Degradation Products Research Articles

Assessment of “Inverse” Cross‐Talk (Anode to Cathode) in High‐Voltage Li/Mn‐Rich Layered Oxide || Li Cells

AbstractLi/Mn‐rich layered oxide (LMR) offers high practical discharge capacity originating from both cationic and anionic redox, but its operation is practically challenging as full capacity utilization at high cathode potentials (> 4.6 V vs Li|Li+) is intertwined with phase transformation, oxygen release, and transition metal dissolution. Dissolved TMs in particular, can deposit and damage the anode via a process known as electrode cross‐talk that decreases Li inventory due to Li plating. Given the excess in active lithium, Li‐metal anode (LMA) is frequently paired with LMR for a systematic cathode R&D, though is believed to cause inverse cross‐talk, i.e., diffusion of LMA degradation products from the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) toward the cathode, triggering bulid‐up of resistive cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI). Indeed, a thicker, more organic‐based, and slightly resistive CEI is proven in Li‐ compared to “SEI‐poor” Li4Ti5O12 (LTO)‐based cells via X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, and electrochemical techniques, which likely even decreases metal dissolution from LMR, though their practical impact on overpotential is shown to be less relevant. The capacity recovery after transferring cycled (“old”) LMR from Li cells to fresh Li cells rather points to other meaningful contributions to capacity fading than the inverse crosstalk.

Clinical significance of peripheral blood UL16 and DR-70 for the early diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of colorectal cancer.

Early diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is of great significance to improve the survival rate and quality of life of patients, but early diagnosis of CRC requires more sensitive techniques. Peripheral blood UL16-binding protein 2 (ULBP2) and human fibrinogen degradation products (DR-70) are the main indicators for the diagnosis of malignant tumors. To assess ULBP2 and DR-70 potential for the early diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of CRC to provide a reference. This study involved 60 patients with early-stage CRC (CRC group), 50 patients with benign colorectal tumors (benign group), and 50 healthy patients (control group) enrolled at the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University and Jiangsu Province Official Hospital between January, 2020 and January, 2022. ULBP2 and DR-70 levels in the blood were determined and differences among the three groups and early diagnostic values for CRC were determined. Patients with CRC were divided into the good prognosis and poor prognosis groups, and ULBP2 and DR-70 levels in the blood and diagnostic values were compared. ULBP2 and DR-70 serum levels were significantly higher in the CRC group than in the control and benign groups (P < 0.05); however, no significant differences were observed between the benign and control groups (P > 0.05). Among the 60 patients with CRC followed up for two years, two died (3.33%) and 15 exhibited tumor metastasis, progression, or recurrence (25.00%). ULBP2 and DR-70 serum levels were significantly higher in the poor prognosis group than in the good prognosis group (P < 0.05). A receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted. Area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity of serum ULBP2 with DR-70 for the early diagnosis of CRC were higher than those of the single serum indices (P < 0.05) in both the good and poor prognosis groups. ULBP2 and DR-70 serum levels were significantly high in patients with early-stage CRC. They improved the diagnostic rate of early-stage CRC and predicted patient prognosis, thereby showing clinical application potential.

Environmental impact of potentially toxic elements accumulated in surface sediments of the Erikli Lagoon, Black Sea coast (Türkiye)

This study aims to (a) determine the concentration and distribution of elements in the surface sediments of the Erikli Lagoon, which are under natural and anthropogenic pressure, (b) determine possible effects on the environment using ecological indices, and (c) reveal possible sources. Multiple elements, total organic carbon and chlorophyll degradation products were analyzed in sediment samples. Enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) were calculated to determine the sources of the elements. Modified hazard quotient (mHQ), ecological contamination index (ECI), contamination severity index (CSI) and potential ecological risk index (PERI) were calculated to determine ecological risks. It was found that Mn, Hg, As, Fe and Cd entering the lake are of anthropogenic origin. These elements pose a low to moderate ecological threat to the lake. Agricultural and domestic discharges and atmospheric deposition are the main sources of these elements. A moderate ecological risk with an average value of 194.89 was determined in the lagoon based on PERI and contamination levels of metals. The elements that pose this risk are Hg and Cd, due to their high toxicity. According to ECI and CSI, the ecological risk is low, with average values of 0.99 and 0.30, respectively.

