Differences in root surface adsorption, root uptake, subcellular distribution, and chemical forms of Cd between low- and high-Cd-accumulating wheat cultivars.

The differences in the mechanism of cadmium (Cd) accumulation in the grains of different wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars remain unclear. Thus, we conducted a hydroponic experiment in a greenhouse to compare root surface adsorption, root uptake, subcellular distribution, and chemical forms of Cd between low- and high-Cd-accumulating wheat cultivars at seedling stage, to improve our understanding of the differences between cultivars. The results showed that Cd adsorbed on the root surface was mainly in a complexed form, and the total amount of Cd on the Yaomai16 (YM, high-Cd-accumulating genotypes) root surface was higher (p < 0.05) than that on Xinmai9817 (XM, low-Cd-accumulating genotypes). A large amount of Cd ions adsorbed on root surface would cause plant damage and inhibit growth. Comparing the root-to-shoot translocation factors of Cd, the transfer coefficients of YM were 1.017, 1.446, 1.464, and 1.030 times higher than those of XM under 5, 10, 50, and 100 µmol L-1 Cd treatments, respectively. The subcellular distribution of Cd under Cd exposure is mainly in the cell wall and soluble fraction. The proportions of Cd in YM shoot soluble fraction were higher than those in XM, which was the main detoxification mechanism limiting the activity of Cd and may be responsible for low Cd accumulation in grains, while the effects of the chemical forms of Cd on migration and detoxification were not found to be related to Cd accumulation in the kernels.

The Role of Angle in the Evaluation of Ablation Accuracy in Pulmonary Vein Isolation Navigated by Image Integration.

BACKGROUND: The conventional index for ablation accuracy is to compare the distance between mapping points with and without treatment by using image integration. We attempted to quantitatively evaluate the role of angle as an index in the ablation accuracy in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: A total of 48 patients with AF were included in the present study. Virtual fluoroscopy planes were predicted by pulmonary vein (PV) angiography, and the standard image planes were defined on the basis of the computed tomography images. Ablations were performed, guided by image integration; and the ablation planes were defined by the actual ablation rings. The predicted angle (distance) was defined as the angle (distance) between the fluoroscopy (predicted) plane and image (standard) plane, whereas the actual angle (distance) was defined as the angle (distance) between the ablation (actual) planes and the image (standard) planes. RESULTS: We found that all actual angles were significantly smaller than the predicted angles (P <.05), but only the actual distances in the left PV, right inferior PV, right superior PV, and right PV were significantly smaller; the distances in the left inferior PV and left superior PV were not significantly different (P >.05). CONCLUSION: Our finding indicates that both the angle and the distance can be significantly reduced by navigation with image integration, but that the angle exhibited better sensitivity than the conventional index of distance. We suggest that the angle should be considered as a new index for ablation accuracy.

Common variants predict recurrence after nonfamilial atrial fibrillation ablation in Chinese Han population.

BACKGROUND: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several loci associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) and have been reportedly associated with response to catheter ablation for AF in patients of European ancestry; however, associations between susceptibility loci and clinical recurrence of AF after catheter ablation have not been examined in Chinese Han populations. To the personalization of catheter ablation for AF, we examined whether these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can predict clinical outcomes after catheter ablation for AF in Chinese Han population. METHODS AND RESULTS: The association between 8 SNPs and AF was studied in 1418 AF patients and 1424 controls by the unconditional logistic regression analysis. The survival analyses were used to compare AT/AF recurrence differences among 438 AF patients, which were classified by the genotype of rs2200733. rs2200733 and rs6590357 were significantly associated with AF in Chinese Han population. In addition, rs2200733 was associated with clinical recurrence of AF after catheter ablation. In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the recurrence-free rates for AF with TT and with TC+CC were 35.5% and 61.9%, respectively (P=0.0009). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, rs2200733 was strong independent risk factor for recurrence. CONCLUSION: rs2200733 risk allele at the 4q25 predicted impaired clinical response to catheter ablation for AF in Chinese Han population. Our findings suggested rs2200733 polymorphism may be used as a clinical tool for selection of patients for AF catheter ablation.

Contribution of dysfunction of maternal hemodynamics to renal impairment in preeclampsia.

AIMS: To investigate the contribution of dysfunction of maternal hemodynamics to renal impairment in preeclampsia (PE). METHODS: Urinary protein excretion, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, and glomerular filtration rate were assessed in 571 pregnant women with PE in addition to and noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring. Patients were classified into two groups: PE with renal impairment (glomerular filtration rate <90 ml/min/1.73 m², n = 161) and PE with normal renal function (n = 410). Cut-off values for hemodynamic parameters were calculated using receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: Maternal systolic function and cardiac output parameters were low and peripheral resistance was high in the PE renal impairment group. Cut-off values for the hemodynamic parameters, cardiac index, cardiac output, systemic vascular resistance index, and systemic vascular resistance were 2.85 l/min/m², 5.25 l/min, 3,014.5 dyn s cm⁻5 m² and 1,636.0 dyn s cm⁻5, respectively, according to receiver-operating characteristics curves. CONCLUSION: Renal impairment in PE is associated with reduced maternal cardiac output and increased peripheral resistance.

Relationship between cardiovascular function and fetal growth restriction in women with pre-eclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between cardiovascular function in women with pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction (FGR) using impedance cardiography. METHOD: This retrospective study was performed with 639 participants allocated to one of 4 groups, a pre-eclampsia (PE) with FGR group, a PE without FGR group, a pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) without FGR group, and normal pregnancy (NP) group. Hemodynamic monitoring was performed noninvasively using impedance cardiography. RESULTS: Mean arterial pressure and peripheral resistance were significantly higher, and cardiac output and maternal systolic function were significantly lower, in the 2 PE groups than in the PIH and NP groups, and these differences were the greatest between the NP and the PE with FGR groups. CONCLUSION: Impedance cardiography allowed to observe a gradual increase in peripheral resistance and cardiac output from the NP group to the PIH, the PE without FGR, and the PE with FGR groups. The most reduced systolic function and cardiac output and the most increased peripheral resistance was observed in the PE with FGR group.