Transferrin-Decorated Niosomes with Integrated InP/ZnS Quantum Dots and Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Dual Targeting and Imaging of Glioma

The development of multifunctional nanoscale systems that can mediate efficient tumor targeting, together with high cellular internalization, is crucial for the diagnosis of glioma. The combination of imaging agents into one platform provides dual imaging and allows further surface modification with targeting ligands for specific glioma detection. Herein, transferrin (Tf)-decorated niosomes with integrated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) and quantum dots (QDs) were formulated (PEGNIO/QDs/MIONs/Tf) for efficient imaging of glioma, supported by magnetic and active targeting. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the complete co-encapsulation of MIONs and QDs in the niosomes. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated enhanced cellular uptake of the niosomal formulation by glioma cells. In vitro imaging studies showed that PEGNIO/QDs/MIONs/Tf produces an obvious negative-contrast enhancement effect on glioma cells by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and also improved fluorescence intensity under fluorescence microscopy. This novel platform represents the first niosome-based system which combines magnetic nanoparticles and QDs, and has application potential in dual-targeted imaging of glioma.     

千屈菜生态浮床对景观水体的净化作用

在水污染处理方面。生态浮床与传统物理化学方法相比,因其具有较好的景观效应及生态效应而越来越多地被利用到景观水体的净化中。选取干屈菜为研究植物,利用人工模拟方法,设计连续进出水试验装置,调节水力负荷,模拟自然河流状态,将丽娃河水泵入试验系统,水体经过生态浮床系统,由出水口溢流排出。实验数据表明（根据《地表水环境质量标准》...     

Hybrid anion exchanger for trace phosphate removal from water and wastewater

Throughout recent decades, the wastewater treatment industry has identified the discharge of nutrients, including phosphates and nitrates, into waterways as a risk to natural environments due to the serious effects of eutrophication. For this reason, new tertiary treatment processes have abounded; these processes generally utilize physico-chemical and biological methods to remove nutrients from secondary wastewaters. The disadvantages of such methods involve larger reactor volumes, operating costs, and waste sludge production; furthermore, complete nutrient removal is unattainable due to thermodynamic and kinetic limitations. The subject study presents the development and performance of a new phosphate-selective sorbent, referred to as hybrid anion exchanger or HAIX. HAIX combines durability and mechanical strength of polymeric anion exchange resins with high sorption affinity of hydrated ferric oxide (HFO) toward phosphate. HAIX is essentially a polymeric anion exchanger within which HFO nanoparticles have been dispersed irreversibly. Laboratory studies show that HAIX selectively removes phosphate from the background of much higher concentrations of competing sulfate, chloride and bicarbonate anions due to the combined presence of Coulombic and Lewis acid-base interactions. Experimental results demonstrate that HAIX's phosphate-sulfate separation factor is over two orders of magnitude greater than that of currently available commercial ion exchange resins. Additionally, optimal HAIX performance occurs at typical secondary wastewater pH conditions i.e., around 7.5. HAIX is amenable to efficient regeneration and reuse with no noticeable loss in capacity.     

河南不同地区浓香型白酒大曲理化性质和微生物多样性分析

分析河南四个不同地区（南部（YA）、东部（YB）、西部（YC）和中部(YD））浓香型白酒大曲理化性质和微生物群落结构差异,并对二者相关性进行冗余分析（RDA）。结果表明,不同大曲在糖化力、酸度和酯化力上存在显著差异（P<0.05）。高通量测序分析表明,YA、YC和YD大曲中优势细菌门为厚壁菌门（Firmicutes）(47.59%、59.18%和52.59%),YB大曲中优势细菌门为变形菌门（40.34%）;YA和YC大曲的绝对优势细菌属为芽孢杆菌属（Bacillus）,而YB和YD大曲优势细菌属分别为青枯菌属（Ralstonia）、乳杆菌属（Lactobacillus）。真菌门水平上,4种大曲中子囊菌门（Ascomycota）占绝对优势;真菌属水平上,YB、YC和YD大曲中嗜热子囊菌属（Thermoascomycetes）占绝对优势,而YA大曲中unclassified-o-Eurotiales占绝对优势。冗余分析表明,淀粉含量、酯化力和水分对细菌群落结构显著相关（P<0.05）,酸度、酯化力、水分对真菌群落结构显著相关（P<0.05）。     

Direct synthesis and characterization of spongy CuO with nanosheets from Cu3(btc)2 microporous metal-organic framework

Spongy CuO was successfully synthesized via direct pyrolysis of Cu₃(btc)₂ (btc = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) microporous metal-organic framework (MOF) in a horizontal tube furnace in the air, in which the Cu₃(btc)₂ was used as the Cu source and complexing molecule precursor. The as-prepared products were characterized by a series of techniques including XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, and SAED. Results from SEM showed that the as-prepared spongy CuO with average diameter altering from 10 to 20 μm consists of nanosheets with average edge length in the range of 80-200 nm and thickness of about 30 nm, which was also confirmed by TEM analysis. The XRD and SAED results showed that a purity phase of CuO was obtained after pyrolysis. It was also found that the reaction temperature played a key role in the formation of spongy CuO microstructures. The spongy material could be found potential application in various fields such as catalysis, absorption, and gas sensing.     

Synthesis and characterization of V,Mo and Nb incorporated micro–mesoporous MCM-41 materials

Highly microporous metal-MCM-41 ordered mesoporous structure catalysts having different metal/Si (V, Mo, Nb) atomic ratios and combinations of metal sources were hydrothermally synthesized. The structural properties estimated using different techniques were found to be in agreement with each other. Metals were successfully incorporated into MCM-41 without deteriorating the ordered hexagonal structure. The metal ions in the synthesis solutions probably settled on the hydrophilic end of the template hence the metal incorporation resulted improvements in the micropore structure. Low loading of metals caused an increase in the surface area and pore volume values of the catalysts. The highest total (1310 m² g^?1) and micropore surface area values (1083 m² g^?1) were obtained by Nb incorporation. The micro- and mesopore dimensions of MCM-41 increased from 0.5 to 1.1 nm and from 2.5 to 2.8 nm, respectively, with metal incorporation. Low V/Si ratios and presence of Nb in the starting solution enhanced narrow mesopore size distribution. The pore dimension and wall thickness values estimated from nitrogen adsorption and X-ray diffraction methods were consistent with the corresponding values obtained using transmission electron microscopy.     

A Fast and Precise Blind I/Q Mismatch Compensation for Image Rejection in Direct‐Conversion Receiver

In this paper, we propose a new digital blind in‐phase/quadrature‐phase (I/Q) mismatch compensation technique for image rejection in a direct‐conversion receiver (DCR). The proposed image‐rejection circuit adopts DC offset cancellation and a sign‐sign least mean squares (LMS) algorithm with a unique step size adaptation both for a fast and precise I/Q mismatch estimation. In addition, several performance‐optimizing design considerations related to accuracy, speed, and hardware simplicity are discussed. The implementation of the proposed circuit in an FPGA results in an image‐rejection ratio (IRR) of 65 dB, which is the best performance with modulated signals, along with an adaptation time of 0.9 seconds, which is a tenfold increase in the compensation speed as compared to previously reported circuits. The proposed technique will be a promising solution in the area of image rejection to increase both the speed and accuracy of future DCRs.     

Effects of hot air,microwave and vacuum drying on drying characteristics and in vitro bioaccessibility of medlar fruit leather (pestil)

Food Science and Biotechnology - The effects of microwave (90&nbsp;W and 180&nbsp;W), hot air (60 and 70&nbsp;°C) and vacuum (60 and 70&nbsp;°C with 200 and...