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A novel functional [2]rotaxane containing two alkenyl bonds was designed, synthesized and characterized by 1H, 13C NMR spectroscopy and HRESI mass spectrometry. The introduction of alkenyl bonds endowed the [2]rotaxane a fascinating ability to react with versatile functional groups such as alkenyl and thiol functional groups. The reversible shuttling movement of the macrocycle between two different recognition sites on the molecular thread can be driven by external acid and base. This kind of rotaxane bearing functional groups provides a powerful platform for preparing stimuli-responsive polymers.

Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV, genus Polerovirus) is a harmful agent that causes sugarcane yellow leaf disease. Current methods for SCYLV detection present some limitations. In this study, a novel isothermal amplification assay, namely reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA), was developed to promote SCYLV detection for disease management. The assay was evaluated in terms of specificity, sensitivity, reliability, temperature limit, and time limit. The developed RT-RPA assay was highly specific and non-cross-reactive with Potato leafroll virus, which is a type of species in Polerovirus. This assay can also detect at least 103-fold diluted cDNA from a SCYLV-infected sugarcane leaf, and its sensitivity is tenfold lower than that of RT-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The reliability of the proposed assay was examined by detecting field sugarcane samples via RT-RPA and RT-PCR assays. The RT-RPA assay showed the same results as those of RT-PCR assay, indicating that the former was highly reliable for SCYLV detection. Analysis of the temperature and time limits revealed a wide operating temperature range from 27 to 45 °C, which was easily reached, and a rapid assay duration of 20 min. In summary, the developed RT-RPA assay was rapid, specific, and reliable with acceptable sensitivity and easily reachable operating temperature and thus could be a promising tool for SCYLV diagnosis in sugarcane.

Phosphodiesterase 7 (PDE7), one of the 11 phosphodiesterase (PDE) families, specifically hydrolyzes cyclic 3', 5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). PDE7 is involved in many important functional processes in physiology and pathology by regulating intracellular cAMP signaling. Studies have demonstrated that PDE7 is widely expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and potentially related to pathogenesis of many CNS diseases. Here, we summarized the classification and distribution of PDE7 in the brain and its functional roles in the mediation of CNS diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and schizophrenia. It is expected that the findings collected here will not only lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms by which PDE7 mediates CNS function and diseases, but also aid in the development of novel drugs targeting PDE7 for treatment of CNS diseases.

Eight new stilbene dimer xylosides (1–8) and one new flavanol (9), along with seven known ones (10–16) were isolated from the roots of Lysidice rhodostegia. Their structures were elucidated by extensive analysis of spectroscopic data (IR, UV, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR), ECD calculations and acid hydrolysis. Compounds 1–16 were evaluated for their antioxidant activities using DPPH radical-scavenging assay. Especially, compounds 9 and 10 exhibited stronger antioxidant effects than the positive control (vitamin E), with IC50 values of 9.57 ± 1.30 and 13.60 ± 1.47 μM, respectively.

The capital of China, Beijing, has a history of more than 800 years of urbanization, representing a unique site for studies of urban ecology. Urbanization can severely impact butterfly communities, yet there have been no reports of the species richness and distribution of butterflies in urban parks in Beijing. Here, we conducted the first butterfly survey in ten urban parks in Beijing and estimated butterfly species richness. Subsequently, we examined the distribution pattern of butterfly species and analyzed correlations between butterfly species richness with park variables (age, area and distance to city center), and richness of other bioindicator groups (birds and plants). We collected 587 individual butterflies belonging to 31 species from five families; 74% of the species were considered cosmopolitan. The highest butterfly species richness and abundance was recorded at parks located at the edge of city and species richness was significantly positively correlated with distance from city center (p p > 0.05). Our study provides the first data of butterfly species in urban Beijing, and serves as a baseline for further surveys and conservation efforts.

Soil potassium (K) spatial heterogeneity was general in tea gardens. Yet, rhizosphere processes of tea plants under soil K spatial heterogeneity is unclear. K heterogeneity was simulated by multi-layer split-root system as follows: both sides had K fertilizer (K+/K+), both sides had no K fertilizer (K0/K0), one side had K fertilizer (K+/K0–K+) and the other side had no K fertilizer (K+/K0–K0). Under K spatial heterogeneity, the differences in rhizosphere processes between the two tea plants (low-K tolerant genotype “1511” and low-K sensitive genotype “1601”) were compared. “1511” could maintain relatively stable fine root proportions under different treatments. For “1511” and “1601”, the strongest soil K activation abilities of root exudates appeared in K+/K0–K0 and K+/K0–K+, respectively. The available K and slowly available K of the rhizosphere soils in K+/K0–K+ was 14% and 8% less than those in K+/K+ for “1511”, but the above form K of the rhizosphere soils in K+/K0–K+ was 8% and 10% higher than those in K+/K+ for “1601”. In conclusion, under the spatial K heterogeneity, low-K tolerant tea plant could achieve high K efficiency mainly through the following ways: (1) maintaining good fine root developments; (2) improving the soil K activation in K+/K0–K0 through the secretion of organic acids; (3) promoting the utilization of soil K in K+/K0–K+. Our findings may contribute to the improvement of tea planting patterns and quality in low K tea gardens, and that to understand the interactions between roots and soil of the low K-tolerant genotype tea plants under the condition of K spatial heterogeneity.

