Reinstatement of the corticioid genus Leifia (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota) with a new species L.brevispora from Hubei, Central China.

The monotypic genus Leifia was previously considered to be a later synonym of Odonticium. With the morphological and phylogenetic evidence provided by an additional four East Asian specimens, we propose to reinstate Leifia as an independent genus in Hymenochaetales. Leifia morphologically differs from Odonticium by its grandinioid hymenophore with hyphal strands, numerous thick-walled cystidia with an invaginated apical end and narrowly and thick-walled basidia. The phylogeny generated from the current data set of ITS and 28S regions indicates that Leifia forms a sister clade to Odonticium. Besides the generic type Leifiaflabelliradiata in the Leifia clade, two specimens, collected from Hubei, Central China, are newly introduced as Leifiabrevispora. This new species is the second species of Leifia and differs from the generic type by its shorter basidiospores and distribution in warm-temperate to subtropical areas in East Asia. The additional two specimens, collected from Da Lat, Viet Nam, differ morphologically, both from each other and from known species of Leifia, but more samples need to be examined before further taxonomic decisions can be made.

Human Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Inhibits Tau Phosphorylation via the PI3K/Akt-GSK3ß Signaling Pathway in a 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Model of Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has been increasingly investigated due to its neuroprotection in neurodegenerative disorders. Because there are still no cures for any of these disorders, it is crucial to identify new therapeutic targets and screen potential drugs. The increased phosphorylation of tau at Ser396 leads to intracellular tau accumulation, which forms neurofibrillary tangles in Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, neuroprotection by bFGF was observed, and the mechanisms related to its regulation of phosphorylated tau were investigated. METHODS: bFGF-loaded liposome carriers were intranasally administered to rats. The neuroprotective effects of bFGF were assessed in a PD model induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in vivo and in vitro. The phosphorylation of tau was measured, and the PI3K/Akt-GSK3ß signaling pathway was investigated. RESULTS: Our study demonstrated that liposomes markedly assisted in the delivery of bFGF to the striatum and substantia nigra of rats and enhanced the neuroprotective effects of bFGF on dopaminergic neurons. bFGF treatment significantly ameliorated the behavioral deficits induced by 6-OHDA, rescued the loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons and increased the number of Nissl bodies. bFGF reduced the phosphorylation of tau and GSK3ß and increased the phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt. CONCLUSION: Liposomes markedly assisted in the delivery of bFGF to the brain and enhanced the neuroprotective effects of bFGF by inhibiting the phosphorylation of tau. bFGF down-regulated the phosphorylation of tau by increasing the phosphorylation of GSK3ß via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. These findings provide a new vision of bFGF as a potential therapy for PD.

Our preferred surgical approach to cicatricial cryptotia.

BACKGROUND: Adhesions between the auricle and retroauricular cranial wall and mastoid occur after burns to this area due to cicatricial contracture, leading to the distortion of the otocranial angle and obscuring the remnant auricle in the scar. A definition of cicatricial cryptotia was devised to describe the ear deformity after burn by the authors, and a novel surgical approach to cicatricial cryptotia was employed to reconstruct the auricle. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 33 ears in 26 adult patients were operated upon. As many as 19 cases of cicatricial cryptotia were unilateral, seven cases bilateral. The patients' age ranged from 19 to 31 years. Because of a lack of normal tissues surrounding the remnant ear, a periauricular cicatricial flap was designed to repair the helix and antihelix defect and a horizontal bifoliate skin flap for earlobe reconstruction. Two triangular cicatricial flaps located at the cephalic or caudal direction of the survival ear were used for shaping the otocranial angle and auriculotemporal sulci, combined with zoned transplantation of a full-thickness skin graft. RESULTS: All cicatricial flaps demonstrated nearly 100% survival and the take rate of transplanted skin grafts was approximately 95%. The main structures were visible and cosmetically acceptable; the otocranial angle and auriculotemporal sulci were acceptably restored. The function of wearing eye glasses or a mask was regained. The patients were followed up from 3 months to 6 years after surgery; the mean follow-up period was 3.2 years. The contour of the reconstructed auricle was maintained well, and the scar contracture was acceptable. CONCLUSION: Periauricular cicatricial flaps combined with skin grafting is a new approach to cicatricial cryptotia when auricle reconstruction after burn is limited by a scarcity of supple, elastic local skin and fascia.

