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Xuebijing injection is a Chinese herb compound to treat sepsis in China, but it contains many different kinds of components, and each component may have different effects in treating sepsis. The present study was performed to investigate the effect of three ingredients of Xuebijing, safflor yellow A (SYA), hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), and anhydrosafflor yellow B (AHSYB), in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced acute lung injury (ALI). LPS (10 mg/kg) was injected intratracheally to induce acute lung injury in mice, which were then treated with SYA, HSYA, and AHSYB. The blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and lung tissues were collected to detect degree of lung injury, level of inflammation, and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). In vitro experiments were performed using HL-60 cells stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Lung injury induced by LPS was alleviated by SYA, HSYA, and AHSYB as demonstrated by the histopathologic test. The three components inhibit LPS-induced elevation of the levels of inflammatory factors and wet-to-dry weight ratio as well as the amount of protein and cells in the BALF. They also induced a remarkably less overlay of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and histone in the immunofluorescence assay and reduced level of MPO-DNA complex in plasma. The in vitro assay showed a similar trend that the three components inhibited PMA-induced NET release in neutrophil-like HL-60 cells. Western blot demonstrated that phosphorylation of c-rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma (c-Raf), mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK kinase (MEK), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the lungs of LPS-challenged mice, and PMA-treated HL-60 cells were all significantly reduced by SYA, HSYA, and AHSYB. Therefore, our data demonstrated that three components of XBJ, including SYA, HSYA, and AHSYB, showed a protective effect against LPS-induced lung injury and NET release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Huangshandong deposit, located in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), is the largest Ni–Cu sulfide deposit in the eastern Tianshan and Beishan regions of China. The deposit is hosted in a postorogenic intrusion that comprises diorite, gabbrodiorite, bojite, olivine gabbro, gabbronorite, troctolite, and lherzolite. Here, we report the Permian zircon U–Pb crystallization ages of 278.5 ± 2.1 Ma, 278.1 ± 1.9 Ma, and 279.6 ± 1.9 Ma for the olivine gabbro, bojite, and gabbrodiorite, respectively, as well as geological, petrological, and geochemical data for the various lithofacies of the deposit. As a result of the edge cooling effect, the intrusion cooled rapidly from the outside inwards as follows: crystallizing diorite → gabbrodiorite → gabbro → lherzolite → gabbronorite. In addition, further tectonic activity resulted in the injection of a more primitive magma in place, which crystallized the lherzolite in the bottom and middle transitional zones of the intrusion. The crystallization sequence of the intrusion is generally as follows: olivine → orthopyroxene + labradorite → clinopyroxene + labradorite → amphibole + andesine. At the beginning of mineral crystallization, the metalliferous magma was segregated due to sulfide immiscibility and separated by gravity. With gabbronorite crystallization, the immiscible liquid sank to the base of the magma chamber and crystallized as Cu‐ and Ni‐rich sulfides. Tholeiitic and calc‐alkaline rocks are characterized by relative enrichment in large‐ion lithophile elements and depletion in high‐field‐strength elements, and values of Th/Ta (2.25–5.94), (Nb/La)N (1.88–4.39), and Th/Nb (0.29–0.82) indicate that the mantle source was composed of a dehydrated subducted plate or mantle wedge. In addition, values of Nb/U (2.64–10.68) and Ce/Pb (1.33–3.53) suggest that the magma was contaminated by the continental crust during its ascent along pre‐existing structures in the Carboniferous strata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Potential water sources for plant in rocky environment are hard to locate and sample. • They were separated into two water pools based on their hydrological differences. • Tree and shrub on a cliff-face were identified to rely on different water pools. • Linkage between plant water use and the two different water pools was built up. Sources of water used by plants in rock-dominated environments are far less clear than those in relatively homogeneous soils, largely because plants in rocky environments normally expose to more complex substrate conditions and their potential water sources are hard to locate and sample. In the current study, potential water sources for plants growing on cliff-face (a typical kind of rock-dominated environment) were roughly separated into two water pools based on their hydrological differences. A variable pool that is composed of water derived from recent precipitation that has rapid fluctuations in water content due to recharge by precipitation and depletion by transpiration, and a constant pool that is characterized by slower changes in water status because it can only be recharged by precipitation under certain conditions and depleted by transpiration of deep-rooted species. This study was conducted in a typical karst catchment of Northwest Guangxi, Southwest China. Stem water samples for the most common dominant tree species of cliff-faces and rainwater for each rain event were consecutively collected throughout the growing season. A co-occurring shrub species, which was identified to have a shallow root system, was further selected as a reference species. The reliance on different water pools was qualitatively identified based on the deviation of stem water isotope values between current and last sampling times, as well as its relationship to the isotope values of rainfall between these two sampling times. Our results showed that the shrub species continuously relied on water from the variable water pool, which was consistent with its shallow root system. While the dominant tree species shifted from the constant pool during the early wet season to the variable pool during the mid-wet season, then back to the constant pool during the early dry season. Moreover, the divergent reliance on different water pools by the two species was further supported by the species-specific dynamics in the efficiency in water use by various plants (reflected by leaf carbon isotope ratio). Our results provide new insights into the linkages between plant transpiration and hydrologically different water pools, which would be helpful in understanding the hydrological importance of different plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in the progression of laryngeal cancer (LC). In this study, we aimed to investigate whether miR-149 is associated with the prognosis of patients with LC. A total of 97 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients who underwent tumor resection were included in our follow-up study. In vitro studies was performed in cancer cell line Hep-2 to explore the antitumor role of miR-149 in LC. We found that the expression of miR-149 was significantly lower in tumor tissues, compared with vocal cord polyp tissues (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that miR-149 expression status is significantly associated with survival duration (log rank test, P<0.05), and multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that patients with low miR-149 expression had shorter survival times compared with patients with high miR-149 expression. In vitro studies revealed that the exogenous expression of miRNA-149 inhibits the proliferation of human Hep-2 cells and induces cell apoptosis. Our study suggests that miR-149 expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma tissues is critically associated with the prognosis of patients, and the ectopic expression of miR-149 in Hep-2 cells inhibits proliferation and cell cycle progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new post-harvest storage disease was observed on sweet potato (Ipomoea batatasL.) in Zhejiang Province, China in November 2014. A species ofBoeremiawas constantly isolated from diseased tissues with typical symptoms of storage tuber rot. The isolates were identified asBoeremia exiguabased on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and 5.8S ribosomal DNA, the 28S large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU) gene, the β-tubulin (TUB) gene and the actin (ACT) gene. The pathogenicity of the fungal isolates was confirmed through inoculation experiments. This is the first report of Boeremia tuber rot caused byB. exiguaon sweet potato in China. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We present a comprehensive phylogeny derived from nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) for 214 samples representing 98 species and five varieties, including 44 species and five varieties native to China. Our collection of 25 species and five varieties (44 samples) covering all five sections of the genus (Comber) distributed in China also were included in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) database. This study incorporates previous research with an emphasis on Chinese species, including the controversial subsection, Sinomartagon 5c Comber. In the phylogenetic tree obtained by maximum parsimony (PAUP) and maximum likelihood (RAxML) analyses, the samples were divided into four major groups. Our results suggest that the subsection (subsect.) 