O-POSSUM and P-POSSUM as predictors of morbidity and mortality in older patients after hip fracture surgery: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The POSSUM model has been widely used to predict morbidity and mortality after general surgery. Modified versions known as O-POSSUM and P-POSSUM have been used extensively in orthopedic surgery, but their accuracy is unclear. This systematic review evaluated the predictive value of these models in older patients with hip fractures. METHODS: This study was performed and reported based on the "Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses" guidelines. PubMed, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Web of Science were comprehensively searched for relevant studies, whose methodological quality was evaluated according to the "Methodological index for non-randomized studies" scale. Revman 5 was used to calculate weighted ratios of observed to expected morbidity or mortality. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included 10 studies, of which nine (2549 patients) assessed the ability of O-POSSUM to predict postoperative morbidity, nine (3649 patients) assessed the ability of O-POSSUM to predict postoperative mortality, and four (1794 patients) assessed the ability of P-POSSUM to predict postoperative mortality. The corresponding weighted ratios of observed to expected morbidity or mortality were 0.84 (95% CI 0.70-1.00), 0.68 (95% CI 0.49-0.95), and 0.61 (95% CI 0.16-2.38). CONCLUSIONS: While O-POSSUM shows reasonable accuracy in predicting postoperative morbidity in older patients with hip fractures, both P-POSSUM and O-POSSUM substantially overestimate postoperative mortality. The POSSUM model should be optimized further for this patient population.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis in patients with urosepsis from intensive care unit in Shanghai, China: a retrospective bi-centre study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze clinical characteristics and prognostic risk factors of urosepsis patients admitted to two intensive care units in Shanghai, China. METHODS: Clinical data from patients diagnosed with urosepsis were retrospectively retrieved and analyzed from ICU in two regional medical centers from January 2015 to December 2019. RESULTS: Two hundred two patients were included in the subsequent analysis eventually, with an average age of 72.02 ± 9.66 years, 79.21% of the patients were female and the mortality rate of 15.84%.The proportion of patients with chronic underlying diseases such as diabetes and hypertension was relatively high (56.44, 49.50%, respectively), and the incidence of shock was also high (41.58%) correspondingly. The most common pathogen isolated was Escherichia coli (79.20%), of which the extended-spectrumß-lactamases (ESBLs)(+) accounted for 42.57%. In multivariate analysis, the strongest predictors for death were mechanical ventilation (OR 7.260, 95% CI 2.200-23.963; P = 0.001),chronic kidney disease (CKD) (OR 5.140, 95% CI 1.596-16.550; P = 0.006), APACHE II score (OR 1.321, 95% CI 1.184-1.473; P < 0.001) and lactate (OR 1.258, 95% CI 1.037-1.527; P = 0.020). Both APACHE II score and lactate had the ideal predictive value, with the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.858 and 0.805 respectively. CONCLUSION: The patients with urosepsis were characterized by a higher proportion of female, older age, more percentage of comorbidities in this region, and patients with ESBLs (+) Escherichia coli infection were more prone to shock. Mechanical ventilation, comorbidity with CKD, APACHE II score and lactate were independent risk factors for death in urosepsis patient, but lactate level and APACHE II score had better predictive value for prognosis.

Observation on temperature and strain dependency of Brillouin dynamic grating in a few-mode fiber with a ring-cavity configuration.

We experimentally conduct Brillouin dynamic grating (BDG) operation using a 1-km-long four-mode fiber. By employing a simplified ring-cavity configuration with single-end pumping, the BDG is effectively generated in $ {{\rm LP}_{01}} $LP01 mode within a range of 250 m, and three higher-order modes, namely, $ {{\rm LP}_{11b}} $LP11b, $ {{\rm LP}_{21a}} $LP21a, and $ {{\rm LP}_{02}} $LP02, are chosen as probes to analyze the BDG with a spatial resolution of 1 m. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time to characterize the responses of BDG frequency to temperature and strain for different modes in a conventional few-mode fiber. By employing the pump-probe pair of $ {{\rm LP}_{01}}{{\rm - LP}_{02}} $LP01-LP02 mode, the highest temperature and strain sensitivities of 3.21 MHz/°C and $ - 0.0384\;{\rm MHz}/{\unicode{x00B5}}{\unicode{x03B5}} $-0.0384MHz/µÎµ have been achieved. Also, the performance of simultaneously distributed temperature and strain sensing based on BDG is evaluated.

