Mechanisms of well iron clogging in groundwater heat pump systems: Insights from video imaging, hydrogeochemical analysis, and geochemical modeling.

Groundwater heat pump (GWHP) systems are increasingly popular as low-carbon and environmentally friendly technologies, but well clogging induced by iron remains a significant issue. This study investigated the clogging characteristics and biogeochemistry of three typical wells (pumping, injection, and observation wells) in an operating GWHP system using video imaging, sampling, and analysis of hydrogeochemical and microbial data. The results revealed that iron-induced well clogging is a complex process involving physical, chemical, and microbial factors. Pumping wells experience clogging due to water mixing with varying redox conditions, resulting in hematite-based iron oxide deposits. Injection wells exhibit higher clogging severity, with transformed oxidation and accumulation of reduced iron minerals at the solid-liquid interface, resulting in darker colored clogs with magnetite. Clogging in both extraction and injection wells is closely related to iron-rich aquifer sections, where severe clogging occurs. Shallow clogging due to iron oxide is limited and attributed to the oxidation of zero-valent iron in well casing material. Iron-oxidizing bacteria and iron-reducing bacteria were detected in the consolidated deposits of clogged wells, indicating their involvement in the clogging formation process. Moreover, a strong correlation was observed between the presence of nitrate-reducing bacteria in the water phase and the severity of clogging, suggesting a possible link between iron oxidation and nitrate reduction in the system. Geochemical modeling results further supported the observed clogging severity in GWHP systems and confirmed varying clogging mechanisms in different wells and depths. These findings contribute to the understanding of clogging in GWHP operations, aiding in robust water utilization and energy-saving efforts, and supporting global carbon reduction initiatives.

Uptake, subcellular distribution, and fate of tetracycline in two wetland plants supplemented with microbial agents: Effect and mechanism.

The use of wetland plants in the context of phytoremediation is effective in the removal of antibiotics from contaminated water. However, the effectiveness and efficiency of many of these plants in the removal of antibiotics remain undetermined. In this study, the effectiveness of two plants-Phragmites australis and Iris pseudacorus-in the removal of tetracycline (TC) in hydroponic systems was investigated. The uptake of TC at the roots of I. pseudacorus and P. australis occurred at concentrations of 588.78 and 106.70 µg/g, respectively, after 7-day exposure. The higher uptake of TC in the root of I. pseudacorus may be attributed to its higher secretion of root exudates, which facilitate conditions conducive to the reproduction of microorganisms. These rhizosphere-linked microorganisms then drove the TC uptake, which was higher than that in the roots of P. australis. By elucidating the mechanisms underlying these uptake-linked outcomes, we found that the uptake of TC for both plants was significantly suppressed by metabolic and aquaporin inhibition, suggesting uptake and transport of TC were active (energy-dependent) and passive (aquaporin-dominated) processes, respectively. The subcellular distribution patterns of I. pseudacorus and P. australis in the roots were different, as expressed by differences in organelles, cell wall concentration levels, and transport-related dynamics. Additionally, the microbe-driven enhancement of the remediation capacities of the plants was studied comprehensively via a combined microbial-phytoremediation hydroponic system. We confirmed that the microbial agents increased the secretion of root exudates, promoting the variation of TC chemical speciation and thus enhancing the active transport of TC. These results contribute toward the improved application of wetland plants in the context of antibiotic phytoremediation.

An ultrasound-based histogram analysis model for prediction of tumour stroma ratio in pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary gland.

OBJECTIVES: Preoperative identification of different stromal subtypes of pleomorphic adenoma (PA) of the salivary gland is crucial for making treatment decisions. We aimed to develop and validate a model based on histogram analysis (HA) of ultrasound (US) images for predicting tumour stroma ratio (TSR) in salivary gland PA. METHODS: A total of 219 PA patients were divided into low-TSR (stroma-low) and high-TSR (stroma-high) groups and enrolled in a training cohort (n = 151) and a validation cohort (n = 68). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression algorithm was used to screen the most optimal clinical, US, and HA features. The selected features were entered into multivariable logistic regression analyses for further selection of independent predictors. Different models, including the nomogram model, the clinic-US (Clin + US) model, and the HA model, were built based on independent predictors using logistic regression. The performance levels of the models were evaluated and validated on the training and validation cohorts. RESULTS: Lesion size, shape, cystic areas, vascularity, HA_mean, and HA_skewness were identified as independent predictors for constructing the nomogram model. The nomogram model incorporating the clinical, US, and HA features achieved areas under the curve of 0.839 and 0.852 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively, demonstrating good predictive performance and calibration. Decision curve analysis and clinical impact curves further confirmed its clinical usefulness. CONCLUSIONS: The nomogram model we developed offers a practical tool for preoperative TSR prediction in PA, potentially enhancing clinical decision-making.

