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The penetration of organophosphate triesters (tri-OPEs) and diesters (di-OPEs) across the blood-brain barrier and their influencing factors remain unclear in humans. In this study, 21 tri-OPEs and 8 di-OPEs were measured in 288 paired serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples collected in Jinan, China. Six tri-OPEs were frequently detected in both serum and CSF, with median concentrations ranging from 0.062 to 1.62 and 0.042-1.11 ng/mL, respectively. Their penetration efficiencies across the blood-CSF barrier (BCSFB) (

The diffusion of stubborn oils and organic pigments has become a severe environmental pollution problem. Promisingly, the combination of superhydrophobicity and photocatalysis is expected to provide an efficient, economical and simple solution. In this paper, a kind of superhydrophobic and super-lipophilicity polyurethane (PU)-based sponge was reported by a strategy of undergoing ferric tetroxide loading (Fe3O4@PU), polydopamine fixation (PDA-Fe3O4@PU), octadecylamine grafting (ODA-Fe3O4@PU) and molybdenum disulfide loading (MoS2-ODA-Fe3O4@PU) successively. The results show that the MoS2-ODA-Fe3O4@PU sponge exhibits outstanding superhydrophobicity (with maximum water contact angle of 161.64°), excellent oil absorption capacity (60–109 wt/wt), robust stability in extreme environments and great oil/water separation ability. In addition, the MoS2-loaded sponge demonstrates desirable outcomes in decomposing methyl orange and methylene blue under light source, and a dual-functional purification system with a heterogeneous polyurethane-based sponge (the upper part is MoS2-ODA-Fe3O4@PU and the bottom part is MoS2@PU) endowed with superhydrophobicity and photocatalysis can purify water by separating oils and decomposing methylene blue simultaneously.

Sodium

Transition metal phosphides have tremendous potential in the fields of eletrocatalysis and energy storage due to their excellent conductivity and high theoretical specific capacity. In this work, we prepared the composites of NiCoP and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by one-pot method, and their lithium storage and electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance were studied. The experimental results indicated that as an anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), the specific capacity of NiCoP/CNTs composites reaches 200 mA h g−1 after 200 cycles at 0.1 A g−1. The one-pot method can disperse CNTs inside and between the particles of the NiCoP, which can effectively promote the conductivity of the composites and increase the activity of internal materials. In addition, NiCoP/CNTs also showed good electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance in acidic electrolyte. When the current density was 10 mA cm−2, the overpotential was 267 mV and the Tafel slope was 87.54 mV dec−1. Compared with pure NiCoP, the good electrochemical performance of NiCoP/CNTs results from the close contact between CNTs and NiCoP, which increases the conductivity and active area of the material. Therefore, the one-pot method for preparing CNTs composites can be used to enhance the electrochemical properties of inorganic nanomaterials. It provides a feasible solution for the modification of electrode materials.

Background Acute lung injury (ALI) is a common lung disorder that affects millions of people every year. The infiltration of inflammatory cells into the lungs and death of the alveolar epithelial cells are key factors to trigger a pathological cascade. Trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) are immune privileged, and demonstrate the capability of self-renewal and multipotency with differentiation into three germ layers. We hypothesized that intratracheal transplantation of TSCs may alleviate ALI. Methods ALI was induced by intratracheal delivery of bleomycin (BLM) in mice. After exposure to BLM, pre-labeled TSCs or fibroblasts (FBs) were intratracheally administered into the lungs. Analyses of the lungs were performed for inflammatory infiltrates, cell apoptosis, and engraftment of TSCs. Pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines of lung tissue and in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were also assessed. Results The lungs displayed a reduction in cellularity, with decreased CD45+ cells, and less thickening of the alveolar walls in ALI mice that received TSCs compared with ALI mice receiving PBS or FBs. TSCs decreased infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages, and the expression of interleukin (IL) 6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC) in the injured lungs. The levels of inflammatory cytokines in BALF, particularly IL-6, were decreased in ALI mice receiving TSCs, compared to ALI mice that received PBS or FBs. TSCs also significantly reduced BLM-induced apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo. Transplanted TSCs integrated into the alveolar walls and expressed aquaporin 5 and prosurfactant protein C, markers for alveolar epithelial type I and II cells, respectively. Conclusion Intratracheal transplantation of TSCs into the lungs of mice after acute exposure to BLM reduced pulmonary inflammation and cell death. Furthermore, TSCs engrafted into the alveolar walls to form alveolar epithelial type I and II cells. These data support the use of TSCs for the treatment of ALI.

