Time series prediction of insect pests in tea gardens.

BACKGROUND: Tea-garden pest control is crucial to ensure tea quality. In this context, the time-series prediction of insect pests in tea gardens is very important. Deep-learning-based time-series prediction techniques are advancing rapidly but research into their use in tea-garden pest prediction is limited. The current study investigates the time-series prediction of whitefly populations in the Tea Expo Garden, Jurong City, Jiangsu Province, China, employing three deep-learning algorithms, namely Informer, the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network, and LSTM-Attention. RESULTS: The comparative analysis of the three deep-learning algorithms revealed optimal results for LSTM-Attention, with an average root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.84 and average mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.52 for 7 days' prediction length, respectively. For a prediction length of 3 days, LSTM achieved the best performance, with an average RMSE of 2.60 and an average MAE of 2.24. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that different prediction lengths influence model performance in tea garden pest time series prediction. Deep learning could be applied satisfactorily to predict time series of insect pests in tea gardens based on LSTM-Attention. Thus, this study provides a theoretical basis for the research on the time series of pest and disease infestations in tea plants. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

ZnO@Ag-Functionalized Paper-Based Microarray Chip for SERS Detection of Bacteria and Antibacterial and Photocatalytic Inactivation.

Bacterial infections caused by pathogenic microorganisms have become a serious, widespread health concern. Thus, it is essential and required to develop a multifunctional platform that can rapidly and accurately determine bacteria and effectively inhibit or inactivate pathogens. Herein, a microarray SERS chip was successfully synthesized using novel metal/semiconductor composites (ZnO@Ag)-ZnO nanoflowers (ZnO NFs) decorated with Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) arrayed on a paper-based chip as a supporting substrate for in situ monitoring and photocatalytic inactivation of pathogenic bacteria. Typical Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Vibrio parahemolyticus were selected as models. Partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was performed to minimize the dimensionality of SERS spectra data sets and to develop a cost-effective identification model. The classification accuracy was 100, 97.2, and 100% for S. aureus, E. coli, and V. parahemolyticus, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of ZnO@Ag was proved by the microbroth dilution method, and the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of S. aureus, E. coli, and V. parahemolyticus were 40, 50, and 55 µg/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, it demonstrated remarkable photocatalytic performance under natural sunlight for the inactivation of pathogenic bacteria, and the inactivation rates for S. aureus, E. coli, and V. parahemolyticus were 100, 97.03 and 97.56%, respectively. As a result, the microarray chip not only detected the bacteria with high sensitivity but also confirmed the antibacterial and photocatalytic sterilization properties. Consequently, it offers highly prospective strategies for foodborne diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria.

Advances in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy technology for detection of foodborne pathogens.

Rapid control and prevention of diseases caused by foodborne pathogens is one of the existing food safety regulatory issues faced by various countries and has received wide attention from all sectors of society. The development of rapid and reliable detection methods for foodborne pathogens remains a hot research area for food safety and public health because of the limitations of complex steps, time-consuming, low sensitivity, or poor selectivity of commonly used methods. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), as a novel spectroscopic technique, has the advantages of high sensitivity, selectivity, rapid and nondestructive detection and has exhibited broad application prospects in the determination of pathogenic bacteria. In this study, the enhancement mechanisms of SERS are briefly introduced, then the characteristics and properties of liquid-phase, rigid solid-phase, and flexible solid-phase are categorized. Furthermore, a comprehensive review of the advances in label-free or label-based SERS strategies and SERS-compatible techniques for the detection of foodborne pathogens is provided, and the advantages and disadvantages of these methods are reviewed. Finally, the current challenges of SERS technology applied in practical applications are listed, and the possible development trends of SERS in the field of foodborne pathogens detection in the future are discussed.

Astrocyte-microglia interaction through C3/C3aR pathway modulates neuropathic pain in rats model of chronic constriction injury.

Neuropathic pain (NP) is the cardinal symptom of neural injury, and its underlying molecular mechanism needs further investigation. Complements, especially complement 3 (C3), are involved in the pathophysiology of many neurological disorders, while the specific role of C3 in NP is still obscure. In this study, we found that both C3 and its receptor C3aR were upregulated in the spinal dorsal horn in a rat chronic constriction injury (CCI) model. In addition, C3 was mainly detected in astrocytes, while C3aR was expressed in microglia and neuron. Intrathecal injection of C3 antibody and C3aR antagonist alleviated NP in CCI model together with reduced M1 polarization of microglia. Our finding suggested that blockade of the C3/C3aR pathway might be a novel strategy for NP.

