Methylation of EjNAC5 and its interactions with other transcription factors regulate loquat fruit chilling lignification.

Changes in both lignin biosynthesis and DNA methylation have been reported to be associated with chilling stress in plants. When stored at low temperatures, red-fleshed loquat is prone to lignification, with increased lignin content and fruit firmness, which has deleterious effects on taste and eating quality. Here, we found that 5°C storage mitigated the increasing firmness and lignin content of red-fleshed 'Dahongpao' ('DHP') loquat fruit that occurred during 0°C storage. EjNAC5 was identified by integrating RNA sequencing with whole-genome bisulfite sequencing analysis of 'DHP' loquat fruit. The transcript levels of EjNAC5 were positively correlated with changes in firmness and negatively correlated with changes in DNA methylation level of a differentially methylated region (DMR) in the EjNAC5 promoter. In white-fleshed 'Baisha' ('BS') loquat fruit, which do not undergo chilling-induced lignification at 0°C, the transcripts of EjNAC5 remained low and the methylation levels of the DMR in the EjNAC5 promoter was higher, compared to 'DHP' loquat fruit. Transient overexpression of EjNAC5 in loquat fruit and stable overexpression in Arabidopsis and liverwort led to an increase in lignin content. Furthermore, EjNAC5 interacts with EjERF39 and EjHB1 and activates the transcription of Ej4CL1 and EjPRX12 genes involved in lignin biosynthesis. This regulatory network involves different TFs to those involved in lignification pathway. Our study indicates that EjNAC5 promoter methylation modulates EjNAC5 transcript levels and identifies novel EjNAC5-EjERF39-Ej4CL1 and EjNAC5-EjHB1-EjPRX12 regulatory modules involved in chilling induced-lignification.

Ghrelin induced by ultraviolet B exposure promotes the restoration of diabetic cutaneous wound healing.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) presents impediment to wound healing. While ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure showed therapeutic potential in various skin conditions, its capacity to mediate diabetic wound healing remains unclear. To investigate the efficacy of UVB on wound healing and its underlying basis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to the high-fat diet followed by streptozotocin administration to establish the diabetic model. Upon confirmation of diabetes, full-thickness wounds were inflicted and the treatment group received UVB radiation at 50 mJ/cm2 for 5 min every alternate day for 2 weeks. Wound healing rate was then assessed, accompanied by evaluations of blood glucose, lipid profiles, CD31 expression, and concentrations of ghrelin and leptin. Concurrently, in vitro studies were executed to evaluate the protective role of ghrelin on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) under high glucose (HG) conditions. RESULTS: Post UVB exposure, there was a marked acceleration in wound healing in DM mice without alterations in hyperglycemia and lipid profiles. Compared to non-UVB-exposed mice, the UVB group showed enhanced angiogenesis manifested by a surge in CD31 expression. This trend appeared to be in harmony with the elevated ghrelin levels. In vitro experiments indicated that ghrelin significantly enhanced the migratory pace and angiogenic properties of HUVEC under HG-induced stress, potentially mediated by an upregulation in vascular endothelial growth factor expression. CONCLUSION: UVB exposure bolstered wound healing in diabetic mice, plausibly mediated through augmented angiogenesis induced by ghrelin secretion. Such findings underscore the vast potential of UVB-induced ghrelin in therapeutic strategies targeting diabetic wound healing.

Terahertz magneto-optical sampling in quartz glass.

In this Letter, we demonstrate terahertz (THz) magnetic field detection in fused silica with sensitivity that can be easily controlled by sample tilting (for both amplitude and polarization). The proposed technique remains in the linear regime at magnetic fields exceeding 0.3 T (0.9 MV/cm of equivalent electric field) and allows the use of low-cost amorphous materials. Furthermore, the demonstrated effects should be present in a wide variety of materials used as substrates in different THz-pump laser-probe experiments and need to be considered in order to disentangle different contributions to the measured signals.

The R2R3 MYB Ruby1 is activated by two cold responsive ethylene response factors, via the retrotransposon in its promoter, to positively regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in citrus.

