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Abstract Background Transcervical resection of adhesions (TCRA) is the standard treatment for intrauterine adhesion (IUA). Previous studies have shown that postoperative oral estrogen or an intrauterine physical barrier could reduce the recurrence of IUA by promoting the proliferation of the endometrium or inhibiting the reformation of adhesions. Our team designed an intrauterine stent that can release estrogen within the uterine cavity slowly. In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of the estrogen-releasing intrauterine system in preventing the recurrence of moderate to severe IUA. Methods This was a multicenter prospective randomized controlled 2-arm parallel trial that included patients who were diagnosed with moderate to severe IUA and who received TCRA. A total of 250 patients were randomly assigned, at a 1:1 ratio, to receive the intrauterine estrogen-releasing system or a Foley catheter balloon combined with oral estrogen therapy after surgery. The primary outcome was the rate of adhesion reduction in the two groups. The secondary outcomes included endometrial thickness at the ovulation period, menstrual improvement rates, and other reported adverse events during follow-up. Results The average daily drug release amount for all the tested stents was 0.21 mg/day. At 60 days postoperatively, the rate of adhesion reduction was significantly greater in the experimental group than in the control group (93.33% vs. 58.56%, p

Abstract The gut microbiota plays an important role in the immunology, physiology and growth and development of animals. However, currently, there is a lack of available sequencing data on the gut microbiota of Asian badgers. Studying the gut microbiota of Asian badgers could provide fundamental data for enhancing productivity and immunity of badgers’ breeding, as well as for the protection of wild animals. In this study, we first characterized the composition and structure of the gut microbiota in the large intestines of wild and captive Asian badgers during summer and winter by sequencing the V3-V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. A total of 9 dominant phyla and 12 genera among the bacterial communities of the large intestines exhibited significant differences. Our results showed that Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the most predominant in both wild and captive badgers, regardless of the season. Romboutsia, Streptococcus and Enterococcus may represent potential sources of zoonoses, warranting further attention and study. Our findings indicated that the diversity and availability of food resources were the most important influencing factors on the gut microbiota of Asian badgers, providing fundamental data for the protection and conservation of wild animals. Variation in the gut microbiota due to season, age and sex in both wild and captive Asian badgers should be considered in future research directions. Furthermore, combined multi-omics studies could provide more information for wild animal conservation, and enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanism between the microbiota and host.

Abstract Background Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is widely used in the management of patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) but still has many limitations in clinical practice. We analyzed the correlation of new biomarkers with the severity of CIN and follow-up outcomes in patients after conization to improve the management of patients with CIN. Methods IHC staining of Eag1 and p16/Ki-67 was performed on cervical tissue sections from 234 patients with suspected CIN2/3. After a series of follow-ups, including human papillomavirus (HPV) test and thinprep cytologic test (TCT) for 1–2 years, the outcomes were collected. IHC scores of biomarkers and follow-up results were used to analyze the correlation and assess the diagnostic efficiency of biomarkers. Results The IHC staining intensity of Eag1 and p16/Ki-67 was significantly different from that of the CIN1-3 groups (p

Krukenberg tumor is a relatively uncommon metastatic ovarian cancer, typically presenting with abdominal pain and distension, primarily due to bilateral ovarian involvement. Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome, caused by a Krukenberg tumor originating from gastric cancer, is extremely rare. In this study, we report the case of a 39-year-old woman who presented with unusual manifestations of a Krukenberg tumor, where abdominal distension and dyspnea were the primary symptoms. After surgical treatment, a histopathological examination of the ovary revealed the presence of signet ring cell carcinoma. We concluded that this case coincided with Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome. Clinicians should note that Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome should be considered in patients with Krukenberg tumor, ascites, and pleural effusion, as resection of the tumor may provide long-term palliation.

The sett is a crucial resource for badgers, serving various functions and significantly influencing their spatial ecology. The selection of sett sites is also a complex behavior. While there have been extensive ecological studies on the European badger (Meles meles), little is known about the Asian badger (Meles leucurus), particularly in China, making it difficult to evaluate their current survival status and establish conservation strategies. Therefore, we conducted a pioneering ecological study on the Asian badger, focusing on local population density and habitat selection within the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park, NE China. First, we surveyed badger setts in the study area and set camera traps to capture videos of badgers and estimate the number of individuals. The estimated badger density based on the main sett distribution (1.40 sett /km2) and group size (average of 3.01 ± 1.82 individuals per sett) was 4.21 ± 2.55 badgers /km2. Second, we set up random points in the study area and measured 12 habitat factors of 67 random point quadrats and 67 badger sett quadrats to establish which factors affect the habitat selection of badgers. Statistical tests, random forest algorithm, and generalized linear model were used to explain the sett selection criteria of Asian badgers. Statistical tests indicated a highly significant difference in slope (p < 0.01) and a significant difference in tree distance and aspect (p < 0.05) between sett quadrats and random point quadrats. After correction for multiple testing according to Holm, we found that differences in tree distance and aspect lost their statistical significance. However, the random forest algorithm and generalized linear model showed that the selection of sett location was influenced by tree distance, slope, and aspect. We conclude that badgers exhibit a preference for setts located near trees, steep slopes, and orientations facing north and northwest (316–45°). This is the first assessment of the abundance and sett selection of the Asian badger at the local population scale from Chinese nature reserves, providing new insights into the population ecology and habitat selection of the Asian badger in China, and assisting in the development of relevant conservation strategies and management.

