A Systematic Review of Clinical Outcomes of Pedicled Flap Repairs of the Knee Extensor Mechanism.

BACKGROUND: Rupture of the extensor mechanism of the knee has severe functional morbidity, and repair can be complicated by infection, allograft degeneration, and recurrent rupture. Techniques of autologous tissue repair utilizing pedicled flaps such as the gastrocnemius offer vascularized methods of reconstruction, with potentially diminished complication rates. The goal of this study was to evaluate the functional outcomes and complications associated with pedicled flap repair of the knee extensor mechanism. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Publications that focused on local myocutaneous flaps as a means for reconstruction were included. Causes for knee extensor mechanism deficit, flap characteristics, ambulation rate, changes in range of motion pre- and postoperation, and postoperative complications were analyzed. Technique reports including primary suture repairs, synthetic mesh, and allograft use were excluded. RESULTS: An initial 119 studies were identified, with final review of 22 observational studies encompassing 128 cases of pedicled flap reconstructions. The gastrocnemius (88.2%, n = 113), quadriceps (6.3%, n = 8), and a combination of the vastus and gastrocnemius flaps (5.5%, n = 7), were the most frequently utilized flaps. Functional outcomes were favorable with 87.2% of patients achieving ambulation without external support. Variability in range of motion outcomes across different flap may be secondary to the patient characteristics as well as extent of initial injury. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous pedicle flap reconstruction of the knee extensor mechanism emerges as a viable option for cases characterized by extensive defects and insufficient soft tissue coverage, which are not amenable to direct suture repairs or allografts. Postoperative assessments revealed that the majority of patients experienced improved ambulation status, with no instances of deterioration noted among the patients.

Risk factors associated with pressure ulcer recurrence after reconstruction: Analysis of a national database.

In this study, we sought to clarify the patient traits and comorbidities that are associated with pressure injury recurrence following pressure injury reconstruction. An insurance claims database, PearlDiver, was used to conduct a retrospective cohort study. The two cohorts included patients who underwent pressure injury reconstruction without recurrence and patients who experienced recurrence with subsequent reconstruction. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for recurrence after reconstruction. Recurrence was associated with hypoalbuminemia (p < 0.05), paraplegia (p < 0.05), and osteomyelitis (p < 0.05). In patients with osteomyelitis, primary closure was associated with recurrence (p < 0.05) while flap reconstruction was not (p > 0.05). Osteomyelitis was not associated with recurrence after flap reconstruction. Prior to reconstruction, patients with osteomyelitis and hypoalbuminemia should have their nutrition and infection optimised.

Analysis of Complications in Patients With a History of Cannabis Use and Tobacco Use Undergoing Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: There is limited information regarding the perioperative effects of marijuana in breast reconstructive surgeries. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to explore the association between a history of cannabis use and postoperative complications in the setting of implant-based breast reconstruction. METHODS: Two databases, TriNetX and PearlDiver, were queried for patients undergoing implant-based breast reconstruction. Patients were divided into 4 groups based on active ICD-10 diagnostic codes: (1) cannabis use only, (2) tobacco use only, (3) cannabis and tobacco use, and (4) neither cannabis nor tobacco use. Associations with postoperative complications were analyzed with a logistic regression test. RESULTS: TriNetX search revealed that 327 patients had an active diagnosis of cannabis use only and 1118 had an active diagnosis of tobacco use only. Patients in the cannabis only cohort had a significantly increased risk of developing surgical site infection. Patients in the tobacco only cohort had significantly increased risk of developing wound dehiscence, need for debridement, and surgical site infection. The PearlDiver search included 472 patients who had an active diagnosis of both cannabis and tobacco use and 17,361 patients with a diagnosis of tobacco use only. Patients with a diagnosis of cannabis and tobacco use had a significantly increased risk of developing postoperative complications including surgical site infection, wound dehiscence, need for incision and drainage, and debridement. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing implant-based breast reconstruction with an active diagnosis of cannabis with or without tobacco use were at increased risk of developing postoperative complications, and the risk was even higher in patients using both tobacco and cannabis.

Effects of smoking on bariatric surgery postoperative weight loss and patient satisfaction.