Anthocyanins are natural pigments and dietary antioxidants that play multiple biological roles in plants and are important in animal and human nutrition. Low temperature (LT) promotes anthocyanin biosynthesis in many species including blood orange. A retrotransposon in the promoter of Ruby1, which encodes an R2R3 MYB transcription factor, controls cold-induced anthocyanin accumulation in blood orange flesh. However, the specific mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we characterized two LT-induced ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTORS (CsERF054 and CsERF061). Both CsERF054 and CsERF061 can activate the expression of CsRuby1 by directly binding to a DRE/CRT cis-element within the retrotransposon in the promoter of CsRuby1, thereby positively regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis. Further investigation indicated that CsERF061 also forms a protein complex with CsRuby1 to co-activate the expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes, providing a dual mechanism for the upregulation of the anthocyanin pathway. These results provide insights into how LT mediates anthocyanin biosynthesis and increase the understanding of the regulatory network of anthocyanin biosynthesis in blood orange.

Predictive value of CD86 for the occurrence of sepsis (Sepsis-3) in patients with infection.

This prospective observational study explored the predictive value of CD86 in the early diagnosis of sepsis in the emergency department. The primary endpoint was the factors associated with a diagnosis of sepsis. The secondary endpoint was the factors associated with mortality among patients with sepsis. It enrolled inpatients with infection or high clinical suspicion of infection in the emergency department of a tertiary Hospital between September 2019 and June 2021. The patients were divided into the sepsis and non-sepsis groups according to the Sepsis-3 standard. The non-sepsis group included 56 patients, and the sepsis group included 65 patients (19 of whom ultimately died). The multivariable analysis showed that CD86% (odds ratio [OR] = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-1.44, P = 0.015), platelet count (OR = 0.99, 95%CI: 0.986-0.997, P = 0.001), interleukin-10 (OR = 1.01, 95%CI: 1.004-1.025, P = 0.009), and procalcitonin (OR = 1.17, 95%CI: 1.01-1.37, P = 0.043) were independent risk factors for sepsis, while human leukocyte antigen (HLA%) (OR = 0.96, 05%CI: 0.935-0.995, P = 0.022), respiratory rate (OR = 1.16, 95%CI: 1.03-1.30, P = 0.014), and platelet count (OR = 1.01, 95%CI: 1.002-1.016, P = 0.016) were independent risk factors for death in patients with sepsis. The model for sepsis (CD86%, platelets, interleukin-10, and procalcitonin) and the model for death (HLA%, respiratory rate, and platelets) had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.870 and 0.843, respectively. CD86% in the first 24 h after admission for acute infection was independently associated with the occurrence of sepsis in the emergency department.

Deposition of FeOOH Layer on Ultrathin Hematite Nanoflakes to Promote Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.

Hematite is one of the most promising photoanode materials for the study of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting because of its ideal bandgap with sufficient visible light absorption and stability in alkaline electrolytes. However, owing to the intrinsically high electron-hole recombination, the PEC performance of hematite is still far below that expected. The efficient charge separation can be achieved via growth of FeOOH on hematite photoanode. In this study, hematite nanostructures were successfully grown on the surface of iron foil by the simple immersion deposition method and thermal oxidation treatment. Furthermore, cocatalyst FeOOH was successfully added to the hematite nanostructure surface to improve charge separation and charge transfer, and thus promote the photoelectrochemical water splitting. By utilizing the FeOOH overlayer as a cocatalyst, the photocurrent density of hematite exhibited a substantial 86% increase under 1.5 VRHE, while the onset potential showed an apparent shift towards the cathodic direction. This can be ascribed to the high reaction area for the nanostructured morphology and high electrocatalytic activity of FeOOH that enhanced the amount of photogenerated holes and accelerated the kinetics of water splitting.

Development and external validation of a nomogram for the early prediction of acute kidney injury in septic patients: a multicenter retrospective clinical study.

