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The efficacy of adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in industrial emissions by activated carbon (AC) is influenced by adsorption kinetics and hydrodynamics. To simulate the performance of continuous flow AC adsorption process, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model that includes both multiphase flow and adsorption kinetics was developed. Because of its well-understood adsorption mechanism, N-butane was chosen as the target contaminant in this investigation. Simulation results revealed that velocity distribution uniformity is deeply affected by structural outline. According to simulations of the heat and mass transfer process, the adsorption reaction stoichiometric constraints between n-butane and AC were achieved; however, full utilization of AC was difficult to reach because of the hindered heat accumulation and mass transfer diffusion. Different structural outline leads to a 2.15 % improvement of adsorption efficiency due to an enhancement in the velocity distribution uniformity. The CFD model adequately describes the breakage curve occurring in the gas-solid multiphase flow system and confirms that heat and mass transfer is the rate limiting step in contaminant adsorption. This article investigates the effects of velocity distribution, heat and mass transfer on adsorption efficiency in equipment with different structural outline, and provide valuable insights into the design and application of equipment for eliminating VOCs.

The widespread application of antibiotics has caused a large number of their residues in the water and posed a serious threat to the ecological environment and human health. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are a promising way to deeply remove such emerging organic pollutants in wastewater treatment. Recently, the AOPs based on sulfate radical (SO4–·) have become a global research hotspot owing to their characteristics of economic efficiency, wide application range, and high stability. In this review, traditional and emerging methods for persulfate activation (such as heating, ultraviolet (UV), carbon-based materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and transition metals) and their research progress in the degradation of antibiotics in water are summarized integrally. The main factors influencing the activation of persulfate by different methods, as well as the mechanism and pathway of antibiotic degradation, are discussed thoroughly, and the toxicity of antibiotic degradation intermediates is also evaluated. Finally, the developing trend prospects for advanced oxidation technology of active persulfate.

Aims: To explore the associations between visit-to-visit lipid variability and risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in a population-based cohort in China. Methods: We evaluated lipid variability in 30,217 individuals from the Yinzhou Health Information System who had ≥3 recorded lipid measurements during 2010–2014. We used various indicators including standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), variability independent of the mean (VIM), and average real variability (ARV) to quantify the variability in triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Overall, a total of 1305 participants with IHD were identified during the follow-up of 194,421 person-years. Subjects in Q4 had a 21% elevated risk of IHD (HR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.03–1.41) for LDL-C variability (CV) compared with the reference (Q1). The HRs for Q4 vs Q1 were 1.21 (95% CI: 1.04–1.42) for HDL-C variability, and 1.28 (95% CI: 1.10–1.50) for TC variability. However, no association was observed between triglycerides variability and risk of IHD. Conclusions: Higher variability in LDL-C, HDL-C, and TC levels was associated with an elevated risk of IHD, suggesting that lipid variability could be considered as an independent risk factor of IHD.

The large-scale commercial application of Li metal batteries is hindered by uncontrolled Li dendrite growth. Most of the present interfacial engineering strategies in lithium metal batteries can only prolong the nucleation time of lithium dendrites but cannot prevent the growth of lithium dendrites in three-dimensional space. In this work, a nickel-based catecholate (Ni-CAT) conductive interlayer that can guide the orderly migration of lithium ions and inhibit the disordered deposition of lithium dendrites is successfully constructed between the solid electrolyte and lithium metal through a reasonable design. The experimental analysis proves that the Ni-CAT nanorod arrays with unique vertical structures are closely connected to the solid electrolyte, which can reduce the charge-transfer resistance at the interface and guide lithium ions to be preferentially deposited on the surface of the Ni-CAT intermediate layer through the conduction gradient. Hence, this structure effectively avoids the phenomenon of apical growth during lithium deposition. In addition, the rich pores and inherent nanochannels of Ni-CAT itself act as an “ion sieve”, successfully inducing the uniform deposition of lithium metal, which greatly reduces the occurrence of dead lithium due to the loss of electrical contact of lithium during cycling. This strategy holds promise for solving the lithium dendrite problem.

