The aggravation of environmental problems such as water scarcity and air pollution has called upon the need for a sustainable solution globally. Membrane technology, owing to its simplicity, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness, has emerged as one of the favorable technologies for water and air purification. Among all of the membrane configurations, hollow fiber membranes hold promise due to their outstanding packing density and ease of module assembly. Herein, this review systematically outlines the fundamentals of hollow fiber membranes, which comprise the structural analyses and phase inversion mechanism. Furthermore, illustrations of the latest advances in the fabrication of organic, inorganic, and composite hollow fiber membranes are presented. Key findings on the utilization of hollow fiber membranes in microfiltration (MF), nanofiltration (NF), reverse osmosis (RO), forward osmosis (FO), pervaporation, gas and vapor separation, membrane distillation, and membrane contactor are also reported. Moreover, the applications in nuclear waste treatment and biomedical fields such as hemodialysis and drug delivery are emphasized. Subsequently, the emerging R&D areas, precisely on green fabrication and modification techniques as well as sustainable materials for hollow fiber membranes, are highlighted. Last but not least, this review offers invigorating perspectives on the future directions for the design of next-generation hollow fiber membranes for various applications. As such, the comprehensive and critical insights gained in this review are anticipated to provide a new research doorway to stimulate the future development and optimization of hollow fiber membranes.
Japanese encephalitis (JE), caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), is a highly threatening disease with no specific treatment. Fortunately, the development of vaccines has enabled effective defense against JE. However, re-emerging genotype V (GV) JEV poses a challenge as current vaccines are genotype III (GIII)-based and provide suboptimal protection. Given the isolation of GV JEVs from Malaysia, China, and the Republic of Korea, there is a concern about the potential for a broader outbreak. Under the hypothesis that a GV-based vaccine is necessary for effective defense against GV JEV, we developed a pentameric recombinant antigen using cholera toxin B as a scaffold and mucosal adjuvant, which was conjugated with the E protein domain III of GV by genetic fusion. This GV-based vaccine antigen induced a more effective immune response in mice against GV JEV isolates compared to GIII-based antigen and efficiently protected animals from lethal challenges. Furthermore, a bivalent vaccine approach, inoculating simultaneously with GIII- and GV-based antigens, showed protective efficacy against both GIII and GV JEVs. This strategy presents a promising avenue for comprehensive protection in regions facing the threat of diverse JEV genotypes, including both prevalent GIII and GI as well as emerging GV strains.
Esophageal achalasia is a primary motility disorder characterized by insufficient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation and loss of esophageal peristalsis. Achalasia is a chronic disease that causes progressive irreversible loss of esophageal motor function. The recent development of high-resolution manometry has facilitated the diagnosis of achalasia, and determining the achalasia subtypes based on high-resolution manometry can be important when deciding on treatment methods. Peroral endoscopic myotomy is less invasive than surgery with comparable efficacy. The present guidelines (the "2019 Seoul Consensus on Esophageal Achalasia Guidelines") were developed based on evidence-based medicine; the Asian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association and Korean Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility served as the operating and development committees, respectively. The development of the guidelines began in June 2018, and a draft consensus based on the Delphi process was achieved in April 2019. The guidelines consist of 18 recommendations: 2 pertaining to the definition and epidemiology of achalasia, 6 pertaining to diagnoses, and 10 pertaining to treatments. The endoscopic treatment section is based on the latest evidence from meta-analyses. Clinicians (including gastroenterologists, upper gastrointestinal tract surgeons, general physicians, nurses, and other hospital workers) and patients could use these guidelines to make an informed decision on the management of achalasia.