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Plant diversity significantly impacts ecosystem processes and functions, yet its influence on the community assembly of leaf fungi remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated leaf epiphytic and endophytic fungal communities in a Chinese subtropical tree species richness experiment, ranging from 1 to 16 species, using amplicon sequencing to target the internal transcribed spacer 1 region of the rDNA. We found that the community assembly of epiphytic and endophytic fungi was predominantly governed by stochastic processes, with a higher contribution of dispersal limitation on epiphytic than on endophytic fungal communities but a higher contribution of selection on endophytic than on epiphytic fungal communities. The plant-epiphytic fungus interaction network was more complex (e.g., more highly connected and strongly nested but less specialized and modularized) than the plant-endophytic fungus interaction network. Additionally, tree species richness was positively correlated with the network complexity and diversity of epiphytic (α-, β- and γ-diversity) and endophytic (β- and γ-diversity) fungi, but was not associated with the contribution of the stochastic and deterministic processes on the community assembly of epiphytic and endophytic fungi. This study highlights that tree species diversity enhances the diversity and network complexity, rather than alters the ecological processes in community assembly of leaf-associated fungi., (© 2024. Science China Press.)

Purpose: Thirst is a symptom of dehydration and one of the main complications affecting postoperative outcomes and comfort. Persistent water scarcity can have a detrimental effect on the cognitive function and psychology of patients. However, the current evidence about the prevalence and risk factors for postoperative thirst is not fully understood. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of postoperative thirst and provide guidance for clinical practice., Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis., Methods: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, Clinicaltrials.gov, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Database. Eligible studies were evaluated using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The collected data were pooled and analyzed using Stata15.0., Findings: A total of 11 cross-sectional studies were included involving 20,612 patients. Eight studies reported prevalence and the pooled prevalence of postoperative thirst was 76.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.664 to 0.858). Five studies contributed to meta-syntheses of risk factors for postoperative thirst. The results indicated that sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.13 to 1.84, I 2 = 80.2%, P = .006), anesthesia drug (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.06 to 2.06, I 2 = 94.8%, P < .001), surgical type (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.49 to 0.9, I 2 = 77.9%, P = .004) were statistically associated with postoperative thirst., Conclusions: Our study shows a high prevalence of postoperative thirst. Sex, anesthesia drug, and surgical type are risk factors that influence postoperative thirst. Nurses and other health care professionals should routinely assess the postoperative thirst of patients and perform targeted interventions to alleviate their distressing symptoms and improve the quality of care., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None to report., (Copyright © 2024 The American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Namib Desert is a hyperarid coastal desert where fog is a major moisture source. We hypothesized that the fog-harvesting grass Stipagrostis sabulicola establishes an important ecological niche, termed the "Fog-Plant-Oases" (FPOs), and serves as the primary carbon source for the invertebrate community. To determine this, we measured the natural variations of the stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) of invertebrates as well as that of plant biomass and belowground detritus and estimated the contributions of the fog plants in their diets. Our findings revealed a complex trophic structure and demonstrated that S. sabulicola fuels carbon flow from lower to higher trophic levels in the aboveground food web. The distinct δ 13 C values of bacterial- and fungal-feeding nematodes indicated however the separation of the aboveground niche, which is primarily sustained by S. sabulicola, from the belowground niche, where wind-blown sediments may serve as the main energy source for the soil biota. Our findings further accentuate the critical role of S. sabulicola FPOs in establishing complex trophic dynamics and a distinctive food web within the hyperarid Namib dunes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Organismal functional strategies form a continuum from slow- to fast-growing organisms, in response to common drivers such as resource availability and disturbance. However, whether there is synchronisation of these strategies at the entire community level is unclear. Here, we combine trait data for >2800 above- and belowground taxa from 14 trophic guilds spanning a disturbance and resource availability gradient in German grasslands. The results indicate that most guilds consistently respond to these drivers through both direct and trophically mediated effects, resulting in a 'slow-fast' axis at the level of the entire community. Using 15 indicators of carbon and nutrient fluxes, biomass production and decomposition, we also show that fast trait communities are associated with faster rates of ecosystem functioning. These findings demonstrate that 'slow' and 'fast' strategies can be manifested at the level of whole communities, opening new avenues of ecosystem-level functional classification., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Distinct plant associated microbiomes live in rhizosphere soil, roots, and leaves. However, the differences in community assembly of fungi and bacteria along soil-plant continuum are less documented in ecosystems. We examined fungal and bacterial communities associated with leaves, roots, and rhizosphere soil of the dominant arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) plants Taraxacum mongolicum and Elymus nutans and non-AM plant Carex enervis in the Zoige Wetland by using high throughput sequencing techniques. The operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness of fungi and bacteria was significantly higher in rhizosphere soil than in roots and leaves, and their community compositions were significantly different in the rhizosphere soil, roots, and leaves in each plant species. The co-occurrence network analysis revealed that the sensitive fungal and bacterial OTUs with various taxonomic positions were mainly clustered into different modules according to rhizosphere soil, roots, and leaves in each plant species. Along the soil-plant continuum, the rhizosphere soil pool contributed more source on bacterial than on fungal communities in roots and leaves of the three plant species, and more source on bacterial and fungal communities in leaves of T. mongolicum and E. nutans compared with C. enervis . Furthermore, the root pool contributed more source on bacterial than on fungal communities in leaves of T. mongolicum and E. nutans but not that of C. enervis . This study highlights that the host plant selection intensity is higher in fungal than in bacterial communities in roots and leaves from rhizosphere soil in each plant species, and differs in fungal and bacterial communities along the soil-plant continuum in AM plants T. mongolicum and E. nutans and non-AM plant C. enervis in the Zoige Wetland. IMPORTANCE Elucidating the community microbiome assemblage alone the soil-plant continuum will help to better understand the biodiversity maintenance and ecosystem functioning. Here, we examined the fungal and bacterial communities in rhizosphere soil, roots, and leaves of two dominant AM plants and a non-AM plant in Zoige Wetland. We found that along the soil - plant continuum, host plant selection intensity is higher in fungal than in bacterial communities in roots and leaves from rhizosphere soil in each plant species, and differs in fungal and bacterial communities in the AM- and non-AM plants. This is the first report provides evidence of different assembly patterns of fungal and bacterial communities along the soil-plant continuum in the AM- and non-AM plants in the Zoige Wetland.

