Midline and off-midline wound closure methods after surgical treatment for pilonidal sinus.

BACKGROUND: Pilonidal sinus disease is a common and debilitating condition. Surgical treatment remains the mainstay for managing chronic disease, with options including midline and off-midline wound closure methods. However, the optimal approach remains uncertain. Recent developments in tension-free midline techniques require further exploration. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of midline and off-midline wound closure methods for pilonidal sinus, and to determine the optimal off-midline flap procedures. SEARCH METHODS: In June 2022, we searched the Cochrane Wounds Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL Plus EBSCO, and clinical trials registries. We also scanned the reference lists of included studies, as well as reviews, meta-analyses, and health technology reports. We applied no language, publication date, or study setting restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included parallel RCTs involving participants undergoing midline closure without flap techniques and off-midline closure for pilonidal sinus treatment. We excluded quasi-experimental studies and studies that enroled participants presenting with an abscess. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We followed standard Cochrane methodology. The critical outcomes included wound healing (time to wound healing, proportion of wounds healed), recurrence rate, wound infection, wound dehiscence, time to return to work, and quality of life. We assessed biases in these outcomes utilising the Cochrane risk of bias 2 tool and appraised evidence certainty via the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS: We included 33 studies with 3667 analysed participants. The median or average age of the participants across the included studies ranged from 21.0 to 34.2 years, with a predominant male representation. Geographically, the trials were primarily conducted in the Middle East. We identified nine intervention comparisons. In this abstract, we focus on and present the summarised findings for the three primary comparisons. Off-midline closure versus conventional midline closure Off-midline closure probably reduces the time to wound healing (mean difference (MD) -5.23 days, 95% confidence interval (CI) -7.55 to -2.92 days; 3 studies, 300 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). However, there may be little to no difference between the two methods in the proportion of wounds healed (100% versus 88.5%, risk ratio (RR) 1.13, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.39; 2 studies, 207 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Off-midline closure probably results in lower rates of recurrence (1.5% versus 6.8%, RR 0.22, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.45; 13 studies, 1492 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) and wound infection (3.8% versus 11.7%, RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.49; 13 studies, 1568 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), and may lower rates of wound dehiscence (3.9% versus 8.9%, RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.71; 11 studies, 1389 participants; low-certainty evidence). Furthermore, off-midline closure may result in a reduced time to return to work (MD -3.72 days, 95% CI -6.11 to -1.33 days; 6 studies, 820 participants; low-certainty evidence). There were no data available for quality of life. Off-midline closure versus tension-free midline closure Off-midline closure may reduce the time to wound healing (median 14 days in off-midline closure versus 51 days in tension-free midline closure; 1 study, 116 participants; low-certainty evidence) and increase wound healing rates at three months (94.7% versus 76.4%, RR 1.24, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.46; 1 study, 115 participants; low-certainty evidence), but may result in little to no difference in rates of recurrence (5.4% versus 7.8%, RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.61; 6 studies, 551 participants; very low-certainty evidence), wound infection (2.8% versus 6.4%, RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.16 to 1.17; 6 studies, 559 participants; very low-certainty evidence), and wound dehiscence (2.5% versus 3.0%, RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.17 to 3.84; 3 studies, 250 participants; very low-certainty evidence) compared to tension-free midline closure. Furthermore, off-midline closure may result in longer time to return to work compared to tension-free midline closure (MD 3.00 days, 95% CI 1.52 to 4.48 days; 1 study, 60 participants; low-certainty evidence). There were no data available for quality of life. Karydakis flap versus Limberg flap Karydakis flap probably results in little to no difference in time to wound healing compared to Limberg flap (MD 0.36 days, 95% CI -1.49 to 2.22; 6 studies, 526 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Compared to Limberg flap, Karydakis flap may result in little to no difference in the proportion of wounds healed (80.0% versus 66.7%, RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.86; 1 study, 30 participants; low-certainty evidence), recurrence rate (5.1% versus 4.5%, RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.61 to 2.14; 9 studies, 890 participants; low-certainty evidence), wound infection (7.9% versus 5.1%, RR 1.55, 95% CI 0.90 to 2.68; 8 studies, 869 participants; low-certainty evidence), wound dehiscence (7.4% versus 6.2%, RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.41 to 3.50; 7 studies, 776 participants; low-certainty evidence), and time to return to work (MD -0.23 days, 95% CI -5.53 to 5.08 days; 6 studies, 541 participants; low-certainty evidence). There were no data available for quality of life. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: This Cochrane review examines the midline and off-midline wound closure options for pilonidal sinus, predominantly based on young adult studies. Off-midline flap procedures demonstrate there may be benefits over conventional midline closure for pilonidal sinus, with various off-midline flap techniques. When off-midline flap closures were compared to tension-free midline closure, low-certainty evidence indicated there may be improved wound healing and increased time to return to work for off-midline closure, whilst very low-certainty evidence indicated there may be no evidence of a difference in other outcomes. There may be no evidence of an advantage found amongst the off-midline techniques evaluated. The choice of either procedure is likely to be based on a clinician's preference, experience, patient characteristics, and the patients' preferences. To more accurately determine the benefits and potential harms of these closure techniques, further large-scale and meticulously-designed trials are essential. Specifically, there is a pressing need for more studies addressing the paediatric population, in addition to adult studies.

