Simple Washing Research Articles

To study the effect of microbial contamination in semen and its effect on male infertility

According to the 3rd WHO methods, normal sperm morphology has been considered to be directly related with the fertilization process and pregnancy. The quality of semen such as sperm morphology, count, and motility has been reduced due to abnormalities in male thus, causing infertility. A considerable factor responsible for infertility among male partners may be as a result of microbial contamination. Semen may contain contamination while collecting sample. However, there are some sperm preparation techniques that can be used for the removal of contamination in semen such as; swim up, density gradient, simple wash, discontinuous density gradient. The main objective of this study is to find out the presence of infections and microbial contamination. This study will compare sperm count and sperm motility of patient’s semen sample with numbers of debris/ present infectious agent. Microbiological assay of semen sample will be performed. Also, various infectious agents causing infertility will be evaluated and studied. Semen analysis, semen preparation by density gradient, semen culture were carried out to look into the effect of microbial contamination on semen sample of infertile men.

Investigation of the performance of dual-layered omniphobic electrospun nanofibrous membranes for direct contact membrane distillation

Direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) is a viable one-stop solution for sustainable seawater desalination and wastewater recovery. In this study, robust dual-layered omniphobic electrospun nanofibrous membranes (ENFMs) were fabricated with a re-entrant architecture and low surface free energy. This was achieved by incorporating hydrophobic mesocellular silica foam (MCF-5) into the top layer, followed by the surface functionalisation with 1 H, 1 H, 2 H, 2 H Perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane to improve the membrane anti-wetting and anti-fouling resistance. The dual-layered ENFMs exhibited a high porosity and a water contact angle ≃ of 143˚ and displayed an excellent vapour flux of ∼ 8.5 Lm−2h−1 and NaCl rejection > 99.99% when tested with synthetic seawater. The long-term desalination of natural seawater revealed that the normalised permeate flux was > 0.98 (NaCl rejection > 99.97%), and a simple water wash could recover the loss of membrane hydrophobicity and performance caused by the membrane scaling. The fabricated ENFMs displayed excellent permeate quality (< 1 ppm organic content and < 30 µS/cm) when evaluated with synthetic wastewater containing pharmaceutical compounds (acetaminophen, diclofenac sodium, ibuprofen and amoxicillin). The dual-layered membranes demonstrated outstanding anti-wetting ability when challenged with increasing concentration of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB 1.5 mM) in saline oily wastewater. The preliminary investigations revealed that these ENFMs hold great potential to be further investigated for enhanced water recovery.

Treatment of methylene blue wastewater with nano-PbCrO4 photocatalyst prepared from chromite ore processing residue

Chromite ore processing residue (COPR) is an environmental threat due to its content of Cr (Ⅵ) which is a highly toxic substance. However, some metallic elements in COPR can create the intrinsic values of COPR. In this study, the nano-lead chromate (PbCrO4) was prepared by the chemical precipitation method for the water-soluble Cr (VI) leachate obtained by the simple water washing of COPR and the use of methylene blue (MB) degradation. Results demonstrated that the prepared lead chromate had good photocatalytic performance and stability. The degradation rate of MB was 76.78% with the conditions of the initial pH was 6, the initial concentration was 10 mg/L, the reaction time was 80 min, and the photocatalyst dosage was 1.0 g/L. Moreover, recycling results displayed that the degradation rate remained at 62.91% after five cycles which means it can be recycled. Meanwhile, the concentration of Cr (VI) in COPR decreased from 34.7 to 1.4 mg/L which is below the national emission standard of China (GB 5085.3–2007), that is 5 mg/L, achieving harmless treatment of COPR. Consequently, this study provides a new tactic for the resource utilization of COPR, and implements the governance concept of “waste control by turning waste into treasure”.

On-site marine pathogen (Vibrio parahaemolyticus) rapid colorimetric determination based on modified-free aptamer and metal-organic frameworks with simple washing step

Nowadays, microbial visual sensing platforms based on aptamers and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been reported, but most of them require complex modification processes, which undoubtedly increases the difficulty of detection. Here, we constructed modified-free magnetic-aptamer MOF (Fe3O4-Ap@ZIF-8) and signal-aptamer MOF (Pt-Ap@ZIF-8), which effectively avoided complex biological modification. The rapid sensing strategy was adopted in this method to avoid the complicated washing steps and greatly shorten the detection time. The performance of this method was verified by taking Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP) as the mode target. The limit of detection (LOD) of VP is 102 CFU/mL. Furthermore, this strategy can achieve rapid visual analysis of other target objects only by changing different aptamers, and has broad application prospects in the fields of rapid detection of food pollutants, rapid medical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, etc.

