Sinocyclocheiluslongicornus (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), a new species of microphthalmic hypogean fish from Guizhou, Southwest China.

Sinocyclocheiluslongicornussp. nov. is described from the Pearl River basin in Hongguo Town, Panzhou City, Guizhou Province, Southwest China. Based on the presence of the long horn-like structure on the back of the head, Sinocyclocheiluslongicornussp. nov. is assigned to the Sinocyclocheilusangularis species group. Sinocyclocheiluslongicornussp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of morphological characters: (1) presence of a single, relatively long horn-like structure on the back of the head; (2) pigmentation absent; (3) reduced eyes; (4) dorsal-fin rays, ii, 7; (5) pectoral-fin rays, i, 13; (6) anal-fin rays, iii, 5; (7) pelvic-fin rays, i, 7; (8) lateral line pores 38-49; (9) gill rakers well developed, nine on first gill arch; and (10) tip of adpressed pelvic fin not reaching anus.

A Next-Generation Sequencing of Plasma Exosome-Derived microRNAs and Target Gene Analysis with a Microarray Database of Thermally Injured Skins: Identification of Blood-to-Tissue Interactions at Early Burn Stage.

BACKGROUND: Plasma exosome-derived microRNA (miRNA) profiles following thermal injury and their relationship with gene expression derangements in burned skin remain unexplored. This study focused on the identification of key miRNA-mRNA axes in potential blood-to-tissue interactions at early burn stage. METHODS: Plasma exosomes were obtained from 6 severe burn patients 4-7 days post injury and 6 healthy volunteers. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of exosomal small RNAs presented the differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs). Target genes of the DEMs were predicted in the mirDIP database. Dataset GSE8056 was enrolled to acquire differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in burned skin compared to normal skin. Overlap between the DEGs and target genes of the DEMs were focus genes. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and enrichment analyses of the focus genes demonstrated hub genes and suggested underlying mechanisms and pathways. The hub genes and upstream DEMs were selected to construct key miRNA-mRNA axes. RESULTS: The NGS of plasma exosome-derived small RNAs identified 85 DEMs (14 downregulated miRNAs and 71 upregulated miRNAs) with 12,901 predicted target genes. Dataset GSE8056 exhibited 1861 DEGs in partial-thickness burned skins 4-7 days postburn. The overlap between DEGs and target genes of DEMs displayed 1058 focus genes. The top 9 hub genes (CDK1, CCNB1, CCNA2, BUB1B, PLK1, KIF11, AURKA, NUSAP1 and CDCA8) in the PPI network of the focus genes pointed to 16 upstream miRNAs in DEMs, including 4 downregulated miRNAs (hsa-miR-6848-3p, has-miR-4684-3p, has-miR-4786-5p and has-miR-365a-5p) and 12 upregulated miRNAs (hsa-miR-6751-3p, hsa-miR-718, hsa-miR-4754, hsa-miR-6754-3p, hsa-miR-4739, hsa-miR-6739-5p, hsa-miR-6884-3p, hsa-miR-1224-3p, hsa-miR-6878-3p, hsa-miR-6795-3p, hsa-miR-550a-3p, and hsa-miR-550b-3p). A key miRNA-mRNA network in potential blood-to-tissue interactions at early burn stage was therefore constructed. CONCLUSION: An NGS and bioinformatic analysis in the study identified key miRNA-mRNA axes in potential blood-to-tissue interactions at early burn stage, suggesting plasma exosome-derived miRNAs may impact on the alteration patterns of gene expressions in a burn wound.

Pareuchiloglanis (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from the Pearl River, China with description of three new species.

