Unraveling the gut microbiota of Tibetan chickens: insights into highland adaptation and ecological advantages.

Tibetan animals have several unique advantages owing to the harsh ecological conditions under which they live. However, compared to Tibetan mammals, understanding of the advantages and underlying mechanisms of the representative high-latitude bird, the Tibetan chicken (Gallus gallus, TC), remains limited. The gut microbiota of animals has been conclusively shown to be closely related to both host health and host environmental adaptation. This study aimed to explore the relationships between the cecal microbiome and the advantages of TCs based on comparisons among three populations: native TCs residing on the plateau, domestic TCs living in the plain, and one native plain species. Metatranscriptomic sequencing revealed a significant enrichment of active Bacteroidetes but a loss of active Firmicutes in native TCs. Additionally, the upregulated expression of genes in the cecal microbiome of native TCs showed enriched pathways related to energy metabolism, glycan metabolism, and the immune response. Furthermore, the expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and secondary bile acids (SBAs) was upregulated in the cecal microbiome of native TCs. Data from targeted metabolomics further confirmed elevated levels of certain SCFAs and SBAs in the cecum of native TCs. Based on the multi-omics association analysis, we proposed that the higher ratio of active Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes may be attributed to the efficient energy metabolism and stronger immunological activity of native TCs. Our findings provide a better understanding of the interactions between gut microbiota and highland adaptation, and novel insights into the mechanisms by which Tibetan chickens adapt to the plateau hypoxic environment. IMPORTANCE: The composition and function of the active cecal microbiome were significantly different between the plateau Tibetan chicken population and the plain chicken population. Higher expression genes related to energy metabolism and immune response were found in the cecal microbiome of the plateau Tibetan chicken population. The cecal microbiome in the plateau Tibetan chicken population exhibited higher biosynthesis of short-chain fatty and secondary bile acids, resulting in higher cecal content of these metabolites. The active Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio in the cecal microbiome may contribute to the high-altitude adaptive advantage of the plateau Tibetan chicken population.

Application effectiveness of "Youxin-1" in genetic diversity and structure analysis of local chickens.

China's local chicken breeds are rich in resources, and have formed different germplasm characteristics in the process of long-term selection and evolution. Scientific assessment of population genetic diversity and identification of inter-breed genetic structure are of great value to the protection and innovative utilization of local chicken breed resource. In order to evaluate the application effectiveness of 23K SNP chip "Youxin-1" in the analysis of genetic diversity and genetic structure of local chickens, we used RADseq to identify genomic genetic variation of 21 local chicken breeds and developed 23K chip "Youxin-1". The genetic statistics of each variety were calculated based on two sets of SNP data, and correlation, fitting and phylogenetic analysis were carried out to evaluate the application effectiveness of the chip. The results showed that the observed heterozygosity (Ho), polymorphism information content (PIC), inbred coefficient (FROH) and genetic differentiation coefficient (Fst) calculated based on the two SNP data sets were basically consistent in the 21 local chicken breeds. The genetic diversity of Langya chicken (LA), Piao chicken (PJ) and Wenchang chicken (WC) was relatively rich. The genetic diversity of Bian chickens (BJ), Langshan chickens (LS), Gushi chickens (GS), Dongxiang blue-eggshell chickens (DX) and Beijing fatty chickens (BY) was relatively poor, and the correlation coefficients of Ho, PIC, FROH and average Fst in the two groups were 0.794, 0.901, 0.926 and 0.984, respectively, all reaching extremely significant levels (P<0.01) with a high degree of fit (P<0.001) and R2 were 0.644, 0.827, 0.916 and 0.927. For the two sets of SNP data, the evolutionary tree constructed by neighbor-joining (NJ) method and maximum likelihood (ML) method was reasonable, and the 21 local chicken breeds were generally divided into six categories, which was consistent with the formation history and geographical distribution of the varieties. The 23K chip also realized reasonable clustering of the five new varieties without individual deviation. There are some differences in the estimation of genetic statistics using SNP with different densities, and data standardization is needed. 23K chip has good efficacy in the analysis of genetic diversity and structure of local chickens.

Genetic Analysis of Egg Production Traits in Luhua Chickens: Insights from a Multi-Trait Animal Model and a Genome-Wide Association Study.

