A new toad of Oreolalax Myers & Leviton, 1962 (Anura, Megophryidae) from Sichuan Province, southwest China.

A new species of the genus Oreolalax Myers & Leviton, 1962 is described from Sichuan Province, southwest China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial gene sequences clustered the new species as an independent clade nested with O.rugosus, O.liangbeiensis, and O.major. The new species could be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: body size moderate (39.8-52.8 mm in male); head broad; tympanum absent; interorbital region with dark triangular pattern; 1/3 toes webbed, with broad lateral fringes, belly smooth, brown yellow or medium yellow scattered variable brown spots; skin on dorsum relatively rough with fine tiny and large warts granules; middle pectoral glands are evident in males; flanks with dark-brown warts granules; upper surface of limbs with dark bars; and iris orange above and creamy-white below. The new species inhabits subtropical alpine scrub and swamp.

Effects of different strains fermentation on nutritional functional components and flavor compounds of sweet potato slurry.

In this paper, we study the effect of microbial fermentation on the nutrient composition and flavor of sweet potato slurry, different strains of Aspergillus niger, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium brevis were employed to ferment sweet potato slurry. After 48 h of fermentation with different strains (10% inoculation amount), we compared the effects of several strains on the nutritional and functional constituents (protein, soluble dietary fiber, organic acid, soluble sugar, total polyphenol, free amino acid, and sensory characteristics). The results demonstrated that the total sugar level of sweet potato slurry fell significantly after fermentation by various strains, indicating that these strains can utilize the nutritious components of sweet potato slurry for fermentation. The slurry's total protein and phenol concentrations increased significantly, and many strains demonstrated excellent fermentation performance. The pH of the slurry dropped from 6.78 to 3.28 to 5.95 after fermentation. The fermentation broth contained 17 free amino acids, and the change in free amino acid content is closely correlated with the flavor of the sweet potato fermentation slurry. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results reveal that microbial fermentation can effectively increase the kinds and concentration of flavor components in sweet potato slurry, enhancing its flavor and flavor profile. The results demonstrated that Aspergillus niger fermentation of sweet potato slurry might greatly enhance protein and total phenolic content, which is crucial in enhancing nutrition. However, Bacillus coagulans fermentation can enhance the concentration of free amino acids in sweet potato slurry by 64.83%, with a significant rise in fresh and sweet amino acids. After fermentation by Bacillus coagulans, the concentration of lactic acid and volatile flavor substances also achieved its highest level, which can considerably enhance its flavor. The above results showed that Aspergillus niger and Bacillus coagulans could be the ideal strains for sweet potato slurry fermentation.

The safe zone of distal fibula was determined based on the classification of lateral malleolus fossa.

BACKGROUND: Lateral malleolus fractures are very common, and the distal fibular geometry is complex. This study aimed to classify the lateral malleolus fossa (MF) into different types by characterizing the lateral MF imaging morphology and exploring the relationship between the lateral MF and internal fixation position after distal fibula fractures. METHODS: Anteroposterior CT reconstruction was performed on 248 subjects. After reconstruction, the deepest point of the lateral MF was located, and then, the cross-sectional shape of the lateral MF was observed and classified. RESULTS: According to the morphology of the CT cross section, the lateral MF was divided into three types: type C (43.1%), type V (32.2%), and type Flat (24.7%). Type V (3.98 ± 0.82) was significantly longer than type C(2.83 ± 0.54) and type Flat (1.84 ± 0.42) in cd. Similarly, in ∠α, Type Flat(136.31 ± 9.63) was the largest, followed by type C (116.51 ± 8.79), and type V (89.31 ± 9.07) was the smallest. Other measurements were not found any significant differences between the above. CONCLUSION: According to the morphology of the CT cross section, the lateral MF was divided into three types: type C, type V and type Flat. Type V is most likely to be invaded when fixing the distal fibula. Screws less than 9 mm should be selected when fixing, and screws no more than 10 mm should be selected when there are type C and type Flat of MF.

BDE-209-induced genotoxicity, intestinal damage and intestinal microbiota dysbiosis in zebrafish (Danio Rerio).