Exogenous brassinosteroids increases tolerance to shading by altering stress responses in mung bean (Vigna radiata L.).

Plant steroidal hormones, brassinosteroids, play a key role in various developmental processes of plants and the adaptation to various environmental stresses. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effect of exogenous 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) application on the morphology, photosynthetic characteristics, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, photosynthetic enzymes activities, and endogenous hormone content of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) leaves under shading stress environment. Two mung bean cultivars, Xilv 1 and Yulv 1, were tested. The results showed that all of the investigated data were significantly affected by shading stress; however, foliar application of EBR increased the net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and decreased intercellular CO2 concentration of mung bean leaves under shading condition. Increased photosynthetic capacity in EBR-treated leaves was accompanied by improvement in higher photosynthetic enzymes activities. EBR-treated leaves exhibited more quantum yield of PSII electron transport and efficiency of energy capture than the control, which was mainly due to clearer leaf anatomical structure such as palisade tissues and spongy tissues, further resulting in altered plant morphological characteristics. Moreover, the treatment with EBL regulated the endogenous hormone content, including the decreased gibberellins and increased brassinolide, although to different levels. Combined with the morphological and physiological responses, we concluded that exogenous EBR treatment is beneficial to enhancing plant tolerance to shading stress and mitigating injure from weak light. The modifications of the physiological metabolism through EBR application may be a potential strategy to weaken shading stress in the future sustainable agricultural production.

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.): A potential crop to meet demand scenario for sustainable saline agriculture.

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is resilient to abiotic stress, especially to land degradation caused by soil salinization. However, the mechanisms by which its roots adapt and tolerate salt stress are obscure. In this study, plants of a salt-sensitive cultivar (SS 212) and a salt-tolerant cultivar (ST 47) of proso millet were exposed to severe salt stress and subsequent re-watering. ST 47 exhibited greater salt tolerance than SS 212, as evidenced by higher increases in total root length (TRL), root surface area (RSA), root tip number (RTN). Moreover, microstructural analysis showed that relative to SS 212, the roots of ST 47 could maintain more intact internal structures and thicker cell walls under salt stress. Digital RNA sequence analysis revealed that ST 47 maintained better Na+/K+ balance to resist Na+ toxicity via a higher capability to restrict Na+ uptake, vacuolar Na+ sequestration, and Na+ exclusion. The mechanism for Na+ toxicity resistance in ST 47 involved promoting cell wall composition changes via efficient regulation of galactose metabolism and biosynthesis of cellulose and phenylpropanoids. Overall, this study provides valuable salt-tolerant cultivar resources and mechanisms for regulating salt tolerance, which could be applied for the rehabilitation of saline lands.

