Search

The current study was focused on the evaluation of the performance of a modified flocculant (PEI-T) for the removal of turbidity and heavy metals from wastewater. Thioglycolic acid was introduced into the molecular chain of cationic flocculant polyethyleneimine (PEI) through an amidation reaction to form a new flocculant PEI-T. Results revealed that: (a) PEI-T and PEI had similar turbidity removal effect, but PEI-T had a good function of catching heavy metal copper and mercury; (b) when Cu2+ and turbidity-causing substances coexist in a water sample, Cu2+ and turbidity-causing substances promote the removal of each other and the residual concentration of Cu2+ and turbidity decrease further; and (c) the presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+ can promote the removal of copper ions by PEI-T. HIGHLIGHTS Modified flocculant (PEI-T) was evaluated for removal of turbidity and heavy metals from wastewater.; Thioglycolic acid was introduced into the molecular chain of cationic flocculant polyethyleneimine (PEI) to form a new flocculant, PEI-T.; These flocculants had similar turbidity removal effect.; Cu2+ and turbidity-causing substances promote their removal when Cu2+ and turbidity-causing substances coexist.;

C29H45Cl2N2O2, monoclinic, P21 (no. 4), a = 8.4429(4) Å, b = 19.6901(9) Å, c = 9.0259(4) Å, β = 100.700(2)°, V = 1474.4 Å3, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.0492, wRref(F2) = 0.1437, T = 293 K.

A fungal elicitor extracted from Aspergillus oryzae (Ahlb.) Cobn mycelia promoted the production of shikonin derivatives in Onosma paniculatum Bur et Franch cell suspension cultures. Elicitor treatment also increased Ca2+ concentration in RM9 medium, which could be measured earlier than the elicited increase of shikonin formation. Several reagents known to induce Ca2+-influx and increase the intracellular-free Ca2+ level, such as the addition of Ca (NO3)2·4H2O, the Ca2+ ionophore A23187, and abscisic acid (ABA), appreciably suppressed the elicitor-promoted shikonin formation in Onosma cells. In contrast, the decrease of intracellular-free Ca2+ level by the specific Ca2+-chelator ethylene glycol bis (β-aminoethylether)-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) or the Ca2+—channel blocker, verapamil, enhanced the biosynthesis of shikonin even in the absence of elicitor. Treatment of cells with trifluoperazine (TFP) also stimulated shikonin formation in Onosma cell cultures. A rapid and transient drop of free Ca2+ level in one protoplast was directly determined after the addition of elicitor to Onosma cell cultures. The inhibitory effect on shikonin formation by ABA was largely on account of its ability to restore the intracellular Ca2+ level lowered by the elicitor. These results suggest that Ca2+ play a significant role in an early stage of the elicitation process of Onosma cells. The rapid drop of cytoplasmic Ca2+ carries the elicitor signal and in turn regulates the biosynthesis of shikonin derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Kristallographie / New Crystal Structures is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As increase of coal comprehensive utilization, it is urgent to establish comprehensive utilization grades of some trace metal elements in coals in order to taking comprehensive evaluation measures in coal exploration stages and to decrease the exploration cost. High concentrations of trace elements in coal seams were reported by several papers in recent years. In this paper, the comprehensive utilization grades of Li, U, Th and REE were suggested by compared their enrichments in coal with the Geology and Ore Deposit Standard Specifications in rocks for Rare Metal Mineral Exploration of the People's Republic of China (DZ/T 0203-2002), and also compared with the minimum mining grade for Ga and Ge in coals. The author suggests that the minimum mining grades of Li, U, Th and REE should be 120, 40, 150 and 300 mg/kg, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the regulatory effects of Zuogui Jiangtang Jieyu Formula(ZJJ) on the intestinal flora, short chain fatty acids(SCFAs), and neuroinflammation in rats with diabetes mellitus complicated depression(DD). The DD model was established in rats and model rats were randomly divided into a model group, a positive drug(metformin + fluoxetine) group, a ZJJ low-dose group, and a ZJJ high-dose group, with eight rats in each group. Another eight rats were assigned to the blank group. Subsequently, depressive-like behavior test was conducted on the rats, and cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected to measure pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)]. Blood serum samples were collected to measure proteins related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis(HPA axis), including corticotropin-releasing hormone(CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH), and cortisol(CORT), as well as glucose metabolism. Gut contents were collected from each group for 16S rRNA sequencing analysis of intestinal flora and SCFAs sequencing. The results indicated that ZJJ not only improved glucose metabolism in DD rats(P<0.01) but also alleviated depressive-like behavior(P<0.05) and HPA axis hyperactivity(P<0.05 or P<0.01). Besides, it also improved the neuroinflammatory response in the brain, as evidenced by a significant reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid(P<0.05 or P<0.01). Additionally, ZJJ improved the intestinal flora, causing the intestinal flora in DD rats to resemble that of the blank group, characterized by an increased Firmicutes abundance. ZJJ significantly increased the levels of SCFAs(acetic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, and isovaleric acid)(P<0.01). Therefore, it is deduced that ZJJ can effectively ameliorate intestinal flora dysbiosis, regulate SCFAs, and thereby improve both glucose metabolism disturbances and depressive-like behavior in DD.