Enhancing strain dynamic range of slope-assisted BOTDA by manipulating Brillouin gain spectrum shape.

A novel technique for improving the dynamic range of slope-assisted Brillouin optical time domain analysis (SA-BOTDA) is proposed. By modulating the pump pulse with a specially designed signal generated using an arbitrary waveform generator, we may manipulate the shape of Brillouin gain spectrum (BGS) to obtain an enlarged strain dynamic range without increasing significant cost on system complexity. In simulation, we realize a 4.8-times improvement by using a 2-tone signal for pump pulse modulation. In experiment, we modulate a 25-ns-width pump pulse with a 2-tone signal whose frequencies are 43 MHz and 86 MHz respectively and achieve a 100-MHz linear slope span, which is about 4.35 times of that in conventional SA-BOTDA technique. Besides, the BGS manipulation technique realizes an efficient utilization of pump power and only introduces a pump power penalty of 3.53 dB, which allows a promising dynamic strain measurement. In the experiment, we successfully measured a sinusoidal strain signal exerted on a 3-m fiber, with a range from -75 µÎµ to 875 µÎµ and a frequency of 80 Hz. The measured result shows that the suppression ratio of 2nd-order harmonic is 39.35 dB, and the strain measurement accuracy is 5.26 µÎµ. The results indicate that the proposed technique has a desirable performance on dynamic strain measurement.

Exploring key cellular processes and candidate genes regulating the primary thickening growth of Moso underground shoots.

The primary thickening growth of Moso (Phyllostachys edulis) underground shoots largely determines the culm circumference. However, its developmental mechanisms remain largely unknown. Using an integrated anatomy, mathematics and genomics approach, we systematically studied cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the growth of Moso underground shoots. We discovered that the growth displayed a spiral pattern and pith played an important role in promoting the primary thickening process of Moso underground shoots and driving the evolution of culms with different sizes among different bamboo species. Different with model plants, the shoot apical meristem (SAM) of Moso is composed of six layers of cells. Comparative transcriptome analysis identified a large number of genes related to the vascular tissue formation that were significantly upregulated in a thick wall variant with narrow pith cavity, mildly spiral growth, and flat and enlarged SAM, including those related to plant hormones and those involved in cell wall development. These results provide a systematic perspective on the primary thickening growth of Moso underground shoots, and support a plausible mechanism resulting in the narrow pith cavity, weak spiral growth but increased vascular bundle of the thick wall Moso.

Sub-THz-range linearly chirped signals characterized using linear optical sampling technique to enable sub-millimeter resolution for optical sensing applications.

Pulse compression technique is a particularly competitive method that enables both high spatial resolution and dynamic range in coherent radar and distributed fiber sensing systems. Up to now, the frequency bandwidths of most pulse compression techniques are restricted to tens of GHz. In this paper, we propose an all-optic sub-THz-range linearly chirped optical source and a large-bandwidth detection system to characterize it. Taking advantage of the chromatic dispersion effect, ultrashort optical pulses are stretched to be ~10 ns linearly chirped pulses with sub-THz range, which yields a large time-bandwidth product of 4500, a high compression ratio of 4167 and a chirp rate of 45 GHz/ns. The generated waveform is characterized with high precision thanks to the large detection bandwidth of linear optical sampling technique. A spatial resolution of 120 µm and an extinction ratio of 20.4 dB is demonstrated by using this technique, which paves the way for ultra-high spatial resolution and long range sensing applications such as LIDAR and optical reflectometry.

