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In this study, a rapid and sensitive ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry method was established for the simultaneous determination of four Vitexin‐4"‐O‐glucoside (VOG), Vitexin‐2"‐O‐rhamnoside (VOR), vitexin (VIT), and hyperoside (HP) in plasma, which are representative flavonoids constituents of hawthorn leaves. The four components were separated by CORTECS UPLC C18 column (100 × 3.0 mm, 1.6 µm), using acetonitrile‐water containing 0.02% formic acid and 2 mmol/L ammonium formate as the mobile phase, the gradient elution flow rate was 0.30 mL/min. The analyte was quantified using an electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The analytes and baicalin internal standard were performed at m/z 593.2/413.2 for VOG, m/z 577.2/413.1 for VOR, m/z 431.1/310.9 for VIT, m/z 463.2/300 for HP and m/z 445.1/269 for internal standard. Among the four flavonoids, the correlation coefficient of the standard curve of each component is between 0.9939 and 0.9987. After oral administration of hawthorn leaf extract, VOG and VOR showed similar pharmacokinetic characteristics; VIT was eliminated in the body more slowly than the other three flavonoids and distributed more in the tissues; HP can be quickly absorbed in the blood. The developed analytical method has high sensitivity, precision, and accuracy with no interference from plasma components and has been successfully used in pharmacokinetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) belongs to the most promising class of materials with unique properties and widespread applications. Coupling with carbon materials allows further enhancement of the specific performance of TMCs by mitigating their intrinsic deficiencies. However, the synthesis of a wide variety of TMCs/carbon composites with a universal strategy especially in a scalable manner remains challenging. In this work, by utilizing the gas‐liquid interfaces in viscous gel precursors, an "all‐in‐one" blowing strategy is proposed to achieve the synchronous growth of TMCs and carbon nanosheets, obviating the additional chalcogenization process. The generality of the proposed blowing strategy is validated by the fabrication of 32 different TMCs/carbon composites, including 24 binary TMCs, 4 ternary TMCs and 4 high‐entropy sulfides. In‐depth mechanistic study is accomplished by investigating the physical evolution of blowing process and accompanying chemical reactions systematically. Also, the structure of the resulting foam is adjustable by controlling the heating rate and viscosity of the precursors is demonstrated. As an illustrative example for the application of energy storage, MoS2xSe2(1‐x)@CNS exhibits great Li+ storage capacity and cycling stability. Overall, this methodology serves as an effective general strategy for the rational discovery of TMCs/carbon composites and inorganic solid foams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: Amphibians are a diverse vertebrate group with more than 8,000 species, which is an important part of major terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Unfortunately, amphibians are experiencing a worldwide population decline. Trait information is important for understanding the causes of endangerment. Additionally, such information is essential for ecological and evolutionary studies using trait‐based approaches. However, such data are scarcer for amphibians than for any other terrestrial vertebrate groups. To fill this gap, we collected morphological traits of global amphibians available from the literature and compiled a database to facilitate future studies. Main types of variables contained: Forty‐two morphological traits of Anura, 27 morphological traits of Caudata and 37 morphological traits of Gymnophiona. Spatial location and grain: Global. Major taxa: Amphibia. Level of measurement: Species. Software format:.csv. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing use of Li batteries for storage, their safety issues and energy densities are attracting considerable attention. Recently, replacing liquid organic electrolytes with solid‐state electrolytes (SSE) has been hailed as the key to developing safe and high‐energy‐density Li batteries. In particular, Li1+xAlxTi2−x(PO4)3 (LATP) has been identified as a very attractive SSE for Li batteries due to its excellent electrochemical stability, low production costs, and good chemical compatibility. However, interfacial reactions with electrodes and poor thermal stability at high temperatures severely restrict the practical use of LATP in solid‐state batteries (SSB). Herein, a systematic review of recent advances in LATP for SSBs is provided. This review starts with a brief introduction to the development history of LATP and then summarizes its structure, ion transport mechanism, and synthesis methods. Challenges (e.g., intrinsic brittleness, interfacial resistance, and compatibility) and corresponding solutions (ionic substitution, additives, protective layers, composite electrolytes, etc.) that are critical for practical applications are then discussed. Last, an outlook on the future research direction of LATP‐based SSB is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral delivery is an ideal method of insulin administration and is currently a promising research field. Here, we evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic characteristics of oral administration of an insulin capsule (ORMD‐0801) with 2 different sources of recombinant human insulin. This was a single‐center, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, dose‐escalating phase 1 trial. Single dosing of the oral insulin capsule was administered in 70 healthy Chinese subjects. In stage 1, four dose groups (8, 16, 32, and 48 mg) for capsules containing Sanofi insulin and in stage 2, three dose groups (8, 32, and 48 mg) containing Hefei Tianmai insulin were evaluated consequently. The results showed that the oral insulin formulations with either source in the dose range 8 to 48 mg were safe, and no serious adverse events were observed. After a standard breakfast 45 minutes after dosing, the area under the concentration‐time curve (AUC) from time 0 to time t and AUC from time 0 to infinity for insulin in the 8‐mg and 48‐mg dose groups in stage 1 and for 8‐ to 48‐mg groups in stage 2 were slightly increased compared with placebo, but no significant dose‐related changes in the pharmacokinetic parameters were observed for either stage. The peak‐valley difference and the change in value of the AUC for glucose from baseline showed a dose‐related increase in the dose range from 8 to 48 mg in both stages. Together, this study indicated that in healthy Chinese subjects, this oral capsule containing 2 different insulin formulations was safe and well tolerated after a single‐dose administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scatter‐ and larder hoarding are the primary strategies of food‐hoarding animals and have important implications for plant‐animal interactions and plant recruitment. However, their origins and influencing factors have not been fully investigated across a wide range of taxa. Our systematic literature search amassed data for 183 seed‐hoarding rodent species worldwide and tested relationships of seed‐hoarding behaviours with phylogenetic signal, functional traits and environmental factors. We found that the evolution of hoarding strategies was not random in phylogeny, and scatter hoarding originated independently multiple times from larder hoarding. Rodents with higher encephalisation quotient (relative brain size), omnivorous diet (related to dependence on seeds) and inhabiting lower latitudes were disproportionately likely to scatter hoard. Despite body mass's potential relationship with competition through food defence, it was associated with food‐hoarding strategy only in a few families. Our results show the need to study the community and ecological context of food‐hoarding behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Decoronation offers one of the best and most predictable clinical outcomes for dentoalveolar ankylosis. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with the efficacy and psychological impact of decoronation for bone preservation. Materials and Methods: The study included 42 paediatric patients with 42 infrapositioned replanted permanent teeth. Twelve of these teeth were decoronated. Variables such as the time of injury, stage of root development and the extent of infraposition were analysed. The vertical changes in the alveolar bone level of the decoronated teeth were assessed on radiographs using a three‐point scoring system. Parents of 30 patients with teeth that were not decoronated completed a questionnaire addressing their considerations and concerns regarding the treatment of infraposition. Results: Teeth with root development in stages 2 and 3 showed a significantly higher rate of severe infraposition during the follow‐up visits. Decoronation was performed on 12 teeth within 1.5–5 years (mean 3.8 ± 1.3 years) after replantation and 11 of these cases developed a considerable alveolar bone level. The alveolar bone levels of boys and girls showed improvements of 2.2 and 3.2 mm, respectively. The optimal age for decoronation to have a considerable increase in bone level was 12.12 ± 0.83 years for boys and 11.25 ± 1.77 years for girls. Complicated treatments, followed by parents' lack knowledge regarding decoronation, children's fear, follow‐up times, and cost were the major concerns regarding decoronation. Conclusion: The optimal time for decoronation should be decided after considering the age, gender, skeletal growth pattern, and the degree of infraposition at the time of decoronation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A system called WiSDP, which is based on Wi‐Fi signals, to detect whether a Seated Dumbbell Press action is standard by using inexpensive consumer Wi‐Fi devices is proposed. Compared with the scheme based on high speed cameras and wearable sensors, Wi‐Fi devices are insensitive to light and colour, do not need wear any device, and decrease the risk of disclosing privacy. WiSDP senses environment changes through the Channel State Information which is fine‐grained physical layer information comparing to frequently used Received Signal Strength Indicator. Compared to the action recognition, action quality recognition depends on slight differences between a non‐standard action and standard actions, which makes it challenging. The authors propose an improved sliding window algorithm calculating action energy to extract Seated Dumbbell Press actions from the Channel State Information streams, estimate action