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In the present study, we reported and characterized the complete chloroplast genome of a moth orchid, Phalaenopsis wilsonii, which is endemic to South China. Its plastid genome size is 145,373 bp, consisting of a large single copy (LSC) region (84,996 bp), a small single-copy region (10,668 bp), and two inverted repeats (IRs) regions (24,855 bp). A total of 122 plastid genes were annotated, comprising 76 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic tree further revealed that P. wilsonii showed a sister relationship with P. lowii within subgenus Parishianae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the impacts of fat distribution on assisted reproductive outcomes in infertile women., Methods: The study randomly recruited 576 infertile women who underwent assisted reproductive technology treatment at the Reproductive Medicine Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University between July and October 2022. Questionnaires and body composition measurements were administered to assess baseline information and fat distribution. The numbers of oocytes, zygotes presenting with two pronuclei (2PN), and available embryos were tracked at the end of the cycle. Multifactorial logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline (RCS) curve models were used to explore the relationships between fat distribution and reproductive outcomes while controlling for confounding factors., Results: The study found that the participants had a mean age of 30.82 years. The analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the amount of leg body fat mass (LBFM) and the distribution of reproductive outcomes. However, there was no significant correlation between the level of visceral fat and reproductive outcomes. After taking confounding factors into account, the multifactorial regression analysis showed that the total body fat mass and the number of oocytes (odds ratio (OR) 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84-0.99), 2PN (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.84-0.99), and embryos available for transfer (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.82-0.99) were negatively correlated. RCS modeling revealed a linear dose-response relationship between LBFM and assisted reproductive outcomes., Conclusion: Fat distribution varies among infertile women, and higher amounts of fat are associated with poorer assisted reproductive outcomes., (© 2024 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)

Pleione is an orchid endemically distributed in high mountain areas across the Hengduan Mountains (HDM), Himalayas, Southeast Asia and South of China. The unique flower shapes, rich colors and immense medicinal importance of Pleione are valuable ornamental and economic resources. However, the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of the genus have not yet been comprehensively resolved. Here, the evolutionary history of Pleione was investigated using single-copy gene single nucleotide polymorphisms and chloroplast genome datasets. The data revealed that Pleione could be divided into five clades. Discordance in topology between the two phylogenetic trees and network and D-statistic analyses indicated the occurrence of reticulate evolution in the genus. The evolution could be attributed to introgression and incomplete lineage sorting. Ancestral area reconstruction suggested that Pleione was originated from the HDM. Uplifting of the HDM drove rapid diversification by creating conditions favoring rapid speciation. This coincided with two periods of consolidation of the Asian monsoon climate, which caused the first rapid diversification of Pleione from 8.87 to 7.83 Mya, and a second rapid diversification started at around 4.05 Mya to Pleistocene. The interaction between Pleione and climate changes, especially the monsoons, led to the current distribution pattern and shaped the dormancy characteristic of the different clades. In addition to revealing the evolutionary relationship of Pleione with orogeny and climate changes, the findings of this study provide insights into the speciation and diversification mechanisms of plants in the East Asian flora., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Loropetalum subcordatum is an endangered species endemic to China that is characterized by narrow distribution, small population size, and delayed fertilization. However, the genetic diversity of the entire extant natural and ex situ populations has not been assessed to date. In this study, we evaluated the genetic diversity and structure of six natural populations and a single ex situ population (the only known ex situ population of L. subcordatum) using sequence-related amplified polymorphism data., Results: In total, 553 reliable DNA bands, of which 359 (63.28%) were polymorphic, were amplified by polymerase chain reaction with combinations of 15 primers. Low average gene diversity within populations and high genetic differentiation were detected in L. subcordatum. A Mantel test demonstrated that there was a positive correlation between genetic and geographic distances, indicating that significant genetic divergence was likely the result of geographic isolation among natural populations. Furthermore, based on genetic structure patterns, populations of L. subcordatum were divided into three clusters. Group 1 was composed of specimens from Libo, Guizhou Province (GZ) and Huanjiang, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GX). Group 2 was composed of Mt. Wuguishan, Guangdong Province (GD). Group 3 was composed of three populations in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Additionally, clonal reproduction probably existed in GD population. According to the genetic information analysis and field survey, the ex situ population did not match its source population (GD) in terms of genetics, and its habitat was different from the original natural habitat. We observed that a few individual GD seeds were needed to improve ZS ex situ in the future., Conclusions: Compared to previous SRAP-based studies of endangered plants, L. subcordatum had extremely low average gene diversity within populations and high genetic differentiation among populations. At present, the unique ex situ population has not been successful due to non-representative samples being taken, a smaller population size, and man-made changes in habitat. Potential strategies are suggested to improve the conservation of this species.

Thirteen types of seafoods were collected from four counties (districts) of Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, China and analyzed for organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). The average concentrations of OCPs in seafoods ranged from 258.3 ng g⁻¹ (lw) to 3459.6 ng g⁻¹ (lw). Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) were the most abundant compounds in these environments and in total accounted for 8.2-62.2% and 32.1-89.0% of the total OCPs in seafoods, respectively. The total OCP contents were higher in seafoods from Shengsi and Putuo and lower in those from Dinghai and Daishan. The ratios of (DDE+DDD)/DDTs reflected a mixed input of accumulated and fresh DDTs in Shengsi, Putuo. The ratios of o,p'-DDT/p,p'-DDT in seafoods of Shengsi ranged 0.10-0.60 (mean 0.33), indicating that DDTs in seafoods of Shengsi may partly contain dicofol products and other pollutants accumulated in Yangtze Estuary. DDTs are a greater concern for ecotoxicological risk in the study area., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Based on the data acquired within the Zhoushan fishing ground and its adjacent area (29 degrees 30' - 31 degrees 30' N, 121 degrees 30' - 124 degrees 30' E), species composition, abundance, and species diversity of zooplankton were sampled by plankton net (50 cm mouth-diameter, 145 cm net length, 0.505 mm mesh-aperture) during August 2006. The results identified 93 species (exclude Larvae) from the samples, among which Copepods were the most diverse with 50 species. According to the standard of IRI (the species with IRI above 0.02 were regarded as dominant species in this paper), there were 12 dominant species: Euchaeta concinna, Dolioletta gegenbauri, Sagitta enflata, Sagitta bedoti, Calanus sinicus, Undinula vulgaris, Canthocalanus paupe, Macruran larvae, Diphyes chamissoni, Centropages dorsispinatus, Evadne tergestina, Acartia pacifica. The stations of high abundance were mainly in the southern part and oceanic sea, and low in the northern and near shore waters. Zooplankton in the Zhoushan fishing ground and its adjacent area exhibited high in evenness (0.70), high species number and high diversity indices (4.98). By hierarchical cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) assisted analyzing, zooplankton in Zhoushan fishing ground and its adjacent area could be formed into three assemblages joining at a distance of 17.13%. The biota-environment matching (BIOENV) analysis showed that the abundance of zooplankton was correlated closely not only to salinity, nitrate, silicate, but also to the Cd and Pb.