p-Nitrophenol (PNP), a toxic phenolic compound, must be removed from water to avoid the damage to the aquatic ecology, animals and even human beings. While adsorption appears to be the most widely ...used approach, it is critical to develop an efficient and high-capacity adsorbent to reduce PNP below the regulated concentration. In this study, a new class of microporous adsorbents, metal organic frameworks (MOFs), was proposed for the PNP adsorption in water. A representative MOF, HKUST-1, was selected to adsorb PNP owing to its exceptionally stable in water. The adsorption kinetics, isotherms and thermodynamics were investigated. HKUST-1 was found to possess an adsorption capacity of ~400 mg/g. The mechanism for such a high adsorption capacity was proposed and attributed to affinity of NO2 of PNP to the metal site of HKUST-1 as well as affinity between the benzene rings of PNP and HKUST-1. The presence of phenol did not hinder the adsorption of PNP to HKUST-1, showing HKUST-1’s high selectivity towards PNP. HKUST-1 can be an efficient and highly-selective adsorbent to remove PNP from water via the adsorption process.
•HKUST-1 is used as an adsorbent to remove p-nitrophenol (PNP) from water.•Kinetics, equilibrium, thermodynamics of the PNP are determined and analyzed.•HKUST-1 exhibits an efficient adsorption capacity ~400 mg/g for PNP.•A mechanism is proposed schematically for the PNP adsorption to HKUST-1.•The competition adsorption between PNP and phenol is investigated.
Although several analogues of cellulose nanofibres displaying unprecedented physical properties have been developed recently (e.g., fibrillated cellulose nanofibrils; cellulose nanocrystals; ...bacterial nanocellulose; 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)–oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNs)), only a few reports have described using these cellulose nanofibrils for advances in macromolecular engineering with the powerful tool of surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI ATRP). In this paper, we describe the first example of a suitably oxidized TOCN that can be further functionalized with initiating sites at the residual primary OH groups and overcome the obstacle of performing ATRP in the presence of neutral carboxylic acid sodium salt groups. Characterization of the modified TOCNs and of the products from SI ATRP of the (nano)celluloses was performed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, viscometry, scanning electron microscopy, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, contact angle measurements, and thermogravimetric analysis. We demonstrate, through SI ATRP from the TOCN using a vinyl monomer (i.e., styrene), a simple and facile approach for controlling the graft length and composition. We then investigated the efficacy of using the dual-functionalized TOCN nanomaterials to remove a commonly persistent organic pollutant and heavy metal ions from water.
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•Analyses have revealed the successful achievements of (i) nanosized cellulose nanofibers through surface TEMPO-oxidation; (ii) retained high molecular weights (MWs) of cellulose; and (iii) maintained the integrity of the cellulose crystallinity.•The first example of a suitably oxidized TOCN functionalized with atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiating sites was conducted to overcome the obstacle of performing ATRP in the presence of neutral carboxylic acid sodium salt groups.•Through surface-initiated ATRP from the TOCN with styrene, the fashion of controlled/living polymerization was confirmed by first-order kinetic plots, MW evolution, and low polydispersity, allowing control over the graft length and composition for being highly efficient at removing an organic pollutant and heavy metal ions from aqueous media.
Current clinical challenges of prostate cancer management are to restrict tumor growth and prohibit metastasis. AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carbox-amide-1-β-d-ribofuranoside), an AMP-activated protein ...kinase (AMPK) agonist, has demonstrated antitumor activities for several types of cancers. However, the activity of AICAR on the cell growth and metastasis of prostate cancer has not been extensively studied. Herein we examine the effects of AICAR on the cell growth and metastasis of prostate cancer cells. Cell growth was performed by MTT assay and soft agar assay; cell apoptosis was examined by Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining and poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage western blot, while cell migration and invasion were evaluated by wound-healing assay and transwell assay respectively. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related protein expression and AMPK/mTOR-dependent signaling axis were analyzed by western blot. In addition, we also tested the effect of AICAR on the chemosensitivity to docetaxel using MTT assay. Our results indicated that AICAR inhibits cell growth in prostate cancer cells, but not in non-cancerous prostate cells. In addition, our results demonstrated that AICAR induces apoptosis, attenuates transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-induced cell migration, invasion and EMT-related protein expression, and enhances the chemosensitivity to docetaxel in prostate cancer cells through regulating the AMPK/mTOR-dependent pathway. These findings support AICAR as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of prostate cancer.
