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SWOT analysis was adopted to analyze the integrated development of the cinnamon industry in the city of Fangchenggang. The integrated cinnamon industry in the city enjoys great advantages and opportunities, but there are also some problems in its development process, such as the low educational level of cinnamon farmers, weak driving ability and brand influence of leading enterprises, as well as the lack of a strong benefit coupling mechanism. To solve these problems, this paper puts forward several suggestions, such as extending the industrial chain to realize the integration of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries, attaching importance to brand building, optimizing the structure of practitioners, and strengthening the training of cinnamon farmers, optimizing a number of innovative regional enterprises that can lead the development of cinnamon industry and closely connects farmers, and improving the benefit coupling mechanism between farmers and enterprises.

The adsorption properties of phosphate-functionalized biopolymer/graphene oxide gels on U(VI) in aqueous solution were studied. The characterization of prepared gels were measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transformed infrared spectra (FT–IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The adsorption of U(VI) was evaluated as a function of the pH of solution, initial uranium concentration and the contact time, and the optimum conditions for U(VI) adsorption was obtained. The Langmuir isotherm model fits the experimental data very well, and the maximum uptake of U(VI) were 568.18 mg/g for P-TA-GO and 546.45 mg/g for P-AL-GO, respectively. The experimental data for the kinetics of adsorption correlated well with the second-order Langergren rate equation, and Langergren rate constants have been determined. Compared to other coexisting ions present in real-world uranium-containing wastewater, the phosphate-functionalized biopolymer/graphene oxide gels have demonstrated remarkably better selective adsorption to U(VI).

The capture of highly radiotoxic 90Sr from an acidic waste solution during used fuel reprocessing and environmental remediation in a nuclear accident is desirable and challenging. Herein, we show a metal organic framework material (SNU-200) functionalized with an 18-crown-6-ether, whose specific binding site with an excellent affinity toward strontium leads to excellent Sr2+ adsorption capability under acidic conditions. This material exhibits a high adsorption capacity (44.37 mg g−1 at pH = 3), remarkable affinity (Kd = 3.63 × 104 mL g−1) and ultrahigh selectivity in the presence of interfering coexisting ions such as Na+, K+, Cs+, Mg2+, and Ca2+.

The porous chitosan/carboxylated carbon nanotubes composite aerogels (CS-CCN) with different CCN contents were prepared for the efficient removal of U(VI) from aqueous solution. The successful formation of CS-CCN aerogels with highly porous structure was confirmed by different characterizations (such as SEM, TEM, XRD, etc.). The sorption capacity of the aerogels depends on CCN content, which has significant impact on the porous structure and the sorption ability of the aerogels. The CS-CCN aerogels were found to be very effective for U(VI) sorption: the maximum mono-layer sorption capacity for CS-CCN2 aerogel reached 307.5 mg/g at pH 5.0 and 298 K. The chemisorption or surface complexation through sharing of O/N lone pair electrons on the active sites (carboxylic and amine groups) was responsible for U(VI) sorption, which is confirmed by the IR and XPS analysis. Meanwhile, the good-fitting of both sorption kinetics by pseudo-second-order model and sorption isotherms by Langmuir model also indicates chemisorption mechanism. The thermodynamic data suggest that U(VI) sorption on CS-CCN aerogel is endothermic and spontaneous. The unique characteristics such as high sorption capacity, fast kinetic, and easy recovery from solution make CS-CCN aerogels be very efficient sorbents for the treatment of radioactive wastewater.

