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Context Adrenal venous sampling (AVS), with or without adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation, is the test of choice to identify patients with a surgically curable subtype of primary aldosteronism (PA). Whether AVS with ACTH stimulation is more effective than AVS without ACTH stimulation remains controversial. Objective To compare the effectiveness of AVS with ACTH stimulation and AVS without ACTH stimulation in patients with PA. Design The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify relevant articles. All cohort studies comparing the two techniques (AVS with ACTH stimulation and AVS without ACTH stimulation in a patient with PA) were included in the analysis. Results A total of 14 studies met the inclusion criteria, and they were analyzed. AVS with ACTH stimulation did not significantly reduce the number of incorrect lateralization more than AVS without ACTH stimulation in patients with PA (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.36, 1.59; P = 0.47). AVS with ACTH stimulation significantly reduced the number of unsuccessful cannulations of both adrenal veins more than AVS without ACTH stimulation in patients with PA (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.40; P < 0.00001). For subgroup analyses, it also significantly reduced the number of unsuccessful cannulations of left adrenal vein and right adrenal vein (OR: 0.14, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.33, P < 0.00001; and OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.71, P = 0.007, respectively). Conclusion AVS with ACTH stimulation can significantly reduce the number of unsuccessful cannulations, without significantly reducing the number of incorrect lateralization. Further studies are still needed to verify these findings.

In this study, magnetic CoFe2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method by using ferric nitrate and cobalt nitrate as raw materials. Subsequently, physicochemical properties of the resulting CoFe2O4 nanoparticles were systematically studied by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption/desorption, Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy and Vibration sample magnetometer measurement. Results indicated that CoFe2O4 nanoparticles with cubic spinel structure possessed an average diameter of 6.9 nm, specific surface area of 103.48 m2 · g-1, saturation magnetization of 54.65 A · m2(emu · g-1) and coercivity of 1.76×104 A · m-1. Furthermore, scavenging experiments revealed that sulfate radicals (.SO-4) was the main active species derived from persulfates, in which 72.3% of diclofenac could be degraded within 30 min treatment. This study provides a promising strategy to synthesize versatile catalyst which would be potentially applied in pharmaceutical wastewater purification.

In this present work, a CuS/TiO2 nano-tube arrays photoelectrode employed in environment purification was successfully prepared by an anodization process, with galvanostatic electrodeposition strategy as following method. Meanwhile, morphologies and chemical structures of the resulting photoelectrodes were studied by series of measurements. The results indicated that CuS nanoparticles were successfully assembled on the surface of well-ordered TiO2 nano-tube arrays, which has significantly enhanced the photoelectrocatalyic activity by red-shifting the light absorption to visible region and increasing the photoinduced charge separation efficiency. What's more, when external potential was applied, CuS/TiO2 nano-tube arrays photoelectrode displayed superior photoelectrocatalyic performance for elimination of penicillin G (99.1%) within 150 min visible light illumination. Moreover, the visible light photoelectrocatalyic degradation pathways of PEN G were proposed based on the HPLC-MS/MS measurements, which included decarboxylation and oxidation of the target organic, and finally mineralization to H2O, CO2, NH4+ and NO3−. This study demonstrated that the novel CuS/TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode showed excellent PEC activity, which had great potential in applications of environmental remediation.

To improve the photocatalytic (PC) performance of g-C3N4 nano-material, a novel Z-scheme Bi2O3/g-C3N4 composite photocatalyst was synthesized by heat treatment method. Subsequently, the morphologies, chemical structures, optical and photoelectrochemical (PECH) properties of as-obtained photocatalysts were investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas, UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS), transient photocurrent density, Mott-Schottky (M-S) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurement. Furthermore, the PC efficiency was evaluated by degradation of amido black 10B dye. All results indicated that as-fabricated Bi2O3/g-C3N4 photocatalytic system displayed superior PC performance under visible light illumination, which was mainly ascribed to the intense visible light absorbance and the migration of photo-generated carriers adopted a Z-scheme mechanism. Moreover, the degradation of amido black 10B for 3 wt.%Bi2O3/g-C3N4 were about 1.41 and 1.42 times than that of pure g-C3N4 and pure Bi2O3, respectively.

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is notably an independent risk factor for cerebral vascular disease but currently with limited knowledge among young adults. The objectives of the study were to investigate the prevalence of PA in patients under 45 years old with history of acute stroke and the clinical characteristics during stroke attack. We retrieved the medical records of 116 patients once admitted due to acute stroke and cross-sectionally conducted screening test as well as confirmatory test among those patients. An estimated prevalence of PA was 12.7% among all patients and 21.2% among patients combined with hypertension. During stroke attack, PA patients had experienced higher blood pressure as well as decreased potassium level. The average SBP and DBP of PA patients were 180.0 ± 30.9 and 125.9 ± 24.5 mmHg respectively, both remarkably higher than those without PA(mean SBP 148.9 ± 29.6 mmHg, mean DBP94.1 ± 20.5 mmHg). The mean potassium level was 3.13 ± 0.50 vs. 4.01 ± 0.40 mmol/l. The proportion of hypertension and hypokalemia were also increased for PA patients compared with patients without (hypertension 93.3% vs. 51.5%; hypokalemia 80% vs. 8.9%). Patients were equal in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score as well as Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) and stroke subtypes. Considering the fact that excessive aldosterone had detrimental role on cerebral vascular system, we recommend a more rigorous screening for PA with stroke onset under 45 years old, especially those combined with severe hypertension as well as overt hypokalemia.

In the present study, cobalt-doped bismuth ferrite (Co/BiFeO3) composite was fabricated by sol-gel method, followed by annealing treatment. Afterwards, physicochemical properties of the resulting composite were systematically studied by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, N2 physical adsorption/desorption and vibration magnetometer measurements. Results indicated that after doping with Co species, average diameter of BiFeO3 distinctly reduced, accordingly, specific surface area increased, in which Co element existed in the form of Co3O4. In addition, Co/BiFeO3 displayed superior magnetic recovery characteristics. Furthermore, Co/BiFeO3 composite was applied to decompose tetracycline in water by activation of persulfate (PS, S2O82−) via the formation of sulfate radicals. It was found that Co/BiFeO3 exhibited high efficiency for removal of tetracycline, in which 81.09% of tetracycline could be decomposed. This study provides a versatile strategy to fabricate high-efficient recyclable catalysts which would be applied in advanced pharmaceutical waste water treatment.

