Optimized microbial fuel cell-powered electro-Fenton processes to enhance electricity and bisphenol A removal by varying external resistance and electrolyte concentrations.

This study is the first to investigate the effects of external resistance and electrolyte concentration on the performance of a bioelectro-Fenton (BEF) system, involving measurements of power density, HO generation, and bisphenol A (BPA) removal efficiency. With optimized operating conditions (external resistance of 1.12 kΩ and cathodic NaCl concentration of 1,657 mg/L), the BEF system achieved a maximum power density of 38.

Effects of walking on epigenetic age acceleration: a Mendelian randomization study.

Introduction: Walking stands as the most prevalent physical activity in the daily lives of individuals and is closely associated with physical functioning and the aging process. Nonetheless, the precise cause-and-effect connection between walking and aging remains unexplored. The epigenetic clock emerges as the most promising biological indicator of aging, capable of mirroring the biological age of the human body and facilitating an investigation into the association between walking and aging.

[Sources, Disposal Technologies, and Environmental Impact of Photopolymerization-based 3D Printing Plastic Waste].

In the 3D printing industry, photopolymerization-based 3D printing is considered to have the characteristics of high printing accuracy and mature technology. Therefore, it is of wide concern in industrial application and academic research. With the rapid development of photopolymerization-based technology, photopolymerization-based plastic waste will inevitably be produced in the process of product manufacturing and use.

Effect of large volume red blood cell apheresis on cardiovascular functions in healthy donors.

Background: Requirements of blood transfusions rise rapidly in China. Improving the efficiency of blood donation could help maintaining sufficient blood supplement. We conducted a pilot research to investigate the reliability and safety of collecting more units of red blood cell by apheresis.

Significant contributions of combustion-related sources to ammonia emissions.

Atmospheric ammonia (NH) and ammonium (NH) can substantially influence air quality, ecosystems, and climate. NH volatilization from fertilizers and wastes (v-NH) has long been assumed to be the primary NH source, but the contribution of combustion-related NH (c-NH, mainly fossil fuels and biomass burning) remains unconstrained. Here, we collated nitrogen isotopes of atmospheric NH and NH and established a robust method to differentiate v-NH and c-NH.

Effect of Music Intervention on Lung Expansion Exercises after Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Background: Music intervention can reduce anxiety. This study analyzed the physiological changes from using music intervention after cardiothoracic surgery. Methods: Subjects were randomly assigned to the music group or the control group.

Important contributions of non-fossil fuel nitrogen oxides emissions.

Since the industrial revolution, it has been assumed that fossil-fuel combustions dominate increasing nitrogen oxide (NO) emissions. However, it remains uncertain to the actual contribution of the non-fossil fuel NO to total NO emissions. Natural N isotopes of NO in precipitation (δN) have been widely employed for tracing atmospheric NO sources.

Two-step biocatalytic process using lipase and whole cell catalysts for biodiesel production from unrefined jatropha oil.

Objective: To avoid lipase deactivation by methanol in the enzymatic transesterification process, a two-step biocatalytic process for biodiesel production from unrefined jatropha oil was developed.

Results: Unrefined jatropha oil was first hydrolyzed to free fatty acids (FFAs) by the commercial enzyme Candida rugosa lipase. The maximum yield achieved of FFAs 90.

Factors affecting the performance of a single-chamber microbial fuel cell-type biological oxygen demand sensor.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are devices that exploit microorganisms as biocatalysts to degrade organic matter or sludge present in wastewater (WW), and thereby generate electricity. We developed a simple, low-cost single-chamber microbial fuel cell (SCMFC)-type biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) sensor using carbon felt (anode) and activated sludge, and demonstrated its feasibility in the construction of a real-time BOD measurement system. Further, the effects of anodic pH and organic concentration on SCMFC performance were examined, and the correlation between BOD concentration and its response time was analyzed.

Biodiesel production in a magnetically-stabilized, fluidized bed reactor with an immobilized lipase in magnetic chitosan microspheres.

Biodiesel production by immobilized Rhizopus oryzae lipase in magnetic chitosan microspheres (MCMs) was carried out using soybean oil and methanol in a magnetically-stabilized, fluidized bed reactor (MSFBR). The maximum content of methyl ester in the reaction mixture reached 91.3 (w/v) at a fluid flow rate of 25 ml/min and a magnetic field intensity of 150 Oe.

[Effects of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor and memantine on long-term prognosis in neonatal rats with periventricular leukomalacia].

Objective: To evaluate the effects of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and memantine on the long-term prognosis in neonatal rats with ischemia-induced periventricular leukomalacia (PVL).

Methods: Thirty-two 5-day-old neonatal rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: sham-operated, PVL, GDNF-treated and memantine-treated. PVL was induced by right carotid artery ligation and hypoxia in the PVL, GDNF-treated and memantine-treated groups.

Effect of 1400W on blocking lipopolysaccharide-induced microglial toxicity to preoligodendrocytes.

Background: The maternal-fetal infection/inflammation is believed to be the mechanism in the pathogenesis of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). The activation of microglias (MGs) may contribute to preoligodendroglial damage. The present study was undertaken to explore the effect of N-[3-(aminomethyl) benzyl] acetamidine (1400W), a selective inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), on the blockage of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microglial toxicity to preoligodendrocytes (preOLs).

