The electrochemical CO_(2)reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR),driven by renewable energy,provides a potential carbon-neutral avenue to convert CO_(2)into valuable fuels and feedstocks.Conversion of CO_(2)into formic acid/for...The electrochemical CO_(2)reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR),driven by renewable energy,provides a potential carbon-neutral avenue to convert CO_(2)into valuable fuels and feedstocks.Conversion of CO_(2)into formic acid/formate is considered one of the economical and feasible methods,owing to their high energy densities,and ease of distribution and storage.The separation of formic acid/formate from the reaction mixtures accounts for the majority of the overall CO_(2)RR process cost,while the increment of product concentration can lead to the reduction of separation cost,remarkably.In this paper,we give an overview of recent strategies for highly concentrated formic acid/formate products in CO_(2)RR.CO_(2)RR is a complex process with several different products,as it has different intermediates and reaction pathways.Therefore,this review focuses on recent study strategies that can enhance targeted formic acid/formate yield,such as the all-solid-state reactor design to deliver a high concentration of products during the reduction of CO_(2)in the electrolyzer.Firstly,some novel electrolyzers are introduced as an engineering strategy to improve the concentration of the formic acid/formate and reduce the cost of downstream separations.Also,the design of planar and gas diffusion electrodes(GDEs)with the potential to deliver high-concentration formic acid/formate in CO_(2)RR is summarized.Finally,the existing technological challenges are highlighted,and further research recommendations to achieve high-concentration products in CO_(2)RR.This review can provide some inspiration for future research to further improve the product concentration and economic benefits of CO_(2)RR.展开更多
Gene therapy constitutes a promising strategy for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). We assessed the use of electroporation (EP) of non-viral gene vectors, and compared its efficacy with that of adeno-associated vi...Gene therapy constitutes a promising strategy for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). We assessed the use of electroporation (EP) of non-viral gene vectors, and compared its efficacy with that of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. EP- and AAV-mediated delivery of human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (hIL-1Ra) was localized performed in the joints of rats following induction of OA. mRNA levels for hIL-1Ra, IL-1β, TNF-α, MMP-13 and ADAMTS-4 in the cartilage and synovial tissues were analyzed. Structural analyses of the subchondral bone at the medial femoral condyle were performed by Micro-CT after treatment. Knee joint specimens were staining with hematoxylin and eosin and Saffron O. Induction of hIL-1Ra by both EP and AAV inhibited inflammatory-induced sub-chondral bone reconstruction, and effectively suppressed IL-1β activity, as evidenced by decreased expression of MMP-13 and ADAMTS-4. Histological analyses revealed significant protection of cartilage, proteoglycan by EP and AAV. hIL-1Ra expression was similar in both the EP and AAV groups. Notably, this gene is not easier degraded transduced by EP compared with AAV. Taken together, these results show that EP offers transfection efficiency comparable to that of AAV, with the potential for longer gene expression, making EP a promising candidate for efficient non-viral delivery of OA gene therapy.展开更多
To achieve high efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus removal and to investigate the rule of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification phosphorus removal (SNDPR), a whole course of SNDPR damage and recovery was...To achieve high efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus removal and to investigate the rule of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification phosphorus removal (SNDPR), a whole course of SNDPR damage and recovery was studied in a pilot-scale, anaerobicanoxic oxidation ditch (OD), where the volumes of anaerobic zone, anoxic zone, and ditches zone of the OD system were 7, 21, and 280 L, respectively. The reactor was fed with municipal wastewater with a flow rate of 336 L/d. The concept of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) rate (rSND) was put forward to quantify SND. The results indicate that: (1) high nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies were achieved during the stable SND phase, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphate (TP) removal rates were 80% and 85%, respectively; (2) when the system was aerated excessively, the stability of SND was damaged, and rSND dropped from 80% to 20% or less; (3) the natural logarithm of the ratio of NOx to NH4^+ in the effluent had a linear correlation to oxidation-reduction potential (ORP); (4) when NO3^- was less than 6 mg/L, high phosphorus removal efficiency could be achieved; (5) denitrifying phosphorus removal (DNPR) could take place in the anaerobic-anoxic OD system. The major innovation was that the SND rate was devised and quantified.展开更多