This work shows results of our investigation on Ag3PO4/TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode photodegradation properties to diclofenac with visible light illumination. The composite photoelectrode has been synthesized by ultrasound-precipitation strategy and characterized through scanning electrons microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, photoelectrochemical and visible photocatalytic activity properties of as-prepared samples were investigated to prove the fact. Compared with pure TiO2 NTAs, Ag3PO4/TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode possesses the enhancement of light absorbance in the visible region and a lower recombination rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, so that it performed a better visible light photocatalytic property. Additionally, prepared Ag3PO4/TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode has well recyclability. On the basis of electrochemical, fluorescence spectra and photoluminescence, the photocatalytic performance enhancement mechanism for Ag3PO4/TiO2 NTAs was put forward.

In present study, Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 (r-TiO2) nano-catalyst was successfully fabricated by one-step solution reduction treatment in the presence of potassium borohydride. The self-doping process can induce the generation of Ti3+ and oxygen vacancy (Ov) to form a new energy level in the forbidden band of TiO2. Moreover, physicochemical properties of the resulting samples were studied by series of techniques. Results suggest that r-TiO2 nano-catalyst exhibits remarkable enhancement of visible light harvesting and higher charge separation efficiency. In order to investigate the influence factors on degradation of penicillin G (PENG), the experimental design was made using central composite method (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM). For this purpose, the r-TiO2 dosage, PENG concentration and initial pH value were selected as critical parameters. Results indicate the r-TiO2 dosage and initial pH possess higher influences. Besides, the highest photocatalytic efficiency of PENG (98.3%) can be obtained under the optimal conditions of r-TiO2 dosage 50 mg, PENG concentration 100 mg/L and initial pH 5.5, respectively.

Plasma aldosterone/renin ratio (ARR) is a useful method for primary aldosteronism (PA) screening. However some confounders, such as medications and dietary, affect plasma renin and aldosterone levels, resulting in false-negative or -positive plasma ARR. This study investigated the association between postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) and plasma ARR. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray-absorptiometry (DXA) in 324 normotensive postmenopausal women. Based on clinical characteristics and BMD, 186 and 96 subjects were diagnosed as PMO and osteopenia respectively, and the remaining 42 subjects were grouped as normal BMD. Plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), plasma renin concentration (PRC), parathyroid hormone (PTH), bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D(25-(OH)D) were determined. Subjects with PMO showed significantly higher levels of PAC (121.0 ± 78.8 vs. 81.8 ± 71.5 pg/ml, p

In the study, AgBr nano-cakes decorated Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 nanorods/nanosheets (AgBr-Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs) photoelectrode with enhanced visible light driven photocatalytic (PC) and photoelectrochemical (PECH) performance has been successfully fabricated by hydrothermal reaction, followed by sodium borohydride reduction and then successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) treatment. Afterwards, series of characterizations were conducted to study the physicochemical properties of AgBr-Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs photoelectrode. Results indicated that AgBr nano-cakes with sizes varying from 110 to 180 nm were uniformly decorated on the surface of Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs to form AgBr-Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs photoelectrode. Moreover, PC activity of AgBr-Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs photoelectrode was measured by degradation of methylene blue (MB). It was found that AgBr-Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs photoelectrode exhibited higher PC activity (98.7%) than that of other samples within 150 min visible light illumination, owing to the enhancement of visible light harvesting and effective separation of photoproduced charges. Thus, AgBr nano-cakes and Ti3+ exerted a huge influence on the PC and PECH properties of AgBr-Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs photoelectrode. Furthermore, the possible enhanced visible light driven PC mechanism of AgBr-Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs was proposed and confirmed.

In the present work, narrow band gap AgBr nano-particle decorated TiO2 nanotubes arrays (AgBr/TiO2 NTAs) photoelectrode was successfully fabricated through anodization, followed by ultrasonic assisted precipitation process. Subsequently, morphologies and chemical structures were investigated through scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, the optical and photoelectrochemical (PECH) properties were recorded through Ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS), transient photocurrent density and Mott-Schottky measurements. Furthermore, the photocatalytic (PC) efficiency was evaluated through the yield of hydroxyl ( OH) radicals and degradation of 4-CP under visible light illumination. All results indicated that as-fabricated AgBr/TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode displayed superior PC performance, which was mainly ascribed to the intense visible light absorbance and high charge separation efficiency. Moreover, the intermediates and toxification change during PC degradation of 4-CP were elucidated according to the UPLC-MS/MS measurement and luminescent bacterial tests.

In this study, silver decorated graphene oxide (Ag/GO) composite was fabricated through a reduction process in the presence of potassium borohydride solution. Subsequently, physicochemical properties of the resulting Ag/GO composite were studied by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectrum. Results indicated that Ag species existed in the form of Ag0, which greatly facilitated the visible light absorbance ability. Furthermore, the performance of Ag/GO was evaluated by PC inactiviation of Escherichia coli under Xenon lamp illumination. It was found that Ag/GO sample could kill the Escherichia coli within 60 min illumination by the non-selective attack of ⋅OH radicals. This study provides a novel and facile strategy to fabricate high-efficient catalyst to kill the bacteria in drinking water treatment.

In the research, reduced TiO2 nano-tube arrays (denoted as R-TiO2 NTAs) photoelectrode was successfully fabricated by potassium borohydride (PBH) reduction treatment. Afterwards, the as-fabricated photoelectrode was characterized by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra and electron spin resonance. Meanwhile, the optical and photoelectrochemical properties of R-TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode were also studied through ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and transient photocurrent response, respectively. The photocatalytic (PC) activity of R-TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode was measured by degradation of trichlorophenol (TCP). Moreover, the change of toxic intermediates in the process of degradation TCP was further evaluated by photobacterium inhibition tests. Results suggested that an impurity level can be induced in the TiO2 NTAs band gap by solution reduction treatment due to the generation of Ti3+ and oxygen vacancies (Ov). Furthermore, R-TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode exhibited higher PC activities than that of pristine TiO2 NTAs owing to the enhancement of visible light harvesting between 450 and 800 nm and separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons-holes (e/h+) pairs. The possible pathway for TCP degradation and photocatalytic mechanism were also proposed and confirmed. Furthermore, R-TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode displayed good stability and reusability.

In the study, CeO2 nanoparticles were successfully decorated on the TiO2 nanotube arrays (CeO2/TiO2 NTAs) photoelectrode by cathodic electrodeposition method in the presence of Ce(NO3)3 electrolyte. The effect of fabricating parameters including electrolyte concentration, applied voltage, deposition time and calcination temperature on morphology and crystal structure of CeO2/TiO2 NTAs was further investigated. Moreover, the as-prepared materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM). Meanwhile, the optical and photoelectrochemical (PECH) properties were recorded through ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS), transient photocurrent response (i-t) and open circuit potential (OCP), respectively. Furthermore, we evaluated the electrical catalysis (EC), photocatalytic (PC) and photoelectrochemical (PEC) performances of the CeO2/TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode by degradation of methyl orange (MO). Results indicated that the CeO2/TiO2 NTAs exhibited higher EC, PC and PEC activities than that of pristine TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode owing to higher separation of efficiency photoproduced electrons-holes (e/h+) pairs and visible light absorption.

