[Correlation between femoral offset, rotation center and leg length discrepancy after total hip arthroplasty based on digital analysis].

OBJECTIVE: CT scans combined with Mimics software were used to measure femoral offset (FO), rotation center height (RCH) and lower leg length discrepancy (LLD) following total hip arthroplasty (THA), and the relationship between FO, RCH and LLD after THA is discussed. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on 40 patients with unilateral THA who met standard cases from October 2020 to June 2022. There were 21 males and 19 females, 18 patients on the left side and 22 patients on the right side, aged range from 30 to 81 years old, with an average age of (58.90 ±14.13) years old, BMI ranged from 17.3 to 31.5 kg·m-2 with an average of (25.3±3.4) kg·m-2. There were 30 cases of femoral head necrosis (Ficat type Ⅳ), 2 cases of hip osteoarthritis (Tönnis type Ⅲ), 2 cases of developmental hip dislocation combined with end-stage osteoarthritis (Crowe type Ⅲ), and 6 cases of femoral neck fracture (Garden type Ⅳ). Three-dimensional CT reconstruction of pelvis was taken preoperative and postoperative, and three-dimensional reconstruction model was established after processing by Mimics software. FO, RCH and LLD were measured on the model. The criteria for FO reconstruction were as follows:postoperative bilateral FO difference less than 5 mm;the standard for equal length of both lower limbs was as follows:postoperative LLD difference less than 5 mm. RESULTS: Bilateral FO difference was positively correlated with LLD (r=0.744, P<0.001). Chi-square test was performed between the FO reconstructed group and the non-reconstructed eccentricity group:The results showed that the isometric ratio of lower limbs in the FO reconstructed group was significantly higher than that in the FO reconstructed group (χ2=6.320, P=0.012). The bilateral RCH difference was significantly negatively correlated with LLD(r=-0.877, P<0.001). There is a linear relationship between bilateral FO difference and bilateral RCH difference and postoperative LLD, and the linear regression equation is satisfied:postoperative LLD=0.038x-0.099y+0.257(x:postoperative bilateral FO difference, y:postoperative bilateral RCH difference; Unit:cm), F=77.993, R2=0.808, P=0.009. CONCLUSION: After THA, LLD increased with the increase of FO and decreased with the increase of RCH. The effect of lower limb isometric length can be obtained more easily by reconstruction of FO. There is a linear relationship between the bilateral FO difference and the bilateral RCH difference after THA and LLD, and the regression equation can provide a theoretical reference for judging LLD.

Long-distance transport of sucrose in source leaves promotes sink root growth by the EIN3-SUC2 module.

In most plants, sucrose, a major storage sugar, is transported into sink organs to support their growth. This key physiological process is dependent on the function of sucrose transporters. Sucrose export from source tissues is predominantly controlled through the activity of SUCROSE TRANSPORTER 2 (SUC2), required for the loading of sucrose into the phloem of Arabidopsis plants. However, how SUC2 activity is controlled to support root growth remains unclear. Glucose is perceived via the function of HEXOKINASE 1 (HXK1), the only known nuclear glucose sensor. HXK1 negatively regulates the stability of ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3 (EIN3), a key ethylene/glucose interaction component. Here we show that HXK1 functions upstream of EIN3 in the regulation of root sink growth mediated by glucose signaling. Furthermore, the transcription factor EIN3 directly inhibits SUC2 activity by binding to the SUC2 promoter, regulating glucose signaling linked to root sink growth. We demonstrate that these molecular components form a HXK1-EIN3-SUC2 module integral to the control of root sink growth. Also, we demonstrate that with increasing age, the HXK1-EIN3-SUC2 module promotes sucrose phloem loading in source tissues thereby elevating sucrose levels in sink roots. As a result, glucose signaling mediated-sink root growth is facilitated. Our findings thus establish a direct molecular link between the HXK1-EIN3-SUC2 module, the source-to sink transport of sucrose and root growth.

Cloning and Heterologous Expression of a Novel Xylanase Gene TAX1 from Trichoderma atroviride and Its Application in the Deconstruction of Corn Stover.

