Prenatal Ultrasound Markers of Isolated Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return and a Sequential Approach to Reach Diagnosis.

This article comprehensively reviews the literature concerning prenatal ultrasound findings of isolated total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR) and the application of specific sonographic markers to differentiate among the TAPVR types. These markers can be categorized as direct and indirect, based on either morphological features or hemodynamic changes in TAPVR. Indirect markers include the ventricular disproportion, an increased distance between the left atrium (LA) and the descending aorta, as well as the dilatation of superior vena cava or coronary sinus for supracardiac or cardiac TAPVR, along with abnormal pulmonary venous spectral Doppler patterns. Direct markers predominantly focus on the absence of a connection between the pulmonary veins and the LA. Some direct markers are specific to certain TAPVR types, such as the vertical vein. Diagnosing isolated TAPVR can pose challenges, but following a sequential approach can improve detection rates and outcomes. In cases with equivocal findings, additional follow-ups are recommended. The sequential approach described in the current article provides a step-wise methodology and sonographic markers for prenatal diagnosis of TAPVR, which can be utilized by fetal-maternal medicine specialists, obstetricians, and radiological technicians to ensure timely interventions.

Prevalent arbuscular mycorrhizae in roots and highly variable mycobiome in leaves of epiphytic subtropical fern Ophioderma pendulum.

PREMISE: Endophytic and mycorrhizal fungi are crucial in facilitating plant nutrition acquisition and stress tolerance. In epiphytic habitats, plants face nutrition and water stress, but their roots are mostly nonmycorrhizal and especially lacking in arbuscular mycorrhizal associations. Ophioderma pendulum is an epiphytic fern with a partially mycoheterotrophic lifestyle, likely heavily reliant on symbiotic fungi. To characterize fungal associations in the sporophyte of O. pendulum, we focused on leaves and roots of O. pendulum, seeking to reveal the fungal communities in these organs. METHODS: Roots and leaves from O. pendulum in a subtropical forest were examined microscopically to observe the morphology of fungal structures and determine the percentage of various fungal structures in host tissues. Fungal composition was profiled using metabarcoding techniques that targeted ITS2 of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. RESULTS: Roots were consistently colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomeromycota), especially Acaulospora. Unlike previous findings on epiphytic ferns, dark septate endophytes were rare in O. pendulum roots. Leaves were predominantly colonized by Ascomycota fungi, specifically the classes Dothideomycetes (46.88%), Eurotiomycetes (11.51%), Sordariomycetes (6.23%), and Leotiomycetes (6.14%). Across sampling sites, fungal community compositions were similar in the roots but differed significantly in the leaves. CONCLUSIONS: Ophioderma pendulum maintains stable, single-taxon-dominant communities in the roots, primarily featuring arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, whereas the leaves may harbor opportunistic fungal colonizers. Our study underlines the significance of mycorrhizal fungi in the adaptation of epiphytic ferns.

A practical method for prenatal diagnosis of anal atresia by second trimester ultrasound screening - A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to demonstrate the performance of anal atresia ultrasound screening in the second trimester and to describe associated experiences in a primary care fetal medicine clinic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of fetuses who underwent a second-trimester screening at the Taiji clinic between November 2019 and May 2022. Fisher's exact test was conducted to investigate potential risk factors. RESULTS: There were 28 459 fetuses screened in our clinic during the study period; eventually, 6 cases were diagnosed with anal atresia after birth. The incidence of anal atresia in our sample was 2.11 in 10 000. Based on our findings, potential risk factors significantly associated with anal atresia included: multiple pregnancies (p-value = 0.0185) and in-vitro fertilization (p-value = 0.038). Half of the anal atresia cases were associated with abnormalities affecting other organ systems, most frequently the genitourinary system (66.7%) and cardiovascular system (66.7%), especially persistent left superior vena cava (2 cases). CONCLUSION: Anal atresia is a malformation that requires extensive care; the clinical management after the prenatal discovery of its signs should include testing for chromosomal abnormalities and close monitoring of the amniotic fluid volume. Therefore, prenatal ultrasound screening for anal atresia in the second trimester is critical, particularly in the cases of multiple and IVF pregnancies, and multiple abnormalities. The fetuses with ultrasound signs of anal atresia should be followed at a later gestational period and referred to a specialized institution for postnatal management planning and parental counseling.

