Root-to-shoot signaling positively mediates source-sink relation in late growth stages in diploid and tetraploid wheat.

Non-hydraulic root source signaling (nHRS) is a unique positive response to soil drying in the regulation of plant growth and development. However, it is unclear how the nHRS mediates the tradeoff between source and sink at the late growth stages and its adaptive mechanisms in primitive wheat. To address this issue, a root-splitting design was made by inserting solid partition in the middle of the pot culture to induce the occurrence of nHRS using four wheat cultivars (MO1 and MO4, diploid; DM22 and DM31, tetraploid) as materials. Three water treatments were designed as 1) both halves watered (CK), 2) holistic root system watered then droughted (FS), 3) one-half of the root system watered and half droughted (PS). FS and PS were designed to compare the role of the full root system and split root system to induce nHRS. Leaves samples were collected during booting and anthesis to compare the role of nHRS at both growth stages. The data indicated that under PS treatment, ABA concentration was significantly higher than FS and CK, demonstrating the induction of nHRS in split root design and nHRS decreased cytokinin (ZR) levels, particularly in the PS treatment. Soluble sugar and proline accumulation were higher in the anthesis stage as compared to the booting stage. POD activity was higher at anthesis, while CAT was higher at the booting stage. Increased ABA (nHRS) correlated with source-sink relationships and metabolic rate (i.e., leaf) connecting other stress signals. Biomass density showed superior resource acquisition and utilization capabilities in both FS and PS treatment as compared to CK in all plants. Our findings indicate that nHRS-induced alterations in phytohormones and their effect on source-sink relations were allied with the growth stages in primitive wheat.

Isolation, purification, and structural characterization of polysaccharides from Codonopsis pilosula and its therapeutic effects on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in vitro and in vivo.

Codonopsis pilosula is a famous edible and medicinal plants, in which polysaccharides are recognized as one of the important active ingredients. A neutral polysaccharide (CPP-1) was purified from C. pilosula. The structure was characterized by HPSEC-MALLS-RID, UV, FT-IR, GC-MS, methylation analysis, and NMR. The results showed that CPP-1 was a homogeneous pure polysaccharide, mainly containing fructose and glucose, and a small amount of arabinose. Methylation analysis showed that CPP-1 composed of →1)-Fruf-(2→, Fruf-(1→ and Glcp-(1→ residues. Combined the NMR results the structure of CPP-1 was confirmed as α-D-Glcp-(1 â†’ [2)-ß-D-Fruf-(1 â†’ 2)-ß-D-Fruf-(1]26 â†’ 2)-ß-D-Fruf with the molecular weight of 4.890 × 103 Da. The model of AML12 hepatocyte fat damage was established in vitro. The results showed that CPP-1 could increase the activity of SOD and CAT antioxidant enzymes and reduce the content of MDA, thus protecting cells from oxidative damage. Subsequently, the liver protective effect of CPP-1 was studied in the mouse model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by the high-fat diet. The results showed that CPP-1 significantly reduced the body weight, liver index, and body fat index of NAFLD mice, and significantly improved liver function. Therefore, CPP-1 should be a potential candidate for the treatment of NAFLD.

Optimization of Three Extraction Methods and Their Effect on the Structure and Antioxidant Activity of Polysaccharides in Dendrobium huoshanense.

Dendrobium huoshanense is a famous edible and medicinal herb, and polysaccharides are the main bioactive component in it. In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) combined with a Box-Behnken design (BBD) was used to optimize the enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE), ultrasound-microwave-assisted extraction (UMAE), and hot water extraction (HWE) conditions and obtain the polysaccharides named DHP-E, DHP-UM, and DHP-H. The effects of different extraction methods on the physicochemical properties, structure characteristics, and bioactivity of polysaccharides were compared. The differential thermogravimetric curves indicated that DHP-E showed a broader temperature range during thermal degradation compared with DHP-UM and DHP-H. The SEM results showed that DHP-E displayed an irregular granular structure, but DHP-UM and DHP-H were sponge-like. The results of absolute molecular weight indicated that polysaccharides with higher molecular weight detected in DHP-H and DHP-UM did not appear in DHP-E due to enzymatic degradation. The monosaccharide composition showed that DHPs were all composed of Man, Glc, and Gal but with different proportions. Finally, the glycosidic bond types, which have a significant effect on bioactivity, were decoded with methylation analysis. The results showed that DHPs contained four glycosidic bond types, including Glcp-(1→, →4)-Manp-(1→, →4)-Glcp-(1→, and →4,6)-Manp-(1→ with different ratios. Furthermore, DHP-E exhibited better DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities. These findings could provide scientific foundations for selecting appropriate extraction methods to obtain desired bioactivities for applications in the pharmaceutical and functional food industries.