There is an increasingly significant issue on decomposition of contaminants in modern chemical industry and environmental protection. Hence, in the study, to improve the catalytic of semiconductor materials, the silver-silver bromide nanoparticles decorated reduced TiO2 nano-tube arrays photoelectrode (Ag-AgBr/r-TiO2 NTAs), which exhibits better photocatalytic (PC) performance in the wide range of solar spectra, was successfully fabricated by anodization process, followed by microwave reduction strategy. The partly reduced AgBr nanoparticles are decorated and both Ti3+and Ov states are simultaneously introduced in the TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode inducing the formation of impurity energy level to form Ag-AgBr/r-TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode. Moreover, PC activity of Ag-AgBr/r-TiO2 NTAs photoelelctrode was measured by degradation of 4-chlorphenol (4-CP). Results suggest that Ag-AgBr/r-TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode exhibits higher PC activity (99.9%) than that of other samples within 120 min illumination. The well combination of surface plasmons Ag-AgBr nanoparticles and r-TiO2 NTAs was responsible for the enhancing of PC, and the recombination of photo-generated electrons and holes can simultaneously be inhibited. Thus, Ag-AgBr nanoparticles and Ti3+ exert huge influence on the PC and photoelectrochemical properties of Ag-AgBr/r-TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode.

Silver/silver chloride/exfoliated graphite (Ag/AgCl/EG) nano-photocatalyst was synthesized through precipitation and photoreduction processes. Afterwards, physicochemical properties of Ag/AgCl/EG were systematically studied by series of techniques. Results indicated that spherical-like Ag 0 and AgCl with a diameter of 18.6 nm were deposited onto the surface of EG, resulting in the large surface area, strong visible absorbance and high charge separation efficiency. In addition, Ag/AgCl/EG exhibited high visible light photocatalytic (PC) activity for degradation of RhB (99.5%) and phenol (89.1%) solution. Also, the enhanced visible light PC mechanism was proposed and confirmed. Furthermore, Ag/AgCl/EG nano-photocatalyst performed good reusability even after six recycles utilization.

In the study, visible-light active Ti3+ doped TiO2 nanorods/nanosheets (Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs) photoelectrode was successfully fabricated by hydrothermal reaction, followed by sodium borohydride reduction treatment. Moreover, physicochemical properties of the resulting samples were studied by series of techniques. Also, photocatalytic (PC) activity of Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs photoelectrode was measured by degradation of methylene blue (MB). Results suggested that Ti3+ and oxygen vacancies (Ov) were simultaneously formed and induce the formation of impurity energy level in the TiO2 NRs/NSs band gap by solution reduction treatment, which exerted a huge influence on the photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical properties of Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs photoelectrode in the mean time. Furthermore, Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs photoelectrode exhibited higher PC activity (89.61%) than that of pristine TiO2 NRs/NSs (73.56%) within 150 min visible light illumination owing to the enhancement of visible light harvesting and separation efficiency of photoproduced charges. Moreover, the possible enhanced PC mechanism of Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs was proposed and confirmed. Furthermore, Ti3+/TiO2 NRs/NSs photoelectrode displayed good stability and reusability.

In this study, a new spectrophotometric method was proposed for the measurement of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in aqueous solutions. The method was based on the peroxidase (POD)-catalyzed reaction in which 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) was oxidized to form the stable green radical (ABTS +). The generated ABTS + could be determined spectrophotometrically. The absorbance of the generated ABTS + at 415 nm, 650 nm, 732 nm and 820 nm were linear with H2O2 concentrations in the range of 0–40 μM. The sensitivities of the proposed ABTS method for H2O2 determination at 415 nm, 650 nm, 732 nm and 820 nm were 6.29 × 104 M−1 cm−1, 2.00 × 104 M−1 cm−1, 2.54 × 104 M−1 cm−1 and 1.89 × 104 M−1 cm−1, respectively. The oxidation of ABTS to generate ABTS + in POD-catalyzed H2O2 system at pH 6.0 was so fast that the determination time of the ABTS method was as short as 0.5 min. The stoichiometry of the reaction of H2O2 and ABTS in the presence of POD was calculated as nearly 1:2 (1:1.92). The residual absorbance of the generated ABTS + was also found to be stable within 30 min in natural waters. Low H2O2 concentration in rainwater could be both measured by the ABTS method and the DPD method with high accuracy, however, H2O2 concentration in wastewater contained rhodamine B could only be accurately measured with the ABTS method at 732 nm. Moreover, waste solutions after H2O2 analysis with the proposed ABTS method were non-hazardous towards E. coli.

Cu 2 O decorated TiO 2 nano-tube arrays (Cu 2 O/TiO 2 NTAs) photoelectrode was fabricated through electrodeposition strategy. Meanwhile, physicochemical properties of the resulting photoelectrode were systematically studied by series of measurements. Results indicated that Cu 2 O/TiO 2 NTAs photoelectrode performed a significantly enhanced light absorbance in the visible region between 400 and 800 nm, transient photocurrent density of 0.162 mA Cm −2 , photogenerated charge separation efficiency and 99.9% of photoelectrocatalytic efficiency for decomposition of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol within 120 min Xenon illumination with the help of +1.0 V (vs. SCE) potential. Furthermore, the enhanced visible light responsible photoelectrocatalytic mechanism was proposed and discussed.

Background/Aims: Whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) could benefit patients with diabetes and albuminuria remains controversial. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to answer this question by comparing ACE inhibitors or ARB with placebo among these patients. Methods: In this meta-analysis, electronic data sources (Medline, the Cochrane Collaboration, and EMBASE) were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ACE inhibitors or ARB with placebo in subjects with diabetes and albuminuria (defined as urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, UACR≥30mg/g Cr) were included. Outcomes parameters were all-cause mortality, end stage renal disease (ESRD), doubling of serum creatinine levels, and cardiovascular events (CV). Results: Twenty-six RCTs (including 20 for ACE inhibitors and 6 for ARB) were included, comprising 10378 participants with diabetes and albuminuria. Compared to placebo, treatment with ACE inhibitors or ARBs did not reduce all-cause mortality or CV. For renal outcomes, ARBs significantly reduced the risk of ESRD by 23% (odds ratio 0.77, 95%CI 0.65-0.92), while ACE inhibitors were not associated with a decreased risk of ESRD (0.69, 0.43-1.10). Both ACE inhibitors and ARBs reduced the risk of doubling of the serum creatinine level (0.60, 0.39-0.91 for ACE inhibitors; 0.75, 0.64-0.88 for ARBs), and subgroup analyses for patients with macroalbuminuria or microalbuminuria showed similar results. Conclusion: In patients with diabetes and albuminuria, ARBs reduced risks of ESRD and doubling of the serum creatinine level. ACE inhibitors and ARBs failed to reduce all-cause mortality and CV. Based on the renoprotective effects, ARBs may be preferred for diabetic patients with albuminuria.

