Comparison and screening of different risk assessment models for deep vein thrombosis in patients with solid tumors.

To increase the detection rate of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and to compare the predictive value of four different risk assessment scales (Caprini, Autar, Pauda, and Khorana scales) for DVT in patients with solid tumors by the receiver operating curve (ROC). A total of 361 patients with all kinds of malignant solid tumors, who accepted anti-tumor therapy in the cancer center between March 3, 2015 to April 13, 2018, were assigned to a group of 230 cases diagnosed with DVT and a control group of 131 cases without DVT. Data were recorded and summarized, and the predictive value of the above four risk assessment scales for DVT in solid tumor patients was compared based on the area under the ROC curve (AUC). The AUC values determined for the Caprini, Autar, Pauda, and Khorana scales were (0.631 ± 0.030), (0.686 ± 0.028), (0.654 ± 0.029), and (0.599 ± 0.032), respectively; maximum sensitivity, specificity, and Youden index were 80.9% for Khorana, 86.3% for Caprini, and 29.6% for Autar scale, respectively. We found no statistically significant differences in the AUC values between Autar and Caprini, Autar and Khorana, as well as Khorana and Pauda (p > 0.05). However, the AUC differences between Autar and Pauda, Caprini and Khorana, as well as Caprini and Pauda were statistically significant (p < 0.05). All four risk assessment models showed some value in the risk prediction of DVT in patients with solid tumors, but every model also exhibited its own restrictions; maximum sensitivity, specificity, and Youden index were 80.9% for Khorana, 86.3% for Caprini, and 29.6% for Autar scale, respectively. We confirmed that the detection rate can be improved by modifying the BMI cut-off value of the scale or by combining appropriate scales.

Left ventricle geometry remolding after heart transplantation: a two-dimensional ultrasound study.

The function of the transplanted heart will be affected by acute allograft rejection, chronic rejection, high blood pressure and so on, which may induce the reconstruction of the left ventricle and the increase of left ventricular mass (LVM), and eventually lead to left ventricular hypertrophy that will significantly affect the prognosis of heart transplantation (HT). The purpose of this study was to dynamically monitor the changes of left ventricular geometric patterns after HT using two-dimensional echocardiography and to understand the remodeling process and its possible influencing factors. The left ventricular internal diameter, interventricular septal wall thickness, posterior wall thickness at end diastole were measured and the relative wall thickness (RWT), left ventricular mass, left ventricular mass index were calculated respectively in 34 HT patients and 34 healthy volunteers by two-dimensional echocardiography. The type of left ventricular geometry was identified based on the echocardiographic determination of LVM index (LVMI) and RWT. The HT patients were divided into three groups according to the time length after surgery: A (3 months postoperatively), B (6 months postoperatively) and C (12 months postoperatively). We compared the parameters of left ventricle between HT group and normal control group, and explored the risk factors causing the increase of LVM. The results showed that 4 patients (16%) in group A had concentric remodeling. Nine patients (34.62%) in group B had reconstruction, including 5 cases of concentric remodeling, 2 cases of concentric hypertrophy and 2 cases of eccentric hypertrophy. The hypertrophy incidence rate was 15.4% in group B. 15 patients (62.5%) had reconstruction in group C, including 9 cases of concentric remodeling, 5 cases of concentric hypertrophy, and 1 case of eccentric hypertrophy. The prevalence of hypertrophy was 25%. Multivariate analysis showed that hypertension and acute rejection history were the risk factors that resulted in left ventricular hypertrophy. It is concluded that the left ventricular remodeling occurs following cardiac transplantation at an early stage and the incidence of left ventricular hypertrophy increases with survival time. In this study, the one-year prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy was 25% after surgery. Hypertension and acute rejection history are risk factors that can predict the left ventricular hypertrophy.

Multiple induced mutagenesis for improvement of ethanol production by Kluyveromyces marxianus.

Kluyveromyces marxianus GX-15 was mutated multiple times by alternately treatment with UV irradiation and NTG for two cycles. Four mutant strains with improved ethanol yield were obtained. The maximum ethanol concentration, ethanol yield coefficient and theoretical ethanol yield of the best mutant strain, GX-UN120, was 69 g/l, 0.46 g/g and 91%, respectively, when fermenting 150 g glucose/l at 40°C. The corresponding values for GX-15 were 58 g/l, 0.39 g/g and 76%, respectively. GX-UN120 grew well in 11% (v/v) of ethanol, while GX-15 could not grow when ethanol was greater than 8% (v/v).