The environmental presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) is ubiquitous due to their wide use as brominated flame retardants in industrial products. As a common congener of PBDEs, decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) can pose a health risk to animals as well as humans. However, to date, few studies have explored BDE-209's toxic effects on the intestinal tract, and its relevant mechanism of toxicity has not been elucidated. In this study, adult male zebrafish were exposed to BDE-209 at 6 µg/L, 60 µg/L and 600 µg/L for 28 days, and intestinal tissue and microbial samples were collected for analysis to reveal the underlying toxic mechanisms. Transcriptome sequencing results demonstrated a dose-dependent pattern of substantial gene differential expression in the group exposed to BDE-209, and the differentially expressed genes were mainly concentrated in pathways related to protein synthesis and processing, redox reaction, and steroid and lipid metabolism. In addition, BDE-209 exposure caused damage to intestinal structure and barrier function, and promoted intestinal oxidative stress, inflammatory response, apoptosis and steroid and lipid metabolism disorders. Mechanistically, BDE-209 induced intestinal inflammation by increasing the levels of TNF-α and IL-1ß and activating the NFκB signaling pathway, and might induce apoptosis through the p53-Bax/Bcl2-Caspase3 pathway. BDE-209 also significantly inhibited the gene expression of rate-limiting enzymes such as Sqle and 3ßhsd (p < 0.05) to inhibit cholesterol synthesis. In addition, BDE-209 induced lipid metabolism disorders through the mTOR/PPARγ/RXRα pathway. 16S rRNA sequencing results showed that BDE-209 stress reduced the richness and diversity of intestinal microbiota, and reduced the abundance of probiotics (e.g., Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium). Overall, the results of this study help to clarify the intestinal response mechanism of BDE-209 exposure, and provide a basis for evaluating the health risks of BDE-209 in animals.

Freshwater environment risk assessment and derivation of human health ambient water quality criteria for SCCPs in China.

Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs, CxH2x+2-yCly, where x = 10 to 13 and y = 3 to x) are a complex family of emerging contaminants that have been identified as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) substances. Because of their persistence, high toxicity, bioaccumulation and long-distance mobility, SCCPs were added to the list of controlled POPs in the Stockholm Convention in 2017. China is the largest producer and user of SCCPs all over the world, thus SCCPs have been widely distributed in the freshwater environment. But the ecological risk and human health risk of SCCPs in China were still less evaluated. This study collected and screened the exposure data of SCCPs in freshwater environment in China, and then evaluated the freshwater and sediments ecological risk of SCCPs by risk quotient (RQ) method and the human health risk by margin of exposure (MOE) method. Our results showed that the pollution of SCCPs in the freshwater environment in China was not optimistic. The ecological risks and human health risks had occurred, and even there were high ecological risks occurred in some regions in China. Besides, because of the absence of the concentration threshold of SCCPs to protect human health in freshwater at present, we derived the human health ambient water quality criteria (AWQC) values of SCCPs based on exposure data and bioaccumulation factor (BAF) in China. The human health AWQC values of SCCPs ranged from 14.99 ng L-1 to 154.54 ng L-1 in different regions in China, and the national human health AWQC value was determined as 24.08 ng L-1. This study will provide the scientific references for the management and control of SCCPs in China, especially for the formulation of standard of water environmental quality for SCCPs.

Research Progress on the Pathogenesis of Knee Osteoarthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a chronic joint bone disease characterized by inflammatory destruction and hyperplasia of bone. Its main clinical symptoms are joint mobility difficulties and pain, severe cases can lead to limb paralysis, which poses major pressure to the quality of life and mental health of patients, but also brings serious economic burden to society. The occurrence and development of KOA is influenced by many factors, including systemic factors and local factors. The joint biomechanical changes caused by aging, trauma and obesity, abnormal bone metabolism caused by metabolic syndrome, the effects of cytokines and related enzymes, genetic and biochemical abnormalities caused by plasma adiponectin, etc. all directly or indirectly lead to the occurrence of KOA. However, there is little literature that systematically and comprehensively integrates macro- and microscopic KOA pathogenesis. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively and systematically summarize the pathogenesis of KOA in order to provide a better theoretical basis for clinical treatment.

Acute Toxicity Assessment and Prediction Models of Four Heavy Metals.