The production and application of organophosphate esters (OPEs) have dramatically increased in recent years due to their use as a replacement for brominated flame retardants. In this study, 13 OPEs (Σ13OPEs) were analyzed in indoor air samples from kitchens and living rooms in 14 residential homes in Beijing, China. The concentrations of Σ13OPEs in kitchen air samples (mean: 13 ng/m3) were significantly (p

Measurement of organophosphate esters (OPEs) in human body fluids is important for understanding human internal exposure to OPEs and for assessing related health risks. Most of the current studies have focused on the determination of OPE metabolites in human urine, as OPEs are readily metabolized into their diester or hydroxylated forms in the human body. However, given the existence of one metabolite across multiple OPEs or multiple metabolites of one OPE, as well as the low metabolic rates of several OPEs in in vitro studies, the reliability of urinary OPE metabolites as biomarkers for specific OPEs is needs to be treated with caution.Human blood is a matrix that is in contact with all body organs and tissues, and the blood levels of compounds may better represent the doses that reach target tissues. Currently, only a few studies have investigated the occurrence of OPEs in human blood by different analytical methods, and the variety of OPEs considered is limited. In this study, a method based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of 16 OPEs in human blood, and the extraction efficiency of the solid phase extraction (SPE) column for OPEs was verified. To human blood samples, 10 ng of an internal standard was added, followed by mixing and aging for 30 min. The samples were extracted three times with acetonitrile using a shaker, and then purified on ENVI-18 cartridges with acetonitrile containing 25% dichloromethane as the eluent. Finally, the OPEs were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. After optimization of the analytical column and mobile phases, the analytes were separated on a BEH C18 column (100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) by gradient elution using methanol and 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate in water as the mobile phase. Then, the analytes were ionized in electrospray ionization positive (ESI+) mode and detected in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The mass spectral parameters, including the precursor ion, product ion, declustering potential, entrance potential, and collision cell exit potential, were optimized. The results were quantified by the internal standard method. The limits of detection (LOD, S/N =3) of the OPEs were in the range of 0.0038-0.882 ng/mL. The calibration curves for the 16 OPEs showed good linear relationships in the range of 0.1-50 ng/mL, and the correlation coefficients were >0.995. The extraction efficiency of the ENVI-18 column for the 16 OPEs was validated, and the average recoveries of the target compounds were 54.6%-104%. The average recoveries ( n =3) of 15 OPEs, except trimethyl phosphate (TMP), in whole blood at three spiked levels were in the range of 53.1%-126%, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were in the range of 0.15%-12.6%. The average recoveries of six internal standards were in the range of 66.8%-91.6% except for TMP-d9 (39.1%), with RSDs of 3.52%-6.85%. The average matrix effects of the OPEs in whole blood were 56.4%-103.0%. Significant matrix effects were found for resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate) (RDP) (75.8%±1.4%), trimethylphenyl phosphate (TMPP) (68.4%±1.0%), 2-ethylhexyl di-phenyl phosphate (EHDPP) (56.4%±12.4%), and bisphenol-A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BABP) (58.5%±0.4%). However, these effects could be corrected by similar signal suppressions of the corresponding internal standard (TPHP-d15, 77.4%±7.5%). This method is simple, highly sensitive, and suitable for the determination of OPEs in human blood. Fifteen human whole blood samples were collected to quantify the 16 OPEs using the developed method. The total concentrations of the OPEs ranged from 1.50 to 7.99 ng/mL. The detection frequencies of eight OPEs were higher than 50%. Tri-iso-butyl phosphate (TiBP), tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), and tri(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP) were the dominant OPEs, with median concentrations of 0.813, 0.764, and 0.690 ng/mL, respectively. These results indicated widespread human exposure to OPEs, which should be of concern.

Human exposure to OPEs is pervasive and should be of great concern due to associations with adverse health effects, especially in susceptible populations. In this study, body burdens and exposure pathways of OPEs were investigated for 76 healthy elderly people in Jinan, China based on the measured OPE and metabolite concentrations in human bio-samples (whole blood and urine) and paired environmental matrices (air and dust), as well as food frequency questionnaire. Eight of 16 OPEs and 5 of 11 metabolites were detected in > 50% of whole blood and urine samples, respectively. Tri(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP), tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tri-phenyl phosphate (TPHP), and 2-ethylhexyl di-phenyl phosphate (EHDPP) were frequently detected and abundant in whole blood, while their corresponding metabolites were detected at low frequencies or levels in urine. The reduced metabolic and/or excretory capacity of elderly people may be an important reason, implying a higher health risk to them. Fourteen OPEs had over 50% detection frequencies in indoor air and dust, while 6 di-esters in indoor dust. Tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP) in indoor dust and tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP) in indoor air were positively correlated with paired levels in blood but not with their metabolites (BEHP and DnBP) in urine. Combined with the direct intakes of BEHP and DBP from dust, blood is indicated as more suitable biomarker for TEHP and TnBP exposure. High consumption frequencies of several foods were associated with higher blood concentrations of three OPEs and urinary levels of four di-OPEs, indicating the importance of dietary exposure pathway. Estimated daily total intakes of OPEs via inhalation, dust ingestion, and dermal absorption ranged from 2.78 to 42.0 ng/kg bw/day, which were far less than the reference dosage values. Further studies were warranted to explore the potential health effects of OPE exposure in the elderly populations.

Organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) have been detected ubiquitously in the air and water worldwide, but no study has focused on their air-water exchange process. Here, we investigated the concentrations, distributions, and seasonal variations of OPFRs in the coastal air and water of Dalian, China. The total concentrations of 10 OPFRs in the air based on passive air sampling ranged from 0.50 to 20.0 ng/m3, while the concentrations of OPFRs in the water dissolved phase ranged from 48.3 to 681 ng/L. Relatively high concentrations were mainly discovered near the industry areas or river estuaries, suggesting that point sources along the coastline may significantly influence the local OPFR concentrations. Tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP) was the most dominant congener followed by tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), which was consistent with their high production and persistence. The air-water gaseous exchanges of OPFRs were estimated for the first time according to their concentrations in gaseous and dissolved phases. Generally, the gaseous exchange fluxes varied with sampling site and period. TCIPP showed the highest gaseous deposition flux of −395 ± 1211 ng/(m2 d), while TCEP showed the highest emission flux of 1414 ± 2093 ng/(m2 d). The dry deposition fluxes of OPFRs (0.05–822 ng/(m2 d)) were also calculated based on their particle fractions in the air. The result suggested that both gaseous exchange and particle deposition processes significantly influenced the air-water transport of OPFRs in this area.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the leading cause of gynecologic cancer-related death in the world. Accumulating evidence indicated the important role of TRIM44 in cancer development. However, how TRIM44 displays in OC and the underlying mechanism remained unclear. TRIM44 and FRK expression in OC tissues and cell lines were investigated by western blot and RT-qPCR. Histotype of tissue samples and patients' data were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier Curve was performed to validate the effect of TRIM44. Colony formation assay, MTT assay, Transwell assay, and wound-healing assay were applied to elucidate the function of TRIM44 in OC cells. CHIP assay was used to explore the association between TRIM44 and FRK. Finally, we performed SKOV3 xenografts in Balb/c nude mice to further confirm the involvement of TRIM44 in OC development. We found TRIM44 highly expressed while FRK displayed low expression in OC cell lines and tissues. Moreover, analysis of histotype of tissues and patients' data and Kaplan-Meier Curve implied the important role of TRIM44 and FRK in tumor progression. Further in vitro study suggested that knocking down TRIM44 inhibited OC cells proliferation, migration, and invasion. Besides, FRK was identified as the target gene of TRIM44 in OC, and TRIM44 promoted OC cells proliferation, migration, and invasion by inhibiting FRK. Finally, in vivo animal experiment further confirmed the promotive effect of TRIM44 on OC progression. Our findings demonstrated that TRIM44 facilitated OC proliferation, migration, and invasion by inhibiting FRK, providing new insights for theoretical research and therapy of OC.

BackgroundAcute lung injury (ALI) is a common lung disorder that affects millions of people every year. The infiltration of inflammatory cells into the lungs and death of the alveolar epithelial cells are key factors to trigger a pathological cascade. Trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) have been shown to possess immune privilege, immunomodulation, and the potential of self-renewal and multipotency with differentiation into three germ layers. We hypothesized that intratracheal transplantation of TSCs may alleviate ALI.MethodsALI was induced by intratracheal delivery of Bleomycin (BLM) in mice. At day 3 after exposure to BLM, pre-labeled TSCs or Fibroblasts (FBs) were intratracheally administered into the lungs. At day 7 after exposure to BLM, histological analyses of the lungs were performed for inflammatory infiltrates, cell apoptosis, and engraftment of TSCs. Pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines of lung tissue and in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were also assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays , respectively. Flow cytometry was utilized to assess engraftment of TSCs and cell apoptosis.Results Histological analyses of the lungs displayed a reduction in cellularity and less thickening of the alveolar walls in ALI mice that received TSCs compared with ALI mice receiving PBS or FBs. TSCs decreased infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages, and the expression of interleukin 6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and keratinocyte-derived chemokine in the injured lungs. The levels of IL-6 and MCP-1 in BALF were decreased in ALI mice receiving TSCs, compared with ALI mice that received PBS or FBs. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling confirmed that TSCs significantly reduced BLM-induced apoptosis of lung tissue in vivo and epithelial cells in vitro . Transplanted TSCs integrated into the alveolar walls and expressed aquaporin 5 and prosurfactant protein C, markers for alveolar epithelial type I and II cells, respectively. ConclusionIntratracheal transplantation of TSCs into the lungs of mice after acute exposure to BLM reduced pulmonary inflammation and cell death. Furthermore, TSCs engrafted into the alveolar walls to form alveolar epithelial type I and II cells. These data support the use of TSCs for the treatment of ALI.

