Root-derived auxin contributes to the phosphorus-deficiency-induced cluster-root formation in white lupin (Lupinus albus).

Formation of cluster roots is a typical morphological response to phosphorus (P) deficiency in white lupin (Lupinus albus), but its physiological and molecular mechanisms are still unclear. We investigated the role of auxin in the initiation of cluster roots by distinguishing the sources of auxin, measuring the longitudinal distribution patterns of free indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) along the root and the related gene expressions responsible for polar auxin transport (PAT) in different developmental stages of cluster roots. We found that removal of shoot apex or primary root apex and application of auxin-influx or -efflux transport inhibitors, 3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid and 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid, to the stem did not affect the number of cluster roots and the free-IAA concentration in the roots of P-deficient plants, but when these inhibitors were applied directly to the growth media, the cluster-root formation was greatly suppressed, suggesting the fundamental role of root-derived IAA in cluster-root formation. The concentration of free IAA in the roots was higher in P-deficient plants than in P-adequate ones, and the highest in the lateral-root apex and the lowest in the mature cluster roots. Meanwhile the expression patterns of LaAUX1, LaPIN1 and LaPIN3 transcripts related to PAT was consistent with concentrations of free IAA along the lateral root, indicating the contribution of IAA redistribution in the cluster-root development. We proposed that root-derived IAA plays a direct and important role in the P-deficiency-induced formation of cluster roots.

[Low-dose testosterone undecanoate capsules combined with tadalafil for late-onset hypogonadism accompanied with ED].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of low-dose testosterone undecanoate capsules combined with tadalafil on late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) accompanied with ED. METHODS: Ninety cases of LOH accompanied with ED who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a control group and a combination therapy group, the former treated with tadalafil and the latter with low-dose testosterone undecanoate capsules combined with tadalafil. The LOH symptoms, IIEF-5 scores, sexual encounter profile (SEP) scores, prostate volumes, and the levels of total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT) and prostatic specific antigen (PSA) were recorded and compared between the two groups before and after treatment. RESULTS: The IIEF-5 and SEP scores and the TT and FT levels were 20.6 +/- 3.8, 4.02 +/- 1.08, (15.4 +/- 3.4) nmol/L and (0.391 +/- 0.062) nmol/L, respectively, in the combination therapy group after treatment, significantly higher both than 15.7 +/- 3.9, 1.49 +/- 0.82, (10.1 +/- 1.2) nmol/L and (0.200 +/- 0.045) nmol/L before treatment (P < 0.01) and than 8.6 +/- 3.6, 3.50 +/- 1.21, (10.2 +/- 1.2) nmol/L and (0.210 +/- 0.051) nmol/L in the control group after treatment (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Low-dose testosterone undecanoate capsules combined with tadalafil has a definite clinical effect and no obvious adverse reactions in the treatment of LOH accompanied with ED.

Nitric oxide is the shared signalling molecule in phosphorus- and iron-deficiency-induced formation of cluster roots in white lupin (Lupinus albus).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Formation of cluster roots is one of the most specific root adaptations to nutrient deficiency. In white lupin (Lupinus albus), cluster roots can be induced by phosphorus (P) or iron (Fe) deficiency. The aim of the present work was to investigate the potential shared signalling pathway in P- and Fe-deficiency-induced cluster root formation. METHODS: Measurements were made of the internal concentration of nutrients, levels of nitric oxide (NO), citrate exudation and expression of some specific genes under four P × Fe combinations, namely (1) 50 µm P and 10 µm Fe (+P + Fe); (2) 0 P and 10 µm Fe (-P + Fe); (3) 50 µm P and 0 Fe (+P-Fe); and (4) 0 P and 0 Fe (-P-Fe), and these were examined in relation to the formation of cluster roots. KEY RESULTS: The deficiency of P, Fe or both increased the cluster root number and cluster zones. It also enhanced NO accumulation in pericycle cells and rootlet primordia at various stages of cluster root development. The formation of cluster roots and rootlet primordia, together with the expression of LaSCR1 and LaSCR2 which is crucial in cluster root formation, were induced by the exogenous NO donor S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) under the +P + Fe condition, but were inhibited by the NO-specific endogenous scavenger 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4, 4, 5, 5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl- 3-oxide (cPTIO) under -P + Fe, +P-Fe and -P-Fe conditions. However, cluster roots induced by an exogenous supply of the NO donor did not secrete citrate, unlike those formed under -P or -Fe conditions. CONCLUSIONS: NO plays an important role in the shared signalling pathway of the P- and Fe-deficiency-induced formation of cluster roots in white lupin.