Jun-mediated lncRNA-IMS promotes the meiosis of chicken spermatogonial stem cells via gga-miR-31-5p/stra8.

Meiosis, a key step in spermatogenesis, is affected by many factors. Current studies have shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are potential factors regulating meiosis, and their regulatory mechanisms have received much attention. However, little research has been done on its regulatory mechanism in the spermatogenesis of roosters. Here, we found that lncRNA involved in meiosis and spermatogenesis (lncRNA-IMS) was involved in the regulation of Stra8 by gga-miR-31-5p and hindered the inhibition of Stra8 by gga-miR-31-5p. The acquisition and loss of function experiments demonstrated that lncRNA-IMS was involved in meiosis and spermatogenesis. In addition, we predicted and determined the core promoter region of lncRNA-IMS. Prediction of transcription factors, deletion/overexpression of binding sites, knockdown/overexpression of Jun, and dual-luciferase reporter analysis confirmed that Jun positively activated transcription of lncRNA-IMS. Our findings further enrich the TF-lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network during male meiosis and provide new ideas for studying the molecular mechanism of meiosis and spermatogenesis in chicken spermatogonial stem cells.

Analysis of the Promoter Regions of gga-miR-31 and Its Regulation by RA and C-jun in Chicken.

The role of gga-miR-31 in chicken germ cell differentiation and spermatogenesis is of significant importance. The transcriptional properties of gga-miR-31 are crucial in establishing the foundation for the formation of chicken spermatogonia stem cells and spermatogenesis. In this study, a series of recombinant vectors including varying lengths of the gga-miR-31 promoter were predicted and constructed. Through the utilization of the dual luciferase reporting system, the upstream -2180~0 bp region of gga-miR-31 was identified as its promoter region. Furthermore, it was predicted and confirmed that the activity of the gga-miR-31 promoter is increased by retinoic acid (RA). The binding of RA to the gga-miR-31 and Stra8 promoter regions was found to be competitive. Through the deletion of C-jun binding sites and the manipulation of C-jun expression levels, it was determined that C-jun inhibits the activity of the gga-miR-31 promoter. Furthermore, the combined treatment of C-jun and RA demonstrated that the positive regulatory effect of RA on the gga-miR-31 promoter is attenuated in the presence of high levels of C-jun. Overall, this study establishes a foundation for further investigation into the regulatory mechanisms of gga-miR-31 action, and provides a new avenue for inducing chicken embryonic stem cells (ESC) to differentiate into spermatogonial stem cells (SSC), and sperm formation.

DFR-U-Net: Dual residual and feature fusion network for ulna and radius segmentation on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry images.

BACKGROUND: Ulna and radius segmentation of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) images is essential for measuring bone mineral density (BMD). OBJECTIVE: To develop and test a novel deep learning network architecture for robust and efficient ulna and radius segmentation on DXA images. METHODS: This study used two datasets including 360 cases. The first dataset included 300 cases that were randomly divided into five groups for five-fold cross-validation. The second dataset including 60 cases was used for independent testing. A deep learning network architecture with dual residual dilated convolution module and feature fusion block based on residual U-Net (DFR-U-Net) to enhance segmentation accuracy of ulna and radius regions on DXA images was developed. The Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), Jaccard, and Hausdorff distance (HD) were used to evaluate the segmentation performance. A one-tailed paired t-test was used to assert the statistical significance of our method and the other deep learning-based methods (P < 0.05 indicates a statistical significance). RESULTS: The results demonstrated our method achieved the promising segmentation performance, with DSC of 98.56±0.40% and 98.86±0.25%, Jaccard of 97.14±0.75% and 97.73±0.48%, and HD of 6.41±11.67 pixels and 8.23±7.82 pixels for segmentation of ulna and radius, respectively. According to statistics data analysis results, our method yielded significantly higher performance than other deep learning-based methods. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed DFR-U-Net achieved higher segmentation performance for ulna and radius on DXA images than the previous work and other deep learning approaches. This methodology has potential to be applied to ulna and radius segmentation to help doctors measure BMD more accurately in the future.