High-type anal atresia presenting as a pseudo "target sign" on prenatal ultrasound.

OBJECTIVE: We present prenatal ultrasound images of two high anal atresia cases. The main screening tool used in our clinic is the "target sign" in the tangential view of the fetal perineum. In the current report, we discuss some challenges in the existing screening practices. CASE REPORT: CASE 1: A 28-year-old woman (gravida 1, para 0) with a twin pregnancy underwent ultrasound screening at 21 weeks of gestation when an absent "target sign" in twin A was discovered. At the same time, we were able to present evidence that if the wrong plane was visualized, other structures could be mistaken as the "target sign". Eventually, high-type anal atresia was confirmed postnatally in Twin A. CASE 2: A 29-year-old woman (gravida 1, para 0) came to our clinic for routine screening at 23 weeks of gestation. In the standard tangential view at the level of the perineum, a low-high concentric circle structure resembling a "target sign" was visualized during a prenatal scan. However, anal atresia was discovered postnatally. A retrospective review of prenatal images revealed discrepancies from the typical "target sign". CONCLUSION: High-type anal atresia may present as a pseudo "target sign" on prenatal ultrasound. Visualization of a "target sign" on fetal ultrasound does not always exclude the diagnosis of anal atresia. It is crucial to evaluate the size, shape, level, and position of the "target sign". The appearance of the bilateral hyperechoic perianal tissue is a hint for the screening of anal atresia.

Real-world effectiveness of national pit and fissure sealants program in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the effectiveness of a national population-based pit and fissure sealants (PFS) program in Taiwan. METHODS: Part 1 (effectiveness of national PFS program) involved children who had participated in the PFS program from 2015 to 2019. After propensity score matching, 670,840 children were selected for analysis until the end of 2019. During follow-up, the permanent first molars of the participants were assessed for caries-related treatments by employing multilevel Cox proportional hazards models. In Part 2 (effectiveness of retained sealants), which involved 1,561 children, sealant retention was evaluated 3 years after placement. A structured questionnaire was employed to collect information on family and individual factors. The endpoints were the same as in Part 1. RESULTS: In Part 1, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for caries-related treatments among participants in the PFS program were 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.89, 0.91) for dental restoration, 0.42 (95% CI = 0.38, 0.46) for initiation of endodontic treatment, 0.46 (95% CI = 0.41, 0.52) for completion of endodontic treatment, and 0.25 (95% CI = 0.18, 0.34, all Ps < 0.0001) for extraction. In Part 2, the adjusted HR for dental restoration of teeth with retained sealants was 0.70 (95% CI = 0.58, 0.85), significantly lower than that for teeth without retained sealants (P = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: Participation in the national PFS program was associated with a significant reduction of at least 10% in the risk of caries-related treatments, and an additional 30% risk reduction may have been attributed to sealant retention. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: In a real-world setting, schoolchildren in the national PFS program were associated with a significant reduction of at least 10% in the likelihood of caries-related treatments. The program provided moderate protection against caries for the study population and could be improved by increasing the sealant retention rate.

Leaf Mycobiome and Mycotoxin Profile of Warm-Season Grasses Structured by Plant Species, Geography, and Apparent Black-Stroma Fungal Structure.