The traditional gas purification techniques such as wet gas desulfurization, with their advantages of large-scale implementation and maturity, have still been widely used. However, the main drawback of these technique...The traditional gas purification techniques such as wet gas desulfurization, with their advantages of large-scale implementation and maturity, have still been widely used. However, the main drawback of these techniques is the low transfer efficiency, which normally needs towers as tall as tens of meters to remove the pollutants. Therefore, new technologies which could enhance the mass transfer efficiency and are less energy-intensive are highly desirable. As a process intensification technology, high-gravity technology, which is carried out in a rotating packed bed(RPB), has recently demonstrated great potential for industrial applications due to its high mass transfer efficiency, energy-saving, and smaller volume. This consequently provides higher efficiency in toxic gas removal, and can significantly reduce the investment and operation costs. In this review, the mechanism,characteristics, recent developments, and the industry applications of high-gravity technologies in gas purifications, such as hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds and nanoparticle removal are discussed, most of the demonstration projects and practical application examples in gas purification come from China. The perspective and prospective of this technology in gas purification and other fields are also briefly discussed.展开更多
Rotating packed bed has high efficiency of gas-liquid mass transfer.So it is significant to investigate fluid motion in rotating packed bed.Numerical simulations of the effects of packing feature size on liquid flow c...Rotating packed bed has high efficiency of gas-liquid mass transfer.So it is significant to investigate fluid motion in rotating packed bed.Numerical simulations of the effects of packing feature size on liquid flow characteristics in a rotating packed bed are reported in this paper.The particle image velocimetry is compared with the numerical simulations to validate the turbulent model.Results show that the liquid exists in the packing zone in the form of droplet and liquid line,and the cavity is droplet.When the radial thickness of the packing is less than 0.101 m,liquid line and droplets appear in the cavity.When rotational speed and radial thickness of the packing increase,the average diameter of the droplets becomes smaller,and the droplet size distribution becomes uniform.As the initial velocity of the liquid increases,the average droplet diameter increases and the uniformity of particle size distribution become worse.The droplet velocity increases with the radial thickness of the packing increasing,and gradually decreases when it reaches the cavity region.The effect of packing thickness is most substantial through linear fitting.The predicted and simulated values are within±15%.The cumulative volume distribution curves of the experimental and simulated droplets are consistent with the R-R distribution.展开更多
The biocidal effects of free nitrous acid (FNA) have found applications in multiple units in an urban wastewater system, including sewer networks, wastewater treatment processes, and sludge treatment processes. Howeve...The biocidal effects of free nitrous acid (FNA) have found applications in multiple units in an urban wastewater system, including sewer networks, wastewater treatment processes, and sludge treatment processes. However, these applications are associated with chemical costs as both nitrite and acid are needed to produce FNA at the required levels. The recent discovery of novel acid-tolerant ammonia oxidizers offers the possibility to produce FNA from domestic wastewater, enabling the development of next-generation FNA-based technologies capable of achieving self-sustaining FNA production. In this study, we focus on the concept of in situ FNA generation facilitated by acid-tolerant ammonia oxidizers and highlight the multiple benefits it creates, after a brief review of the historical development of FNA-based technologies. We will discuss how wastewater systems can be made more energy-efficient and sustainable by leveraging the potential of acid-tolerant ammonia oxidizers.展开更多
