Anti-Xa versus time-guided anticoagulation strategies in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The purpose was to compare time-based vs anti-Xa-based anticoagulation strategies in patients on ECMO. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using multiple electronic databases and included studies from inception to July 19, 2019. The proportion of bleeding, thrombosis, and mortality were evaluated. Twenty-six studies (2,086 patients) were included. Bleeding occurred in 34.2% (95%CI 25.1;43.9) of the patients with anti-Xa-based versus 41.6% (95%CI 24.9;59.4) of the patients with time-based anticoagulation strategies. Thrombosis occurred in 32.6% (95%CI 19.1;47.7) of the patients with anti-Xa-based versus 38.4% (95%CI 22.2;56.1) of the patients with time-based anticoagulation strategies. And mortality rate was 35.4% (95%CI 28.9;42.1) of the patients with anti-Xa-based versus 42.9% (95%CI 36.9;48.9) of the patients with time-based anticoagulation strategies. Among the seven studies providing results from both anticoagulation strategies, significantly fewer bleeding events occurred in the anti-Xa-based anticoagulation strategy (adjusted OR 0.49 (95%CI 0.32;0.74),p < 0.001) and a significantly lower mortality rate (adjusted OR 0.61 (95%CI 0.40;0.95),p = 0.03). There was no significant difference in thrombotic events (adjusted OR 0.91 (95%CI 0.56;1.49),p = 0.71). In these seven observational studies, only a small fraction of the patients were adults, and data were insufficient to analyze the effect of the type of ECMO. In this meta-analysis of observational studies of patients on ECMO, an anti-Xa-based anticoagulation strategy, when compared to a time-based strategy, was associated with fewer bleeding events and mortality rate, without an increase in thrombotic events.Perioperative Medicine: Efficacy, Safety and Outcome (Anesthesiology/Intensive Care

Three FLOWERING LOCUS T-like genes function as potential florigens and mediate photoperiod response in sorghum

Sorghum is a typical short-day (SD) plant and its use in grain or biomass production in temperate regions depends on its flowering time control, but the underlying molecular mechanism of floral transition in sorghum is poorly understood. Here we characterized sorghum FLOWERING LOCUS T (SbFT) genes to establish a molecular road map for mechanistic understanding. Out of 19 PEBP genes, SbFT1, SbFT8 and SbFT10 were identified as potential candidates for encoding florigens using multiple approaches. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that SbFT1 clusters with the rice Hd3a subclade, while SbFT8 and SbFT10 cluster with the maize ZCN8 subclade. These three genes are expressed in the leaf at the floral transition initiation stage, expressed early in grain sorghum genotypes but late in sweet and forage sorghum genotypes, induced by SD treatment in photoperiod-sensitive genotypes, cooperatively repressed by the classical sorghum maturity loci, interact with sorghum 14-3-3 proteins and activate flowering in transgenic Arabidopsis plants, suggesting florigenic potential in sorghum. SD induction of these three genes in sensitive genotypes is fully reversed by 1 wk of long-day treatment, and yet, some aspects of the SD treatment may still make a small contribution to flowering in long days, indicating a complex photoperiod response mediated by SbFT genes

Оцінка морфофункціонального стану організму щурів за вивчення токсичності препарату на основі тилмікозину

