Suitable stocking density of fish in paddy field contributes positively to 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline synthesis in grain and improves rice quality.

BACKGROUND: Fragrant rice is increasingly popular with the public owing to its fresh aroma, and 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) is the main characteristic component of the aroma in fragrant rice. Rice-fish co-culture is an environmentally friendly practice in sustainable agriculture. However, the effect of rice-fish co-culture on 2-AP in grains has received little study. A conventional fragrant rice (Meixiangzhan 2) was used, and a related field experiment during three rice growing seasons was conducted to investigate the effects of rice-fish co-culture on 2-AP, as well as the rice quality, yield, plant nutrients, and precursors and enzyme activities of 2-AP biosynthesis in leaves. This study involved three fish stocking density treatments (i.e. 9000 (D1), 15 000 (D2), and 21 000 (D3) fish fries per hectare) and rice monocropping. RESULTS: Rice-fish co-culture increased the 2-AP content in grains by 2.5-49.4% over that of the monocropping, with significant increases in the early and late rice seasons of 2020. Rice-fish co-culture treatments significantly promoted seed-setting rates by 3.39-7.65%, and improved leaf nutrients and rice quality. Notably, the D2 treatment significantly increased leaf total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total potassium (TK) contents and the head rice rate at maturity stage, while significantly decreased chalkiness degree. There was no significant difference in rice yield. CONCLUSION: Rice-fish co-culture had positive effects on 2-AP synthesis, rice quality, seed-setting rates, and plant nutrient contents. The better stocking density of field fish for rice-fish co-culture in this study was 15 000 fish ha-1 . © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Zinc as an adjunct to antibiotics for the treatment of severe pneumonia in children <5 years: a meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials.

The effect of Zn, as an adjunct to antibiotics, on the treatment of severe pneumonia in young children is still under debate; therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the therapeutic role of Zn for severe pneumonia in children younger than 5 years. PubMed, Cochrane library and Embase databases were systematically searched from inception until October 2015 for randomised-controlled trials (RCT) that assessed the effect of Zn as an adjunct to antibiotics for severe pneumonia. Random-effects model was used for calculating the pooled estimates, and intention-to-treat principle was also applied. Nine RCT involving 2926 children were included. Overall, the pooled results showed that adjunct treatment with Zn failed to reduce the time to recovery from severe pneumonia (hazard ratios (HR)=1·04; 95% CI 0·90, 1·19; I(2)=39%; P=0·58), hospital length of stay (HR=1·04; 95% CI 0·83, 1·33; I(2)=57%; P=0·74), treatment failure (relative risk (RR)=0·95; 95% CI 0·79, 1·14; I(2)=20%; P=0·58) or change of antibiotics (RR=1·07; 95% CI 0·79, 1·45; I(2)=44%; P=0·67). In addition, continuous outcomes were consistent while meta-analysed with standard mean difference, and all outcomes remained stable in intention-to-treat analysis. No significant differences were observed in the two groups between death rate, adverse events or recovery times of severe pneumonia indicators. Our results suggested that adjunct treatment with Zn failed to benefit young children in the treatment of severe pneumonia. Considering the clinical heterogeneity, baseline characteristics of children, definition of severe pneumonia and Zn supplement way should be taken into consideration in future research. This study was registered at PRESPERO as CRD42015019798.

Remote Ischemic Preconditioning Fails to Benefit Pediatric Patients Undergoing Congenital Cardiac Surgery: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) has been proven to reduce the ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, its effect on children receiving congenital cardiac surgery (CCS) was inconsistent. We therefore performed the current meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to comprehensively evaluate the effect of RIPC in pediatric patients undergoing CCS.PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library were searched to identify RCTs assessing the effect of RIPC in pediatric patients undergoing CCS. The outcomes included the duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, postoperative cardiac troponin (cTnI) level, hospital length of stay (HLOS), postoperative inotropic score, and mortality. Subgroup and sensitivity analysis were also performed as predesigned. The meta-analysis was performed with random-effects model despite of heterogeneity. Sensitivity and subgroup analysis were predesigned to identify the robustness of the pooled estimate.Nine RCTs with 697 pediatric patients were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, RIPC failed to alter clinical outcomes of duration of MV (standard mean difference [SMD] -0.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.23-0.17), ICU length of stay (SMD -0.22, 95% CI -0.47-0.04), or HLOS (SMD -0.14, 95% CI -0.55-0.26). Additionally, RIPC could not reduce postoperative cTnI (at 4-6 hours: SMD -0.25, 95% CI -0.73-0.23; P = 0.311; at 20-24 hours: SMD 0.09, 95% CI -0.51-0.68; P = 0.778) or postoperative inotropic score (at 4-6 hours: SMD -0.19, 95% CI -0.51-0.14; P = 0.264; at 24 hours: SMD -0.15, 95% CI -0.49-0.18; P = 0.365).RIPC may have no beneficial effects in children undergoing CCS. However, this finding should be interpreted with caution because of heterogeneity and large-scale RCTs are still needed.

