Explore the vast range of titles available.

Background Laser hemorrhoidoplasty (LHP) has emerged as a novel, minimally invasive technique for managing symptomatic hemorrhoids, gaining popularity among clinicians. Despite its increasing adoption, significant variations exist in the application of LHP across different practices. Purpose The aim of these recommendations was to spell out some basic principles and recommendations for performing a standard LHP procedure. Methods The Recommendation Development Group (RDG) consisting of surgeons with experience in LHP were invited to formulate recommendations for the procedure. The recommendations were generated following systematic literature research and discussion amongst experts (expert opinion) where no substantial literature was available. The developed recommendations were voted upon by a panelist via the Delphi process. Consensus was a priori defined as agreement of 75% and above, with strong consensus defined as 85% and above. Results The RDG developed 21 recommendations that were voted upon by 49 panelists. Consensus was reached for all 21 recommendations after the first Delphi round, including 16 recommendations with strong consensus. Conclusion The RDP offers a comprehensive suite of guidelines to enhance the safety and efficacy of standard LHP procedures. Out of 21 detailed recommendations, 16 reached strong consensus, collectively addressing the full spectrum of LHP procedures—from laser settings and preoperative preparations to perioperative strategies and postoperative care. This coherent framework is anticipated not only to standardize but also to refine the LHP technique across the board, thereby elevating the management of symptomatic hemorrhoidal disease.

Brown Dwarf hens and White Leghorn hens were fed corn- and soybean meal-based diets containing 0, 2.5, or 5.0% conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) for 56 d to explore the effects of dietary CLA on the fatty acid profile and cholesterol content of egg yolks from laying hens of different breeds. Four hens were placed in 1 cage, and 3 cages were grouped as 1 replicate, resulting in 6 replicates per treatment. After feeding the experimental diets for 11 d, eggs were collected to determine the fatty acid composition of the egg yolks. From d 54 to 56, eggs were collected to measure the cholesterol content of yolks, and on d 56, a hen was selected randomly from each replicate and bled to determine the cholesterol content in plasma. There was a significant effect of layer breed on layer performance and egg composition. Concentrations of stearic, arachidonic, and docosahexaenoic acids were higher in the yolks of Brown Dwarf hens than in those of White Leghorn hens. Enrichment of cis-11, trans-13 was higher in the yolks of White Leghorns, but cis-10, cis-12 was higher in those of Brown Dwarf hens. In contrast, feed intake and egg weight, as well as yolk weight and its ratio to egg, were decreased by the 5% dietary CLA treatment. Egg production and feed efficiency were not affected by dietary CLA. Concentrations of total CLA and CLA isomers in the yolk lipids increased (P < 0.01) with increasing dietary CLA. Furthermore, yolk cholesterol was increased with increasing dietary CLA (P < 0.01), but this was significantly decreased in Brown Dwarf hens (P < 0.01) by feeding 2.5% CLA. There was no apparent correlation between yolk cholesterol content and serum cholesterol content. In conclusion, Brown Dwarf layers had the breed-specific characteristics of enrichment of CLA isomers and fatty acids in yolk lipids in response to dietary CLA.

The following paper reviews the breeding seasonality and its control in the domestic geese. Geese breeds can be classified into 3 types according to their breeding season: Type 1 inhabits higher latitude (40 to 45º N) temperate zones, and breeds during the longer days in spring and early summer. Types 2 inhabits mid-latitude (30 to 40º N) temperate regions, and start their breeding season in autumn and end in the following spring - early summer. Type 3 are the short-day breeding geese, located in subtropical areas (22 to 25º N), which breed from late summer to the following spring. Differences in breeding seasonalities are attributed to adaptations to environment conditions, enabling geese to fully utilize these conditions to achieve maximal reproductive performance and survival. Divergent breeding seasons are caused by the different pituitary secretions of gonadotrophins and prolactin in response to annual changes in photoperiod. In practical goose production, laying seasons can be controlled by imposing artificial photoperiods, with almost opposite photo-programmes for long or short day breeding geese, respectively. In addition, genetic selection and other animal husbandry measures such as timing of gosling stocking and nutritional intake levels can modify, to various degrees, the goose breeding seasonality.