Tissue engineering provides a promising avenue for treating cartilage defects.However,great challenges remain in the development of structurally and functionally optimized scaffolds for cartilage repair and regenerati...Tissue engineering provides a promising avenue for treating cartilage defects.However,great challenges remain in the development of structurally and functionally optimized scaffolds for cartilage repair and regeneration.In this study,decellularized cartilage extracellular matrix(ECM)and waterborne polyurethane(WPU)were employed to construct WPU and WPU-ECM scaffolds by water-based 3D printing using low-temperature deposition manufacturing(LDM)system,which combines rapid deposition manufacturing with phase separation techniques.The scaffolds successfully achieved hierarchical macro-microporous structures.After adding ECM,WPU scaffolds were markedly optimized in terms of porosity,hydrophilia and bioactive components.Moreover,the optimized WPU-ECM scaffolds were found to be more suitable for cell distribution,adhesion,and proliferation than the WPU scaffolds.Most importantly,the WPU-ECM scaffold could facilitate the production of glycosaminoglycan(GAG)and collagen and the upregulation of cartilage-specific genes.These results indicated that the WPU-ECM scaffold with hierarchical macro-microporous structures could recreate a favorable microenvironment for cell adhesion,proliferation,differentiation,and ECM production.In vivo studies further revealed that the hierarchical macro-microporous WPU-ECM scaffold combined with the microfracture procedure successfully regenerated hyaline cartilage in a rabbit model.Six months after implantation,the repaired cartilage showed a similar histological structure and mechanical performance to that of normal cartilage.In conclusion,the hierarchical macro-microporous WPU-ECM scaffold may be a promising candidate for cartilage tissue engineering applications in the future.展开更多
The anaerobic-anoxic oxidation ditch(A^(2)/O OD)process is popularly used to eliminate nutrients from domestic wastewater.In order to identify the existence of denitrifying phosphorus removing bacteria(DPB),evaluate t...The anaerobic-anoxic oxidation ditch(A^(2)/O OD)process is popularly used to eliminate nutrients from domestic wastewater.In order to identify the existence of denitrifying phosphorus removing bacteria(DPB),evaluate the contribution of DPB to biological nutrient removal,and enhance the denitrifying phosphorus removal in the A^(2)/O OD process,a pilot-scale A^(2)/O OD plant(375 L)was conducted.At the same time batch tests using sequence batch reactors(12 L and 4 L)were operated to reveal the significance of anoxic phosphorus removal.The results indicated that:The average removal efficiency of COD,NH^(+)_(4),PO^(3–)_(4),and TN were 88.2%,92.6%,87.8%,and 73.1%,respectively,when the steady state of the pilotscale A^(2)/O OD plant was reached during 31–73 d,demonstrating a good denitrifying phosphorus removal performance.Phosphorus uptake took place in the anoxic zone by poly-phosphorus accumulating organisms NO^(-)_(2) could be used as electron receptors in denitrifying phosphorus removal,and the phosphorus uptake rate with NO^(-)_(2) as the electron receptor was higher than that with NO^(–)_(3) when the initial concentration of either NO^(-)_(2) or NO^(–)_(3) was 40 mg/L.展开更多
Due to the sophisticated hierarchical structure and limited reparability of articular cartilage(AC),the ideal regeneration of AC defects has been a major challenge in the field of regenerative medicine.As defects prog...Due to the sophisticated hierarchical structure and limited reparability of articular cartilage(AC),the ideal regeneration of AC defects has been a major challenge in the field of regenerative medicine.As defects progress,they often extend from the cartilage layer to the subchondral bone and ultimately lead to osteoarthritis.Tissue engineering techniques bring new hope for AC regeneration.To meet the regenerative requirements of the heterogeneous and layered structure of native AC tissue,a substantial number of multilayered biomimetic scaffolds have been studied.Ideal multilayered scaffolds should generate zone-specific functional tissue similar to native AC tissue.This review focuses on the current status of multilayered scaffolds developed for AC defect repair,including design strategies based on the degree of defect severity and the zone-specific characteristics of AC tissue,the selection and composition of biomaterials,and techniques for design and manufacturing.The challenges and future perspectives of biomimetic multilayered scaffold strategies for AC regeneration are also discussed.展开更多
