Multistage remediation of heavy metal contaminated river sediments in a mining region based on particle size

Sediment pollution is an important environmental problem, and the remediation of heavy metal contaminated sediments is crucial to river ecosystem protection, especially in mining regions. In this work, characteristics of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, As and Hg) were investigated, including contents and fractions based on particle size (PS) in river sediments. Chemical leaching and stabilization for sediment remediation were performed, and the technology feasibility was assessed. The results indicated that the heavy metals were primarily reserved within fine sediments (PS 150 mu m), while the oxidizable fraction, reducible fraction and weak acid extractable fraction dominated the total content in fine sediments, except for that of Hg. Chemical leaching can transform most metals in sediments from large-sized particles to fine particles because the metals are absorbed by fine particles in solution rather than complexation. The stabilization suggested that cement could be an effective agent for ecological risk control for heavy metals. In field engineering, a total of 145,000 m(3) sediment was divided into various sections by PS and synchronously washed by eluting agents. Finally, clean sediments (PS > 150 mu m) were used as building material and clean backfilling; meanwhile, heavily polluted sediments (PS < 150 mu m) were buried as general industrial solid waste after stabilization treatment. Over 90% of the contaminated sediments were reused throughout multistep remediation. Furthermore, a reduction in waste and harm, along with resources, was obtained. This study provided a feasible technology for heavy metal contaminated sediment remediation. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Anticancer Activity of Linalool Terpenoid: Apoptosis Induction and Cell Cycle Arrest in Prostate Cancer Cells

Purpose: To evaluate the anticancer activity of linalool against human prostate cancer (DU145) cells.Methods: The anticancer activity of linalool against DU145 cancer cells was evaluated by 3-(4, 5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Flow cytometry, using propidium iodide and Annexin V-FITC, was applied to study apoptosis and cell cycle phase distribution. Inverted light microscopy was used to study the effect of linalool on cell morphology and apoptotic body formation in DU145 cells while gel electrophoresis was employed to evaluate the effect of linalool on DNA fragmentation.Results: Linalool induced a dose-dependent as well as time-dependent growth inhibitory effect on DU145 prostate cancer cells. It induced sub-G1 phase growth arrest which led to increase in sub-G0/G1 cell population after treatment with increasing doses of linalool. DNA ladder appeared to be more evident with increasing linalool concentration. However, no DNA fragments were observed in the control groups. It was observed that 4.36, 11.54, 21.88 and 15.54 % of the cells underwent early apoptosis after treatment with 0 (no linalool treatment), 20, 40, and 80 μM of linalool, respectively. Compared to control cells, linalool treatment resulted in the appearance of cell shrinkage along with membrane blebbing which are characteristic features of cell apoptosis.Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that linalool can be developed as a plant-based chemotherapeutic agent against prostate cancerKeywords: Prostate cancer, Linalool, Chemotherapy, Cell cycle, Apoptosis, DNA fragmentation, Sub- G1 phase growt

The expression patterns of nogo-A, myelin associated glycoprotein and oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein in the retina after ocular hypertension : the expression of myelin proteins in the retina in glaucoma

Nogo-A, a major myelin inhibitory protein, inhibits axon growth and synaptic function in the central nervous system. Glaucoma is a progressive neuropathy as a result of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death. Synaptic degeneration is thought to be an early pathology of neurodegeneration in glaucoma and precedes RGC loss. Here experimental ocular hypertension model was induced in adult rats with laser coagulation of the episcleral and limbal veins. The expression of Nogo-A, myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein (OMgp) in the retina was investigated using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. We found that Nogo-A was expressed in the RGCs and upregulated after the induction of ocular hypertension. OMgp was only expressed in the inner plexiform layer. There was no MAG expression in the retina. Our data provided, for the first time, the expression patterns of three myelin proteins in the adult retina and suggested an important role of Nogo-A in the RGC death and synaptic degeneration in glaucoma. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.postprin

Irradiation-induced molecular dipole reorientation in inverted polymer solar cell using small molecular electron collection layer

Inverted polymer solar cell is developed using small molecular tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato) aluminum (Alq3) as an electron collection layer between the active layer and indium-tin-oxide bottom cathode. Upon post-processing light irradiation by simulated solar illumination, the open-circuit voltage of the inverted device increases from 0.52 V to 0.60 V, resulting in the enhancement of the power conversion efficiency from 2.54 to 3.33 with negligible change in the short-circuit current. The performance improvement is attributed to the removal of surface potential due to irradiation-induced molecular dipole reorientation in the Alq3 layer, which reduces the charge transport barrier and improves the charge collection efficiency. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Efficient inverted polymer solar cells with thermal-evaporated and solution-processed small molecular electron extraction layer

Efficient inverted polymer solar cell is reported upon by integrating with a small molecular 1,3,5-tri(phenyl-2-benzimi-dazolyl)-benzene (TPBi) electron extraction layer (EEL) at low processing temperature with thermal-evaporation and solution-process, resulting in the power conversion efficiencies of 3.70 and 3.47, respectively. The potential of TPBi as an efficient EEL is associated with its suitable electronic energy level for electron extraction and hole blocking from the active layer to the indium tin oxide cathode. © 2013 American Institute of Physics

Investigation of the behaviour of electronic resistive switching memory based on MoSe<font size=-1>₂</font>-doped ultralong Se microwires

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The effect of an NgR1 antagonist on the neuroprotection of cortical axons after cortical infarction in rats

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Geochemistry of reduced inorganic sulfur, reactive iron, and organic carbon in fluvial and marine surface sediment in the Laizhou Bay region, China

Understanding the geochemical cycling of sulfur in sediments is important because it can have implications for both modern environments (e.g., deterioration of water quality) and interpretation of the ancient past (e.g., sediment C/S ratios can be used as indicators of palaeodepositional environment). This study investigates the geochemical characteristics of sulfur, iron, and organic carbon in fluvial and coastal surface sediments of the Laizhou Bay region, China. A total of 63 sediment samples were taken across the whole Laizhou Bay marine region and the 14 major tidal rivers draining into it. Acid volatile sulfur, chromium (II)-reducible sulfur and elemental sulfur, total organic carbon, and total nitrogen were present in higher concentrations in the fluvial sediment than in the marine sediment of Laizhou Bay. The composition of reduced inorganic sulfur in surface sediments was dominated by acid volatile sulfur and chromium (II)-reducible sulfur. In fluvial sediments, sulfate reduction and formation of reduced inorganic sulfur were controlled by TOC and reactive iron synchronously. High C/S ratios in the marine sediments indicate that the diagenetic processes in Laizhou Bay have been affected by rapid deposition of sediment from the Yellow River in recent decades