Determination of Azole Fungicide Residues in Fresh Juice by Magnetic Solid Phase Extraction Based on Fe3O4@ZnAl-LDH@MIL-53(Al) Sorbent in Combination with High-Performance Liquid Chromatograph.

In this work, a magnetic adsorption material based on metal-organic framework (Fe3O4@ZnAl-LDH@MIL-53(Al)) was synthesized and used as an adsorbent in the process of magnetic solid phase extraction. Then, a high-performance liquid chromatograph was used to quantitatively detect triazole fungicides in samples. In order to verify the successful preparation of the material, a series of characterization analyses were carried out. Besides, the key parameters that may affect the extraction efficiency have been optimized, and under optimal conditions the three triazole fungicides showed good linearity in the range of 10-1000 µg/L (R2 ≥ 0.9796); Limit of detections were ranged from 0.013 to 0.030 µg/mL. Finally, the established method was applied to the detection of triazole fungicides in four fresh juice samples. The results showed that the target analyte was not detected in all the test samples. By detecting the recoveries (73.3-104.3%) and coefficient variation (RSD ≤ 6.8%) of triazole fungicides in fortified samples, it proved that this established method meets the requirements of pesticide residue analysis and showed excellent application potential.

The plastid-localized lipoamide dehydrogenase 1 is crucial for redox homeostasis, tolerance to arsenic stress and fatty acid biosynthesis in rice.

Soil contamination with arsenic (As) can cause phytotoxicity and reduce crop yield. The mechanisms of As toxicity and tolerance are not fully understood. In this study, we used a forward genetics approach to isolate a rice mutant, ahs1, that exhibits hypersensitivity to both arsenate and arsenite. Through genomic resequencing and complementation tests, we identified OsLPD1 as the causal gene, which encodes a putative lipoamide dehydrogenase. OsLPD1 was expressed in the outer cell layer of roots, root meristem cells, and in the mesophyll and vascular tissues of leaves. Subcellular localization and immunoblot analysis demonstrated that OsLPD1 is localized in the stroma of plastids. In vitro assays showed that OsLPD1 exhibited lipoamide dehydrogenase (LPD) activity, which was strongly inhibited by arsenite, but not by arsenate. The ahs1 and OsLPD1 knockout mutants exhibited significantly reduced NADH/NAD+ and GSH/GSSG ratios, along with increased levels of reactive oxygen species and greater oxidative stress in the roots compared with wild-type (WT) plants under As treatment. Additionally, loss-of-function of OsLPD1 also resulted in decreased fatty acid concentrations in rice grain. Taken together, our finding reveals that OsLPD1 plays an important role for maintaining redox homeostasis, conferring tolerance to arsenic stress, and regulating fatty acid biosynthesis in rice.

The acceptance of traditional Chinese medicine among patients with Parkinson's disease: A hospital survey.

