RELEASE KINETICS OF MONOLITHIC MATRIX COATED WITH OUTER MEMBRANE SYSTEM

The reservoir-monolithic type of the controlled release systems is investigated currently,however,the existing kinetic model could not describe the release process well because the release kinetics is rather complicated.In this paper,a simplified release kinetic model for diffusion-controlled monolithic matrix coated with outer membrane systems is proposed and verified by the experimental data of mercaptopurinum release experiment.It shows that the model can well describe the release mechanism (the relative error is under 3%) when drug loading (C d) is above its solubility limit (C s).At the same time,the release characteristics of special cases (D mD f and D mD f) are discussed theoretically.When D mD f the release rate becomes constant,namely,zero order release,and the release rate is independent of the drug membrane.This result provides the theoretical basis for the system of zero order release as well as how to control the release rate and the amount of drug release.When D mD f,the release rate is dependent on the drug release coefficient in the monolithic matrix,solubility and drug loading but independent of the process in the outer membrane,and it is similar to monolithic matrix type.

A Mathematical Model for Diffusion-Controlled Monolithic Matrix Coated with outer Membrane System

A release model for diffusion-controlled monolithic matrix coated with outer membrane system is proposed and solved by using the refined double integral method. The calculated results are in satisfactory agreement with the experimental release data. The present model can be well used to describe the release process for all cd/cs values. In addition, the release effects of the monolithic matrix coated with outer membrane system are discussed theoretically.

Separation of Samarium(Ⅲ)and Gadolinium(Ⅲ)by A Push-pull Liquid Membrane System

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Tb(III) Transport in Dispersion Supported Liquid Membrane System with D2EHPA as Carrier in Kerosene

The transport of Tb（III） in dispersion supported liquid membrane（DSLM） with polyvinylidene fluoride membrane（PVDF） as the support and dispersion solution including HCl solution as the stripping solution and di（2-ethylhexyl） phosphoric acid（D2EHPA） dissolved in kerosene as the membrane solution, has been studied. The effects of pH value, initial concentration of Tb（III） and different ionic strength in the feed phase, volume ratio of membrane solution to stripping solution, concentration of HCl solution, concentration of carrier, different stripping agents in the dispersion phase on the transport of Tb（III） have also been investigated, respectively. As a result, the optimum transport conditions of Tb（III） were obtained, i.e., the concentration of HCl solution was 4.0 mol/L, the concentration of D2EHPA was 0.16 mol/L, the volume ratio of membrane solution to stripping solution was 30：30 in the dispersion phase and pH value was 4.5 in the feed phase. Ionic strength had no obvious effect on the transport of Tb（III）. Under the optimum conditions, the transport percentage of Tb（III） was up to 96.1% in a transport time of 35 min when the initial concentration of Tb（IIl） was 1.0× 10 -4 mol/L. The diffusion coefficient of Tb（III） in the membrane and the thickness of diffusion layer between feed phase and membrane phase were obtained and the values were 1.82×10 -8 m2/s and 5.61 um, respectively. The calculated results were in good agreement with the literature data.

Assembling Synthesis of ZnSe Orthohexagonal Slices through Emulsion Liquid Membrane System of Gas-liquid Transport

Orthohexagonal slices assembled by ZnSe quantum dots were synthesized through emulsion liquid membrane system. These orthohexagonal slices were 1.5-3.5 μm in side length and were self-assembled by ZnSe quantum dots of 2-3 nm. It was proposed the surfactant molecules on ZnSe quantum dots played a key role in the self-assembly process.

How Effective Is Cervical Ripening Using the Controlled-Release Dinoprostone Vaginal Delivery System for Primiparas with Unruptured Membranes?

