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Aim: To explore the appropriate triage methods for women infected with high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV). Materials & methods: A total of 424 out of 872 hrHPV-infected women were divided into cervicitis (n = 123), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 (CIN1; n = 89), CIN2 (n = 72), CIN3 (n = 87) and cervical cancer (n = 53) groups. Results: The sensitivity/specificity of ZNF582m, PAX1m and liquid-based cytology (LBC) for hrHPV-infected women with transformation zone 3 CIN3+ was 83.9/93.1, 77.4/90.6 and 80.6/58.5%, respectively. The ZNF582m/ PAX1m test had a higher specificity than LBC (p 0.05). ZNF582m/ PAX1m improved the positive predictive value of CIN3+ (64.7/60.0%) in low-grade LBC (negative predictive value: 91.7/88.7%). Conclusion: ZNF582m was superior to PAX1m and LBC tests in detecting CIN3+ in hrHPV-infected women.

In 2020, during the 75th United Nations General Assembly, China proposed the goal of “achieving a carbon peak by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060”. The Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region is the largest carbon emission metropolitan area in China. Its energy consumption and carbon emission status means the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region shoulders the important task of low-carbon transformation. Only by achieving a “carbon peak” and “carbon neutrality” can the economy of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region be sustainable. Based on this, we analyzed and comprehensively evaluated the complete ability of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region to achieve carbon neutrality in 2008–2020, that is, carbon achievement ability, status, and intensity of energy consumption and carbon emissions based on the CRITIC weighting method. The results show that the energy consumption and carbon emission capacity of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region have basically formed a step difference. On this basis, the evaluation of carbon contribution capacity also shows that Hebei Province, as a weak link in the coordinated development of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, bears the main responsibility of improving carbon contribution capacity and thus achieving the goal of carbon neutrality. This research study suggests that intra-regional cooperation should be strengthened to achieve coordinated development. At the end of the paper, policy suggestions for regional cooperation are given from four aspects: government, industry, low-carbon technology, and regional carbon sinks.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is the main method for cervical cancer screening. Although most HPV infections are transient and can be cleared by the body, persistent infection with HPV can lead to cervical cancer. In this study, 424 HPV-infected women were divided into normal, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 (CIN1), CIN2, CIN3 and cervical cancer groups according to the grade of cervical lesion (low to high). Women with CIN3 or cervical cancer need treatment.

Necrotic enteritis (NE) is an important enteric disease in poultry and has become a major concern in poultry production in the post-antibiotic era. The infection with NE can damage the intestinal mucosa of the birds leading to impaired health and, thus, productivity. To gain a better understanding of how NE impacts the gut function of infected broilers, global mRNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed in the jejunum tissue of NE challenged and non-challenged broilers to identify the pathways and genes affected by this disease. Briefly, to induce NE, birds in the challenge group were inoculated with 1 mL of Eimeria species on day 9 followed by 1 mL of approximately 108 CFU/mL of a NetB producing Clostridium perfringens on days 14 and 15. On day 16, 2 birds in each treatment were randomly selected and euthanized and the whole intestinal tract was evaluated for lesion scores. Duodenum tissue samples from one of the euthanized birds of each replicate (n = 4) was used for histology, and the jejunum tissue for RNA extraction. RNA-seq analysis was performed with an Illumina RNA HiSeq 2000 sequencer. The differentially expressed genes (DEG) were identified and functional analysis was performed in DAVID to find protein–protein interactions (PPI). At a false discovery rate threshold

Topical photodynamic therapy with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA-PDT) is a non-invasive option for treatment of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN). We investigated the clinical efficacy and safety of ALA-PDT in treatment of patients with cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and evaluated the factors that effect the efficacy of PDT.A total of 99 patients (average age: 30 years (18-45 years old)) with cervical HSIL and high-risk Human Papilloma Virus (hr-HPV) infections and who had received ALA-PDT were enrolled in this retrospective study. Before ALA-PDT, cervical exfoliated cells from all patients were obtained for HPV genotyping, liquid-based cytology test (LBC) and PAX1 methylation (PAX1At 6 months after treatment, total HPV clearance and lesions complete remission (CR) rates were 64.6% (64/99) and 88.9% (88/99), while at 1-year of follow-up, they were 81.3% (65/80) and 92.5% (74/80), respectively. At 1-year follow-up, HPV clearance rate was higher, relative to 6 months after ALA-PDT (p0.05). At 6 months after treatment, HPV clearance and CR rates in the PAX1 hypermethylation (PAX1ALA-PDT is an effective, safe treatment approach for patients with cervical HSIL and hr-HPV infections. Patients with PAX1

