Inheritance of key life-history traits in crosses between northern and southern populations of the cabbage beetle Colaphellus bowringi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

A southern population (S) from Xiushui County (29°1'N, 114°4'E) and a northern population (N) from Shenyang city (41°48'N, 123°23'E) of the cabbage beetle, Colaphellus bowringi vary greatly in their life-history traits, and may serve as an excellent model with which to study the inheritance of life-history traits. In the present study, we performed intraspecific hybridization using the two populations, comparing the key life-history traits (fecundity, development time, body weight, growth rate, and sexual size dimorphism (SDD)) between the two populations (S♀ × S♂ and N♀ × N♂) and their two hybrid populations (S♀ × N♂ and N♀ × S♂ populations) at 19, 22, 25, and 28°C. Our results showed that there were significant differences in life-history traits between the two parental populations, with the S population having a significantly higher fecundity, shorter larval development time, larger body weight, higher growth rate, and greater weight loss during metamorphosis than the N population at almost all temperatures. However, these life-history traits in the two hybrid populations were intermediate between those of their parents. The life-history traits in the S × N and N × S populations more closely resembled those of the maternal S population and N population, respectively, showing maternal effects. Weight loss for both sexes was highest in the S population, followed by the S × N, N × S, and N populations at all temperatures, suggesting that larger pupae lost more weight during metamorphosis. The changes in SSD with temperature were similar between the S and the S × N populations and between the N and the N × S populations, also suggesting a maternal effect. Overall, our results showed no drastic effect of hybridization on C. bowringi, being neither negative (hybrid inferiority) nor positive (heterosis). Rather, the phenotypes of hybrids were intermediate between the phenotypes of their parents.

Electrogram dispersion-guided driver ablation adjunctive to high-quality pulmonary vein isolation in atrial fibrillation of varying durations.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of driver mechanism and the effect of electrogram dispersion-guided driver mapping and ablation in atrial fibrillation (AF) at different stages of progression. METHODS: A total of 256 consecutive patients with AF who had undergone pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) plus driver ablation or conventional ablation were divided into three groups: paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF; group A, n = 51); persistent atrial fibrillation (PsAF; group B, n = 38); and long standing-persistent atrial fibrillation (LS-PsAF; group C, n = 39). PVI was performed with the guidance of the ablation index. The electrogram dispersion was analyzed for driver mapping. RESULTS: The most prominent driver regions were at roof (28.0%), posterior wall (17.6%), and bottom (21.3%). From patients with PAF to those with PsAF and LS-PsAF: the complexity of extra-pulmonary vein (PV) drivers including distribution, mean number, and area of dispersion region increased (P < .001). Patients who underwent driver ablation vs conventional ablation had higher procedural AF termination rate (76.6% vs 28.1%; P < .001). With AF progression, the termination rate gradually decreased from group A to group C, and the role of PVI in AF termination was also gradually weakened from group A to group C (39.6%, 7.4%, and 4.3%; P < .001) in patients with driver ablation. At the end of the follow-up, the rate of sinus rhythm maintenance was higher in patients with driver ablation than those with conventional ablation (89.1% vs 70.3%; P < .001). CONCLUSION: The formation of extra-PV drivers provides an important mechanism for AF maintenance with their complexity increasing with AF progression. Electrogram dispersion-guided driver ablation appears to be an efficient adjunctive approach to PVI for AF treatment.

A novel TBX5 mutation predisposes to familial cardiac septal defects and atrial fibrillation as well as bicuspid aortic valve.

TBX5 has been linked to Holt-Oram syndrome, with congenital heart defect (CHD) and atrial fibrillation (AF) being two major cardiac phenotypes. However, the prevalence of a TBX5 variation in patients with CHD and AF remains obscure. In this research, by sequencing analysis of TBX5 in 178 index patients with both CHD and AF, a novel heterozygous variation, NM_000192.3: c.577G>T; p.(Gly193*), was identified in one index patient with CHD and AF as well as bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), with an allele frequency of approximately 0.28%. Genetic analysis of the proband's pedigree showed that the variation co-segregated with the diseases. The pathogenic variation was not detected in 292 unrelated healthy subjects. Functional analysis by using a dual-luciferase reporter assay system showed that the Gly193*-mutant TBX5 protein failed to transcriptionally activate its target genes MYH6 and NPPA. Moreover, the mutation nullified the synergistic transactivation between TBX5 and GATA4 as well as NKX2-5. Additionally, whole-exome sequencing analysis showed no other genes contributing to the diseases. This investigation firstly links a pathogenic variant in the TBX5 gene to familial CHD and AF as well as BAV, suggesting that CHD and AF as well as BAV share a common developmental basis in a subset of patients.