Utilizing cutting-edge analytical techniques for the Identification, Isolation, and structural characterization of donepezil HCl forced degradation products

The current study elucidates the stress degradation behavior of donepezil HCl, a medication used to treat Alzheimer-type dementia. Using hydrolytic, oxidative, thermal, and photolytic conditions, the forced degradation investigation was conducted in accordance with ICH recommendations. In neutral hydrolysis, oxidative, thermal, and photolytic conditions, donepezil is comparatively stable; nevertheless, significant degradation was noted in acid and base hydrolysis. Using sophisticated analytical methods such as LCMS, Preparative-HPLC, NMR, and HRMS, the degradation products were identified, isolated, and their structural validity was confirmed. Degradation products 1, 2, and 3 are the three degradation products that were found and isolated during acid degradation. Conversely, products 1 and 3 generated during base hydrolysis degradation. Degradation product 1 and 3 were known products, while degradation product 2 is new compound that have not yet been documented. Using an advanced analytical approach, this is the first recorded comprehensive structural characterization of all degradation products. In the current work, high-resolution mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were employed to get specific confirmation of degradation product structures. In the future, degradation products with lower runtime will also be identified using the present LCMS technique.

Separation and identification of oligonucleotides impurities and degradation products by reversed phase ultra-high performance liquid chromatography using phenyl-bonded stationary phases without ion pairs - A step towards sustainability

This manuscript discusses the development of a reversed-phase ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (RP UHPLC) method based on phenyl-bonded stationary phases without ion-pairs for the separation and identification of oligonucleotides. The elimination of ion-pair reagents makes the proposed protocol as more compliant to the principles of green chemistry, compared to the traditional ion-pair reversed-phase liquid chromatography methods (IP RP LC). In detail, three phenyl-based stationary phases were tested, namely a C18/AR (a C18 stationary phase with the addition of aromatic groups), a Phenyl-hexyl, and a Diphenyl. Generally, the retention of oligonucleotides increases with the increase of salt concentration and the decrease of the pH, thus confirming the significant impact of van der Waals interactions, salting-out effect, and π-electrons interactions in the retention mechanism. The highest retention and best peak symmetry were observed for the C18/AR stationary phase, while the lowest retention for the Phenyl-hexyl, with retention influenced by the type of salt in the mobile phase. The obtained methods using C18/AR stationary phases allow for the effective separations of positional isomers and for identifying impurities and degradation products using RP UHPLC Q-TOF-MS in a comparatively short time. The application of RP UHPLC Q-TOF-MS provides reasonable selectivity for the resolution of 33 impurities and two degradation products. Both groups of compounds are mainly 3′N and 5′N-shortmers, but in the case of impurities, modifications of cyclic phosphate and phosphate groups were also identified. Nevertheless, Diphenyl and Phenyl-Hexyl may be applied to separate modified oligonucleotides with higher salt concentrations. The proposed separation methods without ion-pair reagents contribute to a more sustainable approach in oligonucleotide analysis.

Reinterpretation of lycopane as a biomarker of archaea based on its occurrence in authigenic sulfur-bearing carbonates

The tail-to-tail linked C40 isoprenoid hydrocarbon lycopane is a biomarker found in a wide variety of environments and in some extremophilic archaea but is also a possibly degradation product of a carotenoid (bacterioruberin) as well as plants (various lycopenes) and green algae (lycopadiene). Although potential producers are known, the source of lycopane in water-column and sedimentary environments is commonly ambiguous. In this study, the occurrence of 13C-depleted lycopane (δ13C = −114 to −106 ‰) in authigenic, sulfur-bearing carbonates from Monte Palco (Sicily) is used to re-evaluate the environmental significance of lycopane. In the Monte Palco authigenic carbonates, lycopane is accompanied by other, similarly 13C-depleted apolar isoprenoids such as PMI, squalane, and sulfurized homologues, including a tail-to-tail linked C35 isoprenoid, as well as typical lipids of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) like glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT)-0, −2, archaeol, and sn3-hydroxyarchaeol. The δ13C values of lycopane reveal linear correlations with values of PMI and squalane (n = 7; r2 = 0.71 and 0.82, respectively), probably reflecting a similar cellular function of the tail-to-tail linked isoprenoids in the archaeal source organisms. Lycopane is interpreted to represent a membrane intercalant, produced in response to extreme environmental conditions. The new observations resulting from the analysis of the Monte Palco authigenic carbonates – including the similarities in 13C-depletion of PMI, squalane, and lycopane but also with other archaeal membrane lipids like archaeol, sn3-hydroxyarchaeol, and GDGT-0 (measured as ether-cleaved biphytanes) – allowed us to re-interpret the potential source organism of lycopane in modern and ancient anoxic and euxinic basins (Cariaco Trench, Black Sea, late Cenomanian black shales of the Cape Verde Basin). These new data agree with unknown archaea as producers of lycopane as a response to environmental stress at chemoclines. The previous interpretation of lycopane as a biomarker of photoautotrophic bacteria in anoxic basins is challenged by our new findings. An alternative explanation for these occurrences is lycopane production by Marine Group II Euryarchaeota, archaea closely associated with primary producers. Lycopane production by archaea is probably more widespread than previously recognized. Future research should evaluate the potential of lycopane as a biomarker of archaeal adaptation to extreme environmental conditions.