L-norvaline affects the proliferation of breast cancer cells based on the microbiome and metabolome analysis.

AIMS: The altered faecal metabolites and microbiota might be involved in the development of breast cancer. We aimed to investigate the effect of differential metabolites on the proliferative activity of breast cancer cells. METHODS AND RESULTS: We collected faecal samples from 14 breast cancer patients and 14 healthy subjects. Untargeted metabolomics analysis, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) targeted analysis, and 16S rDNA sequencing was performed. The gut metabolite composition of patients changed significantly. Levels of norvaline, glucuronate and galacturonate were lower in the cancer group than in the Control (p < 0.05). 4-Methylcatechol and guaiacol increased (p < 0.05). Acetic acid and butyric acid were lower in the cancer group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Isobutyric acid and pentanoic acid were higher in the cancer group than in the control (p < 0.05). In the genus, the abundance of Rothia and Actinomyces increased in the cancer group, compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The differential microbiotas were clearly associated with differential metabolites but weakly with SCFAs. The abundance of Rothia and Actinomyces was markedly positively correlated with 4-methylcatechol and guaiacol (p < 0.05) and negatively correlated with norvaline (p < 0.05). L-norvaline inhibited the content of Arg-1 in a concentration-dependent manner. Compared with the L-norvaline or doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) group, the proliferation abilities of 4 T1 cells were the lowest in the L-norvaline combined with DOX (p < 0.05). The apoptosis rate increased (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Faecal metabolites and microbiota were significantly altered in breast cancer. Levels of differential metabolites (i.e. Norvaline) were significantly correlated with the abundance of differential microbiota. L-norvaline combined with DOX could clearly inhibit the proliferation activity of breast cancer cells. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: This might provide clues to uncover potential biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Pyopneumothorax from coinfection by Trichomonas tenax and Geotrichum capitatum in a child from China: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Trichomonas tenax may appear in the oral cavity of humans due to poor dentition or oral hygiene. Pyopneumothorax is a serious complication of lower respiratory tract infections that very rarely can be caused by a trichomonad species in predisposed individuals. We report a rare case of pleurisy due to T. tenax with coinfection by a fungus. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a 16-year-old patient with cerebral palsy who presented with severe pyopneumothorax. T. tenax was identified by microscopic examination of the pleural effusion and next-generation sequencing. We also identified Geotrichum capitatum in the pleural effusion and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cultures. Treatment with voriconazole and metronidazole successfully eliminated these pathogens and relieved the clinical symptoms. A literature review indicated this is the first reported case of pleurisy due to T. tenax with coinfection by a fungus. CONCLUSION: The rarity of pyopneumothorax caused by T. tenax coinfection with a fungus should not be overlooked in the clinic. These patients should be and treated in a timely manner.

The death risk factors of patients undergoing re-exploration for bleeding or tamponade after isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study is to identify off-pump patients who are at higher risk of mortality after re-exploration for bleeding or tamponade. METHODS: We analyzed the data of 3256 consecutive patients undergoing isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG) in our heart center from 2013 through 2020. Fifty-eight patients underwent re-exploration after OPCABG. The 58 patients were divided into death group and survival group according to their discharge status. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to analysis the risk factors of death. 15 pairs of cases of two groups were matched well. RESULTS: The mortality rate of patients underwent re-exploration after OPCABG for bleeding or tamponade was 27.59% (16/58). In the raw data, we found the patients in death group had higher body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.030), higher cardiac troponin T (cTnT) (P = 0.028) and higher incidence of heart failure before OPCABG (P = 0.003). After PSM, the levels of lactic acid before and after re-exploration (P = 0.028 and P < 0.001) were higher in death group. And the levels of creatinine (P = 0.002) and cTnT (P = 0.017) were higher in the death group after re-exploration. The death group had longer reoperation time (P = 0.010). In addition, the perioperative utilization rate of intra-aortic ballon pump (IABP) (P = 0.027), continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) (P < 0.001) and platelet transfusion (P = 0.017) were higher than survival group. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality rate of patients undergoing re-exploration for bleeding or tamponade after isolated OPCABG is high. More attention should be paid to patients with above risk factors and appropriate measures should be taken in time.