Extra pulmonary vein driver mapping and ablation in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation by electrogram dispersion analysis.

BACKGROUND: The adjunctive approach is still unknown for atrial fibrillation (AF), which cannot be terminated after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). We hypothesized that the driver ablation plus PVI was superior to PVI alone. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 98 patients with paroxysmal AF were enrolled in this study and were divided into two groups, with one group undergoing PVI (n = 49) and the other group undergoing PVI + driver ablation (n = 49). The driver regions were defined as clusters of bipolar electrograms that displayed spatial dispersion spread over mean AF cycle length at a minimum of three adjacent bipolars of a PentaRay catheter. During the procedure, the most prominent driver regions before PVI were the roof (n = 27; 55.1%), PV antrum (n = 23; 46.9%), and the inferoposterior wall (n = 11; 22.4%). PVI can eliminate all drivers at PV antrum, but only terminate 30.4% of AF in the driver group. The AF termination rate in the driver ablation group was significantly higher than that in conventional ablation (93.9% vs 40.6%; P < 0.001). The rate of freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmia episodes by a single procedure at 6 months was significantly higher in the driver group than in the conventional group (91.6% vs 72.4%; P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The present method is effective for AF driver identification. It guided ablation adjunctive to PVI increasing the rate of AF termination and improving the outcomes in patients with paroxysmal AF.

Optimal endpoint for catheter ablation of longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: In longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation (LPeAF), the ideal endpoint of ablation remains to be determined. This study was to explore the value of pursuing AF termination or no with the same strategy during ablation on the long-term outcomes in patients with LPeAF. METHODS: Utilized "CCL" strategy is a fixed ablation approach consisting of circumferential pulmonary vein antrum isolation, ablation of complex fractionated atrial electrogram, and linear ablation between two anatomical structures (the mitral isthmus, left atrial roof). Note that 400 patients were randomized to group A (technical endpoint) and group B (pursuing AF termination). RESULTS: A group with technical endpoint had lower rate of acute AF termination (AF→sinus rhythm, 3.5% vs 18.1%; AF→atrial tachycardia, 23.7% vs 44.7%; P < 0.01) and shorter duration of ablation (164.9 ± 20.8 vs 223.4 ± 24.9, P < 0.01), radiofrequency delivery time (69.8 ± 18.1 vs 102.2 ± 26.3, P < 0.01), and x-ray exposure time (18.2 ± 8.8 vs 27.9 ± 12.4, P < 0.01) than those in B group (pursuing AF termination). During follow-up, freedom from atrial arrhythmias did not differ between the two groups after a single ablation procedure (46.5% vs 54.3%, P=0.12) and the final ablation procedure (60.1% vs 65.8%, P  =  0.24). CONCLUSION: In patients of LPeAF, pursuing AF termination during ablation was associated with similar long-term clinical outcome compared to that with technical endpoint. Ablation to termination is not the best strategy during ablation.

Temporal and Spatial Changes of Proarrhythmic Substrate in Premature Ventricular Contraction-Induced Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: The changes in proarrhythmic substrates and malignant ventricular arrhythmia mechanisms caused by premature ventricular contraction-induced cardiomyopathy (PVCCM) remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to establish the electrophysiological mechanism of how high-load PVC causes malignant arrhythmia. METHODS: Thirteen swine were exposed to 50% paced PVC from the right ventricular apex for 12 weeks (PVCCM, n = 6) and no pacing for 12 weeks (control, n = 7). Cardiac function was quantified biweekly with echocardiography. Computed tomography scans and electrophysiological examinations were performed monthly to dynamically evaluate the changes in the cardiac structure and the arrhythmogenic substrate. RESULTS: The decreases in the cardiac function and ventricular enlargement in the PVCCM group were significant after 12 weeks of PVC stimulation compared with the control group (P < 0.001). Electrophysiological examination found that the ventricular effective refractory period dispersion (0.071 ± 0.008), area of the low-voltage zone (9.41 ± 1.55 cm2), and malignant ventricular arrhythmia inducibility (33.3%) of the PVCCM group increased significantly at week 8 after pacing (P < 0.001 vs the control group); these changes slowed down after 8 weeks. Moreover, the distribution of the low-voltage zone presented obvious spatial heterogeneity, especially in the anterior wall of the right ventricle, accompanied by delayed activation in the sinus rhythm (67 ± 13 milliseconds). Consistently, the proportion of ventricular fibrosis- and expression-related proteins were significantly increased in the PVCCM group (P < 0.001), especially in the right ventricle. Moreover, proteomic analysis confirmed the spatial profile of these fibrotic changes in the PVCCM group. CONCLUSIONS: High-burden PVC can cause significant temporal and spatial heterogeneity changes in proarrhythmic substrates, which are potentially related to the upregulation of calcium signaling caused by asynchronous activation.