quality by choosing an appropriate classifier and use Principal Component Analysis and Butterworth low‐pass filter to remove noise. The authors conduct experiments in two different scenarios and the average true positive rate of WiSDP are 94.66% and 95.11%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Phenolic compounds are phytochemicals present in vegetables which contribute to human health. Although nitrogen deficiency and sucrose (Suc) are linked to phenolic production in vegetables, the relationship between them in the regulation of phenolic biosynthesis remains unknown. This study investigated the potential role of Suc in regulating phenolic biosynthesis of lettuce under low‐nitrogen (LN) conditions. RESULTS: Our results showed that LN treatment significantly increased Suc content in lettuce by inducing rapid increases in activities of sucrose synthesis‐related enzymes. Exogenous Suc further stimulated LN‐induced phenolic accumulation in lettuce by upregulating the expression of genes (PAL, CHS, F3H, DFR, F35H and UFGT) involved in phenolic biosynthesis. The opposite effects were true for exogenous 3‐(3,4‐dichlorophenyl)‐1,1‐dimethylurea (DCMU) application. No changes were observed in chlorophyll content in LN‐treated lettuce, in either the presence or absence of Suc application. Notably, exogenous DCMU resulted in decreases of maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry, actual efficiency of PSII and electron transport rate in PSII and increase of quantum yield of non‐regulated energy dissipation in PSII in lettuce under LN conditions, whereas these effects were reversed on Suc application. Exogenous Suc also increased glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase activities in LN‐treated lettuce. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that Suc is involved in LN‐induced phenolic production in lettuce by enhancing photosynthetic and nitrogen assimilation efficiency to increase the supply of carbon resources and precursors for phenolic biosynthesis. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the ultrahigh intrinsic strength of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), the strengthening effect on ceramic matrix composite remains far from expectation mainly due to the weak load transfer between the reinforcement and ceramic matrix. With the assistance of the in situ pullout test, it is revealed that the liquid‐phase sintering (LPS) can serve as a novel strategy to achieve effective load transfer in MWCNT reinforced ceramic matrix composites. The YAlO3 formed liquid phase during spark plasma sintering of SiC composite greatly facilitates radical elastic deformation of MWCNT, leading to highly increased interfacial shear strength (IFSS) as well as interlayer shear resistance (ISR) of nested walls. The liquid phase with superior wettability can even penetrate into the defects of MWCNT, which further increases the ISR of MWCNT. Moreover, the first‐principles calculation indicates that the oxygen terminated YAlO3 phase displays much stronger bonding compared with SiC matrix, which is also responsible for the large IFSS in the composite. As a result, as high as 30% improvement of bending strength is achieved in the composite with only 3 wt% MWCNT in comparison to the monolithic ceramic, manifesting the unprecedented strengthening effect of MWCNT assisted by LPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Nitrogen availability is an important environmental factor that determines the production of phenolic compounds in vegetables, but the relationship between low nitrogen‐induced alterations of phenolic compounds in vegetable crops and the cellular antioxidant activities of these compounds remains unclear. This study investigated the effect of reduced nitrogen supply (0.05 mmol L−1 nitrate) on phenolic metabolism in lettuce and the protective role of phenolic extracts against H2O2‐induced oxidative stress in Caco‐2 cells by determining cell damage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) content and antioxidant enzyme activities. RESULTS: Reduced nitrogen supply significantly improved the accumulation of phenolic compounds in lettuce, which was partially correlated with the upregulation of genes related to the phenolic synthesis pathway. Phenolic extracts from lettuce cultivated in low‐nitrogen medium exhibited a better protective effect against H2O2‐induced oxidative damage in Caco‐2 cells than those from lettuce cultivated with adequate nitrogen. These extracts act by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes and, subsequently, by inhibiting ROS overproduction, which leads to a decrease in mitochondrial membrane and DNA damage. The results of HPLC and correlation analyses implied that the improvement in the protective capacity of lettuce extracts after low‐nitrogen treatment may be related, not only to the increased content of phenolic compounds, but also to the increased percentage contribution of chlorogenic acid and quercetin derivatives to the total phenolic content. CONCLUSION: Reduction in nitrogen supply can be a powerful strategy to modify phenolic metabolism and composition in lettuce and, consequently, to improve their antioxidant capacity. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Context: Adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is recommended as the gold standard for subtype classification in primary aldosteronism (PA); however, this approach has limited availability. Objective: We aimed to develop a novel clinical nomogram to predict PA subtype based on routine variables, thereby reducing the number of candidates for AVS. Patients and method: Patients were randomly divided into a training set (n = 185) and a validation set (n = 79). Risk factors for idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA) differentiating from aldosterone‐producing adenoma (APA) were identified using logistic regression analysis. A nomogram was constructed to predict the probability of IHA. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and a calibration plot were applied to assess the predictive value. Then, 115 patients were prospectively enrolled, and a nomogram was used to predict the subtypes before AVS. Results: Body mass index (BMI), serum potassium and computed tomography (CT) finding were adopted in the nomogram. The nomogram presented an area under the ROC (AUC) of 0.924 (95% CI: 0.875‐0.957), sensitivity of 86.59% and specificity of 87.38% in the training set and an AUC of 0.894 (95% CI: 0.804‐0.952), sensitivity of 82.86% and specificity of 84.09% in the validation set. Predicted probability and actual probability matched well in the nomogram (Hosmer‐Lemeshow test: P > 0.05). Using the nomogram as a surrogate to predict IHA in the prospective set before AVS, the specificity reached 100% when we increased the threshold to a probability of 90%. Conclusion: We have developed a tool that is able to predict IHA in patients with PA and potentially avoid AVS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Previous studies suggest that visceral fat is associated with type 2 diabetes ( T2D) independent of body mass index ( BMI). However, epidemiological data about the relationship between visceral fat and T2D are rare in Chinese. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether visceral fat area ( VFA) is associated with T2D beyond and above BMI in the Chinese population. Methods The present community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 on 4126 individuals (2545 women, 1581 men) aged ≥ 40 years, with T2D diagnosed according to 1999 World Health Organization criteria. The VFA was measured by a fat area analyzer using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Results Participants were categorized into normal weight and overweight/obese groups according to BMI. Within each group, compared with women with below-median VFA, women with above-median VFA had a significantly increased risk of diabetes (odds ratio [ OR] 1.88, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.31-2.69 in the normal weight group; OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.54-2.85 in the overweight/obese group), whereas among men the corresponding associations were not significant in either group. Among women, after multivariable adjustment including BMI, each one standard deviation increase in VFA was significantly associated with a 45% higher risk of having T2D ( OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.26-1.67), whereas among men BMI, not VFA, was independently associated with T2D ( OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.02-1.37). Conclusions Visceral fat was independently associated with T2D in women regardless of obesity status, whereas in men BMI may have a more important effect on T2D than visceral fat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective No single histological or molecular marker is diagnostic for malignant phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas ( PPGLs). This study aimed to establish and evaluate a prognostic nomogram to improve the prediction of metastatic probability in individual PPGL patients. Methods Three hundred and 47 consecutive PPGL patients from January 2002 through December 2014 were randomly divided into a training set (n=208) and a validation set (n=139). A multivariate logistic regression analysis of selected prognostic features was performed, and a nomogram to predict metastasis was constructed. Discrimination and calibration were employed to evaluate the performance of the nomogram. Clinical usefulness was calculated using decision curve analysis. Results The overall metastatic rate was 10.6%. Primary tumour size, primary tumour location, vascular invasion, ERBB-2 overexpression, SDHB mutation and catecholamine type were associated with malignancy in the logistic analysis and were included in the nomogram. The nomogram showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ( AUC) of 0.872 (95% confidence interval [ CI], 0.819-0.914) in the training set. The validation set showed good discrimination, with an AUC of 0.870 (95% CI, 0.803-0.921). The nomogram was well calibrated, with no significant difference between the predicted and the observed probabilities (Hosmer-Lemeshow test: P=.510 for the training set; .314 for the validation set). Decision curve analysis revealed that molecular markers ( ERBB-2 overexpression and SDHB mutation) could increase the clinical benefit of the nomogram. Conclusion Our results support the use of the present biomarker-based nomogram, which has good discriminative ability, to predict the metastatic probability of PPGLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of integrated reproductive