Comparison of two commercial methods with a UHPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of multiple mycotoxins in cereals.

Immunoassay-based techniques are important on-site screening tools for the detection of mycotoxins in cereals. This study aims to evaluate the trueness, precision, repeatability and cross-reactivity of commercially available test strips, ELISA kits and UHPLC-MS/MS on analyzing zearalenone, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin and fumonisin B1. The results showed that false negative rate (25.7 %-37.4 %) of all tested mycotoxins by test strips was higher than the false positive rate (0 %-31.0 %). The repeatability of ELISA kits at the declared LOD dispersed from -85.7 % to +98.4 %. ELISA kits were more accurate at 50 % of the maximum residue limit (MRL) of mycotoxins than 150 % and 200 %. All the tested deoxynivalenol/zearalenone derivatives had cross-reactivity with different level, and sample matrix could reinforce this overestimation of target mycotoxin. This study emphasized that higher-quality antibody screening and more analytical performance investigations are need to address for on-site detection of mycotoxins in the future.

Spontaneous acute epidural hematoma secondary to skull and dural metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report.

BACKGROUND: The skull and dura are uncommon sites for the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Spontaneous acute epidural hematoma (AEDH) is also very rare. We report here a spontaneous AEDH secondary to skull and dural metastasis of HCC. This case is extremely rare. CASE SUMMARY: A 48-year-old male patient with a history of HCC developed unconsciousness spontaneously. Head computed tomography showed "a huge AEDH in the left parietal and occipital region with osteolytic destruction of the left parietal bone. Emergent operation was performed to evacuate the hematoma and resect the lesion. Pathological study revealed that the lesion was the metastases from HCC. The patient died of lung infection, anemia, and liver failure 3 wk after operation. CONCLUSION: Spontaneous AEDH caused by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) dural and skull metastases is extremely rare, the outcome is poor. So, early diagnosis is important. If the level of AFP does not decrease with the shrinkage of intrahepatic lesions after treatment, it is necessary to be alert to the existence of extrahepatic metastases. Since most of the patients had scalp and bone masses, physicians should pay attention to the patient's head palpation. Once a patient with the history of HCC had sudden neurological dysfunction, the possibility of spontaneous AEDH caused by the skull and dura mater metastases should be considered. Since hemorrhage is common in the skull HCC metastases, for patients with spontaneous AEDH accompanied by skull osteolytic lesions, it is also necessary to be alert to the possibility of HCC. For AEDH secondary to HCC metastases, early diagnosis and timely treatment are critical to improve the patients' outcomes.

Effect of real-time feedback on patient's outcomes and survival after cardiac arrest: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effect of real-time feedback on the restoration of spontaneous circulation, survival to hospital discharge, and favorable functional outcomes after hospital discharge. METHODS: PubMed, ScienceDirect, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched to screen the relevant studies up to June 2020. Fixed-effects or random-effects model were used to calculate the pooled estimates of relative ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Ten relevant articles on 4281 cardiac arrest cases were identified. The pooled analyses indicated that real-time feedback did not improve restoration of spontaneous circulation (RR: 1.13, 95% CI: 0.92-1.37, and P = .24; I2 = 81%; P < .001), survival to hospital discharge (RR: 1.27, 95% CI: 0.90-1.79, and P = .18; I2 = 74%; P < .001), and favorable neurological outcomes after hospital discharge (RR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.87-1.38; P = .45; I2 = 16%; P = .31). The predefined subgroup analysis showed that the sample size and arrest location may be the origin of heterogeneity. Begg's and Egger's tests showed no publication bias, and sensitivity analysis indicated that the results were stable. CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis had shown that the implementation of real-time audiovisual feedback was not associated with improved restoration of spontaneous circulation, increased survival, and favorable functional outcomes after hospital discharge.

Preparation, characterization and immunoregulatory activity of derivatives of polysaccharide from Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC.

