Norcantharidin-Encapsulated C60-Modified Nanomicelles: A Potential Approach to Mitigate Cytotoxicity in Renal Cells and Simultaneously Enhance Anti-Tumor Activity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the preparation process of DSPE-PEG-C60/NCTD micelles and assess the impact of fullerenol (C60)-modified micelles on the nephrotoxicity and antitumor activity of NCTD. METHOD: The micelles containing NCTD were prepared using the ultrasonic method and subsequently optimized and characterized. The cytotoxicity of micelles loaded with NCTD was assessed using the CCK-8 method on human hepatoma cell lines HepG2 and BEL-7402, as well as normal cell lines HK-2 and L02. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) double staining and flow cytometry were employed to assess the impact of NCTD-loaded micelles on the apoptosis of the HK-2 cells and the HepG2 cells. Additionally, JC-1 fluorescence was utilized to quantify the alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) following micelle treatment was determined through 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) staining. RESULTS: The particle size distribution of the DSPE-PEG-C60/NCTD micelles was determined to be 91.57 nm (PDI = 0.231). The zeta potential of the micelles was found to be -13.8 mV. The encapsulation efficiency was measured to be 91.9%. The in vitro release behavior of the micelles followed the Higuchi equation. Cellular experiments demonstrated a notable decrease in the toxicity of the C60-modified micelles against the HK-2 cells, accompanied by an augmented inhibitory effect on cancer cells. Compared to the free NCTD group, the DSPE-PEG-C60 micelles exhibited a decreased apoptosis rate (12%) for the HK-2 cell line, lower than the apoptosis rate observed in the NCTD group (36%) at an NCTD concentration of 75 µM. The rate of apoptosis in the HepG2 cells exhibited a significant increase (49%), surpassing the apoptosis rate observed in the NCTD group (24%) at a concentration of 150 µM NCTD. The HK-2 cells exhibited a reduction in intracellular ROS and an increase in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔψM) upon exposure to C60-modified micelles compared to the NCTD group. CONCLUSIONS: The DSPE-PEG-C60/NCTD micelles, as prepared in this study, demonstrated the ability to decrease cytotoxicity and ROS levels in normal renal cells (HK-2) in vitro. Additionally, these micelles showed an enhanced antitumor activity against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2, BEL-7402).

A Novel Photocatalytic Functional Coating Applied to the Degradation of Xylene in Coating Solvents under Solar Irradiation.

A novel photocatalytic functional coating was prepared with g-C3N4/TiO2 composites as the photocatalytic active component modified by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), and it showed an efficient catalytic performance under solar light irradiation. The degradation of xylene released from fluorocarbon coating solvents by the g-C3N4/TiO2 composite coatings was investigated under simulated solar irradiation. The degradation efficiency of the coating mixed with DBD-modified 10%-g-C3N4/TiO2 showed a stable, long-lasting, and significantly higher activity compared to the coatings mixed with the unmodified catalyst. Ninety-eight percent of the xylene released from fluorocarbon coating solvents was successfully removed under solar light irradiation in 2 h. The properties of the catalyst samples before and after modification were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and other characterization techniques. The results suggested that DBD-modified g-C3N4/TiO2 showed an improved capture ability and utilization efficiency of solar light with reduced band gap and lower complexation rate of electron-hole pairs. The prepared photocatalytic coating offers an environmentally friendly approach to purify the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from solvent-based coatings.

