[Clinical Application of Microwave Ablation in Potentially Resectable Colorectal Cancer With Simultaneously Multiple Liver Metastases].

Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy of microwave ablation in the colorectal cancer with simultaneously multiple liver metastases that was initially evaluated as potentially resectable. Methods The patients with potentially resectable colorectal cancer with simultaneous multiple liver metastases treated in the Department of General Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University,the Center of Minimally Invasive Therapy in Oncology of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,and the Second Department of General Surgery in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from October 1,2018 to October 1,2020 were selected in this study.The general data,pathological features,treatment methods,and clinical efficacy of the patients were collected.According to the treatment methods,the patients were assigned into a surgical resection group(conversion therapy+laparoscopic primary resection+hepatectomy)and a microwave ablation group(conversion therapy+laparoscopic primary resection+microwave ablation).The surgical indicators(operation duration,time to first postoperative anal exhaust,hospital stay,etc.)and postoperative complications(anastomotic stenosis,anastomotic hemorrhage,incision infection,etc.)were compared between the two groups.The survival period was followed up,including the overall survival period and disease-free survival period,and the survival curves were drawn to analyze the clinical efficacy of the two treatment regimens. Results A total of 198 patients with potentially resectable colorectal cancer with simultaneous multiple liver metastases were included in this study.Sixty-six patients were cured by neoadjuvant chemotherapy(FOLFOX or FOLFIRI),including 30 patients in the surgical resection group and 36 patients in the microwave ablation group(with 57 tumors ablated).After the first ablation,54(94.74%)tumors achieved complete ablation,and all of them reached no evidence of disease status after re-ablation.The microwave ablation group had shorter operation duration,less intraoperative blood loss,shorter time to first postoperative anal exhaust,shorter time of taking a liquid diet,shorter hospital stay,and lower hospitalization cost than the surgical resection group(all P<0.001).In addition,the microwave ablation group had lower visual analogue scale score(P<0.001)than the surgical resection group.The incidences of complications such as incision infection(P=0.740),anastomotic fistula(P=1.000),and anastomotic stenosis(P=1.000),the overall survival period(P=0.191),and the disease-free survival period(P=0.934)showed no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusions For patients with colorectal cancer with simultaneous multiple liver metastases initially assessed as potentially resectable,laparoscopic primary resection+surgical resection/microwave ablation after conversion therapy was safe,effective,and had similar survival outcomes.Microwave ablation outperformed surgical resection in postoperative recovery,economy,and tolerability,being worthy of clinical promotion.

Ancient Components and Recent Expansion in the Eurasian Heartland: Insights into the Revised Phylogeny of Y-Chromosomes from Central Asia.

In the past two decades, studies of Y chromosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (Y-SNPs) and short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) have shed light on the demographic history of Central Asia, the heartland of Eurasia. However, complex patterns of migration and admixture have complicated population genetic studies in Central Asia. Here, we sequenced and analyzed the Y-chromosomes of 187 male individuals from Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Karakalpak, Hazara, Karluk, Tajik, Uyghur, Dungan, and Turkmen populations. High diversity and admixture from peripheral areas of Eurasia were observed among the paternal gene pool of these populations. This general pattern can be largely attributed to the activities of ancient people in four periods, including the Neolithic farmers, Indo-Europeans, Turks, and Mongols. Most importantly, we detected the consistent expansion of many minor lineages over the past thousand years, which may correspond directly to the formation of modern populations in these regions. The newly discovered sub-lineages and variants provide a basis for further studies of the contributions of minor lineages to the formation of modern populations in Central Asia.

Dual-responsive polyacrylonitrile-based electrospun membrane for controllable oil-water separation.