Grasses harbor diverse fungi, including some that produce mycotoxins or other secondary metabolites. Recently, Florida cattle farmers reported cattle illness, while the cattle were grazing on warm-season grass pastures, that was not attributable to common causes, such as nutritional imbalances or nitrate toxicity. To understand correlations between grass mycobiome and mycotoxin production, we investigated the mycobiomes associated with five prominent, perennial forage and weed grasses [Paspalum notatum Flügge, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., Paspalum nicorae Parodi, Sporobolus indicus (L.) R. Br., and Andropogon virginicus (L.)] collected from six Florida pastures actively grazed by livestock. Black fungal stromata of Myriogenospora and Balansia were observed on P. notatum and S. indicus leaves and were investigated. High-throughput amplicon sequencing was applied to delineate leaf mycobiomes. Mycotoxins from P. notatum leaves were inspected using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Grass species, cultivars, and geographic localities interactively affected fungal community assemblies of asymptomatic leaves. Among the grass species, the greatest fungal richness was detected in the weed S. indicus. The black fungal structures of P. notatum leaves were dominated by the genus Myriogenospora, while those of S. indicus were codominated by the genus Balansia and a hypermycoparasitic fungus of the genus Clonostachys. When comparing mycotoxins detected in P. notatum leaves with and without M. atramentosa, emodin, an anthraquinone, was the only compound which was significantly different (P < 0.05). Understanding the leaf mycobiome and the mycotoxins it may produce in warm-season grasses has important implications for how these associations lead to secondary metabolite production and their subsequent impact on animal health. IMPORTANCE The leaf mycobiome of forage grasses can have a major impact on their mycotoxin contents of forage and subsequently affect livestock health. Despite the importance of the cattle industry in warm-climate regions, such as Florida, studies have been primarily limited to temperate forage systems. Our study provides a holistic view of leaf fungi considering epibiotic, endophytic, and hypermycoparasitic associations with five perennial, warm-season forage and weed grasses. We highlight that plant identity and geographic location interactively affect leaf fungal community composition. Yeasts appeared to be an overlooked fungal group in healthy forage mycobiomes. Furthermore, we detected high emodin quantities in the leaves of a widely planted forage species (P. notatum) whenever epibiotic fungi occurred. Our study demonstrated the importance of identifying fungal communities, ecological roles, and secondary metabolites in perennial, warm-season grasses and their potential for interfering with livestock health.

Incidental coronary calcium in cancer patients treated with anthracycline and/or trastuzumab.

AIMS: Cancer patients are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) after treatment with potentially cardiotoxic treatments. Many cancer patients undergo non-gated chest computed tomography (NCCT) for cancer staging prior to treatment. We aimed to assess whether coronary artery calcification on NCCT predicts CVD risk in cancer patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Six hundred and three patients (mean age: 61.3 years, 30.8% male) with either breast cancer, lymphoma, or sarcoma were identified retrospectively. Primary endpoint was a major adverse cardiac event (MACE) composite including non-fatal myocardial infarction, new heart failure (HF) diagnosis, HF hospitalization, and cardiac death, with Fine-Gray analysis for non-cardiac death as competing risk. Secondary endpoints included a coronary composite and a HF composite. Coronary artery calcification was present in 194 (32.2%) and clinically reported in 85 (43.8%) patients. At a median follow-up of 5.3 years, 256 (42.5%) patients died of non-cardiac causes. Coronary artery calcification presence or extent was not an independent predictor of MACE [sub-distribution hazards ratio (SHR) 1.28; 0.73-2.27]. Coronary artery calcification extent was a significant predictor of the coronary composite outcome (SHR per two-fold increase 1.14; 1.01-1.28), but not of the HF composite outcome (SHR per two-fold increase 1.04; 0.95-1.14). CONCLUSION: Coronary artery calcification detected incidentally on NCCT scans in cancer patients is prevalent and often not reported. Coronary artery calcification presence or extent did not independently predict MACE. Coronary artery calcification extent was independently associated with increased risk of CAD events but not HF events.

A scoping review of bryophyte microbiota: diverse microbial communities in small plant packages.

