Significance Analysis of the Improvement in Postoperative Recovery of Cardiac Surgery Patients Based on the Graded Management Established Using the Delirium Prediction Model.

Objective: To investigate the impact of graded management based on delirium prediction modeling on the improvement of recovery of cardiac surgery patients. Methods: Three hundred and twenty patients admitted to the Department of Critical Care Medicine of Nanjing Hospital affiliated with Nanjing Medical University from June 2021 to December 2023 after Type A aortic coarctation were selected as study subjects. They were grouped according to the randomized scale method and divided into 160 cases in each the control group and the observation group. In the control group, conventional nursing measures were adopted, and in the observation group, graded nursing interventions were carried out according to the established delirium risk prediction model. Comparison between the two groups in terms of the intensive care unit (ICU) monitoring time, hospitalization time, duration of delirium, and delirium incidence, and investigated nursing satisfaction, and quality of care scores. Results: Compared with the control group, the observation group's ICU custody time, hospitalization time, and delirium duration, decreased, and the quality of care, and satisfaction increased (P < .05). At the same time, the incidence of delirium in the observation group was also lower than that in the control group (P < .05). Conclusion: The graded management based on the delirium prediction model can effectively reduce the incidence of postoperative delirium in critically ill patients with Type A aortic coarctation, and at the same time improve patient satisfaction and quality of care.

Evaluating the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture on serum uric acid in asymptomatic hyperuricemia population: a randomized controlled clinical trial study protocol.

Background: The clinical dangers of asymptomatic hyperuricemia to human health have become increasingly prominent over the past 20 years. Previous studies have shown the potential benefits of acupuncture on uric acid levels in the body. However, definitive evidence is lacking. Our objective is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture on serum uric acid (SUA) in individuals with asymptomatic hyperuricemia. Methods: This is a randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled trial. A total of 180 eligible patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia will be recruited at three hospitals in China. Patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive 16 sessions of manual acupuncture or sham acupuncture for 8 weeks. Patients will be followed up for 12 weeks. The primary outcome will be the change in SUA levels at week 8 after randomization. Secondary outcomes will include dynamic changes in SUA levels, efficacy rates, proportion of gout flare, body weight, and acute medication intake. The MGH Acupuncture Sensation Scale and adverse events related to acupuncture will be measured after each treatment. A blinding assessment will be performed on patients who receive at least one session of acupuncture. Data analyses will be performed on a full analysis set and a per-protocol set. Ethics and dissemination: Ethics approval has been obtained from the Clinical Trial Ethics Committee of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (approval no. 2021-S135). Written informed consent will be obtained from enrolled patients. The findings will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT05406830.

Effectiveness and safety of Jiuwei Zhenxin granules for treating generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a chronic disorder characterized by excessive, pervasive, persistent worrying that is difficult to control. Jiuwei Zhenxin granules may be safer and more effective than non-benzodiazepine anti-anxiety drugs for treating GAD. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of Jiuwei Zhenxin granules alone or in combination with the benzodiazepine alprazolam. Materials and methods: A total of 710 patients were recruited from outpatient clinics and were randomly divided into two groups to receive Jiuwei Zhenxin granules (single drug group) or Jiuwei Zhenxin granules and alprazolam (combination group). The primary outcome was the response rate, which was defined as a ≥ 50% reduction from the baseline total score on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA). Secondary outcome measures included mean changes in HAMA total score, psychological and somatic factors, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale total score, and SF-36 health survey score. Results: At 4 weeks after treatment, the single and combination treatment groups showed significant improvement in the HAMA total score and they did not differ significantly in response rate (77.58 vs. 79.17%) or rate of adverse drug reactions (16.22 vs. 16.07%). Conclusion: Jiuwei Zhenxin granules are an effective, safe, and well-tolerated treatment against GAD. Combining them with alprazolam may not significantly improve efficacy. Clinical trial registration: [www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [CHICTR1800020095].

