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Nan Chen, Jiadi Gao, Hanshu Zhao, Sihan Liu, Yubing Zhou, Yushuang Liu, Zhongling Zhang, Shanshan Yang Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150001, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shanshan Yang; Zhongling Zhang, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, No. 23 Youzheng Stree, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, 150001, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-451-85553681 ; + 86-451-85555918, Fax +86-451-85555918, Email yangshanshan81@163.com; zhangzhongling7@126.comObjective: Stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, posing a significant public health challenge. While treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is effective but increases the risk of hemorrhagic transformation (HT). This study aimed to explore the determinants of HT in AIS patients treated with rt-PA and investigate the association between blood glucose levels and HT risk.Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study at the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from January 2018 to December 2021. Patients with AIS and who received rt-PA within 4.5 hours of symptom onset were included. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and imaging data were collected.Results: Of the 426 patients, 15% experienced HT post-rt-PA, occurred more frequently in patients with a history of cardiac embolism, higher prethrombolysis NIHSS scores, and elevated fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels. The frequency of HT was higher in non-diabetic patients with FBG levels ≥ 7.0 mmol/L compared to diabetic patients. Elevated blood glucose levels were significantly associated with HT, regardless of diabetes history.Conclusion: The findings suggest importance of precise glycemic control during AIS management to improve patient outcomes, particularly in non-diabetic patients. Future protocols for AIS treatme more...

Dead trees are vital structural elements in forests playing key roles in the carbon and nutrient cycle. Stem traits and fungal community composition are both important drivers of stem decay, and thereby affect ecosystem functioning, but their relative importance for stem decomposition over time remains unclear.To address this issue, we used a common garden decomposition experiment in a Dutch larch forest hosting fresh logs from 13 common temperate tree species. In total, 25 fresh wood and bark traits were measured as indicators of wood accessibility for decomposers, nutritional quality and chemical or physical defence mechanisms. After 1 and 4 years of decay, we assessed the richness and composition of wood-inhabiting fungi using amplicon sequencing and determined the proportional wood density loss.Average proportional wood density loss for the first year was 18.5%, with further decomposition occurring at a rate of 4.3% year−1 for the subsequent 3 years across tree species. Proportional wood density loss varied widely across tree species in the first year (8.7–24.8% year−1) and subsequent years (0–11.3% year−1). The variation was directly driven by initial wood traits during the first decay year, then later directly driven by bark traits and fungal community composition. Moreover, bark traits affected the composition of wood-inhabiting fungi and thereby indirectly affected decomposition rates. Specifically, traits promoting resource acquisition of the living tree, such as wide conduits that increase accessibility and high nutrient concentration, increased initial wood decomposition rates. Fungal community composition, but not fungal richness explained differences in wood decomposition after 4 years of exposure in the field, where fungal communities dominated by brown-rot and white-rot Basidiomycetes were linked to higher wood decomposition rate.Synthesis: Understanding what drives deadwood decomposition through time is importa more...

Dead trees are vital structural elements in forests playing key roles in the carbon and nutrient cycle. Stem traits and fungal community composition are both important drivers of stem decay, and thereby affect ecosystem functioning, but their relative importance for stem decomposition over time remains unclear. To address this issue, we used a common garden decomposition experiment in a Dutch larch forest hosting fresh logs from 13 common temperate tree species. In total, 25 fresh wood and bark traits were measured as indicators of wood accessibility for decomposers, nutritional quality and chemical or physical defence mechanisms. After 1 and 4 years of decay, we assessed the richness and composition of wood-inhabiting fungi using amplicon sequencing and determined the proportional wood density loss. Average proportional wood density loss for the first year was 18.5%, with further decomposition occurring at a rate of 4.3% year−1 for the subsequent 3 years across tree species. Proportional wood density loss varied widely across tree species in the first year (8.7–24.8% year−1) and subsequent years (0–11.3% year−1). The variation was directly driven by initial wood traits during the first decay year, then later directly driven by bark traits and fungal community composition. Moreover, bark traits affected the composition of wood-inhabiting fungi and thereby indirectly affected decomposition rates. Specifically, traits promoting resource acquisition of the living tree, such as wide conduits that increase accessibility and high nutrient concentration, increased initial wood decomposition rates. Fungal community composition, but not fungal richness explained differences in wood decomposition after 4 years of exposure in the field, where fungal communities dominated by brown-rot and white-rot Basidiomycetes were linked to higher wood decomposition rate. Synthesis: Understanding what drives deadwood decomposition through time is important to understand the dynamics of carb more...

The structure and composition of copper surfaces in aqueous solutions of benzotriazole (BTAH) and NaCl was investigated by sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy as a function of concentration and bias during cyclic voltammetry experiments. We found that the protection provided by the BTAH films formed at the copper surface is effective for negative bias voltages below the open circuit potential (OCP) but not at positive voltages where Cl- displaces BTAH. By measuring the Gibbs adsorption energy of BTAH and Cl-, we found that a particularly stable Cl- structure is formed around the OCP, suggesting that electronegative additives that move the OCP to higher negative values can improve BTAH protection, which we confirmed by the addition of a negatively charged sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactant. more...