Xylanase plays a vital role in the efficient utilization of xylan, which accounts for up to 30% of plant dry matter. However, the production cost of xylanase remains high, and the enzymatic characteristics of xylanases of most microorganisms are not suitable for industrial production. Therefore, it is of great significance to discover and develop new and efficient xylanases. In this study, the xylanase gene TAX1 (672 bp cDNA) was cloned from Trichoderma atroviride 3.3013 and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The TAX1 gene encoded a 223-amino acid protein (TAX1) with a molecular weight of 24.2 kDa which showed high similarity to glycoside hydrolase family 11. Enzyme activity assay verified that the recombinant xylanase TAX1 had optimal activity (215.3 IU/mL) at 50°C and pH 6.0. Stable working conditions were measured as pH 4.0-7.0 and 40-60°C. By adding Zn2+, the relative enzymatic activity of recombinant TAX1 was enhanced by 26%. The recombinant xylanase showed high activity toward birchwood xylan and corn stover. The Km and Kcat for xylan and corn stover were 0.36 mg/mL and 0.204 S-1 and 0.48 mg/mL and 0.149 S-1, respectively. The enzymatic activity of the TAX1 produced by P. pastoris was about 2.4-4 times higher that directly isolated from T. atroviride, so engineered P. pastoris for xylanase production could be an ideal candidate for industrial enzyme production.

Anti-echinococcal effect of verapamil involving the regulation of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II response in vitro and in a murine infection model.

BACKGROUND: Echinococcosis, which is caused by the larvae of cestodes of the genus Echinococcus, is a parasitic zoonosis that poses a serious threat to the health of humans and animals globally. Albendazole is the drug of choice for the treatment of echinococcosis, but it is difficult to meet clinical goals with this chemotherapy due to its low cure rate and associated side effects after its long-term use. Hence, novel anti-parasitic targets and effective treatment alternatives are urgently needed. A previous study showed that verapamil (Vepm) can suppress the growth of Echinococcus granulosus larvae; however, the mechanism of this effect remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to gain insight into the anti-echinococcal effect of Vepm on Echinococcus with a particular focus on the regulatory effect of Vepm on calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (Ca2+/CaM-CaMKII) in infected mice. METHODS: The anti-echinococcal effects of Vepm on Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces (PSC) in vitro and Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes in infected mice were assessed. The morphological alterations in Echinococcus spp. induced by Vepm were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the changes in calcium content in both the parasite and mouse serum and liver were measured by SEM-energy dispersive spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and alizarin red staining. Additionally, the changes in the protein and mRNA levels of CaM and CaMKII in infected mice, and in the mRNA levels of CaMKII in E. granulosus PSC, were evaluated after treatment with Vepm by immunohistochemistry and/or real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: In vitro, E. granulosus PSC could be killed by Vepm at a concentration of 0.5 µg/ml or higher within 8 days. Under these conditions, the ultrastructure of PSC was damaged, and this damage was accompanied by obvious calcium loss and downregulation of CaMKII mRNA expression. In vivo, the weight and the calcium content of E. multilocularis metacestodes from mice were reduced after treatment with 40 mg/kg Vepm, and an elevation of the calcium content in the sera and livers of infected mice was observed. In addition, downregulation of CaM and CaMKII protein and mRNA expression in the livers of mice infected with E. multilocularis metacestodes was found after treatment with Vepm. CONCLUSIONS: Vepm exerted a parasiticidal effect against Echinococcus both in vitro and in vivo through downregulating the expression of Ca2+/CaM-CaMKII, which was over-activated by parasitic infection. The results suggest that Ca2+/CaM-CaMKII may be a novel drug target, and that Vepm is a potential anti-echinococcal drug for the future control of echinococcosis.

Genome-wide analysis of Cushion willow provides insights into alpine plant divergence in a biodiversity hotspot.

The Hengduan Mountains (HDM) biodiversity hotspot exhibits exceptional alpine plant diversity. Here, we investigate factors driving intraspecific divergence within a HDM alpine species Salix brachista (Cushion willow), a common component of subnival assemblages. We produce a high-quality genome assembly for this species and characterize its genetic diversity, population structure and pattern of evolution by resequencing individuals collected across its distribution. We detect population divergence that has been shaped by a landscape of isolated sky island-like habitats displaying strong environmental heterogeneity across elevational gradients, combined with population size fluctuations that have occurred since approximately the late Miocene. These factors are likely important drivers of intraspecific divergence within Cushion willow and possibly other alpine plants with a similar distribution. Since intraspecific divergence is often the first step toward speciation, the same factors can be important contributors to the high alpine species diversity in the HDM.

