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Background The supercapsular percutaneously-assisted total hip (SuperPATH®) approach was created by combining the percutaneous preparation of the acetabulum using the percutaneously-assisted total hip (PATH), femoral reaming, and broaching of superior capsulotomy (SuperCap) approach. This technique reported a low complication rate, excellent gait kinematics, low transfusion rate, a shorter length of hospital stay, and a high proportion of discharge from the hospital. As minimally invasive SuperPath approach is designed for both trauma and end-stage degenerative joint disease, we investigated if this technique and standard surgical tools can replace artificial femoral head in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture. We also tested if it has advantages over the traditional posterior approach. Methods A prospective study was performed in 100 cases of eligible femoral neck fractures from May 01, 2015 to October 31, 2016. They were randomly divided into SuperPath and traditional group. The outcomes were evaluated using preoperative index, intraoperative data, and postoperative function data. Results No significant difference was detected in the operation time between the two groups. Compared with the traditional group, SuperPath group had smaller incision length, less intraoperative bleeding, lower transfusion rate, and a shorter starting time of weight-bearing activity. Harris Hip Score, Barthel Index, and VAS for pain-level scores in the SuperPath group at 1-week follow-up intervals were significantly lower than the conventional group, but not significantly different at 3-month and 2-year follow-up post-operation. Conclusions SuperPath approach for artificial femoral head replacement can reduce surgical injury due to smaller size of incision and accelerate weight-bearing activities post-operation to treat senile femoral neck fractures compared with traditional posterior approach surgeries.

Abnormal lysosomal pH values have been associated with cellular dysfunctions and many diseases. However, tools to monitor dynamic changes of pH values in live-cell lysosomes are limited. Herein, biocompatible near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dyes HAN1-4 for lysosome-targeting staining were rationally designed and synthesized with the aid of a spiropyran in situ switching (SIS) strategy. The novel SIS-based dyes share the following special characteristics: 1) pH-dependent ratiometric fluorescent patterns matched nicely with pH windows of lysosomes, 2) light-independent real-time spiropyran in situ switching behavior in lysosomes and 3) pH-sensitive fluorescence in the NIR region, thereby ensuring their applications in obtaining highly specific images of live-cell lysosomes with a weak background signal. Among them, the HAN2 probe was found to induce the best ratiometric response toward pH in the range corresponding to lysosomal pH window, thus being further applied for the real-time tracking of lysosomal subtle pH changes in stressed cells undergoing drug and heat stimulations. Live-cell super-resolution and confocal fluorescent imaging indicate that our SIS-based NIR probes are robust and can be applied for the accurate detection of lysosomal pH in complex biosystems.

To explore the influence of various atmospheres containing CO2 on biogas production from coal, bituminous coal D from Qianqiu Mine in Henan Province was collected for use in biogenic gas production experiments performed on coal in various atmospheres. In these experiments, the gas concentration, gas production and microbial community structure were measured and analyzed, and the pH, volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration, chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration and NH4+-N concentration were analyzed in the liquid phase after the gas production. The results revealed that the atmospheric components greatly influence the concentration and production of methane. The methane production was the lowest (0.37 mmol/g) in the N2 atmosphere and highest (0.92 mmol/g) in the atmosphere of H2/CO2 = 4. Meanwhile, at the end of the biogas production, the pH value of the bacterial liquid in the CO2 atmosphere was the lowest (6.59), and the pH value in the H2/CO2 = 5 atmosphere was the highest (7.77). The VFA concentration in the liquid phase was low, and a high concentration of CO2 did not inhibit the degradation of VFA. The trend of the change in COD was consistent with that of methane production. In addition, the analysis of the microbial community structure showed that the bacterial phyla in various atmospheres were dominated by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, and CO2 promoted the homoacetogenic process in the system. Low concentrations of CO2 are beneficial for the growth of acetotrophic methanogens and methylotrophic methanogens, and the addition of H2 enriches methanogenic microorganisms. The mutual promotion and inhibition of microorganisms was the basis for the observed differences in methane production. Hence, the experimental results provide a reference for carbon dioxide sequestration in coal seams and conversion to biogas.

The accumulation of volatile fatty acids, particularly propionic acid, significantly inhibits the efficiency of the anaerobic digestion system. In propionate degradation metabolism, the unfavorable thermodynamics of syntrophic reactions, strict ecological niche of syntrophic priopionate oxidizing bacteria, and slow metabolic rate of methanogens are regarded as major limitations. In this study, Geobacter sulfurreducens was co-cultured with Syntrophobacter fumaroxidans in bioelelectrochemical cells to analyze the propionate degradation process, impact factor, mechanism metabolic pathways, and electron transfer comprehensively. The results revealed that the syntroph S. fumaroxidans and syntrophic partner G. sulfurreducens achieved more efficient propionate degradation than the control group, comprising S. fumaroxidans and methanogens. Moreover, the carbon resource concentration and pH were both significantly correlated with propionate degradation (P < 0.01). The results further confirmed that G. sulfurreducen strengthened the consumption of H2 and acetate via direct interspecific electron transfer in propionate degradation. These findings indicate that G. sulfurreducens plays an unidentified functional role in propionate degradation.

