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Changes in climate and environmental conditions have aggravated the severity and unpredictability of plant survival and growth. Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. is an economically important timber tree. Exploring its potential distribution and dynamic changes and identifying the leading environmental variables affecting it will help to adjust the planting range reasonably according to the habits and climate change, thus contributing to its survival and growth. Based on the MaxEnt model and ArcGIS tool, climate, soil, terrain, human activities, variable environment layers, and 395 C. lanceolata distribution points were used to simulate and analyze the geographical distribution characteristics of C. lanceolata in the current and future periods (the 2050s and 2070s) under RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0, and RCP8.5. The results showed that C. lanceolata was suitable to grow in a subtropical monsoon climate with warm, humid, abundant rainfall and a relatively gentle topography. Additionally, using percent contribution, permutation importance, and the knife-cutting test, we noted that the annual precipitation (Bio12), human activities (Hfp), minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio6), mean temperature of the coldest quarter (Bio11), precipitation of coldest quarter (Bio19), annual temperature range (Bio7), and elevation were the leading environmental factors affecting the geographical distribution of C. lanceolata. Among them, it should be noted that the impact of human activities was negatively correlated with suitable habitat areas of C. lanceolata and led to the degeneration of suitable habitats and fragmentized distribution. In addition, predictions have shown that the areas of habitats under other scenarios will be characterized by an increasing and then decreasing trend by the 2050s and 2070s, except for the RCP2.6 scenario, under which the suitable habitats area of C. lanceolata will increase continuously. The core distributional shifts showed that the suitable habitats of C. lanceolata will gradually shift and migrate to high-latitude areas due to global warming. This study focused on the characteristics of suitable habitats of C. lanceolata under different climatic scenarios using more environmental factors and scenarios than before, aiming to provide a theoretical basis and guidance for the management and utilization of forest resources, the planning of suitable planting areas, and germplasm protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an approach using multiple linear regression to quantify the impact of meteorological parameters and chemical species on aerosol pH variance in an urban setting in the Pearl River Delta, China. Additionally, it assesses the contributions of interactions among these factors to the variance in pH. The analysis successfully explains over 96% of the pH variance, attributing 85.8% to the original variables and 6.7% to bivariate interactions, with further contributions of 2.3% and 1.0% from trivariate and quadrivariate interactions, respectively. Our results highlight that meteorological factors, particularly temperature and humidity, are more influential than chemical components in affecting aerosol pH variance. Temperature alone accounts for 37.3% of the variance, while humidity contributes approximately 20%. On the chemical front, sulfate and ammonium are the most significant contributors, adding 14.3% and 9.1% to the pH variance, respectively. In the realm of bivariate interactions, the interplay between meteorological parameters and chemical components, especially the TNO 3 – RH pair, is exceptionally impactful, constituting 58.1% of the total contribution from interactions. In summary, this study illuminates the factors affecting aerosol pH variance and their interplay, suggesting the integration of statistical methods with thermodynamic models for enhanced understanding of aerosol acidity dynamics in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive irrigation coupled with excessive nitrogen (N) fertilizer input has resulted in high soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in vegetable cropping systems. Biochar as a soil amendment has been advocated as a desirable option to reduce GHG emissions in agricultural systems, but its interactive effects with soil N availability in vegetable systems have yet to be clarified. We performed a field study to examine how biochar interacts with N fertilizer in driving annual methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from an intensively-irrigated greenhouse vegetable cropping system acting as both sources of atmospheric CH4 and N2O in subtropical China. Biochar amendment significantly increased soil CH4 emissions by 33% and 85%, while it decreased soil N2O emissions by 22% and 12% with and without N fertilizer input, respectively. Fertilizer N combination weakened the positive response of CH4 to biochar while it enhanced the mitigation potential of biochar for N2O. Annual direct emission factors of fertilizer N for N2O were estimated to be 1.35% and 1.94% for the fields with and without biochar amendment, respectively. Annual flux-sustained global warming potential (SGWP) and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) were significantly decreased by biochar amendment, and this mitigation effect was enhanced with fertilizer N combination. Altogether, we highlight that biochar can reconcile higher yield and lower climatic impact in intensive vegetable cropping systems in subtropical China, particularly in vegetable soils with high N availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liriodendron chinense (Lchi) is a tree species within the Magnoliaceae family and is considered a basal angiosperm. The too low or high temperature or soil drought will restrict its growth as the adverse environmental conditions, thus improving L. chinense abiotic tolerance was the key issues to study. WRKYs are a major family of plant transcription factors known to often be involved in biotic and abiotic stress responses. So far, it is still largely unknown if and how the LchiWRKY gene family is tied to regulating L. chinense stress responses. Therefore, studying the involvement of the WRKY gene family in abiotic stress regulation in L. chinense could be very informative in showing how this tree deals with such stressful conditions. Results: In this research, we performed a genome-wide analysis of the Liriodendron chinense (Lchi) WRKY gene family, studying their classification relationships, gene structure, chromosomal locations, gene duplication, cis-element, and response to abiotic stress. The 44 members of the LchiWRKY gene family contain a significant amount of sequence diversity, with their lengths ranging from 525 bp to 40,981 bp. Using classification analysis, we divided the 44 LchiWRKY genes into three phylogenetic groups (I, II, II), with group II then being further divided into five subgroups (IIa, IIb, IIc, IId, IIe). Comparative phylogenetic analysis including the WRKY families from 17 plant species suggested that LchiWRKYs are closely related to the Magnolia Cinnamomum kanehirae WRKY family, and has fewer family members than higher plants. We found the LchiWRKYs to be evenly distributed across 15 chromosomes, with their duplication events suggesting that tandem duplication may have played a major role in LchiWRKY gene expansion model. A Ka/Ks analysis indicated that they mainly underwent purifying selection and distributed in the group IId. Motif analysis showed that LchiWRKYs contained 20 motifs, and different phylogenetic groups contained conserved motif. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that LchiWRKYs were mainly enriched in two categories, i.e., biological process and molecular function. Two group IIc members (LchiWRKY10 and LchiWRKY37) contain unique WRKY element sequence variants (WRKYGKK and WRKYGKS). Gene structure analysis showed that most LchiWRKYs possess 3 exons and two different types of introns: the R- and V-type which are both contained within the WRKY domain (WD). Additional promoter cis-element analysis indicated that 12 cis-elements that play different functions in environmental adaptability occur across all LchiWRKY groups. Heat, cold, and drought stress mainly induced the expression of group II and I LchiWRKYs, some of which had undergone gene duplication during evolution, and more than half of which had three exons. LchiWRKY33 mainly responded to cold stress and LchiWRKY25 mainly responded to heat stress, and LchiWRKY18 mainly responded to drought stress, which was almost 4-fold highly expressed, while 5 LchiWRKYs (LchiWRKY5, LchiWRKY23, LchiWRKY14, LchiWRKY27, and LchiWRKY36) responded equally three stresses with more than 6-fold expression. Subcellular localization analysis showed that all LchiWRKYs were localized in the nucleus, and subcellular localization experiments of LchiWRKY18 and 36 also showed that these two transcription factors were expressed in the nucleus. Conclusions: This study shows that in Liriodendron chinense, several WRKY genes like LchiWRKY33, LchiWRKY25, and LchiWRKY18, respond to cold or heat or drought stress, suggesting that they may indeed play a role in regulating the tree's response to such conditions. This information will prove a pivotal role in directing further studies on the function of the LchiWRKY gene family in abiotic stress response and provides a theoretical basis for popularizing afforestation in different regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the clinical manifestations, imaging, electroencephalography, treatment, and prognosis of 35 cases of autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein astrocytopathy (GFAP-A) in children. Methods: Children hospitalized in the Department of Neurology, Hunan Children's Hospital, China, between January 2015 and June 2021, owing to autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system were subjected to a cell-based assay (CBA). The assay identified 40 children positive for GFAP-immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibodies in the serum and/or the cerebrospinal fluid. Based on clinical manifestations and imaging characteristics, five children who were only positive for GFAP-IgG antibodies in serum were excluded, and the remaining 35 children were diagnosed with autoimmune GFAP-A. The clinical data derived from the 35 children were retrospectively analyzed. Results: A total of 35 children, including 23 males and 12 females with a mean age of 6.3 ± 0.6 years, manifested clinical symptoms of fever (62.9%), headache (42.9%), convulsions (42.9%), abnormal mental behavior (51.4%), disorders of consciousness (54.3%), visual disturbance (22.9%), ataxia (11.4%), paralysis (40%), and autonomic dysfunction (25.7%). One child exhibited only the clinical symptom of peripheral facial nerve palsy. Eleven out of 35 children were also positive for other antibodies. In addition to the common overlapping autoimmune syndromes, one case of autoimmune GFAP-A also manifested as Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis. Linear periventricular enhancement upon MRI was significantly less frequent in children (8.5%) than in adults. In pediatric patients, MRI contrast enhancement was principally seen in the meninges and brain lobes. Although repeated relapse (17.1%) and sequelae symptoms (20%) occurred in some cases, most children showed a favorable prognosis. Spearman's rank correlation showed that the antibody titer was not significantly associated with the severity of the initial disease conditions. Conclusions: The disease diagnosis in children seropositive for GFAP antibodies only should receive a comprehensive diagnosis based on their clinical symptoms, imaging, electroencephalographic characteristics, and treatment responses. Some patients with relapses should receive repeated gamma globulin and corticosteroid therapy or the addition of immunosuppressants to their therapeutic regimen, and slow-dose tapering of corticosteroids and extended treatment are recommended for patients with overlapping autoimmune syndromes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: PPP3CA gene encodes the catalytic subunit A of a calcium-dependent protein phosphatase called calcineurin. However, two distinct mechanisms in PPP3CA deficiency would cause two clinically different diseases. Gain-of-function mutations in the autoinhibitory domain at the C-terminus would cause ACCIID that stands for arthrogryposis, cleft palate, craniosynostosis and impaired intellectual development. While loss-of-function mutations in PPP3CA would cause infantile or early childhood onset epileptic encephalopathy1, named as IECEE1. IECEE1 is a severe epileptic neurodevelopmental disorder and mainly characterized by psychomotor delay. Here, we report a Chinese patient who was clinically and genetically diagnosed as IECEE1. We also extensively analyzed electroencephalogram (EEG) features of the patient in this study.Case Presentation: A 2-year-old Chinese patient who had recurrent polymorphic seizures was clinically and genetically diagnosed as IECEE1. A frameshift variant c.1283insC (p.T429NfsX22) was identified in this case. Multiple types of abnormal features were observed in the EEG, comparing with the previous reports.Conclusions: These findings could expand the spectrum of PPP3CA mutations and might also support the diagnosis and further study of