Clinical Analysis of Primary Nephrotic Syndrome Complicated by Plastic Bronchitis in Children.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the clinical features of primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) complicated by plastic bronchitis (PB) in children to provide guidance for treatment. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of the clinical data of 25 children hospitalized with NS complicated by PB in our Hospital between 10/2016 and 03/2019, and summarized the clinical manifestations, imaging and fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) examinations, treatment course and outcome of them. RESULTS: 1). The 25 children, with a nephrotic syndrome (NS) course of one to 36 months, were all diagnosed with PB after FOB, among which 8 cases (32%) had respiratory failure and required ventilatory support. All of them started with respiratory symptoms such as fever and cough, and then suffered from dyspnea and progressive aggravation after 1-3 day(s) of onset, with rapid occurrence of bidirectional dyspnea and even respiratory failure in severe cases. 2). Laboratory test for pathogens: influenza A virus H1N1 (11 cases), influenza B virus (9 cases), adenovirus (3 cases) and mycoplasma pneumoniae (2 cases). There was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) between children with common NS complicated by influenza virus (IV) infection (not accompanied by dyspnea) and those with kidney disease who developed PB in the white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, the inflammatory biomarkers C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT) and humoral immunity (IgG level), yet the total IgG level was found significantly higher and the blood albumin level lower in the latter (P<0.05). 3). The 25 children were all examined with the FOB and treated with lavage, 15 of which had typical bronchial tree-like casts and 10 broken and stringy casts. Based on histopathological classification, all children were of Type I. 4). Twenty children (80%) with influenza were administered the antiviral drug Oseltamivir, 20 (80%) were treated with antibiotics, oral hormones were replaced with the same dosage of intravenous Methylprednisolone for 5 cases (20%), and 20 (80%) were intravenously administered gamma globulins (400-500 mg/kg x 3 days). These children showed a remarkable improvement after treatment and there were no deaths. CONCLUSION: NS children are at high risk of influenza virus infection. Children with a severe case of NS are more susceptible to PB. If symptoms like shortness of breath, wheezing and progressive bidirectional dyspnea occur, FOB examination and lavage treatment should be performed as early as possible. Hyper-IgE-emia and hypoproteinemia may be the high risk factors for PNS complicated by PB in children. ZIEL: Ziel der Studie war es, durch Zusammenfassung der klinischen Merkmale des primären nephrotischen Syndroms (PNS) mit komplizierender plastischer Bronchitis (PB) im Kindesalter eine Orientierungshilfe für die Therapie der Erkrankung zu geben. METHODIK: Wir führten eine retrospektive Prüfung der klinischen Daten von 25 Kindern durch, die zwischen Oktober 2016 und März 2019 in unser Krankhaus aufgenommen wurden, und erstellten eine Zusammenfassung der klinischen Symptome, Untersuchungen mit bildgebenden Verfahren und fiberoptischer Bronchoskopie (FOB), des Therapieverlaufs und des Outcomes der Patienten. ERGEBNISSE: 1). Bei den 25 Kindern bestand ein nephrotisches Syndrom (NS) über einen Zeitraum von einem bis 36 Monaten. Bei allen Patienten wurde die Diagnose PB nach FOB gestellt, wobei in 8 Fällen (32%) eine beatmungspflichtige respiratorische Insuffizienz vorlag. Alle Patienten zeigten anfänglich Symptome einer Atemwegserkrankung wie Fieber und Husten, gefolgt von Atemnot und progredienter Verschlechterung 1 bis 3 Tage nach Erkrankungsbeginn. Dabei kam es rasch zum Auftreten bidirektionaler Atemnot, in schweren Fällen bis hin zur respiratorischen Insuffizienz. 2). Laboruntersuchung auf Erreger: Influenza-A-Virus H1N1 (11 Fälle), Influenza-B-Virus (9 Fälle), Adenovirus (3 Fälle) und Mycoplasma pneumoniae (2 Fälle). Es fand sich kein statistisch signifikanter Unterschied (P>0,05) zwischen Kindern, die ein "gewöhnliches" NS mit komplizierender Influenza-Virus (IV)-Infektion (ohne begleitende Atemnot) aufwiesen, und Kindern mit Nierenerkrankung, die eine PB entwickelten, hinsichtlich der Leukozyten- und Lymphozytenwerte sowie der Entzündungsmarker C-reaktives Protein (CRP), Procalcitonin (PCT) und humorale Immunität (IgG-Wert). Allerdings wurde bei der letzteren Patientengruppe ein signifikant höherer Gesamt-IgG-Wert und ein signifikant niedriger Albumin-Spiegel im Blut nachgewiesen (P<0.05). 3). Bei allen 25 Kindern erfolgte eine FOB und Therapie mit Lavage, bei 15 Kinder fanden sich typische verzweigte Ausgüsse der Bronchialäste und bei 10 Patienten desintegrierte und zähe Ausgüsse. Gemäß der histopathologischen Klassifikation waren alle Kinder vom Typ I. 4). Zwanzig Kinder (80%) mit Influenza erhielten das Virostatikum Oseltamivir, 20 Kinder (80%) eine Antibiotikatherapie, in 5 Fällen (20%) wurden oral gegebene Hormone durch intravenös in derselben Dosis verabreichtes Methylprednisolon ersetzt und 20 Kinder (80%) erhielten intravenös verabreichte Gammaglobuline (400-500 mg/kg Körpergewicht x 3 Tage). Diese Kinder zeigten eine bemerkenswerte Verbesserung nach der Therapie und es traten keine Todesfälle auf. SCHLUSSFOLGERUNG: Bei Kindern mit NS besteht ein hohes Risiko für eine Influenza-Virus-Infektion. Kinder mit schwerem NS sind anfälliger für PB. Bei Auftreten von Symptomen wie Atemnot, Giemen und Brummern sowie progredienter bidirektionaler Dyspnoe sollte baldmöglichst eine FOB-Untersuchung und eine therapeutische Lavage durchgeführt werden. Erhöhte IgE-Werte im Blut und Hypoproteinämie stellen möglicherweise Risikofaktoren für PNS mit komplizierender PB im Kindesalter dar.