Elucidating the temporal dynamics of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is critical for understanding their functions. Furthermore, research investigating the temporal dynamics of AM fungi in response to agricultural practices remains in its infancy. We investigated the effect of nitrogen fertilisation and watering reduction on the temporal dynamics of AM fungi, across the lifespan of wheat. Nitrogen fertilisation decreased AM fungal spore density (SD), extraradical hyphal density (ERHD), and intraradical colonisation rate (IRCR) in both watering conditions. Nitrogen fertilisation affected AM fungal community composition in soil but not in roots, regardless of watering conditions. The temporal analysis revealed that AM fungal ERHD and IRCR were higher under conventional watering and lower under reduced watering in March than in other growth stages at low (≤ 70 kg N ha -1  yr -1 ) but not at high (≥ 140) nitrogen fertilisation levels. AM fungal SD was lower in June than in other growth stages and community composition varied with plant development at all nitrogen fertilisation levels, regardless of watering conditions. This study demonstrates that high nitrogen fertilisation levels disrupt the temporal dynamics of AM fungal hyphal growth but not sporulation and community composition., (© 2022 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2022 New Phytologist Foundation.)

This study in-situ modified a commercial nanofiltration membrane, NF90, through the concentration-polymerization-enhanced radical graft polarization method by applying two agents of 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium salt (SPM) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with different dosages. Surface characterization revealed that the modified membranes became rougher and more hydrophilic compared with the pristine membrane. The modified membranes exhibited considerably enhanced separation performance with 5.8-19.6% higher NaCl rejection and 17.2-19.9% higher pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) rejection than the pristine membrane. When treating the feedwater with high silica concentration, the modified membranes exhibited relatively less flux decline with high percentage of reversible fouling, especially the ones modified using a lower monomer concentration (0.01 M SPM and 0.01 M HEMA). Moreover, membrane modification enhanced the PPCP rejection (1.3-5.4%) after silica fouling by mitigating foulant deposition on the membrane surface. The fouling mechanism was confirmed to be intermediate blocking of membrane pores. Therefore, the in-situ modification technique with a low monomer concentration proved to be effective for mitigating silica fouling and improving PPCP rejection, which can be easily performed and cost-effective in practical application.

Fungi have a huge biodiversity and play important roles in soil biogeochemical cycling in island ecosystems. Although island biogeography has been widely studied for macroorganisms, fungal community assembly in true islands and its relationship with island area are less documented. We examined soil fungal communities in 18 oceanic islands of two types (eight non-coral islands and 10 coral islands) using the Illumina MiSeq sequencing technique. Our results showed that fungal α-diversity (species richness) was substantially different among the oceanic islands, with a higher value in non-coral islands than in coral islands. Fungal α-diversity was significantly affected by soil potassium and magnesium (Mg) and plant communities in non-coral islands, whereas only soil Mg significantly affected it in coral islands. Soil fungal community composition was significantly different in the non-coral and coral islands and was influenced by soil property, plant community and spatial distance. The ecological stochasticity model showed that the fungal community assembly was mainly governed by deterministic processes regardless of island type. Fungal β-diversity, but not α-diversity, increased significantly with increasing island area. These findings have implications for the better prediction of soil fungal community dynamics in island systems and biodiversity conservation in fragmented habitats., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of FEMS.)

Tooth enamel has an important mechanical function for human dental health, yet characterizing its mechanical properties is not trivial due to its complex nanoporous structures. We examined the distribution of hardness and modulus across the lingual-buccal enamel cross-section by nanoindentation. At the occlusal surface, the hardness and modulus of enamel were found to be 5.00 ± 0.22 GPa and 97.12 ± 2.95 GPa, respectively. At the area close to the enamel-dentine-junction (EDJ), the hardness and modulus were 3.72 ± 0.35 GPa and 76.83 ± 5.71 GPa, respectively. At the middle region in between the EDJ and the outer enamel layer, the hardness and modulus were found to be 4.23 ± 0.18 GPa and 87.62 ± 2.50 GPa, respectively. The surface and area underneath the nanoindent were analyzed using the following microscopy tools: Scanning Electron Microscopy, Focused Ion Beam imaging, and Transmission Electron Microscopy. The deformation mechanisms of enamel were found to be location dependent and influenced by changes in the chemical composition within enamel. The EDJ forms the interface between enamel and dentin. The deformation behavior differed at the EDJ, due to the increased organic phase at the interface. Within the intermediate enamel region, intra-rod cracks were formed at the center of enamel rods and propagated into the neighboring inter-rod region at deviated directions along the orientation of the local crystallites. At the outer enamel layer, crack propagation was constrained by the rigid structure surrounding the indented site. Most of the cracks were formed close to the surface. A significant amount of material was also pushed upwards and delaminated from the enamel surface of the indentation area., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Microbiota dysbiosis in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been widely reported. The gut microbiota connect diet to the metabolism by producing small molecules via diverse metabolic pathways. In this study we aimed to investigate the dietary preferences of IBD patients, and to explore the interactions among gut microbiota composition, dietary components, and metabolites in relation to IBD., Methods: Dietary preferences of IBD patients (including those with ulcerative colitis [UC] and Crohn's disease [CD]) and health controls were investigated, and their gut microbiota were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomic analyses of fecal and biopsy samples. The metabolite profiles of the samples were then analyzed using gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses., Results: The daily intake of folic acid, niacin, vitamins C and D, calcium, and selenium differed significantly between patients with IBD and healthy controls. A decrease in long-chain (such as arachidic, and oleic acid) and medium-chain fatty acids (sebacic acid and isocaproic acid) as well as bile acid was observed in patients with IBD. Compared with healthy controls, 22 microbial species (including Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, and Clostridium clostridioforme CAG132) in the UC group and 37 microbial species (such as Bacteroides fragilis and Fusobacterium nucleatum) in the CD group were found to be correlated to diet and metabolites. Bacteroides fragilis was enriched in patients with IBD and associated with multi-nutrients, and 21 metabolites including 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 and taurolithocholic acid., Conclusions: This study provides an interaction network to identify key micronutrients, microbiota components and metabolites that contribute to IBD., (© 2019 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