Dysgerminoma is a rare occurrence in Turner syndrome patients without Y chromosome mosaicism or hormone therapy during puberty. We present a unique case of a 33-year-old nulliparous Chinese woman with intermittent epilepsy and Mullerian anomalies carrying a double uterus, cervix, and vagina. The patient is also characterized as having Turner syndrome accompanied by 46,X, del(Xp22.33-11.23) and del(2)(q11.1-11.2). MRI exhibited a 17.0 cm × 20.0 cm × 10.5 cm solid ovarian lesion. Radical surgery and pathology revealed dysgerminoma at stage IIIc with lymphatic metastases and a KIT gene mutation identified in exon 13. Furthermore, the tumor microenvironment (TME) displayed robust expression of CD4+ T lymphocytes and PD-1, whereas the distribution of CD8+ T lymphocytes and PDL-1 was sporadic. Despite the administration of enoxaparin to prevent thromboembolism, the patient experienced multiple cerebral infarctions during chemotherapy. Subsequently, the patient chose to decline further treatment and was discharged. This exceptional case imparts several noteworthy lessons. First, the coexistence of Mullerian anomalies, although rare, is not incompatible with Turner syndrome. Second, screening for KIT mutations is imperative to reduce the risk of dysgerminoma in Turner syndrome, especially for patients with Y mosaicism who are recommended for hormone replacement therapy. Lastly, comprehensive anticoagulation therapy is crucial for Turner syndrome patients undergoing cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

The Eurasian otter Lutra lutra is a generalist carnivore that is widely distributed in many aquatic ecosystems. Based on its inherent attributes of opportunistic foraging behaviour and broad dietary range, it is naturally considered a potential sampler of the diversity of aquatic vertebrates. To test the ability and efficiency of otters as a diversity sampler, we used DNA metabarcoding to investigate the composition in vertebrates of the diet of otters that inhabit a forest stream area in northeast China. Twenty vertebrate prey taxa were detected in 98 otter spraints. Otter diet mainly comprised aquatic fishes (59.4%) and amphibians (39.0%). We also used traditional approaches to investigate fish communities at 60 sampling sites in the same area to determine the relationship between fish population composition in the environment and otter diet. The comparison revealed that 28 species of fish were distributed in this area, of which five are simultaneously detected in otter spraints. This indicates that molecular analysis of the diet of otters is not an ideal approach for investigating fish diversity, at least when using the 12SV5 primer pair. Based on a review of the available molecular research on otter diet, we conclude that the low species resolution may be due to the presence of many closely-related prey species in native habitats and lack of suitable barcodes. Considering the remarkable power of diet metabarcoding analysis in capturing elusive and rare species, it represents an approach that can compensate for the defects associated with fishing methods and we suggest that it can be used as an auxiliary means of measuring traditional fish diversity.

Acute myocardial ischemia is a disease with high morbidity and mortality, and re-perfusion is currently the best intervention. However, re-perfusion may lead to further myocardial injury and increase the area of myocardial infarction. The mechanism of myocardial ischemia-re-perfusion injury is complex, but with more in-depth study, it has been proved that the immune system plays an important role in the process of MIRI. Among them, the γδT cell population has received increasing attention as the main early source of IL-17A in many immune response models. Because γδT cells have the characteristics of linking innate immunity and adaptive immunity,they can rapidly produce IL-17A and produce subsequent immune killing of cardiomyocytes. It can be seen that γδT cells play an important role in MIRI. Therefore, here we review the research progress of immune response in myocardial ischemia-re-perfusion injury, the key characteristics of γδT cells and the role of rapidly produced IL-17 in myocardial ischemia-re-perfusion injury, and propose relevant treatment strategies and prospects for myocardial repair, in order to provide new ideas and methods for clinical treatment of myocardial ischemia-re-perfusion injury.

Background and Aims: Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) is an effective and long-term treatment for adenomyosis, especially for patients who have severe dysmenorrhea symptoms but a strong desire to preserve their uterus. However, expulsion of the device for patients with an enlarged uterus remains a problem. In this study, an LNG-IUS was stitched on the posterior wall of the uterus under hysteroscopy, which can be an alternative method to this problem. Methods: 21 patients with adenomyosis who had previously been treated with the LNG-IUS and experienced expulsion for at least one time were enrolled. The fixation of the LNG-IUD on the posterior wall of the uterus was performed with a 4-0 Ethicon polypropylene non-absorbable suture through an endoscopic needle driver and a knot-pushing device. Results: During the postoperative follow-up, all patients experienced complete remission of their symptoms: a significant decrease in menstrual flow, relief of dysmenorrhea, and improvement in quality of life. No expulsion of device and other compilations were found. Conclusions: In patients with adenomyosis suffering from dysmenorrhea or heavy menstrual blood loss, suture fixation of an LNG-IUS using the hysteroscopic cold knife surgery system is a minimally invasive and effective alternative treatment for patients with an enlarged uterus and decreases the risk of LNG-IUS expulsion.