BACKGROUND: While general population studies have demonstrated a relationship between cigarette smoking and weight loss, this association is not well established among the bariatric patient population. Given that bariatric patients are inherently weight-concerned, understanding the effects of smoking on postoperative weight loss is essential. We examined the association of preoperative smoking, postoperative smoking and changes in smoking status with weight loss after bariatric surgery. In addition, we examined the association of changes in smoking status with subjective indices of patient satisfaction while controlling for weight loss. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of patients who underwent Sleeve Gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass for weight loss at a single institution between August 2000 and November 2017. Additional follow up was obtained by telephone survey. Statistical analysis utilized multivariate logistical regressions. RESULTS: Our study included 512 patients. Majority were female (n = 390, 76.2%) and underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 362, 70.7%). Average age was 46.8 years and average follow up was 6.99 years. Preoperative, postoperative and changes in smoking status were not significantly associated with weight loss. Former smokers were significantly more likely to report postoperative satisfaction with self-overall OR 10.62 (p < 0.01), satisfaction with postoperative outcomes OR 4.18 (p = 0.02), and improvement in quality of life OR 4.05 (p = 0.04) compared to continued smokers independent of weight loss. No difference in rates of satisfaction were found between former smokers and never smokers. Smoking cessation and weight loss were independently predictive of positive responses to these satisfaction indices. CONCLUSIONS: We found no association between preoperative smoking, postoperative smoking or changes in smoking status with postoperative weight loss. Smoking cessation was associated with patient satisfaction and improvement in quality of life compared to continued smokers. Smoking cessation and postoperative weight loss were independently predictive of increased patient satisfaction.

Fluoxetine in the environment may interfere with the neurotransmission or endocrine systems of aquatic animals.

Antidepressants are extensively used to treat the symptoms of depression in humans, and the environmentally discharged drugs potentially threaten aquatic organisms. In this study, the acute toxic effects of fluoxetine (FLX) were investigated in two aquatic organisms, the freshwater polyp (Hydra magnipapillata) and Javanese medaka (Oryzias javanicus). The median lethal concentration (LC50) of FLX in H. magnipapillata was 3.678, 3.082, and 2.901 mg/L after 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Morphological observations of the FLX-exposed H. magnipapillata showed that 1.5 mg/L FLX induced the contraction of the tentacles and body column. The LC50 of FLX in O. javanicus was 2.046, 1.936, 1.532, and 1.237 mg/L after 24, 48, 72, and 96 h, respectively. Observation of the behavior of the FLX-exposed fish showed that FLX reduced their swimming performance at a minimum concentration of 10 µg/L. The half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of FLX for swimming behavior in O. javanicus was 0.135, 0.108, and 0.011 mg/L after 12, 24, and 96 h, respectively. Transcriptomic analyses indicated that FLX affects various physiological and metabolic processes in both species. FLX exposure induced oxidative stress, reproductive deficiency, abnormal pattern formation, DNA damage, and neurotransmission disturbance in H. magnipapillata, whereas it adversely affected O. javanicus by inducing oxidative stress, DNA damage, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and mRNA instability. Neurotransmission-based behavioral changes and endocrine disruption were strongly suspected in the FLX-exposed fish. These results suggest that FLX affects the behavior and metabolic regulation of aquatic organisms.

The genome of the giant Nomura's jellyfish sheds light on the early evolution of active predation.

BACKGROUND: Unique among cnidarians, jellyfish have remarkable morphological and biochemical innovations that allow them to actively hunt in the water column and were some of the first animals to become free-swimming. The class Scyphozoa, or true jellyfish, are characterized by a predominant medusa life-stage consisting of a bell and venomous tentacles used for hunting and defense, as well as using pulsed jet propulsion for mobility. Here, we present the genome of the giant Nomura's jellyfish (Nemopilema nomurai) to understand the genetic basis of these key innovations. RESULTS: We sequenced the genome and transcriptomes of the bell and tentacles of the giant Nomura's jellyfish as well as transcriptomes across tissues and developmental stages of the Sanderia malayensis jellyfish. Analyses of the Nemopilema and other cnidarian genomes revealed adaptations associated with swimming, marked by codon bias in muscle contraction and expansion of neurotransmitter genes, along with expanded Myosin type II family and venom domains, possibly contributing to jellyfish mobility and active predation. We also identified gene family expansions of Wnt and posterior Hox genes and discovered the important role of retinoic acid signaling in this ancient lineage of metazoans, which together may be related to the unique jellyfish body plan (medusa formation). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the Nemopilema jellyfish genome and transcriptomes genetically confirm their unique morphological and physiological traits, which may have contributed to the success of jellyfish as early multi-cellular predators.

