Fusarium ear rot (FER) caused by Fusarium verticillioides is one of the most common dis-eases affecting maize production worldwide. FER results in severe yield losses and grain contami-nation with health-threatening mycotoxins. Although most studies to date have focused on comprehensive analysis of gene regulation in maize during defense responses against F. verticil-lioides infection, less is known about the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in this process. We used deep sequencing to compare small RNA libraries from the maize kernels of susceptible (N6) or resistant (BT-1) inbred lines from uninfected plants and upon F. verticillioides infection. We found that pathogen exposure was accompanied by dynamic alterations in expression levels of multiple miRNAs, including new members of previously annotated miRNA families. A combination of tran-scriptomic, degradomic, and bioinformatics analyses revealed that F. verticillioides-responsive miRNAs and their potential target genes displayed opposite expression patterns in the susceptible and resistant genotypes. Functional category analysis uncovered preferential enrichment of the pathogen-responsive miRNAs and their targets in the phenylpropanoid metabolic processes, plant-pathogen interactions, and plant phytohormone signal transduction pathways. Furthermore, transgenic maize plants overexpressing miR408b exhibited reduced resistance to F. verticillioides infection in a susceptible maize line. These findings provide new insights into the regulatory roles of miRNAs in maize immunity against FER and new resources for breeding disease resistance into maize.

Objective To compare the influence of sevoflurane inhalation sedation and propofol intravenous sedation on duration of endotracheal intubation as well as the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay and total length of hospital stay in postoperative critical patients.Methods Six databases including CNKI,Wanfang data,PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the influence of sevoflurane inhalation sedation or propofol intravenous sedation on the sedation time,the duration of endotracheal intubation,the length of ICU stay,the total length of hospital stay and the adverse effects rate in postoperative critical patients from the time of database establishment to July 2018.At the same time,the reference materials of included literature were retrieved manually.All literatures were screened by three independent reviewers,and the data extraction and quality evaluation of the included studies were conducted.Meta-analysis was used for RCT that met the quality standards.Results A total of 7 RCT studies were enrolled involving 537 patients who were all transferred into ICU after surgery with trachea cannula.Among the patients,272 received sevoflurane sedation while the other 265 received propofol sedation.All the included studies were well designed and of high quality.The results of Meta-analysis showed that compared with propofol sedation,sevoflurane sedation could significantly shorten the duration of endotracheal intubation [standardized mean difference (SMD) =-0.60,95％ confidence interval (95％CI) =-0.88 to-0.31,P ＜ 0.000 1]and the total length of hospital stay (SMD =-0.36,95％CI =-0.61 to-0.12,P =0.003),and lower the cardiac troponin T (cTnT) within 12-24 hours after ICU admission (SMD =-0.61,95％CI =-0.85 to-0.36,P ＜ 0.000 01).There was no significant difference in the sedation time (SMD =-0.07,95％CI =-0.29 to 0.15,P =0.52),the length of ICU stay (SMD =-0.19,95％CI =-0.39 to 0.01,P =0.06),the incidence of nausea and vomiting [odds ratio (OR) =1.19,95％CI =0.61 to 2.32,P =0.61] or incidence of delirium (OR =0.80,95％CI =0.34 to 1.90,P =0.62) between sevoflurane group and propofol group.Conclusions Sevoflurane inhalation sedation may lead to shorter duration of endotracheal intubation and total length of hospital stay,and had better protection for myocardium as compared with propofol intravenous sedation.The above conclusions needed further study to confirm,due to the lack of literature enrolled in this Meta-analysis.

Objective To investigate cancer patients′nutritional status after operative treatment and analysis of risk factors for malnutrition, which provides the basis for maintaining patients′ nutrition support after discharge. Methods One hundred and thirty patients treated with tumor in Liuan Hospital affiliated to Anhui Medical University were investigated. The nutritional status of patients discharged from hospital was evaluated by subjective comprehensive assessment, and the risk factors of malnutrition when they were discharged from hospital were analyzed. Results In 130 patients, 76 patients (58.46%) were assessed as no or mild malnutrition, and 54 patients (41.54%) as moderate or severe malnutrition. Univariate analysis showed that body mass index < 18.5 kg/m2 at admission, nutritional risk screening 2002(NRS2002) ≥ 3 scores, smoking and drinking were related to the occurrence of malnutrition after tumor surgery (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that NRS2002≥3 scores at admission and smoking were independent risk factors for malnutrition at discharge (P < 0.05). Conclusions The incidence of malnutrition in patients after tumor surgery is high, and there are many risk factors. Therefore, early nutrition support should be provided to patients, and family nutrition intervention after discharge is also very necessary.