The diagnosis of primary aldosteronism typically requires at least one confirmatory test. The fludrocortisone suppression test is generally accepted as a reliable confirmatory test, but it is cumbersome. Evidence from accuracy studies of the saline infusion test (SIT) and the captopril challenge test (CCT) has provided conflicting results. This prospective study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the SIT and CCT using fludrocortisone suppression test as the reference standard. One hundred thirty-five patients diagnosed with primary aldosteronism and 101 patients diagnosed with essential hypertension who completed the 3 confirmatory tests were included for the diagnostic accuracy analysis. The areas under the receiver–operator characteristics curves of the CCT and SIT were 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92–0.98) and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.92–0.98), respectively, using post-test plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) for diagnosis. However, the areas under the receiver–operator characteristics curves of the CCT decreased to 0.71 (95% CI, 0.65–0.77) when the PAC suppression percentage was used to diagnose primary aldosteronism. The optimal cutoff of PAC post-CCT was set at 11 ng/dL, resulting in a sensitivity of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.84–0.95) and a specificity of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.83–0.95), which were not significantly different from those of SIT (with PAC post-SIT set at 8 ng/dL, sensitivity: 0.85 [95% CI, 0.78–0.91], P =0.192; specificity: 0.92 [95% CI, 0.85–0.97], P =0.551). In conclusion, both CCT and SIT are accurate alternatives to the more complex fludrocortisone suppression test. Because CCT is safe and much easier to perform, it may serve as a more feasible alternative. When interpreting the results of CCT, PAC post-CCT is highly recommended.

In the present study, silver phosphate/graphene oxide (Ag3PO4/GO) composite was synthesized by ultrasound-precipitation processes. Afterwards, physicochemical properties of the resulting samples were studied through scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption/desorption, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface photovoltage spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical measurements. Results indicated that spherical Ag3PO4 displayed an average diameter of 150 nm and body-centered cubic crystal phase, which was integrated with GO. In addition, the visible light absorbance, charge separation efficiency and lifetime of Ag3PO4 were significantly improved by integration with GO. In addition, Ag3PO4/GO composite was applied to decompose tetrabromosphenol A (TBBPA) in water body. It was found that TBBPA could be completely decomposed within 60 min illumination. Furthermore, several scavenger experiments were conducted to distinguish the contribution of reactive species to the photoctalytic efficiency. Moreover, the enhanced visible light mechanism of Ag3PO4/GO was proposed and discussed. Eventually, several PC decomposition pathways of TBBPA were identified including directly debromination and oxidation, and subsequently further oxidation and hydroxylation processes.

MnO 2 /TiO 2 nano-tube arrays (MnO 2 /TiO 2 NTAs) photoelectrode was synthesized through anodization and electrodeposition, followed by the prepared conditions optimized. Subsequently, structures of the as-prepared photoelectrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Besides, the light absorption capacities and photoelectrochemical (PECH) properties were investigated through UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrophotometer (UV–vis DRS), photocurrent response (PCR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). In addition, these photoelectrodes were used for the photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation of methylene orange (MO) under Xenon lamp irradiation. Moreover, the enhanced PEC mechanism was further confirmed through scavengering effect and photoluminsecence (PL) spectra. Results presented that the highly ordered TiO 2 nano-tube arrays photoelectrodes processed a uniform sizes of inner diameter of 300 nm and well thickness of 60 nm with MnO 2 nanoparticles successfully deposited. Furthermore, it was found that these novel MnO 2 /TiO 2 NTAs photoelectrodes could not only red-shift the light absorption to visible region between 400 nm and 700 nm, but also significantly enhance the generation of hydroxyl radicals ( OH) which played an important role in the PEC system. Noticeably, the MnO 2 /TiO 2 NTAs photoelectrodes made in the optimized conditions exhibited much higher PEC activity toward MO degradation with the efficiency up to 95.2% within 1 h when external potential (+2.0 V) was applied. More importantly, these novel MnO 2 /TiO 2 NTAs photoelectrodes proved to have excellent stability and reusability that would have great potentials for organic contaminants degradation in wastewater treatment.

Flue gas desulfurization wastewater (FGDWW) is produced during flue gas desulfurization process in coal-fired power plants. It has a complex composition and high pollutant concentration and is harmful to the environment. The Chinese government has regulated the zero liquid discharge (ZLD) of FGDWW. To achieve this, an integrated process of calcium hydroxide precipitation and air stripping for the pretreatment of FGDWW was developed in this study. Ca2+ and OH− were added in the calcium hydroxide precipitation step and reacted with SO42−, F− and Mg2+ in the real FGDWW to form precipitates for removal. The SO42− concentration was lower than the detection limit at pH 4, and the F− and Mg2+ concentrations were reduced to 4 and 46 mg/L at pH 11, respectively. The NH4+ concentration decreased to 7.86 mg/L after air stripping for 120 min at pH 11. The excess Ca2+ was removed by further stripping, and the pH value decreased to about 8.0. The F− and NH4+ removal rates were significantly higher in the real than the simulated FGDWW. After the pretreatment, the concentrations of SO42−, F−, Mg2+, NH4+, Ca2+, total dissolved solids (TDS), and chemical oxygen demand (CODCr) in the real FGDWW decreased to 0.00, 1.5, 20.35, 8.26, 8.61, 8260 and 86 mg/L, and the corresponding removal rates were 100.00%, 97.50%, 99.59%, 96.43%, 98.97%, 78.48% and 94.29%, respectively. The molar concentration ratio of Cl− and Na+ changed from 3.14:1 in the raw FGDWW to 1.02:1 in the pretreated FGDWW by adding Na2CO3 in the air stripping step to reduce membrane fouling in the reverse osmosis (RO) process. The treated FGDWW could be recycled, and the by-products (gypsum, (NH4)2SO4, CaCO3 and NaCl) could be utilized. This technology achieved ZLD of FGDWW, representing a clean pathway and promoting the sustainable development of the power industry. The added chemicals did not remain in the pretreated FGDWW, adhering to with the principle of cleaner production. The pretreatment technology exhibited not only high removal efficiency for the main pollutants, but also low operational cost and convenient automatic control.