E6 and E7 high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) oncoproteins are closely associated with the initiation and progression of cervical cancer (CC) and pre-cancerous lesions. Cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), as pre-cancerous lesions, have a 5% chance of progressing to invasive cancer. Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is a novel non-invasive targeted therapy for intraepithelial lesions. Herein, we analyzed the effect of HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA on ALA-PDT for cervical HSIL.A retrospective analysis of 148 HR-HPV-positive patients diagnosed with cervical HSIL and receiving ALA-PDT was carried out. ALA-PDT was performed with 20% ALA thermosensitive gel, and irradiation at wavelength of 635 nm and density of 80-100 J/cmAt the 6-month follow up, the complete remission (CR) rate of patients' lesions was 86.5% (128/148), whereas the total HPV clearance rate was 72.3% (107/148). It was evident that positive E6/E7 mRNA before treatment had a significant effect on HPV clearance rate (66.3% VS 81.4%, P = 0.045) and CR rate (80.9% VS 94.9%, P = 0.015). The E6/E7 mRNA associated with HPV16/18 and HPV16/18 combined with other HR-HPV (HPV16/18 and other HR-HPV) affected HPV clearance (P = 0.035) and lesions CR (P = 0.039), respectively. Moreover, persistently positive E6/E7 mRNA after treatment was closely associated with poor efficacy (HPV clearance rate: P = 0.000, CR rate: P = 0.000). Throughout the follow up period, two cases recurred but none of the patients progressed.This study has shown that ALA-PDT is an effective, safe, and alternative treatment for cervical HSIL, especially for the patients of childbearing age. However, its efficacy is relatively poor in patients with persistently positive E6/E7 mRNA before and after treatment, who are relatively insensitive to ALA-PDT.

To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) and local surgical excision in the treatment of high-grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN).This was a retrospective study of a single center. Patients with biopsy-proven high-grade VAIN were counseled on the option of excision or ALA-PDT. After treatment patients were followed up at 3, 6 and 12 months and every 6 months afterwards. Clinical data of two groups were analyzed.Sixty patients were treated with ALA-PDT and 40 patients underwent excision surgery. The clinical characteristics of patients in the two groups were similar. The mean ages of patients treated with ALA-PDT and local surgical excision were 41.93+13.08 (18-70) and 43.25+11.64 (22-61) years old, respectively. The treatment times of PDT for patients in the ALA-PDT group were 5.48±1.41 (2-8) times. At 3-6 months after treatment, the overall complete remission (CR) rate was 93.33% (56/60) in PDT group and 82.5% (33/40) in local surgical excision group. In PDT group, a 12- and 24-month follow-up, the total HPV clearance rate was 68.97% and 77.55%, respectively. At 12-month and 2-year follow-up after local surgical excision, the total HPV clearance rate was 60% and 64.52%, respectively. Further analysis showed that the clinical efficacy was comparable between the two treatments. Patients over 45 years old exhibited a lower HPV clearance rate (P0.05) than those under 45 years old. It was also observed that persistent HPV infection is a major risk factor for persistent disease. Further comparative analyses showed no significant difference in the CR rate and treatment times between VAINII and VAINIII in ALA-PDT group. Moreover, 4 patients (11.36%) developed recurrent lesions during follow-up after ALA-PDT, whereas 3 patients (8.33%) in the local excision group developed recurrent lesions. In addition, there was no significant difference in the recurrent rate between two groups.ALA-PDT shows similar efficacy and less side effects compared to local surgical excision.

Recent data has shown increased rate of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN) in younger individuals. Traditional VAIN treatments exert adverse effects on the anatomy and functions of the vagina. Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is a novel, non-invasive targeted therapy for intraepithelial lesions. Here, we aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of ALA-PDT in VAIN with high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) infection.This study enrolled a total of 82 HR-HPV-positive women diagnosed with VAIN, who were receiving ALA-PDT. The effect of ALA-PDT was evaluated using HPV genotyping and Thinprep cytologic test (TCT). Besides, colposcopy directed biopsies were performed in all patients at 3-month follow-up, and in patients with positive HR-HPV and/or abnormal TCT results during the follow-up period.Our data showed that the HPV clearance rate was 53.7% (44/82) at 6-month follow-up and 67.1% (55/82) at 12-month follow-up. Patients with HPV16/18 combined with other HR-HPV (HPV16/18other HR-HPV) infection, those with a history of hysterectomy and/or older age were had significantly lower HPV clearance rate. Besides, the lesion complete remission (CR) rate was 90.2% (74/82). These results show that HPV16/18other HR-HPV infection was associated with significantly lower CR rates. Throughout the follow-up, 2 cases had persistent lesions (2.4%), 6 cases had partial remission (7.3%), 2 cases recurred (2.7%) but none of the patients had disease progression.Taken together, our data showed that ALA-PDT is an effective, safe, and alternative treatment for VAIN patients with HR-HPV infection. However, the ALA-PDT efficacy was relatively poor in patients with older age, HPV16/18other HR-HPV infection and/or those with a history of hysterectomy.