Background and Aims: The use of balloon therapy in obstetric practice, especially in postpartum haemorrhage is well established and has recently been reviewed. However, little attention has been drawn regarding the use of intrauterine balloon (IUB) in gynaecological practice. This study focuses on the various usage of IUB in gynaecological practice. Methods: An electronic literature search through Medline, EMBASE and Clinicaltrial.gov from inception to August 2022 was conducted with mesh combinations of the following keywords: balloon, uterus, gynaecology, Foley catheter, complication, tamponade, hysteroscopy and laparoscopy. Results: The study focuses on the 3 following areas: (1) Indications: prevention & removal of intrauterine adhesions, management of ectopic pregnancy, facilitation of endoscopic surgery and other clinical usages; (2) Practical aspects of balloon therapy including ultrasound guidance, choice of balloon, inflation volume, duration of balloon therapy; and (3) Potential complications including pain, infection, uterine rupture and how they can be avoided. Conclusions: IUB therapy is a simple, inexpensive and effective method that can be applied in various gynaecological conditions ranging from IUA to intrauterine haemorrhage. Complications are rare, but in most cases can be avoided with correct use.

We aimed to detect the expression pattern of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) FGD5-AS1 in gastric cancer (GC) samples and its impact on driving the development of GC. FGD5-AS1 levels in 66 cases of GC tissues and paracancerous ones were detected. Its influences on clinical features and prognosis in GC patients were analyzed. In AGS and SGC-7901 cells with FGD5-AS1 knockdown, phenotype changes were assessed through cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), Transwell and wound healing assay. The downstream target of FGD5-AS1 was searched by a bioinformatics tool and confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Their interaction in regulating the malignant development of GC was finally explored. FGD5-AS1 was upregulated in GC tissues compared to paracancerous ones. GC patients expressing a high level of FGD5-AS1 had higher risk of lymphatic metastasis or distant metastasis and worse prognosis than those with a low level. Knockdown of FGD5-AS1 weakened proliferative and metastatic abilities in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. FZD3 was the downstream target of FGD5-AS1. Protein levels of FZD3 and FZD5 were upregulated, while b-catenin, TGF-b and MMP9 were downregulated in GC cells with FGD5-AS1 knockdown. Knockdown of FZD3 abolished the regulatory effects of FGD5-AS1 on malignant phenotypes of GC cells. FGD5-AS1 is upregulated in GC samples, which is linked to metastasis and prognosis in GC. It drives proliferative and metastatic abilities in GC cells via negatively interacting with FZD3.

Abstract Background Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease with a high mortality worldwide. Understanding the atherosclerosis pathogenesis and identification of efficient diagnostic signatures remain major problems of modern medicine. This study aims to screen the potential diagnostic genes for atherosclerosis. Methods We downloaded the gene chip data of 135 peripheral blood samples, including 57 samples with atherosclerosis and 78 healthy subjects from GEO database (Accession Number: GSE20129). The weighted gene co-expression network analysis was applied to identify atherosclerosis-related genes. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted by using the clusterProfiler R package. The interaction pairs of proteins encoded by atherosclerosis-related genes were screened using STRING database, and the interaction network was further optimized with the cytoHubba plug-in of Cytoscape software. Results The logistic regression diagnostic model was constructed to predict normal and atherosclerosis samples. A gene module which included 532 genes related to the occurrence of atherosclerosis were screened. Functional enrichment analysis basing on the 532 genes identified 235 significantly enriched GO terms and 44 significantly enriched KEGG pathways. The top 50 hub genes of the protein–protein interaction network were identified. The final logistic regression diagnostic model was established by the optimal 10 key genes, which could distinguish atherosclerosis samples from normal samples. Conclusions A predictive model based on 10 potential atherosclerosis-related genes was obtained, which should shed light on the diagnostic research of atherosclerosis.

Geopolitical borderlands are politically sensitive areas and biodiversity hotspots, strictly controlled by the government and military. How to ensure political security, while protecting the biodiversity in borderlands is a problem for ecologists and governments. In this study, the nest site selection of the wild boar Sus scrofa was a case study in the Sino-Russia borderland to understand the survival strategy of wild life under anthropogenic pressure. We investigated (a) how the spatial distribution of anthropogenic pressure and wild boar nests in the borderland and (b) how anthropogenic pressure and the border influence on the wild boars’ nest site selection. The Getis-Ord Gi* analysis was used to analyze the distribution patterns of wild boar nest sites and anthropogenic pressures in the borderland, the Structural Equation Models was used to explore the influence of border, roads, settlements, agricultural land, grassland and anthropogenic pressure on wild boars’ nest site selection. The results indicated that wild boar nest sites are close to the border, roads and agricultural land and away from settlements and grassland. Regardless of the combination of anthropogenic pressure, wild boars make the most advantageous choice and prefer to be closer to the borderland. We speculated that military control played a vital role in borderlands for animal protection under anthropogenic pressure. Wild boars benefit from the prohibition of anthropogenic persecution due to military control. Compared with existing measures, we suggest a different protection/wildlife management strategy, what we need to do may be to prohibit anthropogenic persecution rather than perform other human interventions to protect animals. However, for a species with trouble potential, we need to base our conservation strategies on the recovery of top predators, and play the community control role of top predators to avoid the occurrence of trouble.

Abstract Background Platinum resistance is an important cause of clinical recurrence and death for ovarian cancer. This study tries to systematically explore the molecular mechanisms for platinum resistance in ovarian cancer and identify regulatory genes and pathways via text mining and other methods. Methods Genes in abstracts of associated literatures were identified. Gene ontology and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis were performed. Then co-occurrence between genes and ovarian cancer subtypes were carried out followed by cluster analysis. Results Genes with highest frequencies are mostly involved in DNA repair, apoptosis, metal transport and drug detoxification, which are closely related to platinum resistance. Gene ontology analysis confirms this result. Some proteins such as TP53, HSP90, ESR1, AKT1, BRCA1, EGFR and CTNNB1 work as hub nodes in PPI network. According to cluster analysis, specific genes were highlighted in each subtype of ovarian cancer, indicating that various subtypes may have different resistance mechanisms respectively. Conclusions Platinum resistance in ovarian cancer involves complicated signaling pathways and different subtypes may have specific mechanisms. Text mining, combined with other bio-information methods, is an effective way for systematic analysis.