MIL-100(Fe) a potent adsorbent of Dacarbazine: Experimental and molecular docking simulation

Dacarbazine (DTIC) is a commonly used anticancer drug that has been found in pharmaceutical and hospital wastewater, posing a risk to human health and aquatic environments. In the present work, MIL-100(Fe) metal–organic framework (MOF) was synthesized using a rapid and green synthesis technique. The crystallinity and the porosity of the synthesized MIL-100(Fe) particles were investigated against air, and the results showed that the prepared particles are stable in air, and their surface area decreased from 1174 m2/g to 638 m2/g after aging for three years. This MOF was applied as an adsorbent to remove DTIC from contaminated water for the first time. The synthesized MOF particles exhibited a high adsorption capacity of 292.87 mg/g for DTIC at optimum conditions, mainly because of their high surface area and suitable porous structure. The experimental adsorption kinetic and isotherm results demonstrated that the adsorption of DTIC onto this adsorbent followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlich isotherm model, respectively. Moreover, the thermodynamic investigations showed that the adsorption of DTIC molecules on MIL-100(Fe) was spontaneous and exothermic. Furthermore, the pH and salt concentration studies revealed that the electrostatic interaction is the main adsorption mechanism. Additionally, molecular docking calculation results suggested that the DTIC molecules can interact with the MIL-100(Fe) particles via hydrogen bonding with a binding energy of about −5.1 kcal/mol. It was found that the MIL-100(Fe) particles can be easily recovered by simple washing with ethanol solution and can be reused for further adsorption process.

Stable immobilization of bacterial endospores in reusable g-C3N4 pellets at room temperature

The present study explores the feasibility of a stable endospore immobilization in a porous substrate material at room temperature (⁓35 °C). In particular, the endospore of a Gram positive bacterium, isolated from an industrial wastewater, was successfully immobilized in a graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) pellet. The endospores were found to be capable of self-transforming to active bacterial cells when brought in contact with the aqueous medium. The utility of such an endospore-carbonaceous composite material was recognized by assaying its activity towards the degradation of aqueous methylene blue (MB). The test data showed ∼99% removal of MB at the initial concentration of 10 mg L− 1 using the material dose of 6 g/L at 35 °C; the removal of the organic dye molecules in the endospores-immobilized pellet attributed to the adsorption by porous g-C3N4 and degradation by the bacterial cells that were transformed from endospores. The spent pellet was successfully reused following a simple washing procedure and re-immobilizing it with endospores, indicating the regenerability of the substrate material. The stability test showed that the endospore-immobilized g-C3N4 solid pellets, post storage at room temperature for 30 days, retained the bacterial activity without requiring any nutrient supplement. The endospore-immobilized g-C3N4 pellet synthesized in this study is likely to find multivariate applications, viz. photobio catalyst for wastewater treatment, vaccines and therapeutic agents, and microbe-carrier for plant growth.

Toward high-performance sodium storage cathode: Construction and purification of carbon-coated Na3V2(PO4)2F3 materials

Na3V2(PO4)2F3 (NVPF) is an appealing cathode for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) owing to its moderate specific capacity, high working voltage and excellent stability. However, uncontrollable preparation and low electronic conductivity limit its production in large-scale. Herein, carbothermal reduction (CTR) is employed to prepare NVPF materials and the effect of carbon sources on the physiochemical and electrochemical properties of NVPF has been systematically investigated. Inorganic carbon sources (Super P, graphite) with low removability mix with vanadium source heterogeneously, resulting in the uncompleted reduction of vanadium, severely aggregated NVPF particles, and loose contact of carbon coated layer. In contrast, pyrolysis amorphous carbon derived from organic carbon sources (citric acid, glucose) is tightly coated onto the NVPF surface, leading to enhanced sodium ion transmission kinetics and excellent electrochemical performance. After purifying via a simple washing step, the glucose prepared NVPF material displays the best electrochemical performance, which delivers a reversible specific capacity of 122 mAh g−1 at 0.1C and remarkable long-term cycle stability with 83.2% capacity retention at 10C after 1000 cycles. This work proposes a controllable and scalable preparation method for pure phase NVPF with distinguished electrochemical performance, and we believe such a study will advance the development of SIBs.