To explore the characteristics and sources of PM 2.5 pollution in winter of Handan City in the past five years, PM 2.5 samples were collected in winter of 2016 to 2020, and eight types of water-soluble inorganic ions were analyzed. The principal component analysis(PCA) model was used to analyze the types of pollution sources, and the backward trajectory and potential source contribution factor(PSCF) were used to simulate the transport trajectory and pollution sources. The results showed that the PM 2.5 concentration in winter of 2018 was the highest, increasing by 60.44%, 25.46%, 91.43%, and 21.53% compared with that in 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020, respectively. In the winter of 2020, the concentration of water-soluble inorganic ions(WSIIs) decreased by 18.86% compared with that in 2016, and WSIIs/PM 2.5 decreased to 26.69%. The PM 2.5 concentration(110.20-209.65 μg·m -3 ) at night was higher than that in the daytime(95.21-193.00 μg·m -3 ). The concentration of NO 3 - and NH 4 + increased more at night. On the contrary, the concentration and proportion of Cl - decreased annually. In the winter of 2020, the daytime concentrations of K + , Ca 2+ , Na + , and Mg 2+ decreased by 69.72%, 97.10%, 90.91%, and 74.51% compared with that of 2018, and the night concentrations decreased by 66.67%, 95.38%, 91.67%, and 77.78%, respectively. In 2020, the concentrations of NO 3 - , SO 4 2- , and NH 4 + on polluted days were 4.90, 5.80, and 5.20 times those on non-polluted days, with the largest increase in five years. PCA results showed that the main sources of pollution were secondary sources, coal sources, biomass combustion sources, and road and building dust. The backward trajectory and PSCF analysis results showed that pollution transport continued to exist between south-central Mongolia and central Inner Mongolia in winter and was influenced by the transport between northern Henan and Handan and central Hebei and Handan in winter of 2016 and 2017, whereas the latter had a greater impact in winter of 2018-2020.

Humans have long been combating chronic pain. In clinical practice, opioids are first- choice analgesics, but long-term use of these drugs can lead to serious adverse reactions. Finding new, safe and effective pain relievers that are useful treatments for chronic pain is an urgent medical need. Based on accumulating evidence from numerous studies, excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to the development and maintenance of chronic pain. Some antioxidants are potentially beneficial analgesics in the clinic, but ROS-dependent pathways are completely inhibited only by scavenging ROS directly targeting cellular or subcellular sites. Unfortunately, current antioxidant treatments donot achieve this effect. Furthermore, some antioxidants interfere with physiological redox signaling pathways and fail to reverse oxidative damage. Therefore, the key upstream processes and mechanisms of ROS production that lead to chronic pain in vivo must be identified to discover potential therapeutic targets related to the pathways that control ROS production in vivo. In this review, we summarize the sites and pathways involved in analgesia based on the three main mechanisms by which ROS are generated in vivo, discuss the preclinical evidence for the therapeutic potential of targeting these pathways in chronic pain, note the shortcomings of current research and highlight possible future research directions to provide new targets and evidence for the development of clinical analgesics., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Osteoporotic vertebral fractures cause pain and disability, which result in a heavy socioeconomic burden. However, the incidence and cost of vertebral fractures in China are unknown. We aimed to assess the incidence and cost of clinically recognized vertebral fractures among people aged 50 years and older in China from 2013 to 2017., Materials and Methods: This population-based cohort study was conducted by using Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) and Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) data in China from 2013 to 2017, which covered more than 95% of the Chinese population in urban areas. Vertebral fractures were identified by the primary diagnosis (i.e. International Classification of Diseases code or text of diagnosis) in UEBMI and URBMI. The incidence and medical cost of these clinically recognized vertebral fractures in urban China were calculated., Results: A total of 271 981 vertebral fractures (186 428, 68.5% females and 85 553, 31.5% males) were identified, with a mean age of 70.26 years. The incidence of vertebral fractures among patients aged 50 years and over in China increased ~1.79-fold during the 5 years, from 85.21 per 100 000 person-years in 2013 to 152.13 per 100 000 person-years in 2017. Medical costs for vertebral fractures increased from US$92.74 million in 2013 to US$505.3 million in 2017. Annual costs per vertebral fracture case increased from US$3.54 thousand in 2013 to US$5.35 thousand in 2017., Conclusion: The dramatic increase in the incidence and cost of clinically recognized vertebral fractures among patients aged 50 and over in urban China implies that more attention should be given to the management of osteoporosis to prevent osteoporotic fractures., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

