High Stability Rates Research Articles

Synthesis and Characterization of Carbon Nano Sphere-doped Gd: Alpha Sb2O4 Nanostructure for High-Performance Energy Storage Applications

Background: To enhance the super capacitive properties of nanocomposites, the effective method is to combine carbon nanospheres with mesoporous structures with Gd3+:α-Sb2O4 inorganic nanocomposites (NC) to form hybrid electrodes. An as-prepared hybrid electrode material possesses increased energy density, high rate of reversibility and cyclic stability when incorporated in electrochemical cyclic voltammetric studies. Methods: In the present investigation, various wt % of C-nanospheres (Cx) (5 %, 10% and 20%) were decorated over Gd3+: α-Sb2O4 nanocomposites and were synthesized by coprecipitation method. XRD, SEM, EDX, UV-visible, and XPS are only a few of the analytical techniques used to describe the as-prepared hybrid nanocomposites. Electrochemical cyclic voltammetry was carried out in a 6 M KOH solution, three-electrode system. Results: The crystal structure and morphology of Cx: Gd3+@ α-Sb2O4 NC showed a mixed hexagonal phase and agglomerated tiny irregularly shaped morphology that appeared as the Cx concentration increased. Redshift in optical absorption peak appeared (near UV-edge), and the optical band gap (Eg) value increased from 3.53 eV to 3.65 eV. The electrochemical supercapacitor showed the highest specific capacitance of 989 F/g at the current density of 1 A/g for C20%:Gd3+@α-Sb2O4 NC compared with Cx:Gd3+@α-Sb2O4 (x = 5% and 10%) and undoped Gd3+:α-Sb2O4 NC. The change in phase angle and Rs value of 1.98 was attributed to the ideal supercapacitor properties. The cyclic stability after 5000 cycles with 79.71% capacitive retention was exhibited by C20%:Gd3+@α-Sb2O4 NC. Conclusion: The present research introduces ease of synthesis of hybrid electrode materials possessing high active surface area, increased energy density, high cyclic stability, and reversibility in an aqueous solution.

Molecular Engineering Towards Efficient Aggregation-Induced Delayed Fluorescence Luminogens as Emitters and Sensitizers for High-Performance Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.

Exploring efficient thermally-activated delayed fluorescence materials having maximum external quantum efficiencies (ηext,maxs) exceeding 30 % for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) still remains challenging because it generally requires efficient reverse intersystem crossing (RISC), high photoluminescence quantum yield (ΦPL), and large optical out-coupling efficiency (Φout) simultaneously. Herein, two green aggregation-induced delayed fluorescence (AIDF) luminogens, named XTCz-2 and XTCz-3, are designed and constructed by using xanthone (XT) as electron acceptor and phenylcarbazole-substituted carbazole as donors. XTCz-2 and XTCz-3 exhibit distinguished advantages of high thermal stability (439-560 °C), excellent ΦPLs (84-88 %) and fast RISC rates (1.9×105-4.2×105 s-1), and prefer horizontal dipole orientation and thus have high Φouts. Consequently, they can achieve the state-of-the-art electroluminescence (EL) performances with ηext,maxs of up to 35.0 %. Moreover, XTCz-3 is selected as a sensitizer for sky-blue multi-resonance delayed fluorescence emitter in hyperfluorescence OLEDs, providing narrow EL spectra and excellent ηext,maxs of up to 33.8 % with low efficiency roll-offs. The splendid comprehensive performances demonstrate the significant application potential of these AIDF luminogens as both light-emitting materials and sensitizers for OLEDs.

Stable production of hydrogen peroxide over zinc oxide @ zeolitic imidazolate Framework-8 composite catalysts