Menisci are fundamental fibrocartilaginous organs in knee joints. The injury in meniscus can impair normal knee function and predisposes patients to osteoarthritis. This study prepared decellularized meniscus scaffold...Menisci are fundamental fibrocartilaginous organs in knee joints. The injury in meniscus can impair normal knee function and predisposes patients to osteoarthritis. This study prepared decellularized meniscus scaffolds using a 1% (w/w) sodium dodecyl sulfate solution and sufficient rinsing steps. Complete cell removal was verified by hematoxylin and eosin staining and DNA content assay. Decellularized menisci had accordant tension properties to intact ones, but with declined compression properties. This occurred because the collagen fiber was not damaged but glycosami- noglycans was significantly lost during the decellularization process, which was confirmed by biochemical assay and histology staining. In vitro cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that decellularized meniscus scaffolds have no toxicity on L929 murine fibroblasts and porcine chondrocytes. Further experiment showed that porcine chondrocytes could adhere and proliferate on the scaffold surface, and some cells even could infiltrate into the scaffold. All results showed the potential of this decellularized meniscus to be the scaffolds in tissue engineering.展开更多
Despite intensive effort was made to regenerate injured meniscus by cell-free strategies through recruiting endogenous stem/progenitor cells,meniscus regeneration remains a great challenge in clinic.In this study,we f...Despite intensive effort was made to regenerate injured meniscus by cell-free strategies through recruiting endogenous stem/progenitor cells,meniscus regeneration remains a great challenge in clinic.In this study,we found decellularized meniscal extracellular matrix(MECM)preserved native meniscal collagen and glycosaminoglycans which could be a good endogenous regeneration guider for stem cells.Moreover,MECM significantly promoted meniscal fibrochondrocytes viability and proliferation,increased the expression of type II collagen and proteoglycans in vitro.Meanwhile,we designed 3D-printed polycaprolactone(PCL)scaffolds which mimic the circumferential and radial collagen orientation in native meniscus.Taken these two advantages together,a micro-structure and micro-environment dually biomimetic cell-free scaffold was manipulated.This cell-free PCL-MECM scaffold displayed superior biocompatibility and yielded favorable biomechanical capacities closely to native meniscus.Strikingly,neo-menisci were regenerated within PCL-MECM scaffolds which were transplanted into knee joints underwent medial meniscectomy in rabbits and sheep models.Histological staining confirmed neo-menisci showed meniscus-like heterogeneous staining.Mankin scores showed PCL-MECM scaffold could protect articular cartilage well,and knee X-ray examination revealed same results.Knee magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)scanning also showed some neo-menisci in PCL-MECM scaffold group.In conclusion,PCL-MECM scaffold appears to optimize meniscus regeneration.This could represent a promising approach worthy of further investigation in preclinical applications.展开更多
Surface water methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N20) concentrations and fluxes were investigated in two subtropical coastal embayments (Bramble Bay and Deception Bay, which are part of the greater Moreton Bay, Aus...Surface water methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N20) concentrations and fluxes were investigated in two subtropical coastal embayments (Bramble Bay and Deception Bay, which are part of the greater Moreton Bay, Australia). Measurements were done at 23 stations in seven campaigns covering different seasons during 2010-2012. Water-air fluxes were estimated using the Thin Boundary Layer approach with a combination of wind and currents-based models for the estimation of the gas transfer velocities. The two bays were strong sources of both CH4 and N2O with no significant differences in the degree of saturation of both gases between them during all measurement campaigns. Both CH4 and N2O concentrations had strong temporal but minimal spatial variability in both bays. During the seven seasons, CH4 varied between 500% and 4000% saturation while N2O varied between 128 and 255% in the two bays. Average seasonal CH4 fluxes for the two bays varied between 0.5 ± 0.2 and 6.0 ± 1.5 mg CH4/(m^2.day) while N20 varied between 0.4 ± 0.1 and 1.6 ± 0.6 mg N2O/(m^2-day). Weighted emissions (t CO2-e) were 63%-90% N2O dominated implying that a reduction in N2O inputs and/or nitrogen availability in the bays may significantly reduce the bays' greenhouse gas (GHG) budget. Emissions data for tropical and subtropical systems is still scarce. This work found subtropical bays to be significant aquatic sources of both CH4 and N2O and puts the estimated fluxes into the global context with measurements done from other climatic regions.展开更多
基金support by the University of Southern Queensland(USQ)and Australian Research Council(ARC)Discovery Project DP190101782funded through Future Fellowship FT220100166 and Laureate Fellowship FL170100086 by the Australian Research Council(ARC).