Conventional suture with prolonged timing of drainage is as good as quilting suture in preventing seroma formation at pectoral area after mastectomy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare conventional suture with prolonged timing of drainage with quilting suture on the formation of seroma at pectoral area after mastectomy (ME) with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLN) or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for breast cancer. METHODS: Three hundred and eighty-eight consecutive breast cancer patients were retrospectively analyzed and categorized into three groups. Patients in group 1 were with quilting suture, group 2 with conventional suture and 13-15 days drainage in situ, and group 3 with conventional suture and 20-22 days drainage. The primary outcome was the incidence of grades 2 and 3 seroma at anterior pectoral area within 1 month postoperatively. Cox regression was used for analysis. RESULTS: The incidence of grades 2 and 3 seroma was comparable among groups (9.5% vs. 7.9% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.437), as well as late grades 2 and 3 seroma among groups (4.3% vs. 2.9% vs. 1.5%, p = 0.412). Old age, high body mass index, and hypertension were independent risk factors for grades 2 and 3 seroma. CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged timing of drainage to 13-15 days in conventional suture was long enough to decrease the incidence of grades 2 and 3 seroma as lower as that in quilting suture group at pectoral area within 1 month after mastectomy.

Inheritance patterns of leukocyte gene expression under heat stress in F1 hybrid cattle and their parents.

Crossbreeding capitalizes on heterosis effects and results in increased performance of crossbred animals. Dominance hypothesis and overdominance hypothesis are 2 common models proposed to explain heterosis. Differential gene expression between parents and hybrids is hypothesized to be responsible for heterosis. This study aimed to investigate the heat tolerance and inheritance patterns of leukocyte transcriptomics in F1 hybrid cattle (Angus males × Droughtmaster females) and their parents Red Angus (AN) and Droughtmaster (DR) under heat stress. According to the respiratory rate and heat tolerance coefficient index, DR was better adapted to heat stress than AN. The physiological responses to heat stress of F1 hybrids were similar to AN. We identified 802 differentially expressed genes in leukocytes between AN and DR under heat stress using mRNA sequencing. Compared with AN, upregulated genes in DR were enriched in biological processes of response to stress, external and chemical stimulus, and cytokine, cell surface receptor signaling pathway, and cardiovascular system development. In contrast, upregulated genes in AN were enriched in B cell activation and regulation of B cell activation. Gene expression levels can be inherited additively or nonadditively and are classified into additive (35%), dominance (44%), and overdominance and underdominance (18%) modes in F1 hybrids and their parents. Inheritance patterns of gene expression showed that 97% (249/255) of the dominant genes were classified as paternal AN dominant in hybrids. The paternal imprinted PEG10 gene and its regulatory transcription factor MYC showed an AN dominant expression pattern. The MYC interacted with most AN dominant genes. These transcriptomic analyses revealed that DR and AN had specific cellular and humoral immunity and cardiovascular systems development function under heat stress. Inheritance pattern analyses from gene expression partly explained phenotypic differences between parents and F1 hybrids. The paternal imprinted PEG10 gene interaction with transcription factor MYC may contribute to explaining paternal dominant gene expression in hybrids.