[Cell apoptosis and expression of hypoxia-inducible transcription factor-1 alpha in kidney tissue after severe burn with delayed fluid resuscitation in rats in areas of different altitude].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship of cell apoptosis and expression regularity of hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF)-1 alpha after severe burn with delayed fluid resuscitation in areas of different altitude. METHODS: A total of 240 male Wistar rats, which were raised in areas of different altitude (1,517 and 3,840 meters), were employed as the experimental models [They received a 30% total body surface area (TBSA)III degree scald injury], and then they were randomly divided into 3 groups: delayed fluid resuscitation group (DFR, n=50), immediate fluid resuscitation group (IFR, n=60) and control group (CG, n=10). Renal tissue samples were harvested at 1, 6, 12, 24, 72 and 168 hours after burn, respectively. Cell apoptosis was detected by tissue chip technology and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL). The expression of HIF-1 alpha was assessed by immunohistochemistry and image analysis. RESULTS: With increase in altitude, cellular edema, degeneration, necrosis and disintegration of renal tissue were gradually worsening, the capillaries of renal glomeruli became dilated and engorged, with degeneration and necrosis of endothelial cells, engorgement and edema of renal interstitium, and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Pathological changes in DFR group were more serious than that of IFR group. Cell apoptosis and the expression of HIF-1 alpha were both enhanced, the latter mainly appeared in nuclei of renal cells, and they were more marked at 3,840 meters compared with those at 1,517 meters. They were more marked in experimental groups than in control group, especially so in DFR group (P<0.01). Cell apoptosis was positively correlated with the expression of HIF-1 alpha (r= -0.651, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Severe burn at high attitude plateau results in high expression of HIF-1 alpha and an increase in apoptosis of renal cells. HIF-1 alpha plays a role in kidney cell apoptosis.

[Criteria suitable for diagnosis of acute respiratory distress syndrome/multiple organ dysfunction syndrome at moderately high altitude area].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic parameters of acute respiratory distress syndrome/multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (ARDS/MODS) at high altitude (H-ARDS/MODS) with that on plain, and to establish a more practical diagnostic criterion of H-ARDS/MODS. METHODS: Five hundred and five cases fulfilled the criteria for the diagnosis of ARDS/MODS were divided into three groups according to the altitude of their habitation: control group including inhabitants (<430 m) on plain (CG, n=113), moderate high altitude group 1 inhabitants at the altitude of 1,517 m (H1G, n=314), moderate high altitude group 2 inhabitants at the altitude of 2,261 m to 2,400 m (H2G, n=78). The ARDS/MODS scores of the three groups were made according to the diagnostic criteria of Lushan conference, Marshall(1995) and Lanzhou criteria drafted by the authors respectively to set up three data analyzing models, followed by plotting of receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC curve) and calculation of the Yordon Index and the optimum cutoff points of the parameters,in order to study the accuracy of the three diagnostic criteria in predicting the outcome of the patients suffering from ARDS/MODS. RESULTS: In CG group, the differences were not significant in area of ROC, the maximal Yordon Index, the optimum cutoff points and the sensitivity and the specificity for three criteria; but the differences were significant for the three criteria in H1G group. Further investigation in comparing the ROC values of lung, brain, heart and kidney, the Lanzhou criteria were more advantageous in the high altitude than the other criteria. CONCLUSION: (1)The current diagnostic criteria of ARDS/MODS are not suitable for the diagnosis of these syndromes in moderately high or high altitude areas. It is necessary to revise the diagnostic criteria of H-ARDS/MODS. (2)One thousand five hundred and seventeen meters in altitude might be considered to be an important borderline, above with the diagnostic criteria of ARDS/MODS for patients inhabiting on plain could not be suitably applied to those living above this level.