Metastasis is an unavoidable event happened among almost all small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. However, the molecular driven factors have not been elucidated. Recently, a novel hydrolase called cell migration inducing hyaluronidase (CEMIP) triggered both migration and invasion in many tumors but not SCLC. Therefore, in this study, we verified that CEMIP promoted migration and invasion in SCLC and applied proteomics analysis to screen out potential target profiles and the signaling pathway related to CEMIP regulation. Immunofluorescence was conducted to exam the expression of CEMIP on SCLC and paired adjacent normal tissues among enrollment. RT-qPCR and Western blot (WB) assays were conducted to valuate cellular protein and mRNA expression of CEMIP and EMT markers. Lentivirus-CEMIP-shRNAs and CEMIP plasmid were used for expression manipulating. Changes of cellular migration and invasion were tested through transwell assays. Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) peptide labeling coupled with LC–MS/MS was used for quantifying proteins affected by reducing expression of CEMIP on H446 cells. The expression of CEMIP showed 1.64 ± 0.16-fold higher in SCLC tissues than their normal counterpart. Decreasing the expression of CEMIP on SCLC cells H446 regressed both cellular migration and invasion ability, whereas the promoting cellular migration and invasion was investigated through over-expressing CEMIP on H1688. Proteomic and bioinformatics analysis revealed that total 215 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) that either their increasing or decreasing relative expression met threshold of 1.2-fold changes with p value ≤ 0.05. The dramatic up-regulated DEPs included an unidentified peptide sequence (encoded by cDNA FLJ52096) SPICE1 and CRYAB, while the expression of S100A6 was largely down-regulated. DEPs mainly enriched on caveolae of cellular component, calcium ion binding of biological process and epithelial cell migration of molecular function. KEGG enrichment indicated that DEPs mainly exerted their function on TGF-β, GABAergic synapse and MAPK signaling pathway. It is the first report illustrating that CEMIP might be one of the metastatic triggers in SCLC. And also, it provided possible molecular mechanism cue and potential downstream target on CEMIP-induced cellular migration and invasion on SCLC.

The polyethylenimine-functionalized magnetic chitosan nanoparticles (MCN-PEI) are synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, TEM, FT-IR, XRD, etc. The MCN-PEI exhibits a core–shell structure, and had a saturation magnetization of 18.7 emu/g (which is high enough for fast magnetic separation). The maximum U(VI) sorption capacity for MCN-PEI reaches 134.6 mg/g at pH 5.0 and 298 K. The good-fitting of both sorption kinetics by pseudo-second-order model and sorption isotherms by Langmuir model indicates chemisorption mechanism. The thermodynamic parameters indicate the spontaneous and exothermic nature for U(VI) sorption. Finally, the magnetic nano-sorbents can be efficiently desorbed by acidified EDTA solution for regeneration.

The amidoxime-functionalized biopolymer/graphene oxide gels were prepared and their performance in the application of the adsorption separation of uranium (VI) in aqueous solution has been studied. The prepared gels were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectra, and X-ray diffraction to determine the microscopic morphology, chemical composition and crystal structure. The adsorption performance of the gels including the effects of solution pH and contact time on the adsorption capacity has been evaluated by a batch adsorption technology. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics were measured, and the experimental data were analyzed and shown to be agreed with the Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The results demonstrated that the adsorption process was the rate-limiting step in the separation process.

Pembrolizumab is more widespread use clinically with Pembrolizumab being recommended as a first-line therapy for advanced NSCLC. At the same time, some new adverse reactions have also been discovered, including hyperpigmentation. We hereby present a 77-year-old Chinese female with primary bronchial lung cancer. Genetic testing showed negative for EGFR and ALK. Immunohistochemical analysis showed tumor proportion score (TPS) of PD-L1 was 80% on tumor cells. Then the patient received pembrolizumab 200mg every three weeks, as the first-line therapy. Two courses after initiation pembrolizumab, hyperpigmentation appeared on her face and back of the hand. The right middle lobe mass and mediastinal lymph node metastasis progressed after nine courses after initiation of pembrolizumab, and the patient’s entire face turned black. It potentially indicates that cutaneous adverse events of hyperpigmentation, might be a negative predictor of response to pembrolizumab in metastatic lung adenocarcinoma patients.

A microporous composite (CuHCF/PP600) for cesium removal was successfully prepared by copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCF) dispersed into a biochar (pomelo peel was carbonized at 600 °C). In comparison with CuHCF/PP600 and pure CuHCF, it was showed that CuHCF/PP600 had better performances on sedimentation and cesium removal. The maximum removal efficiency of cesium by the composite is 30.06 mg/g (at pH 7.0). Adsorption kinetic and isotherm of CuHCF/PP600 were followed to Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model respectively. Thermodynamic analysis shows that the adsorption process was endothermic. The removal efficiency of Cs+ was down less than 5% in the presence of Na+, K+, Mg2+. The results indicate that CuHCF/PP600 is a promising adsorbent for cesium removal from aqueous solution.