SERS Sensors Based on Aptamer-Gated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Quantitative Detection of Staphylococcus aureus with Signal Molecular Release.

This work describes a simple and novel biosensor for the quantitative determination of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) based on target-induced release of signal molecules from aptamer-gated aminated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) coupled with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology. MSNs were synthesized and then modified with amino groups by (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane to make them positively charged. Next, signal molecules (4-aminothiophenol, 4-ATP) were loaded into the pores of MSNs. Then, negatively charged aptamers of S. aureus were assembled on the surface of MSNs through electrostatic interactions. Upon the addition of S. aureus, the assembled aptamers were specifically bound to the bacteria. Consequently, the "gates" were opened, resulting in the release of 4-ATP from the pores of MSNs. The released molecules were measured by a Raman spectrometer, and the intensity of 4-ATP at 1071 cm-1 was linearly related to the S. aureus concentration. A silver nanoflower silica core-shell structure (Ag NFs@SiO2) was prepared and it served as a SERS substrate. Under optimized experimental conditions, a good linear relationship (y = 2107.93 + 1536.30x, R2 = 0.9956) in the range from 4.7 × 10 to 4.7 × 108 cfu/mL was observed with a limit of detection of 17 cfu/mL. The method was successfully applied for the analysis of S. aureus in fish samples and the recovery rate was 91.3-109%.

An animal model of transfusion-related acute lung injury and the role of soluble CD40 ligand.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a life-threatening complication of transfusion and is one of leading causes of transfusion-associated fatalities. However, the pathogenesis of TRALI is still unclear. Soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) is a proinflammatory cytokine that accumulates during blood component storage and is involved in transfusion reactions. The objective of this study was to establish a clinically relevant TRALI animal model and to evaluate the role of sCD40L in TRALI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats' red-blood-cell (RBC) suspensions were prepared, and the quality of RBC was evaluated. A trauma-haemorrhage-transfusion strategy was applied to build the animal model. Lung oedema was evaluated by histopathology examination, total bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein concentration, Evans blue dye (EBD) leakage and inflammatory cytokines. The sCD40L concentrations were measured. RESULTS: Storage lesions of RBCs gradually increased over time. Obvious histological evidence of lung injury of rats transfused with a 35-day RBC was observed. The total BALF protein concentration, EBD leakage, inflammatory cytokines concentration were increased significantly in the Day 35 group. The sCD40L concentration increased significantly in the storage RBC suspension over time but was slightly elevated in rat plasma. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicated successful establishment of a TRALI animal model with trauma-haemorrhage-transfusion, in which sCD40L may play a minor role in the development of TRALI.

Continuous noninvasive hemoglobin monitoring estimates timing for detecting anemia better than clinicians: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hemoglobin measurement is important for transfusion decision-making. Pulse CO-Oximetry provides real-time continuous hemoglobin (SpHb) monitoring. The triage role of SpHb trends based on hemoglobin measurements was investigated. METHODS: In this diagnostic randomized controlled trial, 69 patients undergoing spine or cytoreductive surgery were randomly enrolled into SpHb-monitoring and standard-care groups. Diagnostic blood samples were drawn for CO-oximetry Hb (CoOxHb) when the SpHb decreased by 1 g/dl or at the clinician's discretion in the standard-care group. The positive predictive value (PPV) was defined as the ability to detect a decrease in CoOxHb > 1 g/dl or a CoOxHb < 10 g/dl; the PPVs were compared using Fisher's exact test. The SpHb and trend accuracies were calculated. The transfusion units and postoperative hemoglobin levels were compared. RESULTS: The PPV of a decrease in CoOxHb > 1 g/dl was 93.3% in the SpHb group vs 54.5% without SpHb monitoring (p = 0.002). The PPV of CoOxHb < 10 g/dl was 86.7% vs. 50.0% for these groups (p = 0.015). The CoOxHb was never < 7 g/dl with SpHb monitoring. Sixty SpHb-CoOxHb data pairs and 28 delta pairs (ΔSpHb-ΔCoOxHb) were collected. The bias, precision and limits of agreement were - 0.29, 1.03 and - 2.30 to 1.72 g/dl, respectively. When ΔSpHb and ΔCoOxHb were > 1 g/dl, the concordance rate for changes in hemoglobin reached 100%. The delta pairs revealed a positive correlation [ΔSpHb = 0.49 * ΔCoOxHb - 0.13; r = 0.69, 95% confidence interval (0.53, 0.82)]. No significant differences were found in the transfusion volume or postoperative anemia state. CONCLUSIONS: The SpHb trend tracked changes in hemoglobin satisfactorily during surgery and more accurately estimated the appropriate timing for invasive hemoglobin measurements than the clinicians. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR1800016290 (Prospective registered). Initial registration date was 24/05/2018.