Plant health depends not only on the condition of the plant itself but also on its diverse community of microbes, or microbiota. Just like the better-studied angiosperms, bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts) harbor diverse communities of bacteria, archaea, fungi, and other microbial eukaryotes. Bryophytes are increasingly recognized as important model systems for understanding plant evolution, development, physiology, and symbiotic interactions. Much of the work on bryophyte microbiota in the past focused on specific symbiont types for each bryophyte group, but more recent studies are taking a broader view acknowledging the coexistence of diverse microbial communities in bryophytes. Therefore, this review integrates studies of bryophyte microbes from both perspectives to provide a holistic view of the existing research for each bryophyte group and on key themes. The systematic search also reveals the taxonomic and geographic biases in this field, including a severe under-representation of the tropics, very few studies on viruses or eukaryotic microbes beyond fungi, and a focus on mycorrhizal fungi studies in liverworts. Such gaps may have led to errors in conclusions about evolutionary patterns in symbiosis. This analysis points to a wealth of future research directions that promise to reveal how the distinct life cycles and physiology of bryophytes interact with their microbiota.

Mycobiome detection from a single subterranean gametophyte using metabarcoding techniques.

Premise: Several ferns and lycophytes produce subterranean gametophytes, including the Ophioglossaceae, Psilotaceae, and some members of the Schizaeaceae, Gleicheniaceae, and Lycopodiaceae. Despite the surge in plant-microbiome research, which has been particularly boosted by high-throughput sequencing techniques, the microbiomes of these inconspicuous fern gametophytes have rarely been examined. The subterranean gametophytes are peculiar due to their achlorophyllous nature, which makes them rely on fungi to obtain nutrients. Furthermore, the factors that shape the fungal communities (mycobiomes) of fern gametophytes have not been examined in depth. Methods and Results: We present a workflow to study the mycobiome of the achlorophyllous gametophytes of Ophioderma pendulum using a high-throughput metabarcoding approach. Simultaneously, each gametophyte was investigated microscopically to detect fungal structures. Two primer sets of the nuclear ITS sequence targeting general fungi were applied, in addition to a primer set that specifically targets the nuclear small subunit ribosomal rDNA region of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Both the microscopic and metabarcoding approaches revealed many diverse fungi inhabiting a single gametophyte of O. pendulum. Discussion: This study provides methodological details and discusses precautions for the mycobiome investigation of achlorophyllous gametophytes. This research is also the first to uncover the mycobiome assembly of an achlorophyllous gametophyte of an epiphytic fern.

Comparative transcriptomics of fungal endophytes in co-culture with their moss host Dicranum scoparium reveals fungal trophic lability and moss unchanged to slightly increased growth rates.

Mosses harbor fungi whose interactions within their hosts remain largely unexplored. Trophic ranges of fungal endophytes from the moss Dicranum scoparium were hypothesized to encompass saprotrophism. This moss is an ideal host to study fungal trophic lability because of its natural senescence gradient, and because it can be grown axenically. Dicranum scoparium was co-cultured with each of eight endophytic fungi isolated from naturally occurring D. scoparium. Moss growth rates, and gene expression levels (RNA sequencing) of fungi and D. scoparium, were compared between axenic and co-culture treatments. Functional lability of two fungal endophytes was tested by comparing their RNA expression levels when colonizing living vs dead gametophytes. Growth rates of D. scoparium were unchanged, or increased, when in co-culture. One fungal isolate (Hyaloscyphaceae sp.) that promoted moss growth was associated with differential expression of auxin-related genes. When grown with living vs dead gametophytes, Coniochaeta sp. switched from having upregulated carbohydrate transporter activity to upregulated oxidation-based degradation, suggesting an endophytism to saprotrophism transition. However, no such transition was detected for Hyaloscyphaceae sp. Individually, fungal endophytes did not negatively impact growth rates of D. scoparium. Our results support the long-standing hypothesis that some fungal endophytes can switch to saprotrophism.