Damage Detection of Asphalt Concrete Using Piezo-Ultrasonic Wave Technology.

Asphalt concrete has been widely used in road engineering as a surface material. Meanwhile, ultrasonic testing technology has also been developed rapidly. Aiming to evaluate the feasibility of the ultrasonic wave method, the present work reports a laboratory investigation on damage detection of asphalt concrete using piezo-ultrasonic wave technology. The gradation of AC-13 was selected and prepared based on the Marshall's design. The ultrasonic wave velocities of samples were tested with different environmental conditions firstly. After that, the samples were destroyed into two types, one was drilled and the other was grooved. And the ultrasonic wave velocities of pretreated samples were tested again. Furthermore, the relationship between velocity and damaged process was evaluated based on three point bending test. The test results indicated that piezoelectric ultrasonic wave is a promising technology for damage detection of asphalt concrete with considerable benefits. The ultrasonic velocity decreases with the voidage increases. In a saturated water environment, the measured velocity of ultrasonic wave increased. In a dry environment (50 °C), the velocity the ultrasonic waves increased too. After two freeze-thaw cycles, the voidage increased and the ultrasonic velocity decreased gradually. After factitious damage, the wave must travel through or most likely around the damage, the ultrasonic velocity decreased. During the process of three point bending test, the ultrasonic velocity increased firstly and then decreased slowly until it entered into a steady phase. At last the velocity of ultrasonic wave decreased rapidly. In addition, the errors of the results under different test conditions need to be further studied.

Probing the binding mechanism of substituted pyridine derivatives as effective and selective lysine-specific demethylase 1 inhibitors using 3D-QSAR, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations.

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) was regarded as a promising anticancer target for the novel drug discovery. In this work, we carried out a molecular modeling study on the substituted pyridine derivatives as LSD1 inhibitors using three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR), molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Molecular docking studies predicted the probable binding mode of ligands, and suggested Lys661 and Asp555 might be key residues. Our 3D-QSAR models exhibited satisfactory internal and external predicted capacity. For the comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) model, its training set had q2  of 0.595 and r2 of 0.959, while test set had q2 of 0.512 and r2 of 0.846. For the best comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) model, its training set had q2 of 0.733 and r2 of 0.982, while test set had q2 of 0.695 and r2 of 0.922. MD simulations result revealed the detailed binding process and found an important conserved water-bridge motif between ligands and protein. The binding free energies calculation using Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MM-PBSA) approach coincided well with the experimental bioactivity and demonstrated that the electrostatic interaction was the major driving force for binding. The energy decomposition pointed out some significant residues (Asp555, Lys661, Trp695, Tyr761 and FAD) for the LSD1 potency increase. Based on these results, five new inhibitors were designed, and their activities were predicted using our 3D-QSAR models. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Identifying the novel inhibitors of lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) combining pharmacophore-based and structure-based virtual screening.

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) has been reported to connect with a range of solid tumors. Thus, the exploration of LSD1 inhibitors has emerged as an effective strategy for cancer treatment. In this study, we constructed a pharmacophore model based on a series of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-competing inhibitors bearing triazole - dithiocarbamate scaffold combining docking, structure-activity relationship (SAR) study, and molecular dynamic (MD) simulation. Meanwhile, another pharmacophore model was also constructed manually, relying on several speculated substrate-competing inhibitors and reported putative vital interactions with LSD1. On the basis of the two pharmacophore models, multi-step virtual screenings (VSs) were performed against substrate-binding pocket and FAD-binding pocket, respectively, combining pharmacophore-based and structure-based strategy to exploit novel LSD1 inhibitors. After bioassay evaluation, four compounds among 21 hits with diverse and novel scaffolds exhibited inhibition activity at the range of 3.63-101.43 µM. Furthermore, substructure-based enrichment was performed, and four compounds with a more potent activity were identified. After that, the time-dependent assay proved that the most potent compound with IC50 2.21 µM inhibits LSD1 activity in a manner of time-independent. In addition, the compound exhibited a cellular inhibitory effect against LSD1 in MGC-803 cells and may inhibit cell migration and invasion by reversing EMT in cultured gastric cancer cells. Considering the binding mode and SAR of the series of compounds, we could roughly deem that these compounds containing 3-methylxanthine scaffold act through occupying substrate-binding pocket competitively. This study presented a new starting point to develop novel LSD1 inhibitors.

