Diversity and dynamics of endosymbionts in a single population of sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Coleoptera: Brentidae): a preliminary study.

Endosymbionts live symbiotically with insect hosts and play important roles in the evolution, growth, development, reproduction, and environmental fitness of hosts. Weevils are one of the most abundant insect groups that can be infected by various endosymbionts, such as Sodalis, Nardonella, and Wolbachia. The sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Coleoptera: Brentidae), is a notorious pest in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) cultivation. Currently, little is known about the presence of endosymbionts in C. formicarius. Herein, we assessed the endosymbiont load of a single geographic population of C. formicarius. The results showed that Nardonella and Rickettsia could infect C. formicarius at different rates, which also varied according to the developmental stages of C. formicarius. The relative titer of Nardonella was significantly related to C. formicarius developmental stages. The Nardonella-infecting sweet potato weevils were most closely related to the Nardonella in Sphenophorus levis (Coleoptera, Curculionidae). The Rickettsia be identified in bellii group. These results preliminarily revealed the endosymbionts in C. formicarius and helped to explore the diversity of endosymbionts in weevils and uncover the physiological roles of endosymbionts in weevils.

Risk assessment in interstitial lung disease: the incremental prognostic value of cardiopulmonary ultrasound.

BACKGROUND: The mortality risk of chronic interstitial lung disease (ILD) is currently assessed using the ILD-GAP score. The present study evaluates whether the addition of cardiopulmonary ultrasound parameters to the ILD-GAP score can further improve the predictive value of ILD-GAP. METHODS: Medical records from 91 patients with ILD hospitalized from June 2015 to March 2016 were retrospectively examined. The Lung ultrasound (LUS) score, right ventricular (RV) function, and mechanics were obtained from the cardiopulmonary ultrasound. The ILD-GAP score was calculated from demographic characteristics and pulmonary function parameters. Patients were followed up with until May 2020. The primary endpoint was all-cause death. RESULTS: After exclusions, 74 patients with ILD were included in the analysis. During the follow-up period, 36 patients with ILD survived (ILDs), and 38 patients died (ILDd). Compared to ILDs, the ILDd cases exhibited a higher number of B-lines, LUS score, and RV end-diastolic base dimension (RVD), but lower RV function. In multivariate analysis, the ILD-GAP score (hazard ratio, 2.88; 95% CI 1.38-5.99, P = 0.005), LUS score (hazard ratio 1.13; 95% CI 1.04-1.24, P = 0.006), and RVD (hazard ratio 1.09, 95% CI 1.03-1.16, P = 0.004) were significantly related to the risk of death. Adding the LUS score and RVD to the ILD-GAP score significantly improved the predictive value compared to the ILD-GAP score alone (C statistics 0.90 vs 0.76, P = 0.018). CONCLUSION: We investigated the utility of a new prognostic model for ILD that includes both cardiopulmonary ultrasound parameters (LUS score and RVD) and the ILD-GAP score. This model better reflects the severity of pulmonary fibrosis and cardiac involvement, and has incremental predictive value over the ILD-GAP score alone.

Influence of impaired right ventricular contractile reserve on exercise capacity in patients with precapillary pulmonary hypertension: A study with exercise stress echocardiography.

OBJECTIVES: Right ventricular (RV) contractile reserve reflects the ability of RV to accommodate the increased afterload and may play an essential role in the evaluation of precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH). This study aimed to assess RV contractile reserve based on exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) and to determine the echocardiographic determinants of exercise capacity in patients with precapillary PH. METHODS: A total of 31 patients with precapillary PH and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were prospectively recruited. All subjects underwent ESE to assess RV function at rest and under peak exercise. Changes in these parameters during exercise were calculated to quantify the RV contractile reserve. Patients with precapillary PH also underwent cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), and data pertaining to peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2 ) and minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO2 ) were collected. RESULTS: Right ventricular contractile reserve including change in tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (∆TAPSE), change in RV fractional area change (∆RVFAC), and change in Doppler-derived tricuspid lateral annular peak systolic velocity (∆S') was significantly depressed in precapillary PH patients compared with control subjects (P < 0.05). Parameters of RV function and RV contractile reserve were markedly associated with maximal exercise capacity (P < 0.05). ∆RVFAC was an independent predictor of peak VO2 (r2  = 0.601, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of RV contractile reserve facilitates identification of subclinical dysfunction and evaluation of clinical status and severity of precapillary PH. ESE as a noninvasive method may provide a comprehensive clinical assessment and facilitate therapeutic decision-making for these patients.