Association between history of cannabis use and outcomes after total hip or knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Cannabis use may be increasing as countries legalize it and it becomes socially acceptable. A history of cannabis use may increase risk of complications after various kinds of surgery and compromise functional recovery. Here we systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed available evidence on how history of cannabis use affects recovery after hip or knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA). Methods: The PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were comprehensively searched and studies were selected and analyzed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, while quality of evidence was evaluated according to the "Grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation" system. Data on various outcomes were pooled when appropriate and meta-analyzed. Results: The systematic review included 16 cohort studies involving 5.91 million patients. Meta-analysis linked history of cannabis use to higher risk of the following outcomes: revision (RR 1.68, 95% CI 1.31-2.16), mechanical loosening (RR 1.77, 95% CI 1.52-2.07), periprosthetic fracture (RR 1.85, 95% CI 1.38-2.48), dislocation (RR 2.10, 95% CI 1.18-3.73), cardiovascular events (RR 2.49, 95% CI 1.22-5.08), cerebrovascular events (RR 3.15, 95% CI 2.54-3.91), pneumonia (RR 3.97, 95% CI 3.49-4.51), respiratory failure (RR 4.10, 95% CI 3.38-4.97), urinary tract infection (RR 2.46, 95% CI 1.84-3.28), acute kidney injury (RR 3.25, 95% CI 2.94-3.60), venous thromboembolism (RR 1.48, 95% CI 1.34-1.63), and deep vein thrombosis (RR 1.42, 95% CI 1.19-1.70). In addition, cannabis use was associated with significantly greater risk of postoperative transfusion (RR 2.23, 95% CI 1.83-2.71) as well as higher hospitalization costs. Conclusion: History of cannabis use significantly increases the risk of numerous complications and transfusion after THA or TKA, leading to greater healthcare costs. Clinicians should consider these factors when treating cannabis users, and pre-surgical protocols should give special consideration to patients with history of cannbis use.

A Compact Millimeter-Wave Multilayer Patch Antenna Array Based on a Mixed CPW-Slot-Couple Feeding Network.

A compact Ka-band antenna array has been proposed to realize broadband and high gain for millimeter-wave applications. The antenna array is divided into a multilayer composed of a driven slot patch layer and a parasitic patch array layer, which is excited by a mixed CPW-Slot-Couple feeding network layer. According to characteristic mode analysis, a pair of narrow coupling slots are introduced in the driven patch to move the resonant frequency of characteristic mode 3 to the resonant frequency of characteristic mode 2 for enhanced bandwidth. In this article, a 1to4 CPW-Slot-Couple feeding network for a 2 × 2 driven slot patch array is implemented, and then each driven slot patch excites a 2 × 2 parasitic patch array. Finally, a proposed 4 × 4 × 3 (row × column × layer) Ka-band antenna array is fabricated to verify the design concepts. The measured results show that the frequency bandwidth of the antenna array is 25 GHz to 32 GHz, and the relative bandwidth is 24.5%. The peak gain is 20.1 dBi. Due to its attractive properties of miniaturization, broadband, and high gain, the proposed antenna array could be applied to millimeter-wave wireless communication systems.

In Situ Construction of Biphasic Boride Electrocatalysts on Dealloyed Bulk Ni-Mo Alloy as Self-Supporting Electrode for Water Splitting at High Current Density.

Nickel-molybdenum-boron (Ni-Mo-B)-based catalysts with biphasic interfaces are highly advantageous in bifunctional electrocatalytic activity in alkaline water-splitting. However, it remains an ongoing challenge to obtain porous Ni-Mo alloy substrates that provide stable adhesion to catalysts, ensuring the long-term performance of bifunctional self-supporting electrodes at a high current density. Herein, a porous Ni-Mo alloy substrate was effectively obtained by a cost-effective dealloying process on a commercial Ni-Mo alloy with high-energy crystal planes. Subsequently, the Mo2NiB2/Ni3B bifunctional catalyst was in situ synthesized on this substrate via boriding heat treatment, resulting in outstanding catalytic activity and stability. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the abundant biphasic interfaces and surface-reconstructed sites of the Mo2NiB2/Ni3B catalyst can decrease the energy barriers for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), respectively. Thus, the designed self-supporting electrodes show bifunctional catalytic activity with overpotentials of 151 mV for HER and 260 mV for OER at a current density of 10 mA cm-2. Markedly, the assembled water electrolyzer can be driven up to 10 mA cm-2 at 1.64 V and maintain catalytic activity at a high current density of 1000 mA cm-2 for 100 h. The new strategy is expected to provide a low-cost scheme for designing self-supporting bifunctional electrodes with high activity and excellent stability and contribute to the development of hydrogen energy technology.