Accumulating evidence demonstrates that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) may be involved in the regulation of cancer biology. PVT1, which is overexpressed in tumor samples, acts as an oncogenic promoter in several kinds of cancers, including ovarian cancer. However, the mechanisms of its regulation of malignant behaviors in ovarian cancer remain largely unknown. In this study, the expression of PVT1 in several ovarian cancer cell lines was analyzed by qRT-PCR. The effect of PVT1 on malignant behaviors, including cell proliferation, migration and invasion, was analyzed. The posttranscriptional regulation of FOXM1 by PVT1 was analyzed by western blotting. The results illustrated that PVT1 acted as a sponge and bound miR-370 on two binding sites. The expression of PVT1 positively regulated malignant behaviors in ovarian cancer cells, including cell proliferation, migration and invasion, which could be reversed by the introduction of miR-370 mimics. Sponged miR-370 failed to posttranscriptionally regulate FOXM1, which resulted in the promotion of malignant behavior. PVT1 was also found to bind to FOXM1 directly and stabilize the FOXM1 protein. The promoting effect of PVT1 on malignant behaviors and chemoresistance to cisplatin could be reversed by knockdown of FOXM1 and introduction of miR-370 mimics. Together, these results suggest that lncRNA PVT1 promotes malignant behavior and induces chemoresistance in ovarian cancer by epigenetic and posttranscriptional regulation of FOXM1.

In this study, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs), and dechlorane plus (DPs) were analyzed in seven categories of building and decoration materials. The total concentrations of analyzed FRs ranged from 1.19 ng/g (diatomite powder) to 9532 ng/g (expanded polystyrene panel). Relatively high concentrations were detected in foam samples and PVC materials, followed by sealing materials, boards, wallpaper, paints, and wall decoration powders. BDE209 was the most detected compound with the highest concentrations in almost all materials, followed by decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), which was consistent with their productions and consumptions in China. The estimated PBDE concentrations in air and dust based on material concentration and emission rate were comparable with those detected in real samples. Adult and infant exposures via inhalation and dust ingestion were assessed. The estimated exposures to BDE209 via dust ingestion were 1.36 and 0.12 ng/(kg bw d), which were 19- and 4-fold higher than those via inhalation for infants and adults, respectively. This suggested that dust ingestion was a significant pathway of human BDE209 exposure, especially for infants. For the other PBDE congeners (∑7PBDEs), the estimated exposures via inhalation were 2.60 and 1.32 ng/(kg bw d) for infants and adults, respectively. Despite the low estimated human exposures to PBDEs compared to the oral reference doses, the exposure associated with building and decoration materials still requires more attention because of the potential risks from other exposure pathways and undetected FRs in those materials.

Although organophosphate diester (di-OPE) metabolites in urine are usually used to assess human exposure to organophosphate esters (OPEs), whether they can reflect human exposure to all OPEs with great differences in chemical structures and properties is still currently unclear. In this study, we detected sixteen OPEs and ten di-OPEs in 52 paired whole blood, serum, and urine samples collected in Beijing, China to investigate the correlations between different compounds and matrices, thus providing proper biomarkers of human exposure to OPEs. The order of the median concentrations of ∑OPEs was whole blood (8.63 ng/mL) > serum (5.71 ng/mL) > urine (0.396 ng/mL), while those of ∑di-OPEs followed the order of urine (16.6 ng/mL) > whole blood (5.97 ng/mL) > serum (3.70 ng/mL). Ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP) and cresyl diphenyl phosphate (CDPP) were the dominant OPEs in both whole blood and serum samples and were significantly correlated between these two matrices. The distribution of OPEs in human blood was evaluated according to serum-to-whole blood concentration ratios (S:WB ratios). The median S:WB ratios of triethyl phosphate (TEP), tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP), bisphenol-A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BABP), EHDPP, and CDPP were lower than 1, indicating that these OPEs preferred to accumulated in blood cells rather than in serum/plasma. Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (BEHP) was the major di-OPEs and was detected in almost all whole blood, serum and urine samples. The median whole blood: urine (WB:UR) ratios of di-OPEs were significantly and positively correlated with their logKow values, indicating that di-OPEs with low hydrophobicity were prone to excretion via urine. Based on the relationships between OPEs and di-OPEs in these matrices, the parent OPEs in whole blood can be recommended for use as alternative biomarkers of aryl-OPEs exposure in future human biomonitoring studies, in addition to metabolites in urine.

Some studies demonstrated that female genital mycoplasmas play important roles in human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, abnormal cervical cytopathology, and cervical cancer. However, those results remained inconclusive. We aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the association between female genital mycoplasmas and those disorders. Computerized databases were comprehensively searched before 26 January 2017. Pooled odd radios (ORs) and correlative 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were adopted to evaluate the strength of association. Our meta-analysis included 22 studies with 16,181 participants. Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum were associated with a significantly increased risk of overall HPV infection (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.05–2.34; OR 3.02, 95% CI 2.10–4.33, respectively), and U. urealyticum and Mycoplasma genitalium were associated with a significantly increased risk of high-risk HPV infection (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.05–1.80; OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.11–2.02, respectively). In addition, U. urealyticum, U. parvum, and Mycoplasma hominis were associated with a significantly increased risk of abnormal cervical cytopathology (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.23–1.85; OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.10–1.80; OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.10–1.99, respectively). We found that U. urealyticum and M. genitalium may increase the risk of high-risk HPV infection, while U. urealyticum, U. parvum, and M. hominis may increase the risk of abnormal cervical cytopathology.