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy of medications for Parkinson's disease (PD) tend to decline over time, which has a serious impact on patients' health and quality of life. To some extent, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can resolve the distressing problem of ineffective dopaminergic medication in PD patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitude, acceptance, and independent predictors of TCM in PD patients admitted to the outpatient department of a tertiary hospital. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of PD patients was conducted in the outpatient department of a large tertiary hospital in Beijing from March 2022 to June 2023. A self-report questionnaire was developed to investigate PD patients' attitudes and acceptance of TCM based on the questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were also performed to further clarify the independent predictors influencing patients' adoption of TCM therapy. RESULTS: A total of 397 patients completed the questionnaire, of which 78.09% were willing to be treated with TCM and 21.91% indicated that they were not willing to use TCM. Multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that several parameters were correlated with a patient's willingness to include TCM in their therapeutic regime. These included education level of a bachelor's degree (odds ratio [OR) = 8.554; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.112-17.794; P < 0.001, vs junior high school education), living in an urban setting (OR = 8.022; 95% CI: 4.577-14.060; P < 0.001, vs rural), having other underlying diseases (OR = 5.126; 95% CI: 3.078-8.537; P < 0.001, vs none), having previously used TCM (OR = 3.083; 95% CI: 1.852-5.134; P < 0.001, vs not used), believing that TCM therapy is safe (OR = 3.530; 95% CI: 1.446-8.616; P = 0.006, vs not thought), believing that TCM therapy is effective (OR = 3.859; 95% CI: 1.482-10.047; P = 0.006, vs not understood), and being willing to discuss ongoing TCM therapy with an attending physician (OR = 62.468; 95% CI: 30.350-128.574; P < 0.001, vs not informed). CONCLUSION: This study initially investigated the acceptance, attitude, and independent predictors of TCM use among PD patients. To expand the prevalence of TCM use among patients with PD, we recommend to broadening the public outreach for TCM via contemporary means of Internet and broadcast communication, enhancing access to TCM services in rural communities, and strengthening the communication between doctors and patients. Please cite this article as: Wang P, Hong J, Tang ZQ, Gong BZ, Qi XR, Jiang H, Pan B, Chen Q. The acceptance of traditional Chinese medicine among patients with Parkinson's disease: A hospital survey. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(2): 180-187.

Editing Silicon Transporter Genes to Reduce Arsenic Accumulation in Rice.

Rice is a dominant source of inorganic arsenic (As) exposure for populations consuming rice as a staple food. Decreasing As accumulation in rice grain is important for improving food safety. Arsenite [As(III)], the main form of As in paddy soil porewater, is taken up inadvertently by OsLsi1 and OsLsi2, the two key transporters for silicon (Si) uptake in rice roots. Here, we investigated whether editing OsLsi1 or OsLsi2 can decrease As accumulation in rice grain without compromising grain yield. We used the CRISPR-Cas9 technology to edit the promoter region of OsLsi1 and the C-terminal coding sequence of OsLsi1 and OsLsi2, and we generated a total of 27 mutants. Uptake and accumulation of Si and As were evaluated in both short-term hydroponic experiments and in a paddy field. Deletion of 1.2-2 kb of the OsLsi1 promoter suppressed OsLsi1 expression in roots and Si uptake markedly and did not affect As(III) uptake or grain As concentration. Some of the OsLsi1 and OsLsi2 coding sequence mutants showed large decreases in the uptake of Si and As(III) as well as large decreases in Si accumulation in rice husks. However, only OsLsi2 mutants showed significant decreases (by up to 63%) in the grain total As concentration. Editing OsLsi2 mainly affected the accumulation of inorganic As in rice grain with little effect on the accumulation of dimethylarsenate (DMA). Grain yields of the OsLsi2 mutants were comparable to those of the wild type. Editing OsLsi2 provides a promising way to reduce As accumulation in rice grain without compromising the grain yield.

Effects of silver nanoparticles and various forms of silver on nitrogen removal by the denitrifier Pseudomonas stutzeri and their toxicity mechanisms.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in daily life and industry because of their excellent antibacterial properties. AgNPs can exist in wastewater in various forms, such as Ag+, Ag2SO4, Ag2CO3, Ag2S, Ag2O, and AgCl. To assess the potential environmental risk of AgNPs and various forms of Ag, their toxic effects were investigated using the common denitrifier species Pseudomonas stutzeri (P. stutzeri). The inhibitory effect of AgNPs and various forms of Ag on P. stutzeri growth and its denitrification performance occurred in a concentration-dependent manner. The denitrification efficiency of P. stutzeri decreased from 95%∼97% to 89∼95%, 74∼95%, and 56∼85% under low, medium, and high exposure doses, respectively, of AgNPs and various forms of Ag. The changes in cell membrane morphology and increases in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release indicated that AgNPs and various forms of Ag damaged the cell membrane of P. stutzeri. Oxidative stress caused by excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and decreased glutathione (GSH) levels. Overall, this study will help elucidate the impact of AgNPs and their transformation products on nitrogen removal efficiency in wastewater biological treatment systems.