Background: Labor induction has a low success rate, especially in primiparas with unruptured membranes. Previous studies focused on pregnant women with unruptured membranes, but none specifically targeted primiparas. Aims: To compare the effectiveness of a controlled-release dinoprostone vaginal delivery system for cervical dilatation (PROPESS) with that of mechanical dilation for labor induction in primiparous women with unruptured membranes. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 90 primiparas with unruptured membranes (41 and 49 in the PROPESS and mechanical dilation groups, respectively). The primary outcome was the cesarean section (CS) rate. The secondary outcomes were the prevalence of vaginal delivery within 12 or 24 h after the initial insertion, oxytocin usage rate, chorioamnionitis, additional use of mechanical dilation in the PROPESS group, and neonatal outcomes. Results: The CS rate was significantly lower in the PROPESS group than in the mechanical dilation group (p = 0.02). A total of 13 patients (31.7%) delivered within 24 h with PROPESS alone, indicating a significantly higher rate of delivery within 24 h in the PROPESS group (p = 0.02). Fewer patients required additional oxytocin in the PROPESS group than in the mechanical dilation group (p = 0.001). However, 14 (34%) patients in the PROPESS group required additional mechanical cervical dilation, resulting in a longer time to delivery than mechanical dilation. Conclusions: PROPESS significantly reduced CS rates and increased delivery rates 24 h after the initial insertion in primiparas with unruptured membranes compared to mechanical dilatation. However, failure to respond to PROPESS resulted in an overall longer delivery time than that of the conventional mechanical dilation group;therefore, identifying predictors of response to PROPESS is necessary.

Preparation of Modified Composite Nanofiltration Membrane Synergistically Using Carboxylic Multi- walled Carbon Nanotube and β-cyclodextrin

A new modified blend ultrafiltration(UF)membrane with good hydrophilicity,high porosity and excellent anti-fouling performance was developed by using carboxylic multi-walled carbon nanotube(CMWCNT)as casting solution additive.Furthermore,a composite nanofiltration(NF)membrane with large water flux and good retention rate was fabricated by using the PVDF/CMWCNT blend UF membrane as the substrate,and polyvinyl alcohol(PVA),β-cyclodextrin(β-CD)and polyethylenimine(PEI)as the coating solution.The results show that with the appropriate addition of CMWCNT in the casting solution,the surface roughness,porosity and recovery rate of the PVDF/CMWCNT blend UF membrane is obviously increased.The water flux of blend UF membrane is significantly improved when the CMWCNT content increases from 0 wt%to 0.2 wt%.The water flux of blend UF membrane with 0.2 wt%CMWCNT is 162.7 L/(m^(2)·h),which is 44.3%higher than that of the pure PVDF membrane.Whenβ-CD content is 0.8 wt%,the retention rate of Congo red by PVDF/CMWCNT/β-CD composite NF membrane reaches 98.7%,which is 28.3%higher than that of single PVA/PEI modified membrane.This research will provide a new idea and simple method for developing novel high-performance composite NF membranes.

The Performance of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Various Viral Pneumonia Pandemics: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

Objective: To compare the effects of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and routine mechanical ventilation on mortality and the risk of associated adverse events in patients with severe viral pneumonia. Methods: PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and other databases were searched to collect case-control or cohort studies on prognoses associated with ECMO treatment for viral pneumonia. Search terms included extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ECMO, viral pneumonia, COVID-19, influenza, MERS, and others. According to the PICOS principle, two evaluators independently screened the literature, extracted the data, cross-checked the data, and extracted the data again. Two researchers evaluated the risk of bias in the included studies according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and cross-checked the results. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: Nine studies were included for analysis, encompassing a total of 4,330 patients, which were categorized into ECMO and CMV groups. There were no significant differences between the two groups in most baseline data;however, the ECMO group had a lower oxygenation index, and some studies reported higher SOFA scores in the ECMO group compared to the CMV group. There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between the two groups. The length of ICU stay, total hospital stay, and total mechanical ventilation time were longer in the ECMO group than in the CMV group. In terms of adverse events, there was no significant difference in the occurrence of kidney injury between the two groups. Bleeding events were reported in two studies, with more bleeding events occurring in the ECMO group. According to the subgroup analysis of different virus types, there were no statistical differences in the above aspects among patients with swine flu, novel coronavirus, and MERS. Conclusion: ECMO has a certain degree of positive significance in the treatment of severe viral pneumonia, but there is no significant difference in the treatment outcome of ECMO across different epidemic periods. The timing of ECMO treatment, patient management, and withdrawal evaluation still need further research.