In exploration of an efficient and economical means for the treatment of radioactive wastewater, the performance of biopolymer/graphene oxide gels have been evaluated in the application for the separation of U(VI). The microscopic morphology and crystal structure of the obtained gels were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectra, and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The effects of adsorption factors such as solution pH and contact time were discussed to obtain the suitable process conditions. The experimental data were found to be agreed well with the Langmuri isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model.

Novel amino-carbamate moiety grafted calcium alginate hydrogel beads (CA-1) were synthesized by reacting sodium alginate with 4-phenylsemicarbazide followed by ionotropic crosslinking with Ca(II) ions. As compared to pure calcium alginate hydrogel beads (CA), CA-1 exhibited fast kinetics and enhanced sorption capacity towards U(VI) ions, from mild acidic conditions. The sorption kinetic could be described by pseudo-second order equation, with the chemisorption as the rate-controlling step. The sorption isotherm were fitted well by Langmuir (qm = 233.2 mg/g at 298 K). CA-1 hydrogel beads exhibited fast kinetic, high sorption capacity and excellent selectivity for U(VI) sorption, thus it could be potentially used for the removal/recovery of U(VI) ions from wastewater.

Novel mesoporous Fe3O4@SiO2 nanospheres (MSN) functionalized with N/O-containing groups (MSN-DA and MSN-DATA) were prepared and characterized. Both MSN-DA and MSN-DATA were core-shell magnetic nanospheres, and they had high affinity for U(VI) sorption. The XPS analysis indicated that U(VI) sorption on both sorbents (MSN-DA and MSN-DATA) was mainly through the inner-complexation mechanism, but for MSN-DATA, cation-exchange also played a significant role. The maximum sorption capacities reached 139.1 mg/g for MSN-DA and 103.9 mg/g for MSN-DATA. Both the functionalized sorbents exhibited fast sorption rate, excellent selectivity to co-existing cations, and good reusability for uranium sorption, however, MSN-DA was more effective for U(VI) sorption (compared to MSN-DATA) due to less molecular hindrance and more amine/amino groups for chelating U(VI). These findings indicated that MSN-DA and MSN-DATA could be potentially used for the efficient sorption/separation of U(VI) from wastewater.

The amino/amine-functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica nanospheres (MSN-DETA) exhibited relatively high sorption capacity (qm = 153.68 mg/g) as well as excellent selectivity for U(VI). The U4f7/2 X-ray photoelectron spectrometry revealed two binding energies at 380.8 ± 0.3 eV (with the proportion of 75.2%) and 382.3 ± 0.3 eV, which indicated the inner-surface complexation mechanism. The sorption isotherms fitted well with the Langmuir model, whereas the sorption kinetics could be fitted by pseudo-second-order model. The U(VI)-loaded MSN-DETA could be efficiently regenerated by acidified EDTA (0.4 M). These findings indicated that MSN-DETA could be used as a potential material for the efficient sorption/separation of U(VI) from wastewater.

