A comprehensive analysis of the WRKY family in soybean and functional analysis of GmWRKY164-GmGSL7c in resistance to soybean mosaic virus.

BACKGROUND: Soybean mosaic disease caused by soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is one of the most devastating and widespread diseases in soybean producing areas worldwide. The WRKY transcription factors (TFs) are widely involved in plant development and stress responses. However, the roles of the GmWRKY TFs in resistance to SMV are largely unclear. RESULTS: Here, 185 GmWRKYs were characterized in soybean (Glycine max), among which 60 GmWRKY genes were differentially expressed during SMV infection according to the transcriptome data. The transcriptome data and RT-qPCR results showed that the expression of GmWRKY164 decreased after imidazole treatment and had higher expression levels in the incompatible combination between soybean cultivar variety Jidou 7 and SMV strain N3. Remarkably, the silencing of GmWRKY164 reduced callose deposition and enhanced virus spread during SMV infection. In addition, the transcript levels of the GmGSL7c were dramatically lower upon the silencing of GmWRKY164. Furthermore, EMSA and ChIP-qPCR revealed that GmWRKY164 can directly bind to the promoter of GmGSL7c, which contains the W-box element. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that GmWRKY164 plays a positive role in resistance to SMV infection by regulating the expression of GmGSL7c, resulting in the deposition of callose and the inhibition of viral movement, which provides guidance for future studies in understanding virus-resistance mechanisms in soybean.

Room temperature NH3 gas sensor based on In(OH)3/Ti3C2Tx nanocomposites.

Industrialization and agricultural demand have both improved human life and led to environmental contamination. Especially the discharge of a lot of poisonous and harmful gases, including ammonia, ammonia pollution has become a pressing problem. High concentrations of ammonia can pose significant threats to both the environment and human health. Therefore, accurate monitoring and detection of ammonia gas are crucial. To address this challenge, we have developed an ammonia gas sensor using In(OH)3/Ti3C2Tx nanocomposites through an in-situ electrostatic self-assembly process. This sensor was thoroughly characterized using advanced techniques like XRD, XPS, BET, and TEM. In our tests, the I/M-2 sensor exhibited remarkable performance, achieving a 16.8% response to 100 ppm NH3 at room temperature, which is a 3.5-fold improvement over the pure Ti3C2Tx MXene sensor. Moreover, it provides swift response time (20 s), high response to low NH3 concentrations (≤ 10 ppm), and excellent long-term stability (30 days). These exceptional characteristics indicate the immense potential of our In(OH)3/Ti3C2Tx gas sensor in ammonia detection.

α-Fe2O3/TiO2/Ti3C2Tx Nanocomposites for Enhanced Acetone Gas Sensors.

Metal oxide semi-conductors are widely applied in various fields due to their low cost, easy processing, and good compatibility with microelectronic technology. In this study, ternary α-Fe2O3/TiO2/Ti3C2Tx nanocomposites were prepared via simple hydrothermal and annealing treatments. The composition, morphology, and crystal structure of the samples were studied using XPS, SEM, EDS, XRD, and multiple other testing methods. The gas-sensing measurement results suggest that the response value (34.66) of the F/M-3 sensor is 3.5 times higher than the pure α-Fe2O3 sensor (9.78) around 100 ppm acetone at 220°C, with a rapid response and recovery time (10/7 s). Furthermore, the sensors have an ultra-low detection limit (0.1 ppm acetone), excellent selectivity, and long-term stability. The improved sensitivity of the composites is mainly attributed to their excellent metal conductivity, the unique two-dimensional layered structure of Ti3C2Tx, and the heterojunction formed between the nanocomposite materials. This research paves a new route for the preparation of MXene derivatives and metal oxide nanocomposites.

ZEB1 recruits BRG1 to regulate airway remodelling epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in asthma.

NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? The aim was to investigate the function of brahma-related gene-1 (BRG1) in airway remodelling epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of asthma and identify the transcription factor of BRG1 that binds to the protomer of E-cadherin. What is the main finding and its importance? This study highlighted an important molecular mechanism involving chromatin remodelling factor BRG1 that played a crucial role in airway remodelling EMT of asthma and demonstrated that ZEB1 was the key transcription factor recruiting BRG1. This finding might offer new insights into gene-based therapy for asthma. ABSTRACT: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of airway remodelling happens in children with asthma. A reduction in the epithelial marker E-cadherin is reported to be one of the initiating factors of EMT. Our previous study showed that chromatin remodelling factor brahma-related gene-1 (BRG1) could regulate the expression of E-cadherin indirectly. However, the transcription factor involved in the recruitment of BRG1 in asthma is unknown. Here, we studied the function of Brg1 in an ovalbumin-induced asthma model [lung-specific conditional Brg1 knockdown (Brg1-/- ) mice] and human bronchial epithelial 16HBE cells stably expressing BRG1 short hairpin RNA. Our results showed that Brg1 was involved in EMT in asthmatic mice by detecting the expression of EMT markers. We also identified that BRG1 participated in the transforming growth factor-ß-induced EMT of 16HBE cells. We observed that zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) and BRG1 co-localized in the EMT of TGF-ß-induced 16HBE cells. Further results revealed that ZEB1 recruited BRG1 and bound to the promoter region (+3563/3715) to regulate E-cadherin expression. Thus, ZEB1 might be the key transcription factor to recruit BRG1 in airway remodelling EMT of asthma and might be a new therapeutic target.

RNA sequencing reveals the expression profiles of circRNA and identifies a four-circRNA signature acts as a prognostic marker in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: CircRNAs with tissue-specific expression and stable structure may be good tumor prognostic markers. However, the expression of circRNAs in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain unknown. We aim to identify prognostic circRNAs and construct a circRNA-related signature in ESCC. METHODS: RNA sequencing was used to test the circRNA expression profiles of 73 paired ESCC tumor and normal tissues after RNase R enrichment. Bioinformatics methods, such as principal component analysis (PCA), t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE) algorithm, unsupervised clustering and hierarchical clustering were performed to analyze the circRNA expression characteristics. Univariate cox regression analysis, random survival forests-variable hunting (RSFVH), Kaplan-Meier analysis, multivariable Cox regression and ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve analysis were used to screen the prognostic circRNA signature. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH) in 125 ESCC tissues were performed. RESULTS: Compared with normal tissues, there were 11651 differentially expressed circRNAs in cancer tissues. A total of 1202 circRNAs associated with ESCC prognosis (P < 0.05) were identified. Through bioinformatics analysis, we screened a circRNA signature including four circRNAs (hsa_circ_0000005, hsa_circ_0007541, hsa_circ_0008199, hsa_circ_0077536) which can classify the ESCC patients into two groups with significantly different survival (log rank P < 0.001), and found its predictive performance was better than that of the TNM stage(0.84 vs. 0.66; 0.65 vs. 0.62). Through qPCR and FISH experiment, we validated the existence of the screened circRNAs and the predictive power of the circRNA signature. CONCLUSION: The prognostic four-circRNA signature could be a new prognostic biomarker for ESCC, which has high clinical application value.

Autoimmune encephalitis with coexistent LGI1 and GABABR1 antibodies: case report.

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) with multiple auto-antibodies is of great clinical significance because its complex clinical manifestations and atypical imaging increase the difficulty of diagnosis, differential diagnosis and treatment, which may aggravate the disease, increase the recurrence rate and mortality. The coexistence of anti-Leucinie-rich Glioma Inactivated 1 (LGI1) and anti-γ-aminobutyric acid-beta-receptor 1 (GABABR1) has not been published before. CASE PRESENTATION: We herein present the case of a 60-year-old man with slow response, behavioral changes, psychosis and sleep disorders. Laboratory test included serum hyponatremia, positive serum LGI1 and GABABR1 antibodies using transfected cell-based assays. Electroencephalogram exhibited moderate diffusion abnormality. The patient responded well to steroid impulse treatment and sodium supplement therapy, and did not recur during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Here we report the first AE characterized by positive LGI1 and GABABR1 antibodies, as well as summarizing AE with multiple auto-antibodies reported so far, hopefully to provide experience for clinical practice.

Application effect of tirofiban on percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndrome and its postoperative effect on C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 16 level and myocardial perfusion.

This study aimed to investigate the application effect of tirofiban on percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and its postoperative effect on C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16) level and myocardial perfusion. A total of 50 cases of patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome and treated in Sunshine Union Hospital (Weifang, China) were included in group A and 30 cases of healthy subjects underwent physical examination in our hospital during the same period were enrolled in group B. Tirofiban was used in group A patients during PCI. Clinical efficacy evaluation criteria were used to evaluate the efficacy after treatment. The level of CXCL16 in serum before and after treatment was detected by qRT-PCR. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to analyze the value of C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand in diagnosing ACS. Before treatment, CXCL16 level in group A was significantly higher than that in group B (p<0.001). After treatment, patients in TMPG grade 3 in group A were significantly increased (p<0.001). Tirofiban could improve myocardial perfusion in patients with ACS after PCI, reduce adverse events and CXCL16 levels. Serum CXCL16 is expected to be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic predictor of ACS.

