Functionalization of 4-aminothiophenol and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane with graphene oxide for potential dye and copper removal.

In this work, 4-aminothiophenol and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane were firstly used to functionalize graphene oxide (GO) in order to promote the sorption efficiencies of methylene blue (MB) and copper (Cu(2+)). Characterization experiments illustrated that sulfydryl group (SH) and amino group (NH2) were existed onto 4-aminothiophenol modified GO (GO-SH) and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane modified GO (GO-N), respectively. Adsorption isotherm results showed that the maximum adsorption capacities of MB by GO-SH and GO-N were 763.

Simultaneous removal of aniline, nitrogen and phosphorus in aniline-containing wastewater treatment by using sequencing batch reactor.

The high removal efficiencies of traditional biological aniline-degrading systems always lead to accumulation of ammonium. In this study, simultaneous removal of aniline, nitrogen and phosphorus in a single sequencing batch reactor was achieved by using anaerobic/aerobic/anoxic (A/O/A) operational process. The removal efficiencies of COD, NH4(+)-N, TN, TP were over 95.

Peer Influence, Genetic Propensity, and Binge Drinking: A Natural Experiment and a Replication.

The authors draw data from the College Roommate Study (ROOM) and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to investigate gene-environment interaction effects on youth binge drinking. In ROOM, the environmental influence was measured by the precollege drinking behavior of randomly assigned roommates. Random assignment safeguards against friend selection and removes the threat of gene-environment correlation that makes gene-environment interaction effects difficult to interpret.

Characterization of Fe (III)-reducing enrichment culture and isolation of Fe (III)-reducing bacterium Enterobacter sp. L6 from marine sediment.

To enrich the Fe (III)-reducing bacteria, sludge from marine sediment was inoculated into the medium using Fe (OH)3 as the sole electron acceptor. Efficiency of Fe (III) reduction and composition of Fe (III)-reducing enrichment culture were analyzed. The results indicated that the Fe (III)-reducing enrichment culture with the dominant bacteria relating to Clostridium and Enterobacter sp.

Investigation of equilibrium and kinetics of Cr(VI) adsorption by dried Bacillus cereus using response surface methodology.

In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) based on three-variable-five-level central composite rotatable design was used to analyze the effects of combined and individual operating parameters (biomass dose, initial concentration of Cr(VI) and pH) on the Cr(VI) adsorption capacity of dried Bacillus cereus. A quadratic polynomial equation was obtained to predict the adsorbed Cr(VI) amount. Analysis of variance showed that the effect of biomass dose was the key factor in the removal of Cr(VI).

[Survey of physical activity and health among Chinese senior citizens over 70 years old].

Objective: To investigate characteristics of physical activities among Chinese senior citizens over 70 years old, and analyze the relationship between physical activities and health.

Methods: Using multistage stratified sampling method, 1 960 senior citizens over 70 years old were included in the investigation from 7 cities of 5 provinces in the northeast, east, center and west of China from March to September 2014. After removing missing samples, 1 420 samples were kept.

Effective biodegradation of nitrate, Cr(VI) and p-fluoronitrobenzene by a novel three dimensional bioelectrochemical system.

p-Fluoronitrobenzene (p-FNB) was degraded in a novel three dimensional bioelectrochemical system (3D BES) and potentially utilized as carbon source for achieving both nitrate (NO3(-)−N) and Cr(VI) reduction. For single NO3(-)−N and Cr(VI) removal, 200 mg L(-1) NO3(-)−N and 100 mg L(-1) Cr(VI) could be almost completely converted to N2 and Cr(III) at current 50 mA. For single p-FNB degradation, 100 mg L(-1) p-FNB was completely degraded at current 50 mA.

A 9,9'-spirobi[9H-fluorene]-cored perylenediimide derivative and its application in organic solar cells as a non-fullerene acceptor.

A structurally non-planar molecule (SBF-PDI4) with a 9,9'-spirobi[9H-fluorene] (SBF) core and four perylenediimides (PDIs) at the periphery was designed, synthesized and characterized. This compound shows a low-lying LUMO energy level of -4.11 eV, which is similar to that of PCBM, but with intensive light absorption ability in the range 450-550 nm.