A promising method of producing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is the electrochemical two-electron water oxidation reaction (2e− WOR). In this process, it is important to design electrocatalysts that are both earth abundant and environmentally friendly, as well as offering high stability and production rates. The research of WOR catalysts, such as the extensively used transition metal oxides, is mainly focused on the modification of transition metal elements. Few studies pay attention to the protective heterostructure of metal oxides. Here, we demonstrate for the first time an organometallic skeleton protection strategy to develop highly stable WOR catalysts for H2O2 generation. Unlike the pure ZnO and zeolite imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) catalysts, ZnO@ZIF-8 enabled the production of hydrogen peroxide at high voltages. The experimental results demonstrate that the ZnO@ZIF-8 catalyst stably generates H2O2 even under a high voltage of 3.0 V vs. RHE, with a yield reaching 2845.819 μmolmin−1 g−1. ZnO@ZIF-8 shows a relatively low overpotential, with a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and an overpotential of 110 mV. The ZnO@ZIF-8 catalyst’s maximal FE value was 4.72 %. Moreover, the ZnO@ZIF-8 catalyst exhibits remarkable durability even after an extended 60-hour stability test. Operando Raman and theoretic calculation analyses reveal that the metal–organic skeleton being encapsulated on the metal oxide surface synergizes with each other, not only expanding the electrochemical surface area, but also adjusting the catalyst metal sites’ adsorption capacity. A novel approach to the modification of 2e− WOR metal oxide catalyst is presented in this work.

Machine learning insights into prediction of H2 gravimetric capacity in Mg-based pure metal alloys

Hydrogen is emerging as a crucial clean energy carrier, but storage challenges remain. Magnesium has the highest hydrogen storage capacity among metals, yet its high thermodynamic stability, desorption temperature, and slow reaction rates hinder practical use. Identifying suitable metal alloys for magnesium remains challenging. This study employs ML-framework with 13 inputs to predict H2 storage and release capacity (2 outputs) in Mg-based alloys, with database comprises 792 storage and 279 release observations. Linear-models initially performed poorly, leading to the development of nonlinear models such as tree ensembles, kernel based methods, and neural networks. After hyperparameter tuning with 5-fold cross-validation, an ANN with Bayesian regularization achieved higher accuracy in predicting hydrogen gravimetric capacity (R2 = 0.86 for storage, R2 = 0.93 for release for test data). With this model, post-analysis revels key-factors influencing hydrogen uptake are particle size, Mg composition, and pressure, while temperature and time significantly affect hydrogen release. Finally, this study identifies operating ranges for these factors, providing insights for improving/accelerating Mg based hydrogen storage materials development.

Clinical, subclinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with community - acquired pneumonia at risk of pes infection

This study aims to describe the clinical and subclinical characteristics and evaluate treatment outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients at risk of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, extended-spectrum beta-lactamases-producing Enterobacteriaceae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (PES) infection. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 90 CAP patients with potential PES infection admitted to the Respiratory Department of Can Tho Central General Hospital in 2023. Most cases presented with symptoms, including moist rales (91.1%), increased cough (90%), dyspnea (86%), purulent sputum production (77.8%), and consolidation syndrome (71.1%). More than half of the cases exhibited fever (54.4%). A white blood cell count increase was typical (13.31 x 109 cells/L) and predominantly neutrophilic (81.3 ± 19.7%). Chest radiography predominantly showed bilateral infiltration (58.9%). PES pathogens were isolated in 30 patients (33.3%). The majority of cases did not respond to initial antibiotics (56.6%), most of the cases were stable and cured (accounting for 91.1%) with an average hospital stay of 8 days. Patients with CAP at risk of PES infection exhibit typical acute symptoms and laboratory features of conventional CAP. Most responded poorly to initial treatment, but the final treatment resulted in a very high rate of stability and cure.

High selectivity and sensitivity through nanoparticle sensors for cleanroom CO2 detection

Clean room facilities are becoming more popular in both academic and industry settings, including low-and middle-income countries. This has led to an increased demand for cost-effective gas sensors to monitor air quality. Here we have developed a gas sensor using CoNiO2 nanoparticles through combustion method. The sensitivity and selectivity of the sensor towards CO2 were influenced by the structure of the nanoparticles, which were affected by the reducing agent (biofuels) used during synthesis. Among all reducing agents, urea found to yield highly crystalline and uniformly distributed CoNiO2 nanoparticles, which when developed into sensors showed high sensitivity and selectivity for the detection of CO2 gas in the presence of common interfering volatile organic compounds observed in cleanroom facilities including ammonia, formaldehyde, acetone, toluene, ethanol, isopropanol and methanol. In addition, the urea-mediated nanoparticle-based sensors exhibited room temperature operation, high stability, prompt response and recovery rates, and excellent reproducibility. Consequently, the synthesis approach to nanoparticle-based, energy efficient and affordable sensors represent a benchmark for CO2 sensing in cleanroom settings.

