Disulfide polymer grafted polypropylene/polyethylene filter media for selective cadmium removal.

Heavy metal pollution caused by stormwater runoff has triggered a demand for effective heavy metal sorbents. Effective heavy metal removal using conventional stormwater runoff treatment processes that employ filtration mechanisms as primary removal mechanisms is difficult. Therefore, we attempt to improve cadmium removal performance by attaching disulfide polymer (DiS-COP) containing soft bases, thiols, onto the surface of polypropylene/polyethylene (PP/PE) fiber media, which is widely used for stormwater runoff treatment. Material characterization demonstrated that DiS-COP was successfully grafted and grown on the surface of PP/PE (Dis-PP/PE). The batch and continuous flow adsorption capacities of Dis-PP/PE were 81.1 mg/g and 2.33 mg/g, respectively, which is 40 times higher than those of pristine PP/PE. Applicability of DiS-PP/PE at pH 6-8 was demonstrated, and effects of calcium and humic acid on cadmium adsorption were investigated. Calcium marginally affected cadmium adsorption, which can be explained using the Hard and soft (Lewis) acids and bases theory (HSAB), but cadmium removal efficiency decreased owing to humic acid (HA)-Cd complex formation and agglomeration in the presence of organic material. In a breakthrough test, the adsorption column exhibited complete cadmium uptake over 24 h until it reached the breakthrough point. Therefore, heavy metal adsorption performance of PP/PE was successfully enhanced by grafting DiS-COP on its surface.

Selective removal of heavy metal ions by disulfide linked polymer networks.

Heavy metal contaminated surface water is one of the oldest pollution problems, which is critical to ecosystems and human health. We devised disulfide linked polymer networks and employed as a sorbent for removing heavy metal ions from contaminated water. Although the polymer network material has a moderate surface area, it demonstrated cadmium removal efficiency equivalent to highly porous activated carbon while it showed 16 times faster sorption kinetics compared to activated carbon, owing to the high affinity of cadmium towards disulfide and thiol functionality in the polymer network. The metal sorption mechanism on polymer network was studied by sorption kinetics, effect of pH, and metal complexation. We observed that the metal ions-copper, cadmium, and zinc showed high binding affinity in polymer network, even in the presence of competing cations like calcium in water.

A half millimeter thick coplanar flexible battery with wireless recharging capability.

Most of the existing flexible lithium ion batteries (LIBs) adopt the conventional cofacial cell configuration where anode, separator, and cathode are sequentially stacked and so have difficulty in the integration with emerging thin LIB applications, such as smart cards and medical patches. In order to overcome this shortcoming, herein, we report a coplanar cell structure in which anodes and cathodes are interdigitatedly positioned on the same plane. The coplanar electrode design brings advantages of enhanced bending tolerance and capability of increasing the cell voltage by in series-connection of multiple single-cells in addition to its suitability for the thickness reduction. On the basis of these structural benefits, we develop a coplanar flexible LIB that delivers 7.4 V with an entire cell thickness below 0.5 mm while preserving stable electrochemical performance throughout 5000 (un)bending cycles (bending radius = 5 mm). Also, even the pouch case serves as barriers between anodes and cathodes to prevent Li dendrite growth and short-circuit formation while saving the thickness. Furthermore, for convenient practical use wireless charging via inductive electromagnetic energy transfer and solar cell integration is demonstrated.

Synthesis of nanoporous 1,2,4-oxadiazole networks with high CO2 capture capacity.

Developing an adsorbent to mitigate carbon dioxide without large energy penalty is highly desired. Here, we present a silylation synthetic route to form a processable and otherwise impossible porous 1,2,4-oxadiazole network, which achieves 2 mmol g(-1) of CO2 capacity owing to a nitrogen-rich structure. This network shows high CO2-N2 selectivity, thermal stability up to 450 °C, and low heat of adsorption (26.4 kJ mol(-1)), facilitating easy regeneration.

