[Genetic analysis of dense and erect panicle 2 allele DEP2-1388 and its application in hybrid rice breeding].

Using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis, we isolated an erect panicle mutant, R1338, from indica heavy-panicle restorer Shuhui498. Compared with wild type control, the mutant displayed dwarfism, erect and short panicle, short primary panicle branch, increased grain density, short grain length and increased grain thickness. In addition, the erect panicle architecture of R1388 resulted in significant decreased bending moment and increased resistance to panicle bending. Histocytological analysis indicated that the diameter of uppermost internode, cellulose content and lignin content play important roles in resistance to panicle bending. Genetic analysis revealed that the mutant phenotype was controlled by a semi-dominant nuclear gene. With resequencing and MutMap analysis strategy, we found that one SNP from A to G at the seventh exon of DEP2 resulted in the 928(th) amino acid substitution from arginine (AGG) to glycine (GGG) in R1338 mutant. Considering the phenotype of other dep2 mutants, the phenotype of R1338 was likely to be caused by the SNP in DEP2. The mutant R1338 and wild type were crossed with several sterile lines which respectively had different panicle types, the combinations generated from R1338 and curve panicle sterile lines showed semi-erect panicle, higher seed setting percentage and heterosis, and the combinations generated from R1388 and erect panicle sterile line with DEP1 showed erect panicle by gene additive effect. Moreover, the combinations with semi-erect panicle had superior light transmittance and stronger light intensity, which improved efficiency of light utilization to intermediate and subjacent leaves compared to the combinations with curved panicle. This study provides a good strategy to solve the problem of population density in three-line hybrid rice.

Causes of death after hip fracture in senile patients.

Hip trauma has been a leading cause of death in senile patients for more than a centenary. Although the mortality decreased due to the advanced technique in medication, surgery and nursing, the increasing mortality should not be neglected in elders after orthopedic operation nowadays. Many factors are considered to influence the causes of death after trauma, such as age, gender, personal customs, comorbidities, types of fracture, timing of surgery, procedure, anesthesia, complications, medical treatment, activity of daily living, or even marriage status. This article reviews these causes from the aspects of patient's own factors, iatrogenic factors, medical treatment and other factors and provides some clues for further clinical application according to the recent foreign and domestic researches. According to the present research, it is essential for surgeons to perform a comprehensive estimation for patients suffering from hip trauma.

Effect of Alteplase Thrombolysis on Coagulation Function and Nerve Function of Patients with Ischemic Stroke.

Objective: To investigate the effects of alteplase thrombolysis on coagulation function and nerve function of patients with ischemic stroke. Methods: 76 cases with ischemic stroke receiving thrombolytic therapy in Cangzhou Central Hospital from November 2018 to November 2019 were recruited. They were assigned via the random number table method at a ratio of 1 : 1 to receive alteplase thrombolysis either within 3h after the onset (observation group) or within 3-4.5 h after the onset (control group), followed by aspirin administration after no bleeding in cranial computed tomography (CT). Outcome measures included plasma fibrinogen (FIB), activated partial prothrombin time (APTT), platelet (PLT) levels, the National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) score, and adverse events. Results: Alteplase thrombolysis within 3 h was associated with better prothrombin time (PT), APTT, FIB, and PLT levels versus thrombolysis within 3-4.5 h (P < 0.05). Thrombolysis within 3 h showed significantly lower NIHSS scores versus within 3-4.5 h (P < 0.05). The two groups showed a similar incidence of adverse events (X 2 = 2.963, P=0.615). Conclusion: Alteplase thrombolysis showed benefits in mitigating the coagulation function and nerve function damage of patients with ischemic stroke, especially within 3 hours after the onset, with a high safety profile.

[Inhibitory effect of extrinsic CO-releasing molecules-2 (CORM-2) on inflammatory responses in mice with LPS-induced acute lung injury].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of extrinsic CO-releasing molecules-2 (CORM-2) on attenuating pulmonary injury and the inflammatory response in LPS-induced acute lung injury of mice. METHODS: Fifty-three mice were assigned to four groups. Mice in sham group (n= 8) underwent sham inhalation, whereas mice in ALI (n= 15) received inhalation of LPS for 30 min, mice in ALI+iCORM (n= 15) underwent LPS inhalation with immediate administration of inactive CORM-2 (8 mg/kg, i.v.), mice in ALI+CORM (n= 15) underwent LPS inhalation with immediate administration of CORM-2 (8 mg/kg, i.v.). PMN accumulation (MPO assay) in mice lungs and TNF-α and IL-1 ß in BAL fluid were determined. Activation of NF-kB and expression level of ICAM-1 in the lung were assessed. RESULT: Treatment of ALI mice with CORM-2 attenuated PMN accumulation and prevented activation of NF-kB in the lung. This was accompanied by a decrease of the expression of ICAM-1. In parallel, CORM-2 markedly decreased the production of inflammatory mediators in BAL fluid. CONCLUSION: CORM-2 attenuates the inflammatory response in the lung of LPS-induced ALI by decreasing leukocyte sequestration and interfering with NF-kB activation, expression of ICAM-1 and therefore suppressing endothelial cells pro-adhesive phenotype.