Background Lesions in both the cervix and vagina require an efficacious non-invasive treatment therapy such as 5-Aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy(5-ALA-PDT). In this study, we evaluate clinical efficacy and safety of 5-ALA PDT for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia with vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN & VAIN). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 48 patients diagnosed with CIN & VAIN and receiving 5-ALA PDT. All patients were first followed up at 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment, then every 6 months thereafter. Results Out of 1051 patients referred for CIN (4.56%), 48 were diagnosed with CIN&VAIIN. The patients had statistically significant average vaginal and cervical lesion areas of 1.22 and 0.41 cm2 respectively. 4 patients were lost during follow-up. The patients’ complete remission (CR) rate was 88.64% (39/44) at 3-6 months after treatment, while the total HPV clearance rate was 46.34 and 60.98% at 3- and 12-months follow-up,respectively. HPV16/18 combined with other high-risk human papillomaviruses (hrHPV) (HPV16/18 and other hrHPV) infection exhibited a lower HPV clearance rate (P=0.006). The treatment time in high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HSIL) was higher than that of low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LSIL). Notably, atypical vessels and endocervical canal lesions involvement significantly affected 5-ALA PDT. Moreover, 5 patients had residual lesions (11.36%) during follow-up, one patient presented recurrence (2.56%), while 4 had successful pregnancy. Conclusions 5-ALA-PDT is a non-invasive, effective, and safe therapy for treating CIN & VAIN and can maintain the structural and functional integrity of target organs. However, its efficacy is relatively poor in patients with endocervical canal lesions involvement, atypical vessels, and HPV16/18 and other hrHPV infection.

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide and existing approaches are not enough to manage, and hence, it is important to concentrate on new drug strategies. This study was aimed to identify the interacting partner of Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) and its role in cancer treatment. We identified a new FEN1 interacting partner confirmed it as Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP 70), and its effect on FEN1 expression, in vitro. Additionally, we found that the 5-Fluorouracil’s (5-FU) function was significantly improved when used in combination with HSP 70 inhibitor (KNK 437). The findings are interesting, elucidating the synergistic mechanism between two compounds which helps to develop a novel management strategy for over-expressed FEN1 in the lung. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-020-02598-3.

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a key enzyme involved in energy metabolism. Recently, GAPDH has been suggested to have extraglycolytic functions in DNA repair, but the underlying mechanism for the GAPDH response to DNA damage remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the tyrosine kinase Src is activated under DNA damage stress and phosphorylates GAPDH at Tyr41. This phosphorylation of GAPDH is essential for its nuclear translocation and DNA repair function. Blocking the nuclear import of GAPDH by suppressing Src signaling or through a GAPDH Tyr41 mutation impairs its response to DNA damage. Nuclear GAPDH is recruited to DNA lesions and associates with DNA polymerase β (Pol β) to function in DNA repair. Nuclear GAPDH promotes Pol β polymerase activity and increases base excision repair (BER) efficiency. Furthermore, GAPDH knockdown dramatically decreases BER efficiency and sensitizes cells to DNA damaging agents. Importantly, the knockdown of GAPDH in colon cancer SW480 cells and xenograft models effectively enhances their sensitivity to the chemotherapeutic drug 5-FU. In summary, our findings provide mechanistic insight into the new function of GAPDH in DNA repair and suggest a potential therapeutic target in chemotherapy.

Cadmium (Cd2+) and Arsenate (As5+) are the main toxic elements in soil environments and are easily taken up by plants. Unraveling the kinetics of the adsorption and subsequent precipitation/immobilization on mineral surfaces is of considerable importance for predicting the fate of these dissolved species in soils. Here we used in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) to image the dissolution on the (010) face of brushite (dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, CaHPO4·2H2O) in CdCl2- or Na2HAsO4-bearing solutions over a broad pH and concentration range. During the initial dissolution processes, we observed that Cd or As adsorbed on step edges to modify the morphology of etch pits from the normal triangular shape to a four-sided trapezium. Following extended reaction times, the respective precipitates were formed on brushite through a coupled dissolution–precipitation mechanism. In the presence of both CdCl2 and Na2HAsO4 in reaction solutions at pH 8.0, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) showed a...

Manganese oxides have been widely used as deionization capacitor electrode materials to remove heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. However, the effect of pseudocapacitive properties of manganese oxides on the removal processes remains elusive. In this work, synthesized nanostructured birnessite-type manganese oxide and birnessite/carbon nanotubes (HB/CNTs) nanocomposites were used as deionization pseudocapacitor electrode materials for Zn 2+ and Ni 2+ removal from aqueous solution by constant potential electrolysis. The effects of operation potential and introduction of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on Zn 2+ and Ni 2+ removal capacities were further investigated. The results demonstrated a significant enhancement of electrochemical removal capacities for Zn 2+ and Ni 2+ by the pseudocapacitive properties of birnessite and the introduction of CNTs. The Zn 2+ and Ni 2+ removal capacities of birnessite electrode increased first and then decreased with the decrease of potential from 0.2 to −0.2 V ( vs . SCE), and the highest removal capacities for Zn 2+ and Ni 2+ respectively reached 89.5 and 96.6 mg g −1 when the potential was controlled at 0 V. The HB/CNTs nanocomposite showed higher removal capacities (155.6 mg g −1 for Zn 2+ and 158.4 mg g −1 for Ni 2+ when the relative content of manganese oxide was 45.6%) and a better cycling stability (about 90% and 88% of the initial Zn 2+ and Ni 2+ removal capacity were retained after 5 cycles) than birnessite electrode. The present study makes clear the pseudocapacitive mechanism of heavy metal ion removal using birnessite, and proposes a facile method to remove heavy metal ions from aqueous solution.

Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. is a perennial plant widely used as food, medicine and ornamentation. To determine the optimal processing method and promote the application of B. striata flowers, this work investigated the influences of diverse drying treatments on properties, structures, bioactive compound contents and antioxidant capacity of B. striata flowers. The drying methods applied in the study included natural drying, microwave drying, hot air drying, infrared drying, vacuum drying and freeze drying. Microwave drying was the fastest way for completion of drying, followed by infrared drying. Freeze drying had a relatively good color protection effect on the B. striata flowers, and the degree of browning was low. Compared with natural drying, the content of polysaccharide decreased following freeze drying, while the retention of total phenols and total anthocyanins increased significantly. Natural drying required a long time, and the degree of browning was high. Under the condition of natural drying, anthocyanins were almost completely degraded after long drying time and the degree of browning was high, but the retention of total flavonoids and total polysaccharides were higher compared with freeze drying. The methanolic extracts of flowers treated by natural drying and freeze drying both showed high antioxidant capacity. The reduction ability of natural drying group was slightly worse than that of infrared drying and hot air drying. The diammonium 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and OH radical scavenging ability were higher following natural drying. As a consequence, freeze drying was the best way for protecting most characters, contents and activities of B. striata flowers. In consideration of production costs, we recommend infrared drying as a more practical choice for industrial production.

d -Tagatose is a low-calorie sweetener with health benefits. To produce d -tagatose from lactose, a metabolic engineering Lactiplantibacillus plantarum was constructed. The galactokinase gene galK was inactivated and the original promoter of β-galactosidase gene lacLM was replaced by a strong lactose/galactose-inducible promoter PlacLM-35-10 in Lpb. plantarum WCFS1. Subsequently, the l -arabinose isomerase gene AraA derived from Lactobacillus casei SDMCC050286 was over-expressed. A recombinant strain with the potential of d -tagatose production was obtained. Its galactose metabolism pathway was blocked, and β-galactosidase activity was increased by 5.4-folds. Meanwhile, the heterogeneous l -arabinose isomerase was highly expressed in this strain. The optimal conditions for d -tagatose production by resting cells of the recombinant strain were at 65 °C and pH 7.5. Furthermore, the conversion rate of d -tagatose from 175 g/L lactose reached 33% at 56 h. This study verified the feasibility of one-pot production of d -tagatose from lactose by engineering strain of Lpb. plantarum, thereby laying down the foundation for industrial usage of lactose.

In situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ζ potential were used to investigate how citrate (50 μM) modified the nanoscale dissolution of brushite (dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, CaHPO4·2H2O) by NaX (X = Cl, Br, or I) at a constant pH of 7.0. Results showed that on the brushite (010) surface, halide ions with large sizes (such as I–) enhanced adsorption of Na+ that cannot be desorbed by water flow, inhibiting the retreat rates of [100]Cc steps. The introduction of 50 μM citrate resulted in desorption of Na+ ions and caused the disappearance of specific salt effects on the dissolution of the brushite (010) face. With further increasing salt concentrations up to 100 mM, pit deepening was initiated, and it could possibly be attributed to hydrated Na+ ions at the negatively charged surface that orient the interfacial water so as to increase the entropy of the interfacial system, and hence the dissolution rate. Following the addition of 50 μM citrate to 100 ...

Due to the potential shortage of phosphate (P) rock resources and a faster growth in demand for phosphate fertilizers, unraveling the kinetics of calcium phosphate (Ca–P) crystallization and dissolution is important for understanding the P mobility and bioavailability. Plants have developed different strategies, such as carboxylic acid exudation into the rhizosphere, to cope with low P bioavailability through dissolution of sparingly soluble Ca–P minerals. However, the dissolution kinetics may be more complicated in the presence of both carboxylate and hydroxyl groups in organic acids. Here in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) is used to directly observe the kinetics of nanoscale dissolution on the (010) surface of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (brushite, CaHPO4·2H2O) in the presence of succinic acid (SA, 0 alcoholic hydroxyl (−OH)), malic acid (MA, 1 −OH), and tartaric acid (TA, 2 −OH), respectively, over a broad concentration range. We demonstrate that the role of dicarboxylic acids varies with the num...

Yogurt making traditionally relies on the simultaneous utilization of 2 starters: Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, but these 2 strains normally metabolize the glucose portion of lactose and release galactose into extracellular medium, resulting in high levels of residual galactose and unfermented lactose in yogurt, which leads to several industrial and health concerns. In this study, we found that Lactobacillus plantarum could effectively metabolize both lactose and galactose. Comparative genomic analysis demonstrated the constant presence of a chromosome-encoded Leloir pathway for galactose metabolism in Lb. plantarum species, and the gal operon was driven by a strong constitutive promoter in Lb. plantarum WCFS1, displaying great potential in low-sugar yogurt making. To test this hypothesis, Lb. plantarum WCFS1 was co-cultured with S. thermophilus or Lb. bulgaricus in lactose-based medium. Results showed that lactose was consumed completely and galactose was metabolized efficiently. For yogurt making, co-cultivation of Lb. plantarum WCFS1 with yogurt starter cultures produced a higher reduction of total sugar content compared with the traditional fermentation processes. In addition, the sensory analysis indicated that the yogurt fermented with yogurt starter cultures and Lb. plantarum WCFS1 was acceptable to consumers in appearance, texture, and flavor. Therefore, this study emphasized the potential to manufacture low-sugar yogurt by the co-cultivation of Lb. plantarum with yogurt starter cultures.