In order to explore the chemical composition and source profiles of atmospheric particulate matter in winter in the northern area of Handan, a heavily polluted city in the southern part of North China, PM 1 and PM 2.5 samples were collected and analyzed from November 23 to December 12, 2020. During the observation period, the daily average ρ (PM 1 )and ρ (PM 2.5 ) were 114.53 μg·m -3 and 124.25 μg·m -3 , respectively, and the ratio of PM 1 /PM 2.5 was 83.3%-95.3%, which was significantly higher than those of other cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, indicating that air pollution of fine particulate matter, especially sub-micron particulate matter, was more serious in Handan. Compared with that during clean days, SNA (SO 4 2- , NO 3 - , and NH 4 + ) in PM 1 increased by 14.5% during heavy pollution, and SNA in PM 2.5 increased by 15.2%; the nitrogen oxidation rate (NOR) in particular increased by three times on heavy pollution days. With the deepening of pollution, the proportion of secondary organic carbon (SOC) in PM 1 and PM 2.5 increased by 22.0% and 12.5%, respectively. SOC tended to accumulate in small particles, whereas the proportion of primary organic carbon (POC) and elemental carbon (EC) in PM 1 decreased by 15.4% and 6.6%, and the POC and EC in PM 2.5 decreased by 8.2% and 4.3%, respectively. The above results indicated that secondary formation played an important role in the heavy pollution of particulate matter. With the aggravation of air pollution, the liquid water content of the particles increased, and both the sulfur oxidation ratio (SOR) and nitrogen oxidation ratio (NOR) increased, indicating that the aqueous phase chemical reaction made an important contribution to the formation of secondary inorganics. With the deepening of pollution, inorganic elements were on the rise; Se, As, Pb, and Zn were highly enriched in inorganic elements. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) showed that secondary formation, industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, and biomass burning emissions were the main sources of particulate pollutants. The results of potential source contribution factor analysis (PSCF) showed that the high value areas of SO 4 2- , NO 3 - , EC, OC, and inorganic elements were mainly from the north and southwest directions of the observation area.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of artificial digestion method on inspection of meat for Trichinella spiralis contamination and its influence on activity and infectivity of muscle larvae., Methods: The mice were inoculated orally with 100 muscle larvae of T. spiralis and sacrificed on the 30th day following the infection. The muscle larvae of T. spiralis were recovered by three different test protocols employing variations of the artificial digestion method, i.e. the first test protocol evaluating digestion for 2 hours (magnetic stirrer method), the second test protocol evaluating digestion for 12 hours, and the third test protocol evaluating digestion for 20 hours. Each test group included ten samples, and each of which included 300 encapsulated larvae. Meanwhile, the activity of the recovered muscle larvae was also assessed. Forty mice were randomly divided into a control group and three digestion groups, so 4 groups (with 10 mice per group) in total. In the control group, each mouse was orally inoculated with 100 encapsulated larvae of T. spiralis. In all of the digestion test groups, each mouse was orally inoculated with 100 muscle larvae of T. spiralis. The larvae were then recovered from the different three test groups by the artificial digestion protocol variations. All the infected mice were sacrificed on the 30th day following the infection, and the muscle larvae of T. spiralis were examined respectively by the diaphragm compression method and the magnetic stirrer method., Results: The muscle larvae detection rates were 78.47%, 76.73%, and 68.63%, the death rates were 0.59%, 4.60%, and 7.43%, and the reduction rates were 60.56%, 61.94%, and 73.07%, in the Test Group One (2-hour digestion), Test Group Two (12-hour digestion) and Test Group Three (20-hour digestion), respectively., Conclusion: The magnetic stirrer method (2-hour digestion method) is superior to both 12-hour digestion and 20-hour digestion methods when assessed by the detection rate, activity and infectivity of muscle larvae.