Arabidopsis ANGUSTIFOLIA3 (AN3) is associated with the promoter of CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC1 (COP1) to regulate light-mediated stomatal development.

Light signals are perceived by multiple photoreceptors that converge to suppress the RING E3 ubiquitin ligase CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC1 (COP1) for the regulation of stomatal development. Thus, COP1 is a point of integration between light signaling and stomatal patterning. However, how light signaling is collected into COP1 for the production and spacing of stomata is still unknown. Here, we report that the loss-of-function mutant of ANGUSTIFOLIA3 (AN3) delays asymmetric cell division, which leads to decreased stomatal index. Furthermore, overexpression of AN3 accelerates asymmetric cell division, which results in clusters of stomata. In addition, the stomatal development through AN3 regulation is mediated by light signaling. Finally, we find that an3 is a light-signaling mutant, and that AN3 protein is light regulated. Self-activation by AN3 contributes to the control of AN3 expression. Thus, AN3 is a point of collection between light signaling and stomatal patterning. Target-gene analysis indicates that AN3 is associated with COP1 promoter for the regulation of light-controlling stomatal development. Together, these components for regulating stomatal development form an AN3-COP1-E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, allowing the integration of light signaling into the production and spacing of stomata.

3D-QSAR (CoMFA, CoMSIA), molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations study of 6-aryl-5-cyano-pyrimidine derivatives to explore the structure requirements of LSD1 inhibitors.

Recently, Histone Lysine Specific Demethylase 1 (LSD1) was regarded as a promising anticancer target for the novel drug discovery. And several small molecules as LSD1 inhibitors in different structures have been reported. In this work, we carried out a molecular modeling study on the 6-aryl-5-cyano-pyrimidine fragment LSD1 inhibitors using three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR), molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) were used to generate 3D-QSAR models. The results show that the best CoMFA model has q2=0.802, r2ncv=0.979, and the best CoMSIA model has q2=0.799, r2ncv=0.982. The electrostatic, hydrophobic and H-bond donor fields play important roles in the models. Molecular docking studies predict the binding mode and the interactions between the ligand and the receptor protein. Molecular dynamics simulations results reveal that the complex of the ligand and the receptor protein are stable at 300K. All the results can provide us more useful information for our further drug design.

Expression and Characteristics of an Endoglucanase from Trichoderma atroviride (TaEGII) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Endoglucanase secreted by the fungus Trichoderma atroviride is a kind of cellulase. An endoglucanase gene egII was cloned from T. atroviride AS3.3013 and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae INVScI. The open reading frame of the egII gene was composed of 1257 bp, encoding 418 amino acids with a molecular weight of 44.23 kDa plus a signal peptide of 21 amino acids. Based on sequence similarity, TaEGII belonged to the glycosyl hydrolase family 5. Expression of the egII gene in T. atroviride AS3.3013 can be induced by microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), bran, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), rice straw, and corn stalk but is inhibited by glucose. A highly efficient integrated expression vector (pYPIGH-B includes a sequence of the α-mating factor signal peptide (MF-α)) was constructed. The enzymatic activity of the supernatant of recombinant yeast YPIGH-B3 was 1.29 times higher than that of YES2-egII, demonstrating that the MF-α can significantly improve the expression of the recombinant EGII in S. cerevisiae. The recombinant endoglucanase TaEGII produced by S. cerevisiae showed maximum activity at pH 5.0 and temperature 60 °C. Under these conditions, the Km and Kcat values for Avicel and raffinose hydrolysis were 1.22 × 10-2 mg ml-1, 9.09 × 10-2 s-1 and 1.06 × 10-2 mg ml-1 , 9.18 × 10-2 s-1, respectively. The enzymatic activity of recombinant TaEGII was stable when incubated from 40 to 60 °C for 1 h. It was stable in a wide range of pH (4.0-7.0) and sensitive to various metal ions. Transgenic yeast strain YPIGH-B3 might be applied to cellulosic ethanol production.