文摘The electrochemical CO_(2)reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR),driven by renewable energy,provides a potential carbon-neutral avenue to convert CO_(2)into valuable fuels and feedstocks.Conversion of CO_(2)into formic acid/formate is considered one of the economical and feasible methods,owing to their high energy densities,and ease of distribution and storage.The separation of formic acid/formate from the reaction mixtures accounts for the majority of the overall CO_(2)RR process cost,while the increment of product concentration can lead to the reduction of separation cost,remarkably.In this paper,we give an overview of recent strategies for highly concentrated formic acid/formate products in CO_(2)RR.CO_(2)RR is a complex process with several different products,as it has different intermediates and reaction pathways.Therefore,this review focuses on recent study strategies that can enhance targeted formic acid/formate yield,such as the all-solid-state reactor design to deliver a high concentration of products during the reduction of CO_(2)in the electrolyzer.Firstly,some novel electrolyzers are introduced as an engineering strategy to improve the concentration of the formic acid/formate and reduce the cost of downstream separations.Also,the design of planar and gas diffusion electrodes(GDEs)with the potential to deliver high-concentration formic acid/formate in CO_(2)RR is summarized.Finally,the existing technological challenges are highlighted,and further research recommendations to achieve high-concentration products in CO_(2)RR.This review can provide some inspiration for future research to further improve the product concentration and economic benefits of CO_(2)RR.
文摘Gene therapy constitutes a promising strategy for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). We assessed the use of electroporation (EP) of non-viral gene vectors, and compared its efficacy with that of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. EP- and AAV-mediated delivery of human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (hIL-1Ra) was localized performed in the joints of rats following induction of OA. mRNA levels for hIL-1Ra, IL-1β, TNF-α, MMP-13 and ADAMTS-4 in the cartilage and synovial tissues were analyzed. Structural analyses of the subchondral bone at the medial femoral condyle were performed by Micro-CT after treatment. Knee joint specimens were staining with hematoxylin and eosin and Saffron O. Induction of hIL-1Ra by both EP and AAV inhibited inflammatory-induced sub-chondral bone reconstruction, and effectively suppressed IL-1β activity, as evidenced by decreased expression of MMP-13 and ADAMTS-4. Histological analyses revealed significant protection of cartilage, proteoglycan by EP and AAV. hIL-1Ra expression was similar in both the EP and AAV groups. Notably, this gene is not easier degraded transduced by EP compared with AAV. Taken together, these results show that EP offers transfection efficiency comparable to that of AAV, with the potential for longer gene expression, making EP a promising candidate for efficient non-viral delivery of OA gene therapy.
