Serum netrin-1 serves as a prognostic biomarker of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Netrin-1 exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. Netrin-1 could alleviate brain injury of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) rat. This study was designed to discern the utility of serum netrin-1 as a biomarker for assessing the severity and prognosis of patients with aneurysmal SAH. METHODS: Netrin-1 concentrations were gauged in serum from 104 patients and 104 controls. Hemorrhagic clinical and radiological severity was assessed utilizing World Federation of Neurological Surgeons (WFNS) score, modified Fisher score, and Hunt Hess score. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score was recorded at 6 months after SAH. GOS score of 1-3 was considered as a poor outcome. RESULTS: Patients showed substantially lower serum netrin-1 concentrations than controls (median, 237.9 pg/ml; interquartile range, 189.6-271.2 pg/ml vs. median, 815.4 pg/ml; interquartile range, 581.8-990.4 pg/ml). Netrin-1 concentrations were independently correlated with WNFS score, modified Fisher score, Hunt Hess score and serum C-reactive protein concentrations (t = -4.667, -3.792, -4.304 and - 3.549 respectively). Area under ROC curve was 0.837 (95% CI, 0.752-0.902) for predicting 6-month poor prognosis. Serum netrin-1 concentrations <229.3 pg/ml emerged as an independent prognostic predictor (odds ratio, 14.316; 95% confidence interval, 5.032-40.726). CONCLUSIONS: Serum netrin-1 might represent a potential biomarker for reflecting severity, inflammation and prognosis of human aneurysmal SAH.

Insights into the pollutant-removal performance and DOM characteristics of stormwater runoff during grassy-swales treatment.

The water purification performance of grassy swales for treating stormwater road runoff was evaluated using a simulated experimental device in two different seasons. The results showed that the removal rates for total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) reached 89.90%, 56.71%, 32.37%, and 19.67%, respectively, in summer, and 34.09%, 7.75%, 56.71%, and 13.33%, respectively, in winter, suggesting that grassy swales showed higher water purification performance in summer than in winter. Soil filtration in grassy swales also showed high removal rates of TSS, COD, TN and TP in summer (98.13%, 59.10%, 33.82%, and 24.59% respectively). The structure, composition and source of dissolved organic matter (DOM) were investigated using ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectra and fluorescence spectra. The spectral parameters indicated a relatively high humification and aromaticity of DOM, and a relatively higher contribution of organic matter derived from microbial substances in summer than in winter. In addition, grassy-swale treatment showed a slight decrease in metal-ion concentrations at the surface, while the removal rates in the bottom samples were 38.42%, 40.59%, 33.81%, and 40.06% for Cu2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+, respectively. The results of 2D-COS suggested that grass swales treatment can change the binding sites and binding sequencing of DOM with heavy metals and further influence the metal speciation, mobility and biotoxicity.

Fluorescent characteristic and compositional change of dissolved organic matter and its effect on heavy metal distribution in composting leachates.

Composting leachates were collected to investigate the fluorescent characteristic and compositional change of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and the effects of the DOM and nutrients on heavy metal distribution during a leachate combination treatment process. Excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectra showed that, with the progress of the treatment units, the content of fulvic-like, humic-like, and protein-like substances gradually decreased. One fulvic-like component (C1), three humic-like components (C2, C3, and C4), and three protein-like components (C5, C6, and C7) were identified in the leachate DOM by parallel factor analysis. Anaerobic-aerobic processes removed a large fraction of the tyrosine-like component (C7) and tryptophan-like component (C6) and a small amount of humic-like component (C2), while the membrane bioreactor showed a good removal effect on protein-like component. The ultra-filtration membrane treatment had a removal effect on fulvic-like and humic-like component and other recalcitrant compounds, while the reverse osmosis treatment had a good removal effect on both humic-like and protein-like components. Correlation analysis indicated that Mn and Cr were primarily associated with protein-like components and nutrients in the composting leachates. Ni and Pb were bound to fulvic-like, humic-like, and protein-like components, Co and Zn interacted with inorganic nitrogen and total phosphorus, and Cd only interacted with inorganic nitrogen.