Cardiac and Kidney Adverse Effects of HIF Prolyl-Hydroxylase Inhibitors for Anemia in Patients With CKD Not Receiving Dialysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF-PHIs) are novel, orally administered agents for anemia management in chronic kidney disease (CKD). We evaluated the cardiac and kidney-related adverse effects of HIF-PHIs among patients with CKD and anemia. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). SETTING & STUDY POPULATIONS: Patients with anemia and CKD not receiving maintenance dialysis. SELECTION CRITERIA FOR STUDIES: RCTs comparing HIF-PHIs to placebo or an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) with primary outcomes of cardiac and kidney-related adverse events (AEs). DATA EXTRACTION: Two independent reviewers evaluated RCTs for eligibility and extracted relevant data. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Dichotomous variables were pooled using the Mantel-Haenszel method and presented as risk ratios (RRs). Subgroup analyses evaluated different intervention times and HIF-PHIs, as well as phase 2 versus phase 3 trials. The certainty of findings was rated according to GRADE criteria. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies with 15,144 participants were included. No significant difference in the risk of cardiac AEs was observed between the HIF-PHIs group and the placebo (RR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.89-1.16]; moderate certainty) or ESA (RR, 1.06 [95% CI, 0.98-1.14]; low certainty) groups. No significant difference in the risk of kidney-related AEs was observed between the HIF-PHIs group and the placebo (RR, 1.09 [95% CI, 0.98-1.20]; moderate certainty) or ESA (RR, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.94-1.06]; low certainty) groups. The occurrence of hypertension and hyperkalemia was higher in the HIF-PHIs group than in the placebo group (RRs of 1.35 [95% CI, 1.14-1.60] and 1.25 [95% CI, 1.03-1.51], respectively; both findings had high certainty). The occurrence of hypertension was lower in the HIF-PHIs group than in the ESA group (RR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.81-0.98]; moderate certainty). LIMITATIONS: The reporting criteria of cardiac and kidney-related AEs and dosage of HIF-PHIs were inconsistent across trials. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of cardiac or kidney-related AEs in the HIF-PHI groups were not different compared with placebo or ESA groups. REGISTRATION: Registered at PROSPERO with registration number CRD42021228243.

Work productivity and activity in patients with SAPHO syndrome: a cross-sectional observational study.

BACKGROUND: Our understanding of work productivity impairment among patients with synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome is limited. The purpose of this study was to provide an overview of work productivity loss in SAPHO syndrome patients through the use of the work productivity and activity impairment (WPAI) questionnaire, as well as to investigate the relationship between the WPAI and other disease-related indicators. METHODS: Patients for this cross-sectional study were recruited from Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Beijing, China). The questionnaires incorporating the WPAI were administered, along with the inclusion of demographic data, disease-specific measures, and general health variables. The construct validity of the WPAI was evaluated via the correlations between WPAI outcomes and other measures. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and nonparametric Kruskal‒Wallis tests were used for the comparison of the WPAI outcomes between known groups. RESULTS: A total of 376 patients were included, and 201 patients (53.5%) were employed. The medians (interquartile range [IQR]) of absenteeism, presenteeism, work productivity loss, and activity impairment were 0% (0-13%), 20% (0-40%), 20% (0-52%), and 30% (0-50%), respectively. All of the WPAI outcomes showed moderate to strong correlations with other generic and disease-specific measures (|r| = 0.43-0.75), except for absenteeism. Increasing disease activity and worse health status were significantly associated with increased impairments of work productivity and activity. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the negative effects of SAPHO syndrome on the work productivity and activity of patients, thus indicating good construct validity and discriminative ability of the WPAI. To reduce the economic burden, it is important to improve the work productivity and daily activity of patients by ameliorating clinical care.

Efficacy and safety of finerenone in chronic kidney disease associated with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

PURPOSE: The main objective was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of finerenone in patients with CKD associated with T2D, especially with regard to renal and cardiovascular protection. METHODS: Eight databases were searched. Mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) of the outcomes and risk ratio (RR) were calculated as the effect measure. RESULTS: Four trials (n = 13,510) were included. Compared to placebo groups, the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) mean ratio, along with the proportion of patients with a decreased eGFR (≥ 40%) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), was significantly lower (MD: -0.30 (95% CI: -0.32, -0.28), p < 0.00001; RR: 0.85 (95% CI: 0.78, 0.93), p = 0.0002; RR: 0.80 (95% CI: 0.65, 0.99), p = 0.04, respectively). Furthermore, the proportion of patients with cardiovascular events (CVs) was significantly lower (RR: 0.88 (95% CI: 0.80, 0.96), p = 0.003). In terms of safety, while the increase in serum potassium concentration and the incidence of hyperkalemia were significantly higher in the finerenone groups (MD: 0.16 (95% CI: 0.07, 0.26), p = 0.00006; RR: 2.03 (95% CI: 1.83, 2.26), p < 0.00001, respectively), the all-cause mortality and the incidence of adverse events (AEs) were similar to placebo (RR: 0.90 (95% CI: 0.80, 1.00), p = 0.05; RR: 1.00 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.01), p = 0.65, respectively). CONCLUSION: The observed renal and cardiovascular benefits of finerenone were significant and did not cause unacceptable side-effects. Finerenone may represent a promising therapeutic tool for CKD associated with T2D.