Objective To explore the impacts of clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS) on duration and defined daily doses (DDDs) of antibiotics in patients with bacterial severe pneumonia in intensive care unit (ICU). Methods Patients with severe pneumonia, whose antibiotic usage was prescribed with the guide of CPIS, and admitted to ICU severe respiratory and infectious disease ward of Guizhou Medical University Affiliated Hospital from May 2017 to October 2017 were enrolled as CPIS group. Patients with the first CPIS score > 5 were given antimicrobial therapy, and the score was dynamically evaluated every 2-3 days. If the CPIS score < 5, the score was evaluated again after 2 days. If the score was still < 5, the antimicrobial drugs were discontinued. Patients admitted to the same ward from November 2016 to April 2017 were regarded as controls, of whom the antibiotic usage was completely conducted by the clinical experience of the chief physician. The duration and DDDs of antibiotics were compared between patients in two groups. At the same time, the usage of ventilator and prognostic indicators (the length of ICU stay, ICU mortality) were recorded. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was drawn, and the cumulative survival rates of 28 days, 90 days and 12 months were analyzed and compared between the two groups. Results In our department, 177 and 182 patients were admitted to ICU from November 2016 to April 2017 and from May 2017 to October 2017, respectively, of whom 101 and 65 patients with severe pneumonia were collected respectively during the two stages. There was no significant difference in gender composition, age, underlying diseases, vital signs, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHEⅡ) score, or peripheral blood routine at admission between the two groups, indicating that the baseline data of the two groups were equally comparable. During the treatment process, there was no significant difference in the duration of mechanical ventilation [hours: 126.0 (69.0, 228.8) vs. 120.0 (72.0, 192.0)], the length of ICU stay [days: 7.0 (5.0, 11.0) vs. 8.0 (5.0, 14.0)], or ICU mortality [18.8% (19/101) vs. 26.2% (17/65)] between the control group and CPIS group (all P >0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the cumulative survival rate of 28 days (log-rank test: χ2 = 0.540, P = 0.462), 90 days (log-rank test: χ2 = 0.332, P = 0.564) or 12 months (log-rank test: χ2 = 0.833, P = 0.362). Patients from CPIS guided group, however, had a shorter duration of antibiotics usage (days: 7.54±4.81 vs. 9.88±4.96, P < 0.01), and had a lower DDDs of antibiotics (17.58±13.09 vs. 22.73±18.31, P < 0.05) as compared with those in the control group. Conclusion CPIS-guided therapeutic regimen shortens antibiotic duration and decreases antibiotic DDDs in patients with severe pneumonia in ICU, indicating the values of CPIS in guiding antibiotics usage in these patients.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the hotspots and related situations of pneumoconiosis research in China from 2001 to2017. METHODS: China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Data were used to retrieve relevant literature on China's pneumoconiosis research from 2001 to 2017. Bibliometrics was used to analyze the distribution of publication time,regions,hotspots,authors and their institutions,carrier journals,keywords,etc. RESULTS: A total of 10 208 literature articles on pneumoconiosis research were screened. The number of published literature in 2001-2017 showed an upward trend year by year( P < 0. 01). Provinces in the Eastern area have the largest number of publications. The areas that have the largest number of publications were in Shandong Province,Beijing City and Hebei Province,followed by Anhui Province,Guangdong Province,Jiangsu Province,Liaoning Province,Shanxi Province and Henan Province. Beijing City,Hebei Province,Tianjin City,Liaoning Province,Anhui Province,Jiangsu Province,Hubei Province and Shanghai City are the hotspots for research on pneumoconiosis. The publications were seen in 1 173 journals. Five occupational medical professional periodicals such as Occupation and Health,Chinese Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Diseases,China Occupational Medicine,Chinese Journal of Industrial Medicine and Industrial Health and Occupational Diseases publish' the most literature on pneumoconiosis research,accounting for 26. 99% of the effective literature.Occupational disease prevention institutions and hospitals are the main organizations for publishing literatures. The focuses of pneumoconiosis research are silicosis and coal worker's pneumoconiosis,etc. CONCLUSION: Generally,the literature on the research of pneumoconiosis in China from 2001 to 2017 is increasing and is focus on some specific hotspots.Pneumoconiosis research has been specialized. An important carrier for publishing research results has been formed.