We describe three new species of Pareuchiloglanis. Based on a comparison of 17 valid species of Pareuchiloglanis, the genus can be divided into two groups contingent on their gill opening size and the anus position. One group, which we call the large gill opening group, has a large gill opening extending to the base of the first pectoral-fin element; the anus is obviously closer to pelvic-fin insertion than the anal-fin origin; this group includes five species distributed in the Red and Pearl Rivers, China. The other group has a small gill opening extending only to the middle base of the pectoral-fin elements; the anus is usually located at the midpoint of the pelvic-fin insertion to the anal-fin origin or slightly behind. This group includes the other 12 species, which are distributed in the Mekong and Yangtze Rivers. The large-gill-opening group can be divided into two sub-groups based on the length of the caudal peduncle. One sub-group has a long caudal-peduncle and the distance from the anal-fin origin to caudal-fin base is greater than distance from the pelvic-fin insertion. This sub-group is only distributed in the Pearl River drainage. Another sub-group has a short caudal peduncle and the distance from the anal-fin origin to the caudal-fin base is typically smaller than the distance from the pelvic-fin insertion. This sub-group is only distributed in the Red River basin of China and Vietnam. The former will be called the large-gill-opening group with long caudal peduncle in the text and only includes one species P. longicauda. During our ongoing taxonomic work of specimens collected from Nanpan-jiang and Beipan-jiang (upper Pearl River drainage in Yunnan, China), some Pareuchiloglanis specimens that had the characters of the large-gill-opening group with long caudal peduncle represent three undescribed species.

Testing the validity of two putative sympatric species from Sinocyclocheilus (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) based on mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences.

There are over 60 species within the freshwater fish genus Sinocyclocheilus (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) distributed throughout the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and its surrounding areas in China. In recent years, the increasing number of new species described has raised some controversy about the validity of several species within this genus, notably the putative sympatric species pair S. qiubeiensis and S. jiuchengensis. To test the validity of S. qiubeiensis and S. jiuchengensis, we analyzed the complete sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (CYTB) gene of 20 identified species and one outgroup species. Phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using CYTB with maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods. Our phylogenetic results showed that all individuals of S. qiubeiensis and S. jiuchengensis clustered in one clade with strong support. In addition, the genetic distance between the two species was 0.11%, within the range observed at the intraspecific level. The most recent common ancestor of S. qiubeiensis and S. jiuchengensis dated back to 0.13 million years ago, indicating little time for complete speciation to have occurred. These results clearly support the viewpoint that S. jiuchengensis is a synonym of S. qiubeiensis.

A new cave species of the Genus Triplophysa from Yunnan, China.

In September and October 2015, a new species of the family Nemacheilidae, Triplophysa tianxingensis sp. nov., was discovered from underground water in Qiubei County, Yunnan Province, China. It can be distinguished from all other troglobiotic Triplophysa species occurring in Yunnan by the following combination of characters: eyes small, a little degenerated; barbels longer; ventral profiles greatly convex; pectoral fin short, attaining a third of the distance from the pectoral-fin base to pelvic fin base; body with many brown blotches; caudal peduncle with fin fold; caudal fin shallowly forked, and free posterior chamber of swim bladder cylindrical.

[An investigation on correlation of severity of brain injury with the expression of activin A and C-reactive protein].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the dynamic change in serum levels of activin A (ACTA) and C-reaction protein (CRP) in patients with brain injury, and to investigate its significance. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted. A total of 57 adult patients with brain injury occurring within 24 hours admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from August 2012 to June 2013 were enrolled. The patients were allocated into three groups according to their Glasgow coma scale (GCS) as follows: minor brain injury (GCS 13-15, n=17), moderate brain injury (GCS 9-12, n=18), heavy brain injury (GCS 3-8, n=22). The clinical and related laboratory data (reflecting the function of liver, kidney, lung, blood coagulability etc.) were recorded after ICU admission. At the same time, venous samples were collected on the day 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 after ICU admission for determination of ACTA with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and CRP with fluorescence immunoassay technology. The correlation between ACTA and CRP was analyzed by linear correlation. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to analyze the accuracy of ACTA and CRP as a prognostic indicator in brain injury. Fifteen healthy persons were enrolled as the control group. RESULTS: The serum levels of ACTA and CRP in patients with minor, moderate and heavy brain injury were significantly higher than those in healthy control group [ACTA (µg/L): 23.96±3.55, 42.06±5.67, 52.32±4.46 vs. 13.66±2.45, all P<0.01; CRP (mg/L): 14.12±2.45, 23.05±2.85, 30.93±2.35 vs. 3.42±2.25, all P<0.01]. As the patients' condition worsening, levels of ACTA and CRP tended to elevate (all P<0.01). Levels of ACTA and CRP in minor, moderate and heavy brain injury groups were increased after ICU admission. On day 3, levels of serum ACTA and CRP reached the peak values [ACTA (µg/L):30.62±2.54, 51.35±2.55, 60.52±2.55; CRP (mg/L): 18.62±2.64, 30.35±2.25, 37.52±2.55], and then they lowered gradually. In minor and moderate brain injury groups, the levels of ACTA and CRP were slowly descending, and on day 7, they maintained at a lower level [ACTA (µg/L): 13.68±2.54, 37.74±2.55; CRP (mg/L): 6.68±2.44, 19.74±2.55]. On the contrary, the levels of ACTA and CRP in heavy brain injury group persistently maintained at a high level on day 7 [ACTA: (42.32±2.54) µg/L, CRP: (33.32±2.56) mg/L]. There were significant differences in ACTA and CRP among different degrees of brain injury groups (all P<0.01). There was a positive correlation between ACTA and CRP (r=0.958, P=0.007). ROC curve analysis showed that the sensitivity for brain injury prediction was 93.3% for ACTA with specificity 95.0%, area under ROC curve(AUC) 0.843, and the sensitivity for CRP was 89.1% with specificity 68.2%, AUC 0.723. CONCLUSIONS: Serum levels of ACTA and CRP in patients with brain injury are strongly correlated with the severity of the injury. Furthermore, ACTA is more sensitive than CRP in detecting early brain injury. Therefore, ACTA is a specific factor for detecting brain injury.