Membrane separation based on smart materials with responsive wettability has attracted great attention due to the excellent performance of controllable oil-water separation. Herein, responsive copolymer originated from N-isopropylacrylamide and 2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate was synthesized and electrospun with polyacrylonitrile to fabricate smart composite membrane. The introduction of the responsive copolymer endowed the membrane with stimuli-responsive wettability to pH and temperature. Specifically, at the initial state, water was selectively blocked while oil passed through the membrane. After treatment with acidic water or CO2, the reverse separation was realized due to the protonation of the tertiary amine group in the copolymer. Water was selectively passed through the membrane after heat treatment because of the structural change of membrane upon temperature. The developed membrane was able to separate different types of oil-water mixtures and surfactant-stabled emulsions with high efficiency. Additionally, two membranes controlled by temperature and pH were designed to construct a logic AND gate for oil-water separation, and the results demonstrated that only the temperature and acidity of the solution were simultaneously satisfied, the water could flow through the valve combination, and such capability made this smart membrane great potential for remotely controlling the oil-water separation process.

Facile preparation of melamine foam with superhydrophobic performance and its system integration with prototype equipment for the clean-up of oil spills on water surface.

A simple and efficient method was developed to rectify the surface properties of commercial melamine foam. The process was based on the siloxane coating originated from the silanization of methyltrimethoxysilane and tetraethoxysilane. The foam can be easily scaled up by employing low-cost chemicals and devices. The studies on the properties of the material showed that the wettability of melamine foam was changed to superhydrophobic with a water contact angle of 156° due to the presence of alkylsilane. The modified foam exhibited excellent oil/water selectivity and high oil absorption capacities of 77-163 times its own weight. The retention of absorption capacity was greater than 97% after 5000 cycles compression. These fascinating characteristics made the modified foam exceptional recyclability for commonly organic solvents and oils without obvious dissolution/swelling. Based on these inspiring results, the material can be employed for the continuous separation of various oil compounds floating on water surface with the assistance of a vacuum pump. Moreover, the prepared material was integrated with an apparatus to develop a prototype oil collector for the remediation of oil spills in a larger open-air environment. The devices could be readily used in a range of real-world applications, including industrial oil spill clean-up.

Breakfast consumption frequency is associated with dyslipidemia: a retrospective cohort study of a working population.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia is a significant contributor to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Research on the relationship between breakfast consumption frequency and dyslipidemia in the working population is lacking. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this relationship based on a retrospective cohort study of a large working population in China. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used data from the physical examinations and questionnaire survey of working participants at Nanfang Hospital from January 20, 2015 to October 16, 2020. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between breakfast consumption frequency and dyslipidemia in this working population (n = 7644). RESULTS: The prevalence of dyslipidemia among the participants was 26.4%. The univariate logistic regression test showed that the breakfast consumption frequency was inversely correlated with dyslipidemia. After adjusting for multiple factors, such as sex, age, body mass index, hypertension, hyperuricaemia, diabetes, smoking status, alcohol consumption, education level, marital status, long-term exposure to kitchen oil fumes, attending business dinners, and sleep time, it was found that breakfast consumption remained inversely associated with dyslipidaemia. The odds ratio for daily breakfast consumption was 0.466 (95% confidence interval 0.283-0.770, P = 0.003). After adjusting for confounding factors, we found that the higher the frequency of breakfast consumption, the lower the odds ratios for hypertriglyceridaemia. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that breakfast consumption frequency was inversely correlated with dyslipidemia. The higher the frequency of breakfast, the lower the risk of hypertriglyceridaemia. This study provides a basis on which dietary suggestions for the working population and lifestyle guidance for patients with a clinical need to prevent dyslipidemia can be made.

Anisotropic conductive networks for multidimensional sensing.