Metabolic profiling of senkyunolide A and identification of its metabolites in hepatocytes by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined with diode-array detector and high-resolution mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: Senkyunolide A is one of the bioactive constituents originally isolated from Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. To better understand the action of this constituent, it is necessary to study the metabolic profiles in different species. METHODS: For the metabolic stability study, senkyunolide A at a concentration of 0.5 µM was individually incubated with hepatocytes of mouse, rat, dog, monkey and human at 37°C for 2 h. For metabolite profiling and identification, senkyunolide A (10 µM) was incubated with hepatocytes and the incubation samples were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined with diode-array detector and high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC/DAD-HRMS). The identities of the metabolites were characterized by accurate masses, product ions and retention times. RESULTS: Senkyunolide A was metabolically unstable in hepatocytes. The in vitro half-lives were 136.2, 60.6, 33.65, 55.96 and 138 min in mouse, rat, dog, monkey and human hepatocytes, respectively. Furthermore, a total of 14 metabolites were detected. M1 and M9 were the most abundant metabolites in all species. The metabolic pathways of senkyunolide A involved the following pathways: (1) hydroxylation to form 10- and 11-hydroxysenkyunolide A, which further underwent epoxidation followed by GSH conjugation; (2) epoxidation followed by epoxide hydrolysis or GSH conjugation; and (3) aromatization to form 3-butylphthalide followed by hydroxylation. CONCLUSIONS: Hydroxylation, epoxidation, aromatization and GSH conjugation were the main metabolic pathways of senkyunolide A. This study provides an overview of the metabolic profiles of senkyunolide A, which is helpful for a better understanding of the action of this compound.

Linkages between nutrient ratio and the microbial community in rhizosphere soil following fertilizer management.

To unravel the linkages between ecological ratios (C:N:P) and the microbial community in rhizosphere soil in response to fertilizer management, soil samples were collected from a proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) field under different fertilizer management systems, including nitrogen fertilizer (NF), phosphorus fertilizer (PF), combined N and P (NP) fertilizer, and organic fertilizer (OF); no fertilizer (CK) was used as a control. Furthermore, 16S rRNA and ITS gene sequencing were applied to represent the bacterial and fungal diversity in the soil. Moreover, the elemental properties, including the carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) contents, in the microbial biomass and rhizosphere soil were evaluated. The results showed that the C, N, and P contents and microbial biomass (MBC, MBN and MBP, respectively) in the rhizosphere soil were augmented following fertilizer management. Increases in the alpha diversity indices (Shannon and Chao 1) of soil bacteria and fungi were observed in response to the fertilizers, and the responses were more closely related to the soil C:N and N:P ratios than to the C:P ratio. Additionally, with high relative abundances (>1%) across all soil samples, the composition of soil microbial phyla levels revealed different trends following fertilizer management. The abundances of Actinobacteria and Gemmatimonadetes increased, while the abundances of Acidobacteria and Nitrospirae decreased (P < 0.05) following fertilizer management. Among the fungal taxa, the abundances of Ascomycota and Mortierellomycota responded positively to fertilizer. These results were largely influenced by changes in the C:N and N:P ratios in both the soil and microbial biomass. Overall, significantly increased C:N and decreased N:P ratios in the soil reflected the N deficiency that would limit increased microbial biomass and diversity. Together, all of these results indicated that interactions between ecological ratios (C:N:P) and microbial community composition play vital roles in resource imbalance in dynamic environments. Thus, N status should be an important factor for sustainable agricultural management. Moreover, the synergistic effects were better with the combination of C, N, and P or with organic fertilizer than with C, N and P separately.

Arabidopsis mgd mutants with reduced monogalactosyldiacylglycerol contents are hypersensitive to aluminium stress.