[Effects of different fertilizer applications on citrus rhizosphere soil quality and arbuscular mycorrhizae colonization]. / ä¸åŒæ–½è‚¥å¤„ç†å¯¹æŸ‘æ©˜æ ¹å›´åœŸå£¤è´¨é‡åŠä¸›æžèŒæ ¹å®šæ®–çš„å½±å“.

To understand the effects of different fertilizer applications on soil quality and arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization, we examined the changes in soil physical and chemical properties, mycorrhizal colonization and propagules, and their relationships in citrus under inorganic fertilization (IF), organic fertilization (OF), combined organic and inorganic fertilization (CF), and no fertilization (CK) treatments. Results showed that all fertilization treatments improved the content of rhizospheric soil organic carbon (SOC), nutrient contents, and electrical conductivity (EC). Both CF and OF significantly increased soil pH, soil aggregate stability, activities of urease, catalase, and sucrase, and the colonization and reproduction of arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi (AMF) in citrus rhizosphere. However, IF treatment significantly decreased soil pH and the colonization and reproduction of AMF in citrus rhizosphere. The number of mycorrhizal colonization and propagation was positively correlated with soil aggregate stability, SOC content, total nitrogen content, total phosphorus content, urease activity, and soil pH. Combined with the principal component analysis, we concluded that application of inorganic fertilizer alone could cause soil acidification and inhibit AMF colonization in citrus orchards. In contrast, organic fertilizer combined with inorganic fertilizer in citrus could improve the soil quality and AMF colonization.

Discovery of TBX20 as a Novel Gene Underlying Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most prevalent type of sustained cardiac dysrhythmia globally, confers strikingly enhanced risks for cognitive dysfunction, stroke, chronic cardiac failure, and sudden cardiovascular demise. Aggregating studies underscore the crucial roles of inherited determinants in the occurrence and perpetuation of AF. However, due to conspicuous genetic heterogeneity, the inherited defects accounting for AF remain largely indefinite. Here, via whole-genome genotyping with genetic markers and a linkage assay in a family suffering from AF, a new AF-causative locus was located at human chromosome 7p14.2-p14.3, a ~4.89 cM (~4.43-Mb) interval between the markers D7S526 and D7S2250. An exome-wide sequencing assay unveiled that, at the defined locus, the mutation in the TBX20 gene, NM_001077653.2: c.695A>G; p.(His232Arg), was solely co-segregated with AF in the family. Additionally, a Sanger sequencing assay of TBX20 in another family suffering from AF uncovered a novel mutation, NM_001077653.2: c.862G>C; p.(Asp288His). Neither of the two mutations were observed in 600 unrelated control individuals. Functional investigations demonstrated that the two mutations both significantly reduced the transactivation of the target gene KCNH2 (a well-established AF-causing gene) and the ability to bind the promoter of KCNH2, while they had no effect on the nuclear distribution of TBX20. Conclusively, these findings reveal a new AF-causative locus at human chromosome 7p14.2-p14.3 and strongly indicate TBX20 as a novel AF-predisposing gene, shedding light on the mechanism underlying AF and suggesting clinical significance for the allele-specific treatment of AF patients.

A multi-year dormancy strategy in a cabbage beetle population in southeastern China.