Background. The mitochondrial dynamics and mitochondrial biogenesis are essential for maintaining the bioenergy function of mitochondria in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Previous studies have revealed that secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) is beneficial against apoptosis and oxidative stress. However, no research has confirmed whether SFRP2 regulates oxidative stress and apoptosis through mitochondrial function in DCM. Methods. Exposure of H9C2 cardiomyocytes in high glucose (HG) 25 mM and palmitic acid (PAL) 0.2 mM was used to simulate DCM in vitro. H9C2 cells with SFRP2 overexpression or SFRP2 knockdown were constructed and cultured under glucolipotoxicity or normal glucose conditions. An SD rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was generated using a high-fat diet combined with a low-dose STZ injection. Overexpression of SFRP2 in the rat model was generated by using an adeno-associated virus approach. CCK-8, TUNEL assay, and DHE staining were used to detect cell viability, and MitoTracker Red CMXRos was used to detect changes in mitochondrial membrane potential. We used qRT-PCR and western blot to further explore the mechanisms of SFRP2 regulating mitochondrial dynamics through the AMPK/PGC1-α pathway to improve diabetic cardiomyocyte injury. Results. Our results indicated that SFRP2 was significantly downregulated in H9C2 cells and cardiac tissues in T2DM conditions, accompanied by decreased expression of mitochondrial dysfunction. The mitochondrial membrane potential was reduced, and the cells were led to oxidative stress injury and apoptosis. Furthermore, the overexpression of SFRP2 could reverse apoptosis and promote mitochondrial function in T2DM conditions in vitro and in vivo. We also found that silencing endogenous SFRP2 could further promote glucolipotoxicity-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes, accompanied by downregulation of p-AMPK. Conclusion. SFRP2 exerted cardioprotective effects by salvaging mitochondrial function in an AMPK-PGC1-α-dependent manner, which modulates mitochondrial dynamics and mitochondrial biogenesis, reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis. SFRP2 may be a promising therapeutic biomarker in DCM.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) inevitably developed oxaliplatin (OXA) resistance after long‐term treatment, but the mechanism remains unclear. Here, we found that LncRNA UCA1 was upregulated in most of OXA‐resistant HCC tissues and cells (HepG2/OXA and SMMC‐7721/OXA). Follow‐up analysis and online Kaplan–Meier Plotter revealed that HCC patients with high UCA1 level had a shorter survival compared with those with low expression. Overexpression of UCA1 increased OXA IC50 in HepG2 and SMMC‐7721 cells, whereas knockdown of UCA1 decreased OXA IC50 in resistant counterparts. Moreover, dual luciferase reporter assay showed that co‐transfection of UCA1‐WT plasmid with miR‐138‐5p mimics enhanced fluorescence signals, whereas co‐transfection of UCA1‐Mut plasmid and miR‐138‐5p mimics did not induce any changes. Consistently, UCA1 levels in HepG2/OXA and SMMC‐7721/OXA cells were downregulated after transfected with miR‐138‐5p mimics. UCA1 silencing or transfection of miR‐138‐5p mmics inhibited the activation of AKT and mTOR in HepG2/OXA and SMMC‐7721/OXA cells, whereas UCA1 overexpression increased the phosphorylated AKT and mTOR levels in parental counterparts. Rapamycin or miR‐138‐5p mimics similarly suppressed the activation of AKT and mTOR, whereas UCA1 overexpression exert opposite roles. Interestingly, administration of rapamycin or miR‐138‐5p mimics apparently antagonized the effects of UCA1 on AKT and mTOR activation. Besides, depletion of UCA1 triggered more dramatic regression of HepG2 xenografts than that of HepG2/OXA xenografts with OXA treatment and impaired the p‐AKT and p‐mTOR levels in vivo. In conclusion, our findings provide the evidence that UCA1 may contribute to OXA resistance via miR‐138‐5p‐mediated AK /mTOR activation, suggesting that UCA1 is a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

The radiological toxicity of uranium in nuclear industrial wastewater poses a long-term threat to environment, thus the effective separation of radionuclide from wastewater is very important for environmental safety. Herein, the macroporous ion-imprinted chitosan foams (ICFs) were synthesized by the combination of the facile freezing-drying and ion-imprinting techniques. Compared with non-imprinted chitosan foam, the ICFs showed much higher adsorption capacities (qm = 248.9–253.6 mg/g) and better adsorption selectivity for U(VI) owing to their smart recognition of the target ions for matching the cavities formed during U(VI)-imprinting process. The adsorption kinetics could be fitted by pseudo-second-order model; whereas the adsorption isotherms could be described by Langmuir model, indicating chemisorption or complexation mechanism. The FT-IR and XPS analysis further confirms that the coordination between U(VI) and the active sites (amine and hydroxyl groups) is the main adsorption mechanism. The thermodynamic parameters suggest that the adsorption of U(VI) is endothermic and spontaneous. This work provides new insights for the design of novel macroporous biosorbents with both high adsorption capacity and excellent adsorption selectivity for U(VI) biosorption from wastewater.