Impaired left ventricular mechanics and functional reserve are associated with reduced exercise capacity in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Reduced metabolic equivalents (METs) are an indicator of exercise intolerance, which predicts poor prognosis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients. We sought to evaluate the changes in left ventricular (LV) mechanics and functional reserves, as well as their association with functional capacity in HCM patients. METHODS: Seventy HCM patients and thirty controls were included in this study. LV mechanics were evaluated at rest and during exercise by echocardiography and two-dimensional speckle-tracking imaging to obtain parameters of functional reserve, LV global longitudinal strain (LVGLS), strain rate (SR), and circumferential strain. RESULTS: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients had lower LVGLS, systolic SR, early and late diastolic SR at rest and during exercise, and reduced absolute and relative systolic and diastolic reserve compared to controls. LV circumferential strain was significantly higher at rest but lower during exercise in HCM patients. Exercise capacity was markedly reduced in HCM patients, and peak exercise LVGLS (LVGLS-exe) significantly correlated with exercise capacity. Multivariate regression analyses showed that LVGLS-exe, LV filling pressure during exercise (E/e'-exe), and LV mass index (LVMI) were independent predictors of exercise capacity. Moreover, LVGLS-exe displayed incremental predictive value over E/e'-exe and LVMI for exercise intolerance. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed LVGLS-exe had optimal accuracy for predicting exercise intolerance in HCM patients. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients have reduced LV mechanics at rest and during exercise and impaired mechanical reserve. LVGLS-exe is associated with exercise capacity and is an optimal predictive value for reduced exercise capacity in HCM patients.

Incidental finding of an asymptomatic pulmonary valve papillary fibroelastoma: A case report.

Primary cardiac tumors are rare, but papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is reportedly the most common form, which usually occurs on the left-side valves of the heart. However, PFE involving the tricuspid and pulmonary valves has also been documented. Although PFE is benign and seldom associated with valvular dysfunction, the associated embolic complications may lead to serious consequences. Most patients with PFE lack specific clinical symptoms and the diagnosis is incidental. Surgical resection is the mainstay treatment for PFE in order to prevent the occurrence of embolic complications. In this report, we present a case of a rare asymptomatic PFE of the pulmonary valve, which was incidentally noted during a routine examination with transthoracic echocardiography (TEE). There was neither valvular dysfunction nor hemodynamic change. The PFE was surgically removed, and the diagnosis was further confirmed with histopathology.

High-Resolution Transthoracic Ultrasonography for Assessment of Pleural Lines in Patients With Dyspnea With CT Comparison: An Observational Study.

OBJECTIVES: Detection of B-line in dyspneic patients is often accompanied by abnormal changes of pleural line on transthoracic ultrasonography (TUS). The aim of the study was to evaluate the relevance and diagnostic performance of pleural line abnormalities and B-lines detected on high-resolution TUS against the computed tomography (CT) findings. METHODS: Transthoracic ultrasonography was performed in patients admitted to the emergency department with dyspnea. The pleural line and accompanying B-line were assessed using a linear transducer. The TUS findings were assessed against the corresponding high-resolution CT findings in the same location, which were considered to be the gold standard. RESULTS: Out of a total of 116 patients, 68.1% had changes of the pleural line on TUS. The characteristic changes of the pleural line were classified into four types: slightly rough pleural line with confluent B-lines on TUS corresponded with CT findings of ground-glass opacity; irregular and interrupted pleural line with confluent B-lines corresponded with parenchymal infiltration; fringed pleural line with confluent B-lines corresponded with superimposed ground-glass and irregular reticular opacities; and fringed pleural line with scattered B-lines corresponded with irregularly thickened interlobular septa. Wavy pleural line indicated subpleural emphysema. The coexistence of more than one abnormal pleural line was also found in 31 cases (26.7%). CONCLUSIONS: High-resolution TUS may help in the initial assessment of lung pathology by its ability to identify pleural line abnormalities and B-lines that are shown to be associated with CT, which could add diagnostic value in the emergency evaluation of dyspneic patients.

