Lhx2 promotes axon regeneration of adult retinal ganglion cells and rescues neurodegeneration in mouse models of glaucoma.

The axons of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) form the optic nerve, transmitting visual information from the eye to the brain. Damage or loss of RGCs and their axons is the leading cause of visual functional defects in traumatic injury and degenerative diseases such as glaucoma. However, there are no effective clinical treatments for nerve damage in these neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we report that LIM homeodomain transcription factor Lhx2 promotes RGC survival and axon regeneration in multiple animal models mimicking glaucoma disease. Furthermore, following N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced excitotoxicity damage of RGCs, Lhx2 mitigates the loss of visual signal transduction. Mechanistic analysis revealed that overexpression of Lhx2 supports axon regeneration by systematically regulating the transcription of regeneration-related genes and inhibiting transcription of Semaphorin 3C (Sema3C). Collectively, our studies identify a critical role of Lhx2 in promoting RGC survival and axon regeneration, providing a promising neural repair strategy for glaucomatous neurodegeneration.

Severe bleeding following off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: predictive factors and risk model.

BACKGROUND: Severe bleeding following cardiac surgery remains a troublesome complication, but to date, there is a lack of comprehensive predictive models for the risk of severe bleeding following off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG). This study aims to analyze relevant indicators of severe bleeding after isolated OPCABG and establish a corresponding risk assessment model. METHODS: The clinical data of 584 patients who underwent OPCABG from January 2018 to April 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. We gathered the preoperative baseline data and postoperative data immediately after intensive care unit admission and used multifactor logistic regression to screen the potential predictors of severe bleeding, upon which we established a predictive model. Using the consistency index and calibration curve, decision curve, and clinical impact curve analysis, we evaluated the performance of the model. RESULTS: This study is the first to establish a risk assessment and prediction model for severe bleeding following isolated OPCABG. Eight independent risk factors were identified: male sex, aspirin/clopidogrel withdrawal time, platelet count, fibrinogen level, C-reactive protein, serum creatinine, and total bilirubin. Among the 483 patients in the training group, 138 patients (28.6%) had severe bleeding; among the 101 patients in the verification group, 25 patients (24.8%) had severe bleeding. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for the internal training group revealed a convincing performance with a concordance index (C-index) of 0.859, while the area under the ROC curve for the external validation data was 0.807. Decision curve analysis showed that the model was useful for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although there are some limitations, the model can effectively predict the probability of severe bleeding following isolated OPCABG and is therefore worthy of further exploration and verification.

Using Thromboelastography to Predict Blood Loss After Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the value of thromboelastography (TEG) in predicting blood loss, and its relationship with blood transfusion demand, during the perioperative period in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG). METHODS: The data of 398 patients undergoing OPCABG were retrospectively analyzed. Blood was drawn before anesthesia induction (T1) and at 10 minutes after heparin neutralization (T2) for further TEG detection. The patients were divided into two groups based on the results at T2: a TEG normal group and a TEG abnormal group. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict the related factors contributing to the significant increase in perioperative blood loss (more than 20% of the estimated blood volume). RESULTS: There were 277 (69.6%) patients in the TEG normal group and 121 (30.4%) in the TEG abnormal group. Compared with the TEG normal group, the volume of blood loss, red blood cell count, and volume of plasma transfusion in the TEG abnormal group significantly increased within 24 hours after surgery. The results of the logistic regression analysis identified the use of clopidogrel, platelet count at T2, fibrinogen level at T2, and abnormality in TEG value as independent predictors for the significant increase in perioperative blood loss (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The abnormality in TEG value after heparin neutralization is correlated with massive hemorrhage and blood transfusion during the perioperative period in OPCABG. TEG detection can assist in clinical treatment and reduce the volume of blood lost in a hemorrhage and the volume of blood required in a transfusion during OPCABG.

[Allelopathic effect of extracts from Panax notoginseng mono-cropped soil on its root rot pathogens]. / ä¸‰ä¸ƒè¿žä½œåœŸå£¤æµ¸ææ¶²å¯¹å ¶æ ¹è ç— èŒçš„åŒ–æ„Ÿæ•ˆåº”.

Methanol, ethyl acetate, and water were used to extract the continuous cropping soils of Panax notoginseng, with the solution/soil ratios of 3:1, 6:1, and 9:1. We investigated the effects of those soil extracts on the growth and population of root-rot pathogens of P. notoginseng. Results showed that the methanol, ethyl acetate and water extracts all promoted mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium solani after 72 h of plate culture. The response indices of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts on the growth of F. oxysporum were 14.0%-19.8% and 16.2%-20.2%, being higher than that of water extract (8.9%-14.2%), but without significant difference between diffe-rent extraction ratios. However, methanol extract inhibited the mycelial growth of Alternaria spp. The inhibitory effect was highest at the extraction ratio of 3:1, reaching -33.2% to -38.5%. Ethyl acetate and water extracts did not affect the mycelial growth of Alternaria spp. After four weeks of soil culture, methanol, ethyl acetate and water extracts all increased the F. oxysporum populations. The positive effect of water extract was higher than that of methanol (1.68×104-6.73×104 copies·g-1 dry soil) and ethyl acetate (1.77×104-3.72×104 copies·g-1 dry soil) extracts, being 3.49×106-9.56×106 copies·g-1 dry soil. This increment was weakened along with the increase of extraction ratio. Both water extract and methanol extract with low extraction ratio could increase the F. solani populations, while there were no significant effects of methanol, ethyl acetate and water extracts on the population of Alternaria spp. Therefore, the extracts from continuous P. notoginseng cropping soil showed allopathically promoting effects on the growth and population of root-rot pathogens, F. oxysporum and F. solani, which may be one of the reasons for the occurrence of root rot and other soil-borne diseases in replanted P. notoginseng gardens.