Egg production plays a pivotal role in the economic viability of hens. To analyze the genetic rules of egg production, a total of 3151 Luhua chickens were selected, the egg production traits including egg weight at first laying (Start-EW), egg weight at 43 weeks (EW-43), egg number at 43 weeks (EN-43), and total egg number (EN-All) were recorded. Then, the effects of related factors on egg production traits were explored, using a multi-trait animal model for genetic parameter estimation and a genome-wide association study (GWAS). The results showed that body weight at first egg (BWFE), body weight at 43 weeks (BW-43), age at first egg (AFE), and seasons had significant effects on the egg production traits. Start-EW and EW-43 had moderate heritability of 0.30 and 0.21, while EN-43 and EN-All had low heritability of 0.13 and 0.16, respectively. Start-EW exhibited a robust positive correlation with EW-43, while Start-EW was negatively correlated with EN-43 and EN-All. Furthermore, gene ontology (GO) results indicated that Annexin A2 (ANXA2) and Frizzled family receptor 7 (FZD7) related to EW-43, Cyclin D1 (CCND1) and A2B adenosine receptor (ADORA2B) related to EN-All, and have been found to be mainly involved in metabolism and growth processes, and deserve more attention and further study. This study contributes to accelerating genetic progress in improving low heritability egg production traits in layers, especially in Luhua chickens.

Combining Traditional Chinese Herbs and csDMARDs for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis Involves Tapering and Discontinuing Glucocorticoids: Protocol for a Two-Stage Non-Randomized Controlled Trial.

Glucocorticoids (GC) are crucial in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but discontinuing GC effectively in RA patients poses a significant challenge for rheumatologists. In this two-stage, single-center, non-randomized controlled trial, we investigated the benefits of combining Chinese traditional herbal treatment with csDMARDs to aid GC discontinuation in terms of GC tapering, disease control, and safety. A total of 231 participants were enrolled, of which 150 eligible subjects were included in the first phase and allocated to three groups (control group, treatment group 1, and treatment group 2) based on their willingness to take traditional Chinese medicine and syndrome differentiation, in a 1:1:1 ratio. All groups received basic treatment consisting of methotrexate tablets (10 mg, qw), leflunomide (10 mg, qd), and stratified GC bridging therapy and tapering regimen (The intervention regimen was developed based on rigorous adherence to available evidence). Treatment group 1 received basic treatment combined with Juanbi Granule, while treatment group 2 received basic treatment combined with Yupingfeng Guizhi Decoction Granule. Efficacy was evaluated after a 12-week follow-up, with slightly adjustments to the treatment group based on efficacy and change of syndrome, followed by continued observation until 24 weeks to complete the study. The efficacy evaluation and data analysis were conducted in a blinded manner, including group label concealment, data cleaning, confounder and control regimen analysis, and outcome analysis. This project has received ethical approval from the Ethics Committee of Yunnan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (YLZ [2022] Ethical Review No. (006)-01) and has been registered with the China Clinical Trials Registry (Registration number: ChiCTR2300067676, Registered 17 January 2023, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=184908). This trial was the first to evaluate the clinical efficacy of combining Chinese herbal medicines with standard Western medicines to facilitate the discontinuation of glucocorticoid (GC) therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Comparative analysis of liver transcriptome reveals adaptive responses to hypoxia environmental condition in Tibetan chicken.

OBJECTIVE: Tibetan chickens, which have unique adaptations to extreme high-altitude environments, exhibit phenotypic and physiological characteristics that are distinct from those of lowland chickens. However, the mechanisms underlying hypoxic adaptation in the liver of chickens remain unknown. METHODS: RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology was used to assess the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in hypoxia adaptation in highland chickens (native Tibetan chicken [HT]) and lowland chickens (Langshan chicken [LS], Beijing You chicken [BJ], Qingyuan Partridge chicken [QY], and Chahua chicken [CH]). RESULTS: A total of 352 co-DEGs were specifically screened between HT and four native lowland chicken breeds. Gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analyses indicated that these co-DEGs were widely involved in lipid metabolism processes, such as the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) signaling pathway, fatty acid degradation, fatty acid metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis. To further determine the relationship from the 352 co-DEGs, protein-protein interaction network was carried out and identified eight genes (ACSL1, CPT1A, ACOX1, PPARC1A, SCD, ACSBG2, ACACA, and FASN) as the potential regulating genes that are responsible for the altitude difference between the HT and other four lowland chicken breeds. CONCLUSION: This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms regulating hypoxia adaptation via lipid metabolism in Tibetan chickens and other highland animals.