A Case of Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Fistulas Between Multiple Systemic Arteries and the Right Pulmonary Artery in an Adult Discovered for Occulted Dyspnoea.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) can be caused by a fistula between the systemic and pulmonary arteries. Here, we report a case of PH due to multiple fistulas between systemic arteries and the right pulmonary artery where the ventilation/perfusion scan showed no perfusion in the right lung. METHODS: A 32-year-old male patient was hospitalised for community-acquired pneumonia. After treatment with antibiotics, the pneumonia was alleviated but dyspnoea persisted. Pulmonary hypertension was diagnosed using right heart catheterisation, which detected the mean pulmonary artery pressure as 37mmHg. The anomalies were confirmed by contrast-enhanced CT scan (CT pulmonary angiography), systemic arterial angiography and pulmonary angiography. RESULTS: Following embolisation of the largest fistula, the haemodynamics and oxygen dynamics did not improve, and even worsened to some extent. After supportive therapy including diuretics and oxygen, the patient's dyspnoea, WHO function class and right heart function by transthoracic echocardiography all improved during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary hypertension can be present even when the right lung perfusion is lost. Closure of fistulas by embolisation, when those fistulas act as the proliferating vessels, may be harmful.

Heterologous expression and transcript analysis of gibberellin biosynthetic genes of grasses reveals novel functionality in the GA3ox family.

BACKGROUND: The gibberellin (GA) pathway plays a central role in the regulation of plant development, with the 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases (2-ODDs: GA20ox, GA3ox, GA2ox) that catalyse the later steps in the biosynthetic pathway of particularly importance in regulating bioactive GA levels. Although GA has important impacts on crop yield and quality, our understanding of the regulation of GA biosynthesis during wheat and barley development remains limited. In this study we identified or assembled genes encoding the GA 2-ODDs of wheat, barley and Brachypodium distachyon and characterised the wheat genes by heterologous expression and transcript analysis. RESULTS: The wheat, barley and Brachypodium genomes each contain orthologous copies of the GA20ox, GA3ox and GA2ox genes identified in rice, with the exception of OsGA3ox1 and OsGA2ox5 which are absent in these species. Some additional paralogs of 2-ODD genes were identified: notably, a novel gene in the wheat B genome related to GA3ox2 was shown to encode a GA 1-oxidase, named as TaGA1ox-B1. This enzyme is likely to be responsible for the abundant 1ß-hydroxylated GAs present in developing wheat grains. We also identified a related gene in barley, located in a syntenic position to TaGA1ox-B1, that encodes a GA 3,18-dihydroxylase which similarly accounts for the accumulation of unusual GAs in barley grains. Transcript analysis showed that some paralogs of the different classes of 2-ODD were expressed mainly in a single tissue or at specific developmental stages. In particular, TaGA20ox3, TaGA1ox1, TaGA3ox3 and TaGA2ox7 were predominantly expressed in developing grain. More detailed analysis of grain-specific gene expression showed that while the transcripts of biosynthetic genes were most abundant in the endosperm, genes encoding inactivation and signalling components were more highly expressed in the seed coat and pericarp. CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive expression and functional characterisation of the multigene families encoding the 2-ODD enzymes of the GA pathway in wheat and barley will provide the basis for a better understanding of GA-regulated development in these species. This analysis revealed the existence of a novel, endosperm-specific GA 1-oxidase in wheat and a related GA 3,18-dihydroxylase enzyme in barley that may play important roles during grain expansion and development.

