Propofol alleviates postoperative cognitive dysfunction by inhibiting inflammation via up-regulating miR-223-3p in aged rats.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) affects 15-25% of surgical patients and causes significant morbidity and mortality. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of propofol reducing POCD in aged rats. METHOD: Rats in Operate group and Propofol group were anesthetized with isoflurane and propofol, respectively, and then underwent cardiac surgery. Rats in Antagomir group were anesthetized with propofol and underwent cardiac surgery with preoperative injection of miR-223-3p antagomir. Barnes maze and Morris water maze (MWM) were used to test spatial learning and memory of rats. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the level of microglial cell marker IBA1. In addition, qRT-PCR was performed to measure the expression of miR-223-3p and inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6. Western blotting was conducted to detect the protein expression of Foxo1, TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6. RESULT: Isoflurane-anesthetized rats undergoing cardiac surgery showed significantly reduced spatial learning and memory, promoted microglia activation, decreased miR-223-3p expression and increased inflammatory response in the hippocampus, while isoflurane-anesthetized rats without surgery showed insignificant changes in these indices. Compared to isoflurane anesthesia, propofol anesthesia exhibited less effect on spatial learning and memory of rats with cardiac surgery and contributed to a relative reduction in activated microglia in the hippocampus, a notable increase in miR-223-3p expression, and a decrease in inflammation. The results were reversed after miR-223-3p antagomir was injected into propofol-anesthetized surgical rats. miR-223-3p negatively regulated Foxo1 to suppress the expression of inflammatory factors. CONCLUSION: Propofol reduced inflammation by up-regulating miR-223-3p, thereby reducing POCD in aged rats.

Comprehensive analysis of the differential expression profile of microRNAs in rats with spinal cord injury treated by electroacupuncture.

Abnormal microRNA (miRNA) expression has been implicated in spinal cord injury (SCI), but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on miRNA expression profiles in SCI rats and investigate the potential mechanisms involved in this process, Sprague­Dawley rats were divided into sham, SCI and SCI+EA groups (n=6 each). Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) scoring and hematoxylin­eosin staining of cortical tissues were used to evaluate spinal cord recovery with EA treatment 21 days post­surgery across the three groups. To investigate miRNA expression profiles, 6 Sprague­Dawley rats were randomly divided into SCI and SCI+EA groups (n=3 in each group) and examined using next­generation sequencing. Integrated miRNA­mRNA­pathway network analysis was performed to elucidate the interaction network of the candidate miRNAs, their target genes and the involved pathways. Behavioral scores suggested that hindlimb motor functions improved with EA treatments. Apoptotic indices were lower in the SCI+EA group compared with the SCI group. It was also observed that 168 miRNAs were differentially expressed between the SCI and SCI+EA groups, with 29 upregulated and 139 downregulated miRNAs in the SCI+EA group. Changes in miRNA expression are involved in SCI physiopathology, including inflammation and apoptosis. Reverse transcription­quantitative PCR measurement of the five candidate miRNAs, namely rno­miR­219a­5p, rno­miR­486, rno­miR­136­5p, rno­miR­128­3p, and rno­miR­7b, was consistent with RNA sequencing data. Integrated miRNA­mRNA­pathway analysis suggested that the MAPK, Wnt and NF­κB signaling pathways were involved in EA­mediated recovery from SCI. The present study evaluated the miRNA expression profiles involved in EA­treated SCI rats and demonstrated the potential mechanism and functional role of miRNAs in SCI in rats.

Dexmedetomidine alleviates postoperative cognitive dysfunction through circular RNA in aged rats.

Circular RNA (circRNA) has been well studied in many diseases, whereas their role in patients with postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) remains largely unclear. Here, we investigated the therapeutic effects of dexmedetomidine (Dex) on POCD and analyzed the role of circRNA as well as the pathways that may be involved. The Morris water maze test demonstrated that POCD rats have a longer incubation period than the normal group, but the latency of POCD rats was significantly lower after Dex treatment. Moreover, HE staining showed that Dex improved hippocampal pathological changes. RNA sequencing showed 164 differentially expressed circRNAs between POCD and Dex groups; 74 were upregulated and 90 were downregulated in the Dex group. A total of 20,790 target genes for differentially expressed circRNAs were observed in RNAhybrid and Miranda databases. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses showed that the target genes of differentially expressed circRNAs are mainly focused on positive regulation of intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway in response to DNA damage, negative regulation of cell adhesion mediated by integrin, and response to cytokines and other function of life activities and involved in the P53 signaling pathway and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Furthermore, the expression of five candidate circRNAs (circ-Shank3, circ-Cdc42bpa, circ-chrx-24658, cir-chr17-3642 and circ-Sgsm1) and target genes were consistent with the RNA sequencing results, which was verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). These results indicate that circ-Shank3 participate in the process of Dex improved POCD through regulating the P53 and NF-κB signaling pathways and may potentially facilitate POCD treatment through the development of clinical drugs.