Negative CD4 + TIM-3 signaling confers resistance against cold preservation damage in mouse liver transplantation.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), an innate immunity-driven local inflammation, remains the major problem in clinical organ transplantation. T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain (TIM-3)-Galectin-9 (Gal-9) signaling regulates CD4+ Th1 immune responses. Here, we explored TIM-3-Gal-9 function in a clinically relevant murine model of hepatic cold storage and orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). C57BL/6 livers, preserved for 20 h at 4°C in UW solution, were transplanted to syngeneic mouse recipients. Up-regulation of TIM-3 on OLT-infiltrating activated CD4+ T cells was observed in the early IRI phase (1 h). By 6 h of reperfusion, OLTs in recipients treated with a blocking anti-TIM-3 Ab were characterized by: (1) enhanced hepatocellular damage (sALT levels, liver Suzuki's histological score); (2) polarized cell infiltrate towards Th1/Th17-type phenotype; (3) depressed T cell exhaustion markers (PD-1, LAG3); and (4) elevated neutrophil and macrophage infiltration/activation. In parallel studies, adoptive transfer of CD4+ T cells from naïve WT, but not from TIM-3 Tg donors, readily recreated OLT damage in otherwise IR-resistant RAG(-/-) test recipients. Furthermore, pre-treatment of mice with rGal-9 promoted hepatoprotection against preservation-association liver damage, accompanied by enhanced TIM-3 expression in OLTs. Thus, CD4+ T cell-dependent "negative" TIM-3 costimulation is essential for hepatic homeostasis and resistance against IR stress in OLTs.

Effects of mental practice on stroke patients' upper extremity function and daily activity performance.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of mental practice on stroke patients' upper extremity function and activities of daily living (ADL). [Subjects and Methods] In this study, 29 stroke patients were randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group (n=14) and a control group (n=15). The experimental group performed 10 minutes of mental practice once a day, 5 days a week for 2 weeks in combination with conventional rehabilitation therapy. For the control group, general rehabilitation therapy was provided during the same sessions as the experimental group. The Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) and the Fugl-Myer assessment (FMA) were used to measure upper extremity function, and the Modified Bathel Index (MBI) was used to measure daily activity performance. [Results] After the intervention, the mental practice group showed significant improvements in upper extremity function on the affected side and ADL scores compared to the control group. [Conclusion] The results of this study demonstrate mental practice intervention is effective at improving stroke patients' upper extremity function and daily activity performance. In follow-up studies, securing a greater number of experimental subjects, and evaluation of the intervention's therapeutic durability are required.

Modified constraint-induced movement therapy for clients with chronic stroke: interrupted time series (ITS) design.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact that modified constraint-induced movement therapy has on upper extremity function and the daily life of chronic stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Modified constraint-induced movement therapy was conduct for 2 stroke patients with hemiplegia. It was performed 5 days a week for 2 weeks, and the participants performed their daily living activities wearing mittens for 6 hours a day, including the 2 hours of the therapy program. The assessment was conducted 5 times in 3 weeks before and after intervention. The upper extremity function was measured using the box and block test and a dynamometer, and performance daily of living activities was assessed using the modified Barthel index. The results were analyzed using a scatterplot and linear regression. [Results] All the upper extremity functions of the participants all improved after the modified constraint-induced movement therapy. Performance of daily living activities by participant 1 showed no change, but the results of participant 2 had improved after the intervention. [Conclusion] Through the results of this research, it was identified that modified constraint-induced movement therapy is effective at improving the upper extremity functions and the performance of daily living activities of chronic stroke patients.

Distal Bypass to the Deep Palmar Arch for Treatment of a Unique Presentation of Digital Ischemia.

Radial artery occlusion leading to hand ischemia is a serious problem that may require prompt surgical intervention. Due to the rarity of these events, consensus on the most effective surgical approach has not yet been reached. There is even scarce literature on appropriate management of symptomatic radial occlusion in patients with a congenital variation in hand vasculature. We report on a case of a 38-year-old woman with radial artery occlusion who underwent a successful distal radial artery bypass to the deep palmar arch due to a diminutive ulnar artery and the absence of a superficial palmar arch. Radial artery bypass to the deep palmar arch using a reversed vein graft is a viable treatment option for preventing further digital ischemia or necrosis in patients with a compromised vasculature of the hand.