Correlation between serum vitamin B12 level and peripheral neuropathy in atrophic gastritis.

AIM: To explore the correlation between serum vitamin B12 level and peripheral neuropathy in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG). METHODS: A total of 593 patients diagnosed with chronic gastritis by gastroscopy and pathological examination from September 2013 to September 2016 were selected for this study. The age of these patients ranged within 18- to 75-years-old. Blood pressure, height and weight were measured in each patient, and the body mass index value was calculated. Furthermore, gastric acid, serum gastrin, serum vitamin and serum creatinine tests were performed, and peripheral nerve conduction velocity and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) were detected. In addition, the type of gastritis was determined by gastroscopy. The above factors were used as independent variables to analyze chronic gastritis with peripheral neuropathy and vitamin B12 deficiency risk factors, and to analyze the relationship between vitamin B12 levels and peripheral nerve conduction velocity. In addition, in the treatment of CAG on the basis of vitamin B12, patients with peripheral neuropathy were observed. RESULTS: Age, H. pylori infection, CAG, vitamin B9 and vitamin B12 were risk factors for the occurrence of peripheral nerve degeneration. Furthermore, CAG and H. pylori infection were risk factors for chronic gastritis associated with vitamin B12 deficiency. Serum vitamin B12 level was positively correlated with sensory nerve conduction velocity in the tibial nerve (R = 0.463). After vitamin B12 supplementation, patients with peripheral neuropathy improved. CONCLUSION: Serum vitamin B12 levels in patients with chronic gastritis significantly decreased, and the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy had a certain correlation. CAG and H. pylori infection are risk factors for vitamin B12 deficiency and peripheral neuropathy. When treating CAG, vitamin B12 supplementation can significantly reduce peripheral nervous system lesions. Therefore, the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy associated with vitamin B12 deficiency may be considered in patients with CAG. Furthermore, the timely supplementation of vitamin B12 during the clinical treatment of CAG can reduce or prevent peripheral nervous system lesions.

Efficacy and safety of stellate ganglion block in chronic ulcerative colitis.

AIM: To investigate the efficacy and safety of stellate ganglion block for the treatment of patients with chronic ulcerative colitis. METHODS: A total of 120 randomly selected patients with chronic ulcerative colitis treated in Cangzhou Central Hospital from January 2014 to January 2016 were included in this study. These patients were divided into two groups: control group (n = 30), patients received oral sulfasalazine treatment; experimental group (n = 90), patients received stellate ganglion block treatment. Clinical symptoms and disease activity in these two groups were compared before and after treatment using endoscopy. Blood was collected from patients on day 0, 10, 20 and 30 after treatment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to determine interleukin-8 (IL-8) level. The changes in IL-8 level post-treatment in the two groups were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: After treatment, clinical symptoms and disease activity were shown to be alleviated by endoscopy in both the control and experimental groups. However, patients in the control group did not have obvious abdominal pain relief. In addition, the degree of pain relief in the experimental group was statistically better than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Ten days after treatment, IL-8 level was found to be significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In addition, adverse events were significantly higher in the control group than in the experimental group, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 33.215, P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The application of stellate ganglion block effectively improves treatment efficacy in chronic ulcerative colitis, relieves clinical symptoms in patients, and reduces the level of inflammatory factors. Furthermore, this approach also had a positive impact on the disease to a certain extent.

Study of the effects of nesfatin-1 on gastric function in obese rats.

AIM: To investigate the effects of nesfatin-1 on gastric function in obese rats. METHODS: The obese rat model was induced by a high-fat diet. The gastric emptying rate and gastric acid secretory capacity of the rats were determined after treatment with different drug concentrations of nesfatin-1 and administration routes. Based on this, the expression of H+/K+-ATPase was measured using RT-PCR and western blot to preliminarily explore the mechanism of gastric acid secretion changes. RESULTS: Body weight, body length, and Lee's index of the rats significantly increased in the high-fat diet-induced obese rat model. Two hours after lateral intracerebroventricular injection of nesfatin-1, the gastric emptying rate and gastric acid secretory capacity of rats decreased. Four hours after injection, both were restored to normal levels. In addition, the expression of H+/K+-ATPase decreased and moved in line with changes in gastric acid secretory capacity. This in vivo experiment revealed that intracerebroventricular injection of nesfatin-1, rather than intravenous injection, could suppress gastric function in obese rats. Moreover, its effect on the gastric emptying and gastric acid secretory capacity of rats is dose-dependent within a certain period of time. CONCLUSION: Through this research, we provide a theoretical basis for further studies on nesfatin-1, a potential anti-obesity drug.