In the past decade, flexible physical sensors have attracted great attention due to their wide applications in many emerging areas including health-monitoring, human-machine interfaces, smart robots, and entertainment. However, conventional sensors are typically designed to respond to a specific stimulus or a deformation along only one single axis, while directional tracking and accurate monitoring of complex multi-axis stimuli is more critical in practical applications. Multidimensional sensors with distinguishable signals for simultaneous detection of complex postures and movements in multiple directions are highly demanded for the development of wearable electronics. Recently, many efforts have been devoted to the design and fabrication of multidimensional sensors that are capable of distinguishing stimuli from different directions accurately. Benefiting from their unique decoupling mechanisms, anisotropic architectures have been proved to be promising structures for multidimensional sensing. This review summarizes the present state and advances of the design and preparation strategies for fabricating multidimensional sensors based on anisotropic conducting networks. The fabrication strategies of different anisotropic structures, the working mechanism of various types of multidimensional sensing and their corresponding unique applications are presented and discussed. The potential challenges faced by multidimensional sensors are revealed to provide an insightful outlook for the future development.

A network meta-analysis protocol of efficacy and safety evaluation of different surgery regimens for varicocele patients with infertility: A study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment of varicocele is still one of the most common important treatments for male infertility. Surgery regimens for varicocele (VC) is various, including high ligation, sub-inguinal, inguinal, retroperitoneal, laparoscopic, and microsurgery. The surgery regimens applied for VC patients are various in clinic, however, the significance, advantages, and disadvantages of different varicocelectomies for male infertility are still in controversial. Therefore, this network meta-analysis is mainly to assess the relative efficacy and safety of different surgery regimens for VC patients with infertility. METHODS: To compare the relative efficacy and safety among different varicocelectomies for VC patients, we systematic searched randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs were in five electronic databases: Pubmed, Web of Science, EMBASE database, Clinical Trials, and Cochrane Library. Using R-3.4.1 software to process and analyze data. The bias risk of RCTs and non-RCTs will be evaluated through the tool of Cochrane Handbook version 5.1.0 and non-randomized studies of interventions (ROBINS-I), respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The result of this network meta-analysis aim is to evaluate the relative effectiveness and safety and rank the interventions among all surgery methods for VC patients and provide more evidence-based guidance in clinical practice. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020162051.

Shared paternal ancestry of Han, Tai-Kadai-speaking, and Austronesian-speaking populations as revealed by the high resolution phylogeny of O1a-M119 and distribution of its sub-lineages within China.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research was to explore the origin, diversification, and demographic history of O1a-M119 over the past 10,000 years, as well as its role during the formation of East Asian and Southeast Asian populations, particularly the Han, Tai-Kadai-speaking, and Austronesian-speaking populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Y-chromosome sequences (n = 141) of the O1a-M119 lineage, including 17 newly generated in this study, were used to reconstruct a revised phylogenetic tree with age estimates, and identify sub-lineages. The geographic distribution of 12 O1a-M119 sub-lineages was summarized, based on 7325 O1a-M119 individuals identified among 60,009 Chinese males. RESULTS: A revised phylogenetic tree, age estimation, and distribution maps indicated continuous expansion of haplogroup O1a-M119 over the past 10,000 years, and differences in demographic history across geographic regions. We propose several sub-lineages of O1a-M119 as founding paternal lineages of Han, Tai-Kadai-speaking, and Austronesian-speaking populations. The sharing of several young O1a-M119 sub-lineages with expansion times less than 6000 years between these three population groups supports a partial common ancestry for them in the Neolithic Age; however, the paternal genetic divergence pattern is much more complex than previous hypotheses based on ethnology, archeology, and linguistics. DISCUSSION: Our analyses contribute to a better understanding of the demographic history of O1a-M119 sub-lineages over the past 10,000 years during the emergence of Han, Austronesians, Tai-Kadai-speaking populations. The data described in this study will assist in understanding of the history of Han, Tai-Kadai-speaking, and Austronesian-speaking populations from ethnology, archeology, and linguistic perspectives in the future.

Paternal origin of Tungusic-speaking populations: Insights from the updated phylogenetic tree of Y-chromosome haplogroup C2a-M86.

