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A novel photo-Fenton catalyst, alpha-FeOOH loaded resin (alpha-FeOO HR), was synthesized and evaluated through transformation of a steroidal endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC), 17beta-estradiol (E2), under weak UV irradiation in the presence of H2O2. E2 photodegradation intermediates elucidated in detail by GC/MS and LC/MS/MS analyses and detailed reaction pathways are proposed. A yeast-based estrogen screen for E2 and its photodegradation intermediates was performed to measure the reduction of estrogenic activity in different water matrices during the heterogeneous photo-Fenton process. The results showed that alpha-FeOOHR not only degraded E2 but also removed the estrogenic activity originating from E2, its degradation intermediates, and its products. However, the water matrix present in drinking water may impactestrogenic activity reduction. The results are important to evaluate the ability of photo-Fenton advanced oxidation processes in reducing EDCs and their associated estrogenicity from drinking water.

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V2O5/polypyrrole core-shell nanotubes have been synthesized through an in situ polymerization of pyrrole monomers in the presence of prepared vanadium oxide nanotubes. Formation of polypyrrole in core-shell structure was endorsed by FTIR spectral analyses. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed that one dimensional morphology of vanadium oxide nanotubes remained undisturbed upon coating of polypyrrole, and polypyrrole was uniformly coated on the surface of vanadium oxide nanotubes, with a thickness of 30 nm. XRD suggested certain synergetic interaction existed in the core-shell structure, probably resulting in the enhanced thermal stability of polypyrrole coatings. The gas tests showed that the core-shell structure exhibited a high response, good stability and a short response/recovery time in the detection of different concentrations of ethanol at room temperature, implying its potential application for gas sensors. The enhanced gas sensing properties due to the synergic interaction between intimately contacted polypyrrole and vanadium oxide nanotubes lead to the formation of a hetero p-n junction with a depletion region, which is similar to a field effect transistor. The gas effects a change of the depletion region and thus modulates the conductivity of the junction.

BackgroundTransabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair and totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair are the primary surgical methods for the treatment of adult inguinal hernia, but it remains necessary to consider which one to choose in clinical practice. Our study seeks to compare the efficacy of laparoscopic TAPP and laparoscopic TEP in the treatment of adult inguinal hernia and to explore which surgical method is a better choice.MethodsA retrospective analysis of 686 adult patients with inguinal hernia admitted to our hospital from the period January 2016 to December 2020 was conducted. According to different surgical methods, they were divided into two groups: a TAPP group (n = 361) and a TEP group (n = 325). These two groups of patients were statistically analyzed, and the operation time, postoperative pain, postoperative hospital stay length, postoperative complications, and recurrence rate were compared between them.ResultsThere were no significant differences in postoperative hospital stay, complications, and the recurrence rate between the two groups (p > 0.05). The duration of operation in the TEP group was significantly shorter than that in the TAPP group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001); in terms of postoperative pain, the TEP group fared better than the TAPP group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001).ConclusionTAPP and TEP are safe and effective surgical methods in the treatment of adult inguinal hernia. However, compared with TAPP, TEP can significantly shorten the operative time, reduce intraoperative trauma, and limit postoperative pain in the treatment of adult inguinal hernia. Furthermore, it does not increase the rate of complications or recurrence, so it is worth popularizing.

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a common biomaterial with excellent properties. However, its inherent hydrophobicity impedes cell growth and differentiation. PDMS is an intrinsically inert material, which limits its applications to specific scenarios where responsive materials are needed. Dopamine can easily adhere to various substrate surfaces through noncovalent and covalent interactions. In this work, a bioinert PDMS surface was modified into a bioactive surface by biocompatible and pH-sensitive polydopamine (PDA). The binding of PDA and PDMS in different forms was verified by the typical scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). By PDA film modification, the contact angle of PDMS was significantly reduced. Hydrophobicity was achieved by PDA nanosphere (PDA NS) modification. PDA-modified PDMS was also found to be pH-sensitive, as validated by contact angle measurement, macroscopic friction test, and protein adsorption. Compared to an unmodified surface, the PDA significantly improved cell adhesion, proliferation and spreading. We came to a conclusion that the surface roughness of PDA-modified PDMS had little effect on cell growth and the cytocompatibility of the materials was mainly determined by the surface chemical properties. Our results further validated that PDA/PDMS is pH-sensitive and can effectively promote cell growth and proliferation.

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