The life cycle of the cabbage beetle Colaphellus bowringi in southeastern China is complex due to four options for adult development: summer diapause, winter diapause, prolonged diapsuse, and nondiapause. However, detailed information on the multi-year emergence patterns of diapausing individuals in this beetle has not been documented. In this study, we monitored the adult emergence patterns of diapausing individuals and estimated the influence of the diapause-inducing temperature and photoperiod on the incidence of prolonged diapause under seminatural conditions for several years. The duration of diapause for adults collected from the vegetable fields in different years varied from several months to 5 years. Approximately 25.9%-29.2% of individuals showed prolonged diapause (emergence more than 1 year after entering diapause) over the 5 years of observation. Furthermore, regardless of insect age, the emergence of diapausing adults from the soil always occurred between mid-February and March in spring and between late August and mid-October in autumn, when the host plants were available. The influence of diapause-inducing temperatures (22, 25, and 28°C) combined with different photoperiods (L:D 12:12 h and L:D 14:10 h) on diapause duration was tested under seminatural conditions. Pairwise comparisons of diapause duration performed by the log-rank test revealed that the low temperature of 22°C combined with the long photoperiod of L:D 14:10 h induced the longest diapause duration, whereas the low temperature of 22°C combined with the short photoperiod of L:D 12:12 h induced the highest proportion of prolonged diapause. This study indicates that C. bowringi adopts a multi-year dormancy strategy to survive local environmental conditions and unpredictable risks.

A novel approach for quantitative electrogram analysis for driver identification: Implications for ablation in persistent atrial fibrillation.

Objective: This study sought to study the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of using multiscale entropy (MSE) analysis to guide catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation (PsAF) and predict ablation outcomes. Methods: We prospectively enrolled 108 patients undergoing initial ablation for PsAF. MSE was calculated based on bipolar intracardiac electrograms (iEGMs) to measure the dynamical complexity of biological signals. The iEGMs data were exported after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), then calculated in a customed platform, and finally re-annotated into the CARTO system. After PVI, regions of the highest mean MSE (mMSE) values were ablated in descending order until AF termination, or three areas had been ablated. Results: Baseline characteristics were evenly distributed between the AF termination (n = 38, 35.19%) and the non-termination group. The RA-to-LA mean MSE (mMSE) gradient demonstrated a positive gradient in the non-termination group and a negative gradient in the termination group (0.105 ± 0.180 vs. -0.235 ± 0.256, P < 0.001). During a 12-month follow-up, 29 patients (26.9%) had arrhythmia recurrence after single ablation, and 18 of them had AF (62.1%). The termination group had lower rates of arrhythmia recurrence (15.79 vs. 32.86%, Log-Rank P = 0.053) and AF recurrence (10.53 vs. 20%, Log-Rank P = 0.173) after single ablation and a lower rate of arrhythmia recurrence (7.89 vs. 27.14%, Log-Rank P = 0.018) after repeated ablation. Correspondingly, subjects with negative RA-to-LA mMSE gradient had lower incidences of arrhythmia (16.67 vs. 35%, Log-Rank P = 0.028) and AF (16.67 vs. 35%, Log-Rank P = 0.032) recurrence after single ablation and arrhythmia recurrence after repeated ablation (12.5 vs. 26.67%, Log-Rank P = 0.062). Marginal peri-procedural safety outcomes were observed. Conclusion: MSE analysis-guided driver ablation in addition to PVI for PsAF could be feasible, efficient, and safe. An RA < LA mMSE gradient before ablation could predict freedom from arrhythmia. The RA-LA MSE gradient could be useful for guiding ablation strategy selection.

Aberrant Volume-Wise and Voxel-Wise Concordance Among Dynamic Intrinsic Brain Activity Indices in Parkinson's Disease: A Resting-State fMRI Study.

Researches using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) have applied different regional measurements to study the intrinsic brain activity (IBA) of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Most previous studies have only examined the static characteristics of IBA in patients with PD, neglecting the dynamic features. We sought to explore the concordance between the dynamics of different rs-fMRI regional indices. This study included 31 healthy controls (HCs) and 57 PD patients to calculate the volume-wise (across voxels) and voxel-wise (across periods) concordance using a sliding time window approach. This allowed us to compare the concordance of dynamic alterations in frequently used metrics such as degree centrality (DC), global signal connectivity (GSC), voxel-mirrored heterotopic connectivity (VMHC), the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo). We analyzed the changes of concordance indices in the PD patients and investigated the relationship between aberrant concordance values and clinical/neuropsychological assessments in the PD patients. We found that, compared with the HCs, the PD patients had lower volume concordance in the whole brain and lower voxel-wise concordance in the posterior cerebellar lobe, cerebellar tonsils, superior temporal gyrus, and supplementary motor region. We also found negative correlations between these concordance alterations and patients' age. The exploratory results contribute to a better understanding of IBA alterations and pathophysiological mechanisms in PD.

