Selenium-oxidizing Agrobacterium sp. T3F4 decreases arsenic uptake by Brassica rapa L. under a native polluted soil.

Toxic arsenic (As) and trace element selenium (Se) are transformed by microorganisms but their complex interactions in soil-plant systems have not been fully understood. An As- and Se- oxidizing bacterium, Agrobacterium sp. T3F4, was applied to a native seleniferous As-polluted soil to investigate As/Se uptake by the vegetable Brassica rapa L. and As-Se interaction as mediated by strain T3F4. The Se content in the aboveground plants was significantly enhanced by 34.1%, but the As content was significantly decreased by 20.5% in the T3F4-inoculated pot culture compared to the control (P < 0.05). Similar result was shown in treatment with additional 5 mg/kg of Se(IV) in soil. In addition, the As contents in roots were significantly decreased by more than 35% under T3F4 or Se(IV) treatments (P<0.05). Analysis of As-Se-bacterium interaction in a soil simulation experiment showed that the bioavailability of Se significantly increased and As was immobilized with the addition of the T3F4 strain (P < 0.05). Furthermore, an As/Se co-exposure hydroponic experiment demonstrated that As uptake and accumulation in plants was reduced by increasing Se(IV) concentrations. The 50% growth inhibition concentration (IC50) values for As in plants were increased about one-fold and two-fold under co-exposure with 5 and 10 µmol/L Se(IV), respectively. In conclusion, strain T3F4 improves Se uptake but decreases As uptake by plants via oxidation of As and Se, resulting in decrease of soil As bioavailability and As/Se competitive absorption by plants. This provides a potential bioremediation strategy for Se biofortification and As immobilization in As-polluted soil.

Transferring a new Fusarium head blight resistance locus FhbRc1 from Roegneria ciliaris into wheat by developing alien translocation lines.

KEY MESSAGE: A new FHB resistance locus FhbRc1 was identified from the R. ciliaris chromosome 7Sc and transferred into common wheat by developing alien translocation lines. Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by multiple Fusarium species is a globally destructive disease of common wheat. Exploring and utilization of resources with FHB resistance are the most effective and environmentally beneficial approach for the disease control. Roegneria ciliaris (Trin.) Nevski (2n = 4x = 28, ScScYcYc), a tetraploid wheat wild relative, possesses high resistance to FHB. In the previous study, a complete set of wheat-R. ciliaris disomic addition (DA) lines were evaluated for FHB resistance. DA7Sc had stable FHB resistance, which was confirmed to be derived from alien chromosome 7Sc. We tentatively designated the resistant locus as FhbRc1. For better utilization of the resistance in wheat breeding, we developed translocations by inducing chromosome structural aberrations using iron irradiation and the homologous pairing gene mutant ph1b. Totally, 26 plants having various 7Sc structural aberrations were identified. By marker analysis, a cytological map of 7Sc was constructed and 7Sc was dissected into 16 cytological bins. Seven alien chromosome aberration lines, which all had the bin 7Sc-1 on the long arm of 7Sc, showed enhanced FHB resistance. Thus, FhbRc1 was mapped to the distal region of 7ScL. A homozygous translocation line T4BS·4BL-7ScL (NAURC001) was developed. It showed improved FHB resistance, while had no obvious genetic linkage drag for the tested agronomic traits compared with the recurrent parent Alondra's. When transferring the FhbRc1 into three different wheat cultivars, the derived progenies having the translocated chromosome 4BS·4BL-7ScL all showed improved FHB resistance. This revealed the potential value of the translocation line in wheat breeding for FHB resistance.

The Pacopexy procedure for left ventricular aneurysm: a 10-year clinical experience.

PURPOSE: To evaluate our 10-year clinical experience of performing the Pacopexy procedure for left ventricular aneurysm (LVA). METHODS: Between January, 1998 and November, 2015, a cohort of 92 patients with LVA underwent surgery to reshape the left ventricle. Fifty-seven patients underwent the Dor procedure and 35 underwent the Pacopexy procedure to emphasize the conical shape, whereby patch placement followed an oblique trajectory between the left ventricular apex and the septum below the aortic valve. RESULTS: The early-mortality rate was 4.34% (4/92; n = 2 in each group). The 10-year survival rate was 70.4 ± 7.9% in the Pacopexy group vs 41.7 ± 7.2% in the Dor group (p < 0.05), and the rate of freedom from hospital re-admission for heart failure (HF) or cardiac death was 60.0 ± 8.6% vs 28.8 ± 6.8%, respectively (p < 0.05). The Dor procedure and left ventricular end systolic volume index (LVESVI) ≥ 60 ml/m2 were strongly and significantly associated with long-term mortality and hospital re-admission for HF. CONCLUSIONS: The Pacopexy procedure is a reproducible surgical option for the treatment of LVA. The improved configuration achieved by the Pacopexy procedure has resulted in good long-term survival and a high degree of freedom from re-admission for HF in patients with advanced LVA.