Base-functionalized metal−organic frameworks for highly efficient removal of organic acid pollutants from water

Organic acid contaminated wastewater has been of great concerns for water recovery. Base-functionalized metal−organic framework DETA-UiO-66 by grafting diethylenetriamine onto UiO-66 achieved remarkable H2-FA capacity with large adsorption rate compared with parent UiO-66 and sulfonate-functionalized SO3H-UiO-66. According to the adsorption behavior at various pHs, an adsorption mechanism was proposed involving the acid–base interaction and weak electrostatic interaction. Further investigation including adsorption kinetics, isotherms, thermodynamics, demonstrated that the H2-FA adsorption process on DETA-UiO-66 was a spontaneous exothermic process with a theoretical adsorption capacity reaching up to 561.8 mg g−1 at 10 °C. In addition, DETA-UiO-66 can be recovered through simple ethanol washing and reused for at least three times, remaining high adsorption capacity and adsorption rate. Meanwhile, DETA-UiO-66 showed high adsorption capacities for citric acid and sorbic acid, indicating DETA-UiO-66's wide potentials in capturing various organic acid pollutants.

Oxidation-extraction desulfurization of fuel with a novel green acidic deep eutectic solvent system

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have important application prospects in fuel desulfurization. A novel dual Brønsted acidic DES was proposed and successfully synthesized for one-pot oxidation-extraction desulfurization process, in which a green and harmless choline chloride (ChCl) was used as hydrogen bond acceptor, p-toluenesulfonic acid (TsOH) and oxalic acid (OA) were used as hydrogen bond donors to provide acidic groups. The results showed that the new DESs (ChCl/2TsOH/0.2OA) had the excellent desulfurization efficiency due to the strong acidity based on the synergistic effect between the two acidic groups. The content of benzothiophene (BT), dibenzothiophene (DBT), and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) could be reduced to 8.82 ppm (120 min), 1.23 ppm (90 min), and 7.75 ppm (90 min), respectively. Electron spin resonance and radical capture experiments showed that superoxide radicals (·O2–) were the main oxidizing agents. The possible oxidation-extraction pathway was that DBT was extracted from oil phase into DES phase, and the DES was converted to peroxy acid in the presence of ·O2–, then the extracted DBT in DES phase was oxidized to high polar sulfone. It can be regenerated and recycled by simple water washing. To improve dispersion and treatment efficiency, reduce the amount of DESs, the viscosity of DESs was adjusted by using sulfolane as the dilute, which could significantly reduce the operation time and enhance the desulfurization effect. The content of BT, DBT, and 4,6-DMDBT could be reduced to 12.20, 2.21, 7.38 ppm only need 45, 5, and 15 min, correspondingly. The novel green DES can provide theoretical support and technical guidance for deep fuel desulfurization.

Application of Aspergillus niger Fumonisin Amine Oxidase (AnFAO) to Detoxify Fumonisin-Contaminated Maize.

Fumonisin mycotoxins are a family of secondary metabolites produced by Fusarium verticillioides and related species, as well as some strains of Aspergillus niger. Fumonisin contamination of maize is a concern when grown under hot, dry conditions. When present above regulatory levels, there can be effects on animal health. New tools to reduce the toxicity of maize and maize products with high concentrations of fumonisin are needed. Recently, we reported an amine oxidase (AnFAO) from a fumonisin-producing Aspergillus niger strain capable of oxidatively deaminating intact fumonisins. In this study, AnFAO was used to reduce intact fumonisin concentrations in milled maize flour, whole kernel maize inoculated with fumonisin-producing Fusarium verticillioides, and dried distillers’ grains with solubles (DDGS). The data showed that milled maize flour incubated with 1 µM AnFAO for 1 h resulted in complete deamination of FB1 and FB2. A greater than 90% reduction in FB1–3 concentrations was observed following a simple washing procedure of whole kernel maize in the presence of 1 µM AnFAO for 1 h. Similarly, a ≥86% reduction in FB1–3 concentrations was observed in DDGS after 4 h incubation with 1 µM AnFAO. Finally, we engineered the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris to produce functional AnFAO in both a secreted and intracellular form. These results support the further development and application of AnFAO as a promising tool to remediate fumonisin-contaminated maize and maize products.