Suppression of Wnt5a, but not Wnts, relieves chronic post-thoracotomy pain via anti-inflammatory modulation in rats.

With regard to post-surgical pain, the incidence of chronic post-thoracotomy pain (CPTP) is second only to that caused by amputation and the underlying mechanism remains elusive. The emerging role of Wnts has been confirmed in the pathogenesis of neuropathic and inflammatory pain, both of which are known components of CPTP. We investigated whether Wnt3a and Wnt5a were involved in the development of CPTP, concerning their regulation of inflammatory responses in a previously established rat model. We observed up regulated protein levels of Wnt3a, Wnt5a, ß-catenin, and TLR4, along with activated astrocytes and pro-inflammatory cytokines, in both dorsal root ganglia and the spinal cord dorsal horn. Furthermore, intrathecal inhibition of Wnt5a but not Wnts relieved mechanical hyperalgesia, down regulated expression of TLR4, and inactivated astrocytes and pro-inflammatory cytokines. These results suggest Wnt5a, but not Wnts, contributes to the development of CPTP, possibly by regulating the inflammatory response.

Propofol Provides Cardiac Protection by Suppressing the Proteasome Degradation of Caveolin-3 in Ischemic/Reperfused Rat Hearts.

The mechanisms underlying propofol's cardioprotective role remain elusive. Caveolin-3 (Cav-3) has been shown to mediate both opioids- and volatile anesthetics-induced cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. We hypothesize that the cardioprotective role of propofol is mediated through Cav-3 and its regulation of PI3K/Akt/GSK3ß signal pathway. Rats or H9c2 cardiomyocytes were exposed to propofol before I/R or simulated ischemia/reperfusion (SI/R). Propofol pretreatment significantly decreased left ventricle infarct size in vivo (P < 0.05) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick-end labeling-positive cells both in vivo and in vitro (P < 0.05), along with an increased Cav-3 protein expression and binding of Cav-3 to p85-subunit of PI3K. No significant change in Cav-3 mRNA expression in left ventricle tissues was found in either I/R or propofol-treated groups. Methyl-ß-cyclodextrin or Cav-3 siRNA was used to knockdown Cav-3 expression in vitro, which virtually abolished propofol-induced cardiac protection and PI3K/Akt/GSK3ß pathway activation. In contrast, MG132, a proteasome inhibitor, could significantly restore SI/R-induced Cav-3 decrease. It is concluded that Cav-3 mediates propofol-induced cardioprotection against I/R injury and the relevant PI3K/Akt/GSK3ß activation. The downregulation of Cav-3 under SI/R may be caused by proteasome degradation, and this process can be prevented by propofol.

Pre- and Delayed Treatments With Ranolazine Ameliorate Ventricular Arrhythmias and Nav1.5 Downregulation in Ischemic/Reperfused Rat Hearts.

Enhanced late sodium current (late INa) and intracellular Nav1.5 redistribution contribute to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced arrhythmias. Ranolazine can reduce lethal arrhythmias by inhibiting late INa. However, little is known regarding its role in regulating the distribution of Nav1.5 during I/R. Therefore, we investigated the roles of ranolazine in post-I/R Nav1.5 expression and distribution in myocardium. Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups: sham, I/R, Ran Pre, and Ran Delay. Electrocardiogram and arterial pressure were recorded during the procedure. Nav1.5 mRNA and protein levels in peri-infarct cardiac tissue were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence. To further confirm the regulation of ranolazine on Nav1.5, GS967, another late INa inhibitor was used. Both pre- and delayed ranolazine treatments significantly reduced the incidence of severe ventricular arrhythmias, along with shortened corrected QT interval by 29.55% and QRS duration by 18.38% during I/R. The protein level of Nav1.5 decreased by 31.63% after I/R. Ranolazine and GS967 remained Nav1.5 protein expression and Nav1.5 redistribution on intercalated discs and lateral membranes, without affecting Nav1.5 mRNA level. In conclusion, upregulating Nav1.5 expression and redistribution on the intercalated discs and lateral membranes of cardiomyocytes may underlie the antiarrhythmic effects of ranolazine in I/R rats.