Metformin hydrolase is a recently evolved nickel-dependent heteromeric ureohydrolase

The anti-diabetic drug metformin is one of the most widely prescribed medicines in the world. Together with its degradation product guanylurea, it is a major pharmaceutical pollutant in wastewater treatment plants and surface waters. An operon comprising two genes of the ureohydrolase family in Pseudomonas and Aminobacter species has recently been implicated in metformin degradation. However, the corresponding proteins have not been characterized. Here we show that these genes encode a Ni2+-dependent enzyme that efficiently and specifically hydrolyzes metformin to guanylurea and dimethylamine. The active enzyme is a heteromeric complex of α- and β- subunits in which only the α-subunits contain the conserved His and Asp residues for the coordination of two Ni2+ ions in the active site. A crystal structure of metformin hydrolase reveals an α2β4 stoichiometry of the hexameric complex, which is unprecedented in the ureohydrolase family. By studying a closely related but more widely distributed enzyme, we find that the putative predecessor specifically hydrolyzes dimethylguanidine instead of metformin. Our findings establish the molecular basis for metformin hydrolysis to guanylurea as the primary pathway for metformin biodegradation and provide insight into the recent evolution of ureohydrolase family proteins in response to an anthropogenic compound.

Analysis and Formation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Canned Minced Chicken and Pork during Processing.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) represent important toxic compounds formed in meat products during processing. This study aims to analyze 22 PAHs by QuEChERS coupled with GC-MS/MS in canned minced chicken and pork during processing. After marinating raw minced chicken and pork separately with a standard flavoring formula used for canning meat in Taiwan, they were subjected to different processing conditions including stir-frying, degassing and sterilizing at 115 °C/60 min (low-temperature-long-time, LTLT) and 125 °C/25 min (high-temperature-short-time, HTST). The quantitation of PAHs in these meat products revealed the formation of only three PAHs including acenaphthylene (AcPy), acenaphthene (AcP) and pyrene (Pyr) in canned minced chicken and pork during processing with no significant difference in total PAHs between the meat types. Analysis of PAH precursors showed the presence of benzaldehyde at the highest level, followed by 2-cyclohexene-1-one and trans,trans-2,4-decadienal in canned minced chicken and pork, suggesting PAH formation through the reaction of benzaldehyde with linoleic acid degradation products and of 2-cyclohexene-1-one with C4 compounds through the Diels-Alder reaction, as well as the reaction of trans,trans-2,4-decadienal with 2-butene. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were present in the largest proportion in LTLT-sterilized chicken/pork, followed by HTST-sterilized chicken/pork and raw chicken/pork, and their levels did not show a high impact on PAH formation, probably due to an insufficient heating temperature and length of time. A two-factorial analysis suggested that PAH formation was not significantly affected by the sterilization condition or meat type. Principal component analysis corroborated the observed results implying the formation of PAHs in canned minced chicken/pork under different processing conditions with an insignificant difference (p > 0.05) between them, with the individual PAH content following the order of Pyr > AcPy > AcP.

