Abstract Introduction: Propofol is a widely used anesthetic and its dose is closely related to aging. Telomere length (TL) is a unique heritable trait, and emerging as a biomarker of aging, health and disease. Telomerase RNA component (TERC) plays an important role in maintaining TL. We proposed a hypothesis that propofol dose in general anesthesia can be predicted by measuring TL before operation, which greatly reduced the risk of anesthesia, especially the elderly. Methods: The association between the propofol dose in anesthesia induction and: TL in the DNA of peripheral blood leukocytes; body weight; sex; difference of the Bispectral Index (BIS) before and after anesthesia induction in patients was evaluated by multivariable linear regression analyses. The mutation at the 5’end or 3’end of TERC was detected. We recruited 100 patients of elective surgery. Results: We found that propofol dose in anesthesia induction was clearly correlated significantly with TL (r = 0.78, p < 0.001), body weight (r = 0.84, p = 0.004), sex (r = 0.83, p= 0.84, p = 0.004), sex (r = 0.83, p = 0.004), and difference of BIS before and after anesthesia induction (r = 0.85, p = 0.029). By comparing the absolute values of standardized regression coefficients (0.58, 0.21, 0.19, and 0.12) of the four variables, it can be seen that TL contributes the most to the propofol dose in anesthesia induction. However, the mutation at the 5’ end or 3’ end of TERC was not found. Conclusions: These findings provide preliminary evidence that the propofol dose in anesthesia induction was clearly correlated with genetically determined TL. TL may be a promising predictor of the propofol dose, which is beneficial to improve the safety of anesthesia and reduce perioperative complications.

Abstract Accumulating reports have showed that altered expression of blood-circulating (miRNAs) can serve as diagnostic biomarkers of cancer, but descriptions of serum exosomal miRNAs in AML are still lacking. The present study was designed to measure serum exosomal miR-21 levels in AML patients and explore its correlation with clinical variables and prognosis. In this study, blood samples were collected from 135 AML patients and 60 controls. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect serum exosomal miR-21 expression levels. The data showed that serum exosomal miR-21 levels were significantly higher in AML patients than those in healthy controls. In addition, serum exosomal miR-21 levels were significantly decreased at one month and three months after their treatment. Further receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that serum exosomal miR-21 level could identify AML patients from normal controls with relative high sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, serum exosomal miR-21 upregulation was closely associated with worse clinical features and shorter survival. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, serum exosomal miR-21 expression showed a significance correlation with survival. In conclusion, serum exosomal miR-21 could be used to predict the diagnosis and prognosis of AML patients.

ABSTRACT Purpose: Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a major public health problem with a huge economic burden worldwide. Ulinastatin (UTI), a serine protease inhibitor, has been reported to be anti-inflammatory, immune regulation, and organ protection by reducing reactive oxygen species production, and inflammation. Necroptosis is a programmed cell death mechanism that plays a vital role in neuronal cell death after ICH. However, the neuroprotection of UTI in ICH has not been confirmed, and the potential mechanism is unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the neuroprotection and potential molecular mechanisms of UTI in ICH-induced EBI in a C57BL/6 mouse model. Methods: The neurological score, brain water content, neuroinflammatory cytokine levels, and neuronal damage were evaluated. The anti-inflammation effectiveness of UTI in ICH patients also was evaluated. Results: UTI treatment markedly increased the neurological score, alleviate the brain edema, decreased the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α, interleukin‑1β (IL‑1β), IL‑6, NF‑κB levels, and RIP1/RIP3, which indicated that UTI-mediated inhibition of neuroinflammation, and necroptosis alleviated neuronal damage after ICH. UTI also can decrease the inflammatory cytokine of ICH patients. The neuroprotective capacity of UTI is partly dependent on the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway. Conclusions: UTI improves neurological outcomes in mice and reduces neuronal death by protecting against neural neuroinflammation, and necroptosis.