Mutual interaction between guest drug molecules and host nanoporous silica xerogel studied using central composite design.

In the present study, three water-soluble drugs (propranolol hydrochloride, PNH; diltiazem hydrochloride, DZH; levofloxacin hydrochloride, LFH) with different number of hydrogen bonding acceptors were used as guest drug molecules, and three kinds of biomimetic synthesized nanoporous silica@poly(ethyleneimine)s xerogel (NS@P xerogel, 25%NS@P xerogel and 75%NS@P xerogel) were taken as host drug carriers. Mutural interaction formed between guest drug molecules and host drug carriers were investigated using a two-level three-factorial central composite design. The results confirmed that water-soluble drug loaded three nanoporous silica carriers presented the same regular controlled release effect, which was 75%NS@P xerogel>25%NS@P xerogel>NS@P xerogel.

Comparison of bare and amino modified mesoporous silica@poly(ethyleneimine)s xerogel as indomethacin carrier: Superiority of amino modification.

The purpose of this study was to facilely develop amino modified mesoporous silica xerogel synthesized using biomimetic method (B-AMSX) and to investigate its potential ability to be a drug carrier for loading poorly water-soluble drug indomethacin (IMC). For comparison, mesoporous silica xerogel without amino modification (B-MSX) was also synthesized using the same method. The changes of characteristics before and after IMC loading were systemically studied using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and nitrogen adsorption/desorption analysis.

Autotrophic denitrification by nitrate-dependent Fe(II) oxidation in a continuous up-flow biofilter.

A continuous-upflow biofilter packed with sponge iron was constructed for nitrate removal under an anaerobic atmosphere. Microbacterium sp. W5, a nitrate reducing and Fe(II) oxidizing strain, was added to the biofilter as an inoculum.

Phenolic group on A-ring is key for dracoflavan B as a selective noncompetitive inhibitor of α-amylase.

A high throughput assay was applied to guide the isolation of a new pancreatic α-amylase inhibitor, dracoflavan B, from the dragon's blood resin from Daemonorops draco. Applying C18 column, we successfully isolated both diastereomers and their structures verified by (1)H NMR spectra in comparison with the literature values. Their activity in inhibition of pancreatic α-amylase with comparable IC50 values of 23μM (A type) and 27μM (B type) that are similar to that of acarbose.

Phenol degradation by halophilic fungal isolate JS4 and evaluation of its tolerance of heavy metals.

Phenol is one of the most common pollutants in many kinds of industrial wastewater, some of which are in high salinity, resulting in more difficulties of biodegradation. In this work, a halophilic strain capable of utilizing phenol as sole source of carbon and energy in both hypersaline and no-salt media was isolated and identified as genus Debaryomyces. The optimization of environmental parameters including phenol concentration, pH, dissolved oxygen as well as salinity was carried out and tolerance of heavy metals by the strain was evaluated.

Biomimetic synthesized bimodal nanoporous silica: Bimodal mesostructure formation and application for ibuprofen delivery.

The present paper innovatively reports bimodal nanoporous silica synthesized using biomimetic method (B-BNS) with synthesized polymer (C16-L-serine) as template. Formation mechanism of B-BNS was deeply studied and exploration of its application as carrier of poorly water-soluble drug ibuprofen (IBU) was conducted. The bimodal nanopores and curved mesoscopic channels of B-BNS were achieved due to the dynamic self-assembly of C16-L-serine induced by silane coupling agent (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, APTES) and silica source (tetraethoxysilane, TEOS).

Control-release microcapsule of famotidine loaded biomimetic synthesized mesoporous silica nanoparticles: Controlled release effect and enhanced stomach adhesion in vitro.