One-step laser-induced Cu-embedded graphene for non-enzymatic glucose sensing in beverages

The detection of glucose in beverages is crucial for dietary management and healthcare. Excessive sugar consumption can lead to severe conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. In this study, Cu-embedded laser-induced graphene (Cu/LIG) materials were fabricated for non-enzymatic glucose detection using a simple, direct, and cost-effective laser-patterning method on a Cu2+/ethyl-cellulose/polyimide membrane. The experimental results showed that the Cu/LIG electrode exhibited lower charge transfer resistance and a distinct diffusion process compared to the LIG electrode. This improvement can be attributed to the optimized graphene formation achieved by employing ethyl-cellulose (EC) and CuCl2 as combustion promoters. Under optimal conditions, Cu/LIG-600 demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic activity for glucose oxidation, with a low response concentration (5 μM), fast response time (2.0 s), and detection ranges of 0.005–0.525 mM (I-t) and 0.5–4.0 mM (CV). Moreover, the sensor exhibited high selectivity, stability (retaining over 90 % activity after 28 days), and satisfactory recovery rates for spiked glucose in Cola, Sprite, Black Tea, and sugarless Soda Water, indicating its potential for non-enzymatic glucose detection in beverages.

The effect of nanocarbon inclusion on mechanical, tribological, and thermal properties of phenolic resin‐based composites: An overview

AbstractNanocarbons including carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide and particularly graphene have unique properties such as high mechanical strength, thermally stable, highly conducting, high friction stability and lower specific wear rates, which can potentially provide synergically improved performance of advanced engineering materials and technologies for various fields of applications such as automotive, aerospace, and other industrial components. Development of phenolic resin‐based nanocomposites comprised of nanocarbon material remained as a research focus to outperform different properties of conventional material based components. In application, phenolic resin is the most popular binder in frictional components development such as brake pads, brake linings, and clutch facings, particularly used in many of light and medium automotive brake pad applications. Specifically, the present review study aims to provide thorough discussion on the mechanical, tribological, and thermal performances of phenolic resin‐based nanocomposites containing nanocarbon as a property modifier by comparing with the neat phenolic resin or with the composite containing other micro ingredients. As per presented overview, the analysis shows the significant improvement in some required application‐based properties of phenolic resin‐based nanocomposites such as tensile strength, young's modulus, impact strength, specific wear rate reduction, residue yield, and thermal conductivity due to the inclusion of nanocarbon, where the content of nanocarbons ranges about 0.5 wt% to 5 wt%. Hence nanocomposites synthesized using phenolic resin matrix with nanocarbons fillers found to have better mechanical strength, better wear resistance, and thermal stabilities when compared to pure phenolic resin and other composites.

Clinical outcome of trans-portal anatomic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with quadrupled semitendinosus graft

Introduction: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most common injuries of knee. Arthroscopic reconstruction of ACL is standard approach, but controversy still remains regarding choice of graft. Objective: The objective of study is to see clinical outcome of quadrupled semitendinosus graft for ACL reconstruction. Methodology: This was a prospective clinical study of patients undergone single bundle ACL reconstruction with quadrupled semitendinosus autograft between February 2021 to July 2022 in our orthopedic department. All eligible patients who met inclusion criteria were evaluated in terms of knee stability subjectively and objectively before operation and at one year after operation. Results: There was total 33 patients, out of which 27 were male and 6 were female. The mean age was 27.5±8.2 years and most common mode of injury was RTA in 14 patients (43%) followed by sporting activities in 13 patients (39%) and fall from height in 6 patients (18%). The average diameter of graft was 8.03±0.35mm. The mean Lysholm score was 92.3±5.1 (range 79–99). Seventy percent patients returned to preinjury activity level whereas 30% decreased their activity level. In our study 31 patients (94%) had negative pivot shift test which indicates very high rate of knee stability. Conclusion: The quadrupled semitendinosus graft shows excellent result for ACL reconstruction both subjectively and clinically in our study. This method helps to save Gracilis tendon and also increases graft diameter.

Impact of Cymbidium mosaic virus on Native and Cultivated Orchids in Western Ghat - Kerala.

Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV) and Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV) are two major orchid viruses detected in native and imported orchid plants of India. These viruses are growth debilitating with high stability and high spread rates. A survey was conducted in eight districts of Kerala for detecting the prevalence of CymMV and ORSV in native and cultivated orchid plants. DAC- ELISA technique using specific antibodies for CymMV and ORSV was used to detect viruses in collected orchid samples. The presence of CymMV was detected in all orchid nurseries surveyed, and the incidence varied from five to 100% in different areas. The coat protein of the CymMV strain was cloned and sequenced and its similar sequences were observed against the available database, and it was found to be more related to foreign strains. It was confirmed that the plants acquired the infection either during importation or later during close maintenance in the nurseries post-importation. Whereas the wild population of orchids surveyed from the Western Ghat of Kerala, did not test positive for CymMV, they were able to take up the infection upon artificial inoculation. CymMV is highly contagious and can easily transmit through infected plant sap, there is a greater possibility of spread of this virus to other orchids when kept in its vicinity. Even though CymMV was not a quarantined pathogen, there are possibilities of its spread to the native wild orchid population, and it may have unfavourable results, especially in the biodiversity hotspots like the Western Ghats of Kerala.

Efficient immobilization of acids into activated carbon for high durability and continuous desulfurization of diesel fuel

AbstractFuel contaminants are the most critical issues in human health, cars' engines life and performance, and refinery equipment, and have an ultimate consecutive economic negative impact over time. Nowadays, sulfur is considered as one of the most dangerous contaminants in fuel, and different approaches have been carried out for desulfurization processing. In this study, new modified activated carbon (AC) for adsorptive diesel fuel desulfurization is carried out. To increase the robustness and effectiveness of a continuous adsorptive desulfurization (ADS) process, the study provides a new surface modification technique of the AC. Real diesel fuel (RDF, sulfur content 7510 ppm) and model diesel fuel (MDF, dibenzothiophene content 637 ppm) were used in a series of ADS tests carried out in a fixed‐bed adsorption column under atmospheric pressure and temperature. To achieve zero emissions of diesel fuel, the process parameters were optimized using the experimental findings. The AC and modified AC were tested via Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and Fourier Transform Infrared to evaluate the effect of the modification process on adsorbent characterization. The liquid hourly space velocity of the feedstock, the height of the absorber bed, and the kind of AC were the optimization parameters. In these circumstances, the ADS procedure was examined to address the impact of the feedstock flow rate on the effectiveness of ADS. The sulfur removal efficiency was 85.3% for RDF and 94% for MDF at 9 cm bed height, 8 h−1 LSHV, and 10 g bed weight, respectively. This is the first time that AC has been used to examine the stability of continuous ADS and to examine how acid immobilization affects sulfur removal. The investigation showed that the modified AC had a high rate of stability and was effective in the continuous ADS process. The spent modified AC was regenerated via a solvent extractive regeneration process to evaluate the durability of the ACs. The results proved that the regeneration performance of various solvents for modified activated carbon 1 decreases as follows: iso‐octane > ethanol > methanol > acetonitrile.

Preparation and characterization of carnauba wax-based particle with hierarchical structure and its use as hydrophobic coating for chitosan films

To improve the hydrophobicity of polysaccharide-based films, hydrophobic carnauba wax-based particles were prepared by Pickering emulsion. The influence of the different size of the particles on the structure and hydrophobicity of the chitosan coating films were investigated. The results showed that micro-scale particles (average particle size 25.04 μm) with nano-scale (5–10 nm) TiO2 uniformly distributed on the surface of the particles were formed by Pickering emulsion. The chitosan coating films showed higher contact angle and lower sliding angle compared to the control due to the hierarchical structure, hydrophobicity and arrangement of the particles. In addition, the small particle (23–48 μm) coating film showed higher hydrophobicity than the large particle coating film (48–70 μm) due to the small particle size and the formation of more small gaps. The gaps were conducive to form “air cushion” which reduced the contact area between water and the coating films and thus increased contact angle and decreased sliding angle. The coating films showed high chemical stability and low residual rates of liquid food. The results suggest that Pickering emulsion is an effective method to create wax-based particles with hierarchical structure and the particles have potential to be used as hydrophobic coating materials.

DNA protection, molecular docking, antioxidant, antibacterial, enzyme inhibition, and enzyme kinetic studies for parietin, isolated from Xanthoria parietina (L.) Th. Fr.