Merging polymers of intrinsic microporosity and porous carbon-based zinc oxide composites in novel mixed matrix membranes for efficient gas separation

Mixed matrix membranes(MMMs)have demonstrated significant promise in energy-intensive gas separations by amalgamating the unique properties of fillers with the facile processability of polymers.However,achieving a simultaneous enhancement of permeability and selectivity remains a formidable challenge,due to the difficulty of achieving an optimal match between polymers and fillers.In this study,we incorporate a porous carbon-based zinc oxide composite(C@ZnO)into high-permeability polymers of intrinsic microporosity(PIMs)to fabricate MMMs.The dipole–dipole interaction between C@ZnO and PIMs ensures their exceptional compatibility,mitigating the formation of non-selective voids in the resulting MMMs.Concurrently,C@ZnO with abundant interconnected pores can provide additional low-resistance pathways for gas transport in MMMs.As a result,the CO_(2) permeability of the optimized C@ZnO/PIM-1 MMMs is elevated to 13,215 barrer,while the CO_(2)/N_(2) and CO_(2)/CH_(4) selectivity reached 21.5 and 14.4,respectively,substantially surpassing the 2008 Robeson upper bound.Additionally,molecular simulation results further corroborate that the augmented membrane gas selectivity is attributed to the superior CO_(2) affinity of C@ZnO.In summary,we believe that this work not only expands the application of MMMs for gas separation but also heralds a paradigm shift in the application of porous carbon materials.

Current role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for the management of trauma patients:Indications and results

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)has emerged as a vital circulatory life support measure for patients with critical cardiac or pulmonary conditions unresponsive to conventional therapies.ECMO allows blood to be extracted from a patient and introduced to a machine that oxygenates blood and removes carbon dioxide.This blood is then reintroduced into the patient’s circulatory system.This process makes ECMO essential for treating various medical conditions,both as a standalone therapy and as adjuvant therapy.Veno-venous(VV)ECMO primarily supports respiratory function and indicates respiratory distress.Simultaneously,veno-arterial(VA)ECMO provides hemodynamic and respiratory support and is suitable for cardiac-related complications.This study reviews recent literature to elucidate the evolving role of ECMO in trauma care,considering its procedural intricacies,indications,contraindications,and associated complications.Notably,the use of ECMO in trauma patients,particularly for acute respiratory distress syndrome and cardiogenic shock,has demonstrated promising outcomes despite challenges such as anticoagulation management and complications such as acute kidney injury,bleeding,thrombosis,and hemolysis.Some studies have shown that VV ECMO was associated with significantly higher survival rates than conventional mechanical ventilation,whereas other studies have reported that VA ECMO was associated with lower survival rates than VV ECMO.ECMO plays a critical role in managing trauma patients,particularly those with acute respiratory failure.Further research is necessary to explore the full potential of ECMO in trauma care.Clinicians should have a clear understanding of the indications and contraindications for the use of ECMO to maximize its benefits in treating trauma patients.

Spireoside Controls Blast Disease by Disrupting Membrane Integrity of Magnaporthe oryzae

The application of fungicides is an effective strategy for controlling plant diseases.Among these agents,plant-derived antifungal metabolites are particularly promising due to their eco-friendly and sustainable nature.Plant secondary metabolites typically exhibit broad-spectrum antifungal activity without selective toxicity against pathogens.However,only a small fraction of antifungal metabolites have been identified from the tens of thousands of known plant secondary metabolites.In this study,we conducted a metabolomic analysis on both blast-resistant(Digu)and-susceptible(Lijiangxintuanheigu)rice varieties to uncover novel metabolites that enhance blast resistance.We found that 24 and 48 h post-inoculation with Magnaporthe oryzae were critical time points for metabolomic profiling,based on the infected status of M.oryzae in rice and the observed differences in shikimate accumulation between the two varieties.Following metabolomic analysis,we identified nine flavonoids that were differentially accumulated and are considered potential candidates for disease control.Among these,apigenin-7-glucoside,rhamnetin,and spireoside were found to be effective in controlling blast disease,with spireoside demonstrating the most pronounced efficacy.We discovered that spireoside controlled blast disease by inhibiting both spore germination and appressorium formation in M.oryzae,primarily through disrupting cell membrane integrity.However,spireoside did not induce rice immunity.Furthermore,spireoside was also effective in controlling sheath blight disease.Thus,spireoside shows considerable promise as a candidate for the development of a fungicide for controlling plant diseases.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation combined with intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation for pheochromocytoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Pheochromocytoma(PHEO)is a type of tumor that originates from chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla and is classified as an adrenal paraganglioma.PHEOs can secrete catecholamines,leading to a variety of symptoms.Accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment selection are crucial for favorable outcomes in these cases.CASE SUMMARY The patient presented with unexplained chest tightness,palpitations,and pink sputum.Upon examination and analysis of laboratory results,a diagnosis of adrenal PHEO was established.The PHEO secreted high levels of catecholamines,causing sudden fluctuations in blood pressure and heart rate,leading to extre-mely unstable hemodynamics.Treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation helped stabilize the patient’s vital signs,allowing for timely surgical intervention.CONCLUSION The combination of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation can enhance tissue perfusion,thus providing a solid foundation for the accurate diagnosis and effective surgical treatment of PHEO.