Genome-wide identification and characterization of microRNA genes and their targets in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea).

MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are a class of non-coding RNAs of 20-25 nucleotides (nt) in length, which regulates the expression of gene in eukaryotic organism. Studies has been confirmed that miRNA plays an important role in various biological and metabolic processes in both animals and plants. Predicting new miRNAs by computer based homology search analysis is an effective way to discover novel miRNAs. Though a large number of miRNAs have been reported in many fish species, reports of miRNAs in large yellow croaker (L. crocea) are limited especially via the computational-based approaches. In this paper, a method of comparative genomic approach by computational genomic homology based on the conservation of miRNA sequences and the stem-loop hairpin secondary structures of miRNAs was adopted. A total of 199 potential miRNAs were predicted representing 81 families. 12 of them were chose to be validated by real time RT-PCR, apart from miR-7132b-5p which was not detected. Results indicated that the prediction method that we used to identify the miRNAs was effective. Furthermore, 948 potential target genes were predicted. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that 175, 287, and 486 target genes were involved in cellular components, biological processes and molecular functions, respectively. Overall, our findings provide a first computational identification and characterization of L. crocea miRNAs and their potential targets in functional analysis, and will be useful in laying the foundation for further characterization of their role in the regulation of diversity of physiological processes.

[Taxonomic diversity of the plant communities in Pangquangou Nature Reserve, Shanxi Province, China].

In order to explore the relationship between the taxonomic diversity of plant communities' and environmental factors in Pangquangou Nature Reserve, Shanxi Province, 33 stands of the plant communities and environmental information were investigated, respectively. Moreover, the taxonomic variability index (delta+) and the average taxonomic differences index (delta+) of the communities were analyzed as well as the relationships between delta+ and delta+ with environmental factors were discussed. The results showed that the average values of delta+ and delta+ were 270 and 76.5, respectively. Delta+ was negatively correlated with altitude and slope, A+ and latitude had a significant positive correlation, and delta+ and slope had a significant negative correlation. Based on the distributions of the 33 stands in the confidence funnel, the plant communities had a higher taxonomic diversity in Pangquangou Nature Reserve, which resulted from that the plant resources and eco-environment had been effectively conserved with little disturbance from human activities since the establishment of the nature reserve for more than 30 years.

[Different combination of drugs regarding the damage on organs targeting salt sensitivity or non-salt-sensitive hypertension].

OBJECTIVE: To study the damage on organs from salt sensitivity hypertension or non-salt-sensitive hypertension and the selection of drug combination. METHODS: 120 hypertensive patients including 60 cases salt-sensitive (SS) and 60 non-salt-sensitive (NSS) groups were selected in our hospital and their salt load tested. These two groups were randomly divided into two groups, each group with 30 patients, one was given felodipine and perindopril and the others were given indapamide sustained release tablets and perindopril to facilitate the 12-week treatment. Before and after the treatment, patients were tested for physiological indicators, such as sitting blood pressure, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure, insulin resistance index, comparing changes of various sub-index etc. RESULTS: Significantly different were seen in indices as fasting blood glucose and serum creatinine (P < 0.01), fasting insulin, left ventricular mass index, urinary albumin, body mass index, insulin resistance indices, while between the SS group and the NSS group (P < 0.05). In the SS group, when patients with various sub-indicators were using perindopril combined with indapamide treatment, the related detected indicators tended to be normal and with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). In the NSS group, those related indexes also tended to be more normal when using felodipine combined with perindopril. However, there were statistically significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: On SS hypertensive patients with target organ damages, perindopril and indapamide seemed to be more effective in NSS patients, indicating that the use of perindopril and felodipine combination, seemed to be more suitable.

Superhydrophobic Mesoporous Graphene for Separation and Absorption.

Mesoporous graphene with a surface area of 306 m2 g-1 was synthesized by employing CaCO3 microspheres as hard templates. By surface modification with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through chemical vapor deposition, the wettability of as-treated mesoporous graphene can be tailored to be superhydrophobic to water while superoleophilic to oils. The deposition of the low-surface-energy silicon-coating originated from PDMS pyrolysis on porous graphene was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. As a result of its porous structures and excellent surface superhydrophobicity, the PDMS-treated mesoporous graphene exhibits good selectivity, excellent recyclability, and good absorption performance (up to 66 g g-1 ) for a wide range of oils and organic solvents. Thus, leading to potential use in a variety of applications such as water treatment and purification as well as cleanup of oil spills.