Water quality criteria (WQC) are developed to protect aquatic organisms. Toxicity data of local fish are essential to improve the applicability of WQC derivatives. However, the paucity of local cold-water fish toxicity data limits the development of WQC in China. Brachymystax lenok is a representative Chinese-endemic cold-water fish, which plays an important role in the characterization of metal toxicity in the water environment. Whereas, the ecotoxicological effects of copper, zinc, lead and cadmium, as well as its potential as a test species for the metal WQC, remain to be investigated. In our study, acute toxicity tests of copper, zinc, lead and cadmium were performed on this fish according to the OECD method and 96 h-LC50 values were calculated. The results showed that the 96 h-LC50 values of Cu2+, Zn2+, Pb2+ and Cd2+ for B. lenok were 134, 222, 514 and 734 µg/L, respectively. Toxicity data for freshwater species and Chinese-native species were collected and screened, and the mean acute values of each metal for each species were ranked. The results showed that the accumulation probability of zinc by B. lenok was the lowest and less than 15%. Thus, B. lenok was sensitive to Zn and can be considered as the test cold-water fish for derivation of Zn WQC. In addition, B. lenok in comparison with warm-water fish, we found that cold-water fish are not always more sensitive to heavy metals than warm-water fish. Finally, the models for toxic effects prediction of different heavy metals on the same species were constructed and evaluated the reliability of the model. We suggest that the alternative toxicity data provided by the simulations can be used to derive WQC for metals.

Effect of fermentation on structural properties and antioxidant activity of wheat gluten by Bacillus subtilis.

Bacillus subtilis has been extensively studied for its ability to inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms and its high protease activity. In this study, Bacillus subtilis was used to ferment gluten and assess the effects of the fermentation process on the physicochemical, microstructure and antioxidant properties of gluten. The results of Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and circular chromatography (CD) showed a significant decrease in the content of α-helix structures and a significant increase in the content of ß-sheet structures in gluten after fermentation (p < 0.05). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed that glutenin was degraded into small molecular peptides with a molecular weight of less than 26 kDa after 24 h of fermentation; meanwhile, the fermentation process significantly increased the free amino acid content of the samples (p < 0.05), reaching 1923.38 µg/mL at 120 h of fermentation, which was 39.46 times higher than that at 24 h of fermentation (p < 0.05). In addition, the fermented back gluten has higher free radical scavenging activity and iron reduction capacity. Therefore, fermented gluten may be used as a functional food to alleviate oxidative stress. This study provides a reference for the high-value application of gluten.

The contribution of subliminal perceptions, dietary habits, and psychological traits to the perception of oral tingling and burning sensations.

The tingling evoked by Sichuan pepper and the burning elicited by chili pepper constitutes the typical flavor of Sichuan cuisine and is a component of leisure food. Although factors affecting the burning sensation have extensively been studied, few studies have examined the factors of individual sensitivity, personality traits, and dietary habits that contribute to the perception of oral tingling sensation, which hinders the formulation of tingling products and the development of new products. In contrast, many studies have examined the factors influencing the burning sensation. In this web-based survey, 68 participants disclosed their dietary habits, liking for tingling and hot foods, and psychological traits. Individual sensitivity to the tingling and burning sensation produced by a range of Sichuan pepper oleoresin and capsaicin solutions was determined using rated differences from control, generalized labeled magnitude scale method and ranking test. The consistency score indicated the accuracy of individual ranking results while also providing an indirect response to the sensitivity of the participant to supra-threshold for burning or tingling. Individual ratings for medium Sichuan pepper oleoresin concentrations significantly correlated with the just noticeable difference (p < 0.01), and ratings for medium and high capsaicin concentrations correlated significantly with 6-n-propylthiouracil ratings (p < 0.01). Notably, the power exponent of burning was significantly correlated with the burning recognition threshold (p < 0.01), and the power exponent of tingling and burning were significantly correlated (r = 0.340, p < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between supra-threshold tingling and burning sensation perceptions and life satisfaction ratings. Further, intensity ratings for oral tingling and burning sensation did not always correspond with individual sensitivity indicators (e.g., recognition threshold, 6-n-propylthiouracil, just noticeable difference, and consistency score). Thus, this study provides new insight into establishing a sensory selection method for chemesthetic sensation panelists and theoretical guidelines for formulation design and in-depth analysis of popular tingling dishes and foods.

Risk Assessment of Phthalate Esters in Baiyangdian Lake and Typical Rivers in China.

