Yi-Wei Cao

Climate change and human interference have disturbed most grassland ecosystems globally, causing degradation, fragmentation and loss of landscape. Over-grazing, the main human factor of grassland degradation, challenges most grassland flora and fauna. However, the impact of grazing-caused grassland degradation on communities remains unclear, because of the difficulty and neglect of studying the complex interactions and cascade effects within an ecosystem. Therefore, we studied birds, epigeic arthropods, plants and grazing intensity in the Zoige alpine grassland on the eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau to explore the complex interactions and cascade effects on community. We found positive responses of bird abundance and epigeic arthropod to light and moderate grassland degradation. Biomass and abundance of omnivores bird, saprophages and zooparasites arthropod could benefit from human-induced livestock to reverse the expected biome decline under grassland degradation. Yak contributed more to grassland degradation than sheep. Sheep promoted bird diversity, while yak reduced both birds and arthropods, indicating varying influence intensity and pathway of sheep and yak on biome through cascade effects. Our results suggest that grazing-caused grassland degradation benefits birds and epigeic arthropods through the food web and cascade effects, the impact of grazing may depend on feeding habits of grazing species. Therefore, we urge further research to uncover the intricate mechanisms of grassland ecology for the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem stability.

A man in his 60s with a history of chronic kidney disease and long-term peritoneal dialysis presented to the emergency department with heart palpitations and severe weakness of the upper and lower limbs. The patient’s medical history also included an inferior wall myocardial infarction in 2011, but unexplained syncope was denied, and he reported no family history of sudden cardiac death. On admission, the patient’s blood pressure was 160/80 mm Hg; heart rate, 102 beats per minute; and respiratory rate, of 20 breaths per minute. Examination of the limbs showed symmetrical weakness in the extremities. Cardiopulmonary examination showed no notable findings. The result of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin level testing was 0.03 ng/mL (reference, <0.02 ng/mL; to convert to μg/L, multiply by 1.0). A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was obtained on admission (Figure, A). Identify all potential conflicts of interest that might be relevant to your comment. Conflicts of interest comprise financial interests, activities, and relationships within the past 3 years including but not limited to employment, affiliation, grants or funding, consultancies, honoraria or payment, speaker's bureaus, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, royalties, donation of medical equipment, or patents planned, pending, or issued. Err on the side of full disclosure. If you have no conflicts of interest, check "No potential conflicts of interest" in the box below. The information will be posted with your response. Not all submitted comments are published. Please see our commenting policy for details.

This case report considers echocardiogram findings in young man with no history of cardiovascular disease who presented with exertional chest distress.

A patient in their 50s presented to the emergency department with a 6-month history of pedal swelling and a 2-day history of mild dyspnea, denying dizziness and syncope. The patient’s initial vital signs were as follows: blood pressure was 136/68 mm Hg; respiratory rate was 19 breaths/min; and pulse rate was 50 beats/min. Physical examination findings revealed symmetrical edema at both lower limbs up to the knees. Blood laboratory test results on admission, including complete blood cell count, kidney function, liver function, electrolytes, thyroid function, and infection indicators, were unremarkable, but high-sensitivity troponin I was 0.056 ng/mL (reference range <0.02 ng/mL; to convert to μg/L, multiply by 1.0). Coronary computed tomographic angiography did not reveal obstructive coronary disease. A transthoracic echocardiography showed a mass attached to the tricuspid orifice of the right atrium. A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was obtained on admission (Figure, A). Identify all potential conflicts of interest that might be relevant to your comment. Conflicts of interest comprise financial interests, activities, and relationships within the past 3 years including but not limited to employment, affiliation, grants or funding, consultancies, honoraria or payment, speaker's bureaus, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, royalties, donation of medical equipment, or patents planned, pending, or issued. Err on the side of full disclosure. If you have no conflicts of interest, check "No potential conflicts of interest" in the box below. The information will be posted with your response. Not all submitted comments are published. Please see our commenting policy for details.

Pheochromocytoma is a rare endocrine tumor arising from chromaffin cells and having extensive and profound effects on the cardiovascular system by continuously or intermittently releasing catecholamines. The clinical manifestations of pheochromocytoma are diverse, and the typical triad, including episodic headache, palpitations, and sweating, only occurs in 24% of pheochromocytoma patients, which often misleads clinicians into making an incorrect diagnosis. We herein report the case of a patient with intermittent chest pain and elevated myocardial enzymes for 2 years who was diagnosed with pheochromocytoma. A 49-year-old woman presented with intermittent chest pain for 2 years. Two years ago, the patient experienced chest pain and was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction, with 25% stenosis in the left circumflex. The patient still had intermittent chest pain after discharge. Two hours before admission to our hospital, the patient experienced chest pain with nausea and vomiting, lasting for 20 min. Troponin I and urinary norepinephrine and catecholamine levels were elevated. An electrocardiogram indicated QT prolongation and ST-segment depression in leads II, III, aVF, and V3-V6. A coronary computed tomography angiogram revealed no evidence of coronary artery disease. Echocardiography showed left ventricular enlargement and a decreased posterior inferior wall motion amplitude. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography demonstrated an inhomogeneous right adrenal mass. The patient successfully underwent laparoscopic right adrenalectomy, and histopathology confirmed adrenal pheochromocytoma. During the first-year follow-up visits, the patient was asymptomatic. The abnormal changes on echocardiography and electro-cardiogram disappeared. Clinicians should be aware of pheochromocytoma. A timely and accurate diagnosis of pheochromocytoma is essential for alleviating serious cardiac complications.

Atherosclerosis is a severe cardiovascular disease characterized by narrowing of the lumen, plaque formation, and blood flow turbulence as a result of cholesterol and lipid accumulation in the inner lining of arteries. Bishkhapra (Trianthema portulacastrum Linn.) is a well-known common weed belonging to the family Aizoaceae. Several bioactive compounds have been isolated from this weed and widely used against several diseases. The present study evaluated the protective and therapeutic efficacies of T. portulacastrum against atherosclerosis in a rat model. The animals were divided into the sham, control (diabetes- + atherosclerosis-inducing diet), 100 mg/kg T. portulacastrum treatment, 200 mg/kg T. portulacastrum treatment, and positive control groups. Blood glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, and other lipid parameters, as well as the expression of G-protein-coupled receptor 124 (GPR124), were measured. Glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides were significantly reduced to near normal levels. The serum levels of fibrinogen, sVCAM-1, and oxidized low density lipoproteins were substantially increased in control rats. Treatment with the T. portulacastrum extract reversed these levels to near normal levels. The mRNA expression of GPR124 was increased by 150% in the control group. However, treatment with T. portulacastrum extract decreased the mRNA expression up to 40% compared with the control group. Rats treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg T. portulacastrum extract showed a decrease in GPR124 protein expression by 9.5% and 33.3%, respectively. Taken together, the results suggest that an extract of T. portulacastrum is effective against atherosclerosis in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.