The imbalance in healthcare between urban and rural areas is still a problem in China. In recent decades, China has aimed to develop telemedicine. We assessed the implementation, utilization, and cost-effectiveness of a large telemedicine program across western China.In 2002-2013, a government-sponsored major telemedicine program was established by West China Hospital of Sichuan University (hub), covering 249 spoke hospitals in 112 cities throughout western China and in 40 medical expertise areas. We analyzed the cross-sectional data from 11,987 consultations conducted at West China Hospital using the telemedicine network over a 12-year period. The types of diseases as well as the diagnosis and treatment changes were assessed. We also performed a cost-savings analysis and a one-way sensitivity analysis.Of the 11,987 teleconsultations, we noted that neoplasms (19.4%), injuries (13.9%), and circulatory diseases (10.3%) were the three most common diagnoses. Teleconsultations resulted in a change of diagnosis in 4,772 (39.8%) patients, and 3,707 (77.7%) of them underwent major diagnosis changes. Moreover, it led to a change of treatment in 6,591 (55.0%) patients, including 3,677 (55.8%) changes not linked to diagnosis changes. The telemedicine network resulted in an estimated net saving of $2,364,525 (if the patients traveled to the hub) or $3,759,014 (if the specialists traveled to the spoke hospitals).The introduction of telemedicine in China, linking highly specialized major hospitals (hub) with hundreds of small rural hospitals (spoke), can greatly improve the quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of healthcare delivery and utilization. This new Internet-based healthcare model should be utilized more widely in developing countries.

Objective: To explore the influence of low-dose estrogen replacement therapy on the Kupperman score and levels of hormones in patients with perimenopausal syndrome (PMS).Methods: A total of 100 patients with PMS were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups: observation group (n=50) and control group (n=66). Control group was given oral administration of Medroxyprogesterone Acetate, 4 mg/d, while observation group, based on which, was treated with oral Estradiol Valerate Tablets, 0.65 mg/d. After three-month treatment, the uterine volume, endometrial thickness, Kupperman score, levels of hormones as well as adverse reactions were compared between two groups.Results: Kupperman score decreased significantly in two groups after treatment compared with treatment before (P0.05).Conclusion: Low-dose estrogen replacement therapy is effective in promoting the normalization of hormone secretion in the body, in significantly improving the clinical symptoms, as well as in reducing the occurrence of adverse reactions of patients with PMS.

In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the Thai Red Junglefowl (RJF; Gallus gallus) using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform of the Ion Torrent PGM. Samples were taken from Mae Wang District, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. Our data showed the complete mitogenome to be 16 785 bp in length, composed by 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and one control region. The genome nucleotide composition was 30.3% A, 23.7% T, 32.5% C, and 13.5% G, resulting in a high percentage of A+T (50.4%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the mitogenome belonged to haplogroup X, whereas those of all domestic chickens belong to haplogroups A to G. This newly released mitogenome sequence will advance further evolutionary and population genetics study of the RJF and domestic chicken. The availability of the G. gallus mitogenome will also contribute to further conservation genetics research of a unique species, listed as 'data deficient' in Thailand.

Electrospun polypropylene fibrous (PPF) membrane was selected as a substrate to graft ionic liquids (ILs) and avoid tedious ILs separation and recovery. A catalytic membrane, BILs-g-PPF, was prepared by long-distance and dynamic low-temperature Ar plasma flow activation and subsequent grafting with dual -SO3H imidazole Bronsted acidic ILs (BILs), [(CH2)3SO3HVIm]HSO4. A novel multistage membrane series reactor was first developed by employing the BILs-g-PPF membrane to catalyze esterification of acetic acid with ethyl alcohol. The BILs, which supplied strong active H+ and benefited to overcome the chemical equilibrium due to its high hydrophilic groups, was chosen as a catalyst. The three-dimensional porous network architecture of PPF membrane provided a high specific surface area to graft considerable BILs and enhanced mass transfer in membrane. The optimization of reaction conditions was studied and the results were as followed: BILs grafting degree of 213.5 mol/m3, reaction temperature 70 °C, molar ratio of acid to alcohol 1:5, membrane flux of 21.36 L/(m2·h). In single-stage catalytic membrane system, the acid conversion achieved 66.24% in 8 h. The multistage membrane series reactor can improve the reaction conversion efficiency. For the used membrane which lost some anions, its catalytic properties could be largely restored by soaking activation using a dilute sulfuric acid aqueous solution with a mass concentration of 10%. The proposed reaction kinetic models which related the feed volume and membrane structure parameters predict the esterification process well at different conditions.

Several previous genomic studies have focused on adaptation to high elevations, but these investigations have been largely limited to endotherms. Snakes of the genus Thermophis are endemic to the Tibetan plateau and therefore present an opportunity to study high-elevation adaptations in ectotherms. Here, we report the de novo assembly of the genome of a Tibetan hot-spring snake (Thermophis baileyi) and then compare its genome to the genomes of the other two species of Thermophis, as well as to the genomes of two related species of snakes that occur at lower elevations. We identify 308 putative genes that appear to be under positive selection in Thermophis. We also identified genes with shared amino acid replacements in the high-elevation hot-spring snakes compared with snakes and lizards that live at low elevations, including the genes for proteins involved in DNA damage repair (FEN1) and response to hypoxia (EPAS1). Functional assays of the FEN1 alleles reveal that the Thermophis allele is more stable under UV radiation than is the ancestral allele found in low-elevation lizards and snakes. Functional assays of EPAS1 alleles suggest that the Thermophis protein has lower transactivation activity than the low-elevation forms. Our analysis identifies some convergent genetic mechanisms in high-elevation adaptation between endotherms (based on studies of mammals) and ectotherms (based on our studies of Thermophis).