The structure of interfacial water near suspended graphene electrodes in contact with aqueous solutions of Na2SO4, NH4Cl, and (NH4)2SO4 has been studied using confocal Raman spectroscopy, sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy, and Kelvin probe force microscopy. SO42- anions were found to preferentially accumulate near the interface at an open circuit potential (OCP), creating an electrical field that orients water molecules below the interface, as revealed by the increased intensity of the O-H stretching peak of H-bonded water. No such increase is observed with NH4Cl at the OCP. The intensity of the dangling O-H bond stretching peak however remains largely unchanged. The degree of orientation of the water molecules as well as the electrical double layer strength increased further when positive voltages are applied. Negative voltages on the other hand produced only small changes in the intensity of the H-bonded water peaks but affected the intensity and frequency of dangling O-H bond peaks. The TOC figure is an oversimplified representation of the system in this work. more...

The structure and composition of copper surfaces in aqueous solutions of benzotriazole (BTAH) and NaCl was investigated by sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy as a function of concentration and bias during cyclic voltammetry experiments. We found that the protection provided by the BTAH films formed at the copper surface is effective for negative bias voltages below the open circuit potential (OCP) but not at positive voltages where Cl- displaces BTAH. By measuring the Gibbs adsorption energy of BTAH and Cl-, we found that a particularly stable Cl- structure is formed around the OCP, suggesting that electronegative additives that move the OCP to higher negative values can improve BTAH protection, which we confirmed by the addition of a negatively charged sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactant. more...

The structure of interfacial water near suspended graphene electrodes in contact with aqueous solutions of Na2SO4, NH4Cl, and (NH4)2SO4 has been studied using confocal Raman spectroscopy, sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy, and Kelvin probe force microscopy. SO42- anions were found to preferentially accumulate near the interface at an open circuit potential (OCP), creating an electrical field that orients water molecules below the interface, as revealed by the increased intensity of the O-H stretching peak of H-bonded water. No such increase is observed with NH4Cl at the OCP. The intensity of the dangling O-H bond stretching peak however remains largely unchanged. The degree of orientation of the water molecules as well as the electrical double layer strength increased further when positive voltages are applied. Negative voltages on the other hand produced only small changes in the intensity of the H-bonded water peaks but affected the intensity and frequency of dangling O-H bond peaks. The TOC figure is an oversimplified representation of the system in this work. more...

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a pig coronavirus that causes severe diarrhea and high mortality in piglets, threatening the global pig industry. Clinically effectivemedicines against this virus are still not available. To findan optional natural feed compound, viral titers were detected, and the intestinal contents of specificpathogen-free pigs more effectivelyblocked PEDV invasion than those of the other two breeds investigated. Based on proteomic and metabolic analyses of the intestinal content, 10 metabolites were selected for further investigation, and linoleic acid (LA) was the most promising according to the selectivity index. By detecting viral gene expression, LA inhibited viral replication and release from Vero-E6 cells, mainly by influencingthe PI3K pathway and, in particular, inhibiting AKT phosphorylation. In addition, LA bound to viral NSP5 and attenuated NSP5-activated AKT phosphorylation. In the in vivo pig experiment, oral administration of the higher dose of LA protected two-thirds of pigs from death, both of which completely recovered from the infection, while the lower dose of LA protected one-third of pigs from death but with the induction of severe diarrhea. In conclusion, LA can be used as a candidate medicine for the clinical prevention and treatment of PEDV, and its mechanism of inhibiting the PI3K signaling pathway provides some data support for the subsequent exploration of antiviral drugs for coronavirus infections. more...

Stakeholders in hospitality and tourism industries are involved in many decision-making scenarios. Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods have been widely used in hospitality and tourism industries. Although some articles summarised the applications of MCDM models in hospitality and tourism industries, they ignored the fuzziness of individual cognition in an uncertain environment. In addition, these surveys lacked a comprehensive overview from the perspective of bibliometrics analysis and content analysis regarding the whole hospitality and tourism industries. To analyse the applications of fuzzy MCDM methods in hospitality and tourism industries and further explore future research directions, this article reviews 85 selected papers published from 1997 to 2022 regarding fuzzy MCDM models applied in hospitality and tourism industries. Through analysing the results of bibliometric analysis, methodologies and applications, we found that analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and TOPSIS methods are the most widely used MCDM methods, and tourism evaluation, hotel evaluation and selection, tourism destination evaluation and selection are the most attractive research issues in hospitality and tourism industries. Finally, future research directions are proposed from three aspects. This article provides insights for researchers and practitioners who have interest in fuzzy MCDM models in hospitality and tourism industries. more...