[Rapid Diagnosis of Sound, Yellow and Citrus Greening Leaves with Hyperspectral Imaging].

The feasibility was investigated for identifying sound, yellow and citrus greening leaves of navel orange trees based on hyperspectral imaging combined with correlation analysis and discriminant partial least square (DPLS) methods. The hyperspectral data of sound, yellow and citrus greening leaves were recorded in the wavelength range of 374.28～1 016.89 nm. Two regions of interest (ROI) were marked symmetrically on both sides along main veins with an ellipse of major axis of 60 pixels and minor axis of 30 pixels. The average reflectance spectrum was extracted from ROI regions. A pair wavelengths of 502.79 and 374.28 nm were chosen with correlation analysis method in the wavelength range of 374.28～1 016.89 nm. The classification model was developed with the peak ratio of the pair wavelengths. This model was effective to sound leaves with the recognition accuracy of 1.7% but yellow and citrus greening leaves. The DPLS model was employed with the preprocessing spectra of second derivative and Savitzky-Golay smoothing. The recognition accuracy of this model was 100% for citrus greening leaves and yellow ones. The number of latent variables (LVs) was optimized with the leave one out cross validation method. The optimal LVs, correlation coefficient and standard error of calibration of the DPLS model were 17, 0.96 and 0.13, respectively. The correction classification rate of the DPLS model was 100% for yellow leaves and citrus greening ones. Two-step method of the peak ratio models combination with the DPLS was proposed for identifying sound, yellow and citrus greening leaves. The new samples were applied to evaluation the classification ability of the two-step method, which included sound leaves of 10, citrus greening leaves of 10 and yellow leaves of 10. The correction classification rate reached 96.7%. Experimental results showed that it was feasible to identify sound, yellow and citrus greening leaves by hyperspectral imaging coupled with the peak ratio and DPLS models.

Discovery of resveratrol derivatives as novel LSD1 inhibitors: Design, synthesis and their biological evaluation.

Inhibition of lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) has recently emerged as an attractive therapeutic target for treating cancer and other diseases. As a continuity of our ongoing effort to identify novel small-molecule LSD1-inhibitors, we designed and synthesized a series of resveratrol derivatives, which were shown to be potent inhibitors of LSD1. Among them, compounds 4e and 4m displayed the most potent LSD1-inhibitory activities in enzyme assays, with IC50 values of 121 nM and 123 nM, respectively. Biochemistry study and docking analysis indicated that compounds 4e and 4m were reversible LSD1 inhibitors. High content analysis showed that 4e and 4m induced a dose-dependent increase of dimethylated Lys4 of histone H3 and had no impact on the expression of LSD1 in MGC-803 cells. Furthermore, 4e or 4m could remarkably increase the mRNA level of CD86, a surrogate cellular biomarker for LSD1 activity, in MGC-803 cells, suggesting that they are likely to exhibit LSD1-inhibitory activities intracellularly. These findings should encourage further modification of these compounds to produce more potent LSD1 inhibitors with potential anticancer activity.

Divergence in Eco-Physiological Responses to Drought Mirrors the Distinct Distribution of Chamerion angustifolium Cytotypes in the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains Region.

Polyploid species generally occupy harsher habitats (characterized by cold, drought and/or high altitude) than diploids, but the converse was observed for Chamerion angustifolium, in which diploid plants generally inhabit higher altitudes than their polyploid derivatives. Plants at high altitudes may experience cold-induced water stress, and we therefore examined the physiological responses of diploid and hexaploid C. angustifolium to water stress to better understand the ecological differentiation of plants with different ploidy levels. We conducted a common garden experiment by subjecting seedlings of different ploidy levels to low, moderate, and severe water stress. Fourteen indicators of physiological fitness were measured, and the anatomical characteristics of the leaves of each cytotype were determined. Both cytotypes were influenced by drought, and diploids exhibited higher fitness in terms of constant root:shoot ratio (R:S ratio) and maximum quantum yield of PS II (Fv/Fm ), less reduced maximal photosynthetic rate (A max), transpiration rate (E), intercellular CO2 concentration (C i) and stomatal conductance (g s), and higher long-term water use efficiency (WUEL) under severe water stress than did hexaploids. Analysis of leaf anatomy revealed morphological adjustments for tolerating water deficiency in diploids, in the form of closely packed mesophyll cells and small conduits in the midvein. Our results indicate that diploid C. angustifolium is more tolerant of drought than hexaploid plants, ensuring the successful survival of the diploid at high altitudes. This eco-physiological divergence may facilitate the species with different cytotypes to colonize new and large geographic ranges with heterogeneous environmental conditions.

