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•FMO with thin layer assembled structure was produced by a Mn (II)-oxidizing fungus.•FMO showed great activity in PMS activation for bisphenol A degradation.•The surface chemical ...composition changes of FMO after reaction were investigated.•Bisphenol A degradation pathway was proposed based on intermediates identification.
Fungal manganese oxide (FMO) is ubiquitous in the environment and believed to be a promising material for catalysis due to its biological reactive mineral phases. In this study, layered FMO was produced by Mn (II)-oxidizing fungus. After thermal treatment at various temperatures, FMO was converted to manganese oxides (MnO2, Mn2O3 and Mn3O4) with different morphologies. The as-obtained manganese oxides were adopted as catalysts for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation to produce sulfate radicals, which were highly efficient for bisphenol A (BPA) degradation. Catalytic evaluation showed that FMO calcined at 400 °C performed well for BPA degradation. Complete BPA degradation and 97% TOC removal in solution could be achieved in 30 min. Effects of catalyst dosage, PMS loading, solution pH and reaction temperature on BPA degradation efficiencies were also investigated. In recycle study, remarkable decrease of BPA degradation efficiency was found, which was ascribed to the coverage of catalytic reaction intermediates on the surface of catalyst. Fortunately, heat treatment could recover the catalyst with a complete BPA degradation efficiency over regenerated catalyst. Furthermore, a BPA degradation pathway was proposed based on intermediates identification by GC-MS and LC-MS.
•Ultrasonication enabled simultaneous extraction-modification of microalgal starch.•Aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) separated microalgal starch with varied properties.•Improved resistant starch by ...processing microalgal starch via ultrasonication-ATPS.•Ultrasonication altered morphology/structure/digestibility of microalgal starch.•Ultrasonication-ATPS benefited the production of functional starch from microalgae.
Microalgae are new and sustainable sources of starch with higher productivity and flexible production modes than conventional terrestrial crops, but the downstream processes need further development. Here, ultrasonication (with power of 200 W or 300 W and duration of 10, 15, 20, or 25 min) was applied to simultaneously extract and modify starch from a marine microalga Tetraselmis subcordiformis for reducing the digestibility, and an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) of ethanol/NaH2PO4 was then used to isolate the starches with varied properties. Increasing ultrasonic duration facilitated the partition of starch into the bottom pellet, while enhancing the ultrasonic power was conducive to the allocation in the interphase of the ATPS. The overall starch recovery yield reached 73 ∼ 87 % and showed no significant difference among the ultrasonic conditions tested. The sequential ultrasonication-ATPS process successfully enriched the starch with purities up to 65 % ∼ 88 %, which was among the top levels reported in microalgal starch isolated. Ultrasonication produced more amylose which was mainly fractionated into the interface of the ATPS. The digestibility of the starch was altered under different ultrasonic conditions and varied from different ATPS phases as well, with the one under the ultrasonic power of 200 W for 15 min at the bottom pellet having the highest resistant starch content (RS, 39.7 %). The structural and compositional analysis evidenced that the ultrasonication-ATPS process could exert impacts on the digestibility through altering the surface roughness and fissures of the starch granules, modulating the impurity compositions (protein and lipid) that could interact with starch, and modifying the long- and short-range ordered structures. The developed ultrasonication-ATPS process provided novel insights into the mechanism and strategy for efficient production of functional starch from microalgae with a potential in industrial application.
The aquatic bird, egret, could carry antibiotic resistance (AR) from a contaminated waterway (Jin River, Chengdu, China) into the surrounding environment (Wangjianglou Park). A systematic study was ...carried out on the unique environmental dissemination mode of AR mediated by birds. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of various antibiotics against the environmental
isolates were used to evaluate the bacterial AR at the environmental locations where these isolates were recovered, i.e., the Jin River water, the egret feces, the park soil, and the campus soil. The level of AR in the park soil was significantly higher than that in the campus soil that was seldom affected by the egrets, which suggested that the egrets mediated the transportation of AR from the polluted waterway to the park. Genotyping of the resistant
isolates via repetitive-element PCR gave no strong correlation between the genotypes and the AR patterns of the bacteria. So, the transfer of resistant strains should not be the main mode of AR transportation in this process. The results of real-time PCR revealed that the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic element (MGE) sequences (transposase and integrase genes) declined along the putative transportation route. The transportation of ARGs could be due to their linkage with MGE sequences, and horizontal gene transfer should have contributed to the process. The movable colistin-resistance gene
was detected among the colistin-resistant
strains isolated from the river water and the egret feces, which indicated the possibility of the environmental dissemination of this gene. Birds, especially the migratory birds, for the role they played on the dissemination of environmental AR, should be considered when studying the ecology of AR.