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are frequently tracked in water environments worldwide. As a typical class of endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs), PAEs posed adverse effects on aquatic organisms at low concentration. Thus, they have attracted wide attention in recent years. In the present study, the concentrations of seven typical PAEs from 30 sampling sites in Baiyangdian Lake were measured, and the environmental exposure data of PAEs were gathered in typical rivers in China. Then, based on the aquatic life criteria (ALCs) derived from the reproductive toxicity data of aquatic organisms, two risk assessment methods, including hazard quotient (HQ) and probabilistic ecological risk assessment (PERA), were adopted to evaluate the ecological risks of PAEs in water. The sediment quality criteria (SQCs) of DEHP, DBP, BBP, DIBP and DEP were deduced based on the equilibrium partitioning method. Combined with the gathered environmental exposure data of seven PAEs in sediments from typical rivers in China, the ecological risk assessments of five PAEs in sediment were conducted only by the HQ method. The results of ecological risk assessment showed that in terms of water, DBP and DIBP posed low risk, while the risk of DEHP in Baiyangdian Lake cannot be ignored and should receive attention. In typical rivers in China, BBP and DEP posed no risk, while DIBP and DBP posed potential risk. Meanwhile, DEHP posed a high ecological risk. As far as sediment is concerned, DBP posed a high risk in some typical rivers in China, and the other rivers had medium risk. DEHP posed a high risk only in a few rivers and low to medium risk in others. This study provides an important reference for the protection of aquatic organisms and the risk management of PAEs in China.

A wide hybrid zone mediated by precipitation contributed to confused geographical structure of Scutiger boulengeri.

Confused geographical structure of a population and mitonuclear discordance are shaped by a combination of rapid changes in population demographics and shifts in ecology. In this study, we generated a time-calibrated phylogeny of Scutiger boulengeri, an endemic Xizang alpine toad occurring in mountain streams on the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau (QTP). Based on three mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes, eight clades were assigned to three deeply divergent lineages. Analysis of nuclear DNA (nuDNA) genes revealed three distinct clusters without geographic structure, indicating significantly high rates of gene flow. Coalescent theory framework analysis (approximate Bayesian computation model DIYABC and Migrate-N) suggested that divergence of the main intraspecific clusters was the result of hybridization after secondary contact in the Holocene around 0.59 million years ago (Ma). The ratio of mtDNA F ST (fixation index) to nuDNA F ST was 2.3, thus failing to show male-biased dispersal. Geographic cline analysis showed that a wide hybrid zone was initially established in southwestern China, without significant reproductive isolation but with strong introgression in S. boulengeri, suggesting high hybrid fitness. Furthermore, mtDNA genes exhibited isolation by distance (IBD) while nuDNA genes exhibited significant isolation by environment (IBE). Results suggested that mitonuclear discordance may have initially been caused by geographic isolation, followed by precipitation-mediated hybridization, producing a wide hybrid zone and geographic structure confusion of nuDNA genes in S. boulengeri. This study indicated that complicated historical processes may have led to specific genetic patterns, with a specific climate factor facilitating gene flow in the system.

Structural, Physicochemical, and Functional Properties of Wheat Bran Insoluble Dietary Fiber Modified With Probiotic Fermentation.

Insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) were isolated from wheat bran (WB) after microbial fermentation with single or mixed strain [Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis or mixed lactic acid bacteria (L. plantarum and L. acidophilus with ration of 1:1)]. Structure, physicochemical, functional properties, and antioxidant activity of the wheat bran insoluble dietary fiber (W-IDF) modified by fermentation were studied. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis suggested the successful modification of W-IDF. After fermentation with L. plantarum and mixed lactic acid bacteria, the water retention capacity (WRC), oil retention capacity (ORC), and water swelling capacity (WSC) of W-IDF were improved. The sodium cholate adsorption capacity (SCAC), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of W-IDF modified with L. acidophilus fermentation were significantly increased. Although the cholesterol adsorption capacity (CAC) of W-IDF decreased after modification with probiotic fermentation, nitrite ion adsorption capacity (NIAC), and total phenolic content (TPC) were enhanced. Additionally, W-IDF modified by fermentation with B. subtilis or mixed lactic acid bacteria exhibited superior antioxidant capacity verified by DPPH, ABTS and total reducing power assays. Results manifested that microbial fermentation is a promising methods to modify the W-IDF to provide high-quality functional IDF for food processing and human health management.

Research on freshwater water quality criteria, sediment quality criteria and ecological risk assessment of triclosan in China.