Suppression of SHROOM1 Improves In Vitro and In Vivo Gene Integration by Promoting Homology-Directed Repair.

Homologous recombination (HR) is often used to achieve targeted gene integration because of its higher precision and operability compared with microhomology-mediated end-joining (MMEJ) or non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). It appears to be inefficient for gene integration in animal cells and embryos due to occurring only during cell division. Here we developed genome-wide high-throughput screening and a subsequently paired crRNA library screening to search for genes suppressing homology-directed repair (HDR). We found that, in the reporter system, HDR cells with knockdown of SHROOM1 were enriched as much as 4.7-fold than those with control. Down regulating SHROOM1 significantly promoted gene integration in human and mouse cells after cleavage by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein-9 nuclease (Cas9), regardless of the donor types. The knock-in efficiency of mouse embryos could also be doubled by the application of SHROOM1 siRNA during micro-injection. The increased HDR efficiency of SHROOM1 deletion in HEK293T cells could be counteracted by YU238259, an HDR inhibitor, but not by an NHEJ inhibitor. These results indicated that SHROOM1 was an HDR-suppressed gene and that the SHROOM1 knockdown strategy may be useful for a variety of applications, including gene editing to generate cell lines and animal models for studying gene function and human diseases.

Reduction of Ocular Surface Damage and Bacterial Survival Using 0.05% Povidone-Iodine Ocular Surface Irrigation before Cataract Surgery.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the effects of 0.05% povidone-iodine (PI) irrigation on the ocular surface structure and bacterial survival rate in patients with cataract. METHODS: Ninety eyes of 90 patients with cataract were included. Before surgery, the operative field was irrigated with 0.05% PI and divided into 30-s, 1-, and 2-min groups. Anterior chamber fluid was cultured bacteriologically. Tear film breakup time (BUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), lacrimal river height (LRH), and Schirmer test I (STI) were conducted to assess ocular surface. RESULTS: In all groups, the patients had significantly shorter postoperative BUT at 1 day, 3 days, and 1 week postoperatively than preoperatively. In addition, there was still lower BUT at 1 month postoperatively in the 1- and 2-min groups. STI and LRH were all decreased postoperatively at different time points (1 day, 3 days, 1 week), while CFS was increased. With the extension of time preoperatively (1 and 3 months), the ocular surface indicators returned to the preoperative level. The bacterial cultures after eye irrigating were negative in all groups. CONCLUSION: 0.05% PI irrigating the conjunctival sac for 30 s can achieve a low bacterial contamination rate. Importantly, it reduced the damage of ocular surface, which is beneficial to the recovery of ocular surface function.

Investigation of the Effect of Orthokeratology Lenses on Quality of Life and Behaviors of Children.

PURPOSE: To investigate the changes in the quality of life and behaviors in children before and after wearing orthokeratology lenses and to analyze the potential impact of orthokeratology lenses on children's quality of life, behaviors, and the progression of myopia. METHODS: A total of 100 children receiving orthokeratology lenses in the People's Hospital of Hebei Province and the Nanjing First Hospital from January 2016 to February 2017 were enrolled in this study. A questionnaire survey was conducted for the orthokeratology lenses wearers before and 3 months after wearing the orthokeratology lenses, and analysis was performed for the 69 valid questionnaires. RESULTS: The scores of symptom module, entertainment module, and study and life module marked by the children differed significantly 3 months after wearing the orthokeratology lenses. Among 20 entries, the life quality scores of nine surveys before and after wearing lenses were statistically significant (P<0.05). The main reason why the children chose orthokeratology lenses was more convenience in athletic activities (43.5%). The majority of children (75.4%) were willing to accept orthokeratology lenses to correct vision and to alleviate myopia progression. CONCLUSION: Orthokeratology lenses have a good effect on children's quality of life, behaviors, and psychology. The children who wore lenses were more self-confident, more willing to try new things, and more active in participating in sports and entertainment, resulting in an increasing trend of the total time spent on outdoor activities.