As the outermost layer of the tooth crown, dental enamel is the most mineralized tissue in mammals, consisting of hydroxyapatite crystallites separated by long and narrow nanochannels. A major challenge in dentistry is how various molecules can be infiltrated into these nanopores in an efficient and controlled way. Here we show a robust method to transport various ions of interest, such as fluoride (F - ), potassium (K + ), calcium (Ca ++ ), and sodium (Na + ), into these nanopores by electrokinetic flows. It is verified by fluorescence microscopy, laser-scanning confocal microscopy, mass spectrometry, and ion selective electrode technique. Different ions are demonstrated to infiltrate through the entire depth of the enamel layer (~1 mm), which is significantly enhanced penetration compared with diffusion-based infiltration. Meanwhile, transport depth and speed can be controlled by infiltration time and applied voltage. This is the first demonstration of reliably delivering both anions and cations into the enamel nanopores. This technique opens opportunities in caries prevention, remineralization, tooth whitening, and nanomedicine delivery in clinical dentistry, as well as other delivery challenges into various biomaterials such as bones.

Background/aims: Approximately 20-30% of small bowel capsule endoscopies (SBCEs) do not reach the cecum at the completion of the examination. We aimed to determine whether hypokalemia influences the completion rate and small bowel transit time (SBTT) of SBCE., Patients and Methods: From January to December 2017, 112 patients (18-75 years old) who underwent SBCE were assessed consecutively for enrolment in our study. On the day of the procedure, a blood test was performed prior to capsule ingestion. The completion rate, gastric transit time (GTT), SBTT, and diagnostic yield were recorded for each SBCE., Results: The SBCE completion rate was lower in the hypokalemia group than that in the normal potassium group (55.6% (15/27) vs. 76.5% (65/85), P = 0.036). The median GTT was 55.5 ± 47.1 min in the hypokalemia group and 46.7 ± 44.5 min in the normal potassium group (P > 0.05). The median SBTT was 412.8 ± 123.3 min in the hypokalemia group and 367.3 ± 172.5 min in the normal potassium group (P > 0.05). The diagnostic yields of the hypokalemia and normal potassium groups were 74.1% and 78.8%, respectively (P = 1.00)., Conclusion: Hypokalemia may decrease the SBCE completion rate. Physicians should consider the possibility of hypokalemia after bowel preparation because this condition is not rare. Potassium deficiencies should be rectified prior to performing SBCE procedures to increase the SBCE completion rate., Competing Interests: None

Objective: To explore whether lncRNA GIHCG participates in the pathogenic progression of ovarian cancer (OC) and its underlying mechanism., Patients and Methods: Expression levels of GIHCG and microRNA-429 in 30 OC tissues and normal ovarian tissues were detected by quantitative Real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Subsequently, 15 pairs of OC tissues and paracancerous tissues were selected for correlation analyses of GIHCG, microRNA-429 and the overall survival (OS) of OC patients using Kaplan-Meier method. Pearson correlation analyses were conducted for investigating the correlation between GIHCG and microRNA-429. GIHCG expression in OC cell lines (HEY, A2780 and HO8910) and normal epithelial OC cell line (IOSE-386) was detected by qRT-PCR. After transfection of GIHCG overexpression plasmid in HEY cells, cell cycle, proliferation and colony formation ability were detected by flow cytometry, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assay. MicroRNA-429 expression in HEY cells overexpressing GIHCG was detected by qRT-PCR. Rescue experiments were conducted by co-transfection of GIHCG overexpression plasmid and microRNA-429 mimics, followed by cell cycle and colony formation detection., Results: GIHCG was highly expressed, whereas microRNA-429 was lowly expressed in OC tissues than that of paracancerous tissues. OC patients with higher expression of GIHCG showed shorter OS than those with lower expression. However, OC patients with higher expression of microRNA-429 had longer OS than those with lower expression. GIHCG expression was positively correlated to microRNA-429. In vitro experiments showed that GIHCG was highly expressed in HEY, A2780 and HO8910 cells than that of IOSE-386 cells. GIHCG overexpression in HEY cells promoted cell cycle and colony formation abilities, which were reversed by microRNA-429 overexpression., Conclusions: GIHCG is highly expressed in OC, which promotes OC development by stimulating cell cycle progression and cell proliferation by regulating microRNA-429.