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common male disease. Some related studies show that the prevalence of ED is nearly 52% in men aged 40 to 70 years and is increasing among younger males. Hypoxia is now considered to be an independent risk factor for ED and the mechanisms of hypoxia inducing ED are varied and complicated. Recently, an idea in penile rehabilitation has attracted much attention, which aims at improving erectile function by increasing oxygen supply to the cavernosum and reducing tissue fibrosis and apoptosis. The approaches to achieve non-sexual penile erection by increasing oxygen supply to the cavernosum, such as behavior therapy, medication, vacuum constriction device, and intracavernous injection, can simulate normal sexual erection and help patients with penile rehabilitation. This review focuses on the strategies for non-sexual penile erection in penile rehabilitation.勃起功能障碍（ED）是临床上常见的一种男科疾病，有研究显示40-70岁的男性中ED患病率约52%，且日益趋向年轻化。目前认为，缺氧是ED的独立危险因素，其导致ED的机制复杂多样。近年来，阴茎康复理念备受重视，这一理念的引导实施是通过增加海绵体组织氧供，降低组织纤维化和凋亡以促进勃起功能恢复正常。而针对增加海绵体组织氧供的一些非性交勃起手段，如行为治疗、药物治疗、真空负压吸引装置治疗、海绵体内注射治疗等，可在一定程度上模拟男性正常自然性交勃起，帮助患者进行有效的阴茎康复锻炼。本文就目前非性交勃起手段在阴茎康复中的应用作一论述。.

Aim Insects feeding on seeds and fruits represent interesting study systems, potentially able to lower the fitness of their host plants. In addition to true seed eaters, a suite of insects feed on the fleshy parts of fruits. We examined the likelihood of community convergence in whole insect assemblages attacking seeds/fruits in three tropical rainforests. Location Three ForestGEO permanent forest plots within different biogeographical regions: Barro Colorado Island (Panama), Khao Chong (Thailand) and Wanang (Papua New Guinea). Methods We surveyed 1,186 plant species and reared 1.1 ton of seeds/fruits that yielded 80,600 insects representing at least 1,678 species. We assigned seeds/fruits to predation syndromes on the basis of plant traits relevant to insects, seed/fruit appearance and mesocarp thickness. Results We observed large differences in insect faunal composition, species richness and guild structure between our three study sites. We hypothesize that the high species richness of insect feeding on seeds/fruits in Panama may result from a conjunction of low plant species richness and high availability of dry fruits. Insect assemblages were weakly influenced by seed predation syndromes, both at the local and regional scale, and the effect of host phylogeny varied also among sites. At the driest site (Panama), the probability of seeds of a plant species being attacked depended more on seed availability than on the measured seed traits of that plant species. However when seeds were attacked, plant traits shaping insect assemblages were difficult to identify and not related to seed availability. Main conclusions We observed only weak evidence of community convergence at the intercontinental scale among these assemblages. Our study suggests that seed eaters may be most commonly associated with dry fruits at relatively dry tropical sites where fleshy fruits may be less prevalent.

Capture hybridization coupled with high-throughput sequencing (HTS) has become one of the most popular approaches to address some scientific problems not only for fundamental evolution but also for ecology and human disease in recent years. However, the technical problem of limited probe capture ability affects its widespread application. Here, we propose to capture hybridize long-range DNA fragments for HTS (termed LR-LCH). We provide a case of three amphibian samples to examine LR-LCH with 2 kb libraries and comparison of standard capture hybridization with 480 bp libraries. Capture sensitivity increased from an average 13.57% of standard capture hybridization to an average 19.80% of LR-LCH; capture efficiency also increased from an average 72.56% of standard capture hybridization to an average 97.71% of LR-LCH. These indicate that longer fragments in the library generally contain both relatively variable regions and relatively conservative regions. The divergent parts of target DNA are enriched along with conservative parts of DNA sequence that effectively captured during hybridization. We present a protocol that allows users to overcome the low capture sensitivity problem for high divergent regions.

The DNA barcoding gene COI (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) effectively identifies many species. Herein, we barcoded 172 individuals from 37 species belonging to nine genera in Rhacophoridae to test if the gene serves equally well to identify species of tree frogs. Phenetic neighbor joining and phylogenetic Bayesian inference were used to construct phylogenetic trees, which resolved all nine genera as monophyletic taxa except for Rhacophorus, two new matrilines for Liuixalus, and Polypedates leucomystax species complex. Intraspecific genetic distances ranged from 0.000 to 0.119 and interspecific genetic distances ranged from 0.015 to 0.334. Within Rhacophorus and Kurixalus, the intra- and interspecific genetic distances did not reveal an obvious barcode gap. Notwithstanding, we found that COI sequences unambiguously identified rhacophorid species and helped to discover likely new cryptic species via the synthesis of genealogical relationships and divergence patterns. Our results supported that COI is an effective DNA barcoding marker for Rhacophoridae.

