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Embolization (utilizing embolic materials to block blood vessels) has been considered one of the most promising strategies for clinical disease treatments. However, the existing embolic materials have poor embolization effectiveness, posing a great challenge to highly efficient embolization. In this study, we construct Janus particle-engineered structural lipiodol droplets by programming the self-assembly of Janus particles at the lipiodol-water interface. As a result, we achieve highly efficient renal embolization in rabbits. The obtained structural lipiodol droplets exhibit excellent mechanical stability and viscoelasticity, enabling them to closely pack together to efficiently embolize the feeding artery. They also feature good viscoelastic deformation capacities and can travel distally to embolize finer vasculatures down to 40 μm. After 14 days post-embolization, the Janus particle-engineered structural lipiodol droplets achieve efficient embolization without evidence of recanalization or non-target embolization, exhibiting embolization effectiveness superior to the clinical lipiodol-based emulsion. Our strategy provides an alternative approach to large-scale fabricate embolic materials for highly efficient embolization and exhibits good potential for clinical applications. Embolization is one of the most promising strategies for clinical disease treatments, however, the existing embolic materials normally have poor embolization effectiveness. Here, the authors report Janus particle-engineered structural lipiodol droplets by programming the self-assembly of Janus particles at the lipiodol-water interface to achieve highly efficient renal embolization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are nondegradable in the natural environment and harmful to the ecological system and human beings, causing an increased environmental pollution problem. It is required to remove heavy metals from wastewater urgently. Up until now, various methods have been involved in the heavy metal removals, such as chemical precipitation, chemical reduction, electrochemical, membrane separation, ion exchange, biological, and adsorption methods. Among them, adsorption by graphene–based materials has attracted much more attentions for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater systems in recent years, arising due to their large specific surface area, high adsorption capacity, high removal efficiency, and good recyclability. Therefore, it is quite important to review the heavy metal removal with the graphene–based material. In this review, we have summarized the physicochemical property and preparation methods of graphene and their adsorption property to heavy metals. The influencing parameters for the removal of heavy metals by graphene–based materials have been discussed. In addition, the modification of graphene–based materials to enhance their adsorption capability for heavy metal removal is also reviewed. The heavy metal removal by modified graphene–based materials in the tobacco industry has been especially described in detail. Finally, the future trend for graphene–based materials in the field of heavy metal wastewater treatment is proposed. This knowledge will have great impacts on the field and facilitate the researchers to seek the new functionalization method for graphene–based materials with high adsorption capacity to heavy metals in the tobacco industry in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photocatalytic activity of BiOCl have begun to attract much attention, and it is essential to construct a highly active BiOCl photocatalyst applicable to photocatalytic degradation for water purification. Here we reported a facile and novel fabrication of the ternary Pt-BiOCl/rGO hybrid photocatalysts and the photocatalyst was characterized by XRD, Raman, SEM, TEM, BET, XPS and PL. The characterization results prove that the Pt nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is not only favorable to red shift of the absorption edge, but also could collect and transfer the electrons originated from BiOCl with exposed {001} facets, consequently enhance the separation efficiency of charges. Moreover, photocatalysis activity towards dye degradation under simulated solar irradiation reveal the Pt-BiOCl/rGO photocatalysts exhibits the highest significant efficiency among all samples for the RhB photodegradation, which is almost 1.3 times higher than that of pristine BiOCl. We further study the effect of dye concentration and effect of catalyst concentration under irradiation. We used the trapping experiment and total organic carbon (TOC), to explore the RhB degradation mechanism. The trapping experiment revealed that superoxide radicals (O2·−) play a crucial role during the catalytic process. Based on the above research, we speculate that the excellent catalytic performance of Pt-BiOCl/rGO is attributed to the special ternary structure of the catalyst, which enable us conveniently to design and fabricate highly photoactive functional materials applicable to photocatalysis and solar energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is a continuation of our previous work. It aims to characterize the tribomechanical and tribochemical behaviors of Ti3SiC2 in low-viscosity liquids. We found an interesting phenomenon in which the flowing and nonflowing states of ethanol are related to the tribological behavior of Ti3SiC2. Low friction and wear