Exploring the relative contribution of flood regimes and climatic factors to Carex phenology in a Yangtze River-connected floodplain wetland.

Hydrological regimes can combine with climatic factors to affect plant phenology; however, few studies have attempted to quantify their complex influences on plant phenology in floodplain wetlands. We obtained phenological information on Carex vegetation through MODIS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data during 2001-2020, and monthly field investigation during 2011-2020. We then explored how these data were correlated with climatic factors and flood regimes in a Yangtze River-connected floodplain wetland (Dongting Lake, China). Our results showed that warmer temperature tended to advance the start of the pre-flooding growing season (SOS1), with a relative contribution of 76.1 %. Flood rising time strongly contributed to controlling the end of the pre-flooding growing season. Flood recession time and inundation duration were dominant factors determining the start of the post-flooding growing season (SOS2). Earlier flood recession time and shortened inundation duration tended to advance the SOS2. Shortened inundation duration, earlier flood recession time, and lower solar radiation tended to advance the end of the post-flooding growing season. The phenology of Carex distributed at high-elevation areas was more affected by hydrology than that of Carex distributed at low-elevation areas. Thus, climatic factors strongly affect the phenology of Carex during the pre-flooding growing season, whereas flood regimes play a dominant role in determining the phenology in the post-flooding growing season. The different responses of Carex phenology to climatic and flooding factors may provide insights for the conservation and management of floodplain wetlands in Yangtze River because Carex are primary food source and habitat for herbivorous waterfowls.

The Efficacy and Immunomodulatory Effects of Ulinastatin and Thymosin α1 for Sepsis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective. To systematically review the efficacy and potential immunomodulatory effect of ulinastatin combined with thymosin α1 (UTI) for sepsis. Design. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Data Sources. The following databases: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central were searched to identify related clinical trials. The search terms were "ulinastatin", "thymosin", and "sepsis". Results. Six RCTs, 944 septic patients in total, were included in this meta-analysis. The result shows UTI increased the 28-day survival rate of septic patients, odds ratio (OR) = 2.01, 95% CI [1.53, 2.64]. After the treatment with UTI, the APACHE II score (four studies) dropped 4.72 further, mean = -4.72, 95% CI [-6.54, -2.91] (p < 0.00001). The mean time of ICU stay (four studies) in UTI group decreased 3.03 days further, mean = -3.03 [-6.99, 0.95] (p = 0.14), and mechanical ventilation time (four studies) decreased 2.05 days, mean = -1.81 [-2.96, -0.66] (p = 0.002). With the treatment of UTI, CD4+T cells raised 5.13%, mean = 5.13, 95% CI [2.75, 7.50] (p < 0.0001); there was no significant change in CD8+T cells, mean = -0.74 [-2.93, 1.45] (p = 0.51). Conclusion. According to this meta-analysis, with the treatment of UTI, the short-term survival rate of septic patients was increased and the illness severity was alleviated. ICU stay and mechanical ventilation time were effectively shortened. The beneficial effect of UTI might be due to the potential immunomodulatory effects of these two drugs.

[Preliminary study on the effect of carvedilol on children with primary endocardial fibroelastosis].

OBJECTIVE: Endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE), a common pediatric cardiovascular disease, often results in chronic heart failure (CHF) and death. Clinical trials have shown that the regimen of combining beta-adrenoreceptor blocker with traditional medicines against CHF can improve left ventricular function and prevent the ventricle from remodeling in patients with CHF. The present study aimed to observe the effect of carvedilol on concentration of plasma brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and safety in children with EFE. METHODS: Twenty-one children with EFE were randomly divided into two groups: (1) treated with traditional regimen (digoxin, prednisone and/or diuretics) (n = 10); (2) treated with carvedilol plus traditional regimen (n = 11). Measurement of plasma concentration of BNP by ELISA, cardiac function by ultrasound were performed before and after 6 months of treatment. The changes in clinical symptom, heart rate, heart function, side effect and maximal tolerance dose after treatment with carvedilol were observed. RESULTS: Plasma concentration of BNP was much higher in the group of patients with EFE [(865 +/- 702) ng/L] than that of control group [(154 +/- 78) ng/L] (P < 0.01), and there was a positive correlation between plasma concentration of BNP and cardiac function classification, and cardiac function grades II, III, and IV corresponded to plasma concentration of BNP (286 +/- 125) ng/L, (437 +/- 386) ng/L, (1673 +/- 859) ng/L respectively in children with EFE. Compared with the group treated with traditional medicines, plasma concentration of BNP [(403 +/- 216) ng/L vs. (219 +/- 87) ng/L] significantly decreased, the clinical symptom was significantly improved, cardio-thoracic ratio (CTR) (0.60 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.54 +/- 0.06) (P < 0.05) and heart rate [(115 +/- 20) bpm vs. (90 +/- 14) bpm] (P < 0.01) decreased, ejection fraction (EF) (46.6% +/- 13.4% vs. 54.5% +/- 12.9%), fractional shortening (21.6% +/- 8.1% vs. 24.1% +/- 7.5%), mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening [(0.8 +/- 0.5) cir/s vs. (0.9 +/- 0.4) cir/s] were significantly increased (P < 0.01), left ventricular end-systolic dimension [(34.0 +/- 8.6) mm vs. (32.2 +/- 9.1) mm] (P < 0.05), left ventricular mass [(65.9 +/- 34.1) g vs. (65.9 +/- 34.1) g], interventricular septal thickness at end-systole [(6.0 +/- 1.0) mm vs (5.5 +/- 1.1) mm] were notably decreased (P < 0.01) after treatment with carvedilol. CONCLUSION: These data indicated that plasma concentration of BNP significantly increased in children with EFE, carvedilol can decrease plasma concentration of BNP, inhibit the remodeling of ventricle, significantly improve the cardiac function in children with EFE. Carvedilol is effective and safe in treatment of children with EFE.