health and HIV services on HIV testing and counseling (HTC) uptake was assessed among 882 Kenyan family planning clients using a nonrandomized cohort design within six intervention and six "comparison" facilities. The effect of integration on HTC goals (two tests over two years) was assessed using conditional logistic regression to test four "integration" exposures: a training and reorganization intervention; receipt of reproductive health and HIV services at recruitment; a functional measure of facility integration at recruitment; and a woman's cumulative exposure to functionally integrated care across different facilities over time. While recent receipt of HTC increased rapidly at intervention facilities, achievement of HTC goals was higher at comparison facilities. Only high cumulative exposure to integrated care over two years had a significant effect on HTC goals after adjustment (aOR 2.94, 95%CI 1.73-4.98), and programs should therefore make efforts to roll out integrated services to ensure repeated contact over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fascinating Li storage properties of organic carbonyl compounds, e.g., high therotical capacity and fast kinetics, it is still lack of a facile and effective way that capable of large-scale producion of advanced carbonyl cathodes for Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, a generic strategy is proposed by combining sonication and hydrothermal techniques for scalable synthesis of high performance organic carbonyl cathodes for LIBs. A series of commercialized vat dyes with abundant electroactive conjugated carbonyl groups are confined in between the graphene layers, forming a compatible 3D hybrid architecture. The unique structure affords good Li+ ions accessibility to the electrode and short Li+ ions diffusion length. Meanwhile, each sandwiched graphene layer functions as a miniature current collector, ensuring fast electron transport throughout the entire electrode. Consequently, the cathodic performances of LIBs using the composites as electrodes, for example, Vat Green 8/graphene, Vat Brown BR/graphene, and Vat Olive T/graphene, possess high specific capacity, exceptional cycling stability, and excellent rate capability. The effect of vat dye content on the morphology, structure, and the final electrochemical performance of the composites is investigated as well. This work provides a versatile and low-cost platform for large-scale development of advanced organic-based electrodes toward sustainable energy fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleistocene glacial-interglacial climatic oscillations greatly shaped the current genetic structure of many species. However, geographic features may influence the impact of climatic cycling. Distinct geographic and environmental characters between northern and southern parts of the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau ( EQTP) facilitate explorations into the impacts of geographic features on species. The northern parts of EQTP contain large areas of marsh, and the environment is rather homogeneous. In contrast, the southern EQTP harbors complex alpine valleys and a much more heterogeneous setting. We evaluate DNA sequence variation from both the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes in Nanorana pleskei, a species endemic to the EQTP. Hypothesis testing on the evolutionary history of N. pleskei indicates that northern populations can disperse freely, but alpine valleys isolate southern populations. Demographic histories between northern and southern populations also differ. Northern populations appear to have experienced population expansions, while southern frogs exhibit a far more stable demographic history. By combining climatic analyses and species' distribution models, our study suggests that geographic and environmental features drive the differences between the northern and southern EQTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Recent studies have found that mild secondary hyperparathyroidism might be another clinical feature of patients with primary aldosteronims ( PA), but whether serum parathyroid hormone level ( PTH) is correlated with subtypes of PA and what contributes to the elevated PTH level remains unclear. Objective To illustrate the changes of PTH in PA and to partly explain the mechanism of how the effects of aldosterone regulating the secretion of PTH in PA. Methods We enrolled a total of 120 patients with primary hypertension ( PH) and 242 patients with PA, which included 89 APAs (aldosterone-producing adenoma), 119 IHAs (idiopathic hyperaldosteronism) and 34 UAHs (unilateral adrenal hyperplasia). The plasma levels of aldosterone, renin activity, parathyroid hormone and markers associated with calcium metabolism were measured. Results We found serum PTH level was significantly elevated in patients with PA compared with primary hypertension [9·0 (6·6, 11·7) vs 5·7 (4·4, 7·0)] pmol/l, P < 0·001]. However, no difference was found between the three PA subtypes ( P > 0·05). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that in patients with PA, serum levels of K+ and Ca2+ were independently associated with serum PTH level. More importantly, elevated PTH level could be corrected either by unilateral adrenalectomy [9·9 (7·5, 12·8) vs 5·2 (4·4, 7·0) pmol/l, P < 0·001] or mineralocorticoid receptor ( MR) antagonists treatment [11·7 (9·1, 13·4) vs 6·3 (5·1, 7·8) pmol/l, P < 0·001]. Conclusions PTH level is elevated in PA patients and irrelevant with subtypes of PA. Serum K+ and serum Ca2+ level are main factors influence the plasma PTH level in PA patients. After medical or surgical treatment, PTH levels return to normal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective There are currently no good histological or molecular markers to differentiate benign from malignant phaeochromocytomas and paraganglinomas (PPGLs). Our previous cross-sectional study observed that ERBB-2 overexpression was associated with malignant PPGLs. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of ERBB-2 overexpression for metastasis in PPGLs in a large population. Methods A total of 262 patients diagnosed as PPGLs in our institution between 2002 and 2012 were included. We analysed ERBB-2 protein expression in the primary PPGL tumours by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and ERBB-2 amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Direct Sanger sequencing was performed to examine ERBB-2 exon 20 mutations. The occurrence of malignant PPGLs was documented in the follow-up period. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between ERBB-2 overexpression and metastasis of PPGLs. Results Twenty-six (9·9%) patients had ERBB-2 overexpression in their primary PPGL tumours, which was significantly associated with ERBB-2 amplification (17/25, 68%). No ERBB-2 mutation was found. At a median follow-up of 4·5 years, a total of 23 malignant PPGLs were documented, including eight (30·8%) patients in the ERBB-2 overexpression group and 15 (6·4%) patients in the ERBB-2-negative group. The incidence rate of metastasis was 5·3 per 100 person-years vs 1·4 per 100 person-years in the ERBB-2 overexpression and ERBB-2-negative groups ( P < 0·001), respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that ERBB-2 overexpression was associated with decreased metastasis-free survival ( P = 0·001, log-rank test). After adjusting for primary tumour size and location, Cox regression analysis revealed that ERBB-2 overexpression was independently associated with risk of malignant PPGLs (HR = 2·78; 95% CI, 1·12-6·90; P = 0·028). Conclusion Patients harbouring tumours with ERBB-2 overexpression have a significantly higher risk of developing malignant PPGLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimization of LV Lead Site by EP Mapping. Introduction: Electrophysiological mapping (EPM) in coronary sinus (CS) branches is feasible for guiding LV lead placement to the optimal, latest activated site at cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) procedures. However, whether this procedure optimizes the response to CRT has not been demonstrated. This study was to evaluate effects of targeting LV lead at the latest activated site guided by EPM during CRT. Methods: Seventy-six consecutive patients with advanced heart failure who were referred for CRT were divided into mapping (MG) and control groups (CG). In MG, the LV lead, also used as a mapping bipolar electrode, was placed at the latest activated site determined by EPM in CS branches. In CG, conventional CRT procedure was performed. Patients were followed for 6 months after CRT. Results: Baseline characteristics were comparable between the 2 groups. In MG (n = 29), EPM was successfully performed in 85 of 91 CS branches during CRT. A LV lead was successfully placed at the latest activated site guided by EPM in 27 (93.1%) patients. Compared with CG (n = 47), MG had a significantly higher rate (86.2% vs. 63.8%, P=0.039) of response (>15% reduction in LV end-systolic volume) to CRT, a higher percentage of patients with clinical improvement of ≥2 NYHA functional classes (72.4% vs. 44.7%, P = 0.032), and a shorter QRS duration (P = 0.004). Conclusions: LV lead placed at the latest activated site guided by EPM resulted in a significantly greater CRT response, and a shorter QRS duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Previous studies have investigated the genetic and molecular basis of primary aldosteronism ( PA), a common cause of human hypertension, but the effects of micro RNAs (mi RNAs) on the adrenocortical cell proliferation and aldosterone production are largely obscure. Here, we characterized mi RNA expression patterns in the subtypes of PA to gain a better understanding of its pathogenesis. Methods mi RNA expression was assessed by microarray profiling analysis in aldosterone-producing adenoma ( APA), unilateral adrenal hyperplasia ( UAH) and normal adrenal cortex tissues. Selected differentially expressed mi RNAs were further validated in a validation cohort by qRT- PCR. A gain-of-function approach was used to explore the functional role of the specific mi RNA in vitro. Results Of 31 mi RNAs including miR-375, miR-7 and miR-29b were found to be significantly differentially expressed among these three groups. miR-375 was the most downregulated one in adrenal cortex tissues from PA patients, and its expression level was inversely correlated with the tumour size in APA. Overexpression of miR-375 in a human adrenocortical cell line (H295R) reduced cell proliferation and suppressed the expression of MTDH (metadherin, also known as astrocyte elevated gene-1). Moreover, MTDH was verified as a direct target of miR-375 