Objective To explore the factors affecting the operation of coronary artery bypass grafting with heart beating and improve the effect of the operation. Methods From January 2012 to June 2016, 898 patients with coronary heart disease who received cardiovascular surgery in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Jilin University were analyzed retrospectively. All patients only underwent coronary artery bypass grafting with beating heart. Among them, 797 patients underwent the off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (an OPCABG group, 592 males and 205 females, with an average age of 60.5±8.4 years); another 101 patients received on-pump beating heart coronary artery bypass grafting (an OPBH group, 77 males and 24 females, with an average age of 61.5±8.2 years). Results The average number of grafts in the OPCABG group was 3.36±0.74, and in the OPBH group was 3.71±0.69 (P<0.05). The postoperative ventilation time (10.8±9.5 hvs. 20.6±12.3 h), ICU stay (28.8±15.5 h vs. 37.4±30.8 h), hospital stay (10.9±4.8 d vs. 14.8±8.6 d), mortality (1.1% vs. 3.0%), the utilization rate of intra-aortic balloon pump (2.4% vs. 8.9%) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (0.5% vs. 5.0%) were significantly different between the OPCABG group and OPBH group (all P<0.05). Twelve patients died after surgery, and the total bloodless operation ratio was 91.3%. Conclusion The results show that most patients can achieve good results with the help of apical fixation and myocardial fixator, improved surgical techniques and methods, good anesthesia management as well as flexible and accurate use of vasoactive drugs. But extracorporeal circulation is necessary in the patients with large left ventricle, low ejection fraction and hemodynamic instability after intraoperatively moving the heart.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze transforming growth factor-β1( TGF-β1)-induced differentially expressed genes( DEGs) in human embryonic lung fibroblast( IMR-90) using microarray,and to screen the key genes and signaling pathways related to trans-differentiation of fibroblast.METHODS: The gene chip GSE17518,attained from TGF-β1 stimulated IMR-90 cells,was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database.The DEGs were screened by GENE-E software.Then,the DEGs were imported into the DAVID online database for Gene Ontology( GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes( KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis.The proteinprotein interaction( PPI) network was constructed and the hub genes were screened using STRING database and Cytoscape software.RESULTS: A total of 394 DEGs related to TGF-β1 stimulation were identified,including 171 down-regulated genes and 223 up-regulated genes.The results of GO analysis showed that the DEGs were widely distributed in cytoplasm,cell membrane,extracellular matrix( ECM) and exosomes,regulating biological functions such as ECM organization,cell migration and adhesion,cell proliferation and apoptosis.The results of the KEGG pathway analysis indicated that most of DEGs were enriched in cell focal adhesion,ECM-receptor interaction and phosphoinositide 3 kinase-Protein kinase B( PI3K-Akt) signaling pathways.The PPI network screened 10 core genes,included nucleolar protein 2( NOP2),succinate dehydrogenase B,glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase( EPRS),FtsJ homolog 3( FTSJ3),prefoldin subunit 4,Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 2,signal recognition particle receptor subunit beta,succinate-Co A ligase GDPforming beta subunit,pumilio RNA binding family member 3( KIAA0020),and general vesicular transport factor p115.NOP2,EPRS,FTSJ3,KIAA0020 were mainly distributed in M1 module.The NOP2 is the core gene with the highest number of nodes in M1 module.CONCLUSION: A total of 10 core differential genes and 7 signaling pathways related to TGF-β1 stimulation were screened.Among them,focal adhesion,ECM-receptor interaction,PI3K-Akt and NOP2,EPRS,FTSJ3,KIAA0020 may provide new direction for research of mechanisms of abnormal activation of fibrotic diseases including silicosis in incidence and development of multiple lung fibrotic diseases.