Common Allergens and Immune Responses Associated with Allergic Rhinitis in China.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a chronic allergic disease of the upper respiratory system that affects approximately 10-40% of the global population. Due to the large number of plant pollen allergens with obvious seasonal variations, AR is common in China. AR is primarily caused by the abnormal regulation of the immune system. Its pathophysiological mechanism involves a series of immune cells and immune mediators, including cytokines. The present review summarizes the common allergens in China and the complex pathophysiological mechanism of AR. Additionally, host allergen contact, signal transduction, immune cell activation, cytokine release, and a series of inflammatory reactions are described according to their sequence of occurrence.

Metagenomic Sequencing Revealed Differences in the Composition of Cecal Microbes in Different Breeds of Chickens.

Intestinal microorganisms are closely related to the health, development, and production performance of animals and can also provide basic information for us to fully understand and explore the germplasm characteristics and traits of local chicken breeds. In this experiment, we used five local Chinese chicken breeds as research materials; metagenomic sequencing technology was used to explore the differences in the composition of intestinal microorganisms in different breeds, and it was found that each local chicken breed had unique unigenes, of which Silkies had the most, with a total of 12,948. GO and KEGG analyses found that the biological processes most enriched by differential functional genes include genetic coding, macromolecular transport, protein synthesis, and molecular functions such as glycoprotein binding, protein hydrolysis, etc. Each breed is enriched with specific pathways, such as Anyi tile-like gray chickens, which are enriched with pathways related to disease resistance, while Gamecocks' enrichment is related to amino acid metabolism. Random Forest and LEfSe analyses revealed specific species of intestinal microorganisms in the cecum of different breeds, such as Exiguobacterium, which is associated with melanin deposition in Silkies. Therefore, we infer that gut microorganisms are closely related to the formation of chicken breed characteristics, and the results of this experiment can provide a theoretical basis for the discovery of high-quality traits and the improvement of feeding conditions in the future.

Analysis of genome and methylation changes in Chinese indigenous chickens over time provides insight into species conservation.

Conservation of natural resources is a vital and challenging task. Numerous animal genetic resources have been effectively conserved worldwide. However, the effectiveness of conservation programmes and the variation information of species have rarely been evaluated. Here, we performed whole-genome and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of 90 Chinese indigenous chickens, which belonged to the Tibetan, Wenchang and Bian chicken breeds, and have been conserved under different conservation programmes. We observed that low genetic diversity and high DNA methylation variation occurs during ex situ in vivo conservation, while higher genetic diversity and differentiation occurs during in situ conservation. Further analyses revealed that most DNA methylation signatures are unique within ex situ in vivo conservation. Moreover, a high proportion of differentially methylated regions is found in genomic selection regions, suggesting a link between the effects of genomic variation and DNA methylation. Altogether our findings provide valuable information about genetic and DNA methylation variations during different conservation programmes, and hold practical relevance for species conservation.

ASIC1 inhibition impairs the proliferation and migration of pancreatic stellate cells induced by pancreatic cancer cells.

Activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) with an increased proliferation and migration ability are the partners in crime with pancreatic cancer cells. Acid-sensing ion channel 1 (ASIC1) is expressed in pancreatic cancer and PSCs, and especially, it mediates the activation of PSCs. However, whether ASIC1 is involved in pancreatic cancer cells-induced biological behavior re-educating of PSCs is unclear. In this study, the change of ASIC1 expression in PSCs and pancreatic cancer Panc-1 cells after in-direct co-culture was detected by western blotting, and the proliferation and migration of PSCs with ASIC1 knockdown under Panc-1 cells-conditioned medium (Panc-1-CM) was assessed. The results showed that pancreatic cancer cells induced ASIC1 overexpression, and the enhanced proliferation and migration of PSCs was weakened by ASIC1 inhibition. In addition, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) expression in PSCs remained stable, but the phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK) expression in PSCs treated with Panc-1-CM increased, which was suppressed by ASIC1 knockdown. These results indicate that ASIC1 participates in the regulation of PSCs proliferation and migration induced by cancer cells via the ERK pathway, and ASIC1 inhibition may be beneficial to pancreatic cancer treatment.

