Background
Anastomotic leakage (AL) is a serious complication in laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery, and risk factors for AL are not well defined. Herein, we conducted a systematic review to quantify ...the clinicopathologic factors predictive for AL in patients who underwent laparoscopic anterior resection (LAR) for rectal cancer.
Methods
A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Scopus Database, and Wanfang Database) for studies published until August 2014 was performed. Cohort, case–control studies, and randomized controlled trials that examined clinical risk factors for AL were included.
Results
Fourteen studies (seven prospective and seven retrospective studies) involving 4580 patients met final inclusion criteria. From the pooled analyses, five demographic factors were found to be significantly associated with the development of AL, including male gender (OR 2.04, 95 % CI 1.50–2.77), BMI ≥25 kg/m
2
(OR 1.46, 95 % CI 1.00–2.14), ASA score >2 (OR 1.74, 95 % CI 1.04–2.93,
P
= 0.04), tumor size >5 cm (OR 1.63, 95 % CI 1.01–2.64,
P
= 0.05), and preoperative chemotherapy (OR 1.67, 95 % CI 1.10–2.55,
P
= 0.02). Four operative factors were significantly associated with increased risk of AL, including longer operative time (95 % CI 1.71–5.77,
P
= 0.0002), number of stapler firings ≥3 (OR 0.17, 95 % CI 0.07–0.41,
P
< 0.001), intra-operative transfusions/blood loss >100 mL (OR 3.79, 95 % CI 2.48–5.49,
P
< 0.001), and anastomosis level within 5 cm from the anal verge (OR 9.63, 95 % CI 3.05–30.43,
P
= 0.0001), while pelvic drain (OR 0.43, 95 % CI 0.19–0.94,
P
= 0.04) was significantly associated with a lower AL rate.
Conclusion
Our analysis identified several clinicopathologic factors associated with AL in patients who underwent LAR. The knowledge of these risk factors may influence treatment- and procedure-related decisions and possibly reduce the leakage rate.
Multilayer graphene/polymer composite films with good mechanical flexibility were fabricated into paraffin-based sandwich structures to evaluate electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. ...Experimental results showed the relationship between electrical properties and shielding performance, demonstrating that electrical properties are significant factors in EMI shielding. Calculation based on electrical conductivity of the composite films was carried out to investigate the fundamental mechanisms of absorption, reflection and multiple-reflections for the polymeric graphene composite films. Both experimental and calculated results indicate that reflection is the dominating shielding mechanism for the as-fabricated polymeric graphene films. The optimization of thickness, skin depth and electrical conductivity in the shielding materials could be highly significant in achieving enhanced EMI shielding. Further improvement in absorption shielding has been achieved by increasing the shielding thickness in order to enhance the overall shielding performance. The optimized shielding effectiveness up to 27dB suggested effective shielding of the composite films. The implication of the mechanisms for optimizing shielding performance demonstrates significant fundamental basis for designing high-performance EMI shielding composites. The results and techniques also promise a simple and effective approach to achieve light-weight graphene-based composite films for application potentials in EMI shielding coatings.
Berberine, a natural isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from the berberis species, has a wide array of biological properties such as anti‐inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and antihelminthic ...effects. We evaluated the antiviral effect of berberine against influenza A/FM1/1/47 (H1N1) in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that berberine strongly suppressed viral replication in A549 cells and in mouse lungs. Meanwhile, berberine relieved pulmonary inflammation and reduced necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, and pulmonary edema induced by viral infection in mice when compared with vehicle‐treated mice. Berberine suppressed the viral infection‐induced up‐regulation of TLR7 signaling pathway, such as TLR7, MyD88, and NF‐κB (p65), at both the mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, berberine significantly inhibited the viral infection‐induced increase in Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg ratios as well as the production of inflammatory cytokines. Our data provide new insight into the potential of berberine as a therapeutic agent for viral infection via its antiviral activity.
Ethanol extract (EE) from
(PA) is the main ingredient of Kangfuxin, which is a popular traditional chinese medicine (TCM) and has long been used for the clinical treatment of burns, wounds and ...ulcers. We compared the wound-healing activities of three extracts of PA using cutaneous wound-healing in mice as the bioactivity model. These three extracts were EE, total polysaccharide and total protein. We also tracked bioactive fractions in the EE by organic reagent extraction, column chromatography and HPLC. Seven compounds were successfully identified from the water elution fraction of the EE of PA using UPLC-MS. Among these compounds, four compounds (
,
,
,
) were first reported in PA. Some of these compounds have been previously reported to have various pharmacological activities that could contribute to the high wound-healing activity of PA.