OBJECTIVES: Haplogroup C2a-M48 is the predominant paternal lineage of Tungusic-speaking populations, one of the largest population groups in Siberia. Up until now, the origins and dispersal of Tungusic-speaking populations have remained unclear. In this study, the demographic history of Tungusic-speaking populations was explored using the phylogenetic analysis of haplogroup C2a-M86, the major subbranch of C2a-M48. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 18 newly generated Y chromosome sequences from C2a-M48 males and 20 previously available Y-chromosome sequences from this haplogroup were analyzed. A highly revised phylogenetic tree of haplogroup C2a-M86 with age estimates was reconstructed. Frequencies of this lineage in the literature were collected and a comprehensive analysis of this lineage in 13 022 individuals from 245 populations in Eurasia was performed. RESULTS: The distribution map of C2a-M48 indicated the most probable area of origin and diffusion route of this paternal lineage in North Eurasia. Most C2a-M86 samples from Tungusic-speaking populations belonged to the sublineage C2a-F5484, which emerged about 3300 years ago. We identified six unique sublineages corresponding to the Manchu, Evenks, Evens, Oroqen, and Daurpopulations; these sublineages diverged gradually over the past 1900 years. Notably, we observed a clear north-south dichotomous structure for sublineages derived from C2a-F5484, consistent with the internal north-south divergence of Tungusic languages and ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: We identified the important founding paternal haplogroup, C2a-F5484, for Tungusic-speaking populations as well as numerous unique subgroups of this haplogroup. We propose that the timeframe for the divergence of C2a-F5484 corresponds with the early differentiation of ancestral Tungusic-speaking populations.

Post-last glacial maximum expansion of Y-chromosome haplogroup C2a-L1373 in northern Asia and its implications for the origin of Native Americans.

OBJECTIVES: Subbranches of Y-chromosome haplogroup C2a-L1373 are founding paternal lineages in northern Asia and Native American populations. Our objective was to investigate C2a-L1373 differentiation in northern Asia and its implications for Native American origins. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sequences of rare subbranches (n = 43) and ancient individuals (n = 37) of C2a-L1373 (including P39 and MPB373), were used to construct phylogenetic trees with age estimation by BEAST software. RESULTS: C2a-L1373 expanded rapidly approximately 17.7,000-14.3,000 years ago (kya) after the last glacial maximum (LGM), generating numerous sublineages which became founding paternal lineages of modern northern Asian and Native American populations (C2a-P39 and C2a-MPB373). The divergence pattern supports possible initiation of differentiation in low latitude regions of northern Asia and northward diffusion after the LGM. There is a substantial gap between the divergence times of C2a-MPB373 (approximately 22.4 or 17.7 kya) and C2a-P39 (approximately 14.3 kya), indicating two possible migration waves. DISCUSSION: We discussed the decreasing time interval of "Beringian standstill" (2.5 ky or smaller) and its reduced significance. We also discussed the multiple possibilities for the peopling of the Americas: the "Long-term Beringian standstill model," the "Short-term Beringian standstill model," and the "Multiple waves of migration model." Our results support the argument from ancient DNA analyses that the direct ancestor group of Native Americans is an admixture of "Ancient Northern Siberians" and Paleolithic communities from the Amur region, which appeared during the post-LGM era, rather than ancient populations in greater Beringia, or an adjacent region, before the LGM.

Arsenopyrite Bio-Oxidization Behavior in Bioleaching Process: Evidence From Laser Microscopy, SEM-EDS, and XPS.