Fate of microplastics in a coastal wastewater treatment plant: Microfibers could partially break through the integrated membrane system

Rare information on the fate of microplastics in the integrated membrane system (IMS) system in full-scale wastewater treatment plant was available. The fate of microplastics in IMS in a coastal reclaimed water plant was investigated. The removal rate of microplastics in the IMS system reached 93.2% after membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment while that further increased to 98.0% after the reverse osmosis (RO) membrane process. The flux of microplastics in MBR effluent was reduced from 1.5 × 10^(13) MPs/d to 10.2 × 10^(11) MPs/d while that of the RO treatment decreased to 2.7 × 10^(11) MPs/d. Small scale fiber plastics (< 200 μm) could break through RO system according to the size distribution analysis. The application of the IMS system in the reclaimed water plant could prevent most of the microplastics from being discharged in the coastal water. These findings suggested that the IMS system was more efficient than conventional activated sludge system (CAS) for the removal of microplastics, while the discharge of small scale fiber plastics through the IMS system should also not be neglected because small scale fiber plastics (< 200 μm) could break through IMS system equipped with the RO system.

Evolutionary algorithm based on dynamical structure of membrane systems in uncertain environments

In this paper, a new evolutionary algorithm based on a membrane system is proposed to solve the dynamic or uncertain optimization problems. The proposed algorithm employs objects, a dynamical membrane structure and several reaction rules of the membrane systems. The object represents a candidate solution of the optimization problems. The dynamical structure consists of the nested membranes where a skin membrane contains several membranes, which is useful for the proposed algorithm that finds optimal solutions. The reaction rules are designed to locate and track the optimal solutions of the dynamic optimization problems （DOPs）, which are inspired by processing the chemical compounds in the region of cellular membranes. Experimental study is conducted based on the moving peaks benchmark to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm in comparison with three state-of-the-art dynamic optimization algorithms. The results indicate the proposed algorithm is effective to solve the DOPs.

Effect of Soil Drought Stress on Leaf Water Status, Membrane Permeability and Enzymatic Antioxidant System of Maize

A simulation experiment on the responses of maize (Zea mays L.) from the third leaf stage to maturity for different soil water levels (well-watered, moderately stressed, and severely stressed) was conducted by controlling irrigation and using a mobile rain shelter in a neutral loam, meadow soil to determine the effects on leaf water status, membrane permeability and enzymatic antioxidant system for different growth stages. The results indicated that drought stress relied on drought intensity and duration, with more severe drought stress creating more serious effects on maize. Compared with well-watered conditions, during the silking and blister stages moderate stress did not significantly change the relative water content (RWC) and did change significantly the relative conductivity (RC) (P < 0.05) of the leaves; however, severe stress did significantly decrease (P < 0.01) the leaf RWC and increase (P < 0.01) membrane permeability (leaf relative conductivity). Furthermore, under severe drought stress antioxidant enzyme activities declined significantly (P < 0.01) in later stages, namely for superoxide dismutase (SOD) the tasseling and blister stages, for peroxidase (POD) the milk stage, and for catalase (CAT) during the tasseling, blister, and milk stages. Meanwhile, membrane lipid peroxidation (measured as malondialdehyde content) significantly increased (P < 0.01) in all stages.

Preparation of Monodispersed O/W Emulsion by Ceramic External Membrane Emulsification System——Preliminary Study on Integrated Ceramic Membrane Emulsification Reactor

A new reactor with integrated conventional slurry stirred reactor and ceramic external membrane emulsification system, was introduced in this paper. Toluene and toluene containing surfactant was separately used as dispersed phase for preparation of emulsions. Two kinds of emulsions were prepared and compared. The volume average sizes of prepared emulsions were 3.53μm and 3.6μm respectively. The results showed that the droplet sizes of two kinds of emulsions were similar, but the monodispersed emulsion was only obtained with addition of surfactant into the dispersed phase.