A polysaccharide (ALP-1) extracted from Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. was carboxymethylated (C-ALP-1), phosphorylated (P-ALP-1) and acetylated (A-ALP-1) to improve its physicochemical properties and bioactivities. The solubility of all derivatives was increased, and the solubility of A-ALP-1 increased to 137.5 mg/mL, which was much higher than the solubility of ALP-1 (15.0 mg/mL). The results of HPSEC-MALLS-RID showed that the molecular weight of polysaccharides was slightly increased after the modification, and the root mean square radius of rotation (Rz) and morphology of polysaccharides in solution were also changed. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirmed that the surface morphology of ALP-1 changed dramatically and the crystallinity decreased after structural modification. From thermal analysis results, the T50 of ALP-1, C-ALP-1, P-ALP-1 and A-ALP-1 were 281.34, 292.14, 333.75 and 298.70 °C, which showed that derivatives had stronger thermal stability than ALP-1. The immunomodulatory activity studies displayed that P-ALP-1 showed the best ability to stimulate RAW264.7 macrophages to release NO, and A-ALP-1 showed the best capacity to stimulate TNF-α and IL-6 releasing. These results indicated that chemical modification could enhance the solubility, the thermal stability and immunomodulatory activity of polysaccharides, which is beneficial for the development and utilization of natural polysaccharides.

The accuracy and influencing factors of Doppler echocardiography in estimating pulmonary artery systolic pressure: comparison with right heart catheterization: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive assessment of pulmonary artery systolic pressure by Doppler echocardiography (sPAPECHO) has been widely adopted to screen for pulmonary hypertension (PH), but there is still a high proportion of overestimation or underestimation of sPAPECHO. We therefore aimed to explore the accuracy and influencing factors of sPAPECHO with right heart catheterization (RHC) as a reference. METHODS: A total of 218 highly suspected PH patients who underwent RHC and echocardiography within 7 days were included. The correlation and consistency between tricuspid regurgitation (TR)-related methods and RHC results were tested by Pearson and Bland-Altman methods. TR-related methods included peak velocity of TR (TR Vmax), TR pressure gradient (TR-PG), TR mean pressure gradient (TR-mPG), estimated mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAPECHO), and sPAPECHO. With mPAP ≥ 25 mm Hg measured by RHC as the standard diagnostic criterion of PH, the ROC curve was used to compare the diagnostic efficacy of sPAPECHO with other TR-derived parameters. The ratio (sPAPECHO-sPAPRHC)/sPAPRHC was calculated and divided into three groups as follows: patients with an estimation error between - 10% and + 10% were defined as the accurate group; patients with an estimated difference greater than + 10% were classified as the overestimated group; and patients with an estimation error greater than - 10% were classified as the underestimated group. The influencing factors of sPAPECHO were analyzed by ordinal regression analysis. RESULTS: sPAPECHO had the highest correlation coefficient (r = 0.781, P < 0.001), best diagnostic efficiency (AUC = 0.98), and lowest bias (mean bias = 0.07 mm Hg; 95% limits of agreement, - 32.08 to + 32.22 mm Hg) compared with other TR-related methods. Ordinal regression analysis showed that TR signal quality, sPAPRHC level, and pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) affected the accuracy of sPAPECHO (P < 0.05). Relative to the good signal quality, the OR values of medium and poor signal quality were 0.26 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.48) and 0.23 (95% CI: 0.07, 0.73), respectively. Compared with high sPAPRHC level, the OR values of low and medium sPAPRHC levels were 21.56 (95% CI: 9.57, 48.55) and 5.13 (95% CI: 2.55, 10.32), respectively. The OR value of PAWP was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.89, 0.99). TR severity and right ventricular systolic function had no significant effect on the accuracy of sPAPECHO. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found that all TR-related methods, including sPAPECHO, had comparable and good efficiency in PH screening. To make the assessment of sPAPECHO more accurate, attention should be paid to TR signal quality, sPAPRHC level, and PAWP.

A metal-organic framework@hydrogen-bond framework as a matrix for MALDI-TOF-MS analysis of small molecules.

A novel MOF@HOF composite that can serve as a matrix for analysis of small molecules by MALDI-TOF-MS was fabricated through a simple solvothermal method. Taking falvonoids as an example, this composite/matrix presents high desorption/ionization efficiency, low background interference, high salt tolerance, and satisfactory signal reproducibility for MALDI-TOF-MS analysis.

Preparation, characterization, and bioactivity evaluation of oligosaccharides from Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC.