Bioavailability and mobility of cadmium (Cd2+) and arsenate (As5+) in soils can be effectively lowered through the dissolution of brushite (dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, CaHPO4·2H2O) coupled with the precipitation of a more stable mineral phase containing both Cd and As. Due to the ubiquitous presence of humic acid (HA) in soil environments, it is more complex to predict the fate of dissolved Cd and As during such sequestration. Here, we used in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) to image the kinetics of simultaneous precipitation of Cd and As at the brushite–fluid interface in the presence of HA. Results show that HA inhibits the formation of both amorphous and crystalline Cd(5–x)Cax(PO4)(3–y)(AsO4)y(OH) on the (010) face of brushite. A combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and real-time surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) reveals that part of As5+ reduction into As3+ with HA and [HA-Cd] complexation occurs, modulating the concentrations of free Cd2+ and As5+ ions to inhibit subse...

Mesoporous zeolite Y (denoted as meso-Y) was synthesized using hydrothermal synthesis method using pluronic P123 block copolymer as template. Furthermore, stabilized Y (USY) was prepared through ion exchange and ultra-stabilization process of the meso-Y. The catalysts were prepared and characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, N 2 adsorption–desorption, NH 3 -TPD and Py-IR. These catalysts were evaluated by determining the micro-activity using the light diesel oil as sample. The results showed that the Meso-CAT-3 catalyst had the highest micro-activity and lowest coke yield. It could be ascribed to the mesoporous structure which is known to improve the mass transfer of the larger molecules.

A series of core–shell structure Y@ASA composites with different contents of Y-type zeolite (abbreviated as Y@A) was synthesized in the small-crystal Y zeolite suspensoid by adding CTAB surfactant in the synthesis process of the amorphous silica alumina (ASA). Y@A composites and their corresponding catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, N2 adsorption–desorption and infrared spectroscopy of pyridine adsorption (Py-IR). The results showed that the surface of the small-crystal Y zeolite was covered uniformly by ASA even if ASA content was only 10 wt%, and more importantly, ASA could provide 3–20 nm mesopores to bring about the formation of the micro- and mesoporous core–shell structured composites with internal microporous Y zeolite and external mesoporous ASA. Furthermore, due to the interaction between ASA and Y zeolite, the hydrothermal stability of the small-crystal Y zeolite was enhanced, and at the same time the acid quantity of the composite was increased. The NiW/USY@A catalysts were synthesized by loading Ni and W on the Y@A. Their hydrocracking and isomerization performance were evaluated by using n-decane as a model compound. The experimental results indicated that the selectivities of the intermediate product and isoparaffin on NiW/USY@A-90 (with 90 wt% Y-type zeolite in the Y@A) are 30.81% and 23.70% higher than NiW/USY-In in which industrial Y was used, respectively. Thus, besides its high hydrocracking performance, NiW/USY@A showed an excellent isomerization capacity.

Phosphorus (P) recovery from wastewater is essential for sustainable P management. A biomimetic hexapeptide (SGAGKT) has been demonstrated to bind inorganic P in P-rich environments, however the dynamics and molecular mechanisms of P-binding to the hexapeptide still remain largely unknown. We used dynamic force spectroscopy (DFS) to directly distinguish the P-unbound and P-bound SGAGKT adsorbed to a mica (001) surface by measuring the single-molecule binding free energy (Δ Gb). Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to determine real-time step retreat velocities of triangular etch pits formed at the nanoscale on the dissolving (010) face of brushite (CaHPO4·2H2O) in the presence of SGAGKT, we observed that SGAGKT peptides promoted in situ dissolution through an enhanced P-binding driven by hydrogen bonds in a P-loop being capable of discriminating phosphate over arsenate, concomitantly forming a thermodynamically favored SGAGKT-HPO42- complexation at pH 8.0 and relatively low ionic strength, consistent with the DFS and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) determinations. The findings reveal the thermodynamic and kinetic basis for binding of phosphate to SGAGKT and provide direct evidence for phosphate discrimination in phosphate/arsenate-rich environments.

