For the treatment of lake water with algae, the coagulation–ultrafiltration–ozone–biologically activated carbon (CUF–O3–BAC) integrated process was first used to treat East Taihu Lake water in China, ...aiming at evaluating the removal efficiencies of algae, permanganate index (CODMn), UV254, NH3-N and disinfection by-products (DBPs) precursors. In addition, the long-term performance of the membrane operation under the fluxes of 60, 70, 80 and 90 L/(m2·h) was also investigated, and kinetic models were established. The experimental results showed that the integrated process had positive impaction of algae, CODMn, UV254 and NH3-N removal, and the removal rates were 95.89 ± 1.52, 76.18 ± 4.38, 72.06 ± 4.72 and 81.31 ± 6.71%, respectively. The CUF process was prone to increase the formation potentials of DBPs. Although ozone could reduce the formation risks of chlorinated trihalomethanes (THMs) to a certain extent, it is ineffective to reduce those of brominated THMs and haloacetic acids (HAA5). However, the CUF–O3–BAC process was an effective technology for the removal of THMs and HAA5 precursors in drinking water treatment. Finally, it was found that the relationship between transmembrane pressure (TMP) and time conformed to the first-order and second-order kinetic models, and the linear fitting coefficients were all above 90%. HIGHLIGHTS The treatment of lake water with algae by ultrafiltration–ozone–biologically activated carbon.; Study on the removal of disinfection by-products precursors.; The kinetic models of transmembrane pressure and running time were established.;
Abstract The accumulation of ice and snow will have a great impact on industry and people's lives. People usually adopted active deicing method for deicing in the past, which is characterized by high ...energy consumption, low efficiency, and high cost. Passive anti‐icing materials are the most widely used due to their low icing adhesion strength and energy saving, but passive anti‐icing materials tend to lose anti‐icing performance after mechanical damage or following exposure to harsh environments resembling low temperatures, high humidity. Recently, new anti‐icing materials have been rationally designed through the combination of passive and active anti‐icing, exhibiting high‐efficiency and energy‐saving anti‐icing properties. The design idea is that low surface energy polymers combine photothermal and electrothermal particles to achieve photothermal and electrothermal superhydrophobic anti‐icing. Anti‐icing materials are easily damaged after long‐term outdoor use, so the self‐healing capabilities of the materials are important. This review briefly introduces the ice formation mechanism and anti‐icing methods, focusing on the recent progress in the structural design of superhydrophobic, photothermal, electrothermal, and self‐healing anti‐icing materials. The design of the new generation of anti‐icing materials will be a combination of active and passive anti‐icing, which can achieve ideal all‐weather anti‐icing and deicing and repair the damage during long‐term use.
Abstract
The working mechanism of single-beam optical tweezers is revisited using a recently established method. The optical force is split into conservative and nonconservative components, and these ...components are explicitly calculated for particles in the Rayleigh, Mie and geometrical optics regimes. The results indicate that optical trapping is attributable to the formation of an ‘optical trapping core’. Stable trapping is achieved when the conservative forces are larger than the nonconservative forces in the core region centered at the beam centers for all particle sizes. According to the conventional understanding, stability is a result of the conservative force overcoming the nonconservative force. In comparison, the concept of the optical trapping core more accurately illustrates the physical mechanism of optical trapping, for not only single-beam optical tweezers but also optical trapping settings.
•Fe has an obvious catalytic effect on gasification.•The d orbital of Fe can easily bond with the C in CO2.•The d electrons of Fe can enter the antibonding orbital to promote bond breakage.
Fe is an ...inexpensive and safe catalyst for gasification, but the corresponding catalytic mechanism, in particular the role of the interaction between Fe and C, has not been theoretically described. In this study, DFT is used to search for possible CO2 gasification paths at the two char edges (armchair edge and zigzag edge) catalyzed by Fe. The optimal reaction path is determined by path energy analysis, and the catalytic effect of Fe at the armchair edge is more obvious. Because of its strong interaction with C, Fe has an obvious catalytic effect on gasification adsorption and desorption. In contrast to alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, Fe yields unique catalytic pathways, and its active intermediate is more likely to exist in the form of C-Fe-CO. The catalytic mechanism of Fe is explained by electron wave function information theory: In the adsorption process, Fe can easily adsorb CO2 and bond with the C in CO2 through the electrostatic charge and d orbital. In the desorption process, Fe can destroy the aromaticity of the char edge, weakening the bonds of the carbon ring. The active d electrons of Fe can enter the antibonding orbital of the C–C bond to promote breaking, thereby promoting CO desorption.