A feature optimization study based on a diabetes risk questionnaire.

Introduction: The prevalence of diabetes, a common chronic disease, has shown a gradual increase, posing substantial burdens on both society and individuals. In order to enhance the effectiveness of diabetes risk prediction questionnaires, optimize the selection of characteristic variables, and raise awareness of diabetes risk among residents, this study utilizes survey data obtained from the risk factor monitoring system of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. Methods: Following univariate analysis and meticulous screening, a more refined dataset was constructed. This dataset underwent preprocessing steps, including data distribution standardization, the application of the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) in combination with the Round function for equilibration, and data standardization. Subsequently, machine learning (ML) techniques were employed, utilizing enumerated feature variables to evaluate the strength of the correlation among diabetes risk factors. Results: The research findings effectively delineated the ranking of characteristic variables that significantly influence the risk of diabetes. Obesity emerges as the most impactful factor, overshadowing other risk factors. Additionally, psychological factors, advanced age, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, alcohol abuse, coronary heart disease or myocardial infarction, mobility difficulties, and low family income exhibit correlations with diabetes risk to varying degrees. Discussion: The experimental data in this study illustrate that, while maintaining comparable accuracy, optimization of questionnaire variables and the number of questions can significantly enhance efficiency for subsequent follow-up and precise diabetes prevention. Moreover, the research methods employed in this study offer valuable insights into studying the risk correlation of other diseases, while the research results contribute to heightened societal awareness of populations at elevated risk of diabetes.

Superhydrophilic and Antifriction Thin Hydrogel Formed under Mild Conditions for Medical Bare Metal Guide Wires.

Medical guide wires play a crucial role in the process of intravascular interventional therapy. However, it is essential for bare metal guide wires to possess both hydrophilic lubricity and coating durability, avoiding tissue damage caused by friction inside the blood vessel during the interventional procedure. Additionally, it is still a huge challenge for diverse metal materials to bind with polymer coatings easily. Herein, we present a hydrogel coating scheme and its preparation method for various wires under mild conditions for environmental protection purposes. The preparation process involves surface pretreatment, including low-temperature heating and silanization, followed by a two-step dip coating and ultraviolet polymerization. The whole process leads to the formation of an interpenetrating cross-linked hydrogel network from the substrate to the surface section. This study confirms the superhydrophilicity and lubricity of three metal wires with the designed coating, especially reducing the friction significantly by ≥ 95%. The thin coating (average thickness <6.2 µm) demonstrates strong adhesion with various substrates and exhibits resistance to 25 or even 125 cycles of friction, indicating excellent stability and preventing easy detachment. The finally prepared composite nickel-titanium (NiTi) guide wire with stainless steel (SS) and platinum-tungsten (Pt-W) coils (overall diameter of ∼0.36 mm) shows satisfactory performance with a friction of 0.183 N for 25 cycles, meeting the clinical requirements (average friction ≤0.2 N) for interventional operation. These findings highlight the potential of this study in advancing the development of medical devices, particularly in the field of intravascular interventional therapy.

Music-based therapeutic interventions for medical school students with emotional regulation and mental health: a pre-post cohort study.