Engineering Escherichia coli for utilization of PET degraded ethylene glycol as sole feedstock

From both economic and environmental perspectives, ethylene glycol, the principal constituent in the degradation of PET, emerges as an optimal feedstock for microbial cell factories. Traditional methods for constructing Escherichia coli chassis cells capable of utilizing ethylene glycol as a non-sugar feedstock typically involve overexpressing the genes fucO and aldA. However, these approaches have not succeeded in enabling the exclusive use of ethylene glycol as the sole source of carbon and energy for growth. Through ultraviolet radiation-induced mutagenesis and subsequent laboratory adaptive evolution, an EG02 strain emerged from E. coli MG1655 capable of utilizing ethylene glycol as its sole carbon and energy source, demonstrating an uptake rate of 8.1 ± 1.3 mmol/gDW h. Comparative transcriptome analysis guided reverse metabolic engineering, successfully enabling four wild-type E. coli strains to metabolize ethylene glycol exclusively. This was achieved through overexpression of the gcl, hyi, glxR, and glxK genes. Notably, the engineered E. coli chassis cells efficiently metabolized the 87 mM ethylene glycol found in PET enzymatic degradation products following 72 h of fermentation. This work presents a practical solution for recycling ethylene glycol from PET waste degradation products, demonstrating that simply adding M9 salts can effectively convert them into viable raw materials for E. coli cell factories. Our findings also emphasize the significant roles of genes associated with the glycolate and glyoxylate degradation I pathway in the metabolic utilization of ethylene glycol, an aspect frequently overlooked in previous research.

Characterization and antioxidant activity of eumelanin produced by Streptomyces lasalocidi NTB 42

Melanin, a macromolecule derived from the oxidative polymerization of phenolic compounds, possesses notable bioactive attributes and serves as a crucial biological safeguard against deleterious environmental factors. Melanin originates in Streptomyces and is known for its antioxidative properties. This study aimed to characterize and evaluate the antioxidant activity of melanin obtained from Streptomyces lasalocidi NTB 42. Based on 16 S rRNA identification, strain NTB 42 was identified as Streptomyces lasalocidi NTB 42 (OR710932). During melanin biosynthesis, S. lasalocidi NTB 42 had the highest tyrosinase activity on day 5 and the highest L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine concentration on day 6. Melanin NTB 42 exhibited polymorphic and irregular morphology. Melanin NTB 42 characteristics were analyzed using the A650/A500 ratio, UV–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography, dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and thermal degradation products based on pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were identified as eumelanin. The scavenging ability of NTB 42 melanin, as determined by the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50), was 70.60 ± 0.40 μg/mL for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 176.76 ± 0.93 μg/mL for 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-acid sulfonate radicals. The Fe-reducing power and total antioxidant capacity values were 114.05 ± 0.41 mg AAE/g melanin and 145.10 ± 0.56 mg AAE/g melanin, respectively. This study is the first attempt to characterize the antioxidant properties of eumelanin from S. lasalocidi NTB 42. The antioxidant ability of eumelanin NTB 42 against various free radicals shows promise for further development as an antioxidant.

At least five: Benefit origins of potassium and sodium co-doping on carbon nitride for integrating pharmaceuticals degradation and hydrogen peroxide production

Benefit origins of potassium (K+) and sodium (Na+) co-doping on carbon nitride for integrating pharmaceutical degradation and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production was investigated. K+ and Na+ co-doped carbon nitride (CN-K/Na) with modified crystallinity and surface structure was synthesized by ionothermal polymerization of urea. The CN-K/Na exhibited an apparent quantum yield of 26.2 % in H2O2 photosynthesis at 400 nm (isopropanol as proton donor), and it was better at extracting proton from pharmaceutical-laden wastewater to produce H2O2 than pristine carbon nitride. These superior performances are attributed to the benefits directly or indirectly caused by the co-doping: i) Na+ optimizes in-plane charge transfer, ii) K+ builds channel for interplane charge transfer, iii) cyano group as Lewis acid site adsorbs and activates oxygen, iv) amino group as Lewis base site extracts and releases protons, v) increased visible-light absorption. This work offers significant insights into designing polymeric photocatalysts for environmental management and energy conservation.