Linqian Lu,1,2,* Lin Mao,3,* Shanshan Yang,3,* Xiangfeng He,1 Zhen Zhang,1 Nan Chen1 1Department of Rehabilitation, Chongming Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Rehabilitation, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Nan Chen, Department of Rehabilitation, Chongming Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, 202150, People’s Republic of China, Email chennanreh2020@126.comIntroduction: Sarcopenia and depressive symptoms are common disorders in older people; however, there is lacking for studies focus on the association between sarcopenia and depressive symptoms by gender. Thus, we investigate gender differences in the association between sarcopenia and depressive symptoms.Methods: 1119 participants aged ≥ 65 were included in our study. Sarcopenia was defined as no sarcopenia, possible sarcopenia, general sarcopenia, and severe sarcopenia by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 consensus. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale-15. The logistic regression analysis was used to identify the association between sarcopenia and depressive symptoms.Results: No sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia were significantly inversely and positively associated with depressive symptoms only in women. In men, low appendicular skeletal muscle mass index was significantly inversely associated with depressive symptoms. In women, low gait speed was significantly inversely associated with depressive symptoms, while poor 5-time chair stand test was significantly positively associated with depressive symptoms.Conclusion: Our study found that s more...

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection poses a significant threat to the global pig industry. Current prevention and control strategies are inadequate in protecting pigs from new PEDV variants. This review aims to examine the relationship between PEDV and intestinal microbes, and investigate whether modulating intestinal microbes could affect PEDV infection. The mechanisms by which various intestinal microbes affect viral infection were initially introduced. Intestinal microbes can influence enteric viral infection through direct contact, such as binding, or by affecting interferons (IFNs) production and the intestinal barrier. Influencing the intestinal barrier by microbes can impact PEDV infection in young piglets. To narrow down the range of microbes that may influence PEDV infection, this review summarized microbes that change after infection. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bacterial cell components, and toxins from microbes were identified as important mediators affecting PEDV infection. SCFAs primarily strengthen the intestinal barrier and inhibit intestinal inflammation, while bacterial cell components and toxins are more likely to damage the intestinal barrier. Therefore, this review hypothesizes that fecal transplantation, which allows the host to colonize more SCFAs-producing microbes, may prevent PEDV infection. However, these hypotheses require further proof, and the transplantation of intestinal microbes in pigs requires more exploration. more...

Haowei Li,1,* Hao Chen,2,3,* Zifeng Ye,4 Xuehang Li,1 Lei Yang,1,5 Shengshu Wang,1 Shanshan Yang,6 Shaohua Liu,1 Shimin Chen,1 Rongrong Li,1 Junhan Yang,1,3 Huaihao Li,1 Yinghui Bao,1 Yueting Shi,1,3 Jianhua Wang,1 Yao He,1,7 Miao Liu3 1Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing Key Laboratory of Aging and Geriatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics Diseases, Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Healthcare Office of Medical Service Department, Hainan Hospital, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Sanya, Hainan, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Graduate School of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Medical Psychology of Hainan Hospital, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Sanya, Hainan, People’s Republic of China; 5Healthcare Office of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Disease Prevention and Control, First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 7State Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Beijing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yao He, Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing Key Laboratory of Aging and Geriatrics, National clinical research center for geriatrics diseases, State Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-10-66876411, Email yhe301@x263.net Miao Liu, Department of statistics and epidemiology, Graduate School of PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-10-66937715, Email liumiaolmbxb@163.comBackground: As the focal point of epidemic prevention and control, the mental health of COVID-19 patients cannot be ignored. Online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) allows for the provision more...

Research on learners’ foreign language emotions has revealed the existence of a positive feedback loop where increased enjoyment leads to better performance which, in turn, strengthens learners’ enjoyment and boosts overall happiness. The current study follows this avenue focusing on teachers’ foreign language teaching enjoyment (FLTE) and its relationships with engagement, mindfulness, and burnout. The participants, who were 496 English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers from Iran, completed four electronic surveys. The proposed mediation model based on data collected from EFL teachers indicated that FLTE partially mediated the relationship between mindfulness and engagement as well as their burnout. The results revealed that mindful EFL teachers who enjoy the profession are more likely to experience higher levels of work engagement and job satisfaction, thus creating a positive feedback loop. In addition, the findings suggest the importance of positive emotions in EFL teachers’ psychological flourishing based on the tenets of positive psychology. Finally, implications and suggestions for further research are offered. more...

A central paradigm in comparative ecology is that species sort out along a slow-fast resource economy spectrum of plant strategies, but this has been rarely tested for a comprehensive set of stem traits and compartments. We tested how stem traits vary across wood and bark of temperate tree species, whether a slow-fast strategy spectrum exists, and what traits make up this plant strategy spectrum. For 14 temperate tree species, 20 anatomical, chemical, and morphological traits belonging to six key stem functions were measured for three stem compartments (inner wood, outer wood, and bark). The trait variation was explained by major taxa (38%), stem compartments (24%), and species within major taxa (19%). A continuous plant strategy gradient was found across and within taxa, running from hydraulic safe gymnosperms to conductive angiosperms. Both groups showed a second strategy gradient related to chemical defense. Gymnosperms strongly converged in their trait strategies because of their uniform tracheids. Angiosperms strongly diverged because of their different vessel arrangement and tissue types. The bark had higher concentrations of nutrients and phenolics whereas the wood had stronger physical defense. The gymnosperms have a conservative strategy associated with strong hydraulic safety and physical defense, and a narrow, specialized range of trait values, which allow them to grow well in drier and unproductive habitats. The angiosperm species show a wider trait variation in all stem compartments, which makes them successful in marginal- and in mesic, productive habitats. The associations between multiple wood and bark traits collectively define a slow-fast stem strategy spectrum as is seen also for each stem compartment. more...