[Quantitative Analysis of Dimethoate Pesticide Residues in Honey by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy].

The feasibility of a combination method of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technology and linear regression algorithm was investigated for rapid quantitative analysis of pesticide residues in honey. The total of 30 samples was applied in the experiment with dimethoate pesticide residues range from 1 ppm to 10 ppm. The samples were divided into calibration set (20) and prediction set (10). The substrate of Klarite with an inverted pyramidal structure was adopted for improvement of the relative intensity of the majority of Raman shift peaks. The comparative analysis was carried out between SERS spectra of dimethoate pesticide residues in honey samples and conventional Raman spectra of dimethoate standard sample. And four characteristic Raman shift peaks at the wavenumbers of 867, 1 065, 1 317 and 1 453 cm(-1) were found, which were related with the vibrational information of dimethoate molecule. The relationship was developed by linear regression algorithm between the intensity of Raman shift and the concentration of dimethoate pesticide residues. The 10 new samples in the prediction set were applied to evaluate the performance of the models. By comparison, the optimal model was obtained with the characteristic Raman shift peak of 867 cm(-1). The higher correlation coefficient of prediction of 0.984 and lower root mean square error of prediction of 0.663 ppm were obtained. The detection limit of this method was 2 ppm, which was close to the maximum levels of pesticide residue detection limits. Experimental results showed that it was feasible to rapidly analyze quantitative of pesticide residues in honey with the combination method of SERS technology and linear regression algorithm. Compared with the conventional method coupled with the suitable pretreatment, the combination method of SERS technology and linear regression method could analyze the dimethoate pesticide residues in honey, and it also provided an optional method for rapid quantitative analysis pesticide residues in other agricultural products.

Echocardiographic Evaluation of Changes in Cardiac Hemodynamics and Loading Conditions after Transthoracic Minimally Invasive Device Closure of Atrial Septal Defect.

PURPOSE: To evaluate transthoracic minimally invasive device closure of atrial septal defects by performing transthoracic echocardiography to measure changes in cardiac hemodynamics and loading conditions. METHODS: Between January 2012 and December 2012, we performed transthoracic minimally invasive device closure of atrial septal defects in 95 patients with secundum atrial septal defects (ASD), and performed transthoracic echocardiography to measure blood flow velocities at the tricuspid valve orifice and at the pulmonary valve orifice, sizes of the left and right atria and ventricles, right ventricular fractional area change, right ventricular Tei index, three-dimensional right ventricular ejection fraction, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and left ventricular ejection fractions before the procedure and 1 week, 3 months, and 1 year post-procedure. RESULTS: Varying degrees of improvement were observed post-procedure at later time points. The maximum blood flow velocity at the pulmonary valve orifice, mean flow velocity, velocity-time integral, and A peak and E peak blood flow velocity at the tricuspid valve orifice decreased significantly post-procedure (P<0.05). In 3 months and 1 year's follow-up, the inner diameter of the middle portion of the pulmonary artery, and diameters of the right atrium and right ventricle decreased significantly post-procedure (P<0.05). The diameters of the left atrium and left ventricle increased after the procedure (P<0.05). One week after the procedure, the right ventricular fractional area change, three-dimensional right ventricular ejection fraction, right ventricular Tei index and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion had significantly reduced compared with the preoperative data (P<0.05). While these four parameters were still decreased at the 3 months and at 1 year's follow-up, but the differences were not statistically significant compared with the 1 week's postoperative data (P>0.05). One week post-procedure, left ventricular ejection fraction had not changed significantly, but at 3 months and at 1 year post-procedure, left ejection fraction had increased significantly compared with the preoperative data (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Echocardiographic evaluation has demonstrated that cardiac hemodynamics and loading conditions improved significantly after transthoracic minimally invasive device closure of atrial septal defects.

Reproductive isolation is mediated by pollen incompatibility in sympatric populations of two Arnebia species.