Quilting suture is better than conventional suture with drain in preventing seroma formation at pectoral area after mastectomy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare quilting suture with conventional suture on the formation of seroma at pectoral area after mastectomy (ME) with sentinel lymph nodes biopsy (SLN) or axillary lymph nodes dissection (ALND) for breast cancer. METHODS: Two hundred thirty-five consecutive breast cancer patients were retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcome was the incidence of Grade 2 or Grade 3 seroma at anterior pectoral area within 1 month postoperatively. We categorized seroma into early or late seroma according to the drainage removal time. Cox regression was used for analysis. RESULTS: The incidence of Grade 2 and 3 seroma was significantly higher in the conventional suture group compared with that in the quilting suture group (19.3% vs. 9.5%, p = 0.032), which was attributed to the late seroma in Grade 2 and 3. Quilting suture was associated with longer time for fixing flaps compared with that of conventional suture (504.7 s vs. 109.1 s, p < 0.001), but with less volume of drainage. Old age, high body mass index and conventional suture were independently risk factors for Grade 2 and 3 seroma. CONCLUSIONS: Quilting suture decreased the incidence of Grade 2 and 3 seroma at pectoral area within 1 month after mastectomy, especially the late seroma in Grade 2 and 3.

Application of a Modified Extracorporeal Circulation Perfusion Method During Surgery for Acute Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the modified extracorporeal circulation perfusion method during surgery for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection in patients who underwent stented elephant trunk implantation and arch replacement. METHOD: A total of 69 patients with acute Stanford type A aortic dissection who underwent stented elephant trunk implantation and arch replacement were retrospectively analysed from 2017 to 2018. According to the perfusion method of extracorporeal circulation, patients were divided into a routine perfusion (RP) group and a modified perfusion (MP) group. Clinical data were collected, including the time of extracorporeal circulation and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, incidence of acute kidney injury and neurological complications, and comparisons between the two groups were conducted by using independent sample t-tests for normally distributed qualitative data, the Mann-Whitney U-test for skewed qualitative data, and the chi square test or Fisher's exact test for categorical data. RESULTS: There were 55 (80%) males and 14 (20%) females in the entire cohort, and the mean ± standard deviation age was 50.4±9.0 years. A total of 53 (77%) patients were included in the RP group, and 16 (23%) were included in the MP group. Patients in the MP group were older (55.5±7.8 vs 48.8±8.9 years), and the difference was significant (p=0.008). Compared with the RP group, the time of extracorporeal circulation (218.0 [44.7] vs 246.0 [58.0] min; p=0.005) and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (4.0 [2.0] vs 25.0 [10.0] min; p<0.001) was shorter, and the incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury (n=6 [37.5%] vs n=36 [67.9%]; p=0.029) was lower in the MP group; the differences were significant. Six (6) patients died in the RP group; no patients died in the MP group. The total in-hospital mortality rate was 8.7%. CONCLUSIONS: The modified extracorporeal circulation perfusion method is feasible, with satisfactory results.

Molecular cloning of complement component C3 gene from pearl mussel, Hyriopsis cumingii and analysis of the gene expression in response to tissue transplantation.