Clinical Safety and Efficacy of Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation Patients With a History of Stroke.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation patients with a history of stroke. Methods and Results: A total of 116 symptomatic, drug-refractory AF patients with a history of stroke, and 1:2 matched patients without a history of stroke were enrolled. Of these, 28 cases occurred stroke within 3 months (Group 1), 88 cases with stroke history longer than 3 months (Group 2), and 232 cases without stroke (Group 3). PVI was performed in all patients, extended to ablation of linear lesions ablation. The periprocedural stroke rates and other procedure-related in-hospital complications did not differ significantly among the three groups. The maintenance rate of SR after the procedure showed no significant difference (p = 0.333), 52.7, 66.4, and 70.7% in Group 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Furthermore, the comparison between a history of stroke and those without it were also shown no significant difference (p = 0.351). Conclusions: Radiofrequency ablation for AF patients occurred stroke, even within 3 months is safe and effective, without higher periprocedural complication rate and recurrence rate.

SOX17 loss-of-function variation underlying familial congenital heart disease.

As the most prevalent form of human birth defect, congenital heart disease (CHD) contributes to substantial morbidity, mortality and socioeconomic burden worldwide. Aggregating evidence has convincingly demonstrated that genetic defects exert a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of CHD, and causative mutations in multiple genes have been causally linked to CHD. Nevertheless, CHD is of pronounced genetic heterogeneity, and the genetic components underpinning CHD in the overwhelming majority of patients remain obscure. In this research, a four-generation consanguineous family suffering from CHD transmitted in an autosomal dominant mode was recruited. By whole-exome sequencing and bioinformatics analyses as well as Sanger sequencing analyses of the family members, a new heterozygous SOX17 variation, NM_022454.4: c.553G > T; p.(Glu185*), was identified to co-segregate with CHD in the family, with complete penetrance. The nonsense variation was neither detected in 310 unrelated healthy volunteers used as controls nor retrieved in such population genetics databases as the Exome Aggregation Consortium database, Genome Aggregation Database, and the Single Nucleotide Polymorphism database. Functional assays by utilizing a dual-luciferase reporter assay system unveiled that the Glu185*-mutant SOX17 protein had no transcriptional activity on its two target genes NOTCH1 and GATA4, which have been reported to cause CHD. Furthermore, the mutation abrogated the synergistic transactivation between SOX17 and NKX2.5, another established CHD-causing transcription factor. These findings firstly indicate SOX17 loss-of-function mutation predisposes to familial CHD, which adds novel insight to the molecular mechanism of CHD, implying potential implications for genetic risk appraisal and individualized prophylaxis of the family members affected with CHD.

PI3K-dependent host cell actin rearrangements are required for Cronobacter sakazakii invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells.

Cronobacter sakazakii (C. sakazakii) is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause neonatal sepsis and meningitis. The mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of C. sakazakii meningitis remains largely unknown. Previous studies indicated that bacterial invasion of brain microvascular endothelial cells is required for penetration into the central nervous system. In this study, we found that C. sakazakii invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) was significantly inhibited by cytochalasin D, a disrupting agent of actin microfilaments. Disassembly of actin stress fibers and cortical actin fibers was observed in HBMEC infected with C. sakazakii. C. sakazakii infection leads to increased Akt phosphorylation in HBMEC, which was blocked by treatment with PI3K inhibitors. Meanwhile, PI3K and Akt inhibitors significantly inhibited C. sakazakii invasion of HBMEC. Our further results illustrated that the C. sakazakii-induced Akt activation and C. sakazakii invasion were attenuated in HBMEC transfected with dominant-negative PI3K (Δp110). More importantly, the actin filaments rearrangements in HBMEC induced by C. sakazakii were effectively blocked by PI3K inhibitors treatment and transfection with Δp110. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that PI3K-mediated actin rearrangements are required for C. sakazakii invasion of HBMEC.