Capture hybridization coupled with high-throughput sequencing (HTS) has become one of the most popular approaches to address some scientific problems not only for fundamental evolution but also for ecology and human disease in recent years. However, the technical problem of limited probe capture ability affects its widespread application. Here, we propose to capture hybridize long-range DNA fragments for HTS (termed LR-LCH). We provide a case of three amphibian samples to examine LR-LCH with 2 kb libraries and comparison of standard capture hybridization with 480 bp libraries. Capture sensitivity increased from an average 13.57% of standard capture hybridization to an average 19.80% of LR-LCH; capture efficiency also increased from an average 72.56% of standard capture hybridization to an average 97.71% of LR-LCH. These indicate that longer fragments in the library generally contain both relatively variable regions and relatively conservative regions. The divergent parts of target DNA are enriched along with conservative parts of DNA sequence that effectively captured during hybridization. We present a protocol that allows users to overcome the low capture sensitivity problem for high divergent regions.

Peng-Fei Fan, Kai He, Xing Chen, Alejandra Ortiz, Bin Zhang, Chao Zhao, Yun-Qiao, Hai-Bo Zhang, Clare Kimock, Wen-Zhi Wang, Colin Groves, Samuel T. Turvey, Christian Roos, Kristofer M. Helgen, Kristofer M. Helgen, Xue-Long Jiang (2017): Description of a new species of Hoolock gibbon (Primates: Hylobatidae) based on integrative taxonomy. American Journal of Primatology 79: 1-15, DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22631

A new gomphid species, named as Gomphidictinus tongi sp. nov. (Holotype male, Mt. Diaoluoshan, altitude 930m a.s.l., Lingshui County, Hainan Province, China) is described here. It is regarded as the third species of Gomphidictinus based on the presence of the basal spine on median segment of the penis organ. Gomphidia interruptistria Zha, ZhangZheng, 2005 is regarded as a junior synonym of Gomphidictinus perakensis (Laidlaw, 1902), which is recorded from Yunnan, China.

Genetically modified crops which had been commercial applied extensively majorly are the insect resistance and herbicide tolerance events. In this study, the Bt insecticidal gene Cry1Ab, the glyphosate-tolerant gene EPSPS, and the selection marker gene PMI were combined into a single transferred DNA fragment and introduced into sugarcane by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Thirty-three resistant plantlets were obtained after selection using a PMI/mannose selection system. Thirty of these resistant plantlets were PCR positive for the three target genes. Southern blot assay revealed that the copy number of the integrated fragment in the transformed plantlets varied from 1 to 7. ELISA analysis showed that 23 of the 33 resistant plantlets expressed Cry1Ab and EPSPS protein. Five single-copy and ELISA-positive transgenic lines were tested under laboratory and field conditions to determine their resistance to insects and herbicides, and also evaluated their agronomic characteristics and industrial traits. Results showed that larvae fed with fodder mixture containing stem tissues from single-copy transgenic lines were weak and small, moreover, pupation and eclosion were delayed significantly during voluntary feeding bioassays. None of transgenic sugarcane was destroyed by cane borer while more than 30% of wild type sugarcane was destroyed by cane borer. For herbicide resistance, the transgenic plantlets grew healthy even when treated with up to 0.5% roundup while wild type plantlets would die off when treated with 0.1% roundup. Thus demonstrate that these transgenic lines showed strong insect resistance and glyphosate tolerance under both laboratory and field conditions. But in the field most of the transgenic plants were shorter and more slender than non-transformed control plants. So they presented poor agronomic characteristics and industrial traits than non-transformed control plants. Thus, a considerable number of embryogenic calli should be infected to obtain transgenic lines with potential for commercial use.

This study examines the utility of morphology and DNA barcoding in species identification of freshwater fishes from north‐central Nigeria. We compared molecular data (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences) of 136 de novo samples from 53 morphologically identified species alongside others in GenBank and BOLD databases. Using DNA sequence similarity‐based (≥97% cutoff) identification technique, 50 (94.30%) and 24 (45.30%) species were identified to species level using GenBank and BOLD databases, respectively. Furthermore, we identified cases of taxonomic problems in 26 (49.00%) morphologically identified species. There were also four (7.10%) cases of mismatch in DNA barcoding in which our query sequence in GenBank and BOLD showed a sequence match with different species names. Using DNA barcode reference data, we also identified four unknown fish samples collected from fishermen to species level. Our Neighbor‐joining (NJ) tree analysis recovers several intraspecific species clusters with strong bootstrap support (≥95%). Analysis uncovers two well‐supported lineages within Schilbe intermedius. The Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of Nigerian S. intermedius with others from GenBank recover four lineages. Evidence of genetic structuring is consistent with geographic regions of sub‐Saharan Africa. Thus, cryptic lineage diversity may illustrate species’ adaptive responses to local environmental conditions. Finally, our study underscores the importance of incorporating morphology and DNA barcoding in species identification. Although developing a complete DNA barcode reference library for Nigerian ichthyofauna will facilitate species identification and diversity studies, taxonomic revisions of DNA sequences submitted in databases alongside voucher specimens are necessary for a reliable taxonomic and diversity inventory.