[Prognostic Factors Affecting Recurrence in Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma Patients with Different HDAC Levels].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the distribution characteristics of prognostic factors affecting recurrence in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) patients with different levels of histone deacetylase (HDAC) based on latent class analysis. METHODS: 112 PTCL patients who were treated in our hospital from September 2012 to September 2019 were selected and divided into recurrence group and non-recurrence group. The clinical data of the two groups of patients were compared. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for recurrence. Latent class analysis was used to compare the distribution characteristics of prognostic factors affecting recurrence between the high-risk group and the low-risk group. RESULTS: There were 87 patients (77.68%) in recurrence group and 25 patients (22.32%) in non-recurrence group. The result of multivariate logistic regression showed that ECOG score ≥2, Ann Arbor stage III-IV, IPI score >2, bone marrow involvement, elevated serum ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG), short-term efficacy not reaching complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR), and the high expression of HDAC were all independent risk factors for recurrence in patients with PTCL (P <0.05). The recurrence rate of patients with high HDAC levels was significantly higher than that of patiens with low HDAC levels (P <0.05). The results of cluster analysis showed that the risk of recurrence was obviously clustered, and the patients could be divided into high recurrence risk group (HDAC＞5 points) and low recurrence risk group (HDAC≤5 points). The results of latent class analysis showed that patients with multiple risk factors account for a higher proportion in the high recurrence risk group, compared with the low recurrence risk group (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: There are differences in recurrence rates among PTCL patients with different HDAC levels and in distribution characteristics of risk factors between high recurrence risk and low recurrence risk groups.

Ventral subiculum promotes wakefulness through several pathways in male mice.

The ventral subiculum (vSUB), the major output structure of the hippocampal formation, regulates motivation, stress integration, and anxiety-like behaviors that rely on heightened arousal. However, the roles and underlying neural circuits of the vSUB in wakefulness are poorly known. Using in vivo fiber photometry and multichannel electrophysiological recordings in mice, we found that the vSUB glutamatergic neurons exhibited high activities during wakefulness. Moreover, activation of vSUB glutamatergic neurons caused an increase in wakefulness and anxiety-like behaviors and induced a rapid transition from sleep to wakefulness. In addition, optogenetic stimulation of vSUB glutamatergic terminals and retrograde-targeted chemogenetic activation of vSUB glutamatergic neurons revealed that vSUB promoted arousal by innervating the lateral hypothalamus (LH), nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell, and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Nevertheless, local microinjection of dopamine D1 or D2/D3 receptor antagonist blocked the wake-promoting effect induced by chemogenetic activation of vSUB pathways. Finally, chemogenetic inhibition of vSUB glutamatergic neurons decreased arousal. Altogether, our findings reveal a prominent contribution of vSUB glutamatergic neurons to the control of wakefulness through several pathways.

Premature closure or restriction of the foramen ovale: prenatal diagnosis by directional enhanced flow imaging.

Premature closure or restriction of the foramen ovale may occur at any time during pregnancy and may be due to various causes. We describe 2 patients with premature closure or restriction of the foramen ovale during the third trimester. In both patients the foramen ovale was detected by directional enhanced flow imaging technology (DeFLOW; Hitachi-Aloka Medical, Ltd, Tokyo, Japan), a novel method of imaging blood flow dynamics. Our findings indicate that D-eFLOW can display blood flow information with higher sensitivity and resolution than conventional methods, helping obstetricians and pregnant women make timely decisions about delivery.

Pulmonary artery sarcoma: an unexpected settler in the right ventricular outflow tract.

Pulmonary artery sarcoma (PAS) is a sporadic malignant tumor that mainly originates from the pulmonary arteries. However, PAS may also involve the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) and lead to obstruction, syncope, or sudden death. Early diagnosis and complete surgical resection are essential to prolong survival and improve the quality of life of patients with PAS. Herein, we report a case of a young female patient admitted for pulmonary malignancy and acute pulmonary embolism. The patient had a mass in the RVOT, which was detected by transthoracic echocardiography. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed the invasion depth and extent of the lesions. Surgical resection improved hemodynamics, while pathological and immunohistochemical tests confirmed the diagnosis of a pulmonary artery sarcoma. Local recurrence was detected in the adjacent tissues about two months after the surgery. Given the potential risk of reoperation, the patient was suggested to undergo conservative treatment.