The Clinical Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma versus Conventional Drug Injection in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Knee osteoarthritis is a common chronic degenerative joint disease in middle-aged and elderly people. Intra-articular injection for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis is a regularly utilized nonsurgical treatment in modern medicine. Hyaluronic acid (HA) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) are two frequently employed intra-articular devices. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is an accepted nonsurgical treatment for symptomatic KOA, and platelet-rich plasma is a popular option in the treatment of KOA in recent years. The purpose of this research is to compare the efficacy and safety of intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) versus hyaluronic acid (HA) on the pain score scale, knee function, and related inflammatory biomarkers in KOA patients using a clinical randomized controlled trial. Participants are being randomized into either the hyaluronic acid (HA) or into the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) group. All patients receive 4 weeks of treatment (once a week), and well-being support and quadriceps training (3 times a week). The primary outcomes are measured using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and the visual analog scale (VAS). The secondary outcomes include the activities of daily living score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein testing, interleukin-6 levels, and X-ray examination. In order to monitor the occurrence of irregularities and abnormalities, patients are assessed at each visit, and restorative treatment is given if necessary. The results of this clinical trial will verify the efficacy of PRP and HA in the treatment of KOA and provide important evidence for the clinical treatment of KOA. The trial was enlisted at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on 26 September 2020 (ChiCTR2000038635).

Oryza sativa PECTIN DEFECTIVE TAPETUM1 affects anther development through a pectin-mediated signaling pathway in rice.

Galacturonosyltransferase (GalAT) is required for the synthesis of pectin, an important component of plant cell walls that is also involved in signal transduction. Here, we describe the rice (Oryza sativa) male-sterile mutant O. sativa pectin-defective tapetum1 (ospdt1), in which GalAT is mutated. The ospdt1 mutant exhibited premature programmed cell death (PCD) of the tapetum and disordered pollen walls, resulting in aborted pollen grains. Pectin distribution in the anther sac was comparable between the mutant and the wild-type, suggesting that the structural pectin was not dramatically affected in ospdt1. Wall-associated kinases are necessary for the signal transduction of pectin, and the intracellular distribution of O. sativa indica WALL-ASSOCIATED KINASE1 (OsiWAK1), which binds pectic polysaccharides to its extracellular domain, was affected in ospdt1. OsiWAK1 RNA interference lines exhibited earlier tapetal PCD, similar to ospdt1. Furthermore, overexpression of OsiWAK1 in ospdt1 lines partially rescued the defects observed in ospdt1, suggesting that OsiWAK1 plays pivotal roles in the function of OsPDT1. These results suggest that the mutation of OsPDT1 does not dramatically affect structural pectin but affects components of the pectin-mediated signaling pathway, such as OsiWAK1, and causes male sterility.

OsMYB103 is essential for tapetum degradation in rice.

KEY MESSAGE: OsMYB103 positively regulates tapetum degradation, and functions downstream of TDR and upstream of EAT1 and PTC1. The precise regulation of programmed cell death (PCD) of the tapetum is crucial for the development of anthers and pollen in rice. In this study, we isolated and identified a male-sterile mutant of rice, osmyb103, which exhibited delayed tapetum degradation and defective mature pollen. Map-based cloning and genetic complementation revealed that OsMYB103 corresponded to the gene LOC_Os04g39470 and encoded a R2R3 MYB transcription factor. OsMYB103 was localized in the nucleus and was expressed preferentially in the tapetal cells and microspores of the anther. OsMYB103 regulated the expression of two transcription factors, ETERNAL TAPETUM 1 (EAT1) and PERSISTENT TAPETAL CELL 1 (PTC1), both of which regulated tapetum degradation positively. Moreover, the expression of OsMYB103 was directly regulated by the additional positive regulator of tapetum degradation TAPETUM DEGENERATION RETARDATION (TDR) and was able to interact with it. Genetic evidence confirmed that OsMYB103 acted upstream of EAT1. The results show that OsMYB103 is a positive regulator of tapetum degradation in rice. These findings provide a better understanding of the regulatory network that underlies degradation of the tapetum in rice.

OsFLA1 encodes a fasciclin-like arabinogalactan protein and affects pollen exine development in rice.