High-throughput screening identifies microRNAs that target Nox2 and improve function after acute myocardial infarction.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the most common cause of heart failure. Excessive production of ROS plays a key role in the pathogenesis of cardiac remodeling after MI. NADPH with NADPH oxidase (Nox)2 as the catalytic subunit is a major source of superoxide production, and expression is significantly increased in the infarcted myocardium, especially by infiltrating macrophages. While microRNAs (miRNAs) are potent regulators of gene expression and play an important role in heart disease, there still lacks efficient ways to identify miRNAs that target important pathological genes for treating MI. Thus, the overall objective was to establish a miRNA screening and delivery system for improving heart function after MI using Nox2 as a critical target. With the use of the miRNA-target screening system composed of a self-assembled cell microarray (SAMcell), three miRNAs, miR-106b, miR-148b, and miR-204, were identified that could regulate Nox2 expression and its downstream products in both human and mouse macrophages. Each of these miRNAs were encapsulated into polyketal (PK3) nanoparticles that could effectively deliver miRNAs into macrophages. Both in vitro and in vivo studies in mice confirmed that PK3-miRNAs particles could inhibit Nox2 expression and activity and significantly improve infarct size and acute cardiac function after MI. In conclusion, our results show that miR-106b, miR-148b, and miR-204 were able to improve heart function after myocardial infarction in mice by targeting Nox2 and possibly altering inflammatory cytokine production. This screening system and delivery method could have broader implications for miRNA-mediated therapeutics for cardiovascular and other diseases.NEW & NOTEWORTHY NADPH oxidase (Nox)2 is a promising target for treating cardiovascular disease, but there are no specific inhibitors. Finding endogenous signals that can target Nox2 and other inflammatory molecules is of great interest. In this study, we used high-throughput screening to identify microRNAs that target Nox2 and improve cardiac function after infarction.

Importance of the Correlation between Width and Length in the Shape Analysis of Nanorods: Use of a 2D Size Plot To Probe Such a Correlation.

Analysis of nanoparticle size through a simple 2D plot is proposed in order to extract the correlation between length and width in a collection or a mixture of anisotropic particles. Compared to the usual statistics on the length associated with a second and independent statistical analysis of the width, this simple plot easily points out the various types of nanoparticles and their (an)isotropy. For each class of nano-objects, the relationship between width and length (i.e., the strong or weak correlations between these two parameters) may suggest information concerning the nucleation/growth processes. It allows one to follow the effect on the shape and size distribution of physical or chemical processes such as simple ripening. Various electron microscopy pictures from the literature or from the authors' own syntheses are used as examples to demonstrate the efficiency and simplicity of the proposed 2D plot combined with a multivariate analysis.

Late-onset neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in AQP4-seropositivepatients in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Increasing rates of AQP4-seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) have been reported in late-onset patients (LONMOSD). However, the full range of clinical differences between early-onset and late-onset variants remain unclear. We describe the clinical features and outcomes of AQP4-seropositive LONMOSD patients in a Chinese population. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of medical records in a cohort study of AQP4-seropositive NMOSD patients with early-onset (≤49 years) and late-onset (≥50 years) variants between January 2006 and February 2014. Demographic, clinical, neuroimaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings and prognosis data were analyzed. RESULTS: We identified thirty AQP4-seropositive LONMOSD patients (86.7 % women). The median age at onset was 57.5 years (range 50-70). There were similar onset frequencies between optic neuritis (ON) and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM). Longer interval between (first) ON and LETM (median 13 vs. 4 months; p < 0.05), time from first symptoms to diagnosis of NMO (median 17 vs. 7 months, p < 0.05), higher comorbidities (66.7 vs. 26.7 %; p < 0.05), and more hypertension (26.7 vs.3.3 %; p < 0.05) were prevalent. NMO-like lesions were less common (10.7 vs. 41.6 %; p < 0.05), while the rate of non-specific lesions tended to be higher (53.6 vs. 29 %; p = 0.067). These patients displayed more severe Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) in nadir (median 6.75vs.5; p < 0.05). Attacks often resulted in EDSS 4 within a short period (median 8 vs. 13.5 months; p < 0.05). At last follow-up, the EDSS score was more severe in these patients (median 5.25 vs. 4; p < 0.05). No significant predictors were identified. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an overview of the clinical and paraclinical features of AQP4-seropositive LONMOSD patients in China and demonstrates a number of distinct disease characteristics in early vs. late onset. Older patients are more susceptible to disability in short course. However, these patients do not always display NMO-like lesions in the brain. Initial LETM may not necessarily be predominant as the initial symptom, contrary to previous reports. The higher comorbidities may warrant a modified approach of treatment.