5c Comber should be classified into the true subsect. 5c and the section (sect.) Lophophorum. And the latter was divided into three subsections (subsect. Lophophorum I, subsect. Lophophorum II, and subsect. Lophophorum III). Based on molecular phylogenetic analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization, we report that L. henryi and L. rosthornii are closely related, and we propose their classification into subsect. Leucolirion 6a. Our results support Comber's subdivision of sect. Leucolirion, which was primarily based on bulb color. Chinese species were divided into five sections: sect. Martagon, sect. Archelirion, sect. Leucolirion, sect. Sinomartagon, and sect. Lophophorum. These findings contribute to our understanding of the phylogeny, origin, and classification of Lilium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In karst regions, forests often grow on bedrock outcrops, however the water sources used by the forest vegetation are not known. This study aimed at investigating whether there were seasonal shifts (dry/wet season) of water sources for plants growing on the continuous dolostone outcrops, and comparing their differences with those growing on nearby thin soils in karst areas of southwest China. Rainwater, soil water within 0-30 cm depths, spring water (as a reflection of local deep water sources) and plant xylem water were sampled in March (late dry season) and July (mid rainy season) 2009, respectively. A direct inference approach and the IsoSource mixing model were used to estimate the contributions of different sources to the plant xylem water. On the outcrops, the deciduous tree species Radermachera sinica mainly used deep water sources during the dry season and a mixture of rainwater and deep water sources during the wet season. By contrast, the deciduous small shrub Alchornea trewioides largely relied on recent rainwater during both dry and wet seasons. Three non-deciduous species ( Sterculia euosma, Schefflera octophylla and Ficus orthoneura) appear to rely on deep water sources during the wet seasons. In nearby thin soils, R. sinica mainly utilized deep water in the dry season and a mixture of soil water and deep water in the wet season. A. trewioides relied on the same water sources (rainwater-derived soil water) in the different seasons. The above results indicate that inter-specific differences in rooting patterns and leaf phenologies may lead to the differences in the sources of water used by coexisting plant species in karst regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the association between polymorphisms of the COL1A1 gene and liver cirrhosis. A total of 111 liver cirrhotic patients and 95 matched controls were recruited. Polymorphisms -1997T>G, -1663 ins/del T and -1363C>G of the COL1A1 gene were detected by direct sequencing. The activities of the putative promoters containing these polymorphisms were analyzed by means of the reporter gene system. No polymorphism at -1663 ins/del T was observed in any subject. Linkage disequilibrium was shown between -1997T>G and -1363C>G. The frequency of haplotype -1997T/-1363C was significantly higher in patients than that in controls. The putative promoters containing -1997T/-1363C resulted in higher reporter gene activity in LX-2. Strong transcriptional inhibition by IFN gamma was shown in both cells. The T allele at -1997 of COL1A1 is crucial to the increased transcriptional activity. COL1A1 gene polymorphism might be associated with liver fibrogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Qinling Mountains in Central China mark a gigantic composite orogenic belt with a complex tectonic evolution involving multiple phases of rifting and convergence. This belt separates the North China and South China Blocks and consists of the South and North Qinling terranes separated by the Shangdan suture. The suture is marked by the Grenvillian Songshugou ophiolite along the southern margin of the North Qinling terrane, which is key to understanding the Proterozoic tectonic evolution of the belt. The ophiolite consists of highly metamorphosed ultramafic and mafic rocks. Three groups of meta-basalts are present: group 1 rocks are LREE depleted and have a MORB compositional affinity. Their low Ta/Yb ratios (<0.1) are consistent with high degrees of partial melting of a depleted asthenospheric mantle. Rocks of group 2 have higher TiO2 (1.63–2.08wt%) and Ta/Yb ratios (>0.12), and display slight enrichment of LREE, suggesting that the original magmas were derived from a depleted mantle source mixed with some enriched material. Samples from group 3 are enriched in LREE and other incompatible elements (Ti, Zr, Ta, Nb), suggesting derivation from an enriched mantle source, possibly a plume. All the basalts have high εNd(t) (+4.2 to +6.9), variable εSr(t) and high 207Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb ratios for given 206Pb/204Pb ratios. These characteristics are compatible with formation at a mid-ocean ridge system above an anomalous Dupal mantle region. The mafic rocks have a Sm–Nd whole-rock isochron age of 1030±46Ma. The Songshugou ophiolite was emplaced onto the southern margin of the North Qinling terrane, an active continental margin from the Meso-Proterozoic to Neo-Proterozoic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mainland China has a highly centralised curriculum development system. A study of two schools in northeast China, one in a rural area and the other in an urban area, indicates that the primary mathematics curriculum has been widely adopted by teachers at the classroom level. Feeling the intense pressure generated by the national mathematics Olympiad,1 teachers in the urban school tended to give more difficult mathematics problems to their students in the hope that above‐average students would perform well in the competition. In the rural school, the ability of students was more varied and generally lower. Teachers there worked very hard to push their students to meet the national requirements. The driving force behind this was the county‐wide public examination in which students' performance was taken as an indicator of teachers' competence. Teachers in both schools also have not taken effective steps to adapt the curriculum for students' individual differences. A comparison of the practices between the teachers in the two schools suggests that teachers' beliefs, their professional knowledge and skills shape their inclination and ability in curriculum adaptation and differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel procedure has emerged in recent years within oilfields - namely, the utilization of a hybrid fracturing method employing pre-CO2 injection along with sand-carry slick water. In this paper, based on the real logging data of shale oil reservoirs in the second member of Cangdong Sag, Huanghua Depression, combined with the GOHFER, a coupled 3-D hydraulic fracture propagation model is proposed. This research delves into an examination of how engineering factors exert their influence on the process of fracture propagation. The quantitative analysis is conducted encompassing critical fracture parameters such as half-length, height, and width, and self-defined fracture seepage area and fracture front fractal dimension. The research findings indicate that as injection displacement increases, the fracture shape undergoes a transformation from being "long, low, and wide" to becoming "short, high, and narrow". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clear species boundaries are crucial for plans and actions on biodiversity conservation. However, morphological similarities among allied species can result in taxonomic difficulties, thus impeding conservation efforts. In China, Cinnamomum japonicumSiebold is a well‐known endangered plant, yet suffers from longstanding taxonomic issues. Here, we explicitly evaluate whether C. japonicum, C. chenii, and C. chekiangense are the same phylogenetic species on the basis of a multi‐individual sampling strategy. We identified three sets of low‐copy orthologous genes from 19 Lauraceae taxa for phylogenetic inferences. Both the concatenation and coalescent‐based phylogenies supported that C. chenii individuals were embedded in the C. japonicum clade, indicating these two taxa are conspecific. Meanwhile, C. chekiangense accessions formed a monophyly which was not sister to C. japonicum. This result, together with the morphological differences that the leaves of C. japonicum are glabrous with a faveolate pattern of venation while those of C. chekiangense have trichomes and inevident lateral veins, led us to consider both as two distinct species. Based on 17 728 neutral single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), the ADMIXTURE analysis suggested that the Chinese C. japonicum populations in Zhoushan Archipelago (=C. chenii) were genetically differentiated from the Japanese and Korean ones. Furthermore, ecological niche modeling predicted that the present distribution area of Chinese C. japonicum is likely to be unsuitable under global warming scenarios. Together with its limited distribution and genetic uniqueness, we recommend that Chinese C. japonicum deserves conservation priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Global warming is advancing the timing of spring leaf‐out in temperate and boreal plants, affecting biological interactions and global biogeochemical cycles. However, spatial variation in spring phenological responsiveness to climate change within species remains poorly understood.Here, we investigated variation in the responsiveness of spring phenology to temperature (RSP; days to leaf‐out at a given temperature) in 2754 Ginkgo biloba twigs of trees distributed across subtropical and temperate regions in China from 24°N to 44°N.We found a nonlinear effect of mean annual temperature on spatial variation in RSP, with the highest response rate at c. 12°C and lower response rates at warmer or colder temperatures due to declines in winter chilling accumulation. We then predicted the spatial maxima in RSP under current and future climate scenarios, and found that trees are currently most responsive in central China, which corresponds to the species' main distribution area. Under a high‐emission scenario, we predict a 4‐degree latitude shift in the responsiveness maximum toward higher latitudes over the rest of the century.The identification of the nonlinear responsiveness of spring phenology to climate gradients and the spatial shifts in phenological responsiveness expected under climate change represent new mechanistic insights that can inform models of spring phenology and ecosystem functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Four metamorphic stages (M 1 –M 4) of the Helanshan pelitic granulites are recorded by the mineral inclusions and reaction textures of garnets. • A complete clockwise P–T path of the Helanshan pelitic granulites is defined for the first time. • The prograde geothermal gradient of the Helanshan pelitic granulites (14 ± 1 °C/km) is similar to that the pelitic schists in the Himalayan Orogen (13 ± 2 °C/km). Granulite-facies metamorphic rocks are widely exposed in Paleoproterozoic orogens, and their prograde metamorphic evolution is critical for a better understanding of the Paleoproterozoic collisional orogenic and geodynamic processes. In this paper, we present the results of petrology, trace element geochemistry of garnet, P–T conditions calculated by phase equilibrium modeling and garnet trace element geothermobarometry, for the pelitic granulites of the Helanshan Complex in the western Khondalite Belt of the North China Craton (NCC). These results are used for determination of their metamorphic evolution and tectonic implications. Petrographic observations show that the metamorphic evolution of the pelitic granulites can be divided into four stages (M 1 –M 4), and these metamorphic stages are recorded by the mineral inclusions and reaction textures of garnets. Compared with the nearly flat major-element zoning, the zoning of yttrium (Y) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) in the garnet cores and mantles show bell-shaped distributions as well as inner-rim troughs and increases on the outer-rims. Different garnets have the same REE patterns in the same textural domain. The bell-shaped distributions of trace elements (Y and HREEs) in the garnets were controlled mainly by Rayleigh fractionation processes under subsolidus conditions, whereas the increases in these elements in the garnet rims were related to the breakdown of major and accessory phases under suprasolidus conditions. By combination of phase equilibrium modeling and garnet trace element geothermobarometry, a complete clockwise P–T path is constructed for the pelitic granulites. This P–T path is characterized by the heating as pressure rising during evolution from early metamorphic stage (M 1 : 4.2 ± 0.3 kbar/524 ± 17 °C) to peak metamorphic stage (M 2-1 ; 9.8–10.6 kbar /794–815 °C), which is followed by a isothermal decompression (ITD) to the condition of 5.8–6.5 kbar/808–833 °C and later near isobaric cooling (IBC) to subsolidus. As a result, the pelitic granulites revealed that the formation of the Khondalite Belt experienced initially crustal thickening and post collisional extensional uplift. Integrated with previously reported results, the prograde geothermal gradient of the Helanshan pelitic granulites (14 ± 1 °C/km) is similar to that the pelitic schists in the Himalayan Orogen (13 ± 2 °C/km), which suggests that the Paleoproterozoic and present-day orogens have similar geothermal gradient during crustal thickening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of drug-resistance in the opportunistic pathogen Escherichia coli has become a global public health concern. Due to the share of similar flora between pets and their owners, the detection of pet-origin antibiotic-resistant E. coli is necessary. This study aimed to detect the prevalence of feline-origin ESBL E. coli in China and to explore the resistance elimination effect of garlic oil to cefquinome on ESBL E. coli. Cat fecal samples were collected from animal hospitals. The E. coli isolates were separated and purified by indicator media and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). ESBL genes were detected by PCR and Sanger sequencing. The MICs were determined. The synergistic effect of garlic oil and cefquinome against ESBL E. coli was investigated by checkerboard assays, time-kill and growth curves, drug-resistance curves, PI and NPN staining, and a scanning electronic microscope. A total of 80 E. coli strains were isolated from 101 fecal samples. The rate of ESBL E. coli was 52.5% (42/80). The prevailing ESBL genotypes in China were CTX-M-1, CTX-M-14, and TEM-116. In ESBL E. coli, garlic oil increased the susceptibility to cefquinome with FICIs from 0.2 to 0.7 and enhanced the killing effect of cefquinome with membrane destruction. Resistance to cefquinome decreased with treatment of garlic oil after 15 generations. Our study indicates that ESBL E. coli has been detected in cats kept as pets. The sensitivity of ESBL E. coli to cefquinome was enhanced by garlic oil, indicating that garlic oil may be a potential antibiotic enhancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Gastrodia elata Blume ( Orchidaceae ) is commonly called Tian ma in Chinese and mainly distributed in the mountainous areas of eastern Asia, such as China, Korea, Japan and India. It is an extensively used traditional Chinese herbal medicine in the clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine, to treat headache, migraine, dizziness, epilepsy, infantile convulsion, tetany and so on. The present paper reviews the advancements in investigation of botany and ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and quality control of Gastrodia elata Blume. Finally, the possible tendency and perspective for future investigation of this plant are also put forward. Materials and methods The information on Gastrodia elata Blume was collected via piles of resources including classic books about Chinese herbal medicine, and scientific databases including Pubmed, Google Scholar, ACS, Web of science, ScienceDirect databases, CNKI and others. Plant taxonomy was validated by the databases “The Plant List”, and “Mansfeld’s Encyclopedia”. Results Over 81 compounds from this plant have been isolated and identified, phenolics and polysaccharides are generally considered as the characteristic and active constituents of Gastrodia elata Blume. Its active compounds possess wide-reaching biological activities, including sedative, hypnotic, antiepileptic, anticonvulsive, antianxietic, antidepressant, neuroprotective, antipsychotic, anti-vertigo, circulatory system modulating, anti-inflammationary, analgesic, antioxidative, memory-improving and antiaging, antivirus and antitumor effects. Conclusion Despite the publication of various papers on Gastrodia elata Blume, there is still, however, the need for definitive research and clarification of other bioactive compounds using bioactivity-guided isolation strategies, and the possible mechanism of action as well as potential synergistic or antagonistic effects of multi-component mixtures derived from Gastrodia elata Blume need to be evaluated. It is also necessary and important to do more quality control and toxicological study on human subjects in order to maintain its efficacy stable in the body and validate its safety in clinical uses. In addition, more investigations on other parts of this plant beyond the tubers are needed. Further studies on Gastrodia elata Blume will lead to the development of new drugs and therapeutics for various diseases, and how to utilize it better should be paid more attention to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate species delimitation is the key to precise estimation of species diversity and is fundamental to most branches of biology. Unclear species boundaries within species complexes could lead to the underestimation of species diversity. However, species delimitation of species complexes remains challenging due to the continuum of phenotypic variations. To robustly examine species boundaries within a species complex, integrative approaches in phylogeny, ecology, and morphology were applied to the Stewartia sinensis complex (Theaceae) endemic to China. Multispecies coalescent‐based species delimitation using 572 nuclear ortholog sequences (anchored enrichment) supported reciprocal phylogenetic monophyly of the northern lineage (NL) and southern lineage (SL), which were not sister clades. Niche equivalency and similarity tests demonstrated significant climatic niche differentiation between NL and SL with observed Warren et al.'s I = 0.0073 and Schoener's D = 0.0021. Species distribution modeling also separated their potential distribution. Morphometric analyses suggested significant interlineage differentiation of multiple traits including the ratio of length and width, leaf width, and pedicel length, although overall similarity did not differ. Based on the integrative species concept, two distinct species were proposed with legitimate names of Stewartia gemmata for SL and S. sinensis for NL. Our empirical study of the S. sinensis complex highlights the importance of applying multiple species criteria, in particular the underappreciated niche differentiation, to species delimitation in species complexes pervasive in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Ginkgo biloba L. (Ginkgo, Maidenhair tree) that are relevant to understanding its ecological characteristics. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the International Biological Flora: distribution, habitat, communities, responses to biotic factors, responses to environment, structure and physiology, phenology, reproductive and seed characters, herbivores and disease, history, conservation and global heterogeneity.Globally, Ginkgo survives a wide range of mean annual temperature (−3.3 to 23.3°C) and annual precipitation (34–3925 mm) conditions, according to a meta‐analysis. It prefers a warm, humid, open‐canopy and a well‐drained environment. The species shows strong tolerance to drought, freezing, fire, air pollution, heavy metals and low‐level salt, whereas it is intolerant to long‐time shade and waterlogging. Six Ginkgo trees even survived the atom bomb in Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II.Ginkgo is susceptible to few diseases. Those occurring in nursery seedlings and juvenile trees involve stem rot and leaf blight. The former is caused by Macrophomina phaseoli, which could lead to a mortality rate of 5%–12% (up to 31.8%) for seedlings. This disease can be mitigated by a 4‐h shading treatment and applying organic fertilisers. The pathogens inducing leaf blight include Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Pestalotia ginkgo, which may infect 100% juvenile trees in some regions. The application of 45% carbendazim or 50% Tuzet can effectively prevent leaf blight.Ginkgo biloba is one of the world's most distinctive trees with an important position in plant evolution and human society. It is a tall deciduous dioecious tree native to China. Refugial populations were identified in three glacial refugia located in eastern, southern and south‐western China, respectively, with a patchy distribution pattern and a small population size. It typically grows along flood‐disturbed streamsides in warm‐temperate deciduous (and evergreen mixed) broadleaved forests. Ginkgo may have been introduced repeatedly out of China since the sixth century. It has been planted as a landscape tree world‐wide, except in Antarctica. Ginkgo is also of great value for edible nuts, herbal medicine, religion and art. It is a natural and cultural symbol of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sand physico-chemical properties exhibited distinct changes across the intertidal zones on island beaches. • Consistent patterns of variation were observed in macrofaunal diversity and functional groups across the intertidal zones. • Variations in macrofaunal communities on island beaches were primarily influenced by sand moisture, salinity, and nutrition. • Island beaches are not ecological deserts, they require careful protection. Island beaches, once mistakenly considered as 'ecological deserts', are actually unique ecosystems that support abundant macrofaunal communities. However, limited studies have examined the variations and determinants of macrofaunal communities across the intertidal zones on island beaches, which is crucial for shedding light on the underlying ecological processes and enhancing biodiversity conservation efforts. Here, we explored the variations in macrofaunal communities along sand physico-chemical gradient across four intertidal zones on nine representative beaches, within the largest land-bridge archipelago in eastern China. Our findings revealed that species richness, density, and Shannon-Wiener diversity of macrofaunal communities were notably higher in the lower intertidal zones, exhibiting a positive correlation with elevated levels of sand moisture (M), electrical conductivity (EC), available potassium (AK), and grain size (GS). Conversely, macrofaunal Simpson diversity displayed an inverse pattern, with heightened values observed in the vegetation zone. The Saprophagous, Predaceous, and Omnivorous groups of macrofaunal communities demonstrated an increase with higher levels of EC, AK, and M in the lower intertidal zones. Furthermore, Phytophagous group of macrofaunal communities tended to inhabit the vegetation zones characterized by elevated levels of sand total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and organic carbon (OC). Primarily, our findings indicate that sand nutrition, moisture, and salinity play pivotal roles in shaping the variations of macrofaunal communities on island beaches. These insights offer valuable perspectives into the holistic responses of macrofauna on island beaches to changes in sand physico-chemical properties, serving as a crucial theoretical foundation for the assessment, conservation, and restoration of island beaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For homework to help students improve school achievement and develop responsibility and autonomy in academic endeavors in and out of school, the development of teachers' understanding of students' views about homework and their homework behaviors is critical. Whether the subject of the homework is mathematics, reading, or a second language, teachers' and students' understandings regarding the types of problems that students experience during homework may differ. Discrepancies between students' and teachers' ratings of students' homework behaviors were examined in two subject domains-mathematics and English. Moderating effects of gender on student-teacher ratings were also examined. Participants were 268 tenth graders from a school in China and their math and English teachers. Overall, students' self-ratings of homework behaviors were more negative than teachers' ratings. Male students self-rated or were rated by teachers more unfavorably than their female peers on most measures of homework problems. Discrepancies between students and teachers and across gender were more evident in English than math homework. Although teachers viewed female students as having fewer homework problems than males, when only male students were examined, teachers' and male students' ratings were similar on some measures. The importance of understanding students' homework behaviors was underscored before teachers provided homework interventions. To lessen discrepancies and improve awareness of students' homework behaviors, teachers need to grade and provide feedback on students' homework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia, which is closely related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although acupuncture is used in the treatment of AF, the evidence is insufficient. The objective of this pilot trial is to evaluate the feasibility, preliminary efficacy, and safety of acupuncture in reducing AF burden for persistent AF after catheter ablation (CA).Methods and Design: This will be a multi-center, 3-arm, pilot randomized controlled trial in China. Sixty patients in total will be randomly assigned to the specific acupoints group, the non-specific acupoints group, or the non-acupoints group in a 1:1:1 ratio. The whole study period is 6 months, including a 3-month treatment period and a 3-month follow-up period. All patients will receive 18 sessions of acupuncture over 12 weeks after CA and appropriate post-ablation routine treatment. The primary outcome is AF burden at 6 months after CA measured by electrocardiography patch that can carry out a 7-day continuous ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring. The secondary outcomes include AF burden at 3  months after CA, recurrence of AF, quality of life, etc. The adverse events will also be recorded.Discussion: This pilot study will contribute to evaluating the feasibility, preliminary efficacy, and safety of acupuncture in reducing AF burden for persistent AF after CA. The results will be used for the sample size calculation of a subsequent large-scale trial.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2000030576 . Registered on 7 March 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The quartz monzodiorites are contemporaneous with the UHT pelitic granulites. • The quartz monzodiorites formed by differentiation of mantle-derived magma. • Crust–mantle interaction at ca. 1.93 Ga in the Helanshan Complex. Insights into crust–mantle interaction in continental collisional orogens is key to understanding high- and ultrahigh-temperature (HT–UHT) metamorphism, continental crustal growth, and the tectonic evolution of such orogens. Here, we present whole-rock major- and trace-element and Nd isotope geochemistry, as well as zircon U–Pb geochronology and Hf isotope data, for quartz monzodiorites from the Helanshan Complex to constrain their petrogenesis and draw implications regarding crust–mantle interaction during formation of the Khondalite Belt in the North China Craton. LA–ICP–MS zircon U–Pb dating yields crystallization ages of 1938–1931 Ma for three samples, contemporaneous with spinel-bearing UHT pelitic granulites from the Helanshan Complex. The quartz monzodiorite samples have variable whole-rock compositions, with relatively low SiO 2 (low to 51.41 wt.