Patterns of Opioid Demand after Operative Treatment of Distal Radius Fractures.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate opioid demand after open reduction and internal fixation of distal radius fractures in patients with and without a diagnosis of cannabis use. Methods: The PearlDiver database was queried for all patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation of distal radius fractures between 2010 and 2020. Patients were categorized into two groups: (1) those with an active diagnosis of cannabis use (case) and (2) those without (control). The primary outcome measure was morphine milligram equivalents per prescription filled within 30 days after surgery. A logistic regression was used to determine potential risk factors associated with increased opioid filling patterns. Results: The rates of prescription refills before and after surgery were congruent in both the case and control populations and did not show significant differences (P > 0.05). The average morphine milligram equivalents of patients' first opioid prescription was significantly reduced in the case population compared with the control (352.26 versus 480.61 morphine milligram equivalents/prescription, P = 0.005). A history of chronic opioid use was the strongest predictor of prolonged opioid prescription refills after surgery. Conclusions: This study found a significant reduction in opioid volume in patients with a diagnosis of cannabis use who filled an opioid prescription after open reduction and internal fixation of distal radius fractures. Mental health diagnoses, specifically depression, showed an increased risk of multiple opioid prescription refills in patients without a diagnosis of cannabis use.

Analysis of Postoperative Distal Radius Fracture Outcomes in the Setting of Osteopenia and Osteoporosis for Patients with Comorbid Conditions.

Purpose: Distal radius fractures (DRFs) are among the most common orthopedic injuries, especially in the elderly. A wide variety of approaches have been advocated as successful treatment modalities; yet, there remains variability in practice patterns of DRF in patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia. Using large data set analysis, we sought to determine the risk profile of operative fixation of DRF in patients with low bone mineral density. Methods: A commercially available health care database, PearlDiver, was queried for all patients who underwent open reduction internal fixation of DRFs between 2010 and 2020. The study population was divided into groups based on the presence or absence of osteopenia or osteoporosis and was further classified by patients who were receiving bisphosphonate therapy. Complication rates were calculated, including rates of malunion, surgical site infection, osteomyelitis, hardware failure, and hardware removal. Five-year future fragility fractures were defined in hip, vertebrae, humerus, and wrist fractures. Chi-square analysis and logistic regression were performed to determine an association between these comorbidities and various postoperative complications. Results: A total of 152,926 patients underwent open reduction internal fixation of a DRF during the study period. Chi-square analysis of major complications at 3 months showed a statistically significant increase in malunion in patients with osteopenia (P = .05) and patients with osteoporosis (P = .05) who underwent open reduction internal fixation. Logistic regression analysis at 12 months after surgery demonstrated that osteopenia was associated with an increased risk of hardware failure (P < .0001), hardware removal (P < .0001), surgical site infection (P < .0001), and malunion (P = .004). Osteoporosis was associated with a significantly increased risk of hardware failure (P = .01), surgical site infection (P < .0001), and malunion (P < .0001). Conclusions: We demonstrated, using large data set analysis, that DRF patients with osteopenia and osteoporosis are predicted to be at increased risk of multiple postoperative complications, and thus, bone density should be strongly considered in treatment planning for these patients. Type of study/level of evidence: Prognostic III.

Analysis of postoperative complications related to cannabis and tobacco usage in patients undergoing mandible facial fracture surgeries.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis is the third most used controlled substance in the world. Despite its widespread use, minimal research investigates cannabis usage in patients undergoing facial fracture surgeries. This study aimed to evaluate patterns of postoperative complications related to cannabis and tobacco usage after mandible fracture surgeries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PearlDiver™, a commercially available healthcare database, was used to identify patients endorsing the use of cannabis, tobacco, or both who underwent mandible fracture surgeries for cross-sectional analysis. The study population was categorized into groups using the Classification of Diseases, 9th revision (ICD-9), ICD-10, and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. A chi-square analysis was performed to assess the influence of cannabis and tobacco use on postoperative complications. RESULTS: A total of 8288 patients met the inclusion criteria, with 72 patients with cannabis-only usage, 914 patients with cannabis and tobacco usage, 3236 patients with tobacco-only usage, and 4066 in the control group. For patients using only cannabis, there was not an increased risk of developing postoperative complications compared with the control population. Patients with concurrent cannabis and tobacco usage and those with tobacco-only usage had an increased risk of surgical site infection, facial nonunion, facial abscess, debridement, and malocclusion after surgical repair of mandibular facial fracture. CONCLUSION: Patients with tobacco-only as well as cannabis and tobacco usage had an increased risk of all postoperative complications, except malocclusion, compared with cannabis-only. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that healthcare providers consider a patient's history of tobacco use when planning and performing surgical treatment for traumatic mandible fractures.

Racial disparities in bariatric surgery postoperative weight loss and patient satisfaction.