Objective: To study the influences of ureaplasma urealitycum (UU) infection on testicular tissue structure and secretion function in rats., Methods: Forty clean grade male SD rats were randomly divided into the experiment group A (at 7 d after surgery), experiment group B (at 14 d after surgery), control group C (at 7 d after surgery) and control group D (at 14 d after surgery). There were 10 rats in each group. The experimental groups were injected with 0.6 mL UU4 through bladder. In the same way, the control groups were injected with the same volume of UU liquid medium. At day 7 and 14 after injection, the structures of testis of all rats were observed by light microscopy and spermatogenic cells by transmission electron microscopy. The content of testosterone in plasma and testicular fluid were detected by chemiluminescence method., Results: The changes of inflammatory pathology (including the layer and amount of spermatogenic cell decreasing, inflammatory cell infiltrating and mature sperms decreasing) in the testis of group A and group B were found by light microscopy, and the inflammatory changes in group B were lighter than those in group A. The structures of testicular tissue in group C and group D were normal. The apoptosis performances of germ cell (including the cell membrane corrugated, nuclear chromatin concentration and nuclear rupture) in the testis of group A and group B were found by transmission electron microscopy, and the changes in group B were lighter than those in group A. The structures of germ cell in group C and group D were normal. The levels of plasma testosterone in group A and group B were significantly lower than that in group C and group D ( P <0.01), the difference between group A and group B was not statistically significant. The testosterone level in testis interstitial fluid in group A was significantly lower than that in other groups ( P <0.01), the differences between other groups were not statistical significant., Conclusions: The testicular tissue of UU infected rats can have various pathological damage and functional changes, further confirming that UU infection can cause male infertility. The pathological damage and functional changes of the testicular tissue of rats after UU infection can be gradually restored with the extension of the duration of the disease., (Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Science Edition).)

Massively parallel sequencing of circulating fetal DNA in the plasma of pregnant women is a common method for noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) of fetal trisomy 13, 18, and 21. However, circulating DNA is not restricted to pregnant women, with increased levels of plasma DNA also frequently detected in the plasma of cancer patients. Among pregnant women whose NIPT results were inconsistent with the fetal karyotype, a small number of patients have subsequently been diagnosed with a previously undetected malignancy. However, the extent to which circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) affects the results of NIPT is still unclear. We examined serum from 50 nonpregnant women with breast tumors by NIPT. These samples were then added to serum containing trisomy 13, 18, and 21 fetal DNA to figure out the extent to which maternal tumors can interrupt NIPT results in pregnant women with breast tumors. Concentrations of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) were higher in both pregnant women and breast tumor patients, relative to nonpregnant healthy controls. Among the 50 samples evaluated, 3 produced false positive NIPT results for trisomy 13, 18, or 21, indicating that genomic copy number variations (CNVs) had occurred. Simulation testing also showed that ctDNA can increase the standard deviation of the associated z-scores, which lower absolute z-scores by decreasing the proportion of circulating fetal DNA relative to total DNA. Of the 50 samples tested, 9 fell within the equivocal range and 8 produced false negative results for trisomy 13, 18, or 21. Data presented here show for the first time that ctDNA is able to affect NIPT results in two ways. First, ctDNA can lead to false positive results due to the detection of genomic CNVs in tumor DNA. Alternatively, ctDNA can increase the likelihood of a false negative by decreasing the proportion of circulating fetal DNA in serum.

Bismuth + proton pump inhibitor (PPI) + amoxicillin + levofloxacin is one of the bismuth quadruple therapy regimens widely used for the eradication of H. pylori infection. The recommended dosage of levofloxacin is 500 mg once daily or 200 mg twice daily to eradicate H. pylori infection. The aim of the present open-label, randomized control trial was to compare the effectiveness, safety, and compliance of different dosages of levofloxacin used to cure Helicobacter pylori infection. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive esomeprazole, amoxicillin, colloidal bismuth pectin and levofloxacin 500 mg once/day (group A) or levofloxacin 200 mg twice/day (group B) for 14 days. The primary outcome was the eradication rates in the intention-to-treat (ITT) and per protocol (PP) analyses. Overall, 400 patients were enrolled. The eradication rates in group A and group B were 77.5% and 79.5% respectively, in the ITT analysis, and 82.9% and 86.4%, respectively, in the PP analysis. No significant differences were found between two groups in terms of eradication rate, adverse effects or compliance. Oral levofloxacin 200 mg twice daily was similar in efficacy for eradicating H. pylori infection to oral levofloxacin 500 mg once daily but with lower mean total costs.

Objective: Liver cancer emerged as a major health problem, and it accounts for leading cancer-related death worldwide. Due to recurrence and metastatic behavior, it is challenging to be controlled and managed. Understanding the regulative role of different proteins, which regulates liver cancer in various pathological stages, is essential to be investigated. In this study, we analyzed the correlation between Foxa1 suppression along with apoptosis and cancer stem cell proliferation., Materials and Methods: CD133+ cells were used to induce the initial and advanced stage of liver cancer. Histology was used to study and confirm the tissue complications associated with initial, advanced and Foxa1 silenced liver cancer tissues. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were used to quantify Foxa1, CD133 expression. TUNEL assay was performed to study apoptosis., Results: Initially using CD133+ cells, we successfully developed a mouse model with the initial and advanced stage of liver cancer upon 4 and 8 weeks incubation. Histologically, as the tumor progress, it shows more proliferative cells with disorganized tissue structure. Foxa1 silencing aids in recovering from initial liver cancer, but it has only limited effects with advanced liver cancer. The apoptosis process is enhanced in initial liver cancer, and Foxa1 silenced tissue when compared with the advanced stage of liver cancer. Foxa1 silencing also suppresses the cancer stem cell proliferation., Conclusions: Overall, our results reveal the critical role of Foxa1 in regulating apoptosis and liver cancer stem cells.