Dead wood quantity and quality is important for forest biodiversity, by determining wood-inhabiting fungal assemblages. We therefore evaluated how fungal communities were regulated by stem traits and compartments (i.e. bark, outer- and inner wood) of 14 common temperate tree species. Fresh logs were incubated in a common garden experiment in a forest site in the Netherlands. After 1 and 4 years of decay, the fungal composition of different compartments was assessed using Internal Transcribed Spacer amplicon sequencing. We found that fungal alpha diversity differed significantly across tree species and stem compartments, with bark showing significantly higher fungal diversity than wood. Gymnosperms and Angiosperms hold different fungal communities, and distinct fungi were found between inner wood and other compartments. Stem traits showed significant afterlife effects on fungal communities; traits associated with accessibility (e.g. conduit diameter), stem chemistry (e.g. C, N, lignin) and physical defence (e.g. density) were important factors shaping fungal community structure in decaying stems. Overall, stem traits vary substantially across stem compartments and tree species, thus regulating fungal communities and the long-term carbon dynamics of dead trees. more...

Dead wood quantity and quality is important for forest biodiversity, by determining wood-inhabiting fungal assemblages. We therefore evaluated how fungal communities were regulated by stem traits and compartments (i.e. bark, outer- and inner wood) of 14 common temperate tree species. Fresh logs were incubated in a common garden experiment in a forest site in the Netherlands. After 1 and 4 years of decay, the fungal composition of different compartments was assessed using Internal Transcribed Spacer amplicon sequencing. We found that fungal alpha diversity differed significantly across tree species and stem compartments, with bark showing significantly higher fungal diversity than wood. Gymnosperms and Angiosperms hold different fungal communities, and distinct fungi were found between inner wood and other compartments. Stem traits showed significant afterlife effects on fungal communities; traits associated with accessibility (e.g. conduit diameter), stem chemistry (e.g. C, N, lignin) and physical defence (e.g. density) were important factors shaping fungal community structure in decaying stems. Overall, stem traits vary substantially across stem compartments and tree species, thus regulating fungal communities and the long-term carbon dynamics of dead trees. more...

Haowei Li,1,* Shimin Chen,1,* Shengshu Wang,1 Shanshan Yang,2 Wenzhe Cao,1 Shaohua Liu,1 Yang Song,1 Xuehang Li,1 Zhiqiang Li,3 Rongrong Li,1 Xiong Liu,3 Changjun Wang,3 Yong Chen,3 Fei Xie,4 Yao He,1 Miao Liu5 1Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing Key Laboratory of Aging and Geriatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Disease Prevention and Control, The 1st Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4College of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 5Graduate School of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yao He, Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing Key Laboratory of Aging and Geriatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-10-66876411, Email yhe301@sina.com Yong Chen, Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 Dongdajie Road, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-10-66948344, Email chenyonger@126.comAim: One of the most common laboratory findings in COVID-19 patients has been observed to be hypercoagulability with elevated D-dimer levels. An activation of thrombosis may be generated by hyperglycemia. We aimed to explore the association between D-dimer and in-hospital outcomes, and evaluate the synergistic effect between elevated D-dimer and hyperglycemia on COVID-19 prognosis.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was undertaken with 2467 COVID-19 inpatient more...

Dead wood quantity and quality is important for forest biodiversity, by determining wood-inhabiting fungal assemblages. We therefore evaluated how fungal communities were regulated by stem traits and compartments (i.e. bark, outer- and inner wood) of 14 common temperate tree species. Fresh logs were incubated in a common garden experiment in a forest site in the Netherlands. After 1 and 4 years of decay, the fungal composition of different compartments was assessed using Internal Transcribed Spacer amplicon sequencing. We found that fungal alpha diversity differed significantly across tree species and stem compartments, with bark showing significantly higher fungal diversity than wood. Gymnosperms and Angiosperms hold different fungal communities, and distinct fungi were found between inner wood and other compartments. Stem traits showed significant afterlife effects on fungal communities; traits associated with accessibility (e.g. conduit diameter), stem chemistry (e.g. C, N, lignin) and physical defence (e.g. density) were important factors shaping fungal community structure in decaying stems. Overall, stem traits vary substantially across stem compartments and tree species, thus regulating fungal communities and the long-term carbon dynamics of dead trees. more...

Land desertification and sandstorms have been affecting cities worldwide on the edge of sandstorms, so humans have been seeking for ways to strengthen their defenses against wind and sand. High water retention capacity can improve human well-being in sandy areas. Several measures and cases have been already developed. To systematically find the differences between different ecosystem restoration models according to integrated benefits (e.g., ecological, economic and social benefits), this paper proposes an effective technical methodology to quantitatively identify sand control projects in a certain area. With the Southern edge of Tengger Desert-Shapotou in China as an example, this paper uses land use change and NDVI change rates to identify areas of wind and sand management. In addition, this paper uses actual evaporation (ET), soil moisture (SM), temperature vegetation dryness index (TVDI) and sand fixation service to compare the advantages and disadvantages of two typical sand management models in China according to their wind and sand control benefits, resource conservation, as well as socio-economic benefits. As indicated by the results, the straw checkboard engineering model has sustainable ecological and socio-economic benefits in water retention, cost consumption, as well as wind and sand control. Besides, the afforestation model achieves higher ecological benefits in the short term, whereas it has higher operating costs and poor sustainability, which makes this model difficult in maintaining ecological stability. On the whole, both types of sand control projects show their advantages and disadvantages in wind and sand control functions, resource recycling and socio-economic benefits. Furthermore, fast-growing afforestation combined with straw checkboards is capable of sustainably resisting wind and sand attacks and preventing land desertification. Accordingly, the finding of this paper can be referenced widely for wind and sand control. more...

Dead wood quantity and quality is important for forest biodiversity, by determining wood-inhabiting fungal assemblages. We therefore evaluated how fungal communities were regulated by stem traits and compartments (i.e. bark, outer- and inner wood) of 14 common temperate tree species. Fresh logs were incubated in a common garden experiment in a forest site in the Netherlands. After 1 and 4 years of decay, the fungal composition of different compartments was assessed using Internal Transcribed Spacer amplicon sequencing. We found that fungal alpha diversity differed significantly across tree species and stem compartments, with bark showing significantly higher fungal diversity than wood. Gymnosperms and Angiosperms hold different fungal communities, and distinct fungi were found between inner wood and other compartments. Stem traits showed significant afterlife effects on fungal communities; traits associated with accessibility (e.g. conduit diameter), stem chemistry (e.g. C, N, lignin) and physical defence (e.g. density) were important factors shaping fungal community structure in decaying stems. Overall, stem traits vary substantially across stem compartments and tree species, thus regulating fungal communities and the long-term carbon dynamics of dead trees. more...

A central paradigm in comparative ecology is that species sort out along a slow-fast resource economy spectrum of plant strategies, but this has been rarely tested for a comprehensive set of stem traits and compartments. We tested how stem traits vary across wood and bark of temperate tree species, whether a slow-fast strategy spectrum exists, and what traits make up this plant strategy spectrum. For 14 temperate tree species, 20 anatomical, chemical, and morphological traits belonging to six key stem functions were measured for three stem compartments (inner wood, outer wood, and bark). The trait variation was explained by major taxa (38%), stem compartments (24%), and species within major taxa (19%). A continuous plant strategy gradient was found across and within taxa, running from hydraulic safe gymnosperms to conductive angiosperms. Both groups showed a second strategy gradient related to chemical defense. Gymnosperms strongly converged in their trait strategies because of their uniform tracheids. Angiosperms strongly diverged because of their different vessel arrangement and tissue types. The bark had higher concentrations of nutrients and phenolics whereas the wood had stronger physical defense. The gymnosperms have a conservative strategy associated with strong hydraulic safety and physical defense, and a narrow, specialized range of trait values, which allow them to grow well in drier and unproductive habitats. The angiosperm species show a wider trait variation in all stem compartments, which makes them successful in marginal- and in mesic, productive habitats. The associations between multiple wood and bark traits collectively define a slow-fast stem strategy spectrum as is seen also for each stem compartment. more...

Dead wood is a source of life as it provides habitat and substrate for a wide range of fungal species. A growing number of studies show an important role of wood quality for fungal diversity, but in most cases for a limited number of wood traits or tree species. In this study, we evaluate how abiotic and biotic factors affect the fungal diversity and composition during dead wood decomposition. For ten common European tree species, fresh similar-sized logs were incubated simultaneously in two Dutch forests. Annual surveys of fungal fruiting bodies were made for an 8-year period. For each tree species, 20 fresh stem traits were measured that are important for chemical and physical defence and for nutritional quality. Throughout eight years, 4644 fruiting bodies belonging to 255 species and 90 genera were recorded on the logs of ten tree species. Fungal frequency and richness were higher for Angiosperms than for Gymnosperms, both for individual tree species and as a group, and higher for tree species with more acquisitive stem trait strategies (i.e. high nutritional value and low physical defence). Differences in fungal communities were strongly driven by phylogenetic group (Gymnosperms versus Angiosperms), stem traits, decay time and forest sites, together explaining 23% of the variation. Fungal communities in sandy site diverged early in the decay process but converged later because of substrate homogenization. Of the 128 fungal species included in the analyses, 41% showed a preference for specific tree species and 34% for a specific successional year. In conclusion, dead wood quality, determined by tree species and decay stage, is an important driver of fungal diversity. For forest management, promoting a wide array of dead tree species (especially angiosperm species), a range of stem trait values and decay stages will increase fungal and, thereby, forest biodiversity. more...

We present a study of the effect of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) on TiO2 on charge generation and trapping during illumination with photons of energy larger than the substrate band gap. We used a novel characterization technique, photoassisted Kelvin probe force microscopy, to study the process at the single Au NP level. We found that the photoinduced electron transfer from TiO2 to the Au NP increases logarithmically with light intensity due to the combined contribution of electron-hole pair generation in the space charge region in the TiO2-air interface and in the metal-semiconductor junction. Our measurements on single particles provide direct evidence for electron trapping that hinders electron-hole recombination, a key factor in the enhancement of photo(electro)catalytic activity. more...

We present a study of the effect of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) on TiO2 on charge generation and trapping during illumination with photons of energy larger than the substrate band gap. We used a novel characterization technique, photoassisted Kelvin probe force microscopy, to study the process at the single Au NP level. We found that the photoinduced electron transfer from TiO2 to the Au NP increases logarithmically with light intensity due to the combined contribution of electron-hole pair generation in the space charge region in the TiO2-air interface and in the metal-semiconductor junction. Our measurements on single particles provide direct evidence for electron trapping that hinders electron-hole recombination, a key factor in the enhancement of photo(electro)catalytic activity. more...

Forests play a key role for terrestrial biodiversity. Trees are large and long-living organisms that define forest structure and form a key element in nutrient and carbon cycling. Tree species differ in ecological strategies and related functional traits, which may allow them to partition resources and coexist. It is well know that tree species differ in stem traits, but the afterlife effects of such traits for the diversity of decomposers (e.g., fungi, insects) within dead stem logs and their dynamics with ongoing decay are poorly known. To fill this knowledge gap, I studied the effects of stem traits on the infestation, composition and diversity of fungi during different phases of decay. I benefited from an existent long-term common garden decomposition experiment, called “LOGLIFE”. I showed how stem traits and related stem functions co-vary across species, and how these traits affect afterlife effects on the succession of diversity and composition of wood and bark inhabiting fungi over time, and the implications for wood decomposition. In this study, I included eight conifer and six broadleaf tree species in order to cover a wide variety of stem traits and thus explore the afterlife implications of such variation.In chapter 2 I investigated how stem traits vary across wood and bark of 14 temperate tree species, and what trait trade-offs and plant strategies are found. Stem trait variation was largely explained by major taxa and stem compartments, i.e., inner, outer wood and bark. A continuous plant strategy gradient was found across and within taxa, running from hydraulic safe Gymnosperms to conductive Angiosperms. Gymnosperms strongly converged in their trait strategies because of their uniform tracheids, whereas Angiosperms strongly diverged because of different vessel arrangement and tissue types. Bark had higher concentrations of nutrients and phenolics, whereas wood had stronger physical defence. This indicates that stem compartments fulfill different strate more...

We present a study of the effect of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) on TiO2 on charge generation and trapping during illumination with photons of energy larger than the substrate band gap. We used a novel characterization technique, photoassisted Kelvin probe force microscopy, to study the process at the single Au NP level. We found that the photoinduced electron transfer from TiO2 to the Au NP increases logarithmically with light intensity due to the combined contribution of electron-hole pair generation in the space charge region in the TiO2-air interface and in the metal-semiconductor junction. Our measurements on single particles provide direct evidence for electron trapping that hinders electron-hole recombination, a key factor in the enhancement of photo(electro)catalytic activity. more...

Dead wood is a source of life as it provides habitat and substrate for a wide range of fungal species. A growing number of studies show an important role of wood quality for fungal diversity, but in most cases for a limited number of wood traits or tree species. In this study, we evaluate how abiotic and biotic factors affect the fungal diversity and composition during dead wood decomposition. For ten common European tree species, fresh similar-sized logs were incubated simultaneously in two Dutch forests. Annual surveys of fungal fruiting bodies were made for an 8-year period. For each tree species, 20 fresh stem traits were measured that are important for chemical and physical defence and for nutritional quality. Throughout eight years, 4644 fruiting bodies belonging to 255 species and 90 genera were recorded on the logs of ten tree species. Fungal frequency and richness were higher for Angiosperms than for Gymnosperms, both for individual tree species and as a group, and higher for tree species with more acquisitive stem trait strategies (i.e. high nutritional value and low physical defence). Differences in fungal communities were strongly driven by phylogenetic group (Gymnosperms versus Angiosperms), stem traits, decay time and forest sites, together explaining 23% of the variation. Fungal communities in sandy site diverged early in the decay process but converged later because of substrate homogenization. Of the 128 fungal species included in the analyses, 41% showed a preference for specific tree species and 34% for a specific successional year. In conclusion, dead wood quality, determined by tree species and decay stage, is an important driver of fungal diversity. For forest management, promoting a wide array of dead tree species (especially angiosperm species), a range of stem trait values and decay stages will increase fungal and, thereby, forest biodiversity. more...

Dead wood is a source of life as it provides habitat and substrate for a wide range of fungal species. A growing number of studies show an important role of wood quality for fungal diversity, but in most cases for a limited number of wood traits or tree species. In this study, we evaluate how abiotic and biotic factors affect the fungal diversity and composition during dead wood decomposition. For 10 common European tree species, fresh similar-sized logs were incubated simultaneously in two Dutch forests. Annual surveys of fungal fruiting bodies were made for an 8-year period. For each tree species, 20 fresh stem traits were measured that are important for chemical and physical defence and for nutritional quality. Throughout 8 years, 4,644 fruiting bodies belonging to 255 species and 90 genera were recorded on the logs of 10 tree species. Fungal frequency and richness were higher for Angiosperms than for Gymnosperms, both for individual tree species and as a group, and higher for tree species with more acquisitive stem trait strategies (i.e., high nutritional value and low physical defence). Differences in fungal communities were strongly driven by phylogenetic group (Gymnosperms vs. Angiosperms), stem traits, decay time and forest sites, together explaining 23% of the variation. Fungal communities in sandy site diverged early in the decay process but converged later because of substrate homogenization. Of the 128 fungal species included in the analyses, 41% showed a preference for specific tree species and 34% for a specific successional year. In conclusion, dead wood quality, determined by tree species and decay stage, is an important driver of fungal diversity. For forest management, promoting a wide array of dead tree species (especially angiosperm species), a range of stem trait values and decay stages will increase fungal and, thereby, forest biodiversity., Dead wood is a source of life as it provides habitat and substrate for a wide range of fungal species. A growing number of studies show an important role of wood quality for fungal diversity, but in most cases for a limited number of wood traits or tree species. In this study, we evaluate how abiotic and biotic factors affect the fungal diversity and composition during dead wood decomposition. For 10 common European tree species, fresh similar-sized logs were incubated simultaneously in two Dutch forests. Annual surveys of fungal fruiting bodies were made for an 8-year period. For each tree species, 20 fresh stem traits were measured that are important for chemical and physical defence and for nutritional quality. Throughout 8 years, 4,644 fruiting bodies belonging to 255 species and 90 genera were recorded on the logs of 10 tree species. Fungal frequency and richness were higher for Angiosperms than for Gymnosperms, both for individual tree species and as a group, and higher for tree species with more acquisitive stem trait strategies (i.e., high nutritional value and low physical defence). Differences in fungal communities were strongly driven by phylogenetic group (Gymnosperms vs. Angiosperms), stem traits, decay time and forest sites, together explaining 23% of the variation. Fungal communities in sandy site diverged early in the decay process but converged later because of substrate homogenization. Of the 128 fungal species included in the analyses, 41% showed a preference for specific tree species and 34% for a specific successional year. In conclusion, dead wood quality, determined by tree species and decay stage, is an important driver of fungal diversity. For forest management, promoting a wide array of dead tree species (especially angiosperm species), a range of stem trait values and decay stages will increase fungal and, thereby, forest biodiversity. more...

Background: This study aimed to investigate the potential role and molecular mechanism of lncRNA metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Results: Using an oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) cell model, we determined that the expression of MALAT1 was significantly increased during OGD/R. MALAT1 knockdown reversed OGD/R-induced apoptosis and ER stress. Mechanistically, MALAT1 promoted OGD/R-induced neuronal injury through sponging miR-195a-5p to upregulating high mobility group AT-hook1 (HMGA1). Conclusions: Collectively, these data demonstrate the mechanism underlying the invovlvement of MALAT1 in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, thus providing translational evidence that MALAT1 may serve as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for ischemic stroke. more...

Dead wood quantity and quality is important for forest biodiversity, by determining the wood-inhabiting fungal assemblages. We therefore evaluated how fungal communities were regulated by stem traits and compartments (i.e., bark, outer- and inner wood) of 14 common temperate tree species. Fresh logs were incubated in a common garden experiment in a forest site in the Netherlands. After 1 and 4 years of decay, the fungal composition of different compartments was assessed using Internal Transcribed Spacer amplicon sequencing. We found that fungal alpha diversity differed significantly across tree species and stem compartments, with bark showing significantly higher fungal diversity than wood. Gymnosperms and Angiosperms hold different fungal communities, and distinct fungi were found between inner wood and other compartments. Stem traits showed significant afterlife effects on fungal communities; traits associated with accessibility (e.g. conduit diameter), stem chemistry (e.g. C, N, lignin) and physical defence (e.g. density) were important factors shaping fungal community structure in decaying stems. Overall, stem traits vary substantially across stem compartment and tree species, thus regulating fungal communities and the long-term carbon dynamics of dead trees., Dead wood quantity and quality is important for forest biodiversity, by determining the wood-inhabiting fungal assemblages. We therefore evaluated how fungal communities were regulated by stem traits and compartments (i.e., bark, outer- and inner wood) of 14 common temperate tree species. Fresh logs were incubated in a common garden experiment in a forest site in the Netherlands. After 1 and 4 years of decay, the fungal composition of different compartments was assessed using Internal Transcribed Spacer amplicon sequencing. We found that fungal alpha diversity differed significantly across tree species and stem compartments, with bark showing significantly higher fungal diversity than wood. Gymnosperms and Angiosperms hold different fungal communities, and distinct fungi were found between inner wood and other compartments. Stem traits showed significant afterlife effects on fungal communities; traits associated with accessibility (e.g. conduit diameter), stem chemistry (e.g. C, N, lignin) and physical defence (e.g. density) were important factors shaping fungal community structure in decaying stems. Overall, stem traits vary substantially across stem compartment and tree species, thus regulating fungal communities and the long-term carbon dynamics of dead trees. more...