Research on effect of minor bupleurum decoction of proliferation and apoptosis of esophageal cancer cell strain eca-109 cell.

The research protocol is MTT (Methyl Thiazolyl Tetrazolium) method, Hoechst33342 staining method and flow cytometry detection to observe the effect of minor bupleurum decoction on proliferation inhibition and apoptosis-inducing of esophageal cancer cell strain Eca-109 cell and its purpose is to discuss the effect. The result of MTT method shows that minor buplerum decoction can obviously inhibit proliferation of esophageal cancer cell strain Eca-109 cell. Apoptosis number of esophageal cancer cell increased with the increase of concentration of tetrandrine by the Hoechst 35528 staining experiment of cancer cell in three different concentrations. Flow cytometry detection result showed that cells in cell cycle G0/G1 of esophageal cancer cell strain Eca-109 cell increased obviously and cell in s period decreased significantly. This research proved that minor bupleurum decoction had anti-tumor effect and can influent proliferation and apoptosis of esophageal cancer cell strain Eca-109 cell.

Preschool children's asthma medication: parental knowledge, attitudes, practices, and adherence.

Introduction: As parents or legal guardians primarily care for children with asthma, understanding their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) barriers to treatment and medication adherence is of essential importance. This study aimed to analyze the KAP toward asthma medication and adherence among preschool-aged asthmatic children's parents and explore the factors influencing adherence. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2023 and April 2023. Parents of preschool children with asthma were asked to complete the questionnaire containing knowledge, attitude, practice dimensions, and demographic characteristics. The Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) was used to investigate adherence. Results: A total of 632 valid questionnaires (154 male and 478 female) were included. Parents showed moderate knowledge (9.49 ± 2.86, 63.27%, possible range: 0-15) and moderate attitudes (26.18 ± 2.51, 74.80%, possible range: 7-35) towards asthma medication, while their practices (27.46 ± 5.26, 91.53%, possible range: 6-30) were proactive; however, medication adherence was low (4.84 ± 1.78, total score: 8). The attitude scores (OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.01-1.19, P=0.020), practice scores (OR = 1.16, 95%CI: 1.12-1.21, p < 0.001), and smoking (OR = 1.64, 95%CI: 1.14-2.37, p = 0.008) were associated with medication adherence. Discussion: Preschool-aged asthmatic children's parents showed moderate knowledge, attitudes, and proactive practice toward asthma medication. Continuous training and education programs should be provided for parents to improve asthma medication management in preschool children.

Flexible Multimodal Magnetoresistive Sensors Based on Alginate/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Foam with Stimulus Discriminability for Soft Electronics Using Machine Learning.

Flexible foam-based sensors have attracted substantial interest due to their high specific surface area, light weight, superior deformability, and ease of manufacture. However, it is still a challenge to integrate multimodal stimuli-responsiveness, high sensitivity, reliable stability, and good biocompatibility into a single foam sensor. To achieve this, a magnetoresistive foam sensor was fabricated by an in situ freezing-polymerization strategy based on the interpenetrating networks of sodium alginate, poly(vinyl alcohol) in conjunction with glycerol, and physical reinforcement of core-shell bidisperse magnetic particles. The assembled sensor exhibited preferable magnetic/strain-sensing capability (GF ≈ 0.41 T-1 for magnetic field, 4.305 for tension, -0.735 for bending, and -1.345 for pressing), quick response time, and reliable durability up to 6000 cycles under external stimuli. Importantly, a machine learning algorithm was developed to identify the encryption information, enabling high recognition accuracies of 99.22% and 99.34%. Moreover, they could be employed as health systems to detect human physiological motion and integrated as smart sensor arrays to perceive external pressure/magnetic field distributions. This work provides a simple and ecofriendly strategy to fabricate biocompatible foam-based multimodal sensors with potential applications in next-generation soft electronics.

Progress in the study of association between hematological indicators and retinopathy of prematurity (Review).