IECEE1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The East Kunlun Orogen (EKO) is the NW part of the Central China Orogenic Belt, which records the evolutionary history of the Proto- and Palaeo-Tethys Oceans from the Cambrian to the Triassic. An Early Palaeozoic eclogite belt has been recognized in recent years, which extends discontinuously for ∼500 km as three eclogite-bearing terranes. In this study, we report an integrated study of zircon grains from mica-schists accompanying the eclogites, in terms of mineral inclusions, U–Pb age systematics and P–T conditions. The presence of coesite is identified, as inclusions within the metamorphic domain of zircons, which provides unambiguous evidence for subducted terrigenous clastic rocks of the Proto-Tethys Ocean exhumed from coesite-forming depths. U–Pb dating of the metamorphic zircons yields a concordia age of 426.5 ± 0.88 Ma, which is likely to be the time of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism in the Kehete terrane. P–T calculations suggest that metapelite may have experienced a clockwise P–T path with peak P / T conditions of 685 ± 41 °C and >28 kbar, and equilibrated at 482–566 °C and 5.6–8.9 kbar during subsequent exhumation. The high-pressure – ultrahigh-pressure (HP-UHP) metamorphic belt within the EKO may have formed by collision between the Qaidam Block and the South Kunlun Block, as a consequence of the closure of the Proto-Tethys Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveDietary fibre has been linked to lower levels of glycosylated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) among diabetes patients. The present study aimed to evaluate the long-term effect of dietary fibre on HbA1c levels among Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.DesignTwo cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2006 and 2011, with the second one being a repeat survey on a sub-sample from the initial one. In both surveys, an in-person interview was conducted to collect information on demographic characteristics and lifestyles following a similar protocol. Dietary intake was assessed with a validated FFQ. Anthropometric measures and biochemical assays were performed at the interview.SettingCommunities in Pudong New Area of Shanghai, China.SubjectsChinese patients (n 934) with type 2 diabetes mellitus.ResultsAn inverse association was observed between dietary fibre and glycaemic status indicated by HbA1c level in both surveys, although it was significant only in the first survey. Among 497 patients participating in both surveys, dietary fibre intake at the first survey was inversely associated with uncontrolled glycaemic status at the second survey, with adjusted odds ratios across the tertiles of intake being 1·00, 0·72 (95 % CI 0·43, 1·21) and 0·58 (95 % CI 0·34, 0·99; Ptrend = 0·048). The change in fibre intake was slightly associated with glycaemic status, with each increase in tertile scores of intake linked to a 0·138 % (β = −0·138; 95 % CI −0·002, 0·278) decrease in HbA1c value and a 19 % (OR = 0·81; 95 % CI 0·65, 1·02) reduced risk of uncontrolled glycaemic status at the second survey.ConclusionsDietary fibre may have a long-term beneficial effect on HbA1c level among Chinese diabetes patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Li extraction slag of spent Li-ion batteries is recycled into battery-grade FePO 4. • The selective leaching process using H 3 PO 4 -HCl solution is discussed. • The leaching conditions for recovering battery-grade FePO 4 were optimized. • Re-synthesized LiFePO 4 possesses an excellent charge/discharge capacity. FePO 4 regeneration from lithium extraction slag (LES) is a key link in the closed-loop recycling of LiFePO 4 , but this link has not yet been effectively achieved. This study presents a selective leaching treatment for removing impurities from LES, and then the battery-grade FePO 4 is recovered. The leaching efficiency of impurity elements such as Ni, Cu, and Mn can reach up to 99.53%, 98.08%, and 97.65%, respectively, while the main element of Fe and P remain as low as 0.3% and 1.6%, and recovered FePO 4 (R-FePO 4) conformed to China Chemical Industry Standard for battery-grade FePO 4 (HG/T 4701–2014). The leaching experiment shows that H 3 PO 4 treatment contributes to obtaining excellent crystalline FePO 4 , while the addition of HCl mainly enhanced the leaching performance of metal impurities. The optimal conditions for recovering battery-grade FePO 4 were: 1.5 mol/L H 3 PO 4 , H 3 PO 4 /HCl molar ratio of 3:1, a liquid–solid ratio of 10 mL/g, leaching at 90 °C for 3 h. The thermodynamics of the leaching reactions was analyzed to determine the feasibility of leaching impurities and crystallizing FePO 4 from LES. The composition and structure of the regenerated FePO 4 were restored, and the electrochemical performance reached the same level as commercial materials. In addition, the cost of R-FePO 4 is calculated to be $1.35 kg−1, which is about 32.5% lower than the cost of commercial FePO 4 (C-FePO 4 , $2.0 kg−1). This work presents a potential "waste-to-wealth" approach to guide the efficient and environmentally friendly recycling of spent Li-ion batteries (LIBs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to evaluate how ambient particles are deposited in the human respiratory system in view of the adverse effects they pose to human health. Traditional methods of investigating human exposure to ambient particles suffer from drawbacks related either to the lack of chemical information from particle number-based measurements or to the poor time resolution of mass-based measurements. To address these issues, in this study, human exposure to ambient particulate matter was investigated using single particle analysis, which provided chemical information with a high time resolution. Based on single particle measurements conducted in the Pearl River Delta, China, nine particle types were identified, and EC (elemental carbon) particles were determined to be the most dominant type of particle. In general, the submicron size mode was dominant in terms of the number concentration for all of the particle types, except for Na-rich and dust particles. On average, around 34% of particles were deposited in the human respiratory system with 13.9%, 7.9%, and 12.6% being distributed in the head, tracheobronchial, and pulmonary regions, respectively. The amount of Na-rich particles deposited was the highest, followed by EC. The overall deposition efficiencies of the Na-rich and dust particles were higher than those of the other particle types due to their higher efficiencies in the head region, which could be caused by the greater sedimentation and impaction rates of larger particles. In the head region, the Na-rich particles