Phylogeny, character evolution, and biogeography of the fern genus Bolbitis (Dryopteridaceae).

Bolbitis is a pantropical fern genus of Dryopteridaceae with ca. 80 species mainly in tropical Asia. Earlier studies confirmed the monophyly of Bolbitis when Mickelia is excluded and identified three major clades in Bolbitis. However, earlier studies are based on relatively small sampling and the majority of Asian species are not sampled. In this study, DNA sequences of three plastid markers of 169 accessions representing ca. 68 (85 % of total) species of Bolbitis in nine out of the 10 series recognized by Hennipman (1977), and 54 accessions representing the five remaining bolbitidoid genera are used to infer a global phylogeny with a focus on Asian species. The major results include: (1) Bolbitis is strongly supported as monophyletic; (2) species of Bolbitis are resolved into four major clades and their relationships are: the Malagasy/Mascarene clade is sister to the rest, followed by the African clade which is sister to the American clade + the Asian clade; (3) six well-supported subclades are identified in the most speciose Asian clade; (4) the free-veined Egenolfia is embedded in Bolbitis and is paraphyletic in relation to species with anastomosing venation; (5) three series sensu Hennipman (1977), B. ser. Alienae, B. ser. Egenolfianae, and B. ser. Heteroclitae, are paraphyletic or polyphyletic; (6) evolution of six morphological characters is analyzed and free venation is found to have evolved from anastomosing venation and reversed to free venation in Bolbitis; and (7) biogeographical implications are drawn and it is shown that a single recent dispersal from Asia resulted in continental disjunction of closely related ferns of Bolbitis between Africa and America.

[The safety and efficacy of regional citrate anticoagulation in sustained low efficiency dialysis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of regional citrate anticoagulation in sustained low efficiency dialysis (SLED). METHODS: A total of 45 patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) or end stage renal disease (ESRD) admitted in our hospital from August 2011 to September 2012 were prospectively enrolled in this study. All the patients received SLED treatment by Fresenius 4008sARrTplus dialyzer through either femoral or internal jugular venous catheter, with each session of SLED treatment lasting for 8 hours. All the patients were pumped in 4% tri-sodium citrate solution through the arterial line at 130 ml/hour and 10% calcium gluconate through the venous line at 40 ml/hour. The blood flow was 150 ml/minute while the calcium-free dialysate was delivered at 200 ml/minute. Systemic citrate concentration, peripheral and post dialyzer ionized calcium levels at 0, 2 and 5 hour were recorded. RESULTS: All the 45 patients underwent 162 sessions of SLED with 2 were discontinued due to III° dialyzer coagulation, and other 160 SLED sessions (98.8%) were all successfully performed. The systemic citrate concentration at 0 hour was (0.14 ± 0.06) mmol/L, the systemic citrate concentrations at 2 and 5 hour were slightly increased while no statistical difference was found[(1.08 ± 0.12) mmol/L vs (1.11 ± 0.17) mmol/L, P > 0.05]. The 0, 2, 5 hour peripheral blood ionized calcium levels were (1.04 ± 0.13) mmol/L, (1.07 ± 0.23) mmol/L and (1.04 ± 0.24) mmol/L, respectively, with no significant difference (P > 0.05). The post dialyzer ionized calcium levels were (0.31 ± 0.04) mmol/L at 2 hour and (0.29 ± 0.03) mmol/L at 5 hour. The transmembrane pressure at 2 hour was (104.5 ± 17.8) mm Hg(1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa), and (109.3 ± 20.1) mm Hg at 5 hour, however the increase was not of statistical significance (P > 0.05). At 5 hour, prothrombin time and activated partial thrombin time were identified to be similar to those before SLED. During the treatments, no bleeding complication, thrombocytopenia, cardiac arrhythmia, hypernatremia, metabolic alkalosis or hypotension was observed. CONCLUSION: SLED under regional citrate anticoagulation is safe and effective. Citrate achieves satisfying regional anticoagulation effect without interfering systemic clotting function, thus this study provides a new option of SLED anticoagulation for clinicians.

The complete chloroplast genome of Eastern Asian fern Bolbitis laxireticulata (Dryopteridaceae).

Bolbitis laxireticulata is a potential ornamental plant, which is restricted to eastern Asia. Here, we sequenced the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of B. laxireticulata and constructed a phylogenetic cp tree of Dryopteridaceae to study their relationships. The cp genome of B. laxireticulata is 153,093 bp in length, being made up of large single-copy (LSC, 83,169 bp), small single-copy (SSC, 21,538 bp), and a pair of region inverted repeats (IRs, 24,193 bp). It has 124 genes including 83 protein-coding genes, 33 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. With the maximum-likelihood tree indicating, B. laxireticulata is more closely related to B. subcordata.