Background/Aims: Gap junctions, which are assembled by connexins, can directly connect the cytoplasm of adjacent cells and enable gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) as well as metabolic coupling between neighboring cells. Here, we investigated the role of connexin 43 (Cx43) and its derived GJIC in the interplay between non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Methods: CAFs and NSCLC cells were co-cultured with direct contact and separated using flow cytometry. Glucose uptake, lactate production, and the expression and activity of PKM-2 and LDH-A in sorted CAFs were measured by a colorimetric assay, western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Meanwhile, E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression and the migration and invasion of sorted NSCLC cells were detected by western blotting, wound width, and Transwell assays. Pyruvate, acetyl-CoA, and citric acid levels, ATP levels, and LDH-B and α-KG activity in sorted NSCLC cells were determined by a colorimetric or fluorometric assay and ELISA, respectively. Functional GJIC between cells and the subcellular location of connexins were detected by a “Parachute” assay and immunofluorescence. Levels of α-SMA, Cx43, and LDH-B in tissue from patients with NSCLC were determined by immunohistochemistry. Results: Cx43 accumulated in the plasma membrane, which favored the assembly of asymmetric unidirectional GJIC from CAFs to NSCLC cells. CAFs underwent increased aerobic glycolysis and promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells. In contrast, NSCLC cells experienced enhanced oxidative phosphorylation upon CAF stimulation, with an increase in ATP generation and thereby activation of the PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK pathways. Metabolic coupling between CAFs and NSCLC cells was under the strict control of Cx43-formed unidirectional GJIC. Patients with high tri-expression of α-SMA, Cx43, and LDH-B had the shortest overall survival and relapse-free survival compared with those with individual overexpression or high bi-expression. Conclusion: Cx43-formed unidirectional GJIC plays a critical role in mediating close metabolic cooperation between CAFs and NSCLC cells to support the malignant progression of NSCLC.

The pulping runs for bagasse were carried out by using NH4OH-KOH-AQ as cooking liquor. IR was employed to study the characteristic change of bagasse and obtained pulp. The delignification mechanisms and kinetics of NH4OH-KOH-AQ pulping for bagasse were investigated. The dissolution of lignin proceeds could be divided into three distinct phases, named a bulk phase of delignification, a supplementary phase, and a residual phase. The rate of delignification reaction was found to be 1.0, 0.72 and 0.14 with respect to residual lignin, hydroxide ion and AQ, respectively. Values were obtained for the rate constants at a number of temperatures and the activation energy was found to be 45.29 kJ/mol. A kinetic model of delignification could be expressed as − dL dt = 5.25 × 10 5 exp ( − 5448 T ) L [ OH ] 0.72 [ AQ ] 0.14 .

The performance of a magnetic chitosan/graphene oxide composites (MCGO) have been investigated for the adsorption processes of U(VI) ions from aqueous solution. The synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by infrared spectra (IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The influences of the pH of solution and the contact time on the adsorption amounts have been discussed, and the optimal experimental conditions for the adsorption of U(VI) have been obtained. Experimental equilibrium data has been obtained and the kinetic results revealed that pseudo-first order kinetic model provided the best description of the equilibrium data.

A novel chelator diethylenetriaminepentaacetic phenylenediamine (DTPAA) was successfully synthesized using p-phenylenediamine and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid. The as-synthesized DTPAA was co...

The amidoxime-functionalized hollow SiO2 microspheres (HSA) were prepared for highly efficient U(VI) adsorption. Results showed that amidoxime modification could improve both sorption capacity and sorption selectivity for U(VI), however, excess functionalization might block the mesopores and thus restricting U(VI) sorption. The maximum U(VI) sorption capacity was 109.6 mg/g for HSA15 at 298 K and pH 5.0. The U(VI) sorption isotherms could be described by Langmuir model; whereas the sorption kinetics fitted well with the pseudo-second-order equation, indicating of monolayer chemisorption mechanism. The HSA sorbents could be efficiently regenerated by 0.6 M HNO3 and reused for several sorption–desorption cycles.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) profiles in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) during non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression. Materials & methods: Differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs were detected by lncRNA microarray between three patient-paired CAFs and the adjacent normal fibroblasts, which were obtained from tumoral and nontumoral portions of surgically resected lung tissue from three primary NSCLCs. Bioinformatic analyses including gene ontology and pathway analysis were applied to these differentially expressed mRNAs. The qRT-PCR was conducted to identify the change of selected lncRNAs that might be involved in contribution of CAFs toward NSCLC. Results: A total of 766 lncRNAs and 750 mRNAs abnormally expressed in CAFs (fold-change >2, p