Hainan Island is the second largest island and one of the most famous tourist destinations in China, but sediment contamination by trace metals in coastal areas is a major issue. However, full-scale risk assessments of trace metal-polluted coastal sediments are lacking. In this study, coastal surface sediments from 474 geographical locations covering almost the entire island were collected to identify risk-related variables. Controlling factors and possible sources of trace metals were identified, and the toxicity effects were carefully evaluated. Our results suggest that trace-metal pollution in coastal sediments, which was mainly caused by Pb, Zn and Cu emissions, has primarily resulted from industrial sewage and shipping activities and has threatened the offshore ecosystem of Hainan Island and warrants extensive consideration. This is the first study that has systematically investigated trace metal-polluted coastal sediments throughout the entirety of Hainan Island and provides solid evidence for sustainable marine management in the region., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Many studies have investigated the efficacy of Endostar combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) versus TACE alone for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Endostar. PubMed, Embase, and other databases were searched, and meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Nine studies, all of which were clinical randomized controlled trials, involving 411 participants were included. The overall response rate, disease control rate and α-fetoprotein negative conversion ratio, and the 6- and 12-month survival rate of HCC patients treated with combined Endostar and TACE were higher than those treated with TACE alone ( P < .01). Furthermore, the incidence of tumor progression was low after Endostar treatment ( P = .005). The incidence of adverse effects (leukocytopenia, liver function damage, and vomiting) was similar in Endostar with TACE and in TACE alone ( P > .05). However, large studies and more randomized trials are necessary to determine the effects of Endostar on HCC.

The aim of this study was to investigate the anticancer effect of a combination of D-fraction polysaccharide from Grifola frondosa (DFP) and vitamin C (VC) on hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro. DFP is a bioactive extract from the maitake mushroom. Anticancer activity was demonstrated using various concentrations of DFP alone or in combination with VC against the human hepatocarcinoma SMMC-7721 cell line. To investigate the anticancer mechanism, studies designed to detect cell apoptosis were conducted. Results from the MTT assay indicated that a combination of DFP (0.2 mg/mL) and VC (0.3 mmol/L) led to a 70% reduction in cell viability. Flow cytometry results indicated that DFP/VC treatment induced apoptosis in approximately 65% SMMC-7721 cells. Cell cycle analysis identified cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase following DFP/VC treatment for 48 hours. In addition, cellular morphological changes were observed using transmission electron microscopy. Western blot analysis revealed that the upregulation of BAX, downregulation of Bcl-2, activation of poly-(ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP), and the release of cytochrome c were observed in cells treated with the combination of DFP/VC, which showed that the mechanism of anticancer activity in the SMMC-7721 hepatocarcinoma cells involved induction of apoptosis.

The effectiveness of using TiO2 and corn cob films to remove Malachite Green oxalate (MG) and Acid Yellow 17 (AY 17) from binary dye solution was studied. The immobilization method in this study can avoid the filtration step which is not suited for practical applications. Batch studies were performed under different experimental conditions and the parameters studied involved initial pH of dye solution, initial dye concentration and contact time and reusability. The equilibrium data of MG and AY 17 conform to Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm model, respectively. The percentage removal of MG remained high after four sorption cycles, however for AY 17, a greater reduction was observed. The removal of both dyes were optimized and modeled via Plackett- Burman design (PB) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM). IR spectrum and surface conditions analyses were carried out using fourier-transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM), respectively.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Bass yabby Trypaea australiensis was obtained from a partial genome scan using the MiSeq sequencing system. The T. australiensis mitogenome is 16,821 bp in length (70.25% A + T content) made up of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a putative 1977 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This Trypaea mitogenome sequence is the 5th for the family Callianassidae and represents a new gene order for the Decapoda involving protein-coding, rRNA and tRNA genes and the control region.

Next-Gen sequencing was used to recover the complete mitochondrial genome of Cherax tenuimanus. The mitogenome consists of 15,797 base pairs (68.14% A + T content) containing 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a 779 bp non-coding AT-rich region. Mitogenomes have now been recovered for all six species of Cherax native to Western Australia.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the hermit crab Clibanarius infraspinatus was recovered by genome skimming using Next-Gen sequencing. The Clibanarius infraspinatus mitogenome has 16,504 base pairs (67.94% A + T content) made up of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a putative 1500 bp non-coding AT-rich region. The Clibanarius infraspinatus mitogenome sequence is the first for the family Diogenidae and the second for the superfamily Paguroidea and exhibits a translocation of the ND3 gene not previously reported for the Decapoda.

