical isolates ofCandida albicansresistant to FCZ. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of FRC was determined using a checkerboard microdilution assay. The synergistic effects of the combination of FRC and FCZ against clinical isolates ofC. albicansresistant to FCZ were further confirmed by constructing time-growth curves and performing an agar diffusion test. FRC alone exerted efficient antifungal activities againstC. albicanswithin a MIC80ranging from 20 μg/ml to 40 μg/ml. FRC failed to enhance the effects of FCZ against sensitiveC. albicansstrains, although it rendered FCZ-resistantC. albicansmore sensitive. These results were further confirmed by the result of in vivo study. Our study is the first to discover that FRC can inhibit the growth ofC. albicansto a certain degree. An FRC antifungal mechanism study showed that FRC strengthens FCZ to inhibit the action of ergosterol biosynthesis by promoting the transformation of lanosterol to eburicol, suggesting that the antifungal mechanism of FRC involves the inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis.

Over-expression of the Candida drug resistance gene CDR1 is a common mechanism generating azole-resistant Candida albicans in clinical isolates. CDR1 is transcriptionally activated through the binding of the transcription factor Tac1p to the cis-acting drug-responsive element (DRE) in its promoter. We previously demonstrated that the combination of fluconazole (FLC) and berberine (BBR) produced significant synergy when used against FLC-resistant C. albicans in vitro. In this study, we found that BBR inhibited both the up-regulation of CDR1 mRNA and the transport function of Cdr1p induced by fluphenazine (FNZ). Further, electrophoretic mobility shift assays suggested that the transcription activation complex of protein-DRE was disrupted by BBR, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry analysis showed that BBR bound to the DRE of CDR1. Thus we propose that BBR inhibits the FNZ-induced transcriptional activation of CDR1 in C. albicans by blocking transcription factor binding to the DRE of CDR1. These results contribute to our understanding of the mechanism of synergistic effect of BBR and FLC.

BackgroundIn Asian countries, many patients with type 2 diabetes fail to achieve controlled glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels while taking several classes of oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs). Traditional Chinese medicine could be an alternative therapeutic option for poorly controlled type 2 diabetes. YH1 is a concentrated Chinese herbal extract formula that combines Rhizoma Coptidis and Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study evaluated YH1 as an add-on medication for poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.MethodsForty-six patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned 1:1 to the YH1 or placebo group. Before the trial, all subjects had received three or more classes of OHAs with HbA1c > 7.0% (53 mmol/mol) and a body mass index ≥ 23 kg/m2. During the 12-week trial, participants continued to take OHAs without any dose or medication changes. The primary endpoint was the percentage change in HbA1c level. Per-protocol analysis was applied to the final evaluation.ResultsAt week 12, there was an 11.1% reduction in HbA1c from baseline and a 68.9% increase in homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) of β cell function in the YH1 group, which also exhibited significant reductions in two-hour postprandial glucose (-26.2%), triglycerides (-29.5%), total cholesterol (-21.6%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-17.4%), body weight (-0.5%), and waist circumference (-1.1%). The changes in fasting plasma glucose, HOMA insulin resistance and symptom scores were not significantly different between the YH1 and placebo groups. No serious adverse events occurred during this clinical trial.ConclusionsThis pilot study indicates that YH1 together with OHAs can improve hypoglycemic action and β-cell function in overweight/obese patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes. YH1 is a safe add-on medication for OHAs and has beneficial effects on weight control and lipid metabolism. A larger study population with longer treatment and follow-up periods is required for further verification.

Amphotericin B (AmB) is a polyene antifungal drug widely used for systemic fungal infections. In this study, a metabonomic method using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was developed to characterize the metabolic profiles of Candida albicans cells exposed to AmB. Thirty-one differentially produced metabolites between AmB-treated and the control groups were identified, among which 10 metabolites were upregulated and 21 metabolites were downregulated. These differentially produced metabolites were mainly involved in polyamines synthesis, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, oxidative stress, glutathione metabolism, lipid synthesis and glycolysis. Further experiments showed that the polyamines including putrescine, spermidine, and spermine played an important role in the sensitivity of C. albicans cells upon AmB treatment, and combined use of AmB and inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis pathway might be a potential antifungal strategy. This study provided a systemic view of the metabolic pattern in C. albicans upon exposure to AmB, which shed new light on the mechanisms of action of antifungal agents.

Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) are among the world’s most prevalent public health problems yet preventable by dietary iodine supplements. To better understand the biogeochemical behavior of iodine and to explore safer and more efficient ways of iodine supplementation as alternatives to iodized salt, we studied the behavior of iodine as it is absorbed, accumulated and released by plants. Using Chinese cabbage as a model system and the 125I tracing technique, we established that plants uptake exogenous iodine from soil, most of which are transported to the stem and leaf tissue. The level of absorption of iodine by plants is dependent on the iodine concentration in soil, as well as the soil types that have different iodine-adsorption capacity. The leaching experiment showed that the remainder soil content of iodine after leaching is determined by the iodine-adsorption ability of the soil and the pH of the leaching solution, but not the volume of leaching solution. Iodine in soil and plants can also be released to the air via vaporization in a concentration-dependent manner. This study provides a scientific basis for developing new methods to prevent IDD through iodized vegetable production.

This paper investigated the high temperature mechanical properties of the hybrid fiber reinforced high performance concrete (HFHPC) and normal concrete (NC) .After being subjected to different elevated heating temperatures, two kinds of concretes have been tested for the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexural strength of test specimen at room temperature and 200 °C,400 °C,600 °C,800 °C.Microstructure changes of concrete were also observed by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) after high temperature. The results show that the hybrid fiber can significantly increase mechanical properties of the concrete at room temperature and high temperature. SEM and XRD analysis shows that there is a permeable diffusion layer in the steel fiber surface because of solid state reaction in the Interfacial Transition Zone of steel fiber and concrete. This permeable diffusion layer is white, bright, serrated and mainly consist of FeSi2 and the complex hydrated calcium silicate. The compounds of this layer change the Interfacial Transition Zone structure, enhance bonding capacity of the steel fiber and matrix, and increase the high temperature mechanical properties of concrete.

Glycosylphosphatidyl inositol anchored proteins (GPI-APs) on fungal cell wall are essential for invasive infections. While the function of inositol deacylation of GPI-APs in mammalian cells has been previously characterized the impact of inositol deacylation in fungi and implications to host infection remains largely unexplored. Herein we describe our identification of BST1, an inositol deacylase of GPI-Aps in Candida albicans, was critical for GPI-APs cell wall attachment and host infection. BST1-deficient C. albicans (bst1Δ/Δ) was associated with severely impaired cell wall anchorage of GPI-APs and subsequen unmasked β-(1,3)-glucan. Consistent with the aberrant cell wall structures, bst1Δ/Δ strain did not display an invasive ability and could be recognized more efficiently by host immune systems. Moreover, BST1 null mutants or those expressing Bst1 variants did not display inositol deacylation activity and exhibited severely attenuated virulence and reduced organic colonization in a murine systemic candidiasis model. Thus, Bst1 can facilitate cell wall anchorage of GPI-APs in C. albicans by inositol deacylation, and is critical for host invasion and immune escape.

A rumpled and twisted leaf 1 (rtl1) mutant was generated from a japonica cultivar Nipponbare by ethyl methanesulfonate treatment, which was characterized as rumpled and twisted leaf at the seedling stage. The F2 populations were constructed by crossing with indica cultivars TN1 and Zhefu 802, respectively. Genetic analysis demonstrated that the phenotype was controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene. The closely linked simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker RM1155 was obtained from bulked segregant analysis. Subsequently, sequence tagged site (STS) markers were developed using the published rice genome sequence. Finally, RTL1 was located between an STS marker T1591 and an SSR marker RM1359, at the distances of 0.48 cM and 0.96 cM, respectively. These results will facilitate the cloning of the target gene in further studies.

A novel composite adsorbent, magnetite/hydroxyapatite (Fe3O4/HAP) composites, was prepared by biowaste chicken eggshell for the purpose of removing radiocobalt from aqueous solutions. It highlighted that more than 92% Co(II) could be removed by using the developed composites under the experimental conditions. The maximum sorption capacity of Co(II) on Fe3O4/HAP composites was 6.9 × 10−4 mol/g. The coexisted foreign ions, e.g., ClO4 −, NO3 −, Cl−, Na+ and K+, did not interfere the elimination of Co(II) from aqueous solutions, while Mg2+ did. The sorption process was found to be controlled well by pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion models, and the equilibrium data were simulated by Langmuir model very well with high correlation coefficients. The thermodynamic parameters confirmed the spontaneity and endothermic nature of Co(II) sorption processes. After sorption, the Fe3O4/HAP composites could be effectively and fleetly separated from aqueous solutions by magnetic separation technique in large scale. The Fe3O4/HAP composites are suitable materials in the preconcentration of Co(II) from large volumes of aqueous solutions.