Aluminium (Al) is a key element that plays a major role in inhibiting plant growth and productivity under acidic soils. While lipids may be involved in plant tolerance/sensitivity to Al, the role of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) in Al response remains unknown. In this study, Arabidopsis MGDG synthase (AtMGD) mutants (mgd1, mgd2 and mgd3) and wild-type (Col-0) plants were treated with AlCl3; the effect of aluminium on root growth, aluminium distribution, plasma membrane integrity, lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide content and membrane lipid compositions were analysed. Under Al stress, mgd mutants exhibited a more severe root growth inhibition, plasma membrane integrity damage and lipid peroxidation compared to Col-0. Al accumulation in root tips showed no difference between Col-0 and mutants under Al stress. Lipid analysis demonstrated that under Al treatment the MGDG content in all plants and MGDG/DGDG (digalactosyldiacylglycerol) remarkably reduced, especially in mutants impairing the stability and permeability of the plasma membrane. These results indicate that the Arabidopsis mgd mutants are hypersensitive to Al stress due to the reduction in MGDG content, and this is of great significance in the discovery of effective measures for plants to inhibit aluminium toxicity.

Uniconazole and diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate increase soybean pod setting and yield by regulating sucrose and starch content.

BACKGROUND: Uniconazole (S3307) and diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate (DA-6) are known plant growth regulators (PGRs). However, it is unknown if their regulation of sucrose and starch content can affect pod setting and yield in soybean. Herein, S3307 and DA-6 were foliar sprayed on soybean Hefeng50 and Kangxian6 at the beginning of the bloom cycle in field tests conducted over two years. RESULTS: PGRs promoted the accumulation and distribution of plant biomass and significantly improved leaf photosynthetic rates. Sucrose and starch content increased after PGR treatment across organs and varieties. Accumulation and allocation of sucrose and starch content in soybean source organs are enhanced by PGRs, which supply high levels of assimilate to sink organs. Moreover, sucrose and starch contents in source and sink organs are positively correlated. S3307 and DA-6 also significantly increased pod setting rates and reduced flower and pod abscission rates, leading to increased yield. CONCLUSION: S3307 and DA-6 promoted the accumulation and availability of sucrose and starch content in source organs and increased sucrose and starch content in flowers and pods or seeds, thereby maintaining the balance between source and sink organs and contributing to increased pod setting rates and soybean yield. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Natural Product-Based Pesticide Discovery: Design, Synthesis and Bioactivity Studies of N-Amino-Maleimide Derivatives.

Natural products are an important source of pesticide discovery. A series of N-amino-maleimide derivatives containing hydrazone group were designed and synthesized based on the structure of linderone and methyllinderone which were isolated from Lindera erythrocarpa Makino. According to the bioassay results, compounds 2 and 3 showed 60% inhibition against mosquito (Culex pipiens pallens) at 0.25 µg·mL−1. Furthermore, the results of antifungal tests indicated that most compounds exhibited much better antifungal activities against fourteen phytopathogenic fungi than linderone and methyllinderone and some compounds exhibited better antifungal activities than commercial fungicides (carbendazim and chlorothalonil) at 50 µg·mL−1. In particular, compound 12 exhibited broad-spectrum fungicidal activity (>50% inhibitory activities against 11 phytopathogenic fungi) and compounds 12 and 14 displayed 60.6% and 47.9% inhibitory activity against Rhizoctonia cerealis at 12.5 µg·mL−1 respectively. Furthermore, compound 17 was synthesized, which lacks N-substituent at maleimide and its poor antifungal activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Rhizoctonia cerealis at 50 µg·mL−1 showed that the backbone structure of N-amino-maleimide derivatives containing hydrazone group was important to the antifungal activity.

Comparative phenotypic and transcriptomic analysis reveals genotypic differences in nitrogen use efficiency in sorghum.