In arsenopyrite bioleaching, the interfacial reaction between mineral and cells is one of the most important factors. The energy of the interface is influenced by the mineralogical and microbiological characteristics. In this paper, the interfacial energy was calculated, and the surface of arsenopyrite during the bioleaching process was characterized by 3D laser microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, in order to assess the dissolution and oxidation behavior of arsenopyrite during bioleaching. The results showed that the contact angles of arsenopyrite were 22 ± 2° when covered with biofilms, but the reaction surface of arsenopyrite turned 103 ± 2°. However, the angle was 45-50° when covered by passive layer, which was half as that of arsenopyrite surface. The interfacial energy of arsenopyrite without biofilms increased from 45 to 62 mJ/m2, while it decreased to 5 ± 1 mJ/m2 when covered by biofilms during the leaching process. The surface was separated into fresh surface, oxidized surface, and (corrosion) pits. The interfacial energy was influenced by the fresh and oxidized surfaces. Surface roughness increased from 0.03 ± 0.01 to 5.89 ± 1.97 µm, and dissolution volume increased from 6.31 ± 0.47 × 104 to 2.72 ± 0.49 × 106 µm3. The dissolution kinetics of arsenopyrite followed the model of Kt = lnX, and the dissolution mechanisms were mixed controlled: surface reaction control and diffusion through sulfur layer. On the surface of arsenopyrite crystal, the oxidation steps of each element can be described as: for Fe, Fe(II)-(AsS)→Fe(III)-(AsS)→Fe(III)-OH or Fe(III)-SO; for S, As-S(-1) or Fe-S(-1)→polysulfide S→intermediate S-O→sulfate; and for As, As-1-S→As0→As+1-O→As+3-O→As+5-O.

Preparation of cellulose-coated cotton fabric and its application for the separation of emulsified oil in water.

Cellulose is a natural material with dissolution-regeneration property and numerous hydrogen bonds in the molecule. By utilizing these properties, this paper reported the development of a multi-functional fabric consisting of cellulose and commercial cotton fabric. The morphology, mechanical and thermal properties along with the oil-water separation performance of the developed material were studied. The results showed that the cellulose dissolved in NaOH/urea solution was regenerated in a salt solution, and attached tightly onto the cotton fabric, forming a sandwich structure for the material. Such modification significantly enhanced the strength, thermal stability and hydrophilic performance of the fabrics. Interestingly, the prepared material exhibited a unique underwater oleophobic performance, and had the capability to separate highly emulsified oil-water mixtures. The relatively low cost for the material preparation, enhanced mechanical property and high separation performance distinguished the developed material a suitable candidate for the separation of emulsified oil from water in practical applications.

Phylogenetic analysis of the Y-chromosome haplogroup C2b-F1067, a dominant paternal lineage in Eastern Eurasia.

Human Y-chromosome haplogroup C2b-F1067 is one of the dominant paternal lineages of populations in Eastern Eurasia. In order to explore the origin, diversification, and expansion of this haplogroup, we generated 206 new Y-chromosome sequences from C2b-F1067 males and coanalyzed 220 Y-chromosome sequences of this haplogroup. BEAST software was used to reconstruct a revised phylogenetic tree of haplogroup C2b-F1067 with age estimates. The revised phylogeny of C2b-F1067 included 155 sublineages, 1986 non-private variants, and >6000 private variants. The age estimation suggested that the initial splitting of C2b-F1067 happened at about 32.8 thousand years ago (kya) and the major sublineages of this haplgroup experienced continuous expansion in the most recent 10,000 years. We identified numerous sublineages that were nearly specific for Korean, Mongolian, Chinese, and other ethnic minorities in China. In particular, we evaluated the candidate-specific lineage for the Dayan Khan family and the Confucius family, the descendants of the ruling family of the Chinese Shang dynasty. These findings suggest that ancient populations with varied C2b-F1067 sublineages played an important role during the formation of most modern populations in Eastern Eurasia, and thus eventually became the founding paternal lineages of these populations.

Phylogeography of Y-chromosome haplogroup Q1a1a-M120, a paternal lineage connecting populations in Siberia and East Asia.