[Spatial temporal differentiation of product-based and consumption-based CO2 emissions and balance in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region: an economic input- output analysis].

Distinguishing product-based and consumption-based CO2 emissions in the open economic region is the basis for differentiating the emission responsibility, which is attracting increasing attention of decision-makers'attention. The spatial and temporal characteristics of product-based and consumption-based CO2 emissions, as well as carbon balance, in 1997, 2002 and 2007 of JING- JIN-JI region were analyzed by the Economic Input-Output-Life Cycle Assessment model. The results revealed that both the product- based and consumption-based CO2 emissions in the region have been increased by about 4% annually. The percentage of CO2 emissions embodied in trade was 30% -83% , to which the domestic trading added the most. The territorial and consumption-based CO2 emissions in Hebei province were the predominant emission in JING-JIN-JI region, and the increasing speed and emission intensity were stronger than those of Beijing and Tianjin. JING-JIN-JI region was a net inflow region of CO2 emissions, and parts of the emission responsibility were transferred. Beijing and Tianjin were the net importers of CO2 emissions, and Hebei was a net outflow area of CO2 emissions. The key CO2 emission departments in the region were concentrated, and the similarity was great. The inter-regional mechanisms could be set up for joint prevention and control work. - Production and distribution of electricity, gas and water and smelting and pressing of metals had the highest reliability on CO2 emissions, and took on the responsibility of other departments. The EIO-LCA model could be used to analyze the product-based and consumption-based CO2 emissions, which is helpful for the delicate management of regional CO2 emissions reduction and policies making, and stimulating the reduction cooperation at regional scale.

[County scale characteristics of CO2 emission's spatial-temporal evolution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Metropolitan Region].

CO2 emission spatial distribution is characterized by stages. The study on regional distribution characteristics and evolution can supply important evidence for CO2 emission reduction. Based on CO2 emission data of 128 county areas in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Metropolitan Region (BTHMR) from 1990 to 2009, the spatial pattern and spatial dependence of CO2 emission were discussed by using cartogram and spatial autocorrelation analysis methods. The results show that the total emission of CO2 increased year by year. Average annual growth of CO2 emission after 2002 was 3.7 times higher than before. Different cities have different emission growth trends which can be categorized into three types. The spatial pattern of CO2 emission appeared to be the layered cluster. The Global Moran'I decreased from 1.44 in 1990 to 0.09 in 1998 and then increased slowly to 0.10 in 2009. The spatial distribution of high CO2 emission area changed from 'Double Centers' into 'Four Centers' and the spatial distribution of low CO2 emission area changed less. There were four different change types of local spatial autocorrelation: remaining unchanged or weakening in most regions, enhancing in some regions of Tangshan, transforming in some regions of Tianjin and Xuanhua county. Since the spatial pattern and autocorrelation in low/high CO2 emission area bear different evolution process, the local conditions and interactions with perimeter zones should be considered when formulating emission reduction plan. The discussion of spatial pattern and autocorrelation is very important for understanding spatial evolution pattern of CO2 emission and developing strategic emission reduction planning, and also provides a base for the study on low carbon development in metropolitan area.

Chain-length-dependent autocatalytic hydrolysis of fatty acid anhydrides in polyethylene glycol.

Autocatalytic hydrolysis of fatty acid anhydrides induced by the spontaneously formed vesicles has been studied for years. However, whether the reaction autocatalyzed by vesicles formed in diluted solutions applies also to macromolecular crowded conditions remains unknown. The aim of this study is to characterize hydrolysis behavior of fatty acid anhydrides and formation of vesicles in crowded media. Inert macromolecular crowding agents such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) and Dextran were used to probe the impact of external crowding on the autocatalytic hydrolysis of fatty acid anhydrides with varied hydrophobic chain length. Under stringent conditions of crowding, hydrolysis rates of octanoic anhydride, nonanoic anhydride, and decanoic anhydride were found to decrease, but the rates of lauric anhydride and oleic anhydride increased. These results suggest that the effect of the crowding agent on the hydrolysis of fatty acid anhydrides was chain-length-dependent. Characterization of the size and polydispersity of vesicles formed from hydrolyzed fatty acid anhydrides in crowding revealed that long-chain fatty acids formed monodisperse vesicles easier at lower concentrations of PEG. Measurement of the critical aggregation concentration of ionized fatty acid in the presence of PEG showed that crowding media promoted vesicle formation from long-chain fatty acids but inhibited those from fatty acids with fewer carbon atoms. Further investigation of the diffusion property of ionized fatty acids in crowding agents suggested that PEG might create more hydrophobic areas for long-chain fatty acids anhydrides, which subsequently promoted the unreacted anhydride in the aqueous phase to be solubilized in the formed vesicles. This research provides information for understanding the autocatalytic reaction accompanied by self-producing aggregates and the behavior of fatty acids in crowding media.