To investigate the association of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution with the risk of allergic rhinitis (AR), we performed a longitudinal analysis of 379,488 participants (47.4% women) free of AR at baseline in the UK Biobank. The annual average concentrations of PM2.5, PMcoarse, PM10, NO2, and NOxwere estimated by land use regression models. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A weighted polygenic risk score was constructed. During a median follow-up period of 12.5 years, 3095 AR cases were identified. We observed significant associations between the risk of AR and PM2.5(HR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.27–1.79, per 5 μg/m3), PMcoarse(HR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.06–1.55, per 5 μg/m3), PM10(HR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.20–1.74, per 10 μg/m3), NO2(HR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.09–1.19, per 10 μg/m3), and NOx(HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.05–1.15, per 20 μg/m3). Moreover, participants with high air pollution combined with high genetic risk showed the highest risk of AR, although no multiplicative or additive interaction was observed. In conclusion, long-term exposure to air pollutants was associated with an elevated risk of AR, particularly in high-genetic-risk populations, emphasizing the urgent need to improve air quality.

Background: Sleep disorders are a common syndrome and could affect the life quality of the older adults. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the association between nutritional status and sleep quality in the Chinese community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A total of 2,878 participants ≥ 65 years old from the Yiwu Elderly Cohort were included in the study. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF). Participants were categorized as subjects with malnutrition, at risk of malnutrition or well-nourished based on their MNA-SF score. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to identify sleep disorders. PSQI score ≥ 6 was categorized as poor sleep quality. Results: Among the 2,878 participants (mean age 72.71 ± 5.79 years, 50.3% men), 31.5% (n = 906) were classified as having sleep disorders, and 25.5% were identified as malnutrition or at risk of malnutrition. We found a significantly relationship between nutritional status and sleep quality in older adults, and the results showed well-nourished decreased the risk of sleep disorders (OR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.13, 0.75). And well-nourished status was significantly associated with less daytime dysfunction, adequate sleep duration, and good subjective sleep quality (all P< 0.05). Conclusion: There was a close association of nutritional status and sleep quality in older adults. We should pay more attention to the nutritional status of older people with sleep problems, as well as the sleep quality of older adults with malnutrition.

Aqueous perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) elimination has raised significant concerns due to its persistence and bioaccumulation. Although β-PbO2plate anodes have shown efficient mineralization of PFOA, it remains unclear whether PFOA can be effectively degraded using β-PbO2reactive electrochemical membrane (REM). Herein, we assessed the performance of Ti/SnO2-Sb/La-PbO2REM for PFOA removal and proposed a possible degradation mechanism. At a current density of 10 mA/cm2and a membrane flux of 8500 (liters per square meter per hour, LMH), the degradation efficiency of 10 mg/L PFOA was merely 8.8%, whereas the degradation efficiency of 0.1 mg/L PFOA increased to 96.6%. Although the porous structure of the β-PbO2REM provided numerous electroactive sites for PFOA, the generated oxygen bubbles in the pores could block the pore channels and adsorb PFOA molecules. These hindered the protonation process and significantly impeded the degradation of high-concentration PFOA. Quenching experiments indicated that •OH played dominant role in PFOA degradation. The electrical energy per order to remove 0.1 mg/L PFOA was merely 0.74 Wh/L, which was almost an order of magnitude lower than that of other anode materials. This study presents fresh opportunities for the electrochemical degradation of low-concentration PFOA using β-PbO2REM.

Organic pollutants in water could be removed by electrochemical treatment using a reactive electrochemical membrane (REM) with Magnéli phase Ti4O7, yet it is challenging to design suitable porosity to realize effective mass transfer and enhance the reactivity. Here, a novel Ti4O7REM was prepared by a spark plasma sintering (SPS) method, which showed excellent electrochemical reactivity and mass transfer rate for organic pollutants in water. Compared to other Ti4O7REMs, the novel Ti4O7REM achieved a 140–9000-fold decrease in charge transfer resistance and a 5–110-fold increase in mass transfer rate. The p-nitrophenol in water can be completely removed in the REM system, with a maximum total organic carbon (TOC) removal rate of 85%. Then the REM system obtained an amazing removal rate of TOC (50.1%) and UV254(89.6%) in the electrochemical treatment of real coking wastewater. In addition, to further enhance the removal efficiency, a coupled oxidation process with the novel Ti4O7REM and O3aeration was investigated. The TOC removal rate and energy consumption were 57.1% and 165.2 kWh (kg TOC)−1at the optimal conditions within a short treating time. Our findings highlighted an innovative REM for a broad range of potential environmental applications.

Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising technology for treating high-salinity mine water. However, MD membranes are known to have low membrane flux and are prone to fouling. In this study, we used the cost-effective and controllable vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS) technology to prepare polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membranes, replacing the traditional immersion precipitation method and optimizing the membrane structure by including LiCl and acetone as porogen in the casting solution. The results showed that the membrane prepared using the VIPS method exhibited a highly open interconnected porous surface. Unlike traditional MD membranes with a dense epidermal layer and large finger-like pores, these optimized membranes had a symmetrical and uniform internal structure, leading to a high flux of 8.62 kg·(m2·h)−1during direct contact membrane distillation testing. Different porogens produced varied results on the VIPS process and varying effects on membrane structure. The use of LiCl promoted the formation of PVDF β-phase, resulting in a decrease in the number of spherical nodules on the membrane surface, as well as improved density and smoothness. Consequently, this reduced fouling risk during membrane distillation while slightly decreasing membrane flux. On the other hand, acetone rapidly evaporated during the VIPS process, facilitating pre-gelatinization and α-phase formation of PVDF. This concurrent effect effectively restricted excessive nodule growth on the membrane surface, endowing the membrane with antifouling capabilities while preserving high flux.

Epigenetics play an essential role in colorectal neoplasia process. There is a need to determine the appropriateness of epigenetic biomarkers for early detection as well as expand our understanding of the carcinogenic process. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess how DNA methylation pattern of GALR1gene evolves in a sample set representing colorectal neoplastic progression. The study was designed into three phases. Firstly, Methylation status of GALR1was assessed with genome-wide DNA methylation beadchip and pyrosequencing assays in colorectal lesions and paired normal tissues. Then, linear mixed-effects modeling analyses were applied to describe the trend of DNA methylation during the progression of colorectal neoplasia. In the third phase, quantitative RT-PCR was used to examine GALR1expression in patients with precursor lesion and colorectal cancer. We found that significant hypermethylation of GALR1promoter was a widely existent modification in CRCs (P< 0.001). When further examined methylation pattern of GALR1during neoplastic progression of CRC, we found that DNA methylation level of GALR1showed a significant stepwise increase from normal to hyperplastic polyps, to adenomas and to carcinoma samples (P< 0.001). Besides, loss of mRNA expression is a common accompaniment to adenomas and carcinomas. Public omics data analyses showed an inverse correlation between gene expression and DNA methylation (P< 0.001). Our findings indicate that epigenetic alteration of GALR1promoter is gradually accumulated during the colorectal neoplastic progression. It can potentially be a promising biomarker used for screening and surveillance of colorectal cancer.

Developing a high-quality photoelectrode for photoelectrochemical applications is still an ongoing challenge. In this study, we prepared the g-C3N4film on the indium tin oxide (ITO) glass through conventional coating, liquid-based growth, in-situcalcination, and vapor deposition methods, respectively. These electrodes were characterized and used as photoanodes to degrade methylene blue (MB) in water. Among these methods, the in-situcalcination method was most appropriate for preparing the continuous and organized g-C3N4film electrodes with uniform g-C3N4coverage and strong adhesion to the ITO substrate. It also had the highest activity in the photocatalytic (PC), electrochemical (EC), and photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation processes of MB. In the PEC reaction, at an applied potential of 1.0 V and a light intensity of 0.96 W/cm2, the removal rate of MB was 62.5%, which was much higher than those in the PC and EC reactions. The high degradation rate was due to the synergistic effect of PEC degradation, wherein the PC and EC reactions promote and optimize each other. In the PC reaction, MB was degraded by −CH3elimination, while the EC degradation pathway mainly included the conversion of sulfhydryl into sulfoxide and the opening of the central aromatic ring. Both methyl loss and aromatic ring opening occurred in the PEC reaction. Moreover, some monocyclic compounds were formed, and MB showed more complete degradation in the PEC reaction.

