Degradation and Toxicity Assay During Electrocatalysis of Chlorobenzene in Aqueous Solution

The degradation and toxicity assay on a three-dimensional electrocatalytic oxidation (ECO) of organic pollutants were described in this paper. Aqueous chlorobenzene (CB, 50 mg/L) was chosen as model pollutant and C. vulgaris was applied to assess the toxicity evolution during electrocatalytic oxidation for this study. The degradation and mineralization rate of CB, and the toxicity of wastewater sample during the electro-oxidation were determined meantime under suitable experimental conditions. The experimental results indicated that CB, oxidized incompletely to CO2 and H2O, was removed prior to total organic carbon (TOC), and the bio-toxicity was relevant to the intermediate products of CB degradation. The major intermediate products included phenol, biphenyl, 1,4-benzoquinone and other small molecular organic acids, unequivocally identified by GC/MS and IC. It was essential to maintain enough mineralization for toxicity reduction during electro-oxidation of organics in water.National Key Technologies Research & Development Program of China (No. 2011BAE07B09)||National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51278465

NOS3 Protects Against Systemic Inflammation and Myocardial Dysfunction in Murine Polymicrobial Sepsis

NO has been implicated in the pathogenesis of septic shock. However, the role of NO synthase 3 (NOS3) during sepsis remains incompletely understood. Here, we examined the impact of NOS3 deficiency on systemic inflammation and myocardial dysfunction during peritonitis-induced polymicrobial sepsis. Severe polymicrobial sepsis was induced by colon ascendens stent peritonitis (CASP) in wild-type (WT) and NOS3-deficient (NOS3KO) mice. NOS3KO mice exhibited shorter survival time than did WT mice after CASP. NOS3 deficiency worsened systemic inflammation assessed by the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the lung, liver, and heart. Colon ascendens stent peritonitis markedly increased the number of leukocyte infiltrating the liver and heart in NOS3KO but not in WT mice. The exaggerated systemic inflammation in septic NOS3KO mice was associated with more marked myocardial dysfunction than in WT mice 22 h after CASP. The detrimental effects of NOS3 deficiency on myocardial function after CASP seem to be caused by impaired Ca2+ handling of cardiomyocytes. The impaired Ca2+ handling of cardiomyocytes isolated from NOS3KO mice subjected to CASP was associated with depressed mitochondrial ATP production, a determinant of the Ca2+ cycling capacity of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase. The NOS3 deficiency-induced impairment of the ability of mitochondria to produce ATP after CASP was at least in part attributable to reduction in mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I activity. These observations suggest that NOS3 protects against systemic inflammation and myocardial dysfunction after peritonitis-induced polymicrobial sepsis in mice

Tunable Interband Transitions in Twisted h-BN/Graphene Heterostructures

In twisted h-BN/graphene heterostructures, the complex electronic properties of the fast-traveling electron gas in graphene are usually considered to be fully revealed. However, the randomly twisted heterostructures may also have unexpected transition behaviors, which may influence the device performance. Here, we study the twist angle-dependent coupling effects of h-BN/graphene heterostructures using monochromatic electron energy loss spectroscopy. We find that the moir\'e potentials alter the band structure of graphene, resulting in a redshift of the intralayer transition at the M-point, which becomes more pronounced up to 0.25 eV with increasing twist angle. Furthermore, the twisting of the Brillouin zone of h-BN relative to the graphene M-point leads to tunable vertical transition energies in the range of 5.1-5.6 eV. Our findings indicate that twist-coupling effects of van der Waals heterostructures should be carefully considered in device fabrications, and the continuously tunable interband transitions through the twist angle can serve as a new degree of freedom to design optoelectrical devices