Sorghum (Sorghumbicolor L.), a model for C4 grass and an emerging biofuel crop, is known for its robust tolerance to low input field. However, the focus on enhancing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in sorghum under low nitrogen (N) conditions has been limited. This study conducted hydroponic experiments and field trials with two sorghum inbred lines, contrasting in their N efficiency: the N-efficient (398B) and the N-inefficient (CS3541) inbred lines. The aim was to analyze the key factors influencing NUE by integrating phenotypic, physiological, and multi-omics approaches under N deficiency conditions. The field experiments revealed that 398B displayed superior NUE and yield performance compared to CS3541. In hydroponic experiments, the growth of 398B outperformed CS3541 following N deficiency, attributing to its higher photosynthetic and sustaining activity of N metabolism-related enzymes. Genomic and transcriptomic integration highlighted fewer genomic diversities and alterations in global gene expression in 398B, which were likely contributor to its high NUE. Additionally, co-expression network analysis suggested the involvement of key genes which impact N uptake efficiency (NUpE) and N utilization efficiency (NUtE) in both lines, such as an N transporter, Sobic.003G371000.v3.2leaf(NPF5.10) and a transcription factor, Sobic.002G202800.v3.2leaf(WRKY) in bolstering NUE under low-N stress. The findings collectively suggested that 398B achieved higher NUpE and NUtE, effectively coordinating photosynthesis and N metabolism to enhance NUE. The candidate genes regulating N uptake and utilization efficiencies could provide valuable insights for developing sorghum breeds with improved NUE, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices and bioenergy crop development.

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction of a low molecular weight polysaccharide from Nostoc commune Vaucher and its structural characterization and immunomodulatory activity.

In the current study, a novel crude polysaccharide (cNCEP) was extracted from N. commune Vaucher utilizing ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) with 60 % ethanol, employing response surface methodology. The optimal yield of cNCEP was determined to be 8.07 ± 0.08 mg/g, achieved through ultrasonic-assisted extraction under the conditions of a material-to-liquid ratio of 1:22, temperature of 56 °C, power of 570 W, and duration of 147 min. Subsequent purification of NCEP via Sephadex G75 resulted in a novel polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 20.466 kDa. NCEP exhibited significant scavenging activites against DPPH and hydroxyl radicals, as well as notable in vitro immunomodulatory properties. Furthermore, the mechanisms underlying the immunomodulatory effects of NCEP, involving enhancement of immunity, were investigated, revealing potential regulation of MAPK and TLR4-IRF7-NF-κB signaling pathways through RNA-Seq and Western blot analyses. These findings highlight the promising potential of NCEP as an organic immunomodulatory agent and functional food ingredient.

Tryptophan regulates sorghum root growth and enhances low nitrogen tolerance.

Over evolutionary time, plants have developed sophisticated regulatory mechanisms to adapt to fluctuating nitrogen (N) environments, ensuring that their growth is balanced with their responses to N stress. This study explored the potential of L-tryptophan (Trp) in regulating sorghum root growth under conditions of N limitation. Here, two distinct sorghum genotypes (low-N tolerance 398B and low-N sensitive CS3541) were utilized for investigating effect of low-N stress on root morphology and conducting a comparative transcriptomics analysis. Our foundings indicated that 398B exhibited longer roots, greater root dry weights, and a higher Trp content compared to CS3541 under low-N conditions. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis revealed substantial differences in gene expression profiles related to Trp pathway and carbon (C) and N metabolism pathways between the two genotypes. Additional experiments were conducted to assess the effects of exogenous Trp treatment on the interplay between sorghum root growth and low-N tolerance. Our observations showed that Trp-treated plants developed longer root and had elevated levels of Trp and IAA under low-N conditons. Concurrently, these plants demonstrated stronger physiological activities in C and N metabolism when subjected to low-N stress. These results underscored the pivotal role of Trp on root growth and low-N stress responses by balancing IAA levels and C and N metabolism. This study not only deepens our understanding of how plants maintain growth plasticity during environmental stress but also provides valuable insights into the availability of amino acid in crops, which could be instrumental in developing strategies for promoting crop resilience to N deficiency.

The Identification of Kabatiella zeae as a Causal Agent of Northern Anthracnose of Sorghum in China and Estimation of Host Resistance.