Purpose: Depression and anxiety are prevalent mental health challenges among college students. Music therapy has shown effectiveness in addressing depressive symptoms and enhancing psychosomatic functioning. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a 4-step structured music therapy program in improving mood and reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety among medical school students. Materials and methods: The self-controlled study involved 45 medical school students (21 men and 24 women) aged 18-24 years to examine the prevalence of depression and anxiety, common mental health issues among medical school students. Participants underwent psychological assessment using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). An 8-week music therapy intervention, comprising four steps-sociality, interaction, music lessons, and creative expression-was administered. Results: Before-intervention, 55.6% and 15.6% students were identified as suffering from depression and anxiety respectively. Post-intervention, significant reductions in psychological distress, particularly in the Global Severity Index (GSI) and Positive Symptom Total (PST) on the SCL-90 scale, were observed (P < 0.05). Male students exhibited notable improvements in various psychological symptoms compared to females. Junior grade students demonstrated greater improvements, and clinical medicine students exhibited significant enhancements in specific areas post-intervention. Conclusion: The structured music therapy program showed promising results in improving mood and regulating emotions among medical school students. Music therapy holds potential as a holistic approach to address mental health challenges in this demographic.

Efficacy and pharmacoeconomic advantages of Fufang Huangbai Fluid hydropathic compress in diabetic foot infections: a comparative clinical study with antimicrobial calcium alginate wound dressing.

Objective: To compare the intervention effects and pharmacoeconomic advantages of Fufang Huangbai Fluid (FFHB) hydropathic compress versus Antimicrobial Calcium Alginate Wound Dressing (ACAWD) in the treatment of diabetic foot infections (DFI). Methods: Patients with DF who were hospitalized in the peripheral vascular Department of Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from December 2020 to February 2022 and met the inclusion and excluding criteria were allocated into the experimental group and control group through minimization randomization. The experimental group was treated with FFHB hydropathic compress for 2 weeks, while the control group was treated with ACAWD for the same duration. The wound healing of both groups was monitored for 1 month post-discharge. Clinical data from all eligible patients were collected, and differences in various indices between cohorts were analyzed. Results: 22 in the experimental group (including two fell off) and 20 in the control group. After the treatment, the negative rate of wound culture in the experimental group was 30% and that in the control group was 10%, There was no significant difference in the negative rate of wound culture and change trend of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of drug sensitivity (p > 0.05). The infection control rate of the experimental group was 60%, and that of the control group was 25%. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ2 = 5.013, p = 0.025). The median wound healing rate of the experimental group was 34.4% and that of the control group was 33.3%. There was no significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.05). During the follow-up 1 month later, the wound healing rate in the experimental group was higher, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.047). Pharmacoeconomic evaluations indicated that the experimental group had greater cost-effectiveness compared to the control group. Conclusion: In the preliminary study, FFHB demonstrated comparable pathogenic and clinical efficacy to ACAWD in the treatment of mild DF infection, and exhibited superior pharmacoeconomic advantages. With the aid of infection control, the wound healing rate in the FFHB group showed notable improvement. Nevertheless, due to the limited sample size, larger-scale studies are warranted to further validate these findings. Clinical Trial Registration: (https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=66175), identifier (ChiCTR2000041443).

Gelidocalamuszixingensis (Poaceae, Bambusoideae, Arundinarieae), a new species from southern China revealed by morphological and molecular evidence.

The genus Gelidocalamus T. H. Wen, endemic to southern China, is a small but taxonomically problematic genus of Arundinarieae (Poaceae, Bambusoideae). During field work, a population of Gelidocalamus from Zixing, Hunan, was discovered, appearing to be distinct from our previously identified collection. Comparisons of the population of Zixing were performed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a plastid genome-based phylogeny. Morphologically, it was mostly similar to G.multifolius, but differed by culm leaf erect with densely white pubescence, apical branch sheath much longer than the internodes and foliage leaf larger. Phylogenetically, the new species was well-supported as a sister to the clade of G.multifolius + G.tessellatus, and the above three taxa were clustered in the Shibataea clade (IV) of Arundinarieae. Thus, the new species, formally named as Gelidocalamuszixingensis W.G.Zhang, G.Y.Yang & C.K.Wang, was described and illustrated herein.