Elevated RIF1 participates in the epigenetic abnormalities of zygotes by regulating histone modifications on MuERV-L in obese mice.

BACKGROUND: Maternal obesity impairs embryonic developmental potential and significantly increases the risks of metabolic disorders in offspring. However, the epigenetic transmission mechanism of maternal metabolic abnormalities is still poorly understood. METHODS: We established an obesity model in female mice by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding. The effects of the HFD on the developmental potential of oocytes and embryos, the metabolic phenotype, and epigenetic modifications were investigated. The efficacy of metformin administration was assessed. Finally, the regulatory pathway of epigenetic remodeling during zygotic genome activation (ZGA) was explored. RESULTS: Maternal HFD consumption significantly impaired glucose tolerance and increased the risk of metabolic disorders in F0 and F1 mice. Maternal HFD consumption also decreased embryonic developmental potential, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and γH2AX levels, and reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) within oocytes, causing high levels of oxidative stress damage and DNA damage. Starting with this clue, we observed significantly increased RIF1 levels and shortened telomeres in obese mice. Moreover, significant abnormal DNA methylation and histone modification remodeling were observed during ZGA in obese mice, which may be coregulated by RIF1 and the ZGA marker gene MuERV-L. Metformin treatment reduced RIF1 levels, and partially improved ZGA activation status by rescuing epigenetic modification remodeling in oocytes and preimplantation embryos of obese mice. RIF1 knockdown experiments employing Trim-Away methods showed that RIF1 degradation altered the H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 enrichment and then triggered the MuERV-L transcriptional activation. Moreover, ChIP-seq data analysis of RIF1 knockouts also showed that RIF1 mediates the transcriptional regulation of MuERV-L by changing the enrichment of H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 rather than by altered DNA methylation. CONCLUSION: Elevated RIF1 in oocytes caused by maternal obesity may mediate abnormal embryonic epigenetic remodeling and increase metabolic risk in offspring by regulating histone modifications on MuERV-L, which can be partially rescued by metformin treatment.

Efficacy and Safety of Finerenone in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global public health issue. In recent years, the effectiveness of finerenone for treatment of CKD has been the subject of considerable debate. The main objective of the current meta-analysis was to validate the clinical efficacy and safety of finerenone in patients with CKD. Methods: Seven databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing finerenone with placebo in patients with CKD. Data from eligible studies were extracted, and the Cochrane risk of bias tool utilized for evaluating the methodological quality of RCTs. The effect size was estimated using the risk ratio (RR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Five trials (n = 13,078) were included. Compared to placebo groups, the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) mean from the baseline was significantly lower [MD -0.30 (95% CI -0.32, -0.28), p < 0.00001], while a decrease in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from baseline was significantly higher [MD -2.44 (95% CI -2.82, -2.05), p < 0.00001] for the finerenone groups. Furthermore, the proportion of patients with decreased eGFR (≥40%) post-baseline was significantly lower [RR 0.85 (95% CI 0.78, 0.93), p = 0.0002], along with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) [RR 0.80 (95% CI 0.65, 0.99), p = 0.04] and cardiovascular events (CVs) [RR 0.88 (95% CI 0.80, 0.95), p < 0.003] in the finerenone groups. In terms of safety, the increase in the serum potassium concentration and incidence of hyperkalemia was significantly higher for the finerenone groups [MD 0.17 (95% CI 0.10, 0.24), p < 0.00001; RR 2.03 (95% CI 1.83, 2.26), p < 0.00001, respectively], but the incidence of adverse events (AEs) was similar to placebo [RR 1.00 (95% CI 0.98-1.01), p = 0.67]. In all cases, the results were rated as providing moderate-quality or high-quality evidence. Conclusion: Data from our meta-analysis suggest that finerenone confers significant renal and cardiovascular benefits in patients with CKD. While higher risk of hyperkalemia was observed with finerenone than placebo, differences in AEs were not significant. Finerenone may therefore present a novel promising therapeutic agent for patients with CKD. Systematic Review Registration: [https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2021-9-0020/], identifier [INPLASY202190020].

Efficacy and safety of HIF prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitor vs epoetin and darbepoetin for anemia in chronic kidney disease patients not undergoing dialysis: A network meta-analysis.

Hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF-PHIs) are a new class of oral medicines being developed for the treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of HIF-PHI vs epoetin and darbepoetin in CKD patients with anemia not undergoing dialysis. The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and clinicaltrials.gov databases were searched from inception to October 2019 for randomized controlled trials investigating different agents (six HIF-PHIs, epoetin, darbepoetin, and placebo) for treating CKD patients with anemia that did not undergo dialysis. The outcomes included a change in hemoglobin (Hb) levels and all-cause mortality. A total of 19 studies were included. Compared with the placebo, except for vadadustat (mean differences: 1.12, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: ‒0.11-2.35), the other drugs significantly increased Hb levels, with mean differences of 2.46 (95 % CI: 0.93-3.99) for desidustat, 1.81 (0.87-2.75) for enarodustat, 1.68 (0.64-2.72) for molidustat, 1.66 (0.89-2.44) for epoetin, 1.63 (0.69-2.56) for darbepoetin, 1.61 (0.99-2.22) for roxadustat, and 1.55 (0.74-2.36) for daprodustat. No differences were found in the Hb level elevations among these eight drugs. Compared with the placebo, there also was no significant association between the drugs and all-cause mortality (molidustat of RR, 0.39 [95 % CI, 0.06-2.59]; roxadustat, 0.40 (0.06-2.84); enarodustat, 0.33 (0.01-16.25); desidustat, 0.34 (0.01-17.00); epoetin, 0.50 (0.18-1.42); daprodustat, 0.54 (0.09-3.31); darbepoetin, 1.03 (0.65-1.65); and vadadustat, 1.43 (0.15-13.27)). No differences were observed in the all-cause mortality among the drugs. In conclusion, these HIF-PHIs are effective and relatively tolerant for treating anemia patients with CKD not undergoing dialysis. Further research should consider the limitations of our study to evaluate the value of these HIF-PHIs in clinical settings.

Nano-ZnO-Induced Drought Tolerance Is Associated with Melatonin Synthesis and Metabolism in Maize.

The applications of ZnO nanoparticles in agriculture have largely contributed to crop growth regulation, quality enhancement, and induction of stress tolerance, while the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Herein, the involvement of melatonin synthesis and metabolism in the process of nano-ZnO induced drought tolerance was investigated in maize. Drought stress resulted in the changes of subcellular ultrastructure, the accumulation of malondialdehyde and osmolytes in leaf. The nano-ZnO (100 mg L-1) application promoted the melatonin synthesis and activated the antioxidant enzyme system, which alleviated drought-induced damage to mitochondria and chloroplast. These changes were associated with upregulation of the relative transcript abundance of Fe/Mn SOD, Cu/Zn SOD, APX, CAT, TDC, SNAT, COMT, and ASMT induced by nano-ZnO application. It was suggested that modifications in endogenous melatonin synthesis were involved in the nano-ZnO induced drought tolerance in maize.

A recombinant infectious bronchitis virus from a chicken with a spike gene closely related to that of a turkey coronavirus.

Using viral metagenomics, the complete genome sequence of an infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) strain (named ahysx-1) from a fecal sample from a healthy chicken in Anhui province, China, was determined. The genome sequence of ahysx-1 was found to be very similar to that of IBV strain ck/CH/LLN/131040 (KX252787), except for the spike gene region, which is similar to that of a turkey coronavirus strain (EU022526), suggesting that ahysx-1 is a recombinant. Recombination analysis and phylogenetic analysis based on the genomic sequences of ahysx-1 and other related strains confirmed that ahysx-1 appears to be a recombinant resulting from a recombination event that occurred between a chicken coronavirus and a turkey coronavirus. Further studies need to be performed to determine whether this recombinant IBV strain is pathogenic and whether it is transmitted between chickens and turkeys.