The association of exertional heat stroke (EHS) and testicular morphological changes affecting sperm quality, as well as the association of EHS and hypothalamic changes affecting sexual behavior, has ...yet to be elucidated. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of EHS on fertility, erectile function, and testicular morphology in male rats. Animals were exercised at higher room temperature (36 ℃ relative humidity 50%) to induce EHS, characterized by excessive hyperthermia, neurobehavioral deficits, hypothalamic cell damage, systemic inflammation, coagulopathy, and multiple organ injury. In particular, EHS animals had erectile dysfunction (as determined by measuring the changes of intracavernosal pressure and mean arterial pressure in response to electrical stimulation of cavernous nerves). Rats also displayed testicular temperature disruption, poorly differentiated seminiferous tubules, impaired sperm quality, and atrophy of interstitial Leydig cells, Sertoli cells, and peri-tubular cells in the testicular tissues accompanied by no spermatozoa and broken cells with pyknosis in their seminal vesicle and prostatitis. These EHS effects were still observed after 3 days following EHS onset, at least. Our findings provide a greater understanding of the effect of experimentally induced EHS on masculine sexual behavior, fertility, stress hormones, and morphology of both testis and prostate.
Development of manufacture trend for TFTs technologies has focused on improving electrical properties of films with the cost reduction to achieve commercialization. To achieve this goal, ...high-performance sub-50 nm TFTs-based MOSFETs with ON-current (I
)/subthreshold swing (S.S.) of 181 µA/µm/107 mV/dec and 188 µA/µm/98 mV/dec for NMOSFETs and PMOSFETs in a monolithic 3D circuit were demonstrated by a low power with low thermal budget process. In addition, a stackable static random access memory (SRAM) integrated with TFTs-based MOSFET with static noise margins (SNM) equals to 390 mV at V
= 1.0 V was demonstrated. Overall processes include a low thermal budget via ultra-flat and ultra-thin poly-Si channels by solid state laser crystallization process, chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) planarization, plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (ALD) gate stacking layers and infrared laser activation with a low thermal budget. Detailed material and electrical properties were investigated. The advanced 3D architecture with closely spaced inter-layer dielectrics (ILD) enables high-performance stackable MOSFETs and SRAM for power-saving IoT/mobile products at a low cost or flexible substrate.
Introduction Ultrasound-guided tracheostomy (UGT) and bronchoscope-guided tracheostomy (BGT) have been well compared. However, the differences in benefits between UGT and landmark tracheostomy (LT) ...have not been addressed and, in particular, lack a detailed meta-analysis. We aimed to compare the first-pass success, complication rate, major bleeding rate, and tracheostomy procedure time between UGT and LT. Methods In a systematic review, relevant databases were searched for studies comparing UGT with LT in intubated patients. The primary outcome was the odds ratio (OR) of first-pass success. The secondary outcomes were the OR of complications, OR of major bleeding, and standardized mean difference (SMD) of the total tracheostomy procedure time. Results The meta-analysis included three randomized controlled studies (RCTs) and one nonrandomized controlled study (NRS), comprising 474 patients in total. Compared with LT, UGT increased first-pass success (OR: 4.287; 95% confidence interval CI: 2.308 to 7.964) and decreased complications (OR: 0.422; 95% CI: 0.249 to 0.718). However, compared with LT, UGT did not significantly reduce major bleeding (OR: 0.374; 95% CI: 0.112 to 1.251) or the total tracheostomy placement time (SMD: -0.335; 95% CI: -0.842 to 0.172). Conclusions Compared with LT, real-time UGT increases first-pass success and decreases complications. However, UGT was not associated with a significant reduction in the major bleeding rate. The total tracheostomy placement time comparison between UGI and LT was inconclusive.
Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is not only a chronic urinary bladder pain syndrome but is also associated with multifactorial etiology. Our study aimed to test the hypothesis ...that IC/BPS is associated with subsequent increased risks of outpatient visits and hospitalizations. Using nationwide database, the diagnoses were based on the International Classification Codes (ICD-9-CM) (595.1) of at least three outpatient services during 2002–2008, (n = 27,990) and cystoscopic finding Hunner type and/or glomerulation with pre-audit criteria. All recruited cases monitored for subsequent outpatient visits and hospitalizations for 2 years, including all-cause and specialty-specific departments, were classified according to medical specialty and age group (<40, 40–60, ≥60 years of age). IC/BPS patients have more overall outpatient department (OPD) visits and an overall adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 1.64. As for specialty, IRRs were higher in psychiatry (2.75), Chinese medicine (2.01), and emergency medicine (2.00), besides urology and gynecology. The IRRs decreased as age advanced (2.01, 1.71, and 1.44, respectively), except for gynecology (2.42, 2.52, and 2.81). A similar phenomenon happens in hospitalization with IRR of 1.69. Due to claim data characteristics, whether ulcer type IC/BPS findings can be deductive to non-ulcer type remains inclusive. Current results indicate the impacts of healthcare burden in broad spectrum about IC/PBS patients. IC/BPS has been suggested to be associated with lower threshold of healthcare visits and some coexisting disease and is comprised of systemic dysregulation, and is beyond the scope of local bladder-urethra disease. Adequate recognition of associated or comorbid factors and possible recommendation or referral for IC/BPS patients can help provide better healthcare quality.