In-situ conversion of geopolymer into novel floral magnetic sodalite microspheres for efficient removal of Cd(II) from water.

In the present work, a novel, floral-like, magnetic sodalite microsphere (SODM) was synthesized in situ by using fly ash (FA) and metakaolin (MK) as raw materials and was used to remove Cd(II) from water. Its magnetism can solve the problems of adsorbent recovery and possible secondary pollution. During the static adsorption, SODM shows a maximum adsorption capacity of 245.17 mg/g. The adsorption of Cd(II) on the SODM surface is spontaneous, exothermic, and physicochemical adsorption, which was evaluated by thermodynamics, kinetics, and isotherm studies. During dynamic adsorption, SODM shows a maximum adsorption capacity of 342.74 mg/g in the simulated solution prepared by the deionized water, compared to 215.88 mg/g in the simulated solution prepared using Xiangsi Lake water from Guangxi Minzu University. At 0.5 g SODM dosage in the dynamic adsorption, the adsorption capacity could rise to 632.81 mg/g. These results demonstrated the excellent Cd (II) adsorption performance of the SODM. The adsorption of cadmium on the SODM surface includes the synergistic effects of electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, and surface coordination reaction. Besides, the SODM shows good regeneration performance in both the deionized water and Xiangsi Lake water. The present study explores SODM as an adsorbent for the Cd (II) removal from wastewater and unbolts the industrial applicability of the SODM in the field of wastewater purification.

Motivational simulated teaching of clinical skills using formative assessment methods for medical undergraduate students: between-group evaluation of a simulated course in a Chinese medical college.

OBJECTIVES: Teaching clinical skills is an important component of educational programmes for medical undergraduates. However, the extension of the interval between the completion of the course and qualification examination affects the performance of students in the skill examination. This study established a multisource evaluation system to determine whether formative assessment can enhance the instruction of clinical skills. METHODS: Formative assessment was introduced to the entire training course on clinical skills, in which diversified methods were used to observe the performance of students during training. Students in the experimental group received training for clinical skills using formative assessment (class of 2019, n=128), while students in the control group received traditional training without formative assessment (class of 2018, n=123). Both groups participated in the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) conducted by Tongji Medical College, and the exam scores were taken as the objective measure of course outcome. After completing the course, all students in the experimental group were instructed to fill in a questionnaire to evaluate their experience in the training programme, as a subjective measure of course outcome. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, students in the experimental group received significantly better practical scores in the four clinical skills tested by the OSCE. The questionnaire results revealed that the majority of students who were trained using formative assessment methods considered the course helpful for learning, and appreciated the course for the clinical skills they had gained, and the opportunity to receive and give feedback to the instructors. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that formative assessment methods are beneficial for learning clinical skills through simulated teaching, as shown by the improved objective clinical skills evaluated by the structured clinical examination, and the self-reported satisfaction with the learning process.

Emerging Insights into the Roles of the Rhizome-Culm System in Bamboo Shoot Development through Analysis of Non-Structural Carbohydrate Changes.

Non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) required for bamboo shoot development, the critical stage that determines the yield of a bamboo stand, originate from the parent bamboo with the complex underground system. However, the metabolic mechanism of NSCs in the rhizome-culm system during bamboo shoot development remains unclear. In this study, we focused on the changes of NSCs in the rhizome-culm system and used anatomical, physiological, and biochemical methods to investigate the metabolism of NSCs in bamboo shoots of Phyllostachys edulis and the role of NSCs supply in the parent bamboo at different ages. The results showed that NSCs were accumulated and consumed from the bottom to the top in a bamboo shoot, which was consistent with the developmental pattern. The starch granules were stored in advance. The bamboo sheath stored starch from the dormant stage of shoot buds. The functions of culms and rhizomes showed age-dependent differences. Adult culms showed the highest capacity to provide NSCs, with more stored NSCs and higher ß-amylase activity. Conversely, young culms seemed to prefer their growth, while old culms tended to store starch. Accordingly, adult rhizomes preferred sugar transport due to the lowest starch storage, lower ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) activity, and higher ß-amylase activity, while young and old rhizomes tended to prefer starch storage. These results provide a basis for further understanding of nutrient metabolism in bamboo stands.