Three-dimensional porous sponge has been demonstrated as an outstanding candidate in oil/water separation due to its hydrophobicity and oleophilicity that originates from the synergistic effect of rough structure and low surface energy, but the separation process has not been illuminated clearly. This paper presents the study of the synthesis of oil/water separation sponge, mechanism of separation process and establishment of kinetic model, via the combination among dopamine chemistry, covalent modification, theoretical analysis, experimental results and mathematical model. Results show that both the dopamine deposition time and the octadecyltrimethoxysilane hydrolysis system significantly affect the hydrophobicity of the modified-melamine sponge and that the oil/water separation process is composed of six scenarios with different physical state. Furthermore, with the experimental results, established iso-potential separation model and the height-quantized model, we conclude that the time-dependent separation patterns and kinetics are subjected to the modulation of the viscosity of the separated substance and the immersion depth of the sponge.

Studying the reaction mechanism of materials in the process of lithiation/delithiation is important to understand and optimize the electrode materials. In this work, the petal-like CoSe is prepared by a simple hydrothermal method, and its lithium storage mechanism is studied. During the charge/discharge cycles, the capacity of the CoSe decreases first and then increases. In the initial stage, the volume of CoSe expands due to the intercalation of lithium ions, which results in the amorphousness of CoSe and reduces the specific capacity. The subsequent increase in capacity is due to the recrystallization of the material and the formation of a conductive SEI film. The petal-like CoSe displays a specific capacity of 450 mA h g−1 at the current density of 100 mA g−1 after 300 cycles. To improve the lithium storage performance, a CoSe/rGO composite is prepared. The addition of GO during the preparation of CoSe changes the morphology of CoSe from a larger petal shape to a smaller rod shape, which weakens the effect of volume change during lithium ion intercalation and shortens the lithium ion diffusion distance, so improves the reduction of specific capacity. At a current density of 100 mA g−1, the specific capacity of CoSe/rGO composite can be as high as 730 mA h g−1 after 200 cycles. Even under a large current density of 1000 mA g−1, the specific capacity of the CoSe/rGO composite can still reach 570 mA h g−1 after 1000 cycles.

Organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) have been increasingly used in various building and decoration materials to fulfill fire safety standards since the phasing out of polybrominated diphenyl ethers. We determined OPFR concentrations in the most commonly used building and decoration materials available in local markets and online in China. The OPFR concentrations varied significantly, from 14.78 ng/g (putty powder) to 9649000 ng/g (expanded polystyrene panel (EPS)). Relatively high concentrations of OPFRs were found in foam samples, followed by nonwoven and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) wallpaper, PVC pipes, sealing materials, boards, and paints. Low concentrations were found mostly in wall decoration powders, suggesting that no OPFRs had been added to these powders. Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate and tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate were the most detected halogenated OPFRs, while tri-n-butyl phosphate and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate were the dominant nonhalogenated OPFRs, implying that they are commonly used in building and decoration materials. The estimated OPFR burden in interior decoration using nonwoven wallpaper was 330- and 2110-fold higher than that using latex paint and diatomite, respectively. The emission periods of OPFRs from nonwoven and PVC wallpaper may be greater than 13 years. We estimated that the total burden of OPFRs for decoration using wallpaper in newly decorated houses in China is ∼63 t/y. Significantly higher concentrations of OPFRs in interior decoration materials, especially nonwoven wallpaper, pose potential health risks to the people using the buildings.

Photodetectors based on the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure suffer from persistent photoconductivity (PPC) in which recovery from the optical stimulus can take days. This behavior is unsuitable for many applications where reliable and consistent optical response is required. This letter presents a method for suppressing PPC in AlGaN/GaN photodetectors by employing device suspension and in situ heating. The highly conductive two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the interface of AlGaN and GaN serves as both a sensor and a heater (via Joule heating). Microfabricated AlGaN/GaN-on-Si ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors (suspended and unsuspended) were exposed to UV (365 nm) for 60 s and the transient responses were measured under various in situ heating conditions. The measured transient response showed a decay time of ~39 h when the photodetector was not heated and 24 s for a suspended photodetector with in situ 2DEG heating (270°C with a power of 75 mW). This remarkable suppression of the PPC in AlGaN/GaN UV photodetectors can be attributed to the novel device architecture and in situ heating capability, which enables acceleration of the carrier capture rate during operation.