Complement component C3 is well recognized as the central mediator of complement system, whose activation is responsible for the immune surveillance and elimination of non-self-antigens. In this study, C3 gene (HcC3) from a pearl making mussel, Hyriopsis cumingii, was successfully identified. The putative HcC3 possessed the canonical domains and highly conserved functional residues of C3 family members. In phylogenetic analysis, HcC3 was also clustered into C3 subfamily and separated from α2 macroglobulin clade. HcC3 gene was constitutively expressed in a wide range of tissues of pearl mussels, among which the immune-related tissues like hemocytes got highest expression. After allograft surgery of mantle tissues for aquaculture pearl production, the gene expression of HcC3 exhibited a rapid upregulation on day 1, dropped back on day 3, peaked the value on day 7, and restored to the level similar to control samples on day 14 after mantle allograft. The biphasic expression within the two weeks post the surgery suggests the important roles for HcC3 in alloimmune responses and an intricate complement activation mechanism in mollusks during tissue allograft.

Comparison of Y-chromosome-linked TSPY, TSPY2, and PRAMEY genes in Taurus cattle, yaks, and interspecific hybrid bulls.

Domestic yaks (Bos grunniens) and domestic Taurus cattle (Bos taurus) are closely related. An interesting phenomenon in interspecific crossings is male sterility in the F1 hybrid (yattle) and F2 backcross, with no late meiotic cells or spermatids in the seminiferous tubules. The mammalian Y chromosome is crucial for spermatogenesis and male fertility. This study investigated the copy number variations and mRNA of Y-transitional region genes TSPY2 (testis specific protein, Y-linked 2 and testis-specific Y-encoded protein 3-like) and PRAMEY (preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma, Y-linked), and Y-ampliconic region genes TSPY (testis-specific Y-encoded protein 1-like), ZNF280BY (zinc finger protein 280B, Y-linked) and HSFY (heat-shock transcription factor, Y-linked) in mature testes from Taurus cattle, yaks, and yattle. Phylogenetic trees divided 33 copies of TSPY into major 2 types (TSPY-T1 and TSPY-T2), 19 copies of TSPY2 into 2 types (TSPY2-T1 and T2), and 8 copies of PRAMEY into 4 types (PRAMEY-T1 to T4). Searching by the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool of the TSPY2 coding sequences in GenBank revealed that TSPY2 was conserved in Bovidae. The TSPY2-T2 sequences were absent, whereas PRAMEY-T2 and PRAMEY-T4 were amplified on the yak Y chromosome. The average copy numbers of TSPY-T2 and ZNF280BY were significantly different between cattle and yaks. The TSPY-T2, TSPY2, PRAMEY, ZNF280BY, and HSFY genes were uniquely or predominantly expressed in testes. Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR showed that the TSPY-T2, PRAMEY-T2, HSFY, ZNF280BY, protamine 1 (PRM1), and protamine 2 (PRM2) genes were almost not expressed in yattle. The PRM1 and PRM2 genes are used as positive markers for spermatozoa. Thus, our results showed that the genomic structure of the Y-transitional and Y-ampliconic region differed between Taurus cattle and yaks. Dysregulated expression of Y-ampliconic region genes TSPY-T2, HSPY, ZNF280BY, and Y-transitional region gene PRAMEY-T2 may be associated with hybrid male sterility in yattle.

Protection of dietary selenium-enriched seaweed Gracilaria lemaneiformis against cadmium toxicity to abalone Haliotis discus hannai.

Seaweed Gracilaria lemaneiformis is the main dietary source of the abalone mariculture industry in China. In this study, we examined the protection of selenium (Se)-enriched G. lemaneiformis against cadmium (Cd) toxicity in the abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, using various indices including metal concentration (Se and Cd), growth rate, GPx enzymatic antioxidants, and metallothionein (MT) concentration over a period of 28 days of exposure. The growth rates and Se contents increased significantly in abalones fed with Se-enriched G. lemaneiformis, while the toxicity of Cd was reduced. Seven to 12 days Cd exposure to the Se-enriched G. lemaneiformis not only affected GPx activity but the MT levels fluctuated irregularly. MT concentrations increased after 3 days exposure and then gradually decreased to the control level after Day 7. There were statistically significant positive correlations between MT levels, GPx activity and Se concentrations, and negative relationships between MT levels, GPx activity and Cd levels in abalones. These findings suggest that Se-enriched Gracilaria protects abalone against Cd toxicity. The possible mechanism is the induction of MT with a concomitant increased capacity of GPx enzymatic antioxidants.

Propranolol Attenuates Surgical Stress-Induced Elevation of the Regulatory T Cell Response in Patients Undergoing Radical Mastectomy.