%) but high MgO (up to 5.05 wt.%) and Cr (up to 80.9 ppm) contents, as well as high Mg# values (up to 0.50), which suggest their derivation from the mantle. These samples exhibit a narrow range of ε Nd (t) values of −0.3 to + 1.0, with no decrease as decreasing whole-rock MgO content, and variable zircon ε Hf (t) values of −2.4 to + 5.8. In addition, Mg# values of hornblende and biotite, and X an values of plagioclase decrease gradually with increasing whole-rock SiO 2 content. All of these geochemical data indicate that the studied quartz monzodiorites were produced by fractional crystallization of mantle-derived magma, with assimilation of crustal material. On the basis of previously published data in the Khondalite Belt, the Helanshan quartz monzodiorites formed in the post-collisional setting, and record a tectonic transition from compression to extension during the period ca. 1.95–1.93 Ga. The emplacement of mantle-derived magma that formed the quartz monzodiorites through differentiation at ca. 1.93 Ga, was possibly responsible for the formation of ca. 1.93 Ga UHT rocks in the Helanshan Complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ~100,000 km2 granitoid belt in the Lesser Xing'an-Zhangguangcai Ranges (LXZR) is an important component of the Phanerozoic granitic provinces (known as the 'granitoid ocean') in NE China. To reveal the mechanisms of Mesozoic magmatism and crustal growth in the LXZR, we present systematic geologic data, lithofacies information, zircon U-Pb ages, Hf isotopic, and element geochemical data for the Dong'an granites in the northern LXZR. The results show the following: (1) the Dong'an granites can be subdivided into three lithofacies, namely, medium- to coarse-grained alkali-feldspar granite, fine-grained alkali-feldspar granite, and granitic aplite, which were emplaced during the Early Jurassic (187–178 Ma); (2) the Dong'an granites are characterized by high SiO2 and total alkali contents and low Fe2O3t contents and Mg# values, and they are enriched in LILEs (e.g., Rb and K) and depleted in HFSEs (e.g., Nb and Ta); and (3) the zircons from these granites yield εHf(t) values of −2.4 to +5.7 and two-stage model ages of 772–1542 Ma. These results indicate that the Dong'an granites were emplaced during the Early Jurassic, are highly fractionated I-type (HFI) granites and were likely derived from partial melting of the thickened lower crust. Regionally, the Dong'an granites and the Early-Middle Jurassic intrusive rocks (201–163 Ma; 90,000 km2) in the LXZR show a trend of comagmatic evolution controlled by fractional crystallization, and they were successively emplaced during magma evolution. The HFI granites that are geochemically similar to the Dong'an granites formed in the later stage of magma evolution. Combined with regional geological observations, we conclude that the granitic rocks in the LXZR formed in an active continental margin setting related to the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate beneath the Eurasian continent. This process may record an important episode of crustal accretion in the LXZR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Derbur lead–zinc deposit is located in the Derbugan metallogenic belt in the north‐western portion of the Mesozoic Hailaer‐Genhe volcanic basin in the northern Great Xing'an Range. This deposit occurs in the Middle Jurassic intermediate–mafic volcanic rocks of the Tamulangou Formation and is spatially and temporally associated with acidic pyroclastic rocks. The host rocks are bedded trachyandesite and rhyolitic lithic‐crystal tuffs, and basaltic‐andesitic aplite veins are associated with the ore body. Because the deposit is a hypabyssal low‐temperature hydrothermal Pb–Zn deposit associated with volcanism, to determine the precise petrogenesis of the volcanic rocks, this study analysed the zircon U–Pb ages of the trachyandesite and rhyolitic lithic‐crystal tuffs, the Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic geochemistry of the trachyandesite and basaltic‐andesitic aplite, and the whole‐rock geochemistry of all three rock types. The results showed that the trachyandesite and basaltic‐andesitic aplite belong to the shoshonitic series and have similar whole‐rock and isotopic geochemical characteristics, including enrichments in large‐ion lithophile elements and light rare earth elements and depletions in high‐field‐strength elements. They also have low initial 87Sr/86Sr values of 0.705007–0.705240 and εNd(t) values of +0.6 to +1.7, with model ages (TDM) of 699–883 Ma. The ratios of 206Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb, and 208Pb/204Pb vary from 18.438 to 18.476, 15.570 to 15.577, and 38.254 to 38.320, respectively, with μ values of 9.40–9.41. In contrast, the rhyolitic lithic‐crystal tuffs are characterized by high SiO2 contents (73.44–79.48 wt.%); low Al2O3 (11.36–12.53 wt.%), TiO2 (0.14–0.18 wt.%), and K2O + Na2O (3.48–3.89 wt.%, Na2O ≤ K2O) contents; and low Mg# values (0.17–0.41), indicating that they belong to the calc–alkaline series. Additionally, they have relatively low REE contents and strong Sr depletions. LA‐ICP‐MS zircon U–Pb dating of the trachyandesite and rhyolitic lithic‐crystal tuffs indicates that their ages are 167.0 ± 2.0 Ma and 164.8 ± 1.6 Ma, respectively. We conclude that the trachyandesite and the basaltic‐andesitic aplite were derived from the partial melting of lower crustal material assimilated by a depleted lithospheric mantle that was subsequently metasomatized by subducted slab‐derived fluids. The rhyolitic lithic‐crystal tuffs likely originated from the partial melting of accreted lower crust. In summary, because the acidic volcanism was accompanied by increasingly felsic volcanism, bimodal volcanic rocks were produced. Among volcanogenic deposits, bimodal volcanic rocks are the most favourable ore‐hosting rocks, and ore‐forming materials were contributed by the magmatic system. These processes created conditions conducive to the formation of large‐scale Ag, Pb, and Zn mineralization in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is the first systematic assessment of the Lower Ordovician microbial carbonates in Songzi, Hubei Province, China. This paper divides the microbial carbonates into two types according to growth patterns, namely nongranular and granular. The nongranular types include stromatolites, thrombolites, dendrolites, leiolites and laminites; the granular types are mainly oncolites and may include a small amount of microbiogenic oolite. According to their geometric features, the stromatolites can be divided into four types: stratiform, wavy, columnar and domal. Additionally, dipyramidal columnar stromatolites are identified for the first time and represent a new type of columnar stromatolite. The thrombolites are divided into three types: speckled, reticulated and banded. The grazing gastropod Ecculiomphalus and traces of bioturbation are observed in the speckled and reticulated thrombolites. This paper considers these two kinds of thrombolites to represent bioturbated thrombolites. These findings not only fill gaps in the field of domestic Ordovician bioturbated thrombolites but also provide new information for the study of thrombolites. Based on the analysis of the sedimentary characteristics of microbialites, the depositional environments of the various types of microbialites are described, and the distribution patterns of their depositional environments are summarized. The relationship between the development of microbialites and the evolution and radiation of metazoans during the Early to Middle Ordovician is discussed. Consistent with the correspondence between the stepwise and rapid radiation of metazoans and the abrupt reduction in the number of microbialites between the late Early Ordovician and the early Middle Ordovician, fossils of benthonic grazing gastropods (Ecculiomphalus) were found in the stromatolites and thrombolite of the study area. It is believed that the gradual reduction in microbialites was related to the rapid increase in the abundance of metazoans. Grazers not only grazed on the microorganisms that formed stromatolites, resulting in a continuous reduction in the number of stromatolites, but also disrupted the growth state of the stromatolites, resulting in the formation of unique bioturbated thrombolites in the study area. Hydrocarbon potential analysis shows that the microbialites in the Nanjinguan Formation represent better source rocks than those in the other formations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The present study aimed to investigate and identify the association between the intake of allium vegetables and colorectal cancer (CRC) in population. Methods: A hospital‐based matched case‐control study was conducted between June 2009 and November 2011 in three hospitals. Eight hundred thirty three consecutively recruited cases of CRC were frequency matched to 833 controls by age (within 2.5 years of difference), sex, and residence area (rural/urban). Demographic and dietary information were collected via face‐to‐face