Recently, acoustic vector sensor that use accelerators as sensing elements are widely used in underwater acoustic engineering, but the sensitivity of which at low frequency band is usually lower than -220 dB. In this paper, using a piezoelectric trilaminar optimized low frequency sensing element, we designed a high sensitivity internal placed ICP piezoelectric accelerometer as sensing element. Through structure optimization, we made a high sensitivity, broadband, small scale vector sensor. The working band is 10-2000 Hz, sound pressure sensitivity is -185 dB (at 100 Hz), outer diameter is 42 mm, length is 80 mm.

It is challenging to remove low concentration CO2 from water. Membrane degassing has potential advantages in degassing from water. In this paper, PP hollow fiber membrane (HFM) was prepared via TIPS method using carnauba wax (Cwax) and soybean oil (SO) as binary green diluents. The effects of extrusion temperature on the membrane properties were studied. The results showed that when the extrusion temperature increased from 155 °C to 170 °C, the membrane pore size first increased and then decreased, and the maximum value was obtained at 165 °C. The extrusion temperature had little effect on morphology and liquid entry pressure (LEP) of the membrane. Considering the pore size and LEP synthetically, the optimized PP HFM was prepared at the extrusion temperature of 170 °C, and fabricated into the membrane module. The CO2 degassing performance from the water in RO system was studied. The results showed that the degassing efficiency (η) decreased as the water flow rate increased, which was mainly due to the decreasing water residence time in the membrane module. When the effective membrane length increased to 4.41 m, the η was almost stable at 80%.

State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution and Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China; Forensic Science Service of Yunnan Endangered Species Scientific Commission, Kunming 650223, China; Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto M5S 2C6, Canada; Guizhou Academy of Testing and Analysis, Guiyang 550002, China; Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resource and Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China

In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial DNA genome (mitogenome) of the Zhengyang Yellow chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) by next-generation sequencing technology. Samples were taken from Zhumadian city, Henan Province, China. The complete mitogenome was 16 785 bp in size, and had a nucleotide composition of 30.3% (A), 23.7% (T), 32.5% (C), and 13.5% (G), with a high AT content of 54.0%. The assembled mitogenome exhibited typical mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) structure, including a non-coding control region, two rRNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes, and 22 tRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that this mitogenome defined a novel sub-haplogroup B3 within haplogroup B. These results should provide essential information for chicken domestication and insight into the evolution of genomes.

Well-defined supramolecular helical nanofibers have been constructed by a rationally designed achiral monomer in aqueous solution based on the 1:2 host-guest combination between cucurbit[8]uril and a 4,4'-bipyridin-1-ium chloride (BPY+ ) salt derivative. The formed nanostructures could be adjusted by varying the concentration of monomer from helical nanofibers to a pH-responsive hydrogel.

A tri-stable switchable catalyst is encoded by pH-controlled dynamic self-assembly of gold and TiO

Urbanization requires the conversion of natural land cover to cover with human-constructed elements and is considered a major threat to biodiversity. Bee populations, globally, are under threat; however, the effect of rapid urban expansion in Southeast Asia on bee diversity has not been investigated. Given the pressing issues of bee conservation and urbanization in Southeast Asia, coupled with complex factors surrounding human–bee coexistence, we investigated bee diversity and human perceptions of bees in four megacities. We sampled bees and conducted questionnaires at three different site types in each megacity: a botanical garden, central business district, and peripheral suburban areas. Overall, the mean species richness and abundance of bees were significantly higher in peripheral suburban areas than central business districts; however, there were no significant differences in the mean species richness and abundance between botanical gardens and peripheral suburban areas or botanical gardens and central business districts. Urban residents were unlikely to have seen bees but agreed that bees have a right to exist in their natural environment. Residents who did notice and interact with bees, even though being stung, were more likely to have positive opinions towards the presence of bees in cities.

During 30 years of unprecedented urbanization, plant diversity in Shenzhen, a young megacity in southern China, has increased dramatically. Although strongly associated with plant diversity, butterfly diversity generally declines with urbanization, but this has not been investigated in Shenzhen. Considering the speed of urbanization in Shenzhen and the large number of city parks, we investigated butterfly diversity in Shenzhen parks. We measured butterfly species richness in four microhabitats (groves, hedges, flowerbeds, and unmanaged areas) across 10 parks and examined the relationship with three park variables: park age, park size, and distance from the central business district. Butterflies were identified based on wing morphology and DNA barcoding. We collected 1933 butterflies belonging to 74 species from six families; 20% of the species were considered rare. Butterfly species richness showed weak negative correlations with park age and distance from the central business district, but the positive correlation with park size was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Among microhabitat types, highest species richness was recorded in unmanaged areas. Our findings are consistent with others in suggesting that to promote urban butterfly diversity it is necessary to make parks as large as possible and to set aside areas for limited management. In comparison to neighbouring cities, Shenzhen parks have high butterfly diversity.