Sorghum northern anthracnose is a leaf disease affecting sorghum, which results in plant death and substantial yield loss. This study aimed to effectively understand the disease, clarify its biological characteristics, and evaluate the resistance of germplasm resources. A field sample was collected to isolate and purify the pathogen. The pathogen, identified as Kabatiella zeae Narita et Hiratsuka using both morphological and molecular techniques, was further confirmed as the causative agent of northern anthracnose of sorghum following Robert Koch's principles. The results revealed the optimal culture temperature to be 25 °C, preferred dark culture conditions, and the best growth on potato glucose agar medium with sucrose and L-leucine as the optimal carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. A total of 138 sorghum germplasm resources were inoculated and evaluated using the isolated pathogen, with 20 lines (14.49%) exhibiting high resistance, 18 lines (13.04%) showing disease resistance, 27 lines (19.57%) demonstrating medium resistance, 37 lines (26.81%) being susceptible, and 36 lines (26.09%) classified as highly susceptible. The indoor fungicide screening was conducted through pathogen medium application, and enilconazole, pyraclostrobin, methylthiophanate, and flusilazole were screened for the best fungicide inhibition with a 100% inhibition rate compared with the control. This study provides reference for field pharmaceutical control in sorghum production.

Effects of Exogenous Auxin on Mesocotyl Elongation of Sorghum.

The length of sorghum mesocotyl plays a vital role in seed emergence from the soil, which is the foundation of healthy growth. In this study, we aimed to understand how exogenous auxin (IAA) promoted mesocotyl elongation of sorghum and its physiology mechanism. The results presented that exogenous IAA significantly promoted mesocotyl elongation in MS24B (short mesocotyl inbred line) by increasing the cell length, while with extra exogenous NPA (IAA inhibitor) application, the mesocotyl length presented a significant short phenotype. In Z210 (long mesocotyl inbred line), exogenous IAA had a slight effect on mesocotyl length elongation, while the NPA treatment decreased the mesocotyl length considerably. In MS24B, IAA treatment increased the activity of amylase to degrade starch to soluble sugar, and the activity of hexokinase was improved to consume the increased soluble sugar to offer more energy. The energy will help to increase the activity of PM H+-ATPase and the expression of expansin-related genes, which ultimately will promote the acidification of the plasma membrane in MS24B for cell elongation. Overall, the exogenous IAA functioned on the activation of energy metabolism, which in turn, inducted the acidification of the plasma membrane for mesocotyl elongation.

[Interleukin-10-1082 promoter polymorphism and the risk of gastric cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between Interleukin-10 (IL-10) promoter polymorphism and the gastric cancer risk in Chinese Han patients. METHODS: DNA was extracted from blood samples of gastric cancer patients (n = 75) and controls (n = 75). IL-10 -1082 promoter polymorphism in both patient and control group (three genotypes distribution: AA, AG and GG) was identified by PCR-RFLP and its relationship with gastric cancer risk, clinic and pathologic features was also analyzed. RESULTS: Patients with gastric cancer had a significantly lower frequency of AA (OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.20, 0.92; P = 0.03) than controls. Patients with proximal gastric cancer had a significantly higher frequency of GG (OR = 3.06, 95% CI = 1.12, 8.36; P = 0.03) than those with distant gastric cancer. Patients with advanced (stage II/IV) gastric cancer had a significantly higher frequency of AA (OR = 5.09, 95% CI = 1.05, 24.70; P = 0.04) than those with early (stage I /IV) gastric cancer. When stratified by the Lauren's classification, histological differentiation of gastric cancer, no statistically significant results was observed. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the IL-1 1082 promoter polymorphism may be associated with gastric cancer in Chinese Han patients, and the difference in genotype distribution may be associated with the location and stage of gastric cancer.

Uterine Ultrasound Doppler Hemodynamics of Magnesium Sulfate Combined with Labetalol in the Treatment of Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension Using Empirical Wavelet Transform Algorithm.

The aim of this study was to explore the hemodynamic changes of magnesium sulfate combined with labetalol in the treatment of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) under Doppler uterine ultrasound based on the empirical wavelet transform (EWT) algorithm. 500 patients with PIH in the hospital were selected and randomly divided into the control group (n = 250) and the observation group (n = 250). The control group was treated with conventional magnesium sulfate; the observation group was given labetalol based on magnesium sulfate drip in the control group. The uterine artery blood flow simulation model was established based on the EWT algorithm and compared with a short-time Fourier transform (STFT). The normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) of the STFT method was 0.19, and the NRMSE extracted by the EWT method was 0.13. After treatment, the blood pressure index, 24-hour urinary protein, and incidence of adverse birth outcomes in the observation group were lower than those in the control group; the effective rate of the control group (90.4%) was lower than that of the observation group (97.6%); the hemodynamic indexes of the uterine artery in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The estimation accuracy of the EWT method was higher than that of the traditional STFT method; the combined treatment of magnesium sulfate and labetalol in patients with PIH had a remarkable effect, which could control the blood pressure index and reduce the 24-hour urinary protein; the uterine artery Doppler ultrasound examination could change hemodynamics and improve the adverse outcomes of mothers and infants.