interviews using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by using unconditional logistic regression. Results: A decreased CRC risk was observed for the consumption of total (aORs of high total allium intake compared with low total allium intake = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.14–0.30, P trend <0.001) and several individual allium vegetables including garlic, garlic stalks, leek, onion, and spring onion (P trend <0.05). By further sex‐stratified analysis, allium vegetable intake was demonstrated to be inversely associated with the risk of CRC in both men and women. However, the association of garlic intake with cancer risk was not significant among those with distal colon cancer (aOR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.27–1.05, P trend = 0.248). Conclusion: In this analysis in a Northeast Chinese population, both men and women that the consumption of allium vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of CRC, regardless of colonic tumor subsite, with the exception of garlic intake in distal colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cyto-nuclear conflicts occurred in Stewartia s. l. phylogeny. • Hartia was nested in Stewartia s.s. with the basal S. malacodendron in America. • Introgression was prevailing in shallow phylogeny with a consistent backbone. • Ancient co-distribution and dispersal contributed to introgression in Asian. Phylogenetic analyses using diverse datasets can yield conflicting inference of evolutionary history. Phylogenetic conflicts observed in both animal and plant systems have often been explained by two competing (but not mutually exclusive) hypotheses, i.e., hybridization vs. incomplete lineage sorting (ILS). The likelihood of either process contributing to phylogenetic conflict in a given group is context-dependent, involving attributes of life history, distribution, and phylogeny, among others. Here we explore phylogenetic conflict in Stewartia s.l. , a genus with ca. 20 species of trees and shrubs from the tea family (Theaceae) disjunctly distributed between eastern Asia (EAS) and eastern North America (ENA). We use both restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) and complete plastome sequence data to reconstruct the phylogeny of the group using concatenation and coalescence approaches. Our results indicate strong conflicts between the topologies reconstructed using nuclear and plastid data. Four-taxon D -statistic (ABBA-BABA) tests detected prevailing signals of introgression. Bayesian Analysis of Macro-evolutionary Mixtures (BAMM) inferred that species diversification occurred in the middle to late Miocene. Ancestral range reconstructions indicated co-distribution of ancestral species (represented by internal nodes) for both the Hartia clade (in southern China) and the EAS Stewartia s.s. clade (Japan Archipelago and the Yangtze Valley of China). The latter clade experienced multiple events of dispersal and vicariance during its diversification history. Ancient introgressive hybridization following species diversification in the mid- to late-Miocene likely caused diverging histories in the nuclear and plastid genomes, leading to phylogenetic conflict in Stewartia s.l. Our study indicates that species diversification driven by both the intensification of the East Asian summer monsoon since the late Miocene and reduced risks of extinction due to frequent dispersal possibly via East China Sea Land Bridge impacted the anomalous species richness between EAS and ENA. Our study highlights the importance of using data from different genomes while reconstructing deep and shallow phylogenies of organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a medicinal herb, Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. experienced centuries of cultivation in China, and germplasm resources of all cultivated populations have degraded over time as a consequence of domestication processes. This study used chloroplast DNA and microsatellites to clarify not only the effects of domestication on population genetics, but also determine the geographic origins of landraces. The results revealed that cultivated populations (except the "Pingzhu" landrace) showed higher genetic diversity than their wild counterparts and low levels of genetic differentiation occurred between cultivated and wild groups. Furthermore, STRUCTURE and UPGMA analyses grouped all wild populations into three genotypic clusters, two of which (in Shaanxi and Hunan Province) shared the same gene pool with cultivated A. macrocephala, suggesting that wild populations in Central China have been involved in the origin of cultivated A. macrocephala. Moreover, the wild population from Qimen, Anhui Province and the cultivated "Pingzhu" landrace harbor unique gene pools and rare alleles that could be useful in future breeding efforts. This large‐scale analysis of population genetics on a medicinal herb that has a centuries‐long history of human‐mediated selection will facilitate utilization and conservation of the valuable genetic resources of medicinal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-use/land-cover change (LUCC) is an important issue of research into global change. To identify the spatiotemporal change and the driving mechanism of land use at the regional scale is of great significance to environmental preservation and economic development in the whole locality. In order to analyze the spatiotemporal change of land cover in Fuxian Lake watershed for the last four decades, our paper extracted the information of land use and land cover in the area using the method of combining supervised classification with visual interpretation. The process of extraction referred to a total of 10 time series remotesensing images (namely the 1974, 1977, 1987, 1990, 1996, 2000, 2006, 2009, 2012, and 2014 phases) as the main data source, and drew on the achievement data from the China Geography Census as an ancillary source. Accordingly, we obtained the spatiotemporal characteristics of the land-cover type change in Fuxian Lake watershed for the last 40 years. Finally, based on the socioeconomic data in the locality, using principal component analysis and multiple regression analysis, this paper analyzed the driving forces of LUCC in the watershed to acquire the major driving force factors, and built up a corresponding multiple linear regression model. The same kind of model was established for the local cultivated land and its driving force factors. The result shows that: 1) In terms of changing trends, along with the increasing human activities in the socioeconomic domain of the catchment, the last four decades has seen a mounting local number of gardens, building regions (districts), roads, structures, artificial piling and digging of land, as well as wastelands and bare surface. As a contrast, there has been a decreasing trend for cultivated land, woodland, grassland, and water for the same term. 2) The variation degree of land cover was higher during the period 1990-96 and 2000-06, and was the lowest in 1974-77. 3) During 1974-77, 1987-2000, 2006-14, and 1974-2014, there was a noticeable discrepancy between the converted areas of various land-use types, which was higher for woodland, grassland, and arable land, and was lower for water by comparison. 4) The cultivated area in Fuxian Lake watershed was positively correlated with such factors as overall population, natural population growth rate, the production value of the primary industry, the production value of the tertiary industry, industrial production value, GDP, fiscal expenditure, living expenditure per capita, and annual average temperature. It was negatively correlated with some other factors, including agricultural population, agricultural production value, rural income per capita, total retail sales of consumer goods, grain total output, the per unit area yield of grain, the amount of fertilizer used in agriculture, the amount of pesticide used in agriculture, and annual average precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of carbon disulfide/acetone mixtures were used to extract organic species from Shengli lignite, a Chinese coal. Orbitrap mass spectrometry coupled with electrospray ionization was used to characterize the molecules in the extracts. Heteroatomic species, including oxygenates, nitrogenates, and sulfonates, were determined. Pure carbon disulfide or acetone had the lowest extraction for oxygenates while the mixtures increased the relative abundance of oxygenates. From the value of the double bond equivalence, the compounds with 1 oxygen contained the highest concentrations of aromatics and aliphatics, but compounds with 6 were aliphatic with a double bond equivalence of 3. For compounds containing 2 oxygens, aromatics with one ring were present at the highest concentrations in the 1:1 carbon disulfide:acetone extract. For compounds containing 3, 4, and 5 oxygens, most aromatic species were identified with double bond equivalence values between 4 and 6, showing the presence of an aromatic ring. The results indicated that the solvent mixtures enhanced the extraction of oxygenates from Shengli lignite. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Debris flows in the mountain regions surrounding Beijing have been occurring for a long time and have resulted in great economic losses. In this study, 23 rainstorm events, surficial sediments, and debris flow deposits were analyzed to quantify the area's rainfall threshold and to investigate how such conditions may be used to predict debris flow in this region. Rainfall threshold of intensity-duration ( I-D ) functions after vegetation recovery was higher than before recovery and also higher than I-D levels in other regions where debris flows are closely associated with runoff. Field investigations revealed that surficial sediments were characterized by coarse-grained sediments and that debris flow deposits lacked fine particles. Local debris flows can be triggered by runoff; however, no single standard equation is used to predict the conditions that lead to runoff-triggered debris flow; and commonly used equations give different values. Here, we propose an empirical function that takes into account peak discharge per width and particle diameter. This model should be verified with further investigations so that it can be used as a reference to analyze the conditions that lead to debris flow in the study area. Finally, debris flows may have been related to occasional storms in the study area, which has been experiencing substantially increased temperatures and decreased annual precipitation. This work provides important information about the conditions that initiated debris flow in the Beijing mountain regions in the last few decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shaoyao-Gancao Tang (SGT) is one of the most frequently used compound formulas in the treatment of pain-related diseases in the medical practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). To investigate the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects, as well as to uncover the molecular mechanism of SGT, the rat pain model of arthritis was experimentally induced by single unilateral injection of rats' left hind paw with Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA). SGT was orally administered to the rats daily at three doses individually for a period of 16 days post-model induction. Swollen degrees and pain thresholds of the rats in different groups were measured for evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of SGT. Furthermore, the mRNA and protein expression levels of transient receptor potential ion channel protein vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1) channel as well as its calcium-mediating function in the isolated DRG neurons were further detected to provide indexes for exploration of the molecular mechanisms mediating anti-arthritic activities of SGT. As a result, FCA injection induced significant allodynia, inflammation and edema, accompanied by a significant increase in both expression and calcium-mediating function of the TRPV1 channel. Pharmacologically, oral administration of SGT at a high or middle dose demonstrated a significant relief from the above-mentioned pathological conditions in a dose-dependent manner. Simultaneously the mRNA and protein expressional levels of TRPV1 channel, as well as its calcium-mediating function, were down-regulated greatly. These findings suggest that SGT possesses a significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect on arthritis rats; its therapeutic activities might be achieved through reversing the elevated expression and function of TRPV1 channel evoked by FCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing demand for seafood drives the aquaculture industry to new-generation offshore aquaculture systems with high production efficiency. As a healthy, sustainable and ecological aquaculture pattern, the pile-net enclosure has been widely applied in the aquaculture industry in China. The flow field distribution and hydrodynamic characteristics are of great importance for the welfare of farmed fish and the structure safety. This paper proposes a one-way fluid-structure coupling model to examine the flow interaction with the pile-net structures. A series of physical experiments are conducted to verify the accuracy of the numerical model. Then, different configurations, pile-net at different locations and distance between upstream and downstream pile-nets are selected to estimate their influence on the flow field and hydrodynamic characteristics of pile-net structures. Results show that the net intensifies the velocity attenuation and reduces the velocity in front of the structure. The variation of vortices is affected by the downstream pile-net and the distance between twines and piles. The wake width behind the pile is barely affected by intersection angles between pile-net and flow, but the wake width behind the net increases slightly with the increase of intersection angles between pile-net and flow. Increasing the intersection angles between pile-net and flow aggravates the attenuation of downstream velocity. The computed force decreases with decreasing intersection angles between pile-net and flow. Double rows of the pile-net intensify the upstream and downstream velocity attenuation. The distance between pile-nets has little influence on downstream flow velocity. The interaction between upstream and downstream pile-net structures weakens with the increase of the distance between upstream and downstream pile-nets. With this understanding, the proposed model can be further used to assess the hydrodynamic performance of the pile-net enclosure and the large offshore aquaculture platform under steady flows, oscillating flows and waves. • A one-way fluid-structure coupling model is proposed to examine the flow interaction with the pile-net structures. • The influence of different flow incident angles is analyzed. • Suggestions about the design and constructions of the pile-net structure are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carney complex is a syndrome characterized by skin pigmentation abnormalities, myxomas, endocrine tumors/overactivity, and schwannomas. It is caused by a mutation in the PRKAR1A gene that encodes the enzyme protein kinase A regulatory subunit type 1 alpha. A 23-year old male was diagnosed with Carney complex on the basis of spotty skin lentigines on his face and lips, multiple thyroid neoplasms, a right ventricular myxoma, and bilateral testicular tumors. A total bilateral orchectomy was performed and the pathological findings revealed Leydig's cell tumors on one side and a Sertoli cell tumor on the other side. When his first-degree relatives were examined, his mother was found to have Carney complex as well. This is the first reported case of familial Carney complex in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Leaf unfolding of male and female ginkgo responses similarly to climate. • Long photoperiod significantly shortened the time to leaf unfolding. • Effects of temperature and photoperiod on leaf unfolding decreased along elevations. Climate change substantially affects plant phenology, resulting in earlier vegetation onset across temperate and boreal regions. Phenological shifts caused by warming may alter species interactions across trophic levels because of species-specific responses, and influence the reproductive success of dioecious species if the phenological sensitivity to warming (S T) differs between genders. We used twigs collected from male and female gingko trees at three elevations on Tianmu Mountain in eastern China. The twigs were cultivated in climate chambers to determine the effects of three temperatures (10, 15, and 20 °C) and two photoperiods (8 and 16 h). We observed slightly earlier leaf unfolding dates in male twigs (1 day), and a higher heat requirement (growing degree hours) for leaf unfolding in female (14,334 ± 588 °C) compared to male twigs (13,874 ± 551 °C). Similar responses to temperature (S T = 3.7 days °C−1), photoperiod and elevation were observed across genders. The long photoperiod treatment shortened the time to leaf unfolding by 9.1 days, but temperature and photoperiod effects on leaf unfolding differed significantly depending on the elevation of the donor trees. Specifically, S T was higher (4.17 days °C−1) and the photoperiod effect on S T was larger (decreased by 1.15 days °C−1) at the lowest elevation than at the higher elevations (S T = 3.26 days °C−1; decreased by 0.48 days °C−1). This may be related to environment-induced local adaptations and self-protection mechanisms of trees at high elevations to avoid frost damage. Our results indicate that the photoperiod and genetic adaptations to local environments influenced the warming-induced phenological responses in ginkgo, but these responses were generally similar between the genders. For a given species, individuals in different climates may exhibit different phenological responses to higher temperatures, with individuals in warmer regions likely becoming increasingly limited by the photoperiod as the climate warms further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature and precipitation are considered to be the most important indicators affecting the green-up date. Sensitivity of the green-up date to temperature and precipitation is considered to be one of the key indicators to characterize the response of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change. We selected the main grassland types for analysis, including temperate steppe, temperate meadow steppe, upland meadow, and lowland meadow. This study investigates the variation in key meteorological indicators (daily maximum temperature (Tmax), daily minimum temperature (Tmin), and precipitation) between 2001 and 2018. We then examined