Autologous Costal Osteochondral Transplantation for Cystic Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus: Feasible and Effective.

OBJECTIVE: Osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) is a common and clinically challenging disease. The optimal management is still under debate. The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the feasibility and clinical outcomes of autologous costal osteochondral transplantation (ACOT) for the treatment of cystic OLT. METHODS: From November 2021 to April 2023, five patients underwent autologous costal osteochondral transplantation (ACOT) for cystic OLT. The demographic data was described, including age, gender, lesion size and location. We prospectively evaluated their functional and imaging outcomes of the five patients for 12 months postoperatively, including numeric rating score (NRS) for pain when walking, Tegner score, American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) score and Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) score, and imaging results. A paired t-test was used for preoperative and postoperative comparison of the paired-design dataset. RESULTS: The average age was 36.6 ± 11.1 years. The average diameter of chondral lesions was 14.95 ± 2.71 mm, the average diameter of subchondral cysts was 10.66 ± 1.84 mm, and their average depth was 10.40 ± 1.86 mm. At 12 months postoperatively, the clinical function indexes improved significantly, including NRS (from 5.2 ± 2.3 to 0), Tegner score (from 3.2 ± 0.4 to 5.8 ± 0.4), AOFAS score (from 72.8 ± 10.0 to 98.2 ± 4.0), and FAAM score (FAAM/ADL from 61.2 ± 24.7 to 99.3 ± 1.6; FAAM/Sports from 32.5 ± 13.73 to 96.3 ± 8.4). Their magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) scores reached 78.0 ± 7.6 points. ICRS scores of three patients were nearly normal (10 or 11 points). The biopsy of the surviving grafts showed plenty of hyaline cartilage matrix and scattered chondrocytes histologically. No major severe complications were reported during the 12 months follow-up. CONCLUSION: ACOT could significantly relieve the symptoms of patients with OLT and improve their clinical function at short-term follow-up. ACOT might be a feasible and useful method for repairing OLT with subchondral cysts.

Chronic subdural hematoma caused by excessive drainage in a patient with ventriculoperitoneal shunt valve breakdown in brain injury: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) often occurs 3 weeks to 3 months after brain injury, which is mainly caused by bleeding of the bridging vein. For patients with ventriculoperitoneal (V-P) shunt, excessive drainage can also cause CSDH. We present a rare case of CSDH caused by shunt valve breakdown in brain injury. CASE REPORT: We report a 68-year-old man with V-P shunt for 8 years. He presented with bilateral CSDH with disappearance of lateral ventricles nearly 1 month after a brain injury caused by being hit with a stick. After burr hole drainage (BHD), the patient's symptoms improved and lateral ventricles reappeared, but disappeared rapidly with CSDH recurrence within a short time. We considered the cause to be medium pressure shunt valve breakdown caused by hitting with a stick, which was confirmed by the engineer's test after the operation and excessive drainage of cerebrospinal fluid. BHD replaced the adjustable pressure shunt valve, and the patient recovered. CONCLUSION: V-P shunt is a common operation in neurosurgery, and postoperative shunt valve breakdown may lead to poor outcome. We report a rare case of CSDH caused by shunt valve breakdown due to excessive external forces, suggesting that patients after V-P shunt should pay attention to the protection of the shunt valve.