Triclosan (TCS) is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent commonly used in pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). The widespread use of TCS makes it frequently detected in various environmental mediums. In view of the high detection frequency of TCS in the aquatic environment and sediments, and its toxic effects on aquatic species, it is critical and necessary to derive Chinese TCS water quality criteria (WQC) and sediment quality criteria (SQC) for protecting Chinese aquatic organisms, and perform the ecological risk assessment. In fact, former research had derived the WQC of TCS mainly based on acute and chronic toxicity data. As an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC), TCS poses adverse effects on the growth, development and reproduction of aquatic organisms at much lower concentration. Considering nonlethal endpoints are sensitive endpoints for EDCs, TCS long-term water quality criteria (LWQC) was derived based on reproduction and growth related endpoints. In this work, the acute toxicity data of 19 aquatic organisms and the chronic toxicity data of 15 aquatic organisms were obtained through collection and screening. The best fitting model of species sensitivity distribution (SSD) models including Normal, Log-Normal, Logistic and Log-Logistic of toxicity data was selected to derive WQC. The short-term and long-term WQC of TCS for Chinese aquatic organisms were 6.22 µg/L and 0.25 µg/L, respectively. Furthermore, through the phase-equilibrium partitioning method, SQC was derived based on WQC. SQC-low (SQC-L) and SQC-high (SQCH) were 0.13 mg/kg and 3.26 mg/kg, respectively. Moreover, the exposure concentration (EPC) data of TCS in Chinese rivers and sediments were collected. And through the hazard quotient (HQ) method and the joint probability curve (JPC) method we found that there were certain TCS ecological risks in Chinese rivers and sediments. Our work will provide a valuable reference for protecting aquatic organisms and minimizing TCS ecological risk in China.

Rapid genetic divergence and mitonuclear discordance in the Taliang knobby newt ( Liangshantriton taliangensis, Salamandridae, Caudata) and their driving forces.

The Hengduan Mountains Region (HMR) is the largest "evolutionary frontier" of the northern temperate zone, and the origin and maintenance of species in this area is a research hotspot. Exploring species-specific responses to historical and contemporary environmental changes will improve our understanding of the role of this region in maintaining biodiversity. In this study, mitochondrial and microsatellite diversities were used to assess the contributions of paleogeological events, Pleistocene climatic oscillations, and contemporary landscape characteristics to the rapid intraspecific diversification of Liangshantriton taliangensis, a vulnerable amphibian species endemic to several sky-island mountains in the southeastern HMR. Divergence date estimations suggested that the East Asian monsoon, local uplifting events (Xigeda Formation strata), and Early-Middle Pleistocene transition (EMPT) promoted rapid divergence of L. taliangensis during the Pleistocene, yielding eight mitochondrial lineages and six nuclear genetic lineages. Moreover, population genetic structures were mainly fixed through isolation by resistance. Multiple in situ refugia were identified by ecological niche models and high genetic diversity, which played crucial roles in the persistence and divergence of L. taliangensis during glacial-interglacial cycles. Dramatic climatic fluctuations further promoted recurrent isolation and admixing of populations in scattered glacial refugia. The apparent mitonuclear discordance was likely the result of introgression by secondary contact and/or female-biased dispersal. Postglacial expansion generated two major secondary contact zones (Ganluo (GL) and Chuhongjue (CHJ)). Identification of conservation management units and dispersal corridors offers important recommendations for the conservation of this species.

Wheat embryo globulin nutrients ameliorate d-galactose and aluminum chloride-induced cognitive impairment in rats.

Wheat embryo globulin nutrient (WEGN), with wheat embryo globulin (WEG) as the main functional component, is a nutritional combination that specifically targets memory impairment. In this study, we explored the protective role of WEGN on Alzheimer's disease (AD)-triggered cognitive impairment, neuronal injury, oxidative stress, and acetylcholine system disorder. Specifically, we established an AD model via administration of d-galactose (d-gal) and Aluminum chloride (AlCl3) for 70 days, then on the 36th day, administered animals in the donepezil and WEGN (300, 600, and 900 mg/kg) groups with drugs by gavage for 35 days. Learning and memory ability of the treated rats was tested using the Morris water maze (MWM) and novel object recognition (NOR) test, while pathological changes and neuronal death in their hippocampus CA1 were detected via HE staining and Nissl staining. Moreover, we determined antioxidant enzymes by measuring levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in serum, cortex, and hippocampus, whereas changes in the acetylcholine system were determined by evaluating choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities, as well as choline acetylcholine (Ach) content. Results revealed that rats in the WEGN group exhibited significantly lower escape latency, as well as a significantly higher number of targeted crossings and longer residence times in the target quadrant, relative to those in the model group. Notably, rats in the WEGN group spent more time exploring new objects and exhibited lower damage to their hippocampus neuron, had improved learning and memory activity, as well as reversed histological alterations, relative to those in the model group. Meanwhile, biochemical examinations revealed that rats in the WEGN group had significantly lower MDA levels and AChE activities, but significantly higher GSH, SOD, and ChAT activities, as well as Ach content, relative to those in the model group. Overall, these findings indicate that WEGN exerts protective effects on cognitive impairment, neuronal damage, oxidative stress, and choline function in AD rats treated by d-gal/AlCl3.