DNA barcoding facilitates the identification of species and the estimation of biodiversity by using nucleotide sequences, usually from the mitochondrial genome. Most studies accomplish this task by using the gene encoding cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI; Entrez COX1). Within this barcoding framework, many taxonomic initiatives exist, such as those specializing in fishes, birds, mammals, and fungi. Other efforts center on regions, such as the Arctic, or on other topics, such as health. DNA barcoding initiatives exist for all groups of vertebrates except for amphibians and nonavian reptiles. We announce the formation of Cold Code, the international initiative to DNA barcode all species of these ‘cold-blooded’ vertebrates. The project has a Steering Committee, Coordinators, and a home page. To facilitate Cold Code, the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences will sequence COI for the first 10 specimens of a species at no cost to the steward of the tissues.

Correspondence Yong-Jun Wang, Neurology Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. Tel.: 0086-010-67098351; Fax: 0086-010-67038316; E-mail: yongjunwang111@yahoo.com.cn and Su-Ming Zhang, Neurology Department, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China. Tel.: 0086-027-83612633; Fax: 0086-027-83612633; E-mail: suming_zhang@163.com and Liqun Zhang, Neurology Department, St George’s Hospital, London, UK. Tel.: 44-7837827866; Fax: 44-2087254505; E-mail: lqnzhang@yahoo.com Received 19 October 2011; revision 22 November 2011; accepted 26 November 2011

OBJECTIVES To evaluate whether an intervention program designed to reduce stroke incidence would have long-term residual effects on reducing all-cause and cause-specific mortalities, including cancer 10 years after the intervention was completed. METHODS This is a posttrial analysis. We prospectively observed the mortality of a community-based trial of primary prevention of stroke in China performed between July 1987 and June 1990 by extending the follow-up to 30 June 2000. At the baseline, 26,607 adults aged 35 years or above and free from stroke were recruited from five cites of mainland China; 13,212 and 13,395 were assigned into intervention and control group, respectively. Participants in intervention group received a regularly integrated intervention including lifestyle intervention and hypertensive drug treatment. The controls did not receive intervention provided by the investigators. RESULTS During the 10-year posttrial follow-up period, we observed a significant reduction on overall deaths [hazard ratio 0.91; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83, 0.99] and stroke mortality (hazard ratio 0.79; 95% CI 0.63, 1.00). An insignificant late trial beneficial effect was observed for hypertensive disease (hazard ratio 0.69; 95% CI 0.30, 1.58), ischemic heart disease (hazard ratio 0.87; 95% CI 0.64, 1.17), other nonmalignant diseases, and most cancer sites. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that a 3-year integrated intervention program successful for stroke prevention had long-term residual beneficial effects on reducing overall disease burdens among urban Chinese population, especially for the deaths from stroke. However, whether the integrated intervention also leads to reduced mortality of cardiovascular diseases and cancer would have to be confirmed by future larger studies.

The traditional sprocket wheel mechanism is substituted by the planar four-bar linkages in the transmission system of the bycycle, based on the lever. The results indicate that the novel design has a creative structure with higher energy transferring efficiency by particular method. A novel design and concept are explored for improving of the driving technique of bicycle. Due to its small motion range, the new mechanism can be applied in both the traditional bycycle special for the handicapped and in the design of the vehicles, yacht for the sightseeing.

In order to achieve a thorough coverage of the basal lineages in the Chinese matrilineal pool, we have sequenced the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region and partial coding region segments of 6,093 mtDNAs sampled from 84 populations across China. By comparing with the available complete mtDNA sequences, 194 of those mtDNAs could not be firmly assigned into the available haplogroups. Completely sequencing 51 representatives selected from these unclassified mtDNAs identified a number of novel lineages, including five novel basal haplogroups that directly emanate from the Eurasian founder nodes (M and N). No matrilineal contribution from the archaic hominid was observed. Subsequent analyses suggested that these newly identified basal lineages likely represent the genetic relics of modern humans initially peopling East Asia instead of being the results of gene flow from the neighboring regions. The observation that most of the newly recognized mtDNA lineages have already differentiated and show the highest genetic diversity in southern China provided additional evidence in support of the Southern Route peopling hypothesis of East Asians. Specifically, the enrichment of most of the basal lineages in southern China and their rather ancient ages in Late Pleistocene further suggested that this region was likely the genetic reservoir of modern humans after they entered East Asia.

LHON is one of the most common and primary causes of acute blindness in young male adults. Over 95% of LHON cases are caused by one of the three primary mutations (m.11778G>A, m.14484T>C, and m.3460G>A). In contrast to these genetically diagnosed LHON patients, there are many patients with clinical features of LHON but without the three primary mutations, and these patients have been insufficiently analyzed. We reported 10 suspected Chinese LHON families without the three primary mutations. The overall penetrance (53.4%) in these families is significantly higher than in those families with m.11778G>A (33.3%) or m.3460G>A (25.6%). Complete mtDNA genome sequencing of the 10 families showed that they belonged to different haplogroups and all identified variants (excluding m.12332A>G in mt-tRNA(Leu)) were previously reported. Eight of 12 private non-synonymous variants in the probands are located in the MT-ND1 and MT-ND5 genes, which is substantially higher than that of individuals from general Chinese populations. Comparison of the private variants in the 10 families and in 10 randomly selected mtDNAs from general Chinese populations using resampling simulation strategy further confirmed this pattern. Our results suggest that the MT-ND1 and MT-ND5 genes are mutational hotspots for Chinese families with suspected LHON lacking the common primary mutations. Variants m.3736G>A (p.V144I) in family Le1235 and m.10680G>A (p.A71T) in Le1107 can be the pathogenic mutations for LHON.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is widely used in various genetic studies of domesticated animals. Many applications require comprehensive knowledge about the phylogeny of mtDNA variants. Herein, we provide the most up-to-date mtDNA phylogeny (i.e. haplogroup tree or matrilineal genealogy) and a standardized hierarchical haplogroup nomenclature system for domesticated cattle, dogs, goats, horses, pigs, sheep, yaks and chickens. These high-resolution mtDNA haplogroup trees based on 1240 complete or near-complete mtDNA genome sequences are available in open resource DomeTree (http://www.dometree.org). In addition, we offer the software MitoToolPy (http://www.mitotool.org/mp.html) to facilitate the mtDNA data analyses. We will continuously and regularly update DomeTree and MitoToolPy.