Severe Left Main Coronary Stenosis Due to Aortic Bioprosthesis Implantation: A Case Report.

Coronary artery ostial stenosis is a common but life-threatening complication that usually presents right after valve implantation, especially in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedure. However, as reported in our case, it may also have a late delayed presentation in valve replacement through median sternotomy. Here, we present a rare case of one patient who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for severe stenosis of the left main (LM) coronary artery six months after Mosaic aortic bioprosthesis implantation.

Minimally Invasive Isolated Tricuspid Valve Redo Surgery Has Better Clinical Outcome: A Single-Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Reoperation for isolated tricuspid valve (TV) surgery is considered a high-risk procedure. The optimal surgical approach is controversial. We analyzed our experience with isolated TV redo surgery performed either through thoracoscopic approach (thoracoscopic group), right thoracotomy (thoracotomy group), or median sternotomy (sternotomy group). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed all patients with previous cardiac surgery who underwent redo-TV procedure through thoracoscopic approach (n = 33), right lateral thoracotomy approach (n = 14), or sternotomy (n = 72). RESULTS: All patients successfully underwent elective surgery, with no intraoperative conversion or death occurring. 69% and 31% of patients received valve replacement and valvuloplasty, respectively. After operation, one patient in the sternotomy group received reoperation for bleeding, while another patient received valve replacement surgery 2 weeks after operation due to heart failure caused by valvuloplasty failure. No obvious complications occurred in the minimally invasive groups. The overall success rate of valve repair during 1-year follow-up was 99.2%. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive, isolated TV surgery as reoperation can be safe and may improve clinical outcome.

Progress in Treatment of Myocardial Injury in Patients with 2019-nCoV: A Chinese Experience.

Since December 2019, the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection began to appear in Hubei Province of China and gradually spread to other provinces and other countries. The virus has the characteristics of strong transmission capacity, diverse clinical manifestations, long incubation period, and latent infection, thus posing a serious threat to human life safety and health. With the increasing number of cases and the continuous enrichment of clinical data, 2019-nCoV-infected patients have received more and more attention regarding myocardial injury related to virus infection besides typical respiratory system manifestations. According to the published data, we summarize the myocardial injury manifestations, characteristics, effects on disease condition, and prognosis of 2019-nCoV-infected patients and discuss the possible injury mechanism, treatment methods, and future research directions.

Red Blood Cell Distribution Width Predicts Postoperative Death of Infective Endocarditis.

Infectious endocarditis (IE) is a rare disease with high mortality rate. Recently, red cell distribution width (RDW) has drawn special attention for predicting cardiovascular disease. This study aims to explore the relationship between RDW value and postoperative death of IE patients.Clinical records of patients with definite IE from Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital department of cardiovascular surgery were collected and analyzed. Clinical, echocardiographic, and biochemical variables were evaluated along with RDW.Results: A total of 158 consecutive IE patients (mean age 47.0 ± 16.3 years, male 61.4%) were enrolled in this study. According to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the optimal RDW cutoff value for predicting mortality was 15.45% (area under the curve 0.913, P < 0.001). A total of 28 patients (17.8%) died postoperatively; of these, 89.3% had RDW value >15.45%. Binary regression analysis showed that aging, multiple valvular involved, valvular vegetation formation, pulmonary hypertension, and high RDW are strong predictors of postoperative death. Multiple regression analysis revealed that high RDW value was independent predictors of postoperative mortality in patients with IE (ß: 3.704, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 2.729-604.692, P < 0.05).IE has a high inhospital mortality rate, and increased RDW is an independent predictor of postoperative death in these patients.

Identify the critical protein-coding genes and long noncoding RNAs in cardiac myxoma.

Cardiac myxoma (CM) is the most common benign cardiac tumor which is mostly sporadic. Increasing evidence show that protein-coding genes (PCGs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in the pathology processes of multiple cancers. However, the functional roles and regulatory mechanisms of RNAs interaction in CM are still unclear. In this study, we investigated three pairs of surgically excised CM by high throughput sequencing and screened a set of PCGs and lncRNAs which were differentially expressed and could serve as expression markers in CM. By constructing protein-protein interactions (PPI) and lncRNA-mRNA coexpressing network, we screened out a CM-related hub lncRNA-mRNA modules, which were enriched in different pathways such as MAPK and TGF-beta whose imbalance were validated by q-PCR. In addition, we identified a specific dysregulated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network in CM by integrating lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA interactions. These results will help us to understand the interaction mechanisms of RNAs in CM and provide novel PCGs and lncRNAs as potential therapeutic targets for CM.