In the present work, control-release microcapsule of famotidine (FMT) loaded biomimetic synthesized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (B-MSNs) was developed, and controlled release effect and stomach adhesion of this formulation in vitro were mainly investigated. B-MSN was previously synthesized and it was amorphous mesoporous nanoparticles with helical channels. Cytotoxicity of B-MSN was studied using human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and the result indicated that cytotoxicity of B-MSN can be neglected.

Survival of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma before and after approved use of gefitinib in China.

Background: To compare the overall survival (OS) of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma in China before and after the approved use of gefitinib, and analyze clinical factors that may affect OS.

Methods: Clinical data of 558 patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma who received chemotherapy from January 2002 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the matched-pair case-control study design, 255 patients who only received chemotherapy and 255 patients who received gefitinib treatment after its approval were stringently matched by age, gender, and smoking history and enrolled in the study.

Correlation between arterial stiffness and coronary flow velocity reserve in subjects with pulse wave velocity >1400 cm/s.

Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) is an independent predictor for cardiovascular events. Coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) provides important information for coronary endothelial function. In the present study, we investigated the possible relationship between PWV and CFVR, especially in subjects with PWV > 1400 cm/s.

Removal of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Cd(II) from aqueous solutions by biochar derived from KMnO4 treated hickory wood.

In this work, a novel approach was developed to prepare an engineered biochar from KMnO4 treated hickory wood through slow pyrolysis (600°C). Characterization experiments with various tools showed that the engineered biochar surface was covered with MnOx ultrafine particles. In comparison to the pristine biochar, the engineered biochar also had more surface oxygen-containing functional groups and much larger surface area.

Microbial community in a hydrogenotrophic denitrification reactor based on pyrosequencing.

Effects of some key factors on hydrogenotrophic denitrification were investigated in lab-scale bioreactors. Results indicated that optimum biomass loading, pH value, temperature, nitrate loading, and C/N ratio in this study were optical density at 600 nm (OD600) of 0.173, 6.

Identification of Bufavirus-1 and Bufavirus-3 in Feces of Patients with Acute Diarrhea, China.

Bufavirus (BuV) is a newly discovered human parvovirus that has been detected in some countries. The current study was designed to understand the epidemic of BuV in China. Totally 1877 fecal specimens were collected from pediatric and adult patients with acute diarrhea in two large hospitals from 2010 to 2014.

Changing Pattern of Sputum Cell Counts During Successive Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease exacerbations are associated with worsening of airway inflammation, the nature of which may be neutrophilic, eosinophilic, or both.

Objective: The primary objective was to examine the cellular nature of airway inflammation in successive COPD exacerbations in order to ascertain if they changed in individual patients. The secondary objective was to estimate the relative risk indicating the extent to which a particular type of exacerbation changed as a function of the most recent exacerbation.

Nitrate removal by nitrate-dependent Fe(II) oxidation in an upflow denitrifying biofilm reactor.

A continuous upflow biofilm reactor packed with ceramsite was constructed for nitrate removal under an anaerobic atmosphere without an organic carbon source. Denitrifying bacteria, Pseudomonas sp. W1, Pseudomonas sp.

Characteristics of phenol degradation in saline conditions of a halophilic strain JS3 isolated from industrial activated sludge.

Several halophilic bacteria have been reported to degrade phenol. However, there are a few works about salt-tolerant fungi which can utilize phenol as sole source of carbon. In this study, a halophilic strain JS3 which could degrade phenol with high efficiency was separated and identified.

Facile synthesis of functionalized ionic surfactant templated mesoporous silica for incorporation of poorly water-soluble drug.

The present paper reported amino group functionalized anionic surfactant templated mesoporous silica (Amino-AMS) for loading and release of poorly water-soluble drug indomethacin (IMC) and carboxyl group functionalized cationic surfactant templated mesoporous silica (Carboxyl-CMS) for loading and release of poorly water-soluble drug famotidine (FMT). Herein, Amino-AMS and Carboxyl-CMS were facilely synthesized using co-condensation method through two types of silane coupling agent. Amino-AMS was spherical nanoparticles, and Carboxyl-CMS was well-formed spherical nanosphere with a thin layer presented at the edge.