ABSTRACT A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of six bioactive constituents including vitexin, orientin, isoorientin, 2"-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl isoorientin, 2"-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl isovitexin, and 6-C-L-α-arabipyranosyl vitexin in rats’ various tissues using isoquercitrin as the internal standard. Biological samples were pretreated by protein precipitation with acetonitrile. Chromatographic separation was carried out on a C18 column with a gradient mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and 0.1% aqueous formic acid. All analytes and internal standard were quantitated through electrospray ionization in negative ion selected reaction monitoring mode. The mass transitions were as follows: m/z 431 → 311 for vitexin, m/z 447 → 327 for orientin or isoorientin, m/z 579 → 459 for 2"-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl isoorientin, m/z 563 → 293 for 2"-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl isovitexin, m/z 563 → 353 for 6-C-L-α-arabipyranosyl vitexin, and m/z 463 → 300 for the internal standard, respectively. The lower limits of quantification for the six analytes in different tissue homogenates were 0.8–2.2 ng/ml. The validated assay was successfully applied to a tissue distribution study of the six components in rats after intravenous administration of total flavonoids of Scorzonera austriaca Willd; Asteraceae. The results of the tissue distribution study showed that the high concentrations of six components were mainly in the kidney.

Brown earth-based subsurface wastewater infiltration systems (SWISs) inoculated with/without dewatered sludge were constructed and operated under the same conditions to boost the application of SWIS in brown soil areas. Start-up period of SWIS with dewatered sludge was 28 days, 12 days shorter than that of SWIS without dewatered sludge. COD, NH3-N and TN removal efficiencies of dewatered sludge as microbial inoculum for SWIS were higher than that of SWIS without dewatered sludge under hydraulic loading rates (HLR) of 0.04, 0.07, 0.1 and 0.13 m³·m−2·d−1. Effluent concentrations of COD, NH3-N and TN in the SWIS inoculated with dewatered sludge were 44.51±4.13, 7.35 ± 0.24 and 14.03 ± 0.31 mg·L−1 under HLR of 0.13 m³·m−2·d−1, which were simultaneously lower than Chinese criteria for water discharge from municipal wastewater treatment plants. The number of bacteria, nitrifying bacteria and denitrifying bacteria in dewatered sludge as microbial inoculum for SWIS were higher than that in SWIS without dewatered sludge under the same HLR. The results will be helpful in promoting the application of dewatered sludge as microbial inoculum in brown earth-based SWISs for the purpose of shortening start-up period, effecting high levels of pollutant removal and recycling waste.

Organic pollutant and nitrogen removal performance of subsurface wastewater infiltration systems (SWISs) with and without intermittent aeration, and operated under different organic pollutant loadings, was investigated. The intermittent aeration strategy not only significantly increased removal rates of organic pollutants and NH4+-N, but also successfully created aerobic conditions at a depth of 50 cm and did not change anoxic or anaerobic conditions at a depth of 80 and 110 cm, resulting in high TN removal. Increasing organic pollutant loading did not affect the removal of organic pollutants and nitrogen in intermittent aerated SWISs. High removal rates of COD (98.0%~98.4%), NH4+-N (93.8%~98.1%) and TN (84.5%~94.0%) were simultaneously obtained in intermittent aerated SWISs for organic pollutant loadings ranging from 7.4 to 29.1 g COD/(m²∙d), and these removal rates were significantly higher than for non-aerated SWISs. The results suggest that intermittent aeration is a reliable option to achieve high nitrogen removal in SWISs, especially with high organic pollutant loading.

Abstract Radiotherapy for malignancies in the head and neck can cause common complications that can result in tooth damage that are also known as radiation caries. The aim of this study was to examine damage to the surface topography and calculate changes in friction behavior and the nano-mechanical properties (elastic modulus, nanohardness and friction coefficient) of enamel and dentine from extracted human third molars caused by exposure to radiation. Enamel and dentine samples from 50 human third molars were randomly assigned to four test groups or a control group. The test groups were exposed to high energy X-rays at 2 Gy/day, 5 days/week for 5 days (10 Gy group), 15 days (30 Gy group), 25 days (50 Gy group), 35 days (70 Gy group); the control group was not exposed. The nanohardness, elastic modulus, and friction coefficient were analyzed using a Hysitron Triboindenter. The nano-mechanical properties of both enamel and dentine showed significant dose-response relationships. The nanohardness and elastic modulus were most variable between 30-50 Gy, while the friction coefficient was most variable between 0-10 Gy for dentine and 30-50 Gy for enamel. After exposure to X-rays, the fracture resistance of the teeth clearly decreased (rapidly increasing friction coefficient with increasing doses under the same load), and they were more fragile. These nano-mechanical changes in dental hard tissue may increase the susceptibility to caries. Radiotherapy caused nano-mechanical changes in dentine and enamel that were dose related. The key doses were 30-50 Gy and the key time points occurred during the 15th-25th days of treatment, which is when application of measures to prevent radiation caries should be considered.