Surgery for Patients with Radiation-Induced Constrictive Pericarditis.

Radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) is a major side effect of chest radiation therapy (RT). Most changes of pericardium will occur within a few weeks after receiving chest RT, while most of them will take decades or more to become constrictive pericarditis. Pericardiectomy is an effective treatment method. Here, we report 2 cases of radiation pericarditis after chest RT at our center.

Modulation of dlPFC function and decision-making capacity by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in methamphetamine use disorder.

This study explores the impact of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on decision-making capabilities in individuals with methamphetamine use disorder (MUD), alongside potential underlying psychological mechanisms. Employing the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and computational modeling techniques, we assessed the decision-making processes of 50 male MUD participants (24 underwent rTMS treatment, 26 received no treatment) and 39 healthy controls (HC). We compared pre- and post-rTMS treatment alterations in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Results revealed inferior performance in the IGT among the MUD group, characterized by aberrant model parameters in the Value-Plus-Perseverance (VPP) model, including heightened learning rate, outcome sensitivity, and reinforcement learning weight, alongside diminished response consistency and loss aversion. RTMS treatment demonstrated efficacy in reducing craving scores, enhancing decision-making abilities, and partially restoring normalcy to certain model parameters in the MUD cohort. Nonetheless, no linear relationship between changes in model parameters and craving was observed. These findings lend support to the somatic marker hypothesis, implicating the dlPFC in the decision-making deficits observed in MUD, with rTMS potentially ameliorating these deficits by modulating the function of these brain regions. This study not only offers novel insights and methodologies for MUD rehabilitation but also underscores the necessity for further research to corroborate and refine these findings. Trial Registration www.chictr.org.cn Identifier: No. ChiCTR17013610.

Inter-brain neural mechanism and influencing factors underlying different cooperative behaviors: a hyperscanning study.

Cooperative behavior is a vital social interaction which plays a vital role in improving human survival and reproduction. However, few empirical studies have examined the differences between cooperative behaviors and the underlying neural substrates. In the present study, the brain activity of familiar dyads of the same sex was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy during three cooperative tasks (cooperative button-press, tangram, and Jenga tasks). We also measured the dyads' empathic abilities and personality traits to investigate the relationships between individual characteristics and neural markers. The results showed that first, there were significant differences in intra-brain activation and inter-brain synchronization among different cooperative tasks in three dimensions: social cognition, behavioral response, and cognitive processing. Second, male participants require stronger intra-brain activation to achieve the same inter-brain synchronization level as women in cooperative tasks. Third, when performing cooperative tasks involving high cognitive demands, Big Five Neuroticism may be an important predictor of neural activation in female participants. Inter-brain synchronization plays an important role in the frontal and temporoparietal junctions during interpersonal cooperation. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that mutual prediction theory is crucial for understanding the neural mechanisms of cooperative behavior.

Mid-term clinical outcomes of totally endoscopic repair for mitral regurgitation in Barlow's disease.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to confirm the safety and feasibility of totally endoscopic repair for mitral regurgitation (MR) in Barlow's disease. METHODS: From June 2018 to December 2022, 21 consecutive Barlow's disease patients (aged 33 ± 12 years; 57.1% male) underwent totally endoscopic mitral valve (MV) repair with leaflets folding, multiple artificial chordae implantation and ring annuloplasty. The safety and feasibility of this technique was evaluated by its mid-term clinical outcomes. RESULTS: There was no operative death or complications. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time was 190 ± 41 (128-267) min, and the aortic cross-clamp time was 145 ± 32 (66-200) min. The average number of artificial chordae implantation was 2.9 ± 0.7 (1-4) pairs. The mean MV coaptation length was 1.4 ± 0.3 (0.8-1.8) cm, and the median transvalvular gradient was 1 [interquartile range (IQR), 1-2] mmHg. During a median follow-up time of 24 (IQR, 10-38) months, all patients showed persistent effective valve function with no significant MR or systolic anterior motion. CONCLUSIONS: Totally endoscopic repair was a safe, effective, and reproducible procedure with satisfied mid-term clinical outcomes for MR in Barlow's disease. However, further randomized and long-term follow-up studies were warranted to determine its clinical effects.