The atmospheric deposition fluxes of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and Dechlorane Plus (DPs) in Dongjiang River Basin of the Pearl River Delta in South China were investigated during winter and summer, respectively. The total deposition fluxes varied from 4.74 to 27.0 ng/m2/day for PBDEs and 8.77 to 206 ng/m2/day for DPs, respectively. The fractions of anti-DP to the total DPs (f anti) varied from 0.28 to 0.63 (mean = 0.43 ± 0.06), i.e., generally lower than those in commercial products, which might be attributed to the different environmental fates of the two isomers. Significant seasonal and spatial variations of PBDEs and DPs were observed. The deposition fluxes in summer were generally higher than those in winter, which may be due to the relatively high temperature and rainfall in summer under the influence of prevailing subtropical monsoon climate. Moreover, high deposition fluxes of PBDEs and DPs in urban areas and significant urban/rural gradient implied that local industrial activities in the urban areas were primary sources, which were further confirmed by the results of principal component analysis. The highest deposition of PBDE and DP fluxes was found at different sampling sites, suggesting PBDEs and DPs may be derived from different industries or products.

A microscale soot-particulate sensor using interdigitated platinum-gallium nitride (Pt-GaN) Schottky interfaces was developed to monitor fine soot particles within high-temperature environments (e.g., combustion exhausts and flues). Upon exposure to soot particles (30 to 50 nm in diameter) from an experimental chimney, an increased current (∼43.6%) is observed through the back-to-back Schottky contact to n-type GaN. This is attributed to a reduction in the effective Schottky barrier height (SBH) of ∼10 meV due to the electric field from the charged soot particles in the depletion region and exposed GaN surface. Furthermore, the microfabricated sensor was shown to recover sensitivity and regenerate the sensing response (∼11 meV SBH reduction) after exposure to temperature as high as 550 °C. This study supports the feasibility of a simple and reliable soot sensor to meet the increasing market demand for particulate matter sensing in harsh environments.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in women. Accumulating evidence showed an evolving role of HE4 in monitoring the progression and prognosis of OC but without a comprehensive analysis for prognosis and survival data. Areas covered: The present meta-analysis aims to explore the association of HE4 with survival and the clinicopathological features of OC patients. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched for relevant studies regarding the role of both serum and tissue HE4 expression in ovarian cancer. Expert commentary: HE4 has been proposed as the most promising biomarker that may complement the CA125 expression and has been approved by the FDA in monitoring the follow-up and relapse of OC patients. Our results are in accordance with the most recent evidence suggesting its important role in the prognostic surveillance of OC and a better performance in the early prediction of OC recurrence than CA125.

Concentrations and vertical distributions of organophosphate esters (OPEs) were investigated in the sediment cores collected from the Laizhou Bay, Bohai Sea of China. The total concentrations of OPEs in the sediment core (CA) collected near the Yellow River Estuary were in the range of 11.8-102ng/g, while the total concentrations in the sediment core (CB) near a mariculture area were 6.65-41.5ng/g. Significantly high concentrations of OPEs were found in the sediments near the Yellow River Estuary than those in the mariculture area. Vertical distributions in the sediment cores demonstrated a recent increase of OPE emissions, especially for tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP), tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), and tris (2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCPP). Generally, TCEP and TCPP were the dominant congeners in the sediment cores, while the profiles of TnBP were increase in the surface 0-20cm layers of the CA core. OPEs in the CA core may be remarkably influenced by the discharge of Yellow River, whereas OPEs in the CB core may originate from the transport through seawater. The remarkable increase of OPE flame retardants in the surface sediments raises the concern about their emissions and risks to the environment and indicates the need for further monitoring.

The concentrations and distributions of PBDEs and novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) in dissolved phase of surface seawater near a coastal mariculture area of the Bohai Sea were investigated. The total concentrations of PBDE and NBFRs were in the range of 15.4–65.5 and 2.12–13.6 ng/L, respectively. The highest concentration was discovered in the water near an anchorage ground, whereas concentrations in water samples from offshore cage-culture area were not elevated. Relatively high concentrations of BDE28, 99, and 100 were discovered in the medium range of distance from shore, where is the path of tidal or coastal current. This suggested that inputs from ships or through tidal current rather than mariculture activities may be the main sources of BFRs in this area. BDE209, BDE47, hexabromobenzene (HBB), and 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) were the most abundant BFR congeners. Relatively high proportions of these BFRs may originate from discharge of wastewater nearby or degradation from higher brominated PBDEs. No correlations were found between BFR concentrations and water dissolved organic carbon, suggesting that concentrations and distributions of BFRs in this area were source-dependent. The relatively high concentrations in this study emphasized the importance of monitoring and managing BFR contaminations in mariculture areas of China.