Experimental studies of head-up positioning (HUP) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) have had some degree of conflicting published results. The current study aim was to analyze and reconcile ...those discrepancies in order to better clarify the effects of HUP CPR compared to conventional supine (SUP) CPR.
Three databases (PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library) were searched comprehensively (from each respective database's inception to May 2021) for articles addressing HUP CPR. The primary outcome to be observed was cerebral perfusion pressure (CerPP), and secondary outcomes were mean intracranial pressure (ICP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), coronary perfusion pressure (CoPP) and frequencies of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).
Seven key studies involving 131 animals were included for analysis. Compared to SUP CPR, CerPP (MD 10.37; 95% CI 7.11-13.64; p < 0.01; I
= 58%) and CoPP (MD 7.56; 95% CI 1.84-13.27, p = 0.01; I
= 75%) increased significantly with HUP CPR, while ICP (MD - 13.66; 95% CI - 18.6 to -8.71; p < 0.01; I
= 96%) decreased significantly. Combining all study methodologies, there were no significant differences detected in MAP (MD - 1.63; 95% CI - 10.77-7.52; p = 0.73; I
= 93%) or frequency of ROSC (RR 0.9; 95% CI 0.31-2.60; p = 0.84; I
= 65%). However, in contrast to worse outcomes in studies using immediate elevation of the head in a reverse Trendelenburg position, study outcomes were significantly improved when HUP (head and chest only) was introduced in a steady, graduated manner following a brief period of basic CPR augmented by active compression-decompression (ACD) and impedance threshold (ITD) devices.
In experimental models, gradually elevating the head and chest following a brief interval of circulatory priming with ACD and ITD devices can enhance CoPP, lower ICP and improve CerPP significantly while maintaining MAP. This effect is immediate, remains sustained and is associated with improved outcomes.
This paper studies the problem of joint power allocation and user association in wireless heterogeneous networks (HetNets) with a deep reinforcement learning (DRL)-based approach. This is a ...challenging problem since the action space is hybrid, consisting of continuous actions (power allocation) and discrete actions (device association). Instead of quantizing the continuous space (i.e., possible values of powers) into a set of discrete alternatives and applying traditional deep reinforcement approaches such as deep Q learning, we propose working on the hybrid space directly by using the novel parameterized deep Q-network (P-DQN) to update the learning policy and maximize the average cumulative reward. Furthermore, we incorporate the constraints of limited wireless backhaul capacity and the quality-of-service (QoS) of each user equipment (UE) into the learning process. Simulation results show that the proposed P-DQN outperforms the traditional approaches, such as the DQN and distance-based association, in terms of energy efficiency while satisfying the QoS and backhaul capacity constraints. The improvement in the energy efficiency of the proposed P-DQN on average may reach 77.6% and 140.6% over the traditional DQN and distance-based association approaches, respectively, in a HetNet with three SBS and five UEs.
Vitamin D has been described as an essential nutrient and hormone, which can cause nuclear, non-genomic, and mitochondrial effects. Vitamin D not only controls the transcription of thousands of ...genes, directly or indirectly through the modulation of calcium fluxes, but it also influences the cell metabolism and maintenance specific nuclear programs. Given its broad spectrum of activity and multiple molecular targets, a deficiency of vitamin D can be involved in many pathologies. Vitamin D deficiency also influences mortality and multiple outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Active and native vitamin D serum levels are also decreased in critically ill patients and are associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) and in-hospital mortality. In addition to regulating calcium and phosphate homeostasis, vitamin D-related mechanisms regulate adaptive and innate immunity. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections have a role in excessive proinflammatory cell recruitment and cytokine release, which contribute to alveolar and full-body endothelial damage. AKI is one of the most common extrapulmonary manifestations of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There are also some correlations between the vitamin D level and COVID-19 severity via several pathways. Proper vitamin D supplementation may be an attractive therapeutic strategy for AKI and has the benefits of low cost and low risk of toxicity and side effects.
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