BACKGROUND: A growing body of evidence has demonstrated racial disparities in bariatric surgery (BS) outcomes. We aimed to investigate the impact of race on postoperative percent excess weight loss (%EWL) and patient satisfaction. METHODS: Single center retrospective study of patients who underwent BS January 2012 to November 2017. Statistical analysis utilized Chi-squared, ANOVA and multivariable regression. RESULTS: A total of 378 patients were included. African American patients lost significantly less weight compared to Caucasian and Hispanic patients (39.0 %EWL, 53.4 %EWL and 52.3 %EWL, respectively). A significant difference remained after adjustment for possible confounders. No difference in postoperative satisfaction was found. CONCLUSIONS: Our study adds to the existing literature demonstrating racial disparities in BS postoperative EWL, despite adjusting for possible confounders, while contributing to the limited literature examining Hispanic patients. Furthermore, we examined an understudied outcome in postoperative patient satisfaction and found no racial disparity despite disparity in EWL.

Association of Postoperative Dieting, Exercise, Dietitian, and Surgeon Follow up With Bariatric Surgery Outcomes.

Although postoperative diet modification, exercise, and regular dietitian and surgeon follow-up are often recommended after bariatric surgery (BS), their impact on weight loss is unclear. A Retrospective chart review was conducted for patients who received sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) between August 2000 and November 2017 with telephone follow-up. Multivariable logistic regression models were used for analyses. There were 514 patients included in our study. Most were female (76.3%), mean age was 46.9 years (Standard Deviation [SD] = 11.8), and mean weight loss was 11.6 (SD = 6.5) BMI points at a mean follow-up of 7 years (SD = 4.3). Current surgeon follow-up OR = 2.08 (P < .01) was positively associated with postoperative weight loss, while current dietitian follow-up=OR .41 (P < .01) was negatively associated. Current weight loss supplement use OR = .45 (P = .03) was associated with reduced willingness to undergo surgery again. Increasing preoperative BMI OR = 1.06 (P = .04) and increasing age OR = 1.04 (P = .02) were associated with improved quality of life (QoL) due to BS. Lack of surgeon follow-up and regular dietician consultation was associated with suboptimal weight loss after BS. Older age was positively associated with improved QoL, while current weight loss supplement use was associated with lower likelihood of undergoing surgery again, both independent of weight loss.

The effects of dual-task training on balance and gross motor function in children with spastic diplegia.

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in dynamic balance and gross motion function when dual-task training was performed on an unstable support surface by children with spastic diplegia. The subjects of this study were 14 children (experimental group n=7, control group n=7) who were medical diagnosed with spastic diplegia. Both groups were administered treatment for 30 min, 2 times a week for 8 weeks, with the experimental group performing dual-task exercise in which cognitive tasks related to daily living were performed while maintaining balance on an unstable surface, and the control group being administered neurodevelopmental treatment. Balance and gross motor function Assessments were conducted before intervention and after 8 weeks of intervention. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to analyze changes in balance, gross motor function in the group, and the Mann-Whitney test was conducted to compare the differences between the two groups before and after intervention. The results showed that there was a statistically significant difference in both groups when balance in a sitting position and gross motor function (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in balance and gross motor function assessment (P<0.05). Based on the results of this study, it was confirmed that dual-task training improves balance, gross motor function in children with spastic diplegia. Therefore, dual-task training may be considered as an effective method of intervention method in the functional aspect of children with spastic diplegia.

A simple and rapid method for toxicity evaluation of zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnO NPs) in benthic animal Hydra magnipapillata.

Toxicity evaluation is necessary to investigate the possible risk of chemical or pollutants newly produced such as nanoparticles in the environments. The assessment should apply a method that is effective to determine the toxic concentration and the exposure time of the pollutants in an animal model. This study described three main stages including determining the median lethal concentrations (LC50) with Probit program and detecting toxic effects of ZnO NPs in morphology and regeneration observed by the changes in morphology of Hydra magnipapillata (H. magnipapillata). We also provide a strategy for culturing hydra in laboratory condition to use the animal for the experiment. The exposure to ZnO NPs led to the abnormality in regeneration such as formation of extraordinary number of tentacles and bifurcated tips in tentacles and the toxic effects in morphology appeared the clubbing tentacle, slender body, and retracting body column and tentacles by the exposure time. The method described here is simple and useful to evaluate the toxic effects of ZnO NPs using morphological characters in H. magnipapillata and could suggest the concentration and the exposure time for further investigations on cellular and molecular responses of the animal after exposure to other nanoparticles. •A simple method to evaluate the toxic effects of ZnO NPs using morphological characters of H. magnipapillata and other hydra species.•A rapid method to evaluate the toxic effects of ZnO NPs and other nanoparticles in H. magnipapillata.