[1400W blocks death pathway of LPS-induced activated-microglia to preOLs].

Objective: To explore the efficacy of inductible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor 1400W in vivo in blocking the death pathway of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activated-microglia to preoligodendrocytes (preOLs) in neonatal rats with infective-type periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) induced by LPS.

Methods: Two-day-old neonatal rats were randomly divided into: a sham-operated group, an untreated PVL group, and four 1400W-treated PVL groups that were subcutaneously administrated with 20 mg/kg of 1400W at 0 h, 8 hrs, 16 hrs, and 24 hrs after LPS induction, respectively. The brain specimens were obtained 5 days after LPS induction.

Curcumin protects pre-oligodendrocytes from activated microglia in vitro and in vivo.

Infection and inflammation leading to injury or death of pre-oligodendrocytes (preOLs) is one of the principal initiating mechanisms in the pathogenesis of preterm periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). The present study explores the possible protective effect of curcumin against the toxicity of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated microglia on preOLs in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, preOLs in coculture with microglia exhibited increased apoptosis after exposure to LPS.

[Effect of 1400W, an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthetase, on blocking the toxicity of lipopolysaccharide-induced activated microglia to preoligodendrocytes].

Objective: To explore the toxicity of LPS-induced activated microglia to preoligodendrocytes (preOLs) and the effect of 1400W, a selective inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS), on the blockage of the toxicity.

Methods: Co-cultured microglia and preOLs obtained from two-day-old Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into three groups: co-culture control group, co-culture LPS group and co-culture LPS plus 1400W group. After cultured cells were induced by LPS (100 ng/ml) for 48 hours, the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) was measured by nitric acid-oeoxidize-colorimetry, the level of peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) was determined by immunocytochemistry, and the synthetic level of iNOS was detected by Western blotting, respectively.

[Cerebral pathological evaluation following neural stem cells intraventricular transplantation in neonatal rats with periventricular leukomalacia].

Objective: To evaluate the brain pathological changes following exdogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) intraventricular transplantation in neonatal rats with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), and to explore the feasibility of NSCs transplantation for the treatment of PVL in premature infants.

Methods: NSCs were prepared from E14 embryonic rat brain. Two-day-old neonatal rats were randomly divided into six groups: PVL, PVL+culture medium, PVL+NSCs, sham operation, sham operation+culture medium, and sham operation+NSCs (18-21 rats each group).

[Establishment of a neonatal rat model of periventricular leukomalacia and its concomitant cataract].

Objective: To establish a reliable neonatal rat model of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) which is expected to be similar to PVL of human preterm infants pathologically, and to explore the concomitant eye lesions in the PVL model.

Methods: Two-old-day neonatal rats were randomly divided into a PVL group and a sham-operated group (n=19 each). The PVL model was established by the ligation of bilateral common carotid arteries, followed by a 30-min exposure to 8% oxygen.

[Effect of different blood glucose levels on the expression of cerebral GLUT3 mRNA in neonatal rats with hypoxia-ischemia].

Objective: Concerns of the effect of glucose on perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage are increasing. It was previously considered that the glucose transporter (GLUT) genes and their productions played an important role in the regulation of cerebral energy metabolism. The present study aimed to explore the effect of different blood glucose levels on the expression of cerebral GLUT3 mRNA in neonatal rats with hypoxia-ischemia (HI), and to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of glucose against HI insults.

[Long-term effects of memantine therapy on neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage].

Objective: Animal trials have demonstrated that memantine has neuroprotective effects on hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain damage. Whether memantine can improve the long-term prognosis of rats with HI brain damage has not been reported. This study was designed to investigate the long-term effect of memantine therapy on neonatal rats with HI brain damage.

[Prospective study on prognosis of infants with neonatal subependymal cysts].

Objectives: It is confirmed that most neonatal subependymal cysts (SEC) are closely correlated with intrauterine infection and the short-term prognosis of SEC is not very good. Little information about the long-term prognosis of SEC is available. The purpose of the present study was to explore the short-term and long-term prognosis of neonatal SEC cases via a 6-year follow up.

[Effects of supplementation of different kinds of iodine on the antioxidative ability of retina in iodine deficient rats].

Objective: To study the effects of iodine supplementation (in different kinds and doses) on the antioxidative ability of retina in iodine deficient rats.

Methods: One hundred and twenty eight iodine deficient Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, normal dose of iodate, normal dose of iodide, high dose of iodate and high dose of iodide. Concentration of serum thyroid hormones, including total TT(3) and total TT(4), were estimated by radioimmunoassay.

Kinetics study on biomass pyrolysis for fuel gas production.

Kinetic knowledge is of great importance in achieving good control of the pyrolysis and gasification process and optimising system design. An overall kinetic pyrolysis scheme is therefore addressed here. The kinetic modelling incorporates the following basic steps: the degradation of the virgin biomass materials into primary products (tar, gas and semi-char), the decomposition of primary tar into secondary products and the continuous interaction between primary gas and char.