The role of differentially expressed miR-660 in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the significance of miRNA expression levels in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients clinically diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. METHOD: Pulmonary tuberculosis-related datasets in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were analyzed, and DE-miRNAs were screened for Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment to construct a DE-miRNA-DE-mRNA network. The peripheral blood lymphocytes of 10 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, 10 patients with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis and 10 healthy volunteers were selected for validation of RNA expression levels. qRT-PCR was done to verify the expression of DE-miRNA, and western blotting was done to check the expression levels of genes of associated pathways. RESULTS: Differential expression of miR-660 was found in pulmonary tuberculosis through data analysis and literature mining. The differential expression was also confirmed by qRT-PCR in samples from patients and healthy controls. The expression of miR-660 was significantly upregulated (p < 0.01) in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and rifampicin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis compared with the healthy controls. According to western blotting results, the expression levels of P-NF-κB and AKT in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and NF-κB, P-NF-κB, AKT and p-AKT in patients with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis were significantly upregulated (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The high expression levels of miR-660 may activate the AKT/NF-κB signalling pathway and has the potential to serve as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Severe spontaneous acute arterial subdural hematoma as an initial symptom of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Acute subdural hematoma (SDH) is a rare occurrence in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients with only two cases reported in literature. However, sudden severe acute SDH caused by CML has not been reported on. Our patient was admitted for 'sudden unconsciousness for more than 1 hour'. Computed tomography (CT) angiography revealed a large amount of acute SDH on the left side. Physical exam showed the patient's left pupil was dilated and signs of cerebral herniation were present. The preoperative coagulation profile was normal. Emergency craniotomy for hematoma clearance and decompression was performed. During the surgery, a ruptured cerebral artery was located in the perisylvian region and hemostasis was achieved through electrocautery. Pre-operative white blood count was 58,100 cell/µl, with post-operative bone marrow examination、cytogenetic analysis and RT-PCR detection revealing a diagnosis of CML, for which hydroxyurea chemotherapy was initiated. Leukocyte count of the patient gradually returned to normal. After 24 days, the patient regained consciousness and on day 30, repeat CT scan showed no SDH recurrence. The patient recovered with no neurological deficits and achieved a good prognosis.

Reduction of Dimethylarsenate to Highly Toxic Dimethylarsenite in Paddy Soil and Rice Plants.

Dimethylarsenate [DMAs(V)] is a common methylated As species in soils and plants and can cause the physiological disorder straighthead disease in rice. Because DMAs(V) is relatively noncytotoxic, we hypothesize that phytotoxicity of DMAs(V) may arise from trivalent dimethylarsenite [DMAs(III)]. DMAs(III) has been detected in human urine samples but not in environmental samples, likely due to its instability under oxic conditions. We first established methods for preservation and detections of DMAs(III) in soil and plant samples. We showed that DMAs(III) was a major As species in soil solution from an anoxic paddy soil. Enrichment cultures for fermentative, sulfate-reducing, and denitrifying bacteria from the paddy soil could reduce DMAs(V) to DMAs(III). Twenty-two strains of anaerobic bacteria isolated from the soil showed some ability to reduce DMAs(V). Rice plants grown in hydroponic culture with DMAs(V) also showed the ability to reduce DMAs(V) to DMAs(III). Rice plants and grains grown in a flooded paddy soil contained both DMAs(V) and DMAs(III); their concentrations were higher in the spikelets with straighthead disease than those without. DMAs(III) was much more toxic to the protoplasts isolated from rice plants than DMAs(V). Taken together, the ability to reduce DMAs(V) to highly toxic DMAs(III) is common to soil anaerobes and rice plants.

Response of electron transfer capacity of humic substances to soil microenvironment.

The humic substances (HS) - mediated electron transfer process is of great significance to the reduction and degradation of pollutants and the improvement of soil quality. Different soil conditions lead to different characteristics of HS, resulting in differences in the electron transfer capacity (ETC) of HS. It is unclear how the environmental conditions in soil affect the ETC by affecting on HS. In this study, the response relationship of soil microenvironment, HS and ETC has been studied. The results show that the ETC follows the descending order of: Langshan > Nanchang > Anqing > Beijing > Guilin. There were significant differences in ETC in soil HS in different regions. There were significant differences in electron-donating capacity (EDC) in soil HS in different regions and depths. EDC in soil was higher than electron-accepting capacity (EAC), and on average, are 22.4 times higher than the EAC. The HS components of soils in different regions are different. The most significant differences were in tyrosine-like substances and soluble microbial by-products (SMPs). The five components of the soil HS from Langshan were the most different from those in other regions. There were differences in SMPs and humic-like substances in soils of different depths in Anqing and Guilin. ETC can be affected by the composition of HS components in different regions. The composition of HS at different soil depths in the same regions had little effect on ETC. SMPs can promote ETC and EDC, and tyrosine-like substance can promote EDC. Moisture content, pH and TOC are the main factors affecting the composition of HS components. This results can provide a research basis for the sustainable and safe utilization of agricultural soil.