Photocatalytic disinfection performance in virus and virus/bacteria system by Cu-TiO2 nanofibers under visible light.

The presence of pathogenic microorganisms in water is a great threat to human health, and photocatalysis is promising for disinfection. However, the research on virus inactivation with visible-light photocatalysis is still limited, especially the coexistence of virus and its host bacteria. In this study, bacteriophage f2 and its host E. coil 285 were used as the model microorganisms, and the disinfection performance of prepared Cu-TiO2 nanofibers under visible light was investigated. The result showed that the prepared Cu-TiO2 nanofibers showed a brilliant ability in terms of removing bacteriophage f2 and E. coil 285 under visible light. Series experiments indicated that the initial pH didn't affect the photocatalytic disinfection performance significantly. In the certain range, the removal efficiency of bacteriophage f2 increased with the increase of catalyst dosage, light intensity and temperature, but decreased with the increase of initial virus concentration. In virus/bacteria mixed system, bacteriophage f2 exhibited stronger resistance to photocatalytic oxidation than E. coil 285, and the removal of bacteriophage f2 was obviously affected by being mixed with E. coil 285, while the removal of E. coil 285 almost remained unchanged after being mixed with bacteriophage f2. Further research proved that competitive adsorption in mixed system played a certain role in E. coli 285 inactivation, while the free reactive oxygen species (ROSs) in the bulk phase played a crucial role in phage f2 inactivation.

Detection of Copper (II) and Cadmium (II) binding to dissolved organic matter from macrophyte decomposition by fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectra combined with parallel factor analysis.

Fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectra coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) was used to characterize dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from macrophyte decomposition, and to study its complexation with Cu (II) and Cd (II). Both the protein-like and the humic-like components showed a marked quenching effect by Cu (II). Negligible quenching effects were found for Cd (II) by components 1, 5 and 6. The stability constants and the fraction of the binding fluorophores for humic-like components and Cu (II) can be influenced by macrophyte decomposition of various weight gradients in aquatic plants. Macrophyte decomposition within the scope of the appropriate aquatic phytomass can maximize the stability constant of DOM-metal complexes. A large amount of organic matter was introduced into the aquatic environment by macrophyte decomposition, suggesting that the potential risk of DOM as a carrier of heavy metal contamination in macrophytic lakes should not be ignored.

Detection of dissolved organic matter in saline-alkali soils using synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy and principal component analysis.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is attributed a key role in soil major biogeochemical processes. Its molecular characteristics can reflect both its source and its biogeochemical history. Saline-alkali soil samples were collected from a field in desert and semi-desert region. DOM was analyzed by synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) of synchronous fluorescence spectra was used to detect and describe changes in the DOM in different soil profiles. The analysis of PCA yielded 2 PCs that account for 97% of the variance. DOM is characterized by a dominant tyrosine-like fluorophore in the Region I (PC1>0.9, PC2<0.3), including soils Ke02, Ke03, Ke04, Rh02, Rh03, Rh04, Sa04 and Sc04. The region II including Kf02, Sa01, Yb01, Yzd01 and Yzd02 obtain higher PC2 (>0.9) and lower PC1 (<0.3) loading, which is dominated humic-like fluorophore. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) identified five main clusters. The results of hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were consistent with the PCA. The ratio of fluorescence intensity of humic substances at long wavelengths and short wavelengths was used to indicate the humification of organic matter. Two ratios (I(345/318) and I(362/318).) can be used to indicate the humification of DOM. The humification degree of the remaining soils has no systematic trend because of land use, agricultural irrigation, soil erosion and salinization. Soils obtained a relatively high humification degree in the region II and a relatively low humification degree in the region I.

[Speciation and vertical distribution of heavy metals in sediments of Baiyangdian Lake].