[Changes in endothelin-1 and calcitonin gene-related peptide in myocardium after severe burn and delayed fluid resuscitation in rats at different altitudes on plateau].

OBJECTIVE: To explore changes in endothelin-1 (ET-1) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the myocardium after severe burn and delayed fluid resuscitation in rats at different altitudes. METHODS: Two hundred and forty male Wistar rats were employed as the experimental models with full-thickness burn of 30% total body surface area (TBSA), and they were randomly divided into three groups: delayed fluid resuscitation group (DFR), immediate fluid resuscitation group (IFR) and control group (CG). Samples of myocardial tissue were harvested at 1 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 72 hours, 168 hours postburn respectively. The changes in ET-1 and CGRP contents were determined by means of radio immunological assay. RESULTS: (1)The contents of ET-1 and CGRP in DFR group tended to increase at 6 hours after burn, ET-1 was higher 2.8, 3.6 fold, while CGRP higher by 2.2, 1.5 fold (P<0.01), compared with that of CG respectively at 1517 m and 3840 m. The tendency of rise of ET-1 and CGRP was significantly less conspicuous in IFR group than that in DFR group. (2)The contents of ET-1 in DFR group tended to increase at 6 hours and reached the peak at 24 hours after burn at 1517 m, while the levels reached the peak at 72 hours after burn at 3840 m, and the change lasted for 168 hours in DFR group. The contents of CGRP increased significantly at 6 hours and reached the peak at 12 hours at 1517 m, while they reached the peak at 72 hours after burn at 3840 m. CONCLUSION: The myocardial contents of ET-1 tend to increase significantly with the elevation of altitude after severe burn in rats, but the contents of CGRP increased lagged behind. The result show that the higher the altitude is, the more the exhaustion of protective agents of the myocardium, thus resulting in changes in ET-1/CGRP.

[The protective effect of Rhadiola Astragalus Codonopsis compound on myocardium in early stage of severe burn at plateau in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the severity of early myocardial injury in rats with 30% full thickness burn at plateau and the protective effects of Rhadiola Astragalus Codonopsis Compound (RACC) on the rat myocardial injury. METHODS: One hundred and four Wistar rats with 30% full thickness burn were randomly divided into RACC application (R, n = 48) and scalding group 1 (S, n = 48), and another 8 healthy Wistar rats as control group 2 (C, n = 8). Four ml of RACC was garaged into the rat stomach in R and 4 ml isotonic saline in S groups respectively, but no treatment in C group. Blood samples from the aorta were harvested in 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 postburn hours (PBH) for blood gas analysis and for the determination of the changes in myocardial enzymes. Rat heart was harvested for pathomorphological examination. RESULTS: The rat myocardial tissue injury in R and S groups was obvious at 3 PBH and ameliorated gradually thereafter, up to the degree in C group at 72 PBH. The serum levels of myocardial enzymes in R and S groups were significantly higher than those in C group (P < 0.01). Whereas the enzymes in R group were much lower than those in S group (P < 0.01). It was indicated by blood gas analysis that the pH in R and S groups was lower than that in C group (P < 0.05), while that in R group at 12 - 24 PBH was higher than that in S group (P < 0.05). In addition, the base excess in R and S groups was lower than that in C group (P < 0.01), while that in R group at 6 PBH was higher than that in S group (P < 0.05 approximately 0.01). The PaCO2 in R and S groups was evidently lower than that in C group (P < 0.05 approximately 0.01), while that in R group at 48 PBH was no different to that in C group (35.70 +/- 4.23 mmHg vs 37.50 +/- 6.53 mmHg, P > 0.05). The PaO2 in R and S groups at 3 approximately 24 PBH was higher than that in C group and decreased gradually (P > 0.05). There was no difference in SaO2 among 3 groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: RACC exhibited beneficial to the protection of rat heart from myocardial injury at plateau induced by severe burn.