Effect of biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stents versus biocompatible polymer everolimus-eluting stents: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Biocompatible polymer everolimus-eluting stents (EES) are associated with risk of stent thrombosis (ST); biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stents (BP-DES) were designed to reduce these risks. However, the long-term benefits are not completely clear. METHOD: We undertook a meta-analysis of randomized studies identified in systematic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database. Primary outcome was the risk of ST. RESULTS: Twelve studies (11,692 patients) were included. Overall, compared with EES, BP-DES were associated with a broadly equivalent risk of definite and probable ST (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.55 to 1.50; P = 0.71; I2 = 0.0%), early ST (OR, 2.25; 95% CI, 0.78 to 6.47; P = 0.13; I2 = 0.0%), late ST (OR, 3.57; 95% CI, 0.42 to 30.58; P = 0.25; I2 = 0.0%) and very late ST (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.05 to 5.52; P = 0.57). Meanwhile, there was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.32; P = 0.54; I2 = 0.0%), myocardial infarction (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.88 to 1.30; P = 0.47; I2 = 0.0%), target vessel revascularization (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.21; P = 0.80; I2 = 12.0%), and major adverse cardiac events (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.16; P = 0.53; I2 = 0.0%). Furthermore, angiographic data showed that in-stent and in-segment late luminal loss were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with biocompatible polymer EES, biodegradable polymer stents appear to have equivalent clinical benefits.

Correlation between the TyG-BMI index and carotid plaque characteristics in middle-aged and elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between the triglyceride-glucose-body mass index (TyG-BMI) and the characteristics of various carotid plaques in middle-aged and elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 380 patients with AMI hospitalized in the Cardiology Department of Kaifeng Central Hospital. Based on carotid ultrasound results, patients were divided into the following two groups: the stable plaque group and the unstable plaque group. Additionally, a control group comprising 380 healthy individuals visiting the hospital's physical examination center during the same timeframe was established. Fasting venous blood samples were collected from all participants to measure blood glucose and triglyceride. The baseline TyG-BMI index was calculated using the formula Ln [fasting triglyceride (mg/dL)×fasting blood glucose (mg/dL)/2]×BMI. The correlation between different plaque groups and the TyG-BMI index was analyzed. RESULTS: The TyG-BMI index was significantly higher in the unstable plaque group compared to the stable plaque group, with values of 252.81±29.99 and 201.92±28.72, respectively (P = 0.034). Spearman's correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between the instability of carotid plaques and the TyG-BMI index in patients with AMI (r = 0.521, P = 0.003). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the TyG-BMI index was an important risk factor for unstable carotid plaques in patients with AMI (OR = 2.691, 95% CI: 1.169-4.123). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that an elevated TyG-BMI index significantly increases the risk of unstable carotid plaques in patients with AMI, making it an important risk factor for carotid plaque instability.

Complete chloroplast genome sequence of Passiflora serrulata Jacq. (Passifloraceae).

This study was the first report for the complete chloroplast genome of Passiflora serrulata Jacq. (Passifloraceae). The cp genome was 149,683 bp in length contained two inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,470 bp, which were separated by large single-copy (LSC) and small single-copy (SSC) of 86,252 bp and 13,491 bp, respectively. A total of 110 functional genes were encoded, comprised 76 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. The GC content was 37.0%. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree indicated that P. serrulata was recovered as the member of subg. Passiflora and most closely related to the clade formed by P. serratodigitata and P. ligularis.

[Effects of Drip Irrigation Patterns and Biochar Addition on Soil Mineral Nitrogen and Microbial Regulation of Greenhouse].