Widespread Occurrence of the Highly Toxic Dimethylated Monothioarsenate (DMMTA) in Rice Globally.

Arsenic (As) accumulation in rice is of global concern for human health and international trade. Rice is typically reported to contain inorganic As (iAs) and dimethylated arsenate (DMA), with current food guidelines limiting toxic iAs but not less-toxic DMA. Here, we show that the highly toxic dimethylated monothioarsenate (DMMTA) is also found in rice worldwide and has been unknowingly determined as less-toxic DMA by previous routine analytical methods. Using enzymatic extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) analysis with a C18 column, DMMTA was detected in rice grains (n = 103) from a field survey from China and in polished rice grains (n = 140) from a global market-basket survey. Concentration ranged from <0.20 to 34.8 µg/kg (median 10.3 µg/kg), accounting for 0 to 21% of total As. A strong linear correlation was observed in all rice samples between DMA and DMMTA (being 30 ± 8% of DMA) concentrations. This robust relationship allows an estimation of DMMTA in rice grains from the DMA data reported in previous market-basket surveys, showing a general global geographical pattern with DMMTA concentration increasing from the equator toward high-latitude regions. Based on the global occurrence and potential high toxicity, DMMTA in rice should be considered in health risk assessments and for setting food regulations.

The effect of grain shape and material on the nonlocal rheology of dense granular flows.

Nonlocal rheologies allow for the modeling of granular flows from the creeping to intermediate flow regimes, using a small number of parameters. In this paper, we report on experiments testing how particle properties affect the model parameters used in the Kamrin & Koval cooperative nonlocal model, using particles of three different shapes (circles, ellipses, and pentagons) and three different materials, including one which allows for the measurement of stresses via photoelasticity. Our experiments are performed on a quasi-2D annular shear cell with a rotating inner wall and a fixed outer wall. Each type of particle is found to exhibit flows which are well-fit by nonlocal rheology, with each particle having a distinct triad of the local, nonlocal, and frictional parameters. While the local parameter b is always approximately unity, the nonlocal parameter A depends sensitively on both the particle shape and material. The critical stress ratio µs, above which Coulomb failure occurs, varies for particles with the same material but different shape, indicating that geometric friction can dominate over material friction.

Dynamics of Dimethylated Monothioarsenate (DMMTA) in Paddy Soils and Its Accumulation in Rice Grains.

Arsenic species transformation in paddy soils has important implications for arsenic accumulation in rice grains and its safety to the consumers. Methylated thioarsenates including highly toxic dimethylated monothioarsenate (DMMTA) have been detected in paddy soils, but their production and dynamics remain poorly understood. In the present study, we first optimized a HPLC-ICP-MS method to quantify methylated thioarsenate species. Using this method together with 10 mM diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (DTPA) to preserve As speciation, we investigated methylated thioarsenate species in porewaters of seven As-contaminated soils incubated under flooded conditions and of two paddy fields. DMMTA was the main methylated thioarsenate species in the porewaters in both incubated soils and paddy fields, with concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 36.2 µg/L and representing ca. 58% of its precursor dimethylarsenate (DMA). The temporal production and dynamics of DMMTA were linked with the DMA concentrations. When soils were drained, DMMTA was converted to DMA. In the two paddy fields, DMMTA concentrations in rice grains were 0.4-10.1 µg/kg. Addition of sulfur fertilizer and rice straw incorporation increased grain DMMTA by 9-28%. These results suggest that DMMTA is an important As species in paddy soils and can accumulate in rice grains, presenting a risk to food safety and human health.

Analysis of Multigene Mutations in Lung Adenocarcinoma in Zunyi.