[In situ rat intestine absorption of paclitaxel-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles modified with cell-penetrating peptides].

To investigate the rat intestinal absorption of stearic acid-octaarginine (SA-R8) modified solid lipid nanoparticles containing paclitaxel (SA-R8-PTX-SLN), compared with the commercially available preparation of PTX (Taxol) and PTX-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (PTX-SLN), the in situ intestinal absorption of SA-R8-PTX-SLN was investigated by means of single-pass rat intestinal perfusion technique. The absorptions of the preparations were investigated at different intestinal segments, different drug concentrations and in the presence of P-glycoprotein inhibitor (verapamil). The results showed that PTX could be absorbed at each intestinal segment and the three preparations all showed maximum absorptions at the duodenum. The cumulative absorptions of three preparations at each intestinal segment appeared SA-R8-PTX-SLN > PTX-SLN > Taxol (P < 0.05). SA-R8-PTX-SLN showed a liner absorption manner at the duodenum in the examined drug concentration range. The cumulative absorptions of Taxol and PTX-SLN were significantly promoted after the addition of P-glycoprotein inhibitor (verapamil) into the preparation (P < 0.05), but absorption of SA-R8-PTX-SLN existed no significantly difference compared with the preparation without verapamil (P > 0.05). SA-R8 and SLN might both effectively improve the oral absorption of PTX in the intestinal tract.

[Energy consumption and GDP growth in Beijing: cointegration and causality analysis].

In this paper, the Johansen cointegration technique and the vector error correction model (VECM) were used to examine the causal relationship between energy consumption (LEC) and gross domestic product (LGDP) for Beijing during the period of 1980 to 2008. Results indicated that LEC and LGDP for Beijing were related by one cointegrating vector and there was a long-run unidirectional causal relationship from GDP to energy consumption. The long-term and short-term elasticity from economy to energy consumption were 0.44 and 0.12 separately. Statistic analysis showed that from 1980 to 2008 every 1% growth in GDP annually would drive energy consumption increasing rate by 0.4% correspondently. And the effect imposed from economy to energy consumption was lagging. It showed that energy consumption was not a strong exogenous variable as to economy. The finding has significant implications from the point of view of energy conservation, emission reduction and economic development.

[Uncertainty analysis for evaluating methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfill in Beijing].

In order to improve the accurate evaluation of CH4 emissions from municipal solid waste landfill in Beijing, FOD-model and Monte Carlo method were conducted. Based on local data, national data and experts' experience, the uncertainty of FOD-model and parameters' sensitivity analysis were identified. And we quantified effect of various parameters on model output. The results showed that 95% probability distribution range of CH4 emission from landfill was (11.8-19.76) x 10(4) t x a(-1) in Beijing. The mean value was 15.58 x 10(4)t x a(-1) with uncertainty range of -24.26% - 26.83%. Among all the parameters MCF (after 2000) showed the greatest impact on landfill CH4 emission in 2008, and its contribution to the uncertainty of emission result was 41.4%. This research can improve the assessment accuracy and quality on CH4 emission from municipal solid waste landfill in Beijing, as providing scientific basis to improve the landfill greenhouse gas inventory and data collection.

[Progress in research of urban greenhouse gas emission inventory].

Urban areas carry main responsibility for consuming massive energy sources and make great contribution to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. City and local governments are seen to have a key role in climate mitigation. Hence,one of the important work concerns accounting for city greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, because it plays significant role in setting reduction targets and evaluating success of local measures. However, open system architectures like city face many challenges for greenhouse gas accounting. Based on the review in details the methodology and case study, our study focuses on the difference and interconnection between country and city GHG accounts,and uncertainty of accounts. Further, we propose the valuable experience in order to improve domestic research on city GHG emission inventory.