Drip irrigation and biochar amendment could affect the nitrogen form and transformation. Creating a deep understanding of the interacting effects of drip irrigation patterns and biochar on soil mineral nitrogen, as well as the key functional genes and microbial community involved in nitrogen transformation is helpful for improving facility agricultural management, increasing water and nitrogen use efficiency, and reducing the nitrate accumulation and groundwater pollution caused by nitrogen leaching. Four treatments [surface drip irrigation (D), insert drip irrigation (ID, insert depth 15 cm), surface drip irrigation +10 t·hm-2 of biochar (DB), and insert drip irrigation +10 t·hm-2 of biochar (IDB)] were conducted in a solar greenhouse, and non-rhizospheric and rhizospheric soils of pepper plants were studied. There was no effect of drip irrigation patterns and biochar on ammonium-nitrogen in the non-rhizospheric and rhizospheric soils. Compared with surface drip irrigation, insert drip irrigation decreased the nitrate-nitrogen concentration in the non-rhizosphere soil (P<0.05), but biochar addition weakened the difference. Biochar addition decreased the nitrate-nitrogen concentration in the rhizosphere soil under the same drip irrigation patterns. In the D treatment, biochar significantly decreased the number of copies of AOA, AOB, and nirK genes in the non-rhizospheric soil, and AOA gene copies in the rhizospheric soil (P<0.05); however, there was an increase in the number of copies of AOB and nirK genes in the rhizospheric soil of the D and ID treatments (P<0.05). Based on the structural equation model (SEM), in the non-rhizospheric and rhizospheric soils, pH and electrical conductivity were the environmental factors with the greatest influence on the ammonium-nitrogen and nitrate concentrations, respectively, and the gene copy number of AOB was the biotic factor with the greatest influence on the nitrate-nitrogen concentration. Based on PICRUSt, the γ-Proteobacteria contributed mostly to ammonia monooxygenase gene (K10945) expression, whereas the α-Proteobacteria, especially the rhizobia members, contributed mostly to nitrite reductase gene (K00368) expression. Biochar addition regulated the bacterial community structure that participated in K10945 gene expression in the non-rhizospheric soil and K00368 gene expression in the rhizospheric soil (P<0.05). Overall, biochar addition contributed more to nitrate-nitrogen and microbial mineral nitrogen-transformation processes in the agricultural soil than did the drip irrigation patterns.

[Influence of Biochar Amendment on Soil Denitrifying Microorganisms in Double Rice Cropping System].

At present, it is not explicit how biochar regulates the microbial process of denitrification in paddy fields. Therefore, a field experiment was carried out in a double rice cropping system with three wheat straw biochar treatments:no biochar treatment (CK), added 24 t·hm-2 biochar (LC), and added 48 t·hm-2 biochar (HC). Real time PCR (qPCR) and terminal-restricted fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) technology were adopted to analyze the abundances and microbial community structures of denitrification functional genes (narG, nirK and nosZ) in the fallow season and rice season. Due to its alkalinity, biochar amendment increased soil pH by 0.2-0.8. Biochar amendment also increased soil NH4+-N and NO3--N contents by 21.1%-32.5% and 63.0%-176.0% in the fallow season due to the presence of soluble N. Nevertheless, it reduced NH4+-N content by 48.8%-60.1% in the rice season due to the adsorption of biochar. The amendment increased soil MBN content in the fallow season, which may be a result of the large surface of biochar supplying nutrients and a suitable survival environment for the microorganisms. In the fallow season, compared to CK treatment, the increased soil NH4+-N and NO3--N with biochar amendment promoted the conversion of NH4+-N to NO3--N, and thus increased the abundances of narG and nosZ (P<0.05). The higher soil pH with biochar addition increased the abundances of nosZ and altered the community structures of narG and nosZ in the fallow season. Biochar amendment altered the denitrification process, but it did not change N2O emissions in the fallow season, which might reduce NO3--N leaching losses. In the rice season, biochar amendment increased nosZ abundance (P<0.05). HC increased the nirK gene abundance, which contributed to increased N2O emission in the rice season (P<0.05). Biochar converted the community structures of nirK and nosZ by decreasing the NH4+-N content in the rice season. The changes of the narG community structure with HC treatment contributed to the increased N2O emission. In conclusion, biochar amendment can influence the microbes involved in soil denitrification by changing the soil properties, and thus impact the N2O emissions and NO3--N leaching.

[Effects of Biochar Amendment on Soil Microbial Biomass Carbon, Nitrogen and Dissolved Organic Carbon, Nitrogen in Paddy Soils].

Biochar can influence soil microbial biomass. It is not clear how biochar amendment affects soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen (MBC and MBN) and dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen (DOC and DON) in double-cropping rice soils. To address this problem, two subtropical double-cropping rice soils (S1 and S2) were selected for an incubation experiment. S1 is developed from granite-weathered red soil and S2 is developed from Quaternary red clay. The following three wheat straw-derived biochar application rates were used, without N fertilizer, in each paddy soil:0%, 1%, and 2% of soil weight, represented by CK, LB, and HB, respectively. After a 70 d incubation, soil mean MBC was 877.03 mg·kg-1, 832.11 mg·kg-1, and 849.30 mg·kg-1 in S1 for the three application rates, and 902.94 mg·kg-1, 874.19 mg·kg-1, and 883.22 mg·kg-1, respectively, in S2. S1+LB, S1+HB, and S2+LB treatments reduced soil mean MBC compared to the CK treatment (P<0.05). This may be attributed to biochar inhibiting microbial growth by adsorbing soil organic carbon and other low-molecular-weight organic matter. Low biochar application rates decreased mean soil MBN by 9.45% compared to the CK treatment in S1 (P<0.05). No significant differences in mean MBC/MBN were observed among the S1 treatments, but LB reduced MBC/MBN in S2 (P<0.05). Due to the soluble organic carbon content and strong alkalinity of biochar, biochar amendment increased mean soil DOC by 4.42%-22.20% and 10.57%-35.47% in S1 and S2, respectively (P<0.05). However, biochar amendment (except for the S2+HB treatment) decreased mean soil DON in both paddy soils. This may have resulted from the adsorption of soil organic nitrogen by biochar and N consumption during the decomposition of the organic carbon within biochar. Biochar amendment increased mean soil DOC/DON in both paddy soils (P<0.05) and mean DOC/DON increased with an increase in the biochar application rate. Based on these results, biochar amendment increased soil dissolved organic carbon, decreased soil microbial biomass, and enhanced the nitrogen deficit in double-cropping paddy soils. Therefore, biochar should be combined with the application with fertilizer in double-cropping rice systems in subtropical central China.