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a retinopathy caused by abnormal proliferation of blood vessels in premature infants. It can lead to retinal detachment and, in severe cases, blindness, rendering ROP a critical condition. Advances in neonatal medicine have improved survival rates of low birth weight and low gestational age infants. However, this progress has also led to a rise in incidence of ROP. Currently, premature birth, low birth weight and high postpartum oxygen levels are independent risk factors for ROP. Other factors include mode of delivery, multiple births, anemia, blood transfusion, maternal pregnancy factors, neonatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia, use of surfactants, arterial ductus arteriosus and necrotizing enterocolitis. Laboratory indicators in premature infants such as platelet count, levels of blood glucose, inflammatory cells, lipid and hemoglobin and blood transfusion may also be associated with ROP. However, the etiology and pathogenesis of ROP are not fully understood. A number of factors may influence the onset and progression of ROP, including decreased platelet counts, decreased hemoglobin levels, increased white blood cell counts, increased blood glucose levels, and disorders of lipid metabolism. The present study reviewed the effects of platelet count, hemoglobin, blood glucose, inflammatory cells and factors, blood lipids, and plasma metabolic pathways on ROP.

Computational prediction and experimental validation identify functionally conserved lncRNAs from zebrafish to human.

Functional studies of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been hindered by the lack of methods to assess their evolution. Here we present lncRNA Homology Explorer (lncHOME), a computational pipeline that identifies a unique class of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) with conserved genomic locations and patterns of RNA-binding protein (RBP) binding sites (coPARSE-lncRNAs). Remarkably, several hundred human coPARSE-lncRNAs can be evolutionarily traced to zebrafish. Using CRISPR-Cas12a knockout and rescue assays, we found that knocking out many human coPARSE-lncRNAs led to cell proliferation defects, which were subsequently rescued by predicted zebrafish homologs. Knocking down coPARSE-lncRNAs in zebrafish embryos caused severe developmental delays that were rescued by human homologs. Furthermore, we verified that human, mouse and zebrafish coPARSE-lncRNA homologs tend to bind similar RBPs with their conserved functions relying on specific RBP-binding sites. Overall, our study demonstrates a comprehensive approach for studying the functional conservation of lncRNAs and implicates numerous lncRNAs in regulating vertebrate physiology.

Fast access and early ligation of the renal pedicle significantly facilitates retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy procedures: modified laparoscopic radical nephrectomy.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to develop a modified retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy and compare its results with the previous technique. METHODS: One hundred retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomies were performed from February 2007 to October 2011. The previous technique was performed in 60 cases (Group 1). The modified technique (n = 40) included fast access to the renal pedicle according to several anatomic landmarks and early ligation of renal vessels (Group 2). The mean operation time, mean blood loss, duration of hospital stay conversion rate and complication rate were compared between the groups. RESULTS: No significant differences were detected regarding mean patient age, mean body mass index, and tumor size between the two groups (P >0.05). The mean operation time was 59.5 ± 20.0 and 39.5 ± 17.5 minutes, respectively, in Groups 1 and 2 (P <0.001). The mean intraoperative blood loss was 147 ± 35 and 100 ± 25 ml, respectively, in Groups 1 and 2 (P <0.001). No significant differences were detected regarding the conversion rate and the complication rate between the two groups (P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Early ligature using fast access to the renal vessels during retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy contributed to less operation time and intraoperative blood loss compared with the previous technique. In addition, the modified technique permits the procedure to be performed following the principles of open radical nephrectomy.

Association between dietary calcium, potassium, and magnesium consumption and glaucoma.

BACKGROUND: Calcium (Ca), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) may be involved in the occurrence and development of glaucoma by influencing the retinal oxidative stress and regulate blood pressure. However, epidemiological opinions on dietary intake of macroelement related to glaucoma are inconsistent. Herein, this study aims to explore the association between dietary Ca, K, and Mg consumption and glaucoma. METHODS: Data of 7,042 adults aged ≥40 years old who received the glaucoma examinations were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database from 2005 to 2008 in this cross-sectional study. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to explore the association between dietary Ca, K, and Mg intake and glaucoma with the odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We also investigated this relationship in individuals of different age, with/without hypertension and visual field defect (VFD). RESULTS: There were 502 (8.11%) participants had glaucoma. After adjusted for covariables, we found that enough dietary Ca consumption was related to a decreased risk of glaucoma [OR = 0.59, 95%CI: (0.42-0.81)], whether in persons with/without hypertension (all P<0.05). In particular, dietary K intake may be a potential protect factor for glaucoma in non-hypertension populations [OR = 0.47, 95%CI: (0.22-0.99), P = 0.049]. Additionally, hypertension/non-hypertension persons who aged <65 years old or with/without VFD should all pay attention to the enough dietary supplement of Ca, K, and Mg according to their own circumstances. CONCLUSION: Enough dietary Ca, K, and Mg consumption may be potential protect factors of glaucoma that could provide some dietary reference for developing targeted glaucoma prevention and control measures.