The influence of a destination's red cultural atmospherics on tourists' confidence in Chinese culture.

This study explores the development of tourists' confidence in Chinese culture through red tourism. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was adopted to analyze the survey data collected from red tourists in Wuxiang county, Changzhi, Shanxi province, China to examine the influence of a destination's red cultural atmospherics on tourists' confidence in Chinese culture. The results indicated that Wuxiang's red cultural atmospherics composed of physical atmospherics, spiritual atmospherics and institutional atmospherics significantly influences tourists' confidence in Chinese culture. Tourists' perception of red education and their red cultural identity mediate the impact of the destination's red cultural atmospherics on tourists' confidence in Chinese culture. These findings contribute to the red tourism literature by providing empirical support for building tourists' confidence in Chinese culture through red tourism. The empirical results also offer managerial implications for red tourism destinations' planning and management.

Cultivar sensitivity of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) to nitrogen availability is associated with differences in photosynthetic physiology and nitrogen uptake.

In order to explore the influences of low nitrogen (N) fertilizer on the growth performances of two broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) cultivars with different N tolerances, the field experiment was carried out with a low-N-tolerant cultivar (BM 184) and a low-N-sensitive cultivar (BM 230) under three N levels (0, 75 and 150 kg N ha-1) in the Loess Plateau, China. 150 kg N ha-1 was conventional N application rate and considered as the control. Compared to typical N supply, low N fertilizer significantly weakened the photosynthetic capacity by increasing the light transmission ratio and decreasing leaf area index, resulting in reduced biomass accumulation. BM 184 held the longer duration of the biomass increase phase and larger relative growth rate than BM 230 as well as higher photosynthetic parameters (i.e., relative chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate, and transpiration rate) did under low N treatments. Such optimized physiological characteristics contributed to more effective N uptake and transportation from the stems, leaves, and sheaths to grains in the BM 184. Furthermore, compared with BM 230, BM 184 had higher rhizosphere soil fertility and soil enzyme activity under low N conditions; consequently, combined with the physiological characteristics for aboveground and soil nutrient status for belowground, higher productivity was obtained in BM 184 than that in BM 230 over the two years study. Overall, our results demonstrated that low-N-tolerant cultivar achieved reduced N fertilizer input with increased efficiency by optimizing growth performances in semi-arid cultivation areas.

Effects of reflective learning based on visual mind mapping in the fundamentals of nursing course: A quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that reflective learning and mind mapping have many advantages in nursing education, but the relevant researches on the joint application of the two strategies are very limited. OBJECTIVES: To confirm the efficacy of reflective learning based on visual mind mapping for educational purposes to support the critical thinking, academic self-efficacy, and professional self-concept of nursing students. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest model. SETTINGS: A nursing college in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty 2nd year baccalaureate nursing students in two parallel classes were assigned to an intervention group (n = 40) and a control group (n = 40) with one class for each group. METHODS: This study was carried out from September 15 to November 30, 2021. The Chinese version of Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CTDI-CV), the Chinese version of Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (ASE-CV), and the Chinese version of Professional Self-Concept of Nurses Instrument (PSCNI-CV) were used to evaluate the effects of the study intervention on nursing students. Firstly, the pretest data were collected from students in the two groups. Then, the intervention group students made regular reflective entries based on mind mapping and the control group students conducted traditional reflective journal, while attending routine educational and clinical activities, about their experiences of the Fundamentals of Nursing course learning process. After the intervention, both groups completed the three scale tests again, and an open-ended question was set for intervention group to explore the difficulties or challenges encountered by students. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test, and content analysis were performed. RESULTS: There were no significant baseline demographic variables differences between the two groups. The intervention group showed significant improvement in critical thinking (P = 0.000), including truth-seeking, open-mindedness, analyticity, systematization, and inquisitiveness sub-dimensions (P = 0.000-0.014), and professional self-concept (P = 0.015), including flexibility and satisfaction sub-dimensions (P = 0.015-0.039), as compared to the baseline. There was no significant difference in students' academic self-efficacy level between pretest and posttest of the two groups. Compared to the total level of critical thinking between the intervention and the control group, the difference median values (posttest score-pretest score) were 14.0 and 1.5 respectively; and for professional self-concept, were 4.5 and 0.5 respectively, which were statistically significant at P < 0.05 level (P = 0.001-0.020). According to open-ended question survey, difficulties or challenges faced by the intervention group students were mainly problem of charting mind mapping, unfamiliar with tools, problem of mentors' guidance, and time-consuming. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that it is appropriate for students to adopt reflective learning based on visual mind mapping. Although there were no significant differences in the improvement level of students' academic self-efficacy, students' critical thinking and professional self-concept were greatly improved by the intervention. This approach may be used as a complementary learning method for baccalaureate nursing education.