Heterospecific Neighbor Plants Impact Root Microbiome Diversity and Molecular Function of Root Fungi.

Within the forest community, competition and facilitation between adjacent-growing conspecific and heterospecific plants are mediated by interactions involving common mycorrhizal networks. The ability of plants to alter their neighbor's microbiome is well documented, but the molecular biology of plant-fungal interactions during competition and facilitation has not been previously examined. We used a common soil-plant bioassay experiment to study molecular plant-microbial interactions among rhizosphere communities associated with Pinus taeda (native host) and Populus trichocarpa (non-native host). Gene expression of interacting fungal and bacterial rhizosphere communities was compared among three plant-pairs: Populus growing with Populus, Populus with Pinus, and Pinus with Pinus. Our results demonstrate that heterospecific plant partners affect the assembly of root microbiomes, including the changes in the structure of host specific community. Comparative metatranscriptomics reveals that several species of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) and saprotrophic fungi exhibit different patterns of functional and regulatory gene expression with these two plant hosts. Heterospecific plants affect the transcriptional expression pattern of EMF host-specialists (e.g., Pinus-associated Suillus spp.) on both plant species, mainly including the genes involved in the transportation of amino acids, carbohydrates, and inorganic ions. Alteration of root microbiome by neighboring plants may help regulate basic plant physiological processes via modulation of molecular functions in the root microbiome.

First detection of Colletotrichumfructicola (Ascomycota) on horsehair worms (Nematomorpha).

Fungal members of Colletotrichum (Ascomycota) were found to be associated with Chordodesformosanus, one of the three currently known horsehair worm (Nematomorpha) species in Taiwan. The fungi were identified as Colletotrichumfructicola, which is mostly known as a plant pathogen, through the use of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer and partial large subunit (nrITS + nrLSU) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) DNA sequences. To our knowledge, this report represents both the first records for Colletotrichum associated with hairworms and for fungi on Nematomorpha. These findings expand the knowledge on the ecological relationships of both clades.

Sex Differences in Patients With Suspected Cardiac Sarcoidosis Assessed by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Background: There are few data on sex differences in suspected cardiac sarcoidosis. Methods: Consecutive patients with histologically proven sarcoidosis and suspected cardiac involvement were studied. We investigated sex differences in presenting features, cardiac involvement, and the long-term incidence of a primary composite end point of all-cause death or significant ventricular arrhythmia and secondary end points of all-cause death and significant ventricular arrhythmia. Results: Among 324 patients, 163 (50.3%) were female and 161 (49.7%) were male patients. Female patients had a greater prevalence of chest pain (37.4% versus 23.6%; P=0.010) and palpitations (39.3% versus 26.1%; P=0.016) than male patients but not dyspnea, presyncope, syncope, or arrhythmias at presentation. Female patients had a lower prevalence of late gadolinium enhancement on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (20.2% versus 35.4%; P=0.003) and less often met criteria for a clinical diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis (Heart Rhythm Society consensus criteria, 22.7% versus 36.0%; P=0.012 and 2016 Japanese Circulation Society guideline criteria, 8.0% versus 19.3%; P=0.005), indicating lesser cardiac involvement. However, the long-term incidence of all-cause death or significant ventricular arrhythmia was not different between female and male patients (23.2% versus 23.2%; P=0.46). Among the secondary end points, the incidence of all-cause death was not different between female and male patients (20.7% versus 14.3%; P=0.51), while female patients had a lower incidence of significant ventricular arrhythmia compared with male patients (4.3% versus 13.0%; P=0.022). On multivariable analyses, sex was not associated with the primary end point (hazard ratio for female patients, 1.36 [95% CI, 0.77­2.43]; P=0.29). Conclusions: We observed distinct sex differences in patients with suspected cardiac sarcoidosis. A paradox was identified wherein female patients had a greater prevalence of chest pain and palpitations than male patients, but lesser cardiac involvement, and a similar long-term incidence of all-cause death or significant ventricular arrhythmia.

Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of neural tube defects in the era of intrauterine repair - Eleven years' experiences.

OBJECTIVE: To modify the current neural tube defect (NTD) classification for fetal medicine specialists, and to investigate the impact of prenatal ultrasound conus medullaris position screening on the detection rate of closed spinal dysraphism and pregnancy outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical data of 112 patients prenatally diagnosed with neural tube defects in Taiji clinic from 2008 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. All cases were classified following the modified classification. We compared the detection rate before and after introducing the conus medullaris screening and pregnancy outcomes for NTD types. RESULTS: Closed spinal dysraphism type prevailed in our sample (43.8%). The median gestational age at the time of detection for cranial dysraphism was 13.3 weeks, open spinal dysraphism was 22.0 weeks, and closed spinal dysraphism was 22.6 weeks. All cranial dysraphism (n = 43) and open spinal dysraphism cases (n = 20) had pregnancies terminated. For closed spinal dysraphism Class 1, the live-birth rate was 100.0% in the cases without other anomalies and 33.3% in the cases with other anomalies, respectively (X2 = 17.25, p < 0.001). Similarly, for Class 2, pregnancy continuation rate was 50.0% in cases without other anomalies and 20.0% in cases with other anomalies, yet it failed to reach statistical significance (X2 = 0.9, p = 0.524). CONCLUSION: Our case series may help to improve early screening and prenatal diagnosis of NTDs. Modified classification is adjusted for use in ultrasound fetal care facilities, which could be used for predicting pregnancy outcome. We suggest promoting first-trimester anatomical screening in order to make an earlier diagnosis and therefore provide better prenatal care for open spinal dysraphism cases in the era of intrauterine repair. Our findings imply that the use of fetal conus medullaris position as a marker for closed spinal dysraphism improves the detection rate and would unlikely lead to a higher termination rate.

Myocardial damage assessed by late gadolinium enhancement on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in cancer patients treated with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab.

AIMS: In cancer patients with cardiomyopathy related to anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab, data regarding late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging are confusing. The prevalence ranges from 0% to 30% and the patterns are ill-defined. Whether treatment with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab is associated with LGE is unclear. We aimed to investigate these topics in a large cohort of consecutive cancer patients with suspected cardiotoxicity from anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 298 patients, analysed the prevalence, patterns, and correlates of LGE, and determined their causes. We compared the findings with those from 100 age-matched cancer patients who received neither anthracyclines nor trastuzumab. Amongst those who received anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab, 31 (10.4%) had LGE. It had a wide range of extent (3.9-34.7%) and locations. An ischaemic pattern was present in 20/31 (64.5%) patients. There was an alternative explanation for the non-ischaemic LGE in 7/11 (63.6%) patients. In the age-matched patients who received neither anthracyclines nor trastuzumab, the prevalence of LGE was higher at 27.0%, while the extent of LGE and the proportion with ischaemic pattern were not different. CONCLUSION: LGE was present in only a minority. Its patterns and locations did not fit into a single unique profile. It had alternative explanations in virtually all cases. Finally, LGE was also present in cancer patients who received neither anthracyclines nor trastuzumab. Therefore, treatment with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab is unlikely to be associated with LGE. The absence of LGE can help distinguish anthracycline- and/or trastuzumab-related cardiomyopathy from unrelated cardiomyopathies.

Multidisciplinary team approach to the prenatal management of orofacial clefts: a single center cohort study in Taiwan.