The lactose-inducible expression system was widely used in bacteria due to the safety of lactose. However, the strength of its promoter was limited in lactic acid bacteria. Here, the β-galactosidase activity in Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 was detected at the presence of lactose and galactose. Sequence analysis showed that two β-galactosidase encoding genes lacA and lacLM were identified in the genome of Lb. plantarum WCFS1. Using green fluorescent protein as a reporter, we found that the promoter PlacA of lacA was lactose-induced, while promoter PlacLM of lacLM was lactose/galactose-induced. Furthermore, by optimizing the sequences of –35, –10 regions and ribosome binding sites of these two promoters, the maximum strength of the promoter PlacA derivative increased 10.4-fold by lactose induction, while PlacLM derivative increased 12.7-fold by lactose induction and 9.0-fold by galactose induction compared with their original promoters, respectively. When the optimized promoters were used to drive the β-galactosidase gene from Streptococcus thermophilus CGMCC 7.179, the highest β-galactosidase activity was 45.72 ± 0.44 U/mL under PlacLM-35-10 control. The strength of these promoters was also confirmed by western-blot analysis. Thereby, this study provided a set of novel lactose/galactose-inducible promoters with high expression efficiency and thus expanded the toolbox to express recombinant protein in Lb. plantarum.

ZSM-5-based micro-/mesoporous composites have attracted extensive attention as a promising material that could be industrialized in the near future. The hierarchical structure and catalytic performance of the ZSM-5-based hierarchical composite are highly dependent on its treatment conditions. Of these synthesis parameters, dissolution alkalinity is the most important one. However, systematic studies on the effects of dissolution alkalinity, specifically those that discuss the relationship between porosity, acidity, and catalytic performance in ZSM-5-based hierarchical composites by the combined dissolution and self-assembly method, have not yet been reported. In this article, the porosity and acidity of ZSM-5-based micro-/mesoporous composite samples made by select dissolution alkalinities are systematically investigated. Various characterization techniques illustrate that three different groups of ZSM-5-based micro-/mesoporous composites are classified based on their distinctive indexed hierarchical factor values, I through III. Group I, treated with 0 to 0.5 mol L−1 NaOH, is mesoporous ZSM-5 attached by Al-MCM-41-like ordered mesostructures and has a high yield for liquid petroleum gas. Group II, treated with 0.5 mol L−1 to 1.0 mol L−1 NaOH, is a mixture of ZSM-5 zeolite phase and Al-MCM-41-like ordered mesostructure phase and has a high yield of light oil. Group III, treated with 1.0 mol L−1 NaOH, is formed by complete collapse of ZSM-5 crystals and formation of Al-MCM-41-like ordered mesostructures and exhibits a high yield of total liquid oil. Due to increasingly enhanced accessibility of acid sites (indexed as accessibility index), all three groups of ZSM-5-based micro-/mesoporous composites show comparable conversion for vacuum gas oil cracking compared with their parent counterpart. These results are of vital importance during the selection of the synthesis conditions and scale-up tests of ZSM-5-based micro-/mesoporous composites to selectively produce liquid petroleum gas, light oil, and total liquid oil.

The modification of commercial ultra-stable Y zeolites using citric acid and phosphoric acid was investigated systematically via a L18(38) orthogonal experiment. The pore structure, acid property and crystal structural of modified USY zeolites were characterized by a variety of means such as N2 adsorption–desorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, NH3-temperature programmed desorption and X-ray diffraction. The optimal modification condition is found to be that the volume ratio of citric acid (0.3 mol/L) and phosphoric acid (0.3 mol/L) is 1.0, and the operation is performed at 100 °C for 6 h. The as-synthesized sample presents an increased secondary pore volume up to 0.207 cm3/g which accounts for 42.9 % of the total pore volume, and appropriate acidity distribution as well as good crystallinity. In addition, the USY obtained by 1.0 L scale-up modification possesses a secondary pore volume of 0.210 cm3/g which accounts for 42.4 % of the total pore volume, showing no obvious scale-up effects. Furthermore, the hydrothermal stability of the modified samples meets the requirements of commercial catalysts for hydrocracking. Performance evaluation was carried out on a 200 mL fixed-bed single stage hydrogenation unit using Daqing VGO as feedstock. The 140–370 °C middle distillate yield is 66.09 %, and middle distillate selectivity can reach up to 80.45 %. Compared with commercial catalyst, the yield and selectivity are increased by 5.67 and 4.07 %, respectively.

For pulmonary applications of Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) systems, the electrodes are placed around the chest in a 2D ring, and the images are reconstructed based on the assumptions that the object is rigid and the measured resistivity change in EIT images is only caused by the actual resistivity change of tissue. Structural changes are rarely considered. Previous studies have shown that structural changes which result in tissue/organ and electrode position changes tend to introduce artefacts to EIT images of the thorax. Since EIT reconstruction is an ill-posed inverse problem, any small inaccurate assumptions of object may cause large artefacts in reconstructed images. Accurate information on structure/electrode position changes is a need to understand factors contributing to the measured resistivity changes and to improve EIT reconstruction algorithm. Our previous study using MRI technique showed that chest expansion leads to electrode and tissue/organ movements but not significant as proposed. The accuracy of the measurements by MRI may be limited by its relatively low temporal and spatial resolution. In this study, structure/electrode position changes during respiration cycle in patients who underwent chest CT scans are further investigated. For each patient, sixteen fiduciary markers are equally spaced around the surface, the same as the electrode placement for EIT measurements. A CT scanner with respiration-gated ability is used to acquire images of the thorax. CT thoracic images are retrospectively reconstructed corresponding temporally to specific time periods within respiration cycle (from 0% to 90%, every 10%). The average chest expansions are 2 mm in anterior-posterior and -1.6 mm in lateral directions. Inside tissue/organ move down 9.0±2.5 mm with inspiration of tidal volume (0.54±0.14 liters), ranging from 6 mm to 12 mm. During normal quiet respiration, electrode position changes are smaller than expected. No general patterns of electrode position changes are observed. The results in this study provide guidelines for accommodating the motion that may introduce artefacts to EIT images.