Rapid adsorption of triclosan and p-chloro-m-xylenol by nitrogen-doped magnetic porous carbon.

Contamination of water resources with organic substances like phenolic fungicides is undesirable due to the improvement of living standards, the huge production of chemicals, the heavy consumption of daily chemical products, and the growth of the population. In this study, Co-based zeolitic imidazole framework-67 (ZIF-67(Co)) was synthesized using the "one-pot method," and the best Co-based N-doped magnetic porous carbon (Co-NPC) was prepared by ZIF-67(Co) carbonization in an atmosphere of N2. The materials were tested using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (IR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N2 adsorption-desorption, and magnetization analysis. These characterizations indicated that the Co-NPC was successfully prepared. With the original morphology of ZIF-67(Co) crystals, the Co-NPC also has good porosity, magnetic properties, and a large specific surface area. In water, Co-NPC-800 has a good adsorption capacity for triclosan (TCS) and p-chloro-m-xylenol (PCMX), which are kinds of aromatic fungicides. The adsorption of Co-NPC-800 on both reached equilibrium within 3min, which is in accordance with the quasi-second-order kinetic model. At 298K, the maximum adsorption capacity of Co-NPC-800 for TCS and PCMX was 163 and 39mg·g-1, respectively. The adsorption of TCS and PCMX by Co-NPC-800 is a spontaneous endothermic process with reduced entropy. The combination of Co-NPC-800 and phenols come from multiple actions of electrostatic, π-π, and hydrogen bond effects. Moreover, Co-NPC-800 can be regenerated through simple washing and can be reused at least three times by a magnet. The Co-NPC-800 has good porosity, large specific surface area, comparable adsorption capacity, rapid adsorption time, so it could be broadly used in sewage treatments and other environmental fields.

시루떡의 제조공정 중 미생물 저감화 연구

This study was conducted to establish effective reduction strategy during the manufacturing process of rice cakes. Simple washing (3 times) and ultrasonic washing (40 kHz, 10 min) were used in the rice washing process, and sodium hypochlorite (100 ppm, 5 min) and chlorine dioxide (20 ppm, 5 min) were used as chemical disinfectants. Combination treatment using ultrasonic washing and the two chemical disinfectants was also performed. The chemical disinfectants were more effective than the ultrasonic cleaning in a single treatment of each method, and sodium hypochlorite showed a greater reduction effect than chlorine dioxide. The combination treatment using both chemical disinfectant and ultrasonic cleaning was found to be more effective than using a single treatment, and no significant difference was observed in the results based on the disinfectant used. During the heating process, which is an important control point of HACCP system, total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli were inactivated. UV sterilization (30 min, 60 min) was applied as the nonthermal treatment and compared with the general drying method (5, 12 h) during the cooling process of rice cakes. No bacteria were not found after the treatment, whereas the total number of bacteria in the naturally dried rice cakes increased after 12 h, indicating the potential of UV sterilization as an important control point during the cooling process of rice cakes.

Metal-free oxidative desulfurization with molecular oxygen by using N-enriched porous carbons derived from ionic liquid-loaded covalent-organic polymer

A microporous triazine polymer (MCTP) was prepared and loaded, for the first time, with an N-containing ionic liquid (IL) through a ship-in-a-bottle method. The composite material, IL@MCTP, was pyrolyzed under high temperature to get N-enriched carbonaceous materials. The obtained carbons (denoted ICDCs) were utilized as a metal-free catalyst for the aerobic oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of organic sulfur compounds like dibenzothiophene from a model fuel. The reactivity of ICDCs in ODS was dependent on the nitrogen content and porosity of the carbons. One selected material (ICDC(8)), because of high nitrogen content and adequate porosity, showed a remarkable performance in ODS or removal of dibenzothiophene with a very low activation energy of 23.7 kJ/mol. Radical scavenger experiments and ESR analysis revealed the important role of superoxide anion radicals (•O2−) in oxidation. A plausible reaction mechanism to suggest an important role of nitrogen species in ICDCs to activate O2 (via adsorption on C with a partial positive charge) was proposed. The ODS also can be carried out with air, and the catalyst was reusable for up to the fifth cycle by simple solvent washing. The ICDCs can be a competitive and environment-friendly (metal-free) ODS catalyst, especially using cheap oxidants like air or O2.

Reduction in residual cyantraniliprole levels in spinach after various washing and blanching methods.