Profound postinduction hypotension precipitated by immune checkpoint inhibitors: a case report.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in cancer therapy, perioperative healthcare professionals need to be vigilant about potential immune-related adverse events (irAEs). We report a case of severe postinduction hypotension in a patient undergoing laparotomy due to suspected intraabdominal bleeding from gastric cancer and Krukenberg tumors, caused by unrecognized hypothyroidism precipitated by ICIs. CASE PRESENTATION: A 65-year-old Chinese female with a history of gastric adenocarcinoma and Krukenberg tumors, previously treated with nivolumab, presented to the emergency room with abdominal pain and hypotension. Despite ruling out other causes, including hypovolemia and anaphylaxis, her hypotension persisted. The patient was found to have severe hypothyroidism, likely an irAE from the use of nivolumab. Thyroxine replacement therapy resolved the hypotension, and the patient recovered uneventfully after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This case underscores the importance of considering irAEs, such as hypothyroidism, in patients treated with ICIs. Perioperative healthcare providers must remain vigilant for potential complications and promptly recognize and manage irAEs to optimize patient outcomes.

Recent advances review in tea waste: High-value applications, processing technology, and value-added products.

Tea waste (TW) includes pruned tea tree branches, discarded summer and fall teas, buds and wastes from the tea making process, as well as residues remaining after tea preparation. Effective utilization and proper management of TW is essential to increase the economic value of the tea industry. Through effective utilization of tea waste, products such as activated carbon, biochar, composite membranes, and metal nanoparticle composites can be produced and successfully applied in the fields of fuel production, composting, preservation, and heavy metal adsorption. Comprehensive utilization of tea waste is an effective and sustainable strategy to improve the economic efficiency of the tea industry and can be applied in various fields such as energy production, energy storage and pharmaceuticals. This study reviews recent advances in the strategic utilization of TW, including its processing, conversion technologies and high value products obtained, provides insights into the potential applications of tea waste in the plant, animal and environmental sectors, summarizes the effective applications of tea waste for energy and environmental sustainability, and discusses the effectiveness, variability, advantages and disadvantages of different processing and thermochemical conversion technologies. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of producing new products from tea wastes and their derivatives are analyzed, and recommendations for future development of high-value products to improve the efficiency and economic value of tea by-products are presented.

Ag@Au core-shell nanoparticle-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering coupled with chemometrics for rapid determination of chloramphenicol residue in fish.

The alarming increase in drug-resistant bacteria in fish resulting from the misuse of antibiotics poses a significant threat to ecosystems and human health. Therefore, the development of a reliable approach for detecting antibiotic residues in fish is crucial. In this study, a rapid and simple method for detecting chloramphenicol (CAP) residue in tilapia was developed using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) combined with chemometric algorithms. Silver and gold core-shell nanoparticles (Ag@Au CSNPs) were used as SERS nanosensors to achieve strong signal amplification with an enhancement factor of 2.67 × 106. The results demonstrated that the variable combination population analysis-partial least square (VCPA-PLS) model combined with the standard normal variable transformation pretreatment method exhibited the best predictive performance with a detection limit of 1 × 10-5 µg/mL. Thus, an SERS technique was established based on Ag@Au CSNPs combined with VCPA-PLS to rapidly detect CAP in tilapia.

A Common Neuronal Ensemble in the Lateral Habenula Regulates Ciprofol Anesthesia in Mice.