The industrial effluent from glyphosate production has high salinity and refractory organic contaminants. The removal of organics and the recycling of inorganic salts from this kind of water are challenging issues. In this study, electro-Fenton (EF) and membrane distillation (MD) were coupled in a single reactor utilizing a membrane-based electrode (Mem-GDE) with the ability to bidirectionally transfer vapor and oxygen and electrochemically synthesize H2O2. The operating thermal conditions for MD significantly promoted Fenton reactions and, thus, the removal of glyphosate. During operation, Fe species deposited on the Mem-GDE and enhanced its catalytic activity and adsorptive capacity, which markedly increased the apparent reaction rate constant of glyphosate by 6 times. This novel EF-MD process simultaneously removed organics and concentrated the inorganics, which is very meaningful for decreasing the costs for subsequent crystallization and achieving high-quality crystal salts. This study provides an efficient method for the treatment of organic–inorganic hybrid wastewater.

ABSTRACTRecently, air pollution has attracted a substantial amount of attention in China, which can be influenced by a variety of factors, but the association between air pollution and human activity is not quite clear. Based on real-time online data (January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2014) of air pollution and meteorology reported by official sites, and demographic, economic, and environmental reform data in a statistical yearbook, the influences of meteorological factors (temperature, relative humidity, precipitation intensity, and wind force) and human activities on PM2.5pollution were explored. After correlation analysis, logistic regression analysis, and a nonparametric test, weak negative correlations between temperature and PM2.5pollution were found. In most cases, festival and morning peak hours were protection and risk factors of PM2.5pollution, respectively. In addition, government actions, such as an afforestation project and increasing financial expenditure for energy saving and environmental protection, could greatly contribute to alleviating pollution of PM2.5. The findings could help officials formulate effective laws and regulations, and then PM2.5pollution related to the pattern of human activity would be ameliorated.Implications: Most of the time, festival and morning peak hours are protection and risk factors for PM2.5pollution, respectively. Increasing the percentage of afforestation area and financial expenditure for energy saving and environmental protection could significantly reduce PM2.5pollution. The findings can help officials formulate effective laws and regulations, and then PM2.5pollution related to the pattern of human activity, especially government action, will be ameliorated.

ABSTRACTBackgroundThis study was conducted to characterize the long-term effect of mobile-based education on Chinese female freshmen and disclose the possible predictors of their willingness to get vaccinated based on the information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model.MethodsWe randomly assigned 509 participants to a 7-day mobile-based educational intervention or control group and collected information about general information, health, and sexual behavior, HPV vaccination intention and action, HPV-related knowledge, cognition, and behavioral skill by an online self-administrated questionnaire at baseline, post-intervention, and at the 1-month and 3-month follow-ups.ResultsThe intervention arm showed an improvement in IMB scores after education. Despite the persistent improvement in knowledge, the improvement in their motivation and behavioral skills decreased at the 1-month and 3-month follow-ups. Participants’ vaccination willingness was elevated after the baseline survey in both the intervention and control groups, while the overall appointment/vaccination rate was only 3.73% 3 months later. The intention to get vaccinated was associated with knowing HPV (adjusted OR: 2.37, 95% CI: 1.44 – 3.89), perceiving more barriers (adjusted OR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.44 – 3.25), higher subjective norms (adjusted OR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.26 – 3.32), and having more behavioral skills (adjusted OR: 2.95, 95% CI: 1.79 – 4.87).ConclusionSeven-day mobile-based education was effective to increase IMB model scores among female freshmen. However, the improvement in motivation and behavioral skills was not persistent. Information, perceived barriers, subjective norms, and behavioral skills were discovered to be influencing factors of vaccination intention. Future research with longer, more convenient, and more tailored education to the main influencing factors is warranted.

This research investigates the performances of RuO2/ZrO2-CeO2in catalytic ozonation for water treatment. The results show that RuO2/ZrO2-CeO2was active for the catalytic ozonation of oxalic acid and possessed higher stability than RuO2/Al2O3and Ru/AC. In the catalytic ozonation of dimethyl phthalate (DMP), RuO2/ZrO2-CeO2did not enhance the DMP degradation rate but significantly improved the total organic carbon (TOC) removal rate. The TOC removal in catalytic ozonation was 56% more than that in noncatalytic ozonation. However this does not mean the catalyst was very active because the contribution of catalysis to the overall TOC removal was only 30%. The adsorption of the intermediates on RuO2/ZrO2-CeO2played an important role on the overall TOC removal while the adsorption of DMP on it was negligible. This adsorption difference was due to their different ozonation rates. In the catalytic ozonation of disinfection byproduct precursors with RuO2/ZrO2-CeO2, the reductions of the haloacetic acid and trihalomethane formation potentials (HAAFPs and THMFPs) for the natural water samples were 38%–57% and 50%–64%, respectively. The catalyst significantly promoted the reduction of HAAFPs but insignificantly improved the reduction of THMFPs as ozone reacts fast with the THMs precursors. These results illustrate the good promise of RuO2/ZrO2-CeO2in catalytic ozonation for water treatment.