Efficacy and Safety of Daprodustat for Anemia Therapy in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: Daprodustat is a novel oral agent in treating anemia of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and several clinical trials have been conducted to compare daprodustat with recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) or placebo. Our systematic review aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of daprodustat for anemia treatment in both dialysis-dependent (DD) and non-dialysis-dependent (NDD) patients. Methods: Six databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting daprodustat vs. rhEPO or placebo for anemia patients in CKD. The outcome indicators were focused on hemoglobin (Hb), ferritin, transferrin saturation (TSAT), total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and serious adverse events (SAEs). Results: Eight eligible studies with 1,516 participants were included. For both NDD and DD patients, changes in Hb levels from baseline were significantly higher in daprodustat group than that in the placebo (mean difference (MD) = 1.73, [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34 to 3.12], p = 0.01; MD = 1.88, [95% CI, 0.68 to 3.09], p = 0.002; respectively), and there was no significant difference between daprodustat and rhEPO group (MD = 0.05, [95% CI, -0.49 to 0.59], p = 0.86; MD = 0.12, [95% CI, -0.28 to 0.52], p = 0.55; respectively). The indexes of iron metabolism were improved significantly in the daprodustat group compared to placebo- or rhEPO-treated patients, while there was no similar change in terms of TSAT for DD patients. Furthermore, no trend of increasing plasma VEGF was observed in daprodustat-treated subjects. As for safety, there was no significant difference in the incidence of SAEs between daprodustat and placebo treatment, while the incidence of SAEs in the daprodustat group was significantly lower than that in the rhEPO group. Conclusion: Daprodustat was efficacious and well tolerated for anemia in both NDD and DD patients in the short term based on current RCTs. And daprodustat may become an effective alternative for treatment of anemia with CKD. Since the application of daprodustat is still under exploration, future researches should consider the limitations of our study to evaluate the value of daprodustat.

[Research advances in species diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in terrestrial agro-ecosystem]. / é™†åœ°å†œä¸šç”Ÿæ€ç³»ç»Ÿä¸›æžèŒæ ¹çœŸèŒç‰©ç§å¤šæ ·æ€§ç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ancient and ubiquitous soil microorganisms, which can form mutually beneficial association with most terrestrial plants. Within the symbiotic relationship, AMF helps their host plants to absorb nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus while obtains carbon from the hosts. AMF plays an important role in agricultural ecosystem, including promoting plant growth, improving crop quality, increasing plant stress resistance, stabilizing soil structure, keeping ecological balance, and maintaining a sustainable agricultural development. We summarized the research advances of AMF in terrestrial agro-ecosystem in recent years, by focusing on AMF species diversity, spatial and temporal distribution, and influence factors of AMF biodiversity in terrestrial agro-ecosystem of China. Further research works were also prospected.

Comparative efficacy of 13 immunosuppressive agents for idiopathic membranous nephropathy in adults with nephrotic syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of 13 types of immunosuppressive agents used to treat idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) in adults with nephrotic syndrome. DESIGN: Systematic review and network meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Clinical trials, SinoMed, Chinese Biomedicine, CNKI, WanFang and Chongqing VIP Information databases were comprehensively searched until February 2018. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Randomised clinical trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of different immunosuppressive treatments in adult patients with IMN and nephrotic syndrome were included, and all included RCTs had a study-duration of at least 6 months. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers independently screened articles, extracted data and assessed study quality. Standard pairwise meta-analysis was performed using DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model. RESULTS: This study ultimately included 48 RCTs with 2736 patients and 13 immunosuppressive agents. The network meta-analysis results showed that most regimens, except for leflunomide (LEF), mizoribine (MZB) and steroids (STE), showed significantly higher probabilities of total remission (TR) when compared with non-immunosuppressive therapies (the control group),with risk ratios (RRs) of 2.71 (95% CI) 1.81 to 4.06)for tacrolimus+tripterygium wilfordii (TAC+TW), 2.16 (1.27 to 3.69) foradrenocorticotropic hormone, 2.02 (1.64 to 2.49) for TAC, 2.03 (1.13 to3.64) for azathioprine (AZA), 1.91 (1.46 to 2.50) for cyclosporine (CsA), 1.86 (1.44 to2.42) for mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), 1.85 (1.52 to 2.25) for cyclophosphamide (CTX),1.81 (1.10 to 2.98) for rituximab (RIT), 1.80 (1.38 to 2.33) for TW, 1.72 (1.35 to 2.19) for chlorambucil. As for 24 hours UTP, the direct andindirect comparisons showed that AZA (standard mean difference (SMD), -1.02(95% CI -1.90 to -0.15)), CsA (SMD, -0.70 (95% CI -1.33 to -0.08)),CTX (SMD, -1.01 (95% CI -1.44 to -0.58)), MMF (SMD, -0.98 (95% CI -1.64 to -0.32)), MZB (SMD, -0.97 (95% CI -1.90 to-0.04]), TAC (SMD, -1.16 (95% CI -1.72 to -0.60)) and TAC+TW(SMD, -2.03 (95% CI -2.94 to -1.12)) could significantly superior thancontrol, except for chlorambucil, LEF, RIT and STE. Thechanges of serum creatinine (Scr) was not significantly different between eachtreatments of immunosuppressive agents and the control, except for STE whichhas the possibility of increasing Scr (SMD, 1.00 (95% CI 0.36 to 1.64)).Comparisons among all treatments of immunosuppressive agents showed nostatistical significance in the outcome of relapse. A drenocorticotropichormone (85.1%) showed the lowest probability of relapse under the cumulativeranking curve values among all immunosuppressants. Infection,gastrointestinal symptoms, and bone marrow suppression were the common adverseevents associated with most of the immunosuppressive therapies. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that TAC+TW, TAC and CTX are superior to other immunosuppressive agents in terms of TR and 24 hours UTP. Moreover, they are all at risk of infection, gastrointestinal symptoms, and myelosuppression. Furthermore, TAC could increase the risk of glucose intolerance or new-onset diabetes mellitus. Conversely, STE alone, LEF and MZB seem to have little advantage in clinical treatment of IMN. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42018094228.