General anesthetics were first used over 170 years ago; however, the mechanisms of how general anesthetics induce loss of consciousness (LOC) remain unclear. Ciprofol, a novel intravenous anesthetic, has been developed by incorporating cyclopropyl into the chemical structure of propofol. This modification offers the benefits of rapid onset and minimal injection pain. Recent studies have revealed that the glutamatergic neurons of the lateral habenula (LHb) play a crucial role in modulating the LOC induced by propofol and sevoflurane. Nevertheless, the specific involvement of LHb in the anesthetic effects of ciprofol remains uncertain. Here, using targeted recombination in active populations (TRAP) combined with electroencephalogram/electromyography recordings and the righting reflex behavioral test, our study revealed that intravenous infusion of ciprofol for 1 h could lead to the induction of c-Fos expression in the LHb in mice. The combination of TRAP and gene ablation, aimed at selectively ablating ciprofol-activated neurons in the LHb, has been shown to facilitate the emergence of ciprofol anesthesia and decrease the proportion of delta waves during the emergence phase. Chemogenetic inhibition of these neurons produced a comparable effect, whereas chemogenetic activation resulted in the opposite outcome. Chemogenetic activation of ciprofol-activated neurons in the LHb delays the emergence of anesthesia and induces a deep hypnotic state during the emergence phase. Taken together, our findings suggest that LHb ciprofol-activated neurons modulate the state of consciousness and could potentially be targeted to manipulate consciousness during ciprofol anesthesia.

C3aR in astrocytes mediates post-thoracotomy pain by inducing A1 astrocytes in male rats.

BACKGROUND: Astrocyte activation, which is polarized into classical neurotoxic A1, neuroprotective A2, A-pan, etc., is thought to be involved in the transition from acute to chronic post-thoracotomy pain. The C3aR receptor associated with astrocyte-neuron and -microglia interactions is necessary for A1 astrocytes polarization. This study aimed to determine whether C3aR in astrocytes mediates post-thoracotomy pain by inducing A1 expression in a rat thoracotomy pain model. METHODS: A rat thoracotomy pain model was employed. The mechanical withdraw threshold was measured to evaluate pain behavior. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected intraperitoneally to induce A1. Intrathecal injection of AAV2/9-rC3ar1 shRNA-GFAP was used to knock down in vivo C3aR expression in astrocytes. The expression of associated phenotypic markers before and after intervention was assessed by RT-PCR, western blot, co-immunofluorescence, and single-cell RNA sequencing. RESULTS: C3aR downregulation was found to inhibit LPS-induced A1 astrocytes activation, decrease the expression of C3aR, C3, and GFAP, which were activated from acute to chronic pain, and alleviate the mechanical withdrawal threshold and chronic pain incidence. In addition, more A2 astrocytes were activated in the model group that did not develop chronic pain. C3aR downregulation increased the number of A2 astrocytes upon LPS exposure. Knockdown of C3aR also decreased the activation of M1 microglia induced by LPS or thoracotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed that C3aR-induced A1 polarization contributes to chronic post-thoracotomy pain. Inhibition of A1 activation via C3aR downregulation increases anti-inflammatory A2 and decreases pro-inflammatory M1 activation, which may also be involved in the mechanism of chronic post-thoracotomy pain.

Identification of volatile compounds and metabolic pathway during ultrasound-assisted kombucha fermentation by HS-SPME-GC/MS combined with metabolomic analysis.

The current work combines headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS) with multivariate analysis fusion metabonomics for examining metabolite profile changes. The correlation with metabolic pathways during the fermentation of kombucha tea were comprehensively explored. For optimizing the fermentation process, ultrasound-assisted factors were explored. A total of 132 metabolites released by fermented kombucha were detected by HS-SPME-GC/MS. We employed the principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) to present the relationship between aroma components and fermentation time, of which the first two principal components respectively accounted for 60.3% and 6.5% of the total variance. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that during the fermentation of kombucha tea, there were significant differences in the phenotypes of metabolites in the samples, and 25 characteristic metabolites were selected as biomarkers. Leaf alcohol was first proposed as the characteristic volatile in the fermentation process of kombucha. Furthermore, we addressed the generation pathways of characteristic volatiles, their formation mechanisms, and the transformational correlation among them. Our findings provide a roadmap for future kombucha fermentation processing to enhance kombucha flavor and aroma.

Facile synthesis of fluorescence-SERS dual-probe nanocomposites for ultrasensitive detection of sulfur-containing gases in water and beer samples.

