Application and optimization in chromium-contaminated wastewater treatment of the reverse osmosis technology

Background: Chromium (Cr) is the most important element used to plate other metals and electroplating factories are still considered to be the most important industries which pollute the environment to this metal. This paper describes a study conducted to determine the efficiency of reverse-osmosis (RO) as a membrane technique for removal of Cr from wastewater samples synthetically prepared to be similar to electroplating effluents. Methods: The RO unit used in this study was a spiral wound module of 2521 TE made by a Korean CSM company. Synthetic wastewater samples containing Cr ions at various concentrations of 1 to 20 mg/L were prepared and subjected to treatment by RO, and quantitative analysis had been accomplished by a colorimetric method. Evaluation of optimized conditions of treatment had also been carried out by determining the effects of changing operating pressure, temperature and pHs of samples. Results: Optimum conditions of Cr-treatment by RO in 10 g/L initial Cr concentration were determined to be in the pH range of 6 to 7 and in temperature of about 25°C at an applied pressure of 200 psi. Conclusion: Considering the efficiency of Cr removal which was as high as 99 at the optimized conditions it could be concluded that RO membrane process may be selected and developed as an effective alternative for treatment of metal-contaminated effluents of electroplating and similar industries

Laryngeal mucous membrane plasmacytosis with 15 year follow-up: Case report and literature review

Mucous membrane plasmacytosis (MMP) is an uncommon variant of mucositis represented by a polyclonal plasma cell infiltration of mucosal tissue. Various clinical presentations in the upper airway have been reported ranging from erythematous mucosa to fungating masses. Histologic features include mucosal epithelial hyperplasia or psoriasiform changes with a dense submucosal infiltrate of polytypic plasma cells. Molecular studies for immunoglobulin gene rearrangement should be performed in all cases of MMP to rule out clonal neoplastic expansion of plasma cells. We present a case of MMP with over 15 years of clinical follow-up, emphasizing the relatively benign clinical course of this disorder

GGE biplot and AMMI analysis of barley yield performance in Iran

Successful production and development of stable and adaptable cultivars only depend on the positive results achieved from the interaction between genotype and environment that consequently has significant effect on breeding strategies. The objectives of this study were to evaluate genotype by environment interactions for grain yield in barley advanced lines and to determine their stability and general adaptability. For these purposes, 18 advanced lines along with two local cultivars were evaluated at five locations (Gachsaran, Lorestan, Ilam, Moghan and Gonbad) during three consecutive years (2012–2015). The results of the AMMI analysis indicated that main effects due to genotype (G), environment (E) and GE interaction as well as four interaction principal component axes were significant, representing differential responses of the lines to the environments and the need for stability analysis. According to AMMI stability parameters, lines G5 and G7 were the most stable lines across environments. Biplot analysis determined two barley mega-environments in Iran. The first mega-environment contained of Ilam and Gonbad locations, where the recommended G13, G19 and G1 produced the highest yields. The second mega-environment comprised of Lorestan, Gachsarn and Moghan locations, where G2, G9, G5 and G7 were the best adapted lines. Our results revealed that lines G5, G7, G9 and G17 are suggested for further inclusion in the breeding program due to its high grain yield, and among them G5 recommended as the most stable lines for variable semi-warm and warm environments. In addition, our results indicated the efficiency of AMMI and GGE biplot techniques for selecting genotypes that are stable, high yielding, and responsive

FLT3-ITD compared with DNMT3A R882 mutation is a more powerful independent inferior prognostic factor in adult acute myeloid leukemia patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A retrospective cohort study Allojenik hematopoetik kök hücre nakli sonrası yeti�kin akut myeloid lösemi hastalarında, FLT3-ITD, DNMT3A R882 mutasyonu ile kar�ıla�tırıldı�ında daha güçlü bir ba�ımsız kötü prognostik faktördür: Retrospektif kohort çalı�ması