Pesticides are used to protect crops from pests and diseases. However, as many pesticides are toxic to humans, it is necessary to assess methods that can remove pesticide residues from agricultural products before human consumption. Spinach is consumed immediately after a relatively simple washing and heating process in the Republic of Korea. Cyantraniliprole is used as a systemic insecticide during spinach cultivation, which means it might remain in the crop after processing. Consequently, it is important to assess whether residues can be reduced to levels that are harmless to the human body after processing. This study investigated lowering the residual cyantraniliprole levels in spinach after washing and blanching. The amount of cyantraniliprole residue in the spinach samples sprayed with cyantraniliprole during cultivation was analyzed using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS). The time of each washing and blanching method was set at 1, 3, and 5 min. The residual levels of cyantraniliprole decreased by 15.1–54.6% and 60.1–93.5% based on the washing and blanching methods employed. The most effective washing method to lower residual cyantraniliprole levels was steeping with a neutral detergent, resulting in cyantraniliprole reduction by 42.9–54.6%. When spinach was blanched after steeping washing with a neutral detergent, the largest removal rates of 77.9 and 91.2% were observed after 1 and 3 min of blanching, respectively. Blanching for 5 min after steeping and running washing exhibited the highest reduction rate of 93.5%. Therefore, a considerable amount of cyantraniliprole residue in spinach could be removed by washing or blanching. Based on the results of this study, blanching after steeping washing can be implemented as an effective method of lowering pesticide concentrations in spinach and other crops, thereby reducing their potential toxicity to humans upon consumption.

The Effect of Green Product, Green Price, and Distribution Channel on The Intention to Repurchasing Simple Face Wash

Currently consumers have a high concern for the environment. This concern has an impact on products that consumers use in everyday life such as skincare. Simple is a skincare brand from England that has been in production since 1960. Simple has always stated that its products are environmentally friendly products. The competition that occurs in similar businesses makes Simple implement its marketing strategy for data to increase the intention to repurchase Simple skincare products. This study aims to determine the effect of green product, green price, and distribution channel on the intention to repurchase Simple face wash soap. The population of this quantitative research is the consumers of Simple face wash soap. Researchers used 100 respondents. The research data was then processed using multiple linear regression analysis techniques. The results showed that green products have a significant effect on the formation of repurchase intentions. Furthermore, the green price has also been shown to have a significant effect on the formation of repurchase intentions. The results also show that the formation of repurchase intentions is also influenced by the distribution channel.

Evaluation of the biomechanical and structural properties of bone allografts treated with a new cleaning process

The use of allograft bone is becoming increasingly common. The intrinsic mechanical and structural properties of the graft are of major importance for osseointegration. Current cleaning treatments using chemical or physical products increase biosafety but may disturb these bone characteristics. A new cleaning treatment for cancellous and cortical bone by simple mechanical washing (sonication and centrifugation) and supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) treatment was developed. The mechanical and structural properties of allografts cleaned with this treatment were compared with those obtained after preservation by freezing at −80°C. Three-point bending, compression and hardness tests were performed for biomechanical analysis. The structural characteristics of the allografts were evaluated by microscanner (histomorphometry) and scanning electron microscopy (surface analysis). All the data showed that the cleaned bone was generally stiffer owing to delipidation but its structure remained similar to that of the frozen bone. Bone cleaned by this new treatment thus displayed mechanical and structural properties close to those of frozen bone.

O-299 Analyzing the impact of simple wash versus density gradient sperm preparations on intrauterine insemination outcomes. Is the cost-effective and time-efficient option just as good?