The article presents the study results of the acute and subacute toxicity of the veterinary drug “Tylmozyn 25” (solution for oral administration) based on tilmicosin. Intra-gastric administration of “Tylmozyn 25” to white mice at a dose of 25000 mg/kg of body weight caused the death of 100% of the animals, a dose of 15000 mg/kg of body weight caused the death of 66% of the white mice. The average time of death was 2 and 5 hours correspondingly. While determining the toxicity of “Tylmozyn 25” in white rats, we did not spot the death of any studied animal at any administered dose (5000, 15000, 25000 mg/kg of body weight). Based on the result of our study, we conclude that the veterinary drug Tylmozyn 25 belongs to the fourth of toxicity class – low toxic substances. LD50 of Tylmozyn 25 in white mice is 14167 mg/kg, while in white rats LD50 is higher than 25000 mg/kg. Testing on white rats intra-gastric drug “Tylmozyn 25” during for 14 days, both in therapeutic (80 mg/kg of body weight) and 10-fold doses (800 mg/kg of body weight) did not cause animal death, but caused a decrease in body weight, a significant decrease in the coefficients of weight of the liver and spleen and a tendency to increase the coefficients of weight of the heart and lungs compared with the animals of the control group. Animals which got the drug at a dose of 800 mg/kg of body weight showed erythrocytosis, leukopenia, increased enzymatic activity of AST, ALT, and LDH, the content of total protein against to decrease urea and creatinine, which may indicate impaired liver, kidney function and hematopoietic organs. The macroscopic and microscopic structure of the internal organs of the experimental rats is preserved. Rats receiving a tenfold therapeutic dose of the drug for 14 days, histologically revealed the most granular protein dystrophy in the liver and kidneys, which was manifested by discomplexation of the lamellae, presence of hepatocytes with uneven granular cytoplasm, slightly colored cytoplasm, hypertrophied nuclei, renal convoluted tubules and narrowing of their lumen, compaction of the mesh of the renal corpuscle. In the myocardium, the branching, swelling of the muscle fibers, swelling of the stroma with cell infiltrates, mainly of the lympho-histiocytic series, was observed, which indicated the development of serosa myocarditis. Structural changes in the liver, kidneys and heart were confirmed by biochemical parameters of the enzymatic activity of the serum of rats of this group.У статті наведені результати вивчення гострої та підгострої токсичності препарату “Тилмозин 25” (розчин для перорального застосування), виготовленого на основі тилмікозину. Внутрішньошлункове введення препарату “Тилмозин 25” білим мишам, у дозі 25000 мг/кг маси тіла викликало 100% загибель тварин, доза 15000 мг/кг – 66% загибелі тварин. Середній час загибелі становив 2 та 5 годин відповідно. При визначенні гострої токсичності препарату “Тилмозин 25” на білих щурах загибелі тварин не виявляли за введення жодної з доз (5000, 15000, 25000 мг/кг маси тіла). У результаті проведених досліджень було встановлено, що препарат “Тилмозин 25” належить до 4-го класу токсичності – малотоксичні речовини. ЛД50 при його внутрішньошлунковому введенні білим мишам становить 14167 мг/кг, а для білих щурів є більшою за 25000&nbsp;мг/кг. Застосування білим щурам внутрішньошлунково препарату “Тилмозин 25” впродовж 14 діб як у терапевтичній (80 мг/кг маси тіла), так і 10-кратній дозах (800 мг/кг маси тіла) не викликало загибелі тварин, проте спричиняло зменшення маси тіла, достовірне зниження коефіцієнтів маси печінки та селезінки і тенденцію до збільшення коефіцієнтів маси серця і легень порівняно з тваринами контрольної групи. У тварин, які отримували досліджуваний препарат в дозі 800 мг/кг маси тіла, встановлено еритроцитоз, лейкопенію, підвищення активності АлАТ, АсАТ, ЛДГ, вмісту загального білка на фоні зниження вмісту сечовини та креатиніну, що може вказувати на порушення функції печінки, нирок та органів кровотворення. Макроскопічна та мікроскопічна структура внутрішніх органів досліджуваних груп щурів збережена. У щурів, які отримували 10-кратну терапевтичну дозу препарату впродовж 14 діб, гістологічно виявляли вогнища зернистої білкової дистрофії в печінці та нирках, що проявлялося дискомплексацією пластинчатої будови печінкових часточок, наявність гепатоцитів з неоднорідною, зернистою, слабо забарвленою цитоплазмою та гіпертрофованими ядрами, набуханням епітелію звивистих ниркових канальців та звуженням їхнього просвіту, ущільненням сітки ниркових клубочків. У міокарді спостерігали розволокнення, набухання м’язових волокон, набряк строми з клітинними інфільтратами переважно лімфо-гістіоцитарного ряду, що вказувало на розвиток серозного міокардиту. Встановлені структурні зміни у печінці, нирках, серці були підтверджені біохімічними показниками ферментативної активності сироватки крові щурів даної групи