文摘To achieve high efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus removal and to investigate the rule of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification phosphorus removal (SNDPR), a whole course of SNDPR damage and recovery was studied in a pilot-scale, anaerobicanoxic oxidation ditch (OD), where the volumes of anaerobic zone, anoxic zone, and ditches zone of the OD system were 7, 21, and 280 L, respectively. The reactor was fed with municipal wastewater with a flow rate of 336 L/d. The concept of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) rate (rSND) was put forward to quantify SND. The results indicate that: (1) high nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies were achieved during the stable SND phase, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphate (TP) removal rates were 80% and 85%, respectively; (2) when the system was aerated excessively, the stability of SND was damaged, and rSND dropped from 80% to 20% or less; (3) the natural logarithm of the ratio of NOx to NH4^+ in the effluent had a linear correlation to oxidation-reduction potential (ORP); (4) when NO3^- was less than 6 mg/L, high phosphorus removal efficiency could be achieved; (5) denitrifying phosphorus removal (DNPR) could take place in the anaerobic-anoxic OD system. The major innovation was that the SND rate was devised and quantified.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1610106)Shanxi Excellent Talent Science and Technology Innovation Project(201705D211011)+1 种基金Specialized Research Fund for Sanjin Scholars Program of Shanxi Province(201707)North University of China Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(201701)
文摘The traditional gas purification techniques such as wet gas desulfurization, with their advantages of large-scale implementation and maturity, have still been widely used. However, the main drawback of these techniques is the low transfer efficiency, which normally needs towers as tall as tens of meters to remove the pollutants. Therefore, new technologies which could enhance the mass transfer efficiency and are less energy-intensive are highly desirable. As a process intensification technology, high-gravity technology, which is carried out in a rotating packed bed(RPB), has recently demonstrated great potential for industrial applications due to its high mass transfer efficiency, energy-saving, and smaller volume. This consequently provides higher efficiency in toxic gas removal, and can significantly reduce the investment and operation costs. In this review, the mechanism,characteristics, recent developments, and the industry applications of high-gravity technologies in gas purifications, such as hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds and nanoparticle removal are discussed, most of the demonstration projects and practical application examples in gas purification come from China. The perspective and prospective of this technology in gas purification and other fields are also briefly discussed.
基金supported by the Key Research&Development Plan of Shanxi Province(201903D321059)Shanxi Scholarship Council of China(HGKY2019071)。
文摘Rotating packed bed has high efficiency of gas-liquid mass transfer.So it is significant to investigate fluid motion in rotating packed bed.Numerical simulations of the effects of packing feature size on liquid flow characteristics in a rotating packed bed are reported in this paper.The particle image velocimetry is compared with the numerical simulations to validate the turbulent model.Results show that the liquid exists in the packing zone in the form of droplet and liquid line,and the cavity is droplet.When the radial thickness of the packing is less than 0.101 m,liquid line and droplets appear in the cavity.When rotational speed and radial thickness of the packing increase,the average diameter of the droplets becomes smaller,and the droplet size distribution becomes uniform.As the initial velocity of the liquid increases,the average droplet diameter increases and the uniformity of particle size distribution become worse.The droplet velocity increases with the radial thickness of the packing increasing,and gradually decreases when it reaches the cavity region.The effect of packing thickness is most substantial through linear fitting.The predicted and simulated values are within±15%.The cumulative volume distribution curves of the experimental and simulated droplets are consistent with the R-R distribution.
文摘The biocidal effects of free nitrous acid (FNA) have found applications in multiple units in an urban wastewater system, including sewer networks, wastewater treatment processes, and sludge treatment processes. However, these applications are associated with chemical costs as both nitrite and acid are needed to produce FNA at the required levels. The recent discovery of novel acid-tolerant ammonia oxidizers offers the possibility to produce FNA from domestic wastewater, enabling the development of next-generation FNA-based technologies capable of achieving self-sustaining FNA production. In this study, we focus on the concept of in situ FNA generation facilitated by acid-tolerant ammonia oxidizers and highlight the multiple benefits it creates, after a brief review of the historical development of FNA-based technologies. We will discuss how wastewater systems can be made more energy-efficient and sustainable by leveraging the potential of acid-tolerant ammonia oxidizers.
基金This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2018YFC1105900)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81772319)+2 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Beijing Municipality(7204270)the Beijing JST Research Funding(ZR-201908)the Innovation Fund for Outstanding Doctoral Candidates of Peking University Health Science Center(71013Y2029).