The loss of glomerular podocytes is a key event in the progression of chronic kidney disease resulting in proteinuria and declining function. Podocytes are slow cycling cells that are considered ...terminally differentiated. Here we provide the first report of the directed differentiation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to generate kidney cells with podocyte features. The iPS-derived podocytes share a morphological phenotype analogous with cultured human podocytes. Following 10 days of directed differentiation, iPS podocytes had an up-regulated expression of mRNA and protein localization for podocyte markers including synaptopodin, nephrin and Wilm's tumour protein (WT1), combined with a down-regulation of the stem cell marker OCT3/4. In contrast to human podocytes that become quiescent in culture, iPS-derived cells maintain a proliferative capacity suggestive of a more immature phenotype. The transduction of iPS podocytes with fluorescent labeled-talin that were immunostained with podocin showed a cytoplasmic contractile response to angiotensin II (AII). A permeability assay provided functional evidence of albumin uptake in the cytoplasm of iPS podocytes comparable to human podocytes. Moreover, labeled iPS-derived podocytes were found to integrate into reaggregated metanephric kidney explants where they incorporated into developing glomeruli and co-expressed WT1. This study establishes the differentiation of iPS cells to kidney podocytes that will be useful for screening new treatments, understanding podocyte pathogenesis, and offering possibilities for regenerative medicine.
Microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs) have become the most popular source of genetic markers, which are ubiquitously distributed in many eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes. This is the ...first study examining and comparing SSRs in completely sequenced genomes of the Bovidae. We analyzed and compared the number of SSRs, relative abundance, relative density, guanine-cytosine (GC) content and proportion of SSRs in six taxonomically different bovid species: Bos taurus, Bubalus bubalis, Bos mutus, Ovis aries, Capra hircus, and Pantholops hodgsonii. Our analysis revealed that, based on our search criteria, the total number of perfect SSRs found ranged from 663,079 to 806,907 and covered from 0.44% to 0.48% of the bovid genomes. Relative abundance and density of SSRs in these Bovinae genomes were non-significantly correlated with genome size (Pearson, r < 0.420, p > 0.05). Perfect mononucleotide SSRs were the most abundant, followed by the pattern: perfect di- > tri- > penta- > tetra- > hexanucleotide SSRs. Generally, the number of SSRs, relative abundance, and relative density of SSRs decreased as the motif repeat length increased in each species of Bovidae. The most GC-content was in trinucleotide SSRs and the least was in the mononucleotide SSRs in the six bovid genomes. The GC-contents of tri- and pentanucleotide SSRs showed a great deal of similarity among different chromosomes of B. taurus, O. aries, and C. hircus. SSR number of all chromosomes in the B. taurus, O.aries, and C. hircus is closely positively correlated with chromosome sequence size (Pearson, r > 0.980, p < 0.01) and significantly negatively correlated with GC-content (Pearson, r < -0.638, p < 0.01). Relative abundance and density of SSRs in all chromosomes of the three species were significantly negatively correlated with GC-content (Pearson, r < -0.333, P < 0.05) but not significantly correlated with chromosome sequence size (Pearson, r < -0.185, P > 0.05). Relative abundances of the same nucleotide SSR type showed great similarity among different chromosomes of B. taurus, O. aries, and C. hircus.
Polyploidization, pervasive among higher plant species, enhances adaptation to water deficit, but the physiological and molecular advantages need to be investigated widely. Long non-coding RNAs ...(lncRNAs) are involved in drought tolerance in various crops.
Herein, we demonstrate that tetraploidy potentiates tolerance to drought stress in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz). Autotetraploidy reduces transpiration by lesser extent increasing of stomatal density, smaller stomatal aperture size, or greater stomatal closure, and reducing accumulation of H
O
under drought stress. Transcriptome analysis of autotetraploid samples revealed down-regulation of genes involved in photosynthesis under drought stress, and less down-regulation of subtilisin-like proteases involved in increasing stomatal density. UDP-glucosyltransferases were increased more or reduced less in dehydrated leaves of autotetraploids compared with controls. Strand-specific RNA-seq data (validated by quantitative real time PCR) identified 2372 lncRNAs, and 86 autotetraploid-specific lncRNAs were differentially expressed in stressed leaves. The co-expressed network analysis indicated that LNC_001148 and LNC_000160 in autotetraploid dehydrated leaves regulated six genes encoding subtilisin-like protease above mentioned, thereby result in increasing the stomatal density to a lesser extent in autotetraploid cassava. Trans-regulatory network analysis suggested that autotetraploid-specific differentially expressed lncRNAs were associated with galactose metabolism, pentose phosphate pathway and brassinosteroid biosynthesis, etc. CONCLUSION: Tetraploidy potentiates tolerance to drought stress in cassava, and LNC_001148 and LNC_000160 mediate drought tolerance by regulating stomatal density in autotetraploid cassava.
