miR-182-5p Delivered by Plasma Exosomes Promotes Sevoflurane-Induced Neuroinflammation and Cognitive Dysfunction in Aged Rats with Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction by Targeting Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Activating NF-κB Pathway.

The objective of this study was to discuss the possible mechanism and effect of miR-182-5p delivered by plasma exosomes on sevoflurane-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive disorder in aged rats with postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Firstly, aged POCD rat models were constructed by sevoflurane anesthesia and superior mesenteric artery occlusion. Subsequently, exosomes and miR-182-5p were inhibited by injection of GW4869 and miR-182-5p-sponge, respectively. Then, exosomes were extracted from the plasma of rats in each group, followed by the determination of the morphology and diameters of exosomes as well as the expression of exosome markers CD63 and CD81 by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and Western blot. Besides, the Morris water maze (MWM) and fear conditioning test were used to evaluate the learning and memory ability of rats; Western blot to detect the expression levels of neurotrophic factors (brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF)) as well as NF-κB pathway-related proteins (p65 and p-p65) in rat hippocampal tissues or PC-12 cells; qRT-PCR to assess the expression levels of miR-182-5p and BDNF in rat plasma, plasma exosomes, hippocampal tissues, and PC-12 cells; ELISA to evaluate the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1ß in rat hippocampal tissues; and dual-luciferase reporter assay to verify the targeting relationship between miR-182-5p and BDNF. After examination, the results were obtained as follows. miR-182-5p expression was up-regulated in POCD rats and could be delivered by plasma exosomes. Inhibition of plasma exosomes or miR-182-5p could significantly ameliorate learning and memory disorders; decrease the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß; increase the expression of BDNF and NGF; and inhibit the activity of NF-κB signaling pathway in POCD rat hippocampus. In addition, miR-182-5p could also target and inhibit BDNF. All in all, miR-182-5p delivered by plasma exosomes promotes sevoflurane-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction in aged POCD rats by targeting BDNF and activating the NF-κB pathway.

Cellulose-Nanofiber-Mediated Sorption-Benefitting Holed Silicalite-1 Crystals.

Silicalite-1-type zeolites with unique intracrystal holes or cracks were successfully prepared using a cellulose nanofiber (CNF) as an additional mediating material, and their vapor phase adsorption properties toward methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and n-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) were examined. It was found that the mixing protocol of CNF and structure-directing agents (SDAs), the addition amount of CNF, and the CNF/SDAs amount ratio play important roles in forming the holed silicalite-1. The synthesis route that preliminarily mixes CNF with SDAs in a series of controlled conditions is particularly beneficial for the formation of the holed silicalite-1 with mesoporosity and larger pores because the CNF-SDAs composite structure benefits the zeolite growth closely encompassing CNF inside the crystal structure. It also promotes the preferential formation of the orthorhombic phase vicinal to the CNF surface, namely, the surface of the formed internal holes or cracks, with the twin-type crystal size reduced as compared to the non-CNF-templated sample. On the contrary, the synthesis route that mixes CNF with SDAs-silicate composite ions tends to modify the twin-type crystal shape at the same time to form small but uniform well-crystallized particles with less holes or cracks and a dominative monoclinic phase. It was considered that both the inter-subunit structural defect and silanol defect whose content is increased with CNF addition influence the adsorptivity of MTBE and NDMA. Owing to the small twin-type crystal size, the smaller crystal subunits, and the favored short path from the surface of internal holes or cracks, the holed silicalite-1 derived from the CNF and SDA premixture assures the easiest access of adsorbate molecules to the most energetically favored sites and is most appropriate for the adsorption of both MTBE and NDMA among the examined zeolites.