ISL1 loss-of-function variation causes familial atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) represents the most frequent form of sustained cardiac rhythm disturbance, affecting approximately 1% of the general population worldwide, and confers a substantially enhanced risk of cerebral stroke, heart failure, and death. Increasing epidemiological studies have clearly demonstrated a strong genetic basis for AF, and variants in a wide range of genes, including those coding for ion channels, gap junction channels, cardiac structural proteins and transcription factors, have been identified to underlie AF. Nevertheless, the genetic pathogenesis of AF is complex and still far from completely understood. Here, whole-exome sequencing and bioinformatics analyses of a three-generation family with AF were performed, and after filtering variants by multiple metrics, we identified a heterozygous variant in the ISL1 gene (encoding a transcription factor critical for embryonic cardiogenesis and postnatal cardiac remodeling), NM_002202.2: c.481G > T; p.(Glu161*), which was validated by Sanger sequencing and segregated with autosome-dominant AF in the family with complete penetrance. The nonsense variant was absent from 284 unrelated healthy individuals used as controls. Functional assays with a dual-luciferase reporter assay system revealed that the truncating ISL1 protein lost transcriptional activation on the verified target genes MEF2C and NKX2-5. Additionally, the variant nullified the synergistic transactivation between ISL1 and TBX5 as well as GATA4, two other transcription factors that have been implicated in AF. The findings suggest ISL1 as a novel gene contributing to AF, which adds new insight to the genetic mechanisms underpinning AF, implying potential implications for genetic testing and risk stratification of the AF family members.

[Genetic characteristics of HIV-1 primary drug resistance-associated mutations in treatment-naive individuals in Liaoning province, 2004-2008].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the HIV-1 drug resistance associated mutations and examine the susceptibility of HIV-1 with these mutations to antiretroviral in treatment-naive individuals in Liaoning province from 2004 to 2008. METHODS: RNA was extracted from 20 plasma samples of diagnosed untreated HIV-1-infected treatment-naive patients by drawing method. After the viral loading (VL) test, the protease and nucleoside reverse transcriptase coding regions were amplified by RT-PCR, nested PCR and sequence analysis directly. Levels of resistance and prevalence were evaluated according to the Stanford University HIV Drug Resistance Database's algorithm (http://hivdb.stanford.edu). RESULTS: Among the 20 plasma samples, 13 got PCR products because of their VL values higher than 1000 copies/ml.Meanwhile, the 13 samples got 65 sequences by using 5 primers each. Polymorphisms in subtype H and circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) CRF10_CD sequences were identified. An overall prevalence of 30.8% (4/13) resistance to NNRTIs, 7.7% (1/13) to PI and no NRTIs mutations were found. The most frequent substitutions (4/13) in the RT region at positions P225H, K238S, V179D, K238T and a major position I54S in PR implied to a multiple drug-resistance. A71V or L10V only, respectively, substitution in PR was found in 3 samples, but no any worse with drug sensitivity. CONCLUSION: HIV-1 polymorphisms in subtype H and CRFs CRF10_CD sequences were identified circulating in Liaoning. A major mutation position I54S in PR implied that it would be the time to commence a higher level drug regimen.

Expression of alternative developmental pathways in the cabbage butterfly, Pieris melete and their differences in life history traits.

The seasonal life cycle of the cabbage butterfly, Pieris melete is complicated because there are three options for pupal development: summer diapause, winter diapause, and nondiapause. In the present study, we tested the influence of temperature, day length, and seasonality on the expression of alternative developmental pathways and compared the differences in life history traits between diapausing and directly developing individuals under laboratory and field conditions. The expression of developmental pathway strongly depended on temperature, day length, and seasonality. Low temperatures induced almost all individuals to enter diapause regardless of day length; relatively high temperatures combined with intermediate and longer day lengths resulted in most individuals developing without diapause in the laboratory. The field data revealed that the degree of phenotypic plasticity in relation to developmental pathway was much higher in autumn than in spring. Directly developing individuals showed shorter development times and higher growth rates than did diapausing individuals. The pupal and adult weights for both diapausing and directly developing individuals gradually decreased as rearing temperature increased, with the diapausing individuals being slightly heavier than the directly developing individuals at each temperature. Female body weight was slightly lower than male body weight. The proportional weight losses from pupa to adult were almost the same in diapausing individuals and in directly developing individuals, suggesting that diapause did not affect weight loss at metamorphosis. Our results highlight the importance of the expression of alternative developmental pathways, which not only synchronizes this butterfly's development and reproduction with the growth seasons of the host plants but also exhibits the bet-hedging tactic against unpredictable risks due to a dynamic environment.

Developmental characteristics and response to iron toxicity of root border cells in rice seedlings.

