Variation of Al species during water treatment:correlation with treatment efficiency under varied hydraulic conditions

The concentration of hydrolyzed coagulant ion species is a key factor in determining drinking water treatment efficiency. Direct correlation of water treatment efficiency with changes in species during coagulation has not been addressed. We investigated the correlation under different hydraulic conditions and water treatment efficiencies including changes in removal of turbidity, ultraviolet adsorption at 254 nm (UV254) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Results highlighted that Al species (monomeric species as Ala, medium polymeric species as Alb and colloidal species as Alc) behaved differently during coagulation and treatment efficiencies were affected. When varying the mixing speed, the removal of Alc species had a strong negative correlation with water treatment efficiency but under other hydraulic conditions positive correlations were found. The removal of Ala species was positively correlated with water treatment efficiency, but under other hydraulic conditions the low abundance of Ala species meant the correlation was difficult to observe. The Alb species were significantly and positively correlated with water treatment efficiency with the highest correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.87. The correlation of metallic species with removal efficiencies of the DOC and the UV254 produced higher R2 values. Correlation of the rate of removal of Alb species with the removal efficiencies of the DOC or the UV254 was better than for Alc. HIGHLIGHTS Hydrolyzed coagulant ion species is considered as one of key factors in determining drinking water treatment efficiency.; Drinking water treatment efficiency is often correlated with the distribution species in coagulant rather than water.; The variation of the species removal was investigated in the coagulation system.; Under varied hydraulic conditions a positive response in correlation was presented.

Design, synthesis and in vitro anti-Zika virus evaluation of novel Sinefungin derivatives

We report herein the design and synthesis of a series of novel Sinefungin (SIN) derivatives, based on the structures of SIN and its analogue EPZ004777. Our results reveal that target compounds 1ad-af, 1ba-bb and 1bf-bh show better activity (IC50 = 4.56–20.16 μM) than EPZ004777 (IC50 = 35.19 μM). Surprisingly, SIN was founded to be not as active (IC50 > 50 μM) as we and other research groups predicted. Interestingly, the intermediates 9a-b and 11b display potent anti-ZIKV potency (IC50 = 6.33–29.98 μM), and compound 9a also exhibits acceptable cytotoxicity (CC50 > 200 μM), suggesting their promising potential to be leads for further development

A four-microRNA panel in serum may serve as potential biomarker for renal cell carcinoma diagnosis

BackgroundRenal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one out of the most universal malignant tumors globally, and its incidence is increasing annually. MicroRNA (miRNA) in serum could be considered as a non-invasive detecting biomarker for RCC diagnosis.MethodA total of 224 participants (112 RCC patients (RCCs) and 112 normal controls (NCs)) were enrolled in the three-phrase study. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was applied to reveal the miRNA expression levels in RCCs and NCs. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) were utilized to predict the diagnostic ability of serum miRNAs for RCC. Bioinformatic analysis and survival analysis were also included in our study.ResultsCompared to NCs, the expression degree of miR-155-5p, miR-224-5p in serum was significantly upregulated in RCC patients, and miR-1-3p, miR-124-3p, miR-129-5p, and miR-200b-3p were downregulated. A four-miRNA panel was construed, and the AUC of the panel was 0.903 (95% CI: 0.847–0.944; p < 0.001; sensitivity = 75.61%, specificity = 93.67%). Results from GEPIA database indicated that CHL1, MPP5, and SORT1 could be seen as promising target genes of the four-miRNA panel. Survival analysis of candidate miRNAs manifested that miR-155-5p was associated with the survival rate of RCC significantly.ConclusionsThe four-miRNA panel in serum has a great potential to be non-invasive biomarkers for RCC sift to check

Establishment of porcine and human expanded potential stem cells.

We recently derived mouse expanded potential stem cells (EPSCs) from individual blastomeres by inhibiting the critical molecular pathways that predispose their differentiation. EPSCs had enriched molecular signatures of blastomeres and possessed developmental potency for all embryonic and extra-embryonic cell lineages. Here, we report the derivation of porcine EPSCs, which express key pluripotency genes, are genetically stable, permit genome editing, differentiate to derivatives of the three germ layers in chimeras and produce primordial germ cell-like cells in vitro. Under similar conditions, human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells can be converted, or somatic cells directly reprogrammed, to EPSCs that display the molecular and functional attributes reminiscent of porcine EPSCs. Importantly, trophoblast stem-cell-like cells can be generated from both human and porcine EPSCs. Our pathway-inhibition paradigm thus opens an avenue for generating mammalian pluripotent stem cells, and EPSCs present a unique cellular platform for translational research in biotechnology and regenerative medicine

Evaluation of Illumination Intensity of Plastic Optical Fibres with Tio2 Particles by Laser Treatment

CO2 laser treatment can increase the surface roughness of plastic optical fibres (POFs) with the diameter of 0.5 mm and enhance the input intensity and attenuation coefficient accordingly, which is supposed to weaken the side emission of POFs in long distance above 375 mm. TiO2 particles were applied to improve the increasing optical loss of POFs by laser treatment. POFs were first modified with fine TiO2 particles and then treated by CO2 laser with the pixel time from 30 to 120 ìs. The surface morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy to investigate the changes of micro-structure before and after laser treatment and the distribution of TiO2 particles. The illumination intensity and attenuation coefficient were calculated and compared in two methods. It is visible that the evaluation by model LLF2 with two parts is more suitable for the fitting of experimental data and shows higher input intensity and lower attenuation than that by standard power function. Both the evaluation methods exhibit that the utilization of TiO2 particles could play an active role in the enhancement of side emission of POFs treated by CO2 laser