Abstract Study question How do different sperm preparations, such as simple-wash (SW) and density-gradient (DG), impact intrauterine insemination (IUI) outcomes among women seeking fertility treatments? Summary answer Using a population from a large, academic medical center, this study discerned no differences in pregnancy outcomes between SW and DG sperm preparations. What is known already IUI with or without ovulation induction (OI) is often a first-line treatment among couples seeking fertility services. SW and DG are two common methods used to prepare sperm for IUI. In comparison to its latter counterpart, the SW technique is lesser-used, yet is more time-efficient, and cost-effective due to its utilization of only a single centrifugation step. Since the impact of sperm preparation techniques on the post-processing sperm yield and its parameters varies by the method used, the cycle outcomes might differ as well. However, limited data exists on various sperm preparations’ impact on IUI clinical outcomes. Study design, size, duration Data from 3378 IUI+OI cycles (from 1503 women of all diagnoses seeking IUI with fresh-ejaculated sperm) that took place at a large academic fertility center between 9/2014 and 3/2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Cycles were either unstimulated (natural) or stimulated with either oral OI agents (clomiphene-citrate &amp; letrozole) or gonadotropins. Cycles were divided in two groups based on sperm preparation technique: SW (n = 1691) and DG (n = 1687) and outcomes were compared between them. Participants/materials, setting, methods Sperm preparation: SW semen were mixed in 10ml MHM (FujiFilm) and centrifuged for 10min. DG semen were layered over 45:90 gradient of Isolate (FujiFilm), centrifuged for 20min, and washed twice (10min) in 10ml MHM. Outcome measures: hCG-positivity (posHCGR), clinical pregnancy (CPR), spontaneous abortion (SABR), and livebirth rates/cycle (LBR). Statistics: Logistic regression with Odds Ratios (OR) adjusted for both partners’ ages, day-3 FSH, stimulation, and sperm score (poor, fair, good, excellent). Sub-analysis limited cohort to first-cycles only. Main results and the role of chance Groups were comparable in patient [age (maternal, paternal), BMI, day-3 FSH, infertility diagnosis], and cycle characteristics [follicular response (measured as number of preovulatory follicles), and endometrial thickness]. Preprocessing sperm parameters differed slightly with higher mean sperm concentrations and lower total motility among SW cycles (75.3 + 57.0 vs. 71.0 + 51.3 million, p = 0.02; 48.6 + 19.6 vs. 52.5 + 20.2, p &amp;lt; 0.001, for SW and DG, respectively). posHCGR, CPR, SABR, and LBR per cycle did not differ between groups (15.8% vs. 15.4%, p = 0.76;13.7% vs. 13.2%, p = 0.62;18.1% vs. 18.5%, p = 0.93; 9.5 vs. 8.9%, p = 0.56; for SW and DG, respectively). Odds for posHCG, CP, SAB, or LB did not differ between groups [adjOR(95%CI): 1.05(0.87-1.26), p = 0.65; 1.10(0.67-1.83), p = 0.71; 0.98(0.60-1.60), p = 0.94; 1.08(0.85-1.37), p = 0.66, respectively]. When cycles were stratified by type of ovarian stimulation, rather than adjusted for it, no difference was seen in any of the clinical outcomes within individual strata{adjOR(95%CI): [Oral OI: 1.00(0.74-1.37), p = 0.98; 1.78(0.68-4.61), p = 0.25; 0.97(0.40-2.38), p = 0.95; 1.05(0.72-1.53), p = 0.81], [Gonadotropins: 0.99(0.78-1.28), p = 0.96; 0.93(0.49-1.77), p = 0.83; 0.97(0.52-1.80), p = 0.96; 1.03(0.75-1.41), p = 0.87], [Natural: 2.36(0.97-5.76), p = 0.06; 0.08(0.001-6.84), p = 0.26; 0.20(0.003-11.02), p = 0.43; 2.52(0.63-10.00), p = 0.19], for posHCG, CP, SAB, and LB, respectively}. Similarly, no difference was seen in any of the clinical outcomes when cycles were stratified by sperm score or when analysis was limited to first-cycles only. Limitations, reasons for caution LBR were calculated excluding pregnancies with no information after discharge to obstetrics (approximately 16%). Although not significant, there might be minor variations in individual provider’s practices between time frames in which these techniques were implemented. Wider implications of the findings SW is a much simpler, time-efficient, and cost-effective sperm processing technique for IUI compared to DG, however remains infrequently utilized. Adoption of SW, over DG, could yield comparable clinical efficacy, yet optimize teamwork flow and lower healthcare costs, due to its non-labor-intensive and inexpensive nature. Trial registration number not applicable

O-209 Separating spermatozoa from debris, non-germ and red blood cells during differential centrifugation as a new effective approach of sperm recovery from surgically-retrieved specimens