Surgical stress and inflammatory response induce the release of catecholamines and PGs, which may be key factors in facilitating cancer recurrence through immunosuppression. Animal studies have suggested the efficacy of perioperative blockades of catecholamines and PGs in reducing immunosuppression. In this study, to our knowledge, we present the first report of the effects of perioperative propranolol and/or parecoxib on peripheral regulatory T cells (Tregs) in breast cancer patients. Patients were randomly assigned to control, propranolol, parecoxib, and propranolol plus parecoxib groups. We demonstrated that levels of circulating epinephrine, norepinephrine, and PGE2increased in response to surgery. Meanwhile, peripheral FOXP3 mRNA level and Treg frequencies were elevated on postoperative day 7. Propranolol administration, rather than parecoxib, attenuated such elevation of Tregs, indicating the critical roles for catecholamines in surgery-induced promotion of Tregs. Besides, propranolol plus parecoxib treatment demonstrated no additive or synergistic effects. Furthermore, a study of Treg activity on CD4(+)T cell responses to specific tumor Ags was performed in the control and propranolol groups. Propranolol abrogated the increased Treg activity and accompanying suppression of CD4(+)T cell responses after surgery. Finally, we conducted ex vivo experiments on the effects of varying concentrations of epinephrine and/or propranolol on Treg proliferation over PBMCs from breast cancer patients, to provide further direct evidence strengthening our clinical observations. Epinephrine markedly promoted Treg proliferation, whereas propranolol prevented such enhancement effect. In conclusion, our study highlights beneficial roles for propranolol in inhibiting Treg responses in vivo and in vitro, and demonstrates that propranolol could alleviate surgical stress-induced elevation of Tregs in breast cancer patients.

Perioperative Results and Risk Factors for In-Hospital Mortality In Patients With Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection Undergoing Sun's Procedure - A Single Center Study.

BACKGROUND: The study was to analyze the therapeutic effect and risk factors of in-hospital mortality in patients with acute Stanford type A aortic dissection operated by Sun's procedure. METHODS: From Jan. 2010 to March 2016, 72 patients whose data was fully accessible underwent Sun's procedure in our hospital due to acute Stanford type A aortic dissection. Patients were divided into the survival group and the death group, and the risk factors for in-hospital mortality were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: All 72 patients were diagnosed as acute Stanford type A aortic dissection by CT angiography in which the ascending aorta, aortic arch and descending aorta were involved; these patients were operated by Sun's procedure. The operation of proximal aorta included 39 Bentall procedure, one David surgery, and 32 ascending aorta replacement. The in-hospital mortality rate was 19.4% (14 patients). Studies showed the risk factors for the in-hospital mortality included the body mass index, cardiopulmonary bypass time, operation time, intraoperative transfusion of red blood cells and plasma volume, and the total perioperative transfusion of red blood cells, plasma and cryoprecipitate volume. Independent risk factors included the body mass index and cardiopulmonary bypass time. CONCLUSION: Acute Stanford type A aortic dissection is a severe, complex disease with high in-hospital mortality, though the Sun's procedure is an effective surgical approach in treating this kind of disease in some center. Body mass index and cardiopulmonary bypass time are independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality.

Synergetic adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of pollutants over 3D TiO2-graphene aerogel composites synthesized via a facile one-pot route.

A series of composites consisting of anatase TiO2 nanocrystals and three-dimensional (3D) graphene aerogel (TiO2-GA) were self-assembled directly from tetrabutyl titanate and graphene oxides via a one-pot hydrothermal process. TiO2 was found to uniformly distribute inside the 3D network of GA in the resulting composites with large surface areas (SBET > 125 m(2) g(-1)) and high pore volumes (Vp > 0.22 cm(3) g(-1)). In comparison with GA and TiO2, the composites possessed much higher adsorption capacities and visible light photocatalytic activity in the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). With an initial concentration of 20.0 mg L(-1) of RhB, the adsorptive decolourization of RhB was as high as 95.1% and the total decolourization value reached up to 98.7% under visible light irradiation over 5.0 mg of the resulting composites. It was elucidated that the physical and chemical properties of the TiO2-GA composites could be ascribed to their unique 3D nanoporous structure with high surface areas and the synergetic activities of graphene nanosheets and TiO2 nanoparticles.