Introduction: Gustilo IIIB open forearm fractures are severe injuries often associated with extensive bone and soft tissue injuries. The treatment of Gustilo IIIB open forearm fractures remains a challenging problem, with a high morbidity rate such as infection, nonunion, even amputation. External fixation is preferred for open lower limb fractures. However, there are significant differences between open bone injuries of the upper and lower extremity in terms of treatment plans. Use of internal fixation methods for open fractures is a controversial issue, as it requires early coverage of skin and soft tissue defects after radical debridement and irrigation. The optimal approach for open forearm fractures remains to be determined. The present study evaluated whether early internal fixation combined with free flap placement is effective for the treatment of Gustilo IIIB open forearm fracture.

To help reduce risks of heavy metal pollution, two pot experiments were conducted to investigate the variations, transfer potential, and stability of Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) accumulations in celery (Apium graveolensL.) and to screen for low Cd and Pb accumulative cultivars. The maximum differences in shoot Cd concentration were 4.7-fold under low-Cd exposure and 3.3-fold under high-Cd exposure. These genotype variations in Cd accumulation are sufficiently large to help reduce Cd contamination risk in soil by using the Low-Cd-Accumulative genotypes. Cd accumulation of the Low-Cd-Accumulative genotypes is significantly positive correlated with Pb accumulation. Evidence obtained proves that Cd and Pb accumulations in celery are stable and genotype-dependent at the cultivar level. The presence of high-Pb contamination in soil promoted Cd accumulation in shoots of celery. Celery is considered a species with high risks in Cd pollution and low risks in Pb pollution. Among the tested cultivars, cv. Shuanggangkangbing (SGKB) had the lowest shoot Cd and Pb accumulating abilities, and thus is the most important material for breeding of pollution-safe cultivars (PSCs) to minimize Cd and Pb accumulations in celery.To help reduce risks of heavy metal pollution, two pot experiments were conducted to investigate the variations, transfer potential, and stability of Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) accumulations in celery (Apium graveolensL.) and to screen for low Cd and Pb accumulative cultivars. The maximum differences in shoot Cd concentration were 4.7-fold under low-Cd exposure and 3.3-fold under high-Cd exposure. These genotype variations in Cd accumulation are sufficiently large to help reduce Cd contamination risk in soil by using the Low-Cd-Accumulative genotypes. Cd accumulation of the Low-Cd-Accumulative genotypes is significantly positive correlated with Pb accumulation. Evidence obtained proves that Cd and Pb accumulations in celery are stable and genotype-dependent at the cultivar level. The presence of high-Pb contamination in soil promoted Cd accumulation in shoots of celery. Celery is considered a species with high risks in Cd pollution and low risks in Pb pollution. Among the tested cultivars, cv. Shuanggangkangbing (SGKB) had the lowest shoot Cd and Pb accumulating abilities, and thus is the most important material for breeding of pollution-safe cultivars (PSCs) to minimize Cd and Pb accumulations in celery.

At present, it is still a challenge for repairing a wide range of bone defect caused by various reasons. We aimed to investigate the effect of induced membrane technique in the treatment of infectious bone defect.

This research investigated the establishment of a mathematical model for the ozonation of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) through the analysis of the mass transfer and reactions in a semi-batch bubble column reactor. Negative step tracer experiments were conducted with ozone as a tracer, which indicated that the gas phase is perfectly well mixed at the gas flow rate of 400 mL/min. Based on the results from ozone absorption experiments the mass transfer coefficient of ozone was determined to be 0.0054 s−1. The measured stoichiometry ratio of the direct reaction between ozone and DMP was about 5. The calculated rate constant was 0.87 L/(mol·s) for the direct reaction between ozone and DMP. A mathematical model was established based on the component mass balance in the reaction system involving the direct and indirect reactions and mass transfer between gas and liquid phasesenhanced by the chemical reactions. The model can predict the removal of DMP for the early stage of the ozonation process well. At the latter stage, the predicated removals deviated from the measured results mainly due to the consumption of ozone by side reactions.

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