Sixteen oligosaccharide monomers with the degree of polymerization 3 to 18 (DP 3 to DP 18) and three active fractions (DP 3-9, DP 8-11, and DP 11-17) were separated from Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. by optimized fast protein liquid chromatography coupled with refractive index detector (FPLC-RID) and preparation hydrophilic interaction chromatography (Pre-HILIC). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and methylation analysis showed that the oligosaccharide in A. lancea was 1-kestose [ß-D-fructofuranosyl-(2 â†’ 1)-ß-D-fructofuranosyl-(2 â†’ 1)-α-D-glucopyranoside] (inulin-type fructooligosaccharides, FOS). Particularly, DP 3-9 showed the best capacity in stimulating phagocytic, NO, and cytokines production on RAW264.7 cells than any other purified oligosaccharide monomers and active fractions. It could also activate T-cells in Peyer's patch cells and enhance the production of colony stimulation factors. Besides, FPLC-RID showed a good capacity for large-scale preparation of DP 3-9 with the recovery of more than 93%. The bioactivity of sixteen FOS monomers (DP 3 to DP 18) and three FOS fractions (DP 3-9, DP 8-11, and DP 11-17) investigated in this study are beneficial for the utilization of FOS as a functional ingredient in novel product development.

Predictive Value of Gray-Matter-White-Matter Ratio on Brain Computed Tomography for Delayed Encephalopathy after Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: This study is aimed at determining the predictive value of the gray-matter-white-matter ratio (GWR) on brain computed tomography for delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning (DEACMP). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study reviewed 352 patients with acute CO poisoning and who underwent the brain computed tomography test. These patients were admitted to Cangzhou Central Hospital from May 2010 to May 2020. The patients were divided into the DEACMP (n = 16) and non-DEACMP (n = 336) groups. Pearson's correlation coefficients were computed for correlation analysis. The predictive value of GWR for DEACMP was evaluated by using logistic regression analysis and receiver operator characteristic curves. RESULTS: The morbidity of DEACMP was 4.5% (16/352). The GWR-basal ganglia, GWR-cerebrum, and GWR-average in the DEACMP group were lower than those in the non-DEACMP group. Correlation analysis indicated that GWR-basal ganglia (r = 0.276; P < 0.001), GWR-cerebrum (r = 0.163; P = 0.002), and GWR-average (r = 0.200; P < 0.001) were correlated with DEACMP. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that reduced GWR-basal ganglia, GWR-cerebrum, and GWR-average were independent risk factors (P < 0.001; P = 0.008; P = 0.001; respectively). Compared with GWR-cerebrum and GWR-average, GWR-basal ganglia had a higher area under the curve of 0.881 (95% confidence interval: 0.783-0.983) with sensitivity and specificity of 93.8% and 68.7%, respectively. The cut-off value of GWR-basal ganglia was 1.055. CONCLUSION: GWR, especially GWR-basal ganglia, is an early useful predictor for DEACMP.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of the Chinese longsnout catfish Leiocassis longirostris.

The Chinese longsnout catfish ( Leiocassis longirostris Günther) is one of the most economically important freshwater fish in China. As wild populations have declined sharply in recent years, it is also a valuable model for research on sexual dimorphism, comparative biology, and conservation. However, the current lack of high-quality chromosome-level genome information for the species hinders the advancement of comparative genomic analysis and evolutionary studies. Therefore, we constructed the first high-quality chromosome-level reference genome for L. longirostris. The total genome was 703.19 Mb, with 389 contigs and contig N50 length of 4.29 Mb. Using high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) data, the genome sequences (685.53 Mb) were scaffolded into 26 chromosomes ranging from 17.36 to 43.97 Mb, resulting in a chromosomal anchoring rate for the genome of 97.44%. In total, 23 708 protein-coding genes were identified in the genome. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that L. longirostris and its closest related species P. fulvidraco diverged approximately 26.6 million years ago. This high-quality reference genome of L. longirostris should pave the way for future genomic comparisons and evolutionary research.

Direct synthesis of shaped MgAPO-11 molecular sieves and the catalytic performance in n-dodecane hydroisomerization.

In industrial application, molecular sieves are usually used in a certain shape. This requires the addition of binder and causes the reduction of both the molecular sieve content and catalytic performance. Herein, pseudo-boemite was mixed with deionized water at room temperature, followed by the drop-wise addition of phosphoric acid, magnesium acetate solution, hydrofluoric acid, di-n-propylamine and 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium bromide with vigorous stirring. The molar ratio of Al2O3 : P2O5 : MgO : HF : DPA : [EMIm]Br : H2O in the gel was 1 : 1 : 0.03 : 0.18 : 0.4 : 1 : 45. Then the gel was dried, extruded and directly crystallized to form a shaped MgAPO-11 molecular sieve. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, N2 adsorption, ammonia temperature programmed desorption, pyridine adsorption infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were used to investigate the physicochemical properties of the samples. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and N2 adsorption tests show that the shaped MgAPO-11 molecular sieve is fully crystallized and possesses hierarchical porosity. Mg is incorporated into the molecular sieve framework and the Pt catalyst supported by the obtained shaped MgAPO-11 exhibits excellent catalytic performance with n-dodecane conversion of 94% and isomer selectivity of 95% at 280 °C. Such a method for the direct synthesis of shaped molecular sieves shows potential for the green synthesis of molecular sieves in industry.