Dysfunctional autophagy is associated with various human diseases, e.g., cancer. The discovery of small molecules modulating autophagy with therapeutic potential could be significant. To this end, we screened the ability of a series of metabolites isolated from marine microorganisms to modulate autophagy. Anhydrodebromoaplysiatoxin (ADAT), a metabolite yielded by the marine red algae Gracilaria coronopifolia, inhibited autophagosome-lysosome fusion in mammalian cells, thereby inducing the accumulation of autophagosomes. Treatment of cells with ADAT alkalinized lysosomal pH. Interestingly, ADAT also activated the mTOR/p70S6K/FoxO3a signaling pathway, likely leading to the inhibition of autophagy induction. ADAT had little effect on apoptosis. Our results suggest that ADAT is a dichotomic autophagy inhibitor that inhibits both late-stage (autophagosome-lysosome fusion) and early-stage (autophagy induction) autophagy.

The development of shark single domain antibodies (sdAbs) is hindered by the high cost and tediousness of large-sized shark farming. Here, we demonstrated white-spotted bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) being cultivated commercially as a promising small animal model to produce sdAbs. We found that immunoglobulin new antigen receptor (IgNAR) presented in bamboo shark genome, transcriptome, and plasma. Four complete IgNAR clusters including variable domains (vNARs) were discovered in the germline, and the Variable–Joining pair from IgNAR1 cluster was dominant from immune repertoires in blood. Bamboo sharks developed effective immune responses upon green fluorescent protein (GFP), near-infrared fluorescent protein iRFP713, and Freund’s adjuvant immunization revealed by elevated lymphocyte counts and antigen specific IgNAR. Before and after immunization, the complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) of IgNAR were the major determinant of IgNAR diversity revealed by 400-bp deep sequencing. To prove that bamboo sharks could produce high-affinity IgNAR, we isolated anti-GFP and anti-iRFP713 vNARs with up to 0.3 and 3.8 nM affinities, respectively, from immunized sharks. Moreover, we constructed biparatopic vNARs with the highest known affinities (20.7 pM) to GFP and validated the functions of anti-GFP vNARs as intrabodies in mammalian cells. Taken together, our study will accelerate the discovery and development of bamboo shark sdAbs for biomedical industry at low cost and easy operation.

Diet analysis is essential to fully understand the biology of a species and its function within the ecosystem, as well as being key in identifying food web interactions and the population dynamics of predators and prey. The understanding of the diet of small to mid-sized carnivores remains generally lacking or uninformative due to the inability for taxonomic resolution based on morphology. The yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula), Eurasian river otter (Lutra lutra), and Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica) are three important Mustelidae species in ecosystems of northeast China. Based on fecal DNA and a next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach, we analyzed the vertebrate prey of these three sympatric Mustelidae. Prey included 7 mammalian taxa, 10 fishes, 2 birds, and 2 amphibians, with 85% of the taxa assigned to the species level. In total, twenty-one vertebrate prey taxa were identified from seven yellow-throated martens, eight Eurasian river otters, and two Siberian weasels. Concerning identified dietary species, 10 taxa were consumed by yellow-throated martens, 14 by Eurasian river otters, and 4 by Siberian weasels. Some prey species were identified in more than one species. Amphibians and fishes were the most dominant Eurasian river otter prey categories, whereas Eurasian badger (Meles leucurus), birds, and rodents were the main yellow-throated marten prey; amphibians and rodents were largely contained in Siberian weasel prey. Among prey items, Dybowski’s frog (Rana dybowskii) and Korean field mouse (Apodemus peninsulae) were identified in all three Mustelidae species but our analyses suggest potential diet preferences among Mustelidae species. Future studies should focus on understanding the trophic relationships of these three Mustelidae species, providing valuable information for their conservation planning.

Camera traps are widely used in wildlife surveys and biodiversity monitoring. Depending on its triggering mechanism, a large number of images or videos are sometimes accumulated. Some literature has proposed the application of deep learning techniques to automatically identify wildlife in camera trap imagery, which can significantly reduce manual work and speed up analysis processes. However, there are few studies validating and comparing the applicability of different models for object detection in real field monitoring scenarios. In this study, we firstly constructed a wildlife image dataset of the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park (NTLNP dataset). Furthermore, we evaluated the recognition performance of three currently mainstream object detection architectures and compared the performance of training models on day and night data separately versus together. In this experiment, we selected YOLOv5 series models (anchor-based one-stage), Cascade R-CNN under feature extractor HRNet32 (anchor-based two-stage), and FCOS under feature extractors ResNet50 and ResNet101 (anchor-free one-stage). The experimental results showed that performance of the object detection models of the day-night joint training is satisfying. Specifically, the average result of our models was 0.98 mAP (mean average precision) in the animal image detection and 88% accuracy in the animal video classification. One-stage YOLOv5m achieved the best recognition accuracy. With the help of AI technology, ecologists can extract information from masses of imagery potentially quickly and efficiently, saving much time.