The in situ generated Fe0-nanoparticles (FeNPs) were incorporated to tripolyphosphate-crosslinking chitosan membranes (CS–Fe) for enhancing U(VI) adsorption. Results indicated that chitosan could improve the dispersion of FeNPs, while phosphate groups from CS–Fe provided the main sorption sites. The FeNPs offered additional sorption sites, as evidenced by the perfect fitting of bi-site Langmuir model for the sorption isotherms. The adsorption kinetic followed pseudo second-order model, indicating chemisorption as the rate-controlling step. The enhanced adsorption of U(VI) for CS–Fe (qm,cal = 208.8 mg/g against qm,cal = 131.6 mg/g for CS) was associated to the redox reaction between the well-dispersed FeNPs and U(VI).

The diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-functionalized magnetic chitosan nano-particles (DTPA-MCS) were facilely synthesized. The DTPA-MCS exhibited good affinity and fast kinetic for U(VI) sorption due to its high density of N/O-containing groups. The sorption kinetics followed pseudo-second-order equation, whereas the sorption isotherms agreed well with Langmuir model, with the maximum sorption capacity of 0.66 mmol/g at pH 5.0 and 298 K. Thermodynamic data indicated a spontaneous and endothermic sorption process. The U(VI) sorption mainly proceeds through inner-sphere complexation, as evidenced by the slight influence of ionic strength. The DTPA-MCS could be regenerated by 0.40 M thiourea–0.20 M HNO3 and reused for sorption.

The performance of a magnetic ion-imprinted chitosan resins (MICR) have been investigated for the adsorption processes of Th(IV) ions from aqueous solution. Infrared spectra (IR) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) show that it is a successful cross-linking and ion-imprinting process, and Th(IV) has been adsorbed onto the MICR. Experimental equilibrium data has been obtained and the results have shown that the Langmuir isotherm model better fits the experimental data compared with the Freundlich isotherm. Two simplified models including pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order equations were selected to simulate the adsorption process.

Short-term traffic flow is one of the core technologies to realize traffic flow guidance. In this article, in view of the characteristics that the traffic flow changes repeatedly, a short-term traffic flow forecasting method based on a three-layer K-nearest neighbor non-parametric regression algorithm is proposed. Specifically, two screening layers based on shape similarity were introduced in K-nearest neighbor non-parametric regression method, and the forecasting results were output using the weighted averaging on the reciprocal values of the shape similarity distances and the most-similar-point distance adjustment method. According to the experimental results, the proposed algorithm has improved the predictive ability of the traditional K-nearest neighbor non-parametric regression method, and greatly enhanced the accuracy and real-time performance of short-term traffic flow forecasting.

A new 1-D zirconium phosphonate [(CH3)2NH2]2[Zr(CH2(HPO3)(PO3))2] (SZ-5) was synthesized via a solvothermal reaction and its single crystal structure was elucidated. SZ-5 exhibits efficient strontium exchange capability with high uptake capacity and selectivity, as further demonstrated by the radioactive Sr-90 removal from a real contaminated seawater sample with an extremely high ionic strength. In addition, the measured proton conductivity at 90 °C and 90% relative humidity (RH) is 5.65 × 10−4 S cm−1. The efficient ion-exchange ability and the moderate proton conductivity suggest the potential applications of SZ-5 in fuel cells or in the remediation of contaminated water.

The performance of a cross-linked magnetic chitosan has been investigated for the adsorption of U(VI) from aqueous solutions. The influences of the pH of solution, the initial concentration of U(VI) ions and the contact time on the adsorption amounts have been discussed, and the appropriate process conditions for the adsorption of U(VI) have been obtained. The adsorption experimental equilibrium data was found to fit the Langmuir model well, and the uptake of U(VI) was 161.3 mg g−1. Two simplified models including pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order equations are selected to follow the adsorption process.