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a major comorbidity of COVID-19. However, the impact of blood glucose (BG) control on the degree of required medical interventions and on mortality in patients with COVID-19 ...and T2D remains uncertain. Thus, we performed a retrospective, multi-centered study of 7,337 cases of COVID-19 in Hubei Province, China, among which 952 had pre-existing T2D. We found that subjects with T2D required more medical interventions and had a significantly higher mortality (7.8% versus 2.7%; adjusted hazard ratio HR, 1.49) and multiple organ injury than the non-diabetic individuals. Further, we found that well-controlled BG (glycemic variability within 3.9 to 10.0 mmol/L) was associated with markedly lower mortality compared to individuals with poorly controlled BG (upper limit of glycemic variability exceeding 10.0 mmol/L) (adjusted HR, 0.14) during hospitalization. These findings provide clinical evidence correlating improved glycemic control with better outcomes in patients with COVID-19 and pre-existing T2D.
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•A cohort of 7,337 COVID-19 patients with or without diabetes was retrospectively studied•Diabetes status increased the need for medical interventions during COVID-19•Diabetes status increased the mortality risk of patients with COVID-19•Well-controlled blood glucose correlated with improved outcomes in infected patients
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) correlates with a worse outcome for COVID-19. Here, Zhu et al. show that among ∼7,300 cases of COVID-19, T2D is associated with a higher death rate, but diabetics with better controlled blood glucose die at a lower rate than diabetics with poorly controlled blood glucose.
The progressive degeneration of cartilage marks the advancement of osteoarthritis (OA), which requires specific targeted treatment for effective cartilage repair. However, there is still no efficient ...cartilage delivery system or novel magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent (CA). Herein, we report the synthesis of a novel class of MR CA, Gd2(CO3)3-based nanoparticles (NPs), from a simpler and “greener” approach than previous ones. After the coating of polydopamine (PDA) onto the Gd2(CO3)3 core, we further anchored a cartilage-targeting peptide and loaded hesperetin (Hes) into NPs (Hes-Gd2(CO3)3@PDA-PEG-DWpeptide, HGdPDW), showing excellent cartilage affinity and MR suitability. Additionally, the synthesized HGdPDW exerted significant protective effects against IL-1β stimulation, as shown by the decreased apoptosis and inflammation and increased maturation of chondrocytes in vitro. More importantly, RNA-seq analyses showed the significant reduction of TLR-2 in IL-1β-treated chondrocytes, and this reduction was followed by the inactivation of NF-κB/Akt signaling, leading to the protective effect of HGdPDW. By the establishment of anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) OA mice, the bimodal MRI/IVIS imaging demonstrated the effective cartilage-binding ability of HGdPDW in OA knees with low cytotoxicity, which alleviated the gradual degeneration of articular cartilage in vivo by inhibiting TLR-2 in chondrocytes. Taken together, these results suggest that HGdPDW could target cartilage effectively, thereby protecting chondrocytes from apoptosis and inflammation via TLR-2/NF-κB/Akt signaling. We hope this new class of MRI CA could be applied in not only other fields using MRI technology but also the treatment of general cartilage-related diseases; this application will undoubtedly extend the treatment of OA clinically.
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Multidrug-resistant (MDR) hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) sequence type (ST) 23 (MDR-ST23-hvKp) is emerging in China. Despite its increasing importance, this pathogen has not yet been ...subject to detailed genomic interrogation. We identified 28 ST23 Kp isolated from three hospitals in China. The organisms were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). These novel genomic sequences were analyzed in combination with 218 publicly available genome sequences. We performed molecular serotyping and subtyping, assessed the composition of virulence-associated and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, and determined mobile elements associated with horizontal gene transfer. Two MDR-ST23-hvKp were sequenced by long-read sequencing. The genetic characteristics of MDR and non-MDR isolates were compared. Among the 28 novel ST23 isolates, all were hvKp and 2/28 (7.1%) were MDR-hvKp. From the collection of 246 genomes, KL1 was the predominant serotype (224/246; 91.1%) and the siderophore combination of YbST46-CbST29-AbST1-SmST2 was dominant (101/246; 41.1%); 34/246 (13.8%) organisms belonged to MDR-ST23-hvKp. IncF and IncR plasmid replicons were significantly more prevalent in the MDR group (
< 0.05) than in the non-MDR group. IS
was commonly involved in AMR acquisition. We observed that the acquisition of AMR genes within the ST23-hvKp was not associated with a loss of virulence genes. A 28-bp fusion site was highly conserved with two copies of the virulence-associated plasmid in ST23-hvKp, and we harbored by some of the IncFII plasmids of MDR-ST23-hvKp. Our data suggest that MDR-ST23-hvKp has undergone multiple independent genetic acquisition and recombination events within different sublineages. Notably, the acquisition of IncFII plasmids and/or IS
contributed to the horizontal transfer of AMR genes within ST23-hvKp. Genomic surveillance is essential for further tracking of kMDR-ST23-hvKp.
Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) has become the dominant pathotype in hospitals recently. The sequence type (ST) 23 hvKp, which are more commonly associated with the community-acquired infections previously, may have the capacity to acquire multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotypes creating a new "superbug" (MDR-hvKp) in hospital. In the present study, we studied the associations of MDR and hypervirulence among ST23 K. pneumoniae from our strain collection and publicly accessible genome data. By comparative analysis of the carriage of resistance genes, virulence genes plasmid replicon types, and plasmid sequences, we found that IncFII plasmids were significantly more prevalent in MDR isolates and IS
were commonly involved in resistance gene acquisition. We also discovered new MDR plasmids. These results provided an overview landscape of the genetic elements associated with MDR-ST23-hvKp based on currently accessible genome data and calling for further genomic surveillance and well-designed control studies of MDR-ST23-hvKp.
RATIONALE:Use of ACEIs (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors) and ARBs (angiotensin II receptor blockers) is a major concern for clinicians treating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in ...patients with hypertension.
OBJECTIVE:To determine the association between in-hospital use of ACEI/ARB and all-cause mortality in patients with hypertension and hospitalized due to COVID-19.
METHODS AND RESULTS:This retrospective, multi-center study included 1128 adult patients with hypertension diagnosed with COVID-19, including 188 taking ACEI/ARB (ACEI/ARB group; median age 64 interquartile range, 55–68 years; 53.2% men) and 940 without using ACEI/ARB (non-ACEI/ARB group; median age 64 interquartile range 57–69; 53.5% men), who were admitted to 9 hospitals in Hubei Province, China from December 31, 2019 to February 20, 2020. In mixed-effect Cox model treating site as a random effect, after adjusting for age, gender, comorbidities, and in-hospital medications, the detected risk for all-cause mortality was lower in the ACEI/ARB group versus the non-ACEI/ARB group (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.42 95% CI, 0.19–0.92; P=0.03). In a propensity score-matched analysis followed by adjusting imbalanced variables in mixed-effect Cox model, the results consistently demonstrated lower risk of COVID-19 mortality in patients who received ACEI/ARB versus those who did not receive ACEI/ARB (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.37 95% CI, 0.15–0.89; P=0.03). Further subgroup propensity score-matched analysis indicated that, compared with use of other antihypertensive drugs, ACEI/ARB was also associated with decreased mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.30 95% CI, 0.12–0.70; P=0.01) in patients with COVID-19 and coexisting hypertension.
CONCLUSIONS:Among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and coexisting hypertension, inpatient use of ACEI/ARB was associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with ACEI/ARB nonusers. While study interpretation needs to consider the potential for residual confounders, it is unlikely that in-hospital use of ACEI/ARB was associated with an increased mortality risk.
The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) modulates the expression of many genes important to plant growth and development and to stress adaptation. In this study, we found that an APETALA2/EREBP-type ...transcription factor, AtERF7, plays an important role in ABA responses. AtERF7 interacts with the protein kinase PKS3, which has been shown to be a global regulator of ABA responses. AtERF7 binds to the GCC box and acts as a repressor of gene transcription. AtERF7 interacts with the Arabidopsis thaliana homolog of a human global corepressor of transcription, AtSin3, which in turn may interact with HDA19, a histone deacetylase. The transcriptional repression activity of AtERF7 is enhanced by HDA19 and AtSin3. Arabidopsis plants overexpressing AtERF7 show reduced sensitivity of guard cells to ABA and increased transpirational water loss. By contrast, AtERF7 and AtSin3 RNA interference lines show increased sensitivity to ABA during germination. Together, our results suggest that AtERF7 plays an important role in ABA responses and may be part of a transcriptional repressor complex and be regulated by PKS3.
Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been widely concerned in the field of medical imaging because of its low radiation hazard to humans. However, under low-dose radiation scenarios, a large ...amount of noise/artifacts are present in the reconstructed image, which reduces the clarity of the image and is not conducive to diagnosis. To improve the LDCT image quality, we proposed a combined frequency separation network and Transformer (FSformer) for LDCT denoising. Firstly, FSformer decomposes the LDCT images into low-frequency images and multi-layer high-frequency images by frequency separation blocks. Then, the low-frequency components are fused with the high-frequency components of different layers to remove the noise in the high-frequency components with the help of the potential texture of low-frequency parts. Next, the estimated noise images can be obtained by using Transformer stage in the frequency aggregation denoising block. Finally, they are fed into the reconstruction prediction block to obtain improved quality images. In addition, a compound loss function with frequency loss and Charbonnier loss is used to guide the training of the network. The performance of FSformer has been validated and evaluated on AAPM Mayo dataset, real Piglet dataset and clinical dataset. Compared with previous representative models in different architectures, FSformer achieves the optimal metrics with PSNR of 33.7714 dB and SSIM of 0.9254 on Mayo dataset, the testing time is 1.825 s. The experimental results show that FSformer is a state-of-the-art (SOTA) model with noise/artifact suppression and texture/organization preservation. Moreover, the model has certain robustness and can effectively improve LDCT image quality.
•Proposed a combined frequency separation network and Transformer model (FSformer) for LDCT denoising.•Proposing a novel frequency separation network.•Introducing the anchored stripe attention mechanism (ASA) into LDCT image denoising.•Designing a compound loss function based on frequency loss and Charbonnier loss to train the network.
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