Blood-circulating miRNAs could be useful as a biomarker to detect lung cancer early. We investigated the serum levels of four different miRNAs in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and ...assessed their diagnostic value for NSCLC. Serum samples from 112 NSCLC patients and 104 controls (20 current smokers without lung cancer, 23 pneumonia patients, 21 gastric cancer patients, and 40 healthy controls) were subjected to Taqman probe-based quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The data showed that the serum levels of miR-182, miR-183, and miR-210 were significantly upregulated and that the miR-126 level was significantly downregulated in NSCLC patients, compared with the healthy controls. Further receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the serum miR-182, miR-183, miR-210, or miR-126 level could serve as a diagnostic biomarker for NSCLC early detection, with a high sensitivity and specificity. The combination of these four miRNAs with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) further increased the diagnostic value, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.965 (sensitivity, 81.3%; specificity, 100.0%; and accuracy, 90.8%) using logistic regression model analysis. In addition, the relative levels of serum miR-182, miR-183, miR-210, and miR-126 could distinguish NSCLC or early-stage NSCLC from current tobacco smokers without lung cancer and pneumonia or gastric cancer patients with a high sensitivity and specificity. Data from the current study validated that the four serum miRNAs could serve as a tumor biomarker for NSCLC early diagnosis.
Over recent decades, advancements in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) have mainly relied on structural innovations in transistors. From planar transistors to the fin ...field-effect transistor (FinFET) and gate-all-around FET (GAAFET), more gate electrodes have been added to three-dimensional (3D) channels with enhanced control and carrier conductance to provide higher electrostatic integrity and higher operating currents within the same device footprint. Beyond the 1-nm node, Moore's law scaling is no longer expected to be applicable to geometrical shrinkage. Vertical transistor stacking, e.g. in complementary FETs (CFET), 3D stack (3DS) FETs and vertical-channel transistors (VFET), for enhanced density and variable circuit or system design represents a revolutionary scaling approach for sustained IC development. Herein, innovative works on specific structures, key process breakthroughs, shrinking cell sizes and design methodologies for transistor structure research and development are reviewed. Perspectives on future innovations in advanced transistors with new channel materials and operating theories are also discussed.
Altered expression of miRNA expression contributes to human carcinogenesis. This study was designed to detect aberrant miRNA expressions as a potential biomarker for early detection and prognosis ...prediction of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
miRNA array was used to profile differentially expressed miRNAs and Taqman-based quantitative RT-PCR assays were used to analyze levels of miR-29c, miR-93, and miR-429 expression in NSCLC tissue samples, corresponding normal tissue samples, and serum samples from 70 NSCLC patients as well as in serum samples from 48 healthy controls.
Levels of miR-29c and miR-93 expression were upregulated in NSCLC tissues, while serum levels of miR-29c were also upregulated, but levels of serum miR-429 were decreased in NSCLC. Moreover, the levels of miR-429 expression in NSCLC tissues were associated with those in serum samples. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that at the optimal cut-off point, the areas under the ROC curve for serum levels of miR-29c and miR-429 were 0.723 and 0.727, respectively, levels which are higher than that of carcinoma embryonic antigen (0.534) in diagnosis of stage I NSCLC. In addition, serum levels of miR-429 were associated with poor overall survival of NSCLC patients. Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that serum miR-429 level was an independent prognostic predictor for NSCLC.
The results of the current study suggest that detection of serum miR-29c and miR-429 expression should be further evaluated as a novel, non-invasive biomarker for early stage NSCLC.
2-Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) is an important quality index for pork sausages. To study this in pork sausages during storage, kinetic models were developed to predict TBARS ...content changes of pork sausages at different temperatures. The predictive models of TBARS content with respect to storage time and temperature were developed based on primary and Arrhenius equations. The regression coefficients (R2>0.95) indicated the acceptability of the primary reaction and Arrhenius model for predicting TBARS content changes of pork sausages. The activation energy (EA) of TBARS is 14.12kJmol−1, and the corresponding rate constant (k0) is 9.262×1010. Relative errors between predicted and measured values of TBARS content are all within ±8%. Thus, the established model could effectively predict the TBARS content of pork sausages between 5 and 35°C during storage.