KEY MESSAGE: OsFLA1 positively regulates pollen exine development, and locates in the cellular membrane. Arabinogalactan proteins are a type of hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein that are present in all plant tissues and cells and play important roles in plant growth and development. Little information is available on the participation of fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins in sexual reproduction in rice. In this study, a rice male-sterile mutant, osfla1, was isolated from an ethylmethanesulfonate-induced mutant library. The osfla1 mutant produced withered, shrunken, and abortive pollen. The gene OsFLA1 encoded a FLA protein and was expressed strongly in the anthers in rice. Subcellular localization showed that OsFLA1 was located in the cellular membrane. In the osfla1 mutant, abnormal Ubisch bodies and a discontinuous nexine layer of the microspore wall were observed, which resulted in pollen abortion and ultimately in male sterility. The results show the important role that OsFLA1 plays in male reproductive development in rice.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Dendrobium christyanum and its phylogenetic analysis.

Dendrobium christyanum H.G. Reichenbach (Orchidaceae) is used as a source of the Chinese traditional medicine. Here, we report that the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of D. christyanum is 157972 bp in length with134 genes, of which 114 are unique genes (80 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNAs, and 4 rRNAs). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that D. christyanum was closely related to D. strongylanthum, and D. longicornu. The newly sequenced cp genome will be useful for the phylogenetic and genetic conservation studies of Dendrobium.

Fabrication of Bacterial Cellulose-Based Dressings for Promoting Infected Wound Healing.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) holds several unique properties such as high water retention capability, flexibility, biocompatibility, and high absorption capacity. All these features make it a potential material for wound healing applications. However, it lacks antibacterial properties, which hampers its applications for infectious wound healings. This study reported BC-based dressings containing ε-polylysine (ε-PL), cross-linked by a biocompatible and mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) for promoting infectious wound healing. BC membranes were coated with PDA by a simple self-polymerization process, followed by treating with different contents of ε-PL. The resulted membranes showed strong antibacterial properties against tested bacteria by both in vitro and in vivo evaluations. The membranes also exhibited hemocompatibility and cytocompatibility by in vitro investigations. Moreover, the functionalized membranes promoted infected wound healing using Sprague-Dawley rats as a model animal. A complete wound healing was observed in the group treated with functionalized membranes, while wounds were still open for control and pure BC groups in the same duration. Histological investigations indicated that the thickness of newborn skin was greater and smoother in the groups treated with modified membranes in comparison to neat BC or control groups. These results revealed that the functionalized membranes have great potential as a dressing material for infected wounds in future clinical applications.

The Role of Dietary Fiber Supplementation in Regulating Uremic Toxins in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVES: The results of previously published meta-analyses showed that dietary fiber could reduce the levels of p-cresyl sulfate, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, these results were based on some trials with pre-post design and randomized controlled trials of low quality. Additionally, it has been suggested that the dosage and duration of fiber supplementation and patients' characteristics potentially influence the effect of dietary fiber in reducing uremic toxins, but it would appear that no research has provided reliable evidence. DESIGN AND METHODS: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Data were pooled by the generic inverse variance method using random effects models and expressed as standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Heterogeneity was quantified by I2. Publication bias was evaluated by Egger's test. RESULTS: Ten randomized controlled trials involving 292 patients with CKD were identified. Dietary fiber supplementation can significantly reduce the levels of indoxyl sulfate (SMD = -0.55, 95% CI = -1.04, -0.07, P = .03), p-cresyl sulfate (SMD = -0.47, 95% CI = -0.82, -0.13, P < .01), blood urea nitrogen (SMD = -0.31, 95% CI = -0.58, -0.03, P = .03), and uric acid (SMD = -0.60, 95% CI = -1.02, -0.18, P < .01), but not on reducing creatinine (SMD = -0.31, 95% CI = -0.73, 0.11, P = .14). In subgroup analyses, the reduction of indoxyl sulfate was more obvious among patients on dialysis than patients not on dialysis (P for interaction = .03); the reduction of creatinine was more obvious among patients without diabetes than those with diabetes (P for interaction <.01). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis indicates that dietary fiber supplementation can significantly reduce the levels of uremic toxins in patients with CKD, with evidence for a more obvious effect of patients on dialysis and without diabetes. These findings inform recommendations for using dietary fiber to reducing the uremic toxin among CKD patients in clinical practice.