[Analysis of lumbosacral sagittal balance parameter variation in minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion with real-time 3D navigation techniques].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the dynamic changes of lumbosacral sagittal parameters after real-time three-dimensional navigation assisted minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) and traditional open TLIF for treatment of lumbar degenerative disease. METHODS: The clinical data of 61 patients with lumbar degenerative disease underwent single-segment surgery from September 2017 to September 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 31 cases underwent MIS-TLIF with 3D navigation techniques (MIS-TLIF group) and another 30 cases underwent conventional open TLIF (traditional open TLIF group). The basic information, operative time and intraoperative blood loss were collected. The sagittal radiologic parameters were measured before surgery and 3 months after surgery, including lumbar lordosis (LL), segmental lordosis (SL), pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), sacral slope (SS), anterior disc height (ADH), posterior disc height(PDH).And the average disc height(DH) and pelvic incidence to lumbar lordosis mismatch (PI-LL) were calculated. RESULTS: Operative time and intraoperative blood loss in MIS-TLIF group were significantly less than in traditional open TLIF group(P<0.05). In MIS-TLIF group, LL, SL, PI-LL, and DH were significantly improved at 3 months after surgery (P<0.05), while PI, PT, and SS were not statistically different from those before surgery (P>0.05). LL, PI-LL, and DH of patients in the traditional open TLIF group were significantly improved at 3 months after surgery (P<0.05), while the PI, PT, SS, and SL were not statistically different from those before surgery (P>0.05). LL change showed a significant correlation with SL change (r= 0.433, P<0.001). Change in SL closely correlated to change in ADH (r=0.621, P<0.05) and PDH(r=0.527, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Real-time navigation-assisted MIS-TLIF and traditional open TLIF can recover DH in a short term for lumbar degenerative diseases, improve LL and PI-LL, and make the arrangement of the sagittal plane of the lumbosacral region more coordinated after surgery. But only the navigation assisted MIS -TLIF can significantly improve SL. Compared with traditional open TLIF, real-time navigation assisted MIS-TLIF in the treatment of degenerative lumbar diseases has the advantages of short operation time and less intraoperative bleeding.

Iron deficiency-induced increase of root branching contributes to the enhanced root ferric chelate reductase activity.

In various plant species, Fe deficiency increases lateral root branching. However, whether this morphological alteration contributes to the Fe deficiency-induced physiological responses still remains to be demonstrated. In the present research, we demonstrated that the lateral root development of red clover (Trifolium pretense L.) was significantly enhanced by Fe deficient treatment, and the total lateral root number correlated well with the Fe deficiency-induced ferric chelate reductase (FCR) activity. By analyzing the results from Dasgan et al. (2002), we also found that although the two tomato genotypes line227/1 (P1) and Roza (P2) and their reciprocal F1 hybrid lines ("P1 x P2" and "P2 x P1") were cultured under two different lower Fe conditions (10(-6) and 10(-7) M FeEDDHA), their FCR activities are significantly correlated with the lateral root number. More interestingly, the -Fe chlorosis tolerant ability of these four tomato lines displays similar trends with the lateral root density. Taking these results together, it was proposed that the Fe deficiency-induced increases of the lateral root should play an important role in resistance to Fe deficiency, which may act as harnesses of a useful trait for the selection and breeding of more Fe-efficient crops among the genotypes that have evolved a Fe deficiency-induced Fe uptake system.

[Repairing the defect of benign bone tumor with the coralline hydroxyapatite].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of repairing bone defectin post-operation benign tumor with coralline hydroxyapatite(CHAP). METHODS: The natural coralline was treated into coralline hydroxyapatite by "hydrothermal exchanging" at specific condition. The CHAP was implanted into the lesion after bone tumor curettage to 25 patients. The sizes of bone defect ranged from 0.8 cm x 0.5 cm x 0.5 cm to 10 cm x 3.5 cm x 2 cm. RESULTS: All patients had no abnormal local or systemic reactions. X-ray showed that there was osteogenesis at the cortical bone 1 month post-operation. The density of CHAP gradually reduced from 3 months. The clinical healing time was 4 months. The CHAP was nearly completely absorbed 18 months post-operation. CONCLUSION: The CHAP has favourable histocompatibility and osteroconduction in vivo. There is corresponding synchronization between bone formation with CHAP biodegradation. The CHAP is an excellent bone defect repairing material.

Transarterial chemoembolization compared with conservative treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus: using a new classification.

We aimed to compare the survival benefit of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with conservative treatment for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT), furthermore, to reveal which PVTT types benefit from TACE treatment. From August 2007 to January 2010, a prospective controlled study was performed on consecutive patients with advanced HCC and PVTT. Of a total of 150 patients, 115 were treated with TACE (lipiodol and anticancer agents ± gelatin sponge embolization), and 35 who refused to accept the procedure were treated with conservative treatment. We performed survival analysis of the two treatment groups and then stratified by a new classification of PVTT that was divided into four types. Overall survival was significantly better in the TACE group than in the conservative group (8.67 months vs. 1.4 months, P<0.001). The overall median survival for types I-IV PVTT were 12.0, 8.3, 5.0, and 2.43 months (P<0.01). On subgroup analysis of PVTT, the median survival in the TACE group compared with conservative group for type I, II, III, and IV PVTT was 19.0 months versus 4.0 months, 11.0 months versus 1.43 months, 7.1 months versus 1.3 months, and 4.0 months versus 1.0 months, respectively (P<0.01). The TACE group had significantly better survival than the conservative group for different extent of PVTT. TACE is an effective treatment mode compared with conservative treatment for HCC and PVTT and may provide a significantly better survival benefit for different extent of PVTT.