Exploring the processes of interspecific relationships is crucial to understanding the mechanisms of biodiversity maintenance. Visually detecting interspecies relationships of large mammals is limited by the reconstruction accuracy of the environmental structure and the timely detection of animal behavior. Hence, we used backpack laser scanning (BLS) to reconstruct the high-resolution three-dimensional environmental structure to simulate the process of a predator approaching its prey, indicating that predator tigers would reduce their visibility by changing their behavior. Wild boars will nibble off about 5m of branches around the nest in order to create better visibility around the nest, adopting an anti-predation strategy to detect possible predators in advance. Our study not only points out how predator–prey relationships are affected by visibility as the environment mediates it, but also provides an operable framework for exploring interspecific relationships from a more complex dimension. Finally, this study provides a new perspective for exploring the mechanisms of biodiversity maintenance.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a frequent complication in patients with pulmonary fibrosis (PF), whereas the mechanism was not well-understood. This study aimed to explore the influence of immune cell infiltration on PH status based on the genomic expression profiles. Microarray data of GSE24988 were downloaded from the GEO database, including 116 lung tissue samples derived from PF patients with various PH status. Proportion of infiltrated immune cells was evaluated using CIBERSORT, a gene expression-based de-convolution algorithm. A random forest classifier was constructed and out of bag (OOB) cross-validation was carried out for PH prediction. The proportions of immune infiltration cells varied differently in PH samples except T regulatory cells (p-value = 0). Compared with non-PH samples, increased number of naive B cells and plasma cells were identified in PH samples, whereas activated dendritic cells and M2 macrophages were relatively lower (p < 0.05). In the random forest model, these four types of immune cells obtained a higher variable importance score than other cells, including mean decreased accuracy and mean decreased gini evaluation. We ran the OOB cross-validation in each sample of datasets (training set and testing set) and obtained 79 and 69% accuracy, respectively. Abnormal proportions of four types of immune cells were identified in PH samples compared with non-PH samples, suggesting their involvement in PH development. In summary, the immune cell infiltration in PF patients is associated with the PH status of patients, which deserves further investigation in the future.

The Asian golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) is the most varied wild cat species in terms of coat color. Understanding coat pattern variation will help to elucidate the mechanisms behind it as well as its relationship with the environment. We conducted long-term (2013–2021) monitoring of Asian golden cats in the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon National Nature Reserve, Tibet, using camera traps at 283 points over 89,991 camera days. A total of 620 cat photos were recorded, including 344 (55.48%) with recognizable color patterns. Vector graphics of the coat patterns were extracted from the field image data, which revealed 10 color types in the ratio common: cinnamon: reddish-brown long hair: ocelot: blackening: melanistic: gray: brown: brown short hair: pure black = 123:76:57:35:22:8:7:7:5:4. The genes for coat pattern variation are widespread in the Asian golden cat population and are relatively stable. The increase in population size intraspecific competition has led to the tail break phenotype in individual cats. The gene encoding for tail breakage in Asian golden cats remains unknown. This study provides basic information for understanding faunal diversity in the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot and serves as a reference for studies on the formation mechanisms for feline color pattern diversity.

Forest understory vegetation plays an important role in providing food, nutrition and habitat for wildlife. The impact of wildlife foraging on forest understory biomass are often subtle processes that are difficult to capture using traditional field measurements. Field measurements are labor-intensive and impractical to cover and detect understory biomass changes at an extensive range with fine spatial resolution, thereby affecting the accuracy of habitat quality and food availability assessment for wildlife. Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) is considered to have potential to improve the accuracy of understory biomass prediction, allowing for detailed monitoring of biomass changes under the influence of wildlife at fine scale. In this study, we first developed an efficient method to predict forest understory biomass by using variables from TLS with regression models, and second, we compared the prediction accuracy between TLS-based variables and field-measured variables. Third, the optimal models with TLS-based variables were applied to map and quantify the effect of herbivores density on understory biomass in temperate forests in northeastern China. Our results demonstrated that TLS-derived data were more accurate than field measurements in predicting understory biomass, that TLS-derived canopy cover yielded the highest herb layer biomass estimation accuracy (R2 = 0.72, RMSE = 12.73 g/m2), and that TLS-derived vegetation volume obtained the highest accuracy assessment for the shrub layer biomass prediction (R2 = 0.69, RMSE = 43.64 g/m2). There was a significant difference in the understory herb layer biomass in different deer-density plots, but no significant difference in shrub layer biomass. To quantify biomass changes in different plots, consistent monitoring method is needed, TLS data demonstrated the potential to capture and accurately quantify the biomass variation from forest understory. As tool for monitoring understory, TLS can be used as a supplementary to traditional understory monitoring methods to guide forest management policies and wildlife conservation strategies.

The ambient formation of secondary particulate matter (ambient FSPM) is commonly recognized as the major cause of severe PM2.5 air pollution in China. We present observational evidence showing that the ambient FSPM was too weak to yield a detectable contribution to extreme PM2.5 pollution events that swept northern China between 11 and 14 January 2019. Although the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model (v5.2) reasonably reproduced the observations in January 2019, it largely underestimated the concentrations of the PM2.5 during the episode. We propose a novel mechanism, called the “in-fresh-stack-plume non-precipitation-cloud processing of aerosols” followed by the evaporation of semi-volatile components from the aerosols, to generate PM2.5 at extremely high concentrations because of highly concentrated gaseous precursors and large amounts of water droplets in fresh cooling combustion plumes under poor dispersion conditions, low ambient temperature, and high relative humidity. The recorded non-precipitation-cloud processing of the aerosols in fresh stack combustion plumes normally lasts 20–30 s, but it prolongs as long as 2–5 min under cold, humid, and stagnant meteorological conditions and expectedly causes severe PM2.5 pollution events. Regardless of the presence of the natural cloud in the planetary boundary layer during the extreme events, the fast conversion of air pollutants in water droplets and the generation of the PM2.5 through the non-precipitation-cloud processing of aerosols always occur in fresh combustion plumes. The processing of aerosols is detectable using a nano-scan particle sizer assembled on an unmanned aerial vehicle to monitor the particle formation in stack plumes. In-fresh-stack-plume processed aerosols under varying meteorological conditions need to be studied urgently.

