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Estrogen receptors (ERs) are expressed in leukocytes and in every ocular tissue. However, sex-specific differences and the role of estradiol in ocular inflammatory-reparative responses are not well understood. We found that female mice exhibited delayed corneal epithelial wound closure and attenuated polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocyte responses, a phenotype recapitulated by estradiol treatment both in vivo (topically in male mice) and in vitro (corneal epithelial cell wound healing). The cornea expresses 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX) and receptors for lipoxin A(4) (LXA(4)), which have been implicated in an intrinsic lipid circuit that regulates corneal inflammation and wound healing. Delayed epithelial wound healing correlated with lower expression of 15-LOX in the regenerated epithelium of female mice. Estradiol in vitro and in vivo down-regulated epithelial 15-LOX expression and LXA(4) formation, while estradiol abrogation of epithelial wound healing was completely reversed by treatment with LXA(4). More important, ERβ and ERα selectively regulated epithelial wound healing, PMN cell recruitment, and activity of the intrinsic 15-LOX/LXA(4) circuit. Our results demonstrate for the first time a sex-specific difference in the corneal reparative response, which is mediated by ERβ and ERα selective regulation of the epithelial and PMN 15-LOX/LXA(4) circuit. These findings may provide novel insights into the etiology of sex-specific ocular inflammatory diseases.

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The transesterification of rapeseed oil with methanol was carried out using a novel KF-loaded Eu 2 O 3 catalyst. It was found that the catalyst with 15 wt % loaded KF and calcined at 873 K showed the optimum activity. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), CO 2 -temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), and the Hammett titration method were employed for the catalyst characterization. The results showed that the activity of the catalysts was related with their basicity. The influence of various reaction variables on the conversion was also discussed. The mechanism for the formation of basic sites and the phase change of the KF-loaded Eu 2 O 3 catalyst with different calcination temperatures is proposed.

The recycling of waterworks sludge has become a trending issue because it not only solves the problem of difficult disposal but also saves land resources. This paper aimed to provide a new idea for the utilization of waterworks sludge to form ceramsite and to purify sewage. The specific surface area, average pore size, and pore volume of the made ceramsite were 8.15 m2/g, 8.53 nm, and 1.88 cm2/g, respectively. The made ceramsite was applied in a vertical-flow constructed wetland, and the removal efficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter in sewage were investigated under the conditions of different start-up periods, hydraulic retention times, matrix filling heights and water quality. The removal rates of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), and total phosphorus (TP) in the constructed wetlands were stable at 70%, 60%, and 79%, respectively. This constructed wetland with a ceramic matrix has certain advantages in the total amount of denitrifying microorganisms, with a proportion of 14.92%. The results prove the feasibility of preparing ceramsite from waterworks sludge and applying it as a matrix in a constructed wetland to purify sewage.

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