In order to find out the heavy metal concentrations and their potential ecological risks on sediments in Baiyangdian Lake, 0-14 cm surface sediments had been collected by the no-disturbance-gravity sampler at seven representative sampling points of Baiyangdian Lake. Optimized BCR sequential extraction procedure was used to carry out the analysis of heavy metal forms in the surface sediments. The heavy metal contents of different forms and in different depths were determined. The relationship between different forms of heavy metal and total organic carbon (TOC) in the sediments was analyzed. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) was employed to evaluate the extent of heavy metal contamination. The results demonstrated that Co, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn were mainly in residual form, acid soluble form, Fe-Mn oxide and organic matter bound forms respectively. The tendency of organic bound form of heavy metals and TOC of sediments was greater than the others. The concentration of Co, Pb, Zn decreased with the increase of sediment depth, with the maximal concentration was between 0-2 cm, while the concentration of Mn was the minimal between 6-8 cm and the maximal was at 14 cm. Baiyangdian sediments were not contaminated as a whole by Co, Mn, apart from medium pollution in the entrance of the Fuhe River. The other regions were lightly polluted by Zn and Pb.

Spectroscopic techniques for quantitative characterization of Cu (II) and Hg (II) complexation by dissolved organic matter from lake sediment in arid and semi-arid region.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) was extracted from six sediment samples in arid and semi-arid region, which was characterized by fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs). The results showed that four fluorescent peak, fulvic-like (peak A), humic-like (peak C) and two tryptophan-like (peaks B and D), were identified in lake sediment DOM. Fluorescence quenching titration showed that peaks B and D were quenched gradually by adding additional Cu (II) and Hg (II), whereas humic-like substances had no systematic trend of the change of fluorescence intensity. Increasing fluorescence intensity value of humic-like substances can also be found. The modified Stern-Volmer model was used to calculate conditional stability constants (logK) and the percent of fluorophores (f %) which participate in the complexation between DOM and Cu (II), and Hg (II). The results showed that DOM-Cu (II) and DOM-Hg (II) complexes had higher logK values of 4.21-5.23 and the logK values of DOM-Cu (II) are much larger than the corresponding values for Hg (II). Peak B showed relatively low logK and high f % values than those of peak D. Different pollution sources which are mainly obtained from the upstream industrial wastewater, domestic sewage and return water of farmland irrigation tend to affect the stability constants and complexing capacities of Cu (II) and Hg (II).

[Analysis on the removal efficiency of phosphorus in some substrates used in constructed wetland systems].

Constructed wetlands are widely used to purify wastewater in some developing countries. As filter substrates in such wetland, these substrates play important role on removal of pollutants from wastewater. Selecting suitable substrates is one of the effective ways to improve the performance of constructed wetland on treating wastewater. In this study the phosphorus adsorption capacities of sand, zeolite, vermiculite, two clay soils, two industrial by-products named steel slag and fly ash are examined for their potential use as substrate in constructed wetland. Both Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms are very fit for describing the adsorption characteristics of these substrates. Two industrial by-products including steel slag and fly ash have higher phosphorus adsorption capacity, which had 50490 and 17934 mg x kg(-1) respectively. Followed vermiculite, two clay soils named yellow cinnamon and xiashu loess with phosphorus adsorption capacity of 3473, 1893.7 and 1582 mg x kg(-1) respectively. The zeolite and sand had the least phosphorus adsorption capacity with 813.7 and 302 mg x kg(-1) respectively. The experiments on purifying phosphorus from synthesize domestic sewage using these substrates also demonstrate this conclusion. The ability of removal phosphorus of these substrates have closely relationship with their makeup and chemical properties such as pH, total calcium and reactive calcium, reactive Fe, Al including poorly coastal and amorphous Fe, Al oxide. The steel slag and fly ash with higher reactive Ca, such as calcium oxide, have better adsorption capacity of phosphorus than other substrates, and the substrates which contained more reactive Fe also have a better ability of adsorption phosphorus than others. To assess the environmental risk for using these substrates above, the phosphorus de-sorption characteristics of these substrates are also studied. The process of phosphorus desorption quickly reached equilibrium in no more than 4 hours in the experiments, the ratio of desorption and adsorption of phosphorus in substrates above is lower except sand. To take suitable measures to manage substrates above, the risk of pollution of phosphorus form these substrates will be controlled.