Sprayed separation membranes: A systematic review and prospective opportunities

Membrane separation technology has been taken up for use in diverse applications such as water treatment,pharmaceutical,petroleum,and energy-related industries.Compared with the design of membrane materials,the innovation of membrane preparation technique is more urgent for the development of membrane separation technology,because it not only affects physicochemical properties and separation performance of the fabricated membranes,but also determines their potential in industrialized application.Among the various membrane preparation methods,spray technique has recently gained increasing attention because of its low cost,rapidity,scalability,minimum of environmental burden,and viability for nearly unlimited range of materials.In this Review article,we summarized and discussed the recent developments in separation membranes using the spray technique,including the fundamentals,important features and applications.The present challenges and future considerations have been touched to provide inspired insights for developing the sprayed separation membranes.

Separation of Eu(Ⅲ) with supported dispersion liquid membrane system containing D2EHPA as carrier and HNO_3 solution as stripping solution

The Eu（III） separation in supported dispersion liquid membrane （SDLM）, with polyvinylidene fluoride membrane （PVDF） as the support and dispersion solution containing HNO3 solution as the stripping solution and Di（2-ethylhexyl） phosphoric acid （D2EHPA） dis- solved in kerosene as the membrane solution, was studied. The effects ofpH value, initial concentration of Eu（III） and different ionic strengths in the feed phase, volume ratio of membrane solution and stripping solution, concentration of HNO3 solution, concentration of carrier, different stripping agents in the dispersion phase on the separation of Eu（III） were also investigated, respectively. As a result, the optimum separation conditions of Eu（III） were obtained as the concentration of HNO3 solution was 4.00 mol/L, concentration of D2EHPA was 0.160 mol/L, and volume ratio of membrane solution to stripping solution was 30：30 in the dispersion phase, and pH value was 5.00 in the feed phase. Ionic strength had no obvious effect on the separation of Eu（III）. Under the optimum conditions studied, when initial concentration of Eu（III） was 1.00× 10^-4 mol/L, the separation rate of Eu（III） was up to 94.2% during the separation period of 35 min. The kinetic equation was developed in terms of the law of mass diffusion and the theory of interface chemistry. The results were in good agreement with the literature data.

Emerging R&D on membranes and systems for water reuse and desalination

Sustainable production of clean water is a global challenge.While we firmly believe that membrane technologies are one of the most promising solutions to tackle the global water challenges,one must reduce their energy consumption and fouling propensity for broad sustainable applications.In addition,different membranes face various challenges in their specific applications during long-term operations.In this short review,we will summarize the recent progresses in emerging membrane technologies and system integration to advance and sustain water reuse and desalination with discussion on their challenges and perspectives.

Outcomes of 4 surgical adjuvants used for internal limiting membrane peeling in macular hole surgery: a systematic review and network Meta-analysis

AIM:To compare the outcomes of four adjuvants used for internal limiting membrane(ILM)peeling in macular hole surgery,including indocyanine green(ICG),brilliant blue G(BBG),triamcinolone(TA)and trypan blue(TB),through systematic review and random-effects Bayesian network Meta-analysis.METHODS:PubMed,Cochrane library databases and Web of Science were searched until August 2018 for clinical trials comparing the above four adjuvants.ORs for postoperative best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)improvement and primary macular hole closure rates were compared between the different adjuvants.RESULTS:Twenty-seven eligible articles were included.For postoperative BCVA improvement,results of BBGassisted peeling were significantly more favorable than those of ICG(WMD 0.08,95%credible interval 0.01-0.16)and TA ranked highest.No significant differences were found between any other two groups in postoperative BCVA improvement.For postoperative primary macular hole closure rates,BBG ranked highest.However,no significant differences were shown between any two groups.CONCLUSION:TA and BBG are the optimum adjuvants for achieving postoperative BCVA improvement macular hole surgery with adjuvant-assisted ILM peeling.Among all adjuvants,the use of BBG is associated with the highest postoperative macular hole closure rate.