N:P stoichiometric changes via species turnover in arid versus saline desert environments.

Aridity and salinity have a key role in driving physiological and ecological processes in desert ecosystems. However, how community-scale foliar nutrients respond to aridity and salinity, and how these responses might vary with community composition along aridity and salinity gradients is unclear. We hypothesize that the response will be a shift in community stoichiometric values resulting from nutrient variability of shared species and unique species (site-specific species), but little research has addressed the relative contribution of either component.We analyzed the community-scale stoichiometric response of a desert community of perennial plants along an aridity and salinity transect by focusing on foliar nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) concentrations and N:P ratios. After evaluating the shared and unique species variability, we determined their relative contribution to the community stoichiometric response to aridity and salinity, reflected by changes in nonweighted and weighted community-average values.Community-scale stoichiometry decreased significantly under aridity and salinity, with significantly consistent changes in nonweighted and weighted community-average stoichiometry for most shared and unique species measurements. The relative contribution of unique species shifts to the changes in community stoichiometry was greater (15%-77%) than the relative contribution of shared species shifts (7%-45%), excluding the change in weighted P concentration under aridity. Thus, the shifts of unique species amplified the community stoichiometric response to environmental changes. Synthesis. These results highlighted the need for a more in-depth consideration of shared and unique species variability to understand and predict the effects of environmental change on the stoichiometry of plant communities. Although variation in community stoichiometry can be expected under extreme aridity and salinity conditions, changes of unique species could be a more important driver of the stoichiometric response of plant communities.

Successful surgical treatment of Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome with bilateral flail chest: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Development of multiple rib fractures leading to bilateral flail chest in Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome (CCS) has not been reported. CASE PRESENTATION: A 59-year-old man presented with complaints of fatigue, chest pain, respiratory distress and orthopnea requiring ventilatory support to maintain oxygenation. CCS with bilateral anterior and posterior flail chest due to multiple rib fractures (2nd-10th on the right side and 2nd-11th on the left side). He underwent open reduction and anterior and posterior internal fixation using a titanium alloy fixator and a nickel-titanium memory alloy embracing fixator for chest wall reconstruction. He recovered gradually from the ventilator and showed improvement in his symptoms. He gained about 20 kg of weight in the follow up period (6 months after discharge from the hospital). CONCLUSION: CCS is a rare, complex disease that increases the risk of developing multiple rib fractures, which can be successfully treated with open reduction and internal fixation.

Fluorescent Tb(III)-MOF for Fe(III) Ion Detection and Treatment Effect in Aortic Dissection by Reducing ß-receptor Expression and D-Dimer Production.

Iron is a class of essential elements involved in the metabolic process in all living organisms. However, excessive or deficient iron levels from normal ranges can lead to severe diseases. In this study, a fluorescent Tb(III)-based metal-organic framework with the chemical formula of [Tb(cptpy)3]n (1, Hcptpy = 4'-(4-carboxyphenyl)-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine) has been prepared under the hydrothermal condition successfully and its properties were determined by X-ray single-crystal diffraction, IR spectra, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) and elemental analyses. Luminescent and sensing properties of complex 1 were examined closely, and it is shown that the Tb-MOF has the distinct ability to efficiently and selectively detect the Fe3+ ion and acetone. Furthermore, the RT-PCR was employed to determine the effect of compound on the ß-receptor and mmp-9 genes expression in cardiomyocytes. And the ELISA assay was used for the measurement of D-Dimer in the serum after compound treatment.

Flowering Phenology Shifts in Response to Functional Traits, Growth Form, and Phylogeny of Woody Species in a Desert Area.