In the study, we report that p-type NiO (p-NiO) nanoparticles were successfully decorated onto the surface of n-type TiO 2 nano-tube arrays (n-TiO 2 NTAs) photoelectrode by anodization process, followed by electrodeposition strategy in the presence of NiSO 4 electrolyte. After then, the samples were studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, the optical and photoelectrochemical (PECH) properties of p-NiO/n-TiO 2 NTAs were recorded through ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS), open circuit potential (OCP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) curves, respectively. Furthermore, We evaluated the photocatalytic (PC) degradation of 4-chlorphenol and the enhanced PC mechanism was also discussed. Results suggest that p-NiO/n-TiO 2 NTAs photoelectrode exhibited higher PC activities than that of pristine TiO 2 NTAs owing to its higher photogeneration electrons-holes (e/h + ) pairs separation efficiency and light absorbance. As a consequence, the p-NiO/n-TiO 2 NTAs photoelectrode could be applied in degradation of organic pollutants and wastewater purification.

In the study, Using the strategy of hydrothermal reaction followed by annealing at different temperatures, TiO 2 nanorods/nanosheets (NRs/NSs) photoelectrodes with diverse microcosmic morphologies and crystal structures were successfully fabricated. Moreover, all samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). Meanwhile the photoelectrochemical (PECH) properties were recorded through open circuit potential (OCP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) curves. The photocatalytic (PC) activity of TiO 2 NRs/NSs photoelectrodes were further measured by methylene blue (MB) degradation. Results suggest that the nanosheets possessed the width and thickness in the range of 100–400 and 10–20 nm, and the nanorods possessed the diameter in the range of around 10–20 nm, respectively. Also, the TiO 2 NRs/NSs photoelectrode calcined at 500 °C exhibited the best proportion of both nanosheets and nanorods and higher photocatalytic activity (73.56%) than those of other TiO 2 NRs/NSs photoelectrodes within 150 min under visible light illumination, which was ascribed to higher photoproduction electrons-holes (e/h + ) pairs separation and visible light absorption. Therefore, the calcination temperature plays a significant role in altering the morphology and crystal structure of TiO 2 NRs/NSs photoelectrode, and then enhanced PC performance.

Introduction Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are complex chronic wounds which have a major long-term impact on the morbidity, mortality and quality of patients. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and time sensitivity of human amnion/chorion membrane treatment in patients with chronic DFUs. Methods The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases were systematically searched to identify relevant articles up to 10 April 2017. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing human amnion/chorion membrane + standard therapy and standard therapy alone in patients with DFUs were included in the analysis. Eligible studies were reviewed and data extracted into standard form. The Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing the risk of bias was used. Review manager version 5.3 software was used for statistical analysis. Data were analyzed using a random effect model. Results Overall, the initial search of the four databases identified 352 published studies; of these, seven RCTS were ultimately included in the meta-analysis. The overall test effect in the group assessed at 4 weeks was Z = 4.14 [P

A pilot-scale biofilter treating real groundwater was developed in this study, which showed that ammonia, iron and manganese were mainly removed at 0.4, 0.4 and 0.8 m of the filter bed, respectively, and the corresponding removal efficiencies were 90.82%, 95.48% and 95.90% in steady phase, respectively. The variation of microbial populations in the biofilter during start-up process was also investigated using high-throughput pyrosequencing (HTP). Results indicated that the main functional microbes for ammonia, iron and manganese removal were Nitrosomonas, Crenothrix and Crenothrix, respectively, which was mainly distributed at 0.8, 0, and 0.8 m of the filter bed with a corresponding abundance of 8.7%, 28.12% and 11.33% in steady phase, respectively. Kinds of other bacteria which may be related to methane, hydrogen sulfide and organic matter removal, were also found. In addition, small part of archaea was also detected, such as Candidatus Nitrososphaera, which plays a role in nitritation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of sarcopenia and diabetic foot disease (DFD) in a cross-sectional study. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray-absorptiometry (DXA) among 1105 patients with type 2 diabetes (120 patients with newly diagnosed DFD [DFD duration less than 3 months]). Severity of DFD was assessed, referring to foot ulcers, Wagner grade and the percentage of amputation. Skeletal muscle index (SMI) was calculated, and sarcopenia was defined as SMI less than 7.0 kg/m2 (in men) or 5.4 kg/m2 (in women). SMI was significantly decreased in patients with DFD compared to patients without (6.79 ± 1.20 vs. 7.21 ± 1.05 kg/m2, P P P = 0.027) after controlling confounders including age, diabetic duration and diabetic chronic complications. In DFD group, patients with sarcopenia exhibited more foot ulcers, higher Wagner grade and greater percentage of amputation compared to patients without sarcopenia. We conclude that sarcopenia is independently associated with DFD. Worse prognosis is seen in patients with DFD accompanied by sarcopenia.

In order to improve the charge separation and photocatalytic (PC) efficiency of TiO 2 nano-tube arrays (TiO 2 NTAs) photoelectrode, narrower band gap Ag 2 O nano-crystallites decorated reduced TiO 2 NTAs (Ag 2 O/r-TiO 2 NTAs) photoelectrode was fabricated through one-step microwave reduction strategy, which could simultaneously induce the generation of Ag 2 O nano-crystallites onto the surface of TiO 2 NTAs and Ti 3+ self-doping energy level below the conduction band of TiO 2 . Subsequently, the resulting photoelectrodes were systematically studied by scanning electron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV–visible light diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical measurements. In addition, the photocatalytic (PC) performance was evaluated by photodecomposition of methyl blue and generation of OH radicals. As a result, Ag 2 O/r-TiO 2 NTAs photoelectrode performed a significantly enhanced light absorbance in the whole visible region, transient photocurrent density of 0.189 mA cm −2 , photoinduced charge separation efficiency and 98.9% of PC efficiency for decomposition of methyl blue. Furthermore, the enhanced visible light PC mechanism for decomposition of organic pollutant was proposed, which was mainly attributed to the strong visible light absorbance and high photoinduced charge separation efficiency. Moreover, the as-fabricated Ag 2 O/r-TiO 2 NTAs photoelectrode performed well stability after consecutive utilization for five cycles. This study provides a versatile strategy to fabricate high-efficient catalyst which could be utilized in waste water elimination.