Background: Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is an adjunct therapy to provide effective postoperative analgesia in abdominal surgical procedures. Dexamethasone is a supplement agent that can improve the efficacy of local anesthesia. However, information about its additive effect is limited. This study aimed to compare the analgesic efficiency using ultrasound-guided TAP block with and without perineural dexamethasone for patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy., Methods: Sixty patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly divided into three groups: group I, controls; group II, TAP; and group III, TAP+perineural dexamethasone supplement. The requirement of additional analgesia and the first-time request of rescue-analgesia were recorded after operation and the numerical rating scale was evaluated at specific intervals., Results: Compared to group I, the first-time requirement of rescue-analgesia in groups II and III was significantly delayed (403.0+/-230.9, 436.0+/-225.3 vs 152.3+/-124.7, P<0.01). Compared with those in group I, patients in groups II and III were associated with lower numerical rating scale pain scores (P<0.01) and less postoperative analgesic consumption (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the variables mentioned above between groups II and III (P>0.05)., Conclusion: Perineural dexamethasone has no additive/synergistic effect with subcostal TAP block on analgesic efficacy for the patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

The mitochondrial genome of the rock pool prawn (Palaemon serenus), is sequenced, making it the third for genera of the family Palaemonidae and the first for the genus Palaemon. The mitogenome is 15,967 base pairs in length and comprises 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a non-coding AT-rich region. The P. serenus mitogenome has an AT bias of 58.97% and a base composition of 29.79% for T, 24.14% for C, 29.18% for A, and 16.89% for G. The mitogenome gene order of P. serenus is identical to Exopalaemon carinicauda.

The complete mitogenome of the ray Taeniura lymma was recovered from genome skimming using the HiSeq sequencing system. The T. lymma mitogenome has 17,652 base pairs (59.13% A + T content) made up of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a 1906 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This mitogenome sequence is the second for a ray from Australian waters, the first for the genus Taeniura and the ninth for the family Dasyatidae.

The clawed lobster Nephrops norvegicus is an important commercial species in European waters. We have sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of the species from a partial genome scan using Next-Gen sequencing. The N. norvegicus has a mitogenome of 16,132 base pairs (71.22% A+ T content) comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 21 transfer RNAs, and a putative 1259 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This mitogenome is the second fully characterized for the family Nephropidae and the first for the genus Nephrops. The mitogenome gene order is identical to the Maine lobster, Homarus americanus with the exception of the possible loss of the trnI gene.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the commercially and ecologically important and internationally vulnerable giant clam Tridacna squamosa was recovered by genome skimming using the MiSeq platform. The T. squamosa mitogenome has 20,930 base pairs (62.35% A+T content) and is made up of 12 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 24 transfer RNAs, and a 2594 bp non-coding AT-rich region. The mitogenome has a relatively large insertion in the atp6 gene. This is the first mitogenome to be sequenced from the genus Tridacna, and the family Tridacnidae and represents a new gene order.

The invasive freshwater crayfish Orconectes limosus mitogenome was recovered by genome skimming. The mitogenome is 16,223 base pairs in length consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding AT-rich region. The O. limosus mitogenome has an AT bias of 71.37% and base composition of 39.8% for T, 10.3% for C, 31.5% for A, and 18.4% for G. The mitogene order is identical to two other genera of northern hemisphere crayfish that have been sequenced for this organelle.

The Austropotamobius pallipes complete mitogenome has been recovered using Next-Gen sequencing. Our sample of A. pallipes has a mitogenome of 15,679 base pairs (68.44% A + T content) made up of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a 877 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This is the first mitogenome sequenced for a crayfish from the family Astacidae and the 4(th) for northern hemisphere genera.

The mitochondrial genome sequence of the Australian freshwater shrimp, Paratya australiensis, is presented, which is the fourth for genera of the superfamily Atyoidea and the first atyid from the southern hemisphere. The base composition of the P. australiensis, mitogenome is 33.55% for T, 18.24% for C, 35.16% for A, and 13.06% for G, with an AT bias of 71.58%. It has a mitogenome of 15,990 base pairs comprised of 13 protein-coding, 2 ribosomal subunit and 22 transfer RNAs genes and a non-coding AT-rich region. The mitogenome gene order for the species is typical for atyid shrimps, which conform to the primitive pan crustacean model.

Totally 128 surficial sediments samples were collected from the coastal wetlands, northeastern Hainan Island and analyzed for their concentrations of 14 elements including Al2O3, Fe2O3, MnO, Cu, Ni, Sr, Zn, V, Pb, Cr, Zr, As, Cd and Hg, TOC and grain sizes. The mean concentrations of trace metals V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Cd and Hg were (40.13 +/- 32.65), (35.92 +/- 26.90), (13.03 +/- 11.46), (11.56 +/- 10.27)-, (48.75 +/- 27.00), (5.48 +/- 1.60), ( 18.70 +/- 8.66), (0.054 +/- 0.045 ), (0.050 +/- 0.050) microg x g(-1), respectively, which were much lower than those in Pearl River Estuary, Yangzi River Estuary, Bohai Bay, upper crust and average shale. The average concentrations of Sr and Zr were much higher, reaching up to (1253.60 +/- 1649.58) microg x g(-1) and (372.40 +/- 516.49) microg x g(-1), respectively. The spatial distribution patterns of Al2O3, Fe2O3, MnO, Cu, Ni, Zn, V, Pb, Cr, Cd and Hg concentrations were the same as each other except for those of As, Sr and Zr. Generally, relatively high concentrations of these elements only appeared in the Haikou Bay, Nandu estuary, Dongzhai Harbor, Qinglan Harbor and Xiaohai in study area. The factor analysis revealed that the trace elements Al2O3 Fe2O3, MnO, Cu, Ni, Zn, V, Pb, Cr and part of Hg were mainly originated from the rock material by natural weathering processes, while the Cd and a part of Hg were from the biological source controlled by TOC. As and part of MnO were influenced by anthropogenic source, especially by aquacultures. Zr and some MnO were derived from heavy minerals dominated by the coarse grain of sediments. In contrast to the ERL, ERM and the results of enrichment factors (EF) , the environment of study area was good in general and the degree of contamination by trace elements was low on the whole. However, there are still some places where anthropogenic input have caused serious enrichments of trace elements and the occasional adverse effect on benthic organism induced by Ni could probably occur in 22% areas of all the sampling stations.