The influence of NaCl on the dynamic perception of the pungency sensation elicited by Sichuan pepper oleoresins.

A cross-modal interaction may exist between the perception of saltiness and the pungency elicited by Sichuan pepper oleoresin (Spo). Thirty-one hypersensitive panelists were selected to participate in this study. Spo solutions dissolved in different NaCl concentrations, ranging from 1.25 g/L to 167.9 g/L, were used as the test samples. The rated difference from control, the generalized labeled magnitude scale (gLMS), and the time-intensity (TI) method were used to determine the detection threshold (DT), the recognition threshold (RT), the intensity, and the dynamic perception of pungent sensation. The results revealed that the pungency thresholds increased significantly (p < 0.01) in the solution with a high NaCl (167.9 g/L) concentration. Furthermore, high NaCl solutions suppressed the pungency intensity at all Spo concentrations except for 0.02 g Spo/L in water (p < 0.05). The TI and principal component analysis (PCA) results showed that an increase in the Spo concentration prolonged the duration of the pungency sensation. However, the maximum intensity, the time to reach maximum intensity, the decay time of perception, and the end time of perception of the Spo solutions ranging from 2.13 g/L to 4.69 g/L were significantly reduced at medium (42.95 g/L) and high NaCl concentrations. Since the salty and pungency sensations exhibited by NaCl and Spo are common flavor combinations in food products and dishes, studying the influence of saltiness on the dynamic perception of pungent sensation not only aids the development of oral cleaners during pungency evaluation but also presents significant theoretical and practical value in creating pungent food and cuisine based on consumer preferences.

Endovascular intervention with a low-profile visualized intraluminal support stent for ruptured, very small, wide-necked, intracranial aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate patients treated for ruptured, very small, wide-necked aneurysms using low-profile visualised intraluminal support alone or with stent-assisted coiling. METHODS: The retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Neurosurgery，First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, China, and comprised data of patients who presented with ruptured, very small, intracranial aneurysms between March 2015 and May 2019 who were treated using low-profile visualised intraluminal support alone or with stent-assisted coiling. Outcomes from radiology and clinical assessments were obtained related to the time the patients were discharged and their subsequent mid-term examination. RESULTS: Of the 10 patients, 6(60%) were males and 4(40%) were females. The overall mean age was 47.70±10.22 years (range: 23-62 years). In the sample, 7(70%) patients experienced total occlusion and 3(30%) had nearly complete occlusion. All the 10(100%) patients had uneventful recoveries. Progressive thrombosis to complete occlusion occurred in 3(30%) aneurysms that had initially presented with Raymond grade II. There was no case of stenosis or occlusion. CONCLUSION: Treatment of ruptured, very small, wide-necked intracranial aneurysms with stent-assisted coiling and lowprofile visualised intraluminal support provided superior technical outcomes.

Intra- and interobserver concordance of a new classification system for myopic maculopathy.