In this study, Ag-Ag2O/reduced TiO2 (denoted as Ag-Ag2O/r-TiO2) nano-photocatalyst had been fabricated through one-step solution reduction strategy in the presence of potassium borohydride. Afterwards, physicochemical properties of the resulting samples were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS), electron spin resonance (ESR) and time-resolved surface photovoltage (TR-SPV) techniques. Results indicated that potassium borohydride treatment could simutaneously induce the generation of Ti3+ self-doping energy level between the forbidden band of TiO2 and metallic Ag species existed in the forms of Ag0 and Ag2O nanocrystalline, thereby resulting in the greatly enhanced visible light absorbance and photoinduced charge separation efficiency. In addition, the visible light driven (VLD) photocatalytic (PC) performance was evaluated through the degradation of diclofenac and generation of ·OH radicals. As-expected, Ag-Ag2O/r-TiO2 sample exhibited higher VLD PC performance and larger generation amount of ·OH radicals. Furthermore, the enhanced VLD PC mechanism was proposed and confirmed, which was mainly attributed to the synergistic effect originated from the localized SPR of Ag0 nanocrystalline and Ti3+ self-doping which responsible for the intense visible light absorbance, high photoinduced charge separation efficiency and VLD PC performance.

In this study, high visible light response and charge separation efficiency of body-centered cubic Ag 3 PO 4 sub-microcrystals were fabricated through ultrasound-precipitation process. Additionally, the parameters were optimized by photocatalytic (PC) removal degradation of diclofenac based on response surface methodology. Results indicated that the PC removal efficiency of diclofenac was significantly affected by Ag 3 PO 4 content and pH value. Under the optimized conditions, 99.9% of diclofenac could be degraded within 16 min Xenon illumination. Furthermore, three PC removal degradation pathways of diclofenac were proposed, including OH-adduct to aromatic ring, direct oxidation by photoinduced holes and decarboxylation of side chain from the parent compound.

In this study, TiO2 nanobelts/ nanotubes (TiO2 NBs/ NTs) photoelectrodes originated from different parameters were in-situ ground of Ti foils through anodization strategy. Subsequently, the resulting samples were investigated through scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminesence (PL) analysis. SEM and XRD results showed that different fabricating parameters could lead to different TiO2 nano-structures with specific morphologies and crystal compositions. Meanwhile, TiO2 NBs photoelectrode exhibited the highest separation efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers. Besides, TiO2 NBs photoanode also possessed higher photocurrent density and overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) of DSSCs than those of TiO2 NTs, in which 11.776 mA.cm(-2) and 4.91% could be obtained, respectively. The superior PCE value could mainly be attributed to the well anatase crystallinity and high separation efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers, as well as the "belt-like" morphology.

Pilot-scale biofilters treated with real groundwater were established to systemically investigate the interactions between ammonia, iron and manganese removal. When both of ammonia and manganese in influent were about 1 mg/L, they were quickly removed; but when manganese was above 3 mg/L, ammonia removal was affected significantly. When total iron was above 5 mg/L, the oxidization rate of ammonia decreased significantly. In addition, manganese and iron removal were not affected by ammonia, when ammonia was lower than 2.5 mg/L. Fe 2+ could react with manganese oxides in the biofilter, thus manganese removal could only take place after Fe 2+ was completely oxidized. When total iron, manganese and ammonia in influent were 11.27 mg/L, 1.20 mg/L and 1.27 mg/L, respectively, iron, ammonia and manganese were mainly removed in 0–0.3 m, 0–0.4 m and 0.2–0.8 m of the filter depth, respectively, and nitrite oxidizing bacteria were presented in 0–0.3 m of the filter depth. The pH decreased along the filter depth with the oxidation of ammonia, iron and manganese, while oxidation reduction potential increased. The results of this study were useful for the optimization and design of biofilters.

Norfloxacin, as an antimicrobial drug, has frequently been detected in municipal plants, which is predicted to be potential risk on human beings and the environment. In the present study, zeolite immobilizes silver oxide decorated titanium dioxide (Ag2O/TiO2-Zeolite) composite has been fabricated through modified sol-gel method. Afterwards, physicochemical properties of the as-fabricated Ag2O/TiO2-Zeolite sample are systematically studied by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron microscopy, ultraviolet visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and surface photovoltage spectra measurements. Besides these, photocatalytic (PC) performance of Ag2O/TiO2-Zeolite composite is evaluated by photodecomposition of norfloxacin under simulated solar light illumination and generation of active hydroxyl ( OH) radicals. Results indicate that the decorated Ag species exists in the form of Ag2O, which can greatly enhance the visible light absorbance and charge separation efficiency. Furthermore, Ag2O/TiO2-Zeolite composite displays superior PC performance, which is mainly ascribed to the intense light absorbance in visible region, narrow band gap level and high charge separation efficiency. In addition, the solar light PC degradation pathways of norfloxacin are proposed according to the HPLC-MS/MS measurements, including hydroxylation addition to parent compound, decarboxylation and defluorination of side chain from the norfloxacin. Moreover, the as-fabricated Ag2O/TiO2-Zeolite composite exhibits high stability after consecutive utilization for seven times.

In this study, Pt NCs/TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode was fabricated through anodization process, followed by recycle pulse electrodeposition strategy. Subsequently, physicochemical properties of the resulting samples were studied systematically. Results indicated that Pt NCs/TiO2 NTAs photoelectrode exhibited intense light absorbance both in the UV and visible region, high transient photocurrent density of 0.089 mA cm(-2) and open circuit potential of -0.275 V cm(-2). In addition, 983% of aspirin could be eliminated within 4 h Xenon illumination with the help of +0.4 V potential. Furthermore, it can be concluded that two tentative pathways for PEC degradation of aspirin were proposed and confirmed. (C) 2016 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Background The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of polyethylene glycol loxenatide (PEX168) injections in Chinese type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients. Methods The present multicenter randomized double-blind parallel placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled patients who had been treated with a stable dose of metformin (≥1500 mg/day) for ≥12 weeks and had an HbA1c level between 7% and 11%. Subjects were randomly divided into three groups (1: 1: 1) and were treated with once weekly subcutaneous injections of either placebo or 100 or 200 μg PEX168 for 12 weeks. All subjects continued to receive metformin daily. Results After 12 weeks treatment, the adjusted least-squares mean of HbA1c reductions from baseline values in the 100 and 200 μg PEX168 groups were significantly higher than in the placebo group (-1.02% [95% confidence interval {CI} -1.33, -0.71), -1.36% [95% CI -1.68, -1.04], and 0.13% [95% CI -0.20, 0.45], respectively; P Conclusions Continuous 12 week treatment with PEX168 showed excellent safety and efficacy in T2D patients whose glucose was not well controlled with metformin alone.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) profiles of lispro administered by the QS-M needle-free jet injector in Chinese subjects.A randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, cross-over study was performed. Eighteen healthy volunteers were recruited. Lispro (0.2 units/kg) was administered by the QS-M needle-free jet injector or by conventional pen. Seven-hour euglycemic clamp tests were performed.A larger area under the curve (AUCs) of insulin concentration and glucose infusion rate (GIR) during the first 20 minutes after lispro injection by the jet injector compared to the insulin pen was observed (24.91 ± 15.25 vs. 12.52 ± 7.60 mg. kg(-1), P 0.001 for AUCGIR,0-20 min; 0.36 ± 0.24 vs. 0.10 ± 0.04 U min L(-1), P 0.001 for AUCINS, 0-20 min). Needle-free injection showed a shorter time to reach maximum insulin concentration (37.78 ± 11.14 vs. 80.56 ± 37.18 min, P 0.001) and GIR (73.24 ± 29.89 vs. 116.18 ± 51.89 min, P = 0.006). There were no differences in total insulin exposure and hypoglycemic effects between the two devices.Lispro administered by QS-M needle-free injector results in earlier and higher insulin exposure than conventional pen, and a greater early glucose-lowering effect with similar overall potency.