Synergistic adsorption-photocatalytic remediation of methylene blue dye from textile industry wastewater over NiFe LDH supported on tyre-ash derived activated carbon

The photocatalytic performance of the multilayered NiFe LDH/Activated Carbon was evaluated for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) in industrial textile wastewater, considering prior adsorption on the photocatalyst surface. The XRD, XPS, BET, TEM and FE-SEM results confirmed that the highly exposed mesoporous layers, carbon backbone, and interlayer anions serve as active sites responsible for the adsorption of MB dye due to the expected electrostatic interactions. Electrochemical methods such as CV, LSV and EIS revealed the improved conductivity and supported the interactions observed. Encouraged by these interactions, the irradiation of visible light enabled the degradation of methylene blue, and the degradation products were monitored using UPLC chromatograms and MS spectra. The removal efficiencies of the MB dye were found to be 17.5 %, 51.2 %, 67.1 %, 84.8 %, and 94.2 % due to photolysis, adsorption, and degradation on AC, NiFe LDH nanosheets, and NiFe LDH/AC nanocomposite, respectively. The results of the UPLC chromatograms and MS spectra suggested that MB was mineralized into simpler fragments after 30 min of visible light irradiation. Scavenging studies were examined using a series of scavenging agents. However, the maximum photodegradation was attained in the absence of the scavengers. The reusability studies showed that the MB photodegradation efficiency declined by 20.8 %, possibly due to the loss of the catalyst during the washing step. Nonetheless, the NiFe LDH/AC structure remained intact, suggesting the strong stability of the photocatalyst. The plausible degradation mechanism and probable degradation pathway of MB were outlined and supported by the chromatographs and MS results. The overall results suggest that photocatalysis of cationic dyes such as MB on NiFe LDH/AC should be encouraged to work towards sustainable solutions for textile water treatment.

Magnetic recyclable chitosan-graphene immobilized microcystinase A: Removal of microcystins from harmful microcystis blooms

Harmful Microcystis blooms and microcystins have become a major hidden threat to the safety of the water environment. The application of enzymatic degradation of microcystins has been severely limited by the complex environment. In this study, chitosan-graphene (CG), prepared from green biomass, was employed as matrix material, loaded with 100–200 nm Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MCG) and immobilized microcystinase A (MlrA@MCG). The preparation of MlrA@MCG was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometer and fluorescence labelling. The results of the activity analysis demonstrated that MlrA@MCG exhibited superior degradation activity for MCs, as well as enhanced heat and alkaline resistance in comparison to free MlrA. Furthermore, MlrA@MCG can be recovered simply by means of a magnetic field, and its activity remains at 48.6 % after 10 repeated uses. More importantly, MlrA@MCG and the degradation products of MC-LR were not found to be cytotoxic to human cells. It is interesting that the immobilization of MlrA resulted in a reduction in the cytotoxicity of MCG. 0.2 U of MlrA@MCG can still degrade MC-LR from 232.64 μg L−1 to 94.39 μg L−1 in water from simulated severe Microcystis blooms within 24 h, showing excellent catalytic activity and stability. The study proposed a secure and efficacious approach for the elimination of microcystins from harmful Microcystis blooms, offering a promising avenue for the improvement of environmental safety.

The Effects of Different Thiol-Containing Compounds on the Degradation of Sulforaphene.

Sulforaphene (4-methylsufinyl-3-butenyl isothiocyanate, SFE), produced by myrosinase hydrolysis of glucoraphenin (4-methylsulfinyl-3-butenyl glucosinolate) found in radish seeds, is strongly associated with cancer prevention. In this study, we investigated the stability of SFE (purity above 98%) under various thiol-containing compounds at 25 °C, such as sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), glutathione (GSH), and cysteine (Cys). We observed that the degradation of SFE was closely related to the presence and dissociation capacity of thiol-containing compounds in the solution, particularly the thiol group. We found that the degradation rate of SFE was influenced by incubation with NaHS, GSH, and Cys, with distinct degradation products detected for each of these thiol-containing compounds. Compared to GSH, sulfide and Cys played important roles in promoting the degradation of SFE. Furthermore, we found substantial quantities of hydrogen sulfide in conjunction with SFE during the hydrolysis process of seeds, and a heat treatment of the seeds resulted in increased production of SFE. However, the introduction of sulfide-oxidizing bacteria to the hydrolytic system did not exhibit any inhibitory effect on the degradation of SFE. These results provided a guideline for industries to improve the stability of SFE during preparation.