were obtained in flowing ethanol, which is due to the lubrication of the products of tribochemical reactions, especially the oxide scales on worn surfaces. Friction and wear are worse in nonflowing ethanol than in flowing ethanol, with a complicated evolution of coefficient of friction and high wear rate. Three stages of a tribo-oxidation evolution process contribute to the complicated evolution of the coefficient of friction. First, the formation of oxide scales contributes to low friction. Second, the breakup of oxide scales results in an abrupt increase in the coefficient of friction. Finally, scratches and abrasive wear from cumulated debris in nonflowing ethanol lead to a continuous increase in friction and wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribological behavior of self-mated TiSiC in bath of alcohols are investigated at sliding velocity ranging from 0.005 to 0.3 m/s. The results show that the friction coefficient and wear rates of self-mated TiSiC are reduced greatly under lubrication of alcohols compared to that under dry condition. In alcohols, smooth worn surfaces of TiSiC can be obtained. The mechanical wear is inhibited and the oxidized Ti and Si species on the worn surface are TiO and silica gel. The friction coefficients decrease with carbon numbers and sliding velocity in the n-alcohols. The friction coefficient decrease with sliding velocity in glycol and glycerol as well. The decrease is determined by the increase of the viscosity of alcohols. In glycerol, at 0.1 m/s and 5 N, the friction coefficient of self-mated TiSiC is 0.08 which is the lowest in this paper. The lubrication regimes are calculated according to classical lubrication theory. At velocity from 0.005 to 0.3 m/s, in all of the alcohols except glycerol, the λ are below 1 which indicates that the lubrication regime is BL. While in glycerol, the lubrication regimes vary from BL to BL and EHL, then to EHL as the velocity increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribological behavior of self-mated TiSiC in low viscosity fluids, that is, water and ethanol, is investigated. The results show that both water and ethanol effectively reduce the friction and wear of self-mated TiSiC. The friction coefficient and total wear rates of TiSiC tribo-pair are 0.82 and 2.17 × 10 mm/N m under dry condition, 0.41 and 6.50 × 10 mm/N m in water and 0.16 and 2.22 × 10 mm/N m in ethanol. As sliding distance is prolonged from 0.5 to 22.9 km, the total wear rates of TiSiC in ethanol can be further reduced. Mechanical wear of TiSiC is partly inhibited in water and greatly inhibited in ethanol. Surface polishing of TiSiC pin and tribochemistry are the two distinct characteristics of self-mated TiSiC in ethanol. The surface film in ethanol is composed of TiO and SiO. Tribo-products in ethanol, that is, silica gel and titanium dioxide, are found. Polycondensation of ethanol by the catalysis of TiO and SiO gives birth to paraffins and olefins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal decomposition of Ti3 Si C2 in vacuum furnace up to 1500°C has been investigated. The results show that the mild decomposition of Ti3 Si C2 commences at 1300°C and the higher the holding temperature, the larger the volatilization of Si atoms. The Ti3 Si C2 decomposition occurs simultaneously on the surface and in the bulk. Four phases coexist at 1400°C and 1450°C and the Ti5Si3Cx phase appears in the bulk and/or surface. Diffusion distance, rate, and volatilization of Si contribute to the porous structure and the presence of Ti5Si3Cx. The evolution of furnace pressure reflects the decomposition kinetics of Ti3 Si C2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression during chemical carcinogen–induced cell transformation will lead to a better understanding of the substantial role of miRNAs in cancer development. To explore whether aberrant miRNAs expression can be used as biomarkers of chemical exposure in risk assessment of chemical carcinogenesis, we analyzed miRNA expression profiles of human bronchial epithelial cells expressing an oncogenic allele of H-Ras (HBER) at different stages of transformation induced by benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) by miRNA array. It revealed 12 miRNAs differentially expressed in HBER cells at both pretransformed and transformed stages. Differentially expressed miRNAs were confirmed in transformed cells and examined in 50 pairs of primary human non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues using real-time PCR. Among these miRNAs, downregulation of miR-638 was found in 68% (34/50) of NSCLC tissues. However, the expression of miR-638 in HBER cells increased upon treatment of BaP in a dose-dependent manner. The expression of miR-638 was also examined in peripheral lymphocytes from 86 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-exposed (PE) workers. We found that the average expression level of miR-638 in peripheral lymphocytes from 86 PE workers increased by 72% compared with control group. The levels of miR-638 were correlated with the concentration of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and external levels of PAHs. Overexpression of miR-638 aggravated cell DNA damage induced by BaP, which might be mediated by suppression of breast cancer 1 (BRCA1), one of the target genes of miR-638. In summary, we suggest that miR-638 is involved in the BaP-induced carcinogenesis by targeting BRCA1. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]