The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is an agriculturally important insect pest and causes significant economic loss due to its resistance to insecticide and high dispersal ...ability (i.e. long‐distance flyer). We performed comparative genomics analysis based on the recently released chromosome‐scale genome of the FAW to investigate the genetic mechanisms of FAWs defense system and flight ability. The gene families encoding receptors for bitter or toxic substances and detoxification enzymes, such as cytochrome P450, carboxylesterase and glutathione‐S‐transferase, were expanded in FAW, enabling its ability to detect and detoxify many plant secondary compounds. The chromosomal locations of five detoxification‐related genes (i.e. ABC, CCE, GST, P450, and UGT) were analyzed, which revealed the density of these genes across the FAW genome. Several genes like Mio, Sik2, CRTC, and Lpin were positively selected in FAW, which were associated with energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, and/or muscle development, and thus possibly contributed to the high flight ability of FAW. We also analyzed the homologs to antimicrobial genes reported in the Drosophila genome, and identified 2 attacins, 6 cecropins, 3 gloverins, and 2 moricins in FAW. The findings of this study will broadly expand our knowledge on the biology of the devastating FAW, and contribute to the development of new pest management strategies for the control of major agricultural pests like FAW.
•Sweat areas and sweat pore size were utilized for evaluating thermal comfort.•Skin blood flow was utilized for evaluating thermal comfort.•Relations between multi-physiological parameters and TSV ...were obtained.•Various TSV models during wind chill stimulation were established.•Timely thermal comfort response for intelligent AC control is provided.
Thermal sensation is the occupants’ response about the thermal variation of any given environment. Data regarding thermal sensation can be collected to enhance an air conditioner's capabilities to improve the thermal environment of an area. In this study, six physiological parameters, including skin blood flow (SBF), skin temperatures (forehead, arm, and hands) sweat areas and sweat pore diameters of the body were monitored during a two-step wind chill stimulation in an indoor environment. These physiological parameters were measured by a laser Doppler flowmeter, three surface thermometers, and a digital universal serial bus (USB) microscope. The sample group consisted of 12 undergraduate students who were recruited to be test subjects. The correlation coefficients between the aforementioned six physiological parameters and the Thermal Sensation Vote (TSV) were then analyzed. These physiological parameters were used to develop eight estimated TSV models. Of all the parameters measured for the TSV models, skin temperatures of the forehead and arms as well as SBF measurements provided the most accurate results. In contrast, sweat area measurements had the lowest accuracy under the experimental conditions of this study. Therefore, the estimated TSV models based on the skin temperature measured at the forehead or the combined physiological parameters would provide the most timely thermal comfort response of the occupants and facilitate the better intelligent control of an air-conditioning system for an indoor environment.
The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the beet webworm, Spoladea recurvalis has been sequenced. The circular genome is 15,273 bp in size, encoding 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two rRNA ...genes, and 22 tRNA genes and containing a control region with gene order and orientation identical to that of other ditrysian lepidopteran mitogenomes. The nucleotide composition of the mitogenome shows a high A+T content of 80.9%, and the AT skewness is slightly negative (-0.023). All PCGs start with the typical ATN codons, except for COX1, which may start with the CGA codon. Nine of 13 PCGs have the common stop codon TAA; however, COX1, COX2 and ND5 utilize the T nucleotide and ND4 utilizes TA nucleotides as incomplete termination codons. All tRNAs genes are folded into the typical cloverleaf structure of mitochondrial tRNAs, except for the tRNASer(AGY) gene, in which the DHU arm fails to form a stable stem-loop structure. A total of 157 bp intergenic spacers are scattered in 17 regions. The overlapping sequences are 42 bp in total and found in eight different locations. The 329 bp AT-rich region is comprised of non-repetitive sequences, including the motif ATAG, which is followed by a 14 bp poly-T stretch, a (AT11 microsatellite-like repeat, which is adjacent to the motif ATTTA, and a 9 bp poly-A, which is immediately upstream from the tRNAMet gene. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 13 PCGs and 13 PCGs+2 rRNAs using Bayesian inference and Maximum likelihood methods, show that the classification position of Pyraloidea is inconsistent with the traditional classification. Hesperioidea is placed within the Papilionoidea rather than as a sister group to it. The Pyraloidea is placed within the Macrolepidoptera with other superfamilies instead of the Papilionoidea.
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