A high-quality genome of taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott), one of the world's oldest crops.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.), Schott), from the Araceae family, is one of the oldest crops with important edible, medicinal, nutritional and economic value. Taro is a highly polymorphic species including diverse genotypes adapted to a broad range of environments, but the taro genome has rarely been investigated. Here, a high-quality chromosome-level genome of C. esculenta was assembled using data sequenced by Illumina, PacBio and Nanopore platforms. The assembled genome size was 2,405 Mb with a contig N50 of 400.0 kb and a scaffold N50 of 159.4 Mb. In total, 2,311 Mb (96.09%) of the contig sequences was anchored onto 14 chromosomes to form pseudomolecules, and 2,126 Mb (88.43%) was annotated as repetitive sequences. Of the 28,695 predicted protein-coding genes, 26,215 genes (91.4%) could be functionally annotated. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis using 769 genes, C. esculenta and Spirodela polyrhiza were placed on one branch of the tree that diverged approximately 73.23 million years ago. The synteny analyses showed that there have been two whole-genome duplication events in C. esculenta separated by a relatively short gap. According to comparative genome analysis, a larger number (1,189) of distinct gene families and long terminal repeats were enriched in C. esculenta. Our high-quality taro genome will provide valuable resources for further genetic, ecological and evolutionary analyses of taro or other species in the Araceae.

Identification of genes involved in inbreeding depression of reproduction in Langshan chickens.

OBJECTIVE: Inbreeding depression of reproduction is a major concern in the conservation of native chicken genetic resources. Here, based on the successful development of strongly inbred (Sinb) and weakly inbred (Winb) Langshan chickens, we aimed to evaluate inbreeding effects on reproductive traits and identify candidate genes involved in inbreeding depression of reproduction in Langshan chickens. METHODS: A two-sample t-test was performed to estimate the differences in phenotypic values of reproductive traits between Sinb and Winb chicken groups. Three healthy chickens with reproductive trait values around the group mean values were selected from each of the groups. Differences in ovarian and hypothalamus transcriptomes between the two groups of chickens were analyzed by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). RESULTS: The Sinb chicken group showed an obvious inbreeding depression in reproduction, especially for traits of age at the first egg and egg number at 300 days (p<0.01). Furthermore, 68 and 618 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained in the hypothalamus and ovary between the two chicken groups, respectively. In the hypothalamus, DEGs were mainly enriched in the pathways related to vitamin metabolism, signal transduction and development of the reproductive system, such as the riboflavin metabolism, Wnt signaling pathway, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction and focal adhesion pathways, including stimulated by retinoic acid 6, serpin family F member 1, secreted frizzled related protein 2, Wnt family member 6, and frizzled class receptor 4 genes. In the ovary, DEGs were significantly enriched in pathways associated with basic metabolism, including amino acid metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycosaminoglycan degradation. A series of key DEGs involved in folate biosynthesis (gamma-glutamyl hydrolase, guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase 1), oocyte meiosis and ovarian function (cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding protein 1, structural maintenance of chromosomes 1B, and speedy/RINGO cell cycle regulator family member A), spermatogenesis and male fertility (prostaglandin D2 synthase 21 kDa), Mov10 RISC complex RNA helicase like 1, and deuterosome assembly protein 1) were identified, and these may play important roles in inbreeding depression in reproduction. CONCLUSION: The results improve our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying inbreeding depression in chicken reproduction and provide a theoretical basis for the conservation of species resources.

[Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of larynx: a case report].

Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma（SCNC） of larynx is very rare. Primary small cell neuroendocrine carcinomas constitute less than 0.5% of all laryngeal cancers. Tumor can occur in any laryngeal subsite, while the supraglottis is the most common. Patients usually complaint with hoarseness and neck mass. The diagnosis of this kind of carcinomas relies strictly on histopathological examination and immunohistochemical testing. The prognosis of laryngeal SCNC is generally poor. Here, we report a case of a 55-year-old-male patient who presented with a poorly differentiated SCNC of the supraglottic larynx and neck mass.

Mechanism of pulsatile flushing technique for saline injection via a peripheral intravenous catheter.