Photodegradation is a key process impacting the lifetime of oxalate in the atmosphere, but few studies investigated this process in the field due to the complex mixing and sources of oxalate. Oxalate-containing particles were measured via single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry at coastal and suburban sites in Qingdao, a coastal city in North China in the summer of 2016. The mixing state and influence of different ambient conditions on the source and photodegradation of oxalate were investigated. Generally, 6.3% and 12.3% of the total particles (by number) contained oxalate at coastal and suburban sites, respectively. Twelve major types of oxalate-containing particles were identified, and they were classified into three groups. Biomass burning (BB)-related oxalate–K and oxalate–carbonaceous particles were the dominant groups, respectively, accounting for 68.9% and 13.6% at the coastal site and 72.0% and 16.8% at the suburban site. Oxalate–Heavy metals (HM)-related particles represented 14.6% and 9.3% of the oxalate particles at coastal and suburban sites, respectively, which were mainly from industrial emissions (Cu-rich, Fe-rich, Pb-rich), BB (Zn-rich), and residual fuel oil combustion (V-rich). The peak area of oxalate at the coastal site decreased immediately after sunrise, while it increased during the daytime at the suburban site. However, the oxalate peak area of Fe-rich particles at both sites decreased after sunrise, indicating that iron plays an important role in oxalate degradation in both environments. The decay rates (k) of Fe-rich and BB-Fe particles at the coastal site (−0.978 and −0.859 h−1, respectively), were greater than those at the suburban site (−0.512 and −0.178 h−1, respectively), owing to the high-water content of particles and fewer oxalate precursors. The estimated k values of oxalate peak area for different ambient conditions were in the same order of magnitude, which can help establish or validate the future atmospheric models.

Mesocarnivores uniquely and profoundly impact ecosystem function, structure, and dynamics. Sympatric species tend to spatially and temporally partition limited resources to facilitate coexistence. We investigated the seasonal spatial and temporal cooccurrences among six mesocarnivores, the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), Asian badger (Meles leucurus), Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica), masked palm civet (Paguma larvata) and yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula), as well as a single apex predator (Northern Chinese leopard, Panthera pardus japonensis). We used a camera trapping dataset collected from June 2016 to May 2017 (16,636 camera trapping days, 52 camera locations). The activity patterns varied among seasons and species. Most species were most active during summer. Leopards were most active in winter. Siberian weasels and yellow-throated martens were mainly diurnal, tended to spatially avoid each other, and were temporally segregated from the other mesocarnivores. Leopard cats, Asian badgers, red foxes and masked palm civets were nocturnal and showed high overlap in every season, but their highest peaks of activity were staggered. Mesocarnivores may be affected by the threat of the apex carnivore; they mainly avoided leopards spatially, showing low spatial overlap with leopards in all seasons. Interestingly, we found that the animals may engage in temporal-spatial coordination to facilitate coexistence, as increased temporal overlap in a given season was associated with decreased spatial overlap. Our results provide new insight into the carnivore community of terrestrial mammals in northern China and will facilitate future studies on the mechanisms determining the coexistence of animal species within the trophic cascade. Keywords: Camera trap, Sympatric species, Mesocarnivore coexistence, Activity pattern, Spatial overlap

Abstract We analyzed the scats of Amur tigers and Amur leopards, and examined their annual and seasonal food habits in Northeast China to comprehend their coexistence. Wild boar had the highest annual and seasonal consumption frequencies by the tigers, while both roe deer and sika deer were mostly preyed by the leopards annually. The three species appeared to be the key preys in terms of high proportion of consumed biomass by the two felids. Our data also revealed numerous mid-sized carnivores and small mammals included in the two felids’ food list. We used the relative abundance and biomass density estimation in prey density estimation to calculate the prey preferences of tigers and leopards, and both methods confirmed that Amur tigers strongly preferred wild boar. However, preference estimations of Amur leopards were not consistant, or even opposite to one another from the two methods. The results of the study suggested that prey preference of predators is largely determined by body size of the prey species. Variation in diet composition of the two felids suggests that resource partitioning may contribute to their coexistence.

Background/Aims: Co-stimulating molecule B7-H4 regulates T cell-mediated immune responses, participates in tumor immune escape, and promotes the proliferation and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells. However, the specific mechanisms are unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participated in the pathogenesis and progression of cancer. Methods: In this study, a microarray technique was used to screen B7-H4-related differentially expressed miRNAs in a pancreatic cancer cell line find those associated with pancreatic cancer. Using a miRCURYTM LNA Array approach, we compared the miRNA expression profiles of L3.6p1 pancreatic cancer cells transfected with B7-H4 siRNA for 72 h with those transfected with non-target siRNAs. Results: B7-H4 siRNA significantly up-regulated 57 miRNAs and down-regulated 14 miRNAs. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) Pathway analysis of predicted miRNA targets showed that these genes were mainly involved in protein binding, pathways in cancer, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway. Conclusions: This is the first description of target genes of B7-H4, showing that miRNAs participate in the B7-H4 mediated regulation of oncogenicity and pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. These results may help us better understand the role of B7-H4 in the progression of pancreatic cancer and its possible mechanisms. We also provide novel biomarkers for potential treatments of pancreatic cancer.