The application of a high-density street-level air temperature observation network (HiSAN): The relationship between air temperature, urban development, and geographic features.

The urban heat island effect in cities has become an important problem in relation to not only urban climate but also public health and urban planning. Tainan, which located in Southern Taiwan, is a compact city with intense development. Therefore, this study investigated the urban thermal condition by employing a high-density street-level air temperature observation network (HiSAN). A total of 100 measurement points were set in various urban development areas. The geographic factors in Tainan can be used for indicating the relationship between thermal conditions and urban built environments to comprehensively compare the approaches, such as conducting traverse measurement and utilizing only a single datum or a small amount of weather station data. Buffer zone analysis was used in this study for zones of different sizes, and it was determined that a 300-m scale is optimal to illustrate the effects of land features on microclimate. The results revealed that the thermal condition in Tainan is influenced by urban development factors, such as the floor area and land cover area, and by geographic factors, such as the distance to the sea. A better cooling effect can be obtained from a vegetation area during the night time and from a water body during the daytime. Moreover, different cooling effects are observed based on the distance to the sea. Through these results, a model for predicting the thermal condition for different periods can be established using a multiple regression model. Urban planners and architects can proffer design and planning suggestions for different areas based on the findings of this study to reduce thermal stress in urban areas.

Effects of Cyclosporine A on the Development of Metanephros in the Pregnant BALB/c Mice.

BACKGROUND:: Cyclosporine A (CsA) is a commonly used clinical immunosuppressant. However, CsA exposure in rabbits during the gestation period was shown to cause a postnatal decrease in the number of nephrons, with the effects remaining unknown. In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of CsA on metanephros development in the pregnant BALB/c mice. METHODS:: Pregnant mice were randomly divided into two groups, and CsA (10 mg·kg-1·d-1) was subcutaneously injected from gestation day 10.5 to day 16.5 in the CsA group, whereas a comparable volume of normal saline was given to the control group. All of the mice were sacrificed on gestation day 17.5 and serum CsA concentration was measured. The fetuses were removed and weighed, and their kidneys were prepared for histological assessment and polymerase chain reaction assay. In an in vitro experiment, embryo kidneys of fetal mice on gestation day 12.5 were used, and CsA (10 µmol/L) was added in the culture of the CsA group. The growth pattern of the ureteric bud and nephrons was assessed by lectin staining. RESULTS:: No significant differences in the weight of embryo (4.54 ± 1.22 vs. 3.26 ± 1.09 mg) were observed between the CsA and control groups, the thickness of the cortical (510.0 ± 30.3 vs. 350.0 ± 29.7 µm, P < 0.05) and nephrogenic zone (272.5 ± 17.2 vs. 173.3 ± 24.0 µm, P < 0.05), and the number of glomeruli (36.5 ± 0.7 vs. 27.5 ± 2.1, P < 0.05) were reduced in the CsA group when compared to the control group. The cell proliferation of Ki-67 positive index between control and CsA group (307.0 ± 20.0 vs. 219.0 ± 25.0, P < 0.05) in the nephrogenic zone was decreased with the increase of apoptotic cells (17.0 ± 2.0 vs. 159.0 ± 33.0, P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of WT-1, Pax2, and Pax8 was downregulated by CsA treatment. As for the in vitro CsA group, the branch number of the ureteric bud was decreased in the CsA-treated group with the nephrons missing in contrast to control after the incubation for 24 h and 72 h (all P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION:: Treatment of CsA suppressed metanephros development in the pregnant mice; however, the potential action of mechanism needs to be further investigated.

Citrate versus unfractionated heparin for anticoagulation in continuous renal replacement therapy.

BACKGROUND: Unfractionated heparin is the most commonly used anticoagulant in continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), but it can increase the risk of bleeding. Citrate is a promising substitute. Our study was to assess the efficacy and safety of citrate versus unfractionated heparin in CRRT. METHODS: We searched the MEDLINE, the EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database until up to November 2011 for randomized controlled trials comparing citrate with unfractionated heparin in adult patients with acute kidney injury prescribed CRRT. The primary outcome was mortality and the secondary outcomes included circuit survival, control of uremia, risk of bleeding, transfusion rates, acid-base statuses, and disturbance of sodium and calcium homeostasis. RESULTS: Four trials met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis found no significant difference between two anticoagulants on mortality. Less bleeding and more hypocalcemic episodes were with citrate. Citrate was superior or comparable to unfractionated heparin in circuit life. CONCLUSIONS: Citrate anticoagulation in CRRT seems to be superior in reducing bleeding risk and with a longer or similar circuit life, although there is more metabolic derangement. Mortality superiority has not been approved.