Widespread occurrence of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid in indoor dust from urban homes across the United States and its contribution to human exposure

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide worldwide, with concerns over human exposure and potential health risks. Nevertheless, little is known about the sources of human exposure to glyphosate and its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA). In this study, we measured glyphosate and AMPA in 99 indoor dust samples collected from urban homes in sixteen states in the USA. Glyphosate and AMPA were detected in all samples at geometric mean (GM) concentrations of 193 and 30.8 ng/g, respectively. We found a strong and significant positive correlation between glyphosate and AMPA concentrations (r = 0.70, p < 0.01), indicating that the latter mainly originated from glyphosate. The concentrations of glyphosate (r = 0.40, p < 0.01) and AMPA (r = 0.33, p < 0.01) in indoor dust were significantly correlated with the county-wide agricultural usage of this herbicide. Human exposure to glyphosate and AMPA through dust ingestion were in the ranges of 0.05–0.85 and 0.01–0.14 ng/kg body weight (BW)/day, respectively, for various age groups, which were more than two orders of magnitude below the acceptable daily intake for glyphosate (500 μg/kg BW/day). Further studies are needed to identify the sources and health outcomes of human exposure to glyphosate.

Isosorbide as a building block for Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)-based copolyesters with enhanced mechanical properties and tunable biodegradability

Developing bio-based copolyesters with excellent mechanical properties, controlled degradation, and easy industrial production would significantly promote adopting disposable green products and advancing a circular economy. A series of poly(butylene adipate/terephthalate-isosorbide) (PBIAT) were successfully synthesized by introducing varying amounts of biologically derived isosorbide (IS) as the modifying monomer into cost-effective poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT). It was demonstrated that IS effectively enhances the rigidity of molecular chains, thereby the glass transition temperature of PBIAT increased almost linearly with IS content, while the tensile strength, elongation at break, and tensile toughness improved by up to 85 %, 69 %, and 42 %, respectively, compared to neat PBAT. Moreover, studies on the degradability of the copolyester demonstrated that PBIAT exhibits controlled degradation capability. The stability of PBIAT in a neutral solution is consistent with that of PBAT, whereas the degradation rate of PBIAT increased by up to 70 % in the enzyme solution. This work provides insights into the design of isosorbide-modified degradable polyesters for regulating the mechanical properties and degradation rate.

A retrospective study on safety and efficacy of recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin to acute aortic dissection with disseminated intravascular coagulation

ObjectivesRecombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rTM) has recently been used as a promising therapeutic natural anti-coagulant drug for disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Here we investigated the safety and efficacy of rTM after aortic surgery in patients with acute aortic dissection (AAD).MethodsA total of 316 patients diagnosed with AAD underwent emergent ascending aortic replacement or total arch replacement between 2010 and 2019. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical information of 62 patients with the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine’s acute-stage DIC diagnostic criteria (JAAM criteria) with a score of ≥ 4. We assigned 62 patients to two groups, either non-rTM group (n = 29) or rTM group (n = 33). Patient characteristics, surgical procedures, and postoperative outcome data including coagulation function and the JAAM DIC score in both groups were collected.ResultsThe decrease in the number of platelets was clearly suppressed on days 1–3 in the rTM group. On days 1–4, fibrin degradation product levels were upregulated in the non-rTM group but significantly downregulated in the rTM group. Five operative deaths occurred within 30 days postoperative (two [6.9%] in the non-rTM group vs. three [9.1%] in the rTM group). The JAAM DIC score showed a gradually improving trend from postoperative day 1 in the rTM group.ConclusionsPostoperative rTM administration for AAD may be a safe and promising novel treatment strategy for improving the JAAM DIC score.

Boron/Fe2+/H2O2 combined with resins process cost-effectively remove Ni(II) in wastewater containing Ni-EDTA: Performance and mechanism

This study proposes a green purification strategy in which mild decomplexation of Ni-EDTA into other Ni complexes facilitates the efficient removal and recovery of nickel through resin adsorption. Decomplexation of Ni-EDTA by boron/Fe2+/H2O2 (B/Fe2+/H2O2) followed by resins adsorption was conducted for Ni(II) removal in Ni-EDTA. The Ni(II) removal efficiency could only achieve 1.3 % and 6.2 % while Ni(II) coexisted with EDTA but more than 10 times of higher when Ni(II) coexisted with EDTA-relatives via the single adsorption of commercial heavy metal-affined resins (D001 and D463), which attributed to the increased binding energies of these Ni-EDTA’s degradation products complexes than Ni-EDTA based on density functional theory (DFT) calculation. In comparing to precipitation, the resin adsorption required much less mineralization of EDTA to have a better removal efficiency of Ni(II). B improved the efficiency of Ni-EDTA decompexation by accelerating the recycle of Fe3+/Fe2+. The EDTA (and TOC) removal enhanced from 48.7 % (4.7 %) to 94.7 % (11.9 %) by B/Fe2+/H2O2 process comparing to Fe2+/H2O2 process. With the high EDTA but low TOC removal efficiency after B/Fe2+/H2O2 treatment, Ni(II) removal efficiency via resins adsorption could maximum achieve 80.5 %, 2–3 times of that via regular precipitation method. In addition, B and resins exhibited good reusability in five cycles, and B/Fe2+/H2O2-resins process had excellent adaptability to different heavy metal complexes. B/Fe2+/H2O2-D463 system not only could reduce 78.4 % reagents cost compared with that of Fe2+/H2O2-precipitation process, but also could save much cost than other processes. The results provide new insights for the cost-effective treatment of EDTA-complexed heavy metal wastewater.