To explore uncertain aspects of the processes that maintain species boundaries, we evaluated contributions of pre- and postpollination reproductive isolation mechanisms in sympatric populations of Arnebia guttata and A. szechenyi. For this, we investigated their phylogenetic relationships, traits, microenvironments, pollinator visits, action of natural selection on floral traits, and the outcome of hand pollination between the two species. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that A. szechenyi is a derived species that could be closely related to A. guttata, and both could be diploid species. Arnebia guttata flowers have larger parts than A. szechenyi flowers, but smaller nectar guides. Soil supporting A. szechenyi had higher water contents than soil supporting neighboring populations of A. guttata (in accordance with their geographical distributions). The pollinators shared by the two species preferred A. szechenyi flowers, but interspecific visitations were frequent. We found evidence of conflicting selection pressures on floral tube length, flower diameter and nectar guide size mediated via male fitness, and on flower diameter and floral tube diameter via female fitness. Hand-pollination experiments indicate complete pollen incompatibility between the two species. Our results suggest that postpollination prezygotic mechanisms are largely responsible for reproductive isolation of sympatric populations of the two Arnebia species.

Preparation and mechanical property of a novel 3D porous magnesium scaffold for bone tissue engineering.

Porous magnesium has been recently recognized as a biodegradable metal for bone substitute applications. A novel porous Mg scaffold with three-dimensional (3D) interconnected pores and with a porosity of 33-54% was produced by the fiber deposition hot pressing (FDHP) technology. The microstructure and morphologies of the porous Mg scaffold were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the effects of porosities on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the porous Mg were investigated. Experimental results indicate that the measured Young's modulus and compressive strength of the Mg scaffold are ranged in 0.10-0.37 GPa, and 11.1-30.3 MPa, respectively, which are fairly comparable to those of cancellous bone. Such a porous Mg scaffold having a 3D interconnected network structure has the potential to be used in bone tissue engineering.

[Changes of left ventricular remodeling in hypertension patients with carotid atherosclerosis of phlegm-dampness syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To study changes of left ventricular remodeling (LVR) in hypertension patients with carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) of phlegm-dampness syndrome (PDS). METHODS: Doppler ultrasonography data of CAS were observed in 223 hypertension patients with CAS (as the hypertension group, including 119 patients of the PDS group and 104 of the non-PDS group), 81 CAS patients with non-hypertension, and 19 non-hypertension non-CAS patients (as the control group). The difference in the degree of LVR was compared among the above groups. RESULTS: The left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), inter ventricular septum thickness (IVS), E/A were higher in the hypertension group than in the non-hypertension group (P < 0.05). The left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), stroke volume (SV) were higher in the soft plaque hypertension group and the soft plaque non-hypertension group than in the hard plaque group, the thickening intimal group, and the normal intimal group (P < 0.01 , P < 0.05). The LVEDD, LVESD, and SV were higher, and the ejection fraction (EF) was lower in the PDS hypertension group than in the non-PDS hypertension group (all P < 0.05). Of them, LVEDD, LVESD, and SV were higher in the soft plaque group than in the hard plaque group (P < 0.01), the thickening intimal group (P < 0.01) and the normal intimal group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in PDS hypertension between the soft plaque group and the hard plaque group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The hypertension patients with CAS of PDS might be correlated to LVR, and LVR was more obviously in the soft plaque patients.

Association between IL-6-174G/C polymorphism and risk of multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine and important mediator of many inflammatory processes, which might affect susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to assess the effect of IL-6-174G/C polymorphism on the risk of MS using a meta-analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Pubmed, ISI Web of Science, Wanfang, VIP, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were screened and six studies were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to evaluate the association between the IL-6-174G/C polymorphism and risk of MS. RESULTS: No significant association between the IL-6-174G/C polymorphism and risk of MS was observed in overall analyses. With stratification according to ethnicity, we found that carriers with the IL-6-174CC genotype had a 1.87-fold increased risk for the development of MS in Asians (recessive model: OR=1.87, 95% CI, 1.08-3.24), but not in Caucasians. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis provides evidence that the IL-6-174G/C polymorphism may be a risk factor for the development of MS in Asians. Further association studies with a larger sample size are required to confirm the result in different populations.