Analysis of clinical features between active and inactive patients of Takayasu's arteritis with pulmonary arteries involvement.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of patients between active and inactive Takayasu's arteritis with pulmonary artery involvement (PTA) and to identify better markers of disease activity in these patients. METHODS: Sixty-four PTA patients in Beijing Chao-yang hospital (2011 to 2021) were included. According to National Institutes of Health criteria, 29 patients were in active stage and 35 were in inactive stage. Their medical records were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with inactive group, patients in active group were younger. More patients in active stage presented fever (41.38% vs 5.71%), chest pain (55.17% vs 20%), increased C-reactive protein (2.91 vs 0.46 mg/L), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (35.0 vs 9 mm/h), and platelet count (291 vs 221 × 109/L). Pulmonary artery wall thickening was more common in active group (51.72% vs 11.43%). These parameters were restored after treatment. The incidence of pulmonary hypertension was comparable between groups (34.48% vs 51.43%), but patients in active group had lower pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) (361.0 vs 891.0 dyn·s·cm-5) and higher cardiac index (2.76 ± 0.72 vs 2.01 ± 0.58 L/min/m2). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, chest pain [odds ratio (OR) 9.37, 95%CI (1.98-44.38), P = 0.005], increased platelet count (>242.5 × 109/L) [OR 9.03, 95%CI (2.10-38.87), P = 0.003] and pulmonary artery wall thickening [OR 7.08, 95%CI (1.44-34.89), P = 0.016] were independently associated with disease activity. CONCLUSION: Chest pain, increased platelet count, and pulmonary artery wall thickening are potential new indicators of disease activity in PTA. Patients in active stage may have lower PVR and better right heart function.

Quantification of heavy metals and health risk assessment in Sichuan pickle.

Sichuan pickle is one of popular traditional fermented foods in China. However, the contamination of heavy metals in Sichuan pickle, particularly home-made Sichuan pickle and aged pickle brine, is little known. Therefore, the content of trace (Cr, Cu, and Zn) and toxic elements (As, Pb, and Cd) in Sichuan industrial pickle (SIP), Sichuan home-made pickle (SHP), and aged pickle brine collected from local markets and families in Sichuan province, respectively, was detected by inductively coupled plasma-tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) and the health risk was assessed by target hazard quotients including target hazard quotient (THQ) and total target hazard quotient (TTHQ). Consequently, the mean concentrations of Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, and Cd were 0.122, 0.540, 2.516, 0.023, 0.015, and 0.106 mg/kg in SIP and 0.071, 0.364, 2.698, 0.014, 0.015, and 0.289 mg/kg in SHP, respectively, lower than the maximum allowable concentrations set by Chinese regulations, except for Cr and Cd in few samples. Principal component analysis of the heavy metal content could obviously distinguish between SIP and SHP. The content of As, Pb, and Cd in leaf pickles was significantly higher than that in pickles fermented with other types of vegetables. A significant enrichment of heavy metals in aged pickle brine over 10 years was observed, but pickle jars had no significant effect on heavy metal content in aged pickle brine. The intake of heavy metals through daily consumption of SIP and SHP was at a safe level, whereas the TTHQ of leaf pickle was 1.006, indicating a potential health risk. In conclusion, this study provided fundamental data for food safety assurance of Sichuan pickle. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Sichuan pickle is one of popular traditional fermented foods in China. In the present study, we investigated the contamination of heavy metals in Sichuan pickles by detecting the content of Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb in Sichuan industrial pickle, Sichuan home-made pickle, and aged pickle brine, and estimated the health risk to local residents. This study can provide a reference for the safety risk of Sichuan industrial and home-made pickle in terms of heavy metal contamination, and enhance the food safety in the processing, production, and consumption of Sichuan pickle in local families and pickle industry.