The importance of wood decay for global carbon and nutrient cycles is widely recognized. However, relatively little is known about bark decay dynamics, even though bark represents up to 25% of stem dry mass. Moreover, bark presence versus absence can significantly alter wood decay rates. Therefore, it really matters for the fate of carbon whether variation in bark and wood decay rates is coordinated across tree species. Answering this question requires advances in methodology to measure both bark and wood mass loss accurately. Decay rates of large logs in the field are often quantified as loss in tissue density, in which case volume depletions of bark and wood can yield large underestimations. To quantify the real decay rates, we assessed bark mass loss per stem surface area and wood mass loss based on volume‐corrected density loss. We further defined the range of actual bark mass loss by considering bark cover loss. Then, we tested the correlation between bark and wood mass loss across 20 temperate tree species during 4 years of decomposition. The area‐based method generally showed more than 3‐fold higher bark mass loss than the density‐based method (even higher if considering bark cover loss), and volume‐corrected wood mass losses were 1.08–1.12 times higher than density‐based mass loss. The deviation of bark mass loss between the two methods was higher for tree species with thicker inner bark. Bark generally decomposed twice as fast as wood across species, and faster decaying bark came with faster decaying wood (R2 = 0.26, p = 0.006). We strongly suggest using corrected volume when assessing wood mass loss especially for the species with faster decomposable sapwood and all the wood at advanced decay stages. Further studies of coarse stem decomposition should consider trait ‘afterlife’ effects of inner bark and estimate fraction of stem bark cover to obtain more accurate decay rates. Our new method should benefit our understanding of the in sit more...

1. The importance of wood decay for the global carbon and nutrient cycles is widely recognized. However, relatively little is known about bark decay dynamics, even though bark represents up to 25% of stem dry mass. Moreover, bark presence versus absence can significantly alter wood decay rates. Therefore, it really matters for the fate of carbon whether variation in bark and wood decay rates is coordinated across tree species. 2. Answering this question requires advances in methodology to measure both bark and wood mass loss accurately. Decay rates of large logs in the field are often quantified as loss in tissue density, in which case volume depletions of bark and wood can give large underestimations. 3. To quantify the real decay rates, we assessed bark mass loss per stem surface area and wood mass loss based on volume-corrected density loss. We further defined the range of actual bark mass loss by considering bark cover loss. Then, we tested the correlation between bark and wood mass loss across 20 temperate tree species during 4 years of decomposition. 4. The area-based method generally showed more than 3-fold higher bark mass loss than the density-based method (even higher if considering bark cover loss), and volume-corrected wood mass losses were 1.08-1.12 times higher than density-based mass loss. The deviation of bark mass loss between the two methods was higher for tree species with thicker inner bark. Bark generally decomposed twice as fast as wood across species, and faster decaying bark came with faster decaying wood (R2=0.26, P=0.006). 5. We strongly suggest using corrected volume when assessing wood mass loss especially for the species with faster decomposable sapwood and all the wood at advanced decay stages. Further studies of coarse stem decomposition should consider trait “afterlife” effects of inner bark and estimate fraction of stem bark cover to obtain more accurate decay rates. 6. Our new method should benefit our understanding of the in situ d, 1. The importance of wood decay for the global carbon and nutrient cycles is widely recognized. However, relatively little is known about bark decay dynamics, even though bark represents up to 25% of stem dry mass. Moreover, bark presence versus absence can significantly alter wood decay rates. Therefore, it really matters for the fate of carbon whether variation in bark and wood decay rates is coordinated across tree species. 2. Answering this question requires advances in methodology to measure both bark and wood mass loss accurately. Decay rates of large logs in the field are often quantified as loss in tissue density, in which case volume depletions of bark and wood can give large underestimations. 3. To quantify the real decay rates, we assessed bark mass loss per stem surface area and wood mass loss based on volume-corrected density loss. We further defined the range of actual bark mass loss by considering bark cover loss. Then, we tested the correlation between bark and wood mass loss across 20 temperate tree species during 4 years of decomposition. 4. The area-based method generally showed more than 3-fold higher bark mass loss than the density-based method (even higher if considering bark cover loss), and volume-corrected wood mass losses were 1.08-1.12 times higher than density-based mass loss. The deviation of bark mass loss between the two methods was higher for tree species with thicker inner bark. Bark generally decomposed twice as fast as wood across species, and faster decaying bark came with faster decaying wood (R2=0.26, P=0.006). 5. We strongly suggest using corrected volume when assessing wood mass loss especially for the species with faster decomposable sapwood and all the wood at advanced decay stages. Further studies of coarse stem decomposition should consider trait “afterlife” effects of inner bark and estimate fraction of stem bark cover to obtain more accurate decay rates. 6. Our new method should benefit our understanding of the in situ d more...