The microRNAs are non-coding RNA molecules of approximately 20–22 nucleotides that are found to be implicated in a wide range of physiological processes. In this study, the suitability of 10 candidate reference RNAs was evaluated for microRNA expression data in the skin tissue of Liaoning cashmere goat including 1 small nuclear RNA (snRNA; RNU6B), 1 small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA; Z30), 1 rRNA (5S), 1 transfer RNA (tRNA; Met-tRNA), and 6 microRNAs (miR; let-7d-5p, miR-15a-5p, miR-26a-5p, miR-125a-5p, miR-214-3p, and miR-221-3p). Based on geNorm and NormFinder algorithms, we identified let-7d-5p, miR-26a-5p, and miR-15a-5p as the most stable reference RNAs. Also, three reference RNAs (let-7d-5p, miR-26a-5p, and miR-15a-5p) were sufficient for the normalization of microRNA expression data in the skin of this breed. We further assessed the suitability of let-7d-5p, miR-26a-5p, and miR-15a-5p in a combination as reference RNAs through detecting the relative expression of miR-24-3p, miR-29a-3p, miR-145a-5p, and miR-205-5p as putative genes of interest. Significant differences were revealed in the relative expression of miR-24-3p, miR-29a-3p, miR-145a-5p, and miR-205-5p at telogen stage of hair follicle cycle when a combination of let-7d-5p, miR-26a-5p, and miR-15a-5p vs a single let-7d-5p were used as reference RNA. Based on the results from this study, we suggested that the combination of let-7d-5p, miR-26a-5p, and miR-15a-5p as normalizers for microRNA expression data would be more reliable than that of single let-7d-5p, and the geometric mean of these three microRNAs (let-7d-5p, miR-26a-5p, and miR-15a-5p) can be used for the normalization of microRNAs expression data in the skin of Liaoning cashmere goat.

In situ sampling of rhizosphere solution chemistry is an important step in improving our understanding of soil solution nutrient dynamics. Improved understanding will enhance our ability to model nutrient dynamics and on a broader scale, to develop effective buffers to minimize nutrient movement to surface waters. However, only limited attention has been focused on the spatial heterogeneity and temporal dynamics of rhizosphere solution, and still less is known about how rhizosphere solution chemistry varies among plant species. Nutrients in rhizosphere soil solution and changes in root morphology of juvenile corn (Zea mays L. cv. Stine 2250), cottonwood (Populus deltoids L.), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) were monitored using mini-rhizotron technology. Plants were grown for 10 days in a fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Cumulic Hapludoll (Kennebec series). Micro-samples (100-200 μL) of rhizosphere and bulk soil solution were collected at 24-h intervals at a tension of -100 kPa and analyzed for P, K, Ca, and Mg concentration using Capillary Electrophoresis techniques. Plants were harvested at the end of the 10-day period, and tissue digests analyzed for nutrient content by Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy. Corn plants produced roots that were 1.3 times longer than those of cottonwood, and 11.7 times longer than those of switchgrass. Similar trends were observed in number of root tips and root surface area. At the end of 10 days, rhizosphere solution P and K concentrations in the immediate vicinity of the roots (<1 mm) decreased by approximating 24 and 8% for corn, and 15 and 5% for cottonwood. A rhizosphere effect was not found for switchgrass. After correction for initial plant nutrient content, corn shoot P, K, and Mg were respectively 385, 132, and 163% higher than cottonwood and 66, 37, and 10% higher than switchgrass. Cottonwood shoot Ca concentration, however, was 68 to 133% higher than that of corn or switchgrass. There was no difference in root P concentration among the three species. Nutrient accumulation efficiency (μg nutrient mm-1 root length) of cottonwood was 26 to 242% higher for P, 25 to 325% higher for Ca, and 41 to 253% higher for Mg than those of corn and switchgrass. However, K accumulation efficiency of corn was four to five times higher than that of the cottonwood and switchgrass. Nutrient utilization efficiency (mg of dry weight produced per mg nutrient uptake) of P, K, and Mg was higher in cottonwood than in corn and switchgrass. These differences are element-specific and depend on root production and morphology as well as plant nutrient status. From a practical perspective, the results of this study indicate that potentially significant differences in rhizosphere solution chemistry can develop quickly. Results also indicate that cottonwood would be an effective species to slow the loss of nutrients in buffer settings.

Stephen Brooks and William Wohlforth argue that despite China's impressive growth in material power, the United States will remain the international system's hegemonic leader for the foreseeable future. Implicit in this assertion is the assumption that China is not in a position to undermine U.S. hegemony until it overtakes the United States in overall material power. This view, however, overlooks two issues critical to scholars' understanding of the power dynamics between China and the United States.