Advances in ultrasound fetal diagnostics and treatment have created a dilemma for doctors and parents: choosing whether to continue with a pregnancy as well as choosing between various treatment options. A multidisciplinary approach has been widely accepted in the management of other prenatally diagnosed anomalies and has shown superior results compared to routine care. We present a retrospective cohort of patients prenatally diagnosed with orofacial clefts who were offered consultation by an expert multidisciplinary team, including: a fetal medicine specialist, an obstetrician, a plastic surgeon, and a case managing nurse. We analyzed factors influencing parents' decision to utilize a consultation service, as well as their decision about pregnancy continuation. Our results suggest that the presence of other anomalies and maternal age heavily influenced the decision about the uptake of consultations. If consulted by the team, parents tended to continue with the pregnancy, even when accounting for fetal gender and maternal age. On the other hand, having a consultation had varying effects depending on the cleft type. The findings suggest that multidisciplinary consultations may be an efficient approach in managing pregnancies complicated by orofacial cleft anomalies; which may help in preventing unnecessary pregnancy terminations and developing a sufficient postnatal care plan.

Piriformospora indica symbiosis improves water stress tolerance of rice through regulating stomata behavior and ROS scavenging systems.

Global water shortage seriously threatens rice growth especially in irrigated production areas. Association of plants with beneficial soil microbes is one strategy for plant adaption to environmental stresses. In this study, rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants were colonized by the beneficial root-colonizing endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica (P. indica). We demonstrate that grain yield were higher in P. indica-colonized rice plants compared to the uncolonized plants grown in soil. Moreover, P. indica effect on improving water stress tolerance in rice and its physiological mechanism were investigated in a hydroponic culture system. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was applied to the culture solution to conduct the water stress condition. Water stress-induced leaf wilting and impairments in photosynthetic efficiency were diminished in P. indica-colonized plants. Furthermore, P. indica colonization promotes stomata closure and increases the leaf surface temperature under water stress. The malondialdehyde level (as an indicator for oxidative stress) was lower and the reduced to oxidized glutathione ratio was higher in P. indica-colonized and PEG-exposed rice plants compared to the uncolonized plants. Furthermore, the activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione reductase were up-regulated in inoculated rice seedlings under water stress. In conclusion, P. indica promotes rice performance under water stress by stomata closure and lower oxidative stress.

Right Ventricular Abnormalities on Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Sarcoidosis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the prevalence on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) of right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction and RV late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), their determinants, and their influences on long-term adverse outcomes in patients with sarcoidosis. BACKGROUND: In patients with sarcoidosis, RV abnormalities have been described on many imaging modalities. On CMR, RV abnormalities include RV systolic dysfunction quantified as an abnormal right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF), and RV LGE. METHODS: Consecutive patients with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis who underwent CMR for suspected cardiac involvement were studied. They were followed for 2 endpoints: all-cause death, and a composite arrhythmic endpoint of sudden cardiac death or significant ventricular arrhythmia. RESULTS: Among 290 patients, RV systolic dysfunction (RVEF <40% in men and <45% in women) and RV LGE were present in 35 (12.1%) and 16 (5.5%), respectively. The median follow-up time was 3.2 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 1.6 to 5.7 years) for all-cause death and 3.0 years (IQR: 1.4 to 5.5 years) for the arrhythmic endpoint. On Cox proportional hazards regression multivariable analyses, only RVEF was independently associated with all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.05 for every 1% decrease; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01 to 1.09; p = 0.022) after adjustment for left ventricular EF, left ventricular LGE extent, and the presence of RV LGE. RVEF was not associated with the arrhythmic endpoint (HR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.96 to 1.06; p = 0.67). Conversely, RV LGE was not associated with all-cause death (HR: 2.78; 95% CI: 0.36 to 21.66; p = 0.33), while it was independently associated with the arrhythmic endpoint (HR: 5.43; 95% CI: 1.25 to 23.47; p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: In this study of patients with sarcoidosis, RV systolic dysfunction and RV LGE had distinct prognostic associations; RV systolic dysfunction but not RV LGE was independently associated with all-cause death, whereas RV LGE but not RV systolic dysfunction was independently associated with sudden cardiac death or significant ventricular arrhythmia. These findings may indicate distinct implications for the management of RV abnormalities in sarcoidosis.