Compression Therapy in the Prevention of Postthrombotic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Although compression therapy has been widely used after deep vein thrombosis (DVT), its efficacy in prevention of postthrombotic syndrome (PTS) remains disputable. We aimed to update the meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate the effect of compression therapy on the prevention of PTS in adult patients after DVT.PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library databases were systematically searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the preventive effect of compression therapy on PTS in adult patients after DVT were included. The primary outcome was the incidence of PTS. All meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models regardless of the heterogeneity. Subgroup and sensitivity analysis were also performed to examine the robustness of the pooled effects according to our predesigned plan. Potential publication bias was assessed.Eight RCTs with 1598 patients were included. Overall, compression therapy could significantly reduce the incidence of PTS (estimate 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52-0.90; P = 0.007). However, it was only associated with a reduction in the incidence of mild/moderate PTS (relative risk [RR] 0.66, 95% CI 0.46-0.93; P = 0.019) but not in the incidence of severe PTS (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.27-1.50; P = 0.31). Additionally, compression therapy failed to reduce the incidence of recurrent venous thromboembolism (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.65-1.27; P = 0.58), the incidence of ulceration (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.36-1.53; P = 0.42), or mortality (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.72-1.37; P = 0.96). No publication bias was observed.Current evidence still supports compression therapy to be a clinical practice for prophylaxis of PTS in adult patients after DVT. However, our findings should be cautiously interpreted because of heterogeneity and hence more large-scale and well-designed RCTs are still warranted.

Erythropoietin administration for prevention of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

The effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on the prevention of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) is controversial. Therefore, we undertook the meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the efficacy and safety of EPO on the prevention of CSA-AKI in adult patients and to explore whether risk factors for AKI could explain the inconsistent effects. PubMed and EMbase databases were searched to identify eligible RCTs. The meta-analysis was performed with fixed- or random-effects models according to the heterogeneity, and the subgroup analysis stratified by risk factors for AKI was carried out. Five RCTs involving 423 patients were included. Overall, EPO administration was not associated with a reduced incidence of CSA-AKI [relative risk (RR): 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.35-1.16], with a moderate heterogeneity (I(2) = 67.4%, heterogeneity P = 0.02). Subgroup analysis showed that, in patients without high risk factors for AKI, EPO administration could significantly reduce the incidence of CSA-AKI (RR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.24-0.61), intensive care unit length of stay [standardized mean difference (SMD): -0.54, 95% CI: -1.05 to -0.04] and hospital length of stay (SMD: -0.48, 95% CI: -0.94 to -0.02). The test of heterogeneity was not significant in the two subgroups. EPO administration could significantly reduce the incidence of CSA-AKI, but not in patients with high risk factors for AKI. Substantial heterogeneity across trials could be attributed to high risk factors for AKI. However, our findings should be interpreted cautiously because of the limited studies included, and high-quality RCTs are warranted.