Abstract Study question What is a more efficient method to separate spermatozoa from debris, non-germ and red blood cells in surgically-retrieved testicular and epididymal specimens? Summary answer The newly method based on differential centrifugation is able to recover a pure fraction of spermatozoa from the supernatant; no sperm are contaminated with sediment. What is known already Conventional methods of processing testicular and epididymal specimens are based on simple washing so that spermatozoa are contaminated with non-germ cells, large numbers of red blood cells and debris and difficult to identify and recover from the sediment. Thus, even if the sample contains spermatozoa, it is not always possible to recover and use them for ICSI. The newly method is based on differential centrifugation, which has never been used for sperm before. Cell particles are separated according to their sedimentation rate so that spermatozoa remain in the supernatant, whereas the sediment with extra cells and debris is removed. Study design, size, duration A total of 223 testicular open biopsies with microdissection (micro-TESE) was performed in patients with NOA. The recovered spermatozoa were used to fertilize the fresh spouse's oocytes (synchronous IVF cycle) and/or cryopreserved ones for delayed transfer in the IVF/ICSI program (non-synchronous IVF cycle). Surplus embryos obtained in IVF programs were cryopreserved for delayed transfer in the FET (frozen-thawed embryo transfer) programs. Participants/materials, setting, methods The biopsy material was first processed mechanically. In all cases, the further processing of cell suspensions was carried out by differential centrifugation, with parameters of force and time set individually (on average 200-350 g for 1-2 min, 8-12 times). Main results and the role of chance The microscopic examination of cell suspensions, mechanically processed, revealed at least one spermatozoon in all fields of view in 89 patients (39.9%). The further processing of cell suspensions by differential centrifugation was 100% efficient: spermatozoa for ICSI were recovered from the testicular sample in all the 89 cases. Pregnancy occurred in 47 out of 89 patients, in 147 ART cycles (52.8% per patient, 31.9% per ART cycle). Limitations, reasons for caution Not applicable Wider implications of the findings The newly proposed method of processing cell suspensions for spermatozoa recovery is based on differential centrifugation and allows obtaining male germ cells from biopsy samples and using them for fertilization, especially if they are critically low in number and conventional methods for sperm recovery do no work or are inefficient. Trial registration number not applicable

Rapid Reduction and Recovery of Au(III) in Water by Hollow Polym‐phenylenediamine Nanospheres

AbstractTo quickly and efficiently recover precious metal gold from electronic waste products, we synthesized a novel hollow polym‐phenylenediamine (PmPD) nanosphere using the sacrificial template method and applied this materials to reduce and recover Au(III) in an aqueous solution. Experimental results show that the as‐prepared hollow PmPD has high selectivity and treatment capacity for Au(III), and can selectively reduce Au(III) from mixture metals solutions, including Cu2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Cd2+, and Au(III) mixed solutions. Under room temperature and solution pH 4.0, the maximum treatment capacity of hollow PmPD for Au(III) reaches 1185.18 mg/g in 10 min of equilibrium time. The reduction ability of hollow PmPD remains stable in a pH range of 1.0 to 10.0 and under an ambient temperature ranging from 0 °C to 50 °C. Hollow PmPD can be regenerated via simple NaHSO3 solution washing, and its performance remains stable after repeated recycling. The satisfactory results obtained in treating the computer CPU leaching solution suggest that the hollow PmPD has broad application prospects in recovering gold from e‐waste.

Nature based forward osmosis membranes: A novel approach for improved anti-fouling properties of thin film composite membranes

Herein, polyamide thin-film composite forward osmosis (TFC-FO) membranes were fabricated using beta-cyclodextrin-graft-poly acrylic acid (ß-CD-g-PAA), as a nature-based graft polymer. The polymer was synthesized by free radical graft polymerization and was consequently incorporated into the active layer to enhance the hydrophilicity, anti-fouling, and overall performance of the conventional TFC-FO membrane. The effect of synthesized polymer concentration on characteristic features such as roughness, morphology, and hydrophilicity of the polymer-modified membranes was thoroughly investigated using different characterization techniques. Apart from that, the separation performance of the newly developed membranes was investigated in FO and reverse osmosis (RO) filtration systems. The transport data revealed increased water flux of around 1.5 times for the membrane which was modified with 1250 ppm of ß-CD-g-PAA solution (TFC-1250) compared to pristine TFC in the FO mode. Interestingly, the mentioned membrane showed demonstrably perm-selectivity of 0.043 bar in RO filtration system. The antifouling investigations of the TFC-1250 membrane against protein and organic foulant in FO mode, not only showed minor fouling tendency, but also revealed great flux recovery ratio (FRR>98%) with a simple washing step. These observations prove the reversible characteristic of fouling in FO process. Hence, this project opens a new way to surface functionalization of TFC membranes with nature-based polymers to render selectivity as well as antifouling features to them.