the partial correlation and sensitivity of green-up date (GUD) to Tmax, Tmin, and precipitation. Our analysis indicated that the average GUD across the whole area was DOY 113. The mean GUD trend was −3.1 days/decade and the 25% region advanced significantly. Tmax and Tmin mainly showed a decreasing trend in winter (p > 0.05). In spring, Tmax mainly showed an increasing trend (p > 0.05) and Tmin a decreasing trend (p > 0.05). Precipitation showed no significant (p > 0.05) change trend and the trend range was ±10 mm/decade. For temperate steppe, the increase in Tmin in March promotes green-up (27.3%, the proportion of significant pixels), with a sensitivity of −0.17 days/°C. In addition, precipitation in April also promotes green-up (21.7%), with a sensitivity of −0.32 days/mm. The GUDs of temperate meadow steppe (73.9%), lowland meadow (65.9%), and upland meadow (22.1%) were mainly affected by Tmin in March, with sensitivities of −0.15 days/°C, −0.13 days/°C, and −0.14 days/°C, respectively. The results of this study reveal the response of vegetation to climate warming and contribute to improving the prediction of ecological changes as temperatures increase in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is the only mycotoxin that has a legal limit in milk all over the world. In the present study, 360 raw milk samples were collected from Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Shanghai and Guangdong provinces in China in September 2010, and their AFM1 levels were determined by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). More than three-fourths (78.1%) of the 360 raw milk samples contained AFM1 at concentrations of 5–123 ng L−1. AFM1 contents in all positive samples were far below the Chinese and US legal limit of 500 ng L−1, but 10% of the raw milk samples exceeded the EU legal limit of 50 ng L−1. Moreover, both incidence and content of AFM1 in milk collected from the southern provinces, including Shanghai and Guangdong, were higher than those collected from the northern provinces, including Beijing, Hebei and Shanxi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Quercetin''s protective effects on the glomerulosclerosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in rat mesangial cells were investigated. The cell cycles, type IV collagen and laminin, TGF-β1 mRNA, Smad 2/3 and Smad 7, and activities of cell antioxidases were measured. Compared with the high glucose group, quercetin may decrease the cell percentages of G0/G1 phase, Smad 2/3 expression, laminin and type IV collagen, and TGF-β1 mRNA level significantly. The antioxidant capacity, the cell percentages of S phase and Smad 7 expression was significantly increased by quercetin. These results suggest that quercetin is a protective agent against glomerulosclerosis in DN. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world and a multipathway disease. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is a potent immunoregulatory molecule that suppresses antitumor response by down-regulating T-cell activation. The most studied +49A>G polymorphism of CTLA-4 gene has been associated with several autoimmune or cancer diseases. Our aim was to investigate the association between this genetic variant and the risk as well as progression of colorectal cancer in Chinese. We conducted a case–control study of 124 colorectal cancer cases and 407 healthy controls. DNA was extracted from blood specimens, and +49A>G polymorphism in the CTLA-4 gene was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction–ligation detection reaction (PCR–LDR). In our study group, the frequency of AG or GG or carrying at least one G allele at position +49 was significantly different in colorectal cancer patients and the control group, indicating that the risk of CRC was significantly higher among subjects with the AG or GG genotype or carrying at least one G allele at position +49 than among the subjects with the AA genotype. However, we observed no association between CTLA-4 +49A>G polymorphism and the progression of CRC. Interestingly, the CTLA-4 +49A allele was in non-significantly higher numbers in CRC patients with distant metastasis. Our results suggested that CTLA-4 +49A>G polymorphism was associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, but this polymorphism did not play an important role in the progression of CRC in Chinese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A total of 131 ERF genes were identified and characterized in Actinidia valvata based on transcriptome analysis data. • AvERF73 and AvERF78 may play key roles for waterlogging responses in A. valvata. • This study furthers understanding the role of ERF and waterlogging-tolerance mechanism of A. valvata. Recently, there has been a tremendous increase in the cultivated area of kiwifruit in China. However, the low tolerance of most cultivars to waterlogging largely halted its expansion in waterlogged areas. Previously, some genotypes from Actinidia valvata , like KR5, were proved to be highly tolerant for waterlogging stress. ERF transcription factors, belong to the AP2/ERF superfamily, have played key roles in adaptation to waterlogging stress in numerous plant species. In this study, a total of 131 AvERF genes were identified based on the full-length transcriptome analysis data from KR5. By clustering with Arabidopsis thaliana ERFs, 131 AvERF proteins were sorted into eleven clades and renamed as AvERF1 to AvERF131. Within the same group, similar motifs for AvERFs were found in all members by MEME online tool. According to FPKM analysis, the expression of AvERF-VIIs in KR5 under waterlogging conditions was strongly promoted compared to other group members. Six genes from AvERF-VIIs (AvERF73 , AvERF75 , AvERF77 , AvERF78 , AvERF79 , and AvERF80) were chosen based on the higher fold changes in their expression against waterlogging. Moreover, their expression was evaluated in two tolerant genotypes: KR5 and KR1 from A. valvata , and two sensitive genotypes 'Xuxiang' and 'Hayward' from A. chinensis var. deliciosa during waterlogging stress by qRT-PCR. AvERF73 and AvERF78 were specifically induced in waterlogging-tolerant genotypes, but relatively low in the sensitive genotypes, indicating their positive roles in waterlogging tolerance. Both AvERF73 and AvERF78 had transcriptional activation activity. In the present study, we identified and characterized AvERFs into KR5 to reveal their importance in determining the waterlogging tolerance of kiwifruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The ore-forming fluids belong to a CO 2 –H 2 O–NaCl system. • Gold deposition was caused by Fluid boiling. • H-O isotopes indicate that the ore-forming fluids were dominated by magmatic water. • S-Pb-Sr isotopes indicate that the ore-forming materials were derived the lower crust. • Toudaoliuhe gold deposit formed in the early Middle Jurassic. The Jiapigou mining district (JMD) in the northeastern part of the North China Block mainly contains quartz vein- and altered rock-type gold deposits that have been prospected and mined for over 200 years. Recently, a breccia-type gold deposit, known as Toudaoliuhe, was discovered in the JMD, that has attracted attention for prospecting and exploration. In this paper, we report the ore geology, gold-bearing sulfide (i.e., pyrite, galena, and sphalerite) Rb–Sr age, fluid inclusions (FIs), and H–O–S–Pb–Sr isotope data of the Toudaoliuhe gold deposit to determine its genesis and ore-forming mechanisms. Gold orebodies mainly occur in the breccia cements, as well as in several quartz veins controlled by NW-trending brittle faults. There were three hydrothermal stages: the early (quartz–pyrite), main (quartz–polymetallic sulfide), and late (quartz–carbonate) stages. Gold mineralization occurred in the main hydrothermal stage. Three types of FIs were identified: CO 2 –H 2 O–NaCl (C-type), H 2 O–NaCl (W-type), and pure CO 2 (PC-type). The FIs in quartz from the early hydrothermal stage are predominantly of the C- and W-types (with traces of PC-type), and have homogenization temperatures of 299.8–340.0 °C and salinities of 6.5–14.8 wt% NaCl equivalent (E). The FIs in the quartz and sphalerite forming the main hydrothermal stage are also predominantly of the C- and W-types (with trace PC type), and have homogenization temperatures of 169.1–298.7 °C and salinities of 5.7–16.5 wt% E. The FIs in the quartz and calcite from the late hydrothermal stage were solely of the W-type, and have homogenization temperatures of 126.0–210.2 °C and salinities of 2.1–11.4 wt% E. The ore-forming fluids are characterized by moderate temperature and low salinity, suggesting a CO 2 –H 2 O–NaCl system. The H–O–S–Pb–Sr isotopic results suggest that the ore-forming fluids were dominated by magmatic water, and that the ore-forming materials were mainly extracted from the Middle Jurassic magmatic reservoir (177–163 Ma), sourced mainly from the lower crust with trace mantle components. Fluid boiling was the dominant mechanism for gold and associated sulfide precipitation. The Rb–Sr isochron age of the gold-bearing sulfides at 177.7 ± 1.7 Ma indicates that gold mineralization occurred in the early Middle Jurassic. We therefore proposed that the Toudaoliuhe is a mesothermal gold deposit that formed in an extensional setting related to the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate beneath the Eurasian continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]