Delivery of accurate intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or stereotactic radiotherapy depends on a multitude of steps in the treatment delivery process. These steps range from imaging of the patient to dose calculation to machine delivery of the treatment plan. Within the treatment planning system's (TPS) dose calculation algorithm, various unique small field dosimetry parameters are essential, such as multileaf collimator modeling and field size dependence of the output. One of the largest challenges in this process is determining accurate small field size output factors. The Radiological Physics Center (RPC), as part of its mission to ensure that institutions deliver comparable and consistent radiation doses to their patients, conducts on-site dosimetry review visits to institutions. As a part of the on-site audit, the RPC measures the small field size output factors as might be used in IMRT treatments, and compares the resulting field size dependent output factors to values calculated by the institution's treatment planning system (TPS). The RPC has gathered multiple small field size output factor datasets for X-ray energies ranging from 6 to 18 MV from Varian, Siemens and Elekta linear accelerators. These datasets were measured at 10 cm depth and ranged from 10 × 10 cm(2) to 2 × 2 cm(2). The field sizes were defined by the MLC and for the Varian machines the secondary jaws were maintained at a 10 × 10 cm(2). The RPC measurements were made with a micro-ion chamber whose volume was small enough to gather a full ionization reading even for the 2 × 2 cm(2) field size. The RPC-measured output factors are tabulated and are reproducible with standard deviations (SD) ranging from 0.1% to 1.5%, while the institutions' calculated values had a much larger SD range, ranging up to 7.9% [corrected].The absolute average percent differences were greater for the 2 × 2 cm(2) than for the other field sizes. The RPC's measured small field output factors provide institutions with a standard dataset against which to compare their TPS calculated values. Any discrepancies noted between the standard dataset and calculated values should be investigated with careful measurements and with attention to the specific beam model.

Inclusion complex, [Cd(phen) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ]2L· 6H 2 O (1), where HL = 4-methylbenzenesulfonic acid and phen = phenanthroline, could be achieved by combining d10 Cd 2 + to HL and small organic molecule phen in high yield under moderate conditions. Nanoparticles of CdS could be obtained by hydrothermal decomposing single crystals of 1 with the assistance of Na 2 S. We found that the various solvents contribute very little to the shape of outcome CdS. But in the presence of sodium hydroxide, regular CdS crystals could be obtained successfully. The structures have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction.

Purpose Magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomography (CT) image fusion with CT-based dose calculation is the gold standard for prostate treatment planning. MR and CT fusion with CT-based dose calculation has become a routine procedure for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment planning at Fox Chase Cancer Center. The use of MRI alone for treatment planning (or MRI simulation) will remove any errors associated with image fusion. Furthermore, it will reduce treatment cost by avoiding redundant CT scans and save patient, staff, and machine time. The purpose of this study is to investigate the dosimetric accuracy of MRI-based treatment planning for prostate IMRT. Methods and materials A total of 30 IMRT plans for 15 patients were generated using both MRI and CT data. The MRI distortion was corrected using gradient distortion correction (GDC) software provided by the vendor (Philips Medical System, Cleveland, OH). The same internal contours were used for the paired plans. The external contours were drawn separately between CT-based and MR imaging–based plans to evaluate the effect of any residual distortions on dosimetric accuracy. The same energy, beam angles, dose constrains, and optimization parameters were used for dose calculations for each paired plans using a treatment optimization system. The resulting plans were compared in terms of isodose distributions and dose–volume histograms (DVHs). Hybrid phantom plans were generated for both the CT-based plans and the MR-based plans using the same leaf sequences and associated monitor units (MU). The physical phantom was then irradiated using the same leaf sequences to verify the dosimetry accuracy of the treatment plans. Results Our results show that dose distributions between CT-based and MRI-based plans were equally acceptable based on our clinical criteria. The absolute dose agreement for the planning target volume was within 2% between CT-based and MR-based plans and 3% between measured dose and dose predicted by the planning system in the physical phantom. Conclusions Magnetic resonnace imaging is a useful tool for radiotherapy simulation. Compared with CT-based treatment planning, MR imaging–based treatment planning meets the accuracy for dose calculation and provides consistent treatment plans for prostate IMRT. Because MR imaging–based digitally reconstructed radiographs do not provide adequate bony structure information, a technique is suggested for producing a wire-frame image that is intended to replace the traditional digitally reconstructed radiographs that are made from CT information.