Background and purpose: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common serious complication in sepsis patients with a high mortality rate. This study aimed to develop and validate a predictive model for sepsis associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI). Methods: In our study, we retrospectively constructed a development cohort comprising 733 septic patients admitted to eight Grade-A tertiary hospitals in Shanghai from January 2021 to October 2022. Additionally, we established an external validation cohort consisting of 336 septic patients admitted to our hospital from January 2017 to December 2019. Risk predictors were selected by LASSO regression, and a corresponding nomogram was constructed. We evaluated the model's discrimination, precision and clinical benefit through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration plots, decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curves (CIC) in both internal and external validation. Results: AKI incidence was 53.2% in the development cohort and 48.2% in the external validation cohort. The model included five independent indicators: chronic kidney disease stages 1 to 3, blood urea nitrogen, procalcitonin, D-dimer and creatine kinase isoenzyme. The AUC of the model in the development and validation cohorts was 0.914 (95% CI, 0.894-0.934) and 0.923 (95% CI, 0.895-0.952), respectively. The calibration plot, DCA, and CIC demonstrated the model's favorable clinical applicability. Conclusion: We developed and validated a robust nomogram model, which might identify patients at risk of SA-AKI and promising for clinical applications.

Enhancing the dielectric and thermal properties of polytetrafluoroethylene-based composites through designing and constructing a novel interfacial structure.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is widely used as a fundamental core material for high-frequency and high-speed signal transmission fields due to its excellent dielectric properties. However, the high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) characteristic of PTFE severely limits its practical application. The CTE of PTFE can be reduced by filling with SiO2, which is always accompanied by a rapid deterioration of dielectric properties due to the poor interfacial compatibility between SiO2 and PTFE matrix. In this paper, the challenge of synergistic regulation of dielectric and CTE properties for PTFE-based composites is overcome by constructing an interfacial structure with physical interactions. Micro-mesoporous SiO2 (mSiO2) is prepared and introduced as a filler, compared with smooth surface SiO2 (sSiO2), the presence of micro-mesoporous in mSiO2 allows PTFE molecular chains to be adsorbed on the surface or in the pore channels of mSiO2, which improves the interfacial combination of the mSiO2/PTFE composites through the physical interaction between mSiO2 and PTFE. The results show that mSiO2/PTFE composite exhibits a lower CTE (58 ppm °C-1) while maintaining a lower dielectric constant (εr, 2.29, 30 GHz) with dielectric loss (tan Î´, 2.31 × 10-3, 30 GHz) at a filler addition of 30 vol%, as compared with that of the sSiO2/PTFE composites. This work provides a new strategy for fabricating PTFE-based composites with low CTE as well as low εr and tan Î´.

Expansin SlExp1 and endoglucanase SlCel2 synergistically promote fruit softening and cell wall disassembly in tomato.

Fruit softening, an irreversible process that occurs during fruit ripening, can lead to losses and waste during postharvest transportation and storage. Cell wall disassembly is the main factor leading to loss of fruit firmness, and several ripening-associated cell wall genes have been targeted for genetic modification, particularly pectin modifiers. However, individual knockdown of most cell wall-related genes has had minimal influence on cell wall integrity and fruit firmness, with the notable exception of pectate lyase. Compared to pectin disassembly, studies of the cell wall matrix, the xyloglucan-cellulose framework, and underlying mechanisms during fruit softening are limited. Here, a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit ripening-associated α-expansin (SlExpansin1/SlExp1) and an endoglucanase (SlCellulase2/SlCel2), which function in the cell wall matrix, were knocked out individually and together using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9-mediated genome editing. Simultaneous knockout of SlExp1 and SlCel2 enhanced fruit firmness, reduced depolymerization of homogalacturonan-type pectin and xyloglucan, and increased cell adhesion. In contrast, single knockouts of either SlExp1 or SlCel2 did not substantially change fruit firmness, while simultaneous overexpression of SlExp1 and SlCel2 promoted early fruit softening. Collectively, our results demonstrate that SlExp1 and SlCel2 synergistically regulate cell wall disassembly and fruit softening in tomato.