Transcriptomic profiling of Hydra magnipapillata after exposure to naproxen.

The extensive use in humans and animals of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases their possible impact on aquatic organisms. In the present study, we investigated acute toxicity, morphological responses, and potential physiological and metabolic impacts of naproxen exposure on Hydra magnipapillata. The median lethal concentrations (LC50) of naproxen in H. magnipapillata were 51.999 mg/L, 44.935 mg/L, and 42.500 mg/L after exposure for 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Morphological observation of the exposed Hydra showed that 40 mg/L naproxen stimulated the contraction of body column and tentacles after 24 h. A KEGG pathway analysis of the genes differentially expressed in the Hydra after exposure to naproxen for 6, 24, or 48 h demonstrated various cellular and metabolic effects, including protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, Wnt signaling, and tryptophan metabolism. These results suggest that exposure to naproxen affects the genetic material, inflammatory processes, and metabolic processes of aquatic organisms.

The Draft Genome of an Octocoral, Dendronephthya gigantea.

Coral reefs composed of stony corals are threatened by global marine environmental changes. However, soft coral communities of octocorallian species, appear more resilient. The genomes of several cnidarians species have been published, including from stony corals, sea anemones, and hydra. To fill the phylogenetic gap for octocoral species of cnidarians, we sequenced the octocoral, Dendronephthya gigantea, a nonsymbiotic soft coral, commonly known as the carnation coral. The D. gigantea genome size is ∼276 Mb. A high-quality genome assembly was constructed from PacBio long reads (29.85 Gb with 108× coverage) and Illumina short paired-end reads (35.54 Gb with 128× coverage) resulting in the highest N50 value (1.4 Mb) reported thus far among cnidarian genomes. About 12% of the genome is repetitive elements and contained 28,879 predicted protein-coding genes. This gene set is composed of 94% complete BUSCO ortholog benchmark genes, which is the second highest value among the cnidarians, indicating high quality. Based on molecular phylogenetic analysis, octocoral and hexacoral divergence times were estimated at 544 MYA. There is a clear difference in Hox gene composition between these species: unlike hexacorals, the Antp superclass Evx gene was absent in D. gigantea. Here, we present the first genome assembly of a nonsymbiotic octocoral, D. gigantea to aid in the comparative genomic analysis of cnidarians, including stony and soft corals, both symbiotic and nonsymbiotic. The D. gigantea genome may also provide clues to mechanisms of differential coping between the soft and stony corals in response to scenarios of global warming.

Acute toxic effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles on Hydra magnipapillata.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are increasingly used in various products as coating and additive materials for household goods, personal-care products, and drug delivery systems. Because of their broad applications, the potential risks to nontarget organisms associated with their input into aquatic environments have generated much concern. We investigated the acute toxicity, morphological responses, and potential impact on physiology and metabolism in polyps exposed to spherical ZnO NPs of either 20 nm (ZnO NP20) or 100 nm (ZnO NP100). The median lethal concentrations (LC50) of ZnO NP20 were 55.3, 8.7, and 7.0 µg/mL after exposure for 48, 72, and 96 h, respectively; and those of ZnO NP100 were 262.0, 14.9, and 9.9 µg/mL, respectively. The morphological responses of the hydra polyps to a range of ZnO NP concentrations suggest that ZnO NPs may negatively affect neurotransmission in Hydra. ZnO NPs may also induce abnormal regeneration in the polyps by affecting the expression of several genes related to the Wnt signaling pathway. The presence of ZnO NP20 in the hydra tissue was confirmed with electron microscopy. A Gene Ontology analysis of the genes differentially expressed in hydra polyps after exposure to ZnO NP20 for 12 or 24 h revealed changes in various processes, including cellular and metabolic process, stress response, developmental process, and signaling. A KEGG pathway analysis of hydra polyps after exposure of ZnO NP20 or ZnO NP100 for 12 or 24 h demonstrated various changes, including in the DNA replication and repair, endocytosis, lysosomes, Wnt signaling, and natural killer-cell-mediated cytotoxicity pathways, suggesting the mechanisms that maintain cellular homeostasis in response to ZnO NPs. Progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation was also affected by the ZnO NPs nanoparticles, suggesting that they are potential endocrine disruptors. This study should increase our concern regarding the dispersal of ZnO NPs in aquatic environments.