Reductive dechlorination of trichloroethene by sulfided microscale zero-valent iron in fresh and saline groundwater: Reactivity, pathways, and selectivity.

S/mZVI is a promising material for groundwater remediation due to its excellent properties. However, the reactivity and electron selectivity toward target contaminant are critical. Thus, this study investigated the effect of complex groundwater chemistries (Milli-Q water, fresh groundwater and saline groundwater) on the reactivity of S/mZVI toward trichloroethylene (TCE), dechlorination pathway, hydrogen evolution kinetic, electron efficiency and aging behaviors. Results showed that sulfidation appreciably increased the reactivity and electron selectivity. The major degradation product of TCE dechlorination by S/mZVI was acetylene, which was consistent with TCE dechlorination by ß-elimination. Moreover, reductive ß-elimination was still the dominant dechlorination pathway for the application of S/mZVI in three groundwater conditions. However, the rates and the quantities of major products from TCE degradation varied significantly. S/mZVI in saline groundwater can maintain the reactivity towardTCE due to the protection of Fe0 by Fe3O4 deposited on the surface. Thus, the higher TCE removal efficiency and less hydrogen accumulation resulted in the greatest electron efficiency (4.3-79.2%). Overall, S/mZVI was more effective for the application in saline groundwater. This study proved insight into the comprehensive evaluation and implications for the application of S/mZVI based technologies in saline contaminated groundwater.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of the Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché (Cucurbitaceae).

Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché is an important germplasm resource used for rootstock and hypoglycemic food in Cucurbitaceae. The complete chloroplast genome sequence of C. ficifolia has been determined in this study. The total genome size is 157,533 bp in length and contains a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,639 bp, which were separated by large single copy (LSC) and small single copy (SSC) of 88,112 bp and 18,143 bp, respectively. A total of 130 genes were predicted including 86 protein-coding genes, eight rRNA genes and 36 tRNA genes. Further, Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis revealed that C. ficifolia is a base clade of genus Cucurbita and closer to Cucurbita maxima. The chloroplast genome of C. ficifolia would promote the germplasm exploration, phylogenetic relationships, and molecular biology researches in Cucurbita.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of the Canna edulis Ker Gawl. (Cannaceae).

Canna edulis Ker Gawl. is an essential traditional tuber crop used for fresh consumption and to isolate starch in some tropical and semitropical regions. The complete chloroplast genome sequence of C. edulis has been determined in this study. The total genome size is 164,650 bp in length and contains a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 27,278 bp, which were separated by large single-copy (LSC) and small single-copy (SSC) of 91,421 bp and 18,673 bp, respectively. A total of 131 genes were predicted including 86 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNA genes and 37 tRNA genes. Further, maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis revealed that C. edulis belongs to Cannaceae in Zingiberales. The chloroplast genome of C. edulis is first complete genome sequence in Cannaceae and would play a significant role in the development of molecular markers in plant phylogenetic and population genetic studies.

[Prospective clinical study on extracorporeal shock wave therapy combined with platelet-rich plasma injection for knee osteoarthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) by prospective clinical study. METHODS: Between June 2015 and June 2018, 180 patients with KOA met the inclusion criteria were included in study and randomly allocated to group A (n=60), group B (n=60), and group C (n=60). The patients were treated with autologous PRP intra-articular injection in group A, extracorporeal shock wave therapy in group B, and extracorporeal shock wave therapy combined with autologous PRP intra-articular injection in group C, once a week and 5 times a duration of treatment. There was no significant difference in age, gender, disease duration, side of KOA, and Kellgren-Lawrence grading between groups (P>0.05). The pain and function of knee joint were assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Lequesne Index score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, and knee joint activity before treatment and at 1, 3, and 5 weeks after the first treatment. RESULTS: There were significant differences in VAS score, Lequesne Index score, WOMAC score, and knee joint activity between pre- and post-treatment in all groups (P<0.05). VAS score, Lequesne Index score, and WOMAC score gradually decreased with the prolongation of treatment time (P<0.05); but there was no significant difference in knee joint activity between different time points (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS score, Lequesne Index score, WOMAC score, and knee joint activity between groups before treatment (P>0.05); the scores of group C were superior to groups A and B (P< 0.05) at different time points after treatment; while the knee joint activities of 3 groups were similar (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The extracorporeal shock wave therapy combined with PRP injection can relieve the pain synergistically for KOA.

[Meta-analysis of association of tumor necrosis factor alpha and transforming growth factor beta gene polymorphisms with pneumoconiosis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between tumor necrosis factor-alpha-238, transforming growth factor beta (509 and 869) gene polymorphisms and pneumoconiosis susceptibility. METHODS: We searched published full-text from foreign language databases including Elsevier, PubMed, Wiley Online Library, EMCC, Web of Science, chinese databases containing CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, CBM and Cochrane library to collect case-control or cohort study on gene gene polymorphisms said above with pneumoconiosis susceptibility from the year January1988 to August 2011. 28 relevant articles were selected and 20 of them met the criteria. The correlated index was extracted for aggregate analysis in RevMan 4.2. RESULTS: Among the 20 studies, 10 articles on TNF-α238 polymorphism (including 2232 pneumoconiosis cases and 1985 control subjects), 4 articles on TGF-ß509 polymorphism (including 693 pneumoconiosis cases and 663 control subjects), and 6 articles on TGF-ß869 polymorphism (including 1450 pneumoconiosis cases and 1101 control subjects) were included in the current study. Meta-analysis results showed that there was a significant association between TNF-α238 polymorphism and pneumoconiosis: the population with GA and AA genotypes of TNF-α238 had higher risks to pneumoconiosis (OR = 1.53, 95%CI: 1.25 ∼ 1.88) comparing to GG genotype, and the population with A allele had higher risks to pneumoconiosis comparing to allele G (OR = 1.64, 95%CI: 1.17 ∼ 2.30). The stratified analysis showed that the people with GA and AA genotypes and A allele who were silicosis, Asian or exposed to dust had higher risks to pneumoconiosis (OR = 2.14, 95%CI: 1.20 ∼ 3.82; OR = 2.16, 95%CI: 1.20 ∼ 3.88; OR = 1.78, 95%CI: 1.01 ∼ 3.11; OR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.04 ∼ 3.22; OR = 1.80, 95%CI: 1.21 ∼ 2.66; OR = 1.50, 95%CI: 1.23 ∼ 1.83). No significant association was found between TGF-ß (509 and 869) gene polymorphisms with pneumoconiosis: In contrast to the CC genotype, the population who had CT and TT genotypes had no higher risks to pneumoconiosis (OR = 1.56, 95%CI: 0.81 ∼ 3.01; OR = 0.96, 95%CI: 0.79 ∼ 1.18); The population who had T allele had no higher risks to pneumoconiosis in contrast to the C allele (OR = 1.35, 95%CI: 0.86 ∼ 2.13; OR = 1.02, 95%CI: 0.91 ∼ 1.15). CONCLUSION: Significant association was found between TNFα238 gene polymorphism and pneumoconiosis; and TGF-ß (509 and 869) were not.