BACKGROUND: Myopic maculopathy (MM) is one of the major causes of visual impairment and irreversible blindness in eyes with pathologic myopia (PM). However, the classification of each type of lesion associated with MM has not been determined. Recently, a new MM classification system, known as the ATN grading and classification system, was proposed; it is based on the fundus photographs and optical coherence tomography (OCT) images and includes three variable components: atrophy (A), traction (T), and neovascularization (N). This study aimed to perform an independent evaluation of interobserver and intraobserver agreement for the recently developed ATN grading system for MM. METHODS: This was a retrospective study. Fundus photographs and OCT images of 125 patients (226 eyes) with various MMs were evaluated and classified using the ATN grading of the new MM classification system by four blinded and independent evaluators (2 attending ophthalmologists and 2 ophthalmic residents). All cases were randomly re-evaluated by the same observers after an interval of 6 weeks. The kappa coefficient (κ) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to determine the interobserver and intraobserver agreement. RESULTS: The interobserver agreement was substantial when considering the maculopathy type (A, T, and N). The weighted Fleiss κ values for each MM type (A, T, and N) were 0.651 (95% CI: 0.602-0.700), 0.734 (95% CI: 0.689-0.779), and 0.702 (95% CI: 0.649-0.755), respectively. The interobserver agreement when considering the subtypes was good or excellent, except for stages A1, A2, and N1, in which the weighted κ value was less than 0.6, with moderate agreement. The intraobserver agreement of types and subtypes was excellent, with κ > 0.8. No significant differences were observed between the attending ophthalmologists and residents for interobserver reliability or intraobserver reproducibility. CONCLUSIONS: The ATN classification allows an adequate agreement among ophthalmologists with different qualifications and by the same observer on separate occasions. Future prospective studies should further evaluate whether this classification can be better implemented in clinical decision-making and disease progression assessments.

Targeted enrichment of novel chloroplast-based probes reveals a large-scale phylogeny of 412 bamboos.

BACKGROUND: The subfamily Bambusoideae belongs to the grass family Poaceae and has significant roles in culture, economy, and ecology. However, the phylogenetic relationships based on large-scale chloroplast genomes (CpGenomes) were elusive. Moreover, most of the chloroplast DNA sequencing methods cannot meet the requirements of large-scale CpGenome sequencing, which greatly limits and impedes the in-depth research of plant genetics and evolution. RESULTS: To develop a set of bamboo probes, we used 99 high-quality CpGenomes with 6 bamboo CpGenomes as representative species for the probe design, and assembled 15 M unique sequences as the final pan-chloroplast genome. A total of 180,519 probes for chloroplast DNA fragments were designed and synthesized by a novel hybridization-based targeted enrichment approach. Another 468 CpGenomes were selected as test data to verify the quality of the newly synthesized probes and the efficiency of the probes for chloroplast capture. We then successfully applied the probes to synthesize, enrich, and assemble 358 non-redundant CpGenomes of woody bamboo in China. Evaluation analysis showed the probes may be applicable to chloroplasts in Magnoliales, Pinales, Poales et al. Moreover, we reconstructed a phylogenetic tree of 412 bamboos (358 in-house and 54 published), supporting a non-monophyletic lineage of the genus Phyllostachys. Additionally, we shared our data by uploading a dataset of bamboo CpGenome into CNGB ( https://db.cngb.org/search/project/CNP0000502/ ) to enrich resources and promote the development of bamboo phylogenetics. CONCLUSIONS: The development of the CpGenome enrichment pipeline and its performance on bamboos recommended an inexpensive, high-throughput, time-saving and efficient CpGenome sequencing strategy, which can be applied to facilitate the phylogenetics analysis of most green plants.

The enhancement of the perception of saltiness by Sichuan pepper oleoresin in a NaCl model solution.

Health concerns related to the intake of salt have necessitated the investigation into NaCl reduction by examining the cross-modal interaction between the perception of saltiness and pungency elicited by Sichuan pepper oleoresin (Spo). The category scale and the generalized Labeled Magnitude Scale (gLMS) were used to determine the degree to which Spo enhanced the perception of saltiness in the NaCl model solution. Sixty-eight participants were divided into the hyposensitive, semi-sensitive, and hypersensitive groups according to individual exponent. The power functions of saltiness under different pungency carriers were obtained. The level of enhancement varied between the different sensitivity groups and pungency carriers. In the hypersensitive group, the low and strong pungency carriers effectively enhanced the perception of saltiness at low to moderate, and moderate to strong NaCl solutions, respectively. In the semi-sensitive group, low and moderate pungency carriers induced additive effect in the perception of saltiness at full and moderately strong NaCl solutions, respectively. However, the additive effect was inadequate in the hypo-sensitive group. Therefore, the low pungency solution was more feasible for enhancing in the perception of saltiness, while the maximum NaCl reduction percentages corresponded to the hypersensitive and semi-sensitive groups at 38.61% and 39.06%, respectively. This research not only provided insight into the effect of pungency on the perception of saltiness as it related to individual sensitivity, but also presented valuable information regarding flavor when developing food with reduced salt content.