Psychological Considerations in Patients Undergoing Patch Testing

Purpose of Review Patch testing is the gold standard evaluation for allergic contact dermatitis, but there are important psychological considerations to be aware of. This review provides a stepwise, holistic approach for addressing patients who present for patch testing. Recent Findings It is important to clarify expectations prior to patch testing to mitigate potential disappointment as well as counsel patients on other possible conditions that mimic allergic contact dermatitis. Often, clinical severity does not correlate with the degree to which patients are psychologically distressed by their condition. Common comorbidities, including anxiety and depression, may warrant a psychological referral. Summary Patients who present to patch test clinics may benefit from focused psychosocial intervention. Understanding which patients are at high risk for psychological morbidity allows you for stratification to determine the need for referral to appropriate support services. It is important to acknowledge the effect that allergic contact dermatitis and related conditions can have on quality-of-life and speak with patients openly about how their condition has impacted them

The Mechanism of Fluid Exsolution and Sn–W Precipitation: Example from the Hongling Pb–Zn Polymetallic Deposit and the Surrounding Area in Northern China

Metal migration and precipitation in hydrothermal fluids are important topics in economic geology. The Hongling polymetallic deposit comprises one of the most important parts of the Huanggangliang–Ganzhuermiao polymetallic metallogenic belt, which is in eastern Inner Mongolia. Except for lead–zinc skarn, minor cassiterite in the skarn and disseminated W–Sn mineralization in granitic rocks have also been found. The dominant Sn–W mineralization is in the northern part of the deposit, occurring as disseminated wolframite and cassiterite in aplite hosted in Mesozoic granite porphyry. The aplite together with pegmatite K-feldspar–quartz comprises vein dikes hosted in the granite porphyry, providing evidence for the transition from melt to fluid. The veins, dikes, and Sn–W mineralization in the aplite provide an opportunity to investigate fluid exsolution and the mechanics of metal precipitation. Based on field observations, the micrographic and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) results of the vein dikes, chronology, and the whole-rock geochemistry of the host rock, together with the fluid inclusion results, this paper discusses the characteristics of the causative magma, the mechanics of fluid exsolution and W–Sn precipitation. Our results show that the causative magma is of highly fractionated A-type granite affinity and has an intrusive age of late Mesozoic (133.3 ± 0.86 Ma). The magmatic evolution during shallow emplacement led to immiscibility between highly volatile, high-silica, and W- and Sn-enriched melts from the parent magma, followed by fluid exsolution from the water-rich melt. The alkaline-rich fluid exsolution led to a change in the redox state of the magma and the chilling of the melt. Fluid boiling occurred soon after the fluid exsolution and was accompanied by the degassing of CO2. The boiling and escape of CO2 from the fluid led to changes in fluid redox and W and Sn precipitation; thus, the W and Sn mineralization are mostly hosted in causative intrusions or peripheral wall rocks, which can be used as indicators for Sn–W exploration in the area

Process Optimization of Electrochemical Oxidation of Ammonia to Nitrogen for Actual Dyeing Wastewater Treatment

To mitigate the potential environmental risks caused by nitrogen compounds from industrial wastewater, residual ammonia after conventional wastewater treatment should be further eliminated. In this work, an electrochemical oxidation process for converting ammonia to nitrogen in actual dyeing wastewater was investigated. The effects of the main operating parameters, including initial pH value, applied current density, NaCl concentration, and flow, were investigated on ammonia removal and products distribution. Experimental results indicated that, under optimal conditions of an initial pH value of 8.3, applied current density of 20 mA cm−2, NaCl concentration of 1.0 g L−1, and flow of 300 mL min−1, the ammonia could be completely removed with N2 selectivity of 88.3% in 60 min electrolysis. A kinetics investigation using a pseudo-first-order model provided a precise description of ammonia removal during the electro-oxidation process. Experimental functions for describing the relationships between kinetic constants of ammonia removal and main operating parameters were also discussed. Additionally, the mechanisms and economic evaluation of ammonia oxidation were conducted. All these results clearly proved that this electro-oxidation process could efficiently remove ammonia and achieve high N2 selectivity