Two pilot-scale biofilters were used to systematically investigate the influence of nitrite on biological Mn(II) removal. Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) of the redox reaction between MnO 2 and NO 2 – was 122.28 kJ mol –1 in 298 K, suggesting that MnO 2 could not react with NO 2 – . When nitrite in the influent was increased from 0.05 to 0.5 mg L –1 , manganese oxides did not react with nitrite in anaerobic conditions; nitrite was quickly oxidized and biological Mn(II) removal was slightly affected in 2 h in aerobic conditions. When nitrite was accumulated in the biofilter by increasing ammonia concentration, nitrite existed for more than 3 d and biological Mn(II) removal was affected in 3 d. When Mn(II) and ammonia in the influent were about 2 and 1.5 mg L –1 , respectively, both of them were completely removed and the oxidation-reduction potential was increased with the depth of the filter from 16 to 122 mV. Biological Mn(II) removal followed the first-order reaction, and the k -value was 0.687 min –1 .

TiO2 nano-materials have been considered as a versatile candidate for the photoelectrochemical (PECH) applications. In this study, we reported a facile and novel strategy to synthesize reduced TiO2 nanotubes (TiO2 NTs) photoelectrode. The microwave reduction could introduce oxygen vacancy in the lattice of TiO2, while the rapid-production of oxygen vacancy facilitated the generation of impurity level between the forbidden band and greatly enhancement of visible light absorption, thereby resulting in an improved separation efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers and photocatalytic (PC) performance. Additionally, the derived valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (VBXPS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra confirmed the existence of oxygen vacancy in the lattice of TiO2 NTs photoelectrode, in which the valence bond maximum (VBM) and charge carriers concentration of reduced TiO2 NTs photoelectrode was determined to be 1.75 eV and 5.36 × 10(19) cm(-3), respectively. Furthermore, the scavenging experiments revealed that ·OH radical was the dominated species for the degradation of diclofenac. The enhanced-visible-light PC mechanism could mainly be attributed to the generation of oxygen vacancy, which can provide not only the visible light absorption capacity but also charge separation efficiency.

Hypertensive nephropathy is one of the major causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Bisphenol A (BPA) is associated with elevated blood pressure and urinary albuminuria. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between serum BPA with the progression of CKD in patients with primary hypertension.In this prospective study, 302 patients with primary hypertension were followed up for 6 years (195 men and 107 women, 65.29 ± 9.78 years at baseline). The baseline values of serum BPA were measured. Renal function was measured as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration creatinine-cystatin C equation (eGFRcr-cys). Regression models were used to calculate associations of serum BPA with the annual change in eGFR and the risk of CKD progression.Baseline serum BPA concentration was 0.61(0.26, 2.44) ng/ml and was significantly negatively correlated with the annual change in eGFR (R = -0.197, P 0.001). After adjusting for clinical factors, baseline serum BPA level had a significant negative association with the annual change in eGFR (β = -0.132, P = 0.007). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the baseline age, SBP, eGFR, and serum BPA levels were predictors of CKD stage 3 or greater. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, patients with high serum BPA levels exhibited a five-fold increased risk of developing CKD stage 3 or greater compared with patients with low serum BPA levels [odds ratio 4.79 (95% confidence interval 1.81, 14.25), P = 0.004].Serum BPA may be a predictor of CKD progression in patients with primary hypertension.

In this study, the competitive mechanism of ammonia, iron and manganese for dissolved oxygen (DO) in a biofilter was investigated, and a new start-up method of a biofilter for ammonia, iron and manganese removal was approved, which can effectively shorten the start-up period from 3–4 months to 51 days. The results demonstrated that when DO was sufficient (about 8 mg · L−1), ammonia, iron and manganese could be completely removed. When DO decreased from 6.5 to 4 mg · L−1, the concentration of ammonia in the effluent increased accordingly, though iron and manganese were removed efficiently. When DO was as low as 3 mg · L−1, only iron was removed, whereas most of the ammonia and manganese still existed in the effluent. In addition, the oxidizing rates of the pollutants were not affected significantly with DO decrease. Turbidity removal in the biofilter was also investigated, and the results demonstrated that the turbidity decreased to less than 0.5 NTU at 0.4 m depth of the filter.

In the present work, narrow band gap Ag 2 S nano-crystallites decorated TiO 2 nanotubes arrays (Ag 2 S NCs/TiO 2 NTAs) photoelectrode was successfully constructed through anodization, followed by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) strategy. Subsequently, morphologies and chemical structures were investigated through scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, the optical and photoelectrochemical (PECH) properties were recorded through Ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS), transient photocurrent density and Mott-Schottky measurements. Furthermore, the photocatalytic (PC) performance was evaluated through the yield of hydroxyl (·OH) radicals and degradation of methyl blue under visible light illumination. All results indicated that Ag 2 S NCs/TiO 2 NTAs photoelectrode exhibited intense visible light absorbance, high transient photocurrent of 0.098 mA · cm −2 and charge carrier concentration of 1.58 × 10 19 · cm −3 , as well as effective PC performance of 83.6% for the degradation of methyl blue. Besides, · OH radicals was the dominated responsible active species during the PC process. The enhanced visible light PC performance was mainly attributed to the intense visible light absorbance and high charge carrier separation efficiency.