Gelidocalamusalbozonatus (Poaceae, Bambusoideae), a new species from the southeast of Chongqing, China, and analysis of the morphological diversity in the core group of Gelidocalamus.

Gelidocalamusalbozonatus W. G. Zhang, S. R. Yi & Y. L. Li, a new species of Gelidocalamus, collected from Pengshui County of Chongqing City in China, was described and illustrated herein. In this study, key morphological characters were compared between the new species and other eight "gelido-" members of Gelidocalamus. By using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), its leaf epidermal characters were observed in comparison with those of another three Gelidocalamus representatives. Our results show that the new taxon has the typical characteristics of the genus Gelidocalamus, both macromorphologically and micromorphologically. Moreover, it was most similar to G.tessellatus, but differed by a ring of white tomenta below per node, culm sheath base with densely purple verrucous setae and foliage leaf blades mesophyll.

Agreement of Anterior Segment Parameter Measurements With CASIA 2 and IOLMaster 700.

PURPOSE: To compare the difference and agreement in central corneal thickness (CCT), keratometry (K), anterior chamber depth (ACD), aqueous depth (AQD), and lens thickness (LT) measured with CASIA 2 and IOLMaster 700 in patients with cataract. METHODS: A total of 81 patients with cataract (81 eyes) scheduled for phacoemulsification were prospectively collected from March to May, 2020 in the cataract department of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, including 43 males and 38 females with age of 61.5 ± 10.6 years. CCT, anterior Kf, anterior Ks, real Kf, real Ks, ACD, AQD, and LT were measured with CASIA 2 and IOLMaster 700. Paired t-test, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), 95% limit of agreement (95% LoA), and Bland-Altman plots were performed and used to analyze the difference and agreement between the two devices. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in anterior K measurement with the CASIA 2 (44.3 ± 1.66 mm) and IOLMaster 700 (44.31 ± 1.67 mm, P = 0.483). Differences among the CCT, anterior Kf, real Kf, real Ks, ACD, AQD, and LT measured by the two instruments were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The ICCs of CCT, anterior Kf, anterior Ks, real Kf, real Ks, ACD, AQD, and LT measurements between the two devices were 0.892, 0.991, 0.991, 0.827, 0.817, 0.937, 0.926, and 0.997, respectively. The 95% LoA between CASIA 2 and IOLMaster 700 was -30.06 to 0.43 µm for CCT, -0.3 to 0.48 D for anterior Kf, -0.46 to -0.43 D for anterior Ks, -1.49 to -0.49 D for real Kf, -1.62 to -0.49 D for Real Ks, -0.03 to 0.24 mm for ACD, 0.04 to 0.25 mm for AQD, and -0.06 to 0.09 mm for LT. CONCLUSION: Anterior Kf, anterior Ks, ACD, AQD, and LT have excellent agreement between the two devices. CCT, real Kf, and real Ks have moderate agreement between the two devices. It is recommended to use anterior Kf, anterior Ks, ACD, AQD, and LT interchangeably between CASIA 2 and IOLMaster 700.

Complete chloroplast genome sequence and phylogenetic analysis of Chimonobambusa sichuanensis (Bambusoideae).

Chimonobambusa sichuanensis is an ornamental shrubby bamboo endemic to southern China. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome (cpDNA) sequence of Chimonobambusa sichuanensis was first reported. The cpDNA is 139,594 bp in length, including a small single-copy (SSC) region of 12,820 bp and a large single-copy (LSC) region of 83,196 bp, which were separated by a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions of 21,789 bp. The genome contains 140 genes, consisting of 93 protein-coding genes, seven ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and 40 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. The phylogenetic analysis showed that C. sichuanensis is highly clustered in the Phyllostachys clade, sister to C. tumidissinoda.