Phaco-efficiency test and re-aspiration analysis of repulsed particle in phacoemulsification.

BACKGROUND: To measure the efficiency of phacoemulsification, we have developed a new experimental model for testing phaco-efficiency and analyzed re-aspiration of repulsed particles. METHODS: Using a Kitaro wetlab system, a piece of blood agar (BA) was placed in an artificial chamber and the phacoemulsifier was placed horizontally. The settings of the phacoemulsifier (Infiniti, Alcon Laboratories) were 26 cc/min for aspiration, 350 cc/min for vacuum, and 95 cm of bottle height. The time to remove BAs was measured using Ozil 100 %, Ozil 40 %, and longitudinal 40 % of phaco power. The angle between the re-aspirated BA particles and the axis of the phacoemulsifier (re-aspiration zone, degree) was analyzed. RESULTS: The average time (seconds) to remove BAs was lower in the Ozil 100 % and the Ozil 40 % mode than in the longitudinal mode (0.37 ± 0.39, 0.85 ± 0.57, and 2.22 ± 1.40 respectively, P value < 0.01). Repulsion exceeding 1 mm occurred more frequently in the longitudinal mode than in the Ozil 100 % mode (100 % vs 40 %, P value = 0.01, Fisher's exact test). The average of re-aspiration zone was 25.9 ± 14.5 in the longitudinal 40 % and 54.0 ± 23.0 in the Ozil 40 % (P value = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: The Ozil mode was more efficient than the longitudinal mode. In addition, the Ozil mode provided less repulsion and wider aspiration zone.

Bevacizumab and rapamycin can decrease corneal opacity and apoptotic keratocyte number following photorefractive keratectomy.

PURPOSE: We investigated the effects of bevacizumab and rapamycin on central corneal opacity and apoptotic keratocyte number after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) followed by ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation. METHODS: A total of 60 right eyes of Sprague-Dawley rats in four groups (n = 15 each) underwent PRK ablation to 80 µm with a 3-mm zone. Sponges soaked with 0.02% mitomycin C (MMC), 2.5% bevacizumab, 0.01% rapamycin, and balanced saline solution were applied for 2 minutes to these eyes in the MMC, bevacizumab, rapamycin, and control groups, respectively. At 3 weeks after PRK, all right eyes were exposed to 100 mJ/cm(2) UV-B irradiation. Biomicroscopy was used to determine the amount of haze, and TUNEL staining for apoptosis and histology were performed at 3, 6, and 12 weeks. RESULTS: Contrary to the results at 3 weeks, central corneal haze, and apoptotic keratocyte and keratocyte number decreased significantly in the MMC, bevacizumab, and rapamycin groups compared to the control group, and the keratocyte number was lower in the MMC group than the bevacizumab and rapamycin groups at 6 weeks (all P < 0.05). At 12 weeks, the apoptotic keratocyte number was lower in the MMC, bevacizumab, and rapamycin groups than the control group, and the keratocyte number was significantly lower in the MMC than the rapamycin and control groups (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative bevacizumab and rapamycin administration decreases central corneal haze and apoptotic keratocyte number after PRK. Bevacizumab and rapamycin may be safe alternatives to MMC during refractive surgery to prevent postoperative corneal opacity less affecting the keratocyte number.

Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin for juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization in serpiginous choroiditis.

The authors describe a patient who underwent successful photodynamic therapy with verteporfin for juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization complicated by serpiginous choroiditis. A 41-year-old woman presented with decreased vision and metamorphopsia in her right eye, which was diagnosed as a recurrence of serpiginous choroiditis at the first visit. Within a month, visual acuity had diminished to 20/1000 despite immunosuppressive treatment. At that time, indocyanine green angiography and optical coherence tomography revealed choroidal neovascularization in the juxtafoveal area. Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin was administered twice, after which juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization regressed and her visual acuity improved to 20/20.