Parietin was isolated from Xanthoria parietina (L.) Th. Fr.’ (methanol:chloroform) extract, using a silica column. 13 C NMR and 1H NMR were used to confirm the structure of the isolated parietin. For the first time, parietin was investigated for its antioxidant, antibacterial and DNA protective activities. Molecular docking was carried out to determine the binding affinity and interactions between the enzymes and our molecule. Inhibition and kinetic mechanism studies for the action of the enzymes were performed too. Parietin exhibited high metal chelating activity. The MIC values of parietin were sufficient to inhibit different bacterial strains; E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae and S. aureus. Molecular docking applications exhibited that acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), lipase, and tyrosinase have high potential for binding with the parietin. Especially, the parietin’s highest binding affinity was recorded with AChE and tyrosinase. These results were confirmed by the inhibition and kinetics results, where, parietin observed a potent inhibition with an IC50 values between 0.013-0.003 µM. Moreover, parietin acts’ as a non-competitive inhibitor against AChE, BChE, and lipase, and as a competitive inhibitor against tyrosinase with a high rate of inhibition stability. The promising biological properties of parietin revealed its effectiveness in terms of suitability in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Magnetic hyperthermia of AFe2O4 (A = Fe, Mn, Co) nanoparticles prepared by Co-precipitation method

With 10 million deaths in 2020 cancer remains one of the most challenging diseases in contemporary medicine. Chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy are commonly used to treat tumors. These treatments harm healthy tissues and succeed rarely in advance stages of cancer. Recent studies indicate that magnetic hyperthermia, which involves targeted delivery of magnetic nanoparticles to tumor cells followed by localized remote heating of cancer tissues could revolutionize clinical practice in the treatment of cancer, either as standalone intervention or adjunct to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Water dispersible magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) of ferrites (AFe2O4; A = Fe, Mn, Co) are the promising candidates for magnetic hyperthermia due to their high chemical stability, biocompatibility, moderate magnetization and high specific absorption rates (SAR). In this article, we have evaluated magnetic hyperthermia efficiency of water based magnetic fluids of AFe2O4. AFe2O4 NPs were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method. Nanoparticles were coated with a bilayer of oleic acid and dispersed in water. Structural and magnetic properties of MNPs were investigated by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). XRD study revealed that AFe2O4 NPs exhibits cubic inverse spinel structure. Fe3O4 (Ms = 48 emu/g, Mr = 2.60 emu/g, Hc = 49 Oe), MnFe2O4 (Ms = 40 emu/g, Mr = 2.60 emu/g, Hc = 35 Oe) and CoFe2O4 (44 emu/g, Mr = 10.10 emu/g, Hc =440 Oe) NPs exhibits soft ferromagnetic behaviour. Magnetic hyperthermia measurements were performed as a function of magnetic field strength (2–10 mT), field frequency (162–935.6 kHz) for 10 minutes. MNPs exhibits highest SAR values for 10 mT field strength at 935.6 kHz. Amongst the tested MNPs, Fe3O4 possess the highest SAR value (27.35 W/g), followed by MnFe2O4 (1.91 W/g) and CoFe2O4 (0.94 W/g). Considering this, it is concluded that amongst the inverse spinel ferrites AFe2O4, Fe3O4 NPs and most suitable for magnetic hyperthermia applications.

Lack of Displacement of the Fibula Is Not a Confirmation of Ankle Stability in Supination External Pattern Ankle Fractures.

To evaluate and compare radiographic findings in supination external (SE)2 injuries versus stress (+) SE4 injuries. Retrospective. Academic Level 1 trauma center. The study included 350 skeletally mature patients at a single Level 1 trauma center who presented with an isolated, Lauge-Hansen type supination-external rotation pattern, Weber B lateral malleolar fracture, OTA/AO 44-B. We reviewed 350 patients (185 men and 165 women), 18-95 years of age (avg 45), with isolated SE pattern lateral malleolar fractures. One hundred nine had SE4 injuries [medial clear space (MCS) = 8.3 mm]. Two hundred forty-one ankles were stressed; 164 were unstable and 77 were stable (SE2). Avg MCS at presentation and on stress radiographs was 3.59 mm for the SE2 (no widening) and 3.86 mm and 5.94 mm for the stress (+) SE4 group, respectively. The fibular displacement for the SE2, stress (+) SE4, and SE4 groups was 1.5 (0-4.5), 3.5 (0-6.6), and 4.1 (0-30.5), respectively. Sixteen of the 77 (20%) SE2 and 24 of the 164 (15%) stress (+) SE4 fractures had no displacement of the fibula on the lateral view. Similarly, 53 of the 77 (68%) SE2 and 91 of the 164 (55%) stress (+) SE4 had ≤2 mm of fibular displacement Fibular displacement of ≤2 mm on the lateral radiograph corresponded with 0.69 sensitivity and only 0.37 positive predictive value for stable ankle mortise on stress examination. Previous work indicated that patients with an isolated SE pattern fibula fracture, a normal MCS, and ≤2 mm of fibular displacement on the lateral radiograph have a high rate of ankle stability, with a positive predictive value of approximately 97%. We were unable to confirm this finding because 15% of unstable ankles had 0 mm and 55% had ≤2 mm of fibular displacement. We conclude that stability may not be inferred from a lack of fibular displacement on the lateral view in this population of patients. If stability is to be determined, it must be tested irrespective of fibular displacement on the lateral radiograph. Diagnostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Computational insights into the inverse electron-demand Diels-Alder reaction of norbornenes with 1,2,4,5-tetrazines: norbornene substituents' effects on the reaction rate.