To explore the efficacy of commonly used forensic identification panels in complex paternity testing of trios that involved close relatives, we wrote a code by R to generate 10,000 pedigrees at 20 CODIS STR, 21 non-CODIS STR and 30 InDel loci in Chinese five ethnic groups based on their allele frequencies. Parentage identification index——cumulative paternity index (CPI) value was set as output and was further analyzed to evaluate the performance of the aforementioned panels in complex paternity testing when the alleged parent is a random individual, biological parent, grandparent, sibling of biological parent, half-sibling of biological parent, etc. The results showed that the false inclusion of parent sibling posed as parent demonstrated no statistically significant difference from that of grandparent posed as parent. The scenarios where both biological parent and alleged parent were consanguineous to the other parent were also simulated. The results revealed that the complexity of paternity testing would raise when biological parents were consanguineous and the alleged parent was a close relative of theirs. Despite the values of non-conformity number could vary in different genetic relationships, populations and panels, 20 CODIS STRs and 21 non-CODIS STRs performed satisfactorily in most simulated scenarios. However, the joint use of 20 CODIS STRs and 21 non-CODIS STRs is more recommendable when resolving the paternity testing of the incest mating case. Overall, the current study could be regarded as a worthwhile reference in complex paternity testing of trios that involved close relatives. •Thoroughly compared the efficiency of 3 commonly used commercial kits in complex paternity testing among 5 populations.•11 Scenarios were simulated to analyze the influence of close relatives on paternity testing.•The marker set combined CODIS and non-CODIS STRs provides a powerful tool for complex paternity testing.

Information regarding gene flow in wind-pollinated, outcrossing forage grasses is essential for any future releases of value-added transgenic cultivars. Experiments on pollen dispersal was carried out by growing transgenic tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) in a central plot, surrounded by exclosures containing recipient plants up to a distance of 200 m from the central source plants in eight directions. The central transgenic tall fescue plants carried a chimeric hygromycin phosphotransferase gene (hph) and a chimeric β-glucuronidase gene (gusA). Seeds were collected from the recipient plants and germinated seedlings were used for high throughput DNA isolation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. More than 21,000 seedlings were PCR analyzed for the experiments conducted in three years. Transgenes were detected in recipient plants at up to 150 m from the central transgenic plot. The highest transgene frequencies, 5% at 50 m, 4.12% at 100 m and 0.96% at 150 m, were observed north of the central plot, the prevailing wind direction. Lower transgene frequencies were detected in other directions, particularly at 100 m and 150 m distances. No transgene was detected at 200 m distance in any direction. Transgene flow was less effective or ineffective when recipient plants were further away from the central donor plants. Southern blot hybridization analysis confirmed the transgenic nature of the PCR positive plants. A supplementary experiment demonstrated that transgene flow can be controlled by placing transgenic plantings downwind and long distances from non-transgenic seed increases, thus allowing tall fescue breeding and transgene development programs to be conducted concurrently at the same research station.

Due to the increased morbidity, mortality, and cost of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in older people, strategies directed at improving disease evaluation and prevention are imperative. We independently compared the 30-day in-hospital mortality prediction ability of a frailty index based on laboratory data (FI-Lab) with that of the CURB-65 and the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) and then proposed combining them to further improve prediction efficiency. Retrospective cohort study. Patients aged ≥ 65 years (n = 2039) with CAP who were admitted to Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine from January 2019 to June 2022. The 29-item FI-Lab, PSI and, CURB-65 were administered at admission. We defined frailty by the cut-off value of the FI-Lab score (> 0.43). Multivariable logistic regression analysis, together with the calculation of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC), was conducted to identify stratified risks and relationships between the three indices and 30-day mortality. Participants were divided into the following three groups based on age: 65–74 years, 75–84 years, and ≥ 85 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality due to frailty were calculated. A total of 495 participants ranging from 65 to 100 years of age were ultimately included and divided into age groups (65–74 years, n = 190, 38.4%; 75–84 years, n = 183, 37.0%; ≥ 85 years, n = 122, 24.6%). A total of 142 (28.7%) of the 495 patients were defined as having frailty. All three scores tested in this study were significantly associated with 30-day mortality in the total sample. The ORs were as follows: 1.06 (95% CI: 1.03–1.09, P < 0.001) and 2.33 (95% CI: 1.26–4.31, P = 0.007) for the FI-Lab when the score was treated as a continuous and categorical variable, respectively; 1.04 (95% CI: 1.02–1.05, P < 0.001) for the PSI; and 3.70 (95% CI: 2.48–5.50, P < 0.001) for the CURB-65. In the total sample, the ROC-AUCs were 0.783 (95% CI: 0.744–0.819) for the FI-Lab, 0.812 (95% CI: 0.775–0.845) for the PSI, and 0.799 (95% CI: 0.761–0.834) for the CURB-65 (P < 0.001). The ROC-AUC slightly improved when the FI-Lab was added to the PSI (AUC 0.850, 95% CI: 0.809–0.892, P = 0.031) and to the CURB-65 (AUC 0.839, 95% CI: 0.794–0.885, P = 0.002). Older patients with frailty showed a higher risk of in-hospital mortality, with an HR of 2.25 (95% CI: 1.14–3.58, P < 0.001). The FI-Lab seems to generate simple and readily available data, suggesting that it could be a useful complement to the CURB-65 and the PSI as effective predictors of 30-day mortality due to CAP in older populations.