Objective: The fraction of circulating cell-free fetal (cff) DNA in maternal plasma is a critical parameter for aneuploidy screening with non-invasive prenatal testing, especially for those samples located in equivocal zones. We developed an approach to quantify cff DNA fractions directly with sequencing data, and increased cff DNAs by optimizing library construction procedure., Methods: Artificial DNA mixture samples (360), with known cff DNA fractions, were used to develop a method to determine cff DNA fraction through calculating the proportion of Y chromosomal unique reads, with sequencing data generated by Ion Proton. To validate our method, we investigated cff DNA fractions of 2,063 pregnant women with fetuses who were diagnosed as high risk of fetal defects. The z-score was calculated to determine aneuploidies for chromosomes 21, 18 and 13. The relationships between z-score and parameters of pregnancies were also analyzed. To improve cff DNA fractions in our samples, two groups were established as follows: in group A, the large-size DNA fragments were removed, and in group B these were retained, during library construction., Results: A method to determine cff DNA fractions was successfully developed using 360 artificial mixture samples in which cff DNA fractions were known. A strong positive correlation was found between z-score and fetal DNA fraction in the artificial mixture samples of trisomy 21, 18 and 13, as well as in clinical maternal plasma samples. There was a positive correlation between gestational age and the cff DNA fraction in the clinical samples, but no correlation for maternal age. Moreover, increased fetal DNA fractions were found in group A compared to group B., Conclusion: A relatively accurate method was developed to determine the cff DNA fraction in maternal plasma. By optimizing, we can improve cff DNA fractions in sequencing samples, which may contribute to improvements in detection rate and reliability.

The mitogenome of the black yabby, Geocharax gracilis, was sequenced using the MiSeq Personal Sequencer. It has 15,924 base pairs consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 23 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of G. gracilis mitogenome is 32.18% for T, 22.32% for C, 34.83% for A, and 10.68% for G, with an AT bias of 67.01%. The mitogenome gene order is typical for that of parastacid crayfish with the exception of some minor rearrangements involving tRNA genes.

We present data from sediment cores collected from IODP Site C0012 in the Shikoku Basin. Our site lies at the Nankai Trough, just prior to subduction of the 19 Ma Philippine Sea plate. Our data indicate that the sedimentary package is undergoing multiple routes of electron transport and that these differing pathways for oxidant supply generate a complex array of metabolic routes and microbial communities involved in carbon cycling. Numerical simulations matched to pore water data document that Ca(2+) and Cl(1-) are largely supplied via diffusion from a high-salinity (44.5 psu) basement fluid, which supports the presence of halophile Archean communities within the deep sedimentary package that are not observed in shallow sediments. Sulfate supply from basement supports anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) at a rate of ~0.2 pmol cm(-3) day(-1) at ~400 mbsf. We also note the disappearance of δ-Proteobacteria at 434 mbsf, coincident with the maximum in methane concentration, and their reappearance at 463 mbsf, coinciding with the observed deeper increase in sulfate concentration toward the basement. We did not, however, find ANME representatives in any of the samples analyzed (from 340 to 463 mbsf). The lack of ANME may be due to an overshadowing effect from the more dominant archaeal phylotypes or may indicate involvement of unknown groups of archaea in AOM (i.e., unclassified Euryarchaeota). In addition to the supply of sulfate from a basement aquifer, the deep biosphere at this site is also influenced by an elevated supply of reactive iron (up to 143 μmol g(-1)) and manganese (up to 20 μmol g(-1)). The effect of these metal oxides on the sulfur cycle is inferred from an accompanying sulfur isotope fractionation much smaller than expected from traditional sulfate-reducing pathways. The detection of the manganese- and iron-reducer γ-Proteobacteria Alteromonas at 367 mbsf is consistent with these geochemical inferences., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Patients who need both capsule endoscopy (CE) and colonoscopy often undergo both examinations on the same day to avoid repeated bowel preparation and fasting. Sedation can relieve pain and is commonly used for colonoscopies but may influence the CE completion rate.To determine whether sedation with propofol influences the completion rate and small-bowel transit time (SBTT) of CE.From July 2014 to December 2014, patients (18-65 years old) who needed both CE and colonoscopy were assessed consecutively for enrollment in our study. Colonoscopies were performed with or without sedation based on patient preferences on the day of capsule ingestion. The completion rate, SBTT, and diagnostic yield of CEs were recorded. Patients' satisfaction and pain scores were also recorded.Sedation with propofol had no significant effect on CE completion rates (83.3% sedation group vs 81.8% nonsedation group, P = 0.86) but was associated with increased SBTT (403.6 ± 160.3 sedation group vs 334.5 ± 134.4 nonsedation group, P = 0.006). The diagnostic yields in the sedation and nonsedation groups were 69.4% and 65.9%, respectively (P = 0.74). The median satisfaction scores were 8.6 in the sedation group and 3.5 in the nonsedation group (P < 0.001). Median pain scores were 1.4 in the sedation group and 6.7 in the nonsedation group (P < 0.001).Sedation with propofol increased SBTT but had no effect on CE completion rates, suggesting that CE and colonoscopy with propofol can be performed on the same day (clinical trial registration number: ChiCTR-ONRC-14004866).