The study of the reaction rates and mechanism of click chemistry reactions still remains an interesting challenge in organic chemistry. In this regard, the inverse electron demand Diels-Alder (IEDDA) reaction represents a promising metal-free alternative with enhanced reaction rates compared to other reactions of the click chemistry toolbox. Among the different types of dienophiles used in the IEDDA reactions, norbornenes have been widely used given their high stability and fast reaction rates. The inverse electron-demand Diels Alder reaction of 3,6-dipyridin-2-yl-1,2,4,5-tetrazine with a series of norbornene derivatives was studied with quantum mechanical calculations at the M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory. The theoretical predictions were confirmed with the experimental data and analyzed with the use of the distortion/interaction model. The obtained results will help in obtaining a better understanding of the factors that affect the relative cycloaddition rates of norbornenes with tetrazines, which are crucial for selectively tuning their efficacy.

Multi-cycle aqueous arsenic removal by novel magnetic N/S-doped hydrochars activated via one-pot and two-stage schemes

Arsenic attracts worldwide concern. Novel hydrochars derived from dairy cattle manure and co-activated by thiourea and Fe(NO3)3 via one-pot and two-stage schemes were innovatively fabricated to adsorb aqueous As(V) in multi-cycles. Thiourea introduced oxygen/sulfur/nitrogen functional groups, and Fe(NO3)3 served as iron composition precursors. From one-pot scheme, ample functional groups were obtained. Magnetic γ-Fe2O3 were uniformly aggregated as iron-centered clusters onto internal carbon matrix due to self-generated pressure and complicated interactions, providing ample Fe-O for As(V) adsorption. As(V) reacted with Fe and generated stable Fe-As compositions. From two-stage scheme, precursory compact textures were rebuilt into hierarchical structures with sponge-like constructions, spherical nanoparticles, enlarged surface areas, and micro/mesopores, transferring As(V) into internal matrix. In-situ Fe3+ was partially reduced to Fe0 by carbon matrix and reductive gases, and deposited on external surfaces at atmospheric pressure. As(V) was not reduced by Fe0 due to multi-layers and oxidative functional groups. Two-stage-synthesized hydrochars were better for one-round adsorption, but worse for multi-adsorptions due to lower stability. Maximum one-round adsorption capacity and partition coefficient were 98.74 mg/g and 85.67 mg/(g μM), obviously superior to previous adsorbents. Physisorption and chemisorption were proposed to respectively dominate initial and subsequent adsorption. Ten extra consecutive adsorption–desorption indicated NaOH was better for As(V) desorption than HNO3. One-pot-synthesized hydrochars with high stability and desorption rates were superior for multi-adsorptions especially in early cycles. Maximum accumulative adsorption amount was up to 235.86 mg/g. This study innovatively explored As(V) multi-adsorption by activated hydrochars and provided deep insights into two activation schemes with scientific potentials.

