The morphology, pore structure and chemical composition of materials are key to supercapacitor performances. To design reasonable morphology and optimize pore size distribution of materials, we ...employ a combination of sol-gel method and chemical activation with an aid of freeze drying to prepare a three dimensional hierarchical porous pitch-based aerogel (3DHPPA). The aerogel owns hierarchical porous structure ranging from 0 to 100 nm, high specific surface area of 2220 m2 g−1 and is made up of carbon onion-like nanospheres of 20–40 nm with enough electric conductivity (103.2 S m−1). In view of the unique architecture, the supercapacitor assembled from 3DHPPA with the area density of 8.9 mg cm−2 exhibits high specific capacitance of 157 F g−1 at 50 mA g−1, excellent rate performance (95 F g−1 at 10 A g−1), considerable energy density of 24.2 Wh kg−1 at 6.75 kW kg−1 (voltage range of 2.7 V) and outstanding cycling life with 81.5% capacitance retention at 2 A g−1 after 8000 cycles in 1 M TEABF4/PC electrolyte. Furthermore, the formation mechanism of the 3DHPCA is elucidated in this work. The simple, feasible and low-cost strategy makes 3DHPPA applicable in other fields of energy storage, hydrogen storage, capacitive deionization and catalysis.
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•Self assembly of different biomolecules with different chemical groups was successfully performed on magnesium alloy surface.•Desirable corrosion resistance and biocompatibility can be ...obtained.•Fibronectin and fibronectin/heparin remarkably enhanced the biocompatibility.
Due to its superior mechanical and biodegradable properties, magnesium alloy shows great promise in medical devices such as cardiovascular stents and bone grafts. However, the rapid corrosion and the limited biocompatibility hinder its clinical applications. Because the corrosion and biocompatibility are closely related with the surface properties of biomaterials, a novel surface modification strategy was proposed in the present study. The magnesium alloy was firstly treated by NaOH to form a passive chemical conversion layer to improve the acute corrosion resistance, and then 16-Phosphonohexadecanoicacid (16-Pho) was introduced on the modified surface by the self-assembly approach. Poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG), fibronectin (Fn) and fibronectin/heparin (FH) were successively immobilized on the magnesium alloy (AZ31B) to improve the biocompatibility. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) results showed that the above molecules were successfully immobilized on the surface. The hydrophilicity and corrosion resistance were significantly improved by alkali heat treatment. Decreased trend of water contact angle and better corrosion resistance were clearly observed after the following immobilization of the molecules. The biocompatibility was also improved by the surface modifications. Alkali heat treatments gave rise to low hemolysis rate, less platelet adhesion and prolonged clotting time, and the following surface modification further improved the blood compatibility due to the introduction of the different molecules. In addition, good cytocompatibility to endothelial cells was obtained after the surface modifications, especially, Fn and FH effectively enhanced cell attachment and growth. Therefore, this study may give clues to obtain desirable corrosion resistance and biocompatibility simultaneously on the magnesium alloys, which would expand their potential applications in biomaterials and biomedical devices, especially for cardiovascular biomaterials.
Steroids are excreted from humans and animals and discharged with wastewaters into the environment, resulting in potential adverse effects on organisms. Based on the excretion rates from different ...groups of humans and animals, the emissions of seven steroids (estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), testosterone (T), androsterone (A), progesterone (P), and cortisol (C)) were comprehensively estimated in 58 river basins of whole China, and their multimedia fate was simulated by using a level III fugacity multimedia model. The results showed that higher emission densities for the steroids were found in the river basins of east China than in west China. This distribution was found to be generally similar to the distribution of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) across China. E3, A, and P displayed higher emission densities than the other steroids in most of the river basins. The total excretion of steroids by humans and animals in China was estimated to be 3069 t/yr. The excretion of steroids from animals was two times larger than that from humans. After various treatments, the total emission of steroids was reduced to 2486 t/yr, of which more than 80% was discharged into the water compartment. The predicted concentrations in water were within an order of magnitude of the measured concentrations available in the literature. Owing to wastewater irrigation, more steroid mass loadings in agricultural soil were found in the basins of Haihe River and Huaihe River in comparison with the other river basins. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the emissions and multimedia fate of seven steroids in the river basins of China.
Cardiac hypertrophy and ventricular remodeling following heart failure are important causes of high mortality in heart disease patients. The cardiac lymphatic system has been associated with limited ...research, but it plays an important role in the improvement of myocardial edema and the promotion of fluid balance. LCZ696 is a novel combination of angiotensin and neprilysin inhibitors. Here, we studied the role played by LCZ696 during transverse aortic constriction (TAC) induced cardiac hypertrophy and changes in the lymphatic system. Mice undergoing aortic coarctation were constructed to represent a cardiac hypertrophy model and then divided into random groups that either received treatment with LCZ696 (60 mg/kg/d) or no treatment. Cardiac ultrasonography was used to detect cardiac function, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson staining were used to detect myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis. The proinflammatory factors interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected in the blood and heart tissues of mice. The protein expression levels of lymphatic-specific markers, such as vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C), VEGF receptor 3 (VEGFR3), and lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE-1) were detected in mouse heart tissues. We also examined the colocalization of lymphatic vessels and macrophages by immunofluorescence. The results showed that LCZ696 significantly improved heart dysfunction, cardiac hypertrophy, and fibrosis and inhibited the expression of proinflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the circulating blood and heart tissues of mice. LCZ696 also decreased the protein expression levels of VEGF-C, VEGFR3, and LYVE-1 in mouse heart tissues, ameliorated the transport load of lymphatic vessels to macrophages, and improved the remodeling of the lymphatic system in the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy model induced by TAC.