Background and Purpose —Stroke has been the second leading cause of death in large cities in China since the 1980s. Meanwhile, the prevalences of hypertension and smoking have steadily increased over the last 2 decades. Therefore, a community-based intervention trial was initiated in 7 Chinese cities in 1987. The overall goal of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention aimed at reducing multiple risk factors for stroke. The primary study objective was to reduce the incidence of stroke by 25% over 3.5 years of intervention. Methods —In May 1987 in each of 7 the cities, 2 geographically separated communities with a registered population of about 10 000 each were selected as either intervention or control communities. In each community, a cohort containing about 2700 subjects (≥35 years old) free of stroke was sampled, and a survey was administered to obtain baseline data and screen the eligible subjects for intervention. In each city, a program of treatment for hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes was instituted in the intervention cohort (n≈2700) and health education was provided to the full intervention community (n≈10 000). A follow-up survey was conducted in 1990. Comparisons of intervention and control cohorts in each city were pooled to yield a single summary. Results —A total of 18 786 subjects were recruited to the intervention cohort and 18 876 to the control cohort from 7 cities. After 3.5 years, 174 new stroke cases had occurred in the intervention cohort and 253 in the control cohort. The 3.5-year cumulative incidence of total stroke was significantly lower in the intervention cohort than the control cohort (0.93% versus 1.34%; RR=0.69; 95% CI, 0.57 to 0.84). The incidence rates of nonfatal and fatal stroke, as well as ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, were significantly lower in the intervention cohort than the control cohort. The prevalence of hypertension increased by 4.3% in the intervention cohort and by 7.8% in the control cohort. The average systolic and diastolic blood pressures increased more in the control cohort than in the intervention cohort. Among hypertensive individuals in the intervention cohort, awareness of hypertension increased by 6.7% and the percentage of hypertensives who regularly took antihypertensive medication increased 13.2%. All of these indices became worse in the control cohort. The prevalence of heart diseases and diabetes increased significantly in the both cohorts ( P Conclusions —A community-based intervention for stroke reduction is feasible and effective in the cities of China. The reduction, due to the intervention, in the incidence of stroke in the intervention cohort was statistically significant after 3.5 years of intervention. The sharp reduction in the incidence of stroke may be due to the interventions having blunted the expected increase in hypertension that accompanies aging as well as to better and earlier treatment of hypertension, particularly borderline hypertension. Applied health education to all the residents of the community may have prevented some normotensive individuals from developing hypertension and improved overall health awareness and knowledge.

A tri-stable switchable catalyst is encoded by pH-controlled dynamic self-assembly of gold and TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). Through precise adjustment of the integrated dynamic covalent and noncovalent self-assembly process of the two types of nanoparticles, the photocatalytic activity of the hybrid system is modulated by switching pH conditions between tri-stable "highly active", "active", and "inactive" states.

Background and Purpose— By 2010 there had been 14 published trials of surgery for intracerebral hemorrhage reported in systematic reviews or to the authors, but the role and timing of operative intervention remain controversial and the practice continues to be haphazard. This study attempted to obtain individual patient data from each of the 13 studies published since 1985 to better define groups of patients that might benefit from surgery. Methods— Authors of identified published articles were approached by mail, e-mail, and at conferences and invited to take part in the study. Data were obtained from 8 studies (2186 cases). Individual patient data included patient's age, Glasgow Coma Score at presentation, volume and site of hematoma, presence of intraventricular hemorrhage, method of evacuation, time to randomization, and outcome. Results— Meta-analysis indicated that there was improved outcome with surgery if randomization was undertaken within 8 hours of ictus ( P =0.003), or the volume of the hematoma was 20 to 50 mL ( P =0.004), or the Glasgow Coma Score was between 9 and 12 ( P =0.0009), or the patient was aged between 50 and 69 years ( P =0.01). In addition, there was some evidence that more superficial hematomas with no intraventricular hemorrhage might also benefit ( P =0.09). Conclusions— There is evidence that surgery is of benefit if undertaken early before the patient deteriorates. This work identifies areas for further research. Ongoing studies in subgroups of patients such as the Surgical Trial in Lobar Intracerebral Hemorrhage (STICH II) will confirm whether these interpretations can be replicated.

To compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous levosimendan and dobutamine in patients with decompensated heart failure refractory to conventional medications.Patients were recruited into this multicentre, randomised, positive-controlled and parallel-group study to receive either levosimendan or dobutamine therapy. In the levosimendan group, an initial loading dose of levosimendan of 12 microg x kg was infused over 10 min, followed by a continuous infusion of 0.1 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) for 1 h and then 0.2 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) for 23 h. In the control group, dobutamine was infused for 1 h at an initial dose of 2 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) without a loading dose, followed by a continuous infusion of 4 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) for 23 h. Hemodynamic responses at 24 h were evaluated by echocardiography (in both groups) and Swan-Gans catheter (in the levosimendan group). Clinical assessment was performed to evaluate efficacy and safety of the medications.A total of 225 patients from 12 medical centers were evaluated; 119 assigned to levosimendan and 106 assigned to dobutamine group. The effectiveness rate was 31.9% (38 patients) in the levosimendan group and 17.9% (19 patients) in the dobutamine group (P0.01). At 24 h, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was improved by 6. 4% in the levosimendan group, compared with 4.6% in the dobutamine group (P0.05). Stroke volume (SV) was increased by 11.1 ml in the levosimendan group and 2.8 ml in the dobutamine group respectively (P0.05). Dyspnea and clinical manifestations improvements were more significant in levosimendan therapy group compared to dobutamine group. There were less adverse effects including hypokalemia, hypotension and ventricular premature beats in the levosimendan group than in the dobutamine group (P0.05).Levosimendan was well tolerated and superior to dobutamine for patients with decompensated heart failure refractory to conventional medications.

To explore associations between levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and incidence of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in populations.Baseline investigations on stroke-related risk factors and physical examinations were performed in 10 093 (35 years) stroke-free urban community residents from 5 cities in China during May to July in 1987, follow-up investigations on stroke events were made during 1998 to 2000. The hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in middle, high tertiles of baseline TC or TG levels were compared with low baseline tertile residents using the Cox regression model.There were 491 first strokes during the 8-years cohort follow-up. Compared with the low tertile, risk of ischemic stroke in the middle and high tertiles of TC level was increased by 61% (HR: 1.61, 95%CI: 1.14-2.27) and 58% (HR: 1.58, 95%CI: 1.12-2.22) after adjustments for DBP, age, sex and other variables in the Cox proportional hazards model. Compared with the low tertile, risk of ischemic stroke in the high tertile of TG level was increased by 43% (HR: 1.43, 95%CI: 1.02-2.00). However, risk of hemorrhagic stroke in the middle and high tertiles of TC level decreased by 12% (HR: 0.88, 95%CI: 0.64-1.22) and 33% (HR: 0.67, 95%CI: 0.48-0.95) compared with the low tertile.Elevated serum TC and TG are independent risk factors for risk of ischemic stroke. However, low TC was related with increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

To analyze the prevalence and onset of age of stroke in Chinese adults aged 35 years old and above.Data from the 2002 National Nutrition and Health Survey was used to analyze the prevalence of stroke by age, sex, regions, and the differences of onset of age of stroke among the alive patients.Standardized prevalence of stroke in Chinese adults aged 35 years old and above was 1111.5 per 100,000, 1258.9 per 100,000 in male which was higher than female (959.3 per 100,000). The prevalence of stroke in urban (1544.8 per 100.000) was higher than that in rural (758.1 per 100,000). The standardized prevalence of stroke in the north (1479.3 per 100,000) was significantly higher than that in the south (719.6 per 100,000). The standardized prevalence of stroke in eastern, central and western region was 1469.0 per 100,000, 1085.4 per 100,000, 614.9 per 100,000, respectively. It is estimated that there were 5.627 million patients with stroke aged 35 years old and above in China in 2002. The age at onset of stroke in the alive patients was skewed distribution. Median was 60 years old. The first incidence of stroke within 60-age group accounted for 32.4%. The age at onset of stroke was no significantly different between male (60 years old, chi(2) = 0.00, P0.05) and female (60 years old). The median of the age at onset of stroke (61 years old) in urban was higher than that in rural (58 years old, chi(2) = 17.34, P0.01). The median in eastern region was higher than that in central and western regions (57 years old, chi(2) = 12.92, P0.01).The prevalence of stroke was significant different by sex and regions. Among the alive patients, more than half of their first incidence of stroke were before the age of sixties.

Due to its numerous environmental extremes, the Tibetan Plateau—the world's highest plateau—is one of the most challenging areas of modern human settlement. Archaeological evidence dates the earliest settlement on the plateau to the Late Paleolithic, while previous genetic studies have traced the colonization event(s) to no earlier than the Neolithic. To explore whether the genetic continuity on the plateau has an exclusively Neolithic time depth, we studied mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome variation within 6 regional Tibetan populations sampled from Tibet and neighboring areas. Our results confirm that the vast majority of Tibetan matrilineal components can trace their ancestry to Epipaleolithic and Neolithic immigrants from northern China during the mid-Holocene. Significantly, we also identified an infrequent novel haplogroup, M16, that branched off directly from the Eurasian M founder type. Its nearly exclusive distribution in Tibetan populations and ancient age (>21 kya) suggest that M16 may represent the genetic relics of the Late Paleolithic inhabitants on the plateau. This partial genetic continuity between the Paleolithic inhabitants and the contemporary Tibetan populations bridges the results and inferences from archaeology, history, and genetics.