Postoperative delirium, neuroinflammation, and influencing factors of postoperative delirium: A review.

Postoperative delirium (POD) is an acute cognitive dysfunction that is mainly characterized by memory impairment and disturbances in consciousness. POD can prolong the hospital stay and increase the 1-month mortality rate of patients. The overall incidence of POD is approximately 23%, and its prevalence can go up to 50% in high-risk surgeries. Neuroinflammation is an important pathogenic mechanism of POD that mediates microglial activation and leads to synaptic remodeling. Neuroinflammation, as an indispensable pathogenesis of POD, can occur due to a variety of factors, including aseptic inflammation caused by surgery, effects of anesthetic drugs, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, and epigenetics. Understanding these factors and avoiding the occurrence of risk factors may help prevent POD in time. This review provides a brief overview of POD and neuroinflammation and summarizes various factors affecting POD development mediated by neuroinflammation, which may serve as future targets for the prevention and treatment of POD.

MiR-122-3p regulates the osteogenic differentiation of mouse adipose-derived stem cells via Wnt/ß catenin signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the regulatory mechanism of micro-ribonucleic acid (miR)-122-3p in the osteogenic differentiation of mouse adipose-derived stem cells (mADSCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The regulatory mechanism of miR-122-3p in the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells was investigated through its overexpression and knockdown. RESULTS: The overexpression of miR-122-3p inhibited the osteogenic differentiation of mADSCs. On the contrary, its knockdown promoted the osteogenic differentiation of mADSCs. The further study on the molecular mechanism of miR-122-3p regulating mADSCs' osteogenic differentiation showed that the overexpression of miR-122-3p could activate the Wingless and int-1 (WNT)/ß-catenin signaling pathway, but the knockdown of miR-122-3p could repress this signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: MiR-122-3p influences the osteogenic differentiation of mADSCs by modulating the WNT/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

MiR-214-3p delays fracture healing in rats with osteoporotic fracture through inhibiting BMP/Smad signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of micro-ribonucleic acid (miR)-214-3p in regulating fracture healing in rats with osteoporosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 female Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups, including group A [phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), n=10], group B (AntagomiR-NC, n=10), and group C (AntagomiR-214-3p, n=10). All rats underwent ovariectomy, and the osteoporosis rat model was verified by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry 8 weeks after the operation. Then the osteoporotic fracture was established in rats via a second operation. From the successful modeling until the 6th week, 50 µL PBS (2 nmoL) was intraperitoneally injected in group A, an equal amount of AntagomiR-NC was injected in group B, and an equal amount of AntagomiR-214-3p was injected in group C once a week. At the 6th week, fracture healing of osteoporosis rats was evaluated. At the same time, the expression of miR-214-3p in the three groups was detected via reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Furthermore, the protein expressions of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) and Smad4 in the three groups were detected via Western blotting (WB). RESULTS: After ovariectomy, the bone mineral density in each group was significantly lower than that before ovariectomy, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). Imaging evaluation demonstrated that compared with group A and B, there were significantly more callus tissues in group C. Meanwhile, the fracture line healing was better and blurred, and the internal fixation had no displacement and loosening. RT-PCR results indicated that the expression level of miR-214-3p in group C was significantly lower than that of the other two groups (p<0.05). WB results showed that the protein expression levels of BMP2 and Smad4 in group C were significantly higher than those of group A and group B (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MiR-214-3p delays fracture healing in rats with osteoporotic fracture by inhibiting the BMP/Smad signaling pathway.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of diaveridine in pigs and chickens following single intravenous and oral administration.