Evaluation of acute normovolemic hemodilution in patients undergoing intracranial meningioma resection: A quasi-experimental trial.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) for patients undergoing intracranial meningioma resection.Eighty patients (aged 48-65 years) with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-II undergoing intracranial meningioma resection were included in this prospective observational study. The patients were randomly divided into group A (ANH group), which underwent a combination of ANH and intraoperative cell salvage (ICS), and group B (control group), which underwent ICS alone. The study parameters were recorded as baseline values before blood drainage (T0), after blood drainage (T1), and before (T2) and after (T3) retransfusion in group A. Whereas in group B, the same parameters were measured 10 minutes after anesthesia induction (T0), before surgery (T1), and before (T2) and after (T3) transfusion of autologous blood.When intraoperative blood loss was <2000 mL, the mean volume of homologous blood transfused in group A patients was 100.8 ±â€Š82.3 mL, compared with the 190.0 ±â€Š91.8 mL in group B. Reduction in homologous blood used in group A was statistically significant (P < .05). In group B, 15.1% patients received homologous blood, whereas only 5.9% patients received homologous blood in group A. The difference in heart rate between both groups at different time points was statistically nonsignificant (P > .05). The mean hemoglobin and hematocrit levels at T1 and T2 in group A were lower than in group B (P < .05). The prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time in both groups were prolonged significantly after T2 (all P < .05), but were all within normal range. There were no significant differences in postoperative hospital stay, mortality, and postoperative infection between the 2 groups.For patients undergoing excision of intracranial meningioma, ANH is an effective procedure to reduce the need for allogeneic transfusions.

[Soil heavy metal cadmium standard limit and range of background value research].

With the rapid development of industrial and agricultural production in China, problems such as excessive soil pollutants worsen year by year, and soil cadmium pollution resulting from the emergence of "cadmium rice" and other food security incidents occur frequently. It causes the extensive concern of society on soil cadmium environmental standards. A soil environmental standard is the foundation for the evaluation of soil environmental quality. The maximum allowable value of cadmium that affects plant and animal and human health is regarded as the basis value all over the world; however, the certification methods and the goals of standard application are different, thus the standard limit has a great difference. Through the research on domestic and foreign soil cadmium standard limits and the soil cadmium background values in China, the soil cadmium background content range values of the provinces and of some types of soil are given. We report the outstanding problems existing in China's current environmental quality standard of soil cadmium. It is proposed that the soil environmental quality standard should allow the coexistence of gradient of soil cadmium standard limit, effective state and total standard limit, and anthropogenic pollution and background values exceeding the standard should be strictly distinguished.

Direct analysis of eight chlorophenols in urine by large volume injection online turbulent flow solid-phase extraction liquid chromatography with multiple wavelength ultraviolet detection.

A novel method for determining eight chlorophenols (CPs) by large volume injection online turbulent flow solid-phase extraction high performance liquid chromatography in urine samples was developed. An aliquot of 1.0 mL urine sample could be analyzed directly after centrifugation. The analytes were preconcentrated online on a Turboflow C18-P SPE column, eluted in back-flush mode, and then separated on an Acclaim PA2 analytical column. Major parameters such as SPE column type, sample loading flow rate and elution time were optimized in detail. Eight CPs from monochlorophenol to pentacholophenol were measured by multiple-wavelength UV detection at four different wavelengths. The limits of detection (LODs) were between 0.5 and 2 ng/mL. The linearity range was from the limit of quantification to 1000 ng/mL for each compound, with the coefficients of determination (r(2)) ranging from 0.9990 to 0.9996. The reproducibility of intraday and interday relative standard deviations (RSDs) ranged from 0.6% to 4.5% (n=5). The method was successfully applied to analyze eight CPs in urine samples. Good recoveries, ranging from 76.3% to 122.9%, were obtained. This simple, sensitive and accurate method provides an alternative way to rapidly analyze and monitor CPs in urine samples, especially for matters of occupational exposure.

Investigations on boron levels in drinking water sources in China.

To evaluate boron contamination of public drinking water in China, both dissolved and total boron contents in 98 public drinking water sources from 49 cities, 42 brands of bottled water samples from supermarkets in several cities, and 58 water samples from boron industrial area were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Our experimental results showed that boron existed in public drinking water sources mainly in dissolved status with total concentrations ranging from 0.003 to 0.337 mg/L (mean = 0.046 mg/L). The mean boron concentrations in mineral and pure bottled water were 0.052 and 0.028 mg/L, respectively. The results obtained in this work showed that there was no health risk on view of boron in public drinking water sources and bottled water. In boron industrial area, boron concentrations in surface water and ground water were 1.28 mg/L (range = 0.007-3.8 mg/L) and 18.3 mg/L (range = 0.015-140 mg/L), respectively, which indicated that boron industry caused boron pollution in local water system.