[Logistic regression analysis of the risk factors of patients with sepsis in intensive care unit].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation of the data of patients with sepsis in intensive care unit (ICU) and their prognosis. METHODS: Clinical data of 450 cases with sepsis in ICU from January 2004 to December 2008 were retrospectively studied. Twenty-four possible prognostic factors including clinical, chemical examinations and scores contributing to the survival of these patients were analyzed with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Univariate logistic regression analysis: eight factors were non-risk factors for sepsis, including days of hospitalization [odds ratio (OR)=0.951, P<0.001], Glasgow coma score (GCS, OR=0.858 , P<0.001), mean arterial pressure (OR=0.991, P=0.041), platelet count (OR=0.997, P<0.001), total protein (OR=0.975,P=0.003), albumin (OR=0.955, P<0.001), arterial pH (OR=0.077,P=0.001), arterial oxygen pressure (OR=0.996, P=0.014). The risk factors for sepsis included acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score (OR=1.115, P<0.001), body temperature (OR=1.215, P=0.041), prothrombin time (OR=1.057, P=0.007), aspartate aminotransferase (OR=1.001, P=0.011), serum creatinine (OR=1.002, P=0.002), blood potassium level (OR=1.391, P=0.003), blood glucose (OR=1.051, P=0.002), and C-reactive protein (OR=1.245, P=0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that risk factors of sepsis included APACHE II score (OR=1.094, P<0.001), days of hospitalization (OR=0.946, P<0.001), platelet count (OR=0.976, P=0.004), and albumin level (OR=0.957, P=0.017). CONCLUSION: APACHE II score, days of hospitalization, platelet count and albumin could predict the prognosis of sepsis.

[The application of disseminated intravascular coagulation score in sepsis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between the disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) score and assessment of illness and prognosis in sepsis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 315 patients with sepsis that admitted into the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University hospital intensive care unit (ICU) from January 2005 to December 2008 was made. The patients were divided into survival group (194 cases) and death group (112 cases) according to the outcome within 28 days. The difference of the platelet (PLT) count, fibrinogen (Fib), prothrombin time (PT), and fibrin monomer were compared between two groups. The relationship between acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score, DIC score and prognosis were analyzed by univariate logistic regression analysis, then APACHE II score and DIC score in sepsis were evaluated. RESULTS: PLT count and Fib of the death group were lower than those of the survival group, PT, activated partial thrombin time (APTT), activated clotting time (ACT) and fibrin monomer of the death group were higher than those of the survival group. APACHE II score and DIC score of the death group were higher than those of the survival group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). There was a positive correlation among APACHE II score, DIC score and the prognosis of sepsis [DIC score: chi (2)=17.741, P<0.001, odds ratio (OR)=1.413, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.203-1.659; APACHE II score: chi (2)=36.456, P<0.001, OR=1.109, 95%CI 1.072-1.147]. Area under the curve of APACHE II score (0.706) was higher than DIC score (0.611). CONCLUSION: APACHE II score and DIC score can be used as the prognostic factors of sepsis, but the value of DIC score was lower than APACHE II score in diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis.