Search

Water vapor is a crucial component of the atmosphere. Its absorption significantly influences remote sensing by impacting radiation signals transmitted through the atmosphere. Determining columnar water vapor (CWV) from hyperspectral remote sensing data is essential during the imagery atmospheric correction process. Over the past 40 years, numerous CWV inversion algorithms have been developed, with refinements to enhance retrieval accuracy and reliability. In this study, we proposed an enhanced atmospheric pre-corrected differential absorption (APDA) algorithm. This enhancement was achieved by thoroughly analyzing water vapor absorption in relation to elevation and aerosol optical depth and extending look up tables (LUTs). The enhanced method utilizes a pre-built MODTRAN lookup table and is applied to ZY1-02D hyperspectral data from a satellite launched in 2020. We compared the inversion results of 10 ZY1-02D scenes obtained using the improved method with AERONET measurements and inversion results from commonly used atmospheric correction software, namely, FLAASH and ATCOR. The updated algorithm demonstrated a lower average error (0.0568 g·cm−2) and relative average error (10.49%) compared to the ATCOR software (0.17 g·cm−2 and 40.78%, respectively) and the FLAASH module (0.13 g·cm−2 and 30.82%, respectively). Consequently, the enhanced method outperforms traditional CWV inversion algorithms, especially at high altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five new phenylethanoid glycosides integerrima A-E (1-5) were isolated from the stem of Callicarpa integerrima for the first time. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses. In addition, cytotoxicity, anti-adipogenic and antioxidant activities were evaluated. All the phenylethanoid glycosides would be nontoxic to the normal human hepatocytes LO-2 and pre-adipocytes 3T3-L1 cell lines, significantly promote the proliferation of normal hepatocytes, thus displaying the potential for hepatoprotective. Integerrima A (1), C (3) and D (4) exhibited selectively moderate cytotoxic activity against the hepatoma cell lines Bel-7402, with the IC50 value at 72.66, 80.43 and 84.88 μmol/L, respectively. Moreover, integerrima D (4) had significant activities on reducing lipid droplet formation, with the inhibition rate of 48.02% on the concentration of 200 μg/mL. Finally, the result of FRAP assays exhibited remarkable antioxidant activity in integerrima E (5), which was close to the positive control ascorbic acid with the concentration of 100 μg/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Callicarpa stoloniformis sp. nov. (Lamiaceae) is described as a new species from Fujian Province of China on the basis of both morphological and molecular data. The new species is morphologically most close to C. hainanensis. However, it can be distinguished from the latter by its unique procumbent life form, adventitious roots at nodes, papery leaves, cup‐shaped or campanulate calyx, truncate or shallow fissure calyx lobes, and smaller fruits. In addition, the new species is also similar with C. basitruncata, a species only known from the original description and the photograph of holotype, but it can differ from the latter by its procumbent shrub, purple terete branchlets with apparent linear lenticels, adventitious roots at nodes, and papery larger leaves with prominently cordate leaf base. Original photographs, illustration, distribution map, and a comparative morphological table, as well as an identification key of the related taxa are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease, which leads to impairment of cognition and memory. The heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) family plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AD. It is known to regulate protein misfolding in a variety of diseases, including inhibition of Aβ aggregation and NFT formation in AD. As yet, the diagnostic molecular markers of AD remain unclear. Herein, we sought to investigate molecular markers of HSP70 family that can affect diagnosis and treatment in AD through computational analysis. In this study, the intersection between HSP70 family members and immune molecules was taken to screen immune-related HSP70 family genes. Based on the datasets from the NCBI-Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, we found that the expression levels of HSPA1A and HSPA2 were significantly increased in AD samples, while HSPA8 significantly decreased. Surprisingly, the combination of the 3 hub genes had a good diagnosis of AD via receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Moreover, the clinical value of the 3 hub genes was further assessed by the Spearman correlation analysis with AD-related genes, β-secretase activity, and γ-secretase activity. In terms of immune cell infiltration, we showed that the distribution of seven immune cell types (macrophages M2, neutrophils, T cells CD4 memory activated, macrophages M0, NK cells activated, plasma cells, and T cells follicular helper) was associated with the occurrence of AD by CIBERSORT. Furthermore, our data suggested that EP300, MYC, TP53, JUN, CREBBP, and ESR1 might be key transcription factors (TFs) for the 3 hub genes. In general, these findings suggest that HSPA1A, HSPA2, and HSPA8 are potential molecular biomarkers for prognosis among HSP70 family in AD, and it provides a new perspective on diagnostic and therapeutic targets for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ordos Basin is rich in shale oil resources. The main targeted layers of blocks A83 and X233 are the Chang 7 member of the Yanchang Formation. Due to extremely low permeability, a fracturing technique was required to enhance oil recovery. However, after adopting the stimulated reservoir volume-fracturing technology, the post-fracturing production of the A83 block is significantly lower than that of the X233 block. For this problem, the dominating factors of productivity of the two blocks were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) and the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (SRCC), showing that the main reason for the lower production of the A83 block is its insufficient formation energy. To solve this problem, the CO2 pre-pad energized fracturing method was proposed. To study the feasibility of CO2 pre-pad energized fracturing in the A83 block, an integrated reservoir numerical simulation model of well A83-1 was established based on the idea of integration of geology and engineering. Additionally, the productions within five years after conventional volume fracturing and CO2 pre-pad energized fracturing were compared. The results show that compared with conventional volume fracturing, the cumulative oil production of CO2 pre-pad energized fracturing increases by 11.8%, and the water cut decreases by 16.5%. The research results can guide the subsequent reservoir reconstruction operation in the A83 block and provide new ideas for fracturing in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nevertheless, the possibility of brood-site pollination in fungus gnat-pollinated species should not be excluded considering the previous data on the brood-site pollination of Nematoceran Diptera pollinators on other I Aspidistra i species. As a guild of early-diverging dipterans, fungus gnats are known to be involved in a variety of pollination syndromes with at least 12 plant families (Mesler et al., 1980; Mochizuki & Kawakita, 2018); however, brood-site pollination has rarely been reported in fungus gnat-pollinated plants. Although our study could not certify obligate mutualism in I A. longipetala i - I Bradysia i sp. interaction, it represents a novel brood-site pollination mutualism in either I Aspidistra i spp. or the fungus gnat-pollination system. Keywords: Aspidistra; Bradysia; brood-site pollination; fungus gnat-pollination; mushroom mimicry; mutualism EN Aspidistra Bradysia brood-site pollination fungus gnat-pollination mushroom mimicry mutualism 1 5 5 08/03/22 20220801 NES 220801 I Aspidistra i Ker Gawl. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) profiles and contributions of mtDNA variants to CD4+T-cell recovery in Euramerican people living with HIV (PLWH) may not be transferred to East-Asian PLWH, highlighting the need to consider more regional studies. We aimed to identify mtDNA characteristics and mutations that explain the variability of short-term CD4+T-cell recovery in East-Asian PLWH. Method: Eight hundred fifty-six newly reported antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve Chinese PLWH from the Comparative HIV and Aging Research in Taizhou (CHART) cohort (Zhejiang Province, Eastern China) were enrolled. MtDNA was extracted from peripheral whole blood of those PLWH at HIV diagnosis, amplified, and sequenced using polymerase chain reaction and gene array. Characterization metrics such as mutational diversity and momentum were developed to delineate baseline mtDNA mutational patterns in ART-naïve PLWH. The associations between mtDNA genome-wide single nucleotide variants and CD4+T-cell recovery after short-term (within ~48 weeks) ART in 724 PLWH were examined using bootstrapping median regressions. Results: Of 856 participants, 74.18% and 25.82% were male and female, respectively. The median age was 37 years; 94.51% were of the major Han ethnicity, and 69.04% and 28.62% were of the heterosexual and homosexual transmission, respectively. We identified 2,352 types of mtDNA mutations and mtDNA regions D-loop , ND5 , CYB , or RNR1 with highest mutational diversity or volume. Female PLWH rather than male PLWH at the baseline showed remarkable age-related uptrends of momentum and mutational diversity as well as correlations between CD4+T <200 (cells/μl) and age-related uptrends of mutational diversity in many mtDNA regions. After adjustments of important sociodemographic and clinical variables, m.1005T>C, m.1824T>C, m.3394T>C, m.4491G>A, m.7828A>G, m.9814T>C, m.10586G>A, m.12338T>C, m.13708G>A, and m.14308T>C (at the Bonferroni-corrected significance) were negatively associated with short-term CD4+T-cell recovery whereas m.93A>G, m.15218A>G, and m.16399A>G were positively associated with short-term CD4+T-cell recovery. Conclusion: Our baseline mtDNA characterization stresses the attention to East-Asian female PLWH at risk of CD4+T-cell loss-related aging and noncommunicable chronic diseases. Furthermore, mtDNA variants identified in regression analyses account for heterogeneity in short-term CD4+T-cell recovery of East-Asian PLWH. These results may help individualize the East-Asian immune recovery strategies under complicated HIV management caused by CD4+T-cell loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of people who smoke has increased in recent years, and the incidence of smoking-related diseases increases annually. This study was conducted to explore whether smoking affects diseases via changes in the gut microbiota. We enrolled 33 smokers and 121 non-smokers. We collected fecal samples from all participants and performed whole-genome sequencing. Smoking significantly affected the gut microbiota. At the phylum through genus levels, the smokers' microbiotas showed slight changes compared with those of the non-smokers. The α- and β-diversities differed significantly between the smokers and non-smokers, and the smokers' gut microbiota compositions differed significantly from those of the non-smokers. At the species level, the relative abundances of Ruminococcus gnavus (P =0.00197) and Bacteroides vulgatus (P =0.0468) were significantly greater in the smokers than in the non-smokers, while the relative abundances of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (P =0.0000052) and Akkermansia muciniphila (P =0.0057) were significantly lower in the smokers. Smoking increases inflammation in the body by inducing an increased abundance of proinflammatory bacteria. Non-smokers had higher abundances of anti-inflammatory microorganisms than did smokers; these microorganisms can produce short-chain fatty acids, which inhibit inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between Callicarpa rubella Lindl. and its infraspecific taxa has troubled researchers for a long time. Here, we reported for the first time the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of C. rubella to investigate its phylogenetic position and provide more sequencing information for further studies about the relationship between C. rubella and its related species. The cp genome of C. rubella was 154,202 bp in length and displayed a typical quadripartite angiosperm structure, containing two inverted repeat (IR) regions of 25,701 bp, a large single-copy (LSC) region of 84,968 bp and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,832 bp. It contained 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. The analysis fully resolved C. rubella was in a clade with C. bodinieri and C. nudiflora. The results indicated Callicarpa formed a sister relationship with Dicrastylis parvifolia in Lamiaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel norquassinoids possessing a unique ketal skeleton, designated quassilactones A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the fruits of Brucea javanica (Simaroubaceae). Their structures were established by extensive NMR and HR-ESI-MS spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined through single-crystal X-ray crystallography, and that of 2 was assigned by comparing the calculated electronic and experimental circular dichroism with compound 1. In addition, their cytotoxic activities against three human cancer cell lines and their antimicrobial activities were evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: This review is intended to provide an overview of the evolution of HIV epidemiology over the past decade in China. Recent Findings: We provided a succinct overall view of the epidemic, followed by surveillance data, profiles of key populations, HIV molecular epidemiology, and drug resistance, as well as survival in the age of antiretroviral therapy usage. For each topical issue, we first reviewed the latest empirical evidence, followed by a brief summary assessment. We briefly addressed the challenges and opportunities of the next generation of HIV control and prevention efforts in China. Summary: Notably, macro-social factors need to be integrated into the next generation of clinical and/or behavioral HIV research to inform disease progression and management, as well as control and prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here for the first time the complete plastid genome of Cheniella didyma of the legume family. The plastid genome has a typical circular structure with a total length of 157,186 bp and contains two inverted repeat regions (IRs, 24,455 bp), a large single-copy region (LSC, 89,410 bp), and a small single-copy region (SSC, 18,866 bp). This is the first report of the complete plastid genome sequence of Cheniella, a genus recently segregated from Bauhinia s.l. The phylogenetic analysis based on 77 coding regions of the plastome of this species and those of the related species strongly suggested that C. didyma is sister to Lysiphyllum and is not directly related to Bauhinia s.s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen morphology of 36 species and 9 varieties of Callicarpa L. (Lamiaceae) from China was investigated through scanning electron microscopy. Pollen grains of the genus are monads, radiosymmetric and tricolpate, mainly medium in size, spheroidal (rarely subprolate, prolate or suboblate) in equatorial view and (sub) circular or rounded triangular in polar view. The edge of colpus is thin, perforate or thickened but imperforate and the colpus membrane of the investigated taxa is usually uneven (sunken or raised), with finely/coarsely granular or irregular striation. Four different ornamentation types are delimited on the basis of exine sculpturing: (1) coarsely reticulate; (2) microreticulate; (3) rugosely reticulate and (4) rugulate reticulate. The results do not support the traditional infrageneric classification of Callicarpa which is based on stamen characters. However, pollen characters provide evidence to support Callicarpa as the sister to the Australian subfamily Prostantheroideae, a relationship previously suggested by molecular phylogenetic analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delonix regia, a plant species of the legume family native to Madagascar, has been widely cultivated in the tropical and subtropical regions as an ornamental tree due to its remarkable showy orange-red flowers over summer. Here we report for the first time the complete plastid genome of this species, which has a typical circular structure with a total length of 162,756 bp and contains two inverted repeat regions (IRs, 25,544 bp), a large single copy region (LSC, 92,490 bp), and a small single copy region (SSC, 19,178 bp). The phylogenetic analysis based on the complete plastome sequences of this species and those of the related species from GenBank strongly suggested that D. regia is nested in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae and is sister to a clade consisting of Erythrophlium fordii and the old-sense Mimosoideae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized for Illicium verum, a member of the basal angiosperms. The observed number of alleles per locus ranged from two to nine. The observed and expected heterozygosity varied from 0.10 to 1.00 and 0.097 to 0.85, respectively. Twelve loci were screened in cross-amplification tests for three other Illicium species, in which all loci were successfully amplified. These newly developed microsatellite markers could provide a useful tool for the ongoing efforts in studying the population genetic variation of I. verum, which will facilitate formulation of appropriate strategies for conservation and sustainable utilization of star anise and its congeneric species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]