made the largest contribution (30.5%) due to their high deposition efficiency, whereas in the tracheobronchial and pulmonary regions, EC made the largest contribution due to its high concentration. In summary, the findings of this initial trial demonstrate the applicability of single particle analysis to the assessment of human exposure to ambient particles and its potential to support traditional methods of analysis. [Display omitted] • Nine particle types identified based on single particle analysis and their deposition studied using a dosimetry model. • Submicron mode dominates number concentration for all particle types except dust and sea-salt. • Elemental carbon is the dominant particle type, but sea-salt shows highest respiratory deposition. • Dust and sea-salt show higher deposition efficiencies among particle types. • Single particle analysis was shown to be applicable in human exposure assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitraria tangutorum Bobrov is a halophyte that is resistant to salt and alkali and is widely distributed in northwestern China. However, its genome has not been sequenced, thereby limiting studies on this particular species. For species without a reference genome, the full-length transcriptome is a convenient and rapid way to obtain reference gene information. To better study N. tangutorum, we used PacBio single-molecule real-time technology to perform full-length transcriptome analysis of this halophyte. In this study, a total of 21.83 Gb of data were obtained, and 198,300 transcripts, 51,875 SSRs (simple sequence repeats), 55,574 CDS (coding sequence), and 74,913 lncRNAs (long non-coding RNA) were identified. In addition, using this full-length transcriptome, we identified the key Na+/H+ antiporter (NHX) genes that maintain ion balance in plants and found that these are induced to express under salt stress. The results indicate that the full-length transcriptome of N. tangutorum can be used as a database and be utilized in elucidating the salt tolerance mechanism of N. tangutorum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing, including 3D printing (3DP), is one of the critical pillars of Industry 4.0 and the next construction revolution. Several countries, including China, have utilized 3DP on larger scales or real projects. However, reviews of the lessons learned from previous large-sized practices of 3DP utilization are scarce. This paper presents a few practical applications of implementing 3DP over the past decade and suggests a direction for future research work. Recent publications on 3DP practices are systematically reviewed using an interpretivist philosophical lens, and more specifically, the nozzle characteristics are focused upon. The Scopus and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) journal databases are utilized, resulting in the examination of 54 English and 62 Chinese papers. The selected practices from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao are considered for this review. A content critical review approach is adopted, and the identified papers are critically reviewed. These papers reported key challenges and advantages from their reported practices, such as limitations in aggregate sizes, nozzle sizes, standards, post-occupancy satisfaction, final product quality, productivity challenges and other associated risks. The paper reports upon prominent limitations and signposts directions for future investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generation of arc volcanic rocks is a complicated process, potentially involving some or all of oceanic slab subduction, mantle wedge metasomatism, and melting of both the subducted slab and the mantle wedge. Interaction between melts of different sources plays important roles in the subduction factory and the formation of magmatic arcs and is still controversial. To elucidate the mantle-melts interaction process, we present a study of the sodic adakite-like lavas (445-444 Ma) and basalt-basaltic andesite (basaltic) enclaves (∼453 Ma) in the early Paleozoic intra-oceanic arc system from the South Qilian Accretionary Belt, Qilian Orogen. Basaltic enclaves in the Muli adakite-like lavas have high Mg# (62–69) high Cr and Ni, and radiogenic Sr and unradiogenic Nd isotopic compositions (I Sr = 0.706327–0.706497; ε Nd (t) = −3.2∼ − 2.0). They are considered to represent primitive magmas derived from a highly metasomatized mantle wedge. The adakite-like lavas are dacitic with adakite-like compositions, enriched Sr Nd isotopic compositions (I Sr = 0.705597–0.706747; ε Nd (t) = −1.7∼ + 0.4) and significantly variable zircon Hf isotopic compositions (ε Hf (t) = +0.9∼ + 17.8), most likely a hybrid magma produced by mixing primitive basaltic melts of metasomatized mantle wedge and melts of subducted oceanic crust. The Muli adakite-like lavas and basaltic enclaves occurred in an intra-oceanic island arc setting with an unusually hot thermal structure, which induced melting of subducted slab (including sediments and mafic oceanic crust) and metasomatized mantle wedge. The geodynamic mechanism associated with slab melting is plausibly either or both of the juvenile nature of South Qilian Oceanic Crust, and/or the heating of a slab edge by upwelling hot asthenospheric mantle during subduction initiation. • We present adakite-like lavas with basaltic enclaves from South Qilian. • The basaltic enclaves represent primitive mantle-derived magmas. • The adakite-like lavas are hybrid magma mixed by primitive magma and slab melts. • Juvenile nature and the heating of a slab edge can be responsible for slab melting. • Recycling of sediments can facilitate juvenile continental crust growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liriodendron × sinoamericanum is widely cultivated in southern China as an excellent wood and garden ornamental trees. However, its intolerance to low temperature limits its application to high latitudes. Understanding the molecular mechanism of low temperature sensitivity of Liriodendron × sinoamericanum is very important for its further application. In this study, combined with physiological and transcriptomic analysis, it was revealed that low temperature stress can lead to water loss and decreased photosynthetic capacity of Liriodendron × sinoamericanum leaves. The accelerated accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by the imbalance of cell REDOX homeostasis is one of the important reasons for the low temperature sensitivity. Further analysis showed that several transcription factors could be involved in regulating the synthesis and degradation of ROS, among which LsNAC72 and LsNAC73a could regulate the accumulation of O 2 - and H 2 O 2 in leaves by affecting the expression level of LsAPX , LsSOD , LsPAO , and LsPOD. • Physiological changes of Liriodendron × sinoamericanum were found to be sensitive to low temperature. • The transcriptional model of Liriodendron × sinoamericanum under low temperature induction was revealed. • The imbalance of ROS is an important cause of low temperature sensitivity of Liriodendron × sinoamericanum. • LsNAC72 and LsNAC73a can regulate ROS synthesis under low temperature induction in Liriodendron × sinoamericanum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Over the past decades, mitochondrial disease classification has been mainly based on molecular defects. We aim to analyze phenotype-genotype correlation of mitochondrial disorders according to molecular classification.Methods: In this cohort study, we identified 135 individuals diagnosed with mitochondrial disorders, and all patients were divided into four subgroups based on molecular functions: the Respiratory Chain group (including subunits and assembly proteins in the respiratory chain), the Protein Synthesis group (including mitochondrial RNA metabolism, mitochondrial translation), the mitcohindrial DNA (mtDNA) Replication group, and the Others group (including cofactors, homeostasis, substrates, and inhibitors).Results: We found that in China, patients with the mtDNA variant constituted a large percentage of mitochondrial disease and were associated with a male preponderance in the Respiratory Chain group, whereas those in the Protein Synthesis group showed a relatively later onset and higher serum lactate level. In contrast, patients with nuclear DNA variants were younger at onset, with no specific lactate or cranial imaging features, especially in the Others group, which contained several mitochondrial diseases with corresponding treatment.Conclusion: The mtDNA was recommended to detect first in patients with typical lactate and cranial imaging features. A broader consideration and detection are necessary for a better prognosis in an atypical patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-continental monitoring of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), particulate mercury (Hg p ), and reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) was conducted in the Institute of Urban Environment, CAS in Xiamen, China from March 2012 to February 2013. The average concentrations and relative standard deviations (RSD) were 3.50 (34.6%) ng m −3 , 174.41 (160.9%) pg m −3 , and 61.05 (113.7%) pg m −3 for GEM, Hg p , and RGM, respectively. The higher concentrations of GEM and Hg p were observed in spring and winter months, indicating the combustion source, while RGM showed the different seasonal variation with highest concentration in spring and the minimum value in winter. The concentrations of Hg species were generally elevated in nighttime and low in daytime to reflect the diurnal changes in meteorology, especially the mixing condition of the air masses. The high Hg concentrations were observed in SWW–NW sectors due to calm wind while the low levels in NE–SE due to high speed wind, and the amplitude was much larger for Hg p and RGM. Backward trajectories calculation indicated that summer air masses were much more from ocean with lower Hg while the air masses were mainly from inland area in other seasons. Principal component analysis suggested that combustion and road traffic emissions were the dominant anthropogenic mercury sources for the study area, and the temporal distribution of atmospheric mercury was mainly the result of climatological change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Particle Formation (NPF) refers to transformation of gaseous precursors in the atmosphere due to nucleation and subsequent growth process through physicochemical interaction. It has generated a lot of interest due to its profound impact on global and regional environment, climate and human health. We reviewed the studies on NPF in three city clusters of China: the North China Plain, the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta obtained through experiment simulations (e.g., chamber simulation, flow-tube simulation, etc.), field observations, and numerical simulations. Due to its atmospheric background pollution and strong oxidation capacities resulting in high source rate of precursors, China's atmosphere possesses challenges different from those evaluated in previous studies on cleaning sites and other developing countries. Hence, NPF events can simultaneously exhibit high condensable sink, formation rate and growth rate. In addition, the high intensity of anthropogenic emissions in urban China has led to greater diversity of pollutant species involved in NPF nucleation and subsequent growth, compared to the dominant role of biogenic precursors at cleaning sites. Differences in geographical location and industrial structure also lead to significant distinctions in NPF characteristics of the three city clusters. Consequently, the lack of understanding of nucleation mechanism of complexly polluted background sites makes the global and regional climate models with submodels based on clean background have enormous uncertainty when applied to urban China. The establishment of a mature research ecosystem including field observations, laboratory simulations and numerical simulations is the key to the breakthrough of NPF research in China. • The characteristics of high CS, FR and GR in urban China may come from the high source rate of precursors. • More complex anthropogenic emissions complicate the NPF process in China's urban areas. • Climatic conditions and emission inventories distinguish the NPF in the three city clusters from each other. • The performance of existing nucleation parameterization in China is not ideal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North-South Gravity Lineament (NSGL) is an important geophysical boundary within NE China. Gravity anomaly, heat flow, crustal and lithospheric thickness, terrain and altitude all change dramatically across the NSGL. However, the timing of onset of the NSGL remains enigmatic, and the Mesozoic lithospheric thinning mechanism to the east of the NSGL is still unclear in NE China. Here we study a Late Jurassic bimodal volcanic suite located on the NSGL including N-MORB-like basalts, which constrains the initial formation of the NSGL. The bimodal volcanic rocks consist mainly of basalts and basaltic andesites with subordinate rhyolites. Our results show that the bimodal volcanic rocks are products of crust-asthenosphere interaction. Calculations indicate that lithospheric thicknesses in NE China have significantly changed from ~90–100 km in the west to 49–62 km in the east since the Late Mesozoic. The variation of lithospheric thicknesses on both sides of the NSGL