Sodium bicarbonate in the prevention of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Sodium bicarbonate (SBIC) was reported to be a promising approach to prevent cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI). However, the results remain controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SBIC on the prevention of CSA-AKI in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases were systematically searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of SBIC versus placebo on the prevention of CSA-AKI in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery were included. Two investigators independently searched articles, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies. The primary outcome was the incidence of CSA-AKI. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models. RESULTS: Five RCTs involving 1079 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with placebo, SBIC was not associated with a reduced risk of CSA-AKI (relative risk [RR] 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.78 to 1.24; P = 0.911). SBIC failed to alter the clinical outcomes of hospital length of stay (weighted mean difference [WMD] 0.23 days; 95%CI -0.88 to 1.33 days; P = 0.688), renal replacement therapy (RR 0.94; 95%CI 0.49 to 1.82; P = 0.861), hospital mortality (RR 1.37; 95%CI 0.46 to 4.13; P = 0.572), postoperative atrial fibrillation (RR 1.02; 95%CI 0.65 to 1.61; P = 0.915). However, SBIC was associated with significant increased risks in longer duration of ventilation (WMD 0.64 hours; 95%CI 0.16 to 1.11 hours; P = 0.008), longer ICU length of stay (WMD 2.06 days; 95%CI 0.54 to 3.58 days; P = 0.008), and increased incidence of alkalemia (RR 2.21; 95%CI 1.42 to 3.42; P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: SBIC could not reduce the incidence of CSA-AKI. Contrarily, SBIC prolongs the duration of ventilation and ICU length of stay, and increases the risk of alkalemia. Thus, SBIC should not be recommended for the prevention of CSA-AKI and perioperative SBIC infusion should be administrated with caution.

[Gender differences of Pomacea canaliculata in cold tolerance].

In order to understand whether Pomacea canaliculata exhibits gender differences in cold resistance, the survival rate and supercooling point of both P. canaliculata females and males were investigated at low temperature. The changes in physiological and biochemical indices in the body of P. canaliculata before and after the winter were also examined. The results showed that the mean supercooling point of females was -6.83 degrees C, which was significantly lower than that of the males (-6.26 degrees C). With the arrival of winter, the amounts of bound water, glycerol, lipid and glycogen of P. canaliculata increased, while the amount of free water decreased. These indices except glycerol showed significant differences between males and females. More than 90% non-acclimated snails could survive at the temperature of 10 degrees C for 7 days. The survival rate of snails exhibited significant differences in sex and shell height after being transferred at 5 degrees C for 7 days. In addition, more females were recorded during field investigation. Based on these results, we concluded that the females had higher cold tolerance than the males. This finding would provide some references for further investigation of ecological adaptation, natural sex ratio and cold tolerance mechanisms of P. canaliculata.

[Effects or maize/peanut intercropping on rhizosphere soil microbes and nutrient contents].

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of maize/peanut intercropping on the rhizosphere soil microbial community and nutrient contents. Three treatments were installed, i. e., maize/peanut intercropping, maize monoculture, and peanut monoculture. Comparing with monoculture, intercropping could significantly increase the quantity of soil bacteria in both maize and peanut root areas. The numbers of soil actinomyces and fungi had no significant differences in the root areas of intercropped and mono-cultured peanut, but were much higher in intercropped than in mono-cultured maize root area. The functional diversity and metabolic activity of soil microbial community also improved under intercropping. Maize/peanut intercropping increased the soil alkali-hydrolysable N, available P and organic matter contents and EC to some extent, especially in the root area of maize. All the results suggested that maize/peanut intercropping could obviously improve the status of soil microbes and nutrients in root areas, which in turn, would promote the growth of intercropped crops.

UBIQUITIN-SPECIFIC PROTEASE 26 is required for seed development and the repression of PHERES1 in Arabidopsis.

The Arabidopsis mutant Atubp26 initiates autonomous endosperm at a frequency of approximately 1% in the absence of fertilization and develops arrested seeds at a frequency of approximately 65% when self-pollinated. These phenotypes are similar to those of the FERTILIZATION INDEPENDENT SEED (FIS) class mutants, mea, fis2, fie, and Atmsi1, which also show development of the central cell into endosperm in the absence of fertilization and arrest of the embryo following fertilization. Atubp26 results from a T-DNA insertion in the UBIQUITIN-SPECIFIC PROTEASE gene AtUBP26, which catalyzes deubiquitination of histone H2B and is required for heterochromatin silencing. The paternal copy of AtUBP26 is able to complement the loss of function of the maternal copy in postfertilization seed development. This contrasts to the fis class mutants where the paternal FIS copy does not rescue aborted seeds. As in the fis class mutants, the Polycomb group (PcG) complex target gene PHERES1 (PHE1) is expressed at higher levels in Atubp26 ovules than in wild type; there is a lower level of H3K27me3 at the PHE1 locus. The phenotypes suggest that AtUBP26 is required for normal seed development and the repression of PHE1.