A formula is derived which expresses the rate of a chemical reaction (or relaxation process) as the convolution of a correlation integral and the isothermal fluctuation from equilibrium of the affinity of the reaction. Two examples are provided of the dynamic variables (reaction densities) that appear in this correlation integral. The first of these is the model of simple reactive spheres. The second incorporates mechanisms by which two colliding atoms can be transformed into a bound dimer and, conversely, by which dimer dissociation can occur.

Unraveling the kinetics and mechanisms of sparingly soluble calcium orthophosphate (Ca-P) dissolution in the presence of organic acids at microscopic levels is important for an improved understanding in determining the effectiveness of organic acids present in most rhizosphere environments. Herein, we use in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) coupled with a fluid reaction cell to image dissolution on the (010) face of brushite, CaHPO4 · 2H2O, in citrate-bearing solutions over a broad concentration range. We directly measure the dependence of molecular step retreat rate on citrate concentration at various pH values and ionic strengths, relevant to soil solution conditions. We find that low concentrations of citrate (10-100 μM) induced a reduction in step retreat rates along both the [100]Cc and [101]Cc directions. However, at higher concentrations (exceeding 0.1 mM), this inhibitory effect was reversed with step retreat speeds increasing rapidly. These results demonstrate that the concentration-dependent modulation of nanoscale Ca-P phase dissolution by citrate may be applied to analyze the controversial role of organic acids in enhancing Ca-P mineral dissolution in a more complex rhizosphere environment. These in situ observations may contribute to resolving the previously unrecognized interactions of root exudates (low molecular weight organic acids) and sparingly soluble Ca-P minerals.

The purpose of this investigation is to develop a computationally tractable procedure for obtaining theoretical estimates of the correlation functions characteristic of a chemically reactive small‐molecule fluid and for determining the spectral characteristics of the associated many‐body modes. Generalized Enskog‐type kinetic equations (appropriate both to low and high densities) are derived for fluid mixtures which include species capable of participating in bimolecular reactions such as AB+CD⇄AC+BD. The dynamics of the reactive events are treated according to the model of simple reactive spheres (SRS) and to a less restrictive, modified simple reactive sphere (MSRS) model, as well. The distribution functions of the various species are represented by bilinear expansions in terms of velocity basis functions and the associated expansion coefficients are identified with correlation functions of pairs of single‐particle dynamical variables. The kinetic equations are then transformed into coupled sets of line...

Esters of phosphoric acid constitute a large fraction of the total organic phosphorus (OP) in the soil environment and, thus, play an important role in the global phosphorus cycle. These esters, such as glucose-6-phosphate (G6P), exhibit unusual reactivity toward various mineral particles in soils, especially those containing calcite. Many important processes of OP transformation, including adsorption, hydrolysis, and precipitation, occur primarily at mineral-fluid interfaces, which ultimately governs the fate of organophosphates in the environment. However, little is known about the kinetics of specific mineral-surface-induced adsorption and precipitation of organophosphates. Here, by using in situ atomic-force microscopy (AFM) to visualize the dissolution of calcite (1014) faces, we show that the presence of G6P results in morphology changes of etch pits from the typical rhombohedral to a fan-shaped form. This can be explained by a site-selective mechanism of G6P-calcite surface interactions that stabilize the energetically unfavorable (0001) or (0112) faces through step-specific adsorption of G6P. Continuous dissolution at calcite (1014)-water interfaces caused a boundary layer at the calcite-water interface to become supersaturated with respect to a G6P-Ca phase that then drives the nucleation and growth of a G6P-Ca precipitate. Furthermore, after the introduction of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase (AP), the precipitates were observed to contain a mixture of components associated with G6P-Ca, amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP)-hydroxyapatite (HAP) and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD). These direct dynamic observations of the transformation of adsorption- and complexation-surface precipitation and enzyme-mediated pathways may improve the mechanistic understanding of the mineral-interface-induced organophosphate sequestration in the soil environment.

The process of natural leaf senescence of Cinnamomum camphora (C. camphora)-a commercial tree in Asia, was investigated, focusing on changes in cellular ultrastructure, epicuticular wax, and stoma. The changes to mesophyll cells in a senescing leaf predominantly include degradation of the following cellular components: cytoplasm, the central vacuole, small vacuoles, and vesicles with a diameter smaller than 400 nm, which are involved in the degradation of chloroplasts. The sequence of change in epicuticular wax during leaf senescence was different from those in herbaceous plants by atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscopic analysis. Comparing with maturation leaves, senescing leaves develop a wider aperture in their stoma, which would delay the leaf senescence of C. camphora.

There can be significant differences between the rates of activated chemical reactions calculated as if the reactants and products were in states of mutual thermal equilibrium and the rates associated with concentration and species temperatures obtained from solutions of Boltzmann equations. The theory presented here is based on the assumption that the particle distribution functions can be represented by Boltzmann functions with time‐dependent concentrations and species temperatures. This leads from the Boltzmann equations to a set of coupled nonlinear equations of change for the concentrations and temperatures. Solutions of these equations have been obtained and used to calculate the rates of reaction. Numerical results generated by this procedure are found to agree quite well with the outputs of Nanbu–Babovsky Monte Carlo simulations and with predictions based on quasistationary perturbative solutions of the Boltzmann equations.