Background The contribution of Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) infection to intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) and the antibiotic therapy has evoked several controversies in recent years. While ...some microbiology studies report bacterial disc infection within IDD patients, others attribute the positive results to contamination during prolonged cultures. In addition to the clinical controversy, little was known about the mechanism of C. acnes-caused Modic changes (MCs) if C. acnes was the pathogenic factor. Objectives This study aimed to investigate the inflammatory mechanism of MCs induced by different phylotypes of C. acnes in patients with IDD. Methods Specimens from sixty patients undergoing microdiscectomy for disc herniation were included, C. acnes were identified by anaerobic culture, followed by biochemical and PCR-based methods. The identified species of C. acnes were respectively inoculated into the intervertebral discs of rabbits. MRI and histological change were observed. Additionally, we detected MMP expression in the rabbit model using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results Of the 60 cases, 18 (30%) specimens were positive for C. acnes, and we identified 4 of 6 defined phylogroups: IA, IB, II and III. The rabbits that received Type IB or II strains of C. acnes showed significantly decreased T1WI and higher T2WI at eighth weeks, while strain III C. acnes resulted in hypointense signals on both T1WI and T2WI. Histological examination results showed that all of the three types of C. acnes could cause disc degeneration and endplates rupture. Moreover, endplate degeneration induced by type IB or II strains of C. acnes is related with MMP13 expression. Meanwhile, strain III C. acnes might upregulated the level of MMP3. Conclusion This study suggested that C. acnes is widespread in herniated disc tissues. Different types of C. acnes could induce different MCs by increasing MMP expression.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Display omitted
•The degradation efficiency of TC over the 0.3-p-Ag2S/n-BiVO4 can be achieved 90.2%.•Ten intermediate products for TC degradation were verified by the GC-MS.•The enhancing ...photocatalysis mechanism was attributed to the facilitated charge transfer.
Three-dimensional microsphere p-Ag2S/n-BiVO4 p-n heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully fabricated via depositing p-type Ag2S on n-type BiVO4, which showed excellent photocatalytic performance, compared with BiVO4 and Ag2S, for the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline under visible light irradiation. The enhancing photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the facilitated charge transfer, and the increased lifetime of the charge carriers confirmed by the results of time-resolved fluorescence spectra and photoelectrochemical measures. Moreover, 10 photocatalytic degradation intermediates and products were also identified by the gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. Finally, the photocatalytic enhancement mechanism over p-Ag2S/n-BiVO4 was discussed. The strategy to form three-dimensional microspheres p-n heterojunction photocatalyst may open a new opportunity to design highly efficient photocatalyst for environmental treatment to control pollution.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Eye diseases and injuries impose a significant clinical problem worldwide. Safe and effective ocular drug delivery is, however, challenging due to the presence of ocular barriers. Here we report a ...strategy using an eye patch equipped with an array of detachable microneedles. These microneedles can penetrate the ocular surface tissue, and serve as implanted micro-reservoirs for controlled drug delivery. The biphasic drug release kinetics enabled by the double-layered micro-reservoirs largely enhances therapeutic efficacy. Using corneal neovascularization as the disease model, we show that delivery of an anti-angiogenic monoclonal antibody (DC101) by such eye patch produces ~90% reduction of neovascular area. Furthermore, quick release of an anti-inflammatory compound (diclofenac) followed by a sustained release of DC101 provides synergistic therapeutic outcome. The eye patch application is easy and minimally invasive to ensure good patient compliance. Such intraocular drug delivery strategy promises effective home-based treatment of many eye diseases.