•The TBARS content in pork sausages was evaluated by kinetic models.•The kinetic models were developed based on primary and Arrhenius equations.•Relative errors between predicted and measured TBARS contents are all within ±8%.•These established models can effectively predict the TBARS values in pork sausages.
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•Thermo-sensitive XG-NIPA hydrogel using citric acid as crossing-linker was made.•The hydrogel had a macroporous (pore size of ∼100 μm) and honeycomb structure.•The LCST and the ...optimal swelling degree was 40 °C and 70.1 respectively.•The hydrogel had a high adsorption capacity of 458 mg/g for bisphenol A.•The adsorption process fit Freundlich and pseudo-second-order models.
Hydrogels are emerging materials in pollutant treatment due to their high absorbability and environmental friendliness. Herein, a novel temperature-sensitive hydrogel based on xanthan gum (XG) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) was successfully synthesized in a water system using low-cost citric acid as crosslinking agent. The lower critical solution temperature of the honeycomb macroporous XG/NIPA hydrogels was 40 °C. Meanwhile, the hydrogels had good water-absorption capacity and the swelling degree reached up to 70.1. Using XG/NIPA hydrogels to absorb bisphenol A (BPA), the maximum adsorption capacity was as high as 458 mg/g. The process was a multilayer adsorption and the rate-controlling step is chemisorption. Thus, the temperature-sensitive XG/NIPA hydrogel had great potential in absorbing BPA from aqueous solutions.
In this work, hydroxyapatite modified by xanthan gum (XG) derivative material (XMH) was prepared and applied to remove methylene blue (MB) from water. The physicochemical properties of XMH were ...characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-Ray spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Results showed the operating variables (pH, ionic strength and adsorbent dosage) were related to the MB removal efficiency. Adsorption kinetic and adsorption isotherm were well fitted by the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir isotherm model, respectively. It indicated that the adsorption process was a monolayer layer adsorption and chemisorption process. Besides, the result of intra-particle diffusion model demonstrated that the intra-particle diffusion was not the only rate determining step. The maximum adsorption capability on MB was 769 mg/g. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG0, ΔH0, and ΔS0) showed that the adsorption was a spontaneous and endothermic process. Adsorption mechanisms of MB on XMH might be governed by electrostatic attraction and hydrogen-bonding. Furthermore, XMH could be regenerated well and retained MB removal efficiency of 81% after five cycles of adsorption and desorption. Therefore, XMH is a promising adsorbent for the efficient removal of MB from aqueous solution due to its low cost, good thermal stability and excellent adsorption performance.
Purpose
To investigate the differentiating computed tomographic (CT) features between adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) with alveolar collapse and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) or invasive ...adenocarcinoma (IA) appearing as part-solid nodules.
Methods
A total of 147 consecutive patients with 157 pathology-confirmed part-solid ground-glass nodules (GGNs) ≤ 20 mm without other pathological condition such as inflammation and fibrosis who underwent chest CT were included.
Results
The 157 part-solid GGNs included 33 (21.02%) pathologically confirmed AISs with alveolar collapse. Multivariate analysis revealed that smaller lesion size (odds ratio OR 0.671), and well-defined border (OR 5.544), concentrated distribution (OR 7.994), and homogeneity of the solid portion (OR 4.365) were significant independent predictors for differentiating AIS with alveolar collapse from MIA (
P
< 0.05) with excellent accuracy (area under receiver operating characteristic ROC curve, 0.902). Multivariate analysis revealed that smaller lesion size (OR 0.782), and size (OR 0.821), well-defined border (OR 5.752), and homogeneity of solid portion (OR 6.182) were significant independent predictors differentiating AIS with alveolar collapse from IA (
P
< 0.05) with excellent accuracy (area under ROC curve 0.910).
Conclusion
Among part-solid GGNs, AIS with alveolar collapse can be accurately differentiated from MIA on the basis of smaller lesion size, well-defined border, concentrated distribution, and homogeneity of solid portion, and from IA according to smaller lesion size, and smaller size, well-defined border, and homogeneity of solid portion.
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