Investigating the Molecular Mechanisms of Resveratrol in Treating Cardiometabolic Multimorbidity: A Network Pharmacology and Bioinformatics Approach with Molecular Docking Validation.

BACKGROUND: Resveratrol is a potent phytochemical known for its potential in treating cardiometabolic multimorbidity. However, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Our study systematically investigates the effects of resveratrol on cardiometabolic multimorbidity and elucidates its mechanisms using network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques. METHODS: We screened cardiometabolic multimorbidity-related targets using the OMIM, GeneCards, and DisGeNET databases, and utilized the DSigDB drug characterization database to predict resveratrol's effects on cardiometabolic multimorbidity. Target identification for resveratrol was conducted using the TCMSP, SymMap, DrugBank, Swiss Target Prediction, CTD, and UniProt databases. SwissADME and ADMETlab 2.0 simulations were used to predict drug similarity and toxicity profiles of resveratrol. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.1 software. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analyses were performed via the DAVID online platform, and target-pathway networks were established. Molecular docking validated interactions between core targets and resveratrol, followed by molecular dynamics simulations on the optimal core proteins identified through docking. Differential analysis using the GEO dataset validated resveratrol as a core target in cardiometabolic multimorbidity. RESULTS: A total of 585 cardiometabolic multimorbidity target genes were identified, and the predicted results indicated that the phytochemical resveratrol could be a major therapeutic agent for cardiometabolic multimorbidity. SwissADME simulations showed that resveratrol has potential drug-like activity with minimal toxicity. Additionally, 6703 targets of resveratrol were screened. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that the main biological processes involved included positive regulation of cell proliferation, positive regulation of gene expression, and response to estradiol. Significant pathways related to MAPK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways were also identified. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated strong interactions between resveratrol and core targets such as MAPK and EGFR. CONCLUSIONS: This study predicts potential targets and pathways of resveratrol in treating cardiometabolic multimorbidity, offering a new research direction for understanding its molecular mechanisms. Additionally, it establishes a theoretical foundation for the clinical application of resveratrol.

Composite control of anti-drone platform for stable tracking under disturbance.

First, focused on the complex problem that a U-shaped tracking frame is unreachable to obtain the pointing angles of an unmanned aerial vehicle target, a novel coordinate transformation method is proposed in this paper. The fixed transformation relationship between the intermediate links is deduced by establishing a unified coordinate system, simplifying the algorithm conversion process, and saving computing resources and time. Furthermore, the accuracy of the proposed method has been verified in both aspects of theory and experiment. Then, in order to achieve smooth motion performance between target pointing strategy and stable tracking strategy, a mode switching method based on hysteresis intervals is developed. Compared with the traditional single-point threshold method, the switching method overcomes the high frequency jitter problem. The experimental results validate the consistency between practical effects and theoretical expectations. Finally, to improve the disturbance rejection performance of the platform, a composite control method integrating the information from the gyroscope and circular grating is proposed. The corresponding control scheme and the compensation principle are conceived and explained. The experimental results show the anti-interference performance of the proposed composite control method is five times that of the closed-loop method based on the gyroscope speed signal and two times that of the disturbance observer control method.

OpenCL-accelerated first-principles calculations of all-electron quantum perturbations on HPC resources.

We have proposed, for the first time, an OpenCL implementation for the all-electron density-functional perturbation theory (DFPT) calculations in FHI-aims, which can effectively compute all its time-consuming simulation stages, i.e., the real-space integration of the response density, the Poisson solver for the calculation of the electrostatic potential, and the response Hamiltonian matrix, by utilizing various heterogeneous accelerators. Furthermore, to fully exploit the massively parallel computing capabilities, we have performed a series of general-purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU)-targeted optimizations that significantly improved the execution efficiency by reducing register requirements, branch divergence, and memory transactions. Evaluations on the Sugon supercomputer have shown that notable speedups can be achieved across various materials.

Corrigendum: OpenCL-accelerated first-principles calculations of all-electron quantum perturbations on HPC resources.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1156891.].

High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may reduce impulsivity in patients with methamphetamine use disorders: A pilot study.