文摘Tissue engineering provides a promising avenue for treating cartilage defects.However,great challenges remain in the development of structurally and functionally optimized scaffolds for cartilage repair and regeneration.In this study,decellularized cartilage extracellular matrix(ECM)and waterborne polyurethane(WPU)were employed to construct WPU and WPU-ECM scaffolds by water-based 3D printing using low-temperature deposition manufacturing(LDM)system,which combines rapid deposition manufacturing with phase separation techniques.The scaffolds successfully achieved hierarchical macro-microporous structures.After adding ECM,WPU scaffolds were markedly optimized in terms of porosity,hydrophilia and bioactive components.Moreover,the optimized WPU-ECM scaffolds were found to be more suitable for cell distribution,adhesion,and proliferation than the WPU scaffolds.Most importantly,the WPU-ECM scaffold could facilitate the production of glycosaminoglycan(GAG)and collagen and the upregulation of cartilage-specific genes.These results indicated that the WPU-ECM scaffold with hierarchical macro-microporous structures could recreate a favorable microenvironment for cell adhesion,proliferation,differentiation,and ECM production.In vivo studies further revealed that the hierarchical macro-microporous WPU-ECM scaffold combined with the microfracture procedure successfully regenerated hyaline cartilage in a rabbit model.Six months after implantation,the repaired cartilage showed a similar histological structure and mechanical performance to that of normal cartilage.In conclusion,the hierarchical macro-microporous WPU-ECM scaffold may be a promising candidate for cartilage tissue engineering applications in the future.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China—the Abroad Young Scholar Foundation(Grant No.50628808)the National Key Technologies Research and Development Program of China during the 11th Five-year Plan Period(Grant No.2006BAC19B02).
文摘The anaerobic-anoxic oxidation ditch(A^(2)/O OD)process is popularly used to eliminate nutrients from domestic wastewater.In order to identify the existence of denitrifying phosphorus removing bacteria(DPB),evaluate the contribution of DPB to biological nutrient removal,and enhance the denitrifying phosphorus removal in the A^(2)/O OD process,a pilot-scale A^(2)/O OD plant(375 L)was conducted.At the same time batch tests using sequence batch reactors(12 L and 4 L)were operated to reveal the significance of anoxic phosphorus removal.The results indicated that:The average removal efficiency of COD,NH^(+)_(4),PO^(3–)_(4),and TN were 88.2%,92.6%,87.8%,and 73.1%,respectively,when the steady state of the pilotscale A^(2)/O OD plant was reached during 31–73 d,demonstrating a good denitrifying phosphorus removal performance.Phosphorus uptake took place in the anoxic zone by poly-phosphorus accumulating organisms NO^(-)_(2) could be used as electron receptors in denitrifying phosphorus removal,and the phosphorus uptake rate with NO^(-)_(2) as the electron receptor was higher than that with NO^(–)_(3) when the initial concentration of either NO^(-)_(2) or NO^(–)_(3) was 40 mg/L.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2019YFA0110600)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81772319).
文摘Due to the sophisticated hierarchical structure and limited reparability of articular cartilage(AC),the ideal regeneration of AC defects has been a major challenge in the field of regenerative medicine.As defects progress,they often extend from the cartilage layer to the subchondral bone and ultimately lead to osteoarthritis.Tissue engineering techniques bring new hope for AC regeneration.To meet the regenerative requirements of the heterogeneous and layered structure of native AC tissue,a substantial number of multilayered biomimetic scaffolds have been studied.Ideal multilayered scaffolds should generate zone-specific functional tissue similar to native AC tissue.This review focuses on the current status of multilayered scaffolds developed for AC defect repair,including design strategies based on the degree of defect severity and the zone-specific characteristics of AC tissue,the selection and composition of biomaterials,and techniques for design and manufacturing.The challenges and future perspectives of biomimetic multilayered scaffold strategies for AC regeneration are also discussed.