Carbapenem-nonsusceptible Enterobacterales (CNSE) are a growing global threat. Carbapenemases are often produced by plasmids, which allow rapid transmission. This study aimed to investigate (1) the ...bacterial type (2) resistant genes (3) antimicrobial susceptibility and (4) risk factors for acquisition of carbapenemase-producing carbapenem-nonsusceptible Enterobacterales (CP-CNSE) and non-carbapenemase-producing carbapenem-nonsusceptible Enterobacterales (non-CP-CNSE) bacteremia.
There were a total of 113 isolates of Enterobacterales from 2013 to 2018. After excluding nonblood isolates and including only one sample from each patient, 99 isolates were analyzed and the medical charts of these patients were reviewed. Carbapenemase genes, β-lactamase genes and antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates were determined. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed on CP-CNSE isolates.
CP-CNSE carried more blaSHV (P = 0.004) and were more resistant to imipenem than non-CP-CNSE (P < 0.001). In the univariate analyses, we found that CP-CNSE bloodstream infection was associated with patient <65 years of age (odds ratio, 3.90; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.16 to 13.10; P = 0.027), mechanical ventilation at the time of bloodstream infection (BSI) (odds ratio, 3.85; 95% CI, 1.16–12.78; P = 0.028) and exposure to piperacillin/tazobactam (odds ratio, 3.96; 95% CI, 1.09–14.38; P = 0.037). However, on multivariate analyses, no independent predictor for CP-CNSE was identified in this study.
CP-CNSE carried more blaSHV and were more resistant to imipenem when compared to non-CP-CNSE. No independent predictor for CP-CNSE was identified after multivariate analysis. This is the first study conducted in Taiwan comparing risk factors between CP-CNSE and non-CP-CNSE from both clinical and molecular aspects.
At the end of March 2018, a clustered outbreak of measles associated with health care workers occurred in northern Taiwan. Prior to this study, the policy for measles vaccination for physicians and ...nurses in MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taiwan was encouragement of vaccination in medical personnel working in the emergency room or other high risk divisions without prior testing for measles antibody, and vaccination coverage was only 85.3%. It was important to urgently formulate a new strategy to achieve zero tolerance for intra-hospital transmission and epidemic prevention. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of a new strategy for the prevention of an outbreak of measles.
This study was conducted from April 23, 2018 to May 22, 2018 in the MacKay Memorial Hospital, a medical center and tertiary teaching hospital with 2200 beds in northern Taiwan. First-line medical personnel in the hospital underwent a free screening for measles antibody as a new strategy for measles outbreak prevention. Susceptible medical personnel were advised to receive measles vaccination.
A total of 719 first-line medical personnel were enrolled for the general survey. Measles seropositivity was 76.1% (287/377) in the generation born after 1978 (vaccinated), and 96.5% (330/342) in the generation born before 1978 (p < 0.001), while the overall seropositivity was 85.8% (617/719). Vaccination coverage of susceptible personnel under the new strategy reached 86.3% in the first month (88/102) following the survey. At the end of the first month after implementation of the new strategy, 98.1% of the medical personnel were seropositive or revaccinated, and reached 99.4% at the end of the second month.
In this study, rapid, free antibody screening during a measles outbreak and subsequent vaccination of those susceptible resulted in most of the first-line medical personnel being seropositive or revaccinated. The new strategy was effective, time saving, used little manpower, and of low cost. Screening for measles antibody free of charge followed by vaccination of seronegative medical personnel can be regarded as an effective health management strategy to reduce and prevent the spread of measles infection.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Although the prevalence of the carbapenem-resistant
(CRAB) has increased in Taiwan, few studies have elucidated the prevalence of different carbapenemase genes in Taiwan. The first objective of this ...study was to identify the types and prevalence of different carbapenemase genes, and the second objective was to determine the carbapenem antimicrobial susceptibility of carbapenemase producing isolates.
In total, 269 CRAB blood isolates from four medical centres in Taiwan from 1/1/2009 to 31/12/2013 were analysed. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined using the Vitek 2 system. Carbapenemase genes were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to identify the different pulsotypes.
All 269 CRAB isolates had the
-like gene, while 237 (88.1%) had the
-like gene, and 11 (4.09%) had the
-like gene. Twenty-one CRAB isolates (7.81%) contained only the
-like gene. None of the isolates had the
-like gene or the metallo-β-lactamases (MBL)-encoding genes. In 28.69% of isolates with the
-like gene and 90.91% of isolates with the
-like gene, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for imipenem were 64 mg/L or more. In 37.55% of isolates with the
-like gene and 100% of isolates with the
-like gene, meropenem MICs were 64 mg/L or more. PFGE analyses indicated that six highly similar genomes which harbored the
-like gene came from three different medical centres.