Climatic factors are considered the major driving forces for variation of flowering phenology among species. Yet, whether flowering phenology of woody species varies with functional traits, growth form, and phylogeny in arid regions is unknown. In the present study, we evaluated the relationships of three characteristics of flowering phenology (i.e., first flowering date, end of flowering date, and flowering duration) against functional traits, growth form, and phylogeny across 59 woody plant species across 3 years in Ürümqi city of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, in Northwest China. The results showed that, plant functional traits and growth form had significant influences on the variability of flowering phenology among species. The contributions of fruit type (34.7-43.5%) and flower color (30.1-30.7%) to the variability of flowering phenology were larger than those of pollination mode (4.6-14.4%), life form (8.4-14%) and maximum plant height (9.7-13.1%). Trees had the significant correlations in terms of flowering duration against first flowering date and end of flowering date, while shrubs showed the opposite pattern. The values of phylogenetic signal (Blomberg's K) of the three characteristics of flowering phenology ranged from 0.36 to 0.43, which were significantly lower than the expectation of the Brownian motion model. Our results suggested that functional traits, growth form and phylogeny all affected variability of flowering phenology among species. Our results provide a new perspective for correctly evaluating the relationship between global climate change and plant reproduction.

Prognostic Values of the Gray-to-White Matter Ratio on Brain Computed Tomography Images for Neurological Outcomes after Cardiac Arrest: A Meta-Analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched for all relevant articles published before March 31, 2020, without any language restrictions. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with a random-effects model using Stata 14.0 software. RESULT: A total of 24 eligible studies with 2812 CA patients were recruited in the meta-analysis. The pooled result showed that decreased GWR was correlated with poor neurological outcomes after CA (OR = 11.28, 95% CI: 6.29-20.21, and P < 0.001) with moderate heterogeneity (I 2 = 71.5%, P < 0.001). The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.58 (95% CI: 0.47-0.68) and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.87-0.98), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of GWR was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.80-0.87). Compared with GWR (cerebrum) and GWR (average), GWR using the basal ganglion level of brain CT had the highest AUC of 0.87 (0.84-0.90). Subgroup analysis indicated that heterogeneity may be derived from the time of CT measurement, preset specificity, targeted temperature management, or proportion of cardiac etiology. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the result was stable, and Deeks' plot showed no possible publication bias (P = 0 .64). CONCLUSION: Current research suggests that GWR, especially using the basal ganglion level of brain CT, is a useful parameter for determining neurological outcomes after CA.

Intra-subunit Disulfide Determines the Conversion and Structural Stability of CRP Isoforms.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a major human acute-phase reactant that is composed of five identical subunits. CRP dissociates into subunits at inflammatory loci forming monomeric CRP (mCRP) with substantially enhanced activities, which can be further activated by reducing the intra-subunit disulfide bond. However, conformational changes underlying the activation process of CRP are less well understood. Conformational changes accompanying the conversion of CRP to mCRP with or without reduction were examined with circular dichroism spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, electron microscopy, size-exclusion chromatography, and neoepitope expression. The conversion of CRP to mCRP follows a two-stage process. In the first stage, CRP dissociates into molten globular subunits characterized by intact secondary structure elements with greatly impaired tertiary packing. In the second stage, these intermediates completely lose their native subunit conformation and assemble into high-order aggregates. The inclusion of reductant accelerates the formation of molten globular subunits in the first step and promotes the formation of more compact aggregates in the second stage. We further show a significant contribution of electrostatic interactions to the stabilization of native CRP. The conformational features of dissociated subunits and the aggregation of mCRP may have a key impact on their activities.

Oligosaccharide-based quality evaluation of Atractylodis rhizome and a strategy for simplifying its quality control.

BACKGROUND: Atractylodis rhizoma, is the dried rhizomes of Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. or A. chinensis (DC.) Koidz. Both of two are pharmacologically and economically important, while with differences in efficacy. Therefore, an authentication system is vital for evaluation the quality and discrimination adulteration of Atractylodis rhizoma. Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which are regarded as functional ingredients in Atractylodis rhizoma, have not been used for quality control of Atractylodis rhizoma for shortage of reference compounds. RESULTS: A HPLC-ELSD method was developed for the quantification of FOS in Atractylodis rhizoma. And chemometrics analysis showed that 2 markers including content of degree of polymerization (DP) 12 and total content of DP 3-15 could be used as the main distinctive elements for quality evaluation of Atractylodis rhizome. Actually, the separation and purification of high DP FOS, such as DP 12, is still a challenge because of high polarity. Then DP 5-based qualification evaluation was investigated for quality control of Atractylodis rhizoma. The results showed that A. lancea and A. chinensis could be clearly separated. CONCLUSIONS: DP 5-based quantification method was credible and effectively adopted for solving the shortage of reference compounds and improving the quality control of Atractylodis rhizoma.