Background: Previous studies have suggested that the human Y-chromosome haplogroup Q1a1a-M120, a widespread paternal lineage in East Asian populations, originated in South Siberia. However, much uncertainty remains regarding the origin, diversification, and expansion of this paternal lineage.Aim: To explore the origin and diffusion of paternal Q-M120 lineages in East Asia.Subjects and methods: The authors generated 26 new Y chromosome sequences of Q-M120 males and co-analysed 45 Y chromosome sequences of this haplogroup. A highly-revised phylogenetic tree of haplogroup Q-M120 with age estimates was reconstructed. Additionally, a comprehensive phylogeographic analysis of this lineage was performed including 15,007 samples from 440 populations in eastern Eurasia.Results: An ancient connection of this lineage with populations in Siberia was revealed. However, this paternal lineage experienced an in-situ expansion between 5000 and 3000 years ago in northwestern China. Ancient populations with high frequencies of Q-M120 were involved in the formation of ancient Huaxia populations before 2000 years ago; this haplogroup eventually became one of the founding paternal lineages of modern Han populations.Conclusion: This study provides a clear pattern of the origin and diffusion process of haplogroup Q1a1a-M120, as well as the role of this paternal lineage during the formation of ancient Huaxia populations and modern Han populations.

Three-dimensional titanium dioxide/graphene hybrids with improved performance for photocatalysis and energy storage.

A series of three-dimensional (3-D) TiO2/graphene (TiO2/GR) hybrids with different TiO2 weight ratios were prepared using a self-assembly approach followed by the gaseous reduction in a hydrothermal system. The method was based on the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged titanium glycolate precursor and negatively charged graphene oxide in an aqueous medium without any surfactant or template. The structure, morphology, physical and optical properties of the as-synthesized hybrids were characterized, and the results showed that TiO2 spheres were homogeneously confined within the 3-D networks of graphene, and acted as pillars to effectively separate the graphene sheets from each other. By optimizing the ratio of TiO2 in the hybrids, the material was identified as an excellent photocatalyst to remove organic compound in water with high degradation efficiency. Additionally, TiO2/GR hybrids delivered high specific capacity, enhanced rate capability and excellent cyclic stability when used as a freestanding electrode for lithium ion batteries.

Surface roughness induced superhydrophobicity of graphene foam for oil-water separation.

Surface free energy and roughness are two predominant factors governing the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of materials. This paper reported the surface roughness induced hydrophobicity of graphene foam by incorporating silica nanoparticles onto graphene sheet via a sol-gel method and subsequent modification using silane. Various techniques were employed to characterize the morphology, composition and surface properties of sample. The results showed that the as-prepared graphene foam exhibited a superhydrophobic surface with a high water contact angle of 156°, as well as superoleophilicity with excellent adsorption capacities for a variety of oil compounds. Benefiting from the integration of enhancement on the surface roughness and reduction on the surface free energy of material, the graphene foam developed in this study had the capability to effectively separate oil-water mixture with excellent stability and recyclability.

[Accumulation Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Wild Fish Species from Diaojiang River, Guangxi].

To explore the accumulation characteristics and health risk assessment of heavy metals in wild fish species, the concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, As and Hg) in the muscle samples of eight wild fish species collected from Diaojiang River, Guangxi were analyzed. The degree of pollution, food safety and health risk of heavy metals in wild fish species were evaluated using the average pollution index and the target hazard quotient methods. The results showed that the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cr, As and Hg in wild fish species ranged from 0.041 to 1.160, 0.0001 to 0.066, 0.173 to 0.789, 0.010 to 2.420 and 0.0007 to 0.077mg·kg-1, respectively. The concentrations of Pb and As in wild fish species exceeded the limit values of the Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Foods (GB 2762-2012), and the over-standard rates were 5.06% and 64.56% respectively. The concentrations of Cd, Cr and Hg did not exceed the standard. The average pollution index results showed that Acheilognathus tonkinensis and Acheilognathus barbatus were seriously polluted by heavy metals. The Oreochromis niloticus were moderately polluted. The Siniperca kneri Garman, Carassius auratus, Pseudohemiculter dispar, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Hemiculter leucisculus were slightly polluted. Higher bioaccumulation factors of Pb, Cr and Hg were found in wild fish species from Diaojiang River. The concentrations of heavy metals in carnivorous fish and omnivorous fish were higher than those in herbivorous fish. Potential health risk assessment showed that the total target hazard quotients (TTHQ) of Acheilognathus tonkinensis and Acheilognathus barbatus were higher than 1. It indicated that the local residents posed higher human health risk due to the long-term consumption of Acheilognathus tonkinensis and Acheilognathus barbatus. Among all the TTHQ in wild fish species (except Pseudohemiculter dispar and Hemiculter leucisculus), the contribution rate of As was the highest, and the average contribution rate reached 76.63%, which indicated that As was the main risk factor.