Here, we report the whole-genome sequence and annotation of Pseudomonas kilonensis 1855-344 (previously known as P. fluorescens 1855-344). The genome contains an octopine oxidase gene cluster consistent with the ability to utilize octopine. A biosynthetic gene cluster was identified for mangotoxin and aryl-polyene using the antiSMASH server., (Copyright © 2015 Eng et al.)

Here, we report the genome sequences of Bacillus safensis RIT372 and Pseudomonas oryzihabitans RIT370 from Capsicum spp. Annotation revealed gene clusters for the synthesis of bacilysin, lichensin, and bacillibactin and sporulation killing factor (skfA) in Bacillus safensis RIT372 and turnerbactin and carotenoid in Pseudomonas oryzihabitans RIT370., (Copyright © 2015 Gan et al.)

The ability to infiltrate various molecules and resins into dental enamel is highly desirable in dentistry, yet transporting materials into dental enamel is limited by the nanometric scale of their pores. Materials that cannot be infiltrated into enamel by diffusion/capillarity are often considered molecules with sizes above a critical threshold, which are often considered to be larger than the pores of enamel. We challenge this notion by reporting the use of electrokinetic flow to transport solutions with molecules with sizes above a critical threshold-namely, an aqueous solution with a high refractive index (Thoulet's solution) and a curable fluid resin infiltrant (without acid etching)-deep into the normal enamel layer. Volume infiltration by Thoulet's solution is increased by 5- to 6-fold, and resin infiltration depths as large as 600 to 2,000 µm were achieved, in contrast to ~10 µm resulting from diffusion/capillarity. Incubation with demineralization solution for 192 h resulted in significant demineralization at noninfiltrated histologic points but not at resin infiltrated. These results open new avenues for the transport of materials in dental enamel., (© International & American Associations for Dental Research 2015.)

Vibrio campbellii strain UMTGB204 was isolated from a green barrel tunicate. The genome of this strain comprises 5,652,224 bp with 5,014 open reading frames, 9 rRNAs, and 116 tRNAs. It contains genes related to virulence and environmental tolerance. Gene clusters for the biosynthesis of nonribosomal peptides and bacteriocin were also identified., (Copyright © 2015 Gan et al.)

Here we report the draft genomes and annotation of four N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-producing members from the family Sphingomonadaceae. Comparative genomic analyses of 62 Sphingomonadaceae genomes were performed to gain insights into the distribution of the canonical luxI/R-type quorum sensing (QS) network within this family. Forty genomes contained at least one luxR homolog while the genome of Sphingobium yanoikuyae B1 contained seven Open Reading Frames (ORFs) that have significant homology to that of luxR. Thirty-three genomes contained at least one luxI homolog while the genomes of Sphingobium sp. SYK6, Sphingobium japonicum, and Sphingobium lactosutens contained four luxI. Using phylogenetic analysis, the sphingomonad LuxR homologs formed five distinct clades with two minor clades located near the plant associated bacteria (PAB) LuxR solo clade. This work for the first time shows that 13 Sphingobium and one Sphingomonas genome(s) contain three convergently oriented genes composed of two tandem luxR genes proximal to one luxI (luxR-luxR-luxI). Interestingly, luxI solos were identified in two Sphingobium species and may represent species that contribute to AHL-based QS system by contributing AHL molecules but are unable to perceive AHLs as signals. This work provides the most comprehensive description of the luxI/R circuitry and genome-based taxonomical description of the available sphingomonad genomes to date indicating that the presence of luxR solos and luxI solos are not an uncommon feature in members of the Sphingomonadaceae family.

Here, we report the whole-genome sequences and annotation of five oligotrophic bacteria from two sites within the Lechuguilla Cave in the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM. Three of the five genomes contain an acyl-homoserine lactone signal synthase ortholog (luxI) that is involved in cell-to-cell communication via quorum sensing., (Copyright © 2014 Gan et al.)

Nitratireductor basaltis strain UMTGB225 is a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from a marine tunicate found in Bidong Island, Terengganu, Malaysia. In this study, the genome of Nitratireductor basaltis UMTGB225 was sequenced to gain insight into the role of this bacterium and its association with tunicate hosts in a coral reef habitat., (Copyright © 2014 Danish-Daniel et al.)

The honeybee (Apis mellifera) is a social insect with strong sensory capacity and diverse behavioral repertoire and is recognized as a good model organism for studying the neurobiological basis of learning and memory. In this study, we analyzed the changes in microRNA (miRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) following maze-based visual learning using next-generation small RNA sequencing and Solexa/lllumina Digital Gene Expression tag profiling (DGE). For small RNA sequencing, we obtained 13 367 770 and 13 132 655 clean tags from the maze and control groups, respectively. A total of 40 differentially expressed known miRNAs were detected between these two samples, and all of them were up-regulated in the maze group compared to the control group. For DGE, 5 681 320 and 5 939 855 clean tags were detected from the maze and control groups, respectively. There were a total of 388 differentially expressed genes between these two samples, with 45 genes up-regulated and 343 genes down-regulated in the maze group, compared to the control group. Additionally, the expression levels of 10 differentially expressed genes were confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and the expression trends of eight of them were consistent with the DGE result, although the degree of change was lower in amplitude. The integrative analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression showed that, among the 40 differentially expressed known miRNAs and 388 differentially expressed genes, 60 pairs of miRNA/mRNA were identified as co-expressed in our present study. These results suggest that both miRNA and mRNA may play a pivotal role in the process of learning and memory in honeybees. Our sequencing data provide comprehensive miRNA and gene expression information for maze-based visual learning, which will facilitate understanding of the molecular mechanisms of honeybee learning and memory., (© 2013 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.)