Objective To summarize and evaluate the clinical effect of extraco-rporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO) support for critically ill patients after heart surgery,and to explore the factors that influenced the prognosis of ECMO.Methods The clinical data of 67 patients undergoing ECMO admitted to the Second Hospital of Jilin University from August 2013 to July 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.The patient's age ranged from 22 months to 78 years,including 3 infants aged 22,24,30 months and 64 adults ranged from 32 to 78 years,the mean age was(56.52 ± 10.99) years.Results The average ECMO support time was (235.79 ± 123.87) h,the mean mechanical ventilation time was (166.11 ± 148.31) h.49 patients weaned off successfully from ECMO,38 of them were discharged and 11 died within 28 days.18 patients gaved up treatment.42 patients suffered the complications.Conclusion VA-ECMO is a significant supportive method for preoperative intensive care in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery.The keys to optimal results are grasping the indications of ECMO,earlier stopping mechanical ventilation,cluster curing(which involves reasonable anticoagulation,protection of organ function,prevention of hemorrhage,infection and limb distal ischemia).

Objective: To investigate the incidence rate of nutritional risk and malnutrition in patients with acute cerebral infarction, and analyze the influence factors of nutritional risk and malnutrition, so as to provide evidence for targeted nutritional intervention. Methods: Nutritional risk screening 2002 (NRS2002), subjective global assessment (SGA) and body mass index (BMI) were applied to screen nutritional risk and assess nutritional state for hospitalized patients with acute cerebral infarction from January to October 2017, and to investigate the incidence rate of nutritional risk and malnutrition. Univariate analysis was used to analyze the relationship of nutritional risk and malnutrition with the basic information and habits of patients. Logistic regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors. Results: The incidence rate of the nutritional risk (NRS2002 ≥ 3 scores) was 61.0% (122/200) in 200 cases of acute cerebral infarction patients. If BMI<18.5 kg/m² was used to evaluate the nutritional deficiencies, the incidence rate of undernutrition was 8.5% (17/200). The incidence rate of malnutrition was 25.5% (51/200) using the SGA evaluation method. The univariate analysis showed that the nutritional risk was associated with age, drinking, combined infection, fluid diet, dysphagia/cough, and BMI (<18.5 kg/m²)(P<0.05 or<0.01), and the malnutrition was associated with age, combined infection, disturbance of consciousness, fluid diet, dysphagia/cough and BMI (<18.5 kg/m²) (P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that the age, fluid diet were the independent risk factors for nutritional risk (P<0.05 or<0.01). The age, combined infection, fluid diet and BMI (<18.5 kg/m²) were the independent risk factors of malnutrition (P<0.05 or<0.01). Conclusions The incidence of nutritional risk and malnutrition in patients with acute cerebral infarction is relatively high. Nutritional risk screening and nutritional assessment should be performed at the time of admission. Early nutrition intervention should be used to prevent malnutrition and improve the prognosis of patients.

Objective To investigate the correlation between mutiple-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) parameter choline/creatine (Cho/Cr) and distribution of glioma stem cells (GSCs). Methods Sixteen patients with high-grade glioma approved by pathology, admitted to our hospital form August 2012 and March 2015, were enrolled in our study. They were performed 1H-MRS before surgery, and apparently different regions of Cho/Cr were identified. With the help of intraoperative neuronavigation, different Cho/Cr tissue samples were gained accurately (Cho/Cr hypermetabolism group and Cho/Cr hypometabolism group). The different distribution of glioma stem cells in glioma tissues of the two groups was detected via neurosphere culture; immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were employed to detect the CD133 and nestin expressions. Results Neurospheres were successfully cultured from different glioma tissues, and the sphere formation rate from Cho/Cr hypermetabolism group was significantly higher as compared with that from Cho/Cr hypometabolism group (13.94±3.55 vs. 8.04± 1.47, P<0.05). The immunohistochemistry results indicated that the expressions of CD133 and nestin in the Cho/Cr hypermetabolism group were significantly higher as compared with those in the Cho/Cr hypometabolism group ([22.96±2.28]% vs. [18.04±1.36]%, [25.47±2.43]% vs. [19.74±1.66]%, P<0.05). Western blotting showed that the relative protein expressions of CD133 and nestin in the Cho/Cr hypermetabolism group were significantly higher as compared with those in the Cho/Cr hypometabolism group (0.50±0.17 vs. 0.30±0.08, 0.45±0.13 vs. 0.27±0.07, P<0.05); and the protein expressions of CD133 and nestin were positively correlated with Cho/Cr (r=0.972, P=0.000; r=0.762, P=0.000). Conclusion 1H-MRS parameter Cho/Cr reveals the distribution differences of cancer stem cells in high-grade gliomas, which can assist in finding and resecting the glioma stem cells-rich region.