Comparative pharmacokinetic profiles of diaveridine following single intravenous and oral dose of 10 mg/kg body weight in healthy pigs and chickens were investigated, respectively. Concentrations of diaveridine in plasma samples were determined using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) method. The concentration-time data were subjected to noncompartmental kinetic analysis by WinNonlin program. The corresponding pharmacokinetic parameters in pigs or chickens after single intravenous administration were as follows, respectively: t1/2ß (elimination half-life) 0.74 ± 0.28 and 3.44 ± 1.07 h; Vd (apparent volume of distribution) 2.70 ± 0.99 and 3.86 ± 0.92 L/kg; ClB (body clearance) 2.59 ± 0.62 and 0.80 ± 0.14 L/h/kg; and AUC0-∞ (area under the blood concentration vs. time curve) 4.11 ± 1.13 and 12.87 ± 2.60 µg∙h/mL. The corresponding pharmacokinetic parameters in pigs or chickens after oral administration were as follows, respectively: t1/2ß 1.78 ± 0.41 and 2.91 ± 0.57 h; Cmax (maximum concentration) 0.43 ± 0.24 and 1.45 ± 0.57 µg/mL; Tmax (time to reach Cmax ) 1.04 ± 0.67 and 3.25 ± 0.71 h; and AUC0-∞ 1.33 ± 0.55 and 9.28 ± 2.69 µg∙h/mL. The oral bioavailability (F) of diaveridine in pigs or chickens was determined to be 34.6% and 72.2%, respectively. There were significant differences between the pharmacokinetics profiles in these two species.

Characteristic length scale of nanorod diameter during growth.

This Letter proposes a characteristic length scale on surfaces and demonstrates its impact on nanorod growth. The proposed length scale is the dimension of a surface segment bounded by multiple-layer steps. Lattice kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, taking Cu as the prototype of nanorods, show that the proposed length scale (i) exists as the result of a diffusion barrier of adatoms down multiple-layer steps, (ii) dictates that the diameter of metallic nanorods is on the order of several hundred nanometers, and (iii) sets the upper limit of the facet dimension.

Continuous monitoring of brain tissue oxygen pressure in patients with severe head injury during moderate hypothermia.

BACKGROUND: We studied the change of brain tissue oxygen pressure (PbrO2) value within 24 hours after trauma and during moderate hypothermia in patients with severe head injury. The PbrO2 value was used to differentiate patients at risk of brain ischemia and to predict outcome. METHODS: A flexible microcatheter to be used for continuous monitoring of brain tissue oxygen was inserted into the normal frontal white matter, along with a thermocouple, in 14 patients with severe head injury within 1.5-12 hours (mean 6.1 +/- 5.2 hours) after trauma. Moderate hypothermia was also used within 24 hours in these patients. RESULTS: (1) No complications related to the microcatheter were seen. (2) Low initial PbrO2 values (mean values <10 mmHg) were noted after severe head injury. (3) The occurrence of low initial PbrO2 values (< or = 5 mmHg) was significantly correlated with a poor outcome. (4) Moderate hypothermia can increase PbrO2, but hyperventilation reduced PbrO2. (5) The difference between RT and BT increased during moderate hypothermia. CONCLUSIONS: The PbrO2 values were low in severe head injury, but hypothermia may improve these values. The technique of continuously monitoring brain tissue oxygen pressure may give better insight into cerebral oxygenation and warn of impending ischemia of brain tissue, especially in patients treated with hyperventilation. It will help to improve the management and final outcome of patients with severe head injuries.

[Separation and identification of main medicinal saponin components from mass cell cultures of Panax notoginseng (Burk) F. H. Chen].

Five main saponins were separated from the cell cultures of Panax notoginseng (Burk) F. H. Chen. They were sanchinoside Rb1, Re, R1, Rg1 and Rh1 identified by TLC, HPLC, IR, M. P., 13CNMR and EI-MS. Saponin components of the cell cultures were almost the same as those of the cultivated plants. But the content of saponins was different between the cell cultures and the cultivated plants. Saponin extraction and separation procedure suitable for the cell cultures has to be different from that for the cultivated plants.

A study on mass culture of Panax quinquefolium cells.

By omitting the component NH4NO3 and doubling the amount of KNO3 in MS medium, the Panax quinque folium cells cultured in such medium grew more rapidly and their saponin content was much higher than that cultured in regular MS medium. The growth rate and saponin content of the cells cultured in such medium (KNO33300 mg/l) increased 65.1% and 166.2% respectively as compared with that cultured in the regular medium. The application of oligosaccharins from Panax ginseng and Dendrobium candidum also increased their saponin content and growth rate. Especially, the content of Rg group saponins was apparently raised. It took more than 25 days for the cell suspension cultures to produce saponins in large amounts. The curve of saponin formation lagged slightly behind the growth curve in cell suspension culture and fermentation culture. The cell fermentation culture with a stabilized pH value was better than the culture with the pH value changing spontaneously on saponin content, growth rate and biomass. Finally, the culture patterns of P. quinque folium cells were compared and discussed.