A highly structured fluorescent-SERS dual-probe nanocomposites were synthesized for the determination of sulfur-containing gases in water and beer samples. Initially, Au@Ag NPs were prepared by growing the Ag shell on the Au core in situ, modified with surfactant and fabricated with Zn2+. Then, MOF-5-NH2 assembled Au@Ag NPs were obtained through coordination between Zn sites and 2-aminoterephthalic acid. The principle was based on redox reaction between H2S and Au@Ag NPs, and the fluorescence turn-on effects were due to the charge transfer between SO2 and amino groups. The SERS intensity was related to the concentration of H2S (5 âˆ¼ 60 nM), and an ultra-low detection limit of 2.26 nM was achieved. Importantly, the fluorescence performance was applied for SO2 analysis and exhibited good linear response. Moreover, the platform for H2S and SO2 in real samples revealed satisfactory results (95.6 âˆ¼ 101.6% and 99.0 âˆ¼ 104.4%). Therefore, the proposed system offered a precise detection of H2S/SO2 in food/environmental settings.

Downregulation of cardiac PIASy inhibits Cx43 SUMOylation and ameliorates ventricular arrhythmias in a rat model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.

BACKGROUND: Dysfunction of the gap junction channel protein connexin 43 (Cx43) contributes to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced ventricular arrhythmias. Cx43 can be regulated by small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modification. Protein inhibitor of activated STAT Y (PIASy) is an E3 SUMO ligase for its target proteins. However, whether Cx43 is a target protein of PIASy and whether Cx43 SUMOylation plays a role in I/R-induced arrhythmias are largely unknown. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were infected with PIASy short hairpin ribonucleic acid (shRNA) using recombinant adeno-associated virus subtype 9 (rAAV9). Two weeks later, the rats were subjected to 45 min of left coronary artery occlusion followed by 2 h reperfusion. Electrocardiogram was recorded to assess arrhythmias. Rat ventricular tissues were collected for molecular biological measurements. RESULTS: Following 45 min of ischemia, QRS duration and QTc intervals statistically significantly increased, but these values decreased after transfecting PIASy shRNA. PIASy downregulation ameliorated ventricular arrhythmias induced by myocardial I/R, as evidenced by the decreased incidence of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation, and reduced arrythmia score. In addition, myocardial I/R statistically significantly induced PIASy expression and Cx43 SUMOylation, accompanied by reduced Cx43 phosphorylation and plakophilin 2 (PKP2) expression. Moreover, PIASy downregulation remarkably reduced Cx43 SUMOylation, accompanied by increased Cx43 phosphorylation and PKP2 expression after I/R. CONCLUSION: PIASy downregulation inhibited Cx43 SUMOylation and increased PKP2 expression, thereby improving ventricular arrhythmias in ischemic/reperfused rats heart.

Goal-Directed Intraoperative Fluid Therapy Benefits Patients Undergoing Major Gynecologic Oncology Surgery: A Controlled Before-and-After Study.

Background: Fluid management during major gynecologic oncology surgeries faces great challenges due to the distinctive characteristics of patients with gynecologic malignancies as well as features of the surgical procedure. Intraoperative goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) has been proven to be effective in reducing postoperative complications among major colorectal surgeries; however, the efficacy of GDFT has not been fully studied in gynecologic malignancy surgeries. This study aimed to discuss the influence of GDFT practice in patients undergoing major gynecologic oncology surgery. Methods: This study was a controlled before-and-after study. From June 2015 to June 2018 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, a total of 300 patients scheduled for elective laparotomy of gynecological malignancies were enrolled and chronologically allocated into two groups, with the earlier 150 patients in the control group and the latter 150 patients in the GDFT group. The GDFT protocol was applied by Vigileo/FloTrac monitoring of stroke volume and fluid responsiveness to guide intraoperative fluid infusion and the use of vasoactive agents. The primary outcome was postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery. The secondary outcome included length of stay and time of functional recovery. Results: A total of 249 patients undergoing major gynecologic oncology surgery were analyzed in the study, with 129 in the control group and 120 patients in the GDFT group. Patients in the GDFT group had higher ASA classifications and more baseline comorbidities. GDFT patients received significantly less fluid infusion than the control group (15.8 vs. 17.9 ml/kg/h), while fluid loss was similar (6.9 vs. 7.1 ml/kg/h). GDFT was associated with decreased risk of postoperative complications (OR = 0.572, 95% CI 0.343 to 0.953, P = 0.032), especially surgical site infections (OR = 0.127, 95% CI 0.003 to 0.971, P = 0.037). The postoperative bowel function recovery and length of hospital stay were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: Goal-directed intraoperative fluid therapy is associated with fewer postoperative complications in patients undergoing major gynecologic oncology surgery.