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Purpose Aldo-ketoreductase (AKR) 1C3 is crucial for testosterone synthesis. Abnormally high expression/activity of AKR1C3 can promote castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). A mansonone derivative and AKR1C3 inhibitor, 6e, was combined with 4D5 (extracellular fragment of the monoclonal antibody of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2)-modified chitosan to achieve a nanodrug-delivery system (CS-4D5/6e) to treat CRPC. Materials and Methods Morphologies/properties of CS-4D5/6e were characterized by atomic force microscopy, zeta-potential analysis, and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. CS-4D5/6e uptake was measured by immunofluorescence under confocal laser scanning microscopy. Testosterone in LNCaP cells overexpressing human AKR1C3 (LNCaP-AKR1C3) and cell lysates was measured to reflect AKR1C3 activity. Androgen receptor (AR) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) expression was measured by Western blotting. CS-4D5/6e-based inhibition of AKR1C3 was evaluated in tumor-xenografted mice. Results CS-4D5/6e was oblate, with a particle size of 200-300 nm and thickness of 1-5 nm. Zeta potential was 1.39±0.248 mV. 6e content in CS-4D5/6e was 7.3±1.4% and was 18±3.6% for 4D5. 6e and CS-4D5/6e inhibited testosterone production significantly in a concentration-dependent manner in LNCaP-AKR1C3 cells, and a decrease in expression of AKR1C3, PSA, and AR was noted. Half-maximal inhibitory concentration of CS-4D5/6e on LNCaP-AKR1C3 cells was significantly lower than that in LNCaP cells (P

An electro-Fe2+-activated peracetic acid (EC/Fe2+/PAA) process was established for organic dye removal in water. The operation factors such as the PAA dosage, Fe2+ amount, current density, and pH were investigated on methylene blue (MB) removal for the synergistic EC/Fe2+/PAA system. Efficient MB decolorization (98.97% and 0.06992 min−1) was achieved within 30 min under 5.4 mmol L−1 PAA, 30 μmol L−1 Fe2+, 15 mA cm−2 current intensity, and pH 2.9. Masking tests affirmed that the dominating radicals were hydroxyl radicals (OH), organic radicals (CH3CO2·, CH3CO3·), and singlet oxygen (1O2), which were generated from the activated PAA by the synergetic effect of EC and Fe2+. The influence of inorganic ions and natural organic matter on the MB removal was determined. Moreover, the efficacy of the EC/Fe2+/PAA was confirmed by decontaminating other organic pollutants, such as antibiotic tetracycline and metronidazole. The studied synergy process offers a novel, advanced oxidation method for PAA activation and organic wastewater treatment.

Wet electrostatic precipitators (WESPs) are increasingly used in iron and steel plants and coal-fired power plants due to their higher efficiency at capturing fine particles than conventional dry-type precipitators. In order to achieve ultra-pure purification of dust in steel plant gas, we propose an improved method that involves adding a chemical coagulant and a surfactant to a WESP. The effects of the type and concentration of chemical coagulant and surfactant on the agglomeration effect and dust removal efficiency of blast furnace dust were investigated. The results show that the addition of a chemical coagulant could promote the agglomeration of blast furnace dust particles, and the D50 of dust particles increased from 5.8 to 15.0 μm after the addition of xanthan gum (XTG). The best increase in the blast furnace’s dust particle removal occurred at a concentration of 10 mg/L of XTG, and the dust removal efficiency reached 97.59%. The surfactant dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DTAC) improved the dust removal efficiency of blast furnace dust when added alone. The dust removal efficiency reached 97.82% when 10 mg/L of XTG and 9 mg/L of DTAC were added synergistically. The addition of a chemical coagulant and surfactant promoted the agglomeration of blast furnace dust and enhanced the dust capture effect of a WESP. We thus demonstrated that we can improve the efficiency of WESP in the future via chemical coagulation. The authors will further study the effect of multi-factor synergistic coupling on the chemical coagulation method in WESPs.

17β Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17β-HSD3) is the key enzyme in the biosynthesis of testosterone, which is an attractive therapeutic target for prostate cancer (PCa). H10, a novel curcumin analogue, was identified as a potential 17β-HSD3 inhibitor. The pharmacokinetic study of H10 in rats were performed by intraperitoneal (i.p.), intravenous (i.v.) and oral (p.o.) administration. In addition, the inhibitory effects of H10 against liver CYP3A4 were investigated in vitro using human liver microsomes (HLMs). The acute and chronic toxicological characteristics were characterized using single-dose and 30 d administration. All the mice were alive after i.p. H10 with dose of no more than 100 mg/kg which are nearly the maximum solubility in acute toxicity test. The pharmacokinetic characteristics of H10 fitted with linear dynamics model after single dose. Furthermore, H10 could bioaccumulate in testis, which was the target organ of 17β-HSD3 inhibitor. H10 distributed highest in spleen, and then in liver both after single and multiple i.p. administration. Moreover, H10 showed weak inhibition towards liver CYP3A4, and did not cause significant changes in aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels after treated with H10 for continuously 30 d. Taken together, these preclinical characteristics laid the foundation for further clinical studies of H10.

Although anatase TiO2 demonstrates good performance in many applications, it is very difficult to synthesize nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 with high specific surface areas. Herein, two-dimensional hierarchically porous anatase TiO2 with specific surface area of 486 m2 g−1, is fabricated through acetic acid etching, which facilitates the crystal phase transition of amorphous TiO2. The pore sizes are within the ranges of 2–6 nm and 15–80 nm, and the pore diameters are 3.5 nm and 45 nm. As the anode materials for lithium ion batteries, the initial discharge capacity of hierarchically porous anatase TiO2 reaches to 449 mA h g−1 at a current rate of 0.1 A g−1 and retains 191 mA h g−1 after 60 cycles. In particular, the discharge capacities of 42 and 35 mA h g−1 can be resumed after 750 cycles at the current rates of 1 and 5 A g−1, respectively, exhibiting high electrochemical stability and high reversible capacity. Further research reveals that the fabrication of hierarchically porous anatase TiO2 depends on the amounts of HAc added, and the pH of the solution.