[Determination of thirty trace elements in human plasma by microwave digestion-ICP-MS].

A method for determining 30 trace elements in human plasma was developed by using microwave digestion-ICP-MS. Under the optimized conditions the samples were analyzed by ICP-MS after microwave digestion. The double internal standard elements Rh and Re were used to compensate for matrix suppression effect and sensitivity drift. The analytical results showed that the detection limits of the 30 trace elements were in the range of 0.01-0.68 ng x mL(-1). The recovery rates of the studied elements were from 85% to 119%. The relative standard deviations (RSD) of the method were in the range of 1.7%-10.2%. The national standard reference material GBW 09131 was analyzed by the described method and the measured element values accorded with the standard values. It is indicated that the method is rapid, simple and accurate for determining trace elements in human plasma.

[Determination of thirty three elements in lung cancer tissues of patients with lung cancer by microwave digestion-ICP-MS].

A method for determining 33 elements in lung tissues of patients with lung cancer was developed by using vacuum freeze-drying microwave digestion-ICP-MS. The lung tissue samples were treated by vacuum freeze-drying equipment. After microwave digestion in HNO3-H2O2 solution system, the samples were diluted with the method of constant volume. Under the optimized conditions the samples were analyzed by ICP-MS. The double internal standard elements Rh and Re were used to compensate for matrix suppression effect and sensitivity drift. The analytical results showed that the detection limits of the 33 elements were 0.01-0.45 ng x mL(-1). The national standard reference material GBW(E)080193 bovine liver was analyzed by the described method and the measured element values accorded with the standard values or the reference values. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of the method was 2.1%-14.3%. The recovery rates of the studied elements were 90.1%-117.5%. The contents of 33 elements in lung cancer tissues, paracancerous lung tissues and benign lung tissues of 6 patients with lung cancer were determined by the method. It was indicated that the method is rapid, simple and accurate for determining multi-elements in human lung tissue and other biological samples.

A new solid-phase extraction disk based on a sheet of single-walled carbon nanotubes.

A new kind of solid-phase extraction disk based on a sheet of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is developed in this study. The properties of such disks are tested, and different disks showed satisfactory reproducibility. One liter of aqueous solution can pass through the disk within 10-100 min while still allowing good recoveries. Two disks (DD-disk) can be stacked to enrich phthalate esters, bisphenol A (BPA), 4-n-nonylphenol (4-NP), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-OP) and chlorophenols from various volumes of solution. The results show that SWCNT disks have high extraction ability for all analytes. The SWCNT disk can extract polar chlorophenols more efficiently than a C(18) disk from water solution. Unlike the activated carbon disk, analytes adsorbed by the new disks can be eluted completely with 8-15 mL of methanol or acetonitrile. Finally, the DD-disk system is used to pretreat 1000-mL real-world water samples spiked with BPA, 4-OP and 4-NP. Detection limits of 7, 25, and 38 ng L(-1) for BPA, 4-OP, and 4-NP, respectively, were achieved under optimized conditions. The advantages of this new disk include its strong adsorption ability, its high flow rate and its easy preparation.

[Prediction human daily boron exposure by urine boron concentration].

Relationship between post-shift boron concentration and daily boron exposure was analyzed with the workers from boron mining and processing plants in Liaoning Province and population from sanitary background area far from boron industry as subjects. The results demonstrate that there was significant logarithm linearity correlativity between post-shift urine boron concentration and daily boron exposure, and the fittingness of the regression equation was up to 85.9% by considering of the effect of the different group of population, and the equation predicting daily boron exposure by post-shift urine boron concentration was determined. Daily boron exposures of the subjects in 2004 were predicted using this equation. Comparing of the daily boron exposure observed, the average of deviation between the boron exposures predicted and observed was 13.4%, and there was no significant difference between the exposure value predicted and observed. Therefore, it is feasible to predict daily boron exposure by boron concentration of post-shift urine. The analyzing of predicted daily boron exposure of all subjects in 2004 show that the daily boron exposure of peoples from occupational exposure group, community group and background control group were respectively 36.1, 4.13 and 1.31mg/d.