Simultaneous quantification of chlorogenic acid and taurocholic acid in human plasma by LC-MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of Shuanghua Baihe tablets.

An LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of chlorogenic acid (CGA) and taurocholic acid (TCA) in human plasma using hydrochlorothiazide as the internal standard. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Hedera ODS-2 column with a gradient elution using 10 mmol·L(-1) of ammonium acetate buffer solution containing 0.5% of formic acid - acetonitrile as mobile phase at a flow rate of 300 µL·min(-1). The detection was performed on a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer by multiple reaction monitoring in negative ESI mode. The method was fully validated over the concentration ranges of 0.1-10 ng·mL(-1) for CGA and 2-150 ng·mL(-1) for TCA. It was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of CGA and TCA in healthy Chinese volunteers after oral administration of Shuanghua Baihe tablets (SBTs). In the single-dose study, the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), time to reach Cmax (Tmax) and elimination half-life (t1/2) of CGA were (0.763 8 ± 0.542 0) ng·mL(-1), (1.0 ± 0.5) h, and (1.3 ± 0.6) h, respectively. In the multiple-dose study, the Cmax, Tmax and t1/2 of CGA were (0.663 7 ± 0.583 3) ng·mL(-1), (1.1 ± 0.5) h, and (1.4 ± 0.7) h, respectively. For TCA, no significant characteristic increasing plasma TCA concentration-time curve was found in the volunteers after oral administration of SBTs, indicating its complicated process in vivo as an endogenous ingredient.

Controlled synthesis of hierarchical TiO2 nanoparticles on glass fibres and their photocatalytic performance.

This paper reports the synthesis of novel photocatalysts consisting of TiO2 nanoparticles and glass fibres (GF) using a two-step process. The method involves the hydrolysis of titanium tetrachloride in the presence of GF and a following hydrothermal process under alkaline conditions. Various techniques are employed to characterize the morphology, structure and crystallinity of TiO2 on the fibre surface. The results show that depending on the experiment setups, TiO2 nanoparticles exhibit spherical or flake-like morphology, forming characteristic hierarchical structures along with flexible GF. Flake-like TiO2/GF exhibits much enhanced photocatalytic activity thanks to the large surface area and the hetero-junction of anatase and TiO2-B phases observed in its structure. An interesting observation is that the alkali treatment of GF leads to the formation of porous structures on the fibre surface, facilitating the adsorption-concentration-promoted photocatalytic process. The removal ratio of the organic dye by employing TiO2/GF remains more than 80% after six cyclic runs, showing the reusability of photocatalysts in real application. The novelty of this work lies in the synergy arising from materials with unique morphologies, structures and availabilities as well as capabilities in separating photogenerated electron-hole pairs, which have not been specifically considered previously in photocatalytic semiconductors.

Magnetic graphene foam for efficient adsorption of oil and organic solvents.

This paper reported the preparation of magnetic graphene foam loaded with magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles and its application for the adsorption of oil and organic solvents. The foam with porous and hierarchical structures was derived from graphene oxide film reduced by gaseous reduction in a hydrothermal system. Drastically different morphologies of Fe3O4 nanoparticles with nanosheet arrays or cubic structures were observed on graphene foam by controlling the reduction degree of graphene oxide under mild conditions. Benefiting from the integration of porous structures and magnetic properties, the graphene foam manifests outstanding oil adsorption capacity, high restoration for absorbates as well as excellent recyclability and stability under cyclic operations. The simple and effective strategy for the preparation of graphene foams developed in this study may offer a new alternative for scale-up production of graphene materials used for the cleanup of oil spills.