Carboxymethyl chitosan and polycaprolactone-based rapid in-situ packaging for fruit preservation by solution blow spinning.

Nanofiber packaging has not yet gained practical application in fruit preservation because of some limitations, such as low production rate and utilization, and failure due to poor adhesion to the fruit. Herein, to solve this issue, a novel fruit packaging method based on solution blow spinning (SBS), called in-situ packaging, was pioneered. Specifically, carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCH) and polycaprolactone (PCL) were chosen as substrate materials and cherry tomatoes were selected as demonstration subjects. CMCH/PCL nanofibers were deposited directly onto the surface of cherry tomatoes by SBS, forming a tightly adherent and stable fiber coating in 8 min. Also, this in-situ packaging could be easily peeled off by hand. The in-situ packaging was an excellent carrier for active substances and was effective in inhibiting gray mold on cherry tomatoes. The in-situ packaging film formed a barrier on the surface of cherry tomatoes to limit moisture penetration, resulting in reduced respiration of fruits, which led to reduced weight and firmness loss. In addition, metabolomics and color analysis revealed that the in-situ packaging delayed ripening of cherry tomatoes after harvest. Overall, the in-situ packaging method developed in the present work provides a new solution for post-harvest fruit preservation.

Mechanisms of the response of apple fruit to postharvest compression damage analyzed by integrated transcriptome and metabolome.

Apple fruit is susceptible to compression damage within the postharvest supply chain given its thin peels and brittle texture, which can result in decay and deterioration and have a substantial impact on its marketability and competitiveness. Thorough bioinformatics investigations are lacking on postharvest compression damage stress-induced alterations in genes and metabolic regulatory networks in fruits. In the present study, a comprehensive analysis of both the transcriptome and metabolome was conducted on 'Red Fuji' apples experiencing compression-induced damage. During the storage after damage has occurred, the gene expression of MdOFUT19, MdWRKY48, MdCBP60E, MdCYP450 and MdSM-like of the damaged apples was consistently higher than that of the control group. The damaged apples also had higher contents of some metabolites such as procyanidin A1, Dl-2-Aminooctanoic acid, 5-O-p-Coumaroyl shikimic acid and 5,7-Dihydroxy-3',4',5'-trimethoxyflavone. Analysis of genes and metabolites with distinct expressions on the common annotation pathway suggested that the fruit may respond to compression stress by promoting volatile ester and lignin synthesis. The above results can deepen the comprehension of the response mechanisms in apple fruits undergoing compression-induced damage.

Comprehensive metabolome and transcriptome analyses demonstrate divergent anthocyanin and carotenoid accumulation in fruits of wild and cultivated loquats.

Eriobotrya is an evergreen fruit tree native to South-West China and adjacent countries. There are more than 26 loquat species known in this genus, while E. japonica is the only species yet domesticated to produce fresh fruits from late spring to early summer. Fruits of cultivated loquat are usually orange colored, in contrast to the red color of fruits of wild E. henryi (EH). However, the mechanisms of fruit pigment formation during loquat evolution are yet to be elucidated. To understand these, targeted carotenoid and anthocyanin metabolomics as well as transcriptomics analyses were carried out in this study. The results showed that ß-carotene, violaxanthin palmitate and rubixanthin laurate, totally accounted for over 60% of the colored carotenoids, were the major carotenoids in peel of the orange colored 'Jiefangzhong' (JFZ) fruits. Total carotenoids content in JFZ is about 10 times to that of EH, and the expression levels of PSY, ZDS and ZEP in JFZ were 10.69 to 23.26 folds to that in EH at ripen stage. Cyanidin-3-O-galactoside and pelargonidin-3-O-galactoside were the predominant anthocyanins enriched in EH peel. On the contrary, both of them were almost undetectable in JFZ, and the transcript levels of F3H, F3'H, ANS, CHS and CHI in EH were 4.39 to 73.12 folds higher than that in JFZ during fruit pigmentation. In summary, abundant carotenoid deposition in JFZ peel is well correlated with the strong expression of PSY, ZDS and ZEP, while the accumulation of anthocyanin metabolites in EH peel is tightly associated with the notably upregulated expressions of F3H, F3'H, ANS, CHS and CHI. This study was the first to demonstrate the metabolic background of how fruit pigmentations evolved from wild to cultivated loquat species, and provided gene targets for further breeding of more colorful loquat fruits via manipulation of carotenoids and anthocyanin biosynthesis.