MicroRNA-497 promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of cardiomyocytes through the downregulation of Mfn2 in a mouse model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

INTRODUCTION: Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury affects millions of people worldwide and has a very high mortality rate. Since microRNA-497 (miR-497) has been found to be related with cardiomyocyte apoptosis, this study aimed to explore the effect of miR-497 by targeting Mfn2 in a mouse model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. MATERIALS: BALB/c mice were modeled with I/R and some were injected with miR-497 agomir before I/R to observe whether miR-497 alleviates the injury that occurs as a result of I/R. Bioinformatics website and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay were employed in order to detect the relations between miR-497 and Mfn2 gene. Next, cells were extracted to be transfected with different mimic, inhibitor and siRNAs to further explore how miR-497 acts to I/R. Western blot analysis and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were conducted to measure expressions of miR-497, Mfn2, Fas, Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 in myocardial tissues and cardiomyocytes after transfection. CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry were used to determine proliferation, cell cycle distribution and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes in each group after transfection. RESULTS: Mice with I/R had myocardial dysfunction but before the injection with miR-497 agomir, the impairment was alleviated. Mfn2 was verified as the target gene of miR-497. The inhibition of miR-497 in turn inhibits Mfn2 expressione and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. The overexpression of miR-497 and Mfn2 gene silencing can lead to the promotion of proliferation capability of mice cardiomyocytes in vitro. Overexpressed miR-497 and Mfn2 gene silencing can also facilitate cell cycle entry and inhibit the apoptosis cardiomyocytes of mice in vitro. CONCLUSION: The present study provided strong evidence that miR-497 promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of cardiomyocytes by downregulating the expression of Mfn2 in a mouse model of myocardial I/R injury.

[Effects of combined applications of pig manure and chemical fertilizers on CH4 and N2O emissions and their global warming potentials in paddy fields with double-rice cropping].

A field experiment was carried out to study the effects of combined applications of pig manure and chemical fertilizers on CH4 and N2O emissions, which were measured using the static chamber/gas chromatography method, and their global warming potentials in typical paddy fields with double-rice cropping in Hunan province. The results showed that the combined applications of pig manure and chemical fertilizers did not change the seasonal patterns of CH4 and N2O emissions from paddy soils, but significantly changed the magnitudes of CH4 and N2O fluxes in rice growing seasons as compared with sole application of chemical fertilizers. During the two rice growing seasons, the cumulative CH4 emissions for the pig manure and chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer each contributing to 50% of the total applied N (1/2N + PM) treatment were higher than those for the treatments of no N fertilizer (ON), half amount of chemical N fertilizer (1/2N) and 100% chemical N fertilizer (N) by 54.83%, 33.85% and 43.30%, respectively (P < 0.05), whilst the cumulative N2O emissions for the 1/2N + PM treatment were decreased by 67.50% compared with N treatment, but increased by 129.43% and 119.23% compared with ON and 1/2N treatments, respectively (P < 0.05). CH4 was the dominant contributor to the global warming potential (GWP) in both rice growing seasons, which contributed more than 99% to the integrated GWP of CH4 and N2O emissions for all the four treatments. Both GWP and yield-scaled GWP for the treatment of 1/2N + PM were significantly higher than the other three treatments. The yield-scaled GWP for the treatment of 1/2N + PM was higher than those for the N, 1/2N and ON treatments by 58.21%, 26.82% and 20. 63%, respectively. Therefore, combined applications of pig manure and chemical fertilizers in paddy fields would increase the GWP of CH4 and N2O emissions during rice growing seasons and this effect should be considered in regional greenhouse gases emissions inventory.