Exogenous Spermidine Promotes Germination of Aged Sorghum Seeds by Mediating Sugar Metabolism.

Starch, a substance stored in seeds, is the main source of energy for germination in sorghum seeds. However, as the seeds age, the catabolism of seed starch is affected, thereby seriously damaging germination ability. In this study, we aimed to understand how exogenous spermidine promoted germination in aged sorghum seed. Our phenotypic analysis indicated that exogenous spermidine not only significantly improved the germination rate, germination potential, germination index, and vigor index of aged seeds, but also increased the root and shoot length after germination. Further, physiological analysis showed that exogenous spermidine increased the content of soluble sugar by upregulating the activity of amylase and sucrose invertase. Exogenous spermidine also improved the activities of key enzymes in glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and the pentose phosphate pathway of aged sorghum seeds. Interestingly, exogenous spermidine protected the mitochondrial structure of aged seeds, which was consistent with the increase in the respiration rate and ATP content during seed germination. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis revealed that exogenous spermidine induced the expression of key genes related to starch and sugar metabolism in aged sorghum seeds. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that exogenous spermidine promoted aged sorghum seed germination by regulating starch and sugar metabolism.

Alleviation of Oxidative Damage Induced by CaCl2 Priming Is Related to Osmotic and Ion Stress Reduction Rather Than Enhanced Antioxidant Capacity During Germination Under Salt Stress in Sorghum.

Seed germination is the sensitive period to salt stress. Calcium chloride (CaCl2) has been proved as an effective priming agent which can promote the sorghum germination under salt stress. However, there are few reports on CaCl2 priming to improve the salt tolerance during seed germination. The present study investigated the effects of CaCl2 priming on sorghum germination, antioxidant metabolism, osmotic regulation and ion balance under salt stress (150 mM NaCl). The results revealed that the salt stress inhibited the elongation of mesocotyl and root and reduced the germination rate of sorghum. While CaCl2 priming significantly promoted the elongation of mesocotyl and root, and increased the germination rate of sorghum under salt stress. CaCl2 priming notably increased the content of osmotic substances in mesocotyl and root of sorghum under salt stress, and increased the relative water content in these tissues. CaCl2 priming decreased Na+ content and increased K+, Ca2+ contents and the K+/ Na+ in mesocotyl and root, such effects might be induced by up-regulating the expression of NHX2, NHX4, SOS1, AKT1, AKT2, HKT1, HAK1, and KUP. CaCl2 priming reduced the antioxidant enzymes activities and related gene expression compared with untreated sorghum seeds under salt stress. In short, CaCl2 priming improved sorghum germination by enhancing osmotic regulation and ion balance instead of antioxidant enzyme activity. However, the molecular mechanisms of Ca2+ signaling induced by CaCl2 priming in association with the enhanced germination in primed sorghum seeds under salt stress need to be addressed in future studies.