could be ascribed to lithospheric delamination. Zircons from the bimodal volcanic rocks yield Late Jurassic ages of 147 Ma, nearly synchronous with the onset of the Songliao Basin and marking the start of extensional tectonics in NE China. Combined with previous studies, we confirm that the delamination induced by Paleo-Pacific subduction gave rise to the formation of the NSGL, which initiated at the Late Jurassic in NE China. Unlabelled Image • The Haolaoluchang bimodal volcanic rocks (~147 Ma) record the onset of the NSGL. • The formation of the NSGL was due to lithospheric delamination in NE China. • The delamination induced by Paleo-Pacific subduction started at the Late Jurassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low C/N municipal wastewater is difficult to be treated effectively via traditional biological methods, leading to concentrations of pollutants in effluent far exceeding increasingly strict standards. In this work, we propose a novel microalgae-bacteria tandem-type process to simultaneously remove ammonia nitrogen (NH 4 +-N) and phosphorus (P) from municipal wastewater. A 4.5 L microalgae-bacteria tandem-type reactor was constructed and operated stably for 40 days. The removal efficiencies of NH 4 +-N and P reached 97.5% and 92.9%, respectively, effluent concentrations were 0.53 and 0.17 mg/L on average, which met the Environmental quality standards for surface water in China (GB 3838–2002). Remarkably, microalgae ponds accounted for 69.3% and 76.3% of the overall NH 4 +-N and P removal via microalgae assimilation. Furthermore, 16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed the abundance of bacteria changed, suggesting that the presence of microalgae leads to some species extinction and low-abundance bacteria increase. This work demonstrated that the microalgae-bacteria tandem-type processes can be efficient and widely applied in the advanced treatment of municipal wastewater. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia Linn.) is an important vegetable crop. We developed 11 polymorphic M. charantia microsatellite loci and examined the genetic diversity of 55 Chinese M. charantia germplasm cultivars at these loci. The average number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 8, the expected heterozygosity of each locus varied from 0.132 to 0.786 with an average of 0.621, and the maximum polymorphism information content value was 0.744 with an average of 0.572. These values suggested that the tested M. charantia germplasm has a relatively high genetic diversity at the 11 microsatellite loci. Based on transferability testing, some of these M. charantia microsatellite markers were transferable to eight other cucurbit species. Thus the development of these markers has enriched the microsatellite marker bank of cucurbit species; they can be used as a powerful tool for studying the genetic diversity of the germplasm of M. charantia and other cucurbit species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) pollution is one of the atmospheric environmental problems in densely populated areas of China. The secondary species contribution in PM 2.5 is extensively studied but the comprehensive analysis on the long-term trend of the secondary species and the main drivers of this trend in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) have not been explored. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the long-term temporal variation of PM 2.5 and its secondary species contribution in PRD for twenty years from 2000 to 2019. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the annual average concentration of PM 2.5 in the PRD was 60.3 ± 16.8 μg/m3 and generally decreased by 3.9 μg/m3 per year from 2004 to 2019. Three significant transitions in secondary species percentage were observed during 2000–2019: first declined in 2000–2005 before rose in 2005–2008 and followed by a stable period in 2008–2019. The percentage of secondary species stabilized at around 80%, of which secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA, including SO 4 2−, NO 3 −, and NH 4 +) had identical contributions to PM 2.5 over the past decade. SOA was affected by the concentration of total oxidant (O X) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions. SO 4 2− and SO 2 have declined with significant reductions in SO 2 emissions. NO 3 − and NH 4 + were positively and negatively correlated with the atmospheric concentration of NO 2 and NH 3 , respectively. In addition to the current efforts on SO 2 and NO x controls, further measures are needed to control NH 3 and VOCs emissions over a larger area for PRD to effectively improve the air quality. Image 1 • Establishing the long-term database (20 years) of PM 2.5 and its chemical compositions by a meta-analysis in the PRD. • The trend of secondary species contribution to PM 2.5 was stabilized during the last decade in PRD. • The slowdown of O X concentration and VOCs emissions growth contribute to the decrease of SOA. • NO 3 − and NH 4 + in PM 2.5 were positively and negatively correlated with their gaseous precursors, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Urgent start peritoneal dialysis (USPD) is an effective therapeutic method for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, whether it is safe to initiate peritoneal dialysis (PD) within 24 h unclear. We examined the short-term outcomes of a break-in period (BI) of 24 h for patients undergoing USPD., Methods: This real-world, multicenter, retrospective cohort study evaluated USPD patients from five centers from January 2013 to August 2020. Patients were divided into BI ≤ 24 h or BI > 24 h groups. The Primary outcomes included incidence of mechanical and infectious complications. The secondary outcome was technique failure. Moreover, we presented a subgroup analysis for patients who did not receive temporary hemodialysis (HD)., Results: A total of 871 USPD patients were included: 470 in the BI ≤ 24 h and 401 in the BI > 24 h groups. Mechanical and infectious complications did not differ between the two groups across the follow-up timepoints (2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months) ( p  > 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that BI ≤ 24 h was not an independent risk factor for mechanical complications, catheter migration, or infectious complications ( p  > 0.05). A BI ≤ 24 h was not an independent significant risk factor for technique failure by multivariate Cox regression analysis ( p  > 0.05). The subgroup analysis of patients who did not receive temporary HD returned the same results., Conclusion: Initiating PD within 24 h of catheter insertion was not associated with increased mechanical complications, infectious complications, or technique failures.