A 41-year-old G6P1 woman presented for first prenatal visit at 26 weeks gestation. It was her sixth pregnancy. The details of the previous four pregnancies cannot be acquired, but all the four pregnancies were ended by stillbirth at approximately 3, 4, 5, and 6 months gestation, respectively, and the fourth fetus was diagnosed with fetal hydrops before death. Three years ago, she was in fifth pregnancy, fetal hydrops was found at 27 weeks gestation. She was hospitalized, laboratory examination showed her blood type was O Rh-negative, and the titer of anti-RhD was 256. Amniocentesis and intrauterine transfusion were suggested to her. Being worried about neonatal adverse outcome, the patient gave up any treatment and was discharged. The fetus was dead 3 weeks later and the patient received induced labor at a village hospital. In her childhood, the patient was hospitalized and received platelet transfusion several times because of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), and Rh blood type was not analyzed at that time. This was her sixth pregnancy. She was hospitalized at 28 weeks gestation because of high-risk pregnancy. The vital signs were stable. And the BMI was 31 kg/m. OGTT test suggested she had GDM. The titer of anti-RhD was 256. Ultrasound did not find any sign of fetal hydrops. Insulin was used to control the patient’s glycemia. Rh antibody and Doppler ultrasound screening (including the peak systolic velocity in the middle cerebral artery i.e. MCA-PSV, fetal growth, and fetal hydrops) were checked every 1–2 weeks regularly (see Table 1). Anti-RhD titer rose to 512 at 30 weeks gestation, but the MoM of the MCA-PSV did not change obviously, and there was no sign of fetal hydrops from ultrasound. Single-course dexamethasone was used to enhance fetal lung maturity. Serial MCA-PSV, anti-Rh titer and fetal monitoring were screened weekly. At 34 gestational weeks, the titer of antiRhD reached 1,024, emergency caesarean section (CS) was performed. A boy was born with Apgar score 10-10-10 and weight 1.77 kg. The newborn was transmitted to NICU immediately. Laboratory test showed the baby’s blood hemoglobin was 57 g/L, total bilirubin was 292 lmol/L and unconjugated bilirubin was 283 lmol/L. Direct coombs test, indirect coombs test and ABO radiation test were all positive. The titers of anti-D in the newborn’s serum were 0 for IgM and 16 for IgG. No other disorders were found in the preterm infant. After one blood exchange transfusion (1.5 ll for leukocyte privative red blood cells of O, Rh-dccee and 75 ml for blood plasma of AB, Rhnegative) and two times transfusion of O Rh-negative leukocyte privative red blood cells (0.25 and 0.4 ll respectively), the baby was cured and discharged healthy 3 weeks later. The blood type and antibody titers of the patient’s family are shown in Table 2 and the changes of the fetus’s hemoglobin, total bilirubin and unconjugated bilirubin of pre-, intraand post-blood exchanging M. Hou A. Xing (&) Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China e-mail: aiyun-x@126.com

The diurnal atmospheric concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were investigated at an abandoned e-waste recycling site in South China during winter and summer. Total PCB concentrations during winter and summer were 27.6–212 and 368–1704 pg/m 3 in the particulate phase and 270–697 and 3000–15,500 pg/m 3 in the gaseous phase, respectively. Both gaseous and particulate PCB concentrations and compositions exhibited significant difference between winter and summer samples, but no diurnal variations during the measurement period. The correlation analysis between PCB concentrations and meteorological conditions, including atmospheric temperature, humidity, and mixing layer height, suggested that the seasonal variability of atmospheric PCB concentrations was strongly temperature-dependent, while the diurnal variability was probably source-dependent. The temperature-driven variations can also be proved by the significant linear correlation between ln P and 1/T in the Clausius-Clapeyron plot. Although government has implemented controls to reduce e-waste pollution, both the relatively high concentrations of PCBs and the diurnal variation in the air suggested that emissions from occasional e-waste recycling activities may still exist in this recycling area. These results underline the importance of continuing e-waste recycling site management long after abandonment.

In this paper, the electron mobility and sheet density of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in both air and argon environments at 600 °C were measured intermittently over a 5 h duration using unpassivated and Al2O3-passivated AlGaN/GaN (with 3 nm GaN cap) van der Pauw test structures. The unpassivated AlGaN/GaN heterostructures annealed in air showed the smallest decrease (∼8%) in 2DEG electron mobility while Al2O3-passivated samples annealed in argon displayed the largest drop (∼70%) based on the Hall measurements. Photoluminescence and atomic force microscopy showed that minimal strain relaxation and surface roughness changes have occurred in the unpassivated samples annealed in air, while those with Al2O3 passivation annealed in argon showed significant microstructural degradations. This suggests that cracks developed in the samples annealed in air were healed by oxidation reactions. To further confirm this, Auger electron spectroscopy was conducted on the unpassivated samples after the anneal in...