OBJECTIVE: Driver gene mutation in lung adenocarcinoma patients in Zunyi and its relationship with clinical features were probed in this investigation. METHODS: In total, with 244 patients with lung adenocarcinoma as study subjects, including 141 males and 103 females, amplification-refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) was utilized for detecting multigene mutations. Subsequently, the relationship between gene mutation and clinical characteristics was analyzed. RESULTS: The total mutation rate of driver genes was 65.17%, including 48.36% EGFR, 6.15% KRAS, 5.74% ALK, 2.05% HER-2, 1.23% ROS1, 0.82% RET, 0.41% NRAS, and 0.41% BRAF. Among EGFR mutations, 47.46% were EGFR-19-deletion, 42.37% EGFR-21-L858R mutation, 4.24% EGFR-20-T790M mutation, 2.54% EGFR-21-L861Q mutation, 2.54% EGFR-20-insertion, and 0.85% EGFR-18-G719X mutation. Both female patients and nonsmoking patients with lung adenocarcinoma had a higher rate of EGFR mutation. Additionally, 15 patients with multiple mutations in EGFR, including 13 patients with 2 mutations in EGFR and 2 patients with 3 mutations in EGFR, were found. CONCLUSION: Among driver gene mutations in patients with lung adenocarcinoma in Zunyi, EGFR mutation has the highest incidence, followed by ALK fusion and KRAS mutation. Although both mutations and multisite mutations in the other driver genes account for a low proportion, they still have great clinical significance. Multigene mutation detection contributes to the rapid screening of patients with lung adenocarcinoma who respond to targeted therapy.

A molecular switch in sulfur metabolism to reduce arsenic and enrich selenium in rice grain.

Rice grains typically contain high levels of toxic arsenic but low levels of the essential micronutrient selenium. Anthropogenic arsenic contamination of paddy soils exacerbates arsenic toxicity in rice crops resulting in substantial yield losses. Here, we report the identification of the gain-of-function arsenite tolerant 1 (astol1) mutant of rice that benefits from enhanced sulfur and selenium assimilation, arsenic tolerance, and decreased arsenic accumulation in grains. The astol1 mutation promotes the physical interaction of the chloroplast-localized O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase protein with its interaction partner serine-acetyltransferase in the cysteine synthase complex. Activation of the serine-acetyltransferase in this complex promotes the uptake of sulfate and selenium and enhances the production of cysteine, glutathione, and phytochelatins, resulting in increased tolerance and decreased translocation of arsenic to grains. Our findings uncover the pivotal sensing-function of the cysteine synthase complex in plastids for optimizing stress resilience and grain quality by regulating a fundamental macronutrient assimilation pathway.

Diabetes and multidrug-resistance gene mutation: tuberculosis in Zunyi, Southwest China.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to clarify the characteristics of gene mutation related to multidrug-resistance (MDR) of tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes in Zunyi. METHODS: A total 763 patients with TB were screened for TB-DNA, TB-RNA, and acid-fast staining (all were positive). They were divided into the tuberculosis (TB) group and the diabetes mellitus-tuberculosis (DM-TB) group. We compared and analyzed the MDR gene rpoB, KatG, and inhA characteristics of gene mutations in the two groups by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-reverse dot hybridization, and collected relevant clinical data to explore its correlation with the occurrence of multidrug resistance. RESULTS: Multidrug resistance occurred in 32 of the 525 patients in the TB group, and extensive drug resistance occurred in 15 of the 207 patients in the DM-TB group. In the DM-TB group, the mutation rates of ropBS531L and ropB531 (both 53.33%) were lower than those of the TB group (both 59.38%) in rifampicin resistance mutations. Most of the mutations were at the KatG315N site, conferring isoniazid resistance. CONCLUSIONS: The mutation sites of multidrug-resistant patients in Zunyi are mainly ropB531 and ropBS531L mutations, which are prone to co-occurrence; patients with MDR-TB alone are prone to mutations at the KatG315N site, while patients with diabetes and MDR-TB are more likely to have inhA15M site mutations.