through luciferase reporter assays. Knock-down of MTDH in H295R cells attenuated Akt-Ser473 phosphorylation and inhibited cell viability. Conclusion Our findings suggest that miR-375 exerts its tumour-suppressive function via targeting MTDH/Akt pathway and implicate a potential therapeutic target in PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome ( PSIS) is a rare cause of combined pituitary hormone deficiency characterized by a triad shown in pituitary imaging, yet it has never been evaluated due to the visibility of pituitary stalk ( PS) in imaging findings. Objective The major objective of the study was to systematically describe the disease including clinical presentations, imaging findings and to estimate the severity of anterior pituitary hormone deficiency based on the visibility of the PS. Methods This was a retrospective study including 74 adult patients with PSIS in Shanghai Clinical Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases between January 2010 and June 2014. Sixty had invisible PS according to the findings on MRI, while the rest had a thin or intersected PS. Basic characteristics and hormonal status were compared. Results Of the 74 patients with PSIS, age at diagnosis was 25 (22-28) years. Absent pubertal development (97·3%) was the most common presenting symptom, followed by short stature. Insulin tolerance test ( ITT) and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone ( Gn RH) stimulation test were used to evaluate the function of anterior pituitary. The prevalence of isolated deficiency in growth hormone ( GH), gonadotrophins, corticotrophin and thyrotrophin were 100%, 97·2%, 88·2% and 70·3%, respectively. Although the ratio of each deficiency did not vary between patients with invisible PS and with visible PS, panhypopituitarism occurred significantly more frequent in patients with invisible PS. Patients with invisible PS had significantly lower levels of luteinizing hormone ( LH), follicle stimulation hormone ( FSH) and hormones from targeted glands including morning cortisol, 24-h urine free cortisol, free triiodothyronine ( FT3), free thyroxine ( FT4) and testosterone (T) in male than patients with visible PS. Moreover, patients with invisible PS had lower peak LH and FSH in Gn RH stimulation test, and higher peak cortisol in ITT while peak GH remained unchanged between two groups. Conclusions The prevalence of multiple anterior pituitary hormone deficiency was high in adult patients with PSIS. And more importantly, we found the visibility of PS shown on MRI might be an indication of the severity of PSIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleoclimatic and paleogeological events have been identified as being the two main drivers of genetic structuring in extant organisms. We used a montane stream-dwelling frog, Quasipaa boulengeri, to explore the relative roles played by these drivers on species in southern China, a region needing thorough studies. We detected four major matrilines, and no broadly distributed haplotypes occurred. The complex orogenesis of south-western China drove matrilineal divergence in Q. boulengeri into highly structured geographical units. These matrilines subsequently persisted in situ with stable populations rather than undergoing expansions during glacial cycling. The unification of the upper and middle Yangtze River in the Three Gorges mountain region mediated downstream colonization of this frog. Analyses identified geological events as playing a larger role than climatic fluctuations in driving the population history of Q. boulengeri. Nuclear allele analyses indicated gene flow; this maintained genetic cohesion of the species. South-eastern Sichuan Basin was identified as the area of secondary contact for several matrilines, and this area deserves further study and special protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequently, Pleistocene climatic cycling has been found to be the diver of genetic structuring in populations, even in areas that did not have continental ice sheets, such as on the Qinghai- Tibetan Plateau ( QTP). Typically, species distributed on the plateau have been hypothesized to re-treat to south-eastern refugia, especially during the Last Glacial Maximum ( LGM). We evaluated sequence variation in the mitochondrial DNA gene Cytb and the nuclear DNA gene RAG-1 in Rana kukunoris, a species endemic to the QTP. Two major lineages, N and S, were identified, and lineage N was further subdivided into N1 and N2. The geographical distribution and genealogical divergences supported the hypothesis of multiple refugia. However, major lineages and sublineages diverged prior to the LGM. Demographical expansion was detected only in lineage S and sublineage N2. Sublineage N1 might have survived several glacial cycles in situ and did not expand after the LGM because of the absence of suitable habitat; it survived in river islands. Genetic analysis and environment modelling suggested that the north-eastern edge of QTP contained a major refugium for R. kukunoris. From here, lineage S dispersed southwards after the LGM. Two microrefugia in northern Qilian Mountains greatly contributed to current level of intraspecific genetic diversity. These results were found to have important implications for the habitat conservation in Northwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]