Background: Pathological cardiac hypertrophy occurs in response to numerous stimuli and precedes heart failure (HF). Therapies that ameliorate pathological cardiac hypertrophy are highly needed., Methods: The expression level of miR-30d was analyzed in hypertrophy models and serum of patients with chronic heart failure by qRT-PCR. Gain and loss-of-function experiments of miR-30d were performed in vitro. miR-30d gain of function were performed in vivo. Bioinformatics, western blot, luciferase assay, qRT-PCR, and immunofluorescence were performed to examine the molecular mechanisms of miR-30d., Findings: miR-30d was decreased in both murine and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) models of hypertrophy. miR-30d overexpression ameliorated phenylephrine (PE) and angiotensin II (Ang II) induced hypertrophy in NRCMs, whereas the opposite phenotype was observed when miR-30d was downregulated. Consistently, the miR-30d transgenic rat was found to protect against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced pathological hypertrophy. Mechanistically, methyltransferase EZH2 could promote H3K27me3 methylation in the promotor region of miR-30d and suppress its expression during the pathological cardiac hypertrophy. miR-30d prevented pathological cardiac hypertrophy via negatively regulating its target genes MAP4K4 and GRP78 and inhibiting pro-hypertrophic nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT). Adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotype 9 mediated-miR-30d overexpression exhibited beneficial effects in murine hypertrophic model. Notably, miR-30d was reduced in serum of patients with chronic heart failure and miR-30d overexpression could significantly ameliorate pathological hypertrophy in human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes., Interpretation: Overexpression of miR-30d may be a potential approach to treat pathological cardiac hypertrophy., Funding: This work was supported by the grants from National Key Research and Development Project (2018YFE0113500 to J Xiao), National Natural Science Foundation of China (82020108002 to J Xiao, 81900359 to J Li), the grant from Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (20DZ2255400 and 21XD1421300 to J Xiao, 22010500200 to J Li), Shanghai Sailing Program (19YF1416400 to J Li), the "Dawn" Program of Shanghai Education Commission (19SG34 to J Xiao), the "Chen Guang" project supported by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and Shanghai Education Development Foundation (19CG45 to J Li)., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests Dr. Das is a founder of Switch Therapeutics, which did not play any role in this study and has consulted for Amgen. The other authors have declared that no conflict of interest exists., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Rationale : Atherosclerosis plaque rupture (PR) is the pathological basis and chief culprit of most acute cardiovascular events and death. Given the complex and important role of macrophage apoptosis and autophagy in affecting plaque stability, an important unanswered question include is whether, and how, immunity-related GTPase family M protein (IRGM) and its mouse orthologue IRGM1 affect macrophage survival and atherosclerotic plaque stability. Methods: To investigate whether serum IRGM of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients is related to plaque morphology, we divided 85 STEMI patients into those with and without plaque rupture (PR and non-PR, respectively) based on OCT image analysis, and quantified the patients' serum IRGM levels. Next, we engineered Irgm1 deficient mice ( Irgm1 +/- ) and chimera mice with Irgm1 deficiency in the bone marrow on an ApoE -/- background, which were then fed a high-fat diet for 16 weeks. Pathological staining was used to detect necrotic plaque cores, ratios of neutral lipids and cholesterol crystal, as well as collagen fiber contents in these mice to characterize plaque stability. In addition, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemical staining and western blot were used to detect the apoptosis of macrophages in the plaques. In vitro , THP-1 and RAW264.7 cells were stimulated with ox-LDL to mimic the in vivo environment, and IRGM/IRGM1 expression were modified by specific siRNA (knockdown) or IRGM plasmid (knocked-in). The effect of IRGM/Irgm1 on autophagy and apoptosis of macrophages induced by ox-LDL was then evaluated. In addition, we introduced inhibitors of the JNK/p38/ERK signaling pathway to verify the specific mechanism by which Irgm1 regulates RAW264.7 cell apoptosis. Results: The serum IRGM levels of PR patients is significantly higher than that of non-PR patients and healthy volunteers, which may be an effective predictor of PR. On a high-fat diet, Irgm1 -deficient mice exhibit reduced necrotic plaque cores, as well as neutral lipid and cholesterol crystal ratios, with increased collagen fiber content. Additionally, macrophage apoptosis is inhibited in the plaques of Irgm1 -deficient mice. In vitro , IRGM/Irgm1 deficiency rapidly inhibits ox-LDL-induced macrophage autophagy while inhibiting ox-LDL-induced macrophage apoptosis in late stages. Additionally, IRGM/Irgm1 deficiency suppresses reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in macrophages, while removal of ROS effectively inhibits macrophage apoptosis induced by IRGM overexpression. We further show that Irgm1 can affect macrophage apoptosis by regulating JNK/p38/ERK phosphorylation in the MAPK signaling pathway. Conclusions: Serum IRGM may be related to the process of PR in STEMI patients, and IRGM/Irgm1 deficiency increases plaque stability. In addition, IRGM/Irgm1 deficiency suppresses macrophage apoptosis by inhibiting ROS generation and MAPK signaling transduction. Cumulatively, these results suggest that targeting IRGM may represent a new treatment strategy for the prevention and treatment of acute cardiovascular deaths caused by PR., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

Background: Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are a heterogeneous group of chronic encephalopathies characterized by epilepsy with comorbid intellectual disability that are frequently associated with de novo nonsynonymous coding variants in ion channels, cell-surface receptors, and other neuronally expressed genes. Mutations in TRPM3 were identified as the cause of DEE. We report a novel patient with DEE carrying a de novo missense mutation in TRPM3, p.(S1202T); this missense mutation has never been reported., Case Presentation: A 7-year and 2-month-old Chinese patient who had recurrent polymorphic seizures was clinically diagnosed with DEE. A de novo missense mutation in TRPM3, which has not yet been reported, was identified in this case. The patient had a clinical phenotype consistent with previous reports., Conclusions: These findings could expand the spectrum of TRPM3 mutations and might also support that de novo substitutions of TRPM3 are a cause of DEE.