Our study determined the prevalence of CRAB, the types and prevalence of carbapenemase genes, carbapenem susceptibility among CRAB isolates, and documented that the
-like gene had greater resistance to carbapenem than the
-like gene. We also demonstrated inter-hospital transmission of the highly resistant
-like gene.
An aptamer-based fluorometric assay is described for the determination of bisphenol A (BPA). The aptamer against BPA is first attached to the surface of the red AuNPs, and this prevents the AuNPs ...from salt-induced formation of a blue-colored aggregate. Hence, the blue fluorescence of added nitrogen-doped carbon dots (NCDots) is quenched via an inner filter effect (IFE) caused by the red AuNPs. After addition of BPA, the BPA/aptamer complex is formed, and the AuNPs are no longer stabilized agains aggregation. This weakens the IFE and results in the recovery of the fluorescence of the NCDots which is measured best at excitation/emission wavelengths of 300/420 nm. The recovered fluorescence increases linearly in the 10 to 250 nM and 250 to 900 nM BPA concentration ranges, and the detection limit is 3.3 nM. The method was successfully applied to the determination of BPA in spiked environmental tap water samples.
Graphical abstract
Schematic presentation of a fluorometric aptamer based assay for bisphenol A (BPA). It is based on the inner filter effect of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the fluorescence of nitrogen-doped carbon dots (NCDots).
This study aimed to investigate the in vitro susceptibilities of carbapenem-non-susceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CNSPA) and Acinetobacter baumannii (CNSAB) isolates to cefiderocol, novel ...β-lactamase inhibitor (BLI) combinations, new tetracycline analogues, and other comparative antibiotics.
In total, 405 non-duplicate bacteremic CNSPA (n = 150) and CNSAB (n = 255) isolates were collected from 16 hospitals in Taiwan between 2018 and 2020. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using the broth microdilution method, and susceptibilities were interpreted according to the relevant guidelines or in accordance with results of previous studies and non-species-related pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic data.
Among the isolates tested, cefiderocol demonstrated potent in vitro activity against CNSPA (MIC50/90, 0.25/1 mg/L; 100% of isolates were inhibited at ≤4 mg/L) and CNSAB (MIC50/90, 0.5/2 mg/L; 94.9% of isolates were inhibited at ≤4 mg/L) isolates. More than 80% of CNSPA isolates were susceptible to cefiderocol, ceftazidime/avibactam, ceftolozane/tazobactam, and amikacin, based on breakpoints established by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Activities of new BLI combinations varied significantly. Tetracycline analogues, including tigecycline (MIC50/90, 1/2 mg/L; 92.5% of CNSAB isolates were inhibited at ≤2 mg/L) and eravacycline (MIC50/90, 0.5/1 mg/L; 99.6% of CNSAB isolates were inhibited at ≤2 mg/L) exhibited more potent in vitro activity against CNSAB than omadacycline (MIC50/90, 4/8 mg/L).
The spread of CNSPA and CNSAB poses a major challenge to global health. Significant resistance be developed even before a novel agent becomes commercially available. The development of on-site antimicrobial susceptibility tests for these novel agents is of great clinical importance.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are used in various industries, which results in their ubiquitous occurrence in the environment. This study determined the concentrations of eighteen PFASs ...in muscle and liver of nine wild freshwater fish species collected from rivers in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, South China, and assessed their bioaccumulation and potential health risks to local people. The results showed that eight and twelve PFASs were detected in the fish muscle and liver samples, respectively. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was found to be the predominant PFAS both in muscle and liver with its highest concentrations of 79ng/g wet weight (ww) in muscle and 1500ng/g ww in liver, followed by Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) and Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) with trace concentrations. The mean PFOS concentrations in fish muscle and liver tissues of the nine collected species ranged from 0.40ng/g in mud carp to 25ng/g in snakehead, and from 5.6ng/g in mud carp to 1100ng/g in snakehead, respectively. Significant positive correlations were found among PFASs both in water and fish, indicating a similar pollution source for these PFASs. In tilapia samples, PFOS concentrations showed an increasing trend with increasing length and weight, but no significant difference between genders. Bioaccumulation factors (logBAF) in fish for the PFASs were in the range from 2.1 to 5.0. The calculated hazard ratios (HR) of PFOS for all fishes were in the range of 0.05–2.8, with four out of nine species (tilapia, chub, leather catfish and snakehead) having their HR values more than 1.0. The results suggest that frequent consumption of these four fish species may pose health risks to local population.
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•Accumulation of PFASs in wild fish was investigated in a highly urbanized region.•PFOS was predominant PFAS compound in muscle and liver of all fish samples.•The BAF values positively correlated with the perfluoroalky carbon numbers.•Frequent consumption of wild fish may pose health risks to local population.
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