Yb3+, Ho3+ co-doped pyrochlore-structured (Y0.99−xHo0.01Ybx)2Ti2O7 (x = 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 mol%) nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully fabricated via a gel-combustion approach. The products as-obtained were characterized by various techniques, i.e. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, Fourier transformed infrared spectra and upconverting spectra. The results indicate that the bright green (∼540 nm) and red (∼660 nm) emissions are observed in Y2Ti2O7:Ho3+,Yb3+ NPs under the 980 nm excitation, which is ascribed to the radiative transitions (5F4,5S2) → 5I8 and 5F5 → 5I8 of Ho3+ ions, respectively. It is also found that the calcining temperature and Yb3+ ion doping level have a great influence on the upconverting spectra of (Y0.99−xHo0.01Ybx)2Ti2O7 NPs. The emission intensities increase initially and then fall down from 800 to 1000 °C. The optimum doping level of Yb3+ ions is 7.5 mol%, and the intensity of upconverting emissions for (Y0.915Ho0.01Yb0.075)2Ti2O7 NPs is enhanced by the fold of 32 compared to the Yb3+-free samples. The dependence of upconverting intensity on the excitation power reveals the contribution of two photons to both the green and red upconverting process under lower excitation power, and the possible upconverting mechanisms have been proposed accordingly.

Pure-phase pyrochlore oxide Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 nanocrystals with good dispersity were successfully synthesized via a glycine-nitrate gel-combustion approach. The preparation process and products were monitored and characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectra, thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The detailed results suggested that the phase and nature of as-obtained products are highly dependent of the pH value of the precursor solution and the amount of glycine. Under the appropriate conditions that the pH value of the precursor is 2.0, the fuel-to-oxidant ratio is 2.0, and the calcination temperature is 800 °C, the as-prepared products are almost sphere-like or ellipsoid, exhibits perfect crystalline phase, good dispersity and a narrow particle distribution with an average size diameter of 20–30 nm. This soft-chemistry route can be also extended to prepare Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 -based functional nanomaterials and other pyrochlore-oxide nanocrystals.

The ion-imprinted magnetic chitosan resins (IMCR) prepared using U(VI) as a template and glutaraldehyde as a cross-linker showed higher adsorption capacity and selectivity for the U(VI) ions compared with the non-imprinted magnetic chitosan resins (NIMCR) without a template. The results showed that the adsorption of U(VI) on the magnetic chitosan resins was affected by the initial pH value, the initial U(VI) concentration, as well as the temperature. Both kinetics and thermodynamic parameters of the adsorption process were estimated. These data indicated an exothermic spontaneous adsorption process that kinetically followed the second-order adsorption process. Equilibrium experiments were fitted in Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin–Radushkevich adsorption isotherm models to show very good fits with the Langmuir isotherm equation for the monolayer adsorption process. The monolayer adsorption capacity values of 187.26 mg/g for IMCR and 160.77 mg/g for NIMCR were very close to the maximum capacity values obtained at pH 5.0, temperature 298 K, adsorbent dose 50 mg, and contact time 3 h. The selectivity coefficient of uranyl ions and other metal ions on IMCR indicated an overall preference for uranyl ions. Furthermore, the IMCR could be regenerated through the desorption of the U(VI) ions using 0.5 M HNO 3 solution and could be reused to adsorb again.

Rice straw pulping trials were carried out with aqueous ammonia mixed with caustic potash to eliminate the black liquor problem in nonwood pulping. The black liquor, which contains nitrogen, potassium, and ammoniacal lignin, potentially can be used as a fertilizer for agricultural production. Excess ammonia in the black liquor was recovered by batch distillation. The black liquor was further treated for reuse by coagulation under alkaline conditions. Effects of flocculating condition, such as dosage of 10% aluminum polychloride, dosage of 0.1% polyacrylamide, and reaction temperature and pH of black liquor, were studied systematically by experiment to obtain suitable technological conditions. Infrared and other analytical techniques confirmed that major quantities of lignin, 23.73% nitrogen (dried basis), and 6.24% potassium (dried basis) existed in the flocculating residues, which has the potential to be a good solid fertilizer. The amount of delignification and the pulp screen yield for the process remained steady at 83%–85 % and 38-40 %, respectively, when reusing the supernatant four times.