It has increasingly become apparent in recent years that atmospheric elemental carbon (EC) is potentially a more sensitive indicator of human health risks from ambient aerosol exposure compared to particulate mass. However, a comprehensive evaluation of the factors affecting EC exposure is lacking so far. To address this, we performed measurements of size-segregated EC in Guangzhou, China, followed by an estimation of deposition in the human respiratory system. Most ambient EC was in the fine mode suggesting significant cloud processing, and ~40% was deposited in the human respiratory tract, with predominant deposition in the head region (47%), followed by the pulmonary (30%) and tracheobronchial (23%) regions. A significant fraction (36%) of deposited EC were coarse particles indicating the need to consider coarse-mode EC in future health effect studies. Infants and children exhibited greater vulnerability to EC exposure than adults, and the deposition amount varied linearly with breathing rate, a proxy for physical exertion. The nature of breathing was found to constrain EC inhalation significantly, with oronasal breathing associated with lower total deposition and nasal breathing leading to lower deposition in the tracheobronchial and pulmonary regions. Overall, these observations strengthen the need to include EC as an additional air quality indicator., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The genus Liriodendron belongs to the family Magnoliaceae, which resides within the magnoliids, an early diverging lineage of the Mesangiospermae. However, the phylogenetic relationship of magnoliids with eudicots and monocots has not been conclusively resolved and thus remains to be determined 1-6 . Liriodendron is a relict lineage from the Tertiary with two distinct species-one East Asian (L. chinense (Hemsley) Sargent) and one eastern North American (L. tulipifera Linn)-identified as a vicariad species pair. However, the genetic divergence and evolutionary trajectories of these species remain to be elucidated at the whole-genome level 7 . Here, we report the first de novo genome assembly of a plant in the Magnoliaceae, L. chinense. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that magnoliids are sister to the clade consisting of eudicots and monocots, with rapid diversification occurring in the common ancestor of these three lineages. Analyses of population genetic structure indicate that L. chinense has diverged into two lineages-the eastern and western groups-in China. While L. tulipifera in North America is genetically positioned between the two L. chinense groups, it is closer to the eastern group. This result is consistent with phenotypic observations that suggest that the eastern and western groups of China may have diverged long ago, possibly before the intercontinental differentiation between L. chinense and L. tulipifera. Genetic diversity analyses show that L. chinense has tenfold higher genetic diversity than L. tulipifera, suggesting that the complicated regions comprising east-west-orientated mountains and the Yangtze river basin (especially near 30° N latitude) in East Asia offered more successful refugia than the south-north-orientated mountain valleys in eastern North America during the Quaternary glacial period.

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for early miscarriage among Chinese women., Design: Hospital-based matched case-control study., Setting: Academic medical center and maternal health hospital., Patient(s): 620 women with early miscarriage (less than 13 weeks of gestation) and 1,240 normal pregnant women., Intervention(s): Face-to-face questionnaire., Main Outcome Measure(s): Multivariable conditional odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) to measure risk factors., Result(s): After adjustment for confounding factors, the following were independently associated with increased risk: history of miscarriage, repeated induced abortion, working night shifts, and frequent staying up late. Vitamin supplementation and regular physical activity reduced the risk of miscarriage. We did not find paternal age, alcohol consumption, or smoking status to be linked with early miscarriage., Conclusion(s): Our findings suggest that a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and planned pregnancy may be advantageous for women in pre-pregnancy or early pregnancy. Induced abortion, working night shifts, and frequent staying up late were associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. Further work in larger populations is warranted., (Copyright © 2014 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Different histologies of lung cancer vary in occurrence and prognosis. This study aims to analyze the incidence and occurrence trend of lung cancer and investigate the survival rate and its influential factors among lung cancer patients with different histologies., Methods: Permanent residents were recruited between 2002 and 2009 in Pudong New Area (former Nanhui Area and former Pudong Area), Shanghai, China. Annual percent changes were estimated by a linear regression of the logarithm on the incidence rates for eight years. Survival rates were calculated and compared by using life-table analysis and Log-rank test, respectively., Results: The standardized incidence rates of lung cancer were 52.28 and 18.86 per 100,000 in males and females, respectively. The median survival time was 410.72 days for specific classified lung cancer. The incidence rates of adenocarcinoma ranked the highest and showed an upward tendency (P<0.05). Patients with small cell lung cancer showed the worst survival condition. The survival condition in males with squamous cell lung cancer living in former Nanhui Area was better compared with those living in former Pudong Area., Conclusions: Lung cancers with different histologies demonstrated different occurrence trends and survival rates. Gender, age, and living area influence the survival rates of lung cancer with different histologies.

Objective: This study was aimed to replicate the associations between three Perilipin Gene (PLIN) variants (rs894160, rs1052700, and rs2304796) and diabetes risks and to evaluate the overall effects of these variants on diabetes risk and obesity risk., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 993 Chinese Han adults. We also made a meta-analysis to estimate associations between these variants and diabetes risk and obesity risk., Results: In the sample of all participants, all three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were not significantly associated with diabetes risks. The PLIN polymorphisms significantly interacted with central obesity in relation to diabetes risk (P for interaction = 0.036, 0.033, and 0.042 for rs1052700, rs894160, and rs2304796, respectively). In those with allele T of rs1052700 or allele A of rs894160, fasting glucose concentration and diabetes risk increased significantly with the increment of waist circumference. Only association between rs894160 and obesity risk was available for meta-analysis. The meta-analysis indicated the overall estimation of obesity risk for rs894160 was 0.97 (0.78, 1.16) among participants with allele A versus people with genotype GG and 1.46 (0.99, 1.93) among those with genotype AA versus allele G carriers., Conclusion: Chinese adults with high waist circumference may have a high risk of diabetes, especially among those with allele T in rs1052700 or with allele A in rs894160. People with genotype AA (rs894160) may have a high risk of obesity.

Objective: To investigate the secular trend of prevalence and risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the rural Chinese population., Methods: 16,953 participants aged 35 to 74 years old participated in a cross-sectional study in a Henan rural area in 2007-2008. The InterAsia study which is a nationally representative sample of rural Chinese residents was done in 2000 -2001. The rural Chinese adult participants in InterAsia study were compared with the 2007-2008 data to analyze the secular trend of prevalence and risk factors of T2DM., Results: In 2007-2008, the aged-adjusted prevalence of T2DM was 7.72% (male 7.71%, female 7.73%). The aged-adjusted prevalence of T2DM elevated from 5.27% to 7.72% during seven years. The prevalence of T2DM was progressively increased with age from 2000-2001, but the prevalence of T2DM for the participants aged from 55 to 64 was highest after seven years in 2007-2008. Compared two studies,the exposed rates of hypertension, abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia were increased from 26.82%, 26.39%, 20.45% to 29.82%, 46.1%, 44.20%., Conclusion: The prevalence of T2DM and it's risk factors increase rapidly in the rural Chinese population, and the intervention program are urgently needed.