To research the lymphatic tropism and lymph cell apoptosis of cisplatin-nano carbon suspension in rats with the aim of proposing a new way for chemotherapy.A total of 72 Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups. For the experimental group, cisplatin-nano carbon suspension 0.3 ml (4 mg/ml) was injected subcutaneously into Wistar rats' plantar. For the control group, cisplatin 0.3 ml (4 mg/ml) was injected intravenously. Cisplatin concentration in the inguinal lymphatic tissue and plasma was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 hours after drug administration. The apoptosis of lymph cell was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling assay (TUNEL). Targeting ability were evaluated and compared by targeting index (TI), selecting index (SI) and relative extraction efficiency (RE). SPSS 17.0 statistical software was used to analyze the differentiation of the cisplatin concentration and apoptosis index (AI) among various groups. DAS software was used to evaluate the lymphatic tropism.The cisplatin concentration of lymphatic tissue in experimental group were respectively (1.03± 0.32), (3.00±0.91), (2.20±0.73), (1.56±0.38), (1.30±0.74) and (0.78±0.34)µg/g after administration 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 hours, while in control group were (0.49±0.21), (1.02±0.70), (0.59±0.50), (0.56±0.21), (0.47±0.18) and (0.36±0.13)µg/g, in which there were significant difference at every times (all P0.05)except at 1 hour(P = 0.173). The cisplatin concentration in plasma were significant higher in the experimental group than those in the control group at various times(all P0.05), the former were respectively (0.57±0.28), (1.22 ± 0.45), (0.61 ± 0.18), (0.51 ± 0.13), (0.45 ± 0.13) and (0.40 ± 0.07) µg/ml, while the latter were respectively (3.12±0.33), (4.09±0.48), (2.56±0.38), (2.05±0.13), (1.81±0.28) and (1.44±0.40) µg/ml. Values of TI were respectively 2.12, 2.93, 3.73, 2.78, 2.76 and 2.19 and SI were 1.80, 2.45, 3.63, 3.07, 2.86 and 1.93. Value of RE was 2.86. The AI in experimental group were respectively (16.5±5.2)%, (30.2±2.8)%, (51.7 ± 4.3)%, (69.8 ± 3.2)%, (80.1 ± 4.3)% and (89.7 ± 8.5)% , while in control group were respectively(1.3±0.8)%, (2.4±1.7)%, (3.2±1.1)%, (3.9±2.6)%, (5.1±2.1)% and (6.3±2.3)%, in which there were significant difference at every points(all P0.05).The nano carbon has the character of lymphatic tropism, and could send cisplatin to lymphatic tissue to achieve a higher concentration. The trait may break a new way for chemotherapy targeting lymph metastasis.

The development of radiation-hardened, temperature-tolerant materials, sensors and electronics will enable lightweight space sub-systems (reduced packaging requirements) with increased operation lifetimes in extreme harsh environments such as those encountered during space exploration. Gallium nitride (GaN) is a ceramic, semiconductor material stable within high-radiation, high-temperature and chemically corrosive environments due to its wide bandgap (3.4 eV). These material properties can be leveraged for ultraviolet (UV) wavelength photodetection. In this paper, current results of GaN metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) UV photodetectors behavior after irradiation up to 50 krad and temperatures of 15°C to 150°C is presented. These initial results indicate that GaN-based sensors can provide robust operation within extreme harsh environments. Future directions for GaN-based photodetector technology for down-hole, automotive and space exploration applications are also discussed.

This paper reports the steady-state and transient temperature response of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) based structures. In this study, three localized heating schemes, namely, continuous self-heating, pulsed self-heating and heating with on-chip heaters are studied for sensor applications that require controlled heating profiles. Two scenarios were considered for the GaN sensor structure: 1) the silicon substrate under the AlGaN/GaN sensor is not removed, and 2) the silicon substrate is removed to form a suspended AlGaN/GaN diaphragm on which the sensor is located. The three heating schemes are analyzed by finite element thermal analysis, evaluated and compared. In addition, general guidelines for designing localized heating architectures for AlGaN/GaN HEMT based sensors are provided.

New milestones in space exploration can be realized through the development of radiation-hardened, temperature-tolerant materials, sensors and electronics. This enables lightweight systems (reduced packaging requirements) with increased operation lifetimes. Gallium nitride (GaN) is a ceramic, semiconductor material that is stable within high-radiation, high-temperature and chemically corrosive environments. Recently, this material platform has been utilized to realize sensors and electronics for operation under extreme harsh conditions. These devices exploit the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) formed at the interface between AlGaN/GaN heterostructures, which is used as the material platform in high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). In this paper, a review of the advancements in GaN manufacturing technology such as the growth of epitaxially deposited thin films, micromachining techniques and high-temperature metallization is presented. In addition, the compelling results of fabricating and operating micro-scale GaNbased sensors within radiation environments and at elevated temperatures are shown. The paper will close with future directions GaN-based microsystems technology for down-hole, propulsion and space exploration applications.

The high-temperature characteristics (at 600 °C) of Ti/Al/Pt/Au multilayer contacts to gallium nitride (GaN) in air are reported. Microfabricated circular-transfer-line-method test structures were subject to 10 h of thermal storage at 600 °C. Intermittent electrical characterization during thermal storage showed minimal variation in the contact resistance after 2 h and that the specific contact resistivity remained on the order of 10−5 Ω-cm2. In addition, the thermally stored multilayer contacts to GaN showed ohmic I-V characteristics when electrically probed at 600 °C. The microstructural analysis with atomic force microscopy showed minimal changes in surface roughness after thermal storage. Observations of the thermochemical reactions after thermal storage using Auger electron spectroscopy chemical depth profiling showed diffusion of Pt and minimal additional Al oxidation. The results support the use of Ti/Al/Pt/Au multilayer metallization for GaN-based sensors and electronic devices that will operate within a high-temperature and oxidizing ambient.