Abstract The gut microbiota is characterized as a complex ecosystem that has effects on health and diseases of host with the interactions of many other factors together. Sika deer is the national level for the protection of wild animals in China. The available sequencing data of gut microbiota from feces of wild sika deer, especially for Cervus nippon hortulorum in Northeast China, are limited. Here, we characterized the gastrointestinal bacterial communities of wild (7 samples) and captive (12 samples) sika deer from feces, and compared their gut microbiota by analyzing the V3–V4 region of 16S rRNA gene using high-throughput sequencing technology on the Illumina Hiseq platform. Firmicutes (77.624%), Bacteroidetes (18.288%) and Tenericutes (1.342%) were the most predominant phyla in wild sika deer. While in captive sika deer, Firmicutes (50.710%) was the dominant phylum, followed by Bacteroidetes (31.996%) and Proteobacteria (4.806%). A total of 9 major phyla, 22 families and 30 genera among gastrointestinal bacterial communities showed significant differences between wild and captive sika deer. The specific function and mechanism of Tenericutes in wild sika deer need further study. Our results indicated that captive sika deer in farm had higher fecal bacterial diversity than the wild. Abundance and quantity of diet source for sika deer played crucial role in shaping the composition and structure of gut microbiota.

Mammalian coat color is determined by heritable variations such as disease, nutrition, and hormone levels. Variation in animal coat color is also considered an environmental indicator and provides clues for the study of population genetics and biogeography. Records of abnormal coloration in the wild are rare, not only because it is often selected against, but also because of the difficulties in detection of the phenomenon. We used long-term camera-trapping data to first report abnormal coat coloration in yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula) in China. Six types of abnormal coloration were found only in the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park, Northeast China, which were not reported in other regions in China. A total of 268 videos of Martes flavigula contained normal coloration, 455 videos of individuals of the species contained abnormal coloration, 437 contained the ‘gloving’ type (martens with de-pigmented front toes, paws or lower forelimbs), while the remaining other 18 videos contained five types (different degrees of white-spotting and dilution). The higher relative abundance index (0.428, ‘gloving’ to 0.329, normal) and wide distribution area of the ‘gloving’ type indicated that this abnormal coat coloration type is usual in Northeast China, which may reflect genetic variability in the local population. These records will contribute to further research on animal coat color and its corresponding adaptive strategy.

Abstract Preanalytical quality control of blood samples is critical for tests of coagulation function and coagulation factor activity. Preanalytical storage time and temperature are the main variables. We investigated the effects of preanalytical frozen storage time and temperature on activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (Fbg), prothrombin time (PT)/international normalized ratio (INR), thrombin time (TT), factor VIII activity (FVIII:C), and factor IX activity (FIX:C) in frozen plasma. Samples (n = 144) were randomly and equally divided into four groups (storage at −80 °C or −20 °C) and analysed by CS5100 or CA7000 coagulation analysers. Baseline values and results after storage for 15 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year were measured after thawing. Mean percent changes and scatter plots were used to determine clinically relevant differences. The stabilities of coagulation tests and coagulation factor activities measured by the CS5100 system were consistent with those measured by the CA7000 system. At −80 °C, assessment samples of PT/INR, Fbg, and TT can be safely stored for 1 year, APTT for 6 months, and FVIII:C and FIX:C for 1 month. At −20 °C, samples of Fbg and TT can be stored for 1 year, PT/INR and FIX:C for 1 month, and APTT and FVIII:C for 15 days.

The analysis of gut microbiota using fecal samples provides a non-invasive approach to understand the complex interactions between host species and their intestinal bacterial community. However, information on gut microbiota for wild endangered carnivores is scarce. The goal of this study was to describe the gut microbiota of two leopard subspecies, the Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) and North Chinese leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis). Fecal samples from the Amur leopard (n = 8) and North Chinese leopard (n = 13) were collected in Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park and Shanxi Tieqiaoshan Provincial Nature Reserve in China, respectively. The gut microbiota of leopards was analyzed via high-throughput sequencing of the V3–V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA gene using the Life Ion S5™ XL platform. A total of 1,413,825 clean reads representing 4,203 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected. For Amur leopard samples, Firmicutes (78.4%) was the dominant phylum, followed by Proteobacteria (9.6%) and Actinobacteria (7.6%). And for the North Chinese leopard, Firmicutes (68.6%), Actinobacteria (11.6%) and Fusobacteria (6.4%) were the most predominant phyla. Clostridiales was the most diverse bacterial order with 37.9% for Amur leopard and 45.7% for North Chinese leopard. Based on the beta-diversity analysis, no significant difference was found in the bacterial community composition between the Amur leopard and North Chinese leopard samples. The current study provides the initial data about the composition and structure of the gut microbiota for wild Amur leopards and North Chinese leopards, and has laid the foundation for further investigations of the health, dietary preferences and physiological regulation of leopards.