[Evaluation of the effect of Er:YAG laser combined with guided bone regeneration in the treatment of peri-implantitis with osseous defects].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical benefits of Er:YAG laser combined with guided bone regeneration (GBR) in the treatment of peri-implantitis-assocaited osseous defects. METHODS: Twenty-six patients (34 implants in total) who underwent implant restoration in Dental Disease Prevention and Treatment Institute, Jiading District, from 2017 to 2019 and were diagnosed with peri-implantitis with osseous defects, and randomly divided into the experimental group and control group. The two groups of patients received open flap surgery, debridement and GBR treatment. The only difference in the experimental group was the use of Er: YAG laser to modulate and remove inflammatory tissue as well as to decontaminate the implant surface, instead of traditional mechanical treatment in the control group. The probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and plaque index (PI), the height of the bone defect around the implant (reduce of marginal bone level, RBL) were recorded and compared. SPSS 20.0 software package was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The PD, BOP, PI and RBL of the two groups of patients were significantly improved after treatment with different methods. There was no significant difference in the improvement of PD, BOP and PI between the two groups 6, 12 and 24 months after treatment, while the improvement of RBL in the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group 12 and 24 months after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of GBR with peri-implantitis and osseous defects, Er: YAG laser therapy is more effective than traditional mechanical methods, and is more conducive to the regeneration of new bone.

High Intensity Interval Training: A Potential Method for Treating Sarcopenia.

Sarcopenia, an age-related disease characterized by loss of muscle strength and muscle mass, has attracted the attention of medical experts due to its severe morbidity, low living quality, high expenditure of health care, and mortality. Traditionally, persistent aerobic exercise (PAE) is considered as a valid way to attenuate muscular atrophy. However, nowadays, high intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as a more effective and time-efficient method to replace traditional exercise modes. HIIT displays comprehensive effects on exercise capacity and skeletal muscle metabolism, and it provides a time-out for the recovery of cardiopulmonary and muscular functions without causing severe adverse effects. Studies demonstrated that compared with PAE, HIIT showed similar or even higher effects in improving muscle strength, enhancing physical performances and increasing muscle mass of elder people. Therefore, HIIT might become a promising way to cope with the age-related loss of muscle mass and muscle function. However, it is worth mentioning that no study of HIIT was conducted directly on sarcopenia patients, which is attributed to the suspicious of safety and validity. In this review, we will assess the effects of different training parameters on muscle and sarcopenia, summarize previous papers which compared the effects of HIIT and PAE in improving muscle quality and function, and evaluate the potential of HIIT to replace the status of PAE in treating old people with muscle atrophy and low modality; and point out drawbacks of temporary experiments. Our aim is to discuss the feasibility of HIIT to treat sarcopenia and provide a reference for clinical scientists who want to utilize HIIT as a new way to cope with sarcopenia.

[Relationship between spinal ventricular septal angle by computer tomographic pulmonary angiography and right cardiac functions, N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship of spinal ventricular septal angle (SVSA) measured by computer tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and right cardiac functions, N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in the patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). METHODS: Forty-four CTEPH patients, 26 males and 18 females aged (52 ± 12) years old on average, at our hospital from January 2008 to January 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. SVSA and such pulmonary artery obstruction indices as Qanadli and Mastora indices were evaluated by two independent radiologists. The parameters of right heart functions were evaluated by echocardiography and right-heart catheterization. The level of NT-proBNP was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: SVSA was (63 ± 11)° in CTEPH and (40 ± 7)° in the control group. The differences were significant (t = 12.320, P = 0.000). SVSA had a moderately positive correlation with the level of NT-proBNP (r = 0.704, P = 0.000). A positive correlation existed between SVSA and right atrium transverse diameter (r = 0.381, P = 0.002), right atrium long axis diameter (r = 0.437, P = 0.000) and right ventricular transverse diameter (r = 0.449, P = 0.000) on echocardiography. But there was no correlation between SVSA and right ventricular ejection fraction (r = -0.175, P = 0.365, n = 24). Also there was a negative correlation between SVSA and cardiac output (r = -0.337, P = 0.025), cardiac index (r = -0.351, P = 0.020), right cardiac work (r = -0.307, P = 0.043) and right ventricular stroke work (r = -0.384, P = 0.010). CONCLUSION: Spinal ventricular septal angle measured on CTPA may serve as a better predictor for evaluating the level of NT-proBNP and right cardiac functions in CTEPH.