The heavy metal copper ion from the industrial wastewater were recycled by sulfonated polystyrene, which were converted to Cu/Cu2O/CuO/SPS heterojunction photocatalyst through the hydrothermal synthesis process. The hydrothermal synthesis temperature was investigated on the surface morphology, crystal structure and photocatalytic performance of the as-prepared samples. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV–Vis DRS). The photocatalytic activities of the samples were investigated by the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. The results showed that Cu, Cu2O and CuO nanoparticles are uniformly distributed on the surface of sulfonated polystyrene microsphere. Meanwhile, the enhanced visible light absorption is originated from the surface plasmon resonance effect of Cu nanoparticles (CuNPs). The surface morphology and crystal structure of the sample were changed as the hydrothermal synthesis temperature rising. The sample by hydrothermal synthesis at 80 °C exhibited the preferable photocatalytic activity attributed the high dispersion of Cu, Cu2O and CuO nanoparticles and the formation of heterojunction between Cu2O and CuO.

Waste reuse energy generation is encouraged in many countries. A low H/C ratio in coal is a limiting factor that affects biomethanation. However, corn straw has a better H/C ratio, which is beneficial to methane production. A series of biological gas production experiments was carried out using lignite B, bituminous coal D, bituminous coal C, and corn straw to study the effect of synergistic biodegradation of coal combined with corn straw into biomethane. Methane production was used as an index to analyze the gas production characteristics of single coal, single corn straw, and coal and corn straw. The results show that the optimum proportion of the conversion of lignite B and corn straw to biomethane is 2:1, and the optimum proportion of the conversion of bituminous coal D, bituminous coal C, and corn straw into biomethane is 3:1, and corn straw has a significant enhancement effect on the biological gas production in this experiment. When lignite B, bituminous coal D, and bituminous coal C are, respectiv...

There are serious concerns between forest and water quantity, Chinese extensive land area makes the relationship more complicated, thus, the effects of forest structure on hydrological processes in China were not fully comprehended. In this research, forest’s hydrological functions, including rainfall partitioning, litter interception, evapotranspiration (ET), were analyzed in China. The results showed that throughfall was the largest proportion of gross precipitation with fraction between 69.3 ± 8.8% and 84.4 ± 5.6%. Then was canopy interception which varied from 14.6 ± 1.4% to 29.1 ± 3.3%. Throughfall was correlated with gross precipitation, canopy thickness and canopy density. Canopy interception was correlated with gross precipitation, LAI, canopy density, biomass, mixed degree, uniform angle index, aggregation index. Stemflow accounted for only 1.2 ± 0.32% of gross precipitation, with the greatest fraction of 2.1 ± 0.2% in XBH site and the least fraction of 0.3 ± 0.1% in DB site. Gross precipitation was the main factor in determining stemflow. DB site had the greatest litter interception (7.7 ± 0.8 mm) and HB site had the least (0.9 ± 0.3 mm). Litter interception had closer correlation with undecomposed litter mass (0.66) than total litter mass (0.46). Path-coefficient analysis showed that stand density, Shannon-Wiener index, litter mass, size ratio had greater impact on litter interception than other factors. ET was mainly influenced by precipitation, and it also correlated with LAI, canopy density and biomass. In north China, ET percentage (the ratio of ET and precipitation) was 82.7–109.5%, while it decreased to 63.1–88.5% in south China, ET demand in XBS site was larger than precipitation. ET percentage increased with increasing latitude and elevation, decreased with increasing temperature.

Understanding how extreme drought and precipitation influence the water uptake patterns of vegetation is essential to assessing the responses of vegetation to climate change and evaluating regional water security. We introduced stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes to determine the seasonal pattern of water uptake by the evergreen coniferous species Platycladus orientalis from June 2011 to June 2014 in the semiarid rocky areas of North China with shallow soil. Temporal variations in the soil water content (SWC), transpiration and root distribution were examined to analyze the key role of groundwater in plant water sources during the extreme drought. Platycladus orientalis showed great dependence on the surface soil water (0–20 cm) and a water uptake proportion greater than 50% in all rainy seasons (June–September) was observed. Our study also revealed that P.orientalis preferred to use upper soil moisture (0–40 cm) in the dry seasons as long as the supply met the demand, and it would turn to deep soil water and groundwater under dramatic reduction in the surface soil water content. During prolonged extreme drought, groundwater use increased from 25.3% in the early period to 61.3% in the late period. These findings suggest that P. orientalis water uptake has great plasticity and that its water uptake depth varies with a decline in soil water. In addition, a long extreme drought period will lead to a preference for and an increase in groundwater use, which means that P. orientalis can adapt well to extreme climates.