Heterogeneous Fe-Co dual-atom catalyst outdistances the homogeneous counterpart for peroxymonosulfate-assisted water decontamination: New surface collision oxidation path and diatomic synergy.

Heterogeneous catalysts lag far behind their homogeneous counterparts in activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for water decontamination due to the low site intrinsic activity and sluggish mass transfer. The single-atom catalyst can bridge the gap between heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts, but the difficulty to break scaling relations originating from the site monotony restricts further efficiency upgradation. Herein through modulating the crystallinity of NH2-UIO-66, a porous carbon support with ultrahigh surface area (1721.71 m2 g-1) is obtained to anchor the dual-atom FeCoN6 site, which exhibits superior turnover frequency over single-atom FeN4 and CoN4 sites (13.07 versus 9.97, 9.07 min-1). The as-synthesized composite thus outperforms the homogeneous catalytic system (Fe3++Co2+) for sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) degradation, and the catalyst-dose-normalized kinetic rate constant (99.26 L min-1 g-1) exceeds reported values by 1∼2 orders of magnitude. Moreover, only 20 mg of the catalyst can run a fluidized-bed reactor to realize continuous zero discharge of SMZ in multiple actual waters for up to 8.33 h. Unlike all reported reaction routes, the catalysis on the diatomic site follows a new surface collision oxidation path, i.e. the dispersed catalyst adsorbs PMS to generate surface-activated PMS with high potential, which collides with surrounding SMZ and directly seizes electron from it to induce pollutant oxidation. Theoretical calculation indicates that the enhanced activity of FeCoN6 site stems from the diatomic synergy, leading to stronger PMS adsorption, larger near-Fermi-level density of states and optimal global Gibbs free energy evolution. Overall, this work provides an effective strategy of constructing heterogeneous dual-atom catalyst/PMS process to achieve faster pollution control than homogeneous system, and sheds light on the interatomic synergetic mechanism for PMS activation.

Based on P (cv-a) CO2/C (a-cv) O2 and its changes are associated with an early reduction in multiple organ failure in patients with septic hyperlactocidemia.

The study aimed to investigate the relationship between the respiratory quotient (RQ), measured by the central venous-arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure difference/arterial-venous oxygenation difference ratio, and the early remission of multi-organ failure (MOF) in sepsis patients with hyperlactatemia. The study observed 49 septic patients with hyperlactatemia in the ICU, obtaining blood samples before and after resuscitation, and dividing the patients into two groups depending on whether the modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score improved after 24 hours of treatment. Results showed that lactate clearance was faster and the rate of change in RQ was higher in the improved group than in the unimproved group. Further analysis showed that an RQ ≤0.198 mmHg/mL/L or a change of ≥30.71% in RQ after 24 hours of resuscitation was associated with early improvement in MOF. In conclusion, changes in RQ were associated with early improvement in MOF in septic patients with hyperlactatemia, suggesting that RQ could be used as a potential marker for predicting early remission and guiding clinical interventions.

Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of a single ascending subcutaneous dose of GSK3772847 in healthy participants.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of GSK3772847, compared with placebo administered subcutaneously (SC) in healthy participants, including cohorts of Japanese and Chinese participants. This was a single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, single ascending dose study. Following a screening period of up to 28 days, eligible participants were assigned to one of four cohorts receiving a single dose of GSK3772847 70 mg (cohort 1) or 140 mg (cohorts 2, 3, and 4) or placebo SC. In cohorts 1 and 2, participants were randomly assigned to one of three injection sites (upper arm, abdomen, or thigh), while cohorts 3 and 4 included Japanese and Chinese participants, respectively, assigned to receive GSK3772847 or placebo SC (upper arm). Participants attended follow-up visits on Days 9, 15, 29, 43, 57, 71, and 85 before final analysis. GSK3772847 was generally well tolerated. Most adverse events (AEs) were mild, resolved without treatment and were considered not related to study treatment by the investigator. There were no serious AEs or deaths during the study. The PK and PD were dose dependent, with negligible differences across injection sites or ethnicities. Target engagement was demonstrated by reduced free soluble interleukin 33 (sIL-33) concentrations and substantially increased total sIL-33 concentrations compared with baseline. Subcutaneously administered GSK3772847 was well tolerated in healthy participants, including cohorts of Japanese and Chinese participants, and shows consistent PK and PD across injection sites and ethnicities.

Intravenous metronidazole-, levofloxacin-containing triple therapy for treating patients with Helicobacter pylori-related active peptic ulcer complications: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous use esomeprazole, metronidazole, and/or levofloxacin in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-associated peptic ulcer complications. METHODS: Inpatients with peptic ulcer complications who were not able to take oral medicine were randomly assigned to three groups: triple therapy (esomeprazole, levofloxacin, metronidazole) and dual therapy (esomeprazole, levofloxacin/metronidazole) for 7 days. After intravenous treatment, all patients received open-label oral esomeprazole 20 mg bid for another 1 month. All subjects were followed up for gastroscopy at the seventh day of intravenous treatment to confirm the ulcer healing and 13 C-urea breath test to confirm successful H. pylori eradication 4-6 weeks after completion of oral esomeprazole therapy. RESULTS: The H. pylori eradication rate of both LEV-dual therapy (33.3%, 95% CI: 9.7%-70.0%) and MTZ-dual therapy (50%, 95% CI: 21.5%-78.5%) was significantly lower than that of triple therapy (95%, 95% CI: 71.1%-97.4%) (p = .003, .016). There were no significant differences in the adverse effects among all treatment groups, and the adverse effects were rare. CONCLUSIONS: The intravenous triple regimen, consisting of proton-pump inhibitor, metronidazole, and levofloxacin, could be considered in patients of H. pylori-associated peptic ulcer complications if oral medicine cannot be provided.

N-doped porous bowl-like carbon with superhigh external surface area for ultrafast degradation of bisphenol A: Key role of site exposure degree.

High-temperature nitrogen (N) doping boosts the activity of biochars for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, but the N heat loss causes the unsatisfactory catalytic efficiency. Improving the surface area for obtaining the high exposure of N sites is a promising solution. Herein, a soft template-KHCO3 etching strategy is used to synthesize the N-doped porous bowl-like carbon (NPBC) with ultrahigh external surface area (1610.8 m2 g-1). The bowl-like structure eliminates inert bulk interior and allows unobstructed mass transfer of reactants onto both outer and inner surfaces, while the large pore channels by KHCO3 etching further improves the exposure degree of limited N sites. Although NPBC has only 0.43% N content, 93.1% of bisphenol A (BPA) is removed within 1 min through the electron-transfer pathway by fully utilizing the N active centers, and the kinetic rate constant (k) reaches 5.29 min-1, exceeding reported values by 2-270 times. Moreover, the NPBC/PMS system possesses excellent applicability for various organics and conditions, effectively mineralizes BPA and reduces effluent biotoxicity. A quantitative index W representing N exposure degree is first proposed and shows high linearity with the k values of BPA degradation (R2=0.992, 0 

Mapping the research trends and hot topics of ventricular arrhythmia: A bibliometric analysis from 2001 to 2020.