Risk factors for deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremity after total hip arthroplasty

ObjectiveTo investigate the risk factors for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) following total hip arthroplasty (THA).MethodsPatients who underwent THA in the Department of Joint Surgery at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from September 2020 to December 2022 were retrospectively selected based on inclusion criteria. They were divided into the DVT group (n = 65) and the non-DVT group (n = 397) according to the occurrence of postoperative DVT. The following variables were reviewed for both groups: age, sex, Body Mass Index (BMI), affected limb, previous history (smoking and drinking), diabetes, hypertension, operation time, total cholesterol, triglycerides, fibrinogen, hemoglobin, albumin, platelets, D-dimer, International Normalized Ratio (INR), and fibrin degradation products. Univariate analysis was conducted on these factors, and those with statistical significance were further analyzed using a binary logistic regression model to assess their correlation with DVT after THA.ResultsA total of 462 patients were included in the study, with the DVT group representing approximately 14% and the non-DVT group approximately 86%. The DVT group had an average age of 67.27 ± 4.10 years, while the non-DVT group had an average age of 66.72 ± 8.69 years. Univariate analysis revealed significant differences in diabetes mellitus, preoperative fibrinogen, preoperative D-dimer, preoperative INR, and preoperative and postoperative fibrin degradation products between the DVT and non-DVT groups. Binary logistic regression analysis identified diabetes mellitus, elevated preoperative fibrinogen, preoperative D-dimer, and preoperative INR (p < 0.05) as risk factors for DVT after THA.ConclusionThis study found that diabetes mellitus, elevated preoperative fibrinogen, preoperative D-dimer, and preoperative INR are independent risk factors for DVT following THA. Surgeons should thoroughly assess these risk factors, implement timely and effective interventions, and guide patients to engage in functional exercises as early as possible to reduce the incidence of DVT, thereby improving the outcomes of THA and improving patient quality of life.

Hyphenating sustainability with chemometrics in chromatographic analysis of COVID combo therapy, nirmatrelvir and Molnupiravir, in presence of their overlapping degradation products; blue-green dual evaluation tools

Our manuscript managed to hyphenate the novelty and sustainability in one method. A novel combination of molnupiravir (MNP) and nirmatrelvir (NTV) was found to be a potential symbiotic therapy against SARS-CoV-2. Yet, there is no analytical method published for either determination or stability investigation of this combination simultaneously. So, the proposed HPLC technique focused on determination of MNP and NTV in presence of their degradation products. The sustainability was achieved in our method by using chemometrics tools to quantify NTV in presence of its co-eluted degradation product (NTV-D) without excessive time and solvent usage for separation (run time 5 min.). Moreover, the linearity parameters of both MNP and NTV, including correlation coefficient, LOD and LOQ, have been enhanced significantly after chemometrics treatment through convolution of the resultant derivative curves using trigonometric Fourier function. For example, LOQ of MNP decreased from 3.53 to 0.31 µg/mL and for NTV, LOQ decreased from 4.98 to 2.10 µg/mL after chemometrics treatment. The stability results of the proposed method indicates that no interaction or change in stability behavior of both drugs when co-administered with each other. Thus, this can be used as an empirical basis to initiate clinical trials of this combination for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.Additionally, in order to determine the impact of chemometric methods in minimizing analysis time and reducing solvent, energy, and waste consumption, our chemometric methodology is evaluated in terms of greenness and blueness (dichromic assessment) using AGREE and BAGI, respectively. Besides, the method sustainability using Hexagon was evaluated.