BACKGROUND: The underlying mechanism of pulsatile flushing technique has not been fully elucidated, and the partial understanding of the mechanism has been confined to hydrodynamic simulation, ignoring the dynamic interaction among the catheter, blood vessel, blood stream, and saline. METHODS: The peripheral intravenous catheter and vein models and their internal flow fields were assessed using a commercial software. The parameters of both fluid and structural mechanics were calculated and compared in the push and pause phase. The effect of different flushing volumes per bolus before each pause (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mL) were compared, respectively corresponding to group (A, B, C and D). FINDINGS: In groups C and D, the wall shear stress value (≥2 Pa) and enhanced shear rates (peaks up to 10,000 s-1) were higher in the vessel wall near the catheter tip, which may be at risk of vascular endothelial injury. Furthermore, extraluminal flushing might be attributed to the recirculation of jet from the catheter outlet. The vortices of all groups faded away in an extremely short period (≤0.1 s) if the push was suddenly discontinued. Finally, overlarge displacement of the catheter tip in groups C and D (0.91 and 1.1 mm, respectively) caused the peripheral intravenous catheters to angle with the venous wall. INTERPRETATION: The pulsatile flushing technique can facilitate intra- and extraluminal flushing of peripheral intravenous catheters. Furthermore, an insufficient volume per bolus can lead to inefficient flushing, and an overdose of single push may cause mechanical endothelial injury.

Genome-Wide Identification and Evolutionary Analysis of NBS-LRR Genes From Dioscorea rotundata.

Dioscorea rotundata is an important food crop that is mainly cultivated in subtropical regions of the world. D. rotundata is frequently infected by various pathogens during its lifespan, which results in a substantial economic loss in terms of yield and quality. The disease resistance gene (R gene) profile of D. rotundata is largely unknown, which has greatly hampered molecular study of disease resistance in this species. Nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) genes are the largest group of plant R genes, and they play important roles in plant defense responses to various pathogens. In this study, 167 NBS-LRR genes were identified from the D. rotundata genome. Subsequently, one gene was assigned to the resistance to powdery mildew8 (RPW8)-NBS-LRR (RNL) subclass and the other 166 genes to the coiled coil (CC)-NBS-LRR (CNL) subclass. None of the Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR)-NBS-LRR (TNL) genes were detected in the genome. Among them, 124 genes are located in 25 multigene clusters and 43 genes are singletons. Tandem duplication serves as the major force for the cluster arrangement of NBS-LRR genes. Segmental duplication was detected for 18 NBS-LRR genes, although no whole-genome duplication has been documented for the species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that D. rotundata NBS-LRR genes share 15 ancestral lineages with Arabidopsis thaliana genes. The NBS-LRR gene number increased by more than a factor of 10 during D. rotundata evolution. A conservatively evolved ancestral lineage was identified from D. rotundata, which is orthologs to the Arabidopsis RPM1 gene. Transcriptome analysis for four different tissues of D. rotundata revealed a low expression of most NBS-LRR genes, with the tuber and leaf displaying a relatively high NBS-LRR gene expression than the stem and flower. Overall, this study provides a complete set of NBS-LRR genes for D. rotundata, which may serve as a fundamental resource for mining functional NBS-LRR genes against various pathogens.

Lymphoma on the Nasal Dorsum: Report of a Rare Case.

Lymphoma over the nasal dorsum has never been reported. Herein, we report the case of a 74-year-old man who presented with a rapid swelling on the nasal dorsum. A physical examination revealed a firm, immobile, non-tender mass. Computed tomography revealed a space-occupying lesion in the subdermal layer of the nasal dorsum that was most likely a fibroma. An excisional biopsy was performed. Surprisingly, histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses identified a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The patient underwent seven cycles of chemotherapy comprising of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone. He responded well to the regimen. No evidence of persistent or recurrent disease had been detected during the 9 months after his last chemotherapy session. Although never reported previously, lymphoma can mimic common midline nasal soft-tissue tumors and should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Genome-wide analysis of the role of DNA methylation in inbreeding depression of reproduction in Langshan chicken.

Inbreeding depression of chicken reproduction is a major concern in the conservation of chicken genetic resources. To investigate the potential DNA methylation sites involved in the inbreeding depression of chicken reproduction, we carried out whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) of hypothalamus and ovary tissues from the strongly and weakly inbred Langshan chickens, respectively. 5948 and 4593 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified in the hypothalamus and ovary between the strongly and weakly inbred Langshan chickens, respectively. Large numbers of DMR-related genes (DMGs) were enriched in reproduction-related pathways. By combining the WGBS and transcriptome data, two DMRs in SRD5A1 and CDC27 genes were inferred as the most likely biomarkers of inbreeding depression of reproduction in Langshan chicken. Our study provides the first systematic investigation of the DNA methylation changes in strongly inbred chickens, and extends our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying inbreeding depression in chicken reproduction.