Stomatal Conductance and Morphology of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Wheat Plants Response to Elevated CO2 and NaCl Stress.

Stomata play a critical role in the regulation of gas exchange between the interior of the leaf and the exterior environment and are affected by environmental and endogenous stimuli. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, Rhizophagus irregularis, on the stomatal behavior of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants under combination with elevated CO2 and NaCl stress. Wheat seedlings were exposed to ambient (400 ppm) or elevated (700 ppm) CO2 concentrations and 0, 1, and 2 g kg-1 dry soil NaCl treatments for 10 weeks. AM symbiosis increased the leaf area and stomatal density (SD) of the abaxial surface. Stomatal size and the aperture of adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces were higher in the AM than non-AM plants under elevated CO2 and salinity stress. AM plants showed higher stomatal conductance (g s ) and maximum rate of g s to water vapor (g smax ) compared with non-AM plants. Moreover, leaf water potential (Ψ) was increased and carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C) was decreased by AM colonization, and both were significantly associated with stomatal conductance. The results suggest that AM symbiosis alters stomatal morphology by changing SD and the size of the guard cells and stomatal pores, thereby improving the stomatal conductance and water relations of wheat leaves under combined elevated CO2 and salinity stress.

Cold Tolerance of Photosynthetic Electron Transport System Is Enhanced in Wheat Plants Grown Under Elevated CO2.

The effects of CO2 elevation on sensitivity of photosynthetic electron transport system of wheat in relation to low temperature stress are unclear. The performance of photosynthetic electron transport system and antioxidant system in chloroplasts was investigated in a temperature sensitive wheat cultivar Lianmai6 grown under the combination of low temperature (2 days at 2/-1°C in the day/night) and CO2 elevation (800 µmol l-1). It was found that CO2 elevation increased the efficiency of photosynthetic electron transport in wheat exposed to low temperature stress, which was related to the enhanced maximum quantum yield for electron transport beyond QA and the increased quantum yield for reduction of end electron acceptors at the PSI acceptor side in plants under elevated CO2. Also, under low temperature, the activities of ATPases, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase in chloroplasts were enhanced in wheat under elevated CO2. It suggested that the cold tolerance of photosynthetic electron transport system is enhanced by CO2 elevation.

Cold Priming Induced Tolerance to Subsequent Low Temperature Stress is Enhanced by Melatonin Application during Recovery in Wheat.

Cold priming can alleviate the effects of subsequent cold stress on wheat plant growth. Melatonin plays a key role in cold stress response in plants. In this study, the effects of foliar melatonin application during recovery on the cold tolerance of cold primed wheat plants were investigated. It was found that both melatonin and cold priming increased the photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance, enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes, and altered the related gene expressions in wheat under cold stress. Melatonin application is helpful for the photosynthetic carbon assimilation and membrane stability of the cold primed plants under cold stress. These results suggested that foliar melatonin application during recovery enhanced the cold priming induced tolerance to subsequent low temperature stress in wheat.

[Meta-analysis of Yiqi Huoxue method in treating idiopathic membranous nephropathy].