Antibiotic prophylaxis for infections in patients with acute stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: Infections are frequent after stroke and lead to increased mortality and neurological disability. Antibiotic prophylaxis has potential of decreasing the risk of infections and mortality and improving poor functional outcome. Several studies evaluated antibiotic prophylaxis for infections in acute stroke patients have generated conflicting results. The systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) aimed at comprehensively assessing the evidence of antibiotic prophylaxis for the treatment of acute stroke patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane library and the reference lists of eligible articles were searched to identify all potential studies. We included the studies that investigated the efficacy and safety of antibiotic prophylaxis for the treatment of acute stroke patients. The primary outcome included mortality and infection rate. The secondary outcomes included poor functional outcome and adverse events. RESULTS: Seven trials randomizing 4,261 patients were included. Pooled analyses showed that antibiotic prophylaxis did not improve the mortality (risk ratio (RR) = 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84 to 1.26, p = 0.78, I2 = 25%) and poor functional outcome (RR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.08, p = 0.32, I2 = 80%), but reduced the incidence of infection (RR = 0.67, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.84, p = 0.0007, I2 = 49%). No major side effects were reported. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the results of infection rate and poor functional outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic prophylaxis can be used to treat the infectious events of acute stroke patients although it has no potential of decreased mortality and improved functional outcome.

Surfactant Effect on Formation of CaWO4:Eu3+ Crystals with Distinguished Morphologies in Hydrothermal Ambient.

Metal tungstates, expressed by the general formula of MWO4, have important properties and applications in photoluminescence, microwave applications, optical fibers, scintillator materials, humidity sensors, magnetic properties, and catalysts. In this paper, we report a successful synthesis of CaWO4:Eul+ crystals with various morphologies in mild hydrothermal conditions with surfacntant including sodium citrate, CTAB, PEG and citrate acid (CA). The formation of the crystals are strongly dependent on the employment of surfactant. The surfactant concentration has been found significant influence in the resulting morphologies due to different properties of each one. Extensive characterization have been performed by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) in search of the formation mechanism of multi-morphological CaWO4:Eu3+ crystals. The growth mechanism of monodispersed CaWO4:EuS+ crystal are proposed. And the photoluminescence properties were investigated.

Expression of PGDH correlates with cell growth in both esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.

Esophageal cancer represents the fourth most common gastrointestinal cancer and generally confers a poor prognosis. Prostaglandin-producing cyclo-oxygenase has been implicated in the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer growth. Here we report that prostaglandin dehydrogenase, the major enzyme responsible for prostaglandin degradation, is significantly reduced in expression in esophageal cancer in comparison to normal esophageal tissue. Reconstitution of PGDH expression in esophageal cancer cells suppresses cancer cell growth, at least in part through preventing cell proliferation and promoting cell apoptosis. The tumor suppressive role of PGDH applies equally to both squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, which enriches our understanding of the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer and may provide an important therapeutic target.

Increased expression of microRNA-150 is associated with poor prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to evaluate the clinical significance and prognostic value of tissue miR-150 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantitative real-time PCR was used to analyze the expression of miR-150. Overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the differences in survival were compared using the log-rank test. A Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Mean miR-150 levels were significantly higher in NSCLC tissues compared with matched non-cancerous tissues (4.07 ± 2.33 vs. 1.00 ± 0.46, P < 0.0001). The level of miR-150 in NSCLC was strongly correlated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.04), distant metastasis (P = 0.01) and clinical TNM stage (P = 0.02). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the cumulative 5-year OS rate was 40.8% in the high expression group, and 69.2% in the low expression group. The log-rank test showed that the OS rate of patients with high miR-150 expression was significantly poorer than that of the remaining cases (P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Our data indicated that overexpression of miR-150 in NSCLC tissues has prognostic value.

Application of Aidi injection (艾迪注射液) in the bronchial artery infused neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III A non-small cell lung cancer before surgical operation.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Aidi Injection (艾迪注射液,ADI) applied in the bronchial artery, applied in the bronchial artery infused (BAI) neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III A non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) before surgical operation. METHODS: The 60 patients with NSCLC stage III A underwent two courses BAI chemotherapy before tumor incision were assigned to two groups, the treatment and the control groups, using a random number table, 30 in each group. ADI (100 mL) was given to the patients in the treatment group by adding into 500 mL of 5% glucose injection for intravenous dripping once daily, starting from 3 days before each course of chemotherapy, and it lasted for 14 successive days, so a total of 28 days of administration was completed. The therapeutic effectiveness and the adverse reaction that occurred were observed, and the levels of T-lymphocyte subsets, natural killer cell activity, and interleukin-2 in peripheral blood were measured before and after the treatment. RESULTS: The effective rate in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group (70.0% vs. 56.7%, P<0.05). Moreover, as compared with the control group, the adverse reaction that occurred in the treatment group was less and mild, especially in terms of bone marrow suppression and liver function damage (P<0.05). Cellular immune function was suppressed in NSCLC patients, but after treatment, it ameliorated significantly in the treatment group, showing significant difference as compared with that in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: ADI was an ideal auxiliary drug for the patients in stage III A NSCLC received BAI neo-chemotherapy before surgical operation; it could enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy, ameliorate the adverse reaction and elevate patients' cellular immune function; therefore, it is worthy for spreading in clinical practice.