Background: Individuals who use methamphetamine (MA) for a long period of time may experience decreased inhibition and increased impulsivity. In order to reduce impulsivity or improve inhibitory control ability, high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) has attracted much attention of researchers. Recent studies on addiction have shown that rTMS can stimulate different brain regions to produce different therapeutic effects. Recent work also suggests that HF-rTMS over right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) does not affect the impulsivity of patients with alcohol use disorder; while HF-rTMS over left DLPFC could improve the impulsivity of patients with alcohol use disorder and cigarette smokers. However, it should be noted that empirical studies applying HF-rTMS over left DLPFC of patients with MA use disorders (MAUD) (to evaluate its effect on impulsivity) are still lacking. Methods: Twenty-nine patients with MAUD underwent five sessions of HF-rTMS on the left DLPFC per week for 4 consecutive weeks. The cue-induced craving and stop-signal and NoGo task were assessed pre-rTMS and post-rTMS (at the end of the 4-week rTMS treatment). In addition, 29 healthy controls were recruited. There was no rTMS intervention for the controls, the performance of the stop-signal and NoGo task was evaluated on them. Results: In total, HF-rTMS of the left DLPFC significantly decreased MA-dependent patients' cue-induced craving and stop-signal reaction time (SSRT). For SSRT, the pre-test of experimental group was significantly higher than the score of control group. In the experimental group, the pre-test score was significantly higher than the post-test score. For Go and stop-signal delay (SSD), the pre-test scores of the experimental group was significantly lower than the scores of the control group. No significant difference was found between the pre-test and the post-test scores of the experimental group. Conclusion: Add-on HF-rTMS of left DLPFC may be an effective intervention for reducing impulsivity and cue-induced craving of patients with MAUD. Future research with a control group of MAUD that does not undergo the treatment is needed to confirm the effectiveness.

Determination of phthalate esters in soil by microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography coupled with accelerated solvent extraction.

A novel method using microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography combining accelerated solvent extraction was developed for quantitative analysis of six phthalate esters (PAEs) including dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, as well as dioctyl phthalate. The effect of each individual component within the microemulsions, i.e. oil phase, surfactant and co-surfactant on resolution of the analytes was systematically studied. Baseline separation of six PAEs was achieved within 26 min by using the microemulsion buffer containing a 60 mmol/L borate buffer at pH 9.0, 0.5% v/v n-octane as oil droplets, 100 mmol/L sodium cholate as surfactant and 5.0% v/v 1-butanol as co-surfactant. The purposed accelerated solvent extraction-microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography method was successfully applied to the determination of trace amount of PAEs in soil samples collected from three different fields in areas of Fujian Province and the contents of dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dioctyl phthalate were 0.63-0.68, 0.32-0.63, 2.53-3.96, 0-1.75, 7.32-11.7 and 0-3.46mg/kg, respectively. It was validated that the results were consistent with those obtained by GC-MS method.

Inferior Vena Cava Filter Broken and Migrated to Left Ventricle With Destruction of Mitral Valve.

Inferior vena cava filters are used for patients with pulmonary embolism or those with risk of embolization. Here we present a case of a 38-year-old man who underwent placement of an inferior vena cava filter because of deep vein thrombosis. The operating arm fractured and embolized to the posteromedial papillary muscle of mitral valve and the posterior inferior wall of the left ventricle through right atrium and atrioventricular septum, leading to large symptomatic mitral and tricuspid insufficiency and pericardial tamponade. Here we report a rare case where the filter migrated to the left ventricle and destroyed the mitral valve.

Early clinical outcomes of thoracoscopic mitral valvuloplasty: a clinical experience of 100 consecutive cases.

BACKGROUND: We reported our experience of 100 consecutive cases of thoracoscopic mitral valvuloplasty in the early period. METHODS: Between September 2017 and December 2019, 100 consecutive cases (aged 49.2±14.7 years; 56% male) of thoracoscopic mitral valvuloplasty had been completed in our institution. The safety and feasibility of this technique was evaluated by its early clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Mitral valve (MV) repair was performed by means of Carpentier techniques, including leaflet folding in 5 cases, cleft suture in 10, commissuroplasty in 15 including 2 commissurotomy, edge to edge in 1, artificial chordae implantation in 76 cases with an average of 2.5±1.6 (1 to 4) pairs, and prosthetic annuloplasty in all cases. Intraoperative transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) revealed no mitral regurgitation (MR) in 95 cases and a mild in 2 cases with all coaptation length more than 5 mm. The rest 3 cases with moderate or more MR were successfully reconstructed during a second pump-run. The average cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time was 164.4±51.0 min and aortic clamping time was 119.7±39.1 min, and the latest 10 cases were 140.2±45.3 and 96.3±25.4 min, respectively (P<0.05). There was only one operative death from avulsion of left atrial suture after operation and 2 intraoperative re-exploration through a conversion to sternotomy for bleeding. Severe MR was observed in 2 patients 3 months after operation, and MV replacement (MVR) was performed through median sternotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Totally thoracoscopic mitral valvuloplasty was technically feasible, safe, effective, and reproducible in clinical practice after crossing the learning curve.