Acute communicating hydrocephalus caused by extravasation of digital subtraction angiography contrast medium: a case report and literature review.

With the increasing use of endovascular technology in the treatment of various conditions, there has been an inevitable rise in cases with extravasation of contrast medium. We present a case in which extravasation of a large quantity of contrast medium resulted in acute communicating hydrocephalus. A 78-year-old woman came to the hospital because of abnormal right-sided limb movement, and was diagnosed with occlusion of the left internal carotid artery. The patient underwent timely intra-arterial mechanical thrombectomy. Postoperative computed tomography (CT) examination revealed a high-density shadow of the left basal ganglia and left frontal lobe. Twelve hours later, the patient fell into a coma. Repeat head CT indicated acute hydrocephalus with no evidence of obstruction. The patient underwent emergency external ventricular drainage, and the drainage fluid was observed to be clear. The patient regained consciousness after the procedure and the drainage tube was removed 4 days later. The patient had no recurrence of hydrocephalus. The mechanisms and treatment of this condition are discussed.

Dimethylarsinic acid is the causal agent inducing rice straighthead disease.

Straighthead disease is a physiological disorder in rice with symptoms of sterile spikelets, distorted husks, and erect panicles. Methylated arsenic species have been implicated as the causal agent of the disease, but direct evidence is lacking. Here, we investigated whether dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) causes straighthead disease and its effect on the transcriptome of young panicles. DMA addition caused typical straighthead symptoms in hydroponic culture, which were alleviated by silicon addition. DMA addition to soil at the tillering to flowering stages induced straighthead disease. Transgenic rice expressing a bacterial arsenite methyltransferase gene gained the ability to methylate arsenic to mainly DMA, with the consequence of inducing straighthead disease. Field surveys showed that seed setting rate decreased with increasing DMA concentration in the husk, with an EC50 of 0.18 mg kg-1. Transcriptomic analysis showed that 364 and 856 genes were significantly up- and down-regulated, respectively, in the young panicles of DMA-treated plants compared with control, whereas Si addition markedly reduced the number of genes affected. Among the differentially expressed genes, genes related to cell wall modification and oxidative stress responses were the most prominent, suggesting that cell wall metabolism is a sensitive target of DMA toxicity and silicon protects against this toxicity.

Increased arsenic mobilization in the rice rhizosphere is mediated by iron-reducing bacteria.

Rice (Oryza sativa) tends to accumulate elevated levels of arsenic (As) in grain, threatening food safety and human health. The rice rhizosphere has a micro-environment that differs markedly from the bulk soil. Yet, little is known about how this micro-environment influences the mobility of As in the rhizosphere. Using rhizoboxes with two rice cultivars (cv. Shenyou 957 and Yangdao 6) differing in their radial oxygen loss (ROL), we investigated the in situ transformation of As in the rhizosphere associated with changes in microbial communities and As-related functional genes. Contrary to expectation, dissolved (porewater) As concentrations within the rhizosphere increased by 1.3-2.4 fold compared to the bulk soil during the seedling stage, with the magnitude of this difference gradually decreasing over time. The increased As mobilization in the rhizosphere was associated with increased soluble Fe. This increasing trend was associated with the increased abundance of both Fe-reducing bacteria (FeRB) and As-related functional genes within the rhizosphere. Furthermore, bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing data showed that the abundances of Geobacter and Clostridium were 3.1 times and 12.4 times higher in the rhizosphere, respectively. The importance of FeRB was also suggested by the fact that dissolved As concentrations were highly correlated with dissolved Fe concentrations (r2 = 0.83) and also with the relative abundance of genus Clostridium_sensu_stricto_10 (r2 = 0.85). This study highlights that although the rice rhizosphere favors a more aerobic condition compared to the bulk soil, As is more mobilized in the rhizosphere, and that Geobacter and some species of Clostridium play a critical role in controlling As mobilization in the rhizosphere.