To investigate the Fe2+ effects on root tips in rice plant, experiments were carried out using border cells in vitro. The border cells were pre-planted in aeroponic culture and detached from root tips. Most border cells have a long elliptical shape. The number and the viability of border cells in situ reached the maxima of 1600 and 97.5%, respectively, at 20-25 mm root length. This mortality was more pronounced at the first 1-12 h exposure to 250 mg/L Fe2+ than at the last 12-36 h. After 36 h, the cell viability exposed to 250 mg/L Fe2+ decreased to nought, whereas it was 46.5% at 0 mg/L Fe2+. Increased Fe2+ dosage stimulated the death of detached border cells from rice cultivars. After 4 h Fe2+ treatment, the cell viabilities were > or =80% at 0 and 50 mg/L Fe2+ treatment and were <62% at 150, 250 and 350 mg/L Fe2+ treatment; The viability of border cells decreased by 10% when the Fe2+ concentration increased by 100 mg/L. After 24 h Fe2+ treatment, the viabilities of border cells at all the Fe2+ levels were <65%; The viability of border cells decreased by 20% when the Fe2+ concentration increased by 100 mg/L. The decreased viabilities of border cells indicated that Fe2+ dosage and treatment time would cause deadly effect on the border cells. The increased cell death could protect the root tips from toxic harm. Therefore, it may protect root from the damage caused by harmful iron toxicity.

Atrial Ganglionated Plexus Modification: A Novel Approach to Treat Symptomatic Sinus Bradycardia.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine if anatomic atrial ganglionated plexus (GP) ablation leads to long-term sinus rate (SR) increase and improves quality of life in patients with symptomatic sinus bradycardia (SB). BACKGROUND: Atrial GP ablation has been demonstrated to increase SR in our previous study. Atrial GP ablation may also be effective in treating patients with symptomatic SB. METHODS: Sixty-two patients with symptomatic SB were recruited: Group A included patients <50 years of age (n = 40); Group B included patients ≥50 years of age (n = 22). All patients underwent anatomic ablation of the main atrial GP, and 24-h Holter monitoring and quality-of-life assessment were performed during 1 year of follow-up. Quality of life was accessed by the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 Health Survey. RESULTS: Although SR markedly increased in all patients after GP ablation, the increase was significantly greater in patients <50 years of age than in patients ≥50 years of age (19.3 ± 9.9 beats/min vs. 10.8 ± 5.4 beats/min; p = 0.001). The right anterior GP and the GP at the junction of the aorta and superior vena cava made the greatest contributions to SR increase among all GP. The mean and minimal SR increased significantly after ablation and remained elevated for 12 months only in Group A patients. Although symptoms and quality of life improved in all patients, 5 of the 8 domains of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 Health Survey did not show obvious improvements in patients of Group B at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomic atrial GP ablation effectively increased SR and improved quality of life in patients <50 years of age with symptomatic SB.

A clinical study on the electrophysiological characteristics of patients without recurrence after ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: The electrophysiological characteristics of patients without recurrence after ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) have not been systematically determined. This study compared the electrophysiological characteristics in patients with and without recurrence of AF after persistent AF ablation. METHODS: Forty-five patients without recurrence of AF after persistent AF ablation were enrolled to assess electrophysiological characteristics including pulmonary vein (PV) reconnection, the mitral isthmus (MI) line and the roof line reconduction. Ninety-five patients with recurrence of AF after ablation were used as the control group. RESULTS: Among patients without recurrence, recovery of PV conduction was observed in 37 of 45 (82.2%) patients: 3/45 (6.7%) reconnection in 4 veins, 7/45 (15.6%) in 3 veins, 11/45 (24.4%) in 2 veins, and 16/45 (35.6%) in 1 vein. No significant differences were seen in the proportion of patients with PV reconnection compared to patients with recurrence (p>0.05). Among patients without recurrence, the MI line reconduction was observed in 3/45 (6.7%) patients; the roof line conduction was observed in 5/45 (11.1%) patients. In comparison, patients with clinical recurrence of AF had recovery of the MI line conduction in 27/95 (28.4%) and recovery of the roof line conduction in 26/95 (27.4%). Significant differences were seen between these two groups (6.7% vs 28.4%, p=0.004; 11.1% vs 27.4%, p=0.031). CONCLUSION: Although a high incidence of PV reconnection was similarly observed in patients with and without recurrence of AF, a lower incidence of lines reconduction was observed in patients without recurrence of AF.