Mithramycin delivery systems to develop effective therapies in sarcomas

BackgroundSarcomas comprise a group of aggressive malignancies with very little treatment options beyond standard chemotherapy. Reposition of approved drugs represents an attractive approach to identify effective therapeutic compounds. One example is mithramycin (MTM), a natural antibiotic which has demonstrated a strong antitumour activity in several tumour types, including sarcomas. However, its widespread use in the clinic was limited by its poor toxicity profile.ResultsIn order to improve the therapeutic index of MTM, we have loaded MTM into newly developed nanocarrier formulations. First, polylactide (PLA) polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) were generated by nanoprecipitation. Also, liposomes (LIP) were prepared by ethanol injection and evaporation solvent method. Finally, MTM-loaded hydrogels (HG) were obtained by passive loading using a urea derivative non-peptidic hydrogelator. MTM-loaded NPs and LIP display optimal hydrodynamic radii between 80 and 105 nm with a very low polydispersity index (PdI) and encapsulation efficiencies (EE) of 92 and 30%, respectively. All formulations show a high stability and different release rates ranging from a fast release in HG (100% after 30 min) to more sustained release from NPs (100% after 24 h) and LIP (40% after 48 h). In vitro assays confirmed that all assayed MTM formulations retain the cytotoxic, anti-invasive and anti-stemness potential of free MTM in models of myxoid liposarcoma, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and chondrosarcoma. In addition, whole genome transcriptomic analysis evidenced the ability of MTM, both free and encapsulated, to act as a multi-repressor of several tumour-promoting pathways at once. Importantly, the treatment of mice bearing sarcoma xenografts showed that encapsulated MTM exhibited enhanced therapeutic effects and was better tolerated than free MTM.ConclusionsOverall, these novel formulations may represent an efficient and safer MTM-delivering alternative for sarcoma treatment.Graphical abstract

Finite element analysis of double\u2010plate fixation using reversed locking compression\u2010distal femoral plates for Vancouver B1 periprosthetic femoral fractures

BackgroundInternal fixation is recommended for treating Vancouver B1 periprosthetic femoral fractures. Although several fixation procedures have been developed with high fixation stability and union rates, long-term weight-bearing constructs are still lacking. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the stability of a double-plate procedure using reversed contralateral locking compression-distal femoral plates for fixation of Vancouver B1 periprosthetic femoral fractures under full weight-bearing.MethodsSingle- and double-plate fixation procedures for locking compression-distal femoral plates were analysed under an axial load of 1,500 N by finite element analysis and biomechanical loading tests. A vertical loading test was performed to the prosthetic head, and the displacements and strains were calculated based on load-displacement and load-strain curves generated by the static compression tests.ResultsThe finite element analysis revealed that double-plate fixation significantly reduced stress concentration at the lateral plate place on the fracture site. Under full weight-bearing, the maximum von Mises stress in the lateral plate was 268 MPa. On the other hand, the maximum stress in the single-plating method occurred at the defect level of the femur with a maximum stress value of 1,303 MPa. The principal strains of single- and double-plate fixation were 0.63 % and 0.058 %, respectively. Consistently, in the axial loading test, the strain values at a 1,500 N loading of the single- and double-plate fixation methods were 1,274.60 ± 11.53 and 317.33 ± 8.03 (× 10− 6), respectively.ConclusionsThe present study suggests that dual-plate fixation with reversed locking compression-distal femoral plates may be an excellent treatment procedure for patients with Vancouver B1 fractures, allowing for full weight-bearing in the early postoperative period.

Mechanism of recognition of parallel G-quadruplexes by DEAH/RHAU helicase DHX36 explored by molecular dynamics simulations

Because of high stability and slow unfolding rates of G-quadruplexes (G4), cells have evolved specialized helicases that disrupt these non-canonical DNA and RNA structures in an ATP-dependent manner. One example is DHX36, a DEAH-box helicase, which participates in gene expression and replication by recognizing and unwinding parallel G4s. Here, we studied the molecular basis for the high affinity and specificity of DHX36 for parallel-type G4s using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. By computing binding free energies, we found that the two main G4-interacting subdomains of DHX36, DSM and OB, separately exhibit high G4 affinity but they act cooperatively to recognize two distinctive features of parallel G4s: the exposed planar face of a guanine tetrad and the unique backbone conformation of a continuous guanine tract, respectively. Our results also show that DSM-mediated interactions are the main contributor to the binding free energy and rely on making extensive van der Waals contacts between the GXXXG motifs and hydrophobic residues of DSM and a flat guanine plane. Accordingly, the sterically more accessible 5′-G-tetrad allows for more favorable van der Waals and hydrophobic interactions which leads to the preferential binding of DSM to the 5′-side. In contrast to DSM, OB binds to G4 mostly through polar interactions by flexibly adapting to the 5′-terminal guanine tract to form a number of strong hydrogen bonds with the backbone phosphate groups. We also identified a third DHX36/G4 interaction site formed by the flexible loop missing in the crystal structure.