Beijing has been facing increasingly severe water scarcity. Water consumed by crop production is a notable proportion. To estimate total water consumption of crop production in Beijing, we refer to ...the water footprint concept, taking both direct and indirect water into account. The water footprint (WF) of crop production consists of blue, green and grey components. We use the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) decomposition method to quantitatively analyze the driving factors for changes in WF. From 1978 to 2012, WF of crop production in Beijing experienced a decrease of 35.1%. This offset primarily resulted from rapid urbanization. The structure and technological factors acted as additional decrease factors. On the contrary, surged population and production scale effect hindered the water conservation process. To further promote water conservation in crop production, we have to continue improving water saving technology and adjusting plantation structure. Crop production in Beijing shows a greater blue WF than the green and grey ones, so rain-fed crops should be further promoted. This work elucidates how diverse determinants affect WF of crop production, which can provide detailed insights into the summary and outlooks of local crop water sustainability.
•We figure out WF of crop production in Beijing during 1978–2012.•We examine driving factors for changes in WF with a LMDI approach.•WF experienced an upward stage, a downward stage and a stable stage.•Urbanization, structure and technology effect took down WF of crop production.•Surged population and production scale effect hindered water conservation.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPUK
Surface passivation is a key limiting factor in the application of zero-valent iron (ZVI) for water remediation. Addition of ligands is a useful approach to overcome this issue. In this work, a small ...amount of acetylacetone (AA) (0.5 mM) was found highly efficient to enhance the reduction of nitrate by ZVI at near neutral conditions (pH 6.0) with the formation of considerable black coating on ZVI. At an initial nitrate concentration of 20 mg N/L, the pseudo first-order reduction rate constant of nitrate in the ZVI-AA-NO3− system was 0.0991 h−1, which was 52 times higher than that in the ZVI-NO3− system. Under otherwise identical conditions, the other five ligands, including EDTA, formate, acetate, oxalate, and phosphate, had negligible effects. Based on the pKa values of these ligands and the final species of iron, the ligand effects on nitrate reduction by ZVI were summarized from three aspects: (1) the ability to offer potentially dissociable protons from the ligands; (2) the complexation ability to eliminate iron (hydr)oxide precipitates from the surface of ZVI; and (3) the ability to lower down the redox potentials of iron species. The good performance of AA in these three aspects makes it advantage over the other ligands. A cycle test up to six runs demonstrates that AA could continuously take effect in the ZVI system. The results here point out the potential of AA as an effective ligand in ZVI system for enhanced contaminant transformation.
Display omitted
•Acetylacetone (AA) enhanced the reduction of nitrate by zero valent iron (ZVI).•The ligand effects caused by AA were compared with five other ligands.•Dissociable protons and reduction potential change were important factors.•The potential of AA as an accelerant in nitrate reduction by ZVI was evaluated.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPUK, ZRSKP
Prediction scoring systems for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) have not yet been reported. This study was designed to ...develop a predictive score for in-hospital mortality for cardiogenic shock patients who received VA-ECMO after isolated CABG.
Retrospective cohort study of consecutive CABG patients supported with VA-ECMO (n = 166) at the Beijing Anzhen Hospital between February 2004 and March 2017.
One hundred and six patients (64%) could be weaned from VA-ECMO, and 74 patients (45%) survived to hospital discharge. On the basis of multivariable logistic regression analyses, the pRedicting mortality in patients undergoing veno-arterial Extracorporeal MEMBrane oxygenation after coronary artEry bypass gRafting (REMEMBER) score was created with six pre-ECMO parameters: older age, left main coronary artery disease, inotropic score > 75, CK-MB > 130 IU/L, serum creatinine > 150 umol/L, and platelet count < 100 × 10
/L. Four risk classes, namely class I (REMEMBER score 0-13), class II (14-19), class III (20-25), and class IV (> 25) with their corresponding mortality (13%, 55%, 70%, and 94%, respectively), were identified. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.85(95% CI 0.79-0.91) for the REMEMBER score was better than those for the SOFA, SAVE, EuroSCORE, and ENCOURAGE scores in this population.
The REMEMBER score might help clinicians at bedside to predict in-hospital mortality for patients receiving VA-ECMO after isolated CABG for refractory cardiogenic shock. Prospective studies are needed to externally validate this scoring system.