The incidence of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is increasing year by year, and the clinical research on Chinese medicine treatment of INM is also growing. This study aims to evaluate the efficiency and safety of Yiqi Huoxue method for IMN. Data sources used were from PubMed, EMbase, the Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP database. Two researchers independently screened the literature and extracted data. RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meta analysis, and the evidences were graded for the outcomes according to GRADE system by using GRADEprofiler 3.6. Eventually, eleven trials (725 participants) were included in the Meta-analyses. There was statistically significant difference between Yiqi Huoxue method and controls when combining all trials in 24 h UTP [RR=-1.23, 95%CI=(-1.94,-0.53), P=0.000 6] or when combining all trials in ALB [RR=3.56, 95%CI=(1.64, 5.47), P=0.000 3]. Meanwhile, there was statistically significant difference between Yiqi Huoxue method and controls when combining all trials in TC [RR=-0.39, 95%CI=(-0.57, -0.20), P<0.000 1] or when combining all trials in TG [RR=-0.49, 95%CI=(-0.82, -0.15), P=0.004]. However, there was no statistically significant difference between Yiqi Huoxue method and controls when combining all trials in Scr [RR=-3.25, 95%CI=(-9.35, 2.84), P=0.30] or when combining all trials in BUN [RR=-0.81,95%CI=(-2.29, 0.66), P=0.28]. In the statistics, the most frequently used Chinese medicines in clinical application were Astragali Radix, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Chuanxiong Rhizoma, Codonopsis Radix, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizome and Salvia Miltiorrhiza. The present evidences suggested that Yiqi Huoxue method should be thought highly of in the treatment of IMN, and at the same time, the rational use of traditional Chinese medicine, such as Astragali Radix, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Chuanxiong Rhizoma also should be paid attention to. However, due to the GRADE evidence grading of the primary outcome measure of 24 h UTP had very low quality, this review can not provide high-quality evidence to prove the clinical efficacy of this method. More well-designed and large-scale multi-center randomized controlled trials should be conducted in the future for verification.

Melatonin Improves the Photosynthetic Carbon Assimilation and Antioxidant Capacity in Wheat Exposed to Nano-ZnO Stress.

The release of nanoparticles into the environment is inevitable, which has raised global environmental concern. Melatonin is involved in various stress responses in plants. The present study investigated the effects of melatonin on photosynthetic carbon (C) assimilation and plant growth in nano-ZnO stressed plants. It was found that melatonin improved the photosynthetic C assimilation in nano-ZnO stressed wheat plants, mainly due to the enhanced photosynthetic energy transport efficiency, higher chlorophyll concentration and higher activities of Rubisco and ATPases. In addition, melatonin enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes to protect the photosynthetic electron transport system in wheat leaves against the oxidative burst caused by nano-ZnO stress. These results suggest that melatonin could improve the tolerance of wheat plants to nano-ZnO stress.

Do the Powerful Discount the Future Less? The Effects of Power on Temporal Discounting.

Individuals have the tendency to discount rewards in the future, known as temporal discounting, and we find that sense of power (the felt capacity to influence the thinking and behavior of others) reduces such tendency. In Studies 1 and 2, we used both an experiment and a survey with organizational employees to demonstrate that power reduced temporal discounting. In Study 3, we replicated study 1 while exploring a unique cultural trait of Danbo, or indifference to fame and wealth, across two ethnic groups (Han and Tibetan groups) in China. While power reduces temporal discounting, the relationship between the two may be leveraged by individual differences of optimism, frustration, and Danbo. The results imply a more nuanced interpretation of how individual and situational factors can affect intertemporal choice.

[Histopathological analysis of organs submitted by legal medicine experts in Baojii City: 358 forensic identification cases].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze pathological characteristics of organs recovered during forensic autopsy submitted by legal medicine experts. METHODS: From Baoji city, 358 cases of forensic autopsy specimens from a series of routine exams were collected. And histopathological diagnoses were reviewed. RESULTS: Majority of the 358 cases were young men. The major causes of death were trauma, sudden death and poisoning. The cause of death was determined with histology in 250 cases. No typical histological changes were noted in 101 cases. The tissue autolysis and decomposition were present in 7 cases. The major pathological diagnosis was cardiovascular disease, followed by diseases in respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems. CONCLUSION: Forensic autopsy with its professional characteristics, is different from regular autopsy. When diagnosing cause of death by histopathological examination, pathologists should collaborate with legal medicine experts to know the details of the cases, circumstances surrounding the death, and specific forensic pathological characteristics.