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate DNMT3A exon 23 mutations and their prognostic impacts in the presence of NPM1 and FLT3 mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Materials and Methods: This study comprised 128 adult AML patients referred to the Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Research Center of Shariati Hospital. NPM1 and FLT3-ITD mutations were detected by fragment analysis. For DNMT3A exon 23 mutation analysis, we used Sanger sequencing. Overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) curves were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test was used to calculate differences between groups. Results: The prevalence of DNMT3A exon 23 mutations was 15.6 and hotspot region R882 mutations were prominent. RFS and OS were compared in patients with and without DNMT3A exon 23 mutations using univariate analysis and there was no significant difference between these groups of patients. On the contrary, the FLT3-ITD mutation significantly reduced the OS (p=0.009) and RFS (p=0.006) in AML patients after allogeneic HSCT. In the next step, patients with AML were divided into four groups regarding FLT3-ITD and DNMT3A mutations. Patients with DNMT3A R882mut/FLT3-ITDpos had the worst OS and RFS. These results indicate that DNMT3A mutations alone do not affect the clinical outcomes of AML patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT, but when accompanied by FLT3-ITD mutations, the OS was significantly reduced (5-year OS 0 for DNMT3A R882mut/ FLT3-ITDpos patients vs. 62 DNMT3A R882wt/FLT3-ITDneg, p=0.025) and the relapse rate increased. Conclusion: It can be deduced that DNMT3A R882mut/FLT3-ITDpos is an unfavorable prognostic factor in AML patients even after allogeneic HSCT. © 2018 by Turkish Society of Hematology

Electron quantum metamaterials in van der Waals heterostructures

In recent decades, scientists have developed the means to engineer synthetic periodic arrays with feature sizes below the wavelength of light. When such features are appropriately structured, electromagnetic radiation can be manipulated in unusual ways, resulting in optical metamaterials whose function is directly controlled through nanoscale structure. Nature, too, has adopted such techniques -- for example in the unique coloring of butterfly wings -- to manipulate photons as they propagate through nanoscale periodic assemblies. In this Perspective, we highlight the intriguing potential of designer sub-electron wavelength (as well as wavelength-scale) structuring of electronic matter, which affords a new range of synthetic quantum metamaterials with unconventional responses. Driven by experimental developments in stacking atomically layered heterostructures -- e.g., mechanical pick-up/transfer assembly -- atomic scale registrations and structures can be readily tuned over distances smaller than characteristic electronic length-scales (such as electron wavelength, screening length, and electron mean free path). Yet electronic metamaterials promise far richer categories of behavior than those found in conventional optical metamaterial technologies. This is because unlike photons that scarcely interact with each other, electrons in subwavelength structured metamaterials are charged, and strongly interact. As a result, an enormous variety of emergent phenomena can be expected, and radically new classes of interacting quantum metamaterials designed

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

ERCC1 is a prognostic biomarker in locally advanced head and neck cancer: results from a randomised, phase II trial

Background:Cisplatin-radiotherapy is a preferred standard for locally advanced, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the cisplatin-attributable survival benefit is small and toxicity substantial. A biomarker of cisplatin resistance could guide treatment selection and spare morbidity. The ERCC1-XPF nuclease is critical to DNA repair pathways resolving cisplatin-induced lesions.Methods:In a phase II trial, patients with untreated Stage III-IVb HNSCC were randomised to cisplatin-radiotherapy with/without erlotinib. Archived primary tumours were available from 90 of 204 patients for this planned substudy. Semi-quantitative ERCC1 protein expression (H-score) was determined using the FL297, 4F9, and 8F1 antibodies. The primary analysis evaluated the relationship between continuous ERCC1 protein expression and progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary analyses included two pre-specified ERCC1 cutpoints and performance in HPV-associated disease.Results:Higher ERCC1 expression was associated with inferior PFS, as measured by the specific antibodies FL297 (HR=2.5, 95% CI=1.1–5.9, P=0.03) and 4F9 (HR=3.0, 95% CI=1.2–7.8, P=0.02). Patients with increased vs decreased/normal ERCC1 expression experienced inferior PFS (HR=4.8 for FL297, P=0.003; HR=5.5 for 4F9, P=0.007). This threshold remained prognostic in HPV-associated disease.Conclusion:ERCC1-XPF protein expression by the specific FL297 and 4F9 antibodies is prognostic in patients undergoing definitive cisplatin-radiotherapy for HNSCC, irrespective of HPV status