Colonic pouch confers better bowel function and similar postoperative outcomes compared to straight anastomosis for low rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: With advancements in laparoscopic technology and the wide application of linear staplers, sphincter-saving procedures are increasingly performed for low rectal cancer. However, sphincter-saving procedures have led to the emergence of a unique clinical disorder termed anterior rectal resection syndrome. Colonic pouch anastomosis improves the quality of life of patients with rectal cancer > 7 cm from the anal margin. But whether colonic pouch anastomosis can reduce the incidence of rectal resection syndrome in patients with low rectal cancer is unknown. AIM: To compare postoperative and oncological outcomes and bowel function of straight and colonic pouch anal anastomoses after resection of low rectal cancer. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 72 patients with low rectal cancer who underwent sphincter-saving procedures with either straight or colonic pouch anastomoses. Functional evaluations were completed preoperatively and at 1, 6, and 12 mo postoperatively. We also compared perioperative and oncological outcomes between two groups that had undergone low or ultralow anterior rectal resection. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in mean operating time, blood loss, time to first passage of flatus and excrement, and duration of hospital stay between the colonic pouch and straight anastomosis groups. The incidence of anastomotic leakage following colonic pouch construction was lower (11.4% vs 16.2%) but not significantly different than that of straight anastomosis. Patients with colonic pouch construction had lower postoperative low anterior resection syndrome scores than the straight anastomosis group, suggesting better bowel function (preoperative: 4.71 vs 3.89, P = 0.43; 1 mo after surgery: 34.2 vs 34.7, P = 0.59; 6 mo after surgery: 22.70 vs 29.0, P < 0.05; 12 mo after surgery: 15.5 vs 19.5, P = 0.01). The overall recurrence and metastasis rates were similar (4.3% and 11.4%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Colonic pouch anastomosis is a safe and effective procedure for colorectal reconstruction after low and ultralow rectal resections. Moreover, colonic pouch construction may provide better functional outcomes compared to straight anastomosis.

A cost-effective high-resolution melting approach using the EvaGreen dye for DNA polymorphism detection and genotyping in plants.

High-resolution melting (HRM) analysis relies on the use of fluorescent dyes, such as LCGreen, ResoLight, and SYTO9, which bind in a saturated manner to the double-stranded DNAs. These dyes are expensive in use and may not be affordable when dealing with a large quantity of samples. EvaGreen is a much cheaper DNA helix intercalating dye and has been used in quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and post-PCR DNA melt curve analysis. Here we report on the development of an EvaGreen-based HRM analysis and its performance, in comparison with the popular LCGreen-based HRM analysis, in detection of DNA polymorphism in plants. We found that various polymorphisms ranged from single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to Indels were equally detected by using EvaGreen- or LCGreen-based HRM. EvaGreen dye was sensitive enough in discovery of SNPs in fivefold pooled samples. Using this economical dye we successfully identified multiple novel mutant alleles of Gln1-3 gene, which produces a cytosolic glutamine synthetase isoenzyme (GS1), in a maize ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-mutagenized library, and genotyped rice mapping populations with SNP markers. The current results suggest that EvaGreen is a promising dye for HRM analysis for its ease to use and cost effectiveness.

[Characteristics and Source Apportionment of VOCs at Different Pollution Levels During the Winter in an Urban Area in Zhengzhou].

In this study, volatile organic compound (VOC) species were measured at an urban site in Zhengzhou from January 3 to 23, 2019, to investigate the composition, variation characteristics, sources, and effects on secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation of VOCs at different pollution levels. Results showed that oxygenated VOCs and alkanes were the main components of VOCs, while ethyl acetate and acetone were the most abundant species. During the process from clean days to heavy pollution days, the mixing ratio of VOCs approximately doubled, and the mixing ratios of most species continued to increase as the pollution level increased. Based on the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model, during the observation period, VOCs mainly originated from vehicle emissions, industrial emissions, combustion sources, solvent utilization, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) utilization. There were significant differences in the source contribution at different pollution levels, and the contributions of industrial emissions and solvent utilization during the heavy pollution days increased to 9 times and 3 times that of the clean days, respectively. With respect to the SOA formation potential (SOAp), aromatics were the component that contributed the most, and toluene and m/p-xylene were the species that contributed the most, while solvent utilization was the greatest source contributor. During the heavy pollution period, the total SOAp increased to approximately 2.6 times that of clean days. There is a great need to reduce winter haze pollution in Zhengzhou by strengthening the control of aromatic emissions and related sources such as solvent utilization.