文摘Menisci are fundamental fibrocartilaginous organs in knee joints. The injury in meniscus can impair normal knee function and predisposes patients to osteoarthritis. This study prepared decellularized meniscus scaffolds using a 1% (w/w) sodium dodecyl sulfate solution and sufficient rinsing steps. Complete cell removal was verified by hematoxylin and eosin staining and DNA content assay. Decellularized menisci had accordant tension properties to intact ones, but with declined compression properties. This occurred because the collagen fiber was not damaged but glycosami- noglycans was significantly lost during the decellularization process, which was confirmed by biochemical assay and histology staining. In vitro cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that decellularized meniscus scaffolds have no toxicity on L929 murine fibroblasts and porcine chondrocytes. Further experiment showed that porcine chondrocytes could adhere and proliferate on the scaffold surface, and some cells even could infiltrate into the scaffold. All results showed the potential of this decellularized meniscus to be the scaffolds in tissue engineering.
基金This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China[2019YFA0110600]the National Natural Science Foundation of China[81972070,81201212]+1 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Grant[2019TQ0379,2019M663262]PLA Youth Project for Medical Science(18QNP057).
文摘Despite intensive effort was made to regenerate injured meniscus by cell-free strategies through recruiting endogenous stem/progenitor cells,meniscus regeneration remains a great challenge in clinic.In this study,we found decellularized meniscal extracellular matrix(MECM)preserved native meniscal collagen and glycosaminoglycans which could be a good endogenous regeneration guider for stem cells.Moreover,MECM significantly promoted meniscal fibrochondrocytes viability and proliferation,increased the expression of type II collagen and proteoglycans in vitro.Meanwhile,we designed 3D-printed polycaprolactone(PCL)scaffolds which mimic the circumferential and radial collagen orientation in native meniscus.Taken these two advantages together,a micro-structure and micro-environment dually biomimetic cell-free scaffold was manipulated.This cell-free PCL-MECM scaffold displayed superior biocompatibility and yielded favorable biomechanical capacities closely to native meniscus.Strikingly,neo-menisci were regenerated within PCL-MECM scaffolds which were transplanted into knee joints underwent medial meniscectomy in rabbits and sheep models.Histological staining confirmed neo-menisci showed meniscus-like heterogeneous staining.Mankin scores showed PCL-MECM scaffold could protect articular cartilage well,and knee X-ray examination revealed same results.Knee magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)scanning also showed some neo-menisci in PCL-MECM scaffold group.In conclusion,PCL-MECM scaffold appears to optimize meniscus regeneration.This could represent a promising approach worthy of further investigation in preclinical applications.
基金funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC), Healthy Waterways LtdSeqwater through an industry linkage grant (ARC Linkage project # LP100100325)
文摘Surface water methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N20) concentrations and fluxes were investigated in two subtropical coastal embayments (Bramble Bay and Deception Bay, which are part of the greater Moreton Bay, Australia). Measurements were done at 23 stations in seven campaigns covering different seasons during 2010-2012. Water-air fluxes were estimated using the Thin Boundary Layer approach with a combination of wind and currents-based models for the estimation of the gas transfer velocities. The two bays were strong sources of both CH4 and N2O with no significant differences in the degree of saturation of both gases between them during all measurement campaigns. Both CH4 and N2O concentrations had strong temporal but minimal spatial variability in both bays. During the seven seasons, CH4 varied between 500% and 4000% saturation while N2O varied between 128 and 255% in the two bays. Average seasonal CH4 fluxes for the two bays varied between 0.5 ± 0.2 and 6.0 ± 1.5 mg CH4/(m^2.day) while N20 varied between 0.4 ± 0.1 and 1.6 ± 0.6 mg N2O/(m^2-day). Weighted emissions (t CO2-e) were 63%-90% N2O dominated implying that a reduction in N2O inputs and/or nitrogen availability in the bays may significantly reduce the bays' greenhouse gas (GHG) budget. Emissions data for tropical and subtropical systems is still scarce. This work found subtropical bays to be significant aquatic sources of both CH4 and N2O and puts the estimated fluxes into the global context with measurements done from other climatic regions.