Comparison of electrohysterogram signal measured by surface electrodes with different designs: A computational study with dipole band and abdomen models

Non-invasive measurement of uterine activity using electrohysterogram (EHG) surface electrodes has been attempted to monitor uterine contraction. This study aimed to computationally compare the performance of acquiring EHG signals using monopolar electrode and three types of Laplacian concentric ring electrodes (bipolar, quasi-bipolar and tri-polar). With the implementation of dipole band model and abdomen model, the performances of four electrodes in terms of the local sensitivity were quantifed by potential attenuation. Furthermore, the efects of fat and muscle thickness on potential attenuation were evaluated using the bipolar and tri-polar electrodes with diferent radius. The results showed that all the four types of electrodes detected the simulated EHG signals with consistency. That the bipolar and tri-polar electrodes had greater attenuations than the others, and the shorter distance between the origin and location of dipole band at 20dB attenuation, indicating that they had relatively better local sensitivity. In addition, ANOVA analysis showed that, for all the electrodes with diferent outer ring radius, the efects of fat and muscle on potential attenuation were signifcant (all p<0.01). It is therefore concluded that the bipolar and tri-polar electrodes had higher local sensitivity than the others, indicating that they can be applied to detect EHG efectively

Atmospheric River Tracking Method Intercomparison Project (ARTMIP): project goals and experimental design

The Atmospheric River Tracking Method Intercomparison Project (ARTMIP) is an international collaborative effort to understand and quantify the uncertainties in atmospheric river (AR) science based on detection algorithm alone. Currently, there are many AR identification and tracking algorithms in the literature with a wide range of techniques and conclusions. ARTMIP strives to provide the community with information on different methodologies and provide guidance on the most appropriate algorithm for a given science question or region of interest. All ARTMIP participants will implement their detection algorithms on a specified common dataset for a defined period of time. The project is divided into two phases: Tier 1 will utilize the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2) reanalysis from January 1980 to June 2017 and will be used as a baseline for all subsequent comparisons. Participation in Tier 1 is required. Tier 2 will be optional and include sensitivity studies designed around specific science questions, such as reanalysis uncertainty and climate change. High-resolution reanalysis and/or model output will be used wherever possible. Proposed metrics include AR frequency, duration, intensity, and precipitation attributable to ARs. Here, we present the ARTMIP experimental design, timeline, project requirements, and a brief description of the variety of methodologies in the current literature. We also present results from our 1-month proof-of-concept trial run designed to illustrate the utility and feasibility of the ARTMIP project

Distinct Genetic Architectures for Male and Female Inflorescence Traits of Maize

We compared the genetic architecture of thirteen maize morphological traits in a large population of recombinant inbred lines. Four traits from the male inflorescence (tassel) and three traits from the female inflorescence (ear) were measured and studied using linkage and genome-wide association analyses and compared to three flowering and three leaf traits previously studied in the same population. Inflorescence loci have larger effects than flowering and leaf loci, and ear effects are larger than tassel effects. Ear trait models also have lower predictive ability than tassel, flowering, or leaf trait models. Pleiotropic loci were identified that control elongation of ear and tassel, consistent with their common developmental origin. For these pleiotropic loci, the ear effects are larger than tassel effects even though the same causal polymorphisms are likely involved. This implies that the observed differences in genetic architecture are not due to distinct features of the underlying polymorphisms. Our results support the hypothesis that genetic architecture is a function of trait stability over evolutionary time, since the traits that changed most during the relatively recent domestication of maize have the largest effects