The recent developments of FRP (fiber reinforced polymer) are towards the growth and usage of natural FRP in the field of engineering due to both environmental and economic benefits. Flax fiber is ...one of the most commonly used natural fibers. One of the critical factors affecting the mechanical behavior of FFRP (flax fiber reinforced polymer) is hygrothermal aging. Some experimental works have been conducted to investigate the effect of hydrothermal aging on static behavior of FFRP. However, fewer efforts have been made to study its damping properties after hydrothermal aging. In this paper, the effect of surface treatment (including alkalization, silanization, acetylation and alkali-silanization) on dynamic mechanical behavior of FFRP under hygrothermal aging is studied. The results show that water resistance and damping properties of FFRP are improved after surface treatment. The acetylation treated FFRP exhibits excellent damping performance among all treated specimens.
Full text
Available for:
IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Display omitted
•A new perspective of land–ocean coordinated analysis was used for PAHs pollution evaluation.•The pollution of PAHs in Liao River and its estuarine posed human around dangerous.•The ...pollution of PAHs in Liao Estuarine had been deteriorating in recent 20 years.•River and marine PAHs pollution prevention and control management complement each other.
Land-ocean coordinated management is an important wisdom for environmental protection and pollution prevention of marine and river systems. Taking Liao River and Estuarine as an example, the pollution characteristics, temporal and spatial distribution and change features of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments in recent 20 years were studied from two different analysis perspectives of land and ocean. The research showed that the pollution of PAHs in the sediments of Liao River and Estuarine was not optimistic. The concentration of Σ16PAHs was 48–28,000 ng/g. The carcinogenic risk to humans shouldn't be ignored, which could cause the loss of life expectancy 0.03–4.2 years. The traceability analysis showed that the use and combustion of fossil fuels were the main sources of PAHs. In addition, the leakage of oil during the intensive transportation of ships in coastal waters might also contribute to PAHs. The concentrations of PAHs had obvious temporal and spatial distribution characteristics. Spatially, estuaries < tributaries < main streams; temporally, wet season < normal season < dry season in Liao River. Whereas, the variation of PAHs in estuarine sediments was slight. In the past 20 years, the concentration of PAHs in Liao River had increased first and then decreased, reaching maximum in 2010; However, the concentration of PAHs seldom decreased in estuarine sediments, in which showed a more serious situation of PAHs pollution control.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
•We examine driving factors for changes in WF in China with a SDA approach.•The sector with the maximal water-saving space changed from agriculture to tertiary industry.•Gross economic scale effect ...hindered water conservation during 1997–2007.•Technology and economic structure effects always offset the WF increase.•Market expansion could lead to a decrease in water utilization and increase the WF.
Policy evolution in China has made great achievements in economic development, while its impact on water has also been significant. This study provides detailed insight into how diverse policy evolution affected the water footprint (WF) in China from 1997 to 2007 through input–output analysis and structural decomposition analysis. Input–output analysis was used to measure China's WF. The results indicate that the total WF in China decreased from 495.5 billion m3 in 1997 to 447.6 billion m3 in 2007. Structural decomposition analysis was applied to quantify the determinants of the changes in WF. The driving factors of the WF changes were decomposed into technology, sectoral connection, economic structure, gross economic scale and population. The results show that the sector with the most space to save water changed from agriculture to tertiary industry during the periods under study. Technology and economic structure effects always offset the WF increase, whereas gross economic scale effect always hindered water conservation. In 2002–2005, the sectoral connection effect abruptly changed from negative to positive, with the proportion of the total contribution rising to 60%. This phenomenon can be linked to market expansion, which led to a decrease in water utilization when China joined the WTO in 2001. To promote water conservation in China, macro-control policies should be formulated in coordination with self-readjustment policies.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPUK, ZRSKP
PDF