In this study, we reported a facile strategy to fabricate N, Ti 3+ codoped TiO 2 nanotubes (N-Ti 3+ /TiO 2 NTs) photoelectrode through one-step solution reduction process. The hydrazine hydrate treatment induced the simultaneous formation of Ti 3+ species and N-doping in the lattice of TiO 2 NTs. In addition, the N-Ti 3+ /TiO 2 NTs photoelectrode exhibited intense visible light absorption ranging from 400 to 800 nm, high transient photoinduced current of 0.213 mA cm −2 , charge carriers concentration of 0.92 × 10 19 cm −3 , generation of hydroxyl radicals and PEC efficiency of 100% for the degradation of diclofenac solution within 4 h visible light irradiation. The enhanced-visible-light PEC performance was mainly attributed to the enhancement of visible light absorbance, narrow band gap energy and high separation efficiency of photoinduced charge carriers. This study provides a facile strategy to construct intense visible light active catalyst, which could be applied in the fields of wastewater/air purification, solar energy conversion and water splitting.

Test water temperature (TWT) is a significant operational parameter in biofilter. In this study, a pilot-scale biofilter was established to investigate the removal efficiency of CODMn and Mn2+ and the microbial community structure at different TWT. When CODMn and Mn2+ in the influent were 6–8 and 0.9–1.2 mg/L, respectively, the removal rates were 22.61% and 94.28% at the low TWT, while 69.42% and 97.85% at the high TWT, respectively. Biological CODMn and Mn2+ removal followed the first-order reaction, and at the low and high TWT, the k value was 0.00704 and 0.0738 and 0.0313 and 0.113 min−1, respectively. Organic matter oxidizing bacteria (OMOB, Sphingopyxis, Sphingomonas, Amphiplicatus, Novosphingobium, Gemmatimonas, Chryseolinea and Sphingobium) and manganese oxidizing bacteria (MnOB, Hyphomicrobium, Pedomicrobium and Pseudomonas) were coexisted in 0–1.5 m of the biofilter bed at the low and high TWT, and the abundances were not the main factor affecting the removal efficiency, however the activity.

Exploring the effect of water vapor on the benzene adsorptive behavior is of practical importance and scientific interest. The presence of water vapor in the gas stream altered the breakthrough curves of benzene, as well as the selectivity of carbon materials towards adsorbates. The work herein elucidated the competitive adsorption mechanism based on experimental observation and molecular simulation. At relative humidity (RH) 10%, water molecules showed less effect on the benzene adsorption that benzene entered the micropores and mesopores while water molecules were primarily adsorbed in the mesopores. Since the polar water molecules presented higher affinity towards the surface functionalities, these molecules preferentially occupied the adsorption site via hydrogen bonding with increased RH. Water cluster was gradually formed through water-water interactions which were characteristics of pore filling. A two-layer stacking of adsorbates was observed for co-adsorption. The first layer was primarily composed of water molecules with the average distance of 2.99 ~ 3.19 A to the surface functionalities. The second layer was primarily benzene molecules which were aggregated in T-shaped, displaced T-shaped and parallel configurations. These molecules were separated at 4.67 ~ 6.17 A from the functional groups, and mainly adsorbed by water-benzene interaction (via hydrogen bonding).

In the study, CuS/Fe2O3/Mn2O3 magnetic nanocomposite was successfully synthesized and the properties were investigated via a series of characterization. Subsequently, the magnetic nanocomposite was applied to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for ciprofloxacin (CIP) degradation. The results showed that the CuS/Fe2O3/Mn2O3 magnetic nanocomposite possessed higher catalytic performance for ciprofloxacin degradation than bare CuS and Fe2O3/Mn2O3 composite. The degradation process of CIP was suitable for the pseudo-first-order kinetic model and the highest rate was reached 0.10083 min−1. And under the optimized conditions (catalyst = 0.6 g·L−1, PMS = 0.6 g·L−1, pH = 5.84, C0 = 0.2 g·L−1 and t = 120 min), the efficiency of 88% and 48.6% were corresponding to degradation and mineralization of ciprofloxacin, respectively. In addition, the key factors of degradation process such as catalyst dosage, PMS concentration, initial pH value and common anions were investigated. And the results indicated that the degradation efficiency of ciprofloxacin was reduced, which affected by the common anions in order of Cl− > SO42− > NO3− > HCO3− > Humic acid. Besides, several intermediates of ciprofloxacin were detected and the plausible degradation pathways were proposed. In addition, the underlying reaction mechanism was proposed. Meanwhile, the results of free radical quenching experiment and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra indicated that both OH and SO4 − radicals were existed in the reaction system and the OH radicals had a conquer role in the degradation progress. Moreover, the stability and reusability of CuS/Fe2O3/Mn2O3 magnetic nanocomposite were evaluated, which the degradation efficiency still reached 72% after five times used. Ultimately, the as-constructed CuS/Fe2O3/Mn2O3 magnetic nanocomposite might be a candidate to the removal of refractory pollutants in environmental remediation.

The relationship between monocyte count and mortality seemed to be varied in different diseases, and it remains unclear in type 2 diabetes (T2D). We conducted a prospective study to investigate whether monocyte count predict all-cause mortality in patients with T2D. In this prospective study, a total of 1073 patients with T2D were enrolled at baseline and 880 patients completed the follow up. The median follow-up time was 47 months. At baseline, clinical characteristics including height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure were recorded. Biochemical parameters including counts of white blood cells (WBCC), neutrophil (NC) and monocyte (MC), lipid profiles, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum creatinine were measured. Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was calculated based on age and comorbidities. Participants were stratified into low, median, and high tertiles according to the baseline MC. Regression models were used to analyze the associations of peripheral MC and the all-cause mortality. Compared to the survived subjects, the baseline MC was significantly higher in patients who deceased during the follow-up (0.45 ± 0.16 vs 0.37 ± 0.15 × 109/L, P = .003). In the multivariate Cox hazard models, subjects in higher MC tertile showed higher risks of all-cause mortality (low tertile as the reference, hazard ratio [HR] 95%CI 2.65 [0.84,8.31] and 3.73 [1.14,12.24] for middle and high MC tertile, respectively) after adjusted for gender, body mass index, CCI, duration of T2D, history of hypertension and metabolic syndrome, drugs, levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, systolic blood pressure, HbA1c, WBCC, and NC. In T2D patients with macro-vascular complications at baseline, 1-SD increment of MC resulted in 1.92-fold higher risk of all-cause mortality. However, the relationship disappeared in subjects without macro-vascular complications at baseline (1.13 [0.72, 1.78], P = .591). Peripheral monocyte count is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in T2D, especially for subjects with macro-vascular complications.