Computational fluid dynamics analysis of H-uvulopalatopharyngoplasty in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

PURPOSE: To explore the impact of H-uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (H-UPPP) in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and gain insights into the potential mechanism underlying improvement by H-UPPP. METHODS: In a cohort of 11 OSAS patients, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of the upper airway were obtained using commercial software from computed tomography (CT) datasets before and after H-UPPP. Morphological and numerical parameters were respectively computed and compared during the peak tidal inspiratory flow. The correlations among polysomnography endpoints, airway dimensions, and pre- and post-operative airflow properties were analyzed with Spearman's rank correlation. RESULTS: The preoperative minimum cross-sectional area was significantly increased by 89.56% (p < .05), with a positive correlation to the apnea hypoapnea index (AHI) (r = 0.974). However, the capacity of all pharyngeal regions was not significantly altered (p > .05). Following H-UPPP, we observed a significant increase in pressure and reduction of velocity (p < .05) in the previously constricted areas. The change in pressure and velocity were significantly correlated with AHI (r = 0.922 and r = 0.946, respectively). In addition, the pressure drop in the constricted area, oropharynx, and hypopharynx were also significantly decreased (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: H-UPPP is capable of expanding the constricted region of the velopharynx and can decrease the airway resistance which will in turn decrease the workload necessary for breathing and facilitate inspiration.

Efficacy and safety of saxagliptin monotherapy or added to metformin in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: results from the 24-week, post-marketing SUNSHINE study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to explore the efficacy and safety of saxagliptin in a large Chinese population with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: In all, 1423 T2DM patients from 92 research centers, either drug naïve or uncontrolled by metformin, were enrolled in this single-arm cohort study; patients were treated with saxagliptin 5 mg once daily for 24 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change from baseline in HbA1c at 24 weeks in the per-protocol analysis set. Secondary endpoints included the proportion of patients achieving HbA1c <7% and changes from baseline in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2-h postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) concentrations at 24 weeks. Safety endpoints included adverse events (AEs) and the incidence of hypoglycemia. RESULTS: Among 1210 patients in the per-protocol analysis set, mean HbA1c, FPG and 2-h PPG decreased by 1.61 ± 0.04%, 0.55 ± 0.07 mmol/L, and 2.83 ± 0.27 mmol/L, respectively, at week 24. The proportion of patients achieving HbA1c <7% was 44.1%. No new (previously unreported) AEs occurred. The incidence of serious AEs and hypoglycemia was low (1.8% and 1.2%, respectively). There were no significant differences in efficacy endpoints in subgroup analyses by age, creatinine clearance, body mass index, or treatment background. In elderly patients (≥65 years) and those with mild renal impairment (50 < CCr ≤ 80 mL/min), the incidence of AEs was similar to that of the entire study population. CONCLUSIONS: Saxagliptin significantly improved glycemic control and was well tolerated in Chinese T2DM patients, including the elderly and patients with mild renal impairment.

[Laryngeal polypus at the ventricular band symptomized firstly by hemoptysis: a case report].

Published reports about polyps of larynx at the ventricular bands are extremely rare. The first symptom of this case presents recurrent hemoptysis. The video laryngoscope demonstrated that a smooth-faced and hyperemic polypoid lesion was found in the anterior part of the right false vocal cord, close to laryngeal surface of epiglottis. Postoperative pathological report revealed that the mass was a vascular polyp.

[Compensation effect of cotton growth and development after soil salt content reduction at bud stage].

To elucidate the dynamic characteristics of cotton growth and development after soil salt content reduction (SD) at bud stage and its effect on yield formation, a pot experiment was conducted in which soil salt content was declined from 5 per thousand level to 2 per thousand level at cotton bud stage. The results showed that the plant height, biomass, total fruit branch and fruit node number, boll number, boll mass of cotton plants increased after soil salt content reduction at bud stage. The distribution proportions of biomass in root and boll decreased after soil salt content reduction, however, the distribution proportions of biomass in leaf, main stem and fruit branch were on the rise. The growth rate of cotton plant increased after soil salt content reduction. Plant dry matter accumulation rate of SD cotton exceeded CK cotton at 22 days after soil salt content reduction. The response of different organs of cotton plant were different to soil salt content reduction, the plant height was the earliest, followed by the fruit branch and fruit node formation, and the bud and boll were the latest, which indicated that the compensation effect of cotton growth and development after soil salt content reduction at bud stage firstly appeared on the formation and growth of new leaf, fruit branch and fruit node, and on this basis, gradually brought out yield compensation.