Introduction: China is responsible for more than 60% of global aquaculture production. As the frontiers of food production have expanded, the cultivation of marine organisms in coastal zones and the open ocean has grown rapidly. The dominant mariculture industry in China is suspended mariculture, which uses net cages, ropes, or other structures suspended in the water column to cultivate aquatic organisms. This systematic, quantitative review provides a clear and comprehensive account of research that has investigated the adverse impacts of suspended mariculture in China and reviews research that has applied Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) systems for mitigating impacts. This work builds on 218 peer reviewed papers that have been published in English-language journals. Outcomes: Eighteen impacts were identified, including chemical, ecological, physical, and socioeconomic impacts. Eighteen measures for improving suspended mariculture were recommended consisting of government department, farm management, and ecological engineering measures. IMTA was the most frequently recommended measure. The capabilities of IMTA for bioremediation and increased farm production were the most frequently studied advantages. Seven other benefits have been explored but remain understudied. The current challenges facing the expansion of commercial IMTA include limited use of new technology, limited skills development, decreasing production of low trophic-level species, biogeographic and temporal barriers, and negative system feedbacks. Conclusion: Despite challenges, implementing commercial IMTA is a promising measure for reducing the impacts of suspended mariculture because it presents a range of secondary benefits that can improve the overall sustainability of aquaculture in the coastal zone.

Over the past century, the endangered Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) has experienced a severe contraction in demography and geographic range because of habitat loss, poaching, and prey depletion. In its historical home in Northeast China, there appears to be a single tiger population that includes tigers in Southwest Primorye and Northeast China; however, the current demographic status of this population is uncertain. Information on the abundance, distribution and genetic diversity of this population for assessing the efficacy of conservation interventions are scarce. We used noninvasive genetic detection data from scats, capture-recapture models and an accumulation curve method to estimate the abundance of Amur tigers in Northeast China. We identified 11 individual tigers (6 females and 5 males) using 10 microsatellite loci in three nature reserves between April 2013 and May 2015. These tigers are confined primarily to a Hunchun Nature Reserve along the border with Russia, with an estimated population abundance of 9-11 tigers during the winter of 2014-2015. They showed a low level of genetic diversity. The mean number of alleles per locus was 2.60 and expected and observed heterozygosity were 0.42 and 0.49, respectively. We also documented long-distance dispersal (~270 km) of a male Amur tiger to Huangnihe Nature Reserve from the border, suggesting that the expansion of neighboring Russian populations may eventually help sustain Chinese populations. However, the small and isolated population recorded by this study demonstrate that there is an urgent need for more intensive regional management to create a tiger-permeable landscape and increased genetic connectivity with other populations.

Abstract The authors regret the following errors occurred in the original publication of the article (Guan et al. 2017). The corrected texts have been presented with this erratum.

We monitored the last remaining Asian elephant populations in China over the past decade. Using DNA tools and repeat genotyping, we estimated the population sizes from 654 dung samples collected from various areas. Combined with morphological individual identifications from over 6,300 elephant photographs taken in the wild, we estimated that the total Asian elephant population size in China is between 221 and 245. Population genetic structure and diversity were examined using a 556-bp fragment of mitochondrial DNA, and 24 unique haplotypes were detected from DNA analysis of 178 individuals. A phylogenetic analysis revealed two highly divergent clades of Asian elephants, α and β, present in Chinese populations. Four populations (Mengla, Shangyong, Mengyang, and Pu'Er) carried mtDNA from the α clade, and only one population (Nangunhe) carried mtDNA belonging to the β clade. Moreover, high genetic divergence was observed between the Nangunhe population and the other four populations; however, genetic diversity among the five populations was low, possibly due to limited gene flow because of habitat fragmentation. The expansion of rubber plantations, crop cultivation, and villages along rivers and roads had caused extensive degradation of natural forest in these areas. This had resulted in the loss and fragmentation of elephant habitats and had formed artificial barriers that inhibited elephant migration. Using Geographic Information System, Global Positioning System, and Remote Sensing technology, we found that the area occupied by rubber plantations, tea farms, and urban settlements had dramatically increased over the past 40 years, resulting in the loss and fragmentation of elephant habitats and forming artificial barriers that inhibit elephant migration. The restoration of ecological corridors to facilitate gene exchange among isolated elephant populations and the establishment of cross-boundary protected areas between China and Laos to secure their natural habitats are critical for the survival of Asian elephants in this region.

BACKGROUND: Since late 2003, the highly pathogenic influenza A H5N1 had initiated several outbreak waves that swept across the Eurasia and Africa continents. Getting prepared for reassortment or mutation of H5N1 viruses has become a global priority. Although the spreading mechanism of H5N1 has been studied from different perspectives, its main transmission agents and spread route problems remain unsolved. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Based on a compilation of the time and location of global H5N1 outbreaks from November 2003 to December 2006, we report an interdisciplinary effort that combines the geospatial informatics approach with a bioinformatics approach to form an improved understanding on the transmission mechanisms of H5N1 virus. Through a spherical coordinate based analysis, which is not conventionally done in geographical analyses, we reveal obvious spatial and temporal clusters of global H5N1 cases on different scales, which we consider to be associated with two different transmission modes of H5N1 viruses. Then through an interdisciplinary study of both geographic and phylogenetic analysis, we obtain a H5N1 spreading route map. Our results provide insight on competing hypotheses as to which avian hosts are responsible for the spread of H5N1. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We found that although South China and Southeast Asia may be the virus pool of avian flu, East Siberia may be the source of the H5N1 epidemic. The concentration of migratory birds from different places increases the possibility of gene mutation. Special attention should be paid to East Siberia, Middle Siberia and South China for improved surveillance of H5N1 viruses and monitoring of migratory birds.