Background: Studies of ventricular arrhythmia (VA) have drawn much scholarly attention over the past two decades. Our study aimed to assess the current situation and detect the changing research trends of VA quantitatively and qualitatively. Materials and methods: All the information used in our statistical and bibliometric analysis were collected and summarized from papers retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database on December 22, 2021 using certain criteria. Visual analytics were realized using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, the bibliometrix R package, and the bibliometric online analysis platform. Results: A total of 6,897 papers (6,711 original articles, 182 proceedings papers, three book chapters, and one data paper) were published in 796 journals that concentrated on the research areas of cardiovascular and critical care medicine. The most productive country and influential institution was the USA and the Mayo Clinic, respectively. Heart Rhythm (551 articles and 8,342 local citations) published the most manuscripts. The keyword co-occurrence and co-citation network of references analyses revealed that the most popular terms were ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, catheter ablation, implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Further, the burst detection analysis demonstrated that topics strongly associated with clinical prognosis, such as meta-analysis, long-term outcomes, and impact, were new concerns. Conclusion: Our study offers a comprehensive picture of VA research and provides profound insights into the current research status. Moreover, we show that new topics within the VA research field have focused more on prognosis and evidence-based clinical guidelines.

Rapid and simple quantitative identification of Listeria monocytogenes in cheese by isothermal sequence exchange amplification based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Foodborne pathogens detection is important to ensure food safety and human health. In this study, we designed a comet structure to rapidly and sensitively detect foodborne Listeria monocytogenes. This method combined isothermal sequence exchange amplification (SEA) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Listeria monocytogenes DNA could be rapidly amplified at a constant temperature via SEA with a pair of modified primers, which rendered the precise thermal control instrumentation unnecessary. Efficient SEA amplification generated a large number of DNA duplexes that could be easily captured by streptavidin-modified magnetic bead and AuMB@Ag-isothiocyanate fluorescein antibody (anti-FITC). AuMB@Ag-anti-FITC was used as a signal probe, which generated a significant excitation signal at 1,616 cm-1 for quantitative detection and analysis. The results displayed sensitive detection of L. monocytogenes in cheese from 2.0 × 101 cfu/mL to 2.0 × 106 cfu/mL within 1.0 h with a detection limit of 7.8 cfu/mL. Furthermore, this comet structure displayed the desirable specificity as its specific primers and amplified DNA ends were attached to streptavidin-modified magnetic beads and AuMB@Ag-anti-FITC, respectively. We expected that the method devised would provide a promising new approach to screening for L. monocytogenes and guarantee the microbiological safety of dairy products.

EFFECTS OF SHENFU INJECTION ON SUBLINGUAL MICROCIRCULATION IN SEPTIC SHOCK PATIENTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL.

ABSTRACT: Background and Objective: The optimization of macrocirculatory hemodynamics is recommended by current sepsis guidelines. However, microcirculatory dysfunction is considered the cause of severe sepsis. In the present study, we designed to verify whether the application of Shenfu injection (SFI) restores microcirculation, thereby improving tissue perfusion and inhibiting organ dysfunction, resulting in improved outcomes. Design: We conducted a prospective, single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Intervention: Patients were randomly assigned to group receiving SFI (n = 20) or placebo (n = 20) for 5 days. We administered SFI or glucose injection for 5 days and blinded the investigators and clinical staff by applying light-proof infusion equipment that concealed therapy allocation. Measurements and Results: We measured the systemic dynamics and lactate levels, biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction, and inflammatory cytokines in the plasma. The parameters of sublingual microcirculation were assessed using side-stream dark-field imaging. Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) score, total dose, and duration of vasopressor use, emergency intensive care unit (EICU) stay, and 28-day mortality were evaluated. After treatment with SFI, the disturbance of the sublingual microcirculation was considerably alleviated, as indicated by the significant increase in total vessel density, perfused vessel density, and microvascular flow index. Moreover, the plasma biomarker levels of endothelial dysfunction, including Ang-2, Syn-1, and ET-1, were reversed after SFI treatment. Importantly, the SFI group had a more favorable prognosis than the control group in terms of the APACHE-II score, SOFA score, duration of vasopressor administration, and length of EICU stay. However, the difference in mortality at day 28 was not statistically different between the SFI (15%, 3/20) and placebo (25%, 5/20) groups ( P = 0.693). Conclusions : Shenfu injection provided apparent effects in improving sublingual microcirculatory perfusion in patients with septic shock, and this protection may be related with the inhibition of endothelial dysfunction and vasodilatory effects.